Sarna News: Bad 'Mechs - Icestorm

Editing Über dem Gesetz

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In an unusual deviation from the typical style of BattleTech novels, ''Über dem Gesetz'' is an agent thriller rather than military fiction. A plot twist at the end reveals that [[First Lord]] [[Ian Cameron]] was not above abusing the League's secret service for assassinations motivated by personal revenge.
 
In an unusual deviation from the typical style of BattleTech novels, ''Über dem Gesetz'' is an agent thriller rather than military fiction. A plot twist at the end reveals that [[First Lord]] [[Ian Cameron]] was not above abusing the League's secret service for assassinations motivated by personal revenge.
  
The novel is a stand-alone story, but it features character cameos and references to events from Diel's previous novel, ''[[Wahnsinn und Methode]]''.
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The novel is a standalone story, but it features character cameos and references to events from Diel's previous novel, ''[[Wahnsinn und Methode]]''.
  
 
== Canonicity ==
 
== Canonicity ==
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===Prologue===
 
===Prologue===
[[Bergan Industries]] has been contracted by the [[Star League]] Quartermaster's Command to design a BattleMech around the newly developed [[LB-X Autocannon]], and received the blueprints for the new weapon. Supervisory board chairman Trevor Vaughn has decided to sell the secret on, and has invited selected guests to a party on [[New Avalon]] on New Year's Eve 2600. Star League secret service (''SBGK: Sternenbund-Geheimdienstkommando'') agent David Gibbs infiltrates the party and sneaks into the penthouse where the data crystal with the copied blueprints is kept. Following a shootout with security guards, he manages to secure the crystal and jump from a broken window in the skyscraper, gliding to safety with an ultrathin parachute that was hidden in his suit.
+
[[Bergan Industries]] has been contracted by the [[Star League]] Quartermaster's Command to design a BattleMech around the newly developed [[LB-X Autocannon]], and received the blueprints for the new weapon. Supervisory board chairman Trevor Vaughn has decided to sell the secret on, and has invited selected guests to a party on [[New Avalon]] on New Year's Eve 2600. Star League secret service (''SBGK: Sternenbund-Geheimdienstkommando'') agent David Gibbs infiltrates the party and sneaks into the penthouse where the data crystal with the copied blueprints is kept. Following a shootout with security guards, he manages to secure the crystal and jump from a broken window in the skyscraper, gliding to safety with an ultra-thin parachute that was hidden in his suit.
 
 
 
===Main plot===
 
===Main plot===
 
====Part One====
 
====Part One====
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On 7 January, Draconis Combine [[Coordinator]] Leonard Kurita visits [[President of the Parliament]] [[Barton Avellar]] on the [[Outworlds Alliance]] capital world of [[Alpheratz]]. They discuss trade agreements, but Kurita, rather rude and abusive, rebuffs Avellar's attempts to negotiate a possible alliance. The prearranged trade agreements are signed in an icy atmosphere.<br />In Parliament, Barton Avellar is later confronted by his cousin [[Rodrigo Avellar]] with allegations that he allied his realm with the Draconis Combine, causing considerable media fallout.
 
On 7 January, Draconis Combine [[Coordinator]] Leonard Kurita visits [[President of the Parliament]] [[Barton Avellar]] on the [[Outworlds Alliance]] capital world of [[Alpheratz]]. They discuss trade agreements, but Kurita, rather rude and abusive, rebuffs Avellar's attempts to negotiate a possible alliance. The prearranged trade agreements are signed in an icy atmosphere.<br />In Parliament, Barton Avellar is later confronted by his cousin [[Rodrigo Avellar]] with allegations that he allied his realm with the Draconis Combine, causing considerable media fallout.
  
Gibbs, having traced leads from the attack on Turner to the [[Maskirovka]], has meanwhile singled out a woman as suspect: Maskirovka Major Jin Zhang. By the end of January he is observing her aboard the MS ''Pinafore'', a seagoing pleasure cruiser on the [[Federated Suns]] world of [[Logandale]], while she is about to carry out another assassination mission. After Gibbs disposes of a hitman Zhang sent after him, they have a showdown where Zhang ends up dangling over the ship's propeller from Gibbs' hand. In mortal danger, she admits to having been part of the team in the Rocky Mountains attack, but claims not to know anything else beyond the names of her co-perpetrators: LePaies, Price, and Bradforth, the latter being the mission leader. She then immediately tries to kill Gibbs after he pulls her to safety, but falls to her death in the attempt.
+
Gibbs, having traced leads from the attack on Turner to the [[Maskirovka]], has meanwhile singled out a woman as suspect: Maskirovka Major Jin Zhang. By the end of January he is observing her aboard the MS ''Pinafore'', a sea-going pleasure cruiser on the [[Federated Suns]] world of [[Logandale]], while she is about to carry out another assassination mission. After Gibbs disposes of a hitman Zhang sent after him, they have a showdown where Zhang ends up dangling over the ship's propeller from Gibbs' hand. In mortal danger, she admits to having been part of the team in the Rocky Mountains attack, but claims not to know anything else beyond the names of her co-perpetrators: LePaies, Price, and Bradforth, the latter being the mission leader. She then immediately tries to kill Gibbs after he pulls her to safety, but falls to her death in the attempt.
  
On 2 May, the Star League High Council meets in Unity City, Terra. The meeting is overshadowed by the recent death of Lady [[Shandra Noruff-Cameron]], whose passing was covered in the news on 6 January. First Lord [[Ian Cameron]], his son [[Nicholas Cameron|Nicholas]] and Prosecutor General Amanda Blair discuss Leonard Kurita, who is late to the meeting as usual, with the attendant Lords–[[Captain-General of the Free Worlds League|Captain-General]] [[Brion Marik II]] and his daughter [[Rhean Marik|Rhean]], [[First Prince]] [[Alexander Davion]] and his son [[Zane Davion|Zane]], [[Archon]] [[Kevin Steiner-Dinesen]], and [[Chancellor]] [[Normann Aris]]. When Kurita finally shows up, the council goes into session and an argument breaks out about the "extended [[DCMS]] maneuvers" that Kurita's troops have been engaging in for two years already. Concluding a shouting match, Ian Cameron orders Kurita to stand down within two months or the ongoing maneuvers will be regarded as a declaration of war by the Star League.
+
On 2 May, the Star League High Council meets in Unity City, Terra. The meeting is overshadowed by the recent death of Lady [[Shandra Noruff-Cameron]], whose passing was covered in the news on 6 January. First Lord [[Ian Cameron]], his son [[Nicholas Cameron|Nicholas]] and Prosecutor General Amanda Blair discuss Leonard Kurita, who is late to the meeting as usual, with the attendant Lords–[[Captain-General]] [[Brion Marik II]] and his daughter [[Rhean Marik|Rhean]], [[First Prince]] [[Alexander Davion]] and his son [[Zane Davion|Zane]], [[Archon]] [[Kevin Steiner-Dinesen]], and [[Chancellor]] [[Normann Aris]]. When Kurita finally shows up, the council goes into session and an argument breaks out about the "extended [[DCMS]] maneuvers" that Kurita's troops have been engaging in for two years already. Concluding a shouting match, Ian Cameron orders Kurita to stand down within two months or the ongoing maneuvers will be regarded as a declaration of war by the Star League.
  
 
By 24 July, Gibbs has found Jacq LePaies and Mason Price from leads found in Zhang's cabin, and is observing them on [[New Mendham]] as they prepare to kill (or so Gibbs believes) [[Cassie DeBurke]]. He realizes too late, however, that the man he is observing is not actually Jacq LePaies. Racing to rescue DeBurke he finds her alive, but unconscious, with her research results stolen by LePaies and Price. In the subsequent car chase through the city of Bresco, LePaies is killed. Price escapes into the Bergan Industries complex. DeBurke rigs the fire extinguishing system to spot heat signatures, enabling the security staff to find Price, who hijacks a ''[[Chameleon]]'' 'Mech. Gibbs procures a prototype ''[[Champion]]'' to fight him, and disables the ''Chameleon'' with several head hits from the LB-X Autocannon. Price is mortally wounded. Before dying, he tells Gibbs that they did not kill Turner.
 
By 24 July, Gibbs has found Jacq LePaies and Mason Price from leads found in Zhang's cabin, and is observing them on [[New Mendham]] as they prepare to kill (or so Gibbs believes) [[Cassie DeBurke]]. He realizes too late, however, that the man he is observing is not actually Jacq LePaies. Racing to rescue DeBurke he finds her alive, but unconscious, with her research results stolen by LePaies and Price. In the subsequent car chase through the city of Bresco, LePaies is killed. Price escapes into the Bergan Industries complex. DeBurke rigs the fire extinguishing system to spot heat signatures, enabling the security staff to find Price, who hijacks a ''[[Chameleon]]'' 'Mech. Gibbs procures a prototype ''[[Champion]]'' to fight him, and disables the ''Chameleon'' with several head hits from the LB-X Autocannon. Price is mortally wounded. Before dying, he tells Gibbs that they did not kill Turner.
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*Captain [[David Gibbs]], SBGK agent
 
*Captain [[David Gibbs]], SBGK agent
 
*[[Leonard Kurita]], [[Draconis Combine]] [[Coordinator]]
 
*[[Leonard Kurita]], [[Draconis Combine]] [[Coordinator]]
*Jacq LePaies, Assassin, ex–secret service agent
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*Jacq LePaies, Assassin, ex-secret service agent
 
*Mason Price, assassin and [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] with good connections to [[Bergan Industries]].
 
*Mason Price, assassin and [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]] with good connections to [[Bergan Industries]].
 
*''Tai-sa'' [[Tetsu Yatomo]], [[ISF]] agent
 
*''Tai-sa'' [[Tetsu Yatomo]], [[ISF]] agent
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== Featured places ==
 
== Featured places ==
{{div col|colwidth=25em}}
 
 
*[[Al Na'ir]] (mentioned)
 
*[[Al Na'ir]] (mentioned)
 
*[[Alpheratz]] - official residence of the President of the [[Outworlds Alliance]], Famindas
 
*[[Alpheratz]] - official residence of the President of the [[Outworlds Alliance]], Famindas
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*[[Thimphu]] (mentioned)
 
*[[Thimphu]] (mentioned)
 
*[[Yance I]] (mentioned)
 
*[[Yance I]] (mentioned)
{{div col end}}
 
 
 
== Featured units ==
 
== Featured units ==
 
*[[2nd Dieron Regulars]]
 
*[[2nd Dieron Regulars]]
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*''[[Slayer]]'' (anachronism, see Notes below)
 
*''[[Slayer]]'' (anachronism, see Notes below)
 
*''[[Sparrowhawk]]'' (mentioned, as ''Sparrow Hawk'')
 
*''[[Sparrowhawk]]'' (mentioned, as ''Sparrow Hawk'')
*''[[Thunderbird (Aerospace Fighter class)|Thunderbird]]''
+
*''[[Thunderbird]]''
 
===DropShips===
 
===DropShips===
 
*''[[Lion]]''
 
*''[[Lion]]''
*''[[Vulture (DropShip class)|Vulture]]''
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*''[[Vulture (DropShip)|Vulture]]''
 
===JumpShips===
 
===JumpShips===
 
*''[[Merchant]]''
 
*''[[Merchant]]''
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===WarShips===
 
===WarShips===
 
*''[[Congress]]'' (mentioned)
 
*''[[Congress]]'' (mentioned)
*''[[Riga (WarShip class)|Riga]]''-class ''AS Invincible''
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*''[[Riga (WarShip)|Riga]]''-class ''AS Invincible''
 
===Other===
 
===Other===
*''MS Pinafore'', 56,000-ton seagoing pleasure cruiser on Logandale
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*''MS Pinafore'', 56,000-ton sea-going pleasure cruiser on Logandale
 
*'''98 T-Bird'' sports hovercraft
 
*'''98 T-Bird'' sports hovercraft
 
*''Avanti'' aircar
 
*''Avanti'' aircar
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[[Category:Novels]]
 
[[Category:Novels]]
[[Category:German-Language Products]]
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[[Category:German language products]]
 
[[Category:Works by Michael Diel]]
 
[[Category:Works by Michael Diel]]

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