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TheDeadlyShoe
Lieutenant Colonel

Reged: 06/22/02
Posts: 1621
Loc: Redmond, WA

Walk in Hell

#61587 - 05/24/03 05:37 PM (4.41.52.189)

Major Sherman awoke to a sudden blaring of the klaxon. Tumbling out of bed he ran to the intercom screen and dialed up the command center. "Report!" he snapped, as the duty officer, Captain Shaun, appeared on screen.

"Sir, we have what appears to be a hostile invasion in progress in Sector 12, and Sector 2 failed to report." said Shaun unemotionally.

His blood ran cold as he mentally located Sector 2. That was only 6 kilometers from the nerve center of the entire empire!
"Have you awakened Major Higgins?" he asked as he struggled into his combat dress.

"Yes, sir. He's on his way to the Potato now." The image broke up into static momentarily and a muffled concussion ran through the building.

"Tell him I'll meet him there. What the hell was that?"

"One moment."
"Sir, we believe that was Sector 12's defense post. Their ammunition must have detonated."

Crap. Sector 12 was only 3 kilometers from here, and 6 kilometers from the city of Zirconia. Sector 2 should've been secure- it bordered the friendly empire of Crandens. He thought furiously. "Do we have an ID on the attackers? Is it Crandens?" He grabbed the mobile intercom and ran down the hall. Captain Shaun's voice sounded tinny as the reply came through.

"We don't believe so, sir. Going back over the records, we have a small anomaly that could be a drop-ship landing just west of Sector 2. Either Crandens is in league with the attackers, or they were used as a stepping-stone."

Damn. "We'll have to assume Crandens is hostile for now. Close the border. Any idea on the composition of the attacking forces?"

Shaun looked grim. "No, sir. All we know is, big Battlemechs, and more than one of them. Sector 12 was only able to get a garbled message through the jamming."

Sherman reached the armory and checked out his personal weaponry. Dozens of soldiers were racing in and grabbing weaponry and armor. He raised the intercom again. "Have you informed the Premier yet?"

Shaun looked uncomfortable as he replied. "No, sir. We've been trying to track him down. Apparently he went on, uh, a 'matter of state' visit to New Las Vegas. We can't figure out where he is staying. The Black Watch have apparently suffered a breakdown in communications."

Sherman cursed. The casinos again. The Black Watch were responsible for keeping track and securing the person of the Premier at all times. Heads would roll for this, but that wouldn't change the fact that the Premier was unavailable.

He finally raced outside the gaping blast doors to the vehicle park. Big Uriel and Manticore tanks activated their fusion plants, the first Battlemechs walked out of the hanger, and crews scattered to their vehicles. A jeep pulled up and screeched to a halt in front of him.

The harassed-looking elderly jeep driver turned towards him. "Captain Shaun's compliments, sir. We're to take you directly to the TWAC, full speed."

Sherman grinned and jumped in the side seat. "By all means, Sergeant. Gun it." The jeep raced forwards, passing a Thorn battlemech inscribed with the name "Sir Smacksalot". They wove in and out of the mass confusion of racing crewman, heavy vehicles, and thundering Battlemechs until they screeched to a halt in front of the TWAC, officially known as a "Tracked Warning and Control" vehicle but more commonly called the "Potato" by its crewmen. The Thorn 'Mech passed them and sped off towards Sector 22. The combat company, the Slammers Provisional, began forming in a line behind them.

He jumped into the open hatch and a crewman slammed it shut behind him. Before he had time to catch his balance, the Potato started forwards, and he fell heavily onto a sensor tech in the rear. Apologizing quickly, he made his way to the status board in the center. A middle-aged man with what looked to be severe burn scars was studying the board, as well as Captain Shaun.

"Major Higgins. Captain. What's the situation?" asked Sherman, brusquely.

The scarred man looked up. "We've sent the Smacksalot to Sector 22. The enemy units are moving towards Zirconia. Filthy bastards. Going for the city. Most likely outlaws. We've ordered the Slammers to Zirconia, but the enemy units are moving much more quickly over that terrain than our tanks could. Don't think we'll get there in time."

The Slammers began moving out, the Potato in accompanyment. A constant low chatter of radio communications murmured throughout the compartment. A half hour passed, the company moving over rough terrain slowly, the Uriel's engines screaming as they struggled over the slopes. The Smacksalot reported in.

"This is Grizzleman. I've got some cluttered signatures up ahead, but I can't resolve them. I'm moving forward. Going to try to contact them, as per orders." The 'Mech pilot switched to the open band.

"This is the Sir Smacksalot, of the NSI Ventures Corporation. Unknown mechs, identify yourselves!" Half a minute crawled by as the Thorn moved closer to the enemy 'Mechs, who were still apparently moving towards Zirconia.

"Unknown mechs, please respond. You are intruding on NSI Ventures Corporation territory."

"I'm approaching visual range," said the pilot over the encrypted channel. "Maybe they'll respond then."

Sherman keyed his mike. "Don't take any chances out there, Grizzleman. We need that 'Mech back, afterall."

"Humph!", came the reply, "I have an interest in my skin as well. I'll make it back."

"Okay, entering visual range...got what looks like some Awesomes here, variant unknown. More mechs outside visual. Checking logos...Ah, crap. MMI. Urgh. Wait... Oh, man. It's Pancho's Pirates."

Sherman looked at Higgins. Higgins looked at Shaun. Shaun looked at the status board and bit his lip. They spent some time digesting that fact.

Finally, Sherman keyed his mike again. "Understood. Smacksalot. Get out of there."

"Roger, control. Gettin-" Static suddenly interrupted the transmission, a phenomonen Sherman knew only too well as electrical interference from a PPC shot.

"[censored]!" came the garbled voice over the radio. "Arm's not responding. Returning fire and getting out!"

On the map, the lone icon representing the thorn began rapidly moving away from the hazy cluster of red 'unknown' icons. Suddenly, a red icon appeared right in front of the Smacksalot. The radio crackled. "Oh, shi-" and then the icon representing the thorn turned the dark blinking green of severe damage. "E---g, rep--t, ejecti--!" The Thorn icon turned grey.

Sherman turned to the sensor tech and snapped, "Have you got a track on that ejection pod?!"

The sensor tech barely turned. "Yes, sir. Tracking pod. It's slowing...peaking at 1100 feet...moving towards us, sir. Wait..!" The tech studied the display intensely. The icon representing the pod turned into dozens that began falling on different vectors. The tech cursed loudly and rapidly manipulated the keys, checking each piece of debris.
"Checking..checking.....no. The pod broke up at 900 feet, confirmed. No pieces sizing more than half a meter in length confirmed. Survival chance minimal."

Bile rose in Sherman's throat as he considered the red cluster moving towards the heavily populated city, and his thoughts turned towards one subject.

Pancho.

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Shoe for the NSI

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AndrewCrisp
Sergeant

Reged: 11/22/02
Posts: 176
Loc: MilCom Centre, Outpost One, No...

Re: Walk in Hell

#61592 - 05/24/03 06:03 PM (156.34.214.195)

Whoa. Nice.

Andrew

--------------------
"Why is that we always break up our history by the .. the wars, not the years of peace?... Because it's exciting, and because on some level people like to see something big fall apart and explode from the inside out. And right now, John, we're that something."
- Micheal Garibaldi

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LordSoth
Sergeant

Reged: 05/08/03
Posts: 115
Loc: Washington,

Re: Walk in Hell

#61594 - 05/24/03 06:05 PM (66.224.13.66)

Very good very good, I wait more...

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StCol.Selima Helmer
1st Falcon Hussars Cluster
Gama Galexy, Clan Jade Falcon

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crusader523
Sergeant

Reged: 01/27/03
Posts: 398

Re: Walk in Hell

#61625 - 05/24/03 09:42 PM (67.8.16.221)

it nice that we have all these good writers

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MePoser00
Corporal

Reged: 11/22/02
Posts: 80
Loc: in a bottle

Re: Walk in Hell

#61677 - 05/25/03 04:43 PM (65.95.81.83)

very good..more..more..i need more
MP

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TheDeadlyShoe
Lieutenant Colonel

Reged: 06/22/02
Posts: 1621
Loc: Redmond, WA

Re: Walk in Hell

#61714 - 05/26/03 12:13 AM (4.41.52.189)

Argh...

I was going to sit down and write the next section but I've been having a brain fart..darn.

For anyone who is curious this is based (roughly of course) off the events of a recently landwar against my empire NSI Ventures Corporation, faction leader of [ISVI].

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Shoe for the NSI

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