Chapter Thirty Three: Parthian Shot
Antrim Hills, Kentares IV, Kentares PDZ, Draconis March, Federated Commonwealth.
February 2, 3065
The loss of the two tanks was a slight blow to the morale of the Strikers. Both Master Sergeant Lauder and Sergeant Cruz and their crews had made it back to camp in one piece. Halley was none to happy about losing some of her people. The Duke and Colonel Gonzales had taken out their frustration on Jack who had borne it stoically and accepted responsibility for the convoy not making it through.
The good news was that the Ninety First Mech Company had all its mechs repaired with the exception of the captured Victor and Banshee which the techs were modifying. The captured enemy Hunchback and Catapult had been repaired and the Catapult was being made into the Major’s variant. Sergeant French would be using the Hunchback until the Victor was repaired.
A lance of scout hovertanks had made contact with a patrol of ten enemy mechs that were escorting supply and support vehicles such as coolant trucks, J-27 ammuniton carriers, APCs, ten ton trucks, MASH vehicle and even a mobile headquarters. The mission was to destroy the coolant trucks, mobile HQ and J-27s. The M.A.S.H. vehicles were to not be attacked.
Alpha lance, Beta lance, Gamma lance and Fourth lance were headed north besides a wooded area. Alpha, Gamma and Fourth lances were clustered together as they moved between the woods and small hills. Beta lance was to the north west and spreading out to find the enemy.
The callsigns for the unit were Hammers one through eleven for the mechs, Gonzales one through three for the Maxims of Fourth lance and Maces one through three for the infantry platoons that were being ferried along by the Maxims.
“Hammer six to all units, I have contact with a Phoenix Hawk, two Wasps and a Stinger twelve hundred meters to the north west,†Six was Master Sergeant Rider in one of the Striker’s Phoenix Hawks.
“Hammer one to all units, let’s keep heading to the north. Five, six, seven and eight keep an eye on them.†“Five copies,†Five was Lieutenant Browning the executive officer of the Ninety First Mech Company.â€
Beta lance spread out in pairs to the north east and north west. Alpha lance headed north with the Maxims close behind and Gamma lance in the rear. Mackenzie walked his Ostsol into the woods with Leonard in his Crab and Dunlop in her Daikyu close behind.
Alpha lance, Gamma lance and Fourth lance advanced as a unit. Mackenzie checked his HUD and noticed hostile contacts spread out to the north west. Just a kilometers to the north he could see a camouflaged Phoenix Hawk and Wasp on top of the large hill.
“Hammer Eight to all units, I have contact with a Phoenix Hawk and Wasp six hundred meters to the north west of my position,†Hammer eight was Sergeant Davies in his Nightsky.
“One copies.â€
“Hammer five to all units, I have contact with the P-Hawk and Wasp as well as a Highlander, JagerMech, Awesome, coolant trucks, a J-27, a M.A.S.H. and a pair of trucks that looks like they are carrying infantry.â€
“Hammer one to five and seven, shadow them ,but try to stay out of their weapons range. Six and eight keep heading north, I want to know what is up around that hill.†“Six wilco, follow my eight.†“Roger.†“Five copies.â€
Up ahead to the north Mackenzie could see Davies and Rider exchanging laser fire with the Third Benjamin Regulars scout lance. Alpha, Gamma and Fourth lances were nearing that hill.
“Hammer one to two, three, four we are going up onto the hill. Hammers nine, ten and eleven and Gonzales’s one through three head to the east around the hill. Maces stay on board until ordered to deploy.â€
“Mace one copies.†“Gonzales one copies.†“Nine copies, ten and eleven form up in a wedge and follow me,†said Mackenzie. Mackenzie then lead his lance to the north east.
To the north east Rider and Davies had moved their mechs to a small wooded rise. The enemy scout lance had initially ran to the west to get away from them. That lance had turned around to engage. Both the Rider’s Phoenix Hawk and Davies Nightsky were more advanced designs so it was strange that the light lance had turned around to engage.
A Highlander and JagerMec were making their ways towards the two as well and was why the Regulars scouts had turned around to engage. Rider and Davies traded wasted shots with the DCMS mechs.
Davies and Rider headed south and the Regulars scouts gave pursuit. Both torso twisted and fired at their pursuers.
Up ahead Mackenzie could see the two Strikers being pursued. “Nine to ten and eleven, fire at will, but only if you have a clear shot.†The firing of their weapons was the response.
A Wasp took a barrage of laser fire from Rider’s Phoenix Hawk. Its armor breached in several locations it lost its balance and collapsed.
Davies Nightsky took a kick from a Wasp and almost collapsed. Promptly it regained its feet and started heading to the north with a glaringly obvious limp. Its lancemates realized their predicament and and choose wisdom over honor as they jump jetted north onto the next large hill just as Alpha lance made its way onto the southern hill. Chief Walther was greeted by having light autocannon rounds chip into his Marauder.
“Hammer one to two and three, back up to the south a bit so Four will not be isolated.†“Three copies.†“Two wilco.â€
Rider and Davies headed to the north east. Malachi and Browning kept going north following the Awesome.
Malachi looked to her right display and her heart skipped a beat. Just three hundred meters to the east were a Highlander and a Jagermech. “Seven to Five…†“I see them head north west into the valley.†“WILCO!â€
The pilot of the Wasp, did not look like he wanted to face a whole company on his own and jump jetted onto the hill. He made it, but his mech sprawled out on the ground.
The Highlander, Awesome and JagerMech fired at Malachi’s Jenner. The PPCs and long ranged missiles missed, but a gauss slug smashed the Jenner’s right arm while the JagerMech’s autocannons blasted away armor on the Jenner’s torso. The off balance Jenner stumbled to the ground.
In response missiles from Jack’s Catapult chipped away armor from the Highlander as it was hit by one of Chief Walther’s PPCs.
With over two hundred tons of mechs nearby Browning had no intention of staying around. “Five to seven, get your mech up and follow me!â€
Warning sirens blared in Malachi’s ears. Her Jenner’s right was gone and the left was stripped of armor. Both her center and right torsos were nearly devoid of armor. She shut off the alarms and got the mech up and slammed the throttle forward so hard it hurt her wrist. Browning was close behind.
Mackenzie kept his lance moving to the north. Rider and Davies also moved north. Paralleling Rider and Davies was the Regulars light lance.
“One to two, three and four move up to my position and fire at will.†“Four copies.†“Three is on it.†“Two roger.â€
A dozen and a half missiles from the Catapult pounded the Highlander. Both of Walther’s PPCs smacked into the Awesome which then fell down from the loss of balance from armor loss. Browning’s large laser destroyed the again downed Wasp.
Davies dashed his Nightsky to the north foolishly ignoring the fact that the enemy scout lance was on the hill to his left. “Five to eight, get back to my position. Now.â€
“Hammer seven to one, I request permission to with draw.†“One copies, go ahead and get back in one piece.†“Roger.â€
Browning fired one of his two large lasers at the nearest Stinger and destroyed its right arm.
One of Walther’s PPCs turned the armor on the JagerMech’s left arm into slag.
A few of Jack’s missiles blasted armor from the Highlander.
The Highlander and JagerMech backed up towards the Awesome while firing their weapons at Alpha lance. The Highlander tagged the Catapult with its gauss rifle and the Jagermech sanded more armor from the Marauder.
Jack checked his Head Torso Arms and Legs damage display and realized that he had only scraps of armor protecting his side torsos. Another gauss or missile hit and his Catapult would likely be severely damaged and he still did not fully trust his cellular ammunition storage bins. He jump jetted the Catapult into a small forest. Walther, Wong and French kept advancing.
“Hammer eight to all units, the enemy convoy is headed to the north. I am pursuing.†“Five is one eight’s six. Eight let’s not get too close. I do not want to get fried by that Flashman.†Both headed north again.
Walther hit the Highlander with both of his PPCs, but the big mech kept its feet.
Davies’ Nightsky took an autocannon hit from the Banshee to the center torso while the Banshee’s PPC ripped armor from the Nightsky’s left leg.
Browning went around the hill and fired his Phoenix Hawk’s jump jets to get onto the large hill to the north. He had no doubt that the Awesome, JagerMech and Highlander saw him. He took an autocannon hit, but the Phoenix Hawk’s armor held.
Jack throttled the Catapult forward to the edge of the cliff on the northern side of the hill. “Hammer one to two, three and four meet me at the base of the hill,†said Jack before jump jetting to the base of the hill. “Four copies.†“Three wilco.†“Two roger.â€
“Hammer one to five and nine. Five have your lance try to angle in on the convoy. Nine try to get the attention of the escorts.†“Five wilco.†“Nine is on it.â€
Davies and Rider jump jetted to the eastern side of the river and headed north.
Mackenzie kept Gamma lance headed to the north. They were just south west of a large hill and a meandering river to the east.
Dunlop fired both of her autocannons, her PPC and long ranged missile five pack at the Banshee and missed. “Hammer five to six and eight try to find a way to their convoy and attack it before it gets away.†“Six copies.†“Seven on it.â€
Nearly five hundred meters to the north Mackenzie could see the Banshee and Flashman. Dunlop hit the Flashman with one her autocannons, erPPC and some of her missiles. Browning lost more armor to the JagerMech’s autocannons.
“Hammer nine to ten and eleven, lets keep the pressure on them so that Five’s lance can engage the convoy, attack whatever is your best target.†“Ten copies.†“Nine wilco.â€
Both sides exchanged shots. With horror Mackenzie realized Dunlop had fired on the M.A.S.H. vehicle in the rear of the convoy and hit it. Also a large laser shot from the Flashman had de-armored his Ostsol’s left arm. “Nine to ten, you just hit a M.A.S.H. vehicle. Check your target.†“Wilco!â€
Gamma lance pursued the Flashman and Banshee as they backed up to the north. Rider and Davies were nearly within weapons range of the convoy and Browning was as well but Beta lance had to clear some small hills before they would be able to have line of sight on the targets.
Mackenzie’s HUD showed the Awesome, Highlander and JagerMech to the west just three hundred meters away. His eyes widened in fear as he realized he had led Dunlop and Leonard into an ambush.
Dunlop’s Daikyu sustained a PPC hit from the Awesome that stripped away the armor on the left torso and laser hits from the Flashman. “Hammer ten to all units, my left torso has armor breached. I am falling back to the south.†“Hammer one to nine have your lance head south before you get cut to ribbons.†“Nine copies. Ten and eleven you heard him let’s back up.â€
Fourth lance was two hundred meters south of Gamma lance. “Gonzales one to Hammer one.†“Hammer one copies go ahead.†“Gonzales requests permission to drop Maces in the nearby woods to support Hammers nine, ten and eleven.†“Permission granted.â€
Browning had made it to the bottom of the northern hill and was approaching a pond on the eastern side of which was the convoy. The Regulars Phoenix Hawk jump jetted over the lake towards him.
As Mackenzie backpedaled the Ostsol the Banshee fired its PPC and autocannon five. The autocannon missed, but the PPC slammed into the Ostsol’s center torso like a first of lightning. The alarm for a damaged gyro range in Mackenzie’s ears. The Ostsol lurched, but he kept the ugly machine upright. The damaged gyro also made him miss the JagerMech with his large laser which added to his fear and frustration.
The Maxims of Fourth lance unloaded their infantry near a small wooded hill and darted to the eastern side of the hill and stopped over the river. Captain Owen and his men and women sprinted into the tree line as they were eager to be out of the open.
Alpha lance made its way around the middle large hill and was coming out in the back field of the Highlander six hundred meters to the northeast.
Browning hit the Daimyo mobile HQ with one of his extended ranged large lasers. The Regulars Phoenix Hawk had moved into his backfield ad decided to fire its large laser into the rear center torso of Browning’s mech. The armor was breached and engine warnings filled his ears as the corresponding damage indicators flashed. His speed was reduced by a third.
The Regulars Phoenix Hawk then landed a kick on the leg of Browning’s.
Alpha lance was making its way to the east around a hill towards the river and had moved into a position where they could fire on the Regulars heavy and assault lance.
Gamma lance was falling back to the south. Beta lance was closing with the convoy. Fourth lance held position over the river ready to dash out and support Owen’s infantry.
“Hammer five to all units, I have breached rear armor and engine damage. I am going to fire one more volley before going for the lake my mech’s heat level is extremely high.†“Hammer eight to all units, I have also taken engine damage.â€
“Hammer one copies, do what you can and then disengage.†“Roger.†“Roger.â€
The Flashman nearly stripped Mackenzie’s Ostsol’s right torso of armor. Dunlop cheered as her next weapons volley shredded the Flashman’s left arm. The Regulars Phoenix Hawk vaporized armor on Browning’s Phoenix Hawk and kicked him to the ground.
“Hammer five to all units, my mech is severely damaged. The left leg is shot to hell.â€
Mackenzie checked his HTAL. Only a few points of armor remained on his center and right torso. He knew Dunlop had a breached torso which made her XL engined mech vulnerable to the extreme. The Sixtieth Infantry Company was just sixty meters east of him and if he kept backing up and the Regulars heavies kept moving south they would be in a world of hurt.
“Hammer nine to eleven follow me ninety meters north, ten keep going south.†“Eleven copies.†“Ten Wilco.â€
“Four-one to four-two and four three, follow me north up the river.†“Wilco.†“Wilco.â€
Davies and Rider chased the convoy north ignoring lasers and missiles from the Regulars Wolverine and Phoenix Hawk. Their lance leader was down and they needed to take the pressure off him which was made more apparent as they witnessed the Regulars Pheonix Hawk hit him with its lasers. “Hammer seven to nine target one of the coolant vehicles.†“Wilco.†They each both coolant vehicles with their lasers.
Two PPC shots from Walther smashed into the Flashman which fell down. The Banshee’s autocannon blasted through the right torso of Mackenzie’s Ostsol destroying the large laser mounted there. The Ostsol’s gyro was also damaged. One of the Awesome’s PPCs hit the Crab’s cockpit and the mech collapsed.
“Hammer nine to all units, eleven is down and my mech is severely damaged. My right torso armor has been breached and one of my large lasers is down.â€
“Hammer one copies. Nine fall back with ten.†Mackenzie knew the order may doom Leonard, but it was better to lose one mech instead of two. “Wilco.â€
The Flashman regained its feet and headed north. The Awesome and Banshee also went north.
Browning after nearly thirty seconds of struggling got the Phoenix Hawk back on its feet.
Davies advanced too far and thus made himself a target to the flamers and machine guns of the vehicles. His armor barely held and he barely kept the mech upright.
Rider turned a coolant truck into debris. “Hammer seven to all units, scratch one coolant truck.â€
“One copies good job.â€
Rider was at the base of the hill and the Regular’s Wolverine just above him which lashed out with a kick crushing the cockpit of the Phoenix Hawk. Davies noticed it in his heads up display’s rear display. “Hammer eight to all units, seven is down.â€
“Hammer one copies, nine and eleven head north a bit. Eight, disengage with five.†“Nine copies.†As Mackenzie moved north he saw Leonard’s Crab struggle to its feet. “Nine to ten, are you okay?†“Yes nine, that PPC hit my cockpit and the neural feedback knocked me out.†“Ten get in formation.†There was an uncomfortable pause before the answer. “Roger.â€
Fourth lance moved north west to get up and over a hill.
Davies must have either been inspired by his Master Sergeant’s death or just decided to ignore Jack’s orders. He destroyed the second coolant truck and took more damage in the process. He missed the Daimyo mobile headquarters with his hatchet.
To the north Sergeant Davies checked his HTAL display and realized that he had lost most of his armor and by the grace of the good lord it had not been breached. It was time to obey orders and disengage. He turned to the south west towards his lieutenant. The fact that two heavies and two assaults were coming from the south gave him extra incentives to get away from the convoy.
Dunlop and Leonard raced north after the north bound Highlander, Awesome, Banshee and Flashman. Alpha lance was also catching up with them.
Jack had moved his Catapult up onto a hill with Wong’s Vindicator. “Hammer one to two, three and four; fire at will.â€
The Daimyo’s large laser burned through the cockpit of Browning’s Phoenix Hawk. The machine crashed to the ground. “Hammer eight to all units, five is down. I repeat five is down.â€
“One copies.â€
The Maxims from Fourth lance dashed north and sent long ranged missiles north after the retreating hostiles. Combined fires downed the Awesome, bit did not kill it.
“Hammer one to all remaining combat effective units, attack.â€
The Awesome tried three times to get up. By that time Davies in the Hunchback was within weapons range as were the Maxims and other units from the Strikers. The Awesome took a pounding and powered down in surrender.
Jack, Leonard, Dunlop, Davies, French, Wong and Walther all continued north while firing at the retreating Regulars mechs. The Regulars returned fire but neither side downed anything.
Leonard’s Crab earned the wrath of the Highlander which missed with its guass rifle, but hit with its long ranged missiles. The JagerMech sanded away more of the Crab’s autocannons with its autocannons.
Dunlop’s weapons fire destroyed the Flashman’s left arm.
The Strikers were nearing a small lake the Regulars had advanced north up its bank to the east of which was a small hill and to the east of that was a river. If the Strikers went up that bank they would have the advantage in numbers, but would be in a position in which the Regulars would have overlapping fields of fire on them. Having already lost two mechs with their pilots and having most of his remaining machines with at least some degrees of damage he was not willing to risk any more pilots.
“Hammer one to all units, do not advance up that bank.†The Flashman pilot decided to take the pressure of its comrades and about faced and charged south at French’s Hunchback. It was a spectacular display of courage worthy of a true samurai of the Draconis Combine.
“Oh my god!†Was what was said by French as he fired his heavy autocannon at the Flashman which refused to fall after taking the autocannon class twenty round to its leg not to mention fires from the rest of the Strikers.
Both the Flashman and Hunchback exchanged kicks. The severely damaged Flashman had superior mass and was piloted by a fearless samurai who was clearly more concerned with honor and helping his comrades escape than surviving.
“Hammer one to Gonzales one, two and three fall back to the south.†“Gonzales one copies.â€
“Hammer eleven to all units, my cockpit armor is breached I am falling back.â€
Up ahead the Flashman’s right arm was broken bits of metal that hung by wires and torn myomer muscles. Most of its frontal armor had been destroyed. Its left leg was clearly damaged. Through force of will its pilot kept the machine upright. Green coolant flowed from ruptured heat sinks.
“Get this guy off me!†Said French.
The retreating Banshee, Highlander and JagerMech gave supporting fires. The Flashman shoot from missile and laser hits from the Strikers, but French’s autocannon twenty thundered and put a round through the Flashman’s cockpit.
The Banshee and JagerMech retreated, but the Highlander fired its long ranged missile twenty pack and gauss rifle at French’s Hunchback. Like a Parthian it killed with a retreating eye as its gauss rifle’s slug passed through the Hunchback’s head killing Sergeant French instantly.
“Hammer one to all units, four is down.â€
The Highlander fled. “Hammer one to all surviving units form up on the position of Maces one through three and Hammer nine. Recover our downed units.
Hammer one to Gray one, we need salvage vehicles.â€
“Gray one to Hammer one salvage vehicles will be with you in three hours.â€
The Strikers support vehicles had come and brought home the salvage with some help from the militia.
The bad news was that they had lost three mechwarriors, the good news was that both Phoenix Hawks and Hunchback were salvageable along with the Flashman and Awesome. The downed enemy Wasp was completely trashed. Master Sergeant Newman informed Jack and Mackenzie that he did not want to waste parts putting the Flashman and Awesome back together as they were shot mostly to hell.
Instead Newman wanted to repair the surviving mechs and then make new heads for the Phoenix Hawks and Hunchback. Jack had approved.
Mackenzie had lost his friend Browning and two more comrades in arms. The loss of Browning made Mackenzie the acting executive officer of the Ninety First Mech Company. The Strikers had failed their mission and it was a major blow to the morale of the unit. Captain Grettisone had sent out a call to the militia for any dispossessed mechwarriors. With any luck they could soon fill the missing pilot slots.
At the moment there was no time for mourning the mechs needed to be repaired and the debriefings needed to be done.
Mackenzie was promoted to First Lieutenant and Malachi to Staff Sergeant as she was now the acting leader of the now demi-lance of Beta lance.