Exercise Run
Colleen, Deep Periphery
Clan Homeworlds
1st August 3114Sometimes even a Khan just needed to get away from everything, with modern technology they could easily be in contact with command in moments and back within a command centre in hours, in Khan Alex Lassenem’s case today was one of those days yesterday had been a bad day for the surviving Clans in the Homeworlds. He’d needed a run and he’d run into the forests of Colleen.
After liberating Grant’s Station from Society and Dark Caste forces the Society had responded by detonating nuclear warheads buried under each major settlement on the planet essentially turning the once fertile world into a nuclear wasteland. Lassenem had ordered as much of the population evacuated as possible but the losses were high. Leading to his run far from the nearest Blood Spirits settlement on the planet into the wilderness of one of the few safe places in the Clan Homeworlds his people still successfully held Collen, Glory, Sheridan, New Kent and Hector successfully defending them with the Goliath Scorpions from Society incursions. Recently the Goliath Scorpions had colonized a new world known as Arizona which was on the far side of the Clan Homeworlds from Colleen and was intended on being the Goliath Scorpion’s new primary holding.
Unfortunately, the Clan’s greatest difficulty at present was their inability to build new WarShips Alex had tried for months to assemble the components to build a working shipyard but time and again they had failed to construct a working facility. Instead the Blood Spirits were forced to rely on capturing Society vessels or raiding weapons caches their most recent accusation had been three Molniya-class Corvettes originally build by Clan Wolf but abandoned after they found the ships were difficult to maintain the Blood Spirits didn’t have an option but to press them into service.
As he ran, he thought about different scenarios that his Clan could take to counter their weaknesses against the Society there was so much to think about. The Goliath Scorpions had begun to produce the Sun Bear OmniMech at their factory here on Colleen and they planned to build it on Arizona too further bolstering their medium Mech forces but still the Clan forces were badly outnumbered. One of his advisers had suggested taking one of their recommissioned Molniyas to the Inner Sphere to call on support from the other Clans…
Stopping his run for a moment Alex thought through the idea he wanted to head to the Inner Sphere personally to deal with the dezgra Stone Spritis but his desire for revenge had to wait until the Clan Homeworlds were liberated as for the other Clans. The Clans had abandoned their Homeworlds chasing down the dream of conquering Terra and becoming the ilClan. Of the Clans in the Inner Sphere the Bears, Nova Cats, Foxes and Ravens were most likely to return but all of them were significantly bigger than his Clan… once again the Blood Spirits would be the junior member of Clan society… which he didn’t like. Dealing with the Society was his mission, his Clan’s lasting legacy to the memory of Nicholas Kerensky.
Thanks to their successes against the Society and their successful defence of multiple systems against the dezgra scientists the Blood Spirits had fully reconstituted The Blooding, Blood Redeemers and the Bloody Resistance Galaxies each with five clusters while the Goliath Scorpions had successfully put back together two Galaxies of troops, still they were outnumbered by the Society and Dark forces. Each time he brought enough forces against them the Society retreated and used weapons of mass destruction or orbital bombardment scattering his people.
As he stood in the middle forest on the rough path suddenly things did not feel right things were too quiet. He turned on the spot his right-hand drifting towards his gauss pistol sidearm as his hand grasped the weapon, he felt the ground rock beneath him. Unlike the Blood Spirits previous home of York Colleen was not majorly tectonically active suddenly from beneath the ground a massive creature climbed out of the ground.
Coloured red the animal was clearly a mutated/modified scorpion with six powerful legs, two curved claws and a curved rear tail stinger. Alex dodged backwards away from the creature as its left claw swung out. Alex was aware of almost every species on Colleen and he didn’t know this one. As the claw sung past him again, he saw pronged hair sticking from the side of the claw, it reminded him of the mane of a Nova Cat, the swipe missed him again as he drew his pistol aiming down at the beast, he fired a shot into it. The creature’s armoured hide stood up to the strike and swung at him again this time it connected with his stomach ripping through his work out t-shirt but failing to penetrate the skin.
Alex rolled the opposite direction away from the beast as scorpion’s stinger struck out towards where he had been the sprayer sending an acidic substance onto the rocks and trees beside him. Alex grunted knowing no natural creature could spray such a substance he turned the pistol on it again and fired several shots into the scorpion’s side. The Scorpion’s blood spilled out from his hits but it then turned and swung its claws at him again fortunately missing. Alex fired another shot between its solid black eyes and ran knowing fine his pistol was out of shots and that the beast wasn’t going to be stopped so easily. He saw a large tree that would support his weight and jumped up grabbing a large branch he pulled as hard as he could launching himself up off the ground just as the scorpion’s pincers swung where his legs would have been. The scorpion’s stinger shot out more of the acidic goo burning into the tree.
High enough to be out of the creature’s reach Alex replaced the ammunition cartridge in his weapon and reached for his communicator, knowing he’d need help. He noticed it was gone and frantically began to look around seeing the communicator laying on the trail where he had been standing “stavag!” He muttered angrily. Trying to put the thought out of his head he took aim with his pistol and fire again into the creature but he knew he had no chance of defeating it with his pistol. He’d have to bide his time and hope that the tree held up and his enemy became tired.
Hours past and Alex Lassenum had felt himself begin to drift off to sleep several times but he was resisting it, he couldn’t take the chance of sleeping then falling off the branch. By now he knew that his subordinates would be looking for him, but he also knew the scorpion was in the area hearing it every now and then moving below in the growing darkness. He’d thought about it and while the Society probably would release such a creature they didn’t know where Colleen was, his Watch were good enough to have stopped their intelligence in its tracks, so there was only one likely cause for this beast’s origin and that was Clan Goliath Scorpion why they had created and released such a deadly alpha predator onto the world was beyond him. He raised the pistol into the air and fire a single shot he’d decided that if the weapon couldn’t penetrate the scorpion’s armour, he’d try a different tactic and use it like a signal flare.
The action attracted the scorpion’s attention and he felt another thump against the tree as one of its pincers and then the other collided with it again the tree withstood the attack. Alex began wondering how long he’d have to wait for help to arrive but before he could contemplate waiting longer help in its most unlikely form arrived.
He didn’t know if they’d been attracted by his pistol fire, the noise created by the scorpion’s attack against the tree or the smell of the scorpion’s blood but from the shadows two massive smoke jaguar big cats leapt onto the scorpion. From their attack Alex guessed the animals had been observing for a while as one jumped directly on the scorpion’s tail pinning its dangerous stinger into the ground tearing at the limb as the other jumped directly onto the massive scorpion. The scorpion’s size and strength was demonstrated as it continued to try and move as the jaguars launched their attacks tearing at its armoured hide with their incredibly sharp claws. While Alex’s pistol had not been particularly effective the jaguars sustained attacks quickly proved effective with a piercing scream the scorpion’s tail was ripped from its body spilling blood everywhere behind while the other jaguar’s claws tore into the scorpion’s back tearing at its organs. It was a methodical, vicious slaughter which Alex was witnessing the two jaguars showing exactly why Nicholas Kerensky had chosen it as Totem animal of the Clan.
Alex remained in the tree for an hour as the two smoke jaguars finished off the scorpion and then ate what they could of the animal leaving only its armoured carcass and its deadly tail. They then disappeared into the darkened forest around Alex. He allowed them to leave before jumping down and grabbing the communicator calling for extraction he was glad he’d insisted on his teams recovering as many of the Clan’s totem animals as possible and resettling them on Colleen far from the Society’s influences.
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It took an hour for the Blood Spirits to arrive and take Alex back to a command bunker. There he’d learned the true scale of this crisis eighteen attacks had been recorded all over Colleen with massive civilian casualties when the attacks had occurred in open areas. “Get me the Scorpions… NOW!” Alex demanded standing in the command bunker still wearing his ripped running gear a few minutes later the image of Khan Ingo Yeh appeared, the man did not look well. “Khan Yeh, explain what the hell is going on and tell my why you have betrayed us!” He said angrily.
“It… it was a mistake.” Yeh stammered over the worlds “Khan Lassenum, my Clan was developing a weapon that could be released onto an enemy world before an invasion and sow chaos. One of our scientists released them into the wild believing they deserved to live free and not be used as weapons. She has paid the price of her actions with her own life.” He explained the use of animals as weapons was distasteful but not anything worse than what the Society had done.
“That is not enough. Hundereds of people that my Clan has safeguarded from the Society are dead. You understand a price has to be paid and shown in public, Quiaff?”
“Aff, Khan Lassenum, I am ready to answer for my Clan.” Yeh responded surprising Lassenum with his willingness to answer his challenge himself. “Name your place and I will meet you in combat.”
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The next day Alex Lassenum was onboard his personal Osteon deep inside the OmniMech’s torso mounted cockpit near the Windsheer Falls a freshwater waterfall between Blood Spirit and Goliath Scorpion territory. The eighty-five-ton OmniMech originally belonged to the Society but he’d used it in an operation against them and had kept it as his own. Against him he watched as one of the new Sun Bear OmniMechs walked out into the space, this had to be a joke the Mech weighed thirty tons less than his Osteon this wouldn’t be a fight it would be a slaughter. “Khan Alex Lassenum, I am ready to answer for my Clan’s mistakes”
“Ingo, I am ready to offer you the honourable way out, use your own Mech.”
“Neg, the Sun Bear will serve my Clan in the future it is a symbol of our rebirth. I will show that it can fight.”
“Understood, fight well.”
“Seyla”
“Seyla” Alex replied immediately rising the Osteon’s two arms letting rip with his Hyper Assault Gauss Rifle and a wave of improved advanced tactical missiles. The gauss rifle shots sand-blasted all over the arms, torso and legs of the Mech. The missiles followed the hit blanketing the Mech in explosions, electronic noise and flame. The lighter Mech wasn’t finished yet firing its ultra autocannon and lasers at the Osteon. The assault autocannon tore through his Mech’s torso armour exposing massive chunks of its reinforced skeleton. The Sun Bear’s pulse lasers burned across the Mech’s torso but its extended range lasers missed their mark.
On his sensors Alex could see that the Sun Bear was near the point of overheating its systems struggling to cope with the attack and his magnetic pulse missiles. Instead of following up with more missiles he added several pulse lasers to a second volley of gauss rifle fire into the Sun Bear. The OmniMech weathered the attack although Alex could see the lighter design was struggling as gauss rifle slugs and lasers peppered the hull. To Ingo Yeh’s credit he didn’t give up after the attack instead he tried to attack again firing the autocannon on its own shells tore up the ground all around the Osteon but caused little in the way of damage. Alex returned fire with far more accurate fire to the still Sun Bear.
“I am sorry Alex” Ingo Yeh broadcast as the improved inferno ammunition exploded over the Sun Bear, Alex’s gauss rifles slugs slammed into the Mech moments later gutting the Sun Bear’s torso and cockpit killing the Goliath Scorpion Khan. Alex stood silent and watched the burning OmniMech topple backwards landing on its back there was no rushing to check if the pilot was alive, everyone watching knew he was already gone. Alex had been involved in the return of the Goliath Scorpions to Colleen saving the Clan from becoming lost in the periphery and now he’d killed their leader, a man he considered to be a friend.
Four days later new Khan Freema Kirov becomes the leader of the Goliath Scorpions. Now that the Goliath Scorpions have Arizona as a world of their own Kirov agrees to remove the Goliath Scorpions from Colleen leaving the Blood Spirits with their home but she also agrees to continue operations with the Blood Spirits against the Society.
Field Office, Irian News Network
Kirin River, Irian
Star League Protectorate
19th August 3114There was a gentle knock at the door and Marshal… no, General Richard Steiner rose from his chair straightening his new SLDF uniform as the door swung open revealing his wife, and the mother of his children, Duchess Kym Hasek liege lord of the Capellan March in the Federated Suns. She was as beautiful as the day she had met him when they’d both served in the unit he’d now taken from the Federated Suns and into the Star League Defence Force.
“Duchess, welcome to Irian” he said formally as she entered the News Network office Richard had commandeered as a command post. There was nothing in the room personal to him but she scanned the room not even looking at him.
“You couldn’t even meet me at landing?” She asked not looking at him instead picking up a small metal model of a Marauder II BattleMech.
“We have been busy” he said bluntly Clan Wolf were a constant menace to Irian at present, and the Uhlans were converting over to SLDF uniforms and supplies. The Uhlans were changing every day and it was upto him to make sure they were ready so far, the SLDF had agreed to rebuild the unit to its previous full Regimental Combat Team Federated Suns structure. They were also sending the unit masses of new trainees trained in the standard SLDF training meaning he had a lot of retraining to do.
“So, I saw outside” she said still walking around the office before finally looking at him, he could see her eyes were watering. “Why are you still here?” he could tell by her voice that she was talking about him and not just his unit.
“We’ve got a responsibility to the people here, we were saved by the SLDF and brought here away from the Capellan border, something the Federated Suns failed to do time and again.” He pointed out stating the facts. “My people feel they owe the SLDF for their actions, we have an enemy here that could devastate humanity.”
“I understand the consensus within the unit. The Federated Suns had the firepower to get you out, but the military failed to it would have resulted in a major war, but they could have done it.” She conceded “So, I understand the unit’s decision. I don’t agree with it and I think that the Kathil Uhlans should be able to return to Kathil with honour.” She said emphasizing where the unit was from. “But that choice has been made. My question is why are you here when you family are on Kathil.” She said he’d heard she had arrived on the planet alone their children had remained on the Capellan March’s capital world.
“I miss my family greatly; I have for the last two years.” He said he’d sent messages from Las Halles in the Free Worlds League, but never had a response to be fair he didn’t know if his messages had gone through. “But my duty is…”
“To the First Prince, the person you swore your loyalty to.” She snapped “You should come home.”
“My oath to the First Prince was to protect those in need, my unit needs me, there is a mission that needs done. I showed loyalty to the Federated Suns until the Federated Suns left us on our own at the arse end of the Free Worlds League!” He snapped back “They abandoned us, Duchess, I had more support from the leader of Las Halles than I did from my own wife!” He said angrily her eyes meeting his as the truth came out, he felt betrayed by her inaction to rescue his unit. In his eyes leaders of the Capellan March were supposed to stand for their people, and she couldn’t even stump up to support her husband’s units.
“My hands were tied, I asked Burton to act on your behalf he refused. He’s more concerned with holding our borders, the Draconis Combine, the Nova Cats, the Capellans all threaten us daily and your sat here…” When she’d left the Federated Suns the nation was engaged with the Nova Cats on one border and now since landing the Draconis Combine had pushed into the Draconis March as far as Crossing in a rapid invasion which had exposed how threadbare the Draconis March had been left by the invasion and defence of Benjamin and the salient of worlds that were near it. They couldn’t face everyone.
“Holding back the Wolves.” He said calmer this time there were threats everywhere he now faced those he’d been fighting for months; they were a bigger threat at the moment. “I go where I am ordered, I serve those in need, I serve with the people who have my back. The Federated Suns and SLDF are allies, the people in this unit could go home at anytime.”
“But you won’t come home to us?”
“I think the time we’ve had apart has proven that duty is a burden we both share, and one that is perhaps more of an influence than other things.” He said calmly “I belong here now; you have duties at home.” He said trying to keep this as painless as he could, they had met when they served together now duty was separating them.
“And what about your children? Do you not have a duty to them?”
“I hope to see them again as soon as it is possible.” He said he missed Andreas and Rebecca deeply but he’d had time from them taken away and now the Uhlans choice also separated them. “I’ll see them again in the future, if you are willing to let me.”
“You’re their father. The door will always be open you’ll always be welcome at home.” She said finally looking around the room “Is this us?” She said finally approaching the topic they’d both danced around.
“Perhaps” Richard admitted pausing before speaking again “perhaps in time we will both approach things differently.” He suggested, “for now we are on slightly different paths” he said rather bluntly.
“Should your path take you back to Kathil you will be welcome General” she said finally looking at him. “Good luck, Richard to you and your Uhlans.” She said and without another word she walked from the room. After a few minutes the side door to the office opened and Freema Smit, former Prefect of Las Halles stepped into the room.
“I’m sorry” she said stepping into the room, she’d heard their discussion it had been nearly impossible to miss.
“It’s not your fault.” He said quietly pretending to read reports putting both his wife and Freema to the side. “Duty drives us.”
“Yes, even when it causes us pain” she said moving over to one of the couches. “Do you think she suspects?” She asked sitting down opposite him “about us?” She asked the loaded question that was between them.
“While she likely doesn’t know fully about “us” but she knows that as the Duchess of the Capellan March she abandoned me and the Uhlans. For now, that’s all she needs to know for certain, allow that hurt to land before I add to her hurt.” He explained continuing to read the reports.
“She’s the duchess of a House region she has resources which will allow her to see exactly what you are upto… and who with.”
“That’s her choice” he said looking up at her “I’ve made my choice; I know who was there for me when I needed them.” He explained making it clear he meant her.
Trial of Position
Sheridan, Wolf Empire
25th August 3114 During a routine initial Trial of Position on Sheridan one of the candidates makes a name for himself by taking down three opponents in his Trial. While not an extraordinary feat for a Trueborn warrior Alaric Wolf’s third kill happens to be the other Cadet Wolf pilot who is in the Trial with Alaric executing the other pilot with a particle cannon blast from one of his customized Blood Reaper’s main guns. Further adding to the mystery of Star Captain Alaric Wolf his blood heritage is not exactly clear as he stands for no house during his Trial of Position despite being a trueborn warrior due to his lack of a house he is assigned to the newly formed Ninth Wolf Guards cluster a unit made up of mostly freeborn warriors using standard Inner Sphere and modified Inner Sphere BattleMechs.
Border skirmishes
Nova Cat’s Den/Federated Suns
30th August 3114 The border skirmish between Clan Nova Cat and the Federated Suns continues as Clan Nova Cat invade the world of Minette crushing remnants of the Fourth New Avalon Guards RCT which had been rebuilding on the world. The much depleted Fourth New Avalon are no match for two full clusters of the Nova Cat’s recently raised Zeta Galaxy made up mostly of recently graduated ristar warriors the men and women of Zeta Galaxy wish to prove their worth to Clan Nova Cat.
Things do not go completely the Nova Cat’s way however as Federated Suns forces push the Nova Cats off Symsonia, Des Aro and Zolfo severely damaging the Nova Cat forces on all three worlds forcing them deeper into the Nova Cat’s Den.
One setback the Federated Suns has is from an unexpected source. The Twenty-first Illician Lancers Regiment raid the world of Merowinger intent on driving home the Federated Suns intentions in stopping the Nova Cats and driving them back into their own territory however as the unit assaults the world their DropShips are hit by a wave of capital and sub-capital missiles fired from the surface of the world. Heavily damaged before they even make it fully into the atmosphere the Illician Lancers detect several Verne Cargo Subs which are sitting on the surface of Merowinger’s main ocean launching missiles from their cargo holds. How the Nova Cats gained access to the Inner Sphere class of Submarine was a question for another day for the Illician Lancers they were a problem for today and one they could not fully counter. Under the hail of fire, the Lancers land only to be engaged and destroyed by elements of the 454th Nova Cat Pouncer Cluster which were prepared to engage them as soon as the DropShips landed. This use of a planetary defence system is a first for the Nova Cats or any of the other Clans as far as the Federated Suns are aware.
