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The trail soon became difficult to follow. The Dragoon was keeping to harder ground, no doubt believing that this would make his pursuers' job rougher. The enemy's scanners had to be crippled as those of the Dragoons, though that would also make it harder for anyone trying to aid the Dragoon warrior.

Signs of the Stomper 'Mechs vanished first. They were lighter than the machine they hunted. Then marks made by the Dragoon 'Mech became more scarce. Minobu had hunkered the Vindicatordown in order to better use shadows in reading particular marks of passage when his exterior sound pickups brought him the sound of shifting gravel. As he was straightening his machine to a standing position, the new arrival announced his presence over his external speakers of his 'Mech.

“Move it easy and you don't get cratered, friend.”

9

Fire Rift, Quentin IV

Draconis March, Federated Suns

17 June 3023

 

Keeping his 'Mech's movements slow, Minobu noticed that his rear scanners showed a BattleMech half-hidden in the shadow of a twisted spire of stone. No visible markings betrayed its allegiance, though its type—a fifty-five-ton Shadow Hawk—was clear. The newcomer's autocannon, locked into its firing position, pointed out over the left shoulder. The machine's right arm, bearing an externally mounted laser, was extended in Minobu's direction.

“At ease, ‘MechWarrior,” Minobu transmitted as he slowly pivoted his 'Mech. “I am Chu-saTetsuhara. We are on the same side.”

Had the pilot been one of the hostile mercenaries, Minobu was sure the other warrior would have fired rather than spoken. Because they knew all their own BattleMechs by sight, an unfamiliar machine had to be an enemy and subject to immediate attack. The Dragoons, being from a far larger and better-supplied organization, were less likely to know all their own machines. That was definitely one of the Stompers' advantages in the maze of Fire Rift. Minobu pointed his PPC at the sky, but kept his finger near his jump jet ignition switch in case his reading of the situation was wrong.

“Tetsu—” boomed the voice from the Shadow Hawk'sspeakers. “Whatchu doing out here?”

“If you care to switch to your radio instead of bellowing all over the Rift, I'd be glad to discuss it,” Minobu answered over his own comm unit.

“Uh, right.” The other pilot's voice was suspicious. A second or two later, the ‘MechWarrior added, “Colonel.”

“As to what I am doing, I am looking for Colonel Wolf.”

“Ain't that a surprise.” The suspicion was gone now. The Dragoons had enough confidence in their communications network that they believed it safe from interception. Only a Dragoon, or an ally, would know Wolf was missing. “I'm Sergeant Dechan Fraser. I thought I was the only one assigned to this sector, Colonel.”

“I assigned myself. Colonel Wolf must be located soon.”

“Don't that beat all?” As the Shadow Hawkmoved forward to join him, its autocannon slid back into transport position. As the sunlight struck the dark blue 'Mech striding from the shadows, it revealed a stooping golden hawk on the machine's chest and a black wolf's head against a red disk on the left shoulder.

Fraser crouched his 'Mech and scanned the tracks Minobu had been studying. “Ain't been long. Sun hasn't dried the bottom yet.” The Shadow Hawkstraightened up, its left arm pointing. “Looks like he went that way. This ‘Mech's got company. He's gonna need help, with them Stompers on his tail.”

“We shall be that help.”

“You know, Colonel, I like your attitude. Let's go.”

Ten minutes later, their microphones picked up the distant sound of missile fire. They adjusted course and accelerated toward the noise, only slowing when Fraser reported sighting a BattleMech moving through the shade of a ridgeline. He and Minobu took their 'Mechs to cover to observe the situation.

What they saw were several Stomper machines ahead, stalking a target not yet in sight. Minobu counted four: a Locust,a Stinger,a Javelin,and a Valkyrie—all light 'Mechs with low-power weapons. The machines were moving cautiously, taking full advantage of cover. The pilots were probably worried about the firepower of their quarry. Except for the Valkyrie,none carried long-range weaponry. Any of the missing Dragoon BattleMechs could have outranged them.

Moving his machine forward, Minobu caught sight of the Stompers' target through a notch in a ridgeline. It was the blue and gold Archer.

The pilot had tried to cross what he must have thought was an old lava flow, but it was not old enough. The seventy-ton machine had crashed through the crust, falling in to its waist. Steam rose around it, and Minobu could see the glow of molten rock whenever the 'Mech's legs churned in its attempts to free itself.

He beamed a transmission at the struggling BattleMech to warn the pilot that help was on the way, but Minobu was not surprised that the Archerdid not respond. The 'Mech's motions were slow and disjointed, as though the pilot were dazed or disoriented. The heat inside the cockpit would be debilitating, leaving the warrior helpless. If the warrior fired any weapons, he could cook himself.

“Your comrade is in serious trouble,” Minobu transmitted to Fraser. “The Stompers haven't realized it yet, but he is helpless. He does not have much time.”

“Then what are we waiting for, Colonel? Let's go get him.” With that, the Shadow Hawkwas up and moving, its autocannon laying down a barrage.

Minobu followed more cautiously. The Dragoon BattleMechs would normally have been more than a match for the Stompers ahead of them, but the light 'Mechs did not carry the heat burden of their heavier brethren. Their activity levels would be set higher, too. Here on Quentin, that might outweigh the armor and armament advantages of the medium 'Mechs.

The Stompers scrambled for cover at the sudden onslaught, but they fired as they moved. Keeping out of sight of the trapped Archer,they turned to deal with his friends first, the response of disciplined veterans. Even so, one Stamper did not make it to cover fast enough. Shells from Fraser's autocannon burst caught and staggered the Locust.

In a 'Mech battle, hesitation is death. Minobu loosed a blast from his PPC at the wobbling Locust.His body was bathed in sweat as the sudden heat of discharge threatened to overpower the Vindicator'sheat dispersal system. His target had more immediate problems. The hellish energy of the PPC vaporized armor and opened a path to the 'Mech's innards. It crashed to the ground in a shower of sparks and lay immobile. First blood to the rescuers.

With the Stompers gone to ground, Fraser took his 'Mech to cover as well. With the surprise of the first rush gone, the ‘Mech Warriors began a deadly game of tag amid the badlands of Fire Rift. It was a game that the Snake Stompers had played before. They had the homefield advantage, and had used it to ambush the Dragoons' Command Lance. Now they were going to try to use it to destroy two more Dragoon 'Mechs.

As Minobu moved the Vindicatoralong a ravine floor, his microphones caught the roar of autocannon fire and the whoosh of missiles beyond the next hill. Before he could move up, a Locustflying the Stompers' banner from its whip aerial scurried around a bend behind him. The Vindicatorwas caught in the red glare of its laser. The pulses deeply scarred the 'Mech's rear armor, but Minobu's return blast sent the enemy pounding back for cover.

Their enemies were again four in number. At least four, Minobu reminded himself. Any number could be hidden among the twisting valleys. From the battle sounds he could hear, Fraser was engaging two of them.