[dcs_p]Andrew made his way wildly to the nearest Mech shed, a small patrol outpost
housing a single 30-ton Spider. He doubted the building could offer him much
help. He prayed to God that his lancemate Marc Lucas was manning the Mech
and preparing it for battle. It might be the
command company’s only remaining hope.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Marc Lucas had cold-started the Spider’s fusion engine. Though Longinus
armored foes were covering his 30-ton Mech’s red and orange speckled hide, the
makeshift Mech bay’s supports had held. He only needed to get free now. The
problem lie in the structures that had saved him up to now; they were paralyzing
the Mech and keeping it from making any sudden movements.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Marc pushed the throttle up to full, straining the Mechs legs and partially bending
one of the lower supports. He felt completely hopeless, unable to tell how much
progress he was making.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]The Longinus foes would soon be on his cockpit. Their lasers would eat their
way to him through the ferroglass protection. He could wait no longer. He fired
the Spider’s eight jump jets simultaneously.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]The supports not only gave way, but the sudden upward acceleration shattered
the metal restraints that bound the Spider’s giant wrists. His feet lifted from the
ground. The backdraft from the jets threw two of the Longinus enemies to the
ground.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Marc opened communications frequencies as he switched off his jump jets. He
needed to contact someone, anyone else, to share information about the attack.
The Spider stopped its ascent, just beginning to lose altitude as it returned back
to the ferrocrete floor of the shed. It left no imprint on the hardened floor but had
managed to partially pin an enemy underfoot.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]With skill and the help of the Mech’s gyro, Marc centered the Spider’s weight and
swung its left leg out in a sweeping kick. The kick ended abruptly with a stop that
jerked the injured Longinus armor off of his foot and ankle. The enemy trooper
careened into one of the many lighting fixtures along the north wall of the shed.
Marc apologized to the technicians for the damage even though no one could
hear him. He hoped to live long enough to tell them in-person.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Marc next gave his attention to the courageous warrior directly in front of him, the
Longinus armored-soldier who blocked his view through the Spider’s ferroglass
cockpit. The solider was now firing a laser into the cockpit, hoping to break
through in time to kill Marc. Marc had been unable to prevent the first shot in
time.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]Knowing the situation could prove fatal if drastic action was not taken, Marc
carefully raised his Mech’s left arm and reached for the soldier. Caution was a
necessity as a poorly-directed attempt might smash the cockpit with the Mech’s
own fist. As he spread the Spider’s fingers wide apart, he rubbed the hand
against the ferroglass in a shrill screech that sent shivers through his body. The
move was successful though, and the Longinus armor slid from the ferroglass and
dropped to its death on the unforgiving floor below. Scratches from the giant
fingers and a distortion burn made by the Longinus’s laser were all that was left
of the enemy.[/dcs_p]
[dcs_p]As he moved towards the shed’s main door, Marc called out for help into the
Mech’s transmitter.[/dcs_p]