FALCON PTOMAINE
« Why is it that lately, no matter where we go, someone attacks us ? Who the hell has it in for us anyway ? »
« Don’t know, El-Tee. But you have to admit, it is beautiful here. And the beach isn’t poisonous, for once. »
« True. I never thought I’d wish for a quiet garrison contract. This constant action is tiring me out. Who knew a bunch of historians could have so many enemies ? »
« Well, it sure ain’t angry students, that’s for sure. Hey, if they want to keep paying us the big bucks and give away all the salvage, who are we to argue ? Hell, we could’ve been up on the falcon border if we’d signed up with the Kell Hounds. »
« Um… I’m sorry to remind you but we ARE on the falcon border. »
« Oh. Really ? »
SITUATION
GRANT’S STATION TANGO, NUEVO ROMA
TOMANS, LYRAN ALLIANCE
1 AUGUST 3068
After the close call on Solaris VII, captain Sean Braddock activated the downtime clause in his units’s contract with Interstellar Expeditions. The promised two months of leave would allow the Wild Cats to rest and recuperate. It would also allow them to train and reorganize now that they had added a second company to their roster.
IE grudgingly granted Braddock’s request and sent them to their main research facility on Tomans in the Lyran Alliance. The sprawling university complex had its own small dropport and enough housing space (at least during summer vacation) for the whole Wild Cats. As a bonus, it was also situated near a nice-looking beach. The occasional earthquake was a small price to pay for this opportunity to relax.
There was also the fact that Tomans was only one jump away from the Clan Jade Falcon occupation zone so Braddock’s Wild Cats had to remain vigilant during their stay. While another incursion like during the Fedcom civil war seemed unlikely, small raids were still in the realm of possibility.
When the attack came, the Wild Cats’ first company scrambled and surrounded the university complex, ready to defend it. But instead of angry clanners, they were facing the mysterious Green Ghosts, a pirate band who had been the bane of many IE operations in the periphery.
Attacker
Green Ghosts (BV : 9 873)
BL-6b-KNT Black Knight
THG-11E Thug
CTS-6Y Cestus
LNX-9Q Lynx
SHD-5D Shadow Hawk
PXH-7S Phoenix Hawk
Jade Falcon Alpha Galaxy (BV : 19 597)
Thor Prime
Loki Prime
Vulture C
Black Hawk Prime
Cougar E
Black Lanner Prime
Ryoken Prime
Uller A
Hellion A
Fire Falcon Prime
Defender
Braddock's Wild Cats (BV : 19 497)
Captain Sean Braddock, MR-V3 Cerberus
Mechwarrior Mana Saotome, DRG-4F Dragon Fire
Mechwarrior Esteban Mendoza, TNS-4T Thanatos Esteban
Mechwarrior Chandra Suresh , APL-1R Apollo
Lieutenant Liam Boone, FLC-8R Falconer
Mechwarrior Joshua Nowak, GRF-6S Griffin
Mechwarrior Han Jee-Han, STY-3D Starslayer
Mechwarrior Tessa Rhonwen, SNT-04 Sentry
Lieutenant Anya Cherenkov, RFL-6X Rifleman
Mechwarrior Marika Soresi, ANV-3R Anvil
Mechwarrior Joel Stavrianos, HUR-WO-R4O Huron Warrior
Mechwarrior Carlos Girard, CRB-27 Crab
AFTER-ACTION REPORT
It was no wonder Interstellar Expeditions had problems dealing with these 'Green Ghosts' in the past. For a so-called bunch of pirates, they were tough, disciplined and well-equipped. How they got their hands on vintage SLDF and phoenix 'mechs was still a mystery. They also launched their attack in the middle of a rainstorm when the sun was setting, not caring these conditions made urban combat even more hellish.
A lesser command might have broken but Braddock's Wild Cats were made of sterner stuff. They also knew the city better than their opponents. They shamelessly took advantage of that and used their superior numbers to their advantage. Nevertheless, the battle wasn't easy. When the Wild Cats were about to overwhelm the Green Ghosts' vanguard, unexpected guests showed up to spoil the party.
A binary of Jade Falcons came out of nowhere, rushing through the dropport, screaming challenges left and right. The Green Ghosts suddenly found themselves caught between a clan hammer and a mercenary anvil. Not that the jade falcons helped the Wild Cats, the clanners fired at all targets of opportunity, having discarded zellbringen from the start.
The Green Ghosts didn't like their chances and tried to retreat in good order. Unfortunately, the weather had turned against them, the rain turning pavement into slippery terrain. It didn’t help and the Jade Falcons weren’t letting them go without a fight. Only two crippled 'mechs, a Lynx and a Phoenix Hawk, managed to escape. Now Braddock's Wild Cats found themselves the only target of the jade falcons. The clanners had taken some damage but they were still dangerous.
Thankfully, the jade falcons themselves were only rookies out for a little live-fire experience. Many were good shots but their piloting expertise was a little lacking. Seeing them falling on the streets and crashing into buildings would have been comical if this hadn't been a fight to the death. The clanners were so eager and hidebound in their so-called superiority, none tried to withdraw even when the battle turned against them.
When the fight ended, all enemies had been destroyed or had fled but the price was heavy. Half the company Braddock's Wild Cats had scrambled was down and the rest had sustained heavy damage to enemy fire and piloting errors. Many mechwarriors had been seriously wounded (with lieutenant Boone needing prosthetic legs to get back in fighting trim). They had also taken their first casualty : mechwarrior Han Jee-Han made a bad ejection and died of his injuries long before help arrived.
The only silver lining was the salvage taken after the fight. Major Sean Braddock, after much thought, decided to keep only some clan weapon pods (energy weapons, mostly) for the Wild Cats. The Star League and clan 'mechs would be sold or exchanged on the nearby Arc Royal market.
Meanwhile, the end of the contract with IE was fast approaching and the Wild Cats' liaison stayed silent or made noncommital responses on the subject. Their chances for an extension seemed to be low despite their excellent service they had provided. But with war raging all over the Inner Sphere, maybe it was too dangerous for archeology and historical research right now.