The figure watching from the rooftop bore witness to the Sherman opening fire on the lead vehicle of the military convoy, lasers slamming into that frontal armor and melting layers off. In response, the mounted turret opened up with a chatter of automatic fire that pelted the mech like metal rain. Of the two, the armored vehicle was surprisingly getting the better exchange, the beams of light actually having very little effect on their target. Almost like they weren't real.
However, the soldiers within probably didn't notice that their enemy was choosing to weather the attack for a reason. They probably didn't catch onto the burst of static that filled the air when parts of the Sherman suddenly quivered, torso rippling in a way that forged plate shouldn't be doing. Which was why it wasn't actually just a single machine.
It was multiple that melted away, weapon and body alike blending back into the true chassis at the heart of it all. Something that was barely larger than a hardsuit, maybe half the size of a typical mech. The figure was only big enough to lug around those massive canisters on the back that the fluid polymer suctioned back into, as bolts of electricity coursed through gauntlets their fists balled up within.
The gunner must have realized the real target by now and tried to adjust the turret's tracking, but it was too late. The Kobold punched both arms forward and the seismic rippers embedded in its arms tore the street ahead, sending the lead vehicle and a few behind tumbling through the air. Like if they were just toys tossed about by a toddler throwing a tantrum.
The figure too let the binoculars fly from their grip as they climbed into the machine behind them. One that seemed to almost cackle to life eagerly as the cockpit closed around them, with optics that glowed bright red in anticipation of the coming engagement.
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"Street's gone!" a panicked driver called out, shocked voice through the radio network. "What the hell was that!"
"Ain't nothing I've seen before, it just...picked everything up and threw it! With whatever the heck it's using!"
"Watch out! Robotic infantry emerging and engaging!"
"Clear comms!" I aggressively ordered, reviewing the footage sent from the lead vehicle's feed moments before we lost contact. My breath hitched at the sight of what would probably be termed as a half-sized mech discarding the shell it'd been using, the pattern and manner bringing forth a faint echo in my head. I couldn't claim to know everything in the Lancerlibrary, particularly those from the expansion supplements, but didn't HORUS supposedly have a chassis that could terraform the battlefield at a whim?
It was either that was it or I was witnessing the first appearance of one such platform not covered in the books. Regardless of the real answer, it would explain how those roadblocks had been made so suddenly and without any forewarning. It also was currently something that our convoy would probably struggle to present an answer to alone.
"Commander, it's the rearguard! We're getting hit on this end too-!"
The alert abruptly cut-off with a burst of static, followed by another chilling update from another vehicle operator. "There's more of them, we're boxed in!"
"Only for going forwards or back!" I barked out before anybody could succumb to panic too. While both our ends were getting hammered, the middle where the mobile prison and my own command was still untouched. So we had to make the use of it. "Forward and rear elements, deploy and buy time! Rowles is already on her way! All other mobile units, follow me- we're breaking out of this trap!
"All units, engage and fire at will!"
Thankfully, it seemed like discipline finally restored itself and a chorus of affirmatives barked over the network. I watched through feeds as foot infantry stormed out of their carriers, the clones' genetic aggressiveness coming to bear as they solidly refused to falter under the surprise assault. It held them hold the line against the encroaching mechs as they revealed themselves, friendly signatures on sensors flashing and being replaced by hostile blips. Ah, so that was perhaps how they did it.
We'd been so paranoid in combing over the convoy's path that we didn't notice that we had far too many allied dots. Even if we knew where all our own mechs were, the ones from Harrison Armory probably also muddled the count up badly. So it was a case where working with friends actually proved to be our downfall, ironically enough.
That did leave a bit of a sour taste in my mouth but I chose not to focus on it, instead prioritizing finding a route out of this mess. I managed to barely plot a few scant streets ahead before the star of the show then arrived and shredded all my nice plans even further. Or rather, should I say, hijacked them.
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Rowles growled loudly when she came upon the scene of the ambush and found it to be a desperate defense. The convoy, to move quickly, had prioritized lighter vehicles over heavy walkers and armor, under the assumption that they would be able to blitz through any sort of trapped corridor. Something that they had experienced once before and succeeded with, proving it to have been the right choice then.
However, it seemed that their relative unfamiliarity with enemies capable of creating barricades and roadblocks with such ease and in such stealth. A deadly combination that would have many an officer ripping out their head in frustration, because there was little one could do to counter opposition that seemed to toy with them so. For Commander Moores to at least take charge of the situation and use his presence as a way to break the shaken troopers out of their temporary stupor, it proved his argument right about taking command personally. Despite the ordinary misgivings of navy commanding army.
He adapted quickly, if nothing else. So would the major do so as well facing these very unusual enemies.
"Fan out! Prioritize relieving friendly positions!" Her assault rifle came up and targeted one of the bizarre mechs that seemed to have missed her arrival. With a pull of the trigger, she blew it apart and took grim satisfaction in the act. "Advance!"
Her Everest squad began their attack with great enthusiasm and initial success, gaining at least some distance before the mysterious intruders seemed to realized they were being caught in-between a hammer and anvil. There was a brief pause, then they all shifted their attention from overwhelming the remains of the defensive position to turn on the Cavian reinforcements instead. It was here then that Rowles' force began to suffer difficulties.
The enemy mechs were very small and easily destroyed in a single volley from any of her own. But what they lacked in steel, they made up with both numbers and frightening technological superiority. One of the Everests tried to advance further in a daring push, only to be severely punished when blobs of some fluid polymer was spat at their legs. It clung on and then rapidly hardened into some sort of inflexible material, encasing the mech's entire lower half to render them no more than a flailing statue. Then they were easy pickings for the robotic infantry coming in from the sides, portable anti-armor weapons unfolding from their subaltern frames to blast apart the howling pilot.
It was a sobering sight that had Rowles ordering her forces to slowly pull back, only to realize that their pace too was muddled there. Their steps were awkward and uncoordinated from how broken up the ground was, undoubtedly the result of those terraforming mechs. Meanwhile, they all but pranced about, their diminutive size actually a boon here that let them scamper and scurry about with little difficulty. She'd almost call it worth it if it weren't for a well-placed shot that blew the head off one of them.
Then she saw sparks instead of blood and cursed. No wonder why they hadn't been panicking or worrying about their mounting losses."They're subaltern pilots!" Her Everest slammed a fresh magazine into the assault rifle and fired again, destroying an advancing squad of subalterns. It left her open to a rocket from another that blew apart her shoulder piece. "They're all machine enemies!" And they were going to overwhelm her at this rate-!
Her radio unit cackled to life as a familiar voice echoed through, heralding her own arrival to the scene. Just a singular mech, arriving ahead of other forces with steaming ventilation ports. "Metal burns just as well," Erica mused aloud.
Then her Genghis triggered its flamethrower.
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We'd barely gotten a few intersections away before a new layer of the trap revealed itself.
I had to give it to whoever plotted this out, they knew that we had no choice but to move or die. Having blocked off the way forwards and backwards too, they also seized upon the fact we had only one exit to be corralled into. Maybe it was a chance that we could break through in time, but it still was a shot to make whatever next drastic maneuver they selected upon. At this point, I was convinced that they would've waylaid us back to the prison had I chosen to retreat, because they show frightening competency at these sort of traps.
They were also probably aware that we wanted to keep Xing alive. I also was going to guess that too was their goal in some way, so maybe I could have tried for a negotiation or bargain. Though that would admittedly greatly upset Harrison Armory as well. And frankly, I don't negotiate with folks who decided to open up with guns blazing instead of polite diplomacy.
I guess though that it's more like code blazing, considering how they initiated the final part of their ambush.
Our sensors were only able to pick up on the incoming mech signature moments before a shape slammed into the top of the mobile prison, causing shouts to echo through the radio. Thankfully it was a small mech like the others, meaning that the vehicle wasn't immediately crushed beneath their weight. The roof merely gave in a little.
The same could not be said for the sides. The hijacking mech briefly flexed their hands, showing off some rather sharp talons, then rammed them through the armor of the vehicle. Plugging directly into the vehicle's electricals.
"Turrets, turrets!" I blared, trying to get everybody to lock-onto the thing. The automated guns of the remaining convoy vehicles swiveled...and opened fire on one another, much to our horror. We found ourselves attacking each other through the electronic targeting system and I yelled, "Cease firing, friendly on friendly!"
My order turned out to have been rather unneeded as the surviving guns twitched, then wilted as power faded from them. Not long after, one of the other vehicles suddenly began to lose power and lag behind, the operator alerting me to the issue before they dropped out of range. "All motor functions have seized up! Our system's been taken over!"
That would explain why the hijacked vehicle wasn't doing anything else but driving; the soldiers within were likely locked out from all the systems. I cursed and glanced at the Goblin, because what else could it be? One that was hacking our systems through the shared internal network we had. Our security had turned into a liability, in that dark and twisted humorous way that HORUS was surely known for. My eyes met with the relatively small mech and I stared straight into those glowing green optics, wondering what the hell they wanted.
Or if I even cared at all.
I didn't have to speculate for long when suddenly, an electronic voice cackled rather smugly rather over our hijacked network. They even had the gall to inject some sort of pop-up virus that displayed a snake with googly eyes, tongue sticking out as if this was all a joke. "V1P3R PWNED! LOL!"
Despite the sure futility of discussions at this point, I still found it in me to express my displeasure. "You're making a mistake. You don't want to do this."
"HAHA UR FUNN1! G01NG TO BE FUNNI3R WITH X1NG-"
Then abruptly, the mech's head jerked up and so did mine to follow whatever the hell it was looking at. A moment later, I had my answer when another Goblin, of all things, leapt onto the prison vehicle. One with red optics that began to almost wrangle with the other mech, leading to a rather awkward scuffle right on the top. I think everybody from my side stared in confusion, then hastily covered our ears as that jovial voice turned into binaric screeching from all our equipment.
There was also something else trying to emerge from that sound of a screaming computers. Something more...upbeat, if I had to describe it. Almost poppy, that sort of tune you would hear from some sort of game. A soundtrack, yes, that was it. Was the other Goblin the source of it?
As the tune grew louder, the hijacked vehicle then began to slow itself, something that might be a sign of the ongoing digital battle. But just as it started flagging, the Goblin with green lens jerked its head towards us. Given it coincided with all other vehicles including my own suddenly dropping behind with systems seizing up, I could make the guess that what they had done. They'd stopped laughing and started taking things seriously when a seeming real threat to them emerged.
So they cut away any more distractions like us, leaving us awkwardly rolling and stopping in the streets as the mobile jail sped away. Albeit at a less breakneck pace than before, but when our own wheels weren't spinning, we may as well have been turtles before the rabbit passing by. Now I could hear the sounds of V1P3R redoubling in strength, presumably because now they had less systems to fret about. Less of us to contend with.
There was a fair bit of colorful language over the network from the others, to a degree that a light reprimand probably should have been called for to restore order. I however had another thought on my mind; I was more worried about whoever would win between that brawl between two lancers. Was it a good idea to stick my head in after having just given perfect excuse ticket to sit it out with a disabled vehicle?
Probably not. But I'll be damned if I let them tangle up and potentially cause danger in the city. I could see on the scanners that more friendly dots were converging on the slowed prison vehicle, but there was no way to tell if they were actually allies or more enemies in disguise. So tempting as it might be to retreat and establish a command position, I needed to provide direct oversight to the ongoing situation.
Issue being, how the heck was I going to catch up? Maybe if I commandeered another vehicle?
An answer presented a moment later when the sounds of a mech drew close, with telltale noises of boosters firing at maximum thrust. A heartbeat later, a shape arrived from down the street and my eyes widened at a very familiar sight. It was the Chomolungma I had piloted during those try-outs.
Wait, but if I wasn't controlling it, then who- ah. So that would explain her absence during the hack. Not that she probably could have probably stopped what was clearly a superior artificial intelligence in electronic warfare, but when it came to being a jack of all trades….then my adjutant really was the best.
The mech came to a halt right next to the stopped convoy vehicles and stared, the lone lens on its head quietly clicking and analyzing. I exited the command vehicle and strode over, prompting the head to turn to catalog me. Only then was the machine satisfied, kneeling briefly to bring it closer to the ground.
The chest hissed open and Veronica's voice echoed from the cockpit within. "Commander. Apologies for my tardiness."
"It's fine, we were speeding anyway." I began my ascent, climbing into the mech. I heard a noise coming from behind and glanced to see the various soldiers regaining their spark. Maybe the sight of me not yet giving up persuaded them to also not yet truly despair either. They got to work attempting to frantically reboot their vehicle systems, probably needing to force a reset to purge the hack from their electronics. But by then, HORUS might have gotten away with this, or one of its aspects at least.
We can't have that. So as much as it was probably a fool's venture, I pulled myself to snugly fit in the pilot's seat and gripped the controls. Veronica helped me out to make up for the lack of a direct interface yet, resulting in a slightly jerky but otherwise smooth closing motion as my steed- wasn't that a thought- sealed itself up.
I leaned over and began to tap on the screen, rather interestingly trading roles with the NHP as I brought out the electronic warfare interface. "Try to catch up with the vehicle. I'll handle trying to keep our systems from being compromised too." A little bit of an interesting reversal where the computer was the one controlling the machine instead of the hacking, but I wasn't yet so sure in my own piloting ability. Better then to tackle something that I could do to at least give Veronica one less thing to worry about.
"Understood sir. Brace yourself." The Chomolungma turned in the direction, flaps opening and closing to briefly ready itself. Then the boosters fired and we were off.