BY: Gladiator
The
Atlas moved through the forest almost completely uprooting trees as the mech’s
colossal leg actuators drove forward meeting Wallart's commands.
With the AutoCannon-20 directed ahead and with his finger on the trigger
he couldn't wait for a back shot on one of the Kurita pursuers.
Most likely it would be a medium or light band of mechs they would run
into. The possible damage inflicted
by powerful blasts of his devastating main weapon could cripple the enemy with a
few well-placed hits. They wouldn't
even know what hit 'em!
He
quickly glanced at the ammo readout on the display panel.
Only 2 rounds of ammo left in the AC-20.
The shots would have to count. The
shear size of the Atlas would be no match for the smaller units however. When he ran out of ammo, he would Ravage the lighter Drac
mechs with his massive fists. That
was the plan anyway.
The
Davion mechs traveled the path of a small river and facilitated the cooling of
their internal heat sinks. When
they reached the Kurita scum they would be ready.
The
Battlemaster and Warhammer formed up alongside the Atlas and prepared to unleash
a hailstorm of firepower. Between
the damaged three mechs they still had an enormous amount of weapons and ammo
left to deal a quick and decisive blow. If
timed right, they could disable all the stalking Combine mechs with one hellish
volley.
Another
quick glance of the Atlas’s secondary cockpit screens revealed 2 medium lasers
were also still in operable condition. The
SRM-6 pack initialization routine was not functioning.
Walled thumbed the ammo eject button and the remaining SRM6 ammo was
jettisoned. With no way to launch
the missiles, they were just bombs in the left torso.
“Edwards,
what do you have left for weapons?” Wallart called out on the comm-link.
“PPC
is still operational, but I’ve taken heavy damage to my torso section.
All my mid-sinks are fried. Right
side lasers also not responding. Good
thing the SRM ammo is on the left or I’d be a hollow shell right now.
This water has really helped cool the leg-sinks down. If this stream takes us all the way till we engage the
bastards I should be able to fire the PPC and remaining 2 medium lasers.
How about the Warhammer?”
“Well
as you can plainly see I’ve lost one entire arm. The other PPC is fully operational. I’ve also got a pair of medium, and two small lasers.
If we can get in close we can still do some major damage.”
“Agreed.”
Wallart agreed. “Victor, take your Phoenix Hawk and the 2 stingers and
flank left. Give em everything
you’ve got to keep them busy. We’ll
try to come up from behind and engage at point blank range.
Let's be swift with this, it won’t be long before the Dracs send in
some heavier units to mop up the forest.”
The
damaged hunchback and Archer brought up the rear.
“If
it comes down to it Farrow, we’ll just charge them at hand to hand... At that
point we’re gonna need your help. Hope
it’s not too cramped with Storm back there with you.”
“He’s
adapting well to his new joysticks... I’ve got him manning the 2 rear lasers.
They must have cooled off, and somehow he got them to come back online.
I’ve still got one forward operational as well.
We’ll be right behind you. Farrow
out. ”
The
Hunchback was faring the worst of them. At
only 50 tons the mech was very lightly armored but, like the Atlas, it dealt a
devastating AC-20 in its torso. Most
of the mech's heat sinks were burned up or destroyed.
If he fired the Autocannon, the mech would overheat and shutdown.
“I’ll
wait for an opportune time Commander Wallart,” the pilot of the Hunchback
talked into the open comm-link. “I’ve
scanned a small map of the surrounding terrain.
With any luck I’ll be able to maneuver into that small lake up ahead.
If I can stay submerged in water I may be able to get off a few rounds.
And by the way, the names’ Maverick sir.”
“Sounds
like a good plan there, Maverick. Try
to hang back with the Archer, we are going to need your two mechs intact if we
are going to reclaim that Armor factory in the future.”
“Yes
sir Commander Wallart, but with all due respect. We’ve already lost the Armor factory; I’m not going to
hide while we lose more comrades to the Dracs.
I’m gonna get some.”
Great,
another hot shot mechwarrior, Wallart
thought to himself. Pilots of
his kind were dangerously unpredictable...but if he was good as he thinks he is
with his mouth all the better. We’re gonna need it...might just keep the
Dragons off balance.
Within
minutes columns of smoke could be scene coming up over the treetops.
No doubt, the sign of an ensuing battle.
“Victor,
what do you see out there?” Wallart keyed the comm-link as the monstrous Atlas
continued to gain forward momentum.
“I’ve
got several contacts sir,” Victor replied.
All within close proximity to each other. The computer is still scanning friend or foe
signatures."
Victor
charged up his large and 2 medium lasers. His
foot actuator was acting up. He
might only be able to make one more jump.
“Computer
is making out 2 enemy lances sir, both light.
They look fresh. Must be
those pursuit mechs you were talking about.
They’re clustered into 2 groups of 4, gaining on our forces quickly.”
“There are 14 of ours registering. Make
that 13. All are reading high heat
signatures. Looks like they’re
all trying to make it into that small lake.”
“I
think if we can get above this tree line we can draw their fire.
If you come in on a vector 28 sir you’ll incept them from behind.”
“Copy
that Victor!” It was Edwards. “Lock
and load boys, it’s showtime!”
“Yeeehaaaaaa!”
yelled Maverick and broke his mech into a run for the lake.
He was obviously going to try for some action, and help lay some cover
fire for the retreating mechs.
The
Phoenix Hawk and two stingers engaged their jump jets and were in the air in
seconds. A trail of demolished
Davion mechs could be scene from direction of the Armor factory all the way to
the retreaters' present position.
The
Kurita's had had open game.
But,
no longer.
“Fire!”
Victor yelled as he depressed the large laser trigger.
Its ruby colored beam lanced forth and struck a Commando in the left
shoulder girdle. He followed that
up with a medium laser and the Singers shot at their targets respectively.
“Direct
hit!” yelled Victor.
Sparks
and weak metal went flying and when the smoke cleared, the arm just hung from a
few strands of twisted myomer.
The
entire mech lurched forth from the blow, but immediately swung around to bring
its weapons to bear. The Commando,
light in armor was lighting quick in mobility.
In what seemed like the blink of an eye a hail of missiles were homing in
on the Phoenix Hawk.
Wallart's
recon force had the enemy’s attention. Now
it was their turn.
As
their force emerged from the treeline into the clearing the melee could clearly
be scene. The Kurita’s had their
backs to them and the dense forest had hidden their signatures from the Drac
computers.
The
rear armor of a couple of Jenners and an Ostscout were exposed in plain view;
their plan had worked.
The
Davion war machines brought multiple crosshairs to bear on their Kurita marks,
and fired.
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