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Angel 6
by David Wainio |
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Stark Hills near Holth Forest
Tukayyid
19 May 3052
Blind panic was held at bay only by the grim determination that nothing – absolutely nothing – would cause Acolyte Terry Quina, MechWarrior of the ComGuard’s 12th Division, the let down or abandon his fellow Angels. Most of his electrical gear had been fired by a Clanner PPC hit but he knew that the rest of his “Six”- the level II grouping of six BattleMechs that was his core unit- was just over the next two rises.
They had to be there. The Bossman, Adept Foster to those outside the ‘Mech unit, had sent him ahead to scout through the jagged hills to find an escape path. The Ghost Bears were coming in from all sides now, hot for revenge for their losses to the forest fires the 12th had set days earlier before slaughtering the Seventh Bear Guards. As the newest member of an otherwise experienced ‘Mech Six, he had been surprised when Bossman had ordered him to find a path through the jagged hills. By sheer luck he’d stumbled upon a passable ravine only to discover that he didn’t have radio contact with anyone at all. Thus his pell-mell race back to where what was left of the 12th would be grouping around Adept Foster’s BattleMechs for a final stand. Word on the comms – at least last that Terry’s had been working reliably – was that the Bears were slaughtering everyone attached to the 12th. No prisoners. Rumor claimed that a make-shift camp that the wounded had been collected in had been wiped out. Gone. Everyone dead. Like the rest of them would be soon if they didn’t get a move on.
The other five Mechs of his force group where all bigger and slower than Terry’s upgraded Hussar 400-D. Four of the others had already suffered heavy damage. Two were moving at reduced speed. Terry prayed to the Blessed Blake as he struggled over the next to last rise while keeping the best speed he could muster on the boulder strewn slopes. If he could just get there in time. If he could just tell them, lead them away to safety.
“This is Angel Six to Angel Lead, respond please,” Terry pleaded into his headset.
Static was his only response.
His fear was almost blinding. His consciousness had compressed to just one thought. Make the top of this final hill. Find his force group. Link up. He’d be okay again once he got back to them. They’d look out for him like they always did. Terry was the new kid. The rookie assigned to a more experienced unit. One of many untested, untried MechWarriors thrown into the bloody hell that Tukayyid had become. He wished that Bossman hadn’t sent him away alone like this. It seemed too much to ask of Terry, scared almost witless by what he had already seen and been part of, to go off alone as the Six’s only hope of survival. But Angel One never did anything without a reason. Bossman had said to go and to go fast and Terry had obeyed without question.
For a brief moment Terry almost forgot his fears as he struggled to keep his BattleMech upright. He thought he was starting to hear voices through the static now as he neared the crest of the ridge line. Voices that sounded like they were in combat. Blessed Blake, thought Terry, please don’t let me be too late. I can’t be too late – I’d never be able to live with myself.
Just as his cockpit was rising above the ridge for an unobstructed view a voice suddenly rang through his cockpit. It was Angle One’s voice and as always, Terry responded immediately and without thought.
“Break left Six! Bandit dead ahead.” |
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