Bad and Worse

Shrapnel Magazine 010 (Cover).jpg
Bad and Worse
Story information
Author Harvey Roberts
Type Short Story
Product Shrapnel Issue 10
Content
Era Succession Wars era
Timeline 3028 - 3039, 3049, 3057

Bad and Worse is a short story by Harvey Roberts that was published in the tenth issue of Shrapnel.

Plot summary

The story was a chronicle written on a Periphery planet called Homebase, by a pirate which called himself Bandit, in July of 3049.

Bandit was a Federated Suns soldier who fought his first battle during the invasion of the Capellan Confederation planet Liao during the Fourth Succession War. He was piloting a Commando BattleMech, and was knocked out at the beginning of the fighting by a Liao Rifleman. When he awakened, there was a squad of Liao infantry trying to open his cockpit. Despite having lost an arm on his 'Mech, he managed to make it up, scattering the infantry. After recovering his 'Mech's arm, he searched for his target, a militia command post. There he surprised three empty 'Mechs—a Cyclops, a Cicada and a Vindicator—managing to down them all and taking the post. After ending the battle, he was dubbed the One-Armed Bandit and considered a hero, received a Cicada and promoted to captain. He began drinking too much and fighting drunken brawls... until he killed a militia lieutenant, being dishonorably discharged and losing his 'Mech.

Bandit traveled to Galatea, but being dispossessed, he spent months searching for a job. Finally, a small unit named Hades Irregulars recruited him, giving him a barely functional Panther.

The unit traveled to a Periphery planet called Black Earth to protect a smelter. Soon they were attacked by an unnamed pirate gang, too much of a match for them. Their leader was killed, and the rest were forced to flee. Bandit's 'Mech, with him once again lacking an arm, was pursued by a Jenner and only managed to escape by felling a tree on it.

Bandit and the other two 'Mech survivors met up, waiting for the pirates to depart. Later, the mining company which had contracted them wasn't happy but still contracted them to protect the smelter.

Two months later, the same pirate group attacked the planet, and then the Irregulars, as they were no longer under contract, simple stayed out of the fight. A former Irregular, now with the pirates, contacted them with an offer to join the pirates, as he had done. Only Bandit accepted, turning pirate.

The pirates were a former mercenary group called Ralston's Raiders, led by a Colonel Ralston, which had settled on Homebase, which they protected. Several years later, Bandit was forced to kill one of his mates during a raid to prevent him killing civilians. This delayed buying an arm for his 'Mech, but also made him the Raiders' executive officer.

In 3049, Bandit was returning from a raid when Homebase was threatened by an unknown force calling themselves Clan Jade Falcon. Choosing to protect his people, Bandit agreed to fight the invaders, finishing his journal and sending it to his JumpShip before going to fight.

Eight years later, historian Misha Auburn finished reading the Bandit's journal. Investigating, she verified the history and identified the One-Arm Bandit as former captain Lawrence Dade. She knew that Dade's group were the first known Periphery forces to be attacked during the Clan Invasion. She wanted to publish Dade's memories in the Nagelring Journal of Military History.

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