[Fan Fiction] Conflict of Interest

[Stuckenschmidt]

September 3027

Kathu



"Kathu Approach, this is Fortune. Asking for permission to land."

"Fortune, this is Approach. Permission to land on Platform 6. Welcome back."

Sumire Meyer wanted to say something, but bit on her lip. Instead she performed the landing and brought back Bravo Platoon. Or what was left of it. A group of Mechpilots too tired to even complain about anything left the Dropship, heading for the Barracks. Except Medusa, who had to report back to Koch.

Martin stood in the Briefing Room and looked at a map. Three weeks had passed since the initial attack and during that time he had memorized the names of Valleys, Rivers and Mountains. As the time passed, he had waited for a replacement, but fighting had become more intense along the frontline and he had no commanding officer to spare, so Koch had been in charge all the time.

He wanted to believe, that he did a good job. And one would be able to make that point, since he had been able to hold the frontline and repulse any advance of the enemy. The price for that was, that his units had been bleeding white. The additional units he had asked for never came. He got replacements, but not enough to fill all the gaps. No unit was at full combat strength and on average he was down to 80% at best. He would need two or three hundred infantrymen to get back to normal and have at least a tiny reserve. Not to mention Tanks, Artillery pieces and Mechs. Or simple supply goods. The war in Orbit was raging as ferocious as on the ground and one noticed it, when the stream of spare parts, armor and weapons turned into a creek.

Today the enemy had begun an offensive in the north. The CO there had asked for help. Since at least two Battalions were attacking, he sent one of the Heavy Platoons of the Grenadiers as support. Exhausted units had once again pushed back the enemy, but at the expense of heavy losses in men and material.

"Sir?, Medusa said when he entered.

"Good to see you? How is your status?"

"Don`t ask me questions and I won`t tell you lies.", he said and tried to smile. "The Rebels had come with everything they still had. Fortunately their situation seems to be as bad as ours. Yet they managed to perform a skillful attack with momentum. The local Commander managed to lure them into a trap with a fake retreat and they advanced too fast. Then we got them in the flank and crushed their APCs. But the Medium Mech Lance in advance caused some damage."

"Did all of you make it back?"

"I don`t know whether that Orion will ever fight again, Sir. Probably not. The Pilot is severely injured, but he seems to make it. We had to leave him there in a hospital."

"Who was it?"

"Jigsaw. One of the local Pilots. The other Pilots are fine, but we will need a lot of new armor."

"I wish you could get it."

"Aye", Medusa said. He knew the Commander and that he was now in the worst situation in his career. He could tell him, that his Platoon was barely combat ready. But that would not change anything, since there was no way to solve the problem. So he just saluted and left. As he went away, a Sergeant entered the room.

"Sir? Message from General Patel. All Commanders are to travel to the capitol for a Briefing tomorrow morning."

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)



Martin was glad to return to the capitol again, although for a short time. But this short break was enough to let his thoughts focus on something else than his section of the frontline. When he came to his residence at the edge of the city, he finally saw Emily again. Healthcare Service in the capitol were still considerably good, but working under pressure. Even the family of Commanders had to wait. And so she had not returned to the Grenadiers since the they had departed.

Last evening they had sat together and talked about the state of things. He told her about the recent weeks of fighting, the problems he was facing, the mixed results he thought to be a bit frustrating. She explained to him the situation in the city, how everything got rationed, the existence of a black market. And, of course, that she and her baby were well. They agreed, that they wanted to know, whether it would be a boy or a girl.

She had insisted, that it was time to settle down and he had agreed. But although it would not be easy for him to let go of his Company, he had not lied to her that he had simply had no time to spend too many thoughts about his post-mercenary life yet. She was understanding, but not pleased. Eventually they had gone to bed.

*****​

Early the next morning he had got up. Before he went to the meeting, he wanted to see the city himself. And what Emily had told her, was true. There were short lines in front of shops with people waiting for the business to open, so they may get the goods they needed before going to work. This was surely a new experience for everyone.

Eventually he showed up at the Headquarter and the meeting began. At first there was a long report about the situation at the frontline and the results of the recent weeks. As it seemed, both sides had made rather small gains or losses in terms of controlled territory. But this maintenance of the status quo had come at a high cost for everyone involved. Especially the recent ten days had seen intense fighting with offensives of larger magnitude. But a breakthrough had not been achieved.

Then the Comanders were to report from their respective sectors.

„The recent weeks saw constant fighting.“, Koch explained. „Either the enemy tried to confront us directly or they started offensives at the edges to outflank us. The terrain is in our favor, since the enemy is not able to start broad offensives. At such a narrow frontline, we are able to hold them back. So far. But our ability to do so is limited. We have a serious shortage in manpower. So far I have not been forced to dissolve Companies in order to fill up the ranks of other units, but in another two weeks this will change. The same goes for our mobile units. The shortage of spare parts has made us cannibalize Tanks for parts needed in other tanks of the same type. A few weeks more, and Tank Companies will only be existent on the paper.“

„I support this statement.“, Colonel Dorn said. „Our sector has seen constant pressure. Our units are undermanned and underequipped. The enemy keeps up the pressure to drive us away from the mountains. He has suffered substantial losses, but the same is true for us. We won`t be able to hold out forever.“

„In conclusion.“, Martin said. „We need manpower and better logistics.“

„Maybe there are solutions in sight for both problems.", General Patel said. „The Government has issued a Draft Law, coming into effect as of next week. So far we have relied on volunteers, but that does not cover our need for recruits. Hence a specific part of the population is now designated as conscripts, that will get drafted as required.“

„Establishing a draft infrastructure during combat operations? This won`t be easy.“, a Colonel from the northern front said.

„True.“, the General answered. „And that is, where the current negotiations come into play. That we are able to gather our Commanders at the capitol is due to the fact, that a preliminary ceasefire is in effect for today and tomorrow. Tomorrow the Government and the Rebellion will meet on Com Isle and decide, whether the ceasefire will get extended. But probably it will. Both sides are exhausted and need a break. We will use that time to draft the first batch of recruits and improve our convoy system.“

This announcement was followed by a lot of muttering in the room. Koch leaned back in his seat. A ceasefire. That would give his units a bit of breathing space. But he wondered about the Draft. This could only mean, that the Government is running out of funds to hire Freelancers and the population is running out of willingness to support the war efforts as required. He raised an eyebrow and was curious about what would happen tomorrow.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)



Com Isle. A small island in the center of the capital, separated by the river and a narrow canal from the rest of the Metropolis. Maybe half a square kilometer large, it had barely enough room to house the HPG and the ComStar personnel to operate it. Yet it was the only place in the city center, that was unharmed by the fighting.

The Delegation of the Government arrived in the morning and noticed, that the Representatives of the Rebellion appeared at the same time. Although Martin was present, he was probably just decoration, since the Government wanted to point out the support of its Commanding Officers. The other side had obviously the same idea, since there were way more people in Uniform than needed for the negotiation.

The core Delegations of both sides were greeted by the local ComStar Precentor. The latter was hardly able to hide the fact, that he relished his position as mediator, probably reinforcing his conviction that ComStar was the beacon of civilization amidst a world of savages. He led his guests into a large Administrative Building. The other Officers remained on the small square and began to form small groups for talking or smoking. Martin stayed a bit apart from them and walked to the river and looked at the other side of the city. At first glance, the destruction seemed to be the same as on „his“ side of the river.

„Martin?“, he heard a voice behind him. He turned around and suddenly saw a familiar face.

„Na`Shar? I can`t believe it.“, Martin made a step toward the other man to shake his hand and give him a hug. Na`Shar, also known as Dire Wolf, Commanding Officer of the Black Knights. A few years younger than him, he was almost a whole head taller. Under his short black hair, there were equally black eyes and usually a broad smile.

The Grenadiers had met the Black Knights during the Restoration. Between two operations for House Arano, they had a contract on Lyreton. They were supposed to hold a facility versus an insurrection, but the Rebels were clearly stronger than expected. It could have ended badly for the Grenadiers, if the Black Knights had not suddenly appeared and rolled up the enemy flank. Since then, the two Units were friends. Or as close to friends as Mercenaries could be.

„I have heard that you are here.“, the younger man said. „Although I would have preferred to see you on our side.“

„Well, I have got an offer that I could not refuse.“

„I see. Rumors have it, that you were promoted to Sector Commander. Not too shabby.“

„That was a month ago. They said, that they would appoint one of their own Officers as replacement. I am still there. Go figure.“

„Don`t worry, it is not all sunshine on our side either. We are stationed to the north. Initially there were tons of recruits on this planet. But recently transports from the Inner Sphere arrived with considerably well trained so-called volunteers.“

„So the north is going to be the next focal point. Suits me well.“

„I don`t think so. See, maybe it is wrong to tell you that, but these troops will probably go south toward your place. You will meet them soon.“

Koch looked the other man in the eye. It was not uncommon, that Mercenaries from opposite sides of a conflict talked to each other. After all, they belonged to the same Brotherhood and had fought on the same side before and would do that afterward again. But this was more than just the usual chitchat.

„Thank you. I will take care of myself. And how are things going for you?“

„Not bad. Nino is here too.“, he said and smiled again.

„Oh man. I don`t envy the Commanders in the north.“, Martin replied after a short laughter. Nino Greasmanelli, also known as Sergeant Fury, and his Fury`s Toe Monsters had been part of the final battle on Coromodir and became famous for a stunt he pulled during a duel between him and a Directorate Officer. Maybe a bit too bold, he was a good Officer.

„Anyway.“, Martin said. „I wish you all the best. And when all this is over, I owe you a drink.“

„Or a dozen.“, Na`Shar noted.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)



„How reliable is this information?“, General Patel asked.

„I fought alongside his Unit once and I believe him.“, Martin answered.

„That`s pretty thin.“, an official from the Ministry of Defense said.

„Sure.“, Koch replied. „But it matches with what we have experienced the recent weeks. For some reason, the Rebellion is eager to push us out of the mountains. Are these mining operations really so important?“

„They are not meaningless.“, the Official said, „The Ministry of Economy said that it would be a blow for our production and export, but not decisive concerning our global war efforts.“

„Anyway.“, the General said. „Let`s assume, the information is correct and Liao sends Infantry to this place. What else? I am going to assume, that they will not commit their few Battlemech Forces to the Periphery. On the other hand it would be suicidal to just send Footsoldiers. I also expect Tanks and Artillery to arrive. And they have a lot of time to get these units into position.“

Koch nodded. The negotiations have been successful and a ceasefire for one month was agreed upon. Both sides needed the break, but with these new informations it became obvious, why the Rebellion was eager to stop fighting for a while.

„The question is, what we have got to counter this?“, Martin asked. The General and the Official became silent for a moment, before Patel adressed Koch again.

„There will be a meeting with our Allies on Detroit. The Federation, Magistracy and Concordat. I`d like you to join our Delegation, since you have good relations with all these parties. Departure tomorrow.“

„Yes, Sir.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Ann Arbor (Detroit)


Koch knew Detroit very well. In the early stages of his Company, the Grenadiers had many contracts with the local Government to weed out Pirate and Smuggler activity. He had always thought Detroit to be a curious place. Considerably propserous, it nevertheless was rather helpless versus Pirate raids, since it did not maintain an own Mech force nor had the ability to produce one itself.

Besides that he liked it here. The population did not have too many problems. Sure, the living standard was clearly below the average world in the Inner Sphere, but vast agriculture plus export-focused mining operations provided everything to cover all basic needs.

Ann Arbor, the capital, was a charming site and provided everything one needed. Although a bit provincial either, a visitor from the Inner Sphere would find all conveniences he would fancy. Martin had no such desires. Upon arrival he went to his room in one of the better hotels in the city, where the other delegations had their lodging either. The same evening he had received an invitation from the Aurigan Delegation, that was led by Kamea herself.

„I am happy for you. I think that this is, what Emily has wanted for a long time now.“, Kamea said and smiled. Martin did too. First of all because she was right. Secondly because he enjoyed to see her again.

„It has been a long time, since we had a cup of coffee together. Feels a bit like the first time we met.“

„Was that really less than three years ago? It feels longer.“

Martin looked at her. Her voice had become more serious. He was a bit worried. Kamea had always been a serious person. At first in clinging to her birthright. That she was the rightful heir of the Coalition. Then during the Restoration. She had seen awful things. She had to be a Leader. And deal with the consequences of her actions for everyone involved. Then as a Ruler. She had to build up a realm in shatters. And when one looked at her and listened to her, things did not seem to go well. And there were rumors.

„How are you?“, he asked.

„Why?“, she replied in a tone that revealed, that the conversation would probably go into a direction she did not like.

„How does the Restoration proceed?“

„The war is over. And we won.“

„Aye. Will you win the peace too?“

„I don`t know.“, she said. „What have you heard?“

„Some official news. A lot of rumors. The Coalition is in a fragile state. That you try to build up infrastructure and secure some power basis. That you maybe increase the crown domain by seizing the assets of House Espinosa. That you keep up the structure of the Directorate insofar, as the Central Government does not rely on the Council of the other Houses.“

„It is difficult, Martin. There is a reason why I am here and not Alexander or someone else. I have to use any opportunity to meet with the other players in the Periphery to secure our relations. Unfortunately I don`t bring a lot to the bargaining table besides the will to cooperate. And that is because the Coalition is still very weak. And, as you can see, if even the weakest of the Inner Sphere states wants it, a stable system experiences a civil war.“

„Stable? I am not so sure about it. Cluff`s Stand was a bomb, waiting for explosion. Yes, the Confederacy participates in it, but without the fractures in society, it maybe never would have happened.“

„Maybe. Do you have any advice?“

„Probably not. But I remember the Kamea, that was eager to restore the situation as it was under your father`s rule. The idealistic leader, that was able to inspire people.“

„I remember, that you mocked her for it.“

„I did.“, he said and smiled. „Maybe I was wrong. See, I know that you have to deal with a lot of Realpolitik and that there are too many compromises to be made. But a part of truth is, and I see it on Cluff, that if you Alienate too many noble families, they might be tempted to look for friends abroad. And I don`t want to read something like that about the Coalition when I am gone.“

„You are leaving?“

„Yes. Also a reason, why I am here. I`ll be a parent soon, and I need to sort out some things. But, to be frank, I want to leave the Periphery and return to the Inner Sphere. I am still a Citizen of the Commonwealth and bring some frontline experience with me. That should count for something.“

„I am sure about that. But first you have to help clean up this mess. How is the situation?“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Ann Arbor (Detroit)


Koch looked around in the Conference Room. There were only four Parties present, but still everyone had sent a small group. From Cluff`s Stand there were two Officials from the government, General Patel and him. For the Federated Suns is was Ambassador Westminster and some Assistants. Kamea had also arrived with aides. Eventually the Magistracy was represented by Ana Maria Centrella.

General Patel was explaining the military situation on the planet. Eventually he mentioned the unconfirmed, yet probable development of Liao forces arriving on the planet in order to turn the tide and provide a benefit for the Rebellion on the battlefield.

„Current scout reports indicate, that the enemy is building up forces in the southern sectors around this mountain range, that has been in the focus of enemy troops during the recent month already. It is probable, that a large offensive is being prepared.“

„Will you be able to hold them back?“

„For a while, yes. We are currently reinforcing our troops with new recruits…“

„A process, that seems to face some difficulties.“, Lady Centrella noted. The General and the government officials became silent for a moment. It had become known, that the new draft law faced opposition from parts of the population. There were protests in many places, most of them peaceful.

„This is correct.“, an Official from the Foreign Ministry said. „Yet we will be able to bring our units back to full strength. But these units will have many green soldiers among them, while the Rebellion will have a pool of experienced conventional forces at its disposal. Our army, supported by Mercenaries, will do its best to counter this threat, but the question is, whether we can count on more support from our friends.“

„The Aurigan Coalition…“, Kamea began. „…will not be able to actively support the Defence of Cluff`s Stand. But we are open for recruitment efforts among the citizens of the Aurigan Reach.“

„We already are financially committed to your cause.“, Lady Centrella said. „I will inform the Magestrix about the new developments. Maybe there are options to secure the supply lines to Cluff`s Stand.“

Now everyone looked at Susan Westminster. She hated this. Yes. The Federation was the biggest player here. And, yes, it has interests in the south. But this was not really important. She had no authority to make promises, so she would have to say something that at least sounded encouraging, without making promises.

„The Federation will closely monitor the situation, especially with these latest developments. It supports the Government of Cluff`s Stand with funds and will continue to do so. We will have to evaluate the current situation and will inform all present parties, if we are to increase our investment in this conflict.“

*****​

After the meeting had ended, all participants parted ways. The Government Officials and Patel were rather disappointed. They had hoped for more concrete measures to back their war efforts. Now they had to wait, whether more external support would come or not. Kamea had not been pleased either. She was not able to give support anyway, revealing her weak position to others. And maybe she was here for similar reasons as the Government of Cluff`s Stand. She needed help from others, although the survival of her state was not threatened by military, but socio-economic factors. The Magistracy appeared as calculating as always. It was nigh impossible to not notice, how they were weighing interests at any given second.

Eventually there was the Federation. When Ambassador Westminster went away, Martin followed her.

„Your Excellency?“

She turned around. „Commander Koch?“

„If you have a few minutes, I would like to have a talk with you.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Avalon City (New Avalon / Federated Suns)


Hanse Davion sat in his regular meeting with Quintus Allard. After some Federal matters and issues along the borders had been discussed, Allard brought up the last topic of the day.

„Eventually there is the Rimward Periphery. Westminster has sent a report about the Civil War in Cluff`s Stand.“

„Aha.“, Hanse said and began to read. On the one hand he had sympathies for the Periphery. It had the charm of being the frontier of mankind. On the other hand everything that happened there was so small in scope, that it was more distraction than essentially interesting. After he finished reading, he turned to Allard again.

„Your opinion?“

„The reports are not confirmed yet, but I think it is possible, that Maximilian sends few conventional forces south to topple the local Government.“

„I am not really concerned about that. A Regiment in the south means one Regiment less in our way next year. But I wonder why he invests that much. Is there something special about that planet?“

„Not that we know of. But the fact, that it is the most populated and wealthy in the region may be a factor. Plus, if he succeeds, it may very well serve as platform for further expansion. Think about it. Suppose he wins and the new Government is more or less a puppet of the Confederation. And let`s also imagine, that our plans work as expected, then he may feel tempted to compensate his losses in the south, with an important system already under his control.“

Davion leaned back. A possibility, but, in his book, not a really probable one. If his plan worked well, Maximilian would not have anything left to expand with. But, on the other hand, it was nevertheless wise to contain his influence in the Periphery. But he did not feel like getting too invested in this.

„As I said. I am not too worried. But maybe we can increase the subsidies to the government a bit, so they can hire additional Mercenaries and keep their army fighting.“

„Yes.“

„Another thing. Susan mentions a Mercenary. Martin Koch. I don`t know why, but the name sounds familiar.“

„He was employed by the Taurians last year during the Terrorist Crisis.“

Davion thought for a moment. „Aaaah. Yes. I remember.“

„He signed an association contract with us and now seeks employment in our Armed Forces.“

„Interesting. Why not? He is a born Lyran, right? He has got experience. And having Commonwealth Officers in our units would surely please Melissa. Tell High Command to find a spot for him.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)



Patel had gathered the Section Commanders from the south in the Headquarter to discuss the recent developments.

„Gentlemen. The good news first. The Federation has agreed to send more money to the government. That means more troops on the ground. Plus the Magistracy offered us to lease a series of Dropships, improving our Navy and making supply convoys more safe.“

The Commanders made some agreeing remarks. Everyone was relieved when thinking about a stable stream of supplies reaching their units. The recent weeks had seen major improvements in combat strength. Vehicles got repaired or replaced. New recruits were arriving at the barracks.

„Now the bad news. The recent Draft Riots are not completely over yet. Hence the government needs some forces to maintain order. And these forces are not available at the frontline. There are ongoing negotiations with the protesters, but at the moment these events make us a bit weaker.

Then we have the situation around the Shemla range. According to our informations, the Confederation has deployed significant forces there and the Rebellion seems to send its Reserves too. Right now we expect a two pronged attack in the north and south to envelope the mountains. All in all they will probably be able to deploy three Regiments additional to the already present forces.

It became dead silent in the room. All Commanders imagined an assault by two fully equipped conventional Regiments of regular or veteran Liao forces in their Sector.

„But why there? What do they want?“, Colonel Meade asked.

„We don`t know. But we are preparing for the inevitable assault. We are going to send all available forces to strengthen the Sectors north and south of the mountains. Commander Koch. I am sorry, but you will have to get along with what you have right now.“

Martin made a deep breath. „I can accept that General. But Colonel Meade is right. The important question is, why they are attacking there.“. He stood up and walked toward a projection of the Sector map. „According to our data, the Liao forces have their forward Headquarters here and here. I suggest to start a Commando operation on one of these targets in order to obtain documents and data concerning their priorities.“

„That`s like asking a squad of people to commit suicide.“, Colonel Dorn meant.

„Yes, it will be dangerous. But the potential gain justifies the risk in my opinion.“

Patel looked at the Commanders, Koch and the map. For a moment he just stood there motionless. Eventually he said: „I will forward your request to the Government.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

October 3027

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)



Martin walked through the streets of the city toward the Headquarter. He would have preferred to be down south in "his" sector again. The ceasefire was about to end and while he had a lot of confidence in Captain Dawar`s ability to organize the units, he wanted to be there and prepare the Sector for the inevitable onslaught personally.

Yet the General had ordered him to stay in the capital for another day. As it seemed, his suggestion was seriously discussed within the Ministry of Defense and the Chiefs of Staff.The decision would get announced soon and it was time for him to get to the General to see what was going to happen. Or not.

The city itself had not changed a lot. At least when it came to the general appearance. But something was different. There were more graffities and bills on the walls. The war had not only created a frontline across the planet, but also ignited a higher political awareness among the population. There were more debates among the people. They were supposed to fight for the status quo. But those who had nothing to gain from that, asked more questions. And organized themselves. The Draft Law had turned these sparks into a fire. There had been peaceful and violent protests. The Government was unsure what to do and how to react. They were not prepared for a war on two fronts, so they made promises for a change in the political system for the post-war period. Although there was distrust, it was enough to quell most of the unrest for the time being.

Occupied with these thoughts, he entered the briefing room. General Patel was already waiting for him. Next to him was a Lieutenant he had not seen before. He saluted toward his superior Officer and then greeted the other man. He looked at his uniform. Rai.

"Commander.", the General said. "I would like to introduce you to Lieutenant Rai. He is Commander of Team Nine of the Special Forces."

"So you are the man who is responsible for our next mission.", Rai said.

The Special Forces. Just as in all Armed Forces, there was a small group of soldiers specialized on Operations behind the enemy lines. Koch did not think, that there were actually nine different Teams here, since Cluff`s Stand had not a large army and probably no need for elaborated Special Forces, but he had no doubt that they were well trained for whatever job was waiting for them.

"So there will be an attempt to raid the enemy Headquarter?", Koch asked.

"Yes, the Minister did greenlight it two hours ago. I had informed the Lieutenant about this potential task yesterday already and we were just talking about a first plan to infiltrate the installation."

"The problem here is not so much the distance to the target.", the Lieutenant explained. "But that we are only a small group of Infantry versus a well guarded military camp. Fortunately all installations there are rather improvised, so it should be possible to get there. Unfortunately we have to act fast and don`t know exactly what we are looking for, neither where to find it. We will seize some computers we find and get out of there as fast as possible. If you don`t find what you hope is there, then I am sorry."

"I understand. And I wish you the best of luck."

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Kathu (Cluff`s Stand)


The "Fortune" was one of the uncounted Leopard Dropships in the Universe. Hard to say, when it was built. But it surely had seen many changes. And encounters. Although the several owners of this vessel had invested a more or less reasonable amount of money into maintenance, it had a lot of visible scars from enemy fire, accidents or simply wear and tear. The recent two years, when the Grenadiers had risen to prominence in the Periphery and had more than just a decent income, had been good for ship, for many components had been renewed, so it would be able to stay in duty for a few years more.

Kate O`Shea was thinking about all of this, when she made a round through the ship. There was just an emergency crew aboard, since most members of the Grenadiers and their Mechs and supplies were in the camp at the edge of the city. Usually she was too, but almost every day she came here to take a look whether everything was alright. When she entered the Mechbay, she noticed that there was still activity. The city`s capabilities for Mech repairs were not the best, so the Mechs of the Company were usually repaired here instead of at the camp, where the improvised Mechbay was used primarily by the Regular Company.

She stopped in front of a Zeus and looked up. Near the Cockpit she saw Arthur working on the armor.

"Art! How does work progress?"

Arthur came down to his superior and wiped away a bit dirt from his hands. "Fine, Mam. We were able to fix the problem with the gyroscope and now the last parts of damaged armor get replaced. In 24 hours, this one is ready for duty again."

"Good.", Kate said while looking at the Mech. Eventually Arthur had a question himself.

"Talking about 24 hours. The ceasefire will end tomorrow. What do we have to expect?"

"Everything you can imagine in your worst dream.", they heard a voice and turned around to salute to Koch. When he came closer he smiled and shook hands with both. He was happy to be here again, although just for a short time.

"Nice to see you, Sir.", Kate said. "It wasn`t the same without you."

"Thank you, but I am sure that you managed the Company well in the meantime."

And that was true. Since Koch had become Sector Commander, Kate had performed all his duties. Organizing schedules, logistics, keeping the moral up. Interestingly enough she was not a Mechpilot. But she knew the ship and all the Mechs and their strengths and weaknesses and everyone accepted her opinions concerning tactics. But she also gave the experienced Platoon Commanders a lot of rope, so they were able to make decisions on their own. In short, the Company had been working efficiently. Or as efficiently as possible considering the general logistical chaos.

"To come back to your question, Art.", Koch said. "I have no doubt, that tomorrow all hell will break loose. The Rebellion is prepared, so are we. All these repaired Mechs will be needed and in a week they will probably all be in a terrible state again."

Koch gave Arthur a pat on the shoulder and made a gesture toward Kate to follow her.

"I did not expect you here, Sir.", Kate said while they were going toward the Command Center.

"I need a silent place to follow the events tonight."

"You think that they will start their offensive in the night?"

"No.", he replied while looking at his watch. 10.30 PM. "But in half an hour Operation Hedgehog will start. A group of Special Forces will attack an enemy Headquarter to obtain information concerning the intention of the Liao forces. I will listen to the comm frequency from here."

*****​

He looked at the watch again. Midnight. The ceasefire was over. And the mission was scheduled in a way, that Team Nine would arrive at the objective in 10 minutes, so one would be able to say, that one did not violate the short peace. Which was of course subject to interpretation, but after all nobody would ask too many questions anyway.

Then he heard the first voices in his headset. The Team had arrived close to the objective without getting noticed and left the VTOLs. He listened carefully, how the squad leaders gave orders to advance and secure different parts of the camp. He was relieved every time he heard the message "Clear". Eventually they had reached the main objective.

Then things developed quickly. They stormed the objective from two directions and this time things were not that easy. They faced opposition, but had the advantage of numbers and surprise. Nevertheless it seemed to take forever and Martin counted the seconds. The voices he heard became more stressful as they decided what to gather and what to leave behind.

After a sheer eternity, or at least it seemed to be like that for Koch, they left the scene, although only one exit was safe yet, since the other one was under fire already. He witnessed, how the rearguard tried to keep the enemy at bay, while also moving toward the Evacuation Zone. Then, all out of a sudden, the communication channel was dead. He tried to fix it, but the frequency remained silent.

*****​

An hour later, he stood in front of the Holographic Projector and spoke to General Patel.

"Was the mission a success?", he asked.

"Depends. The unit made it back with considerable amounts of data. But we have lost two men and another is injured."

Martin bit on his lip. He had not expected this. After all, this had been his idea. Sure, other people approved it and ordered that unit to act. Plus these men were soldiers and knew the risks of their job. Nevertheless he felt a bit responsible for all of this, for somewhere two families would soon get a letter from the government.

"Any results concerning the retrieved data already?", he asked, also to chase away these thoughts.

"Not yet. But you will get informed soon. Oh, and something else. In order to react to the incoming Offensive properly, the Grenadiers will belong to the Strategic Reserve of that whole Area as of today."

"Yes, Sir. When do you expect the enemy offensive to begin?"

"Soon, Commander. Very soon. We better get some sleep."

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)


The night was basically over. In the east the dawn had begun. And although the sun was not to be seen yet, there was enough light already to recognize the surroundings. Obviously it was autumn, for the nights had become rather cool already. Even more so with the mountains nearby, whose silhouettes were visible in the distance to the south.

And these mountains were the reason, why she was here. Sergeant Jane Kilrain looked through her binoculars eastward, down the narrow valley. To the south were the mountains, to the north a ridge of woody hills. In between a considerably lush valley with fields and pastures. Now traversed by several defense lines, since everyone was waiting for the inevitable enemy offensive.

She looked through her binoculars. Roughly a mile in front of her was the first line. In between the second, while she and the rest of her unit manned parts of the third line. 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Battalion of the 1st Home Guard. The Guard was part of the regular army of this planet and deemed to be the elite of the Armed Forces. At least that was what they said. But the recent months had taken their toll. Casualties and replacements by fresh recruits had an impact on the quality of the average soldier. Yes, there were still enough veterans and they got the best equipment, but the Guard had seen better days.

Inspecting the horizon, she had to think about the other units out there. Mostly the 4th Cluff Regulars and the 2nd Porcupine Militia. Artillery and light Fighter support. Some miles behind them, reserve units and some Battlemechs were waiting to intervene, if necessary. The good thing was, that, due to the calm of the recent weeks, these frontline units were at full combat strength again. But that would change soon enough. She looked to the left and right to inspect her own line, when suddenly there was an explosion.

She looked to the east again and saw, how the valley at its full width was pounded by artillery shells. The dirt and smoke made it quickly impossible to see anything. She saw movement in the second defense line and eventually some short light flares from the first line, indicating that the enemy was in sight and the fighting had begun.

*****​

Kathu



"Good evening, General.", Koch said while he saluted.

"Likewise, Commander.", Patel said and went to a table to get a mug of coffee out of a can. After that, he walked to Koch and looked at a map. "Any activities today?"

"No, Sir. Everything is calm."

"I don`t expect that to last for a long time. But every day with the mountains being tranquil is a good day."

"How is the situation on the flanks?"

"The offensive began as expected. Heavy assaults, but worse in the north.They were able to hold the line, but at high cost."

Martin looked at his Commanding Officer and how he stared at the map. In this moment he was happy to not be in his shoes, for he did not want to read the casualty reports from the whole front and the psychological burden that, if he failed, all these sacrifices would have been in vain.

"But I come here due to other issues, Commander.", Patel said. "We have first results from the data we gathered. As it seems, the Confederation believes this mountain rainge to be the site of an old Star League Fortress."

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)


„Hold still. You are bleeding like a pig.“

The Medic was kneeling over Sergeant Kilrain in her foxhole and put a bandage on her forehead. A splitter of a mortar shell had hit her. But although there were impressive blood stains in her face, the injury was far from serious. A minute later he was done and the bleeding had stopped. Nevertheless she felt dizzy and got up slowly.

„Try to get some rest today and sit still.“, the Medic said as he left her to go to the next soldier, who needed some help. Jane Kilrain nodded slowly. Rest? He had got to be effing kidding her. Where and when exactly was she supposed to get rest?

She looked to the left down the valley in front of her. Hard to believe, that it was just the second day of fighting. The first line, that had barely held its position yesterday, had to be given up today and the second line was hit hard either. Only the Gods knew, what tomorrow would bring.

Looking through her binoculars, she saw a graveyard for men and material in front of her. The second line was about to break, as the day slowly came to a close and the pressure decreased. But tomorrow would see another assault. The enemy brought in some fresh troops, but still only local forces. Her own side had rotated in reserves either, but they melted away like butter in the sun.

According to rumors, more units were arriving in the area. She turned around and looked in the opposite direction. The city was there, at the horizon. If the enemy would be able to push through it, they would enter more open terrain and spread out, possibly pushing south to envelope the mountains.

„Water?“, she heard a voice beside her. One of the Privates had brought her a bottle. She made something like a smile, grabbed the bottle and emptied it almost immediately. Then she took a deep breath and sat down. She felt tired. She needed a break, and be it for just a minute.

*****​

Kathu


„Good to see you, Colonel.“. Martin saluted in front of Colonel Lorena Sotelo. „And congrats to your promotion.“

„Thank you, Commander. I am afraid, that I did not really realize it yet.“

Two days ago, she had been still a Major, commanding her own Battalion north of the capital. Then she got a message, that she had to replace a fallen Sector Commander. A position, that came with a higher rank and the possibility to get cut off by the enemy.

„See, Commander, the General only told me, that I have to hold the mountains under all circumstances. And that you would tell me why.“

„Didn`t he tell you, that the enemy seems to believe, that an old Star League installation is in these mountains?“

„Yes. Maybe I am just an ignorant grunt, but what makes such an installation worth these efforts?“

„Two years ago I was in such an installation. And it was filled to the brim with Star League technology. Heavy and Assault Mechs. Ammunition. Maybe even an old Memory core, but we did not have enough time to find out. I guess especially the latter would be invaluable for the Rebellion and their Liao Allies.“

„And where are you going?“

„Finding out, whether all of this is maybe for nothing. I know a place, where I can get more information about this alleged Fortress, but I have to leave the planet for it. That`s why you have to take control of the Sector.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Space Transit


He tried to focus on the book on his lap, but was not really able to. Instead he was looking out of the small window and the black infinity on the other side. On the one hand he knew, that this voyage was necessary. He knew all the important people personally, so access to Data would probably not be a problem. On the other hand he wanted to be with his unit, who was probably involved in serious fighting already. Sure, Kate and Dekker would have no problem to lead the Grenadiers. Nevertheless he felt guilty to leave them alone like this.

He also thought about what would happen, no matter the idea of a Star League Fortress was true or not. When he was honest to himself, he would have preferred it to be untrue. If nothing would be there, then Liao would lose its main motivation for its engagement in the first place. But how would one be able to convince them, that nothing was there? No, the campaign would continue until the Rebellion would seize the whole mountain range and eventually find nothing. Or one would be able to halt the enemy advance and hopefully the Confederation would come to the conclusion, that the cost was not worth the benefit.

It was, as it often happened, the choice between the plague and cholera.

*****​

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)


It was night, as Jane and the rest of her platoon marched as quietly as humanly possible westward. It was decided to give up the current positions. New defense lines had been built, or rather improvised, closer to the city. Today had seen another massive assault and the third line had suffered a breach, until reserves were thrown there to cover the gap. Nevertheless it had been too much and the Sector Command ordered everyone to fall back.

In maybe another hour, the artillery would begin to plaster this whole area with a mix of anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. This would hopefully give them another one or two days to prepare the defense in the west, including more minefields.

A bit later they arrived in their new positions in the outskirts of the city. As she sat down to have a briefing with her Company Commander and the other Platoon leaders, she briefly put her hand on her forehead. There was still a small bandage and touching it resulted in a brief, but intense pain. Her father had a small scar in the face and she wondered, whether the same would happen to her.

The briefing was over rather soon. The evacuation of the city had begun. Only a token population would remain in order to provide some basic services such as energy. The government had declared the city to be a fortified place. Meaning that they would hold it, no matter the cost or damage. Resources were coming their way and this would be the focal point of the whole battle.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Cordia City (Coromodir / Aurigan Coalition)


He had seen lots of different planets. He had operated a multitude of different military equipment. He had worked in all kinds of biomes and settled areas. But here and now he was completely lost. The University of Cordia City was a vast complex. And although he knew, where he had to go, he had to rely on some helpful students to actually get there.

Eventually he stood in front of a door. There was a sign on it reading „Doctor Farah Murad“. He knocked and opened the door.

„Martin.“, she said and gave him a hug. Back in the days, she would not have adressed him like that. But since she had left, she had adopted a more relaxed relation. „I have to admit that you are the surprise of the week, when I got the message that you are going to visit.“

„Thank you. How are you doing?“

„Ah.“, she said. „It is utter chaos. At a superficial look the University is working normally again. But it is a daily fight to get material, funds and staff. We have a considerably good bandwidth of courses and the students are fine. But we can`t make any long-term plans, since we don`t know how our budget will be next year.“

Martin made an understanding face. A nation on shaky legs. That`s what he heard time and time again. But, despite all difficulties, he was confident that, in the end, the Aurigan people would overcome the obstacles. And he would maintain this opinion as long as people as Farah would continue to do their best.

„But you are here for a reason, right?“, she changed the topic.

„Yes. Do you remember the Star League Data we found aboard the Argo? I need to take a look at the map with the Star League installations, whether there is an entry for Cluff`s Stand.“

„Hmhm.“, she said and nodded. „I think that should not be much of a problem. I still have access to all the Data. I just need to make a call. Wait a minute.“

*****​

An hour later they were in a locked room in the Astrophysical Department and looking at a holographic projection of the Rimward Periphery. Respectively the part of it, that was covered by the old data.

"So, let me see. Cluff`s Stand, you say?“

„Yes.“

She zoomed to the northern part of the Periphery and the local systems appeared in more detail. Eventually a symbol appeared at the system.

„Bingo. There is something.“, Murad noted.

„Damn. I would not have thought that.“, Koch replied. „Do you have a specific location?“

„Sure.“

The map zoomed further in. Eventually the moon flew by and the surface of the planet came closer. Then he saw how the Shemla range came into sight. When he saw the detailed projection, he noticed that the old maps seemed to be a bit more accurate than the current ones. He looked at the blinking spot on the map.

„That is in the northern central part of it. But on the other side, that is controlled by the Rebellion. Strange. I would have thought, that such an installation would be easy to find. Do we have additional information about the facility?“

„Not really. All I can see is, that the facility seems to be younger than most others.“

He made a grumbling sound. This was not good. There was a potential treasure chest behind enemy lines. And if the Rebellion finds it first, things would maybe go south really fast.

„Thanks for everything, but I need some more people to see this immediately. I need a save line of communication.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Cordia City (Coromodir)


The same afternoon Martin met with Ambassador Westminster and Alexander Madeira. He had not seen Kamea`s friend and advisor since the Restoration. He had seen some bad times back then, when he had been captured by the Directorate. Always the rather calm, intellectual type of person, he seemed to have gotten even more serious during the recent two years. He wondered, whether that was due to his daily duties or because of the state of the nation and the direction the Restoration had taken.

But that was not important here and now. Everyone looked at the same part of the map and listened to Koch`s explanations.

„In short. The Shemla range is now the most important strategic asset on that planet. The last reports indicate, that the Rebellion offensive is gaining ground, although not as fast as they probably hoped for. Right now they are focused on achieving a breakthrough, encircle the range and search the western side of it for the fortress. As soon as they realize, that it is not there, they will probably inspect more thoroughly and find it on their side.“

„And then they may find lots of material and Star League Technology, benefiting the Confederation.“, Westminster said and made a thoughtful face. „So we have to stop the enemy offensive and secure the range.“

„That would be one option.“, Martin said. „But I would like to propose a different plan.“. For a while everyone listened to what he had in mind.

„This is an unconventional and also dangerous plan.“, the Ambassador said. „Do you have the resources for it?“

„Not yet. But you will provide them.“, Koch answered and looked at her and Alexander.

„Commander Koch.“, Alexander began. „The Coalition has nothing to spare. Our forces are thin and occupied with restoring order within our borders. As interesting as this plan is, I have to decline.“

„Then it is all up to you, Your Excellency.“. Martin looked at the Ambassador. „I am going to assume, that you have more associated units in the south. If so, we need them now. And if not, you have to convince someone to fight for us.“

Westminster closed her eyes for a while. She wondered, whether a decision like this was even within her authority to act upon the Federation`s behalf. And even if that is so, she was not sure, how to decide. She looked at the Commander. She liked him. He was straightforward, honest and calm. That was not a guarantee, that he was right, but she was inclined to listen to him. And the way he looked at her, he wanted a decision, because he had the opinion, that he needed it now.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)



„Fall back! Fall back!“

Jane Kilrain had received the order from the Battalion and now her unit, or what was left of it, grabbed the weapons and ran as fast as possible backwards. Into the city. The area was littered with small craters, burned out vehicles and a few corpses from today`s fighting.

The recent week had been the worst in her life. The Government had basically paved the valley with mines of all sizes. This had the desired effect to slow down the enemy advance. Even more, than they had hoped for. But eventually they had arrived at the last two defense lines before the city. At first it was the usual combination of conventional forces. But yesterday the first Battlemechs appeared on both sides, turning the battlefield into a slaughterhouse.

She was running past what was once an arm of a light Mech. The rest of it had fallen backward and brought a small house to its collapse. As soon as she had passed the first two streets, she felt a bit safer, although the enemy artillery was now pounding the area, sending besides shrapnels lots of secondary ammunition such as pieces of bricks through the air.

She and her unit reached what was designated as first line of defense within the city borders. She knew, that some buildings and side streets had been mined during the recent days in order to herd the enemy into some areas, that were supposed to be kill zones. She had no illusions about how wellt hat plan would work. But urban warfare was maybe even good, since the infantry was able to operate closer to the Mechs and maybe score some hits from hidden positions.

*****​

New Durban


General Patel took a look at the map. It was basically a miracle, that it had taken the Rebellion so long to get to the city. But he knew how costly it had been to achieve that. The air force and artillery had suffered serious casualties and it was only possible to maintain any operations at all by stripping other parts of the front of any reserves.

The area around the Shemla Range had become the central theater of this whole war. Both sides directed all resources toward that point. Either one side would be able to hold the city or the other one would take it, break out into the open and then anything was possible.

When he looked at the central Sector close to the mountains, he asked himself, if Koch had achieved anything.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Space Transit


This time he was in the mood to simply read a bit, although not for long. He was pleased about his stay on Coromodir and what he had achieved. Plus he had received some good news concerning his own future. But everything that had happened meant a lot of work and preparation for the things to come.

But the most important thing was, that he was going back to Alloway, where a Convoy was gathering. Besides the normal cargo consisting of vehicles, maintenance supplies, weaponry and a thousand other things, it would also carry more Battlemech units than usual. It would be a large Convoy, that would be able to proceed to Cluff`s Stand without fear of any threat.

He thought about his plan. It was a simple one. What made it, at least in his eyes, a good plan. There was not a lot that could go wrong. At least not that wrong, that it would lead to disaster. It all depended on how many participants were involved and soon he would find out.

*****​

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)


„Solar, here Echo 3. We need fire support at 3-21-36.“

„Echo 3, here Solar. Confirm one salvo for 3-21-36 incoming.“

Oddball turned his Battlemech, a Catapult, a bit to the right. Then he adjusted the angle of the Cockpit a bit more upward. He pulled the trigger and thirty long-range missiles began to leave the tubes and head toward the designated area as indirect fire support.

Sergeant Kilrain, Codename Echo 3, saw them coming. A few seconds later a small square in front of her position was filled with explosions. The Strike came amidst an enemy attack. This barrage would buy them some time and disorganize the enemy, but these were not just Militias. Two days ago, the first prisoner was made, who obviously came from the Confederation. Since then the enemy attack had pushed them out of their first line of defense. And things were not looking good.

Oddball, also known as Martin Sanchez, sent another thirty missiles toward the target area, before he had to retreat to the next supply point, since he had run out of ammunition. Coming from a small village, he had volunteered for the Government forces four months ago. Then it became known, that there was a training program for MechPilots. He was sent to a ship orbiting the moon, went through training and eventually got back to the planet, where he served together with these Mercenaries.

At first there was not a lot to do. But since the enemy offensive had reached the city. They were sent to help stabilizing the situation more often. He had seen Pilots getting injured and Mechs being pummeled. But both sides kept coming. This was not, how he had expected it to be. But it was also exciting.

"House to all forces. Retreat to Charlie. I repeat. Retreat to Charlie.". This was the Regional Commander. As it seems, the enemy had reached the own lines and it was time to get to another position. Oddball saw, how the people of the supply depot quickly manned the vehicles. Some of the supplies would maybe be left behind, but they had no time to spare. Right now, the Goverment forces performed an orderly withdrawal toward the next line. The battle for the city center had begun.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

November 3027

Alloway (Zenith Jump Point)



Koch was walking toward a meeting room within the Dropship, that he was able to rent for an hour. It was a rather small room with not even a tiny window and maybe large enough for ten people. He wondered, what kind of briefings took place here usually. But he did not have a lot of time to think about it, since the door opened and a tall, lean and blonde woman appeared. She walked toward him and saluted.

"Stephanie Müller from Müller`s Marauders."

"Müller? Related to the Müllers in Berlin?"

Both Commanders laughed for a while. Among those of German descent, it was an old joke. Back on Earth, Berlin had been the largest city and Müller the most common name. The latter was still true, especially in the Commonwealth, where both Koch and Müller hailed from. They sat down and talked for a while about the Commonwealth, what had led them to the Periphery and what they were doing.

Until the door opened again and a medium-sized, old Mercenary entered the room. Koch looked at him. He saw a grey beard and equally grey hair on an almost bald head, that showed a considerably large tattoo on the left side. On the same side a scar above the eye. Eventually the man greeted the other two.

"Commander Gramps from Gramps` Giants reporting for duty."

Koch welcomed him and offered him a seat.

"First of all, thank you for coming. I know, that you have been ordered to join this convoy, but I can assure you, that it is important. In a few hours we are jumping to Cluff`s Stand. Roughly 48 hours after our arrival, we will perform Operation Ironclad."

"What is the goal?"

"Hopefully ending a war."

*****​

Louwna (Cluff`s Stand)


Louwna was the largest city in the region with maybe two hundred thousand citizens. Most of them were gone and had left their city to the two warring factions, who, piece by piece, turned the whole city into a scene of destruction. The city center was probably never too scenic, but what was left of it now was just depressing.

Glitch in her Orion had no time to think about that. The city center was, in her mind, a large meat grinder in the first place, where men and material were sacrificed each and every day. And, as it seemed, the other side had more of both to spare, since the Government got pushed back step by step.

"Tengu, fall back a bit.", she ordered the pilot to her left, who had exposed himself too much to some enemy infantry, that hid in a building complex ahead and got indirect fire support. In the next moment, a large explosion occurred to her right, making a damaged building collapse.

"Artillery!", she said. In the next seconds a round of shells hit the area. She coincidentally looked to the right, as a shell hit the head of the Wolverine in her platoon.

"Ginger? Ginger, reporting! Ginger!", she said into the Mic, but there was no answer, as the Wolverine fell backwards toward the wall of an abandoned house.

"Movement in the front!", Tengu reported. And indeed she saw maybe two Platoons of Tanks, supported by Infantry. Then a Vindicator turned around the corner. A shot of his PPC targeted and hit an APC, that exploded, killing the crew and two men standing nearby.

"Charlie. Alpha Strike on my mark, then retreat. Alpha in three, two, one, now."

The Orion, Blackjack and Kintaro released a salvo of all their weapons, destroying two Tanks and damaging the Vindicator. But the Tanks kept pushing on, while the own Infantry began to retreat to the next street corners. Charlie Platoon, having lost a Mech and consisting of one fully operational and two damaged Mechs, followed their example.

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

New Durban (Cluff`s Stand)


It was late afternoon already, when the vehicle drove through the outskirts of the city toward the Headquarter. Besides Koch, Commander Müller and Commander Gramps were heading toward a meeting with General Patel, that they had asked for as soon as the Dropships had landed.

Eventually they came at the building complex and were immediately led into the meeting room, where Patel was waiting for their arrival. Martin and the other two Officers saluted.

„Welcome back, Commander.“, Patel said to Koch.

„Thank you, Sir. I would like to introduce to you Commander Müller and Commander Gramps. They command one Company of Battlemechs each.“

„Welcome. It is good to see you, for I can need your units to eventually stop an enemy offensive in the south.“

„Sir, for the time being these units will serve under my command.“

„Pardon?“

Koch handed a letter to Patel. As he read it, his facial expression changed from doubtful to surprised to angry.

*****​

Avalon City (New Avalon / Federated Suns)


Quintus Allard had asked for a meeting with Hanse Davion and, as usual, he was granted an immediate appointment.

„Anything special, Quintus?“

„We have received a message from Westminster. It came with a courier ship.“

Hanse looked up and looked at Allard with a raised eyebrow. Of course he, just like many others, had suspicions concerning ComStar. But not using the communication network at all, not even with heavy encription, was a rather uncommon move. Especially when it was just about some random conflict in the Periphery. He took the message and began to read.

„Wow. Just wow. Did you read it?“, he asked and Allard answered with a nod. „Okay, so there is maybe or probably an old Star League installation. I agree with her, that this justifies further engagement.“

„This may further escalate the conflict.“, Quintus noted.

Hanse Davion had to think about it. Assuming, that the installation was real, then what might actually happen? There may be lots of military hardware. Let`s say a Battalion of Star League Mechs. Not enough to make a difference in the Inner Sphere. But enough to turn the tide in a local civil war. But what, if there is a Memory Core? Analyzing the Data and improving its military would take the Confederation too much time to have any effects before next summer. But in the long run his enemies may gain a significant technological advantage.

„Unfortunately there is nothing we can do right now.“, he said. „Send a message to Westminster, that she has free hand to act as she deems necessary to solve the situation.“

 

[Stuckenschmidt]

Anklam Valley (Cluff`s Stand)


The Anklam was one of the many small rivers that had their source in the Shemla Range. But this one was on the Rebellion side of the mountains. But although it was rather close to the range divide, the Rebellion had no forces here and only performed a regular patrol duty. Just like the Government, the Rebellion did not have enough forces and saw no need to have a presence in each and every small valley and focused on the main routes.

But today, everything would be different. Five Leopard Dropships approached fast and as deep as the terrain and the Pilots` skills allowed. The first wave was about to make landfall and investigate the site.

„Arrival in 30 seconds, Sir.“, Sumire Meyer reported.

„Confirmed.“, Koch replied. He gave order to the rest of the Platoon to prepare to jump off the ship, that would only hover above the ground. Thirty seconds later , Alpha Platoon of the Grenadiers was on the ground. The same was true fort he whole Company of Commander Gramps. The „Zulu“ was the only ship, that actually landed and a Platoon of Mechanized Infantry and Engineers each left the vessel.

A minute later, all the Dropships were on the way home already. Koch saw them disappearing. This had gone well. He wondered, whether the second run would be as easy, for their appearance was probably not unnoticed, unless the Gods of War were blessing them with luck.

„Strange, Sir.“, Tengu reported. „According to our Data, the entrance is supposed to be exactly here.“. The Mech stood in front of a slope, but there was nothing but slip rock.

„Then we have to start digging.“, Koch replied.

A bit later, the Mechs began to dig with their hands in order to remove all the loose material. In the mean time, the Infantry set up a position a bit down the valley and began to monitor everything that happened. But so far things were rather calm. It took about half an hour, until one of the Mechs suddenly saw some concrete. Now everyone focused on that spot and after a while, the entrance to an installation was visible.

In the meantime the second wave with the Marauders and Charlie Platoon of the Grenadiers had appeared and took up position, as the engineers worked on opening the facility.

„Cradle, here Eagle.“, the Sergeant in command of the Mechanized Infantry reported. We have movement down the valley. I see Motorized Infantry advancing.“

„Roger. Mike, engage the enemy at long range.“

„Aye.“, Stephanie confirmed. A few seconds later, the enemy unit heard the sound of an advancing Platoon of Medium Battlemechs and received fire by LRM and PPC. The enemy Commander, who only had the order to investigate the situation, since there had been reports about enemy activity, suddenly saw himself confronted with heavy resistance. He ordered his unit, that was no match for a group of Battlemechs, to fall back and called for reinforcements.

„That will buy us some time. But then this will turn into a hot landing zone.“, Stephanie said.

„Indeed.“, Koch agreed. „Echo? Situation?“

„We are working on it, Sir. Give us a bit more time.“, The Lieutenant in charge of the Engineers meant. He was about to tell them, that time was something they did not have in abundance. But then he reminded himself, that it is not wise to harass a Doctor during a surgery.

„Cradle, here Eagle. More activity. I see at least a company of Infantry plus at least a Platoon of light Battlemechs coming our way.“

„Commander, here Echo. We cracked the security. The facility will open now.“

Koch conformed both reports. At the same time, he heard explosions. Not a lot, so he assumed, that just a few enemy artillery pieces were in position to prepare the enemy attack. He ordered the Marauders and one Platoon of the Giants to hold the enemy advance. With one Platoon of the Grenadiers and the rest of the Giants as reserve.

„I am going in. Charlie and Echo follow me. Mike is in Command now.“. The Engineers and one Platoon of the Grenadiers entered the Fortress.