An entry with a Bang! - A BT roundrobin II

[Robo Jesus]

Originally Posted by Norgarth

Wasn't that more using elecromagnetism to reduce the friction so that the water pressure would be able to push the pig(?) along? Same idea as a Maglev train.

Ahh, nevermind then, I was looking at the original text of that post. My mistake.

[VhenRa]

Originally Posted by EdBecerra

Point. Remember the recon vehicle with the drones in the 3026 book? The Hi-Scout drone carrier?

A tracked drone and a hover drone. The first was 3 tons, the second 2 tons.

No, those were NOT typo errors. 3 tons and 2 tons, respectively.

Good god, we build short range drones that can fit in the cargo pocket of a Marine's BDU's, for crap's sake! The medium range drones can be carried by a quarter-ton pickup truck and launched by a two man crew.

The Predator drone weighs ONE ton, fully loaded and armed.

Hell, the RQ-11 Raven weighs FOUR FRIGGIN' POUNDS!

AeroVirement, the builders of the Raven, are going to be ass-deep in orders from the Combine, if the GDI allows it. Indrahar is going to be throwing everything short of harem girls at the CEO of AeroVirement... and might even throw some of them, if he thinks it'll work.

Ed.

You realise said Drones from the Hi-Scout can be parked in a place for surveillance and sit there for like 3-4 Weeks right?


That and I could use the Design rules... and build a 20-Ton Drone that runs off of a Fission Reactor and can stay airborne until either its fission reactor runs out of fuel or a part fails and it crashes.

[EdBecerra]

Originally Posted by Warringer

About the size of the drones. Keep in mind the ragnarok proofing and the size problems of their computer systems.

The size of the computers is a legit objection. The ragnarok'ing of the probes? Just plain stupid. (Not you, THEM.) Drones are what the US military terms "durable goods." It's to be expected that they'll be destroyed in service. So, while they're built sturdy, they shouldn't be built TOO sturdy. After all, technological obsolescence can strike at any moment.

Look at the Sherman tank - fifty thousand of them built for the war. Then the Germans design the first Panther, based on the Russian T-34. Sloped armor, curved lines... the Sherman's design basis was suddenly obsolete. What do you DO with 50,000 obsolete tanks?

Okay, what can you do with them that doesn't lose you the resources you invested in building them? You don't want to simply throw them into the nearest landfill. That's the problem with ragnarok'ing the wrong sort of items.

Of course, as we've seen, it does turn out handy if you're expecting a dark age to hit, and are determined to run around the galaxy building caches of equipment and information in order to rebuild things later, but really...

So, my point is, those drones were STUPIDLY overdesigned and over-protected. A waste of resources. They could have been much lighter, smaller, and with more utility.

Ed.

[hyzmarca]

That and we can build solar powered UAVs that will fly until something wears out (potentially years of uninterrupted flight) for less mass.

[JonBerry]

As I'm farily new here, did I miss the point where people could just post parts to the story thread without them first appearing here for editing and vetting?

[kingdragon]

Originally Posted by JonBerry

As I'm farily new here, did I miss the point where people could just post parts to the story thread without them first appearing here for editing and vetting?

You're not supposed to anyway. Why are you asking?

[The One Char]

Originally Posted by JonBerry

As I'm farily new here, did I miss the point where people could just post parts to the story thread without them first appearing here for editing and vetting?

They can't.

[Norgarth]

Originally Posted by JonBerry

As I'm farily new here, did I miss the point where people could just post parts to the story thread without them first appearing here for editing and vetting?

If you're refering to Consequences's post to the story thread today, that was actually 2 or 3 story bits he did post to this thread a while back, but forgot to copy to the story thread.

[Barricade]

Originally Posted by ecs05norway

There is one hovercraft with worse than the Saladin, but it's clantech. The SM-1 Tank Destroyer is a NovaCat/Kurita joint design, 50-ton hovercraft with a max speed of 129 kph, mounting a fixed-forward Ultra-20 AC and a small turret with 4 light machine guns.

You all forgot about the Marik's Regulator. 45 ton hovertank, with a turreted Gauss Rifle and can do 9/14/0. I absolutely love to spam those things against people. Only get developed in the mid-3050s however, but outside of the Gauss Rifle, its all tech we can use now. No FF armor, no XL engine (normal fusion), etc.

There's also a really rude variant that drops the Gauss Rifle down to a Light Gauss, and uses the freed tonnage to install a Targeting Computer. I love to spam that one too.

[JonBerry]

Originally Posted by Norgarth

If you're refering to Consequences's post to the story thread today, that was actually 2 or 3 story bits he did post to this thread a while back, but forgot to copy to the story thread.

Ah thank you. I'll have to tweak my Dansel section accordingly then.

Also, does anyone know what's up with the captured Pirates and what-not still on Earth? Last I saw in the story thread, they were in a holding pattern. I ask because I was thinking of a snippet set back on earth about the legal issues involved with the pirates/attempted invasion.

[EdBecerra]

Originally Posted by JonBerry

Also, does anyone know what's up with the captured Pirates and what-not still on Earth? Last I saw in the story thread, they were in a holding pattern. I ask because I was thinking of a snippet set back on earth about the legal issues involved with the pirates/attempted invasion.

If memory serves, they're still cowering inside their battlemechs, while most of the Congo goes about its traditional business of tribal warfare and whatnot. They probably indulge in a little threatening display now and then to bully food, water, gold, girls and other creature comforts out of the locals within range of their weapons.

Typical pirate behavior.

Ed.

[rdde]

Originally Posted by hyzmarca

That and we can build solar powered UAVs that will fly until something wears out (potentially years of uninterrupted flight) for less mass.

And like any decent 'magic' material, using CNTs in solar cells also increases their efficiency by a significant bit.

Experimental non-silicon solar panels can be made of quantum heterostructures, e.g. carbon nanotubes or quantum dots, embedded in conductive polymers or mesoporous metal oxides. In addition, thin films of many of these materials on conventional silicon solar cells can increase the optical coupling efficiency into the silicon cell, thus boosting the overall efficiency. By varying the size of the quantum dots, the cells can be tuned to absorb different wavelengths. Although the research is still in its infancy, quantum dot modified photovoltaics may be able to achieve up to 42% energy conversion efficiency due to multiple exciton generation (MEG).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_c...cle_processing

Contrast that with:

The highest efficiency cells have not always been the most economical — for example a 30% efficient multijunction cell based on exotic materials such as gallium arsenide or indium selenide and produced in low volume might well cost one hundred times as much as an 8% efficient amorphous silicon cell in mass production, while only delivering about four times the electrical power.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_c...n_efficiencies

And also, it appears that the average commercial solar cell efficiency is much lower than that. Maybe about 5 to 15%. Couldn't find any page that makes such an estimation.

This could more directly transform our energy industry than fusion powerplants, which is still a few years away. Making solar cells that uses CNTs, which generates about three times the average efficiency, should be a lot more cheaper, simpler and economical. Although it remains to be seen if we should treat damaged CNT-using products like mercury or we could simply ignore that particular possibility like we did with diseases.

Increasing our industry demand and interest for CNTs also would also help to quickly improve our BT-grade armor research and production capacity. We're not going to stay at 0.8 for long. Personally, I would have started at 0.5 and quickly build up to 0.8 and above, barring technological contributions and treasure troves, but that's in the past.

Btw, are technologies that were reverse-engineered or obtained from BT/IS open for R&D by anybody the GDI is willing to entertain? Patents or copyrights don't apply to BT stuff until somebody comes up with something new that they could patent. And even then, it's hard to say if there are plenty of prior art dating back centuries.

[Nikas]

Originally Posted by Warringer

About the size of the drones. Keep in mind the ragnarok proofing and the size problems of their computer systems.

Or you can forget that and take the attitude "So you shot down one drone. I have 50 more at the FOB and a couple hundred coming in on the next ship". Crunch all you want, we've got more.

[Chaos Blade]

Originally Posted by EdBecerra

If memory serves, they're still cowering inside their battlemechs, while most of the Congo goes about its traditional business of tribal warfare and whatnot. They probably indulge in a little threatening display now and then to bully food, water, gold, girls and other creature comforts out of the locals within range of their weapons.

Typical pirate behavior.

Ed.

in other words, everything is normal in the congo, or as normal as it gets.

[Nikas]

Originally Posted by Magni

Which is actually the armament of most hovertanks. The only thing that seriously throws a spanner into the works is the Saladin. Weights 35 tons and packs a 14-ton AC/20 and 3 tons of ammo for it... Incidentally, it's one of the msot evil things in the game system. You won't find much that can carry an AC/20 and still do 120 km/h when going flat out.

And at only two tons of armor I call it the "Suicide Sled". You have to crawl into someone's back pocket for a good shot, and with proper support from your lance mates the Sally won't survive for a second shot, assuming it lives long enough to get a first. Sure the hit is impressive, but you draw fire in direct proportion to your lethality. The Sally is one of the prototypical "Men are cheap, Mechs are expensive" designs of the Succession Wars.

[JonBerry]

Originally Posted by EdBecerra

If memory serves, they're still cowering inside their battlemechs, while most of the Congo goes about its traditional business of tribal warfare and whatnot. They probably indulge in a little threatening display now and then to bully food, water, gold, girls and other creature comforts out of the locals within range of their weapons.

Typical pirate behavior.

Ed.

Actually, I was more concerned with those in Europe, Asia and other nations. We see the camps that some of them were kept in when the story focused on the intelligence agents from the MIIO and the ISF (who had been invited to see the Emperor of Japan).

And those guys in the Congo have 'Missile Target Practice' written all over them.

[rdde]

Originally Posted by Nikas

Or you can forget that and take the attitude "So you shot down one drone. I have 50 more at the FOB and a couple hundred coming in on the next ship". Crunch all you want, we've got more.

That would also be an effective combat tactic. Send up hundreds of drones to crowd a combat zone. They would either waste ammo, heat and time on the hard to hit drones or be left exposed to the occasional pot shot from drones equipped with a BT SRM or two.

Man, anybody sent up against the GDI that returns alive would return a gibbering wreck.

Originally Posted by Nikas

And at only two tons of armor I call it the "Suicide Sled". You have to crawl into someone's back pocket for a good shot, and with proper support from your lance mates the Sally won't survive for a second shot, assuming it lives long enough to get a first. Sure the hit is impressive, but you draw fire in direct proportion to your lethality. The Sally is one of the prototypical "Men are cheap, Mechs are expensive" designs of the Succession Wars.

What happens if you give that AC/20 only a ton (or a half ton) of ammo and use the remainder for armor? Would it then be viable for a survivable hit-and-run combat vehicle?

[EdBecerra]

Originally Posted by JonBerry

Actually, I was more concerned with those in Europe, Asia and other nations. We see the camps that some of them were kept in when the story focused on the intelligence agents from the MIIO and the ISF (who had been invited to see the Emperor of Japan).

Those?

Pirates like those tend to fall into two broad groups. Assholes who enjoy tormenting others, and yutzes who thought it would be a profitable lifestyle with little work on their part. (And a number of hard-luck cases who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, ending up with pirates because they had no where else to run to.)

The psychotic and sociopathic types - well, prison or execution, depending on which nation they were captured in.

The losers and hard-luck cases - if they have any skills that we don't, they'll be absorbed as useful citizens. If not, they'll eventually have to find burger-flippin' jobs like anyone else.

Anyone with useful intel and an urge to share it, of course, can do so and buy themselves a few years of support. And Hollywood will be more than willing to buy the usual ghost-written "I Was A Love Slave On Antallos!" bodice ripper novels to turn into B-grade movies. Plenty of prisoners to sell their life stories that way.

That's short term. Long term, when hiding our location isn't quite so urgent, repatriation may be offered.

"Here's a clean suit, a cheap suitcase, a few bucks and a jumpship ticket to Antallos. Good luck getting home."

That sort of thing.

Ed

[Nikas]

Originally Posted by rdde

What happens if you give that AC/20 only a ton (or a half ton) of ammo and use the remainder for armor? Would it then be viable for a survivable hit-and-run combat vehicle?

Even just trading in one ton of ammo for extra armor would improve things. However under the previous rule set it (and even more so under the current one) weapon fire has an increased chance to damage the motive systems. You might not kill them with a non-penetrating hit, but it is possible to slow them down, or completely immobilize a hovercraft by damaging the lift skirt so it can't get off the ground.

[VhenRa]

Yeah.

Hover Tanks are REALLY fragile.

One of the Dirtbag Militias though during the Jihad built themselves something like 2 Mech Regiments and then added to those something like a Division Worth of Conventionals (Tanks, Fighters, Infantry) for each Regiment... All said equipment built on planet within around 3-4 Years.

The Tanks were mostly Hover Tanks so when the Blakists Landed they marched their slow Mechs towards them.

The Blakists could either

A: Attack the Mechs and get flanked by the Hover Tanks, Scratch 1 Blakist Division.
B: Turn and engage the flanking Hover Tanks, Then get overrun by the Mechs. Scratch 1 Blakist Division.

[evilauthor]

Originally Posted by VhenRa

One of the Dirtbag Militias though during the Jihad built themselves something like 2 Mech Regiments and then added to those something like a Division Worth of Conventionals (Tanks, Fighters, Infantry) for each Regiment... All said equipment built on planet within around 3-4 Years.

And this folks just illustrates how badly underused the Inner Sphere's industry really is. Was this planet typical or a rare high value, strategic industrial world? Even if it's the latter, it's still pretty impressive given the House Armies' canon small sizes. Even at just half at half a regiment a year, you could build a typical BT invasion force in ten years.

But good luck scraping up transportation for them unless you increase Jumpship and Dropship production to match.

[Nikas]

I've long suspected that the size, beyond game playability, is cultural rather than technical.

The Sphere and Clans are Feudal Societies. The biggest question is "Who do you trust with a Weapon?" Mechs allow force to be concentrated in the smallest number of persons possible, reducing the number a ruler has to 'trust' with power.

Of course in a feudal society having power means something without peons to lord it over, thus the large majority have to be unarmed, to "Preserve the internal order". After all it is their 'place' to support the armed minority of society, in return for their 'protection'. Yeah I mean it in the same sense a gentleman with a Jersey accent might.

[VhenRa]

Originally Posted by evilauthor

And this folks just illustrates how badly underused the Inner Sphere's industry really is. Was this planet typical or a rare high value, strategic industrial world? Even if it's the latter, it's still pretty impressive given the House Armies' canon small sizes. Even at just half at half a regiment a year, you could build a typical BT invasion force in ten years.

But good luck scraping up transportation for them unless you increase Jumpship and Dropship production to match.

Rather average world from what I gathered.

Oh right. They had a decent facility for maintenance and repair of Mechs. Which is to say it was really just a good repair facility without any real production capabilities other then scratch building a few harder to find parts.

But that was really the extent of their Industrial Capability.


The Mechs they built were Primitives, equal to the stuff put into use during the Mid 25th Century.

[Norgarth]

Originally Posted by EdBecerra

If memory serves, they're still cowering inside their battlemechs, while most of the Congo goes about its traditional business of tribal warfare and whatnot. They probably indulge in a little threatening display now and then to bully food, water, gold, girls and other creature comforts out of the locals within range of their weapons.

Typical pirate behavior.

Ed.

Originally Posted by JonBerry

Actually, I was more concerned with those in Europe, Asia and other nations. We see the camps that some of them were kept in when the story focused on the intelligence agents from the MIIO and the ISF (who had been invited to see the Emperor of Japan).

And those guys in the Congo have 'Missile Target Practice' written all over them.

The Pirates who 'conqured' the Congo were Mechanized Infantry, the only 2 battlemechs in that dropship were a Locust (destroyed by a Hind it didn't blast quite fast enough), and an Urbanmech (which discovered that RPG launchers are as common as shit in those parts, had it's armor worn away and then it's engine Stackpoled).

I suspect that less than half the pirates were captured. Between the ones who didn't survive the landing (or even reentry in some cases), the ones who went down fighting and the ones who didn't figure out how to surrender fast enough (like the ones caught in artillery storms in Germany and Russia), they took a lot of casulties.

That reminds me, did anyone ever finish writing what happened to the poor bastards that ended up in round 2 vs the Kiwis?

[JonBerry]

3800 words!

-----
December, 2006
GDI Jumpship “Hail Mary, Full of Grace”
Victoria System, Federated Suns
Nadir Jump Point

The Samurai tapped the glass to draw attention from the rest of his team. They were sitting in one of the secure dining rooms, enjoying a fresh meal, the returning Seeker having brought back plenty of fresh foodstuffs after selling off another load of tractors to the locals. “Thank you everyone, but now is the time for business.”

“We are not the only retrieval team.” The looks from the other people in the room told him what he already knew. “But then again, I’m quite sure that your respective agencies informed you of that before we left. However, I’m making it official.” He paused, and took a sip of water. “There are two other teams. One is headed for a Star League base set in the Deep Periphery by Aleksander Kerensky himself. It’s on a world called Columbus, and given that ComStar is scheduled to find it within 24 months, it was viewed as a priority target, if only to deny ComStar vital resources for their expansion.”

He waited a moment to let the others digest this information before moving on. “The other team is headed to a world called New Dallas. This world apparently has a memory core as well, but was bombed quite thoroughly with nuclear weapons after the fall of the Star League and other conflicts. That mission has a cover of establishing a factory for all those toys in the cargo holds that we’ve been selling. An odd thing about this world is that it is mentioned in early source materials, but vanished in later publications, including maps and documents covering the same era. It’s as if FASA wanted the world to disappear.”

“Now, as for our target on Helm, I have here a sealed package that was given to me before we left Earth. I was informed of what was in it, but I was not to actually open it and brief you all until I felt it was safe to do so.” With that, the Samurai broke the seal, and spilled the contents onto the table. Four large manilla envelopes now lay before him. He picked them up, and passed them around. “Each of these contains a privately commissioned work from FASA, and other sources which gives details about the Helm planet, the system as well as what we can expect there.”

Alexander Marius took one of the offered envelopes and opened it, quickly examining the contents. “I don’t understand.”

Daniel Morris expected this question. “These packets are part of an experiment by GDI intelligence to determine just how far fiction and reality mesh. There was an attempt to dictate certain measures of reality back on Earth with the captured Battlemechs, but that was a failure. The information we have here is a more passive prediction of what we could encounter, and multiple attempts at that.”

“Oh hell.” This came from the lead electronics technician, a Canadian by the make of James Bowlder. His job was the actual copying and securing of the data in the core itself. “If we can’t force reality, the high mucky-mucks want to know if we can accurately predict it, with no previously known counter-information.”

The Samurai nodded. “That is correct. And I hope for all our sakes, the information in these packets are wrong, or just contain the occasional lucky guess.”

-----

October, 3021
Luthien, Capital of the Draconis Combine

That Tai-sa Ulysses Kurita had been called to an audience before Coordinator Takashi Kurita himself had been an honor to end all honors. Although he knew that he had been called before his sovereign to give his first-hand account of the Battle for Antallos, he was unsure of what was expected from him.

It had been easy enough to deal with the annoying ‘advisor’ in the aftermath, reporting to his superiors his concerns about the lack of diplomatic skills shown. Hence why he had sent his grand-daughter to be the temporary attache to the GDI. Someone whom he could trust to keep an eye on the honorless Federated Suns in his absence.

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves, only for a worrying thought to cross his mind. He had heard of such audiences that he was about to attend where the Honored Coordinator had, without looking at the supplicant, said “You have disappointed me, you may use the Garden”, and that was it. He examined the medals that adorned his uniform for the thousandth time since his arrival in the waiting room. No, all his medals were in order, and there was no error with his presentation. He would not embarrass the Dragon by his presence.

And he had done nothing wrong. If he had, he would not be before the Coordinator for his punishment, but a very short lived military tribunal. Thus, he still had no idea what to expect in reality.

The door opened, and Ulysses snapped to attention. The attendant noted him, and summoned him into the waiting room beyond. He walked crisply across the threshold, and saw many men and women of power arrayed around a table with a map of what he quickly recognized as the section of the Combine as being near Antallos on the table. The Pesht District under Kester Hsuin, whom he also saw at the table.

Ulysses’ heart slowed as he gained greater understanding of shy he was here. It was not for punishment, but for a briefing. He stood at perfect attention while waiting for his superiors to address him. It took only a moment before Hsuin looked up, recognizing him. “Ah, Tai-sa, welcome. Coordinator Kurita, this is the man whom we sent to Antallos.”

Another man stood up, and turned to face him, and the first thing that went through Ulysses’ mind was that he had been certain that Takashi Kurita was supposed to be taller. Instead he found himself in the awkward position of looking down at his Lord. Be bowed, and offered the correct greetings as required of him. The Coordinator returned them, and bid him rise.

Ulysses took the invitation, and stepped up to the table. One of the things he saw right away was not the notations of military movements but that Antallos itself was no longer the white of an independent world. The single golden world stood out against the sea of red Combine worlds, as well as the strip of Federated green and Outworlds brown. “So much interest in such a small world. The last time something like this happened was the appearance of the Wolf’s Dragoons 20 years ago”, the Coordinator mused. “And you were there, Tai-sa. I would speak with you personally about what you saw there, and your impressions. I have read your reports, but they lacked the personal view I wish from you.”

Ulysses nodded and gestured with a sweep of the hand at the color changed world, portent of change. “My Lord Coordinator, while I hold the utmost confidence in my reports as to the fact of the engagement, you are correct in knowing that there is more I can say about this new, albeit minor power.”

“First, I must stress that for all their tactical power, they were tested against pirates and other undesirables. Their opponents came at them piecemeal, with little sense of tactics beyond massed charges. They were an embarrassment to the name Mechwarrior, and their demise is no loss. Against the proper military might of the Combine, they would fall, despite their lostech.”

“Ah, yes.” Hsuin agrees as he too studied the map. “That much we all agree upon. But rather, it is their people we wish to know more of.”

Chastised, the Tai-sa switched mental tracks. “My Lords, the leader of the GDI on this world is a man by the name of General Don Davis. The majority of our conversations took place in English, but he did take the time to learn civilized greetings in our native tongue. We first met in person when I requested that I identify the body of the pirate, Redjack Ryan, and he made the arrangements. He strikes me deeply as a man of honor. His forces share the same professionalism and honor in their duties, despite a few errant comments. Apparently I resemble a holo-vid actor on Motherlode by the name of Toshirô Mifune, if a bit aged, and the rank and file soldiers of the GDI gave me honor above my station for it.”

“Interesting. Please continue.”

“My lord, I must admit that the majority of my interactions with the Global Defense Initiative were with their military members in such matters, and that has limited my ability to understand their culture as a whole. I set one of my officers to act as an interim ambassador until such time as you deigned to recall her, or replace her with a more suitable representative. She too noted in her reports to me that she saw the same contrast of professionalism in their duties as well as the laxness and casual revelry in their off-duty hours. It was implied that the GDI is composed of citizen-soldiers, led by career officers.”

“And this Dansel they called a hero?”

“Coordinator, I was, along with a representative of the Federated Suns”, his tone of voice indicated just how little he thought of that, “to an awards ceremony that recognized actions above and beyond the call of duty during the battle. His entire Lance were recognized, and from the actions I saw, if a member of the DCMS performed the same, I would be honored to award those medals myself.

“I must note that they do not place their awards in a spectacular fashion. They are simple medals and ribbons. Of note, their campaign ribbons are simple rectangles with various colored bands denoting the specific actions. Dansel bore three, one I was told was for the repulsion of the initial pirate attack, the ‘New Zealand Defense’, another was the ‘Earth Defense’ campaign, for the defeat of the attack from Port Krin. The one he was awarded with in my presence was the defense of Antallos from Redjack Ryan and subsequent battles. Of note, he is apparently a double Ace, twice over. 10 confirmed Mech kills during the second campaign, and more than that during Antallos.”

That caused a slight stir in the Mechwarriors present. Making five confirmed kills was an accomplishment, but over twenty in two conflicts? It seemed almost unbelievable. But they did not doubt it, given the amazing sights of the battle. Privately, many of them wanted to test this Dansel against their best, in order to see their victory and assuage their egos.

“After the ceremony, I talked to him personally, and he seemed to be quite intelligent, though like a commoner who is suddenly thrust into the presence of nobility. He has the air about him of a good man, and very trustworthy.” Ulysses fell silent as he waited for his superiors to pseak more.

There were more vocal murmurs from the others arrayed about the table. “Interesting.” This from a man dressed in the uniform of the intelligence service, Subhash Indrahar.

“Another question then, Tai-sa. Your reports mention a Kurita in the hierarchy of the GDI.” The Coordinator didn’t ask any questions, but made his intention clear.

“Yes my Lord. He holds the rank of Colonel in the GDI, and is the second in command to General Davis. He has expressed that his family and yours have not been related since before the fall of the Star League. That statement, if true, would help support the theory that Motherlode is a Deep Periphery Star League colony.”

“He was present for the Battle?”

“Yes, my lord.” The Dragon seemed to ponder this in silence for a few moments.

“What then, do we really know about this new power at our back door?” This question was asked by a woman whom Ulysses thought he recognized, but was not sure of. He did recognize the tone of the question as one being asked repeatedly in this room over the past days and weeks. “We do not know even if their claim that they only hold a couple worlds, including their new conquest. For all we know, they have dozens of worlds in the Periphery that we have no report of.”

“That is a worrisome thought, but there is still no evidence of that to be true either.” Indrahar took the question and answered it. “The name of their military force indicates a single world. ‘Global’. It seems as though Motherlode is their world, and now they have another. Two worlds is not a threat to the Combine, or any of the other Great Houses.”

“And where is this Motherlode? The world they call Earth?”

“Coordinator, we do not know. With the attempted invasion by the previous administrator of Port Krin, they have been justifiably paranoid in protecting the location of their home, and they tightly control all jumpship traffic to and from it. We could attempt a search of our won, but we do not have the first clue as where to start, nor do we have the jumpships in the Pesht District to spare.”

“This is most stressing, and yet we return to the same questions as before.” The leader of the Draconis Combine looked down at that lone golden world, and the blank space that lay behind it, so full of the unknown. “And what of the Federated Suns? The Outworlds Alliance? What interest do they have in Antallos and the GDI?”

Subhash Indrahar shook his head. “My lord, the Alliance is in a constant state of dissarray. They have no interest in Antallos, nor is it possible that Motherlode is in that region of space. As for the honorless Suns, I have the reports that they too are looking into gaining favor with the GDI, for their friendship could represent a means to encircle the OWA, as well as in having a friendly port to our rear.”

“That cannot be allowed!” The Dragon hit the table hard to emphasize his opinion about that.

Tai-sa Ulysses was in a bind. It seemed as though he was not supposed to be here, but he had not been dismissed. And the thought of bringing this lapse to the attention of his betters paralyzed him. He wasn’t sure what to do, as he could not simply turn and leave. Such would be a grave dishonor.

“There is a large gamble that we could attempt.” Indrahar spoke up. “On the world of Chirala, there is an annex to the New Samarkand Metals, a Mech factory specializing in parts for light mechs such as the Jenner. They would normally be shipped to the Luthien Armor Works for final assembly.”

One of the others about the table leapt to a conclusion. “You don’t propose selling one of our active parts factories to a foreign power, do you?”

“No. I suggest an entire Mech Factory.”

That brought rounds of loud accusations of treason and calls for his removal. Even Ulysses felt a twist in his gut at the thought, but kept his silence. He saw that both the Coordinator and Indrahar kept their peace in the storm of accusations and disapproval.

“SILENCE!” Takashi Kurita finally roared to bring order back to the discussion. “Subhash. Explain yourself, or I will be forced to summon your replacement.” The mortal threat went unstated, but the voice reminded all of why he still ruled.

“My Lord Coordinator, the factory in question was shut down three years ago due to unacceptable corruption, and the New Samarkand Metals have been unable to gain the personnel to properly restart it. As it stands, the entire line is simply wasting space. We can offer the GDI this line, as well as the possibility of future expansion into a full Mech production line in the future to show our friendship and trust.

“They are likely to take this as analysis of the forces at Antallos shows that their entire force consists of salvaged mechs. They fielded nothing that wasn’t sent to them in the first place by the initial pirate raid or the followup invasion. The offer to allow them to build their own parts and future Mechs, if under our auspices should prove to be a heavy incentive towards future trade and even an eventual offer to join the Draconis Combine.

“As for us, we gain an active parts factory, a source of income from the leasing of the factory, as well as having a legitimate reason to have an active military presence on the world. We gain a supply node in the region, and the capacity to launch a proper campaign from that region. It will also give us a constant view into their culture, as well as probable access to their lostech if we go about it correctly.

“And I doubt the AFFS will have anything that can match that.

Hsuin looked thoughtful. “I recall that scandal. They were building substandard parts, and skimming profits for personal gain.” His face darkened. “I was at their executions. And it is a large gamble for certain. But I can support the attempt to understand this attempt to study the technology of the GDI, as reports from Antallos indicates that they are already conducting a massive project that they call ‘Urban Renewal’ to Port Krin.”

“However, we must be absolutely certain that our interests are protected.” Another person spoke up.

“I make that guarentee,” Indrahar promised, “even if I have to monitor the situation personally.”

All eyes turned back to the Coordinator, waiting for his assent or dissent. He turned to look at Ulysses. “Tai-sa, it would appear that I must send you back to Antallos to represent our interests there. This is a heavy responsibility for you, but I have the utmost confidence in your ability to see it through. Please make the offer to the GDI as a token of our appreciation.” Ulysses bowed, and made to leave the meeting for his new duties. As he reached the door, the voice of the Coordinator reached back out to him.

“And Tai-si Ulysses Kurita. Please invite in my name this Colonel Kurita of the GDI to an audience with myself. I am interested in this distant cousin of ours.”

-----
September, 3021
Port Krin Antallos

It was, the Wolfnet agent known as Remus Lupin thought to himself as he put his feet up on the dash on his break, a very interesting coincidence. One hand held a large mug of coffee while the other held the book that so held his interest. The book was written in slightly archaic English, but nothing unreadable. Except for the deliberately mangled words of course, but at least they were italicized in the text.

He flipped the page, reminding himself to note the quality of paper, and that these Third Earthers apparently thought nothing of mass producing paper books. Yet another mystery to add to the pile that was GDI and Motherlode.

The GDI petty officer that loaned these five novels to him did so in apology. There had been yet another confrontation over his cover name, and the officer in question explained that he had the same name as a popular fictional character. A couple days later, he delivered the books, extracting the promise to return them in good condition.

Noting the time, he decided to return to work. As the only employee at the scrap yard with any skill at mech operation, he had been assigned to operate the refurbished Industrial Mech in addition to his other duties, and getting paid for it. Today he was helping tear down a condemned building in preparation for a new apartment complex. Putting Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix down, he went back to work.

It was odd, using mechs to construct something, rather than to shoot at something.

-----
September 01, 2006/3021
GDI Compound, Port Krin
Antallos

Dansel wondered if there was some universal law that required uniforms to be uncomfortable. His new command as head of the Foreign Legion saw himself quickly overwhelmed. Only the excellent efforts of Hale and Al Azim kept him from filing for a transfer back to Earth. Dealing with Sally Ryan would be a cakewalk compared to this.

Reminding himself that technically he was the superior of the man he was about to see, Dansel knocked on the door. “It’s open!” He entered the small sparse office. Inside, Captain Swift of GDI Intelligence (he had to remind himself that they still weren’t named NOD) saw him, and bade him to take a seat. Her job was almost as unenviable as his own.

Dansel took the seat, and shifted uncomfortably. “Captain” he said by way of greeting.

“Captain. Or is it Major?” Swift smiled, and ran her eyes up and down the man, noting that he tried very hard to not seem like he was a very important person.

“Not sure yet. I’ve heard both. Apparently a Lieutenant can’t be in charge of a brigade of irregulars, and people are afraid to give me actual power.” Dansel relaxed a bit.

“Ah, I can see that. Now what did you want to talk to me about?”

“How long have you guys known Brox is a Clanner?”

Captain Swift lost all pretense of humor. She got up, walked to the door, and checked outside to make sure no one was standing there before locking it shut. She went back to her desk, and pulled out a digital player, which she turned on. “White Noise” she said by way of explanation. Leaving Dansel wondering just how big a hornets nest he had fired into, Swift tapped a few commands into her personal computer, and consulted with her screen for a few moments.

“Lt Dansel, and I use that rank because your promotion is not official yet, what I am about to tell you is covered under a multitude of Military Securities regulations. Repeating what I am about to tell you will result in sanctions including but not limited to removal of rank, discharge from the Global Defense Initiative, and a very, very, very long time in a very, very, very dark hole. Understood?”

Dansel nodded. “Yes. It must be Tuesday then. On Wednesdays they threaten me with reading bad fanfiction about my life.”

Swift glared, and Dansel threw up his hands in surrender. “I understand!”

Sitting down, the Intelligence Captain folded her hands. “Mechwarrior Brox was identified as a Clansmen back on Earth during routine medical checkups. When we confronted him about it, he identified himself as a dispossessed Mechwarrior who received his wounds during a Trial of Position. He since fled to the Inner Sphere through means he has not revealed for fear of leading us back to the Kerensky Cluster and the other Clan worlds.

“Since then, we have been keeping an eye on him and his loyalties. And we are prepared to act on any new information that may come up. You are not to do anything to compromise our operations in that regard, understood?”

Dansel nodded. Yep, Sally Ryan was looking more and more like the safe option these days.