LUU Chpt 1-6

==Let Us Unite - Chapter 6 -==
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===Change of Mission Objectives===
Date: October 15th, 2856
Location: Bolthole, Terran Hegemony
"Major, we've been over the data you've gathered so far," Colonel Schmitt glanced at the man sitting across the desk from her. "We're altering your mission slightly."
 
"I'm ready for whatever you need, Colonel," Capell locked eyes with his CO. "Just give the word, ma'am."
 
"We went through the data and found all of the units that used to be sworn to the Star League and Terran Hegemony," Hanni interlaced her fingers as she smiled. "While you're on your intelligence gathering operations, you're to begin seeding the HPG complexes with an automated program. Said program will send a message to each of said units with a message to each of them. We've already built the program and set the date, it is up to you to execute and be in Echo system waiting for their arrival."
 
"And if things go wrong?" Bryn asked.
 
"We will have the Blue Quest on standby waiting for any potential issues," The Colonel replied. "But first, we need the message sent and your mission carried out.""Do you have a specific date in mind for me to get to Echo?" Bryn asked. "Because that will dictate the pace and locations that I conduct my operations in."
 
"You have until the end of March," Hanni glanced at a nearby calendar. "That should give the first group enough time to reach Echo."
 
"I'll get moving then," Capell stood up and saluted the Colonel. "Was there anything else, ma'am?"
 
"No, you've already given me your vocal and written reports. That will be all, Major. Godspeed."
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"Brown, get your people together," Major Capell walked into the THIC personnel's barracks. "We've got shit to do."
 
"Where are we headed, major?"
 
"We're going to finish our SIGINT gathering mission, and we're also going to be embedding preprogrammed messages to be sent via the HPG after we leave. Full briefing will be conducted en route."
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===Shifting Priorities===
Date: November 17th, 2856
Location: Hilton Head, Terra
"Anything get flagged by the system today?" Adept Roman asked, a cup of coffee in his hand.
 
"Nothing aside from the usual combat deployments and such," a robed Acolyte responded. "Lot of Mercenary groups are getting holiday messages this year though."
 
"More than usual?" Roman asked.
 
"Not really," the Acolyte shook his head. "Only unusual thing is that the senders wanted to remain anonymous."
 
"Ignore that for now," Roman leaned over to glance at the message's contents. "We need to focus on what the House Lords are attempting now. Precentor ROM has instructed us to focus on the Federated Suns. If we can leak information to the Draconis Combine, then we may be able to shift the course of the war, ensure that things happen in such a way that is favorable to keeping all of the Successor states at war with each other."
 
"Yes, adept," the Acolyte closed out the message and began analyzing the current communications from Federated Suns worlds. "Shifting focus to the Federated Suns."
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===The Question of Oath===
Date: December 24th, 2856
Location: Free Worlds League
"I have still not decided who among you is to succeed me," an old man rasped, his body turned away and facing out of the window of the hospital room that he was currently confined in. "As it currently stands, you will have to decide whom among you is to replace me once I pass away."
 
The assembled senior officers of the Eridani Light Horse simply stood in silence as the man turned his wheelchair around and considered the four regimental COs that were present.
 
As the old man opened his mouth to speak again though, a knock sounded on the door and the Old man's aid stepped through, a sheet of paper in his hand as he knelt down beside the wheelchair-bound Colonel and whispered into his ear.
 
The Colonel unfolded the note and frowned, an eyebrow rising as he noted the cipher that was on the letter.
 
"Lieutenant, get my notebook," Colonel Bradley instructed, holding out a wrinkled hand to accept the leather-bound book.
 
The Old man took a pen from the book and began writing down the solution to the cipher, the letters now sorted in the proper way before he nodded.
 
There, underneath the original letters, was written the full message in detail, and while short, it had enough information for him to make a decision.
 
"Does the Eridani Light Horse still hold to their oaths?"
 
Underneath that short note, was a set of coordinates as well as the symbol of the Royal Black Watch.
 
"Begin preparing the unit to leave," Bradley ordered. "Lieutenant, arrange a meeting with our Mercenary Liaison. Our contract and time among the Free Worlds League is over."
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===The Vanishing Mercenaries===
Date: December 24, 2856
Location: Perkasie, Federated Suns
"Colonel Brighton, I've got a message from the local HPG complex intended for you," a junior officer entered the Blue Star Irregulars office.
 
"Well?" the old man raised an eyebrow. "Spit it out, Subaltern."
 
"It's a printout, sir," the officer opened a small bag before handing the letter over. "The Comstar people had no idea who it was from though."
 
The Colonel sighed and accepted the sheet of paper, his gray eyebrows arching as he read through it before opening a drawer on his desk and pulling out a faded notebook.
 
Flipping through it, he nodded at his shorthand before taking a pen and beginning to write on the paper, the cipher revealing a message.
 
"Does the 1894th Light Horse Regiment Still hold to their oaths?"
 
With a shaking hand, the Colonel wrote the coordinates into his notebook before setting the paper on fire, the ashes falling into the ash tray on his desk.
 
"I need to speak with the Avatars and the 21st Rim Worlds," Brighton muttered. "Then we begin to move."
 
A similar scenario played out across the Inner Sphere, with the aging officers of many units receiving a message and responding to it, or their younger replacements simply ignoring it because they didn't understand what it meant. But all across the nations, mercenaries and House units began to move, slowly and steadily, before finally vanishing from the 'Sphere as a whole…
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Chapter 1-6