"I am Baron Randolf Edward DeVillar, of the 10th Lyran Guards. By the Archon, I challenge any true warrior who wishes to advance further to single combat." The words hung in the air even after static had reclaimed the comm-lines. The smoke from the wrecked tanks of the Malibu Militia hung heavily in the air. At 1305, the hostile dropships had unloaded their deadly cargo. At 1310, the enemy had engaged the tanks and infantry of the militia. At 1315, the survivors of the Militia Company were making all due haste towards Malibu City. That was when the lone mech strode forward, silhouetted on the hill above the battlefield. The ancient Zeus, though in good repair, showed the markings of its age. It still proudly carried the emblem of the Tenth Lyran Guards; a white horse's head against a gold shield. Also prominent on the mech was the DeVillar family crest.
"I, Warrior Ivian of Jade Falcon, talon of the Justice Falcons for three campaigns and victor of untold trials, do accept your batchall to single battlemech combat. Let this field shall be our circle. May none break it." With that a squat battlemech with hunched shoulders and bird-legs stepped forward. Some unfortunate who had faced the design in the months before had dubbed the strange machine the "Vulture." The other Clan mechs formed a slight crescent behind the Vulture.
Although the computer identified the target as being a heavy mech, it sprinted towards the hill with great speed. DeVillar backed his assault mech behind the ridge, so as not to present as much of a target to the enemy. Kicking his mech into a lurching run, he took up position in a nearby thick stand of trees. The Clan mech swiveled slightly and unloaded into the trees. Pulse lasers hacked through branches and missiles exploded around and on the Zeus. Fortunately, only superficial damage was recorded. Returning fire with his lone LRM rack, DeVillar's missiles streaked through the space where the swift mech had just been.
Emerging from behind another copse of trees, the Clan mech triggered both of its lasers again. Ruby points of focused light tracked overhead and then downwards, hammering into the cockpit armor of the Zues, sending it staggering. With surprising accuracy, the assault mech returned a barrage of autocannon rounds and it's own laser beam, slagging armor from the Vulture's chest. In a devastating volley, both mechs stood and unleashed their firepower again. Missile contrails crisscrossed and both mechs rocked. The Zeus' laser and autocannon made telling impressions on the Vulture's torso, and the missiles had apparently left the Clanner shaken. The Vulture, with lighter armor, was seeing the worst of things by this point. Huge rents in its chest revealed valuable components. The Lyran mech had taken much more, but its tough hide had managed to turn all but one hit. The large laser port was no longer visible in the mangled wreck of its left torso. The most glaring thing, though, was that both mechs had clearly taken severe damage to the vital armor protecting the cockpit.
DeVillar began to backpedal, seeking the greater cover of the ridgeline. His autocannon barked as he covered his movement. With a screech of protesting metal, the Vulture's right arm dropped free, pummeled by armor piercing rounds.
For a moment, time seemed to slow. The Vulture, still standing firm, raised it's remaining arm contemptuously towards the Inner Sphere mech. A stream of light spat from the barrel of its large pulse laser, connecting once again with the Zeus' head. Pulse after pulse caressed the cockpit, reducing it and it's human contents to vapor. In mid-step, the Zeus was now without control or balance. Eighty tons of war machine crashed to the earth.