Karma

Karma, by Bernard Craw, is a German-language BattleTech novel. It describes an unauthorized raid by forces from the Free World League's Duchy of Andurien against the Capellan world of Niomede at the onset of the Fourth Succession War.

Overview

The novel provides very detailed information about the planet Niomede-4 and its unusual civilisation which combines typical Capellan tenets with unique local concerns such as the Worm Cult, a local religion centering around the planet and its native lifeforms, the Niomede Worms. It also explores the technological and cultural implications of life in an underground civilisation living in terraformed caverns, and the special characteristics of combat on the surface of the airless planet and within the cavern cities.

A large number of characters is introduced on both sides of the conflict; the story lacks true "villains" in the sense that all parties act sensible and with an understandable motivation.

Canonicity

Written in German and exclusively published in that language so far, Karma does not meet the current criteria for Canon in the BattleTech universe.

The author himself stated on the CBT Forums that the story was thoroughly checked for compliance with establised canon and continuity prior to publication, and therefore it should not have canonicity issues with any previously published works. Subsequent (canonical) BattleTech publications are not checked for compliance against this novel, however, and would overrule it in the case of conflicting information.

From the back cover (translated from German)

“

The vacuum world of Niomede-4 travels along its path in the light of a blue giant star. In 3028, the 3rd Defenders of Andurien seize the window of opportunity to execute a raid on this seemingly unimportant world on the Capellan Confederation's rim in the shadow of the Fourth Succession War. But whatevertheir target might be: First they must overcome a company of the legendary Warrior House Kamata. And the planetary 'Mech lance that nobody took into accout may yet tip the scales of destiny...

”

Plot Summary

In an entry to his diary dating 15 August 3028, Company Leader Hong Wen Zien of Warrior House Kamata muses about possible reasons why he was posted to Niomede, a world he resents, and about what it means to be a Warrior.

On 30 August 3028 Tiun Kuan, a SAFE agent posing as a meteorite prospector, returns to the capital city of Bram-Ze with his team after an unsuccessful sortie to stake a claim to a recent asteroid impact site on the planet's airless surface. Back in the city, they learn that the Fourth Succession War broke out ten days ago.

On the planet Shiro III in the Duchy of Andurien, Lieutenant General Menlo Drews meets with his daughter Vela on 31 August 3028. Unfit for MechWarrior training due to a birth defect, she joined the intelligence branch instead and has risen to the rank of Colonel in in SAFE. Menlo Drews, loyal to the Duchy far more than to the Free Worlds League, is highly critical of the Concord of Kapteyn which he describes as "a paranoid, a coward and a runner amok teaming up"; In his opinion, House Liao is bound to go down and drag Houses Marik and Kurita down with it. Acting without sanction from Dame Catherine Humphreys of Andurien who is on the return voyage from the Davion/Steiner wedding on Terra, Drews hopes to undo the Concord and provoke an attack by the Capellan Confederation through a commando strike at a research facility on Niomede that one of his daughter's agents revealed to exist. Skribtschak's 'Mech battalion of Drews' regiment, the 3rd Defenders of Andurien, has just finished maneuvers on Sadurni and is ready to jump out shortly, provided that Vela's spy on Niomede can provide data for a suitable pirate jump point.

On 18 September, the reluctant SAFE agent on Niomede, Tiun Kuan, forces his girlfried Ju Tang at gunpoint to provide navigation data for Pirate Jump Points, as per his orders. Gion Zeng interrupts them and Kuan flees the scene with the jump data printouts.

Three days later, MechWarrior Jen Xiao discusses his sister Goda with his girlfried Meh. He fears that Goda's political activities will get her in trouble, but Meh reasons that his fame will protect her. When Jen speaks about his dream of leaving Niomede, Meh gives him a self-made silver star amulet engraved with the word "Love". Later, in a joint training exercise with the Warrior House troops, Commander Niu Doun, offended by how the Warrior House troops look down on the Niomede Lance under his command, challenges them to hand-to-hand combat with wooden swords and spears. Wen Zien announces that he regards them as parade soldiers, not as warriors, and challenges the Niomede Lance to fight Te Kung who proceeds to defeat all four opponents simultaneously. However, when she spits on the ground before them, Wen Zien harshly calls her to order and she humbly apologizes for her disrespect.

On the following day (22 September), a FWL JumpShip appears between the third and fourth orbit around the Niomede sun and deploys three Union-class DropShips. Aboard the invaders' flagship Zinne ("Pinnacle" or "Battlement"), Major Karla Skribtschak confers with her company commanders. Flag Captain Eric Batton complains that they had insufficient vacuum training, but Flag Captain Pavel Padura dismisses this, pointing out that the cavern cities are pressurized. Lieutenant Commander Patrick Hens, the aerospace commander, announces that his Stingray flight will easily be able to neutralize any surface targets on this vaccum world but will be of little use once combat moves underground. As the agent on the planet has not yet reported the exact location of the secret lab, they plan to attack one city after another in search for it yet agree that they must act quickly before Capellan reinforcements can arrive.

While eavesdropping on members of the scientist caste to find out the location of the secret lab, Tiun Kuan is recognized in a bar by Ju Tang and arrested on 23 September. However, when he is brought before Refrector Yü and the assembled military leaders, Yü deducts from the available information that Tiun Kuan, who has not seriously harmed a Capellan citizen so far, must be a Maskirovka agent working undercover. Kuan plays along, but Jen is not convinced. During the hearing it is revealed that DropShip are inbound, and a radio message from Major Skribtschak is received where she advises the Capellans to surrender to her battalion. Yü reveals the existence of the secret lab, of which only the Kamata MechWarriors were previously unaware, and indicates that he would prefer to minimize damage by surrendering the lab to the attackers. Hong Wen Zien announces that this is not an option, and an argument ensues. When Refrector Yü points out that he represents the Capellan Chancellor on Niomede and moves to answer the radio and negotiate a surrender, Wen Zien draws his sword and nails Yü's hand to the desk with it. In the ensuing commotion, Kuan disarms a guard and escapes.

When he realizes that Kuan is missing, Jen deducts that the spy will attempt to sabotage the planet's missile batteries which he can only hope to achieve at the control center below the observatory. He tries to quickly get there by public transport from the Refrector's palace without causing a panic among the population; owing to his fame, he has to give autograms on the way. When he finally arrives at the observatory he meets Ju Tang and urges her to bring him to the fire control room where he learns that a third inbound DropShip has been spotted. At that point Tiun Kuan enters, armed with a pistol while Jen finds he had to surrender his sidearm when he was admitted into the palace earlier. Kuan shoots the fire control computer, then leaves, but Ju Tang announces that they still have a day until the ships arrive and that she has an idea.

The three Unions arrive as predicted and prepare to land, escorted by their Stingray aerospace fighters. Lured into attacking a 'Mech lance through weak AA fire, the fighters run into unexpected curtain fire from the missile batteries. The Zinne is damaged by the sudden intense fire, losing a thruster, and four out of six Stingrays are destroyed with at least one of the remaining two suffering heavy damage. Once on the ground, however, the DropShips are too low to be targeted by the batteries, and deploy their 'Mechs.

Later on the same day, Ju Tang is nominated to receive a commendation for jury-rigging an air defense by linking asteroid spotting systems. The ceremony is presided over by Hong Wen Zien. According to the official stance he now represents Refrector Yü, who was injured in an "accident", on his request. After the ceremony, the Capellan officers confer with each other and Wen Zien admits that the loss of the enemy aerospace fighters will not have any impact on the battle in the caves; it is merely useful as a morale boost for the population who is largely unaware of the true situation. Wen Zien's battle plan is for the Niomede Lance to deploy their three Hermes II as baits, to lure the attackers into ambushes by Warrior House troops. Commander Doun objects to this plan and reveals that the Hermes II's advanced avionics allowed for a modification that links them to a grid of sensors around the cities. The Niomede Lance can use data form this sensor grid to cancel out interference from the ore deposits in the rock, giving their 'Mechs a superior sensor performance that amounts to the effects of a lostech Beagle Probe while all other 'Mechs suffer reduced sensor range. Wen Zien is initially angry that he was not told of this beforehand, but humbly acknowledges his mistake when Doun points out that he never bothered to ask about the Niomede Lance's capabilities.

On 25 September, "Long Jopp" leads his scout lance across the rocky surface, bombarded by the sun's bright blue light and hard radiation, and notes the extreme temperature in direct sunlight which alone threatens to overheat his 'Mechs. He is unhappy to find that this, combined with the high metal content in the local rock, renders most 'Mech sensors useless, necessitating a visual reconnaissance run. Ordered to keep radio silence and a low profile, they bypass a missile battery (which cannot engange targets on ground level) and a six-wheeled Capellan scout vehicle, and proceed into the Taucherschlucht ("Diver's Gorge") where the entrance to Bram-Ze is located. They find defending 'Mechs constructing a barricade. Five hours later the greater part of the battalion stages a frontal assault. Warrior House Kamata mounts a dogged defense, but is slowly pushed back towards the city gates where infantry in space suits and the Niomede Lance have prepared an ambush involving demolition charges in the chasm's walls, to cover the retreat of the Capellan forces. It is the first combat for the three Hermes II of the Niomede Lance. In the face of the enemy, Commander Doun freezes in panic, then simply walks back to the city. MechWarrior Kato Dschi is swarmed by Locusts and dies when the reactor of his Hermes II goes critical. Jen sees how an enemy Orion detects the cable for the detonation charges, and cuts it with a laser. In desperation he attacks the much heavier 'Mech and covers its head in flaming gel from his flamer. This causes the enemy pilot to eject in panic, subsequently killing him in the vaccum. Jen uses his 'Mech's hand to re-connect the cable and the defenders detonate the charges. This buries several attacking 'Mechs and allows the defenders to retreat behind the city's impregnable airlock.

Goda Dscheng returns from a deep mining operation with a container full of Niomede Worms. Appalled by the living conditions of the Servitor castemen working in the mines, she muses about her own position but when she arrives back in the city proper she finds the population celebrating their victory over the attackers. Militia officer Chawen Xiao, Jen's 65-year-old father, is proud of his son's accomplishments as a MechWarrior, but also remembers that over 100 infantrymen died. Meanwhile, Jen seeks out his friend, commander and former idol Niu Doun who explains to him how he suddenly realized that the enemy would shoot back, trying to kill him, and how he wanted to see his children grow up. In his words, his wife married a hero and is now married to a coward; Doun cannot forgive himself. Later Hong Wen Zien invites Jen to meditate with the Warrior House troops. Wen Zien explains that the Niomede Lance were shunned because of the bad Karma of their 'Mechs: The Hermes II, a model exclusively built in the Free Worlds League, were captured without a fight when their previous owners surrendered them on Ipswich. Doun was overcome by the bad Karma, while Jen proved stronger and became a warrior. Jen and Private Li Ewuon, who gets to pilot Doun's 'Mech, are ordered to go to the rundown mining city of Wa-L-Sum, where the laboratory is hidden, and evacuate the scientists while House Kamata buys time by defending Bram-Ze.

Over the next days, the attacking forces decide that they must take the capital to deactivate the space defense system and allow their DropShips to leave safely. Two officers announce that they regard breaking through the airlock as a war crime and would not follow such an order, and Skribtschak sends them to occupy the spaceport of E-Pe instead.

The remains of Kato Dschi are "brought to the caves" (interred) in a ceremony on 28 September where it falls to Jen to deliver a funeral eulogy for his fallen lancemate. Afterwards, he and Ju Tang are guests in a talk show where they are hyped as war heroes to boost morale. After the show, they spontaneously make love in the cloak room where they are surprised by Jen's girlfriend Meh.

On 29 September, Skribtschak's battalion is given access to the city after the warring factions arrange for a no-fire zone at the city airlock, elevators and entrance area to prevent damage to the irreplaceable Star League constructs which are vital to the city's survival. Initially awed by the huge cave system with its artificial daylight and ecosystem, they soon wind up in bloody urban fighting and slowly seize control of the city. On the second day of the fighting, civilians are moved to the safety of the outer burial caves and Niu Doun separates from his family. He comes upon the grave of Kato Dschi and watches as the Locusts cause a bloodbath among the militia led by Chawen Xiao, explaining the battle to a bystander that happens to be Ju Tang. They come to briefly discuss their respective roles - he failed to act when he had a chance, she craves to act but has no function besides hollow representation. Inspired by Doun, she rallies the militia in her bright yellow dress, waving a Liao flag and leading them against the 'Mechs. Chawen unsuccessfully tries to reason her out of it. Then an earthquake hits the city, not an unusual occurrence but under the circumstances a morale boost for the defenders. Ju Tang declares this to be a sign of support by the Worms and leads the charge on in religious fervor. Hong Wen Zien's Catapult is downed, killing him; Ju Tang is shot by a 'Mech laser from Major Skribtschak's Orion when she cluelessly attacks it with what turns out to be a fire extinguisher.

Jen and Li are sent on their mission, which involves being shuttled to Wa-L-Sum within an hour in the Silberstreif, a Silic Mining asteroid mining vessel piloted by Goda. Their Hermes II are stowed away in the cargo hold.

On 1 October, Bram-Ze surrenders to Major Skribtschak who coerces Refrector Yü to reveal the exact position of the secret lab to her. She also seeks to appease the civilian population and orders medical assistance be issued. The scorched body of Ju Tang, still alive, is brought to a hospital to be stabilized. Meanwhile at Wa-L-Sum, the scientists in their hidden laboratory are largely oblivious to the dangerous situation while the 'Mech of Li Ewuon delays the rescue mission because of a vacuum leak freezing up a leg. Jen, Li and Goda spend many hours frantically trying to localize the hole and fix the 'Mech. Flag Captain Batton is tasked with hunting down Kamata 'Mechs that have withdrawn into the mining tunnels, still genuinely trying to avoid unneccessary deaths.

The lack of tunnels large enough for an asteroid miner to land means that Jen and Li have to walk their 'Mechs into Wa-L-Sum across the airless surface. When they approach the airlocks on 2 October, they are enthusiastically greeted and learn that an uprising is going on in Wa-L-Sum - the Servitors are revolting, besieging the citizenry in the administration quarter. On their way to the secret laboratory they cannot avoid getting involved in the conflict, and Jen has to kill numerous rioters to save the lives of a group of militia. Then he learns over the radio that ten enemy 'Mechs are approaching Wa-L-Sum, threatening to blast open the airlock. Meanwhile, the scientists have realized their predicament and prepare to evacuate their facility via their own surface lifts. Gion Zeng, the young scientific genius, decides that he should use this opportunity to escape Professor Honime Duao, who stole his results and presented them as her own. Setting up a dummy with worthless data crystals in his stead, he stays back while the other scientists escape and hitches a ride aboard Jen Xiao's Hermes II. However, the pursuing Locusts corner them near the exit and Jen and Li have to fight their way to the surface. There, unexpected support from Kamata 'Mechs under the command of Te Kung results in a standoff. After Jen explains the situation to her, Te Kung agrees to a cease-fire, surrendering the fleeing scientists to the League troops. Immediately afterwards, Te Kung orders Jen to board the asteroid miner and make for a Capellan JumpShip to rescue Gion Zeng.

On the next day, Tiun Kuan attends a public speech by Refrector Yü. He cannot stop to think about Ju Teng. Niu Doun then adresses the crowd and delivers a religous sermon about the Worm Cult and that her survival proves Ju Teng to be their avatar. Despite, or perhaps because of, his special pariah status, his speech is met with great emotion. People flock to his words and he is established as a prophet.

Major Capellan Confederation characters

• Commander Niu Doun - The proud commander of the planetary 'Mech lance on Niomede-4 likes to butt heads with Company Leader Wen Zien over the percieved disrespect for his unit. He is a local celebrity until he suffers a nervous breakdown in his first real combat situation. Guilt-ridden, and scorned or ignored by the public henceforward, he is treated like thin air by everybody to the point of never being officially discharged from the military. A pariah fortwith, he finds solace in the Worm Cult religion and becomes a charismatic prophet of the Ash Witch.

• Goda Dscheng - Resenting the Capellan caste system which amounts to slavery for the Servitor caste, Jen Xiao's sister barely passed her philosophical exam, narrowly avoiding the fate of a Servita herself. She still performs as a subversive underground poet in her spare time. Yet she has also come to realize that her skills may grant herself, her husband and their young daughter a comfortable life in Capellan society. Working as an executive for Niom-Silic, the local subsidiary of Silicom Mining, she loves her scientific work on Niomede and declined a promotion because she would have had to leave Niomede for the corporate headquarters on Principia.

• Subcommander Kato Dschi - As a MechWarrior in the Niomede Lance, he made extensive use of the privileges of his position and positively approved of the Capellan caste system. Killed in battle because Commander Doun abandoned his post.

• Professor Honime Duao - Overrated elderly scientist who became famous in her youth, but has since devoted her life to grooming her reputation instead of advancing her scientific work. Overseeing the secret research project on Niomede IV, she does not actually contribute anything to the work and remains oblivious of the fact that she is acutally more of a hindrance. She considering herself indispensable and presents Gideon Zeng's groundbreaking private work as results from her research group to further her own fame. Her grip on reality may be waning, as indicated by her repeatedly asking her captors what year it is.

• Private Li Ewuon - The fourth member in Niomede's planetary "lance", she is a fully trained replacement MechWarrior and gets to pilot Niu Doun's HER-2M Hermes II (Mercury variant) after he walks away from his position following the first battle. She provides valuable support to Jen Xiao in later battles.

• Tiun Kuan - A native of Sadurni, which the Free Worlds League conquered from the Capellan Confederation some years ago for the purpose of pressing Capellan citizens into service for SAFE. With his mother held hostage, he is the reluctant spy who uncovered that research equipment was spirited to Niomede and that a Warrior House company was sent to guard this ostensibly unimportant planet. When the Fourth Succession War breaks out he is already working on Niomede under the disguise of a prospector, and has begun a relationship with Ju Tang. He is noted for unusually strong hairiness.

• Dr. Ju Tang - Bright and attractive young scientist who works in Niomede's planetary observatory. A loyal Capellan citizen, she cannot forgive herself after Tiun Kuan forced her to provide jump data for the invaders. Her ingenuity leads to a militarily worthless victory over the enemy aerospace assets which nevertheless raises morale and establishes her as a figurehead for Capellan resolve. She fully immerses herself in that role to the point of leading lightly armed militia forces against BattleMechs in a yellow dress robe when the caves are stormed. To prevent unneccessary civilian deaths, Major Skribtschak ultimately shoots her with a 'Mech laser. Although charred beyond recognition, Ju Tang miraculously survives and her comatose body gains a cult following as the Aschehexe ("Ash Witch").

• Meh Walong - A silversmith and Jen Xiao's lover. A content and conservative citizen, she is left behind when Jen Xiao seizes his chance to leave the dull world.

• Hong Wen Zien - Company Leader of the Warrior House Kamata company on Niomede. He is unhappy with the boring and honorless assignment to Niomede, which he regards as a penance. When Refrector Yü announces his intention to negotiate terms of surrender with the attackers and commands Wen Zien to stand down, he nails Yü's hand to his desk with his sword in response and assumes de-facto leadership of the defenders. Wen Zien dies in the final attack, having briefly been a fatherly mentor to Jen Xiao after he proved his worth in battle.

• Jen Xiao - Subcommander in the understrength Niomede 'Mech lance, where he pilots a Hermes II. A celebrity on Niomede, he is painfully aware of the insignificance of his world and dreams of leaving for the stars. Gains the respect of Hong Wen Zien when he proves to be a capable MechWarrior under fire. His ingenuity ultimately saves Gion Zeng from being captured, robbing the attackers of their victory.

• Refrector Elan Yü - Easily mistaken for a befuddled grandfatherly coward, the fat, white-haired representative of House Liao on Niomede knows about the precarious nature of Niomede's artificial ecosystem and is driven by genuine care for the population as he seeks to limit the damage from the fighting. He holds the noble title of Shonso and tries to pull rank on Company Commander Wen Zien when he opts to negotiate surrender, only to be deposed by the Warrior House officer who immediately assumes command of the defenders.

• Colonel Askan Yü - The Refrector's younger brother commands the infantry forces on Niomede.

• Gion Zeng - Physicist, married to his science. A scientific prodigy, he can count the number of his visits to a bar on the fingers of one hand by the age of 25. He is a member of Honime Duao's research team, but unhappy how she orders the team to verify the worthless and well-known results all over again that once made her famous. He considers this a frustrating waste of his precious time and has obtained permission to conduct private research in his (limited) off-time. Here he works on optimized silicon structures based off unique compounds from the muscles of the local Niomede Worms. It is this work that really pushes the research forward in the secret laboratory, which House Liao created on Niomede in 3015 for the purpose of researching what amounts to Endo-Steel skeletons for BattleMechs.

Major Free Worlds League characters

• Flag Captain Eric Batton - A capable leader under fire, but otherwise known as an overly cautious pessimist. Batton disagrees, feeling that sloppyness, ill-preparedness and a lack of caution as displayed by about everybody else could cut short his career and his life; he does not want to die because someone else made a mistake. He has red hair and blue eyes, and pilots an ON-1VA Orion variant with extra armor compared to the standard version.

• Lieutenant General Menko Drews - Stauch supporter of Dame Catherine Humphreys. Believing his unauthorized action to be in the best interest of the Duchy of Andurien, he sends a company of his troops to attack Niomede to provoke a reaction from the Capellan Confederation in a deliberate attempt to undo the Concord of Kapteyn and perhaps gain Capellan scientists and research as booty.

• SeniorTech Otto Flagann - A quiet background worker who does not mind that he does not share the MechWarriors' fame as long as he is not fired at either. He is a scholar who fights against lostech, and familiar Honime Duao's work. However, when he gets a chance to talk to her in person, he is disappointed by her backward-looking attitude and lack of vision and realizes that the man she loudly complains about (Gion Zeng) must have been the true driving genius in her secret lab.

• Lieutenant Commander Patrick Hens - In charge of the aerospace assets, which suffer critical losses early on.

• Force Captain Jopp "Long Jopp" Higgins - Known as "Langer Jopp" for being almost two meters tall; his knees jut out too far for him to close the toilet cabin aboard a Union. Commander of the battalion's Scout Lance of LCT-1E Locusts, which was officially dubbed "Long Lance" in reference to his nickname.

• Flag Captain Pavel Padura - Physically similar to Batton, Padura is a decorated officer eager to be promoted to battalion commander. He advocates a brute force approach. He is a devout christian and carries a St. Christopher Medaillon in his ON-1V Orion.

• Major Karla Skribtschak - A sober, by-the-book officer with doubts about the mission, she normally stutters but is inexplicably temporarily healed from her stutter while using a neurohelmet. Pilots She tries to limit casualties and collateral damage to the best of her abilities, but the stiff resistance frustrates her efforts. Divorced from her ex-husband.

Appendix

An appendix lists the full rosters of all units that participated in the fighting on Niomede, naming each individual pilot and BattleMech involved.

Featured places

• Niomede IV
• Shiro III

Featured units

• 3rd Defenders of Andurien (Skribtschak's battalion)
• Niomede 4 Lance (planetary garrison)
• Warrior House Kamata (Wen Zien's company)

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• Catapult - CPLT-C1, CPLT-K2 ("K2" misspelled as "2K")
• Hermes II - HER-2S, HER-2M Mercury
• Locust - LCT-1V, LCT-1E, LCT-1M
• Orion - ON1-V, ON1-VA
• UrbanMech - UM-R60L
• Vindicator - VND-1R

DropShips

• Leopard
• Union
• Silberstreif, an asteroid mining vessel of indeterminate type. Due to its shape it would be unsuitable for atmospheric operation. Room for 10 passengers in the cockpit and for (at least) two Hermes II in the cargo hold. Built for multi-day trips to the asteroid rings and features a kitchen and a storeroom for space suits. Might technically be a DropShip or a Small Craft.
• Gebron's Pride, an unspecified asteroid mining vessel (possibly of the same type as the Silberstreif)

Notes

• Niomede-4, as it is consequently spelled in the book, denotes the formerly fourth planet of the Niomede system (Niomede IV). It is explained to be the only remaining planet out of 17 in the Niomede system; the others have broken up long ago to form extensive asteroid fields.
• The city names of Bram-Ze and Wa-L-Sum appear to be puns on the German towns of Bramsche (the author's birthplace) and Walsum (now the northernmost district of Duisburg).