Highlander Gambit

by Blaine Lee Pardoe

"What do you mean?" Loren asked.

  "How did you know the attack was fake? Every instrument in my cockpit told me we were under some damn heavy fire. And the 'Mech was rocking with every simulated hit."

  Loren grinned. "If I hadn't been riding shotgun with the Colonel I'd never have known either. Without a neurohelmet feeding me the false images. I was relying more on my natural senses. In the end, I guess I played a good hunch."

  The casual reply shocked Fuller. "Hunch? You mean you weren't sure?"

  Loren turned back from the work on his 'Mech and let go a thin grin. "Yes and no. Looking back, there was a good chance I was dead wrong. Something in my gut told me that none of it made sense. That, and I've had a lot of experience working with synthetic reality programs."

  Fuller's jaw dropped open in amazement at Jaffray's frankness. "I can't believe we broke off our entire attack all on the basis of a pure hunch."

  "What counts now is that I was right." Loren put a hand on the other man's shoulder. "Listen, I'm not talking down to you. We've both been in battles before. The only difference is that I've seen more than you. If I've learned one thing it's that it's usually better to play a good hunch than sit back and play it safe."

  "We would have kicked the Guards' butts."

  "Yes. But you'd also have handed Victor Davion a perfect reason to try to disband the Highlanders. Men like Catelli are dangerous. He'd have punched out and made a getaway. People like him always manage to survive; it's all part of the game they play. They understand power but not leadership. He would have twisted the truth to the point where the Highlanders looked like heinous criminals. As outlaws he would've broken you all."

  "You talk like he won't do that now anyway."

  "Yes and no. Catelli will try to portray the Highlanders as criminals, but the truth of the matter is that you could have crushed him and didn't. The whole Inner Sphere knows the reputation of the Northwind Highlanders. They know that the unit could blast a battalion of 'Consul Guards' to dust in a matter of minutes. The fact that Catelli and his people survived adds credibility to our side of the truth."

  "Well, at least we have that," Fuller said. Loren nodded, but in his heart he knew that it was the victors who decided what history would call truth.

  Glancing across the 'Mech bay Loren saw a tall slender figure that he recognized as Lieutenant Gomez making her way through the busy repair bay in record time. Within momerits she was standing in front of him, flashing a crisp salute. Jaffray returned it, taken off guard by the gesture.

  "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?"

  "Colonel MacLeod wants to meet with you on the parade field in the mobile HQ."

  Loren gestured for Gomez to lead, then fell into step, managing to keep up with her for most of the way over to the parade grounds.

  "Did your intel boys and girls have any luck finding traces of whatever it was the Davions had loaded into our 'Mech computers?"

  Gomez did not break stride or even turn to face him. "Yes, Major. Apparently it was a variant Ironclad-type virus, triggered by a three-character microwave transmission. According to Captain Dumfries of our Intel platoon, it loaded resident in the DI computers, giving us ghost images of enemy fire and telling the 'Mechs' myomer controls to simulate impacts and damage. Some copies also made their way into a handful of our tanks, but they weren't as sophisticated in simulating combat."

  "Did it do any more damage than that?"

  "No. About half our Command Company 'Mechs were infected with the virus plus about a third of our other 'Mechs. We're in the process of checking and purging the bug. It looks like a lone individual penetrated our security systems last night. Probably wearing infiltration gear to get by the guards and heat sensors. A re-check of our systems picked him up on only three of our motion detection cameras and even then it was only a faint trace in the dark. Fortunately there is no other evidence of other sabotage."

  "We were lucky," Loren said. What he didn't say was that a saboteur could cripple even the most powerful BattleMech if that person had the right tools and the right skills. Just such skills had been part of his own Death Commando training, and been put to use on more than one occasion.

  "Yes, sir. And sir—"

  "Lieutenant?"

  "Thank you, sir." It was obvious that the words were as sincere as they were hard for Gomez to utter. "Thanks for what?"

  "If not for your actions we'd have fallen into Colonel Catelli's trap."

  "We're not out of this yet, Lieutenant. But for what it's worth, you're welcome."

  18

  The Fort

  Tara, Northwind

  Draconis March, Federated Commonwealth

  24 September 3057

  The parade grounds had been converted into a staging area for MacLeod's Highlanders. In the center were gathered clusters of hover transports and trucks, while close to a full battalion of BattleMechs stood like perimeter guards at intervals around the grassy field. Larger trucks loaded with supplies were in the process of being checked and re-checked. Several platoons of infantry were busy cleaning and inspecting their weapons while others worked on the various ground tanks and hovercraft being prepared and loaded for an extended campaign. The remaining trimmed-down battalions of 'Mechs stood in perfect line formation being inspected by their pilots and field techs.

  MacLeod's Regiment, reorganized to make up for the troops that had followed Mulvaney, now consisted of roughly three short battalions and a mixed battalion of armor and infantry. It was just one of the ways the Colonel had swiftly responded to the situation, but it might not be enough for the coming fight.

  Gomez led Loren through a maze of vehicles and troops to the very center of the parade field, where several large vans arrayed with communications dishes and antennas were stationed. Loren knew immediately that this was the core of the regimental field HQ, and he followed the Lieutenant to one of the smaller vehicles. As they opened the door and stepped in, MacLeod greeted them heartily. "Major!"

  "Colonel. You wanted to see me, sir?"

  MacLeod beckoned Loren into the van, whose walls were covered from floor to ceiling with computer and communications gear. Three other Highlander officers in field fatigues were working at keyboards and consoles. Gomez immediately took a seat and joined them. MacLeod was standing at an electronic map similar to those in the War Room, this one a table model nearly two meters square.

  MacLeod shook Loren's hand firmly. "I need your eyes and mind in this strategy meeting. And, I wanted to thank you personally for what you did out there. Your quick thinking saved us."

  Loren nodded. What you don't know is that I only postponed the inevitable.

  Several other Highlander officers entered through another small doorway, their faces familiar from either the Cabel or Loren's time exploring The Fort. They huddled around the map as MacLeod assumed his station at the controls, all wearing the serious faces of men about to enter battle.

  "Gentlemen, for those of you who haven't met him, this is Major Jaffray. I've asked him here for his input." A flurry of hands extended across the table and Loren shook them firmly.

  MacLeod activated the map, and the plain white grid came to life in a flood of colors. Along the northern edge was the city of Tara. Running down from the western mountains was a river that flowed across the city and then poured into another, wider estuary just to the east of Tara. The wider river traveled south, then back west into the Rockspire range. Heavy woods, marshes, and other rugged terrain surrounded the city to the south, then gradually thinned out.

  "This is Tara and her surrounding terrain. At last report the Davions and Mulvaney were here," MacLeod said. A small red icon appeared on the map in the shape of a fist over a sunburst, symbol of the Federated Commonwealth. It was positioned nearly twelve kilometers southeast of the Kohler Spaceport heading south toward the wide river. "Given what Catelli was fielding against us and the troops that went with Mulvaney, we estimate them at a heavily reinforced battalion. Over two and a half companies of 'M
echs in mixed weight classes, four lances of ground armor, and six platoons of mechanized infantry."

  One of the officers, a short stocky Major whose name tag read "Huff," cut in. "It was a mixed bag of troops that went with Mulvaney, but we've filled out the ranks with the company we had stationed on the Kearny continent. We've completed our reorganization and are ready to go, sir."

  MacLeod stroked his beard and nodded. "Good. Now then, the real issue is how we want to deal with this situation. I've got some ideas, but I'd also like to hear yours."

  "Sir." One of the Captains, a man named Steed, leaned across the map as he spoke. "Several of us believe that the best approach might be to intercept them before they reach the Tilman River." He pointed to the wider river to the east of Tara. "We can use our aerospace assets to batter and whittle them down without having to commit our ground forces. We hit them before they can get to the river bed and use it like a highway upstream."

  MacLeod shook his head. "I was thinking along the same lines at first, but Major Huff and I realized that there's a problem. Our aerospace forces are scattered across the planet and word is just starting to reach them. Many of those lances might have gone over to Mulvaney, but for the time being they've opted to simply stand down at their bases.

  "And there's more. Two hours ago the face of this conflict changed, perhaps dramatically. One of our long-range interceptor patrols detected the arrival of JumpShips at our nadir jump point. They've begun to deploy DropShips from there, so we'll need the bulk of our space-fighter assets as combat air patrol in case this force is incoming Davion reinforcements. What I'll be holding back can provide us some support, but not enough to pull off the kind of bombing and strafing you envision, Major."

  "How many ships are we looking at, sir?" another Captain asked.

  "Unknown at this time. We've transmitted numerous messages, but thus far they've not communicated back. ID scans on their transponders show them as military transports, but not what they're carrying or if they plan to stay around. We have little choice but to assume that they're hostile.

  "And we've yet to scour other jump points in the system. I'm afraid that for a while we're going to need our aerospace fighters for possible protection of Northwind if this is some kind of Davion invasion force."

  "It might also be a diversionary force, sir," the Captain said. "Especially the way they're just sitting at the jump point right now. It's as if they're trying to bait us into going out there and taking a look. Then they lure off our fighters and hit us from a pirate jump point."

  MacLeod nodded agreement. "Very likely it is. But my hands are tied. We've only got limited fighter support to start with and I've got to view any incoming forces as potentially hostile. The Davions have controlled Northwind for three centuries, so chances are they know a number of ways in and out of the system. I have to assume those ships are genuine. If I don't we'd never be able to engage them in time to do any real damage."

  "Given that, how do you propose to take on Mulvaney and Catelli?" Huff asked.

  MacLeod pressed several control studs at the edge of the electronic map, expanding the viewing area by reducing the size of the image. Loren watched as the city of Tara shrank and more of the surrounding terrain came into view. The dark green area next to the red icon told him that this was the edge of a deep forest. Nearly sixty kilometers south of that was the thick blue streak labeled the Tilman River. It wound along the south edge of the map, eventually cutting back to the dark gray that was the long spine of the Rockspire Mountains to the west.

  MacLeod's small laser pointer cast a bright red point of light as he talked. "In thinking about the situation, the first question to answer was where in the hell are Mulvaney and Catelli going? Past the Tilman River and you're into wild country where you won't find a city or town for at least a week's travel. So, they wouldn't continue east because of the limited supplies they're carrying. Everything I saw indicated that Catelli hasn't provided for a protracted campaign against us."

  "The Castle then," Huff said flatly.

  MacLeod nodded. "It's the only place where they can hope to make a stand and survive. And there are enough parts and supplies there to make it worth their while."

  "Excuse me, sir, but what is The Castle?" Loren asked.

  A green point of light appeared in the middle of the Tilman River halfway along its westerly route toward the steep valleys of the Rockspires. 'The Castle was built by the Star League Defense Forces centuries ago. It's a heavily reinforced bunker complex of tunnels and accesses housed under the waterfalls of the river itself. We use it primarily as a fallback base of operations in the event we ever have to defend Northwind."

  "Why didn't you base your operations there instead of The Fort?"

  MacLeod stared at the map as he spoke. 'Three centuries of war and abuse have left the place in less than good condition."

  Major Huff pointed at the green spot of light. "What's really important, Jaffray, is that it's full of supplies, rations, parts, and ammo. With all those tunnel accesses, it will be damn tough to pry them out if Mulvaney and the Davions can get there. She could dig in and plant her butt there in perfect protection."

  "What about defense? What do you currendy have at The Castle?"

  Huff shook his head. "One platoon of infantry. But the platoon leader has sided with Mulvaney."

  Studying the map, Loren understood the logic. Using the wide river banks of the Tilman River, Mulvaney and the Davions can and Catelli could move quickly through the forest to the bunker complex. It's too easy. It's not her style of fighting at all. "Colonel, if I were Mulvaney, I'd never dig into one spot, no matter how good it is. Don't forget that we outgun them overall and are equipped for a long fight. I think I'd stay on the move, wear us down, only committing to a fight when absolutely necessary. Is there any other place she might try to break for instead?"

  MacLeod moved the pointer beam past The Castle and along the river as it snaked west. Then he slid it up across the light green and brown hills and into a pass in the Rockspires. A press of a control stud and another bright green ball of light appeared similar to that on The Castle. "The only other point she might try for is our training camp in the mountains. We have several other depots and bases on Northwind, but only these two have the kinds of supplies and parts that will do them any good. It's quite a trek, but the area is almost abandoned at this time of the year, with only a small infantry garrison to protect it. The camp has ample parts and supplies to keep their BattleMechs fielded and operational.

  "At first I thought that's where she'd head, but it's getting her forces up into the mountains from her current location that would be tricky. On a direct run from Tara, there's a highway that can get you up into the camp within three days. But right now they're heading the other way. Given the terrain they'd have to cross from their current position, it would take them weeks to reach the camp. That's why I ruled it out."

  Loren stared at the site and thought hard. From The Castle the trek north along the Tilman River's headwaters to the training camp was short but rugged. In his own career he'd earned a reputation for unorthodox tactics and strategies. Mulvaney had struck him as someone like him. The best bet, the safest move that she could make was the one that Colonel MacLeod anticipated, a break for The Castle. That was exactly why Loren was sure she would not do that at all.

  "Sir, if I were Major Mulvaney, I'd continue up the Tilman past The Castle and head for the camp in the mountains instead."

  "Why?" Huff countered. "It would take you twice as long to get here and would be tricky as hell to defend. With all due respect to Major Jaffray, I don't think he appreciates the terrain here. No way. She'll break for The Castle and dig in there."

  "I wouldn't do that at all if it were you and I fighting, Major Huff," Loren returned.

  "Because you'd keep on the move—yes, Jaffray, I heard you before."

  "No, Major Huff, I'd do it because you would expect me to."

  "Remember," injected a gray-hai
red Captain. "We're not just taking on Major Mulvaney, sirs. We're also taking on Catelli. Major Jaffray would have a good point if we were just going after Mulvaney, but Catelli is an old-school Davion. His career has been reduced to leading a band of paltry Consul Guards. If he was worth his salt they'd have kept him in the field commanding troops on the front line."

  Loren crossed his arms, not in defense but in deep thought. "The worst thing you can do with an enemy is underestimate him. Catelli holds the rank of Colonel and came very close to getting us to start an all-out war."

  This time it was Captain Steed who spoke up. "We're all grateful for your insights, Major Jaffray, but we mustn't forget that now we're fully fielded, outnumbering Mulvaney and Catelli nearly two to one. No matter what direction they go, they don't stand a chance."

  MacLeod's face darkened suddenly into a frown and he pounded his fist on the electronic map board. "Listen up and listen good. I think Jaffray's hit on something important, and we don't want to get too cocky about this. We may outnumber them, but history is full of cases where outnumbered troops have managed to pull off victories. Look at how many times units like Snord's Irregulars, the Kell Hounds, the Gray Death, or even the Black Thorns have managed to turn the odds in their favor, been outnumbered and turned sure defeat into victory. I have no desire to add Mulvaney or Catelli to that honor roll."

  "Understood, sir." Steed's face was red.

  "Good. I think Jaffray's ideas have merit, but at the moment our target is only a few days away from The Castle. Regardless of whether they continue on to the Rockspires, we have to make sure they don't get any troops into that complex."

  "Well, then, it's a race," Major Huff said, pointing to the river. "Once they get to those wide river banks they can move pretty rapidly. If we try to send even a company of light 'Mechs through the surrounding forests they'll probably beat us to The Castle. Our best bet is to lock into a pursuit mode and hit their butts as they move along the river."

  "My thoughts exactly," MacLeod returned. "I want First Battalion in the lead. Second Battalion will deploy its scout lances to First. The key to this is not to let Mulvaney and Catelli bog us down once we find them. Hit them and hit them hard. Run right through them. But we don't want to kill any Highlanders if at all possible. Cripple their BattleMechs, knock them senseless, but don't kill them unless it cannot be avoided. If I know the Major, she'll be giving her people the same orders."