Alternate Timeline with Thanks (Part 3)

[truetanker]

I hope something I know happens...

It's the waiting that drives me insane!

TT

[Dragon Cat]

I hope something I know happens...

It's the waiting that drives me insane!

TT

Cryptic, there are certain events that will happen - like Victor Steiner-Davion's eventual demise ^-^. But I'm moving them around a bit to try and work out when.

Finally into 3119

3119

Border skirmish
Warren, Warren PDZ
Capellan March, Federated Suns
3rd January 3119

On a world like Warren border skirmishes were almost a way of life with multiple raids against the world most months from either the Capellan Confederation, Taurian Concordat or independent pirate forces. This meant that joining the AFFS and importantly the local militia was a call many of the locals answered Private Jonas Lobotka was one such recruit.
Jonas did not have the academy training or the family money to be a MechWarrior instead he had joined as a member of the militia’s infantry corps. He had immediately been assigned to the artillery section of the Warren Capellan March Militia joining a crew of a towed Long Tom Artillery piece, the nineteen-year-old had barely been with the command when the Silent Reapers Mercenaries had raided the planet.

The rain beat down on the artillery crew as they bombarded a target far out of visual range. “SPEAR! SPEAR! SPEAR!” their radios collective shouted all at once the crew all shared a look and then began to pull on their chemical protection masks from their gear. Jonas did the same but he stopped for a moment looking up into the sky watching as three long range missiles arced over their position heading towards Warren’s capital city of Aagtekerke.

“What are you doing? Get your gear on now!” His Sergeant screamed at him snapping him out of his momentary trance Jonas pulled on his face mask and then his protective gloves. “Everyone get down now! Turn away from the b…” he screamed at them as the three missiles hit the city a few kilometres beyond their position blast waves tore across the city but it was not the blasts that worried people. A SPEAR call was a chemical warhead attack, they all drilled for it but this was the real thing none of them knew what was going to happen next. Across the city a blue haze spread out from the missile strikes coating the city and its inhabitants.

With the defenders turning to help Aagtekerke recover from the Silent Reapers chemical attack the mercenary force was able to disengage and escape retreating to their two DropShips and then onto the JumpShip. The Silent Reapers had been under contract with the Taurian Concordat and as word of the attack on Warren spread Kathil raised an official complaint against the attack which the Taurians denied all knowledge of and stated that the Silent Reapers were out of contract with the Taurian people. On Warren thousands were sick and the death toll was beginning to rise as Federated Suns medical teams attempted to help the capital’s population.

Public Announcement
Halas Royal Household, Oriente
District of Oriente, Free Worlds League
11th January 3119

Stepping out from the right-hand side of the stage Duke Javier Halas stepped in front of the assembled press dressed in a bright red version of a Free Worlds League Marshal’s uniform. His beard was gone but he had kept a full moustache while his brown hair which had been growing during their month of mourning had been cut shorter.

“Gentlemen and Ladies” he said speaking to the reporters with an emphasis on the ‘Ladies’ part “today I am announcing the ending of our month of mourning since my brother’s suicide on Calloway IV.” He said glancing down for a moment of reflection and then he looked up “I am not over my brother’s death… in the end he could not deal with where he had led our nation and the constant pressure, we were under from our neighbours. Today we together as a nation are going to reverse these fortunes, I am declaring War on behalf of the Free Worlds League against the Capellan Confederation. As I make this declaration units of the District of Oriente are making strikes against worlds of the Capellan Confederation, I call on the Free Worlds League to support us in our second round of assaults. I will avenge my brother’s death and I will make the Capellan Confederation burn for what they drove him to.”

Within hours of his announcement on Oriente six regiments of the District of Oriente landed on the systems of Varna, Hassad and Fujidera with the Oriente flagship Santorini supporting the invasion of Hassad. The Santorini’s presence was to counter the presence of one of the Capellan Confederation’s Tikonov-class Carriers, the Qingdao. While the fighters from the two WarShips cancelled each other out two additional Oriente WarShips jumped in and engaged the Qingdao directly. The Tikonov-class Carrier was not designed to engage WarShips directly instead it was intended on deploying aerospace fighters and protecting itself from aerospace fighters. Against an Eagle-class Frigate and a Monolisk-class Destroyer the eight hundred-and-sixty thousand ton had no chance against two dedicated WarShips even with several escorting DropShips and it was torn to pieces. Soon after the destruction of the carrier the aerospace fighters were forced to surrender or be left abandoned in space, likewise when the Oriente troops reached Hassad the CCSS Qiandaohu, a Britannic-class Heavy Freighter, was boarded and the crew forced to surrender. The ship was escorted to Oriente where Javier Halas christened the vessel after his brother Jonas Halas.

On the ground the District of Oriente troops outclass the troops of the Capellan Confederation with naval firepower supporting the ground troops providing Orbital Fire-support when the ground forces needed it to shatter four separate commands bringing all three worlds into the District of Oriente. The Dragonkind a mercenary BattleMech company were also destroyed along with the Capellan unit that they were attached to.

Border Raids
Southwest Covenant
16th January 3119

After a series of raid by companies of Spartan BattleMechs the Cirincus Federation invades the worlds of Zorn’s Keep and Poulsbo. The Spartan raids had caused heavy damage to infastructure and militia forces on both worlds crippling their ability to respond to the occupation raid which followed. During the invasion of Poulsbo, the mercenary company Antian Lanciarii are wiped out to the man as the Cirincus Federation occupiers take no prisoners. In the coming days the Southwest Covenant government officials are banished from the systems and sent to JumpShips which would take them away from the two systems and into the periphery where they would live their lives as members of the Cirincus Federation’s slave caste in mines. This marks just the start of the Cirincus Federation’s rule as more and more people are shipped off the worlds along with resources and industry.

Wedding Ceremony
McCoy Estate, Whittington
Periphery
25th January 3119

   While the Cirincus Federation were in the process of showing some of the horrors of the periphery on Whittington a ceremony as old as humanity was taking place showing that beauty still existed. On a beautiful Whittington day at the estate of House McCoy sixteen BattleMechs stood in two lines of eight flanking a seated area. The Mechs that had arms had at least one arm extended into the air, while those that did not have arms had poles attached to their body’s, from the Mechs hung a white awning which let the sunlight through but protected the patrons from being blinded by the low yellow sun.

   Under the awning were rows of white seats which were filled by members of McCoy’s Malcontents, their support crews, families, and members of the local community. All the chairs were facing a heavily flowered area closest to the McCoy house while in the middle Schuyler McCoy stood waiting. From the far end of Amanda Cavalcanti entered the awning area she was dressed in a beautiful bright red dress. He had known that is what she had planned to wear and he had asked her why red and not the traditional white? Ever the practical woman Amanda had explained that for three reasons firstly in the periphery keeping white clean and looking perfect was near impossible, secondly, she was not a virgin and she had killed many warriors in combat and three her hair was bright red and it would not look good with a white dress!

   They had laughed together about it and he had agreed with her choice, but seeing her in it now made the choice complete and perfect, his bride soon to be his wife, she looked stunning. Without any family to walk her down the aisle she began walking down by herself but then Chief Tech Matthew Yingling dressed in a suit which resembled one of his boilersuits stood up and took her by the arm walking her the remainder of the way. Schuyler McCoy did not have a best man so he stood waiting her to join him in front of all the others, likewise they did not have a religious representative instead they both stood facing the crowd of nearly two hundred.

   “You look amazing” he whispered to her drawing a smile her hair was tied back in a simple braid which went down her back but the red stood out for all to see. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming here today.” He said addressing the crowd “myself and Amanda did not meet through a conventional sense.”

   “You abducted me” she broke in, with perfect timing just as they had agreed, it brought a quiet laughter from the crowd.

   “I recruited Amanda into our little community during one of our missions.”

   “Also known by some as raids” Amanda added, not all of their ‘missions’ were of a legal nature and she’d been one of those trying to stop the Malcontents.

   “Thank you, dear” he said glancing over “after joining us Amanda won a place within this unit and from there it was only a matter of time before she won also won my heart.” He explained looking at her as there was a collected ‘awww’ from the crowd, we have been through quite a bit since she joined us, we’ve had some adventures, made some friends and some enemies along the way and we have lost some friends.” He said bowing his head as did most of the people gathered Malcontents had died bringing goods to Whittington to improve all their lives and they had died defending the world as well. “But through it all we’ve had each other and I want that for the rest of my life.”

   “I did not come to you in the traditional way” she said

   “I swept you off your feet…” he interrupted

   “Well you took off my BattleMech’s legs” she said countering him recounting how they met when Schuyler had use his Archer’s BattleMech sized axe to smash her BattleMech’s legs, again their back and forth brought the crowd into their story even if they were not there “but I sensed from my first meeting with you that there was something honourable and that you had a deeper integrity. And then we came here, to our home, to these people” she said looking at the crowd “and I realized that the life I had before…”

   “The one I kidnapped you from…”

   “Was no life at all” she said even as the crowd laughed “you’ve given me a home and a life that I would not change it.” She finished “I want to stay with you for the rest of my life.” She said completing their vow.

   “For the rest of our lives”

   “I do” she said agreeing to their vow in front of all the witnesses they became Schuyler McCoy and Amanda Cavalcanti-McCoy.

Freedom Riot
Herndon, Clan Lynx Occupation Zone
28th January 3119

   After months of behind the scenes work by Draconis Combine special forces personnel the people of Herndon riot against Clan Lynx demonstrating for their freedom. For three days to end the month the people of Herndon protested peacefully in the streets of every town and city on Herndon. Unlike on previous worlds where protests had occurred, like Turtle Bay during the initial Clan invasion almost seventy years before, the Clan military forces do not even make an appearance instead leaving every law enforcement issue up to the local police and paramilitary forces.

Unlike Clan Smoke Jaguar which had enforced law on Combine world using their military forces to enforce Clan law Clan Lynx takes a stepped back approach allowing the locals to be angry for a period of time. The Clan’s stepped back approach shows the population the Clan’s attitude towards its population which is far different from both Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Draconis Combine. Several hundred people are arrested during the course of the protests but all are processed under local laws instead of being charged with various other offences.

Still hidden from the Clan Lynx forces the Draconis Combine forces based on Herndon have too change tactics instead of relying on the people to do their dirty work they instead turn to sabotage. On the 30th January 3119 the DEST teams on Herndon bomb a power plant and a money exchange building killing nearly eight hundred people including a dozen of members of Clan Lynx. Within days of these actions Clan Lynx deploy two additional Elemental stars and two additional stars of conventional infantry along with infantry support vehicles which are sent to hunt down the DEST commandos regardless of cost. After the terrorist actions which cost hundreds of lives the people of Herndon do not stand in the Lynx way.

[Dragon Cat]

Clan Sea Fox Trade Outpost
Coates Continent, Ito
Sian Commonality, Capellan Confederation
2nd February 3119

   In an organised move Clan Sea Fox claim the Coates Continent on the world of Ito in the heart of the Capellan Confederation as a trade world.  Initially the Capellan Confederation refuses to trade the continent to Clan Sea Fox refusing any sort of fighting trial with the Sea Foxes. Instead, it took the Sea Fox ArcShip Red Tide journeying to Capellan Confederation capitol and negotiating directly with the leadership of the Capellan Confederation. Although they do not gain an audience with the Chancellor they speak with Dao-Shen Liao’s chief military advisor, and wife, Sang-jiang-jun Erin Liao.

   During the negotiations the Sea Foxes agree to trade away to the Capellan Confederation an entire star of assault DropShips and the makings of an entire combined-arms regiment to allow the Sea Fox Clan to take possession of the entire southern Coates Continent. The Sea Foxes also secure the Capellan’s agreement to for the Capellans remove all civilians from the Coats Continent before the Foxes land on the ground. For eight weeks the Capellans forcefully relocate civilians from Coates there are several protests however the Eighth Capellan Defence Force are aggressive with the population and do not allow things to get out of hand. The Sea Foxes attempt to make things easier on the people that are relocated by deploying over one hundred temporary housing blocks, often used when creating Clan firebases, to give the people at least a roof over their heads. The Capellans organise these into small towns with everyone from Coates housed together but it does little to dispel the anger from the population.

   With the equipment brought in from Clan Sea Fox they deploy the new DropShips with the Confederation’s best WarShips while the ground equipment is deployed to the best regiments in the Capellan Confederation Armed Forces the released equipment from other regiments is sent to Ito where a new Warrior House Mitsukurina owstoni named after the Goblin Shark which is native to Ito having been engineered from the Terran species introduced during the First Star League-era. The new Warrior Houses primary task during peace time will be to guard against any intrusions by Clan Sea Fox forces. The continent of Coates was an island which made up roughly two thirds of the southern hemisphere of Ito it was temperate in climate, with mostly flat farm landed and a massive mountain range making up the southern most part of the land.

   Elsewhere in the Clipperton system the reborn Clan Smoke Jaguar, operating as part of the Free Worlds League’s military, claim a newly completed Aumaku-class Destroyer from Clan Sea Fox in a Trial of Possession adding it to the naval forces available to the District of Lesnovo. The trial is fought between two DropShips and their attending fighters on both sides.

Field Base Command, StarCorps Industries
Farrarrah, Annesland
Crofton, Crofton OZ, Nova Cat’s Den
10th February 3119

The Khan of Clan Nova Cat Canin Rosse continued to occupy the office formerly occupied by the CEO of StarCorps Industries on Crofton. The Nova Cats continued to fight trials with the Federated Suns targeting worlds near their expanded Crofton Occupation Zone recently adding Bulford, Kettering and Vincente to the Nova Cat’s claimed worlds on Kettering there was a Cicada factory which the Nova Cats were now evaluating for potential of deploying within their forces.

The most recent Trials of Possessions had drawn the ire of the Federated Suns however two days before at a pirate point the Federated Suns Battleship the FSS Black Prince, a Mercury-class Battleship, had jumped into the system. Immediately the vessel had requested Safcon and announced that the First Prince of the Federated Suns wished to speak with Khan Canin Rosse. The Nova Cats had five WarShips in the system including a Nightlord II-class Battleship but nothing that could match the size of the massive Federated Suns vessel. Not wanting to see five WarShips badly damaged or destroyed Khan Rosse had agreed to grant Safcon and allow the Federated Suns to land one DropShip at the Marcus Spaceport.

The Federated Suns had landed one of their premier aerodyne DropShips, a Conquistador combined arms carrier, and then a convoy had been escorted to the StarCorps facility’s gates. After being checked over the armoured limousine along with a squad of Infiltrator III Battle Armour suits had been allowed into the complex.

Now the First Prince of the Federated Suns walked into Khan Canin Rosse’s office wearing the uniform of a Federated Suns Field Marshal at fifty-five years old Canin Rosse could see that grey was peppering the First Prince’s hair and his hairline was slowly receding. He also noted the First Prince had put on some weight since they had last met a few years before and Khan Rosse wondered if that was why he had not taken his BattleMech to the Nova Cat base. Rising from his chair Khan Rosse wore a simple charcoal coloured combat jumpsuit, with ablative inserts, on his belt he had a vibro-dagger and a gauss pistol, he was dressed for any occasion. In the corner of the room sitting along with his hanging coolant suit and outside jacket there was a compact Gauss SMG, for decades the weapon had been standard issue to most MechWarriors who deployed out of their Mechs Rosse was proficient with the weapon but had not used it in anger for years. The Nova Cats controlled this system but there were still many who would be willing to take a shot at the Nova Cat Khan, and even though he was approaching his eighty-first birthday Canin Rosse was always ready to defend himself.

“Welcome to the Nova Cat’s Den, First Prince Davion.” He said looking to see how the First Prince would react.

“Thank you, Khan Rosse,” his visitor replied stopping short of Khan Rosse’s desk, the Khan noticed that the First Prince had a large heavy slug thrower pistol. “Thank you for granting me an audience. I will cut straight to the point, these raids against the Federated Suns must stop.”

“Neg” Rosse said simply looking at the younger man, from his facial expression it was clear Burton Davion was not used to someone defying him so bluntly.

“Khan Rosse, you must understand you are pushing the Federated Suns to the point of total was in retaliation in response to your actions. I came here in a Mercury-class Battleship, I have access to five more of that class of vessel along with dozens of support vessels, and six combat capable Regimental Combat Teams are within strike distance of your realm. I could bring great harm to your nation even without the support of the Star League Defence Force, which I would get.”

“An over-reaction but your choice First Prince.” Khan Rosse said turning and stepping away from the First Prince looking out of the window over the base “the Trials of Possession my Clan have undertaken are part of an agreement I made with your father decades ago. They are a cornerstone of our culture and one I will not let go.” He said defiantly turning back towards the First Prince. “Given our agreement with your father my troops have done the absolute minimum damage to the worlds we have targeted, and we have sought to avoid civilian casualties with a near one hundred percent success rate.” He said every Trial of Possession was ordered to be fought outside civilian population centres with Nova Cat troops drawing Federated Suns defenders out and even engaging them on grounds that favoured the Federated Suns defenders instead of taking the fight into a civilian zone.

“And as for your willingness to run to the Star League for assistance I could easily do the same and turn to the Clan Council for assistance with your nation. The Ravens, Foxes and now the Ghost Bears all share borders with your realm First Prince. Do you want to see what the coordinated efforts of the Clans can do?” Rosse asked allowing some anger to enter his voice “ask the Draconis Combine or the Lyran Commonwealth.” While the Inner Sphere had closed on the Clans in terms of firepower and technological knowledge ton for ton Clan units still tended to be superior to their Inner Sphere equivalents with few exceptions. The Nova Cats would struggle to repel a Federated Suns invasion of the Nova Cat’s Den but he also knew that if the Federated Suns tried to invade his realm en masse they would pay the price fighting the Nova Cats and he could count on at least the Ravens for assistance.

“While I respect the agreements you made with my father, I cannot allow your constant violations of our territory.” He said turning away from the Khan briefly before turning back his arms resting on the holster of his pistol. “A Davion does not flagrantly break an agreement with a neighbour.” He said repeating a phrase his father liked as he eyed the Khan?” refusing to copy the Khan by raising his hands towards his own weapon. “I wish to modify our agreement” He asked switching pace and to diplomacy, he did not want a large-scale war with the Nova Cats over periphery worlds even if worlds like this very one had been valuable to his nation. “I will not take these Trials away from you. But we must limit them.”

“Out of respect for your father, your nations strength and your willingness to negotiate I am willing to discuss this.” Rosse said bowing his head slightly. “I will start the bidding at twelve trials per year, equal to one per month of the year.”

“No, that is far too many, that is more than you presently conduct.” Burton responded annoyed that the Khan had started at such a high number. He preferred having a diplomat with him during a negotiation or having his wife Sterling McKenna, formerly the Khan of Clan Snow Raven providing support.

“Counter my bid First Prince Davion” Khan Rosse said trying to not smile, the First Prince probably saw this as a game but this was part of his life and it had been for his entire fighting career.

“Four trials per calendar year.”

“Ten”

“Six”

“Eight” Rosse said finally following the reduction by two that he had started with. He had not intention in going lower, the First Prince had been willing to increase his agreed number of trials. Eight he could sell to the Nova Cat Clan Council “with one additional modification?”

“I could agree to eight, assuming you would still allow any civilians who wished to leave captured systems to leave? And the eight Trials of Possession would be win or lose contests, your Clan is not allowed to simply continue to fight until you win eight trials, Quiaff?” He asked using the Clan word

“Aff, they may leave should they wish, eight trials win or lose” he agreed

“What is your modification?”

“Should the Federated Suns start a conflict with Clan Nova Cat then we are allowed additional trials equal to the number that your nation launched against out Clan?” He said he would not allow his Clan to be cornered by the Federated Suns and bound to only fight defensively should the Succession State prosecute a war against the Nova Cats.”

“Agreed” First Prince Burton Davion said extending his hand to shake the Nova Cat Khan’s hand.

“Seyla” The Nova Cat Khan said extending his own hand to shake the First Princes hand which they both met with a firm handshake. “Would you like to remain on Crofton for refreshments? I can have our kitchens prepare you a meal before returning to your DropShip?” He asked releasing the First Prince’s hand.

“I shouldn’t” Burton said after a moment “however to foster continued cooperation between us, I would be willing to share food with you to show my respect for you Khan Rosse and your Clan.” Canin Rosse nodded extending his hand showing the First Prince to the office door.

Salvage mission, Unknown Asteroid
Uncharted System, Aurigan Collective
Periphery
19th February 3119

“Alright people lines are attached” the commander of Rampant Company Karen “Sunbird” Andris said “engines are at station keeping, we’re ready let’s see if we can get her up.” She said in the space near the asteroid a Leopard and Mule-class DropShips were hovering nearby both had cables attached to their find ready to assist while Rampant Company itself was around the DropShip and they had spent time digging it out. “0.5G acceleration, take us up” She ordered slowly the DropShip began to lift off away from the asteroid sand tumbling off the off the craft “retract tow cords” she ordered the two DropShips in space began to drag their lines back in with the DropShips engines keeping them up and away from a collision.

Slowly the ninety-seven-thousand-ton DropShip cleared the asteroid and sand continued to climb away from the asteroid “one G acceleration, cut the lines” she said looking around the DropShip’s command deck she like the other members of the on the bridge wore full EVA suits due to the ship’s hull being open to space. “Rampart Company, this is Sunbird, she’s flying” she said smirking looking around the other crewmen. “Federated-Boeing obviously made this thing to last” she said the Argo was ancient dating back to the end of the First Star League era but her company had gotten her into a working condition. “I think we’ve maybe got a new home.”

Clan Raid in Force
Goslar, Hanseatic League
Deep Periphery
28th February 3119

   While continuing to search for former Clansmen within the deep periphery Galaxy Commander Connor Rood of Clan Goliath Scorpion leads a conquest of the Goslar system. Far from the Clan Homeworlds the forces under Rood’s command needed a base of operations for which to train and being any found warriors before sending them back to the Clan Homeworlds. On the outskirts of the Hanseatic League and sparsly populated Goslar had made a perfect choice, the more advanced and battle hardened Goliath Scorpions had made short work of the militia forces defending Goslar and the local population had offered no resistance of their own.

[DOC_Agren]

gee I never saw First Prince say he was going to bring in the Star League, but the 1st thing Khan does is threatened to bring this to total war with all Clans with a border.   

Typical of the Clanners, this is how they abuse the system to their own benefit.  Like when they treated the TC to orbital bombardment with their own orbitals, from a brand new starship..  which means they should be treated like pirates that they are.  When the TC responded in kind on one of their own world.  The Clanner go nuts. 
Yet no one was willing to stand against them.

[marauder648]

Rules for thee but not for me seems to often be the Clan way, although they'll happily hide behind them and say they're honourable.

Excellent updates as always!

[DOC_Agren]

Rules for thee but not for me seems to often be the Clan way, although they'll happily hide behind them and say they're honourable.

Thank you for saying that much better then I could... :thumbsup:

[truetanker]

I hope something I know happens...

It's the waiting that drives me insane!

TT

Cryptic, there are certain events that will happen -

SQUEE!

Something happened!

Argo lives!

TT

[Dragon Cat]

Rules for thee but not for me seems to often be the Clan way, although they'll happily hide behind them and say they're honourable.

Excellent updates as always!

Probably better than I could have put it as well. Clan big stick wins when there's a disagreement about honour and tactics... similar way that the big succession states pick on the little succession states and don't care about the repercussions.  Unfortunately we're going to see both sides of this coming up in the timeline.

Funeral March
Avalon City, New Avalon
Crucis March, Federated Sun
3rd March 3119

   Rarely did a someone born outside the ruling houses of the Federated Suns earn the right to be buried within the grounds of the Royal Cemetery on New Avalon but Galen Cox was a man who had broken the mold, he had served the Federated Suns loyally for decades despite originally being born within the Lyran Commonwealth he had helped hold the nation together during the brief Varnay Civil War and had been inducted into the Order of Davion by Victor Steiner-Davion himself and his wife Danai Centrella-Davion both were dressed in military uniforms of the Federated Suns with all of the awards that they were due.

   Today, however it was his funeral. At ninety-nine years of age and after decades of service Galen Cox had passed away at his home on New Avalon, as per his wishes he would be buried on the capital of his adopted home nation and the nation had responded with thousands of members of public lining the streets to pay their respects to a true hero. Escorting Galen’s body on its final journey were four Crusader BattleMechs the same design that he had piloted for most of his career. Behind the coffin were hundreds of officers and warriors who had served with Galen over his years of service in the Federated Commonwealth, Federated Suns and with the Star League Defence Forces. All around the procession were members of the elite First Davion Guards RCT and the First New Avalon Guards RCT, two units which had been close to Galen’s heart and that he had served with on several occasions. With them members of the Royal Black Watch Brigade of Guards, the Rabid Fox, and the Star League Defence Forces’ Special Armed Service all watched ensuring that no-one caused harm to those who were paying their respects to the fallen hero.

   After the funeral Exarch Victor Steiner-Davion spends nearly two weeks with members of his family on New Avalon remaining on the world until First Prince Burton Davion returns from Crofton. The First Prince apologises to his father for missing the ceremony but he explains that affairs of state had to come first and that he had wanted Galen to be remembered a hero of his father’s era, that the two of them had served together and that it had seemed fitting. While relations between the two were strained the heart to heart was good for both men.

Race of Noisiel
Noisiel, Alarion Province
Lyran Commonwealth
10th March 3119

   For decades on the world of Noisiel had been host to a variety of games using Mechs, Battle Armour and tanks, these games had evolved over time adding the great BattleMech race of Noisiel and then in 3094 Duke Michael Alextep added the Tournament 1945 which was a ground-based battle using drone controlled, fuel cell powered, primitive armoured vehicles based on the Armoured Tanks used on Terra during the Second World War. These events alone had made Noisiel almost as popular as Solaris in entertainment at least within the Lyran Commonwealth.

   Duke Alextep had not rested on his laurels however and in support of the Tournament 1945 he had built an aircraft industry capable of constructing aircraft from the same era as the drone tanks which took part in the popular deathmatch contest on the planet’s surface. Initially these aircraft performed air displays including a special guest appearance on Solaris before the run up to the Solaris Racing League season.  Duke Alextep enjoyed the sceptical of the Solaris Racing League and wanted to create something like the event on Solaris but not the same, not in competition, instead of using modern conventional aircraft the Noisiel race would use “1945-era” conventional aircraft built using recovered schematics from Star League Defence Force records. These aircraft like the ground craft would be powered by fuel cell engines but unlike the armoured vehicles the aircraft would be flown by pilots. With the minimal armour available to these designs this made the competition dangerous at best but Duke Alextep added yet another element which would make it even more lethal. Unlike the Solaris Racing League events which were essentially time trials over a difficult course the Noisiel race would be around a simple oval course. But instead of individual aircraft flying at once all twenty racers would fly around the course at the same time at less than one hundred metres from the ground. The multi-aircraft race and the lower armour available to the aircraft caused multiple crashes which led to the deaths of six pilots, Free Worlds League native Deco Xavier piloting a Supermarine Spitfire replica is victorious in the race.

   During the promotion of the event MechWarrior Brittany Hale, the most recent winner of the BattleMech Race of Noisiel, promotes the racing events on the world by taking her modified Ostscout in a race against BattleMechs, vehicles and VTOL aircraft through various sights in and around the race course promoting other areas of Noisiel as well as the known race courses. Supporting Brittany Hale and the ground armour tournament are guards from the Armoured Toads and Gorillas, the armour of the Battle Armour is more than enough to compensate for any missed shots by the ancient armoured vehicles.

Unexplained Explosion
Terada WarShip Yard, Dieron
Northwind EDZ, Star League Protectorate
22nd March 3119

In the Dieron system at the Terada Shipyards work continued as it had for months on end. While the District of Dieron had ceased to exist the shipyards which had produced WarShips for Dieron now produced them for the Star League Defence Force directly. While nowhere near the size of the Star League’s shipyards in the Terran system the Dieron shipyards easily dwarfed the shipyards that were in the Fenwick and they were deeper within the Star League Protectorate behind layers of WarShips and ground troops making them far better protected.

On one of the largest civilian structures of the shipyards CEO Keisuke Nishi sat within his office which was on one of the many gravity decks doing what he did every day, when an alert sounded throughout the complex. Reaching over to the communication system built into the desk he activated the controls “Command, what is going on?” He demanded in Japanese.

“Sir, apologies, but please look at your monitors on bay three!” The controller responded with a slight sense of panic; Nishi would discipline the man when they next spoke, he expected all his people to be always professional. They may no longer be in the Draconis Combine but they should all respect their responsibilities to Honour and Duty.

He changed the controls to bay three and saw several of the monitors were off he was about to berate the someone over the comm systems when he finally found a monitor that was working and he himself was lost for words. One of the recently completed Tatsumaki III-class Destroyers which were waiting to be assigned to a crew had exploded amid-ships from what Nishi knew of the ships it appeared to be near one of the main ammunition bunkers, an area which was heavily armoured and protected, the explosion had come from within the ship and it was tearing the bay apart. He could see that the administration block attached to bay three was ablaze and venting atmosphere and crew were abandoning the complex, hundreds would be dead already and the death toll could still rise.

To make matters worse debris from both the destroyer and the construction bay were impacting the other vessels which were under construction. While technically each bay was an independent entity, they were close enough to support each other with both resources and in times of crisis unfortunately that proximity was working against them now. Suddenly there was a flash of light as the Tatsumaki III-class Destroyer inside Bay Two attempted to jump still within its construction bay as someone onboard the vessel panicked. Almost as soon as the light had subsided Nishi could already see the effects the Tatsumaki along with half of Bay Two were now a twisted mess some parts of the bay were embedded within the WarShip as the Jump Engine had warped space all around them both. Because there were things on both structures now located where they should not be further explosions were tearing through the second destroyer and the construction bay, Nishi was powerless but to watch it all unfold.

Watching the sceptical unfold Nishi could not understand how it was possible, none of the jump cores should be powered while in space dock, and then he remembered that Bays two and four were testing their Jump Engine battery system ensuring that they could hold full capacity power for a jump, he looked at bay four and noticed that the bay had been battered by debris, there were parts of WarShip and dock where the destroyer which had been berthed there had previously been.

Of five operational WarShips at the shipyard only two Tatsumaki III-class vessels remained within their docks both WarShips had been battered by debris from the exploding ships and docks while the entire facility was in crisis mode as areas of the station decompressed and burned. Looking at the reports coming from both ships it appeared that both had suffered hull breaches and were dealing with their own issues following the destruction within the shipyards. Thousands were dead and Terada Shipyards were crippled, all by one simple accident. Straightening his suit Keisuke Nishi walked out of his office and directly towards the command centre hoping to salvage the situation and find out exactly how much damage had been done, and how many of his workers had he lost today.

For the next three months Terada would investigate the explosion using salvaged video and sensor logs. Despite their best efforts they were at a loss as to how the initial explosion had occurred. Every scenario they ran through led to the same conclusion, that the safety protocols built into the WarShip should have prevented a catastrophic explosion but they had failed. This led to further questions regarding the design of the Tatsumaki III which was an evolved design of the original hull leading to questions about the viability and safety of the overall class of vessel.

Further investigations also found that while the SLS Akira Kurita was missing from the shipyard the WarShip, which they all had thought destroyed by a second ill-timed and conceived jump may have survived. Salvaged Tri-vid records showed the WarShip in bay four had cut its ties to the shipyard as soon as the first vessel exploded allowing it to drift far enough clear of the shipyards for its transit drive to be activated. While the ship had only moments to act a quick burst of acceleration and then an immediate jump had taken the ship safely out of the system but so far it had not shown up anywhere and remained missing. Although the incident was officially still classed as an accident several things remained clear, firstly two Tatsumaki-class vessels had been destroyed during the event, two more vessels were damaged to the point of not being serviceable while the fifth previously mentioned Akira Kurita was currently listed as missing/presumed lost in an emergency jump. On Terada shipyards sixteen thousand workers and support staff had been killed and the shipyards themselves while salvageable they were currently crippled and would not be producing any new WarShips for several years.

Planning Room
Lothario, District of Lothario
Free Worlds League
27th March 3119

   Wearing an elaborate light pink dress with a purple sash and jewellery Grand Mistress Clarissa Logan entered the ruling council chambers on her capital Lothario over her shoulders she wore the pelt of the Lothario polar bear. The world had come a long way from being the centre point of the Lothian League, as part of the Free Worlds League Lothario was moving forwards by leaps and bounds with the capital city becoming large enough and advanced enough to make all of her people comfortable. In orbit over the planet a JumpShip production yard had been completed which would soon be producing a new class of JumpShip for her District’s fleets. The Free Trader-class JumpShip was two hundred-and-seventy-five-thousand-ton vessel capable of carrying twelve aerospace fighters and four DropShips and they would be capable of making the entire military might of the District of Lothario far more mobile than before.

   Approaching the leadership caste of the District of Lothario she smiled taking in their faces. Clarissa Logan was only in her forties and younger than many of the planetary leaders of the District of Lothario. “Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for assembling today here today, I have two announcements to make firstly the Angelina Logan Shipyards are now operational over this world while secondly I am deploying the First through Sixth Lothian Legionnaires into the Southwest Covenant as a peacekeeping force.” She announced informing them all the six new BattleMech regiments her district had raised over the last few years. “These regiments were raised from the equipment discovered in the Star League-era weapons cache on New Venice.” She explained “pilots and fighters from across the District of Lothario have been training for the last year and are ready for deployment.” She said “actions by the Cirincus Federation have placed the Southwest Covenant at the point of capitulation. These people used to be members of the Free Worlds League; we will make sure they are protected from these pirates.”

   Within days of the announcement on Lothario the six regiments launched a full assault on the four remaining worlds of the Southwest Covenant taking control over them from the mercenaries and the remaining governments located on each world. Unlike treatment by the Cirincus Federation forces the government workers for the most part are allowed to retain their positions as long as they were willing to follow the direction of the District of Lothario government. On Sierra the BattleCorps Legion is wiped out to the man trying to resist the Lothario invasion. Only on Hardisey’s Haven is there a similar occurrence where The City Boyz combined-arms regiment are also forcefully disarmed by the District of Lothario troops. Unfortunately for both the BattleCorps and The City Boyz units are no match for the Star League tech equipped regiments fielded by the District of Lothario.

   In an election year on Atreus Lothario’s independent action by Lothario following the actions by Oriente threaten the very leadership of Atreus and the coordination on Oriente. At the other side of the Free Worlds League Oriente continues to attack Capellan Confederation systems in unilateral action with no support from Atreus or the Free Worlds League government. Actions by these two nations cause issues and debate on Atreus which leads to a lot of anger directed at the two districts.

[Dragon Cat]

System Survey, Saratoga (Intrepid A-class ArcShip)
Paran, Chainelane Isle
Sea Fox Territory, Periphery
2nd April 3119

Straight from its refit at the shipyard in the Chainelane Isles the Saratoga jumped into the Paran system. Originally an Intrepid-class Troopship built for war by ComStar, had been configured as a new class of ArcShip for Clan Sea Fox. As part of the refurbishment the class’s internal BattleMech complement had been removed, several of the standard scale anti-aircraft weapons had been removed and replaced with Sub-Capital weapons reducing the crew requirements, its anti-missile systems expanded, as had the fuel storage capacity been increased and one Aqueduct-class DropShip and three Mammoth-class DropShips had been permanently attached to the hull at their collars. Because of the additional mass added to the hull with the DropShips added the ship’s effective minimum force had been reduced to a single gravity of acceleration. With these modifications a total of seven thousand civilian families made the vessel their home, they lived, worked and trained for the betterment of Clan Sea Fox.

With the refurbishments and changes done to the ship the Saratoga needed an extensive testing leading to it being assigned to an exploration mission in the Paran system. During its time in the system the Sea Foxes would test the WarShips systems from before the refurbishment to ensure they were still operational and unhindered by the changes. They would also be checking the transit drives to see if they could cope with the near constant 1G acceleration the craft would be using. The Paran system had been chosen for a specific reason when the Sea Foxes had first taken steps to take military control over the Chainelane Isles they had heard stories of the SLS Pioneer.

The Avatar-class Cruiser had been commissioned into the original Star League Defence Forces navy as an exploration and scientific vessel which was operated by the Star League Expeditionary Brigade. The Sea Foxes had been curious about the vessel and done an initial search but had failed to find her now when a ship completed its construction or refitting at the shipyards they came here for testing and to search another part of the system searching for the missing Cruiser. So far eight ships had completed their trials in the system but star systems and the space beyond them were vast.

Trial of Reaving
Cuneo, Rushaven
Raven Alliance
12th April 3119

Jeremy Howe was going to die, he knew this, he had known this since about three minutes ago when his Crimson Langur’s had lost its right arm and its longest ranged weapon, its extended-range large laser. Now he was reduced to two heavy medium lasers against a OmniMech that had a particle projection cannon, two lasers which matched his own and a six-tube streak equipped short range missile launcher. And with his death his only hope was that his genes would be passed on would be in a now reduced Bloodhouse he thought angrily as he ran the OmniMech at over one hundred kilometres per hour as a man-made lightning blast flew past him missing his Langur by metres. Dancing his fifty-ton OmniMech to the left he twisted the torso and fired both heavy medium lasers into the charging Craven. The enemy pilot Richard Cooper had given up trying to snipe at him and was now charging the Craven opened fire with its particle cannon and short-range missile launcher as it closed the particle cannon slammed into the Mech’s left chest tearing through the armour there penetrating the fusion engine. Warm air rushed into the cockpit as the damaged engine’s shielding was compromised Jeremy gasped for breath in the searing heat as the short-range missiles peppered his BattleMech, there was nowhere to run. He locked on and triggered both heavy medium lasers burning into the Craven’s armour but it was not enough to stop the enemy Mech which had fired both of its own heavy medium lasers at the same time. Opal coloured heavy laser beams criss-crossed in between the Mechs and the last thing that Jeremy Howe experienced was the lasers burning through the OmniMech’s cockpit incinerating him ending the trial.

The Trial had not been Jeremy Howe’s idea, he had not even been involved in the decision for the trial to take place, instead he had been picked as the champion in a political fight between the Howe and Cooper Bloodhouses. The Cooper Bloodhouse believed that the Howe Bloodhouse was weak and had been the cause of a great number of the recent trials with the Draconis Combine the Howe family had refuted this and it had led to a series of Circle of Equal challenges as individual warriors disagreed fought, and in several cases died. Khan Porter McKenna had decided enough was enough and ordered a Trial of Reaving to sort out the disagreement, while some had seen it as an extreme case but it also made things clear to all the Bloodhouses that should a disagreement not be settled quickly then he could and he would take it to the next level and punish the Bloodhouse that could not match its argument with its fighting prowess.

The fighting in the Rushaven system was not over with the Snow Raven Trial however as the Draconis Combine launched an invasion of the system only a day after the Trial of Reaving. In the system the Ravens had three WarShips but it was no match for what the Draconis Combine had brought to the fight in total nine Draconis Combine WarShips invaded the Rushaven system. Following a recent re-organisation of the Draconis Combine Admiralty’s forces the Draconis Combine deployed a force now known as Carrier Force One. This new grouping which was specifically brought together for invasions or defences involved three massive carriers, two Omi Kurita-class Carriers with aerospace fighters and one Akagi-class Assault Carrier with Land Air Mechs. Supporting these craft were six Kirishima II-class Cruisers which defended the carriers and added naval firepower to the group. Adding in the massed assault DropShips and Pocket WarShips the nine WarShips quickly overpowered and destroyed the Snow Raven WarShips.

Four of the Kirishima II-class Cruisers are destroyed in the fighting but among the vessels destroyed on the Snow Raven side is the Montbatton, a Texas-class Battleship which dated back to the first Star League-era, the vessel was also the flagship of saKhan Lydia Sukhanov resulting in her death. Also destroyed during the battle is the Aegis-class Heavy Cruiser Lord Death, another vessel which had survived from the first Star League-era. The result of the battle leads to another Trial of Reaving where the Sukhanov Bloodhouse is also reduced in strength by one Blood Heritage. The Draconis Combine does not push position from the Rushaven system instead content with one victory and what they see as a successful test of their newest WarShip formation. One thing that the Snow Ravens do realize is that they need to concentrate on Battleship and Carrier production if they want to defeat the Draconis Combine with their new formations. Ashkhan McCorkell wins a Trial of Possession and the support of the Clan Council to become the new saKhan.

Trial of Possession
Alexandretta, Alexandria
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
27th April 3119

   The star of OmniMechs charged through the forest near Alexandretta MechWarrior Daeron Jerricho smiled viciously as his OmniMech ran through the trees intending on outflanking the Sixth Isle of Skye Guards RCT. The OmniMech was brand new, manufactured at a new factory in the Blue Diamond system, but the design was as old as the Clans it was in-fact the first OmniMech the Coyotl. Recently brought back from the grave the Coyotl was filling the ranks of Clan Coyote. Daeron’s unit the recently formed Ninety-sixth Striker Cluster was made up exclusively of eight stars of the nimble forty-ton Coyotl design with Elementals and a star of aerospace fighters in support.

   Despite the age of the design Daeron Jerricho loved the Coyotl it was fast, well armoured, and well-armed. For this mission knowing he would be going into a close-range battle with infantry, battle armour and armour he had chosen the alternate C configuration which gave him an extended-range large laser, plasma cannon and a six-tube Advanced Tactical Missile launcher, which for this mission had close range high explosive munitions. The OmniMech also had an Electronic Counter Measures suite which helped hide the BattleMechs in their current mission.

   Smashing aside the trees with green and blue leaves the first of five Coyotls burst into the clearing near the eastern flank of the Sixth Isle of Skye Guards. “Engage!” Star Captain Amanda Heller called out; she was riding on Jerricho’s Coyotl back in her Elemental Battle Armour suite. While her suit was painted white like all the other Elemental suits on its helmet was a silver coyote’s head. He reached out with his right arm mounted laser and blasted a Lyran Red Shift BattleMech burning the arm and torso of the enemy Mech. “Keep moving, break through their lines we need to get to their support personnel. Our other forces will engage their main line forces.”  Behind the first five OmniMechs came another five and another five each of them carrying five elementals dressed in their battle armour. At the same time two other Clusters of Coyotes hit the main defence lines. The Lyran Regimental Combat Team were ill prepared for the Coyote assault as the entire cluster of Coyotl OmniMechs burst through line after line of defenders. From every Coyote OmniMech weapons fire flew into enemy Mechs, armour and infantry troopers as all thoughts of Clan Duelling laws were forgotten. The Coyotes had brought four Clusters to the planet and they had decided that duelling laws were not to be followed. “Take us to that Atlas! Then keep going Daeron lead the star into our backlines wipe them out. If you do well today you will be commanding this star tomorrow.”

   “Aff, Star Captain, win honour today” he said to her as the forty-ton OmniMech ran past, from the OmniMech five Elementals launched into the air firing short range missiles into the Atlas before jumping onto the BattleMech into the support area behind the main battle lines. “Wipe them off the face of this planet, target all support assets!” Daeron said as he twisted the OmniMech’s torso he opened up with the plasma cannon and fired a salvo of high explosive missiles. The yellow-coloured plasma cannon blast was fired into several Mechbays burning the equipment and the technicians there while the missiles flew into an ammunition store setting off a huge explosion.

   “Point 2, Point 2! We have incoming Battle Armour and Mechs they have Star League colours and the insignia of the Tenth Special Operations Group!” Someone shouted, Daeron Jerricho realized they were shouting on him for orders.

   “Excellent, proper enemies turn into them!” Jerricho ordered even without rank the other MechWarriors listened, the star’s MechWarrior commander was dead. Without their supporting Elementals they would be a match for most enemy Mechs even if the power armour became a problem. More and more Coyotl’s staggered through the Lyran lines several with Elementals still on board.

   “This is MechWarrior Daemon Jerricho acting commander of lead BattleMech star, Elementals engage the battle armour, MechWarriors be alert there is an entire battalion coming in and it looks like Star League Special Forces be, careful Quiaff?”

   “Aff, MechWarrior” they answered and the Coyotls moved quickly towards the enemy the Elementals launching from their frames as they ran. From his position Jerricho opened fire with his Mech’s laser supporting their movements striking a seventy-ton Archer BattleMech.

   With Zellbrigen being ignored BattleMechs and Battle Armour were flying and firing in all directions and Daeron Jerricho was in the middle of it from the Archer he laid down cover fire for a point of Elementals firing ATMs into a group of SLDF Battle Armoured troopers. Missiles came back towards Daeron’s OmniMech but the Coyotl was already in motion reaching out with the Mech’s arm Daeron fired his large laser into a Star League painted Shadow Hawk BattleMech just as the medium Mech was hit by a tight grouping of long-range missiles. As the front of the Shadow Hawk exploded under the coat of missiles Daeron’s laser burned into the Mech’s side penetrating the damaged Mech. Something inside the Star League Mech exploded setting off a chain reaction of explosions with the only thing saving the Mech being the CASE equipment built into the ammo bins.

   Running his Mech through the battlefield Daeron Jerricho slowed his OmniMech enough to allow a point of five Elementals to leap through the air landing on the forty-ton Mech’s speeding form. The Coyotl was mostly a humanoid form OmniMech with the right arm made up primarily with the extended-range large laser. The Coyotl rocked slightly as the Elementals arranged themselves as a Trueborn bloodnamed warrior Daeron Jerricho did not miss a step and continued to accelerate even as the Elementals arranged themselves on the Mech’s back. Running forwards several hundred metres the Elementals short ride onboard the medium OmniMech came to an end as they launched off the Coyotl landing on a Salamander Assault BattleMech. The Salamander was a support BattleMech with multiple long range missile launchers Daeron Jerricho waited until the Elementals were off the Mech then he twisted the torso towards the Salamander hitting the eighty-ton BattleMech was double the Coyotl’s weight and stood almost double its height but now the MechWarrior was distracted by the landing Elementals and Jerricho made it worse adding in a plasma cannon shot and a flight of ATMs straight into the assault Mech’s left flank. He had to watch his shots with his Elementals who were now attacking from onboard the BattleMech, but Daeron continued to circle the Salamander firing his weapons when he got a clear shot. Finally, a high explosive salvo of ATMs slammed into the Salamander’s right leg causing the knee to explode ending the BattleMech’s battle as it tumbled towards the ground. The Elementals were not finished and they continued to attack the fallen BattleMech until the pilot issued his surrender no doubt worried about the battle armoured troopers tearing into his Mech’s armour with their razor-sharp battle claws.

   “This is saKhan Vladamir Heller” the communication cracked to life bringing Daeron Jerricho back to reality for a moment “all Coyote forces stand down. I have received a message of surrender from the Lyran forces and have accepted their request for Hegira. All Lyran forces will be allowed to retreat if they end all hostile acts. Alexandria is ours.” He said the message ended and Daeron throttled down the Coyotl’s speed, his new OmniMech had done well in its first battle. He did not think he had a single personal kill during their flanking battle but he had driven the attack an elemental landed in front of him he could see the insignia on its helmet despite the battle damage a silver painted Coyote’s head.

   “Well done MechWarrior” Star Captain Amanda Heller said her suit so small compared to his BattleMech but the complete opposite to the massive hulking warrior that Heller was. “You took command when you needed to and you aided in our victory. Now you must prepare, you will face a Trial of Position in the morning for command of this star.” She said before turning her suit and jumping away with the suit’s jump jets. Today’s battle was over but the fight was not over for Clan warriors until they were dead and tomorrow would be another challenge.

[Dragon Cat]

Trial of Refusal
Goslar, Hanseatic League
Deep Periphery
2nd May 3119

Although the Goliath Scorpions had been operating in the Hanseatic League for two months without real opposition rescuing a total of thirty Clan born warriors and nearly two hundred civilians in the process their actions had drawn the attention of Clan Blood Spirit. From orbit the Clan commander Star Colonel Lionel Cluff had challenged the Goliath Scorpion ground forces to a Trial of Refusal citing that while an entire Cluster had been in the Hanseatic League for more two months, they had barely recovered a clusters worth of warriors, and even less equipment. Cluff believed that the Clan’s attention should be on the homeworlds and challenged the Goliath Scorpions to a Trial of Refusal. Because it was a standard trial the two Clans had lined up opposite each other, with both Clans fielding a Trinary of troops on the battlefield. MechWarrior Jasec waited in his Whipscorpion BattleMech watching as the Blood Spirits approached, he spied a Blood Spirit Ice Ferret OmniMech and decided that was his target. “This is MechWarrior Jasec of Clan Goliath Scorpion to the warrior piloting the green and red Ice Ferret, I challenge you to a duel of equals.”

   “We are not equal MechWarrior Jasec, I am Erik Posavatz of Clan Blood Spirit, I accept your challenge.” His opponent responded the Ice Ferret dancing to the side and it fired its left arm extended range particle projection cannon which barely missed the Whipscorpion.

   Running to the right Jasec used his BattleMech’s advanced tactical missile launchers to engage the dodging Ice Ferret six missiles flew in on the enemy Mech with only three of them striking their target. Another particle cannon shot flew towards the Whipscorpion striking the forty-ton BattleMech’s right leg burning away the armour and exposing the structure underneath one of the BattleMech’s jump jets showed inactive and the knee actuator was damaged. “Stavag!” he said angrily launching the Whipscorpion into the air on its remaining jump jets angling towards the running Ice Ferret. Jasec feathered the jump jets controlling the flight dropping down towards his enemy he unleashed the BattleMech’s two improved heavy medium lasers hitting the Ice Ferret with everything he could muster only one of the beams hit as the Whipscorpion fell the beam slammed into the Ice Ferret’s left leg. Like the particle cannon shot which had hit his own Mech Jasec was glad to see the beam wrought chaos on Ice Ferret’s armour burning through to the structure. The other beam missed by a few feet and slammed into the ground beside the OmniMech where it turned the turf beside the Ice Ferret into glass.

   The forty-five-ton OmniMech fired its particle cannon again but this time it missed its target. On landing the Whipscorpion began running again Jasec kept his aim on his target launching another two flights of ATMs at the enemy OmniMech. All six missiles were armed with high-explosive munitions and four of them slammed into the Ice Ferret blowing away pieces of armour away from the Blood Spirit OmniMech. Two short range missiles flew from the Ice Ferret slamming into the Whipscorpion guided by its streak suite one of the two missiles slammed into the Whipscorpion’s head throwing Jasec around the cockpit. His head slammed into the side of the command chair and only the presence of the neurohelmet stopped the impact splitting his head open. Jasec triggered both plasma cannons out of rage, one missed the Ice Ferret but the other heated ball of plasma slammed into the Ice Ferret. The heat washed over the Ice Ferret just as the pilot triggered his particle cannon, the man-made lightning launcher flew over the Whipscorpion missing widely the heat produced by the weapon and the ongoing rising heat caused by the Plasma Cannon caused the Ice Ferret to stumble and stagger as its heat system was overwhelmed. To add to the Ice Ferret’s wows the streak launcher obtained a lock and the two-tube launcher fired its missiles adding to the OmniMech’s heat problems. As both missiles slammed into the Whipscorpion’s right arm Jasec could see the Ice Ferret was struggling to track his BattleMech’s movements so he accelerated and continued behind the OmniMech unleashing both heavy medium lasers again, moments later he launched another high-explosive flight of advanced tactical missiles into the OmniMech.

   The lasers savaged the back of the Ice Ferret burning through the armour causing havoc in the rear of the OmniMech with engine and possibly gyroscope damage occurring. Moments after the lasers hit their target the six missiles slammed into the back of the Mech, all six hitting their target causing even more damage, too much damage. The Ice Ferret rocked as explosions continued to rock the insides of the, stumbled and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap disabled. While having heavier weapons gave a pilot an advantage over the other being able to manage heat build-up was even more important.

   Twisting away from the downed Ice Ferret Jasec spotted five damaged painted red and black Elemental Battle Armour suits. “Elemental point, this is the Whipscorpion pilot on your left, I challenge you to a battle of equals”

   “Seyla” the lead Elemental responded saying nothing else all five launched into the air releasing their remaining short-range missiles. Ten missiles between the suits flew towards the Whipscorpion even as their launchers fell away from their suits. Jasec opened with both plasma cannons and the advanced tactical missile launchers filling the air with munitions attempting to engage the flying battle armour suits.

   The suits and missiles converged in mid-air as missiles slammed into several of the elementals followed by the balls of burning plasma. Two of the elemental suits lost control flying out of formation just as the remaining missiles slammed into the Whipscorpion four slammed into the already damaged right leg crippling the limb.  While nothing broke or fell off the BattleMech Jasec noticed he had no control over the limb and he swore triggering his lasers coring a third Elemental suit. The last two suits landed on the Whipscorpion’s chest and fired their small lasers burning into the chest armour of the BattleMech. “Enjoy this” Jasec whispered triggering both torso mounted ATM launchers at point blank range the missiles exploded almost as soon as they left their launchers sending limbs of elemental troopers in various directions as they over penetrated the armour knocking both warriors off the BattleMech disabling or killing the Blood Spirits. The damage to the Whipscorpion was almost equally vicious to the Whipscorpion the explosion blew back disabling both missile launchers and knocking the Whipscorpion back off its feet as Jasec struggled to control his Mech with the disabled right leg. The fall twisted and snapped the broken limb leaving the Whipscorpion flat on its back.

   Just because one leg was broken did not mean a Mech was out of the fight. Jasec immediately pushed out with both arms propping up the Whipscorpion. He looked for another target sighting a fast-moving pair of Mithras Light Tanks “Armour point this is MechWarrior Jasec, I challenge you” even as he finished speaking the two tanks opened fire with their light-class ultra-autocannons and medium lasers savaging the Whipscorpion’s chest. The immobile Whipscorpion was an easy target for the two tanks but it wasn’t one without teeth Jasec brought one arm up and fired at one of the vehicles missing wildly, the angle was different than he was used to being essentially sat down, moments after the laser fired he’d targeted both plasma cannons as well, they didn’t miss their target and the  two plasma shots burned through the armour and caused a fire inside the vehicle, the twenty-five ton tracked vehicle burned for a moment before exploding in a fireball. The remaining Mithras was far enough away not to be affected by the explosion and the crew were ready to resume their attack the ultra-autocannon and laser both cored into the cockpit of the Whipscorpion killing Jasec immediately.

   The efforts of MechWarrior Jasec had not been in vain however killing an OmniMech, a point of elementals and crippling a point of vehicles had been enough to help the Goliath Scorpions to a victory of Clan Blood Spirit. The victory meant that Clan Blood Spirit would return to the Clan Homeworlds while the Goliath Scorpions would be allowed to continue their efforts to find reinforcements within the Hanseatic League.

Training Camp
Outskirts of Macheema, Arcturus
Hell’s Horses Occupation Zone
18th May 3119

   The founding capital of the Lyran Commonwealth before the leadership moved to Tharkad and then a Province capitol for centuries the world of Arcturus was now deep within the Occupation Zone of Clan Hell’s Horses. Arcturus was not the capitol of the OZ but it was important to the Hell’s Horses serving as a manufacturing and training centre. One thing that people did not think about when they fought about the Clans was the freeborn warriors who also received training to serve the Clan. Arcturus with its plentiful population was one such world where freeborns learned how to serve and fight for the Clan. While there were some civilians within the occupied worlds of the occupation zones would never serve the Clans that now controlled their worlds, in some cases there were still those that dreamed of “freedom” from their Clan oppressors but these movements were routinely crushed by the Watch units employed by the Clans. To serve with the Clan’s Touman freeborn recruits from the population went through many checks and an even more rigorous training regime than those who were born from within the Clan population and breeding programs. Unlike the Ghost Bears, Sea Foxes and Nova Cats which integrated Clan born and native born freeborns into one training program, the Hell’s Horses took an approach like that of Clans Wolf and Jade Falcon which kept the population’s separate. They also trained them with sub-standard weapons and equipment which often dated back to the succession wars.

   Over a sprawling training complex which was north of the planetary capital hundreds of recruits practiced drills and trained in preparation for their initial Trial of Position. The noise was like any other across the Inner Sphere with men and women gasping for breath, boots stamping on the courtyard ground and the almost rhythmic crack of semi-automatic weapons fire as recruits practiced. This noise was drowned out by the sound of a VTOL approaching in the blue sky above the facility a Garuda Heavy VTOL appeared high above. The single rotored snub-nosed craft turned as it approached the facility below as if it was turning towards the landing pads but instead of lowering in altitude the Garuda opened fire with its forward mounted long range missile launcher which sent fifteen missiles down on the VTOL which was based at the training facility blowing it to pieces. The VTOL’s second action was to use its chin mounted laser to vaporise a guard tower causing an explosion which killed several members of the Hell’s Horse guard staff as burning wreckage from the tower showers the ground crushing several people below. Even as the Garuda circled the training base below the laser spat out again this time blowing up a supply building off the right of the VTOL, the laser was mounted on a chin turret which hung under the cockpit of the craft. As the laser flew across the camp below the targeted building burst into flames, within moments of the fire starting there was a gigantic explosion as the ammunition contained within burned off and exploded. Moments later the missile launcher activated again this time missiles flew into the main training complex with missiles flying through the windows on the first floor causing a massive internal explosion. Although it was a military complex the building was not designed to take military grade weapons and it was quickly enveloped in fire.

   Small arms fire from the trainees and guards below raised into the sky as the Garuda circled the camp alternating between lasers and missiles pounding the facility and those that occupied it. The Hell’s Horses had nothing that could oppose the VTOL as black smoke from the supply building, and most of their ammunition filled the air and further obscured the Garuda. The troops on the ground were still firing into the air when there was a large “boom” from above as the VTOL activated its jet assisted booster engine and accelerated away from the training camp at high speed.

   For days the Hell’s Horses locked down Arcturus searching for the renegade VTOL but to no avail the VTOL was confirmed to have been stolen from a Hell’s Horses supply depot three hours before the attack on the training base. The attack itself had taken no longer than three minutes and in that time nearly three hundred Hell’s Horses trainers and trainees had been killed or injured. On the planet-wide public address system an individual claiming to be Kafka, the legendary assassin who it was thought had been killed on the world, claims responsibility for the attack. The individual remains in shadow and they cannot be identified, they call on all people on Arcturus too resist the illegal Clan occupation.

Anti-Clan Strikes
Clan Occupation Zones
23rd May 3119

   In an effort to bolster public opinion regarding their opposition to the “Clan Menace” on the borders and to foster closer ties with the SLDF Archon Jessica Steiner authorises strikes by the LCAF and SLDF against Clan Wolf and Clan Jade Falcon. In a series of assaults supported by Lyran and Star League Naval forces the combined forces liberate the systems of Cameron and Gibbs from the Jade Falcons and Nestor and Concord from Clan Wolf. In the Gibbs system the Fleet Admiral Lynn Hood Battlegroup of three Hyperion II-class Heavy Cruisers, supported by the SLDF’s SLS Victor Focht an Enterprise II-class Supercarrier destroy the Texas-class Battleship Falcon’s Nest at the cost of the LCS Fleet Admiral Lynn Hood herself.

   Poised to attack Tharkad itself two Elite Gamma Galaxy Clusters of Jade Falcons are wiped out on Gibbs by the combined forces of two elite RCTs and a brigade of SLDF troops. While in the Wolf Empire two Clusters of Wolves are similarly destroyed. The Isle of Skye commends the Lyran Commonwealth and SLDF’s efforts but they point out that the Clans are closing on Hesperus II, which the Lyran Commonwealth have said many times over the centuries is one of the critical worlds to the realm yet none of the systems which have been retaken are anywhere near the Isle of Skye world continuing it leave it vulnerable to Clan assault. In an effort to keep the Isle of Skye onside Concord is added to the worlds under the remit of the Isle these actions however leads to other disposed nobles to petition the Lyran Commonwealth High Command to liberate their conquered worlds.

[Dragon Cat]

In the mood to write at the moment so here's another update

Evacuation
Clan Blood Spirit Landing Zone
Hellgate, Clan Homeworlds
8th June 3119

As BattleMechs, vehicles and battle armour fought as civilians and equipment were evacuated into six egg shaped DropShips. The sky of Hellgate was darkened by smoke and ash as another massive double explosion echoed through the area moments later another mushroom cloud rose into the air, ash blew across the ground slamming into the DropShips and evacuating troops, one crippled BattleMech was literally blown to the ground. Walking out of the darkness and approaching the evacuation site were two lines of identical BattleMechs, each line numbering twenty BattleMechs, all of them were painted blue and silver, a stark contrast to the red and brown BattleMechs of Clan Blood Spirit. These Mechs while they looked completely different from the defenders, they moved through the Blood Spirit lines without opposition before turning around and facing the enemies of the Blood Spirits.

Each BattleMech was painted the same and was of the same design with two large shoulder mounted long range missile launchers, each arm ended in two machine guns with a laser under-slung beside them. Between the two large missile launchers sat the bulbous cockpit while below them along the central-line was another medium laser. The fifty-ton design was a two-legged design and on the thigh of each leg was a two-tube short range missile launcher, it was a design that had been extinct in the Clan Homeworlds for over one hundred years and was known as the CS-1 Fox and it was one of the first BattleMechs constructed by Clan Sea Fox. During their time in the Clan Homeworlds the Blood Spirits and Goliath Scorpions had been making a concentrated effort to open the Brian Caches created since the dawning of the Clans and to use that equipment to engage the Society’s forces.

Behind the new line of Fox BattleMechs one of the DropShips launched off the ground as Clan Blood Spirit aerospace forces attempted to defend its rise. As the Overlord C-class DropShip rose into the sky on a trail of fire there was another gigantic explosion as another nuclear weapon exploded. This one even closer than the last the blast rolled over the launching site and the taking off Overlord C, the DropShip rolled over out of control spinning down towards the ground out of control. Moments later a huge explosion followed as the DropShip impacted on the ground destroying the DropShip and killing every person on vessel.

With the destruction of one DropShip the Blood Spirits upped their evacuation efforts entering the remaining three DropShips as more nuclear weapons exploded in the distance the planet’s name was Hellgate and today it was turning into a reality. A few brave souls, the old and the injured mainly remained behind as a final rear-guard while fixed defences were set to automatic. As many of the remaining survivors crammed into the remaining DropShips as they launched from the surface of the planet heading up into the atmosphere. Aerospace fighters of the Blood Spirits and Society duelled around the DropShips as the Clan’s left the dying world of Hellgate for the last time. Today the Society could claim a pyrrhic victory while they had driven off or killed all remaining Clan influences on the world their efforts had destroyed Hellgate and the remaining population would have to leave or be wiped out within months of the final battle.

Trial of Possession
Enif, Military District of Pesht
Draconis Combine
16th June 3119

   A Trial of Possession between the Fifteenth Ghost Regiment and the First Cataphract Cluster of Clan Snow Raven’s Hawk’s Head Galaxy sees the introduction of the War Crow Heavy OmniMech. Designed as a follow on from the Craven and the Carrion Crow Medium OmniMechs unlike the previous two designs the War Crow is seventy tons and built from the ground up as a main battle line design capable of carrying twenty-five tons of weapons and equipment. The War Crow had a pair of large over shoulder missile launchers, heavy weapon arms and a beak like hook-like low slung cockpit.

   The battle on the surface of the world expands quickly from a simple trial into an all-out brawl with the two sides slugging it out for hours. The Snow Ravens air superiority eventually proves too much for the Fifteenth Ghost even with their Battalion of Land Air Mechs supporting the ground forces both on the air and in the ground. Eventually the Draconis Combine defenders surrender with over a regiment’s worth of personnel, survivors from the combined units which lost the trial are taken off the planet and transported to a world previously known as JP-M-774.

The system which was near the Draconis Combine border had recently been renamed as Montbatten in honour of the recently lost Texas-class Battleship of the same name. While currently not completely habitable the Snow Ravens had found that Montbatten held significant amounts of natural resources which they could use on other worlds. The members of the Fifteenth Ghost would be used as a work force in the many mines that the Snow Ravens were building on the world, these warriors are little more than slave labour for the Clans military working in very harsh conditions on the world’s surface.

Vision Quest, Ways of Seeing Park
New Barcella, Core Territory
Nova Cat’s Den
22nd June 3119

   The Ways of Seeing park on New Barcella was a place of pilgrimage for many Nova Cats the lush undisturbed nature park was used as a breeding ground for nova cats and for Vision Quests. The Oathmaster controlled the number of visits that could be taken monthly there was a delicate balance between nature and Vision Quests which the Nova Cats jealously defended. Other places within Nova Cat’s Den were used occasionally by Nova Cat’s but the grounds of the Ways of Seeing Park were particularly important to the Clansmen.

   Moving through the underbrush Star Captain Kev Rosse was looking for the perfect place for a vision quest, Kev Rosse was in his mid-twenties a trueborn MechWarrior, he was dressed in Nova Cat furs from top to bottom. Unlike most MechWarriors he wore his dark hair to shoulder length while in both ears he wore an earring which held a green Jade Falcon feather. He was armed with a survival knife which he used to cut down brush and defend himself against any threats although it would not be easy. A dark fur covered nova cat bounded past him, it was one of the main predators in the Ways of Seeing Park, but this one did not see interested in him it turned and looked at him snarling once before jumping clear.

   After three days making his way through the underbrush Kev was in no mood to fight a nova cat and he let it go watching the bushes where the nova cat had gone carefully, he decided to make his camp here taking the animal’s appearance as a sign. He spent nearly thirty minutes clearing the area of underbrush and setting a fire before beginning his meditations. A Nova Cat warrior’s vision quest was a very personal thing where they sacrificed vineers, souvineers taken in battle, in an effort to bring a vision which would show them the future.

   For hours Kev sat in front of the fire searching for a vision before finally a nova cat appeared in front of him and snarled but not in an aggressive way instead it seemed to enjoy the heat from his fire. The big cat then turned around and began to walk away for a moment, when Kev did not move the cat snarled at him again prompting him to stand and move away from the fire. For what felt like miles Kev followed the cat through the undergrowth until they entered a clearing which was covered by low grazing grass. Out on the plain in front of them Kev saw an entire herd of what appeared to be bulls, forty or more of them, there were no such creatures in this area of the planet nor were the indigenous creatures on New Barcella like these bulls. The indigenous bulls were small in stature and were covered in brown black fur and they had four small horns these were larger, they had two large horns which extended sideways from their skulls and they were solid gold in colouring.

   Beside Kev the Nova Cat snarled angrily its red, yellow, and orange coloured sunburst mane was standing on end threatening the bulls away from attacking. The nova cat while smaller than the bulls was the aggressor moving forward on the herd, against one bull the cat would have a chance at bringing down one of the herd animals but against them all there was more of a chance of the cat being trampled. Kev stood and watched as the nova cat continued to snarl while it stepped forwards but its mane slowly lowered as it got closer. Instead of attacking the cat joined the bull for a moment before moving off and joining Kev once more, the herd now appeared more aggressive with what almost like they were armoured, their horns looked sharper and more defined, the herd was also now coloured gold. The nova cat hissed at them once more and the herd turned and charged away from Kev, the nova cat beside him looked up tilting its head before leaping after the hard breaking into a run, Kev ran after the cat following it only a short distance before he saw the herd charge down a nearby rise. Reaching the top of the rise Rosse looked down and saw the herd was charging a massive fortress, which he knew was not of Nova Cat construction, the herd did not stop smashing their way through the gates inside they continued to smash the knights inside trampling under their heavy hooves and gorging them with their horns. Beside Kev the nova cat hissed and snarled at the scene below seeing defenders streaming away from the base the nova cat leapt towards them cutting them down. “I think I understand” he said quietly.

   “Do you?” a voice asked snapping Kev back into reality, he was still sitting at the fire opposite him was the huge form of the Oathmaster Klick Lenardon, the Oathmaster was in his thirties almost ten years older than Kev Rosse.

   “I think I do” he repeated “Clan Nova Cat cannot fight all of its battles by itself, there are targets beyond our reach but we can use others to do what we need to do.” He said the bull was the emblem of the Taurian Concordat which shared a sizable border with the Federated Suns, recently the Federated Suns had begun to resist the Nova Cats efforts to seize territory through Trials of Possession.

   “But we must be careful, those you speak of arming have been our opponents in battle and there is nothing that says they will turn against those we want them to. Quiaff?” Lenardon cautioned his voice was quite soft for someone of his size.

   “Aff, Oathmaster, I think I know how we could do this.”

   “You have a plan Kev Rosse, Quiaff?”

      “I think I do” he said thinking about a scenario, “I must now convince the Khan.” He said thinking further about his vision and his plan. “You will support my vision, Quiaff?”

   “I will discuss with the Khan that you experienced a vision” Klick Lenardon confirmed he said rising from his position near the fire “may your visions guide you Kev Rosse.”

Ullmark Plasma Productions
Morrice, Trylon
Aurigan Collective, Periphery
29th June 3119

The Ullmark Plasma Productions factory had been a godsend for the city of Morrice on Trylon. Before the factory had been built by Count Mikhail Ullmark unemployment had been rife in the small city now more than six hundred people were employed there. Josef Potty was one of the lucky ones to call the factory their workplace the construction of the factory and then the jobs that followed had saved Josef’s life, before he was unemployed trying to look after three children one of which suffered from several medical conditions, he had taken several jobs to support his family but the Plasma Productions factory had brought stability for the family.

“Morning Josef” the gate guard Jacob Smith greeted him as he arrived for the morning shift at work “how is Dakota?” He asked seeing the older man arrive, Dakota was his youngest child and she had suffered from medical problems since her birth.

“Urm… sorry what Jacob?” Josef asked obviously distracted

“Dakota, how is she?” Jacob repeated

“Excited” Josef admitted “she and Katja have been packing for hours, they should be launching soon. It is her first-time off world.” He explained

“I’m not surprised, an important trip, this could change her life.” Jacob said, everyone knew Josef’s story and his daughter’s plight. After years of saving and a whip around among the six hundred workers at the plant had allowed for the family to pay for a trip into the Capellan Confederation for treatment. His wife Katja would take the three children on the trip while he continued to work to keep the family going.

“Yes, she isn’t thinking about that right now just being weightless.” He said laughing as he walked through the gate and entered the facility.

It took him nearly twenty minutes to get to the reactor control room at the rear of the facility. As a newly built facility it had its own fusion power plant which allowed the factory to operated twenty-four hours a day. He arrived at his seat and looked over the systems, his back to back had left already, there were three others in the control room looking at their own screens. Josef logged into the system and loaded up his systems he glanced over the systems and almost immediately noticed trouble he stood up and slammed the emergency button on the wall before going onto the intercom button. “ALL HANDS WE HAVE A PRESSURE BUILD UP IN THE REACTOR! EVERYONE OUT!” He shouted at the top of his voice turning seeing the other three members standing nearby “get the hell out of here, it’s going up!” He warned them, he did not know the cause but one off the coolant lines had been completely shut off and the reactor was unable to clear the excess heat. He did not know how long it had been like that but the damage was too much to be stopped.

He turned back to the controls and attempted to boost the coolant from the other lines to buy his colleagues time but there was little he could do. He began to run after his colleagues through the facility just as the pressure reached critical levels. Running through the facility Josef could not think about anything but his girls hoping that they were off planet before the explosion that would soon come. Even as he climbed the ladder up to the exit level Josef had hopes of escaping the power plant but it was not to be the reactor finally gave up and its shielding failed the resulting explosion tore through the facility incinerating the power plant and anyone who remained inside. The explosions blew through the rear of the factory blowing open the facility causing heavy damage further explosions resulted inside the factory as plasma cartridges exploded inside crippling the entire facility.

The damage done would take the factory out of action for more than a year leaving the only source of plasma rifles residing in the Capellan Confederation. As for the Potty family Katja learned of her husband’s death while their DropShip was heading towards the jump point but she chose to keep this a secret from her children instead allowing the to focus on the journey and on Dakota’s upcoming treatment. Two months later after the successful surgery which would change their daughter’s life Katja Potty informed her children of their father’s passing in what was now being investigated as deliberate sabotage on Trylon which had crippled Ullmark Plasma Productions, the children were informed that their father had saved four hundred other workers.

[DOC_Agren]

Novacat Kev Rosse want to be "friends" with the TC.   The same nation they went full Star League General Forlough on when they treated them like the pirates they were following an Endor event from a brand new ClanPirate warship.

Yeah not sure the TC is big on the whole forget and forgive  :thumbsup:

[Dragon Cat]

Novacat Kev Rosse want to be "friends" with the TC.   The same nation they went full Star League General Forlough on when they treated them like the pirates they were following an Endor event from a brand new ClanPirate warship.

Yeah not sure the TC is big on the whole forget and forgive  :thumbsup:

I have a plan :thumbsup:

[snakespinner]

Is it a cunning plan. ;)

[Dragon Cat]

Is it a cunning plan. ;)

It's one that is right in the Taurian decision wheelhouse, it also kind of sets up a future (canon inspired but delayed) event

While this story/timeline has diverged significantly from canon I am still trying to keep it relatable to canon materials... how relatable it is with hundreds of WarShips and the Clans on a power  trip in the 3110s not sure but I'm trying

[snakespinner]

Canon does not treat the Taurians well, looking forward with interest to see your plan. :beer:

[DOC_Agren]

Canon does not treat the Taurians well, looking forward with interest to see your plan. :beer:

they do not, they took many many dumb decisions...  and no wild lucky breaks.

I have hope the DC treats the TC as they were written, with the grudge holders champions of the Inner Sphere, especially against the Terrans and the Star League...

[Sumaire_STi]

Out of curiosity, is there a plan to make one or more collections of these stories in PDF form at any given point? Just curious! Would be neat to have them assembled into collections!

Even though I haven't had time to consume much of this, I still have to say--wonderful work!

[Dragon Cat]

Out of curiosity, is there a plan to make one or more collections of these stories in PDF form at any given point? Just curious! Would be neat to have them assembled into collections!

Even though I haven't had time to consume much of this, I still have to say--wonderful work!

Firstly I'm glad your enjoying it

I discussed this a while ago privately with a few people, this story/timeline/universe... whatever it is was written for the forums I'm not convinced it would translate well to a PDF, I also don't have the finances for the art needed or the skill to pull off such a product

This was written with a lot of input from people on the forums - entire storylines have been written by others with a little nudging from me so I'd say it's where it belongs

[DOC_Agren]

It is a hell of a AU that Dragon Cat has wrestled into existance, with help from many of us throwing ideas towards him.

Welcome to the wild ride Sumaire_STi

Me I'm interested in how the TC deals with the Novacat Kev Rosse plan of friendship to be as I read it, used against the Fed Suns.  Because I'm sure those grudge holding champions will not have in any objection to the Pirate nation who went Star League General Forlough on them wanting to be friends again.  I mean look how long they held a grudge against the Fed Suns for their actions with the Star League trying to put them in the place the Camerons wanted.

[Dragon Cat]

I have a plan... yes its a cunning plan and yes it's totally Taurian and I know it'll work... I just need to write it been tidying up some non-BT related stuff on FanFiction.net recently but helping Maingunnery has relit the fire for BT and now I see Marauder has made a thing so I'm sure that will help Stoke the creative spirit a bit

[Dragon Cat]

Hiatus over, at least for now, I've been helping Maingunnery with the Society Handbook and now something else really special and what do you know doing that has drawn me back into the world of BattleTech to the fanfiction timeline that just won't die. (even if it did I'd post my notes for the future... but that day is not today)

As a thanks to Sumaire_STi for allowing the use of Dreadnought Interstellar Industries they return as does one of their units 

The Solaris Games, Game World Extreme
Solaris VII, Independent/Clan World
4th July 3119

   Despite being on the Clan Wolf border and having a combined Clan Wolf/Star League Defence Force and Ebon Guard garrison the world of Solaris VII had never been busier or more profitable for both the competitors and the gamblers. While there were nearly regular scuffles between the clan born and inner sphere born populations and even restricted fights between the Clan Wolf defenders and the Star League forces generally speaking the main conflict on Solaris VII was contained to the arenas and race courses. According to Clan Wolf’s Watch and traders it was a symbol of what the entire Inner Sphere could be under an ilClan, with them at its head, a merger of Clan and Inner Sphere life into a perfect meld, from the Inner Sphere leadership it concerned them that Clan Wolf and the Ebon Guard were so willing to allow Solaris to continue as it was. The competitions on Solaris VII are sponsored by Dreadnought Interstellar Industries from Acala III in the Federated Suns and Defiance of Hesperus II in the Lyran Commonwealth.

   3119 had been advertised as Game World Extreme on holo-advertisements across the Inner Sphere due to the multiple competitions which were taking place at once.  At the start of the month the games begin with the Solaris Racing League (SRL) beginning this year the even includes four separate events at all five of the tracks with races spread from July through to November. During the course of each “Race Week” there would be an Individual Time-Trial, a Multi-Racer event, a single aircraft Obstacle Course and a Bombing Competition. With scores taken from each, from the first race week previous season champion Jonnie Mjalby from Aubisson in the Rasalhague Dominion scores the most points.  On the 21st of the month the regular Solaris VII Games Season kicking off in the Inner Sphere-wide famous Coliseum, games would continue from July through to March 3120 before the three-week spectacle of the Grand Champions.  Finally, just a week into the regular season the 46th Star League Games, with some of the normal competitors and many seasoned warriors from across the Inner Sphere and Clans, takes place in the Star League Stadium with Michael Noonan an independent warrior from Terra winning the Star League title he pilots a Dreadnought Interstellar Industries assault BattleMech Sumaire (DII-SMR-D1) adding to the publicity for the company.

There is a suggestion from some quarters of Solaris VII that they should copy the Naval Competitions from the Star League Defence Forces’ Martial Olympiad on Defiance however aerospace fighter competitions have never drawn large crowds on Solaris so the competition supporters are wary about such a large investment.

AFFS Command Bunker, Appleton
Sherwood, Minette PDZ
Crucis March, Federated Suns
8th July 3119

   For eight months Earl Jonas Tyler had been attending rallies with the people of Sherwood and working with the Nova Cat Watch forces based on the planets. The clansmen had been true to what they had promised and they had avoided turning the public disorder into an open fight while they had conducted operations against the AFFS troops causing damage to some infrastructure and AFFS supply bases the Nova Cats had avoided taking the fights into the towns.

   Eventually the public issues with the AFFS had come to a head and a public vote had been held despite objections from the AFFS Command. With 82% of the vote in and 75% of the populations voting Earl Jonas Tyler was returned to the position of leader of the world removing the AFFS appointed official. While the Davion family and the AFFS ruled the Federated Suns it was not a dictatorship like many saw it, many worlds Sherwood included allowed the people to choose their leadership. Today the Tyler family had returned to a leadership position on the world with the population supporting his ticket which included inviting Clan Nova Cat to return to the world… now it was his duty to break them to the AFFS leadership.

   Escorted through the command bunker Earl Jonas Tyler was led into the command bunker “General Harris, thank you for seeing me” he said approaching the general who wore a green duty uniform of the AFFS he had grey hair which was receding at the sides but it remained longer on top. He was easily in his early seventies but still strode a commanding figure.

   “Congratulations on your election victory Earl Tyler, I’m coordinating my two infantry regiments with my armour and BattleMech regiment. We are going to corner and crush the insurgency and start your term with a bright beginning.” He said leaning forwards over a planning table which he invited Jonas to join him at, Jonas felt like a traitor, in truth he was one, and soon they would all know it standing at the table but he loved Sherwood. He had promised his father he would do the best by Sherwood and at present the Federated Suns did not have his world’s best interests in mind.

   “Thank you General but I’d rather you didn’t.” He began the General stood his full height dwarfing Jonas but he pressed on. “In fact, I’d like you to recall all of your forces and stand them down until you are able to remove them from Sherwood.”

   “Excuse me?” He asked there was a hard edge to his voice “what is that supposed to mean?” From behind Jonas, he heard a soldier drawing their weapon. Jonas placed a portable tri-vid camera on the table anyone could see it was smaller and more advanced than generally available to the people of the Inner Sphere, a design from the Star League-era. “What is the meaning of this Earl Tyler?”

   “This is a remote tri-vid camera we are now being broadcast across Sherwood” he said he knew that announcement meant that the AFFS Techs would be working to block the signal so he had to speak quick. “I was elected on a promise to remove the AFFS from Sherwood’s soil and to send a message to Clan Nova Cat to bring them back to this system. While the Federated Suns have done many things for this world over the years the recent actions taking away industries which our people rely on are causing untold hardship on our people and despite being invaders Clan Nova Cat built on what made Sherwood a great world and enhanced our worlds position.” He felt a soldier coming up beside him and he knew he had to be quick “by vote of the people General Harris I have been asked to deliver this message and to inform you that a message has been sent to Clan Nova Cat requestion military assistance with our future garrison and…” he paused for a moment feeling his arms being grabbed “and if necessary, your removal by peaceful action or OTHERWISE!” He shouted as the troops dragged him out of the command bunker. General Harris for his part swung a heavy baton down on the holo-vid camera smashing it.

---

   Two weeks later a Nova Cat WarShip and three JumpShips arrived in the system disgorging three Clusters worth of ground forces all of which began burning towards the planet. When they are close enough General Harris receives a communication and Earl Jonas Tyler was dragged from his cell to witness it. “This is Galaxy Command Jacob Nostra of Clan Nova Cat declaring a batchall for control over the Sherwood system. We have received a message stating Clan Nova Cat is welcome in this system. If you are willing to accept Hegira, we have brought enough DropShips to evacuate your entire unit from its soil to a safe port. If you oppose us, we will destroy you entirely.”

   “You traitorous bastard” Harris said looking at Tyler “I should execute you right here right now” he said during his two weeks of solitary confinement Jonas had been interrogated on multiple occasions, he had been beaten by the guards but he had refused to talk. Outside he knew that the people had protested his incarceration but so far there had not been any violence.

   “You could do that general, I could not stop you, you could execute me and still take the Nova Cat’s offer I do not factor in what will follow.”

   “You fought these freaks!” Harris said angrily drawing his sidearm pointing it at him “how can you now turn your homeworld over to them?” So far, the AFFS authorities had been unable to track down how Tyler had reached out to the Nova Cats only that the planetary HPG had not been used.

   “They have our best interests in mind, I was wrong, you are strip mining this world taking everything we need because it is too close to the Clan border to defend.” He said struggling against the troopers holding him. “We need some of the resources that you are taking from this world.”

   “The Clans will do the same!” Harris screamed angrily his gun still aimed at Jonas

   “They built recharge stations; a moon mining facility and they expanded Sherwood Jabberworky’s into a fully BattleMech factory ALL of which were manned by people who were from Sherwood. You’ve shut down the moonbase and the factory is gone.”

   “Without the factory you don’t need the resources it was mining and there are dangers of mining in space…”

   “We needed those jobs!” Jonas shouted back angrily “they made this world better; you are taking everything away from it.” He couldn’t believe he was arguing FOR Clan Nova Cat but over the last few months Jonas Tyler had realised just how much difference Clan Nova Cat had made to the world.

   “We couldn’t defend it” Harris said lowering the gun “we are within a jump of two of their systems.”

   “Well now you’ll have to and the people won’t support you.” He said Harris arm suddenly came back up and a single shot range out as the slugthrower trigger was pulled and within moments Earl Jonas Tyler’s lifeless body fell to the ground blood streaming from his headwound.

“Shit” Harris exclaimed looking down at the body he had acted on an impulse. “Prepare for evacuation” he said to his staff looking around he knew that his people couldn’t resist three clusters of Clan forces intent on taking the world let alone the WarShip his first duty was to his men and to the Federated Suns.

Five minutes after the order General Ronald Harris communicated with Galaxy Commander Jacob Nostra and accepted the offer of Hegira securing safe passage for his people from the world, with Earl Jonas Tyler's sacrifice a footnote in history. The people remembered him as a visionary who realised his personal mistakes and honoured his sacrifice for their future. From the Nova Cats perspective, they were annoyed that the Federated Suns had removed the Jabberworky factory along with its Ocelot, Pack Hunter, and Jenner IIC manufacturing lines but they resolved to do what they had intended. On the Jabberworky factory site they constructed a new factory and they reopened the moon-based mining facility bringing jobs back to the people they also created job opportunities for the people beyond Sherwood within the Nova Cats Den adopting them as citizens of the Clan instead of treating them as an occupied world. Additionally, unlike other recently occupied worlds the citizens of Sherwood, with their status as members of Clan Nova Cat, were invited to join the Touman as freeborn warriors a challenge several young people took up.

Parliament Elections
Free Worlds League
15th July 3119

   Between the Fifteenth and Thirty-first of July elections take place across the Free Worlds League as leaders of the individual states and of the Free Worlds League as a nation are decided by the people. While these elections are open to all candidates there is no question of who will remain the leader of the District of Marik with Captain-General Joseph Marik easily remaining in control the same result occurs in the Districts of Oriente, Regulus, Gibraltar, Bowang, Lothario and McKenna with every current leader remaining in their position with landslide victories. The only change that occurs is in the District of Lesnovo with Khan Petra Furey of Clan Smoke Jaguar “missing” she is in no position to stand for votes leading Duchess Anastasia Legend the seventy-nine-year-old leader of the Bismark system to ascend to the position of District-General.  By the end of the month Prince Lester Cameron-Jones the leader of the District of Regulus is elected to the position of Captain-General of the entire Free Worlds League promising the people that the aggressors at their borders will be pushed back.

While Khan Petra Furey is not with her Clan within the District of Lesnovo her people are going from strength to strength. Within their home District the Clan control all military forces while they are also welcomed across the Free Worlds League as warriors willing to fight for the Succession State taking on enemies on all borders. In the District of Lesnovo itself the Clan introduces a new mixed-tech Battle Armour Suit, the King Cheetah, which is built on the world of Romita. While a new Aerospace Sibko training facility has also been built in the Trinity Moons system as their people continue to go from strength to strength.

[DOC_Agren]

General Harris, by your actions you have ended any chance that the AFFC has of ever being welcome back to Sherwood.  I am at least impressed that you did not take your unit out as well.

That being said with Earl Jonas Tyler working with the enemy for over 8 months in an armed insurrection to hand the planet to an enemy.  What is the official Fed Suns rules, no different if it had been the CC, DC, or TC would that not be treason and punishment is death.  By the way, I think under the Nova Cat rule had Earl Jonas Tyler lived to see, there would have been soon an "accidental" or "Fed Sun terrorist" death in your future.  You already proved that you could be used to sway the people of this world, you were a threat to "New Order".

[Dragon Cat]

Yup Tyler was never surviving, let's see what else is happening (finally feeling like writing more)

Emergence Wave SLS Markov (Indefatigable-class Battleship)
Canopus, Magistracy of Canopus
Periphery
4th August 3119

   The SLS Markov jumped into the Canopus system at the head of a group of three WarShips but they were not leading an invasion force instead the ships were an escort for Exarch Victor Steiner-Davion and his wife Duchess Danai Centrella-Davion. For the first time in nearly six decades Danai was returning to her homeworld as they stood onboard the massive WarShip deep within one of the command rooms DropShips were deploying from along the vessel’s hull and from the hull of its attending two WarShips. The fleet then began a slow 1G burn towards Canopus for the official state visit. Watching as the fleet deployed via a massive holo-tank which dominated the centre of the room Victor watched his wife who was silently watching the traffic in the Canopus system he was unsure what to say before spotting something on the Indefatigable sensors. Manipulating the controls of the holo-tank Victor could not help but smile “By the Unfinished Book” he exclaimed zooming in on one of the contacts.

   “What is it?” She asked rarely hearing him quote scripture, he had inherited the belief from his father but did not follow it closely.

   “That DropShip” he said smiling as the image zoomed in displaying the wireframe of what appeared to be a Conquistador-class DropShip. “That DropShip is perhaps the one single Conquistador-class DropShip in the entire Inner Sphere which is owned by a civilian it is called the ConquistaVisho.” He explained trying to distract her seeing her interest wane when she realised what the topic was on “there’s a few owned by mercenary companies but that one, that one is owned by a single man and it is kitted out like a flying party bus.” He said beaming looking at the ship “she is a one of a kind, me and Galen spoke once about jumping on an MIIO flight and coming to the Magistracy to see her.”

   “You’re kidding me?” She said, she had been with Victor since the Clan invasion before the class of DropShip had been constructed but she had not heard this story from either her husband or they recently departed friend.

   “No, she was supposed to join the Starliner One but after that disappeared the only way would have been to come to the Magistracy, we were going to take a leave of absence to see it.”

   “And what about me and Cynthia?” She asked realizing she would have been left on New Avalon with their children as would Galen’s wife.

   “That was one reason we didn’t come all this way, that and MIIO would have had a heart attack if we came to a Capellan allied state without an entire battle-group at our backs.” He said his smile reduced to a smile as the sobering thought came to him and he realised that even today he only came here with three WarShips and the entire First Knights of the Inner Sphere Regimental Brigade at his back.

   “Trust me if I’d found out about your little joyride to see a “partybus” DropShip the Capellans would have been the last thing either of you would have had to worry about.” She said playfully punching him in the arm.

   “Owww” he muttered rubbing the arm “we were coming for the DropShip dear.”

   “Of course, you were Prince Davion” she said using an old nickname for him leaning into him “thank you.” She whispered as he wrapped his left-arm around her.

   “Always, I love you.” He replied holding her as the DropShips arrayed themselves in a protective screen around the three WarShips, they had been invited here by the Canopian leadership for a month long stay but it did not hurt to be prepared.

   During the couples planned month of vacation/diplomacy Victor and Danai would visit several of the sights across Canopus, attend diplomatic functions at the Star League Embassy, at the Canopian Family’s Residence and to the shipyard in orbit which would include a tour of the under-construction MCS Magestix an Athena II-class Cruiser.

   A blackmark during the trip was several protests against Danai’s presence with some calling her out as a “traitor” as well as several other expletives regarding her and her Davion Prince. For the most part however, the people are welcoming and warm to her return to the Canopus drawing massive crowds from across the Magistracy of Canopus with few incidents. At every event the Knights of the Inner Sphere are out in force and dressed in their ceremonial SLDF Uniforms behind the scenes three battalions of Knights are kitted out in combat dress prepared to evacuate the Exarch and his wife at a moment’s notice while just outside planetary orbit the SLDF WarShips are ready to assist with entire wings of aerospace fighters and assault DropShips deployed and on standby. While the Magistracy of Canopus government officials watch and attend many of the events the nation’s military is very hands off with the whole process giving the SLDF great latitude in their operations even though they are on the Magistracy capital. The obvious reason for this hands-off attitude is that the SLDF is not here as an occupational force and they do not have the necessary forces to hold the world or supply their units on the ground should it become an open conflict.

---

The second and less obvious reason for the Magistracy’s approach to their SLDF visitors is the nation’s military forces are prepared for another operation, one that causes far deeper issues for the reborn Star League than a military operation involving their own forces. The Davion’s trip is cut short on the 21st August when six Canopian WarShips supporting ground force regiments force their way into the Oriente system landing en masse occupying the Halas Family Residence in a surprise military operation.

Over the course of a week the entire Oriente system becomes a battleground with WarShip wrecks littering the system as running battles claim four Oriente-aligned WarShips and three of the invading Magistracy of Canopus vessels. On Oriente the Elite Ducal Guard and two small mercenary units are destroyed to the man while the Sixth Oriente Fusiliers attempt to hold onto their homeworld against several invading regiments.

   In what appears to be a coordinated attack the Capellan Confederation occupy Fletcher, Fujidera and Anegasaki cutting off reinforcements who could have retreated to Oriente essentially sealing the fate of the defence of the world with the system of Oriente officially surrendering to the Magistracy of Canopus on the 30th August. Exarch Victor Steiner-Davion, his wife and their escorts leave the Magistracy of Canopus after a formal protest to the actions of the Canopian troops, just as they jump out of the system it is announced that Javier Halas, the leader of the District of Oriente, was killed leading the Ducal Guard’s defence.

Running Battle, Great Southern Farmlands
Broken Wheel, Minette PDZ
Crucis March, Federated Suns
11th August 3119

   During their spell detached from the Order of Sortek the lance of BattleMechs commanded by Leftenant Laure Bieganski had been charged with spreading the teachings of the Order of Sortek and helping in the defence of the Federated Suns from outside threats. While on the world of Broken Wheel the Order had successfully held several meetings with people and worked with the local Broken Wheel Training Battalion teaching them some of the drills which made the Order of Sortek such a successful combat unit. Laure’s people had passed on that training, practice and working as a team were key to success now however, she found herself alone and separated from the remaining two BattleMechs of her lance and she was being hunted by a BattleMech belonging to Clan Nova Cat.

   In the early hours of the morning a raiding party had arrived with long range autocannon, missile and laser weapon attacks lighting up the night’s sky. During several hours of fighting which had followed one of her pilots Jean-Claude Galley had been shot out of his Cuirass BattleMech, he had been found a short while ago still in his ejection seat killed on impact following a failed parachute.

   Now Laure ran her Enforcer III hunting an injured Clan Nova Cat Piranha BattleMech the Mech weighed in half as much as her medium class machine but carried a fearsome amount of firepower twelve machine guns backed up by three lasers. The pilot had wiped out two platoons of the Training Battalion’s infantry and destroyed two vehicles before retreating as Laure’s BattleMech approached. Angered by the cowardly attack on the support forces Laure had pursued the Piranha into the darkness causing damage with a long-range laser shot as the light Mech retreated.

   The two BattleMechs were running passive sensors attempting to catch each other out in the corn fields which they now walked through. The genetically modified corn stalks easily stood around eight metres high concealing the Mechs from each other visually until they were directly on top of each other. It was down to wits and chance who the victor would be, despite her Mech’s superior size over the Clan BattleMech due to the tech advantage Clan technology held.

   Suddenly, the left-hand side of her BattleMech’s armour registered damage and she heard the ferocious roar of machine gun fire tearing into the Enforcer III’s armoured hide, knowing the potential of the Mech she faced Laure decided not to take the chance of trying to resist the damage she cursed and launched the fifty-ton BattleMech into the air on its jump jets escaping the attack just as two opal-coloured heavy lasers and more machine gun fire tore through the place her BattleMech had been in. Laure controlled the short jump her Enforcer had made coming to land inside the corn field and turned again to hunt her pray, round one to the Clan MechWarrior.

   The Enforcer III had taken light damage from the ambush fortunately nothing critical had been crippled but she had surrendered the initiative against the enemy Mech. Standing in the cornfield Laure decided to leverage one advantage she did hold turning her Mech back towards her former location she pointed the BattleMech’s ultra-autocannon left arm and triggered a burst of fire through the cornfield firing blindly, she had ammunition to spare and one lucky hit would cripple the Piranha. The weapons fire was a distraction though she saw that the Enforcer III’s jump jets had recharged she toggled the controls of the Mech’s jets firing them at less than a fifth of their maximum potential making the fifty-ton BattleMech hop into the air on a cushion of fire over the dry cornfield.

At full power the jump jets would incinerate the crops but at this power they had a different effect starting a fire which would likely consume the entire field of corn and drive the Piranha in the direction she wanted it to go. The Enforcer III’s double heat sinks would help resist the increased heat caused by the fire while she knew the enemy Mech only used single heat sinks which would put it at a disadvantage. Setting fire to crops to win a battle was not the honourable thing to do but the greatest honour was to win, should she be asked about how the fire started she would inform anyone who asked that it was an accident they were the only two warriors out here and only she would be walking out of the battle.

---

For thirty minutes the fire continued to build and the two BattleMechs continued to duel Laure had been able to catch the lighter Mech unaware with its large laser and she had burned through the connections which held the Clan Mech’s left arm reducing it to a useless piece of slag metal. The Piranha had returned fire with its single remaining laser causing armour damage but Laure had kept her Enforcer III out of the range of the Piranha’s machine gun salvo which the Clan warrior had fired in frustration filling the air around the Enforcer III as she faded into the flames.

The final moments of the battle had come as a surprise to both warriors fighting exhaustion and heat build up the Piranha pilot stumbled upon Laure’s Enforcer III hitting it with its remaining lasers and machine guns devastating the fifty-ton BattleMech’s armour and damaging the large laser and destroying the Mech’s medium laser at near point-blank range. The Enforcer had weathered the assault though and replied with an equally devastating blow with autocannon fire at point blank range which had gutted the Piranha’s torso shattering links between the fusion engine and the Mech’s other systems. Without power the Piranha had fallen to the ground and was consumed with fire. Unable to escape the flames from their prone BattleMech the Nova Cat warrior was consumed by the fire.

With her Enforcer’s battle records “unfortunately corrupted” by damage caused during the battle Laure was cleared of wrongdoing and the fire, which burned for three days after the battle, was put down to being started incidentally during the fighting. The fire had destroyed the cornfield she had fought in and burned through had burned through several acres in every direction but she had been victorious and that was all that mattered for a member of Warrior House Sortek. Despite its “friendly-trappings” of the Order of Sortek Larie Bieganski had been born into the unit and raised with the full knowledge and upbringing which had been instilled in the unit when it was part of the Confederated Suns and was a fanatical believer in the ends justified the means when it came to victory.

Following the battle Laure learned that another of her warriors Ted Souffrant had been killed in the cockpit of his Caesar which had also been destroyed during the battle reducing her lance to two battered BattleMechs and one wrecked Cuirass with no pilot. To rebuild her unit and continue her mission Laure chose to promote a trainee Charlie Johnston to the position of pilot of the Cuirass while also recruiting a Watchman BattleMech independent MechWarrior Lena Hurst to the command, Hurst would be trained in the way of the Order while serving as a MechWarrior which was a break from protocol but required for the current situation. Additionally, the lance brought in two members of the local training battalion as trainees who would be inducted into the order and trained as future pilots.

Marketing Campaign, Sanrio Galactic Incorporated
Oshika, Midway Prefecture
Military District of Midway, Draconis Combine
18th August 3119

   In the heart of the Draconis Combine the most unlikely marketing campaign gathers an immediate following. “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am Director Yasuhiro Auki and I stand before you as a man humbled by the support that the people of Oshika have shown my company Sanrio Galactic.” A short Japanese-descent man said standing on a stage beside a table which had a grey cover concealing what was on top of it. “We started with a goal of funding a collectible which would be admired and be desirable to the masses. With every entry there was a promise that while every supporter would receive their own collectible for supporting this project everyone would also be entered into a prize draw for an all-expenses trip to our production facilities here on Oshika along with a week-long vacation on this beautiful world.” He said clicking a small button which activated a screen behind him “I present you with our initial product Urbie the UrbanMech” he announced on the screen a yellow, green, and grey “cuddly” UrbanMech was shown with rounder and wider limbs and body than the real Mech but with the same proportions as the UrbanMech with two short legs an autocannon arm on the right and a laser arm on the other side all of which were rounder and more exaggerated than the standard BattleMech.

   “Our campaign has not ended there however while we have begun shipping these collectibles across the Draconis Combine, our campaign has reached stretch goals that we never expected to reach” Auki admitted “this has led us to release new products” he said pulling away the cover from the table and picking up the first of their new plushies “allow me to humbly present you with Uhu the Peregrine.” He said holding the grey, blue, and orange coloured Peregrine unlike the UrbanMech the Peregrine BattleMech’s armour was normally more rounded now the two-legged Clan designed BattleMech was recreated in plushie form. “Uru like Urbie will be available for general sale on Oshika by the end of the month with orders beyond Oshika being fulfilled in due time.” He said holding the BattleMech out showing off the cushion.

   “All backers of the second stage of our campaign will receive their own version of Uru as part of their backing” he said placing down the second plushie. “We would have been honoured beyond what anyone can imaging if only Urbie had been funded, but for Uru to also be funded led to further questions.” He said looking at the tri-vid camera “what else could catch your imagination.  Allow me to present the first products beyond our Kickstarter which will go on general said exclusively on Oshika by the end of this month.” He announced picking his next two products “first is Cutiecat” he said picking up a red, brown, white, and yellow coloured plushie version of the Mad Cat (Timber Wolf) OmniMech. The iconic image of the Clan invasion and a Mech design known in every corner of human space. “And the second is Drago the Great Lizard” he said holding up a larger beast of an animal plushie which appeared to be covered in thick scales and armour, its “sharp” teeth and wicked appearing tail were completely harmless but would provide the other plushies with an opponent worthy of them.

   “All of these plushies will be available in retailers across Oshika by the end of the month and they will be sold exclusively in this system.” With this announcement the craze for collecting the four initial plushies spread like wildfire across Oshika and quickly to the entire Draconis Combine with orders from across the state coming into the company as the craze brought the company to greater and greater heights.

Mechbay, Wolf Site Alpha 4
Helm, Wolf Empire
22nd August 3119

   The Mechbay was the same as those across human occupied space with BattleMechs of various sizes in various states of operation, some ready for deployment others undergoing maintenance or repairs. In front of one of the BattleMechs stood a MechWarrior with bright red hair tied back in a ponytail she wore a simple black tank top and shorts as she looked up at the Ryoken II BattleMech which was once again hers.

   “MechWarrior Kerensky your BattleMech is ready for deployment” the tech said off to her side she turned towards him and nodded. “With respect should someone of your heritage not be piloting something befitting your position, quiaff?” The tech asked looking at the Ryoken II the seventy-five-ton BattleMech was an impressive design but she was a Bloodnamed MechWarrior of Clan Wolf holding the name of the Great Father and of the Founder of the Clans.

   “Aff, I am out of favour with the current Khan” Anastasia Kerensky replied her path to the true Clan Wolf had been a difficult one. Born from the Iron Wombs on Arc Royal to the then Warden Mountain Wolves she had followed her heart and headed out soon after winning her Bloodname with the same BattleMech that stood in front of her now and she had fought for several years as an independent warrior. “It will do for now, I am heading to the ranges” she announced after serving as a Bondsman for a year it was time she began her rise once more within Clan Wolf, this time the true Clan Wolf.

---

   As Anastasia Kerensky’s modified Ryoken II walked out of the Mechbay on the infantry ranges beside conventional infantry troops were facing their first Trials of Position. While conventional infantry troops, like conventional vehicles, had always been part of a Clan’s Touman. These were more often deployed as part of paramilitary and police forces which controlled the civilian populations and were rarely deployed as combat assets by the Clans in the defence of their territory. Since moving to their Empire territories Clan Wolf had seen the need for troops in numbers capable of garrisoning and defending these systems were far outstretching the numbers of troops traditionally fielded by the Clans. Several of the Clans had begun to field conventional troops as part of formations throughout their Toumans and were challenging their conventional forces to be better than they had ever been.

   To fill these new roles of Clan Wolf the Clan’s leadership had opened training to every member of the Wolf Empire whether they were Trueborn or Freeborn, Wolf-borne or a native of the occupied worlds. Every new trooper would be trained for a year before their Trial of Position and to join Clan Wolf they would have to face three trials the first was a fitness test a run for two kilometres in full gear followed by an obstacle course. While there was not a finish time limit the faster one finished the higher the prestige. The second test was a marksmanship test with candidates having to hit a target with a ballistic, laser and gyrojet weapon, all three weapons had to be completed before the final test. In the final test potential warriors had to defeat a serving member of the Clan Wolf Touman in hand-to-hand combat. Due to these three gruelling tests the dropout rate was high but Clan Wolf were also gaining some of the best conventional troops of all the Clans due to these requirements.

I am 99% certain that Urbie the UrbanMech and Uru the Peregrine originated from something that someone sent me (outside the BattleTech Kickstarter which was also an influence) but I cannot for the life of my find who sent me the piece they were originally in  so I'm going to say thanks to the contributor who suggested them, it was a while ago but I rarely ignore anything that's ever sent me it just takes a while for them to appear sometimes.

[marauder648]

Excellent updates as always, great to see this story going strong!

Also Uhu the Peregrine's theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAIGb1lfpBw&t

[Dragon Cat]

Excellent updates as always, great to see this story going strong!

Also Uhu the Peregrine's theme - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAIGb1lfpBw&t

I thought you came up with that, I thought it was from a piece based on a Shark ArcShip but i can't find it

[Wrangler]

Not scare people, just wanted make sure I was getting updates.  I love this saga of a story.

[Dragon Cat]

Not scare people, just wanted make sure I was getting updates.  I love this saga of a story.

Scared me does that count?

Combination of new job, broken relationship and poor health

But... drum roll... I have been writing again...

[Wrangler]

Scared me does that count?

Combination of new job, broken relationship and poor health

But... drum roll... I have been writing again...

Take your time, you should enjoy what you do.  We're all going through something. Were here for each other and enjoying our hobby.

Scared me does that count?

Combination of new job, broken relationship and poor health

But... drum roll... I have been writing again...

Take your time, you should enjoy what you do.  We're all going through something. Were here for each other and enjoying our hobby.

I've finally got some of the ATwT's stuff on wiki, I've been meaning to archive.  Updating the files so their usable on MegaMek.

[Dragon Cat]

Take your time, you should enjoy what you do.  We're all going through something. Were here for each other and enjoying our hobby.

Well I do enjoy this dual hobby of writing and the greater hobby of BattleTech so... here's an update

The “Feast of Oriente”
Former District of Oriente
Free Worlds League
1st September 3119

   The so called “Feast of Oriente” begins with the fall of Oriente to the Magistracy of Canopus. Instead of the rest of the Free Worlds League standing up for the small District they turn on the former worlds of the District glad to be gone with the bickering Halas twin brothers. Instead, the Districts of Regulus and McKenna move on the former worlds while the Capellan Confederation and Magistracy of Canopus move on other worlds.

   The worlds of Hassad and Varna are rolled into by the District of McKenna with Duchess Saadia Cheynov personally leading the Seventh Regulan Hussars Regiment to the world of Hassad. Initially there is a standoff between the Santorini Battle Group and the District of McKenna’s forces but eventually an assault DropShip is allowed through carrying the Duchess to the planet. There she meets with the leaders of the Second Ducal Guard and Second Militia promising them that the District of McKenna will recover the lost worlds of Oriente from the respective powers that had seized them.  As a result of Cheynov’s promises both Hassad and the system of Varna surrender without a single shot fired with the defenders remaining loyal to the Free Worlds League. Within hours the Santorini Battle Group agree to the terms set by the District of McKenna joining forces to resist the Capellans and Regulans.

   The worlds of Carbonis and Las Halles fall far more violently with the Elite and Veteran defenders being dug in and ready to resist the Capellan Confederation forces invading but unfortunately, they are hopelessly outgunned with the Capellans dominating the space over the two worlds with several WarShips providing dominance in the sky and in space. With the dug in defences costing the attackers heavy casualties over the course of two weeks Capellan commanders lose their tempers resort to extreme measures calling in orbital bombardment on the District of Oriente troops positions.  Overwhelming firepower is brought down on the remaining defences wiping them out in devastating one sided engagements, with the ground troops unable to defend or return fire.  The attacks caused massive damage to both Carbonis and Las Halles support infrastructure and tens of thousands of civilian casualties in collateral damage over the two worlds.  The damage done to the two worlds would eventually cause humanitarian and ecological problems with both and their Capellan Confederation’s actions would send ripples through the Inner Sphere as a spectre from the First and Second Succession Wars rears its ugly head.

   At the same time as the Capellan Confederation assaults take place from the Magistracy of Canopus and District of Regulus on the worlds of Salur and Loaches from the Magistracy and the Matheran and Daneshamand from the District of Regulus. For all four systems mercenaries are the defenders and by the time any opposition forces arrive in the system word has come down that Oriente has fallen none of the mercenaries wish to fight to their deaths for a fallen nation. Instead, the commands negotiate out of their contracts or agree to defence contracts with the new landlords. During the negotiations word of Capellan Confederation’s actions on Carbonis and Las Halles makes its way through the HPG Network and no-one on either side has an appetite for more conflict.

Bloodname Grand Melee, Ways of Seeing Park
New Barcella, Core Territory
Nova Cat’s Den, Periphery
9th September 3119

   In the heart of the Nova Cat’s Den warriors eligible for a Bloodname contest but unable to gather individual support by the Clan’s various bloodhouses enter the Clan’s Grand Melee. Each warrior’s one desire is to win as the victor of the Melee will be eligible for a Bloodname for the reborn Bloodhouse of Attwater.  The Nova Cats have breathed new life to this founding Bloodhouse by opening their vaults of DNA from previous Clan warriors, they also take samples of DNA from every contestant joining the Melee adding new life to the Bloodhouse.

   From his recent victory on Fletcher’s Feast Star Colonel Lucian Nova Cat had travelled to New Barcella intent on competing in the Grand Melee. As he approached the barriered off area in the Ways of Seeing Park Lucian like all Nova Cats who were attending were dressed in the traditional leathers of the Nova Cat Clan. Lucian had opted for the more conservative soft leather jumpsuit while others wore far more elaborate costumes which they believed would assist them in winning the contest.  As he made his way through the crowds of warriors, he approached the perimeter formed by Elemental warriors dressed all in white.

   Lucian did not look at any of the warriors instead he handed over his Codex and waited admittance, he was an unblooded warrior of the Rosse Bloodhouse through his father and at twenty-eight years old he was a Ristar within the Clan commanding a successful Cluster.  None of the Elementals moved to allow him admittance instead within moments another huge hulking figure arrived beside him Lucian immediately recognised him Klick Lenardon the Elemental who served as the Clan’s Oathmaster, the overseer of this entire contest.

   “Walk this way” he boomed his deep but soft voice ordered guiding him away from the Grand Melee Lucian hung his head knowing already what was happening. They walked nearly a kilometre away from the Grand Melee site in silence before Lenardon stopped “you cannot join this contest.”

   “Why? I am a warrior of this Clan; I have earned the right!” He almost shouted the contraction in his speech sneaking through with his anger.

   “You are freeborn.” Lenardon said simply

   “Grayson and Sonya were freeborn both were allowed to carry the Rosse name honouring our Khan. I am the Khan’s grandson; I am the son of a Nova Cat hero.”

   “Your father and his sister carried the Rosse name to honour their father neither competed for the name in an open contest…”

   “They EARNED that name; I want to earn a name!” He snapped angrily defending his father’s position holding the Rosse name until his death.

   “Aff, he did, but his holding of that name and your freeborn status precludes your entry into this contest, you cannot be a holder of any name other than the Rosse name.” Lenardon explained “and even then, your father is dead, his sister is dead and the Khan’s position is not as strong as it once was…”

   “So I am in limbo, quiaff?”

   “Unfortunately,” he answered “I do however have orders for you from the Khan” he said seeing Lucian’s surprise “take it as a blessing, your Cluster is at the jump point.” He explained Lucian had left them on Fletcher’s Feast being reinforced with new equipment, obviously someone had leaked his travel arrangements which had resulted in the Cluster being ordered to follow him. “Good hunting Star Colonel” Lenardon said turning leaving Lucian to stand alone and work out his anger.

   As Lucian stood there in the middle of nowhere a nova cat leapt from a tree where it had been hiding, in a flash the agile black cat struck quickly tearing a bird from the air pulling its prey to the ground not caring for the human nova cat warrior. Quickly the nova cat killed its prey, not playing with its target, before acknowledging Lucian's presence with a quiet warning snarl. “I hope my prey falls as easy” he muttered walking away from the nova cat which was enjoying its dinner.

Trial of Possession, SLDS Terence Gilliam (Pueblo-class Surveillance DropShip)
Jade Falcon Shipyards, Dark Nebula
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
25th September 3119

   Hidden within the Dark Nebula the SLDS Terence Gilliam sat on low power watching the operations at the Jade Falcon’s shipyard in the deep periphery. The Gilliam was one of a new generation of spy ships based on a classic Star League-era design of which dozens had been recovered from within hangers on Terra. According to the SLDF ComStar had operated several of the DropShips but eventually turned to using their own designs following the disappearance of several of the expensive ships. Following Terra being taken over by the SLDF the Pueblo-class was one of the first that had been quietly re-added to the SLDF arsenal working for the Star League Intelligence Corps watching for threats. None of the crews knew where any other was based but it was widely believed that the SLDF watched all the Succession States and all of the Clans.

   “Captain on deck” one of the crew called out as Lisa Loven entered the observation deck, when the ship was running silent like it currently was the most important room on the ship. Although named the Observation desk on the Pueblo this was not on the outside of the hull observing space but instead located deep within the ship near the sensor feeds and observation telescopes which for now were trained on the Clan shipyards.

   “What do we have Michaels?” She asked, she was in her fifties her ginger hair tied back and her square glasses perched on her nose, she wore a plain red jumpsuit with multiple buttoned cargo pockets.

   “New Falcon Mississippi-class just launched she’s a beast.” Michaels reported he was in his early forties with short dark hair, like the rest of the crew they did not wear uniforms instead he wore a uniform instead he wore a navy hoodie, grey work vest and pants.

   “Aren’t they all” she said looking at the high-definition screens at the huge WarShip “who is that?” She asked looking at the screen seeing another WarShip which had arrived and it was surrounded by DropShips.

   “Snow Raven ship, the Black Lancer a Patriot-class Heavy Cruiser.” Michaels responded “they arrived forty minutes ago; we’ve been trying to break their encryption but no such luck so far.”

   “Seriously?” Loven asked a little annoyed her crew had not been able to break the encryption “since when can the Clan’s encrypt something we can’t break?” She asked rhetorically “get on it!” She snapped watching the screens.

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   For a day the Gilliam watched silently before a third vessel joined them in the area. The Gilliam like all spy ships remained unseen because it did not do anything flashy to allow itself it get noticed. The ship would sit beyond visual range of the shipyard often near a piece of planetary debris drifting as it observed the Jade Falcon shipyards.

   The door chime to Loven’s quarters activated and she called out “enter” Michaels floated into her quarters.

   “It’s a Trial of Possession for the Mississippi and its plans.” He said proudly floating in the entrance way like all quarters on the Pueblo Loven’s had a small entrance, a main room and food preparation area and a toilet, the ship was designed to be comfortable for its crew on long duration missions.

   “Excellent, the fireworks of the Trial will give us an opportunity to boost away towards the rendezvous point.” Loven suggested rarely did the ship use its main drives but when there was a lot of activity it was a good opportunity to do so, they had planned to leave when the Mississippi began its post-launch trials but this was as good an opportunity as any.

   “There will be a lot of fireworks around…”

   “The Clans normally bid down…” Loven started but Michaels shook his head “oh…” she whispered “when does their trial begin?”

   “One hour’s time.”

   “I’ll see you on the bridge.”

   An hour later Loven floated onto the ships small compact bridge joining the other three crewmen there. “Status report.”

   “Surveillance Arrays stowed – ready for transit”

   “Engines standing-by”

   “Weapons online… just in case.” Michaels added

   “All crew ready.” The crew reported as she strapped herself into her command chair none of them wanted to do unnecessary moving around during a burn.

   “Has the trial started?” Loven asked Michaels looked over his screens.

   “Affirmative, the two Patriots are squaring off along with their support craft.”

   “Helm, thrusters take us away from the rock, main engine burn when we’re clear they won’t have a chance of catching us even if they pick us up.” She ordered the Gilliam slowly turned in space moving gently away from the space rock. Moments later the main engines activated sending them into a gentle one G burn which quickly accelerated to a three G burn as they burned deeper into the nebula.

   “Two Avars incoming! They must have been on deep perimeter patrol!” Michaels called out the thirty-ton OmniFighters had better speed than the DropShip but would not have the range or the firepower.  “Missiles away from targets, they are configured with LRMs!”

   Through the darkness of space flights of long-range missiles flew in on the DropShip “AMS engaging” one of the crew called out. One of the upgrades the SLDF had mandated went on the Pueblo after the class was taken out of mothballs on Terra was the installation of two dozen anti-missile cannons as the missiles got close enough the AMS cannons fired automatically knocking more than half of the missiles out of the sky before they impacted the ship. The remaining dozen exploded across the rear of the DropShip.

   “Cut main thrust, thrusters bring our nose on target, it’s a pair of lights Weaps split your fire half and half.” She ordered Michaels who nodded.  The ship ceased its forward acceleration but had already built up enough momentum that without the friction of an atmosphere the ship continued along the same course as it did the ship rotated in space suddenly facing off to an angle as the two Jade Falcon fighters continued to close. To the naked eyes the two fighters would be impossibly far away but a DropShips targeting systems were designed to track enemy targets.

Form the nose and wings of the Pueblo the weapon ports which were rarely if ever used engaged as one. Space was filled with man-made lightning particle cannons and red laser fire as the six forward facing particle cannons lashed out nearly as one targeting one ship, while the ships six forward mounted large lasers targeted the other ship destroying both ships in twin balls of flame.  “Sensors any more contacts?” Loven asked as the DropShip continued to move away from the two expanding balls of wreckage.

   “Negative, scopes clear”

   “Damage report” Loven ordered

   “Minimal armour kept it out, we’re good.”

   “Excellent, Helm turn us back onto course keep the engines silent we do not need to draw any undue attention. We will let the Clanners figure out where their two Avars went.” While the Star League DropShip made its escape the two Clans continued to engage each other eventually the two WarShips fought to a draw with the Snow Raven vessel accepting defeat. They had however done enough damage to win the plans for the Mississippi-class Battleship while not quite a new WarShip the Ravens has extensive facilities for building WarShips of their own.

   A month later Clan trials for WarShips continues as Clan Sea Fox challenge Clan Hell’s Horses for control over one of the Hell’s Horses Forge-class Yardships. The Foxes are more successful than the Ravens and they win control over the Forge adding it to the Starstrike Khanate.