Moving Forward

Moving Forward
Short story by Daniel Isberner
Publication
Published	13 September 2021
Published in	Shrapnel Issue 6
Publisher	Catalyst Game Labs
Pages	17
Chronology
Era	ilClan era
Timeline	12 April 3151 — 30 May 3151

Moving Forward is a short story by Daniel Isberner that was published in the sixth issue of Shrapnel.

Plot Summary

On 12 April 3151, Galaxy Commander Emmy Line, an officer of the Scorpion Empire, was leading a group of Omega Galaxy's warriors in capturing a group of pirates raiding the world Gateway. She faces the last pirate 'Mech, a Griffin, with her Rhino and defeats him. While the 'Mech is destroyed, the pilot is alive and they are also able to successfully capture the pirate DropShip intact. This is due to the Scorpions deducing they were from the Inner Sphere and wish to obtain any information on the realm after the HPG Blackout from interrogation and data analysis of any prisoners and DropShips captured intact.

Three days later, Emmy was overseeing the planet's administration, including the preparations for beginning the Star Python's production run. However, upon reading the deciphered pirate files provided by the local branch of the Clan Watch, she immediately started travelling to the capital of Braunschweig as the deciphered intelligence was important and sensitive enough to report it directly to the Khan away from the ears of the Preservers. Upon landing on Braunschweig on 13 May 3151, and meeting Star Colonel Peter Noye, she revealed to him some of the stunning news obtained from the pirates: Clan Nova Cat has been annihilated (a development their compatriots in Clan Sea Fox had declined to inform them of for unknown reasons), and Clan Wolf had mobilizing their entire touman for the invasion of Terra, while Clan Jade Falcon is not far behind. Intending to meet Khan Magon Scott personally, their vehicle traveled to the newly-built Clan Council Chamber, their car was immediately caught up in a massive explosion and she passed out.

Afterwards, she woke up and was informed by Khan Magon Scott of his intent to form the position of zarKhan to placate the civilians and to rally the Empire in the face of a future ilClan might become an enemy. Upon being told that she would be his proposed candidate as the only Hansa Freeborn to become a Galaxy Commander, Emmy reluctantly accepted and began preparing for the imminent Trial of Refusal expected by the Preservers. Khan Scott ensured that no Imperials would challenge Emmy's intent to become their candidate while the Preservers focused on preventing the reforms from occurring altogether. Khan Scott expected it and planned to to the serial Trials of Grievance they started to reduce the Preservers' numbers before the vote. Keeping some medics nearby to imply to observers she was still much weaker from her injuries in the bombing, she began facing multiple Trials of Grievance at the start of 29 May and was forced to kill a Preserver warrior in a Trial upon immediately exiting the hospital, albeit accidentally.

On the 30 May, at an ad hoc Grand Council session on Braunschweig at the planetary sports stadium, the final vote for the reforms was passed. The Preservers, unable to accept the outcome of the vote in favor, enacted a final Trial of Refusal. The same day, after Emmy was chosen, she and Peter faced two Elementals. She managed to make one fall in the Circle of Equals, but the other fatally wounded Peter and was killed in turn. Meanwhile, Khan Scott led his unit against Galaxy Commander Miros Baba's Command Trinary in the final part of the Trial. He successfully defeats his opponent in the ruins of an abandoned city. After Emmy is elected as zarKhan, her ceremonial inauguration is broadcasted across the Empire. In the midst of her speech, she informed the gathered warriors of the news that Clan Wolf had landed on Terra in competition with the Jade Falcons and how it may be already the ilClan. Declaring her intent on keeping their Clan's way of life unbound to outsiders, she rallied all present to unite in the face of any outside threats before getting applaus from the Imperials and also some Preservers.

Featured Characters

• Barin Myers
• Emmy Line
• Nele Line
• Magon Scott
• Homer Baba
• Miros Baba
• Peter Noye
• Enrique Noye

Featured Units

• Omega Galaxy

Featured Places

• Braunschweig
• Gateway
• Graystone (mentioned)
• Göttingen (mentioned)
• Terra (mentioned)

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• Griffin
• Rhino
• Daedalus (mentioned)
• Star Python (mentioned)

Vehicles

• Epona Pursuit Tank

Notes

• ^ As per 14 September 2021 Line Developer Ray Arrastia officially stated "that the first 3 time stamps [of the story] need to be later by two months" (i.e. 12 April, 15 April, and 13 May 3151)