Mech Battle 14 - Hades
Written by BlackPhoenix
It was finally dawn, if you can
call the hazy gray light coming over the low hills of this rock
dawn. The brightest it ever got was a deep twilight and that was
at noon. The temperature was a balmy -35 degrees a warm spell for
Hades. How a planet so cold can have a name that hot was beyond
comprehension.
Rasp had been hiding in the
jagged snow covered rocks for three days now. The Templars had
landed in force on what they thought was a planet with an
automatic tracking system on the edge of populated space. Rasp
had the good fortune to be repairing a small piece of
insignificant equipment when the whine or retro-rockets filled
the building. The harsh climate and unforgiving cold of Hades was
reasoning enough to stay in your elemental even when inside of a
structure. Rasp grabbed what equipment he could along with a few
replacement cartridges of air, food, and water. He was in the
rocks before the first dropship hit dirt. He had remained
completely still as the enemy unloaded their machines of death
and searched the area for personnel. A total of 20 large
Warhammers were left on this rock. After about 30 minutes a
smaller dropship landed. 4 Elementals rushed out and entered the
single structure. Why this bleak little ball of dirt would all of
a sudden draw so much attention was unimaginable. As Rasp watched
the little mechs take crate after crate of equipment inside. What
the hell could they be doing? The Warhammer crews were trapped in
their machines. There were no faculties for crewmembers so once
on the ground you stayed in your machine. This was hard while in
the form fitting Endo-steel of an elemental, he could not imagine
being trapped in an 80-ton body for extended periods of time. The
sun was down, (haha), Rasp decided to take a look inside and see
what was up. He waited until most of the Warhammers were plugged
in to a power supply that kept the pilots warm. This meant that
they were resting, Rasp just hoped they were asleep.
As Rasp approached the building
the sounds of work could be heard from the inside. Heavy labor
was going on. The quick peek that Rasp dared to risk confirmed
this. The Templars were installing some sort of electronic
equipment in place of the tracking systems. Rasp worked his way
back to the rear of the building. The Pendragon equipment was
being put outside the rear of the building to make room for the
new systems. There to his great surprise was the entire
communication system. Cut wires and a few busted circuits, but it
was there. Gathering up all he could of the system Rasp carried
it all back to the crevasse he used as a hiding place. He went to
work at once trying to bring the equipment on line.
It took three more nights of
excursions to gather the components needed to make a broadcast to
home world. Batteries were "Liberated" from the
Templars storage depot, some wiring from other machines and a
roll of cable was used to run a wire from the antenna to the
unit. It took a whole night to conceal the cable under the snow
so it would not be seen by the relaxed patrols of the Warhammers.
The equipment was at last ready. Rasp knew that when the signal
started it would not be long until the Templars detected it. Rasp
was amazed that he had not been detected yet, with all the trips
he had made into their base. On one trip he had turned a corner
just as a Warhammer turned in front of him, he had a bag of
supplies over his shoulder and it covered his breast crest that
identified him as Pendragon. After being startled had passed he
continued on walking, raising an arm to the hammer. The hammer
bowed its heavy body in recognition and moved on to continue its
patrol.
That was the kicker, this had
to end quickly, Rasp's luck could not keep up for long. He had
pushed it way too far already. Using stimulants to stay alert
Rasp pushed him self to complete the communication equipment
repairs.
As the poor attempt of sunrise
commenced it was finished. Rasp set the remote activation system
headed for his new hideout, another hole in the jagged plains of
Hades.
He stowed his meager supplies
and concealed the entrance as best as possible and got ready for
the wait. There was no way of knowing how long rescue would take,
or how long the transmission would go undetected. Life was full
of chances. Rasp hit the button to activate the transmission.
From his concealed vantage point Rasp could see down into the
enemy base. After thirty minutes he was amazed to see no
reaction. Things moved as always. Warhammers patrolled the
parameter and the little elementals scurried here and there doing
what ever it was they were doing. Then Rasp noticed the large
planetary proton cannon, its large angry muzzle pointed skyward.
This was new. He watched all day no sign that they had noticed
the repeating transmission. As darkness fell a crazy plan came
into the tired mind of a Pendragon warrior. That cannon would
cost a lot of lives to men trapped inside landing ships. If it
could be disabled then the landing would go unopposed. Rasp had
seen no other heavy weapons. He did not even stop to think about
it, he was on his tired feet moving with purpose toward the
lethal weapon. He walked through the encampment like he was in
charge. A quick hand to cover his crest when needed but walked
like a man with a job to do. The proton cannon was capable of
hitting support ships in high orbit with no trouble. Rasp removed
the firing enabler and just for good measure pulled loose a hand
full of the delicate wiring. He turned and walked right out of
the compound and was hidden with no one the wiser.
After two days it was beyond
belief that they had not detected the transmission. His supplies
were starting to run low, he had not expected to be alive now and
it could be as long as months until action could be take by
command on this invasion. His nerves were not up to another
"trip into town". Hopefully it would be a lot sooner,
but Rasp knew that the chances of being alive for that invasion
were slim.
Night came right on schedule,
it was hard to tell the difference between night and day, but it
was night, (or so the chronometer said at least). Rasp had chosen
tonight to try and replace the dwindling supplies from Templar
stockpiles, he had done this before, he could do it again and
while dangerous it could be done. At the edge of the compound
Rasp hid and watched the activity to see if the pattern had
changed. After 20 minutes things seemed the same. He moved bold
as brass toward the supply depot. A Warhammer walked toward the
fast moving little elemental, and bent down to examine it as it
approached. Rasp covered the crest on his chest trying to make
the movement look as natural as possible, and waved an armored
hand in response, and kept moving. It worked again and Rasp
started to fill a pack with food, water, and batteries. He put
the pack on his back and looked out the door. The coast was
clear, while trying to look like he belonged he made for the
parameter. He rounded the corner of a large outcropping of the
dull gray rocks that were everywhere and literally slammed into
another Elemental that was heading into the camp. They hit and
both were knocked off their feet. Rasp hit the ground hard, with
the gyros screaming to try and hold the machine upright. The two
just sat there looking at each other for what seemed like days.
The light in the center of the enemy mechs head came to
illuminate the chest crest of Rasps machine.
The heavy machine gun appeared
from the forearm of Rasps Elemental and tracked to the faceplate
of the enemy machine, fifty rounds of hi-explosive ammunition
destroyed the enemy machine and its pilot. Well the cat was out
of the bag now. It would take no time for the body to be found.
The Templars might not be a lot of things, but they were
organized, this man had to report sometime and when he
didn’t there would be a search. Rasp jumped to his feet.
Making the best speed possible he got out of there.
Rasp tossed the supplies into
his hole and climbed down, the little mechs arms whined in
protest as he drug a heavy stone slab into place, it covered the
entire opening and looked like it belonged there. As the rock
dropped into place, the alarms went off. They’re
high-pitched wail filled the air even in this thin air they could
be heard. The lights of the search brought brightness through the
cracks in the rock opening. They were getting close. Small
explosions and the chatter of automatic weapons were closing as
the methodical search progress toward his position. A large
explosion was heard and felt, then the light on the little remote
activator went out.
"Well that’s
that." he mumbled the transmission had gone on a lot longer
than he expected it to. But now they had proof that there was
someone else on this ball of dirt. They would not stop until he
was found. He would make them work as hard as possible to find
him, and then with any luck at all maybe take a couple of them
with him as he checked out. The sounds grew closer, Rasp checked
the ammunition, and powered up his small pulse laser. He wedged
himself under the stone slab used as a door. When they found him
he would spring out and try for surprise kills to get a few more.
As he stood there a heavy explosion knocked his feet from under
him. He tumbled down to the floor. Now that was close. Rasp
regained his feet and was ready to spring. The sound of jets
filled the air, the swoosh of missiles and repetitive explosions
followed. This was followed by another strafing run of missiles.
They were hot for him. Then explosions, but this time followed by
a secondary explosion on the ground. A battle was going on. But
who, then it dawned on him. Rasp forced the rock lid off of his
hole and peered out the opening.
The sky was full of war
machines. Moving in every direction at varying altitudes.
Missiles were flying at every angle. Missiles hit a large
Warhammer heading in his direction from 4 different machines.
They all exploded on the Warhammers back and this caused it to
burst into flames one of the legs broke away crashing into the
dirt. The machine continued in a deep arc right at rasp, he dove
back into his hole and prayed for the best. The concussion lifted
Rasp off the floor and then the floor came up to meet him. It was
so violent that system alarms sounded from damage caused by the
shockwave on the little Elemental. System overrides and
re-routing of main control systems brought the little machine
back on line.
Rasp carefully peeked out of
his hole. The battle was almost over, Piles of wreckage littered
the barren landscape. Smoke added to the darkness of the air. A
100-ton Command Dire dropped to the ground about 75 yards from
Rasp. The machine looked like a hole in the night. The blackness
seemed to eat what little light there was on Hades. Jump jets
went over Rasp’s head so close he instinctively ducked. Then
another large Dire slammed to the ground within 10 yards of the
first. This one was bright yellow. It moved beside the first and
stood there. Many things were marked Pendragon but these mechs
required no markings to let the observer know they were Dark
Wizzard and Black Phoenix, RedDragon’s command staff. This
was not a rescue party but a planetary takeover force by the
battle-hardened front line troops of Clan Pendragon. A third
Direwolf appeared in the sky high over head, it settled between
the other two. Both of the other Dires gave the best salute
possible in a 100-ton machine. Rasp knew that the new mech must
be Reddragon. Rasp rose from his hole and raised his arms high
above his head, (he did not want to end his life as an oops). The
large Dires spun on their axis and leveled their weapons at him.
The large yellow mech sprang into the air and the lock warning
inside Rasps elemental started to scream it’s warning. He
waited for the heavy autocannon fire that never came. A p.a.
speaker with an amplified voice called him forward. He walked
cautiously forward. At long last the adventure was over.
NOTE: Research specialists from
research and development examined the equipment that was not
destroyed. The purpose was never determined. The Templars
disavowed any knowledge of the incident or even knowledge of the
dead pilots that had captured the station on Hades. But at the
same time requested that they be given to a Templar
representative for proper burial. The Khan of Pendragon,
Reddragon himself signed the order releasing the bodies to the
Templars. A hand written note was the epitaph for the fallen,
" An Act of Honor for the Honor-less"