Karma

Karma, by Bernard Craw, is a German-language BattleTech novel. It describes an unauthorized raid by forces from the Duchy of Andurien against the Capellan world of Niomede at the onset of the Fourth Succession War.

Overview

The novel provides very detailed information about the planet of Niomede-4 and its unusual civilisation which combines typical Capellan tenets with unique local concerns such as the Worm Cult, a local religion centering around the planet and its strange lifeforms, the Niomede Worms. It also explores the implications of life in terraformed caverns and its technological implications in great depth, as well as the differences combat in vacuum.

A large number of characters is introduced on both sides of the conflict; the story lacks true "villains" in the sense that all parties act sensible and with an understandable motivation.

Canonicity

Written in German and exclusively published in that language so far, Karma does not meet the current criteria for Canon in the BattleTech universe.

The author himself stated on the CBT Forums that the story was thoroughly checked for compliance with establised canon and continuity prior to publication, and therefore it should not have canonicity issues with any previously published works. Subsequent (canonical) BattleTech publications are not checked for compliance against this novel, however, and would overrule it in the case of conflicting information.

From the back cover (translated from German)

“

The vacuum world of Niomede-4 travels along its path in the light of a blue giant star. In 3028, the 3rd Defenders of Andurien seize the window of opportunity to execute a raid on this seemingly unimportant world on the Capellan Confederation's rim in the shadow of the Fourth Succession War. But whatevertheir target might be: First they must overcome a company of the legendary Warrior House Kamata. And the planetary 'Mech lance that nobody took into accout may yet tip the scales of destiny...

”

Plot Summary

In an entry to his diary dating 15 August 3028, Company Leader Hong Wen Zien of Warrior House Kamata muses about the possible reasons why he was posted to Niomede, a world he resents, and about what it means to be a Warrior.

Tiun Kuan, a SAFE agent posing as a meteorite prospector, returns to the capital city of Bram-Ze on 30 August 3028 with his team after an unsuccessful sortie to claim a recent asteroid impact site. Back at the city, they learn that the Fourth Succession War broke out ten days ago.

On the planet Shiro III in the Duchy of Andurien, Lieutenant General Menlo Drews meets with his only child, Colonel Vela Drews, on 31 August 3028. Unfit for MechWarrior training due to a birth defect, she joined SAFE instead and has attained the rank of Colonel in the intelligence service. Menlo Drews, loyal to the Duchy far more than to the Free Worlds League, is highly critical of the Concord of Kapteyn, which he describes as "a paranoid, a coward and a runner amok teaming up". In his opinion, House Liao is bound to go down and will drag House Marik and House Kurita down with him. Acting independently from Dame Catherine Humphreys of Andurien who is on the return voyage from the Davion/Steiner wedding on Terra, Drews hopes to undo the Concord and provoke an attack by the Capellan Confederation through a commando strike at a research facility on Niomede that one of his daughter's agents revealed to exist. Skribtschak's 'Mech battalion of the 3rd Defenders of Andurien has just finished maneuvers on Sadurni and is ready to jump out shortly, provided that Vela's spy on Niomede can provide data for a suitable pirate jump point.

On 18 September, the reluctant SAFE agent on Niomede, Tiun Kuan, forces his girlfried Ju Tang at gunpoint to provide data for Pirate Jump Points, as per his orders. Gion Zeng, a scientist, interrupts them and Kuan flees the scene with the jump data printouts.

Three days later, MechWarrior Jen Xiao discusses his sister Goda with his girlfried Meh. He fears that Goda's political activities will get her in trouble, but Meh reasons that his fame will protect her. She presents him with a self-made gift, a silver star engraved with the word "love".

Later, in a joint training exercise with the Warrior House troops, Commander Niu Doun, offended by how the Warrior House troops look down on his lance of local troops, challenges them to mock hand-to-hand combat with wooden swords and spears, and a female Warrior House warrior subsequently defeats all four Niomede MechWarriors simultaneously.

On the following day (22 September), a FWL JumpShip appears between the third and fourth orbit around the Niomede sun and deploys three Union-class DropShips. Aboard the invaders' flagship Zinne ("Pinnacle" or "Battlement"), Major Karla Skribtschak confers with her company commanders. Flag Captain Eric Batton complains that they had insufficient vacuum training, but Flag Captain Pavel Padura dismisses this, pointing out that the cavern cities are pressurized. Lieutenant Commander Patrick Hens, the aerospace commander, announces that his Stingray flight will easily be able to neutralize any surface targets on this vaccum world but will be of little use once combat moves underground. As the agent on the planet has not yet reported the exact location of the secret lab, they plan to attack one city after another in search for it yet agree that they must act quickly before Capellan reinforcements can arrive.

While eavesdropping on members of the scientist caste to find out the location of the secret lab, Tiun Kuan is recognized in a bar by Ju Tang and arrested on 23 September. However, when he is brought before Refrector Yü and the assembled military leaders, Yü deducts from the available information that Tiun Kuan, who has not actually harmed a Capellan citizen so far, must be a Maskirovka agent working undercover. Jen Xiao is not convinced, but during the hearing it is revealed that Gebron's Pride, an asteroid miner, reported an inbound Union-class DropShip; it is implied the miners were killed. The observatory has meanwhile identified a second one, and finally a radio message from Major Skribtschak is received where she advises the Capellans to surrender to her battalion. Yü reveals the existence of the secret lab, of which the Niomede MechWarriors were previously unaware, and indicates that he would prefer to minimize damage by surrendering the lab to the attackers. Hong Wen Zien announces that this is not an option, and an argument ensues. When Refrector Yü points out that he represents the Capellan Chancellor on Niomede and moves to answer the radio and negotiate a surrender, Wen Zien draws his sword and nails Yü's hand to the desk with it. In the ensuing commotion, Tiun Kuan escapes.

When he realizes that Kuan is missing, Jen Xiao deducts that the spy will attempt to sabotage the planet's missile batteries which he can only hope to achieve at the control center which is situated below the observatory. He tries to quickly get there from the Refrector's palace without causing a panic among the population; owing to his fame, he has to give autograms on the way. When he finally arrives at the observatory he meets Ju Tang and urges her to bring him to the fire control room where he learns that a third inbound DropShip has been spotted. At that point Tiun Kuan enters, armed with a guard's pistol while Jen finds he had to surrender his sidearm when he was admitted into the palace earlier. Kuan shoots the fire control computer, then leaves, but Ju Tang announces that they still have a day until the ships arrive and that she has an idea.

The three Unions arrive as predicted and prepare to land, escorted by their Stingray aerospace fighters. Lured into attacking a 'Mech lance through weak AA fire, the fighters run into curtain fire from the missile batteries. The Zinne is damaged by the intensifying fire, losing a thruster, and four out of six Stingrays are destroyed with at least one of the remaining two suffering heavy damage. Once on the ground, however, the DropShips are too low to be targeted and deploy their 'Mechs.

Later on the same day, Ju Tang is nominated to receive a commendation for jury-rigging an air defense by linking asteroid prediction systems. The ceremony is presided over by Hong Wen Zien. According to the official stance he represents Refrector Yü, who was injured in an accident, on his request. After the ceremony, the Capellan officers confer with each other and Wen Zien admits that the loss of the enemy aerospace fighters will not have any impact on the battle in the caves; it is merely useful as a morale boost for the population who is largely unaware of the true situation. Wen Zien's battle plan is for the Niomede Lance to deploy their three Hermes II as baits, to lure the attackers into ambushes by Warrior House troops. Commander Niu Doun objects to this plan and reveals that the Hermes II's advanced avionics allowed for a modification that links them to a grid of sensors around the cities. The Niomede Lance can use this data to cancel out interference from the ore deposits in the rock, giving their 'Mechs a superior sensor performance that amounts to the effects of a lostech Beagle Probe while all other 'Mechs suffer reduced sensor range. Wen Zien is initially angry that he was not told of this beforehand, but humbly acknowledges his mistake when Niu Doun points out that he never bothered to ask about the Niomede Lance's capabilities.

Capellan Confederation Characters

• Commander Niu Doun - The proud commander of the planetary 'Mech lance on Niomede-4 is a local celebrity until he suffers a nervous breakdown in his first real combat situation. Guilt-ridden, and scorned or ignored by the public henceforward, he simply walks away from his position and is treated like thin air by everybody.

• Private Li Ewuon - The fourth member in Niomede's planetary "lance", she is a fully trained replacement MechWarrior and gets to pilot Niu Doun's 'Mech after the walks away from his position following the first battle. She provides valuable support to Jen Xiao in later battles.

• Goda Dscheng - Jen Xiao's sister works as an executive for Niom-Silic, the local subsidiary of Silic Mining, a Principia based firm. She is painfully aware that the Servitors in the mines are mere slaves. Having barely passed her philosophical exam, thus narrowly avoiding the fate of a Servita herself, she performs as a subversive underground poet in her spare time, hoping that her brother's status as a local celebrity will protect her from prosecution.

• Professor Honime Duao - Overrated elderly scientist who became famous in her youth, but has since devoted her life to grooming her reputation instead of advancing her scientific work. Overseeing the secret research project on Niomede IV, she does not actually contribute anything to the work and remains oblivious of the fact that she is acutally more of a hindrance. She considering herself indispensable and presents Gideon Zeng's groundbreaking private work as results from her research group to further her own fame.

• Tiun Kuan - A native of Sadurni, which the Free Worlds League conquered from the Capellan Confederation some years ago for the purpose of pressing Capellan citizens into service for SAFE. With his mother held hostage, he is the reluctant spy who uncovered that research equipment was spirited to Niomede and that a Warrior House company was sent to guard this ostensibly unimportant planet. When the Fourth Succession War breaks out he is already working on Niomede under the disguise of a prospector, and has begun a relationship with Ju Tang.

• Dr. Ju Tang - Bright and attractive young scientist who works in the planetary observatory. A loyal Capellan citizen, she cannot forgive herself after Tiun Kuan forced her to provide jump data for the invaders. Her ingenuity leads to a worthless (but flashy) victory over the enemy aerospace assets which nevertheless raises morale among the defenders and establishes her as a figurehead for Capellan resolve. She fully immerses herself in that role to the point of leading lightly armed militia forces against BattleMechs in a dress robe when the caves are stormed. To prevent unneccessary civilian deaths, Major Skribtschak ultimately shoots her with a 'Mech laser. Although charred beyond recognition, Ju Tang miraculously survives and her comatose body gains a cult following as the Aschehexe ("Ash Witch").

• Meh Walong - A silversmith and Jen Xiao's lover. A content and conservative citizen, she is left behind when Jen Xiao seizes his chance to leave the dull world.

• Hong Wen Zien - Company Leader of the Warrior House Kamata company on Niomede. He is unhappy with the boring and honorless assignment to Niomede, which he regards as a penance. When Refrector Yü announces his intention to negotiate terms of surrender with the attackers and commands Wen Zien to stand down, he nails Yü's hand to his desk with his sword in response and assumes de-facto leadership of the defenders. Wen Zien dies in the final attack, having briefly been a fatherly mentor to Jen Xiao after he proved his worth in battle.

• Jen Xiao - Subcommander in the understrength Niomede 'Mech lance, where he pilots a Hermes II. A celebrity on Niomede, he is painfully aware of the insignificance of his world and dreams of leaving for the stars. Gains the respect of Hong Wen Zien when he proves to be a capable MechWarrior under fire. His ingenuity ultimately saves Gion Zeng from being captured, robbing the attackers of their victory.

• Refrector Elan Yü - Easily mistaken for a befuddled grandfatherly coward, the fat, white-haired representative of House Liao on Niomede knows about the precarious nature of Niomede's artificial ecosystem and is driven by genuine care for the population as he seeks to limit the damage from the fighting. He holds the noble title of Shonso and tries to pull rank on Company Commander Wen Zien when he opts to negotiate surrender, only to be deposed by the Warrior House officer who immediately assumes command of the defenders.

• Colonel Askan Yü - The Refrector's younger brother commands the infantry forces on Niomede.

• Gion Zeng - Physicist, married to his science. A scientific prodigy, he can count the number of his visits to a bar on the fingers of one hand by the age of 25. He is a member of Honime Duao's research team, but unhappy how she orders the team to verify the worthless and well-known results all over again that once made her famous. He considers this a frustrating waste of his precious time and has obtained permission to conduct private research in his (limited) off-time. Here he works on optimized silicon structures based off unique compounds from the muscles of the local Niomede Worms. It is this work that really pushes the research forward in the secret laboratory, which House Liao created on Niomede in 3015 for the purpose of researching what amounts to Endo-Steel skeletons for BattleMechs.

Free Worlds League characters

• Flag Captain Eric Batton - A capable leader under fire, he is known as an overly cautious pessimist when not in battle. Batton disagrees, feeling that sloppyness, ill-preparedness and a lack of caution as displayed by about everybody else could cut short his career and his life. His hair color is described as "fiery".

• Lieutenant General Menko Drews - Stauch supporter of Dame Catherine Humphreys. Believing his unauthorized action to be in the best interest of the Duchy of Andurien, he sends a company of his troops to attack Niomede to provoke a reaction from the Capellan Confederation in a deliberate attempt to undo the Concord of Kapteyn and perhaps gain Capellan scientists and research as booty.

• Lieutenant Commander Patrick Hens - In charge of the aerospace assets, which suffer critical losses early on.

• Force Captain Jopp "Langer Jopp" Higgins - Known as "Long Jopp" for being almost two meters (6 foot 5) tall. Commander of the battalion's Scout Lance of LCT-1E Locusts, which was officially dubbed "Long Lance" in reference to his nickname.

• Flag Captain Pavel Padura - Physically similar to Batton, Padura is a decorated officer eager to be promoted to battalion commander. He advocates a brute force approach.

• Major Karla Skribtschak - A sober, by-the-book officer with doubts about the mission, she normally stutters but is inexplicably temporarily healed from her stutter while using a neurohelmet. She tries to limit casualties and collateral damage to the best of her abilities, but the stiff resistance frustrates her efforts.

Appendix

An appendix lists the full rosters of all units that participated in the fighting on Niomede, naming each individual pilot and BattleMech involved.

Featured places

• Niomede IV
• Shiro III

Featured units

• 3rd Defenders of Andurien (Skribtschak's battalion)
• Niomede 4 Lance (planetary garrison)
• Warrior House Kamata (Wen Zien's company)

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

• Catapult - CPLT-C1, CPLT-K2 ("K2" misspelled as "2K")
• Hermes II - HER-2S, HER-2M Mercury
• Locust - LCT-1V, LCT-1E, LCT-1M
• Orion - ON1-V, ON1-VA
• UrbanMech - UM-R60L
• Vindicator - VND-1R

DropShips

• Leopard
• Union
• unspecified asteroid mining vessel (Gebron's Pride)

Notes

• Niomede-4, as it is consequently spelled in the book, denotes the formerly fourth planet of the Niomede system (Niomede IV). It is explained to be the only remaining planet out of 17 in the Niomede system; the others have broken up long ago to form extensive asteroid fields.
• The city names of Bram-Ze and Wa-L-Sum appear to be puns on the German towns of Bramsche (the author's birthplace) and Walsum (now the northernmost district of Duisburg).