Battleship is an absolutely trash movie, but they filmed on an actual Iowa (Missouri?) and had men that had served on her on set as actors. I'm pretty sure the old guy that supervised the gun loading crew served in that exact role in WWII.
Battletech [Battletech/Planetary Annihilation SI] Iron Blooded Commander
- Thread starter Seras
- Start date
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- Tags
- battletech self-insert
xachariahxx
Well-known member
Apologies in advance for the rant. I went to look at the comments for this story on another site, and wow was I surprised at the number of posters who hate the Gauge/Comstar subplot. (Also it reminds me why I prefer the-sietch.)
The comstar subplot is one of the primary sources of tension in the story, and it doesn't take up much word count. It's all naturally building as a slow burn pressure, reminding the reader that things could go bad. And it's character building for the most important character in the story that isn't the MC. It's a microcosm of the whole story's premise (eg, the only reason why Vicky does anything the way she does instead of spamming out Colossi and Atlases is because she's worried about discovery).
But they seem to hate it with a seething fury. It feels like they can't seem to handle that maybe there's something the MC can't just stomp with infinite lostech mechs. If they actually got their wish then they'd just lose interest, because then there'd be no tension. /rant
The comstar subplot is one of the primary sources of tension in the story, and it doesn't take up much word count. It's all naturally building as a slow burn pressure, reminding the reader that things could go bad. And it's character building for the most important character in the story that isn't the MC. It's a microcosm of the whole story's premise (eg, the only reason why Vicky does anything the way she does instead of spamming out Colossi and Atlases is because she's worried about discovery).
But they seem to hate it with a seething fury. It feels like they can't seem to handle that maybe there's something the MC can't just stomp with infinite lostech mechs. If they actually got their wish then they'd just lose interest, because then there'd be no tension. /rant
Evilutionary
Active member
I like the Gauge angle. Given Comstar's recruiting methods it feels natural, if somewhat clumsy at times. But I think it's what they would do and how essentially a bunch of 14-15 year old orphans (running a merc company with very little adult supervision of all things) would mess things up.
As far the 'worried about discovery' thing....the whole lack of 'fuck you, pay me' on Vicky's part is a huge redflag that something is very wrong with the unit, even for complete amateurs.
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Bear Ribs
Well-known member
Yeah, some readers want ice cream for dinner and won't accept quality if it doesn't give them instant gratification.
I find the ComStar subplot quite well done. It presents a nice threat that can't be solved by printing 'mechs and also isn't the same variety as the other threats Vicky is facing so it mixes things up. Personally, I'm hoping Adept Michaelson is actually as genuine and caring as he appears and is being played just as much as Gauge is by some higher-level ROM agent or precentor. Having every last person in ComStar be puppy-kickingly evil is so overdone.
Seras
Well-known member
Thanks. It's nice to hear there are different perspectives on it.
Honestly calling my writing 'clumsy' is probably the best way to do it. I am not a very prolific writer. This is the first thing that I have ever really sunk my teeth in that lasted more than 20k words. It was funny people were complaining about the Gauge plot in chapter 1. And all I could think was "I didn't even have the intention of actually posting this while I was writing chapter 1. Of course it's not perfect."
I have no intention of halting the Gauge ComStar plot. I did finally come up with an idea for how I wanted it to end, so it does have an idea behind it.
Honestly calling my writing 'clumsy' is probably the best way to do it. I am not a very prolific writer. This is the first thing that I have ever really sunk my teeth in that lasted more than 20k words. It was funny people were complaining about the Gauge plot in chapter 1. And all I could think was "I didn't even have the intention of actually posting this while I was writing chapter 1. Of course it's not perfect."
I have no intention of halting the Gauge ComStar plot. I did finally come up with an idea for how I wanted it to end, so it does have an idea behind it.
Evilutionary
Active member
I'd still rather read this (and other fanfic) than most of the drek that passes as professional mass market scifi nowadays. They have editors and and a complete (plotted out) product. You're writing essentially what is a first draft and throwing it out there. Essentially it's writing with no net. If I really don't like something I just don't read it and certainly wouldn't waste time commenting on it. I'm pretty sure you know that angle behind the fire the Gauge plot is attracting regardless.
As a side note regarding the 'no net' thing, I love it that sometimes authors catch themselves by surprise about how a plot turns out. I always thought it was hilarious that Tolkien finished up LotR and then looked back at it and realized that he (quite unintentionally) made the gardener the main protagonist of the epic rather than Frodo. Fanfic is like having a front row seat watching those sorts of developments happen organically.
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Kilvanya
Well-known member
The only thing I’ll say about the Gauge x Com* plot line is that we were introduced to it far to soon for how little it has progressed in totality, if it had show up in side conversations as a sorta did he didn’t he from Vicky’s perspective or from afar as another member of the IBO so we didn’t get the internal thoughts or full dialogue of both parties to keep it a mystery to what went down. I dunno just feels like it would have been more palatable with us being on the outside overhearing them instead of the pov being in the conversation.
Chapter 13.1
Seras
Well-known member
Chapter 13.1 A moment's rest
2023
Zaniah III
RedBase
Finally we were home. Our ‘short’ mission to Skye took far longer than I expected but it was over now. My kids were happily passing out Immortal Warrior swag and I was finally home.
Which is of course when I was yanked aside by a friend with no time to talk.
“Vicky! No time to relax now!” Gauge offered as he jogged up and grabbed me by the arm, turning me away from my room and bed, towards the offices.
“Gauge. I just got back. Unless it’s an emergency-”
“It is!”
Fuck. “Alright I’m coming I’m coming stop tugging.” Gauge led me out of the base, towards one of the security checkpoints. While I was gone, the checkpoints had ballooned a bit, looking almost like mini administration offices, themselves, and I figured out what was going on as I was walked over.
They were full of people.
“Gauge?”
“Do you have any idea what you did!?” He tells me, stopping and grabbing me by my shoulders. Then shaking me frantically caused me to helplessly laugh, which only made his shaking all the worse.
“No-not r-reaally!” I offered through the motions before he stopped.
“We have had so many recruits come by! Not even orphans but actual military groups!”
“What? Why?”
“Don’t be obtuse! You know why! You dropped the fact we have Lostech out into the world. There are tons of merc groups, big and small that want a bite. A lot of the big ones want to trade, the small ones want to join up!”
“Really! That’s great!”
“What? How is it great! I have had to deal with these as-” He breaks into mumbles as he realizes how close he was to the buildings. “For months! You have any idea how nosy and bossy they are?”
“Not really, but I am guessing I am going to spend the next few days finding out?”
“Days? Hah. Oh Vicky. Vicky Vicky Vicky… Weeks. Minimum. Have fun.” He growled, pushing me into a building. I turned noticing I was being stared at by quite possibly a hundred or more full grown adults, most of them wearing some sort of uniform.
They were split up into groups, But I could tell a lot of them had been here for a while by the way they were relaxing, feet up on tables, or resting back smoking and drinking.
“Well. This is awkward. I’m Commander Eisen-Blume. I run the Iron Blooded Orphans. I am told a lot of you want to join up, or trade hardware. I might be up to either of those, but I’m not holding meetings in a bar. Even though there shouldn’t be a bar on my base because I have impressionable teenagers under my command…” I trail off glaring a few of the pilots mech or otherwise that were smoking, or had a bottle of booze in their hands.
A few moments later most, but not all put their smokes out, and drinks away and I nodded. I pointed to Gauge who had eventually followed me in. The ass. “Gauge. Do we have a list of everyone?”
“Who do you think you are talking to? Of course we do… Homeguard wouldn’t let them on base even out here, if we didn’t.”
“Good. Go ahead and start scheduling meetings then. Might as well get started.”
“Yes Vicky!”
—-
The meetings were interesting. A few were fun, talking to other mercs was always an experience.
“So you were fighting how many? Damn, that’s a hell of a battle. I’m still sorry. I can’t really make that trade.. But I might have some spares to get your mechs running again. Yeah I picked up a lot of repair parts.”
Some were bad.
“No, I will not trade my Nightstar! I don’t care how much better a pilot you are than me! Fuck off!”
And then some? Some were undeniably interesting.
“Well I can admit this is sort of a surprise.” I tell the woman sitting in front of me. She was dressed in an old uniform that wasn’t looking it’s best but what was more weird?
She wasn’t a Lyran.
“I figured you would be a little weirded out by it.” She shrugged. “Can’t do anything about that but roll the dice.”
“Yeah I guess that’s true. Why us? There are other merc groups out there. Heck, there are groups bigger than we are that would probably scoop you up.”
“You would think so, but you’d be wrong ASF pilots are hard to get jobs for. You think everyone would want some, but that’s just it, a company only has room for a couple. Once you get too many, you have to either leave’em behind, or drop a mech.”
“Companies don’t drop mechs for ASF.” I offer back and she nods.
“Got it in one Commander. So here is my thinking. New merc groups usually are rabid for ASF, but just a couple. Then they laugh us out of the room. But you got a weird situation. And I got a crew of pilots, some without planes. It seems to be a good deal.”
“Plenty of things seem, without being true. We aren’t FedSuns.”
“Bah. I’m a merc. Been that way all my life. I’ve fought plenty of Feddies. Just never for serious stuff, or on the Snakes side.” She shrugged. And damn if I wasn’t impressed with how casual she was. Fucking fighter pilots were cool. Dangit!
“Benny?” I turned to the boy. He had been pulled into these meetings pretty quickly. It was useful to have his perspective.
My Sub-commander shrugged. “It’s an interesting deal. Nothing we can’t afford.” he offered, and I could see the woman's eyes sparkle at that. The fact we had money must be a big reason for her to join us.
“How about a training period? Frankly. Captain, we haven't prepared for taking on already established commands yet. We have been training completely in house.”
“I get that Commander. Alright, we will accept a transition period, a chance to see if this will work for us. You are the Commander, we will follow your lead, but I will still be the lead up in the sky. No offense Commander, but grounders don’t tend to have the right mentality when it comes to the sky.”
“We’ll see. I have no problem testing it out. We will give you a chance Captain O’Connor.”
“Lovely. Then O’Connor’s Corsairs won’t disappoint.”
—-
“So hands up for betting she is a MIIO member?” I asked, and got a few hands raised among my staff.
Smart kids.
“Commander Eisen-Blume… I don’t agree with this. If you suspect them of being members of MIIO and spying on you, let us take care of them. Delta Ops have been learning plenty from the Lohengrin playbook.” Eris offered, Carl beside her looking just as fierce as he nodded too.
“No.”
“But Commander! Enemy intelligence officers shouldn’t be invited to join us! That’s the exact opposite of what you are supposed to do!” Carl offered.
“You have spent too much time learning from Eris.” I poke at the two of them. Eris had basically taken over the ‘intelligence’ services of my company, subverting Delta Ops with precious, precious secret training.
“What’s that supposed to mean!” She sounded actually offended, which was good. She was finally starting to show real emotions more often.
“We aren’t LIC. Nor are we serving the Archon, even if we have an alliance of sorts. We have no issues with the Federated Suns, or anyone else. Not directly. Our job is to bring peace, we can’t do that by making war with everyone. At least not easily.”
Carl pouting a little, shrugged. “So what? We bring them in, show them everything?”
“Heavens no. We bring them in, show them the obvious stuff. Gauge’s classes have already been… Altered. To make sure that outsiders can’t just walk in and realize what’s going on.”
“I offer no apology.” Eris huffed at me, and I waved her off.
“I wasn't asking for one. But the Castle Brian is already an open secret. So let them in, give them space. Treat them like friends, but not brothers.”
“It will be nice to have actual ASF pilots.” Benny offered and I nodded.
“And of course we will use them. Get Gabe up in the air under their command. Get his Lance all the experience they need under guise of working together. That way even if they do end up betraying us, or leaving…”
“In the end we still benefit.” Eris offered.
“Exactly. They want to spy on us? Good. Let them, we will force them to benefit us in return. Besides, we do need more ASF pilots. I don’t feel safe flying around in a colossus without an escort. Sure it’s got enough punch to turn away just about anyone, but it’s still as vulnerable as any other dropship.”
“I will still keep a close eye on them Commander.” Eris offered and Carl was nodding along. I just rolled my eyes.
“The spy wants to spy on people. I’m shocked.” I teased which earned me a glare from them both as I laughed. “Do as you like.”
—-
A few days later we were integrating Captain O’connor into the base. Her ASF a Corsair V20 followed by another three of the same planes landed on our runway and then I got to see our massive Castle Brian level freight elevator take them down into the base.
I had made it myself.
The four planes would be stored inside here, and during their maintenance, the crew that ‘O’Connors Corsairs’ already had to keep their planes up and running would be helping to teach some of the Repair unit.
“They are pretty birds.” I mention as the captain saunters out of her plane with a pilots swagger.
“Well they may be a little rough when compared to your gear straight out of a SLDF cache, but they fly just fine. Kill Snakes good too.”
“I’m sure they do. My pilots are excited to have you on base. While the 10th have been happy to start their flight training the 10th can only give so much stick time. I expect my pilots will be running your people ragged up in the air soon.”
“Is that some joke about our age? We aren’t even in our thirties, you know?” The fact the older woman actually sounded a little offended meant I couldn’t just let that go.
“Really? All you old people look the same after a certain point. Thirty, sixty? What’s the difference right?” I tease earning a truly offended look for a moment before the woman seemed to remember I was her superior officer, or at least would be.
“Right.”
“Forgive me. We are all family here, poking fun is just part of it. But I do mean it. My kids are going to want to spend all day and night in the sky. I hope you are ready.”
“I think we’ll manage. I mean, for new pilots most birds aren’t going to be comfortable for long term flying, they will tire out and need rest before too long.”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Gabe! Where’s our birds?” I call out seeing the head of my ASF unit admiring the new pilots.
“Commander! Just through the door. We don’t store them on the lift!” He calls out over the noise as the blast door behind him finally opens. Revealing the truly massive ASF hangar. Currently it only had eight planes. Even with the four new Corsairs it wasn’t even touching a quarter of the ASF bays currently laying empty.
So I had gone a little crazy when designing. I mean I was just preparing for the future.
“Oh you do have birds for your group already? I hadn’t heard that.” The Captain asked arching a bit to look through the blast doors.
“We don’t really take them out. None of them have the training yet t-”
“Oh my God.” Captain O’Connor flipped off her sunglasses as the door rose and suddenly was running.
“To trust them in the sky.” I finished off talking to a dust cloud. It hadn’t been long after the captain started running that her other four pilots did the same.
I mean. I get it.
It wasn’t every day you see eight perfect condition Royal Stuka’s. If they were good enough for the Duchess of Somerset.
The captain had her hands stroke up the nose of one of them as I finally caught up. Her eyes lit up in awe at what she was seeing.
I sometimes took for granted the whole Lostech thing. And then in moments like this it hits me again. That my sense of normal is vastly different from the normal population.
From the amused look of the Repair unit that maintained these birds. I think it was rubbing off on my kids too.
“So this is what my kids will be flying once you get them some experience.”
“They are beautiful.”
“That they are.”
“Do a good job. And perhaps you will be flying one too.” I tell her and I nearly laugh at the audible snap her neck made as she turned to me.
She looks me in the eyes as if seeing if i was joking, or being dishonest. “Understood Commander.”
—-
“AH-AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” The laughter coming out over my radio had me glancing at Therese. The girl that had taken over the Tankers. The fact her ears were stained bright red even as she tried to pretend that everything was fine was hysterical, but I just kept my quirked eyebrow on her until she broke.
“Th-they are a little rambunctious.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“They mean well. And they train hard Commander. None of my boys will ever let you down.”
“Your boys?” I asked, watching her ears grown even brighter red.
“You call everyone your kids.”
Ah, now my ears are a little red. “You all aren’t supposed to know that.” I mutter and she scoffs.
“They are my boys in the same way. The ones who can’t be mechwarriors. I take them in, build them back up.” She hesitates. “They will fight. When the time comes they will fight harder than anyone. We all have a bone to pick.”
“Well they will certainly have the equipment for it.” I offer watching the Royal Alacorn. The mainstay tank of my tank forces. Blaze through one of the tank courses. It’s triple Gauss firing as quickly as they were reloaded. Of course I grimaced every time it hit a hill and simply smashed through whatever was in it’s way. At 95 tons. It was the equivalent to my Nightstar. Although I would still be wary of this tank. Triple Gauss is not a joke.
“They are rambunctious. But they train hard. Their accuracy is good.”
“That tank is worth about 16 and a half million C-bills.” I tell her blandly just as they smash through a small building hazard instead of going around it like they were supposed to.
I suppose being reminded of it’s cost Therese looked a little horrified. But I couldn’t.
I started laughing, deep and heavy watching her look of horror shift to confusion. “They are doing well. Don’t worry about the cost. I would rather they smash the fuck out of their tanks as long as they survive. You’ve done a good job, Hauptmann. Keeping them training and actually improving instead of just circling and wasting time is the biggest part of the job. They have all shown a huge improvement.”
“Thank you Commander!” She spoke, sighing in relief after and I was smiling as another mini shed got smashed to pieces.
During the entire conversation the roaring laughter hadn’t stopped coming over the radio. At least it should freak out our enemies.
—--
And so time passed.
I didn’t end up trading much actual Lostech in the end. I did trade a working Gauss rifle to a merc company that wanted to once more roll out Royal Highlander that they had in storage. Apparently with a Gauss it was back to being usable.
Although I didn’t know how long that would last.
The Company had agreed to trade along with a hefty cash sum for something I had always wanted.
“It’s a K2.”
“Isn’t it great?”
“Vicky, It’s a Catapult. Of course it’s great but why did you trade for one?”
“Cause it’s cute?”
Gauge sighed, putting his head in his hands “You traded a piece of Lostech for a Catapult.”
“Sure. I didn’t have the K2 Design! Gotta Catch them all!”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, right. Yeah sorry. I just I like the K2. It’s a PPC brawler that hops around! It’s like a rabbit! Oh! I should paint it like Sailor Moon! I can have an Usagi Mech!”
“What the hell is… Never mind. You aren’t piloting that mech.”
“What!? Why not!”
“Vicky, you have a Nightstar. You can’t just pilot the Catapult as well. I’ll go ahead and find someone to pilot it.”
“G-gauge! You can’t just give away my new mech!”
“Can and will, and done. It will be a good complement for our training squad I think, gives them a heavier mech with jets to try out.”
“I feel so betrayed.”
“You need to get over it. Do you have any idea how many kids I have had bother me about earning a mech? You left me in charge, well congratulations. I actually created a process.”
“Wait, you did? I didn't know that!”
“Of course I did. You weren’t doing it, and Benny just goes by his gut too much, so I created an actual written path to earning equipment. It’s not like we have to pretend we don’t have enough mechs anymore. You brought so much from Phecda, and you didn’t bother to hide that one.”
“Hey! They were in trouble! I just traded them some of the mechs I already had copies of for their damaged stuff.”
“And you were right to do so… I heard they finally finished that Water Refinery factory. Apparently, between your work and the 5th Donegal now having a Lostech lance. They gave the next attempt by the league quite the bloody nose.”
“All I did was trade them some mechs I didn’t want… And a few turrets.”
“Yeah well. Phecda is actually producing again. But regardless we have a ton of Mechwarriors and no excuse not to give them a mech, so here are the new requirements.”
I took a moment to look through the sheaf of papers Gauge handed me even if all I wanted to do was throw the papers in his face, call him a nerd and go play in my Catapult.
Sometimes being the responsible one was hard.
“Why didn’t you tell me you set this up?”
“You were busy dealing with our guests. I’m telling you now.”
“Gauge it’s been like a week.”
“Maybe I forgot. I am a busy man!”
“Studying is not an excuse. Didn’t you give Benny a full report of everything that happened while we were gone?”
“I did, yes.”
“Did you tell him about this?”
“No, I just told you I forgot.”
“Gauge… I think I need to get you a secretary… Or just not put you in charge again.”
“Good! I’m not a leader!”
I rolled my eyes at him as I continued to read through his packet. It was basically a ‘How to become a Mechwarrior in the IBO how to.’ Guide.
“We can’t use this Gauge. Look at this “Has to have a passing A grade in Gauges ‘How to repair mechs’ class. Gauge, I took that class and I got a C.”
“C minus. There is a reason I refuse to allow you anywhere near the internals of your own mech.”
“Rude! But not everyone is gonna be a mechtech, that’s what your class was for.”
“Fine.. We can make some adjustments. But I still think a Mechwarrior should be able to help repair their own mech!”
“Actually I agree with you. We let our process for choosing new mechwarriors go for too long. We are too big to leave it how we used to.” I tell him nodding as I wave the packet in his face. “But these requirements aren’t going to work. Go to Benny right now, and show him what you came up with. You both need to balance these requirements, and maybe Benny will have some changes too.”
“Fine. Understood Vicky… You still can’t pilot the Catapult. Go train in your Nightstar if you are feeling the need.” He tells me without looking as he walked off, somehow knowing I was already taking a few steps towards my cute Catapult.
“Ugh. Fine!”
—--
2023
Zaniah III
RedBase
Finally we were home. Our ‘short’ mission to Skye took far longer than I expected but it was over now. My kids were happily passing out Immortal Warrior swag and I was finally home.
Which is of course when I was yanked aside by a friend with no time to talk.
“Vicky! No time to relax now!” Gauge offered as he jogged up and grabbed me by the arm, turning me away from my room and bed, towards the offices.
“Gauge. I just got back. Unless it’s an emergency-”
“It is!”
Fuck. “Alright I’m coming I’m coming stop tugging.” Gauge led me out of the base, towards one of the security checkpoints. While I was gone, the checkpoints had ballooned a bit, looking almost like mini administration offices, themselves, and I figured out what was going on as I was walked over.
They were full of people.
“Gauge?”
“Do you have any idea what you did!?” He tells me, stopping and grabbing me by my shoulders. Then shaking me frantically caused me to helplessly laugh, which only made his shaking all the worse.
“No-not r-reaally!” I offered through the motions before he stopped.
“We have had so many recruits come by! Not even orphans but actual military groups!”
“What? Why?”
“Don’t be obtuse! You know why! You dropped the fact we have Lostech out into the world. There are tons of merc groups, big and small that want a bite. A lot of the big ones want to trade, the small ones want to join up!”
“Really! That’s great!”
“What? How is it great! I have had to deal with these as-” He breaks into mumbles as he realizes how close he was to the buildings. “For months! You have any idea how nosy and bossy they are?”
“Not really, but I am guessing I am going to spend the next few days finding out?”
“Days? Hah. Oh Vicky. Vicky Vicky Vicky… Weeks. Minimum. Have fun.” He growled, pushing me into a building. I turned noticing I was being stared at by quite possibly a hundred or more full grown adults, most of them wearing some sort of uniform.
They were split up into groups, But I could tell a lot of them had been here for a while by the way they were relaxing, feet up on tables, or resting back smoking and drinking.
“Well. This is awkward. I’m Commander Eisen-Blume. I run the Iron Blooded Orphans. I am told a lot of you want to join up, or trade hardware. I might be up to either of those, but I’m not holding meetings in a bar. Even though there shouldn’t be a bar on my base because I have impressionable teenagers under my command…” I trail off glaring a few of the pilots mech or otherwise that were smoking, or had a bottle of booze in their hands.
A few moments later most, but not all put their smokes out, and drinks away and I nodded. I pointed to Gauge who had eventually followed me in. The ass. “Gauge. Do we have a list of everyone?”
“Who do you think you are talking to? Of course we do… Homeguard wouldn’t let them on base even out here, if we didn’t.”
“Good. Go ahead and start scheduling meetings then. Might as well get started.”
“Yes Vicky!”
—-
The meetings were interesting. A few were fun, talking to other mercs was always an experience.
“So you were fighting how many? Damn, that’s a hell of a battle. I’m still sorry. I can’t really make that trade.. But I might have some spares to get your mechs running again. Yeah I picked up a lot of repair parts.”
Some were bad.
“No, I will not trade my Nightstar! I don’t care how much better a pilot you are than me! Fuck off!”
And then some? Some were undeniably interesting.
“Well I can admit this is sort of a surprise.” I tell the woman sitting in front of me. She was dressed in an old uniform that wasn’t looking it’s best but what was more weird?
She wasn’t a Lyran.
“I figured you would be a little weirded out by it.” She shrugged. “Can’t do anything about that but roll the dice.”
“Yeah I guess that’s true. Why us? There are other merc groups out there. Heck, there are groups bigger than we are that would probably scoop you up.”
“You would think so, but you’d be wrong ASF pilots are hard to get jobs for. You think everyone would want some, but that’s just it, a company only has room for a couple. Once you get too many, you have to either leave’em behind, or drop a mech.”
“Companies don’t drop mechs for ASF.” I offer back and she nods.
“Got it in one Commander. So here is my thinking. New merc groups usually are rabid for ASF, but just a couple. Then they laugh us out of the room. But you got a weird situation. And I got a crew of pilots, some without planes. It seems to be a good deal.”
“Plenty of things seem, without being true. We aren’t FedSuns.”
“Bah. I’m a merc. Been that way all my life. I’ve fought plenty of Feddies. Just never for serious stuff, or on the Snakes side.” She shrugged. And damn if I wasn’t impressed with how casual she was. Fucking fighter pilots were cool. Dangit!
“Benny?” I turned to the boy. He had been pulled into these meetings pretty quickly. It was useful to have his perspective.
My Sub-commander shrugged. “It’s an interesting deal. Nothing we can’t afford.” he offered, and I could see the woman's eyes sparkle at that. The fact we had money must be a big reason for her to join us.
“How about a training period? Frankly. Captain, we haven't prepared for taking on already established commands yet. We have been training completely in house.”
“I get that Commander. Alright, we will accept a transition period, a chance to see if this will work for us. You are the Commander, we will follow your lead, but I will still be the lead up in the sky. No offense Commander, but grounders don’t tend to have the right mentality when it comes to the sky.”
“We’ll see. I have no problem testing it out. We will give you a chance Captain O’Connor.”
“Lovely. Then O’Connor’s Corsairs won’t disappoint.”
—-
“So hands up for betting she is a MIIO member?” I asked, and got a few hands raised among my staff.
Smart kids.
“Commander Eisen-Blume… I don’t agree with this. If you suspect them of being members of MIIO and spying on you, let us take care of them. Delta Ops have been learning plenty from the Lohengrin playbook.” Eris offered, Carl beside her looking just as fierce as he nodded too.
“No.”
“But Commander! Enemy intelligence officers shouldn’t be invited to join us! That’s the exact opposite of what you are supposed to do!” Carl offered.
“You have spent too much time learning from Eris.” I poke at the two of them. Eris had basically taken over the ‘intelligence’ services of my company, subverting Delta Ops with precious, precious secret training.
“What’s that supposed to mean!” She sounded actually offended, which was good. She was finally starting to show real emotions more often.
“We aren’t LIC. Nor are we serving the Archon, even if we have an alliance of sorts. We have no issues with the Federated Suns, or anyone else. Not directly. Our job is to bring peace, we can’t do that by making war with everyone. At least not easily.”
Carl pouting a little, shrugged. “So what? We bring them in, show them everything?”
“Heavens no. We bring them in, show them the obvious stuff. Gauge’s classes have already been… Altered. To make sure that outsiders can’t just walk in and realize what’s going on.”
“I offer no apology.” Eris huffed at me, and I waved her off.
“I wasn't asking for one. But the Castle Brian is already an open secret. So let them in, give them space. Treat them like friends, but not brothers.”
“It will be nice to have actual ASF pilots.” Benny offered and I nodded.
“And of course we will use them. Get Gabe up in the air under their command. Get his Lance all the experience they need under guise of working together. That way even if they do end up betraying us, or leaving…”
“In the end we still benefit.” Eris offered.
“Exactly. They want to spy on us? Good. Let them, we will force them to benefit us in return. Besides, we do need more ASF pilots. I don’t feel safe flying around in a colossus without an escort. Sure it’s got enough punch to turn away just about anyone, but it’s still as vulnerable as any other dropship.”
“I will still keep a close eye on them Commander.” Eris offered and Carl was nodding along. I just rolled my eyes.
“The spy wants to spy on people. I’m shocked.” I teased which earned me a glare from them both as I laughed. “Do as you like.”
—-
A few days later we were integrating Captain O’connor into the base. Her ASF a Corsair V20 followed by another three of the same planes landed on our runway and then I got to see our massive Castle Brian level freight elevator take them down into the base.
I had made it myself.
The four planes would be stored inside here, and during their maintenance, the crew that ‘O’Connors Corsairs’ already had to keep their planes up and running would be helping to teach some of the Repair unit.
“They are pretty birds.” I mention as the captain saunters out of her plane with a pilots swagger.
“Well they may be a little rough when compared to your gear straight out of a SLDF cache, but they fly just fine. Kill Snakes good too.”
“I’m sure they do. My pilots are excited to have you on base. While the 10th have been happy to start their flight training the 10th can only give so much stick time. I expect my pilots will be running your people ragged up in the air soon.”
“Is that some joke about our age? We aren’t even in our thirties, you know?” The fact the older woman actually sounded a little offended meant I couldn’t just let that go.
“Really? All you old people look the same after a certain point. Thirty, sixty? What’s the difference right?” I tease earning a truly offended look for a moment before the woman seemed to remember I was her superior officer, or at least would be.
“Right.”
“Forgive me. We are all family here, poking fun is just part of it. But I do mean it. My kids are going to want to spend all day and night in the sky. I hope you are ready.”
“I think we’ll manage. I mean, for new pilots most birds aren’t going to be comfortable for long term flying, they will tire out and need rest before too long.”
“Maybe.” I shrug. “Gabe! Where’s our birds?” I call out seeing the head of my ASF unit admiring the new pilots.
“Commander! Just through the door. We don’t store them on the lift!” He calls out over the noise as the blast door behind him finally opens. Revealing the truly massive ASF hangar. Currently it only had eight planes. Even with the four new Corsairs it wasn’t even touching a quarter of the ASF bays currently laying empty.
So I had gone a little crazy when designing. I mean I was just preparing for the future.
“Oh you do have birds for your group already? I hadn’t heard that.” The Captain asked arching a bit to look through the blast doors.
“We don’t really take them out. None of them have the training yet t-”
“Oh my God.” Captain O’Connor flipped off her sunglasses as the door rose and suddenly was running.
“To trust them in the sky.” I finished off talking to a dust cloud. It hadn’t been long after the captain started running that her other four pilots did the same.
I mean. I get it.
It wasn’t every day you see eight perfect condition Royal Stuka’s. If they were good enough for the Duchess of Somerset.
The captain had her hands stroke up the nose of one of them as I finally caught up. Her eyes lit up in awe at what she was seeing.
I sometimes took for granted the whole Lostech thing. And then in moments like this it hits me again. That my sense of normal is vastly different from the normal population.
From the amused look of the Repair unit that maintained these birds. I think it was rubbing off on my kids too.
“So this is what my kids will be flying once you get them some experience.”
“They are beautiful.”
“That they are.”
“Do a good job. And perhaps you will be flying one too.” I tell her and I nearly laugh at the audible snap her neck made as she turned to me.
She looks me in the eyes as if seeing if i was joking, or being dishonest. “Understood Commander.”
—-
“AH-AHAHAHAHAHAHA!” The laughter coming out over my radio had me glancing at Therese. The girl that had taken over the Tankers. The fact her ears were stained bright red even as she tried to pretend that everything was fine was hysterical, but I just kept my quirked eyebrow on her until she broke.
“Th-they are a little rambunctious.”
“Is that what you call it?”
“They mean well. And they train hard Commander. None of my boys will ever let you down.”
“Your boys?” I asked, watching her ears grown even brighter red.
“You call everyone your kids.”
Ah, now my ears are a little red. “You all aren’t supposed to know that.” I mutter and she scoffs.
“They are my boys in the same way. The ones who can’t be mechwarriors. I take them in, build them back up.” She hesitates. “They will fight. When the time comes they will fight harder than anyone. We all have a bone to pick.”
“Well they will certainly have the equipment for it.” I offer watching the Royal Alacorn. The mainstay tank of my tank forces. Blaze through one of the tank courses. It’s triple Gauss firing as quickly as they were reloaded. Of course I grimaced every time it hit a hill and simply smashed through whatever was in it’s way. At 95 tons. It was the equivalent to my Nightstar. Although I would still be wary of this tank. Triple Gauss is not a joke.
“They are rambunctious. But they train hard. Their accuracy is good.”
“That tank is worth about 16 and a half million C-bills.” I tell her blandly just as they smash through a small building hazard instead of going around it like they were supposed to.
I suppose being reminded of it’s cost Therese looked a little horrified. But I couldn’t.
I started laughing, deep and heavy watching her look of horror shift to confusion. “They are doing well. Don’t worry about the cost. I would rather they smash the fuck out of their tanks as long as they survive. You’ve done a good job, Hauptmann. Keeping them training and actually improving instead of just circling and wasting time is the biggest part of the job. They have all shown a huge improvement.”
“Thank you Commander!” She spoke, sighing in relief after and I was smiling as another mini shed got smashed to pieces.
During the entire conversation the roaring laughter hadn’t stopped coming over the radio. At least it should freak out our enemies.
—--
And so time passed.
I didn’t end up trading much actual Lostech in the end. I did trade a working Gauss rifle to a merc company that wanted to once more roll out Royal Highlander that they had in storage. Apparently with a Gauss it was back to being usable.
Although I didn’t know how long that would last.
The Company had agreed to trade along with a hefty cash sum for something I had always wanted.
“It’s a K2.”
“Isn’t it great?”
“Vicky, It’s a Catapult. Of course it’s great but why did you trade for one?”
“Cause it’s cute?”
Gauge sighed, putting his head in his hands “You traded a piece of Lostech for a Catapult.”
“Sure. I didn’t have the K2 Design! Gotta Catch them all!”
“What does that mean?”
“Oh, right. Yeah sorry. I just I like the K2. It’s a PPC brawler that hops around! It’s like a rabbit! Oh! I should paint it like Sailor Moon! I can have an Usagi Mech!”
“What the hell is… Never mind. You aren’t piloting that mech.”
“What!? Why not!”
“Vicky, you have a Nightstar. You can’t just pilot the Catapult as well. I’ll go ahead and find someone to pilot it.”
“G-gauge! You can’t just give away my new mech!”
“Can and will, and done. It will be a good complement for our training squad I think, gives them a heavier mech with jets to try out.”
“I feel so betrayed.”
“You need to get over it. Do you have any idea how many kids I have had bother me about earning a mech? You left me in charge, well congratulations. I actually created a process.”
“Wait, you did? I didn't know that!”
“Of course I did. You weren’t doing it, and Benny just goes by his gut too much, so I created an actual written path to earning equipment. It’s not like we have to pretend we don’t have enough mechs anymore. You brought so much from Phecda, and you didn’t bother to hide that one.”
“Hey! They were in trouble! I just traded them some of the mechs I already had copies of for their damaged stuff.”
“And you were right to do so… I heard they finally finished that Water Refinery factory. Apparently, between your work and the 5th Donegal now having a Lostech lance. They gave the next attempt by the league quite the bloody nose.”
“All I did was trade them some mechs I didn’t want… And a few turrets.”
“Yeah well. Phecda is actually producing again. But regardless we have a ton of Mechwarriors and no excuse not to give them a mech, so here are the new requirements.”
I took a moment to look through the sheaf of papers Gauge handed me even if all I wanted to do was throw the papers in his face, call him a nerd and go play in my Catapult.
Sometimes being the responsible one was hard.
“Why didn’t you tell me you set this up?”
“You were busy dealing with our guests. I’m telling you now.”
“Gauge it’s been like a week.”
“Maybe I forgot. I am a busy man!”
“Studying is not an excuse. Didn’t you give Benny a full report of everything that happened while we were gone?”
“I did, yes.”
“Did you tell him about this?”
“No, I just told you I forgot.”
“Gauge… I think I need to get you a secretary… Or just not put you in charge again.”
“Good! I’m not a leader!”
I rolled my eyes at him as I continued to read through his packet. It was basically a ‘How to become a Mechwarrior in the IBO how to.’ Guide.
“We can’t use this Gauge. Look at this “Has to have a passing A grade in Gauges ‘How to repair mechs’ class. Gauge, I took that class and I got a C.”
“C minus. There is a reason I refuse to allow you anywhere near the internals of your own mech.”
“Rude! But not everyone is gonna be a mechtech, that’s what your class was for.”
“Fine.. We can make some adjustments. But I still think a Mechwarrior should be able to help repair their own mech!”
“Actually I agree with you. We let our process for choosing new mechwarriors go for too long. We are too big to leave it how we used to.” I tell him nodding as I wave the packet in his face. “But these requirements aren’t going to work. Go to Benny right now, and show him what you came up with. You both need to balance these requirements, and maybe Benny will have some changes too.”
“Fine. Understood Vicky… You still can’t pilot the Catapult. Go train in your Nightstar if you are feeling the need.” He tells me without looking as he walked off, somehow knowing I was already taking a few steps towards my cute Catapult.
“Ugh. Fine!”
—--
Chapter 13.2
Seras
Well-known member
Chapter 13.2 A moment's rest
3023
Zaniah III
Governors Manor
Walking into the office of the Governess once again as always left me uncomfortable. Every conversation with this woman was like a knife fight.
Only we both tended to walk away.
“Commander Eisen-Blume. I didn’t expect a meeting with you today.”
“Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise to me too, but times change, and an opportunity fell into my hands.”
“Oh? Which opportunity is this? The Lostech Dropship, or the Lostech cache that had the Archons attention, or perhaps you found another Castle Brian on my planet? Of course you would have already taken it over as you tend to.”
That bit of biting commentary was… fair. From her perspective. I had pretty royally shafted her. “I was talking more about the Water Refineries that I have. I would like to set them up as public works. Something to help rejuvenate the places that have had trouble collecting clean water.”
She stilled. “That is an interesting offer, Commander. But I do question what exactly you gain from this.”
I scoffed. “Nothing. It in fact costs me quite a bit. But It is one of the founding tenets of my Company. We aren’t here just to fight. We want to fix things.” I could see the look of disbelief on her face, that she was trying and failing to hide so realizing where that put me I sighed. “If you can’t trust altruism, I would like to set them up close to the orphanages. To makes sure they always have fresh water.”
“That is still altruism.” She pointed out before nodding. “I can’t exactly refuse though can I Commander? You seem intent. Even if I refuse, how long would it be before they were set up regardless?”
“Probably a week longer than if you helped me.” I admit frankly which earns me a nod.
“I will agree. I will even help you find buildings to use, and my engineers to ensure everything is working properly. But in exchange. I want it to be a government project. If you truly do this out of altruism, you won’t mind staying out of the limelight.”
“That’s fine.” I waved my hand. “At least for the purifiers. I was planning on a second project as well.”
I could see her clenching her teeth for a moment. “What else could you do? If I wasn’t secure in my own position Commander. I would be worrying about why you seem to have eyes on it.”
“Position? Governess never. For one it would mean I am completely locked into one position, can’t do that. Have too much to do. Secondly, I don’t deal well with diplomacy. I am a bit too direct.”
“That at least is the first thing you have said I believe completely. Tell me about this second project.”
“I want to set up a Library.”
“A Library?”
“Yep. Preferably right next to the orphanages, so it’s open for them.”
“A library… Fine. Do as you like, I have no idea what goes through that mind of yours. I will assist, but since you seem to be doing so well, you will purchase, or rent the land. I hope you have no issues with that?”
“None at all. In fact it makes it easier.”
The governess watched me with her hawkish eyes for a few moments before exhaling. “My son speaks highly of you, and your men. Despite everything he assures me your intentions are as they seem. It is something I am not used to dealing with. I do admit I hate the idea of having a group as powerful as you, on my world. Especially one I have no control over.
“I just want to help. Make the Inner Sphere a better place. I’m not your enemy Lady Alessa.”
She snorts, a loud and disparaging noise. “We shall have to see won’t we? As always Commander, your conversations continue to give me a headache. Get out. One of my aids will reach out to you regarding the purifiers and what locations you can build your library.”
“Thank you.”
—-
With that awkward conversation started. Things got started fast. The Government desperately wanted the water purifiers. The fact I had so many was questioned but I simply smiled.
The engineering work began quickly. Replacing the old broken and battle damaged purifiers with my new ones. Sure the ones I brought weren’t meant for hundreds of thousands of people, but when you put multiple of them together… It balances out.
Within just a few months, places that hadn’t had clean water on tap for years suddenly did. It was a massive undertaking by the Government of Zaniah, and considering how many times I got strongly worded messages from the Governess. She wanted me to know it.
But it was something I had put off for too long. More importantly? It gave some of my kids that were more interested in building or improving things a place to belong. The IBO Engineering group. Gauge for once not at all interested in being a part of it.
“I’m a mechanical Engineer! Not an Architect! Find someone else!”
So that was how I had a group dedicated to building things. Which is why I threw them at the idea of the library and told them to make it work.
Of course I also had their blueprints run by an architect. I’m hopeful, not stupid.
Which is why I was now standing outside an old building that the land for was purchased by the IBO. I had decided to make a day of it.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Benny, you ask me that too much.” I point out as we watch the mechs stomp down the road.
“That’s not a denial.”
“It’s a great idea. It gives our kids some fun, and speeds up the process.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of mechs being used like this.”
“It does happen sometimes, although usually mechwarriors refuse to be seen doing construction.” Hanna mentioned from beside us. The three of us were set up beside a truck watching as the kids slowly started the process.
My kids were destroying a building today.
I had made it a contest, four winners who did the best on the scores for the last month of Sim time, would get the chance to head out in real mechs and smash a building. That was happening now. I settled in smiling as the whoops and hollars coming over the radio as the kids got to reach into the building and pull it apart. Like they were destroying a lego tower.
“What’s wrong Benny, angry you aren’t the one doing it?”
“Please, if I was here in my Atlas, that building would already be flat.”
“So would half the street.” Hanna whispered over Bennys head to me, earning a shove from the boy.
“There will always be more. This is a test for the future after all.”
“I still don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“Not talking about the construction, or destruction this time, are you?” I asked, noticing Benny was speaking quietly, to make sure his voice wouldn’t travel.
“Building a library? Vicky. This is overt. It’s gonna bring attention.”
“Yeah. But this is the plan Benny. Right here. Right now. This is what we are going to be doing on every Planet in the Inner Sphere. And beyond.”
“Are we ready? You told us about how many people will try to stop us. It’s dangerous.”
I nodded there. “Everything is dangerous Benny. But if we wait until there is no danger before acting, nothing will ever get done. This is dangerous but necessary. Besides, no one knows what the Library will really be for. We should have some time.”
“I hope so.” Benny finally offers. “But I’ll follow your lead Vicky.”
“Ugh don’t say it like that. It makes me feel even more nervous.”
“Yeah Benny. Don’t say it like that, you will give Vicky a bigger head than she already has.” Hanna poked him.
“Hey!”
“Yeah that’s true. Sorry Vicky. I know I shouldn’t expect you to actually think things through before acting. I won’t make that mistake again.” Benny offered solemnly as he lowered his head.
“Okay Rude. I’m out of here, since you jerks are acting like that!” I huff but throw Hanna a wink over Bennys chuckling head as I walk off.
There is a reason Hanna and Benny spent so much time together after all.
Walking off I headed towards Erica. Who had taken the job of being in control of the work.
“No Elric, I don’t care how cool it would be. Leave that wall alone, we need it to hold until we are done with the rest.” Erica spoke into the radio only rolling her eyes as we both heard whining on the other end.
“Giving you trouble?”
“Only somewhat. Elric really wants to just smash the building down.”
“Eh, He is part of Rough Squad.”
“That’s half the problem.” Erica jokes before pulling the radio back up. “Slow down everyone. I know you want to let loose, but we need to make it easy to put everything into the trucks. Slow and steady. The Commander is watching.”
“What am I watching?” I ask just loud enough to be heard on the radio, and I could hear a lot of muffled affirmatives coming from Ericas headset. I give the girl a wink, and she returns it with a thumbs up as her job seemingly becomes a lot easier.
That is where I stayed, watching our mechs smash an old abandoned building into piles, and then help carry the remains into the large dump trucks that came to clear it off. It honestly went incredibly fast. The mechs easily able to smash the building down, and carry the remains out.
It was a fun day, and we had a crowd. We were just down the street from one of the orphanages after all.
The little kids that were too young to join us were having a massively good time. It did help that I made sure to bring drinks and snacks for them, and tents. This was still Zaniah after all. The heat was brutal.
Luckily Gauge had figured out a good way to keep our Cooling suits running when out and about. It was basically a battery that we charged off a fusion generator at base. Of course the thing was about four hundred pounds. And was mounted in our Normans. But it made it easy to walk up and plug in our suit to get the cooling liquid moving.
So we had a pleasant field day of destruction, before the Engineering Corps rushed in to start building. I had already ‘purchased’ all the materials they would need. Some of it I actually had bought with money. It was always a good idea to support your local economy after all. So even as the sun fell the building was already starting to go up.
The crowds disappeared once the mechs went away. Which was normal for the Inner Sphere. And I went to work. In a location that had already been prepared, once I was alone, I used my noteputer to dig down. A stairwell went down a few floors, the whole thing made using strong materials, this was the only ‘secure’ section of the library. Building a secret room was pretty fun. I was starting to get the Star League's fascination with them.
So a secure Server room was setup below the library. The place where the neutered copy of the Memory Core would be secured. Gauge had already put together a ‘School Core’ That didn’t have any of the advanced stuff, but did have enough information stored on it, to be far above anything a school on Zaniah would have.
Basically we were creating a center of learning, and just pretending it was a Library.
The computers upstairs would connect to the Core and be able to pull data. And there would be a lot of computers.
It still took almost another month for the building to be done. And we did hire some local contractors to work with the Engineering corps on some of it. None of the kids knew how to install carpet or hundreds of other little things. Like I said, this was a learning experience.
—-
“I am pleased to have worked with Commander Eisen-Blume and the Iron Blooded to open this library! The Iron Blooded Public Library is a center of learning and knowledge for our sometimes most vulnerable people!”
I had planned on cutting the red ribbon myself. I had a speech and everything. But then the Governess had showed up and taken the golden scissors from me without a word. Her speech was okay I guess. It wasn’t as good as mine.
But at least she hadn’t tried to change the name of the Library. I would have stabbed her with those scissors if she had tried. No, the Governess was smart. By showing up here like this, she was basically telling people she was partly responsible for the Library.
She certainly knew her profession, I would give her that. The grand opening of the library was a moment I wasn’t about to let her ruin even if I didn’t get to give my speech.
“Congratulations Commander.” She offered as she walked up to me, handing over the oversized scissors.
“Thank you Lady Alessa. It’s an important day. This is a big step for what we want to do in the future.”
“The future. You do tend to look towards the future, but you never did share your full plans with me Commander.”
“Nor will I Lady Alessa. Nor will I.”
She huffs a quiet laugh before walking off, into the Library. Apparently she wasn’t done ‘showing off’ for the cameras.
The news crew were looking around talking about this as something the Lady Alessa had pushed for.
I didn’t care. Let her steal some of the glory. None of that really mattered to me.
“Vicky.” Gauge nudged my shoulder with his own pulling me away from watching the crowd. “I’m proud of you Vicky. This is big. A Library, and with what is available inside. It’s amazing.”
“Well I’m glad you think so, since the plan is to put one of these on every planet in the Inner Sphere we are going to make sure we really work all the bugs out.” I smile evilly as I pat him on the shoulder. “As the Head Librarian. Of course, that will be your job. I hope you are ready.”
“Wait, what? Vicky! I’m not a librarian! You can’t just put this on my shoulders. I already have so much to do! Vicky! Stop walking away! I’m yelling at you!”
It was good to be the boss.
—-
A different perspective
Vincent Alessa
Zaniah III
Vincent was getting annoyed with being told that lesser noble supported him, were ready to fight with him, but when he demanded action they would balk.
So much for being on his side instead of his brother.
“Truly young lord. I am your man, not your brothers, but what you ask…”
“What I ask, is not just within your power, Lord Siyenna. It is your job. You are the man in charge of our tank legions. I want assurances, you and your men will follow me when the time comes.”
“You know if you become the Governor I will be behind you my lord, but asking me to ready men to fight? This I cannot do without alerting your mother.”
“You let me worry about her. You need to have your men loyal to me. If the-”
“My Lord. You ask for too much from me. At the very least you ask for it too soon. Putting in place men loyal to you and you alone? That will take years. Decades. That’s if I can even find enough men. You and your brother are both well liked.”
“You mean my Brother is well liked, and I am just known enough.” Vincent grumbled slamming a hand on the chairs arm he was sitting in. “Dammit. My Brother holds all the cards! You think he will appreciate your skimming off the top when he finds out Lord Siyenna!?”
Vincent had first learned of Lord Siyenna, a minor Lord on Zaniah when he discovered that some of the funds for the tank legions had been disappearing. He had looked into it, and since he was the son of the Governor had discovered Lord Siyenna quickly enough.
And then started blackmailing the man. Having the Lord in charge of maintaining the readiness of the Planetary Defense vehicles had been a godsend.
But the man was both too incompetent to be caught, and too much of a coward.
“You know I do not, but I also know the punishment for my own crimes, is far below the punishment for treason my Lord.” The older man sighed, stroking his head.
“You would accept the loss of your titles?”
“I would accept being alive after. I said I would support you my Lord, but you ask for things that don’t exist. You want the military on your side? Go and talk to the men, become known to them. That is how you can get them to follow you over your brother.”
“I don’t have time for that! Do you think I could do such a thing without Arthur finding out? My Brother is a coward, but not a fool. He doesn’t have the spine to fight. Too quick to surrender. I just need to force him into that position and I will become the new Governor, not him!”
“You don’t have the army.”
No. No he didn’t. It would take too long to get the Planetary guard on his side, and since Arthur was still the heir he would swoop in long before Vincent got anywhere with the men. It always happened that way. The friends Vincent would make, soon become Arthurs once the older boy met them.
Arthur had a way with people. He could talk to them, and get them on his side, while Vincent often had to use other means.
“Enough. You have your orders. Even if it takes decades.”
“Understood my Lord.”
Swiftly leaving the Lords little hovel Vincents mind was racing so many plans, if only his brother would die in battle… But Vincent sighed. That would never happen.
Arthur was a coward.
He didn’t say that in jest, or because he was angry with his brother. It was simply the truth. Arthur would surrender long before any battle was over.
It was how he had lost their family Shadow Hawk.
Vincent had been so deep in thought he noticed suddenly his driver was going in the wrong direction. “This isn’t the way to the manor!”
“Apologies my Lord. You remember your mothers orders. You are to appear at the opening of the new Library along with the Governess and Lord Arthur.”
Vincent did recall his mothers orders and sighed leaning back into his leather seat. “Fine.”
The drive over was slow, crowds were gathering to see the new Library. Vincent didn’t get it. Zaniah had plenty of Libraries! What was so special about the brats one?
He stepped out into a safe area, mother was always good about making sure her vehicle had a clear path in and out.
She wasn’t a fighter, had never even been in a battlemech, but she knew how to keep herself alive. Unfortunately, the fact she was so good at it, is partially why Arthur was such a coward. He was always too quick to give up, to run.
Looking out of the little path that was cleared for their vehicles Vincent grimaced at the crowd. Not just orphans and young ones at that, but there were plenty of civilians crowding the area. Mother was right, showing up here, and waving the flag would be important.
He pasted a small smile on his face as he headed through the secure points his mother had obviously set up, stepping up onto the Library's front steps, where Mother was currently speaking with the Brat Commander.
As usual he did get a bit of enjoyment in seeing his mother, usually so powerful and in control look quite annoyed with whatever they were talking about.
Mothers complaints about the brat were practically a daily highlight, but Vincent scoffed. Mother didn’t like her because she wasn’t under her control. Vincent thought it was hilarious that the brat was doing so much for their world, while tweaking his mothers nose at every opportunity.
Watching his mother nearly stomp into the library in a huff he snorted. The brat wasn’t even that annoying, nothing like that bastard in the Swayback. He was a little shit, and Vincent quite enjoyed ‘accidently’ putting some friendly fire into his back during some of their training matches.
He always flipped out. Which let Vincent focus on Arthur as his brother tried to calm the situation. Not that it mattered. His Rifleman was strong, but it wasn’t an Awesome.
Grimacing at that thought Vincent turned, making sure to wave at the crowd that was gathered so they could see he too was walking into the library.
Once inside his smile dropped. He didn’t care what the brats got up to. He had interacted with them and their Brat Commander enough he knew they had no real ambition. At least not on Zaniah. So Arthur schmoozed. The idiot even trying to marry the Brat Commander.
Like Vincent said. Idiot. It was obvious the Brat was so focused on her future she hadn’t even noticed his brother's attempts, Arthurs attempts to woo her had failed so completely that the brat hadn’t even noticed.
Really asking her if she wanted extra training?
Of course she fobbed more of her brats on him. The look on his face though had been utterly priceless.
Plus it made Mother furious. When Arthur had revealed his plan, Mother had absolutely flipped her lid. Although in the end she couldn’t deny Arthurs plan.
She of course was struggling to accept that the girl she was practically in a diplomatic war with would be her daughter in law.
Neither of those morons realized that was never going to happen. Really Vincent was surrounded by idiots.
“Oh it’s the young Baron.” Vincent turned, taking in the older girl who was wearing the brats armor. This one he actually recognized.
“The medic.”
“I am indeed. How's the wrist?” She asked looking him over, obviously checking the injury he had received the week before.
“Fine. My doctors looked it over, said your work was acceptable. It’s already healed.”
She nodded at that “Good to hear it. Wouldn’t want you tough mechwarriors to end up unable to pilot.”
“A sprained wrist wouldn’t get to that point. Aren’t you the bra-Orphans doctor? Shouldn’t you know that?” Vincent already didn’t want to continue this conversation. Just because she was a little older than most of the brats didn’t make her not one of them.
“Not one for jokes are you? Well there goes my attempt to be nice for the day, go ahead and enjoy the Library, I’m sure something will interest you.”
He watched her go for a moment, that was definitely a new experience. The brats did have one thing going for them, they all seemed to copy their Commanders disinterest in sucking up to him or his family.
“Wait!” He called out walking after her. “I apologize. I was being rude. You did good work. Thank you.”
She stopped as he talked, looking him over. “You know you aren’t as bad as they say you are. C’mon. This is the boring part of the library, let me show you the interesting stuff.” She mentions waving him to follow. And despite himself Vincent found his steps chasing after her.
“Wait. what do they say about me!?”
—-
Days turn to weeks, and weeks to month. I was relaxing, happy that everything was going well when Eris walked into my office.
How did I immediately know this was going to ruin my day?
“Commander Eisen-Blume.”
“Eris. How can I help you?”
“You can explain why I am getting messages… Directly from the Archon of the Commonwealth asking why you haven’t been messaging her. That is how you can help me.” The woman was trying to keep her cool, but despite her usual chill, I could tell this was stressing her out.
“Ah yeah… I did forget The Archon wanted me to keep in touch.”
“Commander Eisen-Blume! The Archon requested you to stay in contact with her! You can’t just-”
“I can actually.” I point out standing to poke a finger into Eris’s armor clad chest. “I find making this joke a little tedious, but she is not my Mother.”
The glare Eris gave me made me sigh. “Alright. Alright. I’m going right now to the HPG terminal to send a message to the Archon.” I tell her my hands raised in surrender at her glare. As I walked out only noticing because of the echoing footsteps that I was being followed. “Is there a reason you are following me?”
“Indeed.”
“You were ordered to make sure I sent a message to the Archon weren’t you?”
“That is a correct summation of my orders.”
“I could consider it treason to swear yourself to the Iron Blooded, only to follow the orders of the Archon.”
“Funny Commander Eisen-Blume. To the HPG station.”
“So it’s treason then!” I hiss as I let her prod me along.
Driving out of the base with an intelligence agent watching your every move isn’t the most comfortable, so I did my best to make it easier on myself. Mostly by talking.
“How are you fitting in? I know Delta Ops has taken a liking to you.”
“No they don’t trust me, but they enjoy learning what I can teach. They are… Secretive. Refuse to show me everything. They have something. A trick I’m not aware of.”
“Ah well. Kids will be kids I suppose.”
“Is that supposed to be re-assuring Commander?” she asks deadpan as always.
“I suppose it is, Eris. No matter what, you chose to join us. You just haven’t had a chance to fight alongside us yet, but once you do, well you will understand. Us orphans stick together, no matter where we came from.”
“I don’t believe that Commander. I believe your naivety will certainly be a source of betrayal in the future.”
“Is that coming from the woman that knows she has to juggle working under two different groups?” I asked, watching her jolt just the tiniest amount before settling in.
“I did not mean me. I am of course on your side.”
“Lies!” I tease, smiling. “But that’s just it. You seem to think I am a fool for not thinking that some day you may betray me, but Eris. On the day that it eventually comes, and I am sure it will at some point. I like Katrina, but I’m not her servant. If I have to fight her to do the right thing I will. But on that day? I think you will have a far harder time stabbing me in the back than you think you will. I think on that day years from now?” I turn to her, letting her fully see how serious I am.
“I think you won’t be able to pull the trigger.” I smile warmly as I turn back to the road. Letting the silence fill the cab for a while.
“Foolish, you mixed your metaphors, am I stabbing you or shooting you?” Oh I could hear the snark in her tone!
“Hah! You showed emotions that means I win right?” I tell her winking happily at her annoyed look.
“Just drive.”
So I did. Convincing traumatized indoctrinated orphan women takes time after all. Time? That I had plenty of.
As I drove into the HPG terminal the heated stares of Eris following me, I decided since Katrina was going to be annoying so was I.
Settling in for a very expensive HPG message, because even with Katrinas ‘code’ to allow me to send her messages, I couldn’t just send a written message or something to the Archon. I settled in as the video player started.
And of course as a teenager still. At least for a few more years I decided to be a pain in the ass.
“Aunt Katrina! I hope you and Mel are doing well! I am doing great. Let me tell you all about the Library I just set up!”
I couldn’t help the smile on my face. Go ahead ComStar deal with the fact I just called the Archon ‘Aunt’ let’s see how much confusion that is going to spread!
—--
A different perspective
Precentor Zaniah Elard Snint
“Yes, I have had someone look into this ‘Public Library’ they are opening. Nothing too unusual. They are offering some lower education courses.” Elard offered. He was resting back staring into the Holovid showing a hood similar to his own.
“I am not concerned with education courses. I worry that the child will release data that will restart the succession wars. There is data that ComStar guards! Data that the Great Houses must not retrieve. For the safety of the Inner Sphere.”
“I had one of my own men check on it. Each course is standard education… although I have confirmed it did come from the Star League. Some of the courses held some minor data that was lost.”
“I was afraid of that. At least that answers one of my questions. I now know who it was that slipped through my fingers.”
“Is it so serious? The data here is… Useful to the Great houses, but nothing that will alter the political landscape.”
“You believe this is all that was found? The Archon has begun moving resources, in ways that hint at only one thing. Factories are restarting.”
Elard inhaled deeply. Although he wasn’t anymore he had once been an agent of ROM. He understood the details of Operation Holy Shroud like so few even at his rank did.
“You are sure?”
“We are. Already the signs are there if you know where to look. Katrina… She is no fool. The chances of us crushing this knowledge have already passed. Your ‘Commander’ somehow slipped under all of our noses.”
“I see. What should be done? Shall we remove her?”
“The Commander? Why bother? She may have some copy of the data. But the Library she opened is nothing we need to worry over. It is the Archon that now has our full attention.” The man sighed, rubbing his chin for a moment. “This is an unprecedented disaster.”
“What will the Primus do? Do you know?”
“The Primus is in hourly meetings, last I heard. But the First Circuit is in an uproar. This is… unprecedented times old friend.”
“That it is.”
“Keep watch Elard. I don’t like that this girl was able to cause this disaster. She was there. In the Helm Facility. Who knows what else she found? Even we don’t have a complete inventory.”
“We do have something new. She sent a message today. To the Archon.”
“Truly?”
“For the most part it was… Ramble. I am sure it is a code of somesort, but every adept I have given the task to translate it comes back with nothing. But the message started with a greeting. Here.”
“Aunt Katrina! I hope you and Mel are doing well! I am doi-”
“Aunt Katrina?”
“My thoughts exactly my friend. I am not aware of any Steiner children not accounted for.”
“There are none. I made sure of it… None fit the right age… Lisa Steiner is ten years too old…”
“Shall I collect a blood sample? Shouldn’t be too difficult to attain.”
“No. Let’s not do anything to reveal ourselves here. She may very well be a trap. But keep an eye on her actions. File a report on anything you find.”
“I will. That is the least I can do to help you protect Blakes will.” Elard sighed again. This meeting with his old friend had been going on long into the night.
“I see. I am keeping you late.”
“Nothing unusual my old friend, do you remember our late nights on Terra?”
“As I recall half of them were your fault, the other half was Jennifer Wellington.”
“Hah! That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. Jenny always loved her ships.”
“Still does. Not that we speak. I don’t think her job lets any outside contact.”
“No, probably not. Alright. Elard, it was good talking to you, even under the circumstances.”
“You as well Emilio. May Blakes light guide you.”
*Transmission End*
3023
Zaniah III
Governors Manor
Walking into the office of the Governess once again as always left me uncomfortable. Every conversation with this woman was like a knife fight.
Only we both tended to walk away.
“Commander Eisen-Blume. I didn’t expect a meeting with you today.”
“Yeah, it was a bit of a surprise to me too, but times change, and an opportunity fell into my hands.”
“Oh? Which opportunity is this? The Lostech Dropship, or the Lostech cache that had the Archons attention, or perhaps you found another Castle Brian on my planet? Of course you would have already taken it over as you tend to.”
That bit of biting commentary was… fair. From her perspective. I had pretty royally shafted her. “I was talking more about the Water Refineries that I have. I would like to set them up as public works. Something to help rejuvenate the places that have had trouble collecting clean water.”
She stilled. “That is an interesting offer, Commander. But I do question what exactly you gain from this.”
I scoffed. “Nothing. It in fact costs me quite a bit. But It is one of the founding tenets of my Company. We aren’t here just to fight. We want to fix things.” I could see the look of disbelief on her face, that she was trying and failing to hide so realizing where that put me I sighed. “If you can’t trust altruism, I would like to set them up close to the orphanages. To makes sure they always have fresh water.”
“That is still altruism.” She pointed out before nodding. “I can’t exactly refuse though can I Commander? You seem intent. Even if I refuse, how long would it be before they were set up regardless?”
“Probably a week longer than if you helped me.” I admit frankly which earns me a nod.
“I will agree. I will even help you find buildings to use, and my engineers to ensure everything is working properly. But in exchange. I want it to be a government project. If you truly do this out of altruism, you won’t mind staying out of the limelight.”
“That’s fine.” I waved my hand. “At least for the purifiers. I was planning on a second project as well.”
I could see her clenching her teeth for a moment. “What else could you do? If I wasn’t secure in my own position Commander. I would be worrying about why you seem to have eyes on it.”
“Position? Governess never. For one it would mean I am completely locked into one position, can’t do that. Have too much to do. Secondly, I don’t deal well with diplomacy. I am a bit too direct.”
“That at least is the first thing you have said I believe completely. Tell me about this second project.”
“I want to set up a Library.”
“A Library?”
“Yep. Preferably right next to the orphanages, so it’s open for them.”
“A library… Fine. Do as you like, I have no idea what goes through that mind of yours. I will assist, but since you seem to be doing so well, you will purchase, or rent the land. I hope you have no issues with that?”
“None at all. In fact it makes it easier.”
The governess watched me with her hawkish eyes for a few moments before exhaling. “My son speaks highly of you, and your men. Despite everything he assures me your intentions are as they seem. It is something I am not used to dealing with. I do admit I hate the idea of having a group as powerful as you, on my world. Especially one I have no control over.
“I just want to help. Make the Inner Sphere a better place. I’m not your enemy Lady Alessa.”
She snorts, a loud and disparaging noise. “We shall have to see won’t we? As always Commander, your conversations continue to give me a headache. Get out. One of my aids will reach out to you regarding the purifiers and what locations you can build your library.”
“Thank you.”
—-
With that awkward conversation started. Things got started fast. The Government desperately wanted the water purifiers. The fact I had so many was questioned but I simply smiled.
The engineering work began quickly. Replacing the old broken and battle damaged purifiers with my new ones. Sure the ones I brought weren’t meant for hundreds of thousands of people, but when you put multiple of them together… It balances out.
Within just a few months, places that hadn’t had clean water on tap for years suddenly did. It was a massive undertaking by the Government of Zaniah, and considering how many times I got strongly worded messages from the Governess. She wanted me to know it.
But it was something I had put off for too long. More importantly? It gave some of my kids that were more interested in building or improving things a place to belong. The IBO Engineering group. Gauge for once not at all interested in being a part of it.
“I’m a mechanical Engineer! Not an Architect! Find someone else!”
So that was how I had a group dedicated to building things. Which is why I threw them at the idea of the library and told them to make it work.
Of course I also had their blueprints run by an architect. I’m hopeful, not stupid.
Which is why I was now standing outside an old building that the land for was purchased by the IBO. I had decided to make a day of it.
“Are you sure this is a good idea?”
“Benny, you ask me that too much.” I point out as we watch the mechs stomp down the road.
“That’s not a denial.”
“It’s a great idea. It gives our kids some fun, and speeds up the process.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard of mechs being used like this.”
“It does happen sometimes, although usually mechwarriors refuse to be seen doing construction.” Hanna mentioned from beside us. The three of us were set up beside a truck watching as the kids slowly started the process.
My kids were destroying a building today.
I had made it a contest, four winners who did the best on the scores for the last month of Sim time, would get the chance to head out in real mechs and smash a building. That was happening now. I settled in smiling as the whoops and hollars coming over the radio as the kids got to reach into the building and pull it apart. Like they were destroying a lego tower.
“What’s wrong Benny, angry you aren’t the one doing it?”
“Please, if I was here in my Atlas, that building would already be flat.”
“So would half the street.” Hanna whispered over Bennys head to me, earning a shove from the boy.
“There will always be more. This is a test for the future after all.”
“I still don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“Not talking about the construction, or destruction this time, are you?” I asked, noticing Benny was speaking quietly, to make sure his voice wouldn’t travel.
“Building a library? Vicky. This is overt. It’s gonna bring attention.”
“Yeah. But this is the plan Benny. Right here. Right now. This is what we are going to be doing on every Planet in the Inner Sphere. And beyond.”
“Are we ready? You told us about how many people will try to stop us. It’s dangerous.”
I nodded there. “Everything is dangerous Benny. But if we wait until there is no danger before acting, nothing will ever get done. This is dangerous but necessary. Besides, no one knows what the Library will really be for. We should have some time.”
“I hope so.” Benny finally offers. “But I’ll follow your lead Vicky.”
“Ugh don’t say it like that. It makes me feel even more nervous.”
“Yeah Benny. Don’t say it like that, you will give Vicky a bigger head than she already has.” Hanna poked him.
“Hey!”
“Yeah that’s true. Sorry Vicky. I know I shouldn’t expect you to actually think things through before acting. I won’t make that mistake again.” Benny offered solemnly as he lowered his head.
“Okay Rude. I’m out of here, since you jerks are acting like that!” I huff but throw Hanna a wink over Bennys chuckling head as I walk off.
There is a reason Hanna and Benny spent so much time together after all.
Walking off I headed towards Erica. Who had taken the job of being in control of the work.
“No Elric, I don’t care how cool it would be. Leave that wall alone, we need it to hold until we are done with the rest.” Erica spoke into the radio only rolling her eyes as we both heard whining on the other end.
“Giving you trouble?”
“Only somewhat. Elric really wants to just smash the building down.”
“Eh, He is part of Rough Squad.”
“That’s half the problem.” Erica jokes before pulling the radio back up. “Slow down everyone. I know you want to let loose, but we need to make it easy to put everything into the trucks. Slow and steady. The Commander is watching.”
“What am I watching?” I ask just loud enough to be heard on the radio, and I could hear a lot of muffled affirmatives coming from Ericas headset. I give the girl a wink, and she returns it with a thumbs up as her job seemingly becomes a lot easier.
That is where I stayed, watching our mechs smash an old abandoned building into piles, and then help carry the remains into the large dump trucks that came to clear it off. It honestly went incredibly fast. The mechs easily able to smash the building down, and carry the remains out.
It was a fun day, and we had a crowd. We were just down the street from one of the orphanages after all.
The little kids that were too young to join us were having a massively good time. It did help that I made sure to bring drinks and snacks for them, and tents. This was still Zaniah after all. The heat was brutal.
Luckily Gauge had figured out a good way to keep our Cooling suits running when out and about. It was basically a battery that we charged off a fusion generator at base. Of course the thing was about four hundred pounds. And was mounted in our Normans. But it made it easy to walk up and plug in our suit to get the cooling liquid moving.
So we had a pleasant field day of destruction, before the Engineering Corps rushed in to start building. I had already ‘purchased’ all the materials they would need. Some of it I actually had bought with money. It was always a good idea to support your local economy after all. So even as the sun fell the building was already starting to go up.
The crowds disappeared once the mechs went away. Which was normal for the Inner Sphere. And I went to work. In a location that had already been prepared, once I was alone, I used my noteputer to dig down. A stairwell went down a few floors, the whole thing made using strong materials, this was the only ‘secure’ section of the library. Building a secret room was pretty fun. I was starting to get the Star League's fascination with them.
So a secure Server room was setup below the library. The place where the neutered copy of the Memory Core would be secured. Gauge had already put together a ‘School Core’ That didn’t have any of the advanced stuff, but did have enough information stored on it, to be far above anything a school on Zaniah would have.
Basically we were creating a center of learning, and just pretending it was a Library.
The computers upstairs would connect to the Core and be able to pull data. And there would be a lot of computers.
It still took almost another month for the building to be done. And we did hire some local contractors to work with the Engineering corps on some of it. None of the kids knew how to install carpet or hundreds of other little things. Like I said, this was a learning experience.
—-
“I am pleased to have worked with Commander Eisen-Blume and the Iron Blooded to open this library! The Iron Blooded Public Library is a center of learning and knowledge for our sometimes most vulnerable people!”
I had planned on cutting the red ribbon myself. I had a speech and everything. But then the Governess had showed up and taken the golden scissors from me without a word. Her speech was okay I guess. It wasn’t as good as mine.
But at least she hadn’t tried to change the name of the Library. I would have stabbed her with those scissors if she had tried. No, the Governess was smart. By showing up here like this, she was basically telling people she was partly responsible for the Library.
She certainly knew her profession, I would give her that. The grand opening of the library was a moment I wasn’t about to let her ruin even if I didn’t get to give my speech.
“Congratulations Commander.” She offered as she walked up to me, handing over the oversized scissors.
“Thank you Lady Alessa. It’s an important day. This is a big step for what we want to do in the future.”
“The future. You do tend to look towards the future, but you never did share your full plans with me Commander.”
“Nor will I Lady Alessa. Nor will I.”
She huffs a quiet laugh before walking off, into the Library. Apparently she wasn’t done ‘showing off’ for the cameras.
The news crew were looking around talking about this as something the Lady Alessa had pushed for.
I didn’t care. Let her steal some of the glory. None of that really mattered to me.
“Vicky.” Gauge nudged my shoulder with his own pulling me away from watching the crowd. “I’m proud of you Vicky. This is big. A Library, and with what is available inside. It’s amazing.”
“Well I’m glad you think so, since the plan is to put one of these on every planet in the Inner Sphere we are going to make sure we really work all the bugs out.” I smile evilly as I pat him on the shoulder. “As the Head Librarian. Of course, that will be your job. I hope you are ready.”
“Wait, what? Vicky! I’m not a librarian! You can’t just put this on my shoulders. I already have so much to do! Vicky! Stop walking away! I’m yelling at you!”
It was good to be the boss.
—-
A different perspective
Vincent Alessa
Zaniah III
Vincent was getting annoyed with being told that lesser noble supported him, were ready to fight with him, but when he demanded action they would balk.
So much for being on his side instead of his brother.
“Truly young lord. I am your man, not your brothers, but what you ask…”
“What I ask, is not just within your power, Lord Siyenna. It is your job. You are the man in charge of our tank legions. I want assurances, you and your men will follow me when the time comes.”
“You know if you become the Governor I will be behind you my lord, but asking me to ready men to fight? This I cannot do without alerting your mother.”
“You let me worry about her. You need to have your men loyal to me. If the-”
“My Lord. You ask for too much from me. At the very least you ask for it too soon. Putting in place men loyal to you and you alone? That will take years. Decades. That’s if I can even find enough men. You and your brother are both well liked.”
“You mean my Brother is well liked, and I am just known enough.” Vincent grumbled slamming a hand on the chairs arm he was sitting in. “Dammit. My Brother holds all the cards! You think he will appreciate your skimming off the top when he finds out Lord Siyenna!?”
Vincent had first learned of Lord Siyenna, a minor Lord on Zaniah when he discovered that some of the funds for the tank legions had been disappearing. He had looked into it, and since he was the son of the Governor had discovered Lord Siyenna quickly enough.
And then started blackmailing the man. Having the Lord in charge of maintaining the readiness of the Planetary Defense vehicles had been a godsend.
But the man was both too incompetent to be caught, and too much of a coward.
“You know I do not, but I also know the punishment for my own crimes, is far below the punishment for treason my Lord.” The older man sighed, stroking his head.
“You would accept the loss of your titles?”
“I would accept being alive after. I said I would support you my Lord, but you ask for things that don’t exist. You want the military on your side? Go and talk to the men, become known to them. That is how you can get them to follow you over your brother.”
“I don’t have time for that! Do you think I could do such a thing without Arthur finding out? My Brother is a coward, but not a fool. He doesn’t have the spine to fight. Too quick to surrender. I just need to force him into that position and I will become the new Governor, not him!”
“You don’t have the army.”
No. No he didn’t. It would take too long to get the Planetary guard on his side, and since Arthur was still the heir he would swoop in long before Vincent got anywhere with the men. It always happened that way. The friends Vincent would make, soon become Arthurs once the older boy met them.
Arthur had a way with people. He could talk to them, and get them on his side, while Vincent often had to use other means.
“Enough. You have your orders. Even if it takes decades.”
“Understood my Lord.”
Swiftly leaving the Lords little hovel Vincents mind was racing so many plans, if only his brother would die in battle… But Vincent sighed. That would never happen.
Arthur was a coward.
He didn’t say that in jest, or because he was angry with his brother. It was simply the truth. Arthur would surrender long before any battle was over.
It was how he had lost their family Shadow Hawk.
Vincent had been so deep in thought he noticed suddenly his driver was going in the wrong direction. “This isn’t the way to the manor!”
“Apologies my Lord. You remember your mothers orders. You are to appear at the opening of the new Library along with the Governess and Lord Arthur.”
Vincent did recall his mothers orders and sighed leaning back into his leather seat. “Fine.”
The drive over was slow, crowds were gathering to see the new Library. Vincent didn’t get it. Zaniah had plenty of Libraries! What was so special about the brats one?
He stepped out into a safe area, mother was always good about making sure her vehicle had a clear path in and out.
She wasn’t a fighter, had never even been in a battlemech, but she knew how to keep herself alive. Unfortunately, the fact she was so good at it, is partially why Arthur was such a coward. He was always too quick to give up, to run.
Looking out of the little path that was cleared for their vehicles Vincent grimaced at the crowd. Not just orphans and young ones at that, but there were plenty of civilians crowding the area. Mother was right, showing up here, and waving the flag would be important.
He pasted a small smile on his face as he headed through the secure points his mother had obviously set up, stepping up onto the Library's front steps, where Mother was currently speaking with the Brat Commander.
As usual he did get a bit of enjoyment in seeing his mother, usually so powerful and in control look quite annoyed with whatever they were talking about.
Mothers complaints about the brat were practically a daily highlight, but Vincent scoffed. Mother didn’t like her because she wasn’t under her control. Vincent thought it was hilarious that the brat was doing so much for their world, while tweaking his mothers nose at every opportunity.
Watching his mother nearly stomp into the library in a huff he snorted. The brat wasn’t even that annoying, nothing like that bastard in the Swayback. He was a little shit, and Vincent quite enjoyed ‘accidently’ putting some friendly fire into his back during some of their training matches.
He always flipped out. Which let Vincent focus on Arthur as his brother tried to calm the situation. Not that it mattered. His Rifleman was strong, but it wasn’t an Awesome.
Grimacing at that thought Vincent turned, making sure to wave at the crowd that was gathered so they could see he too was walking into the library.
Once inside his smile dropped. He didn’t care what the brats got up to. He had interacted with them and their Brat Commander enough he knew they had no real ambition. At least not on Zaniah. So Arthur schmoozed. The idiot even trying to marry the Brat Commander.
Like Vincent said. Idiot. It was obvious the Brat was so focused on her future she hadn’t even noticed his brother's attempts, Arthurs attempts to woo her had failed so completely that the brat hadn’t even noticed.
Really asking her if she wanted extra training?
Of course she fobbed more of her brats on him. The look on his face though had been utterly priceless.
Plus it made Mother furious. When Arthur had revealed his plan, Mother had absolutely flipped her lid. Although in the end she couldn’t deny Arthurs plan.
She of course was struggling to accept that the girl she was practically in a diplomatic war with would be her daughter in law.
Neither of those morons realized that was never going to happen. Really Vincent was surrounded by idiots.
“Oh it’s the young Baron.” Vincent turned, taking in the older girl who was wearing the brats armor. This one he actually recognized.
“The medic.”
“I am indeed. How's the wrist?” She asked looking him over, obviously checking the injury he had received the week before.
“Fine. My doctors looked it over, said your work was acceptable. It’s already healed.”
She nodded at that “Good to hear it. Wouldn’t want you tough mechwarriors to end up unable to pilot.”
“A sprained wrist wouldn’t get to that point. Aren’t you the bra-Orphans doctor? Shouldn’t you know that?” Vincent already didn’t want to continue this conversation. Just because she was a little older than most of the brats didn’t make her not one of them.
“Not one for jokes are you? Well there goes my attempt to be nice for the day, go ahead and enjoy the Library, I’m sure something will interest you.”
He watched her go for a moment, that was definitely a new experience. The brats did have one thing going for them, they all seemed to copy their Commanders disinterest in sucking up to him or his family.
“Wait!” He called out walking after her. “I apologize. I was being rude. You did good work. Thank you.”
She stopped as he talked, looking him over. “You know you aren’t as bad as they say you are. C’mon. This is the boring part of the library, let me show you the interesting stuff.” She mentions waving him to follow. And despite himself Vincent found his steps chasing after her.
“Wait. what do they say about me!?”
—-
Days turn to weeks, and weeks to month. I was relaxing, happy that everything was going well when Eris walked into my office.
How did I immediately know this was going to ruin my day?
“Commander Eisen-Blume.”
“Eris. How can I help you?”
“You can explain why I am getting messages… Directly from the Archon of the Commonwealth asking why you haven’t been messaging her. That is how you can help me.” The woman was trying to keep her cool, but despite her usual chill, I could tell this was stressing her out.
“Ah yeah… I did forget The Archon wanted me to keep in touch.”
“Commander Eisen-Blume! The Archon requested you to stay in contact with her! You can’t just-”
“I can actually.” I point out standing to poke a finger into Eris’s armor clad chest. “I find making this joke a little tedious, but she is not my Mother.”
The glare Eris gave me made me sigh. “Alright. Alright. I’m going right now to the HPG terminal to send a message to the Archon.” I tell her my hands raised in surrender at her glare. As I walked out only noticing because of the echoing footsteps that I was being followed. “Is there a reason you are following me?”
“Indeed.”
“You were ordered to make sure I sent a message to the Archon weren’t you?”
“That is a correct summation of my orders.”
“I could consider it treason to swear yourself to the Iron Blooded, only to follow the orders of the Archon.”
“Funny Commander Eisen-Blume. To the HPG station.”
“So it’s treason then!” I hiss as I let her prod me along.
Driving out of the base with an intelligence agent watching your every move isn’t the most comfortable, so I did my best to make it easier on myself. Mostly by talking.
“How are you fitting in? I know Delta Ops has taken a liking to you.”
“No they don’t trust me, but they enjoy learning what I can teach. They are… Secretive. Refuse to show me everything. They have something. A trick I’m not aware of.”
“Ah well. Kids will be kids I suppose.”
“Is that supposed to be re-assuring Commander?” she asks deadpan as always.
“I suppose it is, Eris. No matter what, you chose to join us. You just haven’t had a chance to fight alongside us yet, but once you do, well you will understand. Us orphans stick together, no matter where we came from.”
“I don’t believe that Commander. I believe your naivety will certainly be a source of betrayal in the future.”
“Is that coming from the woman that knows she has to juggle working under two different groups?” I asked, watching her jolt just the tiniest amount before settling in.
“I did not mean me. I am of course on your side.”
“Lies!” I tease, smiling. “But that’s just it. You seem to think I am a fool for not thinking that some day you may betray me, but Eris. On the day that it eventually comes, and I am sure it will at some point. I like Katrina, but I’m not her servant. If I have to fight her to do the right thing I will. But on that day? I think you will have a far harder time stabbing me in the back than you think you will. I think on that day years from now?” I turn to her, letting her fully see how serious I am.
“I think you won’t be able to pull the trigger.” I smile warmly as I turn back to the road. Letting the silence fill the cab for a while.
“Foolish, you mixed your metaphors, am I stabbing you or shooting you?” Oh I could hear the snark in her tone!
“Hah! You showed emotions that means I win right?” I tell her winking happily at her annoyed look.
“Just drive.”
So I did. Convincing traumatized indoctrinated orphan women takes time after all. Time? That I had plenty of.
As I drove into the HPG terminal the heated stares of Eris following me, I decided since Katrina was going to be annoying so was I.
Settling in for a very expensive HPG message, because even with Katrinas ‘code’ to allow me to send her messages, I couldn’t just send a written message or something to the Archon. I settled in as the video player started.
And of course as a teenager still. At least for a few more years I decided to be a pain in the ass.
“Aunt Katrina! I hope you and Mel are doing well! I am doing great. Let me tell you all about the Library I just set up!”
I couldn’t help the smile on my face. Go ahead ComStar deal with the fact I just called the Archon ‘Aunt’ let’s see how much confusion that is going to spread!
—--
A different perspective
Precentor Zaniah Elard Snint
“Yes, I have had someone look into this ‘Public Library’ they are opening. Nothing too unusual. They are offering some lower education courses.” Elard offered. He was resting back staring into the Holovid showing a hood similar to his own.
“I am not concerned with education courses. I worry that the child will release data that will restart the succession wars. There is data that ComStar guards! Data that the Great Houses must not retrieve. For the safety of the Inner Sphere.”
“I had one of my own men check on it. Each course is standard education… although I have confirmed it did come from the Star League. Some of the courses held some minor data that was lost.”
“I was afraid of that. At least that answers one of my questions. I now know who it was that slipped through my fingers.”
“Is it so serious? The data here is… Useful to the Great houses, but nothing that will alter the political landscape.”
“You believe this is all that was found? The Archon has begun moving resources, in ways that hint at only one thing. Factories are restarting.”
Elard inhaled deeply. Although he wasn’t anymore he had once been an agent of ROM. He understood the details of Operation Holy Shroud like so few even at his rank did.
“You are sure?”
“We are. Already the signs are there if you know where to look. Katrina… She is no fool. The chances of us crushing this knowledge have already passed. Your ‘Commander’ somehow slipped under all of our noses.”
“I see. What should be done? Shall we remove her?”
“The Commander? Why bother? She may have some copy of the data. But the Library she opened is nothing we need to worry over. It is the Archon that now has our full attention.” The man sighed, rubbing his chin for a moment. “This is an unprecedented disaster.”
“What will the Primus do? Do you know?”
“The Primus is in hourly meetings, last I heard. But the First Circuit is in an uproar. This is… unprecedented times old friend.”
“That it is.”
“Keep watch Elard. I don’t like that this girl was able to cause this disaster. She was there. In the Helm Facility. Who knows what else she found? Even we don’t have a complete inventory.”
“We do have something new. She sent a message today. To the Archon.”
“Truly?”
“For the most part it was… Ramble. I am sure it is a code of somesort, but every adept I have given the task to translate it comes back with nothing. But the message started with a greeting. Here.”
“Aunt Katrina! I hope you and Mel are doing well! I am doi-”
“Aunt Katrina?”
“My thoughts exactly my friend. I am not aware of any Steiner children not accounted for.”
“There are none. I made sure of it… None fit the right age… Lisa Steiner is ten years too old…”
“Shall I collect a blood sample? Shouldn’t be too difficult to attain.”
“No. Let’s not do anything to reveal ourselves here. She may very well be a trap. But keep an eye on her actions. File a report on anything you find.”
“I will. That is the least I can do to help you protect Blakes will.” Elard sighed again. This meeting with his old friend had been going on long into the night.
“I see. I am keeping you late.”
“Nothing unusual my old friend, do you remember our late nights on Terra?”
“As I recall half of them were your fault, the other half was Jennifer Wellington.”
“Hah! That’s a name I haven’t heard in a while. Jenny always loved her ships.”
“Still does. Not that we speak. I don’t think her job lets any outside contact.”
“No, probably not. Alright. Elard, it was good talking to you, even under the circumstances.”
“You as well Emilio. May Blakes light guide you.”
*Transmission End*
Last edited:
Evilutionary
Active member
Huge redflags here. Not to channel Rand but mercenaries are a very particular (known) business model. Not that they don't do charity at all but more that they cannot be this overly (ridiculously) generous given their margins....they have a profit motive just to keep the unit running. The IBO goes way beyond what should be possible for any merc as far as charity (the water purifiers are not a cheap item...had they sold them instead at a hefty 'discount' it would be less of an issue).
Anyone that does some intel on the unit is going to lock in on that right away that this isn't a merc company and very possibly a front for a state level actor logically (since they would never consider ROB intervention). Just to point out the IBO probably could not survive the sort of attention if it is thought they are an element of the Exiled SLDF given the other players on the board.
Chapter 14.1
Seras
Well-known member
Chapter 14.1 When a silent plea for help… Is answered.
3025
Free World League Space
Amity
A different perspective
Fourteen year old Valerie Itens was scared.
The raid on her home had been devastating so far. The pirates had slipped in with some merchant dropships. They had attacked before anyone knew what was going on.
“It’s okay baby. The Guard will send them off soon.” Her mother whispered. As she held Valerie tighter.
It had been over two weeks now. The guard hadn’t come. Valerie didn’t think they were coming. Sure there had been a battle not long after the pirates landed, but the tanks and placed defenses of the Planetary Guard hadn’t lasted long. At least Valerie was pretty sure the pirates looting the Imstar factory meant the guard had already lost.
She just hoped her dad was okay. He worked in the factory, on the line creating Cheetah ASF. Valerie had always planned to pilot one of the ASF her dad worked on.
Now she wasn’t sure that was going to happen. The Pirates had shot or captured anyone they had found. Luckily Amity’s weather had saved Valerie and her Mother. A blizzard had rolled in, and while the residents knew what to do, it caused a lot of problems among the Pirates.
At least Valerie was pretty sure that was the case. She had taken her old binoculars upstairs sometimes, and watched from the same window she had used to watch for her dad coming home from the Factory.
Now she watched the pirates. The Pirate mechs standing still and silent were bad enough.
But the ones that were moving were worse. Often she would see green trails of light as the pirates opened fire on buildings.
They didn’t seem to care if there was anyone inside.
But now the blizzard was ending. Not that it changed the weather much, but she already heard Robb from a few houses down get pulled out of his house.
He had fought.
They had shot.
Now Robb's body was still out in the snow. Valerie expected they were next. She had urged her mother to gather some supplies so they could move out of the house, but her mother refused. They knew their home, knew where they could hide. The panic room her father had installed was well hidden. And since they had left their front door open and made it look like someone had taken their belongings and ran, hopefully the pirates wouldn’t look too hard.
Valerie clutched her fathers rifle tighter. The panic room was small, large enough for the two women, but still Valerie was scared.
She wasn’t as sure as her mother. Pirates were probably pretty good at finding hiding people she assumed.
Valerie was pretty sure she was going to be found. So she was preparing herself. She would fight. Maybe she would kill enough of them so she could escape. Or maybe they would just shoot her.
Having heard what happens to girls taken by pirates, Valerie was pretty sure she would keep fighting until they did.
The pirates were coming. She heard it. The rumble of tank treads outside their home. The armored carriers the pirates used to move around. The reason that Valerie wasn’t outside with her rifle shooting them as they tried to invade her home.
Heavy armor, and a machine gun made that pointless. She had seen others try. Their homes were turned into tinder after the pirates were done. They weren’t kind to any of the locals that had resisted.
Their front door being kicked away. Despite already being wide open. The stomping of steps on snow. Her mother clutched her tighter, as their small panic room suddenly didn’t seem secure enough.
Valerie aimed her rifle right at the door.
If they found her. She would unload. She had a few more mags of ammo. She would keep firing until they were dead.
Or she was.
Grimacing as her mothers grip almost hurt it was so tight. But neither of them said anything. Not a sound escaped them as the sound of their home being searched reached their ears. The sound of mirrors breaking, of ripping cloth.
Of memories and history and her entire childhood being torn apart.
She felt tears in her eyes form as she realized they were in her room smashing her models. She could hear them. The models of the Cheetah, and all the other ASF she had built with her father. She had hated it at first, but it made her father happy to have something to do with her.
She hadn’t seen him in two weeks. The idea of them being destroyed was horrible. Sickening.
But she kept quiet, even as her eyes glazed with tears.
Valerie would bawl and scream later. Right now. She had to stay focused. The sound continued for a long time. More boots stomped in and out, and she knew they were raiding her home. Stealing food and valuables. Luckily mother had already taken the truly expensive stuff and hidden it inside the panic room.
The time kept ticking away and Valerie realized in horror. They may not be leaving.
Their house was a great spot to look over the entire area after all. It made sense. To use it instead. Her mother hadn’t noticed Valerie realized. Glancing up, her mothers eyes tear streaked were closed as her head was bent in prayer.
Valerie had never been a follower as her mother was. But she made a promise to God. If they made it out of here alive, she would definitely go to church more.
At least once or twice a month.
The voices were getting loud now. The pirates settled in. she could hear them if she listened closely, despite being muffled through the walls. There was horrible laughing, and noises.
Valerie kept her breathing even as she realized. She would have to make a choice soon. The panic room hadn’t been big enough for a toilet, or designed for prolonged use.
No one expected the pirates if they showed up to stay for so long.
Just as Valerie was starting to really worry about what would happen, something changed. The voices of the pirates were the first clue.
They went from boisterous and loud to shocked and angry.
That was when she heard it. The distant noise of a dropship.
She felt hope. The Guard! The guards were actually here! She heard the pirates run out, leaving. Apparently whoever was in charge of these pirates wasn’t planning on standing in an unarmored building during a mech battle.
She heard them pack up whatever it was they brought with them and rush outside, only long after the house had gone quiet did she make a move to rise up, fighting off her mothers grasping arms as she rose up on numb legs.
She popped the hidden door open, gun leading the way as she checked the house. Sighing in relief when she realizes it was empty. She rushed to the bathroom satisfying a need before moving to her room. It was trashed, everything in the room was destroyed and her window she had spent so much time looking out into the city was broken open, they had apparently tried to set up a machine gun nest there.
She grabbed her binoculars. Looking out into the slow falling snow towards the plume of fire that represented a Dropship coming down. For a moment Valerie stared confused.
“What is that?”
“What? Valerie! Get down from there, the pirates might see you!” Her mother hissed from behind her. The older woman trying to keep her voice down as she shakily caught up to her daughter trying to pull her away from the open freezing window before looking out and stilling as well.
“That’s not the Guard. I don’t know what that is.” Her mother whispered softly, sounding quite distraught as she had the same thought Valerie did. If that wasn’t the guard… Was it more pirates? A raid?
Exhausted Valerie fell onto her bed, ignoring the broken models and debris. “How could this get any worse?”
Her mother settled onto her bed beside her, a warm arm over her shoulder. “We have to keep hope. Even at the worst, if we keep our hope, and keep moving. Do you think your grandfather would have survived the wars if he had just given up when the going got rough?”
“No.” Valerie spoke. It was an old refrain of her family. Valeries grandfather despite being shot down in an ASF on a foreign hostile world, had survived. Blending in, made enough money to get a ticket back home long after the war. Valeries Grandmother pregnant with her father at the time along with him.
Of course, it lost some of the telling when her mother was barely holding herself together from breaking into tears again too.
But she was right. Valerie Itens couldn’t give up. If this was a raid coming in, then they would just have to survive this one too.
“C’mon mom. We need to move. The Pirates are readying for battle, see.” She says pointing towards the pirate mechs that were coming online and readying themselves. “We are too close to a Mech battle, we need to move.”
This time the fact they had to leave their home seemed to find some acceptance. Her mother nodded rising up. “Go.. Go grab everything from the Panic room. I.. I will write your father a letter. In case he comes here and we are gone.”
Valerie almost said it… The gunshots they had heard from the factory on the first night… But she didn’t. Her Mom was already barely holding on. Valerie had to be strong, and so she had to let her mom have her moment.
She rushed grabbing the few valuables from the room, and their bag of food. Her mother was already putting on her outerwear. The warm weather gear was honestly a bit much in Valerie's opinion. It was summer right now. It wasn’t that cold out! The blizzard was even over!
But she accepted the mothering putting on her outer gear, and boots as the two women dashed out the back door, into the snow. They moved slowly, despite Valerie's fear of being too close to a battle. There were still pirates around. She had seen a group of them settling into a building. SRM packs armed and ready for the battle.
She and her mother had moved around them. Sneaking through the town. Valerie's experience running around with the other kids let her navigate through the area stealthily. She made good progress. The two women traveled more than three blocks down the road from their home, before Valerie had to stop. Ahead of them the buildings were leveled and a mech stood in the way.
“We can’t go that way Val.” Her mother whispered into her ear and she nodded turning around, and it was pure luck she noticed the pirates sauntering out of the home across the way from them before he noticed her.
She grabbed her mother pulling her down out of sight behind a stone wall, realizing after just a moment that they couldn’t stay where they were. The realization of where they were filled Valerie and she moved, pulling her mother along to the back of the home they were hiding by.
“Valerie! Where are you going, the mech is that way!” her mother whispered as Valerie tugged her along.
“I know a place we can hide!” She whispered back. This was Mike's home. She recognized it of course, she always had a crush on him. Especially since he was really good with his hands. He had built a fort in his backyard. They had all spent many a day here playing Leaguer and Capellans.
The fort looked as if it had seen better days. She almost stilled but didn’t have the time. They were too open so she pushed on. Even as she felt horror at the holes through the fort. The pirates had obviously shot up the fort Mike had built.
She really hoped it was just from boredom and not because Mike had decided to fight back from here.
“Mom. Here! Get in.” She hissed. Noticing behind her the pirates were moving around. And it was only luck that they hadn’t been seen so far. Rushing in Valerie sighed when she didn’t see any corpses inside.
She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t scream if Mikes body had been in here.
And unfortunately it only got worse. They hadn’t managed to get away far enough before the pirates readied for the battle. They were surrounded, Mikes home was right on the edge of the defensive line.
“Dammit.” She hissed under her breath and the situation truly was grim, because her mother hadn’t even told her to watch her language, simply hugging her tighter.
That was where Valerie was when she heard it. A sound she had grown up listening to.
Her father always said she had the ear, able to hear when there was a problem with an ASF engine. Her father was famous for it. It was what he did at the factory. Making sure the engines of the Cheetah were in good condition, and broken, or dysfunctional ones were pulled from the lineup. Something that had become a more serious issue over the years as the factories automated tech started failing.
So she knew instantly that the ASF in the sky weren’t maintained well. One she recognized the silhouette of as it flew over was an Eagle. The other? It looked… She tried to remember her models. She had a kit from every fighter in the Inner Sphere after all.
The second… Was harder. It looked like a lighter fighter, but as it banked, it clicked. “A Slayer.” She affirmed listening as it’s engines whined. Those were two nasty ASF. They had been vicious when the pirates landed. The heavy weather of Amity meant not a lot of ASF were used here. Too dangerous.
Which is why when lightning suddenly filled the sky, she found herself gasping as Not just a Lance. But an entire Squadron of ASF dominated the sky. Their engines! She was in awe. Those engines were singing. Perfection. She had only heard a few engines sound perfect before. Once her father had been so proud at tuning an engine he had let her come hear it.
These? They were all in tune. A perfect symphony of sound as the Squadron of ASF blazed through the light snow. The two Pirate ASF didn’t stand a chance.
Valerie could hear their engines whine. Pitching up to their maximum to try and dodge the sudden appearance, but it was too late.
Lightning after Lightning arched across the sky, thunder following in its wake.
The Slayer didn’t even get a chance to fire back. It was struck with so much fire it burst into pieces raining down on the city.
The Eagle tried to run. But no matter how far it seemed to run, it couldn’t get far enough away. Lightning chased after the fleeing ASF. And Valerie heard the moment it’s engine died not long after she lost sight of it in the clouds.
Then they came roaring down. Stuka, they were a squadron of Stuka! She watched in awe as they flew overhead for just a single moment, not even attacking the ground forces, before they roared back up into the clouds.
Valerie wasn’t sure why until she realized she could still hear them up there.
The Pirates weren’t escaping. She thought smiling. Their dropships wouldn’t be able to tangle with that much air power!
For a moment she forgot that these new people were probably raiders too. She just basked in the sight of flaming ASF pirates that deserved what happened to them.
Then she heard it. Everyone heard it. The city heard it.
“What is that?” She asked shocked as a shockwave rocked over the buildings. Followed by a crash that was almost horrendously loud.
“I don’t know…” Her mother whispered back Valerie realized she had spoken aloud not meaning too.
She had seen plenty of mechs, plenty of ASF. She had even been close enough to hear the battle last time Amity had been raided.
She had never heard that noise. Like Thunder and power mixed into one. She heard it again. And it shook her. The Pirates heard it too. And she could see through the gun holes of the fort they weren’t liking the noise.
The mech that was close by. Which Valerie was pretty sure was a Centurion. At least she thought it was, she liked ASF more than mechs. Shifted as if it noticed something raising an arm, it’s autocannon barked out. Shooting at something she couldn’t see.
The noise. She found herself screaming covering her ears as the Centurion started exploding. She was only a few houses away from it, and she could see as something struck the mech. The snow! She gasped, seeing a trail through the air where the snow had simply been pushed away as if something incredibly fast had gone through. The Centurion was damaged a huge chunk of it’s armor gone from it’s right arm, she could literally see the internals of the mech as it tried to push another round through to the Autocannon but couldn’t.
But it wasn’t out. It staggered back to it’s feet, green laser arcing out into the snow, melting snow in a horizontal cut as if trying to damage whatever it was that harmed it. But it stilled a moment later and I could see why.
Through the snow, and fog. A face emerged. A face with a red hot line burned across it. I felt my breath catch. That… That was impossible. Because what stepped out of the fog was an Atlas. An Atlas that belonged to the SLDF!
“Mom! Mom! It’s the SLDF! They’ve come to save us!” She found her eyes burning as the Atlas stepped out her deepest hopes. And seemingly into the Centurion pilot's deepest fears.
“Val. The SLDF is gone. What are you talking about?” Her mother asked, holding her tight as Val felt her eyes watered and a smile brighter than any she had unveiled since the pirate raid spread across her lips.
She shook her head. Braided hair flapping “No! It is them! Remember Immortal Warrior: And the Phantoms of the SLDF! That’s the same Atlas! The color scheme is the same and! Looks it’s gun. That’s a Gauss rifle! That sound! It’s a Gauss rifle firing!”
“Honey… They aren’t the SLDF. They are just some Lyran Mercenary company… They are probably here to raid us just like the pirates.”
But Valerie wouldn’t hear it. That couldn’t be! She had seen them. The SLDF mechs! It had caused an utter uproar at school. For weeks it was all anyone could talk about. It wasn’t the Lostech mechs, although some of mechwarrior wannabes had been focused on them. No, it was more than that.
The idea of the SLDF coming back? It had become the dream. Every kid wanted to join them to fight under the SLDF banner, to end the succession wars. To be something greater.
The Great Houses may call themselves the successor states, but to the kids born in the Inner Sphere they weren’t Star League.
There was only ever one Star League.
Of course Valerie was old enough to know that it was gone. That dream of a golden age. She was old enough to see. The death, the rust on everything. The fact they were struggling just to keep what they had.
It was why the SLDF was such an amazing dream. If they came back! If they just came back, they could bring back the Star League! Stop the decline.
And in a personal case. Stop the pirates attacking her home.
Valerie watched. The Atlas closed in on the Centurion, a wave of metal and force that nothing the Centurion had could slow. The faint *click* of the Autocannon failing to load was still a constant noise as the Centurion couldn’t get it’s jammed weapon to fire.
The Atlas caught up. And Valerie whooped as it ripped the Centurions autocannon arm from it’s body twisting it around and smashing it directly into the same shoulder it had just torn it off from. With a squeal of parting metal it’s own arm ripped a hole into it’s core and the Centurion was flung away from the Atlas.
Then the Atlas inexorably continued it’s advance. Tanks and defended points smashed aside, or smashed through. Until it was gone. Stomping out of her vision if not her hearing.
And the smoke and fire of it’s passage filled her ears.
“We-We should move.” Her mother finally said, long long after the Atlas had faded from hearing. But Valerie wasn’t about to accept that.
“We should wait! The SLDF is here! Once they finish off the pirates everything will be fine!”
“Valerie! The SLDF is gone! That- We aren’t discussing this. We need to move. Now before whoever is in charge decides that raiding us is the next step of their plan. Come on.” Valerie was pulling along after her mother scooped up the gun and she pushed the bags of supplies into her arms.
Then they were back out into the night. Both of them raced along the yard, over old fences. Trying to avoid the sounds of battle that were all around them. Valerie wanted to argue more, but it was fine. Once the battle was over the SLDF would definitely be the good guys!
They ran for a few minutes. Climbing through back yards and avoiding the streets when suddenly a monstrous noise filled the air. Gasping both women turned. Looking towards the factory where one of the dropships was taking into the air. Valerie was shocked, and then horrified as she realized she could see the fires blasting up around the dropship. The factory was not made for dropship exhaust.
Her dad!
She almost started screaming when a second noise echoed over her head. She watched two streaks of smoke and light raced over her, and slammed into the dropship.
The explosions were massive, horrible plumes of fire and metal burst from the dropship, almost enough force to cause the dropship to roll over as it settled back down, it’s engines sputtering and dying out, crashing back into the ground.
Everything was silent for a while, just the noise of fire burning out of the holes in the dropship And then the fighting resumed.
“Oh my Lord.” Her mother whispered watching the plume of smoke and fire coming out of the dropship. Whatever it was that had struck the dropship was horrendously powerful.
“Mom?”
“W-we should keep moving. Come on baby.” She urged, tearing her eyes from the sight dominating the skyline. Tugging Valerie along continuing away from the source of the fighting.
But not away from danger. They barely had a moment to backpedal when they came up to the end of the houses and found the road. But it wasn’t empty. A tank was parked. It’s gun aimed down the street towards them.
Valerie's mother grabbed her and bodily pushed up against the last house hiding in the shadows for a moment praying they hadn’t been noticed.
A moment later the tanks gun fired, and it shook everything around them Valeries hands instantly pushing against her ears to try and stifle the noise.
Whatever the tank had fired at responded back. The boom was odd. Just like the Atlas as Valerie took a second to peek back around the house she noticed that the tank was gone. Three massive rents having torn through it, as if some massive claws had reached down and clawed through.
The Pirates were dead.
The monster in question rumbled as it came down the street and Valerie gasped as the massive tank rumbled down the street, it’s three guns aimed down the street, but nothing moved to stall it’s advance as it drove past. Valerie was smiling though. That was the SLDF Colors!
These Pirates were fucked!
“We-we should move.” Her mother whispered the woman was shaking in terror, Valerie nodded. Rising up and re-gathering their dropped stuff, before heading on. They crossed the road heading farther and farther from the factory. Away from where the sounds of fighting continued on.
For the next few hours until long after the bangs and booms ended Valerie and her mom continued moving. Eventually they found others, who were fleeing. Slowly they gathered together. Some through the night grew brave and searched out of the community building they had eventually taken refuge in. Only returning far later with blankets and food.
Apparently the SLDF was passing out anything that was needed.
“It’s a trap. It has to be.” Her Mom argued, leading to many nodding heads. Lyrans don’t just give away goods on a raid. They were just as bad as the pirates. Although at least by the sounds of it they weren’t taking slaves.
Hopefully.
Valerie didn’t believe it. She wasn’t alone. A few had looked very pleased with the goods brought in, and already sent out a few more to request more food.
She wasn’t allowed to go, no matter how much she begged. Instead she had at least found some people she knew. Mitchell was usually a jerk. He had plans on being a mechwarrior when he grew up. It made him arrogant, walking around with a swagger.
Even if the idiot had no better chance of being a mechwarrior than anyone else. But now? Now he was one of the few people Valerie knew.
“It’s the SLDF.” She told him, having to explain what she had seen, he hadn’t seen the battle. No he had instead dealt with pirates themselves.
“They are here to help then, right? They won’t just…” He went quiet. Whatever he had seen during the raid had changed the boy. But Valerie understood. She felt different now too.
“I know they are. They fought the pirates… They are definitely the good guys.”
He nodded slowly. “That would be nice… If you're right.”
She scowled. “I am! They were the same people from Immortal Warrior! I know it’s a movie, but that doesn’t matter! They are the SLDF!” Her raised voice was getting her a few pointed looks but she didn’t care. No one seemed to get it!
Mitchell stared at her for a while before nodding. “I hope they are. I don’t think… I don’t think we can handle any more fighting.”
That cooled off Valerie as she nodded slowly. Settling in to wait. The adults were gathering together now. Readying themselves in case something bad happened.
A rumble from outside was what caught their attention first. The adults going to the large windows to stare out into the street whatever they found brought more attention as more people armed themselves with old rifles.
Valerie moved to look, before the adults pushed her away she saw an APC turning around, pointing its rear towards the building. And a mech. Large and daunting standing over it. She couldn’t get a good sight on what mech it was before the man pushed her away but she was calm.
That was the SLDF colors.
The adults were starting to freak out when a voice came, echoing into the building obviously being broadcast.
“This is Commander Eisen-Blume of the Iron Blooded Orphans! We know you are inside and need food, and supplies. We brought enough for all of you.”
The call was met with silence. The obvious Lyran accent had more than a few scowls spreading across face but Valerie wasn’t about to let that stop her. She rushed forward. Dodging a few grasping hands as she pushed the door open. And stepped out. A few calls for her to come back were ignored as she stepped out of the large doors towards the APC and mech.
And wow. That was a big mech. She recognized it, her smile stretching. The word “Phantom” Stretched across it’s nose were visible as she walked forward. That was a Nightstar. The same one from the Immortal Warrior!
The back of the APC was already open, and a couple of armored people were standing awkwardly there as if they were waiting to unpack the many boxes Valerie could see inside.
She didn’t hesitate. She jogged forward crunching through the snow before she came up to the two. “Are you the SLDF?”
The silence stretched for a moment before a chuckle broke it. One of the figures, a girl now that Valerie could hear her voice broke into giggles. “Vi-vicky is going to love this!”
The other figure sighed, shoulder slumping, before he reached up and pulled off his helmet.
He was young. Older than Valerie sure, but he was obviously still a teenager. “We aren’t the SLDF. We are the ISDF. Inner Sphere Defense Force. Iron Blooded First Battalion.” Gave Valerie a smile and she flushed a little. Maybe a different boy would be filling her dreams instead of Mike from now on?
“Nice to meet you?”
He smiled “I’m George, that’s Milly. Hungry? Cold? We have plenty of gear and food.” He offered pointing to the boxes in the truck.
Valerie nodded “Yeah a lot of people are hungry. Some of them have been here for over a week hiding from the pirates.”
A flash of anger in his eyes, but it was Milly that spoke next. “Well that’s fine we got plenty for everyone, and don’t worry about the pirates anymore.” The girl hadn’t taken off her helmet like George, but she still sounded young, but at this moment Valerie felt a chill. “They won’t bother anyone ever again. We made sure of that.”
Well then.
That was how a few of the other adults finally following Valerie out found her, taking a box of food from the two armored kids. She hurried back towards them opening the box so they could see the stacks of MRE’s inside as she brought the box inside.
It wasn’t long after that the tensions broke. Food, and lots of it, clothing, even a few electric heaters were brought in to warm up the building. Although while Valerie was passing around food the speed that all rumors travel caught up with her.
The Pirates had already completely surrendered, and were all either dead, or locked up. At least according to the rumor. Valerie was smiling though. They were the good guys. Maybe not the SLDF, but hey ISDF sounded pretty good to her ears!
“I told you they were good guys.” She tells Mitchell which earned her a quirked eyebrow as he bit into his MRE.
“You said they were the SLDF, but they said they weren’t.”
“They said they were the ISDF! That’s close!”
His soft chuckles were a little raw. But at least he was smiling so Valerie let it go.
Time flowed. People got clothes, and food. The atmosphere of horror slowly vanished especially since the ISDF weren’t doing anything bad. They slept on uncomfortable cots, but in the morning, as the fighting was over, a lot of people started heading out. Wanting to see what was left of their life.
“You sure Mom?”
“Yes Val. We need to go home… Erin will worry if we aren’t home, even with a letter.”
“Right. Dad will worry.” Valerie shrugged back into her coat. “C’mon let’s go. Sooner we get home, sooner we see Dad.” She grabbed the rifle, threw on one of the bags they had brought and smiled at her Mom trying to lift her spirits.
The weak smile she got in return was enough.
They headed out. As they walked home, Valerie kept her eyes out but couldn’t see any of the ISDF. She had so many questions! She couldn’t believe that they weren’t around. She hadn’t heard any Dropship drives. So they should still be here.
“Valerie, don’t get distracted.” Her mother reminded, tugging her along gently as she hurried to keep up. The walk was quiet, but everywhere they went, two things stood out. The destruction. Buildings Valerie remembered walking past her entire life were gone, smashing, or burnt husks.
The other was the people. Some were crying outside their homes. Some sitting on burnt steps looking tired. Others were happy to come home, finding family. Some rose up. Passing out food, helping neighbors.
Some raged at their loss.
Valerie hoped she wouldn’t be one of them. They finally returned to their home. Only to find it destroyed. A massive hole through the center of it. A mech must have crashed through it at one point. Valerie was numb to it. Losing her home was bad. But there was only one thing that would truly crush her. Without much thought she pushed into the rubble startling her mother as Valerie decided to see what she could find.
Eventually her mother joined her, pulling old timber and debris around to find old pieces of their lives.
“Rachel?”
Valerie spun, as did her mother. That voice, rough and tired, and in pain, but undoubtedly her father. “Daddy!”
“Erin!” Both Valerie and her mother rushed him. Despite his wincing steps he took both of their tackling hugs without complaint. His sobs matched their own as they realized that they were all together once again.
Valerie didn’t know how long the three of them were like that. Simply basking in the fact they were all alive. That no one had died!
“How Erin? We heard… We heard the gunshots from the factory.”
Her father Valerie noticed looked haunted as he shook his head wrapping an arm tight around her shoulders for a moment as if drawing strength.
“They were only killing some of us. A way to make sure the rest did what we were told. They found out I knew enough to be useful, so they kept me alive… They would just kill others whenever I didn’t do what they wanted.”
“Erin…”
“No. I’m alive my dear. I’m alive. And so are you. God bless these Lyrans. They saved us.”
Hearing that Valerie couldn’t hold back. “They are the ISDF! They are here to help! Like the SLDF used to!”
Her father looked at her a little lost like what she was saying wasn’t quite making its way through his head for a while but he slowly nodded “Whatever their reasons. I am happy they came. They showed up at just the right time. The pirates were getting ready to leave… They weren’t planning on leaving anyone behind.” He mutters softly, Valeries mother gasping at the realization that her husband had almost been taken away as a slave.
His tired nod turned into a wince which finally had her mother seem to notice. “How bad?”
“Not too bad. Cracked ribs. I’ll be alright…”
They both looked grim. Things were about to be really hard for a while.
“Hello! You folks need anything?” The voice called out wouldn’t have caused such a strong reaction if it wasn’t done with a Lyran accent. Valerie's mother jumped fumbling with nothing as she realized she didn’t have her rifle.
Valerie acted more like her father as she looked over the armored figure pulling up on the side of a truck. “Guten Morgen! Do you need food or blankets? We also have maps to shelters in the area if you have no place to stay!” The boy offered from the back of the truck was already holding out a bag that was bulging with its contents.
“N-No, We don’t need anything!” Valeries Mother of course tried to refuse but luckily her father was being more reasonable.
“We do have need, if you are offering. We lost our home. Some food would be welcome. As well as the map to the shelters. We will need them before tonight.”
“Excellent! Here you are!” The boy was actually quite kind Valerie thought, He didn’t throw the bag and hurry off, he jumped down offering her father a bag, although noticing his wince he stopped from finally handing it over. “If you are hurt, we have medics, and some doctors we brought along.”
“Just a busted rib. I’ll be alright.”
The boy didn’t look convinced. “How about I give you all a ride then? If you are hurt, walking around can’t be comfortable.”
“We accept!” Valerie cut in before either of her parents could refuse like she could see them about to.
The boy was quick. “Excellent! Come on and get comfortable. Sasha will be happy to look over your ribs as well!” He offered holding open the door showing the driver was just as armored as they were and was a young girl, probably not much older than Valerie.
“I… Thank you.” Her father finally added and while her mother didn’t look pleased, it seemed Valerie got her wish.
Hopping into the truck, she spent the drive close to her father, but asking questions constantly to, “Elric, Nice to meet you.” Who was kind enough to answer anything she wanted to know.
“Are you the ISDF?”
“Yeah the Commander calls us the ISDF, but we usually just use Iron Blooded Orphans. So it’s a bit of both.”
“How do you join?”
“Oh? Well usually you have to be an orphan, but we do recruit non orphans too. If you are under age you need parent permission though. I know the Commander will want that.”
“Absolutely not.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea honey.”
Both of her parents burned that idea, but Valerie wasn’t willing to let it go yet. She wanted to join the ISDF and save people too!
They didn’t end up driving to one of the shelters like the old community center, instead they were driven towards a set of buildings that had been overtaken and used by the ISDF as their base. Their dropship, which now that she was close enough to see, still eluded her what it was hung over their heads.
And kids in armor were everywhere! Walking around, working, some were leading others that were obviously natives around. Everything seemed plentiful. Food and clothing were offered freely.
Valerie was right. They were good people.
Her father was seen to by a medic, probably the oldest ISDF person she had seen. But she wore the armor, even if it had red crosses showing she was a medic, she was still wearing the same gear. They even had doctors, although they weren’t wearing armor.
“You won’t feel any pain for a few days, and this will help speed up the healing, but you need to be careful with it. The cracked rib is still fragile.” She ordered out in a firm voice. After using a few strange devices Valerie hadn’t seen before to take an instant x-ray of her fathers chest.
“Thank you that feels… Much better.”
“It should. Rest. In a few days you will be back to 100%.” She told them before shooing them out.
That night they slept in the ISDF compound. In a room just for them, in warm beds and warmer blankets, with an electric heater to keep the room toasty.
“See Mom?”
“...Yeah Valerie. I see.”
—-
3025
Free World League Space
Amity
A different perspective
Fourteen year old Valerie Itens was scared.
The raid on her home had been devastating so far. The pirates had slipped in with some merchant dropships. They had attacked before anyone knew what was going on.
“It’s okay baby. The Guard will send them off soon.” Her mother whispered. As she held Valerie tighter.
It had been over two weeks now. The guard hadn’t come. Valerie didn’t think they were coming. Sure there had been a battle not long after the pirates landed, but the tanks and placed defenses of the Planetary Guard hadn’t lasted long. At least Valerie was pretty sure the pirates looting the Imstar factory meant the guard had already lost.
She just hoped her dad was okay. He worked in the factory, on the line creating Cheetah ASF. Valerie had always planned to pilot one of the ASF her dad worked on.
Now she wasn’t sure that was going to happen. The Pirates had shot or captured anyone they had found. Luckily Amity’s weather had saved Valerie and her Mother. A blizzard had rolled in, and while the residents knew what to do, it caused a lot of problems among the Pirates.
At least Valerie was pretty sure that was the case. She had taken her old binoculars upstairs sometimes, and watched from the same window she had used to watch for her dad coming home from the Factory.
Now she watched the pirates. The Pirate mechs standing still and silent were bad enough.
But the ones that were moving were worse. Often she would see green trails of light as the pirates opened fire on buildings.
They didn’t seem to care if there was anyone inside.
But now the blizzard was ending. Not that it changed the weather much, but she already heard Robb from a few houses down get pulled out of his house.
He had fought.
They had shot.
Now Robb's body was still out in the snow. Valerie expected they were next. She had urged her mother to gather some supplies so they could move out of the house, but her mother refused. They knew their home, knew where they could hide. The panic room her father had installed was well hidden. And since they had left their front door open and made it look like someone had taken their belongings and ran, hopefully the pirates wouldn’t look too hard.
Valerie clutched her fathers rifle tighter. The panic room was small, large enough for the two women, but still Valerie was scared.
She wasn’t as sure as her mother. Pirates were probably pretty good at finding hiding people she assumed.
Valerie was pretty sure she was going to be found. So she was preparing herself. She would fight. Maybe she would kill enough of them so she could escape. Or maybe they would just shoot her.
Having heard what happens to girls taken by pirates, Valerie was pretty sure she would keep fighting until they did.
The pirates were coming. She heard it. The rumble of tank treads outside their home. The armored carriers the pirates used to move around. The reason that Valerie wasn’t outside with her rifle shooting them as they tried to invade her home.
Heavy armor, and a machine gun made that pointless. She had seen others try. Their homes were turned into tinder after the pirates were done. They weren’t kind to any of the locals that had resisted.
Their front door being kicked away. Despite already being wide open. The stomping of steps on snow. Her mother clutched her tighter, as their small panic room suddenly didn’t seem secure enough.
Valerie aimed her rifle right at the door.
If they found her. She would unload. She had a few more mags of ammo. She would keep firing until they were dead.
Or she was.
Grimacing as her mothers grip almost hurt it was so tight. But neither of them said anything. Not a sound escaped them as the sound of their home being searched reached their ears. The sound of mirrors breaking, of ripping cloth.
Of memories and history and her entire childhood being torn apart.
She felt tears in her eyes form as she realized they were in her room smashing her models. She could hear them. The models of the Cheetah, and all the other ASF she had built with her father. She had hated it at first, but it made her father happy to have something to do with her.
She hadn’t seen him in two weeks. The idea of them being destroyed was horrible. Sickening.
But she kept quiet, even as her eyes glazed with tears.
Valerie would bawl and scream later. Right now. She had to stay focused. The sound continued for a long time. More boots stomped in and out, and she knew they were raiding her home. Stealing food and valuables. Luckily mother had already taken the truly expensive stuff and hidden it inside the panic room.
The time kept ticking away and Valerie realized in horror. They may not be leaving.
Their house was a great spot to look over the entire area after all. It made sense. To use it instead. Her mother hadn’t noticed Valerie realized. Glancing up, her mothers eyes tear streaked were closed as her head was bent in prayer.
Valerie had never been a follower as her mother was. But she made a promise to God. If they made it out of here alive, she would definitely go to church more.
At least once or twice a month.
The voices were getting loud now. The pirates settled in. she could hear them if she listened closely, despite being muffled through the walls. There was horrible laughing, and noises.
Valerie kept her breathing even as she realized. She would have to make a choice soon. The panic room hadn’t been big enough for a toilet, or designed for prolonged use.
No one expected the pirates if they showed up to stay for so long.
Just as Valerie was starting to really worry about what would happen, something changed. The voices of the pirates were the first clue.
They went from boisterous and loud to shocked and angry.
That was when she heard it. The distant noise of a dropship.
She felt hope. The Guard! The guards were actually here! She heard the pirates run out, leaving. Apparently whoever was in charge of these pirates wasn’t planning on standing in an unarmored building during a mech battle.
She heard them pack up whatever it was they brought with them and rush outside, only long after the house had gone quiet did she make a move to rise up, fighting off her mothers grasping arms as she rose up on numb legs.
She popped the hidden door open, gun leading the way as she checked the house. Sighing in relief when she realizes it was empty. She rushed to the bathroom satisfying a need before moving to her room. It was trashed, everything in the room was destroyed and her window she had spent so much time looking out into the city was broken open, they had apparently tried to set up a machine gun nest there.
She grabbed her binoculars. Looking out into the slow falling snow towards the plume of fire that represented a Dropship coming down. For a moment Valerie stared confused.
“What is that?”
“What? Valerie! Get down from there, the pirates might see you!” Her mother hissed from behind her. The older woman trying to keep her voice down as she shakily caught up to her daughter trying to pull her away from the open freezing window before looking out and stilling as well.
“That’s not the Guard. I don’t know what that is.” Her mother whispered softly, sounding quite distraught as she had the same thought Valerie did. If that wasn’t the guard… Was it more pirates? A raid?
Exhausted Valerie fell onto her bed, ignoring the broken models and debris. “How could this get any worse?”
Her mother settled onto her bed beside her, a warm arm over her shoulder. “We have to keep hope. Even at the worst, if we keep our hope, and keep moving. Do you think your grandfather would have survived the wars if he had just given up when the going got rough?”
“No.” Valerie spoke. It was an old refrain of her family. Valeries grandfather despite being shot down in an ASF on a foreign hostile world, had survived. Blending in, made enough money to get a ticket back home long after the war. Valeries Grandmother pregnant with her father at the time along with him.
Of course, it lost some of the telling when her mother was barely holding herself together from breaking into tears again too.
But she was right. Valerie Itens couldn’t give up. If this was a raid coming in, then they would just have to survive this one too.
“C’mon mom. We need to move. The Pirates are readying for battle, see.” She says pointing towards the pirate mechs that were coming online and readying themselves. “We are too close to a Mech battle, we need to move.”
This time the fact they had to leave their home seemed to find some acceptance. Her mother nodded rising up. “Go.. Go grab everything from the Panic room. I.. I will write your father a letter. In case he comes here and we are gone.”
Valerie almost said it… The gunshots they had heard from the factory on the first night… But she didn’t. Her Mom was already barely holding on. Valerie had to be strong, and so she had to let her mom have her moment.
She rushed grabbing the few valuables from the room, and their bag of food. Her mother was already putting on her outerwear. The warm weather gear was honestly a bit much in Valerie's opinion. It was summer right now. It wasn’t that cold out! The blizzard was even over!
But she accepted the mothering putting on her outer gear, and boots as the two women dashed out the back door, into the snow. They moved slowly, despite Valerie's fear of being too close to a battle. There were still pirates around. She had seen a group of them settling into a building. SRM packs armed and ready for the battle.
She and her mother had moved around them. Sneaking through the town. Valerie's experience running around with the other kids let her navigate through the area stealthily. She made good progress. The two women traveled more than three blocks down the road from their home, before Valerie had to stop. Ahead of them the buildings were leveled and a mech stood in the way.
“We can’t go that way Val.” Her mother whispered into her ear and she nodded turning around, and it was pure luck she noticed the pirates sauntering out of the home across the way from them before he noticed her.
She grabbed her mother pulling her down out of sight behind a stone wall, realizing after just a moment that they couldn’t stay where they were. The realization of where they were filled Valerie and she moved, pulling her mother along to the back of the home they were hiding by.
“Valerie! Where are you going, the mech is that way!” her mother whispered as Valerie tugged her along.
“I know a place we can hide!” She whispered back. This was Mike's home. She recognized it of course, she always had a crush on him. Especially since he was really good with his hands. He had built a fort in his backyard. They had all spent many a day here playing Leaguer and Capellans.
The fort looked as if it had seen better days. She almost stilled but didn’t have the time. They were too open so she pushed on. Even as she felt horror at the holes through the fort. The pirates had obviously shot up the fort Mike had built.
She really hoped it was just from boredom and not because Mike had decided to fight back from here.
“Mom. Here! Get in.” She hissed. Noticing behind her the pirates were moving around. And it was only luck that they hadn’t been seen so far. Rushing in Valerie sighed when she didn’t see any corpses inside.
She wasn’t sure she wouldn’t scream if Mikes body had been in here.
And unfortunately it only got worse. They hadn’t managed to get away far enough before the pirates readied for the battle. They were surrounded, Mikes home was right on the edge of the defensive line.
“Dammit.” She hissed under her breath and the situation truly was grim, because her mother hadn’t even told her to watch her language, simply hugging her tighter.
That was where Valerie was when she heard it. A sound she had grown up listening to.
Her father always said she had the ear, able to hear when there was a problem with an ASF engine. Her father was famous for it. It was what he did at the factory. Making sure the engines of the Cheetah were in good condition, and broken, or dysfunctional ones were pulled from the lineup. Something that had become a more serious issue over the years as the factories automated tech started failing.
So she knew instantly that the ASF in the sky weren’t maintained well. One she recognized the silhouette of as it flew over was an Eagle. The other? It looked… She tried to remember her models. She had a kit from every fighter in the Inner Sphere after all.
The second… Was harder. It looked like a lighter fighter, but as it banked, it clicked. “A Slayer.” She affirmed listening as it’s engines whined. Those were two nasty ASF. They had been vicious when the pirates landed. The heavy weather of Amity meant not a lot of ASF were used here. Too dangerous.
Which is why when lightning suddenly filled the sky, she found herself gasping as Not just a Lance. But an entire Squadron of ASF dominated the sky. Their engines! She was in awe. Those engines were singing. Perfection. She had only heard a few engines sound perfect before. Once her father had been so proud at tuning an engine he had let her come hear it.
These? They were all in tune. A perfect symphony of sound as the Squadron of ASF blazed through the light snow. The two Pirate ASF didn’t stand a chance.
Valerie could hear their engines whine. Pitching up to their maximum to try and dodge the sudden appearance, but it was too late.
Lightning after Lightning arched across the sky, thunder following in its wake.
The Slayer didn’t even get a chance to fire back. It was struck with so much fire it burst into pieces raining down on the city.
The Eagle tried to run. But no matter how far it seemed to run, it couldn’t get far enough away. Lightning chased after the fleeing ASF. And Valerie heard the moment it’s engine died not long after she lost sight of it in the clouds.
Then they came roaring down. Stuka, they were a squadron of Stuka! She watched in awe as they flew overhead for just a single moment, not even attacking the ground forces, before they roared back up into the clouds.
Valerie wasn’t sure why until she realized she could still hear them up there.
The Pirates weren’t escaping. She thought smiling. Their dropships wouldn’t be able to tangle with that much air power!
For a moment she forgot that these new people were probably raiders too. She just basked in the sight of flaming ASF pirates that deserved what happened to them.
Then she heard it. Everyone heard it. The city heard it.
“What is that?” She asked shocked as a shockwave rocked over the buildings. Followed by a crash that was almost horrendously loud.
“I don’t know…” Her mother whispered back Valerie realized she had spoken aloud not meaning too.
She had seen plenty of mechs, plenty of ASF. She had even been close enough to hear the battle last time Amity had been raided.
She had never heard that noise. Like Thunder and power mixed into one. She heard it again. And it shook her. The Pirates heard it too. And she could see through the gun holes of the fort they weren’t liking the noise.
The mech that was close by. Which Valerie was pretty sure was a Centurion. At least she thought it was, she liked ASF more than mechs. Shifted as if it noticed something raising an arm, it’s autocannon barked out. Shooting at something she couldn’t see.
The noise. She found herself screaming covering her ears as the Centurion started exploding. She was only a few houses away from it, and she could see as something struck the mech. The snow! She gasped, seeing a trail through the air where the snow had simply been pushed away as if something incredibly fast had gone through. The Centurion was damaged a huge chunk of it’s armor gone from it’s right arm, she could literally see the internals of the mech as it tried to push another round through to the Autocannon but couldn’t.
But it wasn’t out. It staggered back to it’s feet, green laser arcing out into the snow, melting snow in a horizontal cut as if trying to damage whatever it was that harmed it. But it stilled a moment later and I could see why.
Through the snow, and fog. A face emerged. A face with a red hot line burned across it. I felt my breath catch. That… That was impossible. Because what stepped out of the fog was an Atlas. An Atlas that belonged to the SLDF!
“Mom! Mom! It’s the SLDF! They’ve come to save us!” She found her eyes burning as the Atlas stepped out her deepest hopes. And seemingly into the Centurion pilot's deepest fears.
“Val. The SLDF is gone. What are you talking about?” Her mother asked, holding her tight as Val felt her eyes watered and a smile brighter than any she had unveiled since the pirate raid spread across her lips.
She shook her head. Braided hair flapping “No! It is them! Remember Immortal Warrior: And the Phantoms of the SLDF! That’s the same Atlas! The color scheme is the same and! Looks it’s gun. That’s a Gauss rifle! That sound! It’s a Gauss rifle firing!”
“Honey… They aren’t the SLDF. They are just some Lyran Mercenary company… They are probably here to raid us just like the pirates.”
But Valerie wouldn’t hear it. That couldn’t be! She had seen them. The SLDF mechs! It had caused an utter uproar at school. For weeks it was all anyone could talk about. It wasn’t the Lostech mechs, although some of mechwarrior wannabes had been focused on them. No, it was more than that.
The idea of the SLDF coming back? It had become the dream. Every kid wanted to join them to fight under the SLDF banner, to end the succession wars. To be something greater.
The Great Houses may call themselves the successor states, but to the kids born in the Inner Sphere they weren’t Star League.
There was only ever one Star League.
Of course Valerie was old enough to know that it was gone. That dream of a golden age. She was old enough to see. The death, the rust on everything. The fact they were struggling just to keep what they had.
It was why the SLDF was such an amazing dream. If they came back! If they just came back, they could bring back the Star League! Stop the decline.
And in a personal case. Stop the pirates attacking her home.
Valerie watched. The Atlas closed in on the Centurion, a wave of metal and force that nothing the Centurion had could slow. The faint *click* of the Autocannon failing to load was still a constant noise as the Centurion couldn’t get it’s jammed weapon to fire.
The Atlas caught up. And Valerie whooped as it ripped the Centurions autocannon arm from it’s body twisting it around and smashing it directly into the same shoulder it had just torn it off from. With a squeal of parting metal it’s own arm ripped a hole into it’s core and the Centurion was flung away from the Atlas.
Then the Atlas inexorably continued it’s advance. Tanks and defended points smashed aside, or smashed through. Until it was gone. Stomping out of her vision if not her hearing.
And the smoke and fire of it’s passage filled her ears.
“We-We should move.” Her mother finally said, long long after the Atlas had faded from hearing. But Valerie wasn’t about to accept that.
“We should wait! The SLDF is here! Once they finish off the pirates everything will be fine!”
“Valerie! The SLDF is gone! That- We aren’t discussing this. We need to move. Now before whoever is in charge decides that raiding us is the next step of their plan. Come on.” Valerie was pulling along after her mother scooped up the gun and she pushed the bags of supplies into her arms.
Then they were back out into the night. Both of them raced along the yard, over old fences. Trying to avoid the sounds of battle that were all around them. Valerie wanted to argue more, but it was fine. Once the battle was over the SLDF would definitely be the good guys!
They ran for a few minutes. Climbing through back yards and avoiding the streets when suddenly a monstrous noise filled the air. Gasping both women turned. Looking towards the factory where one of the dropships was taking into the air. Valerie was shocked, and then horrified as she realized she could see the fires blasting up around the dropship. The factory was not made for dropship exhaust.
Her dad!
She almost started screaming when a second noise echoed over her head. She watched two streaks of smoke and light raced over her, and slammed into the dropship.
The explosions were massive, horrible plumes of fire and metal burst from the dropship, almost enough force to cause the dropship to roll over as it settled back down, it’s engines sputtering and dying out, crashing back into the ground.
Everything was silent for a while, just the noise of fire burning out of the holes in the dropship And then the fighting resumed.
“Oh my Lord.” Her mother whispered watching the plume of smoke and fire coming out of the dropship. Whatever it was that had struck the dropship was horrendously powerful.
“Mom?”
“W-we should keep moving. Come on baby.” She urged, tearing her eyes from the sight dominating the skyline. Tugging Valerie along continuing away from the source of the fighting.
But not away from danger. They barely had a moment to backpedal when they came up to the end of the houses and found the road. But it wasn’t empty. A tank was parked. It’s gun aimed down the street towards them.
Valerie's mother grabbed her and bodily pushed up against the last house hiding in the shadows for a moment praying they hadn’t been noticed.
A moment later the tanks gun fired, and it shook everything around them Valeries hands instantly pushing against her ears to try and stifle the noise.
Whatever the tank had fired at responded back. The boom was odd. Just like the Atlas as Valerie took a second to peek back around the house she noticed that the tank was gone. Three massive rents having torn through it, as if some massive claws had reached down and clawed through.
The Pirates were dead.
The monster in question rumbled as it came down the street and Valerie gasped as the massive tank rumbled down the street, it’s three guns aimed down the street, but nothing moved to stall it’s advance as it drove past. Valerie was smiling though. That was the SLDF Colors!
These Pirates were fucked!
“We-we should move.” Her mother whispered the woman was shaking in terror, Valerie nodded. Rising up and re-gathering their dropped stuff, before heading on. They crossed the road heading farther and farther from the factory. Away from where the sounds of fighting continued on.
For the next few hours until long after the bangs and booms ended Valerie and her mom continued moving. Eventually they found others, who were fleeing. Slowly they gathered together. Some through the night grew brave and searched out of the community building they had eventually taken refuge in. Only returning far later with blankets and food.
Apparently the SLDF was passing out anything that was needed.
“It’s a trap. It has to be.” Her Mom argued, leading to many nodding heads. Lyrans don’t just give away goods on a raid. They were just as bad as the pirates. Although at least by the sounds of it they weren’t taking slaves.
Hopefully.
Valerie didn’t believe it. She wasn’t alone. A few had looked very pleased with the goods brought in, and already sent out a few more to request more food.
She wasn’t allowed to go, no matter how much she begged. Instead she had at least found some people she knew. Mitchell was usually a jerk. He had plans on being a mechwarrior when he grew up. It made him arrogant, walking around with a swagger.
Even if the idiot had no better chance of being a mechwarrior than anyone else. But now? Now he was one of the few people Valerie knew.
“It’s the SLDF.” She told him, having to explain what she had seen, he hadn’t seen the battle. No he had instead dealt with pirates themselves.
“They are here to help then, right? They won’t just…” He went quiet. Whatever he had seen during the raid had changed the boy. But Valerie understood. She felt different now too.
“I know they are. They fought the pirates… They are definitely the good guys.”
He nodded slowly. “That would be nice… If you're right.”
She scowled. “I am! They were the same people from Immortal Warrior! I know it’s a movie, but that doesn’t matter! They are the SLDF!” Her raised voice was getting her a few pointed looks but she didn’t care. No one seemed to get it!
Mitchell stared at her for a while before nodding. “I hope they are. I don’t think… I don’t think we can handle any more fighting.”
That cooled off Valerie as she nodded slowly. Settling in to wait. The adults were gathering together now. Readying themselves in case something bad happened.
A rumble from outside was what caught their attention first. The adults going to the large windows to stare out into the street whatever they found brought more attention as more people armed themselves with old rifles.
Valerie moved to look, before the adults pushed her away she saw an APC turning around, pointing its rear towards the building. And a mech. Large and daunting standing over it. She couldn’t get a good sight on what mech it was before the man pushed her away but she was calm.
That was the SLDF colors.
The adults were starting to freak out when a voice came, echoing into the building obviously being broadcast.
“This is Commander Eisen-Blume of the Iron Blooded Orphans! We know you are inside and need food, and supplies. We brought enough for all of you.”
The call was met with silence. The obvious Lyran accent had more than a few scowls spreading across face but Valerie wasn’t about to let that stop her. She rushed forward. Dodging a few grasping hands as she pushed the door open. And stepped out. A few calls for her to come back were ignored as she stepped out of the large doors towards the APC and mech.
And wow. That was a big mech. She recognized it, her smile stretching. The word “Phantom” Stretched across it’s nose were visible as she walked forward. That was a Nightstar. The same one from the Immortal Warrior!
The back of the APC was already open, and a couple of armored people were standing awkwardly there as if they were waiting to unpack the many boxes Valerie could see inside.
She didn’t hesitate. She jogged forward crunching through the snow before she came up to the two. “Are you the SLDF?”
The silence stretched for a moment before a chuckle broke it. One of the figures, a girl now that Valerie could hear her voice broke into giggles. “Vi-vicky is going to love this!”
The other figure sighed, shoulder slumping, before he reached up and pulled off his helmet.
He was young. Older than Valerie sure, but he was obviously still a teenager. “We aren’t the SLDF. We are the ISDF. Inner Sphere Defense Force. Iron Blooded First Battalion.” Gave Valerie a smile and she flushed a little. Maybe a different boy would be filling her dreams instead of Mike from now on?
“Nice to meet you?”
He smiled “I’m George, that’s Milly. Hungry? Cold? We have plenty of gear and food.” He offered pointing to the boxes in the truck.
Valerie nodded “Yeah a lot of people are hungry. Some of them have been here for over a week hiding from the pirates.”
A flash of anger in his eyes, but it was Milly that spoke next. “Well that’s fine we got plenty for everyone, and don’t worry about the pirates anymore.” The girl hadn’t taken off her helmet like George, but she still sounded young, but at this moment Valerie felt a chill. “They won’t bother anyone ever again. We made sure of that.”
Well then.
That was how a few of the other adults finally following Valerie out found her, taking a box of food from the two armored kids. She hurried back towards them opening the box so they could see the stacks of MRE’s inside as she brought the box inside.
It wasn’t long after that the tensions broke. Food, and lots of it, clothing, even a few electric heaters were brought in to warm up the building. Although while Valerie was passing around food the speed that all rumors travel caught up with her.
The Pirates had already completely surrendered, and were all either dead, or locked up. At least according to the rumor. Valerie was smiling though. They were the good guys. Maybe not the SLDF, but hey ISDF sounded pretty good to her ears!
“I told you they were good guys.” She tells Mitchell which earned her a quirked eyebrow as he bit into his MRE.
“You said they were the SLDF, but they said they weren’t.”
“They said they were the ISDF! That’s close!”
His soft chuckles were a little raw. But at least he was smiling so Valerie let it go.
Time flowed. People got clothes, and food. The atmosphere of horror slowly vanished especially since the ISDF weren’t doing anything bad. They slept on uncomfortable cots, but in the morning, as the fighting was over, a lot of people started heading out. Wanting to see what was left of their life.
“You sure Mom?”
“Yes Val. We need to go home… Erin will worry if we aren’t home, even with a letter.”
“Right. Dad will worry.” Valerie shrugged back into her coat. “C’mon let’s go. Sooner we get home, sooner we see Dad.” She grabbed the rifle, threw on one of the bags they had brought and smiled at her Mom trying to lift her spirits.
The weak smile she got in return was enough.
They headed out. As they walked home, Valerie kept her eyes out but couldn’t see any of the ISDF. She had so many questions! She couldn’t believe that they weren’t around. She hadn’t heard any Dropship drives. So they should still be here.
“Valerie, don’t get distracted.” Her mother reminded, tugging her along gently as she hurried to keep up. The walk was quiet, but everywhere they went, two things stood out. The destruction. Buildings Valerie remembered walking past her entire life were gone, smashing, or burnt husks.
The other was the people. Some were crying outside their homes. Some sitting on burnt steps looking tired. Others were happy to come home, finding family. Some rose up. Passing out food, helping neighbors.
Some raged at their loss.
Valerie hoped she wouldn’t be one of them. They finally returned to their home. Only to find it destroyed. A massive hole through the center of it. A mech must have crashed through it at one point. Valerie was numb to it. Losing her home was bad. But there was only one thing that would truly crush her. Without much thought she pushed into the rubble startling her mother as Valerie decided to see what she could find.
Eventually her mother joined her, pulling old timber and debris around to find old pieces of their lives.
“Rachel?”
Valerie spun, as did her mother. That voice, rough and tired, and in pain, but undoubtedly her father. “Daddy!”
“Erin!” Both Valerie and her mother rushed him. Despite his wincing steps he took both of their tackling hugs without complaint. His sobs matched their own as they realized that they were all together once again.
Valerie didn’t know how long the three of them were like that. Simply basking in the fact they were all alive. That no one had died!
“How Erin? We heard… We heard the gunshots from the factory.”
Her father Valerie noticed looked haunted as he shook his head wrapping an arm tight around her shoulders for a moment as if drawing strength.
“They were only killing some of us. A way to make sure the rest did what we were told. They found out I knew enough to be useful, so they kept me alive… They would just kill others whenever I didn’t do what they wanted.”
“Erin…”
“No. I’m alive my dear. I’m alive. And so are you. God bless these Lyrans. They saved us.”
Hearing that Valerie couldn’t hold back. “They are the ISDF! They are here to help! Like the SLDF used to!”
Her father looked at her a little lost like what she was saying wasn’t quite making its way through his head for a while but he slowly nodded “Whatever their reasons. I am happy they came. They showed up at just the right time. The pirates were getting ready to leave… They weren’t planning on leaving anyone behind.” He mutters softly, Valeries mother gasping at the realization that her husband had almost been taken away as a slave.
His tired nod turned into a wince which finally had her mother seem to notice. “How bad?”
“Not too bad. Cracked ribs. I’ll be alright…”
They both looked grim. Things were about to be really hard for a while.
“Hello! You folks need anything?” The voice called out wouldn’t have caused such a strong reaction if it wasn’t done with a Lyran accent. Valerie's mother jumped fumbling with nothing as she realized she didn’t have her rifle.
Valerie acted more like her father as she looked over the armored figure pulling up on the side of a truck. “Guten Morgen! Do you need food or blankets? We also have maps to shelters in the area if you have no place to stay!” The boy offered from the back of the truck was already holding out a bag that was bulging with its contents.
“N-No, We don’t need anything!” Valeries Mother of course tried to refuse but luckily her father was being more reasonable.
“We do have need, if you are offering. We lost our home. Some food would be welcome. As well as the map to the shelters. We will need them before tonight.”
“Excellent! Here you are!” The boy was actually quite kind Valerie thought, He didn’t throw the bag and hurry off, he jumped down offering her father a bag, although noticing his wince he stopped from finally handing it over. “If you are hurt, we have medics, and some doctors we brought along.”
“Just a busted rib. I’ll be alright.”
The boy didn’t look convinced. “How about I give you all a ride then? If you are hurt, walking around can’t be comfortable.”
“We accept!” Valerie cut in before either of her parents could refuse like she could see them about to.
The boy was quick. “Excellent! Come on and get comfortable. Sasha will be happy to look over your ribs as well!” He offered holding open the door showing the driver was just as armored as they were and was a young girl, probably not much older than Valerie.
“I… Thank you.” Her father finally added and while her mother didn’t look pleased, it seemed Valerie got her wish.
Hopping into the truck, she spent the drive close to her father, but asking questions constantly to, “Elric, Nice to meet you.” Who was kind enough to answer anything she wanted to know.
“Are you the ISDF?”
“Yeah the Commander calls us the ISDF, but we usually just use Iron Blooded Orphans. So it’s a bit of both.”
“How do you join?”
“Oh? Well usually you have to be an orphan, but we do recruit non orphans too. If you are under age you need parent permission though. I know the Commander will want that.”
“Absolutely not.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea honey.”
Both of her parents burned that idea, but Valerie wasn’t willing to let it go yet. She wanted to join the ISDF and save people too!
They didn’t end up driving to one of the shelters like the old community center, instead they were driven towards a set of buildings that had been overtaken and used by the ISDF as their base. Their dropship, which now that she was close enough to see, still eluded her what it was hung over their heads.
And kids in armor were everywhere! Walking around, working, some were leading others that were obviously natives around. Everything seemed plentiful. Food and clothing were offered freely.
Valerie was right. They were good people.
Her father was seen to by a medic, probably the oldest ISDF person she had seen. But she wore the armor, even if it had red crosses showing she was a medic, she was still wearing the same gear. They even had doctors, although they weren’t wearing armor.
“You won’t feel any pain for a few days, and this will help speed up the healing, but you need to be careful with it. The cracked rib is still fragile.” She ordered out in a firm voice. After using a few strange devices Valerie hadn’t seen before to take an instant x-ray of her fathers chest.
“Thank you that feels… Much better.”
“It should. Rest. In a few days you will be back to 100%.” She told them before shooing them out.
That night they slept in the ISDF compound. In a room just for them, in warm beds and warmer blankets, with an electric heater to keep the room toasty.
“See Mom?”
“...Yeah Valerie. I see.”
—-
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So the question is, what happens when the ISDF shows up and stomps some state actors in the middle of a raid on one of their neighbors. I doubt the CapCon will take it quietly if an independent military organization kicks the shit out of one of their raiding parties.
xachariahxx
Well-known member
I may be mistaken, but Successor States do not raid their neighbors.
Now, a Lyrian world might be attacked by surprisingly well equipped and regular mercenaries or pirates, but you can't blame the Capellan Confederation for that. Even if leader suspiciously a second son of the House of Scions.
But it also means the Capellan Confederation cannot officially hold a grudge against someone defending against pirates.
Evilutionary
Active member
Heh.... they absolutely do raid their neighbors. It is a central part of the Succession Wars (from the Chain Gangs kicking off the 2nd to the primary offensive action in the 3rd). On top of that you have the other actors like pirates and Comstar sponsored pirates for when things get slow like with the Jolly Roger Affair. We mustn't let peace break out after all.
But raids are part and parcel for regular units, not just mercs or 'deniable assets'. I mean, why bother with a fiction of 'oh it wasn't us'? Especially considering on these raids they are usually after some sort of strategic assets/supplies as a common feature (spare parts in the 3rd), if not just out to disrupt the enemy.
More to the point, one of the founding tenets of the IBO seems to be uplifting living standards across the IS. Capellan and Combine society depends on an uneducated, relatively low tech virtual slave caste to keep functioning. The IBO are basically declaring war on them whether Vicky realizes it or not.
Chapter 14.2
Seras
Well-known member
Chapter 14.2
3025
Free World League Space
Amity
“Commander!”
“I know I hear it.” I call out as I head out of the Command center. We had been here on Amity for almost a week now. And while we had sent plenty of messages back and forth with the planetary governor, or “First Minister of Amity Raymon Richards.” This was the first time we were actually getting a meeting with anyone high up.
As far as the Amity government had been concerned. The IBO were a raiding force, and they weren’t risking themselves. So it had taken almost a week of back and forth over the radio for this to happen.
Colonel Cyrus, he hadn’t bothered giving a first name, would be coming over to begin negotiations. His Vtol could be heard over the city as I stepped out of the command center. It flew overhead once, probably getting some aerial photos of our site before it turned and settled into a landing pad we had set up.
I was there, as were a few of my ‘guards’ that now followed me around all the time. It had been something Benny ordered, and despite my protests they ignored any time I told them I was fine.
Apparently the ISDF was ‘too important’ to let their Commander walk around by herself now.
I thought it was just a little too much, but that was how these things went.
The man that stepped out of the Vtol was older. Salt and pepper beard reminded me of Morgan Kell, but his scowl was nothing like the man. Morgan usually looked as if he was thinking about deep thoughts.
This man looked like he was thinking about murdering everyone he was seeing.
Which he might be.
I waited while the Vtol powered down, turning the small landing pad back to a normal volume before I stepped out. The Colonel ignored his aides, as he strode out on long legs.
“Colonel Cyrus. Welcome to Ruhr.”
“Commander Eisen-Blume. I don’t need to be welcomed to my own city.” He spoke clearly and slowly, his voice harsh but not erratic. This was a man who thought about every word, and said it, even if they would bring offense.
I was fine with that.
“But you did need help removing the pirates.”
“I don’t consider that task completed.” He stated gruffly.
“Then we should get right on to our discussion to lay your mind at ease about our intentions. We have a room prepared inside.”
He was silent for a moment before he nodded. Regardless of his desires, he was here to negotiate with us.
I turned letting him follow me and my two guards back into our command center. A room was prepared. We even had tea.
Disgusting.
I drank the foul leaf juice with only a faint hint of disgust once I had settled in, watching the other half of the room settle themselves in.
The Colonel had brought two aids, two military guards, and a man in a business suit that stood slightly separate.
I couldn’t quite peg him but I guessed either lawyer, or spook.
“So we don’t waste any time, how about I say something clearly. The ISDF, Iron Blooded Orphans, 1st Battalion came to Amity after hearing about the pirate raid. We came with the intention of stopping them from causing any more devastation as pirate hunting is one of our sworn duties, regardless of where the pirates are.” I took a sip of foul brown muk before continuing.
“We are not here to commit any other military action, and will leave at the first request by the Governors office-”
“Then leave.” He interrupted me instantly, but before I could even nod and agree another voice piped up.
“We will need to discuss salvage terms first.” The ‘Lawyer’ spoke up interrupting the meeting.
“Pierson. You-”
“Colonel. You are here to ensure that the… ISDF are not here at the forefront of a LCAF raid. I don’t believe that is likely anymore. Do you?”
The Colonel was silent for a time before he exhaled once firmly, seemingly calming himself. “Go ahead Mr. Pierson.”
“Thank you Colonel. Commander. The First Minister thanks you for your protection of his citizens, but when the pirates landed, they captured not only Planetary defense equipment, but equipment from the Imstar Aerospace factory.”
“Yes. They actually had a couple of Cheetahs we confirmed were taken from the factory that we shot down.”
“Correct. As an invading force, and a pirate one at that, the equipment is requested to be returned to us. We will of course offer a cash payment in exchange.”
I took the paper the Lawyer pulled out from his briefcase and looked over the list. The Prices as I expected, were pretty paltry. As I read, each piece requested to be returned was given such a low bounty I realized this wasn’t an honest attempt.
It was meant to be thrown back in their face. Either to continue negotiations to a still low price. Or because they wanted to use the nuclear option… Probably not literally but you never know. “This is an interesting offer.”
The silence after that was interesting. I watched all the men. Different emotions on each face, although all of them tried to hide it. Mr. Pierson spoke up before the silence grew too long.
“It is our initial offer. You are here illegally after all. We consider it acceptable in exchange for not prosecuting your raid.”
“I didn’t know it was considered a raid to attack pirates.”
“It is when Lyran Mercenaries are dropping onto League worlds.” The Colonel growled.
I thought it over. The best way to get my way. Without ruffling feathers… Without also sounding too weird. A fact I had learned over the last year. Sometimes when you offered a deal that was too good, it would be thrown back in your face just to spite you.
Seriously people could be so stupid.
“I have an interest that if you are willing to fulfill, I will accept most of these prices.”
“This isn’t a negotiation. If you refuse we will consider you an enemy of the state. We will hunt you down.”
“You will send good men to die.” I state plainly supremely confident. If it ever came to the point a real army was threatening my kids? All the stops would be pulled out.
I would let them taste the sun.
“Perhaps Colonel. We should hear the Commanders ‘interest’ before making any further ultimatums?” Mr. Pierson asked quietly, breaking some of the tension.
“That is simple enough. The ISDF has been created to complete three tasks. The protection of the people of the Inner Sphere. The proliferation of knowledge. And to try and establish a final peaceful solution to the Succession Wars.”
The scoff I received at that was fair. It wasn’t the first time I had told someone that, and been laughed at, scoffed at, taunted, insulted, or in an interesting situation had someone throw their food in my face.
“In this case it is the second task we are here for now that the first is complete. I would like to set up a Library here. In Ruhr. Just like the Libraries I have built on other worlds.”
“Lyran worlds.”
“Yes Colonel, I am Lyran. It is where I grew up, and where I have recruited from. But it won’t be where I spend all my life. Let me build my library. We will leave right after, and in exchange, I will provisionally accept this offer. With some minor changes.”
My request honestly seemed to confuse the entire room, other than my guards of course. But to these leaguers? I might as well be speaking Elvish.
“You want to build a library… Why?” The Colonel asked, sounding out the words as he couldn’t believe he was saying them.
“I’ve already told you, but if you want the honest truth? I fucking hate that the Inner Sphere forgot so much. The knowledge we once had was capable of great things. Terrible, but great. I want to bring that back. The only way to do that is to spread knowledge to every corner. If everyone has enough to get started hopefully we can bring back what our ancestors had.”
“So you wish to build libraries? In the League? We will not become Lyran-” Mr. Pierson funnily seemed to find the idea annoying. But it was the Colonel that waved a hand and shut the man up.
“I don’t give a shit if you want to build a coffee house. This is Amity, not the Commonwealth.”
“I understand that. But that’s the deal. You want me to accept your cheap offer? I want a library on Amity, and since you are wondering what I get out of it? The Iron Blooded Libraries have been centers for recruitment in Lyran space. I hope they will be here in the League as well.”
“Recruitment? You think we will allow you to recruit our people?” The Colonel responded he wasn’t angry sounding, more… Curious and disbelieving.
“I would like to be allowed to recruit orphans in the League, yes.”
“You don't think we will give you access to children.” The Colonel spits.
“Why not? Look around you. Every person you see wearing our armor is an orphan. Every one of them is given a full education. Using the same materials I want to place into the library. Every one of them is fed, clothed, and offered a steady paycheck for their work. All of them have a chance to learn to become a Mechwarrior. To fight to protect their people.”
“Your people.”
“No. Our people. I am here aren’t I? None of my kids are anything but Lyran, but we are here. Not to raid your planet, or take something from you. But to kill the pirates who did that. Yes we will protect our landhold if a League raid comes. But we aren’t raiders. I am not your enemy.”
I said the final bit as earnestly as I could. Trying to dig through the miles of hatred, and distrust was becoming a full time job. It wasn’t easy even on Lyran worlds. But on League ones?
The Lawyer was looking at me like he was trying to dissect every word I said, trying to find the weakpoints in an argument, or figure out my true intentions. The Colonel?
He was actually looking at me. Eye to eye. Sizing me up.
“Tell me about this Library.”
“Colonel!”
“Mr. Pierson. You are here to set up a salvage deal. Not anything else. You will restrain yourself.”
The Lawyer nodded slowly, settling back down into his chair. Although he continued to glare petulantly.
“Colonel. If you would like I will happily hand over a copy of the Library to you. Our goal is mass proliferation after all. We are trying to put a copy of this library on every world in the Inner Sphere.”
“Grand dream.”
“A grand plan.” I offer back with a smile. “A dream is something you hope to achieve, but has impossible odds. A plan just takes time.”
He snorts. “Let’s go over the changes you request on the salvage terms. While you and Mr. Pierson do that. I will have my men go over this ‘library’ of yours. If we find nothing concerning… I will put forth a request to the First Minister.”
“A fair compromise. Mr. Pierson the issue is with the pay for-”
—-
“Commander Eisen-Blume.”
“Eris. You have concerns.”
“I do. There is a good chance, they are allowing your construction of the library to hold you here until reinforcements arrive. They will try and claim your equipment.”
“Possibly. I did consider that.”
“Then why are we still here? You are putting your people at risk to the League.”
I was sitting on top of the ‘command center’ we had set up. Across the street a building was being remodeled by my kids into a Library.
Once the library was gone through there had been a high interest in their copy. When I allowed them to keep the copy they were inspecting… Well. I wasn’t sure what they were thinking. The educational courses covered just about everything from just starting out to an early college level. Maths and science, and everything in between.
I did have permission from Katrina from this. The message she had sent in response to my request had mostly been her frowning at me, before she called me Victoria and allowed my plan to continue.
I hadn’t actually intended on moving this early. I expected a few years of Lyran expansion letting our work speak for itself before making a slow move into the League. Unfortunately Pirates were a bit of a sore point for me. I was just glad we were heading towards Solaris. When we got the news White Base turned around and burned hard back to a jumpship.
We had made it here too late, but in some ways just in time. The people here would recover. And their defenses would firm back up with all the mech salvage I had allowed the leaguers to purchase back from me for a pittance.
“I will be putting our people at risk forever. Until we finally gain peace. We can’t do what needs to be done if we cower in fear.”
“I think fear has its place.”
I nod at that. “It does Eris. How has Delta’s mission gone?”
She went quiet for a moment “What Mission would that be Commander Eisen-Blume?”
“The one where you sent them to infiltrate the First Ministers communications network so you can tell me if they get any alert about incoming dropships.”
She was still beside me. Ah it was so funny how she would lock down when her little schemes got found out. “Carl told you.”
“Nope.” I turn to her smiling. “You did, just now. I haven’t seen Delta for a few days. I figured they were off doing something. And you are a bit proactive about things. As soon as you mentioned you were worried about an attack. I had my suspicions.”
She twitched and I could see her exhale slowly and steadily out of her nose as she regained herself. “You are too perceptive.”
“I forgive you for giving MY unit orders.” I tell her with a smirk filled with a tiny bit of malice. “But in the future go through the correct chain of command.”
I watched her back go rigid. “Understood Commander!” She actually offered me a salute and I couldn’t help but tease her, poking her in the forehead, “That’s the first time you didn’t add my name in.” I tease before nodding. “Go on then, keep an ear out. Just because I am willing to accept the risk doesn’t mean I want to lose anyone if trouble does happen.”
“Y-yes Commander Eisen-Blume.”
It was nice that she wasn’t taller than me anymore! I finally looked like I actually deserved the authority I had!
Chuckling, I decide to walk away from watching the building construction. We had done this so often now that I didn’t even need to give orders. Libraries were starting to become old hat. Maybe I should make a new division? ISDF Librarians?
They could use a tagline like “We have the Royal equipment. Pay your late fees!” No wait, that was too close to ComStars line.
I walked down into the light snow that never seemed to end on this planet. Watching the people walking around this way and that. More and more residents are using our compound now. Even if construction and repair was happening over the city. Plenty of people still needed a place to stay.
And we were happy to help. Sure some didn’t like us. But we only had to throw out one or two for causing trouble. A few members of Guard unit were with us acting as an eye in the sky.
I smiled as I grabbed a meal from one of the cooks as I walked around. I was always hungry now. Mostly thanks to Benny. That asshole thought it was funny to make the Commander run laps with all the new recruits as a way of removing any excuse they would have to run them. Apparently he got sick of arguing with new kids about it, and just made it my problem.
At least I was fit. Between the armor and the laps I was not just growing up, but stronger. Muscles were nice. And it made a lot of the annoying parts easier. I didn’t get winded when I had to run around anymore!
Finishing my quick meal I moved into the library building being put up. “How goes it?”
“Commander! Not long now. We got most of the wiring for the computer systems set up!”
“Good! Do me a favor and double time it! We got some scaredy cats.”
“Will do! You heard the Commander! Let’s move it!”
I smiled as I watched them double up on settling wiring down. Shouldn’t be more than another day or two and we would be able to leave.
“Commander.” Benny called out from beside me. The boy now twenty was still taller than me. Jerk. How dare he keep growing!
“Benny. What’s up? You got that worried face on.”
“I just had an interesting conversation with a father.”
“Benny! I am shocked! Who is the lucky girl?”
The look he gave me had me guffaw as he continued. “Don’t. Anyway, Apparently a non orphan wants to join.”
“Okay what’s the problem?”
“She is fourteen. And both of her parents are not okay with it.”
“Okay? So they say no and she can’t join. Why is this a problem?”
“They didn’t so much say no. As they have a lot of ‘concerns’ I am officially handing this entire mess off to you Commander.”
“What! You can’t delegate to me! I am the delegator!”
“Sorry Commander, this is over my head! So it’s your problem. They are in room 159 in the rescue barracks. So have fun.”
“Wait! Benny don’t run away! Hey! That’s an order!”
He didn’t stop.
“Traitors! Traitors everywhere!” I yell back before sighing. Okay fine. I can handle this. I just have to be responsible and have a conversation with the parents of a girl wanting to join…
I am so doomed.
I head over to the barracks. The amount of leaguers around the barracks increased heavily, Making me feel alone… Well not including my two guards.
I got plenty of stares as I headed inside, not all of them hostile. So I considered that a win. The door for room 159 was already open, and inside was a man resting in a chair watching a Holovid. The way he was eased up he was obviously wounded.
I tapped on the door. “Good morning. I hope I’m not intruding?”
The man startled slightly at my voice. A common occurrence. My Accent did tend to bring plenty of attention. “Ah. Can I help you?”
“Excuse me. I am Commander Eisen-Blume. I’m in charge of the ISDF. I heard there was an issue, and I wanted to see what I could do to help. Is it your daughter that is wanting to join?”
His eyes flashed, and despite obviously being hurt, he sat up, his full focus on me. “Erin. I’m a factory worker here… You saved my life, and my family's life. My Daughter… She’s young. Heard you are recruiting and went to sign up.”
“I’m guessing she didn’t ask permission first?” I ask with a smirk. Kids.
“She didn’t.”
“Mind if I come in?” I ask the conversation was a little awkward with me standing at the doorway.
“It’s your building.”
“No. I am just supplying it, it still belongs to the Ruhr government, as far as I know.” I offer with a shrug.
He shrugged back. “Sure. Come on in.”
I move, my Guards taking up posting, at the door. Poor kids. But they both seemed more than happy to be my shadows. I would have to make sure they had a break after this. I’ll go put my feet up in the Dropship letting them do whatever they like.
“I’ll admit we don’t usually get non-orphans wanting to join. But we don’t refuse them either. Although anyone underage, does have to have parent, or guardian permission. We aren’t kidnappers.”
His face hardens a bit but he nods slowly. “I can’t say I like the idea of a mercenary company, that recruits young orphans either.”
“That I understand. If it helps. I started the company when I was fourteen. I was the youngest member. As of now, only sixteen and up are allowed in any position that could see combat.”
“It doesn’t.”
“No, I expect a parent wouldn’t feel any more comfortable with that… The Iron blooded… They are my kids. Every one of them. We are a family, and I mean that truthfully. They are my family. My brothers and sisters, and eventually. When those from the other parts of the Inner Sphere join, my cousins.”
It was quiet for a while as he processed what I had said, “I don’t like the idea of my daughter becoming a mercenary… My father was one. I know what that life brings.”
“It’s dangerous. Hard. Sometimes horrifying.” I acknowledge, which earns me a grudging nod. “But it’s also full of adventure. It lets you grow and learn skills. It lets you choose how you want to live. I live how I want. By my own ‘sword’ arm. I choose the path I follow. Your daughter would get the same choice.”
“I’ve talked to some of your people. They aren’t all fighters.”
“No, of course not. We have to be more than just a fighting force. We have architects to build our libraries. Nurses and doctors. Although the Doctors are all in training still. Teachers, mechtechs, logistics officers to make sure everyone is fed and clothed. We are over a thousand people. Anything that many people need we have a position for it.”
He sighs. Tired, and I can hear a bit of pain as his exhale hurts something. “Our house is gone. The factory will take… A while to be repaired. Which means I don’t have my job, or a way to provide for her.” He looked pretty stricken. Which was a shame.
I guess it’s time to be the big damn hero again.
“Tell me Erin. Have you ever thought about becoming a Librarian?”
The man pondered that for a moment. “I haven’t.”
“Well maybe you should. I happen to have an opening for a librarian for the Iron Blooded Public Library. The pay is solid. And it would have benefits. You see, I like to get monthly updates from the Librarians. Of course adding an extra message to someone on the charge wouldn’t be a concern…”
“What sort of pay?”
“Well originally it was Kroner, but that’s for the Lyran half, I suppose it will have to be in C-bills. I hope that’s alright? And-”
“Daddy! We are back and we- Oh my God.” The girl that walked into the room stalled a bag of groceries in her arms. My two guards were slightly out of sight, so she got a full view of me sitting across from her father.
“Good Mor-”
“IT’S THE STANDARD GIRL!” Was screamed into my face by an eager young girl. I barely opened my mouth, not sure what I was feeling. Did I just get called Basic? Then I was nearly tackled. “I love Immortal Warrior and the Phantom of the SLDF! But you aren’t the SLDF, you're the ISDF! I think that’s amazing! You-”
“Valerie!” A woman's voice interrupted thankfully and the girls mouth shut with a click as her mother walked in. “I apologize, my daughter seems to have forgotten all of her manners.”
“No it’s… Fine. I’ve had a few people realize that I was in that movie. I need to send another angry HPG message to Mike.” I offer joking, but it didn’t seem to land well. My guards though? The guards that are supposed to protect me, and make me feel safe?
Laughing quietly.
I’m going to make them run so many laps for this.
3025
Free World League Space
Amity
“Commander!”
“I know I hear it.” I call out as I head out of the Command center. We had been here on Amity for almost a week now. And while we had sent plenty of messages back and forth with the planetary governor, or “First Minister of Amity Raymon Richards.” This was the first time we were actually getting a meeting with anyone high up.
As far as the Amity government had been concerned. The IBO were a raiding force, and they weren’t risking themselves. So it had taken almost a week of back and forth over the radio for this to happen.
Colonel Cyrus, he hadn’t bothered giving a first name, would be coming over to begin negotiations. His Vtol could be heard over the city as I stepped out of the command center. It flew overhead once, probably getting some aerial photos of our site before it turned and settled into a landing pad we had set up.
I was there, as were a few of my ‘guards’ that now followed me around all the time. It had been something Benny ordered, and despite my protests they ignored any time I told them I was fine.
Apparently the ISDF was ‘too important’ to let their Commander walk around by herself now.
I thought it was just a little too much, but that was how these things went.
The man that stepped out of the Vtol was older. Salt and pepper beard reminded me of Morgan Kell, but his scowl was nothing like the man. Morgan usually looked as if he was thinking about deep thoughts.
This man looked like he was thinking about murdering everyone he was seeing.
Which he might be.
I waited while the Vtol powered down, turning the small landing pad back to a normal volume before I stepped out. The Colonel ignored his aides, as he strode out on long legs.
“Colonel Cyrus. Welcome to Ruhr.”
“Commander Eisen-Blume. I don’t need to be welcomed to my own city.” He spoke clearly and slowly, his voice harsh but not erratic. This was a man who thought about every word, and said it, even if they would bring offense.
I was fine with that.
“But you did need help removing the pirates.”
“I don’t consider that task completed.” He stated gruffly.
“Then we should get right on to our discussion to lay your mind at ease about our intentions. We have a room prepared inside.”
He was silent for a moment before he nodded. Regardless of his desires, he was here to negotiate with us.
I turned letting him follow me and my two guards back into our command center. A room was prepared. We even had tea.
Disgusting.
I drank the foul leaf juice with only a faint hint of disgust once I had settled in, watching the other half of the room settle themselves in.
The Colonel had brought two aids, two military guards, and a man in a business suit that stood slightly separate.
I couldn’t quite peg him but I guessed either lawyer, or spook.
“So we don’t waste any time, how about I say something clearly. The ISDF, Iron Blooded Orphans, 1st Battalion came to Amity after hearing about the pirate raid. We came with the intention of stopping them from causing any more devastation as pirate hunting is one of our sworn duties, regardless of where the pirates are.” I took a sip of foul brown muk before continuing.
“We are not here to commit any other military action, and will leave at the first request by the Governors office-”
“Then leave.” He interrupted me instantly, but before I could even nod and agree another voice piped up.
“We will need to discuss salvage terms first.” The ‘Lawyer’ spoke up interrupting the meeting.
“Pierson. You-”
“Colonel. You are here to ensure that the… ISDF are not here at the forefront of a LCAF raid. I don’t believe that is likely anymore. Do you?”
The Colonel was silent for a time before he exhaled once firmly, seemingly calming himself. “Go ahead Mr. Pierson.”
“Thank you Colonel. Commander. The First Minister thanks you for your protection of his citizens, but when the pirates landed, they captured not only Planetary defense equipment, but equipment from the Imstar Aerospace factory.”
“Yes. They actually had a couple of Cheetahs we confirmed were taken from the factory that we shot down.”
“Correct. As an invading force, and a pirate one at that, the equipment is requested to be returned to us. We will of course offer a cash payment in exchange.”
I took the paper the Lawyer pulled out from his briefcase and looked over the list. The Prices as I expected, were pretty paltry. As I read, each piece requested to be returned was given such a low bounty I realized this wasn’t an honest attempt.
It was meant to be thrown back in their face. Either to continue negotiations to a still low price. Or because they wanted to use the nuclear option… Probably not literally but you never know. “This is an interesting offer.”
The silence after that was interesting. I watched all the men. Different emotions on each face, although all of them tried to hide it. Mr. Pierson spoke up before the silence grew too long.
“It is our initial offer. You are here illegally after all. We consider it acceptable in exchange for not prosecuting your raid.”
“I didn’t know it was considered a raid to attack pirates.”
“It is when Lyran Mercenaries are dropping onto League worlds.” The Colonel growled.
I thought it over. The best way to get my way. Without ruffling feathers… Without also sounding too weird. A fact I had learned over the last year. Sometimes when you offered a deal that was too good, it would be thrown back in your face just to spite you.
Seriously people could be so stupid.
“I have an interest that if you are willing to fulfill, I will accept most of these prices.”
“This isn’t a negotiation. If you refuse we will consider you an enemy of the state. We will hunt you down.”
“You will send good men to die.” I state plainly supremely confident. If it ever came to the point a real army was threatening my kids? All the stops would be pulled out.
I would let them taste the sun.
“Perhaps Colonel. We should hear the Commanders ‘interest’ before making any further ultimatums?” Mr. Pierson asked quietly, breaking some of the tension.
“That is simple enough. The ISDF has been created to complete three tasks. The protection of the people of the Inner Sphere. The proliferation of knowledge. And to try and establish a final peaceful solution to the Succession Wars.”
The scoff I received at that was fair. It wasn’t the first time I had told someone that, and been laughed at, scoffed at, taunted, insulted, or in an interesting situation had someone throw their food in my face.
“In this case it is the second task we are here for now that the first is complete. I would like to set up a Library here. In Ruhr. Just like the Libraries I have built on other worlds.”
“Lyran worlds.”
“Yes Colonel, I am Lyran. It is where I grew up, and where I have recruited from. But it won’t be where I spend all my life. Let me build my library. We will leave right after, and in exchange, I will provisionally accept this offer. With some minor changes.”
My request honestly seemed to confuse the entire room, other than my guards of course. But to these leaguers? I might as well be speaking Elvish.
“You want to build a library… Why?” The Colonel asked, sounding out the words as he couldn’t believe he was saying them.
“I’ve already told you, but if you want the honest truth? I fucking hate that the Inner Sphere forgot so much. The knowledge we once had was capable of great things. Terrible, but great. I want to bring that back. The only way to do that is to spread knowledge to every corner. If everyone has enough to get started hopefully we can bring back what our ancestors had.”
“So you wish to build libraries? In the League? We will not become Lyran-” Mr. Pierson funnily seemed to find the idea annoying. But it was the Colonel that waved a hand and shut the man up.
“I don’t give a shit if you want to build a coffee house. This is Amity, not the Commonwealth.”
“I understand that. But that’s the deal. You want me to accept your cheap offer? I want a library on Amity, and since you are wondering what I get out of it? The Iron Blooded Libraries have been centers for recruitment in Lyran space. I hope they will be here in the League as well.”
“Recruitment? You think we will allow you to recruit our people?” The Colonel responded he wasn’t angry sounding, more… Curious and disbelieving.
“I would like to be allowed to recruit orphans in the League, yes.”
“You don't think we will give you access to children.” The Colonel spits.
“Why not? Look around you. Every person you see wearing our armor is an orphan. Every one of them is given a full education. Using the same materials I want to place into the library. Every one of them is fed, clothed, and offered a steady paycheck for their work. All of them have a chance to learn to become a Mechwarrior. To fight to protect their people.”
“Your people.”
“No. Our people. I am here aren’t I? None of my kids are anything but Lyran, but we are here. Not to raid your planet, or take something from you. But to kill the pirates who did that. Yes we will protect our landhold if a League raid comes. But we aren’t raiders. I am not your enemy.”
I said the final bit as earnestly as I could. Trying to dig through the miles of hatred, and distrust was becoming a full time job. It wasn’t easy even on Lyran worlds. But on League ones?
The Lawyer was looking at me like he was trying to dissect every word I said, trying to find the weakpoints in an argument, or figure out my true intentions. The Colonel?
He was actually looking at me. Eye to eye. Sizing me up.
“Tell me about this Library.”
“Colonel!”
“Mr. Pierson. You are here to set up a salvage deal. Not anything else. You will restrain yourself.”
The Lawyer nodded slowly, settling back down into his chair. Although he continued to glare petulantly.
“Colonel. If you would like I will happily hand over a copy of the Library to you. Our goal is mass proliferation after all. We are trying to put a copy of this library on every world in the Inner Sphere.”
“Grand dream.”
“A grand plan.” I offer back with a smile. “A dream is something you hope to achieve, but has impossible odds. A plan just takes time.”
He snorts. “Let’s go over the changes you request on the salvage terms. While you and Mr. Pierson do that. I will have my men go over this ‘library’ of yours. If we find nothing concerning… I will put forth a request to the First Minister.”
“A fair compromise. Mr. Pierson the issue is with the pay for-”
—-
“Commander Eisen-Blume.”
“Eris. You have concerns.”
“I do. There is a good chance, they are allowing your construction of the library to hold you here until reinforcements arrive. They will try and claim your equipment.”
“Possibly. I did consider that.”
“Then why are we still here? You are putting your people at risk to the League.”
I was sitting on top of the ‘command center’ we had set up. Across the street a building was being remodeled by my kids into a Library.
Once the library was gone through there had been a high interest in their copy. When I allowed them to keep the copy they were inspecting… Well. I wasn’t sure what they were thinking. The educational courses covered just about everything from just starting out to an early college level. Maths and science, and everything in between.
I did have permission from Katrina from this. The message she had sent in response to my request had mostly been her frowning at me, before she called me Victoria and allowed my plan to continue.
I hadn’t actually intended on moving this early. I expected a few years of Lyran expansion letting our work speak for itself before making a slow move into the League. Unfortunately Pirates were a bit of a sore point for me. I was just glad we were heading towards Solaris. When we got the news White Base turned around and burned hard back to a jumpship.
We had made it here too late, but in some ways just in time. The people here would recover. And their defenses would firm back up with all the mech salvage I had allowed the leaguers to purchase back from me for a pittance.
“I will be putting our people at risk forever. Until we finally gain peace. We can’t do what needs to be done if we cower in fear.”
“I think fear has its place.”
I nod at that. “It does Eris. How has Delta’s mission gone?”
She went quiet for a moment “What Mission would that be Commander Eisen-Blume?”
“The one where you sent them to infiltrate the First Ministers communications network so you can tell me if they get any alert about incoming dropships.”
She was still beside me. Ah it was so funny how she would lock down when her little schemes got found out. “Carl told you.”
“Nope.” I turn to her smiling. “You did, just now. I haven’t seen Delta for a few days. I figured they were off doing something. And you are a bit proactive about things. As soon as you mentioned you were worried about an attack. I had my suspicions.”
She twitched and I could see her exhale slowly and steadily out of her nose as she regained herself. “You are too perceptive.”
“I forgive you for giving MY unit orders.” I tell her with a smirk filled with a tiny bit of malice. “But in the future go through the correct chain of command.”
I watched her back go rigid. “Understood Commander!” She actually offered me a salute and I couldn’t help but tease her, poking her in the forehead, “That’s the first time you didn’t add my name in.” I tease before nodding. “Go on then, keep an ear out. Just because I am willing to accept the risk doesn’t mean I want to lose anyone if trouble does happen.”
“Y-yes Commander Eisen-Blume.”
It was nice that she wasn’t taller than me anymore! I finally looked like I actually deserved the authority I had!
Chuckling, I decide to walk away from watching the building construction. We had done this so often now that I didn’t even need to give orders. Libraries were starting to become old hat. Maybe I should make a new division? ISDF Librarians?
They could use a tagline like “We have the Royal equipment. Pay your late fees!” No wait, that was too close to ComStars line.
I walked down into the light snow that never seemed to end on this planet. Watching the people walking around this way and that. More and more residents are using our compound now. Even if construction and repair was happening over the city. Plenty of people still needed a place to stay.
And we were happy to help. Sure some didn’t like us. But we only had to throw out one or two for causing trouble. A few members of Guard unit were with us acting as an eye in the sky.
I smiled as I grabbed a meal from one of the cooks as I walked around. I was always hungry now. Mostly thanks to Benny. That asshole thought it was funny to make the Commander run laps with all the new recruits as a way of removing any excuse they would have to run them. Apparently he got sick of arguing with new kids about it, and just made it my problem.
At least I was fit. Between the armor and the laps I was not just growing up, but stronger. Muscles were nice. And it made a lot of the annoying parts easier. I didn’t get winded when I had to run around anymore!
Finishing my quick meal I moved into the library building being put up. “How goes it?”
“Commander! Not long now. We got most of the wiring for the computer systems set up!”
“Good! Do me a favor and double time it! We got some scaredy cats.”
“Will do! You heard the Commander! Let’s move it!”
I smiled as I watched them double up on settling wiring down. Shouldn’t be more than another day or two and we would be able to leave.
“Commander.” Benny called out from beside me. The boy now twenty was still taller than me. Jerk. How dare he keep growing!
“Benny. What’s up? You got that worried face on.”
“I just had an interesting conversation with a father.”
“Benny! I am shocked! Who is the lucky girl?”
The look he gave me had me guffaw as he continued. “Don’t. Anyway, Apparently a non orphan wants to join.”
“Okay what’s the problem?”
“She is fourteen. And both of her parents are not okay with it.”
“Okay? So they say no and she can’t join. Why is this a problem?”
“They didn’t so much say no. As they have a lot of ‘concerns’ I am officially handing this entire mess off to you Commander.”
“What! You can’t delegate to me! I am the delegator!”
“Sorry Commander, this is over my head! So it’s your problem. They are in room 159 in the rescue barracks. So have fun.”
“Wait! Benny don’t run away! Hey! That’s an order!”
He didn’t stop.
“Traitors! Traitors everywhere!” I yell back before sighing. Okay fine. I can handle this. I just have to be responsible and have a conversation with the parents of a girl wanting to join…
I am so doomed.
I head over to the barracks. The amount of leaguers around the barracks increased heavily, Making me feel alone… Well not including my two guards.
I got plenty of stares as I headed inside, not all of them hostile. So I considered that a win. The door for room 159 was already open, and inside was a man resting in a chair watching a Holovid. The way he was eased up he was obviously wounded.
I tapped on the door. “Good morning. I hope I’m not intruding?”
The man startled slightly at my voice. A common occurrence. My Accent did tend to bring plenty of attention. “Ah. Can I help you?”
“Excuse me. I am Commander Eisen-Blume. I’m in charge of the ISDF. I heard there was an issue, and I wanted to see what I could do to help. Is it your daughter that is wanting to join?”
His eyes flashed, and despite obviously being hurt, he sat up, his full focus on me. “Erin. I’m a factory worker here… You saved my life, and my family's life. My Daughter… She’s young. Heard you are recruiting and went to sign up.”
“I’m guessing she didn’t ask permission first?” I ask with a smirk. Kids.
“She didn’t.”
“Mind if I come in?” I ask the conversation was a little awkward with me standing at the doorway.
“It’s your building.”
“No. I am just supplying it, it still belongs to the Ruhr government, as far as I know.” I offer with a shrug.
He shrugged back. “Sure. Come on in.”
I move, my Guards taking up posting, at the door. Poor kids. But they both seemed more than happy to be my shadows. I would have to make sure they had a break after this. I’ll go put my feet up in the Dropship letting them do whatever they like.
“I’ll admit we don’t usually get non-orphans wanting to join. But we don’t refuse them either. Although anyone underage, does have to have parent, or guardian permission. We aren’t kidnappers.”
His face hardens a bit but he nods slowly. “I can’t say I like the idea of a mercenary company, that recruits young orphans either.”
“That I understand. If it helps. I started the company when I was fourteen. I was the youngest member. As of now, only sixteen and up are allowed in any position that could see combat.”
“It doesn’t.”
“No, I expect a parent wouldn’t feel any more comfortable with that… The Iron blooded… They are my kids. Every one of them. We are a family, and I mean that truthfully. They are my family. My brothers and sisters, and eventually. When those from the other parts of the Inner Sphere join, my cousins.”
It was quiet for a while as he processed what I had said, “I don’t like the idea of my daughter becoming a mercenary… My father was one. I know what that life brings.”
“It’s dangerous. Hard. Sometimes horrifying.” I acknowledge, which earns me a grudging nod. “But it’s also full of adventure. It lets you grow and learn skills. It lets you choose how you want to live. I live how I want. By my own ‘sword’ arm. I choose the path I follow. Your daughter would get the same choice.”
“I’ve talked to some of your people. They aren’t all fighters.”
“No, of course not. We have to be more than just a fighting force. We have architects to build our libraries. Nurses and doctors. Although the Doctors are all in training still. Teachers, mechtechs, logistics officers to make sure everyone is fed and clothed. We are over a thousand people. Anything that many people need we have a position for it.”
He sighs. Tired, and I can hear a bit of pain as his exhale hurts something. “Our house is gone. The factory will take… A while to be repaired. Which means I don’t have my job, or a way to provide for her.” He looked pretty stricken. Which was a shame.
I guess it’s time to be the big damn hero again.
“Tell me Erin. Have you ever thought about becoming a Librarian?”
The man pondered that for a moment. “I haven’t.”
“Well maybe you should. I happen to have an opening for a librarian for the Iron Blooded Public Library. The pay is solid. And it would have benefits. You see, I like to get monthly updates from the Librarians. Of course adding an extra message to someone on the charge wouldn’t be a concern…”
“What sort of pay?”
“Well originally it was Kroner, but that’s for the Lyran half, I suppose it will have to be in C-bills. I hope that’s alright? And-”
“Daddy! We are back and we- Oh my God.” The girl that walked into the room stalled a bag of groceries in her arms. My two guards were slightly out of sight, so she got a full view of me sitting across from her father.
“Good Mor-”
“IT’S THE STANDARD GIRL!” Was screamed into my face by an eager young girl. I barely opened my mouth, not sure what I was feeling. Did I just get called Basic? Then I was nearly tackled. “I love Immortal Warrior and the Phantom of the SLDF! But you aren’t the SLDF, you're the ISDF! I think that’s amazing! You-”
“Valerie!” A woman's voice interrupted thankfully and the girls mouth shut with a click as her mother walked in. “I apologize, my daughter seems to have forgotten all of her manners.”
“No it’s… Fine. I’ve had a few people realize that I was in that movie. I need to send another angry HPG message to Mike.” I offer joking, but it didn’t seem to land well. My guards though? The guards that are supposed to protect me, and make me feel safe?
Laughing quietly.
I’m going to make them run so many laps for this.
It'd be funny if Vicky tries to work on her accent to better interact with people around the sphere, only she uses the stuff from the core as a model. Since they were probably all made in the hegemony that means she starts sounding like a terran which only furthers the secret Cameron conspiracy.
xachariahxx
Well-known member
This chapter is a bit of a miss for me. Colonel Cyrus' behavior doesn't seem realistic. His passive aggressiveness doesn't work in a neo-Fuedal setting; it's a strategy to piss off your target when they can't attack you (eg because you've got the same government), but if they can attack you then it's just elaborate suicide.
The IBO are the strongest military force on the planet and could kill anyone in the government with basically no repurcussions. There is no reason to antagonize them. If you think they're going to attack you, then you play nice and get them to GTFO. If you are planning on ambushing them to steal their stuff, then you play nice and get them to drop their guard.
What was his plan if she wasn't an out-of-context nice person, and actually objected to the salvage terms? Watch as a bunch of lostech mechs stomp all over the capital?
Still liking the story though.
The IBO are the strongest military force on the planet and could kill anyone in the government with basically no repurcussions. There is no reason to antagonize them. If you think they're going to attack you, then you play nice and get them to GTFO. If you are planning on ambushing them to steal their stuff, then you play nice and get them to drop their guard.
What was his plan if she wasn't an out-of-context nice person, and actually objected to the salvage terms? Watch as a bunch of lostech mechs stomp all over the capital?
Still liking the story though.