MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: Obligation's Forge (An Origins Series Story, #8): An Origins Series Story, #8

By Randall N. Bills

On December 10th you will take the helm of Nik's Cavaliers, a new mercenary command on a mission of vengeance that will stretch across the Inner Sphere.

The MechWarrior 5 Origins series of short stories immerses players in the backstories of the most important Cavaliers characters. Dive back into the universe you love and prepare for the coming action of MechWarrior 5!

Under another contract to Interstellar Expeditions, the Cavaliers are protecting scientists digging for lostech on Mallory's World. The border planet suddenly errupts into titantic conflict as multiple regements from House Davion and Kurita drop on world. Can the Cavaliers survive amongst such giants?

• Language: English
• Publisher: MechaPub, INc.
• Release date: Dec 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393882541

Book preview

Obligation's Forge

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MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: A Skein of Schemes (An Origins Series Story, #7)

MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: Obligation's Forge (An Origins Series Story, #8)

MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: Knives in the Dark (An Origins Series Story, #6)

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MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: The Calm of the Void (An Origins Series Story, #1)

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MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: Contested Dreams (An Origins Series Story, #4)

MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries: Origins (Installments 1-8)

Obligation's Forge

MechWarrior 5 Origins, Installment 8

Randall N. Bills

Obligation’s Forge

JACOB’S DESERT

MALLORY’S WORLD

KENTARES IV PDZ, DRACONIS MARCH

FEDERATED SUNS

13 SEPTEMBER 3013

Voices floated closer, echoing strangely in the tight metal confines that encased Fahad Arazad.

This planet is prime pickings, Captain Chloe Reed said. Sure, not much intrinsic value. But there’s a reason it’s been fought over for centuries. It’s a key strategic site for launching larger campaigns.

I know that, Nikolai Mason said, frustration lining his words; the conversation had obviously been going on a while.

Then why did House Davion pull most of its forces?

You expect them to tell us? We’re only here under our usual ‘special dispensation’ via an Interstellar Expeditions contract. Perhaps the Davion forces are off on their own assault onto Combine worlds.

I don’t think so, Nikolai. Sure, they’re always trying to outmaneuver each other here at the border. But you’ve seen the same reports. The Snakes have had good success the last half decade. Cylene, Mara, Galatea III, Harrow’s Sun, Bennet III, Crossing—the pendulum has swung toward the Combine. And those bloodthirsty samurai always draw their blades further when they get a little success.

We’re not connected to the planetary nobility here, Chloe. We’re out in the middle of nowhere. If something happens, we’re not going to get drawn into the morass like we did back in Marik space.

And if we do?

Fahad lay at an odd angle, his torso thrust through the hole made by the removed armor plate on the lower portion of the BattleMech’s leg. While he’d been raised in the extremes of a desert planet, he’d spent enough time on garden worlds and climate-controlled DropShips that he sweated heavily in the hot air, trying to ignore the claustrophobia that tickled