Chapter 1: Happiness Interrupted

It was a cold and dry March day, the sixth, I believe. We had only last week seen the departure of the Skye Rangers which we thought ended the 4th Succession War for us. The mood was giddy around our camp near Dragon's Domain, with the techs busily repairing our Mechs while the combat personnel partied and celebrated.

Marie Aiesha had just celebrated her first birthday and thought all the happy people were there for her. She was so adorable in her crib playing with her birthday presents, as Izzy and I entertained "The Core" team, as he called it. They had seen it all, from the early days of 3020 to the end of the 4th War. They had survived scores of battles, good times and bad times, and some real trials that tested their friendships. But here they were now.

First was my husband, Izzy Finch, who together with Roy Fowlker, Clyde Brown, and Sir Wrigley decided to form a new mercenary company to challenge the skill and reputation of Wolf's Dragoons or the Eridani Light Horse. Izzy had a pure heart, who staunchly stood by his friends in the darkest times. He swept me away, and I fell head over heels for him. I have never regretted our life together and the children that we raised together.

Roy was always the aloof one. He so desperately tried to be the proper leader and could never accept that he was a damn fine leader. His drinking habits are legendary, and hinted to the future problems that would come back to haunt him. A good man to have in a fight, and one who would not ask his men to face danger if he was not also there to share it with them.

Clyde was the quiet one. It's remarkable that he came up with the Blowfish moniker for the unit, you couldn't tell by looking at him that he was capable of being funny. Ah, those were the days when having a humorous name was just fine with everyone, and that name will forever refer to the unit's mercenary period.

Anyway, Clyde was there with his wife, Michelle. Now there went a matched pair, as they seemed to try to outdo each other in being dedicated to their jobs. Still, a productive marriage, one that produced a true hero of the Combine.

Sir Wrigley never did like going by his first name. Heck, nobody in the unit, other than his brother Nigel, ever knew his real name. One of the most notorious womanizers (and manizers, for that matter) in the Inner Sphere, he surprisingly settled down after marrying Drew. Well, at least until she passed away during the War of '39. He was never quite the same afterwards, and disappeared shortly thereafter.

Duchess Selena Kyle was also there, celebrating with the rest of us. She had been the first new recruit in those early days, before she had discovered that she was royalty. A born ruler of people, she could never quite get away from glory of Mech combat. It is tragic that she never found that person who would complete her. I guess the time and energy she has spent to enlarge the Association has cost her in that respect.

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Chapter 6: At the Jaws of the Dragon

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Two weeks of maneuvering and light skirmishing had established that we were facing a Mech-only force of some three battalions in strength. We were in high spirits, for although we were outnumbered, we had the sort of unshakable confidence that comes from beating every challenge thrown at us. I suppose the Goddess thought that it was high time to bring us crashing back to earth.

We set up First Battalion behind a hill. Although at the time we didn't know it, we were facing ComStar's First Division. Normally consisting of six battalions of Mechs, they had sent one battalion to destroy Second Battalion in Verthandi. Still, the odds were five to one in Mechs, probably more like three to one with all our other troops taken into account. But we didn't know this, as two battalions had been held back in high orbit as a reserve.

The three ComStar battalions were strung out and heading for us. It was at this time that I noticed the unmistable trail of an inbound dropship. The Duchess, in a remarkable display of hesitation, couldn't decide what to do, now that we knew there were more bad guys coming our way. Sir Wrigley wanted to attack immediately, while the enemy was spread out, while Clyde wanted to sit back and defend. The Duchess decided to wait it out, much to our later regret.

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In the end, I don't know how any of us got out. After ComStar smashed our lines, the fighting got hot and heavy. My Mech was destroyed at this time, although I was able to eject and flee the battlefield. I gathered some of the other Mechless pilots and we headed for the mountains, while I could hear the "Broken Arrow" message on my mini- radio. Never had we heard it. "Broken Arrow". Every Mech for themselves. It was indeed a dark day.

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The handful of survivors gathered at our research camp in the mountains. We were beaten, and needed help. Morale was at all time low, but there was no thought of surrender. We needed options, and Izzy came up with one. It would be dangerous, and expend most of our remaining Mech forces, but it was our only shot. We had to get a message out.

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Chapter 7: Delta Kingfisher

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The plan was simple. Capture the ComStar Hyperpulse Station in Altair City long enough to send out a message for help. Sir Wrigley would lead the Mech forces, Izzy would lead the ground raiders. I went to make sure that Izzy didn't get hurt, although what a man-portable RPG would do against a 50-ton monster I wasn't sure of at the time.

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Chapter 8: A Turn for the Worse

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Almost a month later and we were finally in sight of the station. We only had two Mechs left and a handful of infantry after four weeks of running and fighting past ComStar patrols. The plan had changed now that Sir Wrigley and Izzy had the only Mechs, and against a possible four ComStar Mechs the upcoming fight was not going to be easy.

Still, I was rather happy. I didn't want to tell Izzy that I was pregnant again, for he'd just try to keep me safe and out of the fight. No way was I going to let him face danger alone, even if I only had rocks to fight with. Paradoxically, moments before an almost hopeless battle, I was deliriously happy.

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Chapter 9: Bad Tidings

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I woke up at the hospital. Izzy was there. Oh, how worried he looked when I awoke, it broke my heart. The doctor came in right afterward and shooed Izzy away so I could have some privacy. It was only later that I found out what finally happened. Both Mechs destroyed, although Izzy, Wrigley, and I made it out. The rest of the ground team dead or captured, and we didn't know if they were able to reach the controls and send a message out. Its doubtful.

But that was later. Now the doctor talked to me. I don't remember what he said. Izzy came back and held me as I cried my heart out. Miscarriage. I never thought I would ever feel that lonely and lost. It took me a couple of days to grieve with Izzy. Then the anger started.

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Chapter 15: Final Battle

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I watched the enemy Mechs slowly approach our mountain base. We were down to just three Mechs and some infantry. Izzy was busy working on the Gate and it was only a matter of time before he would be able to get it working. We had to buy him that time. With our lives if need be.

Somehow between here and there, we have gone from being a ragtag band of beaten warriors to the last hope for the Inner Sphere. Here is where the line has to be drawn, where the final battle will take place. To lose now means the subjugation of humanity under the banner of ComStar. We have to win. Not long now...

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Extracts from Crucible of Faith: My Experiences in the ComStar-Altair War by Master Sergeant Maya Gallo, retired. Altair Royal Press, 3068.