Dying Breed
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| |
| Dying Breed | |
|---|---|
| Story information | |
| Author | Geoff Swift |
| Type | Short Story |
| Product | Shrapnel Issue 12 |
| Content | |
| Era | Dark Age era |
| Timeline | 14 March - 22 October 3099 |
Dying Breed is a short story by Geoff Swift that was published in the twelfth issue of Shrapnel.
Plot summary[edit]
The 14 March 3099, on planet Galicia, Clan Goliath Scorpion Warrior Lishi observed a pack of Ice Hellions hunting a prey. She liked the view, as it was the totem of her original Clan, Clan Ice Hellion. After seeing a DropShip landing, she approached it until her superior exited it and called out to her. Nearchos, her commanding officer and a former Hellion himself, informed her of his failure as a Seeker to find ProtoMech pieces for her damaged ProtoMech. For that, he was forced to transfer her to a solahma Cluster; something she feared and expected. Before she is reassigned, he informs her that she had become the last ProtoMech pilot of the Empire.
The 5 July, Lishi was arrived at new colony-under-construction on Greystone to replenish the loss of manpower the local garrison cluster had suffered from Hansa raids. After a meeting, her superior officer, Star Colonel Rossiton, talked her in private. Like her, he was a former Ice Hellion. They both talked about how they were forced to kill some of their own former clansmen when the latter refused to return to the Clan way from their life of piracy. Additionally, they concluded that their former clan's culture and memory was dying. And in spite of Khan Connor Rood's efforts to preserve it as a former Ice Hellion, both considered themselves to be a dying breed. On the other hand, Lishi asserted they will both die before seeing what remained of their clan disappear; to which Rossitan replied that she was optimistic.
The 22 October, a Hanseatic League unit from Regional Defense Force 5 attacked the planet and the Solahma cluster quickly mobilized. The attackers which were raiding the colony used only second line BattleMechs. Meanwhile, the solahma cluster consisted only of infantry besides Rossiton's 'Mech, but they managed to cause some losses to the invaders before dying. Lishi boarded her ProtoMech, satisfied that she will die in battle. Using its great mobility, she managed to down several 'Mechs.
After enemy fire cripples her, a Hansa Hunchback approaches and remarks over the comm that he doesn't know what she is but that it won't matter once she's slain. Mortally wounded, Lishi answers than she was a dying breed as is he. As he opens fire, she shoots back at him. It is implied than both kill each other at the same time.