Difference between revisions of "The Color of Authority"
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| Line 49: | Line 49: | ||
*Carl Briet, NDCPD lieutenant (promoted in the aftermath) | *Carl Briet, NDCPD lieutenant (promoted in the aftermath) | ||
*Nathan Briet, retired AFFS colonel, [[Rabid Foxes]] | *Nathan Briet, retired AFFS colonel, [[Rabid Foxes]] | ||
| − | *Amy Chou, | + | *Amy Chou, reporter |
*[[Maximilian Vorst]], Word of Blake Precentor (Demeter Planetary Security Administrator) | *[[Maximilian Vorst]], Word of Blake Precentor (Demeter Planetary Security Administrator) | ||
*Keia Jasper, Word of Blake Adept III-Iota (Word of Blake police liaison) | *Keia Jasper, Word of Blake Adept III-Iota (Word of Blake police liaison) | ||
Revision as of 06:22, 29 November 2016
| The Color of Authority | |
|---|---|
| Product information | |
| Type | Short story |
| Author | Craig A. Reed |
| Pages | 35 |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | BattleCorps |
| First published | 1 September 2010 |
| Content | |
| Era | Jihad era |
| Timeline | 2-20 March 3069 |
The Color of Authority is a short story by Craig A. Reed that was published online on BattleCorps on 1 September 2010.
| “ | The Word of Blake has its fingers in pies all across the Inner Sphere, from grand schemes and battles on Successor State throne worlds to petty schemes in back alleys... all of them have effects. | ” |
Plot summary
Demeter has changed its allegiance from the Federated Suns to the Word of Blake Protectorate after the last frontline AFFS troops (the 12th Vegan Rangers) were pulled out; the ruling Duke elected not to resist a Word of Blake takeover with a basically defenseless world.
New Demeter City Police Department lieutenant Carl Briet is unhappy with Word of Blake interference in NDCPD operations and openly protests when, following a raid and arrests, his unit is pulled off the case and replaced by the new Planetary Security Administrator, Precentor Maximilian Vorst.
Briet finds that Vorst's methods appear questionable, as a slew of people are arrested and seemingly vanish. Amy Chou, his reporter girlfriend, uncovers disturbing evidence of illegal prisom camps. Before long, Briet is contacted by his estranged father, retired colonel Nathan Briet of the Rabid Foxes, who went to the ground following the Word of Blake's takeover, feeling that the takeover was in fact an invasion; different opinions on whom they owed their loyalty created a rift between him and his police officer son. From his father Briet learns that, during a deep cover MIIO operation in the Free Worlds League ten years ago, Vorst was the Word's counterintelligence administrator for the Duchy of Orloff. His wife started an affair with one MIIO agent. Vorst found them out and hunted them down on Wasat, where he witnessed Nathan Briet—part of a rescue team—kill his wife. What Vorst doesn't know or want to believe is that she begged to be put to death, being more afraid of her fanatic husband than death. The "Black April" terrorist cell Vorst is now aggressively hunting was in fact the elder Briet's rescue team. Nathan Briet thinks that Vorst is not seeking revenge out of love, but because he was denied his chance to personally punish his wife.
When Vorst confronts Briet about his father soon thereafter, Briet openly tells him what his father told him, rebuffs Vorst's legal claims, and even confronts Vorst with the fact that illegal arrests of AFFS veterans are taking place. Vorst eventually leaves, threatening that they will have this conversation again, on his terms.
Through Amy Chou, the accusations about missing people—seventy percent of them AFFS veterans—are publicly leveled against Vorst, upping the ante. The matter comes to a head when Vorst arranges for a militia Firestarter to be "stolen" and used against protesters on the streets in an attempt to blame it on the Black April terrorists. Vorst openly tells police captain Yau that he has hired a mercenary for the dirty work and will use the incident as a pretext to declare martial law, though Vorst doesn't realize the conversation is broadcast live by Amy Chou via Carl Briet. As Yau attempts to arrest Vorst, a shootout ensues between the police and Word of Blake troopers. In the end, a Brunel dump truck rams and totals the Firestarter while Vorst and most of his troopers are killed.
In the aftermath of the "Vorst Incident" the secret prisoners are freed, and all arrest warrants are suspended pending further review. The Black April bombing of the Franton Jazz Festival is blamed on him, too. The Protectorate government has to make some concessions they would not otherwise have made to stay in power. Nathan Briet is revealed as the dump truck driver, and he reconciles with his son, demanding Carl should finally marry Amy Chou.
Featured BattleTech
- Firestarter
- Brunel Dump Truck
- Mobile HQ
Featured Characters
- Carl Briet, NDCPD lieutenant (promoted in the aftermath)
- Nathan Briet, retired AFFS colonel, Rabid Foxes
- Amy Chou, reporter
- Maximilian Vorst, Word of Blake Precentor (Demeter Planetary Security Administrator)
- Keia Jasper, Word of Blake Adept III-Iota (Word of Blake police liaison)