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Chapter 3

Vanguard City, Kaus Media
Jade Falcon Territory, Clan Domains
16 October 3054

Aidan Pryde couldn’t help the grin that creased his face.  After more than a year he was finally getting back into real combat.  He and his troops were about to perform a combat drop, as stipulated in the hasty batchall with Vandervahn Chistu.  Chistu was coming after him with all elements of the Jade Falcon Galaxy on world.  But Aidan, true to form, had a couple of surprises up his sleeves.  One was Persis Anu’s 20th Talon and her strike at the spaceport.  The other he was about to spring.

Toggling over to broadband communications he began to speak.  “Warriors of the Jade Falcon Galaxy, I am Star Colonel Aidan Pryde, commander of Turkina’s Irregulars.  It is my hope that many of you do not understand the repercussions of the mission you about to embark upon.  Elias Crichell, Vandervahn Chistu and others plan to take war to Terra.  They plan to overthrow the ilKhan and install themselves as masters of the Star League… a coup on the scale of Stefan Amaris.  I represent Timur Malthus and all those loyal to the true path of Turkina.  Join us in maintaining the honour and integrity of the Jade Falcons.  Stand by these traitors and you will be culled.”

“A fine speech, Star Colonel, but will it do any good?” opined Star Captain Alejandro.

“Only time will tell.  Now Irregulars, prepare to drop.”

Skimming above the city, the Overlord-C dropship opened its doors and began disgorging the Mechs within.  Once the 45 Mechs had debarked, the dropship peeled off and made to interdict the spaceport.

Aidan kicked in his jumpjets to prevent his Summoner from slamming into the ground. While far from a gentle landing, little damage resulted.  A quick scan showed that his cluster had hit its mark.  A brief march through the city would place his forces at Chistu’s headquarters which, if he was lucky, would limit the fighting.  Aidan throttled up to a slow walk, linking up with his unit as they began to surround the gamma galaxy headquarters.  Only blocks away, the Irregulars found their way blocked by the Falcon Guards.  Aidan quailed at having to fight this premier unit, but quickly damped those feelings.  The die had been cast, and the fate of his Clan was at stake.

Another Summoner stepped forward, displaying a grotesquely enlarged version of the Falcon Guard insignia.  Aidan’s radio crackled to life.  “This is Star Colonel Adler Malthus, commander of the Falcon Guards.  You have clearly lost your mind Pryde.  You are disobeying the lawful orders of our Khan.  Submit and your punishment will be less severe.”

Aidan couldn’t help it, he laughed.  “You clearly know very little about me, Star Colonel.  Surrender has never been part of my vocabulary.  What has become of Mar Helmer?”

“Mar Helmer was not fit to command this unit and was removed.”

“A shame.  I would have preferred fighting an honourable opponent, but you will have to do.”

An inarticulate cry of rage came over the com before the line went dead.  Adler Malthus’ Summoner lumbered forward, a long blast from his auto cannon ripping across three of Aidan’s Mechs.  There would be no zellbrigen in this fight.  Aidan activated his jump jets and backed up, giving himself enough range to trigger his PPC.  Malthus ignored the damage and continued closing range.  Aidan fired both his own auto cannon and shoulder mounted SRM’s.  The damage continued to build and become overwhelming when an Irregular Kit Fox and Mad Dog loosed their own volleys.  Malthus’ Mech stumbled and fell to one knee.  As the Mech tried to regain its feet Aidan targeted the cockpit and fired his auto cannon again.  The high velocity shells ripped through the armour like butter and shredded the delicate human being inside.  The Mech toppled to the ground, useless.

Not sparing another thought to his vanquished foe, Aidan advanced, intend on taking the fight to Chistu.  He targeted an Adder next, the light mech no match for his Summoner.  A half dozen well placed shots and the Adder collapsed, its right leg but a memory.  The fighting was brutal, Falcon against Falcon, each side sure they represented what was best for the Clan.

“Star Colonel,” came the oddly dispassionate voice of Jula Huddock.  “Opposing forces to the rear.”

“Stravag!”  Being caught between two clusters was not a good place to be.  “Do your duty Star Commander.”

“Your will be done.”

Putting the new forces out of his mind, Aidan continued his relentless advance.  More Falcon Guard Mechs fell before his onslaught, but the damage began to take its toll.  Armour was scoured from his trusty Summoner and his shoulder mounted SRM detonated in an explosion that rattled him about his cockpit.  Several displays shorted out and numerous systems were damaged.  And yet there was a battle to be waged.

Aidan and a reinforced star waded forward, slashing their way through the Guards defences.  At last they reached the headquarters.  At once Aidan’s heart sank.  Confronting him was Chistu’s command star and the bulk of another cluster of troops… the 7th Falcon Regulars.  Daunting odds, but a true warrior ignored the odds.  Aidan stepped his battered Summoner forward, until he was opposite a Gargoyle.  “Galaxy Commander Chistu, I am here at your headquarters as we agreed.  Face me in personal combat and let us end this pointless destruction.”

A laugh came over the com.  “How very honourable of you, Pryde.  However, you have underestimated me.  Hussar’s, destroy this blight!”

Moments passed before another officer answered.  “Neg, Galaxy Commander.  You agreed to a batchall of personal combat during Star Colonel Pryde’s approach.  I will not allow you to dishonour myself or my troops with such flagrant disregard for our customs.  We will form a circle and allow none to pass until one of you falls.”

Rage filled Chistu’s response.  “Hazen!  Once done with Pryde, I will deal with you!”

“Bargained well and done,” was Hazen’s reply.

Aidan couldn’t help another grin.  “Now then Chistu, let us finish this.”  With those words, a fierce battle began.  Chistu’s Gargoyle got off a devastating opening shot with its AC20.  The long burst chewed through the armour on Aidan’s left torso, opening a rent that exposed his internal structures.  With so few weapons, a damaged mech and being outclassed by ten tons, Aidan was at a severe disadvantage.  But he was a Jade Falcon warrior.  He would never surrender, not even in death.

He charged forward, firing first with his PPC then with his auto cannon.  The PPC melted armour from the Gargoyle’s leg while the auto cannon scoured away chest armour.  Chistu returned fire with four medium lasers.  The lasers burned furrows into Aidan’s already battered armour.  Chistu followed with another auto cannon blast.  Warning klaxons sounded in the Summoner, alerting Aidan to the loss of his small laser and a heat sink.  Gritting his teeth, Aidan lunged his mech forward, blasting at Chistu with his PPC again, doing minimal damage.  A carefully targeted burst from Chistu’s auto cannon and Aidan’s PPC was severed at the elbow, the ruined weapon crashing to the ground.  Another blast from the lasers cracked the engine shielding of Aidan’s mech.

Aidan knew his options were running out.  He saw but one possibility, but it had a chance.  Forcing his brutalized machine forward, he triggered a long burst from his auto cannon.  With the range so close, Chistu did exactly what Aidan expected.  Aidan walked right into the quartet of medium lasers.  The beams of high intensity light pierced the shredded torso and struck the engine once more.  Aidan slapped the override switch and charged directly at Chistu.

With the grinning skull of the Gargoyle looming ahead, a brilliant light overwhelmed Star Colonel Aidan Pryde, and then there was nothing.

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Persis Anu was being shaken about the interior of her cockpit, enduring the discomfort of an orbital insertion.  The ablative shell blew off her Warhawk, allowing her to at least see her destination… the Vanguard City spaceport.  She activated her attached jump jets in order to slow her descent.  Her scanners showed that the Irregulars dropship was already on scene, strafing the fighters of Gamma before they could be launched.  This had the added advantage of granting her cluster a virtually uncontested landing.

At last her mech touched down, a reverberating clang passing through its superstructure.  Detaching the jump pack, Anu immediately began marching forward.  Her weapons charged, she waded into battle.  She picked out an Adder at extreme ranged and targeted it, firing both PPC’s.  Though striking off centre, the paired shot managed to divest the Adder of one arm.  The Adder, which had been running forward, stumbled and crashed to the ground as the warrior failed to maintain their balance after losing sever tons of armour and superstructure.  Sparks spewed from the mech as it slid across the ferrocrete of the runway.  The pilot attempted to right their mech, but Anu was having none of that.  Once her PPC’s cycled, she targeted the knee joint and fired.  The Adder was effectively out of the fight.

Swiveling her torso, Anu quickly took stock of the situation.  Her clusters lightning strike had caught the spaceport garrison off guard.  Many of the opposing Falcon warriors were standing down, unwilling to fight fellow Falcons after hearing Aidan Pryde’s broadcast.  Those who refused to stand down were fighting to the death.. Persis watched as several points of elementals swarmed over the Hellbringer piloted by Star Captain Tarsus Redmond.  The elementals were desperately trying to shred Tarsus’ mech, to the point the was forced to eject.  Seconds later the Hellbringer exploded, its reactor having overloaded.  Only a few of the elementals managed to limp away.

At last the spaceport was secure, completing the first phase of the operation.  Leaving two of her trinaries to guard the port, Anu gathered the remaining elements of her cluster and a few of the surrendered warriors and began a high speed march towards Chistu’s command centre.  Phase two of the operation called for her to rendezvous with the Irregulars and force Chistu to submit.

It was a good plan, but like all good plans did not survive contact with the enemy.  Once in the city proper, she found several trinaries blocking her path.  Clearly these were warriors committed to Crichell’s plan and as such deserved no mercy.  Not that mercy was a concept that Anu, as a Jade Falcon warrior, was overly familiar with.  She keyed a quick set of orders to her subordinates.  “Charge past the enemy machines and make for the headquarters.  Destroy any and all opposition in your path.”

Anu found herself facing off against one of the rare Jade Falcon Timberwolves.  The bird legged machine had been outfitted with SRM’s, autocannons and medium lasers… all deadly in a close range fight such as the one she was facing now.  Yet Persis had equipped her Warhawk with an LB10X autocannon, having anticipated the close quarters battles.  Said autocannon ripped into the boxy shoulders of the Timberwolf, detonating the missiles contained in one.  The CASE system saved the mech from total destruction, but the force of the explosion threw it to the ground.  A pair of her MechWarrior’s blasted the fallen mech, crippling both legs and an arm.  It was out of the fight but salvageable.

She pressed on, a reinforced trinary accompanying her while the rest of her force spread out to assist the Irregulars secure Vanguard City.  Anu and her scratch force arrived at the garrison headquarters just in time to witness the fiery conclusion of the duel between Aidan Pryde and Vandervahn Chistu.  Once the golden fire of the reactor faded, Anu could see only the blackened remains of two mechs.  There did not appear to be any survivors.

Anu, having monitored communications as she closed in, knew exactly what was happening.  She immediately opened a channel to Hazen.  “Star Colonel Hazen, by trial of combat Star Colonel Pryde has proved the right of his position.  Signal to your compatriots in your galaxy.  For all who abide by Aidan Pryde’s victory there shall be no penalty.  Any who ignore it shall be declared dezgra and hunted down like the filthy surats they are.”

Hazen replied quickly, as if hoping for just such a declaration.  “I shall abide by the result Star Colonel Anu.  It shall be my clusters surkai to aid you in hunting down any you deem dezgra.”

“You honour Turkina and the Clan, Devlin Hazen.  I shall ensure it is not forgotten.”  Persis knew the battle for Kaus Media was nearly complete.  The loss of Aidan Pryde was a loss for the Clan at large, and would be keenly felt.  What remained was to be seen was how well the rest of the Culling was progressing.

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Chapter 4

Gershtad Spaceport, Kessel
Jade Falcon Territory, Clan Domains
16 October 3054

In a display traditional of her, Samantha Clees had granted safcon to the truncated forces of Marthe Pryde’s Sigma Galaxy.  Out of respect for her former subordinate, Clees had further agreed to a bid of one cluster and a command star to battle for possession of Delta Galaxy.  Though held under sway of Elias Crichell, Samantha Clees proved herself unwilling to dilute the strength of Clan Jade Falcon.

Marthe Pryde had performed a scratch reorganization of the forces under her command.  She built a core trinary of heavy and assault mechs, mostly equipped to snipe from range.  The rest of her force was comprised of two trinaries of highly mobile light and medium mechs, as well as a full elemental trinary, led by the popular and reflective Star Captain Selima.  The force was highly unusual and surrendered tonnage to Clees, but her higher mobility would surely confuse her tradition bound opponent.

In a move designed to rankle Pryde, Clees had chosen the 2nd Falcon Jaegers as her unit, the cluster Marthe had commanded prior to her promotion.  Marthe knew that Clees was attempting to unnerve her, but she was a warrior and would destroy her foes.  Indeed, it gave Marthe a slight advantage for she knew the style and tactics of those she faced.  Predictability would be their bane, while unorthodoxy would be her boon.  Something she had learned from years of combat and her infamous sibkin.

Marthe marched forward in her Summoner.  She would command the anchor force personally, knowing it would draw the Jaegers in.  She left the mobile force in the capable hands of Rosendo Hazen, one of her most experienced officers.  She had learned that delegation was just as important to victory as planning.  It was for this reason Marthe chose those unorthodox warriors not snapped up by the Irregulars.

Her advanced scanners detected the approach of Clees’ force.  “Loose the slips!” she cried, one of the few orders she would give this day.  The seventy-five elementals began bounding forward, screened by a force of medium mechs.  The other units of the mobile force split in two directions, left and right, to harass and encircle the forces of Samantha Clees.  In contrast, Clees was heading straight in.  Sound Clan tactics.  At least they were before the invasion.  Times, Marthe knew, had changed.

Marthe scanned ahead, looking for the Summoner piloted by Clees.  She detected many of the mechs… it was quite common amongst the Jade Falcons.  Ultimately it did not matter.  All of her foes would have to be vanquished.

Her elemental trinary was the first to make contact with the Jaegers.  The armoured infantry bounded and swarmed, tearing into the Jaeger mechs.  Several of the armoured warriors were taken down by A-pod equipped mechs, while others were sniped right out of the air.  The rest managed to reach their targets and inflict severe damage.  Marthe watched as a Warhawk fell to the combined efforts of ten elementals.  The elemental strike created just enough chaos in the Jaegers’ line for the pincer units to swarm in.

The pincer mechs were not unopposed.  Many Jaeger mechs turned their formations to counter their charge.  The heavier weapons of the Jaegers tore into the light machines of the pincers.  A Hellbringer brought devastating fire against a Kit Fox, peppering the torso with missiles before scoring a cockpit hit, disabling or killing the warrior within.

Falcon cries permeated the comm channels, bit it did not matter.  No one was issuing orders anyway.  Each side viewed the other as rebels, and Falcons could not stomach rebellion.  It was a kill or be killed fight, and everyone knew it.

Marthe began a slow forward walk, the mechs of her trinary moving in lockstep.  In clear disregard for zellbrigen, Marthe targeted enemy mechs as they presented themselves. She may not have even been the first to ignore the ritualized form of combat.  It mattered not, from range Marthe staggered fire using her LRM’s and PPC, causing as much damage as possible.  Her supporting trinary was doing likewise.

Clearly there were some who recognized her, for she came under mass combined fire from a captured Dire Wolf and upgraded Atlas.  The power of the assault machines was incredible, literally chewing through her armour and devastating her mech.  Both her engine and gyro were damaged, and she lost her left arm, which mounted the PPC.  A wave of vertigo washed over her, and she felt herself losing balance.  Her mech stumbled and fell over backwards.  The impact with the ground rattled her, and she felt chips break off her teeth.

Seeing her fall, Marthe’s troops flew into a rage.  The assault mechs that had cut her down were annihilated by the combined fire of a star each.  Once finished with them, the forces under Marthe’s command waded in giving no quarter and asking for none in return.  By the time she levered her mech back to its feet, the battle was a fierce and uncontrolled melee.  With her gyro out of alignment, she had to be careful.  But she was an experienced warrior and knew what to do.  She leveled the autocannon and put a long burst into the rear armour of an Ice Ferret.  The light mech lurched and shuddered as the powerful weapon penetrated armour and destroyed the gyro.  The light mech collapsed.  She searched for another target, careful to avoid her own troops.  She fired at a Kit Fox and missed, her aim thrown off as she took several gauss rounds to the torso.  Alarms sounded and control systems shorted out.  Her mech died around her and fell to the ground again, this time not to rise again.  The jarring impact caused her to black out.

She came to some time later, the concerned face of Selima, his suit helmet opened, looking down on her.  “By the Great Father!  Are you alright Galaxy Commander?”

Marthe took stock of herself.  “I believe so.  What is the status of the battle?”

“We appear to be winning.  Star Colonel Hazen has the Jaegers on the run.”

“Excellent.  Give me access to your communication system.”  The elemental complied, opening a panel and handing her a headset.  “Galaxy Commander Clees, or the ranking Jaeger officer.  This is Galaxy Commander Pryde.  If you surrender now, I will spare your forces.  I will only make this offer once.  Refuse and my forces will destroy you.  Any survivors will be cast aside, fit only to be bandits.  What say you?”

“This is Star Captain Nurten Buhallin.  As senior surviving officer, I accept your offer.  All Jaeger units stand down.  Let there be no further conflict amongst Turkina’s brood.”

Marthe slumped back, relieved.  She looked up into Selima’s grinning face.  “You have done it Galaxy Commander.”

“Indeed I have Star Captain.”  She looked out her shattered viewport at the field of devastated mechs, Falcons each and every one.  “But at what cost to the Jade Falcons?”

Chapter 7 – Aftermath

Turkina City, Vega
Jade Falcon Territory, Clan Domains
27 October 3054

The Clan Council chambers were crowded with nearly every bloodnamed warrior of the Clan.  Hundreds of warriors murmured amongst themselves, clearly divided into two primary groups; those who had opposed Crichell and those who had supported him.  A tiny minority of warriors remained silent, those who had maintained their neutrality, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.

Easton Buhallin stood on a central dais, clad in his full ceremonial robes.  He thumped his staff against the ground five times, signaling for silence.  The assemblage gradually quieted and gave their attention to the man who embodied the history and honour of their Clan.

“Fellow warriors, we assemble in kurultai for the gravest of matters.  A khan has been slain and must be replaced.  More than that, we gather to heal the rift that has split the spirit of Turkina.  We shall not leave until these matters have been resolved.”

“Seyla,” intoned the crowd.

Timur Malthus stood, and Buhallin acknowledged his right to speak.  “Trothkin, the past several weeks have shown a great determination amongst all of Turkina’s brood, regardless of where you stood on the issue.  You came to this kurultai expecting to elect one khan.  I tell you now that you will elect two.  I hereby resign as Khan.  I do this to remove the last traces of division, for it was my decision alone that led to this conflict.  I open the floor to nominations.”

A great cacophony arose from the crowd, for none had expected this.  Even the Loremaster was shocked.  He thumped his staff again and eventually silence returned to the hall.  “A call for nominations has been made.  Are there any nominations?”

A general clamor broke out with many warriors being named.  The eventual choices boiled down to the Loremaster, Galaxy Commander Lisa Buhallin, Galaxy Commander Marthe Pryde and Star Colonel Persis Anu.  The Loremaster declined, feeling he best served the Clan where he was.  Lisa Buhallin cited her advanced age and bowed out.  The choice came down to Marthe Pryde and Persis Anu.  Persis won by a narrow margin, largely due to her handling of the situation on Kaus Media.  Marthe was genuine with her congratulations to her former subordinate.

Persis stood and bowed to the assembly.  Shen then ascended the central dais.  “I will make this brief,” she rasped in her damaged voice.  “You honour me with this election and I will not let you down.  I have in mind an exemplary officer to serve as my saKhan.  Star Colonel Devlin Hazen showed honour on the field of battle.  He is my choice.  If he desires the post I move that the kurultai elect him unanimously.”

From the sidelines Timur smiled.  Hazen was an astute choice, an honourable warrior who had been on the other side, yet refused to fall as far as his commander.  The prestige of his bloodname helped as well.  The nomination of Hazen sparked another round of conversation, but eventually the assembly agreed.  Devlin Hazen stepped forward and took his place next to Anu.

Loremaster Buhallin welcomed the new Khan and saKhan.  “We will now move on to other business.  Bloodname nominations and the death of Kael Pershaw on Terra still need to be addressed.”

Marthe Pryde stood and waited to be recognized before speaking.  “I nominate MechWarrior Diana of Turkina’s Irregulars for the Pryde bloodname formerly held by Star Colonel Aidan Pryde.”  That created an uproar, but at least served to distract from the recent conflict.
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Hours later Persis Anu sat in the Khan’s office with Hazen and the Loremaster.  She was reviewing Crichell’s files, files that she had needed a member of the Watch to open.  “This cannot be correct.  How could such a massive breeding program be kept hidden?  Especially during the move from the homeworlds.”

Hazen shrugged.  “Elias Crichell’s best asset was his ability to distract others from his true goals.  The real question is what do we do with these sibko’s?  I am loathe to waste resources, and they are loyal to the Clan.  With a crash training program they could be serviceable within a year, eighteen months at most.  I suspect we could obtain an additional galaxy or two worth of troops out of them.”

Anu nodded thoughtfully, still trying to absorb her new status.  Never had she thought that she would be making such decisions.  “Indeed.  Assign Timur Malthus as their Falconer Commander.  He will instill the proper values in them.  And we shall begin negotiations with the Diamond Sharks for more equipment.  Keep the amounts reasonable.  We will also expand production here.  In a years time, the Falcons will truly be a force to be reckoned with.”

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Chapter 8 – Aftermath 2

Field of Heroes, Unity City
Terra, Clan Domains
28 October 3054

Horse watched as the mortal remains of Kael Pershaw were lowered into the crypt.  Ulric Kerensky had chosen to honour him as the first Clan warrior to be buried on sacred Terra.  Horse was uneasy about the concept of burial, but knew the ilKhan was honouring the man.  Pershaw had been found dead in his office, the victim of an apparent assassination.  He had died a warrior, having managed to kill his assassin as well, a radical Terran technician who had apparently still had ties to ComStar.  Star Commander Asch had found them and reported the incident to Star Colonel Talasko immediately.  Such devotion to duty would likely take the young warrior far.

Diana stood beside him, still smarting from her injuries.  The new eye patch gave her otherwise beautiful looks a decidedly dangerous air.  “I think I’m going to miss that old man Horse.  He was flawed and ancient, but always did his best for the Clan.”

“Is it him, or your father you’re going to miss?”

Diana frowned.  “I don’t know.  But death is the way of the Clans, isn’t it?”

“Humph.”  Horse paused.  “You know, Marthe has nominated you for your father’s bloodname.”

Diana’s eyes widened in shock.  “How could she do that?  It’s without precedence!”

“Really?  Weren’t all the founders and their children freeborn?  Perhaps Marthe wants to return us to our roots, or maybe to honour your father.”

“Perhaps.”

“And how does that make you feel Diana?”

She turned to him and grinned.  “It makes me feel good, like a part of my father will live on.”
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Star Commander Asch sat outside the Grand Loremaster’s office.  Until Pershaw’s replacement was named he was to remain at his post.  This suited him perfectly as it allowed him to search out and tie up any loose ends.  He was unsure of his standing without Crichell’s support, but knew one thing for certain.  Others still believed as he did.  One day they would take action and purify not only the Jade Falcon’s, but the Clans as a whole.


FIN