Auspex
Polar Flood Plains
Periphery, Independant World
August 3025
Not much else could be heard over the roaring flood waters of the swollen river. Its browned currents swept by fast and hard dragging debris and eroded riverbank along with it. Standing at a safe distance away and adjusting his respirator, Alexander Bishop stared long and hard at his next adversary. The Privateers had learned very quickly that the world of Auspex was a very harsh place. The atmosphere was barely breathable and due to its nature existing in a binary star system, the seasonal weather changes were nothing short of devastating. It amazed the Captain that anyone would even consider colonizing such a hostile place, but when they had landed at the only space port on the entire world it was learned why people were so stubborn to exist in such danger. The planet was laden with gold.
Alexander had come to the frontier world for a different kind of treasure. Following Eric Bishops star map he had been led to the backwater globe. The locals seemed very protective of the knowledge they possessed of the worlds terrain, but the mercenary's learned enough about its dangers. It seemed they had arrived during the transitional season, a time when Auspex' orbit came closer to the systems second star and caused the normally half frozen world to melt rapidly, producing massive floods that washed across most of the planet. It was here that the contingent of Bishops Privateers had traveled across the stars to hopefully find another piece of the not so distant, yet unknown past.
“I'm starting to think your Uncle might be related to Hanse Davion.” Christopher's voice was muffled from his own respirator as he stepped up beside Alex. “The design of this hidden cache is remarkable.” The tech stared down at his noteputer and studied the image it displayed. The screen outlined a series of drop cocoons held stationary in a massive block of ferrocrete. He scrolled through side screens that noted where the internal explosive charges had been installed to make extraction of the cocoons fast and efficient. “They must have set this up in the frozen season.” The older technician sounded excited and awed at the same time.
“Who's Hanse Davion?” Alex replied half distracted as he peered down at the raging waters below. “You're joking right?” Hytuli shot back in a deflated tone. “Am I Chris?” Alexander had little time to keep track of the fleeting personalities of the Innersphere. The past year of exploration, excitement and disappointment had started to take its toll on his energy. There was always something more to accomplish now, more to do for his people and his unit.
The young Captain scratched at the stubble chaffing along the face mask he wore. “So you're sure the engineers confirmed this is the only way, by diverting the river temporarily?” The plan was audacious but could work. “If you really want whats in those capsules, then yes, it's the only way. A battlemech wouldn't even survive that current. They estimate that the crater up stream the flow will be diverted to will give us a few hours at best before it fills and pushes water back down our way. It's our only shot unless you want to wait basically for hell to freeze over and use an ice pick?” The humor was currently lost on Alex. “Let's begin.” Was his only reply.
After explosions were used to channel the deadly waters else where, a flurry of activity began among the Privateers. The window was small for them to complete their task, though thanks to Eric Bishops tedious planning in creating the cache there was hope for being able to secure all of its contents. The roar of massive combustion engines now replaced the sound of a flowing river as the units two newly acquired Carbine constructionmechs went to work securing and dragging each freed drop cocoon from the rivers bed.
Alex couldn't bare to stand idly by as the operation took place and so he took up the mantle of piloting one of the two labor mechs. Keeva had volunteered to pilot the other. Using their massive excavation buckets the duo had hastily constructed a ramp leading down that they would use to transverse the dangerous terrain. In total there were eight massive cocoons holding what ever Alexanders uncle deemed worthy of hiding in such a deadly climate.
Four of the cocoons had been secured so far and now Alex sat in the cramped cockpit of the Carbine, soaked in sweat, watching as his engineers blasted free the remaining four. Concussive ripples quaked through the ferrocrete as the noncoms activated the old explosives. Like the previous extractions most of the cement came free, though this time it appeared one of the cocoons remained partially embedded in its saddle. “Keeva, move in and proceed with your securing preparations.” The Carbines old radio crackled with her response. “Wilco.” Taking a moment to assess the only partially crackled ferrocrete Alex then messaged his head technician. “Chris, get the engineers to check out that failed blast location. Use caution.” Captain Bishop manipulated the controls of his mech to put it into motion towards his designated target.
“We're running out of time Alex, the pickets are telling me the rivers getting pretty close to back filling towards us again.” Damn it all. “Then double time checking it. We can't abandon this hardware.” There was no response. Alexander knew Hytuli well enough that he knew he wouldn't waste any time arguing over the matter. By the time his own constructionmech was fully harnessed to the second last cocoon he had to pull, he noted that Keeva had her target already half dragged up the ramp out of the danger zone.
The awkward, jerky movements of the Carbine was a far cry from what Alex was use to while piloting true battlemechs. One saving grace as he used its hunchbacked frame to pull the massive orbital insertion case was that the the ground was slick and smooth from having recently been at the bottom of a river. The going was slow but at the very least he knew his load would soon be secured at the top of the riverbank. The restraining straps harnessed to the mechs chassis moaned from strain as he carefully walked up the incline of his makeshift road. Waiting at the top of the ramp were the units two Prime Movers and Keeva for her turn to continue back down for her last payload.
“One more to go. We need to hurry.” Captain Bishop commented with slight urgency as Keeva's machine walked past his. As the crew attached to his Prime Mover removed the straps joining him to his charge, Alex radioed Hytuli again. “Chris, sitrep.” There was a pause and a hiss of static before his trusted friend replied. “We're out of time. I'm evacuating my team. We cleared out some of the remaining debris but we were unable to completely free the cocoon. The internal blast mechanism must have suffered a failure and...” Captain Bishop cut his tech off. “How much time do I have?” There was only a slight hesitation before the Lyran replied with. “Maybe ten minutes. Fifteen at the most.”
Alexander rolled the thought over in his head for a moment before deciding to act. “Tell anyone who wants to volunteer to stay and harness me to it are welcome, if not that's acceptable.” The comms briefly picked up Hytuli cursing before following his Captains lead. Getting the green light from his staffers on the Prime Mover, Alex throttled up the civilian mech underneath him and pushed it down the slope for the last time.
“Alex, what's going on. Half the crew is fleeing out of the river bed.” Keeva's voice didn't sound panicked but she was definitely concerned. “We're out of time. The moment you're secured you get you and that payload out of the hole.” Almost zero time passed before Keeva's reply crackled across the comms airwaves. “What about you? Why are you headed back down here if we're out of time?” The answer was simple. “I'm going to get the last load.” Before his lancemate could argue over his decision, Alex shut down the connection between the two so he could focus.
Marching his Carbine down to the last cocoon, the Captain of Bishops Privateers waved aside the engineers who remained behind to harness him to the load. Taking a one-two step towards the ferrocrete still locking the container in place, Alex drew back his machines massive bucket arm and brought it crashing down against the partially cracked platform. The small constructionmech vibrated violently as its myomer muscles flexed and strained against the reinforced building material. Suddenly, with a large groan and a chalky burst of dust, a large chunk of cement gave way and tumbled away from the cocoons saddle. Some still remained clinging to its shell, but most was now clear.
Lights flickered across the Carbines HUD denoting damage to the civilian mechs myomer and actuators but that was a price Alex was willing to pay. Moving the machine into position he quickly motioned the engineers to go about strapping the cocoon to his labor mech. He noticed that a few of the men lept from the platform prematurely and began to run towards the safety of the high ground. A few more moments past and the final strap was in place. With his people scattering for safety Alex quickly throttled up the Carbine to full power and lurched forward.
The constructionmechs actuators screamed in protest for a brief moment before Alex felt the last cocoon break away from its cradle. Static began to crackle over the machines external microphone as it started to pick up a thunderous sound in the distance. As the Carbine began to plod forward, its pilot could feel the resistance caused by the remaining ferrocrete that clung to the containers hull. Seconds. Alexander knew that every single one counted now as the too distant ramp slowly inched closer on his view screen.
Water didn't impact Alexander's Carbine until it was nearly on top of the ramp. With a thunderous roar, a wave like something out of a dream smashed into the side of the small mech and its load. Alex drove the machines lifter arm down hard into the softer earth of the ramp and reached out desperately with its bucket in an attempt to grasp onto the ground ahead to pull himself out of the current. The current ebbed slightly where Alexander was caught in the torrent, but he knew the ramp was responsible and it wouldn't last forever.
Slowly, amid the screaming of the world around him, Captain Bishop slowly dragged himself forward. I'm not going to make it. The thought suddenly surged forward in his minds eye as he felt the ground underneath his feet begin to give way. Just as Alex closed his eyes to accept his dark fate he felt something heavy impact into the front of his Carbine. Through the obscured canopy of his mech he saw Keeva's cargo lifting arm latched onto his machines outstretched bucket arm. In the moment before the ramp washed away, the combined strength of both lancemates Alexander and his burden made it out of the rivers deadly flow.
Once safely on shore Alex powered down his mech and dismounted. Before he could assess the damages to his ride Keeva ran across the mud and grabbed him in a tight embrace. “You crazy fool” she cried out into his ear as she hugged him. Neither of them heard the explosion before they felt it. Ferrocrete and slagged metal erupted suddenly from Alexander's cocoon as its final blast charges cooked off, having not completely failed after all and still stuck to the side of the shell.
A large piece of slag slammed into Keeva and tore her away from Alex's arms. With loud ringing in his ears the young leader looked up from the thick mud he had been thrown down into. He couldn't hear Keeva's terrified cries, but Alex saw on the rivers edge flailing arms grabbing onto the large piece of super heated metal that had broke away from the drop cocoon in the blast. It was slowly sliding down the bank towards the ravaging current below. Dragging himself with what strength he could muster Alexander threw himself towards his companion. He saw the fear in her eyes as she wildly tried to grip the cool side of the armor plate, but the blood from her wounds and the mud made it impossible for her to get a firm grasp.
Frantically with both hands Alex reached out and grabbed the only thing he could before Keeva was lost to the waters. Both of the orphans palms gripped onto the super heated metal of the slagged metal. Crying out in a spike of searing pain, Alexander held on just long enough for his lovers hands to gain purchase on his wrists before he let go of the metal and it slipped into the raging river. More hands joined the struggle as two engineers helped drag Keeva onto solid ground once more.
Captain Bishop didn't hear Christopher call out for a medic, but he had decided the scorch marks on his flesh were a fair trade for saving Keeva's life before slumping down into the mud in agony.
