Battletech: The Ghost Who Walks (Battletech Isekai)

[Imperator Pax]

Son of Sam the Lost Ship
Ronin's last check in had been an hour earlier before the engineers had double checked everything, and signaled that they could move forward. The thrum of fusion engines was reassuring. The power systems needed to run Life Support systems were far less than the energy draw of other systems but it didn't change the fact he was looking at a bigger problem than he'd expected, "I don't know what he was thinking." Bahar remarked. "As limited as forces were meeting us out in the open was stupid." That really hadn't been Bauman's call.


It was true he hadn't been expecting the assault... then again the man had spent too long as the big fish in a little pond. He'd initially thrashed and raged but ultimately blubbered when the Azami commandos in their PA (L) Nighthawk armor had dragged him from ... gaudy to the say the least... office suit aboard the recovery ship. That had only been part of operations.


Gene was more concerned that Bauaman had recognized the Nighthawk power armor they had pulled from Mother Bear's groundside castle. The Dobrev was a hulk. The damage on the hull... the ones on the recordings didn't do it justice. It would never fly again.. and yet it had secure bulkheads. Ones that had needed SLDF credentials to open. "He never got this far but there are far more people inhere than necessary to crew the ship." Civilians an escape...a long march, exodus... whatever you wanted to call it.


His suit's radio crackled, "They tried to Restart the aerostar navigation program," Dante stated, "There was a hyperspace accident." The distress beacon and logs were garbled. No one had woken up the other crew in the rotation. Dante conspicuously didn't bring up the AI that would have been navigating, and Gene didn't bring it up, "The main computer core has a partition sealed by a division rank officer."


"We'd need mother bear to override it." He remarked...which was going to be troublesome... Dante Mother bear and his credentials could override. "Can we pull the main core safely?"


"The officer is in stasis." Dante informed him.


.... Gene found he had no immediate response to that. They were going to need to start waking people up and shipping them out. They couldn't hold this planet. Bauman had only had a company of 'Mechs with him and vees to support little in the way of air assets. He reached to the radio, and swapped to the tactical channel for Schiltron, "I need you over here ASAP." He glanced to Bahar, paused, "Our priority is evacuating these people that hasn't changed... but I need you to find out exactly how much material is here."


"This ship is massive."


That went without saying. It was a warship that had been converted into something else... but it was still something built with a compact K-F drive, and thus mass to spare. "We can't hold this planet from a counter attack and evacuate these people under fire. "Which meant being ready to blow the derelict in place. "If at all possible see if someone can find whatever Bauman might have gotten out of the cargo bay he was using."


"We know that the O5P is operating locally," Dante added. "The K-F Drive, and maneuver drive are wrecked," That had been obvious from overflights by their Rapiers on initial contact with Bauman's forces, "we should still place scuttling charges to be sure but it also appears that Bauman was trying to dismount weapons from the hull. Ammunition may be out in the open as a result."

Gene wondered if there had been any dropships carried by the Dobrev... but if they had survived intact Bauman had likely taken those away first thing. That might have been where the first bits of miraculous lostech had come from. Bauman had sold stuff off before Kelly had come and snatched him up. They'd taken Bauman alive, which they hadn't expected to do... the MRB had said dead or alive.
The kilted colonel rounded the bulkhead, "Colonel, another problem?"

"I'm thinking we send Bauman to Detroit," He stated voicing the thoughts racing through his head, working through how long until the first jumpship circuit was up and running, "But we get rid of him quickly and in a way that denies him access to anymore information."

"The Azami have him," in other words what did that have to do with pulling him from the Highlanders securing the perimeter. "The men are stretched thin right now, especially with you and the major here dismounted." the highlander pilot remarked underscoring the issue. "I know that he spewed some crazy shit whatever that was about Gabriel and what not, but there is a lot going on."

"I have a briefing with the marine commander when we get back to the wardroom, but it looks like there are surviving SLDF officers aboard... which means we may have information about what happened with Kerensky's exodus... and what became of the SLDF."

"Oh."

... he looked around the bulkhead, "Bahar go through whatever you can if your credentials can't open a door log it, we'll come back to it tomorrow."

The ride back to the DROST IIA nearest Dobrev's hulk took forty five minutes. The more senior of the two Azami officers had questions about leads on Kelly, but the hologramwarbled. "What did Bauman actually say the mad man was going todo?"
Gene hadn't had the time after combat operations concluded to go back to orbit attend the interrogation or to read the report just a summary from the fleet personnel. "Does Kelly have a lead on other warships?"

The Azami officer on the other end of the line's face was set in a grimace, "That is what Bauman seems to believe. He and Black Jack were arguing at their last meeting... and the influx of rabble and distributed rimworld hidden army supplies seems to have weakened McGirk's influence. He was unhappy." Black Jack's influence in the coalition of the damned as one news broadcaster had called the leadership as it was understood seemed to be waning. "He was sure that there was a Rim World Cache on Detroit as well... if there is anything left..." then it would be a prize to take.

That cache ... its existence had explained the Hidden Army's ability to destroy an SLDF Light Horse Regiment afield in the 28th​Century. Gene shook his head, deal with that later, "Tellmedical command to prepare for an influx we're going to start waking people up. To see if they couldn't get at lease some answers while they waited for the Lucre hulk and its sister ship to land.

"We should begin with the officers of rank." The marine on the other end of the line remarked.
"About that," Gene remarked, "Dante who is the officer of rank."
"That would be General McEvedy." He brought up her service jacket... and for some reason had added a copy of General Marlborough's orders from the Defense of Northwind, as well as projecting a copy of the final black watch dispatch, and appended information of the Tripitz running the Republican blockade of Terra with the twins... the last heirs of the Terran branch of house Cameron and the last legitimate link to the Hegemony and the star league... In so far as an unbound Terran AI were concerned.

Gene could already feel the headache... not the one from the post combat come down but hte one of trying to tell someone what a mess everything was, "We'll read her in. Is there anything else?"


"Bauman appears to have gotten into the NAVCOM." Navigation computer, "And Communications... which had been how he'd gone looking for mother bear, as well as started his search for that Hegemony Narukami class... that was another lead or another thread for them to chase as well, "He shipped the mobile HPG off as quickly as he could at Kelly's insistence." That was at least once less thing they needed to scuttle. "But from what we understand that ship," The Narukami, "Was making for Luxen, and the Magistracy more broadly. A stopover from what we understand but... Bauman might have relayed that to Kelly and an attack may have already been planned."

There were other questions... about whether any of the stasis tubes held people rescued from Richmond, and if the computers had offered up anything else of note... but they didn't have much so far. Gene got the feeling that there was the risk of trying to stay too long to salvage the broken warship. "It must be accounted for Colonel, that Bauman has already done significant work already."

"One thing at a time." He replied mulling the details, "I want to know when, if we can put a date to when the Narukami reached Luxen. I'm assuming this was what 2845." A couple of years after Northwind had been taken from the Capellans, "That twenty years after they arrived back in the Inner Sphere... thats a detail we can't lose track of. We've all been to Luxen, is there anywhere in system to hide a warship?" It was more of a rhetorical question... more realistically the next stop had been somewhere deeper in the Magistracy but the question then was was wherever they were heading still apart of the Modern Canopian state.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Lost Ship Interlude
This was not exactly how the journals, and holodramas made a mercenary contract in the Magistracy of Canopus out to be. Admittedly it could have been worse... they were here training troops, and here in case Royal Foxx was attacked but that left them doing less than other units of the company in terms of action... and waiting for news.

Some of the last news that they had gotten out of the Inner Sphere... last good news as far as Septim had been concerned was the report that the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth had attempted to broker a peace to end the 3rd​ Succession War. That proposal had largely fallen on the deaf ears of the other great houses. Only House Davion building on earlier bilateral talks between the previous First Prince, Ian the older brother of the current ruler of the Federated Suns, had seemed interested.
Septim had still expected it largely came down more to money than anything else... it was about trade between the former member states of the Star League. "It was before warships came back."

He nodded to Chang's comment. The Primus of Comstar had not specifically cited the increased tempo of warfare between the great houses but did single out threats from outside the Inner Sphere as a reason for peace between the former Member States.
"Guess that means technically the Capellans jumping into Taurian space doesn't violate Comstar's call for peace." Not that Septim was real confident that ComStar would start interdicting the houses for continuing to fight.

"Those are from the Red Lancers," Bubbles responded as the holographic footage showed Capellan Dropships maneuvering


... and even though this was a recording Septim had to wonder if the Taurians were about to pop nukes. "This could have been a lot worse," He stated eyes still glued to the footage. "This is somewhere in the middle of the nebula." the Taurian heartland and Capellan fighters screaming from launch bays of Vengeance-class ASF carriers had to be a shock. More so because they were hurtling through space towards the ugly anchorage, and the hulk of the MK42 Corvette the Tauraisn had been secretly working on.

This wasn't even a two way show down, it wasn't even a 3 way which was what eroded some of the capellan narrative of their motives. The taurian navy was defending. The Capellans and pirates were both trying to salvage the warship... and the spoiler in the mix were the Vandenburg White Wings.
"We still haven't been able to reach the boss."

He shrugged, "Yeah I know, but there is a lot going on."Septim replied watching white painted factory fresh fighters come in from the other direction. IN a way sans the presence of the pirates this made it almost a repeat of the Triptiz incident. Septim wished the boss was present but he was somewhere in the space between the independent gulf of worlds ... between the concordat and the magistracy.

The multisided fracas involved masses of ASF and dropships ...four different factions shooting at everyone else. Trying to make for the warship while trying to clear the others off. It was in short, "Its such a cluster fuck." Bubbles muttered "Watching this."

... and yet, "Yeah but the flyboys are probably having the time of their lives doing it." This had to be a wet dream to be mixed up with this many other fighters. "They're mixing it up."

And yet the fighting was inconclusive... or maybe not depending on actual objectives. The White Wings weren't Impressive pilots , but their birds were pristine LosTech machines. The Cappies had the skill certainly given this was a premier Cappellan unit, but they were trying to clear the way for marines to land while the White Wings were just trying to come in to mount attack runs.
The Vincent had its fusion engine offline, and was... Septim figured... presumably stripped of ammunition.
The ROM from the News Broadcast didn't show everything. It cutout early since the capellans had been trying to shape the narrative of the Taurians supporting the rimworld... which the fighting didn't really support. It did show that the bulls had been concealing the warship for who knew how long... but that wasn't the same thing.


Being called out on the secret warship had lead to the Taurians denunciation of the Inner Sphere's aggression with the official claim that they did not support piracy. Claims that the Concordat supported a rimworld resurgence were denied as well. What they hadn't actually denied was having been trying to repair the corvette.

The situation was a mess and ComStar had demanded the corvette be permanently scuttled, "Do you think they'll do it?" He asked the magistracy liaison who'd been silent up until now.

The Major shrugged, "It may not matter. They've officially refused to do so, but you saw those aircraft go and strafe the anchorage... how much damage did they do?"
It was Septim's turn to shrug, "I don't fly Ma'am." He looked at the final still image while the newscaster said that the Primus was threatening to interdict the Concordat if the Weapon of Mass Destruction were not scuttled. Given the pirate threat Septim wasn't sure Comstar would actually follow through on denying them access to FtL comms but the Capellan ambassador wanted proof the warship was destroyed and thus couldn't be used against 'the State'. "Lot of angry noise."
Angry diplomats on all sides and the Capellans had officially pulled back to their side of the border... but only just. In the meanwhile the news broadcast shifted to elsewhere in the Capellan space... apparently the Big Mac under mean old man MacCarron had had its first major engagement against Amaris troops as well... but the elite mercenaries had thrashed the invading raiders to great aplomb in the news feed.

"That should count as good news."

"We're going to need more of that."

He couldn't disagree there, their stint of on Foxx hadn't been ashard as the others, "We need to consider whether or not we're moving to reinforce Soren and Bardiche, they're coming up on more than a month of fighting." Intensive urban warfare favored the hundred ton pillager, but a thirty days was a long stint to be on the line in an urban environment. "I know Lady Raventhir wants us to stay here in order to continue to train troops, but-"


The major shook her head, "Not going to happen. The mission is to continue to train forces here, we can't afford to strip the garrison from Royal Foxx regardless of the situation on Farandir."The optimistic argument was that Soren should have finished mopping up the Rimjobs by the time relief could arrive, and the pessimistic one was taking troops would risk losing both worlds. "I know we're thin on the ground here, but every day they get in training is the chance they survive their first real battle." Septim didn't miss how the later half of the response seemed more directed towards Chang than it was him, but let it pass without issue.


He did want to protest but Raventhir had to have reasons, and with the boss somewhere beyond HPG range there was no one to appeal the decision to, "What about the JumpShips, we were expecting new Pikes to arrive?" He had a guess already, but he wanted to be sure... and it wasn't just Pikes it was any kind of additional equipment to outfit the troops they were training here on Foxx.


"Still delayed all JumpShip traffic is pretty much shutdown."


"That can't be maintained." Septim felt himself saying, especially since, "Our JumpShips are still going out. Its not just equipment we can't just hunker down and try and wait things out. That cache on Calidasa was massive," Enough equipment to provide for neglected conventional regiments of the MAF, and the fear was if the othercaches were as large then it was a question of how much real manpower Kelly could call on. "We can't bet on them not having troops."But even the protest as much as he wanted to believe it ran head long into the memories of how the Periphery had been where even just one battlemech had been enough to scare some frontier worlds into compliance. That that was how short on material, how corps like quicksell made their script, some worlds were when you got down to it.


"The MIC is sure that the enemy is having to conscript troops from periphery worlds. The exact degree of impressment is debated, but for now the MAF strategic posture is defending the worlds we can with the resources in place." and wait basically. "We also are under strict direction to avoid risking a confrontation like the one that occurred in the Hyades nebula." Some bureaucrat had to have written that order Septim figured... unless the canopians were hiding a warship of their own, but more likely the phrasing was someone not thinking through... but the major also had it in paper as well.
Septim shook his head, but didn't verbally question it, "So MacCarron's armored cavalry just saw action," Not really 'just' it'd been a couple weeks, "we know the Red Lancers are nearby... who else? Anyone from the Free World League?"

"Officially no, but the Magestrix is opening dialogue with the Duchy of Andurien, and has offered to coordinate with the Knights of St Cameron who are being financially supported by the Captain General."

"What about the MRB?"
"They're encouraging additional mercenaries, and expanding bounty offerings against Black Jack, Kristofur Kelly," and along list of other pirates leading mid to large sized bands of cutthroats, "Natasha Kerensky's Black Widow Company has crossed the border they last stopped over at Aquagea."

He groaned, and looked at Chang, "The Wolfs Dragoons, great, and the boss is on the opposite side of the," Rimward,"Periphery." He looked at the three dimensional holo broadcast of the news. "What do we know about them?"


"They've encountered two MRB recorded and recognized," Meaning Kerensky had gotten paid a bounty by the MRB, "Actions against pirates. Small actions we assume they collected salvage, she has three Mech Lances in a Five Mech configuration plus her command lance which is also a base five. Rated Fanatical by the MRB..."

"We're going to need those BattleRoms." Chang remarked. Then less professionally, "See how they run those Fives versus Platoons or our normal lances..."

 

[Imperator Pax]

The Lost Ship
Gene's real focus was on the nearly existential dread of all the news that could potentially hit just as soon as they got back into range of the HPG Network... not that if the HPG aboard the Dobrev had been here they could have done much with it... actually if anything there was the rabbit hole of trying to tap into the shadow network... assuming any of those deep space stations were intact. He wasn't scrutinizing the launchers the Azami were working with. He wasn't an ordinance officer and all he really knew was the LRMs were better than standards... and that there were enough of them to outfit and provision his missile boats.

He leaned back and rested his head against the cool metal of the bulkhead. The Minnesota Tribe were an offshoot of Clan Wolverine...themselves largely descendants of a Terran BattleMech division. Their inventory of stored war materiel reflected that. The minnnesota tribehad divided its people and had plans to send them back to the Inner Sphere before the final break with the other clans. "This is amess," He muttered ... not really addressing any of the other officers.

If he were entirely honest it sounded like Kerensky's mad son had synthesized a new society that borrowed heavily... too heavily from the worst bits of the late star league scientific arguments, and combine's social ideas. Not that the hegemony hadn't been a martial society, but Kerensky the younger had institutionalized a caste system and relied on terran medical science to remake the 'SLDF in Exile' into a viable society... at least population wise. "It explains why they wanted the medical systems, the stasis tubes." The doctor remarked, "Of course we had already suspected that from Lockdale anchorage... they," He stumbled over the words, "or they intended to use the iron wombs to insure their various splinters could survive.".

Gene half nodded. The stasis tubes here held plenty of survivors enough for a small colony. He pushed off and stood, "IS the General awake?" He asked, when he got the nod, he moved and pushed the door open. Terran Medicine made McEvedy look only to be in her late thirties, if that. With her high cheek bones and hair cut would fit, let her pass as some neo rock donna of the late Star League.

The machines inside beeped softly, regularly.

"Colonel Shepherd." McEvedy had her father's rank credentials to bolster her date of commission and had gone into stasis after they'd split with the 'Clans of Kerensky'. She'd fought in the terran campaign against Amaris that had eventually liberated earth. She was poking at the data slate tied into the ship's wireless. "You've restricted the computer systems."

"Yes." He answered, grateful his CID credentials allowed him some leeway. He didn't want to the throw Shadow ministry's orders on the table first thing given what they knew of the exodus. "We're preparing a briefing packet now General. If necessary I'll repatriate your white shields to your command as soon as possible." He didn't want to lose Harry and the other ice cubes even without the prospect of the fight ahead. The morning strategy session suggested pushing all of the wolverine survivors to Alamut regardless... the likelihood of Clan Wolf discovering Clan Wolverine seemed likely to start a fight. "I can't risk your civilians," Either against the dragoons, as political targets by the combine or any of the great houses. "Our objective is to salvage the Dobrev and scuttle the ship," Deny anything else someone might try and repurpose. "We're on a time frame for that given," well that Bauman had been pretty convinced Stefan Amaris was operating from a JumpShip well Dropship because the Amaris heir was leading from the front in a rampage Assault Battlemech. There was also the detail that Kelly and certainly blackjack were much older than the Amaris pretender, "The neo Amaris leadership is allegedly pushing towards New Abilene on the Magistracy frontier," He continued...making a silent mental note to provide a copy of the modern periphery's borders to the general, "But my plan is to evacuate you and the remainder of Clan Wolverine to the Azami colony of Alamut in the former Alexandrian covenant,"

Which given its position in the deep periphery should keep them well clear the fighting. "That seems a waste Colonel, we've been in stasis almost two centuries." She replied, "Besides in that time frame at least part of the Star League in Exile should have reached the Magistracy of Canopus, and the outposts there."

"IF they did my command seen no concrete evidence of it. Your civilians would be safer far from the conflict zone." He didn't want this to turn into an argument, especially before could form a guess on McEvedy would react to the possibility that somehow the Cameron twins had survived their trip into the Deep Periphery.

"A conflict that involves warships, and a revitalized Rim World threat. From what I understand your RCT is already spread too thin as it is." She remarked solidly, "You can't afford to spare my warriors from this fight."

"None of your White Shields are ASF pilots, I'd regret not having mechwarriors but to fight in space I need ASF pilots, "And the dobrev's survivors... had very few naval personnel ... most of the original complement had been in the rotation crews trying to keep the ship on course.

"Which is all the more reason to search out our survivors, bolstering our forces would allow us to destroy the enemy while they continue to attack in a piecemeal fashion. Their attempts to rally the Periphery around the legacy of the original Stefan Amaris appears to have had lackluster success in terms of holding territory, we should rally support and force a confrontation."
--
Gene allowed his head to thump back against the rest. McEvedy outranked him, but she had followed Kerensky into the Exodus that he'd lead into the galactic north... and now she was adamant about trying to locate other splinters of Wolverine Exodites. In theory that potentially meant yielding up at least one WarShip... in a situation where no one else had them... that would paint a target on all their backs.

"She believes her kinsman did reach the Magistracy in the 29th​ century?" Pasha asked, he nodded, "We should be so fortunate but regardless my people would be glad to welcome her tribe with us." Not the least because McEvedy had lead the liberation at the Gulag at Richmond from the front and there were survivors there aboard the Dobrev's stasis tubes.

He sat up, glanced briefly at the late Star League era map of the Canopian frontier, "And she appreciates the offer Pasha," But was stubbornly insisting on her original course... find the other Wolverines and start stacking Sharks, "I can't just show upon Luxen with that many refugees... Raventhir would," Well actually he had no idea how the duchess would react, but he didn't want to chance it.

"If I may," Pasha spread his hands, "Perhaps it is merely my eyes, but perhaps god is merciful. The General rather resembles our Employer... if anything she quite resembles Commander Volkov."Who was Raventhir's niece... but age wise McEvedy looked like she was between the two. He bit down a comment of annoyance before he could make it. Pasha having read the reactions made another gesture, mollifying patience temperance of sorts a reminder of the Naval Officers age... and de facto role as counselor of the company leadership. "I do not say this because you are a young man. I can appreciate the general is an attractive woman," And they were near contemporaries having both been SLDF ... HAF MechWarriors at the time of the Crisis... basically the same age, "And it harms no one to look. Certainly you still have the option to marry the countess of kestrel when we return. She would be a fine choice."

Gene outright started... this had never come up before. Pasha had never brought this line of discussion up before. "We don't have time for this."

"Now is precisely the time for this." The captain answered, "You pulled her out of the line of fire on Northwind," He continued Gene's growing mortified expression. "That we are returning to the Davion is not in dispute. We must plan for these things."

"There will be fresh recruits on Northwind and Robinson."MechWarriors and tankers alike from across the federated suns, "Indeed, when we return perhaps recruits from Friesland as well... I believe that Hammer would like that. The Crucis March will likewise be glad to host our company, never mind our friends in the Draconis March. Elidere is a world we must obviously return to as soon as possible, but certainly you must return to Dieron. This is something you must do." Pasha insisted.

"This campaign isn't done yet." McEvedy had been right about their deployment, "Raventhir has the company spread out trying to protect half a dozen worlds."

"As you say, we have this son of the satan Amaris to slay first. General McEvedy is headstrong but her purpose is the same as ours. You must consider whether it is your place to stop her in your course, but we must make a decision we must commit to a course soon."

He knew that, "Bauman left a lead to follow. He told Kelly about potential leads." Gene gestured to the map of the Periphery from the end of the Star League. "He sent men ahead, but he can't use the HPG... or it had to be a lot trickier. "We have to evacuate the civilians. We have to get everyone off world sooner rather than later, which means falling back... we hash this out with Mother Bear see if we can't find a consensus."

"You speak as if Dante has already made decision." Pasha remarked contemplatively folding his hands, "As if it is one you are not sure of."

"Dante wants me to relive McEvedy of her Command, until she's fit for combat at the very latest." Part of that was that was the degree of operational breadth she was talking about as soon as she'd been told what was going on. That had made the AI uncomfortable given how many other factors were in play.

"Her sleep sickness is not so severe. You were combat capable within hours of waking up." Pasha pointed out, "Yes she has balance issues, but by the time we return to Mother Bear I would be astonished if she could not fight, even with limited memory loss." Mild and transitory amnesia was a common enough issue, and the memory loss was the least of their issues... "It is not so much of an issue I would think."

"Dante thinks she's going to go charging off and attack without considering the strategic picture... that the Great Houses aren't the old member states."

"He believes that is the sleep sickness?"

Gene shrugged, "Impaired judgement is a possible side effect. I have no idea if you can blame that on the stasis tube."

"You did drop unsupported on Luxen when you believed the first Exodus of our people were pirates. A move I would remind you that Septim attempted to convince you against as reckless."

He blew out a breath, "Are you agreeing with Dante now?" Because the First Battle of Luxen had been months after he'd come out of the Stasis Tube in the Outpost Castle.

Pasha didn't answer the question, and sidestepped, "We can supply her with a JumpShip, with void craft, and equipment but insist that the bulk of the dobrev's exodites be evacuated. Allow her to join the fight against the Satan Amaris... in the mean time what is our next course?"
"I want to get back to the ciruit, and link up with motherbeaar. We should have news," He paused, "And then I want that convoy going out to Alamut as soon as possible."


"And Detroit?"


"Sending Ali, to reinforce Detroit. He's already taking Bauman with him, but given that," he indicated the map again, "We're heading directly back to Luxen," Bauman hadn't been sure when, but he'd been confident that there were plans to attack Luxen and its HPG station.


"And if Leviathan attacks Detroit?"


Then, he took a breath regarded the captain's grave expression for another moment, "I've given Ali nuclear launch authority, and hell be taking equipment from here and mother bear's cache to try and give him the best possible odds." As it was Gene didn't like how the former DCMS pilots had been preparing for possible kamikaze attacks if no other options were available.

"The fear is that the other descendants will pursue McEvedy's people," regret tinged his voice at the idea of it, "The survivors from Richmond though they are not descendants of Kerensky's exodus."

"Still the problem of volunteering people-"

"We are at war with an heir to Amaris." Pasha interrupted, "This must be considered colonel. We are at war. I am sure given the opportunity there will be those from Richmond who would rally to the chance for battle... We cannot wait for reinforcements whether from Alamut or from the Inner Sphere. We must consider our options if the caches, if these new technologies, even if it were just LosTech that makes these outlaws that much more dangerous."

 

[Imperator Pax]

The Lost Ship
The map swirled in the middle of the table. It showed the Inner Sphere in mixed tones... representing how the five surviving member states of the star league had been reduced... relative to where they had stood before the last star lord had come into power. It was territorial changes, yes, but it was also the industrial losses and that it kept them from WarShips. Despite nearly two centuries of suspended animation McEvedy knew that, she sighed, "Our ties to the Inner Sphere were limited," Apparently the SLDF in exile had had its own issues, "General Kerensky lead us out predicting the war to come between the member states, but I think the knowledge of it was finally what killed him." McEvedy had hoped that since the 1st​ Succession War had ended in what was effectively a white peace that her clan could slip away and start fresh away from Nikolas Kerensky's madness. A nuclear attack had derailed those plans preventing full implementation. "Still if he'd known about House Cameron surviving I'm sure he'd have acted differently."
The SLDF had bled horrendously against the drones of the SDS who'd been ordered to defend Terran worlds from Kerensky's attempts at liberating them during the Hegemony campaign, "From what you've told me Amaris did have willing collaborators among," Terran, "Planetary authorities, those AI might have chosen to defend their worlds if their local leadership was collaborating." Of course that only applied to ones collaborating, other worlds like Dante on Northwind wouldn't have, but Amaris had brutalized many, yet suborned still others with promises, and appeals to greed, "We can't know."


"No, Colonel we can't." She paused, "Nor can we try and follow those leads at this point. We are at war and it falls to us as the last of the SLDF to defeat Amaris. I will except your proposal to evacuate the bulk of survivors to the covenant worlds." Alexandria, "We can help the Azami there try and get industry up and running. However I want to open direct talks, discrete, secret even talks with the Aurigan Coalition as well as the Magistracy of Canopus. I'll need warriors and ships for this."

The hologram shifted to an order of battle not dissimilar to the Company's own. Highlanders, and Phoenix Hawks and Archers... with Wolverines which despite being on the nose they were SLDF common fare. McEvedy didn't have enough warriors to field armor. "If anyone runs a test against a database match, it'll flag them as SLDF personnel. Never mind running Hegemony IFFs." Then again Schiltron was running Hegemony IFFs, "Then there is the manpower issue even accounting for the Richmond volunteers." and that lead to potential issues of the Combine putting it all together as well... the raid on Richmond had probably been the straw to push the Coordinator over the edge into the second succession war.

"I'll recruit auxiliaries where I can."

"You're going mercenary?"

"As a ruse. I'll return the Marauder II BattleMechs to your inventory," Once Harry and the Ice Cubes rejoined their detachment, "I understand you have concerns about the LosTech drawing attention but we should also accept there are a number of Terran machines already fighting with the enemy, as well as machines stolen from us. My priority is to find my people, what happened to them."

McEvedy's daughter had left before Smoke Jaguars nuclear attack on the wolverines and had presumably reached the Inner Sphere if not the Periphery. Then there was warships and lost outposts of the Terran Hegemony... and eventually plans to assist the Azami in preparation for an IE supported expedition further rimward to see if there was Terran Hegemony in exile. "We haven't had the time to look into locating the Shadow Network's remains."

"Our star charts have some of those systems mapped, we can jump between them they should be uninhabited systems and investigate," And shave some time off of the trip to the Magistracy, to Luxen where we can meet with this Mercenary Review Board."

That was paperwork he was already dreading. She'd already promised to avoid the Dragoons... and the Inner Sphere for the time being, but Gene honestly what sure how much that was worth given the situation they found themselves in. "We're in uncharted waters here, General. The magistracy will be happy to have you with few questions right now," And there was the avoid the dragoons and inner sphere surely came with an unspoken 'for now'. "I've sent Ali ahead with Bauman he'll try and compile a report, if we're lucky Fronc still hasn't been hit and its HPG in intact and we'll be able to contact and receive updates."

That would give them an update on the state of the war, but probably wouldn't tell them much if anything about the party Bauman had sent out to investigate a potential hegemony castle.... Gemini Umbrella potentially. That was their working hypothesis, though its location in the magistracy frontier suggested it was a plausible one. "I understand the constraints," But she obviously would have preferred more time the Aurigans were in the opposite direction action after all... going up and toward Taurian space. "Once we're at Luxen perhaps a party can be chartered aboard an Azami merchant ship and sent through Detroit to Coromodir."

"That would be practical general." Pasha answered for him.

"The bulls haven't declared for Amaris."

"Not unless something had changed wildly in the past month," He answered. "But from what you've said about the Clans, about Nikolas Kerensky's ideology I don't want to guess how they'd react."

"Nor how they might respond to the knowledge that House Cameron survived and reached safe worlds far to their rimward." McEvedy replied, "I can't imagine the notion of a Terran Hegemony in Exile with two and a half centuries to work would sit with well with the present Calederon."

"He hasn't thrown in with Black Jack or Kelly," They'd have to wait and see if there had been any new leads on either of them... but that was the problem with chasing pirates across interstellar space. The hologram had shifted back from the battlemech display to the interstellar map. They needed to know what was going on Aquagea as well... but Ali was already supposed to send a courier as soon as he arrived.. possibly another to the IE mission on Frobisher... the site of another umbrella station, but those could wait until they were back on Luxen. "Ali will have reported we scuttled the Dobrev."

Which of course he hadn't witnessed, "If you show with us on Luxen it might raise questions to those paying attention."
He nodded. "We can do things in stages, I can report the scuttling and provide recordings to prove it to the Inner Sphere authorities from Luxen's HPG station... hopefully catching Bauman will win us some goodwill with Precentor Atreus," But they'd have to see.
Precarious... there was an understatement. "My technicians can help expedite the process of stripping the Dobrev,"
"Bauman looks like he tried to pull off, or started the process of stripping the weapons emplacements that survived the land." and Gene wasn't really sure that was really a priority...but "Do you think those capital missiles could be used against a warship without a warship's fire control system?"


"Its certainly something to try."


Well it was something that they'd only get one shot at.
--
The display placard of 'mechs was the same McEvedy has shown him.

Eisenhower's command center was awash with activity. That made it uncomfortable for other reasons. In order to handle things they'd peeled off most of the Azami volunteers for the Task Force in order to reinforce their position on Mother Bear's outpost, as well as post Ali to reinforce Detroit. "We should be able to obfuscate the volunteers from Richmond, especially with Phoenix Hawks and Archers Colonel." MacIntyre was trying to reassure him. "Highlanders won't attract much attention either, we dug plenty of them out Dieron and the Castle at home."


That was a small comfort. The Wolverines really it was just on those, but it would be okay at least it probably would in the short term. Bahar raised her pen in one hand, "We already have the reputation for reclaiming fallen SLDF units." Beginning with the ASF Regiment, but more prominent in the news broadcasts the two Azami manned Light Horse Regiments, "It would not attract the same sort of attention."


"It would from the Dragoons. If McEvedy adopts the badging of a Terran Royal Division, or a consituent part of one that went on the Exodus," That was another detail people might scrutinize might or might not take notice of. "Besides if the reports are accurate we have breathing room."

Gene scrutinized the fax report that had been decrypted, "This is good news," Pasha stated looking at his own copy, "Bey's warriors will be gratified by the experience, and the Magistracy should be relieved as his success."

Pasha did have a point there. Bey's Light Horse Regiment or the bulk of it had been dispatched to pin a nominal rim world unit on the magistracy border, were presently still engaged. The fax report was limited in a way that if they had gone to Detroit and had access to the HPG network. It left questions, referenced obviously previous reports, but didn't compromise operational security. "I do not like the implication that Soren has been engaged without assistance for a month."

Gene didn't either... but there was nothing they could do about that until they reached Luxen... but that gave them a narrow window to land on Luxen. Check in with Beau, and head to the HPG station. "If he has the Blood Rain pinned down on Farandir why the Magistracy wouldn't have committed to reinforcing him, are they that short on manpower... well we won't know that until we arrive."
"I believe the MAF may simply be too afraid to commit with so many incursions mounted. This report implies Bey took his battalion left to defend New Abilene while other worlds were being threatened." Pasha paused, "The implication, I would say is that without proof to the contrary we must assume that the entire company is now engaged, or has seen combat in our absence"


The details also suggested that a raid aimed at the HPG on Canopus forced the Highlanders of Claymore to meet them... but that the HPG was safe. That was a success but it meant the Magistracy High Command was loathe to allow Claymore to deploy elsewhere tying down the Dragoon weight Battalion. That meant both were unlikely to go anywhere soon.


Gene spared a glance to the digital clock and silently estimated the time until the next Jump. Pasha moved to address another detail... that they still had no good explanation where Kelly had sourced his JumpShip fleet from... or where 'Gabriel' was, "TO the north obviously... but I do not know of any world by its name, some world lost to time, perhaps even in the Rimworld proper." Baumann was sure Kelly must have had some lead on a rimworld anchorage but had been too afraid of the fanatic to ask... "And Kelly was adamant that the Wolf Dragoons are descendants of Kerensky's exodus... that is potentially a problem"
"Whats McEvedy think about that?"

"That Kelly knows too much, and that we should wring him out as soon as we take him prisoner."
Laughs met Bahar's response.

"We have proven adapt of late to take prisoners... but I do not imagine it will be so easy." Pasha replied stifling his own chuckles. "His fleet is too new. Clean, we've seen it previously," Kelly had apparently slipped them at Fjaldr,"There are unanswered questions about where his JumpShips... and we suspect where Black Jack's JumpShips and where they were built."


It had just been bad luck to miss the bastard in the Aurigan Reach, "We're going to refit Easy Company as quickly as possible. Those LRM launchers will let us keep our missile boats further a field, and I'd prefer that." That and Easy's Archers Dervish and Catapuls could be potentially homogenized. "Thats if we're not jumping into a battle for Luxen."


"If the enemy is not be inclined to oblige our wishes. We will have to convince them." Bahar agreed, "if," A Third, "Battle of Luxen is underway will McEvedy take command?"


"I may let her deploy first, but I have operational command, we've been weighing the use of the Bullsharks... since we know Bauman did manage to get some of them off world. If they wouldn't draw so much attention I'd give Beau a handful to replace the Catapults. As it is if Harry and the Ice Cubes do switch over to Highlanders I may move Easy Company's catapults to Marauders." The Marauder II. Ata hundred tones the standard model carried the same VLAR 300 Fusion engine and the weapons load as the 'Davion' Marauder. ON Dieron the automated gantries within the fortress would have allowed them to easily refit the MADII with a new VLAR 300 fitting DHS in place of Standard Heatsinks and made it much simpler to arm replacements to the Magna MKIII large laser with alternate weapons.

Doing it by hand would take longer, but the technicians didn't see a problem with fitting the Wolverine tech base LRM. Apparently they had finished improving them at about the time they'd hit Richmond...which explained some of alleged defender reports to a degree.
"If only the Argo was yet functional. It featured similar systems as I understand." Pasha remarked, "Still between battle damage and the necessary refits the men will be busy." And that assumed they didn't drop into battle immediately.
Gene nodded, "Yeah but Sybils pirates seemed to think minimal maintenance meant they didn't need to do anything." And presumably so to had whoever had held the derelict before her so as a result the Argo was still being repaired and wasn't likely to be ready until they headed back into Davion Space... and honestly Gene was considering putting the LosTech wonder on a JumpShip for Alamut rather than risk the massive ship anywhere near the front. "If we're not dropping into a fight we're going to meet with Beau and going to the HPG station,"


"What if Colonel Holmgren is still engaged?"


"Thing we go to Farandir and clean up."


"Even if that means potentially letting Kelly go free, if he is using Bauman's fleet those JumpShips may be able to pass largely undetected by virtue of being JumpShips and the traditional safe passage." Pasha replied, "Even his bounty being as obscene as it was may not tempt honest men to risk attacking JumpShips... and if there is a castle we cannot allow such a fortress to fall into amaris's hands."

Even if it was just an outpost castle, and Gene recognized that. "I know we're risking cutting it close, but Bey's fax tallies continuous combat on Farandir. Leaving Soren out that long is not option we need that unit functional and either able to continue defending Faranadir or attacking pirate bases. Just like we need to maximize Beau and Easy Company's ability to defend Luxen."


"Farandir is only a single jump from Canopus."


Gene didn't like where that was going, "You're suggesting McEvedy might be better suited to taking the Ice Cubes to relieve Farandir if its still contested?" Pasha nodded, "Well, I'll discuss it with her, if-" Well if they weren't dropping into Luxen, and if Farandir was not still under siege... "thats the case we'll deal with it then." There was a pause in the conversation before it shifted to the engagement on New Abilene but that suffered from a lack of details and the limits of the Fax machine.


--
Notes: we get our first real touch in on of introducing early clantech, and basically clan tech LRMs at this stage, they don't really debut just yet in action and when they do show up most people assumethey're simply 'Star League Missiles' in part because of things likeNarc beacons being used.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Son of Sam
News broadcasts from Luxen's capital were piped into the main feed as the Eisnhower transited through the system... and they waited to hit atmosphere... at which point they'd largely been in communications dark unti lthey touched down... but right now the ship was monitoring electronic traffic from the surface, as well as still holding links to the fleet at the Jump Point.

The travel plan was simple enough. The stopover at Luxen really was just long enough to let the drives charge... handle paperwork...use the HPG do what they could to strengthen the planet's defensive position... and then move on.

"We've got a crowd."

That was an understatement from the feed. Not that Gene hadn't seen Luxen's starport and urban environment crowded before. The arrival of the Task Force's JumpShips at the Zenith point had been met with the usual control center hails... but given the unique mass signatures of DropShips like Hedwig and Braunfelds, and the Eisenhower... and the fact they had departed Luxen aboard the Leviathan-class JumpShip itself a fairly noteworthy aged design meant identification was quick. "Inform Luxen Control," The planetary authorities and defense staff under Force Major Seghal, "that we will maintain system patrols for the duration of our time here, and they should maintain an elevated defense posture after we leave." Gene stated looking at the map, "Have Captain Alexander," Beau, "be ready for an in person briefing when Eisenhower lands."


The Company Command Post was already positioned at the Star Port, in part because it let them hold their DropShips and ASF assets close to the city center, and the infrastructure. "He's trying to clear the roads now." Gene glanced to Bahar and shook his head, and at the expression, she continued, "We will likely have similar receptions on Federated Suns worlds, particularly those in the Draconis March."


"I understand that, but if end up deploying to meet a Rim World incursion those civilians are going to be more exposed than if this were a normal business day."
--
The warm reception aside and not having been aware of the fax receipt Beau had lead with the news of the Company's wider engagements. "Soren's been getting shot at going on 9 weeks now," The Free Worlder stated, nine weeks of what he classified as 'heavily engaged. Only that the fact that their Pillagers were unification war vintage, and archers of a similar age had kept the battalion functional. "Bardiche can't be redeployed from defending the planet." Not that they had planned that... even if they wanted to Farandir was too important and Soren would need resupply at minimum.
"How's Claymore fared?"
"Canopus was better defended with a broader MAF component," Beau paused, grimaced, "Yeah, like with Soren the command Lance was singled out once the enemy figured its own shit out... by the time they did though the Canopian Highlanders were pushing to cut the salient off."
Gene nodded as the ground car as it rolled to a stop at the ComStar MRB front gate, and waited for the rest of the news. Hammer had forced a green armor regiment, and the mechs the enemy combat vehicles had been supporting to attack across a broad front. An attack from where the tanks had been positioned on an escarpment overlooking the expansive rice paddies. The positioning allowing the slammer's tanks the choice of engaging from firing positions pre selected despite the enemy's manpower and materiel depth. "We're going to dispatch temporary relief to Soren then, "Just as soon as the paperwork was done, "That relief element will link up with Harry and redeploy as the Magistracy needs." That would hopefully mollify any complaints despite the contract stipulations about operational controls and review.

Now that they were back in Magistracy space they could theoretically run the circuit along the Eastern frontier up to Farandir... and then jump from Raventhir's homeworld to Canopus. It meant Gene had the option of resupplying the RCT rapidly even if he couldn't replace pilots. "The Magistracy has been patching our injured up. We have injured but-" Given the medical knowledge of the Star League had been lost least in Canopian space that was injured , and fewer dead, "no body is complaining that we're not worth the C-Bills."

He hoped not given everything going, "King?" The Force Major working alongside Bey's Light Horse Regiment.
"Some grumbling from her, and some of the MAF line regulars... nothing serious. Not after Bey stopped the attack on Abeline." But there was a battalion there, another Duanshire neither of which looked like they could be moved at this point.

"Has the Magistracy provided you a plan if the QA, or the Leviathan show up?"

Beau's expression answered the question before he replied, "They don't have one... besides pray for a miracle," The response bordered on flippant than might have bene prudent as they dismounted form the vehicle and the troopers from the 2nd​ & 3rd​Luxen Volunteers got out alongside them. The troops were mostly there so the infantry could direct traffic, "You have one in your back pocket?"
Gene's expression set from resting implacidity to bitter, as the prospect of rolling the dice, "Who dares wins." He replied as caught the approach the precentor Luxen moving to welcome them to the HPG compound.


The Precentor glanced to Bo, nodded, "I take it you've been briefed Colonel Shepherd?" Then on the confirmation, "On review we hope pray that Leviathan's mass driver is only partially functional," So far it had been confirmed to have destroyed two hpg stations from orbit, but relying on dropship deployed troops to attack... but it still carried naval weaponry which was enough to threaten JumpShip and DropShips.
There was a lot of hoping carried in the statement... and the Precentor didn't have much else. The amphitheater HPG room for live transmissions was already waiting for them. The Precentor New Avalon introduced the Precentor Atreus, and the other members of what he called the First Circuit who were gathered on Terra.

'Gathered' was a nice neutral sounding term for a bunch of nervous tech priests.

Hanse Davion stood with his aunt in the New Avalon HPG station. Florimel Kurita stood representing House Kurita. This time the ruling Archon was present to speak for the Commonwealth's interests but Janos Marik, and Maximillian Liao... like House Kurita... had dispatched representatives.
Everyone already had been apprised that Bauman had been captured, and turned over to the authorities, and that Dobrev had officially been scuttled. The simple matter was reiterating that with proof...which the capellans in particular wanted. "Dobrev crash landed, she needed to be blown in place which required wiring her magazines, and fuel bunker." He replied, "Which we recorded. Captain Alexander reported that the Vandenburg White Wings destroyed the Vincent?"

"That is what we have been given to understand," Vandal remarked, "unfortunately inspections of the site have been rebuffed at this time, even by neutral parties," By which of course he meant ComStar or the MRB... "Those talks are ongoing."

"Have there been leads on the Queen Anne's Revenge?" Atreus asked.

He shook his head, "No we were hoping for leads when were established contact." That was where they started running into conflicting intelligence reports, "No precentor Bauman believed Kelly," Not Black Jack, "Had taken the ship and was going to somewhere called Gabriel, ruins there of what we think an anchorage of some sort. I have no leads on Black Jack at this time." Not besides the news which had him purportedly doing...

"Striking the citizens of the Confederation from across the border with the Concordat." The Capellan representative interjected... but those attacks had been absent the presence of the Pinto... so there was no way to be sure if that was Black Jack himself or just one of his senior lieutenants at this point and time.

"Right now my immediate operational lead is on one of Kelly's lieutenants." Described immediately by the FWL rep scrutinizing the holographic data packet they'd prepared backed up by the MRB's latest bounty information as 'another one of the traitors'. "Its the lead I have to work with. If that doesn't yield anything I plan to reevaluate and look for other options on how to challenge the threat."

The PNA nodded, "What of the Amaris pretender? We've confirmed he crossed over the border into Canopian space and should be moving south," rimward, "At last report," The PNA asked, "Both the knights of St Cameron, and the wolf dragoons have sent at least portions of their ranks out, but can you bring Amaris to battle?" It was obvious immediately that he was politically wrangling for something Gene recognized it ... but it may well have been internal church stuff.
"If I can pin Amaris groundside whilst he is here in the Magistracy yes I will." It wasn't really a definitive answer... he had to catch him on the ground... but since Amaris did seem intent on running around in an assault battlemech... it was a plausible scenario.

Vandal nodded spreading his hands and took the opportunity to open the floor to general questions... despite the objections of another Robe.
--
Notes: been in the mood to work on Stargate stuff, in the event you haven't heard Amazon apparently decided not to pursue an attempt doing a continuation thats been making the rounds I'm sort of mixed on that on both sides but other than that right now I don't have much to say

 

[Imperator Pax]

Son of Sam
The call for an open floor had made Gene immeasurably glad he'd handed groundside garrison command to McEvedy... and that as a result she hadn't been present. It had been a mess. Not that it wasn't unforeseeable, even in the initial meeting he'd known tensions had been starting to run high... adding additional officers of the company in general probably wouldn't have served any purpose. He'd left Bahar behind as well just on the risk of the Combine... which well... maybe that had worked out but it hadn't stopped having to watch the conference call devolve into the posturing of the great states over their own privileges and what could and couldn't be done.

It also had done nothing in terms of effecting the time table the company was operating on in terms of leaving Luxen.

"That could have gone better."


That went without saying... "I almost wish all the heads of state had been present." Hanse being there hadn't done much...the Federated Suns were too far away. The Primus of ComStar hadn't really done much either... more focused on trying to get the member states to sign onto... in the name of the Star League... a commitment of house military forces against Amaris. Unfortunately... if predictably that didn't seem to be in the cards. Not with the argument, even a civil one, verbal fencing ... if one preferred over the Galtor Cache.


"So they managed it?" Beau asked regarding the point of contention of working together in the face of the latest issue of strategic maneuvering between Kurita and Davion.


"House Davion cleaned it out... cleaned out the Galtor Cache and are settled in for the long haul." and even if House Davion hadn't moved against Galtor in the interim, which they had using the Highland Raiders Mercenary Group in part to rub salt in the wound, there had been the battle of Robinson and the Victory by the Draconis March in the defense there.


"Could they do it?"


"Hold the world?" Gene wasn't sure, "I don't know. I don't know what resources House Kurita can spare if they just poked the Free Worlds League." Beau sighed, he'd known already about the Arkab legion raids but those had also helped to put a damper on the Primus's efforts to convince the great houses to give peace a try. "He sent Vega and that last battalion of the sword of light to reinforce them." which meant the heir to the combine was much closer to the frontline.


"Thats risky. I mean yeah they missed fighting us on Dieron, but so the kid," Never mind Theodore Kurita was hardly a kid, "Is supposed to lead... he's going to be stuck in an honorable third party situation for sure. He takes the field against Amaris there isn't anything stopping Atreus, or Andurien or the Marik Militia," or not just FWLM but potentially Capellans opportunism, "from trying to wipe him out... and if he keeps the Azami raiding the Free Worlds League he's going to be adding to the mess." Beauregard remarked shaking his head.


"The Dragon must show the flag, to contend with a son of the satan amaris in the field he must." Bahar remarked, "And given Lady Florimel's presence we must assume that it isn't just about that. We should assume that the Dragon knows of the origins of the wolf dragoons." Kerensky's black widow company was active and seemed to be making a beeline to potentially join up with the Knights Crusade, of the Knights of St Cameron who were heading to Canopus.


"Claymore has already wrapped things up there." Beau snorted, glancing to MacINtyre. "From the sound of it Mckayknows they're coming." Gene nodded, silently noting he'd need to make a direct call to Canopus today or tomorrow, it would probably have to be tomorrow going back out today was unlikely "Of course Kerensky did visit Aquagea, and one of her lances ... star?" There was some confusion since her report had involved her sending one of her modified unions to Detroit as well to poke around before Ali had gotten there.


"We still don't have any concrete leads on the warships." There had been arguments about something called the ComsGuard...which Gene had only vaguely knew had existed as a police force...constabulary basically to investigate the Corvette in Turian space.... but that hadn't seemed to go anywhere. "The Primus wants more contributions or for the Great Houses to accept the ComsGuard to protect stations."


Beau shook his head, "Whats he going to do have those guys buy Hetzers? I mean with all the fighting back home all the megacorps have to be packed with orders for years." There were nods of agreement from a handful of others around the table all of whom were familiar with the limitations of war materiel at market. Besides the comsguard weren't exactly swimming in personnel, "But, Poverty in the periphery has always been a problem, Amaris is paying, feeding and allowing his recruits to loot and pillage so he's not short on desperate warm bodies to sit in a chair. He's handing mechs out."


Gene just nodded, "I'm having your company rearming. I need you to move to an Archer." he stated, but it really wasn't limited to an Archer... any other heavier mech option, "We're pulling the catapults from the Unit and moving them and the dervishes," To a secondary Azami formation, "To volunteers to support you."


"More White Shields?"


"Some, but also personnel we're promoting from other ranks." The idea was to bolster Luxen, more 'mechs would reassure the population in the face of an expected attack. Luxen was still receiving Chargers but refitting those was subject to bottlenecks on engines given the slow pace of JumpShip traffic... and engine shortages anyway. "The more chargers that can stand in the frontline with," Domestically produced, "PPCs with Magistracy pilots the better off the units here will be."


The idiom that a Mech was a Mech, would count for a lot on both sides, "That'll keep the magistracy happy, to be sure boss." Beau replied, and Gene had expected more push back about being told to follow the example of other parts of the command to switch to another machine. "What about the other ice cubes?"


"I'm consolidating them with Harry's task force. Let them task with the Magistracy once they switch over to Highlanders."


Beau's immediate assumption was it was about Gauss Rifles, "The Marauder II doesn't have any ammunition requirements if the objective is to keep the pirates at range, does it really make sense to trade them over ... Gauss Rifles are scary and I know Harry doesn't have armor support," No Fury or Alacorn tanks to back him, "but I don't really know if thats the best move boss."


"We'll read you in on the decisions impacting that arrangement tomorrow." He replied. Sitting Beau down with McEvedy was going to also entail a revision of the worst case scenarios if ... if something did happen with the Wolf Dragoons. "But Bardiche reported facing a lance of king crabs on Farandir, letting those get into with range with our 'mechs..." He trailed off," Even with Marauders. No it is an area where Gauss Rifles will outshine the Marauder."
--
The meeting room had emptied out. There was still the report on the desk of ongoing work as technicians reported on overhauling Easy Company. There was a report from the training cadre where the Cicada that Hanzo had used to pilot before switching over to a Highlander, was being used. There was a report also from the local IE station.. but they knew little about the umbrella project... just that there was one out there... and it seemed likely based on what they knew it could be where Kelly was headed.


"What do you think?"


"That the Star League thought," Really the DOME, "It was a good idea to bring back a bunch of jurassic creatures is one thing..." Someone with less sense and too much sway with the budget must have thought it was a good idea... it was hard to think of any good terraforming reason why dinosaurs... but that wasn't the important thing. "Its not the only one we have to worry about."


Pasha nodded, "We must face concerns that the combine will dispatch ronin into the magistracy, perhaps even the Sword of Light." The captain shook his head, "It is true that we hold a vendetta with that unit, and that as warriors would be obliged to offer us battle if presented the opportunity for such."


"After what we did on Dieron, thats crazy." Beau answered the old man, "Any SLDF castle is going to be priceless lostech but some crazy death world with killer lizards that far outcan't be worth it to the combine."


"By itself perhaps not. It is as I said not wealth but honor... but our understanding is the Kira-sama ordered her eldest son to an outpost castle in the canopian reach. There is also the fact that the demon king of the sixth heaven and his command was never accounted for at the end of the crisis. If Colonel Arascid reached fall back positions and were awakened with knowledge of House Kurita's treachery to House Cameron, and the Star League it would be devastating. That would require blood."


Beau started to splutter into his drink at the title, "Well I guess you're the Walking Death," He coughed down on the pale ale. "Wait could he be in stasis? Like you, and McEvedy, the preacher guy on Aquagea?" He stopped wiped his mouth, "Ok...what happens if there are more terrans, more people like you?"

Gene's fingers stopped on, hovering over the touch screen of the computer displaying the units spread across worlds, of battalions of mechs deployed to protect those worlds and the units divided to support them as best as possible.


"The combine would be in an uproar." Pasha continued, answering in Gene's stead, "IF god is good there are Terran survivors, but if there are we would be racing the rimworld to get there, and after that it is a matter of trying to find and stop this son of the satan Amaris. It is why you must remain here to defend this world." The old captain stopped himself nodded deferentially. "Forgive me."


Gene looked at the last damage reports to Bardiche from Farandir, and the lists of pilots out of action for the near term, "He's right we have a moral obligation to defend Luxen, and civilian populations from atrocities." That meant tying down units at key junctions, but also that Bardiche should not have been left on its own for as long as it had, "I'm not going to sugar coat it none of the plans for facing the Queen Anne's Revenge, or Leviathan are foolproof. They're what we have right now, and in the mean time there are talks that after this is over the company steps into an interplanetary security management role."


"A kind of mobile police force to deal with all the metal left behind after we cut the head off the snake?" Beau guessed.


He nodded, "Thats the idea, but for now we need to focus on what we can actually do, for now that means ascertaining where things stand and being ready to move. For now your mission hasn't changed you're to defend Luxen, we have volunteers who will be able to pad out your ranks, but as you just highlighted Amaris is winning followers by supplying equipment, pay, and the promise of an outlet for their frustrations."


"Yeah, but what if the Combine does come south..." He stopped himself, "This is a real mess boss. I don't see us having options besides just trying to scrape by, but now its more than just the Capellans potentially jumping the border with the Taurians."

 

[Imperator Pax]

Son of Sam Luxen Departure

The reality of the Exodus... just trade ship crews, and the mercenaries' trade as well meant that there were dependents and hangers on. It was a trade. Just because all of the great houses had nominally compulsory education didn't stop that. In the situation it made sense to accept tankers, or even infantry troopers moving to 'mechs in some cases... and in some cases it made sense to put green kids into the pilot seat as well.


That was the situation they were in. More to the point it was the demonstration that was being displayed to observers watching Luxen's Star Port as Bahar handled the transfer of men and material to units. That left him and Pasha back again at the Luxen HPG station.

"Our people are not unused to the Combine way of battle. Smaller bands of warriors operating without support... I do not imagine Colonel Holmgren is alien to such a situation." Pasha remarked, "I would also counsel that it is very unlikely that had Lady Raventhir left Bardiche unsupported as it was defending her own capital," What Pasha didn't continue on was the possibility that the Magistracy had overrule relief for any of a number of potential reasons, "Bardiche held."


"They did." He replied, trying to avoid the irritation he felt over the situation. "That we can fix the machines is not the issue." But Gene also accepted that he had had to make the choice to where their priorities were, that going after the Dobrev lead was the higher priority... which was another issue. It would have been nice to have a more concrete picture of just what LosTech ... not just Bauman had supplied, but where the SLDF machines and the RimWorld machines had come from, and how much of it was there.


Pasha inclined his head as they settled into the waiting area of the HPG station, "Kelly and Black Jack possess a core of hardened fighters, but most are cutthroats and vagabonds... and this crop of desperate and damned are even less skilled. Their success in raids in the Inner Sphere is on the basis of surprise, of numbers, and of superior weapons. Rarely is it skill, and particularly of their attacks in the capellan confederation it is that the militia simply does not have the machines to meet them before they depart." The enemy wasn't fighting to hold ground. House Liao had been the sick man of the inner sphere, and House Marik had just fought a civil war so they were both vulnerable to the exploitation of the raids, and it was straining their resources. "The great houses always vie for the relics of the star league, and the enemy taunts them with this." House Marik's civil war was something of a sore point for the Free Worlds League both internally and externally when dealing with cooperation.


They didn't have to wait long the Precentor had known this was on the cards. There was also the last bits paper work for shifts to the unit. Some of that was Friar Tuck just running behind and he'd characteristically told them they really didnt' need to worry about the details while the current contract with Raventhir was still running. Not with everything else going on.


Ordinarily that might have been a little troublesome but with the pointedly Azami names in McEvedy's command and other obvious Azami names in the company sized element the Friar was probably weighing that it would draw the Combine's attention. It wasn't just the combine and it was probably only a matter of time before Bob Yamaguchi noticed and filed it up ... or the 05P Jade types did....and then there were the names which were Terran in origin that the combine might overlook but that if the Wolf Dragoons noted might cause their own problems.


The HPG patched them through to Raventhir, who had clearly not had an easy time of the last couple of months. On the other hand it was their legal employer and not the Magestrix handling the call. "You're reinforcing the company's position?"


"Yes. I'm told to expect additional volunteers," He gestured to Pasha standing beside him, "And the JumpShip contingent of the company will expand mobility of operations. The bad news is that we can reiterate the significant likelihood that Kelly, and company are making efforts to leverage their LosTech advantage and their access to SLDF materiel." Which was what he was calling anything that had come from the Dobrev and not attempting to muddy the waters by saying it was Terran, just 'SLDF materiel'. If the Dragoons could do it with the annihilator then so be it... it was just a temporary measure after all. The problem was that Raventhir's question came with political problems for her. Raventhir herself probably didn't care. The expansion of the company created additional coverage. "I was under the impression it wasn't considered politically acceptable to be recruiting inside the Magistracy," That was an exaggeration, even if there had been some push back.


"The MAF needs its recruits, we're constrained by materiel shortages of our own, even Hammer's recruiting efforts, including his service corp..." Had prompted complaints from part of the governments, but they'd seen forerunners of that even in Luxen's political establishment years earlier, "With Bardiche deployed in particular we're relying heavily on mercenary forces to hold worlds central to the Canopian identity." Not frontier worlds, center pieces of the Magistracy as a political entity. It was a problem of hypocrisy in the political establishment, "Its a case of low hanging fruit colonel."


Which was just as likely the response he'd get from Hammer or one of the Frieslander's staff, "That might be but it still an issue."


Pasha spread his hands, "Many, though not all of our forces are from the community," Were recruited from the Azami... this was the massaging of the truth, to obfuscate Harry, and now McEvedy's presence, "Many of these new recruits are those were too young to volunteer at the onset of the crisis, or are warriors who have since distinguished themselves and risen in the ranks to be elevated to the status of MechWarrior."


Raventhir simply nodded as if she understood, and the meeting shifted to the topic of restructuring forces, and really that just meant expanding the White Shields with the Dobrev personnel and the re balancing of their stable of 'mechs. The expansion of Easy Company and its support personnel was less significant.
--
Eisenhower rested on the tarmac of the spaceport. Its hammerhead prow visible against the backdrop of the lights in spite of the driving rain of the squal. The rainy season had come early to Luxen this year...the rest of the conversation over the HPG link with Raventhir was been mundane. Gene put Dante's projections of economic disruption aside. The AI had stated that they were largely guess work anyway given how the metrics supposed to be used were 28th​century ones Trade was very different but the main issue was on the near freezing of jumpships. The carrying trade between worlds couldn't sustain being actively attacked. Jumpships were functionally irreplaceable... and Kelly now actively striking them underscored that.


The lingering question was whether this was calculated or not. Whether the goal was aimed at disrupting trade or if it was revenge. "They might have assumed a second new Vandenberg would erupt."McEvedy remarked through the channel from orbit. Her current display showed her focusing on rebalancing the Ice Cubes existing Base 5system to being more aggressive... act with faster responses... grab the enemy sink them in place. Rip and tear from there.


"Maybe," he agreed glancing towards the warbling light of Dante's holographic projection. "In other news we've confirmed the Precentor Atreus has issued the Knights of St Cameron Letters marque," regarding pirate vessels. That issue was functionally identical to the one the PNA had issued the company..."Which is probably the point"

"It institutionalizes the practice, and potentially will encourage larger mercenary bands to come out to the periphery in hopes of being offered letters of their own." Pasha remarked, "We still have no reported sightings of Black Jack or Kelly though, both remain at large." and the whole point of this meeting was to confirm the company positioning ahead of leaving Luxen.


ComStar was also still trying to hire on other mercenaries through the MRB as well so it was a multi fronted strategy and there were right now only two letters issued whatever that meant in the grand scheme of things.


Then there was the factor of the warships. One of them had to have the missing Pinto.


"Leviathan appears to be operating independently." Which meant in theory massed air power was their best option, especially since the reports ... their best guess was 28th​century battle damage had caused lasting issues. "It is probable every use of the Mass Driver forces them to effect repairs... which could simply be a flaw in the weapon itself."


Beau lifted his pen up to signal, "The Black Sheep are herewith me, and the" Modest, "expansion," the shifting of Catapults, and Dervishes to semi independent platoons, in favor of Archers inside of Easy itself, "will keep Luxen's government happy." Even though that was a limited number of aviators to fly cover if a battle occurred after they left Luxen again. "Its not much but its what we have boss and the Volunteers did at least get new Marsden II tanks delivered before the JumpShips largely stopped coming." Which meant Luxen could support the defense with armor, artillery, and even air breathing aviation assets if a 3rd​ Battle for Luxen commenced. "We're as ready as we're going to be."


McEvedy's hologram shifted and for a moment Gene expected the conversation to retread old ground. She was adamant that thesurvivors had to have succeeded and reached the magistracy in the past two centuries. Most ... nearly all of Clan Weolverine's warriorshad died in the action to conceal the exodus. The dobrev's survivors had largely been civilians, or children... Hallis had insisted McEvedy lead the Dobrev and to find the others who had left earlier. Right now she looked like she was still weighing that.


When she mulled silently for another minute Gene nodded to Beau, "I'm thinking of moving Ronin to lead a battlemech battalion." He remarked, "Its not finalized, but the Light company is at full strength... and I don't want to move her out of pure battlemechs." He'd considered a Drost tactical group might have better reflected their current needs, and would have technically been a promotion. "Our options are limited,"


She wasn't necessarily ready for green pilots, and Beau already knew that... being more familiar with the company he spoke up, "What about San Saba?" The company's standard triumph class carried nearly a regiment of combat vehicles, though most of those were with Hammer to move the main panzer force of the company, and the supplies. "Couldn't she take over there?"


Bahar shook her head, "We've been using it as a large," The more accurate translation was probably calling it 'Grand', "tactical group and to support supply operations to keep forces mobile." Then, "We will also need San Saba on hand when we link up with Harry and begin the reorganization there." Again principally because it served as the sort of mobile supply depot to support company operations. "And," She glanced sideways to either Gene, or to Pasha... maybe both of them, "We're already having to deal with paper work, and questions from both the Magistracy... as a Company Commander Ronin already has to contend with dialog from Magistracy officers, and officials that is oftentimes outside of the chain of command. Moving her to command San Saba's combat forces-"


"Would be a lot, I get it." Beau replied, "its was just a thought. If thats the case, shouldn't, wouldn't we be better off waiting until we're back in the Inner Sphere?"


Gene nodded, "Do you agree Bahar?"


"It would depend on if she needs to operate independently," Which Gene was willing to concede the pressure was to mimic the existing Combine model of independent companies being deployed separate from their parent commands. "The extra rank would benefit her interactions with the MAF and secure operational autonomy."


Which was part of the shift in to moving Harry and the White Shields from the anchorage to McEvedy she'd have age and rank and gender to handle a combat command in most likely a core deployment within the Magistracy. Distasteful as it might have been Pasha, and Dante agreed that it was obvious politics was compelling certain military decisions within the MAF high command... and that more regional concerns were also playing a role on planets even if that was less pronounced. "Raventhir made a point of bringing up our recruiting. Hammer before we divided the Company was responsible for local support training, and looking for replacement line troopers since Raventhir brought it up... we have to be prepared for that to be an issue in the future." He blew out a breath, "But other than that we're on schedule to depart,"

"I'll hold down the fort here. I know the job boss." The tone fell off at the end... because of course if push came to shove and the Pinto or Leviathan showed up, Beau wouldn't have the advantage of Hedwig and Braunfelds to lead in. "If it comes down to it... I've got this." Gene almost reiterated the offer to leave pilots behind, but stopped himself.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Notes: For anyone reading Ghost in particular obviously the Magistracy is building and rebuilding Chargers off of a Black Box factory system that belonged to the Rim World originally, this is a design I've had in the works for a while now and its gone through a couple of tentative names, but its basically a mixed tech design of the Magistracy and Wolverine survivors upteching the Charger.
--

Originally developed by the Magistracy of Canopus following the end of the Pirate Wars off of their existing Chargers was originally intended to reproduce the Thug series BattleMechs that were in use by Claymore in the Defense of Canopus. This meant a 320 Rating Engine which was standard procurement prior to project inception in 3025 as the Magistracy had effectively already streamlined refits to create a downtech version of the Thug using their Charger production at Luxen. Pressure from higher authority insisted, driven by conflict with LosTech machines and experience alongside LosTech BattleMechs, lead to new design requirements.

Project Althea began to take shape in coordination with Minnesota Works Technical Staff and initially using LosTech salvage in the Magistracy stockpiles left over from the Pirate Wars. The Minnesotans operating detached from Shepherd's company were already operating LosTech Highlanders. By the Outbreak of the 4th succession war directives from the MAF had formally split plans for a Thug off with demands now for a platform capable of operating at 'the highest level'.

This began first with the use of stockpiles of Ferrofibrous armor, and the removal PPCs in favor of Large Lasers. Minnesota Works eventually fitting 320 Engines with LosTech HeatSinks in order to combat the heat load and as per MAF demands fitted a Charger from the Magistracy's 1st Zouaves with a Gauss Rifle in 3027. This Gauss Rifle having come from a Highlander BattleMech.

The Clan Invasion saw the program expand again with the outfitting of a new clan spec XL Fusion Engine with integrated Clan Spec Freezers as well as the so called Pocket Large Lasers in place of standard mediums, and a lighter clan spec Gauss Rifle. Finally with weight freed by new technology the design could be outfitted with the jumpjets that had long been demanded by the Canopian Highlander Regiment who began receipt of the first units as the Clan Invasion of the Free Worlds League compounded the Andurien Crisis.
--
I had originally planned to cover the specs and the evolution of this but again I don't have a finalized name for this other its place holder Magistracy Gundam (G Weapon) project basically this is the MAF after Amaris gets killed and Shepherd leaves go, we want Thugs, basically they already have downtech thugs, and since part of clan wolverine is already operating in the Magistracy and that opens the way forward to units receiving newer machines. What was originally basically a down teched thug moves towards Large Lasers and Gauss Rifles and Jump Jets.

This is part and parcel of various tech developments, i.e. the Knights of St Cameron fielding Crocketts provided by ComStar, and eventually other machines making a return to the Inner Sphere... but also because the Clan Invasion is coming and comes sooner, and hits the great powers and does hit the periphery powers (even if currently the invasion corridors aren't fully nailed down, because I need to finalize which clans win the bidding for invading the Periphery as a consolation).

EDIT: I could have sworn I was in my bt scraps thread whops, oh well.

 

[Imperator Pax]

Departure Interlude


The data packages were processing. Dante was uncharacteristically quiet as he worked, and that left the command staff sitting in their chairs, or floating in microgravity waiting for the machines to come to life with news data from the ground side station. They weren't planning to disembark this jump so they were sitting here waiting.


"You will be leaving MacKay in command of the Battalion?"


"He's done well so far." Gene replied. The Eisenhower's star chart showed the route to Coromodir, the route that a couple of the Dobrev Ice Cubes would take to bring McEvedy's personal message to High Lord Tamati Arano. "I don't see a second attack being mounted on Canopus any time soon, but we'll transfer material to resupply."


MacIntyre was satisfied with that arrangement.


That did mean replacing battlemechs, or repairing them out cache driven supplies... which would attract attention but in the short term from the Canopians. Still that was mostly about pushing replacement archers, and Highlanders to the forces on Canopus from old Hegemony stockpiles and that could be relied on to keep attention if not low less intrusive that it could have been. If not for the horrific dangers of the ongoing conflict Black Jack Kelly, and the Amaris pretender running around it was just as likely that there would have been LosTech prospectors desperately scrambling to try and find and stake claims... but that wasn't something they could worry about in the present.


"That may not be enough," McEvedy replied.


"You think they'll mount another attack, Canopus is arguably the best defended world in the Magistracy," That it was also the capital went without saying. "doubling down would be a mistake."


"Amaris's thugs aren't acting rational, if it was they'd be trying to seize and hold territory." and she was right this was no longer really about fighting Piracy, even though Black Jack could still be called a pirate.


There was a chirp, "Latest update is in from Ground Side Control." Announced the voice from the JumpShip the Eisenhower was docked to. From his terminal he skimmed the first couple headlines The news packet didn't look like anything, at least not from the headlines on the files... there'd be time to watch them while they waited for the JumpDrives to charge.


Septim's message ... appended to the report on the Company's efforts in the north had summarized the situation as the playground was getting crowded. The Magistracy was consenting the movement of independent mercenary commands... i.e. The Wolf Dragoons, and the Knights of St Cameron under the existing freedom of navigation scheme. In theory those same star leaague era laws also allowed house troops to transit space but that was much more uncomfortable issue for state governments and planetary ones.


"The Knights of St Cameron have started fielding inCrocketts." The General remarked tapping through the holographic display drawing from her personal files. It settled on machines that were temperate SLDF camo, Riflemen scanning for inbound threats as larger Assault BattleMech's advanced. It a news cast. An imagine of fighting back against the new Amaris threat.


Cameron starbursts badged the machines of the Heavy Support Lance backing up medium machines that had already advanced inward. The Knights of St Cameron... and presumably the broader cult supported the fight in the periphery as a holy war. It was dressed up in religious language, every broadcast every statement framed with imagery of the martyred ruling house of the Star League and the Hegemony.


The images had been weeks old by the time they had left Luxen. They'd been images only Septim had thought to mention and even that had been in his report not verbally over the HPG link. He'd made other notations.


That the Knights ordinarily favored fighting one on one was not stopping them from massing fire power and weapons on Rim World designs, or former SLDF machines. The Captain General had also probably benefitted not just from the PR bonus but by not having to worry about a regiment of nominal Mercenaries not being in the Lyran Commonwealth.


"We may learn more when we link up with Septim." He replied. The image itself didn't bother him, but there was the fact that its entry into service date was late... regardless of Terran acquisition of it to train mechwarriors... and that these machines were fitted with their original Blankenburg LBX series autocannons. If the Knights had claimed that these machines were heritage battlemechs or discovered in a recent cache by the faithful that would have been potentially believable... but McEvedy's tone... "you think there is something there?" Pasha certainly did, given what they knew of the SLDF machines that Black Jack's forces were using.


"I think the resurgence of the Vandenburg White Wings is entirely too coincidental." More than that... that she thought someone wanted to make sure that Black Jack's advantage holding SLDF royal technology would not be as overbearing.


This was more than more 'Fancy SLDF Assault Mechs' as Septim had called them.


This more than worrying if the White Wings were somehow tied up more broadly... the problem there was that neither the Tripitz nor the Vincent more recently had been operational ships. How successful they might be against a ship under thrust was questionable but hopefully they might try going after the Rim World warships. Then of course there was the mess of the original problem, which he was trying to work back around to... in part because they really didn't know enough about the White Wings situation, "The Combine's activities are a problem." but on the other hand, the idea that the Combine would make a swipe at Claymore or Bardiche on Canopus or Farandir seemed pretty out there... and yet Gene had to wonder if that was enough, there was still fighting going on in the Inner Sphere despite pleas for unity, calls for peace, and everything else. "Especially given their numbers."


Worries about the Combine weren't the only issue, the Command Deck of the Eisenhower had holographic maps up displaying what they knew of what the other great houses were doing. Though originally Lyran the Knights of St Cameron were a religious order more than traditional mercenaries. It seemed as if Andurien separate of the Captain General was already making overtures to the Magistracy of Canopus... and the Capellans still had the Lancers nearby. Then there were the Taurians, and the Aurigans and beyond them the matter of tentative reports about Tortuga flaring up again.


MacIntyre spoke up, "If I'd hazard a guess it looks like the Kuritans are cutting east anyway, we can't know that for sure, but I think he's heading into the Reach."


"For what purpose?" McEvedy questioned suddenly concerned since her envoy to the Aurigans was high up on her list of personal priorities after tracking down other Exodites... any tie to descendants of the SLDF was a priority in her book. "At best it would allow him to avoid further conflict with the Free Worlds League but would push him in the opposite direction of travel to the pirates." But the Kuritan task force couldn't risk getting bogged down inside of the League either, which was a risk given the spread of House Marik's domain. "It would make more sense for them to move to and stage a confrontation at Detroit."


"I do not agree," Pasha replied, "The Aurigans origins is hardly a secret, nor is the fact the Dragon claims he is the legitimate heir to House Cameron. There is also the link to the community." In that there was a security risk, where Theodore Kurita might potentially, and certainly if he had the loyalty, which he appeared to have, of the Arkab Legion might find friendly ports. "Our cousins would support any fighting force against the Satan Amaris, we ourselves fought Rimworld troops on Fjaldr." Or pirates with Rim World Machines, but for the Azami the distinction was minimal. "And we know the enemy continues to mount raids into Capellan space as well... and we should not discount the possibility that the Dragon will once they do leave the periphery will strike the Capellan March," Of the Federated Suns, "Before returning to the Combine."


McEvedy nodded in agreement particularly of the last bit of Pasha's... ultimately prescient warning on Combine Strategic Operations in the Periphery. Gene went ahead and voiced the obvious, "We couldn't have known, predicting this pivot wouldn't have changed our broader objectives." As it was... intelligence limitations Theodore Kurita would probably be well positioned to mop up Bauman's remaining network and other supporters operating in the Aurigan Reach. "Claymore and Bardiche will both need time to recover. They will stay where they are."
--
Septim looked at the assault mech in the storage bay. "Its called a Bullshark?"


"Yeah," The boss replied thumbs tucked in the pockets of the half zipped jacket, "McEvedy said it was Hallis's project, wasn't finished by the time of the Exodus. It was a development between another Clan," so it was possible Gene supposed, "Clan Mongoose may have completed a version of it... on the other hand the Wolf Dragoons seem to believe that their Imp was developed by the Star League not by Kerensky early in their history."


"That's crazy," Septim shrugged, "I mean still,"


"We're keeping them in reserve now, but Bauman was able toturn the factory aboard the Dobrev on, and feed it material to get it to work."


"How many?"


"At least a company's worth were built and shipped off world, plus however many were in storage and intact when Dobrev crash landed."


"And the factory? That would be like what the rimworld built on Pioche right?" The same fundamentals, "Won't Kelly try and come back and take it?"


"We stripped Dobrev and made sure the magazines were wired when we blew the ship." Those videos had gone out through the HPG network, "And we're evacuating that salvage as far from the conflict zone as possible. The other problem and this is the techs saying they're not sure how robust of a machine this will be in a sustained fight. It mounts a completely new model XL Fusion engine, on top of that artillery piece, if we need to sortie with them we'll treat them similar to how I treat the Devastator."


Septim looked at the ninety five ton machine, "But there are twenty to thirty of these? Better tech than what the Star League had." But it was also more than just LosTech... he thought of the dreams that had convinced him to leave the Lyran Guard in the first place, green birds with weapons better than anything the Commonwealth had, "The clans are going to invade aren't they? Have all this tech, maybe better than this? It'd be like an entire army of LosTech machines." Never mind that that was already what they were sort of fighting with Black Jack... and now Kelly, and Amaris.


The expression on the boss's face confirmed it without him immediately replying, "From what I understand the jig is up for the Dragoons, I think basically everyone has figured out that they're descendants of Kerensky's exodus north. That doesn't mean we're looking at a fight, but too many things don't add up, there are too many ways things could go wrong. Too many unaswered questions."


"Like where the Knights got those LosTech SLDF 'mechs?" The crocketts are fitted with the weapons they should have been, according to specs the Good Stuff, "they're using them. They had to get them from somewhere right? And then the White Wings just mysteriously showed back up on top of that, its too much..."


"You're right," He moved a slip of paper over, "McEvedy has confirmed a list of the Clans of Kerensky," He didn't touch on the the fact that the Wolf Dragoons were in the Commonwealth now, "Twenty clans originally, an estimate on how many warships they had at the time Wolverine left when we get back to the Federated Suns we're going to share that with Doctor Abner, with the Field Marshal."


There was a resignation in the tone almost imperceptible to anyone not familiar with the way boss ordinarily talked... and that was enough to fill Septim with a near existential dread. Black Jack's pirates having SLDF metal had been bad enough, "We're on our own aren't we? I mean we're the only ones who really know what we might be up against... and, the knights," He had gotten the opportunity to talk to their people, "The Church of St Cameron believes that the SLDF would return ands what-"


"Our evidence suggests Kerensky's people are not necessarily our friends. We shouldn't assume further than that, but Dante and I, and Mother Bear have all agreed that we have a moral responsibility to put the Inner Sphere defenders, beginning with the Federated Suns in the best possible position to defend themselves against threats. Whether that is House Kurita, or one or more of these clans..."


Because regardless of possible temporary cooperation against Amaris, a fight with the Combine in the long run was unavoidable...Septim knew that, had known that since Elidere. "We go link backup with St George?"


"At some point yes." He replied, "McEvedy stays here, looks for other survivors of the Minnesota tribe, talks with IE, and we try and find evidence of where the Tripitz was going on our next rotation back." The plan, it sounded nice, it sounded clean... it sounded far less complicated than Septim figured it would be in practice.

The thought struck him, "It might be nothing, but from what I heard the Knights and the Wolf Dragoons ... exchanged pointers. I kind of chalked how the KSC fought as being more like what we see with the snakes, but from the Roms, there was a lot of similarity there. I think the Dragoons liked that, maybe like is the wrong word but it was just a vibe."

"I'll keep that in mind." Gene replied. "I appreciate that observation Septim."
--
Notes: We drop into the next few interludes with 3rd​Luxen finally happening, originally I had planned to cover both Farandir and Canopus I just never got to writing them out the way Iwanted them, and even 3rd​ Luxen has proven hard to write down.

EDIT: Damn Praetorian fast. Anyway so yeah next update will be 'mech combat, we will also touch on more basically more Advanced Tech on both sides, we will see the post fallout of the Marik Civil War touched on but mostly giant stompy robots.