“Icarus III. It sounds like a simple enough mission: go in, determine where in the compound they have stored a new prototype laser, grab it and get out. We can send you, Jessica, Wanda and a couple of Battle Armor squads in APCs for the pickup. With the reconditioned Dementor and the Viper and Crusader’s weapons for backup, it should be an easy grab and go.”
Allen laid out the details as Katarina leaned over the holomap, studying the layout intensely, then nodded. “You’re right: it looks good. Of course, that could depend dramatically on what opposition we come up against.”
Allen shook his head. “We’re sure they will have hired some protection, but whom we don’t know. That would be a factor in just about any mission we take.”
“True enough.” Katarina sighed and straightened up to her full 6’4” height. “But with my Dementor back we should make short work of them, regardless.”
Allen smiled. “You’re right, of course. This should be an easy payday.”
* * * * * * * *
Icarus III was partway through the terraforming process. The temperature and atmosphere were livable, but before much vegetation could grow there would have to be more surface water available. Some was being siphoned up from the planet’s crust, but most was literally thrown at the planet in the form of gigantic chunks of ice diverted from the rings of Icarus IV. These chunks would vaporize in the heat of re-entry, resulting in massive rain showers that would leave lakes in their wake, as well as thoroughly moisturized topsoil. But so far little vegetation had been established, and most of the planet was still rocky or desert terrain.
In one of the few areas where a few trees had been planted as small copses among the rocky and sandy terrain, and where a few small lakes had become permanently filled, a research compound had been established. Some aspect of the silicon in the sand of this planet had rendered it ultra pure, and ideal for clear glass and lens production. Ultra pure lenses had many applications, but one of the most significant was for high powered lasers. Thus had come about this facility.
The compound had been created before the atmosphere was breathable, out of prefab domes. All the six domes were identical, 25 meters across, with prefab tubes connecting them. Because of the identical structures it was impossible to tell which portion housed the prototype and which was sleeping quarters, maintenance, mess hall or anything else. Therefore troops would be required to enter each building to locate the prototype and prep it for transport. Either that, or close range scans of 100 meters or less might reveal where the power plant was located, which would indicate the probable location of the prototype.
Mid afternoon, Katarina approached over a ridge followed by Jessica and Wanda. The two hover APCs had to detour around the ridge, which slowed them down on their approach.
“Hold here,” she instructed over the comm: “We need to make this a united push, in and out. Everyone advance together, as fast as possible. Jessica: follow as close as you can, but be prepared to offer fire support.
From the direction of the base they could hear warning sirens going off. Obviously someone had observed them coming. Katarina shook her head, but this didn’t change anything.
“Avengers, forward!”
Having made sure that the APCs had a clear track, Katarina and Wanda jumped forward. Just ahead they spotted a Phoenix Hawk and a Javelin jumping in their direction. They could not spot the insignias on the mechs in the short time they saw them, but IFF was programmed to capture such information and immediately issued a warning chime.
“Please note: opposition mechs are wearing the insignia of Sunspot Strategic, a known enemy to the Andurien Avengers. Note that Sunspot Strategic generally fields a Black Knight equipped with triple-strength myomer and a penetrating blade on its left arm. Together, this combination has proven very hazardous to anyone coming within the Black Knight’s reach. Primary strategy recommendations: avoid direct contact with the Black Knight at all costs. Focus fire only on the Black Knight until brought down.”
“Svashri! That fiend again?” Katarina fumed. “Avengers: fire on the Black Knight at every opportunity. Bring that bastard down if it is the last thing we ever do! And Jessica: stay back! He obviously likes targeting you: don’t give him that chance!”
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“Heard and understood, Turkina. Will keep a distance.” Jessica was all too happy to obey that command. However, she did see one of the domes within reach of her jump jets and aimed for that location. “Scanning Dome A: will find out if this is the objective.”
Meanwhile their two APCs had reached their targets: the two furthest domes.
“APC1: check, Longinus delivered.”
“APC2: check, Achilles delivered.”
Wanda and Katarina each jumped for one of the remaining domes. As it seemed, they were making excellent progress.
Over the hills came more opposition mechs: a Thunderbolt, the Black Knight and a Warhammer: a well-recognized Warhammer, that had belonged to Allen. Katarina’s growing animosity towards Sunspot flared a bit louder; now they were using the Avenger’s own mechs against them? How low could they sink?
The Thunderbolt and Warhammer both opened fire on the Longinus squad, and two members of the four man team were taken down at once. The other two advanced into the dome, presumably safe now from the opposition’s fire.
The Black Knight opened fire on Katarina, but missed. She gritted her teeth, watching the Black Knight fire several shots into a hillside, just warming up its myomer. Now it would be quite dangerous. She fired back, her large laser missing as usual but one Medium Pulse Laser striking. Jessica fired LRMs as well, and also struck the Black Knight.
Wanda fired three ER Medium Lasers and managed to strike to Black Knight twice. Both shots struck the left arm which contained the blade, and Wanda whooped in pleasure.
The Phoenix Hawk and Javelin both opened fire on Katarina: both scored hits. Her mech’s armor took the shots easily, but once again she was being targeted by three of the five mechs the enemy was fielding.
“Longinus squad reporting: no prototype here. We found the mess hall.”
“Queen of Hearts: no prototype. I found the barracks.”
“Queen of Spades: no prototype. Found Operations Support and Maintenance.”
“Achileus squad: got it! Securing transport to the door now!”
At this point the Black Knight was sloshing through a river trying to reach them, and the Phoenix Hawk was apparently trying to cool down in the river as well. Katarina took careful aim, and blasted the left arm of the Black Knight. Sparks flew, and the arm hung uselessly at the mech’s side.
Jessica also fired LRMs at the Black Knight, several striking the upper body. She hoped that given the slick river bottom and the onslaught of the attacks the Black Knight might slip and fall, but it barely seemed to notice.
The Javelin and Thunderbolt targeted the APC waiting for the Achileus squad, and blew it into a smoldering wreckage. Now the Achileus squad would have no transport. Katarina checked the situation, with the Black Knight still struggling through the river, and calculated that the odds would be in her favor. She ran to meet the squad, just coming out of the dome, and reached down for the prototype.
The Black Knight lunged forward, having finally reached the shallows, and somehow made it to within striking range of Katarina: just what she thought could not happen. But its blade was disabled, so it would not be able to do the devastating damage it had previously done to Jessica’s Crusader.
Katarina was stuck, reaching for the prototype, and therefore could not fire her arm mounted Pulse Lasers. Once she lifted the prototype she was able to strike out with a swift kick at the Black Knight’s legs, and she connected. But the Black Knight returned the kick, and then Katarina realized her error. With triple strength myomer the kick did twice the damage that the blade would have done, and crushed her left leg.
She cursed as she fell, the prototype slipping out of her hands.
“Hang on, Kat! Coming your way!” Wanda called out over the comm, jumping over 200 meters to try to come to her rescue. But as the Black Knight opened fire with all its weapons on the downed Dementor, the engine blew and Katarina was once more launched from the mech’s head, coming down a good thirty meters away.
At this point the Warhammer, Thunderbolt and Javelin all opened fire on Wanda’s Viper, scoring terrific amounts of damage. Wanda shrieked and cursed as the mech’s diagnostics reported critical damage to the engine, and heat levels began to spike.
An enemy APC moved swiftly to intercept Katarina, and the hope of her rescue disappeared.
“Come on, Jess! We can’t do anymore good here. Retreat!”
Jessica followed Wanda’s lead, and they both vaulted back from the field of battle.
The Dementor was down, possibly destroyed this time. Katarina was in enemy hands, and the Avengers had failed their mission. Could things get any worse?