BattleTech: Chaos Born (Book One of the Chaos Irregulars) by Kevin Killiany

Author:Kevin Killiany [Killiany, Kevin]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2013-10-26T07:00:00+00:00

Karst Highland Jungle, Wallis

Principality of Regulas

Free Worlds League

26 February 3067

Damn Ronin, damn Ronin, damn Ronin.

Ariel rushed the descent, letting her Huron Warrior slide the last few meters of clayey loam to the road above the cut. Beyond Chowla’s buried form.

Second Company was formed on her, Beta lance on point, her own Alpha lance around her and Gamma lance close behind. Twelve lights and mediums against a known lance of assaults and God knew what else. Ronin didn’t tell them there was a second target—didn’t even call them until their precious lance of Marauders and Warhammers was being overrun.

The raiders had known all about the Irregulars, that was sure. The trap Chowla and Jacoam had sprung was meant to catch the entire relief force. Why one or more of the assault ‘Mechs had been at the trap was a mystery, unless they’d had to come past it from wherever their base was. Whatever the case, they’d gone straight from there to Ronin’s secret lab. Or not so secret.

Winthrop had been half right. The attacks on the Karst plant had been a ploy, but not to pull the WPM out of position. The object was to see what Ronin moved to protect when they thought they were under attack. What had they done? Called in a third-string mercenary unit to cover the Karst LGR plant and moved their lance of elite heavies to what the maps said was an abandoned stone-cutting facility. Very smart.

Their call for help had come in just as she was asking what the hell was going on.

But just because Ronin thought the real attack was under way on the mountain, she couldn’t leave Karst undefended. The raiders had repeatedly proven they were willing to attack civilian targets to draw defenders out of position. She’d left Lieutenant Heather in command of what was left of First Company deployed to protect the city.

“Lance reports two down,” the nasal voice of the Ronin communications supervisor grated in her ear. “That’s two Ronin machines down. Enemy force is one Highlander 732 and three 6-A Emperors.”

“Is that the same force that attacked before?” Ariel demanded.

Silence.

“Ronin Comm,” she repeated. “Do the hostiles have other ‘Mechs?”

“Not that we are aware.”

Can’t tell the half-truths from the lies without a score card.

Night vision made the road ahead a silver ribbon in the darkness while sensors probed the night far beyond her sight. No heavy metal. No booby traps. Just hundreds of tiny heat signatures as forest creatures scrambled to get out of the way of the charging BattleMechs.

“Ronin lance reports hostile infantry has taken building,” the nasal voice informed her.

“You never mentioned infantry,” Ariel pointed out.

Silence.

Of course she’d known there was infantry. You didn’t use assault ‘Mechs to plant shaped charges. Still, it would have been nice for their employers to warn them what they were up against.

“Mercenaries, this is Walters,” said a new voice. Walters, she remembered, was the Ronin suit who had not been impressed with their defenses. “You’ve been given the identities of the hostile machines.

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