28

The Cedars, Borghese

14 July 3055

 

Esmeralda and Hawg anchored the center of the Black Thorn advance, with Rose and O'Shea on either side. Watching the distance close on his scanner, Rose searched through the cedars for the first glimpse of Morgain's 'Mechs. The dense tree growth would make the fighting close and personal. Rose flexed both arms of the Charger.Physical attacks and mass could well carry the fight.

As the range closed to under a kilometer, Rose caught a glimpse of metal reflected from the rising sun. It had to be a BattleMech, but the trees hid its outline. The next instant the 'Mech had vanished. As Morgain's force drew closer, his 'Mechs shuffled positions. What had initially been a cluster altered to become a vee, with the point directed squarely at Esmeralda and Hawg. Rose had no doubt that the heaviest 'Mech in Morgain's force would be the point of the vee. Ahead, the ground began to rise slightly. Rose could tell from the scanner that Morgain was at the base of the rise on the other side.

"Battle Lance, charge!" The four 'Mechs charged up the hill, trying to gain the high ground and the advantage that went with it. Easily the fastest in his Charger,Rose reached the crest just ahead of the rest of his lance. He dropped his targeting cross hairs onto the first metal shape he saw, which happened to be the second 'Mech in line on his side. The Artemis IV confirmed a lock and Rose triggered a flight of missiles. Only after the missiles had fired did he carefully examine his opponents.

A shining Stalkerheld the point of Morgain's vee. It was this 'Mech's reflective paint that Rose had seen briefly as the two sides closed ground. The 'Mech didn't even turn in Rose's direction, but kept its attention focused on the rise where Esmeralda would soon appear.

Rose's initial target was a BattleMaster.The Charger'scomputer tagged it as a newer model, but it was impossible to confirm the identification because the 'Mech was wreathed in the smoke and flame of long-range missiles striking its head and shoulders. The pilot brought up his PPC, but the shots went wide of the Chargeras the impacting missiles spoiled the pilot's aim.

The final 'Mech in the vee on Rose's side was a Banshee.Rose didn't need the computer to tell him it was a 5S model; the multiple weapon ports were proof enough. Something about the 'Mech's movement was familiar, but Rose couldn't place it right now and he had no time to figure it out. The BattleMasterrecovered and triggered a salvo at the Chargeras Rose's missiles recycled.

The azure PPC beam caught the Chargersquarely in the chest, blasting armor into ionized flakes. Then came the aligned ruby light of a laser firing from the BattleMaster'sleft torso, gouging into the Charger'sright arm and leg an instant later. Rose fought to control his 'Mech, quickly regaining his balance and triggering another flight of missiles.

Guided by the Artemis fire-control system and Rose's gentle hand, the flight again struck the BattleMasteraround the head and shoulders. Rose knew the pilot was taking a beating from the multiple missile hits. Despite the 'Mech's thick armor, the pilot was bound to feel the effects of explosions going off just meters away from his seat. Rose topped the hill and closed the range on the BattleMasterand the Bansheejust as Esmeralda and Hawg popped over the hill. On the far side of the battle line Rose saw the brief flash of a PPC and knew Badicus had engaged the remaining 'Mech of Morgain's lance.

At virtually the same instant both sides fighting in the center of the line triggered everything they had at each other. The Stalkerand the Awesometo its right each targeted a separate 'Mech. Esmeralda and Hawg, however, ganged up on the Stalker.At close range, the hits were almost guaranteed.

The Awesomefired every one of its weapons and hit with every shot. Its pilot gambled that Hawg could not survive the salvo as its heat went from cool to critical in three seconds. Hawg took two of the PPC hits to the chest and the other to his right arm. The supporting laser and missile fire further damaged the Zeus'right arm and blew away armor plates from the left knee. Under that barrage Hawg had no chance of controlling his 'Mech, which spun partially around before crashing onto its left side. The undamaged Awesomemoved toward the fallen Zeus.

Hawg's attack on the Stalker,combined with Esmeralda's shots, had stopped the lumbering 'Mech in its tracks. Lasers and missiles streaked toward the armless machine, followed closely by PPC fire. Lasers burned and armor exploded away in a cloud of fragments as the combined firepower of the two Thorn 'Mechs breached the Stalker'sright-torso armor, ravaging its powerful legs. Like Hawg, the Stalkerpilot could not control the 'Mech during the vicious assault. Unlike Hawg's 'Mech, the Stalkerfell head-first into the slope, plowing up rocks and dirt.

Esmeralda also staggered under the Stalker'sattack, but through fate or uncanny skill, she managed to keep the Warhammerupright despite the barrage of missiles exploding across her 'Mech's chest and lower torso. As the Zeusstruggled to rise she moved to defend Hawg, leaving the flailing Stalkerto stand if it could.

Rose considered shifting targets, but abandoned the idea as the Bansheemoved to support the BattleMaster.Rose centered the cross hairs on the chest of the BattleMasterfor a third time as the missile-reload light flickered green. He was about to engage both missiles and the medium pulse lasers slaved to the same control when the BattleMasterstarted to topple forward. As Rose watched in amazement, the eighty-five ton 'Mech fell flat on its face. Unlike the other two 'Mechs that had gone down, however, the BattleMastermade no attempt to stop its fall. Rebounding off the trunk of an ancient cedar, the 'Mech crashed to the ground and then lay still.

Rose allowed himself a moment of amazement. Despite scoring only two hits, neither of which had breached the assault 'Mech's armor, he'd taken out the BattleMaster.The pilot had undoubtedly been pummeled into unconsciousness by the concussion of the missile explosions. He doubted the pilot would wake before the fight was over, but decided to make sure.

"Pursuit, swing right. One BattleMasterdown, but a Bansheehas moved to support. Make sure that 'Mech doesn't get back up. Two, protect yourself and your civilian at all costs. That's an order."

Rose swung to the left and moved toward the center of the battle line on Morgain's side of the ridge. He kept one eye on the Banshee,which had yet to fire as it moved through the trees, and the other eye on the Stalker,which was still trying to stand. As he broke through the trees, the Stalkerhad managed to make it to one knee.

Rose had always considered the Stalkera poorly designed 'Mech. Although the 'Mech mounted considerable firepower, it was slow and clumsy. Compounding the problem were two "wings" that served as arms. Though the 'Mech was regarded as a good firing platform, the lack of arms severely hampered its ability in certain situations. And this was one of them.

Without arms, it was extremely difficult to get the 'Mech back upright once it fell to the ground. If this Stalkerhadn't fallen on a slope, Rose doubted that it would have ever gotten up again without some kind of assistance. The pilot had almost succeeded, but Rose thwarted the attempt by charging across the intervening ground.

Rose fired all four of his pulse lasers as he closed, every one of them hitting the Stalker'sright side as the pilot tried to get the 'Mech's other leg underneath it. He managed to keep the 'Mech upright as Rose's lasers cut away vital armor, but he couldn't keep his footing when the Chargerslammed into his side.