Falcon Guard

* * *

The first sign of the enemy came when an aerofighter detected a force of ComStar BattleMechs, now detached from the bridge defense, advancing toward the Jade Falcons. Aidan ordered some of the 'Mechs behind him to spread out, away from the river, so that they could present a wide front.

The maneuver worked, for the Com Guards, the surfaces of their 'Mechs gleaming even whiter in the bright light of the hot Tukayyid sun, advanced in a narrow column. It was now almost midday, the weather hot even for Tukayyid. Heat shimmers rose from the whole line of the 'Mechs, creating an aura around the oncoming force.

The ComStar 'Mechs began to slow their advance, preparing for battle. Their officers knew it was the Clan custom to fight 'Mech-on-'Mech, with each Clan warrior selecting his opponent and initiating his own combat tactics.

Knowing what ComStar would expect, Aidan had ordered a change of usual tactics. The Galaxy Commander had cautioned against it, but Aidan had the endorsement of Kael Pershaw to proceed entirely on his own. As was his wont, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde ignored caution and went forward.

"Joa

Joa

When the Jade Falcon advance visibly slackened, it was a ploy to make the enemy conclude that the Clan force was preparing for its usual stand-and-deliver style of combat.

Then, at a precisely calculated interval, Joa

Aidan led the way for the accelerating 'Mechs, all now ru

Exhilarated by the rush to war, Aidan barely noticed the uneven pacing of the Timber Wolfslope. Nor did he pay attention to the erratic, shifting numbers for his ammo levels and weapon-readiness that his secondary screen was displaying. As his first target, he had selected a Goliath,a heavy 'Mech that looked more like a tank on legs than the often-humanoid BattleMechs of the I

The Goliathwas firing ineffectively with its long-range missiles, trying to mow down some of the Elementals ru

Because ru

But he did not care about downing the enemy 'Mech at this stage. Instead, he ran straight at the ComStar 'Mech, then continued on past it. Before he slid by, Aidan got off a good shot at the enemy 'Mech's large cockpit. The Goliathhalted completely as Aidan's 'Mech continued on, firing at the BattleMechs in the next rank.

Aidan had no time to view the scene behind him, so he did not see Joa

The Jade Falcon BattleMechs were attacking either on the run or by jumping down into the right flank of the ComStar 'Mechs. As the Falcons began to land in the open spaces between 'Mechs, the ComStar pilots at first did not react at all or else showed extreme confusion. The Jade Falcon BattleMechs were using ComStar's own hit-and-run tactics with a vengeance. The jumping 'Mechs peppered the enemy with varied shots and well-placed missiles, then jumped again, farther along the bank, closer to Robyn's Crossing. Seeing the ComStar forces in disarray at the unorthodox Clan assault, Aidan ordered his marauding 'Mechs to pour straight through their lines, shooting steadily as they ran. He could see they were doing plenty of damage.

The element of surprise could not last forever, however. Finally responding to the charge, a few Com Guard MechWarriors mowed down a pair of rear Falcon Guard 'Mechs. Aidan saw on his secondary screen that the MechWarriors lost were Keye and Gist. Joa

Though Clan warriors always attempted to prevent or reduce losses, in war such losses were unavoidable. Yet Aidan knew his tactic had been a success. The Falcon Guard charge had destroyed many ComStar BattleMechs and severely damaged others. They had rendered at least three machines temporarily inoperable. The rest were turning and trying to pursue. Aidan ordered Delta Nova to delay the pursuit for as long as possible before jumping back to rejoin the Jade Falcon forces.

The plan had worked even better than he had hoped. The main goal had been to get past any bridge defenders sent out to confront the Jade Falcon advance. Their original aim had not been to destroy the enemy 'Mechs, merely to get by them. They had done that and had come to within a few kilometers of Robyn's Crossing. The rest of the ComStar forces defending the bridge would now be forced to divide their strength as the 'Mechs of the Seventh Falcon Cluster advanced on Robyn's Crossing and fired across the river.

Ahead of him, Aidan saw some debris being bounced along the swift currents of the Prezno. Some bits were obviously BattleMech sections, some were unidentifiable pieces of metal, but Aidan saw at least one strut that he was certain was part of the Robyn's Crossing bridge. Soon Clan warriors would be fighting to reclaim Robyn's Crossing. He could almost smell the heated odors, taste the burning metal being carried on the air, feel the rough tremors of weapons fire and explosions.

32

How unClanlike," came a voice that seemed to fill Aidan's cockpit and which he recognized immediately as Kael Pershaw's. The man in the half-mask had patched into the Falcon Guard commline.

"What is that?" Aidan said, hoping that Kael Pershaw's voice was not now coming from the spirit world, even if it sounded like it did.

"Why, your maneuver, of course. What nonsense to go charging past your enemy, taking potshots and dividing your attention among BattleMechs." An odd reverberating noise seemed to fill the cockpit, and it was a moment before Aidan realized it was not some Timber Wolfmalfunction, but merely the amplified sound of Kael Pershaw clucking his tongue. "Dreadfully unClanlike. Too bad it worked so well, Star Colonel. You are now being praised among those who would have preferred to speak of you in smug castigation."

"Where areyou, Kael Pershaw?"

"In a scout aircraft, a Specter,high above you. Right now we are flying as high as the atmosphere of a planet permits, but the craft's sensors can study the terrain below down to the smallest speck of dust. I exaggerate, perhaps, but I was able to watch your charge in great detail. I enjoyed it. It reminded me of an I

"I am pleased that you have a new toy. Are you going to interrupt me frequently with immediate reports on my actions?"

"I do not plan to. But I may, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde."

Now that the Jade Falcons were only three kilometers from Robyn's Crossing, Aidan could see wreckage strewn from one bank of the wide Prezno River to the other. Com Guard 'Mechs were moving out to meet them, this time with more caution than the first detachment had shown. The latter, though still in disarray, was currently attempting a clumsy pursuit.

"You intend to be my conscience, quiaff?"