Karma

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

Overview

The novel is unusual in several respects. It provides very detailed information about the planet of Niomede-4 and its unusual civilisation that combines typical Capellan tenets with unique local concerns such as life in terraformed underground caverns and its technical implications, or the Worm Cult, a local religion centering around the planet and its strange lifeforms, the Niomede Worms.

Further, a large number of primary and secondary 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 follows its path in the light 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 whatever may be their target: 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 the possible reasons for being posted to Niomede, a world he resents, and about what it means to be a Warrior.

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 learn that the Fourth Succession War broke out ten days ago.

On Shiro III, Lieutenant General Menlo Drews meets with his only child, Colonel Vela Drews, on 31 August 3028. Unfit for MechWarrior training due to a birth defect, Vela Drews joined SAFE instead and has risen through the ranks. Menlo Drews 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 will drag House Marik and House Kurita down with him. Loyal to the Duchy of Andurien even before the Free Worlds League, yet acting independently from Dame Catherine Humphreys who is returning from the Davion/Steiner wedding on Terra, he hopes to provoke an attack by the Capellan Confederation through a commando strike at a research facility on Niomede that one of his daughter's agents discovered to exist. Skribtschak's battalion of 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 data for Pirate Jump Points. They are interrupted by Gion Zeng, a scientist, and Kuan flees the scene.

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.

Capellan Confederation Characters

• Commander Niu Doun - Commanding the planetary lance on Niomede-4, he is a local celebrity until he suffers a nervous breakdown in his very first real combat situation. Afterwards, he is

• Private Li Ewuon - The fourth member in Niomede's planetary "lance" of three captured Hermes II, she is fully trained as a replacement MechWarrior and later gets to pilot Niu Doun's 'Mech and provides valuable support to Jen Xiao.

• Goda Dscheng - Jen Xiao's sister barely passed her philosophical examination and now works as an executive for Silic Mining on Niomede, painfully aware that the Servitors in the mines are mere slaves. She performs as a subversive underground poet in her spare time, hoping that her brother's status as a local celebrity will protect her from prosecution.

• 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. Considering herself an indispensable, she presents Gideon Zeng's groundbreaking private work as results from her research group. 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.

• 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.

• Dr. Ju Tang - Bright and attractive young scientist who works in the planetary observatory. A loyal Capellan citizen, she cannot forgive herself after Tiun Kuan forced her to provide jump data for the invaders. Her suggestions lead to a worthless victory over the enemy aerospace assets which nevertheless raises morale among the defenders 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. To prevent unneccessary civilian losses, Major Skribtschak shoots her with a medium laser. Although her body is charred beyond recognition, rendering her comatose, Ju Tang miraculously survives and gains a cult following as the "Aschenhexe" (Ashen 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 by virtue of his rank, 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 planetary milita 'Mech lance on Niomede, 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 Warrior House commander Hong Wen Zien when he proves a capable MechWarrior. His ingenuity ultimately saves Gion Zeng from being captured.

• Refrector Shonso Elan Yü - Easily mistaken for a befuddled grandfatherly coward, the fat, white-haired representative of House Liao on Niomede is painfully aware of 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.

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

• Gion Zeng - Scientific prodigy, married to his science. At age 25, he can count the number of his visits to a bar on the fingers of one hand. He is a member of Honime Duao's research team, but finds it frustrating and humbling how she orders the team to verify the worthless and well-known results all over again that once made her famous once. He considers this a waste of his 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 Endo-Steel skeletons for BattleMechs.

Free Worlds League characters

• Lance Leader Eric Batton -
• 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 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.

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

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).