Homecoming (2004)

This article is about the intro fiction for the 2004 AeroTech 2 Revised Edition rulebook. For the story from the 2011 anthology, see Legacy (Anthology)#Homecoming.

Homecoming
Short story by Chris Hartford
Publication
Published	2004
Published in	AeroTech 2 Revised Edition
Publisher	FanPro
Pages	2
Chronology
Era	Jihad era
Timeline	25 October 3068

Homecoming is a short story by Chris Hartford that was published in 2004 as introductory fiction for AeroTech 2 Revised Edition.

Plot Summary

Suborned by the Word of Blake, the DropShip Divine Providence deploys (at least) two Shiva aerospace fighters in low orbit over Atreus, one of them piloted by protagonist Jase. The fighters proceed to a parade flyby where they deploy colored smoke from their bomb bays, intermixed with a deadly chemical weapon, in a sneak attack against the assembled dignitaries and the parading Knights of the Inner Sphere.

Knight William Anderson in his JagerMech realizes that something is wrong when spectators collapse and the Shivas turn around for another pass. On instinct he opens fire and manages to destroy one of the fighters, before the toxic agent enters his 'Mech cockpit and implicitly kills him.

In the aftermath of the attack, the Divine Providence is run down and destroyed by the WarShip FWLS Acari.

Featured Characters

• Knight William Anderson
• Jase

Featured Units

• Knights of the Inner Sphere

Featured Places

• Atreus

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• JagerMech

Aerospace Fighters

• Shiva

DropShips

• Overlord-class 'Mech carrier DropShip, Divine Providence

WarShips

• Zechetinu-class corvette WarShip, FWLS Acari

Notes

• The story is undated and has no epigraph. However, other sources establish the date of this attack as 25 October 3068.