Battletech: The Ghost Who Walks (Battletech Isekai)

[Imperator Pax]

Pirate Wars Luxen Contract
Luxens 's public leadership were insistent on keeping the Volunteers here... and the planetary authorities did have a point with only a handful of HPG stations in the Magistracy of Canopus, and one failed attack it seemed likely Black Jack would come a knocking later. The problem with that was that Luxen's planetary government wasn't really the one footing the bill, and Gene wasn't entirely sure that the leadership understood that... but he wasn't all that clear on how the magistracy's command was supposed to work... and their contract was clear on that cadre training duties were their primary contract, and there was a garrison clause.


… and on the MRB side of things ComStar was paying a lot of attention to their security obligation because they were likely to be targeted if the pirates did come knocking. Not today's problem though and he'd deal with that behind closed doors. Preferably where the public wouldn't start panicking the unit was going to go haying off for the unknown... but there were too many civilians crowding nervously around the starport and around the encampments.


Some of the highlanders were cracking jokes about it, but thus far they hadn't actually made good on running up the SLDF banner. Still Dante was issuing out broadsheets and statements to the public relations side of the unit based on the Hegemony's civil service. On that other hand they were being surreptitious about that, Kelly if not necessarily Black Jack seemed to be distributing Rim World revanchist propaganda, and that potentially added a different dimension to their SLDF uniforms even without running up the Cameron Starburst to fly over the base.

A handful of Claymore's 'cadets' started to pick up the paper laden boxes and move out.

The documents for study had been printed up and begun distribution early this morning... and they were running a little late... but the truth was Gene had been working on the documents most of the trek into the periphery from the Inner Sphere... it was just there had been less time for regimental training opportunity than he had originally expected prior to their arrival on Luxen. He had also been obliged to have enough materials printed up for the Azami units as well, even though some would be making the journey to Alamut and others would be deployed to caravan protection duties elsewhere.


He had been given the Eridani's logs of how the RCT had evolved as the succession wars had worn on the unit and those impacted some of the revision he had made o the documents. Things that only further highlighted that doing what the Coordinator couldn't was going to be a high priority once they made it back to the Inner Sphere whatever political implications that would have, they needed to secure Nagayan Castle Brian on Helm to build the Eridani and the Blue Star Irregulars.

That was all in the future, for now well in the here and now there were talks about how their RCT would act in conjunction and in advising the training of the Luxen Volunteers. Gene ran his hands through his hair as he blew out a breath looking down at the master copy. The Azami Regiment under Taisa Bey had already begun the planning and process for offloading their original equipment for their own white shield program. He supposed after a minute that that was in a sense wrong, the passing of machines, of BattleMechs and ASF from father to son was common was defining of the succession wars where production had dwindled to a trickle.

He had included a statement that terms for Battle and Horse units terms like Ranger and Chasseur continued to be used by regiments even though the units no longer reflected n many cases what composition under those labels would have entailed in the time of the Star League. But the truth the documents had originally begun as a way to provide school room instructions to the massive expanded force... they were just a larger force to be included in that instruction than the Battalions aboard Hidalgo and Presidio now.

Bardiche and Claymore had been the original target audiences for the writings. Their officers were already on the assembly point, and it wouldn't have been off the mark to say that no one wanted to be left out. So today they needed to cover a broad base of material, and also to avoid overwhelming anyone, he glanced sideways, "There is a liaison from Majesty Metals on site?"

"Yes sir." The ruddy faced highlander officer replied, "Is it a problem?"

"No." He answered, and he hoped that he was right. It was unlikely that Majesty Metals would be a source of intelligence for the pirates, but, "I do want to know what they have planned for Luxen though." The Magistracy did produce domestically its PPCs which was useful, but like with the first contract it was ammunition that was going to be a concern, "I assume there here about the charger and cicada refits." Then perhaps unnecessarily, "As long as they don't cause trouble, we need to get going."

It was a short ride to row of hangars and it was crowded. Crowded was an understatement, maybe there were less people overall than at the Highland faire on Northwind, but it was the mass of technicians and mechwarriors in the space and the sense of urgency even as the wrenches went about that work which made it feel that way.

It reminded him of the initial days on Robinson just crammed together. Part of that was the noise from the working techs scrambling to connect hoists or unfasten the reactor from the chassis, which the first step of everything going on. This was larger in a way than the Robinson contract to train DMM mechwarriors for the then tentative invasion of the Combine. Certainly the Company had more staff now, and more experience... but also there were the implications of a Rim World resurgent able to field Star League era 'mechs and their political aspirations.

He idly observed that they had their work cut out for them. Gene noticed immediately that it was more than the Azami paying attention to the modifications being done to the Chargers and Cicadas, the latter of which as a result of the Star League had been a common enough medium mech in the armies of all member states. Attrition had worn those down, the basic cicada mounted only four tons of armor, but that would change since as with the Charger the engines were being pulled out for a smaller engine, which would allow more armor.

Gene didn't expect that Majesty Metals, or any Canopian manufacturer would start producing new Cicada... but they might be approached to produce the engine for the standard Cicada to be put into new production Chargers. Akashi's customized, giving it an ornate samurai armor esque appearance, Griffin was crouched nearby. "Are they ready?"

"The Luxen Volunteers should be fully assembled in another minute," She replied.

He nodded, having seen on the itinerary that one set of the Vindicator pilots had been on morning drill practice, "Then you're up." He stated, giving her time to make sure she was ready. In the comfort of closed doors with just the company staff Bubbles had mentioned that the academy she had attended had used was the Cicada, but since they were doing extensive modifications her limited experience with the '2B' model wasn't likely to do much good. So even with that information he was comfortable with her planned assignment. And, of course it hadn't stopped Chang from suggesting that since at some point in the future Raventhir would have more of the otherwise mediocre eighty ton scout 'mech being produced maybe some could be refit with assault auto cannons.

One thing at a time though, but he didn't oppose the suggestion. The machinery on Pioche left in stasis after the rock had been dropped on the bread basket agricultural colony was black boxed so all it really needed was to be fed material. Still, from what Raventhir said she'd only managed to build up a single battalion thus far, and that while Pioche was working on more machines the bottleneck would be engines for the Chargers after they arrived at Luxen.

Silently to himself, he decided it was something he'd talk to Majesty Metals about, he decided, if it hadn't already been brought up. If it had, well then presumably it was being worked. He gave a final nod, and let Akashi go over the Charger, and Cicada modifications to the assembled MAF pilots.... all too aware that every so often the eyes of the assembled flicked towards his direction, and that included his command, Akashi among them, and the MAF personnel.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Luxen Contract


Lady Raventhir watched the work. The Straios on her staff was a little leery of how readily the Terran Colonel in her employ handed matters over to his combine Ronin. On the other hand she also admitted that the number of officers who were female would help prevent issues with more conservative MAF unit commanders... if things went badly and lead to a mustering of units to attempt to sally in defense of an important coreward world.


The Azami techs seemed to be modelling the appearance of the chargers after the woman's highly customized Griffin. She was content to leave them to their work though. There was the fact that even with eighteen machines to heavily overhaul Shepherd's support personnel weren't meaningfully strained. The Azami provided an abundance of technically skilled labor, and were excited at the work in front of them.


The Azami's noticeable presence was darkly amusing for other reasons. MAF observers, not really official intelligence personnel had relayed color displays that showed Azami troops, who were almost certainly rebels, and even if they weren't the Rasalhague battalion certainly was up front about it, identified with SLDF with Star League era Combine units... which just brought the MIC and the Straios on her staff back to the issue that Shepherd's own publications treated the command, explicitly spelled out in its general orders on unit discipline, and the training material, as if it were a Star League unit. That wouldn't have been unusual if carried out in the methods and traditions of the Eridani Light Horse even out here in the Periphery... but here there most likely opposition were to be pirates who were using SLDF weapons... and no pirates who increasingly advertised themselves as revanchists of the Rim World Republic.


She had no more idea what to make of that than Canopus did. There was a slight cough from her aide de camp to callher attention away from the view of the window, "Force Major Seghal is here Lady Raventhir."


It was that time, "Send her in," they exchanged the customary salutations and other formalities expected of their situation, and Lady Raventhir immediately pushed forward to the topic at hand, "are we expecting any developments?"


"I wouldn't know what to expect at this point." The other woman replied, which at least an honest take... they had expected a large force to appear whenever Shepherd arrived at the Jump Point... not the massed formation that had arrived. "I've spoken with Colonel MacIntyre over the Highlanders they plan to establish a second 'mech Battalion when they return to the Inner Sphere. From what he's outlined its similar in arrangement to the," Luxen "Dragoon's new Battalion."


"What do we know?"


"The core of the unit will be a dragoon weight formation of base six built around Crockett Assault BattleMechs,"The machines had apparently been left in the care of the Highlanders 'home clans' back on Northwind in preparation for the unit's return, but the machines themselves had a similar provenance to the machines that the Azami themselves had recently received. Magistracy Intelligence had already drawn comparisons to the now legendary Wolfs Dragoons mercenaries ability to repair damage sustained in battle...with Raventhir aware that, there might be pressures to find caches, "Colonel MacIntyre was remarkably open minded regarding our successes defending Luxen." Seghal sounded unsure of that, to an extent Raventhir herself wondered exactly how open minded the Highlander would have been if his own commanding officer hadn't been present at Luxen. "The current plan appears to be amalgamate Claymore's two cadet companies with Easy Company and the new Dragoon pilots."


As Raventhir understood it the Ronin was even now supposed to be evaluating which of the pilots were most suitable, "And what are your expectations?"


"The new pilots are largely green, my Lady,"Seghal replied, "Shepherd's contract for training the unit is based on what we already knew he was capable of. By all indications, from material that went out this morning, he's more than prepared for that." It was a stronger endorsement than other officers might have given to other leaders. "The educational material is thorough."


Raventhir nodded, but that was no surprise. Her father's notes, and the biographical work up from the MIC Shepherd had probably been groomed by the Hegemony for a command, that he had been posted out to the periphery to cut his teeth under more experienced terran gunslingers. The psych profile for his near single minded focus was that for all intents purposes Shepherd lived, and breathed his profession... that that focus on his war fighting capabilities might be what was keeping him together in the face of the Hegemony's destruction while he'd been in a stasis tube. She turned back to the window... "Do the Azami have a time table on when their work will be completed?"


"They're working in batches, the work entails pulling mechanics and Mech Technicians from both Azami Regiments."


She turned back to the Force Major, "What does that mean in practice?"


"They're working on a platoon of Chargers and a platoon of Cicadas side by side." There was a pause, "They've agreed to bill the Magistracy for the additional Pitban 320 Engines. As for an actual time table. Approximately the end of the month for having the machines put back together." That was roughly a company of 'mechs a week. "My understanding is this won't effect the first Company -"


She raised a hand to stop Seghal, "Are you confident in the process?"


"Yes, ma'am." The Force Major stumbled the sudden interruption, and Raventhir's motion of turning on her heel towards her aide de camp didn't help that, "I-" Her aide was handing her the packet.


"This a request, we expect a fight with the pirates, and we need recommendations and also the ability to have the support staff refurbish machines we take from the pirates." In short it was an under the table method of getting around procurement bottlenecks. She wanted to rebuild 1st​ Battalion of the Luxen Dragoons but to do that they were going to need 'mechs that would have to be taken from the enemy.
–
Gene watched the techs work. This was a manpower intensive project, and it also required taken a significant portion of machines offline in order to facilitate the work, which if the company hadn't expanded so significantly he doubted the Magistracy could have considered signing off on the program.


A mech was a mech, any mech was better than not having one, and it would have been the expectation to just make do. At least the chargers, anemic as their firepower would have been, could have taken a hit, the cicadas on the other hand well that was a different story.


Colonel Bey approached wearing the SLDF mechwarrior cooling suit in khaki, "We have a development." He remarked, "We have finished processing the battle rom footage from Kalidasa, Kelly fielded a number of late SLDF designs hitherto not present among the pirate forces, which was flagged for review. In addition to 'mechs like the Grasshopper he also field Crabs, and King Crabs, Dante stated that this detail was important."


Gene bit down a curse and maybe he was making unwarranted assumptions again but... The Grasshopper had no business in cache of any sort, it had been developed as an endurance campaign machine. The Crabs, and King Crabs were largely extinct in House Armies, and had been relatively new 'mechs at the time of the Amaris crisis kicking off. "Do we have confirmation that he's heading back to the periphery?"


"We do not. I have however spoken with the precentor regarding a live transmission to the Precentor New Avalon, and that of the First Prince. The Precentor Luxen has already given confirmation that they will be informed and a time for the communication set down with all possible alacrity." The Azami Taisa stated solemnly.


"Good." A live transmission was going to be drawn out by the light speed lag and they couldn't have a long conversation but this was important. "They'll already know since Kelly was veryclear about what cause he was fighting for," But it still raisedthe question of where the mechs were coming from, something to look into but probably some time after Kerensky had left, "You said the Combine still produces Lancelots?" He'd been surprised by that since he had been under the mistaken impression the design had largely died out.


"They are not well regarded given the decline of our means to craft the weapons of war." There was a pause, "From the what the Canopians relate to us, the machines to which are engaged still possess the efficacy of the technologies of humanity's golden age." Which by itself just meant that the components hadn't been attritted by centuries of warfare without resupply because most of the factories had been blasted to smithereens, "Further, the MRB representative comes vouching for hirelings," He meant basically green mercenaries, "That he has vetted as of upstanding character, and moral justification to battle the pirates."


"Friar Tuck?" Gene asked, thinking of the drunk.


"The same, he was caught understandably off guard by the the Company's, great expansion, but has been trying to find recruits based on the hiring preferences you left for him when the Company departed Luxen."


"Did you look at them?"


"It is only a small group I am afraid, as I said the Company is now substantially enlarged, but he had some success with pilots as that was your principle aim." At the time of the First Luxen contract, he hadn't had any ASF and the small craft aboard the Sam Houston's operation would have meant stripping people from the DropShip it'd been one thing on Pioche, but using it as anything more than a launch had been chancy. "I may have overstepped and volunteered Captain Pasha to speak with these men on your behalf while we prepared the Canopian troops."


"Yeah, we have a lot to do," Gene replied, "Did Tuck say why the Magistracy hasn't hired them on? I was under the impression that everyone was hiring who they could."


"The MRB on Luxen was given dispensation to hire additional security, though I suspect that that was only months after Black Jack's forces were shown off, and those funds," His tone implied that he didn't think well of the penny pinching of ComStar's terran based hierarchy in regards to the periphery "allowed him to keep them on retainer sweetened with the promise of introductions."


"So they've been here this whole time?"


"Since at least last year I believe, the year before perhaps."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Pirate Wars Luxen Interlude: 3020
The Phone Call​

The Charger in front of him was further along than others. The Azami techs dressed in khaki coveralls were presently fitting a Holly SRM 4 launch into the machine's torso, while the one that would be mounted on the other side sat resting beside the machine. "You pilot a Marauder."


"Yes," The MAF officer had asked him a lot of questions. She was someone on Raventhir's understandably expande dstaff and given the situation he could understand the need to ask questions. "Its mainly the command software." As people here and now told him, such as in relation to the Charger a 'Mech was a 'Mech. The Magistracy had been looking for Marauder pilots after his first action on Luxen because of the impression but...


"But the combine dueling etiquette dictates a preference for ranged engagement."


Well that was true, he was willing to admit, "The Marauder is a frontline combatant, but that software is meant to insure the whole formation is kept abreast of the situation," Gene had to stop and sign off on transferring the LTV 400 series engines out. They were going to be moved to serve as permanent, or at least in fixed position stations for local ground based turrets. The MAF officer had had a lot of questions about what they were doing, and in particular seemed to expect there would be potentially issues with the Luxen volunteers Mercenary Commander... and Gene wasn't sure what to make of that, there times where well he was looking at a puzzle with pieces missing and other people could see the pieces, "I don't expect much dueling."


"No? You savaged House Kurita in your recent campaigns for House Davion."


Well, that was true. Would the combine spare the resources? Could they, probably not in the grand scheme of things but would they... yeah maybe. "Commander," The Azami mechwarrior was one of a dozen Ali, and there was a lance worth of them just piloting Pheonix Hawks. The man gestured to a moderately drunk and cheerful rotund man in the robes of a ComStar adept. Friar Tuck had dismounted an olive drab hover 'jeep'. The ten ton vehicle was open topped with a medium laser that wasn't currently manned by any one from Hammer's people.


"Ah I have other questions." The MAF officer stated following after him as he began to walk towards his original Luxen MRB liaison. Perhaps against his better judgment Gene decided …given how fucked the situation was it wasn't going to hurt anything to include a member from the Canopians when he told the Davions the bad news about the situation out here. Her comment about the Kuritas was... well he'd ask if there was any sign that had reached them about it... and dreaded the possibility of what the optics of that would like given the situation.


It took the better part of an hour to get to the ComStar facility which housed not only the Luxen HPG station but also the MRB facilities of well what had originally been fairly minor up until a few years ago. It was him, Friar Tuck, Ali, and the MAF officer plus the driver of the vehicle, though he waited with the ride even as the Precentor Luxen came out to usher them in. Defending the HPG station were a lance of assault battlemechs in blue and gold with the crossed pikes of Bardiche from Sigurd Company. If the pirates came close the Pillager Ds defending would make Black Jack's people regret the decision.


Their prescence clearly helped sooth the nerves of the ComStar personnel. Whether or not leaving the mechs in parade colors rather than an appropriate camo pattern for their environment was debatable but it demonstrated more security than most stationsin the periphery seemed to be able to call on... and the atrocities on Kalidasa were all the news could seem to talk about.


The Luxen Precentor, Labarbera, had rarely had reason to have a live transmission, and made several inquiries to the Adepts to make sure things were ready as Gene flipped through his notes as those final checks were underway. "Is this in regards to Kalidasa?"


"Yeah," He replied to the MAF officer's question not glancing up, "Kelly had been on the Capellan border... I don't know if he had a circuit," And this era that was a lot of JumpShips for one pirate to have, which raised still other questions, "ready to take his battalion to the Free World's League but he had been trying to stir up trouble there." He said avoiding name dropping the reach, "He had made some claims about Amaris..." He trailed off just as the hologram flickered. It took a few seconds to coalesce into the familiar features of the Precentor New Avalon, Huthrin Vandal, and also the Prince's Champion Yvonne Davion appeared. They exchanged a somewhat tedious, for the lag in communications, round of salutations. Even as they made them, Gene accepted the greetings passed on from the Eridani, and the Blue Star Irregulars and others... he remembered Elidere, and Tristan's security precautions, "Its good to see you both," He said, "I need to ask something," And for that he really was glad they were both there, even though he wasn't sure ComStar's neutrality would necessarily stop Vandal from answering him even if the PNA didn't know why he was asking, "I need to know where the Wolf Dragoons are, they're in contract with House Marik... so they could come after Kelly?"


The two on the other end of the line glanced to one another, "About that, yes we are aware of the news from Kalidasa. Originally Jaime Wolf had intended to rebuild the unit after losses, I assume to move onto working for House Steiner,"


"Yes?" He prodded against the light lag of Yvonne's statement, which she probably didn't receive before she continued.


"We made contact with the Dragoons as they moved the border shortly before the atrocity on Kalidasa hit the news, so they're aware of details. Colonel Wolf is going to rebuild his forces, he said he would be in contact soon... but I'm not sure about a time frame."


What exactly would constitute soon in this case... in this cluster fuck of a situation. "So they won't be coming?"


"The Black Widow Company under Natasha Kerensky detached from the Dragoons main body of force at Northwind." Yvonne stated, Gene noticed that Vandal happy to allow the Prince's Champion the opportunity to answer these and thus probably save his image of neutrality from further criticism. Gene nodded, "Are these claims by Kelly credible?"


"most likely." He replied, "Its not the sort of thing that makes sense to lie about... How are things?"


"On Northwind, tense. The Highlanders officially invited the Dragoons to attend the winter Faire while the Eridani and BlueStars were in attendance, when the news broke about Kalidasa things became increasingly strained. We had hoped Jaime Wolf would agree to garrison a few worlds but he was adamant about returning after he had rebuilt the Dragoons to strength... not that he said so explicitly but that was the read."


There was a pause, and the Precentor New Avalon coughed slightly, "I was asked, or rather that the MRB liaison for the Wolfs Dragoons was asked to pass along congratulations for your victories Colonel. I think the commander of Gamma Regiment was particularly impressed by your application of historical tactics on Elidere." He gave another small cough, "Those regards aside, I am afraid that I can't tell you when the Dragoons would be back, given previous behavior I would hazard that the Commonwealth is the most likely contract they will take up, though Janos Marik did send a request to the MRB for the Dragoons to rehire after Kalidasa, which was done in a very public fashion." He remarked, but Captain General's actions were largely par for the course in responding to a problem in the war torn succession era...


The tragedy at Kalidasa had coincided with unrelated raids by the Draconis Combine's Arkab Legions. Kelly's screed across the Inner Sphere had far further repercussions than he could imagine, and that the Dragoons had been wintering over in the near terran corridor had already put pressure within ROM to find out more about their origins, and if they were going somewhere potentially to try and follow them... or to locate where they had come from originally. Such things were removed from the scope of the conversation, and the long distant conference call could not predict the scope of what was to come.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Pirate Wars Luxen
For Short the first indication that something had happened was Ancient Company's officers pulling away and moving towards Shepherd and what followed were a hushed series of conversations. That drew more attention given it had pulled the Highlanders away.

"Its got to be news from home." An Archer pilot remarked.


"You think?" One of his fellow Northwinders remarked. Shepherd must have heard them because his head snapped in their direction and the two 'cadets' fell silent under his expression.


The trip to the ComStar station was not the sort of thing he hoped to make a habit of, but it had needed to be done. There was no word on whether or not Kelly was headed back this way, but it was considered obvious that the man knew his way around theFree Worlds League routes, Yvonne Davion hoped that this wouldn't effect, delay, returning to the Inner Sphere but the transfer of news went both ways. He was glad for the time the company had spent on Robinson when he'd been transiting to and back from New Avalon. They had experience even without counting the former instructors from Northwind comprising Ancients Company.


"Put the unit in formation." He looked to the heavy set kilted man. He ordered deciding to side step the question about what they should expect regarding if / when the dragoons showed up... because he didn't know other than that Kerensky could reasonably considered a loose cannon. "We'll tell them now the last thing we need is the rumor mill getting out of hand." and the truth was because it had been Yvonne Davion passing the information along there was no way to know how the Dragoons had reacted to any other news that the Highlanders had relayed to them over their sabbatical on Northwind.


The Dragoons had almost certainly, Gene was willing to bet money that the elders had gone ahead and told the dragoons that Amaris had been fed information on SLDF movements by the coordinator... and Jaime saying he was taking the Dragoons to rearm probably meant phoning home as well... which given the Kalidasa massacre, and the political screed being released alongside the footage … was just a mess... but those were details that couldn't be disclosed.


He let the Highlanders wrangle the formation aware that as officers gave orders, and NCOs started moving mechanized infantry in that the broader MAF presence was watching, which meant that the civilians crowding around the base would know something was up. Luxen's government wanted the civilians to calm down, but they also didn't want the public relations backlash of making the civilians clear out.. and really Luxen's population was largely harmless. It having been a few days most were just scrambling for a view as their home units underwent training maneuvering with the newly arrived mercenary command.


Gene's eyes swept the array of vehicles, fusion and internal combustion powered alike. This was a lot of metal... a lot of metal in plain view. He could buy a little time by stating that there would be a formal note going out this evening, but also, "House Davion, and Northwind are aware of the massacre at Kalidasa. Kristofur Kelly has proclaimed his support for a New Amaris Empire." This news went over as could be expected, chatter breaking out in packets across mechwarriors, tankers, and infantrymen. He kept from scowling and continued, "The Eridani Light Horse, and Blue Star Irregulars were on Northwind at the time as were the Wolfs Dragoons who were passing through to return to their own kinsmen for resupply," There was a larger rumbling of chatter at this, but he didn't address it, this announcement was informal but he needed to make it clear that Northwind was unlikely to be attacked, reassuring them of this was important... but it also allowed him to surreptiously tell people who knew that well Kerensky's exodus would almost surely become informed of the Combine's betrayal of the Star League... and given the situation that was likely to have very large repercussions. "Our objective is to preserve civilian life, the exact obverse of Kelly and conspirators we will remain on Luxen in order to continue the mission."
That was the boiler plate of the short speech since they were in the open he continued a little longer outlining what they could expect in training terms over the next few days as he suggested they would increase the pace of operations, but also to signal he was not going to entertain questions or caveats from the ranks or the staff.
–
As the day had pushed on it had become windier plant debris, even sand and dust were being kicked up... and even if it hadn't been windy the star port had enough activity going that that would have been happening. There were pallets everywhere, being loaded, and off loaded to distribution all the while sensor platforms watched the sky. Waiting for an enemy that probably wasn't coming today or next week, but Gene understood that even though he didn't have a lot of control over the universe around him, he could insist that they be ready for a fight if it did decide to come. Gauss Rifle ammunition was easy to fabricate. Each round was large, eight rounds was a ton of ammunition, and thus relatively bulky to store but it also had far fewer safety hazards than missiles or auto cannon ammunition. The Fury tanks, closer to his position, outweighed the platoon's worth of Vindicators but nearly double... and truthfully most tanks outweighed the Medium 'Mechs for which had taken up the base six organization... what seemed like a long time ago now.


The vindicator was almost spindly in its lines, but outside of issues with the ejection system the Vindicator wasn't a terrible 'mech. At least for the Luxen volunteers purposes. Platoon as a designation was to reiterate that it could be subdivided... and with the Vindicator that meant being able to mass LRMs onto a target.


Septim scratched the back of his head, as they both watched the distant forms of the round head machines maneuver on a 'patrol' of the perimeter... really it was about showing the crowds beyond the star port that there were MAF troops here too, "I mean I guess when you boil it down, its not that different than last time...Black Jack still has a ton of Star League metal to throw at us, and we've got a bunch of green pilots."

That was true, and Gene was thinking about how to best address that.

The Merlin pilot wasn't actually talking about the Vindicator pilots, but that was part of the problem. Both Bardiche, and Claymore had relatively young and green pilots who having fought on Dieron considered themselves comparatively elite to their periphery counterparts despite by this point all of the Easy Company Luxen Volunteers to have had several years of service with the MAF. That was a potential scratch point for relations. It also didn't help the dispositions that Claymore and Bardiche were fully fledged battalions built around much heavier 'mechs... but that was a facet of Star League resources, and also the generosity of House Davion in response to Elidere.


"If they can survive they can train other pilots, something I've told Raventhir. The base six system is great if the machines your using are all the same that's good for the field and for logistics," Gene wasn't sure if he'd want to try and organize six tanks into a platoon but he supposed being able to subdivide to two groups, sections, of three would work for armor "That and well she did have the Vindicators in their numbers. The big test over the next week is going to be those Chargers." Re engine-ing a BattleMech was a lot of work and that was why they had pushed so many 'techs from the Azami regiments over to the work. Still once, they were sure that what they were doing would work, well...


"Raventhir seems to think if it works that Pioche should be able to provide lots of them... I mean that factory is basically Star League era tech. Very little like it left in the universe."


That was true... for both the good and the bad that went with it. Gene was also glad that the Magistracy produced its own PPC even if it meant shipping them in from Canopus proper... which of course was probably plenty of excuse ot have observers come check on their progress. Gene more than once had attempted to wrap his head around how trade was legally supposed to work in the Magistracy, the nobility had apparently rather strong economic privileges.... which even though he wasn't an economist he suspected might account for some of the problems with the Magistracy's own industrial position. But even if he had been here to fix that, which he wasn't he would have had no idea where to start. "Then we protect it, our job to fight pirates, and prevent them from rampaging around as they like. If we need to defend Pioche, then we will... but realistically with an HPG station here Black Jack will probably come to us."


"Do you think he'll come in person? He's got a big bounty on his head, ja? You think he'll chance tangling with us?"


Gene remained silent for a moment. The bounty wasn't really the issue. It was all the questions that Black Jack might be able to answer about this whole mess. "He's also escalated," Precipitously so, that might be hard to account for but this was no longer just attacking HPGs on the fringes, and it very well could have been that after fifteen or so years of rampaging along the periphery he was starting to lose his hold on ever increasing pirates numbers... "We still don't know how connected Black Jack is withthe Rim World and Amaris claims," But that mattered less and less as things mounted, "Kelly invading and attacking both the Capellans and the Free Worlds League is upping the ante even further." And before that there had been attacks on the Fed Suns frontier worlds. "I don't think it matters if Black Jack shows up in person, but some one will show up. If there aren't spies here already," Which who knew how could the MIC was, but they couldn't be perfect, "They will be with all the news going out."


An ICE powered cargo truck pulling an ammunition trailer slowed a stop in an adjoining parking lot... artillery shells for Hammers howitzers. Raventhir had apparently given some speech to the nobility of the Magistracy asking for greater domestic industrial production.... which sounded great but even if the money were there you still needed the tools to make the tools.. "You've got that look in your eye." Septim observed...


"Raventhir is getting a lot support through the Lyran Commonwealth."


"Her father, Doctor Abner might have abdicated but he's still wealthy and well connected."


Gene cocked his head, "Do you know much about that?" He asked, then shook his head, as he decided that it was going to probably be better solved by asking Abner directly the next time he crossed paths with him, "Don't worry about it, we have enough on our plate as it is." and if Black Jack didn't come in person... well there were other targets he could lead the attack on... and there was always the possibility he might try and hit Canopus.


"Wait, boss what did you have in mind?"


"Something that would be trouble for us." He replied shoving his hands in his windbreaker as he glanced upwards tracking towards the horizon and the ASF on patrol as they began to move around the river to the south of the star port. He wanted to help, but the member states might decide that stealing from their neighbors particularly their periphery neighbors was going to be easier than anything, especially if they thought there was Hegemony tech involved, "We need to focus on what we have to do right now." They walked on through the assembly area past various other flat bed cargo haulers, and the spare parts, and the engines that were supposed to reinforce the Luxen Volunteers defensive position. Hammer's artillery would remain parked in the vicinity of the Star Port. .. but unless Raventhir decided to begin moving the command...or realistically potentially had that decision pushed on her from Canopus they were going to start distributing the Company's expanded ranks into the field, "What do you think about the Merlins?"


"The 'mechs are just like mine was," Septim responded, "The kids piloting them aren't bad, just green. They're heavier than the Vindicators but a lot of the same strengths, and I figure since the TTS and Comms system are produced domestically we might consider letting the Azami try and fit Vindicators with Magestrix built systems."


He took note of the suggestion, but zeroed in on the reiteration of the green comment again, "About that, the Chargers and Cicadas are going to need work, how do you feel about taking the recruits through their paces on the Crocketts we have with us? Let them practice gunnery on those?"


"It won't hurt anything, but they're going to be different than what they end up piloting."


"You're the one who keeps telling me any mech is better than no mech. I just want to make sure they have as much time driving one as we can give them."