The Falcons had always been good fighters and the arrival of a single aircraft did little to shake them. Confident that the Black Thorns were still too far away for concern, they cranked up their guns and waited for the 'Mechbuster to come into range. It was traveling at more than two hundred kilometers per hour, which normally would have made it a difficult target. But with all the guns pointed upward, something was bound to hit.
Rose could see the exhaust trails of long-range missiles as they leapt from their launchers and streaked toward McCloud. An instant later, the Clan pilots had triggered their lasers and PPCs. Although triggered second, the -beam weapons struck the 'Mechbuster first. Many of the shots missed, flying past the aircraft as it approached. Several shots hit the craft, however, raining armor down on the city.
In the darkness Rose could see the beams cut short as they struck the armored belly of the aircraft. He couldn't see the damage, but he knew the composite armor was separating from the frame and falling to earth. The subsequent missiles tore through the damaged armor, ripping away larger pieces under the impact of powerful explosives.
As the Clan weapons recycled, the 'Mechbuster triggered the weapon that gave its name to the craft. The front of the aircraft was briefly illuminated as McCloud kept the trigger fully depressed. The aircraft's forward momentum was virtually halted as the recoil from the autocannon held the aircraft back. Rose tore his eyes from the primary screen to check the scanner. One of the Clan assault 'Mechs glowed brightly on the display for a moment, then disappeared. Rose wanted to cheer, but when he looked back at the primary, the shout stuck in his throat.
The 'Mechbuster's exhaust ports were clogged with thick black smoke. Rose lost sight of the craft for a moment as it disappeared behind its exhaust, but re-sighted it as the ship turned slowly to the right. As he watched, the right side engine failed completely and more smoke began to trail from the ship.
"Rianna, patch me through to McCloud!" Rose forgot all about protocol as the 'Mechbuster continued the sharp turn. He watched the ship attempt to right itself several times during the arc, but each time he thought McCloud had it under control another explosion would rock the ship. On his display another comm light went green.
"Rachel, are things as bad as they look?"
Rose heard her reply as though it were light years away. She was using both hands to control the bucking ship and speaking into a wide-area microphone. "Is that you, Jeremiah?"
"It's me."
"This thing is headed down, Jeremiah. I can't give it any more power or the remaining engine will blow. Without more thrust, I can't get the nose up."
"Can you land it?" Rose had stopped his advance as the aircraft circled above his head. Following their leader the other 'Mechs had also temporarily halted the charge.
"If I had a flat spot, I could try, but I don't see anything that qualifies. None of the streets I can see are wide enough. If—" Her words were cut off by another explosion.
Rose wracked his brain for a place to land. The spaceport was the obvious answer, but the runways were too far away for the stricken ship. "Rachel, can you make it to Assembly Avenue?"
There was no answer. Just when Rose was sure their link had gone dead, he heard McCloud's ragged voice.
"No chance, Rose. I've got a fire in the electronics bay. I can barely see my hands, let alone the ground."
Rose wanted to scream, but he tried to think instead. There had to be something he could do.
"Rachel, I know you can do something, even though I don't know what. You can't die now, Rachel. I need you here. I love you."
Rose waited for a reply, but none came. He wasn't even sure she'd heard his last message. As he watched in horror and frustration, the aircraft disappeared behind the rise of the intervening buildings. Rose switched to his scanner, but the aircraft still did not register. He was tempted to run to the crash site, but he saw that the Clan 'Mechs had not been idle during his brief transmission with McCloud. Not content with the downing of a 'Mechbuster, they were advancing on the Black Thorns at full speed.
33
Houston, Borghese
19 July 3055
Rose turned to face the Clan pilots. The remaining three 'Mechs were approaching in a straight line, each traveling down a separate street. The Clan pilots either didn't know what they were facing or else they had a poor opinion of the mercenaries. Rose knew he could fight past one of the 'Mechs and make a run for the compound, but that would still leave the other two on their trail. Taking them on one by one was his only chance.
"Thorns, move toward the left-hand street. Maybe we can take one out before the others arrive." Rose heard the other two members of his unit confirm, but his mind was still very far way. The sky where the 'Mechbuster had gone down was glowing red.
"Any sign of Battle One?" Rose checked his scanners, but the Marauderwas not on his screen.
"Negative, Battle Two. She's probably cloaked by the Guardian."
Rose hoped it was true. Between the Guardian and the intervening buildings, the main body of mercenaries were unlikely to reconnect with him and Ajax until they reached the compound, if they made it that far.
"This is Command Two. I have a target behind us." Rose turned his attention to the path they'd just traveled. Behind them was a single 'Mech, just out of sight. If Rianna hadn't been sweeping the rear quarter, the 'Mech would have taken the lance by surprise. Without the Beagle active probe it was impossible to tell what type of 'Mech was following them. On the other hand, Rose knew what was up ahead.
"Command Two, follow Battle Lance up the side street. I'm turning to engage the rear 'Mech. Remember, keep moving toward the ComStar compound."
Rose swung the Chargeraround and headed back down the street. Hawg and Bell would be able to take a couple of shots each before the other Clan 'Mechs arrived to assist their besieged comrade. If Rose could stop the trailer, they stood a good chance of breaking free.
Walking back down the street Rose saw that the civilians were coming out to stare at the war machines now that they had passed. Rose's surprise turnaround had caught several out in the open. As the civilians fled for cover, an OmniMech appeared at the other end of the street. Seeing it bathed in the glow of the street lights, Rose could easily see that it was the Mad Cathis unit had engaged earlier at the city park.
The 'Mech was at least as damaged as the Charger,but Rose knew that the Omni had begun the engagement with more protection and better weaponry. Like ancient gunfighters, the two 'Mechs squared off briefly. The civilians thought the move was perfectly normal, but Rose knew it was a quirk of the meeting. Nobody stood in the middle of the street and traded shots with an OmniMech.
It took Rose only an instant to center his targeting cross hairs and trigger his missiles. The Clan pilot was a second slower as he triggered his 'Mech's right-arm PPC. Rose braced for the impact, which caught the Chargerin the right torso, then ran toward the Mad Catas the blast died away. The missile flight scattered explosions across the MadCar's shoulders and chest. One boxy missile launcher exploded as a cluster of missiles tore through the housing and detonated the missiles still in the rack.