The Best of Enemies (A Battletech AU)
- Thread starter Yellowhammer
- Start date
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
If they are to preserve the charade for the time being they will either have to execute all station personnel or take them POW, without chance of communication, until FWL wises up
paulobrito
Well-known member
POS (POS Valor, POS Victory) stands for?
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
Duchy of Regulus ships (yes, the FWL provinces had their own fleets back then). I suspect that they were called 'Pissed Off Ships' by the federal FWL Navy.
Jarow
Well-known member
Duchy of Regulus... well, best I can tell from Sarna their ruling family was Cameron-Jones, so that's not the reason. On the other hand, at least pre-FWL it was the Principality of Regulus. So, I guess it could (officially) stand for something like "Principality Operated Ship?" The 'O' is hard to fit in right, but that at least makes some sense as to where it could have come from.
The Best of Enemies: Chapter 11
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
The Best Of Enemies (A First Succession War Battletech AU) -- Chapter XI
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” -- Sun Tzu, 孫子兵法 (The Art of War)
“Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.” -- Sun Tzu, 孫子兵法 (The Art of War)
’FWLS Duchess Sofia Cameron-Jones’, Enroute to Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1120 31 January 2798
“Copy Pad thirty-eight at Irian Control. Entering approach vector Gamma-thirteen now. See you on the ground Mikaela. How’s your brother’s wife doing?”
“Cassie’s doing well, thank you! The doctor says it’s a boy.”
“Another boy? Didn’t you tell me she wanted a girl?”
“Yeah, but what can you do. Anyway, Irian Metals says that they will have the Cargomechs waiting for you to unload, Sooraj. Stay safe up there!”
Sooraj looked over at his wife manning the sensor panel. “Six more hours and we’ll be on our way home.”
“Yes. Hmm, that’s interesting…” Draupudi Harish said as she looked at the display.
“What is it, dear?”
“The naval picket is moving toward the pirate point at one gee. And there’s a formation of military dropships on final approach ahead of us.”
Sooraj’s eyes widened. “They know we’re coming, alert the Celestial Wisdom!”
-----------------------------------
Recharge Station, Zenith Point, Connaught System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1130 31 January 2798
In a flash of light and a soundless explosion, the recharge station exploded in a nuclear detonation. The three hundred fifty crew and passengers who had been waiting to transfer ships when the Capellans had stormed the station perished in a searing instant when the warhead’s fireball turned the cargo bays that they had been locked into ‘for their own protection by CCN Marines into plasma.
Faintly visible beyond their funeral pyre were the moving stars of the FWLN Second Fleet looking to engage the raiding armada as they decelerated for an engagement that would happen tomorrow.
-----------------------------------
’FWLS Duchess Sofia Cameron-Jones’, Enroute to Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1123 31 January 2798
“It’s an unscheduled military convoy from the looks of things. Two Overlords and three Unions so a full regiment.” Sooraj’s face frowned on the comm line from the bridge to her cockpit. “It’s not unknown to happen here when regiments move through for repairs and refits, but the timing is not good.”
Ilsa paled, her eyes wide as she realized what this meant. She then swallowed and took a deep breath. “You’re right. Sound the alarm to prepare for heavy thrust and maneuvering! The moment you get a report of unknown jumpships in the system, get on the line with port control. Make a maximum burn to the safety of the surface and sell panic on board. No matter what, get us down at the Kirin River Spaceport!” Her voice was very controlled. “Once you’re down, stand by to evacuate with the Techs and other non-combatants when our Dropships land. Maximov will rig the ship to blow behind us.”
She punched a button. A technician’s face formed. “Ling, send the ‘immediately go codeword, append with enemy naval picket force enroute to Irian III L1 point, additional FWLM ground forces present’!”
Ilsa cut the line mid-reply from the Tech, Her heart pounded as she opened three more comm channels and additional faces formed on her monitors. “Colonel Teng, Colonel Menitsky, Colonel Zaitzev. Intelligence reports are that there are likely to be additional FWLM forces present. Estimate one regiment plus of Mechs that will be disembarking when we arrive. We must seize a planetary beachhead in our first strike. Brief your troops to expect unexpected motions as we make planetfall and to expect combat once we leave the egg. You’re the Confederation’s best and I hand-picked you for a reason; show the Mariks what you’re made of.”
The infantry colonels winked out. Teng lingered. “Celesti-- Ilsa. How bad is it?”
Ilsa sighed. “I don’t know, Elias, but I fear the worst. I hope not, but I fear that it is.”
-----------------------------------
Zenith Point, Connaught System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1138 31 January 2798
With a flash of light, a pair of Vincent Mark XXXIX corvettes vanished into hyperspace. Then flash after flash of light followed as the Capellan armada jumped into hyperspace ahead of the League Navy’s response force.
-----------------------------------
L1 Pirate Point, Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1137 31 January 2798
Space rippled and exploded as the Vincents reemerged. CCN Tiger’s drive blazed immediately upon arrival as her paired Barracuda missile tubes spat nuclear-tipped anti-shipping missiles at the trio of League Warships -- Two Vincent-class Corvettes identical to the Capellan ships screening a League II- destroyer -- closing fast. Behind her, her sister CCN Hare, followed suit at three gravities flank speed, spinning frantically around her base vector to try to throw off the incoming enemy fire as her gunners stood ready to try to shoot down the inbound missiles while she sent ASMs out as fast as she could fire.
Then a hypersonic hail of blocks of iron the sizes of trucks slammed into Hare’s port quarter. Her 400,000 tons shook like a leaf in a hurricane while FWLS Tannenberg riddled Hare with the League-II destroyer’s battery of Naval Gauss Rifles.
Armor splintered, precious oxygen boiled away into space, and the bodies of a quarter of her crew -- the lucky ones killed in the impact, the unlucky doomed to suffocate as they floated helplessly -- flew out of the hole punched in her armored hide.
Yet she still fought on to buy time for the larger ships to get into the fight. Operating under emergency power her surviving missile tube spat more nuclear-armed death at the goliath bearing down on her.
Then another volley of Naval Gauss slugs slammed into the crippled Hare. Her #3 fuel tank ripped open and the liquid hydrogen for her fusion plant inside flash-boiled, joining the stream of oxygen flowing from her mortally wounded side in a lethal mixture.
One more missile was launched before she caught fire, roasting her crew alive as she spun out of control with flame spilling from her sides.
Then it was the Capellan turn.
The first nuclear missiles from CCN Tiger and the dying CCN Hare screamed in, passing those fired by the other FWLN provincial fleet corvettes POS Valor and POS Victory.
Spears of coherent light lashed out at the inbound missiles in a deadly web as gunners tried to shoot down the inbounds. Captains maneuvered while ECM jamming fought penetration aids.
Valor shot down the two aimed at her thanks to the frantic last-ditch fire.
Victory was less lucky as Hare’s second to last missile launch found its target. With a flash of eye-searing light, the missile detonated in a skin-skin hit on the corvette’s fore starboard autocannon battery. When the radiation burst faded, there was just cooling debris radiating out from the explosion.
Meanwhile, Tannenberg limped clear from a pair of nuclear fireballs from missiles that had been shot down danger-close to her hull. Glowing gouges and craters were all that was left of her port sensor array.
Tiger had no chance to savor her triumph. A quartet of nuclear missiles blew her to pieces moments later.
-----------------------------------
Tannenberg rolled ship to present her undamaged starboard flank to the Aegis coming for her, Meanwhile the Lola I-class destroyer headed for Valor to crush the smaller corvette before she could get among the dropship swarm heading for Irian to pick on targets that she could possibly kill.
Aboard Tannenberg’s bridge, the captain sent out another message reporting the enemy forces as the damage alarms howled. He then turned to his executive officer and pointed.
“Set ramming course for that Aegis! Maximum possible thrust! Concentrate fire on her!”
Aboard the Aegis-class Cruiser CCN Kalvar Lorix
Olivia Toledana prayed in a terrified helpless voice as the ship shuddered with the rapid changes of combat maneuvering and the vibrations of her battery of naval autocannon.
“Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee….”
Then the ship groaned again with the impact of Naval Gauss slugs gouging tons of ferro-carbide plate off to try to punch through to the vitals of the elderly ex-Star League Navy warship. An alarm sounded when a wave of heat filled the air from her lasers firing,
The cabin where Olivia had strapped herself to the bed shook and bucked like a wild horse as more slugs hammered the ship around her.
Tears leaked from her closed eyes down her white cheeks.
She whimpered in fear as she continued the prayer that she had learned as a little girl and had rarely thought of until the terror of her possible death had sent it to her mind once more. Her hand clutched the rosary around her neck in a death grip.
“Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death…
-----------------------------------
Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1247 31 January 2798
“They’ve broken through the picket...what’s left of them. Tannenberg… well you saw for yourself, Governor.”
“Damn Elsies! Load the air wings with nuclear ASMs to try to take them out. Scramble the Atrean Dragoons and Free Worlds Guards, along with all militia units.”
The aide nodded.
In the background, the display showed every dropship near Irian making haste to the ground at maximum thrust to avoid getting caught in the nuclear crossfire.
-----------------------------------
’FWLS Duchess Sofia Cameron-Jones’, Kirin Spaceport, Kirin River, Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1520 31 January 2798
Ilsa Liao strode her Thunderbolt out of the gantry that had held her down during the terrifying two and a half gee plummet to the spaceport’s pad. As she passed the next makeshift Mechbay, Elias Teng’s Warhammer joined her. Then the Black Knight and Crusader formed up behind them.
A light flickered on her console. “Go!”
Outside, in the control tower looking over the acres of ferrocrete, one of the staff frowned at the ovoid of a 50,000 ton Mammoth nearby. Sensors were picking up unusual readings.
He picked up the phone to the drop port’s security. “Do me a favor and check out the fatty on Pad 38.”
Then he turned back to the approaching multi-regimental strike displayed on the main display. He gulped and made sure that the air control radars were getting the data as the first Battlemechs hit the atmosphere above him.
Then the Mammoth exploded in a sudden cloud of smoke and fire that enveloped the jeep containing the patrol he had vectored to check the unusual readings.
-----------------------------------
Markesan, Occupied Federated Suns Space, Markesan Operational Area, Crucis March, Federated Suns
31 January 2798
With a ground shattering thud, Paul Davion landed on a rocky hillside of a wooded river valley leading toward the capital city of New Athens. He breathed in and out as he settled his cross-hairs on a battle-scarred DCMS Stinger trying to fall back and outmaneuver the AFFS advance.
Remember Kentares!
His forefinger clenched on the trigger and with a flash of blue light and thundercrack from his right arm, Dragonslayer spoke.
The Light ‘Mech shattered like glass when the Gauss Rifle slug hit it square in the chest. Its dismembered arms and legs flew away in spinning arcs from the force of the hypersonic slug as its machine gun ammunition cooked up in a string of firecracker pops.
Paul’s lips curled back from his teeth in a vengeful smug smile when he looked for more Snakes to stomp.
Then a double crack of thunder sounded as Leftenant-Colonel du Chaine’s Pillager sent a pair of Gauss Rifle shots downrange into a Wolverine that had turned to provide fire support to cover the retreat. The Arkab Legion Mech collapsed to its knees as the double hammerblow knocked its gyro out of synch.
Paul mercilessly dropped the crosshairs on the immobilized Snake and fired his LRMs at the cripple. He then grinned as his cousin’s Victor and Smith’s Grasshopper bounded through the trees on jump jets to close and finish off the wounded DCMA Mech.
A massive volley of LRMs flew from behind a nearby ridge to blow tree branches to pieces around the pair of close assault ‘Mechs’ while armor plates were blasted and dented by the missiles that hit home.
The AFFS advance didn’t falter for an instant.
Paul’s blue eyes narrowed and he pointed with his single hand to a hill ahead and to the left. “Scale that and we can pour fire down on their support element. Let’s go!”
With a roar, both Assault ‘Mechs took flight on columns of fire to bring vengeance for Kentares.
-----------------------------------
Paul descended the ladder with sweat soaking his body. He numbly looked at the battered and scored armor panels and visible internal damage thanks to absorbing heavy LRM fire from the pair of Archers who had hit him hard when he skylined himself on that hill.
Fortunately, du Chaine had been backing him up in the fire exchange until Tom and Smith could close and overwhelm. With that, he glanced over at the dark skinned Capellan Marcher as she made her way out of the cockpit of her hundred-ton titan.
“Paul!” He turned on his heel at the shout. He turned pale at the sight of the angry face of General Thomas Halder-Davion, who was commanding this regiment and was his primary tactical advisor.
He gulped, visibly restraining his impulse to salute like a cadet in the field.
His uncle pulled him aside behind a collection of supply crates while Techs with cutting torches, repair kits, and replacement armor patches descended on Dragonslayer.
“Paul, what were you thinking skylining yourself like that!?” Tom asked with concern in his eyes.
“I was working on knocking out that LRM support that was hitting you and Smitty….” Paul began then trailed off at Thomas’ raised hand.
The older Davion rubbed his temples and snapped out in a frustrated voice. “Actually, you were trying to get yourself killed! Once we took that Wolvie out, they didn’t have eyes on us anymore. So they would have to shoot blind, retreat, or advance into our guns until you showed up as a perfect target for them. Paul…” The tone became fatherly. “What’s your role in our lance?”
Paul sighed. “Provide long range fire support for the infighters alongside du Chaine. Learn from your example how to coordinate tactical combat while managing the operational picture. Since I’ll need to be in command in fact as well as in name. Especially once we reach the later stages of our strategic plans.”
“Exactly!” Thomas looked at Paul. “You could get away with straight frontal attacks earlier since the Dracs were reeling and our troops didn’t care how many of their bodies that they stacked up in order to take it to them. But those types of Pyrrhic victories, even if won by us, will lose us the war in the long run. You have to know your enemy. Take this garrison unit who are fighting us. The Arkab are hit and fade ambush specialists and could have had a headhunter lance waiting to take the bait. Which you did when you got too aggressive.”
Paul bit his lip and finally nodded with a deep sigh, “Another damn fool Leftenant mistake then?”
“Yes, another damn fool Leftenant mistake, Paul. You were overaggressive and fixated on the known targets and not the hidden threat. Which is expected to a degree. After all, in the normal course of events you would be a Leftenant looking at making Captain. But you don’t have the luxury of growing out of this stage of your leadership skills the gradual way for normal officers, Paul.” Thomas clapped him on the shoulder. “So, once that Wolvie’s down, what should you have done then with blind LRM fire coming from behind the ridge.?”
Paul bit his lip. “Cover your movement up the valley from my current position and THEN move to that hill when you crested the ridge as a coordinated attack with you in close and me up high?” He said, replaying the attempted ambush in his mind.
“Exactly! I know you want revenge for Kentares, we all do. But we need a First Prince who leads with his brains and not with his balls.” Thomas said.
Paul sighed. “I’ll try to do better next time, Uncle Thomas, it’s just…”
His uncle leaned in close and dropped his voice. “You feel like you haven’t done enough to justify all this?”
A nod and a deep sigh as Paul’s shoulders slumped.
“You feel like you’re a faker at times, Nephew?”
Another nod.
“If it helps, I feel the same way from time to time still. It’s the imposter syndrome many leaders have. You work through it, and don’t show it to the subordinates in a crisis, only after. Also,” Thomas pulled out a video data disc with a knowing smirk curling at the corner of his lips, “you have some fan mail to read.”
Paul visibly cheered up at the sight of the green triangle, arm, and dao on the disc.
“You’ll be off the line for a bit until they put Dragonslayer back together. Get a bite to eat, get some rest, and think about what you’re going to send her back in your next message now that we liberated the HPG. Also… you might want to consider talking to her about how she handles the feelings that you struggle with. She’s in the same boat that you are.”
Paul nodded, then slapped his uncle on the shoulder. “Thanks Uncle Thomas, I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“Muddle through somehow or die gloriously achieving victory is my best guess, My Prince.”
Last edited:
The Best of Enemies: Chapter 12
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
The Best Of Enemies (A First Succession War Battletech AU) -- Chapter XII
“In difficult ground, press on; In encircled ground, devise stratagems; In death ground, fight.” -- Sun Tzu, 孫子兵法 (The Art of War)
“In difficult ground, press on; In encircled ground, devise stratagems; In death ground, fight.” -- Sun Tzu, 孫子兵法 (The Art of War)
’FWLS Duchess Sofia Cameron-Jones’, Kirin Spaceport, Kirin River, Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1535 31 January 2798
Ilsa breathed in and out harshly as the secondary monitor updated with another unit reporting readiness.
To the right of the massive cargo door, a demolitions technician -- a pygmy among the metal titans filling the bay -- crouched behind a blast shield. The woman raised her fist overhead and Ilsa responded by raising Shíshī’s left arm and clenching his fist.
The massive cargo bay, filled with the Battlemechs of the 6th Teng Lancers, was overflowing with anticipation. Thousands of tons of high-tech war machines tensed like a tiger about to spring on a deer.
Paul… I wish you were here alongside me… I---
The final status update that she had been waiting to be displayed suddenly updated to ‘ready status’.
The moment of contemplation in the deep breath before the plunge faded like dew on the grass.
Ilsa yelled the command to attack with everything she had in her body, mind, and soul.
“Gōngjí!!!”
Shíshī’s fist dropped.
Ilsa slammed the throttle to the stops and charged at the hatch.
With a flash and a roar the explosives that had been set at the anchor points to the hatch detonated.
Tons of metal suddenly had their connectors blown free from the dropship.
Then Ilsa, side by side with her Lance’s Black Knight and Crusader, hit the teetering metal with their fists and the weight of their charge, served to finish the job gravity was doing to pull the doors down, knocking them over to to serve as an assault ramp.
Screaming with the exhilaration of combat, Ilsa Liao slammed her Battlemech’s foot down on the ground of Irian III as the first CCAF soldier to make planetfall. She almost seemed to be outside herself, viewing the actions as a bystander rather than participant.
Behind her the orange and black painted Mechs flowed from the Dropship in an unstoppable torrent, firing as they charged.
The upper cargo hatches on the upper tier of the Mammoth opened. Their alcoves were filled with clouds of smoke and jets of flame as the Jump Infantry took flight on their rocket packs above her head.
Ilsa’s madly joyful eyes scanned the area in front of her with the same fervor as her ancestors had viewed battlefields during the Warring States, Taiping Rebellion, or the Three Kingdoms when China burned and countless millions died. Savage anticipation filled her soul like a predator seeking prey when her mech’s sensors locked onto the control tower coordinating activities at the spaceport.
Her fingers released the triggers and a wave of heat filled the cockpit as her PPC bolt and a trio of green laser pulses blew the top of the ferrocrete control tower to pieces.
Her Battlemech crushed the shattered wreckage of a spaceport security force’s jeep and the screaming driver trapped in the wreck underfoot.
-----------------------------------
“Marik Guards!”
Angry violet light appeared on her tactical display from a row over.
Shíshī pivoted to Ilsa’s right with a whine of contracting myomers at her mental command. Her crosshairs dropped onto the opening hatch in a purple painted Overlord about to disgorge its contents.
“Hit your objectives! I’ll handle these dogs!” She hissed hatefully as her hard brown eyes found the first of the bone white and purple painted battlemechs began to descend the boarding ramp through the smoke and chaos.
The missile rack covers on the enemy Bombardier’s shoulders snapped open while the anti-missile turret that had replaced its head elevated.
Ilsa’s fingers released the triggers.
Simultaneously the enemy fire support design belched forth a massive cloud of missiles from its triple racks.
Smoke plumes filled the air as LRM and SRM trajectories interpenetrated while emerald and azure beams of light linked the Thunderbolt to Bombardier.
Then flame followed as the AMS fired at the incoming missiles, destroying half a dozen of her spread.
It wasn’t enough.
The Bombardier staggered from the slabs of armor melted and slagged across its right side and front. Then one of Ilsa’s missiles found the LRM ammo bin. The right half of the Free Worlds Guards Mech exploded in a fireball.
Meanwhile the massive cloud of LRMs and SRMs hammered into Ilsa like a hailstorm.
Shíshī toppled onto his left side as two and a quarter tons of armor were suddenly shattered and cratered all across his front and left side, obliterating the paint scheme there from head to toe. Ilsa was nearly tossed from her seat as the world whirled around her while alarms screamed.
The heat from her alpha strike sent her ‘Mech’s reactor into auto-shutdown as her hand missed the override button.
Ilsa gasped -- ignoring the sudden pain in her left side and the blood trickling down her arm from minor spalling from a cockpit hit -- as she fought to get her bearings through the double hammerblow of the wave of heat and the impact as she tried to shake off the concussion that had dazed her.
Then her eyes widened in shock and awe at the tilted sight visible through her cockpit’s now cracked and scored synthetic topaz ‘glass’.
A platoon of Jump Infantry had suddenly appeared through the chaos.
Meanwhile a second Bombardier was trying to pass the corpse of its lancemate in the now-blocked hatch so it could get a coupe de grace on her helpless Mech.
Smoke filled the air as the Infantry landed, fired, and took flight again.
Their wave of shoulder-fired one shot SRMs converged on the Bombardier.
The AMS was unable to stop them all.
Tentacles of liquid flame covered the Marik ‘Mech as the Inferno rockets detonated, covering it and the nearby area in burning superheated gel.
Ilsa swallowed in fear when the Mech suddenly became a steel and myomer funeral pyre for its doomed pilot who was roasting alive. Again she felt the proof of her worst fear trickle down her leg when she wet herself in terror once more.
Then tears filled her eyes.
As she watched helplessly, one of the ‘lesser’ infantry who had just saved her life landed at the edge of a puddle of inferno gel.
Flame began to spread unstoppably up his trouser legs as he took flight again.
He fired his laser rifle as he joined his comrades who were storming the dropship against orders even as he continued to burn alive.
The dying man who had just saved her vanished forever in the smoke and chaos of war.
One more anonymous casualty in the largest war in humanity’s history.
Ilsa whispered to herself in the silence of her cockpit before she began to emergency restart Shíshī once more. “Stal' za Rodina.... Stal' dlya Tikonova….”
-----------------------------------
Irian Weapons Works Main Factory Complex, Kirin River, Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1703 31 January 2798
Autocannon slugs, lasers, and missiles hammered into Shíshī’s chest, scouring away the last few armor layers protecting his vitals. A warning light and tone sounded as the report of damage to her -- fortunately emptied in prior combat -- LRM ammo bins flashed on the screen showing the red and yellow outline of her nearly-destroyed Mech.
Ilsa’s eyes narrowed while she responded with her PPC, SRMs and lasers into the Marik Mech.
The Orion, painted in the black with light purple trim of IWW’s security detachment, crumpled with the sprawl of a destroyed gyro.
Ilsa panted heavily in her sweltering cockpit. The heat was more severe now thanks to the loss of reactor shielding and several heat sinks during the heavy fighting to push through the city and then penetrate into IWW’s main facilities.
But she was finally at her target. The beating heart of the Free Worlds League’s military supply chain.
She staggered inside the hardened underground factory complex and gasped at the acres upon acres of state of the art fabrication machinery along with battlemechs in various stages of assembly.
“Commander, report from the 7th Bulun! They have breached the server farm complex!” Elias Teng’s voice crackled over the radio as he stood his one-armed Warhammer beside her. “We have it!”
Ilsa grinned tiredly. “Victory, Elias. Start blowing the fabricator systems here. I’ll have the 7th download their technical data as planned. Then they upload viral programs to the IMB corporate network to corrupt any backup copies before blowing their server farm to cover our tracks.”
As her subordinates moved to do what damage they could before pulling out ahead of the Mariks’ enraged retaliation, Ilsa closed her eyes.
The image of that nameless and faceless infantryman burning alive to secure this victory filled her mind’s eye.
“Yes, victory. We have paid dearly for it, too dearly perhaps, but victory.” She repeated numbly in a voice filled with pain. She rubbed the streaks of dried blood covering her hastily bandaged arm.
-----------------------------------
Secure Classified Location, Marik, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
2 February 2798
Kenyon Marik’s eyes flashed fire and his teeth peeled back from his lips in a snarl of rage. His furious face was as purple as the banner behind him on the wall when he slammed both hands on the table.
“IRIAN!!” He barked out at the nervous FWLM general in the monitor. “You had two crack regiments and a naval picket plus the militia to fight them off! Irian’s the best defended world outside the capital! Los Conquistadores stormed Andurien under your predecessor, General da Silva!”
“We tried, Captain-General…”
“You should have succeeded!!” Kenyon yelled through the real-time HPG connection at the top of his lungs.
“The LCAF smuggled the Tamar Tigers and some infantry into the capital’s spaceport, apparently using cargo dropships. One battalion of the Guards that was reboarding their ship to fight the Elsie Guards from the fixed defenses on the approach to the planetary capital got overrun by the Tigers. We couldn’t shift suborbitally via dropship, not when they had a damaged Cruiser and Destroyer up there in the high orbitals able to pick us off in transit. By the time we could march back, they had hit the defense industries hard with the Tigers and pulled out.” Da Silva’s explanation did nothing to calm Kenyon’s fury.
“What’s the damage estimate?” Kenyon finally barked out as he rubbed his aching ribs.
“Preliminary... four Battlemech fab lines are totally destroyed, nine more are badly damaged at IWW’s Soapstone Mountain facility. It will be months to piece together what we can. The attached Diverse Optics pulse laser assembly plant got slagged hard, it’s a complete write off. IMB’s computer plant for the targeting and tracking computers lost the server farm and two chip burning lines got somewhat shot up, but we have backups offsite and the primary server farm dumped before they blew it, so that could be worse. Brooks wasn’t touched so we have tanks but the fusion motor assembly plants got damaged. Bad but not as bad as it could be. The bomb techs are going over everything looking for nuclear stay-behinds after what happened at the spaceport.” Da Silva finished.
“What happened at the spaceport?” Kenyon demanded as his ribs flared up again with a fresh spike of pain reaching up and down his left side. He frowned at the pain.
“The Tigers left a very large explosive behind.” Da Silva’s face was replaced with the smoking wreckage of a drop port and burned out dropships. “Radiological scans are negative, so we suspect a large conventional explosive, or perhaps they used the hydrogen fuel aboard as the catalyst for a fuel-air explosion. Regardless, the drop port is out of commission until we clear the wreckage.”
Kenyon’s frown deepened. “Right. Have your #2 take over there, secure the sites, do what reconstruction you can. You come here and report to me personally!”
Da Silva’s image faded and Kenyon snapped to his staff. “Get me Thaddeus!"
5 February 2798
Kenyon scowled at the latest report from Irian. While the damage was bad, at least the LCAF had not been able to smuggle WMDs through the security checks.
Otherwise this would be a complete catastrophe instead of merely a disaster. Already, the pre-war stocks of ‘Mechs, munitions, and materiel that he had laid in were nearly exhausted from the demands of the fighting.
He rubbed his palms across his head as he rested his aching body. Once the Elsies reported their success to Tharkad, a major offensive was sure to follow. Unless he took action. He was stripping what he could but more was needed to stop the Elsie attack on him.
The commscreen chimed. “It’s Admiral Marik, sir!”
His son’s face formed in the holographic display. “Father, what’s the crisis?”
He looked into the eyes of his only surviving child and spoke flatly. “The fucking Steiners hit Irian III hard. Really hard.”
Thaddeus’ eyes widened. “Shit, that means…”
“Yeah, they are going to hit us hard. Unless we hit them harder. I’m sending you everyone I have on hand and moving supplies to prop the Elsie frontier up. But I need time to brace for the attack, Thad. There’s only one way to get it now. Burn Hesperus II to a cinder.”
-----------------------------------
DCMS Forward Headquarters, Robinson, Benjamin Military District (formerly Draconis March), Draconis Combine
3 February 2798
“Tono, more reports from the front. They are of some urgency.”
The nervous voice from the door of the dojo did not slow the attack of the figure in the kimono marked with the Dragon of House Kurita for a nanosecond.
His steel flashed as he began another series of strikes against his ‘sparring partner’.
The young man opposite him, dressed in the remnants of the dark green uniform of a Robinson Military Academy first year cadet gasped in shock as a katana blow severed his hand.
The hand, still clutching his dulled and safety-capped practice blade thudded to the bloodstained tatami mats. Then with a louder pair of thuds, the cadet’s head and torso hit the mat as the next strike landed.
Jinjiro Kurita, First Lord of the Star League, Coordinator of the Draconis Combine, Unifier of Worlds, turned to his pale-faced aide who had announced the message. Burning eyes surveyed the scene, and a smile that had much of rage and none of warmth curled his lips.
“Report.” His voice was filled with authority.
“We have confirmation, Tono. The new First Prince leads the AFFS assault that has driven the Arkab and Benjamin Regulars from Markesan.”
Scarlet droplets from his blade traced patterns on the mats next to the cadet’s corpse as Jinjiro’s smile widened. “Markesan, yes. The Sandoval strikes us on Capac, Imbros III, and Evansville. What of New Valencia and Saunemin?”
“Raids only, looking to probe our garrisons there.” The aide reported after a glance at his noteputer. “Also another thrust has attacked out of Waycross and Edwards toward Cartago and….” The aide broke off and nervously gulped, swallowing hard as his face paled further.
“Out with it, Ichiro. You know how I hate cowards.” The voice of the Dragon was dangerously mild.
“The Kentares IV garrison reports an attack in three-regimental strength.” Ichiro reported with commendable steadiness in his voice as he trembled.
Jinjiro’s eyes filled with churning emotions. “Kentares…” He hissed with soul-deep pain for his murdered father -- shot in the back by a cowardly Davion dog -- as his hand holding the katana clenched with a white-knuckled grip.
The aide swallowed and recited a Buddhist prayer mentally for those about to die.
Then as rapidly as it had emerged, the madness subsided.
“Do not look so sad, Ichiro. The Dragon is done with his kenjutsu practice for the day. War calls to us now like a lover, my samurai! Summon the Dragons of Ivory, Steel, and Gold to my side!”
“But Tono, the supply situation…’
“Is adequate to take the head of my foe as my vengeance for… Chichi-ue.... I shall give orders to my brother Zabu to personally handle the forward supply dumps. He shall iron out the… problems… that have caused my samurai distress. By whatever means are necessary!”
Jinjiro turned to the window. At a gesture, one of the silent guards attending him opened the screen.
“See the Sun set, Ichiro, is it not a glorious sight?”
Ichiro nodded as he relaxed minutely while they watched the blood-red disk of Robinson’s primary sink below the horizon.
“Blood-red Sunset/Swords shall duel in hawk’s nest/Time of the Dragon”
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------
Author’s Note: IMB’s the Irian subdivision that handles targeting/tracking computers that Ilsa’s raid sabotaged. The next runs of chips will be… excessively prone to failure when put under combat heat loading stress thanks to manufacturing faults caused by software corruption in the fab machines (think Stuxnet). The FWL/SAFE/IMB will eventually figure it out when folks put two and two together, but it will plague them for decades to figure out what the fuck's happening, realized that it's sabotage, fix the sabotage and then get all the bad machines out of their equipment inventory. Liaos be nasty bitches, yo.
Also, yes, Jinjiro Kurita was about that crazy OTL (also a brilliant strategist, but dangerously unstable). He’s a strong #2 behind only Stefan Amaris for ‘setting’s worst villain’ title.
As for Kenyon, Ilsa managed to show him what he wants to believe (he currently sees the CapCon as a stubbornly resisting punching bag that he has on the ropes). Basically she just hamstrung him and tossed the bloody shiv into Michael Steiner’s hands.
Overall the damage for IWW is severe but not a total write-off. Battlemech production will be about 25-60% of max output for years while they rebuild the repairable assembly lines, make good damages to their supply chain, and root out all the nasty surprises that Ilsa left for them. It’s a really heavy blow to the FWL/FWLM and fucks Kenyon’s logistics (which are already under heavy strain 11 years into the 1SW) six ways from Sunday.
Last edited:
UltimatePaladin
Well-known member
Maybe build "totally legally distinct from with a coincidental resemblance to," technology instead?
Or, for extra sneakiness, maybe they trade the technology to the Lyrans so that they do have it? Though, at that point, there are so many moving parts I'd think that the secret would come out sooner than later.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
I have a slight feeling that Thaddeus is going to meet LCS Invincible.
And I hope Jinjiro's death will be slow.
And I hope Jinjiro's death will be slow.
Bear Ribs
Well-known member
I doubt they'll really keep the secret of who attacked secret long-term, it's just not doable. Somebody's going to notice that the LCAF ships and units that supposedly were in the attack were also attacking somewhere else at the same time, or one of the thousands of people involved in the attack is going to get drunk and let things spill in the wrong bar. I'ts inevitable. At the very least the Lyrans are going to realize they somehow launched an attack without ever ordering it and carried it out with units they didn't have, and they have no particular reason to keep the Confederation's secrets for them.
I expect the plan is simply to keep the charade up for a few weeks to months, long enough for the Mariks to launch a counter-attack and then the Lyrans to move to counter that. This'll tie up Marik units and waste their resources long enough to take some pressure off and let the Confederation position themselves for a major push once the Marik/Steiner war cools off, especially without having to heavily garrison their Suns border. But past maybe a year you run into the issue of keeping a secret with several thousand people knowing it and there's physical evidence that any intelligence agency, even SAFE, can piece together.
I expect the plan is simply to keep the charade up for a few weeks to months, long enough for the Mariks to launch a counter-attack and then the Lyrans to move to counter that. This'll tie up Marik units and waste their resources long enough to take some pressure off and let the Confederation position themselves for a major push once the Marik/Steiner war cools off, especially without having to heavily garrison their Suns border. But past maybe a year you run into the issue of keeping a secret with several thousand people knowing it and there's physical evidence that any intelligence agency, even SAFE, can piece together.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
LIC already put two and two together, notifying the Archon, they are probably trying to slip information to SAFE, but Kenyon wouldn't believe it, so SAFE probably won't notify him when they learn it.
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
The fabrication and programming specs on Irian Mech Ballistics' top tier fire control computers. Before they dropped a virus into their company intraweb to Stuxnet the backup databases and then blew the main server farm up.
it's something the MASK and Sian U wanted to get their hands on. Not least they know the specs so they can develop ECM to jam/spoof them is the hope.
Thaddeus is heading to Hesperus II and Hell's coming with him. Jinjiro is dealing with DAMN DAVIONS.
Yeah, Ilsa is hoping that the charade lasts long enough for the FWL to lash out at the LC and spark a nasty flare-up. She also really doesn;t expect the Lyrans to get fooled. IE she knows the Ironwood and the Tamar Tigers are/have been used in raiding ops in the Combine, but she doesn't know where they are now (both are dead in fact).
Once she gets back to the CC and gets the reports of FWL strategic movements plus increased LCAF/FWLM fighting, she's giving orders to launch Operation Shǔ* to use her strength to retake Andurien.
*(Yes, that's Operation RAT. In Chinese.)
LIC alerted the Archon about the Cappie false flag in Ch 8 and the Steiners are bracing for the blow. Before the FWLM delivers it even, heh.
Well LIC has a bit of a love/hate opinion of Ilsa right now. On the one hand, she stomped Kenyon in the nuts, and made their analysis job very simple in plenty of time to Do Things To Prepare.
On the other hand, she DID sic the Mariks on them.
Jarow
Well-known member
On the plus side, she's a non-neighboring house lord (a natural ally of convenience).
On the negative side, she's still a different house lord, rejecting the Steiner's claim to First Lordship.
On the plus side, she seems to have made a deal with the AFFS to hit the Combine harder.
On the negative side, she doesn't seem to be hitting the Combine herself.
On the plus side, she wrecked Irian.
On the negative side, she made the FWL think the Commonwealth wrecked Irian.
Yeah, definitely can see a love/hate relationship there.
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
Well to be fair, her strategic situation vis-a-vis attacking the DC is kind of sucktastic and she is taking it to the FWL, so that still helps them.
Well yeah, I'd say this is a net positive for them because the FWL will figure out they got taken to the cleaners by her well before Irian gets unwrecked.
Short term pain, long term gain, in other words.
Definite truth.
I predict a case of something nice and alcoholic from Tharkad arriving in Ilsa's future along with a very sternly worded 'Don't pin that shit on us next time, girl' note.
PsihoKekec
Swashbuckling Accountant
Honestly, if Thaddeus manages to seriously damage Hesperus infrastructure via very heavy use ortillery I could imagine Lyrans sending some dropships filled with canned sunshine to their industrial centers like Tikonov. But given how LIC will probably find out how badly the Irian was damaged and since they surely have good profile of Kenyon (petulant manchild), they will probably divine the course of his retribution in time to prepare proper reception at Hesperus, so CC probably won't be getting any ''this is all your fault'' notices.
Last edited:
Yellowhammer
Well-known member
The problem with trying to nuke Hesperus II from orbit (yes, it's been tried, most recently by the Mariks) is that the factories are buried under the Myoo Moutains. So you have thousands of tons of solid granite as a 'roof' keeping them safe and the only viable way to take them out is fight your way into the cavern complexes.
Of course, that's far easier said than done since the LCAF has spared no expense in their ground fortifications too....
Honestly, the retaliation would be the FWL first and foremost.
Doomsought
Well-known member
The Mariks don't have too keep their responsibility hidden forever, just long enough that the Lyrans fail to convince the Free World's league that they didn't do it and then the Sunk Cost fallacy will take care of the rest.