A/N - The Cavaliers are my original merc unit from when I started play Btech in 1985/6. This story is not canon and diverts from the original timeline. C/C is always welcome.

Prologue

Xavier Cain discovered a small Star-League-era information node in 3001. He studied the node and learned how the Star League scientists had developed tracking and targeting computers.

In 3005 Cain and his wife Marjorie used the technology carried within the node to found Anarchy Industries on the planet Hesperus II in the Lyran alliance. Anarchy developed, manufactured, and sold the "Target Master" battle system. Many of the Inner Sphere's battlemech factories were Anarchy customer, the most notable being Defiance Industries.

Shortly after Xavier found the information node, his son Charles married Sheila Makana. James Cain was born to them the following year. In 3025 Xavier retired and Charles took his place as CEO of Anarchy Industries. Although Charles was a graduate of the Nagelring Academy, he was not much of a businessman and over the next few years let the board of directors take control of the company.

Charles wanted to be a MechWarrior more than anything, so in 3027, following the lead of Defiance Industries, he created a private security force of Battlemechs and appointed himself Commander; thus began "Cain's Cavaliers". Over the next ten years the Cavaliers grew into a regimental-sized unit. They defended the Anarchy factory complexes from pirate raids and even repelled an invasion of Marik troops.

In 3037 Charles decided to hire out the Cavaliers' second battalion, the "Gunslingers", to other corporations for their security operations. Quickly, Charles realized that he was making more money from contracting out the Gunslingers than he was spending on the maintenance and upkeep of the rest of the regiment.

While Charles was building up Cain's Cavaliers, James was sent to the Nagelring to complete his education. At the Academy, James met and married Sarah McDunn. Their son Christopher was born in 3030.

In 3047 the Board of Directors voted to sell Anarchy Industries to Defiance Industries. Charles tried to fight them but he lost; though he negotiated to keep control of the Cavaliers.

With the coming of the Clans in 3049, The Cavaliers gained notoriety as a hard-charging mercenary unit that would take on any assignment.

In the winter of '61, Charles was severely wounded when his Battlemech, a 65 ton Catapult, crashed during a space drop. James, a Captain in the Cavaliers, took over the unit and went on to complete the mission.

Over the next ten years the Cavaliers would return to their base on Hesperus II just long enough to resupply and grab bit of R&R before taking on the next contract.

In the early summer of 3074 James Cain, who by then was a Colonel, took on a contract with Coventry Mechwerks. The Cavaliers were to invade Clan Jade Falcon territory and rescue Coventry employees who had been lost when the Clan captured the planet of Gilgamesh. James' son Christopher was the commander of the Blazers; Fourth Battalion's Assault Company.

The mission started well. The Unit found where the captives were held and rescued them. On the way back to their dropships the Cavaliers were ambushed by the Steel Viper's Black Nova Battle Cluster. Out-massed, outnumbered, and outgunned, the Cavaliers were doomed until James challenged the Steel Viper's commander to a duel. James' Zeus was already damaged but he knew that this was the only way the Cavaliers could get off the planet and complete the mission. The Viper's Commander, piloting a 100 ton Dire Wolf, shredded the smaller Zeus and killed James. Christopher ordered the Recon Company to take the Coventry employees and withdraw to the dropships while Christopher and the rest of the Cavaliers dealt with the clanners.

Fourteen hours later the battle was over. The Clan warriors had been routed but the Cavaliers had taken so many losses, the unit was no longer able to function as a viable battle force.