Resurgence - Cataclysm Chapter 23 War Party 5
February 15th, 3153
Stone, Mech Hangar
Endurnyja City Spaceport, Kentares IV
1000
“I’ve gathered all of you here today to decide how to proceed. The last month of R&R has allowed us to bolster supplies, components and ammunition. Of course, one of the best parts of this has been the general morale boost. We even found some Dawn Guards and RAF personnel looking for their own new home. Thankfully the number of dependents that have joined War Party is less than twenty.” Jonah rolls his eyes as the other leaders laugh at the classic trope of servicemen falling in love at a port stop.
After allowing the laughter to go on for a few seconds, followed by the usual crass jokes shared by the men and women present, Jonah waves his hands to silence the laughing. “Anyway, we are now at the critical juncture where we can vote on a decision, push through all the way to our destination or aim to stop for a final liberty port call on a periphery world like Abbeville. Those in favor of pushing through, show of hands.” The decision is unanimous to push through and out of the Inner Sphere.
“Get this wagon train over with!” shouts Callandre, causing more merriment among those present.
“I will take that as a vote for the Kell Hounds.” Responds Jonah with a smile. “How about Seychelles Stonehearts, you need any last-minute gear?”
“Negative Exarch, I am ready for our new home.” Reynard Seychelles responds.
“Cheetahs, how are you looking Mia and Jack? Justin?” Pointing at the three of them, Jonah asks.
Jack answers, “We are ready to go, Exarch.”
With a nod, Jonah moves over to Oathmaster Kisho Nova Cat, who answers first, “Aff, Exarch the Nova Cats are ready.” Jonah nods but Kisho adds, “I did not need a vision to know your question.” Again, in the driest of humor as he has done before. Callandre nearly dies laughing with the loudest belly laugh as Kisho remains calm and looking straight forward at the Exarch. Jonah crosses his arms and lowers his head to hide his smile as everyone else is covering their mouths or looking away silently laughing.
“He is going to give you a run for your money dropping bombs like that, Callandre.” States Reynard very matter-of-factly.
“Ok, ok. Everyone settle down.” Jonah tries to calm the group as they regain their composure. He looks around the hangar and can see the techs and Mechwarriors watching with smiles on their faces and even some of the closer ones cracking up. This is the kind of morale we need. Leaving the Inner Sphere is going to have a profound impact on many and they may not realize it yet.
Jonah finally looks to Janella, “Lady Lakewood, how is War Party looking?”
“Exarch, the Custos confirmed with me this morning that the Fidelis are prepped. War Party is ready and awaiting orders.” She states with the utmost confidence.
“Then everyone return to your dropships and prepare for liftoff. We will clear it with the port authority and depart within the hour.” Jonah finishes and the group starts to pair up or go toward the hangar ramp. He is about to join the Paladins and Knights as they move toward the lift but, he spots Kisho Nova Cat standing a few meters back from the hangar ramp, staring out at Endurnyja.
As Jonah steps up beside him, the Oathmaster begins speaking, “Exarch, do you remember the visions I mentioned to you the night of the ceremony when we first met?”
“Yes, of course. Something as deep as that stays with you. I still wonder what the sword represents.” Jonah says as he looks out of the hangar. He can just make out the tip of the Kentares Memorial and can see the HPG station.
“There is more to the vision. While the sword is piercing the House and Clan emblems I can hear laughter, though I could not tell from who. My humor has been timed for a purpose because it is always a cheerful group.” Jonah turns and watches him speak. “Today that laugh was exactly the same from Callandre as in the vision. What follows after the sword pierces the emblems and the laughter is a bright flash and beam of light from one star to another.” Kisho points out of the hangar toward the HPG.
As Jonah looks, he can see a light he had not seen during their time on the planet. He squints to make sure he is not looking at glare. He blinks forcefully to confirm what he is seeing. A loud screeching sound echoes through the city; barely audible by the time it reaches the spaceport. The dish begins to rotate and move. “You have got to be kidding me.” Jonah says aloud in shock. He barely realizes that the Oathmaster has begun descending the ramp. He walks over and calls down to him, “Oathmaster, how?”
Turning back to Jonah, Kisho simply responds, “Exarch, it is time for us to become the shield to deflect the sword, my Nova Cats are ready.” He then walks down the ramp and toward his own dropship.
***
February 15th, 3153
Stone, War Room
Endurnyja City Spaceport, Kentares IV
1030
“Duke Dresari, I greatly appreciate the call. Seeing the HPG move is shocking.” Jonah states toward the hologram of the Duke.
“It is my pleasure. The Republic has been a cherished friend to Kentares. We have felt no safer than the last month your fleet has been in our system. And due to your patronage, much of our population has thrived.” Dresari responds humbly.
“It has been excellent speaking to you for the past month and learning more and more about Kentares. We are preparing to lift off; this was an unexpected conversation considering our farewells yesterday?” Jonah is trying to inquire why there is such a late communication.
“It seems that you’ve got mail. I am forwarding you an HPG message that is Alpha priority.”
“And it is not just backlogged communications? I see it loading to our network now.” Jonah informs the Duke.
“This is dated today and by the office of the First Prince and a General Lee from New Avalon directly.” After a slight pause, Dresari continues. “By the looks of the rest of the information coming in all of that equipment you brought onboard will soon be put to use. Godspeed Exarch, now is the time we would have needed Stone’s Republic the most.” As Jonah nods respectfully the Duke cuts the line.
This is extremely surprising. He sits down at the head of the war room table by himself and he presses play. He can see General Lee standing next to a male and female pair of familiar AFFS officers, it clearly appears to be an AFFS office. Lee is supposed to be building our new home; how would he be on New Avalon?
“Exarch, we have sent this message to several worlds in the hopes that you will see it before stumbling onto any of the invasion forces.” Begins General Lee.
Invasion forces?!
“New Avalon hangs by a thread. Beside me is Prince’s Champion Erik Sandoval-Groell and Marshal of the Armies Siobhan Sortek. Do not go to the spinward periphery. I implore you to come to New Avalon, this is where Homefleet is.” Jonah pauses the message and looks around the room they are standing in. There is rubble on the ground and the general state of the room appears to be damaged. Pressing play again, Jonah listens.
“Stone’s… The Republic’s arch-enemy has attacked. After thriving in the deep periphery… The Word of Blake has returned.”
Jonah pauses before the timer ends the message and is left frozen. No… Not again… He is staring at the spot on the holotable as though he had seen a ghost. Seeing some movement through his peripherals toward the hatch for the war room he quickly seals the door and activates the blackout function of the ferroglass panels, darkening the room. He hears the creak of someone trying to open the door. He can make out Janella’s voice, “He may have something to take care of, let’s strap in out here during liftoff.”
Continuing to remain frozen, his mind races between war strategy, where the Jihad records are in the network, which records to even review, the atrocities that must have been committed so far, the Word of Blake is already on New Avalon, what Homefleet may have already experienced, what new horrors the Word of Blake has already unleashed. Well, they aren’t dead by a chemical weapon yet…
Rumbling echoes through the ship as the vertical thrusters begin to lift Stone from the spaceport on Kentares IV. He switches to external feeds to see the Kell Hounds, Nova Cats, and Stonehearts own dropships lifting off. I hope the high morale can buffer the horrors to come…
The Conquistador begins to accelerate horizontally and lifts towards the atmosphere while the other dropships join the formation. He takes these moments of peace before he must inform his command that they are now at war. Hitting the key to deactivate the blackout functions of the ferroglass he looks out to Janella, Mason, Ariana, and Justin. Some have smiles and they are all talking. They are at peace. They think that they are about to leave the corruption of the Inner Sphere for good. Instead, we are about to be neck deep in a war worse than the one our grandparents fought in.
An orange glow covers the bridge’s ferroglass canopy as the Conquistador gains altitude through the atmosphere. Finally, it subsides and the ships reach space. A wing of fighters close in around the ships as escorts for the half day travel to meet with the rest of the fleet. Once they arrive, the fleet will join the formation and they will proceed to the jump point.
Jonah keys in the data to show a new path toward New Avalon. If everything goes well and the recharge stations can take them, thirty-one days is the earliest they can arrive at the planet, March Eighteenth is displayed on the corner of the holotable with the newly charted course.
Jonah unseals the hatch and stands up, turning his back to it and the holotable. He raises his gaze and looks toward the overhead. Janella hears the click on the hatch and leads the three others into the war room. As they enter one by one, they greet the Exarch. Each begins to notice the new jump plans visible on the table and the hologram of two AFFS officers and General Lee. Looking with curious eyes they see the date and the path to New Avalon.
“Sir?” Mason asks.
Jonah turns slightly and presses another button that presents the message to the entire table, General Lee’s voice begins relaying the message. He immediately reseals the hatch and blacks out the room’s ferroglass again. As it begins to play the Exarch returns to his chair to watch the faces of his command staff. Each face shows something different, each person wanted something different, and now all of them will suffer the consequences of past inaction.
Janella covers her mouth, her eyes welling up. She is looking at Mason.
Mason’s face goes blank, expressionless as he stares at the hologram figures. He holds the blank expression that one might think an inferno of rage has flared up internally.
Ariana leans back in her chair and puts her hands on her head, looking at the overhead as Jonah was.
Justin puts his elbows on the holotable, his hands together and presses his lips against them.
No one says anything after the message ends. They are all feeling the weight of this news.
The first one to act is Justin Hall, he brings up a large hologram image of Phantom at the end of the table and begins opening force organization charts. Phantom stands as an image of strength and courage before the leaders.
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Janella stands and moves over to a wall to begin accessing the last data collected in the Jihad, BattleROMs from the war, and all unit data amassed since the end of the Jihad.
Ariana begins a draft of what to tell their personnel, how to announce the impending violence and how to handle the individual responses to the terrible news.
Mason opens up scheduling, training, and mission readiness logs.
Jonah watches his team perform exactly as he hoped, he looks up to see the hologram of Phantom that Justin displayed at the end of the table. Their resolve is unending. Even as an ungrateful Inner Sphere sacks the Republic, the Republic will continue to protect the Inner Sphere, just as Stone did.
