Author Topic: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War  (Read 142997 times)

Sharpnel

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #210 on: 13 May 2018, 00:29:30 »
Who knew Omi was a freaking ninja.
Consigliere Trygg Bender, CRD-3BL Crusader, The Blazer Mafia
Takehiro 'Taco' Uchimiya, SHD-2H Shadow Hawk 'Taco', Crimson Oasis Trading Company

"Of what use is a dream, if not a blueprint for courageous action" -Adam West
As I get older, I realize that I'm not as good as I once was.
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panzerfaust150

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #211 on: 15 May 2018, 11:53:46 »
DCA Yukikaze

Benjamin, Benjamin District

October 20th, 3056

Gionshōja no kane no koe, Shogyōmujō no hibiki ari. Sarasōju no hana no iro, Jōshahissui no kotowari wo arawasu. Ogoreru mono mo hisashikarazu, tada haru no yo no yume no gotoshi. Takeki mono mo tsui ni wa horobin(u), hitoeni kaze no mae no chiri ni onaji.

The sound of the Gion Shōja bells echoes the impermanence of all things; the color of the sāla flowers reveals the truth that the prosperous must decline. The proud do not endure, they are like a dream on a spring night; the mighty fall at last, they are as dust before the wind. (translation)

Heike Monogatari (written sometime 1200-1330) Chapter 1.1

The crew member who had let Omi and Shin on board the Buccaneer-class cargo-hauler was still pale faced and shooting glances at them as he escorted them to the VIP cabins reserved for an ivory merchant and her aide. He could hardly be blamed, since Shin presented quite a piratical appearance with two pistols and a dagger stuffed through his belt sash along with a very bloody radio headset that was squawking commands periodically. The reason for the small arsenal was that he needed his hands free to help support Omi, who was being half-carried and half supported by him, with her one good hand still holding a bloody katana.

"Ahh, honored guests, here are your cabins. I shall notify the ship's doctor---"

"Iie." The whiplash command cut through the babble of the crewmember like a knife as Omi turned her head to face him, with a furious stare. "Notify the captain that we depart immediately for Proserpina. A bonus of triple the normal hiring costs for arrival ahead of schedule. Patch us in to news from the station, and once we are undocked and maneuvering for the Jumpship, then the doctor can see myinjuries. Yodama-san?"

"Hai." The ex-Yakuza reached into his belt pouch and withdrew a stack of 50 C-Bill notes. "A downpayment. Our business is quite urgent."

Shaken, the crew member took the bills, bowed, and departed at a run for the bridge. As the door slammed closed, Omi shook in the grasp of some strong emotion, then placed the blade of her katana on her left shoulder, drawing a hiss of pain as it rested on the bloodstained cloth over her injuries. "I need a clean cloth, Yodama-san."

Shin nodded and pulled out a traveling towel from the footlocker in the cabin which he carefully laid on her shoulder so that she could perform the chiburui maneuver to ritually clean her katana before resheathing it. She wiped the sword twice on her shoulder in slow, formal motions, then breathed in sharply suddenly slashing in arc across her body from left shoulder to right hip before reversing and resheathing her blade with a huff of exhaled air. That seemed to deflate her and she visibly returned to herself from whatever place her spirit had been in during the attack.

"Minoru... Minoru must be warned." Omi dug one-handed in her belt pouch for her phone then frowned at the lack of signal. "Shimatta, we will have to use the ship's communications to contact Minoru."

Shin nodded and began to punch commands into the terminal of the passenger cabin as the maneuvering engine began to growl in the background. A minute later, he nodded in satisfaction at the menu presented as the holoscreen flickered to life. "Now to punch in your brother's num---"

The screen suddenly displayed a red priority override command in katakana along with a rotating Combine seal, then sharpened into a image of carnage. The station traffic control center in the broadcast had a dozen clearly wounded men in it, along with a row of bodies in the corner. One, in a Tech's coveralls, gave a thumbs up sign to someone offscreen with his arm that was not in an improvised, blood-soaked sling that had started life as a DCMS dress uniform jacket. The Tech then bowed and headed to where other survivors were barricading a fire-scorched and damaged hatch with furniture as some stood guard with small arms and one lifted a missile launcher.

Minoru stepped into view of the camera slowly. Bloody bandages covered his chest and abdomen in the absence of his uniform jacket, and one eye was covered by a blood-soaked hachimaki headband that was leaking crimson tears. Behind him, Isoroku limped with the aid of another of the walking wounded, who helped seat him in one of the chairs that were not being cannibalized to barricade the hatch. Gunfire sounded behind them as Minoru stared into the screen with his one good eye, pinning the viewers like a snake would pin a field mouse.

"People of the Combine! Dark days are upon us! Luthien has fallen to the Smoke Jaguars with the aid of traitors among us. Not content with aiding the barbarian degenerate remnants of Kerensky's army, the Black Dragon Society has dishonorably struck our samurai in the back as they rallied to get vengeance for our dead! My children..." Minoru's voice softened as he touched the blood streaming down his cheek. "The Dragon weeps for your pain and counsels you to faith. While I, my uncle Tai-shu Kurita Isoroku, and my remaining loyal samurai must make the same choice that our ancestors did at Shiroyama under the guidance of Saigō Takamori, you have your own duty!"

The firing behind him intensified as Minoru leaned forward to speak intently. "Keep the Dragon in your hearts. The Black Dragons will try to use the example of the Von Rohrs." Minoru's voice was full of hatred for the notorious bastard usurpers who had nearly ended the Kurita line in the twenty-fourth century as he spoke their reviled name. "They will lie and flatter you for their own dishonorable ends. Do not let them! Even now, my sister Keeper of House Honor Kurita Omiko-sama goes to bring us aid, and my cousin Kurita Miyoko-sama, daughter of my loyal Tai-shu is outside their grasp. Aid them! I repudiate them and show my defiance in the moment of the illusion of their victory! Hear now my final words, my children."

Minoru's face became calm as he unsheathed his wakazashi. "My whole life long, I've sharpened my sword./And now, face to face with death/I unsheathe it, and lo--/The blade is broken--/Alas!" With that Minoru grasped his wakazashi and plunged it into his belly, serenely smiling throughout his defiant seppukuand Omi's flowing tears.

Behind Minoru, Isoroku lifted Shiro Kurita's sword in both hands with a strength at odds with his visible wounds and pain. At Minoru's nod, the ancient steel flashed once. Isoroku then turned to one of his few remaining guards who was leveling a SRM launcher with the red bands of an Inferno missile at him as the first Black Dragon troops clambered over the barricade and Minoru's headless corpse slumped.

"Perform your duty, Kashira"

Fire and screams filled the screen then thetransmission faded to black.

Omi collapsed into Shin's arms, her tears flowing like a waterfall of pain and loss.


Clover Spear author and cat wrangler!
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AlphaMirage

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #212 on: 15 May 2018, 15:17:18 »
Poor Omiko, I feel dreadful for her situation. Well done panzerfaust you made me actually care about the Combine, like you said though Kuritas take a lot of killing

panzerfaust150

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #213 on: 15 May 2018, 15:28:43 »
AlphaMirage,
 The "Flight of Omi Kurita" chapters are an omake by Yellowhammer on Spacebattles.com. I just let him play in the Clover Spear universe. The main story will have more soon, as I am gearing up to write the next chapter of "Capellan Family Follies - The Marik Edition."
Clover Spear author and cat wrangler!
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DOC_Agren

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #214 on: 15 May 2018, 15:33:42 »
Well SOB you got me almost care about Kurita and what will happen to the Combine.

Well done
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

Starfox1701

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #215 on: 16 May 2018, 00:51:45 »
I always liked Teddy and his kids. They were good people. By the pacing I'm guessing we are about half way through this whole mess good stuff

ckosacranoid

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #216 on: 16 May 2018, 17:10:15 »
damn, talk about really doing what battletech is known for. killing off people once you get to know them and start to like them expect for some members of the cappies....they are just pretty much nuts and glad when some of them bite it.

panzerfaust150

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #217 on: 17 May 2018, 13:13:32 »
AN: This is the last chapter of Yellowhammer's "The Flight of Omi Kurita", but don't panic. Omi will be appearing in the main story and she has many roles to play, as the story reaches it's crescendo.  >:D

Exeter, Draconis March

Federated Commonwealth

November 14th, 3056.

There is always something to upset the most careful
of human calculations.
-Ihara Saikahu, 1642-1693

Hagiwawa. Kitalpha. Junction. Homam. Proserpina.

The systems and jumps passed by in a blur as Omi traveled onward. One planet was the same as another to the grieving princess as she fled the ruin of her family. Her days were filled with little but the attempt to deal with the ghosts of her dead father, uncle, and brothers. Nights...the nights were worse.

More than once Omi woke up from fitful sleep in tears or a cold sweat. The memory of the men she had killed blurred with Hohiro and Minoru's faces in her dreams. Sometimes in her dreams, she was the one to stab her brother in the back and feel his blood splash against her robes and hear his dying rattle of breath.

Those nights, sleep totally abandoned her.

It was on Proserpina when Omi left the Yukikaze as one of the flotsam flung free by the explosion engulfing the Combine. Walking down the ramp to the port like a ghost, her heart numb and her tears having ceased only when she had no more to give from her burning eyes in the weeks since her brother's final words, news reached Omi. The recording of her brother's defiant death as all was lost for him had spread from Benjamin on the wings of dropship traffic and HPG transmissions. Like a rock thrown into a lake, the ripples were spreading throughout the Combine.

Warlord Benjamin was dead in the second day of rioting that had engulfed his capital, blamed for the treason that had claimed her brother. Warlord Galedon had pledged his support to her half-brother Franklin Sakamoto, who was forming a government on her ancestral homeworld. Warlord Pesht was incommunicado, although unconfirmed reports spoke of fighting that mirrored the worst of the First Succession War on worlds bordering the Smoke Jaguars . Meanwhile her cousin Miyako called for loyal samurai to flock to her banner raised on Dieron to take revenge for her father's death by treachery.

Omi roused herself to act then through her will to perform one last duty to the Combine as Keeper of the House Honor. As Shin Yodama made the final arrangements to cross the border, she visited the Proserpina HPG and the Pillarine temple. Orders were sent; the same orders as those of Jamila Benhashemi when the Von Rohrs took over. "Go underground, preserve the Combine, aid the true Kuritas, not the usurper Sakamoto." A brief message of commiseration to Miyako for their shared loss and a promise of support for her now-orphaned cousin on Dieron. Finally, Omi stared at the screen and then slowly typed a line of poetry that she had memorized.

"Les sanglots longs/Des violons/De l’automne/Blessent mon coeur/D’une langueur/Monotone."

Next came the address of a trading concern on Robinson, and she then slid her new identification card made out to Aihara Tokiko to send it priority to the location which the diplomatic courier from New Avalon had specified int he message that she received last year.

With that, she exited the HPG compound and headed down the street past the flapping Combine banners with a heavy, leaden tread to her rendezvous with Shin Yodama. She knew in her heart that she would likely never return to her homeland; no chance that she could visit the graves of her brothers, father, and ancestors to pray for their spirits. Her last sight of the Combine was the poison-filled clouds of Proserpina, poisoned by the centuries of war between her family and Victor's as her shuttle broke ground enroute to the Wanakaze.

Xhosa VII. Clovis. Exeter.

"Purpose of entry?"

Omi controlled an involuntary wince as her healing shoulder took the opportunity to remind her of how close to death she had come. She was fortunate to have only suffered a punctured lung and a clean fracture of her collarbone in the escape from Benjamin.

"Trade in ivories." She responded coolly, taking the opportunity to open the teak box to show the customs clerk the exquisitely carved Kitsune no Yomieri set of figurines that she had brought with her across the Combine. The katana was hidden underneath the velvet holding the other ivories, of course. Omi refused to part with the sword, even if she still had nightmares about the man she had killed with it.

"Identification?" The clerk adjusted his half-moon glasses to look at her as she handed over her identity card.

He swiped it in the reader, and the computer beeped twice, relaying a message generated automatically.

"Miss Aihara, there is a security hold on your party. Take a seat there until a supervisor can arrive to process you." He pointed to a waiting area guarded by a pair of soldiers in AFFC green undress uniforms under the Fist and Sunburst.

Omi nodded and waved Shin over to sit next to her under the eyes of the guards. The ex-Yakuza raised an eyebrow and leaned his head toward the pale-faced girl with bags under her eyes dressed in the utilitarian coveralls prevalent Sphere-wide for ship crew. "Problems?"

Omi shook her head. "I sent a code before we left that should have flagged this identity for special processing. The Fox relayed it to allow me to contact authorities of sufficient rank to process me and provide swift transportation to safety." She inclined her head to the nearer guard, who was staring at the two Combine refugees with naked suspicion tempered by hatred. "Old feuds run deep in this part of the Inner Sphere."

"Hai." Shin replied laconically before leaning back in his chair to read a magazine from the waiting room table showing a stunning young blonde woman in a sundress clearly patterned after the Lyran Royal Guards' colors.

Half a hour later, Omi focused her attention on a short, finely featured brunette woman in uniform with striking hazel eyes and a dark chocolate skin tone entering the waiting area with an obvious aide in tow. The guards saluted her, which she returned as she zeroed in on Omi. "Miss Aihara?" she questioned in a slightly musical voice. "Hauptmann Indira Parvati of Panpour. I just need you to verify your identity." With that she waved her aide to open his briefcase to extract a portable DNA scanner.

Omu nodded and placed her finger in the indicated sample tube. there was a brief prick of pain as the machine took the blood sample, then a beep and a flashing green light. Parvati gave a brilliant smile. "There! You are who we have been expecting. If you will follow me, we have a car."

Omi stood wearily and walked with the Feddies through the building to where a green-painted hoverlimo waited in a parking spot marked OFFICIAL BUSINESS ONLY with a burly sergeant standing guard next to it. Parvati opened the rear door for them, and then followed as her aide took a seat up front behind the armored partition.

As the limo began to move, Parvati rubbed her temples then gave Omi an inquisitive look as she spoke in accented Combine Japanese. "I don't know who you are, or what's going on, but I received FLASH orders to assist a young lady showing up with your name and that DNA profile two weeks ago, as did every other MIIO and DMI office in the March. So, if you don't mind me being blunt, what in the world is going on and how can DMI assist you?"

Omi gave a wan smile, then glanced at Shin. Her companion gave a small nod and a reassuring squeeze of the hand. "My name is Omiko Kurita, daughter of Theodore Kurita, and I wish to ask for asylum on New Avalon as quickly as I can be transported there. I fear that I am the last survivor of my family."

Across from her, the DMI officer opened and closed her mouth like a fish on dry land, forcing Omi to stiffle a highly inappropriate case of the giggles.

"Arey, Kya?!?" Parvati swore, the tone of the expression showing her shock despite Omi not knowing a word of Hindi. She then punched the intercom button. "Driver! Get us to the Duke's residence and step on it. Call McLauren from MIIO and tell him to meet us there too. This promises to be an all-nighter." Parvati then shook her head and focused on Omi.

"Well on behalf of the FedCom welcome to Exeter, Kurita Omiko-sama. We will get you the rest of the way to New Avalon, although I have to warn you, it's a kicked over anthill for us as well these days.
 
« Last Edit: 17 May 2018, 13:16:18 by panzerfaust150 »
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DOC_Agren

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #218 on: 17 May 2018, 14:33:34 »
May Omi get to Victor and live out a good life there
"For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he passed:And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and for ever grew still!"

pensiveswetness

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #219 on: 17 May 2018, 23:44:33 »
*eats popcorn* on bated breath, we wait on her further adventures...

Starfox1701

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #220 on: 17 May 2018, 23:48:13 »
I'd say she was safe now but I've been down these roads far to often. I'd feel more comfortable if we had the Revanets or a regiment of dragons or Kell hounds to spare for her escort.

panzerfaust150

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #221 on: 21 May 2018, 13:55:32 »
“..operations against FC forces continue in the stolen regions (Capellan name for the Sarna March) and we have achieved all goals of East Sea, with the limited assistance of the League. We are therefore content to go on the defensive and bleed the inevitable FC counterattack while causing maximum confusion against enemy soft targets through diversionary raids and revolutionary actions (the Capellan euphemism for state sponsored terrorism). We cannot underestimate the size nor intensity that the FC counter attack will take, and we should consider the release of the operational reserve no later than…”


Excerpt from report to the Chancellor on the Progress of East Sea from the Strategios, dated 1 December, 3056 (damaged copy was released by Capellan Joint Committee to Investigate the Prosecution of the War (Joint Committee formed from both the House of Scions and Prefectorate.) The document was released to the public in open hearings on 19 July, 3058.

Operation East Sea, Wave 2

Bromhead
Attacking Units: 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry

Defending Units: Bromhead Planetary Guard

The 5th CRC came this time to finish the job they had begun, and quickly disposed of the depleted planetary guard within a week, and intergrating Bromhead into the Capellan Confederation.

Palos
Attacking Units: Kincade’s Rangers
Defending Units; Palos Planetary Guard
The Palos Planetary Guard did its best but was ground under after 48 hours of a confused fight for the planetary capital.

Manapire
Attacking Units; Ishihara’s Grenadiers, Albermale Highlanders (1 Btn), Marshagima’s Legionnaires
Defending Units: 3rd Ceti Hussars RCT, Manapire Planetary Guard
The invasion of Manapire went wrong from the start, both in that the intelligence that the 3rd Ceti Hussars was no longer on world (false) and that the local militia would side with the Capellans (also false), in fact they enthusiastically turned out to shoot at the Capellans. The drop went wrong as well, as one of the Albermale Highlander’s Union dropships had a drive failure during the drop and lost most of Bravo Company when the dropship spiraled out of control, and broke up in the upper atmosphere, with only 3 damaged mechs out of 12 surviving the disaster.
On the ground, it was worse, as the 3rd seemingly managed to be everywhere at once, harrying the Capellans from the start, and quickly forcing the remains of the Highlanders to surrender. The two remaining Capellan units holed up in a series of caves in the planetary uplands and waited for reinforcements.

Frazier
Attacking Units: 4th Word of Blake Militia Division
Defending Units: 41st Avalon Hussars, Frazier Planetary Guard
The 41st Avalon Hussars fought gamely, as they were smarting from last month’s raid. They fought well for a green unit, but they were outnumbered by the Blakists, even with help from the Planetary Guard, the 41st held out for two weeks, suffering 15% casualties. The 41st then broke contact and withdrew to Mendham. After two more weeks of crushing guerilla resistance by the Planetary Guard, the 4th secured the planet in the name of the Capellan Confederation.

Quemoy
Attacking Units: Kingston’s Legionnaires
Defending Units: Quemoy Planetary Guard
The Quemoy Planetary Guard had no intentions of willingly returning to Confederation control, and fought hard, but after 4 days, most of the militia was either dead, or POWs and they had done little in the way of casualties to the Legionnaires.

Ulan Bator
Attacking Units: 2nd Word of Blake Militia
Defending Units: Ulan Bator Planetary Guard
The planetary government saw no point in resisting the CCAF and ordered the militia to surrender without a fight.

Zilang
Attacking Units: Green Machine, Lockhart’s Ironsides
Defending Units: 5th Avalon Hussars
The 5th Avalon made the classic mistake of “running to the sound of the guns” and moving all of it’s forces to attack the Ironsides LZ. This gave the Green Machine a chance to catch the 5th’s third battalion in the flank and annihilate it. They didn’t manage that, instead they mauled it, inflicting 30% casualties and forcing the 5th to retreat to their fortified base, where they were besieged by the two Capellan units.

Sakhalin
Attacking Units: Bordon’s Blood Drinkers
Defending Units: Sakhalin Planetary Guard
The Blood Drinkers showed the Planetary Guard little mercy, and crushed them within 72 hours, they then slaughtered the survivors when they tried to surrender. The CCAF’s Mercenary Relations department threatened Colonel Wesley Bordon with censure, and possible forfeiture of his unit, but Bordon ignored them and was reputed to have said, “With what coin will you pay the unit that replaces me?”

Kaifeng
Attacking Units: 15th Dracon, Kaifeng SMM (Renamed the 1st Citizen’s Honored Brigade), Kaifeng Planetary Guard.
Defending Units: 8th Arcturan Guards (-) (Had taken 10% casualties on Truth)
The 8th’s position was untenable from the start, as the planet was a veritable pro-Capellan hotbed of resistance. The 8th’s commander knew this, and stayed only long enough to evacuate all those that wanted to leave, fighting their way to the dropport and their dropships before boosting off world and retreating to Maetsu.

Tsinghai, Part 2
Attacking Units: House Matsukai, Redfield’s Renegades
Defending Units: Beta Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers, Tsinghai Planetary Guard
With the arrival of Redfield’s Renegades, the numbers had shifted to the Marik-Liaos, and Beta’s commander felt it best to fall back on their sister regiment and come back in strength later. Beta regiment left 3 days after the arrival of the Renegades, headed for Old Kentucky. The Planetary Guard declared their loyalty to the Confederation and laid down their arms.

Sarmaxa, Part 2
Attacking Units: House Hiritsu, Tooth of Ymir
Defending Units: Grim Determination
With the arrival of the Tooth of Ymir, the numbers were against Grim Determination and realizing the unit was in fact, cut off from the rest of the FC, it was decided to negotiate with the Capellans. After a short council of war, Colonel Fiona Trent asked for and received honors of war from the Capellans after paying a ransom of a company of ‘Mechs (most of them captured Capellan salvage), and left the world, which passed quietly into Capellan control and Grim Determination left for Bora.

Operation Lattikia, Wave 1

Van Diemen IV
Attacking Units: 4th Free Worlds “Volunteers” (ex – 4th Free Worlds Legionnaires), Van Diemen IV Planetary Guard
Defending Units: 3rd Republican
The 3rd Republican was caught by near-complete surprise, as it was scattered in penny packets attempting to provide security against a “Capellan/Blakist terror threat” (the post war board of inquiry could find no evidence such a threat had been issued). It was a credit to the 3rd’s experience that they recovered quickly, coalescing around their 2nd and 3rd Battalions, as the 1st was destroyed piecemeal in the first hours of the Marik landings. Both battalions proceeded to hole up in the swamps north of the planetary capitol and waited for help to arrive. Worse, the Planetary Guard led a pro-Marik uprising that simplified the rear area issues for the Mariks.

New Canton
Attacking Units: 3rd Free Worlds “Volunteers” (ex – 3rd Free Worlds Guards)
Defending Units: 1st Kestrel Grenadiers, New Canton Planetary Guard.
The elite 1st Kestrel made short work of the Marik troops, destroying almost a battalion of them in a wide ranging mobile fight in the arid plains of the planet’s southern continent over the course of three days. The rest of the 3rd fled back to Marik space. 

Elnath
Attacking Units: 1st and 2nd Smithson’s Chinese Bandits
Defending Units: 15th Arcturan Guards, Elnath Planetary Guard
The 15th Arcturan Guards did their best to try to face both merc units, but the weight of numbers was not with them, and after two weeks and 15% casualties, the unit retreated to Wei

Unsanctioned Operation by Sirus against Skye March

Wyatt
Attacking Units: 1st Sirian Lancers
Defending Units: 17th Arcturan Guards RCT, Wyatt Planetary Guard
The operation was doomed from the start, and the 1st grounded alone, with no plan, and little idea of what to do, the Wyatt Planetary Guard quickly fixed the 1st Sirian in their dropzones, and the 17th encircled them and annihilated them in a two-day battle that saw little more than a battalion survive to surrender.

Callison
Attacking Units: 3rd Sirian Lancers
Defending Units: 11th Lyran Guards RCT, Callison Planetary Guard
The 3rd, like it’s sister unit on Wyatt, met much the same fate, but unlike the 1st, quickly bowed to the inevitable and surrendered within hours of grounding on Callison.

Diversionary Raids

Glentworth

Attacking Units: House LuSann
Defending Units: 3rd Illician Lancers, Glentworth Planetary Guard
House LuSann’s raid accomplished little but looting an outlying warehouse of a local beer distributor, as they were only one step ahead of a very enraged and alert 3rd Illician Lancers. The Warrior House barely got out intact three days after they landed.

Solaris
Attacking Units: Dragon’s Breath
Defending Units: 32nd Lyran Guards RCT, Solaris Planetary Guard
The Dragon’s Breath embarrassed the green RCT, running rings around them as they looted a number of AFFC warehouses over a two-week period, and mauling several units of the Planetary Guard.

Cavanaugh II
Attacking Units: Greenberg’s Godzillas
Defending Units: 6th Donegal Guards RCT
An early attempt at a ruse by the Godzillas backfired as the commander of the 6th was a movie buff and knew a special effect when he saw one. His approach was direct, a full on frontal assault against the Godzilla’s LZ, which turned into a rolling fight across the Eastern snow-covered plains of Cavanaugh II. Casualties on both sides were moderate, and the Godzillas left after 4 days with little to show for it.

Office of the Captain General
Atreus, Marik Commonwealth
Free Worlds League
October 11th, 3056


 Thomas Marik was putting in another long night trying to rally Parliament to the idea of approaching the Fedcom and turning over the remaining citizens SAFE had determined were on the FC’s list of people they had determined were associated with the Word of Blake, and the associated terror attacks that were still going on in the Commonwealth.

 Jesus, between a potential threat to Joshua, as well as the fact we might get drawn into this war of my son in law’s? No, I know what I said in Parliament, but the fact is, a wounded FC is far more damned dangerous than anything, especially with Katherine at the helm. She isn’t playing around, and she has an alarming tendency to do what she likes. Thomas banged away on the keys of his noteputer, crafting yet another message for another influential MP who probably would promise little, and deliver less when the time came to vote. They don’t want war, but they don’t want to do the right damn thing either. “Delivering League citizens to a foreign court is a bad idea…sets a bad precedent they say.” Screw that! If they could see the reports coming out of Skye and Tamarind that SAFE drops on my desk? I would say that Katherine isn’t going to wait for us to make up our damned minds, new supply depots, snap alerts? Jesus. The Lyrans are getting ready for something.

What makes this all even worse is that the Master didn’t even warn me when he was going to pull this little stunt. Just what the hell has he done to get the Capellans in bed with him? What has he promised them? And whom has he suborned amongst my own to make sure I play ball? With the history our nation has, it damn well could be anyone.

Thomas almost didn’t notice the door open to his private office. “I told you I was not to be disturbed!” he snarled. Three figures dressed head to toe in black stepped into his office. They were all cradling very evil looking Roynex submachine guns, equipped with laser sights and suppressors and all the muzzles were pointed in his general direction. The middle figure removed her black balaclava, and shook her dark hair loose, Corrine?

“Hello Uncle, Father sends his greetings..or he would…if you were whom you say you were.”

Thomas made a subtle move for a concealed button “And why would you say that, Corrine?”

“Because the Blakists have thoughtfully provided the evidence of the fact you are a ComStar stooge. So, what was the plan, Uncle? Deliver us into the hands of the Federated Commonwealth? Was Joshua the blood price for the deal, a hostage in case it all went wrong? Oh, and your guards…they aren’t coming. They had a fatal disagreement with me..and some friends of father.”

“So why not just shoot me now?” Thomas felt a lightness in his bladder, but he had had little to drink, so not much came forth from there. Even so, his sweat glands went into overdrive.

“Because, you traitor, I wanted you to know, one, the Regulans and the Guards are with us. We’re moving against that nest of traitors you call the Knights of the Inner Sphere. We’ve already subdued those not with us. All of this should be wrapped up in a couple of days.”

“And after that?”

“That is not your concern, scum.” and Corinne in one smooth move, pointed the muzzle of her Roynex towards Thomas. Her weapon spoke three times. Thomas’s chest erupted in a series of explosions of guts, blood, and bone as he slumped in his office chair, dead.

She turned to one of the masked men. “Get this office cleaned up, burn this..rubbish. Inform the Blakists we will honor our deal and intervene in a limited fashion on the side of the Capellans. But inform them, I will not commit my nation completely to war without some…guarantees.”

The masked man hissed “This was not the deal.”

“I give a damn, the deal is what I say it is, or would you like me to do to you what Thomas was about to? I promise I would be a lot professional about it.”

“And your uncle, you know his life would be…endangered, if you were that stupid.” replied the masked man.

Corrine made her way to the left corner of the desk, and sat down on the corner of the desk, hefting her submachine gun contemplatively. “And whose realm are you in, Blakist? Best you mind your manners. If my father gets so much as a hangnail? You will pay the price.”

She turned to the other figure “Markos, pass the remaining orders, we need this wrapped up..and the troops on the move into FedCom space. And send an HPG to my cousin in law on Sian…”

Chancellor’s Throne Room
Forbidden City
Sian, Sian Commonality
Capellan Confederation
November 11th, 3056

 There has been some fortuitous developments overnight, and I intend to make the most of them. Now if my bureaucracy and the Prefectorate would stop fighting me on it. The throne room had been emptied for the briefing on current military operations, with only James Teng, the Strategic Military Director, Alexa Shang, and the House Master of House Immara, Alexander Zhao allowed to remain.

“I am surprised we have managed to achieve all of the goals for East Sea so early. Major Shang, you have attended many Strategios meetings in my stead? Why do you think this so?”

“Celestial Wisdom,” Alexa spoke, her voice far more precise than most days “We have been fortunate beyond belief, but that cannot last. We know the FC is gearing up for a long war with us. We know that they outclass us in numbers, and in industrial might. And they will soon return home with better technology. We have already received reports that certain RCTs are being released from combat operations in the Tamar March. We can only guess where these units will be sent, but to the stolen regions is one very good guess. We cannot hold all of the planets we have seized forever, but we can make the Davions bleed on one, well-prepared planet.”

“And which planet would you choose, Major Shang?”

Alexa smiled cruelly. “I suggest, Celestial Wisdom,” fixing Sun-Tsu’s gaze with her own one good eye “that we choose Sarna. It is already an ill omen for the Davions. And, we can release all of McCarron’s troops to properly fortify the planet.”

Sun-Tsu smiled. “Excellent Major Shang, make it so. Cut the orders as soon as possible. Oh, and another matter, I wish to know the circumstances behind the slaughter of Capellan nationals on Sakhalin by one of our mercenary units? Bordon’s Blood Drinkers they are called, I believe?”

“It was claimed by the Blood Drinker’s commander that the planetary militia had used infernos on Colonel Bordon’s men, and that they had used a flag of truce as a ruse de guerre.”

“And what did the Mask find out?” Sun-Tsu leaned forward in his seat, a look of warning on his face.

“According to their report? No such weapons even belonged to the militia, and the catalyst for the massacre was some of Bordon’s men acting like medieval conquerors and trying to take liberties with various prisoners of war.” Alexa's eye narrowed in disgust.

Sun-Tsu saw red. “Even servitors have rights! No, I want this Bordon fired, and no..I want him permanently dealt with. Send my Death Commandos to make sure of it.”

“An incident like this will only reinforce the FC resolve. Celestial Wisdom, but were we to punish Bordon…”

“It would have advantages and disadvantages. It would help to mollify the Commonwealth, on the other hand, it would get more difficult to hire more mercenaries. See this is handled…delicately. Kill all the officers and NCOs of the unit..the rest, can be formed into a new penal infantry battalion. I am sure they will serve the Capellan state well there.” Sun-Tsu snapped the fingers of his left hand, as if the idea had come from thin air.

“And for the general situation? We ultimately cannot win this war, but we can bleed the Davions to the table, if our luck holds. If not, we may be greeting Davion troops on Sian by the new year.” James Teng stated flatly.

“Ours of theirs, Major Shang?” Sun-Tsu growled.

“Ours, Celestial Wisdom, but even that is a middle case scenario.” Alexa admitted sheepily.

“Then Major Shang, I expect you to perform an extraordinary service to the Capellan State and ensure that my cousin assumes my throne. He is all that is left of my effort to give the Capellan people their pride back.”

“The people have their pride for now, but it will not, and it cannot last forever when the Davions come.” Alexa stated starkly.

“Then we must bleed the Davions to the table, Major Shang, we must bleed them to the table.”


Oflag 113
Kaumberg
Donegal Province
Federated Commonwealth
December 1st, 3056

  “It is a poor omen to be called to the camp commandant’s office” Taman Malthus swore softly. He’d been at Oflag 113 for four months, along with a collection of other captured Jade Falcon officers. The other side of the camp was for the Steel Vipers. When that had been found out, there was a near riot in both camps that the Lyrans had put down rather…harshly, and 5 POWs (the Inner Sphere term for bondsmen) were killed and the Senior Prisoner Officer, who had been an elderly Star Colonel named Jessup, had been sent to another camp..one more dreary than this..or so Malthus had been informed.

 And we spend our days being worked like laborers in the unceasing forests of this place. I see trothkin lose their minds as to the enormity of this place. And, to the isolation. They do not let us couple, they do not let us spar for fun. We are left with nothing but work and more sedate Inner Sphere pursuits. They had someone come in here to try to teach us Lyran German!

Yesterday, Malthus had been informed that he had a vistor coming, and that he could use the Camp Commandant’s office to greet him. An unknown luxury here, privacy. So, to whom do I owe this small joy? LIC?

The door threw open to reveal a small figure, about 1.5 meters tall, wearing a Fedcom Officer’s duty uniform, with a cloak attached to the issue poncho. So he does not want to be seen. He must be LIC. And no school rag..how..interesting, but he is wearing spurs. Davion in a Steiner uniform, so who is this mysterious guest?

A hand threw back the hood of the poncho to reveal the personage of none other than Kai Allard Liao himself. “Greetings Taman, I am damn glad to see you alive.”

Taman barked a laugh “It might be poor taste to say I wish I had died with my men in glorious battle, but you fought well, and I cannot complain about my treatment here, though many amongst the camp’s residents wish to be proper bondsmen and serve their new Clan. They do not understand the concept of being a ‘Prisoner of War’.”

Kai nodded. “Taman, I have a problem. You may not be aware, but my mother is dead, she was slain by an assassin. One bought and paid for by my cousin.”

“Sun -Tsu Liao? Yes we hear much about that. They allow us unfettered access to your news services on the camp datanet. I thought of you when I heard of her death. She was a warrior, and for her to die like that, is…unClanlike.”

“Aff, Taman, Aff. It seems I need a travelling companion, one who is possessed of a certain set of skills. And one whom I know and trust implicitly.”

“When do we leave and where are we to go?” Taman smiled, flexing his muscles.

“As soon as you can pack, and we are headed to the belly of the beast, Sian.”

Taman smiled and laughed “Oh, Kai, this promises to be a tale for the Remembrance, indeed.”
« Last Edit: 04 January 2019, 11:24:48 by panzerfaust150 »
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pensiveswetness

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #222 on: 21 May 2018, 20:10:56 »
Fight's on!

Starfox1701

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #223 on: 22 May 2018, 02:18:23 »
Wondered when he'd show up.

mikecj

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #224 on: 22 May 2018, 07:50:31 »
Taman + Kai vs the CCAF?  Nobody on Solaris will take that one...
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DOC_Agren

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #225 on: 22 May 2018, 16:49:46 »
Taman + Kai vs the CCAF?  Nobody on Solaris will take that one...
at 3 to 1 Cbill maybe
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Sir Chaos

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #226 on: 23 May 2018, 02:03:17 »
at 3 to 1 Cbill maybe

I wouldn´t bet one lousy Yuan on the CCAF here.
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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #227 on: 23 May 2018, 04:25:23 »
I'm just sad if Kai is only taking one Jade Falcon, it would be awesome if he put together a larger unit of them, possibly a Suicide Squad/Dirty Dozen "Solahma" one or just an elite force
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Sharpnel

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #228 on: 23 May 2018, 06:57:10 »
I'm just sad if Kai is only taking one Jade Falcon, it would be awesome if he put together a larger unit of them, possibly a Suicide Squad/Dirty Dozen "Solahma" one or just an elite force
By definition, a Clan Solahma force is elite or very nearly so. Just because they are 35 and don't have bloodname doesn't mean they're pot-bellied slackers.
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DoctorMonkey

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #229 on: 23 May 2018, 07:04:38 »
By definition, a Clan Solahma force is elite or very nearly so. Just because they are 35 and don't have bloodname doesn't mean they're pot-bellied slackers.


I was thinking more about role and how they would view themselves rather than the logical view


Logic is unClan-like


I am amused that they are considered "washed up" at 35, sitting here less than a month away from turning 37 and having only recently completed my training (started aged 18)
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Sharpnel

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #230 on: 23 May 2018, 07:13:21 »
The jopy of wanting to ba physician. A friend of mine was 42 before she was a 'real' doctor.

A solahma unit would be perfect as they woulod have a final chance a glory vanquishing a foe (Sun-Tzu) of a respected enemy (Kai)
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David CGB

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #231 on: 23 May 2018, 18:17:32 »
A solahma unit would be perfect as they woulod have a final chance a glory vanquishing a foe (Sun-Tzu) of a respected enemy (Kai)
oh yes, such action could get them entered into the Remembrance, due to the actions of the leader
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Starfox1701

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #232 on: 23 May 2018, 18:27:25 »
Trouble with this plan is that they would likely be so desperate to get noticed to enter into the breeding program they might get stupid unpredictable.

panzerfaust150

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #233 on: 23 May 2018, 18:48:12 »
Well...
Trouble is twofold. One, there is probably not going to be much if anything of a breeding program, or a Rememberance for EITHER the Falcons or the Vipers. So, the Clansmen are going to have to think of other motivations..perhaps Kai might be inclined to think of them?
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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #234 on: 23 May 2018, 18:51:24 »
Well...
Trouble is twofold. One, there is probably not going to be much if anything of a breeding program, or a Rememberance for EITHER the Falcons or the Vipers. So, the Clansmen are going to have to think of other motivations..perhaps Kai might be inclined to think of them?

Outrage at Sun-Tzu's usage of cowardly tactics like bombs in crowded areas?

pensiveswetness

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #235 on: 23 May 2018, 20:28:17 »
Why should they care? spheroids killing spheroids is not a concern. Making sure your genetics are desirable back in the home worlds, on the other hand?


This is the danger that all AU's face: The principle players do something so out of character, that the story itself suffers...

Iron Grenadier

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #236 on: 24 May 2018, 11:56:04 »

This is the danger that all AU's face: The principle players do something so out of character, that the story itself suffers...


If it's an alternate universe/reality, then they are not supposed to behave as canon.

Starfox1701

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #237 on: 24 May 2018, 12:40:56 »
It depends on the level of divergence. In this case I'd say most characters should behave to type. Question is with WoB on the war path when and how are Comstar going to step in and go toe to toe with there but case bothers?

Tyrchon

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #238 on: 24 May 2018, 12:43:31 »
If it's an alternate universe/reality, then they are not supposed to behave as canon.

While that is true, a writer should still give reasons and show why a character is acting differently than his/her canon-counterpart.  Simply having a character acting differently without reason can cause readers to lose their suspension of disbelief.  The same thing is true for making changes to canon events, a good writer shows how and why things are different in his/her timeline vs the canon-timeline.  When this is not accomplished the writer runs the risk of creating plot-holes and losing the interest of the audience.  Good writers can accomplish this without having to do major exposition or author notes and it goes back to the old writing adage "show, don't tell."

This is one of the few letdowns of this story.  There are a number of times where canon personalities and events have shifted, sometimes dramatically, but no reason has been given as to why such shifts have occurred, or at least not adequately.  One glaring example is the assault by Clan Smoke Jaguar on Luthien and its success.  There is a failure to adequately explain how the Smoke Jaguars could successfully attack Luthien by themselves given that there has been nothing stated that the veritable fortress the world was in canon 3056 is not true in this new timeline.

Overall, this story started strong with proper explanation given to changes in timelines and events but as it progressed it has failed to maintain that same consistency.

pensiveswetness

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Re: Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War
« Reply #239 on: 24 May 2018, 13:32:55 »
In other words, keep writing but be careful. Those of us paying attention still wonder 'how they did' so maybe we'll get a info dump to explain just who did what differently to change the Joke Jaguars into something more... dangerous to the common Kuritan citizen? and more importantly, what happens next?

 

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