Timewalking Archive Trap: Gepanzerte Welle (Part 3 of 3)

Battletech is a universe set in the 31st century where giant robots called Battlemechs are kings of the battlefield and feudal realms fight for planets devastated by years of warfare. I'm also putting up a 'Green Box' entry with background for Battletech in general, and this write-up in particular. It's linked here, or it's just below if you're using an RSS feed.

A few years ago, I tried to convince my friends to participate in a Battletech email-based roleplaying game where each of them would play the ruler of one of these realms and play politics and manage war in one of the best universes for it. They didn't not decline, but participation was marginal and the fiction I had for the setting got shelved as I focused my work on storytelling and original settings.

"She told me all of the things that would happen to me when I was very young. The beatings, narco-interrogation, lies, and humiliation. As I child, the only real terror of being caught by the Clans was the beatings; humiliation and drugging were something that children tend not to understand as well. As a young man, after they captured me in New Hills Heights, I understood each of those things. They'd told me she was dead at least a half-dozen times before it really happened. For them, her actual death just meant they had more proof.

I never believed them though. Not the first time, and not the last. Later, when I was training with them, fighting with them, and bargaining with them, I always expected my 'mech to round a corner and find her Orion. I wonder constantly if it would be friend or foe."

Tavan Londeri, Memoirs of My Mother, discarded notes c.3080

Supplementary Reports

As has been noted, the information we have contests Ashlain as the location of the final defeat of the Gepanzerte Welle and the death of Blair Londeri.  None the less, a majority of the Ghost Bear information packet has been verified, and the following reports have been appended to the Gepanzerte Welle file for the sake of completeness.

Earlier actions on 'Ashlain' against The Gepanzerte Welle are fairly routine and easily summarized (though original copies are attached for your review), though the final report has been included in the main body of the profile for obvious reasons. Blair Londeri and her allies were on the receiving end of a brutally efficient, textbook takedown by Omega Galaxy that drug on for months. By many appearances, Omega Galaxy even began using the unsupported unit for counter-insurgency training. The handful of survivors were taken as bondsmen or absorbed into the lower castes, with many of the others being killed in combat or after capture.

Action 111-31

Office of the Loremaster, Clan Ghost Bear

Omega Galaxy, [CLASSIFIED] Cluster, [CLASSIFIED] Star

Star Commander Soth

Ashlain, Blue Mist Mountains (Region NW-1-BMM, Nav [CLASSIFIED])

Ghost Bear Dominion, August 11, 3064

1112: First contact was between [CLASSIFIED] star and three damaged 'mechs in Golf Whiskey paint scheme and Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Chola and Mikke engaged while I observed their first field performance. Both satisfactory.

1158: Pursuing surviving Assassin through the mountains (Heading: [CLASSIFIED]). Losing ground due target terrain familiarity and maneuverability.

1227: Target moved into a ravine. Deployed star in 2-2-1 split formation, with rendezvous point at Nav [CLASSIFIED].

1233: Contact with target. Target hesitated to disengage. Mikke made two affirmative shots before target retreated down ravine. Increased pace.

1251: Reached Nav [CLASSIFIED] at end of ravine. Sensor contact with target lost.  Tenah adequately demonstrated techniques for tracking jump-capable battlemechs to Chola and Mikke.

1256: Mikke demonstrated immediate tracking competence. Chola did not.

1319: Lost contact with Cluster Command. Chances of apprehension are slim. Threat level low. Will continue tracking for training purposes.

1329: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1336: Found unmapped mine. Too small for battlemechs. Suggest investigation as an asset to the Clan. Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1346: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1356: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1406: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1415: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command. Chola spotted traces of battlemech movement across shallow slope of loose rock. Moved unit across slope to train Mikke and Chola on maneuvering on unstable terrain.

1422: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command. Tenah assisting with training. Mikke and Chola show continued improvement. Chances of apprehension are slim. Returning to base once trail fades.

1432: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1442: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1453: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1503: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1523: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command.

1531: Nav [CLASSIFIED]. Still no contact with cluster command. Trail led to a number of unpowered battlemechs with apparent Golf Whiskey paint scheme in a narrow crevasse. Made determination to clear crevasse before sunset. Tenah suggested wariness.

1535: Destroyed all unpowered battlemechs. Preparing to clear site unaugmented. Leaving Chola to continue calling cluster command and intercept any enemy action.

1554: Valley clear. Finished preliminary scouting. Searching caves.

1604: Cave facing northwest near far side of crevasse emanating smell of coolant, possibly occupants and other supplies.

1628: Area clear. Confirmed death of Blair Londeri and militarized citizenry in cave. Due to spillage, lack of maintenance, no recoverable material within.

1637: Still no contact with cluster command. Returning to base.

Part I
Part II
Part III