Rose moved slightly forward for a better shot around the Phoenix Hawk. He carefully aligned the cross hairs of the targeting computer, then fired. By the time the lasers reached the OmniMech's position, however, the Dasher was no longer there.
With a high-pitched whine, the 'Mech seemed to leap forward. The Dasher fired at Rose, sending four of the five shots into his center torso. The chest-mounted spotlight exploded and armor seared away. A small part of Rose's mind realized that the Dasher had activated the myomer acceleration signal circuitry, which poured additional power to the OmniMech's legs, but the thought hadn't made it to Rose's conscious mind when he reacted.
As the Dasher streaked past the Charger, Rose swung out with the Mech's huge right hand. The Dasher almost avoided the blow, but Rose struck the right shoulder a glancing blow. At the Dasher's speed the effects were devastating. The OmniMech's right arm sheared away, taking most of the right torso with it. The pilot, suddenly off balance, slipped on the concrete and staggered off to the left. Completely out of control, he slammed the twenty-ton 'Mech into the brick wall of a corner factory, punching several holes into the structure, but failing to bring down the wall.
The second 'Mech waited to engage the MASC system until he was past Rose. Both Rose and Rianna tried to swing around for a shot, but neither could bracket the retreating 'Mech. Rose was about to give up when he saw a flight of long-range missiles crash down on the fleeing 'Mech. Rose counted eight initial explosions, then the components of the Dasher began to fail and explode. The MASC whined as it went out of control, but the 'Mech's legs had already stopped receiving signals from the pilot. The Dasher slid down the street, slamming into cars until it finally came to rest against the side of a bus.
Rose looked skyward and saw Angus and his Valkyrie descend on three columns of flame, then land in the middle of the street. "Nice shooting, Pursuit One. Tell me, how did you know where to shoot?"
"I just figured they'd keep running. If they went the other way, nobody could catch them. If they tried a strafing run, they had to come out on the other end of the street. I hit the jets when you shouted the warning."
Rose was impressed with the young man. The reflexes he'd demonstrated could not be taught. A warrior was either born with them or he wasn't.
"Keep up the good work, Pursuit One. Now confirm the kill and let's get out of here. Pursuit Two, Guardian off."
Rose switched back to long-range scan as the mercenaries went deeper into the city. Gradually, offices replaced factories and the lighting improved. Rose knew that the Clans were fully aware of his approach. Panicked civilians were reacting to media reports of the first encounter, sending most away from the battle zone, but others toward it. Traffic became increasingly congested, forcing the mercenaries to divert from their original path three separate times.
"This is Pursuit Two," said Ajax. "I have three in-bounds. I'm not sure what they are, but they're putting out sizable shock waves with each step. They've got to be assault class."
The approaching Omnis were beyond the range of Rose's conventional scanner so he was forced to take Ajax's word for their size. If the invaders had committed two Trinaries to the conquest of Borghese, these three accounted for all but one of the Stars.
"Pursuit One, we need a visual on the inbounds. Get to the top of that parking structure across the street: the height should give you the range to see them. Battle Lance, clear out the civilians. We might be fighting here."
While Rose considered the fire lanes for deploying his unit, Angus jumped to the roof of the parking garage. Meanwhile the three members of the battle lance began to broadcast warnings to the civilians over their external speakers.
"This is Pursuit One. I have a visual on three Masakari Class Omnis at approximately six hundred meters. They're just crossing over—" As Rose listened and watched the Valkyrie on top of the parking garage, two azure beams suddenly cut across the sky. One PPC beam passed by the Valkyrie's right, shoulder, but the other struck the 'Mech squarely in the face. The force of the blast cut neatly through the armor, the skeleton, the electronics, and the flesh underneath. With energy to spare, the beam blasted its way out the back of the Valkyrie's head and into the night sky. The 'Mech paused for a moment as if stunned by its own sudden death, then it fell forward, draping itself over the edge of the roof.
Nobody moved for long moments, then Ajax broke the silence. "Three Masakari OmniMechs approaching at flank speed."
Rose was shocked to awareness as the three eighty-five-ton 'Mechs suddenly appeared. "This is Command One to all Thorns. Mobile advance, right flank. Stick together, people. We've got to get to the HPG station."
"This is Pursuit Two. I have one inbound. Weight is most heavy. Enemy left flank is secure."
Rose slammed his fist in frustration. "Most heavy" meant the 'Mech topped the weight scale. That translated into ninety-five or a hundred tons of Clan technology underneath a genetically engineered pilot. It was probably the invasion commander. Even though the Clans were outnumbered, Rose doubted he had the strength to fight them successfully. Rose scanned the terrain and made a quick decision.
"This is Command One. Fall back at best speed. I say again, best speed.".The lead Masakari fired three PPCs at extreme range. Fortunately for Antioch Bell, the target, the Falcons had evidently used up all their luck with the shot that killed Angus.
"Where to, Command One?"
"I don't have a clue. Maybe we can outflank them. McCloud, I hope you're listening, 'cause we're about to require your services."
32
Houston, Borghese
19 July 3055
As Rose broke away from the OmniMechs, he outlined his plan to the rest of the unit. If they were going to make it to the ComStar compound, they'd have to use their firepower to better advantage. Rose knew the Black Thorns couldn't withstand another toe-to-toe battle like the one against Morgain. He'd hoped not to have to bring McCloud into the fight, but he was going to need her to turn the tide in his favor.
"McCloud, you'd better get airborne. We're going to need your help after all."
As the main column of the militia began making its way toward Houston, McCloud and a squad from the Green Team took off for the coastal town of Le Jeune. The town itself wasn't much, but it boasted an airport with the second-longest landing strip on Borghese. It was also the home of the Green's fighter flight, the 312th Planetary Defense Wing.
The wing was composed entirely of fixed-wing aircraft, which made them easy targets for both faster aerospace fighters and the more maneuverable VTOL craft. Under normal circumstances Rose would never have sent fixed-wing craft against the Clans, but one of the craft was a 'Mechbuster.
The 'Mechbuster was about as simple a design as aerospace engineers had ever created. Build an airplane around the biggest autocannon yet produced. Hollow out the fuselage and pack in enough shells to justify the cost of the fuel, then point it at the enemy. Although slow and unmaneuverable, the craft was capable of taking out a 'Mech in a single pass. Of course the pilot of such an aircraft was bound to draw a tremendous amount of attention.
"This is Pursuit Two. I have two incoming blips. I don't think these are the Masakaris. The footprint is too soft."
"This is Battle Four. All four Omnis from downtown pulled up when we ran. They seemed to be afraid of a trap. When I lost track of them, we had a five-minute lead on them, which was widening."
"Command Two, Pursuit Two, get a fix on the Omnis that shot Angus. Battle Three, follow them and provide back-up. Everybody else follow me.
"McCloud, what's your ETA?"
"Fifteen minutes to the center of the city. Where are you?"
"We're in the municipal park on the edge of the business district. Use my channel as a beacon. We're going to try to sweep past the heaviest resistance, but first we have to clear a path."
"I copy. I'll be there as soon as possible. McCloud out."
Although Rose had promised himself he would not split up the unit, there didn't see
m to be any other way. The Phoenix Hawk and the Raven sprinted across the football field toward the buildings that surrounded the park, the BattleMaster in hot pursuit. Rose turned with the remaining force to prevent the Clan forces from boxing them into a trap.
The scanners immediately registered two approaching 'Mechs. Switching to thermal, he could see only eerie blots of heat coming toward him, but the computer positively identified those blots as a Thor and a Mad Cat.
"Open field engagement, Thorns. Nothing gets past us." Rose watched the scanner and repositioned the Charger. Around him were several utility vehicles and the squat outlines of maintenance sheds, but little hard cover. To his left was a small arena and a crowd of civilian cars. He reminded himself to keep well away from the arena to protect the civilians.
At six hundred and fifty meters, the two OmniMechs opened fire with their extended-range PPCs. Both shots directed at Antioch missed, but the single bolt at Rose hit, laying the Charger's right arm bare. Warning lights flashed amber as the limb was breached in three places.
The Black Thorns waited until the Omnis were within six hundred meters before opening fire. Clan missiles passed Inner Sphere missiles in flight to explode on and around the targeted 'Mechs. Rose thought he counted several hits against the Mad Cat, but without his spotlight, it was hard to tell at their current range.
Missiles left the launchers of both sides as the 'Mechs continued to close range. Esmeralda and Antioch moved forward and fired their PPCs. Esmeralda's bolts were both cut short, a sure sign that they'd hit, but Rose couldn't track Antioch's shots because the Thor was swinging his way. Rose triggered another flight of missiles and ran toward the Thor.
Missiles rained down on the Charger and a PPC blast tore off most of the armor on its right leg before Rose managed to close to within a hundred and fifty meters. Triggering all his pulse lasers, he saw the heat scale spike, then begin to decline as the heat sinks worked to dissipate the waste heat generated by the lasers.
To his left Rose was dimly aware that Antioch was engaging the Mad Cat at close range, trading Gauss rifle and PPC fire for PPCs and short-range missiles. Esmeralda seemed to be shifting targets in the center of the Thorn line. Both Clan 'Mechs were damaged, but neither seemed ready to fall, which looked bad for the mercenaries. Rose's armor had been destroyed in several locations and it had been worn paper-thin in others. Knowing he wouldn't be able to take much more punishment, he realized that the fight had to end soon, one way or another.
Taking his feet off the control pedals, Rose slammed his boots down on the large studs to either side. Deep in the heart of the Charger, something roared. The sound was amplified as three columns of flame appeared from the legs and back of the 'Mech. With a slight wobble, the three flaming jets carried the Charger toward the startled Thor pilot. Before angling the 'Mech down, Rose was briefly treated to a spectacular view of the area around the city park.
Although jump jets were common among lighter 'Mechs, few heavy 'Mechs bothered to mount them because of weight. The jets needed to lift sixty or more tons into space were just too heavy to be practical. The few 'Mechs that did mount the massive jets were normally limited to jumps of less than a hundred meters. Not the Charger, though. It had a jump range of 'Mechs half its size, and covered the hundred and forty meters to the Thor without effort.
Clenching his jaw and tightening his grip on the controls, Rose prepared for the jarring impact of landing. Landing on level ground during practice jumps had rattled him around in the chair, but landing on the Thor turned the world upside-down. The Charger actually hit the Thor in the pelvis with both feet on the way down. When the Charger's knees hit the Thor in the chest, the momentum folded the flying 'Mech over the top of the OmniMech. Both machines crashed to the ground as the Charger drove the Thor down.
The Thor fell backward and the Charger fell over the top of the OmniMech. Rose threw both hands out to slow the fall and managed to partially brace the 'Mech for the final impact with the ground. Just when he thought he was about to hit, the world exploded in a flash of white light.
The next thing Rose knew, he was hanging from the restraining straps of the command chair. The Charger was still on its stomach and the Thor was still flat on its back, its chest belching thick gray smoke. As Rose disentangled himself, the Thor remained still. Looking down at the fallen 'Mech, Rose realized it would never rise again. If somebody had dropped a house on the Thor, it couldn't have been smashed more completely.
Rose looked around for the rest of his command and discovered them approaching from two sides. Of the Clan 'Mechs, however, there was no sign. As he began to try to move the Charger, he found that its legs were still intertangled with the Thor. After a few minutes of careful maneuvering, he was back up.
"This is Command One, how long have I been out?"
"Only ten minutes, Captain."
Rose's head was still foggy. He thought the speaker was Ajax, but it could have been Bell. "What's the situation? "
"The Thor at your feet is down. We chased the Mad Cat off, but the rest of the company got jumped on the way back from the recon. Battle Three chased off a pair of medium Omnis with support from the rest of the unit."
Rose finally decided it was Ajax. "Is McCloud still inbound?" Rose tried to keep the fear out of his voice, but ten minutes was a long time to be out of a fight this close.
"Still inbound and on time, sir."
"Hey, why isn't Battle One on the line?" As the gray cloud fogging his brain turned into a sharp pain in his left temple, Rose realized that Esmeralda should be giving the battle report.
"Either a freak hit from the Mad Cat sheared away an antenna or that patchwork cockpit is showing its heritage. Whatever the case, she can hear, but she can't transmit."
"All right, Battle Three, that makes you the temporary commander. Battle Four, stick with Three and get us to the ComStar compound. Pursuit Two and Command Two, stay in the center. Battle One and I will take the rear guard.
"Battle One, if you read, raise your right arm." Rose waited until Esmeralda raised the Marauder's right arm.
"All right, Thorns, this will be our only chance to punch through to the compound, so we've got to make it count. Don't stop for anything. If somebody goes down, we'll have to trust that they'll be all right. Right now, securing the facility is more important than any one of us.
"Command Two, coordinate with McCloud on targeting and support fire. I know I don't have to tell her to watch for civilians, but I'll do it anyway. That goes for everybody. Make the shots count.
"Let's move out."
As Hawg and Bell started out of the park, Rose ran another check of the Charger's systems. He still had plenty of missile reloads, but that would change soon. Although the armor had been breached in several places, there was no significant damage to the internal structure, except for the right leg. The red banks of indicator lights confirmed what Rose suspected as he tried to stand. The previous repair to the lower leg had failed. Despite the limp, he was still as fast as the Marauder II, but the Charger's hallmark was speed and now he was deprived of that advantage.
Ajax and Rianna fell in behind the assault 'Mechs, with Rose and Esmeralda following. Rose's thoughts drifted up and toward the 'Mechbuster approaching the city. He didn't think McCloud would be in any danger, but that could change dramatically at any moment. Compared to the Charger, the 'Mechbuster was a difficult target, but Rose knew that a solid hit could take out the aircraft. He had destroyed similar aircraft before.
Marching toward the Clan 'Mechs, Rose realized that the chances were good that he wouldn't survive this encounter. There were so many things he'd wanted to tell Rianna and McCloud, but there'd never been the time. Something always came up and now it might be too late.
"This is Battle Three. We're approaching the Clan line. Multiple heavy targets are close."
"Command Two, vector the 'Mechbuster. We're going to need some supporting fire." Rose considered transferring coordination of the aircraft to hi
s 'Mech, but despite the desire, he knew his attention was needed on the ground.
"Pursuit Two, how many Clanners ahead?"
Ajax's calm voice answered immediately. "Four heavy signatures to the front. Two medium swinging around from the left."
"Battle One, secure the left flank. Don't let those two mediums on our backs. Pursuit Two, provide support." Rose didn't like the idea of sending their eyes and ears to the side, but the Raven wouldn't last long in a firefight with heavy and assault OmniMechs. At least with the mediums, he'd have a chance of survival.
"Command Two, fall back. I'm taking your place." Rose picked up speed and passed Rianna as Esmeralda and Ajax went down the next cross street. "Two, see if you can find some high ground to direct traffic."
As Rose took his position next to Bell, he toggled through his scanners. The ComStar compound was only five kilometers away, but the Clan 'Mechs had intercepted their path and were at just under four.
"Command One, urgent, this is Command Two. McCloud is ahead of schedule; either she hits the Clans now or she has to wait for the next pass. She is requesting permission to engage."
Now that was a first. Rose had never known McCloud to ask permission for anything. "Affirmative, Command Two. Hit the Clans now." Rose knew that by the time the aircraft circled around for another pass, the Thorns would be too close for her to risk any shots.
"Pick up the pace, Thorns. Don't give them the chance to recover from the air attack." Rose fed the Charger more power and the distance between the two sides fell away. Over his head something loud rumbled across the sky and headed toward the Clans.
In the ambient light of the city Rose could see the underbelly of the aircraft in a shallow dive as it approached the Clan position. McCloud had slowed the 'Mechbuster as much as possible to line up her shot. He could see the flaps of the two wings fully extended to provide more lift at the slow speed. The weapon port was already open and ready. He urged more speed out of his 'Mech as the 'Mechbuster continued ahead.
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