Unholy Union

Unholy Union
Product information
Type Short story
Author Christopher Hussey
Pages 43
Publication information
Publisher BattleCorps
First published 24 September 2008
Content
Era Succession Wars era
Timeline 14 September-25 December 3028

Unholy Union is a story by Christopher Hussey, originally published on BattleCorps on 24 September 2008. It was also published in print in the fifth BattleCorps print anthology, Counterattack, in 2014.

Teaser text[edit]

“ Although the marriage of Hanse Davion to Melissa Steiner and the war of conquest that followed are the most well-known events of 3028, that wasn't all that happened that year. Deep in the Periphery, two other lovers were meeting and setting great plans in motion... ”

Plot summary[edit]

Merchant Kelly Hunt delivers a message from King Hendrik Grimm III to Redjack Ryan on Butte Hold on 14 September 3028. In the message, Grimm explains how the Fourth Succession War will forever alter the political landscape in which their pirate realms have flourished. Despite their animosity he invites Ryan to Oberon VI, offering a mission that will set the two of them up to survive the future. Grimm claims that he is acting as a middle-man of the Draconis Combine, who seek to hire the pirates to support the defensive efforts. A similar message reaches Maria Morgraine aboard her JumpShip Hath No Fury at the zenith jump point of the Blackstone system on 1 October. She deduces that Grimm really wants to send her after her ex-lover Ryan.

On 8 October, Ryan and his Lieutenant Agnar "Satan's Son" Haggerty meet with Hendrik III at Grimfort, Oberon City, and learn that part of the plan is that Ryan's unit must dispose of Maria Morgraine's unit. Ryan agrees. In a radio conference three days later, Hendrik Grimm III suggests cooperation and a possible future alliance to Maria Morgraine in exchange for the elimination of Ryan's unit. After terminating the comm line, Grimm discusses with a Lyran visitor how the two pirate bands will wipe each other out and how Grimm's agent will take care of whoever survives.

On 11 November, Maria's Valkyries capture a weakly defended depot on Toland, setting the stage for Ryan's Rebels to be lured into a trap. Only then does she explain the plan to her command staff, who are decidedly unhappy and have to be convinced at gunpoint to go along with Hendrik Grimm III's plan. As a safeguard, Maria explains that the Winged Vengeance has standing orders to go on a rampage throughout the Oberon Confederation should they not receive word within a month.

Two days later the pirate bands clash when Ryan's forces attack the depot as per their orders, but when Ryan realizes how Grimm played them both he convinces Maria Morgraine that they have both been lured into a trap. Agnar Haggerty then attempts to shoot Ryan but is himself shot by Tack Hadder, a MechWarrior from Ryan's lance, before he can kill Ryan.

At that point elements from the 30th Lyran Guards spring a trap of their own on the pirates. With his own Quickdraw previously disabled by Maria Morgraine's Grasshopper, Ryan switches to Haggerty's Orion and calls his DropShips to evacuate them. The pirate groups split up and make for their respective pickup zones.

Ryan's unit is cut off from their DropShips by a full company of enemy 'Mechs. Karen Grander, pilot of the Summoner's Gale, Ryan's Leopard-class command DropShip, coordinates the evacuation effort by the DropShips Bonny T and Black Caesar. Just as Ryan is overrun she saves him with a strafing run and picks up the Orion.

Returning from Toland aboard the Hath No Fury on 1 December, Redjack Ryan and Maria Morgraine reconcile and agree to merge their pirate realms into one larger realm, the Greater Valkyrate, and plot their revenge against Hendrik Grimm III.

On 25 December, Hendrik Grimm III realizes that the ComStar reports he received, together with the lack of a report from Agnar Haggerty, indicate that his plan has failed. Worse, Ryan and Morgraine have joined forces against him and hit a secret munitions factory on Placida that produced almost half of the ammunition for the Oberon Confederation's infantry troops and also some 'Mech ammunition. Only Kelly Hunt could have supplied this information to the Greater Valkyrate forces, and Grimm orders the merchant be brought before him...

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