Battle of Yorii, Part 2
Battle of Yorii Part 2
Yorii, Wolf Empire
Trial for Terra, Day 6
Two explosions shook Star Captain Vikas’s Grendel, the result of a volley of long range missiles from a Hell’s Horses LRM Carrier. His armor was holding, at least for now. As a proud bloodribbon holder and member of the Beta Galaxy, he did not know originally if he was going to be deployed for this fight. The ilClan trial had taken a toll on Clan Wolf and even junior officers like him had been redirected to defensive roles in the Empire. Even with Othar Shaw’s leadership and the destruction of the Wolf’s Dragoons, the Wolf Empire was surrounded by enemies. But the real prize, Terra, had been protected by the Wall. There, the ilKhan Alaric Ward, was rebuilding his forces, striking new deals with the corporate unions around the Inner Sphere to guarantee their survival.
This could not last, of course. Suddenly, one day, the Wall fell. The Capellan Confederation was the first to breathe down the Wolves’ neck, but they had not made a major move yet. The Hell’s Horses however still felt slighted that they were not “invited” to the ilClan trial and responded by challenging the ilKhan to a Trial of Possession for Terra. Really, it was either that, or they would send their entire touman to Terra to take it over. Gottfried Amirault was too honorable for his own good, though Star Captain Vikas. IlKhan Ward would not have been so kind.
The Hell’s Horses had bid 3 Galaxies to the fight on Yorii, which they agreed to to not damage Terra any further. SaKhan Vickers had managed to scrounge up 2 full strength Galaxies for Alaric to take to the front. Oh, and Max Ergen’s Republican First Army Group, who had pledged themselves to Clan Wolf. In terms of sheer numbers, both sides were roughly equal. In terms of experience, the Wolves had been through hell and back on Terra. The Hell’s Horses “veterans” still were not too blooded. The First Army Group was composed of a group of insane freeborn who had spent the last 5 to 6 years fighting everyone in the general vicinity of Terra.
On the other hand, you had a hodge-podge of Clan Hell’s Horses best warriors. Part of it was composed of some ultra-conservative, honor-abiding warriors like their Khan, Gottfried Amirault. On the other hand, you had some radical “mongol warriors” who were happy to follow Malvina Hazen’s doctrine even after her death. For every warrior who wanted an honorable fight, you had one which wanted to destroy everything underfoot. Khan Amirault had wanted it to be known he would “follow the rede” even in the face of Alaric Ward’s “less than stellar reputation”.
The LRM carrier tried shooting another volley at Vikas’s OmniMech. A quick kick tipped the vehicle over on its side, revealing its soft underbelly. Six short-range missiles slammed into it, finishing the job. Out of the corner of his eye, Vikas saw Alaric Ward’s Savage Wolf firing a volley of missiles towards a Hell’s Horses Fire Scorpion. The ilKhan’s instruction had been clear: Offer no pity, offer no honor. The Horses had challenged the rightful ilClan, thinking they were equal. They had to be shown this was not the case.
Vikas selected his laser weapon circuit and let out of a volley of coalescent light towards the Fire Scorpion. His radio crackled: “STRAVAG! You dare break my fight against your…” Two PPCs slammed into the quad ‘Mechs front left leg, a courtesy of Susanna Stims’ Hellstar. The 65 ton machine toppled over as the leg was cut from under it. Alaric Ward’s own blue beams of light finished the job, as the Fire Scorpion’s pilot ejected. Silver Keshik’s concentration moved away from the support star they had engaged toward something which looked more like a command unit.
“Star Captain Vikas”, the radio said with Alaric Ward’s voice, “that was a good shot. At that range, I would not have expected you to score a hit.” A sense of pride swelled within the young warrior: “Thank you my Khan. It is by your guidance that…” Weapon fire had started again. Vikas targeting a smaller Adder that showed years of experience behind it. “Do not sell yourself short, Star Captain. I have led the Clan to glory, but it is warriors like you that makes it possible.”
Star Captain Vikas never felt prouder in his life.
Alaric Ward switched his radio off, concentrating on the fight at hand. His armor was still in good shape, Founder bless the inventor of ferro-lamellor. Aberdeen Mehta had spent months drilling him to be a better politician and a better public speaker. The Alaric Ward of the Battle of Terra would have just told the junior Star Captain to focus on the task at hand. The Alaric Ward who had to play the role of First Lord of the New Star League, however…
His targeting reticle glowed red, indicating a target lock with his improved advanced tactical missile launchers. It was cheating to use a weapon developed originally by traitors to the Clans, but Alaric did not care anymore. Heavy was the crown and all that. Eighteen shaped charges hit the side of a Doom Courser, a machine Alaric had never fought in the past. The turreted quad leaned heavily in the opposite direction of the blow, but still stood, turning the guns on its back towards him. The PPC shot wide, but enough long-range missiles hit him to make the armor indicator flicker on his viewscreen. The 70 ton machine was turning its entire body towards him now to bring its gauss rifle to bear.
Star Commander Susanna Stims made sure it regretted doing that. From her 95 ton Hellstar, she commanded the behemoth’s laser cannons to flay the metallic skin in rapid pulses off the Doom Courser’s brittle flank. The turret started leaning dangerously to the side as Alaric shot two pinpoint shots with his lasers, taking it right off. A gauss slug flew meters from Alaric’s cockpit before his starmate’s Sojourner finished the job, causing the quad’s engine to collapse on itself. Zellbrigen be damned, they had to win this fight. I can hear you, Garner Kerensky, thought Alaric. From beyond, you are telling me that this is not the way a Clan should fight. He stood on a mountain of corpses, both of friends and foes. Honor was important, pride was important. But at this point in his life, Alaric knew that winning was all that mattered anymore.
A larger Executioner was now in the middle of his reticle. The 95 ton OmniMech was cutting Star Captain Vikas’s Mongrel to ribbons using its Large Pulse Lasers. A glowing white capsule left the medium ‘Mech’s head. Alaric hoped the Star Captain would survive his ejection as the 45 ton machine fell to the ground like a ragdoll. Sheer blue light and more shaped charged left Alaric’s Savage Wolf, meeting the metal flesh of the giant. The Hell’s Horses officer (at least, that is what Alaric thought) turned towards him while more missiles hit him. The Executioner finished his maneuver and rushedtowards Alaric, who fully expected it to punch him using its one good hand. Strangely, the strike never came.
Sparks lit up the around the feet of the 95 ton beast, its MASC malfunctioning at the worst possible time. Alaric’s weapon fire hit the monster dead-on, causing it to reel backwards. The leg actuators and the gyro could no longer compensate for the impact, sending it tumbling backwards. The Hellstar behind Alaric’s ‘Mech finished it off with its ER PPCs. Stims had been assigned to him by saKhan Chance Vickers as a bodyguard. She was not just good; she knew what she was doing. Her ‘mech was scarred and bleeding, but she made sure anything that was a threat to her Khan would die.
“Silver Keshik, report in”, Alaric clicked on the radio. Star Captains and Commanders gave quick reports, mostly saying that they were heavily damaged, but standing. A veteran of the Battle of Terra let out that he would prefer fighting the Republic again instead of a fellow Clan. The Alaric of the Battle of Terra would have reprimanded him. The new and improved Alaric told him that enemies of the Star League were all equal. The Hell’s Horses 77th Mechanized Cavalry was broken and retreating, Alaric’s wolves making sure any stragglers, mostly armored vehicles, were picked off. Just as a real pack of wolves would do, the ilKhan realized.
His own losses were bad enough, but not crippling. They had some of the best technicians in the Inner Sphere now, veterans of the Battle of Terra. The First Army Group had made sure supply depots and concealed yards were scattered throughout the land for them to quickly resupply and re-equip. The former Republican soldiers apparently wanted Alaric on the throne more than they wanted revenge, for some odd reason. Alaric was a large man, but Max Ergen towered over him by a head, and had a demeanor which made everyone want to trust him.
Even without the Loremaster entreaties to become more “personable”, he would gladly have shared a beer, bread and bratwursts with Ergen. The First Army Group had bloodied the noses of the Hell’s Horses already in the fight for Yorii, and now it was Alaric’s turn to take his pound of flesh. But this battle was won. Alaric’s hands eased on his Savage Wolf’s controls as he took a deep breath. His mind wandered back to Chance Vickers. He was not sure why. He hoped she was doing fine on Terra.
Next part
