<<Next Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
How did we end up here?
- Chapter 16 -[]
Salvage from the Queen City[]
Terran Hegemony Safe House Delta
45 KM from Union City, Puget Sound
Terra, Sol System
22nd March, 3027
The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the newly fortified walls of our base. It had been a quiet day, the kind that makes you feel like maybe, just maybe, things are finally settling down. I found myself standing on the balcony again, a habit I had picked up recently. From here, I could watch the comings and goings of my people, see the fruits of our labor coming together piece by piece. Today was special, though—today, we were expecting the salvage crew to return from their supply run to Toronto, Canada.
.png){kind=link}
Karnov UT VTOL descending to the landing pad
Word had come in from the scouts an hour ago; they had spotted the convoy about 30 kilometers out, moving steadily along the rough terrain. This particular run had been the biggest we had attempted yet. The team had been gone for weeks, scouring the ruins of Toronto, a city that had seen its share of battles during the wars of the Star League and the fall of Stefan Amaris. I was anxious to see what they had managed to bring back.
As I watched, a cheer went up from the main gate. I could see the convoy now, a string of vehicles kicking up dust as they rolled toward us. At the head was a Karnov-class heavy lift VTOL, its rotors cutting through the air with a low, rhythmic thrum. Behind it, a series of trucks and APCs, and in the center of it all, something that made my heart skip a beat—a Manticore Heavy Tank, covered in mud and debris but unmistakably intact.
I rushed down from the balcony, my steps quickening as I made my way to the main yard. By the time I got there, the convoy was pulling in, and a crowd had already gathered. The excitement was palpable.
.PNG){kind=link}
Manticore Main BattleTank
Lieutenant Unthers was one of the first to spot the Manticore as it came into full view. His usual stern, drill sergeant persona cracked into something almost childlike—a wide grin splitting his face as he let out a whoop. "Well, I'll be damned! A Manticore! Look at that beauty!"
He practically sprinted over to the tank, a bounce in his step that I'd never seen before. His excitement was infectious. The infantry, usually so disciplined, looked more like a group of teenage girls spotting their favorite pop star. They circled the tank, pointing, chattering, and generally making a fuss. It was a good sight, a hopeful sight.
Arai was already on the scene, her eyes wide with curiosity as she took in the beaten-up Manticore. "She's in rough shape, considering she's been pulled out of the mud and a building collapsed on her," Arai said, running a hand over the tank's hull. "But the fact that she's here at all… that's nothing short of a miracle."
"Can we get her running?" I asked, stepping closer to inspect the tank myself. Up close, it was clear the Manticore had been through hell. The armor was pitted and scarred, chunks of ferro-fibrous plating missing in places, but the main structure seemed intact.
Arai nodded, her expression thoughtful. "It'll take some work, but we've got the parts—and the know-how. I'd say we've got a fighting chance."
Unthers clapped his hands together, his grin even wider now. "You hear that, people? We've got ourselves a Manticore to fix up! Let's get to it!"
The cheers that erupted from the infantry were deafening. They were as excited as Unthers, already discussing who would get the honor of taking it out for its first spin once it was repaired. Their enthusiasm was almost enough to make me forget the cold reality of our situation. Almost.
As the Manticore was pulled further into the yard, I caught sight of Larry, standing off to the side with a bemused expression on his face. Larry was a flyboy through and through, more comfortable in the cockpit of a VTOL or a fighter than he ever would be behind the controls of a tank. I could tell he didn't quite understand the excitement surrounding the Manticore.
"Not your style, huh, Larry?" I called over to him.
He shrugged, giving me a lopsided grin. "Give me wings any day over treads, boss. But hey, I get it—big gun, lots of armor. What's not to like?"
I chuckled, turning back to the convoy just in time to see the second surprise of the day roll into view—a VNL-K65N Von Luckner Heavy Tank. Unlike the Manticore, this one wasn't covered in mud or debris. It was in near-perfect condition, its heavy turret gleaming in the sunlight, its twin autocannons and PPC still attached.
The crowd went silent for a moment, and then all hell broke loose. Cheers, shouts, whistles—everyone was losing their minds. Even Larry, usually so composed, let out a low whistle of appreciation.
"Where the hell did they find that?" someone shouted over the noise.
I spotted Tess, the lead scavenger on the Toronto expedition, making her way toward me. She had a proud look on her face, the kind of look that said, "Yeah, I did that." I waved her over, eager to hear the story.
"Tess," I said as she approached, "you've outdone yourself this time. Where did you find that beast?"
She grinned, wiping sweat from her brow. "Found it in a storehouse near Toronto. The entrance was collapsed—looked like it hadn't been touched in years. But curiosity got the better of us, so we decided to blow the debris out and see what was inside."
"And inside was a Von Luckner?" I asked, incredulous.
"Among other things," Tess replied, her grin widening. "A lot of the supplies we brought back came from there too. It was a hell of a find."
I shook my head in amazement. "You took a hell of a risk, Tess. But it looks like it paid off."
She nodded. "It did. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat."
I looked back at the Von Luckner, still in disbelief. A fully operational heavy tank, just sitting there, waiting to be found. It was the kind of break we needed, a stroke of luck in a world where luck was often in short supply.
Unthers, his eyes practically gleaming, turned to me. "Boss, you know what this means, right?"
I smiled, feeling a flicker of hope in my chest. "Yeah, Unthers, I think I do."
The tanks, the salvage, the supplies—it was all starting to come together. We were starting to come together. Maybe this was the life I had always wanted. Not one of power or control, but one of survival, of building something from the ground up with people I trusted.
"Let's get these beauties inside and start assessing the repairs," I called out. "We've got work to do."
As the crowd began to disperse, I stayed behind, watching as the tanks were carefully towed into the workshop. The sight of them brought a strange mix of emotions—a bitterness for the war machines they were, and a hope for what they represented.
We were still scavengers, living off the scraps of a ruined world, but maybe that wasn't such a bad thing. The past had left us plenty to work with, and with each new piece of salvage, each new find, we were building something that felt like it could last.
No one deserved to be left in the mud, forgotten and broken—not people, not machines. And as long as there was something worth salvaging, something worth fighting for, we would keep going.
Because in a world like this, sometimes survival was the greatest victory of all.
And maybe, just maybe, we were winning.
Opportunity Losted[]
The ground shook beneath my feet as I watched from a safe distance. Unthers, in all his unbridled glory, was at the controls of the Von Luckner Heavy Tank, and he was having the time of his life. Trees didn't stand a chance against the sheer firepower of the behemoth. As he maneuvered the tank with surprising finesse for such a brute of a machine, the tank's turret swung to the right, targeting a cluster of pines on the edge of the training ground.
"Fire in the hole!" Unthers shouted over the internal comms, his voice crackling with excitement.
The Autocannon/20 roared, a deafening blast echoing across the base as a shell the size of my forearm streaked towards the treeline. The explosion obliterated the trees, sending splinters and debris flying in every direction. I couldn't help but laugh, the chaos of it all strangely exhilarating.
Unthers was like a kid with his favorite toy, his face lit up with pure, unadulterated joy. "This is what I'm talking about!" he hollered, his hands gripping the controls with an intensity that matched his enthusiasm.
Beside him, his friend Sergeant Hale was loading the next round into the cannon, grinning ear to ear. "Hell yeah, LT! Light 'em up!"
Arai, standing next to me, looked positively terrified, her hands clamped over her ears. "I knew letting Unthers play with the Von Luckner was a bad idea," she muttered, her eyes wide as she watched another volley of SRMs fire off into the air, streaking toward an old derelict vehicle they had set up as a target.
The missiles hit their mark, the explosion rocking the ground again. Larry, standing on my other side, was bent over with laughter, clutching his sides. "You've got to admit, it's kind of fun watching Unthers blow stuff up," he said between gasps of laughter.
I couldn't disagree. There was a certain chaotic joy in watching the tank wreak havoc. It was like Christmas had come early for Unthers and his friends. They weren't just blowing off steam; they were embracing the rare moment of levity in a world that often felt far too grim. The Von Luckner was a terrifying machine, bristling with weapons—an Autocannon/20, SRM launchers, LRM launchers, a machine gun, and even a flamer. And Unthers was making sure every single one of them got their chance to shine.
"Let's see what this baby's got!" Unthers yelled, flipping a switch. The flamer spat out a jet of fire, igniting a patch of underbrush that went up in a flash. "Who wants roast marshmallows?" he cackled, and Hale whooped in agreement.
Arai flinched again as the machine gun rattled off a burst, the sound a harsh counterpoint to the deeper booms of the autocannon and missiles. "I'm just glad he's on our side," she said, her voice barely audible over the din.
"Me too," I replied, a smile still tugging at my lips as I watched the spectacle unfold. Unthers was in his element, his Hollywood drill sergeant persona dropped in favor of sheer, unrestrained enjoyment. This was his playground, and he was making the most of it.
Just as Unthers was preparing to let loose another barrage, a sudden, sharp voice cut through the air. "Turn that damn thing off!" It was Darlene, one of the comms techs, running out from the main building, waving her arms frantically. "You need to see this!"
I frowned, exchanging a glance with Arai and Larry. The urgency in her voice immediately wiped the smile from my face. "Unthers, hold fire," I called into my comms, and after a moment, the tank's engines powered down, the weapons falling silent.
"What's going on?" Larry asked, still chuckling but with a hint of concern now.
"I don't know," I said, already moving towards Darlene, who was panting from her run across the yard. "What is it?"
"It's the newsfeed," she said breathlessly, gesturing towards the main building. "You all need to see it. Now."
Inside, a small crowd had already gathered around the holovid display. The familiar logo of ComStar News Network was on the screen, but the usual calm and composed anchor looked frantic, a far cry from her usual stoic demeanor.
"…unprecedented conflict as forces from House Davion, House Kurita, House Steiner, House Marik, and House Liao all converged on Helm. Over four regiments from each Great House are reported to have engaged in fierce combat, each seeking control over a rumored Star League cache…"
I watched as the camera panned over the aftermath—a vast, gaping hole where a lake had once been, now just a collapsed, sunken pit. The battle had been brutal, with no side emerging victorious. Instead, the prize—whatever it had been—was lost, swallowed by the earth itself.
The room was silent, the horror of what we were seeing settling in like a cold, creeping fog. I glanced around at the others—Arai, her eyes wide with shock; Larry, his usual jovial expression replaced by a somber frown; even Unthers, normally so full of bravado, stood quiet and still, the color drained from his face.
"Dear God," someone muttered under their breath. "What were they even fighting over?"
My heart pounded in my chest. I knew exactly what they had been fighting over. The Helm Memory Core—one of the most valuable pieces of lost Star League technology, a data cache rumored to hold secrets that could change the balance of power in the Inner Sphere forever. And now, it was gone, buried beneath a collapsed lake, lost to time once again.
But that wasn't what terrified me. What terrified me was the knowledge that the base had only sunk after the Data Core was removed. I could still remember that part of the lore—how the core's removal triggered a self-destruct sequence that ensured no one would gain its secrets if it ever fell into the wrong hands. And now, seeing this destruction unfold, I knew… someone had taken it. Someone out there had it.
I swallowed hard, trying to keep my expression neutral. If anyone here knew what I knew, if anyone here even suspected… The fear in the room was palpable, but mine ran deeper, colder. I knew what that Data Core meant. And I knew it wasn't here anymore.
"Do you think it's true?" Arai asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think there was a Star League cache?"
I forced a shrug, trying to play it off. "Who knows? Could just be rumors. You know how ComStar likes to stir the pot. Could be nothing."
"But… all those regiments…" Larry said, his voice trailing off as if he couldn't quite believe what he was saying. "All those lives lost for nothing?"
I nodded slowly, biting back the urge to say more, to reveal what I knew. "Yeah," I said softly, keeping my tone steady. "For nothing."
But I knew better. It wasn't for nothing. Someone had gotten away with the core, and I was terrified of what that meant. Because if someone had it, if someone knew how to unlock its secrets… The balance of power in the Inner Sphere could shift in an instant. Wars could be won, planets conquered, all on the back of those lost secrets.
I leaned back against the wall, feeling a cold sweat trickle down my spine. My mind raced with the possibilities, the implications. All those regiments, all those lives… gone. And for what? I knew exactly for what.
My terrible luck. Always my terrible luck. Here I was, displaced into a world I barely understood anymore, scraping by on scraps, living on the margins, and now this. As if my life hadn't been complicated enough already, now there was this to contend with. The thought was almost laughable, if it weren't so bitter.
I chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it, just a hollow, empty sound. "Of course," I muttered under my breath. "Of course this would happen now. My luck's always been this bad."
Larry glanced over at me, his brow furrowed. "What's that, boss?"
"Nothing," I lied, shaking my head. "Just thinking out loud."
But inside, my thoughts were a jumbled mess of fear and frustration. How could I have been so naive to think I could just survive quietly on the sidelines? In a universe as chaotic and unpredictable as this, there was no such thing as playing it safe. I'd been a fool to think otherwise.
I glanced back at the holovid, still showing the scenes of devastation on Helm. My heart ached for all those soldiers, all those people who had died for something they couldn't even see, something they would never understand. I wanted to scream at the universe for its cruelty, for its unending cycle of violence and loss. But what good would that do? I was just one person, just one displaced soul in a sea of billions.
I turned away from the screen, feeling a bitter taste in my mouth. "Come on," I said, louder this time, more firmly. "Let's get back to work. There's nothing more we can do here."
The others began to move, their expressions still dazed, shell-shocked. I could see the fear in their eyes, the uncertainty. They were terrified of what they had just witnessed, of the sheer scale of the destruction, the senseless loss. And they should be. Because this was the reality of our world. A world where even the most valuable of secrets could be buried under tons of rock and water, lost to time.
But as they filed out of the room, I stayed behind, lingering in the shadow of the doorway. The truth weighed heavy on my shoulders—a truth I could never share, a truth I had to bury deep within myself, just like that damn core.
"They think they know," I whispered, my voice barely audible in the empty room. "They have no idea…"
I was a coward. I had failed to change anything with my knowledge, and now I was too afraid to even share what I knew. And yet, I knew that keeping it to myself was the only way to survive. The only way to keep us all safe.
"Some hero I turned out to be," I muttered bitterly, the self-deprecation biting into my words. "Stuck in someone else's skin, stumbling through someone else's story… with nothing to show for it."
The weight of it all settled on me, heavy and cold. I had tried to make something of this life, tried to build something real out of the ruins, but every time I thought I was getting somewhere, the universe found a new way to knock me back down. And now this. The Helm Memory Core, lost again to the void, and I was powerless to do anything about it.
I let out a slow, shaky breath, closing my eyes against the sting of tears. "Guess it's true what they say," I murmured, my voice a fragile whisper. "No good deed goes unpunished."
Yet I stood there for a long time, staring out at the darkening sky, the weight of the world pressing down on me. And in that moment, I felt more alone than I ever had before. Because no matter how much I wanted to believe that we could make it, that we could survive, I couldn't shake the feeling that the universe had other plans.
Plans that didn't include us.
Chapter Note[]
- Author's Chapter Comment
- Now let say stuff is going to happening out side of our beloved fate chew toy of a protagonist hand. Because a greater game is being played. And so start the 4th Succession War…