Excellent updates as always! And Alaric's on the rise eh? :D
Thanks, just an earlier and different path for him
Presentation Ceremony, Algonquin Theatre
Jefferson City, Freedom
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
8th February 3115 The arena was filled with twelve thousand people assembled on a triple tier which faced down on a single display podium. The owner and announcer of the Algonquin Theatre Wolfgang Bogdanow was both nervous and excited today various companies were showing off the new Mechs which were being presented to the defenders of Freedom with Duke Brandt Simons-Steiner here in person to accept them. Recently Freedom had been a nervous world with the Rasalhague Dominion and Clans Jade Falcon, Hell’s Horses and Coyote all bearing down towards the planet and Brandt Simons-Steiner’s brother Bodeven had been making noise about taking a more proactive position in defence against the Clans. In response Brandt had spent money from the Simons-Steiner coffers and was now bringing in a new mixed battalion of forces for the defenders including many new Clan Mechs. The presentation here at the Algonquin Theatre would put the site and Bogdanow on the map and bring in plenty money in the coming months.
Now the first Mech a BattleMaster 6C was being presented with its twin cockpit the most stand out feature the Command Console mounted in the head of the BattleMech providing superior command capabilities. The BattleMaster was an old design but still a favourite across the Inner Sphere which constantly adapted to the changing environment of the Inner Sphere, this version of the venerable Mech featured twin pulse lasers and a short-range missile launcher which provided close in firepower while medium to long range firepower was provided by four light autocannons. The eighty-five-ton BattleMech turned slowly showing everyone its firepower. At the back of the Mech there were two extended range small lasers which would add further defence to the Mech. Because of the half circle design of the Algonquin Theatre the crowd were able to get closer to the eighty-five-ton Mech than most people could be while being safe due to the Solaris VII-style energy barriers which were employed around the entire arena.
As the applause rang out Wolfgang Bogdanow spoke “Ladies and gentlemen, from a venerable giant to an invader’s Mech which now serves in our defence.” He said as the BattleMaster thumped out of the arena a far smaller design walked in. Weighing in at thirty-five tons the hunched over Puma BattleMech painted in the black, silver and brown of Clan Wolf stood proud in front of them all. The crowd murmured as the OmniMech extended its arms stretching like a human would “the Puma S is a design we will be employing in the future to defend our cities from intrusion and for hunting down Clan Elementals.” Wolfgang said the Mech was equipped with multiple pulse lasers in the arms but that was not the most horrifying aspect of the Mech, sixteen machine guns covered the arms and torso of the Mech making the Mech more than capable of cutting down multiple infantry soldiers or Battle Armoured troopers in moments. The Mech turned slowly on the platform flexing its arms and twisting its torso giving people the full experience of the light Mech. “Built by Clan Mountain Wolf on Gallery the Puma is…” he began to explain more about the Mech when he saw the energy barrier stutter and then suddenly fail “…oh my…” He said his words failing him “ladies and gentlemen, no need to worry we’ve had a minor technical hitch but you’re perfectly safe…” he began to say as the Puma continued its routine but then stopped when facing the Royal box. For a moment time seemed to slow as the Puma’s machine guns, pulse lasers and torso mounted flame thrower opened fire with a thunderous noise cutting down the duke, his immediate family and hundreds of civilians who were caught in the attack as the Puma’s pilot specifically targeted the area with bullets and pulse laser fire.
Wolfgang Bogdanow knew he was ruined by the sudden and deadly attack but he’d be a patriot and seal in the Puma long enough to slow it and allow the militia to arrive and arrest the pilot. Turning to reach for the emergency lockdown button in his control room Bogdanow’s thoughs of financial ruin and his control over his arms failed him in an instant as a burning white vibroblade sliced through his back and penetrated his chest. For a moment Wolfgang Bogdanow stared down at the blade, his thoughts escaping him as he looked at the weapon and knew the result and then he slipped into unconsciousness and death.
“One, Two, your clear control eliminated.” The power armoured assassin said allowing the body to fall to the floor her feminine voice and body movement clear even through the power armour. As she spoke the Puma continued to fire with its arms now turning on staff and guards from around the building showering more areas of the theatre in heavy machine gun fire.
“Received, link up with Three and evacuate.” The other person replied as the Puma ceased fire the theatre was on fire, there were hundreds of casualties in the stands and hundreds more scrambling for cover while there were thousands of shell casings at the OmniMech’s feet. “Four, Five, I am evacuating.”
“Understood One, the militia are all over the place answering calls you’ll only have a flight of ready VTOLs and some Battle Armour to contend with.” Four replied the pilot did not like the sound of that but didn’t respond instead he turned the OmniMech and ran down the late night streets of Jefferson City. Around the Theatre hundreds of private vehicles were trying to get clear of the scene of the attack jamming the roads for ground vehicles. The thirty-five ton OmniMech was not going to be stopped by traffic jams though and ran through the parked vehicles smashing them to the side or crushing them as it went.
“This thing might be Clan Tech but remember I don’t have the range.” The pilot said continuing to run the small Clan Mech down through the streets towards the harbour.
“For once you don’t need it, I’ve got you covered” another voice said over the comms.
“We’ve got lift off from city base four VTOLs all different models” another of the team reported. “They’ll be with you in a couple of minutes.
“I’ll be near the harbour by then, Dominic, feel free to chime in when you’re ready.” One said breaking their codes.
“Command sent” he replied from several roof tops long range missile and autocannon batteries began to fire into the air at the incoming VTOLs and down at the militia base. The weapons fire was damaging buildings and starting mini-fires across the downtown city. Each of them had been hacked to fire on automation until they were out of ammunition.
“You’re clear Bounty Hunter, they will not brave that storm of weapons fire, you’re clear, we’ll see you after extraction.”
“Affirmative, thanks for the assist” Christopher Grant aka the Bounty Hunter replied smashing his Puma through the gate to the harbour and down one of the piers he ignored the small arms fire directed at his Mech as he threw the Mech off the end of the pier and sunk into the depths of the harbour. Within a minute the Mech was safely on the floor of the harbour its hull perfectly sealed for this kind of operation he reached over to a detonator control he’d attached to the side of the cockpit and pressed the button detonating explosive they’d placed on the bottom of several of the ships. As the ships began to sink throwing cargo and people into the water and stirring up the sediment at the base of the water obscuring movement below the waves, this covered his escape into the depths of Freedom’s ocean.
With the Duke dead a power struggle made up of his supporters against those of his brother began on Freedom driving the world into a state of civil war as the local militia was overwhelmed by multiple forces on different sides. During the following days the Bounty Hunter’s team evacuated with hundreds of other civilians’ intent on escaping the world before things got really bad while for a week Christopher Grant survived on combat rations as he walked his Puma across the ocean bed to a small island. Emerging at night the Mech was guided across the beach and into a cargo container he then dismounted from the OmniMech and headed to a local motel where he already had a booking. For a week the Bounty Hunter remained in the motel keeping a low profile as Freedom continued to go through the pains of losing its leader.
While Freedom was an important world to the Isle of Skye the sudden loss of its Duke had destabilized the world. The Bounty Hunter then left on a DropShip bound for Skye his Puma, which would form part of his team’s payment for this job, would be shipped off the world separately or his employer would send him a new one if it wasn’t possible to send that particular Mech. Either way the job was done and Christopher Grant was off to his next challenge.
Border Raid
Sarna, Lee PDZ
Capellan March, Federated Suns
9th February 3115 Madison Liao, Duchess of Andurien, Daughter of Dao-Shen Liao, screamed in anger as the flames consumed her BattleMech and the autocannon fire tore down the left arm of her Cataphract BattleMech. She had chosen Sarna as a target for her unit’s raid against the Federated Suns but unfortunately the Clinton’s Cutthroats mercenary command which defended the world had been ready for them and were making her people pay for every inch of territory they captured. Now a Cutthroats Legionnaire BattleMech was chewing her Mech’s left hand side to pieces with its rotary autocannon and inferno equipped short range missiles. The Cataphract was a traditional Capellan design which had been reborn with new technology she twisted the Mech’s turret-styled torso to track the Legionnaire firing her Mech’s gauss rifle in an attempt to knock down the lighter Mech unfortunately the Legionnaire was too fast for her shot and the supersonic slug went wide tearing up the ground behind the fifty-ton BattleMech. Now in behind her more autocannon blasts tore into the rear left torso of the Mech breaching the armour and damaging a heat sink mounted there. Horrible green black fluid exploded from her Mech’s torso running to the ground Madison triggered both of her Mech’s rear mounted medium lasers scoring two hits on the running Legionnaire a small victory and one that only caused minimal damage. Already the Legionnaire was running past her Mech’s back now hitting the back of her right leg and arm but mercifully missing the torso and the gauss rifle mounted there. Two short range missiles flew past the Cataphract’s position thankfully missing her Mech which already was struggling with heat build up from the pervious strike and exploded on the ground throwing inferno jelly everywhere. Moments later Madison’s relief turned to horror as she realized the missiles had not missed and were not meant for her and she saw four battle armoured troopers walk from the flames their armour ablaze the soldiers literally being cooked alive in their armour. Three of the troopers had the wits about them to drop to the ground and try to knock off the jelly but it was to no effect and none of the squad survived the strike.
Even more angry at seeing members of her unit killed by an opponent she hadn’t been able to defeat Madison Liao twisted the Cataphract to her right-hand side and unleashed both her Mech’s gauss rifle and particle cannon in an attempt to strike down the Legionnaire. If only one weapon could hit her enemy, she’d have preferred it to be the gauss rifle with its kinetic striking power the weapon could take an arm or leg completely off the enemy medium Mech unfortunately only the particle cannon struck home damaging more armour on the still fast-moving enemy. Madison moved her stance and fired both variable speed pulse lasers but neither hit the target as the Legionnaire turned on her again the over head autocannon roared to life as did its arm mounted short range missile launcher.
As autocannon munitions exploded all over her Mech’s torso several shots hit her Mech’s head rattling Madison’s teeth as she was thrown around the cockpit. She had no way to prepare for the two short range missiles exploding directly in front of her showering her BattleMech with another salvo of inferno jelly. The heat levels spiked inside the Cataphract’s cockpit as her Mech’s heat sinks struggled then failed to deal with the rising heat. Madison like all all MechWarriors wore as little clothing as possible and a coolant vest to help deal with the heat produced inside the BattleMech during battle but even these measures did little to help as the temperature skyrocketed. In all of her twenty years Madison Liao had never felt such heat but giving into it was the last thing she could do she slapped the system shutdown override and tried to breath while commanding the seventy-ton Mech to move and try to knock off some of the inferno jelly all while trying to track the Legionnaire.
While she multi-tasked she suddenly melt something off, something burning, she checked the external filters but they had reacted to the external fire and were closed. She glanced around the cockpit even as more autocannon fire raked down her Mech for no she could probably survive the autocannon rounds if there was fire in her cockpit, she’d be dead in seconds. Glancing upwards she saw it one of the autocannon rounds had penetrated the cockpit’s frame breaching it and now she was smelling the fumes coming from the fire outside. Confident there was no fire inside the cockpit she turned back to the fight at hand just as the Legionnaire charged in close to her and swung one of its balled fist hands up, she’d been still trying to locate the source of the smell and given up her situational awareness an easy mistake to make for a young pilot. It was at this moment that Duchess Madison Liao realized she could do nothing as the Legionnaire’s left then right fist slammed into the Cataphract’s body first came a blow to the chest which ravaged and smashed the armour while the other slammed into the Cataphract’s faceplate. Fifty tons of attacking BattleMech slammed its fist through the cockpit even if the cockpit armour had not already been damaged it would have likely killed the pilot, the fist punched through the head armour into the cockpit crushing Madison Liao in her command chair. As the Clinton’s Cutthroat’s Legionnaire withdrew its fist from the Cataphract’s Mech and without control the Mech collapsed in a heap. The mercenary pilot knew nothing about the pilot they had killed and ran off after the next target as Madison Liao lay dead on the field within hours the invaders had retreated from the world in disarray carrying word of the Duchess death back to the Capellan Confederation.
Throne Room,
Crimson, Salonika
Canopus, Magistracy of Canopus
17th February 3115 Entering the Throne Room of House Centrella on the world of Canopus Commanding-General Victor Focht was glad to see the joint guard of two Royal Black Watch and two Centrella Rangers warriors snap to attention in unison. They had not been together for long but already appeared to realize that the best way for them to do their jobs was to work as a team, which was the whole point behind the Star League Defence Force. For seventeen years Victor Focht had served as Commanding-General of the Star League and he’d never been to the Centrella family’s royal residence nor even Canopus. It was a beautiful if humid world with rolling hills and forests which covered the deep mines that dotted the landscape. Wearing his regular duty green uniform Victor approached the Magestix who sat on her golden throne waiting for him. Magestix Ilsa Centrella was a beautiful woman now approaching her forty-second birthday she wore a gleaming green dress which fit her athletic body well and had golden threads running through it, on her head she wore matching green jewels which framed her head and fit in nicely with her dark skin hair. As he approached the throne Victor saluted the Magestix and First Lord, she would be his immediate superior for her term as First Lord.
“Welcome to Crimson” Ilsa said as he approached “I hope you find the facilities we are providing your people here on our capital?”
“Affirmative First Lord they are very impressive facilities and they have good access ways to all of the cities main transport routes.” He said appreciative of the Magistracy’s efforts to make them comfortable “I must say I was impressed with your efforts to repair the shipyards in this system they are coming on well.”
“Thank you, my engineers will appreciate your praise I am sure, we could not continue to rely solely on the Trznadel Cluster Shipyards to provide transport for our realm first the Alliance Aerospace Group’s Bass Shipyards were brought online and now we are closing on having the Diamond Garter Shipyards operational for the first time since the First Star League almost completely destroyed them during the Reunification War.” She said Focht knew exactly what the point she was making was; that the Magistracy was rebuilding to its previous strength with or without the SLDF’s help. “What is the status of the SLDF at present?”
“The largest expansion of the SLDF in many years is underway the Knights Corps has officially been activated within its ranks.”
“The Knights Corps?” She asked not familiar with the formation.
“At present it stands at twenty combined-arms battalions each made up of a company of Mechs, armour and battle armour supported by some aerospace units. These commands are led by a Knight of the Star League Protectorate and each of these Knights comes from a member world of the Protectorate. Their mission is to promote the message of peace throughout the Star League nations and help resolve conflicts and assist local defenders in preparing to protect their own land instead of relying on external forces to save them.” He explained “the SLDF’s plan is for there to be a formation active for every Protectorate world.”
“Every world? There are over seventy systems currently claimed by the Protectorate.”
“Almost ninety now with Ruchbah, Basalt and Kawich in the Federated Suns, Hamilton in the Free Worlds League and both Shiloh and Pheoda from the Lyran Commonwealth all choosing to join the Protectorate this year.” He explained “the SLDF is dedicated to their defence and while each planet will be provided for with Militia Guard forces the Exarch believed that it was time that the SLDF had a unifying force which could provide additional political and diplomatic powers to deployed commands and systems that needed it the Knights will provide this support. Each Knight will carry the authority to speak for the Star League Defence Force and the Exarch of the Protectorate worlds giving them much political and resources support. The Exarch sees them as the Star League’s olive branch force, capable of bringing some peace and security as well as a fighting force.” He explained alone a single battalion was not a lot of troops but if one of the Knight forces arrived on a planet most nations would learn that they were the lead elements of a far larger force. Exarch Victor Steiner-Davion had instructed that the Knights Corps do not lead assault forces but instead act as their own travelling support force picking their own destinations and helping where they could, almost like a state sponsored mercenary force.
“And with all this spent on the Protectorate how much will be spent on other nations defence, such as those of your new First Lord?” She asked probing, “she like all of the other House Lords? Those that keep your Protectorate relevant and do not rip it to pieces.” She asked barely concealing the threat despite the Magistracy having not claim to threaten the Protectorate.
“Magestix Centrella” Victor Focht said intentionally dropping her title of First Lord. “Already SLDF Engineering Teams have landed on Gallis and are gathering resources that will see them build the largest supply and support facility in this entire region. The Royal Black Watch and naval forces have also entered your realm to support you and help your nation, the Magistracy of Canopus will benefit greatly from the SLDF’s presence. At present the SLDF’s main force are moving to help counter Clan threats from Clans Jade Falcon, Hell’s Horses, Snow Raven, Nova Cat and Wolf while all of them press Inner Sphere and periphery targets.” He explained as the SLDF primarily tried to function as a shield for the Inner Sphere.
Already this week we have seen three more Federated Suns worlds fall to the Snow Raven advance while AFFS defenders had narrowly defended the system of Woodbine from falling. There were numerous rumours that there was a split in the AFFS hampering defensive efforts.”
“So, no more forces a shame.”
“For now, no while you prosecute an attack on a nearby SLDF ally further support may take some time.” Victor Focht warned, on Terra the Advisory council had raised concerns with the Commanding-General that the Magistracy would try to use SLDF forces against their allies in the Free Worlds League, something Victor would not allow was for his people to get drawn into a regional conflict.
Border raids
Jade Falcon OZ
21st February 3115 In an attempt to force back Clan Jade Falcon forces away from the Coventry system Lyran Commonwealth forces supported by mercenary commands and two SLDF Regimental Brigades assault the worlds of Krievci, Incukalns, Zanderji and Atocongo with an aim to liberating these four systems. Unfortunately, Lyran scouts heading into the Krievci and Inckalns systems detect that in both systems the Jade Falcons have WarShips waiting for the incoming forces including a Battleship in each system. Fearing heavy losses before they even made landfall Lyran commanders call off the attacks on both systems instead fortifying Coventry from attack.
The attacks on Zanderji and Atocongo however are a complete success as Lyran and SLDF forces invade both systems the 1894th Regimental Brigade of the SLDF splitting its forces to support the Nineteenth Arcturan Guards to retake both systems. In both cases however the Lyrans find Clan Sea Fox defenders with the Jade Falcons completely gone from both systems the Sea Foxes agree to fight honour trials for both worlds allowing for minimal losses on both sides. Due to the cordial nature of the engagements the Lyrans and SLDF troops learn from the Foxes that the Jade Falcons have turned over Esteros, Bountiful Harvest, A Place and Morges to Sea Fox forces leaving them only with Sudeten in the region cutting Sudeten completely off from the rest of the Occupation Zone. While it is a strategy that none of the Inner Sphere realms would be comfortable it does not concern the Falcons as none of the other Clans around them are primarily naval Clans and do not have enough ships to enforce a blockade, while having the Falcons can also use the rite of Safcon to allow for uninterrupted travel. Meanwhile Lyran and Star League Intelligence scratch their heads and search nearby systems for the garrisons of the four systems which the Jade Falcons had moved without them realizing.
Planetary Administrator’s Office
Gallery, New Stockholm
Halfway Province, Lyran Commonwealth
26th February 3115 It was cold on Gallery as the world descended into its winter season but then the windswept surface of Gallery was always cold and inhospitable Riko Danvers, the Scientist-General of the Mountain Wolf Clan, hated the world and he hated the Lyran Commonwealth for placing them there. Apparently, the world’s defences had never been breached it was a natural fortress with hundreds of tunnels underground many of which led nowhere a labyrinth under the cold surface. Unknown to the Lyrans since the remains of the Mountain Wolves had made Gallery their home, they had converted several of the tunnels to their own uses.
Placing his thick wolf fur lined jacket over his leather desk chair Riko Danvers immediately felt like he was being watched spinning around to his right quickly he drew a laser pistol from its shoulder holster. He always carried a weapon and knew how to use it as he didn’t trust the Mountain Wolf warriors not to turn on him someday even if most of them were too inexperienced or too many years old to challenge him.
“Hello Riko” the figure said sitting on the chair in the far darkened corner of the room even from here he could tell it was a female wearing a Wolf warrior’s duty uniform. Even in the darkness that his much of her face he could see her bright red hair which he guessed she’d modelled after Natasha Kerensky like so many had over the years. It took him several moments to realize who the woman was she’d aged more than the years that had passed he could now see as his eyes adjusted to the darkness that her left eye had been replaced with a cybernetic one which was coloured blue like her natural eye.
“Misara is that you?” He asked slowly moving his finger from the laser pistol’s trigger.
“Aff, Riko, it is good to see you again.”
“And you, how did you get here?”
“I arrived in the Inner Sphere approximately six months ago and I arrived on Gallery with the Sea Fox transport this morning.”
“Our people are in the Sea Fox Clan?” He asked it was a revaluation to him, he hadn’t realized there were potential allies so close. Each cell of their society was locked off from the others with contact kept to a minimum.
“Our people are everywhere. I take it that things are progressing well here, quiaff?”
“Affirmative, the Kharon and Puma S sales continue to bring in resources for the Mountain Wolves resources that we continue to use to develop new weapons to target our enemies." He said naming the BattleMech and OmniMech which the Mountain Wolves primarily produced on Gallery the majority of their current production was sold to the Commonwealth and to the Fire Mandrills in the Rim Collection. "We have also finished work on a new Long Range Missile carrier to support ground forces and sell to our hosts in the Commonwealth. As they have Clans on every border, they buy lots of weapons and ask little questions it has been quite a boon for our people.”
“And your control over the warriors?”
“Absolute” he said confidently even though he didn’t trust them he knew he controlled them. “When the majority of the Clan rejoined Clan Wolf it devastated our ability to maintain the genetic diversity needed for a Trueborn program as a result we have an increased number of freeborns in our Touman, few of which have the political knowledge to challenge the status quo.” He explained “a few of our younger members have agitated under the exile we have found ourselves in on this world desiring to fight and defeat enemies of the Mountain Wolves and of the Lyran people but we have been able to keep these desires in check with their able leaders falling to unfortunate accidents.”
“And the warriors have not questioned these accidents, quineg?”
“When most of them are near the end of their career or just out of their cannister they barely have any idea on what is going on.” He said confidently finally putting the pistol away and moving around his desk “we control the Mountain Wolves entirely as you do the Homeworlds.”
“Not quite” she admitted looking at the floor for a moment “the Clans continue to resist efforts in the Homeworlds and our people have been unable to draw them into a final conflict.” She said “instead we believe we need to use what you have researched here in your special section” she explained Riko Danvers eyes widened in surprise, while he had tried to get the Lyrans to use the weapon when they hadn’t they’d given the go ahead he’d drawn back from its development, “we will target a population centre on Fasa, somewhere we know they will be and have it run through their population.”
“It… it has not been tested like that, it was not part of the plan we had aimed to target the Iron Wombs, I have no idea what the effect will be on a primarily freeborn population.” He stammered shocked at what she had suggested his people had developed the weapon yes but to release them into a general population had not been part of the plan instead they had planned to release it into their enemies Iron Wombs slaughtering their future generations and contaminating their Bloodlines one at a time.
“Then test it!” She nearly shouted her anger boiling he was sure her cybernetic eye glowed red for a moment to reflect her rising temper. “We need to know that it will effectively pass from person to person and between worlds, this is most important Riko we need that data we need it to hurt them.”
“I will have my people do simulations and give us data.”
“Simulations?” Misara laughed out loud “you are in the Inner Sphere Riko Danvers you have a wealth of worlds to target… pick one, but do not get caught.” She warned rising from the chair “I’ll return soon Riko, you had better get that data for us, time is short for all of us. Now your continued life depends on it.” She warned him “otherwise if you are unable to pick a target, I will ensure that one of my people release your little plague here among your population and we’ll get the data anyway.” She threatened leaving the room before he could get answer. He couldn’t track her down without rising suspicion and she knew it, he needed to work fast or everything he’d built here would come crashing down around him.
