Resurgence - Cataclysm Chapter 13
January 10th, 3153
Allied Fleets, New Avalon
2255
General Lee stands on the bridge, prepared for death. A nuclear warhead hitting the rear of the Refuge was simply not something the ship could withstand. Their best chance of survival is falling into the atmosphere if the ship wasn’t just entirely destroyed.
As he stands there, seconds from death, seeing a flash of light, there is no vibration, no screaming alarm klaxons. Confused, he looks around, the rest of the bridge in confusion as well. Multiple crewmen are murmuring and one is even hunched over a trash receptacle after vacating her stomach. “We aren’t dead yet, keep on fighting!” shouts Lee.
Turning to the ship Captain, “What was that?!” he says with much emphasis but not loud enough to unnerve the bridge further. Some of the other crewmen even started to throw up from the expectation of death and it not coming true. While it slightly breached good discipline, the Captain’s confused expression and shrugging of his shoulders is all that he could muster as a response.
“Sir! Multiple contacts directly on our position to the stern of the ship!” shouts a crewman.
“Get those rear cameras on the holopanels so we can see what the hell is going on!” Lee shouts back. A second later rear facing cameras display the view behind the ship and there is a somewhat round, shimmering effect. Ships are seemingly appearing out of nowhere. “Who are they?!”
***
Allied Fleets, New Avalon System
2255
“This better work Imala!” Dominic McKenna shouts as his Wusun accelerates toward the slip tear. He sees a glimmer, then rolls to the side. “Watch out, a missile just came out of the tear!” Behind him multiple other aerospace fighters dodge and luckily it misses any dropships aligned in the column as it hurdles off into space.
What seems like a shimmering puddle of water floating in space is his target as he leads the formation. As he gets closer, he can see a Swordship floating in the distance. Images dart by just beyond… aerospace fighters in dogfights. Energy weapons flashing in all directions…
He flies through, feeling some of the unease that comes with a normal jump aboard a jumpship but, not as bad. He rolls and banks hard, heading for the atmosphere. Directly in tow is a trinary of aerospace fighters to support him. Then dropships begin emerging and the column alternates between fighters and dropships.
“This is General Lee of Nomad Republic, who is this?!”
“This is Stormhawk Galaxy Commander Dominic McKenna of the Snow Ravens, we have arrived in your hour of need.”
Refuge, New Avalon System
2255
General Lee watches the holopanel in front of him as dozens of fighters and dropships and assault dropships are emerging behind the Refuge from seemingly nowhere; further baffled by the voice of Dominic McKenna, of a Snow Raven, coming through. How do they have the technology to do this? Could this be what saves us from this noose?
“Sir! It’s everyone! Snow Ravens, Ghost Bears, Capellans, and the Prince’s Champion’s dropship! The Red Sword!” Cheering erupts across the bridge as morale and hope restores. Other ship Captains are radioing in to ask what the hell is going on.
Going fleet wide, “All ship captains, continue to kill these bastards! Blake’s hellish light shall be extinguished!” Lee shouts, embracing his leadership position and encouraging the fleet with his strength.
A huge column of fighters and dropships are pouring down toward New Avalon, slicing a hole through any Blakists that dare stand in their way. Intermittently waves of fighters and assault dropships come through and bank in various directions to join the savaged defenders. Where Blakist fighters had closed the noose by killing the defenders, they are now being stretched thin.
However, not all is well. “Admiral Michael Saille! What is your situation?!” General Lee calls over. The warship is ablaze, fires covering it and many of the Battlemech defenders on the hull are gone.
A hacking voice comes back, “Lee… is Wallner, we are not going to make it… pods jettisoned with crew, going to try to take one with us, you have full command, out.”
“No, Wallner, we can get small craft to your ship! Wallner!” No response comes back.
Lee runs over to the starboard ferroglass and peers out toward the Warship as it begins to move toward one of the Swordships and accelerates to meet it in its rotation around the allied fleets. The seconds tick by as the Warship covers the kilometers of space between itself and the Swordship. As the Blakist vessel realizes what is unfolding, all weapons fire is focused on the Admiral Michael Saille. Absolutely shredding any remaining frontal armor and structure, devastating damage is dealt.
Attempting any emergency maneuvers fails as the Swordship’s size is too unwieldy. Impacting the Swordship on the side a gouge is torn through it. The ship begins to buckle under the kinetic force of the lateral impact. As the ships continue scraping on each other the Admiral Michael Saille drifts lower and toward the planet, beginning to fall into the atmosphere. The Swordship’s movement slows, trying to gain some distance from the battle. Stormhawk Assault Dropships see their prey as soon as they emerge from the slip tear and bank at maximum velocity, barracudas and kraken missiles being loosed on the damaged Swordship.
Lee can see explosions tearing into the Swordship above as the Michael Saille falls further and further into the atmosphere, slowly vanishing in the storm…
***
Allied Cavalry Formation, New Avalon
2300
Flying very fast but at a tempered pace the formation looking to save the First Prince and New Avalon pierce the clouds. “Red Sword do you have coordinates for the First Prince?” asks Dominic as he navigates the raging storm.
“Roger Storm Zero, he was last seen at the Palace grounds where Phase Line Bravo reaches the wall. He set Nav Tango as his last Nav Point designation. Information is now uploaded to your HUD, over.”
“Aff, accelerating now, we should arrive in minutes.” Dominic accelerates his Wusun forward. Sporadic dogfights are taking place all around him, he fires some lasers or missiles to try to save a Federated Suns or Nomad Republic pilot when he can but the First Prince is the primary objective. This Blakist corridor formation has unleashed everything it has and the allied forces need to meet that and fast to salvage the defense.
“Storm Zero, be aware for debris path from ship to your starboard side.” One of Dominic’s starmates warns. He quickly looks back and through the storm clouds and he sees a massive flaming object moving at free fall. Small, flaming pieces are constantly falling away from it as it plummets toward the planet.
That must be a Warship… Dominic returns his focus to his current objective. As he looks ahead, chunks of flaming debris fly past him. Seconds later he breaches the bottom of the clouds as the column of fighters and dropships follow him in. Still kilometers from the surface he can see the atrocity taking place as energy weapons are flashing back and forth with flashes of explosions going off. Stretching a huge distance from the Palace grounds out and between the two cities of Barrington and Avalon City lays the savage fighting.
“This is an open call to all Federated Suns forces, where is your Prince?” Dominic calls on the channel designated previously by Erik.
“Who is this?” a female voice calls back.
“Stormhawk Galaxy Commander Dominic McKenna, who is this?”
“This… Shiv, the First Pr… XO, sending… coordinates now, … help here!”
“Aff, we are en route, designating targets, make sure your forces know we are allied, Storm Zero out.” As his column of fighters and dropships get closer and closer to the surface they begin to break off into smaller formations. The Red Sword with the Prince’s Champion onboard veers off and directly toward the location designated by the First Prince’s XO. Continuing to try to prod their column the Blakist fighters are now encountering Clan Snow Raven pilots giving as good as they get and more.
Dominic spots a pair of Omegas and designates them as the primary targets for his command trinary as it is a strong position near Nav Tango. They swoop down and begin strafing the position. Missiles and lasers tear into the Blakists atop the hill. A level II acting as guards around it begin trying to return fire as they start backpedaling toward Barrington.
***
Red Sword, Phase Line Bravo
New Avalon
2310
The emergency maneuvers by the Overlord dropship are not something just any Captain and crew can pull off. Changing course and using the thrusters in the most efficient manner to achieve a low altitude landing is taxing on the crew and ship. However, this landing is to try to find the First Prince, try to save the First Prince.
Upon righting itself and completing the final landing sequence, the Overlord’s weapons systems begin to wreak havoc. All along Phase Line Bravo, what appeared to be a decisive Blakist victory in the making is now being torn at mercilessly. A column of dropships starts hot dropping Mechs and Battle Armor the entire length of the Phase Line. Dropships landing behind the Federated Suns and Nomad Republic position use their weapons as daunting masses of supporting fire.
Erik sits in his heavy Battlemech, a Lancelot. He makes a statement on the open channel, “Federated Suns and Nomad Republic troops, this is Prince’s Champion Erik Sandoval-Groell. The Capellan Confederation, Clan Snow Raven, and Clan Ghost Bear have come to cast out the Blakists!” That should intimidate the damned Blakists. The Overlord groans as it completes the landing. Looking across the bay he can see the mech he brought just across the way. Your warrior will be back to you soon… The first light of a flash of lightning appears through a crack as the hangar ramps begin to lower away from the ship. He steps forward and moves toward the opening.
Once the dropship ramps hit the thick mud, rage explodes forth. From the Red Sword three mechs burst out of the hangar with more Battlemechs emerging behind them. A Lancelot, Black Knight, and Karhu rush toward the designated coordinates and before them they can see what remains of a Marauder II on its back, with a Legacy looking down on the still mech. Erik fires his Improved Heavy Large Laser and it slices through the Legacy’s right torso to sear off an Ultra Autocannon 10.
The mech turns in surprise as the Karhu rushes it, driving its retractable blade into the Blakist mech’s gut. Adding to the combined attack the Black Knight fires two ER large lasers and sheers off the Legacy’s right arm. Punching back at the Karhu with its left arm, the Legacy deals damage to the Karhu’s right torso but the clean armor takes the hit with ease.
“I’ve got him!” shouts Danai from her Black Knight as it slides into a kneeling position through the thick mud. She wraps her mech around the cockpit. There are sparks going off inside with some flashing alarm lights but, she cannot see movement. Columns of flame begin lowering down around her Black Knight as Dynasty Guard Mechwarriors land from a hot drop above. They begin clearing the nearby area, saturating already damaged Blakist mechs with fire. A Yu Huang leads its lance – a Lao Hu, Ti Ts'ang, and Yao Lien - directly into a Vanquisher and Grigori.
Continuing to battle the Legacy point blank, Lars’ Karhu leaps in the air and drives the retractable blade into the Legacy’s remaining shoulder autocannon, tearing it off. As the Legacy brings up its left arm to try to attack, his Karhu’s PPC impacts right under the Blakist’s cockpit. Waves of blue energy ripple across the ferroglass as the fusion engine shuts down from the direct hit. Toppling over, the Legacy falls on its side.
As it falls, his Command Star joins and pushes forward with him, adding to the carnage unleashed by the Dynasty Guard. Joining Lars, the Kodiak, Kodiak II, Arcas, and Bruin begin punching holes in the Blakist forces.
Together, the surviving FedSuns and Nomads, now with Ghost Bears, Capellans, and Snow Ravens work together, tearing apart the Blakists across the entirety of Phase Line Bravo. The allied forces begin to take control of the ground and skies forcing the invaders to break and flee back into Barrington.
Erik’s Lancelot quickly moves up to Danai’s Black Knight which is still holding around the Marauder II’s cockpit as a shield. A number of Battle Armor troopers from the Overlord make it over to their position. Some Ghost Bear Wraith Battle Armor are escorting a FedSun Maxim with medical personnel to check the mech. As the medics climb up to the cockpit they peer inside. Danai and Erik are holding their breath, hoping they made it in time.
Their flashlights find Julian’s neurohelmet with significant damage to it from the impacts. Inside it they can see his eyes fluttering from the brightness. He lets out a groan. “He’s alive!” The medic shouts as he reaches inside the broken ferroglass panel tries to open the cockpit. It doesn’t budge from the damage earlier. A Wraith climbs up and orders, “Move aside!” as the startled tech shifts. The Wraith’s claws dig in around the cockpit ferroglass’ perimeter supports and rips the entire canopy off, throwing it away from the mech. The medic climbs inside. Standing on the console and back of the cockpit the medics start to undo the straps and unhook Julian from his mech. Each of the medics and likely even Julian are thankful that Danai is keeping her Black Knight’s hands over the cockpit like an umbrella from the rainfall.
As they hoist Julian up and out of the cockpit they hear some dragging sounds through the mud and look. It is a Victor that is missing its right arm, most of its frontal armor, and has a leg that is little more than a seized peg leg. Its head is severely damaged, most of the ferroglass missing. Siobhan holds her Victor’s left hand up to give a ‘thumb’s up’ implying her radio is scrapped. By now, the battle lines had shifted significantly toward Barrington and much of the violence was a hundred meters away and gaining.
Lowering the First Prince down to a hover gurney they are interrupted by a couple gunshots and screaming. Out of instinct the medics dive over the First Prince and the Wraiths create a small defensive perimeter. The way the Legacy had fallen, its back is toward the Marauder II, Lancelot, and Black Knight. However, Siobhan’s Victor can see the commotion as she turns and takes aim with her left arm lasers.
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Soon after, a point of Gnome Battle Armor walk around the dead Legacy with a captive. A very angry female Mechwarrior is being carried back to the Overlord. As the Maxim is loading up Julian, who is barely conscious but coming a little bit around, Lars’ Karhu approaches the group. Using the command channel, “We have the Blakists on the run. Some of the fighting further North has not subsided yet but, they are outnumbered severely and our forces are closing in. Dominic McKenna’s fighters control the skies and reports that the massive fireball much further North is the Admiral Michael Saille.” He pauses as he stops next to Siobhan’s Victor and Erik’s Lancelot. Danai’s Black Knight rises to its feet with her Dynasty Guard lance shield her back. “Is he… alive?” Lars asks.
“Yes, all thanks to all of you for your aid in our time of need.” Responds Erik as he torso twists his Lancelot to look at each of the warriors around him. Danai has her Black Knight give a bow, then turns to meet with the Dynasty Guard warriors. Siobhan begins limping toward the Overlord behind the Maxim. Lars raises his Karhu’s right arm into the air and extends the retractable blades with a sharp sound before turning to join his own Ghost Bear warriors. The star breaks into a sprint toward the new battle lines at the edge of the city, thirsty for the blood of their prey.
Erik moves his Lancelot back to the Red Sword where a number of FedSun Mechwarriors are standing guard. As he reaches the bottom of the ramp he finds a damaged Dire Wolf, Prometheus walking up flanked by two Vulpes Battlemechs, each showing battle scars. “Did he make it?” Kitsune asks over the direct channel.
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“So far, so good, thank you for being here.”
“Have you seen a Doloire? Lady Joy? We cannot find her.” Kitsune says with concern.
Erik and Kitsune turn their mechs to look across the field of carnage. The rain has lightened up a little bit but the lightning strikes continue to land. Erik orders the Gnome Battle Armor troopers to join other teams to hunt for the lost Doloire. “We will find her, Kitsune. The Federated Suns will honor our allies.”
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With the area as secure as it can be, Erik takes command of the defense. Reconstituting Phase Line Bravo, he works with Dominic, Danai, and Lars to have their forces deployed. He rotates worn units from Phase Line Bravo to Charlie and brings in fresh units from various merc companies such as the Wild Geese and Black Knight Legion.
The next morning the leaders have all assembled at the Palace infirmary to discuss the current situation with the Blakists. By then the storm has calmed to a small drizzle and there is a constant, easy wind blowing through the Palace grounds.