MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries/Exodus

Prelude

MechWarrior’s Campaign Journal

Prison Day 26

We have escaped, but we’re not free yet. The Raider DropShip FireStallion is in high orbit overhead. They were about to leave, but Skylark talked them into trying to get us out. We have arranged a NAV POINT for a pick-up and an alternative NAV POINT in case the first one doesn’t work out. The most dangerous and difficult part of the whole operation is the time we have to do it in. The pirate JumpShip will leave in just a few days, and it will take us days to get to the JumpShip even with the DropShip on full burn. A few minutes here on the ground could make all the difference. If we don’t get off-world in time, we’ll have escaped the planet but not the solar system. It’s going to be tight.

Briefing

Mitch Skylark, Oberon’s Raiders: This is it, [Player Name]. We found a Raider 'Mech along with yours to add a little fire power to this run for the landing zone. We've got to come out of the DropShip shooting and get to Nav Tau. That's where the DropShip captain's going to wait for us. Once we're there, we have to defend the DropShip. It's already badly damaged, and if it blows, we all die.

Alternate version: This is it, [Player Name]. We found two older Raider 'Mechs, we couldn't find yours. We've got to come out of the DropShip shooting and get to Nav Tau. That's where the DropShip captain's going to wait for us. Once we're there, we have to defend the DropShip.

• Codename: Exodus
• Planet: Sigurd
• Terrain: Mesa Desert
• Time: Morning
• Mean Temperature: 10 Celsius
• Mission Pay: None
• Expected Resistance: Eleventh Wolf Guards
• Your Call-Sign: Hunter

GOTO NAV TAU (sic) and find the PIRATE DROPSHIP. DEFEND the PIRATE DROPSHIP and you will then be able to escape Sigurd.

Your unit is lost in the wilderness of Sigurd. You will have no aerotech fighter or BattleMech support.

Objectives

• Target: DUST-OFF AT NAV Alpha
• Target: DEFEND THE PIRATE DROPSHIP

During Mission

Karen Yorta, captain of DropShip FireStallion: DropShip here, we can't sit down at Nav Alpha, it's too well-guarded. We'll land at Nav Beta.

Wolf Masakari: Honorable mercenary, we challenge you to single combat for possession of the landing zone.

Wolf MechWarrior: You have defeated our comrade in single combat. We will not object further.

Aftermath

RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM WOLF CLAN KHAN GARTH RADICK

We of Clan Wolf are the greatest warriors of the human race, foremost among the Clans. Yet you, a mere mercenary, who cheapens the purity of warfare by placing a price on it, have escaped us using your low, dishonorable tactics. You are now a sworn Blood Enemy of Clan Wolf. We will encounter you again in our invasion of the Inner Sphere, and we will destroy you.

ComStar News Service – February 14, 3050

[Player Name], leader of a mercenary group recently employed by the Free Rasalhague Republic, returned from the Periphery yesterday with an outrageous explanation for the mysterious “Pirate War” in the Oberon Confederation. [Player Name], who arrived in a JumpShip filled with the remains of Oberon’s Raiders, fold FRR debriefers that the Raiders had been fighting “Clan Wolf,” warriors of a race from beyond the Periphery who have begun a full-scale invasion of the Inner Sphere.

Sarah Carpenter, the FRR Director of Mercenary Affairs, called [Player Name]’s story “Just an excuse for failure.” A ComStar arbitrator approved Carpenter’s petition to pay only half of [Mercenary Unit Name]’s previously negotiated salary.

FRR troops boarded the JumpShip and executed the surviving pirates, finally claiming vengeance against the Oberon Raiders, who murdered the inhabitants of Last Hope on New Caledonia more than a year ago. Hendrik Grimm Oberon II, the Raiders’ leader and king of the Oberon Confederation, is presumed dead on Sigurd.

[Player Name] and the remainder of [Mercenary Unit Name] are now en route to Outreach, still sticking by their story of what they call the “invading Clans.” Mysteriously, there have been no other reports from the Oberon Confederation.

NEWSFEED

ALIEN INVASION?

[Mercenary Unit Name], a mercenary unit hired by the FRR to strike against the pirate king Hendrik Grimm Oberon II, returned from the Periphery today with a strange story. [Player Name], leader of the mercenary group, reported that the Periphery has been invaded by a peculiar race calling itself “The Clans,” austere warriors in possession of advanced technology that has not existed since the days of the Star League.

According to the mercenary, the invaders are divided into different Clans named for animals, such as “Jade Falcon” or “Wolf.” The mercenaries reported that they were held captive by Clan Wolf for more than a month before escaping.

While the mercenaries’ story is hard to believe, sociohistorians concede that a small pirate kingdom could have survived deep in the Periphery for centuries, and developed a wildly different culture. However, the Rasalhague government believes that the entire report is a hoax created by Gurgenheim Entertainment, a multimedia corporation based out of the Republic. The sequel to their blockbuster hit “Invaders from Beyond II” is due to release in three weeks.

Aftermath (Alternate)

You have successfully escaped Sigurd and are free from Clan Wolf. You managed to rescue several pirates as well, though casualties among all the escaping P.O.W.s was extremely high. Clan Wolf ilKhan Vespasian called your DropShip during your escape, and declared you a "Blood-Enemy". It is a dangerous title from what little you understand about Clan society, but it is also a title only given to enemies the Clan respects.

The pirates jumped to the Free Rasalhague Republic where they let you and the remains of your unit off. You were immediately debriefed by the Free Rasalhague Republic Mercenary Liaison who not only didn’t believe your story but refused to allow the Pirate JumpShip to leave peacefully. You learned later that the entire crew of the JumpShip was summarily executed after the Republic completed their boarding action.

Aftermath (Failure)

Star Colonel Tyra Sleipness: Did you think your childish plan would fool us? Our aerospace fighters attacked the pirate JumpShip while you were on your way to the landing site. The JumpShip escaped, but we destroyed the Raider DropShip. And now you will be punished. When we made you our bondsman, you became one of our Clan. In exchange for your life, you took an oath to uphold our honor. We should have known not to trust the word of a filthy mercenary. For your treason, you will die.

You failed to escape from Sigurd. The Pirate JumpShip was forced to leave the system without you when, two days after the battle a full Star of Wolf Clan aerospace fighters swooped down on the unsuspecting JumpShip. As leader of the Pirate escape attempt you were executed by Clan Wolf and the pirates were sent back to Clan space to serve as menial servants for the rest of their lives.

The events on Sigurd, your dramatic escape attempt and subsequent re-capture, were never heard of in the Inner-Sphere. Comstar initially listed your mercenary unit as Missing in Action, then after Clan Wolf attacked the Inner Sphere they listed you among the first units lost to the Clans. Years later your name is listed along the names of millions in a monument on Terra, all casualties to the Clan invasion.