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Nice to see DC!

A November update with 2 additions thanks to marauder648.  One is purely inspired by his Project Zhukov and uses several of the units from it (Sorry if you haven't read... and WHY?) The second part was written by marauder several months ago and has sat in the vault waiting to be used, it's gone though a little revision recently but it's still mostly his so I thank you marauder it was much appreciated.

Planetary Assault
Furillo, Halfway Province
Lyran Commonwealth
1st November 3116

Over Furillo II green coloured DropShips and fighters almost blotted out the sun as much as the cloudy weather as Clan Jade Falcon arrived on the important Lyran manufacturing world.  Higher in orbit WarShips of the Lyran Commonwealth tried to stop the Jade Falcons invading but they also had Jade Falcon WarShips to contend with.

Sitting in his Jade Hawk’s cockpit seventeen-year-old MechWarrior Christian sat waiting for the order to deploy his DropShip had thankfully cleared the Lyran aerospace defences and now they were dropping quickly towards the Defiance Industries plant, their primary target.  Like the majority of the warriors involved in this battle Christian hadn’t faced his first Trial of Possession today would be that for all in his unit the Tenth Jade Eyrie Cluster.  They would follow in the Xi Solahma Cluster which was already engaged with the Third Arcturan Guards RCT.

The light opposite his fifty-five-ton Jade Hawk went green and Christian surged forwards through the open doors and out into the atmosphere of Furillo.  Immediately he triggered the BattleMech’s partial wing built into the Mech’s back the two multi-feathered metal wings raised up behind giving Christian far better control over the fall than a Mech carrying only jump jets.  He turned the BattleMech towards the ground below he fell faster and faster at one hundred metres he cut in the Jade Hawks wings further slowing the fall before the Mech slammed into a landing.  During his training Christian had practiced hover-drop maneuvers but this was his first in action and he was quite happy with how it had gone.

His happiness lasted less than thirty seconds as his Jade Hawk took an autocannon salvo high on the left of its chest.  He looked at who had attacked him and saw a fifty-five ton blue and red painted Uziel BattleMech.  While both Mechs weighed in at the same weight Christian’s BattleMech was built with Clan technology and far superior.  “Well bargained and done!”  Christian responded raising his own Mech’s arm opening fire with both of his own autocannons and then both large lasers.  The explosive rounds of the autocannons both slammed into the enemy Mech while one of lasers burned down across the Uziel’s left leg the other laser missing its target harmlessly.

The Lyran Mechwarrior began closing on him firing its autocannon again at the moving Jade Hawk the explosive rounds went wide missing Christian’s Mech but the pulse laser fire moments before didn’t and the green pulses burned down the Jade Hawk’s left leg.  While Christian had a significant advantage in ranged firepower his Mech was also faster engaging the Myomer Acceleration Signal Circuitry (MASC) built into his Mech the Jade Hawk surged forwards at over one hundred kilometres per hour.  The Uziel pilot continued to fire autocannon and pulse laser shots at his Jade Hawk but Christian ignored the damage returning fire with both of his own autocannon striking the enemy Mech’s torso the fire was enough to throw off a short-range missile volley from the Uziel and the six missiles flew into the air exploding harmlessly away from any target.

Now within range Christian launched his Mech into the air continuing to keep up the autocannon fire.  Return fire from the Uziel caused minor damage against his Mech’s lower torso but Christian didn’t flinch from his target firing both lasers down on his target as the Jade Hawk’s legs struck the Uziel one leg hitting the right torso and the other tearing off the Lyran Mech’s short range missile launcher.  Momentum carried the Jade Hawk forward away from the Uziel as it toppled to the ground Christian fought with all his skill to keep his own fifty-five-ton Mech standing as he ran a few steps beyond the prone Lyran Mech spinning his Mech on the spot he triggered both autocannons directly into the cockpit of the downed Lyran Mech.

Under the sustained weapons fire the Uziel’s cockpit armour failed and crumpled inwards killing the pilot.  “I am Jade Falcon!”  He screamed into the shared communication channel he heard others screaming the same and knew he was now a Clan warrior.  Not wasting time, he spun back towards the Defiance Industries plant seeing a red and black Axman heavy Mech its massive hatchet raised as its autocannon tore open a Jade Falcon SM1 Tank Destroyer.  Raising his arm mounted autocannons he fired both striking the Axman’s torso gaining the pilot’s attention.

Unlike his fight with the Uziel Christian had a different engagement method against the Axman his Mech could run circles around the heavier Mech and that’s exactly what he planned on doing.  He ran across the Mech’s field of fire striking the Axman again with its autocannons.  He triggered the jump jets taking the Mech cleanly over a Lyran Fafnir assault Mech with was engaging in a long-range duel with a green painted Jade Falcon Hellstar.  Not interfering with the battle, he twisted the Jade Hawk’s torso and continued to fire his lasers and autocannons at the Axman which was unable to close on him due to the superior speed of the lighter Jade Hawk.

As the Lyran Axman appeared ready to fall a group of short-range missiles fired by Lyran infantry troops struck his Jade Hawk.  “Stavag!  The Freebirths have broken Zellbrigen!”  He called out but his warned was for nothing as he saw unit’s combining fire up and down the battle line already.  “I will teach you!”  He cursed the infantry troops firing both autocannons down at the troops caught in the open the infantry troopers were shredded by the autocannon sub-munitions as shotgun-like rounds tore thought at least a dozen troopers.  His distraction had allowed the Axman to close and its autocannon roared into action tearing off a large section of the Jade Hawk’s right torso including the partial wing there.  “Stavag!”  He screamed angrily twisting back to his original target striking it with both large lasers the heavy Axman had already been damaged by his concentrated fire before now and struck dead centre, the torso of the Axman was cored by the Jade Hawk’s fire, his second kill.

Christian barely had time to catch his breath before his Mech was carpeted by long range missile fire from a black and red Catapult.  “I killed your Axman, I will kill you!”  He said angrily running his damaged Jade Hawk towards the enemy Mech.  The long-range missiles had mostly done damage to his arms and legs, fortunately none had hit his Mech’s already mangled right torso.

Intending on closing quickly he jumped and ran towards the Catapult the quick movements and changes in direction throwing off the support Mech’s fire.  He fired both autocannons as he ran to keep the heat down and then added in his large lasers as he closed and was surer of good shots.  The Catapult added in medium lasers in the closer ranged combat two struck his Mech’s right torso and suddenly he realized that he had lost control over the right arm, right jump jets and his engine was showing damage.  “I will still kill you!”  He screamed keeping his aim on the Catapult, he was inside the minimum range of the long range missiles but it still had four, no only three, medium lasers active.  He didn’t care as the Jade Hawk was failing around him Christian marched forwards screaming into the communication channel “I AM JADE FALCON!”  As his remaining autocannon and laser burned away at the enemy Mech.  To any outsider the Jade Hawk must have looked like a zombie machine that wouldn’t die as he closed on the Catapult continuing to take hits but march forwards.  The heavier Lyran support Mech suffered from a lack of armour and this was what caused its end as Christian continued to fire and scream at the Catapult the heavy Mech suffered a catastrophic failure in its ammunition storage and suddenly the entire BattleMech was engulfed in an expanding fireball.  “Stavag!  Freebirth!”  Christian muttered as his Mech was impacted by the explosions which were rocking the Catapult.  During the battle he hadn’t realized but one of the medium lasers had struck the cockpit of the Jade Hawk causing a partial collapse of his cockpit part of the BattleMech’s cockpit had struck his neurolhelmet and as the concussive blasts continued to tear apart the Catapult the Jade Hawk fell over almost in sympathy for the fallen enemy BattleMech with Christian having passed out from his injuries.

Three days later Christian woke in a Jade Falcon field hospital as he recovered from a severe concussion.  He sat in bed seeing dozens of warriors his age, little more than children in the eyes of the Inner Sphere, all injured during the fighting.  On his fourth day he was visited by Star Colonel Swayman Mattlov the huge elderly Elemental commander of the Tenth Jade Eyrie Cluster.  He motioned to rise from his position “Neg, Christian, remain where you are.”  The “Old Man” of the cluster said Mattlov was only forty-two years old but he was more than double the age of any of his former cadets turned warriors.  “You did well.  Three BattleMech kills in your first outing.  Enough to be a Star Captain were you fighting Clan opponents but as defeated inner sphere opponents it will be enough to be a Star Commander in future deployments.  Quiaff?”

“Aff, Star Colonel, did we win?”

“Aff, but at great cost we lost four Clusters of the seven we brought to this world and Defiance Industries has been gutted by the room-to-room fighting which our Elementals have been forced to fight.”  He said, it was a victory but a costly one “we destroyed one of the Lyran WarShips and captured another but we lost both heavy cruisers we brought to this system.”

“A costly battle”

“Affirmative, but a victory, rest now our journey towards Terra resumes soon.”  All in all two full Lyran RCTs, four Jade Falcon Clusters and three WarShips had been completely destroyed in the Furillo system.  The Fourth WarShip the Danzig, a Mjolnir-class Battle-cruiser, had been captured but it was crippled and wouldn’t leave the system without significant refurbishment.  Elsewhere the Jade Falcons had also captured the Clotat and Laurelston systems.

Circle of Equals, Bonaventure (Potemkin-class Troop Cruiser)
Alpheratz, Raven Alliance
4th November 3116

   After a Snow Raven petition to claim territory on an Outworlds Alliance world is turned down by civilian governments the Clan civilian, manufacturing and scientific populations who are largely confined to the newer colonies on the outer edges of the nation’s space, to the Clan’s many Potemkin-class Troop Cruisers, which had become little more than massive cities, or to floating enclaves built on certain worlds become restless.  As far as they are concerned the Clan has made the periphery nation a force to be reckoned with and that it should not be begging for scraps of territory on the developed Outworlds Alliance worlds.

In an effort to quell the growing tensions Khan Vir Sukhanov spends the month travelling to each of the Clan’s four Potemkin-class vessels.  On each ship he speaks to communities of Snow Ravens onboard the WarShips and attached DropShips and explained that he was doing everything in his power to expand Raven holdings in the Outworlds Alliance but their population was still tiny compared to those in the nation and compromises had to be made.  Unfortunately, his words are not enough on the WarShip Bontaventure while he was speaking a hulking ex-warrior Chara Cooper challenged the Khan to a Circle of Equals.  Chara Cooper carried a Bloodname from his time as aerospace pilot ace.  During his final battle he’d been shot down fighting Clan Nova Cat and lost both his right arm and leg in the crash.  While he had been fitted with a cybernetic replacement leg and an arm, he had been unable to continue fighting and been relegated to the Scientific Caste.  Now he stated he was challenging the Khan as was his Bloodnamed right stating he had failed their Clan and a new leader with new ideas was needed and while the challenger was not that man, he thought a change was needed with a jeering crowd at his back Sukhanov agreed to the fight.

The two agreed to fight unarmed and unaugmented by armour and space for the Circle was cleared in one of the Bontaventure’s cargo bays and witnesses gathered from the WarShip’s crew and its attached DropShips.  In a drawn-out battle Sukhanov successfully broke two of the man’s ribs and one arm but a devastating strike from Cooper’s replacement leg knocks the wind out of Sukhanov shattering several ribs and in a fluid motion he snaps the Khan’s neck.
Following the shocking victory many onboard the Bonaventure call for Chara Cooper to take his rightful place as the new Khan he refused stating the Khan needed to be someone capable of fighting for his Clan and he was no longer that man.  Instead, a Clan Council was to be called at the Snow Raven capital enclave on Alpheratz and it took place at the end of November.  Because Chara Cooper had been victorious and he still held his Bloodname he was invited and immediately refused the position before leaving the council accepting that because he was not a warrior, he deserved no vote.

   With no Khan and no front runner saKhan Adam Howe attempted to take control over the Clan but was challenged immediately and killed in a Circle of Equals.  The death of the Khan and then saKhan of Clan Snow Raven leaves a power vacuum at the top of the Clan which lasts well into December as various Bloodhouses attempt to place one of their leading warriors in a leadership position.

   At the end of December Galaxy Commander Porter McKenna finally filled the position of Khan after winning the vote of the Bloodnamed Council.  As a MechWarrior by profession and knows that he will find holding the position difficult with so many aerospace and naval warriors at his back.  To ease their fears, he nominated Star Admiral Lydia Sukhanov the commander of the Montbatton WarShip Star to be his saKhan intending on ensuring a balance remained at the top of the Clan.

   In an effort to appease the Clan populations and keep the Snow Ravens on their nation’s side President Rodger Orton, the civilian leader of the Raven Alliance, informs new Khan Porter McKenna that he was personally guaranteed several land grants to the Ravens on developed worlds for the Clan’s sole use allowing hundreds of civilians to set foot on Raven Alliance soil.

Weapons development
Csesztreg, Hell’s Horses OZ
Clan Occupation Zones
17th November 3116

The Snow Raven Clan had not been the only Clan to suffer from civilian unrest however unlike the Snow Ravens Clan Hell’s Horses were suffering troubles from their subjugated populations.  Unlike other Clans like the Ghost Bears, Snow Ravens, Sea Foxes and Nova Cats the Horses had maintained a strong leash on their populations reminding them that the Clan was on top and they were the lower castes.  This hard-line approach had worked for the Jade Falcons and Wolves but with the Horses it was beginning to cause problems riots were common across the OZ and in some places things had escalated to terrorist cells popping up and striking at Clan positions with everything from improvised weapons such as Molotov cocktails to military equipment, which had either been stolen from the Clan, recovered from hidden caches or sneaked onto the worlds by Inner Sphere powers looking to cause trouble.

Not wanting to use front-line equipment against these groups and in an effort to counter this growing troubles Clan Hell’s Horses first introduce a new Battle Armour suite known as the Demios.  The Demios is half as large as a standard Elemental suit and is designed with anti-infantry and scouting operations in mind with an extended jump range over the Elemental and multiple standard and support anti-infantry weapons the suit proves deadly in the first few weeks of deployment with the Hell’s Horses new Thunderflame Clusters however they still need heavier armour or Mech forces to engage some enemies leading to further developments.

While the Horses had already been planning on introducing several new vehicles to their Touman they chose to first test these vehicles by deploying entire stars of their new Durga VTOL, a twenty-five ton VTOL with several pulse lasers and a long range missile array, the Eris APC, a forty-ton hovercraft with several support anti-infantry weapons and a capacity to transport five tons of battle armoured infantry soldiers, and Nike IFVs, a tracked fifty-ton Infantry Fighting Vehicle which carried an autocannon and missile launcher.   In an effort to test their new vehicles and battle armour they a minimum of eight battle armour stars and two stars each of the new vehicles are deployed in each cluster and their impact is immediate with multiple cells of would-be terrorists wiped out during their inception.  Arguments could be made that several of these people were yet to commit acts against the Clan but the Horses were more content that the peace was being held, even if it was at the end of a gun.  By the end of 3116 nine Thunderflame Clusters had been formed with several attached to the various other Hell’s Horses Galaxies.

Battlefield
Shimosuwa, Vega District
Rasalhague Dominion
22nd November 3116

   The conflict which had begun with the District of Dieron’s assault on the Rasalhague Dominion was going well with Moore, Lambrecht and Kuzuu being the most recent systems to fall to the Ghost Bears assaults with heavy forces also assaulting the District’s defences on Alya.

   Back in the Rasalhague Dominion however the investigation into what had happened during the District’s assaults was just beginning Point Commander Durham moved across the battlefield on Shimosuwa in his Constable Power Armour (Light) suit along with his Watch team investigating the radioactive battlefield.  While the Ghost Bear warriors were happy to vent their fury and frustrations on the District of Dieron the Watch had other ideas and wanted to answers.

   “Investigator Durham!”  One of his warriors, Taro, called out his grey painted Constable suit was bent over a Hitotsume Kozo BattleMech, one that had caught Durham’s attention because of its heavy Draconis Combine design.

   “It’s Point Commander” Durham muttered to himself, he had won the rank in combat but he was an old man and the Watch did not see battles on a regular basis “what is it Taro?”  He asked keying the radio.

   “I have found something; do you want to see?”

   “Neg, Taro, continue your investigation” he said lifting part of a broken Rasalhague Dominion BattleMech “find all the facts then present your story to me in full, Quiaff?”

   “Aff, Investigator.”  The man replied Durham swore to himself as the radioactive winds blew sand against his Mech.  The word of Shimosuwa had suffered this greatly from this attack, the first nuclear attack since the First and Second Succession War, but with Clan science they had hopes of cleaning up the radioactive materials and fallout completely.  The Ghost Bear attacks against the District of Dieron was allowing the older warriors to die facing an enemy’s guns and was allowing many of its youngest warriors to face a real enemy.  The Watch would do its duty behind the scenes and once they had found the complete story here the Clan could continue its war with the civilians fully aware of their reasons, as if the nuclear fireball hadn’t been enough.  Sand blew against Durham’s Constable suit as he methodically moved from one piece of wreckage to the next.

Meeting Hall, Gravity Deck Four
CDS Titanic (Sea Fox-class ArcShip), Degholan
Clan Occupation Zone
30th November 3116

At just shy of two million tons the CDS Titanic lived up to her name.  What had once been a Potemkin-class Troop Cruiser was now a mobile home, factory and habitat for thousands of Clan Sea Fox personnel.  Her outer hull bulged where DropShips had been permanently attached to her hull, whilst hydroponic bays dotted her flanks and spine no longer just a Troop Cruiser the Titanic like many of her sister-ships were classed by the Sea Foxes as something new, an ArcShip, with the Titanic forming the centre of power for the Bloodscent Khanate.  The massive ship sat at the centre of a fleet of DropShips and fighters, patrolling round the space going leviathan like small fish following a whale.  But this titan was not alone, for another leviathan of the black swam alongside her, the CSF Terror of the Deep, a Nightlord II-class Battleship, and flagship of the Faulk Khanate and of Clan Sea Fox overall.  Neither ship, nor any of the other JumpShips in the system, had a lot to worry about Degholan was a system fully controlled by the Clan and today was an important day.

The Terror’s passengers and many others from the JumpShips had already been sent across to the Titanic and the two giants now cruised a few hundred meters apart as the conference started.  Every Khanate had sent representatives, and it was here that financial futures and the future of their Clan would be discussed, details on profitable markets, areas of growth and shrinkage and areas to be exploited as well as new designs showcased.  Following the recent fighting in the Spica system between two Khanates decisions had been made by the two Khans and the ovKhans that helped them.
As the previous presentation about a planned assault transport VTOL came to an end Sub-Chief Scientist Katya stepped up and smiled.  Around her she could see hundreds of other Sea Fox personnel, Merchants, Sub-Factors, Scientists of all ranks as well as Warrior-Merchants, those bold profit and market seekers who would travel across the Sphere with minimal support seeking smaller but none the less profitable markets with nothing but their own skill and acumen to support them.

A light on the big holo-projector came on and that indicated that it was her time to start speaking.  She’d won the right to give this presentation after winning a Trial where she and her competitor had been tasked with ‘fixing’ the Great Depression or at least lessening its impact.  Their papers, reviewed by the Merchant Factor of the Bloodscent Khanate himself saw her declared the winner.  So, taking a deep breath Katya nodded and began.

“My fellow Clansmen, I give to you today our workings from the last nine months.  Whilst other Clans and the Spheroid houses are now producing greater numbers of Assault DropShips or Pocket WarShips to complement their WarShip fleets it is a market we have yet to move into.  And it appears that there is a market for such vessels.  The Dominion was looking at producing their own design, even before losing the WarShip Ursla Major in the Alya system, but that is caught in a bureaucratic snarl-up with the Clan unable to direct its civilian castes with enough force.”  She said around the room there was a small rumble of laughter from the warrior castes.  Many saw the Sea Foxes as too lenient with their Clan but the Rasalhague Dominion was even more lax with its control.  “The Wolves have produced the the Isegrim but lack the facilities to produce them at a useful rate and instead of building their infrastructure they are wasting their Clan’s resources on battering the Protectorate’s borders.”  She said pausing for a moment “the Wolves are an opening we should exploit.  Their one shipyard is overworked in the Tamarind system and we can profit from that.”  She said glancing to the side she saw ovKhan Blake Hawker who was willing her to move on with the presentation instead of giving the other Khanates advice. “The Hells Horses also have a want for an assault ship that is not a decades old Noruff.  And the Ebon Guard would also desire an Assault vessel for their own uses in the defence of Tukkayid.  There is also the potential to sell to the Inner Sphere, the Grand Council of course still having a say in what we can trade with our Spheroid contacts.”

There were soft chuckles round the large chamber, the Sharks sold to whom they wanted and only paid polite lip service to the edicts on trade between the Clans and Houses. Many of the warrior caste believed that the only influence any of the other Clans should have in the Sea Foxes business was should be in a Trial of Possession.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I give you our answer to this need the Nagasawa class Assault Dropship.”  She said continuing the large central 3D holo-projector sprang to life, showing a perfectly clear image of a long, sleek and aggressive looking vessel.  Smaller windows on the projector opened up displaying her statistics and predicted capabilities.

“Basing our design on the original Noruff, the Nagasawa is half again as large, massing three thousand tons and like the Noruff we chose to make her a fast and agile craft, with her engines producing twice the thrust of a Isegrim class vessel at full burn.”  She explained as the display showed the vessel turn slowly for all to see.  From  the initial reactions to the ship Katya thought she heard several approving comments about the ship.

“Unlike the Isegrim though we chose not to mount any sub-capital weaponry, but chose a mixture of conventional ballistic and energy weapons.  A quintet of our newest class-5 Rotary Autocannon and a quintet of Extended Range Particle cannons form the vessels primary punch whilst Extended range large lasers, twenty-tube long range missile launchers and large pulse lasers provide all round firepower.  Each of the missile launchers is fitted with the latest Artemis-V tracking system whilst fifteen laser anti-missile systems provide the defences she needs.”

“This weapons fit was chosen because honestly, if she was armed with sub-capital weaponry, she would be under-gunned.  There is only so much you can fit on three thousand tons after all.”  There were several approving chuckles from the audience.  “Each of the weapons is in its own cradle which will allow them to be fully modular, and whilst not an Omni-vessel, our testing has shown that this makes the weapons easy to maintain and refit if needed.”

More data sprang up on the holo-display including a short video, played at several times the normal speed, of Technicians working on a full-scale mock-up of a RAC-5 mounting, with the weapon being dismounted and replaced in ten minutes.  The view then went to a 3D cutaway of the interior of the vessel.  Katya moved round to the side; a laser pointed highlighting sections of the ships hull which peeled back to reveal the interior layout.

“Using a wide range of input and experience as well as the latest in computer modelling the interior is laid out to be efficient and comfortable.  And most importantly the vessel is sturdy it is armoured with ninety tons of Ferro-Aluminum armour the Nagasawa will offer a level of protection that will allow it to a hit from even a capital scale weapon and survive something that cannot be claimed by ships of this size and many far larger vessels.  Combined with the ship's speed which allows them to outrun large aerospace fighters and many medium sized ones they have the ability to move into the optimal position to bring its firepower to bare whilst taking the worst that an aggressor can throw back.”

On the holo a simulated battle took place with a Nagasawa engaged against Spheroid fighters as well as a DropShip.  The simulation showed the Nagasawa’s strengths, outmaneuvering a larger Spheroid Assault DropShip and crippling its engines before chasing down medium fighters that simply could not outrun it.  Watching it Katya smiled seeing the battle and being born an aerospace fighter pilot she could see how the Nagasawa could be outmaneuvered but that wasn’t to happen today those that had programmed the simulation had made sure of that.

“With their superior layout the Nagasawa promises to be easy to maintain and whilst not atmospheric capable it is capable of deep space patrols and escorting larger vessels.”  The new projection showed several Nagasawas in formation with the Terror of the Deep. “The hull is also designed to be manufactured in sections, with each section fitting like a jigsaw piece. This allows for them to be constructed at smaller facilities and at greater speed than a traditionally keel or spine-built DropShip.”  She explained again now the holo-projector showed several parts of the DropShip being connected together inside the pressurized cargo bay onboard an ArcShip.  “This would also allow for the sections to be built and sold as needed, creating a market for spare parts or indeed, spare sections.  Each of these sections when broken down will measure thirty meters in length and with this, you could fit a fully broken down Nagasawa in the cargo bay of a Mule class transport.  A competent work crew could assemble the hull within a matter of weeks, but of course the fitting out, installation of electronics and the vital systems would still take months, this can shave a significant amount of time from construction and allows the Engineers to work in a safe and pressurized environment.”

“Should construction be approved we believe that the first Star of Nagasawas can be ready within four months and that would be using the production facilities we have aboard the Titanic.  A fixed facility could produce them at a greater rate.  And we do need these vessels.”  She stressed to the gathered warriors “whilst each fleet has its defence capabilities, there are well founded concerns about what might happen if we were turned upon by any of the Great Houses or other Clans.”  She said she had been ordered to avoid mentioning the recent fighting between factions of her own Clan in the Spica system, this presentation wasn’t about shaming part of their own Clan. “Whilst the other Clans simply will not turn on us enmasse, because they need us, the House Lords are far fickler.”

A low murmur went round the chamber, the words were true, whilst the ArcShips were massive and well armed, they were not battleships, and their tactical doctrine called for them to simply jump away if threatened, using DropShips and fighters as a sacrificial screen.  While most ArcShips had an escorting WarShip with them none of the Clan’s vessels other than the Terror of the Deep could fight a major slugging match with the majority of the Sea Fox vessels falling into the destroyer or cruiser categories.  Even the Terror of the Deep while it could hold its own in a major battle, and she was being outclassed by the latest vessels to be produced by the Clans and the Inner Sphere.  There were calls by the Warriors to trade for or obtain in battle an Arbitration class vessel to help secure the Clans assets.

The holo now displayed a ‘typical’ ArcShip surrounded by a swarm of Nagasawas much like the Terror of the Deep had been, their bright engine flares driving back an off screen darkness as the symbol changed to that of the Diamond Shark’s insignia.  Katya smiled as she felt she’d done well this day and it would be noted in her codex and if production was approved, promotion, prestige and profit all beckoned.

“Now moving on to a lighter subject, we feel that there is another market for us to exploit, and for this we must call upon one of our most potent forces.” Katya said, she knew about the next presentation and decided to ‘big it up’ somewhat as she stepped back.  An eager and young-looking Merchant stepped up as the Scientist took her seat, smiling at the applause she received as well as notifications on her console about personal meetings regarding the design.

“I wish to thank Scientist Katya for yielding the floor and I apologies for the tonal shift.  But there is a market that we have not thought to swim, one that helps all of the Clans of Kerensky, and stands to bring great profit at minimal cost and with maximum impact.”

The lights dimmed and a rather happy piece of music started playing before the holo sprang to life projecting yellow highlighted orange words that read ‘The New Adventures of Clan Spaniel!’ This then changed to ‘Uhu the Peregrine!’  Around the hall there was a collected low laughter seeing their Clan was expanding into new less natural environments.  Discussions would be taken away from the main presentation halls regarding the relationships between the Khanates but nothing concrete would be agreed today instead the traders would have their day and the Clan would look towards a brighter future and away from their troubles.

This is a canon dropship unless this new version of it. Sarna article

Canon design but I think Shadow_Wraith liked the details on how it was being built not just the design.

Time to end 3116.   It's been a slog but I've gotten here.  Housekeeping time as with the end of every year I'll be posting Active/Destroyed WarShips (the destroyed list is sitting at a scary 642 ships), Active Units and a map.  I'll also be posting Clan Sea Foxes Aumaku-class Destroyer and the Coyotes new Redemption-class Heavy Cruiser (details of its first outing below... enjoy!

Objective Raid, Urseinova
Emris, District of Regulus
Free Worlds League
3rd December 3116

   In his first “out of the Capellan Confederation” mission Duke Lei Ren Liao, the third and youngest child of Chancellor Dao Shen Liao, at nineteen years of age, joins they Dynasty Guard in a raid against Emris IV.  Unlike his two sisters Lei Ren had not showed any affinity to BattleMech piloting and had instead joined Battle Armour training being assigned to some of the Shen Long Battle Armour suits produced in the Confederation.  Following the death of Duchess Madison Liao fighting against the Federated Suns there had been some reluctance to allow him to join the raid but Duke Lei Ren dreamed of fighting for his nation.

   Now running the quad suit across ground beside the StarCorps Industries plant on the world with his squad as they ran in circles around a Longbow BattleMech the turrets on their suits backs turned towards the Longbow peppering it with slugs from their David Light Gauss Rifles.  Dozens of slugs slammed into the back of the Longbow as all four troopers fired in unison tearing open the lighter armour there and causing internal damage.  They continued to circle the support Mech as it tried to fire on them and missed with every shot.  Duke Lei Ren Liao smiled as he continued to fire his weapons into the face of the Mech as missiles from a Capellan Confederation Catapult II also landed on target.  Massive explosions rippled across the BattleMech the Shen Long suits continued their circular course firing again at the Longbow’s back causing more damage to the assault Mech’s back this time triggering ammunition explosions inside the Mech as the ammunition stores were damage.  The CASE panels built into the BattleMech stopped it suffering a catastrophic explosion but the damage was enough to take it out of the fight for the rest of today.

   Breaking away from the wreckage of the Longbow the Shen Long squad turned on a Stinger light BattleMech the light Mech opened fire on them with its machine guns and laser burning down one of the squad’s members but that wasn’t enough to save it from a volley of fire from the rest of the squad.  The damage tore through the Stinger’s left arm snapping it in two and then more damage was done across the Mech’s torso and head.  The Stinger staggered under the fire but continued to try and engage them so the remaining three Shen Long suits did exactly what they had done with the Longbow and continued to fire on the light Mech quickly bringing it down.

   “Duke Liao, return to our lines”

   “We are winning”

   “There are reinforcements coming we must retreat.”  His battalion commander ordered Lei Ren Liao looked at his suit’s sensor feed and saw at least a battalion of enemy troops closing on them.  The Dynasty Guard had already netted themselves several brand-new BattleMechs from one of the storage facilities but conquest was not their intention today.  “Duke Liao, did you hear me?”

   “Affirmative, I am falling back” he said turning the suit’s course away from the StarCorps plant in defiance he turned the suit’s turret into his aft arc and continued to fire all four gauss rifles as did the rest of his squad.  Several of the fast-moving Marik light Mechs were targeted but even the combined effort of their entire line didn’t do enough to bring any of them down.  “I will return to this world.”  Lei Ren vowed as the Liao line continued its retreat they would soon be off the world and heading home but it wasn’t in defeat.  Duke Lei Ren Liao’s star was rising slowly but surely in the Capellan Confederation.

Ghost Bear Retribution Strikes
District of Dieron
11th December 3116

   Despite an ongoing investigation in the Rasalhague Dominion into who and what had started the conflict that was at the back of the Ghost Bears minds as they dropped forces onto Rukbat, Shitara, Sabik and Atria.  The Rasalhague Dominion was a nation held in a delicate balance the Ghost Bears ruled with the strength of their Touman but also as the nation had evolved more resources and leadership had been passed into the hands of the civilian castes.  It was the only way for a nation the size that the Ghost Bears held to remain stable.  The Sea Foxes, Nova Cats and Coyotes had identified that and their nations were growing in strength.  The Jade Falcons and Wolves believed that their populations belonged on Terra and so they were constantly moving forwards deeper into the Inner Sphere abandoning previously held worlds.

   As a result of this greater civilian power and influence the Ghost Bear warriors who saw themselves as the core of the nation had been more and more pushed to the side.  The Rasalhague Dominion had intentionally avoided inter-clan conflicts maintaining their strength and only retaliating and blooding their forces against the Draconis Combine.  Now against a threat which had been identified as one that had harmed their nation the Clan warriors would not be stopped.

   On all four systems were targeted by at least two clusters due to the presence of three combined-arms regiments on Shitara the entirety of the Bear Essentials, Rho Galaxy, were deployed against them along with a WarShip to provide complete aerospace superiority.  The battle started with the Eight Rasalhague Bears Cluster and the Galaxy Command Trinary dropping directly on top of basecamp of the Third Arkab Messengers Regiment.   They found the base entirely unoccupied but it served as a good base camp for the Bears to operate from it also allowed the Bears to land an additional star of support DropShips unhindered by enemy fire.

   Instead of being in their base the Third Messengers had joined with the Twenty-ninth District of Dieron Regulars Regiment near the capital intent opposing the landings there while the Thirty-third District of Dieron Regulars Regiment held the main spaceport.  Having established air superiority within hours of their arrival Ghost Bear commander Galaxy Commander Chin Snuka ordered the spaceport bombed by aerospace fighters’ intent on picking away at the Thirty-third’s dug in defences.  Initially the spaceport’s defences weathered these assaults but then the troops and the spaceport itself began to be pounded by artillery missiles fired by the support star of Polaris-class DropShips occupying the Third Messengers base.  At the same time the remaining four Clusters of the Bears Essentials dropped right on top of the Twenty-ninth Regulars and Third Messengers Regiments.

   It was a heavy weight slugging match on open ground with one side having control of the air and having entrenched artillery pieces with the initial ground forces charging into the thick of the battle joining the rest of the Galaxy the two regiments were encircled and annihilated to the man.

   With cruise missiles falling all over the spaceport and two regiments completely the planetary governor attempted his escape heading to a DropShip located near the outskirts of the capital far from any Ghost Bears.  While the aerospace fighters had been dedicated to bombing operations the WarShip Akakabuto was not, the Bergan-class Destroyer, was holding position near the Battle of Tukayyid, one of the Rasalhague Dominion’s Leviathan 2-class Battleships.  Galaxy Commander Snuka had ordered that no DropShip be allowed to leave the planet, seeing the rising Bara no Ryu-class vessel the Akakabuto’s commander allowed the DropShip to rise to ten thousand metres of altitude before four heavy naval particle cannon shots sliced through the atmosphere with three connecting with the DropShip’s port side shattering armour and burning through several decks of the ship the hit killed dozens of people onboard the ship and completely severing the ship’s engines from its fuel supply.  A safety feature built into the class to protect the crew from damage in space caused the engines to splutter and stop sending the ship into a horrifying dive from which there was no recovery.

   The third particle cannon shot that missed the DropShip tore a three-hundred-metre-long scar across fields south of the capital striking just before the governor’s DropShip also slammed into the ground and exploded in a massive fireball.  The two combined acts as well as a continuous bombardment from the Bears broke the remaining defence regiment’s will to fight and the remains of the Thirty-third laid down arms rather than face the entire Galaxy arrayed against them.

   Compounding issues for the leadership of the District of Dieron was the Draconis Combine annexing the Umjiri and Junction systems with barely a shot fired as those worlds defences had been stripped to face the Rasalhague Dominion assault.  On the District’s other border, the Lyran Commonwealth’s Isle of Skye region launched assaults on Skondia and Alkalurops systems securing them both and isolating both La Blon and Dormini VI from the rest of the District.  While JumpShips could traverse the space in between border lines it was unsettling for Dieron as the year comes to a close to see its region of space carved up by its neighbours.
   
Trial of Possession, Redemption (Redemption-class Heavy Cruiser)
Engadin, Alshian District
Rasalhague Dominion
19th December 3116

   With the Rasalhague Dominion busy mobilizing for their conflict with the District of Dieron and the Hell’s Horses once more preparing for assaults against the Lyran Commonwealth Clan Hell’s Horses strike at the two Clans backs with Trials of Possession against a manufacturing plant on the world of Engadin in the Rasalhague Dominion and the symbolic target of Sudeten in the Hell’s Horses OZ.  Backing both of these attacks are the first two Redemption-class Heavy Cruisers built by Clan Coyote in an attempt to reinforce their naval arm.  Built on a sturdy frame weighing in at eight hundred-and-seventy thousand tons, protected by heavy duty ferro lamellar type armour and armed with primarily naval autocannons and naval gauss rifles supplemented by a bevy of advanced conventional weapons and defences the ship was designed to enter and dominate the battle space around it hammering enemy opponents at all ranges.

In the Engadin system the Redemption, the lead ship in the class, had battered the Rasalhague Dominion’s Norge, a Bergan-class Destroyer, allowing ground forces to move in and secure the planet for the Hell’s Horses.  The Norge and what was left of the Dominion’s Fifth Bear Regulars Cluster were now limping towards the jump point in defeat.
In the Hell’s Horses OZ the second Redemption-class vessel, the Vindication, had faced no naval forces but it had escorted the Forty-ninth Battle Cluster to victory over the Hell’s Horses recently formed Fourth Thunderflame Cluster.  Their prize for their victory Sudeten was not the manufacturing giant that it once was but it was still a symbolic prize showing that the Coyotes were not just making up the numbers within Clan space but a force to be respected.  In Coyote space two more Redemption-class vessels were under construction and being prepared to join their sister ships serving their Clan.

Sam Snell Trading and Warehouse Storage Depot
Algiers, Algedi
District of Dieron
22nd December 3116

Almost every house and mercenary MechWarrior and BattleMech on the planet of Algedi had been involved in the defence of Algedi as they pushed back the Ghost Bear invasion of the world holding onto it for another day.  The Ghost Bears controlled the space around the world their gigantic Leviathan 2-class Battleship Rasalhague and its Conqueror-class Battle-cruiser escort having slain both Tatsumaki II-class Destroyers assigned to the defence of the system.  The Bears would return to Algedi and when they did the remains of the three regiments protecting the world would more than likely fall.

For Bobby Winchester the survival of those regiments was not his concern, he’d never bought into the whole defence of a realm idea instead when darkness had fallen, he had used his Huron Warrior BattleMech to cave in the wall surrounding the Sam Snell Trading and Warehouse Storage Depot on the outskirts of Algiers, the capital of Algedi, and now he was standing guard as his employers stole several dozen crates of munitions and parts from the depot.  Sam Snell Trading was a subsidiary of the Scarborough Manufacturing Annex on Algedi and was used to store items before they were taken off world, today these items would pass through a few more hands before making it off world.

“Time’s money com’on, com’on” Winchester muttered watching the crates being loaded onto the three six-wheeled Prime Movers that had been brought on this trip.  Winchester wasn’t being paid by the hour he had insisted that his money be deposited into an off-world account as soon as they left this facility, he planned on staying with the Prime Movers until he’d confirmed his money was transferred and then he’d slip away to his own extraction point.

Unfortunately for Winchester and his associates the fighting for Algedi had ended far sooner than he had hoped and already he was hearing reports from the front lines that troops were returning to their bases most likely meaning that some might also be coming back here.  “One to ground troops move your arse we have incoming!”  He said just as his Mech was hit by four autocannons of an approaching Mauler.  “I haven’t got the weapons for that big bastard, get out now!”  He warned them seeing the ground troops scatter towards their lightly armoured vehicles.

So far, the Mauler appeared to be alone and it appeared like it had seen some fighting already with its armour pitted in several places, with luck it was also low on ammunition.  This gave Winchester an opening he accelerated his Huron Warrior to the right just as the space he had occupied was bombarded by long range missile fire from the incoming assault Mech “no joy!”  Winchester shouted twisting the Huron Warrior’s torso firing both his arm mounted weapons a pulse laser and silver bullet gauss rifles into the Mauler.  It was such a large target he couldn’t miss it the pulse laser burned down the big red Mech’s left side while the Silver Bullet shattered armour plates across the Mech with its fast-flying projectiles.

The assault class Mauler attempted to track the Huron Warrior but Winchester was already moving when the laser and autocannon fire tore through the space his Mech had occupied.  Activating his Mech’s supercharger, the Huron Warrior accelerated well over one hundred kilometres per hour and moved behind the Mauler giving Winchester a clear shot at its lightly armoured back Winchester quickly took a shot with both weapons neither could miss and they burned and tore open the rear of the Mauler exposing its ammunition bays and staggering the big Mech.  Winchester quickly lined up a second volley against the back of the Mauler and fired he could see secondary explosions rock the Mauler as his pulse laser found the ammunition bay and the autocannon or missile rounds inside began to cook off.  He savored the moment as he watched the Mauler die from within “ground forces withdraw at your leisure, I got…” Winchester never finished his sentence, he wasn’t an accomplished MechWarrior he hadn’t served in the military and hadn’t fought in any large battles, he was a criminal and he used his BattleMech as an extension of his criminal activities.  If he had been trained in the military, they would have taught him to always check his surroundings and never take your safety for granted.  The Mauler had been the first Mech to return to the depot for repairs but it hadn’t been alone behind it another damaged Mech was returning for repairs.  The second Mech was a smaller but capable Hitotsume Kozo clad in stealth armour which had held back when they detected Winchester’s Mech and the activity at the depot now with its lance mate dispatched the second Mech had moved in behind Winchester’s Huron Warrior and with a single swipe of its Hatchet caught the Mech completely unprepared and caved in the protective armour arranged over its chest and back.  The Hatchet enhanced by the Triple Strength Myomers which filled the Hitotsume Kozo’s arms dug through the Huron Warrior’s chest and into the cockpit slicing Bobby Winchester in half before he even realized what had happened to him.
As the Huron Warrior fell to the ground with Bobby Winchester either dead or close to death in its cockpit the criminals, he had been protecting had no chance of fighting off the Hitotsume Kozo and they had attempted to run into the night. With other District of Dieron forces returning to the area the entire criminal operation was hunted down and killed without any quarter given.

Amenemhat (Invader-class JumpShip)
Uncharted system, Deep Periphery
31st December 3116

Since his escape from Clan Mountain Wolf’s holdings on Gallery Scientist Riko Danvers had been at the mercy of his Society handlers he had been bundled from one DropShip to the next as they travelled across House Steiner and into the periphery.  Now beyond the grasp of the Lyran Commonwealth or the Clans he had betrayed he had been taken several jumps into the periphery and felt like he was beginning to feel the effects of long-distance travel in space.  Riko Danvers was now sixty-two years old even by Clan scientist standards he was old while Clan medicine could easily extend his life span over one hundred years and he’d used what drugs he could get his hands on still the effects of aging were catching up with him.

The Society had invested a lot of resources in his extraction and Danvers was not entirely sure why, his research into viruses’ augmentations had already been transmitted to his handlers, he didn’t have much more to give.  The Mountain Wolf experiments had served their purposes they had shown that done correctly a virus could target specific genes and cripple a Clan.

Now standing in the Invader’s gravity deck he waited for his handler to arrive, the whole crew served the Society but none of them were willing to speak to him so he waited, on the monitors in the room he watched as the JumpShip’s massive jump sail unfolded.

“Riko Danvers, how are you doing?”  His handler Joseph finally asked as he entered the room.  Joseph was half his age standing at average height with short dark hair, he had a well-maintained beard and his clothing would match any traders in the Inner Sphere, he would disappear into any crowd.

“Bored, watching the lifeblood of humanity unfurl.”  He said indicating to the sail without jump sails humanity would never have expanded as far as it had, while a JumpShip could use other means to charge its jump engine each of them came with additional risks of damaging the drive.

“Yes, a grand sight, but you’re watching the wrong thing.”  Joseph said he smiled noticing Riko’s flinch in his use of a contraction “you’ll have to get used to lots of those where you’re going.”  He said laughing at Riko’s discomfort as he reached out and changed the monitor which showed the blackness of space.  On a planet you could look into the sky and see the stars and know there were systems beyond your own but here the stars were tiny compared to the black.  The isolation out here must be maddening he thought.  “Computer isolate area forty-two on display eight and enhance one hundred times.”  Joseph ordered as he did the screen changed to show more black but this one showing a large space craft.

“What is that?”  Riko asked not knowing the class of vessel it looked massive with dozens of DropShip collars and a large open area at the front which appeared to hold another vessel.

“The future” Joseph said “you’ll learn soon enough about its purpose but on that ship the Society will build a new and our dominance will stretch from the Homeworlds all the way to Terra.”  Joseph boasted as the DropShip began to exit the internal bay onboard the vessel, the DropShip appeared to be covered in weapons.

And finally a Special Thanks to Maingunnery for providing us with the Society ship at the end (yes it's an Alexandria-class CoreShip)

I Found the Redemption-class from Clan Coyote it was designed by The_Caveman and can be found on the below thread.

The fluff doesn't match the design presented as my AU is different but the design is the same.  (I reserve the right to use the other two later...)

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/aerospace/a-clan-warship-post-wor-coyote-heavy-cruiser/msg1166133/#msg1166133

This update sort of just flowed out of me, seemed to work pretty well and sets up a lot of things to come in the future

The next few updates will show exactly where things are going.  If anyone wants to see what's happening in a specific area of the Inner Sphere, periphery or Homeworlds feel free to ask either in a comment or PM.  Same with any contributions feel free as always you will have my thanks.

Border conflict
District of Dieron   
2nd February 3117

   As the District of Dieron calls on regiments to dig into Algedi the Draconis Combine takes advantage of the errant state’s concentration on the Rasalhague Dominion by landing troops on Shimonita, Peidmont and Chichbu taking each away from the local militia troops who have been left behind.

   On Algedi Duke Akira Kurita and Warlord Akira Tormark challenge the Rasalhague Dominion to come to the system and engage the District of Dieron in an honour trial to end the conflict.  They state that if the Rasalhague Dominion are victorious on Algedi then the Rasalhague Dominion will gain control of all remaining District of Dieron worlds.  With the Draconis Combine, Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth all already taking worlds from the District of Dieron this may be the only way for the Rasalhague Dominion to gain control over the remains of the small state.  Arrayed waiting for the Rasalhague Dominion in the Algedi system are eight regiments worth of troops and three WarShips along with several support squadrons of Pocket WarShips.

Tower of Fronc VTOL Port
Paradise, Fronc
Fronc Reaches
21st February 3117
   
   Less than half a kilometre from the rubble that was the remains of the Tower of Fronc the VTOL port had been a hive of activity since the terrorist attack which had leveled Fronc’s Parliament and killed 80% of the world’s leadership.  There was a constant stream of VTOLs and ground ambulances evacuating the wounded and dead from the field hospital which had been erected at the site, around the area was an entire battalion of the Fronc Household Guard, Colonel Emma McEvens regiment, who were guarding the evacuation.  Since the destruction that had been wrought on the Tower riots and internal fighting had begun threatening the security of the site.  While both Dirk McEvens and his wife Edre had been found dead in the rubble while Emma McEvens had been recovered, she was badly injured was in a medically induced coma.

   On the main pad of the VTOL Port there was a Cal-Boeing Swiftran.  The Swiftran was a large twenty-five-ton VTOL.  On each of its four upward tilted engine nacelles the four propellers turned slowly as the aircraft waited to take off.  Above the Swiftran four Lamprey Transport Helicopters hovered waiting for them to be ready to move out already the infantry the Lamprey’s had brought here were moving towards ground vehicles.

   Sitting in his Hound BattleMech Major Jakub Zboril monitored the situation “All Guards, the Colonel is coming out be on your guard, no-one comes through the perimetre.”  He ordered as he did, he saw a group of doctors and medics moving quickly from one of the tents towards the Swiftran, already the VTOL held a half a dozen other patients all crammed in together.  As the group entered the rear the four propellers began to spin quicker lifting the aircraft off the ground.  “Straight to the DropShips” he commanded the pilots as the Swiftran joined the Lamprays and headed across the city.

   “Guards” he said addressing his MechWarriors and ground troops “let’s get out of here, we don’t know who may still be gunning for the Colonel or for us.  She needs care off world, let’s get the job done.”  He commanded moving his BattleMech towards the city all around him the Guards defence lines fell into formation around him and the ground vehicles.  Fronc General Hospital could care for Colonel McEvens but the world was quickly slipping into a state of Civil War and the Guards couldn’t stand against every civilian, it would turn into a bloodbath, a lot of the Guards were from Fronc and the surrounding worlds and none of them wanted to engage in combat action against their own people.

   The convoy passed through the city without major incident.  The streets were lined with civilians who were screaming insults and throwing items at their units but thankfully nothing that could harm an armoured vehicle or BattleMech.  Fronc was a prosperous world and the Reaches had done well in recent years but without leadership, and with the massive loss of life and damage done by the bombing, uneasiness was quickly turning to fear and anger.  The Guards were an easy target even though mercenaries had filled guard duty at the Tower of Fronc the Household Guard were the world’s primary defence force.

   Once at the spaceport the Household Guard almost wordlessly filed into the unit’s DropShips and boosted off the planet leaving Fronc to continue to fall into disarray.  The Household Guard’s plan was to take Emma McEvens out of the Reaches completely and into the Capellan Confederation to neutral ground where she could receive care away from potential threats, while many would see this as cowardice in the face of the enemy Emma McEvens, her daughter and son were the legitimate leadership of the Fronc Reaches and at the moment there was a threat against them all.

Trading Hall
Trading Post P62, Falakuma
Sea Fox Territory, Periphery
28th February 3117

While not on the grand scale of a gathering of the Clan Council on Tukayyid the small insignificant periphery world of Falakuma was the site of a gathering of the largest concentration of Clan leaders in several years.  Khan Canin Rosse, the leader of Clan Nova Cat and the oldest of all the Khans, entered the chamber buried deep within the Sea Fox Trading Centre and he saw the young Khan of Clan Snow Raven Porter McKenna, the Khan of Clan Lynx Katrine Devalis and Sea Fox Snapping Jaws Khanate leader ovKhan Brad Hammond already waiting for him.  Canin Rosse had taken longer to travel to this system but had also come from further afield to this meeting of the Clans.

“Khan Clan Nova Cat arriving” one of the Elemental Guards announced as he stepped into the room the man was unarmoured but still towered over Canin Rosse as he entered.

“Finally,” Katrine Devalis muttered looking up at the older man, he guessed the five years she’d had control over the Lynx Clan hadn’t mellowed her opinion towards him, he looked at her she had dyed her dark hair bright green which Canin found slightly off putting, for a woman her age she seemed to be trying to prove she was still interesting to look at. 

“Welcome to our little party Khan Rosse.”

“Thank you, Khan Devalis” Canin said respectfully “Khan McKenna, nice to meet you.”  At thirty-eight years old he was half Canin’s age, of average height and of an athletic build with a full head of blonde hair, unlike Canin who had now fully lost his hair.  While he was advancing in age Canin still walked unaided and regularly joined his troops on the field.

“Khan Rosse welcome”

“OvKhan Hammond thank you for hosting us here.”

“It is Clan Sea Fox’s pleasure” the man said he sat in between Khan McKenna’s and Khan Rosse’s age in his early sixties maybe from his build Rosse assumed he was of an aerospace fighter pilot phenotype by birth.  He was small with a larger head than naturally born humans.  “Why did you want to bring our four Clans together Khan Rosse?”

   “The Succession States are a problem” Khan Rosse began moving to the oval table in the room he sat down at one end of the table while Khan McKenna and Khan Devalis took either side of the table and ovKhan Hammond took the far end chair.

   “Really? You brought us all that way to tell us that?” Devalis said angrily standing up her green hair moving creating a wave of hair over her head.

   “The Draconis Combine detonated a nuclear bomb on the soil of the Rasalhague Dominion” Rosse said bluntly, Devalis and the others looked stunned and she slowly sat down again.

   “You cannot know that; I do not know that yet and I am closer to the Bears than you are Rosse.”  Hammond stated his voice raising slightly he sounded angry thinking that Canin would be willing to lie to get them onboard with a plan.

   “Your Clan may be closer to the Bears than the Nova Cats are but we have capable people in the correct places.”

   “Spies” Devalis almost spat angrily, she knew exactly what Rosse was referring to, she knew where Khan Rosse had come from and what he had fostered within the Nova Cat Clan.  “The Watch have eyes and ears everywhere as always Khan Rosse?”

   “Not spies, they are capable people and they mean no ill to those that they observe.”  He said both Khan McKenna and ovKhan Hammond looked equally annoyed and concerned about the revelation by the Nova Cat Khan, just how far this “network” extended.  “Some of our observers in the Rasalhague Dominion space have confirmed with the Dominion’s own Watch that the nuclear bomb originated within the Draconis Combine.”

   “If they have concluded their investigations and found this, why are they continuing to hammer Dieron?” McKenna asked confused

   “Many reasons namely they are able to test their new weapons, blood their newest warriors and close on Terra.”  Canin said pointing out the three obvious reasons to pursue an assault on Dieron.

   “But the Dominion do not want to conquer Terra” Katrine Devalis stated Canin Rosse smiled

   “Publicly” Canin answered “the Bears have a similar view on the ilClan as the Nova Cats, the Sea Foxes, the Horses and…” he said looking at the new Raven Khan not knowing his beliefs “at least until recently the Ravens.  The ilClan is a title and it takes Terra off the table as a target but otherwise life goes on and the Clans continue to do what we do.”  He said seeing Katrine Devalis disgust at the attitude towards the highest honour that could be achieved by a Clan.  “The Founder was very clever when he formed our Clans.”  He said each of them nodded their agreements “while we have a lot of joint heritage and shared history, he made sure that each of us was able to grow independently of the shared cause.”

   “Except the Not-named” Hammond noted there was silence between the gathered four for several moments before they spoke together “Seyla” before several more moments of silence.

   “So, the Succession States are a problem, Quiaff?” Devalis said bringing them out of their silence and back to Canin Rosse’s original point.

   “Aff, the Bears are dealing with Dieron and then they will more than likely turn their attention onto the Combine and ensure they cannot prosecute a war of aggression for some time.”

   “Aff, you would not want to be their long-term neighbour and enemy” Canin Rosse said remembering when the Clan Invasion corridors were originally being drawn up.  Clan Nova Cat was due to join the Smoke Jaguars in fighting the Draconis Combine before a vision had led them to their new home in what was then the Tortuga Dominions on the periphery region of the Federated Suns where they had prospered.  “The Combine will be very busy in the coming months allowing us an opportunity to strike.”

   “Us?  You do not share a border with the Combine Khan Rosse, my Lynx do.” Devalis said almost as if she needed to remind him, she took part of his Clan and their territory away from him.  “What is the Nova Cat’s part in this assault?”

   “Technical expertise and supply, as well as keeping the Federated Suns busy on the Raven’s back.”  Rosse said “I am willing to release enough forces for you to create four combined arms Clusters Khan Devalis in exchange for materials.”  He said looking at Katrine he was offering her a chance to build an entire Galaxy worth of troops.  “I know the Lynx plan to abandon several of your deeper periphery holdings.”  He said seeing the surprise on her face “with these additional forces you can greatly expand you, Clan.”  He suggested

   “And how do we benefit?”  The Sea Fox ovKhan asked

   “I am willing to release a Nova Cat holding to Clan Sea Fox.  Specifically, to the Snapping Jaws Khanate.”  He said seeing the man’s face light up, the Nova Cats had jealously held their territory only allowing a small trading enclave on Tortuga Prime until now, having an entire system would greatly benefit the Sea Foxes.  “And we will assault Federated Suns targets between the Nova Cat’s Den and Snow Raven space keeping their attention on us instead of on your forces.”

   “Where would you have us strike?”  Khan McKenna asked deferring to Khan Rosse’s judgement “you are both already doing it.  Katrine your Lynx are placed to attack Herndon?”  he asked looking at her, she nodded again annoyed the Nova Cats had picked up a couple of details about her Clan.  “And from there you threaten Pesht with direct attack.”  He said glancing over at McKenna “your forces recently won two battles near New Samarkand which is already drawing additional forces to the region.”

   “And we support” Hammond said he didn’t look happy with the arrangement.

   “You are welcome to join the attacks if you wish ovKhan” McKenna suggested “your Sea Foxes would be welcome to join us.”

   “A trade world close to New Samarkand would benefit Clan Sea Fox greatly.”  He noted, we could coordinate with your forces on a target, quiaff?”

   “Affirmative, ovKhan, what do the Nova Cats get out of this Khan Rosse?  Your Clan will likely make negligible moves against the Federated Suns, even with them being distracted currently with Dieron.”  Katrine Devalis said wondering what Rosse’ endgame was.

   “Affirmative, we will make slower and steadier progress than your Clans should but with the new WarShip we’re building with the Ravens perhaps our time will also come.”  Rosse suggested “until then we’ll continue to make slow but steady pace. In your attacks the Nova Cats will assist with intelligence and supplies for the most part.”  He saw their faces realizing that he knew that they didn’t like that the Nova Cats would be sitting on the sidelines “none of you need to make these assaults, the Rasalhague Dominion will likely assault the Draconis Combine in the few months.”  He suggested “given what we know of the attack against them the Bear retribution will come swiftly and be dramatic.  Having this information gives you an advantage when the attack comes.”  He stated simply “I am placing this information in your hands it is up to you if you wish to use it.”  Canin Rosse had the experience to know when he had someone’s attention.

   “When did the Nova Cat’s become the spy, Clan?”  Hammond wondered out loud, he saw that Canin Rosse did not take offence to the statement.  “You appear to have access to quite a bit of information.”

   “That is all he has but none of the guts to act on the information on his own.”  Devalis stated “that was always your problem, it is why you lost us.”

   “I lost you because you are a manipulative bitch.”  Canin snapped breaking his cool “Katrine, I knew about your moves within our Clan.  I sent what became the Lynx Clan away because of your plans and the plans of others within the Clan.  A direct confrontation with the Federated Suns on the scale you wanted would have destroyed out Clan.”

   “And now you are pushing us to act against the Combine in the same way? Quiaff” She asked angrily thinking she had exposed an opening.

   “Neg” he responded looking at the others “to attack the Federated Suns en masse brought a reaction our Clan could not handle, we all witnessed that when we took Crofton.”  He stated the counter attacks by the Federated Suns caused heavy damage to the Nova Cats.  “The intelligence I am providing you with will allow your Clans to strike when the Rasalhague Dominion does.  Our Clans are powerful, but we cannot take out an entire succession state alone.”  He pointed out what should be obvious to the others.  “We saw that when the Clan Invasion initially occurred the Clans that invaded invaded together and they won more than a fifth of the territory in the Inner Sphere.  However now that there is no combined invasion our progress has stalled.  If you want to cause irreversible damage to the Draconis Combine you will strike together when the Dominion does.”

   “There is too much territory” Hammond agreed “the Sea Foxes have found the same since we took control over portions of the Jade Falcon OZ.”

   “Exactly, our Clans can win the territory but we also need to learn how to garrison huge areas of territory.  We need to build Auxiliary forces willing to defend their homes while we take our wars to the enemy.  The Rasalhague Dominion has done that faster than our other Clans, the Fire Mandrills on the other side of the Inner Sphere appear to be well on their way to that as well.  The Wolves and Falcons sacrifice their territory to move forwards, none of you want to follow that model.”  He suggested recent intelligence suggesting that the Lynx Clan planned on abandoning several of their systems to move forwards as they did not have the manpower to garrison all their worlds.

   “And where are your Nova Cats?”  Katrine Devalis asked

   “We follow our visions, and our intelligence, you are correct ovKhan Hammond my Clan has begun to rely on the intelligence, it is the best way for success until there are others in the position to crush the Federated Suns.”  He said glancing around the room seeing their surprise his old face cracked into a smile “we are Kerensky’s Clans, while some of us believe that there are better options rather than full invasions, we all hold the same dream an Inner Sphere enlightened by the guidance of the Clans.”  He said all of them nodded at that agreeing with the statement “we just need to fight smart.”

   While on Falakuma Khan Canin Rosse confirmed a trade agreement with the Lynx Clan where the Nova Cats would trade four clusters worth of equipment in exchange for additional natural resources.  They also signed a deal for access to the newest Snow Raven aerospace fighter the Navajo, a ninety-ton aerospace fighter designed to engage the heaviest enemy fighter, DropShips and WarShips, and the rights to build it.

   Rosse also negotiates the trade of Memphis from Clan Nova Cat to Clan Sea Fox ownership in exchange for the Sea Fox Clan supporting any offensive actions taken by the three other Clans and supplying them with munitions where required.

Note: the Navajo is from marauder648's Project Nelson

I become single and suddenly I have lots of time to write... you'd think they were connected  honestly I've got the flow to a tee right now I know exactly where this is going

Negotiation
District of Dieron, Federated Suns
9th March 3117

While Duke Akira Kurita and Warlord Akira Warlord attempted to repel the Rasalhague Dominion in the Algedi system already reports suggest that three WarShips from each of the Rasalhague Dominion and the District of Dieron had been destroyed and Rasalhague Dominion troops had landed on the planet.  Even with eight regiments on the planet victory was not assured as the Ghost Bears had dedicated two full Galaxies to the planet’s conquest.

Empress Emiko Kurita stood alone on Dieron looking at the holo-tank ahead of her waiting for the connection.  She hated what she had to do but it was the only way especially with the Draconis Combine already exerting their authority on three more systems of the District Tannil, Lapida II and Kurhah.  The District’s agreement with the Rasalhague Dominion stated that should the Clan force be victorious then all of the District’s systems and worlds would be turned over to their control in the meantime she was duty bound to defend their territory.  Either Combine rule or Dominion rule the results would be similar the local government would likely be imprisoned or worse, she had taken them out of the Draconis Combine with a promise of more freedoms but she had led them to ruin.

The holo-tank finally activated and the face of Duke Jerome Sandoval the duke of the Federated Suns’ Draconis March.  “Duke Sandoval, thank you for speaking to me on such short notice.”

“My pleasure Empress” he sounded pleased to speak to her Empress Kurita had dark hair the sides of his head were completely shaved while the top was grown longer and tied at the back in a topknot.  He wore the uniform of a Field Marshal of the Federated Suns.  “How can we be of assistance?”

“I want you to engage the Draconis Combine units on Tannil, Lapida and Kurhah” she said she felt like she was making a deal with the devil and it was a devil that laughed at her for several seconds before calming down.  “You don’t need to take the systems

“And why “Empress” woud we help you?” he emphasis her position almost to the point of making it a joke, she was begging another state for help, and she knew it.

“Because I will legally cede those systems to you if you are victorious.”  She said willing to give up control over the three systems.

“Not enough” Jerome Sandoval said “you want me to risk my people’s lives for three worlds we could win ourselves there has to be an intensive.”

“What do you want?”

“Galatia to Sadalbari.”

“That is seven worlds!”  She said angrily “none of them have been threatened by the Draconis Combine.”

“Yet” Sandoval said “Empress, admit it your nation is in the twilight of its existence.  You can accept our assistance, buy your people time, and I will deploy house and mercenary units along with WarShips to Tannil, Kurhah and Lapida within an hour of this transmission ending.  But I could lose those house, mercenary and navy units, I need to give First Prince Davion something in return.  Your worlds are all threatened.”

“That is a third of our remaining systems.”

“Save your nation or surrender to the Bear or Dragon, your choice.”

“A list of bad options Duke Sandoval.”  Emiko said angrily, this felt like her conversation with the Duchess of Skye the other side held all the cards.  If her people could defeat the Bears on Algedi they might be able to salvage some of their nation but right now things looked bad.

“Our conversation is wasting time; do you want my troops or not?”  He asked leaning back away from the camera as if what he wanted was not all that important when in fact it would be a great win for the Federated Suns.

“I agree” she said through gritted teeth

“Very good, our units will be deployed by the end of the day.”  He said within hours of House and Mercenary units each supported by at least one WarShip were deployed from the Draconis March into the three contested systems.  Landing quickly on the worlds the Davion and Mercenary forces engage both the House Kurita forces and the militia forces of the Distict of Dieron turning the fighting into a three-way battle for dominance.

Landing Operation
Talltsa, Deep Periphery
23rd March 3117

   With the Fronc Reaches falling deeper into a state of civil unrest the Taurian Concordat had decided to expand back into systems that they had abandoned previously starting with those closest to the Concordat and then spreading further out.  On the world of Talltsa Subaltern Dwain Murphy strode his sixty-ton Oryx BattleMech through the undergrowth towards to small town ahead of him.  He saw a pirate Wasp charging towards him and fired both of the LB-X class autocannons mounted on the rifle arms of the BattleMech.  The Wasp was pelted by armour piercing pellets which caused damage across the BattleMech while the light Mech accelerated towards his position, he sighted the Mech again with the autocannons targeting the camouflage Mech.  Only one of the autocannons splashed over the Wasp while the other tore across the ground beside it tearing up the dirt.

   The Wasp retaliated by firing off a medium laser which burned across the Oryx’s chest burning away some of the BattleMech’s standard armour.  As the Wasp closed on the Oryx’s position Dwain fired again but missed the fast moving twenty-ton BattleMech which cut to his right.  As it closed Dwain added in his two medium lasers and two short range missile racks from the Oryx one laser burned down the Wasp’s left leg while half of the twelve short ranged missiles slammed into the small Mech while the rest exploded harmlessly on the ground around the BattleMech tearing up the landscape.  So much damage was too much for light BattleMech which staggered forwards for a few more steps then it collapsed and staggered into a fall.

   As the Wasp was taken out of the fight, he saw another Mech moving from the city his Oryx’s battle computer quickly identified it as an Argus BattleMech.  From Dwain’s right flank a brown Shadow Hawk raised and fired its autocannon and missiles into the target, moments later on his left an Enforcer engaged the Argus with a laser while the lances fourth BattleMech a Watchman also stepped forwards and added another large laser to the mix.  The Argus was heavier than all three of the Oryx’s lance mates but combined it struggled under the combined hits.  Dwain added in both of his light autocannons causing further misery to the BattleMech’s plight.

   Despite the damage wrought on the Argus the heavy BattleMech was still able to open fire firing its long-range missiles and its rotary autocannon tearing into the Enforcer on Dwain’s left.  The medium Mech staggered under the fire but remained standing.

   “This is Subaltern Murphy of the Taurian Guards we are here to bring order to Talltsa and bring it back into the Taurian Concordat.  Stand down.”  He ordered on an open channel in all Dwain’s dozen years in the military the Taurians had taken hits and retreated from enemies attacking, it felt good to be on the attack.  There was silence to his call “Battle engage and bring down that BattleMech, fire at will.”

   The three BattleMechs on Dwain’s flanks charged forwards engaging the Argus from all angle’s lasers, missiles and autocannons bore down on the BattleMech causing heavy damage.  To the pilot’s credit he tried to fight back but he was one BattleMech against three.  From behind Dwain Murphy watched their backs and saw the incoming threat a lance of wheeled short range missile carriers.  “Watch your six!  They’ve set a trap.”  He called out opening fire on one of the short-range missile carriers hitting it with autocannon fire causing heavy damage to the side of the small vehicle.  As he did the Enforcer turned and launched itself into the sky on jump jets and engaged a second SRM carrier with its autocannon and laser.  The laser burned away armour while the autocannon blew open the front of the small vehicle causing huge internal damage and blowing the vehicle up from the inside out.  The third missile carrier peppered the Watchman with missiles blowing away pieces of armour and causing internal damage blowing away the BattleMech’s left arm.  The Watchman staggered under the blows but remained standing long enough for the rest of the lance to destroy the remaining SRM carrier.

   The resistance here on Talltsa was over but the Taurian Concordat forces extended their reach to Davetall II and III, Acidalla and Charion VI bringing them all back into the periphery nation, all of the systems had once been part of the Concordat and would be again as Protector Sonja Calderon flexed her nation’s muscles once more.

Landing Zone
McCoy’s Malcontents Homebase
Whittington, Periphery
29th March 3117

   They had seen the destruction from above, and seen the condition of the remains of the planet’s defenders as they approached the base from orbit.  Schuyler McCoy exited the unit’s DropShip Conte Rosso and walked down onto the torn-up ground of Whittington.  Less than one hundred metres from the DropShip’s LZ he could see a destroyed Emperor BattleMech, one of the Mechs he’d left here when the unit was deployed, beyond the Emperor laid a Mackie while closer to the base stood the remains of a Banshee BattleMech.  On the courtyard three more BattleMechs that he had left behind stood in various states missing limbs and suffering armour breaches.  Also littered around the battlefield that had been their home was a destroyed Centurion BattleMech, two destroyed Fulcrum hovercraft and several smashed-up weapon carrier vehicles.

   As Schuyler McCoy moved through the base seeing the Marian Hegemony insignia on several pieces of destroyed armour.  Moving over to one of the bodies he bent over and flipped the man over revealing the Marian Hegemony’s insignia engraved on the man’s head.  “Cohors Morituri” McCoy grumbled angrily, the Marian Hegemony was gone but their remnants still survived.  He looked up and saw the survivors of his base coming out, many of them were wounded.

   “Schuyer are you alright?”  Amanda Cavalcanti asked walking up behind her during their trip away from Whittington she’d taken a pair of hair clippers due to an out-of-control hair day, he wasn’t a huge fan of her close-cropped hair but it did the job. 

   “Do I look alright?”  He snapped back towards her “they came here when they knew we weren’t!”  He said angrily “these people are my people Amanda, I brought most of them here and I left… I left them with the scraps of our equipment while we were out adventuring.”  He stated the best practice was to take the best equipment you had but it had left Whittington with barely enough for a solid defence.

   “We were doing what we needed to.  You keep saying if we sit on our asses here then one day someone will come and we’ll lose it all!”  She responded

   “We need to defend this world better” he said turning to the others “we’re the ones they rely on.”  He said turning back to her “tell the Front Two to stay buttoned up in the DropShips, we need food and spare parts, Backdoor Squad are staying behind to reinforce things here.  We’re leaving half the unit behind to reinforce things here.  Tell Sabrina and Stephanie to acquire themselves something that’s functional they can help with the defence” he said naming the newest two members of the unit.

   “Shouldn’t we help them?”

   “We’re going after those who did this.  We’re going to Marius’ Tears.”

   “That hellhole” he said Amanda commented Marius’ Tears was a barren volcanically active world, no-one went there intentionally.

   “We’re going in, and we’re going to clean it up.  And either they come out or we do.”  He said angry at what had happened to his home, he didn’t even want to see the mess the ex-Marian warriors had made of the collection of Mechs his father had left them, that would be a discovery for another day for now he planned on taking two lances off the planet after almost a battalion of enemy troops, they had to do it right.


The Oryx is borrowed from the rather good fan-TRO Operation Lancaster

Back to work in two days I wonder how much more I can write... honestly this week its been fun, time for April 3117 - the first part is not at all inspired by an old TV show I've been watching honest (I say old it's like a few years old)

Hostage Situation, Detroit Consolidated Mechworks
Deerborn, Fronc Reaches
Periphery
1st April 3117

   The Fronc Reaches was spiralling out of control fast with the lack of leadership following the attack on the Tower of Fronc.  The bombing had happened at just the right moment taking out the majority of the government, the knock-on effect had been to destabilize the entire nation with people not knowing where their nation was going.

   The Colonial Marshals, which were the glue that held their people together, were fighting fires and dealing with issues throughout the Fronc Reaches.  On the industrial world of Detroit, a team Marshals known as Team Flashpoint had been sent to Detroit Consolidated Mechworks, one of the most important places in the entire realm, due to an armed incident inside the works.

The Flashpoint Team were known as the Special Reaction Unit and the Marshals job was to defuse the situation, and if they needed to eliminate the threats.  The situation on Detroit was a fluid one with angry workers holding several of the plant managers hostage until they got answers.

“Listen my names Sergeant Grieg Parker of the Detroit Marshals Special Reaction Unit, we want to resolve this situation peacefully” from within the Quaestor Mobile Tactical Command HQ which was parked behind the line of Cellco Ranger Law Enforcement Vehicles and the Zhan Heavy Transports which ringed the entrance of the plant.  Between him stood eight Amazon Battle Armoured troopers ready to infiltrate the facility while behind the Quaestor, the Cellco’s and Zhans stood the unit’s six BattleMechs.  Above the facility several helicopters monitored the site watching for anyone trying to sneak through the

“You cannot help us, we’re all doomed, soon the signal will come and we will all be bathed in the inferno of death.”  Came a response over the radio “Fronc was the first sign”

“What do you mean you’ll be bathed in an inferno, we’re all going to be alright” he responded swapping communication channels “Raymond, anything out there?”

“Negative, no sign of contacts” his twin brother Raymond Parker responded from his Wyvern City BattleMech which stood on the outskirts.

“Boss! We might have a problem”

“Go ahead Spike” Grieg called the younger man who was in his Raven II BattleMech he was the units electronic warfare specialist.

“My Mech just picked up an attempted transmission sent to the facility.  My Raven’s ECM is set up for a broad-spectrum block, it didn’t get through but someone tried to blow this place to pieces.”

“Any idea where it came from Spike?”

“Planet side, probably within a few kilometres given the strength of the signal.”  Spike said his forty-ton Mech carried a lot more than the standard electronics suite “Boss, I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep it covered if things move.”

“What’s your plan?”  Raymond Parker asked from his Mech

“We use the choppers ECM, blanket the area, link them to me and I’ll coordinate positions, it’ll be like a poor man’s C3.”  He suggested

“You’re not a poor man, Spike, brains are worth more than money.”

“Tell my banker that” Spike commented

“Do it Spike, take the units” Grieg Parker said from the command vehicle “Eddie, if this goes sideways leave Spike and the helos.”

“Understood” Edward Laing said from his Quickdraw BattleMech on the field he was in charge of running any battle that occurred.

“Boss!  We have another problem” Bradick called from his Gravedigger BattleMech, Bradick was an ex-member of the Rasalhague Dominion military and his mixed tech BattleMech was probably the most advanced one in the entire periphery.

“Go ahead”

“I have movement near the Mech entrance.”  He said Bradick and the unit’s Anubis BattleMech piloted by MechWarrior JC were checking the perimeter of the building.

“Maybe some employees trying to break out?”

“Only if that break out includes weapons fire!”  Bradick called back ducking his Gravedigger away from a salvo of weapons fire. “We’ve got enemies on the move, weapons fire incoming two Ostroc!”  He said both were bigger than the two Mechs around the back.

“Wordie, Ed, Raymond go!”  Greig Parker ordered the three Mechs began running around the facility leaving the vehicles and battle armour to hold the front door.

“We’re fully defensive!”  JC called out her light Anubis was running at full speed putting out long range missiles and laser fire while Bradick’s heavier Gravedigger was firing a combination of its particle cannon, missiles and autocannon into one of the Ostrocs.  From the facility two Anubis BattleMechs were joining the breakout.  “We need help here”

“You called!” Wordie called out his Marshal landing behind the Ostrocs and in front of the two Anubis which he engaged with his particle cannon and three pulse lasers.  Moments later Laing arrived as well his 8X variant Quickdraw raising the hand-held autocannon which burst out hitting one of the advancing Ostrocs. At the same time Raymond Parker added in his laser to the attack engaging the same Mech.

“Boss, we’ve got these guys pinned, there was a report of four attackers we should have them all here now.” Laing communicated seeing one of the Ostroc

“Understood, I’m sending in the Amazons” Grieg responded BattleMechs fall under a hail of fire.  The Special Response Unit quickly moved onto the next target combining their fire to bring down the target while the Marshal contained the two Anubis BattleMechs.  At the front of the facility the eight Amazon Battle Armour suits launched into the air jumping straight into the building smashing their way through facilities metal frontage shattering the glass.  Shards of glass showered the ground in front of the building.

“Four Mechs down!”  Bradick called out as the fourth Anubis fell under the heavy weapons fire weapons fire.

“Facility clear, no more subjects inside.” Greig reported after hearing from the Amazons.  “Spike anymore signals?”

“Negative, but I wouldn’t drop the ECM net until we search the facility completely.  These guys were willing to die when the first signal was sent.”

“Understood, good job team” Parker said from his command vehicle they would check the facility and find the explosives that had been left they also continued to protect the facility while intelligence teams searched for the culprits who attempted to blow up the facility.  The intelligence teams eventually found a repeater in the facility which had been set to auto repeat, the owners of the equipment were gone.  From the four BattleMechs they found that the four pilots had committed suicide in their cockpits, none of them carried identification of any type the mystery of who had attacked the BattleMech plant remained a mystery while the Fronc Reaches continued to spiral towards chaos. The only defenders of the Reaches, the Colonial Marshals, were fighting the issues but they couldn’t stop everything without politicians to help them the nation couldn’t recover.  On multiple worlds individual planetary leaders were trying to gain enough favour to establish some control.

Parliament Meeting
Atreus, District of Marik
Free Worlds League
5th April 3117

   The united Free Worlds League was still fractured in a dozen different ways and every time the Parliament met the fractures came to the surface.  One of the main divergence points for the FWL was military strength and deployments of the units in its defence of all their differences one of the few things all of the Districts of the nation agreed on was that military forces should remain in their hands not parliaments.

While the Free Worlds League was different now than it was during the times that the Captain-General held all the power there was a still a fear of a collected military.  The Free Worlds Protectors regiments had been seen as a compromise by all of the districts each unit had a combined-arms regiment which had a BattleMech Battalion, a battalion of vehicles, a battalion of battle armour and a regiment of infantry troops.  Over time the brigade had grown to ten regiments in strength and they were under the direct command of Marshal Monica Meio and of the Free Worlds League parliament their job was to defend all of the FWL and support the combined defence of the nation.

   Monica Meio had been born in the District in the Ionus system on one of the orbital habitats there but she had become a MechWarrior in the service of the District being drawn away from space.  After years of service to the District of Marik she’d transferred from the District military into the Marik Protectors intending on creating a true Free Worlds League Armed Forces once more.  The problem she found was that not everyone in the reborn FWL believed in a combined military force for the entire nation.

Now it was time for her to convince them in front of the gathered parliament she was dressed in her purple dress uniform waiting to be called.  “Marshal Monica Meio” she heard her name called; she gave them several moments then stepped up onto the podium.

The Free Worlds League Parliament building was a large bowl-shaped arena with multiple levels of chairs overlooking a pit like area on the “floor” of the room.  In all more than two hundred people could be arranged around the facility.  In front of her speaker’s podium were tables and chairs for several of the staff members who kept the facility and the briefings going and at the far end Captain-General Joseph Marik sat listening.

“Elected members of parliament thank you for granting my audience today.”  She said glancing around the room but attempting to maintain contact with the Captain-General she continued “it has been my honour to see the Free Worlds Protectors Brigade grow to ten regiments in strength, and we have now begun to roll out aerospace fighter wing and Pocket WarShip support to all regiments.”  She explained “but we are asking for more.”  She said “if we encounter an enemy WarShip my commands do not have the firepower to counter those forces.  Each of your districts has WarShips but they have orders to protect your areas of interest, we are asking for integral WarShip support to be added to each Free Worlds Protector Regiment.  We want the power to truly defend the nation and provide the defence that this realm and this parliament deserve.”  She said before stepping down even as Monica marched from the Parliamentary Room, she could hear shouts of support and shouts against the plan, she had done her bit, she would spend the rest of 3117 ensuring that each of her regiments had at the very least an aerospace wing attached to them and preferably a squadron of Pocket WarShips as well.

The Parliament would discuss the proposal made by Marshal Monica Meio for the next week before an agreement would be reached.  Instead of agreeing for each of the nations to donate a WarShip to the regiments a new design based on the ancient League-class Destroyer would be designed and built at each of the shipyards around the Free Worlds League.  While this was considered to be a win for the Free Worlds Protectors the first of these new WarShips would not be available until at least 3122 leaving the protectors to continue to rely on District WarShips and Pocket WarShips for support.

Brunswick Flight Range
Camblam River, Brunswick
New Avalon, Crucis March
19th April 3117

   High above the continent of Brunswick on New Avalon two Cutlass OmniFighters flew in tight circles after taking off from an airfield near Winchester now they were above the river of Camblam.  “Time to show what you are capable of cadet the hard deck is one hundred metres.”  The lead pilot Captain Sabrina Rodzik said glancing over at the other seventy-ton OmniFighter off her wing the pilot didn’t respond instead she saluted and then the other Cutlass began to pull up and to the right Rodzik pulled her own fighter up mirroring the other fighter’s movement.  The lead fighter then began a steep dive towards the raging river.  “Remember the hard deck is one hundred metres” she said diving her aircraft after the lead aircraft.

   “Keep up, Captain” the lead pilot said following the raging river the two fighters banked heavily to the left side and then sharply to the right passing over pleasure boats and swimmers.  They then banked sharply left again angling towards a river tunnel which would take it through the Omni Fighter side of a mountain.

   “If you fly through that tunnel, you will fail your training, I don’t care who your father is.”  Rodzik warned the lead aircraft.  The aircraft continued to dive towards the tunnel but veered off to the right before it got within one hundred metres instead of following the river tunnel, they followed the open river rapidly banking to the left and right moving at pace towards their goal Brunswick City.

   The two aircraft traveled quickly down river heading towards a series of bridges “this is not a good idea cadet.  We’re well below the hard-deck!”  Rodzik warned as the lead fighter continued to accelerate pulling out a lead from her fighter the lead Cutlass swing to the left as the river opened wider to show a group of bridges and merchant boats.  Rodzik was unwilling to chance colliding with any of them but the lead pilot full of confidence and sure of her capabilities continued accelerate the Cutlass dived under the first bridge before swinging to the left turning the aircraft up on the edge of its wing as it traveled between two transport boats.  The aircraft spun one hundred and eighty degrees placing the aircraft in a vertical position on its right wing as it passed under the second bridge.  Finally, the aircraft accelerated quickly diving under the third and final bridge before pulling back upwards joining Rodzik in perfect formation.
   “Was that entirely necessary Cadet?”

   “Not entirely” she admitted “but it was a lot of fun.”

   “Know this Cadet Davion your father may be the First Prince but those antics will not be accepted when you are serving this great nation.”  Rodzik said she knew she was speaking Princess Leah Davion, the second in line to the Throne of the Federated Suns, but she needed to understand as she grew up there were rules that would need to be followed.

   “I know, Captain, this was the last time I would have this chance to have a bit of fun with the job.”  Leah Davion replied as the two aircraft banked over Brunswick City “I chose this life, Captain, I want to serve our nation and support my father’s rule.  I know what comes with this job.”  She said she’d heard stories all of her life from her parents and grand-parents about the life of service that she was joining she had life easy until now and now she’d serve the nation.

   As Leah Davion joined the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns the military of their nation secured control over Tannil on the Draconis Combine border.  The defenders also faced Combine troops on their own soil Reisling’s Planet, Barlow’s Folly, Matar and Homam as the Draconis Combine began a counter attack.  On the other side of the realm the Fifth Tikonov Cossacks Regimental Combat Team win a Trial of Possession against Clan Nova Cat for control over the Steinhatchee system.

Reinforcements, SLDF Forward Operating Base
Horseshoe Valley, Freedom
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
29th April 3117

   The Collosus-class DropShip landed along with several others bringing reinforcements to the 208th Hussar Regimental Brigade which was based on Freedom supporting the planet’s resistance to Clan occupation.  The BattleMechs and vehicles began to file out of the DropShip and were directed to their spots on the massive Forward Operating Base a thirty-five-ton BLD-XR Blade BattleMech filed out of the DropShip along with the others.  Inside the cockpit recently graduated Lieutenant Ezekiel Crow guided his BattleMech towards its berthing with its new unit.  Lieutenant Crow was older than most new pilots at twenty-eight years old but as an immigrant from Liao he had several loops to jump through before joining the Star League Defence Force and now he had graduated he was ready to serve in the defence of the Inner Sphere.