BattleTech by Philip A. Lee & Blaine Lee Pardoe

Author:Philip A. Lee & Blaine Lee Pardoe [Lee, Philip A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs

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SEVENTEENTH ARCTURAN GUARDS FIELD HQ

LOWER RIDESEIN RIVER VALLEY

Eleven hours later…

Roderick Steiner walked away from his Rifleman IIC after a quick glance at the damage the tough ’Mech had taken.

The Jade Falcons had not given up the factory complex without a brutal fight. A brilliant green-and-white-striped Ryoken had crashed through a factory building and had come up behind him near the end of combat, riddling his rear and left-side armor. The stubborn foe had cost him one of his large pulse lasers. He looked at the sagging weapon, its barrel badly melted, seared wires hanging from its actuator joint. Repairable—but it would take time.

Just how much time do we actually have?

General Kelswa-Steiner’s force had struggled to dig out a Binary of Falcons in a smelting facility. The large equipment and tight quarters had made the battles there unfold suddenly, and at point-blank range. Jasek’s ’Mech had gone down three times, but each time he got back up and pounded back at the Falcons. What remained of the building was more rubble than factory when he was done, but the job had been completed.

Roderick’s joints ached as he walked to the portable command dome. The sentries snapped to attention, and he gave them a quick salute as he entered. Inside, Jasek stood next to another general, still wearing her coolant vest. She turned and went to attention.

“General Ross, I presume?” Roderick said, nodding for her to relax.

“General Steiner,” she replied in a raspy voice. “I hadn’t expected the General of the Armies coming here to save my ass. Not that I’m complaining, it’s just an unexpected surprise.”

“I don’t ask my people to do anything I’m unprepared to do myself,” he said wearily. “So, how are your Guards holding together?”

“By the skin of our teeth,” Ross replied. “I have two functional companies at this point, and a semi-operational company made up of tanks that are more spare parts than original. We’ve done well just to keep our equipment up and running, but I can’t replace lost MechWarriors or trained tank crews.”

Roderick nodded. “My Second Royals are down by a few companies, but everyone has taken some damage. We were hoping to salvage armor and weapons from the factory, but the Falcons went out of their way to destroy the facilities as we moved in. I think we can get most of our losses at least back on their feet soon.”

Jasek added, “The Fifteenth is down by over a third as well. It was rough going in that factory.” He extended his hand to Ross. “Apologies—General Jasek Kelswa-Steiner.”

She offered the thinnest of smiles as she shook his hand. “I am well aware. Your reputation made planetfall three days before you did.”

“General Ross, any signs of Malvina Hazen here?” Roderick said, locking his eyes with hers and ignoring as best he could the wrinkles on her face and the bags under her eyes. “If not, who are we up against?”

“The Butcher of Wotan isn’t here,” she said, using one of Malvina’s nicknames. “Not yet anyway.

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