BattleTech: Broadcasting Victory

[Part of the BattleTech Story.]

With the planetary defenses down, Lady Kamea's army began descending in earnest with numbers that would easily topple her evil uncles reserve troops, yet he refused to surrender and the reason soon became clear enough: Ostergaard and his Taurian Fortress dropship was on the way. The only chance of stopping him is through another "treasure" from Castle Nautilus - a terrible computer virus that has no known cure.

Gabriel, El Duce, Kid and Charybdis along with a few APCs make a lightning raid on the main relay station up in the mountains, guarded by a Directorate heavy lance and turrets. The Marauders cover the APCs well enough for them to reach their locations, at which point the soldiers within disembark and take control of the turret systems, making them fire upon the defenders.

More Directorate heavy lances are dropped right into the compound but are dealt with by the Marauders who are now taking a beating. The mission is successful though, and with minutes to spare Charybdis transmits the virus to Ostergaard's ship just as he is monologuing about his revenge plot. The result is his thrusters go into full power - towards the planet and there's nothing he or his crew can do about it.

Pwnzored.

With a massive, ear piercing and ground shattering crash the mighty Fortress Drop ship crashes and explodes into a massive ball of fire, killing Ostergaard and everyone on board. The spectacular sight is enough to make the remaining Directorate forces surrender on the spot, and the Marauders gain a fully functional Orion for their troubles.

BattleTech: Federated Suns

[Part of the BattleTech Story.]

Before Ostergaard's Fortress dropship could lift off again, Lady Kamea ordered her fleet to scatter to make pursuit more difficult. The Argo went its own way, laying low in House Davion's territory (also known as the Federated Suns) and hunting pirates for them. Gabriel was most pleased with Lady Kamea's latest gift, a thank you from Castle Nautilus, in the form of a Starleague Highlander mech - a good blend of speed, power and armor.

"So, when do we get to try out the Highlander?" Rattlesnake would ask. "Over my dead body," would be Gabriel's semi-serious reply.

It's a very good robot.

The pirates had begun fielding some serious numbers now, but through careful tactics, Gabriel led his squad to victory after victory, assembling more fearsome war machines, and celebrating with a party in the new garden aboard the Argo.

After a few weeks Lady Kamea finally called, and she had an urgent task for them. Instead of pursuing the fleet, Ostergaard went to the prison Lady Victoria was being held at and freed her. For good measure, he also started killing everyone on the planet who "support Lady Kamea". The citizens fleeing to the star ports needed protection and since this was obviously a trap to lure Kamea out, the Marauders would be sent instead.

BattleTech: Ostergaard's Rage

[Part of the BattleTech Story.]

"Kamea, you're about to have company," warned Gabriel over the comms as he watched the large red blip on the radar get closer. While his own people had already pulled out from Castle Nautilus, Kamea's support crafts were still loading the precious cargo that they found. "Let them come," replied Kamea defiantly. "My uncle doesn't have the resources to match these war machines."

"I don't think that's from Directorate ... it... it's a Taurian Fortress Class dropship! Get out of there!"

"Lady Kamea," boomed a new voice through the speakers as the ground began to quake with the . "I am Samuel Ostergaard, a new ally to the Directorate and I have come for your head!"

Knowing there was no time to waste, Kamea ordered a full evacuation and boarded the nearest Atlas mech while her body guards Charybdis, Reynard and Kanalon boarded other types of Starleague design as the rear guard. By the time the elevator returned them to the surface, light lances of Taurian mechs were already charging the castle but were easily wiped out by Starleague weaponry.

One of the smallest mechs punching the largest.

This didn't deter Samuel though, who simply sent waves of his own assault mechs in coordination with artillery strikes. It was a tough fight, with Kanalon being shredded limb from limb much like his Black Knight. Kamea's Atlas was also in bad shape towards the end, but her martial arts skills ended Ostergaard's final pursuer who blocked the way to the extraction point.

"I will find you Kamea," he promised on an open channel as she escaped. "I will avenge my son!"

Only when she was back in the safety of space did they realize Ostergaard's son was the pilot of the Newgrange, and because of that one death the Restoration had an entirely new and more powerful enemy house to deal with.