A new voice was cut into the conversation, Tinny from recording and rebroadcast, Conner Sinclair still recognized it -- Nathan Taylor, captain of the Eclipse. “We’ve made no determination on the status of DropShip Black Hammer. We assume it is down. Act in accordance with mission specifications until we facilitate your extraction. Taylor, out.”

“That was Captain Taylor’s official response to my request for information -- thought you might like to hear it for yourself. He set his ship down in the mountains north of the peninsula rather than risk facing whatever knocked the Black Hammer from the sky. Commandos Four through Six are trying to break through the mountain passes, and so come down onto the peninsula to rendezvous and pull us all out of here, but they are meeting with resistance. Our extraction is, essentially, an unknown factor at this time. We’re expected to proceed on mission.”

No normal mission would ever go forward after such a catastrophic loss. But then, this was hardly a MechWarrior’s run-of-the-planet mission. And as much as Lieutenant Sinclair recognized the odds stacked against him, he could hardly blame Taylor for not wanting to risk the Eclipse -- their only way off Tranquil -- after what happened to the Black Hammer. Whatever had happened to the Black Hammer.

Sinclair dialed for a confident voice. “If we move fast enough and hit hard enough, we might make the factory complex out at the peninsula’s tip. Commando tactics. That was our mission, and we can still accomplish it.” With half the force originally allotted? He shoved aside the doubts. “Get Dominic on our flank, but have him hold off by a few kilometers. In that captured Clan Shadow Cat of his, he’ll make the perfect flanker -- able to guard our line of advance and hit any approaching force before they realize he’s with us. It will help keep the Clan forces pinned in place while we sweep straight for the factory.”

This time the corporal could not keep his own doubts from showing in his voice or even in his question. “You really think this will work?”

Connor toggled off the comm system, and preceded with his shutdown without answering. It saved him from having to choose between enthusiastic hyperbole and an evasive reply. Besides, Sorenson was smart enough to figure out the truthful answer for himself.

What choice did they have?

* * *

Okay, I’m heading forward. Don’t be late!