Exodus Road by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Author:Blaine Lee Pardoe [Pardoe, Blaine Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-04-12T16:34:16+00:00

* * *

Three days had passed, and as Trent adjusted his position in the seat of his cockpit for what seemed to be the thousandth time, he watched the sky through the trees of the dense swamp. It was from here that the Kat Killer Five had operated—the long-forgotten methane refinery. It was here that the mercenary forces would land. He was sure of it not only because of his studies of Inner Sphere history, but by a kind of gut feeling, a tactical instinct that he had come to trust in his life as a warrior.

His Star and elements of two other Binaries were positioned in the swamp, half-buried in the mire, running in a low-power mode that would make their reactors difficult to pick up until the enemy was on top of them. At the edge of the swamp, the field technicians, Judith among them, would remain concealed until needed. It was reassuring to him that his bondsman was out there near the combat she had been denied so long.

Trent was surprised when Jez bothered to include him in the bid, but then realized it would also work in her favor if he turned out to be wrong. It was not something he admired in her style of leadership, but he was coming to understand it all too well. It was not the way of the Clan as he understood it, but perhaps the ways were changing and he was being left behind.

The twilight sky suddenly had four more stars in it, fast-moving comets or meteors that were zooming down toward the swamp from the west. DropShips. They came at night, knowing that the hot burn from their fusion engines would be visible in local towns and villages. Word would spread that the Combine had come back to Hyner, if only for a short time. Trent understood and was pleased to see the ships arc toward his own position. His hand drifted down to the fusion reactor throttle on his Timber Wolf. Not yet. The plan was to let the ships discharge their cargo first, then the Jaguars would attack.

The bright lights of the ships came directly overhead, and Trent saw numerous smaller lights flicker around the edges of the ship. BattleMechs. Using jump packs, the mercenary 'Mechs were dropping from their DropShip and landing in the swamp less than a kilometer from Trent's current position. As one of the DropShips passed directly overhead, arcing on a course to take it away from the swamp, Trent licked his uneven lip inside his neurohelmet. So much the better. Escape will not be quick or easy for our prey at this point.

Jez's voice came over the speakers. "You did well in your assessment of their landing target. If the battle goes as we expect, I may yet mention it to the Star Colonel. For now, it is time for you to prove yourself worthy of the Jaguar. Attack."

Trent sent the signal to his Star to power up and commence attack.

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