Resurgence - The Week of Hell Day 2
The Week of Hell Day 2
The tapping of knuckles on the door snapped Erik awake. He immediately noticed the sunlight was only beginning to pierce just below the clouds and above the mountains in the distance. However, as expected, the storm still poured outside. “I’m up.”
“Sir, the Blakists are on the move. Current rate of speed has them at the Academy in less than an hour. The weather is storming as always,” Came Klavinsh’s muffled voice through the door.
“What are their numbers?” Erik threw himself up into a sitting position on the couch he commandeered, then swung his legs to the ground. Great, more rain, at least I will be in a cockpit. A military liner fell to the ground that served as a cover in the cold night. He reached over and firmly grabbed the cooling vest he placed on a nearby chair before settling in the prior evening.
“Sir, there is nearly a full Level IV with support en route to our position. Aerospace fighters are already deploying. Galaxy Commander McKenna reports that there have been probing attacks at our fleets but no major losses.” To support his statement the first flight of FedSun fighters flew by over the HQ building, giving the groggy Prince’s Champion a startle to fully awaken.
“Come in here and stop talking through the door,” Erik said abruptly once the sound died down.
“Yes, sir,” Klavinsh stated as he opened the door. “The grounds are already at full alert. Three quarters of the Davion Light Guards arrived in the night from their smaller defensive positions as you ordered. At least half the mech regiment and three quarters of the vehicle regiment showed up. Some went to the planetary capital and the spaceport.”
“Then, it’s time to get to it. Have the techs get my mech prepped. You will remain here and provide me with intel as it comes, make sure those mercenaries aren’t sleeping in,” Erik said sternly, having now tied his boots and standing.
He looked eye to eye with Klavinsh. A confident, yet cocky grin on his face, “Your Academy will still be yours at the end of today,” Erik finished with a confident nod, then passed the Colonel to move out to his Templar III. As he walked through the floor of the building he could see distant aerospace fighting again. Only this time on the ground were hundreds of dark figures moving toward the Academy. Most of the landscape on Point Barrow in this region is flat and being in the multi-level HQ gives him a vantage point to see that far. Each of the windows on this level of the building are enhanced with zoom features so command staff and see the majority of training areas and beyond with relative clarity. Klavinsh already had them preset to watch the inbound enemies.
A quick ride down the elevator and he arrived on the ground floor, coming out of the elevator with a jog he emerged from the front doors. He paused to look around the courtyard ahead of him, catching the eye of some of the nearby personnel. Ranging from cadets to his own lancemates to other personnel in the Academy, they started cheering. More and more personnel present added to the rallying cry.
Erik grinned and waved to them then pumped his fist in the air. Inspiring hope was something that made him feel very good. If I am to one day lead the Suns… Moving forward once more he runs over to his Templar III and begins scaling the hanging rope ladder. An 85 ton Battlemech certainly fit the Prince’s Champion for optics. He chose the ‘C’ variant. A large array of weaponry to include a Large Re-Engineered Laser and Rotary Autocannon. Not the longest range of weapon loadouts but, by the time he gets into the fight, close and medium range will be most of his targets.
Hitting the console in the correct sequence started powering up the Battlemech. He missed the Axman he used to pilot however; he is getting used to this level of firepower. Watching the mech’s right arm the barrels on the Rotary Autocannon began spinning during the verification sequences ensuring the mech was at one hundred percent. Slowly, the ferroglass hatch sealed and he placed on his state-of-the-art neurohelmet.
As technology advanced over the decades and centuries neurohelmets became more and more like standard infantry helmets where a pilot’s entire head and shoulders weren’t contained in a single unit. His personal helmet was even less cumbersome than that. Only the best for the Prince’s Champion of course.
“Ready for activation phrase,” Came through his earpiece in a female’s voice.
“New sun over the suns,” He responded and waited for a couple seconds. Then the mech came to life as it rises to its full height in the classic way mechs do when their myomer muscles come to life with electricity from the fusion engine.
“All systems nominal,” Stated the female’s voice. Completing a final once-over on the console Erik then evaluated his HUD. All three of his lancemates showed in the green, powered up and ready to move. While he would be out of the fighting for at least the start of it his lance will be standing by.
His lance had been hand-picked – a Victor 12D, Jagermech HNT-5, and Battleaxe BKX-8B. Well armored all around with a heavy focus on medium range weapons augmented by various long-range weapons is Erik’s focus given his new mech’s weapon loadout. The Jagermech provides an array of electronic capabilities to deal with the tricks he expects the Blakists will play.
Accessing the bird’s eye view of various HQ cameras and automated drones he looked over the defenses. All looks in order. Even the mercenaries seem to be prepared without much hassle. Content, he nodded. Panning the furthest forward camera position to the North he watched the wall of armor march on his Academy.
Wall barriers that were more to prevent fire returning to the base in exercises now became defensive funnels to get the Blakists into chokepoints. Various exercise facilities, both indoor and outdoor, lay next in the path toward the HQ. Finally, the housing and office structures. The Academy was in a large circle with this general layout all the way around. Training divides it into separate quarters – Mechs, Vehicles, Infantry, Battle Armor. Of course, the Blakists landed so they will be striking from the Battlemech designated approach.
Minutes ticked by as the FedSun MechWarriors anxiously awaited the imminent threat, mechs would shift in position or complete full torso twists from side to side. With the ground forces at two Kilometers out the fighters went to town on each other over the empty land separating the ground troops. Swarms of them intercepted each other like multiple flocks of birds in their murmuration in the sky. It was interesting to watch the dogfights both because of the chaos and movement of the fighting and because one had to be ready as stray fire meant a volley of missiles could suddenly start raining down on the defenses.
1.5 Kilometers is the moment it all began. “Artillery, fire!” Erik shouted over the Regimental channel to amp up his people. The reason he chose this exact time is because the Blakists began picking up speed. His goal is to break the attacking formation in half, hit what is pressing forward, while the back half takes artillery fire. With his command Long Tom Artillery, a couple streets behind the HQ began sounding off in sequence to keep the fire continuous.
Squinting, he watched with the nearest battlefield camera. A round landed right in a cluster of Battle Armor, sending limbs and components in all directions. The next round hit a Raijin II in the chest, stopping it dead in its tracks, sending limbs in all directions. Zooming back out he could see shells dropping all through the formation. Every one of my shells that lands drives them into our guns and guts their force more and more, Erik thought to himself with a grin.
In unison the front lines surged forward of the Blakist formation. Waves of missiles from FedSun JES II and LRM carriers arched through the sky, some hitting targets, others missing and cratering the ground. Placed at the front of the defenses, the carriers were heavily armored so they could unleash their payloads, then keep falling back as the rest of the defenders filled the gaps and engaged at medium and close range. With that heavy armor it gives them a chance to fall back with minimal risk of being taken out by a stray PPC or Gauss slug.
Both battle lines were massive. Not even when he retook New Avalon was there this wide of a field of battle. As the Academy itself lay in a circular pattern, including the final, exterior training areas, the diameter is roughly twenty-three kilometers. This means that both forces have a significant range of the exterior boundary to defend and attack. With the majority of the terrain being flat with little micro terrain, the defensive positions were superior to the assaulting force on open ground.
Return fire surprised Erik though. A number of shots were hitting with incredible accuracy from the Blakists. Entire LRM salvos, PPCs, and slugs were hitting defensive positions and vehicles. What the hell??? Their C3 isn’t in range yet… “Forward position, this is Champion actual, what is going on up there?!”
“Sir! Sir! We don’t know! Weapons fire is extremely accurate from the Blakists! At least two tanks have been crippled with multiple others taking heavy damage!”
“Forget the surprise, bring out your ECM gear now!” ordered Erik.
“Sir, yes, sir!” he repeated nervously as his voice trailed off and started giving the orders before the line cut off. Baptism by fire it is then. Erik shook his head.
A lance of Spider Battlemechs in the 7Kr variant mounting Angel ECMs took to the air, landing behind the walled barricades as well as other vehicles mounting ECM emerged. Barely landing, the incoming fire accuracy severely diminished. Dammit! The watch missed something in the weather! It’s going to be me carrying this entire battle…
“Watch out for Battle Armor with mimetic camouflage! Check those forward positions!” Shouted Erik into the Regimental channel again, his blood boiling. Seconds later he could see laser fire right at the front line near the walls through his battle camera’s view. “Purifiers! Purifiers!” followed by a scream of pain emitted as the Regimental channel burst from various levels of command as dozens of Blakist troopers had made their way to the front in the darkness of night. Multiple FedSun Cavalier Battle Armor teams advanced on the stealth teams. Erik switched to footage being recorded by trooper battleROMs so he could see how good or bad the situation is playing out.
Surging from defensive positions Cavalier and Gnome Battle Armor advanced forward of the barricades and firefights kicked off. They quickly overwhelmed the Purifiers that had sneaked up under the cover of the storm. Hand to hand combat and close-range machine gun and laser fire flashed back and forth. The comms had calls for medics and curses for the Blakists.
One Gnome grabbed a Purifier by the head and lifted it into the air, cutting it in half with his small laser. Like a cavalry charge a team of Cavalier Battle Armor ran past a team of Purifier Battle Armor hosing them down machine gun fire. In another instance a team of Cavaliers ran right into some Purifiers, knocking most of the standing Blakists to the ground. Some Fusiliers also got into the fight further down the line and saturated the area with fire from their recoilless rifles.
Although the FedSuns did get the drop on the stealth teams, once they realized the gig was up, some acted first and attacked the nearest vehicle or mech. Erik clicked down the line of cameras and found one spot where a FedSun Emperor was laying on the ground, on its back, and missing its left leg at the knee joint. Zooming in, he could see the cockpit was ripped open and bloody. But, he could also see multiple dead Purifiers strew about the mech and ground.
In another instance a battle was still going as some of the Blakists stood atop a burning hulk of an LRM carrier. With multiple dead FedSun infantry and Battle Armor at their feet, it was inspiring fear in the FedSun troops. “This is Champion Actual, you men get in there and kill those Purifiers on the tank!” Shouted Erik to that company’s comms. He didn’t even get a response. A second later from the view he had, a wave of machine gun fire and flamers engulfed the already destroyed vehicle as a Scarecrow came into view, hosing down the position.
With this hiccup out of the way the main enemy force was now just hundreds of meters out. Explosions still erupted through the Blakist lines as the Long Toms continued firing. The sheer width of the Word of Blake force wouldn’t entirely be separated as Erik did not have the quantity of artillery to hit so much as both battle lines extended multiple kilometers. With the mercenaries, they would break the left flank soon enough. With the artillery gutting the center, as long as the right flank held, it was only a matter of time until the Blakist defeat.
Both lines exchanged fire savagely as they closed the distance to under one thousand meters, some waves of fire even coincided with thunder from the storm. Jagermechs emerged from cover near the Spiders that had hunkered down to cut off forward C3 networks, their autocannons raining down shells on the ground. Supporting them, treads of Hanse Main Battle Tanks chewed up the hard dirt, Plasma Rifles setting blazes in the rocky field and on some Blakist mechs. Support mechs further back in the defensive position opened up with their longer-range weapons. On one of the few hills to the Southeast of the main defensive line, it serves as the perch to a full lance of Vulpes, raining down their Clan ER Large Lasers while using stealth armor.
Continuing missile barrages gives Erik quite the display, barring the initial issue of the stealth move by the Blakists. By now the entire front found itself engulfed in the fighting. Battlecam footage gives him angles to observe without the interfering plumes of LRM smoke from the middle of the formation where the carriers held at. I’ll have to move into the front lines to actually get in the fight. We may not even have needed those pricey mercenaries! Erik grinned as he continued to watch the Blakist attack stalling.
***
Galaxy Commander Dominic McKenna had been dealing with probing attacks for hours prior to the main force strike at the Academy. Colonel Klavinsh kept Dominic up to speed on the ground battle. Suspiciously though, communications had become spotty over the last couple hours. Multiple stars of fighters were assigned to ensure no ECM equipment was being set up in orbit or even in the storms over the battlefield. A number of small satellites had already been shot down as the Blakists continue to try disrupting comms.
No hard pushes had been made since the enemy formation arrived in orbit but, there was no telling when they would try. Sure, the sheer numbers were on the Snow Raven and Federated Suns but with the Swordship, the Blakist formation had nearly equal mass.
Probing strikes came every few hours as some more aggressive fighters sought to pick off some of the FedSun or Raven scouts providing a buffer. A couple lance sized groups of pocket warships would engage from time to time on either side.
Dominic stood in the war room at the rear of the bridge, watching Captain Lankenau ensure the formation was on alert with active scans and patrols to make sure the chance of a flanking maneuver is constantly negated. Things had happened so fast over the weeks since he was promoted to command the survivors of the Stormhawk Galaxy. His current task lay before him in deciding on which Star Colonel would serve as his aide.
Two potential candidates had been narrowed down. As he is an aerospace pilot, the easiest route would be to pick an aerospace pilot as well. Magnus did not promote me for the easy path. So, before him is the file of a MechWarrior, one who fought him in a Circle of Equals just days prior. The other is a Naval Officer that has demonstrated remarkable skill in commanding fleet vessels. Given their current situation of not having a homeworld to return to, either option would be good. There will be inevitable combat with the Blakists here in the Federated Suns or eventually in the Raven Alliance worlds both on ground and in space.
Beside those files is the list of contact with the enemy so far. Stormhawk Galaxy’s own probing attempts have given some new insights to the capabilities of the Swordship. A behemoth that dwarfs even the largest Inner Sphere ships, it is anyone’s guess as to its capabilities. What is obvious is the quantity of weapons. Accuracy by volume? There are aft hangar doors of immense size. Even the bottom of the ship appears to have numerous docking collars.
It is a waiting game. They warmed up taking out the Hussars. Now, they are launching a full assault with the entirety of the ground forces knowing there are no Snow Ravens down there? There is no way they think we are without Mechwarriors and no way they know we will not be deploying them. Kerensky guide you, Prince’s Champion.
***
From flank to flank all out fighting ensued over multiple kilometers. Hundreds of Battlemechs, vehicles, and infantry tore into each other. Battle Armor and infantry troopers moved between the huge war machines smartly as the worst thing that could happen would be getting stepped on or run over. In the skies above, FedSun and Blakist fighters fought in chaotic dogfights. Losses on both sides already showed dozens of units down from each type and weight class.
Burning hulks of mechs served as defensive positions for infantry and vehicles in an otherwise open field with little more than micro terrain from small, rocky, rolling hills. Cycling through the feeds that were connected to the network became a challenge as the various electronic countermeasures and even electronic counter countermeasures wreaked havoc. Erik and Klavinsh found they were each losing bubbles of data on the forces battling.
Every few minutes different groups of feeds from the front went dead while the hologram that Klavinsh was relying on looked like swiss cheese that was alive and moving. Because of the heavy use of C3 in the Word of Blake forces, more mobile units like Spiders and hovercraft found themselves making laps around the battlefield.
Erik finally is able to access a feed from a unit near the West flank and saw a firm defensive position was holding. Unfortunately two Zibler Fast Strike Tanks in smokey ruin are the defensive position. Two corpses lay on top of the one in view from a Penetrator Battlemech. It cycled between its large lasers and pulse lasers to tear into targets that were using the smoke for cover as it was. A wave of LRMs started exploding as the chin mounted AMS unleashed a stream of rounds at them.
On the ground it was like mud as the rain continued to fall, bodies of both Battle Armor and infantry lay strewn about, red and brown mixing in the puddles and streams that had formed. Two Cavalier Battle Armor ran forward of the Penetrator, mounting the damaged Zibler, hiding in the smoke. Flashes in the smoke gave away that they were firing their laser weapons. A Blakist Inner Sphere Battle Armor tackled one of the Cavaliers off the tank, towards the Penetrator’s feet.
When they landed, the other Cavalier jumped off the tank and started driving its battle claw into the back of the IS Battle Armor as the two on the ground grappled. While they were distracted, the other five of the Level II mounted the smoking tank, crushing and kicking off the FedSun corpses as they landed. They began firing at the Penetrator, finally gaining its attention. Firing off all six medium pulse lasers, four of the Blakist troopers took laser hits. One sliced a trooper in half, one went straight through the chest, then fell off the tank. Both of the others each lost a limb, one arm and one leg. Leaping to the single leg trooper, the one that wasn’t hit, grabbed him and both leapt off the tank alongside the one-arm trooper to where they came from.
Finally, the Cavalier on the ground threw his now dead attacker to the side. The standing trooper’s claw dripping blood, a grotesque mass of flesh sitting at his feet. Seeing them in the clear, the Penetrator panned back up just as a Legacy stepped onto the tank, crushing it, the cockpit and cannons piercing through the smoke. Pitch black, the mech appeared to be the smoke itself coming alive. Both the Cavaliers got out of the Legacy’s path as fast as they could.
Gaining some distance, the Penetrator stepped back and let loose with the Medium Pulse Lasers again, searing and gouging armor all over the Legacy. In return the Ultra Autocannons erupted with shells, shaking the Penetrator violently. As if that wasn’t bad enough, on the side of the screen Erik continued to watch as spinning barrels emerged from the smoke of the other destroyed vehicle, this time a Vanquisher. The rotary autocannon's deadly breath stitched a jagged pattern upon the Penetrator, and the video feed abruptly shut down.
Dammit! This is getting bad, I need to call in the mercs and send in the second line. “Pack One, this is Champion Actual, begin the hunt,” He addressed the mercenary unit commander via their direct line. The Pack Hunters are fairly new to the Federated Suns and are looking for some word outside of the FWL regions. Armed with a lot of cavalry based mechs and vehicles, they are perfect for outrunning and breaching the Eastern flank. A confirmation blip confirmed his order on his HUD.
“Champion Actual to Secondary line, press forward, continue to hold them in the training grounds.”
“Solid copy, Prince’s Champion, we are advancing now!” Came back a rough voice from the Colonel in charge of the main battle group.
Erik advances his Templar forward, his lance falling into a diamond formation behind him. A grin formed on his face as he continued to think about his inevitable victory. He noticed that the thumps of the artillery fire far behind him seemed to be in sequence with his steps. I’ll have to use that somehow, every footstep being thunder…
***
Erik, still not in range of the fighting continued to keep battle feeds up on his HUD. His lance is moving fairly quickly with the reinforcement elements that will be filling in any gaps that form in the main formation. The overhead feed of the battlefield shows him the huge range of FedSun forces slamming into the already embattled forces. To the West of the fighting, he can see the wave of mercenaries moving up on the evolving map, at least now less like swiss cheese.
Evaluating the skies it still appeared a chaotic mess. Unfortunately, both side’s ground forces continued to get fallout from the sky battle. Fireballs of dead aerospace fighters slammed into the ground on both sides, oftentimes hitting ground units. A number of Blakists fighters completed strafing runs on his main battle group over the hours. Although, with so many units in the area, the fighters did not often return to the skies. Then the stray fire was constantly raining down.
Erik’s Templar III emerged around a building, following a convoy of vehicles, the battle raged directly ahead, only buildings blocking his view. However, the radio chatter changed. “Champion Actual! This is Colonel Klavinish!”
“Champion Actual here,” Erik responded with caution in his voice.
“The artillery, sir, they are being struck by at least three Level IIs of mechs, vehicles, and infantry! Raptor IIs came out of nowhere, as well as fast strike craft.”
“At least a company of mechs are defending them with support, they can handle that.”
“No, sir, they have already been destroyed, the Blakists got to their equipment in the night! Some fought back with what hadn’t been disabled but the artillery will be lost in a matter of minutes.”
“We can finish this without the artillery, evacuate the HQ building and move to rendezvous point Nav Charlie closer to the battle lines. I have already called the mercenaries forward, I can’t send anyone back out,” Erik was able to keep the rage in his voice to a minimum as he gave the order and killed the line. With the mercenaries en route to attack we should have this battle contained even without the artillery. I will hold Point Barrow against the Blakists as I took back New Avalon from the Dracs.
***
Both sides are fully engaged in the fighting in the training grounds with additional lances and level IIs arriving by the minute. Morale among the Federated Suns troops remain high as many of these Blakist attackers already have battle damage from the artillery. A large number of attacking vehicles had their treads blown off out in the middle of nowhere and provided little to no assistance unless they have LRMs or extended range weapons.
As each side tried to wrap around the flanks the battle already had stretched out nearly a full additional kilometer. The battlelines looked like waves or teeth from the overhead feeds between flyover craft and the stationary building mounted battle feeds. Each side tried to exploit any gap they could find. As Erik approaches the battle he verifies the mercenaries are about to make contact. When he reaches about one kilometer from the fighting he can see the chaos and devastation in full. Cresting a slightly higher hill that was once a playground for families that lived on the installation, it was all before him.
Companies of Federated Suns troops still yet to engage in the fighting lay just before him, the battle itself in the training grounds areas, then in the distance a crater filled field with scattered waves of Blakists trying to reinforce their lines. In the skies above fighters continued to savagely dog fight. Waves of fighters from each side would break off and return for refuel then be back again. All of this under a constant downpour of cold rain. Because the world has rain so frequently the ground is mostly hard with the top soil running off in the water. While it benefitted the Blakists as well, mechs aren’t sliding around in mud nearly as much as on a dirt world.
Let’s end this. Erik thinks to himself as his brow furrows in a determined face of rage. Opening the Regimental channel, “All Federated Suns warriors, press forward now, break their centerline!” His roar created a visual funnel ahead of him as a trio of assault mechs pushed forward, regardless of any Blakists in their way. A Templar, Emperor, and Victor surged forward, blasting, kicking, and punching at any Blakist that stood in their way. Opening a gap, more mechs and fast vehicles flowed through.
A lance of FedSun aerospace fighters broke from the fighting above and strafed the enemy forces along the path that was clearly ahead of the Federated Suns warriors. Multiple vehicles exploded and mechs fell to the ground from the barrage above and the forward press on the ground. Hell yes, I need to get in there now, this is MY victory!
Erik pushed down the hill with his lance, passing a number of slower support units that would be falling in behind the main push. Running through the streets with his lance following close behind he could see the mercenaries were nearly in position, first shots were already ringing out from them. He made sure to watch his HUD for the few moments he had before entering the fighting as he would be able to see the left flank turn as the Blakists were swarmed.
Looking up, Erik had to slow slightly as the rear elements of the main line had found a bit of congestion pushing up. “Dammit! Let my lance through, gang way!” He shouted over the short-range open channel. His massive Templar III was slowly stomping up with his lance in a column behind him. Tanks shifted their paths off the road and onto the sidewalk, resulting in a whole mess of collateral damage to the walkways and buildings to get out of the way of his mechs. Necessary damage, I need to be in this final part of the fight...
He knows that these men on the ground are likely cursing him in their vehicles and flipping him off as he passes but they will never be the Prince’s Champion… Never in line for the throne… Signs of battle damage began to appear on the buildings as he waded through the congested forces filling the streets before the main battle area in the more open training grounds. A DI Schmitt Tank found itself stuck and making a dozen point turn to make a hole.
Erik rolled his eyes, stopping his lance. “Hurry it up, tank,” He said over the external speakers. Looking back to the overview map of the battle it made him grin seeing the advance forward continuing. Although it was slowed as the rear lines of the Blakists poured in to their center trying to counter. Zooming out from that area, it looked like bubbles had formed on the left flank from ECM coverage on the Blakist side. “Hmm,” he snorted, knowing he was missing the Blakist rout on that flank.
He clicked into the Regimental channel to find out if they had wrapped around the Blakist line yet outside the perimeter walls. Only he found screaming.
“What the hell?!” He said. “Left flank, this is Champion Actual, what is going on?!”
“Sir!...... swarmed!..........” static with the sounds of explosions filled just before the line went dead.
“Klavinsh! Do you have eyes on what is going on? I am stuck behind some buildings!” Erik shouted after changing to the HQ channel.
“No, sir, we are about five minutes out from the Nav Point,” Klavinsh responded.
“Flight lead, this is Champion Actual, we need a bird’s eye view, no current live feeds are showing our left flank, what is going on down there?!” Erik shouted, seemingly into the abyss. He received no response.
“What is going on?!” He shouted, slamming a fist down onto his armrest. “Move!” He yelled over the external speakers and shifted his Templar III’s leg forward, this time kicking the corner of the DI Schmitt. It skid out of his way enough for him to pass. He rounded the corner to look left and see if he could tell what was going on in that direction on the West flank. Just a few streets down he could see weapons fire.
Mechs and Battle Armor were jumping onto buildings, advancing toward him. Wait, who are they? Raising his mech’s arms up, ready for contact, he waited a moment, then the mechs leapt and landed on the buildings to his left and right, just outside of his line of sight. Eric saw the mech’s shoulders moving but did not have a clear shot.
“Get your Victor in the air and see what is going on!” he shouts at his lancemate.
“Yes, sir.”
Using his 360-degree view band, he watches the Victor lift up vertically, causing infantry to flee nearby from the flames and force of thrust.
“Shit!” Erik’s lancemate yelled, firing off a snap salvo of a Gauss Rifle and Pulse Lasers.
Erik hears the weapons fire through the comms and echoing in from his mech. The Victor comes back down, landing hard. Holes and molten armor all over the previously pristine mech.
“Sir, it’s the mercenaries!”
“Traitors?!” shouted Erik.
“Yes, sir!”
Switching to the Regimental channel, Erik wasn’t fast enough to get the message out. Over the edges of all the nearby buildings both Mechs and Battle Armor looked over, firing down into the stuck FedSun troops. “Kill the mercenaries! They have turned traitor! This battle is still ours! Hold the line!” Erik shouted trying to rally the surprised troops all around him.
Erik’s Templar III spins up the rotary autocannon barrels and they begin belching huge slugs at the nearest target he could get an angle on. A team of Achileus Battle Armor looked over the edge of the building to his right and start hammering his right arm and torso, even scoring his ferroglass with their Light Gauss Rifles.
Around him Erik sees multiple vehicles blowing up before they can even act. Bodies are laying everywhere as machine gun Battle Armor hose down the streets, taking out infantry. Even the FedSun mechs are not lasting long as they fall back against buildings as light and medium mercenary mechs focus their fire.
“Pack One, come in now! What is going on!?” Shouted Erik on the direct channel he had previously.
“Praise be to Blake, his business is good,” the voice carried on with a deep laugh then the line went dead.
“You bastard!” Erik shouted into his quickly heating cockpit as he continues to shoot any target he can get line of sight on. He quickly finds new targets after each shot. One building out to the front and right of his Templar receives his anger as he begins hosing the top level of the building with his autocannon. Following up, he fires his SRM6 salvo, causing the floor to collapse under the weight of the mechs perched on it. Both mechs and the Battle Armor are sucked down inside.
“Champion Actual, this is Klavinsh! Come in!”
“These treacherous mercenaries are attacking us now! Give me a battlefield update!”
“Nav Point Charlie is lost, sir!” Erik’s eyes went wide as Klavinsh continued. “Champion Actual we are forming up to create an egress route to the Southeast.”
“What are you talking about, once we get a foothold, these mercs are as good as dead!”
“Sir, more Blakist fighters joined the fray. Bombers just shattered our main lines! The last thing I received from Galaxy Commander McKenna was that there was a full-on fighter offensive in orbit, all supporting aerospace assets have been screened from the fleets!”
Erik’s Templar began taking steps backwards to evaluate the congestion only to find so many vehicles destroyed and corpses everywhere. He even realizes he stepped on a few of his own dead men, giving him a feeling of horror. This will be my Palmyra…
Looking North down the street he stepped back into, it is flames and smoke everywhere with FedSun units being swarmed. Opening the Regimental channel, he gave the order, “All Suns warriors fall back Southeast, Klavinsh, guide us out!” He turns his Templar to see his own lance scarred up but still fighting as they fire upwards to the roofs of buildings around them, then Erik weaves through them to the South. All three turn and follow him. Changing direction to the East the only help he could give anyone still behind him was room to move and try to escape….. What have I done?