Editing Contested Dreams
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Line 24: }} }} '''''Contested Dreams''''', subtitled ''A MechWarrior 5 Origins Series Story, Installment 4'', is an original [[BattleTech]] [[novella]] penned by [[Randall N. Bills]], offered as a free tie-in product supporting the ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' computer game. '''''Contested Dreams''''', subtitled ''A MechWarrior 5 Origins Series Story, Installment 4'', is an original [[BattleTech]] [[novella]] penned by [[Randall N. Bills]], offered as a free tie-in product supporting the ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' computer game. − + It was originally released in electronic format on 29 November 2019, before being also included in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the game's launch. The novella was later re-released as part of ''[[The Mercenary Life]]'' anthology released 12 April 2021, with an additional author postscript. It was originally released in electronic format on 29 November 2019, before being also included in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the game's launch. The novella was later re-released as part of ''[[The Mercenary Life]]'' anthology released 12 April 2021, with an additional author postscript. ==Plot summary== ==Plot summary== − After years of high-paying hazardous deployments with the [[Eridani Light Horse]] against [[House Kurita|Houses Kurita]] and [[House Liao|Liao]] along with some astute financial investments, Chloe Reed has secured a nest egg to fulfill her dream of her very own [[mercenary unit]]. Convincing Nikolai, Dawson, and Ryana to follow her, all four travel to the [[Mercenary's Star (hiring hall)|Mercenary's Star]] of Galatea to incorporate the [[Chloe's Cavaliers]] with the [[ComStar]] [[Mercenary Review Board]] and announce they are available for immediate hire. + After years of high-paying hazardous deployments with the [[Eridani Light Horse]] against [[House Kurita|Houses Kurita]] and [[House Liao|Liao]] along with some astute financial investments, Chloe Reed has secured a nest egg to fulfill her dream of her very own [[mercenary unit]]. Convincing Nikolai, Dawson and Ryana to follow her, all four travel to the [[Mercenary's Star]] of Galatea to formally incorporate the [[Chloe's Cavaliers]] with the [[ComStar]] [[Mercenary Review Board]] and announce they are available for immediate hire. − Their initial high-spirits give way to dejection as the reality of being untested new unit take hold and the months drag on. Chloe focuses on filling holes in the Cavalier's operations and technical staff as much as saving kindred spirits from becoming despondent and broken, [[contractless]], worried such a fate may await her too. Dawson tests and reviews utterly lackluster [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] recruits as an excuse to get back in the cockpit and avoid spending ever more increasing time in the dives and illegal card games of the planet's underworld. Ryana struggles to keep her emotions in check as she constantly reviews and rejects contracts of a suitable size for the Cavaliers that would leave them bankrupt or worse, even if completed successfully. + Their initial high-spirits give way to dejection as the reality of being untested new unit take hold and the months drag on. Chloe focuses on filling holes in the Cavalier's operations and technical staff as much as saving kindred spirits from becoming despondent and broken [[Contractless]], worried such a fate may await her too. Dawson tests and reviews utterly lackluster [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] recruits as an excuse to get back in the cockpit and avoid spending ever more increasing time in the dives and illegal card games of the planet's underworld. Ryana struggles to keep her emotions in check as she constantly reviews and rejects contracts of a suitable size for the Cavaliers that would leave them bankrupt or worse even if completed successfully. − With the quartet's malaise increasing, a desperate Nikolai breaks his promise to Chloe and uses his underworld contact to seek out non-MRB sanctioned contracts. Angry that he broke her demand that the Cavaliers would only ever entertain above board contracts, Nikolai finds Ryana surprisingly agreeing with him and convincing Chloe that it's either this or giving up their dream. Realizing he is right, Chloe is amused and shocked when Nikolai announces the contract he found is from Sebastian Spears of [[Interstellar Expeditions]], discussing Ryana and her bizarre encounter with the man back on Hesperus. With their very first contract finally in hand, the Cavaliers prepare for the future. + With the quartets malaise increasing, a desperate Nikolai breaks his promise to Chloe and uses his underworld contact to seek out non-MRB sanctioned contracts. Angry that he broke her demand that the Cavaliers would only ever entertain above board contracts, Nikolai finds Ryana surprisingly agreeing with him and convincing Chloe that its either this or giving up their dream. Realizing he is right, Chloe is amused and shocked when Nikolai announces the contract he found is from Sebastian Spears of [[Interstellar Expeditions]], discussing Ryana and her bizarre encounter with the man back on Hesperus. With their very first contract finally in hand, the Cavaliers prepare for the future. ==Featured Characters== ==Featured Characters== Line 64:
Line 64: * [[Hesperus II]] (mentioned) * [[Hesperus II]] (mentioned) * [[Ruschegg]] (mentioned) * [[Ruschegg]] (mentioned) − [[Category:Short Stories]] [[Category:Short Stories]] [[Category:Works by Randall N. Bills]] [[Category:Works by Randall N. Bills]]
The edit can be undone. Please check the comparison below to verify that this is what you want to do, and then save the changes below to finish undoing the edit.
| Latest revision | Your text | ||
| Line 7: | Line 7: | ||
| primarywriting = | | primarywriting = | ||
| pages = | | pages = | ||
| − | | cover = [[David Kerber]] | + | | cover = [[David Kerber]] |
| interiorart = | | interiorart = | ||
| illustrations = | | illustrations = | ||
| Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''''Contested Dreams''''', subtitled ''A MechWarrior 5 Origins Series Story, Installment 4'', is an original [[BattleTech]] [[novella]] penned by [[Randall N. Bills]], offered as a free tie-in product supporting the ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' computer game. | '''''Contested Dreams''''', subtitled ''A MechWarrior 5 Origins Series Story, Installment 4'', is an original [[BattleTech]] [[novella]] penned by [[Randall N. Bills]], offered as a free tie-in product supporting the ''[[MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries]]'' computer game. | ||
| − | + | ||
It was originally released in electronic format on 29 November 2019, before being also included in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the game's launch. The novella was later re-released as part of ''[[The Mercenary Life]]'' anthology released 12 April 2021, with an additional author postscript. | It was originally released in electronic format on 29 November 2019, before being also included in an electronic omnibus collection on 12 December 2019, two days after the game's launch. The novella was later re-released as part of ''[[The Mercenary Life]]'' anthology released 12 April 2021, with an additional author postscript. | ||
==Plot summary== | ==Plot summary== | ||
| − | After years of high-paying hazardous deployments with the [[Eridani Light Horse]] against [[House Kurita|Houses Kurita]] and [[House Liao|Liao]] along with some astute financial investments, Chloe Reed has secured a nest egg to fulfill her dream of her very own [[mercenary unit]]. Convincing Nikolai, Dawson | + | After years of high-paying hazardous deployments with the [[Eridani Light Horse]] against [[House Kurita|Houses Kurita]] and [[House Liao|Liao]] along with some astute financial investments, Chloe Reed has secured a nest egg to fulfill her dream of her very own [[mercenary unit]]. Convincing Nikolai, Dawson and Ryana to follow her, all four travel to the [[Mercenary's Star]] of Galatea to formally incorporate the [[Chloe's Cavaliers]] with the [[ComStar]] [[Mercenary Review Board]] and announce they are available for immediate hire. |
| − | Their initial high-spirits give way to dejection as the reality of being untested new unit take hold and the months drag on. Chloe focuses on filling holes in the Cavalier's operations and technical staff as much as saving kindred spirits from becoming despondent and broken | + | Their initial high-spirits give way to dejection as the reality of being untested new unit take hold and the months drag on. Chloe focuses on filling holes in the Cavalier's operations and technical staff as much as saving kindred spirits from becoming despondent and broken [[Contractless]], worried such a fate may await her too. Dawson tests and reviews utterly lackluster [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] recruits as an excuse to get back in the cockpit and avoid spending ever more increasing time in the dives and illegal card games of the planet's underworld. Ryana struggles to keep her emotions in check as she constantly reviews and rejects contracts of a suitable size for the Cavaliers that would leave them bankrupt or worse even if completed successfully. |
| − | With the | + | With the quartets malaise increasing, a desperate Nikolai breaks his promise to Chloe and uses his underworld contact to seek out non-MRB sanctioned contracts. Angry that he broke her demand that the Cavaliers would only ever entertain above board contracts, Nikolai finds Ryana surprisingly agreeing with him and convincing Chloe that its either this or giving up their dream. Realizing he is right, Chloe is amused and shocked when Nikolai announces the contract he found is from Sebastian Spears of [[Interstellar Expeditions]], discussing Ryana and her bizarre encounter with the man back on Hesperus. With their very first contract finally in hand, the Cavaliers prepare for the future. |
==Featured Characters== | ==Featured Characters== | ||
| Line 64: | Line 64: | ||
* [[Hesperus II]] (mentioned) | * [[Hesperus II]] (mentioned) | ||
* [[Ruschegg]] (mentioned) | * [[Ruschegg]] (mentioned) | ||
| − | |||
[[Category:Short Stories]] | [[Category:Short Stories]] | ||
[[Category:Works by Randall N. Bills]] | [[Category:Works by Randall N. Bills]] | ||