The Let's Play Archive

Battletech

by PoptartsNinja

Part 10: First Vote Results

My preference is for SA PMs.

Voting Results are in!

Kell Hounds win, with 24 votes!
Northwind Highlanders take second, with 8 votes. The Northwind Highlanders hold a caber toss to celebrate.
17th Recon takes for third, with 6 votes. The 17th Recon sends word that they are ‘plum disappointed’ that they won’t be able to introduce Radio Station KATN yet.



Kell Hounds

“We need you, Daniel. Hanse Davion needs you.”

Dan Allard sighed, looking into the weathered face of his father as he finished pouring two glasses of brandy. He passed the first to his father before settling in behind his desk. “I was never any good as a spy. I won’t be any better as a spymaster.” He looked away, knowing that his father wouldn’t—or couldn’t—respect any of his arguments. “I took an oath to the Kell Hounds.”

It was an argument they’d had many times, and Dan hated retreading old ground. He pulled out the biggest gun he had. “The man you really want is Justin.”

Quintus Allard’s eyes filled with pain, then went icy-cold. “Justin Xiang made his choice.”

“The wrong one,” Dan countered. “He’d come back, if Hanse pardoned him. If you reached out to him.”

“He’s in bed with House Liao,” Quintus replied, his anger and pain written starkly across his weathered features. “They’ll never let him go. He’s too valuable.” Quintus stopped, and let the next line pass unsaid. ‘I trained him too well.’ Instead, he finished “House Davion needs an Allard.”

“House Davion has an Allard.”

Quintus shot Dan a dark look.

Dan sighed. “What about Riva?”

Quintus looked away. He’d always had a soft spot for his only daughter. “She doesn’t want the job.”

“Neither do I,” Dan countered.

Quintus looked back sharply. “Riva, at least, has her research as an excuse.”

“I made an oath.”

“Morgan would release you from it, if you asked.”

“I’m not going to do that, Father.” Dan replied with a sigh. “At least, not yet. I’ll think about it once the Third Regiment is up to speed. After that,” he looked his father in the eyes, “I’ll consider it more seriously. Alright?”

“It will have to be, I suppose. Either way—”

“—Convincing me to be your replacement isn’t the real reason you’re here.”

“Prince Davion would be very appreciative if the Kell Hounds were to hit Cylene.”

Dan nodded. “The Ninth Deiron?”

“We’d prefer it if you took the whole planet for us, but we’ll settle for crippling the ninth within the next six months.”

“That’ll put serious pressure on Yorinaga Kurita’s defensive line.”

That drew a long, slow nod from Quintus. “That’s what we’re hoping. With luck, it will distract House Kurita from our real push.”

Dan nodded, dragging his fingers through his hair. “It’ll be a good chance to get the Third Regiment some real combat experience, too. Will you be staying long?”

His father shook his head. “I’m afraid I can’t. I’m needed elsewhere.”

“You could’ve used ComStar. It would’ve been less expensive than a command circuit.” Dan raised his glass to his lips.

Quintus smiled a small, sad smile. “Maybe—but even a quick visit was worthwhile. After this… I’m off to pay Justin a visit.” He watched as Dan almost choked on his drink, which would’ve been a shame—the brandy was a very good year that also, according to his sources, had been a gift from Colonel Patrick Kell.


The first update will go up after I get home from work tonight.

‘Mechwarriors for the first update (you’ll be receiving a PM / E-Mail once I get home from work):
Tempest_56 (GRF-1N Griffin)
Axe-man (BJ-1DB Blackjack)
Pladdicus (VLT-5T Vulcan)
Cthulhu Dreams (JR7-D Jenner)

Feel free to discuss the tactical potentials of this lance, strengths and weaknesses, etc.