Diana had no time to study her kill. Rotating her 'Mech's torso to the left, she took on a tough-jawed Vindicatorthat was presently aiming its right-arm PPC directly at her. Had she not suddenly rotated the torso, the crackling bolts of energy from the PPC might have torn into her Warhawk,wreaking heavy damage. As it was, the hits just grazed her 'Mech's chest and back. Facing her opponent now, Diana saw that the Vindicator'sown chest had been damaged in an earlier encounter. Just above the LRM rack in its left torso was gouged out a huge hole. If the apparently damaged missile rack still contained missiles, she knew a PPC hit into the hole would explode the Vindicatorwithout need to use up valuable ammunition trying to wear it down.
Firing her PPC, she watched as the bolt of unbound lighting hit paydirt. The Vindicatorrocked backward, then went up in an explosion so massive it almost took out a pair of lighter 'Mechs.
Looking around Diana saw that the Jade Falcons had pushed the ComStar force back toward Robyn's Crossing, where their backs were practically up against the 'Mech's of those trying to defend against the now-heavy firepower coming at them from across the river.
She could not tell why the ComStar 'Mechs had not pulled away from the bridge, especially now that the Clan Elementals were among them and picking away at them. Then she saw her father and his Timber Wolf,with Star Captain Joanna beside him in her Mad Dog,ferociously taking on three ComStar 'Mechs at once and advancing toward Robyn's Crossing. Recognizing him, she felt a twinge of joy.
* * *
Star Commander Selima had waved the surviving eighteen Elementals of his Star into the midst of the fray. Even with their heightened skills, the Elementals had to move fast to avoid being crushed under the giant feet of the BattleMechs and falling debris. More than once Selima had thought Elementals in battle were like the maddening presence of insects, but with a bit more potential fordoing damage. Selima, with some help from his Point, had destroyed one ComStar 'Mech and was now looking to do the same for another.
He had fired off his short-range missiles and detached the mount, leaving it on the shore a kilometer or two downriver. Now all he had left was the small laser that was the left arm of his suit and the claw that served as the hand for his right. For an Elemental that was all that he needed.
A Riflemanhove into view out of the smoke of the battle. Though it was weaving a bit, having taken several hits to both its leg and chest armor, it was firing effectively at the Timber Wolfof the Falcon Guard Commander.
Selima admired Star Colonel Aidan Pryde, as much as an Elemental could respect a BattleMech officer. He also knew it would be wasteful to lose a commander in the battle for Robyn's Crossing.
He gestured to four of his Elementals, and then the five of them jumped onto the back of the Rifleman.Working with crisp efficiency, the Elementals tore away at the armor covering the ComStar 'Mech's back, then they jammed their small lasers into the breeches and fired. Megajoules of energy flowed into the 'Mech, myomer bubbles burned, support struts melted, and then, finally, the ammunition exploded.
The explosives went off in a rhythmic sequence, as the shells lit off one another. The structural support of the 'Mech failed and the Riflemancollapsed clumsily, its legs seeming to bend unnaturally, twisting on themselves, sending the machine crashing face-down onto the debris strewn ground. Halfway down, the pilot ejected. The Elementals on its back were tossed into the air and slammed into the ground. The explosion crushed some of them in their suits, but Selima survived, rising to his feet in time to see the enemy pilot's ejection seat deploy its parachute.
Bringing his laser to bear on the ejection seat, Selima easily picked off the pilot. With her blood spraying in several directions, she fell directly into the wreckage of her Rifleman.
Selima scanned the smoky terrain for his next attack. He immediately saw that MechWarrior Diana's Warhawkwas in jeopardy, pinned between two ComStar 'Mechs. It was easy to recognize the Warhawkby the crude falcon insignia that had been painted onto its center torso.
At a signal from him, the Elementals nearest Selima joined him in wading forward, lasers blazing with blue fire. They shot off an arm from one of the ComStar 'Mechs, giving MechWarrior Diana a chance to fire with all her medium lasers straight into the cockpit of the other 'Mech. For this one, there was no need for Selima to kill its pilot.
* * *
"They are retreating!" Star Captain Joanna shouted with enthusiasm, combat being the only time she ever expressed that emotion.
Aidan and his Falcon Guards had taken the position by the wrecked bridge, pushing the ComStar forces inland. After some weak counterfire, the Com Guards had finally turned and walked away from the action.
Robyn's Crossing was now the Clan's. Aidan signaled the engineers on the other side of the bridge to come forward so they might immediately start work on constructing a bridge. There was no telling when the next ComStar attack might come.
In the next few moments, he received two radio messages, each welcome in its own way.
The first was from Marthe. "We have taken Plough Bridge," she said. "Congratulations, Star Colonel Aidan Pryde, on the conquest of Robyn's Crossing."
Aidan said he would see Marthe tonight in her quarters and signaled off.
The second call was from Kael Pershaw, in his Specter."I second Star Colonel Marthe Pryde's congratulations. Indeed, you are both to be praised for your victories. From what I can see of the area around Robyn's Crossing, those parts not obscured by the smoke and dust of battle, your ragtag Falcon Guards have laid low a good number of ComStar 'Mechs. I commend you again, Aidan Pryde. Supply vehicles are now heading toward your position. A supply depot will be set up on your side while the bridge is being built. You have done well, Star Colonel. I now envision the scientists accepting the contribution of your genes."
"For winning one skirmish?"
"More than a skirmish, Aidan Pryde. More than a skirmish. But you are not done yet. Soon you will attack Olalla. The Jade Falcons have a wonderful opportunity here. The other Clans, those that landed before the Jade Falcons, have not done well. Thus does it fall to us to recapture honor for all the Clans. Perhaps we can even become the ilClan."
"I would like to contribute to the Jade Falcons winning the honor of ilClan on Terra."
"You will, Aidan Pryde, you will. Continue to follow your own instincts. Listen to none other. Do not even listen to me."
"Hard to achieve that, since you invade my cockpit with your ruminations."
"I will attempt to stay silent. And I like that word, ruminations. You have gained something from all those books you hide away, Aidan Pryde."
"How do you know about the books, Kael Pershaw?"
But there was finally silence in the cockpit.
33
The engineers worked furiously. The discovery of myomer several centuries before had considerably simplified the task of throwing up an emergency tactical bridge that was also easy to deconstruct and move to a different location. The light and flexible bridge pontoons could be carried easily to a location in sections, and then connected with slack myomer cables. Applying a simple electrical charge drew the cables taut and by varying the charge, it was possible to change the tension of the cables to suit the conditions.