Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-Five: Power
New Samarkand, November 29th, 3031
"We've got seven days before we make landfall on New Samarkand." I told the assembled officers. "I fully expect them to send all of their ASF at us in order to prevent us from doing what we came here to do."
"We're ready sir." Blaze said. "They can't have more aerospace assets than we faced at Luthien."
"That's not a good attitude to have." I said bluntly. "We can't get overconfident here, this is the headquarters of the ISF and if we want the data that's going to be stored here then we need to approach this with the utmost caution." I pointed at the holographic representation of the planet that we were heading towards. "Mathis is dropping with nearly all of our infantry onto the HQ from orbit along with Natasha's Marauders as cover." I looked at Yvonne Hazen and Mathis. "I need you to coordinate and get Tech Specialist Jones into a place where we can get as much data as possible."
"Yes sir." Mathis said. "Anything specific we need to have Jones look for?" Mathis asked.
"No," I shook my head, "Just rip as much data as we can, we'll have Dunham and his crew go over the intel later."
"I've got an operational plan." Godbolt said as she inserted a data stick into the holographic table. "Assuming you're okay with me going forward as lead sir." She looked at me.
"You can act as lead." I said with a shrug. "As long as we manage to accomplish our main objectives that is."
"Well, here's the overall plan that I have."
Tharkad, December 15th, 3031
"Colonel Carter." Archon Katrina Steiner greeted the mercenary CO. "You've done some incredible work on Kessel, you diverted enough forces that it allowed us to push and take a great deal more than we originally planned for OPERATION BlITZKRIEG."
"We were just fulfilling our contract obligations ma'am." Carter replied with a smirk. "Just give us some time to rest and get back on our feet and we'll be ready to head back out into the field."
"I'm sending you back to Kentares." Katrina said and enjoyed watching the Mercenary commander deflate. "Hull is going to need all the help he can get after what he just pulled off."
"I'm afraid I'm a bit out of the loop." Carter said, "I would appreciate being filled in ma'am."
"Hull not only pulled off the Sack of Luthien, but he also just struck New Samarkand and Soul, wrecking the ISF headquarters and hitting an old Blankenburg Technologies storage facility there." Katrina said with a smile. "He also managed to accomplish things that will set back the Combine for years if not decades to come."
"And reprisal might come sooner rather than later." Carter came to the realization. "Ma'am, I should get back to Kentares ASAP."
"Sit back down Colonel." Katrina told Carter. "Packer and the 1st Kentares Guard just returned according to the LIC and their own reports, Kentares is secure for now."
"It's always interesting to see the kind of people that Hull chooses to be commanding officers." Katrina said after letting Carter sit in silence for a moment. "You're currently the youngest out of all of them I believe."
"Yes ma'am." Carter responded. "I worked hard to get here and I think I've proven myself."
"I must agree, it's not every day that one unit holds off and finishes off four regiments with one regimental combat team." Katrina offered.
"We're used to long odds ma'am. The Gauntlet always feels like more pressure than actual combat." Carter said.
"I'll have to agree with you there." Katrina laughed. "I bet Sheppard has changed it a lot since I was in the Marksman though."
"You were in the Marksman?" Carter asked with a shocked look on her face.
"Let me tell you some stories about when Hull was about your age." Katrina said, with a grin.
Dieron, December 20th, 3031
"All of the hatches are sealed?" Melissa asked her lance. "Make sure that we keep an eye out for infantry, those battle armor suits that they've been using have wrecked more of our combat vehicles than should have happened."
"Yes Ma'am." Her lance responded.
"Be wary, they've been dropping buildings on the 'mechs in this area." Melissa said. "And we're one of the only lances that haven't taken a lot of damage."
"Contact!" The Toro 'mech pilot said with urgency in his voice. "We've got an assault lance bearing in on our position, two Chargers, a Victor, and a Striker."
"Militia units lead by a frontline lance commander." Melissa said, looking at the models of the 'mechs. "Hammer two, I need you and your Marauder to start wearing them down at range along with Hammer Three, while Hammer Lead and Hammer Four move into position for the kill shots."
"Moving to skirmish." Hammer Two, the Marauder pilot responded as he began to move to the right streets in order to start firing at range along with Hammer Three, the Toro Pilot.
"Come on Hammer Four, power down our sensors and follow me." Melissa ordered as she powered down everything but the engine in order to navigate the streets that she had memorized. "We'll power up again when we're in position."
The two Alacorns that had been gifted to Melissa moved in near silence, trusting their two 'mech lancemates to draw the attention of the Assault Lance and allow them to pull off their ambush. After five minutes of weapons fire exchanged at extreme ranges Melissa's tank and its partner came out of a side alley right behind the assault lance. Powering on her sensors, Melissa lashed out at the closest Charger with a full alpha, making sure to already have the next target set up. The first Charger fell to the ground even as the second Alacorn opened fire on the Victor, causing the mech to lose its autocannon as it turned to react to the shots coming from its rear. Continuing its spin, it moved to engage the two tanks only to realize that it had turned its back on the two lighter machines that had been the distraction earlier. A clantech Large Pulse Laser, LRMs and two ERPPC's to impact the rear torso, striking the autocannon ammunition and causing the ammo to erupt, throwing the Victor to the ground as the lance continued to pour fire into the remaining Striker and Charger mechs.
"Good kills, mark them for salvage, although I'm not certain there's a whole lot left of the Victor." Melissa said as she looked down at the remains of the lance. "We've got to keep moving to our rendezvous point, and we are on a schedule after all."
New Avalon, December 15th, 3031
"We need to get ready to start moving on the Outworlds Alliance." Hanse told Quintus Allard and Field Marshal Felsner along with Yvonne Davion. "If we wait much longer they may be too fortified for us to accomplish anything."
"I'll start working on some plans." Yvonne said, "But quite frankly we need to work on one war at a time, and until the Combine is no longer a threat we've got to work with what we've got."
"I'm going to be taking possession of the Coordinator's family within the month." Allard said. "We're going to have to make a decision as to what we're going to do with them."
"I'm working on it." Hanse replied. "It just takes time."
"The Wolf Confederation started conquering worlds in the coreward periphery border about a month ago, and the Steiners have retaken almost all of the worlds that they've lost over the Succession Wars." Yvonne reported. "We need to strike while the iron is hot and ensure that the Combine's spirit is broken."