22
While it was somewhat rare to go from Recon to Assault, it was not unheard of. Her last mission was still being talked about – facing a Centurion head-on with a Commando was a big deal apparently. But this new ‘Mech… She knew she sat astride Death-at-Range, but it still felt… odd.
Truth be told, she missed her old ‘Mech. The views were all wrong; she kept looking at screens that weren’t there.
Suddenly a sharp ‘beep’ sounded. Her Recon- correction, the Recon squad, spotted the enemy.
“Assaults inbound, Echo. Range in five – light ‘im up.”
“Roger Recon.”
She could feel the small whine as she raised her ‘Mechs right arm, and aligned her torso. Alpha in three, two… The Atlas rounded the corner, far off in the distance – her zoomed crosshair centre-mass, she fired.
One never really got used to the sound and feeling of a PPC firing. Three at once was even more so.
Her Awesome rocked back as all three PPC bolts cut through the air, a distinct crackle in her ears as she watched the right arm explode on the Atlas, the harsh glow of the right torso as the PPC blasts tried to burn through. Her cockpit instantly filled with steam, and sweat was pouring out of her – the ‘Mech screamed a heat warning at her, and she switched fire groups to the right arm.
“Woah, confirmed hit Echo; he’s panicking.”
“Roger, Recon.”
The enemy Atlas, instead of moving ahead into cover, was trying to backpedal – her next PPC shot caused his right torso to explode, rocking him sideways and nearly knocking him over. The next shot cored out the Atlas, and it fell backwards out of sight.
She heard a soft whistling as LRM’s fell onto the Assaults who had taken cover behind this Atlas – that Recon was doing an excellent job. She allowed herself a smile remembering doing just that.
“Skirmish force moving in, we’ll flush them your way Echo.”
“Roger.”
The Recon squad joined the Skirmishers, and as promised, the other Assault ‘Mechs came into view, attempting to avoid the biting fire of the Centurion/Hunchback mixture, while bringing their own weapons to bear. She toggled through each PPC, targeting weak points and assisting Skirmish and Recon when she could. She shifted her torso to target an enemy Jenner that was attempting to flank when a warning sound filled her ears, her display flashing:
WARNING: INCOMING MISSILES
