The Longest Road

The Longest Road
Short story by Blaine Lee Pardoe
Publication
Published12 December 2004
PublisherBattleCorps
illustrator(s)Chris Lewis
Pages49
Chronology
EraCivil War era
Timeline29 December 3066 — 15 September 3067
Series
Archer Christifori series
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Operation Audacity 		  Arrright.svg 
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The Longest Road (subtitled "The Untold Story of Archer Christifori and Archer's Avengers") is a short story by Blaine Lee Pardoe that was first published online on BattleCorps on 12 December 2004. It was later republished in print in the first BattleCorps anthology The Corps in 2008.

The story concludes the series about Archer Christifori and his unit, Archer's Avengers, in the FedCom Civil War.

Teaser Text[edit]

“ Where was Archer? That was the question many people asked after the conclusion of the civil war novels. Fortunately, Blaine Pardoe has returned to Classic BattleTech, and in his first offering here on BattleCorps he brings Archer's Avengers in to the final battle on New Avalon where they always deserved to be. Enjoy! ”

Plot Summary[edit]

Archer Christifori and his command have arrived at New Avalon to join the final fight to depose Katherine Steiner-Davion. Prince Victor Steiner-Davion reconstitutes the First Thorin—Archer's Avengers—and orders them to refurbish and prepare for battle under the colors of the Outland Legion. Victor hopes to make his sister's intelligence believe Christifori would be in charge of an all-out attack when he is really only going to be a diversion on Avalon Island.

Although wary of a possible ruse, Katherine Steiner-Davion's commanders Simon Gallagher and Jackson Davion eventually decide that Christifori's attack on 24 March 3067 is the main assault, in part because of Katya Chaffee piloting a Dire Wolf (Daishi) painted to resemble that of Victor Steiner-Davion and Yen-Lo-Wang being deployed against a facility at Reamuth (though in reality piloted by Thomas Sherwood and not by Kai Allard-Liao). Believing her brother to have taken the field, Katherine Steiner-Davion assigns a headhunter lance to take out the Daishi. Eventually, both Christifori in his Penetrator and Chaffee in the Daishi are downed by the flood of enemies being thrown against them and they are both wounded, but they succeed in drawing enemy forces away from the real main assault that hits Avalon Island six hours later.

Following the fighting, the Avengers (who took 32% losses) are placed in the reserve by Victor Steiner-Davion, but Christifori insists to be "there at the end". His mauled Penetrator is patched up and he and members of his unit operate as an independent command in the battle for Davion Palace for weeks, free to include themselves in the fight as they see fit and thought to be used as a floating "firefighter" unit for troubleshooting wherever necessary.

When Katherine Steiner-Davion surrenders on 22 April 3067 (negotiated by Jackson Davion), it falls to Archer Christifori to come to her throne room with Jackson Davion and march the handcuffed Katherine Steiner-Davion off.

In a private ceremony back on Thorin on 15 September 3067, Christifori delivers a short speech to what remains of the Avengers and formally dismisses the regiment, although they remain listed as an active-duty unit for the time being.

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