Gains and Losses
Secure Wing, New Avalon General Hospital ICU
Avalon City
New Avalon
Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth
October 15th, 3056
Unshed tears glistened in the stark blue eyes of Katherine Morgan Steiner-Davion’s pale face, her blond hair was not its usual tidy, lustrous, nature that the palace makeup artists spent hours making right for public appearances. Hides the electroshock scars nicely, doesn’t it? Can’t have the people know the Princess once had dark thoughts about hurting herself and might have turned into a monster up there with Claudius the Mad, never mind he never had Dombrowski-A? I can’t tell them that she still cries at the drop of a hat and is scared to death of being in public.
But not today. Today she was still wearing the sweatshirt and jeans she had been wearing when she and Misha Auburn had been watching the Orient Express remake that had just hit the vids from Donegal Broadcasting Corporation. They’d been only a half hour in, when the door had been thrown open, and the security personnel had roughly grabbed her while screaming “WARY RACE!” at the top of their lungs. She’d spent hours in a locked, windowless room, with over a dozen guards armed to the teeth surrounding her telling her not much more than “there has been an incident.”
It wasn’t until 0300 the next morning that Katherine had been told, by Ardan Sortek. “Your highness,” he had said, “there has been a terror attack, we think by the Capellan Confederation. It hit the Convention Center with several large truck bombs from outside the frozen zone. The blasts leveled buildings within a six-block radius of the center. Thousands are dead, wounded, or missing, your highness. Your brother has sustained a critical injury to his left arm, and has lost a lot of blood, and suffered a concussion, and both of his legs are broken. He is currently in a medically induced coma at New Avalon General. As for your mother and father…Your highness. I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this…but they are both dead, I’ll spare you the details. It wasn’t pretty. I took the liberty of identifying the remains, so that you would not have to remember them like that.”
Katherine remembered nodding numbly, not saying a word. She was in shock; her parents were dead? How could that be? Mom and Dad had cheated death before. Why, it’s just a bad identification. Mom and Dad are going to crawl out of that rubble, dust themselves off, and go give the damn Capellans the beating they deserve. The look in Ardan’s eyes, red from lack of sleep and uncontrolled weeping for the loss of a friend of over 50 some odd years, said it all. Mom and Dad were gone, my brother is fighting for his life, and I am the one in charge? Oh god, where the hell is Peter? Why can’t they put him in charge?
Jackson Davion had answered that one during the first conference at Mount Davion. “Your highness, we cannot be leaderless at a time like this. You are the designated successor. Peter is currently out of position on extended exercises with the Lyons SMM. He’ll be informed once he gets back from the field. But you are ahead of him in the line of succession. You. Are. It. Your highness.”
The Capellans had not just hit New Avalon. There had been much chaos sown yesterday, not just the terror attacks on New Avalon. On New Syrtis, they had attacked Morgan Hasek-Davion’s motorcade while he was on his way to a hospital to greet wounded from the Clan front. His wife Kym was killed, he was badly wounded and clinging to life in a New Syrtis hospital. There had been six other attacks throughout the Capellan and Sarna Marches, as well as St. Ives. Candace Allard-Liao had been assassinated by an unknown shooter while she had stepped out onto the balcony of the Ducal Palace on St. Ives to give the State of the State address to the assembled throngs of media and well-wishers.
And the Capellans had followed it up with an invasion. They had hit eight worlds thus far in the Sarna March. Details were sketchy, but it looked like there wasn’t just Capellan units participating, but Word of Blake units as well. This would explain the terror attacks, they seemed a bit extreme, even for the Death Commandos. It had caused temporary paralysis in the higher command levels of the Capellan and Sarna Marches, and Katherine had passed orders for all units in contact to hold in place as long as possible until a clearer picture of just what the hell the Capellans were up to could emerge. It may be time to fetch Daddy’s map case. I need to begin to work that list. The Blakists better know who the hell they decided to dance with. Even if all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry. I can’t, I must be the sister Victor needs.
It had been a whirlwind day, she had signed every proclamation they had put in front of her, declaring a day of mourning for her parents, declaring a state of emergency for the Capellan and Sarna Marches, authorizing Nondi Steiner greater powers in the Lyran half of the Commonwealth to prosecute the war against the Clans…the list went on.
The condolences had rolled in from almost every nation and polity in the Inner Sphere, including the Combine, through Comstar. But that was to, Katherine, a trivial thing. She was feeling a mixture of deep sorrow, and white-hot rage. I will burn the Forbidden City to the damn ground as a memorial to my parents, and if necessary, my brother, Sun-Tsu, you bastard. By about 1400, she had had enough. “I want to see my brother.” Katherine had said to an aide. Security and her media handlers had thrown a fit. It wasn’t secure, they said. She looked like a disheveled mess, they said. She didn’t care. “I am the Archon-Princess, I want to see my brother and I want you to take me to him. Now.”
Within minutes, she had been ushered through a back entrance to the hospital, and whisked up to her floor, where she was greeted by a phalanx of green surgical scrub wearing doctors and nurses, at their head, a balding, older doctor, his features betraying how tired he was from working long hours on little more than willpower, energy drinks and the occasional stolen take out meal. His brown eyes bloodshot, run through with enough red to replace the white of his pupils. His face a tinge of grey, that matched his rapidly thinning hair. Yet he had an air of someone used to being in charge, and his easy use of his command voice, as horse and gravelly as it was, confirmed Katherine’s suspicions. He also looked exasperated, yet still managed to project a measure of caring for those under his care.
“Archon-Princess,” he began, “my name is Doctor Alan Tadmere, I am a neurosurgeon and the lead physician on the team treating your brother. I am also chief of Neurosurgery here at this hospital. His prognosis is critical, but stable for now. He sustained a TBI, two broken legs, and his left arm took a mix of blast damage, and lacerations from flying glass so severe, that we had to amputate it. He also has gone into hypovolemic shock due to high blood loss, hence for those reasons, we had to put him into a medical coma and we are giving him all the blood we can. If he makes it through the next 24 hours, we’ll see about bringing him out of it, but for right now, he needs rest. I can let you and one security man in the room with him for a few minutes, in masks and scrubs to prevent infection. He’s bandaged all over because of a series of minor wounds and burns, his left arm is gone above the elbow and the stump is heavily bandaged. Both legs are broken and are in traction. He is also on a ventilator. He is getting the best care we can give him, your highness, but we are in the middle of a mass casualty event and we are stretched to the maximum. Frankly, your brother is one lucky individual to have made it this far. “
Katherine simply nodded, and suited up in the scrubs and mask that she was given. Her brother, once so powerful and full of life, lay broken on the hospital bed, looking small, and frail, with multiple tubes leading into and out of him. Machines wheezed, beeped, and made all the other sounds one associated with an ICU. “Does he feel anything?” she asked a nurse as she suited up.
“Probably not, your highness. He’s pretty doped up on a variety of pain meds and nerve blockers.”
Her visit had been short, a few whispered words to Victor close to his ear, and she soon found herself in the waiting area, which was like most hospitals, drab, with everything a mix of white and sickly orange, a smell of medical disinfectant wafting through the air. Dear God, I didn’t want this. But I am going to do the best with it I can, for Victor. But please God, let Victor wake up. I don’t want the job. I never did.
Galen had shown up from his own room a few minutes later, he was dressed in a white hospital gown that was firmly closed, as he had a large sense of modesty. His right arm was broken and in a sling, and he had a minor concussion of his own, as he had been thrown into a pillar by the blast, thus he was spending 24 hours at the hospital for observation. No words were said between the two, she had simply collapsed into his arms, weeping, both of them praying Victor woke up.
Taken from the daily CCAF briefing provided to Sun-Tsu Liao, then-Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation, dated November 2nd, 3056, declassified by the Capellan State Archives, April 11th, 3067.
“…disruption operations against enemy command and control has been at least 60% effective by all estimates. The Blakist operatives have, in conjunction with our own Death Commandos, been successful beyond all estimates. The conventional offensive, however, has been met with mixed results, as the CCAF was as surprised as our enemies, and our option of attacking from barracks has found some units not as ready for war as we here at the Strategios were led to believe. Furthermore, the inactivity by the FWLM as of now is a cause for concern. We cannot ultimately succeed in securing our modest objectives by ourselves, the FWLM must enter the conflict on our side if we are to have a chance at all.”
Sarna
Attacking Units: Blanford Grenadiers, Kingston’s Legionnaires, Kincade’s Rangers, Bordon’s Blood Drinkers (1 Battalion), 2nd Division, Word of Blake Militia.
Defending Units: Sarna Martial Academy Training Group, Sarna Planetary Guard
The Capellan invasion of Sarna on the first wave of EAST SEA caught the Fedcom by surprise, with the Sarna Martial Academy Training Group (MATG) caught in garrison as the Capellan invasion force appeared at a pirate point 2 days out. The Sarna MATG dug in around the planetary capitol of Sarna and prepared for a long defense, but Bordon’s Blood Drinkers more experienced warriors easily dug out and routed the MATG, and the other units easily crushed them under the weight of numbers. The Planetary Guard was racked with dissention by pro-Capellan elements, with the loyal elements being crushed within days. The Capellan invasion force then dug in to face the expected FC counterattack.
Campertown
Attacking Units: Stalpleton’s Grenadiers
Defending Units: Alpha Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers, Campertown Planetary Guard
Stapleton’s Grenadiers had a bad invasion from the start, with an accident destroying a Leopard-class Dropship, a lance of ‘Mechs and causing massive confusion in the landing force. The landing itself was a confused mess, with the drop being scattered halfway across the main continent. Alpha Regiment was waiting, and made short work of most of the scattered elements, with 3rd Battalion, Stapleton’s Grenadiers being the only organized elements of the invasion force (at about 50% strength) being able to escape the world a week later.
Sarmaxa
Attacking Units: House Hiritsu, Sarmaxa Militia
Defending Units: Grim Determination
House Hiritsu, though filled with inexperienced warriors, made up for their lack of experience with sheer fanaticism, and managed to pin Grim Determination down long enough for the militia to switch sides almost in their entirety. Grim Determination lost two companies before managing to hole up in an old Star League fortress and sent word for help while settling in for a siege.
Tsinghai
Attacking Units: House Matsukai
Defending Units: Beta Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers
House Matsukai found itself in a nasty fight from the start, but managed to hold onto it’s LZ by it’s fingernails, and forestall Beta Regiment from crushing it outright. Both sides have settled into an attritional fight as both sides have sent for reinforcements.
Truth
Attacking Units: 15th Dracon (all four battalions)
Defending Units: 8th Arcturan Guards
The 8th Arcturan Guards fought gamely to hold Truth, but found themselves slightly overmatched, with the 15th’s 4th veteran battalion always seeming to find the 8th’s flanks, and turning them. After three weeks of this, the 8th, having taken 15% casualties, packed up and retreated to Kaifeng. The 15th dug in and awaited further orders. The Truth Planetary Guard remained in their barracks, declaring for the Capellan Confederation only after the 8th left the world.
Lesalles
Attacking Units: 3rd Division, Word of Blake Militia
Defending Units: 4th Fedcom RCT, Lesalles Planetary Guard
The WoBM 3rd Division found itself evenly matched against the 4th Fedcom in numbers, and a slight edge in experience. It wasn’t enough to force the 4th to retreat and both sides like on Sarmaxa, settled into a long, attritional fight.
Diversionary Raids
Fraizer
Attacking Units: House Lusann, Bullard’s Armored Cavalry
Defending Units: 41st Avalon Hussars, Fraizer Planetary Guard
The 41st Avalon Hussars were caught by near surprise, being in a state of confusion in the wake of the terror attacks on New Avalon and New Syrtis. The 41st, to it’s credit, recovered quickly, but was unable to prevent the Capellan raiders from making off with a half-billion C-Bills worth of raw materials. The Planetary Guard was unable to mobilize in time to assist the 41st.
Horsham
Attacking Units: 1st Battalion, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: 1st Capellan Dragoons, Horsham Planetary Guard
The 1st Battalion’s raid on Horsham was a mixed bag, while the battalion managed to land in one piece, and smash up a few half-hearted counterattacks by the 1st Capellan Dragoons and the Planetary Guard, but they did not carry off anything of value on world, and left a week later, frustrated that their raid had achieved so little.
Bromhead
Attacking Units: 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: Bromhead Planetary Guard
The Planetary Guard did it’s best, but was overmatched by the ‘Mechs of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. Within 48 hours, the planetary government was offering it’s surrender to the Capellan force, only to find the Capellans had left, making off with an entire months’ worth of production of refined petrochemicals (worth about 5 Billion C-Bills).
Velhas
Attacking Units: Ishihara’s Grenadiers, Marshigama’s Legionnaires
Defending Units: 10th Donegal Guards, Velhas Planetary Guard
The 10th fought reasonably well, until a week into the fighting, they left an exposed flank that the Marshigama’s Legionnaires jumped upon and rolled up, forcing the 10th into an ignominious rout. The Capellans salvaged 2 companies of FedCom ‘Mechs and left soon after, feeling they had achieved all they were going to.
Verlo
Attackers: Albermale’s Highlanders (1 Btn)
Defending Units: 15th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT
The raid on Verlo was an unmitigated disaster for Albermale’s Highlanders, as their attempted drop on top of the 15th’s ‘Mech barracks ended with the unit being scattered all over the continent because of heavy FedCom aerospace activity. It took a week for the 15th to mop up the survivors.
Indicass
Attacking Units: 2nd Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: St. Ives Cheveau-Legurs
The raid by the 2nd CRC was hoped to keep St. Ives from doing anything to help the FedCom while East Sea ran its course. What happened however, probably did more to encourage St. Ives than discourage it. The 2nd CRC landed with little trouble, but soon found itself in a hornet’s nest. The St. Ives forces were in no mood to see the Capellan landings as a limited raid, and showed the Capellan raiders no mercy at all, chasing the 2nd CRC all over the planet. This was exacerbated when news arrived of what had happened to Duchess Liao. Barely a battalion of the 2nd CRC survived the week to surrender to the Cheveau-Legurs.
Mendham
Attacking Units: 4th Division, Word of Blake Militia
Defending Units: 21st Rangers, Illician Lancers, Mendham Planetary Guard
The Blakists managed to get to ground at a cost of half of the Division’s aerospace fighters, and met the 21st Rangers amongst the planetary starport. Both sides went after each other without restraint and left the starport a wreck, and heavy casualties on both sides, after a week’s worth of fighting, when the 2nd Division suddenly withdrew and returned to Capellan space.
Alternative Relocation Site, Clan Steel Viper
20km North of the Great Gash
Twycross
Clan Steel Viper Occupation Zone
October 20th, 3056
The relocation site was an underground bunker, left over from the days of the old Lyran Commonwealth, and it hadn’t seen use since the 3rd Succession War. It had taken quite a few work credits to get to a minimal Clan standard, but Perigard Zalman, Khan of Clan Steel Viper was glad he had spent the money. Considering how quickly the Federated Commonwealth kicked us off Waldorff? This was a very good idea indeed.
“Ahmed, what does the Watch tell us about the movements of the Federated Commonwealth forces?” Zalman thundered, he had been a man possessed of late, his very nature despised being on the defensive, and wanted to hit back. But thus far, the FedCom had not given him the opportunity, that was, until now.
“My Khan, our sources, as well as information we have managed to contract from the Diamond Shark Watch, has confirmed that the Federated Commonwealth forces have had a short operational pause. They seem to have overstretched their logistical chain, and I believe, my Khan, that we have a small window to launch a counterattack to restore a corridor to our forces currently cut off to coreward.
Zalman exhaled. “And what of the Wolves? Any actions on their part? Surely they cannot believe that the FedCom will cease their actions once they have driven us and the Falcons from the Inner Sphere?”
“Neg, my Khan, there is little word from the Wolves, other than some seemingly routine troop movements. We have also heard nothing from the ilKhan himelf…which does concern me, my Khan.”
Zalman nodded. What are you up to, Kerensky? What little ploy are you planning to better your “former” clan?
“Ahmed, pass word to the units on world, that they are to be ready for combat operations within thirty days. I intend to lead the counterattack myself. The FedCom savashrihave only faced lucrewarriors and solahma. Now it is time to face our best.” Zalman wore a feral grin, he was sure of the glory to come.
Command Post of 1st Falcon Velites
Quarell
Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
October 22nd, 3056
Star Colonel Serendice Helmer was annoyed, he had been woken from a very enjoyable slumber, with dreams of glory for himself and his clan filling his head. To be awoken by a bondsman and almost ignominiously tossed into the back of a General-Purpose Vehicle and driven back to the main command post. The command post was in chaos, not befitting an elite unit of Clan Jade Falcon, especially one that was holding the Clan’s most important holding, so close to Terra.
“CEASE YOUR CONFUSED MEANDERINGS, YOU SAVASHRI FOOLS!” Helmer boomed, his voice of command filled the main map room. Everyone stopped in their tracks, and gave him their rapt attention.
Helmer silently exhaled, and ran his hands through his straw blond hair. His jade green eyes searched the room. “We are Jade Falcon. We do not run about like confused chicks, we soar on the winds of glory. We WELCOME a batchall! No matter whom it may be! Now, put me through, we will make those who challenge our clan regret their decision to hunt us!”
Another bondsman showed up with his dress uniform, which he hurriedly donned, and a wall screen came to life. The image coalesced and took form. It couldn’t be. The form was nothing less than the saKhan of Clan Wolf, Natasha Kerensky herself.
“Hello, Star Colonel Helmer. You know whom I am, and my codex, so we don’t have to engage in that tiresome Falcon tradition. I am challenging Clan Jade Falcon’s right to Quarell, with what do you plan to contest my challenge, Green Pidgeon?”
“Khan Kerensky. I bid my entire cluster. I will award you safecon, this should be decided by warriors. And I hope you are so cocky, when I make you my bondsman?”
Kerensky shook her head with a mirthful grin. “Star Colonel? I have had Jade Falcons bigger and badder than you make that threat. They are either dead, or Wolves now. I do hope you join the ranks of the latter, as your codex would be a shame to lose. So be it, I will face you with my 13th Wolf Guards.”
Helmer muttered “Well bargained and done, Kerensky, I shall see you soon.” He drew his hand across his throat to kill the signal. The glory I will win from this fight!
Avalon City
New Avalon
Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth
October 15th, 3056
Unshed tears glistened in the stark blue eyes of Katherine Morgan Steiner-Davion’s pale face, her blond hair was not its usual tidy, lustrous, nature that the palace makeup artists spent hours making right for public appearances. Hides the electroshock scars nicely, doesn’t it? Can’t have the people know the Princess once had dark thoughts about hurting herself and might have turned into a monster up there with Claudius the Mad, never mind he never had Dombrowski-A? I can’t tell them that she still cries at the drop of a hat and is scared to death of being in public.
But not today. Today she was still wearing the sweatshirt and jeans she had been wearing when she and Misha Auburn had been watching the Orient Express remake that had just hit the vids from Donegal Broadcasting Corporation. They’d been only a half hour in, when the door had been thrown open, and the security personnel had roughly grabbed her while screaming “WARY RACE!” at the top of their lungs. She’d spent hours in a locked, windowless room, with over a dozen guards armed to the teeth surrounding her telling her not much more than “there has been an incident.”
It wasn’t until 0300 the next morning that Katherine had been told, by Ardan Sortek. “Your highness,” he had said, “there has been a terror attack, we think by the Capellan Confederation. It hit the Convention Center with several large truck bombs from outside the frozen zone. The blasts leveled buildings within a six-block radius of the center. Thousands are dead, wounded, or missing, your highness. Your brother has sustained a critical injury to his left arm, and has lost a lot of blood, and suffered a concussion, and both of his legs are broken. He is currently in a medically induced coma at New Avalon General. As for your mother and father…Your highness. I am so sorry to be the one to tell you this…but they are both dead, I’ll spare you the details. It wasn’t pretty. I took the liberty of identifying the remains, so that you would not have to remember them like that.”
Katherine remembered nodding numbly, not saying a word. She was in shock; her parents were dead? How could that be? Mom and Dad had cheated death before. Why, it’s just a bad identification. Mom and Dad are going to crawl out of that rubble, dust themselves off, and go give the damn Capellans the beating they deserve. The look in Ardan’s eyes, red from lack of sleep and uncontrolled weeping for the loss of a friend of over 50 some odd years, said it all. Mom and Dad were gone, my brother is fighting for his life, and I am the one in charge? Oh god, where the hell is Peter? Why can’t they put him in charge?
Jackson Davion had answered that one during the first conference at Mount Davion. “Your highness, we cannot be leaderless at a time like this. You are the designated successor. Peter is currently out of position on extended exercises with the Lyons SMM. He’ll be informed once he gets back from the field. But you are ahead of him in the line of succession. You. Are. It. Your highness.”
The Capellans had not just hit New Avalon. There had been much chaos sown yesterday, not just the terror attacks on New Avalon. On New Syrtis, they had attacked Morgan Hasek-Davion’s motorcade while he was on his way to a hospital to greet wounded from the Clan front. His wife Kym was killed, he was badly wounded and clinging to life in a New Syrtis hospital. There had been six other attacks throughout the Capellan and Sarna Marches, as well as St. Ives. Candace Allard-Liao had been assassinated by an unknown shooter while she had stepped out onto the balcony of the Ducal Palace on St. Ives to give the State of the State address to the assembled throngs of media and well-wishers.
And the Capellans had followed it up with an invasion. They had hit eight worlds thus far in the Sarna March. Details were sketchy, but it looked like there wasn’t just Capellan units participating, but Word of Blake units as well. This would explain the terror attacks, they seemed a bit extreme, even for the Death Commandos. It had caused temporary paralysis in the higher command levels of the Capellan and Sarna Marches, and Katherine had passed orders for all units in contact to hold in place as long as possible until a clearer picture of just what the hell the Capellans were up to could emerge. It may be time to fetch Daddy’s map case. I need to begin to work that list. The Blakists better know who the hell they decided to dance with. Even if all I want to do right now is curl up in a ball and cry. I can’t, I must be the sister Victor needs.
It had been a whirlwind day, she had signed every proclamation they had put in front of her, declaring a day of mourning for her parents, declaring a state of emergency for the Capellan and Sarna Marches, authorizing Nondi Steiner greater powers in the Lyran half of the Commonwealth to prosecute the war against the Clans…the list went on.
The condolences had rolled in from almost every nation and polity in the Inner Sphere, including the Combine, through Comstar. But that was to, Katherine, a trivial thing. She was feeling a mixture of deep sorrow, and white-hot rage. I will burn the Forbidden City to the damn ground as a memorial to my parents, and if necessary, my brother, Sun-Tsu, you bastard. By about 1400, she had had enough. “I want to see my brother.” Katherine had said to an aide. Security and her media handlers had thrown a fit. It wasn’t secure, they said. She looked like a disheveled mess, they said. She didn’t care. “I am the Archon-Princess, I want to see my brother and I want you to take me to him. Now.”
Within minutes, she had been ushered through a back entrance to the hospital, and whisked up to her floor, where she was greeted by a phalanx of green surgical scrub wearing doctors and nurses, at their head, a balding, older doctor, his features betraying how tired he was from working long hours on little more than willpower, energy drinks and the occasional stolen take out meal. His brown eyes bloodshot, run through with enough red to replace the white of his pupils. His face a tinge of grey, that matched his rapidly thinning hair. Yet he had an air of someone used to being in charge, and his easy use of his command voice, as horse and gravelly as it was, confirmed Katherine’s suspicions. He also looked exasperated, yet still managed to project a measure of caring for those under his care.
“Archon-Princess,” he began, “my name is Doctor Alan Tadmere, I am a neurosurgeon and the lead physician on the team treating your brother. I am also chief of Neurosurgery here at this hospital. His prognosis is critical, but stable for now. He sustained a TBI, two broken legs, and his left arm took a mix of blast damage, and lacerations from flying glass so severe, that we had to amputate it. He also has gone into hypovolemic shock due to high blood loss, hence for those reasons, we had to put him into a medical coma and we are giving him all the blood we can. If he makes it through the next 24 hours, we’ll see about bringing him out of it, but for right now, he needs rest. I can let you and one security man in the room with him for a few minutes, in masks and scrubs to prevent infection. He’s bandaged all over because of a series of minor wounds and burns, his left arm is gone above the elbow and the stump is heavily bandaged. Both legs are broken and are in traction. He is also on a ventilator. He is getting the best care we can give him, your highness, but we are in the middle of a mass casualty event and we are stretched to the maximum. Frankly, your brother is one lucky individual to have made it this far. “
Katherine simply nodded, and suited up in the scrubs and mask that she was given. Her brother, once so powerful and full of life, lay broken on the hospital bed, looking small, and frail, with multiple tubes leading into and out of him. Machines wheezed, beeped, and made all the other sounds one associated with an ICU. “Does he feel anything?” she asked a nurse as she suited up.
“Probably not, your highness. He’s pretty doped up on a variety of pain meds and nerve blockers.”
Her visit had been short, a few whispered words to Victor close to his ear, and she soon found herself in the waiting area, which was like most hospitals, drab, with everything a mix of white and sickly orange, a smell of medical disinfectant wafting through the air. Dear God, I didn’t want this. But I am going to do the best with it I can, for Victor. But please God, let Victor wake up. I don’t want the job. I never did.
Galen had shown up from his own room a few minutes later, he was dressed in a white hospital gown that was firmly closed, as he had a large sense of modesty. His right arm was broken and in a sling, and he had a minor concussion of his own, as he had been thrown into a pillar by the blast, thus he was spending 24 hours at the hospital for observation. No words were said between the two, she had simply collapsed into his arms, weeping, both of them praying Victor woke up.
Taken from the daily CCAF briefing provided to Sun-Tsu Liao, then-Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation, dated November 2nd, 3056, declassified by the Capellan State Archives, April 11th, 3067.
“…disruption operations against enemy command and control has been at least 60% effective by all estimates. The Blakist operatives have, in conjunction with our own Death Commandos, been successful beyond all estimates. The conventional offensive, however, has been met with mixed results, as the CCAF was as surprised as our enemies, and our option of attacking from barracks has found some units not as ready for war as we here at the Strategios were led to believe. Furthermore, the inactivity by the FWLM as of now is a cause for concern. We cannot ultimately succeed in securing our modest objectives by ourselves, the FWLM must enter the conflict on our side if we are to have a chance at all.”
Sarna
Attacking Units: Blanford Grenadiers, Kingston’s Legionnaires, Kincade’s Rangers, Bordon’s Blood Drinkers (1 Battalion), 2nd Division, Word of Blake Militia.
Defending Units: Sarna Martial Academy Training Group, Sarna Planetary Guard
The Capellan invasion of Sarna on the first wave of EAST SEA caught the Fedcom by surprise, with the Sarna Martial Academy Training Group (MATG) caught in garrison as the Capellan invasion force appeared at a pirate point 2 days out. The Sarna MATG dug in around the planetary capitol of Sarna and prepared for a long defense, but Bordon’s Blood Drinkers more experienced warriors easily dug out and routed the MATG, and the other units easily crushed them under the weight of numbers. The Planetary Guard was racked with dissention by pro-Capellan elements, with the loyal elements being crushed within days. The Capellan invasion force then dug in to face the expected FC counterattack.
Campertown
Attacking Units: Stalpleton’s Grenadiers
Defending Units: Alpha Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers, Campertown Planetary Guard
Stapleton’s Grenadiers had a bad invasion from the start, with an accident destroying a Leopard-class Dropship, a lance of ‘Mechs and causing massive confusion in the landing force. The landing itself was a confused mess, with the drop being scattered halfway across the main continent. Alpha Regiment was waiting, and made short work of most of the scattered elements, with 3rd Battalion, Stapleton’s Grenadiers being the only organized elements of the invasion force (at about 50% strength) being able to escape the world a week later.
Sarmaxa
Attacking Units: House Hiritsu, Sarmaxa Militia
Defending Units: Grim Determination
House Hiritsu, though filled with inexperienced warriors, made up for their lack of experience with sheer fanaticism, and managed to pin Grim Determination down long enough for the militia to switch sides almost in their entirety. Grim Determination lost two companies before managing to hole up in an old Star League fortress and sent word for help while settling in for a siege.
Tsinghai
Attacking Units: House Matsukai
Defending Units: Beta Regiment, 12th Vegan Rangers
House Matsukai found itself in a nasty fight from the start, but managed to hold onto it’s LZ by it’s fingernails, and forestall Beta Regiment from crushing it outright. Both sides have settled into an attritional fight as both sides have sent for reinforcements.
Truth
Attacking Units: 15th Dracon (all four battalions)
Defending Units: 8th Arcturan Guards
The 8th Arcturan Guards fought gamely to hold Truth, but found themselves slightly overmatched, with the 15th’s 4th veteran battalion always seeming to find the 8th’s flanks, and turning them. After three weeks of this, the 8th, having taken 15% casualties, packed up and retreated to Kaifeng. The 15th dug in and awaited further orders. The Truth Planetary Guard remained in their barracks, declaring for the Capellan Confederation only after the 8th left the world.
Lesalles
Attacking Units: 3rd Division, Word of Blake Militia
Defending Units: 4th Fedcom RCT, Lesalles Planetary Guard
The WoBM 3rd Division found itself evenly matched against the 4th Fedcom in numbers, and a slight edge in experience. It wasn’t enough to force the 4th to retreat and both sides like on Sarmaxa, settled into a long, attritional fight.
Diversionary Raids
Fraizer
Attacking Units: House Lusann, Bullard’s Armored Cavalry
Defending Units: 41st Avalon Hussars, Fraizer Planetary Guard
The 41st Avalon Hussars were caught by near surprise, being in a state of confusion in the wake of the terror attacks on New Avalon and New Syrtis. The 41st, to it’s credit, recovered quickly, but was unable to prevent the Capellan raiders from making off with a half-billion C-Bills worth of raw materials. The Planetary Guard was unable to mobilize in time to assist the 41st.
Horsham
Attacking Units: 1st Battalion, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: 1st Capellan Dragoons, Horsham Planetary Guard
The 1st Battalion’s raid on Horsham was a mixed bag, while the battalion managed to land in one piece, and smash up a few half-hearted counterattacks by the 1st Capellan Dragoons and the Planetary Guard, but they did not carry off anything of value on world, and left a week later, frustrated that their raid had achieved so little.
Bromhead
Attacking Units: 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: Bromhead Planetary Guard
The Planetary Guard did it’s best, but was overmatched by the ‘Mechs of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. Within 48 hours, the planetary government was offering it’s surrender to the Capellan force, only to find the Capellans had left, making off with an entire months’ worth of production of refined petrochemicals (worth about 5 Billion C-Bills).
Velhas
Attacking Units: Ishihara’s Grenadiers, Marshigama’s Legionnaires
Defending Units: 10th Donegal Guards, Velhas Planetary Guard
The 10th fought reasonably well, until a week into the fighting, they left an exposed flank that the Marshigama’s Legionnaires jumped upon and rolled up, forcing the 10th into an ignominious rout. The Capellans salvaged 2 companies of FedCom ‘Mechs and left soon after, feeling they had achieved all they were going to.
Verlo
Attackers: Albermale’s Highlanders (1 Btn)
Defending Units: 15th Deneb Light Cavalry RCT
The raid on Verlo was an unmitigated disaster for Albermale’s Highlanders, as their attempted drop on top of the 15th’s ‘Mech barracks ended with the unit being scattered all over the continent because of heavy FedCom aerospace activity. It took a week for the 15th to mop up the survivors.
Indicass
Attacking Units: 2nd Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Defending Units: St. Ives Cheveau-Legurs
The raid by the 2nd CRC was hoped to keep St. Ives from doing anything to help the FedCom while East Sea ran its course. What happened however, probably did more to encourage St. Ives than discourage it. The 2nd CRC landed with little trouble, but soon found itself in a hornet’s nest. The St. Ives forces were in no mood to see the Capellan landings as a limited raid, and showed the Capellan raiders no mercy at all, chasing the 2nd CRC all over the planet. This was exacerbated when news arrived of what had happened to Duchess Liao. Barely a battalion of the 2nd CRC survived the week to surrender to the Cheveau-Legurs.
Mendham
Attacking Units: 4th Division, Word of Blake Militia
Defending Units: 21st Rangers, Illician Lancers, Mendham Planetary Guard
The Blakists managed to get to ground at a cost of half of the Division’s aerospace fighters, and met the 21st Rangers amongst the planetary starport. Both sides went after each other without restraint and left the starport a wreck, and heavy casualties on both sides, after a week’s worth of fighting, when the 2nd Division suddenly withdrew and returned to Capellan space.
Alternative Relocation Site, Clan Steel Viper
20km North of the Great Gash
Twycross
Clan Steel Viper Occupation Zone
October 20th, 3056
The relocation site was an underground bunker, left over from the days of the old Lyran Commonwealth, and it hadn’t seen use since the 3rd Succession War. It had taken quite a few work credits to get to a minimal Clan standard, but Perigard Zalman, Khan of Clan Steel Viper was glad he had spent the money. Considering how quickly the Federated Commonwealth kicked us off Waldorff? This was a very good idea indeed.
“Ahmed, what does the Watch tell us about the movements of the Federated Commonwealth forces?” Zalman thundered, he had been a man possessed of late, his very nature despised being on the defensive, and wanted to hit back. But thus far, the FedCom had not given him the opportunity, that was, until now.
“My Khan, our sources, as well as information we have managed to contract from the Diamond Shark Watch, has confirmed that the Federated Commonwealth forces have had a short operational pause. They seem to have overstretched their logistical chain, and I believe, my Khan, that we have a small window to launch a counterattack to restore a corridor to our forces currently cut off to coreward.
Zalman exhaled. “And what of the Wolves? Any actions on their part? Surely they cannot believe that the FedCom will cease their actions once they have driven us and the Falcons from the Inner Sphere?”
“Neg, my Khan, there is little word from the Wolves, other than some seemingly routine troop movements. We have also heard nothing from the ilKhan himelf…which does concern me, my Khan.”
Zalman nodded. What are you up to, Kerensky? What little ploy are you planning to better your “former” clan?
“Ahmed, pass word to the units on world, that they are to be ready for combat operations within thirty days. I intend to lead the counterattack myself. The FedCom savashrihave only faced lucrewarriors and solahma. Now it is time to face our best.” Zalman wore a feral grin, he was sure of the glory to come.
Command Post of 1st Falcon Velites
Quarell
Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
October 22nd, 3056
Star Colonel Serendice Helmer was annoyed, he had been woken from a very enjoyable slumber, with dreams of glory for himself and his clan filling his head. To be awoken by a bondsman and almost ignominiously tossed into the back of a General-Purpose Vehicle and driven back to the main command post. The command post was in chaos, not befitting an elite unit of Clan Jade Falcon, especially one that was holding the Clan’s most important holding, so close to Terra.
“CEASE YOUR CONFUSED MEANDERINGS, YOU SAVASHRI FOOLS!” Helmer boomed, his voice of command filled the main map room. Everyone stopped in their tracks, and gave him their rapt attention.
Helmer silently exhaled, and ran his hands through his straw blond hair. His jade green eyes searched the room. “We are Jade Falcon. We do not run about like confused chicks, we soar on the winds of glory. We WELCOME a batchall! No matter whom it may be! Now, put me through, we will make those who challenge our clan regret their decision to hunt us!”
Another bondsman showed up with his dress uniform, which he hurriedly donned, and a wall screen came to life. The image coalesced and took form. It couldn’t be. The form was nothing less than the saKhan of Clan Wolf, Natasha Kerensky herself.
“Hello, Star Colonel Helmer. You know whom I am, and my codex, so we don’t have to engage in that tiresome Falcon tradition. I am challenging Clan Jade Falcon’s right to Quarell, with what do you plan to contest my challenge, Green Pidgeon?”
“Khan Kerensky. I bid my entire cluster. I will award you safecon, this should be decided by warriors. And I hope you are so cocky, when I make you my bondsman?”
Kerensky shook her head with a mirthful grin. “Star Colonel? I have had Jade Falcons bigger and badder than you make that threat. They are either dead, or Wolves now. I do hope you join the ranks of the latter, as your codex would be a shame to lose. So be it, I will face you with my 13th Wolf Guards.”
Helmer muttered “Well bargained and done, Kerensky, I shall see you soon.” He drew his hand across his throat to kill the signal. The glory I will win from this fight!