BattleTech Lore: House Steiner

Overview

ComStar answers all… Who was Claudius the Cruel?What is the hottest rock group in the Inner Sphere?Which mercenary leader has a crush on Melissa Steiner?Precariously poised between the fierce eagle of House Marik and the voracious dragon of House Kurita, House Steiner fights a desperate battle to protect the worlds, industries, and peoples of the Lyran Commonwealth. One of the five Successor States of the fallen Star League, the Commonwealth is noted for having the strongest economy and the weakest military leadership of all the realms. Nevertheless, its clenched fist is a symbol of defiance to those who would swallow the Commonwealth whole. Compiled from ComStar records both ancient and modern comes this sourcebook on the Lyran Commonwealth and House Steiner. Included are dozens of full-color illustrations depicting Commonwealth rank insignias, unit crests, medals, personalities, and more. Classified documents on the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces’ deployment from the Tamar Theater to Tharkad, military structure, and political intrigues are also provided. The extensive history section stretches from Terra’s first steps into interstellar space to Melissa Steiner’s betrothal to Hanse Davion. Discover the skeletons in the Steiners’ closets…

Credits

Writing:
Boy F. Peterson, Jr.

Editorial Staff
Editor-in-Chief
L. Ross Babcock III
Senior Editor
Donna Ippolito
Editors
Todd Huettel
Tara Gallagher
Robt. Wells

Production Staff
Production Manager
Jordan Weisman
Art Director
Dana Knutson
Cover Art
Dana Knutson
Uniform Design and Illustration
David R. Dietrick
Color Illustration
Jim Holloway
Illustration
Jeff Laubenstein
Todd F. Marsh
Dana Knutson
Dawen Wehrs
Typesetting
Tara Gallagher
Robt. Wells
Layout
Tara Gallagher
Pasteup
Jeff Laubenstein
Todd F. Marsh
Dana Knutson
Dawne Wehrs

Publisher:
FASA

Product code:
1621

Published:
1987

ISBN-10:
1555600336

ISBN-13:
978-1555600334

Introduction

By Gerald Steiner-Nelson,
ComStar Archives, Terra

The average citizen regards ComStar as a last bastion of knowledge and wisdom, which conjures images of robed figures guarding a tremendous library containing all the knowledge in the universe. Even we of ComStar sometimes forget that knowledge cannot be totally captured in a book or computer memory, but that it also develops daily, constantly growing and changing, as people live and learn. Some ComStar members believe themselves keepers of all that is known or worth knowing. It can be a rude shock to these brethren to discover the wisdom of laymen and the fallibility of ComStar, a discovery often resulting from a serious transgression by that brother or sister against a Successor State or even against our Order itself.

The First Circuit has commissioned this series of books on the Successor States in hopes that giving our members a basic understanding of each State’s citizenry will prevent future breaches that might destroy ComStar’s reputation. These volumes will be part of every Acolyte’s education in order to develop respect for the cultures of those less fortunate than we. No one but ComStar could have gathered much of the information contained here, which makes these books the most valuable Successor State references now in existence.

House Steiner, the subject of this volume, is of major concern to ComStar. As the Commonwealth continues to develop its economic, technological, and social potential, it will prove either a potent client or ComStar’s most active enemy. With its strong economy and massive industrial base, the Lyran Commonwealth has the potential to achieve an interstellar domination stronger than any military conquest, winning the allegiance of planets by development, not destruction. Should the Lyran military overcome its history of mismanagement, House Steiner’s advantage in ‘Mechs and materiel would further reinforce their power.

The Commonwealth’s history provides a valuable lesson in the use of compromise. The extensive historic account in this book traces the path that this realm has taken to avoid the perils of political fragmentation that plagues the Free Worlds League, or the political repression that stifles the Draconis Combine.

This book also provides insight into the new alliance between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns. This sudden and unexpected union is the most important event to occur in the Inner Sphere since the fail of Star League. What happens between the two powers will shape our future, and it is vital that every ComStar member stay informed of developments.

In addition to the extensive history sections, this volume includes vital information on the economic, political, military, social, and cultural aspects of life in the realm of House Steiner. There is also an atlas of key Commonwealth worlds and a briefing on leading personalities of House Steiner. Altogether, this book should give an understanding of life for the average Commonwealth citizen as well as insight into how its rulers think and behave.

It is the duty of all ComStar members to study these guides. The coming years promise to be as turbulent as any in this era of wars. Our knowledge of the powers and people of the Successor States may determine whether we prosper or wither.

History

INTRODUCTION

The backward look behind the assurance
Of recorded history, the backward halflook
Over the shoulder, toward the primitive terror.

—From The Dry Salvages, by T(homas) S(tearns) Eliot, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3024 (first published 1941)

You have to question the sanity of anyone who claims that history is filled with honor and moral deeds. Either the man is a lunatic or is too stupid to understand what historians throughout the ages have been trying to say.

—From Shards of the Mirror. History as the Future’s Reflection, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3023

The Successor States: five separate empires, each ruled by a single family that has reigned over their hundreds of worlds for hundreds of years. These ruling families control vast resources, countless people, and near limitless possibilities. They are also responsible for the many planets now in ruins, wastelands that stand as mute condemnation of the five Successor Lords’ inability to coexist.

The defiant clenched fist of House Steiner’s banner flies over the Lyran Commonwealth, the third largest realm. Defiant indeed, for the Lyrans and their vigorous economy are unmatched in their ability to reflect some of the material glory of the Star League era. Though their military history has not been equally glorious, House Steiner mocks its enemies by prospering despite the setbacks. Indeed, it is slowly but surely entangling the entire Inner Sphere in the webs of its commerce and products.

Located in the northwest quadrant of what would eventually become known as the Inner Sphere, the Lyran Commonwealth includes some of the most resource-rich planets in known space. These immense resources, coupled with the shrewd business sense of countless Lyran political and business leaders, have managed to keep the realm’s economy moving ever forward despite the military setbacks. To repair the ravages of war, government and industry have always joined forces to repair damage. Some historians have even suggested that business is the Steiner religion and factories their temple, so great is the desire to see damage repaired and the economy moving forward again.

The Commonwealth lost much technology to the Succession Wars, as did the other Successor States, but the rate of decline has been slower and more gradual. This was because farsighted Lyran businessmen and political leaders constantly readjusted the economy and the people’s expectations to match the dwindling technology. As a result, the Lyran economy was never totally disrupted. House Steiner is currently the richest realm, with the highest average standard of living, an economy both vigorous and stable, and with the only currency more powerful than ComStar’s C-Bills.

The history of any of the Successor States revolves around the ruling family. In the Lyran Commonwealth, that means House Steiner. The most economically shrewd of the five ruling houses, the Steiners realize that without a strong and viable economy churning out arms and munitions, they have little hope of holding back the incursions of their neighbors, the Draconis Combine and the Free Worlds League. They also realize that the loyalty of their peoples rests upon how much material comfort and hope for the future they enjoy. It is because the Steiner family pursues prosperity rather than raw power that their position is presently so strong.

Sowing Uncertain Seeds

The food riots in the Sovereign Republic of Northern Ireland that began in the poorer districts of Belfast last night have now been quelled. It is uncertain how many are dead or wounded. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom today proposed a worldwide moratorium on the production of all freon-based products to help stop the further depletion of the ozone layer. It is estimated that one million will suffer skin cancers. The development of the first spaceship to use the Kearny-F u c h i d a drive has gone over budget for the fifth time. The leaders of the Affiliation of Poorer States have called the new ship a “great white elephant.”

—From The Evening News with Jessica Fredders, Terran National Broadcasting Co., April 2, 2105

Dawn Of A New Age

The maiden voyage of the first truly interstellar ship in 2108 proved to be far more than a dawning of a new age of exploration. The Terran Alliance, the global government created in 2086, was having a rocky time, despite the high ideals of its founders. There were frequent clashes between the rich member-nations and those poorer states who felt over-taxed but denied the material benefits their taxes helped to create for others. While war often seemed just around the corner as politicians played with Armageddon, Terra herself was failing deeper into a quagmire of pollution and overcrowding.

Thousands fled from this chaos on the sails of the newly developed JumpShips. They founded colonies on worlds so distant that the settlers believed that all the petty bickering, all the self-interested politics, were now far behind them. As one popular song put it, they hoped to spend their lives “sowing seeds in new Eden”. Though this was not always the case, even horror stories like that of bull-sized predators who devoured the entire colony on Thorin did not dampen the widespread desire to flee the politics and pollution of Terra.

By 2172, more than a hundred human colonies had formed a sphere 120 light years in diameter. Within the next 60 years, that number swelled to more than a thousand newly settled worlds. Communications between the farthest colony and Terra now took a full eight months.

Considering the distances and times involved, it is no surprise that some of the more distant colonies declared their independence in 2236. Mother-governments are seldom prepared to let their offspring decide their own destinies. So it was with the Terran Alliance which immediately, and with righteous indignation, to take back its own. The attempt to win back the rebellious worlds led to a costly little war that taught the Alliance that distances and the difficulty in maintaining lines of supply were a more real enemy than colonists hiding in the bushes with their laser rifles.

This fiasco set off a bitter power struggle within the Alliance that was to last for decades. One of the first results of this struggle was an abrupt change in the policies of the Terran Alliance toward its colonies. The Expansionist Party was voted out of power in favor of the more isolationist Liberal Party. The new government completely withdrew its troops and administrators from the frontier worlds, leaving them gloriously independent but naked as newborn babes.

The colonies had won their sovereignty, but it was small comfort now that they were cut off from Terra’s aid. The colonists soon found that they could not eat independence when their crops failed, nor could they drink sovereignty when fresh water suddenly grew foul. Their vaunted ‘Freedom’ from distant Terra was a joke to colonists cowering behind barbed wire while house-sized predators lurked in the dark forests beyond. And so the children of the Alliance shivered in the cold while their motherworld sulked within the 30 light-year radius of her new borders.

Founding Fathers

Life grew increasingly grim for the colonies, many of which dwindled and died from Terra’s neglect. Meanwhile, the home planet existed in the eye of a nearly perpetual political storm that set rival parties at each other’s throats. The resulting political intolerance and strife created a whole new wave of people who decided to leave Terra, booking passage on JumpShips headed for the outworlds. This new wave of emigrants, many of whom were the planet’s best and brightest, is now known as the Exodus.

Among those who left to seek their fortunes was Ian McQuiston, a rich, cocky Scotsman. The 30-year-old son of a merchant-ship company owner in Great Britain, McQuiston was among the many who had to leave Terra because his mind and his mouth were too closely linked. Not only had this made trouble for him with his father and his lover, but his aggressive business dealings had also alienated many people. McQuiston was determined that out there among the colonies he was going to do things his way. This Scotsman chose the distant colony on Skye because he had heard that only Skye had the moody rain, deep green valleys, and fog-wreathed hills of his beloved homeland.

The shrewd McQuiston soon showed true to form by acquiring three of the planet’s largest trading companies. In 2282, his fellow colonists elected Ian president of Skye, an honor he had not sought but that pleased him nonetheless. By 2296, he had managed to consolidate several interplanetary merchant fleets into the Skye Traders, a conglomerate that came to dominate a wedge of space between the Alliance border and the worlds of Ford, Clinton, and Sakhalin. Though not a particularly tall man, McQuiston certainly proved himself long on economic and political savvy.

After gaining economic control over many of the worlds serviced by Skye Traders, McQuiston next entered into a series of negotiations with the planetary leaders to win their cooperation for his next ambitious step. In 2299, Ian McQuiston had enough power to announce that he was forming an interstellar government. It would be known as the Federation of Skye, and would guide the political destiny and provide military protection for the worlds controlled by his trading company.

In this era, McQuiston was not the only ambitious man in this farflung corner of known space. When the Federation of Skye was only about ten years old, McQuiston quarreled with Seth Marsden, his most trusted advisor. Marsden promptly quit the company. Though it was rumored that the two had fallen out over money, Marsden was probably seeking a pretext to make his own fortune under his own terms. Following in his mentor’s footsteps, he decided to make a fresh start on Donegal, where he arrived in 2301. With its amiable climate and many natural resources, Donegal was a pleasant world whose central location gave it strategic importance as well.

Marsden proved himself an apt pupil. Twelve years after establishing his own trading company, Donegal Freights and Goods, his power and influence had blossomed to the point where he, too, had created his own political domain, the Protectorate of Donegal.

Meanwhile, the Tamars, a family of American-Pakistani origins, were having their own success in a region of space bounded by Fatima, Nox, and Suk II. Though they had also formed their own shipping and trade company, the Tamars’ real power was based on their agricultural resources and their ability to train soldiers to fight bandits, a major scourge in their region. Because of these strengths, their political power grew to the point that, in 2235, they created the Tamar Pact, a mutual defense alliance designed to combat banditry and to promote the resources of the region.

Steiners In Space

The smell was intolerable. Here in the Emigrant’s Waystation at Terra’s zenith jump point, so many thousands had entered the processing room and then gone out again through the large double doors at the other end. To exit through those doors was the goal of the hundreds that now packed the poorly lit, poorly ventilated room. Yet, those same doors seemed to be guarded by the dozens of haggard bureaucrats crouched over their cluttered desks and dusty computer consoles. Perhaps that was the reason the overriding odor of the place was fear.

A tall, young man with blond hair and gray eyes stood uncertainly before a Processor who was violently jabbing at a computer keyboard and muttering curses. Nervously, the young man twisted his ring, its silver fist emblem that caught the weak light and flashed briefly. Finally, the young man spoke:

“Enshul… I mean, excuse me, bitte.”

The official looked up and took the collection of forms from the young man. After casting a cursory glance over the papers, he looked up again.

“This you, Gunther Ludwig Steiner?”

“Yes.”

“Donegal, huh? Long way, but they say that’s where the action is.” Not waiting for a reply, the man went on, “I see here you’ve already got a job there. With who?”

“I will be an assistant data manager with Donegal Freights and Goods.”

The official didn’t hear, or else he was too busy stamping and signing the emigrant’s papers. With a final scribble, he looked up and handed the forms back to the young man.

“Give this top form to the stewards when you board. Your ship is the Colonial JumpShip Aaron Bruenston, docked at gate 5D. Good luck.”

Gunther Steiner took his stack of forms and walked toward the large doors leading to the JumpShip terminal and his new future.

—From The Steiner Family: A Dramatization, holoplay by Gregory Dupont, Donegal Broadcasting Co., January 5, 3011

Hegemony, Prosperity, And Foundation

The Terran Alliance finally fell apart in 2314. All the talk, all the noble speeches that had once proclaimed it as the last bastion for the betterment of mankind, were shattered by gunfire as the Expansionists and the Liberals fought it out in the streets. The bloody warfare went on for several months before the charismatic James McKenna intervened with his fleet and assumed political control. McKenna then forged a new order from the ashes of the old. He named it the Terran Hegemony.

As leader of the Hegemony, James McKenna stimulated a new age of scientific and political interest in the colonies, reestablishing Terra as the center of humanity and a place to which the distant worlds could turn for help. Though the earlier Terran Alliance had shrunk in size and influence, the Hegemony soon regained direct control over more than a hundred worlds. McKenna’s policies helped to spark a time of prosperity throughout the Inner Sphere, a prosperity that led to the discovery of new technologies and other scientific advances that spread from Terra to the most distant colonies.

The three defense pacts greatly benefited from the Terran government’s renewed interest in the worlds beyond its borders. Coreward, the Tamar Pact and the Protectorate of Donegal both embarked on ambitious exploration and expansion programs that more than doubled the size of each realm. The Federation of Skye, on the other hand, found itself boxed in by the Tamar Pact on one side, the Marik Commonwealth on the other, the Protectorate of Donegal toward the Periphery, and the Hegemony earthward. This effectively prevented the Federation from expanding even one lightyear beyond its original borders. Though few in the Federation wanted to renounce the ambition to acquire new worlds, they had no choice but to turn their energy inward, becoming one of the first colonial regions to heavily industrialize.

It is sad but true that cooperation flourishes best in times of prosperity, not austerity. So it was with humanity during the good years of the Hegemony. Smaller realms began merging to form larger and more powerful states centered on a strong central government. In 2271, the Free Worlds League was the first such Terran Hegemony member-state to be formed. Next, the Federated Suns was created by the Crucis Pact of 2317. They were soon followed by the creation of the Draconis Combine in 2319.

By the 2330s, there was talk of a merger among the McQuistons, the Marsdens, and the Tamars, all of whom had good reason to desire it. With its vast number of worlds, the Protectorate of Donegal had plenty of raw resources but not enough population to fully industrialize. The Federation of Skye, on the other hand, had plenty of people and the best-developed industries, but the ready resources on its worlds were running out. For its part, the Tamar Pact feared that House Kurita would eventually seek to conquer its rich worlds, and the Kurita armies were not an enemy that the Tamars could hope to fight off alone.

In 2339, Kevin Tamar decided that the time for idle talk was over. He proposed to the leaders of the other two leagues that they meet and discuss the possibility of uniting. A year later, all three arrived on the Tamar world of Arcturus to discuss the proposed merger.

Though the talk was earnest and remarkably free of ego, the three men could not agree on the best system of government to unite their realms. Businessmen all, they easily created a promising economic plan, but the political question brought the talks to a standstill. A refined and educated man, Kevin Tamar had proposed a system of nine ‘archons’ to rule the realm in much the same way the ancient Greeks ruled their city-states. Though, his two colleagues were not much impressed, they eventually agreed to the idea because nothing better had emerged from their talks.

To reinforce the ancient Greek imagery, Robert Marsden proposed the three-stringed Grecian lyre as the new state’s symbol. This symbol eventually inspired a name for the new state: the Lyran Commonwealth. Thomas McQuiston heartily agreed with the state seal and name. “Tis a good name,” he said, “showing to all that we three merged our realms for our common wealth and not out of some twisted desire to dominate our neighbors.”

On January 5, 2341, Michael Cameron, Director General of the Terran Hegemony, officially recognized the Lyran Commonwealth. In his speech, he welcomed “the new member-state with its grand potential and resourceful peoples.”

Independence Day

On this holiday of holidays, Simon Kilsly was upset. He had just learned from his boss at Deptron Electronics that he was being transferred from his home on Skye to distant Donegal. What had he done to deserve this? Uprooting his family to move to a foreign world where they hardly knew a tri-gated logic circuit from a rock? Where was the sense in that? If this is what it meant to be part of the Lyran Commonwealth, then he would rather remain a Federation man-and the devil hang all the glory talk about strength and destiny.

His wife sensed Simon’s anger as he entered their small apartment. She wondered if perhaps he had seen the remnants of the paint a graffitist had splattered across their door. Even with the fan-laser, it had taken most of the day to remove the paint.

Watching him grumble while ensconced in his favorite chair, she decided that Simon had not seen the graffiti. It must be his work, she thought. Lucky that grandmother and grandfather were away from the house celebrating their 60th anniversary and would probably spend the night at a hotel reliving old memories. That meant it would only be her, Simon, and the three kids in the apartment tonight. She hoped that Simon’s foul mood would be soothed by the unaccustomed quiet.

—From The Kilslys: History Through the Common Family, by Thomas Ehrlich, Dontar & Smithson, Publishers, 3000

Economic Developments

A loaf of bread that cost 5 Tamar dollars last week now costs 54 dollars after the government devaluation. The border incident, the worst in 20 years, involved a battalion of Skye armor and a regiment of Kurita infantry. Tensions along the border have increased enormously. Prime Minister Davis Kelswa today ordered open discussion of the Pact’s continued participation in the Commonwealth, which he characterized as, “a pack of ravenous wolves feasting upon the carcasses of our labors.”

—From the All-The-News-You-Need-To-Know Show, Proud Skye Network, November 16, 2364

Chaos And Corruption

All the noble sentiments that went into creating the Lyran Commonwealth soon disappeared as the sheer logistics of governing the gigantic state became apparent. Its three leaders could not even agree who would become the nine ruling archons, let alone watch over the lives of a hundred billion people.

It took until 2346 to decide finally that the nine archons would include the leaders of the three founding defense pacts, their deputies, an elected treasurer, the commander of the Commonwealth defense force, and a transportation secretary. Once they had finally come to terms on this, they still could not agree on who should be the Archon Basileus, the leader of archons.

When the archons met officially for the first time in the ornate capital constructed just for them on Arcturus, they decided that their economic plan for the Commonwealth was full of holes. The attempt to merge the three economies, each with its own currency and characteristics, had resulted in near chaos. All over the new Commonwealth, individual planetary economies were fluctuating wildly. The economic crisis was so bad that the Archon Treasurer had attempted suicide three days before this meeting. It would be 25 years before this tangle of economic problems eventually sorted itself out in 2375.

While the people of the Commonwealth were riding the economic roller coaster, a new and equally disheartening problem arose. Nearly every one of the archons was showing a brazen lack of public conscience or civic responsibility, and instead was profiting shamelessly from inside information on the economy. Worse yet, instead of trying to keep their doings secret, most of the corrupt archons had begun to flaunt their wealth before a populace that was finding it increasingly difficult to pay for food and other bare necessities.

Added to this, the Draconis Combine had embarked on a vigorous military buildup on its border with the Lyran Commonwealth. It soon became obvious that the Commonwealth military had to respond by strengthening its own forces. To do that would mean going to the people for a raise in taxes. The public, which had grown cynical about its government, immediately rejected the idea. So great was this anti-government sentiment that there was serious talk in the Tamar Pact of breaking with the Commonwealth to seek a peace treaty with the Draconis Combine. Clearly something had to be done.

Marsden In Power

It is seldom true that men whose decisions radically affect the combined fate of many people are ‘men of vision’ who have only been waiting for the chance to fulfill their destiny. Robert Marsden, for example, was a man much like his grandfather Seth-decisive, stubborn, and with a hatred of poorly run organizations. He was a practical man who simply wanted to see a good idea-that of the Lyran Commonwealth-work. In his view, the only way would be for somebody to seize the power needed to get the job done. And so he did.

Historians have had a rather ambivalent attitude toward Robert Marsden. To some, he is the original Commonwealth patriot, the leader who took a tottering realm and set it on the high road it travels today. To others, he is known as ‘The Crusher’ for his cold-blooded cruelty.

Aware of the growing discontent among the people and the likelihood of war with the Draconis Combine, Robert set in motion a plan. First, he began secretly to collect evidence of the other archons’ illegal doings. As the only archon besides the commanding general to have served in the military, Robert was able to begin contacting his still-active military comrades to create a core of loyal troops throughout the Commonwealth.

Next, Robert Marsden embarked on an ambitious tour of the realm, ostensibly to assess the latest attempts to patch up the Lyran economy. Actually, he was meeting with the leaders of planetary governments critical of the Commonwealth, hoping to win their support for his plan. He was also placing loyal members of his staff in strategic positions inside key communications centers.

Having completed these preparations, he now made his move. In August of 2375, after yet another fruitless meeting of the archons, Robert Marsden stayed behind on Arcturus the others were en route to their various homeworlds. When he was sure that the other archons were too far to be able to react quickly, Marsden issued a message to the whole Commonwealth. In it, he listed the many abuses perpetrated by the archons and publicly stripped them of their powers. He declared himself the Archon Basileus, the King Archon, the sole source of power within the Commonwealth government.

An outpouring of moral outrage against the corrupt archons was exactly the reaction Marsden had hoped for from the people. Most worlds followed the tide of public opinion by publicly supporting the charismatic Marsden and his new government. Many other planetary governments eagerly aided Robert Marsden because he had promised that his new government would need a parliamentary body of planetary delegates to advise him.

In December 2375, Robert Marsden was officially recognized as the Archon Basileus by the newly assembled Estates General, whose representatives were from more than half the worlds in the realm. It was the first time individual worlds were to have a say in the Commonwealth government.

Marsden’s first action was to sentence the eight former archons to life imprisonment. The next action of this kinglike ruler was to submit a document called the Articles of Acceptance for approval by every inhabited planet in the Lyran Commonwealth. The Articles outlined the rights of each world as well as its responsibilities to the Archon and the Commonwealth. Because this rather loose set of laws and guidelines left considerable freedom to individual worlds, most eagerly signed.

Some worlds interpreted this document as a threat to their individual freedom, however. Still others suddenly panicked when they realized how far the Commonwealth was moving from its original intent, and so withdrew their support of the new system. By January 2378, a total of 22 worlds stood opposed to the new government and its Archon.

Most of these dissenter worlds were eventually ‘persuaded’ to join with Marsden when Commonwealth ships appeared at their jump points to blockade the planet and starve it into submission. The only hold-outs were the eight self-sustaining worlds, which included Tamar and Skye. In a controversial and violent action, Robert Marsden launched major invasions of these planets and succeeded in crushing the dissenters in bloody campaigns. Though this episode did not further ingratiate the Archon with his people, it did impress upon them that at least his was to be a decisive government.

Air Rescue

The fact that he and his men were pinned down in the city’s central park and very likely going to die didn’t bother Captain Greerson as much as that they would die at the hands of his fellow citizens of Skye. To either side, the Captain could hear the whoosh of the last anti-tank missiles fired by his infantrymen at the approaching armor of the Skye Independence Army. It wouldn’t be long, Greerson thought grimly.

From behind and above him came an unexpected screech. Peering up through the smoke, he saw a VTOL armored transport craft swooping its way toward him. Hoping for the best, the Captain pressed the recall button that beeped its order into the ears of his few remaining men.

When the craft stopped in a hover, the Captain could suddenly see why. Shrubbery erupted as a tank burst through to point its main gun directly at his command car. Above him, he could hear the whine of protesting jet nozzles. The VTOL lurched and pitched its left side down. One of its weapon turrets looked for, locked on, and spat a missile that sped unerringly toward the tank. The tank exploded with a flash of light and a dull thud.

Later, as the VTOL flew its way back to the beachhead, the Captain and the pilot got to talking about family. They chatted about their wives and the future they dreamed of for their daughters.

After landing, the Captain and his men disembarked. Turning to look at the pilot, Captain Greerson gave the man a sloppy salute and a smile of thanks. Flight Officer Steiner waved back, then popped his VTOL back into the sky.

—From Brother Against Brother: An Unofficial Civil War, by Tolandson Mizer, Graf of Tamaraine, Red Fire Press, 2801

Dawning Of The Age Of War

The next 15 years gave Robert Marsden plenty of opportunity to erase his reputation as ‘The Crusher’ from his people’s minds. Especially in his favor were his economic programs, which revitalized the economy. Soon Commonwealth worlds were making products for export throughout the Inner Sphere. They received lucrative contracts to use their expertise to help equip the Terran military. Not only did this opportunity load the coffers of the Lyran economy, it also gave its government access to restricted Hegemony military information.

At the same time, the Commonwealth was greatly expanding its own army. Those soldiers who had shown loyalty to Robert Marsden had become ranking officers in the military. By recruiting from avidly supportive worlds, the majority of the Commonwealth regiments were loyal. The sudden boom in the economy also meant that the Lyran military was one of the best equipped and supplied in the Inner Sphere. The new wealth gave the generals and fleet admirals enough resources to experiment, inspiring the creation of a large military sciences center on Coventry. This sudden increase in Lyran military power also kept House Kurita from making any major offensive move toward border worlds. It did not stop them from making the occasional raid to steal precious resources or simply to cause a little havoc, however.

It was Robert Marsden’s efforts to bolster the military, his haven from the nonsense of politics, that would also be his downfall. In 2395, after remarking casually that he wouldn’t mind drinking a magnum of champagne from the planet Promised Land, his overconfident military undertook a disastrous mission to take that Marik-owned world. By the time Marsden learned of and tried to stop the undertaking, it was too late. Ten Commonwealth regiments, including one of elite jump troops and another of heavy armor, were wiped out.

Instead of blaming their own impetuosity, the military blamed the Archon for the catastrophe. Three weeks after news of the massacre on the Promised Land broke, Robert Marsden was found dead. Though his death was officially listed as a massive coronary, few believed the story.

The Play’s The Thing

Three weeks after the death of the Archon, the Royal Arcturan Shakespearean Players suddenly announced that they had changed their mind and were not going to perform Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream for their gala 20th anniversary performance. They urged those with tickets to come anyway to witness their rendition of a play “with special poignancy in these troubled times.” Many top government officials, including most of the generals from the High Command, attended the festive event.

As the curtain went up, the audience saw that the scene was set for Hamlet, a tale of poisoning, usurpation, and plays within plays. The implied scorn caught the conscience of the would-be kings, several of whom left the theater in a huff. They had definitely gotten the message.

—From The Lyran Commonwealth Before the Steiners, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3022

The “Social Generals”

Much has been written about the chronic lack of skills characterizing the senior officers of the Commonwealth military since its foundation. One explanation is that the training program for senior officers is flawed, but this ignores the existence of the ‘social generals’ and their effect on the LCAF throughout its history.

Immediately after formation of the Lyran Commonwealth, the new allies’ ignorance of one another created a tidal wave of social blunders. People from one part of the realm did not know how to identify or address important personages, such as industrialists or other influential people from distant regions. There was no problem with an ambassador, for example, for that title was generally accepted, but the powerbrokers, bankers, and important political middlemen had no titles. That is how the Commonwealth government began to award the strictly honorary title of ‘Social General’ on these powerful, but unclassifiable men and women.

Once titled, these social generals soon won the right to pass the honor on to their offspring. Soon these social generals also demanded the outer trappings of a real general; for example, the uniforms and ceremonial regalia of military men. In the meantime, the social generals often insinuated themselves into contact with the actual military, who picked up from them a taste for high culture and high society. Though the government tried to halt the social generals’ inroads into the real military, by the time the title was abolished in the 29th century, the damage had been done. Since then, to be a senior officer has carried with it considerable social standing as well as the expectation that he will be erudite, witty, cultured, and sophisticated. The result is that many senior officers in the Commonwealth military are often as worried about the high arts as they are about the art of war.

Section 57, subgraph C. On the attendance of social functions: All senior officers are required to attend major social functions to which they have been invited except if attendance interferes with their duty, their unit’s function, poses a potential health risk, or if the officer has already attended five other such functions in the space of four weeks.

Section 57, subgraph D. On the limits placed on attendance of social functions: All senior officers are limited to the attendance of just two social functions without invitation per month. Violations will be reported directly to their commanding officer, who will decide if punishment, which includes the forfeiture of two months’ pay, is required.

—From The Brandenberg Edicts of 2413 (Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces), Commonwealth Military Press, 2414

The Reluctant Archon

Perhaps the mocking performance of Hamlet given by the Royal Arcturan Shakespearean Players had truly pricked the conscience of the generals because they did not form a military junta or elect one of their own as Archon, as most people were expecting. Instead, they drafted Alistair Marsden, Robert’s younger brother, as their choice for the Archonship. Till then, he had been content enough with his life as a mere junior officer in a tank brigade. It took a good bit of persuading, but the generals eventually convinced Marsden to take on the mantle of Archon, and the Estates General to confirm the accession. Though at first a reluctant leader, Alistair Marsden would eventually earn his place in history as the father of the modern Lyran Commonwealth.

On November 10, 2395, he assumed the throne. The military may have chosen him, but Marsden soon proved that he was his own man. Like his brother, he understood that by fostering economic growth he would forge the bonds he needed with the Lyran people. Gathering together the most competent advisors available, he had soon established productive trade policies with neighboring Terran Hegemony member-states, reorganized the banking system, and created regional stock exchanges that encouraged economic speculation and investment.

In 2398, news reached the Commonwealth capital on Arcturus about a major war that had just erupted between the Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation. Archon Alistair sensed that the winds of war would soon be blowing in the Commonwealth’s direction and so he immediately ordered a major military buildup. This sudden burst of military activity caught even the generals of the High Command by surprise and set them wondering what manner of man they had placed upon the throne.

The next nine years were tense for the Lyran Commonwealth. Situated between a realm at war and another realm with bellicose tendencies, the people of the Commonwealth realized war was a real possibility for them. Most of the public saw Archon Alistair’s arms buildup as a prudent move.

On the first of January, 2407, House Kurita forces attacked and overwhelmed the Lyran defenders of a small border region running along the joint between the former Tamar and Skye defense pacts. The attackers poured through the rift and pushed for the Commonwealth capital of Arcturus, but this proved to be only a diversion. The actual Kurita plan was to lunge first at Arcturus, then swing their invasion force toward Terra. A second invasion force, launched a year later, would push through the Kessel section of the border and drive deep into the Commonwealth. The Kurita hope was that the two prongs of their attack would then meet to take a whole section of the Federation of Skye with its dragon’s grasp.

The Commonwealth military was reeling. In a desperate attempt to halt the advancing enemy, they resorted to a scorched-earth policy of deliberately destroying their own lands so that they could give no aid to the advancing enemy. The tactic was only marginally effective and slowed the Kurita advance just slightly.

The inability of his better-equipped military to halt House Kurita infuriated the Archon, who dismissed the commanding generals and personally assumed command of the defense. Under his leadership, the Commonwealth forces rallied. It was on the planet Morningside that they finally managed to fight House Kurita to a bloody standstill.

Though victory was sweet, the Lyrans did not forget that the enemy was still within striking distance of their capital on Arcturus. In September 2407, the Archon submitted a plan to move the capital to his arctic homeworld of Tharkad. With some misgivings, the Estates General approved the Archon’s plan. Tharkad City officially became capital of the Lyran Commonwealth on December 30th, 2407.

In addition to securing the government’s safety, this move also helped to consolidate the Archon’s power. In this new location, set deep within his peaceful Protectorate of Donegal, the Archon would be reasonably near the rebellious Skye and Tamar regions, yet removed enough to give him time to react to crises. It also made the yearly assembly of the Estates General a convenient pool of hostages that would protect him if the situation ever warranted it.

Early in 2408, while brooding in the War Room of his palace on Arcturus, Alistair Marsden suddenly had a flash of intuition about Kurita’s next move. His hunch that the Combine was planning to launch a second invasion that would link up with the first, was, of course, accurate. Believing that Kurita would launch this new offensive from Vega, the Archon assembled all his reserves into one large strike force.

Like banshees, the Commonwealth AeroSpace Fighters, transport craft, and VTOLs poured through the atmosphere of Vega. Taken by surprise, the Kurita defenders could muster only a piecemeal defense. The Lyrans attacked the huge stockpiles of equipment, ammunition, and other supplies that were to have been used for the second Kurita offensive. The Vega Strike, as it came to be known, was a complete success and forced House Kurita to postpone its second invasion. This was the first large-scale victory for the Commonwealth.

Oh, Give Me A Home

The storm, which is expected within four hours, will bring winds of more than 60 kilometers per hour and will deposit at least a meter of snow. The temperatures will be mild, with the highs an expected -35° C in New Olympia and a -30° C at Tharkad City.

Now, turning to the news. Construction work for the capital city is proceeding despite protests of the gazelle herders, who maintain that the new city will block the animals’ freeroaming range. It is uncertain whether the talks between the herders and the Commonwealth government will reach any agreement within the near future.

—From Late Night Tharkan News, New Olympia Broadcasters, January 13, 2407

The First Steiner

As much as Lyran historians respect the Marsden family as founders of the Commonwealth, they reserve their true affection (and animosity) for the Steiner dynasty, and particularly its founder, Katherine Steiner. Then, as now, she represents many of the ideals that the Lyrans hold dear: courage, determination, shrewdness, and respect for the emotions.

Katherine Steiner was 32 years old when she met Alistair Marsden. She was an associate professor of military history at Tharkad University, hired by the high command to give briefings on the military tendencies of certain ethnic groups. Of German-Scandinavian ancestry, she was a tall, beautiful, athletic-looking woman with blond hair and deep blue eyes. (Many believe that the current Archon, Katrina Steiner, bears an eerie likeness to her famous ancestor.)

Alistair Marsden met Katherine Steiner in 2399, when she gave a lecture before the high command on the subject of personal honor among Japanese peoples. Their friendship deepened quickly as they realized their many common interests. As news of the affair became public, the press hounded Katherine for photographs and comments, but she handled the sudden limelight with calm, courtesy, and confidence. Little did these reporters realize that they were getting their first a glimpse of a woman who would one day be among the Commonwealth’s greatest rulers.

The marriage between the Archon and this tall Nordic beauty occurred in the early spring of 2405 on Tharkad. The event was celebrated all over the Commonwealth, with many worlds using the wedding as an ex use to forget the war for a time. Like a magic spell, he marriage coincided with a lull in the fighting. Unfortunately, the magic could not last, and so when House Kurita renewed its offensive, the Archon was forced to leave Tharkad for the front. He left the responsibility for overseeing the construction of the new capital to his now-pregnant wife, who gave birth a few months later, in early 2407.

In January of 2408, on the arid world of Menkent, Archon Alistair Marsden was killed while leading a tank regiment against a heavily fortified position. The entire Commonwealth went into shocked mourning at the news. A heavy pall of grief lay over the capital as the whole city awaited the return of its slain Archon. In a poignant funeral ceremony, Katherine Steiner passionately eulogized her husband and helped to set his coffin beneath the floor directly in front of the throne. In her black fur robes, she was a tragic figure but as beautiful as ever.

Eulogy

The loss to my heart and soul is beyond my ability to comprehend. I live, I breathe, yet I do not feel beyond the cold numbness that drapes my body like a shroud.

How briefly was I allowed to feast my eyes on his smile, to listen to laughter, to know the scent of his golden skin. So few short, short days during which my body knew the sweet touch of his. If only had I had foreseen how brief was to be my allotment of joy, for I would have made each second a year’s worth of love.

See how war has mangled my pleasure and delight! Now all is gray and the air I breathe seems tainted with the odor of melting metal and burning flesh. Look well upon this, the true results of a war. See how war has mangled my pleasure and delight!

My passion lies within that cold casket, and I am as doomed as shades of lost Tharkan hunters who forever wander the frozen forest in search of a fire to warm their eternal cold. The rest of my life will be one long winter, with only my child to provide some sparks of warmth.

Though I secretly rage against my fate, I know that the loss to the Commonwealth is even greater than my own.

And, yes, what of the Commonwealth now? The question lies like a shroud over our worlds. What of the Commonwealth?

—From Katherine Steiner’s Eulogy for Alistair Marsden, Commonwealth Press, 2409

Birth Of A Dynasty

Two months later, Katherine Marsden stood at the foot of her husband’s throne and officially changed her own and her son’s surname back to Steiner. Before any could ponder the significance of this announcement, Katherine Steiner proclaimed that she was assuming the Archonship and that her young son, Alistair Marsden Steiner, would be the Archon-Designate. Among the shocked whispers, the first of the dynastic Steiners walked to the dais and calmly sat down upon the Archon’s throne.

Still numb, the government temporarily accepted Katherine Steiner for several months before opposition to her rule began to surface. Early the next year, four relatives of the late Archon had
stepped forward, proclaiming their right to the throne. Of all these, the only serious threat to Katherine was Timothy Marsden, uncle of the late Archon. Katherine, meanwhile, had given control of the military to Duke Reynolds of Fatima, the late Archon’s second-in-command, and had sent him to Meachem, where the Duke successfully routed the Kurita forces off the world.

Back on Tharkad, the leaders of the Tamar and Skye regions realized that they held the key to determining who would become the next Archon. Being men of much political experience, they knew that the common people wanted to see an orderly and peaceful succession from within the Marsden family. This meant that neither the Tamar nor Skye leader could make a play for the Archonship at the moment, but that their support of Katherine would win back some of the power the Commonwealth government had lately usurped, as well as avert a civil war.

The two visited both Timothy Marsden and Katherine Steiner. To each one, the regional leaders offered their support in exchange for a greater say in the policy-making decisions of the Commonwealth. Timothy Marsden balked, claiming that the Archon was supreme ruler over the realm. The shrewd Katherine Steiner immediately agreed.

In April 2408, Katherine Steiner stood before the assembled nobility and Representatives of the Estates General, to be officially recognized as Archon Basileus by the leaders of the Tamar Pact
and the Federation of Skye. Though this assured her right to rule, Katherine still wanted to tighten her hold upon the throne.

Gazing about those gathered in the throne room, she drew herself up to her full regal height as she prepared to speak. With great solemnity, she then announced the formation of the Commonwealth Council, in which eight of the most wise and worthy would advise her in governing the vast Commonwealth. Not surprisingly, the Dukes of Tamar and Skye were among the advisors named.

She then went on to announce changes in the Commonwealth’s military command structure. The Duke of Fatima would retain command of all forces facing the Draconis Combine, but Timothy Marsden would now become a general in command of the forces along the border with the Free Worlds League. Many of her supporters were shocked by this unexpected action, not to mention the promotion to active-duty posts of just about everyone who had opposed her. Her reasons for dealing with political enemies in such an unusual manner became clear only much later.

After calling for her young son, Archon Katherine announced a special session of the Estates General. Its purpose was to reduce the red tape that restricted trade between the various provinces of the Commonwealth, a major stumbling block to the realm’s economic growth. When a nurse brought young Alistair into the Throne Room, the assembly could see that the toddler was dressed in a tiny officer’s uniform as he smiled in his mother’s arms. Katherine’s next words expressed the hope that the Commonwealth would now become a peaceful realm where her son might play at being a soldier but never have to grow up to be one.

The sight of the beautiful mother, the child in her arms, and her vision of a peaceful Commonwealth stirred the hearts of almost everyone. Indeed, it had been a masterful manipulation of their emotion. Videotapes of the event were distributed throughout the Commonwealth, and Katherine’s popularity among the common people grew by leaps and bounds. Her Commonwealth Council appeased the leaders of the Tamar Pact, the Federation of Skye, and the rest of the nobility. It also gave her the advantage of having a group of advisors who could take the blame for unpopular decisions. All in all, her first official actions laid the groundwork for complete control over her government, which she was fast shaping into the form we know today.

As for promoting all her potential enemies, the motive became clear when Archon Katherine co-signed the Ares Conventions in 2412. These agreements ‘civilized’ warfare by providing for protection of civilian populations, prisoner exchanges, and other attempts at more humane forms of combat. With armed conflict between member-states of the Hegemony now an almost constant occurrence along all fronts, by 2414, most who had challenged Katherine Steiner’s right to rule were either dead or captured (with the Commonwealth in no great hurry to ransom them). Timothy Marsden was the first to go. Within a year of his posting to command over the border with the Free Worlds League, he was killed in battle.

Dukes

The early military of the Commonwealth was far more chaotic than today’s fighting force. The main reason for this lack of effectiveness was that the regiments sent by a member world were semi-independent and not legally bound to obey the orders of Commonwealth military leaders. To compound the problem, these contingents were often commanded by political leaders from the homeworld, whose skills as military commanders varied widely.

In an attempt to stop the potential splintering of the Commonwealth military, the government created the title of Duke. This title, along with a substantial cash advance, was bestowed on the leader of each contingent, and a Commonwealth officer was appointed as the new Duke’s second in command. This plan bolstered the egos and pocketbooks of these politicos, yet gave the Commonwealth vital control of their armies. Other titles, such as Count and Baron, were created by the Commonwealth government for similar reasons. This practice continued until the reshuffling of the Commonwealth military by the Brandenberg Edicts of 2413.

These titles were not inherited and gave few of the privileges that nobility confers today. Use of titles did, however, reintroduce the idea of nobility to the Commonwealth public, making it easier for the Steiner family to begin bestowing true hereditary titles.

—Encyclopedia Res Publica, Thelos Auburn, ed., Commonwealth Historical Press, 3022

Early Steiner Archons

STEINER FAMILY BACKGROUND

In times of great danger, the best person for any job that gives life and death power over the people is usually the one trying his damnedest not to be chosen.

—From Fighting for the Commonwealth: A Biography of General Edward Regis, by Eckrick Zola, Strunk Publishers, 3025

To discern patterns of personality or character among the members of a family stretching back at least a thousand years may be an impossible task. If any information at all can be gleaned, however, the effort is worth it.

The earliest known reference to the Steiner family from which we believe the Archons are descended places the group in the Schleswig-Holstein state of West Germany in the late 20th century. Some documents from the period suggest (but do not prove) that the family adopted the Steiner name to escape from East Germany, which was then controlled by the Soviet Union.

In West Germany, the Steiners soon established themselves in the field of computers and information services. Few seemed politically inclined, with only an Eva Steiner rising to become a local leader of the Green Party, a liberal, antimilitaristic group of the period. Otherwise, there is little to suggest that the Steiner family would one day rule the richest of the Successor States in an era of continuous war. Indeed, the whole line tended to be bookish, politically apathetic people until Katherine Steiner suddenly burst on the scene.

The Steiner family has always been a close-knit unit, with their devotion to one another often bordering on the fanatical. In the later half of the 21st century, for example, there is a record of five Steiner brothers who each confessed to a murder that none had actually committed. Though no Steiner was actually guilty, the brothers all believed that one of them was and could not bear the thought of seeing him behind bars.

Another important characteristic is the emphasis on education. Most Steiners have received at least a university education, and many went on to collect advanced degrees. It was a natural progression from their love of learning that made many Steiners either skilled educators or authors. One of the most curious family traditions required that the eldest female teach the sons and daughters of other family members to speak German.

This matriarch was also a storyteller, who amused the younger family members with tales of family history as well as with folk and fairy stories. The perhaps unconscious purpose of all these stories was to instill the youngsters with values such as pride in family, loyalty to family, the virtuous life and a respect for the rights of women. This heritage probably explains why many Steiner women have held onto their family name in marriage and often attempted to give that name to their children.

This attitude was as unusual on old Terra as it is now, but perhaps we may find a clue in a fragment of one of the Steiner family stories. It is a tale of a coastal town threatened by the seaward approach of Vikings, ancient barbarians from the Nordic countries. Though it would be hours before the Viking boats were close enough to spot their village, the people were afraid because most of their men had been conscripted to fight elsewhere, leaving only a few of the old ones. Croatelle Steiner, wife of the village elder, organized the other women to prop up scarecrows at the water’s edge and to dress them in bits of shiny metal. As the Viking ships approached the village, they decided not to attack because they believed the men of the village were waiting for them, armed with weapons that flashed in the sunlight. When the men of the village eventually learned what had happened, Croatelle’s husband handed over to her his rank as elder. Not only had she saved the village, but she had done it without harm coming to anyone.

Whether this story is truth or fiction is unknown. What matters is that the Steiners accept it as true and have taken care to hand it down from one generation to the next. It has laid the foundation for the Steiner belief that it is a person’s deeds that determine worth, not his or her gender, race, class, or even sexual preference.

The Steiner family is a healthy line, with a tendency to high-blood pressure their only inherited concern. They also tend to be above-average in height. Mentally, however, the family suffers from Dobrowski’s Depression-A Syndrome, a genetic predisposition to severe mental depression. Though it can usually be controlled by medication, certain family members have been afflicted to the extent that no help was possible. Simon Steiner was the family’s most famous victim of uncontrollable Depression-A Syndrome. Though he was in line to be Archon-Designate, his mental illness deprived him of the right of succession.

This syndrome might also explain the high number of artists in the family and their fascination with dreary worlds like Gallery, with its wild and desolate landscape.

Steiner Literature

Smoke still wreathed the trees. In the red light of the setting sun, the plumes looked like the arms of men and women, upflung in terror. Moving slowly through the forest’s remains, the horse periodically snorted at the sudden snap of embers and the tongues of fire that still licked up from every hollow. Or were they the burning eyes of devils?

It was getting dark and the people back at the inn had warned Emily to find the safety of the castle before the first star shone.

—From Castle Maltra, attributed to Jennifer Steiner, Velcro Fly Publishers, 2760

The Steiner Way

Having cleared away all major opposition to her rule and with the Lyran borders relatively quiet except for skirmishing, Katherine Steiner now turned her sights to the interior of her realm.

First, she moved to rebuild the war damage by offering interest-free loans to damaged industries. In return, these newly reopened firms would sell Katherine some of their company stock. Though many of the corporations lay well within the war zone, the smell of profits outweighed the risks.

This loan policy also gave Katherine Steiner access to the inner sanctum of many major Lyran companies. Though it is illegal for the Archon to interfere with the operations of business in the Commonwealth, he does have considerable informal power, and uses it on occasion. In one instance, Archon Katherine suddenly dumped her economic share of the Trellshire Steel Company, because of some difference of opinion. Other major Lyran corporations followed suit by taking their business elsewhere not wanting to risk having the Archon’s wrath become focused on them.

Another important development during the first years of Katherine Steiner’s rule was the creation of the Commonwealth Scout Corps in 2413. Using specially adapted JumpShips, scouts traveled to unexplored star systems, where they were dropped down to study whether the biosphere of any of the planets was either habitable or suitable for exploitation. After carrying out their studies, the scouts rendezvoused with their JumpShip and later reported back directly to the Archon.

It was for her to decide how to handle habitable worlds. Often, she simply took control of them. Sometimes, she bestowed an entire planet and dukedom over it to those who had been especially loyal to her. This helped strengthen the trend toward the creation of a modern nobility. After awarding these new worlds, Katherine often created incentive programs to stimulate immigration from the overcrowded worlds of the Federation to the underpopulated worlds near the Periphery.

After nearly eight years in mourning, the Archon accepted the wedding proposal of Deven Reynolds, Duke of Fatima. Their elaborate wedding was conducted in the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral on Fatima in 2414. Though Katherine Steiner soon gave birth to Michael Reynolds, the child’s father had signed an agreement that the boy would never have any claim to the throne. Though there is no explanation for this puzzling point, it would later prove to be a costly error. Almost as though it were an evil omen, the resource-rich world of St. Johns fell to House Kurita at this time.

That planet’s importance forced the Commonwealth to undertake a major offensive led by Duke Reynolds to retake St. John. When the offensive failed miserably, it sparked discontent and criticism of the Archon among the delegates in Government House, their place of assembly. The mutterings of the Representatives soon became a movement calling for the resignation of Katherine Steiner. To build public support, the Representatives decided to force the issue by making a public demand that the Archon step down.

To stem the rising tide of criticism of her political and military decisions, Katherine had to act. Before the Representatives’ message could be transmitted to the media, she had all copies of the demand seized. She then sent heavily armed Royal Guards into Government House to “protect the esteemed Representatives from a possible threat if the Archon’s loyal subjects learned of their recent inflammatory statements.” The contents of their demand eventually leaked anyway, but the public viewed it as merely one more political squabble.

The next year, Duke Reynolds was killed leading another attempt to retake St. John. The whole court went into mourning with the twice-widowed Archon, who had the doors of the Royal Court draped in black and hung with flowered wreaths. For a whole year, those massive doors remained thus draped and firmly locked. As Katherine went about the business of ruling the Commonwealth, with courage and a quiet determination to carry on, it endeared her permanently to the average citizen of the realm. The people’s love for her burned steadily throughout the remainder of her 37-year reign as the first Steiner Archon.

The BattleMech Era

The next 20 years of Katherine Steiner’s rule were characterized by innovations and revisions of almost every facet of the Commonwealth government. Because she patiently and willingly explained her plans to the nobility and the Representatives before signing them into law, the majority of her changes met no opposition. Katherine’s most sweeping reform was the issuance of the Brandenberg Edicts, which completely reshaped the Commonwealth military, altering everything from its rank system to its relationship to her government. Though the Edicts went a long way toward streamlining the military, it did little to upgrade the poor performance of its senior officers.

In 2439, the Terran Hegemony first used the recently developed new weapon known as the BattleMech. Based on WorkMechs and the genius of various research groups, the MCK-5S Mackie easily outclassed any weapon that any member-state could put on the field. Huge industrial complexes geared to the assembly of BattleMechs were built in several key locations throughout the Hegemony. To guard the highly secret operations of these factories, they were staffed by only the most trusted workers from the Hegemony and security was beefed up to the maximum. The physical appearance of a ‘Mech was also a closely guarded secret, and so many were disguised with false body panels to prevent spies from even observing one of the metal behemoths. One of these BattleMech factory complexes was built on Hesperus II.

The Archon immediately ordered the Lyran Intelligence Corps to infiltrate the Hesperus plant and to steal any information possible on the Mackie. After six years of trying, the LIC never managed to get more than one agent into the plant, and then the most he could get was a map of the facility and a few vague observations on the construction of BattleMechs. By this time, Katherine’s son Alistair Steiner was an officer in the LCAF and commander of an elite commando unit. Though he had devised a daring raid to seize information directly from the factory’s computers, his unit was suddenly called elsewhere.

In 2445, after 37 years of ruling the Lyran Commonwealth, Katherine Marsden Steiner stepped down. Because of failing health, she had decided to spend the rest of her days without the heavy cares of government. It was a memorable moment in Commonwealth history when the aging Katherine, still regal and proud, rose from her throne and bade her son sit in her place. She removed the ornate gold chain that signified her position as leader of the Commonwealth and unpinned her insignia as Commander of the LCAF. She then placed the chain about her son’s neck, pinned the insignia to his uniform, and gently kissed his forehead. The transfer of power complete, Katherine Steiner left the Throne Room to the thunderous applause of the nobles and politicians gathered. She spent the rest of her days on her estate on Gallery, writing her memoirs and riding in the planet’s dark forest.

The Steiner Fist

The origin of the Steiner Fist as symbol of the Lyran Commonwealth is, fortunately for historians, well documented.

When the Russian Civil Wars erupted in 2011, Poland openly revolted against the Soviet political system that had oppressed it for 60 years. As a sign of their revolution, the Poles adopted the upraised, clenched fist as their symbol. It appeared on flags and on the armbands of soldiers, and
was painted on the sides of vehicles of the Polish revolutionary army. Soviet troops brutally put down the popular uprising.

The Russian Civil Wars still raged, however, threatening to destroy the entire world in a nuclear Armageddon. NATO decided to step in by sending its own troops to end the fighting. Many of the soldiers, particularly armored vehicle crews, began to adopt variations of the Polish Fist in sympathy for the Polish people. Among the West German forces sent into Poland were five members of the Steiner family, all of whom had adorned their vehicles with the raised fist. The Steiner family apparently took the symbol to heart because it has remained with them ever since, whether as a business symbol, as an emblem painted on the side of a racing car, or as the design for jewelry worn by the Steiner women.

It was about the time of the Exodus that every family member began to wear the fist symbol on rings or pendants. The family elders wear a Steiner Fist fashioned from blue and gold gems as a symbol of respect at the frequent family gatherings. The chain became a symbol of the Archon’s power when Katherine Steiner gave it to her son to wear upon her retirement.

On taking the throne, Katherine had originally intended that the Steiner Fist become a symbol only of the military, while the three-stringed lyre would continue to represent the Lyran Commonwealth. As the wars continued, the peaceful lyre no longer seemed appropriate, and so the defiant Steiner Fist was soon appearing as the realm’s battle-standard. It was in the last year of her reign that Katherine Steiner bowed to her son’s wishes that the Steiner Fist become the official emblem of the Lyran Commonwealth.

—From Commonwealth Symbols: Insights Through the Icons, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3000

Operation Prometheus

The transfer of power from Katherine to Alistair went smoothly, except for the single major instance of opposition on the planet Fatima. There, rioting students attacked the Commonwealth embassy and the Commonwealth’s civil service offices because they were angry that the Archon’s eldest son Michael had been appointed Archon-Designate instead of Duke Michael Reynolds, Alistair’s own half-brother. Because Alistair loved and trusted his half-brother, he chalked up the incident to the actions of a few anarchists or perhaps Kurita agitators. As for Duke Reynolds, he was happy enough governing his own world. As a result, the Archon dismissed the riot as a minor incident, never dreaming how dire would be its consequences.

Militarily, the Commonwealth had suffered many defeats and was continuing to lose territory. By 2445, one-fifth of the Tamar Pact had fallen to the Draconis Combine. The Free Worlds League had also taken over a significant but smaller number of Commonwealth worlds. As before, these losses were the result of incompetent or unimaginative leadership among the Steiner Senior officers.

Frustrated at this pattern of defeat, Alistair decided to revive his plan to raid the Terran Hegemony’s BattleMech facilities at Hesperus II. He updated the plan, gathered 25 of the best special forces soldiers he could find, and equipped them with supplies and all possible information. Their leader was Colonel Simon Kelswa, a skilled veteran. After they had spent five months of training and rehearsing, the Archon had the commandos secretly transported to Hesperus II.

On February 7, 2455, Colonel Kelswa received a communiqué that read, “Prometheus unbound. Good hunting.” That night, a large transport rose from a spaceport near the Hesperus ‘Mech factories. No one paid it much attention until a tremendous explosion echoed across the night sky and a huge flame spouted from the right side of the transport. The ship shuddered, slowed, and lurched off course. As sirens began to scream, workers in the factory realized that the transport, now failing fast, was about to crash somewhere nearby.

By the time the transport crashed in the center of the factory complex, the entire facility had been evacuated. What the fleeing workers did not see as they rushed from the scene was the suspiciously controlled firing of the ship’s engines and the gentleness with which the huge ship touched down.

When the hatches of the transport opened, Kelswa’s commandos calmly disembarked and headed for the abandoned computer building. By the time anybody realized that this wrecked transport and the famed Trojan Horse had something in common, the commando team had found the factory’s main design computers and was breaking the security codes.

One brave factory guard did attempt to enter the transport, which automatically set off an explosion that destroyed both man and ship. The blast also killed many now curious workers who had approached for a better look. Protected from the blast by intervening buildings, the commandos managed to copy 90 percent of the information in the computers. With great aplomb, the team then slipped unnoticed amid the chaos of burning buildings and debris. Mission accomplished, they hiked the kilometer back to the spaceport, where another transport awaited them. When they returned to Tharkad, the elated Archon rewarded them with typical Steiner generosity.

The Bloodthirsty General

That same year, General Geralk Marik of the Free Worlds League began an offensive against the
Commonwealth with the aim of capturing Alula Australis and Bella I. The general’s tactics were brutal, soon earning him the hate of every Lyran. To break the final resistance of the defending forces, he used continuous artillery barrages and bombings that allowed massed armor to move in and mow down anything in its path. Geralk Marik considered the sanitized war of the Ares Conventions a farce; anyone living on an enemy planet was an enemy to be shot.

Six months after the opening battles of the offensive, the general took Alula Australis. Only five more months passed before he had also conquered Bella I. In both cases, the Lyrans suffered casualties that were astronomically higher than normal in this era of the Ares Convention and its near bloodless, chess-like battles. The public was soon calling General Marik “The Bloodthirsty Giant”.

Elated by his success, General Marik decided to expand his campaign. He managed to establish a beachhead on the planet Loric, but soon ran into a stiff and well-led planetary defense. Marik now found himself embroiled in a campaign that dragged on through three years of maneuvering over the Loric’s surface. In an attempt to draw out the defenders for one last decisive battle, he condoned many atrocities. During these years of almost constant fighting on Loric, Commonwealth weapons factories were frantically retooling.

Early in 2459, General Marik planned yet another offensive aimed at crushing the resistance of the Commonwealth defenders, this time on Loric’s southern continent. In a fairly typical attack, he planned to begin the artillery barrage at sunrise. When reports from the front described huge monoliths defending the enemy’s position, the general wrote them off as the imaginings of battle-hyped troops. When the pre-dawn light revealed to him a number of giant BattleMechs waiting like so many armored towers, the Marik was stunned speechless. All he could do was mutely signal the order to begin the barrage.

The first outpouring of artillery shells turned the air into a rain of dirt. For a moment, the general almost believed that he had succeeded in killing the giants, but as the dirt and smoke cleared in the stiffening breeze, he saw it was otherwise. His antipersonnel artillery had exploded properly against the armor of the Lyran ‘Mechs, but had left barely a scratch.

With a rising sense of panic, the general ordered his armor ahead and his artillery units to use armor-piercing shells. In response, the BattleMechs came forward, too, to engage his tanks with lasers, missiles, and particle beam weapons. Fifteen minutes later, the field was strewn with a regiment’s worth of overturned tank hulks, crushed remnants of missile barrage vehicles, and just one Lyran ‘Mech.

Despite his own fear, neither retreat nor surrender entered the general’s mind. Ordering in the last of his reserves, he sought to bring his armed troopships down to add to his artillery. The combined ferocity of the Marik infantry, the armor-piercing shells, the aircraft, and laser blasts from the whale-like troopships managed to slow the Lyran BattleMechs, but it did not stop them. Seven hours later, in the blazing heat of the noonday sun, the commander of the Lyran ‘Mech company broadcast his demand for General Marik’s surrender. The general refused, preferring an honorable death.

He did die, but not honorably. General Geralk Marik, The Bloodthirsty Giant who had ruthlessly killed so many Lyran soldiers and civilians, was crushed beneath the heel of a Lyran BattleMech.

Lyran Military Superiority

The news of the ‘Mech action on Loric spread throughout the Terran Hegemony. The government of the Hegemony reacted to the proof of the Commonwealth’s guilt in the Hesperus raid by slapping a ban on the sale of Hegemony high-tech parts to the Lyrans. Most people realized that this punishment was little more than “barring the barn door after the horse had already bolted,” as one rural Terran politician said. The general quality of the Lyran ‘Mechs was lower than that of the Terran ‘Mechs because the Lyran engineers and technicians had made several compromises to speed up production and to get ‘Mechs actually out on the field.

These differences were only minor, however, which meant that Terra was no longer the undisputed military power among the ten member-states of the Hegemony. Many historians later pointed to the appearance of Lyran ‘Mechs as Terra’s evolution to the role of mediator, rather than ruler among the member-states.

Soon it was the Lyran Commonwealth’s turn to feel the sting of embarrassment. In 2461, agents of the Draconis Combine broke into the BattleMech plant on Coventry, making off with detailed plans for ‘Mechs. The next year, some disgruntled employees of the BattleMech plant on Alarion escaped to the Free Worlds League with an equally complete set of plans. In both cases, the security staff in charge of guarding the precious secrets were tried and found guilty of treason through inaction. They were imprisoned for life. The infuriated Archon even had several of them executed.

The high command now came before Alistair with a rather dismal picture. Within five or six years, the enemies of the Commonwealth would be fielding their own BattleMech regiments. After suffering so much military humiliation, the Commonwealth military was not going to be able to enjoy its current superiority for much longer. Hearing this, the Archon decided that he must use this superiority while it lasted to attempt to retake some of the many worlds the Lyrans had lost. He ordered the BattleMech factories expanded and his researchers to redouble their efforts to improve current ‘Mechs and to design new ones. He also informed his commanding generals that they had three months to plan a major military campaign.

In the period 2463-2468, the Lyrans launched their single most ambitious offensive, which historians now refer to as the Long March. One thrust was into the Draconis Combine, heading in the direction of St. John. Once the Kurita forces moved to protect St. John, the Commonwealth forces would then veer toward the worlds of Nox, Skondia, Trolloc Prime, and Caldrea. The other invasion would enter the Free Worlds League and attempt to retake Bella I, Cavanaugh II, and Alula Australis.

Long March, Hard March

The Lyran offensive got off to an inauspicious start. Two Commonwealth JumpShips, LCS Stringfire and LCS Evereft, each with three battalions of solders and equipment, failed to maintain proper distancing before their jump. Horrified, thousands in other ships watched the frantic efforts of the two ships to move apart. As their jump drives began interacting with one another, the two ships became wrapped in a huge distortion that literally turned them inside out before they disappeared. Except for some metal scrap or other grisly junk of debris, not much remained of either ship at their destination.

The tragic loss of the ships and the many hundreds on board made the first battles of the Commonwealth offensive very difficult. Not only did the loss of the battalions add to the combat responsibilities of the remaining units, but the loss of so many friends in such a gruesome accident haunted the men and women of the offensive. They maintained their discipline, however, and the Steiner ‘Mechs easily pushed aside Kurita garrison troops.

After six months of fighting on mainly empty Kurita border worlds, the commanding officers of the Commonwealth forces confirmed that their feint toward St. John had worked. House Kurita was heavily fortifying worlds that they thought stood in the way of the Commonwealth advance, leaving other worlds less well-protected. Now the Commonwealth invasion force could turn and pounce upon its initial prime objective, the planet Skondia.

Valued for its deposits of major rare metals, Skondia was one world that the Commonwealth wanted to seize and keep. After dropping onto the lightly garrisoned planet, the Steiner force soon conquered it. Their next Kurita target was the planet Nox, with its many gem deposits. There, the Lyrans met tougher resistance, but their ‘Mechs again proved to be too much and the planet fell.

The next planet in line for attack was Caldrea. By this time, the attack force had been in action for four years and fatigue was showing on both men and machinery. Though many troops returned home and fresh troops took their place, it was not enough to counter the fierce defense they met on Caldrea. When the Lyran commanders learned that the planet’s northern continent was a virtual maze of mountain ranges honeycombed with defensive positions and traps, the weary generals reverted to the barbaric use of nuclear weapons to clear the mountains. In nine months, the planet was the property of the Commonwealth, though no one knew what use they would make of this half-devastated planet.

On the other front, matters were much the same. Cavanaugh and Bella I fell with little difficulty. When it came to taking Alula Australis, the Lyrans found that the Free Worlds League had anticipated them and had dug in for the attack. Even a steady onslaught of Commonwealth ‘Mechs could not dislodge the enemy.

Whatever satisfaction the tired soldiers of the Commonwealth might have felt in these offensives suddenly evaporated when news reached them that Archon Alistair Steiner had been assassinated.

Jump

Michael Steiner’s excitement built as he looked over the pilot’s shoulder and saw the combat JumpShip LCS SpellSinger dead ahead. No longer just a dot on a computer screen, the SpellSinger was like an umbrella of silver light against the velvety black of deep space. The solar parasol stretched a mind-boggling five kilometers in diameter and collected sunlight to power the jump drive.

As his DropShip drew closer, Michael could discern some of the feverish activity that was occurring on the JumpShip. Sail-riggers, those tiny, remote-controlled robots, were just starting to gather and fold the sail for the jump. A DropShip, Union Class by the looks of it, was in the last stages of docking; the flickering specks of light about it were the thrust of massive maneuver rockets. Michael could see the jaws of the JumpShip’s capture mechanism reaching up to seize the DropShip.

From the corner of his eye, Michael Steiner saw another JumpShip, the LCS Firewalker. This one did not resemble an umbrella, however, but looked like a proper ship ready to blast out of the system in a blaze of exhaust light. Such was the popular myth about JumpShips. Instead, the Firewalker seemed slowly to dissolve before Michael Steiner’s eyes as it made its jump.

He was well familiar with the experience of jump, but still hated it with a passion. There was always that queasiness at the pit of his stomach while his senses told him that reality was dissolving. Many men couldn’t handle the strain. Some came out of a jump screaming about seeing the ship vanish about them, leaving them to contemplate infinity and the like. Michael Steiner could handle a jump; he only needed to puke his guts out a few times afterward to recover.

—From Michael Steiner, Archon. by Gerilia Dotra-Steiner, Pittsburg Press, 2532

Agony Of Defeat

It was to be the last attempt. The Kurita stronghold that guarded the Kelli Pass had held up Colonel Yoller’s forces for three days. Now the 23rd BattleMech Battalion found itself days and kilometers behind the rest of the Commonwealth forces, endangering the entire operation. Yoller’s commanding officers were not very pleased.

The stronghold, now dubbed “The Cassino” after a similar mountain stronghold in Terra’s history, was a squat concrete affair that stood high upon the mountain slope. It had withstood continuous artillery bombardment, aerial attacks, and three separate BattleMech charges. There was now time for only more attack, and Colonel Yoller secretly resolved to make it the last, no matter what.

The early morning air still had the night chill on it, and the sun seemed to be having trouble finding its way amid the rocks. For the fourth time, Colonel Yoller sent her heavy company to charge the autocannons of the fortress. She waited with her light ‘Mech company until she could see and hear the battle between the fortress and her heavy ‘Mechs commence. After her curt order to ‘go’, her jump-capable ‘Mechs went into action.

Instead of advancing to face the fortress, the ‘Mechs vaulted on their jets up the mountain’s face. Colonel Yoller smiled when she saw the fortress defenders trying to swing their guns to shoot at her ‘Mechs leaping through the air. With a sound like heavy thunder, those twelve behemoths hit the slope of the mountain. Rocks groaned under the tons of metal. Two ‘Mechs lost their footing and began an uncontrollable slide back down the mountainside amid loosened boulders. One of the unfortunates exploded at the bottom when it landed too roughly on its jets. The other was shot through the cockpit by some eagle-eyed gunner in the Cassino.

Now above and to the side of the Cassino, Colonel Yoller carefully moved her troops closer. The rocks kept slipping from beneath the feet of their ‘Mechs, threatening to send them all tumbling down. Still, Colonel Yoller felt euphoric—her guess that the fortress could only shoot down into the pass was confirmed by the fact that no gun ports broke through the fortress’ smooth sides. There was only a large steel door, and that was going to be Colonel Yoller’s way into the stronghold.

All that remained was to reach the fortress, bash down the door, and seize the defenders. Colonel Yoller wanted to capture the Kurita soldiers in the fortress alive. She had never been one who enjoyed killing for its own sake nor did she want to have to fry them with one of those hellish tactical nuclear bombs should their effort fail.

The Cassino was just in front of her now. Her ‘Mechs ranged out on either side, their weapons at the ready. The steel doors looked thick as she bent over in her ‘Mech for a closer look.

Colonel Yoller felt rather than heard the first mine go off. From somewhere behind her, an explosion sent shards of stone and the fragments of a ‘Mech’s leg high into the air. Twisting her ‘Mech’s head to see what the hell was going on, she watched as more explosions left her ‘Mechs either crumpled on the mountainside or tumbling down the slope. It had never occurred to her that the defenders might mine the mountainside to remotely detonate once she and her ‘Mech unit was on it.

Uttering every curse she had ever learned, Yoller turned her ‘Mech’s head back to the fortress door. With a shudder, she saw that the snout of a large autocannon had been pushed through a panel in the door. Jerking back, Yoller tried to twist out of the way. Too late. The cannon belched and she instantly lost her vision and hearing in a wave of pain as her cockpit exploded. As her ‘Mech toppled to the ground, her last thoughts were filled with pity for the soldiers in the Cassino. Being fired on by a neutron bomb was a painful way to go.

—From The Caldrea Debacle, by Timothy Asd, Green Mountain Press, 2500

The Dark Years

The next 40 years would be remembered as one of the darkest periods in the history of the Lyran
Commonwealth. In that time, it seemed as though the virtues that had once been integral to both the Commonwealth and to the Steiner dynasty had vanished, throwing the entire realm into chaos. Those four decades began with the assassination of Archon Alistair. As though that were not enough, the years to come would be inflamed by a mystic usurper, the thirst for vengeance, civil war, and the accession of a bastard to the Lyran throne.

These and other crises seemed to follow one after another in this period, making people feel they were choked with emotions that had not been fully expressed before the next disaster reared its head. Some worlds, especially those toward the Periphery, grew apathetic, almost numb, to the continual upheaval in the Steiner government. The first stirrings of active anti-Commonwealth sentiment also began at this time. Other worlds, spurred on by greedy noblemen and planetary governments, decided that now was their chance to seize a greater role in Commonwealth politics. Representatives and nobles from the worlds of Skye, Tamar, Suk, Rahne, and others seized any opportunity, at any risk, in their hunger for greater power. Some of the political gamers in this terrible era even had designs on the Archonship.

At first, the average citizen eagerly followed news reports of doings in far off Tharkad, as these seemed more entertaining than even the cleverest dramatist could create. The entertainment value quickly faded, however, when someone watched a representative of the LCAF in dress uniform come marching up their street, a bearer of sad news. Thousands of sons and daughters were still dying in what was left of a military offensive that the government had long ago promised would be swift and simple. No one knew when one day the bad news might be delivered to their door.

Bloodless Roses

Far, shining stars that cast your glow
Upon our upturned faces—
On which of you were our hopes so cruelly ended?
Toward which of you will our curses fly forever?

If only we could throw our flowers in the air
To fall upon your surface and revive
The roses in the cheeks of our now-still children,
The glow that meant their youth and joy, our comfort,
Like the flags of a loving army
That, prancing, marched about us not so long ago.

What bitter, bloodless roses we have planted
In these foreign soils: roses not to blossom
But to rot, in the harsh, dry winds of a world
Circling a shamed and heartless star far, far away.

—Anonymous, from Commonwealth Protest Poetry, Rechele McQuiston, ed., Sunset Poetry Press, 2500

The Iron Fist

If there is a weakness in how the Steiner family rules, it is that they show too much intelligence and imagination. Let something happen to a Steiner Archon, whether it be an assassination or the most mild but incapacitating illness, and the entire realm comes to a screeching halt. The Steiners might be good at making others feel an important part of the government, but don’t be fooled. They rule the Commonwealth with an iron hand.

—Hervsas David, Political Advisor to Hanse Davion, quoted in The Federated Suns/Lyran Commonwealth Alliance: An Intelligence Report, by ROM, ComStar, 3024

Trial Of Duke Reynolds

Archon Alistair Steiner was assassinated in June 2467 when five young people managed to penetrate his private bedchamber, where they stabbed him repeatedly with knives fashioned from Fatima Obsidian. After a long chase through the woods surrounding the capital city, the police captured the assassins alive. It was only after a relentless interrogation that they broke down and admitted that Duke Reynolds of Fatima was behind their plot.

Upon being recalled from the front lines, Michael and Steven Steiner arrived in Tharkad City to find the entire government paralyzed by shock and indecision.

Michael Steiner was sworn in as Archon, while his brother assumed command of the military. As Archon, Michael now had the disagreeable task of presiding over the trial of Duke Reynolds, a man he had always loved and respected. Though the Duke vehemently denied any knowledge of the assassination, evidence brought forth at the trial was damning.

In his heart of hearts, Michael still believed Duke Reynolds to be innocent, but the trial ended without producing one real shred of evidence for the defense. In the first heat wave of what turned out to be the hottest summer in the city’s history, Archon Michael was forced to announce that the evidence showed Duke Michael Reynolds guilty of Alistair Steiner’s death. Public reaction to the verdict was mixed, with violent clashes breaking out between groups loyal to either side.

Archon Michael was not satisfied. By severely bending the laws protecting planetary sovereignty, he sent what amounted to an invasion force of Lyran Intelligence agents to Fatima. Once there, they set about investigating Duke Fatima’s past and the lives of the assassins. Meanwhile, Archon Michael held off sentencing the Duke, though everyone knew that death was the only possible punishment for killing an Archon. For nine sweltering weeks, the Archon stalled. Tensions only increased, with clashes between those supporting the Duke and those who wanted him dead becoming more and more frequent.

Late in the summer, when the Archon had just about given up hope, members of the LIC returned with irrefutable proof of the Duke’s innocence. They had learned that Graf DeSimon, a nobleman under Duke Reynolds, had managed to brainwash some idealistic but impressionable students. Having convinced them that the Steiner family had tricked Duke Reynolds out of his claim to the Archonship, he then provided them with false identification so that they could slip into the Royal Palace and murder the Archon.

Confronted with this evidence, the young assassins broke down and confessed. Graf DeSimon actually had convinced them that if they killed the Archon and implicated the Duke, a popular uprising would sweep aside the Steiner family and usher in Duke Reynolds as Archon. DeSimon’s motivation became clear when Duke Reynolds told the Archon that he had recently stripped the man of his lands as punishment for treating his landworkers too harshly.

When captured and confronted with the evidence, Graf DeSimon confessed during a live broadcast that millions listened to word for word. Who could still believe that the Duke of Fatima was guilty after listening to the confession of the fat little man sweating beneath the camera’s lights. Duke Reynolds was released, and he graciously pardoned his former accusers. Graf DeSimon and his gullible accomplices were executed.

While all this was going on in the Steiner realm, neither the Archon nor his military advisers were aware that both the Free Worlds League and the Draconis Combine had now added the fearsome BattleMech to their own arsenal of weapons.

The Commonwealth Wakes Up

In many ways, the assassination of Archon Alistair proved to be the first in a series of events that would be a rude awakening to the Commonwealth. Up until that time, the rule of the Steiner family seemed so sure and strong that most Lyrans had developed a false sense of security. Like children, they had believed that because the Steiners were benevolent and fair rulers, it followed that good would be rewarded and the whole realm would ride into the future unscarred by the political evils that plagued other members of the Terran Hegemony.

—From Political Intrigue in the Lyran Commonwealth, by Thelos Auburn, Regal Press, 3005

Order Of Magnitude

Though internal politics became more calm during the next five years, the Lyrans’ enemies had been busy creating their own BattleMech regiments and would now attempt to win back what they had lost in the Commonwealth offensive of 2463. At first, neither the Free Worlds League nor the Draconis Combine made much headway, because the Steiner forces were still more expert in ‘Mech combat. The sight of enemy ‘Mechs upon the field nevertheless gave even the most rabid warmonger among the Steiner high command pause to wonder.

In 2471, Tharkad played host to a grand double wedding. Archon Michael Steiner married Regina McQuiston, the Grafina von Loch Lomarr of Skye and the only living descendant of the famed McQuiston line. Steven Steiner, commander of the LCAF and Landgrave of the Schwarzwald continent, married Margaret Olsen, a senior officer in a local tank regiment.

Though the ceremony was a grand event, the festivities were darkened by the news that Tatyana Steiner, younger sister to Michael and Steven, had committed suicide the night before. Though it seemed to many that the wedding should be canceled, the Archon decided that to do so would be giving in to the same despair that had taken his sister’s life. Who can say that if he had canceled, things might have turned out differently?

Tatyana was doubtless one of those Steiners who suffered from the most severe form of Dobrowski Depression-A Syndrome. Records showed that the doctors had definitely prescribed the medication needed to combat the crippling bouts of depression. It was only after her death that the pills were found hidden in every nook and cranny of her rooms.

Two years earlier, Tatyana had fallen passionately in love with a married man, whose identity has never been revealed by the Steiner family. They did release censored copies of letters written to her nameless lover, and these showed the depth of her hopelessness. In a desperate but unsuccessful attempt to win him, Tatyana had become pregnant with his child. Though she deeply loved her son, christened Robert Steiner, she could not or would not control her depressions. On the eve of her own brother’s marriage, she committed suicide.

Less than a month after the wedding, a devastating earthquake rocked Tharkad City, destroying everything in the Triad except portions of the Royal Palace. Among those trapped and killed in the rubble were Regina McQuiston and 67 Representatives of the Estates General. Ironically, these Representatives were in Government House debating building standards when the quake hit and the building collapsed on them. Providence intervened to save the infant Robert Steiner, however. When beams collapsed about his cradle, they formed an air pocket in which he survived for three days before being rescued.

The grief-stricken Archon ordered the remnants of his palace opened to accommodate as many refugees as possible, even if it meant that he had no place to sleep. While the surviving Steiner
family members and nobility manned the kitchens and volunteered for rescue crews, some semblance of order gradually returned to the city.

As relief efforts poured into the city, the death of so many Representatives and the destruction left by the quake presented the Draconis Combine with an opportunity to make another attempt to retake the planet Nox. When news of the attack reached Tharkad, the Archon renounced the throne and publicly assumed command of the Commonwealth forces on Nox. He claimed that his grief made it impossible to govern, but not to fight. Steven Steiner was sworn in as the new Archon in the snow-covered field that had once been the Throne Room.

Michael Steiner died on Nox in the Battle of Beckvern Hill, the first large-scale battle between ‘Mechs in Commonwealth history. His company of ‘Mechs and heavy tanks moved against an equal number of House Kurita’s ‘Mechs from a Sword of Light regiment. In a three hour engagement against the notoriously tenacious Kurita forces, Michael Steiner’s troops fought their way into the enemy’s rear areas. They then fanned out into lance-sized units to cause as much damage as possible in the enemy’s supply and communications centers.

Michael Steiner’s command lance fought its way to the enemy’s regimental headquarters. There, the former Archon managed to destroy the headquarters, killing the commanding officers and staff before being killed by Kurita ‘Mech reinforcements. Michael Steiner’s body was returned to Tharkad City, where it was buried beneath the floor of the new Throne Room, alongside his father, Alistair Steiner.

Mysticism And The Commonwealth

Though the stereotypical Lyran is a moneyhungry trader too practical to believe in anything but the here and now, the truth is that there is a strong undercurrent of mysticism running beneath the pragmatism.

Telling fortunes, be it through the I Ching, the Maltal computer program, or one of the many zodiac cycles, is a popular pastime for many Lyrans. A number of the better-known spirit guides, mediums, and their ilk make a profitable living in the hire of corporation leaders who seek help from the spirit world to make major business decisions.

Certainly what happened after Tatyana Steiner’s death and the accession of Margaret Olsen only heightened this mystical bent.

—From Mysticism and the Occult in Commonwealth History, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3011

Steven Steiner

Unfortunately for the Commonwealth, Steven Steiner was one of the least effective rulers in its history, though his reign was a long one. During his 26 years as Archon, Steven allowed the nobility, which was growing very prosperous from the war economy, to dilute his power. Though an excellent military officer, he soon found the intricacies of politics unfathomable, resorting as often as not to whims and hunches when making decisions. His wife, Margaret Olsen, added to the confusion by daily consulting the 30 zodiacal aspects and meditating with every faddish guru that happened along.

The infamous Loki Incident of 2488 probably points up Steven’s failings as Archon better than any other event of his reign. Loki is the ultra-secret branch of the Lyran Intelligence Corps, combining the capabilities of a small commando unit with the skills of secret agents. For more than 100 years, this unit had been serving the Commonwealth faithfully and well. Though some might accuse Loki of being the Commonwealth’s own ‘terrorist organization’, no one in the unit would have taken issue with that.

In early 2488, Loki was ordered to hide itself in the caravan of a Lyran trader in order to slip across the Draconis border. Once on Vega, a major Kurita staging world for attacks against the House Steiner, they were to perform a series of raids against Kurita military bases before leaving the planet a year later via another Lyran caravan. Later investigations found that Archon Steven had not ordered the mission, nor had he any knowledge of it, despite all the regulations requiring his approval of such a risky and ambitious mission. The leader of the LIC testified that, “I did not think the Archon would understand the complexities of the situation.”

After a year of successful raids against military targets on Vega, Loki botched an attempt to hit Fuson Air Base. The Loki commander and six of the others were captured. The planetary commander was a Kurita nobleman who could not help but admire the skill and daring of the commandos. Instead of executing them as his superiors had demanded, he decided to ransom his Loki captives to the Commonwealth. It was not until Archon Steven Steiner received the ransom demand that he learned of the mission.

His greatest concern was that ransoming Loki would lead to public knowledge of the unit. To admit to Loki would be admitting to terrorist activities. To admit to terrorist activities would be a denial of the high ideals he had sworn to uphold. One such ideal was the protection of every Commonwealth citizen’s life, however, and so the Archon’s thinking went round and round in a vicious circle.

The whole story leaked out anyway, perhaps because Steven had simply waited too long to act. Surprisingly, a poll taken after the public learned of Loki showed that the average Lyran was not much upset at the existence of a terrorist unit. That did not ease the Archon’s troubled conscience, however. When he turned to his counselors, they could not agree on their own advice, at which point Steven broke down in tears. In the end, he was guided by his wife, who advised him that “the stars were not right for a ransom”. After declaring publicly that he had no knowledge of Loki, Steiner refused to discuss the matter further.

The Archon’s decision resulted in a particularly gruesome public execution of the captured commandos, tapes of which the Kurita commander made sure were available in the Commonwealth. There was further disgrace when some of the remaining members of Loki angrily defected to House Kurita and the rest went on a murderous rampage of senseless violence before being hunted down and killed.

The Dukes of Tamar and Skye both took advantage of the indecisive Archon. Together, they convinced him to revoke an important law that forbade any noble to maintain personal troops outnumbering the Commonwealth troops on his world. This law had effectively assured the ultimate and final authority of the Commonwealth government over individual planetary governments.

With this key law no longer in effect, the dukes and other nobility went on a spree of military spending to arm and equip new personal troops. It was not long before this military buildup also included ‘Mech units-the first time ‘Mechs were owned by anyone but the Steiner government. Though the military high command begged the Archon to reinstate the law, he was too befuddled by his own brooding mind and his wife’s mystical advice. During this sad time in Lyran history, the Draconis Combine fought for and won back those worlds it had lost to the Commonwealth offensive of 2463.

Planning for the future, some of the saner nobility and political leaders urged the Archon to allow Robert Steiner, illegitimate son of the late Tatyana, to enter the LCAF. They secretly hoped that once away from the influence of his aunt and uncle, Robert would grow fit to rule the Commonwealth, which was sinking under his uncle’s incompetence. Because the young man was weak from a rare form of muscular disease, his mentors enlisted Robert Steiner in the physically less demanding AeroSpace Force.

The Fugitive

During this time of upheaval, the most popular holovideo program in the Commonwealth was the fifth revival of The Fugitive, that classic fable of a man falsely accused of his wife’s murder but who hunts down the real, one-armed killer. In the Commonwealth version of the story, Richard Kimble was once a physician in an LCAF surgical hospital. He is pursued by his childhood best friend, now a member of the government’s police force. Kimble’s loneliness and angst seemed to appeal to a people who also had lost the innocence, or at least the comfort, of a happier time.

—From Commonwealth Popular Culture: Insights from our Leisure, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3014

The Tharkan Witch

“The Mystic Usurper” and “The Tharkan Witch” are but two of the many names by which Margaret Olsen has come to be known. Born into a minor noble family on Tharkad, she grew up like any young girl of her class. At 16, Margaret fell ill from a mysterious fever that apparently kept her close to death for a week.

Though she did recover from the fever, she began to speak of disembodied voices that advised her to do various odd things. At age 18, the dementia had increased to the point that Margaret’s family committed her to a mental hospital. After a year of heavy psychopharmaceutical therapy, Margaret Olsen was pronounced completely cured and released from the hospital. She immediately entered the LCAF, where she quickly rose in rank and became a capable tank battalion commander.

To say that love is blind is as clichéd as saying that space is infinite or that a Tharkan wolf is vicious. Nevertheless, when Steven Steiner chose Margaret Olsen over all the brighter and more attractive young women of the Court, many shrugged or scratched their heads in wonder. From various biographies of the period, it appears that the Steiner family was extremely opposed to Margaret Olsen becoming part of their clan and made serious efforts to dissuade the love-struck Steven. Their disapproval only strengthened Steven’s resolve to marry Margaret.

It is possible that the Steiner family’s opposition to the marriage could have triggered Margaret’s insanity, but there is little firm proof. All that is certain is that six months after the wedding and a month after Margaret was forced to abort a lifethreatening pregnancy, she began to talk openly about her unseen ‘spiritual guides.’

Members of the Royal Court at first tried to ignore Margaret Olsen’s peculiar pronouncements about reincarnation and karma, but the more assorted mystics she began to collect, the more everyone became concerned. Finally, Archon Michael gently asked that Steven consider having his wife recommitted to the mental hospital for another round of psychopharmaceutical therapy. That conversation occurred just days before the catastrophic quake that brought down the Triad, killed the Archon’s wife, and led to the death of Michael himself.

Once he became Archon, Steven Steiner could not bear to part with his wife, despite the fact that her mind seemed to be steadily slipping away. Some psychiatric historians have suggested that Steven Steiner saw in Margaret Olsen’s nearmanic personality everything that his own colorless personality lacked. By the end of his reign, Margaret Olsen had gained almost complete control over her indecisive mate. The Royal Court now overflowed with religious cult leaders, unscrupulous noblemen, and politicians who curried favor with Margaret Olsen by professing faith in her demented visions.

In 2501, Archon Steven Steiner died. His legacy was a nobility drunk with power, a wife in the clutches of mystic crooks, and no child of his own to inherit the throne. Though Robert Steiner did have a claim to the throne, no one in the realm protested when Margaret Olsen proclaimed herself the new Archon. More than any Archon ever could, apathy now reigned over the Lyran people.

The Many Lives Of Margaret Olsen

I’ve no doubt that I’ve lived many times before. My unseen counselors have told me it is so. I need no greater proof of their wisdom than consulting the memories of my past lives as I meditate over the incense made from Barlabaro seed pod. I was an Egyptian priestess, a swordsman in the service of King Louis XIII, a famous actress from North America, and countless other lives. All these were physical manifestations of my soul’s voyage toward perfection.

As that North American actress, I first came to realize my mission. My message has not changed since then. To gain perfection, one must surrender totally to the unseen counselors, those who wait to guide and teach your mind if only you would allow them to enter.

—From Once Again Out On That Limb, by Margaret Olsen, Channeling Press, 2488

Eagles Cry

Robert Steiner was known around the Poulsbo aerodrome as a quiet and often moody young officer. Indeed, his superiors sometimes wondered if he had inherited his mother Tatyana’s tragic streak. He was a tall, thin man whose leg muscles were so weakened by a wasting disease that in normal gravity he could walk only if wearing braces. He wore his hair long, a dark frame for the disquieting gaze of his blue eyes. As he found it difficult to let anyone near enough to see the lonely man within, Robert had few friends.

Robert Steiner had become an accomplished pilot, had even acquired a reputation as an ace in his Typhoon-A AeroSpace Fighter. In honor of his many kills, Robert’s comrades had painted his fighter in lurid colors and stenciled it with the words, ‘Eagles cry at his approach’, for the many Marik fighters and vehicles Robert had expertly dispatched. Though he hated to see his craft in such vivid colors, Robert Steiner was too touched by the gesture to repaint it.

When he heard of the death of his uncle and Margaret Olsen’s claim to the throne, Robert was not at all concerned that she had usurped his place. He was content to live the life of a soldier, believing he did not have what it took to be Archon.

As the months passed and the level of lunacy steadily rose in Tharkad, more and more political leaders and nobles came to Poulsbo, begging Robert to take his rightful place on the throne. Even that did not persuade him that he had the temperament or skill to be Archon. When the commanding officers of all the surrounding LCAF units trekked to Poulsbo to pledge to him their unconditional support, it was an offer Robert Steiner could not refuse.

Back in Tharkad City, the Throne Room was fast becoming more like a carnival of mystic seers, card readers, and charlatans who plied their trade with impunity. Though some noblemen yearned to speak out and to halt the madness, Margaret Olsen had the unswerving support of the opportunistic and powerful dukes of Tamar and Skye. These two had their own reasons for blocking any effort to save the Archonship from ruin. Though some whispered that Margaret had a mystic carnal power over the two, the only lust that motivated the mighty dukes was a lust for power.

In 2503, Robert Steiner arrived on Tharkad at the head of several loyal regiments. Though Margaret Olsen had fled the day before with the Duke of Skye, Robert’s entrance into the disgraced Throne Room was memorable nonetheless. As he and his officers entered the great chamber, the clatter of their boots and the metallic squeak of Robert’s braces were the only sounds in the large hall. He slowly approached the great carved throne, which was still covered with the colored rugs and silks of Margaret Olsen’s arcane beliefs. Climbing the steps of the dais, he shook with a fury he had never known before as he gazed at the throne. With one hand, he grasped at the silks and scarves that hid the throne’s cool marble surface and threw them to the floor. On his way out, Robert paused only long enough to stare coldly at the sycophantic courtiers who had fostered the lunacy. It may have been at this moment that Steiner shed his reluctance to rule and replaced it with a vengeful hatred of those who had stood by while the Commonwealth crumbled.

Appearing before the Estates General, Robert Steiner presented his claim to the Archonship. He also responded to Margaret Olsen’s favorite argument against him, the fact that he was the illegitimate child of an illicit love affair. His words were brief and to the point: “I may be a bastard son, but do I not seem more fit to rule than a madwoman who believes in ghosts and reads state policy in tea leaves? I intend to govern with reason and with the help of good men’s counsel, not because of the constellations of the stars or by gazing into Arcturan memory crystals”. Also listening to him were the Lyran people, who must have breathed a sigh of relief when the Estates General approved Robert Steiner’s claim.

Repaying Old Debts

Though some military units remained neutral for a time, Robert Steiner was able to assemble a substantial force of regiments loyal to his cause. Setting out in pursuit of Margaret Olsen and the Dukes of Tamar and Skye, Robert Steiner arrived with his force in Skye in late 2504. His men were drained from their long voyages and the many skirmishes with Margaret’s supporters along the way. Nevertheless, he and his men managed to push back the Duke of Skye’s house units.

Just as Robert Steiner’s units were closing in on the capital of Skye where they hoped to capture Margaret Olsen and the duke, units from far Tamar arrived to block his advance. This allowed Margaret Olsen, the Duke of Skye, and most of their forces to escape in a DropShip, while Robert Steiner was forced to sit and watch their escape.

Five months later, he and his near-exhausted troops fell on Tamar. There, they found themselves outnumbered and too fatigued to mount an effective defense. Margaret’s supporters had soon pushed Robert Steiner’s units back onto a barren and rocky peninsula in the arid Sahara continent of Tamar. Frustrated and angry at himself, Robert Steiner realized that he had led his men to certain death at the hands of a woman who conversed with plants.

Guessing that the final attack would come at sundown, the Duke of Tamar’s favorite time to strike, the might-have-been Archon watched grimly as the red sun touched the horizon. At that moment, the sounds of a planetary cutter coming in for a landing broke the desert stillness. It was painted with the colors of the Terran Hegemony. Once down between the two armies, the cutter’s door opened and a diplomatic mediator stepped out. Declaring a temporary cease-fire, the mediator then requested that the leaders of both sides meet in his ship. Welcoming the chance to postpone fate for a few hours, Robert Steiner went gladly. Though unhappy at the delay to their plans, the dukes and Margaret Olsen approached the ship.

After a whole night of sometimes violent negotiations, they had not been able to agree on terms. At daylight, the enemy leaders returned to their respective positions. Once the mediator’s ship had gone, they would resume their final battle.

As he lifted his eyes to watch the ship lift away, Robert Steiner also glimpsed streaks in the sky above the enemy forces. As the dukes launched their attack, Robert saw that the vague glowing lines had now become more clear-cut as objects burning their way through the atmosphere. On a hunch, he ordered his troops to open fire early at the slowly advancing attackers to gain as much time as possible.

This confused the advancing enemy troops, some of whom turned and headed the way they had come. Though stripped of their support, others continued forward into the fields of fire, which easily cut them down. Having seen enough, Robert Steiner was grinning broadly when he gave the order to advance. Though the order must have been a surprise, his ‘Mechs, tanks, and men began obediently to leave their defensive positions.

The resistance they met was haphazard. Steiner’s troops now began to believe that a victory rather than defeat was near. Jubilantly, they began to chase the fleeing rebel men and ‘Mechs clear of the peninsula.

Six hours later, and some 30 kilometers inland, Robert Steiner could see that he and his men were approaching the smoke and fire of a pitched battle. Someone had come to his rescue, but he still had not a clue about who it might be.

A Griffin that Robert Steiner did not recognize from either his own or his enemy’s forces was approaching through the smoke of battle. It lumbered its way toward Robert Steiner, who had climbed atop his mobile headquarters to meet it. From the ‘Mech’s speakers came the voice of Nels Reynolds, the young Duke of Fatima. He told the astonished Robert Steiner that his family had been waiting for a chance to repay its debt to the Steiner family and now was as good a time as any. With a laugh, Robert Steiner agreed heartily.

The next year, Robert Steiner was officially sworn in as Archon. He immediately had the rebel Dukes of Skye and Tamar tried for treason, for which they were later executed. Steiner also stripped their families of title and rank, then dispersed them to exile in remote areas of the Commonwealth. His aunt, who was obviously not fully responsible for her actions, was also tried and found guilty by reason of insanity. She was sentenced to life imprisonment in a fortress castle set high on a mountain in the forbidden reaches of Gallery.

To replace the treasonous rulers of the Federation of Skye and the Tamar Pact, the Archon chose two loyal branches of the Kelswa and Lestrade families. His next move was to order the nobility to place their house troops under control of the LCAF, or else become fair game as enemies of the Commonwealth. It was an offer no one refused.

The Star League Era

On this, the 29th day of May, in the year of our lord two thousand, five hundred, and fifty-eight, I, Tracial Regina Steiner, the ninth Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, signed the Tharkan Accords. With that, I announce the intention of our fair realm to become a member of the as yet unborn Star League. As a full and active partner in this grand design, I look forward to many long and fruitful years of peace and prosperity.

—From My Time as Archon, by Tracial Regina Steiner, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2570

PRELUDE

As Archon, Robert Steiner decided that his next order of business was to stimulate his realm’s recovery from the economic and emotional devastation of war. He felt to blame for the civil war and all its misery because his reluctance to take his place on the throne had pushed matters to the limit. He therefore made full reparation for the war damage done on Skye and Tamar, paying for it from his personal fortune.

In 2511, Robert Steiner married his long-time love, the intelligent and beautiful Lucindra Andruson, who soon bore him a son and heir, the infant Craig. The way he had handled the question of war damage in Tamar and Skye had won him much admiration among the Lyran people. Now his idyllic family life made Robert even more popular with people ready and eager to forget the difficult years just past. It was not long before Robert Steiner could do no wrong in the eyes of his people.

Shielded by his popularity, the Archon set out to win back the powers his uncle had let slip through his fingers. He had a subtle plan, however, that would give the nobility and the Estates General the illusion that they were gaining more say in running the Commonwealth. He invited the Estates General to submit its views directly to the Archon’s advisors in the Commonwealth Council instead of having to wait for an invitation from him. As a further gracious concession, Robert began to host a series of luncheons, during which he and members of the nobility and the Estates General’s Steering Committee had informal political discussions.

Knowing that both he and his people had suffered enough war for a while, Archon Robert did not turn the LCAF loose on many major campaigns during his reign. It was in a rare military action when the LCAF took Megrez from the Free Worlds League in 2508. For the next 20 years, House Marik made many attempts to win back the valuable planet. This kept numerous LCAF regiments tied up defending Megrez, further reducing Robert’s desire to embark on other costly military campaigns. The Archon was more than content to see mediators from the Terran Hegemony use diplomacy to solve the House Steiner’s disputes with its neighbors. It was a slower process, but it kept the Commonwealth’s young soldiers from dying, and the war-weary Lyrans were grateful.

In 2528, after 22 years as a popular Archon, Robert Steiner stepped down. His son, Craig, who had just turned 20, took his place at the helm.

Craig Steiner

Craig Steiner is one of those unfortunate men whose image pales beside the flashier, more charismatic personalities of his time. Though he was responsible for many innovations in the Commonwealth government, history is fickle enough that we remember him best for altering the Throne Room.

—From The Quiet Years, by Yvonna DeCarls, Commonwealth HistoricalPress, 2569

Less than a year after young Craig became Archon, there was an attempt on his life. While the Archon was presenting medals and awards in the Commonwealth Olympiad of Human Endeavors, an assassin threw a small explosive device at him. The device exploded, but not before the Archon ducked behind the throne, which absorbed the blast. Unfortunately, three people did die in the explosion, one of whom was a singer much beloved in the realm. Steiner’s men did not take long to capture the would-be assassin among the buildings of the Triad. The man was a minor noble from Skye and a heavy user of KZ, a dangerous drug that seems to have impaired his mind. From all appearances, he had been acting alone and out of some twisted desire to become a hero or die, whichever came first.

After this close brush with death, Archon Craig had the Throne Room extensively remodeled. The dais was raised, the ceiling heightened and strengthened, and two immense doors were built on either side of the throne. The reason for these modifications became clear at the Archon’s next birthday celebration. While the Archon grinned at his guests’ surprise, two Griffin BattleMechs walked through the doors flanking the throne to stand on either side of where he sat. The dimensions of the Throne Room were altered to give these behemoths considerable room to maneuver, should the need arise. The ‘Mech pilots who draw this “Guardian Duty” are specially trained for close-quarter maneuvering, and they must be expert marksmen to avoid accidentally killing important personages who might be standing near an attacker. As long as the two Griffins and the standard complement of Royal Guards keep their vigilant watch, the Archon has almost fool-proof protection.

When an assassin shot the Speaker of the Assembly in 2538, Craig Steiner proposed a similar security measure for Government House. The Representatives balked at having members of the Archon’s military present to witness everything that occurred in their sessions, however.

In 2531, the Free Worlds League made yet another attempt to take Megrez. Diplomats and mediators from the Cameron family stopped the attack before it could begin, with an offer to try to settle the many disputed issues between the two realms. Four years and many thousands hours of negotiations later, the leaders of both realms signed the Megrez Treaty. It settled the major points of contention between the two states, with a token peacekeeping force from the Hegemony kept on hand to administer still-disputed worlds.

In the meantime, Craig Steiner had married Rebecca Kemper, an economist who helped him restructure the Commonwealth’s banking system so that both large and small companies could more easily obtain business loans. Though this greatly stimulated the growth of large companies, it backfired on the smaller ones, who suddenly found themselves bait for the shark-like conglomerates. So many business takeovers occurring at once was not healthy for the economy, and so the Archon decided to freeze all further attempts in 2537.

After considerable modification of the loan system, Craig Steiner again released the brakes on the economy the next year. The result was a 20-year economic boom stimulated by the new loan policy. With hostile border activity and bandit raids at an all-time low, this boom was heightened even further when many from the overcrowded Federation of Skye emigrated to the Periphery provinces. At last, those worlds had access to the manpower and technology needed to develop their rich but untapped resources.

This economic boom also attracted many corporate giants from the Terran state into the Commonwealth. During these years, firms like Nissan, Vinci Oppenheimer, General Motors Interstellar, and Takashi all opened major factories there. Indeed, it was fast becoming evident that the Lyran Commonwealth’s so many potentially prosperous worlds added to its already developed worlds would soon be the industrial center of the whole Inner Sphere.

Another of Craig Steiner’s innovations that popular history tends to ignore was the creation of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth in 2543. This court would be the ultimate arbiter and interpreter of Commonwealth laws, ending the tendency of many planetary leaders to bend the laws to suit their own purposes. The first Chief Justice of the Court was Tracial Steiner, an experienced judge and a second-cousin to the Archon. She set the tone of the court by immediately striking down a controversial tariff law that the Archon had written. Surprising many, Craig Steiner openly admired her spunk and allowed the ruling to stand.

When high-level negotiators from Ian Cameron landed on Tharkad in 2551, most observers assumed they had come to negotiate a new treaty between the Draconis Combine and the Commonwealth. If truth were known, the purpose of those ultra-secret meetings was even more ambitious than that. The diplomats’ mission was to persuade the Archon to join in the ‘grand experiment’, the amalgamation of the five other major member-states ruled by Houses Davion, Steiner, Marik, Kurita, and Liao, into a single confederacy. With its solid industrial base, the Lyran Commonwealth would be a key to creating this new order, and so the diplomats were extra careful to allay Craig Steiner’s fear that he would be giving up power over his worlds.

In 2554, Archon Craig Steiner came to an important decision. His own health was failing and his beloved wife had never borne him an heir. Rather than divorce Rebecca in hopes of fathering a child with another mate, the Archon decided to appoint ‘the spunky firebrand’ as his successor. Tracial Steiner was officially recognized as the Archon-Designate. Though she had been well content as head of the Supreme Court, Tracial resigned as Chief Justice to join with the Archon in the delicate negotiations with Cameron diplomats. The next year, Craig Steiner died of heart failure.

Three years later, in 2558, Tracial Steiner signed the Tharkan Accords, the document that officially and publicly joined the Lyran Commonwealth to Ian Cameron’s plan to build the Star League.

Minor Adjustments

The Star WHAT? You mean we’re going join with those slimy serpents and the plague pigeons across the borders in some half-baked idea that a Cameron came up with? In the name of what—Peace? What’s next, will I have to sell my daughter to a Capellan slaver in the name of Freedom? Gods above, it’s like I’ve always said, politics is the last refuge of the incompetent and the insane.

—From Official Transcripts of High Command Meetings, Year 2558, by Gen. Miter Patner, Commonwealth Military Press, 2568

The announcement that the Archon had agreed to join a “Star League” stirred up debate and controversy among the nobles and the Representatives on Tharkad as well as on every planet in the Commonwealth. Many had serious doubts that states that had been at war with one another for almost five centuries could find political common ground, much less peace. Others were concerned that membership in the Star League might affect the economy adversely because the Commonwealth had always depended on closed borders to protect its industrial edge.

Still others wondered how this new arrangement would affect relations with the frontier governments of the Periphery, who, like the early settlers of the Exodus, did not feel much in common with the more civilized sphere they had left behind. It seemed unlikely that any of the four outworld republics would want to join the League.

As the Archon had already signed the Accords, the whole debate was purely academic. Critics of the Star League could only hope that their fears were groundless.

Reaction

I can’t help seeing death in the Archon’s actions. She lives too far from the Periphery border to
understand that we depend as much on the outworld republics as we rely on our own Commonwealth. Understand me, for I mean to speak no treason against the government that has kept us so well for these past centuries. But can we sit idly by and let Armageddon march toward us without at least protesting?

—From Official Transcripts of Government House, Year 2558, by Keiv Fleicha, Representative of Lost, Commonwealth Press, 2559

In 2559, Viola Steiner, the Archon’s daughter and only offspring, married Robert Dinesen, the Duke of Coventry. This especially pleased her mother, who had come to believe Viola was married only to the military.

For her part, Viola was so smitten with Robert Dinesen that she broke with Steiner tradition and took his surname at the wedding. Though this caused some tension between the Archon and her daughter, Tracial Steiner took comfort that at least the Dinesen family honored its own deep roots and strong traditions the way the Steiners did. Who could have guessed at this moment of love in bloom that one day relations between these two families would become a war of assassins?

Though the Star League was still a few years away from its official birth, it was already affecting economic relations between the six major states, who had agreed to a total ceasefire. At Cameron’s urging, they had also lowered nearly all trade barriers. By 2560, the Lyran Commonwealth had rescinded the last of its major trade restrictions, the Foreign Tariffs. Almost immediately, its business dealings with the other states burgeoned, while many outside investors tried to buy into Commonwealth industries. As a result, the economy rose and fell precipitously for nearly a year and half. In the meantime, millions of immigrants began to swarm into the prosperous Commonwealth to make their fortunes. Most of these did not settle on under-populated worlds such as those in the Periphery, but headed instead for already crowded industrial worlds like Rahne and Skye.

In 2562, the Archon stepped in to close the Commonwealth’s borders, reimpose all the tariffs, and severely restrict foreign investments in Commonwealth businesses. She also moved to have the various banks, stock markets, and other financial institutions upgrade their facilities to stay more abreast of the new interstate economy. Her final move was to instruct the Estates General to revise many of the trade laws, so that they would be appropriate to the torrent of money and goods that would be flowing in and out of the realm when she reopened the borders.

Also that year, the first graduate left the Star League military academies just completed on Skye and Tharkad. Construction of these academies had been an important factor in the Archon’s decision to sign the Accords, which allowed the LCAF legal access to the new Star League military. Both academies offered extensive training for the various branches of service. Though the majority of the graduates were duty-bound to serve in the League forces for at least five years, some would remain with the LCAF to upgrade its often inept ranks.

In 2564, Tracial Steiner gradually began to loosen trade restrictions. The goal was to gently ease the Commonwealth economy into the League, giving the government enough time to tinker with new laws and financial bodies to handle the expanded trade. Commonwealth businessman were looking forward particularly to trading with Rim Worlds Republic, which was rich in key resources.

In 2566, another major earthquake rocked Tharkad City, though the damage was less catastrophic than previously. Most of the Triad remained standing, and casualties were remarkably lower than in the quake of 2475. As Government House had suffered most, the Archon decided it would be more efficient to tear down the ruins and simply rebuild the whole structure. In the meantime, the Archon offered the Representatives the use of her Throne Room as a temporary assembly hall. This gracious offer was partly motivated by Tracial’s desire to keep the delegates on Tharkad rather than have them adjourn to some other world. It would take six years before construction of the new Government House was complete.

During that time, the Throne Room was rearranged to accommodate the Representatives. The Speaker of the Assembly’s chair was placed next to the Archon’s throne, but on a lower step. Often, the Archon wandered in unannounced to observe the proceedings. Rather than stifle debate by taking her throne, she remained at the back, sitting among the junior Representatives on their temporary benches.

In 2570, Archon Tracial Regina Steiner died of a massive heart attack at the age of 64. Viola Steiner-Dinesen, her sole heir, became the Commonwealth’s tenth Archon. Many Steiner family members and the traditionalists among the nobility wished secretly that she would resume using the Steiner name. Others said that did not worry them as much as whether the Archon would become merely a powerless figurehead once the Star League became official. In that same year, Viola gave birth to a daughter, whom she named Sarah. Kevin Dinesen, her son and the Archon-Designate, was ten years old when his mother took the throne.

When the Star League came officially into being in 2571, the Lyran people greeted the event with cautious optimism. After the financial fiasco of the 60s, the average Lyran looked forward to peaceful union with the other League members, but only with proper protection. Some voiced the worry that the rich Commonwealth economy would be expected to carry the burden for the less successful members. Furthermore, it did not sit well with many that the new laws created to stimulate other League members’ industries would eventually place them in competition with currently successful Lyran firms.

From a political viewpoint, however, most people were overjoyed at the idea of a Star League and the peaceful times it promised. Trying to defend a realm as vast as the Commonwealth had always been a difficult feat of organization, and so the LCAF was relieved that it would no longer face that monumental task.

Militarily, the Commonwealth had never been stronger. Now that the Lyrans had open access to new sources of resources and materials, it gave the defense industries a much needed boost in productivity. As a by-product of the expanding economy, BattleMech facilities on Coventry, Alarion, and Sudeten were greatly expanded. Finally, with cadets from the Commonwealth eligible to attend either of the two Star League military academies, the LCAF would always remain up-to-date on the latest technical advances, and its young recruits would get the finest possible training. Perhaps the graduates from these top-flight academies would put an end to the shameful condition of the LCAF’s higher echelons, which were filled with socially skilled but militarily useless officers.

Disillusionment

Yes, I agree with my learned colleague. There have been many disappointments since we joined the Star League. Worst of all is the outworlds question, which is not likely to resolve itself peacefully. If what we fear comes to pass, every world in the Commonwealth will suffer the consequences. Once again, families will dread the knock at their door and the messenger from the LCAF. Honored Representatives, that is exactly my point. That is why I stand before you in favor of the resolution: If every world must share the worst the Star League has to offer, why shouldn’t it share its best?

—Archon Viola Dinesen Steiner, in The Great Tax Debate, Brusch Gret, ed., Price Publishers, 2589

The economy of the Lyran Commonwealth, properly shored up by the government’s new economic policies, entered an unparalleled period of growth during the first years of the Star League. Though this was good propaganda, prosperity had not spread around equally among Lyran worlds, which brought to a head a problem that had been festering for many years.

The Federation of Skye and the Tamar Pact, the industrial giants of the Star League, were making huge sums of money per world, while the Protectorate of Donegal had actually experienced a drop in profits per planet. Yet, according to the tax system, each province was expected to pay a third of the taxes need to finance the Commonwealth government. This left the Protectorate poorer, while the other two barely missed their shares.

This imbalance eventually led to a growing movement among the poorer worlds of the Periphery provinces for substantial tax reform. The movement became known as the Main Street Rebellion, named for the Periphery world where the issue first arose. The Rebellion soon had hundreds of thousands supporters, and clashes with their opponents were often violent.

This placed the Archon in a delicate position. As ruler of the Commonwealth, she was duty-bound to suppress any danger to the realm, yet as the leader of the Protectorate, she also had to agree with much of what the Main Street Rebellion had to say. No matter what she did, Viola knew it would anger one side or the other. Someone other than she would have to settle the issue before a legitimate grievance degenerated into a violent rebellion.

After a bit of political wrangling, the Archon persuaded the Duke of Skye, leader of the rich-worlds coalition, to agree to publicly debate the issue with her before the Estates General. After the debate, the Representatives would vote on whether to change the tax system, and both the Archon and the Duke of Skye would honor their decision. That memorable debate took place on one of the most sweltering days of that Tharkan summer. For five hours, the Archon and the Duke of Skye debated one another in the stuffy Throne Room where the Representatives had gathered to listen. As the debate drew to a close, the Archon regally took her place on the throne, a bit of upstaging with which the Duke could not possibly compete The Representatives voted, easily giving an almost unanimous yes to the Archon’s desire to change the tax system. Some of the richer Representatives had cast the few opposing nay votes. They considered the final decision a bitter defeat and secretly began to oppose the Archon’s power.

It was fortunate that the tax burden for the Periphery worlds was eased, for their trade with the outworld republics would soon be cut off by a bold move of the Star League’s First Lord. In 2575, First Lord Cameron sent a message to the Taurian Concordat, Rim Worlds Republic, the Outworlds Alliance, and the Magistracy of Canopus, the four alliances of the outer worlds. Though couched in diplomatic euphemism, the message was explicit enough: these alliances would either join the Star League or the Star League would war against them. The outworlders’ rather scathing reply had many Lyran leaders and citizens shaking their heads sadly.

For the next two years, the Inner Sphere held its collective breath as the League made half-hearted attempts to negotiate with the outer republics. When the outworlders held firm, the Star League declared war in 2578. There were riots on the Commonwealth worlds lying near the Periphery border and many heated arguments between Archon Viola and the First Lord. In the end, however, the Archon knew she would have to side with the League.

Lyran businessmen were also outraged at the news of war. They believed it was a trick to drain dry the Commonwealth economy. When the Star League placed much of the burden of supplying the war effort on them, it did not help matters. As part of a crash industrial program, construction began on a vast BattleMech facility to replace the old one in the mountains of Hesperus II. This new industrial complex would eventually become Defiance Industries, the largest manufacturer of ‘Mechs in the present-day Inner Sphere.

The high command of the LCAF spared the Archon from making that difficult decision by volunteering its force for the war. They immediately began pulling troops from all fronts but the Kurita border, and sent them to rendezvous points along the Periphery border. The defense industries began churning out arms, ammo, and supplies, which flowed in a constant stream toward the Periphery border.

A recent poll conducted by the Heinman Public Opinion Systems shows that 47 percent of the Lyran people are in favor of seceding from the Star League, while 32 percent are in favor of our continued involvement with the League. One man remarked to the pollster, “I thought we were joining the Star League to prevent wars, not provoke them.” Riots continued today in the Periphery worlds of Bone-Norman, Lost, and Timbuktu. Losses from those week-long rampages have been heavy. It is expected that First Lord Cameron will soon ask the Archon either to commit a substantial portion of the LCAF to the League’s fight against the outworld republics or else to commit the remainder of the Commonwealth’s industries to supplying the war.

—From Tharkan Evening News, Tharkan Broadcasting Co., June 4, 2579

Operation Mailed Fist

All that he could see before him was an endless landscape of rocks, desert sands, and scrub growth. To the west, the sinking sun made a ruddy shadow over the brown land. Images of his children playing cowboys and Indians kept floating through Colonel Rechard’s mind. He felt like his troops were the cowboys, all tired and worn out. Out there in the foxholes, hiding in caverns, in the treacherous canyons, and up in the chilling air were the soldiers of the Rim Worlds Republic just waiting for their chance to strike. Just like a real life cowboy, Colonel Rechard couldn’t understand why it was necessary to hate the Indians just because they were fighting for their homeland.

—From Desert Fights: The Reunification Wars, by Crepto Sals, Skye Military Press, 2602

Having decided that it would be cowardly not to face the same dangers that she was asking her troops to confront, Archon Viola Steiner-Dinesen announced that she would lead the Lyran Expeditionary Force at the head of the 4th Royal Guards. To rule in her absence, she appointed her son Kevin, and made the Dukes of Skye and Tamar his official counselors. Though a few eyebrows arched at the appointments, the Archon knew that the Kelswa and Lestrade families were loyal to her rule. She knew, too, that those families were part of the Expeditionary forces she planned to head.

Operation Mailed Fist was launched in 2581. With forces from the Lyran Commonwealth and the Free Worlds League to supplement Star League regiments, the operation’s goal was to drive straight through the Rim Worlds Republic to capture its capital. The outworlds governments had only recently learned to field BattleMechs, and so the League commanders did not expect serious opposition to their better-equipped invasion force composed almost entirely of ‘Mechs. According to a naively optimistic plan drawn up by Star League strategists, it would take only five years to conquer the Rim Worlds Republic. In the end, it took some 20 years and nearly resulted in toppling the rule of the Archons.

Though the Rim Worlds Republic might be at a disadvantage because they had not been using BattleMechs for long, what they were skilled at was construction of large, heavily armed tanks and hovercraft. These tanks, along with their crews’ detailed knowledge of the planetary terrains, more than made up for the League’s superiority in ‘Mechs.

As a result, the Star League forces often found themselves at the mercy of tanks that seemed to appear from nowhere to cut down a ‘Mech before melting back into the terrain. In another error of judgment, the League commanders had not provided for infantry support, believing it would not be necessary. Without it, their forces were not able to hold onto what territory they did manage to capture. This whole campaign might have been called a comedy of errors, but for the many lives lost.

Bad planning and a stubborn opponent extended the five-year plan to a goal of ten years. Desertions, which had never before plagued the LCAF, suddenly became a serious problem. Sick of the fighting, MechWarriors, Techs, and common soldiers chucked their uniforms and tried to disappear into the native populations, hoping somehow to hitch a ride back home. The Archon had no choice but to order that the deserters be hunted down, tried, and sentenced to a minimum ten years’ hard labor in the ammunition loading pens of the rear echelon.

Eight years into the invasion, the Star League offensive had crossed a third of the way toward the
capital of the Rim Worlds Republic. In the other outworld republics, Star League offensives had been meeting with similar dismal results. By now, the war had begun to affect the daily lives of ordinary Lyrans back home in the Commonwealth. Industry, which was geared totally to manufacturing military equipment and supplies, no longer produced many items that had previously been available to the citizenry. Even worse, so much of the total food production was going to the war zone that there were shortages on the poorer worlds, and resulting food riots.

Meanwhile, the young Archon-Designate was losing control over the government. Not only was social unrest widespread, but there was open talk in the Estates General about seceding from the Star League. Hoping to win back popular support, Kevin ordered a cut in taxes to ease the burden on the people. When representatives from First Lord Cameron warned him that the League still needed the flow of Lyran money and materials, Kevin responded by raising taxes again. Though the Dukes of Tamar and Skye had urged against this course, Kevin dared not disobey the League’s demand.

The Steering Committee, composed of rich Representatives who had been hurt by the Archon’s new tax system, seized upon this latest taxes issue as an excuse for secessionist rhetoric. Seizing the initiative, they ordered a special session of the Estates General to discuss and vote on the wisdom of the Lyran Commonwealth’s continued participation in the Star League.

The Archon Kidnapped

I’ve no interest in what the Star League can provide us years from now. I only know what they’ve already given us—pain, hunger, chaos, and an Archon light-years away, busy shooting at citizens whose only crime is wishing to be left in peace and free of the sickly Star League. Fellow Representatives. I say we have no choice. We must overcome whatever and whoever stands in our way, no matter how high they might stand.

—Graf Henry Gram, Speaker of the Assembly, in Official Transcripts of Government House, Year 2591, Commonwealth Press, 2592

When the Representatives arrived in Tharkad City for the special session, they learned that Kevin Dinesen had been kidnapped from the Archon’s offices just behind the Throne Room. Following clues they picked up at the scene, agents from the LIC took their investigation from Tharkad to Donegal.

Then wild rumors that the Dukes of Tamar and Skye were implicated in the kidnapping began to fly on Tharkad. Though the LIC issued a public statement saying there was no evidence to support such a charge, hostility toward the two Dukes only grew more overt. When someone took a shot at the Duke of Tamar, he and his friend from Skye prudently decided to leave Tharkad.

With a great wringing of hands, the Steering Committee members publicly declared themselves the temporary head of the Commonwealth until the Archon was safely returned. Then they began to harangue the Star League, blaming it for everything from the food shortages to the abduction of the Archon-Designate. In conclusion, the Committee spokesman announced that the Estates General would vote on whether the Lyran Commonwealth should remain in the Star League.

Berserker

God Almighty, when I saw that Warhammer bearing down on me. I thought Satan himself was a-piloting it, so fast and furious was its moving. I figured the Rim Worlders must have snuck up on us, catching us with our pants down. Poor Timothy didn’t even see it coming. The Warhammer just collided with his Stinger, toppling him to the ground. Then that Warhammer raised its PPC and fired pointblank into poor Timothy’s cockpit. The kid had just turned 20. I said to myself, ‘McCorkell, ’tis time to leave.’ I trained my Wasp’s laser on the Warhammer‘s left leg, ready to hit my jets the instant the shot went off. But just as I fingered the trigger, that Warhammer wheeled about and hit me with the other PPC, tossing me back 30 meters.

You know, I can understand why she did what she did, but so many of my friends died that I could never really forgive her.

—Interview with Leutnant Silas McCorkell, in The Commonwealth: Do We Stay? Skye Broadcasting Network, May 4, 2593

The Archon was in the field when news of her son’s abduction reached her. Unfortunately, the rumors about the two dukes’ supposed involvement also reached her at the same time. Enraged, she ordered her company to mount up, then marched her ‘Mechs to where elements of the 25th Skye Rangers and the Tamar Tigers were camped, both house troops of the Dukes of Skye and Tamar. Nearing the camp in her Warhammer, Viola targeted the sentry Griffin piloted by a Skye Ranger, and blew the unsuspecting ‘Mech away with two shots. Then her stunned unit watched as the Archon ran into the camp, knocking over empty ‘Mechs and shooting at anyone in her path. As the camp began to mount a ragged defense that threatened the Archon with increasing fire, her dumbfounded unit finally moved to defend her.

The commander of the Star League forces could not believe the report he was hearing, as he headed toward the campsite with his ‘Mech battalion. Topping the crest of a hill, he and his men looked down into the camp. The hulks of more than 20 Commonwealth ‘Mechs stood burning in the sun. Others wore hobbling off the field, with arms missing or otherwise mangled bodies or heads. The rest were still fighting, most hand-to-hand, their struggles actually making the ground shake and groan. In the midst of the chaos stood the hulk of the Archon’s Warhammer, its left arm gone and its cockpit caved in. Having seen enough, the Star League commander moved his battalion in to separate the combatants.

For a month, the Archon lay near death, while the whole realm speculated about her state of mind upon learning of Kevin’s abduction. Could the Steiners’ genetic tendency toward Depression-A Syndrome have had something to do with Viola’s blind rage? No one knew, nor is it likely anyone ever will.

What is known is that the Tamar Tigers and the 25th Skye Rangers lost 117 men and women, 14 of them MechWarriors. With deep regret, the Archon’s second-in-command accepted their request to leave the invasion force and return home.

When Viola finally regained consciousness, the LIC briefed her on their investigation of Kevin’s kidnapping. Their report completely cleared the Dukes of Tamar and Skye of involvement. It was later said that it was out of deep remorse that the Archon never replaced her lost limb with an artificial arm and why she never allowed her ‘Mech’s left arm to be repaired. Having recovered enough to travel, the Archon requested permission from the Star League commander to withdraw most of her force and return to the Commonwealth.

Colonel Steven Zaks, commander of the 12th Donegal Guards, is shown wearing the typical senior
officer’s field uniform. Campaign bars adorn the front of his flack jacket. Colonel Zaks’s blue sash shows that he graduated from the prestigious Nagelring on Tharkad. As so few officers carry a riding crop, it indicates that this colonel is either young, vain, or both—a potentially disastrous combination.

Day Of Rage

While the Archon was meting out vengeful justice against innocent men and women in the far Periphery, back on Tharkad, events were moving swiftly. Bombarded by the Steering Committee’s shrill demands for secession from the Star League, many Representatives had begun to grow suspicious. Whenever there was a call for a final vote, a core of delegates loyal to the Archon filibustered to give others time to investigate privately the disappearance of Kevin Steiner Dinesen.

Though they contacted the LIC, that agency seemed indecisive and unwilling to offer help. It later came out that LIC rules forbade its officials from releasing information or taking major action without the permission of the Archon, who happened to be in a coma at the time. It almost cost Kevin Steiner his life. What the LIC and the Representatives could not know was that Kevin Dinesen was by then quite ill. His ten months of captivity had deprived him of much of his physical strength and most of his emotional well-being.

As members of the Steering Committee were also blocking the loyal Representatives’ efforts to investigate Kevin’s disappearance, the delegates decided it was time to force the issue. After managing to squeeze some bare facts from the LIC, they established communications with the
approaching Archon and her force. After speaking with her, the loyalists ceased their filibuster so that the vote on secession could take place.

Timing was everything, and that meant the vote must come early on the 15th of January, 2592. As all the Representatives assembled to decide the important question that day, disguised agents of the LIC watched the halls and corridors of Government House. The Steering Committee strode confidently into the hall and moved that the vote be taken. One of the loyalists then moved that it be a voice vote, to which the Committee graciously agreed. Outside, vengeance appeared high in the morning sky.

As the first thump announced the arrival of the Royal Guards, most of the Steering Committee panicked. They guessed correctly that the Archon suspected that her son was somewhere in Government House. Some remained bravely in their seats as LIC officers came to stand guard over them. Others fled the chamber, dreading the wrath of the Archon, who was sure to arrive any moment. LIC agents stationed nearby captured the fleeing conspirators as they left the building. The true leader of the kidnappers was the Speaker of the Assembly, Graf Henry Gram. Hoping to dispose of one last item before taking his own life, he rushed back toward his private chamber.

Agents of the LIC and the first dismounted MechWarriors took another way around and apprehended the Speaker just as he was about to enter his chamber. Searching it, they found Kevin Dinesen gagged, tied, and hidden in the back of a deep closet. Though severely dehydrated and weak, he was able to speak enough to exonerate the Dukes of Tamar and Skye and to implicate every member of the Steering Committee.

A DropShip landed in front of Government House, and one of its huge panels opened to reveal the Archon in her one-armed Warhammer. Seeing her son being carried down the steps of the building, she moved her ‘Mech toward him. At that instant, LIC guards were leading Henry Gram through another door. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, the Archon changed direction and pushed her ‘Mech into a trot toward the defiant Gram.

Seeing the Warhammer thundering toward them the guards scattered. In one last act of courage, Henry Gram stood calmly as the Warhammer stopped in front of him. For a moment, the man and machine contemplated one other. Then, raising the ‘Mech’s foot high over the head of her son’s abductor, the Archon brought it down with such force that the concrete crumbled beneath her fury, and blood mixed with the soil beneath. The patch of crushed concrete has never been repaired, and though the soil is exposed to the rain and the sun, no grass has ever grown there.

In the aftermath of Kevin’s abduction, the Archon had every Representative of the Estates General thoroughly questioned and investigated. All involved in the crime were quickly tried and executed. So great was Viola’s disgust with their deed that she had the Estates General disbanded for 20 years. In addition to a public apology to the Dukes of Tamar and Skye and to the families of those who had died on the day of her rage, she bestowed land and titles on the victims’ families, saying that innocence bloodied must be honored. Most accepted her apology and even pitied the woman, who seemed to have aged so much during the crisis. A permanent rift had opened between the Archon and the Kelswa and Lestrade families, however.

Archon Viola Dinesen returned to the battlefront in the Rim Worlds Republic, where she reassumed her command of Commonwealth units. Perhaps her recklessness in battle was due to the grief she felt for her mistakes, or perhaps it was a death wish. Whatever the reason, Archon Viola was often at the head of a charging unit, and the sight of her one-armed Warhammer running against a cloud of tracer bullets became commonplace. It was not long before she suffered mortal wounds that sent her back to Tharkad. She died there a year before the Reunification War was ‘won’ by the forces of the Star League. There were more deaths in this war than in the entire Age of War. In an ironic twist, First Lord Cameron publicly eulogized Viola Steiner Dinesen in his announcement of victory, saying she was an inspiration to anyone who wished to rise above the evil in his soul.

THE STEINER PSYCHE

I’m not saying that the Steiners are perpetually on the thin line between sanity and loony tunes, because that’s a myth. The Steiner family has such a reputation for being icy-cool that when they do show a strong emotion like anger, love, or humor, people around them are so startled that they wonder if that Steiner has lost his wits. Of course, holding one’s emotions in is another kind of madness.

—Interview with Thelos Auburn on The News Hour, Donegal Broadcasting Co., September 19, 3024

The Good Years

The dullest part of acting is waiting for the stage to be properly set.

—From Life Is A Stage, by Tiffany Acure, People’s Press, 3022

As bitter memories of the Reunification War slowly faded, the Star League entered the Good Years, its zenith of prosperity. For much of the Lyran Commonwealth, these years were especially good.

Despite the terrible price in men and materials, the Reunification War did greatly expand the industrial base of the Commonwealth. Worlds such as Sudeten, Pandora, Carse, Galatea, and New Kyoto, which had previously been capable only of agriculture and light industry, now possessed large and expanding factory complexes. This industrial boom also stimulated agriculture, with agribusinesses searching for planets with the potential to feed more than just their native populations.

Under a new taxation system, the LCCS collected revenue from each individual world instead of from the three pacts, which assured more fairness. Resupply missions were sent to contact forgotten’ worlds and colonies. Lyran industries conducted numerous surveys of new planets in their search for raw materials. The boom in the economy of the Commonwealth and, to a lesser degree, the outworlds alliances also helped to develop the poorer worlds in the Alarion, Coventry, and Trellshire provinces.

Relieved of the weapon-minded pressures of war, researchers began to undertake more peaceful projects. One of these was the intensive study of hyperpulse generators, which began in 2615 at various prestigious universities and research complexes. In 2630, the first HPG sent a message into the Lyran Commonwealth. Five years later, the First Lord’s New Year’s Day message of 2635 arrived on Tharkad from Terra on January 7, an incredible feat.

New advances in medicine offered the possibility of truly bionic limbs made from specially adapted myomer muscle bundles. Countless wounded veterans and others crippled by the war soon regained normalcy with these artificial limbs. The war had also accelerated the development of new techniques and technologies in trauma surgery. Items such as computer-assisted surgery tables and oxygenated cooler covers to slow a patent’s metabolism became standard equipment in every hospital in the Star League.

Perhaps the most important discovery was the development of cheap methods of purifying water. Originally developed by Star League researchers, the secrets were eventually licensed out to various industry leaders. Companies like the Water Pure Industries of Corridan IV and the SnowWaters of Kwangchowwang were soon manufacturing units that made possible the settlement of formerly inhabitable planets with despairing names like Dustball, Persistence, Lost, and Burnt Rock.

In the Commonwealth, the Estates General was reconvened in 2611. In 2623, the entire Star League debated whether to adopt the universal currency that the First Lord was vigorously proposing. Many Lyran economists and the majority of the Estates General eagerly supported the idea, but Archon Kevin feared the currency would interfere with his realm’s industrial edge. Exerting his executive privilege, the Archon vetoed the Estates General. To his astonishment, more than 80 percent of Commonwealth businesses shut down for a week to protest his action. Faced with such strenuous opposition, the Archon ‘magnanimously’ reversed his decision.

Under the mantle of the Star League, the economies of individual Lyran worlds were prospering quite well. In a political about-face, many planetary governments now preferred the single rule of the Star League’s First Lord, which spawned a movement to abolish the Commonwealth. What was its purpose, they argued, now that there were no more wars or borders? What was the point of financing a huge central government, with its entrenched bureaucracy and money-eating military, when both had become obsolete? As this sentiment swelled and attracted more followers, the question of whether the Commonwealth should continue came before the Estates General. It was at this time that Archon Kevin made a rare appearance before the Representatives to deliver his now famous speech pleading for the continued existence of the Lyran Commonwealth.

The vote was 161 for the continued existence of the Lyran Commonwealth, 160 against.

Kevin Dinesen Steiner died in 2647, succeeded by his sister, Sarah Steiner Dinesen. During her reign, Tadeo Amaris, leader of the Rim Worlds Republic, began an extensive military buildup of offensive weapons. Threatened, the Star League held a major military exercise of five ‘Mech regiments just outside the Republic’s domain in 2651. Amaris heard the implied message loud and clear, and quickly dismantled his excess military units.

After an uneventful reign, Sarah Steiner Dinesen stepped down as Archon to pursue her writing career. Her son, William Steiner, assumed the Archonship in 2672.

Inspired by what the large military exercise of 2651 had taught, the Star League now announced the formation of Regimental Combat Teams, groups of four combined-arms regiments to be stationed at strategic points around the League. The Second Regimental Combat Team, formed from two Striker Regiments and two Light Horse regiments, came to be headquartered on the Lyran world of Main Street. Soon nicknamed ‘Paget’s War Ponies’ after the unit’s commanding officer, the 2nd RCT became a much-admired model for the local LCAF.

William Steiner died in his sleep in 2704. His son Jonathan’s reign was equally peaceful and quiet. The only significant political question concerned the minimum population requirements for a world wishing to send a Representative to the Estates General. Planets in the wilds of the Donegal Protectorate, for example, prospered like all the rest, yet never seemed to significantly increase their population. Though these worlds represented a sizable, combined group of people, the Estates General could not handle the increased complexities of having another 100 delegates in Government House. Hence, the creation of the minimum population requirement.

Jonathan Steiner died in a freak ‘Mech accident. His younger brother, Michael Steiner II, took over as Archon in 2729. Though peace still reigned, a whirlwind of change was fast approaching.

Bandits, once believed a thing of the past, reappeared early in Archon Michael’s reign. With particular vengeance, they hit worlds along the Periphery, near the border with the Draconis Combine. Fat with years of peace, the garrisons stationed on those worlds were easily defeated. At his wedding to Duchess Lestrade, Archon Michael declared that eliminating the bandits would be his primary concern. Twelve years later, in 2741, bandits butchered 500 citizens of the world known as The Edge. They had been armed with ‘Mechs, a new and ominous upgrading of typical bandit weaponry. The Archon offered a huge reward for any information about the raiders’ whereabouts.

A year later, acting on the tips received from an anonymous free trader, the 12th Lyran Regulars dropped onto Butte Hold. There, they caught the bandits unaware and easily captured most and killed the rest in a battle on the desert plains. After being interrogated to the point of torture, the bandits revealed to the LIC agents that House Kurita had hired and equipped them, and was also supplying detailed information on targets they wanted attacked.

Archon Michael angrily confronted Lord Kurita at the next High Council meeting. When the Lord did not deny the accusation, Michael leaped on the man and the two began to struggle violently. The First Lord and several other leaders jumped into the fray to separate the two. Though they managed to calm Michael down, he had threatened a war on Kurita, and was not one to make idle threats.

Steiners Triumphant

Though these years are remembered for peace and prosperity, there existed then, as now, a bitter feud between the Steiner and Dinesen families.

Each sought to dominate the other and to ensure that their family name lived on among the rulers of the Commonwealth. The Archon and his family were at first unaware of the feud, but after a total of twelve Dinesens and seven Steiners were killed in a two-year period, Kevin began to suspect what was going on.

The fighting ended only when the Archon used force of arms and the threat of exile to put a halt to the assassinations. After considering what facts he had gleaned, the Archon laid the blame with the Dinesen side. From that time on, he reverted to the Steiner name. His sister Sarah, on the other
hand, kept the Dinesen name during her reign as Archon.

When Sarah’s son William reclaimed the Steiner name on his accession to the throne in 2672, that reasserted forever the glory of the Steiners.

—From The Steiner Dynasty, vol. 3, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3019

Plea For The Commonwealth

My friends, we here are all businessmen in one way or another. We know the value of most things. We are admired throughout the Star League as the shrewdest of industrialists. We even feel a secret pride when someone chides us as ‘Money Demons’ or as ‘Pirates of Profit’, do we not? Well then, why should we, of all the League’s people, forget what it means to invest for the future or to set aside emergency money? How could we fail to realize that some of today’s profit might be needed tomorrow?

Yes, these have been sainted years, filled with peace and the sound of money filling our coffers. But are we so naive as to expect the shower of money to go on forever? No! And if the shower should end-as showers always do-and the hot sun of misfortune should reappear to evaporate the profits of everyone, everywhere-what then? Do you for a moment believe that cooperation and trust will reign to save the day?

Banks are something that you and I understand. Consider the Commonwealth government as a bank, not of money but of a future where we may store good fortune now, to be used later when times get rough, as surely they Will.

—From Official Transcripts of Government House, Year 2643, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2645

Decline And Fall Of The Star League

I sometimes marvel at those who behave as though good times will last forever. Why should the universe hold still? Why should bad times be any different from the good or the indifferent ones, for don’t they all have beginnings, middles, and ends? Good or bad, it’s just another cycle, within a cycle, within a cycle, and it never ends.

—Robert Steiner II, quoted in The Authorized Biography of Robert Steiner, by Frela Gibbon, Bently & Hunt, 2782

BABE AMONG WOLVES

When First Lord Simon Cameron was killed inspecting a mining colony on New Silesia in February 2751, he left behind a Star League rife with tensions that had been heating up in recent months. Unmarked military units, both conventional and ‘Mech-armed, had begun raiding the border worlds of every member-state, ushering in a whole new era of fear and dread. Though the media termed these incidents “bandit raids,” they gradually escalated into a war’s worth of quick strikes and retaliations.

It soon became obvious that brigands could not be responsible for all the attacks. ‘Bandits’ had become a handy label, a bogeyman to hide the truth that the members of the Star League had begun to prey upon one another, attacking easy targets in neighboring realms.

In the outworld republics, now called the Territorial States, the initial enthusiasm of the Star League’s public relations campaign to win the support of the conquered worlds was wearing thin. Even the most pro-League fanatic could not deny that the League treated its former foes like unimportant, distant relations. “The benevolent Star League, your far away friend” had proved to be only a publicist’s illusion. The spirit of rebellion was once again brewing in these far-off worlds.

Unfortunately for the millions of people of the Inner Sphere and in the reaches of the Periphery, Richard Cameron, who became First Lord after his father Simon’s death, was in no position to deal with either of these crises. Richard was just a child of eight when fate named him ruler of the Star League. Ten long years would pass before he would assume his manhood and the legal right to the title of First Lord. The death of Simon Cameron was more than the end of one powerful man’s life, for it set in motion the forces that would lead to the darkest era in human history.

BABE IN THE WOODS

Though the artist’s work was received with great enthusiasm, his largest canvas caused considerable controversy. Titled “Lost in the Woods,” this large oil was painted in ominous, dark hues to show a small, frightened child standing alone in a midnight forest. To either side and behind him are five large wolves, all with glowing eyes and gaping mouths. The controversy arose when someone noticed the child greatly resembled Richard Cameron, and that about the neck of the largest wolf was a chain, from which dangled something that resembled nothing so much as a Steiner Fist.

—From “The Kently Exhibition,” Tharkan Art News, October 2578

The news that the Council Lords had elected Aleksandr Kerensky to be young Cameron’s Regent and Protector did ease some fears for a time. The General was widely respected and liked. Though his elegance could make even the highest nobleman look like a peasant by comparison, Kerensky’s manner was unfailingly kind and warm. He did have a temper, which his men were careful not to provoke, but Kerensky was more fond of laughter. Kerensky’s appointment was especially reassuring to the Lyran people because he had taken his own university training at one of their universities.

The Council Lords quickly made it plain that Kerensky would not have much to say about governing the Star League. Among their first acts, they passed an amendment to Michael Cameron’s Edict of 2650, which now permitted each member-state’s House military to double in size. It was rumored that Kerensky was enraged to learn that Star League ‘Mech regiments would no longer outnumber House regiments two to one in the military forces stationed in each realm.

The next year, the five Lords passed another edict that simultaneously raised the taxes levied on the Territorial States and gave each Council Lord the right to carve out huge chunks of the League’s revenue. It did not take much political astuteness to see that these five Lords were not only mistrustful of one another, but greedy enough to forget their responsibility for the well-being of thousands of worlds and billions of people.

Archon Michael Steiner proved to be no exception. Soon after passage of the edict allowing state militaries to double in size, the Archon ordered the immediate activation of three mothballed ‘Mech regiments and the creation of ten additional regiments. Nor did Michael object to the sudden windfall of tax monies that the second edict provided. It was later learned that much of this new wealth actually ended up in his private coffers.

When news of these edicts from the High Council became public, the nobility sensed which way the wind was blowing and so began to expand their own private armies. This unilateral military buildup placed sudden, huge demands on the Commonwealth’s defense industries, whose efforts to supply both the LCAF and the nobility so unbalanced the Commonwealth economy that it began to pitch and buck like a Tharkan wild horse. These economic problems soon had the public grumbling. Aware of the growing public unrest, the delegates of the Estates General became increasingly vocal in their public criticism of the Archon and his disloyalty to the Star League.

When the Representatives learned that the second edict would create a huge boost in revenues, their immediate concern was that the money be used for the good of the Commonwealth and not find its way into the private coffers of a few. Some of this revenue would result from increased taxation of the Territorial States. The inhabitants of those far-distant planets had ever been volatile, independent, and quick to protest unfair treatment, and this did give cause for worry. Because these new revenues soon had such a stabilizing effect on the general economy, it tended to lull these latent fears.

Archon Michael later wrote in his memoirs that he began to have serious doubts about the wisdom of the Council Lords recent decisions while he approached Terra in 2757. What he saw was the Star League fleet in exercise, its countless warships bristling with armaments, which clearly showed General Kerensky’s displeasure with the five Lords. This veiled threat made Archon Michael think seriously about whether the Council should repeal the two edicts. The moment passed, however, and with it, Michael’s chance to influence the terrible time to come.

The popular image of Archon Michael Steiner II has him as something of a villain because he did not try very hard to halt the break up of the Star League. Though technically true, history must remember that the Archon was acting to protect himself and the Commonwealth from the other members of the League.

Some have compared the untimely death of Simon Cameron to a DropShip suddenly losing its power above a planet, after which natural forces simply take over. The natural tendencies among the six Star League member-states were mutual distrust and greed, born of four centuries of war and intrigue. To blame Michael Steiner for the breakup of the Star League is naive, for the forces of history have their own logic and no one man can alter them.

Territorial Troubles

“Situation untenable. Within the last three hours, rioting citizens have seized the water, power, and communication facilities. We have no reserves of water and power. I am using my ‘Mech’s reactor to power the communications equipment.

“The last ‘Mech reconnaissance patrol, sent three days ago, reported that the deserters are training civilians to use heavy weapons. That patrol never returned, and so it must be presumed lost. Let’s hope they took a few of those traitors with them.

“At the moment. I have one lance of ‘Mechs, a lance of armor, and four platoons of infantry. Expected size of the enemy is four times that. I expect the attack to be within the next day or so. The relief efforts from Petroff continent will not arrive in time. Though we’ve erected defensive barriers around the post, they will not hold. Will try to hold on as long possible. Captain Mitchell Sims, acting commanding officer of Fort Belvoir, New Vandenberg. Out. End Transmission.”

—Regular Army documents

The huge tax increase passed by the Council Lords did not sit well with the six Territorial States. Rioting and terrorism, both aimed at Star League facilities, were their immediate reply to their new financial burden. The situation in the Periphery had soon become so serious that General Kerensky was pulled away from the politics of the Council Lords to protect the League’s interests in the outworlds. He placed the five Regimental Combat Teams on alert and activated some of the League’s reserves, moving them into the Periphery.

By 2759, rioting had become chronic in the six Territorial States. Though most of these violent demonstrations were politically inspired, some were food riots because so many poor Periphery planets had been forced to sell off their harvests to pay the taxes. This politics of the street quickly evolved into a highly organized separatist movement. In December 2759, the LIC learned of a secessionist organization involving high government officials of the Taurian Concordat. With this proof of treason, General Kerensky was forced to move all five RCTs into the Territorial States, occupying key planets and military bases.

The departure of the 2nd RCT from the far reaches of Coventry Province created a military vacuum there. A group of bandits decided to exploit the situation with a raid that devastated the Lyran world of Main Street, the former home of the 2nd RCT. In response to the bandit attacks and the general tensions throughout the Star League, the Archon placed the LCAF on general alert.

When Michael Steiner II died the next year, his son Robert Steiner II became Archon. Robert was intelligent enough to sense how quickly the civilized veneer was fading from relations among the League members. Suspicion and competition now reigned where previously there had been a commitment to mutual cooperation. The Archon believed that unless something were done quickly, all would be lost.

Idealism And Villainy

Reading habits? Well let’s see. Actually, he was a big fan of the King Arthur myths. You know, the knights in shining armor, the Holy Grail, the chivalrous quest, the whole romantic bit. He read or watched just about anything he could on the subject. By the time of his 18th birthday, Richard knew as much as any expert. And he truly believed those myths about chivalry. When he became First Lord, he got it into his head that it was his holy duty to rid the League of its enemies and to establish a new order, a new Camelot among the stars. Poor kid, he didn’t stand a chance.

—Interview with Justin Hevesta, Weapons Trainer for First Lord Richard Cameron, in The Downfall: The Star League’s Last Days, by Kuther Green, McGraw-Douglas Press, 2800

Richard Cameron reached his 18th birthday in 2762. Now of legal age, he assumed his rightful place as First Lord of the Star League and took back the reins of power from the Council Lords. It looked as though the tensions of the last ten years would end now that a Cameron had reassumed control. They expected Richard, from a line of so many far-sighted Camerons, to bring back peace among the stars.

What they did not realize was that while Richard was growing up, he had been tallying up every insult, every indignity, every attempt to steal from him his birthright by endangering the Star League. Though barely into his manhood, Richard’s memories were full of resentments. Worse than that was his romantic and naive belief in the myth of benevolent yet forceful kings ruling over fabled lands of chivalry. Such a youth was ill-prepared to face off with the five sly and seasoned Council Lords.

Richard Cameron believed he could right every wrong that had wounded his ego over the years. Instead of using craftiness and deceit, the way of true politics, he thought that his position as First Lord made his wishes non-negotiable. In a delusion of grandeur, First Lord Cameron issued Executive Order 156 that bluntly and in no uncertain terms rescinded the edict allowing the Council to double their armies. His Order 156 also demanded that the Lords completely disband their private armies.

The Council Lords did not know whether to laugh or be angry. Though it took several weeks for all five to assemble on Terra, it did not take them long to reply so scathingly and venomously to Richard that the astonished young Cameron repealed the Executive Order. As the youngest among the Council Lords, Archon Robert II sympathized with the proud but inexperienced First Lord, but also knew that he must permit no threat to the Commonwealth’s military.

Even the most peace-loving man or woman in the Commonwealth had known that Cameron’s order to the Council Lords was ludicrous. Any initial optimism that the legal First Lord would be able to restore harmony quickly vanished. As bandit attacks continued, unrest in the Territorial States increased, and factories churned out more and more weaponry, the Lyran Commonwealth continued to make money, but it was with a growing sense of doom.

What no one yet knew was that Stefan Amaris, leader of the Rim Worlds Republic, was secretly currying favor with the First Lord. Because of Stefan’s support for the young First Lord’s decision to dismantle the various private armies, Richard Cameron now believed that Amaris was his only friend. Slowly but surely, Stefan Amaris managed to take over the role that General Kerensky had once played in the impressionable First Lord’s life. The culmination of Amaris’s plans was a secret treaty signed in 2764 that pledged the help and aid of the Rim Worlds’ military if ever the First Lord needed assistance.

When New Vandenberg and 17 other Periphery worlds seceded from the Star League in April 2764, it took no one by surprise. It was a desperate act, but the people of the Periphery had become filled with frustration and hate for the Star League. Indeed, their grievances were legitimate, and many Lyrans, particularly along the Periphery border, were sympathetic.

General Kerensky quickly ordered his troops to move against the rebellious worlds. Stripping many Inner Sphere garrisons, the general organized his troops into three major forces, each one responsible for the conquest of a group of planets. Faced with the task of trying to hold much of the same far-distant territory disputed during the Reunification War, Kerensky was soon forced to send still more Regular Army units out from the Inner Sphere. These included troops from the First Lord’s personal units.

Aware that he was stripping the Terran state of its military protection, Kerensky suggested that Richard call on help from private units of individual noblemen known to be loyal to the First Lord. Richard Cameron vetoed the proposal, saying that Stefan Amaris’s men would protect him during the absence of the Regular Army units. Though Kerensky did not much like the idea of Amaris’s troops landing on Terra, he held his peace, never in his wildest dreams imagining what was to come.

By 2766, more than 75 percent of the Regular Star League Army had been sent beyond the borders of the Inner Sphere. On Terra, meanwhile, Stefan Amaris’s Rim Worlds troops outnumbered Star League military units. In hindsight, the danger of this situation seems obvious, but at the time, the New Vandenberg rebels rather than the sycophantic Stefan were considered the enemy.

Starvation And Warfare

In 2766, a plague swept through the crops on the small Lyran world of Blue Diamond. As the planet was situated near its border with the Terran state, its leaders decided to seek assistance there instead of from Summer, its nearest Commonwealth neighbor. After leaving Blue Diamond, the planet’s elders were not heard from again. Only much later, it was learned that they had stumbled into the midst of the Amaris takeover and been captured, tortured, and executed as Commonwealth spies. About a third of Blue Diamond’s population died of starvation before help from the Commonwealth could arrive.

—From The Star League and the Commonwealth, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3014

The Usurper

When the Terran Member-State suddenly went quiet in late 2767, most of its fellow League members believed that it was only a disturbing but minor flaw in the system, which would soon be corrected. When communications were finally restored, strange and harsh voices announced that the Cameron family had been executed and that Stefan Amaris had that day proclaimed himself the new ruler of the Star League.

As the news spread like shock waves from a blast, most Lyrans at first simply refused to believe it. There had not been anything even vaguely resembling a takeover since the days of the rogue Estates General in 2590, almost two centuries before. Most ordinary Lyrans had taken comfort from the fact that a Cameron was back in power, and that the family’s rule would probably continue forever once the Star League waded through its present troubles.

The truth finally sank in as they watched their holoscreens show the usurper Stefan Amaris seated on the League throne, grinning rather stupidly. Though there may have been a minute percentage who would have followed Amaris, most people realized that the murder of the Cameron family was also the Star League’s death knell unless someone acceptable to the Council Lords came forward to start a new dynasty.

What happened instead was General Kerensky’s declaration of war against the Usurper, with both sides pleading for military help from the armies of the Council Lords. Long after the First Succession War had begun, Archon Robert II described the strange logic that made him decide to refuse to help Kerensky: “Who knew whether we would gain anything by helping General Kerensky? If he won without our help, we would still have been among the Council to choose who would become the next First Lord. If he lost, then Stefan Amaris would still have had to deal with us, fighting us if he dared. Either way, we would be in control. If we had chosen to fight with General Kerensky, our military would have been even more decimated than it is today, and how would we have defended ourselves in the terrible years to come?”

Many Lyrans and their leaders were outraged at the Archon’s refusal to fight alongside the General. The Speaker of the Assembly called Robert Steiner a coward of the worst order—a calculating coward. There were mass demonstrations on many worlds, protesting the Archon’s lack of character and complete lack of loyalty.

Many brave citizens actually left the Commonwealth to join Kerensky. The General gladly accepted these ‘Loyalists’, as they came to be known, into his army. He even managed to set up a makeshift MechWarrior school on Circinus, where he trained many of the Loyalists to pilot ‘Mechs in the years 2768 to 2772, which was the quiet before the storm. These Loyalists eventually formed light ‘Mech units, equipped with ‘Mechs secretly purchased from Commonwealth and Marik factories. In their ‘Mechs decorated with the royal purple stripes, the Loyalists served with great distinction as reconnaissance units in the war, though their casualties were always among the highest.

During this time, the 3rd RCT, also known as the Eridani Light Horse, had just rotated back to the Inner Sphere from the Periphery. At the moment, it was the only Regular Army force close enough and large enough to actively oppose the armies of Stefan Amaris. Colonel Ezra Bradley, commander of the 3rd RCT, divided his troops into four separate regiments. They then ran countless hit-and-run missions against the worlds in the Terran Member-State, disrupting Amaris’s defensive preparations.

Though officially neutral, the Lyran Commonwealth, the Free Worlds League, and the Federated Suns all provided the Light Horse units with refuge within their borders. Using League facilities on Steiner, Marik, and Davion planets, the Eridani Light Horse also received intelligence reports, ammunition, and other supplies from these secretly sympathetic governments. House Kurita, on the other hand, refused the Eridani Light Horse admittance into its realm. Lord Kurita may have even given assistance to Amaris, though evidence for this remains sketchy.

When it became obvious that General Kerensky was preparing to move the Regular Army out of the Periphery and back toward Terra, Archon Robert Steiner issued a communiqué to the General. In it, the Archon offered the Regular Army permission to travel through the Commonwealth and to use its Star League facilities freely.

It took eight years to defeat Stefan the Usurper, and some of those countless battles were fought with a ruthlessness Kerensky had never before shown in combat. Perhaps it was an enraged sorrow for the fact that he had contributed to this disastrous turn of events by not taking a stronger stand with the naive First Lord. His rage soon permeated the entire Regular Army, who fought without pity and without mercy against the enemy. The war finally ended when General Kerensky, piloting his olive-drab Orion, smashed opened the thick gates of the Star Palace, where the Amaris family cowered.

There was no mercy for the Usurper and his family any more than for his former army. After the barest sham of a trial, Stefan Amaris and his family were executed for high treason. General Kerensky then reassumed his title of Protector and awaited the arrival of the five Council Lords.

Final Acts

Many have wondered why General Kerensky did not simply take total control of the Star League. The common people in every one of the member-states revered and admired him almost to the point of worship. Personally, I believe that the thought never even crossed his mind. He was a military man to the core, with no interest in ruling over anything more than his soldiers.

As a man accustomed to discipline and purpose, he would have probably been driven mad trying to cope with the disorganization of the Star League.

—An interview with the Duke of Skye, Meet the Press, Skye Broadcasting Co., March 3, 2785

In the months immediately after General Aleksandr Kerensky took back Terra, many people would have been relieved to see him become the new First Lord of the Star League. Even if the Council Lords had been amenable to the idea, Kerensky’s age and lack of either family or heirs would only have postponed the inevitable for a few brief years. The fantasy of Kerensky as the savior of the Star League and a kind of father-protector of its people collided with political reality when the Council Lords reconvened in October 2780. The five Lords stripped Aleksandr Kerensky of the title of Protector, with precious little praise or thanks. They then ordered him to remove all Regular Army units still on Terra for posting to garrison duty on the other worlds of the Terran realm.

When later questioned why he had been a party to such odious treatment of Kerensky, the Archon replied that he voted for his demotion out of kindness. He wanted to see the aging hero able finally to rest from responsibility after his many years of battle. Whether Robert spoke truly or not, Kerensky’s demotion gave the impression that the General was somehow at fault for the Usurpation. The Loyalists, who were just returning to their homes, were outraged at this implication of guilt. On several occasions, Loyalists organized demonstrations in the Commonwealth to demand that the Archon support General Kerensky’s reinstatement as Protector.

These protests often turned into riots, but had no effect. What now occurred would have been farcical if the results had not been so tragic. Each Council Lord graciously nominated himself as the new First Lord, deluded that the other four would somehow see the light and then elect him on the spot. At this obvious point of stalemate, the five reverted to secret offers, secret deals, and other behind-the-scenes machinations. They promised money, land, even whole groups of planets to one another in an attempt to gain the First Lordship. None of it worked, for each Council Lord believed adamantly that only he was capable of ruling the Star League. In August 2781, the High Council was officially dissolved and each of the five Lords departed Terra for his own realm. The Star League was no more.

Perhaps the strain of recent events made Robert Steiner susceptible to a particularly virulent case of pneumonia. He fell ill and died almost immediately upon return home. Who knows what might have happened had he lived, because the people were still angry at how he had refused Kerensky’s appeal for help and at rumors of his promises to deal out huge chunks of the Commonwealth in exchange for the title of First Lord. There had even been mutterings of impeachment.

The new Archon was Jennifer Steiner, the late ruler’s sister. Though her brother’s death had relieved some of the pressure that had been building, she still had to face the brunt of widespread criticism of Robert Steiner’s decisions over the past decade, which the public believed were motivated by a desire to bring down the Star League.

Though animosity toward the Steiners was high, neither the Tamar Pact nor the Federation of Skye seemed disposed to dissolve the Lyran Commonwealth. It may have been just as well, because keeping their government intact was the least of all the evils facing the body politic at that moment.

Archon Jennifer and her brother Paul, commander of the LCAF, now began actively to woo remnants of Stefan Amaris’s forces to build up the Commonwealth’s forces. The other four House Lords were also beefing up their military strength to a state of general preparedness. Though the wise General Kerensky tried to avert the inevitable by pleading for compromise and negotiations, the five Lords seemed set on their path toward war. The pleas of an aging hero were hardly enough to stop them.

Exodus

Leaving? What do you mean “leaving”? To where? He can’t leave. Who is going to pick up the pieces after we beat each other into oblivion?

—Archon Jennifer’s reaction to the news of Gen. Kerensky’s exodus, quoted in The Star League and The Commonwealth, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3014

When the news arrived on Tharkad, most people assumed that Kerensky had had enough and was now going to punish someone for going too far. What the reports described was an incredible rendezvous of Regular Army units around the Kurita world of New Samarkand. It had to be some kind of major mission. While those many regiments gathered around their planet, the people of Samarkand trembled in fear, for those ships seemed to outnumber the stars in the night sky.

Instead of attacking, however, this massive gathering of forces turned to leave the Inner Sphere, their destination unknown. Weeks passed, and still they did not return. When more weeks went by, the realization hit home that Kerensky and his followers had no intention of coming back. It saddened many to think that this was the General’s last noble statement. And the message was clear. Seeing that the ideals he revered no longer had any place among the rivalry of the five former Council Lords, he and his men had simply decided not to stay where they were no longer welcome.

Many legends have grown up around General Kerensky and the exodus of the Regular Army. As it is with other beloved leaders such as King Arthur, Roland, Gandhi, Captain Minos, and Duke Greerdon, the myths that have grown up around Kerensky and his men reflect our yearning to live as men and women of righteousness, honesty, and nobility.

Once such myth concerns Jessica LeQue, wife of one of Kerensky’s aides. Beautiful, lithe, and golden-haired, she was a native of the Commonwealth world of Alarion. Born to a noble family, Jessica had been raised to love her native planet deeply. Later, she felt the same deep connection to the handsome Major Winson, aide to General Kerensky. When they married, Jessica trusted that fate would be kind enough to allow her both her loves when the Major retired to Alarion. There, they would grow old together, taking long walks hand in hand across her beloved lands.

When the exodus orders came, Jessica was torn between love for her land and for her husband. It was not until just an hour before the last transport was to leave Alarion for the rendezvous at New Samarkand that she finally made her decision. Jessica Winson arrived perhaps a moment too late at the spaceport, for just then, the transport had arched into the night sky, leaving her behind. From there, the distraught woman wandered into the nearby forest, where several weeks later she was found dead.

On Alarion, there is a native tree that is tall, slim, and crowned with golden leaves. At night, the fronds of the tree reach up and unfurl to collect the silvery moonlight. Ever since Jessica Winson’s death, these have been known as Jessica Trees, the reaching of their golden fronds like Jessica’s hopeless gesture as the night sky took away her husband forever.

—From Commonwealth Myths and Legends, by Ketter Seabody, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2987

First Succession War

Only history will be able to tell us which is the natural condition of man, war or peace.

—From Descent: My Life at the Helm of the Commonwealth, by Jennifer Steiner, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2790

MILITARY READINESS

The attention of the five Successor Houses soon turned away from General Kerensky’s departure toward those Regular Army units that had decided to stay. The Eridani Light Horse, the 12th Heavy Assault Regiment, the 25th Striker Regiment from Paget’s War Ponies, and an assortment of other units were still within the borders of the Terran Member-State. At first secretly, then more and more openly, the five houses began bidding for the services of those veteran units. Archon Jennifer decided to approach tactfully, showing respect for the history and traditions of these soldiers.

Her approach must have been successful, for in 2785, she had managed to sign five heavy regiments to long-term contracts. She placed them along the Kurita border, because it was the serpent banner of the Draconis Combine that she feared most. The Archon had also managed to sign the 23rd Republic Light Lancers, nicknamed the Stealths, formerly of the Amaris military. They were well-known for their quick-strike capability. Together with the Tamar Tigers, a house regiment of the Duke of Tamar, the two formed the Commonwealth’s only ‘Mech regiments capable of highly mobile hit-and-run operations.

In August 2785, a large “bandit” raid at Bone-Norman and the threat of others along the Periphery made the LCAF High Command shift its emphasis away from the Kurita border and toward the Periphery. This went exactly as House Kurita had planned it, for they were behind the attack on Bone-Norman. It has been estimated that the Draconis Combine secretly employed some 20 so-called bandit groups to harass the Lyran Commonwealth and the Federated Suns.

Seizing their opportunity, the Combine struck at the Commonwealth worlds of Trolloc Prime and Gram, whose garrisons had been weakened by the shift of forces. It took just three months to drive the Lyran defenders off those planets. It was those defeats that began to make the Steiner high command question the wisdom of ‘the bigger the ‘Mech, the better’, the philosophy that underlay Lyran military policy for 300 years. Most Commonwealth regiments were equipped with large, slow ‘Mechs and tanks, all of which were easily outmaneuvered by the light Kurita units.

Though the defeats at Trolloc Prime and Gram might have been provocation enough, the Archon was not ready to declare full-scale war, and did little more at this time except to further reinforce her border worlds.

In June 2786, an unmarked freighter entered the Skondia system. Unchallenged, it moved past the picket line of Commonwealth warships to drop a Kurita ‘Mech regiment on the surprised planetary defenders below. Caught totally off guard, the Commonwealth garrison decided to surround the major industrial complexes and wait for the expected attack. The Kurita forces attacked the cities instead, where they indiscriminately mowed down the civilian population. While the defenders moved ponderously to protect their citizens, another detachment of fast-moving Draconis ‘Mechs flanked the defending forces and hit the now-undefended industrial complexes, which the seized.

The news of this incredible embarrassment resulted in a complete shakeup of the Commonwealth high command. Procedures for system security were revamped, and the issue of protecting more than just the important industrial targets was addressed. While all this was going on, the ordinary Lyran was trying to come to grips with the reality that all-out war would now be fought in his own realm for the first time since the era of Margaret Olsen centuries before.

There was a brief respite for them as the Combine temporarily turned its attention toward the Federated Suns, which it now saw as the more dangerous of its two neighbors.

Declarations Of War

To assert brazenly that he is somehow better and more fitted to rule than any of the rest is the act of an egotistical man—a man hardly fit to rule over his own realm, let alone over us all. I, Jennifer Colley Steiner, 17th ruler of the Lyran Commonwealth, have as much a claim to rule the Star League as Minoru Kurita or any of the others.

Unfortunately, all this talk about who should rule the Star League is moot. There is no Star League, it left with General Kerensky, and we should realize that fact. Now our focus must be on creating peace among our realms until we have something to replace the Star League.

I dream of peace. Though some of you may consider me weak for saying that, you must also remember that I am the Archon sworn to protect these lands. No matter how much I cherish peace, I will defend this realm, at any cost, even if it be the terrible price of war.

—Reply of Archon Jennifer Steiner to Lord Kurita’s claim of the First Lordship, from Descent: My Life at the Helm of the Commonwealth, by Jennifer Steiner, Commonwealth Historical Press. 2790

With great pomp and circumstance, Minoru proclaimed himself the First Lord of the Star League in December 2786, and declared war on anybody who did not like it.

In reply, Archon Jennifer announced in her New Year’s Eve message to the Commonwealth that she also claimed the title of First Lord. Her words were spoken more in irony than out of any intention to claim leadership of the rotting remains of the Star League. She went on, however, to announce that she was declaring war on the Draconis Combine for their recent raids, warning the other Successor Houses of her will and determination to protect what belonged to the Commonwealth.

Among all the defense industries, the shipyards that made JumpShips, DropShips, and other aircraft were the most vulnerable. Because they orbited around a planet or a moon, the facilities could be attacked from countless directions. To successfully defend one of them would require a whole fleet, which the admirals of the Free Worlds League knew very well. Early in 2787, Marik warships attacked Commonwealth shipyards all along the border. Though the Steiner forces expended many warships and AeroSpace Fighters defending the shipyards, the Marik attackers succeeding in damaging the facilities beyond repair. To protect what remained of her shipyards, the Archon ordered them dismantled and moved away from the fighting.

That same month, House Kurita returned to attack Skondia once more. A major armada of Combine warships arrived at the nadir jump point, fought its way past the jump station defenders, and headed toward the planet. After the previous humiliation, the Commonwealth had heavily reinforced Skondia with three ‘Mech regiments and a major fleet of orbiting warships. This time, they would at least be able to put up a fight.

In one of the largest ship-to-ship engagements of the Succession Wars, the Kurita fleet managed to drive a wedge of ships down toward the planet. After dropping their ground forces, the Kurita ships returned to reengage the Commonwealth ships. Of the nearly 300 Lyran ships and fighters of various classes and sizes, only about 100 remained at battle’s end. In the ground fighting, which the Lyrans carried out uncharacteristically well, the Kurita forces were nevertheless able to drive the defenders from Skondia after four months of fighting.

The Combine was also deeply involved in an offensive against House Davion at that time. Content with the conquest of Skondia and the wedge it had created deep into the Commonwealth, Kurita decided to restrict its actions against the Commonwealth to a series of border attacks while concentrating on its Davion borders. Battalion-sized, these attacks were meant to pin Commonwealth forces to their own planets and disrupt any offensives the LCAF may have been contemplating. Some worlds, such as The Edge, were so underdefended that what began as a simple raid soon developed into a full-blown invasion when the Kurita forces realized that the planet would be easy pickings.

The Bolson Shipyards

The Bolson Shipyards were a major shipbuilding facility orbiting the large moon of the Kyoto system. The five box-like construction bays had manufactured JumpShips for the LCAF, as well as freighters and pleasurecraft for the private sector.

When war seemed imminent, the Steiner high command sent five squadrons of corvettes and the 53rd AeroSpace Interceptors to guard Bolson Shipyards. The forces were divided up into five separate groups to protect the high approach to the shipyards and the four approaches on the sides of the shipyard. Even though their combined firepower was awesome, Commander Hauptmann-Kommodore Ustus Tillbert would have welcomed still more.

On February 14, a major attack force of House Marik ships appeared at the zenith jump point. One battlecruiser, two cruisers, and three squadrons of destroyers detached from their jump drive riggings and began a high-speed approach to the Bolson Shipyards. Three days later, the battle was engaged.

LCS Augustus, a Mako Class corvette, was the first casualty. It was attacked first by Marik fighters, then by the destroyers Ripper and Tomain, which flanked the ship.

FWLS Rasalas was a surplus Star League battlecruiser that the Free Worlds League had purchased five years before. Six minutes into the battle, FWLS Rasalas shook loose from the remaining Commonwealth corvettes and headed toward the shipyards. It was immediately engaged by a wing of Chippewa Class AeroSpace Fighters led by Colonel Thompson in his fighter, “The Tracy.” Within a minute, his twelve fighters were reduced to just five. Among those the Colonel thought he had lost was his wife in her fighter, “The Hepburn.”

The Colonel’s next action must have been motivated by the thought that his wife was dead. Ordering his remaining fighters to divert the Marik fighter escort, he began to execute a long turn-and-burn toward the battlecruiser Rasalas. Somehow managing to evade the gigantic warship’s laser and missile barrage, Thompson aimed his fighter with precision, impacting against the big ship’s underbelly. This was where the ship’s fuel cell for the drive and maneuver engines were stored. The warship was disabled, without any control over its trajectory, and so had to be abandoned before it crashed. Unfortunately, it plunged squarely into the Bolson Shipyard facilities, with a huge explosion that totally destroyed the shipyards.

Leutnant-Colonel Rebecca Thompson, pilot of the Commonwealth AeroSpace fighter “The Hepburn,” recovered from her injuries and went on to a glorious career as a fighter pilot. Her fighter remained black-painted in memory of her husband and his suicide mission.

—From Launch Order: The Commonwealth AeroSpace Force in the First War, by Refarra Tels, Donegal Martial Books, 2890

Patterns Of War

Though it has been about two centuries since the last major attack using nuclear and chemical weapons occurred, we still live with the effects of those outrages today. The number of birth defects attributed to genetic damage sustained by the infants’ long-dead ancestors has only recently begun to drop off. This in no way means that the figure is small. We estimate about a million per year.

The secondary effects of the chemical and nuclear attacks on the land have also begun to drop off slightly. The constant influx of untainted plants and animals helped to dilute the effects of those tainted lifeforms, but at considerable cost. There are still large tracts of land unsuited for use, not to mention the occasional nasty surprise, like a radioactive dumpsite or an unexploded biological weapon found buried beneath the soil.

The target sites, usually cities, are called Dead Zones if created by a nuclear weapon, Poison Pits if created by chemical weapons, and Rats’ Nests if created by biological weapons. If wearing a light environmental suit, humans can usually remain safely in these places for about three hours. Any longer and the visitor risks contamination. Unfortunately, many hundreds of treasure hunters comb these cities every year, seemingly with no concern for the health risks. That has resulted in a rise in the number of radiation and chemical sicknesses, reintroducing a whole new generation of physicians to the horrifying effects of those evil weapons.

—From Report on the Long-Term Effects of Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Weapons Used in the First Succession War, Commonwealth Military Press, 3025

Any hopes that the five Successor States would hold to the relatively humane Ares Convention in their wars died as quickly as they were born. Attacks on population centers and the deliberate hunting down of civilians became accepted practice among all five militaries. These wars also saw the regular use of archaic nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons-not to destroy military targets, but to destroy whole populations.

Though the Archon did not approve of these tactics, she allowed her commanders to do as they saw fit. In the meantime, she considered various plans for evacuating civilians and industries from the border worlds. For a military and an economy already under strain, the cost of transporting so many people and machines was exorbitant, and so the Archon regretfully laid the plans aside.

By 2788, the war had settled into a definite pattern. The usual military strategy of driving into enemy territory to seize planets became a secondary goal. The major objective of this war was to cripple one’s opponent by destroying his industries. Carried out by units specially trained for quick-strike actions, these raids were so successful that shortages now became commonplace throughout the Inner Sphere.

In 2789, the baneful effects of war were now so spread throughout the Commonwealth that the Archon had to commandeer the majority of existing commercial freighters and transport ships for military use. That meant most merchant companies were no longer able to maintain their normal routes, leaving countless worlds in the outlying provinces without regular service. Some worlds could fend totally for themselves, of course, but many others were so dependent on freighters for food that the war hit hard even in places that would never see a ‘Mech or enemy soldier.

Tigers And Stealths

Though the public may have forgotten them, any military man worth his salt remembers and studies the actions of the Tamar Tigers and the Stealths, perhaps the most successful Commonwealth regiments of all time.

—From The Use of the BattleMech in Modern Combat, by Gen. Katrina Steiner, Commonwealth Military Press, 3006

Lightning-fast search-and-destroy missions represented exactly the kind of warfare the LCAF could not hope to win because heavy ‘Mechs so dominated its units. It had only two regiments, the Tamar Tigers and the Stealths, plus a few smaller units, that were trained in such tactics. In March and April of 2787, these two regiments gave the Commonwealth its most successful raids against House Kurita. They would continue to prove their skills throughout the war, but the LCAF was able on only a few occasions to fight anything but a defensive war.

The Tamar Tigers, originally the 1st Tamar Hussars, had been the pride and joy of the various Dukes of Tamar from the time the unit became the first of their private troops to receive ‘Mechs in 2465. Since then, the Tamar Tigers always got the best the Duke could afford, and so the regiment was well-equipped and well-trained. When Robert Steiner reasserted Steiner control over the Commonwealth, for some odd reason, he limited the size of ‘Mechs that private units could field. As a result, the Tamar Tigers never had any heavy ‘Mechs, which allowed them to become expert in swift and mobile warfare. The Tamar Tigers quickly gained a reputation as flamboyant and daring characters both in and out of battle.

During the First Succession War, the Tamar Tigers made several important raids. The first and most significant was against Luthien, the capital of the Draconis Combine. In March 2787, the Tamar Tigers escorted by the LCS Nightwind, a Potemkin Class cruiser, made a series of difficult and tricky jumps to reach Luthien’s jump point.

As the LCS Nightwind engaged and destroyed the shipyards orbiting the planet, the Tamar Tigers dropped onto the world, where they destroyed a ‘Mech factory, a food processing plant, and an ammunition factory. Though the loss of these industries did not much affect such a heavily industrialized planet, it did cause considerable psychological damage, and there have been at least four ‘Mech regiments stationed on Luthien ever since.

For the next 20 years, the Tamar Tigers carried out successful raids against worlds such as Pomme De Terre, Styx, Telos IV, and Kervil, providing at least a few bright spots in House Steiner’s otherwise dismal record of defeats and lost planets.

In 2801, acting on bogus information, the Tigers dropped onto Benjamin, an industrialized Combine world. To their surprise, three crack Kurita regiments met and engaged the Tigers even as they dropped. Warships and fighters also attacked and destroyed the Tigers’ JumpShip, stranding the regiment on Benjamin. The Tamar Tigers were lost, but not before gutting the planet’s capital city and taking with them a regiment’s worth of Kurita ‘Mechs.

The Stealths were the exact opposite of the Tamar Tigers in style and attitude. First created during Tadeo Amaris’s buildup of 2650, the unit was known for its direct, no-nonsense approach to combat as well as the very well-mannered demeanor of its members when off the field. Though often used in the same manner as the Tamar Tigers, the Stealth also had several heavy ‘Mech companies in their regiment, which made the unit ideally suited to breakout duty. This involved identifying a weakness in the enemy line, opening it with heavy ‘Mechs, and then punching through it into the enemy’s rear with the swifter light ‘Mechs.

In April 2787, the Stealths, aided by a heavy ‘Mech regiment, attacked the strategic Kurita world of Dieron. This attack began with Commonwealth escort warships successfully destroying the shipyards in orbit around the planet. As the Stealths and the other ‘Mech regiment dropped onto Dieron, several squadrons of Kurita warships that had been hiding in an asteroid and metal slag cloud about one of the planets moons engaged the Steiner warships. After the battle drifted out of the system, none of the ships were ever heard from again. The theory is that they either destroyed one another completely or that the survivors did not have enough fuel to make it back into the system.

The ‘Mech action by the Stealths was a success, however. Though they and the other regiment were unable to establish a secure beachhead for reinforcements, they did succeed in destroying several key Dieron industries.

In December 2788, after the Stealths had served with great honor on the Kurita front, they were transferred to the Marik front. This war zone was not as active or as dangerous as the Kurita front, but the Steiner commanders needed a quick-strike unit to cripple worlds used by House Marik as supply depots and staging areas. Oddly enough, the Stealth regiment ended up spending more of its time defending Lyran worlds while on the Marik front than attacking enemy worlds.

In early 2789, the Stealths were involved in the defense of Lyran worlds that had once belonged to the Terran Member-State. Military strategists in the Federated Suns had tried to catch the Commonwealth napping by attacking several of these planets, then holding the defenders until their reinforcements could arrive. To help repulse the invasion, the Steiner commanders stripped units from the Marik border and sent them to drive Davion’s units off Thorin, New Earth, and Rocky. The bitter fighting left these planets almost completely destroyed and uninhabitable.

The next ten years saw the Stealths participating in numerous raids against planets in the Free Worlds League. During the Commonwealth offensive of 2790, the Stealths successfully attacked Sirius, Graham IV, and Oliver, wreaking havoc on enemy units and supplies.

In 2811, the Stealths had been sent for a well-deserved rest to the supposedly peaceful world of Poulsbo, which House Marik had marked as the first world it planned to seize in a major new
offensive. What the Marik generals did not know was that two veteran AeroSpace Wings had recently been stationed on Poulsbo to further hone their skills in preparation for frontline duty.

When the Marik attack force appeared, the veteran AeroSpace fighters had been carrying out maneuvers behind Poulsbo’s moon. While the Marik units attacked the Stealths, the fighters remained hidden on the moon’s small mining colony. They then split into two groups. One would engage the DropShips and their escorting fighters. The other group, along with a DropShip of Lyran marines, went after the Marik JumpShip.

To buy the fighters enough time to reach the JumpShip, the Stealths had to fight a series of delaying actions against a superior number of House Marik ‘Mechs. So skillful were they that many of those battles have now become basic computer exercises for Lyran military cadets.

Many of the officers from the Stealths eventually were assigned as teachers at the LCAF military academy, in hopes that some of their expertise would rub off on the Commonwealth military.

Attacks On Hesperus II

To say that the BattleMech factories on Hesperus II are vital to our continued existence is to state the obvious. Defiance Industries is responsible for over 30 percent of our BattleMech production. With the loss of our factories on Sudeten and Yed Posterior, that percentage can only climb higher. Hesperus isn’t just vital; it’s everything.

—From Strategic Points of Defense Within the Commonwealth, by Gen. Takashi Myoo, Commonwealth Military Press, 2789

After the fall of the Star League, the Commonwealth immediately took steps to protect its vital BattleMech factories on Hesperus II. First, they moved the free-standing buildings into man-made caves; those that could not be moved were reinforced and armed, becoming virtual fortresses. Next, the approaches to the factories were laced with an array of sensors and weapon bunkers. Finally, the LCAF stationed at least two veteran ‘Mech regiments, supported by AeroSpace Fighters, armor, infantry, and artillery, on the planet at all times.

The first attack against the factories came in December 2787 when four Kurita ‘Mech regiments made their way deep into the Commonwealth to Hesperus II. The attack was in retaliation for the Tamar Tigers’ raid on Luthien earlier that year. The Kurita commanders hoped to cripple the Commonwealth by combining planetary bombardment and ‘Mech assault in a single action. They dreamed of the glory of the kill and the lesson they would teach the Steiner scum.

As the warships of the Draconis Combine attempted to enter orbit around Hesperus to begin their assault, a Steiner flotilla blocked the Kurita ships’ every attempt to get into position. In a rage, the Kurita commander took his frustration out on the orbiting shipyards, an easy target whose melted remains gave the Kurita soldiers some small satisfaction. On the ground, however, the mountainous Hesperus terrain and the mountains of metal known as Atlas ‘Mechs created a hurdle that the Kurita forces could not overcome. They withdrew in January, taking more casualties than they had given.

In April 2788, the second attempt to destroy Defiance Industries took place. Units from the Federated Suns, mostly light and high-speed ‘Mechs, attempted to rush the factories, where they would grab supplies, then destroy as much as they could before leaving. The Davion attackers managed to do neither because guards in the observation posts and bunkers in the many mountain passes noted the enemy’s approach, giving the defenders plenty of time to prepare.

In March 2789, the third battle for Hesperus II occurred when warships from the Free Worlds League made their way to the planet. Attempting to learn from Kurita and Davion’s mistakes, the Marik naval officers tried an unusual vector approach to the planet, so that their large warships might slip past the defenders to bombard the factories from space. They had no way of knowing that the Commonwealth had decided, just days previously, to reinforce the fleet about the planet with the cruisers LCS Granite and Endeavor.

As the enemy fleet made their way toward the planet, the two Lyran cruisers engaged the two largest ships in the enemy fleet, the cruisers FWLS Devastator and Skulker. Like the ancient ships-of-the-line from Terra’s naval history, the four spaceships lined up in two rows and raked each other with laser and missile fire in repeated passes. FWLS Devastator quickly got the better of the older LCS Granite. Fleet Admiral Oscar F. Dewey, commander of the Granite, soon realized he was about to lose the entire battle unless he could act quickly.

The Admiral ordered his ship to ram the Devastator. The cruiser, never a graceful thing, swung hard about like an enraged whale and, with its beweaponed prow, breached the side of the Devastator. The fog of escaping atmosphere obscured the Granite‘s inexorable slide into the bowels of the enemy ship. As the Endeavor and Skulker were busy trading volleys, neither was able to warn their comrades of a very important fact. The ramming had altered the physics of the Granite’s and the Devastator’s orbits. They were now rapidly falling toward Hesperus.

As soon as Admiral Dewey realized the situation, he ordered the maneuver engines to fire. Slowly, the Granite extricated itself from its victim. The two ships’ hulls began to glow as they began
their entry into the upper atmosphere of the planet. With a great shudder, the Granite pulled free of the Devastator. As the two slowly separated, the Devastator rolled onto its side like a wounded animal and bled bits of metal that melted in the rising heat.

The Granite, its nose a mangle of ripped and twisted metal, fought to keep above the ocean of air. As the minutes passed, it became evident that the ramming action had destroyed the cruiser’s ability to maneuver effectively. The great ship, a veteran of the Reunification War, was doomed. Giving the abandon ship order, the Admiral watched as his men piled into the shuttles that would be launched for pick-up by the victorious Endeavor. Seeing that they now had no clear advantage over the Steiner fleet, the remaining Marik forces decided to withdraw.

The hulks of the Granite and the Devastator had by now entered Hesperus’s atmosphere. Though almost completely burned away in the fiery reentry, huge chunks of the two ships eventually crashed very near the ‘Mech factories.

McCreedom’s Devils

In all three wars, when enemy forces were stranded because they had lost either their vehicles or their way off Hesperus, they reformed as guerrilla units. The most famous of these came from the remnants of a Kurita ‘Mech battalion that, after being pummeled in the first battle of Hesperus, took to the mountains around the factories.

For the next three years, this band of 20 men and women, led by a Captain McCreedom, harassed truck convoys moving to and from the factories to the spaceport. They had seized their weapons from an arms convoy after destroying it with a rock slide that pushed the trucks off the road into a steep ravine. Their ambushes soon proved so damaging that heavily armed helicopters and armor units had to escort all later convoys, even though it slowed them down to a crawl.

In their three years in the hills, McCreedom’s Devils, as they became known, destroyed some 150 trucks, along with their valuable cargos. They also destroyed many tanks, hovercraft, helicopters, and one Atlas that they managed to topple into the valley below.

—From Combat Among the Giants, by Hauptmann Michael Tredgon, Lancer Press, 2792

The Military Realities

Despite the many victories of the Tamar Tigers and the Stealths, as well as the successful defense of Hesperus II, the war was not going well for the Lyran Commonwealth. Because of inept leaders and an overabundance of heavy ‘Mechs, its units were unable to cope with lighter and more agile ‘Mech units, resulting in the loss of many lives and worlds.

In 2790, House Steiner attempted to launch a major offensive. Its primary goal was to strike at major enemy industrial centers on both fronts. Holding an enemy planet was deemed a secondary goal, only to be attempted when the opportunity arose. On the Kurita front, the Tamar Tigers struck at Styx, Telos IV, and Kervil, while other units of the LCAF struck Dyev and Dieron. On the Marik front, the Stealths attacked Sirius, Graham IV, and Oliver, while the other Steiner units of the offensive hit Dieudonne, Bordon, and Savannah. The Archon actively participated by leading the 4th Royal Guards’ assault on Styx.

On January 4, 2791, Jennifer Steiner was killed while leading the Royal Guards in an attack against a fortified position protecting the chemical factories of New Eslow on Styx. Using Viola Steiner Dinesen’s own Warhammer, the Archon rushed the doors of the stronghold. She either did not notice or did not pay any attention to the numerous boxes and crates—all clearly identified as carrying explosive charges—that were attached to the door of the stronghold. When she tried to rip open the door, they exploded. The blast disintegrated the upper body of her Warhammer, leaving only its legs when the smoke cleared. The fact that the explosion also destroyed the stronghold was no comfort to the soldiers of the Commonwealth.

When news of the Archon’s death reached the other units in the offensive, most stopped and sought to consolidate their gains by trying to hold the worlds where they happened to be at the moment. Perhaps they had lost their will to fight, for only the 13th Lyran Guards and the 56th Heavy Assault regiments could hold onto the world they were attacking: Dieudonne.

Jennifer Steiner’s son Richard, commander of the 11th Lyran Guards, became the next Archon. He appointed Graham Kelswa, Duke of Carse and commander of the Tamar Tigers, as commander of the Steiner forces.

The years from 2791 to 2812 marked a lull in the action for the Commonwealth. This was not because the LCAF decided it was so, but because the Draconis Combine and the Free Worlds League were occupied elsewhere. Both still continued to make frequent and often devastating raids against Commonwealth worlds, however, especially against the industrialized worlds in the Federation of Skye.

During this lull, the LCAF lost the Duke of Carse and the Tamar Tigers when they fell into the Kurita trap on the planet Benjamin. With the loss of this crack unit, the Commonwealth was even more unwilling to risk any major offensives. As House Steiner was further entrenching itself in a defensive posture, its enemies enjoyed the luxury of picking and choosing when and where to strike next.

In 2811, the Stealths faced and fought into submission a superior number of Marik ‘Mechs, as described above. In retaliation, a Marik assassin slipped into the Royal Court unnoticed in 2812. His attempt to kill the Archon was unsuccessful; his laser shot bounced off the hand of the ‘Mech guard who saw the assassin just in time. How the assassin made it past the Archon’s heavy security remained a mystery until many years later. Also in 2812, Speaker of the Assembly Timons Aths, Representative of Carse, officially disbanded the Estates General until the end of the war because of a lack of transportation to bring the Representatives to Tharkad.

After the planets of Caldrea and Dove were lost to House Kurita’s fast-moving ‘Mech units, the Steiner high command decided to remedy its inability to combat these agile opponents. By disbanding the Stealths and assigning its MechWarriors to teach in the various military academies, the Lyran commanders hoped the young cadets would finally learn how to fight on the run and to defend themselves against a mobile opponent.

Ancient Dynasties

The Kelswa and Lestrade families once had close ties with the Steiner family. It was, after all, a Steiner who appointed the Kelswas and the Lestrades to their current positions as leaders respectively, of the Tamar Pact and Federation of Skye. Though history has frayed the bond of friendship, it has never entirely broken.

The roots of the Kelswa family go back to Spain and Portugal of the 20th century, where the family was noted for the poets and scientists it had produced. During the Exodus, the Kelswas moved to the Protectorate of Donegal. Soon, one Ricardo Kelswa became the head of the fledgling Commonwealth’s Emergency Services Department. After the Archon took notice of his skills, a fine friendship developed between the two families. Throughout the early Steiner years, the Kelswas continued to win ever higher positions with ever more responsibility.

The Lestrades are of more mysterious origins. No pre-Exodus records exist for this family, though it is possible that they are of Italian heritage. When they finally do appear in record, it is in the Tamar Pact. The Lestrades seem to have been involved in criminal activities, such as drug-running and counterfeiting, almost as often as they were involved in business and religion. For example, several of the early Lestrades were cardinals in the Catholic Church, while others spent most of their lives in jail. The Lestrade family met the Steiners when the first Robert Steiner became a close comrade of Sophie Lestrade while in the LCAF.

The current situation between the families is tense, yet some members still occasionally meet informally and amicably.

—From Origins of the Three Great Families, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3011

Bella I

The planet Bella I became the focus of the diminishing strengths and resources of the Commonwealth and the Free Worlds League. In 2813, two regiments of the Regulan Hussars drove off the 12th and 14th Lyran Regulars by cleverly giving the impression that their attack force had two additional regiments. By the time the Commonwealth defenders realized the trick, it was too late, because actual Marik reinforcements had arrived to bolster their control over the planet.

Three years later, news of an internal political squabble in the Free Worlds League reached the
Commonwealth. Soon afterward came reports that the garrison of Bella I was being changed; the Regulan Hussars were returning to their homeworlds in protest over political issues.

In one of its few truly decisive moves of the entire war, the Commonwealth high command sent the 12th and 14th Lyran Regulars to retake the planet. The two units were now under the command of Colonel Raymond Hempsted, former commander of the Stealths. Colonel Hempsted planned the attack perfectly; the new Marik garrison had been on Bella for only a week and was totally unfamiliar with the planet at the time of the Steiner attack. The Marik units were quickly outmaneuvered by the Commonwealth ‘Mechs, then besieged. Three weeks later, Bella I belonged to House Steiner once more.

But not for long. The next year, forces of House Marik dropped onto Bella I yet again, after learning that Colonel Hempsted had left for Tharkad. The Lyran Regulars, now commanded by the young Marcus Steiner, had become seasoned veterans who could no longer be tricked easily into giving up. For nine months, the two sides maneuvered across the face of the planet, each managing to do more damage to the inhabitants than to each other. What doomed the Steiner forces this time was their insufficient air cover. Faced with an overwhelming number of Marik AeroSpace Fighters, the two Lyran ‘Mech regiments were finally forced to withdraw.

Unit Insignias

Wearing regimental and battalion patches is considered optional in the LCAF. Though all units have at least a regimental patch, only those with some sort of history wear regimental patches on their uniforms at all times. All patches follow a basic shape, but the symbols often distort the shape.

The regimental patches of ‘Mech units of the Lyran Guards are basically shield-shaped. Regimental patches for the Lyran Regulars are diamond-shaped. The Arcturan Guards have large oval patches. Patches for the Donegal Guards are rectangular. The Skye Rangers have circular patches. Infantry units have square patches. Armored units have a triangular patch.

The number of the regiment is sometimes incorporated into the patch’s design. The regimental nickname is generally also incorporated into the design.

—From Military Traditions in the Lyran Commonwealth, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

Lambs To The Slaughter

Give the High Command one victory and they think they can rule the universe.

—From Enemy on Two Sides: Conflicts Between the Soldiers and the Bureaucracy, by Colonel Raymond Hempsted, Commonwealth Military Press, 2821

Extremely pleased with Colonel Hempsted’s handling of the 12th and 14th Lyran Regulars on Bella I, the Steiner high command decided to proceed with an ambitious plan. Choosing the brightest graduates from the military academies and supplying them with the best equipment, they created the 54th Lyran Guards. Colonel Hempsted and other members of the disbanded Stealths were to supervise their advanced training. The new would also be instructed by a few aging veterans of the late, great Tamar Tigers. After a year’s worth of near torturous training and military exercises, Colonel Hempsted was satisfied that the 54th was ready to see action, preferably in concert with a veteran regiment.

The high command had other ideas. Once the training was finished, they announced that the 54th, now known as ‘Hempsted’s Greyhounds,’ would be sent on a totally unassisted raid of Otho in the Draconis Combine. Colonel Hempsted and his aides vigorously objected to this shocking bit of news, stating that there was no way to predict how a regiment of even the best-trained combat virgins, might react to actual battle conditions. The high command did compromise slightly, by agreeing to allow some members of the Stealths to accompany the Greyhounds as aides. They would not allow Colonel Hempsted to go, though he demanded the right. Instead, they sent him to Tharkad, saying he was due for rest.

The debut of Hempsted’s Greyhounds quickly turned into its swansong as the young MechWarriors cracked beneath the pressure put on them by a veteran Kurita ‘Mech unit. The entire unit was destroyed.

Hearing of the disaster, Archon Richard Steiner reshuffled the high command and court-martialed those most directly responsible for sending the 54th to Otho. A very melancholy Colonel Hempsted was then promoted to Hauptmann-General, with dual command of the Kurita front and over the training of all recruits and cadets.

This disaster also convinced the Archon that he must actively court some mercenary units, especially those who were veterans of the quick-strike style of combat. “Better we risk mercenary lives doing what they know than to continue to throw away the lives of our inexperienced young,” the Archon said.

Terms Of Exhaustion

Thank God, it’s over.

—Richard Steiner, on hearing of the signing of the Peace Accord of Bella I, in Royal Court Transcripts: Year 2821, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2822

All across the Inner Sphere, the loss of lives and industries was finally beginning to exhaust every one of the Successor States, both physically and mentally. It was becoming near impossible to mount effective offensives. Early in 2820, discreet peace initiatives began between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Free Worlds League. Later that year, high officials from both sides met amid the ruins of Bella I and began peace talks in earnest.

On May 16, 2821, after seven months of wary discussion and negotiation, the two sides had come up with a treaty acceptable to both. In a ceremony unusual for its lack of pomp and speeches, representatives of House Steiner and House Marik signed the Peace Accord of Bella I, officially declaring an end to the hostilities between them.

By the end of 2821, peace had spread to all five of the war-weary Successor States, though it was never made completely official. No peace treaty between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine was ever signed. The Archon and his people hated House Kurita too much to even consider signing such a formal agreement. Animosity was just as typical of the other Houses, making it all the more remarkable that the peace would last even six days, let alone the six years it actually did.

The First Succession War had cost House Steiner dearly. It had given up more than 30 worlds, including many important planets such as Nox, Juniper, and Alula Australis. Twelve full regiments from the LCAF, including the Tamar Tigers, the 54th Lyran Guards, the 181st Heavy Assault, and the 89th Air Wing, were no more. The remaining 110 regiments had suffered heavy casualties, with only three regiments still able to field a meager 60 percent of their forces. The fighting navy was almost completely gone. Only one battlecruiser, the LCS Invincible, remained as the Commonwealth’s last major warship.

As for the state of Lyran industries, they were in even worse shape. The ability to build faster-than-light ships, even the simplest freighter, had been cut by 95 percent. Only the Pod Sydney Naval Shipyards above Alarion and a few private firms like the Clippership Yards were still capable of manufacturing JumpShips.

The wars had nearly halved industrial output. Ten of the most heavily industrialized worlds in the Federation of Skye had been attacked and the factories of all but Hesperus II had been severely damaged. Some worlds, like Kessel, would never recover. The prospects for repairing and rebuilding some of the damage in the Federation of Skye were good, but would require at least five years of hard work.

The Tamar Pact faced much the same situation among its industrialized worlds. Though the number of these worlds was less, they were greater distances apart. That, plus delays in finding needed parts, often hindered reconstruction efforts.

Most of the worlds lost to the enemy were from the Tamar Pact, which made life miserable for the Pact’s surviving worlds. People were daily reminded of their lost industries, their lost ability to produce food, and the loss of relatives and friends who had either died or now lived under the heel of the cruel Kurita regime.

The Kelswa family, rulers of the Tamar Pact, had lost much of its administrative records when House Kurita raided Tamar in the last years of the war. The loss or damage of nearly all records froze the economy for three years, pushing the reconstruction effort back even further.

Only the Protectorate of Donegal had managed to emerge from the war in moderately good shape. Its losses had generally been confined to its border with the Free Worlds League. This meant that its few industrialized worlds, like Coventry and Alarion, had not been touched by the carnage. Nor was the province’s food-producing ability much affected. However, the Protectorate was now burdened with problems caused by the lack of reliable commercial freighter service.

Regimental Nicknames

3rd Lyran Guards: “The Eversworded Third”

This name was given to the unit after its commanding officers took to wearing an ancient broadsword to officer’s mess. The tradition began with Colonel Rekenzie Weber, an antiquarian and avid fencer. While serving as commander of the unit during the First Succession War, he discovered such a sword in the ruins of a museum on Alexandria.

6th Lyran Guards: “Saucy Sixth”

The unit earned this nickname after being discovered smuggling men and women of questionable moral character into their duty stations during the First Succession War.

10th Lyran Guards: “Thundering Elephants”

Because the regiment consisted mainly of heavy ‘Mechs, their comrades compared the sight of them running to the pachyderms of Terra and Nekkar.

11th Lyran Guards: “St. George’s Regiment”

This name commemorates the unit’s skill against House Kurita during the Second Succession War, referring to the legendary saint who slew the dragon.

14th Lyran Guards: “The Fearsome 14th”

The 14th got their nickname from the time the entire unit was painted in black, red, and gray for combat on the dark world of Baxter. The color scheme is also painted like a regimental patch on the upper arms of the unit’s ‘Mechs.

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

Tragic Ironies

When the Archon conscripted commercial transports into the military during the war, it had a disastrous effect on planets like Bountiful Harvest and A Place.

Bountiful Harvest, always a major food producer, could no longer regularly export any of its products during the war. As a result, the planetary economy plunged, while huge silos stood filled with rotting grain.

Less than a jump away was A Place. A desolate world with rich mineral resources, it never could feed itself on what it raised from its meager topsoil. When the war came and commercial JumpShips were requisitioned, the planet’s population immediately began to go hungry. Though the Commonwealth government sent mercy missions, they came too infrequently to stave off mass starvation. Of the million inhabitants at the start of the war, only 100,000 remained at war’s end.

All that misery on A Place, while only a few light-years away on Bountiful Harvest, grain lay rotting in the sun and farmers were burying their butchered meat animals in ditches because there was no one to buy them.

—From War’s Tragedy, by Grafina Sandra Kelswa, Stratton & Gebhart, 2829

The Second Succession War

As time passes, it becomes difficult to believe that there ever was a Star League, a time when months, even years, might pass without people constantly hearing news of some battle somewhere destroying lives and civilization.

—From Lost Paradise, by Dimitri Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2826

RECONSTRUCTION EFFORTS

In early 2822, Richard Steiner stood before the first assembly of the Estates General that had been held in ten years. His speech welcomed the delegates back to Tharkad, and also outlined his plans for the reconstruction of the Lyran Commonwealth. Though the Archon sincerely hoped for a lasting peace, he knew that the realm must also be prepared to meet the unexpected. That is why his proposal did not call for the rebuilding of civilian industries until industries vital to the defense of the realm had been reconstructed. As reestablishing good communications between the industrialized worlds was also of prime importance, the Archon had just signed a service-for-goods contract with ComStar.

To speed the reconstruction, Richard emphasized cooperation. He called on the services of scientists, technicians, and engineers from industries that had not suffered war damage, as well as on the faculties of universities and colleges. Any industrialist who refused to help, either because of inter-company rivalry or the desire to keep trade secrets, would be considered a traitor and his corporation would be confiscated.

In June 2823, Richard Steiner, 18th Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, died. His nephew Marcus Steiner took his place, faithfully continuing Richard’s plans for the reconstruction. Marcus also added one important phase to the effort. As a former regimental commander on both the Marik and Kurita borders, he was well aware of the tenuousness of the current peace. Marcus Steiner therefore ordered that any corporations that could possibly uproot themselves from the border worlds should do so, particularly weapons industries. These companies would move deeper into the interior of the Commonwealth, with all expenses paid from the Archon’s private fortune.

Very few Lyrans ever learned that this gesture was an act of atonement. After Richard’s death, the Steiner family discovered that the Archon had embezzled huge amounts of money during the fall of the Star League. Paying for the relocation of industries was a way of returning that money to the Lyran people.

All these plans were excellent, but were aimed more at rebuilding the Commonwealth’s ability to fight, than at improving the life of the average citizen. The loss of four water purification plants was perhaps the most devastating blow to the public and to the continued growth of the Commonwealth. Because of the lack of spare parts and the vagaries of commercial transport, many settled planets began to suffer crises as their own purification plants began to break down. There were several tragic episodes of repair teams and parts arriving at some remote colony, only to find that help had come too late.

The same problems plagued food distribution. Now that regular travel between worlds had become so difficult, planets had to become self-sufficient by growing their own crops. On the many worlds where extreme climate made that impossible, populations shrank, often vanishing completely. Ghost towns, complete with mournful winds echoing down melancholy streets, became commonplace among the worlds of House Steiner.

In 2824, the Archon released the commercial transports that had been pressed into military service during the war. He also ordered that these freed transports must make at least three mercy runs to carry food, water, and needed spare parts to worlds that had been neglected during the war. Fearing the permanent loss of their ships, all of the transport companies agreed, except for Chahar Traders. Not only did the Archon order that Chahar be slapped with huge fines but their ships’ schedules were broadcast all over the Commonwealth, making them vulnerable to any bandit or business competitor who wanted to take advantage. Chahar Traders immediately experienced a change of heart.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Breathe deep. Smell that? That’s the heroic aroma of testosterone. It rises from the stagnation peace brings. There’s not enough blood being shed or enough impassioned shouting for the average male’s taste. Soon every adolescent boy in the Commonwealth will be having his little fantasies about war and glory, completely ignoring the tragic evidence of war’s true meaning that lies all around us. The trouble is that pimply teens aren’t the only ones affected by the pungent aroma. Big kids with big, ugly weapons get war lust, too. No, it won’t be long now, won’t be long at all.

—Josica Felns, Chairperson, Lyran Women Against the War Coalition, in The Lyran Women, Sisterhood Press, 2825

Small groups of Kurita ‘Mechs, some no larger than a lance, dropped onto worlds all along the Commonwealth border in 2825. Their objective was to destroy as much of House Steiner’s reconstruction effort as possible and also to create a good bit of chaos in the process.

After one unsuccessful raid, some of the attackers immediately surrendered. Interrogation revealed that these raiders were actually convicted criminals from many of Lord Kurita’s jails. Dubbed ‘chain gangs’ by the Lyran press, their units were little more than suicide squads. Their Kurita jailers had promised to reward them handsomely for participation in the raids. The convicts were then sent off to fight with ancient, barely functional ‘Mechs. These ‘Mechs were in such disrepair that many of the fledgling pilots died simply because their ‘Mechs didn’t have radiation shielding. After dropping these units, the Kurita DropShips lingered just long enough to monitor the attack’s effectiveness, then left, stranding the surviving Chain Gang on the enemy planet.

Despite this, many of the prisoners fought on, stimulated by battledrug pills. Some units actually accomplished their objectives before its members were killed or captured. Lord Kurita must have been well-pleased with the success of these raids, which completely halted Steiner reconstruction efforts for four months, as the Lyran military went on alert in anticipation of a follow-up offensive by the Draconis Combine.

Once it became obvious that there would be no such follow-up, the LCAF unleashed its own raids against the Combine’s Reconstruction efforts on worlds like Otho, Aix-la-Chapelle, Baldur, and Darius. Though these objective strikes were not totally successful, they showed that the Lyrans’ fighting ability had vastly improved, thanks to General Hempsted’s new training programs.

The Little Kingdoms

During the First Succession War, the Periphery provinces suffered greatly because of their distant location and the reduction in commercial freighter service.

As war began to restrict the flow of essentials to Periphery worlds, those few worlds fortunate enough to have a surplus of goods became prey to their less fortunate neighbors. When bandits from Sweet Water pillaged the neighboring world of Canal in the early days of the first war, the Archon was forced to take action.

Richard realized that if these worlds began to suffer too greatly, it could give rise to rebellion. To prevent that and to relieve the general suffering among the outworlds, he created administrators for the resource-rich Periphery worlds and granted them special powers over their “Little Kingdoms.” The Chief Administrator took the temporary title of Archonette, and ruled over his planetary government, its planetary nobility, and all the surrounding worlds within a one-jump radius.

The Archonette used his special powers to pool all the available resources of a group of planets so that existing food and water could be evenly distributed to all. During the First and Second Succession Wars, there were about 20 Little Kingdoms. Because the Commonwealth was better prepared during the Third Succession War, the number of Little Kingdoms fell to just ten.

Archonettes were given huge money bonuses, land, and a title on a world far from the Periphery if they accomplished their jobs with honor. These rewards were apparently enough to keep them from abusing their considerable powers. Just to be sure, the Archon assigned LIC agents to monitor the doings in each Little Kingdom.

Only Gregory Uther, Archonette of the Somerset Little Kingdom, had visions of holding onto his power. He even tried to assassinate the Duke of Somerset, when he returned from the war to reassume control over the planet. An LIC agent killed Gregory Uther first.

—From The Periphery During the Wars, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3017

Rescue Of The Chahar Profit

In 2826, the Chahar Profit, a freighter laden with corn for the starving citizens of Chandler, made a misjump. Coming out of jump, the crew discovered that their ship had entered the Kurita system of Darius instead of Chandler. The system defense forces quickly disabled the hapless Steiner ship before it could prepare for another jump. With its drive disabled, the only thing the ship could do was broadcast an SOS and deploy its little emergency pigeon. A mini-jump drone, the pigeon lay dormant above the captured ship until the next day, when it swiftly spread its sails, collected energy, and jumped back into the Commonwealth before the enemy knew what had happened.

Upon hearing the news, the Archon decided that the Chahar Profit must be rescued, diplomacy be hanged. To carry out the mission, Marcus Steiner reformed the Stealths. General Hempsted, now 62 years old, decided that the only MechWarriors qualified for the raid were those who had learned their trade under his command in previous battles. This decision reduced the size of the rescue force to just one company, whose MechWarriors averaged an astounding 63 years of age. Many in the Steiner high command had their doubts.

After weeks of vigorous retraining, the Stealths were ready. Accompanying them on the mission was a unit of AeroSpace Fighters, a company of crack infantrymen trained in boarding actions, and a JumpShip crew to replace that of the Chahar Profit if they could not be rescued.

On February 21, the Stealths made the jump into the Darius system aboard their vessel, the LCS Yo’ Mama. Immediately, all but one of the Stealths’ DropShips detached and sped toward the Chahar Profit, which was guarded by fighters based on a Kurita Union Class DropShip. While the Steiner DropShips engaged the Kurita defenders, the Yo’ Mama carrying the Stealths made a screaming run at the planet.

Two days later, the Yo’ Mama launched the Stealths in a near perfect drop trajectory. They hit the dirt just outside the planet’s capital city, where the freighter’s crew was being held. Good intelligence information and thorough preparation allowed the company of light and medium ‘Mechs to make its way easily into the city’s center.

The sight of ‘Mechs stalking among their streets brought the whole population to a standstill. Though the defenders had had two days to prepare, apparently they had not taken the Steiner threat very seriously. All the Stealths encountered was the local militia, who fired a few brave shots at the invaders, but whose courage vanished when they got the metal monsters’ attention. The Stealths reached the city’s prison and freed the crew of the Chahar Profit.

The Stealths had planned to carry the Chahar crew back to the DropShip in specially constructed “barrels,” armored capsules that could hold two passengers and that a ‘Mech could carry in its hand. Once the rescued crew members were strapped in and ready, the Stealths attempted to leave the city. This proved more difficult than entering, because the local ‘Mech battalion had finally been roused into responding to the threat. Now the Stealths had to avoid enemy fire, while trying to stay upright on the slippery concrete as they ran through the city. The freighter’s crew, strapped into their claustrophobic capsules, were about as comfortable as bananas in a blender.

Leaving behind a few new monuments to war’s waste, the Stealths finally managed to escape back to the rendezvous point. Their comrades, meanwhile, had carried out a spirited and successful boarding action to take the Chahar Profit back from Lord Kurita.

This mission was a complete success. The Stealths managed to free the entire Chahar crew unharmed, and to win back a valuable freighter. They had also been able to keep the freighter’s cargo of corn intact. The starving people of Chandler were ecstatic when the Chahar Profit appeared in their system, while news of the Stealth’s exploits spread throughout the Commonwealth.

The next year, 2828, the Draconis Combine decided to get even for their embarrassment on Darius by attacking the planet Chandler and destroying its food and water supplies. Assuming that there would be only token resistance from the local garrison, the two invading Kurita regiments were surprised to find the Stealths still on the planet and that the local militia would not relinquish their food supplies without a bitter fight. Badly mauled, the Kurita forces eventually withdrew.

Tensions all along both borders were gradually increasing, while news from all over the Inner Sphere told of “armed incidents,” “aggressive actions,” and “delicate diplomatic negotiations.” Late in 2828, prisoner exchange talks between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Free Worlds League suddenly broke down, with both sides claiming insult. This soon led to a total break in relations between the two realms. Though rumors about what caused the collapse were many, no one except the politicians really cared. Whatever had caused the rift, war was sure to follow.

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

15th Lyran Guards: “The Death or Glory Boys”

This unit earned its name for the many times it faced certain death, only to trick fate by surviving.

19th Lyran Guards: “The Scarlet Guards”

The Scarlet Guards took their name for the time the unit temporarily replaced the 3rd Lyran Guards as guards of the Triad during the Second Succession War. All ‘Mechs of this unit have scarlet shoulder patches.

24th Lyran Guards: “The Slashers”

The Slashers got their name while stationed on Suk during the second war. A local nobleman had been harassing the unit and its families. One night, heavily disguised soldiers broke into the nobleman’s mansion, and cut off his ear in the ensuing scuffle. There was not enough evidence for anyone in the unit to be officially accused of the crime.

26th Lyran Guards: “Steiner’s Boots”

This nickname was given to unit by the Lyran public for the unit’s history of suppressing rebellions and insurrections within the realm.

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

Failed Negotiations

Over the years, there has been considerable speculation about what poisoned the prisoner exchange talks. Much will never be known, because records of the secret negotiations have been lost, but a few facts can be pieced together.

The chief negotiators for the two sides were: Duke Kendall Marik for the Free Worlds League, and Graf Rebecca Steiner-Nelson for the Lyran Commonwealth. The two apparently had met before, because many of their team members overheard them chatting about mutual friends and time spent at a place called the ‘Casa del Sol’ on some unknown planet.

Many now believe that the chief negotiators had once been emotionally involved. As the negotiations dragged on, each had to take hard positions on behalf of their respective governments, which could possibly have taken a toll on their personal feelings for one another. If so, then the decision to break off the negotiations may have been due more to broken love than to political differences.

Though a plausible theory, it doesn’t answer certain questions. Where had Kendall and Rebecca met before? What about the phantom ‘Mech raid that occurred on the planet where the negotiations were being held and for which neither side would claim responsibility? What of the assassination of the second negotiator for the Commonwealth side, who tried to reconvene the talks after the two leaders had left the planet? It is clear that much more information must come to light before anyone will understand this sad incident in Commonwealth history.

—From The Poisoned Talks: An Examination, by Dimitri Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2380

State Of War

Now I know how a boxer feels, after barely surviving the first round, when he hears the bell for the round two.

—Gen. Liza Rido, in The Succession War, by Graf Stel La Caucus, University Press, 3011

The Draconis Combine reopened its war against the Lyran Commonwealth in 2830 with a major offensive to take the Steiner worlds of Chandler and Moore. As the Stealths had made Chandler their base for the past several years, the Kurita attackers were facing an enemy with keen knowledge of the planet. Kurita countered this by pouring more and more troops onto the planet, which rendered the Stealths’ tactical edge increasingly meaningless. After six months, the Stealths were forced offworld.

Moore, on the other hand, with its methane swamps and near fanatical militia units, proved too much for the Combine invaders. After seven months of frustration amid the mud and the blood, the Kurita attackers finally gave out and were driven away.

In an effort to profit by House Steiner’s preoccupation on the Kurita front, the Free Worlds League mounted its own offensive that year. They attacked New Hope and Dieudonne. At the end of eight months, both invasions proved successful because of the ineptness of the ever-present ‘social generals’ among the Lyran military.

Disgusted by the lack of effective leadership on the Marik front, Archon Marcus assumed control of the entire zone in 2831. Under his leadership, the LCAF would mount its first effective offensive of the second war. Among his first actions as the commander of the front, Archon Marcus stripped worlds of the interior of their garrisons and militias. He then molded these into fighting units that could assume defensive responsibilities on worlds along the Marik border, freeing the veteran units for offensive action.

While he was training these new units, now known as the five Citizen Regiments, Archon Marcus began weaving an elaborate deception. He had the LCAF give the impression that the Commonwealth was preparing to mount a major offensive against House Kurita. They filled the communication networks with bogus orders, fake transport schedules, and other such disinformation pointing to a Steiner invasion against Kurita. The LCAF broadcast these bits of false, but scrupulously official information over channels that Marik was sure to be monitoring.

The ruse worked. It lulled the Marik forces into believing that their borders with Steiner would remain quiet in the coming months. Feeling smug and secure, Marik commanders now directed their attention and energies toward the Capellan Confederation.

With his scheme working beautifully, the Archon opened a new Marik offensive with attempts to retake New Hope and Dieudonne. In both actions, his men caught the Marik defenders totally off-guard. Some of the captured troopers later related that many had assumed that the fiery trails in the night sky were just transports carrying their holiday mail.

Once these planets were secured and turned over to a Citizen Regiment, the offensive continued with attacks against the Marik worlds of Danais and Megrez. Though the defense on these worlds was quite stiff, these invasions were also successful. The Steiner standard now flew over four new worlds in a series of unprecedented successes for the LCAF.

NEW TACTICS

It was certainly not the first time in military history that garrisons and militia units fought in the front lines, but it was the first time the Commonwealth had tried it. Though Archon Marcus used it successfully, the same tactic would later be unsuccessful for Archon Alessandro Steiner, even leading to his fall from power.

—From Questions Raised by the Ouster of Alessandro Steiner, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3022

The Draconis Combine was not entirely quiet during this campaign. Their attacks between the years of 2831 and 2836 were mostly objective raids aimed at further destroying the Commonwealth’s industrial base. Particularly vicious attacks that employed more than one ‘Mech regiment each occurred on Kessel and Kobe. During the raid on Kobe, the Kurita commander taught his Commonwealth counterpart the value of light tanks combined with mobile ‘Mechs. Together, the Kurita forces ran rings around the Commonwealth defenders. House Kurita also made an attack against the BattleMech factories on Hesperus II during this period. The defenders easily threw the Kurita forces off the planet, however.

Tales Of Grimm

Good God, how can you trust anyone you respect?

—Archon Marcus Steiner, hearing of the 65th regiment’s disappearance into the Periphery, in Marcus Steiner: A Profile, by Ludvilla Michos, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2849

In 2837, House Marik was placed under an Exclusion Order for insulting the neutrality of ComStar. This gave all the Successor States pause and resulted in significant changes in how they treated the keepers of the only effective interstellar communications system in the Inner Sphere.

At this point, the Lyran Commonwealth was actually the most respectful of the rights and neutrality of ComStar. It had been only 14 years since the blessed Order had placed Tharkad under Exclusion for the Estates General’s attempt to tax the land where ComStar had its stations. Though the year-long interdict may have inadvertently forced the Steiner leaders to pay more attention to the work at hand, it nevertheless impressed upon the Archon how much power ComStar actually has.

After assuring himself that ComStar’s representatives were not about to violate the rules of neutrality, Archon Marcus decided to take advantage of the House Marik’s plight by renewing his offensive. Its first objectives were the worlds of Oliver and Graham IV.

Just as the Commonwealth’s attacks were about to begin, Kurita forces attacked Hesperus II yet again. In preparation for the new offensive against Marik, that planet’s veteran ‘Mech defenders had been transferred to the front and replaced with inexperienced ‘Mech units. The Kurita ‘Mech regiments easily pushed the green defenders up to the entrance of the BattleMech factories. There, however, withering fire from troops in the fortified buildings and the many concrete pill boxes on the slopes of the mountains stopped their advance. Having regrouped and with ‘Mech reinforcements coming off the assembly lines every day, the Steiner defenders broke the siege in the second week. Once again battered on Hesperus, the Kurita units were forced to retreat offworld.

With Hesperus II secure, the Commonwealth launched its attacks against the Marik worlds of Graham IV and Oliver in 2829. They encountered heavy resistance on both worlds, particularly Graham. To take these planets was going to require reinforcements, which were due within the month. Before the reinforcements could reach their destination, Marik launched its counteroffensive. Instead of aiding their troops on Graham and Oliver, the units of the Free Worlds League hit planets where they guessed the Commonwealth had stockpiled its stores and was mustering its reinforcements. This put the Steiner offensive in real danger, as its units on Oliver and Graham now found themselves suddenly on the defensive without hope of receiving needed support. In the deepest trouble were the 65th Lyran Regulars, the ‘Old One-Eyes,’ fighting on Graham IV.

Commander of the 65th was Colonel Hendrik Grimm, the bright and rising star of the LCAF. His early exploits at the head of a battalion in the 3rd Lyran Guards had made him famous quite young. When he established close bonds with the Steiner family, many assumed that he would either marry into the family or become commander of the whole Lyran military. In recent years, however, he had become prone to violent mood swings that got him into vicious fights. Only his connections with the Steiners prevented his court-martial on three occasions. An examining psychiatric exam found no signs of drug addiction. What they did find was a psychiatric disorder requiring immediate treatment. Inexplicably, the High Command gave Grimm command of the 65th Lyran Regulars instead.

After a superior force of Marik militia attacked them, Colonel Grimm and his men managed to hold their position, but soon realized that they were doomed unless help arrived. Grimm made the call for reinforcements, but his request was denied because every Commonwealth unit in the area was involved in their own troubles. It was turning out just as the Marik strategists had planned.

Colonel Grimm’s paranoia now came into full bloom, with him believing that the Archon himself had denied the request for help because he wanted the Colonel dead. Against direct orders from his superiors, Grimm ordered the 65th Lyran Regulars to leave Graham IV. The men and women of the regiment packed up and retreated offworld. The Colonel began complaining about how everyone was out to assassinate him because he was the true heir to the Star League throne. Many of the younger MechWarriors were so confused that they continued to follow the crazed Colonel, believing that they would be shot for treason if they returned to the Commonwealth. The LCAF would not, of course, have held soldiers responsible for following the orders of their commanding officers. Meanwhile, Graham IV was lost to the Free Worlds League.

After hearing about the fiasco on Graham IV, House Steiner attempted to strip the insane commander of as many of his regiments as possible. Members of the 65th were granted a week to return home. As the unit continued to travel the no-man’s-space between House Steiner and House Marik, the Commonwealth declared them a renegade unit, having waited long enough for the loyal to desert Colonel Grimm. The High Command put a bounty on their heads, collectable by either Steiner or Marik troops. Though ‘Mech units of both sides made several attempts to capture the renegades, they discovered that the Mad Colonel had still not lost his battlefield prowess. He and his men disappeared into the trackless void of the Periphery virtually intact.

Claudius The Cruel

I am neither humble nor courteous and so will not couch my intent with flowery or eloquent phrases. Instead, hear me plain: I will kill anyone who challenges my claim to the Archonship, and I will torture anyone who supports any of my rivals for the throne.

I hope I’ve made myself understood.

—Claudius Steiner, message to the Estates General, in The Horrors of Claudius Steiner’s Reign, by Justin Blount, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2851

In 2840, House Kurita began a new offensive against the Lyrans. Their strategy would become known as planet-hopping, because the attackers concentrated their forces against a few Steiner planets at a time, slowly but steadily gobbling up worlds. They started with New Caledonia and Harvest, the two most rimward planets in the Commonwealth. Both attacks seemed to be typical Kurita objective raids when they began, then mushroomed into full invasions as reinforcements appeared.

Just as the LCAF was going to react to the new offensive, House Kurita sent raiders against Thorin. In response, the commanding officer of the planetary defenders devised a plan based heavily on air strikes. Though a hurricane appeared the day of the attack, the commanding officer ordered his AeroSpace Fighters into the winds anyway. The two sides met amid driving rain. The weather reduced the mobility of the Kurita ‘Mechs, which turned the fight into a knock-down-drag-out brawl that gave the advantage to House Steiner’s huge heavy ‘Mechs.

Despite this loss, the Combine received an unexpected boost to their plans when Marcus Steiner contracted meningitis in 2843 while on the planet Loric. The doctors treating the Archon discovered that he had contracted a particularly virulent strain of the disease. They removed him from the front so that he could be treated at the Martin Luther Memorial Hospital near the Royal Palace. Not long after his return to Tharkad, the Archon slipped into a coma.

Marcus had no children, nor had he appointed a successor. The news of his coma therefore set off an immediate power struggle within the Commonwealth. Melissa Nin, the Archon’s wife, believed that she should become the Archon-Designate. Claudius Steiner, Marcus’ younger brother and commander of a Guards unit, immediately dispatched a communiqué to Tharkad. He announced that there could be no doubt that the throne should pass to him.

It was left to the Estates General, which happened to be in session that year, to decide. No one knows what possessed them to vote in favor of Melissa Nin, a woman with no political experience. Everyone knows the disastrous effects of that decision. Melissa Nin was confirmed as Archon-Designate in December 2844. When Marcus died a few months later, she took the throne immediately.

The reign of Melissa Nin was to the shortest of any Archon in Commonwealth history. In September 2845, just five months after she took the throne, units loyal to Claudius Steiner dropped onto Tharkad City, and engaged elements of the 3rd Lyran Guards. After gaining control, Claudius publicly executed Melissa Nin for treason. He then gave the same treatment to the Speaker of the Assembly because the Estates General had supported her. Finally, he disbanded the Estates General indefinitely while he sought to consolidate his control.

Archon Claudius’s preoccupation with internal matters worked in favor of the Combine’s military plans. When units loyal to Claudius were withdrawn from the front to fight for him on Tharkad, it created mass confusion and a major reshuffling of House Steiner’s defensive on the Kurita border. In 2845, while the new Archon was terrorizing Tharkad with ever more horrific displays of his will, Lord Kurita ordered the final stages of his invasion of Caledonia.

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

Originally posted by Miclos Davion:

30th Lyran Guards: ‘Walking Hellfire’

This unit includes elements of the now defunct 2nd Lyran Guards, which defeated Kurita forces on Port Moseby by setting a huge fire in its tinder-dry forests. ‘Mechs in this unit have a flame design on their upper shoulder.

32nd Lyran Guards: ‘Red Arrows’

The Red Arrows carry an ancient regimental nickname first given to an American regiment. On tactical maps, red arrows indicate enemy forces. The nickname commemorates the fact that no enemy has ever totally stopped the unit.

36th Lyran Guards: ‘Air Surfers’

The unit earned this name when Colonel Jessica Templar was the first Commonwealth MechWarrior to triple-skip her ‘Mech off a planet’s atmosphere and survive.

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

The Martin Luther Memorial Hospital

Originally posted by Thelos Auburn:

The Martin Luther Memorial Hospital is one of the most technologically advanced medical facilities in the Inner Sphere. Undamaged by war, it still has Star League era capabilities.

Unfortunately, knowledge of how to use much of the elaborate medical machinery has long been lost. Many of its rooms still harbor sophisticated but now-strange apparatus that does nothing but sit and gather dust. Where the ability to use the machinery still exists, it has been preserved with mysterious rituals similar to ComStar’s method of passing on its communications technology.

As a result, Martin Luther has become even more departmentalized than is usual for a hospital. Rivalry between divisions such as Radiology, Chemotherapy, Subatomic Medicine, and Pharmacology has become intense. In Tharkad City, a patient’s family doctor becomes something of an auctioneer, calling for the various departments to bid for the right to treat his patient. If that were not enough, the Martin Luther Memorial Hospital’s reputation became even more infamous after Claudius Steiner came to power.

—From The Martin Luther Memorial Hospital: A Minor of Our World, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3012

Death Of The Fourth

To many, the reign of Claudius seemed like the beginning of another dark age similar to the reign of Margaret Olsen during the first dark age of the Commonwealth. Indeed, the loss of the Fourth Royal Guards and the tragic death of its commanding officer seemed like harbingers of doom.

—From Remembrance of Things Long Past, by Gen. Yevos McCreger, Donnelly Printers, 2850

The Kurita invasion of Caledonia in 2841 did not take the LCAF totally by surprise. In fact, the entire 4th Royal Guards regiment, nicknamed ‘Pride of the Commonwealth’, had been stationed on the planet in anticipation. The enemy invasion, which used two ‘Mech regiments supported by armor and infantry, was successful enough to establish a planethead on Caledonia. Despite this, Colonel Tiber Hinders, commander of the 4th, had every reason to believe that, with a little luck, he could push the enemy offworld.

That luck never arrived. As the months, then years passed, every one of the 4th’s attacks was thwarted, every defensive preparation was breached. When Kurita managed to discover and knock out Caledonia’s hidden aerodromes, it became quite clear that there was a traitor in the 4th’s command structure. Though Colonel Hinders and his younger brother Michael made every attempt to find the spy, they did not succeed. Despite the traitor, the 4th Royal Guards managed to hold on to Caledonia for seven years before their final defeat in July 2848. Archon Claudius must also share the blame because he ignored pleas to aid the 4th, being so absorbed in his blood sports.

The victor of the Caledonia campaign was Hugai Kurita. In celebration, he decided to arrange a little entertainment. When Hugai asked the captive Colonel Hinders whether he would like a chance to kill the spy that had helped to destroy his regiment, the Colonel leapt at the chance.

Originally posted by Thelos Auburn:

Claudius was fascinated with medical instruments; not for their healing ability, but for their potential to cause pain. He turned a whole wing of the Martin Luther Memorial Hospital into a series of torture chambers. In those chambers, Claudius and his minions discovered new and terrifying uses for many of those strange machines whose medical use had been lost to the destruction of war.

To say that Claudius Steiner was the most evil, most cruel of all the leaders of the Lyran Commonwealth would be like saying that winter in Tharkad is cold. Though some blame Claudius’s lust for torture on the Steiners’ genetic tendency toward Dobrowski Depression-A Syndrome, historical pathologists believe that he actually lacked this genetic trait.

It no longer matters what created his sadism, for nothing can change what he did. To those who were forced to live in and near the Royal Palace or who suffered at his hands, Claudius Steiner was not just an evil man—he was evil incarnate.

—From Encyclopedia Res Publica, Thelos Auburn, ed., Commonwealth Historical Press

The next day, Colonel Hinders was taken to a bowl-shaped valley and given a battered Thunderbolt, whose weaponry had been removed. Across the valley was another Thunderbolt, which the Colonel believed was piloted by the Kurita spy. Watching from the ridges surrounding the valley were Hugai Kurita and his men.

The battle lasted for hours as the two ‘Mechs slugged each other into stumbling hulks. Realizing that the shielding in his ‘Mech’s reactor had been damaged and that he had sustained a lethal dose of radiation, Colonel Hinders launched himself into one last furious attack.

Fifteen minutes later, he stood above the vanquished spy ‘Mech. Ripping open its cockpit, Colonel Hinders stared in disbelief at his brother Michael’s body. A very entertained Hugai Kurita then ‘humanely’ dispatched Colonel Hinders with a laser bolt to the cockpit. To this day, no one knows whether Michael Hinders was actually the spy, or whether Hugai had simply played a cruel trick on his former enemy. Tapes of this horror were sent to Archon Claudius Steiner, courtesy of Hugai Kurita.

After Claudius watched the demise of the 4th, he sent coded messages deep into the Draconis Combine, setting into motion what declassified government records call Operation Praying Mantis. It would be two years before the events he set in motion became visible for all to see.

Operation Praying Mantis

Who can say what passes through an assassins mind as he or she readies to commit the deed. I only hope that Snow Fire had a few sweet memories to comfort her in the last moments of her own life.

—From My Time at the Helm, by Elizabeth Steiner, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2890

Claudius Steiner’s secret message made its way to an operative of the Lyran Intelligence Corps, who has since become known as a great heroine in the annals of Commonwealth history. Not much is actually known about her, except that she was 25 years old at the time of her death. The rest remains a closely guarded state secret. Known to the public only by her Kurita Courtesan School name of ‘Snow Fire,’ she has nevertheless inspired countless paintings, dramas, and ballads celebrating and speculating on who she was, why she joined the LIC, and what inspired her to give her own life to accomplish her final mission.

ComStar representatives have access to many information sources, however, which provide a more complete picture of Operation Praying Mantis. Though we have not learned her real name, we do know that Snow Fire had been trained by the Bondians, one of the espionage branches of the Lyran
Intelligence Corps.

Among the orders received by Snow Fire in 2848, she also learned of the 4th Royal Guards’ demise. Till that time, she had been serving as an assistant Geisha, one of the household courtesans in the intricate hierarchy of the Kurita palace. Snow Fire, apparently a woman of considerable skill, guile, and steely courage, did not hesitate after receiving her final orders. During the next year and a half, she steadily advanced her standing in the Kurita palace until eventually she caught the eye and won the trust of Lord Yoguchi Kurita, Coordinator of the Draconis Combine.

One stormy night, Snow Fire quietly and efficiently completed her mission by deftly slitting the ruler’s throat while he slept. Knowing she would never escape, Snow Fire then swallowed a poison tablet that she had hidden in the hollow of a false tooth.

Before dying, she took a small embroidered patch from a hidden pocket in her robes. The other geishas and concubines had formerly watched her lovingly embroider this patch, which she had then carried wherever she went. Not being Warriors, the courtesans never realized the significance of that bit of cloth, beyond its sentimental value to Snow Fire. In her last moments, the brave young woman laid the patch on the bloodstained body of Lord Kurita.

It must have pleased her to think of the cold shock to the Kurita palace guards and officials when they discovered their Lord wearing the regimental patch of the House Steiner 4th Royal Guards on his dead body.

The Triumvirate

Odd as it seems, the murder of Lord Yoguchi Kurita at the hands of a Steiner assassin in 2850 lifted the spirits of the Lyran people. Though Claudius had been dead for a year, first the war and then his reign of terror and its reverberations had convinced the Lyrans that it was all a kind of mass punishment. News of the assassination seemed to prove to the people that it was possible to strike back at evil.

—From Encyclopedia Res Publica, Thelos Auburn, ed, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3025

Claudius Steiner died in 2849, without the satisfaction of seeing Operation Praying Mantis successfully completed. Though the medical examiners claimed his heart had given out, many rumors in Tharkad City said that members of the Steiner’s own family had forced Claudius to drink poison. No matter what the cause, his death immediately created another political crisis, with fearful parallels to the time of the fall of Star League.

Successor to the throne was nine-year-old Elizabeth Steiner, who would have to wait till she reached legal age before she could officially rule the Commonwealth. Duchess Rebecca Morgan, Claudius’s wife and Elizabeth’s mother, refused to rule until her daughter’s maturity, because she believed that power had created her husband’s madness. Rebecca Morgan therefore decided to reconvene the Estates General to ask for their counsel on what should be done.

Originally posted by Unchilla Grevra:

ARTS EXPLOSION

The time of the Triumvirate may have been politically tenuous, but it was a time of rediscovery and optimism for culture and the arts. Freed from Claudius’s reign of terror, the Lyran people felt a mass relief that seemed to set off an explosion of painting, music, dance, and drama. Though hampered by the continued drain of the war, Lyran artists, with their gift for making do with what is at hand, created beauty from the most unlikely of subjects.

Some of the more notable works from this period are Tales of the Heike, a holoseries written by Misako Endo; Newly Built Roads, a travel diary in poetry by John Salters; and Freedom, a sculpture in bronze by Minerva Ray.

—From A History of Arts in the Lyran Commonwealth, by Unchilla Grevra, Prefect of Kaifeng, Kaifeng Royal Printers, 3025

Having spent the last four years out of work, the Representatives of the Estates General did not want to risk displeasing the Archon. In answer to her request for help, the delegates politely suggested a Triumvirate consisting of three separate and equal leaders. The Estates General further suggested that their new Speaker of the Assembly, Henry DeCalidore, the young Representative from Furillo, be a member of the Triumvirate. The Representatives also suggested that Ilysa Aten, the Duchess of Tamar and Skye, be another of the three, because of her influence over those important regions of the Commonwealth. The Estates General then went on to suggest that, despite her protests, Rebecca Morgan herself should be the final member of the Triumvirate. The Representatives said that it was important that the other two have a calm third to decide disagreements and that the young Elizabeth Steiner needed at least one member of the trio to speak for her interests.

Rebecca Morgan reluctantly agreed to the arrangement. On October 13, 2849, the new Triumvirate
met in the Throne Room, seated at an onyx and slate-sapphire table placed on the floor before the dais and empty throne.

Though destructive intrigues plagued the Triumvirate toward the end of its ten years in power, this interim government served the future Archon and the Commonwealth rather well.

“What, Me Worry?” Pt 1

God, imagine how it must have been for those youngsters out there, knowing that the first time they went into battle would likely be their last. It’s tough enough for us veterans, but for them—my god. They didn’t grow up expecting to die on the battlefield like we did. I’d say they’re the ones with real courage.

—Interview with MechWarrior following 8th battle for Hesperus II, on News From the Frontlines, Donegal Broadcasting Co., December 4, 2853

Though history often attributes House Kurita’s siege of Hesperus II in 2853 as retaliation for the assassination of Yoguchi Kurita, it is unlikely. Considering the thoroughness that went into their attack plans, the Kurita commanders must have been plotting the siege long before Snow Fire slit the throat of their leader. There is no doubt, though, that the memory of their Lord dying at the hands of a lowly Steiner woman added to the ferocity of their fighting.

The siege of Hesperus II was House Kurita’s attempt to bring the Commonwealth to its knees by destroying the largest BattleMech factories in the entire Inner Sphere. If that could be accomplished, the Combine military leaders were confident that House Steiner would sue for peace, leaving them free to concentrate against Davion.

The siege would be divided into two parts. The first, and most important, was to create a blockade of Hesperus by encircling the planet and its main jump points with heavily armed DropShips, AeroSpace Fighters, and the few remaining warships in the Combine navy.

The second part of the siege was the actual destruction of the Defiance ‘Mech factories. House Kurita’s greater number of ‘Mech regiments would slowly and steadily destroy the planet’s defenders until there were none left to protect the factories. Meanwhile, the blockade would prevent reinforcements and supplies from coming to the Lyrans’ aid.

The plan worked flawlessly. After overwhelming the system defenses at both main jump points, the Kurita warships formed rings about the jump stations to destroy anything the LCAF tried to send through K-F space. The Kurita forces then spent the next five months waiting for the planetary defenders to use up their food and supplies. Only then did they land on the more lightly defending portion of the planet. Assuming they now had plenty of time, the Kurita commanders proceeded to engage the three defending ‘Mech regiments in taxing battles, not to win territory outright, but to further wear down the defenders.

Baron Ivor Brewer, the chief executive of Defiance Industries, realized that this time the enemy actually stood a good chance of destroying his factories. During those long troubled days and nights, he came up with a desperate plan. Calling on volunteers from among his workers, the Baron had his own ‘Mech test pilots teach these green recruits the rudiments of piloting and fighting in a ‘Mech. This makeshift ‘Mech battalion then climbed into machines sitting already assembled in the warehouses of the Hesperus factories and took over guarding the passes leading to the facilities. This freed the veteran ‘Mech units to join their comrades elsewhere on the planet to combat the enemy.

The ersatz battalion of gray-haired senior citizens and pimply teens called itself ‘The Force of Last Resort’. For their battalion patch, they adopted the grinning face of Alfred E. Newman, a famed character from 20th-century Terra. His motto, “What, Me Worry?”, became the battalion’s own.

The rest of the Commonwealth was not idle during these dire times. The first few attempts to breach the blockade failed, leaving halos of frozen atmosphere and debris where once there were Commonwealth ships. The LCAF decided to revive the LCS Invincible as part of a daring plan devised by Henry DeCalidore, member of the Triumvirate and an ex-AeroSpace pilot.

To most, the battlecruiser LCS Invincible, stationed near zenith jump point of Tharkad, was merely a relic from the Star League. When the crew of gray-haired veterans of House Steiner’s defunct fighting navy boarded her, it was like returning home. Her massive lasers and particle cannons might groan and protest, but they were still capable of unleashing searing death. Though the Invincible’s engines threatened detonation at any moment, they moved the gray behemoth to the jump point, where she spread her sails the way a grand duchess might arrange her cloak. Behind her was the rest of the Commonwealth relief force.

Back on Hesperus, the Kurita officers felt victory was theirs when they actually caught site of the BattleMech faces for the first time. The defenders, tired and weak, had been outwitted and drawn out of position. Nothing could protect factories now.

Then the factory doors slid back, spewing BattleMechs from the darkness of the factory’s caves. Shiny, lacking even a usual undercoat of paint, the ‘Mechs moved to positions about the facilities and in the mountains. Cursing in surprise, Kurita officers moved to attack the unexpected defenders. As the two sides met, the fledgling MechWarriors, in a rush of adrenaline and beginners luck, made their first kills.

At about the same time, LCS Invincible materialized from K-F space at the Hesperus jump point like an angered whale among minnows. The blockade bent, then broke, while the Kurita ships fled in sheer terror from its barrage of missile salvos, laser fire, and sub-atomic beams. DropShips from the Invincible were soon speeding their way to Hesperus II.

Stung with humiliation, the Kurita officers sought revenge for the way that unexpected force of bright, shiny ‘Mechs had succeeded in pushing the Kurita forces back. While they were attempting to regroup, the remnants of a Skye Rangers regiment attacked from the sides. Pushed back still further, the Kurita forces finally reorganized. They took time to savor the pleasure of disposing of the few remaining Skye Rangers, then turned their sights on the shiny new ‘Mechs.

“What, Me Worry?” Pt 2

Without the element of surprise or luck, the Force of Last Resort withered as the Kurita ‘Mechs opened fire, and many of them died. Those that survived turned suddenly and ran back toward the factory caves. Most of the Kurita MechWarriors thought that those ‘Mechs ran in fear. Feeling that victory was at hand, the attackers slowly advanced on their prey.

Suddenly, a great light glared from the east and the sounds of explosions came at them from behind. Meanwhile, the ground shook as though pounded by a giant’s hand. The Kurita forces scattered to evade bombardment by the LCS Invincible, but most were gobbled up by the advancing storm of light and explosions. A few had sense enough to run into the factory complex, realizing that the Invincible was not about to destroy its own factories. There they met the surviving members of the Force of Last Resort, who were suddenly reinvigorated by the sight of Kurita ‘Mechs exploding like so many kernels of corn.

In what came to be known as the sixth, seventh, and eighth battles for Hesperus II, House Kurita lost over 50 percent of its ground units, fighters, and DropShips participating in the invasion. All of their ancient warships that had aided in the blockade were destroyed, as were many freighters and stockpiles of supplies. House Kurita had managed to destroy one of the BattleMech assembly lines, but that was nowhere near its original goal of completely crippling the Commonwealth. Worse yet, the skill and expertise of the Defiance Industries technicians and workers managed to bring the damaged assembly line back to working order a year later.

The victory was costly for the Commonwealth, too. Of the three defending regiments, the 10th Skye Rangers and the 9th Arcturan Guards had lost so many MechWarriors that the units were permanently disbanded. Of the 40 volunteers in The Force of Last Resort, 35 had died in the fighting. Still seen on the blasted hulks of the battalion’s ‘Mechs was their motto, “What, Me Worry?”, an ironic testament to their bravery. Even the LCS Invincible was lost, along with its crew of 200, when its drive failed mid-jump on the way back to Tharkad.

The names of all these were added to the Commonwealth hero’s list of Honored Missing. Ships like the Angela Franks, Alistair Marsden, Snow Fire, and units such as the Tamar Tigers, the 54th Lyran Guards, Beck’s Battalion, and the 4th Royal Guards were also added to the memoriam. The Archon reads the list of Honored Missing each Veteran’s Day and on the anniversary of the Lyran Commonwealth’s founding.

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

Originally posted by Miclos Davion:

1st Royal Guards: ‘The Pride of Donegal’; also ‘The Archon’s Own’

2nd Royal Guards: ‘The Pride of Skye’

3rd Royal Guards: ‘The Pride of Tamar’

4th Skye Rangers: ‘Albion’

An ancient and poetical name for Great Britain, Albion was also the name of the first freighter JumpShip owned by Ian McQuiston, the founder of the Federation of Skye.

10th Skye Rangers: ‘Black Watch’

This name originated with six companies of Scottish clansmen loyal to the English King in 1725. The name carried over into the Commonwealth because of the major influx of Scots people into the Federation of Skye. The upper arms of ‘Mechs in this unit are painted in the dark tartan colors of the original Black Watch.

17th Skye Rangers: ‘Boys of Summer’

This nickname came from the fact that at least half of all MechWarriors in the unit must be from the planet Summer, per the Household Troop Agreement of 2883.

22nd Skye Rangers: ‘The Virgins’ or ‘Katrina’s Bonnie Bairns’

These names refer to the fact that the unit has not yet seen major action. Its MechWarriors are anxious to lose their green status.

—From The Fists of House Steiner. A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

Elizabeth Steiner

Elizabeth Steiner. Now there’s a woman with authority in her voice and steel in her eyes. Few dare to cross her. Those that do quickly learn who controls whom.

—From My Days Ruling the Commonwealth, by Duchess Ilysa Aten, Leadership Press, 2861

An increasing strain in the relations between the three members of the Triumvirate marred its final four years. What had begun as a team concerned only with the well-being of the Commonwealth had degenerated into the squabblings of three individuals, each looking out for his own interests. Henry DeCalidore, his ego boosted by his part in the battles for Hesperus, fancied himself a new Napoleon and began meddling with the workings of the high command. The generals of that elite group saw the commoner DeCalidore as a dangerous fool.

Ilysa Aten, with her interests in the Tamar and Skye regions, represented a much more subtle threat to the Commonwealth. The official rulers of these regions were the Kelswa and Lestrade families, but they were both pro-Steiner, an unpopular position during this period. Ilysa Aten was the emotional leader to each realm’s people, making her perhaps the most influential non-Steiner political leader in the Commonwealth’s history. To her credit, Ilysa Aten did not seek to dominate the realm as a member of the Triumvirate. What she did attempt, through proposing legislation to the Triumvirate, was to return control of the nobility’s house military units to them, to overhaul the tax system to keep more money within the two pacts, and to allow the nobility a greater voice and even a vote on certain issues. All these proposals did, of course, threaten to dilute the Steiners’ control over the Commonwealth.

Despite the often conflicting interests of these two leaders, the Triumvirate managed to rule effectively enough during its ten years, due largely to Rebecca Morgan. She proved to be the unfailing champion of the Steiners and the Commonwealth government. Though not above a few schemes of her own, Duchess Morgan tended to steer the middle path between her fellow-rulers.

Archon-Designate Elizabeth Steiner supplemented her extensive formal education with frequent visits to the Throne Room to watch the Triumvirate at work, which soon developed in her a keen political sense. In 2859, the young woman assumed the throne upon her 20th birthday. Anxious to enact her own plans for government, Elizabeth’s first official act was to dissolve the Triumvirate.

To thank its three members, she gave each one a gift. To Henry DeCalidore, Archon Elizabeth gave command of the newly formed 23rd Lyran Regulars, along with orders to head to the Kurita front. She hoped this would keep him too busy to meddle in the affairs of the high command or the Estates General. To Ilysa Aten, the new Archon gave control over the Commonwealth relief effort, a truly monumental task that was to preoccupy Ilysa for the rest of her life. To her mother, Archon Elizabeth gave command of the Environmental Services, an organization dedicated to preserving endangered species of plants and animals, which was one of her mother’s special interests.

Elizabeth Steiner then set about removing the last vestiges of her father’s evil domination and the political infighting created by the Triumvirate. Meanwhile, the LCAF found itself faced with new worries. The war was winding down, and once again, the militaries of the Successor States were finding it impossible to field rested regiments. In these times of exhausted soldiers, the leaders changed their strategy from planetary conquest back to objective raiding, as well as hiring mercenary units to do more of the dirty work. Though this shift in strategy gave some rest to the soldiers, it worked against the Lyran Commonwealth.

In 2853, forces from the Free Worlds League, strengthened by units from the Eridani Light Horse, succeeded in capturing Circinus. This battle marked the first time the standard of the prancing black horse of the Light Horse was carried in battle against the Lyran Commonwealth. This mercenary unit went on to serve nobly the Free Worlds League on both their fronts in the second war, as well as in part of the third. Against House Steiner, the Light Horse spearheaded a major raid of Dieudonne in 2860, inflicting heavy casualties and damaging the few industries on the planet. Then, in 2862, the Light Horse, aided by a Marik heavy regiment, successfully invaded Ilion. This last action was the key victory in a year that also saw the Free Worlds League retake Megrez.

Steiner forces did not fare well in encounters with the Eridani’s highly mobile ‘Mech units. Despite this, Commonwealth units could not help but respect the Eridani Light Horse for their honorable approach to combat, a sight seldom seen since the days of the Star League.

The Commonwealth could never respect the Draconis Combine, however. In February 2860, Combine forces attempted to raid Sakhalin with a large number of Phoenix Hawk LAMs—hybrid ‘Mechs that convert into AeroSpace Fighters. Though Kurita suffered heavy losses, they did manage to kill the commander of the Commonwealth defenders, Colonel Henry DeCalidore. The Archon and the high command shed many crocodile tears over his death, secretly pleased to have him out of their hair. A month after this raid, the Combine managed to capture the Lyran world of Kreller, another victim of House Kurita’s vision of slowly pushing back the Steiner realm.

The failed attack with LAMs was not to be the last of Kurita’s attacks against Sakhalin. Late in 2860, ten regiments, including three of ‘Mechs, invaded the planet. This surprised the LCAF, which had grown used to House Kurita’s planet-hopping strategy rimward. Further, the Steiner high command had been expecting the next strike to be against Tamar or Sevren, and so they had been preparing for that. Meanwhile, Sakhalin fell.

Only then did the generals of the Steiner high Command realize Kurita’s intention. By holding Sakhalin, Kurita effectively split the front into two separate theaters, restricting the movement of Commonwealth troops along the border. Control of Sakhalin also effectively pinched off the Commonwealth worlds of Port Moseby, Aubisson, Buckminster, and Camlann.

In 2863, the LCAF attempted to retake Sakhalin. Three ‘Mech regiments, including the elite 3rd Donegal Guards and the famed Stealths, dropped near four major target sites. The combination
of the fast-moving tactics of the Stealths and the punch packed by the two heavy regiments proved very effective.

In October of that year, the Stealths met their end. In trying to maneuver around a battle line and into the rear of the enemy’s territory, the unit ran straight into a Kurita assault battalion preparing for combat. Three hours later, the Stealths finally managed to extricate themselves from the fight, but only after they had lost over half their MechWarriors. Despite the loss, the Commonwealth managed to recapture Sakhalin.

After that battle, the Archon and her generals decided to retire the Stealths permanently. To honor the commander of the Stealths, Elizabeth gave Colonel Raymond Winfield a dukedom and control over his homeworld. Its original name of Treeline was changed to Winfield in his honor.

Legend Of The Black Pearl

Originally posted by Obda Simons:

Angela Franks was a beautiful woman, a holo star, and a Commonwealth patriot. She was also a member of the LCAF, a battalion leader in the Stealths, and the apparent heir to command of that elite unit when Colonel Winfield retired.

Born into a wealthy merchant family from Donegal, Angela Franks had been popular in her earlier career as an actress. Her beautiful features, a blessing from her American Black and Nigerian heritage, were a common sight on the holos and on the thousands of magazines in the Commonwealth. Her career in holos soon made her a star. Her fans were the first to start calling her the ‘Black Pearl.’

Though Angela participated in many war bond rallies to help raise money and supplies for the war efforts, she soon felt that was not enough. In 2853, the actress applied to enter the Sanglamore Military Academy. Her fans at first assumed it was some kind of public relations play to drum up more support for the war effort. When Angela chose and excelled in ‘Mech training, everyone finally realized this was serious business and not play-acting.

After graduation, she found her way into the Stealths as a MechWarrior in a scout lance. Throughout her military career, Angela Franks never once used her fame to avoid any duty or assignment. She was just another MechWarrior among her friends in the Stealths and woe to any who treated her otherwise. Her skills and battlefield savvy soon advanced her in the Stealths’ organization. It was after she succeeded in disabling a Kurita BattleMaster enough to claim it for her own that she won command of the Stealths’ heavy ‘Mech battalion.

In the battle of Sakhalin, Angela Franks’s fame became a legend. Her battalion, which was composed of slower medium and heavy ‘Mechs, was following the Stealths’ two lighter battalions when they ran into the Kurita assault battalion. After a bad mauling, the two Stealth battalions were unable to disengage from the enemy.

Having finally caught up with the lighter battalions. Leutnant-Colonel Angela Franks took one quick look at the situation, then ordered her unit to charge the enemy. By placing her BattleMaster in the middle of a clearing, she allowed herself to become the focus of the enemy’s fire. Firing back, she continued to stand her ground while the wounded ‘Mechs of the Stealths made their retreat. The rest of Angela’s battalion were also providing suppression fire.

After taking a barrage of missile fire that momentarily obscured Angela’s ‘Mech, her weapons went silent. When the smoke cleared, her BattleMaster was still upright, but its front armor was pockmarked with hits, its circuitry exposed and sparking. As the Kurita forces moved to pursue the rest of the Stealths, the BattleMaster opened fire again, catching a Marauder with a disabling hit to its legs. The Kurita assault battalion now unleashed its entire firepower against Angela Franks’ BattleMaster.

As the smoke cleared one more time, the BattleMaster’s head was gone, which left no hope that Angela Franks was still alive. The sight of her ruined ‘Mech seemed to fascinate the commander of the Kurita battalion, who moved his Warhammer to stand directly in front of it.

Just then, three lasers on the left side of Angela’s BattleMaster caught the Warhammer directly in the cockpit, killing the commander of the Kurita assault battalion instantly.

Shocked and more than a little frightened, the remaining members of the Kurita battalion ceased their pursuit of the retreating members of the Stealths. Instead, they obliterated the BattleMaster—shooting, tearing, and stomping on the pieces to make sure that both the machine and its pilot, the Black Pearl, were dead.

A Steiner news crew happened to catch these heroic and somewhat eerie events on holotape. It was broadcast widely, and there was many an argument in taverns and pubs across the Commonwealth about whether the Black Pearl had been alive to give that one last salvo of laser fire, or if some quirk in the mangled circuitry of the BattleMaster had caused it.

—From Legends of the LCAF, by Gen. Obda Simons, Commonwealth Military Press, 3021

The Third Succession War

Peace? I’d like to think so. I hope we’re not just giving our morticians and gravediggers a chance to catch their breaths.

—Archon Elizabeth Steiner, on The Morning News Hour, Donegal Broadcasting Co., January 3, 2864

LULL

The remaining few months of 2863 passed without major fighting on either of the Commonwealth’s borders, which the average Lyran interpreted as a sure sign that peace was just around the corner. The Archon, however, was a bit more skeptical. It was only after her intelligence sources reported a similar lull in military action among the other Successor States that Elizabeth decided to make peace gestures toward her neighbors.

The Archon dispatched high-level diplomats to the Draconis Combine and the Free Worlds League to discuss the possibility of treaties. After several months of intense negotiations, however, the Steiner diplomats returned to Tharkad to report glumly that the prospects for peace agreements with either realm were remote.

Intoxicated by their own hopes for peace, the Estates General chose to ignore this information and began to press for the complete stand-down of the military, as well as the relaxation of wartime austerity measures. When the whole of 2864 passed without any major incident, a reluctant Archon gave in to the growing public pressure for a partial stand-down of the LCAF. She also released the civilian transports and freighters that the military had appropriated, but only after they had performed mercy missions to needy worlds.

Because of contracts triggered to expire after a period of non-use, there was soon a glut of mercenary units free to negotiate new contracts. These merc units ranged from the adventurous sons of nobility in shiny new ‘Mechs to hardened veterans whose ‘Mechs looked and fought as if demon-driven. The Archon, her hopes of peace dimmed considerably by the failed diplomatic missions, began actively to seek the services of certain mercenary units.

Prior to this, the LCAF had taken a dim view of mercenaries, whom they had considered to be little better than dangerous scum. As more and more regular units broke with their governments and turned mercenary, the attitude of the LCAF brass slowly changed. Remembering how well many of the merc units had performed in the field against House Steiner’s own troops, the generals were not as opposed to hiring mercenary units as they once were.

During the peace between the first and second wars, the Commonwealth had hired the Narhal Raiders and the Filthy Lucre, both of which had performed their duties for House Steiner quite well. Both units had by now spent so much time in the Commonwealth that they had established roots. Barring the unexpected, it looked as though the LCAF would eventually absorb the two units.

When the Archon let it be known that she was actively seeking the service of other mercenary units to bolster the LCAF, the generals grumbled a bit but did not oppose her. In 2864, the Archon signed on the GraveWalkers, a heavy ‘Mech unit from Davion. This was something of a coup, because the
GraveWalkers’ two regiments had been expected to remain with the Federated Suns. Two years later, the Commonwealth negotiated and signed the Bad Dream and the Blackhearts, both of which contained light and medium ‘Mechs.

In the naive belief that the calm along the Commonwealth’s borders was peace, the Estates General and the public were disturbed by the Archon’s hiring of mercenaries. They objected to spending so much money to hire expensive fighting units that were no longer necessary.

Mercenary Unit Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: Narhal’s Raiders
CO: Leutnant-General William Matthews
Unit Size: Two regiments
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: Yes
Infantry: No
DropShips: Yes
JumpShips: No
Financial Situation: In debt to Commonwealth
Contract Expires: June 3027

Unit Profile:

Narhal’s Raiders was formed from a Marik regiment that fled into the Periphery early in the First Succession War. After teaming up with the remnants of a ‘Mech regiment from the Rim Worlds Republic, the new unit took the name Narhal’s Raiders after its leader, Tyilik Narhal, and the Narhal Rover, a vicious, horned predator native to the commander’s world. It is the stylized skull of a Narhal Rover that is depicted on the unit’s patch. For ten years, Narhal’s Raiders plundered the Free Worlds League and the Capellan Confederation.

In 2899, Ustinov Matthews overthrew the Narhal family’s control of the unit. Tired of the brigand life, General Matthews sought out and won agreeable contracts with the Capellan Confederation and then the Federated Suns.

Just before the second war, Narhal’s Raiders moved to the Lyran Commonwealth, where they have remained, except for a short and disastrous stint with the Capellan Confederation from 2849-2859. The unit’s financial situation went from bad to worse because the Commonwealth made sure the Raiders would stay put by managing to put them in more debt than they could ever repay from their missions. Toward the end of the second war, the Raiders were in desperate shape.

In 2866, Archon Elizabeth Steiner purposely renegotiated their contract in their favor to upgrade the unit’s equipment and moral. Since that time, the Raiders have made a steady comeback.

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

Once More Into The Breach

In peace, there’s nothing so becomes a man
As modest stillness and humility:
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
Then imitate the action of the tiger:
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage:
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect.

—From King Henry the Fifth, by William Shakespeare, quoted by Archon Elizabeth in her speech announcing the opening of the Third Succession War, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2867

The public soon came to understand the Archon’s eagerness to hire mercenary units. Because of the stand-down order and the recent laxity of Steiner intelligence efforts, the Draconis Combine got the advantage they needed to launch their biggest offensive ever against the Commonwealth. The first reports from besieged garrisons came from rimward worlds such as Icar and Chateau, but eventually the true thrust of the Kurita offensive became clear. The enemy intended to push their way deep into the heart of the Federation of Skye.

The Archon and her high command faced a crucial decision before the third war was a week old. Did they want to commit their reserves to fight for worlds already under the axe? Worlds such as Kannon, Kessel, Vega, and New Wessex were all threatened by huge concentrations of Kurita military might. Or did the high command want to hold their reserves on worlds where they could prepare adequate defenses? Dromini VI, Ko, Aubisson, Port Moseby, and Buckminster, were already fighting off raids bent on softening up their defenses, but a stand on these worlds was still possible.

The Archon’s decision was not to reinforce those worlds already invaded. Troops on those planets were ordered to hold on as long as possible, then to retreat offworld.

For the LCAF, the early months of the Kurita invasion were some of its most shameful. Most Commonwealth units were caught totally unprepared. The result was panic, with many units retreating offworld after putting up only token resistance. Again, the insidious lack of military skills among the higher officers made itself felt on the field.

These acts of cowardice quickly turned a serious military situation into a growing crisis that would threaten the very life of the Commonwealth if the Federation of Skye fell. To combat this, the Archon invoked the Military Disaster Act, effectively drafting every many and woman into the military and stripping away the bureaucrats and businessmen that separated the LCAF from the defense industries. The act also ordered worlds not immediately threatened by the invasion threat to surrender portions of their militia to bolster the LCAF.

In 2867, the Mariks sought to win an alliance with House Kurita by attempting to assassinate Archon Elizabeth Steiner. In preparing for the mission, the Marik assassins had discovered forgotten floor plans of the Royal Palace, which revealed several secret passageways and hidden rooms. With the hope of using these plans, the assassins made their way into the Throne Room. As soon as they attempted to rush the Archon, her BattleMech Guard promptly cut off and crushed the assassins. The Archon was only slightly wounded. Investigators later discovered that it was a disgruntled architect involved in rebuilding the Triad after the quake of 2566 who had sold the plans to agents of House Marik. The LIC made a thorough examination of the Royal Palace and the other buildings in the Triad, and had any additional secret passageways or rooms walled up or secured.

Hanging On

Retreat? Hell. I’m just advancing in the opposite direction.

—Lt.-Gen. Richard Frenders, on his withdrawal of troops from combat on Kessel, in Military Transcripts: Year 2869, Commonwealth Military Press, 2870

In the decades from 2866 to 2887, the Lyran Commonwealth was reeling from repeated losses on both its fronts. Never had the realm suffered so many humiliating defeats. Military discipline slowly disintegrated, with more and more units disobeying orders in order to protect themselves. Those few units with the courage to stand and fight often sacrificed themselves so that the next Steiner world to be attacked might have a few extra days to prepare itself for a similar life-or-death struggle.

The assassination attempt on Archon Elizabeth in 2867 signaled the resumption of hostilities between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Free Worlds League. Because the Steiner forces had been so preoccupied with the Kurita invasion, the Marik attacks of early 2869 met with considerable success. Though their moves throughout the next decade were not as ambitious as Lord Kurita’s, the Free Worlds League managed to take the Steiner worlds of Amity, New Hope, and Nestor, plus several secondary planets.

As the 2870s came to a close, the Commonwealth military had regained enough of its composure to attempt to recover some of the lost worlds. For every world the Commonwealth managed to take back, however, their enemies took two more, rendering the LCAF’s victories useless. By 2884, the Kurita offensive had pushed its way deep into the Federation of Skye. Having taken Vega, Kessel, Skondia, Balken, Ryde, and Port Moseby, they were well on their way to threatening the planet Skye itself.

The Commonwealth opened its own offensive against the Draconis Combine in 2885. They attacked worlds on the rimward portion of the border, hoping that House Kurita would have to draw some of its units away from its offensive to combat this new threat. Despite successful Steiner invasions of New Caledonia, Keller, and Harvest, it soon became clear that House Kurita was drawing few, if any, units away from its thrust into the Commonwealth. Faced with this failure to slow the enemy’s thrust, the Steiner high command cancelled their rimward offensive and abandoned their gains.

The only bright spots for the Lyran Commonwealth during these otherwise disastrous decades were the return to ‘civilized warfare,’ the hiring of the Eridani Light Horse, and the formation of the Stealthy Tigers.

Three Steps In The Right Direction

Though major hostilities were now erupting for the third time among the five Successor States, fighting would become less destructive. The people and their leaders had grown tired of fighting themselves into exhaustion, with nothing to show for it except smoking ruins and the stench of death. The five armies began to fight with an eye to preserving the resources of the planet under attack, as well as their own resources. Ironically, this humane trend began among the forces of Lord Kurita, formerly the most ruthless of all five militaries.

As the might of the Draconis Combine forced its way into the Commonwealth, the regiments of the serpent began deliberately to spare industries and population centers. The Commonwealth gladly complied with these new unwritten rules. Soon, the unofficial ‘policy’ had taken hold among all five Successor States, much to the relief of civilian and soldier alike.

In 2871, the Eridani Light Horse was in need of employment. They had spent several years languishing in the Periphery after internal dissension had forced them out of the Free Worlds League. The mercenary unit made contacts with the Lyran Commonwealth, which immediately jumped at the chance to hire the three elite regiments of fast and mobile ‘Mechs. After signing a contract with House Steiner in 2872, elements of the Eridani Light Horse began making their way into the Commonwealth. New Karlsruh, a small agricultural world in the Federation of Skye, became their home base.

In 2874, frightened by the seriousness of the Kurita threat, the Duke of Tamar used a bit of legal trickery to create his own ‘mercenary unit.’ Named the Stealthy Tigers, this unit was an obvious attempt to recapture the effective weaponry and tactics of the Tamar Tigers and the Stealths. Because the Stealthy Tigers were technically a mercenary unit—they negotiated a yearly contract with the LCAF—the Duke could legally buy them much heavier ‘Mechs than he could for any of his private ‘Mech regiments. As a result, the Stealthy Tigers became a four-battalion regiment, with three battalions of light ‘Mechs and a battalion of assault ‘Mechs. This gave the unit considerable punch to go along with its swiftness.

The Battle For Skye

Invade Skye? Forcing Lord Kurita to grovel at our feet would be less dangerous than ordering us to invade Skye!

—Taped comments of Kurita ‘Mech officer upon hearing his unit’s assignment, recovered from body of ISF officer: in Military Information: Year 2895, Commonwealth Military Press, 2896

After the fall of Freedom and the loss of the 3rd Skye Rangers on its snowy slopes, the Lord Kurita turned his sights toward the planet Skye. Skye is much more than just another industrialized world. Even the fact that it is also the capital of the Federation of Skye does not explain this planet’s importance. Skye is the emotional heart of billions who grew up thinking that its beautiful but austere vistas are the most lovely sights in the universe, outside of the British Isles.

The Archon realized this strong bond and so made the defense of the planet her top priority. She sent the Narhal Raiders, the 8th Donegal Guards, and twelve armor and infantry regiments to reinforce the 17th Skye Rangers already awaiting the invasion.

When the invasion came, the Commonwealth units responded with a fierceness never seen before. To this day, Commonwealth historians have not decided whether it was the shining moment of the LCAF or its darkest, vilest day. The Steiner forces committed many atrocities, including the ‘accidental’ deaths of Kurita prisoners and the use of a tactical nuclear device near Inverness to stop a Kurita thrust. Despite the horror and the fact that these incidents endangered the new rules of war, the Archon chose to look the other way.

The Battle for Bannockburn Bogs was the pivotal action of House Kurita’s attempt to take Skye. A Kurita ‘Mech battalion and a tank regiment were ordered to seize New Glasgow, the capital city of Skye. With a dark and fog-filled night coming on, the Kurita force found its path blocked by a wide bog that could be crossed only by a narrow highway. They wasted what little light was left trying to cross the bog in a normal wide front, only to have their ‘Mechs nearly swallowed up by the sucking ooze. By now dark had fallen, forcing the Kurita forces to halt for the night on the highway while their tanks refueled.

The noise of the refueling obscured the sounds of two companies of Skye ‘Mechs moving slowly through the bogs on paths known only to them. As dawn broke and the fog lifted, the Kurita forces, confined to long columns on the road, were surrounded by the Skye Rangers. The battle, which included heavy combat between AeroSpace Fighters of both sides, resulted in the destruction of most of the Kurita force, with the survivors having no choice but to retreat. It was a major victory for the Commonwealth, both militarily and emotionally. Though the invasion of Skye was to drag on for 13 more months, the Kurita forces were now on the defensive.

Originally posted by young MechWarrior:

A young MechWarrior in the LCAF cools off after battle. She wears a neurohelmet, which feeds information about the BattleMech directly into her mind. The small, lightweight helmet used by the LCAF is an example of superior Commonwealth technology. She is also wearing the cooling vest that makes life bearable inside an overheating ‘Mech. The small patches on her arms and legs are biofeedback sensors that monitor heat and muscle twitches to activate certain ‘Mech movements. The blue of her shirt, shorts, and sweat-bands identify her as a junior officer.

Calling All Citizens

I didn’t expect to be a very popular leader. But I assumed I would be the unpopular leader of the Commonwealth and not of 300 separate, selfish worlds.

—Archon Eric Steiner, on objections to his revision of the Military Services Act, in Royal Court Transcripts Year 2909, Commonwealth Historical Press, 2909

When Archon Elizabeth Steiner died in her sleep in 2895, there was no opposition to her son Eric assuming control over the Lyran Commonwealth. The Kurita offensive continued over the next four years, as they seized Imbro, Buckminster, Moore, Phalan, Sakhalin, and Orestes, but the LCAF was giving the enemy a good fight.

Intelligence that the Stealthy Tigers had managed to obtain before the fall of Sakhalin revealed that the Combine’s attention had shifted rimward. The fighting spirit of those defending the Federation of Skye had made it too expensive for the Draconis Combine to continue there. Now the Tamar Pact was its target. Meanwhile, the Archon and the high command set about rebuilding their military and planning a new defense.

In this turn-of-the-century era, the Steiner armies were critically short of men to replace their losses, especially among the infantry and tank regiments. Many regimental commanders considered themselves lucky if they could field 70 percent of their full strength. This lack of manpower cost the Commonwealth the worlds of Perrot, Wheel, and Hyperion when its ‘soft’-infantry, tank, and artillery-regiments were unable to cover the terrain assigned them.

To meet this emergency, Archon Eric made a very unpopular decision. In 2908, he announced major modifications in the Military Services Acts. First, he increased the number of years of military service from 3 to 5 years. He also lowered the minimum age for conscription from 19 to 16, and drastically reduced the exemptions that might excuse a young man or woman from service.

The public outcry was tremendous. Even those worlds directly threatened by the Draconis Combine had misgivings. Other worlds that made their living from farming or growing meat animals were especially vocal in their anger. Their objections were that their ranches and farms had been deprived of reliable farming machinery by the ravages of war, and now they were being asked to give up the labor provided by their young people sooner and for longer periods. On many worlds, demonstrations against the new policy escalated into riots that had to be put down by the local militia. The nobility understood the need for these new measures, however, and it was with their help that Eric weathered the political storm.

As the military began to swell with new recruits, the Steiner high command began to consider the Archon’s new plan for another offensive. Codenamed ‘Operation Freedom,’ the offensive was aimed at regaining vital industries by liberating worlds in the Federation of Skye.

Kobe and Sevren fell to Kurita in 2912, leaving Tamar directly threatened. The need to divert House Kurita’s attention away from the capital of Tamar became another urgent reason to launch a new offensive. The generals quickly approved the Archon’s plan and preparations began.

Big ‘Mechs-Small Minds

Originally posted by Thelos Auburn:

Many thought that the unwritten rules of war would handicap the fighting ability of the Lyran Commonwealth. Now that war had become a chess match of maneuver and counter-maneuver, it could put the LCAF at a great disadvantage; because maneuverability was certainly not its military strong point. Indeed, many a lance, company, and even a few battalions would be forced to surrender when they found themselves outclassed in these skills.

The rules did give the Commonwealth one important advantage. If any Steiner unit could put up enough of a fight, particularly when on the defensive, there was a good chance that the enemy would be forced to give up and leave. In a universe of diminishing supplies, fighting became as much a question of economics as strategy and tactics. Whenever the Commonwealth units, in their formidable heavy ‘Mechs and armor, were able to impress on the enemy how high a price they would have to pay to win, their attackers often did refuse the challenge, sometimes leaving the field without firing a shot.

—From The Conventions of War Throughout Man’s History, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3023

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

Originally posted by Miclos Davion:

2nd Donegal Guards: ‘Caesar’s Legion’

The unit got its unofficial nickname after Caesar Steiner assumed command.

3rd Donegal Guards: ‘The Justice Brigade’

The unit became known as the Justice Brigade after it adopted a regimental patch featuring a set of scales to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Commonwealth Supreme Court on Donegal.

4th Donegal Guards: ‘The Red Horde’

The unit earned its nickname when a large contingent of recruits from the planet Odessa joined the ‘Mech regiment as pilots and Techs during the second war.

5th Donegal Guards: ‘Bulldogs’

6th Donegal Guards: ‘White Hawks’

7th Donegal Guards: ‘Earthquakers’

8th Donegal Guards: ‘Mud Wrestlers’

10th Donegal Guards: ‘Lilly’s Lancers’

Colonel Lilly Stenman is this unit’s first commanding officer. Colonel Stenman gained fame for impaling a charging Kurita ‘Mech on a steel girder she had picked up when her ‘Mech ran out of ammunition during a battle.

11th Donegal Guards: ‘The Push-Me-Pull-Yours’

12th Donegal Guards: ‘The Crocodiles’

13th Donegal Guards: ‘The Black Cats’

14th Donegal Guards: ‘The Dawn Chargers’

17th Donegal Guards: ‘The Cheshire Cats’

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

The Cost Of Freedom

The tough thing about freedom is that it forces each person to judge for himself whether he is worthy of his dreams. Some other States don’t allow their people even a glimpse of such possibilities, which ‘frees’ their people from the burden of choice.

—From Simon Borge Steiner: The Man Who Would Be Archon, by Graf Harold Tedbury, Proud Skye Press, 3023

Operation Freedom began in February 2913. Its first objectives were to liberate the worlds of Dalkeith, Skondia, Ryde, and Freedom. This was to be accomplished with two separate thrusts, one from the planet Alexandria, the other from Skye.

The Archon personally commanded the 3rd Royal Guards on Freedom. Through skillful maneuvering and strong attacks, the 3rd pushed two battalions of the Kurita 6th Sword of Light into a horseshoe-shaped valley surrounded by sheer cliff walls. The enemy had barely realized their predicament before the Royal Guards had blocked the only way out of the valley. As the Royal Guards’ artillery and air support proceeded to pound the trapped Kurita ‘Mechs with almost constant bombardment for three days and nights, the barrels of their Long Toms and Snipers glowed from overuse.

The once green valley now resembled the landscape of a cratered moon. Only then did the Archon lead the Royal Guards into the valley. Within a few hours, the battalions of the Kurita 6th Sword of Light were no more, and news of this major victory was soon on its way throughout the Commonwealth.

Bad news followed quickly on the heels of the good, however. Archon Eric Steiner was killed when his Zeus stepped on a vibrabomb near a cliff face where the bombardment had not churned the ground. The explosion crippled and froze the Zeus’s leg, which toppled the ‘Mech forward. As fate would have it, the head and chest fell directly on another hidden vibrabomb, killing the Archon instantly in the explosion.

The entire Steiner offensive slowed down at news of Eric Steiner’s death, almost coming to a grinding halt until the succession to the throne could be decided. There was no official heir to the Archonship, but Eric’s two grown children both claimed the throne. The whole realm braced itself for what looked to be an inevitable struggle for power.

Eric’s eldest son, and therefore unofficial successor, was Simon Borge Steiner. Though a bright and personable young man, he suffered from the sudden and severe mood swings of Dowbrowski Depression-A Syndrome. As much as everyone admired the young man in his lucid moments, his affliction did not make him a promising ruler. Worst of all, Simon had grown up dreaming of the Archonship, and it was perhaps the one hope that made his life bearable. Tatyana, Eric’s daughter, loved her brother so deeply that she accused of treason anyone who dared question his suitability for the throne.

Hoping for a miracle, both the nobility and the Estates General postponed the ceremonies acknowledging Simon as Archon for several months. They prayed that somehow Tatyana would realize that her brother’s rise to power could have frightening, even disastrous consequences for the whole realm.

On June 6, 2914, the nobility and Representatives crowded into the Throne Room. Despite all their efforts, Simon was to take the throne. The room grew hushed as the young man appeared before the assembled guests. Tatyana followed closely behind, her expression unfathomable.

Standing tall before the assembly, Simon spoke. With great eloquence and emotion, he announced that he was ceding his right to the Archonship in favor of Tatyana. When he had done, the stunned crowd watched silently as Simon then escorted his sister to the throne and draped the Chain of State about his sister’s neck, where the Steiner Fist glinted brilliantly.

With Tatyana Steiner now officially the 25th Archon, Simon Steiner slipped out of the Throne Room, never to step foot in it again.

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

Originally posted by Miclos Davion:

8th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Hell or High Water Boys’

During a campaign on Loric during the First Succession War, the unit earned its name when it had to twice walk through forest fires and ford deep rivers.

11th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Golden Lions’

15th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Stavlos Tigers’

This unit is named after the Arcturan subspecies of tigers. Tiger stripes are painted on the upper arms of the unit’s ‘Mechs.

17th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Kezla Rams’

19th Arcturan Guards: ‘Puma’

20th Arcturan Guards: ‘The White Bears of Uther’

Named for the ferocious Arcturan polar bears of Uther, this unit is expert at cold-weather combat. The unit’s symbol shows the head of a growling polar bear full face beneath the six-sided red star of Arcturus.

23rd Arcturan Guards: ‘The Frost Giants’

This unit was originally composed of the descendants of Arcturan Northern Nomads and Tharkan woodsmen. Both groups are highly skilled in traveling through rough terrain and cold-weather survival.

24th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Red Indians’

25th Arcturan Guards: ‘The Kewran Wolfhounds’

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

The Open Wound

Yup, there’s nothing like a life-or-death struggle before breakfast. I enjoy sweating like a pig and soiling my pants for fear of my life before the sun rises. Nothing like it to stimulate the ol’ appetite.

—From The MechWarrior’s Bawdy Review, comedy holoseries by Basil Fawlty, Tamar Broadcasting Co., Sept. 18, 3004

In March of 2915, House Kurita attempted an invasion of Tamar. Three ‘Mech regiments, the 2nd Sword of Light, the 20th Dieron Regulars, and the 4th Proserpina Hussars, along with twelve soft regiments, were chosen for the attack. Opposing them were seven Steiner regiments, including Duke Kelswa’s Stealthy Tigers, the 82nd Heavy Cavalry, and the 17th Recon battalions from the Eridani Light Horse.

The Kurita commanding officer placed great store in psychological warfare. He dispatched emissaries who were ordered to spell out the terrible consequences of failing to accept House Kurita’s demand for complete surrender. The messengers even revealed parts of the invasion plans to demonstrate their great confidence to the lowly Commonwealth defenders. The Steiner commanders tried to laugh this episode off, but it did plant the worm of doubt.

The invasion developed much as the Kurita emissaries had promised. Though well-prepared for the assault, many of the Commonwealth defenders suddenly became as incompetent and cowardly as they had been at the start of this war. Many later blamed it on the psychological ploy of the enemy commander. Is it possible that his strategy could account for the sheer stupidity of officers such as Hauptmann Richardson? The man seemed hell-bent on sending his group of Stealthy Tigers into oblivion—and all before the cameras of a holocrew.

Many military historians have tried to pinpoint how and why the defenders of Tamar were finally able to shake off their cloak of ineptitude. Whenever it occurred, whatever the cause, the Commonwealth defenders suddenly became more aggressive in their defense of Tamar, surprising the Kurita forces with their skill and courage. Infantry units showed the greatest improvements, with the 321st Tamar Mechanized Infantry and the 54th Combined Arms Combat Team particularly outstanding.

Seven months after the Kurita invasion began, the Steiner defenders had forced the last enemy troops off Tamar. Though the people greeted this with joy, the Archon and her high command knew that Tamar had not seen the last of Kurita. They realized that as the planet was the center of the Tamar Pact, it still represented a tempting target for the Draconis Combine, especially after the humiliating defeat of their recent invasion. In discussing all this, Tatyana and her commanders began to hatch a controversial plan to lure House Kurita into tying up a portion of its military in another attack on Tamar.

Though the Duke of Tamar bitterly opposed the plan, the Archon and the LCAF withdrew two Eridani Light Horse battalions from Tamar, making no effort to conceal it from the Draconis Combine. Lord Kurita took the bait soon after, only to be pushed back by Steiner reinforcements from worlds like Vulcan and Dell.

This policy of deliberately under-manning Tamar to entice House Kurita into attempted raids continued for the next 60 years. In each of those years, the Combine struck at least three times, only to be repelled every time by the Stealthy Tigers and reinforcements arriving just in time from other worlds. Though none of those battles caused much damage to either the planet’s population or industry, decades of warfare took their toll. Many once beautiful sections of Tamar were churned into mud by the weight of ‘Mechs on the march. The plan was ultimately successful, however, for House Kurita continued to keep at least two Kurita ‘Mech regiments and numerous other armor and infantry regiments occupied with Tamar, which effectively kept them away from other regions of the Commonwealth.

The Mauling Of Richardson’s Company

Originally posted by Roland Tozma:

Assigned to hold a pass between the two low ridges, Richardson concealed his ‘Mechs in a forest that covered the mouth of the pass. He was supported by a company of tanks and four platoons of infantry, which were spread out and concealed in front of him. Richardson’s first mistake was the assumption that his men would only be facing enemy ‘Mech forces. When the Kurita jump infantry appeared, they soon uncovered the Commonwealth infantrymen. Armed with missile launchers that fired napalm missiles, the Steiner soldiers could not effectively fight the fast-moving Kurita infantry.

Richardson’s second mistake was in not ordering his infantry to withdraw. Instead, he ordered his tanks to break cover and advance to support his infantry. Seeing the tanks, the Kurita infantry immediately broke off and retreated. A few moments later, an artillery barrage hit the tanks, leaving only five tanks intact.

Richardson’s third mistake was in not considering the ridgetops when he ordered his ‘Mechs and the rest of his entire company to move into the narrow ravine. The light, jump-capable ‘Mechs of a Kurita Hussar regiment took these ridgetops and began to shoot down at the exposed ‘Mechs of Richardson’s company.

Hauptmann Richardson’s last mistake was that he concentrated so much attention against the ‘Mechs on the ridgetops that he did not discover that heavier enemy ‘Mechs were also lurking. Hauptmann Richardson did not even see the Kurita Phoenix Hawk and the rest of the Kurita heavy ‘Mechs running down the ravine path and directly into Richardson’s Company.

All cadets at Steiner military academies are now required to view holotapes of Richardson’s last battle for a vivid lesson in how not to fight a ‘Mech battle.

—From Strategies and Tactics in the Modem Age, by Gen. Roland Tozma, Commonwealth Military Press, 3018

The Traitor Tertren

Traitor is merely the name losers have for their more prudent friends.

—Remark by Hauptmann Mikhail Tertren, recorded in Report to the Captain-General on Possible Enemy Information Sources: 2928, Intelligence Print Office, 2928

After the LCAF stopped the initial Kurita invasion of Tamar, their attention was forced back to the Marik front. In 2924, the Free Worlds League launched successful invasions of the planets Wing and Callison, despite the presence of the elite 50th Heavy Cavalry Battalion of the Eridani Light Horse on Wing.

In 2928, House Marik followed up their success with a daring raid against the ‘Mech repair facility on Solaris. With exquisite guile, the Marik commanders tricked the planet’s garrison into believing that the world’s water purification plants were the intended targets. This left the BattleMech repair station wide open to an assault by a ‘Mech unit of Marik Awesomes. The damage they did to the facility took repair crews five years reconstruct.

In retaliation for the attack on Solaris, the LCAF launched a raid against the Marik-owned world of Stewart in hopes of destroying the heavy mining industries there. The Marik defenders had anticipated the raid, however. With the help of reinforcements from the Regulan Hussars, they severely mauled the Lyran Regulars.

Many Commonwealth soldiers were captured alive in that raid. Among these was Hauptmann Mikhail Tertren, the first son of a minor noble family. An opportunist and great believer in the Commonwealth ethic of business before all, Hauptmann Tertren secretly informed his captors that he would work for them. As a result, House Marik made the apparently magnanimous gesture of releasing the captive men and women from the 12th Lyran Regulars on New Years Eve.

Tertren’s treachery began soon after. House Marik’s invasion of Shiloh was aided by vital information from Tertren sent via Marik agents and traders. At Tertren’s suggestion, House Marik also began extensive use of terrorist squads on border worlds to stir up public sentiment against the Commonwealth. So persistent were these attacks by small groups of highly trained soldiers that Lohengrin, the Steiner anti-terrorist squad, was spending most of its time hunting down the Marik commandos.

In 2937, Tatyana Steiner, world-weary and longing for a peaceful retirement, stepped down. Marco Steiner assumed the Archonship, but not without some reluctance. A poet by training, his earlier dealings with the government had instilled in him a thorough contempt for politicians. The Lyran people would not let him walk away from the Archonship, however. They feared another sadistic reign of terror at the hands of Marco’s violent younger brother, whom many compared to Claudius Steiner. When Marco Steiner relented, he became the 26th Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

The fact that a Marik spy existed somewhere among the high levels of Steiner military or intelligence convinced the new Archon that he must take decisive action. After several secret talks with his Chancellor of the LIC and the ranking general of the LCAF, Marco came up with a plan. The LIC’s investigations had narrowed in on four likely candidates for the spy. The high command invited each of these four into a separate planning session for a single raid against a Marik world. The raid that turned out least successfully could help point the finger at the traitor.

Of the four raids, three were not especially glorious, but at least the enemy did not appear to have been tipped off in advance. The fourth raid was against the planet Thera, where the Steiner forces encountered Marik units that had been reported 30 light years away until a week before the raid. The junior officer who had helped design the Thera raid was Hauptmann Tertren.

Tertren fled before the Commonwealth authorities could capture him. When all subsequent efforts to track him proved fruitless, the high command created a web of heavy security to thwart any further treachery by Tertren. For many years, all operations along the Marik border labored under tremendous security procedures because of paranoia over Tertren. Even the most simple action along the border became painfully slow, clogged by the need for mountains of security clearance and other red tape.

The whereabouts of the traitor Tertren did not come to light until 2952. In that year, the 3rd Marik Militia came to the attention of the Steiner high command because of the marked improvement of its tactical skills. After the Militia returned to the front lines from a period of rest, its fighting ability became so pronounced one might have thought that that the regiment’s commander knew Lyran tactics and procedures by heart.

Using the 3rd Marik Militia as its spearhead, the Free Worlds League successfully invaded Cavanaugh II in 2952. Instead of mounting an attack to reclaim the planet, the Steiner commanders decided to kill the Militia’s wizardly commander. Chosen for the job was the 5th Striker Battalion of the Eridani Light Horse.

With its skill in drops from dangerously steep angles, the 5th managed to land near the city where the 3rd Marik Militia had its command. In a pitched battle that required more and more reinforcements from other Marik ‘Mechs, the Light Horse battalion succeeded in killing the leader of the Marik Militia. When the victorious Light Horse commander opened the cockpit of the vanquished leader’s Marauder, he saw that it was none other than Mikhail Tertren, the Commonwealth traitor. The entire Commonwealth high command heaved a collective sigh of relief at the news.

Campaign For Alexandria

Originally posted by Thelos Auburn:

The planet Alexandria became the focus of the largest battle fought in the Steiner realm during the third war. It started rather inauspiciously, however, as a simple raid by House Kurita.

In 2953, Kurita sent McGee’s Cutthroats to pillage and destroy certain supply depots on Alexandria. Facing them were two battalions of the 20th Arcturan Guards and an excellent planetary garrison that included one of the few orbiting fighter bases in the Commonwealth. This latter fact seems to have escaped the Cutthroats’ attention. After dropping the Cutthroats, the Kurita ships pulled toward their station point in orbit around the planet. On the way, the Air Wing from the orbiting Steiner base came after them. After destroying one Kurita DropShip, the Lyran fighters forced the other DropShips to retreat to their JumpShip.

Faced with the very real possibility of surrender, Colonel McGee called for help. Within a few days, a second Kurita JumpShip arrived to deliver two additional battalions of ‘Mechs and fighter support. Now it was the turn of the Arcturan Guards’ commander to call for help.

So what began as a simple skirmish quickly mushroomed into a campaign. The battle for Alexandria lasted two years and involved a total of seven different ‘Mech regiments before it finally ended in 2955.

—From Encyclopedia Res Publica, Thelos Auburn, ed., Commonwealth Historical Press, 3022

The Reign of Giovanni Steiner

I’m perfectly willing to go into the history books as ‘ol’ what’s his name’ if it means I can quietly look after the citizens of the Commonwealth and occasionally ride my horses.

—Archon Giovanni Steiner, reacting to satirical holo portraying him as a bland fool, in A Look at the Steiner Family, By Cevin Stenman, Commonwealth Press, 2978

In late 2952, Marco Steiner retired at 40 years of age. The popular explanation for his early resignation was that he, like his mother, had grown tired of the responsibilities of running the Commonwealth. The truth was that he was suffering from incurable pancreatic cancer. Because of the pain and the drugs he was taking to slow the progress of the disease, he knew he must step down. Somehow no one ever noticed the drug-induced haze in which he had spent his final years as Archon.

Giovanni Steiner, Marco’s son, assumed the Archonship. Just 20 years old, Giovanni had recently graduated from Tharkad University with degrees in economics and political science. An atypical Steiner, Giovanni had spent his early life completely uninterested in the military sciences. This worried many in the nobility and the high command, who had come to rely on the Steiners’ military skills as well as their political prowess.

Giovanni’s reign as Archon began on a good note, however. It was during the celebration of his accession to the throne that messengers arrived with news that the Lyran forces had retaken Phalan from the Draconis Combine. Operation Freedom was finally accomplishing more than just raids against Kurita-occupied worlds. The invasion of Phalan, accomplished with 17 regiments, including three ‘Mech regiments, was a turning point for the Commonwealth military. Because of new and extensive training programs in boot camps and military academies, House Steiner was finally producing the kind of skilled soldiers that could meet the enemy on equal terms. This did not mean that the incompetent ‘social generals’ were gone, but there was now at least the potential for putting up a good fight.

The fears the High Command had about Giovanni’s lack of military experience proved unfounded. The Archon paid close attention to his advisors and learned from them. It was not long before he began to make his own military decisions. When these proved to be sound, the entire LCAF was relieved.

Giovanni did more than become a competent strategist. Because of his training as an economist, he was able to jump into the financial quagmire that weighed down the LCAF. He substantially altered how the money flowed through the organization and trimmed back the monstrously huge bureaucracy. By saving in some areas, he was able to purchase substantial reserve supplies. This stockpiling of supplies would soon prove a most fortunate precaution.

After decades of undisturbed weapons production, the ninth battle for the factories on Hesperus II took place in 2957. Despite the fact that those factories lay deep within the protective arms of three mountain ranges, House Kurita units from two ‘Mech regiments dropped directly on top of the facilities rather than onto the plains a hundred miles away. The action surprised those on the ground, with most Commonwealth ‘Mechs out of position to defend the factories. While many of the dropping ‘Mechs were destroyed on the mountainsides or were left isolated because they fell off-target, a good number did manage to land within the industrial complex. They succeeded in doing considerable damage to the factories before the Steiner ‘Mech units hunted the units down and destroyed them to a man. The Hesperus II factories’ output was slashed by 50 percent, and it would be 20 years before production returned to its normal level.

By 2967, this drop in ‘Mech and weapons production was having its effect. The ability of the LCAF to restock its ‘Mech regiments with new machines was dwindling, and the once abundant stockpiles of spare parts were diminishing at an alarming rate. Operation Freedom was now in danger of grinding to a halt, with many ‘Mechs forced off the frontlines while Techs scrounged for spare parts. Periphery units were especially hard-hit, as they had not been assigned sufficient spare parts to begin with because their operations were not considered crucial. As a result, the Periphery worlds faced increasingly vicious raids from the Bandit Kingdoms. The defending Commonwealth ‘Mechs, hobbling about on the verge of total collapse from lack of proper maintenance, were rarely successful in fighting back.

To combat the problem, Giovanni Steiner made an important addition to the Commonwealth military in 2967. Learning of the 12th Star Guards’ increasing unhappiness with their current employer, the Archon sent liaison officers to contact them through the Mercenary Guild Halls. The members of the 12th negotiated and eventually agreed to the terms offered by House Steiner. The Commonwealth now had a mercenary unit that was reasonably well-equipped, which would help conserve supplies because the merc units would be using their own instead of House Steiner’s.

With its four regiments, the 12th Star Guards is one of the largest mercenary units in the Inner Sphere, and has a long and colorful history dating from the Star League era. Three months after they signed with House Steiner, elements of the Star Guards began arriving in the Lyran Commonwealth.

Mercenary Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: 12th Star Guards
CO: Hauptmann-General Mitch DeChavilier
Unit Size: 4 regiments
Skill Level:
1st Regiment (River’s Gamblers): Veteran
2nd Regiment (Ohell’s Heavies): Regular
3rd Regiment (Paget’s War Ponies): Veteran
7th Regiment (Scovy’s Ironmen): Green
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: Yes
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: November 3026

Notes:

The 12th Star Guards is a mercenary unit with an extremely long and varied history. Two of the unit’s regiments, Paget’s War Ponies and Ohell’s Heavies, began their lives as the 42nd Striker Regiment and the 10th Heavy Assault Regiment of the Star League’s Regular Army. When the Star League fell, the two units banded together.

While in the employ of the Capellan Confederation, the unit got its current name after being assigned to protect twelve vital worlds along the Capellan border with the Federated Suns. Known at first as the 12 Stars Guards, the name eventually evolved into the 12th Star Guards. Since that time, the unit has swelled from its original two regiments to an all-time high of seven during the Second Succession War. While employed by the Draconis Combine, the 12th Star Guards lost two regiments, one due to lack of pay, and another to a bit of Combine deception that left a regiment stranded on an enemy world.

The 12th Star Guards spent the beginning of the third war in the Federated Suns. Due to its chronic money problems, two battalions of the 6th regiment defected to the Draconis Combine when Kurita attacked them on the Davion world of Elidere IV. As a result, the 7th regiment contains four battalions, having absorbed the one remaining battalion from the 6th.

The unit’s financial situation did not improve after they signed with the Commonwealth in 2967. A corrupt liaison officer from the LCAF embezzled a near fortune meant for the Star Guards. By the time he was discovered, the Guards were in even worse shape.

Angry about this kind of management, the unit signed next with the Federated Suns in 3012, lured by Davion’s promises of action and good pay. This move improved their situation only slightly, however.

In re-signing with the Commonwealth in 3024, the Star Guards hope to take advantage of the realm’s wealth of supplies and Katrina Steiner’s promises of generous pay. The Archon intends to make it a point of paying this unit upfront because they are important to her future plans.

Though the Star Guards are not as tradition-bound as the Eridani Light Horse, the unit’s present commander is aware of his unit’s past glory and uses it to his advantage. He holds a particular grudge against the Draconis Combine and the Federated Suns.

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

The Battle For Loric

Loric? Where’s Loric?

—Archon Giovanni, quoted in A Look at the Steiner Family, by Cevin Stenman, Commonwealth Press, 2978

Loric is a rich world sitting in the middle of the Commonwealth’s border with the Free Worlds League. Even though various raids and invasion attempts throughout three major wars have ruined some of the planet’s beauty, its remaining gentle shorelines, rugged mountains, and deep, dark forests continue to make this world a favorite playground of the rich in times of peace or near-calm.

The 5th Regulan Hussars, supported by twelve other regiments of armor and infantry, dropped onto the Eastern Continent of Loric in late 2971. Aided by a severe electrical storm, the Hussars managed to overwhelm the Commonwealth defender groups at Diggers Pass, where they had hoped to keep House Marik from taking the whole continent. After knocking out the Lyran defenders on that continent, the Hussars moved on and took the Northern Continent. They now owned over half of Loric.

The Steiner high command realized that the loss of Loric could effectively cut off distant worlds like Poulsbo, Denebola V, Teukros, and Bobruisk, threatening them with invasion. Though the reconquest of Loric was the Archon’s number one priority, the current shortage of supplies had sapped the strength of the ‘Mech regiments around Loric. Meanwhile, his generals were unwilling to take troops away from their fight against Kurita in order to assist the fight on Loric. Faced with these obstacles, the Archon decided to contract ‘Mech mercenaries to win back Loric.

The 2nd Regiment (Ohell’s Heavies) of the 12th Star Guards and the 11th and 17th Recon Battalions from the Eridani Light Horse led ten lesser regiments in the effort to take back Loric. The fact that mercenary units were selected to lead this important mission showed how much confidence the high command placed in their skills.

The plan was simple but risky. The two recon battalions would execute a dangerous drop into enemy-controlled territory to harass the continuing buildup of Marik forces. Ohell’s Heavies would assault the vital Digger’s Pass area. Between the two forces, the Commonwealth hoped to catch the majority of Marik’s forces.

The result was a victory for House Steiner, but not before the two recon battalions were on the verge of exhaustion after more than four months of guerrilla warfare. Stripped of their control of the mountains, the Marik forces were forced to retreat. After being chased about for several months, they had to eventually withdraw from Loric.

In 2977, the reconstruction of the BattleMech facilities on Hesperus II were finally completed, allowing these factories to resume producing ‘Mech after ‘Mech for the Commonwealth. This good news came during a lull in the fighting. Taking advantage of this break in the action, the Archon released all of the conscripted commercial freighters for a one-year period so that they could run mercy missions to those worlds suffering the most.

Before the cargo ships carrying grain and other supplies could arrive, the planet Summit had rebelled over its lack of food and the high taxes. Instead of helping quell the riots, the planetary garrison, with its lance of ‘Mechs, joined the fight, and even led attacks against government offices and military bases. The Archon dispatched the 26th Lyran Guards to stamp out the rebellion.

Archon Giovanni Steiner died in February of 2980. As chairperson of the Tharkad Equestrian Society, he was performing on his prized Tharkan-bred jumping horse before a crowd of 100,000 that had gathered in the Commonwealth Dome. When his horse made a misstep just before a jump, the Archon was thrown headlong into the thick wood planks of the fence. He died soon after. Giovanni’s son Alessandro became the next Archon.

Alessandro Steiner

Extraordinary skill in any field that pits one man against another—be it politics, military strategy, or even sports—can prove an absolute disaster, especially when your opponent is not as smart as you are.

—From Intelligence: An Informal Indictment, by Prof. T. B. Hedges, Tharkad University Press, 3009

Alessandro Steiner proved to be the exact opposite of his father. He cared little for how much things cost, nor did he care to study the web of power within the Commonwealth government. He craved action and so had spent much of his youth traveling throughout the realm living a roguish life, even siring a few children he later chose not to recognize. His career as a battalion leader in the 2nd Royal Guards was cut short by his father’s death, but not before he had distinguished himself by swift actions and extraordinary tactical and strategic skills.

As Archon, Alessandro immediately improved the military by increasing its helping of Commonwealth revenues, much to the consternation of the common citizen. Most of this increase went for the purchase of weapons and supplies. The Archon also used the money to hire the Always Faithful, a regiment of grizzled mercenaries in heavy ‘Mechs.

Alessandro’s first major military effort as ruler was the famous ‘Deep Raid’ of 2987. After carefully reviewing intelligence reports on the Free Worlds League, the Archon realized that the recent lull in fighting between House Marik and House Liao presented a good opportunity for an attack. He correctly guessed that Marik troops would likely be relaxed and vulnerable on the worlds facing the Liao border. Together, the Archon and his Strategies and Tactics Division began to marshal resources for the raid.

The prime target of the raid was the Marik ‘Mech factory being built on the planet Ling, near the Capellan border. Chosen for the raid were the 6th Lyran Guards, who had recently distinguished themselves in several difficult missions. Accompanying them would be the 54th Fighter Support Wing, known in the LCAF as ‘The Ill Winds.’ A heavy fighter unit, its many Chippewa fighters had lately flown several dramatic raids against enemy units during the battles for Rochelle.

The two units left the Commonwealth in 2987 and began their journey deep into the Free Worlds League. In a JumpShip disguised as a commercial freighter, they traveled a circuitous route to their target. The tense voyage took them to a series of unimportant worlds whose system defenses paid little attention to the unmarked freighter that appeared at the jump point to recharge, and then moved on. Two months after they had started, the Steiner raiders appeared in the Ling system.

The Archon’s hunch proved correct. Because lack of action had made the planetary defenses around Ling lazy, the Steiner DropShips put the 6th Lyran Guards and the Ill Winds unchallenged onto Ling. The Ill Winds struck first, knocking out most of the planet’s fighter support and its communications. Then the ‘Mechs of the 6th landed. With support from the fighters, they totally destroyed the BattleMech factory, with only light damage to themselves.

The mission was not over yet, however. The commanding officer announced to an astonished group of tired MechWarriors and fighter pilots that instead of heading straight home, they would now attack the Marik worlds of Park Place, Ryerson, Inan, Nathan, and Bordon. The 6th Lyran Guards and the Ill Winds accomplished these tasks, but not before suffering major losses. Ten months after they set off, the Deep Raid ended when their JumpShip reentered the Commonwealth.

The mission’s end signaled the beginning of a storm of controversy in the high command. Many of the generals were furious that the soldiers had been sent on a mission without an inkling that the raid would include a half dozen worlds. Another startling fact uncovered was that the commanding officer of the mission, a whiz-kid from Strategies and Tactics, had no prior combat experience. He had been appointed to command this difficult mission by his friend, the Archon. Many of the senior generals considered ‘The Deep Raid’ a foolish and dangerous act that had succeeded purely by chance.

The high command’s trust in the Archon plummeted, but there was little they could do at the moment because the Lyrans regarded the mission as a great victory.

Regimental Nicknames (Continued)

Originally posted by Miclos Davion:

1st Lyran Regulars: ‘The Boomers’

Formerly a mercenary regiment, this unit joined the Commonwealth military in exchange for lands and titles for its members.

3rd Lyran Regulars: ‘The Bee Squishers’

The unit earned its name after battling a regiment of Kurita jump infantry.

4th Lyran Regulars: ‘Tropic Lightning’

5th Lyran Regulars: ‘The Ferris Wolverines’

Another former mercenary group, this unit was forced into the LCAF after ComStar ruled against them in a contract dispute, saying they had to pay their debts to the Commonwealth.

6th Lyran Regulars: ‘Mad Hatters’

7th Lyran Regulars: ‘New Delhi Lancers’

9th Lyran Regulars: ‘Karilon Magicians’

10th Lyran Regulars: ‘The Stinging Barflies’

This unit got its nickname because of its reputation for hard drinking.

11th Lyran Regulars: ‘The Hammers’

15th Lyran Regulars: ‘The Bully Boys’

—From The Fists of House Steiner: A Layman’s Look at the BattleMech Regiments of the LCAF, by Miclos Davion, NAIS Printers, 3022

Hesperus Revisited

In some ways, such an inviting target is an advantage. Whenever someone reaches out an arm to try and snatch it, we can come along to amputate it.

—From Radical Strategies: The Use of the Diminishing BattleMech Force on Today’s Battlefield, by Alessandro Steiner, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3005

By 2997, exhaustion was again settling over the Commonwealth. The Third Succession War had been going on for an incredible 131 years. The effort to sustain the Commonwealth’s offensive against House Kurita was particularly draining to both the resources and stamina of the entire realm. Operation Freedom, started some 84 years previously, had had its successes. Worlds like Baxter, La Blon, Lyons, and Skondia had been wrested away, but only after the longest, most resource-consuming of campaigns.

Seeing the exhaustion of their men, the Steiner high command decided to give the soldiers some rest by slowing down the offensive against Kurita. When they suggested as much to the Archon, he flatly refused, saying that the LCAF would never push anything but forward as long as he was ruler of the realm. Alessandro then laid out before them his plans for an ambitious invasion of Kalidasa, a Marik world where there were located some important ‘Mech production facilities. The fact that the operation would require three of the five regiments usually reserved for defending the Commonwealth’s own vital ‘Mech factories on Hesperus did not seem to bother the Archon.

Earlier that year, the tenth battle for Hesperus II had taken place when elements of House Marik attacked an isolated supply depot on the planet. The attack was thwarted by the 15th Lyran Guards, commanded by Colonel Katrina Steiner, the Archon’s niece. The 15th had boarded their DropShips near the factories and launched into a sub-orbital flight. Colonel Steiner then had her ‘Mechs execute a very dangerous shallow drop onto the enemy. The difficult maneuver was successful, allowing the 15th Lyran Guards to rout the smaller Marik force easily.

Archon Alessandro interpreted this recent victory to mean that Hesperus II would not be attacked again any time soon. Therefore, he could, in good conscience, send the three Hesperus regiments to join the attack on Kalidasa. Besides, wasn’t he sending the 21st Striker Regiment and two other battalions from the elite Eridani Light Horse to cover for the absent defenders?

As optimistic and sensible as this may have seemed, it did not work out that way. While the Archon’s offensive was bogged down on Kalidasa, Marik scout companies dropped onto Hesperus II. Forced to obey an incompetent Commonwealth colonel, the Eridani Light Horse units had to chase these scout ‘Mechs all over the planet while the Marik scouts relayed the good news that Hesperus was under-defended. House Marik decided to pounce.

Within weeks, House Marik had landed four ‘Mech regiments on the planet. Luckily for the Commonwealth, the commanding officer of the 21st Striker Regiment purposely disobeyed the ranking Commonwealth officer’s orders. Instead of marching into the teeth of the advancing Marik force, the Light Horse chose to deploy itself in the mountains. In a classic use of terrain and mixed weaponry, the Eridani units crushed the Marik attackers in the narrow valleys leading to the ‘Mech factories.

The attack shook the Steiner high command, who realized how close they had come to losing the entire BattleMech facility. No matter how they tried to persuade the Archon that the effort on Kalidasa was endangering the Commonwealth, their warnings fell on deaf ears.

With her regiment sitting stalemated on Kalidasa, Katrina Steiner was livid when she heard that Hesperus had almost been lost. To her, it was obvious that the Kalidasa offensive was a failure that could become a disaster if not abandoned soon. A year and a half later, nothing had changed and the Steiner forces were still mired on Kalidasa. After years of combat, the Commonwealth troops had not even seen the Marik ‘Mech facilities yet. Morale was crumbling as a growing number of soldiers decided that the Archon was just too mule-headed to face facts and withdraw.

In the first few days of the new millennium, House Kurita attacked Hesperus II with three ‘Mech regiments and support, quickly outmaneuvering the Commonwealth defenders. It was left to the 1st Support Company of the Eridani Light Horse to hold open a spaceport while challenging the advancing enemy so that the Steiner House regiments could catch up and take part in the factories’ defense. Though the attackers were pushed offworld, the political repercussions were many.

The commanders of the Eridani Light Horse could no longer stand the general incompetence of the Steiner officers, which had cost them so much in lost lives and equipment. This elite unit therefore chose not to renegotiate with the Lyran Commonwealth when its contract expired in late 3000. Many watched with sadness as the unit packed up and left for the Federated Suns.

Mercenary Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: Richard’s Panzer Brigade
CO: Colonel Richard ‘Big Daddy’ Whitman
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: Yes
Infantry: No
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: January 3027

Unit Profile:

Richard’s Panzer Brigade is the Lyran Commonwealth’s most recently acquired mercenary unit. Formerly a ‘Mech regiment in the army of House Davion, the Panzer Brigade went mercenary when the unit’s original commander, Richard DeCord, was discovered dealing drugs early in the third war. Since then, the unit has served in all the other Successor States, most recently with the Draconis Combine.

The unit has gained a reputation as a rather unsavory bunch. The unit’s current commander, Richard ‘Big Daddy’ Whitman, is trying to clean up the Brigade’s act so that they might find a semi-permanent home. Big Daddy likes their current assignment on Tharkad, where duty is mostly guard and ceremonial duty, with only an occasional raid. Big Daddy is rather enamored with Melissa Steiner, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by the rest of the unit.

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

The Policy Of Concentrated Weakness

Concentrated Weakness? What manner of gobbledygook is this? Concentrated foolishness is what it really is.

—Representative Iona Gelva, quoted in Government House Transcripts: Year 3002, Government House Press, 3002

Archon Alessandro found himself in a difficult position. Though he did a good bit of political arm-twisting among the generals and nobility opposed to his military policies, the departure of the Eridani Light Horse made a vivid impression because they did not conceal their reasons for leaving. After hearing the Eridani’s accounts of incompetence in the LCAF, the media began uncovering the whole chain of events that had led up to their ultimate decision to leave House Steiner. Public opinion was quickly shifting from full support of the Archon—whom the Lyrans had once considered a military messiah—to open criticism both of him and his policies. Even after the Archon hired the Hsien Hotheads and Mobile Fire, two mercenary units patterned after the Eridani Light Horse, it did little to quell the rising furor.

Increasingly concerned about the political unrest, Archon Alessandro began to search for a means to divert the public’s criticism away from him. No one is sure what prompted him to believe that another military campaign would solve his problems. He later declined all interviews with officials from ComStar, and the few interviews he has given Thelos Auburn have shed little light on what motivated his decisions. While the reasons for his strategy of ‘Concentrated Weakness’ remain a mystery, the results of his plan are not. By now, everyone knows that they toppled the Archon.

In 3002, Alessandro outlined his plan of Concentrated Weakness to the high command and a select group of noblemen and representatives. Though the meeting was secret, transcripts ater obtained showed that there were serious objections to the plan. The Archon would not budge, however. He had already begun ordering the garrisons of worlds in the interior of the Commonwealth to move to the Marik front. These garrisons would be organized into Citizens’ Regiments, which would free the more experienced regiments to effectively defend the region. They would also take part in an ambitious offensive against the Free Worlds League to begin a few years later. Meanwhile, new garrisons would be trained on the interior worlds, with shipments of weapons from the LCAF’s reserves to arm them.

Though Concentrated Weakness was essentially a reworking of a plan used in the second war by Archon Marcus, there are several major differences between the two operations. The most important of these was its timing. Archon Marcus enacted his plan at the beginning of the second war, when the supplies were adequate and the public had trust in the government. Archon Alessandro’s plan, on the other hand, would be carried out against the background of a realm suffering emotionally and materially from a century of continuous war. What Alessandro Steiner did not seem to realize was that the removal of planetary garrisons encouraged political upheavals on those worlds. Many of the worlds in the Periphery simply revolted once their garrison had left. They were angry over a chronic lack of food supplies, lack of clean water, and the loss of so many able-bodied men and women. They were also enraged when the Steiner government saw to it that arms and equipment for the new garrisons arrived promptly while shipments for the planet’s food and medical supplies were continually delayed. Only those worlds under the protection of the Little Kingdoms escaped the political firestorm. Archon Alessandro remained firm even when his advisors pointed out that the plan may have created extra manpower, but that those troops were busy suppressing riots in the interior instead of fighting on the Marik border.

When the rioting began to die down over the next two years, some political leaders began to believe that the Archon’s plan might have some merit after all. The abortive raids by House Marik against Solaris and Loric seemed to prove Alessandro’s point about more ‘Mechs deterring the enemy on border worlds.

Mercenary Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: Gregg’s Long Striders
CO: Colonel Gregg Car
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Green
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: No
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: No
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: December 3026

Unit Profile:

Gregg’s Long Striders is a new mercenary group. Colonel Gregg Car was a member of the famed Wolf’s Dragoons until he got tired of taking orders from someone else. After leaving the Dragoons in late 3022, Car formed his own mercenary unit from other disgruntled MechWarriors encountered in the Mercenary Guild halls in the Tamar Pact. The Long Striders have yet to see major action.

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

The Disappearing Steiner

Originally posted by Thelos Auburn:

Apparently Katrina Steiner was not silent during this supposedly good time for the Archon’s strategy. Now transferred to the Strategies and Tactics Division of the military, she was well aware of the LCAF’s reservations about the Archon’s military policy.

An ambitious woman, Katrina Steiner gathered together the senior officers most vocal in their disagreements with the Archon to create a core of officers who regarded her as their leader. She then intimated to her supporters that she wished to become the next Archon, even if it meant deposing her uncle.

The next year, Katrina Steiner disappeared while on Poulsbo. Many have speculated that this was the work of Alessandro, in retaliation for her efforts to seek power. This may be, but there are so many unanswered questions about her mysterious disappearance that it is difficult to blame the Archon automatically. More important is that she finally did reappear just before the disastrous raids that crumbled the Archon’s policy. By that time, her support had swelled tremendously, fueled by rumors that the Archon might have been responsible for her absence.

—From Encyclopedia Res Publica, Thelos Auburn, ed., Commonwealth Historical Press, 3022

Ouster

Even among us Steiners, there comes a time when cold-blooded practicality must outweigh even family loyalty. My uncle has proven his inability to rule. As his niece, I grieve for his disappointment. But I will not let my emotions stand in the way of what I feel is right. I am Archon now, that is what I feel is right for me. More importantly, that is what I feel is right for Commonwealth.

—Archon Katrina Steiner’s announcement of Archon Alessandro’s ‘retirement’, from Royal Court Transcripts: Year 3007, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3007

In 3006, House Marik made a shambles of Archon Alessandro’s policy of Concentrated Weakness. Taking a page from the Archon’s own book of strategies, the Free Worlds League started several of their own ‘deep raids’ into the Commonwealth, hitting Bolan, Pollux, Coventry, and several other worlds in rapid succession. Because these worlds had been stripped of most their defenses except for poorly trained garrisons of old men and children, House Marik’s seasoned soldiers nearly destroyed the military industries there.

It was the news of these catastrophes that persuaded General Katrina Steiner to announce her intention to become the next Archon openly. She began currying favor with those few generals still loyal to the now disgraced Alessandro. Katrina somehow managed to extract the promise that they would remain out of the coming political struggle.

Before the Archon could deal with his uppity niece and her treasonous declaration, he received a summons to appear before the Estates General. Fearing nothing from a roomful of politicians, the Archon arrived before the Representatives. In a lengthy debate that quickly became more like a shouting match, Archon Alessandro defended his military policies. The Representatives, especially those whose worlds had suffered from his grandiose military schemes, repeatedly shouted him down.

In one of those amazing moments of history when a group of varied individuals suddenly become of one mind, the Representatives unanimously voted in favor of a petition of no confidence in Alessandro Steiner. Though they had no real power to protect themselves from the Archon’s wrath, the courageous Representatives went so far as to boo and heckle the Archon from the assembly. Leaving Government House in a rage, Alessandro was already pondering what form his revenge upon the Estates General would take.

A delegation from the high command met the Archon on the marble steps of Government House. These generals and noble-born members of the military were supporters of Katrina Steiner. Having just witnessed the Archon’s meeting with the Estates General, the delegation attempted to reason with him, pointing out that he no longer had the support of either the public or the high command itself. They suggested that, for the good of the Commonwealth, he should step down.

Stunned, Alessandro asked for a few days to think. He used the time in an effort to drum up support, only to find that the generals were right—he simply no longer had any support. On July 22, 3007, Archon Alessandro Steiner ‘retired’ in favor of Katrina Steiner as the new Archon.

Mercenary Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: Knights of St. Cameron
CO: General Stan Gluck
Unit Size: 2 regiments
Experience Level: Green
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: No
Infantry: No
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: December 3027

Unit Profile:

Formed in 2956, the Knights of St. Cameron are an oddity among the many mercenary units of the Inner Sphere because of their high moral standards. Martin Gluck, a retired MechWarrior from the LCAF, sought out men and women whose ancestors had been in the Regular Army of the Star League to create a unit that would participate in “the struggle between good and evil, in which the knight is always the Lord’s first defense.”

Though many thought Gluck was crazy, in the end he drew together MechWarriors of various ages and social classes and taught them everything he knew about piloting a ‘Mech. Since then, the unit has grown to two regiments. In true chivalrous fashion, the Knights often perform freelance jobs, such as defending a poor Periphery world, for little or no extra pay. It is for this reason that their ‘Mechs and their financial condition are in such poor shape.

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

Current Events

The good thing about history is that it usually passes its judgments long after their subjects are dead.

—Archon Katrina Steiner, from Royal Court Transcripts: Year 3009, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3009

Katrina Steiner is a woman of regal bearing whose intellect is as highly refined as her beauty. What’s more, many consider that she bears an uncanny resemblance to Katherine Marsden Steiner. Immediately after assuming the Archonship, Katrina Steiner revoked the policy of Concentrated Weakness, returning all garrisons to their planets and the rest of the military to a more defensive posture. To ease the unrest in the interior, the new Archon diverted food and other supplies originally intended for the military to those planets hit hardest by shortages.

Her main concern for the next few months was to give the Commonwealth a brief respite from heavy fighting. She decided that the best way to accomplish this was to keep her enemies off-balance and uncertain with a series of raids against enemy supply points. Mobile units like the Hsien Hotheads, Mobile Fire, Cranston Snord’s Irregulars, and Winfield’s Guards conducted many raids during this period, especially against Kurita units on Sevren, a world that Katrina Steiner wanted back.

Winfield’s Guards had been created by Alessandro Steiner. It was a two-regiment unit named after the former commander of the Stealths, and patterned after that unit and what the LCAF had learned from the Eridani Light Horse. The unit’s commanding officers were descendants of the members of the famed Stealths. A mixed weapons unit, its ‘Mechs were usually of medium weight and high mobility. It quickly became the premier unit of the LCAF.

When House Kurita made a stand to hold Sevren in 3011, it nearly destroyed Winfield’s Guards. Thinking that they had discovered a weakness in the enemy’s lines, the 2nd Regiment of Winfield’s Guards broke through and poured into a mountainous region in the enemy’s rear. They were promptly engaged by an assault ‘Mech battalion in prepared positions on a mountain slope. Air attacks by Kurita AeroSpace Fighters bombed and strafed the Guards. Seeing no way to win, the commander of the 2nd Regiment ordered a retreat, only to find the way blocked by another Kurita assault ‘Mech battalion backed by a tank unit. Little of the 2nd regiment survived this encounter. The remainder of Winfield’s Guards were withdrawn from Sevren and later reorganized as the two-battalion unit known today as Winfield’s Brigade.

While the military units of the Commonwealth were either resting or participating in contests for worlds at an almost leisurely pace, it was the mercenary units that were now making news. One of these newsworthy events involved the strain in relations between the 12th Star Guards and the Commonwealth. The Mercenary Liaison officer to the Star Guards had been secretly embezzling funds intended for the mercenary unit’s pay. Though the man was later punished by the LCAF, the Star Guards were still angry enough to leave House Steiner to work for the Federated Suns in 3013.

To cover the loss of the 12th Star Guards, the Commonwealth began shopping for other mercenaries to take their place. In 3016, the Commonwealth hired Miller’s Marauders, and two years later, Hansen’s Roughriders. Both are heavy ‘Mech units that quickly became darlings of the Commonwealth media because their zest for pitched battles was so unusual among mercenary units.

In 3019, the 13th battle for Hesperus II occurred. This time, the attackers were the famed Wolf’s Dragoons under contract to the Free Worlds League. As Wolf’s plan of attack had been leaked to the Steiner high command, the Lyrans were ready with four ‘Mech regiments to greet Jaime Wolf and his MechWarriors.

Despite the fact that the Dragoons were outnumbered more than two to one and were fighting on unfamiliar terrain, they made an excellent fight of it. They killed many of the Steiner defenders and put a scare into the rest by fighting their way very close to the Hesperus Mech factories before being pushed offplanet. So impressed was Katrina Steiner with their skills that she offered Wolf’s Dragoons a contract, which they accepted in 3020.

3020 was also the year that Archon Katrina Steiner issued her ‘Peace Proposal’ to the other Successor States. Even though her proposals were nothing more than a glorified attempt at a ceasefire on her terms, the eagerness with which Hanse Davion entered into a dialogue with Katrina Steiner surprised even the members of the esteemed First Circuit.

To impress House Davion with the strength of her military, the Archon revived the long-dormant Operation Freedom. Bolstered by the five regiments of the Wolf’s Dragoons, she aimed her efforts once more against House Kurita. News of battles such as the Black Widows’ efforts in Harlow Woods and the successful heavy raid against the Kurita world of Dromini VI aided the Archon’s delicate negotiations with House Davion.

After 16 months of secret negotiations between the two Houses, the talks came to fruition in 3022. In a secret ceremony on Terra the two powers signed a peace and alliance treaty, which was witnessed by the exalted First Circuit. The terms of this treaty range from the free exchange of ‘Mech designs to allowing students from the Commonwealth to enroll in the prestigious NAIS. Perhaps the most important effect of this alliance has been the exchange of military intelligence and the coordination of their attacks against the common enemy—the Draconis Combine.

With access to the combined Steiner-Davion intelligence on the Kurita military’s disposition and the likely whereabouts of almost every Kurita ‘Mech regiment, the Commonwealth has taken a slight edge over the Combine in recent years. With the help of this new information, the Steiner offensive achieved its first major victory with the recapture of Carse. The LCAF also won back Port Moseby at this time.

In 3022, Wolf’s Dragoons left House Steiner to work for Lord Kurita in the Combine. In the same year, the Waco Rangers, a mercenary regiment with good skills, signed on with the Commonwealth.

The most recent Commonwealth offensive won back the heavily industrialized world of Sevren in July 3024. The planet had been kept in reasonably good condition since House Kurita took the planet in 2910, making it an important prize. Defending the planet was a garrison of three ‘Mech regiments, including the elite Dieron Regulars. These had been slowly overcoming the Commonwealth troops fighting to retake the planet after the loss of Winfield’s Guards.

Winfield’s Brigade, the 30th Lyran Guards, and Hansen’s Roughriders dropped onto Sevren at points strategically chosen to divide the enemy forces into groups. In quick and decisive actions, they then proceeded to force the Kurita defenders back. The hard-striking Winfield’s Brigade proved to be the campaign’s deciding factor. With both sides often evenly matched in battle, detachments from Winfield’s Brigade were able to turn the tide of battle in the Commonwealth’s favor on various occasions. In late December 3024, Sevren was once again a Commonwealth world.

Mercenary Profile

Originally posted by Uston Fitzwater:

Unit Name: Dragon’s Breath
CO: Colonel Pete Tate
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Light
Armor: Yes
Infantry: No
DropShips: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: May 3027

Unit Name: Mobile Fire
CO: Colonel Quintin Moore
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Light
Fighter Weight: Heavy
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShips: No
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: August 3026

Unit Name: The Bad Dream
CO: Colonel William McPherson
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Heavy
Armor: Yes
Infantry: No
DropShips: Yes
JumpShip: Yes
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: August 3026

Unit Name: Grave Walkers
CO: Colonel Dennis Merwin
Unit Size: 2 regiments
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Heavy
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShips: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: December 3026

Unit Name: Always Faithful
CO: Colonel Louise Pound
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: No
Infantry: Yes
DropShips: No
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: November 3026

Unit Name: The Filthy Lucre
CO: Colonel Ashley Timson
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Light
Armor: No
Infantry: No
DropShips: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: July 3027

Unit Name: Cranston Snord’s Irregulars
CO: Hauptmann Cranston Snord
Unit Size: 1 company
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: None
Armor: No
Infantry: No
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: July 3026

Unit Name: Hansen’s Roughriders
CO: Colonel Gerhardt Hansen
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Heavy
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: April 3027

Unit Name: Waco Rangers
CO: Colonel Wayne Waco
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: January 3027

Unit Name: Barrett’s Fusiliers
CO: Colonel Alonzo Barrett
Unit Size: 1 battalion
Experience Level: Veteran
‘Mech Weight: Heavy
Fighter Weight: Heavy
Armor: No
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: No
Financial Situation: Good
Contract Expires: April 3026

Unit Name: Hsien Hotheads
CO: Colonel Patricia Morgan
Unit Size: 1 regiment
Experience Level: Regular
‘Mech Weight: Medium
Fighter Weight: Medium
Armor: Yes
Infantry: Yes
DropShip: Yes
JumpShip: Yes
Financial Situation: In debt
Contract Expires: November 3077

—From A Guidebook to the Mercenary Units Currently Active in the Inner Sphere: Year 3025, Gen. Uston Fitzwater, ed., ComStar Printers, 3025

Conclusion

History. n. An account mostly false, of events mostly unimportant, which are brought about by rulers mostly knaves, and soldiers mostly fools.

—From The Enlarged Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce (1906), quoted in the preface to History and the Present: The Current State of the Lyran Commonwealth, by Thelos Auburn, Commonwealth Historical Press, 3025

The fortunes of the Lyran Commonwealth have taken a positive turn of late, including a number of good omens such as the return of the 12th Star Guards in late 3024.

The advantages of the Commonwealth’s Alliance with the Federated Suns have more than made up for the few political upheavals instigated by die-hard patriots such as Duke Frederick Steiner. As for the possible ramifications of the recent invasion of the ComStar transmitter station on Poulsbo or the assassination of Graf Yollers in the Royal Palace, I leave those speculations to political commentators.

What should be clear from this history of the Commonwealth is that it shows much more potential than anyone has assumed till now. This includes not only its massive industrial base, but also its military, its political system, and its people. If the untapped potential of all these is properly coaxed forth, it will bring either a resurgence of good times or raise the specter of a new and more violent round of warfare. Much depends on this Successor State.