Granted piracy was big out in that nasty piece of space, and had been ever since bulk cargo tried to ply the real space lanes around that wreckers paradise of gravity waves and asteroid belts, but that was hardly news. Smurf intelligence had picked up a high amount of transit from RND groups on that chain, and those niode hunting opportunists wouldn’t be worked up by something as simple as a pirate base. No. There was something to hide, and the Defenders of Bunny wanted to know what.
The Pang Wu gate had a strong interdiction force, about a dozen Luison backed by a core of Freon. It seems the Shogunate was serious about the interdiction. By the way the Shogunate regulars were burning, someone else was serious about breaking it.
Charles took the peace bonds off his weapons, and placed his company on ROE Thor. The Bunnies had various rules of engagement levels from Baldur (do not fire until you have taken casualties), Thor (if fired upon, destroy the whole force that fired upon you), Heimdall (You are weapons free if you see anyone lock on your people), through to Odin (Seek out and destroy all potential threats). Thor was a measured response, they would start nothing, but if it started, Bunnies would finish it.
Himminbjorg sniffed the air and growled, the Nakshi’s Forerunner augmented organic sensors picked up the emanations of high powered weapons, and active sensors. Noatun, his Orester began slowly building power to its missile reload systems, keeping the signature down, and unlocking the magnetic ports, for speed of fire. Tesla missiles began prewarming in his racks. Charles chuckled. His own mecha was ready for war, even if Charles was still in denial.
The rear pod on his back snapped open, and a drone launched in response to an urgent request. Charles swore softly “Holy Freya’s honeypot, that was an honor guard support call!”
Friends and allies often exchanged honor guard links, offering their own targeting drones, remote sensors, communication relays, and even indirect fire support for their friends in battle elsewhere. It was a hard galaxy to face alone, and friends are good to have, but who in the Nine Realms was out here?
Charles keyed his MIU with a verbal search order “Booster, who requested honour guard support, give me ID and location. Full Sit-Rep from the drone.” You could disable those functions, and if they had, that would argue they were hiding from the Bunnies. Well, friends today, enemies tomorrow, it was the nature of the beast when you warred for crystal and niodes.
“QUERRY: TRAVIS RETHERFORD. HEROES ii. SIT-REP: ENGAGED CLOSE QUARTERS COMBAT, 99 CHESSMAN RND”
Well that changed things, launching a full spread of drones, he was unsurprised to see seeker drones coming over the horizon from three points seeking whoever launched. The whine of active targeting resolved the question of hostility.
A solid wave of Krampus crested the hill, and a voice called out a challenge.
“This world and everything in it belongs to the RND-AC, you will power down your weapons and submit to a wipe of all sensors before you will be permitted to leave. Count yourself lucky you are not Highlander affiliated, or you would already be dead.”
Wee Richard Millich was feeling his oats alright. Sure his Clan was one of the most famous and powerful, their association could field whole regiments of top flight mecha, and they are rumored to have an entire parking lot filled with Nephilax KOTM prize mecha, but here he was with his Krampus and Buchis copping an attitude towards a foe whose Antithesis, Nashki and Jottun could pick their teeth with his bones. Well, part of the XO’s job was education. Usually it mean allied, but sometimes not.
“Return Travis Retherford, and all other Heroes II personel, before I teach you RND doesn’t mean “research and development”, it means” repair needed dimwit”.
Weapons were locked and it looked like war between one of the Great Powers of the Mecha Galaxy, and the Defenders of Bunny was about to begin, but in feud, seniority counts. A challenge blasted over the open frequency, the howling skirl of bagpipes served to announce to all who it was.
“All RND forces, this is the Black Watch, Northwind Highlanders. The Yomi was discovered by Highlanders, is claimed by Highlanders. Summon the Clans, we will do battle on this place, and to the victor goes the spoils!”
Charles turned his formation to the side, to see lines of RND and Highlanders exchanging shots. He could see remnants of other scouting forces attempting to escape during the carnage as well. Falling back to the Pang-Wu gate, he finally punched a signal through to Travis, and vectored his battered Heroes II force onto the Defenders of Bunny perimeter to get them out.
“Travis, what the hell is going on?”
Travis looked pale and drawn, days on the run, hunted by far stronger forces had worn him thin.
“It’s a Forerunner mecha cache, something old. Its not one of their beast mecha. It’s the fire-dinosaur called Yomi that we faced during the Clan Raid, the one we thought was new. Its not, it had been sleeping here, and now blasting out for a new forward base they found it. The Highlanders had a plant in the RND, and he got word to his people before the RND knew what they were sitting on”
Charles grunted
“Sweet Loki’s left nut, they aren’t going to let that pass. It will be war.”
Travis laughed “Its much worse than that, they didn’t just get me, they hit Sandra Dunning with the Spawn of Vengeance. She was hurt bad, I think they kept her alive, but she got hurt bad. You think the Highlanders and RND are going to have a private war? Raging Vengeance isn’t going to let their blood be spilled in a coverup and do nothing. For that matter, they were going to kill us to keep it quiet, there is no way Heroes are going to take that lying down. Heroes I and Heroes II will be back. Will we be alone?”
Charles grinned, a low hungry growl started in him, but echoed in the corners of his mind from his great machine. “The Bunnies will come, and the Smurfs with us. It will be war”
“Clan War!”
Dangerous things stir on Yomi Reefs, the Forerunners lit the fuse a million years ago, now the Clans will set it burning. Worlds burn, glory calls, will you answer? Clan War XVI
Submitted by John T Mainer #28840