Interlude 9
The Great Mech Robbery
The First Moves
Coromodir
17th June, 3025
Ravi
The reams of gathered intelligence were being stitched together one part after another. Patrol routes and rosters had been unveiled and studied, and the hour grew late. Ravi moved into the briefing room. Coughing politely he drew the attention of his unit leaders. Their undivided attention falling on him as he nodded.
"Let's not waste time here. You all know the orders we've been given. The answer is how to go about it." Ravi brought up a topographical map. "We're hitting at 02:00. Our Analysts have worked out that between 0200 and 0230 is likely the best time to initiate our attack. There are four independent operations to be conducted at this time, the first is a strike on the patrol group around Hadley's ridge. Their mech-jockeys should be tired and ill prepared. The important part is that you'll be using locally sourced equipment, we want it to look like there were Directorate hold-outs, wreck the mechs, but ensure there is at least one survivor. This mission goes to Delta and Echo platoons. You will not have gravity tank support."
The platoon leaders nodded. It was beyond a high risk mission. Some might even consider it a suicide mission, but they were not about to complain.
"Alpha Platoon, you'll be conducting an independent op, this wing of the palace houses VIPs, and the mech-tech they've called Sacristan is there with two of his apprentices, you are responsible for a full snatch and grab. You'll have access to three of the new APCs for extraction." The map began to fill with diagrams.
"Bravo, you'll also be conducting independent ops. The armoury will release a single Santa Ana warhead. Your job is to deploy it here on the roof of the main mech bay. I've been instructed against using a peacemaker. A partisan group isn't going to try and take out their own people. You cannot afford to fail. This is our eraser. You do this correctly, and there is no evidence we were ever here." Ravi said plainly. "Further instructions as to timing are in your briefing docket."
"Charlie, Foxtrot and Golf platoons are the main strike force with our five Level II Grav Tanks. Foxtrot and Golf will be in Tornados, Charlie will be using our Nighthawk armour." Ravi said as he studied their faces. "Zero witnesses, not few. Zero. The only people I want to have 'seen' anything is their patrol Delta and Echo are hitting."
Ravi moved and shut down the hologram. "You all have your assignments and mission specifics are detailed on your datapads. Memorize them." Ravi said sternly. "You are not to take any identification or compromising intelligence with you. This mission is absolute, no compromise. Are there any questions?"
One of them raised his hands.
"Three demerits." Ravi deadpanned. The light chuckle went around the room breaking some of the tension. "What is it O'Hennessy?"
"What happens is any part of this mission fails?" She asked, concerned.
The room went silent, chuckles arrested. "Don't even entertain that thought again O'Hennessy," Ravi's expression crossed them all, "But, standing orders are, if you're captured then you're a member of a Partisan group wanting revenge for the unlawful decapitation of the Directorate and it's legitimate rule..." He paused, frowning, "And word on high is, if any of you so much as let out a sniffer that you are from the Inner Sphere, let alone Comstar, your families will be exiled to the deepest darkest hole that ROM can find."
The door opened and a ROM operative handed Ravi a datapad.
"Well. It looks like we're timing this carefully. The Raven Guard have left New Av..." Ravi sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen, we are on the clock."
"Sir? What happened."
Ravi looked at them all. "This intelligence report is six hours old and passed directly through the first circuits information networks at priority." They all went silent. "Seventeen hours ago the Raven Guard fleet left New Avalon. It was detected arriving in Cumberland approximately forty minutes later."
"That's not possible... that's not possible." One of them said.
"That's got to be what? A hundred and eighty lightyears?"
"If they can do that, they have what? Two jumps to reach here?"
"STOW IT!" Ravi shouted. "You have your assignments. We execute tonight