Difference between revisions of "Forever Faithful"

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Trent, the former Clan Smoke Jaguar clansman who had turned his back on his wayward Clan and had provided the [[Inner Sphere]] powers with the required navigational data to reach Huntress in the first place, thus precipitating the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar, is denied the chance to fight as a warrior by Victor Steiner-Davion himself. When he accuses Steiner-Davion of being without honor, [[Clan Nova Cat]] [[Khan]] [[Severen Leroux]] knocks him down and wraps a bondcord around Trent's wrist, making him his [[bondsman]]. Trent is then immediately reinstated to warrior status, enabling him to participate in combat against [[Clan Ice Hellion]] as part of Clan Nova Cat. One [[Star Captain]] [[Inanna (Character)|Inanna]] takes him under her wing, making predictions about his fate and futud that re.
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Trent, the former Clan Smoke Jaguar clansman who had turned his back on his wayward Clan and had provided the [[Inner Sphere]] powers with the required navigational data to reach Huntress in the first place, thus precipitating the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar, is denied the chance to fight as a warrior by Victor Steiner-Davion himself. When he accuses Steiner-Davion of being without honor, [[Clan Nova Cat]] [[Khan]] [[Severen Leroux]] knocks him down and wraps a bondcord around Trent's wrist, making him his [[bondsman]]. Trent is then immediately reinstated to warrior status, so that he can participate in a trial by combat against [[Clan Ice Hellion]] as part of Clan Nova Cat in the [[Great Refusal]]. [[Star Captain]] [[Inanna (Character)|Inanna]] takes him under her wing, making predictions about his fate and futud that re.
  
The Nova Cats plan to use Trent's notoriety as traitor to lure the Ice Hellions into attacking him during the trial, thus channeling them in a predictable fashion in order to defeat them. The plan succeeds, but Khan Severen Leroux is killed over the course of the trial and Trent suffers lethal injuries. It is duly reported that he died of his injuries. What is not reported is that Trent in fact "died" three times on the operating table, only to be revived each time. Between [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Santin West]], Inanna, and Trent it is then decided that Trent, scarred beyond recognition and with some additional plastic surgery, should live on under a new identity, assuming the name "Baldur".
+
The Nova Cats use Trent's notoriety as traitor to provoke the Ice Hellions during the trial, thus channeling them in a predictable fashion in order to defeat them. The plan succeeds, but Khan Severen Leroux is killed over the course of the trial and Trent suffers lethal injuries. It is duly reported that he died of his injuries. What is not reported is that Trent in fact "died" three times on the operating table, only to be revived each time. Between [[Galaxy Commander]] [[Santin West]], Inanna, and Trent it is then decided that Trent, scarred beyond recognition and with some additional plastic surgery, should live on under a new identity, assuming the name "Baldur".
  
 
Meanwhile the last ranking Smoke Jaguar officer, [[Star Colonel]] [[Paul Moon]], awakens in a hospital and struggles to grasp the enormity of his and his Clan's defeat–in a Trial of Annihilation he himself had called and for which he had set the terms and conditions. He is taken bondsman by [[Eridani Light Horse]] Major [[Kris Blau]], in order to recruit his aid in leading the surviving Smoke Jaguars through the transition.
 
Meanwhile the last ranking Smoke Jaguar officer, [[Star Colonel]] [[Paul Moon]], awakens in a hospital and struggles to grasp the enormity of his and his Clan's defeat–in a Trial of Annihilation he himself had called and for which he had set the terms and conditions. He is taken bondsman by [[Eridani Light Horse]] Major [[Kris Blau]], in order to recruit his aid in leading the surviving Smoke Jaguars through the transition.

Revision as of 14:52, 9 August 2019

Forever Faithful.jpg
Forever Faithful
Product information
Type Novel
Author Blaine Lee Pardoe
Pages 306 (print)
317 (PDF)
Cover Artwork Anthony Scroggins
Publication information
Publisher Catalyst Game Labs
Product code 35824
First published 23 February 2019
ISBN-13 978-1941582770
MSRP $ 13.95 (print)
Content
Era Clan Invasion era
Timeline 19 April 3060 - 11 December 3130

Forever Faithful, by Blaine Lee Pardoe, was released digitally and as a print-on-demand book on February 23, 2019. A spiritual (if not actual) final entry in (or sequel to) the "Twilight of the Clans" saga that concluded the Clan Invasion era, its storyline bridges through the Jihad era and connects to Pardoe's Dark Age era novel, Surrender Your Dreams.

Teaser Text

SEMPER FIDELIS

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

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

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

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

Summary

Framework story

Working on his memoirs during the night from 10 to 11 December 3130, Paladin Victor Steiner-Davion recalls how he had misjudged and wronged Trent back on Huntress, and the unexpected ripple effects this had on history. However, he ultimately decides to delete all parts of the story that go beyond Trent's supposed death on Huntress, feeling he cannot be the instrument of those revelations for which he figures the universe is not yet ready.

Main story

Trent, the former Clan Smoke Jaguar clansman who had turned his back on his wayward Clan and had provided the Inner Sphere powers with the required navigational data to reach Huntress in the first place, thus precipitating the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar, is denied the chance to fight as a warrior by Victor Steiner-Davion himself. When he accuses Steiner-Davion of being without honor, Clan Nova Cat Khan Severen Leroux knocks him down and wraps a bondcord around Trent's wrist, making him his bondsman. Trent is then immediately reinstated to warrior status, so that he can participate in a trial by combat against Clan Ice Hellion as part of Clan Nova Cat in the Great Refusal. Star Captain Inanna takes him under her wing, making predictions about his fate and futud that re.

The Nova Cats use Trent's notoriety as traitor to provoke the Ice Hellions during the trial, thus channeling them in a predictable fashion in order to defeat them. The plan succeeds, but Khan Severen Leroux is killed over the course of the trial and Trent suffers lethal injuries. It is duly reported that he died of his injuries. What is not reported is that Trent in fact "died" three times on the operating table, only to be revived each time. Between Galaxy Commander Santin West, Inanna, and Trent it is then decided that Trent, scarred beyond recognition and with some additional plastic surgery, should live on under a new identity, assuming the name "Baldur".

Meanwhile the last ranking Smoke Jaguar officer, Star Colonel Paul Moon, awakens in a hospital and struggles to grasp the enormity of his and his Clan's defeat–in a Trial of Annihilation he himself had called and for which he had set the terms and conditions. He is taken bondsman by Eridani Light Horse Major Kris Blau, in order to recruit his aid in leading the surviving Smoke Jaguars through the transition.

Featured characters

Featured Places

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

Vehicles

Aerospace Fighters

DropShips

WarShips

Other

Notes

  • The appearance of an Araña among the 35th Scorpion Cuirassiers, and that it would be identified as such by the defenders, in a battle in 3062 is noteworthy for two reasons: The design was reportedly only put into production in 3087 and had supposedly been specifically designed for a situation that Clan Goliath Scorpion was not yet in, nor would have expected, beforehand, namely the formation of the Escorpión Imperio; that anachronism aside, it is an IndustrialMech (MilitiaMech) design that should have no place in such an elite frontline unit. It could be assumed that the Araña appearing in this novel was an early prototype, possibly a BattleMech (or OmniMech) design from before the Araña project became finalized as a MilitiaMech.