Folly's Children

(Redirected from An Irresistable Force)
Folly's Children
Serialized novel by Jason Schmetzer
First Publication
Published18 August 2013 — 29 June 2014
PublisherBattleCorps
Pages
  • 34 (Book 1)
  • 62 (Book 2)
  • 96 (Total)
Chronology
EraDark Age era
Timeline4 January 3141 — 22 April 3141

The Folly's Children duology is a serialized novel by Jason Schmetzer that was published online on BattleCorps in two parts (referred to as books) on 18 August 2013 and 29 June 2014.

The story follows the Federated Suns invasion of Barlow's Folly during Operation PELAYO.

Plot Summary[edit]

Book 1: An Irresistable Force[edit]

published on: 18 August 2013
“ When Duke Sandoval's forces attack into the Draconis Combine, the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers are paired with the Robinson Strikers against the Ryuken—but the Lancers wonder who the greater enemy will be: the Kuritas, or their allies? Part 1 of 2. ”

Prologue[edit]

On 4 January 3141, Duke Corwin Sandoval gathers his senior officers in a private chamber on Robinson, capital of the Draconis March. The atmosphere is tense as he condemns First Prince Caleb Davion's refusal to commit resources while Draconis Combine forces occupy March worlds. Sandoval makes it clear that he will not wait for outside aid and instead intends to act with the strength of the Draconis March alone.

With a hidden control he dims the lights, projecting a glowing map of the border with the Draconis Combine. The image highlights the Draconis Reach and the occupied territories. He names the coming counteroffensive Operation PELAYO and turns the briefing over to Marshal Padgorny of the Robinson Rangers. Padgorny outlines that the campaign will be waged with the forces already available in the March, reinforced by hired mercenaries. The first targets will be the worlds of Cassias, Wapakoneta, and Barlow's Folly. The officers study the map as he speaks, marking the beginning of a plan to push the Combine out of the Reach and reclaim lost ground.

Chapter 1[edit]

On 6 April 3141, Operation PELAYO begins with the arrival of Federated Suns forces on Barlow's Folly. Leftenant Colonel Ayven D'Amato of the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers leads his OWR-3M Ostwar from the bay of a DropShip at Landing Zone November. His Third Battalion, reinforced by the Third Robinson Strikers LCT, forms the core of the Davion forces which landed in close proximity to the planetary capital Sparkle, while the Twenty-first Illician Rangers of the Illician Lancers mercenary unit make their landing near Kerak on the other side of the planet. The Davion plan is to seize control of the world quickly and deny the Draconis Combine the chance to dig in.

D'Amato establishes control of the landing zone and immediately orders pickets ten kilometers out along the M5 expressway, the critical highway that links the Handel spaceport with the city of Sparkle in the Eager Mountains Gap. This road offers the most direct route for both offense and defense, and holding it will determine who controls access to the planet's heartland. Tanks deploy to cover the approaches, and D'Amato calls for intelligence updates to confirm which regiment of the Ryuken is present on the world.

In Sparkle, Chu-sa Valerie Daisuke commands the Ryuken-ni garrison. With scouts reporting the landings, she organizes her staff and issues orders to activate the Folly Planetary Militia and prepare defensive positions. She alerts Tai-sa Manderly of the invasion and sets a strict timetable for relaying confirmation to the carrier JumpShip at the system's edge. Her message to her officers is clear: the enemies have come to take the world, and Sparkle must be defended.

Meanwhile, only a few kilometers from Landing Zone November, Gunsho Vicenzo Capri and the scout Heishi Eugene Carlotta observe the invading forces from high ground overlooking the spaceport. They capture images of the new arrivals and transmit them back to Ryuken command. When a Fox Armored Car carrying the Davion sunburst races along the expressway below their position, Capri transmits that picture back to HQ realizing the signal may have been detected and that they have little time left. He instructs Carlotta to keep sending updates and prepares to engage. As the Fox circles back, Capri braces for contact, determined to hold his position long enough to send more updates.

Chapter 2[edit]

Later that day, Leftenant Colonel D'Amato is uneasy, not about the fighting ahead but about Marshal Aaron Rosenblatt, the CO of the Third Robinson Strikers. Rosenblatt has refused to share his unit's tactical plans with the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers, insisting that everything they need is already covered by Operation PELAYO. D’Amato knows this is false, since PELAYO only outlines strategic goals and not the battlefield details he needs.

D'Amato and Captain Danielle de Gambier ride their 'Mechs to the spaceport's control center, where Rosenblatt has set up his headquarters. The room is filled with staff members, junior officers, and technicians, and D'Amato immediately senses that the marshal intends to run the campaign without coordinating with his allies. Conversations with Robinson Strikers officers reinforce his concern, and when Rosenblatt deliberately avoids acknowledging him, D'Amato withdraws, more convinced than ever that his unit is being shut out of critical planning.

Outside, D'Amato instructs de Gambier to send orders to Captain John Mace to move Alpha Company along the M5 expressway and cover the reckless advance of the Robinson Strikers, just in case the Ryuken are lying in wait. He reasons that the enemy scouts who spotted their landings must have radioed a warning before being destroyed, which would give the defenders time to prepare an ambush. He knows that the Ryuken will not waste time with ritual challenges or duels but will fight for practical victory, and he fears that Rosenblatt's confidence will lead his men straight into a trap along the expressway.

Chapter 3[edit]

Tai-i Garron Toshido commands elements of Ryuken-ni's Tachi Company tasked with slowing the Federated Suns advance. His unit includes his own Wolf Trap, supported by a Panther, a Nova Cat, and two Grand Dragons, while nearby armored elements under Gunsho Evans field heavy tanks and Joust Medium Tanks. Toshido checks the ambush positions with his scouts and orders his men into place before the Davion forces arrive.

Nineteen kilometers east of Sparkle, Captain Dennis Grady of the Third Robinson Strikers pilots his TRG-3M Targe as part of the forward column. A young leftenant of the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers warns him that they are moving into ideal ambush terrain, but Grady dismisses the advice, convinced that Draconis Combine forces would never fire from cover. As his lance moves along a narrow channel at the base of a hill, Grady catches sight of shapes shifting among the rocks. Before he can react, missiles and PPC fire slam into his 'Mech, knocking it from its feet and cutting him off mid-warning.

The Ryuken spring their trap. Toshido leads his Wolf Trap down the hillside, opening fire with missiles and autocannon rounds at the Third Robinson Strikers vehicles caught in the kill zone. Evans' Joust tanks sweep forward to crush the lead elements, their guns blasting the forward Davion force to wreckage. Heavy fire shreds an armored personnel carrier, while other Davion vehicles scatter in confusion. Some try to turn, others slide off the roadway into ditches, and Toshido presses the attack, determined to inflict as much damage as possible before the enemy can regroup.

Chapter 4[edit]

Captain Grady of the Federated Suns Third Robinson Strikers reels inside his battered Targe as missile fire strips away the last of its leg armor. He lashes out with his lasers against a nearby Manticore Heavy Tank, but the heavy tank shrugs off the damage and keeps closing. Tai-i Toshido presses the attack in his Wolf Trap, blasting Grady's 'Mech with autocannon fire and severing its leg at the thigh. The Federated Suns 'Mech crashes down in pieces, ending the fight. Around him, Toshido's forces tear through the Davion column. Tanks and hovercraft erupt under focused fire, and a Ghost falls when a Ryuken Tokugawa Heavy Tank smashes it broadside. Toshido orders his unit to disengage, reminding them that their goal is not annihilation but a series of quick strikes. His men protest, hungry for more kills, but Toshido insists on pulling back to set another ambush further along the route.

As the Ryuken forces slip away, Fourth Federated Suns Lancer arrive to protect the retreating Robinson Strikers. Leftenant Benjamin Gage pilots his Hatchetman with grim determination, furious that Grady ignored repeated warnings about the danger of ambushes. Marching beside an Enforcer, he orders his lance to pursue at best speed, vowing to cut down any Kurita unit they encounter.

Chapter 5[edit]

In Sparkle, Chu-sa Daisuke meets with her officers and the militia leaders. With three enemy regiments on Barlow's Folly against her single battalion and the militia, she vows to fight carefully and withdraw off planet only if no chance of victory remains. Her staff predict that the Federated Suns will concentrate their strength and move to besiege Sparkle, and she begins preparing the city's defenses.

At Handel spaceport, D'Amato attends a council led by Marshal Rosenblatt. Rosenblatt praises the Lancers' aid to the Strikers and comments on Leftenant Gage's failed pursuit, calling the ambush he ran into no dishonor. D'Amato suppresses his anger, knowing Gage had followed the Strikers' reckless example. The meeting turns to tactics. Rosenblatt insists on caution and preserving strength for later phases of Operation PELAYO, while D'Amato argues that delay risks the entire campaign. Rosenblatt cuts him off and moves on to the order of march, leaving him sidelined.

Outside, D'Amato tells his officers that the Ryuken will continue their ambushes to slow the Davion advance and warns that Rosenblatt's tactics will stall the offensive unless the Fourth Lancers seize an opportunity to break through to Sparkle.

Chapter 6[edit]

On 8 April 3141, the Ryuken-ni are preparing another ambush. Chu-sa Daisuke positions her NJT-3 Ninja-To beside Tai-i Toshido's Wolf Trap as Kami Company waits hidden along a narrow draw. Scouts confirm that the Davions are closing in, and Toshido quietly provides withdrawal routes in case they need to fall back. The Davion column enters the trap. Sergeant Rodrigo Helmand sights a black AS7-K Atlas with skeletal markings, but before he can act the Ryuken strike. Daisuke and the Atlas lead the assault, while Kami Company pours fire into the unsuspecting tanks and 'Mechs, cutting down the lead elements.

Elsewhere, D'Amato and Captain Mace learn of the ambush, identify the ambush site and divert the Fourth Lancers to head for the site. Ignoring protests, D'Amato insists they must bypass the doomed Strikers and cut off the Ryuken's retreat.

The fight ends quickly. Daisuke's display shows her forces withdrawing in good order, with minimal losses while destroying a lance of enemy 'Mechs and some heavy armor. At the same time, D'Amato receives word that Marshal Rosenblatt has been killed in the ambush, leaving him the senior officer on Barlow's Folly.

Chapter 7[edit]

The Ryuken are consolidating their defenses around Sparkle. The city's walls are reinforced with concealed 'Mech emplacements and hidden pathways, and militia forces are moved into position to give the impression of greater strength. Through rapid redeployments Daisuke tries to make her battalion seem like a much larger force, but she knows any heavy losses will expose the ruse. She warns Tai-i Vicki Paredes that if the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers stumble across them in transit, the illusion could collapse.

Meanwhile, Leftenant Colonel D'Amato maneuvers his Ostwar with Mace in his GRM-01C Garm nearby, supported by hovertanks. He reflects bitterly on Rosenblatt's recklessness, only to receive a contact alert: a small Kurita force is emerging from a valley less than a kilometer away. At the same time, Chu-sa Daisuke receives her own sensor warning and abruptly halts her conversation with Paredes, while the two sides come face to face. Mace urges D'Amato to pull back, but the leftenant colonel, knowing that friendly forces are close by, pushes his 'Mech forward, determined to engage. Daisuke at first doubts her sensors, incredulous that she is truly seeing an ancient OWR-3M Ostwar, but confirms the identification. Her subordinates urge to retreat, pointing out that they can fall back along alternate paths, but she refuses, pointing out that they outnumber the Davion 'Mechs two-to-one and orders to attack. Her lance surges ahead, while Daisuke primes her Ninja-To's PPCs and prepares to test the strange and outdated 'Mech facing her.

Chapter 8[edit]

D'Amato and Mace stand their ground as the Ryuken-ni forces attack. D'Amato locks onto Daisuke's Ninja-To and unleashes guided missiles that batter her armor, while Daisuke urges to close the range, confident that her twin PPCs will cut down the heavy Davion 'Mech once she is in weapon range. Mace's Garm supports D'Amato with its rotary autocannon, ripping armor from an enemy Jenner. The fight spreads quickly. A Ryuken Hitman presses the attack while Davion hovertanks move in to harass the Kurita flank. Two Minion Advanced Tactical Vehicles focus their pulse lasers on the Jenner, crippling it, while the Ninja-to concentrates fire on the Garm, determined to eliminate the smaller but dangerous foe.

As the battle rages, Davion reinforcements enter the field. Daisuke's sensors detect the arrival of a fresh company, led by a Wraith supported by Musketeer Hover Tanks. She realizes too late that the Ostwar's stand was a deliberate lure, meant to stall her until reinforcements could close the trap. She orders her warriors to retreat, but even as they turn, disaster strikes. A Panther is ripped apart by explosions as it stumbles into mines. With enemy hovertanks breaking into pursuit, Chu-sa Daisuke throws her 'Mech into full reverse, dodging mines and forcing her way clear. Behind her, her battered lance struggles to disengage, but Valerie focuses on nothing but escape, convinced that her survival is key for the Ryuken to continue the fight.

Book 2: An Immovable Object[edit]

published on: 29 June 2014
“ In the exciting conclusion of the Folly's Children duology, the fight to control the capital of Barlow's Folly hangs in the balance. Part 2 of 2. ”

Prologue[edit]

On 9 April 3141, the meeting in Deber City on Benjamin opens with an Internal Security Force briefing confirming reports of a broad Federated Suns offensive. Tai-sa Minoru Yama watches Tai-shu Shichiroji Hayashida for a reaction while officers from the Benjamin Regulars await orders. The briefing cites data rushed in from Barlow’s Folly by the JumpShip Glasgow Girl.

Yama quizzes the table. Tai-sa Samuel Charles states that the Seventeenth Benjamin Regulars stand ready on the warlord’s order. Sho-sa Enrique Pappas, the New Samarkand liaison officer, says no instructions have arrived from his district and suggests couriers are en route. Yama warns that waiting for complete news risks hearing the last update from FedSuns 'Mechs entering Deber City. Hayashida keeps his counsel, rolling the smooth stone he always carries, then decides. He orders a reaction force built on Irurzun and demands updated readiness reports that include transport capacity. He instructs that every garrison is to hold until facing destruction because every hour matters until relief can be assembled.

Yama lingers and studies the scuff where Hayashida's stone struck the table, thinking on the damage that will remain even after polishing. The scene closes on the staff moving to execute the warlord's plan while the scope of the invasion remains unclear.

Chapter 1[edit]

Meanwhile, at Landing Zone November, Leftenant Colonel Ayven D'Amato inspects scorch damage on his Ostwar while his tech Jennifer Valance outlines repairs. Captain de Gambier arrives and relays that Colonel Charles Jessup wants him at the Third Robinson Strikers command post. D'Amato heads over, already angry at further delay after Rosenblatt's death left him with overall command.

D'Amato forces past the orderly and confronts Jessup. He asks why the Third is still not marching on Sparkle in line with the order. Jessup cites losses, reorganization, and the chance to consolidate if mercenary formations had not been moved forward. D'Amato answers that Operation PELAYO's timeline demands action and that already ordering the mercenaries to depart reduces jump delays. Four battalions should be enough to deal with a single Ryuken battalion.

Jessup shifts to a new concern. He fears attacks from Kerak if the Federated Suns garrison is overrun. D'Amato rejects the premise. The Illician Lancers already crushed the defenders there and installed Draconis March Militia forces before departing the planet for their next mission assignment. Kerak sits far beyond the immediate objective. The threat is inside Sparkle.

The exchange turns hard. D'Amato states that battlefield command rests with him and that Jessup will muster his LCT, take the assigned place in the march order, and move immediately. He leaves without waiting for a reply, determined to force momentum toward Sparkle.

Chapter 2[edit]

Meanwhile, in Sparkle, Chu-sa Daisuke meets her officers high above the city and notes an FedSuns VTOL holding watch. She says the enemy has given them the initiative. Tai-i Toshido counters that observation is prudence and not weakness. Valerie asks for options. Toshido and Tai-i Sebastian Kore agree that open battle is impossible given the four-to-one disadvantage and that the Ryuken must win by tactics. Tai-sa Manderly argues for holding Sparkle's walls, while Daisuke gives orders "to reclaim the skies".

Sho-i Isabelle Karensson launches in a SL-17 Shilone with Sho-i Edwin Falker as her wingman to clear low airspace while other aerospace fighters move to attack the Federated Suns DropShips. Their task is to hunt Yasha and Hawk Moth Gunship VTOLs near Sparkle.

In the skies over the city, Sergeant Isak Ballew in a Hawk Moth and Sergeant Sedona in a Yasha patrol when a sensor flicker appears. A ripple of LRMs tears into the Yasha. Karensson rolls through and kills it with a laser strike, then chases Ballew. She burns down the Hawk Moth as it dives for the trees and reports spotters down before climbing to join the main strike. The stage is set for the next Ryuken move outside Sparkle.

Chapter 3[edit]

On 10 April 3141, Leftenant Colonel D'Amato finds the Third Robinson Strikers LCT northeast of Sparkle, thirty kilometers off plan and decides he cannot wait for them. He orders the march toward the city and posts Fourth Lancers MPs to force the Strikers out of their landing zone if need be. Ignoring Colonel Jessup's calls D'Amato orders the Fourth Lancers to attack the city. In a private talk with D'Amato, Captain Mace calls the Fourth Lancers push risky. D'Amato agrees but believes that capturing Sparkle is the only way to keep the Ryuken from striking again.

Inside Sparkle, Chu-sa Daisuke receives scout reports. The FedSuns forces have split, while the Third Robinson Strikers move north, the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers come straight down the highway. Militia leaders Manderly and Alvarez debate whether this is a trap. Daisuke decides they must seize the initiative and hit both columns to prevent consolidation. Toshido proposes a plan: His Tachi Company will ambush the Third Robinson Strikers recon elements and slowdown their speed. A second force of fast 'Mechs will pull the Fourth Lancers south to further open the gap between both regiments. Daisuke approves and assigns Deva Company to hold the city while Kami Company will lead the southern strike. Toshido warns Daisuke that Tai-i Kore may lack the foresight to stay ahead of the Fourth Lancers. Daisuke agrees and chooses to lead Kami Company herself despite objections.

Chapter 4[edit]

South of Sparkle, Chu-sa Valerie Daisuke learns a FedSuns patrol is shadowing her detachment. Chu-i Florence Nathanson reports three 'Mechs, three tanks, an APC, and possible VTOLs. Daisuke steers farther south to draw them into an ambush and hopes to pull in their support as well. She has six 'Mechs with two Tessens for bait and aims to string the pursuers out and kill them piecemeal.

Northeast of Sparkle near dusk, Tai-i Toshido finds a Third Strikers scout lance, operating away from the main body. He orders his Wolf Trap and Vallaincourt's Nova Cat forward, intent on blinding the enemy regiment and delaying its advance. He remains wary that the Third's slow movement hides a plan, but his orders are unchanged. Delay them.

Farther south, Gamma Company of the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers follows 'Mech signs after Captain Gregor turned off the main route fearing a flank attack. Benjamin Gage rides rear guard in his Hatchetman but hope for a decisive battle instead of skirmishing. A Tessen emerges and opens fire with a PPC, then more contacts appear. Gage reports three 'Mechs and two hovercraft at range. Gregor acknowledges and moves to support within two minutes.

At a crossroads, D'Amato weighs his choices. Beta Company skirmishes near the city walls, but enemy reinforcements advance to the south where Gamma fights. Captains Mace and de Gambier judge the southern action a feint to keep pressure off Sparkle. De Gambier adds that two scout patrols of the Third Robinson Strikers were already ambushed, both led by a Wolf Trap, confirming the Ryuken-ni efforts to delay its advance on the city.

Chapter 5[edit]

Toshido receives a Peregrine Attack VTOL from Sparkle with orders from Sho-sa Hilario Ashigana to withdraw toward the city and strike the Federated Suns attackers from the rear. He rallies Tachi Company and turns back, reading enemy 'Mechs move south, which he takes as a sign Chu-sa Daisuke is still in the fight, while the Peregrine pilot confirms that the veteran Fourth Lancers, not the Third Robinson Strikers, have hit the city. Knowing this, Toshido drives for Sparkle.

Twenty-four kilometers southeast of Sparkle, Daisuke cannot save Schneider's Tessen from the axe of a Hatchetman. She answers by tearing away the left arm of an opposing Enforcer with twin PPCs and keeps her Ninja-To sliding across the FedSuns line while she resets the ambush. She posts Chu-i Hopeland's Atlas as the stop and orders three hard salvos, then break contact.

Farther south, Gage's Hatchetman presses the Ryuken 'Mechs, while Sergeant Quarles' Infiltrator Mk. II squad crawls toward enemy tanks to ambush. When Captain Gregor arrives with his lance, he takes the lead and seizes the attack. This is when Daisuke springs her next trap. The Atlas steps from cover and hammers Captain Gregor's Argus with an alpha strike boosted by Daisuke's PPCs that hit its opened chest, and destroy the Argus. Shortly afterwards, Gage's lance returns to find smoking wreckage. With Gregor dead, Gamma Company falls to Gage. He secures the survivors and orders the company back toward its assigned position as the fight around Sparkle widens.

Chapter 6[edit]

Captain Eleanor Wayne, CO of Beta Company, looks at Sparkle's defenses from the cockpit of her CTF-4L Cataphract and keeps her lone company probing. Occasionally, the defenders send a small sally through the main gate, including Savannah Masters, medium hover tanks, and a Grand Dragon but Beta Company pushes them back without overextending, while Wayne wonders where Leftenant Colonel D'Amato is.

At the same time, D'Amato is with Gamma Company and sees the severe damages across every Gamma 'Mech up close. Leftenant Gage reports that Gregor is dead after running into a trap that ended under an Atlas. D'Amato orders the remaining Gamma units to the nearest Mobile Field Base that Leftenant Bullard marks on their displays, then tells Gage to repair, rearm and join Captain Wayne at Sparkle. He then focuses on the current military situation. Up north, the Ryuken successfully stall the Third Strikers advance with an ambushing strategy. Down south, they use skirmishes to pull the Fourth Lancers away from Sparkle. D'Amato assumes that the enemy is buying time by keeping them out of the city. Therefore, he orders his battalion to rally on Beta Company.

Later, a damaged Aeron Strike VTOL arrives and informs Daisuke that the Fourth Federated Suns Lancers are turning back toward Sparkle. Daisuke decides to also return to the city and rejoin the defenders. She orders the pilot to fall in and report if the engine begins to fail.

Captain de Gambier meets D'Amato at the Mobile Headquarters and informs him that Jessup will not come. D'Amato moves the headquarters closer to Sparkle and then takes a VTOL escort to confront Colonel Jessup in person and bring an end to the division.

Chapter 7[edit]

D'Amato and de Gambier enter the Third Robinson Strikers' command post and pull Jessup outside. Jessup admits heavy losses and hesitates to move at night. D'Amato recognizes that Jessup is broken and orders him to relinquish command and return to the DropShips to secure Handel. He has the sentry escort Jessup away, then elevates Major Violet Oraville to command and orders the Third Strikers to reach Sparkle by morning. D'Amato pushes for reconnaissance despite hostile VTOLs and prior aerospace fighter interference, judging that the Combine may be holding fighters to cover an escape. He sends out some VTOLs to scout, before he returns to his Ostwar to resume the advance.

Upon her arrival in Sparkle, Daisuke finds few officers waiting. Tai-i Vicki Paredes briefs her that a second company has joined the Fourth Lancers at Sparkle, while a third company is approaching from the south. Awaiting an imminent attack, Ryuken battle armor has been deployed to stiffen the city's static defenses. Reports show Tachi Company remains hidden north of the city, Kami Company is battered but back inside the walls, while Deva Company is fresh and kept on standby in second line. Tai-sa Manderly warns that time is nearly up and urges evacuation to preserve the Ryuken-ni battalion. Daisuke refuses, saying there is time for one more engagement.

Chapter 8[edit]

On 12 April 3141, D'Amato sends Wayne's Beta Company into the main assault against Sparkle. Fixed gun turrets and hidden mines slow the advance. Wayne warns of Thunder LRMs as a Challenger X Main Battle Tank loses a track and a Crusader goes down. Militia LRM Carriers saturate the lead lances, crippling a Demolisher Heavy Tank and toppling a Warlord.

Sho-sa Alvarez leads his company of Militia ForestryMech MODs in a frontal assault through smoke to disorder the vanguard. An Avalanche shreds one MOD, but Alvarez rams and saws open its canopy before dying. Heavy Ryuken ’Mechs then burst from cover and smash into the nearest Fourth Lancers elements while the LRM Carriers lay fresh mines to prevent withdrawal.

Daisuke watches Deva Company break contact in good order and reenter the city defenses, satisfied the first wave is thrown back and the invader's confidence shaken. She notes militia wrecks strewn among downed FedSuns 'Mechs and gives silent thanks for the sacrifice.

Surveying the field, D'Amato gets no response from Wayne and orders Mace to pull the survivors out of the minefield. Weighing alternate approaches he turns the Ostwar to reposition for a new assault.

Chapter 9[edit]

On 13 April 3141, Tai-i Toshido rouses Tachi Company from a ravine hide and studies a new burst message. Scouts report a FedSuns force moving on his axis. He weighs ambush options and decides to strike the outrider after it passes but before the point force can pin him. The goal is to draw pursuit and buy time for the battalion.

Toshido triggers the attack and immediately reads the response as too fast. The FedSuns 'Mechs backstep in good order while the Zibler Fast Strike Tanks surge. He identifies D-variants with heavy PPCs and shifts his lance to kill the tanks first to keep an escape route. Concentrated fire from two Ziblers knocks a Grand Dragon down. Vallaincourt batters a pursuing Zibler, and Toshido rakes it with LRMs and autocannon fire as he orders survival first and a return toward the city once the hover tanks are driven off.

Chapter 10[edit]

On 15 April 3141, D'Amato studies the Mekong Road along the Natchez River north of Sparkle and decides to force the approach despite rough ground, switchbacks, and likely choke points. De Gambier notes the enemy's shorter support and supply lines. D'Amato judges there is no time to clear minefields or search for fords under fire. The city and the DropShips must be threatened now. He orders the move.

Inside Sparkle, Daisuke reviews the aim of the operation. Delay the enemy forces as long as possible. Preserve the battalion. She orders DropShips prepped, evacuation plans confirmed, and a fighting withdrawal that will strike the attackers as they emerge from the badlands, then fall back to the city and hand the line to the militia for final loading.

Ahead of the column, Gage and Quarles recon one valley after another and find nothing. No 'Mechs, no armor, no scouts, no nothing. He reports emptiness across the sector. D'Amato polls other elements and hears the same. He asks Gage for his opinion. Gage answers the Ryuken are not in the hills anymore. D'Amato orders the lead to make for the city with flankers out and the battalion close behind while the Third Robinson Strikers push up. De Gambier warns he is placing much on the leftenant's call. D'Amato accepts the risk and follows the road to Sparkle.

Chapter 11[edit]

Chu-sa Daisuke arrays Kami Company north of Sparkle at the mouth of the badlands with militia hover tanks in reserve and Deva Company in the city. Tai-sa Manderly has given orders to the Ryuken for one last engagement for honor to then withdraw to the DropShips. Daisuke accepts the charge and prepares to fight. She reads a full FedSuns screen and holds fire while the line settles. Kore urges concealment. Daisuke keeps dispositions tight and waits.

At the edge of the badlands, Gage sights the Ryuken line of 'Mechs with heavy hover armor massed before the city. He reports a solid front. D'Amato orders him to wait for support and moves the command lance forward. Gage boosts Quarles onto a cliff from his Hatchetman's shoulder to keep eyes on the Drac's. D'Amato closes and surveys the kill zone while sending Beta Company to find an eastern route. Daisuke sees the Federated Suns forces enter the pass. The third 'Mech is the Ostwar she has faced before. She orders the attack and her 'Mechs step off as militia hover tanks surge for the flanks.

Chapter 12[edit]

Leftenant Colonel D'Amato leads the push with Mace, de Gambier, and Bullard. Condor, Drillson, and Saracen Hover Tanks rush the flanks. D'Amato kills a Condor and hits a Grand Dragon with missiles. The Grand Dragon's return shot burns out the cockpit of Fennimore's Dervish. Gage presses hard against the Kurita line in his Hatchetman, chops a Condor, shears a Jenner's arm off with his heavy autocannon, then draws the Atlas and barely lives through its volley by jumping away.

Daisuke gathers her forces on the approach while militia hover tanks distract the Federated Suns advance. She reads hesitation in the enemy movement and orders her remaining forces to hurt them and fall back toward Tachi Company. Kore engages with PPC and missiles as enemy fire begins to paint Daisuke's Ninja-To. She rides out a heavy missile barrage that knocks her 'Mech down, then forces it back to its feet while Hopeland covers.

Meanwhile, Tai-i Kore charges the FedSuns front. Gage jumps to meet the Grand Dragon at close range. His pulse lasers damage armor across the entire 'Mech. Ultimately, both 'Mechs collide hard and collapse, neither Gage nor Kore survive. Daisuke gives Kore a final salute and runs for the next line. D'Amato watches the Ryuken withdraw and orders Alpha Company to pursue without losing contact.

Chapter 13[edit]

Tachi Company is lined up in front of Sparkle's walls. Chu-i Nathanson and a Tessen lead the battered elements of Kami Company back toward their line. When Daisuke arrives, she warns that FedSuns forces are on their heels. A Zibler-D Fast Strike Tank fires first and staggers her 'Mech. Toshido orders his company to engage as more enemy units approach.

D'Amato pushes Alpha Company, under Captain Evan Woods, toward the last Draconis Combine defensive line, while the Third Robinson Strikers rush up from behind. Captain de Gambier moves to support as D'Amato weighs his losses and decides to advance in order to prevent the remaining defenders from reaching their DropShips and escape.

During the Fourth Lancers' approach, D'Amato spots the Ninja-To and turns his Ostwar to engage. Missiles batter Daisuke's 'Mech, as the Ostwar fixes on her. She refuses a duel to analyse the battle. To force a pause, she orders every unit to hit the heaviest enemy 'Mech, a Devastator, on her mark, before starting to withdraw. The combined fire successfully smashes the assault 'Mech to the ground, shocking the attackers. Reading the Ryuken's intent, D'Amato orders all units to press the attack before the enemy can break contact.

Chapter 14[edit]

D'Amato drives Alpha Company toward the Ryuken-ni rearguard while Mace and de Gambier pace his Ostwar. He holds fire until the Ninja-To closes, then sends LRMs that tear at its armor without stopping its run. A pair of Narukami Heavy Tanks slam Gauss rounds into the Ostwar and knock it down. Mace's Garm loses a leg to another shot as the field erupts around them.

Daisuke orders Tachi Company to pull out and leave a rearguard. Toshido obeys, assigns escorts to Daisuke, then turns away. The Ryuken center staggers under enemy pressure. Hopeland's Atlas goes down under combined heavy fire. D'Amato rises and fires again. His LRMs punch through the Ninja-To's torso shielding and force a full shutdown, while Federated Suns infantry rush to seize the pilot.

Daisuke blows the hatch, climbs free into the firestorm, and drops to the ground. Toshido reverses course in his Wolf Trap and sprints in, lowers a hand, and carries her away at speed while ordering the Narukamis to cover his retreat. FedSuns 'Mechs and APCs batter the Ryuken line. The Nova Cat is thrown down. D'Amato tries to kill the Wolf Trap but blacks out as another round slams into his Ostwar.

Toshido crouches behind cover and gets Daisuke into the cockpit jump seat. He calls for the tanks to fall back, but it is too late as battle armor infantry swarm both tanks. Toshido shouts a banzai over external speakers and turns for the DropShips with Daisuke aboard while the tanks charge into the Federated Suns forces.

Epilogue[edit]

On 22 April 3141, D'Amato stands on the government center steps in Sparkle with his shoulder bandaged and watches the sky where the Ryuken-ni DropShips have vanished. De Gambier joins him and reports Colonel Jessup is out of sickbay and back in command. D'Amato admits he could have handled the fight differently. She answers that the FedSuns have fought the Combine for centuries and will again while they enter the government center. De Gambier confirms the enemy commander was Chu-sa Valerie Daisuke and that the Ninja-To he faced was hers. D'Amato whispers a promise to meet her again.

Featured Characters[edit]

Fourth Federated Suns Lancers[edit]

Third Robinson Strikers and Others[edit]

Ryuken and Others[edit]

Featured Units[edit]

Featured Places[edit]

Featured BattleTech[edit]

'Mechs[edit]

Battle Armor[edit]

Vehicles[edit]

Aerospace Fighters[edit]

JumpShips[edit]

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