(Battletech/Doctor Who) Operation: Revival

Lost History - 12

Great Terran Repository
Unity City
North America
Terra
4th February, 3052

The Doctor had chosen Kirby's Storage Yard because of its relatively close proximity to the Great Repository. Justin was very grateful for this as he moved the Centurion Mech out the back of the yard and through a small maze of buildings to the rear wall of the repository compound.

Yen-lo-Wang had been extensively modified since leaving New Avalon and now sported a detachable jump pack. In addition the Mechs lasers had been removed on the Doctors advice and replaced with a brace of heavy caliber machine guns across its torso and left arm. The large-bore autocannon had been retained as it would be Justin's most effective weapon in the upcoming battle.

The Doctor had assured him that, while the perception filter was active, Clan forces would not be alerted to his presence. However once it was disabled he would be detected. Justin understood the implications; he knew that this was a mission he would not be returning from yet he also knew that he was the only person who stood a chance of doing what needed to be done.

Yen-lo-Wang's path soon brought him to the large ferrocrete wall that surrounded the Repository grounds. He activated the jump pack and skillfully guided the 50 ton machine over the wall into the compound. Five hundred meters away the imposing shape of the pyramid rose into the Terran sky as a monument to the Clans hold on humanity's birth world.

As soon as the Centurion's feet thumped down onto the ground his proximity scanners began to wail. A small form glided out from the Repository and began to swiftly cover the distance between himself and the building.

Justin brought up Yen-lo-Wang's right arm and his targeting reticule pulsed gold as the heavy Imperator autocannon locked onto the Dalek. Justin squeezed the trigger and the Mech vibrated as depleted uranium shells roared from the muzzle to devastate the ground around the speeding alien. The Dalek was too fast and just evaded the attack, vectoring off to Justin's left. He brought the Mech up to a run and began to chew up the distance between him and the pyramid just as he heard the scream of a target lock then Yen-lo-Wang stumbled as an energy bolt impacted on its left foot.

That's it. he thought to himself, Now everyone knows I'm here.

He continued to charge towards the repository even as the Dalek moved into his rear arc. Justin brought Yen-lo-Wang to a skidding halt sliding to expose his right side to the alien machine as another energy bolt tore into his right arm. On his status display he saw the autocannon flicker from green to yellow.

Damn! Can't afford another hit on that arm.

Bringing the Centurion down into a crouch Justin swiveled its torso to the right and unleashed another stream of autocannon fire this time joining the machine guns into the assault.

The shells threw up great chucks of ferrocrete and, while the shot itself missed, the Dalek was smashed by debris, cracking and shattering part of its lower casing. The alien stopped suddenly, the lights atop its domed head blinking furiously.

Justin's thoughts turned to the repository just two hundred meters away. He walked his Mech around to the left to face the Clan building then, raising its right arm sent round after round slamming into and through the structure. Only when his ammunition bin ran dry did Justin release the trigger and turn back to face the Dalek. He opened a general broadcast frequency, hoping that the crippled creature before him could hear.

"Today I have struck a blow for the Inner Sphere and for all of humanity. The Daleks will not have this world!"

As his finger tightened on the trigger for the machine guns his target lock alarm began to scream at him once more. Checking his monitors he saw dozens of small shapes burning over the compound walls all around him. Justin's mouth went dry as he recognized Clan protomechs.

Yen-lo-Wang shuddered once then showers of sparks erupted from the cockpit consoles as wave after wave of energy beams sliced into the Centurion. An explosion deep in the guts of the Mech elicited a final shudder then Yen-lo-Wang slowly toppled forward, smashing face first onto the ferrocrete ground.

All around it Clan protomechs drew closer, weapons raised to fire.