MechWarrior-Fur. Chapter 2
The trip back home took longer than Simon would have wanted. It had only taken a few days, true, but every one of those days was just one more he was away from Khris and unable to protect him from the coming storm.
Once home the first thing he had done had been to check in with the commanding officer. Though the first thing he had wanted to do was go home and see if Khris was still there, but duty and protocol dictated otherwise, and he wasn't one to disobey those. Once he'd checked his echelon they got their orders and their sector for defense, which was luckily not too far from his home. Now that they were in position and their mech suits were where they needed to be for up coming attack, he went in search of his mate, and he was going to be damned if someone stopped him.
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"Attention. Attention. All civilian residents on base are hereby requested to evacuate. Code Red. I repeat, Code Red. Please proceed to your designated safe shelters immediately".
The loud speaker had been blaring that for two days straight, and it was beginning to irritate Khris. He had refused to evacuate his home, choosing to remain there in the basement and wait for his bear to come get him. He knew the first thing that would happen was he was going to get bitched at, and then taken to the safe shelter anyways, but Khris was stubborn.
He had been half tempted to go outside and break the loud speaker that was nearest his house, which was only across the street, but had been able to resist the temptation. He had gotten use to the message after a while, but it was starting to annoy him once again and the thought returned. He got up off the mattress he had lugged down to the basement and headed for the stairs when he heard the front door bust open and a very familiar voice shout his name. He couldn't get up the stairs fast enough, sliding on the kitchen tile as he full on tackled the person back out the door and onto the front patio.
"Damn Khris, miss me that bad, eh?" Simon chuckled. "I really hope you didn't break anything coming out here like that. Including on me".
Khris just giggled, kissing his bear's nose replying, "Oh shut up. You're the one who broke the front door".
Simon looked over his wolf's shoulder at the front door, which was barely hanging by the hinges and shrugged. "I'll fix it. Eventually".
They both laughed as they stood up. As they walked inside Simon stopped, spun Khris so they were muzzle to muzzle and said, "Why the fuck are you still here? Dammit Khris you ought to be at the safe shelter down town." He stomped through the house to their bed room and grabbed a suitcase, throwing clothes into it and shouting, "No ifs, ands, or buts, I'm taking you there now. Do you have any idea how fucking scared shitless I've been lately? I couldn't sleep on the way back home cause every time I closed my eyes all I saw was a burning town and Suns crawling all over the place".
Khris stood in the doorway to their bedroom and just smiled. He knew Simon wasn't really mad at him, just scared. He was scared too, but he couldn't help but smile at his lover.
After several minutes of frantic packing and yelling Simon looked over into the doorway to see his canine mate standing in the doorway smiling. "What?" he said, his tone not having changed from his frantic screaming.
"You", Khris said simply.
"Huh?" was about all Simon could think of to say. He looked down at himself, wondering if there was something on him that was funny, or anything along those lines. "What about me?"
Khris walked across the room and wrapped his arms around Simon's shoulders. "I already have a case packed. It's sitting by what used to be the front door. I've been ready to go since they announced the evacuation. I was just waiting for you to get home".
Simon stared at his wolf for a moment before mumbling, "You know. I hate you sometimes Khris" before kissing the canine's lips. "Come on then. I'm probably going to get ass chewed out as it is already thanks to you".
Khris just giggled as he walked out of their bedroom. As he walked through the house, Simon right behind him, he couldn't help but wonder if it was the last time they'd be in the house together. The thought frightened him slightly but he tried his hardest not to show it. He didn't want to leave, but knew he had too. If the rumors were true and their was going to be an attack the shelter was the best place to be for it. That's why it was called a safe shelter.
When he got to the front door he grabbed his bag and headed outside to the car Simon had rented and put his stuff in the back seat before getting in.
Simon on the other hand was taking one last walk around the house, the same feeling that Khris was getting was tugging at him as well. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was going to be the last time he was inside their house.
"Once this war is over" he said, his voice low, "I'm going to retire and we're going to move to the country. Gonna build a house, and we're going to live out the rest of our lives in peace." He took one last look around the kitchen and nodded, sealing the deal, then headed out to the car.
As he got in, he looked at Khris and smiled before backing out of the drive and headed for the shelter.
Once they'd said their goodbyes and Simon was sure that Khris was safe he returned to where his men were camped. Sure enough, when he got there he was chewed out by his Sector Commander, but he shrugged it off. After his thorough thrashing he headed to his quarters. He was surprised how quickly the prefabricated structures had been put up, but considering the fact that they were designed to go up fast he really shouldn't have been.
Once inside the structure that was to be his quarters for the duration of their stay here he sighed. "Of course I'd get stuck living with the twins". This statement was warranted as he could hear the two fucking in their room. He shook his head, muttering "I swear those two are rabbits in disguise". He walked through the part living room, part kitchen down the short hall, his room on the right with theirs on the left, the one bathroom at the end of hall and looked into the twins room. He wasn't surprised that their door was wide open. They weren't really exhibitionists, just that when things got hot between they tended to forget simple things, like closing their bedroom door.
Simon watched them for a moment before shaking his head and clearing his throat loud enough for them to hear it. They both stopped dead and looked at their Captain, "I'll just close the door for you guys if you don't mind". He chuckled as Horn started to stammer something that was most likely going to be an apology, blushing wildly. Corran just nodded and turned away from the door to calm his brother.
Simon sighed again as he walked into his room, the previous sounds of fucking continuing, though thankfully muffled, as he sat down on his bed. He listened to the frame and springs groan as he sat, and scoffed. "Damn things. You'd think they'd make these things to support a wide range of weights. I swear if this thing breaks in the middle of the night someone is going to get shot".
He got undressed and crawled into bed just as the twins finished. He chuckled, a little envious of them as he slowly fell a sleep, his thoughts always drifting off to his wolf, who was now, for sure, safe.
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Sirens blared. Simon jumped out of bed, throwing on his pilot suit, pulling on his boots and grabbing his helmet, bolting out of his door. On his tail were the twins. This was all second nature to him. He wasn't even sure if he was awake or not. All he knew at that moment, drill or not, he was ready for action.
The three of them ran to their rally point where they met up with the rest of the echelon, a mixture of species. There were a pair of foxes and squirrels who piloted the Type 1s, there were the twins, cougars, and a tiger who piloted the Type 2s. Three wolves, a male and the only two female in his echelon took the Type 3s. Finally there was his Type 4.
Their Sector Commander, a bull, looked at Dragoon Squad and nodded. "I'm going to be frank with all of you. We face an overwhelming force. We underestimated the Sun numbers, and even with the Home Defense Force and many of our front line mech units recalled they still out number us a good three to one. Don't let this discourage you. They may have greater numbers, but numbers do not win battles. We have the advantage here. This our homeland, we know the terrain, they do not. We have a technological advantage, as all of out Type 4 mech suits are here." He looked to Simon as he said, "We know what one Type 4 can do in cramped quarters. I can't wait to see what multiple Type 4s can do on open ground. Thanks to your Captain a new strategy has been developed to combat enemy mechs. Taking out the legs to disable a mech and using the Type 4s plasma mortar we can remove mechs quickly and easily. With the invasion coming by water, those mortars are going to be put to use however."
He looked directly at Simon and said, "You're mech's targeting computer has been loaded with several zones that take priority as the enemy force make their landing. Your mortar will be under computer control for the beginning of the invasion to hit these areas at your choosing in an attempt to take out as many landing craft as possible. The same as been done for the rest of the Type 4s as well. Afterwards the computer will deactivate and you will have full control over the weapon.Understood?"
Simon nodded as the Commander continued. "It is here. On our own soil that our skill and metal will be tested to it's max. You must not falter. You must not fail. You must repel the enemy at all costs. We will win. There is no other acceptable outcome." He looked across each of the pilots before him and said, "I am honored to have the Dragoon's guarding this sector, and I am honored to be fighting along side each of you." He took a moment's pause before saluting Simon's echelon, who returned the salute, before shouting, "Alright pilots! To your mechs! Let's kick some Rising Sun tail".
A near deafening mix of howls and roars shook the area as the pilots headed for the mechs.
As Simon powered up his M.A.S he pulled out the picture of his first date with Khris and stared at it. He prayed to the god's that he would see him again, but one never knew. He wedged the picture behind a display screen and took one last, long look at it before pulling on his helmet and checking in.
"This is Dragoon Leader checking in. Dragoons, sound off".
"Dragoon 5, standing by". Gus, Type 1.
"Dragoon 9, standing by", Liz, Type 3.
"Dragoon 2, growlin' and prowlin'", Corran, Type 2.
"Dragoon 3, standing by", Horn, Type 2.
"Dragoon 6, standing by", Craig, Type 1.
"Dragoon 10, ready to kick some tail", Eric, Type 1
"Dragoon 4, standing by", Michael, Type 2
"Dragoon 11, standing by", Jeff, Type 3
"Dragoon 8, hungry for action", Tyler, Type 3
"Dragoon 7, standing by", James Type 1
"Sector Commander, standing by", Victor, Type 4.
"Alright boys and girls, it's show time", Simon said.
Simon watched as flares shot out over the water and lit up the night sky, along with dozens of landing craft. He swallowed as he clicked the zoom on his targeting computer and looked at troop, vehicle, and mech landing craft. He couldn't believe the size of the force that was already in visual range, nearing mortar range, and their were still more coming.
He zoomed out and toggled through the zones in his computer until he found one with craft nearest it. His computer targeted the nearest craft, and he watched as the distance to target lessened. He mentally counted down until the ship was in range. A dozen mortars fired almost simultaneously.
The battle had begun.
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Khris stood at one of the viewports in the safe shelter. He watched as the flares went up. A few minutes later he watched as the mortars fired. His heart lurched into his throat. He could only manage to say one thing as the shutters began to lower over the viewports.
"Simon".