"The Menagerie at Twycross", Part 8
- Date: June 17, 3050; 10:21 Local Time
- Location: Salmacis Base
"Hey Otto!" A voice chirped from behind him, and he turned around and looked down slightly. Kelly stood there, hands behind her back. "The Commander needed someone to check on how this was going. Are you done setting up the party favors?"
"Kelly. She sent... you?"
Her head tilted slightly, her tone cooling a few degrees. "Are you going to make me repeat myself?"
A shiver ran down his spine, before he looked back at the dissipating smoke. "Nope. This is the last mark we're setting up." The Lord Commander and Olivia had been in discussion late last night about the potential use of the Fortress-class DropShip's built-in artillery as viable support. And so here he was spotting pre-set marks for them to use during the escape. It sure beat stressing out over the rest of the logistics, really.
"Good. I'm getting bored." He turned back around, noticing her flipping her coin in the air. "All this talk of how nasty these 'Clan' people are, how tough they are, and how nobody's really won." She snatched the coin out of the air with a laugh, and winked. "But we both know it's just the 'Mechs. Out of them, they die just as easily as everyone else."
"...yeah."
Kelly nodded and glanced past him, her eyes focused on a distant point. "We're not going to lose, and do you want to know why?" She smirked, and when she threw her right arm up a knife slid into her hand from somewhere up her sleeve. "They won't expect us to win. And we don't plan on playing fair."
Otto shrugged, and looked out to the field to watch the last of the smoke scatter on the wind. "You know the Commander. The game's always rigged, so the trick is being the one to rig it in your favor." He clicked his comm back on. "Overlord, Spotter. All clear."
As the artillery crew was reloading, she was idly flipping the knife in her hand. Sometimes she caught the point, and sometimes it nicked her and the weapon flipped again hurriedly. "Has the Commander told you anything about what we're doing after this? I know we're supposed to find a place to regroup but what's going to happen after that?"
"You know the Commander. She doesn't have a plan yet, it'll be figured out as she goes."
Kelly shrugged her shoulders and squinted into the sky. "At least it'll stay interesting." She tucked the knife back up her sleeve and walked away. "Or at least, it had better." She spoke over her shoulder with a smirk.
Otto stared after her for a touch too long, as his comm buzzed to get his attention. "Spotter, Overlord. You fall asleep over there or something?" He could practically hear the cigar, and it was easy to picture the old man smirking. 'Probably the most fun he's had in decades, pushing buttons and air-mailing high-explosive shells.'
"Overlord, Spotter. Fire when ready."
- 11:02 Local Time
- Location: ‘Mech Hangar Two
She wandered over, and let her two-meter height loom for a short while before speaking. "Something funny about me?"
A short and young male tech flinched, but then most of them were shorter than her. "Sorry, 'MechWarrior, it's nothing. Excuse me." He coughed into his sleeve and quickly hurried off.
The older tech instead just sniffed and didn't bother looking up from the diagnostic machine resting near the right foot. "Meh. Only thing's funny about you is how you think you deserve this lady." His fingers quickly resumed tapping on the controls. "Acting like you're little more than a rookie who got lucky. Like you've earned it." He noticed her hands clench into fists out of the corner of his eye, and turned to smirk up at her. "Like you're the next Natasha Kerensky or something."
Despite the rage boiling up inside, Sofia's voice came out steady and level. "Is that so?"
"What, you gonna take a shot at me." He tapped his cheek. "Go on, Commander'll bench you for the most important fight of your career." His smirk became a grin as he saw her eyes narrow, well aware he'd gotten under her skin. "Or maybe she won't, since you're her-"
"Cartwright." The voice came from above, and the tech's grin fell immediately before his body snapped to attention on reflex. Sofia looked up to see her mother standing there, hands on the railing. Lance Commander Raster was beside her, looking almost disgusted as she looked down. "You're supposed to be working on the 'Mechs."
He just cleared his throat. "Nothin' to do while the diagnostic runs, boss."
Commander Garrido's face now began to glower. "Excuse me?"
"Sorry, sir."
"Consider yourself lucky, since you're out of things to do." One hand lifted and pointed towards the exit. "Collect your things. You're on the next ride to the DropShips. Someone else will finish your task while you take a well-earned break."
Cartwright actually flinched, the sarcasm too strong to miss. "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." He walked past Sofia, actually letting his left side bump into hers along the way.
Lance Commander Raster nodded once, and looked down. "Are they loading your machine gun ammo, or are you going without it?"
"Ma'am." Sofia focused on her now, and glanced over at the techs who now tried to be busy instead of actually looking busy. "I am sure they are making certain all my weapons will be functional and ready."
"Most people don't load it, feel it's too much of a risk."
It was hard to defer, to fight down the urge to say it was her choice to make sure the weapons were properly armed. "Ma'am, I defer to the Lance Command. Should I ask them to remove it?"
Raster smiled briefly. "To each their own choices, and the consequences belong to them." She said softly, looking to Commander Garrido before shaking her head. "I leave the call for you to make, 'MechWarrior. When you've made sure everything is squared away, take a moment to grab a meal before we won't have time for it."
"A moment, if you please." The Commander motioned for Sofia to climb, as Raster turned and left. Sofia took her time on the ladder, and stood at attention in front of her mother. People might be watching, and it wouldn't do to appear insubordinate. Not when she was this close to proving herself worthy of the respect she was due. "At ease, 'MechWarrior."
"Ma'am."
"I suppose Cartwright should be glad I intervened. It would be a hell of a problem for him to travel with a broken jaw." She smirked briefly, then let that fade. "Did it bother you that much?"
"No, ma'am." Sofia paused, as the little inside voice snickered at the obvious lie. She lowered her voice, shoulders slouching slightly so she leaned in. "I mean, yes. I'm not trying to be the next Black Widow."
"Good. Because you're something better." The Commander gently poked a finger into Sofia's forehead, and smiled. "You're the next Garrido. Sure, we're not as famous." Her hands then took her daughter's, and squeezed. "The family has a long history, and the name has meaning to a few people. We're one of two families I can think of who can trace their lineage back before the KF drive was invented. And we don't have to ride on the coat-tails of a General long dead to claim fame."
"No, ma'am." Sofia breathed out, knowing the next line deep in her heart from when she'd decided to train for becoming a 'MechWarrior. "We weren't born with a claim to greatness. We take it ourselves. And God have mercy on those who deny us the chance."
"This brings me to why I was looking for you." 'Oh, you weren't spying on me to make sure I wasn't a bundle of nerves? That's surprising, mother.' "When we get off Twycross, Priam Company is going to more than likely be undergoing reorganization. I have no idea who's making it out of this alive-"
"You are. I am. Kelly's going to take a few dozen with her if she dies." Sofia muttered under her breath.
This earned a small smirk briefly. "If you get out the other end, I want to let you know there's an option on the table." She hesitated. "The Lord Commander and Coryphee are from some system out in the Rimward Periphery. Lance Commander Long's told me some things about the region known as the 'Aurigan Reach'. It's a jungle out there, lots of work for skilled 'MechWarriors who want to make their mark."
"Er..."
"Someone with your skills could make quite a name for themselves, fighting freelance." Her mother tilted her head, noticing the reluctance on Sofia's face. "Or you could go with the Lord Commander, I'm sure he wouldn't mind taking on an experienced person. I don't know exactly where his... Zathras... is, but I'm sure there's good work. Or you could go to the Magistracy, the Canopians would take you without a second thought. You could probably command a Lance of your own in a couple years."
"Can I speak freely?"
"I don't think you need to ask."
"I-" Sofia shuffled her feet, and looked down at the toes of her boots. Past them, she could see the 'Mech Bay below. "It feels like you don't want me here anymore. Do you think so little of me?"
The Commander stepped back, and let out a sigh before speaking. "No. I want to give you the chance to find your way without me putting you on rails."
"... what's that even mean? What are rails?"
"Hell if I know." Her mother snorted softly, looking away. "It's an old expression from Terra. Means to not have a choice where you're going."
"I don't understand."
"Me either, point is-" The comm in her ear chirped, and she put her hand to her ear. "Yeah, Jarod? You're joking, now they want to talk?" She muttered swear words under her breath and looked at Sofia. "I'm in the middle of something more important. Yes, of course I want to take the call, I'll be there in five." She put her hand down and sighed.
Sofia couldn't keep herself from smirking, and spoke in a soft tone. "I'm more important?"
The facades of her mother and the Commander were fighting, until the parent won and gave a soft smile. "More than you could guess, Sofia. We'll talk on the way out of the system, make a decision then. Okay?"
'But I already made my decision.' "Sure thing, ma'am."
- 11:15 Local Time
- Location: Command Center
“Commander!” Jarod looked over at her, and pointed. “I’ve routed the call to the secondary console.”
“Good, means I can do this in privacy.” Olivia sat down in the chair for that console, picking up the headset. She really wanted to avoid being stuck dealing with this for very much longer, she preferred keeping an eye on the process of breaking everything down. But there was only so much micromanaging her people would put up with.
A couple of the techs were carting in a large crate for the tactical display table, getting to work disconnecting it. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the Lord Commander wander in. He noticed her there at the secondary console, and walked to stand on the far side of the room. Obviously he would have wanted to put in a call somewhere, but he’d have to wait.
The video screen turned on, interrupting Olivia’s chain of thoughts as a monochromatic image came up. A slight, slender woman in a cat-eared hat was seated in a chair and looking cheerfully through the video pickup on her end. “Salmacis Base? This is Hatchy on the 'Namida'. Are you receiving me?”
"This is Salmacis Base, is your transmitter malfunctioning-"
The young woman frowned and looked to her left. "Naw, that's just the computer misbehaving." A moment later, the image flickered and it became a color image. Now Olivia could make out blonde hair, combat fatigues with the jacket open, and the hat was now aggressively pink. "That should fix it."
"You must be Captain Hatchsune."
“I must be? My reputation precedes me!” She gave a broad grin, and saluted in the vague sense of floating her hand near her forehead. "But call me Hatchy. You're in command down there?"
"Commander Olivia Garrido, Priam Company. I admit I've only barely heard of your outfit until now."
"Really?" Hatchy cleared her throat. "Well, I know all about you. Like that smash-and-grab gone wrong in Marik space?." Her eyes flashed with intent, despite her cheery tone.
Olivia put a hand to her face as she remembered the particular contract mentioned. "Yeah, on Shiloh. Something for an industrial-" She shook her head. "We can talk shop later, right now I'm working on an evacuation. I'll have ships ready to lift off by tomorrow morning, if you're able to hold on until that point. Are you?"
"That's a good question." The woman in the pink hat frowned, and then cleared her throat. "Now I've got a question of my own. So, is there a reason you're not ready to leave right now? I know you had advance warning of the invasion force on the way, there's no way you could miss it. If you’re waiting for the last minute to evacuate, Commander, you’re getting pretty close."
"Yes I heard about ships on the way, but they shouldn't be fully settled into orbit for a couple hours yet." Olivia caught motion out of the corner of her eyes and turned her head to watch the Lord Commander put his prosthetic hand along his cheek. He seemed to be muttering into it, subvocal tones which she recognized almost immediately as the same sort of thing she did with her own comms. 'And the penny drops.' "Hold that thought."
She turned away from the comm console and folded her arms as the older man noticed her and then muttered something under his breath. She didn't even need to say anything before he threw up his hands, and half-bellowed. "What do I look like, an orbital mechanic?"
"A what?" Jarod asked, but they ignored him.
Olivia looked back to her console, putting her headset back into place. “I’m assuming they’re closer than that-” She winced at a squeal of feedback on the line, and saw Hatchy make a face as well before speaking off to one side. The connection’s audio was getting lost in whatever interference there was. “Jarod?”
“On it. I’ve got a transmission being sent from orbit, it’s drowning us out.” He was frowning at the screen. “Just like before… got it. Patching it in now, Commander.”
There was still a distortion to the audio, slowly clearing up as the words came through. “-forces dare defend this world from the steel talons of the Jade Falcon?”
Olivia leaned back in the chair, looking over to Jarod again. “Falcon? I thought it was some sort of jaguar.”
“Don’t look at me. I just work here, Commander.” The console was beeping a few times. “Ever since we shut down the main computer, I don’t have the tools to filter it out. It’s not aimed at us, anyway, so we can just ignore it.”
She let it slide, and sighed. “Lord Commander, we’re going to have to move up our timeline. How prepared are you?”
The Lord Commander waved his right hand vaguely. “My end is good. Spent the morning with your executive setting up the party favors.”
“I won’t have time to reconnect the tactical display. I’ll be damned if I leave it behind after all the money getting it the first time.” Olivia folded her arms across her chest. “That means the ‘Aquila’ can’t handle tactical oversight. Can I make a request of you?”
“You may, yes.” She hated it when nobles did that, it reminded her too much of her first commanding officer. “ What is it you need?”
Olivia stood up to face him, holding the headset in her hand. “I don’t think we’ll get off the ground without a fight. I’m going to need you to run strategic and tactical overview for combat. Do you think you can handle it?”
“Run tactical?” He blinked his eye at her once, then started laughing. He stuck a cigar in his mouth, lighting it with a small flourish. “Girl, I’m basically a goddamn tactical genius!”
Jarod cleared his throat, stepping down from the comm station. "Er, sir, there's no smoking in here."
Seeing the one good eye narrowing, Olivia spoke up before the Lord Commander could protest. "Let him smoke, we're going to be leaving. Jarod, I have a task for you. Download the comm protocols, give the Lance Commanders a warning, and make sure the Fortress-class DropShip is ready to take over battle communications." He was nodding slowly, and she took a deep breath before standing up. "Then slag every drive in the place."
His expression became one of shock, face paling as her words sunk in. "W-what?! You could just take them with us!"
"I'm not carrying one more thing we could lose, and we already got the critical data yesterday." She looked around briefly, and noticed nobody else was meeting her eyes but the Lord Commander. "Also, I am leaving absolutely nothing as far as useful intel for those damn vultures to pick over."
Jarod nodded slowly, and sat down at the comm console to begin getting to work. Olivia heard her comm start to buzz with the activity, and she jerked her head to motion everyone else out of the room. Once they had left, she put her hands on her hips and took a long look around the room. It had been thirty years since the base had been built, thirty years of Priam Company managing to survive and maintain a good standing as a mercenary outfit. Now they were going to leave, and deep down she knew they would never be coming back.
'I'm sorry I couldn't keep this place any longer, Commander- Mikell,' She thought to herself, and closed her eyes. 'But I know you'd understand my choice.' She opened them, and clenched her hands a few times before turning on her heel and headed to the door. They were losing Salmacis Base, but Priam Company would survive.
She tapped her comm, shifting it to a wide broadcast. "This is the Commander. I need two technicians to the command center. All other techs, start up the 'Mechs and then get to your transports. 'MechWarriors, contact your Lance Commanders and head to your assigned 'Mechs. We are leaving, and I don't want anyone to miss the ship."
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