"Blaine Lee Pardoe - Battletech - Battlecorps - Betrayal Of Ideals Part 1" - читать интересную книгу автора (Pardoe Blaine Lee)

Star Colonel Hallis angled his Pulverizer into the copse of trees in
the swamp, leaving the outranged Wolves two hills away. He had
begun the fight half an hour ago with four ’Mechs, now it was down
to just him and Star Captain Trish. Her war-weary Exterminator
BattleCorps Foundations of Fate • Page 1


had seen service with Aleksandr Kerensky during the Liberation of
Terra, though few of the components could be traced to that era.
It had been rebuilt and refurbished so many times that counting
no longer made sense, but rather made a MechWarrior nervous.
During the Civil War it had been used by someone in her bloodline,
and she had earned it in a fair Trial of Possession. She turned into
the same copse of brush, breaking to his right flank.
The Wolves had fought well so far, but had paid a price for their
aggressiveness. They had come at him with a full Star, and while
they had inflicted damage, the cost to them had been three lighter
BattleCorps



’Mechs. One, a Hussar, had gone down in the first seconds of the
trial. They were fast, but not fast enough to survive long. A refit
Stinger had lasted for two salvos with Trish until its fragile legs had
given way. A Wolf Clan Wyvern had been the next to fall. Franklin
himself had taken it down with consecutive salvos of extended-
range PPC fire and some long-range missiles.
“You are running away, confirm affirmative?” came the voice of
Star Colonel Ward over the communications broadband channel,
broadcasting in the open. “Do you wish to concede the fight?”
“Negative,” Franklin replied, grinning. Ward had been a good
sport with his banter thus far. No undertone of anger or frustration
in his voice. “I am simply moving to the low lands, Star Colonel.”
“As you wish.”
He charged up the hill in his 80-ton Thug. It was a hideous
BattleMech, hunched over, bulky, massive arms, a lumbering gi-
ant. The Thug had taken a few hits, but had shrugged them off
so far. It was a match for his Pulverizer in terms of tonnage–this
would be a test of skill over weight.
Franklin switched to his command channel. “I’ve got the Star
Colonel, you take out that Guillotine heading your way.”
“Affirmative. Why is it that you always have all of the fun?”
“Trish, just stay on target. Fall back further on my signal.”
The dull brown Thug slowed slightly, raising both arms as if it
wanted to hug him. Star Colonel Hallis knew differently. The PPC’s
mounted on the arms were locking onto him. Throttling reverse
and watching his rear, he moved deeper into the trees and brush,
turning slightly and bringing his own PPC into pre-heat mode. The
capacitors whined as they charged. He saw a flicker of light at the