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[Karl Streiger]

Hey, i want to publish a story i have written years ago. It is a short story in german, in preparation for a work placement in Ire i've started to translate it into English... however the work is still not done yet. Only the first paragraphs are ready.

Idea behin one of my first battle tech fan fiction takes place during Tukkayyid in the Falcon Zone - the narrator was a young com guard experiencing the horrors of total war.
Years later this short story should marked the end of this story... take place during the Fed Com Civil War and the Falcon Invasion, the narrator now a "old" man but not by years face to face with his sworn enemy:

Enjoy, hope you like it:


Time to Pay

Wardwoods, Graceland
Pandora Theater, Lyran Alliance
14 June 3064

Since the green threat of the Jadefalcons had made in to the planet, Arthur Karstark wasn't the same then before. To everyone of his comrades it was obviously. They couldn't understand, they didn't know anything about the hell Arthur has survived in 3052. Only the six black stars and one small silver star on a green ribbon could tell his story.
Galaxy Commander Amanda Roshak pronounced a Batchtall against this unit first, nether less all the 388th ComGuard Division was on alert.
Although the Withe Banshees leaved Graceland at the beginning of the raging civil war, they came back to battle the Falcon. It wasn't a question of military reasons, but of vendetta.
Both sides would never forget the battle of Tukayyid. For the Clan it was a question of honour, for some of the ComGuard veterans it was an issue of revenge. The remains of so many former friends and comrades who left their life on the blood spilled ground of Tukayyid.
Arthur was on the way to another mission briefing when his best friend Sean Carter hold him back. Young and good looking it was no wonder that he was once the most popular single in the 388th Division. But he have found a native girl. It were a lot of trouble for Arthur to made it possible that the young woman could picked up, when the White Banshees made it of planet. On board they realized that she was pregnant and now Carter becomes a father - if he survived the next days.
“Hey Boss, I've heard, that the action will start soon!”
His enthusiasm was painful. Once Arthur was so green too, once before the battle of Tukayyid made him to an old man, with white hair, deep lines in his face, and scars on his legs and arms... and on his soul.
“You look forward, for battle?”
“Yeah, you not? This is the moment I have trained for.”
“You remind your cousin?”
The grin in Carters face vanished. It wasn't fair and Arthur knew it. Elliot Carter died in his burning King Crab in the Second Battle of Robbins Crossing.
“I mean, this is no joke, my friend. This is deadly seriousness! I have to go.”
“Okay, see you soon.” His shoulders hang when he walks away.
For a short moment Arthur felt pity to being so harsh. But he knows that it was necessary.

He can still remember the first moment, when the battle came over him like a wave. The cries of dying Guards in the com, the gunfire and the fast advancing Jadefalcons paralysed him with terror. It was Anthony Hurd who saved his life. The Demi-Precentor only told him to fire, and the green Arthur did. He could still hear the whinging sirens, the roaring of the 80mm Ultra Autocannon that fires its bullets in double speed. He still could feel the critical heat in the cockpit of his old Marauder, while firing the PPCs as fast as they recharge. The burning sweat in his eyes. It was there, where he was credited with his first kill. But he didn't felt pride; he only felt the grip of horror that grabbed his heart.
This day he lost his first friend, Sean Russels Thug knocked out of a flanking Mad Cat. Next day Aerospace Fighters destroyed utterly Susann Steigers Lancelot. In the chaotic fighting, after the Falcon Guard made it to the other bank of the Przeno, Betty O'Conner was killed in her Rifleman by swarming toads. Arthur would never forget the devastating Gladiator looming over the burning King Crab. When the smashed remnants of the ComGuards could finally disengage from the Clans, Arthur recognized that Anthony Hurd wasn't among the survivors. He and his Goliath were never seen again.
All of his level II members died, only he was cursed to survive this battle without any scar and credited with another kill.
Because the Marauder was virtually destroyed – him was given a new BattleMech – a Victor - the cockpit still coated with the dried blood of it's former pilot.
In the Battle of Oalla Arthur became a menacing foe, he throw his self in the heat of battle to find his death. But the Death spurned him.
He was credited with the killing of two other OmniMechs. In the next hours he was shipped near the Falcon drop zone, there the ComGuard attacked the fleeing Falcons from the flank. His forth kill was a Masakari in a distance of 650 meters. After this he has to leave the battle because the ammunition of his Victor was gone. The last he saw was a single Timberwolf holding back a full Level II of ComGuards.
After the Falcon leaved Tukayyid, Arthur found himself in Battle with Clan Wolf. One day later, in a valley of the Prozoristu Mountains, he and his new unit – survivors of destroyed level II units - was ambushed by superior Clan troops. The Guards fought desperate, but were overwhelmed within two minutes.
A shot from an heavy autocannon virtually blasted away the head of the Victor. Although nearly wounded to dead, Arthur fired his Jumpjets and performed a Death from Above Attack against a Black Hawk – his fifed and last victim.
He found himself in hospital, nearly a week later. The paramedic told him, that he was a lucky one, because he survived only with some scars. They did not now anything.

And now the time finally has come to make this clan scum pay, pay for the blood they have spilled, pay for the friends they have killed, pay for the death of his love – his only love.
He will never forget the moments of her death. She was his MasterTech, a young woman which left to see something of the Inner Sphere. Not only good looking she was a really good Tech, able to hold Arthurs Marauder in good state. Sometimes both had a good time, were they could forget the raging war around them. But it was a Scylla Aerospace Fighter who ends this unreal dream. During one attack, it was short after the first battle of Robbins Crossing, a star of Falcon Aerospace Fighter fell from the sky an spread havoc and horror. When he found her, lying to the feet of Arthurs undamaged Marauder, is seems that she was sleeping. But a shrapnel has cut of the back of her head, on the ground cerebral matter and blood. From this moment on Arthur became a machine. He eats when he have to, drunk when he was thirsty and slept when he couldn't longer be awake. In the time between, he fought and killed. After the fighting was over he was credited with the killing of five OmniMechs, one Wolf Aerospace Figter and eight Toads.
Since Tukayyid he fought in three smaller campaigns, against Clan Steelviper, Wolf and Ghost Bear. He also was a part of the huge army that destroyed most units of Clan Smoke Jaguar during Operation Bulldog.
Within the 11th Army Arthur was known as ice cold butcher. No clansman survived ever his attack. He slaughtered them when they hung on their chutes, after they ejected – like the toads did with Betty. Or he droved the feet of his Victor into the cockpits of immobile ClanMechs. Often he was threaten with court martial or other penalties, but they was never executed. Possible because to much Veterans also felt the loss of friends on Tukayyid. Possible because the clans did the same butchering.

The HQ was a composition of light walls, tents and containers. Skilled Techs construct and take down this complex within two hours. The conference room was dominated by an large Holo Desk. All Demi Precentor and most Adepts of the 388th Divison stood surged around the desk. Arthur found a good place near the desk, while other, younger Adepts give way to him.
Precentor I Andrea Shillery lead the mission briefing. After she has toke a look to her chronograph she nodded to a Tech, who stand near to the controll console of the holo desk. The Tech pressed some keys, then his fingers pounding fast across the keybord.
When the first 3D-projection was stable, the Precentor began to speak:
“Misses, Sirs, as you knew some Falcon made it planet fall. It ist our task to let them pay for this. The White Banshees have fought a long campaign against them on Tukayyid. Whe have beaten them there, we will beat them here.”
Sporadic jubilation was to here between the ranks. But it were mostly young green officers.
The old veterans stays wordless, they know what their was in for.

“We will do the same as on Tukayyid, we will slow them, harass them, they should never have one quiet minute. This large wood is excellent terrain. It should fight with us. This clansman will never got a clear shot. The swamps in the south will slow them, while our fast units and hover tanks can harass them.
It seems that the mountains in the northwestern region is excellent terrain for ambushes, but Well I do not believe, that any of this falcon commanders is foul enough to walk in to a trap. But if there is any possibility to inflict more damage then we got, we must use this chance.”
The Prencentor stops talking and looked up, it seems that her eyes steering directly to Arthur. “I'm not willing to risk troops for such a lackluster chance. But if there is any volunteer.”
The most green officers and only a few of the veterans raised there arms.
“I warn you, the chance that the clansman caught you is real. There will no reinforcement for you, because you will be in such an exposed position that every try to rescue you must fail.” Some arms get lower.
“I need a cold blood commander, some one how is able to hit them hard, how have the guts to know when is is time for running.”
No arm was longer in the air.
Arthur has a lump in his throat when he makes a step forward. “Precentor the unit you searching for is mine. We have fast or very mobile Mechs, our Tanks have an impressive arrangement to lay impressive suppressing fire. With enough time for preparing pioneers can fortified their position. Of course they could also plant some charges.
Although, after the first volley, I will be in need for heavy artillery fire.”
“I think this should be possible.”
“Precentor, this did not sound very confident, isn't it? Without these artillery barrage this clans ******** will overtake us.”
“Adept we give you every support we can give, if it is not possible, this would have its reason.” She indicates to the map: “Here, this mountains on our far left flank, give fast advancing troops the possibility to fall us into the back.”
The card zoomed to the mountain. Arthur could saw a railroad. It was the shortest way through the mountains. He saw a small tunnel, but jump capable BattleMechs haven't to use this tunnel. As an alternative route there was a small road that climbs on serpentines nearly to the top of the highest rock.
“It seems that I have to caught them here!” he nods to the tunnel: “But when they use the road they will overtake us, and you have a problem.”
“You are right Adept.”
“Precentor I have to go, I have to prepare my troops”
“Where will you await them?”
“That doesn't have to concern you precentor, take my promise, as long you can give me artillery-fire as long my unit will hold against those scum! I give you my plans when it is ready.”
“So should it be, may the light of Blake enlighten your path!”