“Roger that, General,” she came back in the speakers in his neurohelmet. “I’m showing us on drop-stand-by. I’ve got this beast ready for action. I sure hope you picked the right person for this.”
Archer allowed himself a chuckle. “It’s got to be safer than piloting a command vehicle out there.”
“You’d think,” she replied. Archer suddenly heard a metallic grinding and saw the drop door in front of his Penetrator open up. Dirt and dust were kicking up. He could make out the forms of the cliff-tops where the landing zone was located. In the distance was the outlined shapes of Portsmouth City about a kilometer away. Warning lights came on in his cockpit. Yellow—prep for debarkation.
He switched to the channel for the rest of the command company. “Avengers, stand by for deployment.”
The light went green. The safety harnesses came free on his Penetrator and he tapped the foot-pedals. The gyro feedback was stable as he leaned forward slightly. They were in the right place, that was for sure. “Alright, Avengers, standard deployment, just like we practiced. Recon lance deploy to the north, command to follow.”
He stepped out onto the ramp and in three steps was on Avalon Island. Almost immediately he heard the familiar ping and thump of small arms fire slapping his BattleMech’s torso. Pivoting at the waist, Archer saw the source, a small building near the LZ. Infantry, huddled inside, were firing at him despite the odds.
Waste of perfectly good infantry. He brought his pulse lasers online and using his joystick, swept the targeted reticle onto the small building. Archer didn’t wait for a weapons lock. Hitting his secondary target trigger, he unleashed a burst of crimson energy bolts into the building. The small stone and brick structure seemed to pop. Smoke and steam rose from the debris. It didn’t stand a chance, nor had the men hiding in there.
“Sit Rep,” he queried on the command channel.
“Sir, we’ve secured all five LZ’s,” came back Katya’s voice. We are showing indications of substantially more troops present than we anticipated. Saber Beach LZ reports that two companies of troops, ’Mechs and armor attempted to swarm their LZ upon landing. Similar reports coming in from the White Tigers at Halo LZ.”
“Sounds like someone knew we were coming,” he replied, moving his Penetrator out to deploy. The Little Sorrell’s turrets were firing at some targets off in the distance, too far for him to make out even with the visual enhancements of his T&T system. Whatever it was, it was firing back at the DropShip, no minor accomplishment. Maybe our little bluff worked after all.
He switched to the broad command channel and set his comm unit to scramble. “Specter One to Avengers,” he snapped as he angled further away from the DropShip. “Move out to your assigned targets. Be warned, we are getting signs of reinforced troops in the area.” He then sent an encoded message back to the command post near Portland for Prince Victor and his people.
“Red Rover, Red Rover.”
• • •
Jackson Davion stared at the multiple reports scrolling by his screen. The map of the area showed the landing zones. Five, possibly six. Multiple reports of deploying ’Mechs. Despite moving in the reserve 4th Avalon Militia, a unit mostly made up of reservists and veterans, it was clear that something was going on in Portland and that they were facing the invasion of Avalon Island.
Possibly…
Behind him, arms crossed defiantly, Katrina Steiner-Davion stood brewing. “So, Jackson, is this it or some sort of ruse on the part of Victor?”
Jackson didn’t look at her; he kept his eyes focused on the reports. “Someone is hitting Portsmouth, which is what Simon had predicted. It seems to be multiple regiments, but right now there is a lot of confusion. We’ve tossed in the 4th Avalon Militia, which is wreaking some havoc with whoever is landing there, but we can’t be sure if this is a diversion or the real McCoy.”
“Well, troops are deploying. Isn’t that enough?” Her tone was demanding, it always was demanding.
Jackson didn’t waver. “If it’s a diversion, Highness, it could have us shifting troops that we need elsewhere.”
“You’re my Marshal of the Armies. What do you recommend?”
“Patience,” Jackson replied. “Until we are sure.”
• • •
The Militia Gallowglas swept behind the water reservoir tank just as it fired off its ER PPC. Archer winced as the bolt of blue energy stabbed outward at his Penetrator. The shot went just a little wide of his right leg, but an arc from the blast of manmade charged particle burst seared the paint on his knee joint. A small residual arc of blue electrical charge danced up the thigh of his ’Mech. Too damn close.
Archer swept the opposite direction and brought his medium pulse lasers on-line to the second and third target interlock circuits. The Gallowglas had gutted a Hitman from his command company, leaving it a smoldering heap tossed into the side of an apartment building. He had been chasing it for ten minutes and was not about to lose it now. As the Gallowglas rounded the far side of the water tank, Archer locked on half of his pulse lasers—three of them—and fired.
The shots were not aimed at the militiaman, but at the base of the water tank. It was a city reserve tank, probably for fire control. He didn’t want to target it, but this was the final fight. Now was not the time to hold back. Katya will castigate me for this afterwards. The crimson bolts stabbed at the thin metallic skin of the tank and suddenly it collapsed. The rush of water was nearly 20 feet tall and slapped into the side of the Gallowglas. The MechWarrior fought the sudden imbalance, but it hit the side of his left leg with such force it was almost impossible. He fell sideways into a
