Month: June 2023

Vehicle HQ 66, HHC Phoenix Lancers Infantry Regiment

Five kilometers east of Zathras, along the East West Highway.

2131hrs local, 13 December 3080

  Night assaults were never the most organized affairs, but it was one thing the infantry forces of the Lancers practiced.  Every trooper had night vision as issued gear and proficiency in its use was a key part of all training.  An old maxim was that whoever owned the night tended to own a battlefield… or at least really give a side an advantage.  And if there was one thing that was consistent within the Lancers, it was doing things that could stack a deck for success.

  With the advances in technology, fighting at night became easier for smaller forces like infantry and armor.  Not so for the supposed kings of the battlefield, the battlemech but those machines were not always the be-all end-all for warfare.  If they were, there would be no need for folks like him and the men of the Lancer Infantry.

 And there were a lot of infantry on Centarus.  When the Word was kicked off planet eight years ago, the decision had been made to beef up the garrison forces of the world. No one wanted go go through an occupation again and having a proper standing army as well as a large, capable reserve force.  The standing forces were well equipped, with the reasoning being that while training could take one far, good gear would enhance the effectiveness of the training. As such, all infantry in both line and reserve battalions were outfitted with quality weapons, good armor and excellent comms. Anti-mech training was open to all infantry though line units were given priority and Line units got additional equipment to enhance capability as appropriate.  And the most appropriate (and simplest) item was night vision.

 With this current invasion, the long-held plans were activated and units bulked out as needed.  And these formations proved to be a surprise in spots.  The battle for Crossroads on Ashton was one such place, the line infantry units that called the place home responded to the assault there and managed to hold the invading force down long enough for the reserves to get involved… which was then bolstered by the arrival of Clan Dusal.

 Other places proved to be less successful but no less damaging where they were stationed. But they were not everywhere…. And one of those places was the central town of Zathras. Holdfast.

 There, the locals responded as best they could to the invasion.  Being a resort town, there was not much in the way of Reserve Units stationed there and no main formation either. It didn’t mean there was no resistance… but it did mean that what was there was not going to last long.

 But they did hold for a day…  which allowed for word to get out about some of what was going on here.  Then silence.

 When the counter offensive was planned out, it had been expected to be about two weeks before something substantial could be done to retake the continental resort town.  But that was before the overall successes of the battles on the approaches to the Continental Divide.  The Mech and armor assaults either forced retreats of the Word of Blake allies or their abject destruction.

 It was these wild successes that saw timetables upended.  So as the battlemech forces rearmed and armored, it would be the tank and infantry formations continuing the push forward.  And the Eastern Push… saw Lancer Armored Infantry on the outskirts of the Holdfast.

Lt Colonel Bill Hannings, overall commander of the Infantry Regiment, looked over the master plot showing the battle area between where he was and the village of Zathras Holdfast.  Noting the icons for the various platoon elements and their transports advancing slowly in the fading light into the outskirts of Zathras, he closed his eyes and muttered to himself. “This is either going to go super well or its going to be a mistake…”

Simpson Three one,

Edge of Zathras

2201 hrs

 The heavy MRAP rolled to a stop about a hundred meters from the Hotel Wyatt, a local motel that sat near what passed for the Strip within the village.  Engine idling, the ramp dropped and the human cargo spilled from it and fanned out to positions covering approaches.  Two other MRAPS of the platoon pulled into position nearby and their deadly cargos exited to cover other approaches.

Once the squads was in place, the platoon leader assessed the night before him and gave a few simple commands over the platoon net.

  Like an oiled machine, the squad of Simpson Three One advanced forward towards the hotel, the other two squads shifting to cover.  Taking their time, the men and women of the squad advanced and once at the building, began to quietly clear it.

 About five minutes later, the squad exited and took up position to cover Three Two and its advance up the road to the next building.  It was slow going but the deliberate pace allowed for delays and for the other platoons of Alpha Company, Second Battalion to advance at the same pace in different areas of the eastern edge of Zathras. There would be no surprises this night if the Colonel could help it and a slow advance of bounding squads and platoons clearing as they went would minimize that.

 It also allowed for mutual support if anything was found… And the first incident would occur near the rail station at the center of town.

HQ 66

2259hrs

 Hannings saw the icons for contact jump onto the master plot as reports came in.  Simpson One Three had found a Blakist patrol- troops allied with the Fanatics and a firefight broke out.  And it was a vicious one, as the full platoon brought its weight of fire to the affair.

 Some two minutes into the firefight, the number of involved parties increased by one as One One reported fire hitting the enemy troops from another direction and one that Lancers were not in.  Wisely staying out of it, Bill listened to the platoon leadership and the company command sort out the new wrinkle and establish who had just jumped into the fighting. Staying out of it was the smart play- he trusted his commanders and if he needed to butt in, he would. It was quickly determined that it was resistance fighters who had jumped in and orders were given to try to link up with them.

  About two minutes further in, a squad from Simpson Two made contact with yet another unknown force- this one hitting them. And hard…

Simpson Two Two

2305 hours

 Staff Sergeant Terra Reed ducked below the low wall outside a café. Laser fire had greeted her squad as it moved along the boulevard and like the trained machine they were, her squad went to ground and returned fire as they were trained.

 And it seemed that their suppression fire was effective- up until the first armored form showed itself like a ghost out of nowhere.

 PFC Smith’s cut-off scream and body flying from the cover he was in was followed by the ghostly white form of what looked like a Nighthawk suit. Reed blinked and radioed to her platoon leader. “Simpson Two Actual, Two Two- Contact with power armored troops; Possible Wo-“

 Her report was cut off as a gauntleted hand grabbed her arm and tossed her like a rag doll.

 Sailing through the air, she remembered how to land and instinct took over, mitigating the effectiveness of being tossed. Landing hard, Reed was still stunned somewhat with having her breath knocked out of her.  Staying still, she eyed the armored trooper and cursed inwardly.  Manei assholes… She raged. Fuck no one said anything about those bastards…

  Stalking through the terrain, the enemy armored trooper returned fire at those in her squad who shot at him. And his fire was far more accurate, the enhanced trooper obviously having a targeting assistance subroutine built into the armor.  Or hardwired into the trooper, the Word of Blake Super Soldiers being somewhat cyborg-like.

 Gathering herself, she reached into the satchel she carried for breaching doors and removed a cut down bang-stick.  The 20^th Century design, long a staple of protection in shark-infested waters, had found use in the current century as a very effective tool against light power armored targets… though the drawback to it was two fold- it was single use and you had to get VERY close.

 The trooper, thinking she was down for the count, ignored her as it hunted her squad.  Two more of her people went down to its deadly accurate shooting when she felt she could move.  I get one shot at this…. Literally, She thought. Quickly springing to her feet, she covered the five meters between her and the enemy trooper in almost an eyeblink.

 Lunging forward, she reached out with both hands- the free one grabbing on the rear pack of the armor and the other with the bangstick rising to the neck armor.  The moment it touched the target point, she fired the device.

 With a loud blast, the device triggered, sending a 12-gauge slug into the neck of the armored trooper…. And gave her the effect she was hoping for- dropping the target where he stood. For her efforts, she nearly got shot by her own.

 “Goddamnit!!!” She screamed at them as she dropped to the ground. “He’s dead!!”

 An amplified voice answered her. “SO ARE YOU, LANCER…” From the side, another one of the armored troopers showed itself, a multi-barrel machinegun turning to point at her, the barrels beginning to spin. As the weapon came into alignment with her, a 25mm grenade fired from one of her squad mates impacted the other trooper and sent him tumbling with its blast.

 The concussive force did Reed no favors either…. But at least she was already on the ground, so she didn’t go far. The sound of the blast still left her breathless though… and her ears rang.  But she was still alive. Gah… that hurt…  she thought as a medic came scrambling over to her.

HQ66

2315 hours

 Hannings heard the calls about Manei Domini troopers and cursed. Spinning to one of his aides, he ordered, “Confirm that… I don’t want to bring in our ace yet.”

 The aide spoken to nodded. “On it, sir.” He said and moved towards the Drone Controller station and conferred with the tech there. Within a minute, a low-light sensor drone was winging its way towards the fighting to add visual verification.

 A few minutes later, it was confirmed.  Hannings, when informed, sighed. “I was hoping to not use them yet.” He said “But even the enemy gets a say…”

 The aide agreed. “They always do sir. At least he asked for this.”

 A nod. “Yes he did. Get them going…”

 “Sir”

Task Force Zathras Reserve Section

2321 hours

 Standing up, Krog Dusal stretched, his Elemental armor being flexible enough to allow for it as he moved towards the doorway of the small building he and his clan mates sat in.  The head of the Dusal Clan had masterminded the efforts over in Crossroads against the invasion forces there and had performed brilliantly.

 Leading his fellow clansmen, the Elemental leader had reveled in the fighting there, the retired super soldier and his mates trashing the traitorous guests of the Phoenix Lancers. It helped their enemies had not expected Clan Elementals assaulting them, much less the full star that tore into them.

 As far as Lancer command was concerned, it was Clan Dusal who not only prevented the loss of that town but enabled a complete thrashing of the invaders.  Krog’s leadership helped rally the Non-Clan troops fighting there and it was noticed. After things had settled, the Khan of Dusal requested to be used elsewhere on the planet.

  He had asked for several reasons… and beit for the affront he felt at the assault, the prospect of unmitigated carnage he could do for good reasons or because he simply liked being on the battlefield again (the Ghost Bear visitors eight months ago had reminded him of his love of the fight), who was to say.

 No matter the reason, he asked to be used elsewhere and Lancer command agreed; he and his would be a big help in the counter offensive. Which is why he was here with fourteen others not three days after Crossroads…

 Mongo entered the building before Krog got to the door. “My Khan… we are being committed.” He said with a smile. “Lancer infantry encountered Manei Domini troopers within Zathras.”

 Krog paused then grinned. “Good! Something tough to face, eh?” He commented “How many?”

 “They don’t know… but does it matter?”

 A shake of the head and a belly laugh. “Ha! No it does not… All that matters is we get to kill more Blakists.”

 A grin from his friend. “Any day that we can do that is a good day…”

Phoenix Lancers Command Center Conference room

Auburn

1201 hrs local 13 December 3080

 Colonel Tinney entered the windowed conference room as Governor Schaller, clad in her mech warrior uniform, looked up from the panel on the smart table before her. “Glad you could make it down here,” she said dryly.

 Tinney for his part, didn’t take the bait. “Well, the command deck of the Mustafa is rather appointed and you did have things in hand down here so….” He replied as he set his coat on the counter, the combat uniform he was wearing unadorned except for subdued rank pins. “I figured I didn’t have to rush down. That said, I imagine you are not completely looking to climb back into Aiskon again and wanted the excuse.”

 “Not hardly… but you never know, you know?” She said. “Comms has a secondary feed routed in here for your going over- and at last update, the Legion has taken Johnson Landing Field. The Grey Bolts did some damage but your last-minute hires handed them a kickin, as Sean would say.”  She reached down and tapped a few spots on the table and a holo sprung up of the Johnson field.

 Areas were shaded in Legion Green where the combined arms regiment had landed and secured. That area was centered around the field and a satellite drop ship landing zone a few kilometers away from the main area. The areas still showing as Grey Bolt-held were shaded in red and centered around the old supply bunker complex.

 Tinney studied the map, taking in the updates; he’d been in transit when that drop kicked off and had listened in on their comms during the fighting. “Good…  I was pretty sure they were capable and glad to know the spot decision was good,” he said. “I’d have hated to be wrong.”

 Diane nodded. “Based on what has been able to be dug out of data and what info we have, they were to have secured that base and it was going to function as a controlled repair and supply center. Whoever designed this assault on world chose there to avoid partisans….”

 “Smart choice… but given who is in charge of this invasion, they had an inside edge,” John said, a sour tone to his voice. “Ah well… if you ain’t cheatin… and that asshole is good at it.”

 “Yes he is; Roy has had his cyber people recheck EVERYTHING once Argyle reported in,” Diane replied. “As of last night, they haven’t found anything new though there has been about six hundred or so attempts using the codes that Trinity had. It would seem the house cleaning from last year did stellar.”

 A chuckle. “When you have a thousand C-Bill bounty on verified holes being cleaned up, it makes for incentive,” John commented. “Last I knew prior to departing for Barbados, Roy paid out about ninety thousand… Money well spent, I think….”

 “Agreed. Do you need anything else?” She asked.

 “No… You are relieved of running things,” He replied with a pause. “Just so you know… I’m sorry you had to run things….”

 She paused in gathering up her mug and her recently under-used cane. “John- you didn’t know he was coming. No one did… but he did and I was in charge.”

 “Hindsight is always 20-20… You did stellar and people performed, for which I am fucking glad about.  I’m still sorry you had to step into the Command role for this war,” He said. “There was no inkling of any of this on the horizon and I never would have asked you to lead troops again if I could have helped it.  Not that you can’t… but I’d never willingly put you back into the hot seat for a battle command if I could help it. I ain’t about adding to that sort of trauma.”

 Diane’s face softened. “My friend… to quote you, shit happens.  Add in the best way to deal with this sort of fear is admit it’s there and saddle up anyway. When one is in charge, one has to deal with whatever comes up; it kind of looks pretty bad if a person tags out when it gets difficult in this job.” She replied. “You had a solid response plan on file, you and Leslie both put competent people where they are… THAT is why we are doing as well as we are and why we are counter attacking.

 All I did was make sure folks remembered their jobs. Plans and people, John….” She smiled. “You had both and it’s showing in results. Now we just have to figure out how to kick them off without a bigger mess than its going to be. And how to do it with a third of the regiment off world.”

 A grimace. “And that’s going to be tricky; helps they landed in a low-populous area. It doesn’t help they have human shields.”

 A nod. “No, it doesn’t… but I’m sure there is a plan out there to deal with that; Chaplain MacKenzie is back with the Spectres and he’s out with the teams working an angle,” She informed him. “There is a request in there for a handful of Karnovs and battle armor teams- he is pretty sure he can get the shields out but ‘it will be a delicate thing.’” Diane said that last in a credible Highlander accent, mimicking the Spectre commando’s voice.

  Laughter. “A man with a Warhammer for a close assault weapon speaking on delicate things is an oxymoron,” Tinney snarked. “But then, if they can be gotten out, he’s the one to do it…” Turning to the table in front of him, he motioned her out. “Alright… I got to get to it.  On your way out, ask the Duty ops chief in here; Personnel too- I have a few pointed questions for them both before I start issuing directives and adjusting orders. Things are about to get personal out there and I want to know damn sure I have all my damn ducks in a row before I go talk to a Precentor…”

Phoenix Lancer Mech Bays

Auburn Base

1900 hours local.

  Precentor McCormick stood with his fellow mechwarriors of his Retinue in the small warrior lounge adjacent to the repair cradles.  He had moved half of his command here to the Lancer facility to better be able to respond to need.  He had promised his forces to assist in repelling the Blakist invasion and as of yet, they had not been committed to anything.  And it was starting to get to him.

 With the bombing of the HPG center, the Comstar forces on world had taken a bit of a hammering. Dozens of casualties and as many dead in the rubble.  Centarus Emergency Services responded as fast as they could, dodging handfuls of insurgents no one knew were present on planet and lives were saved. Not as many as one would have hoped for but at least some were. All of his people were appreciative of the help… and mad at both the assault on their compound as well as on the firefighters who came to their aid.

 Who attacks emergency services? He had thought at that time, and it bothered him. When Governor Schaller informed him of who was leading the invasion, that answered the who and why.

 Precentor Rho Joshua Dyckman was a known entity to him. Having met the man not long after he joined the Comguard, David had never truly liked him and distrusted motives of any activity he suggested. There was just something about him that made Dave distrust anything he said… but at the time, Dave was in the minority. To McCormick, Dyckman was a loose cannon and a vicious man. That he had disappeared from the Comguard off to ROM was a blessing to the then young acolyte as Dyckman had a habit of creating chaos and a self-aggrandizing nature that would only lead to trouble for anyone around the man who didn’t do as he wanted. To others within the Order- especially among the Toyama factionists, Dyckman was seen as a rising star… and when the Schism came, Dyckman disappeared from the public side of the Order.

 Dave had thought the man dead.  At least… until seven years ago when the last invasion of Centarus occurred.  The Lancers had suffered grievous wounds at the man’s hand and to Dave’s knowledge, was the lead commander for the occupation then.  Being the slippery bastard he apparently was, Dyckman escaped, using the assets of the Word of Blake’s ROM agents on planet to avoid capture and effect an escape as the world was retaken.

 One would have thought his failure to hold the planet would have doomed him… but like a bad Terran penny, he avoided removal and had apparently stuck around within the Word of Blake.

  McCormick felt for the Lancers and the people who were suffering yet again at the hands of this man; he had been here helping the resistance then and knew firsthand what had happened on the world. And judging from what the Governor had explained to him, the almost institutional hatred for the Word of Blake and that man in particular, was substantial among the old hands of the Lancers and of their Lancer special operations/intelligence wing.  Given that Dyckman may have ordered the destruction of the Kensington Park facility, one could add Dave to the list of people who wanted Dyckman’s head.

 Not that he didn’t want him taken down before…. But now, it was personal.

When he moved his troops here, McCormick had expected to be used fairly quickly in counter strikes as the Lancers were short troops. When they were not, he figured there was no plan yet for their assistance.  As they sat here for the last three days, he noted there was a semi-deliberate shunning. Well, more of an avoidance really.  Not that he thought it was malicious… but given they were still in Comguard uniforms and the mixed feelings here about the organization, he understood.

 Oh, there was sympathy given to them over the deaths of their comrades at the HPG station; that fact was not in doubt at all. With everything that happened here six days ago and since though, there was still a slight distrust there despite the bombing.  After all, the Word of Blake came from Comstar… and the two factions were clad similarly. Always thought that was stupid of us, he thought to himself. Looking like the Enemy does NOT help us in the least… Perhaps we need to lose the fatigue tops here at the very least. Or come up with something else to wear; fratricide is not something I want to have happen when we DO get committed…

 As he mused on things, he noted a small commotion near the accessways to the operations rooms of the mech hangars.  When a small group of people exited them, he spotted Colonel Tinney and a pair of troopers, along with a supply clerk from yesterday he had dealt with for rations in that group and they headed here.  As they approached, he stood up from the bench he had occupied for the last hour. “Colonel Tinney…” Dave said, remembering one did not salute indoors or in a warzone.  And like it or not, the entire planet right now kind of was. 

 “Precentor McCormick…” he said. “Thanks for being here in the mech bay with your men; saves time trying to find you.” The smile on Tinney’s face was odd. Dave knew the man but not as well as perhaps he should have.  And that was a mark against him, he supposed. But then, he was Mech Jock and not a spy.  That was his cousin’s thing….

 “Saves time trying to find me?” Dave replied as he shook Tinney’s offered hand, curious as a small transport with boxes drove up. Boxes with what looked like uniforms in them…

 “Yes…” Tinney reached out with a tablet and what looked like a hard copy (of all things) of some sort of document. “I think I have an answer to some things pertaining to you and your men; Diane explained to me your assistance offer… and I also have notes from your cousin pertaining to a meeting you had with her over the summer.”

 Meeting? He thought then it hit him. Oh, that meeting… He looked at the hard copy document which confirmed his thinking. “This is a formal offer, is it?”

 John looked Dave in the eye. “Your people are as loyal to you as much as to Comstar… but given recent events as well as interstellar politics being what it is, you all are going to be needing a home when this is all over and the Word is beaten. As was noted in files we have, you fought here… and you bled here… About half of your force has too.  Also according to notes, about a third of your personal Two formation have also looked at north slope property.”

 A smile. “Only reason why your cousin knew that is return addresses for correspondence pertaining to real estate up there; I’m guessing she was trying to help you and noted the other inquiries so don’t get mad at her. They will all get offer letters too…”

 A sigh. Damn her… “Indeed…” he replied. “Besides that tidbit, what else would bring the leader of the planet to my doorstep, so to speak? Not just for recruitment.”

 “Nope… what brings me here with Staff Sergeant Clay and boxes of uniforms… is you and your people are going to be formally committed to the fight. Given its at our behest, you may as well be dressed for the occasion.” Tinney replied. “The fight is to be taken to their landing zones and soon- with as much as our assets committed in different areas, you have the readiest element not engaged yet.  And why its me telling you and not someone else… is because of both what I handed you… and the need to at least make sure you understand why we are supplying Uniforms with some of our kit if someone has to eject.”

 At Dave’s lifted eyebrow, John continued. “Our kit… Given everything, Dave… you may as well look like us if you are fighting for us. Especially if you and others officially join up.”

 A chuckle. “I see…” Holding up a hand he turned to look at his command group. “Everyone gather round…” Dave said then looked back at John. “If you are going to pitch me a contract, you may as well as pitch to them too… We are in this together, as you noted, and while it might make sense, I will not make this decision for them to fight in your colors.” He paused. “We are going to fight them no matter what though- that isn’t in question.”

 As the rest of the Comguard warriors gathered around them, Tinney nodded. “I never doubted the willingness to fight, Precentor. Never for a second…”