Artemus The Bushwacker increased speed relentlessly, bearing down on the Grasshopper without any sort of outward pretext of fancy maneuvering or sudden break in any direction.
In the cockpit, Artemus's HUD displayed the ever-increasing velocity next to the maxed throttle indicator.
...
65...
70..
73...
Which was a tertiary consideration in the corner of his eye. At that moment his focus was on the Grasshopper as seen through the zoomed reticule, not the easiest thing to do considering the mech was in the big ECM blanket that still was unresolved. It seemed that whatever was generating that field either was a static position or wasn't going to be budged no matter how many enemy mechs were systematically destroyed.
That in turn probably meant future close quarters combat in some form or another, not ideal when considering that multi-ton battlemechs would have to use very surgical precise fire. Which was a big question mark given how little Artemus knew about his potential future Company/Brigade-mates.
That thought was secondary to Artemus' main concerns. First was repeatedly attempting to lock up the Grasshopper before coming into range of the , banking on it wandering to the edge of enemy ECM coverage and making a long-distance shot with the Light Gauss and a volley of LRM fire from James'
Vulture. As the simulator jerkily swayed and basso thumps reverberated in a portmanteau of the Bushwacker's movement, one that didn't quite pass muster for the real thing Jazz cut back in over the comms, albeit with a little static due to the proximity of the enemy ECM net.
Ularn wrote:"Received Ronin.
You' got TimberWolf; I'll try an' close range with the bogey and engage too if you can get him out from under that ECM. That oughta give Gun Bear time to fall back at which point I'll do as you say an' go passive, over?"
'Well to answer my earlier questions...'
Artemus didn't complete the rest of that thought, only wondered about how traffic enforcement officers on Outreach felt and if they would be competent combat coordinators.
Combat initiative was one thing, and Artemus would almost be willing to put money on the fact that a lot of mechwarriors were chomping at the bit to demonstrate their worth to the unit and therefore buy into wartime-grade pay during a period when there wasn't much to go around.
However, experience taught Artemus something. It taught him never to lay one's cards on the table for long, and if possible hold a something in reserve, especially when one suspected that all was not as it seemed.
Hoping that Jazz wasn't so headstrong and was consumed by a bloodlust that blunted tactical discretion, Artemus tried to be diplomatic and authoritative simultaniously.
"Negative Bitch...."
He had to pause for a moment and think back to when he really could have used that phrase prior to that point, especially during the FedCom Civil War
"...any hostiles in the area already see Timberwolf and me approaching. Timberwolf has plenty of LRM firepower on hand, committing both of you would only leave the rest of the company short-changed. I repeat, contact Gun-Dragon or Warhound to ascertain their position and re-enforce them. If the shit hits the fan again I'd like to have a nasty LRM surprise to back us up, and you've got the ammo and discretion to be that backup, over."
For the moment after that transmission, Artemus had to only hope Jazz wouldn't let bull-headedness and simmering rage override judgement, because next to chime in was James with another problem.
Hardened Pyrokinetics wrote:"TimberWolf to Ronin, I think my radar's on the fritz. Probably got knocked around during my fall, and this ECM isn't helping either. I'm down to Mark I Eyeball for now, think we could slave my LRM's to your targeting systems?"
If he could, Artemus would have scratched his head. He wasn't completely sure that James had ever mentioned any sort of c3 computer being installed on his mech. Jerry-rigging targeting-tracking systems was always an option in-field but the level of connectivity and targeting data needed certainly required more than just a bit of techie ingenuity.
"Uh.. cannot comply Timberwolf, my mech is not equipped with any c3 components. Recommend you hard reboot the TIC of your Targeting and Tracking system as well as HUD display while leaving other systems active. If that doesn't clear the problem I'll feed you general coordinates as needed.
In the meantime, go trail and stay close to my position, over."
As the distance between the two-mech formation and the Grasshopper closed, Artemus spied Walter's Locust heading for water without Julius in tow. Worrying about his position would have to wait, he could only trust that he knew what he was doing and would scream over the comms if something else awful happened.
For the moment, the main problem still existed, the Grasshopper remained in ECM cover. By dead reckoning, Bear was trying to get the Grasshopper's attention. And if he could hold it and guide it a bit that might work out very favorably.
"Ronin to Bear. Looks like you have their attention, see if you can drag that Grasshopper north, out of the ECM net. I'm en route with Timberwolf, we'll help you take that sonofabitch down."
He could only hope that Bear could indeed do just that, and that even at the reduced rate of closure the distance between James, himself, and the Grasshopper would close to or barely within the 750 meter effective range of the light gauss rifle, otherwise when that envelope did close the shots would be very tricky ones indeed.
KatOblivion2 wrote:"Yeah Solid copy here Ma'am, we're to sit her with our dicks in the wind, metaphorically speaking that is Ma'am."
Snickering in her simulator, Kat had to admit that she shared Warhounds sentiments...but not overtly. That would have been to obvious.
Keeping her eyes forward, she flipped over to the dedicated channel that Warhound had used for transmitting earlier.
"Really? Because I could have sworn one of your autocannons was flopping earlier..."
As they watched, the very person who had told them to stay put took off after the Grasshopper with a certain red and black tiger-stripe Vulture in tow....
'So, tell us to stay put while you go off seeking glory and a way to pad your resume? While leaving 140 tons hanging out to dry and look lazy?
What kind of.... '"That train of thought went to the comms in a passive-aggressive way.
"Gun-Dragon to Warhound. Are you seeing this? Looks like somebody's medal-hunting."
ActionsArtemusMovement: Continue on course to intercept Grasshopper, reduce acceleration at 73kph to let James catch up.
Transmissions: Again suggest that Jazz ascertain Kat and Will's position and join, recommend a reboot for James and order to get in formation, request that the Colonel attempt to drag the Grasshopper outside of the ECM net.
KatMovement: Stay in position, track movements and wait for an order to move out
Transmissions: Query Warhound regarding his take on Artemus and James going after the Grasshopper while being told to stay put.