Mirach Coup Attempt (3133)

Mirach Coup Attempt (3133)
Conflict details
Part of	Dark Age era
Start Date	3 May 3133
End Date	12 May 3133
Planet(s)	Mirach
Location(s)	Cingulum
Result	Loyalist victory
Territorial Changes	No change
Attacking Forces
Affiliation	Rebels
Commanding Officer(s)	Minister Elora Rimonova Legate Calvilena Tortorelli
Command(s)	Mirach Home Guard
Defending Forces
Affiliation	Government loyalists
Commanding Officer(s)	Governor Sergio Ortega Captain Manfred Leclerc Marta Kinsolving
Command(s)	First Cossack Lancers Mirach Business Association private forces
Other Forces

Overview

In the chaos of the Blackout, Mirach's Minister of Information Elora Rimonova made a move for power. Seeking recognition from the Steel Wolves, she resolved to seize control of the planet and hand it to the splinter faction. Months of planning and preparation amounted to nothing in the end - when she and Legate Calvilena Tortorelli launched their coup in May 3133, it collapsed in a matter of days, a complete failure.

Prelude

The collapse of the HPG network in 3132 battered Mirach's economy and launched the Republic into armed conflict. Prefect Kal Radick went rogue, leading a breakaway Clan faction, the Steel Wolves - and Minister Elora Rimonova saw opportunity. She decided to claim what she saw as her bloodright as a Clan descendant and earn recognition from the Clans, resolving to seize control of Mirach and hand it over to Radick herself.

Elora tilted official media against Governor Sergio Ortega, agitating against the government and encouraging riots. At the same time, she built up influence over Legate Calvilena Tortorelli, commander of Mirach's main militia, manipulating him against Sergio as well. An assassin was tasked with eliminating threats to Elora, including reporter Hanna Leong and the governor's sons Dale and Austin; Hanna and Dale were killed in April 3133, while Austin escaped multiple attempts on his life. Persuading Sergio to merge his personal First Cossack Lancers into the main Mirach Home Guard seemed to eliminate one of the largest threats to her plan.

As Elora plotted, Sergio worked to protect himself. He built a close relationship with the Mirach Business Association, funding their leader's personal project and, via his agent Manfred Leclerc, helping them prepare their own force of armed IndustrialMechs. Once scattered through the Home Guard, his Lancers undermined the morale of Calvilena's forces.

Battle

On 3 May 3133, in the aftermath of a failed attempt to kill heir Austin Ortega, Elora and Calvilena launched their coup. While Elora's media spread false claims that both Radick and Aaron Sandoval had declared no confidence in Governor Ortega and that the Governor had concealed this, Tortorelli's Home Guard took custody of the Governor and restricted him to his office in the Palace of Facets - failing to strip him of all communiciations equipment. Elora's lies grew the next day, adding claims that the Mirach Business Association was consorting with Bannson's Raiders, that the HPGs were working again, and that Prefect Radick was urging Mirach's citizens via HPG to follow Tortorelli's orders.

The only formal military force on planet was officially under Tortorelli's command, but resistance stirred. The Mirach Business Association had its IndustrialMechs, and its head, communications mogul Marta Kinsolving, set her techs to work on countering and jamming Elora's broadcasts. On 7 May, the MBA received a special gift, one provided by official Sandoval envoy and covert Republic agent Jerome Parsons: a newly delivered Atlas and pilot. Meanwhile, some of the former First Cossack Lancers consolidated within the Palace guard, along with other Home Guard defectors. As well, Austin worked on restoring the sole BattleMech on Mirach at the start of the coup, Sergio's former Centurion, which sat mothballed in the Museum of Modern Mirach.

On 9 May, everyone made their moves. The Lancers secured the Palace. The Atlas entered the capital; under orders to minimize casualties, it found itself bogged down in Home Guard forces. That same day, Tortorelli ordered a set of tanks to bombard the Palace of Facets. Austin set out just in time to engage the vehicles, his Centurion soon joined by MBA IndustrialMechs. The tanks were cleared quickly, at the cost of the Centurion.

With the immediate threat to Governor Ortega's life dealt with, Austin moved on to a tactic in line with his pacifistic father's views: using MBA-provided equipment, he delivered an impassioned speech to the Home Guard calling for them to stand down. The unit's already weak morale having been damaged by its many ex-Lancer members, the Home Guard capitulated in its whole by 12 May. With over a hundred soldiers dead and the capital damaged, the coup attempt was over. Governor Ortega remained.

Aftermath

It took little time for Governor Ortega to decide on the fates of the coup leaders - the day the battle ended, he gave his orders. Elora was stripped of her post as Minister of Information and sent into exile on Mirach's moon Kuton. Meanwhile, to avoid unwanted attention from Prefect Kal Radick, Calvilena was allowed to continue as Legate, but only in name. Manfred Leclerc was tasked with taking over his duties as head of the planetary armed forces.

The Mirach Business Association's armed IndustrialMechs were transferred to the reconstituted First Cossack Lancers, Sergio conceding that the planet had substantial security needs. BattleMechs were a step too far for the pacifistic governor, though. The Governor ordered his Centurion to be restored before being returned to its place in the Museum of Modern Mirach.

Bibliography

• The Ruins of Power (novel)