OBT Forum

An extract from 3084, the Wild Geese gaining some revenge

Mission: Revenge
Norfolk, Regulan Fiefs
Former Free Worlds League
24th March 3084

   As their DropShip approached the planet of Norfolk Brigadier-General Alisande Faulkner entered the Mechbay around her the other eleven MechWarriors, twelve vehicle crews and the assorted infantry that had accompanied her.  “We are on final approach to the planet of Norfolk and our target, we believe they are a subsidiary of Free Worlds Industries working under an assumed name and their entire reason for hiring the Wild Geese was to undermine Federated Suns companies and assets which would allow them to buy shares at rock bottom prices.”  She explained briefly they had all looked at the information provided and knew the data “they used the Wild Geese to forward there plans now we will use them for target practice.  We will land one kilometre inside the Park of Mechs the FWL Militia defending the planet do not patrol inside the park because of cultural and tourism bills.”

   â€œCan we waste it too?”  One of the MechWarriors asked

   â€œNo, the Park of Mechs is of historical and cultural significance to the world of Norfolk and to the general Free Worlds League it still brings millions of visitors each year.  We are not here to start another Succession War, if it makes you feel any better it has a couple of famous Federated Suns battles…”

   â€œBut none of ours” one of the infantry said “although I admit the idea of Mechs being as small as us is an appealing concept” he said the Park of Mechs had stone statues of Mechs 1/8th their normal size making them approximately the size of most adults, they were highly detailed and attracted much interest.

   â€œJoin the Clans their ProtoMechs are not much bigger than PBIs”  Bondsman Tamara said she’d volunteered for this mission despite her non warrior status, her Mech was in the bay as well, probably Faulkner requiring the Wild Geese’s best equipment.

   â€œThey will have a battle of ours” Alisande said cutting the discussion short “after today.” she added with a smile.  “Once on the ground we will proceed to the Whyme Weapons Plant, we believe our employers reside in a bunker under the north eastern quarter of the plant.  Once our Mechs and armour have secured the outside the DropShip will land and drop off our infantry who will proceed into the facility.  Any resistance gets put down, anyone who surrenders we capture and all papers we can recover we do so.  We owe the Federated Suns for trusting in us and allowing us to try and make good on our mistakes no mess ups and we all go home.”  She said looking at the couple of dozen faces they all knew the stakes “lets get to it.  Tamara stay a moment.”  She said allowing the others to leave “raise your wrist.”  She said Tamara did so.  “You have come a long way since Corporal Cooper brought you to us from Clan Nova Cat, now you have another step to take” Alisande said severing the cord “become a Wild Geese and honour Cooper’s memory.” Tamara nodded a tear running down the former Nova Cat’s face Corporal Jasper Cooper had died in a raid on Victoria since his death Tamara’s time with the Wild Geese had been more difficult until Alisande had accepted her as her own Bondsman.

   â€œI will” Tamara vowed “was this always the plan?  Why my Mech is here?”

   â€œThere’s no-one else here that can pilot it.”  Alisande said smiling looking at the Sphinx “she is a beauty though, now go get ready.”  The General said heading for her own Highlander BattleMech.

   An hour later the DropShip was burning through the atmosphere turning as it came down towards the surface “Bridge to Wild One.”

   â€œGo ahead” Alisande said trust something to go wrong already

   â€œWe are receiving a call from the planet Priority One, their authentication clears.”

   â€œPut them through.”  She said wondering who even knew the Wild Geese were enroute.

   â€œI repeat this is Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha, Priority One Comm for Wild One.  Authorization 672-Foxtrot-Delta.”

   â€œRomeo-Zero-One-Alpha from Wild One. Authentication authorized.  State business.”

   â€œWe want to join the party orders of Foxtrot-Sierra-Victor-Sierra-Delta.”  The voice said naming the First Prince of the Federated Suns, this mission had just become an official one of the Federated Suns.  “You are late, we have been here a week.”

   â€œJumpShip trouble.  Your mission?”  Alisande asked checking the comm. was a secure one.

   â€œSupport you anyway we can.”

   â€œLocation”

   â€œWe’re at two positions alpha team eight thousand metres high aboard a Poseidon Mobile Engineering Platform bravo team heading east past the Park of Mechs aboard a Hector Road Train, twelve souls.”  Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha replied although twelve did not sound like much the authorization code told Alisande that those twelve were members of the AFFS Elite Rabid Fox teams no doubt equipped with the best Battle Armour suit’s the Federated Suns could produce.

   â€œUnderstood we are broadcasting coordinates for our area of operations do what you can and must.  We are going in.”
   â€œUnderstood General, we’ll be there.”  The voice said signing off

   â€œSix minutes from landing, no contacts at landing zone.”  The DropShip commander announced throughout the Fortress-class DropShip.

   Nearly ten minutes later the Wild Geese Mechs and Vehicles were on the ground heading for the Whyme Weapons Plant as their DropShip ascended back into the atmosphere staying out of reach by ground forces, it could "hop" around quicker than them by moving into orbit and landing again it would hopefully limit the fire directed at the ship.  As the ground forces moved towards their objective they were joined by a Hector Road Train with two trailers attached, this eighty ton vehicle could travel huge distances across rugged terrain, this particular vehicle carried a six man Rabid Fox team each equipped with an Infiltrator III Heavy Battle Armour suit a not so insignificant asset for the Wild Geese's raid.

   Thirty minutes later they engaged the defenders at the Thyme Weapons Plant a mixed company of Mech and armour supported by nearly fifty infantry troops.  The Wild Geese Mechs quickly overpowered the local defenders allowing the DropShip to come in for a second landing.

   "Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha to Wild One, we're inbound."  The Rabid Fox commander said Alisande sat in her Mech looking at the screen as six further Infiltrator III Heavy Suits paraglided through the air towards their position firing magshot gauss fire into the back of a twenty-ton Marik Stinger as they glided under black parafoils.  The light Mech suddenly losing nearly a ton of armour from its back and legs toppled forward and fell as the Rabid Fox team fired at its front armour and head.

   "Nice to have you guys on our side."

   "We will go in first create a beachhead - Wild PBI follow us."  Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha replied still completely calm as his team detached their parafoils "Sierra-Zero-One-Bravo sit-rep."

   "All accounted for."  The female leader of the second replied like her counterpart the Rabid Fox commander seemed unfazed by the combat.

   "Wild One to Romeo and Sierra Callsigns, We have the perimetre, remember we want leaders of this little group and any information you can capture.  We were set up, we want to know who pulls the strings."

   "Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha, Wild One, this is why we are here ma'am."  The Rabid Fox commander acknowledged as his six man team led the Wild Geese infantry into the bunker.  The complex was more extensive than it appeared even from the sophisticated BattleMech sensors of the Wild Geese ground units.  Alisande knew this was not her area of expertise and she couldn't do much about what was going on underground despite how confused it sounded she knew the people she had in place were professionals.

   "Wild One, Wild Twelve" Tamara called "I have incoming group of Mechs at long range, possibly a cluster I mean Battalion, they appear to have Regulan colours."

   "Not militia?"

   "Negative, my Mech has the speed and weapons to keep them on edge."  Tamara suggested her Sphinx was a Clan built machine and was faster than most Inner Sphere heavy Mechs and far faster than Alisande's own Highlander.

   "No risks Tamara, Heavy lance follow Wild Twelve's lead she has the firepower and speed for the encounter."  She said she knew Leftenant Nicholas Lockhart was the commander of the lance but she also knew that he'd understand Alisande's reasoning it also gave Tamara a chance to show her worth for the Wild Geese.  The four Mechs lept forward Tamara's Sphinx and the lance's Falconer powering ahead of the others Alisande could do little more than martial her troops and prepare for the incoming Regulan forces.  She moved the Rabid Fox's Hector in front of the Fortress turning it towards the Wild Geese forces at each end making a makeshift wall a not particularly strong one but perhaps it would bring them a salvo or two from the incoming Regulans.  All Alisande could do was listen and wait.

   "...turn left ninety degrees"

   "Watch behind you."

   "Tamara, we need to retreat"

   "Neg, one moment, Heavy lance fall back by numbers I have rearguard, Wild One confirmed single Battalion BattleMech.  Older designs.  Regulan colours.  We are falling back, light damage two Mechs."  She said over the comm.

   "That's the final room cleared... Sierra-Zero-One-Bravo All clear repeat all clear.  We are evacuating."

   "Wild One all callsigns PBI and support pulling back to DropShip, Mechs and armour cover fire.  Heavy Lance retreat directly to DropShip.  Main gun, fire at will full cover fire."  Alisande ordered in rapid succession the four Mechs of heavy lance were nearing their location with long range sensors rapidly filling with contacts.  Alisande braced herself for heavier combat behind and above her the massive Long Tom III Artillery Cannon housed in the Fortress' nose thundered into action firing several rounds in rapid succession.  About a minute later behind the retreating heavy lance the Regulan forces were hit by the first salvo of weapons fire several contacts fell under the fire buying the heavy lance some more room Tamara's Sphinx continued to walk backwards firing its lasers taking damage at most turns but dealing out three times as much in return.  Alisande added her own Gauss rifle and Long Range Missiles to Tamara's fire leveling another Regulan Mech.

   "Wild One, Romeo-Zero-One-Alpha, infantry and packages secure, my people will hold the enterance."  The Rabid Fox commander said Alisande glanced at her sensor display noticing the twelve Infiltrator III Battle Armour suits standing at the enterance of the Fortress.

   "Understood heavy lance first, then armour, command will load next."

   "Got you covered Ma'am"

   "Stop calling me that" she complained with a small smile firing her weapons at another Regulan Mech, Tamara and the other four Mechs of heavy lance were approaching the Hector just as the Fortress' Long Tom fired again keeping the Regulans further back.  "Tamara get your Mech inside."  Alisande ordered stepping upto the Hector the Clan Mech was badly damaged but Tamara continued to fire her weapons.

   "Moving, sir" she said her seventy-five ton Mech seemed to skip over the Hector placing Mech's humanoid hands on the rear trailer and skipping over the low area it was an amazingly fluid movement that almost looked like a human skipping a wall the Mech's advanced Clan neuralhelmet translating Tamara's movements almost perfectly.  Moments later an autocannon tore through the rear of the Hector tearing open the rear of the Road Train "surat!" Tamara shouted raising her left arm just ahead of her Mech's arm mounted laser the hand actuator was completely missing torn clear of the BattleMech.

   "Forget it Tamara, that's an order get inside!"  Alisande said returning fire from the Regulans was intensifying.  Tamara fired her weapons into the incoming enemy forces reversing her Mech into the Fortress-class DropShip as she continued to fire.  "Armour next our job's done we need to get out of here, people no go slow today.  Bridge begin launch prep T-minus three minutes."  She ordered as Regulan fire tore into the forward section of the Hector, the vehicle exploded in a ball of fire showering Alisande's Mechs with shrapnel.

   "Command lance continue firing, hold them back, Long Tom control are you empty?"  She asked the Main Gun hadn't fired for a while.  "Perimetre guns defensive fire."

   "Bridge, Wild One, we could hit you with accidental fire."

   "Understood if you don't we could be overrun" she said seeing one of her Mechs an Albatross explode from internal missile detonations.  "Command lance contineous fire, all call signs retreat Rabids get inside nothing else you can do."  She said seeing a Challenger MBT disappear into the DropShip.  Overhead the main Long Tom Artillery piece fired again and again.

   "Main Gun, Wild One, we're clean and empty."  The DropShip's Long Tom gunners replied.

   "Understood store the gun."  She said looking around only her Highlander, a Shootist and a Shadow Hawk BattleMech remained "Command Lance inside, I'm last Corporal Thomas you're first, Hernandez you're next."

   "General, my Mech is a bodyguard Mech designed to take the hits, I should be last."

   "Negative I'm the heaviest and this hail-mary was my idea, I pay for it."  She said firing all her weapons at four targets.  The Fortress' own guns were now also firing Thomas' Shadow Hawk disappeared into the DropShip followed by the Shootist leaving only Alisande's Mech.  She turned her back on the DropShip and walked backwards slowly taking hits from four direction.  "Control boost off planet as-soon-as-possible."

   "Get on board General" a distorted voice said Alisande however was struck by more fire tearing what was left of her Gauss rifle off.

   "Not much chance of that..." Alisande whispered as something else hit her forward torso armour the Highlander staggered turning it to the left by the blow.  "Control, this is an Omega order leave."  She said the Highlander was stuck again this time on the torso destroying her main missile launcher.  Behind her there was a rumble, the bridge had followed orders finally as the Fortress began to take off "Go..."  She whispered looking at her aft screens the backblast of the engines began to force her Mech forward but Alisande didn't care she typed her personal ID code into the keypad on her left hand side followed by 000X.  Alisande didn't even bother to try and control her Mech or fire its weapons she only looked at the rapidly escaping DropShip and smiled "...with my blessing soar."  she whispered before the Highlander exploded from its heart, the ninety ton Mech's 270 rated fusion engine let go all containment by her order and exploded in a huge fireball that engulfed almost the entire Regulan force around it.  Most of the remains of the Battalion were surrounded in fire, some would survive, some wouldn't, the Wild Geese had their revenge... but was it worth it only time would tell.

Hope you enjoyed