I decided to tell the whole periphery story in one section instead of breaking it up through the month. If it's a little hard to follow let me know and I can break it out into its own story thread with dates for each section.
Refugee Crisis
Altenmarkt Province
Rasalhague Dominion
4th October 3109 In the space of four days three JumpShips enter the Rasalhague Dominion from the Draconis Combine each carrying full loads of DropShips. Unlike previous incursions by the Draconis Combine these JumpShips do not carry troops of war instead they are each carrying thousands of civilians who immediately declare their surrender and request asylum within the Rasalhague Dominion. Without exactly knowing how to take these requests the local Rasalhague Dominion garrison commanders on Accrington, Port Moseby and Buckminster place these civilians in internment camps and call on Alshian for assistance.
Main Meeting Rooms
Granada, Nueva Castile
Deep Periphery
8th October 3109 It had taken a week to travel to Granada under the escort of the strange Goliath Scorpion WarShip from there they had been directed to make camp no closer than five kilometres from the main enclave and send their commander to the base where they were given a small office to work from. Alex Lassenum had found their procedure strange but had agreed to go along with it and instead of making any trouble had waited his time until he entered the main meeting room.
The room was dominated by a wooden circular table which had a hollow centre and was open on one side. Alex was first to arrive and had been directed by the Goliath Scorpion lower casteman to one of the seats there he waited until the “others” that the Scorpions had invited to this bid, the prize that Alex still didn’t fully know. Over the course of the next hour three more individuals were escorted in one Alex recognized as a Clan Sea Fox warrior/trader, while another wore what appeared to be Clan fatigues but he didn’t recognize the insignia she wore while the last wore all white robes which Alex guessed made him a representative of the Word of Blake. Alex remained silent as the others took their seat waiting for the Scorpion to arrive, they didn’t need to wait long before the self-styled Khan of the Goliath Scorpion Clan Ingo Yeh entered the room the representative of the Word of Blake rose to his feet but the others remained seated and quickly the man returned to his position.
“I thank you for coming” Ingo Yeh said speaking to all of them “the Goliath Scorpions with to rebuild their strength and become the Clan that we once were beginning with the conquest of the Nueva Castile, but to do this we need further resources and weapons. To that end we are willing to trade three of our four Scorpion II-class WarShips, vessels that are the same class as the vessel that escorted you in, we are willing to trade these to you for the right price and we welcome your bids from the Sea Fox Clan, the Blood Spirit Clan, the Word of Blake and the Stone Spirit Clan.”
“Stone Spirits?” Alex almost instantly snapped looking at the young woman in the strange uniform “who the hell are you?” He demanded suddenly ignoring the others in the room.
“I am Star Colonel Sarah Campbell of the Stone Spirits” she answered defiantly
“Stone Spirits…” Alex repeated “as in Omega Galaxy?” He asked rising from his chair “you traitorous bitch!” He snapped remembering what the people of his Clan had called the members of Omega Galaxy who had abandoned their Clan and the Homeworlds during the assault on York. Without another word Alex about turned and walked out of the room returning to the side office his Clan had been assigned.
Several hours past before Khan Ingo Yeh sent for Alex Lassenum. He walked back along the corridors returning to the meeting room finding only the Khan remaining within the room. Alex sat down at the same chair he had before and looked at the Goliath Scorpion leader. “That was quite a display, Star Colonel”
“I apologise Khan but things that have happened to our Clans has made it easy to lose tempers when confronted by their results.”
“I know this, Star Colonel, I am the Khan of a Clan that has two Galaxies on paper” he explained the truth hurt far more with only a single galaxies worth of troops and equipment filling out these troops. “I am willing to trade away the majority of my Clan’s naval strength to keep it operational much like your Blood Spirits once did.” He explained “now I am willing to overlook your previous outburst but further trouble will not be tolerated. Do I make myself clear quiaff?”
“Aff, Khan, quite clear.” He said
“Very good, the bidding process begins in three days time, have your bid ready.”
***
Over the next three days Alex avoided Sarah Campbell like she carried the plague he didn’t need to see her and be reminded about what her people had done to his Clan. At the same time he and the small detachment of Blood Spirits that had been allowed into the Goliath Scorpion enclave had tried to learn as much as they could about the others and their bids. So far they had learned that the Stone Spirits and Word of Blake representatives had made similar offers with equipment and the promise to clear out the Nueva Castile for the Goliath Scorpions on the table. The Word of Blake representative Demi-Precentor Robert Zurbin had also approached the Scorpions about moving the Clan closer to Terra to co-habit a world the Word of Blake continued to operate from within one of the Succession States.
The Sea Foxes who had come from the Clan’s Coral Skate Khanate, which Alex understood was roughly representative of a Galaxy in the reorganized Clan, had offered the Goliath Scorpions weapons and equipment for access to their WarShips. When Alex had spoken to the warrior he had admitted that he was surprised to hear that the Blood Spirits continued to contest the Homeworlds believing that all Clan presence had been destroyed. During their discussion they had also enquired with Alex about the fate of the Armageddon, a Hell’s Horses Potemkin-class Troop Cruiser, which had been taken by the Sea Fox Clan and then gone missing when the Clan evacuated the Homeworlds. It had been Alex Lassenum’s duty to inform the Sea Fox warrior/trader that the Armageddon, its crew and passengers currently served the Society within Clan space with the ship itself known to be a Society Research facility which would no doubt enrage both the Sea Fox and Hell’s Horses Clans but there was little he could do.
From the Fox trader Alex learned that eight other Clans, not including the Stone Spirits, remained active in the Inner Sphere and periphery and almost all of them had given up hope of returning to the Homeworlds instead they had continued to strengthen their own positions, deepening their ties with the worlds they had conquered and routing out the Society threats that still remained within their Toumans. In some ways Alex hated the other Clans for abandoning the Homeworlds but in others he envied them for their current good fortune.
When it came to the Blood Spirit bid Alex found himself sitting in the meeting room once more waiting for Khan Ingo Yeh. He could not offer the Goliath Scorpion survivors the weapons or resources that the others had offered instead he had chosen another tactic – hope. “Star Colonel, welcome” Yeh began
“Thank you Khan” Alex began “I am not here to offer you weapons or resources.” He said judging Yeh’s reaction he could tell the man wasn’t too impressed “my reasons are simple. A Clan that can’t stand on its own is not a Clan.” He pointed out “I have heard that the so-called Stone Spirits have offered to conquer Nueva Castile for you Quiaff?” Yeh nodded “and once they have finished the will leave you in peace Quineg? It is not our way to abandon what we have won in combat.”
“Not counting your personal prejudice against them.” Yeh noted “we do not have the resources to police the Nueva Castile so it is not something I was considering.”
“While I hear that the Sea Foxes are willing to give you the equipment you need.” Alex carried on showing that his people had paid attention to what the others were willing to provide. “While the Word of Blake, your wildcard invitation, are willing to offer you a place in the Inner Sphere.”
“Aff” Yeh admitted impressed that the Blood Spirit warrior knew so much.
“You do understand that if you took their offer you would never be a Clan again. The Word of Blake were once part of ComStar which was bad but actions that the Word took in the Inner Sphere have made them Dezgra to all Clansmen.”
“We are not currently considered Clan. We were Abjured. We are Dezgra too.”
“Because of the Serpents, my Clan is willing to overlook that decision.” Alex admitted he didn’t for certain know if the Old Khan would agree with him on this choice but her choice to fly all Clan flags on Colleen, including the Wolverine’s, made him think that she would. “We cannot help you conquer this nation it would waste resources that we do not have. However, we could offer you a place back within the Homeworlds.”
“Explain”
“Return with us to the Homeworlds. You will be given territory on our world” he explained “there the Goliath Scorpions will stand with the Blood Spirits.” He suggested “if your Clan fights alongside mine you will be able to rebuild at a pace your people are comfortable with and when the Homeworlds are once again ours you will have won your right to be part of them.”
“And what of the others?”
“You promised them a weapons demonstration correct?”
“Aff” Yeh admitted all of the parties wanted to see the Cruisers in action.
“Then you give them one.” Alex said coldly taking Yeh by surprise by the change in Alex’s demeanour and the immediate edge to it.
***
A couple of days later the Goliath Scorpions had gathered all of the parties together in the main auditorium along with several of the designers of the WarShips and Scorpion traders. Yeh had ordered his people to mingle with their guests but the numbers of Scorpions had also gone a long way to hiding a number of Blood Spirit warriors who were among the crowd. To maintain security the Scorpions had deployed several Elementals in full Battle Armour around the room, though no trouble was expected, Khan Yeh was apparently taking no chances. On large screens images of what the Scorpion WarShips were doing near Granada’s moon. Alex Lassenum remained near the other negotiating parties waiting for the right moment he glanced across at Khan Ingo Yeh who nodded ready quickly Alex Lassenum acted raising his communicator to his mouth “Echo, Delta, Tango” he said speaking the code phrase which translated simply to “Execute Designated Targets” without a moment’s hesitation Alex drew his sidearm and pointed it at the back of Demi-Precentor Zurbin’s head pulling the trigger on the pistol sending a burst of shots into the Word of Blake officer. He spun quickly smashing the weapon into the face of Sarah Campbell knocking out the Star Colonel. However even as Alex surveyed his immediate successes in taking out his two rivals a large blow slammed him in the back rolling out of the fall Alex twisted and got back to his feet only to see the bloodied Demi-Precentor Zurbin standing there looking enraged. Half of the man’s skull appeared to be missing since Alex’s attack and instead a massive metal plate had been exposed. The man’s eyes had an almost demonic red tone to them. Not hesitating Alex fired another burst from his sidearm into the man’s chest shredding the clothing and skin there but this time Zubin didn’t go down instead he looked at the bullet holes and the blood oozing from the wound before raising his right arm towards Alex where his hand had been a large barrel of a concealed weapon had been exposed. Even as Alex fired again he shouted at the Elementals to act as Zubin’s concealed laser blast tore across the space between him and Alex narrowly missing. Immediately the two Goliath Sorpion warriors fired bursts of weapons fire into Zurbin from their support machine guns knocking the man to the ground for a second time. Unfortunately there was no way for the troopers to control the spray of bullets and nearly a dozen other Goliath Scorpions were struck by the weapons fire some fatally. As Khan Yeh crossed the room the entire facility shook as heavy weapons fire struck the ground nearby.
“You said this would be as bloodless as we could make it.” Yeh said accusingly looking at Alex as medics rushed in to tend to the wounded.
“I didn’t expect a monster to rise in the place of the man” he said noting that the bombardment was continuing outside. “What is happening outside?”
“None of them expected the WarShips to be so close our shuttle transmissions put them off unfortunately his people are still active and moving away from their landing sites.” He explained looking down at the fallen Yeh had not agreed with Alex’s plan to use their WarShips to bombard all other visiting parties and to hide where the Goliath Scorpions were going but had eventually agreed. He hated targeting the Sea Foxes most of all but there was no way to inform them of their plan without the others finding out. The four Scorpion II-class Cruisers had positioned themselves above the Clan’s enclave running without their main sensors or transponders active instead leaving small craft near the moon to provide fake readings.
“Fine, we will do it the old fashioned way” Alex Lassenum decided raising the communicator to his mouth “Lassenum to all Spirits get to your Mechs.”
***
Nearly an hour later Alex Lassenum was in the fight for his life. He was seated in his Osteon OmniMech and locked in a battle with the Word of Blake unit while surrounded by Blood Spirit and Goliath Scorpion units. Despite the orbital bombardment which struck their landing zone the Word of Blake unit had survived and were at this moment pressing against the Clansmen hitting far harder than they had expected. What did not help was that each of the Word OmniMechs appeared to be of classes that were not in any battle library available to the Clansmen they faced meaning it was nearly impossible to guess their tactics.
As a group of tightly packed long range missiles slammed into his Osteon Alex turned to see a Goliath Scorpion Linebacker fall under enemy fire. He turned on the strange looking OmniMech that had attacked the Linebacker and looked at his sensor image from what he could tell it was it was no heavier than fifty tons and had particle cannon weaponry with some sort of blade attached to one of its arms. That made the Mech at least thirty-five tons lighter than his own assault design. He targeted the enemy design with his Mech’s four large pulse lasers and burned down the side of the enemy BattleMech burning the armour and removing the Mech’s right arm and leg under the vicious assault Alex’s immediate fire being too much for the enemy OmniMech. Even as the enemy fell his OmniMech was hit by two gauss rifles which tore over the torso of the Mech ripping into the armour. Turning he saw something that resembled a King Crab in some ways but had its arms arranged above the chassis instead of below Alex’s warbook named it as a Vanquisher just before two red laser beams burned into his Osteon’s right arm. Alex fired a group of pulse laser blasts into the one hundred ton BattleMech burning its armour as he cut to the right as his Mech cut through the undergrowth a group of particle cannons from a Word of Bake Brutus Armoured Vehicle cut into his Mech. Firing his pulse lasers again this time into the tank he felt a wave of heat rushing through his cockpit glancing at his sensors Alex knew he was in trouble with rising heat and slowly being surrounded by enemy unit’s.
“All units FIREFLY, I repeat FIREFLY” he commanded calling the retreat code “enclave command Omega Delta on my position in two minutes!” He commanded giving the code for further orbital bombardment as he began to try and back away from the enemy this time only firing two of his pulse lasers this time into the Vanquisher.
“Star Colonel Lassenum repeat your last!” The command base’s radio officer repeated Alex cursed inside his cockpit at the man’s use of his name hoping that the Word of Blake hadn’t penetrated their communications. He was snapped out of his cursing as two more gauss rifle slugs slammed into his Osteon’s ferro lamellor armour.
“Fine I’ll spell it out to you!” Alex snapped “all units are to fall back” he said looking at the cockpit clock “and I want orbital bombardment on this position in two minutes!”
“That is not in the Clan’s agreed engagement instructions” the man replied a moment later.
“I don’t care we’ve broken Clan Engagement Rules already today doing you stavag! Tie your targeting on my transponder, find this position and get those ships to fire when I asked.” He demanded firing his weapons this time into the Brutus which had turned its attention on a Blood Spirit Adder savaging the light OmniMech some how the light Adder remained standing under the assault. Around him he could see units were trying to disengage but that the Word of Blake were continuing to press. Taking a chance he launched the Osteon into the air flying into the centre of the enemy formation crashing down on top of a squad of Longinus Battle Armour troopers scattering them. He looked down at his clock and saw 01:30 displayed he twisted the Mech’s torso firing two pulse lasers into one unknown OmniMech before twisting the other way and firing another two pulse lasers into another target as weapons fire continued to fly all around him. The momentary confusion caused by his jump now over as an autocannon blast scattered across his Mech’s armour causing little damage he smirked thanking the Ferro Lamellor not for the first time as he twisted to face the enemy Mech and fired both pulse lasers again this time at his newest attacker with one connecting with its target he looked at the clock 01:00.. 00:59 ignoring further targets he jumped his OmniMech into the air trying to reverse his jump as missiles flew towards his Osteon. Landing near his original position he immediately jumped again 00:40 this time stopping to turn and engage another enemy Mech this one identifiable as a lightly armoured Excalibur which his pulse lasers had little trouble exploiting as they burned through the armour triggering an ammunition explosion. Before the enemy Mech succumb to its internal explosions another gauss rifle shot flew between the two Mechs ripping up the left arm of the Osteon destroying one of the large pulse lasers. Alex Lassenum ignored the damage firing another barrage of pulse laser fire this time into a Word of Blake hovercraft before launching into the air again 00:20 remaining.
He looked at his distance to two hundred and eighty metres still too close he thought as more laser fire struck his OmniMech. Ignoring the newest attacker he jumped again intending on increasing the gap as much as possible as his OmniMech rose he felt the Mech rock as more weapons fire struck its back. Only the Ferro Lamellor armour stopped a breach in the torso armour while one blast struck the Osteon’s head. On any other OmniMech Alex had piloted it would have meant that he was a dead man but not the Osteon with its torso mounted cockpit. Unfortunately the loss of the head section also saw most of his instruments including his clock short out as the OmniMech lost its sensors and suffered power failures. Bringing the OmniMech down in a heavy landing he staggered the Osteon forwards as munitions from the orbiting WarShips began slamming into the ground consuming several enemy units in their initial blasts. Alex had no idea how close the blasts were landing to him so he staggered forwards completely blind as more naval autocannon and naval lasers tore through the ground near the Word of Blake unit annihilating several of them.
As Alex continued forwards he couldn’t see the bombardment but he could feel it as the ground continued to shake for several minutes he just continued walking the Osteon in the same direction hoping he was heading the right way. He felt something strike his OmniMech and then what felt like a weight move over his Mech’s back before he could react he heard someone tap into his Mech’s communications system “Sir, you can stop the bombardment has broken the Word’s back and the JumpShip has left the system, it’s over.” The voice stated after a moment he realized that an allied battle armoured trooper had landed on his OmniMech.
“It is over for now” he said wondering if they had made another enemy.
Medical Ward, Washburn Royal Infirmary
Washburn, District of Marik
Free Worlds League
18th October 3109 Duchess Lucy Marik lay on her side looking across the bed at the small medical cot where her daughter Kaylee Marik quietly slept. Behind her father sat on a chair watching his daughter and newest grand-daughter Duke Bernard Buckwell had remained quiet until now “does he know she’s been born yet?” He asked
“Yes” she said “he’s surprised at what one night can produce but he sounded happy in the message I got.” She replied surprised that her husband’s guards and spies had done as she requested and kept quiet about the pregnancy. “He said he will have to order a review about our security arrangements here.”
“Over my dead body” her father replied “although he has a point.” He admitted why the guards had not reported what they had to have known was beyond Bernard Buckwell he hadn’t tried to buy them off but it appeared that these men and women were more loyal to their Duchess than their Captain-General something that likely would not continue.
“Whatever” she whispered quietly
“Perhaps it is time to reunite your family.” Bernard Buckwell said prompting the conversation in the direction he wished his daughter rolled over to look at him “I love having you hear Lucy. With your mother passing the last few months have been hard I’ve questioned many things but your place is with your husband ruling the Free Worlds League.”
“Probably not for much longer the elections will see Regulus rule us to our doom they will bring us fully into the conflict with the Capellans broadening our attacks on them. We will see war on all fronts something this League cannot survive.”
“That’s all the more reason for you to be with your husband and to show a united front for the nation. To bring everyone together little Zach has had enough time to recover from his operation it is time that his brother’s and sisters got to know him, including your newest addition.” He said looking over at baby Kaylee.
“But, what about you, who will look after you if I’m not here?”
“Your brothers and sisters are not that far away. It’s about time I began to bring Matthew up to speed on how to run this place anyway.”
“Don’t talk like that” she said scowling at him “you’ve got many years to go yet.” She said not bearing to lose him as well as her mother. Lucy Marik knew that her father was correct in what he had said ever since Joseph Marik had visited in January she had felt like there was a part missing from her life
Clan Nova Cat Command
Farstar, Nova Cat Occupation Zone
Periphery
25th October 3109 Since arriving back on Farstar Katrine Devalis had been in a worse mood than most of her warriors had seen her since she led them to the world and the invasion of the Draconis Combine. “I should have killed him” she said angrily looking at the reports and then to Galaxy Commander Malcolm West, her strongest supporter and the commander of Zeta Galaxy.
“Unfortunately the Khan is well within his right to recall the 450th Assault Cluster and the 109th Striker both commander require rest and refit which we still struggle to accomplish here.” West replied “the four clusters of additional troops that you brought with you should offset their loss.” He spoke of them like a combat loss.
“Two combat hardened commands replaced with four Clusters of men and women who have not seen enough fighting and have too many vehicles among them.” She said disgusted by her replacement units both the 450th and 109th had bled to hold this territory, though she wondered how dedicated they were to her cause.
“Then we blood them and show the Draconis Combine that there is more in these commands that inexperienced warriors. I especially look forward to the debut of the Strix and the SM-6 they should work well together.”
“Aff, the Khan certainly must believe that considering he allowed their developments in the first place.”
“They are simple weapons” Malcolm West said “we could never use them against the other Clans but against the Inner Sphere, it is something they will never expect.” He said relishing the new surprise the two vehicles, which were equipped with stealth armour, would bring to a new surprise to the Draconis Combine.
“We will send them to Leyland and Harshill and show the Combine that we still have claws.”
“The Sixth Sword of Light and Third An Ting are deployed over those two worlds.” West cautioned her.
“Then our four new Clusters will have their work cut out.” She declared smiling “deploy the Aspect of Glass with our troops they will take care of any naval resistance and provide aerospace fighter support but no naval bombardment, we are not barbarians.”
“I will ensure the ship’s complement is clear on your command.” West said leaving the room leaving Katrine Devalis to ponder her next move, despite Khan Canin Rosse’s efforts her people were stronger than ever, she would prove to their Clan that the Nova Cats had the might to take on the Draconis Combine and win. A few days later the the new Cluster available to the saKhan assaulted Harshill and Leyland assaulting the veteran command of the DCMS losses were high among the troops of the Seventieth Nova Cat Roar Cluster and the Sixteenth Nova Cat Vision Cluster but overall the operation was a success with the Sixth Sword of Light completely destroyed in the fighting and the broken Third An Ting Legion forced into retreat.
Elsewhere the Nova Cats expanded into two of the worlds of the Cat’s Tail further expanding the Nova Cat’s influence over their periphery region. The Nova Cat’s expansion both at their Den and in the Occupation Zone further shows that the Clan are not ready sit quietly on the sidelines.