044. Matters of publicity and mercenaries
July 2992, New Oslo
Chisaki Nagao looked on with great satisfaction.
Solaris may have their gladiatorial arenas.
Galatea may have their large scale battles.
Yet... was there anyone in the galaxy that had a wargame of the scale New Oslo had just seen?
No?
The answer was no.
Which was why every single media retailer in the galaxy with representation on New Oslo was beating down her door to get access to the recordings.
Recordings possible because of the Heimdall System, not that everyone knew that, of course.
Those that weren't on planet were chartering express jumpship routes to get here as quickly as possible, absolutely refusing to allow someone else to 'win' in this scenario by gaining the exclusive rights.
Not that she was selling blanket rights, everyone got a few copies of certain perspectives that they purchased the license for. Making money in truly enormous amounts. Copies were already showing up in the Free Worlds League and Combine from what she had heard (from LIC). The Heimdall system ensuring she would never run out of different clips, or even full records of different units during the Wargame.
Hell, the mercenaries that were at loose ends in the region or the Commonwealth in general. That had been tapped for this Wargame were extremely pleased with the entire situation.
Marketing on this scale, and bloodless, was something none had ever experienced. When the recordings went out, they would have some very interested potential employers seeking them out. Better yet, their legends would be spreading throughout the Inner Sphere, and best of all, they had been paid to take part!
More physical rewards were also on the way. On New Oslo, if they were willing to wait, there were Automachines being produced to bulk out their forces. Exosuits to guarantee that even their infantry were able to meet the bare minimum standard going forward. All being sold at cost to snare them as buyers. For those with even more capital in their accounts could purchase the Retro-Dropships and Retro-Jumpships (not that any could afford the Jumpships at this point). The New Oslo slips, by decree of Huu Eggers not having a reservation system like that of Blackjack. A genius move to encourage small businesses to migrate to New Oslo.
Not to mention the sheer marketing power that the Automachine concept would receive. The Haptic Control System, HCS had been developed by Eggers Armaments and Eggers Education was being sold across the Inner Sphere. Anyone who wanted the rights to the system to develop their own home-grown Automachine was purchasing the entire system wholesale.
Already, there were reports of the Federated Suns emerging with their own trooper-like units, of the Capellan Confederation, Draconis Combine... Free Worlds League, all, were running with the idea of a simple machine that relied on the human pilot to do all the complicated processing. Not needing to pay for complicated Gyros (that the Free Worlds League were suffering a shortage of) or combat computers, when the pilot was handling all of it with their bodies. Reports that would become exponential as every company, not just those directed by their nation states, would be looking into investing for themselves.
Chisaki wasn't involved in that at the moment. She was here to sell things, to run marketing, to ensure that the Inner Sphere knew of Eggers Armaments, Eggers Shipping, Eggers Defence Force... Eggers everything.
Ensure everyone knew about them.
And, of course, The Wolverine.
Waiting for a release until this month, the movie was finally put into theatres across the Inner Sphere, alongside with the wargame recordings.
And, oh, was it big. The biggest production to date, it involved dropships, jumpships CGI'd to look like Warships, Battlemechs, Smialy's, Exosuits, and legions of actors.
The Inner Sphere would buy this... modern fantasy story of Aleksander Kerensky and his descendants. Not any more outlandish than many other fictional tales, however this one... had a certain amount of flair to it.
One that might make it unbelievable to the viewers. This idea of Clans had clearly been a way for the Wolverines to lean into the gimmick... but Chisaki could see it working. As an explanation of where they came from? Hah, who would believe such an outlandish tale? Trial by combat, trials of refusal, bloodnames, reaving? Hah, only an idiot would believe such an outlandish tale.
Still.
If there was anything Chisaki could not sell... she had not found it.
+_+
August 2992, New Oslo
Guðlaug Jónasdóttir received the message.
The movie that she, Mairi and Sandra has pushed for, The Wolverine (2992) was releasing across the Lyran Commonwealth today.
Settling down on the bridge of the Eggers, first of the Providence Class Jumpships, Guðlaug beamed at the projection. The first showing, the movie that she, herself, asked to be held back.
Mairi was up here, coordinating with the Wolverine - majority crew. The combat drops over New Oslo from their Rook Retro-Dropships had been... messy.
Effective, yes, but without practising it properly, trying to drop 100 blocks of metal out of a dropship, each one unable to actually guide themselves... well, they were lucky half had actually landed on-target. The rest had been spread out over a hundred kilometre splash zone.
Luckily... luckily, there had not been any accident when it came to their parachutes and rocket-adjust systems. Backpacks one put on to orient them upwards... to land on the feet.
Which was good.
Because... well, the numbers were there. At 50 gravities of deceleration on impact, the internal organs will experience transection... cutting in other words across the entire organ. Aortas and major arteries experience the same phenomenon, while bones fracture. 100+ gravities and major bones will fracture.
350+ gravities and the... person... will experience... 'Total Body Fragmentation'.
It was not pretty.
Something that only got worse when the Automachine would catch fire and the body parts... well, it wasn't great.
She shuddered delicately. Not a full-body shudder, she had seen such effects before, but a slight shudder... of distaste.
In any case, Mairi was here as well to watch the holovid, as were much of her command staff.
The room was crowded, all wanted to be here for this.
Those who couldn't make it had small computers of their own to stream the event.
Hark, children of the Clans,
to the wisdom of Kerensky and your forebears.
Know what has come before;
remember it and you strive toward the future.
The words of the Remembrance Saga rang out gently, the voice almost a whisper. All of those in the room mouthed them by heart.
The beginning of the movie, the beginning of their story. Time spent with Chisaki had convinced Guðlaug that this was the correct course of action. By seeding their story now... it would ensure that all were primed for the arrival of the Clans.
Yet, it would also, in a twist of fate, make their story seem all the more fantastical.
Guðlaug herself had to reconcile some of this when thinking about it from the perspective of someone who was not initiated. That the Great Father had a son, the Great Father (not to be confused with the other Great Father), who had created a society where might ruled over all. One where the people had patterned themselves on totem animals.
Would anyone not of the Wolverines believe this?
Would anyone think that the story was credible in any possible way?
No.
But, in telling the story now, it would set the stage for when the Clans invaded. The story they took as a farcical attempt at a caricature of the Great Father (they would never dare do such a thing), would, in fact, turn out to be completely true.
It had been the Great Father (third of his name), Lord Eggers, that had given them the inspiration to do this.
"Would anyone believe such a crazy story?" He had said to her (and Hunter Bek, probably Hunter Bek), when they were looking at the first Cradle as it was laid down.
"Does anyone think that it could be true when looking at what you're doing now?" He had continued, (Hunter saying something about his lack of management experience, Guðlaug wasn't paying attention to his words).
"Just do what you need to do. Tell whoever listens the truth, but they're going to look at this... and see a different truth." Guðlaug had quickly rushed to write those words down for the Remembrance Saga. Not paying any further attention to Hunter, clearly those words were meant for her, the Wolverine.
Such thoughts had not clarified into reality until a later point when she had been made head of Eggers Shipping. It was not merely that he knew they were not of the Commonwealth, (well, technically she was since she had birth records and everything), but that they were of the Clans!
Thus, using her powers as head of Eggers Shipping, had contacted Chisaki with changes to the movie. To put his words into action in truth, instead of using allegory for the Wolverines and the Clans.
Thus, the Remembrance Saga, excerpts from it sprinkled throughout the movie in the background.
The direct naming of the Clans, of their threat, of their society and its rules. Of a Trial of Refusal, and more.
Throughout it all, they watched as the plucky Wolverines, always ready to challenge an enemy greater than they, fought with dogged determination and skill. Eventually using, not great strength, but guile to trick Clan Wolf, the betrayer, from their world. Suffering horrific initial losses, the young warriors of the planetary Sibkos discussed the issue of this new enemy they were facing. Legendary demons of old, come to destroy all that was beautiful about the Inner Sphere.
An Inner Sphere full of ugliness and marred by failures, yet it was only with imperfection could beauty be found. Taking their knowledge, applying it, and creating the conditions necessary for victory out of their initial failure. Remembering their ancient legends to craft a battle strategy in the face of this new threat. The deaths of their comrades to be remembered in the recounting of the Remembrance Saga.
Throughout it all, two theme songs played, Clan Wolverine finding that Retro-Synth-Pop was their preferred music.
Take On Me by A-Ha, illustrating their great determination and willpower.
Clan Wolf, on the other hand, as appropriate for the Clan of betrayers, of the whisperers of lies received the disgrace of the Clan-voted, worst music. Terran Soft Rock. For was it not Clan Wolf that the Great Father joined? And thus, was deceived into annihilating Clan Wolverine? For who else had his ears? Who else could drip their poison into his chalice?
And so, for that crime, in particular, Every Breath You Take by The Police. A great insult indeed!
As with The Farmer, the songs were altered in instrumentation and vocalisation throughout the movie to achieve different effects. The original Every Breath You Take upbeat and joyful, full of arrogance. The last showing, of defeat and anger, was slower, possessive... almost obsessive.
Yes.
One might say that this was the perfect introduction to the Clans for Clan Wolverine. An enemy to be afraid of, yet, for all they were different, were able to be understood if one took a step back and considered the issue.
At the end of the experience, Guðlaug wiped a tear.
Yes, this was exactly what they were aiming for.
Perfect.
In the words of their Lord, 'it's all coming up aces'.
+_+
August 2992, New Oslo
Huu Eggers felt... distressed.
He imagined it was like what would happen if someone you trusted, just... walked up behind you, reached around your waist... and then cut your dangly bits off, before running away.
His other corporations, at the very least, had the decency to stand in front of him before stabbing him in the balls.
But Chisaki.
Chisaki had secretly been selling the recordings of the Wargame. Something he had worked on so hard and long (by delegating to Glory) to lose money. A way to lose billions, twice a year at that!
Billions of Kroner, just... gone through the running of machines, salaries, maintenance, combat pay, hiring of mercenaries to perform combat drops. So much money, and now he was on the way to making it back from all of these sales!?
What was even worse, was that Chisaki had worked together with Aliyah of Eggers Education and Anton of Tolsand Warworks and the Wolverines and... pretty much everyone, actually. Was there anyone that wasn't part of this?
Seriously, Huu had to search up and ask Glory to actually find all the different corporations connected to this project.
The Exosuit Combat Arts had been developed by his mother (no surprise there), and was being spread around. Which made sense, things die easier when you stab them or something. He could accept that. His mother would refuse to be left out of such a project.
What he couldn't accept was that Eggers Media was selling lessons on them to public television, was using Eggers Shipping to publicise it further in their travels, Tolsand Warworks selling the Exosuits to schools, Armaments trying to do the same with the Smialy, the Schools of Conflict creating formalised classes that everyone else was selling, Healthcare and Calisthenics selling it as a way to stay healthy, and practice a martial art to keep them safe. The EDF endorsing it and helping develop the whole system with the Wolverines.
In other words... everyone except Construction and Wotan Mining were involved in this great betrayal. It was... horrific.
Even his personal of personal guards, the Veelvraat were involved!
Disgusting.
He had to find some way to solve this, some way to lose all this money...
Money... education...
Yes, education could be free! The schools were free, thus the lessons, the materials provided, everything was part of learning, wasn't it? It could all be free!
Yes!
That was the way. Make all the materials free, the lessons provided for free on... an educational channel on television!
It would be like... Bob the Builder, but with swords and stuff.
Actually, why stop there?
He could start a league! Yes!
A sporting league of Exosuit Combat Arts. Schools on Providence-Class Jumpships that would travel around the Inner Sphere, teaching how to fight in or against Exosuits. A non-profit, educational system that would set up sporting leagues on planets wherever they were allowed to set down. Setting up different teams to compete against each other, all requiring exosuits and teachers of their own! Ones he would provide for free, it was educational!
The entire school, across the Inner Sphere, would be funded by Eggers Education... no. Make it independent under Eggers General Education so that... so that, it could go all over the Inner Sphere as a neutral non-profit organisation!
Then there would be tournaments on Furillo (Iris would like that right? More people to her planet meant she would be more important? Or something?) every year.
Perfect.
Perfect!
He could imagine it now, transporting all those people everything, at cost, hiring teachers, providing exosuits for free... yes.
This would lose him money, and more importantly, stop Eggers Media making him money!
Chisaki had betrayed him greatly.
He would need to keep an eye on her...
Then there was The Wolverines. Good movie and stuff. He hadn't really paid attention, but one thing did stand out.
Clans!
Which reminded him again of HBS Battletech, especially the mod that let you play with Clan Mechs. Which was seriously irritating, you kill them, get salvage, and now need to pick Prime, A, B or whatever when assembling their salvage. Why did they have such a confusing Battlemech design processes?
Sure, it might be because his lasers did 800 damage each, with a range of 9000 metres, could shoot indirectly, and added 500 heat... while his Called Shot had 99.98% accuracy. All thanks to a little tweaking of the game files.
But really, they weren't that much better, generally weren't very good looking, and never gave you mercenary contracts. So, he stomped on them all the time to build up mechs, to then sell later. Also, they had funny names like... Jade Falcon and Ghost Bear. Wasn't one of them Clan Wolf or something?
Was that mod based on real life?
Were the Clans a real thing? But... eh, they died to headshots in every mission without even doing anything because of his nigh-infinite morale.
They couldn't be that big a deal.
Now that he thought about it.
Mercenaries?
Wasn't this just another way to lose money?
Mercenaries cost like... 1,000,000 C-Bills every month from his memory. And that was with just 12 Battlemechs without aircraft or infantry... and with a single Leopard in the HBS game. Hiring mercenaries in real life wasn't that expensive... but there were hundreds of thousands of them in the Inner Sphere!
...
What if... what if he just hired Mercenaries to sit around and so nothing?
++ System Warning. Host must use assets, they cannot be left without tasks. ++
Right... right.
But, like all great men, Huu couldn't give up on this idea now that it was in his head. Mercenaries, what a way to lose money, right?
Seriously, he had to just get it worked out.
After all, the EDF was quite consistently losing him hundreds of millions just by... existing.
So, let's puzzle it out, he thought.
If the assets that he owned couldn't be left to do nothing.
What about stipends or investments?
Yes... that could work.
"System, can I... invest some money into a mercenary company and not give it orders? Just... like... you know, have it keep doing whatever, but I pay for maintenance and stuff..."
++ Host cannot waste money! Mercenaries hired by Host must act on behalf of Host! Ownership level does not matter! ++
Right.
So, that plan was out the window.
Hmmm.
Wait-a-minute.
"Can I pay mercenaries not to attack me?"
++ ... Host may. ++
Yes!
He fist-pumped, this was going to be perfect!
He would... um.
Actually, he had to plan this all out.
First, creating Eggers Mercenary Hostel. Which would pay interested Mercenary companies a set stipend to not attack Eggers General Utility assets. And... um... paying them to train EDF units while they were on the same world.
He had to justify it, right? Nobody else was doing this... and if he did it, then people would ask why he was spending so much money on something that nobody else did.
Eggers General Utility had to blend in! Had to be normal!
Since they were also teaching the EDF, it was educational... so even if they ever became assets, they wouldn't count on his asset sheet at the end of the Cycle!
Huu clenched his fist, it was all coming up aces!
+_+
September 2992, New Oslo
The Gulo mercenary company... was... well, a recent and new thing.
Created on the other side of the Inner Sphere from New Oslo in the Periphery worlds.
A creation that was done with immense haste as this... Clan Wolverine had revealed themselves.
A Clan Wolverine that was stealing their name.
As the actual Clan Wolverine descendants, or rather, the Gulo. Latin for glutton, they felt the need to protect the name. Even if they had discarded it upon leaving the Clans, most of their number dead from the atrocities of the mockery of humanity that the Pentagon Worlds had become. The elders, therefore, had sent them out to investigate just... what in the hells was going on.
There had been concern of just how to do that. They had the jumpship, yes. But taking it on a trip to the literal other side of the Inner Sphere would leave their people without transport. At the same time, there was the issue of them having weapons and ammunition, but this being an investigation precluded their use.
The debate had consumed the Gulo for an entire year, until a solution had dropped into their laps.
The new Eggers Mercenary Hostel had been established.
It would provide a stipend for all who were willing to accept its terms, of not attacking Eggers General Utility assets.
To train with EDF units while on the same planet... of which the Wolverines were a subordinate unit.
To receive the stipend, one must make their way to New Oslo to receive certification... a trip that the EMH would pay for.
While on New Oslo, they would receive access to everything E.G.U produced at cost, as long as they passed the standards check.
Was there any question of what they would be doing then? Everything had been laid out, they just needed to... well... go.
And so they had.
500 of the Gulo had formed the Gulo Mercenary Company.
They did not bring anything that might incriminate them. No uniforms, no battlemechs, no jumpships. Merely themselves, and basic weapons one might find anywhere in the periphery. Their own ships depositing them on the Aurigan Border, before they themselves chartered a ship with the transit fees offered by Eggers Mercenary Hostel.
The journey was one of 915 Light Years and would take at least 334 days.
But... at the end of it, they would dig out the truth of these... imposters.