InaG Chpt 8

==It's not a Gundam - Chapter 8 - Operation Hannibal==
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===Building Coalition moving to a Future===
Coalition Staging Grounds, (Former) Pleasure Resort
New Venice, Marian Hegemony (Rimward, Anti-Spinward)
April 3025
One contract ended. Another begins. That was the way of the Mercenary. As noble as the Knights of St. Cameron wished to be Stan Gluck understood what his chosen profession did. It was with pride at least that he and his men fought and served with honor. Their record was spotless, their prices were fair, their contracts never breached, and they did not shy away from a duel ... or violate the sanctity of them. In the decades of their existence, they looked for a purpose, holding out hope for something better than mercenary work.
 
The General swallowed. Now HE was the one who found it. In all his years the weight of responsibility never felt more heavier than now. While most of the militia and nomads were moving to leave, taking with them Marian loot, their pound of flesh; the Knights of St. Cameron joined half a dozen more mercenary units being paid in lostech and premier salvage rights to join their Future First Lord against pirates and slavers.
 
He could not ask for a better chance.
 
Stan stood on the soil of liberated Neo-Venus and looked at rows upon rows of battlemechs and combat vehicles in the midst of repairs and refits. Some were his, a sizable majority taken from the hands of the Marians. Every last trace of their original owners was removed. Every decoration, every notch in the 'kill tally', all of it was gone. They would be reborn. Joining their baptized brethren of a new SLDF in all but name.
 
Always on the edge of bankruptcy for their pro bono work Gluck couldn't help but feel validation.
 
"Sir!"
 
The man who said was Felix Dewey, a recent recruit. He was young and still wet behind the ears, but Stan saw talent, he knew well enough that the boy was of the handful in the unit he knew that could succeed him.
 
Felix ran over to him looking for answers.
 
"Sir, permission to speak, sir!"
 
"Granted ... and at ease."
 
"Understood, General. Sir, I understand you have taken the Junker Contract."
 
"I have. And?"
 
"...and I am wondering what you discussed with, the Exarch."
 
First Lord he wanted to correct the boy, but he swore to not reveal the Cameron's identity unless necessary.
 
 "He is just a Junker." he spoke a half-truth, "Who managed to find the mother-of-all lostech. Something that could match the Prometheus Core."
 
Hell, he thought, It practically EXCEEDED it.
 
"The Ptolemaios." Felix realized, "It's fully automated and self-sufficient. It must be a former science ship! Like that Argo from the news!"
 
He recalled the mobile space station, a prototype made by Boeing that the company and by extension the Federated Suns wanted. The Aurigan Coalition's jewel in space once they recovered it. It, and the mercenary unit sworn to the High Lady, ensured the small nation's wealth and independence.
 
'And even THAT pales in comparison to what the Dropship contains.' the General mulled in his mind.
 
"...sir?"
 
Gluck snapped back to attention, "I can confirm it is. It makes the Exarch a target, part of why he wears that mask ... and also makes him a very influential backer. He and the Junkers are supplying much of what we lack. And for the sake of our Order, and the people we protect, I am willing to accept things as they are."
 
Felix slowly nodded, "Understood, sir. I will keep that in mind."
 
"Do so, son. In all the wars we wage we strive to make sure they are just ones."
 
Felix saluted and returned to tend to his Battlemech: A Centurion speared by Sir Cello and now had a 'proper' sword of E-Carbon in it's grip.
 
Relieved that he was no longer being grilled Gluck turned toward the former pleasure palace, now a command center. Rather than a holographic display the gathered war council talked over a casino table as cards, poker chips, and dice stood for armies and worlds.
 
"Both Marik AND Liao?" Biggs exclaimed, "Can we expect some Samurai to drift in next?"
 
"Hopefully not." Exarch admitted, "But we'll need to take what we can get. The Marian Hegemony will fall. Either now or later. I'd prefer we do it with less loss of life."
 
"What about after?" he spoke up.
 
"For now we got ex-slave leadership and whatever middle-men leftover from the Marians who kept their hands MOSTLY clean. It will be enough for the interim. They will have figure things out themselves if they want to join our cooperative or not."
 
Junker didn't fight alone, they called their allies and partners. The coalition was a coalition for a reason. It was like a Commonwealth. Almost like a League of their own.
 
Other mercenary commanders gave their input. The contract read Junkers but it was clear the client was the Exarch. Collateral was already discussed. Battle plans were already drawn. Mechs and their Mechwarriors gathered as they spoke.
 
Stan steeled himself. If there was any to announce the return of the Star League this was a good contender.
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===Technology never seen before===
 Marian-Marik Frontlines
Unnamed Planet, Periphery (Rimward, Anti-Spinward)
April 3025
<<"Do you know who I am!?">>
 
"Don't know. Don't care. Bye~"
Twin PPCs cracked. Then a headless Marian Shadow hawk crashed to the ground.
 
Secelia leaned back, legs kicked up and on the dashboard. It was no Demi-series Mobile Suit, but her cute little Urbie did its job. It helped there was enough space here to lounge back like a sofa.
"Secelia here." She reported, "That was the last of them."
 
(("Ms. Dote.")) The voice on the other end pleaded, (("Please stay with the Command Lance."))
 
"Got it, Campbell."
 
She turned around, stepping over the wrecks of Marian war machines. War across the Marian Hegemony raged. Its enemies smelled blood and it had no one to turn to as it was being carved up. As far as the campaign went it was a series of raids, mauling active Marian forces all along the way toward their capital. There was no time to conquer them in the name of House Marik. Nor did they need to. Without any higher chain of command, they were fighting a headless empire.
 
As Secelia moved back to the landing zone she received an encrypted message. From Tom. The contents were enough to make her raise an eyebrow ... and take a sip from her smoothie.
 
She returned from her little excursion to see the rest of the troops mopping up the remains of the Marian Legion if it could even be called that. They were mostly conventional, only the officers had anything close to a Mobile Weapon and that was a Mobile Armor like a Demolisher tank or an ASF rather than what stood for this world's version of Mobile Suits.
 
The familiar appearance of a Centurion and Javelin greeted her, both battle-scarred but fully functional. Her attention instead was drawn to the mech piloted by their Commander: A Victor. Recently reclaimed from a feud with another mercenary outfit. 
 
All three were being tended were among others by a team of mech techs from the various units the old man hired and she supervised. Nik's Cavaliers were a small outfit but a competent one. Most of the mercenaries they hired were indeed of the same make. Large was unwieldy, large was pricey, and large was large amounts of paperwork.
 
She stepped out of her machine, ignoring the appreciative glances of more than one Mercenary as Farhad Arazad, the Cavalier's Chief Technician approached her, eyes on her Urbanmech rather than her.
 
"...What kind of PPCs am I looking at?" Farhad asked.
 
"A short and stubby one." She answered, "Because it's cuter. I read it in a book somewhere."
 
"It's like some kind of Snub-Nose PPC. A walking trashcan with a double barrel sawn-off shotgun."
 
She had it commissioned herself. In the Age of Lostech things like PPCs could not be made in factories. Most of those were blown up in the centuries of apocalyptic war. They were assembled. By hand. Her salary allowed her to be picky, and let her get something close to the firepower of a standard Benefit Beam weapon.
 
"Rouji-kun isn't a trashcan." She defended the mech, eyes locked onto the Wolverine as if her looks could kill, "Now where is your commander?"
 
"Here."
 
Commander Jake Mason was the spitting image of his father Nikolai, his reflexes and senses abnormally better than others. Dote thought he was another person who had come over like her but in the short campaign they were on she had yet to find evidence.
 
"This planet is done. So are the Marians. Oh, and Jake~ I got a message for you."
 
She whispered into the man's ear, and Mason's face tightened. Farhad and Mason's approaching XO Ryana Campbell shared glances.
 
Jake sighed, "Alright. We'll take the job."
 
"Commander?" Campbell asked.
 
"Lining up another job after this." He explained, "and where to next?"
 
"Meeting up with the Junker militia. They will be cutting right towards Alphard."
 
"Alphard?" Ryana questioned, "How will they expect to break through the Marian lines?"
 
"What lines?" Farhad snorted, "Besides I heard they have a Lostech factory."
 
More the reason why Janos and the fraction of a Comstar Thomas was gathering wanted to stay on the Exarch's good side. The distinction she made to the Cavaliers between the Free World Branch and the Combine one when the outfit signed up.
 
She pursed her lips. As if the regular Combine wasn't trouble enough.
 
"If you've seen the news then you know he's got more tricks up his sleeve." Secelia commented, "But... We'll see when we get there. The Cappies are rushing over to get their foot in the door and I've heard rumors that Canopus is willing to play games also."
 
"Then we'll beat them to punch." Jake declared.
 
"Abiding by contract."
 
"By contract."
 
She couldn't hide the sly smile. Tom gave her something JUICY. It was going to be fun after their little field trip.
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===How you measure a character of a man===
Shuttle Enroute to Marik Jumpship
Coalition-Marik Rendezvous Point, Periphery (Rimward, Anti-Spinward)
April 3025
Secelia Dote
After Mashmyre showed up I half expected more people to show up. The fact she was from a separate continuity entirely made me more concerned than the fact she existed.
 
If I had the time I would look into Wolf Dragoon's Zeta Battalion; they were an Easter Egg referencing Gundam and included a Char Aznable and Amuro Ray among their number. Amuro I was fine with. Char ... depending on if he really was a reincarnation and WHICH interpretation of Char I was planning to kill him.
 
Outside of the Knights of St. Cameron, the majority of the coalition forces were slamming against the Marian's defenses. Despite having more Battlemechs the Romans were dug in and whoever they had for commanders were competent in defending planets with conventional troops. Arguably a necessity in the Periphery. Gluck's men were with me and the Junkers, prepared to charge into Rome itself and topple its Caesar.
 
All I needed, as our shuttle entered the Free World Jumper's hanger, was to make sure we weren't going to step on the toes of a more dangerous empire.
 
"Your thoughts on Commander Aznable, sir?" Mashmyre asked.
 
"Do you think he is a good man, Cello?" I questioned.
 
"Respectfully, sir. I don't believe I am a good man."
 
"You were brainwashed and you've done plenty to atone. You've earned it."
 
Compared to me, Mashmyre was more sociable. The slave we freed held him up over their shoulders every world we chased out the Marians. And at the last party we had he was being chased by plenty of pretty, young noblewomen.
 
"Casval made his choice." I said Char's real name, "You didn't."
 
"Even so." He said staunchly, "A new world means a new life. A different life. He may not BE Char Aznable as we know him."
 
"We'll see." I spoke, "How are the men?"
 
"Still high but these mercenaries." He said with a slight distaste, "Do you trust them?"
 
"I trust them to honor the contract. But the Knights of St. Cameron I can trust them more than the rest. If only because they don't act like mercenaries."
 
The airlock hissed open and I was face to face with the most cunning secretary this side of the Inner Sphere. Besides her in the crowd of mercenaries was the hero of Mechwarrior 5. Beneath my mask, I studied the son of a Clanner Spy. Did he know yet? Did he care? Did he cross the line already like it was possible in the games?
 
Even separated from the vastness of the void, I could hear the AGE Builder hum in amusement.
 
"Before we start." I spoke, "My mask stays on. I trust few with my identity and with the technology that I have I need it to ensure my safety and the safety of my people."
 
"Poo." Secelia pouted, "Everyone in the Inner Sphere is wondering what's behind that mask."
 
"Second. What are the Free Worlds League's intentions with the Marian Hegemony?"
 
"Nothing." Dote declared, "We're just dealing with some nasty pirates in our backyard."
 
I swept my gaze across the various mercenaries employed by House Marik. They studied me just as much I studied them.
 
"Our Cooperative." I speak representing not just the Junkers but also our friends, "Would prefer peaceful coexistence with the Free Worlds League and offers an alliance to end the thread of the Marian Hegemony once and for all. And ... as it's commander I am offering pay in lostech and favorable salvage rights if you take this through till the end."
 
I appealed to their greed. And I won. Secelia frowned but continued the talk of an alliance against the Marians. The Hegemony's days were numbered. And that started with taking out it's heart.
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===Answering a High Calling===
Aboard the PtolemaiousCoalition-Marik Rendezvous PointPeriphery (Rimward, Anti-Spinward)April 3025
She was one of the few welcomed to the Ptolemaious from the FWL side of the alliance. It was mainly the Mercenary commanders and her since she had the Captain-General's ear. Much of the lostech dropship was closed off, guarded by Junker militia troops, or locked behind reinforced bulkheads.
 
Except she had been invited to the hangar bay seeing among many things the Tieren, Aries, and Moebius that made the military circles of the Inner Sphere hungry and envious and Haros; Haros as far as the eye could see. It confirmed things. Alot of things. Yet oddly enough what stood next to some giant weird egg-thingy was yet another unfamiliar machine: The Hloekk Graze.
 
25 tons Empty. An axe which was just an axe. And a handheld AC/2 with top-fed cassettes large and bulky enough to be easily loaded in without worrying about internal heat. It looked like an Industrialmech with so many exposed joints, but the original armor was thick where it was placed and the top-mounted launchers could just as easily load LRMs and Mortar Shells as they would smoke and flare cartridges.
 
Secelia pursed her lips. It was a mobile suit. Just not the kind she was familiar with. It even had a (albeit formerly exposed) cockpit in it's torso with a sensor/camera array in it's head. In fact that spoke true about the Tieren and the Aries.
 
Mobile Suits also. She realized. Not mine.
"It does not look the part." her escort explained, "But it is essential to Operation Hannibal."
 
"Is that what you are calling it now?" she asked, "Periphery or not this IS a Capital Planet we are about to hit."
 
"I know." he said, "But I am willing to end this war. Risk or reward. No more blood has to be shed."
 
Secelia sighed, he was one of THOSE goody goody types, "You're a good man, Gluck. The offer still stands."
 
"I'm sorry, Ms. Dote, but the Knights of St. Cameron will no longer renew its mercenary registry."
 
"You can't be serious." she crossed her arms, "What makes the Exarch so special?"
 
"We have simply found a higher calling." the General surmised.
 
"Oh? Pirate Hunting?"
 
"Pirate hunting. Freeing slaves." Gluck spoke, "Fighting for good over profit. What my grandfather should have started with."
 
"General." The Exarch approached, "Thank you. You may see to your troops."
 
"Sir!" Gluck saluted.
 
Secelia glanced at the shrinking back of the transplanted knight and then back at the Exarch.
 
"You have a way of words." she said, "You made a legacy merc company NOT a merc company anymore."
 
His speech before the Battle of Sulla was in every single BattleRom taken from that fight.
 
"Just practice." he downplayed, "But I'm sure you want to know where I got these Mobile Suits and the Haros."
 
"I do." she said, posture straightened, "Something tells me there's a story behind it. And that 'Rose Knight' is in on it also isn't he?"
 
"Observant." Exarch admitted, "But it's a LONG story. And it starts with that giant Egg right behind us...."
I managed to convince Secelia to our side. Maybe. She was a good person at heart but I wasn't sure where her loyalties in this world lay.
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===Battle Joined===
Aboard the Ptolemaios
Alphard, Marian Hegemony
May 3025
We arrived in Alphard System in force. The Marian's leader, Imperator Marius O'Reilly had concentrated the surviving remnants of Legio I and whatever Maniples and Cohorts his diehard supporters could gather around him.
 
He was desperate. He was paranoid. He knew his time was up.
 
His ships lined up to meet ours. Dropships both military and hastily converted commercial ones were surrounded by ASFs and other light craft that he had his men press into combat service. Plenty I knew to not hold a candle against even our Balls. But it would have been a bloodbath if the AGE Builder wasn't sadistic and gifted me both a prize and a curse.
 
The Hloekk Graze wasn't much to look at even with the upgrades with BT and AU Gundam tech. It was what it carried that mattered.
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I stepped out of the hanger, feet clamped onto the surface of the Ptolemaios as a modified Hunchback waited for me.
 
"Mack." I greeted.
 
"Same as always boss!" he exclaimed, forced, "...are we doing this?"
 
To my left and right Biggs and Wedge in their Stinger and Wasp watched the Hloekk stand behind the Medium battlemech.
 
"We may have to." I admitted.
 
The standoff would end one way or another. It was a tense few minutes but finally I heard the voice of a man who ruined thousands of lives.
 
<<"This is IMPERATOR Marius O'Reilly!">> the Emperor of a fake Rome spat over open channels, <<"I have built this nation from nothing and I will NOT allow animals destroy Rome once again! Any who moves another inch will be slaughtered for crimes against the Hegemony! And your corpse and children-">>
 
I muted the man's rant. He was right that he helped start the Marian's ascension. He reorganized the military, the economy, the education, and political system ... over the bodies of thousands of slaves and burning homes.
 
Not if I could help it. Either we ended this now, or whatever the Capellans and Canopious had planned would turn this war into more a clusterfuck than it already was.
 
"...Ex."
 
"Yes, Mack?"
 
"I'll do it."
For a weapon that slaughtered angels, it was easy to operate. With a twist and click the Dainsleif was ready to fire.
 
"It's done." I spoke.
 
Mack sighed, "It is...."
 
Then the Hunchback fired; a spear with a core of depleted uranium, sheathed in steel and copper rushed forward at speeds at a fraction of second.
 
It punched through a Dropship. Then another. And another. And another. Until it finally stopped, shattering on the hulls of a now crumpled Marian space station. The rant stopped. Silence filtered through both the Marian and Coalition lines.
 
Then the Junkers roared as a rag tag militia hurled forward, some in Battlemechs hastily converted to be more MS-like charged the shaken battle lines while professional soldiers only gawked as they flew past them.
 
Finally they moved. First the Knights of St. Cameron.... Then the rest.
 
The Battle of Alphard had begun.
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Chapter 8