Difference between revisions of "Pirates of Penance"

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| author     = [[Kevin Killiany]]
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| image              =
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| artwork    = ?
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| name                =
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| released    = 14 January 2005
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| type                = Short story (8 parts)
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| pages      = 83
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| author             = [[Kevin Killiany]]
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| format      = PDF Serial, Omnibus
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| development        =
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| parts      = 8
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| primarywriting      =
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| era         = [[Clan Invasion era]]
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| pages              = 83
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| timeline   = [[3057]]
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| cover              =
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| interiorart        = (unknown)
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| illustrations      =
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| publisher          = [[BattleCorps]]
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| productioncode      =  
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| year                = 14 January 2005<br />6 May 2007 (omnibus)
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| ISBN10              =
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| ISBN13              =  
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| MSRP                =  
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| content            =  
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| era                 = [[Clan Invasion era]]
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| timeline           = [[3057]]
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| series              =
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| precededby          =
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| followedby          =
 
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Revision as of 04:46, 6 April 2011

Pirates of Penance
Product information
Type Short story (8 parts)
Author Kevin Killiany
Pages 83
Interior Artwork (unknown)
Publication information
Publisher BattleCorps
First published 14 January 2005
6 May 2007 (omnibus)
Content
Era Clan Invasion era
Timeline 3057

Pirates of Penance is a story by Kevin Killiany, originally published as PDF downloads on BattleCorps in eight parts starting 14 January 2005; since 6 May 2007, a single omnibus file is also available for purchase.

Teaser text

“ Leftenant Alexandra Atreus of the Florida PMM wasn't pleased with her assignment to shadow the Tertiary Undersecretary of Commerce as a showpiece. But when the Undersecretary visits the Viborg mining habitat Penance at the same time as a pirate attack, Lex finds herself getting more action than she'd bargained for. ”

Plot Summary

Part 1

On 7 May 3057, Anton Kaiman’s ancient Tramp-class JumpShip, the Sanibel, arrives at a Pirate Point in the Viborg system with three DropShips, and proceeds to deploy two boats.
At the same time, Leftenant Alexandra "Lex" Atreus of the Florida PMM examines the Viborg mining habitat through a viewport while approaching in a space bus-turned-diplomatic-shuttle and unhappily ponders her situation as dispossessed escort for a diplomatic mission of Tertiary Undersecretary Bartholomew Clemments.
Aboard the Sanibel, Tatiana Himmel discusses details of her lance’s disposition with Kaiman and his aide "Iceman" Isaacs (a Spider pilot) in a strategy meeting and learns that they are going to raid a space habitat. Although markers were re-painted, a quick examination of the Sanibel gives her the strong impression that Kaiman is working for "Red Eye" Laudin, an infamous space-only pirate.

Part 2

During a reception at the habitat (which the locals call Penance) on the next day, Clemments’ diplomatic mission seems to cause some tension with the Viborg miners. Lex meets Woodrow "Wood" Pickering and learns some things about operations in zero-g; she also invites herself to a training ride with the local MM-1S MiningMechs, to which Wood reluctantly agrees provided that Mr. Ortega, the administrator in charge, allows it.
Meanwhile, a long range shuttle secretly deploys unidentified items on nearby asteroids.

Part 3

On 11 May, Lex discusses acquaintances with her CO, Hauptmann Gerald Michaels, when Benjamin Ortega seeks her out. After a brief interview about her wish to drive a MiningMech he has her equipped with an environmental suit for zero-g operations in vacuum instead of her regular cooling vest. She is then lectured on the specifics of deep space 'Mech operations in great detail and finally gets simulator training on Ortega's orders before she is allowed to pilot a MiningMech for real.
Meanwhile in the asteroid field, a miner from the habitat discovers and enters the mysterious long range shuttle, somewhere out of the line of sight of the habitat.

Part 4

Two days later, Lex and Michaels are shown around on the habitat. They are brought to hold L-four-six-two, an unpressurized storage area holding many containers with large amounts of valuable ores such as Germanium. The miners inform the MechWarriors that Tertiary Undersecretary Clemments intents to confiscate the ores by nationalizing them as strategically significant resources. While this is technically legal, the miners are very upset about the prospect.
Aboard their Manatee-class DropShip, Nightsky pilot Tatiana Himmel holds a briefing for her unit. They all feel uncomfortable about their assigned mission – attacking a space habitat is both dangerous and morally questionable. The battle plan calls for Himmel's lance to deploy from the Manatee, hit their objectives on the gigantic habitat, and return to the pirates' Mule-class DropShip for evacuation. The third DropShip, a Union, is to provide covering fire. The MechWarriors feel that this plan puts them at undue risk, but Himmel points out that an operation of this magnitude will prove their worth to their new employer.

Part 5

On 17 May, Lex passes a final test and Wood takes her out to the habitat's surface in a pair of MiningMechs. By means of a powered sled, they travel to the far end of the habitat where Wood abandons Lex and informs her that her 'Mech has been largely disabled (namely the radio and ejection systems). Lex can hear Michaels calling her on the radio, but cannot respond. A third party has launched a raid against the habitat. Wood is obviously in league with the raiders.

Part 6

After some failed attempts to leave her hamstrung 'Mech, Lex begins to walk it back along the space habitat's outer hull. She can now see two DropShips moving towards the station's docking collars, one of them a Mule. Before long, Ortega arrives on another sled and they manage to establish short-range communication. He informs her about the ongoing raid and that numerous transmitters hidden among the asteroids have effectively cut off the habitat from communications. It is also revealed that hold L-four-six-two is actually worthless and that Michaels was mislead into believing it would be the pirates' target, putting him out of position to defend against the real attack. Together, Lex and Ortega engage the attackers with their MiningMechs in an attempt to upset the attackers' timetable, knowing that they have little chance to ultimately defeat them.
Tatiana Himmel and her unit are somewhat unhappy to learn that other friendly 'Mechs were aboard the Mule, then alter their attack plan when defending infantry appears. Suddenly they come under attack from two MiningMechs and the fight is on. Himmel attempts to use her Nightsky's Jump Jets, but this sends her into an uncontrolled spin into deep space, effectively removing her from combat immediately.

Part 7

Lex finds herself in close combat with a Grasshopper, a dedicated BattleMech twice the size of her own MiningMech. Through a combination of luck, skill and lessons learned about zero-g operations she manages to defeat the enemy 'Mech to the point where the pilot powers down and surrenders to her, moments before the MiningMech's triple drill would have penetrated the Grasshopper's cockpit glass.

Part 8

Drifting helplessly in space in her 'Mech, Tatiana Himmel must put up with an obnoxious miner riding after her on a powered sled. He claims her 'Mech as salvage, pointing out that she will suffocate sooner or later if she refuses to surrender to him.
In the aftermath of the attack, Lex is debriefed and learns that roughly one hundred people from the habitat left aboard the pirate DropShip with several thousand tons of tools, rations, sundries and building supplies. They deduct that the fugitives are most likely planning to refurbish a derelict habitat somewhere, presumably to create a new secret pirate base.
Anton Kaiman also discusses the mission with one of his subordinates, confirming that they intend to reactivate an old Rim Worlds Republic station. Of Tatiana Himmel's lance, only MechWarrior Jessup (previously noted to be the oldest MechJockey Himmel had ever heard of) had returned to the DropShip before it departed; being smart and fast, Kaiman realizes, is how Jessup got to be an old MechWarrior in an antiquated 'Mech such as Jessup's QKD-4G Quickdraw. He orders that Jessup be informed who he was really working for; Kaiman is tired of Laudin (who Kaiman frames to be behind his operations) "getting all the credit".
During a small informal ceremony, Tertiary Undersecretary Clemments commends Lex on her performance and, on request of the remaining grateful miners, awards her ownership of the NGS-4S-L Nightsky that had been captured by one of the miners (formerly Tatiana Himmel's).

Featured characters

Featured places

  • Viborg system (Viborg Belt, PEn-NAM mining habitat "Penance")

Featured BattleTech

'Mechs

DropShips

JumpShips

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