The missile launcher was still reloading when Rose triggered the medium lasers in the Charger'schest and arms. All four beams found their mark, one striking the damaged Mad Catsquarely in the face, which housed the 'Mech's cockpit and life-support system.
Either the shot or the charging 'Mech scared the Clan pilot, because he triggered all his remaining weapons. Six short-range missiles flew from the rack to explode five seconds later against the hull of the Charger.The right-arm PPC also fired again, but the beam sliced past Rose. Rose felt the Charger'sright arm go limp, the red lights of the weapon-status board confirming the destruction of the arm-mounted laser.
Rose continued to close ground as the missile system completed its reload cycle. Despite the close range, he fired another flight of missiles. Twenty more warheads flew toward the Mad Catas Rose approached. Although all twenty hit, only three did any harm. Three small explosions chipped away more armor, but the rest were simply crushed against the Mad Cat'sferro-fibrous plates.
The impact of the missiles had distracted the Falcon pilot enough, however, to let Rose get close. Under the street lights Rose could see that the Omni was in bad shape. The left arm was still attached, but the PPC and actuators had been destroyed. The remaining armor was as pitted and gouged as the Charger's.The Clan pilot tried to back away from the Charger,but Rose wouldn't let him get far enough away to fire the PPC. As the Clan pilot swung his right arm around like a metal club, Rose looked for, and found, a weak spot.
He shifted the Chargerslightly, taking the damage on his reinforced shoulder plating. Shifting again he kicked the Mad Catin the right leg. Metal popped free on the foot of the Charger,but the plates of the Mad Cat'sshin crumpled like foil under the blow. Rose fired his chest-mounted pulse lasers, then braced the Chargerto receive another punch.
The shoulder plate buckled under the blow and smashed into the shoulder actuator. The arm still had some mobility, but Rose could no longer use it for balance as he aimed another kick at the Mad Cat'sshin.
Trusting his own balance and piloting ability, Rose kicked out again. The blow met with very little resistance as the metal bone of the OmniMech broke in two. The Mad Catfell to the right and Rose staggered in the same direction. Pounding metal feet tore through the pavement as Rose struggled for control. While the Mad Catwas hitting the concrete, Rose regained control of the Charger,but smashed the front end of a car in the process.
The Omni pilot struggled to stand on one leg, but Rose didn't give him the chance. Careful to keep his 'Mech out of sight of the PPC barrel, Rose crossed over to the fallen 'Mech. He took careful aim at the cockpit and waited until the struggling ceased. The pilot crawled out of the cockpit hatch and Rose turned back toward the ComStar compound.
Three struggling steps was all he needed to realize that the Charger'sright leg was again badly damaged. At his current pace he'd never catch the rest of the Black Thorns. Thinking only of the people in his command, he triggered the jump jets. The Chargerleaped over the street and landed in the middle of the road a hundred and fifty meters away, breaking through the concrete with both feet. The right leg groaned, but held, and Rose triggered the jets again. He jumped five times before the computer announced that he had only enough reaction mass for two more jumps. Rose hesitated, then decided to limp after his unit.
Five minutes later he reached the site of the first encounter. Looking quickly around the location, he saw only the carcass of the Masakariand several destroyed cars. Checking the scanner, Rose pushed on toward the ComStar compound, no longer checking each cross street or alley for hidden Clan 'Mechs. He knew he was taking risks, but he didn't care. If he was to have any part in the ongoing battle, he had to make up the time he'd lost.
Cresting a hill, Rose briefly saw the battlefield, where Hawg and Bell were fighting a retreating action against two damaged Masakaris.Though Rose couldn't see the full extent of the damage to the four engaged 'Mechs, it was easy to tell that Antioch was in serious trouble because Hawg had the remains of the Banshee'sright arm in his BattleMaster'sleft hand. It would have made an excellent club, but the Clan pilots weren't coming close enough to let Hawg use his improvised weapon. There was no sign of the Phoenix Hawk.
Rose jumped again and tried to steer toward the fight. At the apogee of his flight he triggered a cluster of missiles at the back of the nearest OmniMech. He saw the missiles begin to explode across the back of the Masakari,then he was too low to see more. While the missiles reloaded, Rose ran a last check over his status board. He knew another jump was foolish, but he triggered the jets as the missile launcher came back on-line. Burning the last of his fuel, Rose angled toward the Omnis, vainly searching for Rianna as the Chargerflew toward the enemy.
To his surprise, neither Masakarihad turned to face him. He assumed that was because of Bell and Hawg, but he wasn't sure. Perhaps their backs were covered by another force? Knowing he didn't have time to worry about it, Rose triggered his missiles just before the Chargertouched down. Now the two OmniMechs stood between him and the battle lance. He'd just fired the three lasers at the nearest Omni when something thumped against his back. Secondary explosions rocked the Omni, but the Masakarikept firing at Hawg and Bell.
Although Rose had never encountered a Clan Elemental, he knew one had just jumped onto his back. Almost immediately the armor over his right rear torso was breached. He took a step forward and found that his right leg was dragging worse than before. Thumbing the external camera he saw another Elemental burning away the remaining support of his right leg.
His 'Mech was about to fall, and Rose knew it. With his left arm useless and his right arm damaged, he couldn't swat away the Elementals, nor would his damaged right leg let him outrun them. He checked the jump jets, but as expected, they lacked the fuel to get the eighty-ton 'Mech off the ground. The missile launcher came back on-line as Rose resigned himself to his fate. The Chargerwas about to die.
He took a deep breath and fired the long-range missiles at the Masakari.The Artemis fire-control system functioned perfectly, sending all twenty shots into the OmniMech's back. Rose heard metal ripping and then an Elemental claw appeared above the view screen. The secondary screen shorted out in a shower of sparks as the claw ripped through the electronics. The nearest Masakaricrashed into a row of parked cars just before the main viewer exploded. Rose looked up at the widening gap above his head as the Elemental struggled to shove his arm-mounted laser into the breach. He pushed the weapon into the gash as his Point mate finished his work on the right leg.
With a resounding snap, the Charger'sright leg gave way. Rose didn't even try to keep the 'Mech upright. Instead he concentrated on falling forward. The Elemental hesitated, torn between jumping to safety and finishing off the pilot inside. When he finally decided to jump clear, it was too late.