BattleTech: Rules of Engagement

Blaine Lee Pardoe

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the following KickStarter participants for their inclusion into the canon of the BattleTech universe:

Star Commander Cymril Tseng, Clan Ghost Bear

Tai-i Adam Cunningham (Kaningamu), Draconis Combine

Tai-sa David Vivas, Draconis Combine

MechWarrior Charlotte, Clan Ghost Bear

I also included some folks from the BTI CGL Kickstarter group on Facebook for cameo appearances—see if you can find them! Yes, I was trolling for names!

This story will be continued…

RUINS OF SLDF CON-03, FORWARD BASE RAPHAEL

CONSTANCE

DRACONIS COMBINE

6 APRIL 3050

Star Commander Cymril Tseng straightened the clawtake that hung around his neck, draped over his gray dress uniform. A souvenir of his Clawing Ritual, the necklace of gleaming teeth had been torn from the ghost bear he had hunted and killed three years earlier on Strana Mechty. Each warrior kept something unique from the experience. The teeth meant a great deal to Cymril, almost more than his Bloodname. For him, the clawtake signified true passage into the senior ranks of Clan Ghost Bear’s warrior caste. This coming fight is yet another important passage…our first battle against the Draconis Combine.

The dull orange sun was setting in a haze of humidity on the horizon. The thin air of Constance had a cool breeze. His nose ran slightly, the effects of strange pollen, no doubt. One would think that with all of the Clans’ genetic engineering, the scientist caste would have removed my Bloodline’s susceptibility to allergies. He suppressed a grin at the thought.

His commanding officer, Star Captain Stunner Tseng, stood next to him on the flat weathered piece of ferrocrete. “Why I am here again?” Cymril asked in a low tone so that none of the other gathered warriors would hear him.

The Star Captain leaned toward him so that his own voice would not carry. “Because our illustrious Star Colonel is arrogant. He likes an audience. I urged issuing a batchall during our approach in-system. He wants to face these Combine warriors eye to eye, to see the fear in them.” His eyebrows cocked jokingly with his last words.

Cymril glanced over at Star Colonel Chou Vong out of the corner of his eye so as to not draw attention. “From what we have read of the Combine from the reconnaissance of the Wolf’s Dragoons, the Combine is closest to our own in terms of culture. Nothing is gained by meeting them face-to-face.”

“The Star Colonel has a flair for the dramatic,” Star Captain Tseng whispered back. “One day, it may be his undoing.”

Below the aged and weathered ferrocrete dais, four hovercars arrived. Drivers opened the doors as their fans wound down and saluted as the Combine officers emerged. Dressed in pristine white uniforms, the officers wore white gloves and dour expressions. No doubt they are caught off-guard by our Cluster landing here without announcement. None of them seemed intimidated as they headed up the winding path leading to the arranged meeting place.

The commanding officer led them, so identified by the number of ribbons and medals covering his right breast. He was old; streaks of white, shaped almost like lightning bolts, were visible along his temples. His face bore the wrinkles of age as well. As the Ghost Bear delegation moved to their appropriate positions by rank, Cymril saw the man with a sense of curiosity. This must be a solahma garrison for it to be led by such a withered officer.

The Combine officers lined up behind their commander as well. After a moment, the elder Combine officer stepped forward. “I am Sho-sho Riku Kondo, commanding officer of the Honor Guard of the Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery, in command of the defense of Constance.” His words were measured, slow, formal…something Cymril respected.

Star Colonel Vong stepped forward. “I am Star Colonel Chou Vong of Clan Ghost Bear, Delta Galaxy, Sixty-eighth Striker Cluster—the Walking Panzers. With what forces will you defend this world?”

His words struck Sho-sho Kondo as if a foreign language; Adam could see that on his face. “I…do not understand,” Kondo replied. “What is ‘Clan Ghost Bear’? Are you Periphery scum here to raid, or have you come from Rasalhague with your gaze set on conquest?”

“We are Clan, not the chattel warriors of one of your petty little fiefdoms,” Vong replied. “We are the children of Kerensky, and have come to liberate the Inner Sphere.”

Sho-sho Kondo seemed unfazed by the response. “I know of General Aleksandr Kerensky. And if you are implying that you are the Star League returned, I would need more convincing than your words, Star Colonel.”

He controls his emotion well, Cymril noted. Such a man is not to be treated lightly.

“I do not owe you ‘convincing’ on any matter,” Star Colonel Vong replied. “You will accept the truth in the coming battle. My batchall stands. With what forces will you defend this world?”

Riku Kondo’s dark eyes narrowed for a second before he spoke. “I will fight for the Coordinator with all of the forces at my disposal. The Honor Guard will not shirk from your unwarranted invasion. We are the divine wind that will sweep you from Constance.”

“And those forces consist of?” Star Colonel Vong pressed.

If Riku Kondo were flustered, his weathered face did not show it. “I have five BattleMech companies and two armor regiments. More than enough to hold this world.”

“Very well,” Vong replied. “You bid your entire force. My Cluster’s officers will bid accordingly, though I was hoping for more of a challenge.”

“Cluster…” the sho-sho replied. “I am unfamiliar with this term.”

“Your lack of knowledge is not my problem,” the Star Colonel replied. “On what battlefield will we prove our honor and skill against each other?”

A slightly puzzled expression rose to the sho-sho’s face. “You want to pick a place for us to fight?”

“Aff. Honor permits you to choose the field of battle.”

Kondo waved his hand in the air, as if dismissing the Star Colonel’s words. “Constance is a possession of the Combine. I will use whatever venue I desire to fight you. I will not give you an advantage in knowing where you will die.”

Vong nodded once. “Well bargained and done. My forces will be ready shortly. I suggest we wait for dawn.”

“The Dragon feasts when it is hungry. Dawn is as good as any time,” Sho-sho Kondo replied curtly. He spun with years of military precision, and the House Kurita entourage departed.

“That was…interesting,” Star Captain Tseng said to Cymril.

“The Star Colonel tells them too much,” Cymril replied. “We should not reveal too much to these Combine warriors. Ignorance is an ally.”

Stunner nodded. “The dead can inform no one of what they know. Tomorrow, many will be dead.”

CEDAR GROVES FIELD COMMAND CENTER

CONSTANCE

DRACONIS COMBINE

TWO HOURS LATER

Tai-i Adam Kaningamu stood before his seat at the conference table with the other officers, all of whom had changed out of their dress uniforms and into their combat jumpsuits. He stroked his samurai-styled Mohawk back into a tight bun, making sure he was as presentable as possible. Having witnessed the Ghost Bears personally, he felt a sense of dread that came from years of serving the Dragon. His right arm bore scars like lightning bolts, remnants of the fighting on Clovis during the War of 3039. The scars were a sense of pride for him, a reminder of his youth. They had come with great honor, as he had been awarded the Bushido Blade by the Coordinator himself. As it was the second time he had earned that award, it came with a ceremonial wakizashi, which he always wore sheathed at his side.

Had I been a lesser MechWarrior, they would have retired me years ago. I still serve the Dragon because of who I am and what I have accomplished. The Honor Guard was not some forgotten Periphery posting. Made up of elite older warriors, it was a strong force designed to repulse threats with massive force. Now it appears we will use all of the firepower at our disposal.

Sho-sho Riku Kondo took his seat at the head of the long table, and as he did, his junior officers sat as well. The eyes of the older man swept the room. “These Ghost Bears…what do we know about them?” His dark eyes swept the room.

“The place they chose for the meeting, it was no small coincidence,” Tai-i Kaningamu, commanding officer of Whirlwind Company, said. “It was the ruins of an old Star League base. Their reference to Kerensky… They are validating that they are the Star League Defense Force returned.” Concern rang in his words, which Kondo understood.

“Can the ISF tell us anything about these Ghost Bears?” Tai-sa David Vivas said from his seat, wrinkles on his forehead betraying his shared concern over the unknown enemy.

Would they tell us anything if they did know it? The Arm of the Dragon did not make demands of the Combine’s Internal Security Force. No one makes demands of them. Kaningamu understood that. The ISF was constantly looking for anything abhorrent to the nation-state. My forefathers even changed their Christian name of Cunningham to Kaningamu to avoid ISF scrutiny. If the ISF had information to share—and desired to do so—they would have already.

Sho-sho Kondo waved his hand in the air. “Irrelevant. The issue at hand is defeating them. They are invaders—their origins mean little. They threaten the Dragon. Once crushed, we can determine their origins from the survivors.”

Chu-sa Derek Latimer spoke up from the far end of the table. “Sho-sho, my armored regiments stand ready to teach these Bears a lesson they will not soon forget.” Confidence powered his voice, and with reason. He had risen through the ranks of the DCMS in the War of 3039, nearly dying three times in service to the Dragon.

“Good,” Kondo replied. “We all should embrace such sureness in the coming hours. I am not blind to the unknowns of these troops. Two regiments of armor will accompany our BattleMechs into battle. We can stage them at Cedar Groves. We will also need a fallback plan should these Bears prove to be more than what they seem. The narrow valley will separate our two combat groups. We will sow the roads and passageways with vibramines. If forced to fall back, the mines will chew the Ghost Bears up, allowing for flanking attacks from the banks downriver. We will blow key bridges, force the enemy to paths of our choosing. Hit-and-run attacks can whittle them down like a sharp knife cuts green bamboo. They wanted to know where to meet us, we will tell them—at Harmond Hills near the Ash River. What they do not know is that we have many layers to our defense.”

It made sense to Kaningamu. Rather than throw all of the Honor Guard at the enemy, Sho-sho Kondo sought to prepare for a prolonged battle rather than rush in against the unknowns. His words do not reveal caution, but he wisely has planned for the battle tomorrow. He would never reveal his concerns aloud… That is what makes him a great commander.

“We commence at once,” Sho-sho Kondo said. “Get the engineers to work. Prepare your troops. Tomorrow we face a new enemy and test their mettle as they test our resolve. The Dragon will prevail…”

Star Commander Cymril Tseng surveyed the ground where the Honor Guard claimed they would be positioned. The high ground overlooking the Ash River Valley was unforgiving, with jagged, blue-black rock formations taller than BattleMechs jutting up at strange angles. Rolling hills and grass provided good ground, but the rock formations limited fields of fire in some areas. There were plenty of open spaces, but also numerous places where cover could be sought.

They have the river valley behind them. Wisely chosen. It was encouraging that the Combine was going to provide a challenging fight. Rumors had reached the Walking Panzers Cluster of other enemies the Clan had faced…Periphery pirates, who had not proven to be a worthy enemy for his people.

“Fury Star,” Cymril said over the tactical channel. “Pick your targets well. The enemy may not adhere to the same honor we do. We are here to teach them the true path. Fight honorably, and we shall be victorious.”

“As you say, Star Commander,” came the voice of MechWarrior Charlotte, one of his most valued warriors. “The Ghost Bears shall take this world by the end of the day and prowl it for eternity.”

His light-blue- and gray-streaked Summoner OmniMech had been outfitted in the primary configuration: an extended-range particle projection cannon, one of the finest manufactured by the Clans; an LB 10-X autocannon capable of disemboweling any enemy foolish to try getting close; and a long-range missile rack to ensure that any enemy that did get close would already be in tatters.

As if on cue, three companies of BattleMechs emerged from the low ground of the valley entrance, fanning out into the rock formations. Cymril could not help but grin inside his neurohelmet. A hulking BattleMech with an apparent samurai headdress led the force, maneuvering around the rock formations. Painted a dull crimson with defiant white lightning bolt-like stripes, it lumbered some eighty meters before the other Combine ’Mechs. His battle computer’s warbook could not identify the ’Mech, but to Cymril it did not matter. It was to be his.

The tall painted banners flying behind some of the ’Mechs whipped in the breeze as they approached. The lead red BattleMech that advanced toward him bore two such flags; a wide, flag-like nobori, and a tall, skinny uma-jirushi. It must be their general, Sho-sho Kondo. Having the flags jutting up over the BattleMech marked him as a target in the eyes of every Ghost Bear, especially with him as the center of the battle formation.

“He is a fool, marching with those flags unfurled like that,” Charlotte said over the tactical channel.

Cymril felt differently, almost respectful of his foe. “Neg. He is a fearless leader, and wants his people to know that.” He had worried there would be no worthy opponents by the time the Ghost Bears reached the Inner Sphere, that the Great Houses’ MechWarriors would be like bandits. Seeing the pair of banners on the leading ’Mech told him there was still a chance for honor. This one is worthy of me.

The battle lines of the two forces demonstrated their differences. The Honor Guard came in a diamond formation, their five companies of BattleMechs forming the tip of the diamond, with two regiments of armor on the end points and rear. They must be holding a regiment or two of armor in reserve…a hint of their arrogance.

Star Colonel Vong had arrayed the Ghost Bears in a wide arc, bowing toward the enemy. A Binary, a Trinary, and a Star of Elementals had been bid away, deemed unnecessary to crush the enemy. The 413th Striker Trinary was near the center of that arc. The Ghost Bears were standing their ground, minor tactical shifts only. That will change…

Cymril thrilled at turning his force loose at the right moment. The Honor Guard were advancing slowly, methodically, either unafraid of the peril they faced, snaking around the rock formations, seeming to not take advantage of their cover. It took discipline to not advance on the approaching Kurita forces, something that was instilled in every warrior in the Ghost Bears’ line of battle.

“Fury Star, in the name of our Khan, I claim the honor of the lead BattleMech as my own,” Cymril barked.

“Honor is given,” came Star Captain Stunner Tseng’s voice over the tactical channel. “Do not disgrace my codex by falling in the first salvo.”

Cymril leveled his extended-range PPC, locking onto the strange BattleMech, and fired as he moved. A brilliant burst of charged particles lashed downrange, hitting his target on the right side, sending glowing armor plates flying. Cymril did not advance openly but moved side to side, maintaining his target lock and sending fifteen long-range missiles downfield toward the target. Gray puffs of smoke marked where the warheads tore into the torso and arms of the Kurita ’Mech.

Come closer, and I will show you even more carnage.

A lesser warrior would have charged forward to get their weapons in range. Sho-sho Kondo maintained his methodical gait. Cymril unleashed another wave of LRMs at him, followed a moment later by his ER PPC. The missiles, for the most part, found their marks. The PPC hit squarely in the center torso of the great samurai-looking BattleMech. Arcs of excess white-blue energy danced along the surface, searing paint and armor. Still, the sho-sho did not waver.

When he reached his maximum range, the Inner Sphere ’Mech fired, not at Cymril, but at Charlotte next to him in her squat Stormcrow. One PPC blast narrowly hit her ’Mech’s right side, raining molten bits of hot armor down on the green grasses, sizzling in the morning dew. The other scored a deep, smoking black crater on her left leg, swaying the Stormcrow backward under the impact.

“He fired at me, honor was not returned,” Charlotte snapped.

“Indeed,” Cymril said. Honor demanded a fight of equals, one BattleMech against another. Engaging with the feisty Charlotte meant that the Clan rules of engagement had been broken. Other Combine ’Mechs, now in range, also began firing from their compact formation. The air between the two forces soon filled with long-range missile contrails and flashes of laser beams and charged particles.

Death roared back from the Ghost Bear formation—far more than what had lashed out at them. A Combine Panther careened down hard onto the sod, a blast from Star Captain Jill Hawkins. A Dragon was wreathed in flames and smoke from extended-range lasers and missiles, staggering under the concussions.

Twenty-five Elementals of the Seventy-eighth Elemental Support Binary, who had been bid to the fight, rose like an angry swarm of hornets into the air and dove down on a Combine Hunchback, making it stumble in its advance, furrowing the wet grass. The Elementals climbed over it, blasting and tearing at armor as the pilot struggled to try and right themself.

Cymril knew what was coming…he knew what was about to be unleashed. Star Colonel Vong was nothing if not predictable. They do not know our ways…and now they will pay for their ignorance.

The Star Colonel’s voice rang clear over the tactical channel. “This is Walking Panzer actual. Ghost Bears, Render Blue. I say again, Render Blue.”

Cymril advanced slowly, blasting away again with his long-range missiles and ER PPC. His missile spread was wide; the orange flashes of explosion told him that much. His extended-range particle cannon hit the right arm of the sho-sho’s BattleMech, ripping it off at the elbow joint, sending the limb spinning wildly into a Scimitar hovertank, damaging its front skirt, and sending it reeling to the right. The unidentified ’Mech lurched from the loss of weight on that side, spinning slightly at the torso to compensate.

Charlotte fired her Stormcrow’s extended-range lasers into the right torso of the same target, as honor allowed, setting off the short-range missile ammunition there. The blast sent armor plates flying, and the BattleMech toppled sideways, its uma-jirushi disappearing in a cloud of smoke and carnage from the firepower raining in on the Combine’s quickly eroding formation. For a moment the ’Mech disappeared but rose again, lumbering forward straight at him.

“He belongs to me, Charlotte,” Star Commander Tseng said.

“His shots hit me. His honor is gone. Am I to sit here and do nothing, quiaff?”

Cymril pictured her green eyes flaring with frustration. “He does not understand our ways. I still claim him as mine,” he retorted through gritted teeth.

As he advanced slowly, the rest of the Ghost Bear line changed the arc of their battle line, with the flanks moving faster, bringing them in around the edges of the tighter Combine forces. The bear’s speed is its armor. The House Kurita tanks, prepared for such a maneuver, attempted to push out at the Ghost Bears’ flanks, only to face a fusillade of death from the Clan formation that turned many of them into flaming hulks in a matter of seconds.

Finally in range, the sho-sho’s BattleMech raised its particle projection cannon and unleashed a blast aimed not at Charlotte, but at Cymril. The manmade lightning flash-melted an ugly black scar on his frontal armor, tossing him hard against his command couch. He returned the blast with his own ER PPC but missed, the shot lancing deep into the Combine formation.

They pressed forward, and it took restraint for Cymril to not charge out to meet his enemy. As a number of long-range missiles from another enemy BattleMech splattered his right arm and leg, he kept his focus on the sho-sho.

Raising his left arm, he unleashed a blast from his LB 10-X autocannon, hitting the Combine ’Mech’s head. It reeled, and as Cymril zoomed in he saw the pockmarks on the ferroglass where his shot had nearly compromised the cockpit. A wave of his long-range missiles followed, but the sho-sho twisted his ’Mech at the last moment, taking the brunt of the damage on his left side.

Only skilled warriors act in such a manner. It is a shame to kill him. The shame did not hold Cymril’s finger back from the autocannon’s trigger, and he fired another burst into the torso of the Combine BattleMech. The blast of shells tore into the center torso, where little armor remained. There was a flash, brilliant white, as the fusion reactor was breached. The sho-sho’s BattleMech fell over backward, his strangely shaped war machine belching smoke from numerous holes.

Tai-i Kaningamu watched as a sprinting Grasshopper¸ venting smoke from numerous missile hits, raced over Sho-sho Kondo’s nobori and uma-jirushi, inadvertently trampling them into the soft grass. Kaningamu’s jaw clenched at the sight. The sho-sho was a legend among his officers, and now he was down on the field of battle. His Hatamoto-Chi was down, permanently. Black smoke rolled out of the battered cockpit, and there was a flicker of flames from within.

These Ghost Bears are no pirates. They are what they claim to be. He knew that now. Their weapons had greater ranges and did more damage than the Honor Guard’s. They were not overheating either. Their formation was pristine, even with the fighting raging all around him. He saw another Dragon similar to his own except that the maroon paint was streaked with black striping, struggling against five armored infantry who were ripping off armor plates as the MechWarrior spun wildly in a vain attempt to throw them off. We are outmatched and being slaughtered here. They have technology we do not yet comprehend. There is no honor in dying for a lost cause.

“Sho-sho Kondo,” he barked over his command channel, praying he would respond. “We are being slaughtered. We need to fall back to the valley.”

“Hai!” came the steely voice of Tai-sa David Vivas. “The sho-sho has joined his ancestors. We shall make him proud. The Honor Guard has never retreated.” Adam could picture his resolve…clenched chin, his bristling black hair spiked on top. Vivas was not a man to give up, ever. His crimson- and yellow-streaked Kintaro was visible with its nobori flying high above it on its pole.

“And we do not today,” Kaningamu replied. “Whirlwind Company will hold these Ghost Bears at bay while you redeploy and follow Sho-sho Kondo’s plan.” Wording was important in the DCMS. Honor was not to be trifled with.

There was a pause as the tai-sa considered his options. “Do it!” He barked out commands for the Combine BattleMechs and armor to start to fall back. Tai-i Kaningamu swung around, firing his own autocannon at a small, unknown model of Ghost Bear BattleMech. His shells stitched along the side of the squat ’Mech as it turned and slammed six short-range missiles into his left leg.

“Whirlwind Company, this is Tai-i Kaningamu. Form up on me. We are the tedate—the shield—for the Honor Guard’s withdrawal. Form up on me. We hold in a triangle formation here, with me at the peak. We hold until the end so that the Guard lives on to finish the fight. We will cross Ama-no-uki-hashi together. Long live the Dragon!”

A chorus of “hais” filled the communications channel as the bulk of the surviving Honor Guard began to retrograde to the river valley. Whirlwind Company formed up along his flanks, raining death at the enveloping enemy. All we have to do is buy them enough time to get away…

Star Commander Cymril Tseng saw less than two Stars’ worth of the Combine BattleMechs try to form up, clearly covering the retreat of their ground armor and surviving ’Mechs. The fighting had been savage; the field was covered with smoking wrecks and charred hulls of the fallen Combine forces, intermixed with the occasional Ghost Bear who had fallen as well.

“Fury Star, rapid advance on these warriors. Show them the full force of the Ghost Bear!” He locked onto a Dragon in the center of their line and unleashed his extended-range particle cannon as he charged forward.

The Dragon’s right arm took the hit, knocked the ’Mech backward at the shoulder, sending armor flying in pursuit of the rest of the Combine forces that were heading for the river valley. Myomer strands hung sizzling and sparking from the hit near the elbow when he swung forward. The arm was almost skeletal, smoking and devoid of protection.

The crimson Dragon fired back with a wave of long-range missiles that rattled Cymril’s Summoner, but he paid little heed, despite the flash of yellow warning lights. The bear does not trifle with the bite of the squirrel. He unleashed his own long-range missiles, savaging the torso of the Combine BattleMech as he closed the distance even more. The Combine warrior advanced as well. This is how it should be, warrior against warrior.

The mauled arm of the Dragon fired a stream of autocannon shells that hit his OmniMech’s left leg, but he shrugged off the impacts as if they were bee stings. His LB 10-X autocannon ripped into the already-damaged right side of the Dragon. The explosions cratered the remaining armor there, slowing the Dragon’s rush forward for a few steps. White smoke trailed from the hits. The temperature rose in his Summoner, but not to a level where he was concerned.

The Dragon continued to close. Its medium laser stabbed out a brilliant red beam that hit his left side, leaving a jagged, steaming scar in the armor there.

The rest of Fury Star blazed away at the Combine company. MechWarrior Bethards blew the leg off a Panther, sending it cascading onto one of the jutting rocks it had been using for cover, which scraped off even more armor on the way down. MechWarrior Jamie turned his light-blue- and tan-streaked Timber Wolf’s LRMs into a battered UrbanMech, twisting the armor into jagged shreds. The red Combine ’Mech slid behind a thick rock formation, seeking a few more moments of survival.

The Dragon fired another wave of ten long-range missiles at Cymril, but only a handful hit, and those that did merely made his rushing OmniMech rumble under the impact. He locked his targeting reticle on the already-mangled right side and unleashed his ER PPC. The bright flash of bluish-white light stabbed through the internal structure—setting off the ammunition there. The explosion made the Dragon belch, twist, then fall forward, skidding into a rock formation, the metal audibly grinding as it hit.

For a moment, he thought it was down permanently, but the warrior struggled and strained to make the Dragon stand. Cymril looked on it with a sense of professional pride. This is one worth saving, should he live. He fired another wave of LRMs into the Dragon, blasting apart what armor remained on its torso…yet it remained standing. Behind it, a bright-red Blackjack exploded—its reactor breached.

The Dragon fired its LRMs again as it tried to walk forward—which was more of a controlled stumble. The missiles did not have time to arm, so they struck with dull thuds rather than explosions. He replied with his autocannon, sending the shells into the cockpit and torso. For a moment, the Dragon went rigid, stood upright, ceasing its charge. Then it fell over on its right side.

Cymril Tseng looked up and saw that the Combine’s rearguard was gone. In the distance, between the rock formations, he saw the last of their armor plunge into the Ash River Valley.

CLAN GHOST BEAR FIELD COMMAND POST

CONSTANCE

DRACONIS COMBINE

8 APRIL 3050

“How bad was it?” Star Colonel Chou Vong asked as Star Commander Cymril Tseng entered the command dome. Cymril’s head throbbed from sinus issues, but even so, he could catch the hint of sweat in the air. On the portable holotable, the map of the battle zones on Constance were displayed.

“Bad enough,” Cymril replied. “They had carefully laid minefields. I lost one of my Summoner’s legs. My Star needs a complete refit. Two days minimum.”

“Mines…a weapon of bandits,” spat Vong. “They are fighting dishonorably. This should have been over in a matter of minutes—now it is dragging into days. My command Trinary was ambushed this morning. These Combine warriors have proven themselves to be dezgra. I will pull in the rest of our Cluster and wipe them out. Jorgensson’s Delta Fighter Binary will bomb and strafe the survivors into oblivion. I am finished with these hit-and-run tactics.”

“I intend to claim one of them as my bondsman,” Cymril said. “The one that led their holding action the first day. He is in a medically induced coma, but will survive.”

“I just told you they were unworthy,” Vong cautioned.

“He had no part in the events that followed. He stood against us all to buy his people time to retreat. He knew the odds and stood his ground anyway. The heart of the Ghost Bear beats in his chest.”

“He is old…perhaps too old. Do you not agree, quiaff?”

“Neg,” Cymril said. “He is within the age range of our warriors. I think he has much to offer.” Anyone who would stand against our Cluster in defiance is more than worthy.

Vong shook his head. “Do as you will, it is your right. But know this, such rede-bound warriors may find it difficult to assimilate to our Clan. You will have a great deal of work ahead of you.”

“I am up to it,” Cymril replied. I do not wish to forget this fight, and my bondsman will ensure I never will.

The neurofeedback made Adam Kaningamu’s brain scream, then everything went white as he passed out. His last memory was a blur, seeing Tai-sa Vivas providing cover for the last of the armored forces retreating. Sounds were muffled all around him. Time had no meaning in the screaming white pain. He felt disembodied, as if he were floating. The agony in his head seemed to subside slightly. He could not focus for what seemed like minutes…the light around him seemed to have substance.

In the blinding white light, he saw a figure, wearing a red-and-black kimono, standing in a light fog. Was he closing on it, or was it simply becoming clearer? He could not tell. He knew who it was, the black and white streaked hair, pristinely pulled back to a ceremonial chonmage topknot. It was Sho-sho Riku Kondo.

Am I dead? The voice was his, but it did not come from his lips.

“No,” the figure replied. “Far worse.”

I have failed the Dragon then. He tried to bow his head in shame, but his body was but a light in the brilliant haze.

“Again, no,” the sho-sho replied. “I expected more resolve in you, Kaningamu. This battle was not ours to win, not today. You made no mistakes…but victory was denied by the weight to technology and firepower. You bear no shame in losing a fight that was unwinnable.”

Where am I? Is this the afterlife?

The sho-sho shook his head. “Not for you, not yet. You must follow a different path from now on, Adam. You will not like it, but it is necessary. Your honor binds you to this task. Do not resist it. Use it to serve the Dragon…and redemption will be yours. The Dragon cannot be taken from you. Remember that.”

I do not understand.

Sho-sho Kondo smiled and laughed. “Few who walk the path of honor know what the destination looks like, but they walk all the same. My journey is over. Yours is just beginning…”

GHOST BEAR FIELD HOSPITAL

CONSTANCE

GHOST BEAR OCCUPATION ZONE

13 APRIL 3050

Adam Kaningamu awoke with a jerk, and every joint on his body protested. Standing over him was a tall, blond-haired warrior, bright blue eyes looking down on him. The man wore a gray jumpsuit with a Ghost Bear insignia patch. In his hands he held a wakizashi—his blade—seeming to study it.

That blade is my past, and it is in the hands of my enemy.

“You are in a hospital, under our care,” the Ghost Bear said. “I am Star Commander Cymril Tseng, the warrior who defeated you.”

“The battle?” Adam said with a creaky, almost brittle voice.

“It finished yesterday. Your Honor Guard lured us into a running fight. Your mines…we did not anticipate those. Star Colonel Vong declared the Honor Guard dezgra. Your unit’s dishonorable tactics forced us to bring down the forces we had bid away, but we finished the job. The Honor Guard is no more. Clan Ghost Bear now rules Constance.”

Kaningamu did not know what dezgra was, but he did not like the sound of it. He had not pouted since he was a child, but it was hard to hide the expression as he heard the words. Tseng seemed to understand this sense of defeat, and gave him a few silent moments to cope with the information.

“I failed then.”

“Warriors face victories and defeat. You have faced defeat. You did so with honor, and that is not lost on the Ghost Bears. Now you have a choice. You can either wallow in your defeat, or accept the honor I am presenting you. You can serve as my bondsman. You will be part of our Clan, at the lowest rung of the warrior caste. You can either serve Clan Ghost Bear in this manner, or wrap yourself in glory lost. You may not see it as an honor, but it is.”

“I would be a slave to you?”

“Neg. Bondsmen aspire to much more. You would not serve me as much as our Clan. Given time and dedication, you may yet pilot a BattleMech again.”

“My wakizashi…” he said, looking at the blade Star Commander Tseng still held.

“Isorla,” Tseng said, sliding it into his belt. “I claim it, as is my right as the victor.”

Adam sighed heavily. I have been stripped of all that I am. “This is my burden to bear then,” he said in a low tone. “I have nothing left but my honor. If you desire it, the Dragon demands that I serve.”

“Well chosen,” Tseng said, producing a wristband made of three intertwining cords and tying it around his aching wrist. “Together, we will pursue honor in the liberation of the Inner Sphere.”

Adam leaned back and closed his eyes. What have I done?

Then something came to him, as if out of a dream that was already fading from his memory:

The Dragon cannot be taken from you…

MORE BATTLETECH FICTION BY BLAINE LEE PARDOE

If you enjoyed this BattleTech short story, you can find other stories by Blaine Lee Pardoe in the following books:

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: HIGHLANDER GAMBIT

UNDER DEEPEST COVER…

“Authorized to sacrifice your personal honor...”

With these words, Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao dispatched Death Commando Loren Jaffray to the planet Northwind. His mission: to destroy the elite Northwind Highlanders, the mercenaries who abandoned the Capellans in their hour of need thirty years ago. As the grandson of famous Highlander warriors, Jaffray is the perfect instrument to exact Sun-Tzu’s revenge. He can win the mercenaries’ trust, then divide the Highlanders from within to ignite a war for control of their homeworld.

But Prince Victor Davion is not about to give up this key planet without a struggle. And now, while Northwind and the rest of the Sarna March erupt in war, Loren must wage his own personal battle—one between honor and duty. A battle that can only be fought…alone.

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: IMPETUS OF WAR

DEEP INTO ENEMY TERRITORY…

Major Loren Jaffray is a soldier’s soldier, a hardened professional who made his reputation with the Capellan Confederation’s legendary Death Commandos. Now serving as an officer in the Northwind Highlanders, Loren longs to prove his loyalty to his new comrades. And he's getting that chance—the Draconis Combine is hiring his regiment to take on a mission unlike any before it.

The ruthless Clan Smoke Jaguar emulate the savagery of their feline namesake with lethal accuracy. Nobody knows this better than the samurai of the Draconis Combine, who fought to the death to save their very homeworld. Now Loren’s crack Highlanders will be the instrument of the Combine's vengeance, striking into the Deep Periphery to crush one of the Jaguars’ supply centers on a distant world called Wayside V. But the young, confident major is in for a very nasty surprise—and unless he makes a brilliant change in plans, Wayside V will be soaked with Scots’ blood…

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: EXODUS ROAD: (TWILIGHT OF THE CLANS, VOLUME 1)

LEGACY OF A TRAGIC CRUSADE…

The Clans, for generations, bided their time waiting for the right opportunity to appear from the Periphery and conquer the Inner Sphere. They risked all at the Battle of Tukayyid—only to be soundly defeated. The results were deadlier than they could ever imagine.

For one devoted warrior of Clan Smoke Jaguar, the disgrace of Tukayyid has scarred him for life. And it is this tragedy that will change the universe forever, a treachery hidden beyond the Exodus Road.

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: MEASURE OF A HERO

WINNER TAKE ALL…

Colonel Felix Blucher’s orders from the Archon were simple enough: quash the Davion Loyalist uprising on Thorin. But Blucher never planned on facing the fearless Archer Christifori, local militia leader and decorated MechWarrior in the Clan Wars.

As tension rise between Blucher’s Lyran Alliance and the Davion Loyalist population, Archer is torn between obedience to the Archon or allegiance to his people. But when Blucher's forces go too far, Archer takes up the Loyalist cause and becomes commander of the rebel army. The final confrontation looms and the rebels face long odds—but it takes more than ’Mechs to win Thorin's freedom. It takes a hero...

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: CALL OF DUTY

POWER PLAY

The planet of Odessa is caught between two adversaries whose personal antagonism may cost them much more than their lives.

On one side is Count Nicholas Fisk, ruler of Odessa and a staunch supporter of Katrina Steiner, the ruler of the Lyran Alliance. In an effort to help stamp out the rebellion against Katrina's rule that has sprouted up across dozens of Alliance worlds, Count Fisk hopes to lure one of the more successful rebels to ultimate destruction. On the other side of the conflict are Leftenant General Archer Christifori and his Archer's Avengers, who support Prince Victor and his bid to oust Katrina. Though he knows that Odessa is a trap, the possibility of winning over the famed mercenary unit Snord’s Irregulars to the cause is too tempting to pass up.

But where peace is expected, battle ensues. And the black and white of friend and foe quickly turn to shades of gray while treachery abounds.

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: OPERATION AUDACITY

BEHIND THE LINES!

The Civil War rages on, with deposed Prince Victor Steiner-Davion’s forces bloodied from the recent defeats inflicted by his sister, Katrina. Worse still, Clan Jade Falcon has seized the opportunity to launch a determined offensive into the Lyran Alliance, destroying forces on both sides of the conflict.

But Prince Victor has formed a daring plan of his own—hold the Falcons in check on the worlds they have already conquered and unleash a massive force under Major General Archer Christifori deep inside Clan space with the mission to cut the Falcon offensive off at its core.

To succeed, Victor and Archer must convince one of Katrina’s most loyal warriors—Leftenant General Adam Steiner—to join the fight. But how can either side trust the enemy they have sworn to kill?

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: ROAR OF HONOR

ORDERS ARE ORDERS…

Angela Bekker is a rising star in the Ghost Bear Clan. Devoted to duty and honor, relentless in the pursuit of flawless victory—a prime example of Clan excellence in mind and body. So when she receives order to form a new Trinary from scratch, she jumps at the chance to have her own command. Especially since they are to be stationed on the planet Toffen at the leading edge of Ghost Bear space.

But what is an honor for some is an opportunity to strike for others. Led by the bloodthirsty Dirk Radick, forces of Clan Wolf launch an assault to take the valuable planet from the inexperienced troops. But the hunters soon become the hunted, as the Stalking Bears live up to their name.

Only when the smoke clears does Angela realize that great honor comes at a great price—one that she may not be willing to pay…

BATTLETECH LEGENDS: BY BLOOD BETRAYED (WITH MEL ODOM)

IN HIS BROTHER’S FOOTSTEPS…

Harley Rassor is a simple farm boy in a complex techno-universe—more than happy to work the land of planet Slewis with his father. His restless older brother left to join the elite mercenary corps, Able’s Aces… and paid with his life. Now, Harley’s father wants him to join the fight—and learn what happened to his brother.

What he learns is that the Aces are in turmoil. His instructor—tough-as-nails Lieutenant Livia Hawke—also happens to be his brother’s ex-lover. Rumors of suspected payoffs and setups are commonplace. And the entire unit is in danger of being disbanded.

Then pirates launch a devastating raid on the Rim Collection's resources, sparking an all-out fight that will put the Aces in the thick of battle—and reveal to Harley that there are worse things in war the death…

BATTLETECH: BETRAYAL OF IDEALS

THE TRUE FATE OF CLAN WOLVERINE…

Every member of modern Clan society knows of the Not-Named Clan, the one that was erased from history for perpetrating acts of heresy against the Way of the Clans. But what truly happened to Clan Wolverine?

Long before the Clans invaded the Inner Sphere in 3049, their ancestors escaped the brutal Succession Wars by braving uncharted space and forming a new society, only to plunge back into the ravages of war once more.

The year is 2822. The Pentagon Civil War is long over, and Operation Klondike saw ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky’s twenty Clans victorious over the petty warlords who had conquered the Pentagon worlds. But with no true enemies left to fight, the nascent Clans have lost their laser-sharp focus, and begun straying from the ilKhan’s vision.

Khan Sarah McEvedy, leader of the progressive Clan Wolverine, sees the dangerous path the ilKhan is steering his Clans onto, but she cannot follow them without compromising her beliefs or her honor. Unsure whom to trust among the scheming Clans, she must navigate the political waters of the Grand Council with caution and resolve, or suffer the deadly consequences. As her enemies seek to engineer her Clan into the ultimate scapegoat, Khan McEvedy must do everything she can to ensure her Clan survives, or they will all be hunted down and destroyed…

BATTLETECH: FOREVER FAITHFUL

SEMPER FIDELIS

In the year 3060, the reborn Star League has destroyed Clan Smoke Jaguar, conquered their home world Huntress, and scattered the few remaining Jaguar warriors to the winds. Now the League seeks to end the Clan invasion for good by using former Smoke Jaguars against their own people.

Meanwhile, two bitter enemies seek to salvage a future for the last Jaguars in existence: Trent, who betrayed his wayward Clan to help them regain their honor, and Paul Moon, a disgraced warrior torn between his pledged loyalty to the Star League and a duty to the Smoke Jaguar civilization he was born to protect.

But power-hungry predators lurk in Clan space, waiting for the right time to strike the vulnerable Star League forces. And to the victor will go the spoils: the priceless artifacts of a destroyed Clan and the sacred genetics of the final generation of Smoke Jaguar warriors.

Trent and Paul Moon must fight tooth and nail against would-be conquerors to save the soul of the surviving Jaguar people before they are consigned to the annals of history. But will their divergent plans tear the survivors apart, or lead them toward freedom?

BATTLETECH: THE ANVIL

I AM A TRUE JADE FALCON…

The leader of Clan Jade Falcon, Khan Malvina Hazen, is known throughout human-occupied space as a merciless tyrant hell bent on shattering and reforging the entire Inner Sphere in her own bloodthirsty image. The next target for her scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners Mongol Doctrine is the Lyran Commonwealth world of Coventry: a persistent stain on the Jade Falcons’ history, and a system defended by legendary Lyran heroes.

But not all Falcons subscribe to Malvina’s twisted cult of personality. Ordered to take Coventry at any cost, Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu has no choice but to follow her orders and conquer the planet in Malvina’s name. Stephanie wishes to see her Clan victorious, but no victory is worth the Jade Falcons losing their very soul. To stand up to Malvina’s tyranny and find an honorable path for her Clan’s future, Stephanie must balance the razor’s edge between duty and honor—or she will die trying.

BATTLETECH: A SPLINTER OF HOPE / THE ANVIL (OMNIBUS)

VICTORY AT ANY COST…

Jump into your BattleMech cockpit, fire up your fusion engine, and charge into the fray with two BattleTech novellas from Philip A. Lee and bestselling writer Blaine Lee Pardoe.

A Splinter of Hope: Violent expansion of the Capellan Confederation and the Draconis Combine has cost recently crowned First Prince Julian Davion both his mentor and countless Federated Suns worlds. To rally his people, he funnels the fires of justice into an ambitious yet risky campaign to retake a vital system: New Syrtis, the occupied capital of the Capellan March. However, the Capellan people have fought dearly for their prize and will do anything in their power to hold onto it. Will Julian’s gamble preserve the future of the Federated Suns, or is the invasion doomed before it even begins?

The Anvil: Khan Malvina Hazen of Clan Jade Falcon is known throughout the Inner Sphere as a merciless, bloodthirsty tyrant. The next target for her scorched-earth, take-no-prisoners tactics is the Lyran Commonwealth world of Coventry: a persistent stain on the Jade Falcons’ history. But not all Falcons follow Malvina’s lead. Ordered to take Coventry at any cost, Galaxy Commander Stephanie Chistu wishes to see her Clan victorious, but no victory is worth the Jade Falcons losing their very soul. To stand up to tyranny and find an honorable path forward for her Clan, she must balance the razor’s edge between duty and honor—or die trying.

BATTLETECH: THE CORPS (BATTLECORPS ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 1)

This volume features the short story “The Longest Road”: As the FedCom Civil War continues to rage, Archer Christifori and Archer’s Avengers have arrived on the House Davion capital of New Avalon in hopes of deposing Katherine Steiner-Davion.

BATTLETECH: FIRST STRIKE (BATTLECORPS ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 2)

This volume features the story “The Heart of Dixie”: During the Third Succession War, treasure hunters are in search of a legendary Castle Brian complex believed to be hidden on the planet Dixie.

BATTLETECH: COUNTERATTACK (BATTLECORPS ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 5)

This volume contains the story “Abandonment”: Forgotten in enemy territory, Sirian Lancers MechWarrior Charlie Bane must to find his way through both an enemy landscape and what may be his last days alive.

BATTLETECH: KILL ZONE (BATTLECORPS ANTHOLOGY VOLUME 7)

This volume contains the story “The Loyal Son”: For Raul Tinker, service with the Word of Blake is a calling he's happy to oblige—but even his faith is tested when ComStar attacks Terra, the Blakist capital, during Case White.

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NOVELS

Decision at Thunder Rift by William H. Keith Jr.

Mercenary's Star by William H. Keith Jr.

The Price of Glory by William H. Keith, Jr.

Warrior: En Garde by Michael A. Stackpole

Warrior: Riposte by Michael A. Stackpole

Warrior: Coupé by Michael A. Stackpole

Wolves on the Border by Robert N. Charrette

Heir to the Dragon by Robert N. Charrette

Lethal Heritage (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 1) by Michael A. Stackpole

Blood Legacy (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 2) by Michael A. Stackpole

Lost Destiny (The Blood of Kerensky, Volume 3) by Michael A. Stackpole

Way of the Clans (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 1) by Robert Thurston

Bloodname (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 2) by Robert Thurston

Falcon Guard (Legend of the Jade Phoenix, Volume 3) by Robert Thurston

Wolf Pack by Robert N. Charrette

Main Event by James D. Long

Natural Selection by Michael A. Stackpole

Assumption of Risk by Michael A. Stackpole

Blood of Heroes by Andrew Keith

Close Quarters by Victor Milán

Far Country by Peter L. Rice

D.R.T. by James D. Long

Tactics of Duty by William H. Keith

Bred for War by Michael A. Stackpole

I Am Jade Falcon by Robert Thurston

Highlander Gambit by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Hearts of Chaos by Victor Milán

Operation Excalibur by William H. Keith

Malicious Intent by Michael A. Stackpole

Black Dragon by Victor Milán

Impetus of War by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Double-Blind by Loren L. Coleman

Binding Force by Loren L. Coleman

Exodus Road (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 1) by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Grave Covenant (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 2) by Michael A. Stackpole

The Hunters (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 3) by Thomas S. Gressman

Freebirth (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 4) by Robert Thurston

Sword and Fire (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 5) by Thomas S. Gressman

Shadows of War (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 6) by Thomas S. Gressman

Prince of Havoc (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 7) by Michael A. Stackpole

Falcon Rising (Twilight of the Clans, Volume 8) by Robert Thurston

Threads of Ambition (The Capellan Solution, Book 1) by Loren L. Coleman

The Killing Fields (The Capellan Solution, Book 2) by Loren L. Coleman

Dagger Point by Thomas S. Gressman

Ghost of Winter by Stephen Kenson

Roar of Honor by Blaine Lee Pardoe

By Blood Betrayed by Blaine Lee Pardoe and Mel Odom

Illusions of Victory by Loren L. Coleman

Flashpoint by Loren L. Coleman

Measure of a Hero by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Path of Glory by Randall N. Bills

Test of Vengeance by Bryan Nystul

Patriots and Tyrants by Loren L. Coleman

Call of Duty by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Initiation to War by Robert N. Charrette

The Dying Time by Thomas S. Gressman

Storms of Fate by Loren L. Coleman

Imminent Crisis by Randall N. Bills

Operation Audacity by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Endgame by Loren L. Coleman

A Bonfire of Worlds by Steven Mohan, Jr.

Embers of War by Jason Schmetzer

Betrayal of Ideals by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Forever Faithful by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Kell Hounds Ascendant by Michael A. Stackpole

Redemption Rift by Jason Schmetzer

YOUNG ADULT NOVELS

The Nellus Academy Incident by Jennifer Brozek

Rogue Academy: Iron Dawn by Jennifer Brozek

NOVELLAS/SHORT NOVELS

A Splinter of Hope by Philip A. Lee

The Anvil by Blaine Lee Pardoe

Not the Way the Smart Money Bets (Kell Hounds Ascendant 1) by Michael A. Stackpole

A Tiny Spot of Rebellion (Kell Hounds Ascendant 2) by Michael A. Stackpole

A Clever Bit of Fiction (Kell Hounds Ascendant 3) by Michael A. Stackpole

ANTHOLOGIES

Shrapnel: Fragments from the Inner Sphere

Onslaught: Tales from the Clan Invasion!

The Corps (BattleCorps Anthology, Volume 1)

First Strike (BattleCorps Anthology, Volume 2)

Weapons Free (BattleCorps Anthology, Volume 3)

Fire for Effect (BattleCorps Anthology, Volume 4)

Counterattack (BattleCorps Anthology, Volume 5)

Front Lines (BattleCorps Anthology Volume 6)

Legacy

Kill Zone (BattleCorps Anthology Volume 7)

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

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BATTLETECH: RULES OF ENGAGEMENT

Cover art by Alex Iglesias

Design by Matt Heerdt & David Kerber

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