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<330-1347> Field Commander Charles Antonescue re- ports. Southern pass held against Smoke Jaguar force. Coordinated resistance on Huntress has been smashed, but there is no indication of Khan Osis presence. Surviving clan warriors available for interrogation. <408-1955> Prince Victor Steiner-Davion to all eld commanders. Huntress is ours. <409-0942> Lieutenant Michael Tonai, DEST, on de- brief of prisoners. All evidence indicates that Khan Lincoln Osis has escaped Huntress for Strana Mechty. However, of possible worse consequence are rumors that one Galaxy Commander Corbett is rallying Smoke Jaguar forces at a remote staging area. Flagged for immediate investigation. <409-2315> Jerrard Cranston reports to Prince Victor. Galaxy Commander Brendon Corbett, the Smoke Jaguar ofcer who led forces back to Huntress, bypassed the capital for the colony world of Tranquil. From this command post, he has sent out a call that all surviving Smoke Jaguar warriors should rally to his position rather than to Khan Osis on Strana Mechty. Reconstructed records prove that Corbett has received several responses. Our friend Trent believes that Tranquil may possess the command and production re- sources to resurrect Clan Smoke Jaguar. <410-0601> Prince Victor Steiner-Davion, Commanding. Unacceptable.

Okay, Im heading forward. Dont be late! Roger that. Good luck, Dominic. Yeah, sure. All right, Lieutenant. Dominic Paine has moved ahead to set up his anking attack against the Mech fac- tory. He will move in as soon as you begin your run, meeting you at the second bridge. From there the two of you can proceed to the island facility. And weve nally made progress on the codes re- covered from that destroyed communications facility back on the beach. The data has allowed us to break part of the Clan encryption system, tapping into some of their radio chatter. The proper codes have been entered into your BattleMech computer, so you will receive a direct feed of Clan intentions from now on. Heres hoping it helps. Lets end this.

Lieutenant Sinclair. We intercepted a private chan- nel between Star Colonel Ratache Osis and his aide. Stand by for playback:

smashed, Drey. The entire facility. Without those greenhouses, we will be hard pressed to feed the in- coming forces. You warned him, placing the decoy site so near our agricultural project. Aff. I did. But will Brendon Corbett take the blame for this? Neg, Star Colonel. With Lincoln Osis death on Strana Mechty, the Galaxy Commander will be our next Khan. He can do no wrong. Exactly. I will make these surrats pay. This I prom- ise...

You catch that, Lieutenant? Lincoln Osis, ilKhan of the Clans, died on Strana Mechty! The Star League must be victorious. Now what do you think the chances are that we can expect relief in time to do us any good?

Good news, Lieutenant. Weve made two more contacts. Epona Rhi from Team Three and Keith Andrew, from our own commando. Epona Rhi is northeast of our position and moving to rendezvous. She was rst from Commando Three to drop, but with her survival condence is now high that we might nd others and maybe even the Black Hammer itself. Misery loves company. Isnt that one of Blakes old sayings? Thank you, Dominic. Im sure we all appreciate the sentiment. Keith Andrew actually grounded inside Operations Area Three, where the Eclipses commandos were all supposed to drop. Currently hes limited in movement by heavy Clan patrols. The rescue company is working their way in to break him free. They really need us to take some of the pressure off them, Lieutenant. I think Keith is in trouble up there.

Thanks to our raid on those administrative buildings, we have a good set of diagrams on this underground facility. And it is their Mech production site, Lieutenant. From what Ive been able to sift through, it may be their only one on Tranquil. It is also lightly defended. The Jaguars counted too much on the facility staying hidden. The front entrance has been intentionally collapsed, a crude but effective shield against an assault, while the Jaguars nish some new OmniMechs. Epona Rhi is on station at the entrance, and she thinks she might be able to blast her way through but no promises. Since were running out of time Ive found you another way. You are actually coming in through the back with a bit of applied engineering magic. Stand by for data feed.

Extremely good salvage, everyone. Cant ask for much better than a Clan factory. We might ask for a working DropShip. Im working on that, Dominic. In the meantime, Eponas earlier scouting has pointed out several good routes leading into the next Operations Area. With Osis clos- ing on our position, we will do better on the move. Every step takes us that much closer to the Eclipse. You know, I dont remember signing on for the walk- ing tour of Tranquil. But am I happy to be here? You bet I am.

Everyone, listen to this. Its a piece of intercepted comms be- tween Smoke Jaguar ofcers, brought in by Epona Rhi. Ive cleaned it up a bit:

does not matter. He requires constant resup- ply, chasing those freebirth through the Cascade Ranges. Ratache Osis ordered the DropShip kept ready for his own use. You would like to argue that with Galaxy Commander Corbett, quiaff? Neg. Just be prepared for the return of Star Colonel Osis to Durghan. He will be displeased, unless he has managed to destroy those surrats by then

All right, did you hear that? Here:

ordered the DropShip kept ready

Its out there, boys and girl. Our ticket back to the Eclipse. I found it. Now you have to convince them to give us a ride. Either that or we rely on the rescue team nally making it through. How bout it, Lieutenant?

Well, we know what happened to the Black Hammer. The news isnt good. Now doesnt that gure? Ill let him tell you his story. Go ahead, Allen: I was last out of the Black HammerShawna and Carlos failed to launch by drop-pod. Grounded very near where the DropShip nally crashed. No other survivorsman it was a mess. I got shot up by a patrol my rst trip. Long-range comms, trashed. No support vehicles. No way to make ammo reloads even. Been playing hide and seek ever since, waiting for someone to come lookin . Today I caught your broad- casts, weak but there, so I hurried over to give you a hand. Glad I did, too, or none of us might have made it outta this mess Thanks, Allen. Lieutenant, the Smoke Jaguars have certainly stripped the Black Hammer for themselves, but they cant have gotten far. Keith Andrew picked up news of a convoy heading out from Durghan City. To pick up the salvage, or a good percentage of it, is my guess. It will be an easy run to stop that convoy and claim the salvage for ourselves. Then well be in good shape for hitting the city and making rendezvous with Keith. The spaceport is just north of the city, hopefully complete with a functional DropShip.

According to communication intercepts, Ratache Osis is leading a force somewhere to the south. But he apparently has our measure, and hes been handed an ultimatum. Keith Andrew intercepted this and passed it along:

These freebirth may get to Durghan City, Galaxy Commander, but they will die there. I promise. They will die there, Ratache Osis, or I will have you in a Circle of Equals. Contain them. Destroy them. Or I will see your Blood Heritage dishonored and your DNA removed from our breeding cycles. Is. That. Clear? Aff, Galaxy Commander! Sir? Galaxy Commander Corbett?

Count on Osis to dog our tracks all the way in, Lieutenant. If you want to avoid him, I recommend fast action.

No blastin way! Tell me we didnt just see that! All right, if it makes you happy. But what you didnt see was the bloody DropShip we needed to get out of here, launching. Why am I not surprised? Well nd another way, people! But for now were still holed up inside the canyon and we cant stay here much longer. Argue later.

Damocles Commando, this is Captain Taylor. Ive conrmed with our JumpShip that Jaguar forces have, in fact, arrived and are burning hard for Tranquil. Im pulling back the rescue team theyve taken heavy losses and the Eclipse will have to touch off soon as possible if were to escape. I dont see how we can make rendezvous. Im sorry, gentlemen.

Stand by for latest communications intercept:

I do not want to hear excuses! I want those travag reebirth xterminated! o s f e D you hear me, Star Colonel Trace Kotare? Or you would rather join Ratache Osis in obscurity, quineg? Neg, Galaxy commander! Neg! It will be done

Ill say one thing for Corbett. He can motivate his warriors. Now its our turn. The retreat- ing rescue company is winning the race. Captain Taylor reports that survivors are already stag- gering in by singles and pairs. Any way they can walk a little slower? Taylor wont leave without giving us every chance. But those chances are slipping by fast. I wont deny that we need a bit of luck. Heres hoping we can make some.

News from the Eclipse:

Damocles Commando, this is Captain Taylor. Brendon Corbett caught the last two Mechs weve been waiting on. Butchered them. Were safe enough for nowno Mech is about to charge a DropShipbut time is running out. On the chance you can snag that shut- tle or perform a miracle and get over the mountains in time, Ill hold on to the last possible moment. But whether youre here or not well clear Tranquil before the incoming Smoke Jaguars get in our way. Im sorry, but thats the way it has to be. If it comes to that, dig a deep hole and hide yourselves in it. Im sure well be back for you

Ill dig him a hole. Dig it and throw his Lets not make it any harder than it already is, all right Dominic?

Well come out of the elevator here, at this north- west corner just behind the shuttle pad. That might buy as a moment to organize, but we cant hang back too long. Given the usual Clanner conceit, Corbett and his warriors will likely wait for us in the center of the caldera. We need to move the ght away from the shuttleif its damaged, were stuck on Tranquil. Over to you, Lieutenant:

No mistake, this is a tough one. Galaxy commander Corbett is commanding an elite team tted with the best equipment the Jaguars possess. Our one lucky break is that he lost one of his warriors against the rescue company, so hes down to four Mechs instead of the usual Clan Star of ve. Hes dangling the shuttle in front of us for bait. He knows we need it. And well have to go through him to get it. Who isnt ready?