"My pleasure. Speed to 2.5 Gs. Twelve minutes to drop, Dan. Happy hunting."
* * *
Dan watched Cat Wilson's Pantherstreak planetward. The Valkyrie'sjump jets stabbed flame from the bottoms of both feet and from the rocket pack on the 'Mech's back. The ion streams slowed the Valkyrie'sdescent, then lifted it and arced it forward. Cat's Panther,riding similar leg jets, floated up beside him and followed him into battle.
Fitzhugh's Catapultlaunched twin LRM volleys at the lead Kurita Panther.Five missiles tore armor from the Panther'shead, and another quintet savaged its left leg. Eight more missiles zeroed in on the Panther'sright arm, blasting every shred of armor from that limb, but failed to cripple it.
The Pantherraised its PPC and triggered a blast at the Catapult.As the PPC beam whipped across the birdlike Catapult'sright leg, it melted armor and sent droplets of molten ceramics streaming to the planetoid's surface.
The Catapultanswered the Pantherwith all four of its medium lasers. Two scarlet laser beams slashed ugly, bubbling scars across the Panther'storso. Armor exploded away from the 'Mech's left arm as a third beam burned across its surface. The fourth beam sizzled into the Panther'sdamaged right arm, melting the last of the armor and eating hungrily into the tattered limb. In a bright burst of sparks, the charging coils on the Panther'sPPC went black.
Salome's Wolverinedescended at the rear of the Kurita lance. Targeting a Pantherthat was tracking Meg Lang's Wasp,Salome unleashed her 'Mech's full fury upon it. The shoulder launcher belched a full SRM flight, and four of them hit. Two missiles blasted armor from the Panther'sleft arm and leg. Two others, as though homing in on the Panther'sweakness, blasted thin armor from the center and left portion of the 'Mech's back.
Realizing his predicament too late, the Pantherpilot hit his jump jets. As he rose on columns of ions, the fire from Salome's autocannon punched through the broken armor on the left side of the torso. Meanwhile, the Wolverine'smedium laser melted through the Panther'sspine. Hot shards of armor rained to the ground, and a flash of heat spilled from the 'Mech's infrared silhouette on Dan's battle screens.
"Meg, one's on you, to your right." Dan watched as she reacted. She boosted power to the jump jets, then drew up the knees on her Wasp.The Wasptwisted wildly and arced back as the PPC beams and flights of SRMs released by two Pantherssailed wide of their careening target.
Flashing beneath the Wasp,Austin Brand's Panthertracked the Pantherthat Salome had already savaged. The PPC in the right hand of Brand's Pantherreleased an azure energy bolt, and the SRM launcher over the 'Mech's heart sent its flight of four missiles up and away. Three of the missiles found their target and exploded armor from the enemy Panther'schest and right leg. The PPC beam struck the other Pantherfull in the chest, and sent all but the last layer of armor flaking away in a turquoise explosion.
Cat Wilson's PPC stabbed out. It drenched the planetoid's surface in cerulean highlights and lashed a third Pantheracross the chest. 'Mech armor boiled up, cracked loose, and dropped away in glowing plates. Cat's quartet of SRMs smashed into the same Panther.They blasted armor from either side of the torso, and cratered the armor on the Panther'sright leg. Staggered, the Panthertwisted to target Cat with its return volley of SRMs.
"Break wide, Cat!" The MechWarrior rolled his Pantheras the SRMs twisted toward him. Two bursts against his 'Mech's right arm and crushed armor with fiery explosions. The only other missile to hit blasted armor from the Panther'schest.
The confidence in Cat's voice rang through clearly. "Thanks for the warning. It's all yours."
Dan dropped the gold crosshairs of his weapons systems on the third Pantherand tightened his triggers. The medium laser mounted in the right arm of his ' Mech gouged chunks of armor from the ragged right side of the Panther'schest.
Six of the Valkyrie'sLRMs spiraled down into the Pantherwith hideous effect. Like flies to an open wound, the missiles blasted through the weakened torso armor and on into the 'Mech's core. An explosion brought a wave of white heat from the Panther'schest as the missiles shattered shielding on the fusion reactor.
Baker's Jennerlanded in a crouch, facing an undamaged Panther.The 'Mechs exchanged SRM volleys, but the Jenner's lower profile let the Panther'sSRMs fly overhead, where they exploded against a barren hillside. Half the Jenner'sSRMs hit their target, drawing first blood and shattering armor on the Panther'storso.
Four lasers stabbed out from the Jenner'swings. One carved more armor from the Kurita 'Mech's torso, while another burned an uneven line through the armor on the Panther'sleft leg. The final two beams lanced through the Panther'sleft arm, stripping it of every scrap of armor and exposing the myomer muscles.
The Kurita Panther'sright arm came up and triggered a blast with its PPC. The blue jolt jerked and writhed as it scourged Jenner'schest. Gobs of molten armor flew away from the Jenneron vapor jets. As the debris cloud evaporated, it left the Jenner'schest naked and vulnerable.
Bethany Connor's Pantherswung about and targeted the Kurita Pantherattacking Baker's Jenner.Her PPC spat blue fire in a direct line at the enemy Panther's,wounded chest, bursting through the remaining armor as though it were paper. The beam melted all it touched, then ignited the SRMs stored in the Panther'schest.
The SRMs exploded in a staccato string of bright flashes. Like a fountain of fire, bursts of light lanced from the 'Mech's torso. A pair of brilliant detonations sent the 'Mech's naked left arm spinning past Connor's Panther.Fire roiled and swirled within the Kurita 'Mech's heart, then grew in a series of explosions that the Panthercould no longer contain. In a flash of platinum fire hot enough to momentarily overwhelm Dan's scanner, the 'Mech disintegrated.
Diane McWilliams and Mary Lasker bracketed the remaining Pantherand concentrated their fire upon it. As their PPC beams both savaged the 'Mech's right leg, its armor melted away like wax. Muscles snapped apart and titanium bones glowed white-hot before they dissolved into tiny droplets.
As the Kurita Pantherwavered and began to fall, the paired SRM volleys from the Kell Hound's captured Panthersbattered the crippled 'Mech. Explosions blossomed across its chest like a necklace of fiery flowers, twisting the big machine and knocking it to the ground.
The Kurita Panthersmoved to withdraw. "We have to stop them, Kell Hounds." Dan hated the sound of his voice as he issued the order, but he knew that there was no other choice. If they get to where they can radio for help, we're finished.