Decision at Thunder Rift by William H. Keith

Author:William H. Keith [Keith, William H.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2011-04-12T14:58:23+00:00

19

"Got it." Grayson's throat felt tight, his mouth dry. "Okay, Striker Four! Company's coming. Deploy for Code Red."

External microphones on the Locust's head picked up the thuttering of autorifle fire. He turned the 'Mech to bring telescopic sensors to bear, zooming in on where he could see flashes and running figures through the churning air above the ferrocrete apron.

A fuel tank had been blown. Black smoke smudged the northern sky, and the pavement underneath was cast into the rippling gloom of a smoke shadow.

"Striker One! Do you read?"

"We... hear... you!" Ramage sounded like he was gasping for breath.

"We've picked off our targets, but two big brothers are on their way down the mountain. You have ten minutes!"

"I copy! We're almost... Manning, watch that warehouse... fifteen high! Get him!" The transmission was broken off for a moment. Then, "Yessir... we're almost wrapped up here!"

"Do you have the transport?"

"We have it. It's on the way."

One of the most important vehicles in any 'Mech Lance technical platoon was a transporter, a huge, broad, powered sled used to recover and carry 'Mechs damaged on the battlefield. Until now, the Lancers did not have such a vehicle. Their only alternative hads been to take one from the bandits.

The Lancers' new transporter had been brought to Trellwan as part of a trade agreement with the Commonwealth long before Carlyle's Commandos had arrived. More sophisticated models bore their loads on air cushions. This one was an older, wheeled vehicle. Each of its eighteen tires was twice the height of a man, and a single drum winch secured 2 cm cross-braided diamond monofilament cables for recovery operations. Striker Two had been assigned to cause whatever damage they could to the spaceport facilities, but capturing the giant 'Mech transporter was their primary mission. And now, transporting the Wasp would be their first operation.

Grayson was already preparing the Wasp to be hoisted when the transporter arrived on the scene. The Locust did not have manipulative members like most humanoid 'Mechs, but there were cleats and rings to which cables could be attached. Troops from the tacforce hovercraft swarmed across the downed Wasp, securing it with heavy cables and passing these up through the eyes of the Locust's tow rings.

The transporter arrived at the apex of a gradually dispersing cloud of dust and was positioned alongside the Wasp. With the Locust supplying the muscle power, they eased the Wasp half up off its back until it rested on its heels, then swung around 45 degrees and lowered it back down to a ramp that extended back behind the transporter deck to the desert floor. Working swiftly, men used the vehicle's winch and three-meter pry bars to work the damaged 'Mech into place, and then the transporter's winch hauled the ramp and its 20-ton burden aboard.

Black smoke boiled into the cold green sky above the spaceport. Seconds later a pair of dull thumps sounded across the desert, followed by the rattle of small arms fire in the direction of Mount Gayal. From

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