BattleTech / MechWarrior Fan Fiction ❯ Carlson's Cavaliers ❯ When the cradle will rock! ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Carlson's Cavaliers
Part-2
"When the cradle will rock!"

(A BattleTech Adventure Series)

Act-1: "Fatherhood, take two"
Clovis Point Warehouse District
Clovis Point, Lyons, Lyran Commonwealth
3-Jan-2904

Tara laid her head back on the pillow as the taller of the two nurses handed her her newborn baby girl. The other nurse, having finished cleaning up the mess, took her feet from the stirrups and helped her lay her legs flat. Alex, still rubbing the feeling back into his abused right hand, kissed her forehead.
"I'm gonna have to start holding interviews."
"Why?" She asked, setting her new daughter to her right breast, the little one nursing.
"You surely can't pilot a mech for the time being."
"True. And I'm done with that for now. I'll coordinate your forces from the C.I.C. on the dropship. You do what you do best."
"Loving you and Val?" He joked.
"Besides that. By the way, what are we naming her?"
"I get to choose?" She nodded, since they named little Nathan in honor of her father.
"Well, since there's really no rush, let me think on it awhile."
"Ok. Go interview, I'm gonna feed our little girl, then take a well deserved nap."
Leaning over, he kissed their little one ontop of her mop of blonde hair, then kissed Tara's forehead.
"Sleep good, I'll see you in a few."
"Will do, Colonel." She said with a smirk, as he turned and left. The nurse still in her room, turned to Tara.
"Do you need anything, ma'am?"
"Yeah, sleep. Lots of sleep. As soon as the little one drinks her fill, put her in her crib, ok?"
"Aye ma'am."

Walking down to the mechbay, Hammie stopped him just near the entrance.
"Colonel?"
"Hey Ham, what's up?"
"Scuttlebutt says you're swapping me into an SHD. This true?" Alex nodded.
"One of the new pilots prefers recon work, but they put him in a 'Hawk because of Jamison's idiotic plan. Why, you want to stay in the light? I thought you were one of the 'D' pilots I recruited?"
"D pilots?"
"Dispossessed?" Alex replied, walking once more for the mechbay.
"Oh, yeah. I lost my last machine working a contract for Liao."
"What did you drive before?"
"Marauder. It wasn't totally mine though. ComStar held the balance of the note, which they cleared from the salvage. And I ended up walking."
"How'd you end up on Hamilton?"
"I was chasing billets, looking for mercenary work. I wasn't too keen on joining anyone's infantry, and Merc units rarely have them, that's when I saw your ad. Major Spinner put me into that Jenner, and the rest is history."
"Do you prefer a Marauder?"
"That would be like asking a drunk if he prefers single malt scotch to cheap beer." Alex chuckled.
"Ok, because we got a couple now, and after Val's techs get through with the refit, I'll swap out the ComGuard pilot in it and put him in the SHD, since Charlie company needs another recon mech, and Marauders don't recon all too well."
"Awesome! Thanks Skipper. One question though. Any chance I can buy it?" This caused Alex to stop and regard Hammie.

Standing 5'5", he was rounder than most mechwarriors, but his size belied his true talent: His apparent coding (DNA) was for hand-eye coordination and agility, despite his one-too-many beers appearance. Alex knew he was one of the 'Diablo' project the first night he was aboard, when during a briefing about Lyons, he spied him juggling a half dozen very sharp throwing knives, while drinking a brew and playing darts. His shaved head and trimmed goatee rounded out his devil-may-care attitude...

"VAL!" Alex yelled, the diminutive tech sticking her head up from the reactor compartment of one of their new Crusaders.
"Yeah?"
"Come here." Alex ordered, and she dutifully climbed down, her own belly bump considerably further along then it had been a few weeks ago. Walking up to them, she hugged him tightly, he rubbing her tummy.
"So, ready to be a mommy?" He asked. She nodded.
"We're really busy here, what did you need? Oh, Hi Hammie!"
"Hi Val."
"You still have those contracts to buy a mech from the unit?" He asked, she nodding.
"Ham, Val here will get you set up. Be good gorgeous." He said, kissing her forehead again. She hugged him back and, taking Hammie by the hand, led him to her main work station.

Hopping onto the motorbike, he rode one warehouse over for a meeting with the ELH's 21st Strikers Battalion. Upon arrival, he was escorted into and through the building to the office at the rear, where Jennifer was seated, having a meeting with Marcus.
"Ahh, hey Alex!" She said with a mile-wide grin. Marcus cleared reports off of the other chair in the room so he'd have a place to sit down. Taking that seat, he turned serious.
"They're here."
"Who?"
"Those mercs contracted by Jamison and his Kuritan friend."
"Oh." She replied.
"When did they land?" Marcus asked.
"They just arrived at the Nadir. I tried to call them, but they appear to be running radio silent."
"Ok, who were they again?"
"Gordon's Highland Light, Masterson's Mastiffs, and the 3rd Crucible." Alex said.
"Well, I know two of them, a lance and a company. The 3rd must be new, or from a different area of space." Marcus commented, though Jen stayed quiet.
"What size jumpship did they arrive on?" Jennifer asked.
"Merchant, with a pair of dropships, one Overlord and a Leopard."
"Yeah, the Leopard is Gordon's. That's the lance, with a pair of Stukas. If there are two other units, they're double bunking on the Overlord. And since Mastersons' a company, the rest of the ship is being used for the 3rd." Marcus added, Alex nodding.
"Let's go to the COM Shack, and see if they want to talk." Jennifer suggested, Alex following her out. Marcus chose to stay behind.

Parking Hammie in the chair she used for naps inbetween repairs and refits, Val handed him a clipboard with a form on it. Reading it, he saw that for the next 3 years he'd be basically giving up 2/3 of his pay, all bonuses, including booty shares, and at the end of it, his mech would truly be his. Taking the offered pen, he signed it quickly.
"As long as the unit keeps up with the repairs and maintenance, I'm good with this."
"Yep, we do. Plus, at the end of the 3 year cycle, I do a complete service check, replace any bad servos or actuators and anything else that may be heading for the parts exit."
"Wow, that's awesome, thanks Val."
"You can have it as soon as we finish the refits."
"Oh, what's the change?"
"Strip out all the weapons and replace them with 3 MagnaStar Large Lasers, adding 3 more heat sinks, 2.5 tons of armor and 4 Hellion Firecat Jumpjets." She finished proudly. He was shocked to say the least.
"A Marauder that can jump, and 120 meters at that?!" And all she did was nod, grinning like a fool.
"Holy crap! That's gonna be one awesome ride."

Upon arrival, Jen instructed the COM Tech to try and raise the Overlord. On his third rotation through the commonly used frequencies, they got a response.
"Attention, Inbound Overlord, please state your intentions." Her COM tech said. There was a brief moment of silence, then, a response.
"This is Burt Masterson. Who's this?" They heard, Jen grabbing the mic.
"This is General Jennifer Dirkson, Commanding Officer of the Eridani Light Horse. Be advised MISTER Masterson, this world is under the combined protection of Carlson's Cavaliers and the 21st Striker Battalion of the Light Horse, so you'd best be here on a private or personal matter."
"Well, sweetie, I'll tell you what, you turn over one Alex Carlson to us, as I have a ComStar arrest warrant for him, and we'll be on our way, otherwise, there will be blood." And he cut the COM.
"SWEETIE! ARGH!" Jennifer said, stomping out of the COM shack. Alex followed a moment later. She stomped all the way back to the office, her picking up the phone.
"Red Alert! Warriors to your mechs, this is not a drill!" She barked into the receiver. Turning to Alex, she grinned.
"Ready?"
"For?"
"That day of reckoning Jamison was talking about."
"I don't follow."
"3rd Crucible is a fencer unit, all heavy and assault mechs from elite ComGuard Units. The other two are pasteboard wimps, a single, well crewed tank could take them. Masterson and Gordon are going to run around the city, because they're just distractions, to give the 3rd the time to make their Smash & Grab attack on you."
"Well, I'm no idiot, and I'm certainly not gonna sit here and cower in a corner. I'll send my fighters up, if you'll commit a few?"
"Already in the works. I have a dozen, all battle-hardened vets. You?"
"Half Dozen, top notch guys and girls in Val-refitted planes."
"What does that mean anyway? Your master tech has ideas as to how mechs and fighters should be built?" She asked and Alex nodded.
"Look at the mechs in my unit, and you'll see her handiwork on all of them."
"Huh. Ok, call me intrigued. What are 'her' recommendations for say, a Warhammer?"
"We have a couple of those. I think she added armor and heat sinks." He said, thinking about talks he and Val had on the unit's mechs.
"At the expense of what? You can't add things without removing things."
"Oh, weapons usually, stuff that's superfluous to what the mech should have."
"Ok, so what did she change out?"
"Well, the redundant weapons, and the dangerous ones."
"Alex, I'm a General, not an idiot." She chastized.
"Our 'Hammers have the PPCs and the SRM/6 and that's it. No medium lasers or MGs." He said finally as she processed what this would do to a Warhammer.
"Ok, but you know the lasers and the MGs were for close range support, right?"
"If a mech, capable of threatening a Warhammer, is close enough to be affected by MGs, either the pilot in the 'Hammer is a greenie, or the mech is almost dead anyway. Either way, all my pilots are taught to support one another, so that situation never or rarely ever happens."
"Hmmm."
"My Griffin has a Large Laser where the PPC used to be and the LRM rack was expanded to a 15 rack. I rarely suffer heat issues, since the weapons work at different range brackets. I can support other mechs with LRMs in more than just a nuisance factor, like mechs with 5 racks, and at the same time, no one wants to close with a mech that can shave off a half ton of armor everytime I pull a trigger." He finished. She nodded, looking him over.
He hadn't changed that much from when she met him after a conference on Terra. His wavy, dark brown hair still had that wavy look, his jaw now graced with a Fu-Man-Chu moustache, and his eyes, ice blue orbs that seemed to radiate some inner strength, still shown with an absolute authority. Yes, he was older, though he always looked older for his stated age, which was why she slept with him when he woo'ed her after the conference. It wasn't until the next morning that he confided in her that he was only 15. Shocked, both at his apparent youth and skill, she kissed him and fled, before anyone would see the two of them together, considering her age of 37.

"So, you haven't hit on me once since I've been here. Have I changed that much?" She asked of him, knowing by the gold band on his finger that he was now married, but also knowing that he and said lead tech were still a couple.
"No, I'm just not inclined to sleep with an ally. I'd rather you and I were friends than disrespect that by sexing you up." He said with a grin. She nodded, smiling back.
"I can respect that, considering what we did was pretty much a one off. You were quite the charmer back then." He laughed.
"It was 4 years ago, and believe me, if I didn't respect you, we'd be in bed right now. No, friends we are, and friends we'll stay." He finished, she hugging him.
"Ok, so, what other changes to accepted mechs has Val done?" She asked as they walked from her warehouse to his...

Interceptor Flight
22 hours from Overlord/Leopard
25 minutes later...

"Ok, Jackson, tighten it up, look sharp, I don't need any of you hot dogs wasting fuel on the outbound leg. It'll be a long space walk home otherwise." Captain Tillmon said over his COM to the 16 fighters in his flight. 12 were his, the other 4 were Cavaliers.
"Sure glad Val put my guns back. Cameras are nice, but I can't photograph you to death, ya know?"
"No, but you sure can talk us to death." Quipped Reese. A few laughed with him, as Waylan slipped behind him and proceeded to lock up his new Stingray with his targeting system.
"Yeah yeah, ha ha hot shot."
"Hey, stay in formation you two! Settle it on the tarmac."
"Boys will be boys." Vanessa said, Michelle sighed in agreement.
"We can dress 'em up but every time we take 'em somewhere, we're the ones embarassed." She finished, this getting twice the laughs as most of the pilots were female.
"Ok, shutdown all flight control devices on my mark. Mark!" Tillmon said, and one by one each pilot deactivated the controls in his or her plane. Engines shut down, and within minutes, all 16 planes were drifting along at 200mps toward the incoming dropships.
"Ok, nap time kids. Set alarms for 0400."
"Roger that! I could use a break." Waylan said, pulling down the blacked out visor on his helmet. Soon, all anyone who was listening would hear was soft snoring.

For the next 12 hours, the dozen plus fighters would drift toward their unsuspecting foe. Since they weren't broadcasting or transmitting their radar, they also weren't revealing their position...

Back at the ELH Command Center...

Alex looked at the ladar screen once more. All the fighters were still on track to intercept the incoming dropships, he just hoped it didn't go too badly for the fighter force. With no other aerospace assets available, and only a handful of atmospheric fighters left after the brawl with Jamison, he was almost certain that he'd be in his mech, dealing with this problem at arm's length.
"They still tracking true?" Marcus asked, walking in holding a thermos with what smelled like coffee wafting from the cap. Alex nodded.
"Here, you look like you've been in here all night."
"I have been. Waiting never sits well with me, plus Val and her team have been pulling back to back doubles making sure all of our mechs are fitted out and ready to go." He replied, waving off the offered coffee.
"I thought you were married?"
"I am, why?"
"Go home Alex. I understand you have a newborn. I'm sure your wife is up to her eyeballs, and could use your help. Besides, nothing's going to happen up there for half a day, so you might as well get some rest. Or do I have to get Jen to make that an order, since you turned over operational control to her and the ELH for the duration of this op?"
"Ok, ok, I'm going. Call me the moment the fighters wake up."
"Roger that." Marcus said with a grin, setting his cup and thermos on the tray beside the ladar screen, taking a seat and leaning back, putting his feet up.
"Ahh, sensor duty, damn, I feel like a kid again." He said with a soft chuckle as Alex turned and left.

Riding into his warehouse, the mech area was a sea of activity, with most of the unit's mechs still in pieces as Val and her team struggled to get the refits done in time. Scooping up the other woman in his life, Alex pulled a surprised Val into a long hug and soft kiss. A kiss she happily returned. Pulling away afterward, he noticed she was a mess.
"Ok, you are coming with me, Missy!"
"Alex, I can't. I want to, but this place runs smoother when I'm here."
"You'll be back. But first, you need a shower. LISTEN UP EVERYONE!" He called out, this stopping most of the work.
"I want everyone to take a 3 hour break. Go back to your quarters, grab a shower, a hot meal and a nap. Be back here at 1400. I'm not worried about your abilities to have the unit ready, because I believe in you. But you are all human, and we humans need our rest. Now git!" And with that, tools hit the floor, or benches, and people filed out.
"You'll be at half strength, maybe two companies with that little bit of time to work. Aren't those dropships scheduled to make planetfall at 2000 hours?"
"Yep, but, I made a deal with Jen."
"Oh?"
"In exchange for your services helping her techs do your awesome refits, she'll put her Battalion out there first. We simply play back up, so, 2 companies is fine." He said as she simply gazed at him. Leaning up, she kissed him softly, he scooping her up and carrying her back to her quarters and into a hot shower, leaving a trail of clothes from the door...

Walking into his quarters a short while later, he found Nathan playing with his toy mechs and Tara sitting in their only real piece of actual furniture in the room, a soft, crushed velour over-stuffed recliner. It's deep red color clashed with all the grays and whites of the room, but it really did stand out as the signature piece.
"Daddy!" Nathan shouted, jumping up and running to him. He leaned down, scooping up his son.
"Hey buddy! You playin' with your mechs?"
"Yeah!"
"You bein' good? Not giving Mommy a hard time?"
He shook his head, as though answering the second question and ignoring the first. Alex kissed his forehead, carrying him over to the recliner, he squirming only slightly. Leaning down, Alex kissed Tara on the forehead. She looked up from the sheet she was reading, pushing her glasses back up her nose. Smiling, she returned his kiss.
"He's been very good." She said, rising and letting Alex have the chair, he letting Nathan go, he running back to his toys, and Tara sitting on his lap. Pulling her close, she leaned into him, he breathing in her scent.
"Mmmm, jasmine." He said softly, the rythym of her breathing and heart beat lulling him into a deep sleep. Kissing him on the forehead, she snuggled against him.
"I love you too, sweetheart." She whispered into his ear...

Interceptor Flight
0400 hrs

"Ok, wake up you hot dogs!" Tillmon ordered over the COM.
"Aww Mom, just 5 more minutes." Waylan whined.
"Yeah, it's still dark outside." Reese jokingly replied.
"Range to targets, wait, how the hell?!" Jonesy shouted, an ELH pilot flying a Stuka.
"What's wrong Jonesy?"
"The dropships are BEHIND us!" She yelled back, this waking everyone completely.
"How the hell? We plotted their course exactly, we should be ontop of them unless..." Waylan said, letting the obvious trail off.
"Unless what?" Reese asked, flipping his plane and starting the engine.
"Unless they increased to max thrust to get to the world faster."
"Makes sense, especially when a world knows you're coming, it gives them less time to prepare. Harder on their fuel and if they lose, they won't be leaving with the little bit of fuel they'll have left." Came the response from Vivian, another ELH pilot.
"I don't think they plan on losing, but now that we're out of position, all we'll be able to do is provide air support for the ground troops." Replied Mary, from her Corsair.
"Ok, let's make tracks, maximum burn, since we won't need fuel for a dogfight, we can pull a full 2g burn back to the world. They'll only beat us there by..." Tillmon said, as he did the long math.
"28 minutes." Waylan said, tightening his seat restraints.
"Yeah, I was gonna say 30, but 28 is spot on. Good job Pilot."
"I do what I can. So, who wants to be talked to death?" He asked with a chuckle.
"Save it for the bad guys, will ya?" Reese whined...

Act-2: "Jamison's ghost..."
FedKirk Residential District
Clovis City, Lyons

As the Overlord began it's descent toward the huge field, people and players alike abandoned whatever they brought with them to this Friday night football game. When the dropship stopped high overheaad, and begain dropping, people ran here and there, trying to find shelter from the ship's massive engines. The Leopard circled once, being chased by several dozen Fighting Falcons of the Home Guard Militia, it's guns scoring a kill everytime they fired.
With a roar of it's thrusters, the massive dropship settled onto the field, it's landing struts sinking deeply into the soft earth, and no sooner did the engines cease, mechbay doors slammed open, ramps hit the ground, and a dozen mechs, all heavies and assaults, roared onto the playing field, the last remaining civilians scrambling to find cover.
"Crucible, move out! Find Carlson, and kill him! The Precentor is captured, presumed dead, so ignore the arrest part of the warrant." Came a voice over the Command mech's PA system, a Black Knight, as the dozen odd mechs moved out, and into the surrounding neighborhood.
"Sir? What of the civilian population?"
"They are harboring a fugitive wanted by ComStar, all who harbor against our blessed order are as guilty as the accused. You have your orders, move out!"

QB Jeremy Stinson watched in horror as a pair of mechs the size of skyscrapers moved through his neighborhood, razing homes and businesses in their wake. He knew from his teachings at Tamar, before it's destruction a few short years ago, that these were mechs from ComStar, even though they exhibited no outward markings to claim they were, save for a bronze colored cauldron super-imposed over a big, silver '3'. He knew simply because, this far removed from the time of Kerensky's Exodus, no House still operated the mech known as the 'Black Knight'.

Moving after that mech, he hopped onto the cycle that his mother forbade him to ride while he was home, and sped after it. Turning sharply onto Elm, he slid the bike in a controlled drift, the back tire smoking as he took the turn at nearly full throttle, racing now away to the west of the BLK as it continued to ravage his old neighborhood, heading for the warehouse district. Upon reaching the home of his coach, he found the home shifted off of it's foundation from an apparent missile strike. The smell of odorized natural gas was in the air, and a water pipe could be seen spraying a solid stream straight into the air. Only one tree still stood on this block, a stately old oak, though the pock marks and bullet holes through it's trunk told him it may have bloomed for the last time. Running into the still standing structure, Jeremy forced his way into the garage, looking for the arms safe Coach Watson had shown him and a few other squad mates.

For Coach Watson wasn't just the athletic director at school as well as the football coach, he was also Colonel Watson, leader of the ground forces militia of Clovis Point.
Forcing open the sprung hinges on the safe using a crowbar mounted on the wall, above an assortment of hand tools, Jeremy found the items he was searching for: A man-portable SRM/2 launcher with two rounds. Taking the launcher, he lashed it to the handlebars of his bike, and carefully loaded the two rockets, setting the wires for a launch onto his right grip and securing them with duct tape. Taking the off-road riding vest off of the wall beside the families damaged car, he donned it and the goggles too. Feeling he was as ready as he could be, he lept aboard his scoot, and chased after that mech...

Warehouse District,
Same time

"What do you mean, you passed each other?!" Jennifer yelled into the COM.
"Sorry General, the dropship's increased to max thrust while we were napping and apparently they never saw us. We're about 20 minutes from orbit as we speak, and we're tracking a number of fighters and what looks like COM Sats in orbit where there were none yesterday." Tillmon said.
"Fine, kill their fighters, kill the Sats, then get to the field and land for refuel. We'll need you for battlefield strafing ASAP! Command out!" She again shouted at the man.
"Yelling really does no good sis." Marcus said, sitting back in his chair. She sighed, sitting down herself.
"Ma'am! We got mechs on the other side of Clovis Point! Assaults and heavies! An Overlord just landed in a rec field 5 klicks east of the city and a dozen mechs are trashing a residential neighborhood and heading west! Reports say they're shooting at anything that moves!"
"That constitutes an attack on the Commonwealth!" She said, standing.
"I'll get to my mech." Marcus said, as Jen hit the red alert button once more.

As alarms sounded all throughout the ELH's warehouse, Alex awoke with a start. He was still sitting in the recliner, though he was alone. Nathan and his toys were gone, but he did smell something wonderful coming from their kitchen. As he stood to move that way, the COM on his belt chirped. Taking hold of it, he answered.
"Alex here."
"Alex, it's Jen. They're here. And before you ask, the fighters completely missed them. They have a dozen mechs out and about trashing the FedKirk neighborhood, but reports have them heading toward the city."
"Ok, send what you can, I'll get the Cav's mounted up. We have a number of tanks, so this is more balanced then you might imagine."
"I'm sending you an image of the confirmed Command mech, and it's not good."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, it's ComStar alright, or one of their affiliates. The Command mech is a SLDF Black Knight."
"Cool, Val will enjoy tinkering with that. It's a formidable machine."
"I don't know what strikes me as more than odd about you, your amazing outlook or your charisma."
"Thanks for that, but fate loves the underdog. And I have a life mission ahead of me. I'll see your Strikers on the field. Hey, what word of the Leopard?"
"The air defense force was tangling with it piecemeal until their CO sent the entire squadron after it. They managed to shoot it down out in Volcano Alley, nice name by the way, it fits. Went down in the middle of a swamp out there." She finished as Alex blanched.
"That'll be a long walk for a mech. Even their fastest machines will take three days to get back here. Tell that CO congrats and good work from me, k?"
"Will do, see you on the field, Colonel."
"Hun! Can I get that delicious smell to go?" He called out to Tara, stopping by their old office, now serving as a nursery, and kissing his sleeping daughter on the forehead. Moving into the kitchen had Tara at the stove, having just removed a lasagna from the oven and placing it on the potholder on their table.
"Sure babe, but you'll be a pasta sauced mess when you come home. Sit, the war can wait 15 minutes. I already called Val and let her know to put the unit on Alert."
"Listening in on my conversations again Major?" He playfully scolded her, she frowning.
"Always. Now sit." She said, lifting Nathan off the floor and putting him into his highchair. He smiled to Alex.
"Sleep good Daddy?"
"Yeah buddy, naptime was good." He smiled back to his son, leaning over and messing up the toddler's hair. He grinned, picking up his sippy cup and taking a drink of the bright red juice within.
Setting a bottle of ale in front of her husband, Tara cut a large piece of the steaming pasta dish and set it on the plate in front of him, he wasting no time digging in.
"Hey! Slowly, or you'll be in agony later!" She scolded, setting a much smaller piece on a plate but didn't set it in front of Nathan. He looked at her expectantly.
"It's still too hot for you honey, let it cool down a little bit, I don't want you to burn your mouth." She said, he pouting only slightly.
"Ok Mommy!" He said, taking the slice of bread Alex put on his tray and biting into the garlic and buttery treat. Chewing happily, he sat back, flying the piece of bread around his head like an airplane, sound effects included.
Knocking back a swig of ale to put the fire out in his mouth, Alex looked at a smirking Tara.
"If it's too hot for Nathan, don't you think it would be too hot for you?"
"Eh, sorry, but there's a war going on, and I'm letting the ELH handle the start of it."
"Considering all the new mechs you dropped on them, they should be fighting the whole war for us!" She quipped, checking the temp of the piece of lasagna she cut for Nathan, and, satisfied that it was cool enough, cut it into small, child size cubes. She then set it before him, he scooping up a piece and eating. He grinned at her a second later.
"Is it good?" She asked. He nodded. Turning to Alex, he finishing, she smiled.
"So, did I learn a thing or two from my grandma or what?" She asked as he finished his ale, stood, and wiped his mouth. Leaning down, he gave her a kiss that curled her toes. Afterward, he belched rather loudly, so loudly in fact that it made Nathan giggle.
"I take that as a yes." She said after collecting her breath. Smiling, he kissed his son on the forehead and turned to leave.
"Oh, by the way, I have a name for our other little one."
"Oh, about time. Let's have it."
"Camerine Alexandria Carlson." He said with a smile. Tara was stunned.
"Wow! When did you come up with that?"
"Wasn't hard. My mother's name is Alexandria, hence why I was named Alex, and Camerine is my cousin, on my father's side. She died in a mech fight on Hesperus II about 15 years ago."
"Ok, I can accept that. Sorry for your loss." She said sadly, knowing what it means to lose someone close.
"Is ok, I barely knew her. I was a babe when she left home and Nathan's age when she died. Be good, I gotta go." He said, turning and rushing out. Sighing, she sliced a piece half the size she fed to him, and sat down with Nathan to eat.
"Don't be sad Mommy, Daddy will be ok." Nathan said suddenly, she looking at him with surprise in her eyes, for the look in his, a distant, far away look, told her everything. Calming, she reached over and messed the hair on his head.
"Yeah, he'll be ok."

Meanwhile, up in orbit...

"Tighten it up Reese, what? You forget how to fly that old Slantback?" Waylan said, ribbing Reese as he banked his plane around the explosion of one of the four enemy Corsairs.
"Yeah, back at ya, Hotshot, I don't see you tangling with ComTurds!" He shot back, as Waylan's Cheetah shot passed the girls and destroyed a COM sat in one pass.
"Ok you guys, that's the last of them, let's head for the barn, the unit needs us!" Tillmon said over the COM, he banking his fighter and heading into the atmosphere.
"Come on ladies, let's see if we can help out. I know you guys are good on fuel and ammo." Waylan laughed as he dove into the atmosphere, right behind Tillmon.
"Gods, he is so gonna get his ticket punched one of these days." Michelle laughed as she banked and followed him in.
"I just hope we're here to see it, so I can take a picture and laugh!" Vanessa added, banking her Slayer and following Reese. The surviving 10 planes of the ELH were already bucking wind, heading for the deck, their only loss, a Chippewa.

East side of Clovis Point...

Jeremy sped along side streets, trying to keep that mech in view. It was one block north of his position and 4 blocks ahead, and something was pushing this pilot to get where he was going yesterday, as he again jumped over a block of buildings.
"Damn! Where is this crazy pilot trying to get to in such a hurry?" He said to himself, as he wheeled his cycle into a parking garage that had multiple exits.
Coming out the other side brought him nearly face to face with a Marauder!
The mech was facing him, but it wasn't looking at him, as he exited the structure. Looking to his left, he saw a Trenchbucket and a PhoenixHawk moving toward the Marauder, lasers blazing, as the Marauder began backing up, it's PPC's howling. The hair on his head stood up as the PPC closest to him fired, he gunning the engine and launching the bike down another side alley away from that fight. Small pops and a couple of good explosions to his rear hastened his pace as he surely didn't want to get caught up in all of that!
Suddenly, he heard a sudden whoosh! from beneath him, and the back of the bike came around in a vicious fishtail that dumped him into the middle of the next street, the bike sliding to a stop on the adjacent sidewalk. Rolling with the involuntary ejection, he ended up on the sidewalk across the alley from his bike, thankful that he was still wearing his football pads. Rising slowly, checking himself for injuries, thankfully finding none save for a few scrapes and a bruise, he moved to check out his bike.
Sure enough, he hit something racing through the alleys and lost his back tire.
"Dammit!" He shouted, noticing that everyone appeared to be in the bomb shelters since there was no one on the streets. Picking up the launcher, it survived the crash quite well, new scratches in it's housing the only damage he saw. The firing mechanism was still intact, and the missiles in the tubes were undamaged. Sighing as he left his bike behind, he proceed west on foot.

After a block, he found an abandoned cab, and helped himself, wheeling the big sedan down along the alleys he had been following on his bike. After 10 more blocks or so, he came out of the alley in the middle of a mech battle, as MG fire raked the right side of his car, spinning him into the side of a building, thoroughly wedging him in. Shaking his head, he looked up, spotting 4 mechs to his right, all massive, hulking things, and 8(!) mechs to his left, all painted white, with a prancing horse emblazoned on their chests.
Pulling himself out of the wrecked cab, he looked skyward, as the roar of aerospace fighters streaked past, low enough to get a good view, but going by so fast that only a computer could track them. Grabbing the launcher, he moved out of sight into the cafe his car had become wedged into.
"Ok, bad guys have a Highlander, an Awesome, a Catapult and a Cyclops. Good guys seem a tad out-matched, considering." He said to himself, turning and looking out the window frame at the ELH forces: 2x PHX, 2x TBT, 1x Jenner, and 3x Kintaro.
He watched for nearly half an hour as these 12 mechs traded firepower, much to the detriment of the surrounding district. A lot of real estate was demolished between these machines, but Jeremy was hooked. One day, he'd be a mechwarrior.
As he watched, those fighters would roar in every so often, strafe a row of mechs and fly off, but then return anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes later. The Catapult was the first enemy mech to fall, it succumbing to both concentrated fire and strafe damage.
The ELH lost both the Jenner and a PhoenixHawk next, the ComGuard's apparently singling them out as having better than average pilots, both of whom successfully ejecting. Moving to the corner of the building, for a better view of the good guy's machines, when suddenly a mech came screaming over the building he was in, landing only meters away. It was that Black Knight!
"Sonuva!" He shouted, laying the launcher on a table. He did notice that when the ComStar mech showed up, the ELH forces started falling back, it even shooting down a Corsair!

ELH, Second Striker Company,
West side of Clovis Point Warehouse District
Same time

"Holy crap! Is that a Black Knight?! Dietrich yelled over his COM to their lance leader, Griffin in a Kintaro.
"And they die like all the rest, FIRE!" He yelled, getting tone and flushing his racks at the Cyclops that was pushing it's way forward. The other two Kintaros with him fired also, 15 LRMs and 18 SRMs streaking across the blasted and flattened remains of a warehouse the city should have condemned years ago. Laser light punctuated the twilight sky around them, as the BLK got into the fray, unloading a devastating barrage of energy into the last PHX, it literally going up in a reactor explosion, Jeremy ducking behind the solid stone wall, happy that the blast wave was well to the north.
The missiles tracked straight and true, tracking on the Narc pod attached to the Cyclop's chest, planted there by the ELH mech's last firing. Detonations almost too loud for human hearing erupted all over the front of the Cyclops, it dropping to the ground a few seconds later, a fire raging in it's reactor bay, the pilot ejecting not long after.
"We need back up down here! Where the hell are the Cavaliers?!" Dietrich yelled to anyone who would listen, backing his Trenchbucket into a building, trying to get away from that BLK, as it fired again, blowing one of the side torsos clean off of their lance leader's Kintaro.
"Griffin!"

Alpha Company, Command Lance, Carlson's Cavaliers
West side of Clovis Point Warehouse District
Same time

"I see the light show Alex, it must be just ahead!" Maria called out over the COM.
"Take a stand on that building to your left Maria, get me some eyes on the fight." He replied calmly.
"On it sir!" She said, leaping her SHD to the top of a reinforced parts warehouse, landing deftly on it's ferrocrete roof.
"Anton, how you guys making out?"
There was a moment of nothing, then a response.
"It's a shitstorm for certain Colonel, but we're dealing! We lost the Von L again, I think that tank is cursed!" Amy said.
"Amy, why are you on COMs?"
"Anton took some shrapnel. He's stable, but our left track is blown and Adele is beating the crap outta a...."
There was a boom over the COM, and everyone tensed up.
"Amy? Amy?"
"Ow, oh, I'm here. That was the killer, we're done Skipper, here, Adele, give me that rifle, help me get his legs under him." And the COM cut out.
"Damn, this is going all kinds of wrong." He said, until Hammie chimed in.
"Skipper, we'll go support the 2nd Strikers, you and Maria go help Amy and Anton. You guys are faster and can get there like, yesterday.
"Good thinking Ham, Ok, Maria, let's go. Last track had them 4 blocks north of here."
"On my way!" And he watched as she jumped from the building to the ground and broke into a run. Turning, he took off after her.
"Hey, new guy, what's your name again?" Hammie called out to the new pilot in Tara's Quickdraw.
"Brenda. Brenda Fowler." She replied in an almost husky purr of a response, this perking up Hammie considerably.
"OH! Cool, ok, stick with me, let's go bail the Horses out of the fire."
"On your six, five by five."
"How'd you end up in the unit?"
"Just got out of MAS a few months ago, but I didn't want the hassles of being a garrison pilot, so I resigned my commission, and after a year of wondering, here I am."
"Ok, well, watch my 6 and kill anything I shoot at, got me?"
"I got you Ham."

As they moved forward around the last warehouse on the street, Hammie saw what he was up against: A Black Knight, a beat-to-death Awesome and what looked like a Highlander hopping on one leg. The ELH forces were a Kintaro and a TBT. Not very fair odds indeed!
Not bothering to announce his presence, he simply stepped fully around the corner, and blasted the crippled Awesome full in the chest with all three of his new Large Lasers, Val's wunderkind techs having delivered the goods.
The Awesome fell backward, his reactor shutdown for good, most of the shielding and housing blown away.
Jumping to the top of the warehouse, the Quickdraw landed gracefully enough, until a laser barrage from the BLK nearly blew her off said roof.
"Hey fucker! Pick on someone your own tonnage!" Hammie yelled, blasting the BLK full in the left leg with all three lasers.
A flash of light caught Brenda's eye from the blown out cafe the BLK was standing in front of. Switching quickly to thermal, she spotted a person as they looked to be readying a shoulder-fired rocket launcher!
"Holy!" She said over the COM, though no one heard her, as her antennae had sheered off during her fall.
'Val really knows her stuff, I've never seen lasers this size re-up that quick.' He thought, as he did a quick check, and saw they were again ready to fire, cycling so fast he thought they were mediums. Stabbing the triggers again, sent three beams of coherent red light slamming into the BLK's left leg again, fusing the limb at the hip and knee. The mech staggered forward suddenly, took one bad step, and fell flat on it's face!
"What the hell? Rookie! Did you do that?"
She could hear him, but he obviously didn't hear her response. Grabbing her hand COM, she called out to him.
"Hammie, you read me?"
"Yeah, your mech COM out?"
"I think so."
"Did you do that to the Knight?"
"Negative, I just got my feet back under me." She said, as the pilot of the Highlander ejected.

Watching as the ELH forces took a beating, Jeremy, launcher over his shoulder, aimed at the small of the back of the BLK, right where the gyro housing should be, and pulled the trigger.
Only, nothing happened except for a long zap sound and the trigger started smoking. Laying the launcher on the same table he used to check it, he freed the stuck trigger, thus stopping all the smoking, and pulled his army knife. Working quickly as the battle raged, he pulled the panel off of the side of the trigger assembly, and looked inside for the issue. Pulling his pocket light off of his keychain, he shined the single LED light into the mechanism...

"Command Colonel, there is a small light in the building directly behind you!" Came the call in his helmet, as he fired another volley of devastating laser light, destroying another Kintaro.
"Shoot the structure, see if you can't flush out the vermin inside."
But, as the BLK turned to face the last Kintaro, a Marauder appeared with a Quickdraw jumping to the roof of the warehouse in front of him, he locking up the QD and firing his arsenal once more, knocking that mech off of its feet.
"Aye Command Colonel!" His subordinate replied, but no sooner had he responded, his Awesome fell from a trio of bright, red laser blasts to it's chest, it's reactor housing just gone, it falling backward with a mighty crash. The remaining Kintaro fired, shattering the Cyclops' right hip actuator, the mech crashing to the ground, legless.
The Marauder fired a blistering barrage of lasers, slamming into the BLK's left leg, savaging the armor there, as the pilot turned to see what it was that was possibly threatening it from behind. A blast of laser light slammed into his left leg again, forcing him to ignore the threat from behind at the moment, turning his attention back to the Marauder. But, before he could get a lock, a pair of small explosions rocked his machine, a feeling of sudden nausea ripping through him, the feeling a Mechwarrior only gets at the sudden loss of balance, usually caused by losing a mech's gyro, and, taking a step forward to steady himself, his mech collapsed to the ground, face first.

Spotting the problem, a shorted circuit, Jeremy simply cut out the circuit board, used the wires he had originally planned to use if it were still mounted on his cycle, and connected one to the trigger and held the other near the battery. Hefting the launcher once more to the shoulder, as the BLK took another triple laser assault to it's damaged left leg, he aimed and touched the wire to the battery.
"FaWHOOOOSH!" As both rockets tore from the launcher, the backblast knocking him off his feet, the rockets slamming into the back of the mech just at the armor crease where the torso meets the hip. The mech staggered forward, then fell on it's face.
"Yes!" He shouted, still partially deafened from the rocket's launch and subsequent close proximity explosion. Dropping the launcher, he stood shakily, and walked out and around to the head of the BLK. As the hatch opened, he pulled the pistol he carried and as soon as the pilot emerged, shot the man in the head. As he collapsed inside the head once more, Jeremy spoke.
"That's for ruining the best game of my life, asshole!"

Act-3: "Tying up loose ends..."
Carlson's Cavalier's Warehouse
Warehouse District, Clovis Point
7-Jan-2904

"So, I'm not taking anything?" Jen asked, but Alex shook his head.
"I think the ELH has been more than compensated, what with nice, new shiny ComGuard SLDF mechs, and the 5 million of course." He said with a smile, as Jen nodded.
"You do make a good point, thanks again Alex." She said with a smile, hugging him, he returning it.
"Well, you do get to keep YOUR mechs, I mean the ones that fell. I don't want them. I'll be salvaging the rest of the ComGuard units. I'm sure Val will be up to her eyeballs in los-tech goodies for weeks to come."
"Yeah, lucky her." She responded with a smirk, as she turned and headed out. Turning around, Alex got hugged by Val. Reaching down he rubbed her belly, she snuggling against him.
"So, how are things shaping up?"
"Well, try not to get mad, but, we lost 5 mechs and Waylan needs a new Cheetah."
"Why on Earth or Lyons, would I get mad about that? I expect losses. We're not perfect, far from it in fact." He said, she just pushing back out of his arms, and crossing hers.
"Ok, ok. What did we lose?"
"Happily, no pilots, but, Alpha recon is gone, everyone walking, and Maria's SHD needs so much work it's easier to scrap it. Anton's in the infirmary, along with Amy and Adele, but they just have cuts and bruises. Oh, and yeah, we did lose the Von Luckner again, and I'm not fixing it. That thing is cursed."
"No, it's a main battle tank, and as such it's a magnet for damage."
"That may be, but I have a contact over on Ko, sitting on a pair of LRMCs, and since she owes me, I can get them for a song."
"How do you have so many contacts, at 18?" He asked, looking at her perplexed. She grinned.
"Most I know through my folks, some I met while I was at school, and the rest, I dunno, go to certain places, rub elbows, and you never know what will happen."
"And here I thought you were from Hamilton." But she shook her head.
"Terra, like you. After I got out of GM's Tech school, I fell in with a bunch of mech gypsies, bounced from world to world, doing loose defense contracts. Barely kept ourselves fed and the mechs running, but in those two years before I left ship on Hamilton, I learned alot. Then I met you, and the rest is history." She said with a smile. He smiled back, nodding.
"Ok, make the deal, and break it to the crew they'll be rolling with Anton and his crazy gang." Val laughed at that, considering besides his floating crap games, he had his hand in just about everything black market, which suited her fine, it helped her get parts, but sometimes she wandered when it would all go to hell.
"Well, as long as we have a decent defense fund should he get pinched, we'll be ok." She finished. He nodded and headed off to see Anton.
'Wow, and he didn't even ask me about the mechs.' She thought. As if hearing her thoughts, he turned around and yelled back to her.
"See if you can find some mechs within a jump too! I'm taking the BLK, so fix the gyro. Maria can have my Griffin!" He then turned back around, and headed for the infirmary. Grinning, she hopped on the motorbike, and road into town...

Jeremy, still slightly out of it, stumbled into their warehouse about 4 hours later, completely unaware of his wound: a tiny piece of shrapnel caught him in the left thigh, and nicked his femurul artery. Staggering for reasons unknown to him, he collapsed right in the middle of the bay, nearly getting squashed by a Warhammer a tech was moving to be serviced.
"Man down! Man down!" Someone yelled, and the last thing he saw was the Warhammer backing away from him, as a med team ran over, stretcher and kits in hand...

Upon reaching the HPG station, Val went inside and took her place in line. Spotting the bulletin board on the wall, she stepped out of line and went to the for sale section, reading the 14 ads on Lyons alone of mechs for sale or trade. Taking a couple down, she read then re-read the rest, a smile forming on her lips and an idea in her mind. Taking all the ads, she stuffed them in her pockets, and rode back to the warehouse...

"So, we had a pair of old Hermes boxed in, when a swarm of LRMs landed all around the tank, and I don't mean like an Archer was shooting at us, I mean like an LRMC." Anton recounted to Alex, the former laying on his side, his lower back and buttocks in bandages. Amy lay nearby, her cuts to her arms and shoulders, smiling to Alex. He walked to her bed as Anton kept talking, he unable to see Alex, as he leaned down and put a lip lock on the petite red head, her green eyes flashing from surprise to happiness. Breaking apart a few seconds later, her panting slightly, he gave her the once over. Petite though she may be, she was built like a brick, well, you know, with enough curves to start a theme park.
"I wondered when I'd catch your eye." She said, lying back down.
"Well, if I keep going like this, I'll end up with a harem." He said jokingly, as Val walked in.
"Wow, I wondered when you'd notice her Alex, if I were bi, I'd have had my way with Miss Gladstone when she first came on board!" Val gushed, causing Amy to blush.
"Hey! No molesting my crew!" Anton yelled, trying and failing painfully to roll over.
"Hey! I may be your gunner, but I have needs too, ya know!" Amy yelled back, as Alex and Val took a step back to let this play out. It ended quickly.
"Fine, just don't come home pregnant!" He yelled, rolling back to his comfortable position. Alex and Val laughed as Amy looked positively shocked, her face a beet red. She then looked at Val, showing off her 4 month old belly bump, and her face only reddened.
"Is Alex the...?" She began, Val nodding vigorously. He smiled, pulling the petite tech close, breathing in her scent: A mixed flavor of bubblegum, mostly normal but with grape accents. He chuckled.
"What's so funny?" She asked.
"Your scent. Usually you smell like a tool box, but today you smell the way I like, like bubblegum."
"Oh. Hey, I found 5 mechs. Actually, I found 14, but after some wheeling and dealing with the owners, I managed to get 5 to sorta suit our needs."
"Ok, I'll bite. Oh, and Anton, we picked up a couple more LRMCs, I'll leave the crew training to you and Grainger. The Von Luckner is toast, so it got sold for scrap. If you know anyone with a couple SRMCs, let Val know. Ok Val, what did ya get?"
"I got a Dervish, a PhoenixHawk, a Panther and a Marauder." She said with a grin, which evaporated when she saw Alex's expression, a mix of 'oh really.' and 'Ha!' .
Thinking it over, he decided that he'd need to shuffle some folks around, and having mediums interspersed with lights, even heavy lights like the Panther, would fit his 'scouting in force' tactics.
"Well?" She asked. Rolling his eyes, he leaned down and kissed her, she returning it lovingly.
"NOW I see how you ended up preggers Val!" Amy giggled as Val broke off the kiss and slipped out of his arms. Turning to Amy, she marched over to her bed, put her arms around her, careful of her wounds, and put a lip lock on her that made Alex have to readjust his jeans into a more erection-friendly position.
"Wait, Val, you said 5 mechs, but you only mentioned 4. What's the fifth one?"
Stepping back from shocked but turned on Amy, she turned to him with a smile.
"Umm, you get the leader's Black Knight. I know, I know, you said that already, and it uses SLDF stuff, but with all the salvage I have plenty of spare parts to keep it going for 20 years, easily. Also, I need to talk to you, in private."
"Ok, let's go to the Officer's Mess. No one should be there at this hour. Be good Amy. Tara wants you and Vickers in C.I.C. by the way. Tara will be coordinating the mechs, you handle the armour and Vanessa calls the ball for the air cover. Ok with you?" He asked, she nodding despite Anton's loud groaning to the contrary.
"I know Anton, I know, but I already have a replacement for her, and he'll fit in with your crew with no problems."
"Oh?" He asked.
"His name's Chester, and he used to be a tech, but Val tells me it's not his thing, though he's tops at scavaging, AND he likes a good game."
"Hahahahaha! Ok, send him to see me."
"He'll be here within the hour. Get some rest, and if you need anything, let me know."
"Yeah, how about a fusion engine for my tank, so I can mount more armor." He asked jokingly.
"I'm already on that, Ant. All the LRMCs and SRMCs will be getting the engine upgrades later this month, assuming I don't get side tracked by some more mech mods."
"Thanks Val." He said sincerely. Turning, she and Alex left.

Walking up to the Officer's Mess, Val turned to him as he took a seat, she sitting across from him.
"Ok, what's up?"
"Try not to get too upset, but I made a decision based on Unit needs."
"Ok. You know me Val, I seldom lose my temper, especially with you."
"Ok, well, other than replacement parts to fix the Star League stuff on the Black Knight, I sold off all of the salvage, mechs and all." This made his eyebrows shoot to the top of his forehead, considering how many mechs this was, including a couple dozen more SLDF era machines.
"I hope you got a good price."
"Oh, I didn't sell this stuff for money, well, I mean, I got the money, then turned around and bought stuff."
"Ok, surprise me." He said with a grin, eyeing her near perfect pair and envisioning a happy rump with her in the immediate future.
"I will, but if you keep eye-fucking me, I won't be able to concentrate."
"Well, we could, you know..." He said, letting the obvious implication trail off.
"Can I finish?" She said sternly.
"Sorry. Continue." He replied, totally professional.
"Using my Uncle Gary, back on Earth, I transferred the funds he'd need to make the purchases, and after going through my HPG messages before I came up here, it all went smoothly."
"And?"
"Carlson's Cavaliers are now the proud OWNERS of a brand new Star Lord, along with a slightly used Buccaneer." She finished proudly. Alex sat back stunned, for to actually own your own Jumpship, and not just have one on hire, was indeed a powerful tool in the Unit's ever expanding arsenal.
"Brand new? From the GM Yards over Earth?" She nodded.
"Nice Val. So, what are the monthly payments structured to look like?" He asked, assuming the unit would have a payment plan, considering how much Jumpships cost.
"Nothing. I greased Uncle Gary, he got us one at 10% over cost, 690 million."
"Damn Val, how much did we have in the bank?"
"Remember the 4 Overlords we got from Jamison, that the Lyrans bought from us at a nice profit?" She asked and again his eyebrows made the march.
"Wait, new an Overlord is like 160 mill. How much did they pay?"
"I got 800 from the Lyrans, which I transferred to Uncle Gary immediately, with my request. I got another 300 for ALL of the mechs and salvage from this last battle, minus 100 to Gary, and minus 100 to the Clovis Point City Council for damage reparations, so they don't try to sue the unit, considering."
"What did they say when you offered them THAT?!"
"Oh, thank you, please don't shoot up the city anymore unless the enemy dropships and mechs have DCMS colors." She said with a grin. Nodding, he rose, moved around to her, pulling her from her chair and kissing her softly, she scooting her little butt onto the table, having shed her pants while they spoke, and he wasting no time as she spread her legs invitingly...

Jeremy awoke. His thigh was wrapped in a bandage, as well as his left arm and a bandage around his head. Looking around, he recognized the room he was in as a dropship infirmary, though this was no chintzy stateroom turned sickbay. This was an ultra-modern field hospital.
"Must be on an Overlord." He said softly to himself.
"Yeah, welcome to the Cavaliers kid." Came a gruff voice from beside him. Looking over, he saw a heavy-set Hispanic lying on his right side on the bed beside him. A really curvy, petite, red head lay napping on the bed beyond his.
"I remember staggering into a mech bay, saw a Warhammer just as it was about to step on me, and that's it."
"Doc's said you had a nicked artery. Fixed you up good as new. I'm Captain Anton Ramirez, CO of the Cavalier's armor. You got a name?"
"Uh, yeah, Jeremy. Jeremy Stinson."
"Hey, I know you. Quarterback for the FedKirk Fire-Breathers, right? I won 100 bucks off of you last week. You got a helluva arm, and good reads too." He said with a grin, then grimaced from shifting his weight. Settling back down, he let out a sigh. Jeremy blushed slightly.
"Yeah, thanks. I remember the battle, is that where you got your injuries?"
"Yep, got into a tank duel with an LRMC, and got all shot up for our trouble."
"Why, what do you drive?"
"SRMC."
"Ah, those are some scary pieces in a city, especially to a mech."
"Yeah, we try to be. Val'll get us patched up in short order. How'd you get over here from your neighborhood? It's clear on the other side of town."
"Well, I started out chasing what I think was a Black Knight with some strange markings on it. I knew it could trace it's origins to ComStar simply because no one has seen a Knight since 2850."
"Go on." Anton urged, wanting to hear just how involved this kid was with the battle.
"Anyway, I chased it on my dirt bike, until I got to Coach Watson's house, grabbed the portable SRM launcher he kept at home, and..." But Anton cut him off.
"YOU! You're the one Brenda saw!"
"I'm sorry?"
"Brenda is a new addition to Alpha Company, Command Lance. She was ontop of a warehouse when she saw someone heft a rocket launcher from a building behind the Knight, fire and basically blew out the mech's gyro. Was that you kid?" He asked, awed to be in the presence of someone so young, and like Alex, apparently burn with balls of steel.
"Yeah."
"She said you all but executed the pilot. Now, normally, I don't condone that sorta thing, but I'm guessing he and his cronies did a number on your neighborhood." He finished, Jeremy hanging his head at remembering he killed the mechwarrior. He didn't cry however, or even shed a tear. He simply resigned himself to face whatever punishment he was due.
"Yeah, not my proudest moment, considering it was hurt pride that made me do it."
"No one's judging you, Jeremy. He was an enemy, and he died. No one here cares how. He killed 5 mech warriors that night. You did good kid."
"What were the markings? Amy asked, sitting up carefully.
"A bronze cauldron superimposed over a silver number 3. Do you know it?"
Amy sighed, laying back down, thinking that Alex was trying to get himself killed.
"Alledgedly, they're a ComGuard unit, but from what I've heard, they were like a ronin regiment within ComStar, used to root out enemies of the organization. They're called the 3rd Crucible."
"Yeah, I've heard of them, but don't they normally work in Davion space?" Anton asked, Amy nodding.
"Well, if they came here, and from all appearances, they were heading for us, then either they're after Alex or the unit or both." He finished, Amy seeing the bigger picture and trying to take it all in. Jeremy just listened to their exchange, rising and moving to the door marked 'restroom'. Anton watched him go, and as the door closed and locked, turned his attention to Amy.
"That boy right there, if he ever went to an academy somewhere, would make a fine leader. Takes balls the size of a dropship to chase down a heavy mech armed only with an MLaW."
"He did it though, props to him for that." She said as he emerged from the bathroom.
"Hey kid," She began. "Where'd you go to school? Since a normal civvie wouldn't have done what you did."
"Tamar. I was the last class out before it was destroyed." This info alone shot Anton's eyebrows to their limits.
"Damn. Want a job? I'm sure we have something you can do." He offered, Jeremy perking up at the notion of joining a merc outfit.
"I'm only 17. Isn't there this age restriction?" But Amy shook her head and laughed.
"I'm 21, Anton's ancient at 35, and our unit CO is 19." She said proudly.
"The person that runs all of this, is only 2 years older than me? No way?"
"He's really smart, just oozes charisma, and is a tactical genius. Combine that with a tech who makes all other techs look like they're running in circles, and you get Carlson's Cavaliers." Anton said with a grin.
"Damn. Yeah, sign me up. I did 2 and half years at Tamar. Only came home because of a break, and found out a few months ago that the school got leveled."
"Ahh, one of the lucky ones. What was your field of study?" Anton asked, looking hopeful.
"Mech combat, 45-75 tons. I've driven everything 45 to 70. Hope to get behind the controls of a Marauder some day." As Anton deflated and Amy giggled like a loon.
"Marauders, we got more than a few of those, but they're all spoken for at the moment. Before you get your hopes up however, you'll need to speak to Alex. He's the unit CO."
Jeremy nodded, laying back down as his thigh started to ache.
"Yeah, just gonna rest here a while." He said softly, sleep stealing him away.
"I got 50 c-bills Alex interviews him and gives him a lance same day." Anton wagered to Amy.
"Make it a hundred, and you're on Mister." She said with a grin, knowing Anton wouldn't refuse a bet.
"You are ON, Missy!"

12 hours later, CO's office

Alex regarded the young man seated before him. He wasn't much younger than he'd been when he started out, and the Tamar War College had been a top notch school here in the Commonwealth. Combine that with how he came to be here, in their camp, as it were, and Alex would be a fool to let him go.
"No family here?"
"Just my folks, but they started real late. Mom had me, her 'miracle baby' she says, at 52. Dad was 60. They're fixing to retire back to Earth next year, when I turned 18. I called them a couple hours ago, they were cleaning up the rubble of our house. I'm worried they might not make it to Earth. They lost everything when those bastards leveled our neighborhood."
"I think I can help with that. Go on."
"So, once they go, I was probably gonna join the local militia, do my time and save up some money to apply to the Nagelring, if they'd have me."
"My lead tech is drawing up the Nagelring admission test. Take it, not because I want to get rid of you, on the contrary, I want you here. The test will tell me where you'd best serve as a Cavalier." He said as Val walked right in.
"Hey Alex? Ya know, the unit still doesn't have an. Oh! Hi Jeremy!" She said, he turning and getting an eyeful, considering her short height and curves. His lust was written all over his face until he saw she was pregnant.
"Sorry, didn't mean to do that." He said, his face a rosy crimson. She laughed and Alex did a little as well.
"That's my bun in her oven Mister, so go find your own." Alex berated him jovially, as Val moved over and hugged him. Setting the 8 page test on his desk, she blew into Alex's ear, turned and scampered out. He rolled his eyes, handing the test to Jeremy, and rose, indicating his seat.
"Sit here. When you're done, bring it down to the mechbay and find Val. She'll have her head stuffed into some mech or tank I'm sure, but she'll grade it and let me know. As for your family, use the phone here to call them. Have them packed and at the spaceport in 3 hours. I have a shuttle waiting to take them to our old jumpship, which is heading for Earth as soon as the shuttle arrives."
"For free? Seriously?"
"Sure. This way you know they're safe, and can focus on the test. Now make your call, then focus." And with that, he turned and left.

No sooner had Alex left however, a call came in over his vid-Com. Since he was about to call his folks, he answered the call. On the screen was the Mayor of Clovis Point!
"Ahh, you must be Colonel Carlson. My aides told me you were rather young, and I see they weren't mistaken for a change. Listen Carlson! I know your unit made a sizable contribution to the reconstruction efforts caused by that other merc unit, but you can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to solve the problem."

Jeremy's eyebrow shot up at the fact that Alex's unit, through no fault of their own, was being asked to pay for the repairs to the city and the outlying suburbs. But when he tried to object, the Mayor cut him off. Hitting the 'record' button, he figured it to be a prudent decision since Alex was supposed to be here, and not him.

"What I expect of you, unless you want to face a war crimes tribunal, is to make a considerable donation to my, re-election campaign. A sizable one indeed."
"Ok. I have..." Jeremy began, hitting the alarm button under the desk, hoping it brought someone of import to his side. Reaching into his pocket, he produced some bills, around 12 c-bills.
"I've got 12 bucks. That considerable enough for you?" He said, as the Mayor swelled with anger. But, just as he was about to go off, the door to Alex's office burst inward, Alex, Reese and Julius rushing through, pistols drawn!
"Who where?!" Reese said, as Jeremy turned the screen to face Alex and his two officers.
"This call came in just after you left the room, Colonel. Apparently the Mayor of Clovis Point isn't satisfied with the payment for reparations you made with the city, and is demanding a graft from you to prevent him from bringing you and the unit up on war crimes charges." Jeremy said, loud enough for the Mayor to hear!
"I..uh..what! Wait? You're NOT Carlson?!" He gasped in shock, and then cut the COM. Releasing the record call button, Jeremy looked at Alex, smiled, and went back to his test.
"Damn the test, Sergeant, welcome to the Cavaliers!" Reese said, ribbing Alex gently.
"Sergeant my ass. Lieutenant Stinson, report to Maria Gomez to commence your mech trials. Pass her tests, and a Warhammer has your name on the cockpit."
It was Jeremy's turn to have his eyebrows crawl to the top of his forehead, as he set down his pencil, and stood.
"Uh, th...thanks, Colonel." He stammered, as Alex made a jerking motion with his head, and the young man left, limping only slightly from his thigh wound. Moving around to his chair, he played back the recorded phone call, Reese and Julius joining in on the viewing. After it played, they each pulled around a chair, sitting on either side of Alex, he dialing the last number that had come in.
"Clovis Point Administration Building, this is Rose, how my I direct your call?"
"This is Colonel Carlson, let me speak to the Mayor."
"One moment sir, I'll transfer you." She said, Reese whistling at her quietly as they got put on hold.
"Damn, she's a cutie!" He said after the image went to the hold screen. A minute later, a flustered looking Mayor Goodman looked at Alex from his desk.
"How can I help you Colonel?"
Setting the vid-Com to play back the last conversation so both sides could see it, Alex hit the play button. The man's face reddened suddenly as he watched in horror of his life slowly unraveling before his eyes. After it ended, Alex, Julius and Reese all in the camera, he addressed Clovis Point's FORMER Mayor.
"You have 12 hours to resign, nominate your second to replace you, and take the next shuttle off world. If you're as practiced a politician as you appear, you'll land on your feet somewhere else. I don't see a ring, which means either you're divorced or never married?"
"Nev...never mar..married."Came his stammering reply.
"12 hours or this hits the local media. You get me!"
"YES!" And he disconnected the COM.
Turning to Reese, he smiled.
"Ya know, that was kinda fun." But Reese just grimaced.
"I'd have made him give the money we paid out for the city wide repairs after trying a stunt like that."
"No, that money's needed to help the people displaced by a war they neither deserved nor asked for. If it had been a DCMS attack, then I would have asked for it back." Alex replied, matter of factly.
"So, who wants a beer?" Julius asked with a broad smile...

Act-4: 'Enter the Dragon...'
Clovis Point Warehouse District
Clovis Point, Lyons, Lyran Commonwealth
14-May-2904

"Push Val, just focus on my voice, try to shut out the pain." Alex told her, she grimacing as another contraction tore through her, but her mind refusing to accept it, her now totally focused on his voice. The two med-techs at the foot of the bed gave him a nod, he in turn squeezing her hand, their little signal for her to push. She did so, amid a barrage of profanity, the infant passing through and out of his mother. Gasping with relief, she held Alex's hand to her cheek, kissing it then letting go, trying to relax. Leaning down, he whispered into her ear.
"Relax now Val, you did real good." And she settled back, letting out a long sigh.

Looking down from the observation lounge, Tara turned to Maria and Brenda, and smiled.
"Yeah, if not for that ability of his, my two kids would have come, but I'd have been a hoarse wreck from all the painful screaming. I don't know what it is about him, but, he's just awesome. Illegal genetic experiment not withstanding."
They both nodded, as Val was handed a towel wrapped, redheaded bundle of joy. She held him close, cooing at him, the happiness she felt rivaling anything that had come before. Taking his hand anew, she showed him their son.
"Now your daughter will have a playmate." She said with a grin.
"True, almost the same age. You want help with a name, or do you have one?"
"Will he carry your last name or mine?"
"That is entirely up to you."
"Ok, then behold, Jacob Alexander Helmsford." She beamed. He nodded.
"Thanks for the honor Val. I'm sure your father would be proud, I mean, your real father."
"Ya know, that's what we'll never know. Who are REAL parents are."
"Oh, if I had to guess, I'd say the best and brightest of a generation were culled for their DNA. I doubt any ONE person could claim to be our parents. After speaking to a few geneticists, we're most likely the result of a mixing of various strains of several different strands of DNA, so figure we have a dozen mothers and twice that many fathers. I know, boggles the mind, right?" He said, she looking at him stunned.
"Damn. I wonder what abilities the little one will have, if any, considering HIS parents?" She asked with a chuckle at the end.
"Colonel Carlson to CIC, Colonel Carlson to CIC! We have a foreign Jumpship at the Nadir!" Came Amy's voice over the 1mc, as he leaned over, kissed his new son, and then Val, both on the foreheads.
"Rest, take care of your newborn, that you wanted for oh so long. Let me deal with this." He said, more order then request. She nodded vigorously. He departed a moment later. But rest wasn't on her mind, despite the newborn. Kissing his forehead as he slept, she slid out of bed, and lay him in the center.
"If he wakes, feed him the milk I have in the fridge. God knows I should have almost a gallon stockpiled. My poor breasts! Now I know how a cow feels."
"Aye ma'am!"
Popping several pieces of bubblegum, she hopped into her jumpsuit, zipped, and headed for C.I.C....

Hitting a COM button on the wall near the door, he called C.I.C.
"Who is it Amy?" He asked when she answered.
"ID squaks as 2nd Sword of Light, Battalion out of Ko."
"Any COMs from them?"
"Yeah, surrender or die. I have a track on a Union and a pair of Leopard CV's heading here at max burn. We'll have more company in 3 days."
"Contact Mayor Greene, let him know to ready the population for conflict. The Dragon has come."
"Aye, I wish this war would end."
"Someday. All wars eventually end, though when these power grab frackus' do end, there's little joy or victory to celebrate."
"The ELH is gone, right?"
"Yes, Jen and her Battalion left months ago, after the 3rd tried their little stunt."
"Why would they send a Union? Don't they know this place is defended?"
"Contact them. Tell them Lyons is protected by 2 lances from the Bandersnatches, let's see what they say."
"Should I patch it through to you?"
"Nah, I'll be there in 5, wait for me to arrive."
"Aye. C.I.C. out!"

Alex arrived in 5 minutes as promised, Amy and Vanessa looking up from their screens. Tara looked over her shoulder at him from her spot at the plot map, a large glass table stood on it's side, showing icons for the planet, star and now showing 3 dropships burning for the planet.
"So, a company plus some serious air cover. Ok, I have an idea. Tara, according to Galatea, the Bandersnatches is an understrength Company right?"
"Yeah."
"Who's their CO?"
"Major Grace Wilson."
"Ah, this is perfect. Tara, you get to play the part of Grace. Open a COM to them Amy."
"On it!"
"And I'm pretending to be this Grace person why?"
"Trust me."
"That goes without saying Alex."
"This is the Commonwealth world of Lyons to approaching dropships, please ID yourselves and verify your intentions."
A long moment of silence, putting everyone on the edge of their seats. Looking through the small window in the door revealed Val about to enter. He waved her off however, she stopping and waiting, an arced eyebrow at him her only look.

"This is Colonel Amira Takahashi of the Sword of Light, and we claim this world for the Coordinator and the Dragon. Surrender or be destroyed."
Alex nodded to Tara.
"This is Major Grace Wilson, CO of The Bandersnatches. I advise you to turn around and leave Colonel."
Everyone was treated to a soft, feminine chuckle.
"Whoever you are, I know for a fact you aren't Major Wilson."
Playing along, Tara didn't miss a beat.
"If I'm not me, prove it."
"Madam, you aren't Major Wilson because Major Wilson is standing beside me. The Bandersnatches are under MY employ. My squadrons will assist them in re-taking Clovis Point for the Dragon, so whoever you are, Militia Leader, I suggest you stand down and save your world any unneccesary bloodshed."
At this point, Alex laughed.
"Ahh, Amira, please, come, so that I may show you the true wonders of being a woman, for you really need to get laid more often, you'd be less of a stuck up bitch then you are now." He said.
"How dare you! Who are you, so that I may know the arrogant male I just killed!"
"Colonel Alexander Carlson, CO of Carlson's Cavaliers, and we defend this world, Mixed Battalion strong. Come Dragon, and meet thy end, at the hands of the Slayer!" And as if on cue, Amy cut the COM.
Grinning, she looked at Vanessa who either didn't get the joke or had just seen a ghost.
"What's wrong V?" Amy asked.
"Her pilots are the best, the very best in all of the Sword of Light regiments. Our air cover is minimal. We have three planes, against 20 of the best." But Alex just smiled.
"Then let me show you how we deal with pesky Aerospace fighters." He replied with a grin, calling in Val who had been waiting patiently outside.
"Hi guys!" She said around a wad of bubblegum. Tara grinned while Amy giggled and Vanessa just looked on, waiting for her to produce a miracle.
"When you said find mechs good for defenders, I reached out to a minor contact I have at Coventry. She put me in touch with Trellshire Heavy Industries, and we received our first shipment of brand new Riflemen mechs a month ago. After looking at it from a purely anti aircraft perspective, the new model has been refitted and dispersed among the city's Militia, set up in key areas where we'll force the Bandersnatches to fight, thus allowing for strafing by Miss Takahashi and her subsequent annihilation at the hands of our refitted Riflemen."
"How many Rifleman, Val?" Vanessa asked, dropping her plot pen when Val answered.
"Oh, just 40 or so. Wiped out our reserve fund, but I have reassurances that if we continue to hold Lyons through the end of our contract, the bonuses will restore that loss of funds. And, the militia is VERY thankful for the mechs, since, as a Battalion now, this has restored their confidence in their own ability to protect their world."
"No worries there. Mayor Greene and I have signed a new contract. We'll be defending Lyons through 2910." Alex said, much to the shock of Amy, Val and Tara, who lept into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"Stability is a good thing for young children. Thank you for this, my husband."
"If this war drags on much longer, we may just stay until it ends. The pay is good, the action pretty steady, and we definitely can profit from the experience." He said returning all the hugs.
"Thankfully, the militia were used to mechs so they won't miss TOO often, and they will get better." Val added.
"Ok, let's plan a welcome party for our unsuspecting Dragon."

Alex's plan, along with Val's preparation, looked, at least on paper, like a fine case of misinformation and subtle ruse. As most cities built after the fall of the Star League are arranged in a grid format, to accomodate mechs and armor in the streets, with several areas of clearing, normally used by citizens as parks and other outdoor zones, Clovis Point was no different. With the warehouse district on the west side of town, most of the population areas being north and east of the city proper, and the ports on the south, Alex knew exactly where to have Commander Colby deploy his militia's new Riflemen to best catch strafing Aero-fighters in many over-lapping fields of cross-fire. Using dressed up Industrial mechs, some disguised as Warhammers and Battlemasters (what the heavier Indi-mechs resemble normally) set up near the port and on the edge of the warehouse district, it would allow him to deploy his armor to support the Riflemen, which were already well concealed.

Anton's tanks took up positions hidden in smaller warehouses and buildings all along the waterfront, while Alpha and Bravo companies set up in the few abandoned buildings on the north side of town. With their reactors on idle, they gave off very little heat signature and next to no energy signature. Keeping his limited AeroForce grounded kept them from dying needlessly, as they were not only badly outnumbered, they were outclassed as well.

And on the third and final day of setting up, as the Leopard CV's entered atmosphere and began launching their fighters while the Union made for the spaceport, located on a small island in the center of the harbor, a 6 lane ferrocrete bridge connecting it to the main port, Tara watched her plot board and couldn't help but chuckle and grin, as Colonel Takahashi fell directly into Alex's intricately laid trap...

Sitting in his cockpit, as fish swam by, he called to check on everyone's position.
"Cavalier Actual to Cav-4, how do you copy?"
"5 by 5 Colonel." Came Hammie's reply. His mech, along with Maria and Brenda standing alongside of his, 120 meters west of the bridge that connected the spaceport island to the port proper.
"Cav-2 and 3, how do you read?"
"Aces Skipper!" Maria replied, adjusting her footing.
"Likewise, Skipper, everything checks out here." Came Brenda's reply. Her mech sitting lower then the rest, having found a wreck to stand in.
"Actual to Sappers, Val? You guys ready?"
"Give the word, and we'll be rebuilding a bridge." Came her tinny reply, since Alex had stuck her and her new team of frogmen in a mini sub directly under the bridge.
"Bravo? Ready to be bait?"
"Brock here Skipper, send that Snatch my way, I'm feelin' especially frisky today!"
Laughter reigned supreme across the COM, even Tara chuckling.
"Port Militia? Colonel Watson, how do you read?"
"All mechs in position, awaiting your orders Colonel."
"Gamblers? Ready?"
"Aye Colonel, they'll know what hit them, they'll just wish they didn't." Came Anton's reply, he and his lance of LRM and SRM carriers stationed in the closer warehouses at the mainland end of the bridge.
"Falcon-1, you got eyes on the prize?" Alex asked of Moses, hovering high above the port, his bird painted up like a local news chopper, hopeful that the Dracs didn't use him for target practice.
"Aye Skipper, the Union touched down and I got mechs streaming out. Wait one!"
Doing a quick count, he called back.
"Ok, 10 mechs, 2 tanks. One is a Kanga if you can believe that. But, they got a Striker, and the following walkers: two Dervish, two Trebuchets, one Phoenixhawk, one Wasp, one Thunderbolt, one Shadowhawk, one Jenner and a Warhammer."
"Ahh, I see the Major isn't sitting this one out." Tara quipped, since Major Wilson's mech of choice was a WHR-6D.
"Here come the fighters, right on cue!" Moses called out, watching as over a dozen Shilones and Shologars raced down the street from the north, firing missiles and autocannon rounds at the Indu-mechs blocking the port end of the connector road.
But just as suddenly as their strafing run began, arranged all along the upper floors of warehouses, parking structures, 4 alone disguised as water towers and 12 with plywood shacks built around them, Riflemen appeared, equipped with Val's idea of a good AA unit, blasting away at the Kurita fighters, dropping 4 into the sea, 2 simply exploding mid air, and a further 4 more crashing onto the bridge, exploding in huge red and orange fireballs.
"WooWeeee!" Moses yelled over the COM, as Colonel Watson's militia pilots accounted themselves very nicely on the Kurita's first pass.

"They have AA Batteries, pull out, circle east to west and engage those mechs! Takahashi ordered.
One by one, as her aircraft turned toward the sun, the second group of units broke cover, turning to bring their considerable arsenal to bear.
"I got tone!" Chester yelled.
"Firing!" Adele shouted, mashing the firing stud under her index finger. Linked together as a unit, all 4 of the LRMC's fired their launchers on her pressing of a single button, over 240 long range rockets streaking skyward, knocking 2 more Shologars and 3 Shilones from the sky...

"Alpha Lance, jump!" Alex ordered, his mech launching skyward, three Marauders in pursuit. Landing on the edge of the bridge, the port at his back, the three other mechs with him landing beside or behind him, as the Bandersnatch mechs found themselves in a cross-fire, Bravo Company already engaging them from their hidden positions south and west of their dropship...

"Charlie Lance, track those fighters, they're coming you way!" Colonel Watson ordered, as a dozen Riflemen moved from the cover of the easterly most buildings, arms swinging high, and Takahashi's flight getting lasered and SRM'ed to near death. Alarms of breaches and reactor shutdown were screaming in her helmet as she reached between her shapely thighs, pulling the ejection handle...

Using concentrated firepower, Alpha Lance walked forward slowly, dropping the Phoenixhawk first, it a victim of over a dozen laser strikes, Alex's PPC removing the mech's head. Hammie and Brenda broke to the right, chasing a Dervish and a Trebuchet, while Alex and Maria thoroughly boxed in the Warhammer, it caught savagely between them and most of Bravo Company's assault lance. A lucky PPC strike nearly decapitated the machine, Thomas Sullivan, in Command Lance, nearly executing Major Wilson.

"Surrender or die here, Major Wilson." Alex ordered over the COM, as his fire combined with Maria's and the rest of Bravo Command destroying the Jenner, and blowing the leg off of the Shadowhawk, the pilot ejecting as the mech fell onto it's back.
"Never! Rally! Rally Dammit!" She cursed over the COM, as the Wasp ran to be beside her, but three lasers from Brenda's mech blowing out his engine in one shot, the mech crashing to the ground. The last Shologar roared by overhead, trailing debris and a long tongue of fire from it's engine compartment. The unlucky pilot ejected, his plane crashing into the sea.
Looking skyward, Alex saw the Leopard's of Takahashi's force breaking and running for orbit.

"Hammie, break right, get the Derv, I got the Bucket!"
"On it!" He said, turning his mech slightly to the left, leaping it into the air and landing right in front of the fleeing mech. The Dervish, having been at a full run on ferrocrete, tried to stop, sliding then falling onto it's right side, it's giant metal feet trying and failing to establish traction. It slid to a stop practically under Ham's machine, he backing up two steps then blasting the hapless mech, square in the chest. As steam rose from the mech's chest, the hatch on the side of the head opened, the pilot waving his jacket in a vain attempt to not get shot again. Backing off another step, he trained both arms on the pilot.
"Don't try anything...stupid." He said over his PA system. Kneeling, the man laced his fingers together behind his head, and waited.

Finding the Trenchbucket was easy for Maria, all she had to do was look for the lubricant it's gyro was leaking. Unfortunately for her, as she turned the very next corner, she was greeted by a pair of medium lasers and the pock-pock-pock explosion sounds SRM rounds make when they hit a mech. Turning sharply to her left brought the Bucket into focus, the next salvo of SRM's having just loaded into their tubes. Kicking her toe pedals launched her mech skyward, as the very confused bucket pilot watched her fly over his head, landing facing him not 60 meters away. With his right leg seized at the hip from damage, he knew it was over, and as the targeting lock tone chimed in his helmet, he hit the reactor override button, shutting down his mech. Holding her fire, she watched as the pilot climbed out of his mech, and sat down on the shoulder. Powering down her weapons, she kept him covered all the same.

"Cav-2 to Actual, I think they're done."
"Cav-4 here, got me a prisoner too!"
"Yeah Alex, all fighters destroyed and the carriers are bugging out!" Moses cheered.
"Aww, does this mean I can't blow up the bridge?"
"No Val, we still do need it. Round up the survivors, place them in protective custody until I can speak with Major Wilson."
"The Major went down with her Warhammer, Skipper. My last grouping took her head off. Better see who their second is." Brock chimed in, sounding more than a little apologetic.
"Gambler One here. Got myself a really cute Jap girl wearing a aero-jock's flightsuit and Colonel's eagles. She's none too happy either." Anton said with a laugh, much of the unit sharing his joke.
"Alright, Cavaliers! Assemble at Warehouse 12. Actual out!"

30 minutes later, in Warehouse 12...

Mayor Greene, a short and just a bit rotund individual, walked around the makeshift stockade, a 20'x20' enclosure made of chain-link fencing and topped with concertino wire. Inside were the survivors of Bandersnatch and the few pilots they could find. 35 souls in all, including Captain Josh Samuel, second to Major Wilson, and Colonel Takahashi. Alex walked in a few minutes later, spotted the new Mayor and walked to the man.
"Mayor Greene?"
"Ahh, you must be the person responsible for my new job. Thanks for that."
"Corruption is easy to weed out, if you can spot it. He made it obvious."
"So, what do we do with these nice folks?"
"Well, since there's a war on, the Bandersnatch folks we'll turn over to the Commonwealth rep in town. As for the Colonel there, I'm sure the DCMS will want her back, so we'll give her to the rep as well. Prisoner exchanges and all." Alex said, as Takahashi stood and regarded him.
"You! You...you're just a boy!"
"In appearance only. I've been studying this crap since I was 10. Finished high school when I was 14, the Academy when I was 16. Been in command of this unit 2 years now." He said, she trying to wrap her head around all of it.
"It's too bad I have to send you away, you really are cute, and I could use a competent aero-leader. The guys I have are ok, but that's as far as it goes."
"I am an officer in high standing within the DCMS, I'd never betray that!"
"Ok then, enjoy your stay in a Commonwealth stockade/PoW camp."
Without missing a beat, he turned back to Mayor Greene, as she paled suddenly, remembering the horror stories she was told of how female PoW's were treated, just about everywhere.
"How much damage was done to the city?"
"Only a city block. I was very surprised that you were able to keep the fighting here at the port."
"What happened to the block?!"
"HER." He said, pointing to Takahashi. She was standing by the fence now, and he could see the conflict on her face, weighing betrayal of the DCMS vs personal survival.
"OH! Her plane crashed in the city?"
"Yes, but thankfully, no one was hurt, as most were in the shelters. We'll need to rebuild a boutique, a coffee shop, two minor offices and a law firm."
"Send me the bill." Alex sighed, turning back to the Colonel.
"Made up your mind yet?"
Hanging her head low, she answered him, her voice all but a whisper.
"Yes."
"And?"
"And I'll take your offer, under the condition that you allow my pilots to go free as well."
"Go free and do what? Your dropships left. We're tracking them and they haven't backed out of the throttles since they left the atmosphere. No, your pilots are going to the Commonwealth, since I can't guarantee their loyalty."Looking around at several of the faces she knew, most of whom were women, she nodded to them, they nodding back to her. All 8 of them.
"I will guarantee their loyalty, under penalty of death, theirs and mine, Colonel."

Alex pondered this for a good minute. A strong aero-wing would do wonders for the unit, and since the Overlord could carry 6, the Union 2, and with Val's modifications to the Buc, they could carry a total of 20 fighters, the last 12 on the Buc alone. Turning back to her, he flashed his best, smoldering smile.

"Done. Sergeant, release her and her pilots, escort them to Val, tell her to call me as soon as you get there."
"Aye sir!"
"Mayor, if there's nothing else, I have a ton of work to do."
"No worries Colonel. Thank you again for being here. I'll send the Commonwealth rep as soon as I get back to my office." He said, but Alex was already halfway across the building, talking to someone on his hand COM. The Sergeant released the pilots, escorting them to see Val, who, after calling Alex, sat down with Colonel Takahashi, and discussed planes.

Alex made his way back home, stopping by the nursery and checking on the two little ones sleeping there, Cammie and Jacob, before heading for home.

"Five more years of this, according to the contract Val signed." Tara said as he dropped his jacket across that recliner. She poked her head out of the kitchen, smiling, as the scent of her latest culinary treat caught his nostrils.
"Mmmm, Southern fried chicken. I'm certainly glad your grandmother was such a good cook."
"Not just a good cook, a good SCRATCH cook. Did you look in on the kids?"
"Yep. Where's Nathan?"
"Over at Moses', playing with his kids. He's gonna sleep over." She said with a sly smile. Catching her grin, he moved to stand behind her, kissing the side of her neck, sliding his hands down her sides.
"So, chicken for dinner and you're dessert?"
"Mmm-hmm."
Kissing her cheek, he moved off to set the table.

A table just for two...

Stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of Carlson's Cavaliers...