http://bg.battletech.com/forums/aerospace/tony-manero-class-cruiser-(dragoncat's-battletech-forum-fleet-thread)/The tale of the recovered WarShip
Tony Manero is an exercise in serendipity. Originally constructed by the pre-Reunification War Taurian Concordat, this 770,000-ton Cruiser was one-of-a-kind. More specifically, the TCN quickly came to view this ship as a boondoggle and cancelled all subsequent orders.
Although larger and better protected than existing
Winchester-class Cruisers, the high unusual and homogenous armament (consisting of
160 NL-35 naval lasers!!) failed to impress the Taurians. Considering the expense already sunk into the ship, the disguisted Admirals and Marshals did not even consider filling out the paperwork to send the vessel for scrap.
No records remain of her service during the Reunification Wars (in fact, her original name is lost to history as well). Indeed, no records of this ship survived the Wars and the Star League Occupation afterwards. The only evidence of her existence is the accidental discovery of a derelict vessel adrift in barren star system along the Taurian Rim.
In 3066, a scoundrel by the name of Arminas (it is unknown whether this is his first, last, or only name) fleeing Davion authorities in a dilapidated
Merchant-class JumpShip choose for his destination the exact jump-point where this derelict rested.
A quick survey revealed that the ship had been opened to vacuum and powered down; apparently abandoned by her crew.
Drawing upon contacts with a number of desperate (yet highly skilled) individuals (including Chief Engineer Irose, Quartermaster Blacknova, and general gopher MechRat), Arminas (now calling himself
Master Arminas) managed to get this ship working once again.
Re-christened as
Tony Manero (after an ancient legend of a Terran dancer) the ship began a reign of terror along the Taurian Rim, plaguing Concordat, Magistracy, Capellan, Marik, and Davion worlds alike. Unlike many pirates, the
Disco Kings (as this band called themselves) sought out only rare musical albums and gifted (cursed?) singers/dancers for a style of music known as either 'disco' or 'funk'.
Upon learning that the Clans might well possess archives of such rarity, the
Disco Kings departed for the Clan Homeworlds in their Cruiser . . . having purchased the route taken by Task Force Serpent. They have not been heard from since.