Main event

by James D. Long

  The Falcons had always been good fighters and the arrival of a single aircraft did little to shake them. Confident that the Black Thorns were still too far away for concern, they cranked up their guns and waited for the 'Mechbuster to come into range. It was traveling at more than two hundred kilometers per hour, which normally would have made it a difficult target. But with all the guns pointed upward, something was bound to hit.

  Rose could see the exhaust trails of long-range missiles as they leapt from their launchers and streaked toward McCloud. An instant later, the Clan pilots had triggered their lasers and PPCs. Although triggered second, the -beam weapons struck the 'Mechbuster first. Many of the shots missed, flying past the aircraft as it approached. Several shots hit the craft, however, raining armor down on the city.

  In the darkness Rose could see the beams cut short as they struck the armored belly of the aircraft. He couldn't see the damage, but he knew the composite armor was separating from the frame and falling to earth. The subsequent missiles tore through the damaged armor, ripping away larger pieces under the impact of powerful explosives.

  As the Clan weapons recycled, the 'Mechbuster triggered the weapon that gave its name to the craft. The front of the aircraft was briefly illuminated as McCloud kept the trigger fully depressed. The aircraft's forward momentum was virtually halted as the recoil from the autocannon held the aircraft back. Rose tore his eyes from the primary screen to check the scanner. One of the Clan assault 'Mechs glowed brightly on the display for a moment, then disappeared. Rose wanted to cheer, but when he looked back at the primary, the shout stuck in his throat.

  The 'Mechbuster's exhaust ports were clogged with thick black smoke. Rose lost sight of the craft for a moment as it disappeared behind its exhaust, but re-sighted it as the ship turned slowly to the right. As he watched, the right side engine failed completely and more smoke began to trail from the ship.

  "Rianna, patch me through to McCloud!" Rose forgot all about protocol as the 'Mechbuster continued the sharp turn. He watched the ship attempt to right itself several times during the arc, but each time he thought McCloud had it under control another explosion would rock the ship. On his display another comm light went green.

  "Rachel, are things as bad as they look?"

  Rose heard her reply as though it were light years away. She was using both hands to control the bucking ship and speaking into a wide-area microphone. "Is that you, Jeremiah?"

  "It's me."

  "This thing is headed down, Jeremiah. I can't give it any more power or the remaining engine will blow. Without more thrust, I can't get the nose up."

  "Can you land it?" Rose had stopped his advance as the aircraft circled above his head. Following their leader the other 'Mechs had also temporarily halted the charge.

  "If I had a flat spot, I could try, but I don't see anything that qualifies. None of the streets I can see are wide enough. If—" Her words were cut off by another explosion.

  Rose wracked his brain for a place to land. The spaceport was the obvious answer, but the runways were too far away for the stricken ship. "Rachel, can you make it to Assembly Avenue?"

  There was no answer. Just when Rose was sure their link had gone dead, he heard McCloud's ragged voice.

  "No chance, Rose. I've got a fire in the electronics bay. I can barely see my hands, let alone the ground."

  Rose wanted to scream, but he tried to think instead. There had to be something he could do.

  "Rachel, I know you can do something, even though I don't know what. You can't die now, Rachel. I need you here. I love you."

  Rose waited for a reply, but none came. He wasn't even sure she'd heard his last message. As he watched in horror and frustration, the aircraft disappeared behind the rise of the intervening buildings. Rose switched to his scanner, but the aircraft still did not register. He was tempted to run to the crash site, but he saw that the Clan 'Mechs had not been idle during his brief transmission with McCloud. Not content with the downing of a 'Mechbuster, they were advancing on the Black Thorns at full speed.

  33

  Houston, Borghese

  19 July 3055

  Rose turned to face the Clan pilots. The remaining three 'Mechs were approaching in a straight line, each traveling down a separate street. The Clan pilots either didn't know what they were facing or else they had a poor opinion of the mercenaries. Rose knew he could fight past one of the 'Mechs and make a run for the compound, but that would still leave the other two on their trail. Taking them on one by one was his only chance.

  "Thorns, move toward the left-hand street. Maybe we can take one out before the others arrive." Rose heard the other two members of his unit confirm, but his mind was still very far way. The sky where the 'Mechbuster had gone down was glowing red.

  "Any sign of Battle One?" Rose checked his scanners, but the Marauder was not on his screen.

  "Negative, Battle Two. She's probably cloaked by the Guardian."

  Rose hoped it was true. Between the Guardian and the intervening buildings, the main body of mercenaries were unlikely to reconnect with him and Ajax until they reached the compound, if they made it that far.

  "This is Command Two. I have a target behind us." Rose turned his attention to the path they'd just traveled. Behind them was a single 'Mech, just out of sight. If Rianna hadn't been sweeping the rear quarter, the 'Mech would have taken the lance by surprise. Without the Beagle active probe it was impossible to tell what type of 'Mech was following them. On the other hand, Rose knew what was up ahead.

  "Command Two, follow Battle Lance up the side street. I'm turning to engage the rear 'Mech. Remember, keep moving toward the ComStar compound."

  Rose swung the Charger around and headed back down the street. Hawg and Bell would be able to take a couple of shots each before the other Clan 'Mechs arrived to assist their besieged comrade. If Rose could stop the trailer, they stood a good chance of breaking free.

  Walking back down the street Rose saw that the civilians were coming out to stare at the war machines now that they had passed. Rose's surprise turnaround had caught several out in the open. As the civilians fled for cover, an OmniMech appeared at the other end of the street. Seeing it bathed in the glow of the street lights, Rose could easily see that it was the Mad Cat his unit had engaged earlier at the city park.

  The 'Mech was at least as damaged as the Charger, but Rose knew that the Omni had begun the engagement with more protection and better weaponry. Like ancient gunfighters, the two 'Mechs squared off briefly. The civilians thought the move was perfectly normal, but Rose knew it was a quirk of the meeting. Nobody stood in the middle of the street and traded shots with an OmniMech.

  It took Rose only an instant to center his targeting cross hairs and trigger his missiles. The Clan pilot was a second slower as he triggered his 'Mech's right-arm PPC. Rose braced for the impact, which caught the Charger in the right torso, then ran toward the Mad Cat as the blast died away. The missile flight scattered explosions across the Mad Car's shoulders and chest. One boxy missile launcher exploded as a cluster of missiles tore through the housing and detonated the missiles still in the rack.

  The missile launcher was still reloading when Rose triggered the medium lasers in the Charger's chest and arms. All four beams found their mark, one striking the damaged Mad Cat squarely in the face, which housed the 'Mech's cockpit and life-support system.

  Either the shot or the charging 'Mech scared the Clan pilot, because he triggered all his remaining weapons. Six short-range missiles flew from the rack to explode five seconds later against the hull of the Charger. The right-arm PPC also fired again, but the beam sliced past Rose. Rose felt the Charger's right arm go limp, the red lights of the weapon-status board confirming the destruction of the arm-mounted laser.

  Rose continued to close ground as the missile system completed its reload cycle. Despite the close range, he fired another flight of missiles. Twenty more warheads flew toward the Mad Cat as Rose approached. Although all twen
ty hit, only three did any harm. Three small explosions chipped away more armor, but the rest were simply crushed against the Mad Cat's ferro-fibrous plates.

  The impact of the missiles had distracted the Falcon pilot enough, however, to let Rose get close. Under the street lights Rose could see that the Omni was in bad shape. The left arm was still attached, but the PPC and actuators had been destroyed. The remaining armor was as pitted and gouged as the Charger's. The Clan pilot tried to back away from the Charger, but Rose wouldn't let him get far enough away to fire the PPC. As the Clan pilot swung his right arm around like a metal club, Rose looked for, and found, a weak spot.

  He shifted the Charger slightly, taking the damage on his reinforced shoulder plating. Shifting again he kicked the Mad Cat in the right leg. Metal popped free on the foot of the Charger, but the plates of the Mad Cat's shin crumpled like foil under the blow. Rose fired his chest-mounted pulse lasers, then braced the Charger to receive another punch.

  The shoulder plate buckled under the blow and smashed into the shoulder actuator. The arm still had some mobility, but Rose could no longer use it for balance as he aimed another kick at the Mad Cat's shin.

  Trusting his own balance and piloting ability, Rose kicked out again. The blow met with very little resistance as the metal bone of the OmniMech broke in two. The Mad Cat fell to the right and Rose staggered in the same direction. Pounding metal feet tore through the pavement as Rose struggled for control. While the Mad Cat was hitting the concrete, Rose regained control of the Charger, but smashed the front end of a car in the process.

  The Omni pilot struggled to stand on one leg, but Rose didn't give him the chance. Careful to keep his 'Mech out of sight of the PPC barrel, Rose crossed over to the fallen 'Mech. He took careful aim at the cockpit and waited until the struggling ceased. The pilot crawled out of the cockpit hatch and Rose turned back toward the ComStar compound.

  Three struggling steps was all he needed to realize that the Charger's right leg was again badly damaged. At his current pace he'd never catch the rest of the Black Thorns. Thinking only of the people in his command, he triggered the jump jets. The Charger leaped over the street and landed in the middle of the road a hundred and fifty meters away, breaking through the concrete with both feet. The right leg groaned, but held, and Rose triggered the jets again. He jumped five times before the computer announced that he had only enough reaction mass for two more jumps. Rose hesitated, then decided to limp after his unit.

  Five minutes later he reached the site of the first encounter. Looking quickly around the location, he saw only the carcass of the Masakari and several destroyed cars. Checking the scanner, Rose pushed on toward the ComStar compound, no longer checking each cross street or alley for hidden Clan 'Mechs. He knew he was taking risks, but he didn't care. If he was to have any part in the ongoing battle, he had to make up the time he'd lost.

  Cresting a hill, Rose briefly saw the battlefield, where Hawg and Bell were fighting a retreating action against two damaged Masakaris. Though Rose couldn't see the full extent of the damage to the four engaged 'Mechs, it was easy to tell that Antioch was in serious trouble because Hawg had the remains of the Banshee's right arm in his BattleMaster's left hand. It would have made an excellent club, but the Clan pilots weren't coming close enough to let Hawg use his improvised weapon. There was no sign of the Phoenix Hawk.

  Rose jumped again and tried to steer toward the fight. At the apogee of his flight he triggered a cluster of missiles at the back of the nearest OmniMech. He saw the missiles begin to explode across the back of the Masakari, then he was too low to see more. While the missiles reloaded, Rose ran a last check over his status board. He knew another jump was foolish, but he triggered the jets as the missile launcher came back on-line. Burning the last of his fuel, Rose angled toward the Omnis, vainly searching for Rianna as the Charger flew toward the enemy.

  To his surprise, neither Masakari had turned to face him. He assumed that was because of Bell and Hawg, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps their backs were covered by another force? Knowing he didn't have time to worry about it, Rose triggered his missiles just before the Charger touched down. Now the two OmniMechs stood between him and the battle lance. He'd just fired the three lasers at the nearest Omni when something thumped against his back. Secondary explosions rocked the Omni, but the Masakari kept firing at Hawg and Bell.

  Although Rose had never encountered a Clan Elemental, he knew one had just jumped onto his back. Almost immediately the armor over his right rear torso was breached. He took a step forward and found that his right leg was dragging worse than before. Thumbing the external camera he saw another Elemental burning away the remaining support of his right leg.

  His 'Mech was about to fall, and Rose knew it. With his left arm useless and his right arm damaged, he couldn't swat away the Elementals, nor would his damaged right leg let him outrun them. He checked the jump jets, but as expected, they lacked the fuel to get the eighty-ton 'Mech off the ground. The missile launcher came back on-line as Rose resigned himself to his fate. The Charger was about to die.

  He took a deep breath and fired the long-range missiles at the Masakari. The Artemis fire-control system functioned perfectly, sending all twenty shots into the OmniMech's back. Rose heard metal ripping and then an Elemental claw appeared above the view screen. The secondary screen shorted out in a shower of sparks as the claw ripped through the electronics. The nearest Masakari crashed into a row of parked cars just before the main viewer exploded. Rose looked up at the widening gap above his head as the Elemental struggled to shove his arm-mounted laser into the breach. He pushed the weapon into the gash as his Point mate finished his work on the right leg.

  With a resounding snap, the Charger's right leg gave way. Rose didn't even try to keep the 'Mech upright. Instead he concentrated on falling forward. The Elemental hesitated, torn between jumping to safety and finishing off the pilot inside. When he finally decided to jump clear, it was too late.

  This time, Rose managed to remain conscious and felt every blow his body received on impact. The Charger bounced slightly and slid a few meters before coming to rest. Rose fumbled with the safety restraints and finally managed to free himself from the harness. Gravity immediately pulled him into the shattered remains of the main viewscreen. He pulled off the neurohelmet and looked around the shattered cockpit. Seeing the protruding laser of the crushed Elemental within easy reach, Rose sat the helmet over the end.

  Standing proved more difficult than he imagined, mostly because of the awkward angle, but also because of the pain of the crash and the stiffness that always accompanied too many hours sitting in the command chair. Rose checked that the laser pistol was still on his hip and the boot knife was still strapped to his heavy combat boot. He climbed onto the back of his command chair and reached up for the rear entry hatch. The locking bolts swung back easily, the hatch popping open on the second push.

  Rose climbed onto the rear of the Charger's head and watched Hawg finish off the last Masakari with a barrage of laser fire. The Banshee was still standing, but the 'Mech was obviously out of the fight. Even from a distance, Rose could tell that its chest had been pierced in three different locations.

  The Elementals had begun running to help the remaining OmniMech, but when it went down, they changed course and headed back into the night. Rose slid down the head of the Charger and landed on the street. As he trotted toward the BattleMaster, he heard the sound of other 'Mechs. Turning to face the new arrivals, he watched Esmeralda lead Rianna back to the rest of the Thorns.

  That the Marauder II was even moving was a surprise. The autocannon hung from a broken mount across the right side of the hull. The right arm was still attached, but it hung almost to the ground, occasionally scraping against the concrete as Esmeralda moved. Both jump fins, which improved the flight profile of the jump-capable 'Mech, had been blasted away, leaving only blackened stumps of metal.

  Rianna's Phoenix Hawk had been just as badly abused. The right a
rm had been severed at the elbow. Power couplings sparked blue and green as the arm moved, showering the area with the flash of electricity. The right jump jet had been destroyed, and from the way the 'Mech moved, the right leg seemed to be locked at the knee.

  Rose turned and ran toward the BattleMaster, which seemed content to wait for the arrival of the other two 'Mechs. Rose arrived just after those two, and tried vainly to get their attention. He finally succeeded by firing a laser shot into the air in front of Hawg's cockpit. The mercenary looked down at him and finally bent over as he began waving his arms.

  "Can you hear me?" Rose raised his voice, but did not quite shout. Hawg lowered his left hand and Rose stepped into the upturned palm.

  "Yes, sir. We can all hear you." As the BattleMaster stood up again, Rose had the sinking feeling he always got when riding an express elevator. He let his stomach catch up before he risked speaking. He looked over at the Banshee, and saw Bell emerge from the cockpit to stand on the 'Mech's battered shoulder.

  "Pick up Bell and head for ComStar." The Battle-Master raised its hand toward the Banshee and Antioch jumped onto the palm. Esmeralda and Rianna were already moving as Hawg completed the transfer.

  "Where's Ajax?" Rose shouted to the wind.

  The reply came over the BattleMaster's external speakers. "Rianna sent him ahead to scout the compound."

  "Any word on the situation there?"

  "Infantry defense. Looks like some of the more militant members of the Preservationists have taken up residence."

  "What about Toads?"