The Dying Time

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The Dying Time
Product information
Type Novel
Author Thomas S. Gressman
Pages 278
Cover Artwork Fred Gambino
Publication information
Publisher Roc Books
First published 1 January, 2002
ISBN-10 0451458664
ISBN-13 978-0451458667
Content
Era Civil War era
Timeline 3065
Series Saga of the Gray Death Legion
Preceded by Operation Excalibur
Followed by (none)

The Dying Time, by Thomas S. Gressman, is the seventh and final book in the Saga of the Gray Death Legion. It was published as the fifth novel in the loosely-related MechWarrior series.

The novel was made available on BattleCorps on 30 January 2011 as a PDF file (text only, without cover, pictures, or any other interior artwork except for the usual BattleCorps frame graphics). The PDF copy includes a disclaimer stating that it was created from a pre-final edition text that might differ from the printed version and that canon-wise, the print edition trumps the PDF edition.

From the back cover

“ Only days after the demise of legendary warrior Grayson Death Carlyle, the mercenary forces of the Gray Death Legion are called into action. Their mission is to protect Hesperus II in the Isle of Skye. With civil war raging, it is vital that the planet's famous Defiance BattleMech production facilities not fall into the hands of the enemy. Seeing the Lyrans and Davionists at each other's throats, the Skye separatists have seized the opportunity to instigate a new rebellion, and they too threaten the safety of Hesperus II and its factories.

Now commanding the Legion is Lori Carlyle, widow of Grayson. But what Lori doesn't realize is that her troops are little more than pawns in the continuing hostilities between the factions of Victor Steiner-Davion and his ever-cunning sister, Katrina—and that the Gray Death are about to enter a battle they are meant to lose.

If there is one constant in the universe, it is that pawns are made to be sacrificed...

”

Summary

Grayson Carlyle, Baron of Glengarry and founder of the famous Gray Death Legion, passes away on 22 May 3065, shortly before the Legion is ordered to move to Hesperus II and bolster the defenses there against an expected attack. They arrive in mid-June to a lukewarm reception. Having assaulted Hesperus II back in 3057, the Legion is outright shunned by Leutnant-General Peter Zambos of the 36th Lyran Guards while Hauptmann-General Gina Ciampa of the 15th Lyran Guards tries to cooperate despite the losses her unit incurred against the Legion. The Defiance Self-Protection Force under Major James Goree is initially distrustful of the mercenaries to the point of nearly provoking a friendly fire incident when a Gray Death patrol comes close to the factory perimeter. Daniel Brewer, who is at the same time a company commander in the Gray Death Legion and a board member of Defiance Industries, has a hard time reconciling them. Having inherited operational command of the Gray Death Legion from her late husband, Lori Kalmar-Carlyle is struggling with the responsibility and relies heavily on experienced officers such as Davis McCall and Julio Vargas.

Soon after the Legion's arrival, Skye Separatist forces (the 22nd Skye Rangers) sneak into the system aboard three Overlord-class DropShips and hide first near one of Hesperus V's moons, then on Hesperus III, a barren world with merely a trace atmosphere. When they are detected by the defenders somewhat prematurely they initiate an all-out attack to decimate the defenders and possibly draw them out before the main body of the attack force arrives, instead of attacking from two vectors as originally planned.

Featured characters

Featured places

Featured BattleTech

BattleMechs

Aerospace Fighters

Vehicles

DropShips

JumpShips

WarShips

Notes

  • The BattleTechnology magazine is referred to as an existant in-universe magazine in this novel.

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