FRS Chpt 25

==Falcon Rising - Chapter 26 -==
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
----
===Meeting the Enemy===
Date: July 20th, 3052Location: Antares, Clan Jade Falcon/Clan Steel Viper Occupation Zone
My unnamed Warhammer sped out of the bay as the extralight engine surged underneath me. Maybe it was how much newer the 'Mech was, or maybe it was that this wasn't my 'Mech, but something felt off. It wasn't anything obvious, or anything that would get me killed immediately, but the 'Mech didn't respond the same way that the Bobby B had. Sure, the controls, layout, and even security measures had been reinstated, but it just wasn't the same.
 
<<"Star Commander, incoming Star," the Overlord-C>> reported. <<"Looks to be light Omnimechs.">>
 
"Hit them hard!" I ordered. "Elementals, I want the Omnis for salvage, shred the cockpits, and get teams out here!" I heard responses from the Elementals that were mounted onto each of our 'Mechs as we surged forward.
I then toggled my Anti-Missile Systems to cover not just the missiles that would be coming in at my 'Mech, but those in a 'bubble' around me. I wanted my Star to be protected from as much as possible, given our recent losses, every single member of the Falcon Guards was valuable. We could replace machines at the moment, either through salvage or through trials such as the one we were attempting now. But the people. They weren't able to be replaced at the moment.
 
After I had switched the system over, Betty began yelling as A Fire Moth appeared, the fast scout dodging fire as a pair of Adders and a Mist Lynx followed, the obvious leader being the Shadow Cat that trailed slightly behind. The Medium 'Mech's Gauss Rifle flashed, and the Stormcrow in my star barely managed to evade, the slug digging into the dry ground and sending up clods of sand and dirty into the sky.
"Pick your targets and close in," I ordered, squeezing the triggers on my PPCs, the range advantage that the new Warhammer had given me coming into play as one of the beams narrowly missed the Shadow Cat, while the other slagged armor over one of the medium lasers.
"That's right," I muttered as the Shadow Cat began to focus on me. "I'm your target."
I closed in, the slight hesitation I had felt in the 'Hammer vanishing when the adrenaline of combat set in. Twisting away from the Gauss Rifle that the Steel Viper Medium aimed at me, I carved away at the medium's armor with lasers before all six of my missiles carved into the holes that I had punched.
 
<("Star Commander, the Steel Vipers have broken off, and a trinary is moving to your position.")>
 
"That is going to hamper our salvage efforts," I replied, dodging yet more fire from the medium. "We are still in the process of loading up what we can.
 
My shoulder finally got hammered by a Gauss slug, the armor shattering and the wireframe on my readouts flashing orange. "Fuck it," I sighed and held down the trigger on both of my PPCs finishing off the Shadow Cat, the 'Mech going limp as the Fusion Engine seemed to just stop. "Start packing it up!" 
 
<("Just hold them off for as long as you can,")> an Elemental replied. <("We have had to change the plan.")>
 
"Fine," I sighed, noting that the rest of the light Star had been destroyed, and a few salvage trucks were pulling up to the Omnimechs and beginning to drag them back into the Raptor's bays. "Bravo Star, Sitrep!"
 
"Armor state Green, ammunition is running dry though."
 
"Armor State Yellow, we are still able to fight, Star Commander."
 
<("Elemental Points are at seventy percent combat effectiveness. Mounting up now.")>
"Form up, we have to buy our teams some time," I shifted to lead the Star to engage the incoming Trinary.
 
"Star Commander, you need only hold for a few moments," Star Captain Joanna informed me over a private channel. "We will hit them at their flanks and ensure that they do not survive, quiaff?
 
"Aff," I replied. "We will hold the line."
----
===To the Victor Go the Spoils===
Location: Outskits of SLDF Cache - Antares, Clan Jade Falcon/Clan Steel Viper Occupation Zone
Joanna's Mad Dog surged forward as she moved into a flat-out run, the Falconer's Omnimech matching pace with the Star Colonel's Timber Wolf and the other heavies and mediums that made up their Binary. 
 
"Star Colonel, the Raptor and Star Commander Mark are holding, they will be the anvil to our hammer."
 
"Affirmative," Pryde replied. "We will engage at range as soon as we are able."
 
The binary crested a nearby hill, the sightlines clearing up and showing a vicious fight near the complex that they were trialing over. The Jade Falcon Star was clearly at a disadvantage, but none of the Vipers had broken through as of yet.
 
Joanna's computers gave her a tone as she locked onto a Grizzly, the older garrison 'Mech was limping and already damaged when her missiles struck the heavy, sending it crashing to the ground. 
The Star Colonel's fire was much more effective than Joanna's own, his lasers carved away and destroyed a medium before his missiles homed in and savaged an enemy Kingfisher, the assault 'Mech's gyro screeching to a halt as the Steel Viper pilot ejected. 
 
Then the Jade Falcons began to close in, and the Steel Vipers were caught between two forces, and even though Star Commander Mark's Star was now down two 'Mechs and some Elementals, they had held and now the Vipers had nowhere to go, if they wanted out, they would have to fight.
 
"Will you grant Hegira?" The leader of the remaining Steel Vipers asked as they were slowly battered down into nothing more than a Star.
 
"Aff," Aidan replied. "But you will only have what can still move under its own power. The rest of it, is our isorla. We have won this battle today, now depart, and know that your dezgra tactics have not won you the day. Those warriors that you have left behind, they are now the Falcon Guard's Bondsmen. They will serve the Jade Falcons under my direct command."
 
"We will accept." Viper commander acknowledged
 
The six Steel Viper 'Mechs limped away from the field of battle as the Assault Star that the Falcon Guard had left behind finally crested the hill.
 
<<"Thanks for the assist,">> a private channel opened to Star Captain Joanna, the image and wireframe appearing on Joanna's Computer showing that he and his 'Mech were on their last reserves of strength.
 
"You have performed well," Joanna replied. "Dismount and continue with your previous efforts to coordinate our salvage."
 
 
<<"Yes, ma'am," Mark replied. "pulling back to the Raptor now.">>
 
----
 
"So this is why they were so eager to defend this. And even willing to break Zellbrigen," Aidan mused, his eyes passing over the resources that were stored here and the twin Steel Viper Dropships that were parked nearby.
 
"Indeed. We will be able to crew them and claim the 'Mechs as Isorla," Horse replied. "But we will need to hurry before the Steel Vipers can mount a force to challenge us for the position."
 
The Lion and Sassanid parked nearby had been claimed by the Jade Falcons, and their crews had been claimed as Bondsman.
 
"We will not be able to take everything," Aidan glanced at the salvage teams hauling what was left of the Steel Viper Trinaries onto the Raptor while other teams loaded the two isorla dropships. "But this is a victory that the Khans cannot ignore."
 
"There is enough equipment here to rebuild our Cluster as well as at least one other," Joanna stepped up and handed a clipboard to Aidan. "The Star Commander is to be commended for his efforts today."
 
"He has performed well," Aidan agreed. "Should he conduct himself well upon our return he will be promoted to Star Captain. He will serve as your second if you believe that he is capable."
 
"I will have to evaluate him some more," Joanna replied, her eyes darkening. "While he performs well, we know little of him or his character."
 
"Did he not serve with the Second Falcon Jaegers?" Aidan asked. "Get into contact with them, it is possible that they may have something more to offer on him and his history."
----
===Everyone is Needed===
Location: Aboard Overlord-Class Dropship, Raptor
I stopped for a moment and hid away in one of the dark parts of the Raptor, the pain and pressure in my head were reaching its peak and I needed a break for a minute. 
 
So I leaned against the cool metal and breathed, there was only so much that I could do at once, and pain was a warning. One minute passed, then two. The pain eased for a moment and I stood up straight to hand in my report. 
 
But instead of the straight and proper march that I'd intended turned into a hobble as the pain I'd ignored in my knee made itself known again. So instead. I limped to where our CO and XO were standing over the storage facility.
 
"Everything is loaded up that we can fit," I informed them both, handing them an updated report. "The Dropships are ready to take off when we are."
 
Star Colonel Aidan Pryde simply stared at me for a moment before giving me an approving nod. 
 
"You have done well today. Even though you lost most of your star, the warriors and their 'Mechs were recoverable, that is commendable."
 
"Dead soldiers aren't able to work," I shrugged. "And we need every one of our warriors, the next generation of warriors is not in the Inner Sphere as of yet. So each one of us is irreplaceable at this time. Lest we find ourselves struggling against the Steel Vipers and the Federated Commonwealth." 
 
"Remember that sacrifice may still be necessary," Aidan replied. "Go to the medbay. It is obvious that you were not fully recovered from Tukayyid before today's combat."
 
"Were it so easy." I chuckled. "No, it was necessary for me to lead my Star today. It has set back my recovery by a few weeks, but it will take time for us to rebuild anyway." 
 
"Star Captain, it would do you well to remember that it is not only your Star that would suffer if you should fall. But the entire Cluster, now go, see to your injuries. After you have been cleared, you will report to me, I have questions, and you will answer them."
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
25