9 worlds? Ouch! To be on a fly on the wall when the Archon learns his realm is under assault from the Falcons.
Small mistake... by where I was on the timeline they'd lost 9... as in after this update :-\ sorry for the mix-up
Time to end 3093!!
Second Wave, Jade Falcon Assaults
Arc-Royal Theatre, Donegal Province
Lyran Commonwealth
7th December 3093 Expanding their offensive to a second round of attacks against the Lyran Commonwealth Clan Jade Falcon invades the worlds of Dustball, A Place, Morges and Dela. Supported by three Jade Falcon WarShips the Silver Talon, Sarna Mercer and the Jade Claw saKhan Emily Helmer leads the Jade Falcon Galaxy and the Talon Strike Galaxies in their attacks.
On A Place the Jade Falcons encounter an old foe the Iron Will Mercenary Brigade. The Iron Will have as much respect for the Jade Falcons as they have for the mercenaries. Both forces throw themselves at each other with a reckless fury the battle destroys the Iron Will Brigade however it also claims the Jade Falcon Eyrie and First Jade Falcon Armour (formerly the Fifteenth Provision Garrison) Clusters. On Morges saKhan Emily Helmer oversees the destruction of the Wolf (in-Exile) clusters the First Wolf Strike Grenadiers and the Fourth Mountain Guards. Initially the Wolves offer the Jade Falcons a Trial of Possession for the planet however the Jade Falcons refuse to take the Exiles call instead hitting them with their full force. When surviving ground forces retreat towards their DropShips the Silver Talon targets their ships from orbit destroying each in turn ensuring none of the Exiles escape.
Pushing onto the world of Great X the attacking Jade Falcons are destroyed by the Charlestown Chiefs and Millie's Marauders Mercenary Commands. The BattleMech heavy force of the Marauders holding the line while the Chiefs lighter machines and Swallow WiGEs continually struck at the flanks of the Falcons until they had driven them back. From the wreckage the Chiefs salvage a Viper 3 BattleMech which replaces a lost Mech while the Millie's Marauders salvage a Mad Cat Mk III and a Mad Cat Mk II Enhanced all three salvaged Mechs would take months to repair but would be fearsome additions once repaired.
Star League Defence Force Announcement
Thorin, Star League Protectorate
8th December 3093 Despite the objections of the Houses Liao and Kurita the Star League Defence Force announces an increased spending plan for 3094. Commanding-General Archer Christifori announces from his base on Thorin the commissioning of another M5 Casper Drone added for now to the defence fleet of Terra. He also announces that there are a further five vessels in various stages of activation and plans to expand the Casper fleets beyond Terra should Star League Protectorate worlds welcome their presence.
He acknowledges that drones are not a popular form of technology and that in some places they will never be an accepted form of defence. As a result the SLDF plans to raise three new Brigade sized ground force units before the turn of the century with recruits welcome from across the Inner Sphere. He also announces that due to the success of the Guard Regiments the SLDF will assist a further three Star League Protectorate Worlds in raising their own Guard Regiments.
While the Capellan and Combine governments believe that the expenditure on the SLDF is already excessive and that expanding a force that is accountable to no-one but their Commanding-General. Archer Christifori points out that the SLDF are accountable to the First Lord who is one of the Succession Lords. The Lyran Commonwealth's Archon Peter Steiner-Davion is one of the most vocal supporters of the SLDF and their expansion, given the continued heavy fighting along his nation's Clan border this is little surprise.
Offensive action
Capellan Confederation border
10th December 3093 The Capellan Confederation strike back against the Magistracy of Canopus and Oriente Protectorate launching strikes on Ryerson (Oriente) and Fagerholm (Magistracy). Not intending on taking either world the Capellans instead go about taking apart the defensive forces and all military facilities on both worlds, flattening every structure and removing all salvage, showing exactly what the Confederation is capable of sending a clear message to their neighbours.
Interstellar Expeditions Mission Santiago
Unknown system, Deep Periphery
14th December 3093 The Interstellar Expeditions JumpShip Munez had jumped into an unknown system of the deep periphery. For the last two months the ship had been jumping system to system under hire from the Lyran Commonwealth following an increase in raids along the periphery border. So far of four systems surveyed they had found nothing except dust and long dead remains.
This system was different however almost as soon as the JumpShip had emerged in the system the ship received several messages from warning beacons stating that the system was Rim Worlds Republic Outpost 27 and off limits to all visitors. As the Interstellar Expeditions crew had enough environmental suits and hazardous survival gear to survive in nearly any environment the JumpShip's single DropShip the Rasputin, a truly ancient Czar-class DropShip, that had been repaired, upgraded and rebuilt more times than was likely safe, detached from the vessel and traveled in system for two days.
Almost three days later the vessel slowly entered orbit and began to scan the surface of the planet. Instead of finding a hostile environment they found a pleasant world that was not only capable of having a population it actually had one. Before the DropShip could react four aerospace fighters moved on the vessel firing warning shots over the ship's bow forcing the ship into the atmosphere. The DropShip was escorted to the ground landing within an exact replica of Avalon City as it was during the Star League-era.
As the ship landed it was quickly surrounded by ten BattleMechs and a large group of Elementals the crew and passengers were quickly forced to surrender and abandon the vessel. From above the ground in one of the buildings the Stone Spirit leadership watched over the captured crewmen of the DropShip.
Tanya Furey stood at the windows watching this was the day she had expected turning to her leader Tina Campbell “as I said they will not leave us alone. The Mandrills, the Lyrans, the dezgra Star League, even the other Clans will continue to harass us until we are destroyed.” She said angrily
“The captured JumpShip was Interstellar Expeditions” Tor McFadden said “they are not directly afflicted with any state they are dedicated to exploration. These people are no threat to us the most they have are security assets.”
“And what will follow them?” Star Colonel Jasper Osis asked he was of the former Stone Rhino warriors and also one of Tanya Furey's strongest supporters. Although not old enough to remember the days of Clan Smoke Jaguar he had heard the stories from Tanya and that was enough. Many of the other former Stone Rhinos, and now their children, felt the same way way while the former Blood Spirits would have preferred to remain hidden in the Periphery.
“If we remain hidden nothing” Star Colonel Cameron Schmitt suggested “their JumpShip was overrun before they could jump away and they lack a Hyper Pulse Generator to communicate beyond this star system. Their disappearance will be put down to a miss-jump nothing more. If we remain hidden then they may never return.”
“Just like the Clans may have let us live on York?” Star Colonel Harper Cluff suggested he was the youngest of the Blood Spirit descendants that had risen to command within the Stone Spirits. Recently he had been listening a lot to Osis and Furey it seemed today was the moment that his choice was made. “We have expanded out here. Our Iron Wombs have been re-established under the Forbidden City” he said naming the replica of the Capellan capitol city which had been chosen as the Stone Spirits new capital. “We have found much of the hidden wealth left behind by the Great Father in case the SLDF had to retreat from the Hegemony.” He said there was a series of caches that the SLDF had left behind before beginning the Liberation campaign for the most part it was equipment that the SLDF couldn't repair in time or did not have the transport capabilities available to move. “We should not be afraid of who we are or what we are capable of.” He said carefully supporting the Stone Rhino faction without actually saying it Tina Campbell almost smiled at his play.
“What do you suggest Harper Cluff?” Cameron Schmitt asked seeing Tina Campbell was impressed with the man's suggestion. Under the rules of the Stone Spirits each of them had an equal say in how their people were led.
“We make sure that the Rim Collection and Lyran Commonwealth keep their distance.” He suggested “we hit them hard once then we allow them to make the next choice.”
“Aff, we hit them” Jasper Osis said “I will strike at the Rim Collection.”
“They are my enemy” Tanya Furey said angrily Cassandra Faraday had been the first but would not be the last of the former Mandrills to die to her forces.
“Not this time” Tina Campbell said seeing a rift between the two Stone Rhinos planning on exploiting it. “Jasper Osis your cluster will strike at the Rim Collection. We should all know who our enemies are.” Jasper nodded and left the room “Tanya Furey, there are plenty more worlds around us you can strike at.”
“Fine” Tanya Furey said “I will interrogate the Interstellar Expeditions party and choose from the worlds they have recently visited. I will erase them from memory” she said following the other warrior from the room.
“The rest of us will strengthen our defences. I want to accelerate our fortification process and our graduation of training warriors.”
“The quality of our troops will lower” one of them an elder male warrior said
“Solahma our troops training and quality will be better than you ever were” Tina snapped “they will ensure that York never happens again.” She promised the Stone Spirits would not become what her former Clan became.
