22.1

Chapter 21.2 Operation Shiroyama Part 1.

3029

Dieron

Dieron IV

A different perspective

Tai-Sa Gitaki Hurunko.

9th Sun Zhang Academy Cadre

Gitaki looked on, as his students readied for battle. He walked down the line on the mech gantry. Each mechwarrior. While young, had earned the right to call themselves Samurai of the Combine. Each of them carried with them their Katana and Wakizashi. Signs they were true Samurai.

They may be cadets, but they were the elite of the Academy, ready to face the terrors of war to sharpen their edge beyond something they can gain from training.

He walked the line. Each soldier standing ready. All honored that he would grace them the respect of an examination before the battle. He said nothing. Nothing needed to be said. Not a single soldier needed a reprimand. Not a single soldier needed his uplifting words.

They were Samurai. They only needed a weapon, and an enemy.

At the end of the line his own mech was ready. He turned to face it, and every Samurai did the same. A single incremental bow was given. As he thanked his Mech for carrying him into battle.

Each of his soldiers did the same. Not a single moment behind him.

They were Samurai.

He stepped forward without a word to mount his mech and his students did the same. The mech bay was silent. As Gitaki preferred. And as he slipped into his cockpit he allowed himself a brief momententary glance towards his students seeing them slip into their mechs.

He was proud of these Samurai.

He activated his mech, taking the lead, and leaving the underground mech bay that exited just outside the city limits of San Martin, the capital. The place he had been ordered to defend.

Every mech, every tank, every man that could hold a gun, everything was readied to stop the ISDF invasion.

After six days of nonstop fighting the Combine were learning much about their enemy.

Even Gitaki couldn't help but admit they were losing this fight.

Every attempt to stop the ISDF had failed. Every ambush, every flanking maneuver, every hidden weapon, minefield, and infantry hiding in the bushes ready to lay down their lives to kill these invaders had failed.

Everything.

Already many 'generals' of the Combine had been executed or been given the honor of Seppuku. Some for failure, some because it was impossible for the ISDF to know every plan as the Combine enacted it without the General somehow passing on that information. Traitors undoubtedly.

The amount of almost hysterical executions after that had thankfully bypassed Gitaki and his Samurai.

The Cadets were well outside of any command roles so were left untouched.

But now it was time.

The ISDF had been moving up their equipment. And it was time for the Samurai to remind these Mercenaries. What a true soldier looks like.

Despite his regiment being cadets. Despite his Samurai being in mostly light mechs. He would teach these Mercenaries about the power of the Dragons bite.

"Tai-Sa. Heading out." He barked over the comm line once his mech was ready. His Panther lead the pace. His men trotting after.

This was what he lived for.

He led his men out into the defensive lines. Tanks, and infantry everywhere, ready to fight back against the invasion.

Considering the constant failure of the General to give an order that wasn't simply passed to the enemy, Gitaki was given free reign, to act as he saw fit.

The enemy can not be passed on his orders if he is not given any.

The regiment of mechs behind him made his plan as a fast counter assault group perfect. The enemy were big and slow. He would attack them from angles they could not expect. He would attack them from behind, and above. And he would pounce when they could not defend.

So he raced out from the prepared defenses, he would use the natural terrain of the planet to his and his students advantage.

As they ran. He offered a few simple words to explain his reasoning. Because even here. Despite his men now being Samurai, they would always be his students, and he their teacher.

They raced up into the mountains using a separate valley from the one the ISDF would be coming down through.

He would leap over the mountain soon and savage their rear while the honorable defenders of Dieron slowed their advance.

That was the plan.

But twenty minutes into his plan, his computer alerted him to a problem.

The roar of ASF above had him realize too late that they had been tracked.

"Disperse!" He ordered using his jump jets to leap off the side of the mountain they were climbing. The old mountain road was narrow, and his students walked single file behind him. A moment later a row of bombs shattered the mountain above them.

They were not the target for the bombs.

No the mountain itself was. The rockslide roared down the mountain.

But his students were Samurai.

Jumpjets burned as they unhesitantly followed his lead. Some were slower, yes. But not slow enough for the Mercenaries ambush to matter. The landing on the other hand was rougher. They leapt away from the avalanche, rocks bigger than mechs bouncing down behind them, but they had been forced to leap off a mountain, Even the best would struggle to ensure no damage came to their mech. Many of his students landed roughly.

But after a few minutes of determining the damage.

He was relieved. Damaged, but none destroyed, none of his samurai defeated by the dishonorable Mercenaries.

Afraid to face his men in battle. He called on his students rage at this despicable attack and got them moving.

The enemy knew where they were somehow. But it would not matter. He knew well how difficult it would be to keep a force moving through these mountains in any strength to defeat his regiment. Much less the lesser soldiers. The vehicles the ISDF used constantly would slow them.

They leapt back up the mountain that was mostly finished collapsing, Gitaki leading the way, showing them where they could land and then take off again. Finally as he made it to the top, he turned. Watching as his student leapt up and up over the mountain. Like a carp leaping up the mountain to become a dragon.

He took a moment to remind himself to remember that. It would be a fine line to add into his Haikus to his beloved to describe this battle.

Then he was over the mountain. Expecting some resistance his PPC jerked and arced around unsure.

No enemy was seen.

Not a tank, or a mech.

Nothing.

How was this possible? They had been sure this was the ravine the ISDF would come from. They had even trapped it heavily at night, to break the enemy.

He realized it then. Another leak. Somehow the enemy had learned of the defenses. How!? The order had been secret! The penal battalion that had placed the mines had been executed after. Their leader was one of Gitakis own students! He had been told only by that student, the only other one to know was the Tai-Sho himself! The mines had been pulled from old storages. No one else knew! This was… He looked over to his student, their Panther, a high honor was looking for targets just as avidly as the rest.

No. It was impossible for his student to be the traitor.

There was something going on here. Something impossible.

"Follow!" He barked. Leaping down the mountain. He knew how to bypass the mines, but he needed to get back to the city. Something was wrong.

Already as he raced he could hear the fighting.

They had come down the Highway pass!? A long straight pass through the mountains created in the StarLeague. It had been considered impossible. The ISDF were not the only ones with artillery, and the pass had been fortified for centuries!

But that is what they had done.

As he leapt over mountains to draw close he saw their destruction. The ISDF had somehow targeted the hidden artillery batteries. The infantry pillboxes that were built into the side of the mountains also were filled with smoke.

This was impossible. To run straight through the greatest defenses, avoid every ambush? Did nothing slow these Honorless Mercenaries!?

He realized then that he had to move. If he waited much longer they would overrun the defenses without his regiment involved.

His fast attack force had to engage them now.

"This attack is necessary. You will fight and die for the Dragon. BANZAI!" He roared. The first time in many months of training he had ever raised his voice near his students.

That was intentional.

Now. The loud voice of their sensei. The man they respected would urge them to obscene levels of courage as he roared at them.

Tai-Sa Gitaki knew there would be losses. He could see the forces arrayed against him. The lines of Battlemechs, supported by honorless tanks, protected by ASF in the skys! Truly these Mechwarriors were cowards.

But he was coming from over a mountain, he would leap down from above, and he would take twice his forces number in recompense!

Only as he leapt over the final mountain. An act that would have them appear far above the enemy traveling through the valley below. An echoed noise reached his ears, and one of his students, who hadn't even gotten to fire at the Mercenaries was plucked from the air. He had a moment as he looked on from his mechs screen as he watched the Jenner smash into the ground below and tumble to know that his student was dead.

The screams of "Banzai!" Filling the comms meant it was too late to stop the charge. He could only move forward.

He sighed for a moment, as he watched it happen again, and again as they leapt.

The ISDF had been ready. They had known. Somehow, they had been waiting as if all of his plans were that of a child.

Who would have guessed he would come over the mountain? Who could have guessed they would be coming over at just that moment!? He felt his heart break as his men charged. He failed to lead them to victory. Only death awaited now.

Their leader. Their Sensei had led them into a trap. They were simply too young to realize their fate was sealed.

They charged, and in fire that reminded Gitaki of the worst of the battles he had ever been in, when he had been outnumbered by a vastly superior force, when weapons fire came from every direction.

Because that is what he faced now.

The amount of fire put onto his men was obscene. Worst because he could only register some of the fire.

The unique sound of Gauss rifles were what had plucked his men from the air, and they didn't stop.

He recognized them of course. Not that he had ever seen or heard them on the battlefield before. But the Battleroms from the invasion of Ko had been sent out across Combine space. To better prepare its Samurai for the power of Lostech.

The weapons strengths and weaknesses filled his mind, but it didn't matter, even as the return fire from his students reached out, most of the attacks failed to reach, and those that did were ignored.

Or were swiftly retaliated against.

Gitaki looked on, to the ridge where the enemy had prepared for his charge. Two lines. All of tanks. Vehicles! His students, his Samurai were being butchered by tanks. His Computer chirping out an acknowledgement that he was facing a line of Alacorn tanks.

He wanted to scream at the dishonor. To have his boys. His Samurai murdered not by honorable warriors, but this!?

How had they known? How had he fallen into such a trap?

It was too late for regrets. For only if he could get amongst the tankers could he save even some of his students. He charged, as his students fell beside him, he charged. As his mechs arm was blasted away, he charged.

Until his Panthers leg was taken out, and he fell into the mud.

He managed to rise, forced to look on as his men. His students. Just boys! Were massacred. The constant barrage of the Gauss rifles filled the air with a horrific scream as they echoed off the mountains around them. He watched on as finally the charge petered out and failed. Long, Long before his students reached the enemy.

Leaving only the screams of rage, terror, and pain filling his comms.

He switched the Comm channel.

"You come to my world. I Tai-Sa Gitaki demand a duel from your-" The rest of his demand was cut off, as his Panther was slammed backwards with the force of multiple Gauss rounds striking his mech.

His mech was disabled, but he still lived. He slammed his hand against his console. "YOU COWARDS! YOU HAVE NO HONOR! TO REFUSE MY CHALLENGE!"

But after only a few moments a calm voice cut into his line, "Oh sorry. We have very specific orders from the Commander. Guess I'm supposed to read this to you." There was the sound of paper fumbling. "Ah-hem. Any attempt to challenge you to honorable combat is to be immediately met with maximum firepower. For the truth of this war is simple."

"The Combine Samurai have no Honor."

The comm cut out then. And despite Gitakis efforts no response came through again. He was forced to watch as one by one, his surviving students were peeled out of their mechs. Until it came to his turn as well.

They found only a corpse. His Wakizashi embedded in his stomach.

—--

A different perspective

Aaron McOwen

Aaron had no idea what was happening. The past week had been the most exhausting time of his life. Limited sleep. Constantly marching with his mech. Eating while his mech was reloaded.

Getting orders from above.

Literally.

That there was an enemy ambush ahead, or they were flanking on your right.

Aaron had fought in more battles in the last week, than years he had been alive. Over and over. The Combine came out in force. Infantry, vehicles, tanks, mechs. Hell he had faced everything from actual mechs to pick up trucks with SRMs attached to the back.

And over and over the ISDF had been ready. His Catapult would probably need some maintenance just over how many LRMs he had fired through it. Already the right 'arm' was sticking a bit when adjusting shots after the enemy had hit him with an AC/10 round.

But… His wall of survived battles was getting longer. And he had actually survived to the end.

He was among the mechs that marched through the streets of San Martin.

Although none of them realized it wasn't to take over the city, apparently they had new orders.

A dropship would be landing inside the San Martin Starport, they would load up, and go.

All of this. The battles. The death, on both sides. And… It was just over. He just didn't understand. Oldman didn't either. When the order came down the old merc had actually started cursing up the officer trying to find out what the hell they were thinking.

But they had been given a "This is the orders deal with it." And that was that.

"The fuckin First Prince wouldn't accept this bullshit." Oldman grumbled.

"This isn't a Fed-suns op Oldman." Earl offered calmly, the Lyran noble was quick to poke holes in Oldmans grumbling about the greatness of Hanse Davion.

"It would be fuckin better if it was!" But it went quiet for a few moments before a sigh reached Aarons ears. "No it wouldn't." Oldman offered softly, an admittance that had been pulled from their lance lead a few times over the last few days. After each and every ambush that had been prepped for them was given advance warning. When supplies were always up to date and ready.

Hell on the sixth night when they had been stuck up in a mountain pass, an ASF had literally bombed them with extra rations. And not just MRE's but actual food and snacks.

But it had been to Aarons surprise when on the fifth day, while marching past the destroyed Combine tankers that had been trying to ambush them. That they had once again been warned about ahead of time. That Oldman had begun talking.

About how this wasn't normal. How this was fuckin impossible. That this wasn't what war was like. And now despite his confusion, it looks like Oldman was finding it difficult to disbelieve his own eyes.

"I don't get why we are just leaving either…. Shouldn't we take the planet?" Aaron asked quietly to the empty comm line.

"Maybe there are reinforcements that will garrison the planet while we move on?" Earl offered.

"No." Oldman whispered. "This isn't how war is done. Even if there are reinforcements, do you see them? No? Then they aren't here. If we leave. Guarantee the Combine starts getting ready for battle again. This is crazy! All we did was show up smash their mechs and tanks and the-"

The line went dead for a while.

"Oldman?"

"Hey Earl. You chatted up that salvage girl the other day right?"

"W-what? No! I was simply asking-"

"I don't care. Listen. She told you they were supposed to gather what they could and absolutely destroy the rest right?"

"Yeah. I told you, she was complaining about all the salvage going to waste."

"But she said she was destroying everything left behind?"

"Yeah. They had tons of explosives for it."

The static on the line meant Aaron kept his eye on the connection even as they continued walking through the city. The civilians were looking out windows, and such, but none were coming close more afraid than anything at the mechs presence.

The fact was they probably expected a sacking. Aaron wasn't a soldier, but over the last week he had talked to a lot of the mercs that they had met up with. Pretty much every night the ISDF based a big group together.

It was almost like a little party every time.

But some of the mercs. The more experienced ones. And the more fearsome ones, had looked pretty excited about the idea of sacking San Martin.

Although that wasn't happening. The fact was orders had come down. Hit the Starport, get on a dropship we were leaving.

Aaron felt kinda relieved. He didn't want to try and garrison a Combine world. He had heard plenty of horror stories about soldiers having to do that.

"I think I know what we are doing." Oldman finally spoke up after almost two minutes of silence.

"Yeah? What is it?" Earl asked, cutting in before Aaron could do the same.

"We know we aren't the only forces hitting the Combine right now. Think about it. We have the Lyran offensive, and the Fed-suns defensive groupings, but they have the Dragoons over there. So we just hit Dieron, which is a capital world, we landed, wiped out every mech, every tank and every ASF we could find. Then we leave… We aren't going to stop. They want to move us to another world. What does that read to you?"

Earl was quiet for a while. Aaron wasn't willing to add in. His inexperience wasn't telling him much. The lance passed a parking garage that had civilians staring at eye level at Aaron, he could see the little kid that was waving at the mechs, that their parents quickly stopped.

He waved back anyways. Pretty sure they couldn't see, but it was a nice thought.

"They are trying to neuter the Combine… It's the only thing that makes sense? Wipe out the Combines ability to defend. Doesn't matter if we lose… If we lose it won't matter. The Dracs will have lost so much metal they won't be able to resist the Feds, or the Commonwealth…" Earl finally spoke a little breathless.

"That's what I was picking up… We aren't here to win, Just to weaken the Dracs. Fuck. They might even throw us away." Oldman added trailing off.

"They won't!" Aaron cut in. "They've been great to us! You said it yourself."

"Yeah, which is why it don't make no sense! Listen Wheatfield, this is new to you, but let me explain something. No one fights like this! It doesn't matter if you have a ton of SLDF equipment. Eventually you run out. Eventually you need salvage, but we aren't salvaging. We are destroying!"

"The techs salvage some!" Aaron argued maneuvering through an intersection. Thankfully the cars knew that mechs had right of way.

"Pickin up a few choice bits isn't a salvage job kid. I don't understand this shit. Fuck."

"Maybe we aren't picking up salvage because we just don't need it. I mean… Money is good, but we aren't here to make ourselves rich. We are here to beat the Combine right? So it costs us more, but we don't waste time with salvage and we still get the job done." Aaron offered.

"I've been a merc for years kid. Not even house armys ignore salvage. You would go broke long before you beat your enemy that way."

"Well house armies don't have dropships full of lostech either. So maybe there is just more going on than we know. I don't think the ISDF is going to throw us away though. They have been working really hard to keep us alive."

"Pfft. Got me there. Still don't have an explanation for all this metal. Listen Wheatfield, you wanna trust these guys? I get it. They did you a solid, did us a solid in fact. Gave you your mech, and all, but take this old mercs words of advice seriously? Don't ever trust your employer completely. Not as a merc. The fact is we are the most expendable unit the ISDF have. Never forget that."

Aaron bit back his instinctive disagreement. He wasn't really a merc, and Oldman, might be a bit of an ass, but he was usually right about stuff. "Okay. I'll keep my eyes open, and I won't just trust everything. But maybe you should trust a bit more. The ISDF have treated us well."

"Yeah."

They were quiet for along time after that. The march through the city was a long line of mechs and tanks, and the snakes weren't doing anything about it.

Mostly because there wasn't anything left to defend themselves with. At least that was the impression Aaron had.

—--

A different perspective

Benjamin Rommel

Benny looked down at the map that was set up in his war room. The one only high level ISDF members could enter. Those 'in the know' about the sensor. Watching as the Combine moved forces.

Feints, and flanks. Hidden units, and upfront overwhelming assaults.

He saw them all. The men on the ground, his men must think he was some sort of tactical genius or something, because he was constantly sending updates to his people. Prepare for an assault here. Look for hidden defenses there. Focus artillery here to break up their assault before it could get close.

Again and again, over the course of a week, Benny watched the Sensor turn battles and assaults that would have been legendary into mop up operations as Benny systematically picked up every straggler. Hit every weak point. Every fleeing mech was taken out by faster mechs. Or ASF flying overhead. Or artillery.

Again and again and again.

He barely slept. Relying on the best Coffee Vicky could supply, and short power naps when things slowed down.

But the Dieron assault only ended when every single functioning Combine weapon of war was destroyed.

Seven days.

He sighed, sitting back in his chair as he watched the last of the Combine tanks get wiped out even in their hidden bunkers. The losses had been… If it had been any normal ISDF operation, Catastrophic would have been the word he used.

Deaths. He had dropped on Dieron with six Dropships. All ISDF Colossus. All filled to the brim with weapons of war. Two-hundred and Sixteen Mechs. Over three hundred tanks and heavy vehicles, including Long Toms. The Stick had a full load of ASF 36 in total, piloted by some of the best of the Fed-Com.

And he would be leaving Dieron with less than that. He had done the best he could. But even with his warning some ambushes had been too much. Some mercs hadn't headed his orders at first, and suffered. The heaviest losses had been at the start. By day four, they had learned to listen.

He prayed that the next world would see even less loss.

He turned towards the sensor. The last of the Combine military falling across the world mean it was time. Already the order for everyone to get back to the dropships was issued.

Benny knew there would be a lot of confusion. Why are the ISDF just hitting Dieron ripping apart its entire military defenses and then just leaving?

Because Vicky was a fuckin mad bastard.

Now that Dieron was disarmed, the entire ISDF force here would jump to another world. Who cares if Dieron tried to re-arm? Who cares if their governor continued to try and fight for the Combine? Who cares what they did?

Because without a single active mech or tank, they couldn't assist the war effort. Sure they might be able to get some of the scrapped equipment up and running, but the Irregulars were actively working to either take everything not nailed down, or destroy the rest beyond hope.

Benny had received plenty of complaints about that order. But he was firm. Vickys plan could only work if the Combine couldn't re-arm behind them.

No. He thought. If the Combine couldn't re-arm at all.

That was the concept behind Shiroyama. It wasn't a destruction of the people. But a systematic removal of war potential. If you broke every sword the Samurai had, what were they going to do? Throw infantry at mechs?

Benny chuckled as he remembered how Vicky described her plan.

'What was more Lyran than a Blitzkrieg? It was a national pastime after all!'

What a nerd.

He sighed again, exhausted. He had just kept watch over an entire planetary invasion. It was done. The Combine hadn't 'officially' surrendered. But whoever was left in charge after everything had sent out a message in secret, that he would be retreating his remaining forces away from the city.

Apparently willing to let the ISDF 'sack' his capital if it meant he would survive.

Well since all of those forces were infantry it was very much a quiet way of saying we were done fighting.

Of course Benny knew that if his people stayed for more than a day, 'civilian uprisings' would start happening soon. Bombings and assaults of his people.

Good thing they were leaving. Dieron, would either be retaken by the Combine, or the Fed-Com would do something. In the coming months. They had already been notified, a message sent from the HPG.

But that wasn't his problem anymore. No Benny knew that this was just the first step. He wasn't alone, but the ISDF was attacking multiple planets all over the Combine along their invasion corridor. Some planets closer to the border than others.

Each of them having at least six dropships worth of equipment heading down. And all led by an ISDF command staff member with a Sensor.

The hope was that it would be enough. That superior equipment, and intel would be enough to carry the day.

Benny knew it wouldn't always. There would be more losses.

He waited in solitude as the Dropships lifted off. Each and every one was even more packed than they had been when they first dropped from all the salvage they had picked up. Most of it would be stored on The Stick until it was simply stuffed with too much gear. The plan was to sell it all off in the end, try to recoup costs and gain enough c-bills to help pay the actual wages all of the Mercenaries were going to receive at the end of Shiroyama.

Of course that also depends on how much salvage they end up with. Maybe he would set up some caches on different worlds when the Stick was full? He could probably do that. Places to drop off the salvage to come back and pick it up later.

Heh. It reminded him of the SLDF caches everywhere. Might as well do one more thing the SLDF did.

And with that as the final Dropships lifted off, he got a beeped confirmation that it was done.

He stepped over and hit a comm panel. "Captain Nelson?"

"Yes Sub-Commander?" Sandy responded back quickly the woman had been basically just sitting around and looking threatening through all of this.

"Go ahead and deliver the special payload. Try to put it somewhere close to the Capital city, but not anywhere that will hit anyone. I don't want to kill any civilians."

"Understood."

A minute later he could feel a rumble, a rippling through the whole ship as it fired one of its guns.

Days later the Combine would go to check out what had happened, what the Warship had fired at. They would discover a field of Red Iron Flowers embedded into the ground. The only explanation of where they came from was that some of them had impaled animals, and trees with their six foot long stems as they hit the ground.

A field of death.

—-

"Commander!"

"What? Alfred? What's up?" I look up at the older man. He had stayed behind on the Green Base with me. He was too old to fight another war. At least that is what he said, but he was useful to keep around. He helped me keep the paperwork in order.

"We just got a message from a jumpship coming through… The governor of Saffel is requesting we do something about the horde of mercenaries flooding his system… I think Commander your plan worked a little too well." He handed over a Noteputer that had the message as well as the numbers of the Mercenaries that had signed on and showed up.

That's a lot of numbers.

I realized I wouldn't be joining the Invasion on the second wave.

Because that was more than one wave.

"B-but I wanted to join the battle! I wanted to fight the Combine too! Alfred!"

"Sorry Commander." He offered with a shrug and a chuckle too used to dealing with my nonsense to get dragged into my flow. "How long until we can start loading up a second wave?"

"Well… we will need more jumpships first… I'm gonna be busy again. Dammit this is the worst!"

1018Chapter 22.1 Operation Shiroyama Part 2.

3029

Dieron

A different perspective

James Thormaru

James had watched as the enemy left. Their Dropships burning away from Dieron. He had helped with the cleanup. The dead bodies and twisted metal of the once honorable Samurai and their mechs now scrap. James had even seen the field of death. The red iron flowers, coated in ash, as the heated metal had burned out the land they had fallen into. Animal corpses, impaled to the ground. Trees now growing red flowers.

He had fled from the field, unwilling to stand in it any longer after that. War had come to Dieron, unlike any before it.

And now he knew why. With the conquest of Dieron, it was no longer a world owned by the Dragon. Or at least that is how ComStar viewed it. Even if it was an odd conquest. The rules for who owned which worlds were clear. The ISDF was now in charge of Dieron, at least until the Dragon once more lay claim to it.

So ComStar had opened the Holochannels. He was no longer limited to just what the Dragon wanted him to see.

He now received the news from both the Federated Suns, and the Lyran Commonwealth, as well as the ComStar news channel, although an unedited version.

So James had seen the ISDF Declaration of War.

He had seen the beginning of the war. And he had seen the first act. His planet conquered. Yet James had nothing left to do. So much had changed. The once Governor was hiding in his mountain retreat. He hadn't been seen since the first few days of the battle.

And there was almost no one left below him. Death in combat, declared traitors for revealing information, or finally Seppuku at the end after the battle was lost.

It was the most free James had ever been, yet he had no idea what to do. It was like that everywhere. People were quiet. Hiding in their homes more than not. Food thankfully was still available, and the complete lack of looting of San Martin meant the city was still active. Just quiet. No Samurai meant many of the people were simple… Waiting. To see what would happen next.

It was the oddest feeling. So James had done what many now did. Return to their home and turn on the Holovid. To see what was happening.

*Pshht*

"-how it is happening! It's an obvious threat! These ISDF are acting like a great house! Mercenaries don't act like this!"

James watched as the Holo channel connected to a Federated Suns talk show. The two hosts arguing back and forth while sitting on comfortable couches.

"Yes we know Adam, The ISDF is weird, but does that change the fact that they are fighting the Snakes!"

"For now Deborah, they are fighting the Snakes for now! Who do they fight after?"

"Please Adam, you can't honestly believe that they will defeat the Combine? And still be a massive force? They are just a mercenary group, regardless of how they are acting. They will run out of mechs and people eventually."

"Deborah… I don't think you understand just how serious this is. The Combine were already facing a two sided war. Our First Prince, while mostly focused on the Capellans at the moment, still has forces causing trouble for the Snakes, and our allies in the Commonwealth are hitting them hard. Remember. The First Prince revealed our lostech factories! The fact this knowledge was given to us by the Lyrans should make you realize that the Lyrans are using lostech right now!"

The woman rolled her eyes, "Yet the Snakes are still fighting! I hope just as much as anyone that the Snakes are beaten but-" She was interrupted as the man burst out.

"No buts. Not this time. I've crunched the numbers Deborah, that's what I do. It's why you bring me onto this show. We have reports of not just the ISDF sending out their assault, but that they are still recruiting… Do you understand what that means? They still have more metal to send. Deborah. This is the end of the Combine. Whether the ISDF ends up defeated or not. The Snakes don't have the mech forces to fight against what is now set up against them, and even if the ISDF is completely incompetent. Then the Combine will likely lose too much military equipment to continue as they have. Paving the way for their fall regardless."

"You are not counting other means Adam. Nuclear Weapons. Biological weapons. We haven't had any reports of their use yet, Other than the attack on the Warship in the Saffel System. But now we have an invasion into Combine space. The Head Snake won't put up with this." She joked.

"You're right. The fact is the Combine still have a large stockpile of Nuclear, and Biological weapons. And they will use them. But they aren't on the offensive here Deborah. If they use them, they will be using them on their own worlds. Worlds that are being targeted, so they will likely be important in some way. The Combine as a whole can only lose so many strategic worlds before their ability to remain as a dominant force in the Inner Sphere is gone."

The woman, Deborah… didn't say anything for a while simply tapping her fingers on the desk. "If you believe the Combine is about to fail Adam, that only makes me want to cheer these ISDF on even more."

"Then you aren't paying attention. What happens to Mercenary groups when they run out of contracts? They go pirate. It happens every time. We are looking at the largest mercenary group in the Inner Sphere. Bar none. Even the Wolfs Dragoons at their largest didn't have that many mechs!" The man turned, pointing towards the Hologram in the back that showed the ISDF Launch from their broadcast.

"The First Prince himself has said he is working with these ISDF, and our new treasure Melissa Steiner-Davion, has gone on record stating her trust in the Leader of the ISDF is very high. It was after all Victoria Eisen-Blume that rescued her from the Combine before this war even started!"

"Victoria Cameron!" He interrupted instantly. "Is exactly why this entire situation is going to explode in the first place!"

"That rumor again Adam?"

"Rumor? It's a confirmed fact!"

The hostess sighed, "Adam, it's a rumor, and even if it isn't… Would it be so bad? To have a Cameron in the Inner Sphere again? Maybe instead of the Combine we will have a.. Terran Hegemony taking over former Combine space?"

"The Hegemony returning would be the worst possible thing for the Inner Sphere… Ever. I would rather have the Combine." Adam offered to Deborah's shock.

"What? You can't mean that!"

"Debbie, the Combine are a known entity. They have weaknesses we all know about, mostly their horrible PR. There is a reason that despite having probably the most dangerous military force in the Inner Sphere for a long time now the Combine have failed to actually get anywhere. Everyone outside of their territory hates them." The man sighed, running a hand through his hair but he wasn't done.

"A reformed Hegemony, led by a Cameron? It would lead to civil war after civil war. You think it's bad now? When it's the great houses fighting each other? Imagine if every great house has a splinter faction, or factions wanting to join the new Hegemony, because we all know where that leads." Adam pointed at the woman.

"Star League." She offered with a nod and a glance to the audience. "That is what a second Hegemony could mean. A return to the golden age."

"A return to the horrors of the Star League that we haven't forgotten!" He pointed out immediately. "The Star League was not a golden age. At least not for a majority of the galaxy."

"Adam, your origins as a member of the Taurian Concordat aside!" She offered with a pointed finger of her own. "You are usually on the dot when it comes to numbers, and history. There is a reason I love having you on."

"Thanks?" He offered sarcastically.

"But I think there is a vast majority of people in the Inner Sphere that would love a return of the Star League, and whether that has a Cameron at its head. Or a Steiner-Davion." She offered with a wink to the camera. "I think we are looking at its creation right now."

*Pshht*

James put his remote down. He looked out the window to his tiny apartment. One that he had lived in all his life. With no hope to find something larger. He was just a menial worker. His grandfather had once insulted the Planetary Governor, so his entire family was now blackmarked.

But was that the case anymore? The Governor was gone. The Combine may be falling. Although he would never even whisper that until long after he was sure the Coordinator was gone. The idea was in his head.

Star League.

He stared out the window for a long time, just imagining what could have been, if it had never fallen. If his world was still a member of the Hegemony like it had once been.

If it rose again.

—--

A different perspective

Theodore Kurita

Ashio

Theo sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. His mech had overheated twice during the engagement. It was the only way to keep up with the Lostech of the ISDF.

In the end, despite their element of surprise once more being cast away like smoke, they had won. A Colossus was captured intact, its interior full of lostech equipment. Enough to turn his Legions into a startlingly powerful force.

Of course it was less the legions as they were, and now a subset of the Genyosha.

He looked over the battleground. They were losing. A thousand pinpricks cutting down his family's power. If not for Yorinaga's incredible power even this battle would have failed.

But they had won. Managed to commandeer a dropship. Although in order to keep it they had been forced to release the captured crew. The threat of the whole thing self destructing had been very real.

The ISDF members at least were adamant not to allow the Combine any prisoners. Theo sighed. He knew exactly why. The problem of Ko had come back to haunt him in many ways.

But honestly that worked for Theodores benefit. They didn't have time to deal with captured men. His plan required speed. Already his people were rushing forward to take the dropship as their own. Ashio might have been a surprising success with the ISDF soon to lift off, their tail between their legs, but Theo was under no misconception.

They would be back, in greater numbers.

Exhausted, he allowed himself a moment's rest. A luxury few of his men could take part in, as they handled the minutiae of the battles aftermath.

"You allowed them to flee." Yorinagas voice cut through. The older man had taken to offering tidbits here and there for Theo. An extra bit of education from an older samurai, although never framed as such.

"Capturing them would slow us down. It would gain us nothing."

"Hostages are nothing?" He questioned as was his manner. Always offering quiet questions, a way to force Theo to stop and think.

Theo sighed internally. Yorinaga was a very… exacting man. "They are not nothing no. But they would not gain us victory. No only speed will do that, and releasing them allows us to save needed time."

"Hmm. Acceptable." The older man offered, turning to look at his people loading into the dropship. Theo had never been sure why Yorinaga had joined him so completely.

By now there was the fact that the Genyosha had in almost every way become his regiment alongside his Legions. Yorinaga had given Theo command. Backed his every decision.

Theo still wasn't sure exactly why. But he was thankful for it. Without the two regiments working together, they would never be able to stop the ISDF. Without Yorinaga's Phantom Mech they would never be able to hammer the ISDF so hard as to capture their equipment.

Then again. Without Theo, many of the planetary Governors they had taken equipment from might have refused.

The losses continued to be catastrophic, but at least now, they had it.

"Tai-sho!"

Theo turned, seeing one of his men run up before bowing. "A women wearing the robes of ComStar has approached us. She wishes to speak to you… She asked for you by name."

Theo frowned. What did Comstar want?

"Find out what this one wants. I will ensure we are prepared to leave." Yorinaga offered simply turning to do just as he had said. Theo sighed. If he was anyone other than himself, Yorinaga's abruptness would be taken as an insult.

"Lead me."

Led through their camp surrounding the ISDF Colossus, Theo was brought before a hover car with the ComStar logo on its side. One of the ComStar adepts with a laser rifle stood beside the door, as he approached he opened the door.

"Please come in Tai-Sho Kurita, we have much to speak on." A womans voice echoed out and Theo wondered what exactly was going on. He slipped into the luxurious hover car, and to his surprise he recognized the woman that was sitting across from him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this meeting, Precentor Myndo Waterly?" He asked. Staring in to the older womans face as she smiled happily, offering him a drink out of the cars cooler, which he refused with a single twitch of his head.

"I am honored you would remember this one Tai-Sho Kurita. I am here, at the behest of the first Circuit. Finding you was… Difficult so I apologize for the delay." She picked up a Notepad and offered it to him. "On this note pad you will find an offer from the Primus in regards to the current situation developing. ComStar, has reasons to want to ensure that the Combine is not destroyed by the… ISDF."

Blinking his surprise away Theo took the pad glancing through the paperwork offered. The agreement was… Hmm, ComStar must be truly desperate. Truly desperate. What did they know of the ISDF to make them fear them so?

Theo breathed taking a moment to put that thought away for now. He looked into the womans eyes, "On Behalf of the Combine, with the authority I possess I agree to the terms of this deal."

"Good. It pleases ComStar to assist the dragon in this way. I hope you do not hold it against me, if I remind you verbally, that ComStar can in no way be attached to this?"

"I understand. I never met ComStar this day, the equipment was discovered in a cache."

"Excellent. May the Dragons claws swiftly put an end to our enemies." She offered raising a glass in a toast.

Theo nodded, leaving the car not long later. He allowed himself a few moments as he returned to Yorinaga to consider just what he had just done.

But it didn't matter. He was already aware of just how bad this entire situation was for the Combine. If nothing was done, his family would surely die. Better to make deals with devils than allow that.

"You return."

"I do. It seems we have discovered a cache of Lostech equipment. The Combine will have Lostech to battle against their invasion, and we have found dropships and Jumpships ready to take us to our destined battle." Theo replied looking at the colossus that he had just captured.

"I see." Yorinaga offered without further comment. The man was honorable, probably one of the most honorable men in his way that Theo had ever met, but he was glad that he had allowed Theo to command. Because in a battle such as this. An existential war, Honor would only keep them from taking the opportunities that were needed to win.

—--

I can't believe I was talked into this.

"Commander! Please look this way as we take the shot."

I grumble but do as requested. I would never have accepted this situation if the request hadn't come with a benefit I couldn't let go, but having Mike Haufenpfah once more nearby, and me not being able to assassinate him was annoying.

The request from the Donegal Broadcasting company, had been simple. With everything going on, they wanted to do a documentary on the Fourth Succession War, and Mike, since he had a 'connection' to the ISDF was offered as the director to take the shots from Green Base.

I would have obviously refused if not for a very important reason.

They were offering to send out camera teams to take shots and do work alongside the ISDF attacking the Combine.

One of my biggest worries was having my people get blamed for something they didn't do. ComStar had happily pinned warcrimes, or horrible acts on mercenary companies in the past. So having a camera crew with some of my people might just give them the chance to prove their innocence. When. Not if. It happened.

"Mike…" I grumbled as his camera continued to pan around me.

"One more moment Commander!" He offered as the camera panned behind me and out the window into space showing a jumpship that was preparing to leave.

In a flash it was gone, visible even from my office.

"And cut!"

"Mike…"

"I know! It's an amazing shot Commander! That will be a great intro shot." He crowed. The man hadn't changed much from when I last met him. Same frumpy style, same over energetic personality.

"Mike! I agreed to this, as long as it wasnt disruptive." I look around my office, my office that I had to turn off my sensor map and was currently filled with camera crew. "This is disruptive."

"Yes, but only for a moment! Alright people let's break here. Let the Commander get back to her work!" He called out hustling the rest of his people out of the office as I groaned. I knew he would be bothering everyone soon. Although most of my kids were more happy to be recorded than I was.

"Remember the benefits Vicky… Having professional camera crews following my people will protect them. It's a good thing. Assassination is a bad thing. Even if I could do it myself." I grumble my laser pistol heavy on my hip.

I just knew this was going to end up just as embarrassing for me as the movie. I just knew it.

"Looks like they are finally gone." A voice called out as Eris Stingler stepped into the office.

"Eris! Save me! I need assassinations done!"

Eris, as always completely ignored me.

"I have the requests from the LCAF here. Apparently your offensive has been causing a huge disruption in the Combine's ability to defend against the LCAF, but we are still getting requests from some of the estate generals for additional actions to help break up the defense the Combine have been putting together."

"Ugh. What more do they want?"

"Apparently they want you join them in a push towards Luthien from the LCAF attack corridor. Apparently the Estate generals are getting confident and want to try and cut off the head of the Dragon." Eris states calmly sitting across from me and pushing the papers forward.

Pushing away my childish antics for a moment I grabbed the folder of papers 'confidential' stamped across them. They must have been transported by snail mail.

Pushing them open I instantly shook my head. "They say they want a coordinated push, but what they really want is us to submit to their authority." I comment noticing it wasn't stated outright, but that agreeing would mean the LCAF would have complete command for the war.

The entire war.

"Yes." Eris offered with a shrug.

"Were you even going to warn me, if I didn't just say that?" I grumble at the spy.

"Of course. But only after letting you make a fool of yourself for a bit." Eris offered with a smile which I huffed at. The woman was still pissed at me for disappearing to get the Stick.

"Well thanks for that. Is there a good way to refuse this, while not pissing off the entire LCAF command?"

"Of course. I'll send a message out to the Archon to let her know about the offer. She will quickly slap the generals down. You know as well as I do that the Archon won't risk her relationship with the ISDF with this sort of play."

"True Aunt Katrina has our back." I nodded sagely, earning a roll of Eris's eyes.

"Yes, well, The Archon will have them send a second offer that isn't an undisguised attempt to force you into their chain of command."

"Give them the 319th, and the 320th anyways. Tell Katrina that cooperation is more important right now than just politics. Should help settle any ruffled feathers." I mutter. Both regiments were close to the invasion corridor the LCAF were planning, so having them there to support should be a good boost even if nothing else."

"That's… Very well Commander. I'll send the orders out on the next jumpship. We also have a military update from the AFFS."

"Did we get an update on the Wolves?"

"Only a small note from the AFFS. Apparently they managed to hold off the Combine attack, that you predicated. And are still acting as a thorn, but they moved from their defensive posture. They are raiding all along the Combine border."

"Well it looks like the Combine have some wolves on the border…" Hehehehe. I burst into giggles that Eris simply took in without a word. The woman was far too used to dealing with my nonsense.

"Commander? Should I leave?"

"No it's nothing, just an in joke. Sorry Eris. Tell me what we have learned about Theodore. I don't like how he has disappeared."

"Nothing since his last attack on Ashio… I have every connection I have with the LIC working on it Commander. And we even contacted MIIO."

I shook my head as I settled back. I knew Theodore Kurita would be a thorn in my side, and he had been. Apparently his Legions of Vega had combined together with the Genyosha, working to blunt the ISDF assaults. Worse? They had succeeded at least twice that I had a report on. Stealing enough Royal gear to turn them into a real threat.

Apparently Yorinaga had been a horrifying thing to run into for my kids. Their sensors and ranged attacks simply missing as he charged in with his Warhammer. Unfortunately none of the kids in mechs fighting him had a Lostech Sensor. It had been too easy for them to be salvaged on accident.

Phantom Mech. I groaned. What a pain in the ass. Hopefully my general order to just drop artillery on him whenever he was seen would work. And hopefully my kids remembered not to accept any duels.

I had plenty of loaves of bread for anyone dumb enough to do that.

"Commander there is one more thing."

"Hmm? What is it Eris?"

"I would like to be briefed on the 'Lostech Sensor' at this time." She stated calmly as she sat across from me.

I didn't go still, but I definitely twitched a bit at the reveal. Sneaky! She had waited until I was relaxed before bringing it up.

"Is that request coming from Lieutenant Stingler ISDF, or Eris Stingler LIC agent?" I asked calmly our eyes meeting in a duel.

I knew this day would eventually come no matter what. I had just hoped it wouldn't come out until far far too late.

"A bit of both." She answered back. "I've been getting 'requests' for information about what the ISDF is doing, and how. Specifically your ability to have perfect battlefield awareness. Benny and the others on the battlefield haven't been hiding their ability to outthink every enemy action. It makes people suspicious." She offered calmly.

"Fine. This is for Agent Stingler. Whatever I tell you, or you find out, keep it out of any HPG message, and preferably out of any contact outside Green Base until the war is over. I would hope she can understand how dangerous it would be, if the knowledge was leaked by ComStar, or by a General wanting some quick cash."

"Understood Commander."

"Then Eris. It is a bit past time since you were brought in." I reached over to the roundtable desk, flipped a chunk of the desk open to reveal a hidden SLDF security pad. The same security check that I pulled from Helm so long ago that was hiding the Nighthawks. It ran through a few checks Retina, Palm print, password ect.

Before the map in the middle of the large table came to life.

Showing the entirety of the Solar System.

I let Eris look it over for a few moments, before I noticed her interest skyrocket, as she started noticing things.

Like how I was getting data from on the planet, how it was tracking thousands of asteroids without seeming to lag, or have any other issues.

About how as she looked out the window she could see one of the dropships connecting to Greenbase at the same time as the one on the sensor.

"This is impossible." She finally spoke after a minute of obviously checking to make sure what she was seeing wasn't a joke.

"The Lostech Sensor. Is honestly the real secret to how we do things. I think you once asked me way back on Gniezno. How we were able to slip past all your defenses, how we always knew where your scouts were. Well there you go. It's not because we have super elite kill teams, which I am sure you already figured out. It's because we did know where everyone was. Everyone."

Eris had reached out to the holo and was navigating it, looking in on things, even zooming in to see the dots that represent people move around Green Base.

"You can see everything."

"Yeah." I settled back, closing my eyes. I had always know secrecy wouldn't last forever, but it was definitely a kick in the chest to know that it was happening now. I could just pray that the knowledge of the nanoforge really did stay quiet. Although…

Maybe not. I shrugged. I had already come up with a plan in case of the worst. But I would rather do something audacious like attack the Combine to put a stop to their horrors then sit on it forever and never let it be known.

Sometimes the risks were worth it.

"How many… How many of these sensors do you have? Can you make them? How? Where?"

"I have a good few. Exact numbers are confidential, even to you. Let's just say my mother found the mother load before she bit it. The sensor is one of the finds that she left to me. Command staff knows, and a lot of kids in general know about it. Homeguard were the first to be issued them for example."

"Those brats… They all knew and never told me!" She hissed before scoffing out a laugh. "I knew some of them knew I was digging for intel, but I never expected they were in on something this big." Eris looked a little frazzled as she wiped a hand through her hair for a moment.

"If it makes you feel any better. I'm amazed they managed to keep it from you for this long." I tell her before reaching in, and opening a second hatch this one required another set of security checks before it opened revealing the sensor inserted into a cubby. "This is the sensor as it stands. It's actually man portable, in its standard configuration it only has a range of about 100 clicks."

Eris reached in and started checking it out as I flipped a button and it clunked for a moment as it disconnected from the table. The map shutting down. I pulled it out showing her. "The trick is, when it's connected to a larger powersource it balloons out the range. Green Base has a pretty big fusion engine dedicated just for this. When it's all hooked up like this, it gets up tp stellar ranges."

"You could track a single person through an entire solar system with this… Gott. This is." I smiled, her accent had slipped into heavily german as she cursed.

"It's the biggest and best kept secret of the ISDF." I lie.

"People are finding out."

"Okay, it's the biggest, but moderately kept secret of the ISDF." I joke. "An unfortunate requirement. Keeping this a secret, or destroying the Combine. You can see what I chose."

She swallowed for a moment, and I could see it run through her head. Should she steal this? Take it to the Archon? But in the end to my surprise, Eris simply nodded and pushed it back into the slot in the table. Letting the table come alive.

"I expect to receive access to one now? My work would have gone a lot easier with something like this…" she trailed off as if a thought was coming to her. "This is how you always knew when the LIC tried to sneak on base!" She hissed to herself the realization hitting her before she started laughing. "Do you have any idea how many angry messages I received from other LIC agents complaining about you throwing them out on their ass?"

"Probably a lot." I admitted with a grin as her smile turned almost feral.

"I almost don't want to let this leak. Just so I can keep embarrassing a few."

"Hah! Well I think it's too late for that." I admitted. Her eyes meeting my own as I shrugged. "Go ahead and prepare an explanation and all the information you think Aunt Katrina will need to know. When this is all over. We will be going to Tharkad with another present… Do you think if I give her a couple she won't give me that disappointed look she always does?" I question earning a chuckle from Eris.

"If it was anyone else they would be worried about being assasinated." She points out reasonably as she settles onto the table beside me.

I shrug. What else could I do? I wasn't a great lord or something. Sure I had people that would try and protect me, but I wasn't going to live my whole life hiding in a box somewhere out in space where no one could find me.

"If it happens. It happens. I think I've done enough in this life to be happy with it, even if I do get taken out. Well hopefully it's not by Aunt Katrina's orders. That would… hurt."

She shakes her head, "You should be way more concerned about being assasinated Commander. What you have done just with the ISDF here is going to make you a massive target for anyone that wants to ensure you don't conquer half the Inner Sphere… Or all of it."

"Well I have no interest in that, and hopefully the people in charge realize that. But like I said. I won't not take the risk if it means that I end up doing nothing. Better to move forward to make the change I think needs to be done than just… hiding away."

"I still don't understand you." She offers after a moment. "But I'll do my best to keep you alive Commander."

I smile at her.

What else could I do? That was probably one of the sweetest things Eris had ever told me.

The door of my office opened, and Duncan slipped inside, taking a moment to notice the odd atmosphere before he stepped forward. Duncan was my current right hand. He had once been in the logistics corp, and he was basically in charge of making sure everything was coming in and going out correctly.

But what was odd, was what he was carrying. A packet of papers each of them in a folder with an Eisen-Blume stamped on the front.

I stilled.

"Sorry Commander. We just got the updated registry… Here are the updated losses." Duncan spoke softly, handing the stack of papers my way as I reached for them. It was times like this that made me wish I was a drinker. I bet grabbing a cup full of scotch and downing it would feel pretty good right about now.

"Thank you Duncan." I managed to reply, my voice only just catching in my throat. I opened the folder, the list of names was getting longer every time. I winced at the losses that were listed from an entire Colossus we had lost on re-entry to a planet. I read through wincing as I realized it had been caused by an insane Combine pilot.

Apparently the Combine were just as ready to use the old Kamikaze maneuver now as they were back on earth during World War II.

The entire Colossus had been lost. Breaking apart. So many people dead so quickly.

The problem with war, is that even with all the advantages I had, there were still losses. An entire Regiment had been taken out by an absolutely crazy attack on Shitara a few weeks back.

The entire enemy force had gathered together. Mostly tanks and infantry with a single support mech company, and charged the drop zone as my people were landing.

They had been carrying a nuke.

The enemy had been wiped out. But so had my forces…. Three Colossus simply gone in Nuclear hellfire.

And they weren't alone. The Combine were getting desperate.

"Make sure all of the mercs next of kin are given the care package." I ordered softly.

"It's already in the system being processed, Commander. We won't let a single one slip by. I promise." I nodded. The fact that our 'in case of death' policy was so gratuitous had probably been one of the reasons we had so many people signing up.

But then I moved down the list to the ISDF losses. Not just the mercs, but my kids. I read through the list. "Malory… She was so good at Painting. What the hell was she doing on a Colossus? Jackson? God, he was with us from the start. I still remember seeing him putting on our crappy flak jacket we bought back on Solaris, he was so small it didn't even fit." I whisper reading through. Remembering.

"Vicky." Eris had actually been the one to stop me as I looked up, my eyes blurry.

"Don't Eris. Don't tell me how to mourn my people." I nearly hissed, but the woman was unbothered, she hesitated for a moment, before seemingly finding a decision for herself as she pulled me into a hug.

"Vicky. If you are going to mourn, you don't do it alone. C'mon let's go find everybody. I'll miss Malory too. I still have a painting she did for me in my room at Red Base. C'mon… Everyone will want to remember their friends."

I let the woman pull me along.

We ended up settling into a room, and throughout the day whenever they were off duty my kids would enter the room and tell stories about the deceased. I stayed the whole day, doing my paperwork, and from the couch in the rec room. A holovid played with images of the deceased. It kept getting longer.

I never noticed Mike showing up with a camera.

—-971