Jorgenssen Grand Medical Center
Silverdale, Alshain
1911 hrs 31 December 3080
Leslie slowly became conscious, the low sound of a monitor beeping…. And a dog snoring?
Cracking open an eye, she scanned the softly lit room and saw she was not alone. Seated in a handful of chairs in this private hospital room was the three ladies of her lance, all in various positions on chairs and snoozing. On the floor by the door was both of Kris’s mastiffs, also sleeping- though she knew better.
She could see through the doorway a pair of Elementals on watch, which impressed and concerned her. That she was here and not on a Jade Falcon dropship hinted at that they had beaten the Falcons. A positive… but what did it cost and why the guards? Time to find out…
“*ahem*” She coughed out. “Anyone awake?”
Shannon instantly opened her eyes. “Ah Leslie…” She exclaimed quietly and stood. “Yeah, I am. Guys…” At her verbal prodding and the movement of the dogs from the door to the bedside, the other two awoke.
Kris levered herself from her chair and immediately started to check the monitor. “Vitals are good…” She said to herself then looked at Les. “How do you feel?”
Leslie blinked once. “Like I was punched by Krog then thrown into an Atlas…” she replied. “Or is that punched by an Atlas and thrown into Krog….” She joked. “My back hurts as does my leg.”
Kris nodded. “I bet…” She said as she backed from the bedside. “I’ll let Shan and Maggie fill you in; I wanna go grab one of their docs.” She departed for the hallway and began chatting with one of the elementals outside.
Shan watched her go then looked at Les. “She blames herself for you getting shot out of your mech, Les.” The Exec said. “And for some of your injuries. I tried to tell her shit happens but…”
Leslie nodded. “It will take time. What happened?”
Maggie spoke up. “Well lesse…. The moment you ejected; things went weeeiiiird…” She began. “Lebowski dropped the Behemoth and then with some help from one of the Stormcrows, cored the Turkina that shot you. The Loremaster absolutely wrecked that Night Gyr that was trying to kill Shan and I slapped a Huntsman… At least that’s what I saw. It’s like we could do no wrong…”
Shannon added. “Holy shit, Les… literally their entire force collapsed within two minutes after you ejected. All that survived of theirs was a Nova and that Vapor Eagle, goshawk, whatever it’s called. Star Colonel Gorgeous told them the only way they were leaving was either through surrender or a body bag….”
Leslie lifted an eyebrow. “Star Colonel Gorgeous?”
Shan giggle when Maggie punched her shoulder. “Oh come on… he is!”
Leslie shook her head even as she observed the body language of her command group. There was something else going on here, something they were not saying. “What else?” She asked after a moment.
“Whatelse what?” Shan replied. “We won and none of us died. I call that a double win.”
Leslie struggled a bit to sit up straighter in the bed, noting her left forearm was wrapped with some bandages. Her right knee didn’t bend either but then with a brace, it wouldn’t. That ejection must have been bad… or the landing. Either way, she was a mess.
“Seriously….” She said. “What else? If its my injuries, I’ll deal. Gives me and Diane something to compare notes on.”
“I believe no one wants to tell you what is happening beyond Alshain,” Khan Kabrinski said from the doorway, Kris along side of her. “The news is unpleasant and came in during your battle this morning.”
Leslie looked directly at the Khan. “What news?”
Kabrinski stepped up to the bed, pausing to pat one of the dogs seated next to it. “It would seem the enemies of the Lancers took the opportunity to strike at Centaurus while You, Colonel Tinney and the leader of the Wolverines were away,” She said without preamble. “The Word Of Blake, along with several privateer commands, have assaulted Centaurus with a combination of surprise and direct assault.
I do not have details on losses or if the planet has been taken but I do know the Comstar Hyper Pulse station was destroyed which makes communications spotty. At least one capital ship of the Wolverine Fleet survives- it was their mobile station that transmitted news out.”
Leslie felt the color drain from her face. “Oh my…”
Kabrinski laid a hand on the mercenary’s leg. “They are still fighting; that is the important news right now. The messages we received indicated the invasion began sometime earlier this month and the situation has stabilized to the point that the Wolverine Ship was able to be spared to transmit again.”
Leslie caught that last bit. “Again? What happened to the initial messages?”
“Its my understanding that the message had additional delays incurred due to interference at several other Comstar facilities…” The Khan calmly explained. “And disbelief at the message transmission origin being a real station.” A slight smile. “Few remember that the old Star League ships had their own stations as part of their construction… or that any exist outside of Comstar, the Word or the Clans. It apparently took the personal cypher of the Centaurus HPG Station precentor to verify the authenticity when queried. According to the local Comstar Precentor here, he thinks the initial messages were discarded as false.”
Leslie closed her eyes. “I need to get back there… WE need to get back there…”
Kris spoke then. “I know… and right now, between your leg and lower spine, you aren’t fit for doing much. The leg will heal. I’m concerned about the wrenching your back took. The landing of your ejection seat was in a crap spot, which added to everything. I think it will heal… but you need extensive PT though.”
Leslie looked at Kris. “Kris, are you sure? I know humans are not your specialty…” The warrior in Leslie did NOT want to hear she would be unable to join the fight. And was reaching- even if it was a slightly low blow. Pain and anger did that….
“Les!” Shan snapped. “I was there when she questioned the shit out of the Dominion docs. And remember, I was a med tech. I know a thing or two still and they are right. You WILL heal but you need some serious physical therapy. Or you might not walk right again, forget piloting a mech!”
In the very large balloon of silence that followed, Kabrinski punctured it with additional information. “With the news we learned, I have already sent a few messages out to various factions. And it would seem, while a rash act, it is a measured one.” The Khan said. “I have requested SAFCON for a small battlegroup to transit Combine and Federated Suns space to send military assistance to your world. In addition, I requested an update from the Federated Suns as to what, if any assistance they can offer Centaurus. Considering how much fighting and what not is going on in other places… and that the Lancers are the local security for that region, there likely is not much that the AFFS can send that is readily available.”
Leslie processed everything that was said. Looking at Kris, she apologized. “I’m sorry… its bad news and with everything else…”
Kris smiled slightly around the pained look. “No no… I get it. And Les, I’d be upset too if it was me. We just gotta be careful, alright?”
Leslie nodded then looked at Kabrinski. “Military Assistance? Won’t that violate the Treaties?”
The Khan shook her head. “Not to my knowledge. That the Snow Ravens are where they are, well, I believe there will be no real questions raised; they are below the Treaty Line already; It’s not like either of us are striving for Terra. No one has the energy for it really… But what I can do is send help to your world. And ask the Snow Ravens if they can contribute, if able. I have not heard back yet and likely won’t until after you’ve departed.”
Leslie blinked. “I see…. I think.” She mused. “So, we are going back to Centaurus soon with some Ghost Bear forces with us… to see if we can help the defenders kick the Word off the planet again. Provided we can land on Centaurus. Ambitious … but what isn’t in these times?” A pause. “Back to an early question… what happened? As in… what happened to the Falcons since they have been beaten? We haven’t taken bondsmen in years…”
Shan chuckled. “Colonel Gor- Lebowski and I agreed he would take them as Bondsmen if you didn’t want any. And the salvage is to be split between us. There is quite a bit of it.”
The Khan lifted an eyebrow at Shan’s faux pau but didn’t mention it as she added, “the Former Falcons are being given the option to assist against the Word of Blake present on Centaurus, be interred here with the option of becoming warriors once more or, at the suggestion of Kristina, be sent to work with a Krog Dusal in a civil engineering project also on Centaurus, provided the world is freed from Blakist invaders.” She stated. “After learning about that Elemental, I admit amusement of Falcon Warriors being tasked with manual menial labor.”
Maggie added. “From what Shari told me, the first option was very popular.”
Leslie looked at Mags. “Speaking of Shari…”
Kabrinski answered. “The Wolverine Lorekeeper and her bodyguard are remaining here. Ms Hallis expressed interest in learning more about Ghost Bear and having a proper exchange of knowledge. Loremaster Tseng has agreed to this… And I believe Ms Westerling has expressed interest in fishing here if opportunity allows.”
Leslie breathed out. Considering how this could all have gone, it seemed like everything was stable. That Centaurus was under the gun again… that worried her immensely. The offer and insistence of assistance from the Ghost Bears though… was surprising, though given their culture, it should not be. It WAS welcome, however. There was just one more question though.
She asked. “So, when does the relief fleet depart?”
“Tomorrow afternoon provided the doctors choose to release you to leave,” Kabrinski said. “I believe they are drawing up an exercise regimen for you to perform while in transit. It is a three-month journey minimum so that is plenty of time to rehabilitate. All your battlemechs are currently being repaired and should be ready for loading in the morning on a Combat Drop Ship.”
“I take it there is little for me to do then other than get out of here and PT?” Leslie asked with a smirk.
“Pretty much,” Shan said. “I had only just settled down when you woke up….”
“Well then… I guess I better be able to get out of here,” was her reply with a sigh.
Musings of a Gamer 