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Second Wave, Jade Falcon Assaults
Arc-Royal Theatre, Donegal Province
Lyran Commonwealth
7th December 3093

   Expanding their offensive to a second round of attacks against the Lyran Commonwealth Clan Jade Falcon invades the worlds of Dustball, A Place, Morges and Dela.  Supported by three Jade Falcon WarShips the Silver Talon, Sarna Mercer and the Jade Claw saKhan Emily Helmer leads the Jade Falcon Galaxy and the Talon Strike Galaxies in their attacks.

   On A Place the Jade Falcons encounter an old foe the Iron Will Mercenary Brigade.  The Iron Will have as much respect for the Jade Falcons as they have for the mercenaries.  Both forces throw themselves at each other with a reckless fury the battle destroys the Iron Will Brigade however it also claims the Jade Falcon Eyrie and First Jade Falcon Armour (formerly the Fifteenth Provision Garrison) Clusters.  On Morges saKhan Emily Helmer oversees the destruction of the Wolf (in-Exile) clusters the First Wolf Strike Grenadiers and the Fourth Mountain Guards.  Initially the Wolves offer the Jade Falcons a Trial of Possession for the planet however the Jade Falcons refuse to take the Exiles call instead hitting them with their full force.  When surviving ground forces retreat towards their DropShips the Silver Talon targets their ships from orbit destroying each in turn ensuring none of the Exiles escape.

   Pushing onto the world of Great X the attacking Jade Falcons are destroyed by the Charlestown Chiefs and Millie's Marauders Mercenary Commands.  The BattleMech heavy force of the Marauders holding the line while the Chiefs lighter machines and Swallow WiGEs continually struck at the flanks of the Falcons until they had driven them back.  From the wreckage the Chiefs salvage a Viper 3 BattleMech which replaces a lost Mech while the Millie's Marauders salvage a Mad Cat Mk III and a Mad Cat Mk II Enhanced all three salvaged Mechs would take months to repair but would be fearsome additions once repaired.

Star League Defence Force Announcement
Thorin, Star League Protectorate
8th December 3093

   Despite the objections of the Houses Liao and Kurita the Star League Defence Force announces an increased spending plan for 3094.  Commanding-General Archer Christifori announces from his base on Thorin the commissioning of another M5 Casper Drone added for now to the defence fleet of Terra.  He also announces that there are a further five vessels in various stages of activation and plans to expand the Casper fleets beyond Terra should Star League Protectorate worlds welcome their presence.

   He acknowledges that drones are not a popular form of technology and that in some places they will never be an accepted form of defence.  As a result the SLDF plans to raise three new Brigade sized ground force units before the turn of the century with recruits welcome from across the Inner Sphere.  He also announces that due to the success of the Guard Regiments the SLDF will assist a further three Star League Protectorate Worlds in raising their own Guard Regiments.

   While the Capellan and Combine governments believe that the expenditure on the SLDF is already excessive and that expanding a force that is accountable to no-one but their Commanding-General.  Archer Christifori points out that the SLDF are accountable to the First Lord who is one of the Succession Lords.  The Lyran Commonwealth's Archon Peter Steiner-Davion is one of the most vocal supporters of the SLDF and their expansion, given the continued heavy fighting along his nation's Clan border this is little surprise.

Offensive action
Capellan Confederation border
10th December 3093

   The Capellan Confederation strike back against the Magistracy of Canopus and Oriente Protectorate launching strikes on Ryerson (Oriente) and Fagerholm (Magistracy).  Not intending on taking either world the Capellans instead go about taking apart the defensive forces and all military facilities on both worlds, flattening every structure and removing all salvage, showing exactly what the Confederation is capable of sending a clear message to their neighbours.

Interstellar Expeditions Mission Santiago
Unknown system, Deep Periphery
14th December 3093

   The Interstellar Expeditions JumpShip Munez had jumped into an unknown system of the deep periphery.  For the last two months the ship had been jumping system to system under hire from the Lyran Commonwealth following an increase in raids along the periphery border.  So far of four systems surveyed they had found nothing except dust and long dead remains.

   This system was different however almost as soon as the JumpShip had emerged in the system the ship received several messages from warning beacons stating that the system was Rim Worlds Republic Outpost 27 and off limits to all visitors.  As the Interstellar Expeditions crew had enough environmental suits and hazardous survival gear to survive in nearly any environment the JumpShip's single DropShip the Rasputin, a truly ancient Czar-class DropShip, that had been repaired, upgraded and rebuilt more times than was likely safe, detached from the vessel and traveled in system for two days.

   Almost three days later the vessel slowly entered orbit and began to scan the surface of the planet.  Instead of finding a hostile environment they found a pleasant world that was not only capable of having a population it actually had one.  Before the DropShip could react four aerospace fighters moved on the vessel firing warning shots over the ship's bow forcing the ship into the atmosphere.  The DropShip was escorted to the ground landing within an exact replica of Avalon City as it was during the Star League-era.

   As the ship landed it was quickly surrounded by ten BattleMechs and a large group of Elementals the crew and passengers were quickly forced to surrender and abandon the vessel.  From above the ground in one of the buildings the Stone Spirit leadership watched over the captured crewmen of the DropShip.

   Tanya Furey stood at the windows watching this was the day she had expected turning to her leader Tina Campbell “as I said they will not leave us alone.  The Mandrills, the Lyrans, the dezgra Star League, even the other Clans will continue to harass us until we are destroyed.”  She said angrily

   â€œThe captured JumpShip was Interstellar Expeditions” Tor McFadden said “they are not directly afflicted with any state they are dedicated to exploration.  These people are no threat to us the most they have are security assets.”

   â€œAnd what will follow them?”  Star Colonel Jasper Osis asked he was of the former Stone Rhino warriors and also one of Tanya Furey's strongest supporters.  Although not old enough to remember the days of Clan Smoke Jaguar he had heard the stories from Tanya and that was enough.  Many of the other former Stone Rhinos, and now their children, felt the same way way while the former Blood Spirits would have preferred to remain hidden in the Periphery.

   â€œIf we remain hidden nothing” Star Colonel Cameron Schmitt suggested “their JumpShip was overrun before they could jump away and they lack a Hyper Pulse Generator to communicate beyond this star system.  Their disappearance will be put down to a miss-jump nothing more.  If we remain hidden then they may never return.”

   â€œJust like the Clans may have let us live on York?” Star Colonel Harper Cluff suggested he was the youngest of the Blood Spirit descendants that had risen to command within the Stone Spirits.  Recently he had been listening a lot to Osis and Furey it seemed today was the moment that his choice was made.  “We have expanded out here.  Our Iron Wombs have been re-established under the Forbidden City” he said naming the replica of the Capellan capitol city which had been chosen as the Stone Spirits new capital.  “We have found much of the hidden wealth left behind by the Great Father in case the SLDF had to retreat from the Hegemony.”  He said there was a series of caches that the SLDF had left behind before beginning the Liberation campaign for the most part it was equipment that the SLDF couldn't repair in time or did not have the transport capabilities available to move.  “We should not be afraid of who we are or what we are capable of.”  He said carefully supporting the Stone Rhino faction without actually saying it Tina Campbell almost smiled at his play.

   â€œWhat do you suggest Harper Cluff?”  Cameron Schmitt asked seeing Tina Campbell was impressed with the man's suggestion.  Under the rules of the Stone Spirits each of them had an equal say in how their people were led.

   â€œWe make sure that the Rim Collection and Lyran Commonwealth keep their distance.”  He suggested “we hit them hard once then we allow them to make the next choice.”

   â€œAff, we hit them” Jasper Osis said “I will strike at the Rim Collection.”

   â€œThey are my enemy” Tanya Furey said angrily Cassandra Faraday had been the first but would not be the last of the former Mandrills to die to her forces.

   â€œNot this time” Tina Campbell said seeing a rift between the two Stone Rhinos planning on exploiting it.  “Jasper Osis your cluster will strike at the Rim Collection.  We should all know who our enemies are.”  Jasper nodded and left the room “Tanya Furey, there are plenty more worlds around us you can strike at.”

   â€œFine” Tanya Furey said “I will interrogate the Interstellar Expeditions party and choose from the worlds they have recently visited.  I will erase them from memory” she said following the other warrior from the room.

   â€œThe rest of us will strengthen our defences.  I want to accelerate our fortification process and our graduation of training warriors.”

   â€œThe quality of our troops will lower” one of them an elder male warrior said

   â€œSolahma our troops training and quality will be better than you ever were” Tina snapped “they will ensure that York never happens again.”  She promised the Stone Spirits would not become what her former Clan became.

Hellraiser Productions
Orbital Facility, Fletcher
Oriente Protectorate, Former-Free Worlds League
17th December 3093

   Building on the dry-dock DropShip repair facility constructed and run by Free-Flight Limited Hellraiser Productions construct three shipyard slips capable of producing the Monolith-class JumpShip.  This construction is the biggest of its kind in the Oriente Protectorate and the first interstellar shipyard.  To mark this achievement Captain-General Jonas Halas travels to Fletcher to commission the facility and announce that additional Oriente-class Orbital Gun Platforms would be produced and deployed within the system enhancing its protection.  The construction of a shipyard in the system brings an influx of new citizens to the world as the families of the engineers travel to the world increasing the support the mountainous world needs.  Due to the massive food imports required to the world consideration is made to construct orbital gardens to feed the population on the ground due to the lack of space on the ground.

Scouting Mission
Unclaimed World, “Repair Base 77”
Periphery
22nd December 3093

   Monica Able piloted her Mech, a Bear Cub, said to be a redesign from the ones used by the Rasalhague Dominion, off the DropShip ramp.  How the Mandrills had come up with a Ghost Bear design was beyond her, she was just happy the light Mech was hers. The Mech itself was a gift from her father, Frank Able, after it was announced roughly six months ago her unit, the Fourth Rim Regulars Supernova, would become the first in the newly formed Rim Regulars Galaxy to be updated to full cluster status.  It was also one of the most advanced in her unit which for the most part used old periphery or second hand Lyran designs.

   At first, she was flabbergasted at the decision. A mere three years ago, she was serving as a fresh lieutenant in the Rim Collection Militia’s Second Combined Arms Battalion, piloting a Commando, and waiting for a spot in the Lancers to open up, if one ever did. That all changed when Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga of Clan Fire Mandrill had arrived.  At first, everyone thought the Collection was under invasion from a clan none of them thought that life would be the same again. For nearly a month, everyone was on edge and it seemed the civilians she was sworn to protect would panic. Then the Mandrills opened talks and life had never been the same since.

   Since then, many changes had happened to the tiny Collection, almost all directly attributed to the clanners. Exploration, limited recolonization, a relocation of a settlement and factory, a war, and then a following peace treaty had enabled all that. Especially the last two. The war and resulting peace treaty showed the Rim Collection could finally protect itself and the people's belief in the Able family especially Monica's grand-father had increased now they stood on their own feet something the entire Collection was proud of.

   And that belief had led to this point now she was a Star Colonel her unit was still technically a garrison unit but now it was what the clanners called a garrison cluster, comprised of two full mechanized infantry supernovas, an armor binary supernova, an air assault supernova, with a command binary of second line light BattleMechs and a star of clan-tech aerospace fighters. From what she understood, the rest of the Regulars would eventually form clusters similar to her own cluster, carving a much needed niche in the Rim Collection Touman. That was a few years down the road, she knew, for the formation of her very own cluster was more of a publicity stunt to show the newer members the Collection was watching over them than an actual plan to reform the Regulars at the current time.  Some she knew were against the conversion of the Rim Collection forces into the clan styled formations but she hoped that the performance of her new unit would win over the doubters.  Here on the border they were teamed with the First Striker Cluster from the Mandrill Galaxy setting up base on an unknown world, the only record of it was "Repair Base 77" reportedly a former Rim Worlds Republic base, a high profile deployment.

   The world was essentially a dumping ground for old, damaged equipment, she had decided, as she piloted her Bear Cub she passed a dusty old Mech, half buried in sand and dust, which appeared somewhat like a Shadow Hawk but the shoulder autocannon was missing as was much of the upper torso. All around her, mounds of equipment, vehicles, and destroyed Mechs littered the area so far they had not identified a single structure on the planet. The dropsite they had picked was just one of hundreds of sites, all pretty much the same sand, dust, and equipment everywhere salvage galore, but it would take painstaking time to grab what equipment was still valuable, if there was any.  From a couple of the places they had flown over it looked like pirates or salvage crews had come here before what had driven them away was a mystery.

   Monica began dropping sensor pods from the dispenser on board her Mech. Like the other two Bear Cubs planet-side, she was setting up a sensor net around the base. Not for the millionth time already this trip, she wished they had sent an actual scout force and not her garrison cluster. That and that the Mandrills had assigned her cluster with Fortress DropShips the Mandrills had. That request, however, was denied, stating they were for front line operations only.  Instead, she would have to stick with the three Overlord-C DropShips they originally assigned to her unit, not that they were bad ships, but you would think they would assign a combined arms cluster with DropShips built for that use, she thought snidely, as she dropped another sensor pod.

   For two more hours she continued dropping the sensor pods until the full set were dropped before she began to journey back to the DropShips, passing two Bulldog Medium Tanks on the way. Soon, she had made it to her DropShip and had backed her Bear Cub into an alcove. Getting out, she began setting to work on cleaning all the dust and sand accumulated on the trip making small talk with some of the technicians and fellow pilots and soldiers while they did the same with their machines.  The one thing that may have defeated anyone else who came here.

   Just as she completed washing all the dust and sand off her Mech and was filling out paperwork, an alarm sounded. She quickly ran to her Mech and jumped into the jumpseat. Grabbing the comm headset, she clicked on the radio. “Alpha One, Regulars here. Sitrep,” she spoke into the radio.

   â€œUnknown Star Colonel. We were ordered by Star Colonel Lopez to full action stations. Switching you to Strikers Alpha One now,” answered back the comm officer manning her DropShip.

   After a few moments, a different voiced came through her radio, belonging to Star Colonel Jessica Lopez, the clanner commander of the First Strikers. “Star Colonel, this is Alpha One, Strikers. My Beta-One-Four just discovered a Stone Spirit force hunkered down in a mountain range on the other side of the planet. Situational meeting in fifteen mikes on board your DropShip. Quiaff?”

   â€œYes ma’am. Situational meeting on board the Cackling Macaque in fifteen mikes,” she repeated back to the other Star Colonel. Once the other woman shut the radio connections, she switched back to the Cackling Macaque’s comm officer. “I want all Star Majors in CIC in five mikes. Star Major MacTaggert is to be on radio with CIC, as is Star Captain Margaret Mattila. Fighter Star to be on emergency five until I know what is happening. Over.”

   â€œAff,” the clanner comm officer answered back to her.

   Climbing down, she waited for the clanners to arrive. While she waited, she thought of what she knew so far. The First Striker's Beta Trinary was one of two Specialist trinaries in that cluster and was assigned to scout for another base on the opposite side of the planet, for the First Strikers. One-Four meant the unit that had found the Stone Spirits were part of the unit’s first elemental star, specifically the fourth point. Soon, a group of Fire Mandrill warriors had arrived. Two of what the clanners called Elemental stock and one of MechWarrior stock. Being an Elemental, Jessica Lopez easily stood out.

   â€œMa’am,” she called out to the clan woman, jumping to attention and saluting her, only to be waved down. That little action reminded her the Mandrills were not big on protocols, instead focusing more on close relationships with one another.

   As she readied herself into a ready stance with her hands behind her back, Star Colonel Lopez, a dark skinned woman, began speaking, filling her in on the situation as she joined the group of Mandrill warriors heading deeper into the DropShip. “My Beta-Four literally ran into a Stone Spirit scout team and a small fire fight erupted before its air transport picked them up. No casualties, thank Kerensky. Though now the dezgra Spirits know we are here and planet side. Your supernova commanders know of the meeting, quiaff?”

   â€œYes ma’am. I notified them of the meeting right after you contacted me,” Monica reported to the other woman.

   â€œGood,” was the clanner’s simple response. Soon, the group reached the CIC room, where her Star Majors were already waiting for them. As her supernovas stood at attention and saluted them, Star Colonel Lopez again waved them down. At least I am not the only one who feels uncomfortable with the lack of military protocol, Monica thought to herself as she joined her Star Majors.

   â€œHere is the situation. Nearly an hour ago, a Specialist Elemental point of mine, Beta-One-Four, literally ran into a Stone Spirit Elemental star here.” As she spoke, she turned on the holo-projector then zoomed in on an area just south of a mountain region on the other side of the planet. “Their transport managed to get to them in time before they could be overrun and evacuated the point from the combat area. No casualties were reported and the point is on its way home, along with the rest of the trinary. Questions?”

   â€œWhat do we know of the Spirits, ma’am,” answered Star Major Allen Riley, commander of her Beta Supernova, the armor component of her cluster.

   â€œPoint Commander Suzanne reported a star of near-broken down Elementals and while being evac’ed out, spotted roughly a binary of well-maintained BattleMechs encroaching on their former position. The BattleMechs are all known second-line BattleMechs the Stone Spirits traditionally used as Clans Blood Spirit and Stone Rhino. That means they favor medium to heavy BattleMechs, updated with standard clan-tech.”

   Monica felt her insides drop hearing the last and quickly put the situation together in her head. Her cluster only held ten light Mechs, none heavier than its two new twenty-five ton Bear Cubs all that were a lot older than the pilots in them. She knew the First Strikers had a mix of light and medium OmniMechs and BattleMechs, with only three heavies in its force, two sixty ton Predator BattleMechs and Jessica Lopez’s seventy ton Thor OmniMech fortunately the balance of the force was made out of Clan technology so it did give them a significant edge. Together both clusters could field twenty-five ‘Mechs between them. If they faced a standard clan cluster, they would be outnumbered in Mechs, and likely only have a small edge in aerospace fighters. Their only real multiplier was their large numbers of power armor, primarily Nighthawks and Salamander Clan suits but also a squad of Longinus suits which again had appeared from nowhere, and their armour units. And that multiplier dropped significantly if the opposing Stone Spirits forces on the planet was designed like their Blood Spirit predecessors or was backed by one of the three vehicle clusters the Spirits were last known to have in its touman.

   Altogether, she knew their options were limited. Either the Rim Collection abandoned this planet of potentially vastly importance to the Spirits or both clusters would need to rapidly build defensive positions while the two Specialist airborne trinaries of the First acted as a scouting force, watching over the Spirits as they did so. And Monica knew what the clanner woman across from her had decided, for she knew Jessica Lopez, as every other clanner she met, was itching to fight the Spirits and revenge the death of Kindraa Leader Cassandra Faraday.

   No sooner then she came to this conclusion than did the towering Elemental woman began speaking, letting Monica know she was right in her beliefs. “We have no idea what kind of forces the Spirits have planet-side. Yet we know three things. One is the Spirits seemingly have a maintenance problem concerning their Elemental power armor, but unlike on Finmark, are maintaining their BattleMechs, suggesting the maintenance issue with the Elementals is merely a lack of a harjel supply and likely possibly a lack. Another is if they deployed an entire cluster as it traditional clan norm and they probably did, we are outnumbered in terms of ‘Mechs, though we likely outnumber them in Elementals and other power armor and possibly armor if we are lucky. Last is their lack of JumpShips and likely DropShips, suggesting we have an advantage in being able to rapidly deploy our clusters if needed. Quiaff?”

   Monica noticed the clanner woman was looking directly at her. “Yes ma’am,” she cited to the other star colonel, knowing she was right and kicking herself for not thinking about either of those advantages they held and only thinking of their disadvantages.

   Looking around the room, the clanner woman continued. “So long as we have the latter advantage, we will remain on this planet and contest it. Until we know more of the enemy numbers and equipment, however, we are not, repeat not, to initiate combat, though we will defend ourselves. Quiaff?”

   â€œYes ma’am,” and “Aff,” answered the senior star colonel as she gave the order, as Monica and the other Rim Collection officers and their clan warrior allies answered the burly Elemental.

   â€œMy Gamma Trinary will set observation posts along this river here," the large Elemental clan woman informed, pointing an area roughly two hundred klicks south of where the Spirits were spotted, close enough to keep an eye on them through the Kirghiz OmniFighters, but far enough way to easily evac if needed. For another twenty minutes, they developed a rough plan to defend themselves if needed, mostly revolving around the use of their DropShips to move their clusters around the planet if they were in any danger of fighting a pitch battle.

   Finally satisfied with the plans for now, Star Colonel Jessica Lopez spoke. "Return to your posts. Remember any unit that encounters the Spirits is ordered to fall back and report the encounter as soon as they can. Star Colonel Able, stay behind,” the Elemental ordered. As soon as the star captains and star majors from both clusters had left the room, leaving only the two star colonels and the skeleton HQ staff remaining, the burly Elemental turned to the clanner comm officer. “Get me priority HPG contact with Galaxy Marshal Stephanie Bush immediately.” After the clan Technician gave his ascent and turned his back to the two women, Lopez continued. “As star colonel of your cluster, you must identify when to stay and fight and when to run and fight another day. While running is perfectly allowable, given our position, we can just as easily maintain a presence on this world due to our advantage in mobility via DropShips. You understand, quiaff?”

   â€œYes ma’am, I do. I should have identified their weakness and not just think of our own while I was reviewing the situation mentally earlier,” Monica answered the Elemental woman before shifting her eyes down, resting them on the holo-projector, again mentally kicking herself for not doing so.

   â€œThat is why our clusters are working together. You and your cluster are here for hands on learning. And ours is to learn to keep our patience around you freebirths and learn to work together,” the burly Elemental replied with a feral smirk.

   â€œYes ma’am!” Monica answered the larger woman with her own smirk after looking up and meeting the eyes of the star colonel and seeing no condescension for her or her subordinates, just plain humor. A few minutes later, HPG contact was made with Galaxy Marshal Stephanie Bush and both began informing her of the presence of Clan Stone Spirit on Repair Base 77 and their decision to maintain their presence and contest the world against the Spirits.

Mercenary Assignment
Filtvelt, Filtvelt Coalition
Periphery
23rd December 3093

   Following a series of raids attributed to Clan Nova Cat the Filtvelt Coalition hire a series of small Mercenary commands to supplement their planetary defences.  One such command is a recently formed unit named McCandless' Wranglers a unit formed by ex-AFFS officers, enlisted and technical personnel.  This unit which is approximately a combined-arms battalion in strength and is commanded by Major Moira McCandless they are assigned to supplement the defences of Morven.

Ever think of doing a fanbook with all this? Be pretty cool going over all the years maybe add in a map or two for all your changes. Congrats, keep up all the fine fiction!

I've updated the Map thread they are not too pretty but hopefully pass the idea of how this thread is going.  I'm going to update the short version of the timeline very soon as well.

Sorry I have not been able to help more with that.

Quote from: Takiro on December 04, 2014, 10:37:13 PM

Ever think of doing a fanbook with all this? Be pretty cool going over all the years maybe add in a map or two for all your changes. Congrats, keep up all the fine fiction!

Been considering a Field Manual/Field Report type document but to be honest have not a single clue where to start

Quote from: Abele on December 05, 2014, 01:30:10 AM

The best way for the Stone Spirits to stay hidden would be for them to not make themselves known.

As far as many of them are concerned they've been found.  The Interstellar Expeditions arrival to the Stone Spirits is like the Outbound Light arrival in the Huntress system.  They've also fought border skirmishes with the Fire Mandrills who reside in the Rim Collection more than a little fear is driving them although the Jaguar/Rhino blood in them would never admit it.

Quote from: Blacknova on December 05, 2014, 03:50:05 AM

Quote from: Dragon Cat on December 04, 2014, 10:28:12 PM

I've updated the Map thread they are not too pretty but hopefully pass the idea of how this thread is going.  I'm going to update the short version of the timeline very soon as well.

Sorry I have not been able to help more with that.

Considering your own AU is on hold I can't complain too much

Great update as always DC, i'm sure some of us would be happy to help you with the write up's if you give us the direction, instead of a Field Manual style book why not go for something along the lines of the old Battletechnology magazine? Some news reports, unit briefs, tech readout, merc hiring hall.

Excllent story update.

nice update.  Just a question....  Who did Clan Jade Falcon trade the worlds to for equiptment? Clan Sea Fox or Ghost Bear?

Three months of 3094 down already!!  My thanks to James Tanaga with the continued excellent material from the Rim Collection's area of space.

A two parter for this month...

Border Raid
An Ting, Barlow's End PDZ
Draconis March, Federated Suns
7th March 3094

   The Seventh Sword of Light Regiment of the Draconis Combine raided the Federated Suns held border world of An Ting facing off against the newly arrived First McCarron's Armoured Cavalry and local milita forces.  The DCMS force never threatens to take the world from the defenders however it does give several new warriors their combat debut including twenty year old Michiko Kurita, daughter of Warlord Minoru Kurita, piloting a brand new Dragon II Heavy BattleMech.  After several hours of low intensity battle the DCMS Regiment retreats off planet leaving the system harried by AFFS aerospace fighters.

Lyran High Command
Tharkad, Donegal Province
Lyran Commonwealth
14th March 3094

   Following the death of Keane Sortek fighting the Jade Falcons Lyran Archon Peter Steiner-Davion wastes no time in naming a new General of Armies.  To most line officers and most of the enlisted officers the choice is surprising General Thomas Hogarth the “hero” of the Lyran evacuation from Bountiful Harvest.  Hogarth is a long way from being Peter's first or even second choice, the man is little more than an “armchair general” of a bygone-era, however to the Estates Generals office sees promise in him as well as a way to control the General of Armies position shaping the future of the Lyran Commonwealth.

Fin's Landing
Caldarium, Rim Collection
Periphery
14th March, 3094

   Following the discovery, and capture, of a second Interstellar Expeditions team in Stone Spirit Territory the Stone Spirits had moved up their timetable in dealing with their interstellar neighbours.  While Tanya Furey commanded an expedition into the nearby periphery planets and the Lyran Commonwealth world of Main Street Jasper Osis had gotten his wish to strike at the Rim Collection and the Fire Mandrills residing there.

   Not for the first time Star Colonel Jasper Osis had once again cursed, for the Rim Collection freebirth defenders had again outsmarted his Spirits, this time a report of a star of Salamanders starting fires in the fuel-bunkers near the factory complex before two stars of his own BattleMechs forced them to depart. His campaign against the Mandrills and their Collection allies on Caldarium had been like this since his cluster had destroyed the defending First Rim Assault Cluster, a force he judged to be only a mere supernova in strength at the time. While the cluster had heavy and assault BattleMechs, they were easily crushed as they strangely had charged his, alongside roughly three trinaries of armor that must of been part of the planet's militia forces, at a cost of only eleven of his BattleMechs and another seven damaged in some way, with much of his own armor trinary being destroyed, after his cluster concentrated fire onto the dezgra barbarians.

   Now, though, just into the second week on this damn planet, he knew the Collection defenders had only thrown their heaviest units against his cluster to buy time for the evacuation of the BattleMech factory. While his cluster easily killed the Nighthawk-equipped infantry defending the factory, no civilians were found and since its capture, he had lost roughly an entire star of BattleMechs to unknown forces while another star was forced to withdraw from the dezgra Spheroids still around this the factory and the settlement called Fin's Landing.

   Worse, the forty-two assault BattleMechs they had captured here in the factory were themselves a trap by the dezgra Spheroids. When his technicians had activated one, its fusion engines quickly overheated and went critical, nearly destroying the assault ‘Mech and killing his techs working on it before one had managed to shut down the war machine.  While his chief technician had informed him the BattleMechs themselves were easily still functional, the need to reprogram or even replace their OS to counter the barbarian freebirth trap meant they could not be used immediately at least not until his technicians had purged their systems and basically started from scratch a mind-numbingly long and boring task.  That meant loading the BattleMechs and the plentiful spare parts onto their DropShips, at a painstaking slow pace this was made worse as their DropShips were the target of the dezgra Collection aerospace fighters during their travel to the Stone Spirits vitally important JumpShips the Stone Spirits had in their possession. That necessitated his own fighters having to guard against them while his DropShips undertook painstaking maneuvers to keep them in between his fighters and the Collection’s. which meant using large amounts of fuel.

   The Salamander attack on the fuel-bunkers was just the last of these cowardly attacks and, due to the fuel needs his DropShips had, meant the most damaging. While his two DropShips refueling there after the last of the captured OmniMechs were hauled on board were not damaged, it again highlighted the effect of the dezgra guerrilla tactics the freebirth barbarians were having against his forces. Strangely, most of these attacks were inside the BattleMech factory itself and not around the planet’s capital, where he knew another supernova-size cluster of BattleMechs and OmniMechs awaited his cluster.

   Then, it dawned on him. Flicking on his radio, he yelled into it. “All forces! Spread out and check the entire factory complex now! From the biggest building to the smallest! The freebirth barbarians have a hidden base either inside the complex or have one nearby! And I want it destroyed last week! Quiaff!” As his warriors answered his orders with their acknowledgments, he allowed himself a feral grin, for he knew he would finally destroy the dezgra barbarians before he would have to retreat from this world.

   â€œWell, that was that,” Star Captain Michael Nevversan said to himself as he half-listened into a conversation a group of Stone Spirit technicians were having near a well-hidden remote sensor the Fins had left behind, letting him know of the Spirits commander, a Star Colonel Jasper Osis, had just ordered his cluster to canvass the entire complex for his forces. A member of the entirely-Elemental Nevversan Bloodhouse, a former Smoke Jaguar Bloodname captured intact by the Faraday-Tanaga shortly after the Smoke Jaguar’s destruction, he was also the temporary commander of the Rim Collection’s forces contesting the vastly-important factory complex the Fins had relocated to Caldarium with, having been entrusted with the assignment after Star Colonel Takala’s death a week ago while in a successful holding action against the Spirits while the Fin and Caldarium civilians at the factory evacuated through the tunnels the Fins had built shortly after their arrival here a few years ago.

   Flicking on his radio to the frequency his trinary and the First Assault Cluster were using, he spoke into it. “All Rim units surrounding the Rim Motors factory complex, we have been made. I repeat, we been had. Pull back through the tunnels or make your way through the mountains back to the Nineteenth Striker Cluster as soon as you can. My Salamanders will remain here to keep an eye on the Spirits. Quiaff?”

   As the clan warrior halfheartedly listened to the freeborn defenders of the Rim Collection’s First Assault Cluster acknowledged his orders, he was soon joined by another member of his bloodhouse, Yu Nevversan, newly bloodnamed after his actions on All Dawn against the Lyrans. His star had been only recently rotated into Michael’s command, as the Mandrills took stock of what the Lyrans invasion on All Dawn had cost them and what they had gained. “Five of six fuel bunkers destroyed, Star Captain,” the Star Commander reported to him. “I think I may have hit a hornet nest on the way out, for the Spirits were on our tails for much of our retreat,” the man joked, causing Michael to roll his eyes. While a capable warrior and one who seemingly had adjusted well to operating with the freeborn warriors of the Rim Collection, he wished Yu would be serious, for he and many of the Kindraa expected much of the warrior who enduring a hurricane to rescue a patrol of munchkins.

   No, Clan, he reminded himself privately, for his kindraa and the remnants of Kindraa Mattila-Carrol were now a proper Clan although by a long way there were the smallest and were even more outcast than the Exiled Wolves they were Clan and that remained important. Deciding to ignore the younger warrior’s humor, he spoke to him. “Good. Are your Salamanders good to go?”

   â€œAff. Though Becka took a laser shot to her left shoulder from a Great Wyrm,” the younger warrior of Elemental stock reported to him.

   Michael grimaced, for a Salamander was not as armored as an Elemental. Still, the suit’s Har-jel likely would save the warrior. “Our freeborn allies should be retreating through the tunnels or scattering into the mountains to regroup to the Nineteenth Strikers in a little while. Make sure she is with them. Our two stars, meanwhile, will watch over the Spirits and relay information back to Star Colonel Brian Tanaga.” Both knew he regularly commanded a trinary in the field, yet their star of Kirgiz OmniFighters were with the rest of the Nineteenth, guarding the capital city of Caldarium, alongside the planet’s militia cluster, after dropping both their Salamander stars on the factory just as the Spirits were about to arrive on planet a week earlier.

   â€œAff, Star Captain. Should you fall, though, I will pull what survivors we have remaining back until our promised reinforcements arrive,” the younger warrior answered back. He was of course referring to elements from the First and Third Battle Clusters on Langhorne and Slewis, as well as promised support from the freeborn Collection units, mainly from Waypoint and Ormstown. The plan was for the Carrack-class corvette RCS Mandrill Provider and RCS Enduring Freedom, a Merchant-class JumpShip modified with an L-F battery and able to carry a star of fighters, would both jump in shortly before the promised reinforcements tomorrow around thirteen hundred hours, shortly before the promised reinforcements. The reinforcements would be under the command of Galaxy Martial Karen Able, who had been inspecting the Rim Collection base on Waypoint when the Spirits had arrived in system.

   For the rest of the day and into the night, he and his warriors kept watch onto the factory complex, while he and another warrior would listen in on whatever conversations the Spirit technicians were having near the remote sensor. From what they heard, the suspected har-jel and spare parts shortage the Spirits were seen having on Repair Base 77 was confirmed, all the while slowly moving from place to place to avoid the furious Stone Spirit patrols.

   The next day, shortly after thirteen hundred hours, Brian Tanaga had radioed in news of the arrival of the RCS Mandrill Provider and RCS Enduring Freedom and the vital reinforcements they protected. With that news came with it the chaotic evacuation of the Stone Spirits from the factory complex. His plans to quickly take the factory after their evacuation, however, went to smoke, as he overheard a Stone Spirit technician order two spare fusion engines to be overloaded right as their DropShips lifted through the hidden remote sensor.

   Not an hour later, he and his warriors watched as the Stone Spirit DropShips left the planet. If he had any technicians with him or even MechWarriors, he would have led his warriors and them into the factory complex to the fusion engine and electronic components line, where the Stone Spirits had placed the overloading fusion engines at in an attempt to stop the engines from detonating, destroying them and causing heavy damage to the factory lines that, he knew, would necessitate time-demanding repairs. Ten minutes after the last of the DropShips had launched, he and his warriors watched from their place higher in the mountain as two vitally-important buildings in the factory erupted, causing fire and radiation to spread to other close-by buildings. Grimly, he slowly led his warriors down into the factory to ensure the dezgra Spirits had left no other surprises for them. As they did so, civilian Salamanders built for firefighting awaited word for the all-clear in the Kirgiz fighters and what shuttles were on planet.

             Finally, having cleared the topside buildings of the factory, while the freeborn warriors of the First Assault Cluster did likewise in the tunnels below, he gave the all-clear to the awaiting shuttles and Kirgiz OmniFighters. As he watched each slowly land and firefighters in civilian Salamanders, as well as the remaining Salamanders of the Nineteenth Strikers disgorge from them, he had his warriors line up for a chance to replace their fire launchers for fire extinguishers, for they would soon be joining their fellow warriors and the freeborn civilians in fighting the now-blazing fire from destroying the factory. As they waited for their chance, he hoped the incoming reinforcements would catch the dezgra Spirits.

   Three days later, as he finally marched to where his exhausted warriors had gathered, Karen Able radioed him the bad news, along with the entire planet. “This is Galaxy Marshal Karen Able. Last traces of the Stone Spirits have left the system, reaching their JumpShips shortly before they could be destroyed by our WarShips. Reinforcements are inbound and will arrive in the night. To those defending the factory, both Mandrill and Collection, well done. For those who died doing their duty or were honor-bound to do so, to the families and friends of them I say this. Their deaths were not in vain, as they protected the lives of civilians and defended a vitally important asset to the Rim Collection, that while badly damaged, is repairable from what I have been told. Their deaths will not be forgotten and will be avenged. You have my word, as an officer and warrior of the Rim Collection and an Able. Karen Able out.”

   â€˜She said the right things for both her freeborn people and for ours,’ Michael thought to himself as a technician helped him out of the Salamander battle armor he piloted. Looking on the haggard, yet determined faces of his warriors, he knew the freeborn woman’s words had reached them as well.

   Yu spoke what had to be in the thoughts of all his warriors then. “Guess we’re going to war against the Spirits now. Good, for I was getting rather tired and restless having to sit and act like a good munchkin in the face of that treaty with the dezgra Lyrans.” And for once, Michael decided to not reprimand the younger warrior for using a contraction.

Stone Spirit Expansion
Lyran Periphery
22nd March 3094

   As Jasper Osis and his troops struggled on Caldarium Tanya Furey had found that she had gotten lucky again.  First to fall to her troops had been Ferusvirgo a barely inhabited rock occupied by the dregs of society who had fled the Succession Wars and the pirate attacks against some larger worlds.  The inhabitants actually welcomed her troops without a shot fired.  Next to follow were the pirate worlds of The Rack and Pain, Port Vail and Dijonne on some older maps and possibly those of the future, on these worlds her forces found far better equipped enemies who were willing to put up fight.  Fortunately these pirate forces despite being better equipped were still divided by their petty differences and the Stone Rhinos under her command quickly occupied both shattering the defenders putting their leaders to death very publicly to put down further unrest before it started.  The icing on the cake had been that during their time in The Rack system the Stone Spirits had captured five pirate owned interstellar vessels three were of the Invader-class JumpShip while the other two were Merchant-class vessels.  These ships were ancient possibly dating back to the original Star League-era with the technology and resources the Stone Spirits had found in the Periphery they could turn them into vital parts of their growing territory.

   Tanya Furey had then led her Cluster to the Lyran world of Main Street and engaged a combined-arms Battalion of the Seventeenth Lyran Guards Regiment who defended this far flung Lyran Commonwealth world.  The Stone Spirit forces had rapidly gunned down the Lyran defenders capturing much of the Battalion as salvage.  They had then rounded up the surviving technical crews herding them onto DropShips to be shipped out of the system.  As a final act Tanya Furey had left a message with the surviving leadership of Main Street that should the Lyrans or the so-called Interstellar Expeditions continue to push into the Periphery then the Stone Spirits would push back.

Trade Negotiations, FSS Black Prince (Mercury-class Battleship)
Unnamed Periphery System
30th March 3094

   As interstellar neighbours and some time allies the Federated Suns and Nova Cats often engaged in trade discussions.  For the most part these took place at the Nova Cat Embassy or the Nova Cat Firebase on New Avalon however for these negotiations the Federated Suns had requested a deep space meeting.  As this was an unusual meeting the Nova Cats had arrived in the unclaimed system with the Sandra Rosse, an Anna Rosse-class Battle-cruiser, and the Luna, a Bug-Eye Surveillance Craft, which had arrived at a separate point of the system to observe the negotiations.  The Federated Suns force commanded by First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion himself had arrived three days after the Nova Cats with one of the largest vessels in known existence the FSS Black Prince, the Federated Suns recently launched Mercury-class Battleship.  The massive red-and-black painted vessel was very obviously based on the Columbia-class vessel the Pegasus which the AFFS had hidden from centuries but this new ship was a very new class of WarShip which would likely challenge any other vessel in space for decades to come.

   Once the Nova Cats had gotten over their shock at seeing the massive WarShip the Nova Cats had agreed to come over to the Black Prince to begin negotiations.  Standing at the airlock Victor Steiner-Davion was flanked by a pair of Battle Armoured marines, one feature of the Black Prince and the Mercury-class was that the Battle Armour suited troopers could go anywhere without restriction unlike many older classes, as the door opened immediately the First Prince was shocked with who he saw “Yvonne?”  He said looking at the woman in front of him she was older, her face had more lines on it, her red hair had a lot more gray to it but this was his younger sister.

   â€œVictor” she said smiling stepping on board the Federated Suns vessel “nice toy you have.  If you wished to make a statement the message was received loud and clear.”  She said embracing him in a hug.

   â€œIt's not quite combat ready yet but she is the fastest ship we have.  Where's Canin?”  He asked he'd expected her husband the Nova Cat Khan to attend as far as Victor knew Yvonne had no current military standing in the Nova Cats.

   â€œCurrently the Khan is busy.”  Yvonne said carefully he knew that she knew where he was but obviously could not say “instead Oathmaster Klick Lenardon will be conducting the negotiations” she said stepping to one side as the massive Nova Cat Elemental dressed in traditional leathers and wearing an intimidating Nova Cat mask.

   â€œA pleasure to meet you” Victor greeted

   â€œOf course” the man said not removing his mask

   â€œThis way” Victor said leading the Nova Cat party through the ship the Black Prince was a massive vessel dwarfing anything that Victor had ever traveled on before he'd gone along this route three times before the Nova Cat arrival to ensure that he didn't accidentally take a wrong turn.  Fortunately they made it safely to the meeting room with Victor taking his place at one side of the room and the Nova Cats, his sister included, sitting opposite.  “Allow me to get to my point” Victor said “the Federated Suns has designed, built and tested the next generation of Lithium Fusion Battery.  Something we are willing to trade to the Nova Cats.”  Victor said it had been a hard-sell with the Federated Suns nobility and with the AFFS High Command but Victor had pointed out that the Federated Suns were duty bound to share the technology with the Star League Defence Force once it spread to the SLDF the other member states would gain the Technology and then so would the Clans.  The First Prince had pointed out that the Federated Suns should get something out of it which had lead to this meeting.

   â€œSomething I find difficult to believe” Oathmaster Lenardon said dismissively “the Clans have worked with and on this technology for more than two hundred and fifty years.  Despite this technological achievement you have created” he said looking around the room “there are some things that take much more to understand and surpass.”

   â€œThis ship has the prototype system on board it” Victor said proudly “here is the data on our trip here.”  He said handing a data pad to the Nova Cat who handed it to one of his other party who began to look over the data after a few moments the man nodded.

   â€œInteresting data which could be accurate or miss-information, Quiaff?  The Inner Sphere has been known in the past to use such tactics to win battles with the Inner Sphere.”

   â€œThen a demonstration?”  Victor asked the Oathmaster finally removed his mask looking Victor in the eyes as he did before glancing at Yvonne who nodded the Oathmaster looked back at Victor and nodded.

   â€œHave your shuttle detach and head back to the Sandra Rosse.  We will return once our engine has recharged.”  He promised them the Oathmaster looked at Victor suspiciously before glancing at one of the other Nova Cats.

   â€œReturn to the shuttle, inform the Sandra Rosse's command that if we do not return within one week then they are to take word of the Federated Suns betrayal to the Clan Council” he said glancing back at Victor “retribution that even the Khan will not be able to stop.”

   Nearly an hour later the shuttle had cleared the FSS Black Prince's jump field and the Mercury-class vessel was able to jump a total of three times emerging finally from Hyperspace in the Anjin Muerto system ninety light years away from the system which they had met.  The WarShip communicated its presence to the planet ensuring no-one panicked at the arrival of the massive vessel.

   On board the vessel Victor Steiner-Davion was able to present the Nova Cat Oathmaster with physical proof that the FSS Black Prince carried a revolutionary piece of equipment the negotiations proceeded quickly with the Federated Suns wanting a only one thing a Bug-Eye-class Surveillance Vessel of which the Nova Cats have three and are considered to be priceless.  Initially Oathmaster Lenardon had suggested that all the Nova Cats needed to do was capture the vessel that he stood on from the Federated Suns and then the Clan would have the technology.  The Federated Suns leader is quick to point out that not only do the Nova Cats have nothing that can keep up with the FSS Black Prince and that even if they could over power the battleship that the system was built into the very hull of the vessel.

   Before the FSS Black Prince returns to the meeting system rendezvousing with the Sandra Rosse on the 5th April an agreement is made for one of the Nova Cat's three Bug-Eye-class vessels for the new jump technology.  By the end of April 3094 the deal had been completed and one of the three Bug-Eyes possessed by the Nova Cats was exchanged for the technology.