Part 791: Let's Read Warrior: En Garde - Part 1
Let’s Read Warrior: En Garde (part 1)The Warrior Trilogy was not the first BattleTech novel written by Michael A. Stackpole, nor the last. Originally published in 1988-1990, it was reprinted in 1998 and again (with the same cover) in 2003. Some of the earliest BattleTech books, the Warrior Trilogy is also some of Michael A. Stackpole’s earliest work. The writing doesn’t, unfortunately, predate some of his worst habits (“words words words this fact”), but does contain some of his better dialogue. Or at minimum, some of his least egregious.
He’s also got a firm grasp of the politics of the time, since they aren’t the muddled mess that turns up in the 3050s-3070s era (aka: the time of too many authors). Since he (and Robert N Charrette) pretty much have creative control over the fiction at this point, that’s hardly surprising. The Warrior Trilogy (and Heir to the Dragon and Wolves on the Border) lay the groundwork for the 3050s. It may surprise you to know that the Blood of Kerensky trilogy was published the same year as the final book in the Warrior Trilogy, and only a year after Wolves on the Border was published (and that the Legend of the Jade Phoenix trilogy was published over the span of four months in 1991, only a month after the last book of the Blood of Kerensky Trilogy saw publication).
Anyway, timelines of novel publications aside, Michael A. Stackpole also manages to maintain a reasonably ambiguous view of the Federated Suns this time around. For the first book in the trilogy.
So, without further preamble, Let’s Read
Prologue
ComStar First Circuit Compound
Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra
1 June 3022
Myndo Waterly is a bitch.
She also points out that letting Hanse Davion and Katrina Steiner sign a treaty is stupid, but Primus Julien Tiepolo expects it’ll throw the Inner Sphere into Chaos and bring about the fall of the great houses so ComStar can sweep in and everyone can suck them off. Waterly is less than impressed with this plan and calls her Weekly Meeting of the First Circuit to have Julien Tiepolo Removed from Office (WMotFCthJTRfO).
Tiepolo smugs his way out of it (this is a running theme, and since I count Stackpole a heavy influence on my own writing, it tends to crop up in my writing as well) then mentions ComStar’s “Secret Plans…” and the prologue ends.
Book 1
Chapter 1
Kittery
Capellan March, Federated Suns
27 November 3026
Yup, that’s a four year jump all right. It’s actually pretty unusual for a jump that large between prologue and Chapter 1 (not counting the several hundred year jump at the start of Star Lord and Far Country); but time skips in general are pretty common in books with prologues. We’re introduced to our Herotagonist and primary window into the BattleTech universe immediately: Major Justin Allard. He’s a Battalion commander and he’s lamenting having to do his job (chewing out a lower-ranking officer).
Robert Craon is introduced and it’s clear he’s not a fan of Justin’s Capellan heritage. Robert’s actually a pretty interesting character, but his initial introduction makes him seem something of a straw man for Justin to knock down; and proves this by being smug and calling Justin a son of a whore; however Justin’s own prejudice is shown in this scene as well. It’s actually a clever touch that helps to balance the scene.
En Garde posted:
“I don’t care that you called me a . . . Ah, how did you put it?”
A smirk twisted the corners of Craon’s mouth and Justin felt his own anger leap up like a solar flare. “I believe that I called you the half-wit whelp of a Capellan whore forced upon a Davion noble to prevent a war.”
Justin studied the computer screen again and nodded. “Almost word for word. You must have practiced.” Since your early years, no doubt. Let’s hope your racism has not warped your reason.
Craon beamed triumphantly. “I am to be accurate.”
It’s an interesting touch, in hindsight. Justin’s expectation of being treated differently for his Chinese appearance is coloring his own reactions to people. It doesn’t help that he’s set up his office specifically to alienate anyone predisposed to think of him as different, by lining his walls with Rice Paper paintings.
Justin Xiang’s hubris seems to be setting him up for a fall; or at least a quiet reassignment to the Draconis March when his regimental commanders learn how poorly he’s considered by his troops. At least that might be the case if he weren’t working with a training battalion; AKA: Hanse Davion’s answer to having fewer `Mechs than everyone else is to train more pilots than his military academies themselves could turn out. It’s something akin to the shotgun approach to finding talent: throw enough pebbles and eventually you might find a diamond.
Anyway: we learn that Craon is upset because Justin kicked a man named Phillip Capet out of the AFFS; a man who’s the winner of the Davion-equivalent to the Medal of Honor. Craon then rails against Justin for kicking him out, so Justin counters by telling Craon that the only reason Capet won the Gold Sunburst saving his command from annihilation was because he blundered into danger, got his family killed, and then got made a media darling by Duke Michael Hasek-Davion (this last part isn’t said; but it’s heavily implied. Remember: everything that goes wrong in the Capellan March is Michael Hasek-Davion’s fault).
Justin then drops the bombshell that “intelligence reports” showed that Capet was planning on hijacking a JumpShip and launching an unprovoked assault on the Capellan Confederation; so Justin kicked him out so he wouldn’t get a bunch of trainees killed. Faced with this
We then learn that Hanse Davion assigned Justin here because, being genetically half-Capellan means he “understands Capellans.” There is so much wrong with that, I don’t even know where to start. Justin Xiang then mentally calls the Davions on Kittery “Carpet Baggers.” Classy.
Also of note: these are Justin’s real feelings. He’s not putting on an act, he really is somewhat disgruntled towards House Davion since, lacking either Fu Manchu or Lo Pan, the Capellan Confederation is in no position to read his thoughts.
We’re then introduced to Andrew Redburn, AKA You Clueless Bastard. Redburn immediately puts his foot in his mouth by lamenting that Kittery’s civilian government is “full of Capellans.” Justin snarks at him and plays the Race Card, prompting an immediate and sincere apology from Redburn. His response is so genuine it kinda makes me cringe, since it’s just an excuse for Justin to be an Asshole at someone. This will be a running theme.
We then learn that Redburn beat the crap out of Craon earlier, defending Justin’s honor. So yeah, Justin is being an asshole to his best friend.
We then learn everyone in the training battalion is in a Stinger, on loan from the Kittery Borderers. Except for Justin and Andrew Redburn, who pilot a Valkyrie and a Spider respectively. The Kittery Borderers are also known for absolutely nothing except going on humanitarian missions to the St. Ives Compact and getting destroyed by the Wobbies in the Jihad. They’re a combined-arms regiment of mostly medium `Mechs, and field two battalions which is a pretty obscene garrison force in 3025.
Justin then speaks to his troops and goes out of the way to emphasize that he is, once again, half-Capellan. This is the fourth or fifth time he’s said so himself in this chapter alone.
Then they mount up in `Mechs and the chapter ends.