Having exhausted its long-range missiles, the Dragonturned to the closer-ranged fight and found that the odds had not improved. The Jennerlay crumpled, its cockpit dome still strangely untouched. Of the Panther,only scattered pieces were to be seen. Michi's red Ostrocremained standing, locked in a hand-to-hand struggle with the Griffin .
A blast from the
Ostroc'schest-mounted lasers sent the
Griffin
The 'Mech's fall gave its partner the opening the pilot had been awaiting. The staccato roar of the Shadow Hawk'sautocannon drowned out the sound of its missiles launching.
The pilot was a good shot. The Ostrocshuddered as armor sprayed from its surface. Under the steady pounding, it jerked and shook.
The Dragon'sown laser hit the Shadow Hawk,breaking the pilot's concentration. The Dragoon cut his fire and rolled to cover.
The relief was too late for Michi's 'Mech. Sparking and smoking, the Ostrocbegan to topple.
Through the billowing dark cloud, a glittering package rocketed. Michi had waited a second too long to trigger the ejection system, and the chair flashed out at a dangerously low angle. The chute deployed but barely managed to slow the chair's furious speed before it plowed into the ground.
Dragoon rockets burned toward the Dragon,but the big 'Mech moved with surprising speed and grace. The missiles exploded harmlessly behind him as Minobu moved toward Michi's crash site.
A heavy laser pulse caught the Dragonin the back of his left leg. Dysfunction lights flashed red in the cockpit as the actuators froze and locked the leg in a slightly bent position. The Dragonlurched on, slowed by his wound. More and more of the Dragonlasers found enough purchase on his armor to burn through.
The interior of the Dragon'scockpit was suffused in the bloody glow of failure lights, while sensors flashed warning of an approaching mass. Minobu pivoted and twisted aside. He brought his battlefist down on the Shadow Hawkas the Dragoon 'Mech stumbled past. Tubing and framework crumpled as the fist tore across the backpack. Only the resistance provided by the Armstrong autocannon as it crumpled into uselessness saved the Shadow Hawk'scockpit from being split open. The Dragoon 'Mech crashed to the ground. It twitched once and was still.
The Dragonreturned to his course.
In the twisted wreckage of the ejection seat, he could see motion. There was movement in his three-sixty screen as well. Lost in concern over the fallen Michi, the Dragonwas slow to react.
A 'Mech crashed into his left side, but the attacker was too light to topple the Dragon'ssixty tons of mass, even had it struck cleanly. Though Minobu's reaction was slow, he sidestepped enough to reduce considerably the effect of the Dragoon's charge. The light machine clung to the Dragon'sside, punching with its fist in an effort to destroy the domed cockpit.
The Dragon'sautocannon arm swung around, shoving its muzzle into the side of the enemy 'Mech. Minobu's last shell cassette emptied into the unfamiliar machine. The pounding thunder beat against his ears as the backblast of the explosions sent shrapnel ripping into the Dragon'sside. The damage was negligible compared to what the explosions did to the Dragoon 'Mech. It fell away from the Dragonand lay on its back in the snow like a crushed insect.
The desperate maneuver had ruined the Dragon'sImperator-A autocannon. No matter. There was no more ammunition for it.
The Dragoons abandoned their physical attacks and returned to showering the Dragonwith energy beams and short-range missiles. With only one 5cm laser left in its offensive armament, the wounded Dragonstaggered forward to bring the fight to his tormentors. Close combat would be the most effective way for him to continue the fight now.
The
Griffin
Minobu hung dazed in the restraining straps. Shaken loose from mushin ,he was once again a man piloting a machine.
Sensor warnings pinged at the approach of the Dragoon 'Mechs. He focused his kito block the pain that shot through his body. Detached, he watched the Dragon'sleft arm rise. A ruby pulse lanced out to strike one of the advancing Dragoons.
The Dragoons responded with concentrated laser bombardment.
More failure lights flashed red, telling of the accelerating weakness of the Dragon.The weapon board beeped malfunction in the laser. One by one, the tights went out as the Dragondied around him. Finally, the sensors failed, isolating Minobu in the smoky murk of the cockpit lit only by the fitful flickering of electrical fires.
The Dragonshuddered from some outside impact, throwing Minobu violently about. His head struck the side wall of the cockpit. Even through the neurohelmet, the shock doubled his vision. Blood trickled down across the bridge of his nose and over his upper lip until he could taste its sharp tang. Through the ozone-laden air, he thought he detected the scent of cherry blossoms. Before he could puzzle out that mystery, darkness claimed him.
55
Dragoon Base, Farsund, Misery
Galedon Military District, Draconis Combine
26 May 3028
“Seppuku?”Wolf repeated incredulously.
Minobu looked up with weary eyes at the man who stood over his bed. “I have no other choice, I have failed my lord.”
“Failed? You've crippled our fighting force. It'll be months before the Dragoons are ready for a major operation. Far too many of our best pilots—men and women who have been with me since we came to the Inner Sphere—are buried out there in the snow. If you call that failure ...”
Minobu turned his gaze to the ceiling. In his peripheral vision, he could see Michi Noketsuna seated at the foot of the bed, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Minobu could tell that the discomfort came not from Michi's bandaged head or the arm that hung across his chest in a sling. It was not even the raw red skin, a legacy of his exposure to the harshness of Misery after his 'Mech was destroyed. Like Minobu, he was distressed at Wolf's words. Partial success was no balm to a samurai. The warrior who did not accomplish the task set for him had failed in his duty. It was nothing more or less than that.