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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 21, 2005 17:24:02 GMT -5
"All MechWarriors - report to your 'Mechs. We are beginning our descent!"
"Well, that's my queue." I mused, glancing at Miyamoto as I rose from the command chair. "The ship is yours. I'll see you on the planet. Be safe out there."
Miyamoto nodded, and eased into the chair as I made my way to Thastus' station.
"Are those reports finished?"
"Of course." she snarled, pressing a datapad into my hand as she stood to follow me to the lift. I looked over her compilation as we entered the lift - and I had to admit, it was impressive. But then again, I expected nothing less from a Clanner.
"Very good. Have you - "
"...distributed this to all MechCommanders and department heads? Yes."
I held my tounge as the lift descended to the 'Mech bay. We exited into a flurry of activity - the cavernous chamber was abuzz with technicians performing last minute checks, BattleMechs bringing their fusion reactors online, and vehicles rumbling onto cargo palletes. The 'Mechs of Alpha Lance had already been maneuvered into position for the hot drop, and their booster packs were in place to help them control their descent. All we had to do was climb aboard.
"All right, Thastus. This is it. The moment of truth. In just a few minutes, you're going to be sitting at the controls of a larger 'Mech than any of your lancemates will be piloting. I'm going to be blunt with you about this: if you decided to turn on one of us, we'd be seriously outgunned."
Thastus' eyes narrowed, and a look of rage began to wash across the Clanner's face.
"What is your point, Captain?"
I was tired of being pushed around. I locked eyes with Aisa, and stared her down, forcefully delivering my reply.
"I need to know that I can trust you out there, Star Colonel!" I retalitated, placing emphasis on each word. "Frankly, although you have an immaculate track record, you have yet to show me anything other than utter disdain for your shipmates, and that attitude isn't going to fly out in the field! I want your word, on your honor, that you will not try to pull any cute stunts out there. And the moment I see you getting out of line, your reactor's getting shut down, and you will be escorted back to the Liberty in shackles."
Fire flashed across the Clanner's eyes, and her fists clenched so tightly that the color washed out of her knuckles. It almost appeared that she increased in height, if such a thing was possible, as she drew to within a hair's breadth of me.
"How DARE you question my loyalties, you stravag dezgra freebirth toad? Were it not for my oath to you, I would tear your heart out where you stand! I am Jade Falcon, Captain! I would rather perish than disgrace my honor! A concept that you Inner Sphere filth have no concept of!"
Thastus seethed, staring at me with murder in her eyes. I maintained my stance, never looking away, never blinking.
"Good." I replied, in a tone barely above a whisper. "Then we won't have any problems, will we?"
Before Thastus could reply, I stormed off to my 'Mech.
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Post by MechWarrior Aisa Thastus on Jul 21, 2005 17:39:28 GMT -5
The 'Mech bay doors cycled open, and Captain Maxwell's Legionnaire stepped through, plunging down into the twilight sky. I maneuvered my Mad Cat MK-II into position, and waited for the drop light to cycle to green once again.
"Alpha-3 to Alpha-2...you going to be okay out there?"
I looked incredulously at my comm unit. The transmission was, in fact, intended for me.
"We're not to be using the voice channels until the city has been reached, Alpha-2. Didn't you read the briefing??" I demanded. Obviously, Kintaru had no respect for authority.
"You seemed pretty irate out there. I can't say I blame you, either. But you've got to get the anger out of your head before we make planetfall. It clouds your judgement."
I could feel the rage boiling once again. This Inner Sphere toad had no business lecturing me on battlefield protocol! I took a deep breath, poised to deliver a verbal castration, but then, I recanted. Words of wisdom from freebirth such as Kintaru were rare - nearly unheard-of, in fact, and yet, it was the second time in a day his words had given me pause.
I exhaled, and keyed the mike. Several seconds of dead air hissed between us, before I finally replied.
"I am fine, Alpha-2. Thank you for your concern."
The words came out sounding awkward and disjointed. I almost cut the transmission off then and there.
"Fight with honor...MechWarrior."
I quickly shut the comm unit off, and switched to text readout. The drop light cycled to green, and I stepped out into the night sky.
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 21, 2005 17:50:37 GMT -5
As my Legionnaire plunged through the night sky, I quickly gave my 'Mech's systems a final once-over. I had never piloted this particular class before, and as such, I wanted to ensure that there would be no unexpected surpises once the Op had gotten hot and heavy. My main concern was that the BattleMech had a near-total dependency on ammunition-based weaponry, and as such, the potential for a feed jam loomed large. If the 'Mech's single rotary autocannon malfunctioned, the only option I would have left would be its twin sets of battle claws - which could do loads of damage - if they could get close enough to their target to reach it.
In under a minute, I found myself touching down in a lush, rolling field, my booster packs blowing away as the Legionnaire's bulky legs absorbed the moment of impact. Around me, the other elements of Alpha Lance were also touching down, checking in via text readout as they arrived. I snapped open the comm unit's keyboard, and tapped out a message to the Liberty.
msg:\>Alpha-1 insertion successful.
<xmit>
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Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 21, 2005 18:17:36 GMT -5
"We have confirmation, sir. Alpha lance is ready Op." declared the communication officer.
"Very well. Yeoman, set our course for Landing site Alpha." I then hit over to the PA system. "Bravo lance, report to your mechs immediatley. Prep for delpoy in ten."
I rose to head down to the bay. The bridge made me uncomfortable, and I was happy to get to more familiar digs. "Yeoman, the liberty is yours."
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Post by Holms Net on Jul 21, 2005 18:25:46 GMT -5
After a long sleep, I finally woke up to the sound of the PA system. Alpha lance was just about to head out. I quickly got myself in my outfit and started heading towards the 'Mech Bay. Not long after, the familiar sound of 'Mech's jumping off and the slight turn of the ship towards the heavy side told me that Alpha Lance had launched.
As soon as the Bay was ready to be reopened to get into it, I found my Raven and climbed aboard, going over a complete system check. Everything set, I sat back and waited to land.
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Post by MechWarrior Josef on Jul 21, 2005 21:14:53 GMT -5
"Bravo lance, report to your mechs immediatley. Prep for delpoy in ten."
I ran to my Cougar. After a quick external check, I hopped inside and strapped myself in. I pressed a few buttons and began a systems check. I leaned back and looked around the bay. Everything was set for this OP to really begin.
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Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 21, 2005 22:57:50 GMT -5
I hurried down to the mech bay, shot up the ladder, and catapaulted myself into the cockpit. I didn't have much time, so I had to do a hasty startup. The wail of my fushion XL engines warming up filled the air as I strapped in for what I was expecting to be one tough fight.
"Bravo lance this is Bravo lead, report."
"This is Bravo-5, reporting. I'm ready."
"Bravo-2, preped and waiting."
"Roger Bravo-lead, Bravo-4 reporting ready op."
"Bravo-3 here, ready whenever you are."
"Bravo-6, ready."
The shock of touch-down rocked the contents of the Mech bay. Suddenly the retraint harnesses on my mech blew off and it was time to get rolling.
"Alright Bravo team, keep it tight."
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Post by Captain Adam "Gunman" Wolf on Jul 21, 2005 23:17:25 GMT -5
Standing on the bridge I watched the nearby viewscreen on my personal console as it displayed the launch doors opening up and the 'mechs which made up Alpha Lance falling into position. As the hot-drop light cycled green the 'mechs were released from their harnessess and began their free fall towards the surface below. Closing my eyes for a moment I imagined the whistling howl of the wind rushing past the cockpit of my 'mech, wisps of moisture trailing up from the feet of the mechanical beast as I break through the clouds plummeting towards Valasha below.
"Sir, umm sir?" said a crewman a little timidly, as I opened my eyes and came back to reality realizing I was still sitting on the bridge and not in the prefered confines of a battlmech's cockpit, "Sir, you said you wished to be notified of when we approached the LZ for Bravo lance."
"Ah yes, thank you crewman, is Bravo ready to deploy?"
"Yes sir, they should be moving into formation now and be ready to go as soon as we touch down."
"Thank you"
I got up and moved swiftly to another station as the crewman scrambled off to the other side of the bridge, as I brought up a topographic map of the mission area I couldn't help but let my mind wander to the 55 ton 'mech sitting in its berth in the belly of the Liberty wishing I was in my machine and not stuck here on the bridge. But this mission required that absolutely everything ran smoothly, including the entire dropship, and with a somewhat still green crew, at least to all the new bells and whistles aboard the Liberty compared to our old Thorin, they needed a commanding officer on the ship at all times. Although it wasn't my first choice I decided to volunteer for the job and let Maxwell handle the rest of the OP.
I still wish I was in the cockpit of my battlemech Inferno though, I couldnt help but think to myself, I know I brought it along on purpose, but I really hope things dont get so bad I have to use it
Just to make things clear, I'm just posting this as a easy way of writing myself into the OP in case I am able to get on here often enough to post, I know I completely missed the last OP and I apologize, hopefully it won't be like that again.
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Nicholas Schuster
Regular
DECEASED
"Blakists are like a virus. And WE are the cure."
Posts: 139
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Post by Nicholas Schuster on Jul 22, 2005 8:48:59 GMT -5
My Shadow Cat pounded out of the DropShip on the heels of Commander Miyamoto’s Centurion, which cast a narrow beam of light into the darkness of the forest as it led us deep into the overgrowth. We had touched down on a makeshift landing facility emplaced by the rebels, and it was alive with activity, but in a very surreal way. There was almost no sound. Even the vehicles which rumbled past us were accelerating very gingerly, and the radio traffic which crossed our radios was carried out in low conversational tones. I patched my comm unit into a private channel to the Commander.
”Bravo-4 to Bravo-1…why the need for such stealth? I thought the rebels had this area secure?”
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Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 22, 2005 9:28:13 GMT -5
My Legionnaire took a few cautious steps forward, assessing the terrain. Because our mission profile called for us to maintain utter stealth on the way in, the use of spotlights, running lights, flares, and voice communication was out of the question. We had only our eyes to guide us, but fortunately, most of our ‘Mechs were equipped with night-vision technology that would allow us to see through the darkness. On this particular night, however, Valasha’s midnight sky was crystal-clear, and brightly illuminated by a vast canopy of stars, and so, I elected to leave my light amplification unit off. I could always activate it later, if I needed to.
My text readout began flashing at me as I glanced at the overview map, which was updating with Thastus’ tactical data. Glancing at the ‘chat box’ projected on my HUD, I saw that I had a message from the MIT23 combat ambulance which dropped with us.
alpha5lance1theatre1: Having trouble disengaging from cargo palette. Straps seem to be jammed. Request assistance.
I cycled through my friendly target identifiers until I located the MIT23. It had dropped just a short distance behind me, and as I turned my Legionnaire toward it, I could see that the driver had exited the vehicle, and was tugging frantically on the cargo straps which secured the large vehicle to its jump cradle. They should have disengaged once the vehicle hit the ground, but a malfunction had apparently prevented them from doing so.
msg:\>spectre-5 tell driver to get back inside, think I can help you out. <xmit>
I moved my BattleMech to within a meter of the ambulance, and delicately extended the Legionnaire’s giant arms, reaching for the first of two cargo straps I hoped to grab with its massive battle claws. I was going to have to try and hook the fingers of the ‘Mech’s right hand around the strap, hold the vehicle in place with the other, and use one of my bulky feet to keep the palette from moving while I applied pressure. This was something a BattleMech was never designed to do – and I was about to attempt it.
I managed to get the Legionnaire’s fingers around the first of the straps without scratching too much paint off the MIT23. A few small dents were left in its armor, but nothing major, and as I tightened the massive fist’s grip on the strap, I placed the other mechanical hand atop the ambulance’s roof. Then, gingerly, I took a step forward, and the vehicle rocked violently as the massive foot I was so carefully trying to place on the palette kicked the ambulance’s undercarriage. I slammed the Legionnaire to a halt, and seconds later, a text message flashed on my HUD.
alpha5lance1theatre1: What the hell are you doing? This thing’s not under warranty anymore, you know.
msg:\>sorry trying to get into position, now hold tight. <xmit>
Having gotten my ‘Mech positioned correctly, I began to pull on the first strap. It snapped easily under the massive forces exerted by the Legionnaire’s myomar muscles, and in under a minute, I had successfully removed the second strap as well. Stepping back, I signaled an ‘all clear’ to the driver. He gave me a thumbs-up through the windshield of the oversized ambulance, and drove off the palette into the lush grass. With all of our forces now ready-op, I dispatched a text message.
msg:\>Alpha Lance: Close up and form on me. Let’s move out.<xmit>
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Post by Dr. Jessica Saturina on Jul 22, 2005 12:01:28 GMT -5
After a violent shaking by the Captains large mech, we were finally free of the straps. I had thought we would be crushed by the lumbering giant but was not surprised by the agility by which Captain Maxwell piloted his mech. Even though the mech he was in was very new to all of us, the Captains extensive experience and his amazing ablity to adapt to things new to him, made him an excellant pilot for this new mech.
msg:\>Alpha Lance: Close up and form on me. Let’s move out.<xmit>
Let's move out Reeve's, close behind the mech's. I said to my driver. Be careful though not too close, we could be crushed by one of those things by accident.
After the little bit of a shaking we had gotten from the Captain's mech, my driver Reeve's looked at me with a little bit of respectful fear on his face.
No worries Dr. I don't intend to follow too close, trust me.
Reeve's powered up the MIT23, driving off the palette, guiding it into position close behind the formation of the giant mechs, but not too close. I kept a sharp eye out myself, helping him to guide the vehicle through the night since we couldn't use lights. We were finally on our way.
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Post by Wedge Lourde on Jul 22, 2005 12:42:52 GMT -5
As we made our way across the field, I pushed my Raptor to its fullest possible speed and got ahead of the lance. I wanted to use my Mech's advanced sensors to detect threats that the rest of the Mechs in Alpha Lance couldn't yet see on their systems. My ECM would make up for the fact that I was so far ahead - the enemies couldn't see me until it was too late.
Too bad the NullSig in this thing is toasted.
Suddenly, I got a ping on my sensors. But it wasn't a vehicle or a BattleMech...it was an enemy sensor tower. 500 meters to my left. I switched my sweeps to 'passive' and charged toward the tower. I decided to 'reach out and touch it' with my ER Large Lasers, SRMs, and Autocannons all in one concentrated blast. It paid off as the tower imploded on itself, and crashed to the ground.
msg:\>Alpha-4 reports hostile destroyed.
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MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
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Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 22, 2005 13:00:08 GMT -5
I followed in line behind Miyamoto. Things seemed to be too quiet. It seemed as though we were expecting something to happen suddenly, and we were watching everything.
I trugged behind slowly with my Belial. Thoughts were realing through my head. I knew that this was going to be a hard fight. I knew none of us could afford to perform heroics. As we moved through the forest the rumble of my 'Mech and the others from Bravo Lance soothed me. Alright. Let's get this done.
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Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 22, 2005 15:08:53 GMT -5
”Bravo-4 to Bravo-1…why the need for such stealth? I thought the rebels had this area secure?”
"We're keeping a low profile untill approach, not too much movement or heat. A lot of activity will atract attention that, untill just now, could have braught a swift interdiction to this force. At this point, we're being careful so our boy Alverez doesn't have time to run for his worthless life." I talked through the comms calm and slow. We had to keep all radio wavelengths pretty uniform and I'm not payed to blow people's cover.
Bravo lance had completly disgorged from the hangar and we were ready to earn our fee, however the rebels were going to keep us waiting another couple moments. At last the message came over the comms,
"Legionnaires, how good it is being to see you. We are sorry for the waits. We moving to out in a just bit. We just have path to clear, da?" The voice came awkward over the channel and full of the kind of english they don't teach in school. I wonder where the rest of the rebels are.
Shortly there after, a forrestry mech immerged from the dense undergrowth, revealing a long narrow path of destruction.
"We go now, yes?"
"Bravo lance, nap time is over, let's move out." I said, as I slowly throttled up my Centurian and made for the fresh road.
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Post by Lance Commander Marcus Taylor on Jul 22, 2005 15:25:07 GMT -5
Bravo lance, nap time is over, let's move out.
I reached over and turned off my digital music player. I placed it into my right breast pocket and secured the flap.
I throttled up and fell into the column led by Gen Miyamoto, Bravo's Lance Commander. While some might be unsure to have him lead us, I recalled the battle on Hamal where he finished off the Fafnir that nearly got "too lucky".
Bravo-3 copies. I'm good to go.
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