Trouble with a CAPITAL T has happened. While the Star adders are not my favorite clan even they deserved better. Oh well what is done is done. The "Burrock" forces might of used old Star League Defense Force tactics but what they are using are called Trey and Sept. A Trey is an operational force consisting of three units. A Sept is two Trey's working under a Sept commander; this force of seven usually operates as an independent command much like a Clan Nova or a Watch Binary.
As surprising as this may sound I kind of like the Star Adders in some ways despite the way I've treated them so far in this story. Unfortunately Priori cut off from communications to begin with and then turned into a stronghold is a tough nut to crack costing the Star Adders a lot more than they expected. Unfortunately not the last the Clans will face...
Doesn't help the Steel Viper ilKhan is more interested in persecuting his own agenda against the Inner Sphere Clans.
The "Burrock" force on Priori are organized in two ways first the Burrocks themselves have six clusters of ground forces (largely as described in Reaving) while they are supported by three mixed Society Septs which themselves add quite a bit of firepower.
McCarron's Armoured Cavalry Base
Galatea, Isle of Skye
Lyran Commonwealth
4th August 3087 Following their short term contract with Interstellar Expeditions the First McCarron's Regiment accepts a contract with the MRBC garrisoning the world of Galatea protecting the Bonding Commissions Hiring Halls. Colonel Elizabeth McCarron uses the time to re-establish the Second McCarron's Regiment splitting two Reinforced Battalions from the First McCarron's placing them under the direct command of Colonel Angel Bodez. It is a small gesture but it shows the Mercenary Command is rebuilding from the damage caused to it by the Capellan Confederation.
Raging Bears Revenge
Arcadia, Pentagon Worlds
Clan Homeworlds
6th August 3087 Just beyond the orbit of Arcadia four Clan Ghost Bear JumpShips flashed into the system. The DropShips were ancient they had barely survived the trip the Ghost Bear techs and crews jury-rigging system after system to cover breakdowns now the Raging Bears could get the revenge they desired. The entire unit was full of surviving members of the Tseng Bloodline each suffering from increasing amounts of health issues and those warriors who were not far from forced retirement now they would all have a fighting death, within the units number were several former Free Rasalhague Republic warriors who had petitioned to join the Ghost Bears, although not the same calibre as Clan Trueborns the Tseng warriors had greatly accepted them.
While two Vanir and two Arcadia Assault DropShips launched attacks on the defending aerospace forces the remaining nine DropShips burned to the ground landing outside the Kito settlement. Stepping clear of the DropShip Loremaster Laurie Tseng coughed into a cloth hankie as she removed it was covered in blood. The Clan scientists had medication for the journey but they caused hallucinations and eye focus issues things that the Clan warriors would not accept. Now the warriors would have to accept their deteriorating physical condition, but only for a short time. Laurie raised a communicator to her mouth “this is Loremaster Laurie Tseng to the Clans of Arcadia, we belong to these grounds. You have wronged our Clan and we refuse to ignore your insults. Prepare for battle.†She stated on planet there were elements of Clans Steel Viper and Cloud Cobra. The Cobras had not caused the Ghost Bears direct harm but they had replaced Clan Steel Viper units throughout the Clan Homeworlds allowing the Vipers to increase their areas of influence which in the eyes of the Ghost Bears made them just as guilty.
“Loremaster Tseng, we have caused you no harm†Clan Cloud Cobra Star Colonel Olson Khatib commander of the 222nd Cobra Fang Cluster, the exact warrior Laurie expected to answer first.
“Your association with Clan Steel Viper makes you our enemy. If you stay out of our way the damage will be minimal.â€
“Do not threaten us Bear, we have agreements in place, perhaps a Trial to resolve this Grievance, Quiaff?†He asked the Cobra warrior not understanding the Bear grievance.
“Neg, the Steel Vipers have wronged my Clan it is time for them to pay.â€
“This is highly unClan-like Laurie Tseng.â€
“You forget Star Colonel, by order of ilKhan Andrews Clan Ghost Bear has been Abjured, we are no longer Clan in your eyes.†Laurie taunted Star Colonel Khatib
“Laurie Tseng, we are willing to give you the honour you require.â€
“Fine my opening bid for the Trial of Possession of Arcadia is five Cluster.†She said coughing into the hankie again “my final bid for Possession of this world is five Clusters. This is a trial of honour and death†she finished “Seyla.†Quickly Loremaster Tseng changed the communications frequency “all Clusters begin assaults.†She ordered turning behind her stood her ninety-five Executioner OmniMech. “One final time my friend.â€
Climbing aboard the OmniMech she looked at her Mech's sensors already red markers were appearing representing Clans Steel Viper and Cloud Cobra. The closest groups would be leaving their bases in Kito. Laurie had briefed her warriors on a simple plan. The entire Ghost Bear force would secure Kito then they would split a single Cluster to each of Toomin, Cyaegha and Nyogtha while the remaining two Clusters traveled across the continent to Rivera.
Powering her Executioner Laurie joined the forces heading to Kito slightly north of the landing zone as they moved forward elements of the Steel Viper's First Fang Cluster of Zeta Galaxy approached. The Fang Cluster was bit a front line unit but like most in the Viper Touman they were well equipped with heavy BattleMechs making up the majority of their firepower. Almost immediately Laurie sighted a Matador Heavy BattleMech, the sixty ton Mech was a common Steel Viper garrison design. Almost everything on the Matador was medium ranged and the Mech was slower than Laurie's Executioner charging forward closing the range quickly, the Matador opened fire with lasers and missiles peppering the Executioner's armour however Laurie ignored the damage instead raising her Mech's Autocannon and Heavy Laser. The autocannon shells tore into the heavy BattleMech tearing through the arm and torso armour shattering the missile launcher housed in the torso, the opal coloured heavy laser tore through the leg armour immediately exposing the structure. Immediately afterwards Laurie cut in her Mech's Extended Range Medium Lasers the blue beams cut into the smaller Mech's arm severing the lower half of the arm.
The Steel Viper pilot fought to control their Mech but the amount of damage and the loss of the arm caused the pilot to lose control of the Mech staggering forwards to the ground. Taking several steps further forwards twisting the Executioner's torso she blasted another opal laser into the downed Matador's cockpit burning through the armour and the pilot.
Twisting again she noticed several Vipers were already down as were a few Ghost Bears. She noticed the Rasalhague natives in their Karhu Heavy OmniMech taking advantage of their Mech's physical weapons slicing through the Steel Viper BattleMechs causing tremendous damage. Laurie herself hated physical combat but the old Rasalhague Warriors loved it and she knew that the physical attacks would infuriate the Vipers even more. Moving forwards Laurie twister her Executioner's torso again this time targeting an ancient Crossbow OmniMech. One of the first OmniMechs ever built the heavy design only had a pair of Long Range Missile launchers triggering her autocannon the burst tore through the OmniMech's armour breaking through the armour causing internal damage on the Steel Viper Mech. Watching her Mech's she cut in with both medium lasers burning away more of the Crossbow's armour, the Steel Viper Mech returned fire with two flights of Long Range Missiles peppering Laurie's OmniMech with missiles she continued to ignore the damage instead ignoring the heat she blasted with her heavy laser tearing into the Crossbow's chest. This Viper was a better pilot than the last the Crossbow stood up throwing more of the LRMs into her Executioner the flamer mounted in Laurie's Mech's Torso winked out inactive damaged by weapons fire Laurie almost laughed the flamer was nearly totally useless in this fight.
A Timber Wolf stalked up alongside Laurie's Mech covering the Crossbow in Long Range Missile fire, normally Laurie Tseng would be annoyed with another warrior butting into her battle but today she didn't care she'd ordered her warriors to ignore Zellbrigen, the hardest thing she had ever ordered any of her warriors to do, that released the Rasalhague born warriors to make their physical attacks and allowed other MechWarriors to break normal dueling rules.
Across the field of battle Ghost Bears were falling most with catastrophic damage, even Mechs that were taking normally disabling damage or at least enough damage to retreat were still fighting sometimes from where they fell. The Ghost Bears were far more driven than the remaining Fang Cluster warriors and Kito was clearly in sight. “Ghost Bears secure the City, the population are not our enemies only cause damage to those who are threats to us.†Laurie ordered on an open channel making sure that the Bears and everyone else knew the Bears were here to hurt their enemies not the people.
Raging Bears Revenge
Arcadia, Pentagon Worlds
Clan Homeworlds
8th August 3087 After securing Kito the Ghost Bear warriors had struck our from the city moving towards the four surrounding cities increasing the amount of casualties the units were taking but also causing heavier damage to the remaining three Steel Viper Garrison Clusters. The Cloud Cobras had so far stayed out of the Ghost Bears way but perhaps in the most annoying way possibly they had declared a Trial of Possession over the enclaves at Korban and Garrak releasing the Steel Viper's Tenth Fang Cluster from garrison of those settlements fortunately the Cluster hadn't arrived yet giving the Bears free rein.
Loremaster Laurie Tseng's own Tseng Keshik and the Omega Galaxy Command Trinary had gotten back aboard their DropShip “hopping†across the continent from Kito to Rivera where they encountered the Thirty-third Phalanx Cluster the elite Ghost Bear warriors easily over came the defenders of Rivera which had mostly hovercraft, conventional infantry and light garrison Mechs clearing the Rivera Garrison with nearly no casualties Laurie Tseng's unit moved back to Toomin meeting with the remaining Ghost Bear forces.
The Tenth Fang Cluster had landed in Kito using the landing facilities there Star Colonel Jeremy Hoskins commanding the Tenth Fang was nowhere more better armed than the Ghost Bears previous foes however they were fresh units while the Ghost Bears had been fighting for two days straight their warriors suffering from increasing physical problems from their deteriorating conditions while their equipment was as jury-rigged as the JumpShips that had transported them there. “Loremaster Laurie Tseng, your people have done wonders you have destroyed the Zeta Galaxy of Clan Steel Viper however I offer you Hegira, an honourable retreat, your Bears have left these worlds allow their people to remember them in victory and as warriors who chose to return to the Inner Sphere to claim their rightful position in leading humanity to a new Golden-era.â€
“Star Colonel Jeremy Hoskins, I thank you for your offer.†Laurie replied “ you are correct the Ghost Bears have taken the ultimate step beyond the Homeworlds however we do not forget those we left behind. There is no future for us after this world. We will see you on the field of battle.†Laurie promised, this would be her last battle she knew not because her OmniMech was at its end but that she was. Even with the drugs she and others were continuing to take they could not go on forever. The Rasalhague warriors that had joined them for this mission were the main force driving Omega Galaxy now. Laurie thought it was quite amusing the warriors that had once been her enemies and conquered by the Bears were now their salvation.
She assembled the warriors around they numbered just over six Trinaries in number, just larger than the strongest of the Clusters formed by the Clans. “Omega Galaxy†she addressed them “we have shown the Clans they can treat us as Dezgra and that we are a match for anything they claim can defend these worlds. We have shown that we are more than just Clan Ghost Bear, we are the Rasalhague Dominion, together we are stronger. Our Clan's founders Sandra Tseng and Hans Jorgensson would be proud of what we have accomplished, it has been an honour fighting with you, final assignments have been decided†she said quietly within another word.
“Seyla†they all returned for a moment the remaining Ghost Bears stood silent before breaking up.
The battle-plan was simple the remaining Rasalhague warriors in their Karhu OmniMechs and Bruin Assault Mechs would hold the centre, those pilots were in better condition for longer combat. Keeping them together would give the warriors a better chance at having a longer fight, none expected to escape this world their JumpShips had long ago escaped after being threatened by the Steel Viper aerospace forces. The rest of the Bear force would charge from the flanks, anyone who survived this battle would be in a position to engage the Cloud Cobras however Laurie Tseng doubted anyone would survive.
As it turned out the Ghost Bear Loremaster's prediction was hardly wrong. The Cloud Cobras had not only taken up the Steel Viper's garrison at Korban but they had also traded much of their front-line OmniMech forces to the instead of second-line designs they were facing OmniMechs such as the Linebacker, Ebon Jaguar, Night Gyr and Summoner. Even the elite Ghost Bears could not match the overwhelming firepower brought by the Steel Vipers. As Laurie Tseng's autocannon ran dry she realized her end was near, continuing to fight with her lasers she charged forward swinging her Mech's autocannon arm burying it in an Ebon Jaguar's low slung cockpit killing the warrior ruining the cannon. It was a move a year ago she would never have considered but not today it felt like the right thing. Beside her two Karhus were dismantling a Linebacker with a series of devastating physical attacks however the Bears were surrounded no sooner had the Linebacker fallen both Karhus came under heavy fire falling to the ground under the guns of three Steel Viper Mechs. Turning into an entire Star of Steel Viper OmniMechs Laurie Tseng didn't fire instead she closed her eyes.
Particle cannons, lasers, missiles and autocannons tore into the Executioner, the ninety-five ton OmniMech fought to stay on its feet but it was only time before something gave. Eventually its armour gone a missile strike penetrated the cockpit exploding against the cockpit's structure, a support gave way cutting through Laurie Tseng's shoulder at nearly the same time an autocannon blast cored the Mech's chest breaching the fusion engine's shielding. Fire blossomed around Laurie's Mech consuming the machine and the Loremaster in fire ending the Ghost Bear resistance on Arcadia. In all they had decimated four Clusters of Steel Vipers, although the Clan would probably be able to salvage at least two Clusters over time. For the Ghost Bears declared Abjured by the Steel Viper's ilKhan they had their revenge and the Tseng Bloodline was able to go out as it had been created in fire fighting until its last breath.
Royal Gathering
Imperial Palace, New Samarkand
Midway Military District, Draconis Combine
19th August 3087 It was something that Vincent Kurita would likely never get used to, being the leader of the Draconis Combine he was expected to lead his nation both socially and militarily. In an effort to help him in such matters Warlord Minoru Kurita had arranged for such a social gathering to take place on New Samarkand. Business leaders from across the Draconis Combine and beyond had traveled to the Combine capital to meet with Vincent in a quest to carry the favour of the Coordinator. Minoru had said he should not agree to anything tonight, he should be open in meeting with them and keep conversations as light as possible. He could dance with anyone he wished to but that he shouldn't single anyone out for priority, which was fine with Vincent as he still had hopes of something with Tami Moto, unfortunately she was on assignment with her Regiment and it wouldn't do for the Coordinator to be seen with a simple MechWarrior, even one who had saved his life. As a result of Vincent's uninterest in the women present he had been largely isolated as the gathering continued around them.
His uncle Minoru approached with an old man, another corporation Minoru no doubt thought would be good to introduce to him, “Coordinator, allow me to introduce Marquis Charles Sadafuji of New Samarkand Metals†Minoru said as they approached.
“Delighted to meet you, our people and our nation than you and your company for their efforts.†Vincent said formally.
“I thank you sire†Sadafuji said formally bowing heavily Vincent returned the bow but to a lesser degree than Sadafuji as was tradition, the Coordinator never bowed further than anyone else.
“Coordinator, allow me to also introduce the Marquis daughter Miss Marley Sadafuji†Minoru continued introducing a beautiful young woman, she would have been younger than him by perhaps two or three years by Sadafuji's advanced age Vincent assumed that she would likely be his youngest child. She was beautiful, there was no denying it she had only light oriental influences on her features a very slight figure and beautiful piercing blue eyes.
“I am honoured†Vincent replied formally she like her father bowed heavily before the two moved on leaving Minoru with his nephew.
“A beautiful young woman no?†He queried
“Very beautiful†Vincent admitted, no-one else would talk to him in such a way but Minoru was more than an uncle, since his father's passing he had been almost a second father.
“Perhaps you could dance with her.â€
“Perhaps I could, uncle†Vincent again admitted
“She is single I believe.†Minoru continued to push
“Warlord†Vincent said more formally “I will choose my own future.â€
“I never said any differently†Minoru said bowing slightly in apology “however the Combine will expect an heir, sooner rather than later and you not even taking interest in a mate is seen as worrying.â€
“I have someone in mind.â€
“You cannot be serious...†Minoru said almost immediately he knew exactly who Vincent spoke of.
“Why not your own mother, my grandmother, was an officer of the DCMS!†Vincent snapped in reply Tomoe Sakade was once Theodore Kurita's lancemate eventually ascending to a Battalion command before her death along with Theodore and his father during the Clan Invasion and the Combine defeat at the First Battle of Luthien.
“She was a special case, for a different time, she was my father's equal in combat you cannot say the same for this woman!†Minoru snapped angered at Vincent's logic.
“How can you say that Uncle?†She saved my life from the Black Dragons, I helped her recover her skill as a MechWarrior, and even now she stands as a member of the DCMS doing her duty while you and I are here socializing.â€
“We are doing our duty as she is doing her duty.†Minoru said simply
“Well perhaps her duty needs to change.†Vincent said walking away from his uncle his “leader's face†firmly back in place as he greeted leaders of the Combine's industry.
“Yes, perhaps she needs to be reassigned.†Minoru said watching his nephew and leader. He had promised from the moment he served as Warlord of the Draconis Combine that the next Coordinator would be a strong one. He would not allow Vincent to weaken his position by a wasteful chase of a common MechWarrior.
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Topic: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL) (Read 159855 times)