BtH46

==Chapter 46 - By the Horns==
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Interlude
Throughout the Inner Sphere and Major Periphery States
November 20th, 3025
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INTERSTELLAR NEWS NETWORK ALERT
INN SPECIAL REPORT #3025-1782A
AUTHORIZED FOR IMMEDIATE DISTRIBUTION TO ALL OUTLETS
STORY BY HELEN GRAHM—FILED FROM ROLLIS [CAPELLAN CONFEDERATION]
TAURIANS COMMIT WAR CRIMES AND NUCLEAR ATROCITIES!
(INN) NOVEMBER 19, 3025—ROLLIS
INN HAS RECEIVED CONFIRMATION OF THE FIRST USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS AGAINST FORCES OF MCCARRON’S ARMORED CAVALRY DEPLOYED ON MACLEOD’S LAND BY ELEMENTS OF THE TAURIAN GUARD CORPS. EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS FROM SURVIVORS INDICATE THAT FOLLOWING IS ACCURATE:
ANSWERING A COMSTAR REQUEST FOR MAC TO GARRISON LOCAL HPG STATIONS ON MACLEOD’S LAND (IN RESPONSE TO TAURIAN ATTACKS ON COMSTAR FACILITIES), ARCHIE MCCARRON AND THE NIGHTRIDERS REGIMENT ARRIVED ON THE TAURIAN WORLD OF MACLEOD’S LAND, WHILE OTHER MAC REGIMENTS WERE DISPATCHED TO SECURE FACILITIES ON LACONIS, BRISBANE, AND LANDSMARK.
MAC WAS HIRED WITH THE BLESSING OF THE CHANCELLOR OF THE CAPELLAN CONFEDERATION UNDER THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE NEWLY FORMED COMGUARDS AND MILITIA (ANNOUNCED LAST MONTH) WOULD SOON BE DEPLOYED TO RELIEVE THE MERCENARY FORMATIONS PROVIDING LOCAL SECURITY.
LOCAL CITIZENS OF THE CONCORDAT RESPONDED TO THE ARRIVAL OF MCCARRON AND THE NIGHTRIDERS WITH ILLEGAL ATTACKS UPON HIS FORCES, CONDUCTED BY NON-LAWFUL COMBATENTS USING UNCONVENTIONAL WARFARE. AFTER THE USE OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS AGAINST HIS FORCE, ARCHIBALD MCCARRON ORDERED ALL FIVE OF HIS REGIMENTS TO WITHDRAW FROM TAURIAN SPACE IN AN EFFORT TO CALM LOCAL SENSIBILITIES.
INN HAS CONFIRMED THAT WHILE LIFTING TO ORBIT, THREE MAC DROPSHIPS WERE DELIBERATELY TARGETED AND STRUCK BY NUCLEAR ORDNANCE . . . AMONG THE KNOWN DEAD ARE ARCHIBALD MCARRON. AT LEAST 500 ADDITIONAL MECHWARRIORS, PILOTS, TECHNICIANS, ENGINEERINGS, AND DEPENDENTS HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AS KIA AS WELL.
INN HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONFIRM AT THIS TIME THAT OTHER REGIMENTS OF MAC CAME UNDER SUSTAINED ATTACK WHILE GARRISONING COMSTAR PROPERTY IN THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT. HOWEVER, REPORTS FROM MENKE INDICATE THAT THE SUPPORT ELEMENTS OF MAC ARE PREPARING DEPENDENTS ON MENKE FOR THE WORST OF HOMECOMINGS.
REPORTS FROM ALL FIVE GREAT HOUSES OF THE INNER SPHERE INDICATE THAT THE OUTRAGE OVER THE UNPROVOKED AND BARBARIC USE OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION IS SWELLING, WITH LOCAL PROTESTORS CLAMORING FOR THEIR GOVERNMENTS TO RESPOND TO THESE ACTS OF BARBARITY.
COMSTAR HAS ISSUED A CALL FOR ALL GREAT AND MINOR HOUSES TO IMMEDIATELY EMBARGO ALL COMMERCIAL AND PASSENGER TRAFFIC TO AND FROM THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS IN THE TAURIAN CRISIS:
OCTOBER 24, 3025—TAURIAN FORCES ATTACK AND SEIZE A COMSTAR HPG FACILITY ON JANSEN’S HOLD.
OCTOBER 25, 3025—COMSTAR DEMANDS RESTITUTION FOR THE ATTACK AND THE MURDER OF ITS PERSONNEL ON JANSEN’S HOLD.
OCTOBER 27, 3025—PROTECTOR THOMAS CALDERON DECLARES WAR ON COMSTAR AND ORDERS THE TDF TO SEIZE ALL COMSTAR FACILITIES WITHIN THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT.
OCTOBER 28, 3025—COMSTAR DECLARES AN INTERDICTION AGAINST THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT; ANNOUNCES FORMATION OF THE COMGUARD AND MILITIA TO DEFEND FACILITIES AGAINST ANY FUTURE SUCH ATTEMPTS TO SEIZE COMSTAR PROPERTY AND ASSAULT COMSTAR PERSONNEL.
OCTOBER 30, 3025—COMSTAR REACHES AN AGREEMENT WITH MAXIMILLIAN LIAO TO TEMPORARILY HIRE MCCARRON’S ARMORED CAVALRY TO GARRISON SEVERAL HPG FACILITIES WITHIN THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT.
NOVEMBER 10, 3025—MAC LANDS ON MACLEOD’S LAND AND IMMEDIATELY COMES UNDER ATTACK BY TAURIAN IRREGULARS.
NOVEMBER 16, 3025—TAURIAN FORCES, SUSPECTED OF ACTING ON DIRECT ORDERS FROM TAURUS, USE CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENTS AGAINST NIGHTRIDERS REGIMENT ON MACLEOD’S LAND.
NOVEMBER 17, 3025—NIGHTRIDERS ATTEMPT TO WITHDRAW TO DEFUSE SITUATION; TAURIAN AEROSPACE ASSETS ATTACK THE DEFENSELESS DROPSHIPS AS THEY CLEAR THE ATMOSPHERE WITH NUCLEAR WEAPONS, KILLING AT LEAST 500 INDIVIDUALS INCLUDING ARCHIBALD MCCARRON.
NOVEMBER 20, 3025—COMSTAR CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE EMBARGO OF ALL COMMERICAL AND PASSENGER TRAFFIC TO AND FROM THE TAURIAN CONCORDAT.
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