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Warrior: En Garde

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Warrior: En Garde
Product information
Type Novel
Author Michael A. Stackpole
Pages 329 (original)
358 (anniversary edition & reprint)
Cover Artwork Jeff Laubenstein (original)
Roger Loveless (anniversary edition & reprint)
Publication information
Publisher FASA (original)
Roc Books (anniversary edition)
FanPro (reprint)
First published August 1988 (original)
April 1998 (anniversary edition)
September 2003 (reprint)
ISBN-10 3453042891
ISBN-13 978-3453042896
Content
Era Succession Wars era
Timeline 1 June 3022 - 10 June 3027
Series The Warrior Trilogy
Followed by Warrior: Riposte

Warrior: En Garde, by Michael A. Stackpole, is the first book in The Warrior Trilogy. It narrates the respective adventures of the half-brothers Justin and Daniel Allard during the build-up to the Fourth Succession War in two story arcs which are only tenously connected. Contrary to what the back cover suggests, they are not set up as antagonists and do not even meet in person throughout the book.

The novel introduced the Kell Hounds mercenary unit and the Wolfhound 'Mech to the BattleTech universe, as well as the somewhat controversial Phantom 'Mech incident.

Many references are made to the Doppelgänger ploy narrated in the earlier novel The Sword and the Dagger, to the point where it could arguably be regarded as a prequel to The Warrior Trilogy.

From the back cover

“ Stripped of his rank, exiled Justin Allard is given one last chance to save his honor—by risking his life in the gladiatorial arenas of Solaris VII. But his newest Game World opponent—more skilled at 'Mech-to-'Mech combat than any other rival—raises the stakes even higher. It's Justin's own half brother, Daniel, lance commander in the dreaded Kell Hounds mercenary battalion.

Both Daniel and Justin face fierce battles, but in the Inner Sphere, where nobles have schemed for centuries to win the ultimate power, those who interfere with the Successor Lords are sometimes called heroes.

And sometimes called victims.

”

Plot Summary

Prologue

An argument between Primus Julian Tiepolo and Precentor Myndo Waterly on 1 June 3022 concerning the planned wedding between Hanse Davion and Melissa Steiner reveals that ComStar is not quite the benevolent and neutral agency it purports to be; they have an agenda of their own and are actively playing the Successor States against one another to maintain control from behind the scenes.

Justin Xiang Allard story arc

On the Federated Suns world Kittery, situated on the border with the enemy Capellan Confederation, anti-Capellan sentiments run high. Major Justin Allard, whose mother was a Capellan diplomat, is facing unrest among some of his subordinates after cashiering local war hero Philip Capet. However, Capet's "heroic action" on his homeworld Uravan in truth was nothing but an act of insubordination in which he led his men into a Capellan trap in a futile attempt to save his parent's village from a Capellan assault, effectively causing the deaths of six of his men; yet he became a holovid hero over the incident and was thus awarded a decoration instead of a court martial, in hopes that he would retire. When Capet instead remained in the AFFS he was made a training instructor, and was finally removed from service by Allard when he planned to steal a JumpShip and embark on a personal crusade.

On 27 November 3026 Major Allard (piloting a Valkyrie) and his loyal aide and friend, Leftenant Andrew Redburn (piloting a Spider), lead a training battalion of thirty cadets in Stingers on a patrol when they are ambushed by a company of Capellan Cicadas. Feeling they are being herded to the west, Allard investigates a possible contact in that direction and finds a Rifleman waiting, out of sight of the others. Ordering Redburn to take command of the cadets and make a stand, Allard engages the heavy Rifleman in his light Valkyrie. During the lopsided fight, the Rifleman flips arms into its rear firing arc in a surprise maneuver that decides the battle. Allard is defeated and heavily wounded, losing his left arm from the elbow down.

Although the cadet cadre suffers losses, their training and Redburn's leadership suffice to fight off the Capellan ambush. Allard is retrieved from the wreck of his 'Mech; no trace remains of the Rifleman.

In the aftermath, Allard is brought to New Avalon for treatment; the New Avalon Institute of Science decided to test a bionic arm on him that will even allow him to remain a MechWarrior despite the crippling injury. When Redburn also travels to New Avalon to be decorated, Duke Michael Hasek-Davion—himself suspected of treacherous collaboration with House Liao—sends messengers along who, populistically playing on the anti-Capellan sentiments, demand Justin Allard be branded a traitor and subtely threaten open rebellion if Allard is not court-martialed. Allard is arrested on 10 January 3027 and subsequently a kangaroo court finds overwhelming evidence suggesting Allard was really working with the Confederation to prepare the assault. His claims about the Rifleman are dismissed, and it is instead officially assumed he faced a (much lighter) UrbanMech which allegedly attacked him by mistake when he attempted to join the Capellan attackers. Even Allard's father, Federated Suns secret service director Quintus Allard, and finally First Prince Hanse Davion appear before court. Although Hanse Davion admonishes the court and prosecutor Count Vitios for their unfair handling of the case, Allard acrimoniously rejects the offer that he should only be demoted and be pardoned otherwise. After a shouting match with Hanse Davion, Allard is stripped of his rank and exiled from the Federated Suns. With only Andrew Redburn still believing him innocent, an embittered Justin Allard assumes his mother's Capellan name, calling himself Justin Xiang fortwith. He leaves New Avalon on the DropShip Sigmund Rosenblum bound for Solaris VII.

On Solaris VII, retired champion MechWarrior Gray Noton, now a mercenary, information broker and underworld kingpin, meets with his Capellan contact Tsen Shang to discuss his latest mission—it was Noton who piloted the Rifleman and led the Capellan attack on Kittery. He is paid with a betting voucher for a rigged arena fight. Next, he is contacted by Enrico Lestrade, Baron of Summer, who seeks to hire Noton for the planned abduction of a DropShip (the Silver Eagle). He also pays Noton with a betting voucher for a rigged fight. However, when that fight takes place Justin Xiang has replaced the duelist who was supposed to lose, and proceeds to vanquish his opponent Billy Wolfson. Noton is initially angry at losing his bet, but also impressed by Justin Xiang's skill. Baron Lestrade had invited the match winner to his lounge (expecting Wolfson), where Xiang meets the baron and his mistress Kym Sorenson as well as Noton there. He gets into an argument with the baron and hits on Sorenson; they soon begin an affair. With her help he later acquires an old Centurion—Yen-Lo-Wang—and proceeds to vanquish yet another Davion-aligned gladiator, Peter Armstrong, in arena combat.

Noton takes Xiang under his wing and inducts him to Thor's Shield Hall in Valhalla, a very exclusive MechWarrior hangout. There Xiang is confronted by none other than Philip Capet, up-and-coming champion on Solaris VII. With access to Noton's collection of arena fight footage for training and study, Xiang discovers before long that Noton's combat style with the Rifleman matches that of the unknown pilot on Kittery who cost him his hand and indirectly led to his banishment.

Kym Sorenson, meanwhile, is in reality an intelligence operative for House Davion. She uncovers and reports proof that Xiang was innocent and was in truth attacked by Noton piloting a Rifleman on Kittery. However, Noton and Xiang discover her activities. Noton wants to kill her on the spot; Xiang instead knocks her down, breaking her jaw but incidentially saving her life.

Xiang's meteoritic rise and string of victories in the Solaris Games, particularly against Davion-aligned opponents, provides a much-needed morale boost for House Liao and the entire Capellan Confederation. They begin to openly woo Justin Xiang through Tsen Shang. Noton also begins to work with the resourceful Xiang in the information brokering and intelligence fields, and offers him to become his partner. He also gives him access to the files pertaining to the Silver Eagle abduction.

On 5 May 3027 Tsen Shang enters Noton's office and finds Noton dead; Xiang has killed Noton and appropriated money, documents and access to Noton's Rifleman. In Valhalla, Xiang challenges Capet to a duel that takes place on 26 May. To everybody's surprise, Xiang enters the arena in Noton's Rifleman. He proceeds to defeat Capet (and two others).

Following this grandiose victory in the arena, Justin Xiang is drugged by Tsen Shang and abducted to Sian, where Chancellor Maximilian Liao personally recruits him and grants him Capellan citizenship. He meets the treacherous Duke Michael Hasek-Davion on Sian too, plotting the downfall of House Davion.

Daniel Allard story arc

Justin's half brother Daniel Allard is serving with the Kell Hounds, currently stationed on Chara III (aka Pacifica). He is shattered when he receives word of Justin's injury.

Meanwhile on Tharkad, Jeana Clay is recruited as a double for Melissa Steiner.

Melissa Steiner travels to New Avalon, and is hijacked by mercenaries in the employ of Aldo Lestrade. She is rescued by the Kell Hounds, before the newly formed Genyosha and ISF forces identify what prize they have. Patrick Kell is killed by Yorinaga Kurita in the rescue attempt. The Hounds are told of the impending marriage between Steiner and Hanse Davion.

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  • 1988 one-page advert for Warrior: En Garde and Warrior: Riposte

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