Jade Phoenix Falcon Guard

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clear shift of arc by its pilot, came down into the tranquil pool, splashing
water all around its legs. Its jump to the ComStar side of the river was
smoother, and it landed a few meters away from Aidan's observation point.
After several 'Mechs in a row jumped successfully, Aidan was feeling new
confidence in his plan. That was when a
Summoner's jump jets malfunctioned at the top of its arc, and the 'Mech
crashed heavily into the basin. It missed the breakwater but landed behind it.
The rough current sent it crashing into the breakwater, where it hit with an
impact that reverberated through the chasm and beyond. Aidan leaned forward to
study the breakwater.
Was he mistaken, or did the middle BattleMech look damaged and ready to slip
away from the others?
Joanna kept die next 'Mech from jumping until it was certain that die
breakwater had held. After half a minute, a body bobbed to the surface,
floating head-down. The pilot had evidently drowned. No doubt his cockpit
canopy broke with the impact and water had flooded in. Checking his screen,
Aidan saw mat the dead man was MechWarrior Obdoff from
Trinary Charlie. About all he could recall about the man was that he was one
of the old ones.
When Joanna thought the maneuver was safe, she sent the next line of 'Mechs
successfully over the river. As they landed on Aldan's side of the river, Star
Captain Jula Huddock of Alpha Heavy assigned them defensive positions.
What arrogance the ComStar forces were showing, he thought. Or stupidity. Did
not their intelligence detect the Jade
Falcons crossing the river, or were the rapids such an unexpected
place for the move that the enemy was not maintaining vigilance on mis
sector of the river?
On the other side of the river, he saw the two observers coming down the hill
toward the point where Joanna was giving the jumping drill to a line of
BattleMechs. When they were within meters of Joanna's 'Mech, the third 'Mech
of the current line made a sputtering noise at the height of its arc and began
to sway from side to side as it came down. It landed just outside the target
area and was immediately swept up by the current. Before Aidan could focus
well on the
'Mech, it was several meters downstream being shattered against a cliff wall.
Its pilot managed to eject, but could not get control of the ejection seat.
The man bounced off the cliff wall, then plunged down into the waters,
disappearing quickly. As Aidan scanned the surface of the river, looking for a
sign of the pilot, the 'Mech itself slid down into the water. Like the pilot,
it vanished without a trace except for some twisted metal that still clung to
the cliff wall.
Aidan checked his secondary screen. The lost MechWarrior was named
Xavier and was a member of Martha's
Cluster.
The remaining BattleMechs of the line all made successful jumps while Aidan
was still searching for the lost pilot, but no movement came from Joanna's
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side of the
178 Robert Thurston river now. She opened the com ml inc. "Star Colonel,
die observers want us to scrub the mission at this point and go forward with
the BattleMechs that have already jumped. What arc your orders?"
Aldan had agreed to listen to recommendations from the observers, as long as
all their messages could be conveyed to him through Joanna. "We are losing
this battle because of a new mood of caution among Clan warriors. That has
never been our way. We have lost only two 'Mechs, with the ones forming the
breakwater at least out of commission for the immediate future. I would say
the exercise is going well. Continue.'4
Joanna gave the order to the next line. Aidan saw that the first to jump was
the Wdrhawk of MechWarrior Diana. He held his breath as it came off the
opposite cliff. He did not know why the fate of this particular warrior would
matter so much to him. Perhaps it was because of the way she had
fought beside him at Vreeport. Or perhaps her freeborn feistiness
reminded him of the days when he had lived as one of that caste. Or perhaps it
was because she was so like
Marthe. Whatever it was, her fate was of deep concern to him, even if the
feeling was a mystery.
Diana took her BattleMech higher man any other pilot had, an impressive feat
for such a heavy 'Mech, then she came down with her 'Mech's feet
straight, right on target. Aidan let his breath out. Then the Warhawk's legs
seemed to buckle and it looked like its feet were going to slip out from
under, and into the current. Instead, Diana engaged the jump jets at the last
possible moment and the machine rose shakily upward.
For a moment it looked as if the Warhawk would not clear the edge of the
cliff, but in midair she somehow eased her
'Mech's legs forward so mat its feet came down heel first on the embankment's
edge. Then she shoved her joystick forward and managed to get the
BattleMech upright before it could fall. Aidan shouted into his microphone for
her to clear the way fast before the next 'Mech came in for a landing.
The rest of the operation did not go smoothly, though most of the BattleMechs
succeeded in crossing the Prezno to the other side. Four more were lost in
various accidents. One, MechWarrior Elaine, was from Marthe's Cluster.
The pilot survived, but her 'Mech missed its second leap and did not manage to
reach the far shore. The other three, all
Falcon Guards, were killed and their 'Mechs destroyed by the fierce Prezno
River currents. All MechWarriors, they were Mondav of Bravo Heavy,
Dhrima from Trinary Charlie, and Smit from Delta Nova. The crash of
Smit was particularly costly, because his Elementals were also lost,
dropping away from the 'Mech as it plunged downward.
Only Elemental Point Commander Danton survived by shedding his armor, swimming
to the tranquil pool, and then pulling himself onto the breakwater.
Joanna and Marthe were the last to jump. Both did so with an ease and grace
mat could have served for a training holotape, if there was ever a need for a
tape on the most bizarre way to get across a wide, active river.
As Joanna joined him, he said briskly, "Report, Star Captain."
"Six BattleMechs lost in the river, while the five forming the breakwater
cannot be immediately salvaged."
"And the pilots."
"Among the five breakwater pilots, two are dead and the rest are alive and
awaiting pickup. One of the Elemental
Stars still on the other side of the shore is mounting a rescue operation.
Elemental Star Commander Torvald assures me that they have already cast a rope
out onto the breakwater. It has been secured with magnetic pitons at both ends
and the three pilots will be rescued before the Elementals cross."
"And the other 'Mech pilots?"
"MechWarrior Smit and the Elementals he carried are missing in action, except
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for Point Commander Danton. You saw him get to the breakwater. The bodies
of MechWarrior Obdoff and Mondav have been recovered. Of the other four,
three are missing and probably dead. Mech Warrior Elaine has been rescued. I
am told she is in shock, but will live."
"All in all, a successful operation, quiaffl"
"Aff. Though eleven 'Mechs are no small loss."
Down below, the three pilots had been brought to shore. Still on the
BattleMech breakwater was Point Commander
Danton, who, with two other Elementals, had cast the line to the ComStar side
of the river, where it had been secured.
At a signal from Danton, who had released the pitons on the breakwater 'Mechs,
the line, with Danton and the other two Elementals clutching it with short
attached ropes, was raised and made relatively taut. Now it stretched from
shore
to shore. Elementals immediately clamped their short ropes onto the line and
began to slide across the chasm. When
Danton stepped off onto the other side of the river, the line was filled [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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