OBT Forum

Yeah OUCH TIME FOR SURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, IF Michael was there in the command post, I rather doubt he felt a whole lot of anything.

8 Nukes, in a rough circle around the command post, with a constricting blast-wave pattern?  No, at most he had a split-second to wonder what the pretty bright light was, then nothing but oblivion.

More good stuff

   An interesting twist!

Hmmmmmmmmm It seems the Shadows do move.

First Circuit of ComStar
Hilton Head Island, North America
Terra
November 25, 3025

Vesar Kristofur waited until the last of the sixteen members of First Circuit had entered the chamber and then he nodded at the guards.  In response, they bowed low and sealed the doors—completing the enclosure of the Faraday cage built into the walls, isolating the First Circuit from all eavesdropping.

All sixteen were new to their posts; their predecessors having died during the October Coup . . . or the month that had passed since.  Yet, new to their posts they may have been, some still had questions for their so-recently ascended Primus.  Questions . . . and concerns about the orders which he had issued.

Vesar smiled and he nodded.  So be it, he thought.  I do not want sycophants advising me or serving me—that path leads to me like Julian Tiepolo and Myndo Waterly.  And he nodded to himself.  Give me men and women strong enough to question me—to make me consider my actions.  A Council worthy of the Blood.

“Precentors, the Chamber is sealed,” he began.  “Ask of me your questions—and I shall answer them plainly.”

“This plan, this order, that you have sent out,” snarled Vincent Palmer, Precentor Oriente, “Holy Shroud II failed to accomplish its goals—yet you seek to start this Operation a third time?”

“Our goals are not as ambitious—Holy Shroud I and II both sought to destroy the research accomplished by scientists of the Inner Sphere (and the scientists as well) throughout the entirety of the Inner Sphere.  Destroying information on two thousand separate worlds is an ambitious goal, one that we are not attempting to duplicate.  Holy Shroud III will be concerned solely with the Taurian Concordat,” Vesar said with a grim smile.  “I do believe that ROM and our special operations units augmenting them will be able to deal with scientists and researchers and educators on a mere thirty-eight worlds.  We need not destroy the Taurian Core, ladies and gentlemen; if we kill those who can unlock its secrets than it poses to us no threat.”

“The Taurians have already shown that they are not willing to be pushed—look at the blow they dealt to McCarron’s Armored Cavalry!” interjected Tabitha Shaw, Precentor Sian.

“Ah, Tabitha,” Vesar laughed.  “But here there is no invasion of the Concordat.  No hated foe which to focus the Taurian people against . . . it is a war of knives in the shadows.  A war that we excel at . . . and the Taurians will not realize we are coming until it is too late.  Their domestic intelligence services are good, I will grant—but they are not in the same league as ROM.  Do you disagree?”

“No, Primus,” Precentor Sian answered.  “I would caution, however, that Thomas Calderon is not one to underestimate; others—in this very chamber—have already done so to their great regret.”

“You need fear nothing upon that score, Tabitha,” Vesar nodded his agreement.  “He may be a barbarian from the Periphery—but he is a crafty and cunning barbarian.  Rest assured that soon enough, Thomas will be of no concern to us; nor his family.”  The Primus smiled.  “In fact, with the demise of the Calderons, I would expect that internal turmoil will occupy the Concordat for years to come.”

“There are a great many Calderons, Primus,” warned Neil Kikwete, Precentor Altair.  “Destroying them all is rather . . . ambitious.”

“Forgive me, Precentor Altair,” Vesar laughed.  “I should have said the ruling line of the Calderons—once Thomas, his brother and sister—and all of their children—have been eliminated, strife between the remaining Calderons will need no prodding from us to commence.  We will, of course, be targeting high-ranking Calderons in their government and military, as well as the ruling line . . . leaving only those distant relations who will squabble and,” Vesar smiled, “with any luck, instigate a Civil War in the Hyades.”

“True,” added Precentor New Avalon, Janice Kirk, “but as you have said, Primus; the Taurian domestic intelligence is rather good.  Their security for the Protector—and his family—is substantial.”

“ROM has already considered that . . . haven’t you, Charles?” Vesar answered with a nod at the very young man whom he had appointed to run ComStar’s intelligence agency.

Charles Seneca nodded and he smiled.  “We have indeed.  It helps that the Calderons do not isolate themselves or their families behind fortifications; they are seen among the denizens of their capital quite frequently . . . which gives my people a shot at accomplishing this task.”

Dennis Rainer (Precentor Tharkad) snorted.  “That’s all well and good—but I can tell you for a fact that Melissa Arthur Steiner is a far more difficult target than any of the Calderons.”

Vesar laughed.  “She is indeed—but she has a wild heart, Dennis.  I do believe that I read in the dossier that she loves to leave behind the Triad and wander in the wilds surrounding Tharkad City . . . with a very small detail trailing her.”  He shivered theatrically.  “Brings to mind several faerie tales of little princesses getting lost in the woods, all alone.  But this faerie tale will not end well for little Melissa; no, not this time.”

“It won’t be as easy as that, Primus,” Dennis said as he shook his head.

“Nothing ever is, Precentor Tharkad,” Vesar answered with a bow.  “Any further questions?  Inquiries?  Requests?”

For a moment there was silence, and then Jan Chow, Precentor Dieron looked up from his podium.  “I would know of this . . . sect within our Order known as the Blood.  Before this week, I had never heard of them; and yet, with your assumption of power, they are now coming out into the open in great numbers and being set over men and women who have earned their place in our ranks.  Primus, I would know who these people are—what is their purpose?  And why have they been hidden?”

“Excellent questions, Precentor Dieron,” Vesar answered.  “I must ask that you all bear with me—because the story of the Blood is a long one.  And I cannot tell you all—but I shall tell you what I can.  In 2825, an unknown military unit using SLDF Regular Army equipment and markings attack four worlds in the Draconis Combine:  Svelvik, Trondheim, Jarett, and Richmond; in that order.  Primus Toyama, fearing that General Kerensky had chosen to return to the Inner Sphere, dispatched a force under the command of Precentor Emilo Travis to investigate this band of soldiers who refused to communicate with anyone."

Vesar paused.  "Today, we know these invaders as the Minnesota Tribe . . . so named because of the discovery of two combat patches on the body of one soldier killed during the attacks.  The first patch resembled that of the 331st Royal BattleMech Division . . . and contained an outline of the North American province of Minnesota.  The second patch was that of a white Wolverine with bloody fangs."

Several of the assembled Precentors nodded . . . so far, the tale was what they had learned long ago.  Vesar smiled.  "Here, is where truth and reality depart from common knowledge.  Precentor Travis DID succeed in making contact with the Tribe . . . the last survivors of a faction of Kerensky's Exodus known as Clan Wolverine.  The full tale of why they fled is far too long to recite here today . . . but Precentors, know this.  Out there, among the stars, the remnants of Kerensky's Army waits.  One day they will return to enslave us all."

The Primus paused again as he turned his gaze on each and every one of the men and women who comprised his First Circuit.  "Learning of the plight of these refugees, and no doubt desiring to incorporate yet more of the former SLDF under his own command, Primus Toyama extended to the Tribe his hand in friendship.  He offered them refuge in exchange for information concerning the descendants of the SLDF; more than that, he offered the Tribe the opportunity of one day securing their vengeance against the Children of Kerensky."

"You must understand," Vesar said quietly.  "The Tribe was all but broken; all but vanquished.  Fewer than one-in-twenty of the Warriors who defended them had survived; young Warriors for the most, fresh from training and led by a merest handful of scarred veterans.  But the Tribe consisted not only of those Warriors . . .it had civilians to protect.  And so, they accepted Toyama's offer.  Travis led them through dead systems until they reached Terra . . . but here, Toyama's paranoia poised more difficulties."

Several members of First Council bristled at this statement, but Vesar only smiled sadly.  "You believe that Conrad Toyama was infallible, Vincent?  You are mistaken.  Toyama was but a man with all of the baggage that being a human being carries with him.  He feared the Tribe . . . and once they arrived on the surface of Terra, he attempted to disarm them."

Vesar snorted.  “Toyama quickly learned the difference in quality between his security forces and the Wolverine soldiers of the Blood Cluster.  Despite his fears, the First Circuit managed to convince the Primus—well, along with the three WarShips possessed by the Tribe in orbit over Terra—that a conflict would only harm us all.  The Tribe were settled in southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, where they mostly remain to this day.  It was good that Toyama overcame his distrust, because the Blood had information on several Star League caches . . . worlds abandoned by Kerensky, yet still filled with valuable—priceless!—equipment much needed here on Terra.”

“Over the next century we looted the Five Hidden Worlds,” Vesar shrugged.  “Their populations were long gone, lost in the cataclysms of the Succession Wars and to internal conflicts . . . but we salvaged enough to restore the BattleMech factories here on Terra—and the Titan Yards—to full capacity.  Tribe scientists worked hand-in-glove with our own researchers and we rebuilt our society . . . but as a part of Earth.  Of Terra.  Of humanity—not Clan.”

Vesar paused again.  “It is funny,” he said finally, “ironic, perhaps is the best word choice.  When my ancestors left Kerensky’s dream so long ago, they had just begun experimentations on improving humanity—altering it.  Corrupting it.  The Clans of Kerensky are the threat that we must be prepared to face, Precentors.  They believe in no law, but the law of the gun—might makes right in their society.  And if one is not a Warrior . . . well,” Vesar shrugged.  “Then he is worthless and has no voice.”

Shocked disbelief registered on the faces of the Precentors and Vesar nodded.  “Each one of you—intelligent, educated, and trained to lead would have no voice and no place in their society.  That is reserved only for the Warriors who take what—and whom—they want for their own pleasure and gain.  Which is why my ancestors fled; Kerensky and his sons abandoned the ideals of the Star League to make a pact with the devil himself.  Khan Sarah sacrificed herself and ninety-five percent of the Wolverine Touman in order to give those so very few civilians of her Clan a chance at freedom.”

Silence hung over the chamber, until at last one voice spoke up.  “What assets can they provide us with, Primus?” asked Diana Barker, Precentor New Earth.

“Not much at the moment, Precentor,” Vesar said with a sigh.  “Short-sighted Primus’ such as Tiepolo and his predecessors limited the Blood in what they could build and train.  Fearing a leak, they even prevented my people from conducting research into weapons—weapons that make Star League equipment appear as nothing more than the toys of children playing at war.  But that is now changed,” he continued as he lifted his head and nodded.  “I have issued orders for our prototypes to be placed in production; for new training cadres to be raised here on Terra; for the ship-yards to restore to working order ALL of our Fleet.”

“It will take time, Precentors—time for us to complete this task.  And to do so, we must stop the knowledge of the Taurian Core from spreading and we must end this talk of a Steiner-Davion Alliance.”  Vesar bared his teeth and he smiled a wicked smile.  “And we must put an end to the Clan spies who lurk among us.”

And on the monitor screen in the background, the emblem of Wolf’s Dragoons appeared.

I doubt some of the new Precentors will be happy to go along for the ride and this should all be very interesting when the Clans eventually invade.