Mercenary's Star

The second Archercrowded past the first, LRMs rocketing on flat trajectories into the black wall of the central University tower behind the Rifleman.Chunks of shattered ferrocrete and stone rained onto the barricades in a steaming, smoking avalanche that sent the commandos there scattering for deeper cover. The Courtyard had become a blazing hell where unprotected humans could not hope to survive for more than a few seconds.

The Wolverineopened up from its corner alongside the gateway wall, autocannon fire hosing across the second Archer.The Shadow Hawkjoined in from its position on the rooftop opposite. Three streams of high-explosive mayhem converged on the 70-ton BattleMech, transfixing it in fire and the stuttering flash of explosions.

The Marauder's autocannon was empty, but Grayson could still join in the litany of destruction with his lasers. A green light winked readiness on the charge for his PPCs. He fired them again, the searing bolts closely spaced. Fragments of white hot metal erupted from the Archer'sflat snout as the ‘Mech's cockpit took a direct hit. In an agonizing parody of slow motion, the stricken Archertwisted slowly, then toppled. It slammed into the ground with the shattering impact of a crashing aircraft, trailing an arc of black smoke from its smashed-in cockpit screen. Flames licked from the wreckage.

The first Archerremained on its feet, crouched back by the open gate, missiles rocketing into the Courtyard buildings. The machine was too close to its target to take effective aim with its LRMs, but it could and did shower thundering chaos through the smoking ruin of the court. Lasers burned white, their paths dazzling against the particles of dust and smoke that choked the air. Khaled nailed the damaged Archerwith a spray of autocannon fire that sent the heavy 'Mech staggering back out the gate in retreat.

More shapes surged into the gateway and stopped, hesitating behind the obstacle of the fallen, second Archer.A Griffin was in the lead, closely followed by a Waspand a Stinger.The Griffin 'sPPC stabbed flaring lightning against the barricade. The Riflemanstaggered back a step, struck full in the chest by the blow.

Clay fired a spread of SRMs at the Griffin ,three of the missiles striking the Kurita ‘Mech in the arm. The Griffin spun and returned the fire, PPC bolts slapping into the Wolverine'sarmor. Grayson crouched low in the exposed seat of his Marauderand urged the captured ‘Mech forward. The Griffin 'sPPCs were threatening to take out all four of the defending ‘Mechs.

The Griffin turned at Grayson's approach and hesitated. With a surge of triumph, Grayson realized that the Griffin 'scommander must be confused. The enemy ‘Mech's unit markings read Company A, 3rd Strike Regiment...the same unit as the captured Marauder.The Kurita MechWarrior would be looking through the smoke and confusion of the firefight and be seeing his own regimental commander's BattleMech. And that stayed the Draco pilot's hand for the critical second Grayson needed.

Twin PPC bolts lanced out from the heavy forearms of the advancing Marauder,striking close together in the heavy armor of the Griffin’s chest. Exposed circuitry sparked and flashed behind the pump and gush of green coolant fluid. Twin laser beams arrowed through the ruin, flashing plastic and tender wiring into superheated steam. The Griffin tried to turn, but actuators failed and power failed The deep-set, spherical head split open like a blossoming flower. For an instant, the enemy MechWarrior was visible, hunched forward in his control seat. Then ejection thrusters fired and the seat rocketed into the sky, leaving the Griffin frozen in place, a dead hulk.

Grayson swung the Marauderfor a shot at the next advancing ‘Mech and held his fire. A black-clad figure was dropping away from the Stinger'sfoot as it swung up to scramble across the fallen Archer.The satchel charge behind its knee exploded in a fine spray of jagged fragments and coolant mist. The leg came down, the savaged knee buckled, and the Stingercollapsed across the wreckage of the Archer.

The Waspstanding in the gateway swung an arm up and around, as though pointing out the scattering figures of the commandos. Machine gun fire flickered and yammered, chopping miniature geysers of dust in zigzags across the ground. Another black-clad figure rose from the debris nearby, rose and held its ground in the face of the hail of machine gun fire as it took aim with the weapon at its shoulder. The weapon thumped, and liquid fire sleeted across the Wasp'storso. The ‘Mech stood transfixed, a pillar of raging fire. Grayson found himself willing the pilot to eject, but it didn't happen. The inferno's white heat must have overloaded the emergency power to the eject circuits.

The blazing Waspand the tangle of wrecked ‘Mechs blocked the gateway completely. Grayson took advantage of the sudden lull to check his instruments. Except for the obvious problem of the open canopy, his ‘Mech was undamaged so far. The heat build-up from his use of the PPCs was extreme, but not critical. He'd not been moving the heavy ‘Mech much, and that helped. He eased his machine back into the shade of the veranda lining the Court.

He couldn't tell for sure without radio communications, but the other Gray Death ‘Mechs did not seem badly damaged. So far the Courtyard battle was all in their favor, with four enemy ‘Mechs destroyed or seriously damaged at the gateway, and at least two more out of action in the tunnel underground. Grayson knew, though, that there was no way their luck could last much longer.

Shapes moved through the wreathing smoke in the gateway. Armored hands smashed the burning wreckage of the Waspto the side, clearing the way for another BattleMech charge. An Archerloomed through the smoke, but Grayson couldn't tell if it were the damaged one returned or a new one. Autocannon fire and laser beams lanced across the Courtyard, clawing at the massive shadow. The Archerdid not return the fire, but bent to the task of dragging the wreckage of the destroyed Archerto one side.

Grayson opened up with his PPCs and lasers, but directed his fire to one side of the struggling monster. Craters gaped and cracked in the stone wall beside it The archway over the gate shivered and flexed. Blocks of stone showered onto the Kurita ‘Mech, but without apparent effect. The entire gateway began to crumble as the Shadow Hawkand Wolverineadded their autocannon fire to the effort. The Riflemankept its weapons trained on the Archer,burning chunks from its arm and side, flaying open raw patches of twisted armor.

Smoke, dust, and falling rubble were so thick that Grayson could hardly see past the death-choked gateway. Another shadow appeared, looming squat and powerful as it shouldered past the Archer.With those long, heavy PPC cannon barrels that made up the ‘Mech's forearms, there was no mistaking that silhouette.