Cavalli’s Cavaliere

[Nav_Alpha]

After action report put together for Precentor Colin Galvin

Sir,

As discussed previously, while clean up measures are still ongoing, we can confirm the following:
At approximately 0500, a collapse was detached in Maglev Primary Tunnel 4. Emergency protocols were put into place automatically and power was cut to the tunnel and  surrounds - that included several security measures for the Deimos Facility.
Shortly afterwards, a detachment from Precentor Logan's "Banshees" detected movement just outside the wire and an extra Level II was scrambled.

A brief firefight ensued as approximately a company of Battlemechs assaulted security elements. A mixed armour and Battlemech Level II then arrived at the scene of the breach and engaged the enemy, who by this point had pushed in toward the main buildings.
A savage duel between an attacking Crusader and two of our Gurkhas and a Zhukov saw the attacking Crusader destroyed. Unfortunately, the Mechwarrior ejected and was picked up by an attacking Archer. While both our mechs and the tank were later destroyed, this triggered a retreat by one attacking lance (with the ejected mechwarrior).

A Demi Company of attackers, led by a Marauder II managed to hold open the breach long enough for a large force of infantry to move into the facility. Several platoons were dispatched as blocking elements, while others descended into the workers' barracks and work areas underground.
It was about this point we detected a general uprising among the workers and began liquidation operations.

Precentor Logan's troops performed admirably - in close combat outside the main building, we believe a single platoon destroyed at least one attacking vehicle and an entire squad of Battle Armour. Manning their guns to the last, most of our defenders were unfortunately killed as the attackers advanced.

Despite our best efforts, we estimated more than 1000 prisoners managed to escape (we have subsequently recaptured or eliminated several hundreds) and we managed to destroy significant amounts of enemy infantry.

Our security troops succeeded in knocking out an enemy Crusader (the pilot managed to eject and made pick up with his comrades) and destroying a Quickdraw. One of the Banshee squads intercepted the pilot and he was slain trying to escape.

Toward the end of the action, we intercepted the following transmission:

Voice one (laboured, heavy breathing):
Cavalli! Get the hell out, you've done all you can and we're not getting back out.

Voice two:
You still have our ship, Colonel. I'm lot leaving you to die only to get stuck here on this dirt ball too.

Voice one (there's a sound of firing in the distance)
Dammit, merc. My people won't trouble you. Just tell them. Tell them-
There's a sudden intense series of explosions.

Voice one: Hauber, on the right! another one of those damn cyborg freaks!

More firing. Someone is screaming.

Voice one: Merc, get out. Your ship is prepped and we'll hand it over. Just get out and tell them what's going on here.

As these attackers retreated, we managed to re-engage several security measures earlier knocked out by the power outage. Minefields and automated defences came back online, trapping the bulk of the attacking infantry inside to be destroyed at will.
The Battlemechs managed to escape however - one Awesome even picked up an arm shot off a Word Dragon Fire earlier and used it much like a broom to clear its way through the mines.

Two Dropships were detected boosting for orbit a short time later.

[Nav_Alpha]

ATTN: Strategic Military Directorate, Sian
FROM: Sang-Shao Nickoslav Ivanonnich, Corey Home Guard
CC: Lucy Westin, External Relations liaison, Hollis incorporated
June 11, 3072

Honoured directors,

I wish to update you on the recent Word of Blake sponsored attack on Corey. Three days ago our long range scanners detected two to three dropships burning in from the Zenith jump point. Lacking dedicated aerospace fighters the Home Guard were forced to dig in and await attack.

Planetary command alerted all the relevant agencies and placed the Hollis Incorporated security forces on high alert.
Three days later, the attackers made planetfall about 350km north of Valasha. I scrambled several companies of recon troops which made fleeting contact with the attackers.

One scout platoon managed to ID the attackers as Barton's Boozefighters, mercenaries in the Word of Blake's employ who were last spotted on Saiph.
Following intermittent contact the mercenaries vanished and then executed a suborbital burn for Valasha. Hotdropping on the outskirts of the city, these Boozefighters made a direct push toward the Hollis facility.

Amid the city, the mercenaries met a determined effort by my Home Guardsmen who held their positions. Massed fire from vehicles and dug in infantry almost stopped the mercenaries near the Chancellor Barbara Liao Metro Beidge.
However, the Mercenary Battlemechs were able to Ford the Hui River and smash through buildings on the opposite side, inflicting considerable damage and loss of life.

Outflanked, I was forced to call in artillery and even an an air strike by the 401st Conventional Bomber Group. Boxed in and taking casualties the mercs rushed back across the river, leaving several of their comrades for dead.

The attackers retreated back to their dropships and left the planet within the next few hours. We estimate the raising party was made up of a reinforce Mech company and a mixed armoured/BA company.
During the brief fight they suffered the loss of several vehicles and two Battlemechs, including a Victor.

While the target of the attack seems to have been the Hollis plant, the mercenaries never got particularly close to the facility and Hollis sustained no damage.

ADDED NOTE BY CCAF INTELLIGENCE:
- directors, this is one of several recon raids originating from the Protectorate. Similar attacks have hit Phact and Lesalles.
We suspect the Word is probing our defenses ahead of an offensive.

[truetanker]

Good looking update there Nav!

TT

[Nav_Alpha]

Acubens, June 17 3072

Captain Fargo Hambelton let out a pure animal snarl as the command bunker's radio dissolved into static again.
"One problem with getting us to defend a power plant, eh Skipper? The damn place shorts out all our electronic," the radio tech said with a grin.
Fargo glared at the young woman - she was dressed in the same black fatigues, trimmed in red as he and the rest of his Hsien Hotheads company. And she wore a giant shiteating grin.

Bravo Company, 2nd battalion - aka The Firewalkers - of Hsien Hotheads had been shifted to Acubens three weeks ago as part of the Hotheads' contract to rotate through various Protectorate worlds. So far, all they'd seen had been the Texicon Power Station, which provided energy for most of the Acubens' primary continent and the drop port.
But that made a break from training Protectorate Militia and chasing down Liao insurgents in Hsien. Not to mention seeing the CO carry on as the new duke.

"Y'know sergeant, you're right. It strikes me that Raiders could be landing just outside our gates and we wouldn't know a blessed thing," the captain shot back.
"Come to think of it-"

His quip was cut off by a deafening explosion and then the sudden scream of alarms across the complex.
More explosions followed and the radio suddenly burst back into life.
"This is Firewalker Four, we have Mechs pouring in from the forest! Say again, we have-

********************************************************************
After their success on Pollux, the Cavaliere embarked on one more raid before heading back to Augustine for refit and rest. Dropping under the cover of a seasonal meteor shower, they easily evaded Acubens' long ranges scanners and crept through the extensive Drakwalk Forest Reserve to the sprawling Texicon power station. The fission generator provided energy to much of the main population centres, Alys' Resistance hoped its destruction would render citizens angry with with Blakist overlords.

Cavalli and his men found a light company of Hsien Hotheads - mercs rotated in to supplement the Acubens Protectorate Militia - along with two lances of militia tanks.
Striking from two flanks, Cavalli managed to draw off several Hothead mechs while sending the remains of Fire Lance into the complex. Targeting several tanks of natural gas, Fire Lance caused major damage to the plant.


Cavalli and his remaining troops then broke contact having destroyed three tanks, a Hothead Stinger and a War Dog. The raiding mercs suffered no significant damage.

Within hours of the continent-wide blackout, citizens were rioting against Word of Blake "incompetence" and Militia troops came down hard - firing on several crowds and arresting hundreds.
Low level riots and acts of sabotage would continue for another three months and while they tied up Blakist rescources, never really had the desired effect of enacting large scale rebellion.
The Blakists techs had the power plant partially online in three days and back up and running within in four weeks.
- Blood and Fury - Free Worlds Press, 3086


Back to Augustine for some R&R. We are down to eight effective mechs and we're still down in the armour and BA departments. We'll do some recruiting locally, but we are still going to be light handed.
I'm thinking I might need to reach out to our second company on Galatea and get them moving. Although with HPG traffic either out or flowing slowly, it'll be more than a month before I get word to them.

-Felix Cavalli

[Nav_Alpha]

So much for R&R. The Duchess personally came to us to ask us to burn out on a special mission.
Seems one of her former assets got himself captured. He was a Captain in the FWL Legionnaire on Atreus and when the Blakists took over he grew more and more disgruntled. Eventually he started passing the resistance intel until he got caught about a year ago. Someone he managed to slip away under s false name and made his way to Irian.
But his cover was blown and now he's locked up. If they crack him he has the potential to give up a lot of people on Irian and Atreus. We need to either extract him or kill him.

There's just like three Protectorate Militia Divisions and a bagful of mercs waiting in Irian...
- Felix Cavalli

Rhys Sarum-Smith wrinkled his nose at the cold, clean and antiseptic smell of Kirin River.
An entire planet and it seems lifeless, he mused as he stood patiently on the moveable sidewalk that took him on a direct route from the sprawling glass and chrome Word of Blake compound to the Irian Protectorate Militia barracks.
Everything was moving walkways, high tech displays and climate controlled malls that seem to go on for kilometres.
After just over a decade with the Word of Blake's elite Light of Mankind, Sarum-Smith's superiors had determined he needed a rest.
He didn't dispute that - but a tour with ROM teaching Protectorate Militia "advanced interrogation techniques" wasn't his idea of R&R.
At least call it torture, he thought grimly.

Kill a rogue dictator and trigger a war between two Houses, infiltrate a factory world and help seize the supposedly unconquerable factory. And this is the thanks you get?

But his latest job was interesting. A former FWL Legionnaire. He'd crack, Sarum-Smith thought.
They always do.

[Nav_Alpha]

Commando unit Force 101 remains a shadowy unit not officially acknowledged by the Marik Resistance's organisers or even Devlin Stone. Half truths, rumours and even pro-Blakist propaganda points to its involvement in a dozen operations across the Word of Blake Protectorate and Marik space between 3071 and 3080.
Unlike other units, such as Stone's Trackers Force 101 was never publicly embraced by Stone following the Jihad's end.
Instead, they continue to live on only in myth and legend.

It's thought the core group was probably made up of Eagle Corps elements - including many Eyrine Defense Force troopers - who refused to side with Corinne Marik and her collaborator regime, rumours also abound of other elements inside the unit including former ComGuards and possible even Fury Team members who joined as the Jihad progressed.

Always a dedicated infantry/special forces unit, Force 101 made use of a variety of unusual and special weapons and preferred irregular tactics compared to their more conventional comrades in the Coalition.
One report puts them on Irian in 3072, operating in conjunction with Alys Marik's conventional forces.
Despite facing considerable opposition, several squads of Force 101 infiltrated a maximum security Irian complex and freed a captured operative.

According to Word of Blake reports, about a dozen commandos used recoiless rifles, light machine guns and sniper rifles to hold off four or five their number of Militia troops in the urban wastes outside Kirin River.
Several commandos sold themselves dearly, fighting to the last as the Word shifted Battlemech and tank assets to the choke point and whittled out the infantrymen.

- Jihad: Secret Soldiers and Ghosts.
Galatea Entertainment special program, 3101

So we got our man. This son of a bitch better be worth it, because we lost a lot of people back there.
After burning in, using stolen IFF codes, we linked up with elements of the Irian  partisan league who gave us the location of our captured operative.
The WoBBIes were holding him in the most secure  spot on the planet - the IrTech facility at the base of the Soapstone Mountains. Yep, the sprawling, high tech and highly defended mech factory.

After consulting with the special forces infantry Alys had sent along we started a campaign to draw the defenders out - hitting minor targets around Port Kirin until the Protectorate Militia scrambled.
The we struck. Three nights ago we mounted an assault on on minor entrances - it's a combined refuelling station/Maglev junction with a Mech sized underground entrance.
IrTech Security actually proved tougher than the quislings in the Militia and fought damn hard to keep us out. We lost the Gladius and the Harrasser to combined turret fire and dug in infantry before we could crack that gate.

 The boys from Force 101 descended into the depths to grab our man while we set up ambushes and played cat and mouse in the tunnels with the security troops.

Blacked out tunnels, BA popping up from no where, Mechs stalking through the factory. It was Hell.
SueEllen bought it - last I saw of her, her Bandersnatch was blazing away with both ACs at a Gulliotine and and Albatross in a side tunnel.
Once we got the word our objective was secure we all had to hightail it - inside the factory we were being squeezed by probably two companies. Outside Fire Lance and our infantry were holding maybe another company at bay but casualties were mounting.

The Commandoes took over the rear guard and we hustled the objective outside just as our droppers landed.
Both ships took some serious hits as they came down in the middle of the battlefield and we were damn lucky to escape.
- Major Joe Paige

[truetanker]

I build the guy a brand-new, well slightly used, arm and he hasn't even used it yet...  ^-^

Good write up there Nav! Can't wait to see what you're gonna write about next.

What's the damage?

TT

[Nav_Alpha]

Down to seven mechs, four tanks and one hover. All the BA is gone and regularly infantry have taken a few casualties.
In terms of replacements, I've got two salvaged mechs and a whole captured mech and pilot who will be joining us.

Im going to have get some lucky recruitment rolls on Augustine.

Meanwhile, second company is recruiting back on Galatea. They're now at two lances, plus an Armoured Lance.
Of course, how many of them make it out.... (it's fast approaching October 3072... y'know, when the Robes come a calling on Galatea)

[snakespinner]

TT that arm is being used for more important things, lifting all the beers he's drinking. :D
You really need to bring your units together and start a rebuilding and training program.
Doing the attack on Irian, I was surprised anyone survived. Nice work. O0

[Nav_Alpha]

It also makes a hell of a beer opener. And we'll, let's just say the missus loves it...

[DOC_Agren]

It also makes a hell of a beer opener. And we'll, let's just say the missus loves it...

Damm that has some neat attachments   O0

[snakespinner]

I thought that the vibrating attachment was secret and not to be mentioned. :D >:D O0

[Nav_Alpha]

Rhys Sarum-Smith leaned back in his chair, the recliner whirring as it adjusted to his new position - like everything about Irian it seemed determined to make everything easy on people.
He'd been staring at the message for almost an hour now.

Since the attack on Irian over a month ago, he'd been desperate to strike back at the rebels. And now, with one simple message he'd finally gotten the opportunity.

Reaching forward - the damn chair shifted and moved again - he picked up his personal comm and dialed a number.

"It's me. Yes. Yes. Activate the agent," he said.

And with that it was done. An important asset would be compromised and probably lost but it was worth it.
Because he was about to bring down Alys Marik.


In-bound for Berenson, August 19 3072

The Colonel is madly planning his wedding, so I'm leading this op. A month of refit and rest has just about got us up to strength again with a full gaps we're still filling.
We'll drop in, smash this munitions depot, meet up some of these on-world partisans and get the hell out.
And then it's back to Augustine to see the CO get hiched.
- Joe Paige

[Nav_Alpha]

It was a trap. We reached the RV for our contacts and found them dead. Not just dead... butchered. Whoever had done it had had fun and taken their time.
I'd say the bodies were a week old - our last supposed contact with these guys was just three days before contact.
That meant we'd been played the whole time.

We saddled up to get the hell out when we ran into a Protectorate Militia patrol - three mechs and three tanks against our eight mechs.
I figured we'd smash through them and get Back to the dropper - but that's when those cyborgs struck

Three Celestials burst from cover and came charging in on our rear. Meanwhile, arty had zeroed in on us and began to drop shells.

I screamed for air support to take down the artillery (two Sniper tubes set up in the ridge line) and we wheeled back to hit the Celestials. A Deva, a Grigori and a Malak we later ID'd them as.
All three were in dark grey  with red trim and I can assure you all three were piloted by elite cyborgs.

We barely got out - all our mechs were battered but Benji had holed that Malik with his new Battlemaster's light gauss and I managed to keep the other two off us, so we could break contact.

We didn't lose anyone. Somehow.
But the whole thing was a setup - we've been betrayed by someone inside either the unit or the Duchess' resistance.
We're burning for Augustine now. Where I hope we get to the bottom of this.
- Joe Paige

Channel 7 Augustine News - Live recording August 29

Kyle Rodgers: And now we go LIVE to Melissa Koch at The Eagle Club, where the nuptials of famed Mercenary commander Felix Cavalli and his beautiful bride Reyda Johnston has just concluded.

The image shifts from the bald and portly anchor to a woman in her early 20s wearing a long gown and holding a microphone.
Behind her there's the hustle and bustle of guests taking their seats, talking and circulating.

Koch: that's right Kyle, we are Told Colonel Cavalli and his bride will make a speech any moment now.

The camera zooms past her to the crowd.

Koch: gathered here today are some of the cream of Augustine's upper class, along with representives from the Free FWL military and Mercenary commands.

The camera zooms in on Alys Roussett-Marik. She's forgone military dress for formal wear and is wearing a plunging gown in Marik Purple, with her brown hair pulled up into an eloborate combination.
She's speaking with a tall black man in the grey and maroon of the Cavalliere.

Rodgers: now, I understand the Colonel's um... err Cavaliers ran into some trouble recently on Berenson?

Koch: sorry, Kyle. It's looking like the bride and groom are arriving.

Camera pans to gathered crowd as the couple arrives, all smiles.

He's in the maroon and grey of his unit, chased with silver decorations and a ceremonial sword.
Her white dress is eloboratly worked and expensive. Her veil is thrown back to show off her blonde curls.

The chatter and laughter stops short as the smiling pair take their places.

Cavalli: I would like to thank everyone again for coming today for our very special day.
Unfortunately, we are missing some dear friends and family who couldn't make it from Galatea. But none the less, we are so happy to have you all
Honey?

He turns to his wife. Johnston has taken a glass of sparkling wine and smiles at her new husband.

Johnston: thank you all.

She raises her glass.

I only would like to say a few things.

As she talks, Duchess Alys Marik walks into the frame so she stands in front of the couple.

Johnston's eyes seem to change and she spins toward the Marik.

Johnston: PEACE OF BLAKE BE WITH YOU

There's Chaos. The camera seems to have been knocked askew and the reporter is now kneeling.
The camera shifts - people are running about and from further back there are several booming explosions, dust and smoke blocks,the view.

The bride now has a gun - a sleek auto feed needler pointed  at Marik. Two security trooper  lay dead at her feet.

There's another large explosion.

The camera is still rolling but the sound seems to be off. Cavalli is trying to get in between Johnston and the duchess, but his bride turns on him and fires.

At least one needle now sticks out of his side, but the rest seem to have bounced off his left shoulder and arm with a shower of sparks, although they shredded his jacket.

Johnston turns the gun back on Alys. And opens fire at the same instant Cavalli jerks his arm back up. The hand bends down at an alarming angle as the barrel of a weapon pops Free.

Sound returns just in time for the rapid gunfire and the picture dissolves into static.

[snakespinner]

Well they found the Toaster agent.
That's going to hurt the Colonel badly. O0

[Deadborder]

Well that was unexpected

[DOC_Agren]

Damm
Guess the bride missed the upgraded arm?

[truetanker]

Hmmmm... did I do that?  ::)

Wonderful chaos and a beautiful write up there Nav!

TT

[Nav_Alpha]

AMC recording - Nov01-3072-AUGUSTINE-FWL

VOICE ONE: could you state your name for the record?

BARRETT: My name is  Teige Barrett, I'm a lieutenant in Cavalli's Cavalliere. Mauler lance, second company.

VOICE ONE: And could you tell us a little about yourself Lieutenant?

BARRETT: sure. I was born on Samantha in Taurian space but have been an independent Mercenary for more than 10 years, like my father and grandfather. Most recently, i spent three years in Gordon's Armoured Cavalry, 1st battalion. Before that I've worked across Taurian, Cappie, St Ives and FedRat space. I've also pulled stints as a bounty hunter and even spent two years dragooned into the CCAF's Home Guard.
Oh yeah, and I pilot a Whammy.

*** as this happens an image forms.***
It shows a 2d shot of a man leaning against a mech's massive leg. He's short and heavily built with dark hair cut short and a close cropped beard. A large golden ring hangs from one earlobe and there's a hint of lurid tattoos peaking out from under his cooling vest's collar.
The armour plate behind him is decorated in a garish mural showing a nude, red headed woman cradling a laser rifle and flipping the bird. Only scant strips of tartan and the bulky rifle hide her modesty

VOICE ONE: right. Lieutenant, as you know we are still desperate to pull together an accounting of events from Galatea. Your testimony will be most helpful.

BARRETT: Well, I can only give you the view of one 'jock on the ground. But I can assure you it was hell.

VOICE ONE: Please elaborate Lieutenant.

BARRETT:  well, a lot of people have heard about this Highlanders ruse the Word used, right? We hadn't heard a thing.
First we knew was dozens of fighters and dropships pulling a high speed, low pass over the Galatea City centre.

* EDITOR'S NOTE: witness reports appear to back rumours the Word masqueraded as the long lost Northwind Highlanders to approach Galatea before attacking***

My lance was on stand down while the Captain, Asuka had taken her lance and a Demi lance of new hires in tanks out for a shakedown on the range. We had another lance of prospective recruits bunking in with us when the whole compound shook from a low flyer.
Then the explosions started and I got everyone to warm up there rides ricky-tick.
ECM was partially jamming most channels but I got through to the CO - her two lances were moving through the city towards us - but it was utter chaos.

When I went outside I could see the Mechs hanging in the sky or dropping towards us on plasma.

VOICE ONE: they were hotdropping INTO the city?

BARRETT: wild, eh? These guys were straight up suicidal or crazy good. Both I'd say.

There seemed to be running gun fights everywhere. By this point I'd set up a perimeter and pushed out a couple streets. We gathered up any non-combatants and just as an after thought I decided to push out some scouts to check the way to the spaceport was clear.
I didn't want to run, but figured it was worth having options open.
I got Kylie in her Wasp and Trev in his Jenner - both from the prospective lance to cross the river and take a look.

That's when they hit us.

VOICE ONE: are you able to ID your attackers.

BARRETT: at that point it was just a merc outfit - Bullard's Armoured Cav. A lance of heavies came jumping in over the buildings to our front just as some Word ASFs came in low and strafed the hell out of the compound using infernos and cluster bombs.
Everything was on fire as we advanced my lance and started sniping through the wreckage.
About the same time, Asuka and her mechs and armour arrived. It would have gone pretty much all in our favour at this point but just as she reached us another lance of heavy Armoured Cavalry backed up by a lance of tanks burst from nowhere and ripped into them.

VOICE ONE: you've mentioned Mercenary attackers at this point. Did you face Word troops? Shadow Division troops?

BARRETT: yeah, ok! I'm getting to it dammit.
So around now, Kylie radios in as she comes charging down the street. She's run straight into a full Level II of Shadows. Mechs, BA and these damn fast tanks with some sort of stealthy armour.
Her Wasp was all shot up but she managed to get back.

VOICE ONE: they got her lancemate? Trev?

BARRETT: nah, bastard ran at the sight of the Shadows. He left poor Kylie for dead and  ran off.
So Kylie tells us the Shadows are holding the main bridge across the river to the spaceport.
We're struggling to hold these mercs back at this point - two tanks brewing up and Asuka's Lynx is missing an arm. So she orders my lance to break contact and fall back to the west.
See, I've got the unit CO's two kids in my lance. I figured she wanted them out safely.

As we fall back we run straight into the Shadows. 47th Shadow Div is what we are hearing. I dunno, all I know is suddenly we are facing down three zombie machines that won't go down.
We played hide and seek with them as we moved toward the river.
Desperate for help I'd radioed the puke running the prospective lance - he was mid way through telling me he was on my six when his radio cut out.

Later we learned his 2ic put her Dervish's SRM launcher up against his cockpit and turned him into mince.
It was Everyman for himself it seems.

VOICE ONE:  your unit took extensive causalities reaching the spaceport?

BARRETT: you could say that. The next couple of hours saw the CO fighting a rearguard - it doesn't sound much but a one armed Lynx and a Wolfhound will hold off most things.
My lance barrelled forward, pushing through Shadows, Word regulars, Pro Word mercs and general mercs shooting up whatever the hell they wanted.
Our provisional lance had pretty much shattered - the rogue Dervish was flayed by the captain and staggered away, Milsom's Wolverine was incinerated by an Archangel and only Kylie had caught up with us.

We managed to ask our way to an alternative bridge across the river when another couple of Shadow mechs and some of those ghoulish looking BA suits jumped us.

We started trying to get our more damaged machines across as I charged the two mechs - another Archangel and a Grigori. My lance number four Godric came with me.
Lord love him. That kid was keen and he went down swinging. But he still died.
Another one of our guys, the Bloodhound pilot - I need got his name - had a bad ejection and sorta splattered against a building.

I didn't see it because he'd managed to ford the river when a Gurkha popped up from no where and gave him the full business.

VOICE ONE: so you then managed to cross over to the drop port and escape?

BARRETT: hell no. We had most of the unit over when they realised the other side was crawling with Blakists. They'd been sitting over there picking off stragglers who escaped the main fighting.
Meanwhile, I was still facing down these two Celestials and readying myself to meet my maker.

The Captain called the dropper and ordered them to punch through the Blakist cordon over the port and meet us outside town.
Moses Cavalli and I were pretty much the only ones left on our side of the bridge, so we started working our way down river hoping we could cross further down.
Meanwhile, most of our guys went into the river and waded downstream to the new LZ

It all sounds very easy, but it was another two hours of run and gun before we reconnected with the rest of the unit and boarded that dropship.

Somehow we managed to burn out of the system. Seeing that independent freighter waiting for us at the jumpoint was the sweetest sight I've ever seen.
*****************ENDS********************************

So, I ran the Burning Bridges Chaos track... and it was interesting. Probably the best but was the lance running under the pandemonium rules. One went rogue and declared for the Word, another decided to get the hell out of there. The poor tank lance was also playing under these rules but mostly never got to do anything about it
Two died in the second turn. The other two elected to hold tight and take care of themselves under the pandemonium rules - but both got smoked by enemy fire in the same turn!
A rather fun game. Shame about the two mechwarriors we lost however.


Teige Barrett formerly served as a mechwarior in 1st battalion, Gordon's Armoured Cavalry and before that had spent close to a decade in half a dozen smaller commands along the Taurian, FedSuns and Liao border regions. He's also pulled stints As a bounty hunter - independently and with the likes of Harden's Howling Wolves.

He has faced pirates, Davion raiders, Taurians and their defecting countrymen and even spent some time assisting the CapCon retake the St Ives Compact.
For generations the Barretts have served as mercs' mercs - never staying too long with one unit, frequently moving the length of the Inner Sphere seeking adventure and money. Barrett's father was one such journeyman, who eventually settled on Samantha after meeting a local girl and served out his days with the TDF.

He handed the mantle of the wandering merc onto Teige, who took the family Warhammer and headed for the Hiring Hall at 18.
 
His Warhammer has been lovingly handed down through the years and bears many scars and jury-rigged parts. Originally a Star League era WHM-6Rb, it was downgraded some 200 years ago. Rumour has it, that a Barrett actually piloted it during the invasion of Terra but refused to follow the SLDF into exile.

Barrett was able to scrounge the required parts during the Cavalry's action on Brusett to upgrade 'Heartbreaker' back to its original glory, complete with an Artemis IV system and advanced Heatsinks.

Ironically, while he finally fulfilled his forefathers' quest to restore the mech to its lost advantage, the raid was unsanctioned and the unit fell into disgrace.

Unhappy at the poor supply situation and lack of action, he resigned his commission and headed to Galatea in late 3071.
A string of short contracts with minor merc units over the next year saw him yearning for a new - possibly long term -  home.

[Nav_Alpha]

So, this is essentially what the Cavaliere will look like at the end of 3072. They have one more mission to carry our for the Free World Resistance before that contract finishes up.

1st Company

Command lance
Marauder II MAD-4S Felix Cavalli
Awesome AWS-9M Joe Paige
Thunderbolt TDR-7SE Conal Blair
Nightsky NGS-5S Raita Mbugua

Fire lance
Archer ARC-8M Peder Hammarskjold
Dervish DV-1S Electra Reva-Singh
Hunchback HBK-5M Jenna St George

Battle lance
Awesome AWS-9M Antje Vermer
Quickdraw QKD-5M Homer Ebbs
BattleMaster BLR-5M Benji Sukumaran
Banshee BNC-5S Dexter Liu"

2nd company

Hunter lance   
Lynx LNX-9Q Asha Akouayn
Wolfhound WLF-2 Lucuis Black
Hussar HSR-500-D Fabiola Álvarez
Wasp WSP-1D Kylie-Leeza Smith

Mauler lance
Warhammer WHM-6Rb Teige Barrett
Vindicator VND-3L Octavian Cavalli
Marauder MAD-5M Moses Cavali

Dragoon lance
Komodo KIM-3C Brandon Kwayera
Spider SDR-C Hui-Chi Fujihara
Venom SDR-9KC Satoru Suzuki
Daikyu DAI-02 Yasmin Keyes

Armoured company - Captain Amber Mori-Paige

Alpha lance
Savannah Master Hovercraft
Savannah Master Hovercraft   
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank
Pegasus Scout Hover Tank
   
Bravo lance
Zhukov Heavy Tank (WoB) - Saladin
Brutus Assault Tank
Brutus Assault Tank
Zhukov Heavy Tank (Standard)

Infantry Company - Cpt Aubrey Ito-Hostigos

Alpha Element
Heavy LRM Carrier (Standard)
Heavy LRM Carrier (Standard)
Mechanized Field Artillery Infantry platoon (wheeled)
Mechanized Field Artillery Infantry platoon (wheeled)

Bravo Element
Heavy Hover APC + Longinus Battle Armor model [David]
Heavy Hover APC + Gray Death Standard Suit model [Laser]
Heavy Hover APC + Gray Death Standard Suit model [Laser]

* a couple of notes:
1st and 2nd company are now reunited and we have shuffled a few people areound. Salvage has also beefed up 1st compay (B-Master and Banshee).

** armour company is Noam slightly abbreviated after repeatedly getting smashed. It's no wonder made up almost entereliy by Blakist salvage

*** our infantry have changed. Previously we had a couple BA squads and a reinforced leg company. Recruiting heavily from Augustine and cross training many of the foot infantry in suits has given us a full platoon of BA.
The remaining infantry have no upgraded to mechanised troops with artillery support.
They'll mostly hang back and conduct rear area security

[Nav_Alpha]

Rhys Sarum-Smith hefted the carton of equipment and took a look around the small, sterile office.
And this is it, he thought.
A head popped around the corner without warning.

"You off then, Precentor?"
Precentor, that was a joke. After the debacle trying to kill or capture that Marik bitch he'd received orders to report to the 30th Division on Coventry.

He was still a Demi-Precentor, but now he's was to command a Level II. No more Light of Mankind, no more ROM.

"That's right, I'm off," he said with a curt nod to the young, fresh faced Adept taking over his office

Sarum-Smith shifted the carton and turned towards the door.
I may be down, but I'll be back. Cavalli's' Cavaliere and Alys Marik, I'll find all of you and have my revenge.

The Colonel took it tough. Of course he did, how the hell else was he supposed to?
For a month he drank and brooded and locked himself away from the world. And then one day he was fine - I think the Duchess had a lot to do with it.

I don't know what she said or did, but they've spent a lot of time together and he's snapped out of his funk.
Which was great, because at one point he did try and take his Marauder II out drunk to go and "kill some toasters". Thank God he couldn't even start the machine up in that state.

He's now,refocused. Which is good because we have a mission. The Duchess' resistance is undertaking a large raid in force on New Home - deep in the Protectorate.
We'll be teamed with the Commando Force 101 lads again, the Legion of the Rising Sun and others.
Word is, ComStar troops are helping as well.
Our job is pretty simple - we're to burn in and smash through a Protectorate Militia held spaceport. We hold the ground and operate as a rear guard while a special forces detachment frees some prisoners. Word is there's several very important POWs in there - we get them out over anyone else.
There's hope this will trigger a full on rebellion on New Home. Heard that before...

- Joe Paige

AUDIO RECORDING ###e300-A9
(Released to the public by Sphere Intelligence Service under Freedom of Information Act 3119)

Voice one:

Ok, REDACTED thanks for that. That explains almost all our questions about REDACTED and why he's REDACTED.
Now, moving on. Hook Force - made up of elements of the ComGuard 1st Army will drop directly on Findler at 2300. On world resistance claims it's ready to instigate large scale revolts across the capital.

Regardless, your objectives are listed in your hand outs: C&C, Communications and military targets only.
We are staying away from political targets - it's surmised the government is pretty much a Blakist puppet and the resistance Thinks taking him out will actually do more harm than good.

Next up, Cross Force will deploy here at REDACTED. With Mercenary elements and the commandos taking the Mann Spaceport by 2330. LeCroix and his 101 boys will then push down the 69 and assault objectives X, Y and Z, with Krusher elements running security.

Colonel Cavalli, you have the LZ - you will need to keep it clear for us or this whole thing is a bust. Just a reminder guys - you're holding the black door. Without it... well it's a long friggin walk home.

Cross Force will also be assisted by a lance of mechs and some infantry elements from Kanae Force.

Voice two: sorry, but that leaves us very undermanned.

Voice one: yep. You're losing some of your guys. Kanae Force will drop on Mann and this LZ just north east and then push north to strike along the Great Spine Mountains. Your slightly depleted Force will hit a string of secondary targets and keep the Blakists off balance while the other groups carry out their objectives.
Honestly, this is a Mech only job REDACTED - so any problems you can take up with the -

****IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST MORE DATA, PLEASE LODGE A FURTHER FOI REQUEST AND POST 35 STONES TO THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS****

[snakespinner]

Drink driving a Marauder is so common in MWO.
He should have gone for a light mech, it gives new meaning to the word legless. :D O0

[Deadborder]

I'll be interested to see what emotional impact recent events have had on Felix. Probably a lot of anger, but what happened is going to hurt on so many levels.

[Nav_Alpha]

I'll be interested to see what emotional impact recent events have had on Felix. Probably a lot of anger, but what happened is going to hurt on so many levels.

I'm thinking he's a changed man - he's spent decades as a soldier, but it's never been personal before.
There's a lot of hate for the Blakists now.
That may translate to suicidal recklessness or further destructive behaviour

[snakespinner]

With such an emotional issue involved, he could become suicidal or a cold blooded killing machine.
An interesting call for you to make on his future. O0

[Nav_Alpha]

Teige Barrett's eyes watered seconds after he popped his Warhammer's cockpit hatch. Thick dark smoke obscured the horizon, almost blotting out rising sun.

That smoke was pouring from close to two lances of burning vehicles - Blakist vehicles - strewn along the highway leading into the spaceport's northern approach and surrounding fields.
If the Mechwarrior squinted in the dim light- not that he wanted to - he could just make out the crumpled bodies tossed in among the brewing up vehicles.
The Word had thrown a light battalion of infantry and vehicles at his approach to the spaceport but quickly found themselves in a brutal crossfire from his Mauler Lancer and dug in Cavaliere Battle Armour and Commando troops.

To the east a similar scene was laid out - the Word's Protectorate Militia had thrown a lance of heavies and assaults, only to be stopped by the Colonel's Command Lance.
"Mauler One, this is Knight Minor. Roll back, they've stopped coming," his radio crackled.

****
POW partial interview transcript - November, 3072

VOICE ONE: It was madness after that. The Militia started pulling back although some of the officers were screaming at us to get back in there and fight. My squad was down to seven of us and if I'd told them to fight I reckon they'd have shot me on the spot and legged it anyway.
So we just started to try and work our way down to the river - I saw a lot of our guys doing that, Protectorate Militia Regulars and our security troops.

We got about 100m when those damn Commandos surrounded us and told us to surrender.
When they got us back into the spaceport, we were dropped out on the apron and told to wait while a couple of ghastly looking mercs guarded us.

That's when he arrived. This Marauder II rolled up - i know because there's a couple in the Protectorate Militia. It was painted in the same maroon and grey as all the other Merc mech... but different.
He had painted these giant Blakist broadswords down the torso of the Marauder, but both were shattered and one of them was impaling a robed figure.
And when he got our it was even worse - one arm had been replaced by a metal replacement, it looked like chrome bones.

He marched straight up to us prisoners - there were maybe 10 Protectorate Militia regulars and half again in security troops. He was gripping a stubby looking little SMG in his good hand and barked at the regulars to come with him.
He herded them all into one of the service shacks nearby. That's when i heard the shooting - one long burst and then another and another.

What? What is that? Get that the hell away from me!
<Screams>

- the above transcript was never released


Cavalli’s Cavaliere, with the help of a Legion of the Rising Sun lance and elements of the Task Force 101 commandos, managed to defend the spaceport from repeated Word probes.
First an armoured lance with a Dragon Fire in support. As it got pushed out, a light armoured push from the other side, supported by two light mechs.

That was turned back by Mauler Lance. Only for the Word to hit us with artillery and a thick covering of smoke as they shoved a second mixed company of armour and infantry, with the surviving light mech.

The Blakists also tried a lance of heavies and tanks which got stopped cold.

All up, we lost two BA troopers and a Heavy Hover APC. So, it was actually a rather good result.

[truetanker]

The arm of Justice has spoken!

TT

[snakespinner]

The chrome arm of justice. ::)

[Nav_Alpha]

FOOTAGE FROM NEWS@FIVE - NEW HOME, November 13, 3072


Shifting, early morning scene is lit by repeated flashes and explosions. Occasional tracer or pulses of green and red laser light zip across the screen.
It's a city, seen from the top down but much of it is obscured by oily dark smoke.

The camera pans back and forth before zooming in on a rubble choked street. Figures run across the ground, lit up by gunfire and occasional explosions.

VOICE ONE: We are now hovering above Findler's capital district in the NEWS@FIVE chopper, where you can see the fighting is now into its six hour. Rebel forces, along with invading ComGuard marauders, took Protectorate Militia troops by surprise late last night and have continued to push them out of the city.

The camera pulls back - the ground troops appear to be charging at a central building. Many are firing from the hip as they advance.
The building is a broad, slab sided one in white stone, flanked by massive pillars. Gun nests are nesttled among the pillars, the snouts of machine guns and rifles poking out.
Parked next to the main steps is a wheeled APC, smoke and flame pouring from its open hatches.

VOICE ONE: Rebel troops have so far been unable to the capital building, despite repeated assaults. They have however seized much of the industrial and docks and pretty much cut the city in half, with Mech and heavy armoured support from the ComGuards.

The camera spins to show an Orion - its off white colour scheme is marred by soot and smoke but the ComGuard logo, alongside a pair of dice and a 91st is clearly visible.

VOICE ONE: ComGuard troops are now approaching the gov-

VOICE TWO: Rise up! Rise up, New Home! The hour of our salvation is at hand! Fight the oppressors, fight them with everything you have! Stand with me and we can-

The signal is suddenly cut out by a high pitch hum and the picture flickers and is replaced by a holding graphic.

****NEWS@5 IS SUFFERING SOME TECHNICAL ISSUES****


STONE'S HEROES - S01,E06 - Deliverance (Mini-series released by Fletcher Productions, 3097)

SARGE: Drop 'im, Peaker. Watch that geezer on the roof.

DR ROCK: On your six, sarge. C'mon lads, hustle, hustle.

The "footage" is shown POV style in a dark green to suggest night vision googles. Helmeted, heavily armoured figures can been see moving across a compound.
There's a sudden flicker of gun fire - it appears white hot in the green haze.

A Protectorate Militia troops steps from around a corner. His armour is heavily stylised, with Broadswords molded into the metal. He raises a wicked looking Needler rifle.

BLAKIST: Halt, you heretic scum!

SARGE: Do 'im!

There's a sudden flicker of gunfire and the Blakist crumples.

The scene shifts. Now shot from above in colour, half a dozen commandos spring from cover to cover as they move across a rain soaked prison yard. There's the occasional flash of gunfire.

Two approach a shack and kick it in.

The scene shifts again - back to night vision. The figure is stepping down narrow stone steps. We repeat the earlier gunfight - another Blakist is taken down.
The POV steps towards a flimsy door, a hand reaches out and rips it open.

Inside, it's dirty and unkept. Dirt floor, garbage strewn about.
A grimy figure staggers into the frame - thick long hair hangs into his eyes, partially obscuring rhuemy eyes and blackened skin. A long, tangled beard hangs down to his chest.

DONNER: Stop! Hold fire! I'm a friend!

EIGHT-BALL: What the hell, Sarge? Who or what is that?

DONNER: My name is Fritz Donner! I'm a POW!



NEWS@FIVE NEWS BLAST - November 15
While operations against the former government forces continue throughout the Spina Mountains, Markham Metro Province and the Le Marquis Province, the new New Home Provisional Government officially announced the planet free of the Word of Blake Protectorate. Several hours after the formal ceremony, most of the on-world ComGuards and Marik forces lifted for orbit, leaving only a skeleton force behind.

It's believed the Protectorate Militia can only muster a battalion or so of troops and are now holding out around a rump government-in-exile at Patros, at the foot of the Spina. President LeChieffe has made several statements from Patros conedming the rebels, but so far Baron Shienze has remained silient and his whereabouts remains unknown.

Several missives have already been sent to the government-in-exile. It's unknown if they have called for additional Blakist forces.

[Nav_Alpha]

The Republic of the Sphere: What works and what doesn't (political science recommended reading list, Australian National University, Terra. 3086)

- case in point is the short lived overturn of the Word of Blake on New Home in 3072. A festering anti-Blakist group has gathered arms and equipment since as early as 3068, with tacit support from the planet's ruling noble but it took the smuggling in of Devlin Stone's Kittery Manifesto and additional operatives throughout 3072 to actually achieve a change in government.

With support from Alys Marik's Resistance and ComStar, the rebels staged a general uprising in November 12 3072. Rebel forces seized key positions across the capital of Findler, while others staged a large-scale uprising at the main spaceport some 700km away. Similar uprisings occurred on Arbergeiht and to a lesser extent on Goldwynn but did little more than tie down security forces.

Backed by Marik's forces and ComGuards, the rebels pushed the government out of the capital over the next 48 hours and had seized most of the primary continent within another day.
Remaining Word of Blake forces and the remnant of the government managed to flee first to the spa town of Patros and then across the Narrow Sea to Goldwynn's New Delphi.

This is where the rebels effectively lost control. The government in exile in Delphi reflected the democratically elected, noble-endorsed rulers appointed in 3066. Conservative, distantly related to nobility and Catholic President LeChieffe, Prime Minister Burr and Minister of the Interior Hadley reflected most of the planet's middle class population's sensibilities.
While these officials had sided with the Blakists, their rule had brought stability and prosperity for many New Home citizens.

In contrast to this was the mostly Blue Collar rebels, mainly drawn from New Home's steel mills, farmlands and Findler's industrial base. Neglected for years and most exposed to the Blakists' excesses in putting down labour disputes and strikes, it's little wonder these groups flocked to Stone's banner. They were further enflamed by Word of Stone's rising on Kittery and sought to raise a pan-Protectorate uprising based around socialist, egalitarian values.

However, the anti-establishment, anti-nobility and socialist message of the Kittery Manifesto alienated many, leading to the eventual return to Blakist rule.
Ironically, these same fence sitters suffered horrific causalities when the Word returned, resulting in a massive surge in anti-Blakist fighters post 3073.

In January 3073, with help sent directly from Terra, the government in exile was able to strike back. Lieutenant Colonel Agnes Merrick has emerged as the Blakist hero from November's defeat after managing to salvage the bulk of the Protectorate Militia and facilitate a rear guard action that allowed the government to flee across the sea.

She led a Battlemech and armour assault directly on the capital from her holdfast in the Spina Mountains, punching through rebel forces before eventually besieging the ruined Star League castle at Old Johnsberg. Stopping just short of the fortifications she unleashed artillery delivered chemical weapons on the defenders.

Totally unprepared for the gas attack, the bulk of the rebel forces (who had been massing for counterattack) died in droves.
Just outside Findler Colonel Merrick once again found herself stalled by rebel forces and resorted to chemical weapons.

This time, conventional fighters were used to bomb several "military targets" across the city. Resistance crumbled after this and the former government returned to power late that night for an emergency midnight session of Congress - however, reprisals continued for another month as Terran-dispatched special forces teams sought out and eliminated rebel cells.

Colonel Merrick was recognised for her loyalty and determination and promoted to head of public security on Epslion Erandai later that year. It had been whispered that she wasn't safe from reprisals after her liberal use of chemical weapons - other sources however suggest the newly returned New Home government were equally terrified of her.

Following New Home's fall to the Coalition in 3078, rumours of remaining caches of chemical and biological weapons and even nuclear arms would abound. None were found, suggesting the entire stockpile was used in 3073.
Almost the entire pro-Blakist government in exile would be later found guilty of crimes against humanity by the Coalition and hung in 3081