Part 11: Mission 5: Possession is the (Clan) Law

"Colonel Reese, you're on the line."
"Hello MechWarriors."
, , , "Hello Colonel, Sir!"
"This will be your last mission under my detached command. 1^st Zulu is getting exapnded to cover heavier missions, and you will be assigned to them after this mission."
"It's been a pleasure working under you, Colonel."
"Thank you. Now, on to the brief at hand. Mr Johnson will deliver it."
"Mr Johnson, you're on the line."
"Hello MechWarriors. We have located the last shipment of parts that left the Kiao Industrial Zone before it was captured. It is currently being shipped by train towards the Starport, where the Smoke Jaguars will distribute it towards where it's needed most. Your mission is to intercept and destroy, but with a couple tweaks to the usual mission parameters.
"That's never a good sign. What's the change?"
"Your lance is being equipped with Clan transponders and markings. You are to engage the defensive forces under the guise of a Trial of Possession."
"You just said to blow the thing to high heaven!"
"Correct. You will be deep behind enemy lines, and we want you to put on airs of being a lance of Mechs being hung out to dry by the Smoke Jaguars, and you need these parts to keep fighting."
"Sounds to me like you want to sow dissention in the ranks."
"That would be correct, Spice. There are other forces in the area that should ovehear your batchall and hang back to watch the fight. Let them report back to Command about this, and give the Bondsmen something to think about."
"I don't see any support here, Mr Johnson."
"You'll be too deep to provide Long Tom support, so you'll have to trust your own eyes and ears."
"That, and we've reconned the train. There's only three Light 'Mechs guarding it, so you'll be at an advantage. There will also be some vehicles along your route, so be careful."


"Spice, plot a course to take us to F1. We'll form up there, then see about the intercept. It looks like there's a pathway to the north we could take, but that would be a time-sensitive intercept, and there'll be a good chance we'd have to play catchup. We don't have the Jump capacity to cut across this flooded swamp area, so it looks like we'll have to go south across the bridge. Gunman, make sure all our weapons are cleared, and Gator, make sure we have an extraction."
"Good luck, and see you on the other side."



"You're on the line."
"Damn, those Hunchbacks were a surprise. They were also calling for Possession."
"That is a surprise. You all alright?"
"Bit banged up here, sir. We were the only ones taking the fight seriously as both other groups thought they could drive us off before taking each other seriously. They wanted the other group to get banged up fighting us to make their own jobs easier. Stupid Clanners."
"Have to agree. If they fought properly, they would have won."
"Yes, the Kit Foxes stuck with the train, rather than move up when we drew the Hunches away. Stupid on their part."
"My breaking off certainly helped sell the deception."
"You see anything interesting up there?"
"Nah. Just a small hot-springs lake. Made of note of it in case I retire there and set up a tourist trap."
"You'll never retire."
"This is also Dragon territory. They might not like the idea of a Davion settling down here."
"A man can dream!"
"That being said, mission complete. Well done MechWarriors. Your orders are as follows – you will travel overland to Nav Alpha, where you will rendevous with a lance from 1^st Zulu Company, and under their command, will take and hold the Smoke Jaguar Supply node designated Troy."

"Yes, Colonel. Spice, plot a course. This is 1^st X-Ray, signing off."