MechWarrior 4: Vengeance/Seek and Destroy

Seek and Destroy

BRIEFING

Lawhorn: Okay, Legionnaires. We’ve got the pirates on the run. Intel expects they’re pulling back and getting ready to get off this rock with as much crystal as they can haul. The Black Legion needs to ensure they don’t get away with enough crystal to finance any return trips. All forward lances are being deployed on long-range recon routes to locate and destroy any DropShips or other vehicles capable of hauling crystal into orbit. Forward leaders, run your points and call ‘em in. Report any DropShip sightings as priority traffic. Stay sharp. Black Six, out.

OPERATIONAL OVERVIEW

Seek and Destroy: Intel reports that the pirates are preparing to blast off with all the crystal they can carry. Take out any spaceworthy vessels before they make one last crystal haul. Time to put these pirates out of business for good.

DURING MISSION

Eric: Okay, Striker Lance. We do this right and our pirate hunting days are over.

Radcliffe: Amen to that.

Eric: Our new lancemate is Corporal Robert Olsen. Try to set a semirespectable example for him.

Radcliffe: Why, sir, I’ll have you know I consider myself the very height of respectability.

Isabel: Good to have you aboard, Olsen. Try not to get any of us killed.

Olsen: I wasn’t planning to.

Eric: Okay, clear the comm and let’s run the pattern. Olsen, you stick close to Radcliffe and double up on targets with him. Isabel, you’re with me.

Isabel: I’m honored.

Radcliffe: I just got an active sensor hit. Someone is out here!

Isabel: Looks like their main depot.

Olsen: What’re those four-legged vehicles by the cargo haulers?

Radcliffe: Portable cargo launchers. Useful for bringing supplies to low-atmosphere planetoids.

Eric: Mandril, this is Striker One. Flash Traffic. Have located pirate depot. Contact with six ‘Mechs, one Hrothgar DropShip, and about a dozen orbital cargo launchers. Please advise.

Mandril: Roger, Striker One. Engage and destroy enemy forces. Don’t let the cargo pods get free or we’ll be hunting these lousy bandits for months.

Mandril: Striker Lance, concentrate fire on cargo pods. We can’t let the pirates get that crystal off-planet.

Mandril: Striker One, we detect pod launch from depot. Take it out before it escapes into orbit. Launching Stilettos to give extra cover. Sundance Wing ETA four minutes.

Lawhorn: In four minutes, they’ll be well out of range. Striker Lance, engage those damn pods!

Eric: Yes, sir. We’re on it.

Mandril: Striker Lance, be advised. A Talon-class DropShip is approaching your position from orbit. It is not responding to our hails.

Lawhorn: Striker Lance, this is Black Six. Alpha Lance is two klicks out from Nav Alpha. Fall back by best available route and rendezvous at Alpha.

Dupree: Attention Black Knight Legion mercenaries. It is not like you to let the big one get away.

Lawhorn: This is Black Knight Legion Command. Identify yourself.

Dupree: This is Major Clarissa Dupree of the Lyran Alliance. We are here to brief the Legion on its next assignment.

Lawhorn: I don’t recall signing any contract to support such a claim.

Dupree: We’ll send terms en route. We’re advancing you this pair of ‘Mechs as a gesture of goodwill.

Lawhorn: Affirmative, Major Dupree. Mandril, better clean up TacCom. Looks like we’re entertaining new clients. Black Six, out.

Eric: Looks like a Clan Ryoken.

Isabel: Is that a Sunder? Never seen one before. Sure is big!