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[Randal Waide]

I was just having a bit of fun. Nothing serious. Sorry about inaccuracies in advance.


Planet: New Syrtis
Capellan March

Lieutenant Randal Waide fired his jets one more time as his mech landed in the 2 meter thick snow with a muffled, bone-jarring thump. Snow was swirling around the darkness outside his cockpit. It was difficult to see anything without sensory aid. He shook off the jolt, adjusted his shoulder straps and cued comms with a movement of his jaw.
Bravo Lance Report.
Bravo2, I’m good.
Bravo 4, Ready to rock, Lieutenant.
Randal counted 3 seconds until he activated comms again. Bravo 3? Report...
Static filled his helmet.
Shelly Munson broke the silence. I don’t have Reed on grid Randal. He looked like he was having problems with his jets.
Damnit! It’s Reed’s first combat drop.
Ok people lets find our rookie. Give me 200 meter spread with mag and thermal scans near his projected LZ. We don’t have a lot of time.
All we were supposed to do is distract the ground forces near the objective and make them give us a chase while our spooks sneak in and liberate a shiny new Mech or two. We will be sitting ducks if we can’t find our kid.
I got him Randal! Jake Porter burst in. He’s about 150 meters from my position, looks like he went down in a snow-filled crevice.
On my way. Jake, bring your Commando, I’ll need a hand. Shelly take your Raven to that small ridge north of my position, eyes up let me know if you see anything.
Roger, Randal.
Ok lets check on my rookie.
Randal trotted his Jenner to Jake’s Commando. He was standing on the edge of a gaping ice filled hole about 30 meters in diameter.
You see him? No visual Randal, Mag scans say he is down ther.....!
Suddenly the ice and snow in the center of the crevice burst upwards and the upper torso of Reed’s Jenner lunged upwards, it’s bird-like legs trying to gain purchase on the ice covered rock. Screaming filled Randal’s Comms.
Ahhhh.... Sorry sir, maps didn’t show that crevice. l...Bravo 3 reporting in.
Are you ok son?
I think so, I thought I had been buried alive.
Damage report?
There was a slight pause as Reed scanned his readouts. Looks like I took a hit on my left foot actuator. I can move, I may not be very fast though.
So much for out running our pursuit.
Jake help him out of there.
I can jet out sir!
No, I don’t want you taking any more damage to that foot actuator, got me Corporal? Now do me the pleasure of moving your ***, we have a mission to run.
Shelly Munson broke in, Randal we got company! It’s not ground units like we thought. I’ve got 3 Mech lances 3 kilometers west of us. Computer reads them as a mix of heavies and mediums with a light lance out front. The lights are heading Northeast. Looks like they spotted our ride out.
There aren’t supposed to be any Mech units near us.
Any idea who they are Shelly?
No clue sir, but I’m getting confirmation on closest Mech types, Catapult, Dragon, Centurion, Hunchback...they have an Awesome sir.....a pair of Jenners, Commando, Panther. Got a question mark on possibles, a Victor, another Centurion. God Randal, they have an Atlas. He’s way in the back but moving as his maximum speed. Plus they are getting spread out a bit. They look a bit disorganized. Their pattern and mix tells me they are no House unit, at least not a good one.
Gotta be Mercs.
Like us. What’s the heading of the other two lances Shelly?
They are coming here sir.
Randal pulled up his tactical overlay. The map showed low hills running northeast of their position. Hilly terrain should slow down the larger units and put something between them and the light lance moving in that direction.
Randal cued lance comms. Jake, get Reed out of that hole, and form up 500 meters Northeast side of Shelly’s position, start moving to our ride home. When they get in range I want best fire on your closest target. Rotate your cover fire and pull back. I don’t want to see anyone overheating. If you don’t have a shot don’t wait to take one. We need time to get the rookie out. Shoot and pull back. Don’t stand in one spot, I don’t care about dropping them, but I do want to slow them down a bit. Shelly keep giving me their location and speed on my direct feed. Shoot and make for the dust off point. Watch out for that light lance. If you get them close sound off. But keep moving. With any luck we’ll get there before they do. I’m on your six.
Roger sir! all three pilots answered in unison.
Let’s go Bravo, time to run like hell, let’s hope we don’t find any more gopher holes.

[nubnub]

Nice, where's the rest?