Mission 4: Rescue Drop

It wasn't easy watching Taggart on the strat map, unable to do anything but offer advice.  But when it was over, Geoff knew he'd made the right call.

"Well done, John.  Now get out of there.."

Geoff's column was ten minutes out from the front when another call came in from Anita Chu Lai.  "A Mac company is approaching, Colonel.  They've got truce flags flying."

"Truce flags?"

"You've got me.  Their other forces have all left."

Geoff reached the battlefield and clambered down the rope ladder from his Excalibur.  Anita was waiting for him there with the Armored Cavalry commander, also dismounted--a tall, barrel-chested guy who Geoff imagined must pilot a heavy 'Mech, since he wouldn't fit comfortably into anything too light.  He seemed to have changed out of his 'Mech gear and into his uniform in preparation for this meeting.  Instead of the usual McCarron's baseball cap, he wore a cowboy hat with black and gold tassels, clearly well cared for.  He tipped the hat in greeting as Geoff approached.

"Colonel," Chu Lai said, "this is Captain Joe Garcia, commander of Echo Company, First McCarron's AC.  Garcia's Gauchos, sir."

The name rang a bell, to say the least.  These Gauchos were a raiding company; they had been the Capellan equivalent of the Fox's Teeth ever since McCarron's signed on with House Liao.

"Captain, it's an honor," said Geoff.  "What, exactly, do I owe it to?"

Garcia put his hands on his hips and lifted one foot up to rest on a rock, displaying an elaborate leather boot.  A hotshot with an ego to match, that much was clear.  "We're looking to join your outfit, Colonel Kenner."

"Join the Excaliburs?"  Geoff thought for a moment about trying to hide his incredulity, but decided he'd already blew it.  "You want to give up a post in the Big Mac to join us?"

Garcia snorted.  "A post in the Mac isn't worth much these days.  Not to me and my troops.  We're mercenaries, Colonel.  My father was a mercenary MechWarrior, his father, and so on since the end of the Star League.  I want my son and my daughter to follow that path, too.  Meanwhile McCarron wants the Cavalry to become a House unit.  For House Liao.  He's tying us to the mast of a sinking goddamn ship."  He gestured at the Gaucho 'Mechs behind him.  "My warriors feel the same way."

"In that case--"

But Garcia's speech was not quite over.  "I've been checking out every outfit this side of the border.  You're the newest, but you're also one of the best.  That's not public knowledge yet, but it will be.  We want in on the ground floor.  And we'd like a chance to try out some of your lostech hardware."

He seemed to be done at last.  "I think that can be arranged, Captain Garcia."  Geoff shook the man's hand.  "Our second and third 'Mech battalions are each just two companies strong.  You can take your pick."

Of course Garcia pored over the service records of both battalions before picking, but in the end Garcia's Gauchos became Fox Company, Second 'Mech Battalion of the Excaliburs.

When Geoff returned from the field, Dan wanted to go to Nini's to play with Jake.  That was fine.  Geoff was too tired to entertain the kid himself.  The deep exhaustion of unused adrenaline wearing off had fully taken hold of him by then.  He went into his room and fell onto the bed, started to open his cooling vest.

"Might want to keep that on, Kenner.  For modesty's sake." It was a woman's voice, from inside the room, right behind him.  Geoff vaulted off the bed, toward the closet where he kept a gun. "No need for that."  His uninvited visitor stepped into the light.  Geoff recognized her.  "You won't find what you're looking for, anyway." Geoff turned to face the intruder.  "I'm sure you were thorough, Briggs." "Always."  Adept Briggs leaned back against the wall of Geoff's room. "You're here about the Alliance." "Indeed.  Some of my colleagues in ROM thought it was a waste to recruit you.  They figured you'd never pass on any information that was worth anything.  I'm glad to see you're smarter than that, Geoff." "What do you want, Briggs?" "Kelly Celeste has a useful mind.  She could go far in ComStar."  Briggs stood up and moved toward the door.  "I'm to supervise the handing over of Celeste and the prototype to a ComStar DropShip that will arrive in one week."  She stopped in the doorway and turned back to him.  "I'll need quarters here until then." "What about the Hollis Industries people?  They were pretty damn impressed with the prototype." "We'll handle Hollis.  Their true loyalties still lie with the Capellans, anyway.  It will be as if the Alliance never set foot on Corey."

"There's a world of difference between passing on information and helping you kidnap an innocent woman, Briggs."

"I don't know, Geoff.  They don't seem so different to me.  They're both things you'll need to do for me if you want to stay alive."  She winked.

Geoff watched the debris cloud begin to drift and dissipate as the unmarked Union DropShip settled to the ground at the far end of the Hollis Proving Grounds.  He looked across the observation room at Briggs, who nodded to him.

Geoff turned to John Taggart.  "Kelly's agreed to ride with you on this trip out to check out the systems on the Alliance.  Try to keep her calm.  She doesn't need to know what's happening."

John nodded and left.  Geoff watched as the Alliance lumbered out of the hangar.  He saw Briggs's eyes following the 'Mech too, vigilant for any sign of betrayal.

He approached her.  "At what point will this sort of service to ComStar be enough to call the slate clean?"

"No telling, Geoff."  She gestured at the 'Mech, now visible only as a trail of airborne dust.  "This is only the beginning of paying back your debt."

Chatter came over the comms as the Alliance approached the ComStar ship.  No Excaliburs could approach within five kilometers of the landing site--that was his deal with Briggs.

Geoff watched on his holographic strategic display as the Alliance closed in on the open ramp of the Union.  A Level II demi-company of 'Mechs ringed the ship.

Briggs's private communicator buzzed.  She lifted it to her ear, then turned to Geoff.  "We have a DropShip with no flight path logged.  Its orbit is bringing it above the proving grounds.  What do you know about this?"

Geoff tensed, forced himself to breathe.  This would be a crucial moment.  "All Excalibur ships are grounded.  Feel free to check that by satellite."

She put the comm to her ear and quietly gave orders in code.  A minute passed.  Two.

She turned to Geoff, her expression cold.  "Open fire," she said into her comm.  "Destroy the 'Mech now."

Geoff dived for the strategic console, transmitting to John Taggart.  "Take cover, John!  All Excaliburs forces, move in now."  He gestured to Anita Chu Lai and two of her warriors, who firmly relieved Briggs of her comm.

Four new contacts appeared on the display--Blazing Aces 'Mechs, dropping from orbit.  The only 'Mechs close enough to help John Taggart and his passenger against the Com Guard force.  The fastest-moving reinforcements were a platoon of Drillson tanks, but they would take more than three minutes at top speed to reach the field.  Taggart and the Aces were on their own until then.

SCENARIO 4: RESCUE DROP

PLAYER: Excaliburs

ENEMY: ComGuard

OBJECTIVE: Eliminate all enemy units.  Taggart's Alliance and Braver's Phoenix Hawk must survive.  (If all enemy 'Mechs are destroyed you may assume the DropShip will surrender once the hovertanks arrive.)

NOTE: Braver has the Hopping Jack special ability.  Blazing Aces 'Mechs should deploy using the Assault Drop option.  A unit of four Drillson hovertanks will arrive after 20 turns.