When the Bears Left
When the Bears Left | |
|---|---|
| Short story by Dan C. Duval | |
| Publication | |
| Published | 19 September 2006 |
| Publisher | BattleCorps |
| illustrator(s) | Brent Evans |
| Pages | 14 |
| Chronology | |
| Era | Succession Wars era |
| Timeline | 26 October 2784 |
{{#set:Era=Succession Wars era}}{{#set:Start date=26 October 2784}}{{#set:End date=26 October 2784}}
When the Bears Left is a short story by Dan C. Duval that was first published online on BattleCorps on 19 September 2006. It was later republished in print in the third BattleCorps anthology Weapons Free in 2012.
Teaser Text
| “ | In the weeks leading up to Kerensky's Exodus, the SLDF units joining him carefully went into hiding while waiting for it to depart. Some easily made it there. Others, like the 3rd Battalion of the 442nd Regiment, had to take more care. The Bears of the 3rd Battalion stationed on Axton are carefully waiting to make their escape... but have to avoid their own brothers in 1st and 2nd Battalion. Is that unknown signal their DropShip... or their unwanted enemy? | ” |
Plot Summary
A trained Atlas pilot, Kinete Lat has been assigned a FS9-H Firestarter and finds he likes the light, nimble design. Together with the three other Firestarters of Third Battalion ("The Bears") of the 442nd Heavy Assault Regiment he is on picket duty while his battalion, who have opted to join the Exodus, awaits their evacuation DropShip to rejoin General Kerensky's SLDF; the rest of the regiment—First and Second Battalion, the Lions and the Tigers—consider this mutiny and are expected to oppose the withdrawal.
Kinete's sensors find an unconfirmed contact, but his friend Charlie who is piloting another Firestarter with an overlapping picket zone does not respond and Kinete is afraid to break radio silence. Fearing that his friend may have been overrun Kinete disobeys a recall order to investigate and finds the assault 'Mechs of First Battalion advancing; it turns out Charlie has betrayed Third Battalion and left his post.
Using his 'Mech's flamers to turn the ice into steam and cover his retreat, Kinete races towards the evacuation DropShip and, following directions from his major, eventually jumps onto the Overlord in mid-flight as it is already taking off. The rough landing in the hangar effectively destroys his Firestarter and severely damages the bulkhead, but reaffirms where his loyalties lie.
Featured Characters
- Kinete Lat
- Aleksandr Kerensky (mentioned)
Featured Units
Featured Places
Featured BattleTech
BattleMechs
- Atlas
- FS9-H Firestarter
- Catapult (mentioned)
- Flashman (mentioned)
- Stalker (mentioned)
Aerospace Fighters
- Corsair (mentioned)
- Eagle (mentioned)
- Thunderbird (mentioned)