Ground Zero: 

The Clan Offensive

by Cmdr_Duck
 
Galaxy Commander Archmond Walker paced the briefing room. He halted for a
minute, and turned to look at the nervous faces seated around the room. His Star
Colonels looked uncharacteristically worried, perhaps scared. And they damn well
should be, Archmond thought. He paused for another lingering second. "This is
unacceptable," he finally said, continuing his speech. "The Inner Sphere is
vehemently tearing Port Arthur out of our hands, and we have done little to halt their
advance." A tentative hand arose.
"Yes, Star Colonel Rikenson?"
The tall, black-haired Star Colonel spoke up. "With all due respect Galaxy
Commander, we are countering their attacks to the best of our abilities. We have
scored numerous victories from the Inner Sphere Yankee Company but the First
Davion - "
Walker rudely cut him off. "The best of your abilities, Mr. Rikenson? The BEST of
your abilities?" Now Walker was furious. "Your supposed BEST is a 25 percent
victory rate! We don’t need your best, we need victories!" Walker was panting. He
realized that his men were staring at him, wide-eyed. He hadn’t been this angry in a
long time. "I’m sorry," he said, calming down. After pausing a minute, Walker spoke
again in a much calmer tone. "I’ve seen what brains and courage you and your
warriors have. However, I have not seen any of it here on Port Arthur. I suggest, Star
Colonels, that you begin telling your men to use it." The room was silent, except for
the soft hum of the air cooling system. "I will send mission orders to your respective
bases. Dismissed." The Star Colonels shuffled out of the room.
*****
Star Colonel Payner Rikenson walked out of the briefing room and towards his
Armored Personnel Carrier. The air was cool and refreshing, like most Port Arthur
nights. The Star Colonel shook his head. He couldn’t believe how Galaxy
Commander Walker had blown up in his face. He had always viewed Walker as a
quiet, methodical, Commander. Payner shrugged it off. Shit happens, he thought.
After all, we are fighting a war. He climbed into the APC along with his fellow Star
Colonel, Zanear Tiken.
"Boy, Walker sure blew up this time," Zanear noted dully as Payner got in.
"He sure did," Payner responded. The APC began to drive across the paved road.
Payner looked out the window. We don’t need your god dammed best, we need
victories! The words echoed in Payner’s mind. And you’ll get the best, Walker, Payner
thought. We’ll rip the Inner Spheresman to shreds.
*****
Payner woke up early the next morning around oh-six-hundred. He groggily dressed
and combed his parted black hair. If there was something that annoyed Payner, it was
when his hair was out of place. He walked to the Barracks computer and tapped a
button on the control panel.
"Computer, are there any messages from Galaxy Commander Archmond Walker?"
The computer’s attractive female voice responded. "There are new mission orders
transferred from Galaxy Commander Archmond to Star Colonel Payner Rikenson."
"Computer, prepare these orders to be viewed in Briefing Room A.
"Affirmative."
"And, uh, schedule a Cluster-wide briefing at fourteen-hundred hours sharp.
"What Briefing Room will the briefing be held in?"
Damn computer, the only thing it didn’t have was common sense. "Briefing Room A,
the same location that the orders are being transferred."
"Affirmative."
*****
At twenty-hundred hours Payner strapped into the comfortable seat of a modified
Cougar – J. The orders in the briefing had been very clear. The Clans, according to
the briefing, had been idly sitting on their hands for too long. Now they had to strike
back. The first target was a major Inner Sphere field base. Payner and his lancemate,
an experienced transfer from Star Colonel Pandora’s Cluster by the name of Linkman
Bondwater, were prepared to do some late-night reconnaissance on the field base
before the attack would commence the follow day. His Star Captains had advised him
not to go because of his high rank, but he had decided to anyway. After all, he didn’t
trust anyone else. The battle plan was going to be devised based on the reconnaissance
reports, and he needed them to be accurate. He would make sure they were accurate.
Payner admired his Cougar. It was a pure scout, outfitted with jump jets, an ECM
Suite, an Active Probe, and Extended Sensors. He powered up the OmniMech, and
once again Payner heard the familiar whir of the fusion reactor warming up.
"Ready, Linkman?" Payner inquired.
"Ready whenever you are, sir."
"Follow my lead, Linkman, and you’ll be ok."
"Yes, sir!"
The two Cougars dashed off into the night sky.
*****
Payner was suddenly awakened from a soft buzz from the warning indicator. They
were approaching the enemy field base. He glanced at the chronometer – oh-one-
hundred. Payner switched off the autopilot and slowed his approach.
"What now?" Linkman asked.
"Now, we find a place to hide," Payner responded.
Payner and Linkman found a sufficient hiding spot in a pair of bluffs overlooking the
base. Hopefully, the metal deposits in the rocks would hide their signals, but Payner
powered down his ‘Mech to 20-percent power. Linkman did the same.
Linkman’s voice perked up. "Sir, if in fact the metal deposits are hiding our sensor
signals, then I’m sure the Inner Sphere make periodic checks in this area.
"All the more reason to hurry, Linkman," Payner responded.
"Yes, sir."
Payner watched all activity in and around the base from his perch in the bluffs. The
most interesting piece of information the sensors were showing was a battered
Warhawk being outfitted in the Mech Repair Bay. Or Masakari, as they liked to call
it. Payner chuckled. They don’t even give a damn what the real names of our ‘Mechs
are when they find them, just as long as they have two legs and a fusion reactor.
Thirty minutes passed as the two hiding Cougars finished their scans.
"Time to go, sir," Linkman pressed.
"Alright," Payner replied. He deployed 3 Camera Drones and a Sensor Probe in the
area, and then the two made their exit.
"Hold it - " Linkman excitedly said. "I have a contact, bearing in on us at twelve
o’clock."
Payner saw it too. "Hold position…" he began to say. What was it going to be?
Payner pondered. An Awesome or two, perhaps? A JagerMech? No, a Swiftwind
Scout Car. Payner breathed a sigh of relief. "Get rid of that Scout Car, Linkman. We
wouldn’t want anyone to know we were here would we?
Linkman said nothing, but as the unarmed Scout Car tried to scurry away it was
disintegrated by two blasts from Linkman’s pulse lasers. Payner couldn’t help but
notice what a good shot Linkman was. He’d keep that in mind next time he needed a
lancemate.
"Mission accomplished," Payner sighed over the intercom. "Let’s go home."
On the way back, Payner stayed awake. He steadied his Cougar and piloted it to the
‘Mech Repair Bay. Powering it down, he climbed out of the cockpit. Star Colonel
Zanear Tiken was waiting for him.
"Hey Zanear," Payner said, somewhat surprised. "What can I do for you?" He took a
towel and wiped the sweat off his forehead.
"I’m afraid we have some very bad news," Zanear said, maintaining the grim
expression he had on his face. Zanear, with his sandy brown hair, was a few inches
taller than Payner, and his imposing glare intimidated him.
"W…What do you mean?" Payner inquired.
"Buddy, our forces have been ordered to take down Ground Zero."
Ground Zero was the name Galaxy Commander Walker had given to the main Inner
Sphere base on Port Arthur. We’ll never be able to muster enough power to attack it,
Payner recalled Walker saying. It is too heavily fortified.
"Take down Ground Zero? But Galaxy Commander W - "
"Galaxy Commander Archmond Walker is dead, Payner. His lance of Warhawks was
eliminated along with ninety-five percent of Star Colonel Hope’s forces."
"When do we attack," Payner sorrowfully said.
"Two days from now. Our two Clusters will assault the main base. Star Colonel
Hope’s remaining forces will integrate into mine. I’ll brief you later."
"Alright."
Zanear turned and headed back towards his APC. He stopped. "Oh, and Payner?"
"Yeah?"
"Don’t get yourself killed, buddy."
"I won’t."
*****
The next day the Cluster was briefed on their new mission. Payner’s Star Captains and
Star Commanders were huddled around inside the overly small briefing room.
A diagram appeared on the screen, and a computerized voice clicked on. "Ground
Zero is guarded by one regiment of Inner Sphere BattleMechs. However, while our
forces will outnumber the BattleMechs, they contain an impressive defense system.
The entire area is layered with mines, booby traps, and automated defense turrets."
The diagram switched to a terrain layout of the base. "Our best hope will be to lure
part of the regiment of BattleMechs. Star Colonel Payner Rikenson’s forces will
engage the outnumbered BattleMechs. Star Colonel Zanear Tiken’s forces will move
into position. When the BattleMechs have been dealt with, the two Clusters will
charge every unit in the base. Casualties are expected to climb upwards of forty
percent during the initial charge." The briefing screen switched off.
"Are there any questions?" Payner asked.
"Just one, Sir," Star Captain Rhyner Willies said. "Why the hell are we doing this?"
Payner glared at the Star Captain. "To preserve our way of life. And to eliminate
theirs."
No one in the room had a doubt about who their Star Colonel was talking about.
*****
Payner walked out onto the airfield in combat gear. Today, he thought. Is the day of
reckoning. He watched as ninety-odd MechWarriors and Elementals scrambled to
their respective OmniMechs or vehicles. Payner looked up at the sky. It was perhaps
the last time he would see it as pure and unadulterated as it was now. Payner strode to
his ‘Mech.
The Warhawk was truly a marvel of modern technology. With a compact shape, a flat
head, and its arms bristling with lasers and PPCs, it was not a ‘Mech to be trifled with.
Payner turned to the right and saw an impressive Timber Wolf standing next to the
Warhawk. Payner had asked for Linkman to be reassigned to his lance, and there he
was, looking down on him from the cockpit of the Timber Wolf. Poor kid, Payner
thought. His smile will soon be gone when he enters the field of war.
Payner crawled into the cockpit of his Warhawk. He affixed the Neurohelmet to his
head and strapped himself into the chair. The fusion reactor began to warm up after he
switched the massive ‘Mech on. Payner took hold of the joystick and aligned the
targeting crosshairs.
Linkman called in. "Sir, you ready to rock and roll?" He sounded a bit overly –
enthusiastic.
"You bet," Payner replied. He switched to the Clan-wide Comm channel. "This is Star
Colonel Payner Rikenson. All units prepare to disembark for rendezvous point.
And…" Payner paused momentarily. "Good hunting, men." There was a unanimous
cheer among the MechWarriors.
*****
At nightfall Payner and his Cluster reached the rendezvous point. Zanear and his
Cluster were already waiting for them.
"Hey there Star Colonel!" Payner heard over the Comm. He instantly recognized the
voice as Zanear. Zanear’s sober mood had turned somewhat upbeat.
"Decided to show up, eh?" Zanear continued.
A small grin came across Payner’s face. "Cut the shit Zanear," he said. "It’s time."
"Of course."
"How far are we from Ground Zero, Zanear?"
"A little less than a dozen kilometers. It should take the entire group ten to fifteen
minutes to get there."
"Roger. Zanear, position your group two kilometers behind ours. When you reach
Ground Zero, maneuver into the standby position."
"You got it," Zanear replied.
Payner’s Cluster moved out towards the base. As he passed Zanear’s Hellbringer, he
noticed Zanear’s tiny figure in the cockpit. Zanear was saluting him. Payner gave a
small nod in return.
*****
Ensign Marcus Campbell groggily sat at his command post in a comfy chair within
the Command HQ building at where the Clanners called "Ground Zero." He started
aimlessly into the sensor readings. Why are they making me do this, Marcus
wondered. Only an idiot Clanner would dare attack the base. Suddenly, he felt the
burning glare of his commanding officer, Kathryn Ponder, on his neck. He turned
around.
Sure enough, Commander Ponder was staring at him. "Ensign!" she barked. "You’re
not falling asleep, are you?"
"No…no sir!" Marcus replied.
"Good," she said. "Because if I see one Smoke Jaguar in or around this base, it’s
going to be your fault!"
"Yes sir!"
Marcus gazed lovingly at Kathryn. She was so beautiful, almost like an angel. Oh, he
thought. What I would give to have her…
The familiar beep of a sensor contact interrupted Marcus’ line of thought.
He looked at the sensor screen. A single contact, roaming around the base.
"Marcus!" Commander Ponder barked again. "You’d better tell me what that is."
"I don’t know sir," Marcus said in an uneasy tone. "But here it comes…"
All eyes in the room turned towards the large Plexiglas window. A lone Uller came
streaking by. It fired its twin Clan ER Lasers at the building. And then it was gone.
The whole room was silent. The Uller had disappeared. Suddenly, another beeping
sound radiated through the room.
"Uh…sir," Marcus said, this time more alarmingly. "It’s back."
The Uller blazed by the HQ Building again. It’s torso turned, it was running in the
opposite direction it had came. But this time, it stopped momentarily. It pointed it’s
Ultra Light Autocannons at the very room where Marcus was standing.
Oh shit, Marcus thought.
"Duck!" Commander Ponder called out.
All the officers hit the ground as the Ultra AC blasted through the room, shattering the
window and knocking a light fixture off the ceiling.
Almost teasingly, the Uller ran off into the distance.
Commander Ponder stood up. None of her men had been hurt, but the windows and
some valuable sensor equipment had been destroyed. She wiped the dirt and glass off
her shoulder. "Ensign Campbell," she said irritatingly.
"Uh…yes sir?" Marcus replied.
"Capture that OmniMech," she said furiously. "I want that ‘Mech and I want her pilot.
Make sure it doesn’t get away."
"Right away sir," Marcus conceded. He began tapping away on his keyboard.
*****
Payner and his Cluster rested, powered down, behind a hill. He strained his eyes in the
distance to see his Kit Fox scurrying back. Payner signaled the Cluster to power up.
"Branver," Payner asked over the Comm. "Did it work?"
The pilot of the Kit Fox responded. "Yes sir, I think I pissed them off pretty good. I
made two attack runs on their HQ. The first time I just scratched the building but the
second time I messed up the sixth floor pretty well with my Autocannons. Windows
and all."
"Good, good," Payner said with satisfaction.
"Also sir," Branver began. "I saw a few ‘Mechs powering up. They should be headed
this way now."
"Excellent," Payner said. Now we wait.
Payner’s heart began to beat rapidly after he saw two yellow blips appear on the
sensor readout. "Steady…" he instructed on the Comm line. Payner flipped a switch
and his HUD display flickered to life. He focused his gaze on the cockpit viewport.
The dark outlines of two Inner Sphere Catapults appeared.
Payner did not hesitate. "CHARGE!" he yelled over the Comm line, and his Cluster of
ninety plus OmniMechs charge towards the base. The Catapults froze for a minute,
but then wisely decided to run back towards the shelter of their base.
"Linkman, Bravner, take Tango A," commanded Payner.
"Roger that leader."
Linkman’s Timber Wolf and Bravner’s Kit Fox turned to engage the Catapult furthest
away.
Star Colonel Tiken’s forces were already running at full speed towards their ready
point, ignoring the Catapults.
Payner, seeing that everything was in order, turned to engage the closest Catapult.
Although versatile, the Catapult’s weaponry and armor was incomparable to the
Warhawk’s. Payner increased to full power, pulling ahead of the main force, which
was traveling at half-power. As he closed the distance between himself and the
Catapult, the crosshairs quivered, but he steadied them. As the crosshairs turned solid
red indicating a lock, he fired a salvo of LRMs. Striking the Catapult in the left leg, it
stumbled onto the ground. Attempting to finish the Catapult off in a murderous Alpha
Strike, it fired its Pulse Lasers and ER PPCs simultaneously. The ER PPCs destroyed
the gyro on the Catapult’s frame and it came tumbling down, but not before firing it’s
six salvos of LRMs. They struck the massive Warhawk on the torso, but the damage
was insignificant. Payner closed in and fired his Heavy Flamers at the downed
Catapult. It exploded in a flurry of sparks, almost blinding Payner.
Linkman and Bravner moved at half-power towards the beleaguered lone Catapult.
After achieving solid locks, both of them fired upon the Catapult with a deadly salvo
of LRMs. Although it sustained only minimal damage, the hapless pilot ejected.
"Good job," Payner sighed. "All forces, move forward!"
"Hey sir," a pilot joked. "When do we get our turn, eh? You gonna let all your
lancemates have the fun?"
Fun - It was the last word Payner would have used to describe the situation. "Soon,"
Payner replied. "Soon enough."
*****
Commander Kathryn Ponder was not in a good mood. A Clan Uller, as the Inner
Sphere liked to call it, had just streaked by the HQ and blasted the sixth floor
windows. However, things took an unexpected turn for the worse when the two
Catapults HQ had dispatched to deal with the Uller had been destroyed.
Commander Ponder bowed her head to the ground. They had heard the muffled
screams of the first Catapult pilot, but the second had ejected.
"Ensign Campbell," she asked. "Have our forces been dispatched yet?"
"Yes sir," the young Ensign replied. "Battalion Alpha, Charlie, and Bravo have all
been dispatched."
"How many are there?"
"Uh…we have about one hundred and…"
"No you idiot, how many Clanners are there?" The Commander was beginning to get
impatient.
"We don’t know sir," he dimly replied.
All was quiet in the wrecked control room on the sixth floor, until Commander Ponder
froze and looked out the now windowless viewport.
"Something wrong sir?" Ensign Marcus Campbell inquired.
"Listen." That was all she said. So Marcus listened.
Thump. Thump. Thump. His eyes widened as he heard the familiar sound. He turned
his head to look out the viewport, and he noticed that everyone had done the same.
Suddenly, the sensors beeped wildly with activity. Simon glanced at the sensor screen.
It was covered in yellow sensor contacts.
Kathryn Ponder was still gazing into space. The thumping became louder and dozens
and dozens of OmniMechs reached the crest of the hill. They immediately began
descending the hill and were closing in on the base.
"Ensign," Kathryn said.
"Yes Commander?"
"Tell the Regiment to engage."
"Naturally, sir." Simon picked up his headset off the floor.
*****
Payner was leading the march into Ground Zero. He began to notice various
BattleMechs pouring out of the numerous Hangar Bays of the base.
"Star Colonel…" Linkman said worriedly. "Do…do you see those?"
"Of course I do," Payner uneasily replied. He paused a second to reflect. "After all, no
one said this was gonna be easy, am I right?"
The Inner Sphere forces were beginning to form a line parallel to the invading Clan
force. Payner burst out into speech, barking orders.
"Trinary A, head to these coordinates." He punched in a few numbers and transmitted
them. Trinary B and C we are going to break through the front line. D, give us fire
support."
The Clan OmniMechs traversed the area in a mad rush as they struggled to get into
position. The Inner Sphere Mobile Field Artillery pieces had begun firing on them.
"Damn it they’ve got two dozen artillery pieces out there, there’s no way we can make
it!" a voice called through the static of the Comm. "They’ll blow us to bits before
we’re even within weapons range."
"I don’t care!" Payner barked. "We take that base or we die!" Die, probably. Payner
issued a new order. "I want all infantry troopers to do something about those Artillery
pieces!"
Depleted uranium slugs exploded all over the battlefield as ‘Mech after ‘Mech was
crippled or destroyed.
"Sir!" Linkman yelled. "Do we call in Tiken’s Cluster?"
"Negative," Payner regretfully replied. "We need to divert more of their ‘Mechs."
The helpless Clan OmniMech force was being slaughtered by Artillery pieces, but
they soon their met the wrath of the Inner Sphere BattleMechs.
Payner set his sights on an impressive Atlas. It was his. "Fire at will!" Payner yelled.
The message was repeated endlessly over the Comm.
"Fire at will! Fire at will! Die you bastards!"
Now they had their chance.
Payner chose his first weapon group of ER PPCs and LRM racks. The Atlas had not
yet noticed him. He piloted his Warhawk clumsily in a 180-degree arc to the back of
the Atlas. Suddenly his Warhawk was racked with laser fire. Two Commandos had
begun firing at them, but he ignored them. The smoke from the broken chassises of
‘Mechs was filling the air. Completing his maneuver to the back of the Atlas, he set
his crosshairs over the soft, exposed back of the towering BattleMech. The Atlas’
attention was focused on a cowering Kit Fox.
Bravner, Payner automatically recognized as he saw the Kit Fox upon which the Atlas
was firing. He did not hesitate. The missiles and lightning blue blasts of the ER PPCs
descended on the Atlas. Sparks flew as the back of the Atlas turned into a gaping hole
of scarred and charred metal. Though badly bruised, the Atlas did not quiver an inch.
It turned to face Payner’s Warhawk, but he was already waiting for the Inner Sphere
BattleMech. Payner unleashed a furious barrage of lasers and flamers, but it did not
pierce the heavy frontal torso armor of the Atlas. The BattleMech fired its Gauss
Cannon and ER PPCs at Payner’s Warhawk. Hitting Payner’s OmniMech square in
the leg, the Warhawk stumbled. Payner felt a slight neural shock from his
Neurohelmet as the Warhawk smashed into the asphalt-paved ground.
Payner struggled to stand his OmniMech up, but the fall had left him upside down in
the cockpit. He reached his hand out for the joystick, but the Atlas’ missile racks were
already trained on him. This is it, Payner thought. What a horrible way to die. The
Atlas seemed to hesitate. Payner expected it to fire, but it horrifically shuddered, and
then exploded, it’s appendages flying into the gray sky.
Behind the downed Atlas stood Bravner’s one-legged Kit Fox, smoke emanating from
its missile racks.
"Wait ‘till I tell the boys that I bagged me an Atlas," he gleefully said.
"Give me a break," Payner said jokingly as he gladly climbed back into the cockpit
chair. "I practically blew a hole in his back. The fusion reactor was sitting right there."
"Excuses, excuses," Bravner said, grinning. His tone turned serious. "Well sir, I have
to bail out. I’m afraid I can’t help you much with one leg on my ‘Mech."
"Affirmative," Payner replied. "Just get out alive and I’ll be happy."
The Warhawk stood up and turned to deal with the Commandos that had been nagging
him since it had first engaged the Atlas.
The Commandos were circling Payner like sharks, but their pitiful lasers and SRM
missiles could do nothing against the mighty Warhawk.
Payner casually switched to his pulse lasers, and began to whittle away at the weak
Commando armor. The Commando did not have any time to recoup as one by one,
blasts from the firing pulse lasers seared deeper and deeper into the ‘Mech’s internal
structure. Finally, the Warhawk’s constant pummeling turned the Commando into a
pile of unrecognizable scrap metal.
Payner grinned with satisfaction. He turned to engage the other Commando. It ran off,
attempting to escape the fate his fellow comrade had suffered.
The battlefield was still crowded with ‘Mechs, each one fighting for their lives. The
battle appeared to have been won by the Clans. But then out of the shadows like
ghostly apparitions, eight Atlas BattleMechs and two Awesomes appeared. Payner
looked at his already wearied force.
Shit, he thought. This must be the crème de la crème. They were saving it for last.
The powerful new force of ten BattleMechs joined their disheartened comrades on the
field of battle. The first to go was an injured Hellbringer. The Awesomes decimated it
with their ER PPCs. Next they moved to a modified Hunchback. It was also
eliminated quickly. The ‘Mechs then turned to Payner and his Warhawk.
"Payner," Linkman advised. "You can’t take them on, fall back."
Payner’s Warhawk did not move an inch.
"Uh…Payner?"
Payner sounded calmer than he had ever been. "Form a defensive posture five-
hundred yards back."
"Yes sir," Linkman complied. His relief that his superior officer was still sane enough
to give orders was nullified by the fact that the lone Warhawk, which Payner resided
in, was charging towards the enemy.
"Jesus…" Linkman said breathlessly. "He’s going to engage them."
Payner’s mind was focused on the job at hand. He charged defiantly towards the
lances of ‘Mechs, not caring about his own fate. The first target he chose was an
Awesome. He glanced at the words spray painted on its torso. I slept with your
genetically engineered wife! Funny, Payner thought, as he sliced the Awesome apart
with multiple blasts from his ER PPCs and Pulse Lasers. His repetitive fire was over-
heating the giant Warhawk. Payner reached over and turned off the auto-shutdown
system on his OmniMech. He continued blasting away at the ‘Mech.
Payner was taking a punishing beating from the Inner Sphere Assault ‘Mechs. A
computerized voice sounded. Warning…OmniMech heat reaching critical. The
temperature was frying Payner alive. There was only one thing he could do.
The Warhawk shot into the air from a colossal boost from its jump jets. Payner
glanced down on the Atlas’ as he flew back down to the ground, on a direct collision
course with the Inner Sphere BattleMechs. He released a final salvo from his LRM
racks. For the Clans, Payner thought as his Warhawk erupted in a massive explosion,
landing atop two Atlas.’
Linkman was busily engaging and Hollander II in his powerful Timber Wolf when his
gaze was averted by a massive explosion. In the distance he saw pieces of Payner’s
Warhawk streak across the sky. He had done a valiant thing. Two Atlas’ and an
Awesome lay dead, while another Atlas had been robbed of its leg.
"Star Colonel Tiken," Linkman cried over the Comm.
"Who is this?" an agitated voice replied. "And where is Payner?"
"Just listen," Linkman said impatiently. Linkman’s Timber Wolf dodged a missile,
only to be pummeled by a slug from a Gauss Cannon. He continued talking. "Charge
Ground Zero, now. There’s no time!"
"Now listen here," Tiken said. "I don’t know who this is, but I’m only going to take
orders from Star Colonel Payner - "
"Payner is dead! This is his lancemate, and Payner is dead. I saw it with my own eyes.
We’ve suffered fifty percent casualties, and unless you do something, it’s going to
stay that way!"
There was an odd silence. "We are on our way," Zanear Tiken said with a renewed
sense of duty.
*****
Commander Kathryn Ponder slumped in her chair, sighing. The Smoke Jaguar
advance had been halted for now. Besides, she thought. Even if they did break
through the front line, they still couldn’t get past the turrets. Little did she know, Star
Colonel Zanear Tiken’s forces were already waiting in the shadows…waiting to
strike…
*****
Star Commander Rhyner Willies led his elite Star of Smoke Jaguar Elemental Infantry
Units through the sewers below Ground Zero, the infamous Inner Sphere base.
"Star Commander Willies," a distressed Zanear Tiken called over the Comm. "Time is
of the essence. We need you to cut main turret power soon. It is imperative that we
strike soon, and we cannot do that without -"
"We are going as fast as we can, Colonel," Rhyner replied with a certain degree of
annoyance.
"Not fast enough, apparently."
"Patience is a virtue," Rhyner replied. A virtue that Tiken obviously doesn’t have.
"Alright men," Rhyner called out. "Tiken wants this job done fast. Double-quick to
the insertion zone!" The soldiers began jogging in their power suits in compliance to
their leader’s orders.
Rhyner intended to cut turret power, but not in the obvious way, which was
sabotaging the turret power building. If he ventured outside, the large contingent of
Inner Sphere Infantrymen guarding the building would surely cut them to pieces, but
if they reached the HQ Command room, he could manually cut power from that
location.
"Here we are sir," a light-haired Elemental said, as they reached the floor panel
leading to the first floor of the Ground Zero HQ Building.
"Stand back," Rhyner cautioned to his men. He aimed his Pulse-Laser 3059-Issue
Assault Rifle at the ceiling and fired. A gaping hole appeared, and Rhyner could see
the dimly lit hallway. Satisfied with the result, Rhyner shouldered his PL-59 Assault
Rifle and climbed into the first floor of the HQ building. The rest of his men followed.
*****
"What the hell is taking them so long," Zanear Tiken said into the Comm, mulling
over his Cluster’s having to stay hidden until turret power was cut.
"Sir," a voice crackled over the Comm. "We need to attack now. The Inner Sphere are
repositioning their forces."
"But turret power hasn’t been cut yet," Zanear argued.
"I know sir, but there’s no time."
Zanear was silent.
"Sir?"
"Move out," he said. "And let’s blow them all to hell."
*****
Star Captain Rhyner and his men had reached the fifth floor, but the Command room
was located on the sixth. Turbolift power had failed, a sign that secondary power had
been cut. However, primary power was what they needed to disable. Primary gave the
turrets their power.
The Smoke Jaguar forces rounded the corner to see a large group of Inner Sphere
Infantrymen standing there. Both groups hesitated, not expecting to encounter one
another, but soon the hallway erupted in murderous laser fire.
"Take cover!" Rhyner called to his men.
Rhyner hid in a doorway. He loaded a new, fully charged twenty-shot power cell into
his PL-59 and turned to face the I.S. Infantrymen. One was slowly advancing on
them, but Rhyner wasn’t about to allow them to. He fired a three-shot burst at the
Infantryman. The first two struck him clean on the chest, the laser fire tearing his flesh
apart, but the third cleanly decapitated him. The rest of the Infantrymen were severely
disheartened as they saw their comrade’s blood and entrails spill across the marble
floor.
There’s no time for this, Rhyner thought. He issued new orders through the Comm.
"Cease firing, active Vibro-Bayonets, and charge!"
A soldier began to protest. "But sir…"
"My way or the highway, soldier!" Rhyner interrupted.
The Elementals activated their Vibro-Bayonets and charged towards the I.S.
Infantrymen.
Rhyner charged towards the nearest foe. He stabbed the stunned Infantryman in the
chest and twisted his Vibro-Bayonet in a 180-degree arc. The Infantryman groaned as
blood came splurging out of his chest cavity.
The rest of the Elementals were killing I.S. Infantrymen in a murderous rage.
The marvels of genetic engineering, Rhyner thought. When it was all over, every
single Inner Sphere Infantryman was dead. Rhyner had lost eight of his twenty-four
Elementals.
The Elementals charged into the Command room in the HQ building. A young man
bearing Ensign’s pips began to reach for his Laser Pistol but was not quick enough.
Rhyner shot him square in the chest.
As the Ensign collapsed onto the ground in a bloody mess, Rhyner’s Star of
Elementals took control of the room.
"Who is the commanding officer here?" Rhyner called out.
The room was silent.
Rhyner grabbed a blond officer who looked to be in her late twenties. He promptly
shot her in the head.
"Again!" he said. "Who is the commanding officer?"
"I am," a cowering woman said. "My name is Kathryn Ponder. I suggest that you
release us now, or you shall suffer the consequences.
Rhyner tried to choke back a chuckle. "I am only going to ask you once. Give us
access to main turret power."
"Go to hell."
Rhyner aimed and shot at an Inner Sphere officer seated next to Kathryn Ponder. His
head exploded, spilling bile all over the commanding officer. He pointed the gun at
her.
"Well, I was wrong the first time. I am going to ask you twice. But only twice. Give
us access to main turret power."
Kathryn Ponder, obviously shaken, pushed a button on the control panel. "You
barbarians," she said. "You just killed three people in cold blood."
Rhyner nodded his head slightly. "You see Miss Ponder, we grant mercy for those
who cooperate, and death to those who do not." He walked over to the control panel.
"You are free to go. Take it as an appreciative gesture for your cooperation."
Somewhat surprised, the rest of the Command room officers filed out the door. After
the last of them was gone, Rhyner fiddled with the controls, finally deactivating turret
power.
One of his men spoke. "The Smoke Jaguar never grant mercy to a foe, Star
Commander. Yet you released them."
"You are right," Rhyner replied. "Find them, and kill them."
His men raced out the door to pursue the fleeing Command room officers.
*****
Zanear Tiken’s Hellbringer took another volley from the base’s defensive Laser
Turrets. I can’t take any more of this turret fire, he said to himself. His Cluster of
OmniMechs had engaged Ground Zero’s forces through the back door of the I.S. base,
but as of now, the BattleMechs weren’t decimating them, the turrets were.
Inexplicably, the turrets suddenly powered down.
Zanear smiled. Those dammed Elementals finally did it, he thought. "Forward!" he
commanded in the Comm. For the Smoke Jaguar…and for Payner, Zanear whispered
in his mind as he piloted his versatile Hellbringer through the tight groupings of
dormant turrets into the heart of the base.
Zanear’s Cluster stormed into the base, catching the Inner Sphere off guard. Most of
the BattleMechs were in their respective Repair Bays when the Smoke Jaguar struck.
The Clan OmniMechs blasted the base apart with devastating blows of projectile and
beam weapons.
We can blast the base to bits, Zanear thought, as long as the HQ stays intact. He
turned to make sure that the HQ was still in one piece. It was, but not before a
JagerMech, struck in the legs by blows from a Gauss Cannon, tumbled backward into
the HQ, crashing through the metal beams of its infrastructure.
Damn, Zanear said to himself. Still, he couldn’t help but grin. It was somewhat ironic.
Booms echoed through the sky. Zanear strained his neck to look up through the hazy
smoke. OmniFighters streaked across the sky at supersonic speeds, along with
numerous Clan Dropships dropping pods of OmniMechs floating gently to the ground
by means of parachute.
Zanear sighed. It’s over. Backup is here.
*****
Star Colonel Zanear Tiken
Personal Log
Our attack on the base was hugely successful, but the Inner Sphere onslaught on Port
Arthur continues. Ground Zero has finally been taken, but not without losses.
My personal friend, Star Colonel Payner Rikenson, was killed in the battle. His
lancemate, Linkman Bondwater said that he died honorably, but I still mourn the loss
of my comrade.
Casualties in my Cluster added up to fifteen-percent, but casualties in Payner’s
Cluster totaled almost sixty-five percent, a devastating loss.
I had hoped to commend Star Captain Rhyner for his valor in disabling the turret
power and ensuring Smoke Jaguar victory, but he and his Star of Elementals were
killed when the HQ was destroyed. What can I say? War is hell.
End Log