BattleTech: No Dust, No Wear: (Eridani Light Horse Chronicles, Part Eight) by Jason Hansa

Author:Jason Hansa
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Catalyst Game Labs
Published: 2021-11-05T05:00:00+00:00

SHIKARI JUNGLE

HUNTRESS

CLAN HOMEWORLDS

31 JANUARY 3068

Sandra pushed through the jungle, her command lance pacing her as they headed toward the Scorpion lines. The battle had raged for seven hours, pushing the Scorpions back to a small circle in the deepest part of the Shikari: battered and tired, ten BattleMechs and a handful of Elementals were all that remained. Now after nightfall, her forces were pushing the Scorpions into an ever-decreasing perimeter. However, that meant for every meter of space gained, the defending fire increased in volume and accuracy.

Sandra was rotating her units out for repairs and rearming; she had finally taken a turn at one of her hidden sites, the team hiding under camouflage tarps strung between trees. Her daughter had personally welded on replacement armor while the Cerberus was reloaded.

She flicked her secondary radio to an unencrypted frequency and broadcast, “Galaxy Commander Myers, this is Colonel Barclay. I’m asking you again to accept hegira and stand down. You’ve fought well and honorably today. No more of your troops have to die for your stubbornness.”

“Do not patronize me, freebirth. I would sooner die than accept hegira from you. I offered you an honorable challenge, and you used ambushes and treachery.”

Sandra barked a laugh. “I answered your challenge honorably and fairly, Galaxy Commander. You failed to research my units, you failed to understand how my choice of terrain would negate your range advantages, and you will fail at this trial. The moon has set, the night has gone long. End this now. Power down, and return to your Clan with your honor intact.”

He growled. “Big talk for the so-called leader I last saw retreating into this jungle. You have had too much influence on my Khan, and your unit’s decadent, consumerist ways are corrupting my Clan. Once I defeat you, I will challenge the Khan, take command, and preserve the Goliath Scorpion’s ideals.”

A red dot appeared on her map. “Face me, Sandra. Granting you an honorable death above your station is the first step in rebuilding my Clan’s honor.”

“I am on my way, Galaxy Commander,” she replied coldly, and snapped the channel off. Her primary radio lit up with voices, but she silenced them with a loud “This is Phantom actual. Clear this channel.” There was a moment of silence, after which she broadcast, “Does anyone have a visual on that clearing?”

Instead of using the Twelfth Infantry Company to fight the Scorpions, she’d had them broken into squads and hidden throughout the jungle as spotters. A few had been discovered, but for the most part, she’d had near-continuous visibility on the Scorpions’ movements.

“Phantom actual, Kingpin actual,” the Twelfth Infantry Company’s commander called in. “A Third Platoon squad has eyes-on, and the clearing’s empty. They report the target passed through it about five minutes ago.”

“Thanks, Kingpin. Command lance, on me,” she ordered, pushing her Cerberus forward. Lieutenant Young immediately moved to her side in his Nightstar, and ahead of her was Master Sergeant Brady’s Bandersnatch and Sandra’s bodyguard, Sergeant Petty, in a Cronus so new Petty liked to joke it was still under warranty.

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