Exodus road

by Blaine Lee Pardoe

  "Aff, you could challenge me, but this order comes down from Star Colonel Moon. Meet him in hand-to-hand combat, and he will crush you to death simply to remove you as a blight on his duty roster."

  Trent nodded slowly. He had been bred and born into the Clan way, yet everything that had shaped him and driven him now seemed to be working against him. How could a way of life that he had accepted without question so fail him when he needed it most? He fought down a feeling of betrayal.

  "Very well, Star Captain Howell. I will meet you shortly. Together we shall see if you are ordering fine warriors to their deaths."

  He reached down and toggled off the vidphone control. As the image of Jez disappeared, Trent remained sitting in near-darkness, lost in his own thoughts. He stared at the codex bracelet on his left wrist, the one that was still his own flesh and blood.

  The codex was a warrior's life. The EPROM on it contained a record of the genetic DNA signature of the warrior who wore it as well as his or her entire service record. In all of his years, Trent had only taken the bracelet off to have it updated. Looking at it now, he thought back on his life.

  He was a skilled warrior, and his record should show it. Even on Tukayyid, when, by all rights, he should have been killed, Trent had managed to hang on. Because he had survived a failed campaign, he now bore a taint. A taint not reflected by his codex, but by the whispers and sidelong looks of his fellow warriors.

  Nicholas Kerensky, the founder of the Clans, had envisioned a society where only warriors engaged in combat and the rules of warfare were honored by all. Where truth and justice were tested on the field of battle. Right and wrong were clear-cut, determined by prowess shown in trials of combat. How could he reconcile this vision with the way his Star Colonel and his commanding officer treated him? No matter how he proved himself, they viewed him as worthless. They seemed to be operating under another code of conduct, one unknown to Trent. He could not even imagine what that code was, but found himself hating them for this aberration, this deviation from what the Clans were meant to be.

  Have we strayed from the vision that guided Nicholas Kerensky in forging our superior way of life? With that thought, he reached over to turn off the tent light. He would think no further on this tonight. Some questions were best left unanswered. . ..

  9

  Baker Canyon, Stark Ridge Mountains

  Hyner

  Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone

  14 November 3054

  Knowing that one is facing a trap does not always mean the trap can be overcome. It simply means you know something your foe does not know you know. Trent pondered this truth as he moved his Timber Wolf to a slow walking pace at the head of his Beta Striker Star. Some two hundred meters behind were Russou and the forces of Charlie Sweep Star. Between them was Star Captain Jez, anxious to rush the two Stars under his and Russou's command into battle.

  The terrain was not going to be easy. Trent knew that from his studies of the maps of Baker Canyon, which the report named as the site of the Kat Killer Five base. Located in the foothills of the Stark Ridge Mountains, the area consisted of clusters of stout, cedar-like trees, steep slopes, numerous dead-end passes, and deep canyons.

  The rock formations that poked up toward the white-blue Hyner sky would work to the advantage of anyone already holding the terrain. There were more than enough places to conceal BattleMechs and conventional forces.

  The canyon itself was almost a kilometer and a half across, with a narrow opening a scant three hundred meters wide. The old mines from which the guerrillas were supposedly operating were at the far end of the canyon. The rest of the canyon floor was wide open, interrupted only by piles of millings from the now lifeless mine. The upper walls of Baker Canyon posed a threat as well. It would be possible to position troops and even BattleMechs like knights on a castle parapet on either side and along the far northern edge of the canyon. From that height, an enemy could rain down a shower of death and destruction while maintaining substantial cover among the rock formations and boulders that dotted the ridge. With so much terrain and so many hiding places, it was going to be difficult to cover both the floor and the rim of the canyon at the same time. But after studying the survey scans and topographical maps, Trent thought he knew what the enemy might do.

  He had tried twice to convince Jez not to send his and Russou's forces driving into the canyon. He had urged using Russou's forces to secure the high ground and perimeter before moving in on the mines. But she would not be budged. Jez said that the mines were the key, and even if the whole thing were a trap, the enemy would strike from there.

  There was no convincing her otherwise, and Trent knew it was because she refused to see these Kat Killers as anything other than bandits. That was her first mistake. It was important to remember that they were also Mech Warriors. Inner Sphere freebirths or not, they had survived the Jaguar occupation of Hyner thus far, which made them foes worth taking seriously. The good thing was that Russou had agreed with Trent's view that the operation must be handled with great care and caution. Together, they had come up with a plan of their own, one that would allow them to respond to potential problems if this were indeed a trap.

  The speaker inside Trent's neurohelmet stirred to life, shattering his concentration. "Jez to Strike Command. The objective is just ahead. Beta Striker, take the point. Charlie Sweep to follow." The orders were clear. If this was a trap, it was Trent's Star that would lead the way straight into its mouth.

  I am Clan. My duty is to obey, no matter what I think of the orders. "Affirmative, Star Captain Jez. Beta Striker, follow on my mark in attack order Tango." Trent had worked out the deployment order earlier, without consulting Jez. Considering the models and the configurations of the 'Mechs they fielded, his plan offered them the best chance should the mine tunnel be filled with Kat Killers or if the bandits appeared on the surrounding high ground.

  Trent would lead with his Timber Wolf, its deadly missile racks giving him the ability to reach the high canyon crests if the enemy appeared up there. Mech Warriors Styx and Laurel in their Summoner and Hellbringer, respectively, would follow. If he had to take a position to ward off an attack from above, the Summoner would be critical, its jump jets permitting it a short flight to the canyon walls. Finally Mech Warrior Ansel in his Mad Dog and Lior in her Cauldron-Born would sweep in. Both of those OmniMechs were good in-fighters if the trap were sprung from within the mines, especially the low-slung Cauldron-Born.

  A cloud of dust rose as Trent walked the Timber Wolf through the entrance to Baker Canyon. He moved slowly, his short-range sensors sweeping the boulders and rocks that littered the floor of the canyon. The milling piles were not so easily handled. Filled with radioactive and metallic wastes, they blurred the sensors. Which was not something Trent had planned for.

  "Laurel, go slow and form up on my left. Styx, come up on my right. The rest of you come in slowly and watch the ridgeline." Trent still considered the high ground sun-rounding the canyon to be the greatest threat, despite the masking that the milling mounds provided.

  He was about to contact Russou when Jez's stern voice came over his neurohelmet headset. "Trent, you've slowed. I gave no such order. Advance now and let us get this over with."

  Trent bit his lower lip to keep himself from saying something he might regret. "Aye, Star Captain," he said. His tactical display showed that she had moved ahead of Russou's forces and was rapidly closing on his unit's position.

  He throttled up the Timber Wolf and concentrated his sensors forward. Laurel and Styx also advanced, moving along the outer edges of the canyon floor while Trent moved up the middle. As his Star advanced cautiously, Russou, obviously prodded by Jez, moved to the mouth of the canyon.

  Always moving slowly and carefully, Trent piloted the Timber Wolf around the massive mound of discarded rocks and saw the opening of the mine. It was huge, obviously designed to permit MinerMechs to descend into the mountain. The gaping hole seemed to swallow up the daylight.

>   They could be down there with any number of BattleMechs. It was a perfect hiding place, or. . .

  Suddenly there was an explosion somewhere in the distance. Trent scanned the area, but all he saw was a cloud of smoke up on the ridge line to the east near where Styx and Jez stood in their 'Mechs. Dust flew into the air, and a blur of something moved down toward the pair of OmniMechs.

  There was a crash as a massive boulder slammed into Jez's Warhawk, followed by the almost sickening groan of ferro-fibrous armor and ferro-titanium steel. The Warhawk's legs contorted under the impact and were crushed, flip-slamming the torso into the ground with incredible power.

  "Beta Striker, concentrate on the canyon ridge," Trent barked as two more blasts rocked his Timber Wolf. An avalanche of rocks and debris raced downward to his left, where Laurel waited in her Hellbringer. She took a step back, but not before several tons of debris mauled her leg armor and nearly toppled her 'Mech.

  Russou's voice came over the commline. "I am picking up multiple BattleMechs coming at us from the south."

  Trent concentrated his sensor scans on the canyon floor. The distinctive red images on his secondary display indicated magnetic resonance readings, the kind made by the fusion reactors that powered the mighty BattleMechs. "I show two confirmed up above us on the ridge overlooking the canyon floor. Probably more we haven't seen yet."

  As he spoke, Trent torso-twisted his Timber Wolf in the direction of one of the unidentified enemies, and his battle-computer came up with an image—a Catapult. He reacted immediately. He tagged the enemy as his, then signal-relayed to the other Jaguars as he opened up with both racks of his long-range missiles.

  The missiles screamed up the canyon wall and plowed into the partially concealed Catapult as it moved to a firing stance. Three missed, scattering clouds of debris and creating mini-avalanches toward the far end of Baker Canyon, but the rest found their mark. Smoke, some gray, some black, billowed from the holes in the Catapult's armor.

  As Styx targeted the other 'Mech, Trent moved behind one of the milling piles to avoid a shot from the ambusher he had just hit. Jez's voice crackled to life over the speakers. "This is Star Captain Jez to all personnel. Fall back to the mine. We can take cover there."

  Trent looked at the map and the placement of the enemy 'Mechs. They were moving to cut off the Jaguar exit and could hit them in the open. Jez's order looked correct, but only on the surface. Trent knew that the one who is being ambushed must not give his enemy an out. The open mine shaft was just such an out. If I were the enemy, I would have rigged the mine with explosives.

  "Belay that order," Trent snapped. As he spoke, another explosion rocked the hillside near the opening where Russou's forces had lined up. This time four massive boulders dislodged from their timeless perch and plunged down onto a Nova in Russou's command. The squat OmniMech never stood a chance as the rocks crashed down on it, crushing it flat. Fire from the approaching lance of Kat Killer 'Mechs poured through the canyon entrance, peppering two more of Russou's 'Mechs. The Clan 'Mechs rocked backward under the impact, then laid down their own barrage of death and destruction. Depleted-uranium autocannon rounds, lasers, and missiles stretched outward to the south, where the enemy was. The Kat Killer 'Mechs were closing in from behind, attempting to push the Jaguars into the canyon.

  "You dare," Jez commanded.

  "Star Commander Russou, we are already in one trap, and I believe the mine is booby-trapped as well," Trent barked over her voice. "As the officer in command, I order you to attack out of this canyon. Elements of Beta Striker Star, pull back and provide cover fire support as needed."

  "I am the commanding officer here, Trent," Jez cut in, her voice raged with anger.

  "Star Commander Russou, Star Captain Jez has been injured and incapacitated. You will obey my orders."

  There was a pause as Russou gathered his thoughts. "Aye, Star Captain Trent," he said finally. Russou's forces began to fire back as Trent's 'Mechs moved in toward them. Trent's Timber Wolf moved from behind its cover even as a spray of missiles erupted all around him. Two of the warheads hit his left weapons pod, blasting off armor that splattered against his cockpit viewport like the pelting rain of a summer storm. The Catapult still meant business and was going to have to be dealt with.

  He locked onto it again with his missiles, the tone of the lock filling his ears with stark clarity. Just as he was about to fire, the Kat Killer 'Mech moved behind a rock, breaking Trent's targeting lock. We can sit here all day and trade shots back and forth. Trent looked up toward the top of the canyon ridge where the Catapult was hiding. The sophisticated sensors of his OmniMech were designed to take out enemy forces, not study small bits of terrain. Trent had to trust his instincts and tactical acumen.

  As his command moved into the canyon opening alongside Russou's forces, another salvo of fire poured through the entrance, raking a number of the Jaguar 'Mechs. Russou's Star began to advance to the south, followed by what was left of Trent's Star. He alone remained in the canyon, at least in his mind. He did not count Jez, her 'Mech downed and crippled on the canyon floor nearby.

  Trent studied the tactical display to see if the Catapult had moved. The magnetic readings of its fusion reactor still showed the 'Mech safely hidden behind the boulder. Very well.

  Trent side-stepped the Timber Wolf out into the open and locked onto the base of the boulder. With cold precision he switched the pair of long-range missile racks that topped the Timber Wolfs shoulders to the same target interlock circuit. The TIC would let him fire both weapons with the same trigger. There was a metallic clicking sound in his 'Mech as the next reload of missiles slid and locked into the box-like firing tubes. He knew the sounds and the sensations without needing to check his weapons status. His thumb triggered all forty missiles at once.

  Against a moving 'Mech, Trent knew that missiles sometimes miss. But it was impossible to miss hitting mere immobile rock. The warheads went off, raising a huge cloud of dust into the air, but Trent did not watch the physical image. He concentrated on his targeting and tracking system. As the boulder dislodged and rolled down the canyon wall toward the floor, he saw his targeting system switch to the now-exposed Catapult. Without hesitation and before the stunned Kat Killer could respond, Trent opened fire with his medium and large lasers, firing through the fog of dust and airborne debris.

  The stabbing scarlet beams slammed into the right side of the Catapult just shy of where the cockpit joined the torso. Trent's battle computer displayed the precision of his shot even as a ripple of heat rose in his cockpit. Armor exploded away as the guerrilla BattleMech twisted under the impact and external explosions. As his missiles recycled for another shot, Trent thought the guerrilla 'Mech might tumble into the canyon because of the damage taken, but instead it suddenly burst into a ball of flame as its internal ammunition stores went off. The entire right side of the Catapult went off like a volcanic eruption. Black smoke and flames filled the dust cloud from his previous hit.

  Trent lifted his head in time to see the actual 'Mech finish its spin and plunge head-first down the hillside. Almost mechanically he switched to his sensors and saw that the other 'Mech on the canyon ridge had already disappeared from the area. All that is left now are Jez and the consequences of my actions.

  * * *

  Her face red with anger, Star Captain Jez Howell stood amid the dust of the canyon floor swirling around her. Her 'Mech was only a scant few meters away, and behind Trent, Russou and his force secured the area. Three of the Kat Killers had been utterly destroyed. The remaining pair had fled and were already out of sensor range. The battle is won, but not complete.

  Trent stood in front of his Timber Wolf, arms crossed, ready for the verbal dressing-down he knew was coming. She did not disappoint him. "You defied my direct and explicit orders," she spat, taking out the portable communicator and activating it.

  "Affirmative, Star Captain. Your BattleMech was damaged and you were incapacitated. I fulfilled my duty as an officer
in service of the Jaguar."

  "I was still able to command," she snapped.

  "I feared you injured, perhaps unconscious," Trent replied, putting up a deliberate facade of calmness.

  "You lie," she said.

  "Neg," Trent replied.

  "Star Captain Trent," came a deep voice over the handheld communicator Jez held. He knew the voice and the anger behind it.

  "Yes, Star Colonel."

  "Your actions showed a lack of courage. Your decisions allowed the bandit enemy to escape. Your failures will be noted on your codex for now and for all time."

  Trent spoke almost without thinking first. "My actions saved the entire command," he reported. "Had we proceeded with Star Captain Jez Howell's plan we would have been boxed in and killed. One of my warriors has already inspected the mine she had ordered us to enter. It was booby-trapped with several drums of petrocycline. Had we fled there, we would have been wiped out to the last warrior."

  "Your findings are irrelevant, Star Captain," the disembodied voice of Star Colonel Paul Moon replied. "The issue at hand is your presumptive assumption of command and blatant disregard for the orders of a superior officer. Your codex will reflect your act of insubordination."

  "Neg, Star Colonel," Trent replied. Not this time ... "I invoke the right of refusal against Star Captain Jez's version of events. If I win, my codex remains untainted." He stared fiercely at Jez, who grinned broadly in return.

  "I accept this challenge," she replied. "We fight unaugmented and we fight now."

  "Star Captain Jez," Moon's voice said. "This 'warrior' is unblooded. You do not have to face him."

  "Neg. He is mine and his blood will flow today."

  She means this to be my death. Trent took off his gun belt. I mean this as redemption. Jez likewise took off her weapons belt and tossed it aside, along with the communicator. Russou and the other warriors gathered around them, forming a Circle of Equals.