Ghost of Winter by Stephen Kenson

Author:Stephen Kenson [Kenson, Stephen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-12T12:33:55+00:00

16

Kore Lancers Command Center

Outside Niffelheim, Kore

The Periphery

16 April 3060

Corporal Laura Metz leveled her assault rifle and fired a burst as some pirates rushed toward her. The hail of gunfire caught one and sent him spinning onto the ferrocrete. The others scattered for cover as Laura kept running for the ’Mech bay, following the rest of the Lancers. The white BattleMech stood overhead like a protective arch, straddling the entrance to the bay and holding off the remaining pirates with its heavy machine guns.

Metz and Krenner rounded the edge of the open bay doors and snapped off a few shots at the few pirate guards on duty inside. The pirates began to return fire, but the technicians working in the bay were mostly members of the Lancers. They took up wrenches and other tools and used them as weapons to knock rifles aside and to strike pirates upside the head, giving the other Lancers time to rush them. The pirates who fought were shot or knocked out, their weapons clattering to the floor, where the Lancers picked them up. Then they headed for the vehicles stored in the bay.

"Stick to the hovercraft!" Sergeant Krenner shouted over the alarm klaxon and the rattle of gunfire. "We’re going to have to go out overland and the wheeled vehicles will never make it!"

Laura didn’t know exactly what the pilot of the ’Mech who’d liberated them from the makeshift prison had in mind, but she was fairly sure who was inside the cockpit and she knew that Krenner trusted him with his life. If getting away from the command base was part of Kintaro’s plan, Krenner would do everything he could to help pull it off.

The Goshawk stood near the entrance to the ’Mech bay, using its triple heavy machine guns to keep the pirates at bay. Most weren’t willing to get too close and the bodies of the few pirates who tried were scattered across the ferrocrete floor. Still, it was only a matter of time before the pirates brought in heavy weapons capable of hurting even a BattleMech or, worse yet, before their own ’Mechs arrived on the scene. Powerful as it was, Laura knew that one Clan BattleMech didn’t have much of a chance against two or three of the pirate ’Mechs, which were also Clan designs. The Lancers needed to pull out quickly or not at all.

A motion out of the corner of her eye caught Laura’s attention. She turned to see a pirate guard, either someone they’d missed or one who’d taken only a glancing blow. He was crouched behind a rack of maintenance tools and parts, leveling his rifle directly at Krenner. She tried to bring her own assault rifle to bear as she yelled out a warning.

"Sarge, look out!" Krenner spun around and spotted the shooter, but too late to do anything about it.

A single shot rang out, and the pirate slumped forward over the tool rack, knocking it over and spilling tools over the floor of the bay.

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