OBT Forum

Reposting all four of Blacknova's PDF maps here for easy access.

MA

Field Headquarters of the ilKhan, Bayern
Memmingen, Clan Goliath Scorpion Occupation Zone
February 24, 3044

“You want my advice?” asked Nikolai after he took a sip of whiskey, reflecting upon the playback that Amanda Tseng had just finished showing him.

“That is why I summoned you here, quiaff?” She said quietly.

Nikolai sat up in his seat.  “Follow your instincts, Ghost Bear,” he said solemnly.  “Your Clan has a deserved reputation for caution, for not rushing in where angels fear to tread.  That is not a quality that detracts from the Ghost Bears—it is one that other Clans and Khans should take as an example.  At the moment, we are poised in a stalemate.  The Clans cannot withdraw, they cannot attack, and they must defend the systems they have taken.  At the same time, this atrocity at Odessa—as loathsome as it is with the massacre of civilians—has deprived the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns of the means to quickly attack you.  Jaime Wolf needs time to recover his strength—and the Draconis Combine has been bled white.”

He smiled grimly at his closest friend among the Khans of Kerensky and he shook his head.  “So be a Ghost Bear tomorrow.  The winter is upon us and it is time to retire to our dens and hibernate—to recover our strength.  Make them realize that the conclusion of this Invasion they wanted cannot be attained—and formally recognize the legitimacy of the Star League Reborn.”

He paused as Amanda gasped as though she was in pain.  “I know.  It is a hard thing, is it not?  But we cannot deny the truth—this Star League has as much, or as little, legitimacy as that of Ian Cameron.  And having done that, request a conference to hammer out a treaty between the Clans and the Star League—or failing an official peace treaty, an armistice or a truce.  Make them—our fellow Khans—accept it, and whether it is a permanent treaty or a truce that expires in a decade, use that time wisely to fortify these worlds and build up your strength, so when—not if, but when—this War starts anew, the Clans have a chance of survival.  Which means devoting industry back home to producing more surface to orbit weapons and constructing batteries on the surface of our planets—or copying those defense satellites that the Kuritas used so infuriatingly at Luthien to stymie the Jaguars.  Or both.”

“If you can force Focht and Davion and Steiner and Kurita to give you ten years, fifteen would be better, and you spend that time wisely—NO conceivable force will serve to remove you from the territories you have won.  And you will have to reduce the garrisons in the Homeworlds to the barest minimum—bringing forward nearly all of our fighting touman.  Leaving just garrison Clusters and perhaps a Galaxy per Clan of second-line forces to hold our worlds there.  The Clans must transition to become part of the Inner Sphere once again; we cannot and must not remain outsiders.”

“All but abandon our Homeworlds, Nikolai?”

“These worlds, these two hundred and thirty-one worlds that we have conquered in the name in the Clans comprise just a tenth that of the Star League Reborn, Amanda Tseng.  One tenth the number of worlds they hold.  Less than a tenth of the population and industry they are capable of.  But it is still five times what we hold in the Kerensky Cluster, the Pentagon, and the Tanite worlds combined.  With twenty times the population and an industrial capacity—not realized, squandered, but there beneath the surface for anyone with vision to see—a potential industrial capacity such as we could only dream of back home.  The bounty of these worlds in resources—the ability to live without having to terra-form, the existence of clean water to drink; how many of our people in the Homeworlds would kill for this?”

“These worlds are the future of the Clans, ilKhan and Ghost Bear.  You are in Paradise, although Terra remains out of your grasp—for now.  What now happens in this, your Garden of Eden, is up to you, Amanda.  Will you see the Clans cast out by force—because if there is no treaty, the Star League will be ready in as little as three, perhaps four years time?  Or will you bring the War to an end—and give your people a Home?”

Nikolai stood.  “That is my advice Ghost Bear—be a Ghost Bear in truth on the morrow.  Victory does not always come from the barrel of a gun . . . sometimes, victory and triumph are overlooked in the shadow of what we have not yet accomplished.  But I ask of you, by any reasonable appraisal and analysis, is not what the Clans now hold worthy of being called a victory?

“Be a Ghost Bear, ilKhan.  And save your Clans.”

Nikolai finished his whiskey, and he came to attention and saluted Amanda smartly, before pivoting on his heel and leaving her office.  Alone with her thoughts as she considered deeply his words.

Field Headquarters of the ilKhan, Bayern
Memmingen, Clan Goliath Scorpion Occupation Zone
February 25, 3044

The utter destruction of the Raven Fleet at Blair Atholl—and the death of Khan McKenna—had been every bit as shocking as Nikolai had hoped.  The assembled Khans were sober, some were . . . well, they were frightened, although any accusing them of such would have been slain in an instant.  They remained frightened, however, and the haughty nature of the Khans had drained from the chamber like the atmosphere from an airlock opened to space.

Amanda stood on the dais below and she confirmed the report again with a swift nod of her head.  “We have gone as far as we can go at this time, my Khans,” she said into the stillness quietly.  “For the good of the Clans as a whole—Operation Revival is now ended.”

A low moan came up from the Khans, but the ilKhan steeled her face. “I will contact First Lord Focht at the conclusion of this meeting, and request a conference to hammer out the terms of a treaty between us and the Star League.”

The assembled Khans blinked once, and then twice, and then a dozen or more were on their feet yelling.  “IT IS THE ONLY WAY!” thundered back the ilKhan, and the Khans slowly subsided, but many remained standing in defiance.  “We must see to our defenses and seek terms to end this War before we lose everything we have gained.  If we do not, our new resources and population and industries and worlds on which to expand will mean nothing.  All of our losses will have been in vain.  And it will be a century before we can once again assemble the strength to come back,” she finished flatly.

“Khan Howell, do you think a century will pass before this new Star League finds us?  Khan Black do you not realize that our HPG relay chain was deliberately severed?  On our side of the vast gulf between us and the Homeworlds?  That is why communications are down—Star League scouts could even now be spreading out and searching for our Homeworlds.  We must keep their attention here; we must remain here, and to do that—we must, for now, have peace.”

The Khan of the Blood Spirits, Helen Schmidt rose to her feet.  “You are ilKhan—you are neither dictator nor First Lord.  I demand a vote.”

“And then a vote you shall have,” Amanda said.  She sat and Loremaster of the Clans Charles Bragg stood in her place.

“The question is thus:  will the Clans of Kerensky end this Invasion and seek a peace treaty with the Star League?  A vote of aye will support the ilKhan’s plan—a vote of nay will oppose it.  Clan Blood Spirit?”

Helen Schmidt stood.  “We both vote nay, Loremaster,” her saKhan James Carmichael staring sullenly at the ilKhan with a furious expression.

“Clan Cloud Cobra?”

The electronic image of Mark Steiner and Leonard Eaker flickered and they exchanged a few words.  “Two votes for aye—it is the only sane proposal.”

“Clan Coyote?”

Pavel Kerensky and his saKhan Simon Kufahl—a well known Crusader—argued for a moment.  Then he sadly turned to face the ilKhan.  “The Coyotes are divided today.  One Aye and one nay.”

“Clan Diamond Shark?”

Olivia Sutherland stood and her face was ashen.  “The Sharks cannot and will not accept our treating with this False Star League as equals.  Nay, Loremaster—twice.”  Her saKhan Peter Hammond hung his head and refused to meet Amanda’s eyes.

“Clan Ghost Bear?”

Grace Kabrinski stood and she stood proud.  “Loremaster, both I and saKhan Erik Jorgensson vote aye and we stand with our ilKhan.”

“Clan Goliath Scorpion?”

Nikolai stood and he bowed deeply.  “Aye, Loremaster.  The guns should fall silent so that we might rebuild.”  And the image of Nelson beside him nodded his own assent.

“Clan Hell’s Horses?”

Jake Fletcher rose to his feet.  “We have sacrificed too much—lost too many good Warriors to surrender now!  saKhan Raphael Mendoza and I both vote Nay.”

“Clan Ice Hellion?”

“Need you ask, Loremaster?” said Emma Drake with a slight smile, as Robert Taney barked out a single note of a laugh.  “Nay and Nay.”

“Clan Jade Falcon?”

Martha Pryde and Michael von Jankmon conferred for a moment and then she stood.  “They are as exhausted as we—and I cannot believe that they would carry through with this threat.  The Falcons vote Nay in unanimity.”

“Clan Nova Cat?”

Marius West rose and he gazed across the assembly—stopping at Nikolai and he nodded.  “We agree with the ilKhan—but our vision requires that we oppose this.”

“Clan Smoke Jaguar?”

Brandon Howell stood.  “A temporary halt, yes.  We must.  Negotiating with the False Star League—NAY.  Two nays, ilKhan.”  Sarah Weaver did not move, but her face showed complete agreement with her Khan.

“Clan Snow Raven?”

An anguished Joan McKenzie stood alone, Peter McKenna’s empty seat beside her.  “NAY.  Not while those who used atomic weapons on my Khan live!”

“Clan Star Adder?”

Marion Truscott arose, and his face twisted.  “ilKhan, I cannot agree with you.  Were I this Focht, I would not give us time to breath—he will use this negotiations as a ploy and destroy us when we are most vulnerable.  saKhan N’Buta and I vote nay.”

“Clan Steel Viper?”

Thomas Black and Paul Masters did not confer, but then they did not need too.  “NAY!” the Khan hissed so sibilantly it sounded like his totem.

“Clan Stone Lion?”

“Aidan Pryde and I vote Aye, Loremaster,” the image of Natasha Kerensky said sadly.  “And I wish I were there in person.”

“Clan Wolf?”

Ulric Kerensky stood, Marianne Vickers at his side.  “We vote Aye.”

“Then by a vote of 13 Ayes and 18 Nays, the motion fails to carry and ilKhan’s proposal is . . .”

“HOLD!” barked Nikolai Djerassi as he stood, casting aside the scorpion mask he wore to the center of the well.  “I demand a Trial of Refusal—and bid myself and myself alone!”

Every Khan’s head snapped around to stare at Nikolai, some smiling in appreciation and others in shock and anger.

“Khan Djerassi, the odds against you are 1.81 to 1, which under the Martial Code since a single Point is fighting this trial—is made 2 to 1 against.  And by demanding a Trial of Refusal on a matter that affects the Clans as a whole, one in which your Clan held an equal and binding vote, I hereby declare as the Loremaster of the Clans, by my right under Article XIV, Section Seven, Clause Three of the Marital Code of Nicholas Kerensky that such a Trial of Refusal is against the interest of the Clans—and increase the odds accordingly to a value of 3 to 1 against,” the Ice Hellion Loremaster said with a smile.

“So be it.”

Marion Truscott took a step forward.  "Loremaster, 14-7-3 has not been invoked in more than century!  And it dealt with a third-party Clan intervening in a dispute between two other Clans!  It has not been used since!"

Charles Bragg shrugged.  "I am the Loremaster of the Clans . . . my rulings on the Martial Code cannot be questioned, nor can they be made the subject of a Trial of Refusal, as you well know."

"And you should know that I will demand of you a Trial of Grievance for your abuse of power here today . . . and that I will kill you."

Nikolai smiled.  "Calmly, Marion," he said.  "Three to one odds are fine with me."

Amanda stood.  “We will set a time and location for this trial and recon- . . .”

“Begging the ilKhan’s pardon—but there is no time like the present and no better location than here, before witnesses that none can dispute.  Unless those who voted Nay refuse to face me?  And thus forfeit their vote!”

Emma Drake shook her head in barely controlled fury.  “Neg, Scorpion.  None here refuse to face you—none here lack the honor to kill you.  But it is to the challenged to choose the means of combat.”

“’Mechs, unarmed, melee weapons, it matters not to me, Ice Hellion.  Choose your weapons and let us resolve this now!”

Marion Truscott stood a third time . . . and he shook his head.  “May we have a short recess to decide which Khans will face Khan Djerassi and the manner of our combat?” he asked the ilKhan.

“So granted!” Amanda said as she slammed down the gavel.

I'm rather curious about the Sharks vote. You haven't presented very much of a view of them at all, and the vote seems quite at odds with many of the important aspects of their specific sub-culture.

Field Headquarters of the ilKhan, Bayern
Memmingen, Clan Goliath Scorpion Occupation Zone
February 25, 3044

Thick clouds hung low overhead, the lights adjacent to the cobblestoned walkways springing to life one after the next as the distant storm began to blow in.  From the windows of buildings all around, shocked faces of students and faculty were pressed against the glass, witnesses to a ritual combat to the death the likes of which they had only read about in anthropology texts.

The Khans and saKhans, the Elementals of the Ebon Keshik, the ilKhan and her Loremaster formed a circle surrounding the rich green, closely cropped grass, in the center of which stood Nikolai Djerassi.  The ranks parted and a lumbering Elemental Warrior entered the Circle of Equals.  Thomas Black, Khan of the Steel Vipers, who held in his right hand a short metal club.

Without a word he charged in, but Nikolai darted to one side, avoiding the lethal swing of club; he drew his zulkari in the same motion and scored a hit across the back of the Viper’s hand, making his drop the weapon.  Thomas bellowed and he closed faster than a man of his bulk should have been able, taking cuts on his arms as he grabbed Nikolai and squeezed him hard—and the spectators could hear the snapping of several of the Scorpion ribs.

Nikolai dropped the blade and he put his hands on the temples of Thomas as the Viper tightened his grip—and then both of the Scorpion’s thumbs plunged into Thomas’s eyes and the Khan of the Vipers screamed, releasing his bear hug as he staggered back with the moisture of his ruptured eyeballs dripping down his checks.  Nikolai held one arm tight against his chest and lifted the weapon and he charged into the blind Khan, plunging the zulkari deep into first his right kidney, and then his left—and as Thomas Black sank to his knees in agony, he slit the Viper’s throat from ear to ear.

Brandon Howell entered the Circle and the Jaguar slowly advanced as he gauged his enemy.  Both he and Nikolai were MechWarriors—but he was fresh and Thomas Black had hurt his opponent badly.  He drew a long dirk, as the Scorpion stumbled and crawled back to his feet—holding the Viper’s club in one hand and the zulkari, the curved knife that the Scorpion’s were so fond of, in the other.

The two men began to circle each other, but Brandon Howell was cautious and careful, and he just kept circling, waiting until Nikolai’s injuries would drain him of all his strength.  And then instead of waiting, the Scorpion attacked in a blur of motion that belied his wounds, the club and zulkari sweeping down towards Howell—but the Jaguar was ready for that and he sprang to one side—and gasped as the perfectly thrown zulkari struck him in the neck, severing the carotid, the jugular, and Howell's windpipe.  Nikolai did not hesitate, he charged in and smashed the club into Howell’s skull, breaking it, and then he dropped the crude weapon and grimaced in agony as he bent over and lifted the Jaguars dirk and wrenched his zulkari from the corpse.

Jake Fletcher entered the Circle and he shook his head.  “Give it up, Nikolai—the medics are here.  They can patch those wounds if you quit now.  Two Khans in one day—that must be a record.”

Nikolai coughed and Jake gave him a moment to recover—the back of the Scorpion’s hand came away covered in blood.  “I thank you for the courtesy, Khan Fletcher,” Nikolai grunted.  “But I mean to win today—surrender and you will live.”

“Neg.  Do not make me kill you, old friend,” the Horse said as two kept circling . . . and now they were close enough together that Nikolai could whisper and rest assured that no others could hear.  “Khan Fletcher, did you wonder why my saKhan, why the Lions, why Cobras were absent today?”

“Aff,” Jake answered slowly.  “I wondered.’

“They were absent because I have sent them away—to swear their allegiance to the Star League from which our Founders came.”

And Jake’s face went white with shock, his jaw dropped open, his eyes grew wide.  He shook his head in denial.  “Jest not with me, Scorpion!”

“It is the truth, Horse.  And if this invasion continues, then your Clan will fight mine as it defends the Star League Reborn.”

Jake gave a howl towards the heaven’s and he stared at Nikolai in absolute horror.  “I considered you my brother!” he roared.

“Then come brother, let us end this,” the Scorpion said with another raking cough—and Jake charged, but Nikolai had feigned the cough and he side-stepped the Horse slashing both blades against his face.  Jake pivoted and he slashed wildly left and right as Nikolai parried, but then the Scorpions ankle twisted beneath him and both men fell.

The crowed was hushed and neither of the fighters moved, but then Nikolai rolled Jake over—Howell’s dirk protruding from the center of his chest.  The Scorpion turned his head to one side and vomited blood upon the grass and Amanda closed her eyes as she saw the cut that stretched from one hip up and across the stomach to the lower rib-cage that Jake’s own knife had carved, the gaping wound gushing blood and intestines and internal organs.

Then she forced them open and she walked out onto the quad, along with the Loremaster and a medic.  Blood bubbled on Nikolai’s lips and he gestured at her with the fingers of one hand.  The ilKhan knelt on the green grass stained with the sanguine flow of four Khans, and she leaned in close to Nikolai as he whispered.

“Remember,” he coughed and then gasped for breath.  And then he whispered  “All I did, was for our survival as a peop-. . .” and his voice trailed off, his eyes closed, and the medic shook her head.

Amanda arose and she faced her Khans with no emotion on her face.  “Khan Djerassi has won his Trial.  The vote is overturned—and we will have peace.”

While I would agree with DM and Blacknova I can overlook the Sharks behavior.

Gonna be weird reading much more without the main protagonist. I imagine your tail is coming to an end soon, yes? 

Plus, while the did later in canon become Wardens, they are still Crusaders now.  Not hard-line Crusaders, but they are still in that camp.

Is that something you changed for the AU? My memory's faulty anymore, but I vaguely recall that the Sharks were noted as being a largely ambivalent Clan with Warden leanings more than anything that just happened to have Crusader leadership in Hawker. (They were in FM: Warden Clans, after all.) Without Hawker, the Crusader mentality (in canon anyway) seems very questionable for them. The Bears were always sort of a mirror opposite of the Sharks, being a Clan with strong Crusader leanings among the rank and file, but Warden leadership at the top. Also, the Nova Cat answer could really use some explaining, unless I missed something. Their vision told them to not sue for peace? Where was that stated? I thought the vision had been mentioned regarding the fact that they wouldn't join the Scorpions. Even the Jaguar answer is a little strange. "We need peace/time, but not with them." "Uhh...with who, exactly then?"

I'm going to be a little more honest and harsher than I should be, so apologies. It's not meant as a personal insult. You've had a story that flows very well up to that point. The meeting of the Khans feels very uneven and has very visible railroading. That's incredibly distracting as a reader, and it brings the flow of the story to a screeching halt. I'd strongly suggest giving that section a second look.