D. R. T.

by James D. Long

  "Won't the JumpShip be vulnerable?" asked Riannon.

  Rose sighed and nodded. "It will be the most vulnerable when it first jumps into the system. If we happen to land near a listening post or withirl range of a recon patrol, the mission has about zero chance for success. The odds of that happening are very small, however, so I wouldn't worry about it. Once the Tracy K is away, the JumpShip will power down all non-essential systems and deploy the solar collector. Rigged for silent running, there is very little chance of the ship being detected. Even the Clans don't have the capability to spot a JumpShip in a million square kilometers of space.

  "While we're on the mission, the JumpShip will recharge its lithium batteries for another two jumps. When we rendezvous again, we jump back to Wolcott. The JumpShip will make a second jump out almost immediately, carrying whatever cargo turns up on Wolcott."

  "Who's piloting the JumpShip?" asked Esmeralda.

  "The vessel belongs to the Combine," said Rose.

  "They won't leave without us, will they?" she asked in return.

  Rose shook his head. He didn't want his company to worry about the ride home. He knew they were going to need all their mental faculties focused on the mission if they were to be successful. "No chance," he said. "For two reasons. First, they're Kuritas. You can count on them to do their duty, even if it means they get themselves killed in the attempt."

  Rose scanned the room. "Am I right, Chu-i?" All heads turned toward Myoto, who was sitting at the back. She nodded silently.

  "Second, the return trip will be at least as difficult as the arrival. The JumpShip will have only a narrow window of opportunity for a jump back to the pirate point here in the Wolcott system. The ship can't leave until it has recharged the batteries and the window is open." Rose saw his people nod in understanding. Although they understood the fierce Kurita sense of duty, they were more heartened by the complex physics of the operation.

  "Remember, Thorns," continued Rose, "just as you can count on the JumpShip waiting for us until the proper time, you can count on them leaving us behind if we're late. We have to get in, hit the Clans hard, then get away quick. Unless, of course, you want to walk back to Wolcott."

  Rose paused to take another sip of coffee and let the warning sink in. He didn't want the Thorns worried about the ride home, but he did need them to understand just how critical timing was to this mission. Mistakes on the part of a single Mech Warrior could doom the other members of his lance, and maybe even the entire company. Rose wanted to believe he would never abandon a fellow Black Thorn, but he prayed he'd never have to make that decision.

  "Anyway," he continued, setting the empty cup down, "we arrive on Courcheval and deploy by combat drop. The altitude will be roughly the same as we practiced back on Wolcott, so there should be no problems there, right?" There were murmurs of agreement from the Thorns.

  "Antioch, did you ever figure out what happened to your 'Mech last time?" asked Rose.

  The tow-headed MechWarrior nodded. "Faulty cocoon. When the explosives split away from the cocoon, it ignited a secondary explosion near my head. The blast peppered the side of my 'Mech with cocoon bits and sheared away some of the communications gear. The Kuritas put it down as a freak accident."

  "Let that be a warning to all of you," said Rose. "Triple-check the cocoons. Damage like that could take you right out of the fight, and even if it doesn't, it will make everyone's job that much harder.

  "Back to the subject. The Tracy K heads for a part of the planet known as the Graveyard. It is an arid plain with naturally occurring rock formations in the shape of tombstones. Catchy name, eh?" Rose reached for his empty cup and motioned for more coffee. Hawg passed the pot forward as Rose continued. "The formations should provide some cover for the DropShip. Given that the Graveyard is a thousand klicks from any population center, it should be a reasonably secure location for pickup.

  "We assemble after the drop and head for the primary target. Once there, we assess the situation. If it looks like the target is lightly defended, or accessible, we'll hit it. This is a simple raid, so we're not interested in what we hit. Do maximum damage in the shortest amount of time, then hit the trail.

  "If all goes well, we'll continue toward the secondary objective and run the same drill as before. That done, we head back to the Graveyard and the Tracy K.

  "Any general questions about the mission so far?" asked Rose.

  "What are we hitting?" asked Hawg.

  "Both the secondary and primary targets are manufacturing centers. Neither plant is currently operational, but the Nova Cats are hoping to bring both on line by the end of the year. The original owner was L'Outre Manufacturing. Now that the Nova Cats have taken control, they've diverted production from consumer electronics to military subsystems.

  "The primary plant constructs heads-up display units for use in battle armor suits. The secondary plant constructs communications systems. From what I've read, these systems are primarily used in Elemental armor and infantry commo equipment. As I said, neither plant is operational yet, so I have no idea about any static defenses that may be present. I shouldn't have to tell you how critical these components are to the Nova Cat invasion effort, but I'll do it anyway. This is a chance to do some serious damage to their ability to wage war on the Inner Sphere. The Cats have spent considerable time and effort on these projects. It's up to us to make sure it's wasted effort.

  "Now, I know you're wanting to know what we'll be up against, so I'll put your minds at ease. The defenders come from two units. The first is the Fourteenth Garrison Cluster of Omega Galaxy. Although we've got a name, about all we have to go on is that they use a non-standard organization. As most of you probably know, a Clan star usually consists of five 'Mechs. But the units we'll be facing on Courcheval have a point of Elementals attached to every star.

  "We also know that a garrison cluster typically fields refitted Inner Sphere designs and second-class Clan 'Mechs. But don't forget that they'll also have heavy Elemental support. Count on refitted Warhammers, Battlemasters, and Shadow Hawks. Tactics for fighting these 'Mechs are the same as against our own Inner Sphere counterparts, but be careful. These 'Mechs all have Clan technology, so all ranges and heat output will be different. Think of them as tough cousins of the 'Mechs you know and love.

  "Now for the really tough guys."

  "Geez, commander, I thought those were the really tough guys," said Hawg.

  Rose smiled but shook his head. "Hardly. The real danger on the planet comes from the Forty-sixth Nova Cat Cavaliers. We're hitting their home base." Rose anticipated groans and received them in abundance. "The Forty-sixth is a frontline BattleMech unit. That means we can expect about sixty OmniMechs with full fighter support.

  "Now, it's unlikely the Forty-sixth will be assigned to garrison duty, but you can bet your final paycheck that they'll be called in to hunt us down after we've been spotted. If they catch us—well, let's not let them catch us, all right?" Rose paused and made sure the Black Thorns understood their situation. The Cavaliers were a crack unit with enough firepower to level the Black Thorns five times over. He held no illusions about his company's chances in a fight against such a potent opponent.

  "Questions?" The mood of the room had become somber, and none of the Mech Warriors seemed to want to speak. Rose knew there would be questions later, but for now each warrior was wrestling with the new information and coming to grips with his or her own fears. Rose glanced at his chronometer. If they were still on schedule, the JumpShip should have arrived several minutes ago.

  "All right, then, prepare for jump. Once we're on the other side, I want all warriors in the cargo bays checking the drop pods. Report any problems to your commander. We'll handle situations as they occur." As Rose spoke, he noticed a DropShip crew member slip into the room. He didn't seem ready to speak, so Rose continued.

  "You're not going to have much time to sleep or eat when we hit the dirt, so stock up now." Rose surveyed the room, trying to read the t
houghts of each Black Thorn. If their faces were any indication, their feelings mirrored his own. Resolve mixed with expectation and fear. He knew they wouldn't have much time to worry before the drop.

  "Then pack it up." Rose reached for his coffee cup and watched as a DropShip crewman came in and began to fight his way through the departing mercenaries. Eventually he stood before Rose and handed him a single sheet of paper. Rose glanced at the top and grabbed the crewman by the shoulder as he turned to go. The grip stopped the man in his tracks.

  "When did this arrive?" asked Rose with too much force. The remaining Thorns stopped and looked at their commander. The crewman's eyes went wide with fear.

  "I don't know, sir. Several minutes ago, I think," he stammered.

  "Why wasn't I told of this?" Rose said as he scanned the note again. The man's eyes remained wide with fear and pain as Rose continued to hold him in place with a vise-like grip on his shoulder.

  "I don't know, sir. The message was unauthorized. Captain McCloud should not have transmitted the message. It is very dangerous."

  "A message from McCloud?" asked Ria. She crossed over to her brother and laid a hand on his shoulder easing his grip on the frightened crewman. Rose seemed to have forgotten about him as he reread the message.

  "Captain Danes would never allow you to reply, sir. It would be too dangerous," said the crewman. Rose didn't even look up from the sheet of paper, but Riannon motioned to the door with her head and the crewman took the hint. With amazing speed, he wove his way through the mercenaries and disappeared through the door.

  "What is it, Jeremiah?" asked Ria. Rose slumped into a chair and handed his sister the message. He sat there stunned while she read it, first to herself, then aloud.

  "To Captain Rose from Captain McCloud. All is well. The Bristol and crew are returning to base in good health and prosperity. We will be there when you return. God's speed. Signed Rachel McCloud. P.S. You're going to be a father."

  19

  DropShip Bristol, Pirate Point 43P/Wol632Zulu

  Courcheval System, Nova Cat Occupation Zone

  27 July 3057

  The Tracy K slid away from the JumpShip seconds after the starship emerged from hyperspace. Their DockShip undocked without incident, then silently began to make its approach to the planet through the cover of the asteroid field.

  "Welcome to the Courcheval system," said Danes over the DropShip's public address system. "We will be arriving planetside in another thirty-seven hours, fifteen minutes. Until then, please feel free to move about the cabin."

  Rose listened to the light banter of the other Black Thorns, but did not take part. Even Danes' attempt at humor left no impression on him. All he could think about was the message from Rachel. He was happy that she was all right, but furious at not having had a chance to talk with her before they'd jumped to Courcheval. Even though the Bristol was long past communications range, Rose had tried to send her a message. The attempt failed miserably.

  True to the crewman's word, Sinclair Danes refused the Black Thorns access to the communications room. Rose tried everything he could think of to get inside, but eventually had to admit defeat. Harsh words had been exchanged with Danes, but the DropShip captain took Rose's outburst calmly in stride.

  Rose allowed himself only a few hours to sulk, then tried as best he could to put the entire situation out of his mind. Becoming a father was something he'd never considered. He was a warrior, a fighter. He knew nothing about nurturing life, only about taking it. For now, he decided the best thing to do was to concentrate on the situation at hand instead. There were details enough to worry about without letting new feelings enter into the mix.

  Rose worked nearly around the clock doing or overseeing everything he felt was necessary to get the Thorns ready for their drop. His biggest concerns were the drop pods, which he'd ordered triple-checked for safety. Finally satisfied that nothing remained to be done, he went back to his cabin and studied the maps and reports of their destination for several hours until he found himself dozing at his work table. He climbed into the rack for some sleep, but five hours later he was wide awake.

  Rose went from cabin to cabin talking to the other mercenaries about trivial details of the upcoming mission. Everything was in readiness, but he knew the value of making himself available to the other members of the company, even when there was nothing special to discuss. The lance commanders did a good job, but every pilot wanted to be recognized and appreciated by the leader. Rose's visits helped foster that bond.

  Six hours from planetfall, Rose assembled all the Black Thorns in the mess room and went over a final countdown. The recon lance would drop first, then the command lance, then the battle lance. If they encountered resistance, recon would identify the defenders and let the heavier 'Mechs of the command lance deal with the problem. The highest priority was to get to the ground in one piece and then reassemble the company. The drop was designed to place the lances within kilometers of one another, but the veterans knew the chances of that actually happening were pretty slim. Plan for the worst but hope for the best.

  After the meeting the mercenaries went down to the cargo bays and began final preparations for the drop. Systems that had been checked six times were checked yet again. Lance commanders went over the 'Mechs of their command, while Rose also checked everything over one last time. He finally climbed into the Masakari and had Danes' cargomaster seal the drop pod. Powering up the OmniMech, Rose went through the entire system checklist twice before switching on the communications system. He thumbed the selector switch to DropShip command.

  "Black Thorn One, radio check."

  "We read you, Black Thorn One," replied a dispassionate voice Rose did not recognize.

  "Request a status report, Drop Command, and ETA to planet."

  "Black Thorn One, we are green to go with clear skies to the atmosphere. Estimated time of arrival to upper atmosphere is ninety-three minutes. Commence final drop check and report when ready."

  Rose nodded to himself and switched to the company channel. As suspected, the line was filled with chatter from the pilots as the lance commanders conducted final checks. Rose listened for several minutes, lost in thought of past battles. On the surface this sounded very much like every battle he'd ever been in, but beneath the banter there was something more.

  Rose knew the Black Thorns were not the first Inner Sphere unit to strike back at the Clans, but it didn't seem to matter. Listening to the sounds of his company, he was overcome with intense pride for the unit and its actions. These men and women were following him on a mission of his choosing, not just for profit, but for the chance to help defend their homes. Rose knew most of the regular army units scoffed at mercenaries as simple wage soldiers, yet mercs weren't that different from house regulars. They might be a little wilder, but they fought for the same reasons: to build a better life for the future. Not only for themselves, but for their families. For their children.

  Rose struggled past the thoughts of his unborn child. There were so many questions, and he didn't have a clue where to get the answers. Rose hated the Clans for what they had done to him on Tukayyid,' and the fury swelled within him at times like these. They would pay for the damage they had done and the lives they had taken.

  Rose rarely talked about his feeling toward the Clans, but it had been the overriding motivation for his all actions in recent years. To strike back at the Clans was the reason he had formed the Black Thorns in the first place and the reason he was at this moment sealed in a captured Clan Omnimech above a Clan-held world. He wanted them to pay like he had paid. Like he was still paying.

  A red light went off on the communications panel, and Rose thumbed back to the drop command channel.

  "Black Thorn One, this is Drop Command." Although Danes did not identify himself, Rose recognized his voice. "Don't be alarmed, but we're being approached by an aerospace squadron. It's nothing we hadn't expected, but it looks like they'll reach us before we hit the drop zone."

/>   "Understood." Rose considered the new information. The BattleMechs would be especially vulnerable to aerospace fighters during the actual drop. Enclosed in their cocoons, the MechWarriors couldn't even eject. Rose chewed on the information and listened to the company channel. Eventually he announced his presence to the rest of the unit.

  "This is Command One. Lance commanders, meet me on the command channel." Rose gave the appropriate people the chance to make the switch to the alternative frequency. The command channel was used only to convey specific orders and to hold conferences with the mercenary leadership. Besides Rose, that meant Esmeralda, Ajax, Antioch Bell, and Riannon were part of any command channel conferences.

  "We might have some problems, so listen up," Rose began without preamble. "We've got a squadron of fighters on the way and interception is confirmed. That makes the drop hot. We're going to stick to the original drop sequence, but I'm going to request a lower drop run from Danes. It will mean a more dangerous drop, but less time in the air as a falling target.

  "Questions?" Rose waited, but the line was silent.

  "Very good. Remember, your first responsibility is to your lance. When you hit the ground, assemble as fast as possible and then move toward the rest of the unit. Good luck and I'll see you on the ground."

  Rose switched back to drop command and requested the lower drop run. Danes was initially against the idea, but finally let himself be persuaded. It wasn't that much more dangerous to his ship and it would give the Black Thorns an added measure of protection. When the conversation was over, Rose eased back into his chair and waited.

  He tried to clear his mind and relax, but the meditation techniques he'd been taught while stationed on Luthien during his service to ComStar failed him for the first time. Eventually he succeeded to a small degree, but just as he started to achieve the desired mental state, the Tracy K began to rock. The sudden motion of the ship surprised him, but when no explosion followed immediately, Rose put it down to the turbulence of the upper atmosphere.