Chapter Ninety-Nine: Invasion(Galedon)
Galedon V, February 5th, 3020
"We took out their aerospace cover." Packer reported, "We own the skies unless they get reinforcements."
"That's good to hear." I responded from the Mobile HQ I was in. "I'm overseeing the Ducal Guard now, and I expect to hear good things from you."
"You're going to try and pin down the Mercs right?" Packer asked, "Because we can handle the Hussars."
"We'll get the Cutthroats focused on us, yes." I replied, "Just worry about making sure this doesn't turn into a drawn out brawl."
"Copy that sir." He replied. "We've got it handled."
The two forces had split up, with the 1st Kentares Guard trying to draw out the 3rd Proserpina Hussars by landing close to the capital, and myself landing close to an old base that the Cutthroats were operating out of currently.
"Let's move it people." I commanded as we finished disembarking. "We may have left some satellites in orbit to help monitor, but we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way." I paused, "Remember that we didn't bring any arty with us, so we'll have to stay mobile and make sure that we can't be pinned down by the Cutthroats and ripped to shreds."
"Aff." came the response from Natasha's fireteam of Clanners in their Omnimechs. "Copy that sir." Mathis weighed in, "We'll go to ground and keep an eye out for any arty we can capture."
"Good to hear it." I replied. " Major Kerensky, you're in charge of the Combat vehicles." I told my wife, "I'm going to coordinate between you and Mathis, and if I need to, I'll step into play in my Warhammer."
"Understood Hull." Natasha replied, all business now. "Hazen, you are to follow Hull's lead."
"Aff Kerensky, I will comply." She responded.
"Alright people, we know the general location and layout of their base, and I'm expecting fixed defenses along with them to respond with numbers." I told them, "Remember, they're a Veteran unit and therefore may have some tricks up their sleeves."
"Understood sir." The various officers replied.
"Mathis, we're leaving a company of vehicles and Infantry to cover our Dropships." I told him.
"Yes sir," He responded "We're ready to move out when given the command."
"Mount up then," I told him. "We're going hunting."
Same time…
Tai-Sa Ahrmram was concerned, the enemy invasion forces had split into two, and had apparently landed the lesser force in front of the Hussar's main base.
"We will go out and strike them." The Tai-Sa commanded. "We have confirmation that what is against us is the personal guard of Duke Hull of Kentares IV."
The Samurai of the 3rd Proserpina Hussars mounted up into their 'mechs, ready to go out and fight the enemy that had brought itself to their gates.
"We will bring these Davions death by our swords" Tai-Sa Ahrmram told his men after he mounted up into his Battlemaster and had powered everything up. "And shall prove ourselves better than the Sword of Light, for we shall actually bring destruction upon one who thinks he can attempt to stand against the Dragon."
"Hull," Packer sounded a little harried. "We've got a problem." You could hear the sounds of war in the background. "Apparently, you managed to land in front of the Hussars, and not the Cutthroats as we expected."
"Well, I guess it's time to see if the Clan Tech we loaded into the Ducal guard holds up then." I responded. "Because we can't back down from this fight."
"I'm diverting some Stings your way regardless." Packer replied. "We don't need four of them providing coverage over here anyway."
"Copy that, air support will be welcomed." I replied as I stepped out of the mobile HQ. "Kerensky, I'm getting into my Warhammer now, we're up against the Hussars instead of the Cutthroats."
"Understood," She replied, "I will ensure that our Vehicle company is able to provide adequate support."
We had managed to acquire more down-teched Alacorns over the last several years, and Natasha had made sure that they were all transferred into the Ducal Guard. Which meant that we had well over a dozen Alacorns in the Ducal Guard, backed by Von Luckners and LRM carriers.
"Just remember to make sure the area is clear before you fill it with the heavy metal." I reminded her. "No friendly fire on this op."
After I said this, we came across a scout lance. Three Locust's led by a Pheonix Hawk.
"Burn them." I ordered the Ducal Guard. "They already know that we've got less numbers, and I'm not playing cat and mouse with them."
As soon as the first words left my mouth, Natasha's Nightstar lashed out with both Gauss Rifles and it's ERPPC, coring one Locust, and crippling the legs of two more. Natasha's Combat vehicle company followed suit, sending LRM's and Gauss Rifles into the lance, and bringing them down in short order.
"Alright people, that's four 'mechs down, a hundred and four left to go."
"Move that vehicle company up." Packer commanded from his HQ, "The Cutthroats are reeling, and so are the supporting militia units."
"Sir, one of our 'mech companies is pinned down in a street, and is requesting Mithril and Sting support." One of the staff officers told him while listening to his headset.
"Give them the support they need, but have our people watch the collateral damage, if this turns into a conquered planet situation, then we've got to deal with it afterwards."
"Roger that sir, diverting support."
"Have Major Lamb push around in a flank." Packer ordered, "If we can pin the Cutthroats down, they may surrender."
"Copy, relaying the message." The comms officer said. "Sir, we're hearing reports of suicidal tankers using inferno gel on their own vehicles before ramming them into our 'mechs."
"Good thing we've got freezers then." Packer replied. "Have our people pull back where they've been using Inferno Gel, and have them isolate the area, the last thing we need is a panicked civilian running into that area and dying because of it."
"Yes sir." Her hands flew across the slate as she navigated to various comms channels.
Then their HQ rocked as it was hit with what felt like an SRM.
"I thought this area was secured!" Packer said as he sealed his Mithril and grabbed a rifle before kicking the mobile HQ door open. "Ahh, nevermind." He said to himself as he gunned down the sword wielding person in front of him. "DEST, or an ISF cell." He shrugged to himself as he shot the remainder of said squad. "This is why you don't try and kill someone in armor like this with a steel katana." He muttered to himself as he snapped one of said katanas with his armored gloved hands before climbing back into the HQ.
"Have a couple of Mithril fireteams check the immediate area again, we apparently missed some ISF units."
February 10th, 3020
"Natasha, we're bringing the party to you." I said as I maneuvered my Warhammer out of the way of autocannon and LRM fire, twisting around to snap off an ERPPC at the Battlemaster that had been harassing me for the past couple of days.
"Now would be a very good time to help me out." I called out on the Comms as the Battlemaster and the lance following him edged closer with their fire. Finally, after a PPC bolt connected to my left shoulder, I had had enough. Twisting into a slide in my 'mech, I used the Clantech targeting computer to group my PPC's into the Battlemaster's left torso, hitting the SRM bins, and triggering an ammo explosion that threw the 'mech into a rock formation nearby.
Turning to the next 'mech in the lance, I was pleasantly surprised by Thastus' Mad Dog having finished that 'mech off, along with Mackenzie's Timber Wolf scything its ER Large Lasers into the Awesome that was another part of the lance.
While I left Natasha's Clanner fireteam to clean up there, I moved onto the Battlemaster that had been thrown into the rock formation when I hit its SRM bins. "Hey Mathis, get me a couple of Mithril people over here, I'm fairly certain that this is what Tai-Sa Ahrmram was piloting."
"Yes sir, diverting infantry now." He responded. "Eta five Mikes."
"We'll provide cover." I told him, "We've cleared out about half of the regiment so far anyway."
"Yessir, but MCallister told me that if your Warhammer needs the usual amount of repairs that he was moving you into an Assault 'mech."
"Well, good thing I'm light on damage this time then isn't it?"
"Yes sir, Salvage and recovery teams along with Mithril are on their way." Mathis told me.
"Copy that, keep me updated on what's happening with Packer as you get updates yourself." I told him, "I don't like being disconnected from the information that I might need."
"Yes sir," Mathis replied. "Kerensky is reporting that she wiped out another pair of lances, but lost two combat vehicles in the process."
"Good to hear, but we can't replace those losses easily right now." I told him. "Have her pull back into the cover of the dropships, and tell those Sting pilots to go shred that company that your infantry spotted."
"Yes sir, spinning up Close air support now." He replied. "God have mercy on them, because we won't."