Hidden Destiny (short story)
- This article is about the story. For the WarShip, see Hidden Destiny (Individual WarShip).
Hidden Destiny | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Randall N. Bills | |
| Publication | |
| Published | 18 December 2020 |
| Published in | BattleTech: Legends |
| Publisher | Catalyst Game Labs |
| Pages | 6 |
| Chronology | |
| Era | Succession Wars era [see notes] |
| Timeline | 14 July 3046 — 3 October 3048 |
{{#set:Era=Succession Wars era [see notes]}}{{#set:Start date=14 July 3046}}{{#set:End date=3 October 3048}}
Hidden Destiny by Randall N. Bills is a short story included in BattleTech: Legends. It would later be offered for free on the MechWarrior 5: Clans website.
Plot Summary
In June 3046, Precentor Vincent Dupont leads a mission aboard the Merchant-class JumpShip Outbound Light, a ComStar Explorer Corps vessel, to explore uncharted territories. Dupont's crew includes the enigmatic Precentor Arabella Bradford, a cold and calculating ROM agent. The mission's goal is to gather knowledge about systems and civilizations beyond the known borders of the Inner Sphere.
The crew's journey is filled with dangers, including mechanical failures, harsh environments, and at an earlier point a tense negotiation for star maps with the Hanseatic League. Notably, they stumble upon a micro black hole, relics of the long-dead Star League such as ancient starships, and deteriorating BattleMechs on isolated planets. As the mission progresses, Vincent grows increasingly uneasy about the secrecy and political machinations surrounding their discoveries.
By late 3048, their journey culminates in a deadly encounter with what they see as a technologically advanced civilization, Clan Smoke Jaguar and are captured and interrogated. Arabella resists torture (and is ultimately seen by the Clans as a potential bondsman due to her resilience), however Dupont's resolve crumbles, leading him to reveal crucial secrets about ComStar and the Inner Sphere.
The story concludes with the Smoke Jaguar Khan Leo Showers, seeing their capture as a pivotal opportunity. With the information gleaned from Dupont serving to bolster the Clans' planned invasion of the Inner Sphere. Despite their valiant efforts, Dupont and his crew face their ultimate fate as pawns in a much larger conflict.
Featured Characters
- Arabella Bradford
- Vincent Dupont
- Leo Showers
- Sarah Weaver
- Jaxon
- Julia
- Vess
- Sharilar Mori (mentioned)
- Adrienne Sims (mentioned)
- Chandra (mentioned)
Featured Places
Featured BattleTech
BattleMechs
DropShips
JumpShips
- Merchant-class JumpShip, Outbound Light
Notes
- ^ Even though Hidden Destiny is the introductory fiction for the Clan Invasion era section of BattleTech: Legends, the actual story is technically set in the Succession Wars era. It narrates the event that arguably triggered the Clan Invasion.