Another longer than I'd have liked delay on the writing but here goes the next bit
Burn-in, SLDS Harman Dae-Jung
Long Baseline Facility 3, Lebouef
Military District of Dieron, Draconis Combine
11th April 3113 The Castrum-class DropShip SLDS Harman Dae-Jung moved rapidly towards the frozen Kuiper Belt object known as Lebouef, or as Long Baseline Facility 3, which according to Star League-era records was a deep space observatory and intelligence gathering facility and according to records had been abandoned years before.
Deep inside the vessel Major Davina Patch rested in her Nighthawk Mk. XXX Power Armour waiting for the green light. This facility should have been unmanned after all this time but they’d soon find out. The DropShip moved over the frozen rock approaching the “abandoned†facility “Bridge to Major Patch.â€
“Go ahead, Captain Villecourt†She responded
“Major, we’re detecting power signatures from the facility below. Someone left the fusion reactors running or there’s people down there.†He said briefing her.
“Received Major, we’re ready†she said
“Very good, standby for drop†he said the ship moved over the base below with the cargo bay doors opening to allow them to drop. Immediately the battle suited marines dropped from the belly of the Castrum-class DropShip which hovered above LBF-3 the facility had no weapons but the DropShip’s guns were trained on the facility anyway.
From the belly of the DropShip Major Patch and forty-seven other troopers fell towards the facility below. As planned the battle armoured troopers dropped all across the facility burning through air locks entering the facility. “Patch to all teams, secure air locks behind you we don’t want to vent the atmosphere unless we have to.†She said as she entered the facility already marines had begun to use portable HarJel packs purchased from Clan Sea Fox to seal the breach behind them while another marine worked on the hatch in front of them this time hacking the internal airlock to allow them to enter.
Within minutes the doors opened and the Nighthawks were able to enter their weapons at the ready. Once inside the marines fanned out and Patch followed her Mauser Pulse Rifle raised inside there were several battle armoured marines pointing their weapons at members of crew dressed in ComStar uniforms each of them with their hands up. “I am Major Davina Patch, Star League Defence Force, identify yourselves.†Her Nighthawk’s speakers amplifying her voice so all could hear.
“I am Station Manager Margaret Thompson, welcome to ComStar Facility Lebouef, we were not expecting you.â€
“I assumed not†Patch responded “ComStar is long gone the organisation disbanded. The ComGuard and ROM remenants have been folded into the Star League Defence Force.†She said keeping her weapons on the ComStar personnel elsewhere the same was being played out. “I need you to ensure that all of your people show no resistance.†Patch ordered Thompson reached for her belt and was watched by the Star League Marines as she drew a small radio.
“This is Thompson, all staff the personnel boarding the station and from the DropShip above are from the Star League Defence Force do not resist.†She said nodding to Patch.
“Thank you, how much personnel do you have on board.â€
“We have twenty former ComStar personnel and six children under ten years.†Thompson replied “we have been out of contact with ComStar for some time.†She said as an explanation for the increased personnel, children wouldn’t normally be assigned to such a base. “We have room for hundreds in this facility and plenty hydroponic gardens.â€
“Understood, as of this moment this facility is under SLDF control, we will not harm anyone unless they intend on hurting us. In time if any of your personnel wish to communicate with those outside this base or to leave the SLDF will accommodate youâ€
“Thank you Major, I appreciate that, we will not resist your occupation.â€
“Major Patch to Harman Dae-Jung, objective is secured.†She said within a couple of hours the DropShip was able to dock at the facility and for SLDF teams to search the facility they did indeed find the facility was capable of supporting hundreds of personnel but that ComStar had not used the extended facilities for people instead they had converted much of the quarters over to hydroponics and storage which was what had allowed the small crew to live so long without support.
WarShip Foxhound (Drake-class Corvette)
Morghui, Deep Periphery
14th April 3113 After nearly a year of searching the Nova Cat WarShip Foxhound, a Drake-class Corvette, find the moon Morghui home of the pirates who attacked their people on Bandon. In orbit the Foxhound captures the pirate’s JumpShip and DropShip while the Sixty-eighth Nova Cat Roar Cluster dropped down to the planet and systematically hunted down the nearly battalion strength pirate force. On the surface they found hundreds of civilians who had been held essentially as slaves to the raiders. With Morghui able to only support a minimal population the Nova Cat’s choose to instead evacuate the population and bring them back to the Nova Cat’s Den.
Trial of Refusal, Taurian Concordat Camp
Gant, Expansion Zone
Nova Cat’s Den
17th April 3113 For the last week a truce had existed between Taurian, Star League and Nova Cat forces on the formerly Taurian Concordat world of Gant which was now occupied by Clan Nova Cat. Entering the command tent of the Taurian Concordat Protector Erik Martens-Calderon and his nineteen-year-old daughter Nicoletta Calderon moved towards the command table in the middle of the room. Standing at the table already were several SLDF and Taurian officers including Commanding-General Victor Focht who had his left arm in a sling and bandages covering much of his neck and torso following battle with the Nova Cats.
“Negotiations are at an end.†Erik said looking around the table “the Nova Cats have agreed to a Trial of Refusal to end the conflict that has raged between us. They have agreed to limit the scope of this Trial to be between a Battalion of our forces and a Nova Cat Cluster.†He said looking around the table “as you are injured Commanding-General Focht, I will command the Trial. I would welcome your forces support, but should you wish, you may withdraw Star League participation in the trial.â€
“I trust your command Protector, Colonel Michelle Tegan my aide will command any SLDF element involved in the trial under your command.†Focht said beside him a female officer in her 40s nodded her agreement to the Protector.
“Very good thank you, Colonel, I appreciate the support.†He said “together we’ll stand up to the Nova Cats and end this war once and for all.â€
---
Two days later Protector Erik Martens-Calderon lined up on the battle line suited up in his Bruce Battle Armour suit with members of his Taurian Concordat Military and members of the SLDF. The Taurian forces were painted in the colours of the Taurian Guard primarily brown with red secondary colours and tan highlights while the SLDF units were painted in the green and two-tone blues of the Star League. Against them were the forces of Clan Nova Cat’s Delta Galaxy led by Khan Canin Rosse himself. The Delta Galaxy Mechs, ProtoMechs, Battle Armour and vehicles were painted in a white blue and multiple shades of green pattern with white and blue making up the majority of the upper hull of Mechs and the greens covered the legs.
“I am Khan Canin Rosse of the Nova Cat Clan; I lead my Clan by example and will command them in this Trial of Refusal. I bring the Watch Cluster to this battle.†The leader of the Nova Cats said from his Dragon Cat OmniMech. The Khan’s Mech had strode across the battlefield for decades and was well known by all of the Nova Cat’s opponents. Sleek and agile the seventy-ton OmniMech was deadly to units of all sizes.
“I am Protector Erik Martens-Calderon leader of the Taurian Concordat. I will lead the Taurian Guards in this battle.â€
“Protector, I am glad to hear you are brave enough to face us†Rosse taunted the Taurian leader. “It is a shame Victor Focht is not here I would have liked to battle him again.†He said reminding Erik of the injuries the Nova Cats had caused to the Commanding General. “Protector, regardless of the result today the Nova Cats will accept your truce. You have met us in honourable combat, this is not something we will forget. My people will honour your actions even if I fall.â€
“I understand Khan Rosse, fight wellâ€
“Seyla†Rosse responded, there was a few moments of silence and then all hell broke loose as weapons fire began to be exchanged by both sides with a massive melee quickly developing.
The Protector’s Bruce Assault Armour weighed two thousand kilograms in total and was one of the slowest units in the Taurian forces. Initially Erik tried to track the Nova Cat Khan but he quickly lost sight of the faster moving Clan OmniMech. Moving forwards, he and his squad concentrated on assisting other units damage Nova Cat units with their support particle cannons together the four suits of his squad and the other eight members of their platoon could cause a massive amount of damage to an unsuspecting opponent.
As they moved forwards, they came across a Nova Cat SM1 Tank Destroyer opening fire on the rapidly moving hovercraft causing heavy damage to its right side damaging the propulsion skirt keeping its main autocannon off line from them. The hovercraft’s machine guns engaged them but they were nowhere near enough to stop the closing twelve Battle Armour Suits. Using their jump jets the Bruce suits quickly surrounded and bombarded the tank with fire destroying the tank and its crew. As they fought hover the Taurians had missed a point of five rapidly moving Nova Cat Trojan ProtoMechs. The scout unit of many Nova Cat forces the Trojan weight three times as much as any of the Bruce units but were designed for speed and agility and were only lightly armed with each carrying a single Anti-personnel Gauss Rifle.
Together all five of the Trojans could be deadly if they concentrated fire on individual units but that was where the Bruce had another advantage its mimetic armour would help foul the Nova Cats targeting. While the ProtoMechs were causing damage to the Bruce suits together the twelve Taurian Battle Armour troopers systematically brought down all five of the enemy units.
Erik smiled in his sealed Battle Armour suit they had successfully destroyed two units already and not taken a single casualty perhaps they had more of a chance than he had initially thought. He looked at the battle feed from his command vehicles and saw that the Nova Cats were causing heavy casualties to their forces but so far, their lines were holding. “Next target that pair of Shodens, we stop them bombarding our forces.†He commanded seeing another pair of wheeled missile tanks. The twelve Bruce suits leapt into the air approaching the vehicles which suddenly turned their attention on Erik’s unit switching their Advanced Tactical Missile launchers over to high explosive missiles several of the Bruce suits were hit and knocked out of the sky in the first missile volley. “This is Bull, we need support with a pair of missile tanks, fire for effect at my location!†Eric called out leaning into the ground for cover along with the rest of his troopers’ moments later Taurian artillery began landing in the area instead of standing up to fight the two Nova Cat tanks continued to fire as they moved away keeping the Battle Armour from taking advantage of the artillery support. “Cease fire!†Erik called out over the radio seeing the armour retreat into the smoke that was sweeping over the battlefield as he stood back up and began checking on his surviving men there was movement on his HUD display turning to face them his position was bombarded by short range missiles and for a moment he thought the Shodens had returned but then he saw his worst nightmare as an entire star of Nova Cat Elemental Battle Armoured troopers appeared charging out of the smoke.
With the Bruce suits outnumbered two-to-one and several of the troopers already injured Erik knew things looked grim but he wasn’t ready to give up on the battle. He and the other Taurian troopers fired their particle cannons and their suit’s inbuilt anti-personnel weapons as quickly as they would cycle intent on taking as many Elementals with them as they could but there were too many. Erik felt his suit be slammed from the side as a Nova Cat warrior fired a missile into his suit from less than ten metres away the blast knocked his suit through the air into a nearby collapsed wall as he rose he saw the burned Elemental continue to charge at him he raised his particle cannon and blasted the trooper in the face killing him but immediately another appeared. Not thinking Erik opened fire with his anti-personnel weapons intent on distracting the Elemental as he got his suit back onto its feet and the particle cannon cooled. The Elemental didn’t care about the antipersonnel weapons fire instead stepped forwards and sliced into the Bruce suit with its power claw Erik felt armour rip open but didn’t feel pain instead he swung back at the Elemental with his suit’s right arm heavy battle claw. Slamming down on the Elemental’s own claw the force of the impact amputated the Clan suit’s arm ripping the claw away from the suit. The Clansman staggered backwards then turned to face Erik and raised its other arm how the warrior was still fighting was beyond Erik he would have been unconscious or worse having sustained the injury the warrior must have taken by his attack but his momentary surprise was replaced with horror as he saw the Elemental’s arm mounted flamer spark to life. Refusing to face the weapon Erik launched his suit into the air on its jump jets but he wasn’t quick enough the fire burned through the holes in his armour and reached Erik’s skin. As the Bruce flew into the air Erik Martens-Calderon screamed as the flames reached the scraps of clothing, he wore inside the suit both his shorts and vest were flame resistant but the heat was still enough to burn through them and reach his chest burning into his skin. The Protector lost his concentration for a moment accidently cutting the jump jets as he felt the pain of the attack and the suit fell from the sky slamming into the ground in front of another pair of Elementals together they turned their flamers on him. Erik was already burning inside the suit and now knew this was how he came to an end. He closed his eyes and thought of his daughter and the shattered realm she was inheriting as the flames consumed him taking his life.
Taurian Launch Site
Gant, Expansion Zone
Nova Cat’s Den
22nd April 3113 Under a flag of truce and newly agreed peace deal Khan Canin Rosse flanked by Elemental warriors approached newly crowned Protector Nicoletta Calderon, the newest leader of the Taurian Concordat. After her father had fallen in battle the Taurians had fought for more than three hours against the Nova Cats causing heavy damage to the Clan forces including crippling the Nova Cat Khan’s Mech, although it had not enough to make him eject, it had been enough to show the Nova Cats that the Taurian Concordat and SLDF would stand up to them and make them pay for every inch of territory they took.
Stopping in front of Nicoletta Khan Rosse bowed slightly to her “Respect to the fallen.†He said
“Respect to the fallen†she repeated copying his gesture of bowing.
“Our forces will also respect the result of the battle and the words I exchanged with your father before the battle. Peace will last between us.â€
“Until the next time.†Nicoletta said causing the Khan to smile. “Khan Rosse, a question for you if I may?â€
“Aff†the old Khan replied slightly surprised by the question.
“Do you know what happened to your daughter Sonja Rosse?â€
“She was a partner to your father for some time but she passed away many years ago.†He said he knew she’d died in childbirth but had no idea what had happened to the child.
“It was birth of my father’s first legitimate child, his heir, my mother fought with every breath she had to ensure that I lived even if it cost her life†she said seeing the realisation cross Khan Canin Rosse’s face. “I carry her name with me, I am Nicoletta Sonja Rosse, Khan Rosse I am your paternal granddaughter, your daughter saved my father’s life and became the one thing he loved more than anything else including his realm. She changed his life forever, she brought greater joy to his life and brought life to me at the cost of her own understand while we share blood my loyalties are entirely to the Taurian people and my father’s legacy. I will defend the Taurian Concordat with the tenacity and dedication of both of my parents.†She said making him aware of exactly who she was.
“My daughter chose her own path.†Canin replied a moment later “as all Clan warriors do. I am glad that her legacy lives on.â€
“As am I†she said reaching into her jacket there was no movement from Rosse or from either of the two Elemental warriors but she was sure they were ready for anything. Instead of drawing a weapon and bringing her life to the end that would surely follow she drew out a piece of uniform with an old crest on it showing a Clan Nova Cat emblem with a bull standing in front of it staring at the big cat’s face. “Khan Rosse, this was my mothers it was made for her at my father’s insistence and she wore it on her BattleMech. I understand that there is a nova cat tradition of collecting items from conflicts and from important events?â€
“Vineers†Rosse confirmed
“Then I turn this Vineer over to you to bring an end to this conflict and to honour my mother’s life.†She said holding it out to Canin Rosse who took the piece of material.
“Until the next time†Rosse said soon after the Taurians abandoned the world heading back to their own space leaving the Nova Cats in control of the system and finally ending their conflict.
Captain-General Election
Parliament, Atreus
District of Marik, Free Worlds League
28th April 3113After four years Abraham Ledford was ready to stand down as the Captain-General of the Free Worlds League he had promoted improvements to peoples lives across the nation while trying to ensure more cooperation with their neighbours and less conflict. Now another leader would take his place but first there was a change to the seating arrangements that none of them had been entirely ready for. As part of the District of Lesnovo’s delegation sat their new leader Khan Petra Furey the leader of the district and leader of their military arm which was now confirmed to be made up of descendants of Clan Smoke Jaguar. Already Lester Cameron-Jones had called for the expulsion of Lesnovo as long as they accepted the Jaguars in military and political positions but that had been rejected by the majority of parliament and so they would have their place.
Now the leader of the District of Oriente and strong candidate for the position of Captain-General Duke Jonas Halas was speaking. “At present Las Halles economy is in a state of planetary recession following the withdrawal of military forces belonging to the Free Worlds League, the Star League Protectorate and the Federated Suns. The District of Oriente are supporting Las Halles but further support is required.â€
“Money will not solve the problems of that world.†Photon Brett-Marik said looking at the first-born son of the man the nation had once known as Thomas Marik and now knew to be an agent of ComStar placed under deep cover and a man that had served the Word of Blake.
“No, the world needs greater industry investment and immigration.â€
“A border world is too great a prize for great investment your enemies will see it as a target.†Khan Petra Furey said speaking up for the first time. “Already the Capellan Confederation has stuck this world recently, you will only stop the continuing this practice by striking them back and striking them back hard.â€
“We do not need to start a war to improve a world’s position†Abraham Ledford responded looking at the leader of the District of Lesnovo she spoke in direct opposition to what he had promoted while being leader of the Free Worlds League. “If the Capellans wish to attack the world make it a fortress create a training ground there for your people and build the industry around it to support it.†He suggested “even if they do decide not to attack you then at least you will have training facilities.â€
---
Debates were passed back and forth between them for days until finally a vote was taken against what was expected Jonas Halas was defeated in the final vote with Duke Robert Brett-Marik of the District of Gibraltar becoming the new Captain-General of the Free Worlds League. As his first act and building on an idea of the outgoing Captain-General the new leader of the Free Worlds League agreed to spend state funds and funds from his own District of Gibraltar to support the creation of a national training centre on Las Halles and the support economy for the increased population the world would experience as the location for this new base.
Author
Topic: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL) (Read 159666 times)