One Thousand
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| |
| One Thousand | |
|---|---|
| Story information | |
| Author | Rob Schubert |
| Type | Short Story |
| Product | Shrapnel Issue 12 |
| Content | |
| Era | Dark Age era |
| Timeline | 2-3 September 3128 |
One Thousand is a short story by Rob Schubert that was published in the twelfth issue of Shrapnel.
Plot summary[edit]
In 3128, the Second Donegal Guards were stationed on Kandersteg while they prepared for a ceremony commemorating their millennial anniversary. Hauptmann Greta Wellington was assigned a role setting up displayed BattleMechs for a speech commemorating the unit's anniversary, which would be given by a number of visiting dignitaries and the unit's CO, Leutnant-General Arnaud Zardetto. That evening, Wellington arrived at a pre-anniversary celebration, where she met two of her close friends: fellow Hauptmanns Naseem Mehyar and Greydon Brewer-Shaw.[1]
After Wellington's arrival, the three of them began privately mocking Hauptmann-General Fredrick Hogarth, which caught the eye of Donegal Broadcasting Company Reporter K. Madeline Schroeder. After Schroeder won their trust by promising to keep this a secret between them, Greta suggested the reporter could accompany her in the parade by riding in Greta's Gauntlet, which held a prominent place in the event. They agreed and met the next day.[1]
When Clan Jade Falcon attacked the anniversary event, Greta immediately moved to intercept, forming an ad hoc lance with her friends and a Caesar pilot. Mehyar took the lead, challenging a Koshi pilot to a duel, but was ignored. As they focused fire on Brewer's Thunder Hawk, Wellington realized that the use of Star League colors and insignia at the event was provoking the Clan attackers in the same way that it had during Operation BULLDOG. Fortunately, Brewer's well-armored 'Mech sustained the fire and immediately destroyed one attacker.[1]
The rest of the lance attempted to draw fire off of Brewer, the only unit in the lance painted in SLDF colors. Shortly after she downed a Koshi gunning for Brewer, Wellington was killed by a Thor. One of its cluster munitions struck a weak point in her canopy's armor, mortally wounding her. Mehyar moved his Griffin to protect her from an oncoming Cougar, not realizing its pilot was dead.[1]
Inside the Gauntlet, Schroeder had been knocked unconscious in the fall, and found herself unable to reach the canopy hatch when she regained consciousness. An Elemental began to breach the cockpit, but turned out to not be a Jade Falcon, but rather Exiled Wolf Khan Patrik Fetladral. Though he told her to stay put and wait for rescue, Maddie recognized the 'Mech belonging to the Guards' commander, Arnaud Zardetto, and went to confront him.[1]
Demanding an explanation from the officer, Zardetto told her that he had orders from the highest echelons that the event go on as originally planned, and that he had attempted to minimize casualties wherever possible. When she said she would fight the narrative that the Commonwealth was putting out about the event, Zardetto told her that the Archon was extremely interested in the contents of her story. He offered her his card, and while she wanted to decline, the fear of being retaliated against by such a powerful figure led her to accept the implied collaboration.[1]
Featured characters[edit]
- Greydon Brewer-Shaw
- Patrik Fetladral
- Fredrick Hogarth
- Naseem Mehyar
- K. Madeline Schroeder
- Claudia Steiner
- Friedrich Steiner
- Greta Wellington
- Arnaud Zardetto