The eight hovercraft of Striker Four were racing toward the three 'Mech combatants, spreading across the desert floor. One of the missile launchers trailed puffs of smoke in the HVWC's windstream, and twin flashes caught the Stinger in its right shoulder. There was a blinding pulse of light, and the Stinger's arm whirled into the sand, its gauntlet still clutching the grip of its laser.
The Wasp whirled and broke into a run away from the hurtling hovercraft, and toward Grayson. The Locust's laser swung to track it, locked on, and fired cleanly into the 'Mech's already savaged upper torso.
The Wasp staggered, blue sparks playing along the visibly shattered circuits and torn wiring behind the crater in its chest It took one step, then froze there, locked in a rigid stance from which it could not escape. Grayson turned to track the Stinger, which was limping toward the spaceport. At 100 meters' range, he fired again, targeting the machine's already damaged hip.
The leg gave way and the second 'Mech crashed into the sand.
The battle ended so abruptly that Grayson found himself wondering if it could really be over. The hovercraft swung up, weapons trained on the two crippled 'Mechs. With relief, Grayson saw the pilots being hauled from their cockpits, battered, but apparently able to stand and walk.
He felt relief because of Lori, who knew one of them as a friend, as well as for himself. Those two might be willing recruits to the Lancers, if properly approached. Grayson smiled ruefully at the thought, and wondered how he would convince Nolem and Adel of that.
"Striker One!" Striker One! This is Three!"
"I hear you Three. Go."
"Code Red, Chief. We've got the big boys spotted, the Shadow Hawk and the Marauder both. They're on the road coming down from the castle, and it looks like they're headed this way!"
"The Shadow Hawkl You're sure?" He realized as he spoke that that was a silly question. How could they mistake the ID of a 55-ton armored battle machine?,
"It just came out of the Repair Bay! It looks good as
new... moving full speed!"
Grayson chewed at his lower lip, and tasted blood. The fight wasn't over yet.
19
"Got it." Grayson's throat felt tight, his mouth dry. "Okay, Striker Four! Company's coming. Deploy for Code Red."
External microphones on the Locust's head picked up the thuttering of autorifle fire. He turned the 'Mech to bring telescopic sensors to bear, zooming in on where he could see flashes and running figures through the churning air above the ferrocrete apron.
A fuel tank had been blown. Black smoke smudged the northern sky, and the pavement underneath was cast into the rippling gloom of a smoke shadow.
"Striker One! Do you read?"
"We... hear... you!" Ramage sounded like he was gasping for breath.
"We've picked off our targets, but two big brothers are on their way down the mountain. You have ten minutes!"
"I copy! We're almost... Manning, watch that warehouse... fifteen high! Get him!" The transmission was broken off for a moment. Then, "Yessir... we're almost wrapped up here!"
"Do you have the transport?"
"We have it. It's on the way."
One of the most important vehicles in any 'Mech Lance technical platoon was a transporter, a huge, broad, powered sled used to recover and carry 'Mechs damaged on the battlefield. Until now, the Lancers did not have such a vehicle. Their only alternative hads been to take one from the bandits.
The Lancers' new transporter had been brought to Trellwan as part of a trade agreement with the Commonwealth long before Carlyle's Commandos had arrived. More sophisticated models bore their loads on air cushions. This one was an older, wheeled vehicle. Each of its eighteen tires was twice the height of a man, and a single drum winch secured 2 cm cross-braided diamond monofilament cables for recovery operations. Striker Two had been assigned to cause whatever damage they could to the spaceport facilities, but capturing the giant 'Mech transporter was their primary mission. And now, transporting the Wasp would be their first operation.
Grayson was already preparing the Wasp to be hoisted when the transporter arrived on the scene. The Locust did not have manipulative members like most humanoid 'Mechs, but there were cleats and rings to which cables could be attached. Troops from the tacforce hovercraft swarmed across the downed Wasp, securing it with heavy cables and passing these up through the eyes of the Locust's tow rings.
The transporter arrived at the apex of a gradually dispersing cloud of dust and was positioned alongside the Wasp. With the Locust supplying the muscle power, they eased the Wasp half up off its back until it rested on its heels, then swung around 45 degrees and lowered it back down to a ramp that extended back behind the transporter deck to the desert floor. Working swiftly, men used the vehicle's winch and three-meter pry bars to work the damaged 'Mech into place, and then the transporter's winch hauled the ramp and its 20-ton burden aboard.