On the brink of extinction
Topic: ToS Chronicles
Since the death of Mauler, the team hasn’t been on any missions. With only three members left, two mechs and just enough money to see them through maintenance/salaries for another month or two, it was looking like the end of this team. P.J. started to look for work elsewhere. No one stopped him – they couldn’t blame him…
It was Wolf that got the call. It was from an old friend of Mauler that was offering some patrol duties on a neighboring planet in the midst of a civil war. Wolf told him of Mauler’s death, but the offer stood. Having found no other work, P.J. decided to come along.

Tensile mounted up on his Dragonfly
Wolf led the pair out on his IceLord

Late into the afternoon, Tensile and Wolf enter the final sector of their patrol area
They entered the sector from the southwest corner. Wolf ran on the northern shore of the river while Tensile patrolled to the south.

They were almost midway through their sector, and still had no enemy contact. This was looking like a milk run. Up ahead, the river snaked through some hills. Both Wolf and Tensile climbed the hills, linking their scanners to get maximum coverage of the area. Still no sign of the enemy.

Wolf reaches the other side of his hill, only to realize it’s too steep to climb down. He would have to use his jump jets, something he never really liked doing. Igniting his jets, he guides his mech down the hill and barely manages to keep it standing on landing.

The river then turns north, essentially cutting right in front of Wolf. Muttering under his breath, he kicks in his jump jets again and floats over the river to the other side. This time he lands better.

Regrouping with Tensile, they turn and head towards the high hills and forests in the north east.

Tensile moves through some woods while Wolf climbs a small hill - they lose line of sight on each other and their shared scanner link goes down.

Clearing the trees, Tensile turned to try and regain a visual on Wolf - and almost misses the faint signal on his scanner - enemy Titan south of them hiding in the trees! His battle computer profiles the contact as a Beserker class Titan.

The Berserker wastes no time and opens fire with it's autocannon, tearing armor off Tensile's mech.
Cresting the hill, Wolf sees the explosion on Tensile as the shot hits home. Wolf turns and locates the Berserker mech. Starting his lock sequence, his scanners detect movement behind the Berserker.
A recon mech – Stinger class.

The Berserker fires again, hitting Tensile in the lower torso. Before he can return fire, the Berserker runs deeper into the treeline and out of sight. Tensile quickly links scanners with Wolf and reacquires the enemy mech. Its a weak link, and he loses it again as soon as he pushes his mech forward.

Seeing Wolf on the hill ahead, the Berserker fires a volley at him, which smashes harmlessly into the hillside. Wolf gets a good scan lock. The Berserker is almost at maximum range of his Cold Light guns, but he fires anyway - and is rewarded with a hit on its left arm.

Breaking through trees, the Berserker presses forward. Tensile spots him again and tries to lock him up one more time. The weapon lock is good. Tensile fires and hits the Berserker with his small lasers - his large laser slicing through thin air.
The Berserker shifts his target again - firing on Tensile. The earth erupts around Tensiles’ feet as autocannon slugs rip up the ground around him.

Wolf waits patiently as the Berserker tears through the trees - as soon as he clears them, Wolf fires both Cold Light guns - and missed! The Berserker starts to turn to face Tensile.
In the distance, the Stinger fires its autocannons, hitting Wolf in the torso.
The Berserker activates its jump jets. Tensile looks at his scanner - just a few more seconds to a scanner lock. He starts to back peddle away from the leaping Berserker.
Wolf's weapons recycled - he fires them quickly as the Berserker lifts into the air. One shot burns armor from the Berserkers arm, the other misses.
Wolf decides its time to close range. He pushes his mech into a run and descends the hill.

Tensile watches the scanner - good lock. He tracks his lasers upwards following the airborne enemy mech and fires. His large laser burns a hole in the mechs right arm. The Berserker continues his forward motion, firing its autocannon. More armor is torn away from Tensile's left torso.
Wolf tries to keep his weapons tracking the Berserker, ignoring the explosions as autocannon shots from the closing Stinger smash into the ground around him.

Tensile fires and hits with both lasers on the mechs legs! Undeterred, the Berserker kept coming!
Wolf continued his run down the hill, firing his cold light guns at the Berserker, cursing as both shots missed their mark.

The Berserker continued its jump past Tensile and landed behind him. Tensile realized that he would not be able to stop his backward motion in time. He swiveled his torso hoping to get a shot on the berserker first before he was in melee range.

The Berserker started to turn just as Tensile brought his mech to a stop. Tensile swiveled and fired his lasers, scoring hits on the Berserkers’ torso. Throwing out his arms, Tensile punched at the Berserker but failed to do any damage. He pushed his mech into a run, not wanting to go into a toe-to-toe slugfest with the heavier mech. The Berserker finished his turn and fired, hitting Tensile in the left torso.

Through the trees, the Stinger continued to make his approach.

Wolf brought his mech to a halt in some trees and lined up the Berserker for another shot. His first shot missed as the Berserker broke into a run, heading straight for Wolf. Wolf held his fire on the second weapon, waiting for the Berserker to close the range.

Tensile ran forward into cover and switched targets to the Stinger. His mech shook as he was hit again by the Berserker's autocannon.
Wolf shouted a warning to Tensile as he watched the Berserker come forward and stop - turning to face the back of Tensile! Wolf fired his second Cold Light gun, but missed again!

Tensile fired at the Stinger, but he hit the trees instead. The Stinger broke cover and fired on Tensile hitting him squarely in the centre torso. Tensile turned and started to run, now seeing the Berserker closing in from behind him.

Wolf fired and hit the Berserker in the right torso, just as the enemy mech took to the sky again!
The Stinger crashed through the trees covering Tensile and fired on him at point blank range. The shot rocked Tensiles’ mech. He grappled at the controls, but couldn't stop his mech from falling over. The Stinger kicked and ripped armor from Tensiles’ leg. From up in the sky, the Berserker rained down autocannon fire on the fallen Dragonfly mech. Tensile was smashed around in his cockpit as he fought to push his mech to it's feet. He arced his large laser and fired while still prone, hitting the Stinger in its leg.

Screaming into the com-link at Tensile to get up, Wolf fired on the Berserker and missed.
Heat level Yellow!

The Berserker landed, stumbled and fell! The Stinger fired on Tensile, damaging his shoulder. Tensile felt the controls go free in his hands as his mech crashed to the ground again.
The Berserker got to its feet. Then a new sound was heard - the sound of Chain Saws revving up. The Berserker swung its dual saws at Tensile, but failed to connect and do damage. The Stinger fired on Tensile again, shattering his right torso. Tensile struggled with the controls, and this time was able to keep his position.

Wolf fired his weapons, scoring hits on the Berserkers leg. The big mech lurched and seemed to be falling - but the enemy jock got his mech under control - damn!
Tensile got to his feet and punched the Stinger mech. Wolf watched in horror as Tensile swung his mech's foot at the Stinger - and missed. Losing his balance, Tensile fell again.

The Berserker didn't miss with the saws this time. In two swings he disabled Tensiles’ lower torso.
Tensile saw the engine alert flash on his board - light damage.
With only a small laser left - he fired on the Stinger and missed.
Tesnile ears ached from Wolf shouting in the com-link for him to eject.
"Affirmative".
He started the ejection sequence...

The Berserker jumped into the air again and fired on Tensile damaging his legs. Wolf fired on the Berserker and hit - Heat level Red!

Tensile ejected safely...

Wolf's weapons recycled - but he held fire - he was way too hot. Sweating in his cockpit, he rocked under the autocannon assault of both enemy mechs. He watched the heat level drop, drop, drop - then he fired. His shots tore into the Berserkers legs, tripping the big mech and sending it crashing to the ground.
The Berserker came quickly to its feet. Wolf watched, again unable to fire because of his heat level. The Stinger opened up and ripped more armor from Wolfs’ centre torso. Wolf returned fired on the Berserker. On his threat display, the right leg of the Berserker went red.

The Berserker started to run towards him, both saws revving loudly. Wanting no part of that, Wolf turned and pushed his mech into a run.

Autocannon shots flew around him as the Berserker and Stinger both fired volleys at him. Wolf closed the range and decided to fire despite his heat hovering just outside of warning range. His first shot missed the Berserker cleanly.
Heat level Yellow.
"Screw It" Wolf thought... and he fired his second Cold Light gun. The shot hit the Berserkers right leg, tearing the final structure support. The leg snapped and the Berserker collapsed to the ground!

Throttling down, Wolf switched his target to the now stationary Stinger mech.

Wolf threw his mech into reverse - just as autocannon fire from the Stinger ripped into the earth where he was just standing.
He stopped his mech and waited on the scan lock to come up, cooling down at the same time.
3 - 2 - 1 ... good scan lock!
He glanced at the heat - all good. Wolf triggered both weapons. Armor plating melted from the Stingers right arm.

The Stinger retaliated and hit Wolf in the centre torso. Wolf tracked his weapons over the enemy mech and fired again. This time, he scored a hit on the head!
The two mechs came to a halt, and began to just fire on each other. Autocannon slugs smashed into Wolf's arm and head, while his Cold Light guns burned more armor from the Stinger's torso and legs.

When the second shot hit Wolf in the head again, Wolf reflexively pushed his mech into reverse, seeking the cover of the trees behind him.
He tried for a better scan lock but failed. Reaching the trees, Wolf fired on the Stinger again, hitting him in the right torso. The Stinger fired but his shots smashed into the trees surrounding Wolf. The Stinger then throttled up and charged forward.

Wolf patiently waited... just outside of 300 metres, he fired ... and severed the Stinger's right leg!
The forward momentum carried the Stinger face down in front of Wolf.

Turning on his external microphone, Wolf demanded that they surrender.
In response, he saw both enemy mechs cockpits explode outwards as both jocks ejected from their crippled mechs.

Victory!

The Berserker was salvageable - so it was collected.

With the promise of more patrols, PJ has decided to stay on as long as he gets to see some action. The mechs have been reassigned to allow his participation.

PJ has taken the DragonFly
Tensile is now in the IceLord
Wolf has taken the Berserker.