I read your old stuff all last year.... More new current stuff please! ;)
TT
Can a guy not have five minutes?? Oh wait I've had six hours let's see what I've rustled up...
(Wasn't quite six hours and James Tanaga did a bit too)
Opening Ceremony, SLDF Facility Focht War College
Kentares City, Kentares IV
Draconis March, Federated Suns
6th June 3107 More than three hundred students stood in front of the Focht War College, a training facility that had once been built on Tukayyid, which had been reassembled piece by piece here on Kentares IV with the cooperation of the Federated Suns and Star League Protectorate Governments. Kommandant Maria Rudolph stood looking out over the assembled students “you have come from across the Inner Sphere and Periphery with the sole purpose of learning and bettering yourselves.” She began speaking Maria Rudolph was a twenty year veteran of the Eridani Light Horse Brigade she had learned the way of fighting as part of the Elite brigade and had fought battles on more than two dozen worlds however she had also helped teach the dependents of the Eridani teaching them more than just combat skills dedicating her life to the future generations making her the perfect new leader of the facility. “Some of you will return to your home realms with a greater understanding of the other nations of the Inner Sphere, others will join the ranks of the Star League Defence Force, to the many mercenary units or into civilian life employing the skills you have learned here to pursue whatever you want…” suddenly from behind Maria Rudolph in the foyer of facility a huge explosion ripped through the front of the College the blast and fire enveloped Kommandant Maria Rudolph, dozens of dignitaries including Duke David Dresari, the leader of Kentares, and spread over the crowd with debris showering the students causing dozens of fatalities and several more serious casualties.
From across Kentares emergency responders attend the site of the damaged College to evacuate casualties. Among the dead lay Maria Rudolph and David Dresari and nearly eighty of the students. Several days later an HPG Broadcast from the “Sixth of June” claims responsibility for the explosion stating that “Blake’s Word will rise once again.” Star League Protectorate and Federated Suns governments vow not to be bowed by terrorist attacks and intimidation and continue with the opening of the school despite the losses and the damage done with Kentares Militia training facilities doubling as a College Campus until the Focht War College is fully repaired.
Capellan Offensive
District of Oriente
Free Worlds League
12th June 3107 Under the command of Isabelle Fisk several Capellan Confederation regiments move into the “Ipswich thumb” which consists of three systems that have been isolated from the rest of the District of Oriente. Isabelle Fisk personally commands the assault on Pella II leading the Red Lancers against the Fourth Oriente Lancers killing the Free Worlds League unit’s commander in personal combat. With the Fourth all but destroyed on Pella II the mercenary commands directed to defend Ipswich and Shuen Wan quickly fold under the assaults of Capellan Regiments supported by naval forces.
Khan’s quarters, RCDS Snarling Mandrill (Overlord C)
Schuyler, Alberio Prefecture
Military District of Pesht, Draconis Combine
13th June, 3107Khan Natasha Faraday stood, drying her still-wet body from a shower, as she looked down on the holo-display of Jonathan Banacek, her saKhan.
“I warned you before we came here,” he grumbled to her, annoyed. “Trying to find a specific asteroid in an asteroid field is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Are you sure the Dragons have yet to destroy it?”
She sighed, as they revisited the argument. “The K-F drive manufacturing plant is in one of the asteroids. It is too important for the Dragons to destroy.”
“If it is so important to them, then why has the complex not yet been repaired?” he countered. “The Dragons had close to fifty years to get it back online since the dezgra Blakists attacked it. They have the facilities earlier and where are the extensive defences?”
She shrugged. “If the plant was up and running the Bears would have hit Schuyler and the surrounding systems to either destroy or capture it and the Dragons would have lost one of their few remaining JumpShip yards at the time. So long as the plant remained down, the Bears did not entirely mind. As for the defences the yards themselves are a state perhaps the Dragon does not think this system is worth trying to defend.”.
Jonathan grumbled to himself as he turned his head to look at something off camera before turning his gaze back at her. “And you are sure the Dragons had not moved the facility out of system, quiaff?” He asked as she pulled on her duty vest preparing for another day on the planet.
“Aff,” she answered confidently back. “If they did, the Bears would certainly know about it.”
“As long as the Bear is not playing games with us…” saKhan Jonathan Banacek sighed again as Natasha continued to dress. “Has the Dragons on the planet’s surface been destroyed yet?”
Natasha shook her head looking back at the holo. “We currently have the Fourteenth District of Pesht Regulars pinned down in between a mountain range, but I am waiting until the Third Battle and Nineteenth Striker Clusters reposition themselves to finish them off. The First Cavalry Cluster has begun to garrison the capital city after destroying the dezgra mercs they took the fight into the city.” She remarked disgusted by the tactic bending over to tighten her boot laces smiling as she thought about the Mandrill boots smashing the Mercenary Battalion. Fighting in the city had cost her almost two Trinaries including a portion of Brienne Redburn’s nova but it had been worth it and the young Collection warrior had now been blooded claiming a kill over a mercenary Dragon BattleMech.
“Once you destroy the Dragons, I will signal the JumpShip fleet to begin evacuating the DropShip and JumpShip yards, Quiaff?” he asked.
“Aff,” Natasha answered back. “The sooner we begin disassembling the JumpShip yards from this world, the sooner we can get out of here. We do not have near enough forces in system to truly keep the system to ourselves for very long, with the Raven fight finishing sooner than we hoped we could face a counter attack at any time” she reminded him. “Still, I am hoping for us to find the asteroid before we withdraw from the system.”
“I know,” Jonathan agreed. “The K-F manufacturing plant would have jumpstarted our plans. Still, even the yards as they are currently will expedite them great.” He paused for a moment and smiled. “You concentrate on getting the yards out of here and I on the missing asteroid, quiaff?”
Aff,” she answered back, smiling.
Draconis Combine Counter-attack
Qandahar Prefecture, Pesht Military District
Draconis Combine
20th June 3107 Working together with the Star League Defence Force several units of the Draconis Combine Mustered Society cross into the Nova Cat Occupation zone liberating Harshill, Gravenhage and Lupine V. The DCMS/SLDF units destroy the Nova Cat’s Anders McKenna, a Swiftsure-class Cruiser, in the Gravenhage system while driving back the White Aerie, a Black Lion-class Battle-cruiser. On the ground elements of the 201st Nova Cat’s Roar Cluster, the 109th Striker Cluster and Seventh Nova Cat Roar Cluster are destroyed as is the DCMS Sixth Pesht Regulars as are half of the Fifth Yokosuka Land Air Mech Regiment.
Command Deck, RCDS Snarling Mandrill (Overlord C)
Schuyler, Alberio Prefecture
Military District of Pesht, Draconis Combine
24th June, 3107Natasha stormed into the command centre onboard her DropShip, Brienne hot on her tail. Both had been enjoying a sparing session in the cargo bay as their BattleMechs were repaired following another skirmish with DCMS forces on the planet. Again the Mandrills had taken damage they couldn’t afford and again the DCMS units had faded away this time disappearing into the morning fog.
“Sitrep!” she shouted.
“The RCS Ash Storm and the RCS Firebrand are both reporting a WarShip have entered the system via a pirate point, Khan,” the male Technician manning the communications station reported, as Natasha and Brienne closed in on the holo-table. “Piping into the communications feed now.”
“-rally to navpoint Charlie!” Natasha heard Star Commodore Jason Thastus of the RCS Ash Storm, their York-class Carrier, yell out the York was at the Nadir Point while the Firebrand, their new Hakaze-class Escort Destroyer held station at the Zenith. Natasha guessed that Combine spies had informed their navy that the Mandrills defended the traditional jump points.
“Aff!” Natasha heard the slightly strained voice of the solahma Star Commodore in charge of the JumpShip fleet answered back. “Timeframe on your arrival?” he queried.
“Both the RCS Ash Storm and RCS Firebrand are bearing full speed to the fleet, RCJS Smiling Monkey,” the Star Commodore reported. “I have all my DropShips and fighters heading your way, but you will have to hold on until the RCS Firebrand can arrive.”
Natasha looked at the Elemental Star Captain manning the holo-table. He shook his head, causing Natasha’s heart to sink. The Draconis Combine WarShip, identified as the DCS Dedication to Duty, a Tatsumaki-class destroyer, was already closing in on the barely unprotected fleet of invaluable JumpShip and would arrive before the Mandrill WarShips facing only a handful of DropShips and aerospace fighters it would be a shooting gallery for the DCMS WarShip.
“If they take out the JumpShips-,” warned Brienne.
“I know!” Natasha cut her off as she studied the system map, hoping against hope there was some way to buy time for her JumpShip fleet otherwise their salvage mission and strike force were doomed.
Suddenly, saKhan Jonathan Banacek’s calm voice came through. “RCS Ash Storm, RCJS Crazy Monkey, transmit enemy WarShip’s coordinates, heading and speed. RCS Firebrand, confirm them immediately.” He commanded
Natasha brunched her eyebrows together, not understanding what her fellow Fire Mandrill Warrior was up to his JumpShip was detached from the others still scanning the asteroids for the fabled Combine manufacturing plant even his DropShips and fighters couldn’t help against the Combine destroyer. Thirty seconds later, both WarShips confirmed the DCS Dedication to Duty’s coordinates.
A minute later, more Fire Mandrill blips came onto the holo-image. It dawned on Natasha what the wily Warrior was up to at the same time as Brienne. “Oh god!” she head the younger woman gasp out. Natasha ignored it, too transfixed at the holo-screen knowing what was about to happen and knowing there was nothing that she could do.
Just as the blips reached the safety limit, Natasha watched the RCJS Crazy Monkey jump, momentarily disappearing from the holo-screen, before just as quickly reappearing, nearly right on top of the DCS Dedication to Duty in reality the Odyssey-class JumpShip had likely emerged right in front of the charging Combine Destroyer leaving no time for evasive manoeuvres. A second later, both Mandrill JumpShip and Dragon WarShip disappeared from sensors replaced with wreckage and debris.
“Confirmed. The RCJS Crazy Monkey just jumped right on top of the Dragon destroyer,” Natasha heard Star Commodore Jason Thastus report. “Both ships destroyed,” he added sombrely. The Khan looked down at the table mourning her saKhan, and friend’s death in silence for a moment before looking at the communication’s officer for a moment who nodded her understanding.
“Jonathan Banacek will be mourned by the Mandrills and all citizens of the Rim Collection” she said quietly knowing her calm voice would be transmitted to all Fire Mandrill units within reach. As she spoke she felt Brienne Redburn’s hand join hers in support and companionship. The Khan looked at the younger woman for a moment “he and his crew have secured their place in our Rememberance they will live eternally in our warrior caste and in our memories. Together we must succeed so their sacrifices were not in vain.” She said nodding again towards the communications officer to cut the transmission before looking back at the DropShip commander “pass to the cargo bay I want all of our units prepared for action immediately, including my OmniMech, I want to kill something.” She stated leading Brienne out of the command deck their hands still linked.
AFFS Border Fight
Sarna Commonality
Capellan Confederation
28th June 3107 With the Capellan Confederation focused on the District of Oriente Federated Suns units supported by elements of the Hampton’s Hessens, the Thirty-second Recon Group of the Lexington Combat Group, the Medusans, Clinton’s Cutthroats and the Fourth Illician Lancers Mercenary Commands assault the worlds of Heligoland, Kaifeng, Truth, Minnacora and New Sagan destroying elements of the Third and Fourth Capellan Defence Forces and completely destroying the Third Liao Lancers. Supporting AFFS efforts in the Truth system is the FSS Iroquois, which is the sister ship of the FSS Indefatigable and the ships delivered to the Lyran Commonwealth, the Iroquois is not needed to fire a single shot but is a symbol of the AFFS strength over the Capellan Confederation.
