Personal Diary: Jones, Ishmael
28 April 3050 1700 hours
near Felsonville, Winfield
To: Annie Jones [Classifed]
Dear Sis,
I still can't believe that yesterday was my birthday! Why did they have to come on my fargin birthday!! I thought it was over, I mean the war and all. Peace. They were all talking about peace, and how things were going to be a lot different now. I mean we were out there in the trenches while all the brass was just watching it all happen from afar. Well, they were right! Things are going to be a lot different now! We still haven't figured who hit us!
New stuff. No, I don't mean 'new' old Star League designs ... I mean stuff we ain't never seen before! Weird designs, like insects riding on each other's backs! Crossbreeds, I guess. Like maybe the body of a Catapult with legs and arms that look like a Marauder. And other ones too, that I don't have time enough to describe to you right now.
Dad's Orion is gone. Took a solid gyro hit. I'm Dispossessed, but I'm alive. I never thought I would be so happy just to be alive. We salvaged what we could: me, Parac, Baksay, and Anderson. Mazgay didn't make it. Collins didn't either. Mazgay's Rifleman looked like an old Roman candle, autocannon rounds going off one at a time. Collins bought it when Anderson's Battle master went down. Mine was the last to be left standing. Anderson's 'B-mer' went down to engine hits, and Baksay's 'Hammer had its legs cut right out from under it. Right now Lt Parac's Griff in is all we've got left. It took some fancy footwork and a lot of jumping around just to escape. And we were only fighting two of them! I guess I am rambling a little, but there is so much to tell and no time to write it all down. I'm putting it all down on my recorder and sending it to you. I just hope you'll get it. They are bound to come to look for us at sunrise. If it hadn't been for General Winfield's guys showing up when they did, we would all be
dead already.
We are in position on a small outcropping on the side of a hill, overlooking a shallow valley. It was a perfect spot to watch these 'Birds of Prey' turn from finishing us off to annhilate the General's command. (We call them 'Birds of Prey' because of the green emblem of a bird of prey we saw on all of their units. Looked like a falcon or a hawk or something.) All we could do was watch, Sis! The Griff was shutdown because of heat. Although it had taken damage to armor, there is nothing seriously wrong with it. Parac had kept up a withering rate of fire while running and jumping for his life. It couldn't take the abuse any more; finally it shut down. Fortunately for us, it was well hidden in the trees. It's my watch now. I'm on till 2200 hours.
2210 h rs.
Off duty now. It was reeeeal eerie watching those Bogies down there, Sis. We could vaguely overhear their voices filtering up thru the trees. The Lieutenant came over and let me join in on the latest scuttlebutt. We're going to move out at 0200. We're gonna try to get as far as Felsonville, where they will evacuate everyone who can make it there. There is a Union-Class DropShip and a number of freighters ... should be enough for us all. I just can't help but wonder where we can evac TO? And if we do get off planet, what might be up there waiting for us? It's not easy hiding a JumpShip, you know!
2255 hrs
I just finished helping the Lieutenant make some adjustments on the Griff. Anyway, I've got some time now, so I guess I'll go back to the beginning and detail as much of the story as possible. I just hope you get this so it can be of use to somebody. As a Mechwarrior yourself, you understand that the more you know about the enemy, the better your chances.
Remember how I was looking forward to our assignment here to support Lt General Davis Winfield's Regiment of Reknown? To operate with a unit with a rep like theirs would give a quick boost to our unit's chances. Only one of our battalions is stationed here, but we add options and flexibility to the General. We were expecting garrison duty, fighting off pirates, that sort of thing. Then we started getting the reports from Toland, Steelton, Apollo, Persistance, all across the Periphery fronts. Requests for reinforcements, then requests for evacuation. So we set up standard lines of defense with fall back areas and rendezvous points. The only thing was, we didn't expect them to be so damned good!
The General set up his Command company towards the rear, with a light company attached to manuever around the enemy when they committed to an attack. He'd stationed a medium company around Felsonville with a heavy fire support lance inside the perimeter. He anchored each wing with a full strength battalion to ensure that he wouldn't be outflanked.
We had all heard how hard and fast these guys move from the reports out of Persistance, so we were glad to see the General taking extra precautions. We of course drew front and center duty. I admit I didn't f eel too bad being flanked and supported by three elite Battalions. Nice-ncosy, that is until "they" arrived at the party.
We were set up in a gentle valley. We were going to sucker them into the valley and draw them into a wicked crossfire. We wanted to show Winfield's guys how good we could really be. From the stories we had heard about the Invaders, we were not going to take any chances. Hit them before they hit us. Capt Ariel Van Horn had her Archer and a lance of Crusaders set up high on the hill opposite us.
Her two other lances were positioned lower for a smashing f lank attack. Lieutneant Parac had our lance overlooking this side of the valley, and the other two further forward lying in wait for the enemy to pass. Capt Goss was down in the hole with his Awesome, a T-bolt, a Grasshopper, a Warhammer, and two other heavy lances, mostly Ostrocs, 'Hammers, Marauders, and some lighter Mechs. Wolverines, I think, and Centurions.
When they came, they were not more than two battalions strong. We couldn't believe it. This was going to be easy, Sis! They didn't even try to go around us. They cam straight at us. They seemed so arrogant, so confident! As though they were looking for a good fight and couldn't be beat. This was going to be a walk in the park! Four battalions against two. So we opened upon em at optimum range and commenced battle feeling like we had this one won hands down!
After the dust had settled from the first volley and every single target was still advancing, we couldn't help but wonder just what it was we were up against. Before we could get off our second round of shots, they seemed to double their rate of speed and began a series of maneuvers more akin to Aerospace fighters than BattleMechs. They began to separate into groups of five and advance right for our units on the hills! It was like they knew exactly where we were positioned!
So the order came through to open fire on each group that was approaching. That's when all hell broke loose. I don't know what they use for power, but their PPCs were slamming into our guys with devastating results. At long range! About 600 meters! It looked more streamlined, more concentrated! I watched two Centurians and an Ostroc literally exploded into molten slag from direct hits by three of the Bogies. Then they hit our team. Two of em had come after us. Looked like maybe a 60 and a 70 tonner. One of them let loose a barrage of missiles which struck the center of Mazgay's Rifleman. At the same instant, he was struck by the brightest bolt of blue lightning I have ever seen from a large laser. The Rifleman exploded, and slowly disappeared as the AC rounds went off one by one. I had never seen that happen before. Just as I was getting over my shock, the Lieutenant gave orders to close, to score some hits before we were all dead. I lurched forward at the same time as Anderson and Baksay. I hit the Bogie to my left with my autocannon at the same time as Anderson hit him with his PPC. My autocannon didn't do much damage, but Anderson's PPC was a solid hit! However, it hardly affected the Bogie.
He let fly with what I can only describe as an equivalent to one of the old ultra autocannons - only this one was a big one! The B-mer took not one, but two shots square in the chest and staggered backwards as the Bogie fired off another large laser-from 500 meters! That shot nearly severed the Big Guy's arm. These devils were either great shots or incredibly lucky. That's when I saw the second one fire a volley of missiles at Baksay's Hammer and hit with all of them! It looked like lower center torso to me, but Baksay cut loose with both PPC's and struck the Bogie in the left arm, taking it off. I was glad that some of us were doing ok.
I had a good lock on target with my LRMs, but missed wide as they were coming on fast now. We got a transmission from the Lieutenant that he was on his way, which was a good thing because on the very next volley we lost two units. Anderson's B-mer went down from another large laser shot to the chest. It penetrated right through to the engine housing. I couldn't believe the Big Guy went down so quickly. We had these guys outnumbered two to one, but we were losing fast! A single PPC struck the B-mer's right arm again but it didn't matter because Anderson punched out and landed behind us and to our left. I dumped the autocannons and two medium lasers into the Bogie striking him with all three shots. The autocannon slowed him down with a clean shot to the hip. Both lasers lanced the center torso but didn't penetrate. About that time, I saw Baksay's unit wink out on my screen for a moment and then reappear. I turned to see him on the ground with one leg missing. I signalled for his condition repor tand locked weapons on the b- that shot him so I could exact revenge.
Just as I was about to open up, Lt Parac jumped his Griffin in behind him and hit him square in the back with a PPC. So I redirected my shot to my original target and fired. It didn't go off, Sis! I hit reset and punched it again. I was trying to break left when I caught the damned laser square in my lower chest. I fired off two medium lasers and the SRM 4 and instinctively ducked, expecting him to hit me with the twin autocannons. Just then, I got the green light for mine. As I turned to the right I saw at least two of my SRMs strike his left arm. As soon as I fired, I felt not one but two large explosions way down deep. I knew right away that I was in trouble. The computer didn't even have time to warn me before the shots hit.
He must have got his rounds off just as I got mine back on line. I never saw where my round hit. I hit the ground with a crash that trashed my gyros. If Parac hadn't been there to divert the Bogie's attention, he surely would have finished me off. Unfortunately, while Parac was helping me, the other Bogie was going after Baksay. He was only down, not out. The Bogie's shot veered, severing Baksay's other leg. Baksay caught him solidly with a PPC to the alreadydamaged torso and something exploded. It still didn't finish him off. It just knocked him back long enough for Parac to turn once again, and for the second time catch the Bogie square in the back with another PPC shot.
It was almost beautiful, it was such a clean hit. The strange Mech's head was just gone! Cleanly severed right at the shoulders. The body stood there as if it were defying death.
I was trying to climb out of my cockpit. Sis, don't ever try this, it ain't easy. In the meanwhile, Parac was having to jump around a lot, redlining the Griff in order to avoid the fire from the remaining Bogie. With the hip damage the Bogie had already taken, and with no autocannon for his use, the Lieutenant was able to outmaneuver him, and put him on the defensive.
That was when I noticed a large force approaching up the valley. It was one of Winfield's battalions! It didn't matter which one; we were just glad to have help! Just in time, too. The Bogie broke off and fled not knowing that Parac's Griff had shut down among the trees. I was trying to help Anderson get untangled and out of his mess when Baksay came up to assist. Collins, Anderson's gunner, broke his neck when he was ejected or when he hit the ground.
We had lost track of the Lieutenant up in the woods, but had a good clear view of the battle shaping up in the valley below. We really took a lickin'. Three of our units down to one of theirs. As we watched, we hoped General Winfield would fare better.
We watched in disbelief as the Invaders began a long range assault on Winfield's units. They fired some sort of "mass homing" barrage of missiles. Winfield's guys couldn't get spread out fast enough! They took a beating as they ran into a mine field - laid even as they ran toward it by the Bogie's LRMs! By the time our guys closed range, we could tell that they had already taken damage and suffered many losses. That was when the Birds opened up with their PPC's and with something that could only be a Star League Gauss Rif le. Their accuracy was devastating. The only Mechs that survived the pounding were the heavies. The smaller fast jobs managed to evade much of the incoming fire.
Overall, the battlefield was beginning to look like a junk
yard. By the time they finally met, the forces were even, at
least numerically. Then we noticed these little guys, like
troops in some kind of battle armor. They were - attached to
the larger Mechs. When they dismounted, they would attack
in groups of five on a single target. It looked like they were
equipped with small lasers and a short range missile pack.
We saw no fewer than a dozen of our guys get finished off by
these 'ants'.
Captain Goss has been a warrior for nearly fifty years now. He crushed one of them beneath his Awesome's feet, and popped another one's head off by smashing it with his battle fist. To see him go down trying to fight off a bunch of little ants was sickening. After they had him down on the ground, we watched two of em stand on his chest and fire shots directly into the cockpit. One of em reached into the cockpit and pulled out what was left of him. That was when I vomited.
2320 Hours:
These guys are ruthless, Sis. Really scary! Who are they? Where did they come from? I've heard the rumors aboutthe incidents out in the Periphery. Like Oberion VI and the Bandit kingdoms. Colonel Kelly sent Major Ryker out there over five years ago, and he never returned. I don't know what's going on, Sis, but it's big. Real big! The whole Periphery Front is under attack!
Winfield's guys were battered, but they seemed to do better at closer range. Especially the heavier guys, the Atlases, Awesomes, T-bolts, Orions. Unlike our B-mer, theirs scored some kills. The only problem was, we were still losing more than they were. The order was given to fall back. That was what saved us. Van Horn had already executed the maneuver back to the next defence zone. Goss and most of his guys never made it past the initial attack. However, we knew our country, they didn't. They suffered at each of the fall back points because of the nasty surprises we setup for them. We halted their advance, but they were almost within striking range of the city. Come morning, they'll surely overrun Felsenville. Then they'll send out cleanup parties to find guys like us. Our best guess is that Winfield is down to about two intact Companies, with another two of mix and match leftovers. The Invaders are forming up on a ridge overlooking town. From what we counted, they lost one for every two or three kills. That puts them at about Battalion level plus one or two Companies. From what we can tell, the best results were achieved by closing range, either by heavier 'Mechs which can withstand more damage, or lighter, faster units which are more difficult to hit.
Sis, their weapons and designs were unlike any I had ever seen! They had better armor, better ranges for their weapons, and about double the rate of fire! We were totally outclassed! They must have come up with a better power plant in order to maintain their speed and an accelerated rate of fire. They must have also had some new kind of target acquisition and lock-on system too. They were hitting with everything! Auto's, PPC's, both long and short range missile systems. Their autocannons had a doubled rate of fire in all classes! They had something like an Anti-Mech shotgun! Their PPC's and lasers had a longer range and increased power. And that old League cannon is devastating. Where did they get that? Where did they get ammo? I don't know, maybe they copied some old designs? There are all sorts of rumors about Kerensky. But they aren't old League designs -- they don't look anything like the pictures! They're new, alien! They operate in groups of five, not four. I don't know if it's important, but they all acted alike. Well trained!
2350 hrs:
Look, I gotta go now, Sis. We're getting ready to move out. The Lieutenant's got word that the Colonel is going to meet us on the opposite side of the city for pickup. Tell Mom I love her and that she ought to move inward with the relatives. It will be safer there. That goes for you too! If I hear about you joining up, I'm gonna break outa here and come bust your butt myself! Gotta go ... Love ... Big Bro.
POSTSCRIPT:
THERE WERE SURVIVORS ON WINFIELD. THE TOWNSPEOPLE HELPED THE FARMERS SET THE FIELDS AFIRE WHEN THE ATTACK CAME. THIS DELAYED THE ASSAULT LONG ENOUGH TO EVAC A NUMBER OF THE TOWNSFOLK AND SOME OF THE MILITARY UNITS OFF PLANET. JONES, BAKSAY, PARAC, AND ANDERSON ALL MADE IT, AS DID COLONEL KELLY, CAPTAIN VAN HORN AND SERGEANT SHUMER. THE 42ND LIGHT SWORD FIELDED 36 'MECHS THAT DAY. ONLY A FEW SURVIVED. IT WAS INDEED A BAPTISM BY FIRE. FIRE TEMPERS STEEL. THE 42ND WILL FIGHT AGAIN. BUT WILL THERE BE ANYTHING LEFT TO FIGHT FOR?
Baptism of Fire
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