Djinn of Despair is a novel-sized (based on page count) story by Kevin Killiany published as PDF downloads on BattleCorps in thirteen parts between 8 May and 19 June 2007. It is the direct sequel to the Dragons of Despair series. (Since the series' previous entries fall under BattleCorps's definition of short fiction, this story is categorized both as a novel and a short story.)
Plot Summary
Part 1
- Published on 8 May 2007
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Lex Atreus, Leftenant in the Florida Periphery March Militia. Missing, presumed dead, along with Leftenant Caradine. Together Atreus and Caradine are isolated from the PMM base, hurt, down to only one 50-ton 'Mech for both of them... and up against an outfit of unknown size and power. But more important than surviving is taking down the enemy. Kevin Killiany's sequel to "The Dragons of Despair" begins!
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Part 2
- Published on 11 May 2007
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MindMASC has been slowly spreading across the Inner Sphere over the last five years. But when the Eighth Lyran Regulars hear about it, they quickly put together the pieces and find where it's probably coming from. Now they're headed out after the source of this drug, trying to stop it before it claims any more lives than the thousands it already has...
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Part 3
- Published on 15 May 2007
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Lex would like to recon the enemy base further, get an idea of what she's facing, but she's out of time; Caradine's in bad shape and needs medical attention, fast. There's no fortifications, no armor, no obvious weapons emplacements. But her sensors can't tell her everything; they can't tell her what the situation is inside the base...
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Part 4
- Published on 18 May 2007
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Lex Atreus has made her way into the enemy base, carrying the unconscious Caradine with her. Infantry tactics aren't her forte—she's a MechWarrior, not a member of the PBI. But this is her only chance to help Caradine... perhaps more importantly, her only chance to find out just who's behind the opposition on Despair and what it is they're doing in this desolate jungle.
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Part 5
- Published on 22 May 2007
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The Eighth Lyran Regulars have jumped into the Despair system, and recieved the garrison's report on the deaths of Leftenants Atreus and Caradine—and on the pirates on Despair. Drug-hunting mission aside, the Regulars have a job to do: clear out the pirates on Despair. Meanwhile, Lex and Nick are left to investigate the pirate base she just captured... and figure out their next move.
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Part 6
- Published on 25 May 2007
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Not trusting the Florida PTM's report to tell him everything he needed to know, not after the weekend warriors' attitude towards the Eighth Lyran Regulars, Hauptmann Sardella of the Regulars is investigating the site of Atreus and Caradine's fight himself. Not surprisingly, the site doesn't match up with the situation posited in the report. If anything, it's worse than he'd thought...
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Part 7
- Published on 28 May 2007
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After treatment, Caradine is up and awake—and not happy. Lex disobeyed her orders, and came out on top through sheer luck. Still injured, she has no choice but to work with her fellow leftenant. They need to get their information—and their prisoner—back to the PMM as soon as possible. It's not just the jungles of Despair they need to defeat; there's more pirates, their base mere hours away...
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Part 8
- Published on 1 June 2007
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So far, Atreus and Caradine have made their way through the terrain of Despair without incident, even with Caradine's injuries. Unfortunately, that's about to change. The valley that was supposed to let them go around the tonners is now filled with them. The leftenants and Nick can only come up with one possible reason for their presence: a diversion. It can't be for just two 'Mechs—the pirates are hiding from something bigger.
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Part 9
- Published on 5 June 2007
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Sardella is in trouble. The pirate 'Mechs are in the area, and scanning with active sensors. There's no way he and Aldicott can stand up against assault 'Mechs in their mere medium-class machines. Ammunition full, armor depleted, the only way he'll make it out of the ambush alive is if he recieves a miracle...
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Part 10
- Published on 8 June 2007
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Following the tonners, Lex has time to go over the sensor readings of the pirate 'Mechs that stayed back from the battle. They don't track, and she quickly realizes why. Her competency further emphasized, Sardella questions Caradine about what really happened during the battle. Why is their reality so different from the report? And what are those pirate 'Mechs doing skulking about?
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Part 11
- Published on 12 June 2007
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Lex is in a race against time... and against the tonners. Now that the pirates' plan to deal with the meddlesome militia is clear, it's up to her to warn the base so they can counter the stampede with the rest of the Regulars' 'Mechs. But with four 'Mechs between her and them, it doesn't seem likely...
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Part 12
- Published on 15 June 2007
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Barely a month on Despair, and Lex is once again Dispossessed. Her 'Mech is blown to pieces, with no way to get replacement parts while in the Florida TTM. But even though her 'Mech is destroyed, the pirates finished, the militia and the Regulars still have matters to take care of before they can call it a day...
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Part 13
- Published on 19 June 2007
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"All's well that ends well—and Lex Atreus can't deny that her tenure on Despair ended well. Her 'Mech is fixed, her future bright... What happened to change everything around, to let Lex go from screwup to hero?
Kevin Killiany brings his ""Djinn of Despair"" saga to a close!"
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