Battletech: Shell Games: A BattleTech Novella by Jason Schmetzer

Author:Jason Schmetzer
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2020-05-18T05:00:00+00:00

SAN MARTIN SPACEPORT

SAN MARTIN

DIERON

DRACONIS COMBINE

18 MARCH 3149

The whole way back to San Martin, Liz Getty kept her comms open to the battalion channel. She felt like a fool taking a third of the battalion’s strength away, but orders were orders. From the way the Bravo Company ’Mechs moved, she didn’t think she was the only one listening in.

The booster rockets that pushed the cruise missiles out of their box launcher had put a pillar of smoke above the DropShip Oberon’s nose that could be seen for kilometers. She homed in on that, ignoring her nav system when she had an easy landmark.

Eventually she ran up against the Tenth Triarii Protectors’ pickets.

“Bravo Company, Tenth Hastati,” she sent to the sentry commander.

“Told me to send you to Oberon, Captain,” the Triarii said.

“Oberon it is, then.”

A couple minutes later, she marched her company into the drop pit that Oberon occupied. It was hard, even for her, to conceive the actual size of the massive vessel. A collection of BattleMechs stood outside. One, an 80-ton Doloire, turned to face her Lament.

“Welcome, Captain Getty,” Paladin Max Ergen said.

“Paladin,” she replied.

“In a couple minutes, I want you to board ship, Captain. Your whole company. I’m attaching you to me as my bodyguard company for the next little while.”

Getty stared. “Sir…”

“I’ve already cleared it with Major Benton.”

Getty giggled. “Sir, you’re the Paladin. You can order anything you want. But you already have a headquarters—”

“I don’t usually get this much arguing, Captain,” Ergen said. She could hear the humor in his voice, but at the same time the ingrained respect for rank—especially the galactically high rank of a Paladin of the Republic—made her brace against her seat restraints.

“Sir, no sir. We’ll wait here for ground guides.”

“Very good.”

The Doloire turned and leaned back. Getty figured the Paladin was looking at the smoke plume from the cruise missile launchers.

“You and your company were in the first fight on Dieron,” Ergen said, somewhat absentmindedly. Getty didn’t even know if he realized he was still transmitting.

“It’s only fitting you be in on the last as well.”

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