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Author Topic: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)  (Read 170237 times)

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Takiro

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #975 on: May 15, 2020, 10:41:40 AM »

Interesting concept
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Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #976 on: May 26, 2020, 08:35:15 AM »

Interesting concept

Thanks I've attached the picture I made to illustrate it too now, forgot before
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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #977 on: May 26, 2020, 11:42:34 AM »

Next bit edited with a bit from James Tanaga which I missed this morning

River Crimond
Blair Atoll, Hell’s Horses OZ
1st February 3114


   Judd Thompson hid in the undergrowth watching as the large Hell’s Horses controlled freighter moved down the river past his position, he had come to the river thinking that it would give him a source of water and make it easy for rescue teams to track him.  All of the SLDF flight crews had been trained to seek out water as a way of getting help.  It was a risk he knew it but he didn’t have much of a choice he couldn’t trust the locals to continue to help him like Jeremiah Miller had.  Unfortunately, a river like the Crimond, which was a trade river, was impossible for Thompson to cross without a boat which kind of left him boxed in.  Now less than three hundred metres from him a three-hundred-metre-long freighter and barge combo were moving slowly down the river and he was stuck watching them hoping none of the crew had heat vision goggles to see him.  He kept his weapons close to him ready to defend himself if need be but couldn’t do much else.

   As the ship passed, he saw dozens of other boats passing in both directions, perhaps coming this way had been a mistake he’d come across too much civilization.  As he watched the freighter Thompson heard a click behind him it was unmistakably a weapon hammer clicking into place.  “Drop your weapons and do not move, you are under arrest.”

---

   Glasberg and Blood had re-joined Miia and Thurton on the Freedom 900 and were travelling down the river trying to keep a low profile with the local traffic and Hell’s Horses patrols they had been passed by several Clan VTOLs that morning and not one of the aircraft had paid them any attention but they knew that it couldn’t continue by now the Sky Eye would have been found and the Hell’s Horses would know there was a hostile team on planet.

   As they passed a massive Avalonmax-class Freighter and barge they observed a lot of commotion on the riverbank as a small boat approached a ground team from the Freighter.  In between them they saw a single man in cuffs.  “Shit” Glasberg cursed glancing out of the Freedom 900 “Miia hold your course, keep your heads down boys we can’t do anything right now.”  He ordered as the Hovercraft sped past the scene.

   â€œBoss, if they get him on that freighter Thompson’s on his way to Horse interrogation.  I can hit him from here.”  Blood said checking the range as they continued down the river.

   â€œNo” Glasberg ordered “hold the course” he said “we’ll swing around in a few kilometres.  And hit them tonight.”

   â€œWhat if they airlift him out?”

   â€œIt’ll have to be a damned good pilot to land on that damned thing no helipad on that model of Avalonmax.   Thurton, we need an exit strategy for after we lift him out, send a message to the extraction boys we’ll be coming in hot tonight or tomorrow morning they need to be ready for lift.”

   â€œAnd hope the hell that Halcyon isn’t still in orbit.”

   â€œOne problem at a time.”

---

   The laugh could be heard all around the camp as Star Colonel Vandermice Lassenerra received the news that an insurgent had been captured on the River Crimond and his picture was sent to him.  He recognised the man immediately “and to think I deployed an entire Cluster to track you down.  If I’d known it was a prize such as you, I’d had deployed an entire damned Galaxy!” Lassenarra commented “all I had to do is wait for you to stumble across a Solhama force on a freighter.  He laughed again finding the whole situation amusing.  His people had found a prize worthy of words in the Remembrance and a prize that may get him a posting to a world worthy of his name and abilities.  He immediately called for air support to be sent to escort the freighter into port.

---

   Hours later Glasberg and his team approached the Avalonmax using minimal thrust from their engine sneaking up on the huge ship.  Despite its size they knew the crew complement would be only between twenty and thirty the crew weren’t a great threat it was the additional security the Hell’s Horses had brought with them that would be the issue.  While the corridors of the civilian freighter would make it impossible for the Horses to use Battle Armour onboard the ship, they could still cram dozens of infantry soldiers onboard.  Each of them was armed with a Horse Assault Rifle-201, or HAR-201, because they were on a Horse planet ammunition for the weapons should be plentiful.  “We keep moving take down anything that we come across that isn’t Thompson.”  Glasberg briefed them finally as Miia Lahtinen brought them in closer time was of the essence Wesley Blood fired grappling hooks onto the back of the ship and they quickly made their way onboard.  “Miia, Wes take out the bridge sweep the corridors as you go each room.”  He ordered they nodded knowing their orders.  “We’re going through the ship until we find Thompson he said to Liam Thurton.”  Who nodded.

   What followed was ten minutes of utter carnage as the four special operations operators made their way through the freighter shooting anything that moved.  Some of the crew were likely innocent of the Hell’s Horses desires but the four operators were not taking any chances Blair Atoll was in the heart of Clan territory they’d take no chances with the people they were coming across.  Moving from room to room the troopers eliminated everyone in their path with heavy automatic weapons fire.  Finally, they reached the room that a badly beaten Judd Thompson was being held in.  “One, Three, target secured status!”  Glasberg panted as Thurton released the beaten General.  “Three, status.”

   â€œWe’re both injured but mobile to extraction point, bridge is disabled.”  She said gasping for breath Glasberg didn’t like the sound of that but he’d see how they were when they got back together.

   â€œYou need to move your ass sir; we’re getting out of here hold on to me you step where I step.”  He said Thompson nodded placing a hand on Glasberg’s shoulder “MOVING!”  He called out with Thompson forming the centre the threesome moved back through the ship picking their way through the bodies as they went Thompson picked up a sidearm.

   Back on the rear deck of the ship they found Miia Lahtinen and Wesley Blood waiting for them blood streamed from Miia’s left shoulder while Wesley Blood appeared to have a thigh and hand injury.  Glasberg looked at him questionably “got into a knife fight with an ex-Elemental” he explained Blood himself was a big man but an “ex”-Elemental was still likely a huge prospect.  “She came of worse, I’m good to go.”

   â€œGood back to the Freedom” Glasberg said the five of them headed to the ropes keeping their weapons ready for action as suddenly there was a roar overhead and a Durga Attack Helicopter buzzed the freighter flying its length.  “DOWN!”  Glasberg shouted seeing the twenty-five-ton craft begin to turn.  It was a fast-agile aircraft with coaxial blades above the craft a single rear stabilizing tail it was armed with a mix of pulse lasers and long-range missiles and could keep pace with most hovercraft.   â€œIdeas, because that thing will burn us with lasers and missiles if we try take off on the hovercraft.”

   â€œCheap RPG” Liam Thurton said raising his HAR-201 which he’d fitted a grenade launcher to “I just need him to come close” he said dropping his backpack “you guys get ready to drop, I’ll drop them.”  He said “extract when you get onto the hover, I’ll get out the slow way” he promised them “take care.” He then turned without another word and began to head along the ship as the Durga began to approach again flying down the left side of the Avalonmax its chin turret nose chin turret turned covering the ship.

   â€œThey are looking for crewmen.”  Miia Lahtinen said “they’re going to know something’s not right.”

   â€œHe only needs one right moment, Com’on Liam” Blood whispered as he did Liam Thurton suddenly popped up from his point halfway along the freighter’s length and fired the grenade launcher directly at the twin top rotors on the Durga.  The armour-piercing round exploded between the two rotors shattering the linkages there causing the aircraft to stutter in the air as Liam opened fire with a stream of assault rifle fire on the cockpit armour.  Because of the height of the aircraft it drifted down and hit the water heavily.  “Yes, well done son!”  Blood shouted as behind him Miia had lowered herself onto the Hovercraft and Thompson was on his way as Blood turned back towards them several troopers appeared from the far side of the ship and opened fire on Liam Thurton with at least one shot hitting him in the shoulder the trooper turned back towards them and returned fire but another shot hit him knocking him off balance and over the side of the ship.  “You…” Blood cursed stepping towards the Horse troopers.

   â€œNo!  We go and we go now!”  Glasberg ordered him “Liam’s off the boat I hope to hell he made it but even if he didn’t, we don’t help him by dying now.  Go!”  He ordered.  Soon after the Freedom 900 took off from the rear of the freighter leaving it and the burning VTOL.  House later they arrived at the waiting Pallas Transport Shuttle which had been acquired by another SLDF Team for extraction operation.  The two-hundred-ton twin winged long bodied Pallas was built by the Hell’s Horses and made for the perfect extraction aircraft able to lift into space and join regular Hell’s Horses space traffic.  They were soon off the surface of Blair Atoll and were heading into space, they’d soon receive a signal from a friendly JumpShip or WarShip which would extract the team from the system, they weren’t out of the woods yet but they’d done their job.

   Onboard the Pallas Thompson approached Glasberg, Miia and Wesley Blood were both receiving medical attention, Liam Thurton was god knows where but Jed Glasberg had gotten out with barely a scratch.  “Thank you for the rescue…”
   â€œGlasberg sir” he said identifying himself his rank didn’t matter.

   â€œI’m sorry for your man, he was very brave.”

   â€œIt’s the job sir” Glasberg said “your crew knew that too, sir, we picked up a few of them they’ll work their way out of Clan space the same way Liam will.”  He said confidently

   â€œI hope they all make it.”

   â€œIt’s the job, sir” Glasberg repeated rolling over into his bunk he’d rescued the General it didn’t mean he needed to like him his team had suffered on this op, they’d return to friendly space and get ready for the next op.  “It’s the job” Glasberg mused as he drifted off to sleep.

Clan Council Chambers
Phillip Drummond City, New Barcella
Core Territroy, Nova Cat’s Den
8th February 3114


   Khan Canin Rosse had been summonded to the Clan Council of Clan Nova Cat on New Barcella following questions regarding his leadership the seventy-six-year-old leader now stood in front of his Clankin while the challenger Star Admiral Alexandria Leroux held the floor.  “Under Khan Rosse’s leadership we have flourished here.”  She said flattering him “but we cannot continue to remain in isolation forever.  And now to hear that one of our JumpShips carrying the Forty-eighth Nova Cat Spirit Cluster was lost trying to enter the Pirate Star Cluster, these people are below us a nuisance why are we wasting resources chasing them down is it because Khan Rosse is afraid to take our fight to the true enemy the Federated Suns?”  She challenged him turning towards him on his final word she was young, smart and beautiful tall athletic with long blonde hair Khan Rosse could admit it after these years without his wife that he found her beautiful but she was also a Trueborn warrior and had gone on the record several times that she hated what Khan Rosse had done with his Spheroid born wife.  She was of a new generation of Clan Nova Cat warriors and they agitated under Clan Nova Cat’s self-imposed isolation.

   â€œThey have been a constant nuisance to our territory, they need to be dealt with.  The Federated Suns, Taurian Concordat and Gaenir Collective have avoided all of our territorial systems.  The pirates continuously raid.”

   â€œAnd our units deal with them, or our WarShips blow them from space, I have killed many.”  She said “Khan Rosse, you have led the Nova Cat Clan for decades you have done what many others could not done and secured our Clan for decades to come.  But we cannot remain here and watch while the rest of the Inner Sphere continues without us.  Other Clans close in on the goal of being ilClan, we are as powerful, we should be there too.”

   â€œThe Wolves descended on the Inner Sphere using a trick to close on Terra, the Bears and Falcons both benefit from their initial invasion corridors positions.  Unlike those Clans we do not have a shattered nation between us and Terra we have one of the most powerful nations between us.”

   â€œWe should not be afraid of the Federated Suns, we showed the Taurians what we are capable of even facing their nuclear fire.”  Leroux taunted which caused Rosse to laugh.

   â€œThe Taurian Concordat were nothing compared to the Federated Suns, the size of their nation alone should be respected.  I am not afraid of the Federated Suns, if this is the will of this Clan Council I will answer that call personally.”  He said looking around for another challenger before finishing on his challenger who looked surprised but covered it with a smirk, she no doubt hoped it would end with his death.  “Alexandria Leroux you will join the next Trial of Possession against the Federated Suns at the world of Minette, capital of the Minnete Combat Region.  Intelligence suggests that it is currently defended by two Davion-class Destroyers which will give you ample opponents to show your skill.”  Khan Rosse said Minnete had been a target he planned to attack for weeks but the timing had not been correct now Leroux had pushed the right button and the Nova Cats were heading to conflict.

---

   An hour later there was a knock at Khan Canin Rosse’s office which was in the wing adjacent to the Clan Council Hall as he called for them to enter Star Admiral Alexandria Leroux entered “Star Admiral welcome.”  He said rising from his chair.

   â€œYou gave in too easily today” she said marching into the room.  “And volunteering to command this mission is risky.”

   â€œAff, perhaps but they wanted a positive reaction not an explanation, I was not going to disappoint them.”  He said stepping around his desk approaching her “our Clan needed your argument and you carried it well better than many who have tried.  As for risk I’ve done it all before.”

   â€œYou would know you have been around long enough”

   â€œOoow, easy on the old jokes Nova Cats respect age remember” he chuckled pushing her lightly.

   â€œOnly push me is you mean it Khan” she warned him smirking as he stepped closer to her grasping her uniform as he did she didn’t stop him so he knew what would follow, he spun her lightly directing her towards the bedroom using his larger stronger frame releasing her with a more forceful push which brought an even larger smile from the Star Admiral as she opened her jacket zip.  It was only coupling he knew this; she hated the idea of a proper relationship and he knew she opposed him on many polices but she also respected where he had taken the Clan and was a very able commander, she was a threat to his leadership, as the old saying went keep friends close and enemies closer.

Air battle
Vestallas, Kittery Prefecture
Star League Protectorate
13th February 3114


   Throwing his damaged Huscarl OmniFighter to the left and to the right Commander Jeremy Kincaid-Cameron could not shake the Menquin Fighter that was now behind him.  His squadron had been outgunned over Vestallas which had seen the WarShip SLS Immortal Spirit had been destroyed by the CCSS Wu Zetian, a Mandarinn-class Battle-cruiser, and now they were trying desperately to stop the Capellans reaching the ground but it was a losing battle.  Two more plasma shots from the Menquin slammed into the rear of his Huscarl causing more trouble for his fighter’s systems.  “This is Kincaid, I’m going down over Saint Paul, we have six DropShips landing in the vicinity of the city.”  He called out as SRMs slammed into the rear of the fighter.  “Repeat Kincaid punching out over Saint Paul, Capellans landing on Vestallas.”  He called out as he pulled the ejection cords which almost immediately threw his command couch clear of the aircraft unfortunately as he did more missiles from the Menquin slammed into the downed aircraft the shockwave knocking his command chair into a spiral causing unconsciousness.  The chair’s automatic sensors deployed its para-foil as he closed on the ground but without Jeremy’s input the chair slammed into a group of trees causing multiple injuries to the pilot before he came to a rest on the ground.

   Over the next several hours the SLDF defenders of Vestallas repelled the Capellan Confederation forces with the SLS Freedom and an assault DropShip squadron driving off the Wu Zetian and ground forces belonging to the First Kittery Regimental Brigade “Stone’s Lament” commanded by the Kittery Prefecture’s leader Protector-General Devlin Stone.  Jeremy Kincaid-Cameron was found by search and rescue teams and taken to Star League Medical Facilities for treatment.  Throughout his time in the academy Kincaid had wanted to see action on behalf of the SLDF and the Capellans were ensuring that happened.

RCS Rim Collection (Warrior-class battlecarrier)
Erdvynn, Circinus Federation
14th February, 3114

Star Coomodore Brittney Carrol smirked as another of the dezgra Circinus Federation dropships was destroyed under the guns of the RCS Rim Collection. That left only one other Overlord dropship for her warship to contend with. “Guns, I want the last dropship taken out yesterday,” she ordered.

The Fire Mandrill Star Commodore half-listened, nodding in reply to the Rim Collection Freeborn Warrior manning the Weapons terminal confirmed her orders. The RCS Rim Collection was the newest Rim Collection warship in the Rim Collection Touman, a battlecarrier designed to contend with enemy battleships if necessary. And so far, it was giving quite a good accounting of itself, she noticed in approval, as the last of the Circinus Federation dropships was quickly destroyed under heavy fire from Naval Autocannons and Naval Lasers onboard the RCS Rim Collection. She knew it better be, for the Rim Collection had bribed Clan Sea Fox heavily; two partially-built Cassandra’s had been the price for that Clan’s heavy assistance in getting the Viborg Fleetyards running three years ahead of schedule. The Merchant Clan took possession of both vessels the day before Operation: Valentine commenced.

She turned her head to her Clan’s leader, Khan Natasha Faraday, who leaned against the bridge bulkhead. “Khan, the last of the dezgra dropships are destroyed. Your forces are clear to deploy,” she informed her.

“Good,” the Fire Mandrill Khan replied. “Let me know when we receive word from either SaKhan Albiev,” she added as she turned to leave the bridge.

“Will do, ovKhan, was Brittney’s simple answer. Turning around she glanced down at her command terminal, somewhat lost in thought as she reviewed the plan.

This entire operation against the Circinus Federation was designed to hit the former Erdvynn Province systems still held by the Circinus Federation with overwhelming power. While the RCS Rim Collection took Erdvynn with four clusters worth of warriors under Khan Faraday’s command, saKhan Stephanie Albiev led the RCS Firestorm and RCS Ash Storm and four more clusters to Yidtall; Galaxy Marshal Monica Able meanwhile had led the RCS Firebrand and RCS Hellstorm to Calvados alongside five more clusters.

Already, they had cleared the dezgra from both Erdvynn and Calvados orbits and now had begun landing in force on both worlds. If everything went according to plan, they and Yidtall would soon fall.

She knew, however, that was only part of the plan. To hit the three worlds like this, the Rim Collection had pulled nearly all their available warships. Should the CF Erinyes decided to take advantage, the forces the Rim Collection had only limited options to respond with.

Yet one of those options caused her to smirk.This entire operation was designed to draw out the dezgra CF Erinyes. If it did, the CF Erinyes would no longer be a factor in the war to come. If it didnt, the Rim Collection would still have their beachhead needed. Her thoughts returned back to her duties, though her smirk remained.

Two hours later, it was confirmed. The Rim Collection had achieved aerospace superiority across all three systems, but the Circinus Federation and their dezgra mercenary allies had pulled back into defensive positions, forestalling hopes for a quick victory by the Rim Collection.

Forty-first Star League Games
Star League Stadium, Solaris
Independent Territory
22nd February 3114


   During the annual Star League Games Championship on Solaris VII Solaris Games pilot Heather “Sureshot” Mills of the Galahad Stables is victorious beating all others in her Carronade BattleMech in front of over fourteen thousand spectators.  The seventy-ton BattleMech built by StarCorps Industries was unstoppable with the pilot defeating all others with disabling shots from its Silver Bullet Gauss Rifle and kill shots delivered by its regular gauss rifle and laser.

   At the same time as Heather Mills victory Michael Raymond of the Raymond’s Hussars registers his unit at the MRBC Hiring Hall on Galatea accepting a job for his reinforced battalion to support a high risk against Clan Wolf in support of the SLDF.
« Last Edit: May 26, 2020, 02:55:04 PM by Dragon Cat »
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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #978 on: July 03, 2020, 05:48:11 AM »

Next bit with a significant bit from James Tanaga in the Rim Collection and Lyran Commonwealth and an introduction of a character from Wrangler's Thunder Road

Lower deck, Niops shipyards
Niops IV, Niops
District of Lesnovo, Free Worlds League
1st March 3114


   Deep inside the facility that Niops claimed was a shipyard the damage control team led by Abdullah Ababneh rushed as quickly as they could in their magnetic boots would carry them.  The District of Lesnovo’s newest vessel was preparing to launch and the command centre had discovered a serious issue in one of the de-docking process that the damage control team needed to repair.  As he made his way through the ex-Showden Mining Station Abdullah already knew what the issue would be something related to the fact that Niops had repurposed a pair of Showden-class Mining Stations and latched them together to create their “shipyard” Abdullah had come across dozens of these issues since he’d arrived from Astrokazsy looking for work and a better life for his family.  “Move quickly people we need to sort this issue.”  He said trying to motivate them.

   â€œThey should delay the damned launch!”  One of the workers called back “an exploration ship isn’t exactly going to save our worlds from trouble.”

   â€œIt’s not a call we can make, we must trust our leaders know what they are doing.”  Abdullah replied trying to believe the words himself as they entered the are where control suggested there was a fault.  “Spread out, find the source of the issue!”  He commanded and the five-man team immediately got to work.  “Command, this is DC-4, we are in position and assessing the situation.”

   â€œWe need answers DC-4 make them quick and accurate.”

   â€œAffirmative” Abdullah confirmed cutting the link “we would do no less.”  He said to himself beginning to work on his section looking for the fault.  Unfortunately, he and the other workers quickly established what was wrong there was a cascade fault in the power management of this section which was slowly building towards an overload.

   â€œControl, this is DC-4, we have established the origin of the fault.  Generator Six is building towards a cascade failure which will obliterate this section of the station.  We cannot stop it.”

   â€œDC-4, we need options other than watching a section of the station explode, you’re onsite work the problem.”

   â€œWe are” he said “options people we need them any ideas.”

   â€œWe get the frak out of here!”  One of them suggested

   â€œWon’t make a difference, the power in this section will spark throughout the corridor we just came down we’ll be fried.”

   â€œShut all the bulkhead doors” another suggested “seal us in, vent the atmosphere and start a vent of all the local reactors.”

   â€œEzra are you nuts that’ll flood this section with hard radiation, we’ll be turned to jelly by the heat!”

   â€œBut the station will be saved from a serious explosion which could take the Spirit of Northumberland with us.” Ezra suggested “we will die if we try to run, we may as well make things count.”

   â€œAgreed” Abdullah said all of you seal your pressure suits and get into the airlock, it’s shielding will protect us from much of the radiation.”  He said and opened a communication with the control room as his team headed into the airlock.  Being in there was still probably a death’s sentence but it might give them another option.  “Control, this is DC-4, you need to shut all bulkhead doors and seal this section from the other station.  I would suggest also evacuation the sections directly adjacent as well before emergency shutting down and venting all local reactors into this section and the space away from the Spirit.  My team will be EVA from the station within the next thirty-seconds” he said flicking a control locking them inside the airlock much to the horror of the other five men “they will need a pick up as soon as possible.  I am remaining onsite to shutdown additional power relays to stop further damage.”  He said cutting the link hearing his team inside the airlock shouting angrily at him for his sacrifice.  “DC-4 assume explosive decompression protocol position now it’s your only hope!”  He snapped “you have ten seconds, stay apart once you are away from the station and make sure your emergency locators are on transmit.”  He said the team didn’t move but continued to complain “do it now!”  He commanded external door opening in ten seconds” he said as the team began to move into crouched positions facing the doors.  Elsewhere the station began to shut down sections of power and vent the reactors nearby.  “Good luck” he said flicking the control which released all the air and his team into space, it was their best chance to get as far from the radiation as possible, their suits would protect them from the hazards of space for a short period of time.  Abdullah then walked across the room and began to shut down the power circuits that would lead to the surface of the station stopping them from overloading would stop any additional hull breaches.  His suit’s radiation metre began to register greater radiation levels bleeping louder and louder Abdullah tuned it out by saying a prayer as he did his final duty of the shipyard in trying to save as much as he could before hot radioactive plasma flooded the compartment consuming him.

   Due to Abdullah Ababneh’s actions the station only suffered a single further hull breach and no-one was hurt by it.  The reactors returned to save mode after expelling their excess plasma and dampening their power output.  While Abdullah Abebneh had died protecting the station Niops newest Vengeance Pocket WarShip was able to collect up his team with minimal injuries taken to them.  For his sacrifice Abdullah Ababneh’s name was given to the Vengeance which had recovered his team and would be assigned to the nation’s newest vessel the Endevour-class Spirit of Northumberland which had been captured from the Marian Hegemony and refurbished over Niops.

Erinyes (Modified Newgrange-class)
Viborg Asteroid Field
Viborg, Rim Collection
3rd March, 3114


Calvin McIntyre smirked, watching in satisfaction as the CF Erinyes continued its slow crawl deeper into the system, intent on destroying the heretical Rim Collection sole shipyards. Drone fighters and DropShips crewed by righteous believers of the Word of Blake and their noble Circinian allies escorted the behemoth WarShip like a swarm of bees protecting their sacred queen.

And like the swarm, the drone fighters and DropShips would soon enter the battle against the heretics and non-believers of the Rim Collection, he knew, Against the Word of Blake battleship and its escorts, the heretics could only defend their oh so vital shipyard with a mere transport and a small construction ship and what fighters and DropShips the system held.

“Something’s not right,” she heard his beloved murmur. He allowed his lone remaining eye to dart to her. She stood next to the acolyte manning the tactical station, annoyingly tapping the side loudly.
“What’s not right,” he asked, his eyes returning to his screen.

“The system’s defenses,” she replied, no, snarked, backed at him. He approved of her fiery spirit, though was careful not to show it in front of the others. She was not a righteous believer as he and the others were on the bridge, though her continued belief and loyalty to him was just as strong as their zealotry, he knew.

“They seem to be concentrated around the lone transport,” he supplied. “Though I wonder where they hid their construction ship,” he thought out loud. His eyes traced a Behemoth DropShip leaving the enemy transport and fleeing to the enormous station that served as the shipyard.

“It’s not that. It’s the size of their forces.”

“Meager,” Mcintyre judged a second later. “All their forces are caught up in battles of fire and ash, too eager to free their brethren heretics,” he dismissed her concerns as the CF Erinyes and its swarm of escorts skirted the edge of the system’s asteroid belt. “They are too far to be part of this battle. Even if they left their battles immediately, they would be too little too late. And soon all in this system shall burn, as all heretics deserve.”

His concerned beloved’s answer was cut off before it began from the acolyte beside her. “The Heretic’s transport and its escort just entered into range. Soon victory and thereafter, fire and ash!”

“Fire and Ash!” he heard approvingly from the other members of the bridge crew as the CF Erinyes entered the fray. Ahead of the noble WarShip, the heretic WarShip and its meager escort lay, a final wall between the Erinyes and its target.

Moments later, his eyes squinted in annoyance as the bridge was slightly rocked by the first few volleys exchanged. The heretical WarShip’s weapon systems were surprisingly decent, he judged in disgust. He was soon proven correct.

“Moderate damage to our port dorsal batteries. Slight damage to that side’s maneuvering thrusters. Armor is holding, but getting red-lines across multiple segments,” the female acolyte manning Damage Control succinctly reported. “Recommend we turn to port so as to shield that side.”

He shook his head, silently cursing, as the acolyte manning the Pilot station immediately changed their course. The CF Erinyes, the finest WarShip remaining to the believers in their righteous crusade, unfortunately still had battle damage they could not repair and the Heretics had found the Achilles Heel of the Erinyes.

Another minute passed as the mighty WarShip presented its starboard side to the enemy heretics’ vessel, all the while. Just as the Erinyes began its next volley, his eyes widened in disbelief at his screen. He heard his lover a half second later.

“Radiation burst directly behind us! Another ship! Behind us!”

“Ship’s IFF reads the RCS Warrior! Battlenet confirms it matches same class that hit Erdvynn!” the acolyte beside her yelled out a moment later as Calvan paled in disbelief. Seconds later, the Erinyes began taking fire from recent arrival.

“Wepaons, fire the asteroid!” Calvan urgently yelled. “Helm, turn out about as soon as it leaves the mass driver!”
As he listened to his bridge crew reply back, he could not help but look back at his screen in dread. The heretical WarShip he judged as at least comparable to the Erinyes in terms of weapons as multiple damage reports immediately came across his screen.

“New contacts! From the belt!” his lover yelled. “Damnit! they ‘re heading for our JumpShips!”

“Comms, have our JumpShips jump out of system and into Steiner space. I doubt the Collection and their pet monkeys are stupid enough to jump across the border. And if they are, then all is well even if we die here!” ye yelled just before the bridge was rocked hard.

“A dozen or so assault fighters just broke through our fighter screen,” he heard his beloved’s voice report. “Having secondary gunners concentrate on the fighters-”
He saw a bright explosion and then nothing.

Mechbay, The Fort
Ecol City, Thorin
Thorin EDZ, Star League Protectorate
4th March 3114


   Morgan was clambering over his Shirke OmniMech which was in the SLDF Mechbay on Thorin.  The Mech was still painted in its Ghost Bear camoflague and while he had been allowed to take it out several times on exercises with local forces, he still hadn’t been given any sort of assignment.  On the ground below Marika Danko stood watching and waiting for him.  Since his return to Thorin and his release from the Rasalhague Dominion she had been assigned to him as his debriefing from the Star League Intelligence Command they’d slowly but surely rekindled their previous relations.  Suddenly there was commotion on the ground of the Mechbay Morgan manipulated the maintenance pully’s and he shot down quickly towards the ground grabbing a tech who was near Marika.  “What is going on tech?”  He demanded formally sometimes he still forgot his manners.

   â€œMechWarrior there’s been an explosion near Fell’s Fort, a disused mine imploded somehow took a bunch of buildings down with it.  There was a school group in the area, they are all missing!”  The tech said rapidly “the Guard’s all over the damned place on exercise.”  He explained

   â€œThen I need you to get my Mech equipped to assist” he ordered the Tech who looked surprised “I can get there before any of the guard get back, if there are any cadets still in the Fort get them in the training Mechs they can come with me, we’ll use the Mechs to dig for the school group.”  He suggested “do it now Tech.”  He said the man nodded and ran off.

   â€œYou have no authority to make that order Morgan, be careful” Marika warned him.

   â€œI do not care, if I can help, I will help.”

   â€œGood luck, I’m going to try and help muster more help, be careful” she repeated stepping up beside him kissing him passionately before rushing off.  Morgan stood there for a moment gobsmacked since she’d shyed away from kissing him before despite their feelings for each other.

   Within the hour Morgan was in his BattleMech with a pair of Chameleons and at the disused mine between the three of them they began digging through the rocks supporting the ground teams that were already working on the area trying to clear debris.  For eight hours Morgan remained on station assisting the teams until more of the guard arrived.  Due to his actions and the others in the area twenty-eight school children and their teachers were rescued from the mine with minor injuries.

   Following the rescue mission Morgan gains greater respect from the local SLDF forces and he chooses now rather than later to propose to Marika Danko.  Instead of waiting Marika insists they marry now before he’s taken from her again so in the presence of the Thorin Guard members and his mother Duchess Katya Christifori.  Morgan Christifori and Marika Danko are married by Colonel Miguel Ángel Silvestre, the commander of the First Thorin Guard.

First Kathil Uhlans RCT Basecamp
Cassandra Station, Bruin
Irian, Free Worlds League
13th March 3114


The basecamp of the First Kathil Uhlans RCT was a hive of activity as Colonel Celeste Lussier exited the executive transport aircraft.  The unit’s equipment seemed to be a hodgepodge of Federated Suns, Free Worlds League, Capellan and Clan Wolf equipment unlike any other Federated Suns unit she had seen.  She was met by a young male Leftenant dressed in a duty uniform who escorted her across the assembly yard and into the main command building a battered structure which had seen some fighting but looked structurally sound.  Entering the building she was led to a back map room where Marshal Richard Steiner stood with three other Colonels all dressed in duty uniforms, she immediately saluted which was returned by the other officers.

“Welcome to Irian, Colonel” Steiner said greeting him.  “We have assisted the SLDF repulsing another Wolf attack this morning the First Wolf Regulars Cluster.  We probably damaged them enough that they won’t have enough to remain as a unit.”  He said proudly

“Well done Marshal, I have been dispatched by Marshal of Armies Fredrick Davion…”

“Very good, your forces can be integrated into our forces here, they will be very welcome…” Steiner began he knew she also had the FSS Emma Davion, an Avalon II-class Cruiser, at the Nadir point as well which would help secure Irian.

“Sir, sorry to interrupt you.”  Celeste said interrupting him the Marshal smirked and nodded for her to continue.  “I have arrived with an empty WarShip and some JumpShips.  My orders are to recall you back to the Federated Suns, your transport is waiting you’ll be welcomed home as the heroes you are.”

“Excuse me” one of the Colonels said his name tag read Wiig “we’ve lost a lot of people here, they are the heroes who sacrificed their lives for those who can’t fight for themselves.”

“The Marshal of Armies wishes to see the Kathil Uhlans returned to the Federated Suns and stood down for rest and refurbishment.”

“That’s a mistake, we are an integral part of the defence of this world with the SLDF.”  Wiig responded “the SLDF and FWL got us to this point, we owe them…”

“The Marshal of Armies does not agree” Celeste responded “Marshal Steiner, the Uhlans have been out of command for a long time.  It is time that the Kathil Uhlans to return home.”

“I’m struggling to agree with him” Steiner responded “Colonel, our people are going to have to discuss this.”

“Sir, with respect they are yours to command.”

“Affirmative they are but we’ve had to take unit orphans from SLDF, mercenary and Free World League units into our TO&E.”  He explained his name tag read Klimek but he carried a few other markings she didn’t recognize at first before thinking about what he’d said one of his unit patches was a Free Worlds League one!

“This is a Federated Suns line unit… they are expected!”

“COLONEL Lussier” Steiner said emphasizing her rank “the Kathil Uhlans are currently on station and they are under MY command.  Now I’m telling you that the Uhlans need to discuss their position on these orders.  You’ll be assigned guest quarters we’ll recall you when we’re ready.  Dismissed” he said and Celeste Lussier was escorted out of the room.

---

Nearly three hours later Colonel Celeste Lussier was escorted back to the map room to meet with Marshal Richard Steiner who now was on his own and dressed in his formal dress uniform.  As she entered, she immediately saluted the man who returned it immediately.  “Colonel, at ease” he said she stood down “Colonel Lussier, please accept this declaration from the members of the First Kathil Uhlans who originated in the Federated Suns for the Marshal of Armies and the First Prince.”  Steiner said handing her a written declaration which had dozens, no hundreds of signatures on it.  “This is a declaration that as of this date we are resigning our commissions with the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns.”  He explained Lussier’s face must have told the story “our unit has had a mix of nationalities in it since we served with Task Force Serpent.”  Steiner said “now we’ve all been away from the Federated Suns for almost two years we’ve been serving with people from several different backgrounds now we’re the Kathil Uhlans, our people are loyal to their unit and the unit have decided once and for all to align our futures with the Star League Defence Force.”

“You cannot betray your oaths and steal equipment.”

“We served the AFFS loyally for years Colonel, now we’ve had to survive on our own and we’ve taken others in.”  He explained “we’re moving onto the next stage of our careers and we won’t be leaving the people hear in the lurch.”

“You could be cut off from your families, refused entry into the Federated Suns, branded tra…”

“I’m going to cut you off right there COLONEL.”  Steiner said angrily “in that document it states that the people of this unit are ready to accept not being able to return to the Federated Suns.  We’ve made this decision in full knowledge of that fact but do not dare go further than that.  The men and women of this unit were exiled following orders to follow a Federated Suns combat mission, we did our damned jobs now we’re dealing with the consequences.”  He said feeling himself he was beginning to rant and tried to calm down “we’ve been accepted as commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the SLDF.  If the Marshal of Armies has a problem with it take it up with Terra, your dismissed do not let me delay you in your return to the Emma Davion.”

Trial of Possession
Sherwood, Nova Cat’s Den
20th March 3114


   While Clan Nova Cat’s 449th Assault Cluster declares a Trial of Possession over the Federated Suns world of Minette Tyler’s Terrors led by Earl Jonas Tyler land on Sherwood, their homeworld, for the first time in thirteen years.  There they face off against the Nova Cat’s 451st Pouncer Cluster and while they fight in accordance with Clan dueling rules of Zellbrigen they are soundly defeated and forced off world.  The attack is seen as a further afront to the Nova Cat’s territory by their neighbours and a greater challenge to Khan Canin Rosse’s rule.  With the Nova Cat’s returning from Minette in defeat further calls for a challenge against Rosse continue to boil beneath the surface.

District of Regulus Hiring Hall
Bowang City, District of Bowang
Free Worlds League
22nd March 3114


   The door to the hiring hall wooden slammed into the wood paneled wall taking the door off its hinge as Colonel Jocoam Chowla charged into the Hiring Hall for the District of Regulus on Bowang.  He marched up to the negotiators desk and threw down a set name tags in front of a middle-aged man dressed in a business suit.  “You want to explain to me what the hell happened on Wallis!”  He demanded the man looked back at him calmly and then down at the name tag they read Aletha Chowla “your guns killed the people you hired to defend you!”  Chowla continued angrily leaning over the desk grabbing the man and dragging him up off his seat “you killed my wife, you *******!”  He bellowed his anger beyond its boiling point.

   The District of Regulus had agreed to meet with representatives of the unit but the negotiator had been expecting the unit’s other co-commander Ariel Peregrine-Simpson not this muscled giant who could probably rival a small elemental.  He stammered for a moment but Chowla wasn’t finished dragging him over his desk he threw the man to the ground.  “I want ****** answers not excuses!”  Jake Chowla cursed taking a stomp towards him.

   â€œStop right there!”  a young woman dressed in a mercenary coat said from the door her hand was on her sidearm, which was still holstered, as were the two guards behind her.

   â€œYou know what the **** these pieces of crap did to my unit on Wallis!”  He said stepping towards the man who shuffled across the floor away from him the guards reached for their weapons but the woman motioned to them to stop.  He studied her for a moment she was in her early-to-mid thirties had long dyed red hair, someone who’d obviously been a fan of the old Natasha Kerensky stories.

   â€œI heard Colonel” she said, he guessed she’d recognized his unit patch “the sold you up the river, but this isn’t the way trust me.”

   â€œIt might not be” he said grasping one of the office chairs in his hands “but I promise you he said looking down at the negotiator, I’ll get mine one way or the other and I’ll start with your sorry hide” he said swinging the chair up off the ground and across the room into the wall in one fluid motion.  The guards drew their weapons but the female mercenary didn’t.

   â€œWe’re done here” she said to them “Colonel, I’ll escort you outside, calmer heads can come together tomorrow.”  She said flicking a lock of red hair over her shoulder motioning towards the door.  Jake took a step towards the negotiator again but then stepped over his still cowering form “until next time.”  He threatened

   Outside a light rain had started as Jake and the mystery merc stepped outside.  “I’m sorry for your loss Colonel, as a mercenary myself if I lost family as you have to your own employer, I’d be angry too.  Lt Colonel Naomi Wrangler of the Thunder Road” she said extended her hand as they stepped down the first set of stone steps.

   â€œJocoam Chowla” he said formally introducing himself his touch was remarkably light for such a size and following the anger he’d shown.  “Thank you, they owe us.  I’ll get what I’m owed either here or I’ll go to Regulus and take it from there.”

   â€œYou’ll get what’s owed to you Colonel, I know the MRBC has already looked into the case and is looking for a response from the District of Regulus.  They cannot afford to be taken off the hiring lists, you’ll get compensation for this, but I know whatever they give you will not help make up for your loss.”

   â€œNothing ever will” he said stomping off down the remaining steps and into the rain Naomi Wrangler stood on the steps watching for a moment before retreating inside.

---

   The following day Colonel Ariel Peregrine-Simpson and a couple of the other Chaos Irregulars attend the Hiring Hall they bypass the District of Regulus hiring hall going straight to the MRBC’s central hall.  There their case is heard and evidence the Irregulars claimed from Wallis is taken into account before a ruling is made.  The MRBC rule that Regulus broke the contract with the Chaos Irregulars by bringing down orbital bombardment on their position with adequate warning.  They rule that Regulus owes the Chaos Irregulars equipment equal or superior to what the Irregulars lost, payment for the rest of their contract and compensation to the families who lost loved ones.  The District of Regulus agrees to make payments to the Chaos Irregulars.

   A few days later the District of Bowang offer the Chaos Irregulars a piece of land on the planet of Molokai where they can claim their compensation from the District of Regulus, rest their troops that survived Wallis and train new troops in exchange for them agreeing to help defend Molokai should it be attacked.  Colonel Ariel Peregrine-Simpson agrees on behalf of the unit, once on Molokai Jocoam Chowla takes some personnel time leaving Chaos Irregulars base camp in his captured Deva OmniMech heading into the Molokai wilderness to grieve.

RCS Warrior (Warrior-class battlecarrier)
Viborg Fleetyards
Viborg, Rim Collection
26th March, 3114


Loremaster Jordan Trustcott of Clan Fire Mandrill watched the holovideo in distaste. Three weeks ago, the dezgra Word of Blake and their lapdogs in the Circinus Federation had attacked the vital Viborg Fleetyards. They had sprung the Rim Collection’s trap and the Rim Collection nearly destroyed the CF Erinyes before it fled from battle.

It was a costly victory, he knew. The RCS Cassandra had taken heavy damage in holding the heavier WarShip at bay until the right moment for the RCS Warrior to jump in. Worse, the drone fighters the dezgra dogs had brought with them had been committed to an all-out kamikaze attack against the already damaged WarShip in the dezgra WarShip’s successful escape. The battered support cruiser was now just beginning repairs from the RCS Eye of Providence. It was estimated the WarShip would be back in action by the beginning of next year.

For three weeks the Rim Collection had detailed entire stars of Hunter-class JumpShips to find the dezgra vessel. And for three weeks, nothing was found of the missing vessel. That was until today.

The missing CF Erinyes had been found in the depleted system of Tatopani. Immediately the RCS Collection had been ordered to jump into the system and the other WarShips on the border with the Circinus Federation were ready to deploy. Unfortunately, before the RCS Rim Collection could engage the severely damaged dezgra WarShip, it had left the system.

But the holovideo was not of CF Erinyes’ escape from the wrath of the Rim Collection. It was instead focused on Ender’s Deep, a populated oceanic world in the Ender’s Cluster. Four days after the battle here at Viborg, the significantly important agricultural world had reported a pirate force entering the system with the IFF matching one of the Circinus Federation JumpShips that had fled the battle at Viborg.

Eight days later, an emergency HPG message had been broadcasted out loud and clear from the world, requesting immediate humanitarian aid. While the local militia had been able to neutralize the dezgra forces, it was not before they had set the planet’s primary fusion power plant into meltdown. Already, large amounts of radiation had begun to enter the important oceans and atmosphere that fed the huge schools of fish and underwater forests of kelp and seaweed that fed much of the remaining worlds of the Ender’s Cluster and supplied the cluster with medicinal herbs from the world’s aquafarms. Without immediate aid, the world would die and a famine would be unleashed across the remaining worlds of the Ender’s Cluster.

And that was the trick. Due to how the ten-star systems in the Ender’s Cluster aligned together, while JumpShips could jump freely between the ten systems often enough to keep trade and transport alive within the cluster, jumping into and from Ender’s Cluster was altogether a different story. The only time JumpShips could enter or leave the cluster was every eighty-two days for five-day windows and that window had sadly already passed. Very small windows of normally mere seconds and much more rarely a few minutes, enough for only a singular JumpShip to make the journey, but very dangerous, for whatever JumpShip that did not time its jump perfectly would be destroyed by the HPG bubble being affected by the cluster’s gravitational forces.

Already, multiple riots had been reported on all ten worlds as civilians began a mad dash to gather and hoard medicine and food. While the riots on the other worlds were forced back and law and order restored, if strained, the situation at Ender’s Deep was worsening by the hour. Order had ceased to exist within the first week, with the local nobility being lynched and as of yesterday, the HPG compound was barely holding on against rioters and rogue militia personnel. Without immediate aid, contact with the doomed world would end and complete and likely unstoppable anarchy would begin.

Now, only minutes ago, the Lyran Commonwealth had effectively announced they were abandoning the cluster!
Not abandoning, he amended a moment later. Archon Jessica Steiner was mobilizing a fleet of JumpShips at Florida. JumpShips laden with DropShips of food and medical supplies and personnel were arriving in the system. Two entire regimental combat teams were to help bring order to the cluster and the fleet to jump in as soon as the next window opened.

In two months.

In two months, the situation would be too far gone. Thousands, likely millions might die by then. That was unacceptable to him!

“Ender’s Cluster will not fall!” the tall battlemech-genotype warrior harshly whispered, causing the others on the bridge to stop what they were doing.

“Ender’s Cluster will not fall,” he reverently repeated himself as he stood up and scanned the bridge. He lacked the authority of what he was about to do. And he would answer for this, he well knew. But he would know he did the right thing.

“Comms!” he barked out. “Have all JumpShips assemble. I want all DropShips in the system to get loaded up and ready with supplies and send word out to all nearby units we will need any and all assistance they can provide, Collection and Lyran alike. And get me direct comms with Ender’s Cluster immediately! The Lyran Commonwealth may have abandoned the Ender’s Cluster but the Rim Collection will NOT! Seyla!”

“Seyla,” the others among the bridge answered his own and soon a renewed purpose was restored. Within minutes, word had spread throughout the WarShip. Within an hour, various Rim Collection units and local governments across the Rim Collection were coordinating with each other.

An hour past that, communication with Ender’s Cluster had been established when the videostream of a haggard young depressed woman who had all but lost hope finally came through. “This is Grafina Natalie Sereal of the Ender’s Cluster. I was told you wanted to help?”

“Aff,” Jordan responded. “I am readying multiple JumpShips to carry aid into the Ender’s Cluster. We should have the first ready by the end of the day. All we need are the coordinates and exact timings of all known jump points.”

The young Lyran noble raked her hand through her hair in obvious irritation. “We already thought of that approach! We might get a few JumpShips through, but many’ll be lost. It’s too dangerous.”

“Maybe for Lyran JumpShips but not those of the Rim Collection,” he steadily answered her. “Provide me those coordinates and any and all astrogation information you have for Ender’s Cluster and I vow assistance will arrive before the end of the month and regular assistance by end of next week.”

Jordan Truscott watched the conflict that spread across the young woman’s face.  And hoped she chose the right decision.

She did. “I don’t have much choice. Either I burn in hell among the Estates General when I inherit my father’s seat or I burn in hell when the riots begin again.” she paused, sighing. “I’ll get everything sent asap.”

Truscott nodded approvingly. The young woman in the holostream was a born leader. Too bad she was Lyran. “Comms, relay her information as soon as we receive it to all worlds and ships within the Collection. I want everyone even remotely trained on astrogation to analyze every single particle of data she sends over. We need to plan this down to the second! We just became Ender’s Cluster’s only hope. Now move!”

Trial of Possession
Vega, District of Vega
Rasalhague Dominion
27th March 3114


   The Second Legion of Vega Regiment raid the world of Vega facing off against the Eighth Bear Cuirassiers Cluster in a series of Trials of Possession.  The veteran Rasalhague Dominion unit are too strong for the Second facing off and defeating each of the District of Dieron forces before allowing them to leave the plant due to the honour they had shown in battle.

Briefing Room
LCS Iron Fist (Mjolnir-class battle-cruiser), Tharkad Orbit
Donegal Province, Lyran Commonwealth
31st March 3114


Archon Jessica Steiner made notes on her datapad as she reviewed the holovideo the Rim Collection was ‘kind’ enough to give to her government nearly a month ago. Really a short holofilm of separate battle ROMs the Collection had spliced together for public consumption and propaganda, it amounted to nearly all the hard evidence the Lyrans had on the Collection’s first home-built WarShip class. She had paid the class only a courtesy briefing a month ago, but that changed with news of the RCS Warrior, the lead ship of the class, had surprised the entire Commonwealth with something thought all but impossible; jumping into the Ender’s Cluster  outside of the quarterly jump window.and immediately declaring it was there for the duration of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Worse, the damn Collection and their pet monkeys had effectively taken the astrogation charts of the Ender’s Cluster and had figured out when to time their JumpShips to nearly a pinpoint accuracy for multiple of the jump points every day, allowing relief to reach the embattled cluster of stars. And they had done it less than a week after her announcement the Commonwealth planned to send a relief fleet as soon as the next quarterly jump window arrived.

In two months.

She clenched her teeth and her pride when the news broke publicly. To be fair, her government was warned two hours ahead of time and should the first jump be successful, the Rim Collection would immediately send their WarShip into the cluster and send their constructed jump algorithm for Ender’s Cluster to the Commonwealth. She and her staff had just enough time to write and go over a short speech complimenting the Rim Collection for their assistance during this crisis and agreeing to the RCS Warrior’s humanitarian assistance.In the same speech, she made sure the first Lyran responders, Colonel Varnay and her First Fesnyng, would jump into the star cluster using the Collection’s algorithm tomorrow morning.

While the Federated Suns-born colonel would lead the relief efforts on the ground, Jessica had given the Varnay scion a secret mission. Find out all she could of the RCS Warrior without starting a war with the Rim Collection and to investigate rather the Lyran Commonwealth could still hold onto the star cluster after this humanitarian crisis had run its course and if not, to quietly put in Lyran intelligence operatives.

While Jessica hoped for the best, she well knew she had likely lost the entire star cluster to the Rim Collection, especially with the Rim Collection risking another attack on their Viborg Fleet yards, all but saying the Ender’s Cluster was more important than that vital system. And it was a bitter pill to swallow; yet should the Lyrans acquire more information on the Rim Collection WarShip, the loss could at least be somewhat mitigated, she reflected privately to herself as she stared at the image of the RCS Warrior.

And what she saw worried her. The damned Rim Collection had once again pulled a proverbial rabbit out of their hats. Classified as a multi-role battle-carrier, Jessica read between the lines... Nominally a battleship and carrier hybrid in ancient and modern naval theories. The class was built to fight battleships. And able to bring in more DropShips and aerospace assets into battle than any WarShip the Lyran Commonwealth currently fielded. Most modern naval theorists, herself included, had thought the classification only effective with the heavier battleship hulls as shown by House Davion in their Mercury-class battleship.

Should it prove capable, it would be a massive coup and a downright impressive feat as the class was marked at 920,000 tons, noticeably below one million tons, the tonnage of what most modern naval theorists classified as the minimum for battleships and less than half the tonnage as the Mercury. Effectively a pocket battleship. The short holoreel of battle ROMs confirmed this to the Lyran Archon.

And if it did prove worthy of its classification, Jessica Steiner knew it was a slap in the face to long standing modern naval theory and tradition. Modern naval theory heavily stressed fleets should keep their multi-role WarShips limited to escort vessels like frigates and destroyers and often argued for their specialization, or to cruisers expected to be on independent patrol. These were the workhorses of any fleet. Battleships and battle-cruisers served as the heavy hitters and should be in the thick of the fighting. Conversely, carriers and transports should be protected and were primarily for support. And by tradition, nearly all respectable navies followed that train of thought.

The Warrior-class, if effective, merged all the concepts together and in a hull smaller than a battleship. A truly frightening and sobering thought. It meant the Rim Collection had the potential to effectively create a fleet that could outperform her own in the long run and could be much easier maintained and built, with production streamlined to only one class. The fact it took only an average of seventeen months to build both cemented the later fact.

The thought made her nauseated and she quickly flicked the holoterminal off and began making notes on how to mitigate the Collection’s advantage.
« Last Edit: July 03, 2020, 05:49:04 AM by Dragon Cat »
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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

Abele

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #979 on: July 03, 2020, 12:44:20 PM »

Excellent update. I wish I had half your talent. Then mayber I could fluff for designs
« Last Edit: July 03, 2020, 12:45:01 PM by Abele »
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The Honor of Men cannot be bound by the words of Fools- Marco Hietala
I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. - Confucius
May God defend me from my friends; I can defend myself from my enemies. - Voltaire
Chaos doesn't need a recipe, just a list of ingredients. - Drakensis
Kachi ni Fushigi no Kachi Ari. Make ni Fushigi no Make Nashi
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Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #980 on: July 04, 2020, 12:36:36 PM »

Excellent update. I wish I had half your talent. Then mayber I could fluff for designs

Thanks it just takes lots of practice

When it comes designs I start with three basic ideas:
Where was it build
Why was it built
What tech do they have available

For example if I'm going with a Capellan design in the 3080s I know they'll be building it to defend from Federated Suns mainly

They'll have stealth armour available but likely not much if any Clan tech

From there the fluff leads itself for me i check out sarna for info on planets and from there sometimes use the info for testing or to describe a valley the factory was in and the design helped defend against

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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #981 on: July 07, 2020, 08:04:18 AM »

Into the next bit.  And well it's April 1st so...

CIC, FWLS Galisteo (Unity-class Frigate)
Maxwell, District of Gibraltar
Free Worlds League
1st April 3114


“And this is the hub of operations control of the Galisteo, the CIC.”  Captain Mitch Mayweather the commander of the FWLS Galisteo said as he led the Duke of Maxwell Mitchell Lee onto the command deck of the Frigate.

“CIC?”  The elderly Duke asked looking around the brightly lit room which was dominated by the huge holo-tank in the middle of the room.

“Combat Information Centre or bridge as some people know it.  From here we can command all aspects of the WarShip’s operations.”  Mayweather explained leading them through the room as the crewmen tried to ignore them working on operations.

“I thought I saw it on the top of the vessel as we came in, so you could see your targets?”  He asked oblivious to WarShip operations or layout.

   â€œNo, that is the Stellar Observation Lounge, our navigators use it to observe the space around the Galisteo and use it to double check our computers calculations.  It’s one of the few places on the ship that you can look out of a window into open space, during combat it is retracted into the hull.”  Mayweather explained the idea that the bridge would be on the top of the ship exposed to enemy fire was one that was solely restricted to science fiction. “For WarShip operations we use the Holotank which gives us full coverage around the vessel.” 

   â€œSo, your crew use the holotank to track things outside the WarShip?”

   â€œNo, each crewman who needs to see what is going on in the space around us they can see on their own systems.  We use the holotank to give us an overview of…” He began to explain but was interrupted as five new contacts appeared in the holotank.

   â€œSensor contact, one Wolf WarShip and four JumpShips” one of the CIC crewmen reported.

   â€œReceived and understood” Mayweather said looking up at the holotank, Duke Lee followed his gaze, “continue to monitor, maintain standard operations.”  He commanded turning back to the Duke “as I was explaining Duke each crewman who needs to can monitor operations from their own stations we use the holotank to give us a command overview of the space around the WarShip.”  He said but the Duke was still focused on the holotank.

   â€œCaptain, pardon my ignorance but shouldn’t we be more concerned with that WarShip and those JumpShips?”

   â€œNo, it’s a supply convoy, if the Wolves wanted trouble, they’d have jumped in closer than they have and we’d know about it already.”  He explained but saw the Duke was not happy.  “Allow me to explain Duke Lee, by the time I issue commands for our fighters to launch and our weapons to be turned on them the Wolves will have either jumped out or will have opened fire on us.  Those Wolves jump into the system fully ready for battle, if they wanted a fight, they are ready for it.”

   â€œShouldn’t our CAP be ready to intercept them?”

   â€œFlying a CAP in space only wastes fuel, creates airframe fatigue, puts pilots at risk and our sesors can track threats far more effectively than any CAP could, all of our fighters are currently onboard this vessel.  At the distance the Wolves are currently at none of our CAP fighters could intercept them as they’d already have used fuel while they were out there.”  The Captain explained trying not to make the duke sound stupid while he did, he was thinking about aircraft in an atmosphere in space things worked differently.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw all five Wolf contacts jump out.

   â€œSo, the Wolves can simply violate our space?  Perhaps your superiors need to send additional units to this system?”

   â€œTactical control, extrapolate how many craft would be needed to guard this system?” Mayweather requested after several minutes the crewmen spoke back.

   â€œCaptain, approximately fourteen hundred aerospace fighters, one hundred-and-eighty DropShips, eighteen space stations or WarShips.”  He reported

   â€œAs you can see Duke Mayweather space is vast.”  He explained hopefully not making the Duke sound stupid while he did mentally Mayweather noted it was the First of April... if the Duke wished to waste his time it was up to him.

   â€œPerhaps, I will speak to Gibraltar after the tour of this vessel is complete.”  He said as Mayweather led him from the bridge through the Galisteo few people truly understood just how big space was to stop every intrusion into a system was simply impossible.
   
Exploration Mission, Spirit of Northumberland
Body 42, District of Lesnovo
Free Worlds League
5th April 3114

   Jumping into a system that was formerly part of the Marian Hegemony before its conquest by the Free Worlds League the Spirit of Northumberland begins its first scans of the system.  The system had not been permanently inhabited by the Marian Hegemony but they had used it for some limited mining.  Now it was up to the Endevour-class vessel and its crew to determine what viability the system had for longer term habitation.

Border conflict
Free Worlds League/Wolf Empire
11th April 3114


   In an effort to distract Clan Wolf from other operations and isolate Tamarind from the rest of the Wolf Empire the Free Worlds League, mercenary and SLDF launch an attack centred on the systems of Labouchere, Nihau, Preston and Zortman with the Concordia Battlegroup out of Atreus in support.

   With the only Wolf WarShip in the Zortman system the Concordia herself and the WarShip Baronnet concentrate on that system while the other two WarShips of the Battlegroup attack Preston and Nihau with ground forces.  The FWLS WarShips encounter multiple Nagasawa-class DropShips in each of the systems as the reason for a lack of WarShips in the systems becomes apparent with Clan Wolf having purchased dozens of the Sea Fox produced assault DropShip.  In the Preston system the Venturer-class Light Cruiser MS Monitor is overwhelmed by Clan Wolf DropShips and aerospace fighters which breaks up the attack forcing back the attack on the system.

   In the Zortman system while the Clan Wolf vessel Tigress, a Halcyon-class Cruiser, is able to damage the Concordia and the multiple Nagasawa-class DropShips are able to take out dozens of aerospace fighters but the Thera-class Carrier’s aerospace fighters are eventually able to overwhelm and destroy the Clan Wolf WarShip clearing the way for ground forces.

   On each of the worlds targeted by the Free Worlds League were elements of Clan Wolf’s Snarling Wolves Galaxy with each unit having instructions to slow any Inner Sphere intrusion by any means necessary until reinforcements arrive.  On Labouchere the attack on Wolf holdings falls to pieces as the Raymond’s Hussars mercenary command take their revenge on the SLDF by failing to support the Seventh Special Operations Group which results in the Elite Team being overwhelmed by Clan Wolf Elementals.  The Hussars pull off planet by overwhelming the SLDF defences at the DropShips and escaping.

   On Zortman, Preston and Nihau the Free Worlds League forces face heavy resistance from the Elite Wolf troops with the Fifth Marik Guards Regiment destroyed Nihau before FWL forces are forced to retreat with the arrival of the Werewolf and additional Clan Wolf ground forces.  The MS Macuahuitl, an Eagle-class Frigate, sacrifices itself in the system to allow ground forces to evacuate to their DropShips.  While Clan Wolf’s garrison forces on Preston fall quickly to the Free Worlds League ground forces.  For two worlds “liberated” from the Wolves two WarShips, an entire ground force regiment and an Elite SLDF team have been lost.  With the SLDF officially branding Raymond’s Hussars as a rogue command.

Fleet operations, Medusans Command Group
Fenwick, Star League Protectorate
20th April 3114


   In the space near Fenwick the Medusans Mercenary Command were continuing operations helping the people of Fenwick adapt to their return to the Inner Sphere.  The Medusans helped screen trader vessels through the system from nearby states ensuring they were not bringing in weapons or equipment that could cause issues in the system and ensuring that they remained away from the SLDF WarShips which were being refitted and testing the system.

   Today the Medusans were also taking part of the payment for their contract with the SLDF.  Four sixty-ton Schrack OmniFighters flew close to the Medusan JumpShips which sat away from the Jump point currently not needed by the command.  They banked to the left turning around the JumpShips and heading towards the Medusans newest vessel the seven hundred-and-eighty thousand-ton Quixote-class DropShip Tender which had arrived this morning, the Medusans had named the vessel Forrestal after an old Terra aircraft carrier.  The vessel was the first in a new class being developed for the SLDF and the Medusans would be the first to use it.  Approaching the vessel at high speed the four Schrack’s split into pairs near the front of the vessel flying down the length of the vessel.

   In the CIC of the vessel Admiral John Jellico (Retired) stood at the rear of the room like the seasoned naval officer he was.  For more than a decade he had commanded the Medusans before retiring two years ago in the middle of the room he watched his successor Admiral Samantha Harrington take command of the Forrestal.  He quietly wondered what he’d do with such a vessel if he still commanded the Medusans, the unit had always been a JumpShip/DropShip unit with some ground forces to support operations but the Quixote added a new element to the unit’s capabilities.  Now however was a day to be remembered for the Medusans he thought as Harrington guided the Forrestal through the Medusans JumpShip and DropShip formations parading the vessel in front of all of their people.  The vessel would bring a completely new capability to the Medusans one that they could not squander Jellico knew that he’d trained Harrington and the others well, his unit was in a good place.

Construction site, Buick Mountain Range
Marduk, Robinson PDZ
Draconis March, Federated Suns
28th April 3114

   Massive machines were at work hollowing out a huge tunnel which would lead deep into the Buick Mountain Range on Marduk.  Dozens of IndustrialMechs supported construction vehicles moving earth and rock out of the mountain as the new facility was constructed.  Warrior House Leader Imarra Sortek stood back and watched as the men and women worked their machinery creating her House’s new home.  After almost a decade in the Federated Suns her people had fully adopted their position in this new Inner Sphere it had taken some time but they had finally accepted their place in the nation instead of the Confederated Suns that bore them.

   Unfortunately their people had also given up on the dream of remaining on New Avalon within the confines of the Sortek family landhold they were too different from the other members of the Sortek family and few of them could forgive the actions of Arden Sortek or his son Conner in their nation it didn’t matter to many that Arden was a hero to the Federated Suns or that Conner was a loyal officer of the Armed Forces.  As a result of this tension Imarra had jumped at the offer from First Prince Burton Davion to take a land hold of their own on Marduk.  Although the world was on the Draconis Combine border and likely to be targeted by any invasion force she relished the challenge for her people.

   Since arriving on Marduk three weeks ago she’d searched for a suitable place for the Warrior House to call home and found the Buick Mountain Range was perfect for their requirements with massive reserves of granite which would protect her people should the Draconis Combine bring orbital bombardment against them.  She’d employed half the construction companies on Marduk for the effort to hollow out a cavern which would serve as their Castle and command complex which would host and protect their vehicle and Mech maintenance facilities and their infantry barracks.  The façade of the mountain face would be styled in a fashion which would be unique to her House forming a Monastery for their recruits to train and learn the ways of Warrior House Sortek before becoming fully fledged members of the command.  This world now would serve as a base world for her people as they traveled the Federated Suns and helped its people and it would serve as a symbol of the strength of Warrior House Sortek.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2020, 07:52:43 AM by Dragon Cat »
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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

Dragon Cat

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #982 on: July 07, 2020, 08:19:15 AM »

This is the design I used for the Quixote-class DropShip Tender, my thanks to the original designer I really liked it

https://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=1949.msg45841#msg45841
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My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #983 on: July 16, 2020, 11:46:42 AM »

Burn-in system, Hell’s Horses Formidable (Arbitration-class Battleship)
Arcturus, Donegal Province
Lyran Commonwealth
3rd May 3114


   As the SLS Jerricho, an upgraded Black Lion-class Battle-cruiser exploded under heavy fire from the Formidable, Khan Teresa Cooper smiled this operation had been years in the planning and now with the Lyran Battleship LCS Diligence crippled and the Jerricho destroyed the path was clear for her Clan to begin landings on Arcturus, former capital of the Lyran Commonwealth.

   The three galaxies she commanded had been reinforced with additional Clusters made up of the best her Clan could offer and trained in the Mongol Doctrine that her Clan was now fully embracing.  Included in all these new clusters were warriors who had been bred through the Elstar program they were trained to be the elite of all warriors and were driven for success.

   On the planet below there were seven commands belonging to the Lyran Commonwealth and several mercenary units ready to defend the world against the Hell’s Horses invasion.  Normally she’d be concerned about retaliation by the Lyrans against her Clan but during discussions with the other Clans on Tukayyid she’d mentioned plans to invade this world.  As a result of her plans the Jade Falcons and surprisingly the Coyotes had seen opertunities to increase their territorial.  Only this morning the Watch had confirmed that Jade Falcon forces had invaded Bruekelen, Kirkcaldy, Aur and Edasich while the Coyotes had entered the Apostica and Ganshoren systems, the Coyotes had also taken several of the Hell’s Horses worlds in recent weeks freeing up troops for this operation.  It was glorious to see the Clans on the move again it was like the spirit of Operation REVIVAL had been reborn by the actions of her Clan and the march on Terra had begun again.

---

   Six days later Hauptmann Alex Gabriotti was fighting for his life as he had been since the Hell’s Horses landed on Arcturus as the Twentieth Arcturan Guards RCT had essentially been destroyed around him.  This world was important to the Lyran Commonwealth it had served for many years as a capital world and the people were loyal to the Commonwealth and its Archon.  Today it seemed all his troubles were coming from Hell’s Horses vehicles turning his massive Zeus ZEU-11S BattleMech to the right Gabriotti tried to track one of the two Vel Harrasser Hovertanks that were harassing him.  Dropping the targeting over the tank he let rip with his clan built long range missile launcher and torso mounted medium and large lasers.  Heat spiked in the Zeus’ cockpit as long-range missiles exploded all around and over the Vel Harrasser, the medium laser burned into the hovercraft’s armour and the large laser melted some of the scenary.  Alex cursed loudly in Italian as he saw the large laser miss it was his best chance of knocking out the twenty-five-ton hovertank.

   In response he felt his Zeus rocked as the return fire from the Vel Harrasser’s turret in the form of short-range missiles and medium pulse lasers cut into the legs and torso of his Mech.  From his right the second Vel Harrasser appeared adding its own short-range missiles and medium lasers to the attack.  Alone one of these craft would be no threat to his Zeus, together… Alex was in trouble.  “This is Gabriotti, I need some assistance in sector four, two squirly hovercraft making life horrible here!”  He shouted into the comm channel all he heard back was static one of the craft carried an ECM suite.  “Screw you!”  He cursed reaching out with his Zeus’ left arm and let rip with the gauss rifle mounted there the accelerated slug shot out of the gauss rifle and flew straight and true towards the Vel Harrasser entering the craft through the cockpit crushing the pilot in his chair the Hovercraft spun out of control its hover fans cutting to idle dropping it slowly to the ground.  “Gabriotti, one down any assistance appreciated” he called out turning back towards the other as more short-range missiles flew into his BattleMech’s torso section.  He returned fire blindly with long range missiles and was glad to see that some of the peppered the remaining hovercraft but didn’t penetrate the armour.  Pulse lasers followed from the Val Harrasser but Alex was even more determined now stepping forwards adding the large laser to the hovercraft’s hurt causing more damage to the craft.  This time the laser struck home and dug through the craft’s armour and sparked off the vehicle’s short-range missile launcher ammo bin.  The resulting explosion channeled by the vehicle’s CASE system saved the vehicle’s crew just long enough for Alex’s follow up gauss rifle shot which gutted the remains of the hovercraft finishing it off in a brilliant explosion.  “Gabriotti, two down!”  He confirmed standing still for a moment glad to have survived the encounter.

   From nowhere his Zeus was forced forwards as missiles slammed into the back of the Mech.  The missiles had penetrated his rear armour blowing through the long-range missile ammunition bin.  The CASE II built into the toros saved his Mech from a catastrophic death but his long-range missile launcher was now useless.  He glanced at his sensors somehow despite having taken a hit directly to the crew compartment the first Vel Harrasser was still active he spun the Zeus as quickly as an eighty-ton BattleMech coult and launched a ferocious attack with both the gauss rifle and large laser destroying what was left of the hovercraft which disappeared in an expanding fireball.  “Gabriotti, now it’s two down, am I the only one out here.”  He communicated now seeing that he was back on the Lyran communication net.

   â€œALL LYRAN UNITS RECALL!  RECALL!  CODE OF DAY: ESSOVIUS REPEAT: ESSOVIUS” the transmission came across all channels Alex Gabriotti checked his code word and saw what ESSOVIUS stood for “Retreat to Royal Palace pending evacuation.”  His heart sunk they’d already lost his own Twentieth and the Second Arcturian Guards on Arcturus now it appeared that they were also losing the planet turning his broken BattleMech away from the destroyed hovertanks he heeded the call and began to head back towards to capital.

   The scene at the Royal Palace was chaos as the remains of various RCTs attempted to mount a final defence aganst the incoming Hell’s Horses.  As his Zeus entered the main staging area, he saw dozens of armoured vehicles carrying the insignia of the Royal Guards and the Eisenjagers leave the area intent on taking the fight to the Hell’s Horses.  Alex was directed to a Mechbay onboard a Union-class DropShip which was loading to leave the world.  Before he entered, he saw General of Armies Aiden Grey, the former commander of the Twentieth Arcturian Guards RCT and now commander of all Lyran forces, standing directing commands.  Alex’s battle was over his BattleMech could never be repaired intime for a last stand but the Lyran’s weren’t finished yet.  Reports suggested that four Hell’s Horses Clusters had been destroyed so far and the Seventeenth and Twenty-seventh Arcturian Guards intended on adding more Horses to the butcher’s bill.

   As Lyran ground forces and several mercenary units stream away from the planet the remaining defenders commanded by Aiden Grey vow to battle against the Horses until the end fighting into June trying to hold onto the territories they still held on Arcturus.  Unfortunately following a failed resupply mission which cost the Lyran Commonwealth the LCS Thorn, an Indefatigable-class Battleship, the defence of Arcturus was declared a lost cause and further counter-attacks were called off.

Nova Cat Raid in Force
Minette Combat Region, Crucis March
Federated Suns
11th May 3114


   Following the raid on Sherwood by Tyler’s Terrors Clan Nova Cat raid three worlds of the Minette Combat Region.  In each of the worlds of Crofton, Des Aro and Symsonia.  While both the Des Aro and Symsonia fall to the Nova Cats in standard Trials of Possession which the Federated Suns defenders fight honourably, but on Crofton the Nova Cats face the strongest opponents the veteran Regimental Combat Team the Fourth Crucis Lancers which is there to defend the massive Star League-era StarCorps Industries Manufacturing plant.  To counter this defence unit Clan Nova Cat hit Crofton with the full force of five front-line Clusters of Alpha Galaxy supported by two WarShips.

   Once on the ground Nova Cat saKhan Kalvin Rosse approached Marshal Yvonne Guillox the commander of the Fourth Crucis Lancers outside the planetary capital Marcus.  “Marshal, thank you for meeting with me, I am saKhan Kalvin Rosse I am here to declare a Trial of Possession for Crofton.”

   â€œI am happy to meet our neighbours in Clan Nova Cat, you have brought many warriors Khan.”  She said diplomatically while Kalvin Rosse was not a young warrior at nearly fifty years old Yvonne Guillox was at least seventy years in age.  Kalvin knew little about Inner Sphere MechWarriors only that most retired before they reached that age living out their last few decades in peace a Clan warrior could never accept that and nor it appeared could Guillox which was something Rosse had to respect.

   â€œMarshal, in retaliation for actions taken by the Federated Suns sponsored dezgra mercenary force known as Tyler’s Terrors on Sherwood Clan Nova Cat has decided that the systems of Des Aro, Symsonia and Crofton will belong to Clan Nova Cat going forwards.”

   â€œAn extreme reaction, I had units on Des Aro and Symsonia” Guillox noted “perhaps Clan Nova Cat wishes more territory?”

   â€œThey have been treated fairly and they fought well.  Those troops that survived are heading out of those systems to other Federated Suns garrisoned worlds.  We only desire what we are due” Rosse responded “I would prefer not to destroy this world in taking it from you.  It is the Clan way that we fight honourably so the equipment left can be used by the victors and in the future, it is available to be recaptured.  You understand this quiaff?”

   â€œYes, I am aware of your practices.”

   â€œWill you be willing to abide by them quiaff?”

   â€œI have been ordered by my superiors to fight within your dueling rules and not use bring total war to you.”  She said Kalvin smirked he was the one with two WarShips in system backing up the ground troops if anyone was bringing ‘total war’ it would be him.

   â€œGood, I am glad.  Nova Cat forces will meet you here and on each of the continents of Annesland, Churchill, Edwards and Lowther the winner of the overall number of battles will be declared victor.  I will send you their combat information details.  Your individual unit commanders will be invited by my Cluster commanders to enter a Batchall so we can fight with the smallest unit available to both sides minimizing losses on both our sides.  It is your right as defender to decide to fight with your full force at any of these positions.”  Kalvin explained

   â€œI understand, I will ensure my people are aware of your laws.”

---
   
   In the following days the Nova Cat clusters engage groups of Federated Suns troops at various locations across the world.  Crowds of people gather to watch these events unfold as the two forces line up in full sight of each other before the combat breaks out.  For many of the people it is the first time they have seen anything but units of the Federated Suns and for almost all of them the first time anyone has seen a Clan force.

At the worlds capital of Marcus and on the continents of Churchill and Edwards the Nova Cats are victorious while on the continents of Annesland and Lowther the Crucis Lancers defeat Forty-seventh Nova Cat Spirit Cluster and the Fifth Nova Cat Roar clusters causing heavy damage to the Clan forces despite this with three out of five victories Crofton and its valuable manufacturing facility are captured by the Nova Cats.  The damaged remains of the Fourth Crucis Lancers are allowed to retreat out of the system.

---

   Across the Federated Suns questions are risen to the High Command asking why a manufacturing site like Crofton was allowed to be taken by a “friendly” Clan.  Questions are asked about the whole idea of an allied Clan especially after what the Lyran Commonwealth has experienced on Arcturus.

Passing Out Ceremony
Regulus, District of Regulus
Free Worlds League
20th May 3114


In a ceremony in front of great crowds Caden Cameron-Jones follows his older sister and becomes a MechWarrior in the service of the District of Regulus and the Free Worlds League.  He like his older sister will join the Second Cameron-Jones Guard Regiment in the defence of Regulus.

Elsewhere in the Free Worlds League various District forces come into conflict with what is believed to be pirate forces striking at several worlds before crossing into other districts and then the two district forces coming into conflict over who has the rights to chase down enemy forces that cross borders.

Contract Negotiation
Kelswa-Aten Palace, Skye
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
22nd Mary 3114


   Following the fall of Arcturus multiple mercenary units were retreating to Galatea Station, Noisiel or other mercenary worlds but that wasn’t the place for Koblenz’s Wildcats.  Having served their way through the battles on Arcturus and had only left due to the evacuation orders issued by Lyran command now Kommandant Monzar Koblenz was determined to get his mixed battalion back into the fight and Skye was the way for it.

   Walking into the Kelswa-Aten Palace in Glasgow on Skye Kommandant Koblenz saluted Duchess Ilsa Kelswa-Aten.  “Welcome to Skye Kommandant” she greeted him.

   â€œThank you, Duchess, my Wildcats would like to work for Skye.”

   â€œYou would?”  She asked surprised she knew of the Wildcats by reputation only they had worked exclusively for House Steiner since their inception and they had grown to more than a battalion in size before the fight on Arcturus.  Used as a special operations/troubleshooting unit the Wildcats were a very experienced command.

   â€œYes, we have loyally served House Steiner for fifty years but it is time that we took a stand.  The Clans are at the gates of Skye if they breach Skye then Terra is there next target and then my mercenary trade will end.”

   â€œSo you’ll stand with us in our time of need.”

   â€œYes mam, pay us enough to maintain our equipment, fuel our ships and put food in our bellys and we’ll fight for you.”

   â€œI will accept your terms Kommandant with one requirement from you.  How was Arcturus?”

   â€œHell on earth” Monzar Koblenz replied “the Horses hit us from every angle you can imagine.  They hit fast and strong.”

   â€œCan they be stopped?”

   â€œYes, if you train hard to counter them.”

   â€œThen until they come your duties will be to travel the Isle of Skye and train my people how t’ fight and how t’ stop them.”  She said her accent began to slip slightly as she spoke.

   â€œWe can do that.”  He promised her their unit determined to now stand or fall against the incoming Clans.

Exploration Mission, District of Lesnovo Expedition-3
Algenib, Independent Periphery
Deep Periphery
29th May 3114


“MOVE YOUR ARSE!”  Lieutenant Amanda Cavalcanti screamed at the drivers of the two Pit Bull Trucks that were moving ahead of her, she had been in situations like this before when against a superior opponent you don’t try to stand up against them.  Their expedition had been ambushed by superior forces as the afternoon light began to fade.  One of their Pit Bull’s had been destroyed and several of her Mechs were lightly damaged.  “Cemetery Wind fall back by the numbers to the DropShip! These guys fired first and don’t want to talk to us.”  She ordered the other three MechWarriors her unit had been hired to support the District of Lesnovo expedition force which was based off the Spirit of Northumberland.  She twisted her Ebony Snake ultra-light BattleMech and let loose two salvos of rockets followed by some smoke from her BattleMech’s grenade launchers.  She watched as the rockets exploded over the chest of the Vindicator causing minimal damage to the forty-five-ton Mech.  She brought up her Mech’s handheld weapon and opened fire with the three machine guns mounted there with the rockets gone she was down to the machine gun fire.

“Boss, backtrack” one of the MechWarriors said as Rubiyov’s Rattlesnake stepped into view adding his own rockets to her fire as more enemy Mechs, four UrbanMechs moved into view.  The UrbanMech was a joke across the Inner Sphere but it weights double her Ebony Snake’s tonnage.

This was the Cemetery Wind’s first contract off Lesnovo the idea was simply take the contract with the Exploration Corps jump around the periphery with the Spirit of Northumberland for a year or so, then make enough money to buy some larger Mechs for the next contract but things were going way south.  As Amanda turned back towards the DropShip, she saw her biggest Mech the twenty-five-ton Mammoth piloted by Davie O’Connor step forwards firing long range missiles, two medium lasers and two machine guns into one of the UrbanMechs.  The UrbanMech’s response was to torso twist and hit the Mammoth square in the face with an autocannon volley.  Amanda saw the Mech’s advanced Reactive armour explode outwards deflecting some of the autocannon’s projectiles away from the Mech but she could also see heavy damage done to the Light Mech the pilot continued to fire even as he began to retreat.

They were in the clearing now and Amanda could see their Fortress-class DropShip which had began to lay down fire towards the incoming enemy Mechs.  “Clean break people move towards the DropShip.”  She ordered everyone the two Pit Bull trucks and her five Mech’s began making steady progress with the pirates unwilling to close on the DropShip, they were going to make it she thought.

Amanda Cavalcanti didn’t see the blow coming but she felt it as her fifteen-ton Mech was battered by the hatchet of a monstrous Archer.  The massive axe slammed through her Mech’s legs crushing them and forcing the Mech to the ground.  The Mech cartwheeled once beforce coming to a rest with Cavalcanti knocked unconscious by the impact.  Around her there was momentary chaos as her lance tried to counter attack only to be knocked back by the Archer which dropped a salvo of napalm filled short range missiles between her Mech and her allies blocking any chance of them reaching her downed Mech.  Despite the DropShip’s fire the ground forces from the Spirit of Northumberland were forced back to the DropShip which boosted towards orbit soon afterwards leaving Amanda Cavalcanti in her wrecked Mech behind.

---

When she came to Amanda Cavalcanti realized, she was in a cave and she was attached to a bed by a pair of handcuffs she wasn’t a kinky person so she guessed her encounter with the pirates wasn’t a really bad dream, she also realized that under the sheets she was in only her underwear and wrapped in a couple of large bandages which covered her side.  She also quickly realized she wasn’t alone glancing over she saw a man who looked like he was in his thirties he was unshaven, he had long hair, which was tied back in a ponytail his face had several shallow scars on it and one deeper one that ran from the centre of his forehead into his left eyebrow.

“Good morning” he said his voice was rough and the accent wasn’t regional.

“I assume I’m your prisoner?”  She asked rattling the handcuffs.

“You are.”

“Then I’d suggest you let me go, we have a WarShip in…”

“Your ship jumped out this morning, you’ve been unconscious for three days we suspect a concussion.  Your DropShip burned straight to the ship and it left the system.”  He said informing her “we now realise you are not a hunting band looking for us, you didn’t have to be our enemy, but you will not be collected by your people.”

“Too late not to be my enemy.” her mind raced their first job and she was abandoned by their employer.  No by O'connor he wanted the damned job and now he had it.

“You will not be collected by your people” he repeated again as if rubbing it in.  “But you do not have to be our enemy.  Your injuries were not life threatening we have salvaged your dinky toy BattleMech, you could pilot it again.”

“I can’t see it” she said angrily staring at the rocks above her.  “First thing you could do in proving your not my enemy is by giving me my clothes back?”  She said glancing down at the sheets aware, they’d seen a lot that the cave wasn’t the warmest place and that she was probably showing quite a bit.  “You salvaged my Ebony Snake, I should have a sachel in the cockpit with some spare clothing I’d like it back.”

“That can be arranged.  Do not try to escape, the people on this world are not well developed and could see you as lunch.  My people will continue to take care of you and we’ll take you with us if your cooperative but cross us…” he said leaning closer to her “cross us and you’ll pay a terrible price.”
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 07:39:35 PM by Dragon Cat »
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Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #984 on: July 16, 2020, 12:20:01 PM »

McCoy's Malcontents and Cemetery Wind added along with the customized Archer and a picture from Andrew Derton

https://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/index.php?topic=3319.15#lastPost
« Last Edit: July 16, 2020, 12:21:58 PM by Dragon Cat »
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Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #985 on: July 16, 2020, 12:40:19 PM »

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Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #986 on: July 21, 2020, 08:42:33 AM »

Ambush Point
Hassad, Glasgow Commonality
Capellan Confederation
3rd June 3114


   â€œCut right!”  The Bounty Hunter called out from his Marauder II BattleMech he saw Dominic Nostra’s Mad Cat move to the right clearing the way for his own autocannon and twin particle cannon shots to cause heavy damage to the Spartan BattleMech.

   Things were not going as they had planned.  The Bounty Hunter had come to Hassad as a hunter searching for the pirate band known as “7” but before his team could track down their prey the unit had been attacked by four identical SPT-NX Spartan BattleMechs already Mark’s Privateer BattleMech had been destroyed.  For thirty years those that had served as the Bounty Hunter had not encountered these Mechs but now it was Christopher Grant’s turn to face them.  Each Mech was eighty tons in weight, it moved up to ninety kilometres per hour and was heavily armed with a devastating sword, an assortment of missiles and lasers.  Christopher cursed as his autocannon barrage battered against one of the Spartan’s massive shields which deflected much of the damage.

   â€œWe need to break out” Dominic Nostra said opening fire with his Mad Cat’s array of pulse lasers.

   â€œAgreed” the Bounty Hunter replied firing again into an enemy Mech, they were outnumbered and going to be cut to pieces by these brutes of Mechs.  “Kafka, point four hit his back open it up.”

   â€œAffirmative” the pilot responded her modified Hawk Moth VTOL Verwandlung flew in fast firing a long stream of autocannon fire into one of the Spartan’s backs and heads as she passed overhead.  The weapons barrage was enough to penetrate the Spartan’s head and either hurt or kill the pilot as suddenly the massive machine staggered and fell to the side.

   â€œWell done, recover to staging.  Dominic, Sam, Rayna move!”  He snapped his green Marauder II moved towards the fallen Spartan as he twisted its torso towards another target and unloaded his weapons.  Beside him the Mad Cat, Cauldron Born and Vagabond surged towards the gap.  “Not today” Christopher Grant said reaching out with his Marauder II’s big arms to block a blow by one of the Spartan’s swords which smashed into the arm armour instead of striking something more vulnerable.  Leaning his Mech forward Grant fired the autocannon at point blank range gutting the Spartan’s torso ruining its gyro he then twisted the his Mech’s torso knocking the Spartan to the side as a variable pulse laser burned across the Marauder II’s torso.  Above Kafka dived in again showering the area in autocannon fire.  “Kafka, withdraw before these idiots turn on you.”

   â€œI’m too fast for them boss, get out of there!”  She said as short-range missiles smashed into his Marauder II from the remaining two Mechs.  The massive one hundred-ton Mech was battered from side to side as he fought to control it after losing over a ton of armour.  Ahead of him in the gap the other three Mechs had stopped retreating and were firing their weapons in a covering pattern driving the remaining two Spartan’s back.

   â€œAll of you keep going we’re not hanging about the 7 can wait for another day.”  Christopher said turning to face the two Spartans keeping up his firing pattern to keep the two assault Mechs back.  Whoever these guys were they’d picked a bad time to return.  The Bounty Hunter and his team continued to exchange fire with the Spartans until they reached their DropShip and boosted off the planet.

   As if to add injury to insult the next day the 7 attack the Fifteenth Liao Lancers supply convoy in an attack alongside the two Spartans that had engaged the Bounty Hunter.  The six Mechs combined destroy more than a Battalion of Liao Mechs, vehicles and infantry in a series of running battles before recovering much of the salvage as the Liao Lancers withdraw.

Trials of Possession
Crucis March, Federated Suns
14th June 3114


   A series of Trials of Possession are declared by Clan Nova Cat targeting the Federated Suns worlds of Minette, Molino, Hortense and Shubuta as the Nova Cats drive deep into the heart of the Federated Suns.  With the AFFS still deployed mostly to cover the borders with the Draconis Combine and Capellan Confederation the local forces have little choice but to fight to the Clan method of combat.  On each of the worlds targeted by the Nova Cats the Clan encounters elements of the veteran Fourth New Avalon Guards RCT and local forces while over Minette two Davion-class Destroyers supplement the defences.

   In a series of Trials of Possession, the Nova Cats are able to capture the systems of Molino and Hortense but they fail to secure Minette.  Anger continues to feed back to New Avalon at the AFFS inaction to counter this raiding Clan and the lack of front-line forces in the area.  Hundreds of messages are sent to the Royal Court, the office of the First Prince and the office of the Marshal of Armies demanding action.  First Prince Burton Davion orders his Marshal of Armies Fredrick Davion to take personal charge of the Federated Suns defence against Clan Nova Cat.

Landing David Aceland (Buccaneer-class DropShip)
Coromodir VI, Cordia City
New Quarter, Fronc Reaches
22nd June 3114


The Fronc Reaches Government Buccaneer-class DropShip David Aceland slowly came to rest on the tarmac of the spaceport of Coromodir VI.  While technically a member world of the Fronc Reaches the nation generally allowed its member worlds to run their own affairs and Coromodir had largely fallen away from Fronc Reaches politics.  Ambassador Stanislav Radionov had been dispatched by Fronc to re-establish relations with Coromodir and bring it back into the fold.  Now leaving his diplomatic vessel the Ambassador realized that Coromodir was far from the backward world he’d expected with a multi-tiered spaceport that had been built in the last forty years something few other Fronc Reaches worlds could boast.  His well-kept business suit fit better into the local scene than he’d suspected it would.
He was taken onboard a well-kept motor vehicle and transported through a decently sized city, he wondered why this world was not more important to the Fronc Reaches.  His vehicle was driven through the large gates of an ancient defensive fortress which looked Taurian in design.  While far from being in pristine condition it was still an impressive formation he was escorted through the hall of the House Arano home to the leaders of Coromodir.  On the throne sat a beautiful young woman she was half Stanislav’s age at least she wore a beautiful black and red gown which looked almost Capellan in design with a golden grown that ringed her forehead, while beside her throne was an equally young dark-skinned  man who stood nearby he was dressed in a blue suit with a ceremonial cloak over his shoulders he wore his dark hair short and wore a pair of black rimmed glasses.

“Welcome to Coromodir” the young man said looking at him more closely as he spoke Stanislav noticed his arms shook gently as he spoke “you are in the presence of Ali’i nui of Coromodir Kamea Arano.”

“I am honoured” Stanislav Radionov said “Ali-inoo of Coromodir” he said stumbling over the title “thank you for inviting us here I am Ambassador Stanislav Radionov from Fronc.”

“Welcome Ambassador please Countess is as accurate as Ali’I nui, I will accept such a title from an ally.”  The young leader of this world said her voice was sweet but strong.

“Thank you” he said bowing to her slightly in thanks “Countess, Fronc has been remiss recently and we have not been the best of neighbours we intend on improving those relationships.”

“I would welcome such an offer, House Arano has attempted to maintain necessary links with those worlds near us but the greater Reaches would be welcome visitors.”

“Your world is impressive Countess, how one such as Coromodir was allowed to lose its position within our nation baffles me.” Radionov admitted he’d heard the system’s name before but didn’t realize it was nearly as populated or as wealthy as it was.

“We have had a rough few years, famine, disease, internal conflict and conflict with our neighbours have all played a part in Coromodir’s low profile.  Fronc, Detroit and others have been allowed to take the limelight while our people recover.”

“I see” Radionov said suddenly wondering just how far the Countess’ ambitions reached.  “I look forward to strengthening the bonds between Coromodir, Fronc and the other worlds of our nation.”  He said carefully hoping the young Countess’ ambitions would not compete with those of Fronc.

Defensive action
Denebola, Wolf Empire
30th June 3114


   Returning to service with the SLDF Major Morgan Christifori joins the Fourth Knights of the Sphere, the Second Royal ComGuard Brigade and the Northwind Rangers Brigade as the three commands supported by the WarShips SLS Invincible, SLS Venus and the SLS Victor Focht, the SLDF’s newest Enterprise II-class Super-carrier.  Without naval forces in system of their own the Wolves lose air superiority within hours of the landings of the SLDF units.  The Fifth Wolf Lancers, Twenty-seventh Wolf Champions and Seventh Mountain Wolf Clusters are destroyed by SLDF forces while the Elite Fourteenth Wolf Assault Lancers and Black Guards Clusters are driven off.  The anger within Clan Wolf leadership crosses the Touman quickly with the Wolf leadership taking their anger out on the Hellion’s Nightmare Galaxy disbanding it and sending its warriors to other units to rebuild them while a senior Wolf Star Admiral is removed from his post.

   In brighter news the Wolves are able to hold Avellaneda and Abadan from assaults by Free Worlds League forces forcing back the invading forces during the attack the Free Worlds League deploys three new combined arms regiments which have been built from troops originating across the nation.  Formed as a new peacekeeping and support force the Free Worlds League Protectors Brigade is a new formation in the Free Worlds League and one controlled exclusively by the Parliament instead of regional forces.  Within the Free Worlds League this new force is welcomed as a defence force but regional powers are wary over adding armed forces which they have no control over.
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Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #987 on: July 30, 2020, 05:32:02 AM »

Base Camp, McCoy’s Malcontents
Wittington, Periphery
9th July 3114


   She’d been given clothing and she hadn’t been mistreated in anyway for pirates these guys were not normal, these were things that Amanda Cavalcanti was grateful for, however she was still their prisoner and her freedom was unlikely to return.  She was also lucky that she didn’t have children as it was unlikely that she’d return home anytime soon.  After a single jump and a couple of days burn back in system McCoy’s Malcontents, as these mercenary/pirates called themselves, were now heading for home Amanda was stunned when she left the DropShip that she was at a well-maintained spaceport facility instead of some dirt track in the middle of nowhere.  She was loaded onboard a cargo truck and driven away from the landing zone.

   Now nearly an hour into their journey over dirt tracks the truck turned off into a well-maintained fire base which had been built around a grand looking country home.  The truck drove in a circle around the house and then turned down a hill entering a cave under the house.  Inside the cave Amanda could see that there were several BattleMech maintenance cubicles and what looked like tunnels deeper underground, she also noticed several other Mechs were present in the Mechbay.  The truck came to a standstill and Amanda was led out of the back of the vehicle and told to stand still by one of her guards.  She watched as Schuyler McCoy’s modified Archer docked in the Mechbay, it was then followed by the other Mechs of his support lance and finally the four pondering UrbanMechs.  McCoy left his Mech and climbed down the gantry of the Mechbay before heading over unlike many Inner Sphere MechWarriors he had no coolant suit instead he wore a vest and shorts inside the Mech and he hadn’t bothered getting dressed into anything else yet.

   â€œWelcome to Wittington” McCoy said as he approached “you will be treated well as long as you behave here.”

   â€œWhy do you take the UrbanMechs on raids when you’ve got all of these.”  She said indicating around the bay the Mechs present were old, far older than McCoy’s Archer or his support lance but they were all capable designs.  She looked down the numbers counting more than twenty BattleMechs including the two lances that McCoy had taken to Algenib.

   â€œThe UrbanMech is a right of passage if you can survive a battle in an UrbanMech then you can qualify for something bigger.  We also have to garrison this world; the people trust us to keep them safe and independent.”  He explained as a trailer dragging her broken Ebony Snake drove past them.

   â€œHow did you come across all these Mechs?”  She asked curious about the Mechs origin some of these Mechs dated back to the eariest days of the BattleMech as a weapon of war.

   â€œMy father came here from the Federated Suns” McCoy explained “he didn’t want to join the AFFS after St Ives threw their lot in with the Suns.  He and a few others came here hoping to make a life of their own.  Along the way they raided several worlds netting them some of the Mechs you see present” he said “when my father came here he expected to build a home and retire however found the house you saw above abandoned the previous family long gone and he decided that would be his home.  Under the house they found a vault with many of the Mechs present, it appears that whomever owned the house above stored these Mechs here to be used when they needed them and they never came back.”

   â€œThis is a find that would allow most people to retire very wealthy!”  Amanda pointed out

   â€œNot all of them are fully functional, but yes some men could retire.  My father chose to retire safely on this world, but I want to see all of these Mechs restored to their full capability.”

   â€œAnd you’ll do that any way you can” she said becoming annoyed that someone with so much potential wealth would abuse it like McCoy appeared to be.

   â€œWe only kill those we need to.”  He said refusing to become angry at her “you’ll learn to understand.  For now, we’ll make you comfortable.”  He said indicating to the guards to take her away from him, she didn’t know what this place had in store for her.

Field Base Command, StarCorps Industries
Farrarrah, Annesland
Crofton, Nova Cat’s Den
11th July 3114


   The office that once belonged to the head of the StarCorps Industries plant on Crofton now belonged to Khan Canin Rosse.  He didn’t much like the room it was too cluttered with items that built up StarCorps as a company with small toy models of BattleMechs and vehicles produced by the company but it served him for today and that’s all that mattered.  The door to the office swung open and in entered Star Admiral Alexandria Leroux she’d dyed her blonde hair red since his last encounter reminding Canin of Natasha Kerensky, he was sure she’d done it intentionally, otherwise her uniform was immaculate despite what she’d been through.  “Welcome Star Admiral” he greeted her

   â€œWelcome?”  She snapped angrily sitting on the leather chair opposite him “have you heard what we went through?”  She said astonished by his calm attitude “what they did to us?”

   â€œAff, I read” Canin said quietly looking at her with hard eyes “we had not expected them to know where our Terminals were, we were wrong.”  He said continuing his calm tone the Terminals were massive space stations each almost two million tons in size they were home to six thousand Nova Cats and used as trade and maintenance hubs by the Clan.  Each of them also carried numerous support aerospace fighters, DropShips and marines.

   â€œWrong!”  She shouted angrily “wrong, they jumped in out of nowhere and hit us hard!”  She snapped “the Lucian Carns was obliterated in a single volley from their three damned Battleships.  They hit us with eight WarShips even with my full star of WarShips we had no chance.”  She said angrily.  Canin had read the report House Davion had retaliated for the Nova Cats attacks in predictable fashion using their heavy stick navy against the Nova Cats supply lines.  Somehow, they had discovered where one of the Nova Cats supply stations were, they had jumped in just as Alexandria’s WarShip star was cycling through the system.

   â€œI read the report” he said calmly.

---

   The former flagship of the star, the Lucian Carns had been obliterated in the opening volley from the Federated Suns forces the Anna Rosse-class Battle-cruiser having no chance to retaliate against them.  Alexandria had been onboard the Nightlord II-class Battleship Sacred Rite at the time of the attack and had ralied her forces with the Sacred Rite breaking over the nose of the Federated Suns flagship the FSS Black Prince crippling the vessel’s main guns with a devastating broadside.  Unfortunately, the Federated Suns counter attack had caused massive damage to the Sacred Rite leaving it to drift into deep space.

   With Alexandria out of the fight onboard the Nova Cat’s largest vessel the Terminal commander had taken command of the star and ordered a desperate battle while Nova Cat JumpShips and two Carrack merchant ships escaped.  The remaining five WarShips had attacked with the Black Lion White Aerie and two Aegis-class Heavy Cruisers had cut down the port side of the Federated Suns formation tearing apart two Davion-class Destroyers that were protecting the three Battleships that anchored the formation before they themselves were destroyed by the Federated Suns armada’s combined firepower.

   The remaining two Nova Cat WarShips the Tiglon, a Liger-class Strike Cruiser and Abrams, a Drake-class Corvette, had charged into the frey with the remaining DropShips and aerospace fighters supported by long range capital missile fire.  On it’s approach the Abrams was torn to pieces by the heavier WarShips before it even got within weapons range.  The Tiglon’s heavier frame charged into enemy formation shielding the small craft following it as the vessel approached it turned up towards the Black Prince intent on putting more damage on the massive Mercury-class vessel weapons had struck the vessel from multiple directions causing heavy damage forcing it off course and straight into one of the Federated Suns destroyers causing the destruction of both vessels.

   As the battle came to a close the Nova Cat small craft and DropShips along with the Terminal fought to their last with one final Nova Cat victory coming as Nova Cat Elementals boarded the FSS Audacity, a First Prince II-class Battleship, as their transports were destroyed.  The warriors had known their fate when they boarded the battleship and had no intention on surviving they made their way to the main magazines of the battleship killing anyone that got in their way before detonating massive charges which blew the nose off the battleship ending its fight.

   This final act of defiance from the Nova Cats had sealed the fate of the Terminal and everyone who remained onboard the space station.  Devastating blow after blow was delivered by the remaining Federated Suns WarShips ending its fight and cutting through its structure until the station was no more.  Without bothering to recover any of the Nova Cat survivors the remaining Federated Suns vessels jumped back out of the system.  Hours later the crippled Sacred Rite had returned to the area having recovered minimal maneuvering capability.  Despite its damaged state the WarShip was able to pick up hundreds of escape pods from other vessels and the station before the Sacred Rite itself successfully jumped clear of the system finding an empty system nearby to shelter in.  Additional Nova Cat vessels had rendezvoused with the ship and now repairs were beginning.

   In all six Nova Cat WarShips, a Terminal station and thousands of personnel had been lost in the action with another vessel crippled, on the other side four Federated Suns vessels also being destroyed and another crippled.  By far it had been the bloodiest battle of the conflict so far and the Nova Cats had been on the wrong side of the result.

---

“We cannot return the firepower they have at their disposal.”  Rosse said finally “we now know how the Taurians felt when we attacked them quiaff?”  Alexandria winced when the truth hit her.  The Taurians hadn’t had WarShips to fight the Nova Cats honourably so they had resorted to using nuclear weapons to level the playing field now the Nova Cats were feeling the brunt of the Federated Suns retaliation.  “I believe I said as much before this.”  He said trying not to sound like he was saying “I told you so.”

“Aff, now what?”

“We started this conflict now we are in for the long haul.  Alpha Galaxy embarrassed their Heavy Guards here but I have confirmed we have lost contact with forces on Kiza, Rentz and Ankou as well.”

“So, they have opened a second front on us quiaff?  We’ll struggle to maintain defences against two fronts even if they do not have the location of all of our colonies the Federated Suns could do plenty damage.”

“Aff, they could, we are over extended.”  He said pointing out “which is why I have decided we need to take another approach.”  He said activating some table controls which brought up a holographic image of the space around Crofton.  While the StarCorps office was too much for the Khan he did like some of the features.  “Star Admiral, I am assigning you to the WarShip Excalibur.  It still looks enough like an Avalon-class for it to pass.  You are to proceed to the system of Charleston and broadcast a message to the the Second Watch Cluster which are currently there.”

“Charleston?  That’s in the Gaenir Collective, quiaff?”  She asked naming the distant periphery state.

“Aff”

“You are sidelining me!”  She said angrily she was young and didn’t fully understand his thoughts on the matter.

“Neg, I am not.”  He said “the trip to Charleston will take you the better part of three months.”  He explained “once you have reached transmission position and the Second have received the message you will procced to the Federated Suns Hadrian’s Command.”  He said suddenly her anger turned into a smile.

“They show their intelligence has found things and we show ours has found things?”  She said seeing an opportunity for glory again.

“Aff, you will defend yourself if required, you will broadcast your identity and then you will leave the system.  I want the Federated Suns worried about what we could do if we wanted, you are not to attack their stations for now.”

“It would be easier if I went directly there, we have forces in the expansion zone they could pass your message.”  She protested

“Neg, you lost a WarShip star Alexandria” he said to words slowly even as she began to protest, as he did he rose from his chair “you did.  Regardless of the odds against you they were lost under your command.  I need to sideline you or you will face trial after trial.”

“Which I can face!”  She protested she had not risen to her current rank without fighting.

“Neg, our Clan does not need our senior Admiral defending her position from petty duels!”  Canin
pointed out raising his voice, he hadn’t wanted this conflict but he’d fight it his way. “I need the Clan focused and focused on the Federated Suns.”  Rosse explained.

“What message am I passing to the Second Watch?”

“The Nova Cats are pulling out of the Expansion Zone.”  Rosse said “we punished the Taurian Concordat drove them from their worlds and have no doubt improved the life of many of the people there we have done enough with that distraction.  Instead the forces there are going to attack Malagrotta and the worlds around it.  We are going to open our own second front and see how the Federated Suns likes it.”  He announced “I want the Taurians and Gaenir fighting over what we leave behind for them our agents on Taurus will ensure that they are also aware that we are withdrawing.”

“Politics should be left to the Ravens and the Falcons” Alexandria protested she didn’t like how he was playing the other two nations against each other.

“Aff, but sometimes we need to dabble.”  He explained “now rest up, you have got a long journey in front of you.”  He said returning to his desk with that she was dismissed the fondness and closeness that they had once shared appeared to be gone.  She knew she had failed him, she had pushed for this conflict for the good of their Clan and she had failed him Rosse had built the Nova Cat’s home and he wouldn’t let it fall under his watch.

Capellan Confederation offensive
Free Worlds League
13th July 3114


   In retaliation for the fighting that took place on Hassad all seven of the Capellan Confederation’s Warrior Houses with the armoured cavalry regiments in support assault the Free Worlds League hitting the systems of New Delos, Carbonis, Las Halles and Varna.  In the Carbonis system the CCSS Chancellor’s Destiny, a Bain Cheng Wang-class Battleship, destroys the vessel OPS Hamilton allowing ground forces to land.

   On the ground the three Free Worlds League units on Carbonis drive off the Capellans but they are able to inflict damage on each from high oribit the Chancellor’s Destiny fires several rounds to keep the FWL units at bay but without actually striking their opponents.  The Free Worlds League defences on Las Halles and New Delos are also able to drive off the Capellan raiders but Varna falls to Capellan attacks.

   Following the attach on Carbonis the FWL government complain to the Capellan Confederation for the actions of the Chancellor’s Destiny but due to the lack of casualties caused by the strike they take no further action.

Clan skirmishes
Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth
23rd July 3114


As Clan Coyote land forces on Symington and Auldhouse begins to show the fractured nation of the Clans with Clan Ghost Bear cutting into the backs of the Coyote forces capturing Dalkeith, Grumlum, Gunzburg and Skandia in a series of Trials of Possession.  The Hell’s Horses also claim Carstairs, Breukelen and Kirkcaldy from the Jade Falcons further fragmenting the Clan’s front lines.

The Jade Falcons retaliate against the Hell’s Horses striking at the Horse’s newest jewel Arcturus keeping the Clan forces there uneasy.  The Jade Falcon strike on Hell’s Horses positions also reveal that some of the Lyran resistance forces are still active on the recently lost world.
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Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.

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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #988 on: July 30, 2020, 02:56:28 PM »

Love the McCoy's Malcontents name!
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Re: Alternate Timeline with Thanks (FULL)
« Reply #989 on: August 25, 2020, 12:14:31 PM »

Love the McCoy's Malcontents name!

A name based on a group of minis I saw painted and thought time to make a new story around.

Exercise Run
Colleen, Deep Periphery
Clan Homeworlds
1st August 3114


Sometimes even a Khan just needed to get away from everything, with modern technology they could easily be in contact with command in moments and back within a command centre in hours, in Khan Alex Lassenem’s case today was one of those days yesterday had been a bad day for the surviving Clans in the Homeworlds.  He’d needed a run and he’d run into the forests of Colleen.

After liberating Grant’s Station from Society and Dark Caste forces the Society had responded by detonating nuclear warheads buried under each major settlement on the planet essentially turning the once fertile world into a nuclear wasteland.  Lassenem had ordered as much of the population evacuated as possible but the losses were high.  Leading to his run far from the nearest Blood Spirits settlement on the planet into the wilderness of one of the few safe places in the Clan Homeworlds his people still successfully held Collen, Glory, Sheridan, New Kent and Hector successfully defending them with the Goliath Scorpions from Society incursions.  Recently the Goliath Scorpions had colonized a new world known as Arizona which was on the far side of the Clan Homeworlds from Colleen and was intended on being the Goliath Scorpion’s new primary holding.

Unfortunately, the Clan’s greatest difficulty at present was their inability to build new WarShips Alex had tried for months to assemble the components to build a working shipyard but time and again they had failed to construct a working facility.  Instead the Blood Spirits were forced to rely on capturing Society vessels or raiding weapons caches their most recent accusation had been three Molniya-class Corvettes originally build by Clan Wolf but abandoned after they found the ships were difficult to maintain the Blood Spirits didn’t have an option but to press them into service.

As he ran, he thought about different scenarios that his Clan could take to counter their weaknesses against the Society there was so much to think about.  The Goliath Scorpions had begun to produce the Sun Bear OmniMech at their factory here on Colleen and they planned to build it on Arizona too further bolstering their medium Mech forces but still the Clan forces were badly outnumbered.  One of his advisers had suggested taking one of their recommissioned Molniyas to the Inner Sphere to call on support from the other Clans…

Stopping his run for a moment Alex thought through the idea he wanted to head to the Inner Sphere personally to deal with the dezgra Stone Spritis but his desire for revenge had to wait until the Clan Homeworlds were liberated as for the other Clans.  The Clans had abandoned their Homeworlds chasing down the dream of conquering Terra and becoming the ilClan.  Of the Clans in the Inner Sphere the Bears, Nova Cats, Foxes and Ravens were most likely to return but all of them were significantly bigger than his Clan… once again the Blood Spirits would be the junior member of Clan society… which he didn’t like.  Dealing with the Society was his mission, his Clan’s lasting legacy to the memory of Nicholas Kerensky.

Thanks to their successes against the Society and their successful defence of multiple systems against the dezgra scientists the Blood Spirits had fully reconstituted The Blooding, Blood Redeemers and the Bloody Resistance Galaxies each with five clusters while the Goliath Scorpions had successfully put back together two Galaxies of troops, still they were outnumbered by the Society and Dark forces.  Each time he brought enough forces against them the Society retreated and used weapons of mass destruction or orbital bombardment scattering his people.

As he stood in the middle forest on the rough path suddenly things did not feel right things were too quiet.  He turned on the spot his right-hand drifting towards his gauss pistol sidearm as his hand grasped the weapon, he felt the ground rock beneath him.  Unlike the Blood Spirits previous home of York Colleen was not majorly tectonically active suddenly from beneath the ground a massive creature climbed out of the ground.

Coloured red the animal was clearly a mutated/modified scorpion with six powerful legs, two curved claws and a curved rear tail stinger.  Alex dodged backwards away from the creature as its left claw swung out.  Alex was aware of almost every species on Colleen and he didn’t know this one.  As the claw sung past him again, he saw pronged hair sticking from the side of the claw, it reminded him of the mane of a Nova Cat, the swipe missed him again as he drew his pistol aiming down at the beast, he fired a shot into it.  The creature’s armoured hide stood up to the strike and swung at him again this time it connected with his stomach ripping through his work out t-shirt but failing to penetrate the skin.
Alex rolled the opposite direction away from the beast as scorpion’s stinger struck out towards where he had been the sprayer sending an acidic substance onto the rocks and trees beside him.  Alex grunted knowing no natural creature could spray such a substance he turned the pistol on it again and fired several shots into the scorpion’s side.  The Scorpion’s blood spilled out from his hits but it then turned and swung its claws at him again fortunately missing.  Alex fired another shot between its solid black eyes and ran knowing fine his pistol was out of shots and that the beast wasn’t going to be stopped so easily.  He saw a large tree that would support his weight and jumped up grabbing a large branch he pulled as hard as he could launching himself up off the ground just as the scorpion’s pincers swung where his legs would have been.  The scorpion’s stinger shot out more of the acidic goo burning into the tree.

High enough to be out of the creature’s reach Alex replaced the ammunition cartridge in his weapon and reached for his communicator, knowing he’d need help.  He noticed it was gone and frantically began to look around seeing the communicator laying on the trail where he had been standing “stavag!”  He muttered angrily.  Trying to put the thought out of his head he took aim with his pistol and fire again into the creature but he knew he had no chance of defeating it with his pistol.  He’d have to bide his time and hope that the tree held up and his enemy became tired.

Hours past and Alex Lassenum had felt himself begin to drift off to sleep several times but he was resisting it, he couldn’t take the chance of sleeping then falling off the branch.  By now he knew that his subordinates would be looking for him, but he also knew the scorpion was in the area hearing it every now and then moving below in the growing darkness.  He’d thought about it and while the Society probably would release such a creature they didn’t know where Colleen was, his Watch were good enough to have stopped their intelligence in its tracks, so there was only one likely cause for this beast’s origin and that was Clan Goliath Scorpion why they had created and released such a deadly alpha predator onto the world was beyond him.  He raised the pistol into the air and fire a single shot he’d decided that if the weapon couldn’t penetrate the scorpion’s armour, he’d try a different tactic and use it like a signal flare.

The action attracted the scorpion’s attention and he felt another thump against the tree as one of its pincers and then the other collided with it again the tree withstood the attack.  Alex began wondering how long he’d have to wait for help to arrive but before he could contemplate waiting longer help in its most unlikely form arrived.

He didn’t know if they’d been attracted by his pistol fire, the noise created by the scorpion’s attack against the tree or the smell of the scorpion’s blood but from the shadows two massive smoke jaguar big cats leapt onto the scorpion.  From their attack Alex guessed the animals had been observing for a while as one jumped directly on the scorpion’s tail pinning its dangerous stinger into the ground tearing at the limb as the other jumped directly onto the massive scorpion.  The scorpion’s size and strength was demonstrated as it continued to try and move as the jaguars launched their attacks tearing at its armoured hide with their incredibly sharp claws.  While Alex’s pistol had not been particularly effective the jaguars sustained attacks quickly proved effective with a piercing scream the scorpion’s tail was ripped from its body spilling blood everywhere behind while the other jaguar’s claws tore into the scorpion’s back tearing at its organs.  It was a methodical, vicious slaughter which Alex was witnessing the two jaguars showing exactly why Nicholas Kerensky had chosen it as Totem animal of the Clan.

Alex remained in the tree for an hour as the two smoke jaguars finished off the scorpion and then ate what they could of the animal leaving only its armoured carcass and its deadly tail.  They then disappeared into the darkened forest around Alex.  He allowed them to leave before jumping down and grabbing the communicator calling for extraction he was glad he’d insisted on his teams recovering as many of the Clan’s totem animals as possible and resettling them on Colleen far from the Society’s influences.

---

It took an hour for the Blood Spirits to arrive and take Alex back to a command bunker.  There he’d learned the true scale of this crisis eighteen attacks had been recorded all over Colleen with massive civilian casualties when the attacks had occurred in open areas.  “Get me the Scorpions… NOW!”  Alex demanded standing in the command bunker still wearing his ripped running gear a few minutes later the image of Khan Ingo Yeh appeared, the man did not look well.  “Khan Yeh, explain what the hell is going on and tell my why you have betrayed us!”  He said angrily.

“It… it was a mistake.”  Yeh stammered over the worlds “Khan Lassenum, my Clan was developing a weapon that could be released onto an enemy world before an invasion and sow chaos.  One of our scientists released them into the wild believing they deserved to live free and not be used as weapons.  She has paid the price of her actions with her own life.”  He explained the use of animals as weapons was distasteful but not anything worse than what the Society had done.

“That is not enough.  Hundereds of people that my Clan has safeguarded from the Society are dead.  You understand a price has to be paid and shown in public, Quiaff?”

“Aff, Khan Lassenum, I am ready to answer for my Clan.”  Yeh responded surprising Lassenum with his willingness to answer his challenge himself.  “Name your place and I will meet you in combat.”


---

The next day Alex Lassenum was onboard his personal Osteon deep inside the OmniMech’s torso mounted cockpit near the Windsheer Falls a freshwater waterfall between Blood Spirit and Goliath Scorpion territory.  The eighty-five-ton OmniMech originally belonged to the Society but he’d used it in an operation against them and had kept it as his own.  Against him he watched as one of the new Sun Bear OmniMechs walked out into the space, this had to be a joke the Mech weighed thirty tons less than his Osteon this wouldn’t be a fight it would be a slaughter.  “Khan Alex Lassenum, I am ready to answer for my Clan’s mistakes”

   â€œIngo, I am ready to offer you the honourable way out, use your own Mech.”

   â€œNeg, the Sun Bear will serve my Clan in the future it is a symbol of our rebirth.  I will show that it can fight.”

   â€œUnderstood, fight well.”

   â€œSeyla”

   â€œSeyla” Alex replied immediately rising the Osteon’s two arms letting rip with his Hyper Assault Gauss Rifle and a wave of improved advanced tactical missiles.  The gauss rifle shots sand-blasted all over the arms, torso and legs of the Mech.  The missiles followed the hit blanketing the Mech in explosions, electronic noise and flame.  The lighter Mech wasn’t finished yet firing its ultra autocannon and lasers at the Osteon.  The assault autocannon tore through his Mech’s torso armour exposing massive chunks of its reinforced skeleton.  The Sun Bear’s pulse lasers burned across the Mech’s torso but its extended range lasers missed their mark.

   On his sensors Alex could see that the Sun Bear was near the point of overheating its systems struggling to cope with the attack and his magnetic pulse missiles.  Instead of following up with more missiles he added several pulse lasers to a second volley of gauss rifle fire into the Sun Bear.  The OmniMech weathered the attack although Alex could see the lighter design was struggling as gauss rifle slugs and lasers peppered the hull.  To Ingo Yeh’s credit he didn’t give up after the attack instead he tried to attack again firing the autocannon on its own shells tore up the ground all around the Osteon but caused little in the way of damage.  Alex returned fire with far more accurate fire to the still Sun Bear.

   â€œI am sorry Alex” Ingo Yeh broadcast as the improved inferno ammunition exploded over the Sun Bear, Alex’s gauss rifles slugs slammed into the Mech moments later gutting the Sun Bear’s torso and cockpit killing the Goliath Scorpion Khan.  Alex stood silent and watched the burning OmniMech topple backwards landing on its back there was no rushing to check if the pilot was alive, everyone watching knew he was already gone.  Alex had been involved in the return of the Goliath Scorpions to Colleen saving the Clan from becoming lost in the periphery and now he’d killed their leader, a man he considered to be a friend.

Four days later new Khan Freema Kirov becomes the leader of the Goliath Scorpions.  Now that the Goliath Scorpions have Arizona as a world of their own Kirov agrees to remove the Goliath Scorpions from Colleen leaving the Blood Spirits with their home but she also agrees to continue operations with the Blood Spirits against the Society.

Field Office, Irian News Network
Kirin River, Irian
Star League Protectorate
19th August 3114


There was a gentle knock at the door and Marshal… no, General Richard Steiner rose from his chair straightening his new SLDF uniform as the door swung open revealing his wife, and the mother of his children, Duchess Kym Hasek liege lord of the Capellan March in the Federated Suns.  She was as beautiful as the day she had met him when they’d both served in the unit he’d now taken from the Federated Suns and into the Star League Defence Force.

“Duchess, welcome to Irian” he said formally as she entered the News Network office Richard had commandeered as a command post.  There was nothing in the room personal to him but she scanned the room not even looking at him.

“You couldn’t even meet me at landing?”  She asked not looking at him instead picking up a small metal model of a Marauder II BattleMech.

“We have been busy” he said bluntly Clan Wolf were a constant menace to Irian at present, and the Uhlans were converting over to SLDF uniforms and supplies. The Uhlans were changing every day and it was upto him to make sure they were ready so far, the SLDF had agreed to rebuild the unit to its previous full Regimental Combat Team Federated Suns structure.  They were also sending the unit masses of new trainees trained in the standard SLDF training meaning he had a lot of retraining to do.

“So, I saw outside” she said still walking around the office before finally looking at him, he could see her eyes were watering.  “Why are you still here?” he could tell by her voice that she was talking about him and not just his unit.
“We’ve got a responsibility to the people here, we were saved by the SLDF and brought here away from the Capellan border, something the Federated Suns failed to do time and again.”  He pointed out stating the facts.  “My people feel they owe the SLDF for their actions, we have an enemy here that could devastate humanity.”

“I understand the consensus within the unit.  The Federated Suns had the firepower to get you out, but the military failed to it would have resulted in a major war, but they could have done it.”  She conceded “So, I understand the unit’s decision.  I don’t agree with it and I think that the Kathil Uhlans should be able to return to Kathil with honour.”  She said emphasizing where the unit was from.  “But that choice has been made.  My question is why are you here when you family are on Kathil.”  She said he’d heard she had arrived on the planet alone their children had remained on the Capellan March’s capital world.

“I miss my family greatly; I have for the last two years.”  He said he’d sent messages from Las Halles in the Free Worlds League, but never had a response to be fair he didn’t know if his messages had gone through.  “But my duty is…”
“To the First Prince, the person you swore your loyalty to.”  She snapped “You should come home.”

“My oath to the First Prince was to protect those in need, my unit needs me, there is a mission that needs done.  I showed loyalty to the Federated Suns until the Federated Suns left us on our own at the arse end of the Free Worlds League!”  He snapped back “They abandoned us, Duchess, I had more support from the leader of Las Halles than I did from my own wife!”  He said angrily her eyes meeting his as the truth came out, he felt betrayed by her inaction to rescue his unit.  In his eyes leaders of the Capellan March were supposed to stand for their people, and she couldn’t even stump up to support her husband’s units.

“My hands were tied, I asked Burton to act on your behalf he refused.  He’s more concerned with holding our borders, the Draconis Combine, the Nova Cats, the Capellans all threaten us daily and your sat here…” When she’d left the Federated Suns the nation was engaged with the Nova Cats on one border and now since landing the Draconis Combine had pushed into the Draconis March as far as Crossing in a rapid invasion which had exposed how threadbare the Draconis March had been left by the invasion and defence of Benjamin and the salient of worlds that were near it.  They couldn’t face everyone.

“Holding back the Wolves.”  He said calmer this time there were threats everywhere he now faced those he’d been fighting for months; they were a bigger threat at the moment.  “I go where I am ordered, I serve those in need, I serve with the people who have my back.  The Federated Suns and SLDF are allies, the people in this unit could go home at anytime.”

“But you won’t come home to us?”

“I think the time we’ve had apart has proven that duty is a burden we both share, and one that is perhaps more of an influence than other things.” He said calmly “I belong here now; you have duties at home.”  He said trying to keep this as painless as he could, they had met when they served together now duty was separating them.

“And what about your children?  Do you not have a duty to them?”

“I hope to see them again as soon as it is possible.”  He said he missed Andreas and Rebecca deeply but he’d had time from them taken away and now the Uhlans choice also separated them.  “I’ll see them again in the future, if you are willing to let me.”

“You’re their father.  The door will always be open you’ll always be welcome at home.”  She said finally looking around the room “Is this us?”  She said finally approaching the topic they’d both danced around.

“Perhaps” Richard admitted pausing before speaking again “perhaps in time we will both approach things differently.”  He suggested, “for now we are on slightly different paths” he said rather bluntly.

“Should your path take you back to Kathil you will be welcome General” she said finally looking at him.  “Good luck, Richard to you and your Uhlans.”  She said and without another word she walked from the room.  After a few minutes the side door to the office opened and Freema Smit, former Prefect of Las Halles stepped into the room.

“I’m sorry” she said stepping into the room, she’d heard their discussion it had been nearly impossible to miss.

“It’s not your fault.”  He said quietly pretending to read reports putting both his wife and Freema to the side.  “Duty drives us.”

“Yes, even when it causes us pain” she said moving over to one of the couches. “Do you think she suspects?”  She asked sitting down opposite him “about us?”  She asked the loaded question that was between them.

“While she likely doesn’t know fully about “us” but she knows that as the Duchess of the Capellan March she abandoned me and the Uhlans.  For now, that’s all she needs to know for certain, allow that hurt to land before I add to her hurt.”  He explained continuing to read the reports.

“She’s the duchess of a House region she has resources which will allow her to see exactly what you are upto… and who with.”

“That’s her choice” he said looking up at her “I’ve made my choice; I know who was there for me when I needed them.”  He explained making it clear he meant her.

Trial of Position
Sheridan, Wolf Empire
25th August 3114


   During a routine initial Trial of Position on Sheridan one of the candidates makes a name for himself by taking down three opponents in his Trial.  While not an extraordinary feat for a Trueborn warrior Alaric Wolf’s third kill happens to be the other Cadet Wolf pilot who is in the Trial with Alaric executing the other pilot with a particle cannon blast from one of his customized Blood Reaper’s main guns.  Further adding to the mystery of Star Captain Alaric Wolf his blood heritage is not exactly clear as he stands for no house during his Trial of Position despite being a trueborn warrior due to his lack of a house he is assigned to the newly formed Ninth Wolf Guards cluster a unit made up of mostly freeborn warriors using standard Inner Sphere and modified Inner Sphere BattleMechs.

Border skirmishes
Nova Cat’s Den/Federated Suns
30th August 3114


   The border skirmish between Clan Nova Cat and the Federated Suns continues as Clan Nova Cat invade the world of Minette crushing remnants of the Fourth New Avalon Guards RCT which had been rebuilding on the world.  The much depleted Fourth New Avalon are no match for two full clusters of the Nova Cat’s recently raised Zeta Galaxy made up mostly of recently graduated ristar warriors the men and women of Zeta Galaxy wish to prove their worth to Clan Nova Cat.

   Things do not go completely the Nova Cat’s way however as Federated Suns forces push the Nova Cats off Symsonia, Des Aro and Zolfo severely damaging the Nova Cat forces on all three worlds forcing them deeper into the Nova Cat’s Den.

   One setback the Federated Suns has is from an unexpected source.  The Twenty-first Illician Lancers Regiment raid the world of Merowinger intent on driving home the Federated Suns intentions in stopping the Nova Cats and driving them back into their own territory however as the unit assaults the world their DropShips are hit by a wave of capital and sub-capital missiles fired from the surface of the world.  Heavily damaged before they even make it fully into the atmosphere the Illician Lancers detect several Verne Cargo Subs which are sitting on the surface of Merowinger’s main ocean launching missiles from their cargo holds.  How the Nova Cats gained access to the Inner Sphere class of Submarine was a question for another day for the Illician Lancers they were a problem for today and one they could not fully counter.  Under the hail of fire, the Lancers land only to be engaged and destroyed by elements of the 454th Nova Cat Pouncer Cluster which were prepared to engage them as soon as the DropShips landed.  This use of a planetary defence system is a first for the Nova Cats or any of the other Clans as far as the Federated Suns are aware.
Logged
My stuff, and my AU timeline follow link and enjoy

http://www.ourbattletech.com/forum/dragon-cat-collection/

The original CBT thread
Dragon Cat on CBT


Really, as long as there is an unbroken line of people calling themselves "Clan Nova Cat," it doesn't really matter to me if they're still using Iron Wombs or not. They may be dead as a faction, but as a people they still exist. It's not uncommon in the real world, after all.
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