Editing The Fires of Hell

'''''The Fires of Hell''''' is a nine-part short story published in ''[[A Time of War]]'' as intro fiction for the book's individual chapters. Seven authors wrote individual parts, forming a full continuous story of a [[3076]] reconnaissance mission on [[Rochelle]] by Recon Squad Four of [[Stone's Lament]].

==Plot summary==
===Gathering Players===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Gathering Players
| author              = [[Ben H. Rome]]
| pages               = 6
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 5 June [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}
At Fort Defiance on [[Hesperus II]], Recon Squad Four of [[Stone's Lament]] gathers for orders. Captain [[Jared Travis]]'s squad is not at its best. Its old members, [[Busby Matvey|Busby "Buzzy" Matvey]], old veteran [[Ethan Naoko]], and Doctor [[Grace Luther]], struggle with the losses the squad sustained on Hesperus, where two of its soldiers died protecting [[House Hogarth]]'s strategically insignificant summer home's art. They have been replaced with two newcomers: Lyran noble [[Luella Hildebrand]], the squad's new executive officer, and inexperienced wannabe MechWarrior [[Franz Logan]].

In the lead-up to their briefing, Jared challenges Luella to prove she's earned her position, and Franz accidentally spills raspberry juice on a redheaded MechWarrior, one he finds attractive.

Said MechWarrior, Franz discovers at the briefing, is General [[Belle Lee]]. She has a mission for Recon Squad Four.

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===The Calm Before===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = The Calm Before
| author              = [[Kevin Killiany]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 12-13 June [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}
On the DropShip ''[[David (Individual DropShip)|David]]'', on the way to the pirate jump point to [[Rochelle]], Recon Squad Four prepares for the mission. The task is clear: land just below the Arctic circle, observe and scout en route to a Blakist installation, examine the installation, neutralize it if necessary for Rochelle's liberation, and send the intelligence to the [[Stone's Coalition|Coalition]] fleet.

Rochelle is a dangerous place, polluted into hostility over centuries. All squad members take personalized drugs to survive the hazardous environment. While receiving her meds, Luella learns a Squad Four internal secret: Grace is a pacifist, staunchly unwilling to kill.

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===The Mission Begins===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = The Mission Begins
| author              = [[Steven Mohan, Jr.]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 3 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}
For a moment, everything seems to go according to plan. Dropped on Rochelle in a [[Mark VII Landing Craft]] piloted by Buzzy, the squad descends through an electrified snowstorm that should hide their presence. Then a Blakist ''[[Shiva]]'' finds them. Buzzy shoots the fighter down, but the fighter's presence means the intended landing zone isn't safe - an undiscovered enemy base is likely near, and the ''Shiva'''s disappearance will attract attention.

A short search off track, into a forest, reveals an airstrip. Finding a safe landing zone proves harder. Battered by a wave of missiles from within the forest, the Landing Craft begins to plummet, and all Buzzy can do is try to save what he can.

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===Scouring the LZ===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Scouring the LZ
| author              = [[Paul Sjardjin]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 3 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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===Recon===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Recon
| author              = [[Kevin Killiany]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 5 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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===Heavy Artillery===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Heavy Artillery
| author              = [[Jason Hardy]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 5 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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===Journey===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Journey
| author              = [[Ken' Horner]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 8 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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===Storming the Objective===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Storming the Objective
| author              = [[Jim Rapkins]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 11 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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===Burnout===
{{InfoBoxStory
| image               = 
| name                = Burnout
| author              = [[Ben H. Rome]]
| pages               = 4
| type                = Short story
| product             = A Time of War
| illustrations       = 
| era                 = [[Jihad era]]
| timeline            = 17 July [[3076]]
| scrollable timeline = [[Start date::]][[End date::]]
}}

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==Featured characters==
* [[Busby Matvey]]
* [[Luella Hildebrand]]
* [[Ethan Naoko]]
* [[Jared Travis]]
* [[Franz Logan]]
* [[Grace Luther]]
* [[Belle Lee]]
* Yuri
* [[Edwin Garcia]]
* Jenny (mentioned)
* [[Devlin Stone]] (mentioned)
* Lieutenant Jamison (likely Richie or Donald) (mentioned)
* Richie (mentioned)
* Donald (mentioned)
* General [[Thomas Hogarth]] (mentioned)
* [[Alys Rousset-Marik]] (mentioned)

==Featured BattleTech==
===BattleMechs===
* ''[[Victor]]''
* ''[[Phoenix Hawk]]''
* ''[[Malak]]''
* ''[[Griffin]]''
* ''[[Stinger]]'' (mentioned)
* ''[[Panther]]'' (mentioned)

===DropShips===
* ''[[Excalibur (DropShip class)|Excalibur]]''-class (''[[Duquesne]]'')
* ''[[Leopard CV]]''-class (''[[David (Individual DropShip)|David]]'')
* ''[[Overlord]]''-class (''[[Tharkad Summer]]'')

===JumpShips===
* ''[[Scout (JumpShip class)|Scout]]''-class

===Aerospace Fighters===
* ''[[Shiva]]''

===Combat Vehicles===
* [[Ontos]]
* [[Demolisher]]
* [[Warrior (Combat Vehicle)]] (mentioned)
* [[Von Luckner]] (mentioned)

===Other Vehicles===
* [[Mark IV Landing Craft]]
* [[Mark VII Landing Craft]]
* [[Defiance E-Class Ground Tug]]

==Featured units==
* [[Stone's Lament]]

==Featured species==
* [[Yorkwood]]
* [[Yumba]]
* [[Swamp Tiger]]

==Featured places==
* [[Hesperus]]
* [[Rochelle]]
* [[Coventry]] (mentioned)
* [[Kittery]] (mentioned)
* [[Tharkad]] (mentioned)
* [[Proserpina]] (mentioned)
* [[Vega]] (mentioned)
* [[Thraxa]] (mentioned)
* [[Skye]] (mentioned)

[[Category:Short Stories]]
[[Category:Works by Ben H. Rome]]
[[Category:Works by Kevin Killiany]]
[[Category:Works by Steven Mohan Jr.]]
[[Category:Works by Paul Sjardijn]]
[[Category:Works by Jason M. Hardy]]
[[Category:Works by Ken' Horner]]
[[Category:Works by Jim Rapkins]]