Editing The Sun Will Rise

{{InfoBoxProduct
| image               = 
| name                = 
| type                = [[Novella]]
| author              = [[Randall N. Bills]]
| development         = 
| primarywriting      = 
| pages               = 
| cover               = 
| interiorart         = 
| illustrations       = 
| publisher           = [[Catalyst Game Labs]]
| productioncode      = 
| year                = 13 April 2021
| ISBN10              = 
| ISBN13              = 
| MSRP                = 
| content             = 
| era                 = [[Succession Wars era]]
| timeline            = 27 October [[3013]] - 27 May [[3014]]
| series              = [[The Mercenary Life]]
| precededby          = [[Obligation's Forge]]
| followedby          = 
}}
'''''The Sun Will Rise''''' is an original [[BattleTech]] [[novella]] penned by [[Randall N. Bills]]. The story is a direct continuation of the eight stories of the ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' tie-in series ''MechWarrior 5: Origins'', exclusive to ''[[The Mercenary Life]]'' anthology released in electronic format and Print on Demand on 13 April 2021.

==Plot summary==
On Irian Sebastian Spears receives word of the death of Chloe Reed, unexpectedly bringing him to tears. Feeling obligated to the Cavaliers but recognizing that Nikolai blames him for the Chloe's death, Spears chooses an indirect method to repay the debt he feels he owes her. As the Cavaliers lick their wounds after Malloy's World, Nikolai struggles with taking over full command of the unit and the death of his wife. Ryana's attempt at tough love gets unexpected aid when they discover a surprising and exceedingly generous contract to assist a major [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] offensive against Halstead Station. With Spears' fingerprints far too oblivious, an angry Nikolai resists until Ryana points out refusing they risk giving up Chloe's dream.

On December 23rd as the combined Federated Suns and mercenary forces on Addicks prepare to depart, Spears attends the early Christmas Eve party for the Davion military forces with fellow [[Interstellar Expeditions]] member Countess Alexa McCorkendale. As the pair both recognize that their selfish focus on IE prevents them from either having the passionate love that First Prince Davion feels for Dana Stephenson, they discuss the Cavaliers involvement in the mission to try and secure even a fraction of the rumored [[Star League]] library for Interstellar Expeditions is worth the risk.

Landing with elements of the [[Crater Cobras]], officially the Cavaliers are charged with behind the line raiding to provide openings for the AFFS forces to the hammer defending [[Ninth Dieron Regulars]] but secretly to try and access the library. The plan quickly unravels after the discovery of larger than expected Kurita defenders on-world and the arrival of the [[Coordinator]] Takashi Kurita himself. Six weeks of brutal fighting ensue as the Cavaliers and the rest of the mercenaries take increasing losses as they aid the Davion forces to claim the First Prince's goal, the hidden books that will make the [[New Avalon Institute of Science]] possible. Nikolai exalts in the Cavaliers continued survival and proof they have recovered from Chloe's death.

On De Berry Spears personally bestows to Nikolai the rights to a landhold upon the world for the Cavaliers to call home, their contract bonus despite the fact they never came close to even getting a glimpse of the Star League library. Uncomfortable, Nikolai questions why Spears would be so generous and why he came in person, leading the older man to comment that he would be dishonoring Chloe's memory if he had not. Both reflect upon the positive impact Chloe Reed had on the lives of so many others as they separate as unlikely friends.

==Featured Characters==
* Beth (mentioned)
* [[Ran Felsner]]
* [[Dana Stephenson]]
* Duke [[Aleksandr McCorkendale]] (mentioned)
* Countess [[Alexa McCorkendale]]
* [[Ardan Sortek]]
* Major Barnes
* [[Elaine Masters]] (mentioned)
* [[Wilhelm Mouttheim]] (mentioned)
* First Prince [[Hanse Davion]]
* [[Nikolai Mason]]
* [[Ryana Campbell]]
* [[Sebastian Spears]]
* [[Brooklynn Jales]] (mentioned)
* [[Chloe Reed]] (mentioned)
* [[Ian Davion (31st c.)|Ian Davion]] (mentioned)

==Featured BattleTech==
===BattleMechs===
* [[Atlas (BattleMech)|''Atlas'']] (mentioned)
* ''[[Catapult]]''
* ''[[Commando]]''
* ''[[Dragon]]''
* ''[[Quickdraw]]''
* ''[[Shadow Hawk]]''

===JumpShips===
* ''[[Merchant]]''-class [[JumpShip]]

===DropShips===
* ''[[Overlord]]''-class.
* ''[[Union]]''-class [[DropShip]] ''[[King's Bounty]]''

==Featured Places==
* [[Addicks]]
* [[De Berry]]
* [[Galatia III]]
* [[Galatea]] (mentioned)
* [[Halstead Station]]
* [[Hesperus II]] (mentioned)
* [[Irian]]
* [[New Avalon]] (mentioned)

==Notes==
* ''The Sun Will Rise'' references and integrates with the [[BattleCorps]] story ''[[Irreplaceable]]'' by [[Jason Hansa]], most notably featuring the appearance of Interstellar Expeditions members Sebastian Spears and Alexa McCorkendale at the December 23rd Christmas Ball as a direct corollary to the events of Hansa's work.
*Much like this 2021 story is an expansion upon the original 2019 stories of ''MechWarrior 5: Origins'', the ''MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries'' DLC expansion ''[[Legend of the Kestrel Lancers]]'' references the events of this story, with the Federated Suns hiring [[Jake Mason|Nikolai's son's successor unit]] serve in [[Operation GALAHAD]] largely based off the Cavaliers' sterling performance in this story.


[[Category:Short Stories]]
[[Category:Works by Randall N. Bills]]