Interesting Times, Dangerous Places: #362 “The Clash of Swords” 05/25/3133
INN - Interstellar News Network
I thought that after Ankaa I would have an opportunity to catch my breath, but after
only the briefest of respites – in the medical center on Tikonov where I recovered
from my injuries after being evacuated – I learned of yet more troop movements, this
time on Ronel. Against the doctor’s advice, I managed to wrangle a ride on one of
Duke Sandoval’s supply DropShips – the Alacrity – heading from his capital world to
the beleaguered garrison. It was a long trip, but it gave me more time to recover and
to assemble my notes on the border world.
From what I gathered, Dragon’s Fury forces had struck from Prosperina against the
Prefecture IV world as part of the pro-Combine faction’s endeavors to strengthen
their position in their home province. On its own, Ronel would seem an unlikely
target; though rich in mineral resources, it remains shrouded in a poisonous
atmosphere after the use of chemical weapons in the First Succession War. But when
taken in a larger context, as a stepping stone into Prefecture IV o r, more likely, as a
base of operations against the Highlander base on Addicks, the significance of the
world becomes more apparent.
It appears that Dragon’s Fury troops, part of the Brotherhood regiment and under the
command of Abeado Measho, had arrived in system via a pirate point and staged an
assault directly on the planetary capital, Lenor. The son of disgraced Combine warrior
Akito Measho, who chose exile and dishonor in The Republic rather than commit
seppuku in the Combine, the younger Measho is, I gather, intent on winning back his
family honor, and used the assault as a means of proving his worth. The Ghost
Legion defenders under Captain Santiago Padilla sought to keep the world under Duke
Sandoval’s authority, and largely – but not wholly – supported the Swordsworn.
The blitzkrieg against Lenor wasn’t the decisive blow Measho had hoped. Many of the
Swordsworn escaped his initial assault, but his troops did successfully seize the city.
In truth, Padilla’s forces withdrew once their situation became untenable, deliberately
moving away from the city to avoid damaging its vital atmospheric scrubbers. Of
course, this was all presented from a pro-Swordsworn angle – I was on one of Duke
Sandoval’s DropShips – and the tales of the brave and glorious defenders against the
vicious and inscrutable invaders had to be taken with a pinch of salt. Jumping into the
Ronel system, however, I was able to tap into the local news feeds and get fresher, if
no more accurate, updates on the situation.
The broad strokes of what Sandoval’s people had told me was true, including a
surprising honesty on their “less than optimal" performance in the defense of Lenor.
But I was surprised to learn that the Fury forces had immediately pursued the
Swordsworn, journeying into Xox’s highlands and the upper reaches of the Lenor
Valley. The pro-Fury broadcasts – they controlled the news facilities in Lenor, of
course – implied that the Swordsworn would soon be hunted down and eliminated,
something I initially took as the typical hyperbole of a group seeking to legitimize itself
and dispel tales of a strong opposition. The glum faces of the command crew on the
Alacrity seemed to lend credence to the reports. While a little loathe to give out
information to an unaffiliated journalist, the Captain eventually filled me in on the
situation, which continued to be bad news for Sandoval.
The Swordsworn had successfully drawn the Dragon’s Fury out of Lenor, but found
themselves under constant harassment from Measho’s forces. From what I gathered,
Padilla and his troops very nearly walked into a Fury ambush, but thanks to a mix of
luck and determination were able to slip free – but not without cost.
That was the situation as we came into land. The Alacrity had been scheduled to land
at Lenor to resupply the garrison, so instead we are to rendezvous with Padilla’s
troops before moving against the Fury’s LZ at Crater Bluff. Whether that will be the
last hussar of the Swordsworn or the start of their counterattack remains to be seen.
--Cameron Shaw
Towne Log
+ Whoa. Was it me or did we miss some Cameron Shaw stuff? The last one was
#348, right? It sounds like he got roughed up on Ankaa. :- Lu
+ It was #350, but beyond that, it looks like it. Problems with the HPG, I presume. I
remember from some of his early stories that when he was in Marik space he got shot
a couple of times. :- Johnson
+ Actually, he got shot only once (on Sadurni IIRC), but he got hit by shrapnel, too.
There was also a vid-journalist there, and I recall seeing the pics in Our Times. Went
under his vest and hospitalized him for a couple of weeks. Didn’t seem quite so cocky
then. Another journo there wasn’t so lucky and lost a leg. Perils of being a war
correspondent, I guess. :- Kaywood
+ So what did happen on Ankaa? :- Lu
+ I heard it’s in Steel Wolves hands, so I presume Sadia Wolf kicked Jameson’s butt.
Black Border published omnibus editions of his work in the past, so you might be able
to get the articles that way eventually, though given the way things seem to be going
to hell in a hand basket, I wouldn’t hold your breath. :- Hound
+ Thanx. :- Lu
INN - Interstellar News Network
I thought that after Ankaa I would have an opportunity to catch my breath, but after
only the briefest of respites – in the medical center on Tikonov where I recovered
from my injuries after being evacuated – I learned of yet more troop movements, this
time on Ronel. Against the doctor’s advice, I managed to wrangle a ride on one of
Duke Sandoval’s supply DropShips – the Alacrity – heading from his capital world to
the beleaguered garrison. It was a long trip, but it gave me more time to recover and
to assemble my notes on the border world.
From what I gathered, Dragon’s Fury forces had struck from Prosperina against the
Prefecture IV world as part of the pro-Combine faction’s endeavors to strengthen
their position in their home province. On its own, Ronel would seem an unlikely
target; though rich in mineral resources, it remains shrouded in a poisonous
atmosphere after the use of chemical weapons in the First Succession War. But when
taken in a larger context, as a stepping stone into Prefecture IV o r, more likely, as a
base of operations against the Highlander base on Addicks, the significance of the
world becomes more apparent.
It appears that Dragon’s Fury troops, part of the Brotherhood regiment and under the
command of Abeado Measho, had arrived in system via a pirate point and staged an
assault directly on the planetary capital, Lenor. The son of disgraced Combine warrior
Akito Measho, who chose exile and dishonor in The Republic rather than commit
seppuku in the Combine, the younger Measho is, I gather, intent on winning back his
family honor, and used the assault as a means of proving his worth. The Ghost
Legion defenders under Captain Santiago Padilla sought to keep the world under Duke
Sandoval’s authority, and largely – but not wholly – supported the Swordsworn.
The blitzkrieg against Lenor wasn’t the decisive blow Measho had hoped. Many of the
Swordsworn escaped his initial assault, but his troops did successfully seize the city.
In truth, Padilla’s forces withdrew once their situation became untenable, deliberately
moving away from the city to avoid damaging its vital atmospheric scrubbers. Of
course, this was all presented from a pro-Swordsworn angle – I was on one of Duke
Sandoval’s DropShips – and the tales of the brave and glorious defenders against the
vicious and inscrutable invaders had to be taken with a pinch of salt. Jumping into the
Ronel system, however, I was able to tap into the local news feeds and get fresher, if
no more accurate, updates on the situation.
The broad strokes of what Sandoval’s people had told me was true, including a
surprising honesty on their “less than optimal" performance in the defense of Lenor.
But I was surprised to learn that the Fury forces had immediately pursued the
Swordsworn, journeying into Xox’s highlands and the upper reaches of the Lenor
Valley. The pro-Fury broadcasts – they controlled the news facilities in Lenor, of
course – implied that the Swordsworn would soon be hunted down and eliminated,
something I initially took as the typical hyperbole of a group seeking to legitimize itself
and dispel tales of a strong opposition. The glum faces of the command crew on the
Alacrity seemed to lend credence to the reports. While a little loathe to give out
information to an unaffiliated journalist, the Captain eventually filled me in on the
situation, which continued to be bad news for Sandoval.
The Swordsworn had successfully drawn the Dragon’s Fury out of Lenor, but found
themselves under constant harassment from Measho’s forces. From what I gathered,
Padilla and his troops very nearly walked into a Fury ambush, but thanks to a mix of
luck and determination were able to slip free – but not without cost.
That was the situation as we came into land. The Alacrity had been scheduled to land
at Lenor to resupply the garrison, so instead we are to rendezvous with Padilla’s
troops before moving against the Fury’s LZ at Crater Bluff. Whether that will be the
last hussar of the Swordsworn or the start of their counterattack remains to be seen.
--Cameron Shaw
Towne Log
+ Whoa. Was it me or did we miss some Cameron Shaw stuff? The last one was
#348, right? It sounds like he got roughed up on Ankaa. :- Lu
+ It was #350, but beyond that, it looks like it. Problems with the HPG, I presume. I
remember from some of his early stories that when he was in Marik space he got shot
a couple of times. :- Johnson
+ Actually, he got shot only once (on Sadurni IIRC), but he got hit by shrapnel, too.
There was also a vid-journalist there, and I recall seeing the pics in Our Times. Went
under his vest and hospitalized him for a couple of weeks. Didn’t seem quite so cocky
then. Another journo there wasn’t so lucky and lost a leg. Perils of being a war
correspondent, I guess. :- Kaywood
+ So what did happen on Ankaa? :- Lu
+ I heard it’s in Steel Wolves hands, so I presume Sadia Wolf kicked Jameson’s butt.
Black Border published omnibus editions of his work in the past, so you might be able
to get the articles that way eventually, though given the way things seem to be going
to hell in a hand basket, I wouldn’t hold your breath. :- Hound
+ Thanx. :- Lu
| May 25, 3133 |