pirated stuff

Outreach

Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth

February 15th 3051

"You are saying we are getting hit by an additional Clan and possibly a second from another vector?" Hanse took a deep breath as the tension in his neck, back, and chest all ratcheted up another level.

Justin nodded grimly. "Yes. The planet of Kowloon went dark by our estimation over a week ago. We didn't notice at first because not much is sent from them, given how much of a backwater they are. The dummy ComStar information is still being generated, so we know it isn't an HPG failure – it has to be another vector."

Justin clicked on his noteputer and pulled up the world of Maestu. "The planet was attacked by a Clan claiming to be the Steel Vipers. It appears the 'reserve' Clan has been activated, and the 1st Lyran Guards RCT was soundly defeated. Hauptmann-General Jane Craigie is still alive and has managed to keep some elements of her command intact, but aside from being a pest and ensuring the world gets heavily garrisoned, there's no hope of taking it back with what she has remaining."

"Damn it, Justin, this is too much. Every time it feels like we have breathing space, we suffer another suffocating blow. Katherine is still enroute to Blackjack, and now we not only have the Jade Falcons on the doorstep of Sudeten, but we also have these Steel Vipers just a few jumps away!"

"These are desperate times, Highness, but there is reason to hope. The very fact that the Steel Vipers have been activated means we are putting up a stiffer fight than they expected," Justin replied.

"And Kowloon – you suspect it may be the Nova Cats or the Diamond Sharks?"

Justin nodded, though of course, it was all guesswork at this point. They had an RCT on Winter, but the post hadn't been considered important enough to warrant assigning one of the rare black boxes. Worse yet, they had no transport, as theirs had long ago been routed to create Command Circuits and sent closer to the interior of the Lyran Commonwealth.

"What can we do about this new vector?"

Justin set his noteputer down. "Honestly? Nothing until we know where they're headed, and even then, there isn't much we can do. If they move to support the Jade Falcons, it will put Katherine in a difficult situation, but we simply do not have the resources to assist her. If they instead head toward Coventry and Tharkad, we should have time to reinforce them, but that means far fewer reinforcements can be routed to Sudeten and Katherine – not to mention this new Steel Vipers threat alongside the Wolves, who may just bypass it like they did Tamar."

Hanse cracked his neck. "All right. Let's meet with Colonel Wolf. Once we've delivered the 4th Davion, 8th Deneb, and 10th FedCom RCT, those transports will be available. The Dragoons have their own transport, but it will take them at least four months to reach the Sudeten region and a bit longer for Coventry. However, with the transports that get freed up, we can help compress that time by three weeks, and we can reroute their transports toward the Draconis March to pick up the 'Mech elements of the 3rd Lyran Regulars, 12th Deneb Light Cavalry, and 5th Donegal Guards RCT."

Justin pinched his nose. "That… complicates things. They'll end up without their supporting elements for another three months. The bulk of their RCTs, through difficult logistical planning, would only have arrived in August. If we use the Dragoon JumpShips and let them keep ours in exchange, the 'Mech elements won't arrive until September, and the rest of the RCTs could be pushing it into 3052."

Hanse growled. His head of FCIS was correct. It would mean the Dragoons wouldn't arrive where they may be needed until likely July.

"Hah, unless the entire front has collapsed. Then they'll be there in June, since we'll have been pushed back several systems."

It was a grim thought, but the prospect of abandoning Sudeten and falling back to Pandora was an option. At that point, reinforcing Tamar would be out of the question, and two RCTs, plus whatever the Duke of Tamar had already scrounged up, would be all the reinforcements they would ever get. Tactically, though, the shortened lines of supply would simplify things and potentially stretch the enemy's own further.

The old Terran Russian strategy: trade space for time. More time to make use of Clan technology, more time to ship more forces to the front. Hopefully, time to allow for diplomatic efforts and a solid non-aggression pact with Marik, and perhaps even additional military assistance. I'm further hampered because I need to keep the units necessary to overwhelm the Com Guards, who are guarding the HPG networks. This war would be so much easier if we controlled them.

"We'll talk with Wolf. We need to get an agreement inked with Marik, perhaps even Liao, though that is a longshot. At this point, we might need to move more resources from the Capellan March, even if it does invite attack. No more waiting; we simply do not have any more time."

"Yes, Highness, I'll communicate the urgency to Jaime Wolf and get Morgan Kell onboard. We need to know what the future will hold to make the right decisions here. I'll also communicate the urgency to Katherine to begin operations as soon as physically possible."

May God forgive me. I sent my precious daughter into the lion's den, not realizing it was more than just lions that she has to fear.

***

Weingarten System

Wolf Occupation Zone, Free Rasalhague Republic

February 16th 3051

"There is nothing to defend, ilKhan Showers. They completed the Trial of Position and won the right to be warriors of Clan Wolf. The Smoke Jaguars, like many other Clans, do not have their greatest genetic lineages operating combat vehicles," Ulric reasoned. "Either they were worthy of their position, or they were inconsequential in the battle against the Steel Vipers. For Khan Breen to waste the Grand Council's time on this triviality, in a battle her forces won, seems petty."

Laurent had fallen to the Steel Vipers, but according to reports from The Watch, it had been hard-won, and the Cluster that had attacked had suffered heavy casualties. The Vipers had won five of their trials, which was not unexpected, given that most of the time they fought his PGCs. Losing Rasalhague had hurt, however. He was tempted to issue a Trial of Possession to win it back, but the time was not yet ripe. He would let the Vipers bleed against the Inner Sphere, thin their forces out, and only then would he strike.

Different Khans spoke, and to Ulric's surprise, the Jade Falcon saKhan agreed with him.

"Khan Breen is bitter that Khan Kerensky slew her saKhan. This is a personal matter; if Khan Breen wishes to pursue it, she should challenge Kerensky to a Trial of Grievance. I think we would all enjoy seeing that transpire."

A few faces were rocked with surprise, but Ulric had a contemptuous view of those reactions. This was not a realignment where the Falcons partnered with Wolf; this was just the Jade Falcons scoring jabs at another Clan they despised. They would like nothing more than to have either him or Khan Breen killed in battle.

A coin toss as to which they would prefer.

The Snow Raven saKhan, Joseph Crow, who spoke for the Snow Ravens while Khan McKenna was away, made the final comment on the matter.

"I must agree that this is beneath the council's notice. If the Wolf Clan is allowing lesser warriors to pass Trials of Position, it will quickly become apparent when they face mounting losses and fail to achieve any of their objectives. Let us be done with this matter."

Ulric smiled as ilKhan Showers thanked the council for their input and then moved on to another matter.

"Activating the Reserve Clans has been a matter of phases," the ilKhan spoke. "Initially, Clan Ghost Bear sought assistance, and Steel Viper provided. They were not given worlds to control, nor were they given an invasion corridor. Khan Breen endured this fate for several waves before being invited as an equal partner. At this juncture, I would provide Clan Nova Cat and Clan Diamond Shark a similar opportunity."

Things must be incredibly dire on the worlds the Smoke Jaguars hold if he is taking this step. I see the Ghost Bear Khans looked concerned; they do not want to be saddled with another Clan like I am with Steel Viper, and technically they are the closest to Terra.

The oldest living Khan, Severen Leroux of the Nova Cats, began to speak, but Khan Ian Hawker of the Diamond Sharks spoke faster.

"You wish for our help after inviting two non-reserve Clans into the Inner Sphere? You wish for us to do garrison duty for who knows how long while you press on to Terra? You have insulted two Clans who won the Trial of Refusal and now wish to give us scraps, ilKhan. Allow us to participate fully or not at all. If you truly do need us, then perhaps your leadership should be called into question."

Now, this is a proper uproar. Hawker is a Crusader in a nominally Warden Clan, but Showers must have upset him over the inclusion of the Snow Ravens and the Star Adders.

Chaos unfolded as Lincoln Osis, the huge Elemental Khan of the Smoke Jaguars, roared at Khan Hawker and called him a surat coward, no better than a freebirth born to a Merchant Caste of a Clan. Showers had to call for order several times before the Khans stopped shouting at each other.

Your grip slips, Showers.

"We are at war with the Inner Sphere. We are fighting to recreate the Star League and determine the ilClan. Challenges of a personal nature between Khans will not be allowed for the duration. My offer was one of consideration due to your voiced concerns over the Star Adders and Snow Ravens. Let us reconvene after the conclusion of Wave Six and see where everyone stands."

Ulric watched as the Jade Falcon Khan approached the Diamond Shark Khan. Crichell and Hawker were political allies, but so were Crichell and Showers. He wasn't sure what outcome would be best, but the byplay would be noted and examined later. His own progress had been heavily stymied by the Steel Vipers, but he still had every intention of setting foot on Terra first.

Unlike the rest of the Clans, he had brought with him ample supplies and many of the lower castes. He had also taken steps to ensure the conquered populace did not feel too heavy a hand upon them. His efforts had been rewarded with far fewer resistance movements compared to his peer Clans. The Science and Tech Castes, who were gathered on New Oslo, would be expanding the 'Mech factories already there. The existing lines of upgraded Inner Sphere 'Mechs with Clan weaponry would still be produced, but the industrial buildup would include brand new factories for OmniMech and Elemental production.

The Smoke Jaguar strategy is one doomed to failure. They face shortages and resistance every step of the way. As each Clan in turn makes progress, Showers will throw up roadblocks. This is no longer a sprint to Terra, but an endurance march.

***

Outreach

Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth

February 18th 3051

Victor knew his father was stressed, and he understood why. The Steel Vipers had smashed one of their RCTs near Sudeten. They were already losing worlds with each wave of attacks—how much more could they lose and still fight back? The broader strategic picture was one he had not focused on much, not with his own unit and the training exercises taking up so much of his time, but he knew Sudeten was a key strongpoint. If that fell, a whole string of worlds would be lost.

The meeting was smaller than the first grand one, with fewer than thirty people present – national leaders, their offspring, and one or two advisors, like Justin Allard or Generalmajor Beth Foglesong.

His father was speaking, and every eye was on him. He commanded the room, and every word hit like a PPC.

"Four Clans invaded; now we face five, and perhaps more. The time to set aside our differences has come. I call upon House Marik and House Liao to join with the rest of the Inner Sphere, to work in concert, and band together."

Romano Liao laughed. "Ha! Band together? You wish Liao sons and daughters to bleed for your realm even while you conspire to shame my son? You want my warriors to fight? Give me back the worlds you stole from the Capellan Confederation. Perhaps, if you are quick enough, my regiments will keep your precious Katherine alive!"

Victor kept his face composed despite the anger that bubbled in his veins. Why did they even allow Romano into these meetings? She was as petty as she was insane.

"Keep her name out of your mouth, Romano. We are not here to relitigate the Four Succession Wars!" Hanse bit back, an uncustomary ruddiness to his complexion showing.

I should not have mouthed off to Sun-Tzu after he tried to mock Katherine for 'dropping out' of training by telling him she had gone to fight the Clans. That was atrociously stupid, though Mother did share that her promotion to Hauptmann-General was a matter of public record, and anyone could put two and two together that there would have been a purpose for that promotion.

"Perhaps that is the reason for her caution, Prince Davion," Marik spoke, his scarred face giving him the appearance of wisdom rather than deformity. "Save for Prince Magnusson's realm in this last year, no other nation has lost as much territory as the Capellan Confederation. She is wise to fear what comes after we defeat the Clans, if we can."

His father was quick to retort, "I've already given my word, and Archon Steiner has given hers, that we will not touch the Capellan Confederation for twenty years after the last world of the Inner Sphere is liberated from the Clans."

"From the man who launched an invasion at his wedding, your oath is not all that convincing. Nor does it allow the Confederation to rest easy knowing that your heir will most certainly finish what you've stated once that time has come to an end, assuming a casus belli is not conveniently invented prior to that time."

Prince Magnusson shook his head in disgust. "Captain-General, what are you doing here? What will it take for you to help the Inner Sphere?"

An apt question.

Thomas didn't seem bothered by the question, while Victor's father stared intently, beads of perspiration appearing on his forehead.

"Militarily? As I have said, I live in a democracy. This urgency you place upon me is not helpful to consensus building, especially when you have requested communication occur through 'Pony Express' rather than ComStar. I have done what I can to aid your realm, Prince Magnusson, and I am open to the idea of being provided the technology to create retrofits and ship the output to your realm, FedCom, and the Draconis Combine, but I simply cannot move with haste."

His father stood up, shaking with anger. Victor had never seen him like this before. "You are dooming the Inner Sphere! My daughter is heading back into hell with an entirely new Clan on the warfront, and you dither while… while…"

The First Prince of the Federated Suns clutched his chest, hoarse breaths escaping from his mouth. His legs buckled, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Father!" Victor cried, and the Dragoons rushed over, calling for medics. Everyone was shocked, including Romano and Sun-Tzu, though both were now grinning. Rage bubbled within Victor, and he swore he would see both dead when he became the Archon Prince.

He was held back as the medics worked. Several minutes of agonizing worry passed. Cassandra and Kai both approached, murmuring words of sympathy. Cassandra gave him a hug, and even Ragnar offered to say a prayer for him.

Jaime Wolf finally provided word. "Prince Hanse Davion suffered a heart attack. My medics have managed to stabilize him, and I expect he will survive, but he will not be able to attend further meetings for the time being. This near-tragic event underscores the importance of deciding sooner rather than later and acting swiftly in response to the threat that could doom us all."

Thomas Marik shook his head. "I will not be browbeaten into taking a course of action that my people will not support." He turned to Victor's mother. "Archon Steiner, I am happy to discuss this more with you when you feel it is best, given the circumstances. To sweeten the deal with my government back home, I will need concessions of technology, resources, perhaps even some worlds to ensure it is palatable to my people. I have never been against cooperation; no, I welcome it, but I live under constraints your nations do not have."

You lying sack of shit. When we drive out the Clans, I will never forget this day and your part in it.

***

Mkuranga Orbit

Tamar March, Lyran Commonwealth

February 27th 3051

I was two jumps, less than eight hours with my ad hoc Command Circuit, from the last leg of my journey back to Blackjack when I got the news of my father's heart attack. Fortunately, it appeared as if he would survive. The specter of losing my father disquieted me more than I thought it would. I shied away from thinking about that too long and considered the political ramifications.

Showing weakness was never good. There would no doubt be concerns over how our military would perform without the Fox at 100%. Morale would also take a hit, and our enemies might attempt to use the uncertainty to test our defenses. Nothing like an outright invasion, but opportunistic pirates on the Periphery, Liao-sponsored mercenary attacks, and other mischief might well be afoot. Then there was the whole issue of two more Clans attacking us.

We had learned through interrogation and bondsmen that the Steel Vipers were the primary Reserve Clan. The presence of Clan Snow Raven over Inarcs, and by logical reasoning Kowloon, was troubling. According to our intelligence, they shouldn't have a large force at their disposal, but they had already taken two worlds. Interrogation was always chancy, and most bondsmen still refused to give us much actionable intelligence.

However, Snow Raven wasn't my problem… yet. They were far enough away from my own theater that I would put them out of my mind until they drew closer, and given the direction of their invasion, it appeared they were not coming to the aid of the Jade Falcons. And so, I turned my attention to my actual planning.

While in transit, I reviewed my forces and had to make some personnel decisions. With the additional artillery, I now had a full regiment's worth. Hauptmann Kommandant Sven Fischer had been my acting XO, but now that I had four battalions of artillery, I went ahead and promoted him to Colonel. He was moving up fast, but not faster than I was, and he was a veteran of 3039, so his age was appropriate. Honestly, I was putting a lot on his plate, but he seemed to be persevering.

I was keenly aware of the Peter Principle, and I hoped I wasn't making a mistake, but I trusted my own people more than transfers. The Peter Principle was a concept from the 1970s in my first life. Dr. Peter's famous quote stated: 'In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence.' In essence, being good at your current role does not mean you will be good in the role above you. People continue to be promoted until they reach a point where they cannot hack it, and thus, they have risen to the level of their incompetence. I believed in Colonel Fischer, however, and if nothing else, I knew I had his loyalty.

The 1st Royal FedCom Guards had grown beyond being just a single combined-arms regiment. The 'Mech portion of my unique unit was just shy of a full regiment of 'Mechs all on its own, and it was time to treat it as such as part of the larger umbrella of the 1st Royal FedCom Guards.

Kommandant Hans Lautner would be promoted to Colonel. Hauptmann Gregory Lebeau would in turn rise to Kommandant. He was moving up quickly too, but given that both myself and Victor became Kommandants right after the academy, and the fact that Gregory had seen heavy, successful fighting, his rapid rise wouldn't be looked at too skeptically.

Colonel Benjamin Withers had not been shy about speaking up against some of my ideas and decisions. However, by all reports, he had done a remarkable job of getting the volunteer Blackjack infantry units into shape. I had instructed him to put them through hell and only accept the best. With over a million volunteers, we could afford to be picky.

While I didn't have gear for the ten regiments of infantry he had stood up, they were well-trained in infantry maneuvers, could operate Spitfire Cannons, and were now being cross-trained into vehicle crews. I didn't want yes-men, but I did want obedient and effective subordinates. I made him a Leftenant General and put him in charge of the Blackjack infantry units, as well as the returning Wotan infantry.

Speaking of Wotan, I did get several officers that I reviewed and selected to fill the holes in my infantry regiments and armor battalions. Leftenant General Ansel Cabrillo would not be one of them. Some may view it as petty, but their decision-making had not appealed to me, and their once subordinate now holding a higher rank could impact my command. It was cleaner and better this way.

Finally, I also promoted Hauptmann Sebastian Mauer to Kommandant, as he would have multiple Aerospace Squadrons under his command. Then came the decision on who to make my XO for the task force. The two obvious choices my father had suggested were Marshal Alberta Orsina or Leftenant General Andrew Redburn. I didn't know Marshal Orsina at all, and Redburn only a little more. Like Morgan Kell, I owed my existence to Redburn for helping keep my mother alive. His heroics outside of a 'Mech while escorting my mother to New Avalon included engaging the ISF in brutal close quarters fights. Since then, he had continued to impress with victories in the 4th Succession War on St. Andre, Hunan, Algot, Bethel, Kathil, and Sian itself. The raid on the Liao capital extracted the deep cover agents Alexi Mallory and Justin Allard.

I really need to meet Marshal Orsina first, but it feels criminally negligent not to put someone down on paper. But by not making a formal decision, it would default to her anyway, so it is fine for now. If I selected someone else and then changed my mind later it would cause friction.

Then came my battle plans, ones that I would be issuing and begin to carry out without even landing on Blackjack. I had essentially all my pieces in position already, though I did not have transport for everything. To maximize my potential disruption of the Jade Falcons, I would need to have some units pull double duty.

First, I would move the Kathil Uhlans off Goat Path. They would jump with the 39th Avalon Hussars RCT and portions of the Chahar PMM to Beta VII. The rest of the Chahar PMM would reinforce Goat Path. Taking Beta VII would be simple; my embedded forces had already made the Jade Falcon life hell and had forced an additional Trinary to land and bolster the occupation forces, which was all the better, as two 'Mech regiments and three armored regiments would be complete overkill. Likely to save on DropShip fuel, I wouldn't even have them deploy their full strength. From there, they would jump to Wotan. I couldn't be certain what they had there, but I doubted it would be more heavily guarded than Twycross.

Assuming there wasn't a massive buildup, they would take the world and then appear to leave with the majority of my forces, when in truth, most of the DropShips would only be partially full. On the surface, we would be leaving a battalion of 'Mechs and a vehicle battalion with infantry support. In truth, we wouldn't just be leaving one battalion of the Kathil Uhlans, but the full regiment and the Chahar PMM. The goal was to trap another Clan unit when they came to defeat them; no batchall would be answered by the Kommandant. Hiding all this from ComStar while making ComStar once again my patsy was quite amusing.

Half the JumpShips carrying the empty DropShips would return to Blackjack, where the 4th Davion Guards would be awaiting pickup. That would put them on the sidelines until April, but I only had so many transports. The other half would take the 39th Avalon Hussars RCT and strike out to Derf.

In March, I would personally be taking my 1st Royal FedCom Guard to hit Waldorff. That should prove simple, and then I would continue to Alyina, where I would likely face a stiffer challenge, but one in which I had confidence in prevailing. I would pause and determine what the Jade Falcons were doing in response. With agents on Denizli, Twycross, and Baker 3, it wouldn't be too difficult to see how they were reacting.

Based on what the Falcons were doing, I would either cut to Twycross or hit Devin and Baker 3. Twycross was a tough nut to crack. Based on the estimates of the surviving 9th FedCom RCT still hiding out, these were full-strength Clusters. Second-line 'Mechs, but almost 150 'Mechs with heavy Aerospace and Elemental support, was not my idea of a good time. Still, it represented a potential massive blow to the enemy's resources.

If those Clusters moved in response to what I did, then come April, the 4th Davion Guards would join me in retaking Twycross again. Meanwhile, the 2nd Crucis Lancer RCT, which was at less than a third strength, would be liberating Hot Springs and Roadside, and then they could get some R&R. Both worlds should be lightly guarded.

Two jumps later with my plans laid, I was back in the Blackjack system, my DropShip and JumpShip armada at the ready. Some of my key officers in the 1st Royal FedCom RCT joined me aboard a DropShip so we could discuss things in person. One of the foremost of them was the now Colonel Lautner, who was most eager to hear if his Atlas was ready for use.

"It is not only ready, it has some significant upgrades," I said with a pleased grin. I was very happy to have upgraded his Atlas, nothing but the best for my meat shields. "The first thing you'll notice is the improved heat sink capacity. Double Heat Sinks aren't new, but your old Atlas did not have them."

The white-haired Colonel nodded appreciatively.

"The AC/20 is upgraded to a Clan LB-20-X AC. The range on it is increased by a third, and you have the option to use cluster rounds. Be aware the ammunition between Clan and Inner Sphere are not compatible; however, we have thirty tons of it courtesy of the Wolf's Dragoons, who can manufacture Clan munitions, though not in great quantities."

I was pretty sure ten full reloads should be more than enough, especially considering it wasn't a long-range weapon. Even if we fought multiple engagements the ammo should last.

"You still have your LRMs, but your SRMs have been upgraded to Streak versions. The final change is your lasers. You now have Clan-designed medium pulse lasers, which deal 40% more damage than the existing ones, have longer range, and are more accurate. I'm also not a fan of rear-facing lasers. For less graceful MechWarriors who can't turn swiftly and rotate, they serve a purpose, but you are better than that."

"Thank you, Princess Katherine. I cannot wait to use my 'Mech in your service again."

Typical. No doubt he's eager for more combat assignments. And to think, he was fully retired and could have kicked back. Instead, he came back and chose war! Crazy, but damn useful.

***

Maule

Rasalhague District, Free Rasalhague Republic

March 4th 3051

Natasha Kerensky was not impressed with the Sixth and Forty-third Maule Armored Brigades. They were actually battalions, and many of their vehicles were medium. Mostly Vedettes, but they did have some Patton Tanks. Natasha knew they would be little more than a speedbump for powerful Clan OmniMechs or even just Elementals.

The Ghost Bears were always partial to Elementals. Hah, I wonder if that is even true anymore. It has been generations since I was in Clan space.

Överste Jonas Bjarkeland wasn't a MechWarrior, but Natasha did find his blunt and thankful greeting redeeming. She was 'just' a mercenary, and the Rasalhague Republic had not liked mercenaries. Jonas, though, realized she was his only hope of defending against the attack. Natasha longed to openly proclaim herself, and she would, but she had been in the Inner Sphere long enough to know a bit of misdirection was useful. It was known that the Wolf's Dragoons were on planet; it was not known why Natasha had left Outreach.

"If they give a batchall, tell them honestly you have two armored regiments and one reinforced battalion from the Wolf's Dragoons. It will make them eager to confront us, but by not mentioning me personally, I suspect they will underbid."

She had 45 'Mechs with her, while her DropShips also held six Aerospace fighters, whose purpose was to protect said DropShips. A typical battalion was 36 or 40, and a reinforced battalion was 48, which was close enough, and she didn't want to reveal her formation of three Trinaries.

Her Black Widow Battalion was the cream of the crop, many personally trained by her. She knew that more than a few had the skills to win a Bloodname if they were part of the Clans. She had a couple of recon Stars, mostly Wolfhounds, but the battalion leaned toward heavy and assault 'Mechs. Her own Warhammer-7M was an advanced Inner Sphere variant that sported 2 ER PPCs, two medium lasers, an SRM-6, and an anti-missile system. To her annoyance, while the techs had made a breakthrough in mounting Clan weaponry on Inner Sphere designs, it was a custom job for each 'Mech and they had not quite worked out the kinks for her Warhammer, so her weapon systems were still Inner Sphere versions.

In particular, her Alpha Trinary was stacked to the gills with heavy and assault 'Mechs: Marauders, Imps, a Battlemaster, and a pair of Devastators. Unless the Ghost Bears sent in a full Cluster, Natasha had confidence in her people. The batchall came in, and the impromptu headquarters accepted it as Överste Bjarkeland agreed to the challenge.

"I am Star Captain John Bekkar of Clan Ghost Bear, forged in the den of our ancestors. With the Ghost Bear's might, I issue this batchall to the defenders of this Rasalhague world."

Natasha listened in as Jonas replied. "I am Överste Jonas Bjarkeland of the Rasalhague KungsArmé, and I receive your batchall. I personally command the Sixth and Forty-third Maule Armored Brigades, and my Prince has sent me a reinforced battalion of the Wolf's Dragoons, the premier mercenary outfit of all the Inner Sphere. If you wish to fight, we can meet you on Vidarslätt, some distance away from the people I have sworn to protect."

"Good, good. You were honest with the forces you have under your command. Some thought you would try to hide your lucrewarriors. Know that we are wise to your Spheroid tricks. If you wish for honorable combat, you will not seed your fields with stravag mines and other traps. If you abide by those requirements, we will face you honorably and not descend with our full might."

Natasha had already received intelligence from other commanders who had faced similar batchall requirements, so this request was not unexpected.

"Agreed. I will not use my infantry, fortifications, or lay mines or other traps. You will only have to face my vehicles and the Wolf's Dragoons 'Mechs. I do not require all the details of your warriors, but I would request the composition of the forces you will attack with."

Natasha gave him a look, and Jonas quickly continued before sending off the transmission. "And, ah, seeing as this is a Trial of Possession, I demand something of equivalent value: your agreement that the Clans will not touch this world for five years, five of your OmniMechs, and twenty-five of your Elemental body armor."

The responding transmission contained a hearty laugh. "I have no doubt of our victory, but the stakes must be even, quiaff? Your world is unimportant, but we will not allow a base to be used behind our line of advance. I will grant you one OmniMech of your choice from our inventory, and one Elemental suit."

Natasha smiled. "We have some room to negotiate. Tell him you will grant Safcon and ask for two OmniMechs, four Elementals, and his agreement that he will not break the bid. If we are defeated in combat, we will serve as bondsmen if you would have us, and we expect the same from you."

They waited for a response; it took longer than anticipated. "You bargain well for a freebirth. The bid will not be broken, but only if you do not have additional hidden forces you intend to use and follow through on your word that the ground is not prepared. You will face the 72nd Striker Trinary and 433rd Supernova Trinary – thirty 'Mechs, seventy-five Elementals, and ten Aerospace fighters. We will arrive in seventy-eight hours. Bargained well and done."

They bid less aggressively than I thought they would. No doubt their Clan's loss on Gunzburg and our requested prize made this fight harder.

"You did well, Jonas. Your tanks are to focus on the Elemental and Aerospace elements. One of my Trinaries will assist with that task, while my main two duel the enemy. Per our salvage agreement, we will split the gains in half. However, if any Ghost Bears consent to being bondsmen, I want them."

The commander of the Maule Militia nodded in agreement, and in less than three days, they met the Ghost Bears on the lightly snow-covered plains. An urban battle might have negated some of the range advantage, but the Elementals would have been stronger. The decision not to fight within the city also helped the negotiations.

The Ghost Bears came on, and as the advancing Ghost Bears reached twice the distance of their maximum range, Natasha opened an open channel.

"I am Natasha Kerensky, once of Clan Wolf. My genetic legacy combines the genes of the Great Father and the best genetic components of the absorbed Clan Widowmaker. I am the youngest ever to win the Kerensky Bloodname. I am the Black Widow and I will be your end. Come, two of my 'Mech Trinaries against your two 'Mech Trinaries. Let us fight in the Clan way of Zellbrigen. Your non- 'Mech assets can play with my Rasalhague allies and my recon Trinary."

"I am Star Captain John Bekkar. You are a traitor to the Clans and should have long ago been relegated to garrison duty. I will meet you this day and agree to your request."

"I'm garrisoning this world, that is why we have met," Natasha laughed.

"Your language is corrupt as you are. Come face the strength of a Ghost Bear!"

Natasha saw the Star Captain advance, and unlike most of the two Trinaries that advanced with him, he was piloting an assault OmniMech. The rest of his 'Mechs were primarily medium and heavy, but he was piloting a 90-ton Kingfisher. The 'Mech was in its primary configuration, which meant Natasha faced two large and two medium pulse lasers. For missiles, the 'Mech wielded LRM-10s and Streak SRM-6s. It also had an extended-range small laser.

Her own ER PPCs came into range first, sending a concentrated stream of particles into one of the torsos of her foe. Molten slag filled the air in front of the Kingfisher for a moment, and the enemy 'Mech shuddered but kept its balance and forward momentum. LRMs sailed through the air between them, but most were intercepted by her AMS.

Natasha had always been able to read an enemy 'Mech, focusing on how it moved and seeing the micro-adjustments in aim just before the weapons flashed. Moving on a mixture of instinct and careful observation, she leaned her 'Mech's left shoulder back, and was rewarded when a staccato burst of laser fire narrowly missed.

As she waited for her ER PPCs to cycle back to ready, she glanced at the other duels. Every 'Mech had a dance partner. Some were more or less evenly matched, and a few on her side had a distinct disadvantage. The Archer was a great 'Mech, but against a Mad Dog, the disparity in technology overmatched the 10-ton advantage. Though, of course, individual pilot skill still played a key role.

However, other fights were quite lopsided in favor of her Trinaries. A 100-ton Imp against a 50-ton Nova was a bit of an absurdity, but one that benefited her Dragoons.

Her PPCs fired again, once again hammering the torso, while the other shot was a bit off track, hitting lower on the enemy 'Mech's leg. Missiles went out, and the AMS system had multiple variations to target, with bits of armor blasted off several parts of her 'Mech as they began to leak through its protective screen. This time, the pulse lasers were on target, and her Warhammer took damage across the arm and the center torso.

Natasha and her opponent traded different forms of medium laser damage. Her 'Mech's armor was thinning noticeably in the center, but her own slashing beams of destructive light had stripped the outer layer of armor from where her PPCs had struck on the Kingfisher's left side torso, exposing its internals. The Kingfisher swung its body to try to shield its wounded side, and Natasha sent her own missile spread into the enemy 'Mech.

As Star Captain Bekkar turned to shoot, Natasha jammed down the buttons on her weapons and sent a blaze of particles into the now visibly damaged torso. That was enough to tear through the top half of the left torso, causing the arm to hang limp and useless. The blaze of energized particles also splashed into the center torso, further wounding the huge 'Mech.

Their short-range missiles and the two medium pulse lasers are out of the fight.

Her own 'Mech was struggling with heat, but that was fine for the moment. She was used to the inferno of a 'Mech cockpit; it barely even bothered her anymore, even at its most extreme. The Kingfisher remained standing and fought back with its large pulse lasers and LRMs. It even fired the small laser in its head. The damage washed over Natasha's 'Mech, and Bekkar had clearly been trying to core her center torso, but she had moved one of her Warhammer arms in front, absorbing the pulsating discharges of armor-burning heat.

The internals in my arm are exposed.

She kept one ER PPC back due to heat and instead fired her lasers and SRMs into Bekkar, aiming to score a telling blow. Unfortunately, the Kingfisher had a massive amount of armor, and she still had a lot of it to chew through. Her 'Mech practically glided, and when Bekkar moved to fire, she rotated her less-damaged side. As she did, she felt over a ton of armor get scorched away from her other arm and leg.

The two circled each other, both moving to prevent damage to vulnerable locations. Natasha's deadly accuracy tore into the right arm of the Kingfisher, turning it into a fused piece of molten metal. The 'Mech was left with just the LRMs and a small laser. With Natasha's AMS still shooting down many of the missiles, her dance partner had run out of traditional options.

"I would hate to have to kill you Star Captain Bekkar, I would rather make you a bondsman."

Star Captain Bekkar's 'Mech lurched slightly as it tried to steady itself. The once-proud Kingfisher, now battered and nearly crippled, stared down the Black Widow. His voice came through the comms, strained but steady.

"I am not finished yet!"

The Kingfisher advanced directly toward Natasha, attempting to charge into her 'Mech. Some within the Clans took a dim view of physical attacks, viewing them as inelegant and wasteful, as with most physical attacks, both 'Mechs would be wounded. Natasha, though, likely had far more experience with physical attacks than any Clan Warrior. As she fired her lasers into the charging 'Mech, she was already stepping sideways and evaded the frenetic attack. Undeterred, the Kingfisher turned for another pass, but by then Natasha's weapons had cycled back, and this time she finished it with an Alpha Strike. All her weapons connected and burned the last of the armor away from Bekkar's center torso. His ejection seat sent him flying high into the air, and Natasha quickly turned her 'Mech, scanning for opponents.

As her heat came down, she realized she was one of the first few from her Trinaries to win. The Imp had put down the Nova and finished before her but many of the fights were still undecided, and eventually, one of the duels saw a Ghost Bear victory. A Timber Wolf, which was limping badly due to a damaged hip actuator, had put down a Marauder. It wasn't just the leg that was damaged; there were also deep scars in all three torsos.

"I will take this one," the Imp pilot requested, but Natasha wasn't going to hear it. She had been kept on the sidelines for far too long!

Her challenge was met with grim determination by a young Star Commander. Her arms were an obvious target, but the way she stalked forward and then twitched them up at the right moment caused some of the weapons to strike her torso or miss altogether. Her response sent man-made lightning into the leg, destroying it and sending the Timber Wolf to the ground. Not done, she added her SRMs.

The opposing 'Mech had landed poorly and could do little more than roll onto its backside. It was an impressive maneuver in and of itself, but Natasha moved out of the likely angle of the Ghost Bear's weapon arcs and finished it off. There was no third fight, as the few Ghost Bears who won their duels now faced the least damaged Dragoons, who handedly put them down. She had lost less than two Stars, and her eyes moved to the rest of the battle.

Her recon Trinary included light and medium 'Mechs, but that was all that was needed. Her 'Mechs and the militia's vehicles had driven or walked backward as the Elementals, with no 'Mechs to ride upon, chased after them. It had been an ugly and one-sided destruction. The Elementals had engaged their ability to jump, but it was not enough. Their SRMs had destroyed some vehicles, but by and large, they had suffered massive casualties, and only a few of them had been able to even use their laser attachments.

The Aerospace fighters had proven more effective disabling some vehicles, and they had also done some damage to the 'Mechs, even taking down two, but the return fire had been devastating. By the time Natasha had finished dealing with the 'Mechs, there was less than a Star of Elementals remaining, and the skies were clear.

"I was once of the Clans, though no longer part of Clan Wolf. The Wolf's Dragoons still practice many of the Clan traditions. Surrender and end this waste, and become my bondsmen. You will be treated fairly and given an opportunity to serve as warriors again." Her voice took on a grim tone. "Or, you can die here by the hand of the Black Widow."

A few opted for death, but several Points of Elementals surrendered, and over half of the Ghost Bear MechWarriors had survived. Natasha knew that the desire to stay a warrior was the most compelling factor, one that would likely outweigh the fact that she was no longer part of the Clans. What it came down to was that the Clans respected strength. Since she had dealt honorably and followed the conditions of Zellbrigen, she had proven her superiority. There had been no Spheroid tricks or foul play. If she was better and honorable, she had the right to take bondsmen.

This was a good start. It is time to take our prizes, our salvage, and depart for Nox. I'll want to get repairs done before the next battle. The Maule Militia will scatter before the Ghost Bears try again. Perhaps they won't even attack for a time, as it is considered gauche to try a second Trial of Possession quickly. Either way, I wish the people of this planet good fortune.