by Fanpro
The others thought about it and then discarded the idea. They could see no reason for Sirayuki to try to trap them. The only motive would be if he had reason to believe the mercenaries were not loyal to him. Everyone at the meeting assured everyone else that they'd never considered cutting another deal after the first few days. On this point all were quite adamant.
"Well, it looks like Sirayuki has competition," Vost said. "So, let's see what the others have to offer. It can't hurt."
Pesht contemplated the toes of his boots. "What about beating the bushes for the others? I mean, if we can sit here doing nothing and still find competition for the Usugumo, how many others might be out there? Why not take a look? Maybe we've been too sedentary. Maybe we need to do some looking."
Everyone fell silent for a moment. They'd all been thinking the same thing for at least half the meeting, and now someone had verbalized their thoughts. They agreed. Perhaps, said Vost, they should stage a demonstration to show exactly what the 'Mechs could do. Smiles and agreement.
The following morning, even before the first rays of the sun rising had touched the glacis of the mercenary bastion, the full team assembled. They came as individuals, each one drifting through the predawn darkness to rendezvous at the entrance. Silently the ground crew took up defensive positions within the covered way. Silently the pilots conducted the last pre-op checks on the great BattleMechs. As sunlight began to dapple the forward slope of the bastion, all three monsters came to life. In an explosive roar that reverberated within the fortress and then from the walls of Usugumo, all three 'Mechs cleared the walls and began their violent sales pitch to those interested in absolute power.
They cruised north at forty kilometers per hour, an easy pace for all three 'Mechs. They bypassed Amatukaze in the early dawn, the guards at the gate agape as they watched the metal monsters stride past. An hour later they assembled before the walls of Osio.
The fortifications were laid out as regular works: bonnettes, ravelins, lunes, and demi-lunes protecting the main rampart. The works were unmanned because there was plenty of time to reach the works before any adversary could storm the glacis and counterscarp. It was a perfect place for a 'Mech demonstration.
Vost did not want to kill people, just destroy property. Killing would only lead to hard feelings on the part of the survivors. A vendetta might follow. That was not the point of the exercise. Vost merely wanted prospective employers to see what 'Mechs could really do. He wasn't even interested in having the LAM go airborne. They'd already demonstrated the LAM's abilities; doing so again would serve no purpose. Besides, Seagroves was already cocky enough, already being hailed as a hero. The LAM would walk.
Seagroves was not happy about the situation, but he accepted it. He was perfectly aware of the fuel gauge on the dashboard, and didn't want to waste fuel if it wasn't necessary. He mused idly about re-routing the energy from the Allied 250 fusion core into the AVRTech 125 jet propulsion system. Tami Wilson, the chief tech still with the mercenaries, had been thinking about the problem, but she'd need help from Yaputi and perhaps even Mark Jacobs. Unfortunately, both had decided to remain with Takuda. Seagroves shrugged. Yaputi and Jacobs would be on the team once the real bidding for services began. He settled into the cockpit seat and traversed the wall section looking for a good target.
As planned, Pesht and the Javelin began the demonstration. All the 'Mechs stood within range of the 'Mech's short-range missile systems, another decision by Vost. He was not interested in demonstrating the range of the lasers and PPC. It would be more spectacular for the 'Mechs to work together on a target. They could save range as an added fillip for when it really counted.
Pesht began by making single shots with the left SRM pack. There was an explosion and then the blast of an arcing missile. The first one struck square on the glacis of a bastion, exploding like a bright flower against the stonework. Pieces of the outer face peeled away, hurtling through the morning air. The second missile struck the exposed under-surface and burrowed deeply before detonating. A muffled explosion, a fountain of rubble. Another missile struck home. Another cascade of flying debris.
By the time the sixth missile was on its way, the parapet had disintegrated. A gaping breach had been blown through it, turning it to smoking rubble. The Javelin waited for the clouds of dust to settle. As the smoke cleared, Pesht ripple-fired the other SRM system, the Javelin's chest exploding in a ball of continuous fire as it launched its six short-range weapons from their internal racks. The back blast of the launch swirled around the cockpit.
The incoming missiles passed through the breach and struck, one after the other, the rear wall of the bastion. A continuous roar as missile after missile hit the churning, boiling, glowing chaos. Great slabs of stone hurtled through the clouded air. A shower of debris pattered down over a radius of several hundred meters. Then silence.
Vost waited for the last bit of dust to clear. The bastion was a smoldering heap of rubble. Fiery pockets still glowed along the wing walls, erupting into sudden columns of flame as some portion of the gate, ladders, or hoardings took fire. The place was uninhabitable. Even to the untrained eye—and there were many now gathered on the main parapet—it was a sure and certain fact that no one could have survived the attack. Vost pushed forward on the throttle and let his Panther step over the covered way and into the bastion.
He swung the 'Mech's torso back and forth, raising the right arm. He let the PPC traverse the top of the parapet, watching with satisfaction as the crowd of onlookers scattered for safety. Then he steadied the cross hairs on a small ravelin standing at some distance, yet too close for the PPC to really demonstrate its ability. He swung the sight system to the right. There, outlined by the rays of the slanting sun was the upper tower of the Osio castle. He checked the sensor system; someone was in the tower. He watched. The person didn't move. Too bad, he thought. But it wasn't his intention to injure anyone who might yet become a client, so he let the cross hairs drift to the right and triggered the PPC. An incandescent streak shot past the edge of the tower, nicking, ever so slightly, the flaring roof.
The effect was immediate. The figure in the tower failed morale. Vost could see the glowing mark descend from the tower. A very fast descent. Probably running. Vost let the figure disappear beyond an intervening rooftop, then swung his sights to the center of the tower. The PPC roared again, ripping the tower apart in a shower of stone and dust.
38
The explosion could be heard as far away as the DEST headquarters. Takuda had received a report that the mercenary 'Mechs had passed his location at dawn, but he hadn't followed them, assuming they were moving to another enclave as part of some deal. Now he could hear the chatter of Tetatae voices outside his door.
The curtain of the command post was swept aside as Parker Davud burst in. "There's a lot of shooting at Osio, Commander. They must really be tearing the place to pieces. You can feel the force of the explosions through the ground. Could be a full-scale attack."
"But why Osio?" Takuda asked, rhetorically. "They've never attacked the Osio before. Until now they've always hit the Amatukaze, and always with the ground forces. They've never attacked an enclave. Something's changed."
The two men pushed outside to find the camp in a state of confusion. The Tetatae were running for the shelter of the deeper woods, the members of the host tribe trying to maintain some kind of control. Over the thundering sound of hundreds of running Tetatae feet could be heard the screeching of those in search of ... something. Takuda watched in amazement. Why, he wondered, were people in panic always interested in getting to the other side of the area? Those who were on the left wanted to seek shelter on the right. Those who were on the right wanted to seek shelter on the left. Front to rear, rear to front. It never seemed that those in one area were willing to seek shelter there. And why were the children always separated from their mothers by the greatest distance at the moment of panic? The DEST commander stood and watched. At last the scattering Tetatae reached
some kind of stasis and the movement came to an abrupt halt.
"I have them on the IR sensor, sir," said Ariake Sanae. She gestured to the long-range I/R scanner system she'd rigged to a salvaged 'Mech secondary screen. She and Mark Jacobs, the inveterate tinkerer and former JumpShip engineer, had bashed together the rig. By cross-feeding an anode with the divergent screen-sorting matrix, they'd built a crude, long-range system that could sense infrared spectrum out to the horizon. They'd set the array on top of a hill behind the DEST position, which put all three enclaves at the limit of its range. It wasn't a portable piece, and it required constant fine-tuning, but it did at least give them early-warning capability. Its primary use was against possible attacks by the LAM. With the LAM's top speed of nine hundred kilometers per hour, it could be on them from the city in five minutes or less. Not much time to react, but certainly better than nothing. Sanae swung the screen down so that Takuda could see the developing action.
Amorphous glowing dots, the 'Mechs were faintly visible on the screen. The blast of the PPC, obviously from the Panther, streaked the phosphorescence of the surface. Takuda stared at the display. The 'Mechs weren't doing anything rational. They were just standing outside the walls of Osio and proceeding to blast them to rubble. He could see the outline of the destroyed targets still pulsating with heat from the beating they were taking. The LAM was in its 'Mech mode, stalking back and forth in front of the walls. A great section of the outer works leaped into relief as the laser hosed down a section. The 'Mechs weren't even attempting to enter the city.
"Looks like they're selling something to the Osio," mused Davud. "I'd say they're trying to convince them to be good boys in the future. I wonder what got them so bent out of shape?"
"Nothing! Nothing did!" exclaimed Takuda. "You were right the first time, Parker. They're selling something. Look! None of the Usugumo forces had moved. Not a sign of them anywhere. The 'Mechs are just out demonstrating their wares. They're looking for another bidder. They're up there advertising their abilities." He stepped back from the screen and shook his head. "This could be unfavorable. We know that there are bidders in the other enclaves; some of them have already approached us. Vost and his people are trying to see what they can do. Unfavorable. Unfavorable for all of us."
Takuda knew that he wasn't the only one among the DEST group who'd been tapped for a deal. Knyte and Arsenault had reported being contacted by humans who'd offered to hire them to fight for one or more of the enclaves. He also knew from talking with Sanae that at least one group was willing to freelance the situation. Evidently Vost was beating the brush to see what else he could scare up. A bidding war was about to start, and the losers would be ground to pieces by the winners.
"We've got to stop them!" exclaimed Takuda, punching his right fist into his left palm. "If Vost accomplishes what he set out to do, the whole situation will be out of control. Vost goes to the highest bidder, and he can hold all the enclaves hostage. It will set everyone against everyone else. It's the perfect mercenary environment. Mister Davud," he said, turning toward his aide. "Call up the Locusts. Let's see what we can do to slow him down."
Ten minutes later the two Locust 'Mechs strode into the clearing around the command bunker, the Tetatae scampering and scurrying around them, oblivious to the danger of being squashed by the foot of a twenty-ton 'Mech. Goodall and Jacobs opened their emergency hatches and looked down at their commander, both pilots grinning with excitement. This was the first time they'd been in action since the disastrous attack by the combined Usugumo-'Mech force more than a week before. Jacobs was confident of his ability to control and fight his Locust, and happy that now he'd get the chance.
They'd debated whether to train Bustoe up to operational standards, but Goodall had finally convinced Takuda that Jacobs was the best choice. Bustoe had other duties, responsibilities, and assets that Jacob could not duplicate. Now Jacobs was ready for a demonstration of what he had relearned. All the old training, gained so long ago from his father, would be put to the test. The last thing Goodall had said to him before closing down the hatch had been the timeworn reminder to 'Mech pilots: "There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots. But there are no old, bold pilots." Jacobs had shrugged off the injunction and fired up the 160 LTV fusion drive system.
There was a sudden roar at the edge of the clearing as a machine churned its way into the tiny space. Exhaust fumes and steam boiled from the device, and its wheels flayed the ground, throwing up great clods of dirt. The thing rumbled to a stop between the two 'Mechs. Panting and wheezing, it stood there trembling like a wet dog. The hatch opened and out popped the grinning faces of Parker Davud and Topi.
"I've brought reinforcements!" shouted Davud above the whoosh and whine of the engine. "Topi and I have been working on it ever since she stole it from the Usugumo. Not much firepower, but Sanae can give us the missile launcher for the top. She can even come along to fire it. And Johan, too, as a sniper. You never know when one really great shot might make a difference."
Takuda stared in amazement. He had forgotten all about the vehicle that Knyte had used in his escape from Usugumo. There was no way it would be of any use in the upcoming fight. It could only make the casualty figures on the DEST side that much higher. He shook his head in disbelief and as a negative response. "I cannot allow it," he said to the sorrowful Davud. "It wouldn't add much to the fight."
"Sure it will," said Davud brightly. "They won't expect it, and we can get in close. We can do it. Really we can. Please let us try." Davud looked around the assembled DEST members. "We won't take anyone who doesn't volunteer."
There was a chorus of response from those around him. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to go. Better, reasoned Takuda, to send them out in something like this than to risk them out there as individuals. He nodded his assent.
* * *
Vost had placed his forces in front of the main gate to Amatukaze. The demonstration at Osio had gone better than he could have expected. The population had been duly terrified, fleeing like panicked chickens before the advance of the 'Mechs. After the Javelin's volley of short-range missiles and the PPC fire from the Panther, the LAM had walked into the dry moat, using its laser battery to destroy selected targets with pinpoint accuracy. It had all been both spectacular and appalling to those unfamiliar with the modern firepower wielded by a 'Mech.
Rather than continue destroying Osio, Vost moved off to deal with the Amatukaze. There was no use, he knew, in destroying so much that any possible employers wouldn't have any money left over after the task of repairing their city. The religious enclave was next on the list. They had plenty of money and the will to spend it.
Once they arrived, the Javelin stepped forward first. As at Osio, a vacant bastion would be the target of their demonstration. The main rampart was thick with people, and the white-light vision screen showed the flash of religious artifacts. The first short-range missile smashed into the glacis, the explosion sending slabs of stone scything through the air. Vost watched with satisfaction as he settled back into the command seat and waited. The screech of the intruder-warning klaxon suddenly broke his shortlived reverie. He glanced at the secondary screen to see where within the enclave a hostile force had been detected. At first, nothing. Then he saw it: a series of three I/R signatures approaching from the rear. The DEST team had come out to play.
Vost snapped a series of orders over the commlink, and his people turned away from the walls of Amatukaze. They had range and firepower over the advancing DEST forces, and he planned to use both. The LAM would again be grounded, over the strenuous protests of Seagroves. But fuel for the jet propulsion unit was still a problem, and they currently had no need for the additional speed and maneuverability of the airborne version of the 'Mech. Better, thought Vost, to just slug it out on the ground.
Takuda's two Locusts had been counting on surprise to get in close enough to do damage before the mercenaries' armor and the volume of fire could turn the tide against them. But the moment Goodal
l had cleared the edge of the woods and had the enemy 'Mechs on her I/R screen, she saw that the Javelin and Phoenix Hawk were moving toward her instead of facing the walls of the enclave. The Panther outranged the Locusts two to one, which gave the Locusts scant hope of doing significant damage to the 'Mech before the others closed.
The Locust was a light 'Mech that relied on speed and surprise. With surprise lost, its only hope was to move fast and keep moving, hoping to throw off an enemy 'Mech's targeting computers. The great advantage of the BattleMech, commanded by an experienced pilot, over the circuitry of the computer was that the human was completely unpredictable. But as the range dropped, there came a time when a mere point-and-shoot system was deadly. No matter how erratically the Locust moved, the Panther would be able to bring the heavy PPC to bear before the Locust could reach its maximum range. Then it was all over for the Locust. Goodall called for a swift retreat.
Though she was able to make the transition from attack to retreat in a single step, Jacobs was not so swift. Whether it was inexperience or foolhardiness made no difference. Before Jacobs could swing the 'Mech behind the trees, the Panther PPC caught the light 'Mech square in the torso. A fountain of incandescent armor boiled off the front of the smaller machine, and the Locust staggered backward under the ferocity of the hit. As Jacobs and the Locust toppled to the rear, his career as a pilot would have come to an abrupt end had Parker Davud not driven the tank against the back of the falling machine's legs.
The shock of the PPC hit and the weight of the tank twisted the Locust completely about, and by the time Jacobs regained control of his staggering 'Mech, he was headed in the right direction. He jammed the throttle against the forward stops, and the Locust bounded off into the woods dripping molten armor and trailing servo coils.
