Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my MechWarrior/BattleTech - Halo crossover redux.
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I deeply appreciate it.
A lot of you had some interesting reviews that I took the time to read. As such, as a reminder, I'll be posting answers to your reviews at the bottom of the page.
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Halo or MechWarrior/BattleTech franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of Microsoft Studios, 343 Industries, Bungie, FASA Corporation, FASA Interactive, Catalyst Game Labs, WizKids, Piranha Games Inc., etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
New Carthage
Hannibal HQ, Kotkal
January 15th, 2516 (2786)
Jack Hannibal and eight other business executives strode through the hallways of Hannibal HQ, all of them dressed sharply for today's special occasion. Looking at his reflection in a window, Jack could see his hair, which had been dyed brown and brushed to perfection. His tanned skin was slightly wrinkled, but the brilliant spark in his eyes gave him an air of intelligent seniority.
Nearby, the other business executives walked with a nervous energy, and he certainly knew why. Just a few weeks ago, he'd gotten word of a newly-founded faction near the Outer Colonies that had recently been founded. I must admit, he thought as he moved past a few more engineers, that I'd never heard of the Star League-in-Exile until that day, much less learned that they were stranded here from their home universe when their FTL drives malfunctioned.
That had certainly been a shock: the fact that the Star League-in-Exile didn't bother to hide its past from the rest of the UEG and UNSC. You'd think they'd be a bit more private about that particular tidbit about their past, he noted. Then again, their leader, Aleksandr Kerensky if I recall correctly, probably felt that hiding the truth about their past would only cause more problems. If that's the case, then I don't blame him.
His internal monologue was interrupted when another person walked towards him. The person in question, a short and stocky woman with dark brown hair, chocolate brown skin and blue eyes, was Dr. Alexandria O'Neil. From what Jack could recall, Dr. O'Neil was an expert on weapon systems. "Good morning," he said to her. "I assume that all is well, yes?"
"You could say that," O'Neil rejoined, a slight smile creasing her face. "I was just having a lovely chat with Energy Weapons Specialist Richard Anders and his assistant Michael Ivanov. I must admit, the two of them really know their weapons engineering down to a T. Mind if I introduce you to them?"
"Certainly," Jack agreed. With that, the two exited the building. This led them to the station for a mag-lev train that was designed to shuttle executives and workers at the Hannibal HQ, the building they were at, to various locations in the city of Pilvros. Jack and Dr. O'Neil passed by the crowds of citizens boarding the train that could take them anywhere on New Carthage.
While it would've taken just thirty minutes to get to where they were going to, the stops along the way meant that the trip to the HWS Pilvros Weapons Range took around fifty minutes of traveling. By the time they came to the station, the group of executives were happy for the journey to have ended. Once they arrived, they entered the above ground train station.
It was here that Jack saw one of the two men that Dr. O'Neil had been speaking with. A tall and thin man, Mikhail Ivanov had a mop of blond hair on his head, as well as bright green eyes that seemed to shine like laser beams. Spotting the two, he greeted them, his Russian accent thick. "Greetings," he said to the two as they approached. "I trust that your journey was well?"
"It was," Jack replied, "though it could've been a little less delayed. I'll have to speak with the transportation department about that." Looking around, he asked, "Where's Richard?"
"He is currently finishing preparations for the weapons that we have brought along for demonstration," Mikhail explained. "We spent our prep time checking that the on-site nuclear reactors were compatible with those weapons' connectors and cables."
"That's understandable," Jack conceded. "After all, a rushed demonstration would be disastrous. Lead the way."
"Thank you," Michael replied as he bowed slightly. With that, they proceeded out of the above-ground train station and towards the parking lot. A limousin then pulled up, with a chauffeur swinging open the door. The trip to the outdoor firing range didn't take long, a measly fifteen minutes compared to the fifty minutes that was the mag-lev train trip. Stepping out of the vehicle, Jack could see the weapons range for himself.
The weapons range was set up on one of the many semi-arid grasslands that dotted New Carthage's overcast winter sky hung heavy over Jack's head. To the west, he could see the tall mountains that formed an imposing barrier, while to the right, he could see the grasslands, as well as another rocky mountain range, though this one was so far off that the mountains there appeared as blue tinted bumps in the landscape.
The utilitarian facility boasted several huge buildings housing HWS's manufacturing lines and testing facilities for all UNSC products. Hannibal Weapon Systems had it's fingers in quite a few pies, from communications systems and security devices, to small arms. Jack knew his company could make them, and make them better than anyone else could. Hopefully, it's the same thing here, he said to himself as he approached the outdoor testing range.
This part of the facility was the largest part, which had allowed the company to test it's weapons to make sure they were fully operational. On their end of the facility, he could see shooting benches, as well as mounts for heavier weapons that were placed on polycrete foundations. Far away, towards the mountains, he saw various targets placed at the other end of the range.
In addition to the shooting range was a duo of stands, known as bleachers, set up for anyone that wished to see a weapons demonstration. The bleachers had roughly ten rows of seats, with each row able to hold ten people at once. At the top was a small platform that jutted out for VIP's should they attend. The bleachers were sheltered by an overhanging metal roof, as well as a pair of walls that would prevent rain from sweeping inside. Having used these bleachers before, Jack knew that a pair of large shutters could also close during snowy days, and that the interior could be climate controlled and had an excellent sound system installed.
Right now, the area of the firing range devoted to vehicular weapons was occupied by nine weapons. Seven of them looked like massive laser emitters, though the eighth and ninth ones looked more like something out of a science fiction film than a military facility, given some of their uniquely shaped parts, as well as what looked like an emitter at the end. Those must be the SLDF's energy weapons, he noted to himself. In addition to those weapons, he could see power cables, and tubes leading to what appeared to be coolant tanks.
The trio weren't the only ones that were present as well. Jack spotted, to his surprise, a pair of UNSC officers that were present, along with a crowd of scientists and engineers. The latter were making sure that everything was ready to go, while the former were idly milling about. Given that most everyone was seated in the sheltered stands, it was clear that Jack and the others were the last ones to arrive.
Just then, Jack thought he spotted a familiar face in the crowd, one that had him deeply surprised. "Admiral Stanforth?" he asked, surprised. "I did not expect to see you here today."
The man in question, who had been talking with one of the scientists, turned and faced Jack. Vice Admiral Hieronymus Michael Stanforth, known by his nickname of 'Harold', cut an imposing figure in his uniform. While not as tall as Jack, his weathered facial features and gray hair, combined with his sharp blue eyes, gave him an air of authority far greater than Jack himself could've achieved.
Seeing Jack, he said, "Mr. Hannibal, good to see you here," before extending a hand, which Jack quickly shook. "I trust your family is doing well, yes?"
"That it is," Jack agreed. "I must admit, I never thought I'd see you attend a showcase like this."
"Truth be told, I never expected to do so either," the Vice Admiral admitted. "When I heard rumors, however, that the Star League-in-Exile was outsourcing energy based weapons to other corporations for manufacturing, I initially brushed it off. Kerensky then informed me that he would be sharing some of the weapons and armor technology the Star League-in-Exile had as part of a technology exchange program meant to build stronger ties."
"And has he?"
"He certainly has," Stanforth admitted. "Normally, such an agreement would be classified, but since your company is the one that has come the closest to achieving actual energy weapons technology so far, I was willing to see if you could do it. Kerensky felt that your company could do it too, which is why we are here today." Looking around, he said, "In fact, the show's about to start."
"Then we'd best find a seat," Jack decided, with the two men quickly moving towards the VIP booth. Walking up the metal steps of the bleachers, they quickly walked into the VIP booth, which was enclosed and had holographic displays built into the observational chamber. As soon as they were seated, the event began.
Outside, he watched as a man walked into view, a microphone and earpiece over his right ear. The man was short and stocky, with a shock of black hair and dark brown eyes that gazed directly at the VIP booth. He wore a jumpsuit that had a number of pockets on the upper and lower portions, as well as a utility belt that had a number of tools on it. The jumpsuit was covered in grease and coolant stains, though it was clear that the man wore it with pride.
A moment later, he began to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome," the man began, his baritone voice thick with a French accent. "My name is Richard Anders, and today, we are performing an exhibition of one class of weaponry that the Star League-in-Exile uses.
First, we will begin a demonstration of the SLDF's Laser weapon systems, starting with the Small Laser, the weakest and shortest ranged of the Standard Lasers and ending with the Large Laser and ER Large Laser, the longest ranged of the laser weapons. They, as the name suggests, are designed to use a beam of coherent light to ablate and cut through armor plating. After this, we will demonstrate the Pulse Lasers, which use a pulsing beam of laser light to deal more damage, though at the cost of greater heat. Mikhail, you may begin."
With that, Jack watched as Mikhail pressed a small button at a control panel near the larger weapons. At that moment, a bright red beam of light shot out of the emitter lens of one of the small weapons in the mounts, with the beam traveling a considerable distance of two kilometers to the target at the other end of the range. Looking at a camera feed, he watched as a plate of titanium-ceramic alloy was struck by the beam, with the affected area glowing yellow-white. To his surprise, he could see some of the material burning away.
A moment later, a green beam of energy cut into the target. Even more material was burned away, before suddenly, the laser beam cut through the armor plating in a shower of sparks. Then a blue laser beam cut into the armor, tearing through it before making a hole large enough for a large caliber shell to fit in. It was much the same with the ER Large Laser and the Pulse Lasers, with the Pulse Lasers dealing even more damage than their standard counterparts.
Stanforth whistled. "Impressive," he noted. "That stuff was able to cut through the armor typically used on the Scorpion and the Grizzly."
"I agree," Jack concurred. "Notice how the Small Laser dealt quite a bit of damage? That indicates to me that it's a free electron laser, though the ones we've developed are still quite large. In addition, the amount of damage indicates that it has a very high yield."
"Agreed," Stanforth added. "Looks like Anders about to start speaking again."
Right on cue, Anders continued to speak. "Now that, in itself, is quite impressive. However, we are also here to demonstrate one of our most powerful energy weapons: the Particle Projection Cannon. As for what it does, I will allow Mikhail to demonstrate." Turning to Mikhail, he said, "You may do so now." At that Mikhail pressed another button. What happened next would surprise everyone in the bleachers.
Jack watched, with shock, as a bolus of what appeared to be lightning ripped out of the muzzle of the PPC that was mounted. A loud electrical scream, combined with a thunderous KRA-THOOM, echoed around the area as the bolus of lightning ripped through the air at extreme speeds. Looking at the video feed, Jack was shocked when the bolus of lightning tore through the titanium-ceramic plate as though it didn't exist, while a large sphere of electrical energy enveloped the area surrounding the plate.
When it cleared, Jack stared in shock at the glowing, jagged hole in the armor. A hole as wide as a man was tall had been blasted through the titanium-ceramic plate, with the edges of the hole glowing white-hot. Molten metal dripped from the top of the hole, before landing on the ground, causing sparks to dance around. Even Stanforth, who'd been impressed by the Lasers, ER Laser and Pulse Lasers, had been caught off guard. "What the hell was that?!" he yelped.
Richard, who had heard Stanforth's surprised cry, said, "That, my good sir, was the Particle Projection Cannon in action, specifically a variant known as the Extended Range PPC. The ER PPC is designed to fire a bolus of high energy particles, or ions, directly at an enemy target. The bolus is first generated inside of the particle acceleration chamber, before it is launched out of the muzzle via electromagnetic coils. This gives the bolus the same muzzle velocity as a Gauss Rifle and, upon impact, the particle bolus generates intense kinetic and thermal energy, while creating a powerful electromagnetic pulse capable of knocking out electronics."
One of the engineers in the bleachers, curious, asked, "When was this weapon developed?"
"The first variant of this weapon, the PPC," Richard explained, "was first developed in the year 2439 by the Terran Hegemony during the Age of War, before being perfected in the year 2460. This was due to advancements in energy technology, as well as the desire to have a long range energy weapon that could deal out considerable damage."
"Is it safe for use?" another scientist asked. "What if the target is too close?"
"Yes," Richard explained. "The original design had problems with feedback loops occurring due to problems with the emitters, necessitating the use of a field inhibitor that prevented the weapon from firing at a target that was 90 meters or less away from the shooter. The ER PPC here, however, uses improved emitters, which eliminates the feedback loop problem entirely, though it does run hotter, as you can see."
Even as Richard answered questions from the scientists, and from Vice Admiral Stanforth, Jack found himself looking at the Lasers and PPCs on display. Now I see why Stanforth and Kerensky have given me the opportunity to try my hand at this, he realized. They want to see if my company can not only manufacture the weapons, but also make improvements to them. He smiled at that. Challenge accepted.
. . .
At another Inner Colony, Sergeant Johnson was aimlessly wandered about one of the large parking areas outside of Military Reservation 01478-B, known as 'Painland' to anyone that trained there. One of the UNSC's training facilities, the base was located in Reach's Viery Territory, specifically the Highland Mountains that were located within the territory. From where he was at, he could see the entire base, which resembled a large circle with a Y that fit snugly inside of it.
Outside, he saw a dormitory, as well as a canteen, indoor gym, as well as a recreational area and administration building. There was also a ten acre obstacle course, as well as an area that had razor wire, designed to teach recruits to keep low and keep moving. In addition to that was the infamous 'Pillars of Loki', an obstacle course that consisted of 10 meter high poles armed with booby traps. I went through that place once, he remembered. Nearly got my ass 'blown up' four different times. There was also an airfield nearby where some Sparrowhawks were kept.
In an effort to bolster relations, the UNSC had decided to host a series of war games with the Star League-in-Exile at Reach, which the SLDF called the 'Martial Olympiad.' It was designed to see how effectively SLDF commanders and ground forces could handle UNSC or Insurrectionist ground forces, with an orbital exercise being done for the same reasons
Right now, they were currently in the preparation period, and it was during this time that members of both sides were able to look at each other's vehicles and talk about their various weaknesses and strengths. Hearing talking nearby, he saw five people talking to each other, two UNSC Army Riflemen and three SLDF Servicemen to be exact. He could also see a Scorpion nearby, with Johnson smiling at the familiar shape of the vehicle.
The other one, though, was nothing that he'd ever seen before. Walking closer, he noted that the tank had a chassis that resembled an M1A2 Abrams he'd seen in a museum back at his hometown of Chicago on Earth. The turret's shape, though, had a rounded frontal section, and the sides and rear had a very steep acute angle. In addition, it was flatter and it had two missile pods installed on the back and side of the turret. The main gun also looked more like a projector than an actual gun, which also had him confused. Maybe the conversation I'm hearing could give a clue, he thought as he listened in. True enough, the two sides were having a competition with each other on who had the better vehicle.
"It looks like a bug!" One of the SLDF Servicemen grumbled.
"Well, yours looks like a high schoolers unfinished computer model," one of the UNSC Army Riflemen countered.
"Really?" the second SLDF Serviceman asked rhetorically. "Well guess what, your tank uses a Medium Rifle! What are you doing with a shitty antique like that?"
"Hey! Don't diss the M512 cannon!" the second Rifleman growled. "That there is 90mm of tungsten that's more than ready to kick ass. Plus, it explodes upon impact as well."
"An APHE shell?"
"Correct."
"Then it's dumb as fuck," the second SLDF soldier grumbled. "Those were shells used during WWII on ancient Terra. Our Autocannons use HEAP shells, which are a damn sight better, and face it, 90mm isn't sufficient to destroy a tank. You'd need 105mm at minimum, though we don't have to worry about that here, given that we use an energy weapon."
"Fair point. How about armor?" the first Rifleman asked. "We've got Titanium-Ceramic armor as the armor plating. The Scorpion's basically impervious to small arms fire. What about yours? It doesn't look the same to me."
"Piss off," the first Service man said, though there was no malice in his voice. "Your armor's some cheap shit. This here Manticore uses twelve whole tonnes of ArcShield Maxi II."
As the two sides argued back and forth, Johnson smiled. Just like basic training, he noted to himself. Still, I'm kinda curious as to how this 'Manticore' will perform against the Scorpion. If it wins, then I'll certainly be surprised.
. . .
Up in orbit, Kerensky was watching the 20 odd ships that he'd brought along from Soell getting into formation, with the fleet near Turul, the smaller of Reach's two moons. So far, all was going well, and it wouldn't be long until the UNSC-SLDF 1st Martial Olympiad would begin. Nearby, Aaron DeChavillier was talking with other captains as he coordinated the fleet.
He wasn't the only Kerensky present, though, as nearby, Nicholas was standing to attention. "I always wondered what the Martial Olympiad was like," he said to Aleksandr as he walked closer. "Mom always told me stories about the Martial Olympiad. Didn't you take part in the last one, Father?"
"I did," Aleksandr replied, smiling at his son, "and now you get to participate in one. It is quite hazardous, but we have taken all the necessary precautions. Besides, it will help us build stronger relations with the UNSC and UEG, which is something that everyone desires."
"No argument here," Kerensky agreed. "Besides, I am curious as to how the UNSC's AI's will counter some of our tactics, especially the fact that we can engage at long range. It will also tell us which technologies that the UNSC will benefit from receiving, and which ones we will benefit from receiving."
"Good point," Nicholas remarked. "Also, I was curious as to what's been going on with Guilty Spark and Andrey Kerensky. I also heard that Dr. Cranston was with him. What are they up to?"
"That is classified," Aleksandr replied, "Though when this event is over, then I will likely tell you, depending on your performance here." Looking at a nearby clock, he said, "I believe it is time that you head back to your ship, Nicholas. The Prinz Mugen needs its Captain."
"Yes, sir," Nicholas replied, saluting his father before proceeding off of the bridge.
Turning his attention back to the fleet, Kerensky watched as the last of the ships were brought into formation. Soon, he thought to himself, we will begin the Martial Olympiad. I must admit, it's a wonderful feeling to conduct these kinds of wargames once again. I remember when I participated in the last one. If all goes well, this will be a competition to remember.
(Author's Q&A)
The True Skull: Well to be fair, Kerensky was caught between a rock and a hard place. He had two options that were not very good at all, and either would've made him look like a tyrant, which was something he didn't desire, a warmonger for one of the Great Houses, or a coward, which was also something he didn't desire. The phrase that comes to mind for me is 'damned if you do, damned if you don't.' Either way, Kerensky knew he was screwed, so he decided to pick the option that screwed him over the least.
As for the neo-feudal superiority thing, the Inner Sphere originally had a republican democracy in the form of the Terran Alliance. The problem, though, was that they invented FTL flight before FTL communications was made a practical reality. In addition, the long distance travels and the time it took to recharge the K-F Drive meant that rampant factionalism quickly took over. This led to the Terran Alliance fracturing, and the Inner Sphere as we know it beginning to take shape. The reversion to neo-feudal governments was due to the fact that, with a slow FTL mode, neo-feudal governments hold together better.
In addition, you are correct in that the URF, while they had noble intentions at first, betrayed their cause later on. That's why, in future chapters, the SLDF is really going to come down hard on the Innies and work to stamp them out of existence. As for the UNSC and UEG, yes they have problems, but I still think they can be turned around. They're democracies, after all, and a democracy means that, if you don't like the people in charge, you can vote them out and replace them with better people.
SulliMike23: Agreed.
Heart of Shepard: Thank you
Danny79: Exactly why I had the SLDF and UNSC agree to work with each other. Yes, the UNSC could win a war against the SLDF, but they would be facing a lot of veterans that are tired of shit like that. The resulting war would be extremely costly, and likely would result in the SLDF conquering a good portion of UNSC space. In addition, like you said, it would only weaken both sides, allowing the Covenant to move in. As such, having them work together is the sane, and logical, outcome.
shypunk: Not everyone in ONI is evil. You have a lot of bad apples, yes, but there's good people in there that just want to make life better.
Nezzux: No. In my opinion, destroying a species is one of the greatest evils a person can inflict. Just look at WWII to see where that road leads.
Guest #1: Thank you.
Just a Crazy-Man: Thank you.
Guest #2: No.
ThatTallGuy: I know. I've researched the lore on the Insurrection. It was thanks to some idiots with badges and a nuke that things went the way they did.