OBT Forum

Nice 

Hmm, Imperial Remnant?? Have I heard that before?

Little bit of that too

Briefing Room, Spirit of Northumberland
Asteroid belt, Sancerre
Deep Periphery
1st August 3117

   The jump to Sancerre had bought the Spirit of Northumberland and the survivor fleet from the Amaris Empire almost two weeks and still there was no sign of Casper drones.  The fleet had jumped to a pirate point in the Sancerre system near a dense asteroid belt because all of the ships in the fleet had jump drives and transit drives the Calypso, Fearless-class Assault Ship, had been able to lead the entire fleet into the asteroid belt to the hidden fleet anchorage within.  Initially Captain Barnes, onboard the Northumberland, had questioned how they would remain hidden from the drones that patrolled the system but Admiral Schiavon had explained that the Casper drones followed a set patrol route around the system and instead of burning their engines at all times they spent most of their time “coasting” around the system at 2G until their advanced sensors detected a target.  Because of damage the Calypso and the other ships had caused in previous fights there were gaps in the patrol schedule giving them time.  This had allowed the fleet to dock the Fortuna at an asteroid base and begin some much-needed repairs Schiavon had explained that while the base locations were known to the Caspers they didn’t class them as a threat unless they were occupied by humans and so supply and repair bases littered the four systems of the pocket nation leaving humanity with a much-needed lifeline.

   With work being done on her ships Admiral Alessandra Schiavon had visited the Spirit of Northumberland and she had exchanged history with Captain Barnes.  She’d not been surprised to hear that the Amaris Empire had fallen not long after her ancestors had left the Empire’s claimed space Aleksandr Kerensky’s rage had been unstoppable.  She had however been surprised to hear that the Star League army had left so soon after their victory not to return to the Inner Sphere after the multiple Succession Wars and to return not as the Star League Army but as the Clans who had become conquerors instead of the protectors its army had originally been.  Surprise had turned to anger when she’d heard that a new SLDF had been formed and that Star League like the first and like the Amaris Empire Remnant had turned to Casper Drones to supplement their defences.  “So, the same mistakes have been made again?” she suggested looking at Barnes across the round table in the meeting room.

   “We’ll see” Barnes said “so far the Star League has not tried to exert control over its member states instead letting them continue as they always have but should its rein continue, I’m sure changes will come to all member states.”

   “And you said that your nation is a district of the Free Worlds League?”  She asked she was in her early sixties, ten years Barnes senior at least, her black uniform was lined with red which went around the edges of the jacket and down the legs from hip to foot.  On the left breast there was the shark symbol of House Amaris overlayed over the Cameron star.

   “Yes, the District of Lesnovo has fully autonomy under the Free Worlds League government we share mutual defence with other nations but are entirely independent to make our own choices under the FWL banner.  We are part of the parliament and are part of the election process for a new Captain-General.”

   “Where House Marik will remain in command whatever happens?”

   “No, one non-Marik Captain-General has already served in the League’s short history since reforming, members of House Marik are more likely but it’s not set in stone.”  Barnes said defensively.

   “So perhaps we could find a place there?”  Schiavon asked carefully

   “Most likely, the rest of the League will want some sort of access to you but there are plenty of open places for a population as small as yours to fit in.  Khan Furey would no doubt welcome your naval support alone.”  Barnes admitted the three WarShips would be a significant increase in firepower not to mention the wealth the twenty-two Sub-Compact Core equipped ships would bring if they were traded away, this system could be just the find that his mission was sent out to look for.

   “Khan Furey?”  Schiavon asked unfamiliar with the position held by the leader of the District of Lesnovo.

   “Khan Furey is a refugee herself; her people were originally members of Clan Smoke Jaguar which was destroyed by the Inner Sphere.  Her people have settled in the Free Worlds League as members of its people and while they hold onto their identity they have agreed to live by our rules and fit in with our culture.  So far, they have proven their worth to the Free Worlds League which has shielded them from external enemies.”

   “Do you think they’d welcome members of House Amaris?”  Schiavon asked sceptically

   “Technically you aren’t members of that House” Barnes suggested “you carried their name here but your people built your own place out here in the Periphery all by yourselves.  You didn’t follow Amaris path instead you followed something closer to that of the Star League.”  He noted having listened to their history.  “The Jaguars believe they have inherited the true Star League’s legacy through their heritage with the Clans and the First Star League below, I think perhaps they’d look at you in a similar way.”  He suggested truthfully, he had no idea how the Jaguars would react but he had to say something.  Before she could say anything further the comm panel on the table blinked active.  “This is Barnes go ahead.”

   “Sir, message from the Calypso, they have intercepted a distress signal from the Lakota system.  It suggests that four hundred survivors are in that system in a series of bunkers looking for extraction.  They have a DropShip but no way to extract their personnel.”  The comm. officer reported.

   “It can’t be.”  Schiavon whispered looking at Barnes “it’s been more than a year since we’ve encountered anyone left on the planets.”  She said “I can’t risk the Fearless for four hundred people.”  She then said “Fearless is the only ship I could send with a way to get them out, the Frigates don’t have the standing power of their own and the civilian ships would need to dock and manually transfer everyone off a DropShip.”

   “Northumberland could do it, with a little help.”  Barnes suggested “we need a distraction, jump one of your ships into the range of the Caspers and draw them away.  I’ll take Northumberland in, and extract the DropShip, we have two Collars on this ship I can dock them directly to us and jump back out.”

   “Our DropShips are surface to orbit capable only, you’ll have to meet them in orbit.”  Schiavon pointed out.  Because only the WarShips could transport DropShips most of their ships were designed to go up and down between the planet’s surface and orbital docks where the civilian ships could load personnel.  In many ways it was less efficient than the JumpShip/DropShip model employed by the Inner Sphere but it did make the ships quite flexible in being able to jump at any time.

   “We can do it; we have a smaller jump signature than your bigger ships if you draw away the Caspers far enough we’ll be fine.  We have to try” Barnes suggested


   “We have to try” Barnes repeated the words he’d spoken now four days before in the meeting room with Admiral Schiavon.  As promised the Medea had jumped in and gotten the attention of three Caspers which were now chasing down the Frigate buying the Spirit of Northumberland time to enter the system to evacuate the civilians.  Now in orbit over the planet of Lakota the Spirit of Northumberland was ready to evacuate the civilians but there was an issue their DropShip had been disabled by ground-based Drones and couldn’t fly instead the MacMahon would have to be used to evacuate the civilians and he’d have to use the Cemetery Wind to protect them.

   Falling away from the Northumberland the MacMahon was already heading to the surface the old Fortress-class DropShip would be the civilians only hope of evacuation.  “Good luck” Barnes whispered “sensors keep an eye on the Medea and the Caspers we cannot be caught flat footed.  Weapons we may need to support the ground forces so ready the lasers.”


   The MacMahon landed close to the survivor’s bunker and the Cemetery Wind’s eight remaining BattleMechs and six vehicles deployed in an inverted crescent moon deployment pattern waiting for the incoming drones as civilians began streaming from the bunker’s exits.  According to the survivors the Drones were built into UrbanMech BattleMechs and they attacked regularly once they had reloaded their weapons, almost a Battalion of UrbanMechs were expected.  Sitting on the bridge of the MacMahon Expedition Leader Christoffer Trossen was reminded of the old joke scenario of how long an Atlas could last against endless waves of light BattleMechs.  Unfortunately, today he didn’t have an Atlas to counter the incoming UrbanMechs only longer ranged weapons to try and whittle them down.  The Long Tom artillery cannon on the MacMahon’s nose roared to life beginning to bombard the incoming UrbanMechs, this was followed by autocannons, missiles, particle cannons and lasers firing in support before the Cemetery Wind employed their own weapons.

   The weapons of the Fortress brought down multiple drone Mechs as they approached but there were many of them and the first two members of the Cemetery Wind fell quickly under heavy fire from the incoming Mechs.  “We’re two hundred in” one of the bridge officers said “they aren’t going fast enough” another said “autocannon hit on the right side, we can only take too many of those, Commander” another said

   “We need to hold” Trossen said seeing that two of the support vehicles were down as well as a third BattleMech fell.

   “We’re three hundred in, the survivors said there’s just over one hundred waiting, we’re going to be tight.” A crew member reported.

   “Have the deck crews pack them in wherever there’s space!”  Trossen said watching another Mech fall “we’re going to have nothing left at this rate.”  He said “Lieutenant Knappe, prepare to fall back the last group is coming across.”

   “We will be staying behind Trossen; this is unfortunately a one-way trip for us.”

   “Negative, that was not the plan, the Northumberland will begin a bombardment in concert with the MacMahon to cover your retreat MechWarrior.”

   “Not enough Trossen, we all knew this when we came out today, get the people safe and our mission is done.”  Knappe responded as Trossen saw his BattleMech take an autocannon hit high up tearing off one of the Mech’s arms.

   “We’re full!”

   “Knappe!”  Trossen shouted but he could see the MechWarrior’s Mech take another two hits and go down, it didn’t look like it was getting back up.  “Cargo Bay, button us up. Helm, get us airborne when the cargo bay is locked up.  Northumberland, we need assistance, the Wind are not returning.”  Trossen said into the comms.  As the MacMahon prepared to lift off Naval Lasers stabbed into the ground near the DropShip clearing away several of the Drone UrbanMechs.  The weapons of the Spirit of Northumberland were most often used to assist with scientific research missions but they were still capital grade weapons which were devastating against BattleMechs of any size.

   As the Fortress began to rise off the ground the lasers continued to stab into the ground taking out droves of incoming UrbanMechs.  The last members of the MacMahon’s ground defence force were either killed by the remaining UrbanMechs or in the middle of the bombardment, the unit’s sacrifice had saved over four hundred lives but it was still a bitter pill to swallow.  Once back out of the atmosphere the MacMahon re-joined the Spirit of Northumberland and the ship moved clear of the planet below jumping clear before any of the Caspers could return.  Elsewhere in the system the Medea also jumped clear of the system having taken a couple of non-critical hits and severely damaged one of the chasing Caspers.  Once they had re-joined the survivor fleet, they loaded all the supplies they could and began the long journey away from the former Amaris Empire worlds and back towards the Inner Sphere leaving the remaining Caspers to patrol the four dead systems.

House Arano, Throne Room
Cordia City, Coromodir
New Quarter, Fronc Reaches
9th August 3117

   While the rest of the Fronc Reaches was continuing to slip into turmoil and Civil War with little to no leadership coming out of Fronc the world of Coromodir slowly begins to regain some of its long-lost prominence.  Countess of Coromodir Kamea Arano II now sat on the throne of Coromodir she stood as her Chief Advisor Alexander Madeira and Colonel-Marshal Ann Ogbomo approached.  Kamea was a tall woman with jet black hair, she had a red and gold Māori tribal tattoo which covered her chin while her red and gold sleeveless dress showed another tattoo down her left arm while behind her a flag was held high above the throne on it was a Gold Great Cormorant on a red field.

   “Welcome Colonel-Marshal” she greeted the commander of the Colonial Marshals on Coromodir.

   “Thank you, Countess” Ann Ogbomo said bowing deeply her head was shaved bald, the dark skin glistening in the light of the room, she was also tall, almost of the Clan Elemental breed but unlike the elementals she was also lean and athletic.

   “Colonel-Marshal, I am sending your unit off of Coromodir to assist the nearby worlds of the Fronc Reaches.”

   “You do not want us here?”  Ogbomo asked surprised her thick Haitian accent showing her emotions.

   “Of course, I do” she said giving the Colonel-Marshal a disarming smile, “but I believe there are other worlds in greater need than Coromodir at present.”  She said glancing at Alexander Madeira nodding.

   “Colonel-Marshal” he began he was a little older than Kamea with dark hair glasses and a dark well-trimmed goatee and a business suit.  “Coromodir is currently peaceful, we have the home guard present here and Rampart Battalion which will be more than capable of looking after House Arano’s interests in this system.  We believe that your Marshals can, and should, assist the whole of the Reaches Coromodir will help its neighbours.”  He said as Countess Kamea Arano II approached and leaned close to kiss her cheek.

   “A hui hou” she said in the traditional Māori language “until we meet again” she repeated in English “your troops go with our blessing Colonel-Marshal.  Protect the Fronc Reaches.”  She said dismissing the woman.  Ogbomo replied by giving her a short bow then smartly about faced and left.  “We’re taking a risk deploying that regiment away from here” she said glancing at Alexander Madeira.

   “With great risk comes great rewards.”

   “Without foresight or vision, the people will be lost” she said quoting her family motto.

   “And through your vision, the people will Behold our Splendour” he said quoting his own family motto with a wide smile, Lady Arano had a plan now they had to see how it worked out.

Trials of Possession
Rasalhague Dominion
18th August 3117

   Continuing their campaign of taking advantage of the Rasalhague Dominion’s preoccupation with the Draconis Combine and with the newly captured District of Dieron worlds Clan Coyote strike at the Rasalhague Dominion’s back challenging them to three Trials of Possession for the systems of Kandis, Stanzach and Memmingen.  With front line forces previously being sent to the front lines only garrison troops remain with no more than a star of Mechs in each system and the rest made up of armour, battle armour and in Stanzach’s case a cluster of conventional infantry troops.

   On the world of Stanzach the cluster of infantry troopers recruited from the population of the world faced off against a mixed star of ProtoMechs and Battle Armour in a wooded area three kilometres from the capital.  What follows is a classic cat and mouse game between the more numerous infantry soldiers against the fewer but heavier Coyote armoured force only the few are hunting the many.  After nearly a month of heavy fighting with both sides taking significant losses the Coyotes are victorious claiming control over the system thirty-two surviving infantry men are recruited into the Ninth Recon Cluster with the majority given Inner Sphere made Battle Armour suits and the remaining troops trained as crewmen of two Huitzilopochtli AAA Assault Tanks attached directly to the star.

Planetary Assault
Pollux/Devil’s Rock, Talitha EDZ
Star League Protectorate
22nd August 3117

   Continuing their drive towards Terra Clan Wolf launches twin attacks on the Pollux and Devil’s Rock systems with both attacks supported by a pair of newly constructed Thebes-class Heavy Cruisers and several Morrigan Pocket WarShips both are brand new classes constructed to serve the Wolf Clan.  With no naval defences of their own the ground forces are forced to attempt to resist the incoming Clansmen and hope they do not resort to planetary bombardment.

   On the ground the two planetary guard units, the Third Sirius Regimental Brigade and two Special Operations Commands resist the incoming Wolves holding them off as civilian DropShips escape the planet carrying people away from the two worlds.  The Wolf WarShips and their attending DropShips stop and board each DropShip in turn checking them for retreating warriors but find none instead they allow them to retreat.

   WarShips from the Alua Australis and Oliver systems jump in and attempt to assist the ground forces bringing in additional mercenary forces to assist in the defence but the combined firepower against them is too much for the SLDF to break through en masse.  While they are able to destroy the Wolf vessel Adolfus and several Morrigan Pocket WarShips in the Pollux system the SLS Africa and SLS Siberia, two Pinto-class Corvettes originally salvaged from the Fenwick system, are both destroyed in the Devil’s Rock system when they and their assault ships are unable to break through the Wolf blockade.  Instead, the remaining SLDF forces screen retreating civilians and the two systems are essentially surrendered to the Wolves with the forces defending them left to fend for themselves.

   As civilians retreat from the two invaded systems and several others around them unrest and anger quickly spreads inside the Star League Protectorate as neither system had dedicated WarShip defences while worlds closer to the core of the nation, which are not under threat, have heavy WarShip defences. While the political fallout from the retreat hurts the Star League Defence Force and to a lesser degree the Protectorate the offloading of Devil’s Rock and its criminal gangs is actually a relief for the Protectorate Intelligence as the trouble they caused needed to be constantly monitored.  Star League Intelligence Command uses its links to these organisations to secret away several of its agents and equipment on Devil’s Rock ready to be used in a gurellia campaign. The debut of the Thebes and Morrigan classes both please Clan Wolf leadership and the victories bring the Clan closer to Terra after recent Rasalhague Dominion gains.

Author note: Thebes Heavy Cruiser (Derlanes) and Morrigan (Nelson) are borrowed from the two excellent marauder648 fan products.  While House Arano... I couldn't not use them some way

Good to see the Scorpions (and Spirits) surviving.

New Tech from the AU found on this thread

https://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/techlab/advanced-gun-system/

When I planned out this update I didn't think about how much "Davion" it screams - so Davion Month 3117 is here    not even sure if it paints the family in a good light.

The "new" periphery nation is adapted from canon sources (I've moved its story to fit into this one)

Whitting Conference Centre, Unity Chambers
Unity City, North America
Terra, Star League Protectorate   
1st November 3117

   The rebuilding of Unity City had been a priority for the reborn Star League Protectorate as much as building the Star League Defence Force had been.   In the forty-nine years since the rebirth of the Star League the population in the city had boomed to several million with hundreds of buildings restored to full use, hospitals, schools and shopping complexes had all opened while the crown jewels of the city the Whitting Conference Centre, renamed for this Star League after the building on Tharkad where the first elections had been held.  The facility had been fully restored to its Star League-era looks and capabilities, now from the Chambers the Star League Council could monitor anything in the star system and beyond using the dedicated HPG network which fed it.

   Walking through the many corridors of the facility there were multiple external observation decks for the inhabitants and visitors to look over Unity City, First Prince Burton Davion remarked just how much had been done to the city since his last visit.  Much like Royal Davion Palace on New Avalon the Whitting Conference Centre sat beside two rivers one which flowed either side of the complex.  If it was anything like his home Burton guessed there would be a command facility buried under the surface buildings as well as multiple bunkers and escape corridors should there ever be an attack.  “Like anyone could invade Terra” Burton asked himself it was like imagining New Avalon being held by an others hand, impossible to comprehend.  The Wolves, Bears and soon most likely the Jade Falcons were all closing on Terra but they were held back by the massed army of the Star League Defence Force, Navy and the Protectorate Guard regiments, none of them had the available forces alone to break through to Terra.

   “An impressive sight” Exarch Victor Steiner-Davion said coming out onto the balcony joining his son.

   “Father, it is good to see you well, I hoped to see you and mother before I left.”

   “You’ve been here for six days son, I worried that you were avoiding us?”

   “Not at all father, affairs of the state, I am sure you understand having all of this to look after?”  He said raising his arms to take in Unity City beyond.

   “It is a job that keeps me busy” Victor admitted “but my family and home are in the Federated Suns, your mothers as well, we took the position here to safeguard what had been built since the Star League’s founding.  It doesn’t replace our home, even if sometimes I have to make policies that are not popular in the Federated Suns.”

   “No, your reputation has been harmed somewhat by what you have had to do.”

   “I unfortunately knew it would” Victor said “Burton, the Star League needs the Protectorate to remain strong.  If it doesn’t then it all falls.”

   “Today my cousin was elected to the position of First Lord.  She will undoubtably use the Star League’s Defence Force to strengthen her fight back against the Clans and weaken the defences of this Protectorate.  Much of the factories held by the Star League will sell their weapons to the Lyran Commonwealth at cut down prices also bolstering the Lyran Commonwealth’s position.  Much like the Magistracy has increased its power over the last three years.”  It was widely known that the Magistracy had used Star League resources to complete their second shipyard and to build several squadrons of a new type of Pocket WarShip based on the Vengeance-class DropShip.

   “Which is the way of this League.  But with the resources that we have brought together we are all improved.  Has the Federated Suns not seen several new bases built during the recent League’s time which has brought jobs for hundreds of citizens.”

   “And increased their foothold.”  Burton said looking over at his father “the Federated Suns should be for the citizens of the Federated Suns.  Even if a former son of the realm is ruling an ally.”

   “And your cousin is in charge of another state.  Our family have the ability to bring the entire Inner Sphere closer together and in turn make our realms stronger, all three of them.  We just need to keep working within the rules of this League.”  Victor stressed Burton looked at his father surprised, it almost sounded like he wanted to bring back together the Federated Commonwealth with the Star League as its bridge.

   “That dream Archon-Prince is long dead” Burton said using his father’s former rank Victor had once been the first and only Archon-Prince of the nation which was made up of the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth.  “The Lyrans are far from us now and soon if the Clans have their way even you will be cut off from them, just as you are the Draconis Combine.  Father, this League is failing around us, this Protectorate may be going from strength to strength but every year the Clans creep closer first it was the Wolves, now it’s the Bears who is next the Falcons or Horses?”  He asked naming all the Clans moving towards the Protectorate he intentionally omitted the Sea Foxes because while they did have territory near the Protectorate, they were not expansionists and they traded technology with everyone around them.

   “But together we can blunt their offensives.  The Wolves are contained.  The Bears have closed because we couldn’t become involved in the District of Dieron’s conflict with the Combine and the most recent Lyran offensive has been supported by the Star League Defence Force.  Burton, the only reason you do not have more of our people in your territory is because of the unique agreement that the Federated Suns has with the Nova Cats and the distraction the Ravens have with the Draconis Combine.”  Victor argued “this nation holds the Inner Sphere together AND accountable.”

   “Accountable?”  Burton asked innocently wondering where his father was going with this line of the argument.

   “Orbital Bombardment and weapons of mass destruction.”  Victor said bluntly “in the first two Succession Wars the Inner Sphere nations had WarShips a plenty and were happy to use them and destroy multiple worlds.”  He said “the horrors of the first two Succession Wars still scarred many systems “the Clans have added a further element to the mix but the Star League’s presence has stopped the decent into complete chaos.”  He truly believed that and saw his son was not convinced “tell me, truthfully that you haven’t looked at the power your fingertips wield and not been tempted.”

   “You taught us well father ‘every action has an opposite and equal reaction, if you want to pick a fight expect a response.’” Burton said reciting his father’s words at the time his father had said that someone before him had said the same words but Burton had long ago forgotten the name of the other person.  “I know what I can and cannot do.  The Federated Suns has great strength, to escalate our battles beyond where they have currently reached would be to court complete destruction.”

   “You know that because you have been taught to value what you have” Victor said grabbing his son by the shoulders “the other nation leaders perhaps do not.  This Star League is keeping them in check.”  He suggested he left out his other belief that the most recent experience of the wield District of Dieron had shown exactly how badly the Clans would react to an escalation of the violence.

   “My decision stands father, I continue to support this Star League, but you know my reservations about it.  Now perhaps we should put politics aside and see mother before I and Sterling have to leave for home.”  He suggested Victor nodded and the two men headed back into the building.  The cracks of the Star League Defence Force were showing but the threat of the Clans and the fear of what a new Succession War could bring was keeping them all in check.

House Arano Press Conference
Coromodir, Cordia City
Aurigan Collective, Periphery   
9th November 3117

   On the world of Coromodir VI in front of a massive Star League-era fortification which served as House Arano’s residence Lady Kamea Arano stood to address the gathered media.  Lady Arano was in her late twenties with jet black hair.  She wore a green dress with a short leather MechWarrior’s jacket over her shoulders.  “I am Kamea of House Arano, Protector of Coromodir and the Sword of Restoration” on her head she wore the crown of the High Lady of the Aurigan Reaches a long-forgotten realm which was headed on Coromodir and a nation that had once been comparable to that of what the Fronc Reaches had become.  “When I grew up here on Coromodir my father used to tell me ancient stories of the Star League, the first Star League, when the Aurigan Reaches stood with the other nations around it.”  She said pausing a several camera flashes went off “it was a prosperous period when much of the facilities we hold dear today were built and out people reached for the stars around us.”  She said raising her arms the massive facility behind her dominating the area.  “I always dreamed of the prosperity of that era returning and our people moving forwards once more.  The Fronc Reaches have treated Coromodir well but they have also taken a lot from our people and prospered on our riches.”  She explained “now the Fronc Reaches is falling into Civil War and there are only a few chances of its recovery.  I fully support the efforts of its recovery but I must protect the people I can.  Today I am announcing the rebirth of the Aurigan nation as the Aurigan Collective the systems of Coromodir, Guldra, Tyrion, Itrom, Mangzhangdian, Smithon, Katinka, Artu, Gangtok, Sananda and Heliat are now under my protection as High Leader of the Aurigan Collective, we are separate from the Fronc Reaches and only want peace with our neighbours.  I fully support the Fronc Reaches recovering from its current troubles but I must take this action to protect our people.”

   The actions of Coromodir causes the Taurian Concordat to move within a week and take over the systems of Glizer, Qalzl, Aea and Regis Roost which were sandwiched between the Aurigan Collective and the Taurian Concordat.

   With chaos still enveloping much of the Fronc Reaches there is no official word on the official reformation of the Aurigan Collective but actions speak louder than words as Colonel Emma McEvens lands on Detroit with her Household Guard and a mercenary regiment reinforcing positions there.  She declares herself the new leader of the Fronc Reaches elsewhere fighting continues on other planets as the small battered nation continues to try and recover from the attack against its parliament.

Planetary Defence
Chesterton, Axton PDZ
Capellan March, Federated Suns
19th November 3117

   Despite the talk of peace on Terra the Inner Sphere nations were still in a constant state of small-scale conflict with each other and with their neighbours, it didn’t matter how far one was from the front lines a world could face conflict meaning the nation’s armed forces had to keep alert to conflict.  Many people joined the armed forces not for the adventure but because it was solid employment and the status as a member of the nation’s defence force brought with it a status that could not be bought.  In the Federated Suns this was even more true with members of the AFFS being looked up to like the Knights of old Terra and serving the nation being a cornerstone of citizenship within the Succession State.  To serve the Federated Suns and House Davion meant someone would be made for life; if they survived their term of service.

   For others however the service was thrust on them as a duty to the nation like Duchess Leah Davion she as a daughter of the First Prince was always destined to join the Federated Suns.  She had chosen to follow the footsteps of her mother Sterling McKenna, a former Khan of Clan Snow Raven, and become an aerospace fighter pilot which had led her into the position she was in now, in her Cutlass OmniFighter defending a world of the Federated Suns.

   Leah’s fighter along with five others and a Leopard-CV were outbound from the world of Chesterton intercepting and incoming Lung Wang-class DropShip which was heading towards the planet.  “This is Captain Kelly Scroggins of the Sixth New Avalon Guards RCT” the lead fighter of the six which had been deployed transmitting “you are ordered to turn away from Chesterton and prepare to be boarded.”  At the back of the flight Leah was sat in her Cutlass waiting for the next action.

   After several minutes there was only silence from the incoming DropShip before the signal expanded as two fighters were deployed.  “They aren’t responding meaning they are a threat.  One through Four we’re on the fighters were going to make sure they can’t threaten the Arethuse.  We won’t fire unless they do.” She said naming their Leopard CV.  “Five and Six, force the DropShip to change course, if they fire you’ve got authorization to open fire.”  She ordered Leah sat in her fighter six was fighter number Six in the unit and they’d been tasked with taking on a two-thousand-and-six-hundred-ton DropShip.  “This isn’t an invasion force, it’s a raiding party or a merc unit trying their luck, they won’t want us to fight them any more than we do.”

   “Speak for yourself” Leah said quietly, she was desperate to get some action, since joining the Sixth she’d went through dozens of drills but not seen any combat.  The four fighters accelerated after the two enemy fighters which had split up and were trying to make the Federated Suns fighters change their course.

   “Six, you’re with me” her Flight Leader Justin Charters said as the front Cutlass accelerated “stick close Diva, we’re going to see how they react to a flyby.”  She hated the callsign her squadron mates had assigned her she’d gained it because she was apparently the complete opposite of a Diva and too quiet for her own good.  She’d decided as soon as she joined the service she wouldn’t play on her heritage as a member of the ruling house, she accelerated her Cutlass to follow Charters aerospace fighter.

   The two Cutlass fighters approached the Lung Wang which had remained radio silent and had refused to communicate.  Onboard would be four MechWarriors and a crew that were intending on landing on the planet.  The two aircraft approached the small aerodyne DropShip from the aft and flew past the DropShip quickly “cut the nose Diva, just like we practiced.”  Charters ordered “cutting the nose” was an intercept designed to turn away a ship that didn’t want a fight.  So far despite being chased by AFFS fighters the two aggressor fighters had not fired and Charters was betting on the DropShip being the same.  Unfortunately, the manoeuvre would also expose them to fire from the DropShip at point blank range should the DropShip commander decide now was a good time to engage them.

   The two Cutlass accelerated faster than the Lung Wang with one aerospace fighter diving past the nose of the DropShip going one way and then the other diving past the nose the other way.  The Lung Wang didn’t fire instead it continued on its course.  “He’s not taking the hint Magnet; they could have broken communications?” she communicated to her wingman turning her fighter in an arc.

   “There are ways of showing that, no they are ignoring us, right fine they want to be difficult.  A Big X off their nose, Diva, no closer than fifty metres you hear me?”

   “I got you” she said the two fighters began to approach the DropShip from either side as they closed on their target both opened fire with their nose mounted Gauss Rifles the two hypersonic slugs flew past the Lung Wang’s nose missing the target completely in an atmosphere it would have created two trails of disturbed air in front of the ship creating a massive “X” in space the DropShip’s sensors would have done the same.

   That got a reaction as the slugs disappeared into space the DropShip pulled up and turned away from the flight path it was on arcing back towards the jump point.  The two fighters which had been dancing around space with the rest of the squadron also turned away and arced back to tracks that would allow them to re-join the DropShip near the jump point.

   “All fighters, this is Scoggins, break it off we’ll have no fight today.”  The squadron leader communicated “Five and Six, I don’t remember saying you were authorised to use warning shots, nice job.”  Kelly Scoggins said as the squadron turned back towards their carrier “Six, let today be a lesson, remember you can stop an attack by persuading an enemy that it’ll cost them more than they are willing to pay.”  She said Leah sat in the Cutlass watching the DropShip and fighters moving away and thought that it would be nice if every fight would be so simple of an operation, but she also knew that wouldn’t be the case, she still didn’t have a combat victory under her belt but it felt good to have done something about people who could have hurt their people.

City Tour
Marion, Minette PDZ
Crucis March, Federated Suns
24th November 3117

   The world of Sherwood had gained its name from the forests of old England on Terra and its climate was extremely comfortable to humanity.  It had been an easy world for colonists to decide to move to hailing from as far as New Avalon and Belladonna in the Federated Suns and beyond to Terra herself as humanity expanded into the stars.  Marion, the city he now stood in had expanded greatly under Nova Cat rule located at the southernmost edge of the Watling Mountain Range it always had a spaceport but both the spaceport and the city were larger than he remembered.  The Nova Cats had used Sherwood as a trade hub funnelling goods into Sherwood before shipping the out into the Federated Suns and onto Clan Sea Fox’s holdings.  As a result, they had added at least two new runways and nearly half a dozen additional DropShip landing pads as well as massive fuel storage facilities.  Jonas wasn’t sure how the Federated Suns would support such facilities now it was back in their hands.  Similarly, the capital’s mass transit systems had completely been renovated by the Nova Cats the lower tech railway replaced by Star League-era standard electric trains and trams.
He had fought for this feeling for years, he had spent his families fortune trying to see today, but it had not been his hand instead it had been an action by the AFFS which had freed Sherwood from the grasp of Clan Nova Cat.  Now former-Earl Jonas Tyler could see the fruits of his labour and that of his nations and he could walk down the street of Marion, the world’s capital and wear the crest of his family with pride.

It felt strange to be back on Sherwood the world felt different the transit systems were just one part.  The additional civilians who inhabited the changed the feeling around the city from what Tyler understood most of the civilians were non-Nova Cat by birth having been moved here by the Clan to work the enlarged spaceport, storage facilities, mass transit systems and the BattleMech factory which was located on the world.  The Nova Cats had turned Sherwood into a prize one that the Federated Suns had finally liberated.  Strangely as he walked around Tyler noticed that there were murals which had been painted on the side of buildings many of the Similarly, size of a BattleMech most of them depicted Clan Nova Cat BattleMechs, armour, Battle Armour, soldiers and even the nova cat animal defending the people of the world.  Tyler found it strange having never imagined that the people would be allowed to express themselves so publicly under Nova Cat rule.  He wondered how much he had misjudged how this world was being treated for years.

As he walked through the streets, he came across a street market selling various goods as he walked along, he spotted Kimberly Mathijsen running one of the stalls, she was in her sixties now but still seemed vibrant with life as she traded her goods to the people passing by.  The Mathijsen stall was well known for its exotic fruit juices and wines.  “Mrs Mathijsen!”  Tyler greeted her as he approached the stall, she looked shocked for several moments looking at him strangely “it’s me Jonas Tyler.”

   “Welcome to my stall, sir… I mean sire” she stammered over the word almost like it was alien to her.  “How can I help you?”  She asked formally

   “Mrs Mathijsen, don’t you remember me?”

   “My name is Kimberly young man I have given up that name, life is simpler when we accept that.”  She said “now how can I help you?”  She said indicating to the goods.

   “I’ll have this” he said picking up a 750ml bottle of the famous Sherwood’s Green Apple Juice.

   “That will be four Kerensky’s” she said listing the price, Jonas had heard that the world was still dealing in Kerensky’s when he had landed, he’d been given some at the spaceport in exchange for an equal amount of D-Bills.  At the price he’d paid elsewhere he’d have spent two or three times that in D-Bills.  “And watch your contractions” the old woman said smiling as she accepted his coins.

   Jonas walked away feeling strange he’d never known Mrs Mathijsen very well only when his father took him through the market and bought him some juice, but he found it strange she’d adapted so readily to the Nova Cat way of things abandoning her family name.  Family was important, it was a connection to your past and to your children it seemed unthinkable to Jonas whose family name was all that was important.  Like them still holding onto the Clan currency it seemed his world would have a long road to recovery from what the Nova Cats had caused here.  He walked down the street and sipped the cold still apple juice, even with all the things that had changed the juice had not the cold sweet taste was exactly as he remembered.

   Continuing down the street he stopped as he saw another drawing on the world, he guessed it was new by what was depicted.  Unlike the other mural paintings which showed the Nova Cats in various forms defending the people of Sherwood, this one had far darker undertones and had been done quickly, possibly because the person painting it had been worried about being seen, the picture showed a Federated Suns flagpole which had been snapped in half the flag pointing into the ground being torn to pieces by a nova cat animal.  “What have they done to my world?” Jonas wondered to himself looking at the picture transfixed with the image, the artist had skills but it also made Jonas wonder if this was the act of one person or of many.  He vowed to himself as he continued to drink the apple juice that he would return Sherwood to the correct path.

Oh, those Davies. 

All good sons (or daughters)of the sun's.

Time to end 3117 - its taken a little longer than I expected  but we're here with some changes for what's to come in the future.  The intent of this update is to show the continued adaption of canon to this AU, every new product I buy gives me an idea of how to make this AU better (at least I hope I make it better - but that's up to you lot!)

Weapons Test
Near Riken Minor, Rigil Kentarus
Star League Protectorate
2nd December 3117

   From the surface of Riken Minor, a moon around Rigil Kentarus, six aerospace fighters launched in close formation.  The fighters were too close together to be manned their manoeuvres too precise the six thirty-five-ton aerospace fighters rose quickly from the surface of the moon heading for a rendezvous with an orbiting DropShip.  The spheroid thirty-six thousand tonne Tiamat Pocket WarShip orbited the moon silently the landing bay doors opening allowing the drones to land completely remotely.  Like the fighters the Tiamat was controlled by a drone brain and maintained orbit above the moon standing guard and keeping unwanted traffic out of the area.

   Near to the Tiamat’s orbit two Tug DropShips towed a damaged Behemoth-class DropShip through space in another orbit the two Tugs released the DropShip and turned away raising themselves into higher orbit allowing derelict ship to spin free.  Moments later several naval lasers lanced out of the moon and cut straight through the Behemoth slicing it in half.  In a follow up attack several capital missiles slammed into the two pieces of DropShip obliterating the remains of the wreck.  This test was one of many which had taken place recently but it was by far the most public one the destruction of a DropShip the size of the Behemoth was impossible to hide from public eyes instead the test was a demonstration that Centaur Castle was now operational.  It was also a demonstration that the experimental Casper II Drone Fleet was also now in its test phase, the Casper II system was one intended on supporting the Casper Drone Fleet and would be built up using drone DropShips and Aerospace Fighters.  The Centaur Castle Brian Facility was a stationary defensive position and with the drones which would be deployed from it they could influence the entire system.

   Two weeks later on the surface of Rigil Kentarus in the capital city of Minnesota two men met in a coffee shop near the spaceport as the shop’s tri-vid screens continued to play the Star League Defence Forces’ successful test of “Centaur Castle’s weapons.”  As the two men drank their coffee the older of the two looked up at the screens.

   “They’ve changed the game you know?”  Christopher Grant said looking over at the other man in the last few years he had undergone significant cosmetic surgery so being out here in the open wouldn’t set off too many alarm bells.  There were still arrest warrants out in his name in the Federated Suns for the assassination of Tancred Sandoval.  “Soon everyone will need their own personal WarShip to compete and BattleMechs will be a thing of the past.”

   “I disagree, a WarShip cannot take ground and hold it, they can only obliterate it.  They also cannot take out selective targets, if you want to take out one person use a Mech or a knife instead of capital weaponry, and we’ve shown several times that a BattleMech team can do a job and disappear.”  The younger man Dominic Nostra said in response he had spent five years learning from the current Bounty Hunter and had come a long way from the Rim Collection disgraced Colonel that Christopher had recruited.

   “That’ll be your fight to fight” the Bounty Hunter said looking over at the other man who looked surprised Christopher Grant was only forty-six years old, he was in his prime and could live fifty-or-sixty years.  “I’ve lost the appetite for it.”  He said honestly “the blood and fighting doesn’t interest me anymore, I gave many years to the Federated Suns and I’ve given many years to this, I’ve laid aside plenty its time I enjoyed it.”  He said Dominic Nostra had been trained in the Rim Collection, he had raised in rank to that of Colonel he wasn’t that much younger than Grant but he’d also only been working for himself for three years and his accounts in the Free Worlds League were frozen.  “I have spoken to the others before speaking to you” Grant continued surprising Nostra again “tradition states that when one Bounty Hunter retires the team do too.  Fortunately for you most of them have chosen to remain as part of the command, it seems I've retired a little quicker than most were expecting and they all want to earn a little more coin before they retire.”

   “That’s fortunate” Nostra admitted, the longest serving member of the unit a VTOL pilot named Kafka had served with two Bounty Hunters already and must have amassed plenty C-Bills but she appeared to be quite happy to remain within the command.

   “Yes, you can continue on as if nothing has changed.”  Grant said “and I will quietly disappear.”

   “Good luck, enjoy your retirement.” Nostra said raising his coffee glass as the video screen showed the DropShip being obliterated again, it was a changing Inner Sphere but he planned on making the job pay.
   
Planetary Invasion, DCMS Staging Area
Awano, Awano Prefecture
District of Philadelphia, Draconis Combine
14th December 3117

   In space three Draconis Combine WarShips were heavily engaged with four Rasalhague Dominion WarShips which had arrived escorting more than a Galaxy of troops which had arrived to strike at the Draconis Combine staging area on Awano.

   Dropping through the atmosphere in his Executioner OmniMech Star Commander Coyle Bekker dropped down towards the Draconis Combine base below.  The ninety-five-ton OmniMech was configured in its alternate K configuration mounting a huge class-40 Hyper Assault Gauss and three six-pack short range missile launchers.  The jump jets mounted on the OmniMech blazed plasma fire slowing the OmniMech’s fall towards the ground Coyle Bekker was not prepared to simply fall instead he targeted an enemy Catapult.  Firing the HAG-40 down towards the sixty-five-ton BattleMech, gauss slugs tore into the upper hull of the Catapult the supersonic slugs pitting the other Mech’s armour as the Executioner closed on it.  The Catapult pilot returned fire with its two long range missile launchers filling the air with thirty missiles several slammed into the falling Executioner causing damage to its legs the Executioner was knocked off course slightly.

   At the controls of the Executioner Coyle Bekker fought the OmniMech keeping it on course he aimed his HAG-40 again and pulled the trigger sending another volley of gauss slugs down towards the Catapult.  Because of the falling range between the two Mechs the slugs were closer packed and flew in on the Catapult causing heavier damage, as the Executioner came in for a landing the Catapult pilot fought to keep control over their BattleMech.  Coyle Bekker brought his OmniMech up as the Catapult pilot attempted to counter the Executioner by engaging the Mech with its four Medium Lasers, three of which burned into the armour of the assault OmniMech.  Coyle smiled baring his teeth and opened fire with eighteen short range missiles showering the other BattleMech in fire, unlike the gauss slugs which did their damage with kinetic energy instead of explosive warheads the short-range missiles were filled with an explosive payload.  The Catapult staggered under the fire as its armour was blown open.  One of the two Long Range Missile racks exploded under the fire while the ammunition stored inside its torso was cocked off and exploded after being hit by a missile.  CASE panels built into the BattleMech attempted to save the BattleMech but Coyle had already decided that would not be happening and he added another volley of missiles to the already crippled BattleMech, the attack shattered any hope the MechWarrior may have had of surviving the encounter and they punched out as the Catapult began to stumble and fall.

   All around Coyle Bekker BattleMechs, Battle Armour and fighters were engaging each other in battles, Clan tradition stated a Clan warrior did not get involved in the battles of other warriors instead allowing them to engage in honour duels with their enemies.  But the Draconis Combine troops were not honourable according to the Rasalhague Dominion’s leaders, recently it had been revealed that it was the Draconis Combine and not the Rasalhague Dominion which had detonated a nuclear device on Rasalhague Dominion soil.  Instead of searching for another opponent Coyle twisted the Executioner’s torso to the right and opened fire with the OmniMech’s short range missile racks, eighteen missiles burst out of their launchers and flew rapidly into the back of a forty-five-ton Wolftrap.  At close range the missiles didn’t take long to reach the enemy Mech and the attack was devastating, as the BattleMech’s rear armour was far lighter than the front armour the damage that was done to the Wolftrap was devastating.  Explosions tore open the Mech’s rear armour the ammunition stored in the Mech’s torso was hit by several missiles and caused a fireball to consume the Wolftrap tearing it to pieces.

   Time was not to be wasted as the Rasalhague Dominion troops continued to assault the Draconis Combine forces at the centre of the assault force Coyle Bekker continued his own personal crusade against the Rasalhague Dominion.  Twisting the Executioner to the right he saw a pair of forty-ton Shillelagh Missile Tank both tanks engaged his assault Mech with their Multi-Missile Launchers thirty missiles flew in on the charging Rasalhague Dominion Mech.  Bekker ducked his Mech to the right attempting to avoid some of the missiles even as he targeted the first Mech with the HAG.  The missiles exploded all over the hull of the Executioner causing explosions but none punctured its armoured frame several more exploded all around the OmniMech throwing sand and shrapnel into the air, Bekker charged forwards through the fire ignoring the damage as the HAG continued to fire.  The Executioner’s Gauss Rifle tore down the side of the first Shillelah the hypersonic slugs flew into the side of the tracked vehicle penetrating the armour in several places causing internal damage.  The second Shillelagh opened fire a second time showering the Executioner with another volley of missiles at closer range the Shillelah switched to using short range missiles and they were more accurate.  Several slammed into the weaker armour on the OmniMech’s back but they failed to penetrate instead they threw Bekker around his cockpit and unfortunately for him angered the Ghost Bear Warrior.  Turning on the spot the Executioner’s missile racks answered the Shillelah’s fire with its own missiles pumping eighteen short range missiles into his target.  Several of the missiles slammed into the same spot weakening the armour enough to expose its ammunition bay Bekker screamed angrily as he marched towards the enemy vehicle putting another eighteen missiles into the target.  It was overkill but he wanted the missile tank dead his missiles slammed into the smaller vehicle several hitting the exposed ammunition storage.  The resulting explosion which consumed the vehicle resembled a small supernova as a mixture of long- and short-range missiles and machine gun ammunition all cooked over obliterating the vehicle in one massive explosion followed by a series of secondary explosions.  Pieces of the vehicle were thrown across the battlefield for hundreds of metres.

   Bekker stood there for several moments watching the Shillelah burn when a particle cannon blast exploded over Executioner’s chest.  Turning the OmniMech Coyle Bekker saw his newest challenger an Awesome BattleMech armed with three Heavy Particle Projection Cannons.  “Finally, a worthy challenger.”  Accelerating his ninety-five-ton OmniMech to the right Bekker targeted the incoming Awesome with his HAG sand blasting armour from the eighty-ton red painted Draconis Combine BattleMech as dozens of supersonic slugs slammed into the enemy Mech.

   The Awesome tracked the running the Executioner as Bekker’s Mech ran to its right-hand side, three more heavy particle cannon shots momentarily linked the two Mechs as the Awesome opened fire again.  The electrical charged bolts burned over the Executioners armour and threw off the Mech’s step Bekker fought to keep the OmniMech standing as it continued to run, in retaliation he twisted the left arm towards his target and opened fire with all three short range missile launchers.

   Explosions rocked the Awesome shattering its armour but the assault BattleMech was ready for an attack and stood up to the beating.  Bekker twisted his Mech’s torso and opened fire with the HAG peppering more armour off the Awesome but it immediately retaliated with three more particle cannon blasts.  Only two of the cannons found their target while the other burned across the ground throwing up sand, the two that struck the Executioner caused more heavy armour damage with the Executioner damaged in the previous battles the two particle cannon shots severely damaged the right leg actuator and locked the left arm in its extended position.

   Unable to aim the arm’s short-range missiles Bekker kept the Mech standing and fired them blindly before turning the torso and blasting the HAG at the target.  The majority of the short-range missiles went wild missing their target while eight of the missiles found their target damaging one of the Awesome’s particle cannons, an internal explosion inside the BattleMech completely ruined the weapon.  The HAG’s follow up attack shattered yet more armour but it did not have the concentrated killer blow that some of the heavier Clan weapons had and the Awesome remained standing.  With its two remaining heavy particle cannons the Awesome opened fire again this time the man-made lightning bolts shattered what remained of the left arm one of the bolts passing clearly through the Executioner’s superstructure blowing the arm away from the Mech’s body sending shrapnel everywhere.  Bekker gritted his teeth levelling his only weapon, the class-forty Hyper Assault Gauss rifle, at his target his Mech was now at a distinct disadvantage.  While the class-forty was a powerful weapon unlike the two remaining heavy particle cannons on the Awesome he lacked the killer punch.

   The supersonic slugs tore into the Awesome shaving armour off the chassis but only causing significant damage in a couple of places Coyle Bekker could see a shattered heat sink was leaking its coolant fluid down the front of the BattleMech as he prepared for the incoming barrage.  The assault he expected did not come instead lasers, missiles and autocannons from all sides came in on the Awesome causing heavy damage to the Mech.  A heavy assault autocannon penetrated the BattleMech’s armour and blew through the engine shielding causing the BattleMech to be consumed by the weapons fired at it.

   Coyle Bekker was about to call out the other Ghost Bear warriors for attacking his target but he remembered his assault on the Wolftrap and the orders from the Rasalhague Dominion leadership to give the Draconis Combine warriors no honour or mercy, they were to be wiped out.  In all four BattleMech Regiments, an entire Land-Air-Mech Regiment and several support regiments were wiped out by the Rasalhague Dominion assault.  In space a dozen assault DropShips and four Draconis Combine WarShips were destroyed as were three Rasalhague Dominion vessels with a fourth vessel the mighty Leviathan 2-class Battleship Rudigen crippled as the Rasalhague Dominion seized the important staging world. 

In the coming days two more systems fall to the Rasalhague Dominion as the Clan/Inner Sphere nation makes it clear to everyone via a broadband HPG message that they know the Draconis Combine were responsible for the nuclear attack against their nation and the Dieron War.  The Rasalhague Dominion made it absolutely clear that the Draconis Combine would never see a lasting peace with them.
   
Planetary Landing
Penny Marshal Landing Field
Coromodir V, Aurigan Collective
24th December 3117

   The Leopard-class DropShip came to a halt at the end of the landing zone and two Pacifier SecurityMechs moved towards it along with a Routemaster Shuttlebus coming to a stop several dozen metres away from the DropShip.  After several minutes several figures left the DropShip and headed over to the shuttlebus which moved across towards the tower, the hovercraft effortlessly moving over the ferrocrete maintaining pace with two SecurityMechs.  When it arrived three figures left the shuttlebus and entered the facility.

   Soon afterwards the three figures entered the conference room escorted by guards “Colonel… I mean Prince Marshal Emma McEvens of the Fronc Reaches.”  The guard announced

   “Welcome to Coromodir” High Lady Kamea Arano said she had chosen to meet her guest here instead of taking them to the palace and allowing their nearest neighbour to see what was going on within their capital.

   “Thank you, Lady Arano, I am here to inform you that we have put down the rebellion that the Fronc Reaches has endured.  I have taken the mantle of leadership until a new government is elected by all worlds and that Coromodir is welcome to return and retake its place.”

   “As you have taken the role of Prince Marshal, I too have taken another role.  I am now the High Lady of the Aurigan Collective the worlds around us have turned to Coromodir in their time of need, we are helping them.  You cannot force this issue Prince Marshal” she said respecting McEvens position.  “You need to draw your nation back together, beginning a war is not the way.”

   “I am drawing my nation together.  I am opening up a ballot for a new government and Prince Marshal.”

   “And investigating what happened at the Tower of Fronc?”  Kamea Arano asked reminding the other woman of her obligation to find out what happened to the previous government.  Emma McEvens in her mid-fifties was twenty years Kamea Arano’s senior but given the Fronc Reaches perilous position at present she was finding it hard to force anyone to do anything.  While widespread fighting had ended in the Fronc Reaches there was still unrest in several places.

   “Yes, of course” McEvens agreed “and we would do better if you were with us.”

   “We’re with you, Prince Marshal, we’re certainly not against you.  But we will not be re-joining Fronc in an alliance, not now.”  Kamea Arano replied “the three regiments that have joined with Coromodir will remain under my command…”

   “They are Fronc units, their equipment belongs to the Colonial Marshals and to Fronc!”  McEvens snapped angrily.

   “The decision is made; you have the forces to oppose us if you really want to.  But I would suggest you do not, I have several negotiators on their way to Herotitus and Galatea Station we will be hiring several mercenary units to bolster our numbers and protect our worlds from pirate forces.”  Arano warned her.

   “I understand” McEvens replied

   “We will however extend all of the support we can to your nation and provide all the intelligence we can to help you find out what happened to the Tower of Fronc and our people.”

   “I agreed” McEvens said through gritted teeth both of the women knew that there could be serious trouble between their two small nations but for now a peace would exist and each of them would be able to grow as they needed.

Clan Parades
Andrey, Tukayyid
Clan Occupied Space
23rd December 3117

   Today was a special day for Tukayyid the Clans were meeting on the world with dozens of additional Clan warriors on the planet as was tradition the arrival of each Clan began with a parade through the central streets of the capital Andrey with approximately a trinary of troops from each Clan making the journey to the Clan Hall.  On the arrival of Clan Lynx, the parade was extra special and large with dozens of BattleMechs, vehicles and battle armour moving through the street as Clan Lynx brought its entire complement of Bloodnamed warriors to the world.

   At the Council of the Clans each of the Khans and saKhans arrived to meet and discuss the issues facing their Clans often this involved military operations, new technology developments and trade.  But this particular meeting was a special one and would address a problem that was developing within all the Clans.

   “So, it is agreed” Loremaster of the Clans Sandra Ward replied “today, all of you recognize that as a society our Clans must embrace the cultures that make up our Clans.  We have over time accepted warriors from other Clans through the Harvest Trials these warriors deserve the right to become Bloodnamed warriors.  We also have encountered cultures in the Inner Sphere which have influenced us and warriors who have joined our ranks as Freeborns we have to give them a chance to become one with the Clans.”  She said it had taken some time for the Jade Falcons and Lynx to agree to the change but eventually all of the Clans had agreed to the change in Clan policy, some of them would embrace the change whole heartedly others it would take more time.  “When Clans fall or contact is lost with them some of their Bloodnamed warriors are invariably left without contact with the Bloodhouse of their birth and training.”

   “This Council has taken the first step to mend the damage done to our people by the loss of contact with the Homeworlds and by the fall of several Clans since we came to the Inner Sphere.”  She said several Clans had ceased to exist through actions in the Homeworlds and through failed attacks against the Inner Sphere including Clans Ice Hellion, Blood Spirit, Goliath Scorpion and the three Serpent Clans Cloud Cobra, Star Adder and Steel Viper.  “To allow the warriors who fight valiantly for our Clans the honour of fighting for a Bloodname and joining the ranks of the Bloodnamed with the Act of Severance.”  Sandra Ward said of the two edicts decided by this Clan Council this had been the easiest to pass all of the Clans had members of fallen Clans in their ranks many of them wanting to become part of the ranks of the Bloodnamed.  The Act of Severance allowed Trueborn warriors of fallen Bloodhouses to fight Trials and essentially re-found their Bloodhouses, starting them again from the beginning.  “The founders of these Bloodhouses will afford their house with prestige based on the warrior’s performance in a Trial with a single victory there will be five slots awarded to that house, two will afford ten and three victories will bring fifteen slots and great prestige to the reformed house.  Once a Bloodhouse has been reformed any serving Trueborn member of the legacy house will be allowed to fight for one of these slots.”  She said explaining all that had been agreed at the Clan Council, given that any surviving warrior would then be able to fight for the Bloodhouse there would be an amount of pressure on the competing warrior.  “These warriors will bring honour to their names and add to our Clans.”

   “Secondly as decreed by this council freeborns who have been accepted as warriors into our Clans will be allowed to attempt to found new Bloodhouses in a Trial of Founding.”  This had been harder to pass but as Clans Wolf, Ghost Bear and Snow Raven already founded new Bloodhouses through their own actions the measure had passed.  “These freeborns will be allowed to fight Trials and found new houses which will bring new Bloodnamed warriors into our society.  Our Clans will accept these new Bloodhouses and honour them with the prestige they deserve based on the performance of the founding member of the house, like the Edict of Severance this will be based on victories in Trials one will equal three, two victories will earn six positions while three will earn nine.  Unlike the reformed Trueborn houses these will be new to our Clans and they will have to wait until sibkos produce new warriors to fill their ranks and gain further prestige.”  The final part had been added on the insistence of Clans Wolf, Jade Falcon, Lynx and Hell’s Horses who did not want a flood of freeborn warriors to join the Bloodnamed ranks “diluting them.”

   “Finally,” Sandra Ward said seeing that the assembled Khans were bored having already discussed the details of this agreement for two days, she had stressed it was important as the details would be broadcast throughout the Inner Sphere and Periphery to all clan citizens and to the Succession States showing the changes the Clans were making.  “The Clan Bloodhouses which have unilaterally been founded by the Clans will be fully recognized as houses in their own right including Kell, Magnesson, Mansdotter and Avellar.  All warriors who have already won a Bloodname will be allowed to keep it and retain the honour they have already won, for these houses to expand Trueborns already born within that house will have to fight a Trial of Founding of their own to expand those houses.”  It was one stipulation nearly demanded by the Council that the four Bloodhouses while already established within their Clans of origin would not be allowed to simply expand without any sort of control.


   Four days of later on Tukayyid Clan Lynx gathered three kilometres south of the city of Tost.  This had been chosen as Clan Lynx had been founded from Clan Nova Cat and during the Battle of Tukayyid Clan Nova Cat had fought the ComGuards for control over the city of Tost with many Nova Cats dying in the attempt.  In this particular crater an entire binary of Nova Cats had been surrounded and fought for their lives against a numerically superior ComGuard force with warriors of the Star not only surviving the assault but breaking out and returning to Clan lines.  There was Clan blood on this soil already as well as a Clan victory today a freeborn warrior Star Commander Alwyn of Clan Lynx had the honour of fighting for his name’s future.  Standing in the middle of the crater Alwyn’s Dragon Cat OmniMech stood proudly waiting for the trial to begin, the OmniMech was like its sister design the Nova Cat an unpopular one within Clan Lynx due to the reminder that it came from Clan Nova Cat, like the Clan itself.

   At three points around the crater stood a Lynx BattleMech ready to meet the Dragon Cat’s challenge.  As per the dueling rules of Zellbrigen the Mechs would engage the enemy in sequence not engaging the Dragon Cat until they themselves were engaged, the MechWarriors were allowed to move their Mech but only within a small part of their defined areas and not past any of the other trial Mechs as that could lead to Zellbrigen being “accidentally” violated.

   “Star Commander Alwyn, your Trial of Founding begins when you are ready.”  Loremaster of Clan Lynx Star Admiral Chelsea Drummond said around the perimeter of the crater stood every Bloodnamed warrior of the Clan ready to witness the victory or failure of one of their own warriors.

   “Aff” Alwyn replied gruffly the seventy-ton Dragon Cat configured in its Alternate I configuration suddenly spun to the right-hand side the Mech’s legs moving as the torso also twisted suddenly the Mech’s left arm mounted triple Extended Range Large Lasers and its left arm class-10 autocannon exploded into life targeting the heaviest of the three Mech’s arrayed against him a seventy-five-ton Black Python.

   The Clans had been allowed to determine how the Trials were fought by themselves.  As was Clan Lynx Trial tradition it had been decided that these Trials would be fought against three very different BattleMechs one of the class of Mech piloted by the challenger warrior, one of the weight class below and one of the smallest class.  The suggestion being that the MechWarrior would target the lightest first giving them a greater chance of winning the Trial quickly and earning their position, the MechWarrior piloting the lightest Mech would also be the most elite and most difficult to defeat.

   Alwyn had defied the suspicion of targeting the lightest Mech and caught the Black Python pilot completely unaware and while the Mech was moving it was moving quite slowly.  All three large lasers connected with the right arm on the seventy-five-ton BattleMech vaporising the armour there blowing through the internal structure and severely damaging the arm to the point that it would be useless in this fight.  The autocannon thundered over the torso of the BattleMech pitting its armour as explosive slugs tore and rutted the armour mounted there.  The Black Python was far from out of the battle while the damaged arm was useless and the medium pulse lasers mounted there were out of the battle the heavy BattleMech was a duelling Mech with a punishing array of pulse lasers.  These lasers spat out bolts of energy at the running Dragon Cat large and medium pulses of energy burning the armour of the slightly smaller OmniMech damaging the left leg, arm and torso.  Alwyn ignored the damage; the Dragon Cat had been designed by the Nova Cats to take damage and dish it out running at the Black Python Alwyn triggered the autocannon and two of the large lasers again this time trying to manage the heat which the OmniMech produced as the cockpit’s temperature continued to raise.

   Using the integrated targeting computer buried deeply in the Dragon Cat’s torso the autocannon shots and large lasers were all targeted on a single location on the Black Python, the right leg, the lasers impacted first burning away armour and exposing the internal structure then the ultra-autocannon shots followed pounding though the remains of the armour and hammering the structure.  A second round of heavy weapons fire was too much fighting for the Black Python’s pilot and he lost his balance the heavy BattleMech missing its step and crumpling over the damaged right leg mid-run.  The heavy Mech crashed into the ground with an audible bang while heavily damaged the Mech was not out of the right so Alwyn stocked up to the downed BattleMech and aimed his lasers at the cockpit ready to fire if the pilot did not shut down his weapons.  BattleMech combat could be a brutal thing it could last hours as MechWarriors played games of cat-and-mouse or like this in the open it could simply brutal and be over in minutes.  The Black Python MechWarrior shut down his weapons systems surrendering the fight confirming Alwyn’s position as a Bloodhouse Founder. 

Alwyn Stekhnovskii turned away from the defeated Black Python, he had been born in the Draconis Combine outback on the world of Salford.  He had missed the battle for his planet and been allowed to compete to become a Freeborn warrior following the founding of Clan Lynx from Clan Nova Cat’s invading forces.  As he turned the Dragon Cat took a gauss rifle slug in the gut as the second enemy a Stormcrow engaged him, as Alwyn had started the Trial the next opponent was free to engage when they were ready, OmniMechs were the pinnacle of Clan technology and sometimes described as being extensions of the human body with the accuracy of their movements.  The Dragon Cat was a vaguely humanoid design like its sister design, the Nova Cat, it featured back-canted legs giving it a strange appearance.  The gut shot had forced the Mech to lean forwards but it wasn’t out of the fight instead Alwyn brought the arm mounted autocannon up to fire and sprayed a pair of volleys over the enemy Mech.  The shots exploded over the Stormcrow’s chest damaging the armour mounted there the Stormcrow pilot was braced for the attack the fifty-five-ton OmniMech’s legs in a wide stance helping absorb the impact, the pilot turned towards the Dragon Cat and fired four Improved Heavy Medium Lasers.  The oversized and power opal coloured energy beams lashed out at the Dragon Cat three of them burning sizable holes in the OmniMech’s armour while the fourth missed wide.

   In the cockpit Alwyn Stekhnovskii grunted in pain, one of the beams had impacted just below his OmniMech’s cockpit throwing him around and causing his head to be cracked against one of the consoles.  The neuralhelmet he wore had protected him from major injury but he still had felt the impact.  Twisting the Dragon Cat’s controls, he levelled the autocannon back at the lighter Mech and fired by now the Stormcrow was moving at speed running around the crater attempting to make the shot more difficult but because of the size of the crater there was little chance of a complete miss.  Only about half of the autocannon rounds connected with the Stormcrow but they were enough to damage the left leg of the running Mech.  The Stormcrow retaliated twisting its Mech and firing its gauss rifle again fortunately for Alwyn’s Dragon Cat the supersonic slug flew high past the seventy-ton OmniMech and imbedded itself deeply in the crater wall shattering the rock face.

   Taking advantage of the Stormcrow’s miss Alwyn opened fire with all three large lasers blasting away at the Stormcrow’s armour with two of the lasers as they bored deeply through the right arm and torso.  The laser blast which cut across the arm triggered a secondary explosion as it hit one of the lasers mounted there the internal explosion caused a second which blew the entire arm to pieces causing it to fall limp at the side of the Mech only attached by shredded myomer bundles.  Robbed of the majority of its firepower the Stormcrow opened fire with its gauss rifle in response this time striking the Dragon Cat tearing open a section of armour.  It was a slugging match, there was no room for errors or cover to help either Mech cool down instead Alwyn planted his overheating Mech’s legs and opened fire with the autocannon again this time striking the already damaged left leg and left arm on the Stormcrow disabling the gauss rifle there, with no weapons the Stormcrow shut down his Mech’s systems unwilling to engage in physical combat.

   “Two down!”  Alwyn shouted triumphantly his victory was short lived however as the Dragon Cat was slammed by twenty long range missiles which coated the upper surface of the OmniMech even as Alwyn sighted the Cougar OmniMech which was engaging him.  Even before he could fire the thirty-five-ton OmniMech was engaging him with its secondary weapons the extremely accurate paired large pulse lasers both had been targeted on the already damaged left torso consecutive blue/green pulses of high-powered energy slammed into the Dragon Cat destroying the last armour there.  In the cockpit of the OmniMech the temperature shot up as the extra-light fusion engine its heart was damaged.

   Barely able to control the heat up before Alwyn had no choice but to fire only a single large laser with the autocannon suddenly his Mech became the hunted as the Cougar maneuverer to fire its pulse lasers keeping up a near constant barrage as the missiles reloaded.  The lighter OmniMech could move as fast as the Dragon Cat and was not damaged while Alwyn’s Mech was damaged, struggling with heat build up and running low on autocannon ammunition.  Instead of fighting until the destruction of his OmniMech and most likely his death Alwyn signalled his intention to surrender shutting down the targeting system another volley of long-range missiles slammed into the Dragon Cat making Alwyn worry he had left himself defenceless but then realized the enemy pilot had fired them before he had begun to power down, a perfectly reasonable action given the considerable firepower the Dragon Cat still wielded even in its damaged state.  He was victorious and had secured six places within his Bloodhouse for future generations born with his DNA, a century from now Stekhnovskii would be a name which could be as known as that of Kerensky, Rosse or Pryde.  After today Alwyn’s DNA would be added to the genetic breeding program of Clan Lynx creating the next generation of his Clan’s warriors.

   “Arise, Star Commander Alwyn Stekhnovskii, Founder of the Stekhnovskii Bloodhouse” Loremaster Chelsea Drummond said over the radio frequencies.  “Clan Lynx, honour him” she said suddenly through the radio every linked in Lynx warrior said in unison “Seyla!”  While he had been born a freeborn Alwyn Stekhnovskii was now among the elite of the Clans, none of them would look down on his heritage again he had proven himself to his adopted Clan.