TEXT: TM
  Interstellar players 2, a jIhad plot sourcebook
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section01: Table of ConTenTs
  FOUND AND LOST 
  4
  INTRODUCTION 
  6
  How to Use This Book 
  6
  What If?  
  8
  Where It All Leads? 
  9
  The Original Plan? 
  10
  THE HIDDEN  
  11
  The Ballad of Brooklyn Stevens 
  13
  Amaris and ComStar? 
  16
  Hiding Planets 
  16
  The Big Picture 
  17
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  18
  “UNCLE CHANDY” 
  21
  Stagnation 
  22
  Hachiman Taro Electronics 
  22
  Economic Tentacles 
  23
  Irian Technologies 
  24
  The Jihad 
  25
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  26
  Chandrasekhar Kurita 
  26
  Aims and Objectives 
  26
  Holdings 
  27
  Security 
  30
  Mercenaries 
  30
  THE SOCIETY  
  31
  Signs of Conspiracy 
  31
  Society Structure 
  34
  Playing Gods? 
  34
  Society Operations 
  35
  Wheels Within Wheels 
  36
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  38
  THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS 
  39
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  44
  MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
  46
  The Mariner’s Tale: 
  47 
   
   
   In the Darkness Between
  Skipjack 
  47
  Ghosts, or Ghost Particles? 
  49
  Winning the Lottery 
  49
  Early Arrival? 
  50
  Time’s Arrow 
  50
  On Second Thought... 
  51
  A Change of Heart 
  51
  What Lives Between 
  51
  Children of the Void: 
   
  A Touch of Wrongness 
  52
  Stowaway 
  53
  Becalmed on the Cocytus 
  53
  The Nameless One 
  54
  Manei Domini 
  55
  Ascension 
  56
  Witness to Madness 
  56
  And So, You See, It’s All Come to This 
  57
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  58
  Misjumps 
  58
  The “Void Children” 
  59
  THE ANCIENTS 
  60
  The Belters 
  62
  Early History 
  62
  The Belt and the Terran Hegemony 
  62
  The Belt and the Fall of the Star League 
  63
  The Belt, The Succession Wars, And Today 63
  Belters: Where and Who Are They? 
  63
  Government 
  65
  Slowboat Colonies 
  65
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  68
  CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON 
  69
  Origin of the Cult of the Saints Cameron 70
  The Knights of St. Cameron 
  71
  Modern Times 
  72
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  74
  A Cult Divided 
  74
  THE SAURIMAT 
  76
  The Saurimat: A Compendium 
  77
  Belief to the Stars 
  77
  Humble Before Change 
  78
  Faith Rises 
  79
  The Saurimat Today 
  79
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  80
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED 
  81
  Interconnectedness Unlimited:  
   
   
  Taking the Fall 
  83
  The Turning 
  84
  The Prestige 
  85
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  86
  Facts: The Corporation 
  86
  Facts: Behind the Stage 
  86
  MINOR GROUPS 
  87
  Devlin Stone 
  88
  The Elusive Devlin Stone: The Truth 
   
  (Or a Few Reasonable Facsimiles) 
  88
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  90
  Thuggees 
  91
  Operation: Revelation 
  91
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  94
  The Tanites 
  95
  Subject: The Tanite Civilization 
  95
  Gamemaster’s Section 
  99
  The Blake Documents 
  100
  RULES ADDENDUM 
  103
  Classic BattleTech RPG Rules 
  104
  Influence and Special Contacts/Enemies 104
  Influence Trait 
  104
  Special Contact/Enemy Traits 
  106
  Skills and Fields 
  106
  Martial Arts/Quick Death (New) 
  106
  Personal Equipment 
  107
  Roleplaying Addendum 
  107
  Possession 
  107
  Cutting In 
  109
  Roleplaying With Interstellar Players 
  110
  Interstellar Player NPCs 
  111
  Belters in Game Play 
  111
  Belter Augmentations 
  113
  New Mercenary Employer: 
   
  Uncle Chandy 
  114
  Thuggee-Manei Domini
   
  (Phansigar) Hybrids 
  114
  Classic BattleTech Rules 
  124
  New Vehicle Equipment:  
   
   
   
  Smart Robotic Control Systems 
  124
  New ProtoMech Equipment 
  125
  New Aerospace Equipment:
   
   Super-Jump Drives 
  126
  New Vehicle Equipment: 
   
  Centurion Weapon Systems 
  127
  New BattleMech: RMP-5G Rampage 
  128
  New Aerospace Fighter:
   
  Mk. 30 “BlackWasp” Robotic Interceptor 130
  New Force Rules: The Saurimat 
  131
  TAblE Of CONTENTS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/01: CREDITS 
   
  002 / 003
  Writing
  Found and Lost
   
  Jason Hardy
  Introduction
   
  Herbert a. beas II
  What If?
   
  Herbert a. beas II
  The Hidden
   
  Herbert a. beas II
  Uncle Chandy
   
  David l. McCulloch
  The Society
   
  ben Rome
  The Brotherhood of Randis
   
  Ken’ Horner
  Mysteries of the Void
   
  steve Mohan, Jr.
  The Ancients
   
  Mike Miller
  Cult of the Saints Cameron
   
  David l. McCulloch
  The Saurimat
   
  andreas Zuber
  Interconnectedness Unlimited
   
  andreas Zuber
  Minor Groups
   
  Devlin Stone
   
   
  Jason Hardy
   
  Thuggees
   
   
  Warner Doles
   
  The Tanites
   
   
  Christoffer “bones” Trossen
  Game Rules
   
  Herbert a. beas II
   
  Ken’ Horner
   
  David l. McCulloch
   
  steve Mohan, Jr.
   
  Mike Miller
   
  ben Rome
   
  Christoffer “bones” Trossen
   
  andreas Zuber
  Product Development
   
  Herbert a. beas II
   
  Assistant Development
   
   
  Randall n. bills
  Product Editing
   
  Diane Piron-Gelman
  BattleTech Line Developer
   
  Herbert a. beas II
  Production Staff
  Art Direction
   
  Randall n. bills
  Cover Art
   
  slawomir Maniak
  Cover Design
   
  adam Jury
  Layout
   
  adam Jury
   
  Matt Heerdt
  Illustrations
   
  Robert atkinson
   
  brad McDevitt
   
  florian stitz
  Special Thanks
  To Randall for entertaining the notion of a second 
  Interstellar Players book — now with 100 percent less 
  Genecaste! Peter Smith, for bringing “Starling” to life 
  (and being good enough to share him). Warner Doles 
  for the original Manei Domini concept (which I con-
  tinue to ruthlessly exploit). Our esteemed playtester 
  and fact-checker apparatus. The five “Herblets”: 
  Tribble, Annie, Oscar, Merlin, and Meggie—now 
  joined by the “Beckielet”, Logan. And, as always, one 
  Rebecca “Beckie” J Beas, who has grown ever more 
  patient as I have grown ever more busy.
  Playtesters/Fact-Checkers
  Joel Agee, Brian “Whytwolf” Alter, Joel “Welsh-
  man” Bancroft-Connors, Ron “Steel Hawke” 
  Barter, Rich Cencarik, Brent Dill, Dan Eastwood, 
  John “Worktroll” Haward, Glenn Hopkins, John 
  “Bluesman” Hudson, Michael “Konan” Koning, Alan 
  Kreilick, Edward “TenakaFurey” Lafferty, Ed Lott, 
  Darrell “FlailingDeath” Myers, Jason Paulley, Michael 
  Pfister, Aaron Pollyea, Rick Raisley, Jim Rapkins, 
  Jason Robinette, Eric Salzman, Christopher K. Searls, 
  Jason Skidmore, Sam Snell, Rob Strathmann, Joel Ste-
  verson, Geoff Swift, Roland “Ruger” Thigpen, Chris 
  “Chinless” Wheeler, Patrick “Roosterboy” Wynne.
  ©2008 WizKids Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jihad Conspiracies: 
  Interstellar Players 2, Classic BattleTech Total Warfare, Classic 
  BattleTech, BattleTech, ’Mech, BattleMech, Classic BattleTech 
  RPG, AeroTech 2, BattleForce 2 and WK Games are registered 
  trademarks and/or trademarks of WizKids, Inc. in the United 
  States and/or other countries. No part of this work may be repro-
  duced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form 
  or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of the 
  Copyright Owner, nor be otherwise circulated in any form other 
  than that in which it is published. 
  Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are  trade-
  marks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
  Published by Catalyst Game labs,  
  an imprint of InMediaRes Productions, llC
  PMB 202 • 303 91st Ave NE • G701  
  Lake Stevens, WA 98258
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  FIND US ONLINE:
  Precentor_martial@classicbattletech.com  
  (e-mail address for any Classic BattleTech questions)
  http://www.classicbattletech.com
   
   (official Classic BattleTech web pages)
  http://www.CatalystGameLabs.com
   
   (Catalyst Game Labs web pages)
  http://www.wizkidsgames.com/mechwarrior/
   
   (official MechWarrior web pages)
  http://www.wizkidsgames.com
   (WizKids web pages)
  http://www.battlecorps.com/catalog
   
   (online ordering)
  CREDITS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section02: foUnD anD losT
  This is the room. Right here. This is the ogima room.
  What do you mean, what’s the ogima room? oh, right, right, 
  you’re new. Well, this is a story you need to know if you’re going to 
  work here. This room’s a legend. It’s too bad Rascombe isn’t here 
  to tell the story himself—I forget some of the details—but I’ll do 
  what I can.
  Yeah, you probably haven’t ever met Dr. Rascombe. officially, 
  he still works here, but he’s not around much. He’s … he’s not 
  been well.
  anyway, this happened maybe two years ago, back when 
  everything seemed like it was exploding at once and we found 
  out Marik was actually not-Marik. It was a late night—full moon, of 
  course. Have you worked a full moon yet? oh, you’re in for a real 
  treat. Just you wait.
  Rascombe had been on duty for about fifteen hours, and he 
  was napping on one of the dressing-room cots. someone shook 
  him awake after he’d been down for about twenty minutes and 
  told him he was on. so he stumbled up, got himself together and 
  went to act professional. 
  He came to the door of the room and saw a nurse—I think it 
  was burton, a guy who left here about a year ago—standing by 
  the door, looking nervous.
  “What’s going on?” Rascombe said.
  burton didn’t answer right away; he was pretty twitchy. “The 
  patient …” he finally said. “The patient in there is a little worked up.”
  Then Rascombe heard it. Yelling coming from the other side of 
  the door. There’d be a few words, then silence, then some more 
  yelling. alternating, on and off, constantly.
  “He should be sedated,” Rascombe said. and burton says, “He 
  was sedated. He’s had enough tranqs to completely knock him 
  out. and the horse he rode in on. and a few other horses besides.”
  The guy inside yelled some more. 
  “Is he … secured?”
  “Yeah,” burton said. “Manacled to the bed. Good luck with him. 
  Call me if you need me.” 
  “You’re coming in with me.” so Rascombe glances at his note-
  puter to see if the patient info’d shown up yet. It was there, but it 
  only gave a first name. ogima.
  so Rascombe went into the room—this room right here. The 
  bed there is where ogima was chained. Under here you can see 
  the gouges he made by pulling on his manacles.
  of course it’s the same bed. We don’t buy much new stuff.
  When Rascombe walked in, he saw—well, you should ask him 
  about it some time, if you ever meet him. He saw a sight. The guy, 
  he said, was practically levitating on the bed, he was pulling so 
  hard against his manacles. He had bald patches where he’d pulled 
  hair out, and his face was crumpled like paper. on one wrist, he’d 
  pulled so much that the metal had cut him practically to the bone. 
  He might have bled out if Rascombe had waited any longer to get 
  in there.
  so there’s blood spraying everywhere, hitting Rascombe and 
  burton as soon as they walk in. Rascombe runs forward, trying 
  to stop the bleeding, but the guy’s thrashing everywhere, even 
  though he’s restrained, even though he’s sedated. Rascombe 
  knows that anything he puts on the wrist is going to get ripped 
  off pretty quick. nothing good’s going to happen until he puts the 
  guy out.
  and of course, the whole time the guy’s yelling. Most of it’s 
  gibberish, but Rascombe and burton said sometimes they could 
  understand a word or two. of course, they both heard different 
  things, so you don’t know if it’s what this ogima guy actually said 
  or if they just heard it that way. like a Rorschach test, but with 
  sound.
  burton, he said the guy yelled “the flesh, the flesh,” a lot, and 
  then he said “so many, too many.” Rascombe heard him say “run, 
  run, run, run,” and “the heart, right out,” and he said what burton 
  heard as “so many, too many,” was actually “may I, do I.”
  but they cared more about subduing the guy and stopping the 
  bleeding than listening to him rave. Rascombe looks at the chart, 
  sees how many tranqs have been pumped into the guy, and he 
  flips out. The guy should’ve been asleep for a week, not thrashing 
  himself to death. so Rascombe makes the call—twenty micro-
  grams of astoril. Yeah, that’s right, twenty. and still the guy doesn’t 
  go out right away. He spends a little more time throwing blood 
  around the room—check some of the corners, you might find a 
  spot the cleaning crew missed in the past few years.
  oK, I’m kidding. Kind of.
  but finally, finally, the guy goes down, and Rascombe patches 
  up his wrist. but the guy’s not entirely out. His eyelids kept snap-
  ping open with only the whites showing underneath. Rascombe 
  said the eyes were pulsing, bulging—he worried they were going 
  to pop out of their sockets, but then they’d close. and even then, 
  when the patient was totally sedated, he had this presence—well, 
  he was just creepy, Rascombe said.
  but at least the guy’s quiet and still and there’s no more bleed-
  ing, so Rascombe figures he can get to work on the real problem. 
  He looks at the chart. Then he looks at the patient. Then the chart 
  again. He does a cursory visual inspection. Hooks up a computer 
  to the guy to see if it can find anything. looks for burton, but bur-
  ton took off as soon as the patient went under. He walks out into 
  the hall, looks around, then yells to anyone who can hear him.
  “Does anyone know what the hell is supposed to be this guy’s 
  problem?”
  no one answers. In fact, Rascombe told me it seemed like 
  everyone was doing their best to keep their distance. He saw one 
  nurse walk into the hall, make eye contact with him, then dash 
  right back into the same room she’d just walked out of.
  so he figured he’d go to admissions, see who took the guy’s 
  info in the first place. He just wants to find out what the problem is, 
  fix it and get the guy out of there. He takes two steps, then hears a 
  noise. behind him. from the room. This room here.
  He runs into the room and the guy is sitting up. sitting up! Just 
  a few minutes after twenty units of astoril! at least he’s not thrash-
  ing. He’s still, his eyes are closed, but he’s sitting bolt upright.
  fOUND AND lOST
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/02: FOUND AND LOST 
   
  004 / 005
  Rascombe, of course, is pretty unnerved. He stares at the guy, 
  waiting for something else bizarre to happen, and he’s not disap-
  pointed. The guy starts to shake. Vibrate, Rascombe said. His body 
  stays in its seated position, but it’s trembling like an aspen leaf. 
  Rascombe pokes his head out the door, asking for a little help, but 
  no one shows. He says the shaking went on for maybe a minute, 
  then stopped. and the guy’s eyes snapped open, with the eyeballs 
  now in their proper position.
  Rascombe takes a step toward the guy, and there’s no response 
  from him, no recognition. another step, same thing. He walks in 
  front of the guy and waves a hand in front of his face. nothing on 
  the guy moves, not the slightest twitch of an eyeball. He does it 
  again. still nothing. He takes a step back.
  Then the guy speaks. In a voice, Rascombe said, like you’d 
  expect to come from a mummy.
  “I see you,” the guy says.
  Rascombe looks around. There’s no one else in the room. He 
  looks at the guy.
  “Me?” Rascombe says. “You see me?”
  The guy doesn’t respond immediately. Then he talks again. “I 
  see you.”
  Then Rascombe gets it. or he thinks he does. “no,” he said. 
  “You’re not in the ICU. This is one of the emergency rooms.”
  The guy seems satisfied. His eyes stay open, and he doesn’t 
  thrash or shake. Rascombe figures it’s time to get the guy diag-
  nosed, treated and on the road. so he picks up his chart.
  “says here your name is ogima. Is that right? Is that your 
  name?”
  “ogima,” the guy says.
  “and that’s your first name, right?”
  “ogima,” the guy says again.
  “It doesn’t say what your complaint is,” Rascombe said. “What 
  brought you here tonight?”
  “all, all, all wrong. all wrong.”
  Rascombe’s not sure how to respond. “all … ?” he says. “I … I 
  need you to be more specific.”
  “ogima.”
  Rascombe sighs. He’d ordered a mental consult once the guy 
  was sedated, but no one had showed yet. of course.
  so, good doctor that Rascombe was—is—he soldiered on. 
  “okay, ogima’s your name. Where are you from?”
  and then it happened. The answer. The big answer. The answer 
  that turned this from a run-of-the-mill full-moon psycho story to a 
  genuine hospital legend with a room named after it.
  The guy answered. He didn’t hesitate. He spoke clearly and 
  calmly.
  “Jardine,” he said.
  Rascombe dropped his noteputer.
  “What?” he said.
  “Jardine.”
  “You’re from Jardine?”
  “Jardine.”
  “no one’s from Jardine!”
  The guy spoke more clearly than ever. “I am.”
  Rascombe didn’t know what to ask next. of course, he mostly 
  didn’t believe the guy—I mean, he didn’t seem too sane. but 
  something about the guy’s calm, his total self-possession as he 
  kept saying the word “Jardine”—something about that weirded 
  Rascombe out.
  finally, he came out with a question. “What … what are you 
  doing here?”
  for the first time since Rascombe had come back into the room, 
  the guy moved his head. He turned it until he was looking at Ras-
  combe, though his eyes might not have been focused.
  “Run,” he said. “Run run run run run.”
  Then the door to the room flew open. Three men dressed in 
  dark everything—suits, sunglasses, hats, everything—charged 
  into the room. They didn’t hold any visible weapons, but Ras-
  combe said they gave the impression that they easily could  
  be armed.
  “We’re taking him,” one of the men said.
  “excuse me, who are you?” Rascombe asked.
  “We’re taking him now,” the same man said. another one 
  shoved Rascombe aside.
  The three of them surrounded the bed.
  “lie down,” one of them said, but ogima stayed bolt upright 
  until one of the dark men sent him down with a firm push. The 
  men then started taking the guy away on his gurney.
  Rascombe tried to get to his feet. “You can’t do that!” he said.
  none of the men glanced at Rascombe. “We’re doing it,” one of 
  them said. and they pushed the guy out.
  Rascombe followed, throwing out a flurry of questions. “Who 
  are you people? Where are you taking him? Do you—do you know 
  where he says he’s from?”
  Two of them keep pushing the gurney forward, but the other 
  one turns and looks at Rascombe with a gaze that chills him. Right 
  through the sunglasses. “That’s something you shouldn’t know,” 
  the man says. Then he follows the other two.
  Rascombe chased them, but they moved with an odd, liquid 
  swiftness. He broke into a run before he knew it, but they stayed 
  ahead of him, almost out of sight. They left the hospital, and Ras-
  combe followed.
  The gurney was sitting just outside the exit, empty. Rascombe 
  looked around and couldn’t see ogima or the men anywhere. He 
  walked a few meters this way, a few meters that way, but it was 
  hopeless. They were gone.
  He walked back here, into the ogima room, and picked up the 
  noteputer he’d dropped on the floor. He wasn’t sure what kind of 
  a note he was going to make, but he knew it had to be something. 
  so he called up the file.
  It wasn’t there. ogima’s chart was gone. no sign it had ever 
  existed.
  fOUND AND lOST
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section02: foUnD anD losT
  now Rascombe freaks out. Has he gone crazy? Is he still asleep 
  and dreaming? He can’t believe what’s going on. but he talks to 
  a few people, and they say they saw ogima. burton backs up the 
  part of Rascombe’s story that he saw. The people remembered 
  him, but all other records of the guy were gone.
  so this is the ogima room, the home of the ghost from Jardine. 
  but I haven’t told you everything yet—there’s one more part to 
  the story. It happens a month later. an encounter so quick that 
  Rascombe doubts his sanity. He’s at the park a couple blocks from 
  the hospital, eating a hot dog, and someone sits next to him. He 
  doesn’t pay any attention to the guy until he catches a glimpse of 
  his wrists. They’ve got fresh scars on them, and the pattern looks 
  pretty familiar. Rascombe jerks his head up and looks ogima right 
  in the face. and the guy looks calm as a lamb.
  “I’m sorry,” the guy says.
  “sorry?” Rascome replies.
  “sorry I was in your hospital. sorry you were called in. I’m sorry 
  you got involved.”
  “Involved in what?”
  The guy gets a kind of faraway look in his eyes, and Ras-
  combe sees a hint of the crazies that had the guy in their thrall 
  a month ago.
  “You don’t want to know. I don’t want to know. but I do, I do, I 
  do.”
  “Know what? What are you talking about?”
  The guy waves his hand, brushing Rascombe’s question away. 
  He stands up.
  “nothing will get better. from here, it all gets worse.”
  Then he leaves. Rascombe never saw him again. and after that 
  … after that Rascombe was never quite right. I don’t know how 
  else to say it, but he wasn’t right. I hope he comes back from this 
  leave he’s on, it would be good to see him again. I hope the crazy 
  guy didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.
  There are well over twenty-two hundred worlds in the Classic 
  BattleTech universe, the affairs of which are largely directed by 
  the government, military and intelligence agencies of five Great 
  Houses, the various Clans and a host of Periphery states (to a 
  greater or lesser degree). but with a population so large, and space 
  so vast, there remains room for groups well beyond these mere 
  political entities: groups who pull strings of their own, devoted to 
  their own ideas and their own methods toward ultimate goals not 
  as apparent to the casual observer.
  Massive megacorporations, far-reaching and ancient societies, 
  quasi-religious orders—many such groups lurk in the shadows (or 
  even in plain view, behind a benign façade) in pursuit of their own 
  agendas. often, their efforts go unnoticed, or are written off as the 
  actions of a more monolithic power. some are recognized by the 
  general public, but dismissed as harmless or simply misguided. 
  Conspiracy theorists weave endless speculations about how these 
  groups manipulate humankind’s destiny or take an active role in 
  shaping the history and governments of millions. often written 
  off as rumor and innuendo, these musings add to the mystique—
  and the power—surrounding these interstellar players.
  but while so many conspiracy theories are just that, the events 
  of the Jihad have proven that in some cases, the reality can be 
  frighteningly, devastatingly real.
  HOW TO USE THIS BOOk
  Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2 is a sourcebook for 
  Classic BattleTech players that continues where the first Interstel-
  lar Players left off, providing a look at some new potential power 
  brokers whose agendas and methods may forge the fate of billions 
  across the stars. as with the first Interstellar Players, many of these 
  groups and conspiracies have appeared in previous sourcebooks 
  and novels, while others add entirely new aspects to the Classic 
  BattleTech universe. Presented here from the point of view of a 
  renegade publication of assembled reports, each “player” show-
  cased in this volume is a source for any number of role-playing 
  adventures and scenarios.
  each entry comes with a gamemaster’s guide to place it in its 
  context within the universe, as well as game rules for Classic Bat-
  tleTech (Total Warfare) and Classic BattleTech Role-Playing Game 
  adventures and scenarios, which appear in the back of this book. 
  Together, the gamemaster’s sections and the game rules provide a 
  guide for introducing and using elements of each of these groups 
  in Classic BattleTech and CBT: RPG settings.
  like the first Interstellar Players, not all is as it may seem in Jihad 
  Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2. Indeed, even though the game-
  master’s guides and the rules provide “behind-the-scenes” details 
  and a means to use these various organizations and power bro-
  kers in a CBT campaign, whether or not a given “interstellar player” 
  actually pursues the agendas in this book—or even exists—is 
  ultimately up to the gamemasters and players of such campaigns. 
  In that respect (and unless otherwise stated in the gamemaster 
  information), the power players, gamemaster briefings and 
  rules presented in this book may all be considered optional ele-
  ments for any Classic BattleTech game, an inspiration for potential 
  adventures and scenarios off the beaten path of successor state 
  conflicts, Clan wars and mercenary operations.
  INTRODUCTION
  fOUND AND lOST
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/02: FOUND AND LOST 
   
  006 / 007
  fOUND AND lOST
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section03: WHaT If?
  It was a nice try, but the Powers-That-Be can’t keep a good Truth 
  bringer down. Yes, dear readers, Starling is back, and no government, 
  church or secret cabal is going to prevent me from bringing you the 
  truth. All possible truths. Who I really am doesn’t matter. But what I 
  tell you in these pages may someday save your life.
  Imagine waking up one morning to discover that the world 
  we live in—the life you know—is one gigantic illusion. Imagine 
  discovering that the leaders on distant worlds and even those 
  in your own backyards were involved in a vast lie, a cover-up of 
  interstellar proportions. Imagine that those you have been told 
  are your enemy, those who seem hell-bent on your destruction, 
  really are your saviors. and imagine your surprise to see that the 
  truth was there all along, right before your eyes, but dressed up in 
  a dark and sinister cloak of secrets—a swath of lies spun by people 
  who claim your fate for their own merely on the basis of the last 
  election or an accident of their birth.
  Dear reader, anyone who knows my work knows I’m the last per-
  son to be anyone’s apologist, but I can’t help noticing that we see 
  precious little of the reasons why our leaders, our armies and our 
  worlds are locked in a struggle against a band that most of us saw just 
  half a decade ago as a harmless bunch of technophiliac loons. Pre-
  cious little, at least, that truly comes from the mouths of our “saviors.”
  I can hear you scoff, but read me out here. I promise you I have 
  a point that may just open your eyes and provide some inkling as 
  to what in the nine Hells (or five Worlds, ha ha!) may be going on 
  that has normal folk like you and I watching the heavens every day 
  in fear of a mushroom cloud of death or the agonizing, choking 
  demise of the next Curse of Galedon.
  What if—and note I do say “if” here—the Word of blake really 
  did come to save us all?
  again, I can hear the scoffs. but track this, if you can. I believe 
  we, as thinking and rational human beings, need to be able to look 
  our enemy hard in the face—no matter how alien he might seem 
  to be (even if that term is practically truth)—and try to understand 
  what’s truly going on in his head. Do you honestly believe, for 
  instance, that the rank and file Wobbie bows down to a toaster 
  at night, or truly thinks the only way to guide our Inner sphere to 
  some enlightenment is through the fiery division of atoms?
  now, I’m not about to look too closely at the words of the 
  Word for this preamble, so don’t panic and start thinking, “oh 
  my God(s), starling’s become one of them!” Please give me a little 
  more credit than that. This is about the facts—both widely known 
  and secret—that have been uncovered to date.
  Fact 1: The fanatics we know and love today as the Word of 
  blake were once the very same people to whom you still entrust 
  most of your interstellar communications, our dear friends from 
  Comstar. strip away the pseudo-religious crap and you’re back to 
  the interstellar phone service that Jerry built back when Kerensky’s 
  goons were packing their bags and the “Great” Houses were load-
  ing their weapons for a three-century-long, five-way showdown. 
  Fact 2: The policies enacted by Comstar, in the shadows of the 
  succession Wars, targeted just about anyone who could string a 
  few innovative thoughts together while the mostly automated 
  factories of the day were being nuked into oblivion. The effect 
  was a general decline of technology—almost universally of the 
  military or space travel variety—to the point where, given maybe 
  another century or so, it would’ve been impossible to launch 
  another succession War with anything more potent than a collec-
  tion of flintlocks. (Hey, a man can dream, can’t he?)
  Fact 3: The return of Kerensky’s inbred descendants fouled up 
  the entire plan. 
  now, stop here and think. Imagine you’re the great, big, mono-
  lithic corporation dressed up as a bunch of techno-wizards, to the 
  point where you preserve operational codes and procedures in 
  the form of a Gregorian Chant just so the dim-witted, unwashed 
  masses will be convinced they can’t do without you. Imagine 
  you know all their dirty little secrets, and have tons more of your 
  own—enough for an army that can kick any two of the Great 
  Houses’ asses at once because you ensured centuries before that 
  their armies would remain small. now, imagine you had the means 
  to plan all this out and make it all happen with no one the wiser…
  and try to tell me how you’d miss the even bigger army that left at 
  the same time your great conspiracy was born? or that you didn’t 
  plan for their eventual return?
  Fact 4: Comstar “conveniently” revealed a massive army capa-
  ble of stopping the Clans and the means to move it in their pants 
  pocket all this time.
  at this point, everyone in the Inner sphere should have 
  screamed a collective, “We’ve been HaD!”, realized they’d been 
  duped probably from Day one, and started looking into how 
  our ancestors communicated before blake came along, because 
  that had to be better than entrusting the interstellar communi-
  cations grid to a bunch of two-faced liars and thieves (oh, funny 
  that: all those older-tech faX machines managed to go missing 
  about the time the star league ended, too. Huh. Wonder how that 
  happened?).
  Instead—because we were kind of desperate, with Kerensky’s 
  vat-born kiddies bringing down property values everywhere—
  we accepted Comstar’s embarrassed shrug as an explanation and 
  pinned our hopes on them stopping the Clans. Which they did, for 
  about fifteen years—years they would spend raiding and basically 
  spoiling for an early bell on Round Two.
  oh, and suddenly Comstar fractures. Three hundred years of 
  solidarity, and they fracture because they came up with two dif-
  ferent ways to try to stop the Clans?
  Remember when I asked you to imagine you were Comstar, the 
  Clans came back, and you suddenly (conveniently) had an army 
  ready to stop them? now, tell me something: Wouldn’t you—with 
  all your abilities, resources and demonstrated capacity for fore-
  thought centuries ahead of time—have come up with one or two 
  backup plans?
  Fact 5: Within less than two years, Comstar and Word of blake 
  fragment, and the Word of blake is set up nice and cozy in the free 
  WHAT If?
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/03: WHAT IF? 
   
  008 / 009
  Worlds league, complete with their own armed forces, chain of com-
  mand, tax base, HPG deals—oh, and about ninety percent of the 
  nastiest intelligence agency in the Inner sphere. Meanwhile, Com-
  star—the guys with the professional soldiers and a lot less ingrained 
  fanaticism—sat mostly on the Clan front, waiting for the axe to drop.
  from the moment the Word of blake broke off, a plan was set in 
  motion—and it was likely a contingency plan they’d had in place 
  all along. before our very eyes, the heart and soul of the shifty, 
  manipulative, hyper-secretive Comstar—the group who master-
  fully played us off each other ever since Kerensky ran away and 
  took his boys and toys with him—simply fled the body. What 
  remained behind was the pale shadow, claiming it was the real 
  McCoy, a group whose only mandates were to offer us fair prices 
  on HPG transmissions and keep an eye on those dastardly Clans-
  men. We should’ve seen the scam right there, because of…
  Fact 6: altruism is a myth. 
  seriously, guys. Why do you think communism fails and dicta-
  torships thrive? Why does the lyran government still stand, based 
  on its foundation of class strata and profit-mongering, while the 
  pseudo-representative alliance of semi-independent states that 
  made up the free Worlds league fell apart in the face of a leader-
  ship crisis? People do not work for the common good because it’s 
  what they should do; they do so because someone has a gun to 
  their head. (or because they’re just plain crazy, but we’re discuss-
  ing humankind at large, not me. let’s move on.)
  so, new-and-secular Comstar says, “no worries, Inner sphere, we 
  got your backs!” and we all smile and nod, eating it up, and we try 
  to get back to business as usual while cautiously eyeing those Clan-
  ner strangers. and everyone just disregards the “harmless nuts” 
  who took the very essence of “old” Comstar with them and set 
  themselves up with a neat little empire in the free Worlds league. 
  We then have the nerve to act surprised about five years later when 
  they snatch Terra away like taking candy from a dead baby. Come 
  on, Comstar, did you guys really even try to fight that one?
  Fact 7: “secular” Comstar refuses to acknowledge the inher-
  ent threat of having their supposedly mortal enemies holding the 
  most important planet in the entire Inner sphere. Instead, focht 
  and Mori inexplicably shrug their shoulders and say “no big deal; 
  Terra’s just a symbol.”
  smell that rat yet?
  The essence of “old Comstar” is once again back home, and the 
  “secular” version seems content with waiting to die against the 
  Clans. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was almost like laun-
  dering money. only in this case, we’re laundering planets. a few 
  people scratch their heads, I’m sure, but overall, the Inner sphere 
  fails to go into panic mode that the “harmless nuts” just took over 
  the universe’s most heavily industrialized and populated gems—
  and that they did it in less than four days!
  WHErE IT aLL LEaDS?
  for the next ten years we all heard the whispers and nobody 
  did a damned thing about them. Intelligence agencies across the 
  Inner sphere—hell, even in the Deep Periphery—knew the Word 
  was building a massive army and hiring mercs by the bushel. 
  something big was coming, but nobody knew what or they just 
  assumed it was aimed at what remained of Comstar.
  but given the Word’s lightning-fast victory at Terra—both in 
  ’58 and in ’68—I would guess otherwise. ComStar was the Word’s 
  paper tiger all along. Maybe not a sham army, but certainly one 
  the Word never truly had to fear. and if they could brush aside 
  their own, they could easily do the same to the rest of us…
  but if they had that kind of power, why didn’t they use it on us 
  long ago?
  Could it possibly be, as the Word Robes themselves claim, that 
  they didn’t intend to?
  before you start the lynch mobs and try to hunt me down, 
  remember that I’m not the kind to claim anybody’s innocent. The 
  Word—or, more accurately, the shadowy powers behind them—
  clearly prepared for a war to end all wars, complete with the whole 
  genocidal apparatus to do it. We’ve all seen the images of blakist 
  nukes incinerating entire cities on outreach, blakist nerve agents 
  sending the high and mighty Knights of the Inner sphere to a chok-
  ing demise, and blakist Warships pounding the snail snot out of 
  whole cities on Tharkad and Coventry. We’ve seen the footage of 
  their cyborg monsters sweeping all resistance from Caph, Gibson 
  and Hesperus. We’ve heard their own propagandists gloat how each 
  atrocity came down upon those who deserved what they got…
  except for the ones that happened when this whole mess 
  started. The “nuking” of Tharkad was vehemently denied, and the 
  firefight over new avalon that culminated in the annihilation of the 
  naIs was called a “great tragedy” by the blakist commanders there 
  (who have yet to lob any WMDs on the Davion capital, despite years 
  of resistance). Just days later, though, the same Word of blake would 
  practically gloat over the radioactive corpses of the outreach dead.
  Why the dichotomy? Could it be that the Word truly meant for 
  Tharkad and new avalon to be “warning shots” and not full-scale 
  invasions? looking at the fleets they sent to those worlds—while 
  large and stealthy, they certainly weren’t set up for an invasion, 
  not if they carried only a single division each. not against Inner 
  sphere capitals! and the lCs Invincible was in star league parade 
  colors, not the lCaf scheme she vanished with, or the stark white 
  of the Word. (I hear one of the ships at new avalon sported a simi-
  lar scheme, though the details are sketchy as to which one.)
  Was it wise to sneak Warships into a capital system, even ships 
  intended to be given as gifts? Maybe not, but I hate to say the 
  Word’s actions in both cases points more to a naïve plan to do just 
  what some have suggested: offer up their gifts to members of the 
  star league.
  and then there’s outreach, home of the Dragoons, who fought 
  the Word’s efforts to bring stability to the Chaos March. oh, sure, 
  the Word established said “stability” as much through force and 
  bribery as through honest negotiations—but when you look at 
  how every other successor state, Periphery realm and Clan con-
  ducts its affairs, you can’t really call foul on the Word’s approach, 
  WHAT If?
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section03: WHaT If?
  and they were at least getting the trains running on time! still, the 
  Dragoons declared war on them and got a bunch more mercs to 
  go along for the ride. What followed was an escalation that could 
  only have ended in a showdown on outreach, and lo and behold, 
  it happened. The Word trumpeted its victory there, as horrible as it 
  was—even as they still swore up and down that Tharkad and new 
  avalon were accidents.
  so, okay, if the Word was ready to smack outreach, but didn’t 
  want to go to war on Tharkad or new avalon, why is that? and 
  how does that relate to all the muscle they seemingly pulled out 
  of thin air?
  once more, we face what many have whispered and what the 
  Word’s so-called Voice of Truth has been screaming for all this time 
  (the stuff Inn won’t report because, hey, the enemy’s crazy, right?): 
  What if the Word of blake really did intend to save us all?
  from who? If you have to ask that, you’re a Capellan, a free 
  Worlds leaguer or someone from the Rimward Periphery. or you 
  really don’t think the Clans are a threat.
  but anyone on Terra (or between them and Terra) might. and 
  if the Word (and Comstar before them) truly suspected the return 
  of Kerensky all these centuries, well, having their fears vindicated 
  since 3050 would likely have had them scrambling to the defense 
  all along.
  THE OrIgINaL PLaN?
  What the Word truly had in mind is, of course, anyone’s guess. 
  and anyone who reads me knows I never presume that a major 
  political power with demonstrated military and secret intelli-
  gence-gathering capabilities will ever tell us their intentions on 
  the level. but what if the story the Word’s been trying to say—the 
  one drowned out now by reporters and government agencies 
  across the Inner sphere—is, at heart, the God’s honest truth?
  What if the Word’s goals at the star league conference truly 
  were to unveil gifts to the gathered leaders of the Inner sphere? 
  and what if their gifts included military assets to boost the 
  sphere’s common defense against the Clans? after all, isn’t that 
  the same kind of line Victor steiner-Davion and anastasius focht 
  expected us to believe when they sold us the notion of a second 
  Star League back in 3058?
  What if the people we now claim to be the splinter-group fanat-
  ics truly did raise their arsenal of WMDs to kill off the Clans and drive 
  them to their homeworlds (and, if necessary, beyond)? What if they 
  were truly raising forces and technologies to overpower the Clans’ 
  genetic edge and teach them what war really meant? after all, 
  wasn’t that the message Comstar promised to send at Tukayyid?
  What if the Dragoons really did deserve what they got on outreach? 
  after all, weren’t they the people who single-handedly transformed 
  the mercenary profession into their own private conglomerate while 
  simultaneously spying for the Clans’ future invasion forces?
  The Word’s mouthpieces today don’t say much about what the 
  exact plan was, but they’ve given us plenty of hints amid their rants 
  and in their approach to this war. In a very Machiavellian way, much 
  of it seems to be part of a long-running campaign to not only unify 
  the Inner sphere and end the Clan threat, but also to ensure that 
  the future sphere order will remain stable under their guidance.
  Imagine a second star league that didn’t disband. Imagine the 
  Word of blake “parade fleets” delivering new Warships to the lyran 
  alliance, federated suns and Draconis Combine. Imagine the ratifi-
  cation of the Word of blake Protectorate—now purged of instability 
  for the first time in a decade—and the whole place opened to Inner 
  sphere merchants and travelers as a hub of commerce and coopera-
  tion. Imagine the appearance of Manei Domini super-soldiers among 
  the forces arrayed against the Clans. and imagine the campaign 
  to come, where armies of cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers 
  smash through the Clan lines with state of the art sphere-built 
  machines, ready, willing and able to fight to their deaths not just to 
  liberate a world, but to make sure the Clans know they can never 
  come back? armed with weapons and technologies developed over 
  centuries of waiting for Kerensky’s fateful return, imagine a Word of 
  blake and Comstar—reunited as the offensive and defensive forces 
  of a new slDf, respectively—pitched into heroic battles to drive the 
  Clans home, and fearless enough to resort to the worst levels of bru-
  tality in order to guarantee a lasting victory rather than one a Khan 
  can pretend “holds no sway” over his agenda.
  If this scenario were true, we could very well be looking at a new 
  order by today, an order where we once again thank the followers 
  of blake for daring to save us from ourselves. We could be singing 
  praises to the people who gave us back Tamar, Rasalhague and 
  alshain, when our leaders could not. We would see Clan influence 
  burned away from all Inner sphere worlds, including the heart of 
  the mercenary trade on outreach. We would no longer fear the 
  oppression of a warrior-driven “master race” who believe the only 
  people worthy of leading are those born in vats, and whose only 
  answer to all challenges is bloodshed.
  Yeah, maybe we would then have to contend with our own 
  shifty leaders again, and pay lip service to people who still recite 
  prayers before starting up their holovids, but if you’re one of the 
  billions who feared the Clans when they rolled over entire empires, 
  ask yourself which future you would prefer?
  Remember that I am not suggesting the Word is innocent here, 
  people. even if the above was true, they clearly planned this war to 
  be a genocide. They alone have brought out the WMDs and they 
  alone came to the fight prepared to turn us against one another 
  so they could snatch up the best factories. If they knew of the 
  Clans before they came, these guys (and their Comstar breakaway 
  partners) owe us a hell of an explanation for why they waited until 
  3050 to clue us all in.
  no, the Word is far from innocent, but just because they seem 
  crazy when they talk, and just because they now seek to kill us all, 
  don’t assume our leaders have it right either. and don’t assume all 
  the propaganda you hear lacks a semblance of truth.
  Question everything!
  WHAT If?
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/04: THE HIDDEN  
  010 / 011
  THE HIDDEN
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section04: THE HIDDEN
  FrOm aTLaNTIS TO JarDINE,  
  arE THE LOST rEaLLy “LOST”?
  —Mirjam Torhansson, The Truth Underground, Renegade Press, 
  1 April 3066
  The tales are as old as time. lost places, forgotten societies, 
  a promise of wonder that draws the adventurous or the greedy 
  to great lengths, often to disappointing ends. from the mythical 
  unspoiled lands of eden (the Garden, not the Clan homeworld), 
  to the lost Terran continent of atlantis (said to have been home 
  to a massive and hyper-advanced civilization), to the golden cities 
  of Macchu Pichu or el Dorado that drove many an ancient Terran 
  treasure hunter mad with lust and greed. The legends of lost civili-
  zations did not end with the drive into space, however. If anything, 
  it made the phenomenon thousands of times more pronounced.
  and yet, what are legends without a grain of truth? sure, we’ve 
  since learned of the truth behind eden, atlantis, Macchu Pichu and 
  el Dorado: lost lands and cities that as often as not turned out to 
  be mere fables. but what of the lost worlds of the Inner sphere? 
  Worlds like the Marik planet of Jardine, known to have existed for 
  its most famous export, the felinoid tabiranth, and yet missing 
  from virtually every astronomical map and record, even going 
  back to the days of the star league?
  Cities may be lost, but worlds? That’s another matter.
  Dear reader, what would you say if I told you that Jardine is not 
  as lost as some may think, or that hidden among the thousands 
  of stars where humankind walks are more worlds just like it—still 
  alive, still thriving, and (perhaps most shocking) still a danger to 
  us all?
  How They Vanish: a Case Study
  so what makes a world disappear? Does a magician wave a 
  magic wand, mutter an incantation, and poof, all records are 
  expunged throughout history? or is it more of an elaborate shell 
  game, involving a conspiracy of millions to pull off? Well, dear 
  reader, the answer to that one is a bit more variable. In fact, the 
  means to make a world vanish are probably as varied as there 
  have been vanished worlds to start with. some general possibili-
  ties, however, might follow a few basic themes:
  Nuked/Poisoned Off the map: The classic explanation of the 
  first two succession Wars (and the age of War), worlds with fairly 
  low or overly centralized populations suffered from over-zealous 
  raiders armed with atomics or biological weapons meant to steril-
  ize all human life. oddly enough, this was a “hit or miss” approach, 
  as some worlds “died” from these assaults or their aftermaths, 
  but others somehow soldiered on. of those that died, many were 
  actually casualties of freak environmental events triggered by the 
  final assault (example: Rocky, a Hegemony planet that went into a 
  premature ice age). some fell into a fatal tailspin from catastrophic 
  loss of infrastructure and no small amount of neglect from the 
  parent government (example: Hegel, which practically starved to 
  extinction amidst a worldwide epidemic).
  It is, however, harder to kill a populous world using a few 
  nukes—even strategics—and/or poison gasses. Tailored bio-
  logicals may have better luck, as they can linger a bit longer and 
  maybe even salt the local ecosystems, but you’d need a loT to 
  infect an entire planet. Therefore, the only reasons to take such 
  worlds off the map are because they got wholly depopulated 
  in the strikes and lost all industrial or strategic value in the bar-
  gain. Or if the world was barely self-sustaining to start with. for 
  the former, it’d likely have to be a trade-dependent world with a 
  population numbering no more than, say, ten million. for the lat-
  ter, the world would need to have been marginal all along, which 
  would likely create conditions identical to the former.
  Yes, they’re possible, but by necessity, such worlds tend to be 
  small fry. admittedly, a few really big worlds also went out this way, 
  but only because some nation or other gathered up a Dropship 
  or five worth of strategics and just pasted the living crap out of 
  it—an act usually reserved for the most heavily industrialized and 
  populated planets, where the attacker would rather sterilize the 
  opposition than face an impregnable fortress. (Many worlds fitting 
  that bill, however, managed to survive for decades afterward, and 
  quite a few—like sarna and Caph—remain on the map today.)
  Emigration/Depopulation: This works better with cities than 
  with planets, but then again, some planets were hellholes even 
  when they were settled (the settlers who hung in there were 
  just too stubborn to admit as much). In this case, whether from 
  war damage or some other situation, the people simply leave (or 
  get scooped away by others—hopefully others friendly toward 
  them). This may have been common in the star league era and 
  age of War, when ships were plentiful (heck, Terra itself suffered 
  a humongous exodus right after the liberation, with billions tak-
  ing flight). but after the succession Wars blasted anything big 
  enough to have a Kf drive, not so much. This type of action also 
  tends to add planets to the map, rather than remove them—take 
  the recently discovered Hanseatic league and nueva Castile, for 
  example. for that matter, how do you think we got the Clans (or 
  the Inner sphere to begin with)?
  This one’s definitely possible, at least as much as the nuking/
  gassing scenario.
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  i
  THE HIDDEN
  You folks may remember this one from the last time I put forth 
  a book’s worth of theories for you. Seems someone didn’t like this 
  particular topic and hit me with a crude but amusing binary bomb. 
  This time, I’ve taken precautions. So without further ado, let’s ask 
  one more time about what happened to some missing worlds, and 
  see if the “Shark” comes swimming for me again.
  —Starling 
  THE HIDDEN
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/04: THE HIDDEN  
  012 / 013
  The Big Conspiracy of Doom: We all like this one, deep down. 
  name your conspirators, be they your own House government, 
  some corporate execs, amaris, Kerensky, Comstar, the Illuminati, a 
  sentient and super-advanced alien race—just remember that your 
  group must have been able to change maps throughout history 
  to hide their worlds, to have picked worlds self-sufficient enough 
  to see to their own needs and stay off the trade networks, and 
  have the means to ensure that no passing Jumpship considers 
  the world a viable jump route. oh, and spend centuries ruthlessly 
  keeping the secret from prying eyes…
  This is the fun one, because our brains can see only a conspiracy 
  as having the muscle and the means to hide a world of greater 
  importance than an outpost. These are usually separated from the 
  worlds described in our other two categories by some indefinable 
  weirdness, like the feeling you get when you look at an incomplete 
  painting but don’t have a copy of the finished work to compare it 
  to. This is where our atlantises and el Dorados come from.
  and this, apparently, is where at least one Marik world named 
  Jardine went…
  THE BaLLaD OF BrOOkLyN STEVENS
  a records search through The Usual sources (filtered for our col-
  lective sanity, of course) reveals that the Word of blake launched a 
  funny little manhunt into lyran and free Worlds space mere weeks 
  before the start of the Jihad. Their “mystery quarry,” it seems, was 
  one Doctor brooklyn Marie stevens, a lyran-born mercenary and 
  one-time employee of Interstellar expeditions.
  stevens was one of those active academics you see mainly in 
  holovid dramatizations—boasting doctorates in archaeology and 
  star league history from the University of Tharkad along with an 
  unconventional, off-the-books sort of military training that made 
  her equally capable of handling herself in a brawl or on a dig site. 
  following what could best be described as a “bad breakup” with 
  Ie, Doctor stevens and her crew managed to abscond with an 
  Explorer-class Jumpship, three long-range shuttles, about four 
  IndustrialMechs and at least two “black box” units that appar-
  ently make up an undisclosed part of Ie’s own communications 
  net. Why Ie never followed up that kind of “resignation” with legal 
  action (or lethal force) is a matter of a lot of fun speculation, but 
  it proved convenient enough for them when they actually hired 
  stevens and her runaway crew for a mission: locate (and thereby 
  prove the existence of) the planet Jardine.
  astoundingly, within less than four months—armed with 
  little more than a discredited and buried report by an equally 
  discredited and buried exo-biologist named amanda Holyfield—
  stevens not only returned with a report of her own, but also a 
  native from Jardine. It was the crowning moment of her career.
  It was also her death warrant.
  The Word of blake’s manhunt targeted stevens, her family and 
  her crew. They tracked down her husband, Professor Tyler ste-
  vens, at Tharkad U on Donegal. They blasted her venerable ship 
  apart near skye, and tracked her deep into Marik space before 
  the fake Thomas Marik managed to whisk her away (if only for a 
  short time).
  but while stevens’ greatest triumph may have been her 
  undoing, she left behind a legacy that would put half the intel 
  masterminds in the Inner sphere to shame (and, had it come 
  sooner, could even have saved lives). not only did she locate 
  the long-lost world of Jardine, she left clues to its existence and 
  that of a secret cabal who ran it and as many as four more such 
  “Hidden Worlds.” Considering the evidence, stevens’ discovery 
  establishes an almost-certain link between these five worlds and 
  the descendants of stefan amaris—a link that, if true, shows us 
  that the Word of blake works hand-in-glove with the heirs of his-
  tory’s most notorious villain.
  THE HID
  THE HIDDEN
  discredited and buried exo-biologist named amanda Holyfield—
  THE HID
  THE HID
  Torhansson’s essay may not seem all that illuminating—
  especially as she failed to expound on it much more beyond 
  debating how one might hide a whole world. she meant 
  well, mind you, but the girl’s just not got the heart for serious 
  conspiracy-mongering. I do, of course, and in the time since 
  our last publication on the subject, I actually came across a few 
  more tidbits that shed interesting new light on the subject of 
  hidden worlds (and Jardine in particular).
  PIECING IT TOGETHER
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section04: THE HIDDEN
  The Stevens Factor
  Just before the Jihad erupted, the story goes, a very angry 
  Doctor brooklyn stevens, commander of a small merc team that 
  included at least one ex-black ops specialist and a host of former 
  Interstellar expeditions vets, arrived in the loric system for a meet-
  ing with the (now late) Doctor Henry Croft (their Ie employer). 
  stevens, her exec, and an unknown young woman of “distinctly 
  Polynesian features” confronted Croft on what they perceived as 
  a double-cross, and claimed they were being targeted by Word 
  of blake operatives. With a final warning that Ie had reaped the 
  proverbial whirlwind, stevens, her crew and their unknown com-
  panion vanished, making a beeline for Tharkad.
  supposedly, while on the run, they found a way to leave a trail 
  of breadcrumbs for any possible allies to find. (some hints even 
  turned up in the second printings of a couple of history texts 
  written that very year!) Whether brilliant or simply desperate, this 
  move succeeded in snagging the false Thomas Marik’s attention. 
  even as the Inner sphere plunged into a new war, he dispatched 
  some of his Knights on a “special errand” into lyran space.
  They never returned.
  sketchy reports gleaned from a hundred or so local news nets 
  tell the rest: mysterious, black-clad men sporting exotic weap-
  ons hit Donegal during the blakist attack there. an inexplicably 
  superfluous fighter run flattened the University of Chekswa with 
  an atomic weapon. search engines across the lyran alliance lit 
  up with keywords “Jardine,” “Gabriel,” “stevens,” “Ie,” and “Rim 
  Worlds.”
  Then came the White-out, and all news stopped.
  When the lights came back on, the searches had ended and 
  blakist aPbs matching stevens’ description were little more than 
  a footnote. a few weeks later, rescue ships in the nestor system 
  came upon the remains of an Explorer-class Jumpship that had 
  apparently been torn apart from the inside out.
  Meanwhile, a series of random “accidents” and overt attacks 
  plagued Interstellar expeditions, culminating in the death of Doc-
  tor Henry James Croft, the Ie division head who’d hired stevens in 
  the first place.
  of course, with fighting erupting on every border—and the 
  league-alliance front being one of the fiercest—nobody both-
  ered to follow up on any of this.
  The rim Worlds Connection
  We all know the official story: When stefan the Usurper 
  launched his war against the Camerons and brought down the 
  star league, he did so with an army that arose out of the blue. It 
  was an army carefully poised to strike at the heart of the Terran 
  Hegemony by a years-long campaign aimed at courting a naïve 
  boy’s trust, and driving a wedge between the first lord and his 
  Protector.
  What followed was said to be a lesson for the ages (the kind 
  humans have to relearn every few centuries or so, when greedy 
  and powerful men make a play to “take it all”). amaris’ army was 
  smashed, and his ancestral domain—the Rim Worlds Republic—
  was wiped off the map by the slDf (with maybe a little unasked-for 
  help from the lyrans, who came to the party only after all the real 
  blood had been spilled). In the Republic’s fiery demise, Kerensky 
  made sure everyone knew that amaris and his family were dead. 
  examples were made of the likes of the Greenhaven Gestapo and 
  the 33rd Amaris Dragoons. History would record Amaris’ name 
  alongside adolf Hitler and Jinjiro Kurita.
  and somehow lost in the shuffle were billions upon billions of 
  lives, the citizens of a realm shattered beyond all repair. The elsies 
  absorbed only half of the Republic’s worlds (the profitable half, 
  of course, with the functioning factories). but in the anarchy that 
  followed, the outer reaches of the Rim Worlds were simply left to 
  rot, forgotten by the steiners—history’s ever-wasteful, would-be 
  predators.
  In just a few decades (forget centuries!), dozens of “leftover” 
  Republic worlds vanished from the star charts, many supposedly 
  due to “extreme population decline” (a euphemism old naviga-
  tors used to describe a world that wasn’t worth the fuel it cost to 
  get there). sure, a lot were dependent on their neighbors for vital 
  resources—all now nixed by the utter demolition of their central 
  government and interstellar infrastructure. but unless aleks K. 
  launched a few million nukes, bio-chem weapons, and such, the 
  odds of almost a hundred worlds depopulating in less than a fifth 
  as many years is pretty hard to swallow, don’t you think?
  so, okay, if these worlds are being hidden somehow, who’s 
  doing the hiding? and why?
  The steiners are an obvious candidate, given their opportunistic 
  land grab, but as much as they crowed among themselves when 
  they took the Republic’s heartlands, one would think swallow-
  ing an entire realm whole would make them downright orgasmic. 
  Heck, the industrial/political clout would be immeasurable! but 
  their apparent failure to accomplish this public coup makes the 
  lyrans look a bit unlikely.
  The other Houses are more remote, largely due to geography, 
  plus lack of resolve and resources. an outside chance exists that 
  the Combine and the free Worlds would’ve considered such 
  moves to pincer their mutual enemy, but three centuries of failing 
  to crush the steiners would seem to take them out of the running 
  as well.
  Comstar, then? Well, the Rim was no friend to Jerome’s band, 
  but the descendants of the slCoMneT were still rebuilding an 
  HPG network then, identifying worlds that were dying even as 
  they went (kind of like an unofficial post-star league census). but 
  could they have lied or conveniently “erred” on their assessment 
  of dozens of former RWR planets, taking them off their maps and 
  posting advisories that those planets were no longer habitable? 
  Certainly possible, but with little more than a star league cou-
  rier fleet and a smattering of ex-slDf mercs at their disposal, it 
  would’ve been pretty brassy of blake to try to claim a swath of 
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/04: THE HIDDEN  
  014 / 015
  worlds along a border still in the throes of an active 
  assimilation effort. (Though, all things considered, 
  marking struggling worlds “dead” would also be a 
  neat way for Jerome to further punish the Rimmers by 
  discouraging merchant travel to their worlds. Cruel, 
  but neat.)
  What if the lyrans did get bold enough to advance 
  again, after all? some, according to old reports, 
  actually did. likely in the hopes of snagging a bit of 
  overlooked resources, or merely trade partners among 
  the former Republic territories, some ships went out 
  there in the decades after the star league fell. but very 
  few of these expeditions returned with news of strug-
  gling ex-Rimmers eager to reconnect with the sphere. 
  Indeed, in the few cases where human life was found, 
  it had reportedly regressed to wandering tribes or—at 
  best—warring city states. These worlds would eventu-
  ally be snapped up by the bandit Kingdoms to come, 
  but the lyrans wrote them off as useless. The rest were 
  barren wastes, home to dead, empty cities and crum-
  bling, stripped-out factories. Within less than twenty 
  years, an entire civilization had been written off and 
  nearly forgotten—recognized only as a cautionary 
  tale on the wages of betrayal and evil.
  back to Comstar. Though they are certainly front-
  runners in any scheme to hide worlds, they may still 
  have been hard-pressed to do so on a scale that the 
  remnant Rim Worlds represented. and it’s highly 
  doubtful that they evacuated entire planets into the 
  bargain. so who, then?
  Why not the Rim Worlds itself?
  I mean, who better? Their government was 
  smashed. Their realm bore the taint of the villain who 
  destroyed a golden age. Their neighbors were engag-
  ing in an orgy of nuclear warfare. Why not, rather than 
  wait for the axe to fall, simply flee the carnage? If we 
  follow this thread, interesting possibilities emerge, 
  particularly if we try to imagine where they went. Did 
  they flee deeper into space, forming the mysterious 
  Deep Periphery realms like the Hanseatic league and 
  the Umayyad Caliphates? Did some find new worlds to 
  settle well off the beaten trade routes, effectively pull-
  ing a Kerensky? or were some clever enough to hide 
  in plain view, occupying worlds deep within the Inner 
  sphere and playing possum in our midst all this time?
  but why? Well, if we follow the Rim hiding itself 
  theory, the answers are brutally simple: survival…and 
  possibly revenge. When the Rim Worlds died, a lot of 
  people lost homes, careers, livelihoods, trade partners, 
  allies and family. To save what remained—whether 
  accomplished by the lyrans, Comstar, or the Rimmers 
  In 3055, soon after the rise of the so-called “reformed” ComStar, then-
  Primus Sharilar Mori and her Combine buddy, Theodore Kurita, announced 
  the formation of the Explorer Corps (conveniently ignoring the fact that the 
  organization formally existed as a branch of ComStar as far back as 2980). 
  Billing the endeavors of this new (or newly outed) allied organization as a 
  concerted effort to explore the Deep Periphery for new worlds (and hope-
  fully the Clan homelands!), the Corps was a dream come true to some and a 
  nightmare to others. Archaeologists far and wide lauded its scientific research 
  benefits while Spheroid military leaders eagerly anticipated any info on the 
  Clans’ origins. To the average merc, it was a new employment opportunity 
  that fired the imagination and (hopefully) would bear few risks for excellent 
  pay. But to the Clans and the Deep Periphery’s more reclusive realms, it posed 
  a threat. And to the average lostech prospector or fringe groups like Interstel-
  lar Expeditions? It was competition.
  Some of you may recall, however, that the first few star maps of the Deep 
  Periphery, coreward of the Sphere, were quickly recalled by the Explorer Corps 
  a mere month or two after they’d been posted for all to see. “Editorial reasons” 
  were cited, and boy, they weren’t kidding! When the revised maps came back 
  a month or so later, an entire realm had disappeared. This vanishing realm 
  had been named simply “RWR Outpost #27.”
  Queries to ComStar by parties within and outside their Explorer Corps either 
  went unanswered or received a pat “we apologize for the error” reply that never 
  explained what would conjure a vaguely defined area the size of the Circinus 
  Federation and then—just as quickly—expel it from existence. Until one day, 
  a frustrated acolyte on Pesht lost his patience with the question and—in what 
  surely must have been the biggest Career-Limiting Move of his life—exploded 
  in a five-minute rant about Word of Blake “monkey warfare.” According to the 
  poor fellow, Blakist moles in ROM (or the EC itself) planted evidence in their 
  cartography database about a nine-star “mini realm” not so cryptically dubbed 
  “RWR Outpost #27.” The reasons for this “prank” were many and petty, though a 
  large part focused on demonstrating how fallible ComStar’s info services could 
  be, as well as undermining the trust between ComStar and its allies.
  But what if it was all a front? Strangely enough, few known expeditions 
  have ever been launched to check out the region described in this alleg-
  edly apocryphal map.  Of the few wandering traders passing through that 
  region, none ever checked out the local planets—though some odd reports 
  over the past ten years claim that at least one system in the RWR Outpost 27 
  area possessed warning buoys that were “ancient in manufacture, yet still 
  operational.” These quarantine sats (at least two SkyWard Model IXs were 
  mentioned) powered up as the merchants came into range and announced 
  that an unspecified “planet below” was unsafe for travelers in accordance 
  with the “ComStar Safe Transit and Astrogation Project.”
  Curiouser and curiouser, eh? So how does ComStar come to “discover” and 
  then “lose” again a system they apparently marked “closed” centuries ago? 
  Are these travelers seeing things in the dark depths of space, or have they 
  really passed through a forgotten realm? If their accounts are accurate, why 
  did ComStar quarantine these worlds, assign them a cluster name and then 
  purge their records after revealing them?
  Or did the Word of Blake somehow “steal” these worlds? Could the truth be 
  even more sinister, even more intertwined?
  —Starling
  RIM WORLDS OUTPOST #27
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section04: THE HIDDEN
  themselves—hiding the survivors would be a viable option and 
  would sidestep any unpleasantness that might arise from seeking 
  asylum openly from factions embracing an eternal war.
  but if the Rim Worlds’ survivors fled into hiding for themselves? 
  Well, now we have a people who not only shield themselves from 
  prying eyes to avoid someone finishing the job that Kerensky 
  started—but a people who likely hold a lasting grudge against 
  the entire Inner sphere.
  The Five and the Word
  so where does that leave us?
  Well, for starters, the existence of hidden worlds in our sphere 
  is no longer a stretch, but a very likely possibility. anyone who 
  survived on a world bombed to dust could conceivably have eked 
  out a living and spawned a new order while Comstar quietly wrote 
  them off  (either deliberately or due to incompetence).
  for another, a vast number of these worlds could’ve included 
  the flagging remains of the Rim Worlds Republic, the nation-state 
  that overthrew the star league and effectively unleashed cen-
  turies of warfare. They may not be the only people who would 
  want to live on hidden worlds, but as the so-called destroyers 
  of civilization, they’d certainly have a lot of motivation to stay in 
  the shadows.
  finally, we have a secret kept so long and so well that people 
  even today are willing to kill for it (just ask Doctor Holyfield, Croft 
  and the stevens family). and these people seem to include the 
  Word of blake.
  but why the Word, and why now?
  amarIS aND COmSTar?
  The connection between the Rim Worlds and Comstar may 
  look paper-thin, unless one digs deep enough into the events of 
  early 3057 that many leaders would prefer to forget—specifically, 
  a rash of unexplained raids aimed at almost every House and 
  Clan. at first, these raids seemed wholly unfocused, save for the 
  fact that all of them sported colors from other Houses and made 
  a point of leaving witnesses behind to tell the tale. false flags, of 
  course, are a common enough ploy in many trades, but the timing 
  of these strikes—coupled with the gory suicides of the few raider 
  warriors downed in these battles—swiftly demonstrated a com-
  mon link that prompted the free Worlds league (at the very least) 
  to investigate.
  according to the rumors, the investigation tracked the entire 
  affair back to a man claiming to be—get this—stefan amaris VII. 
  Working from a secret Periphery base (the rumor places this on 
  new st. andrews), “amaris” managed to gather up close to a regi-
  ment of battleMechs made up mostly of bandits and mercs who 
  couldn’t get honest work if their lives depended on it.  How far he 
  really stood a chance of succeeding is immaterial; in all likelihood, 
  “amaris” would’ve wound up another two-bit bandit king if the 
  local Houses didn’t destroy him on general principles.
  but his story does have some interesting features that seem to 
  link amaris and Comstar. Consider:
  “amaris” was actually born Richard Thurston-Moray on 
  •	
  Comstar-occupied Terra. (The name Moray tracked back to a 
  known mistress of the Usurper who went missing during the 
  liberation, though there seems to be a generation-long gap 
  in the lineage.)
  at an early age (and with no small degree of prodding by 
  •	
  local recruiters), Thurston-Moray entered the order and 
  would eventually work as an archivist—the perfect place to 
  discover his buried lineage.
  new st. andrews, at the time, was classified as a “recent” dis-
  •	
  covery by Comstar’s explorer Corps.
  at the time of his great discovery (which included either 
  •	
  six other guys named stefan Ukris amaris who managed to 
  somehow avoid being burned at the stake long enough to 
  father kids, or six other direct ancestors he chose to retroac-
  tively grant the name to), Thurston-Moray also learned that 
  Comstar had uncovered a secret Terran bank account funded 
  by the original amaris during his reign as “emperor” there.
  This secret stash accounted for roughly 6 percent of the trea-
  •	
  sury of the Terran Hegemony before Kerensky showed up, 
  siphoned straight from the Hegemony’s taxpayers.
  so, let’s get this straight. Comstar just happens to get an heir 
  to amaris in its ranks? said acolyte just happens to work in the 
  archives? Where he just happens to stumble over data from two 
  major recent discoveries Comstar just happened to come upon—
  discoveries that just happened to provide a key source for a base 
  world and the resources to hire troops for a major campaign? 
  That’s an awful lot of things “just happening,” isn’t it?
  The question is, did Comstar create this new amaris, or was he 
  some kind of blakist plant, either directly or indirectly? either way, 
  a connection with the followers of blake and the fallen House of 
  amaris seems incontrovertible. but what exactly is the connec-
  tion, how far does it go, and who is in charge? More important 
  than that, what are their plans?
  Couple this with the on-again, off-again discovery of the so-
  called RWR Outpost #27, and the mysterious disappearance of 
  millions of Rimmies after the fall of the star league, and a very sin-
  ister picture takes shape. lostech prospectors and other explorers 
  have found no sign of the former Republic beyond the bandit 
  kingdoms that rose in its wake, leaving whole planetary popula-
  tions unaccounted for in the near Periphery. These people went 
  somewhere, and judging by the stevens’ discovery and its after-
  math, one distinct possibility is “inward” rather than “outward.”
  HIDINg PLaNETS
  so how do you hide a world if you don’t think you have what it takes 
  to lead a caravan of Jumpships over a year’s travel into the unknown, 
  to hide behind a nebula or two? Well, at this point, let me paraphrase 
  Torhannsson’s rather long-winded seminar on the topic…
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/04: THE HIDDEN  
  016 / 017
  let’s face it, folks: space is HUGe! and sensors only work so far 
  with any kind of reliability. To begin even looking for a hidden 
  world, one first has to know which one of those millions upon 
  millions of stars out there one’s quarry is orbiting. Mounting an 
  expedition then becomes the next step, which is prohibitively 
  expensive—especially in a day and age when only crazy or 
  extremely confident Jumpship captains venture to systems where 
  no spare parts are likely to be found should the drive core burn 
  out. The good news is, a hidden world will be completely safe 
  from casual observation or the idly curious.
  but say the searching party is a bit more determined and 
  resourceful. What do you need to do these days to hide from 
  those prying eyes?
  Step 1: Seal the borders. all off-world contact with your 
  hidden world must be squelched. You can’t have any HPGs or 
  spaceports (at least none with standing control facilities, surface-
  to-orbit communications, active radar and Ils networks). Things 
  like that are too easily spotted off-planet, and HPG signals from 
  “nowhere” tend to be quite the giveaway.
  forget about trade. even local commerce must be strictly 
  regulated, and your communities need to be self-sufficient. a 
  communal structure is necessary, as commercial competition 
  breeds industry, which breeds waste, which breeds more chances 
  to be detected from orbit.
  Step 2: radio silence. You also want no planet-bound wireless 
  communications traffic, at least nothing that a passing ship can 
  detect. This means no satellite network at all, and no high-capac-
  ity broadcast towers. eCM won’t work, as it has its own electronic 
  signature that gives away something afoot. Your people will need 
  to stick to old-school fiber-optic lines, low-power relays or laser-
  los transceiving. Tin cans and string work too, in a pinch.
  Step 3: Population control. This is the fun part. You see, you 
  just can’t hide a heavily populated planet.  big cities, sprawling 
  over continents, with intricate highway and aerospace activity, are 
  going to get noticed from orbit. Moving them underground (or 
  underwater) may help, but that kind of thing stifles growth and, 
  frankly, the waste of your population’s activities will be noticeable.
  smaller cities—we’re talking colonial-village scale—are more 
  doable, but have to look like ruins from orbit, heavily overgrown 
  with vegetation and the like. and you can’t have many of them, or 
  connect them with roads more sophisticated than a dirt path. This 
  means communities have to stick close together, or it’ll take days 
  to coordinate a population when it’s endangered. Underground 
  mass transit could help, but if you’re going that far, you may as 
  well build everything and call it a day.
  any farmlands need to be disguised as random growth, look-
  ing sparse and untended at all times. once more, underground 
  is an option, but optimum produce is always best achieved the 
  old-fashioned way.
  Population control allows you to centralize government and 
  whatever industry you must have into small areas, but you must 
  keep it controlled at all times. a good size Torhannsson recom-
  mends is about, oh, ten thousand—all of whom must contribute 
  to daily life, like an early Terran exodus colony. but unlike the early 
  colonies, which encouraged growth and reproduction, a hiding 
  population can’t allow itself to spread out on the surface. and 
  extensive digging or manufacturing of submerged expansions 
  may draw attention. so, be prepared to get draconian to maintain 
  an almost zero-growth population.
  Step 4: get help on the outside. even after all the trouble 
  you’ve gone through, you still need to make sure the secret is 
  kept way more proactively than simply hiding on your world with 
  no radio or holovids to speak of. You need to make sure some-
  one erases you from the maps, seeds your system with warning 
  buoys (if it was once part of the star league general census, 
  anyway) and discourages all traffic from coming anywhere near 
  your hidden planets. This kind of task takes a generation or more 
  of diligent work, perhaps, followed by decades or centuries of 
  casual observation.
  The goal here is to erase your world from the collective con-
  sciousness and maybe even from every printed historical record 
  out there. naturally, this part takes the real conspiracy, and to hold 
  the secret for so long, it would have to be the kind that has a life all 
  its own—a secret society, like a cult or a brotherhood.
  Know anyone who fits that bill? 
  THE BIg PICTUrE
  aside from the restrictive population demands—which mainly 
  apply only if the locals on the hidden planets enjoy a surface-
  dwelling lifestyle—the refugees of the Rim Worlds Republic could 
  have done most of what Torhannsson recommends for concealing 
  worlds, so long as someone helped them disappear in the chaos 
  of the early succession Wars. Why anyone would assist them in 
  such a fashion is fair game for speculation, though it could be that 
  some of the falling Republic worlds might have been research 
  centers or techno-warehouses.
  at the time of the Republic’s fall, the big culprits for helping 
  to hide the Rimmers could only have been Comstar and House 
  steiner, or else the Republic had way more help from outside 
  sources than we ever could have dreamed. of these theories, only 
  Comstar comes close to fitting the bill.  but why?
  one reason stands out: as of the order’s foundation, it claimed 
  only one ace in the hole, one means to avoid a House lord’s inva-
  sion of Terra: the monopoly over HPGs. If a House dared such a 
  venture, however, could HPG dominance truly have spared Terra 
  from a full-scale invasion? In the post-star league era, Terra was 
  the ultimate prize, yet the House lords knew that assaulting the 
  planet would as likely undermine their claim to the first lordship 
  as validate it. so the odds were running fifty-fifty that Terra would 
  eventually come under some House’s crosshairs.
  If you were Comstar, and you had only one planet to claim sov-
  ereignty over, and that planet was the biggest prize in the universe 
  THE HIDDEN
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section04: THE HIDDEN
  for a greedy House lord, wouldn’t you want a contingency plan? 
  and here were the remnants of the Republic, desperate for salva-
  tion. What better way to ensure your survival than to gather these 
  refugees, promise them that salvation, and set them up on a host 
  of worlds at the heart of the Inner sphere, where nobody would 
  ever think to look for them?
  elaborate? Maybe. but if anyone in this universe of ours has 
  been playing the long game here, it’s Comstar.
  …or is it? Remember that the post-schism Comstar has acted 
  completely unaware of these worlds in the present day, and that 
  the investigation into Jardine recently ended with the murder of 
  its discoverers by operatives apparently from the Word of blake. 
  Could it be that Comstar, so intent on protecting their Rimmer 
  friends, formed a secret society around the concept that actually 
  went over completely to the Word of blake? or could the Rimmers 
  have come out of hiding among the blakists’ ranks by themselves, 
  poisoning the breakaway “order” from within?
  Cogitate on that, dear readers, and remember that the mon-
  strous behavior and terrible weapons of the Word must have 
  come from somewhere that no spheroid intel agency could find. 
  Remember that, only months before this war, did we first hear the 
  names of Gabriel and Jardine in the present tense rather than the 
  past. shortly before her death, stevens released one last clue to 
  these hidden worlds, a clue as succinct as it is dramatic:
  There are at least five such worlds out there.
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  long dismissed as casualties of the brutal succession Wars, 
  numerous worlds have dropped off the Inner sphere’s star maps 
  over the centuries. Most fell prey to the depredations of war, and 
  many more starved out as a consequence of neglect or trade 
  disruption. still others succumbed to natural disasters and were 
  abandoned over decades of gradual decline. but some—a very 
  few—may instead have been hidden from view, concealed by 
  unknown masters behind a veil of secrecy and paranoia.
  These hidden worlds, separated from the rest of the universe 
  by extreme measures, may now be home to cultures alien to the 
  Inner sphere, from desperate refugees of the fallen Rim Worlds 
  Republic and Terran Hegemony to a radical sect of Comstar that 
  even now manipulates a war against all of humankind. Desperate 
  to keep their secret, and possibly aided in this effort by a secret 
  cabal that watches from the outside, the Hidden may be among 
  the most xenophobic of the Inner sphere’s denizens, desperate 
  to be forgotten and unknown to savage nations from which they 
  have grown exiled.
  Mystery surrounds the fate of many Inner sphere worlds lost 
  to the succession Wars, though some—like Jardine—are more 
  mysterious than others. The nature of the peoples of the Hidden 
  Worlds (and what they have been doing in the shadows for cen-
  turies since they went missing) is wide open to the gamemaster. 
  However, with the onset of the Jihad, Inner sphere intelligence 
  agencies—from oriente’s branch of safe and the remains of Com-
  star RoM to the Draconis Combine’s order of the five Pillars and 
  the devastated shell of Wolf’s Dragoons’ Wolfnet—have scram-
  bled to learn all they can about several elusive hidden planets.
  As of 3073, the combined intelligence of the Inner Sphere has 
  learned several key facts about hidden worlds throughout the 
  Inner sphere (though no single agency knows all of these details 
  to date). These facts, gleaned not only from formal intelligence 
  sources, but also the efforts of Comstar’s defunct explorer Corps 
  and the independent Interstellar expeditions group, include the 
  following:
  “The Five”: according to the account of brooklyn stevens and 
  her crew (see Brooklyn Stevens, below), Word of blake somehow 
  maintains five hidden worlds in the Inner sphere (one in each suc-
  cessor state), which all dropped off the maps soon after the fall 
  of the star league. The nature, populations and activities of all of 
  these worlds remain unknown, but all are presumed to be heav-
  ily defended yet sparsely populated. Two of “the five” have been 
  positively identified by name: Jardine and Gabriel.
  still unknown is how the Word came to inherit these worlds 
  without Comstar’s apparent knowledge of their existence.
  The ruins of gabriel: The Ruins of Gabriel—a suspected 
  shipyard or naval repair station linked by Wolfnet to the Word 
  of blake’s sudden surge of Warship support—is now thought to 
  be a location also known as outpost Gabriel during the time of 
  the liberation, and is believed to be located in a lyran system 
  somewhere in the Protectorate of Donegal, between 200 and 250 
  light-years from Terra.
  lIC analysts further believe that the recently recovered lCs 
  Invincible was drawn and refit from these facilities, possibly after 
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/04: THE HIDDEN  
  018 / 019
  having been “abducted” during her last voyage from Hesperus II 
  in 2853.
  Jardine: Mere weeks before the outbreak of the Jihad, an 
  autonomous computer virus hacked into an interstellar academic 
  network maintained by Dobless Information services and infected 
  several historical archives, depositing coordinates for Jardine in 
  free Worlds league space. This “infection” was traced to several 
  computer nodes, including one at the University of Chekswa on 
  Donegal. shortly after the start of the Jihad, a similar “infection” 
  placed Jardine in the same location on some historical free Worlds 
  league maps as well.
  follow-up research tentatively confirmed the locations to be 
  genuine, but a reconnaissance mission sent by the false Thomas 
  Marik evidently found nothing of value on the world. The culprit 
  behind the autonomous hacks was not identified, but the work 
  bears a distinct similarity to some cyber-espionage techniques 
  practiced by loki.
  Brooklyn Stevens/renegade knights: at or about the start of 
  the Jihad, the Word of blake launched a manhunt for brooklyn ste-
  vens, a mercenary explorer hired to located Jardine by Interstellar 
  expeditions. apparently successful, her discovery also piqued the 
  interest of the false Thomas Marik, who dispatched several of his 
  surviving Knights on a rescue mission. Reportedly, Manei Domini 
  agents caught up with and killed stevens and her would-be sav-
  iors in free Worlds space, but not before she shared her discovery 
  with the false Marik’s loyalists, including the existence of at least 
  four more Hidden Worlds.
  The hunt for stevens and her family was apparently critical 
  enough for the Word of blake to dispatch Precentor Manei Domini 
  apollyon, whose presence was reported on Donegal some time 
  shortly before Case White. Rumors suggest apollyon hails from 
  Jardine, and may have had a hand in the planet’s devastation.
  rWr Outpost #27: The so-called RWR Outpost #27 that 
  appeared briefly in explorer Corps maps as a result of blakist 
  “monkey warfare” was, in fact, a satellite district of the Rim Worlds 
  Republic where stefan amaris trained many of his secret forces. 
  Comprised of eight habitable star systems in all, evidence sug-
  gests that at least two contained shipyards and many also hosted 
  continent-sized training grounds filled with mocked-up cities 
  resembling major sites across the old Terran Hegemony. Ware-
  houses, many believed to have once housed entire companies of 
  ’Mechs, dot these worlds, as do the scars of intense nuclear and 
  biochemical weapon bombardments. 
  Comstar cannot account for how the records of these worlds 
  were lost sometime after the first succession War, nor can they 
  determine whether or not the worlds were used again in recent 
  times, though evidence of numerous robotic defenses—most 
  degraded to uselessness by age and the elements—has been 
  reported by the few scouts Comstar could spare to investigate.
  mundo Nublar: a barren world of perpetual storms and clouds, 
  Mundo Nublar—then tagged as EC3057-J83A—was a marginally 
  habitable rock a few jumps anti-spinward of the Chainlaine Isles. 
  acting on recent intelligence regarding an alleged blakist super-
  weapon, the lIC found that the world was pockmarked with craters 
  consistent with a massive asteroid shower, despite the absence of 
  a major asteroid field in the system. Though the existence of this 
  world as an alleged Word of blake test site is a fairly recent sur-
  prise, Mundo nublar is not believed to be one of the five. 
  “Stefan amaris VII”: Comstar still denies all knowledge of the 
  self-described “star lord” who went by the name of stefan amaris 
  VII and launched several raids against various Houses in 3055 in 
  an effort to provoke a new round of war. fragmentary documents 
  unearthed recently by alys Rousset-Marik’s resistance, however, 
  found a link between “amaris” and another alleged ex-Comstar 
  acolyte named alisendar Gyrn, who terrorized the people of sirius 
  and Procyon during his short reign over the so-called sirian Holds 
  in 3057-3058. (ComStar also disavows all knowledge of Gyrn, who 
  has since been executed for his crimes.)
  “The Deep Beyond”: although hardly part of the Hidden, 
  whispers of distant anti-spinward realms possibly linked to the 
  long-fallen Rim World Republic have been largely confirmed by 
  Inner sphere intelligence agencies. first identified by Interstellar 
  expeditions (who remain tight-lipped about these—and pos-
  sibly more—Deep Periphery realms), these small powers include 
  the society of st. andreas, the Union of samoyedic Colonies, and 
  the axumite Providence. all three realms are believed to be tiny 
  states with a mere handful or worlds or more each, but are so far 
  removed from the Inner sphere—all three lie roughly as far distant 
  as the Hanseatic league—with so many dead worlds between 
  them, that they only routinely have contact with one another and 
  remain largely unaware of Inner sphere affairs to this date.
  ComStar’s Secret Holdings: sporadic references to other 
  “hidden worlds” controlled by Comstar have turned up over the 
  years, especially since the schism and reformation that secular-
  ized much of the Order. Some—such as Ross 2458 and Luyten 
  68-28—are believed to be military bases, used for centuries 
  to quietly reinforce Comstar’s military might and control over 
  Terra while simultaneously keeping such assets hidden from 
  the public. others, like alpha Hydri, Trentwash II, and Trisha—all 
  located within eight to ten jumps of the lyran-Combine border 
  regions, according to all accounts, yet never placed on star charts 
  anywhere—were evidently explorer Corps discoveries rumored to 
  have been inhabited by pirates and other refugees from the Inner 
  sphere.
  some of these, like Ross and luyten, are believed to have been 
  seized by the Word of blake at some indeterminate point (even 
  Comstar remains sketchy on exactly when and how these assets 
  were lost). Meanwhile, others—like many of old explorer Corps 
  Periphery findings—are believed to be remote and/or abandoned 
  worlds of little strategic value, home now only to wandering gyp-
  sies, random pirate bands, or empty ruins of questionable origins. 
  still others may actually be forgotten “penal colonies”, established 
  THE HIDDEN
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section04: THE HIDDEN
  as places to exile those deemed too dangerous to leave at large, 
  yet too influential to simply kill off. 
  ENCOUNTErINg THE HIDDEN
  The implications of hidden worlds within (and beyond) the 
  Inner sphere may wildly with the circumstances of their disap-
  pearance and the goals of their leaders (if any). for centuries since 
  the fall of the first star league, when the first worlds began to 
  vanish from star maps, they have been the playground of pirates, 
  lostech prospectors, and explorer groups like Comstar’s explorer 
  Corps and Interstellar expeditions.
  Joining the Hunt
  Player characters will rarely encounter evidence of hidden 
  worlds unless they are specifically assigned to organizations 
  actively hunting for such worlds, or are brought to such locations 
  by an accident of fate (such as an inexplicable misjump). During 
  the Jihad, some agencies—such as Interstellar expeditions and 
  various intelligence agencies—have doubled their efforts to 
  locate critical “hidden worlds” believed to be the source of blakist 
  “secret projects” or lostech caches that could help desperate war 
  efforts. even player-groups that serve a Great House or corporate 
  interest could find themselves assigned to such a hunt, in risking 
  the unknown behind the scenes of the Jihad.
  What Dangers await
  Gamemasters interested in reflecting the inherent dangers of 
  the lost worlds can create numerous scenarios for what might be 
  defending a hidden world—particularly if the world is of immense 
  significance to a major power who desperately wants to keep the 
  secret.
  Hazards a player group might face on a hidden world can range 
  from the defense forces of the powers responsible for its secret 
  (such as Word of blake forces on Ross or luyten), to the paranoid 
  locals who might see the player characters as aliens and invaders. 
  forgotten star league-era defenses, including “smart” robotic 
  drones and automated static defenses—may even remain live, 
  endlessly waiting for interlopers to attack. The nature of how the 
  world “fell off the map” may even be a threat, as many such worlds 
  were lost simply by virtue of the fact that horrendous weapons 
  of mass destruction laid waste to their major population centers 
  and life support systems. even centuries later, lingering radiation 
  effects, mutated and vicious fauna, or chemical contaminants 
  could all be waiting to claim the lives of anyone foolish enough 
  to trespass.
  More curious, however, may well be what the hidden worlds 
  lack (or seem to lack): sprawling cities, major factories, HPGs 
  and running spaceports—all obvious signs of industrialized and 
  advanced technology civilization—may be invisible from orbit 
  to landing. Radio signals and global communications networks 
  would be close to non-existent, to minimize any chances of detec-
  tion. Underground settlements, or cities disguised as ruins, may 
  instead be more the norm, using older landline communications 
  or even trained “messenger pigeons” to communicate between 
  settlements, while concealed defenses pass themselves off as 
  unassuming bits of terrain. for the unsuspecting traveled, a hid-
  den world could look dead right up to the moment the locals 
  emerge to attack.
  marked for Life
  even if the players should get away from a hidden world, any 
  agency capable of keeping its secret may hunt down those who 
  penetrated their secret—and if the secret-keepers hail from a 
  particularly large or powerful organization like Comstar or Word 
  of blake, surviving the hidden world may be only the first of 
  many challenges the players face as covert operatives and other 
  military forces hound the players who “know too much”. bounties 
  could be levied against the players’ heads, and their families and 
  friends could be threatened to force the players to surrender to 
  the dogged pursuers.
  Worse still, even attempting to expose the secret or seek out 
  allies to defend against the secret keepers could backfire: after 
  all, anyone clever enough to hide a planet from prying eyes may 
  well have already bought off those that the nosy intruders would 
  report it to.
  THE HIDDEN
  THE HIDDEN
  i
  0
  25
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/05: "UNCLE CHANDY" 
   
  020 / 021
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section05: "UNCLE CHANDY"
  Megacorporations. These Brobdingnagian organizations are 
  no strangers to our files. Previously it was the Irian Corporation 
  that received our attention, but now it appears the giant should be 
  worried by an economic Kraken that has been lurking out of sight. 
  While nobody was paying attention, one Chandrasekhar Kurita has 
  been forging an economic empire that may now threaten even the 
  mighty Irian.
  Once again we have been fortunate to receive these copies of 
  intercepted conversations (kindly donated by an anonymous source). 
  It looks like we are indeed living in interesting times.
  —Starling
  “Good morning, Daniela. What do you have for me today?” 
  “Good morning, Director. I’ve got something interesting from the 
  Draconis Combine.”
  “The Combine? Only thing I’ve ever found ‘interesting’ from there is 
  a nice little plum wine.”
  “That’s the point, sir. Nobody has really been paying any attention 
  to what’s been going on over there. Looks like that was a mistake.”
  “Fine, Daniela, fine. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
  “A Kurita.”
  “A Kurita?”
  STagNaTION
  at the turn of the century, the Draconis Combine’s economy 
  was operating as a fully government-run concern. best described 
  as “controlled-market capitalism,” corporations—while not out-
  right owned by the state—operated only under strict government 
  controls. Positions of prominence within a powerful corporation 
  could be the social and political equivalent of being a member 
  of the landed nobility. Indeed, many Combine Ceos employed 
  noble titles and ran their companies as feudal fiefdoms, while 
  their workers almost invariably descended from parents who 
  were themselves employees of the company. Their lives revolved 
  around the corporation, from birth in company-owned hospitals, 
  to education in company schools. Combine workers lived in com-
  pany housing often until their deaths (when they were cremated 
  and entombed in company mausoleums). Purchasing everything 
  needed from the company store (an emporium that generously 
  provided credit against the next paycheck), many workers found 
  themselves still paying for their first pair of shoes by the age of 
  thirty.
  With a government policy that emphasized military endeavors, 
  and with conservative executives who did not wish to challenge 
  the status quo, the Combine economy remained in poor shape 
  for years upon years. Compared to the powerhouses of the 
  lyran Commonwealth and free Worlds league, House Kurita’s 
  economy scarcely measured up to that of the smaller Capellan 
  Confederation. 
  Meanwhile, the Combine’s general xenophobia crippled its 
  foreign trade. Merchants from other nations made a fine living 
  bringing luxury foodstuffs, advanced building materials and high-
  tech items into Combine ports. In contrast, arrogant Combine 
  merchants found few markets abroad thanks to their question-
  able business ethics and the overpriced (and usually poor quality) 
  goods they peddled. only in the trafficking of illicit and semi-legal 
  products did House Kurita come close to matching trade with the 
  other Inner sphere states, though this benefited few among the 
  Combine citizenry.
  “That sums up the Draconis Combine we all know and loathe. So 
  where does your Kurita come in?”
  “It all started just as the Third Succession War wound down.”
  HaCHImaN TarO ELECTrONICS
  strict government oversight in almost every aspect of the 
  economy had a stifling effect. a new business could only be 
  started after receiving full approval—a process that involved bat-
  tling with a tangle of red tape. once past this hurdle, a business 
  still had to contend with the caprices of bureaucracy and endemic 
  corruption. Thus, when the newly formed Hachiman Taro electron-
  ics (HTe) set up a modest consumer electronics manufacturing 
  plant in 3022, it was expected that the company would quickly fall 
  afoul of the next inexplicable change in economic policies from 
  luthien—that, or be “invited” to join Tanadi Computers.
  “’Invited’?”
  “Yes sir. Hachiman is a bit of a rarity as planets go in the Draconis 
  Combine. Plentiful natural resources and a very pleasant climate have 
  attracted a large population. It’s the perfect place for Tanadi Comput-
  ers to site their headquarters and manufacturing plants. Traditionally, 
  the planetary chairman has always been in Tanadi’s top pocket. More 
  than one rival has been…encouraged…to merge their business with 
  Tanadi “in the interests of efficiency.” Word is that Tanadi was often in 
  tight with the local Yakuza as well.”
  …HTE not only survived, but by 3027 it was flourishing. Open-
  ing a new production center in the capital of Masamori, the young 
  company now had sufficient manufacturing capacity to capture 
  a major share of the domestic market. Predictably, the Combine’s 
  incumbent corporations did not take kindly to competition, and 
  HTe was a target for vandalism, arson and intimidation. To their 
  chagrin, HTe’s competitors discovered that the company boasted 
  a well-trained and equipped security force. Hachiman Taro elec-
  tronics weathered the first assaults, but faced a more serious 
  challenge when Tanadi’s chief executives began circling like hun-
  gry sharks.  
  Then, in June of 3027, HTE announced the appointment of a new 
  Ceo: Chandrasekhar Kurita. Kurita had been HTe’s principal finan-
  cier from the start, but until now his involvement had not been 
  public knowledge. Though he did not play on his family name, 
  the presence of a Kurita at the head of HTe gave the company’s 
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/05: "UNCLE CHANDY" 
   
  022 / 023
  enemies pause for thought. Centuries of custom had ingrained a 
  sense of reverence—bordering on worship—for the Kurita name, 
  so acting openly against any member of the Combine’s ruling clan 
  (no matter how far from the line of succession he might be) was 
  unthinkable.
  HTe’s competitors consoled themselves, however, with Chan-
  drasekhar Kurita’s reputation, which depicted him as something 
  of a fool. Perhaps no further action would be necessary, they 
  thought. but if HTe’s competitors believed “Uncle Chandy” (as 
  Chandrasekhar was disparagingly known) would do their work 
  for them and drive his company into the ground, they were sorely 
  disappointed.
  The disasters of the fourth succession War and the loss of the 
  Rasalhague District left the Combine reeling. but it also forced 
  Coordinator Takashi Kurita (at the behest of his son, Theodore) 
  to introduce social reforms that fueled an upswing in demand 
  for consumer goods across the Combine. HTe was perfectly posi-
  tioned to take advantage of this growing domestic market.
  “So how did HTE get the jump on the competition? The usual 
  method? Blackmail, murder, kidnapping or even a good advertising 
  campaign?”
  “No. Something even more insidious than that; HTE produced 
  products that were inexpensive and surprisingly high in quality.”
  “Is that ethical?”
  ECONOmIC TENTaCLES
  new investment and the acquisition of several smaller compa-
  nies fueled HTe’s continuing growth over the next two decades. 
  at the same time, Chandrasekhar Kurita began to clandestinely 
  invest in Isesaki shipping, securing HTe’s shipping routes and 
  allowing him to establish an extensive network of contacts 
  beyond the Combine’s borders. Closer to home, he successfully 
  lured Tanadi’s best designers away with offers of better pay and 
  working conditions. Marquis Redmond Hosoya of Tanadi was 
  reportedly enraged by this “lyran” tactic, and HTe security pre-
  vented several attempts by Yakuza teppodama to kill or kidnap the 
  former Tanadi employees. There was even an attempt to assassi-
  nate Chandrasekhar, but after the assassin was killed in the act of 
  penetrating the Ceo’s private quarters, an investigation identified 
  her as a freelancer working for safe. none of these operations 
  could be traced back to Tanadi, but little doubt existed about who 
  had instigated them.
  “’Teppodama’?”
  “low-ranking Yakuza. ‘Teppodama’ roughly translates as ‘bul-
  let’—they are considered expendable assets.”
  By the time the Clans attacked in 3050, HTE rivaled Tanadi in 
  size and market share. The return of Kerensky’s children, rather 
  than a threat, presented Chandrasekhar Kurita with a golden 
  "UNClE CHA
  E CHA
  nothing could be further from the stereotypi-
  cal Kurita than Chandrasekhar Kurita. While it was 
  traditional for males of his clan to embrace the Pil-
  lar of steel and pursue martial glory, Chandrasekhar 
  instead embraced the Pillar of Jade. at court, he 
  earned the nickname “Uncle Chandy” for the familial 
  role he played toward a younger Theodore Kurita 
  (this despite actually being distant cousins, with 
  Chandrasekhar only three years Theodore’s senior). 
  Considered a wastrel, he was ultimately exiled from 
  court by Takashi Kurita, but this punishment did 
  nothing to abate his hedonistic lifestyle. a fat and 
  jolly character, many considered Chandy a light-
  weight, but appearances can be deceiving. While 
  his peers fought amongst themselves for scraps of 
  power and influence, Chandrasekhar Kurita quietly 
  built a sprawling business empire and became one 
  of the richest men in the Draconis Combine.
  Uncle Chandy’s achievements are all the more 
  remarkable because he never traded on his Kurita 
  name. Instead, he worked through a series of prox-
  ies and dummy corporations, concentrated on the 
  Combine’s commercial markets to provide quality 
  goods at a fair price, and dealt honorably with trad-
  ing partners beyond the Combine’s borders. but his 
  success in these efforts has earned Uncle Chandy 
  many enemies. The sheer wealth and influence he 
  amassed naturally engendered jealousy, but his bla-
  tant disregard for tradition infuriated the Combine’s 
  conservative elements (especially members of the 
  reactionary black Dragon society). When he learned 
  that Chandrasekhar Kurita had reduced his workers’ 
  hours from the traditional eighteen-hour a day to 
  only ten, Marquis Redmond Hosoya (Ceo of Tanadi 
  Computers) was reported to be nearly apoplectic.
  Just what Chandrasekhar Kurita intends to do with 
  his wealth and power is a subject of much specula-
  tion. Though he is distant from the line of succession, 
  it would not be unheard-of for a supposedly minor 
  scion of one of the Inner sphere’s most notorious 
  families to make a bid for the throne. To date, how-
  ever, Uncle Chandy has demonstrated nothing but 
  loyalty to the Combine and its Coordinator, and he 
  apparently likes to indulge his interests in Combine 
  history, funding several archeological and explor-
  atory projects over the past decade.
  The Draconis Combine’s economy has benefited 
  considerably from the stimulation HTe has provided 
  under Chandy’s leadership. In the long run, this may 
  prove a reform as important as any of those champi-
  oned by Coordinator Theodore Kurita.
  A VERY UNUSUAL KURITA
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section05: "UNCLE CHANDY"
  opportunity to branch out. In the face of the Clans’ overwhelming 
  technological advantage, the DCMs scrambled to get prototypes of 
  recovered star league tech into mass production. but their efforts 
  were hampered by the loss of key component manufacturers that 
  had been in the path of the Clan juggernaut. Unlike many long-
  established companies such as Tanadi, HTe’s factories were new, 
  and thus not dependent on poorly understood and maintained star 
  league-era manufacturing equipment. Consequently, HTe could 
  rapidly retool and begin production of military electronics, leaving 
  their competition in the dust. By late 3051, HTE was manufacturing 
  targeting systems for a new generation of DCMs battleMechs and 
  vehicles. Technicians from HTe were also instrumental in the devel-
  opment of the Combine’s new C3 computer systems.
  In 3056, Combine media was swept by rumors that HTE was 
  on the verge of making a breakthrough in interstellar commu-
  nications. This astonishing news triggered an inevitable and 
  violent response from the Word of blake. bent on maintaining 
  their monopoly over fTl communications, the blakists launched 
  several attacks against HTe. The first, a commando raid on the 
  main office compound, was repulsed with ease, but a second 
  assault by a sizable ’Mech force required the combined strength of 
  the ninth Ghost Regiment and the mercenary seventeenth Recon 
  Regiment to repulse. stung by these failures, the Word launched 
  one final raid in December of 3056. Though Hachiman’s Planetary 
  Chairman, earl Percival fillington, was killed in the fighting, the 
  blakists missed their intended target: Chandrasekhar Kurita.
  “FTL communications! Any word on how close HTE got?”
  “Sorry, boss. All my research suggests that the whole thing was 
  a hoax, possibly started by Tanadi. Anybody would know the Robes 
  would go ape at the idea of someone else being able to build HPGs. 
  Given the media coverage the story got, somebody with a lot of influ-
  ence must have been behind it.”
  “I’m surprised the ISF didn’t nip this in the bud.”
  “Maybe the toaster-worshipers caught the dreaded ISF napping 
  this time.”
  …Marquis Redmond Hosoya’s tragic death in 3056 presented 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita with another unexpected opportunity 
  to put an end to the bad blood between the two corporations. 
  Tanadi’s Ceo had no immediate heir, and a third cousin, Malcolm 
  Hosoya, inherited his controlling interest in the company. a career 
  soldier in the DCMs, Malcolm had no interest in the operations of 
  an interstellar corporation. However, the Chu-i was very interested 
  in the fortune in K-bills that Chandrasekhar’s agent offered for his 
  Tanadi shares.
  now armed with a controlling interest in both companies, 
  Chandrasekhar began to expand his holdings beyond the con-
  fines of the Draconis Combine. Through proxies, he bought up 
  mining, logging and shipping concerns on the Davion worlds of 
  Towne, Goderich and Hahoni. In the Capellan Confederation, he 
  acquired three major vineyards on Palos. Through Isesaki ship-
  ping, he already had contacts with lyran and free Worlds league 
  shipping lines, but in the wake of the formation of the second star 
  league the HTe-Tanadi combine seized an opportunity to forge 
  links with the multi-national starCorp Industries. The relation-
  ship gave starCorp access to sophisticated military electronics 
  (starCorp installed HTe-manufactured C3 equipment in their new 
  WHM-8D Warhammer) while providing HTe-Tanadi a secure route 
  to foreign markets.
  The reformation of the star league allowed the Inner sphere to 
  finally face the Clans in a united fashion. The smoke Jaguars were 
  rapidly ejected from the Inner sphere, and the nova Cats elected 
  to join the new star league. These events allowed Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita to reclaim Tanadi assets on Irece, Jeronimo and luzerne. The 
  brief conflict between Clan Ghost bear and the Draconis Combine 
  threatened these holdings, but the Tanadi sites were able to call 
  upon HTe-employed mercenaries to help protect them.
  “Well, well. Uncle Chandy has been a busy little boy. Just how 
  much trouble is this going to cause us?”
  “Director, the most immediate issue for us is his interstellar ship-
  ping interests. If push comes to shove and we end up competing 
  for access to trade routes, we have to face the fact that Kurita has a 
  mighty big bankroll to back him up.”
  “What’s your read on his intentions? Is he going to keep pushing 
  out into other markets? Having to deal with Irian Technologies is bad 
  enough. The Free Worlds League is going to be a real small pond if we 
  have to share it with a couple of killer whales.”
  IrIaN TECHNOLOgIES
  as his economic empire extended its tentacles into the free 
  Worlds league, Chandrasekhar Kurita’s activities set alarm bells ring-
  ing in the boardrooms of Irian Technologies. The growing alliance 
  between HTe and starCorp was especially worrisome for sigmund 
  Hughes, Ceo of the mighty conglomerate. What had started as 
  healthy competition between Irian and starCorp had degenerated 
  into something on the order of a covert war over the last decade. 
  Irian used its position as the league’s key armaments manufacturer 
  shamelessly, and began lobbying Parliament to place restrictions 
  on its “Capellan-owned” rival. simultaneously, Irian prosecuted a 
  program of espionage and sabotage against starCorp. Intent on 
  protecting his own corporate interests, Chandrasekhar Kurita threw 
  his considerable resources behind starCorp.
  “I certainly don’t mind if Irian gets a bloody nose. Anything that 
  keeps them out of my hair is fine by me. Any sign who’s getting the 
  upper hand, Daniela?” 
  “I wouldn’t say so, though Irian has been a bit more aggressive 
  than StarCorp, especially now that they have WoB backing. Most 
  of what HTE and StarCorp have done has just been retaliation, but 
  Irian is pushing it.”
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/05: "UNCLE CHANDY" 
   
  024 / 025
  “Oh?”
  “Yes, sir. Especially the last couple of years. Usually there’s a kind of 
  rhythm to this sort of affair; the pace of operations gets scaled back 
  every now and again to allow both sides to breathe. But this time, 
  we’re not seeing that from Irian. They’ve been steadily escalating 
  things, piling on the pressure. If they keep this up, the governments 
  aren’t going to be able to keep turning a blind eye to what’s going 
  on.”
  “Never known Irian to be so clumsy.”
  “Exactly! Of course, our Kurita may be about to take some direct 
  action of his own…”
  …The conflict has continued to escalate. In 3066 a chemi-
  cal transporter “accidentally” crashed through the perimeter of 
  starCorp’s Ivanograd plant on emris IV. only the quick actions of 
  the mercenary security force present there prevented a chemical 
  leak that would have shut down the plant for months. starCorp’s 
  response was restrained. operatives, likely working for HTe, infil-
  trated the studios of Irian Media Interstellar and inserted random 
  material (some of it rather explicit) into the programming that 
  IMI distributed across the Inner sphere. IMI survived the scandal, 
  but the incident was highly embarrassing for its broadcaster. In a 
  similar manner, the crash of the starCorp-chartered Cloud Dancer 
  (a Mule-class DropShip) on Son Hoa in 3070 was followed by the 
  discovery that a month’s worth of IMb systems military communi-
  cations equipment contained a delayed-action computer virus that 
  spread to other systems within the affected battleMech or vehicle.
  THE JIHaD
  With the collapse of the second star league, new avalon, 
  Tharkad and luthien felt the full weight of the Word of blake’s 
  wrath. but the blakists had not forgotten Hachiman Taro or Chan-
  drasekhar Kurita. In May of 3070, Masamori was raided once again. 
  The three level IIs of ’Mechs and battle armor faced only light 
  resistance, as the DCMs forces previously stationed there had 
  been drawn away by the fighting on luthien and around Dieron. 
  The blakists broke into HTe’s riverside compound and razed the 
  company headquarters to the ground. However, their primary tar-
  get once again escaped as loyal bodyguards spirited their charge 
  from Masamori. lacking forces sufficient to hold Hachiman while 
  they hunted down Chandy Kurita, the raiders withdrew.
  apparently, this close call prompted Chandrasekhar to step up 
  security for all of his holdings. He has since been very active in 
  hiring mercenaries, and best estimates place his private forces at 
  somewhere between three and four combined-arms regiments.
  “Sounds like Uncle Chandy has got himself quite a lot of firepower. 
  Sure he’s not thinking of taking a run at making himself Coordinator? 
  Especially now that his ‘nephew’ is gone?”
  “Sir, all the data we have suggests that Chandrasekhar is just 
  as loyal to Hohiro as he was to Theodore. I don’t think the new 
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  During the succession Wars, serving the Draconis Com-
  bine was traditionally viewed as a poor choice for a soldier 
  of fortune out to make a living. The xenophobic attitude 
  was heavily ingrained in Combine society, and the DCMs 
  hardly boasted a reputation as a sterling and forthright 
  employer. a history of using the infamous “company store” 
  scheme had undone many a mercenary command and 
  alienated others. but the low point of House Kurita’s rela-
  tions with mercenaries came when Coordinator Takashi 
  Kurita issued his fateful “Death to Mercenaries” order dur-
  ing the fourth succession War. The ill-conceived directive 
  not only ensured that mercenaries facing Combine troops 
  would fight all the harder (now having nothing to lose), 
  but also cut off the weakened nation from an important 
  source of troops that it would need in the decades ahead.
  In the twenty years between the end of the fourth 
  succession War and the Clan invasion, the DCMs (under 
  Theodore Kurita’s direction) turned a blind eye to busi-
  nesses and nobles hiring mercenaries. The practice freed 
  up vital troops, but House Kurita itself would still have 
  nothing to do with the despised “money soldiers.” 
  Then came the fateful battle on luthien at the begin-
  ning of 3052, which at last changed the Dragon’s attitude 
  toward mercenaries. With his capital saved from the nova 
  Cats and smoke Jaguars by instrumental help from the 
  Kell Hounds and Wolf’s Dragoons, Takashi Kurita was 
  forced to save face and acknowledge the honor in some 
  mercenary commands. as such sudden about-faces in 
  government policy are part and parcel of life in the Dra-
  conis Combine, citizens (those who wish to keep their 
  heads, at least) have learned to make no issue of them. 
  Theodore Kurita’s ascension to the post of Coordinator in 
  3055 completed the normalization of relations with mer-
  cenaries, and several small commands were hired to work 
  alongside Comstar’s explorer Corps in their hunt for the 
  Clan homeworlds.
  In recent years, Hachiman Taro electronics and Tanadi 
  Computers have become the largest commercial employ-
  ers of mercenaries in Kurita space, with several commands 
  of battalion and even regimental size finding work with 
  these companies. However, today’s mercenaries are still 
  advised to remain cautious when dealing with the Draco-
  nis Combine. While the DCMs has become much safer and 
  more reasonable to deal with, centuries of distrust ensure 
  that foreigners—gaijin—can still expect a mixed recep-
  tion from the general population.
  —From “A Mercenary Life,” MercNet Publications, 3065
  MERCENARIES IN THE COMBINE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section05: "UNCLE CHANDY"
  Coordinator has anything to worry about. Well, anything more to 
  worry about, I should say.”
  …as the Inner sphere continues to be rocked by conflicts 
  old and new, the grim specter of economic recession hangs 
  over everything. The damage to the sphere-wide industrial 
  base and interstellar trade is on a scale not seen since the dawn 
  of the succession Wars. With the Draconis Combine teetering 
  on the brink, can Chandrasekhar Kurita’s business acumen save 
  his nation?
  “A shade over-dramatic at the end there, Daniela. So! Tell me what 
  conclusions you’ve come to.”
  “The safe move would be not to get involved with this Kurita. If he’s 
  going to go around picking fights with Irian, we certainly don’t want 
  to get caught in the crossfire.”
  “That’s the safe move. What’s the most profitable one?”
  “High risk, high return? See if we can buy into a piece of the action 
  and hope HTE/StarCorp takes the Irian dinosaur down.”
  “Tempting. Very tempting...”
  [Voiceover speaker-phone cuts in]
  “Director, that gentleman from Irian Technologies is back. Do you 
  want to speak with him?”
  [Silence. The sound of fists striking a desktop.]
  “No. Send him in, Marlies...”
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  Hachiman Taro electronics is only the most visible part of a 
  sprawling industrial and financial empire that Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita has built over the past half-century. “Uncle Chandy” can 
  command wealth and influence on a scale that rivals the succes-
  sor lords and the Khans of Kerensky’s Clans. He is unquestionably 
  a major player on the interstellar stage.
  CHaNDraSEkHar kUrITa
  Position: Ceo, Hachiman Taro electronics
  rank/Titles: none
  age: 78 (in 3072)
  born on luthien near the end of the thirtieth century, Chan-
  drasekhar Kurita grew up surrounded by plots and intrigue. The 
  court of Coordinator Takashi Kurita could be a dangerous place, as 
  fourteen-year-old Chandrasekhar learned when his parents were 
  murdered amid the convoluted intrigue of court life. Understand-
  ing that his own survival would hinge on persuading the powerful 
  and ambitious that he was no threat, the young Kurita strove to 
  appear stupid and harmless. Growing to manhood, Chandrasekhar 
  artfully constructed a caricature personality, which the Draconis 
  Combine came to know as the fat and foolish “Uncle Chandy.” 
  Chandrasekhar’s antics scandalized the court, and Takashi Kurita 
  finally banished him from Luthien in 3020. Free to now act without 
  arousing suspicion, he used his inheritance to found an economic 
  empire and—working behind the scenes—masterminded the 
  creation of Hachiman Taro electronics.
  Members of the Kurita clan have always been ruled by two 
  seemingly conflicting passions: desire for power, and loyalty to 
  the Draconis Combine. In Chandrasekhar’s place, any other Kurita 
  might not hesitate to use his wealth and influence to pursue the 
  absolute power of the throne. but Chandy has denied himself this 
  last, and instead has used his economic empire in the service of 
  the Combine. free of the xenophobia that permeates his native 
  realm, Chandrasekhar has closely studied the other Great Houses 
  and is not afraid to borrow ideas and apply them with great suc-
  cess in domestic markets.
  aside from overseeing his far-flung business concerns, Chan-
  drasekhar Kurita’s only interest (in addition to maintaining the 
  scandalous lifestyle that exiled him from court) has been in the 
  activities of a group known as Interstellar expeditions. This interest 
  appears to be personal, as one of his mother’s ancestors helped 
  form a part of the explorers’ organization, and Chandrasekhar’s 
  family maintained close links with the group through the years. 
  With his mother’s death, Chandrasekhar inherited this associa-
  tion, and has funded an increasing number of projects using HTe 
  profits.
  behind the comical persona he shows to the universe lurks a 
  quick and cunning mind that has repeatedly gotten the better of 
  some of the most powerful people in the Inner sphere. anyone 
  who has had personal dealings with him quickly discovers that for 
  all his apparent foolishness, Uncle Chandy is still a Kurita—as ruth-
  less and determined as any who have borne the name. 
  aImS aND OBJECTIVES
  aside from the obvious goal of making money, Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita has a number of specific aims toward which he has labored 
  for the past half-century:
  Economic reform
  since before the fall of the first star league, the Combine’s 
  Coordinators have placed more emphasis on military campaigns 
  than anything else. even Theodore Kurita’s reformist thinking was 
  tainted by his military background. This policy left the Combine 
  resource-poor and economically retarded by centuries of neglect. 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita, however, perceived clearly that a military 
  could only be as strong as the economy that supported it. Identi-
  fying the untapped potential of domestic markets for consumer 
  goods, he used a policy of fair prices for quality to undermine tra-
  ditionalist companies, forcing his competitors to adapt or perish.
  Though the Draconis Combine’s economy remains far weaker 
  than that of it neighbors, just prior to the Jihad it began to enjoy 
  steady growth for the first time since the twenty-eighth century. 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita continues to nurture this growth, but his 
  activities have brought him into conflict with the Combine’s most 
  conservative elements, including the black Dragon society.
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/05: "UNCLE CHANDY" 
   
  026 / 027
  The Clans
  of all the successor states, the Draconis Combine was the 
  only one that had to face the Clans alone. The lyran half of 
  the federated Commonwealth could call upon the might of 
  the Davions to shore up their defenses, while the free Worlds 
  league and Capellan Confederation were hundreds of light-
  years behind the front lines. The Clans cut deeply into Combine 
  space before their defeat at Tukayyid in 3052. But while the Inner 
  sphere’s leaders soon became distracted by their old feuds, 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita focused on the constant threat hanging 
  over the Combine.
  Where military might failed to destroy the Clans, Chan-
  drasekhar has targeted what he sees as a blind spot in Clan 
  society. Rather than focus on the warrior caste, he has reached 
  out to the Clans’ merchant castes, making covert contact with 
  representatives from the Jade falcons to the Diamond sharks. 
  starting with seemingly innocuous items such as silks, spices, 
  coffee, confections, toys and consumer electronics, Chandy 
  hopes to alter the Clans’ economic base in a way not unlike 
  what he has done for the Draconis Combine, and weaken the 
  warriors’ power base in the bargain.
  The plan is not without its dangers. While the Clan warrior 
  castes would certainly view anything that threatened their posi-
  tion as something to be destroyed, the idea of treating with the 
  enemy in any way, shape or form is equally repugnant to the 
  xenophobic citizens of the Draconis Combine. Rumors of the 
  operation supposedly reached the late subhash Indrahar’s ears, 
  who had the Isf move to eliminate Chandrasekhar Kurita “as a 
  precaution.” but Chandrasekhar anticipated such an eventuality, 
  and his contingency plan neatly implicated Redmond Hosoya, 
  Ceo of Tanadi.
  The Jihad
  Chandrasekhar Kurita first came into conflict with the Word 
  of Blake in 3056 when ISF-sponsored rumors claimed that 
  Hachiman Taro was close to a breakthrough in interstellar com-
  munications research. In truth, HTe was never involved in fTl 
  communications, but the rumor was enough to prompt an attack 
  by the Word’s ultra-reactionary Toyama sect. The Isf “failed to 
  detect” the Toyama fanatics as they entered the Combine and 
  traveled to Hachiman. During the attack, Isf operatives entered 
  the HTe compound to assassinate Chandrasekhar, but both the 
  blakists and the Isf were foiled by mercenaries guarding HTe’s 
  headquarters. The blakists, embarrassed after being used as an 
  Isf cat’s-paw, nonetheless remain unconvinced that HTe has 
  performed no research into fTl communications, which has led 
  to further attacks against HTe assets.
  even before the Jihad, Chandrasekhar Kurita was working 
  against the Word of blake. When his agents uncovered signs of 
  collusion between the blakists and Irian Technologies against 
  starCorp Industries, he offered starCorp support. after the 
  Word of blake started attacking targets across the Inner sphere, 
  Chandrasekhar used his influence to rally support for Coordi-
  nator Hohiro Kurita and dissuade executives in other Combine 
  corporations from having any dealings with the Word of blake.
  Interstellar Expeditions
  Inheriting his mother’s contacts with this group of leg-
  end-hunters, Chandrasekhar Kurita has funded a number of 
  expeditions to investigate subjects ranging from the truth 
  behind the Minnesota Tribe to lost Combine worlds. over the 
  past decade, he has also used his contacts in Interstellar expe-
  ditions to pursue rumors of several lost slDf bases located 
  somewhere in the Draconis Combine.
  HOLDINgS
  from humble beginnings, Chandrasekhar Kurita has built 
  himself an impressive commercial empire, which now stretches 
  across the Inner sphere. The following profiles represent a 
  cross-section of Uncle Chandy’s business interests.
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  main Headquarters: 
  Garden, new samarkand
  CEO: Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita
  main Products: 
  Consumer electronics, 
  military fire-control systems, 
  C3 computer systems
  Profile: starting on a 
  modest scale, HTe owes its 
  rapid growth in equal parts 
  to strong financial backing 
  from Chandrasekhar Kurita, 
  and to a business approach 
  that borrowed heavily from 
  lyran and Marik models. 
  focusing initially on servicing the growing domestic demand 
  for consumer electronics, HTe’s early years were marked by 
  fierce competition with Tanadi Computers. since then, the 
  company has expanded its operations and now also produces 
  advanced electronics for the DCMs.
  formerly headquartered on the west bank of the Yamato 
  River in Masamori, the corporate headquarters were 
  temporarily moved to new samarkand in the wake of the 
  Word of Blake raid in 3070.
  HACHIMAN TARO ELECTRONICS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section05: "UNCLE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  i
  main Headquarters: Masamori, Hachiman
  CEO: Mirza Peter abdulsattah
  main Products: Home, office and government computers; military communications 
  systems
  Profile: Producer of computers for office, government and home use, Tanadi also 
  designs and installs military communications systems.
  The bitter rivalry between Tanadi and upstart Hachiman Taro electronics ended finally 
  in 3056 with the death of Marquis Redmond Hosoya. Redmond’s heir had little interest in 
  business, opening the door of opportunity for Chandrasekhar Kurita to buy out the new 
  marquis. Having secured a controlling interest in the company, Chandrasekhar installed his 
  aide, Mirza Peter abdulsattah, as Ceo to oversee operations.
  The liberation of Combine worlds from the smoke Jaguars allowed Tanadi to reclaim 
  important assets on Irece, Jeronimo and luzerne.
  TANADI COMPUTERS
  main Headquarters: Jassen, nox
  CEO: Marquis Unno Kitabake
  main Products: ores, refined metals, mining equipment, chemicals and synthetics
  Profile: Dating back to the star league era, this mining company has expanded 
  into the production of chemicals and synthetics. one of the original founding partners 
  was a Kurita, and the company has always enjoyed close ties with the Kurita family. at 
  least one Kurita has always served on the board of Directors, which currently includes 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita.
  A well-preserved 104, the venerable Unno Kitabake shows no signs of stepping down. A 
  brilliant man, he has earned renown across the Inner sphere for his innovations in mining 
  and processing. 
  as the Combine’s largest manufacturer of myomers, Metals of the earth was given the 
  task of reverse-engineering the federated Commonwealth’s triple-strength myomers by 
  the DCMs.
  METALS OF THE EARTH
  main Headquarters: Ukonsoi, Isesaki
  CEO: Viscount ernest Machida
  main Products: Interstellar shipping
  Profile: With a history dating back almost six 
  hundred years, Isesaki shipping has been fortunate 
  enough to hold a royal patent to trade anywhere in 
  the Inner sphere. Turbulent relations between the 
  Combine and its neighbors have sometimes made 
  these operations difficult, but Isesaki’s agents and extensive contacts with “independent” traders have always allowed the company 
  to find a way to its goals.
  ISESAKI SHIPPING
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/05: "UNCLE CHANDY" 
   
  028 / 029
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  main Headquarters: Port Howard, Towne
  CEO: Ignatius brown
  main Products: Planetary freight and passenger shipping
  Profile: established during the second succession War, TTC is the 
  largest freight service on Towne. Using cargo airships to traverse the 
  rugged terrain of the eigophian and Gunderland mountains, the company 
  transports copper ore and timber to Port Howard for processing and 
  offworld export. The beautiful and durable hardwood from the eigophian 
  mountain bloodwood is prized throughout the Draconis March.
  Chandrasekhar Kurita bought this company in 3057, using his 
  acquisition as an excuse to deploy mercenaries on Towne to foil a plot by the black Dragon society. The society had recruited Tai-sho 
  Jeffery Kusunoki, and together they had formulated a plot to grab Towne, in order to rekindle war between Kurita and Davion at a 
  time when the Combine could ill afford to be distracted from the Clan threat.
  TURANIAN TRANSPORT COMPANY
  main Headquarters: Port Howard, Towne
  CEO: bernadette Knox
  main Products: Copper Mining
  Profile: The operators of the Copper Queen Mine, a spectacularly rich copper 
  mine located deep in the eigophian Mountains, TMI has expanded operations into 
  Western Hyboria where the company discovered new veins of high-grade copper 
  ore. for the sake of economy, the company operates its own processing plants at 
  the mine head. TMI currently has an exclusive contract with the Turanian Transport 
  Company to ship the refined copper to Port Howard.
  Towne Mining was among the companies Chandrasekhar Kurita purchased in 
  3057. Company employees—skilled explosives experts to a man—worked alongside 
  Chandrasekhar’s mercenaries to defeat Tai-sho Jeffery Kusunoki and his Dieron 
  Regulars.
  TOWNE MINING, INCORPORATED
  Joyous Springs Wines
  main Headquarters: Xer, Palos
  CEO: elizabeth Roshenco
  main Products: Wine production
  Profile: a blanket company encompassing three of the biggest vineyards on Palos, Joyous spring Wines 
  enjoyed more than twenty years of booming business after the world fell to House Davion toward the end of 
  the fourth succession War. fine Palos wines found a place on the tables of the rich and powerful throughout 
  the federated Commonwealth. That all changed when the Capellan Confederation seized control of the 
  world again in 3057. Cut off from its most profitable market, Elizabeth Roshenco’s company was in dire straits 
  financially and Capellan businessmen were pressuring the Ceo to sell the company for a tenth of what it 
  was worth. They were sorely disappointed when Chandrasekhar Kurita’s agents arrived to offer Roshenco a 
  generous financial rescue package and access to Kurita’s extensive shipping interests.
  once again able to reach lucrative markets in lyran and federated territory, Joyous springs Wines has 
  rebounded from financial ruin and is in negotiation with several other vineyards that have expressed an 
  interest in joining the company. 
  JOYOUS SPRINGS WINES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section05: "UNCLE CHANDY"
  SECUrITy
  for day-to-day security, the businesses of Chandrasekhar Kurita’s sprawling empire deploy their own personnel. led by combat 
  veterans, these security detachments are well trained and highly motivated. These troops can be considered equivalent to Regular or 
  even Veteran rifle infantry. for more sensitive assignments, Chandrasekhar hires well-armed mercenaries.
  mErCENarIES
  Pursuing his own private agendas intended to ensure the survival of the Draconis Combine, Chandrasekhar Kurita often has to retain 
  the services of mercenaries. These troops perform a wide range of duties: guarding their employer’s extensive commercial holdings, 
  gathering intelligence on his enemies or occasionally performing  “wet work.”
  The following is a sample of the more notable mercenary commands currently answering (directly or indirectly) to Uncle Chandy:
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  "UNClE CHANDY"
  i
  21st Centauri Lancers: Though 
  suffering from grievous losses on 
  Tukayyid when the Word of blake 
  attacked in 3067, the Lancers have 
  reformed as a reinforced combined-
  arms battalion. Knowing of the feud 
  between Chandrasekhar Kurita and 
  the blakists, Colonel James leMonds 
  was eager to accept a contract that 
  promised a chance of fighting their 
  common enemy.
  The lancers are currently stationed on Hachiman to secure 
  Masamori and protect the site of the Yamato River facility while 
  reconstruction efforts are underway.
  Devil’s Brigade: a new mercenary 
  command, formed around a core of 
  personnel formerly affiliated with   
  Interstellar expeditions, the Devil’s 
  brigade, like the Periphery star Guard, 
  has been loaned out to protect starCorp 
  Industries’ production facilities. best 
  known as one of the commands to 
  have encountered the enigmatic Green 
  Ghosts (and survived), the battalion is now stationed on son Hoa.
  Periphery Star guard: Created from 
  several smaller mercenary commands 
  formerly employed by Comstar’s explorer 
  Corps, this battalion-sized command 
  is another unit that has encountered 
  the mysterious Green Ghosts on the 
  Periphery frontier.
  The Guard has been loaned to 
  starCorp Industries to reinforce their 
  defenses around the loburg production plants.
  Seventeenth recon regiment: 
  Hailing from the free Worlds league, 
  the seventeenth (informally known 
  as Camacho’s Caballeros) has just 
  returned to employment with 
  Chandrasekhar Kurita. Commanded 
  by Colonel Gavilán Camacho, this 
  battleMech regiment has been 
  positioned on Chaffee in the lyran 
  alliance. operating from that world, 
  the seventeenth is sweeping the surrounding systems for 
  bandits, who have been raiding systems between the Word of 
  blake Protectorate and the Jade falcon occupation Zone.
  Star Seeds: a recently formed 
  marine infantry command specializing 
  in zero-g operations, the star seeds 
  have been retained to provide 
  increased security on Jumpships and 
  Dropships chartered by Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita.
  The Bounty Hunter: Though he 
  refuses to accept a full-time contract 
  from HTe’s Ceo, the infamous bounty 
  Hunter has been employed to 
  undertake a number of commissions 
  for Chandrasekhar Kurita. Whenever 
  Chandrasekhar wants something (or 
  someone) found that has eluded his 
  other agents, the Hunter can expect 
  a call.
  “UNCLE CHANDY’S” HIRED GUNS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/06: THE SOCIETY  
  030 / 031
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section06: THE SOCIETY
  To: Khan Marthe Pryde
  Fr: office of the Watch
  re: Mutual Concerns
  My apologies for being obtuse, my Khan. Discretion is essential.
  scientist Peri is missing.
  I know she was carrying out a mission for you. not much 
  escapes me these days, numbered as they are. Therefore, I know 
  the attached files will be of interest to you. I have taken the liberty 
  of reviewing them and am disgusted by the picture they present. 
  I know I once told you “better to know what part of the garden 
  the snake lies in” as a method of containment, but if the implica-
  tions I see here are even half true, this thing has spread beyond 
  the bounds of the falcon.
  It seems our backworld friend has a much larger web than 
  we first suspected. scientist Peri appears to have stumbled upon 
  some particularly nasty strands; hence her disappearance. While 
  the lives and deaths of the lower castes are not of our concern, I 
  believe in this case we should take it as a warning sign.
  With the turmoil currently swirling around Ironhold and the 
  Grand Council, it is best to be even more vigilant. Therefore, I ask 
  my Khan’s permission to form a Cluster of troops to conduct some 
  investigations along the Jade Route, to follow up some other 
  hunches I have. Command of this Cluster should go to a trusted 
  warrior under my authority; with your acceptance, I will hold Trials 
  immediately. I have no doubt star Colonel Pryde will do well with 
  this opportunity.
  It is the least I can do for the person I consider as our next 
  loremaster.
  With respect,
  loremaster Kael Pershaw
  /att
  THE SOCIETY
  i
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  This one’s interesting, so I’m not going to spoil it with any kind of 
  running commentary. The intercepted communications from the usual 
  sources who sent them to me paint an interesting enough picture with-
  out it. But if there truly is a Scientists’ Cabal out there, the big question is, 
  what are they doing, and would we want to see them succeed?
  —Starling
  NOTES
  My Khan, forgive my informality. I am in haste and cannot take the time to record this with the 
  decorum befitting the falcons’ greatest leader since our founder.
  I have uncovered many things lately that shock, abhor and sicken me. I have collected as much as 
  I can, though I regret being unable to understand it all. I have included what notes I could. 
  I believe balzac—I mean, scientist etienne—is part of something much, much larger than a per-
  sonal power empire. The implications are so staggering, if improperly uprooted, this thing could 
  shake the very foundations of our society. I am astounded that so much has gone on without notice 
  by the warrior caste, and this grave oversight may well spell the death of the Great father’s way.
  Then again, perhaps I am just delusional in my old age.
  I suspect they have become aware of my activities. nothing I can pinpoint, but my warrior’s instinct 
  has not fully atrophied. It is as if I can feel someone watching me, even in a closed and secured room. 
  I am fairly certain they will act soon. I do not, however, believe they are aware of my infrequent com-
  munications with you. Which of course, gives you the upper hand.
  My Khan, please know I have served my Clan to the best of my abilities. I am honored to know you 
  and my greatest regret is being unable to fight by your side, as true sibkin should.
  May Kerensky and Hazen guide your actions, my Khan. or we shall surely fail.
  —Peri
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/06: THE SOCIETY  
  032 / 033
  SIgNS OF CONSPIraCy
  —Last modified 10/30/70
  I’m at a loss where to begin here. What I’ve found over the past 
  five years simply staggers the imagination and challenges the 
  very nature of the Great father’s society. I wish it to not be true, 
  yet there’s just too much out there to prove otherwise. You have 
  to look for it, but it’s there.
  Dear Kerensky, it’s there.
  ok, so I’ll start with the top, then.
  This conspiracy—I’m calling it “the society” from this point 
  out—seems to reside mostly within the scientist caste. but not just 
  the caste of one Clan, as originally thought. no, it covers nearly all 
  of them.
  from what I can piece together (and keep in mind, this is my 
  analysis and conjecture, connecting several seemingly innocuous 
  bits of data), the society casts aside normal Clan conventions. It’s 
  ruled by a select few; exactly who, I don’t know, but I have my 
  suspicions. from what I can gather, top scientists in Clan Coyote 
  may be calling the shots; so much of my data seems to indicate 
  directives, challenges, instructions and methods flow from Tama-
  ron and the Coyote labs. also, given the Coyote Clan Council’s 
  predilection for “going with the flow” of scientist suggestions, this 
  seems a solid assumption.
  Key leaders, however, appear to hail from several other Clans 
  as well.
  before I dissect this any further, it is worth noting that by and 
  large, the scientist caste as a whole is not involved with the society. 
  Most lower-echelon Clan scientists, from what I have seen, still fol-
  low the wills and ways of their particular Clan. nevertheless, what 
  appears abnormal is the large number of upper-level scientists 
  who either seem to answer to a “higher calling” or are named/
  mentioned in the various data my associates and I have accumu-
  lated. If this society wields the majority of the caste’s power, then 
  indeed they are more dangerous than the warrior caste realizes.
  some key information I’ve gathered indicates that the society 
  holds to a vision of the Great father’s Way that is different from—
  and in many ways contrary to—the Way of the Warrior. It’s almost 
  as if they think Kerensky’s vision was incomplete, and it is their job 
  to interpret and resolve it.
  Just as the true Clan warrior follows and adheres religiously to 
  Kerensky’s ideals, the scientists of the society follow and adhere 
  to the key principles of science and the scientific method. Most 
  dangerous is their apparent assumption that science is the key to 
  civilization—that without their science, there is nothing.
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  It is ironic, that the “might makes right” mentality of our 
  “honored” warriors has truly failed to bring to fruition the glori-
  ous promises of nicholas and his father. Though the ideals of 
  law by combat and absolute rule are lofty, they cannot exist 
  without assistance from other sources. It is a shame that con-
  sequence never seems to appeal to our hot-blooded genetic 
  subjects—to them, existence is simply a matter of who can 
  beat up who, with what arms tied behind them, for some nebu-
  lous sense of honor; such acts only exist as bits and bytes in 
  a chip, stored to record their deeds, triumphs and failures—all 
  simply so that the forced “evolution” we practice in the labs can 
  bring changes.
  Changes that never come, of course.
  Thanks to us.
  Do the warriors not realize that the weapons they beat 
  themselves with, the battleMechs that make up their fear-
  some commands, the Warships that transport them to distant 
  worlds—all of these are products of science? our slavish adher-
  ence to the immutable laws of the universe has produced 
  countless benefits to humanity. and to the Clans. Where would 
  the elementals be without our refinement of HarJel? better yet, 
  they wouldn’t exist without our tinkering with baseline genetic 
  codes! every time I see one of these hulking soldiers, I cannot 
  help but smile at the thought that our initial testing for this phe-
  notype was intended to create a sub-race of the laborer caste, 
  to do our grunt work while we pursue loftier goals. Damn those 
  Clan Wolf geneticists—those short-sighted fools—who instead 
  turned the warriors’ eyes toward the battlefield possibilities.
  science rules this universe. War does not. War cannot last; 
  it is the destruction of mutable matter, nothing more. Claim-
  ing one world for one flag does not constitute power. Molding 
  the genetic code, eliminating entire disease strains, even 
  genetic adaptation for hostile environments—THaT is true 
  power. Taking what the universe has given us and exerting 
  our control—THaT is the vision nicholas should’ve come to 
  understand. 
  Too bad they killed him.
  —Geneleader Jarkuta Crick
  [I found this entry in a junked database outside Tamaron City 
  last year. It was simply coded—though most of the rest of the data 
  was corrupted. I think whoever was supposed to clear these ended 
  up using a simple command line to wipe them out and not a full-
  bore scouring virus. I found some other data on here, but this was 
  the most intact. –P 7/29/68]
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section06: THE SOCIETY
  SOCIETy STrUCTUrE
  Interestingly enough, even the society contains subdivisions 
  and an archaic rank structure. as our warriors base their rank and 
  honor on their exploits and activities through the codex, society 
  members seem to base theirs on what classification of discipline 
  they work in, followed by a “classification list” that keeps records 
  of their successful experiments and other formulae. Genetics, 
  apparently, is the highest of the ranks, followed by armaments, 
  Humanities, space and Conventional. Militaristic-sounding titles 
  are observed (scientist-General, Control Commander, lab Cap-
  tain, and so on), and deference is given to the older members of 
  the caste. I suspect other levels exist in the chain, as some data 
  indicates a certain closeness to the Dark Caste that hints at a 
  degree of control.
  The society, however, largely ignores Clan nomenclature. 
  While some Clan scientists identify themselves with their Clan’s 
  totem—the steel Vipers and the now-extinct Jaguars being rigid 
  examples of this—most society scientists are more comfortable 
  identifying themselves by what discipline they practice. Though 
  this ideology tends to surface across the caste as a whole, it is bla-
  tantly obvious within the society ranks; most of the reports I’ve 
  come across barely mention typical Clan identifiers. This level of 
  communication and familiarity makes it difficult to pinpoint which 
  Clan these caste members hail from.
  PLayINg gODS?
  The Genetics discipline contains by far the largest percentage 
  of society members. because of our intense focus on genetic lega-
  cies and bloodhouses, the elevation of this discipline borders on 
  the spiritual. some Clans take this genetic worship too seriously, 
  which has in turn given these scientists near carte blanche in their 
  own projects with little warrior interference.
  While the discovery of unreported crossbreeding and experi-
  mentation with various bloodhouses was shocking—and dealt 
  with quickly by my Khan—the subsequent banishment of etienne 
  seems only to have fueled the fires of conspiracy. I have found 
  some evidence that illegal crossbreeding continues, often mixing 
  blood legacies of Clans in arrangements that would probably gall 
  most warriors into apoplectic fits. I suspect these illegal sibkos are 
  being raised in hidden camps much like the ones I discovered on 
  Ironhold. However, based on this evidence, I also strongly suspect 
  that additional genetic testing and experimentation is occurring, 
  beyond the selective breeding with which most warriors are 
  familiar.
  for years now, rumors of a new phenotype have circulated 
  among the genetic community, of which I am a member. of 
  course, these “rumors” were based on fact. The Jaguars’ Proto-
  Mech project, when finally exposed (ironically by an Inner sphere 
  invasion), seemed to prove such rumors true, as the Jaguars had 
  begun a special phenotyping program to breed their ProtoMech 
  pilots using failed or “flat” genetic lines (mostly from aerospace 
  bloodnames). once the project was disseminated among the 
  rest of the Clans after the Great Refusal, the rumors should have 
  faded.
  They did not.
  Per my Khan’s request, I continued to pay attention to things 
  and discovered that there may be as many as three—and possibly 
  more—other secret phenotyping programs undergoing devel-
  opment. What these phenotypes are for, I do not know, nor can I 
  begin to surmise. I hope they are merely improvements on current 
  protocols; one elemental protocol seems to be exactly that. but 
  I cannot connect the other two projects with anything currently 
  known—and that concerns me as much as it thrills me.
  sudden thought: what if they are developing phenotypes that 
  cannot be used by the warrior caste?
  founder’s name, that thought alone scares me.
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  i
  To: Ursula Tesla, Tamaron, armaments
  Fr: Richard edison, new Kent, armaments
  Timestamp: 8-12-64
  Ursula, I am shamed that all of the work we put into the aTM 
  project has been shortchanged by scientist-General Remer’s 
  decision to “release” it to the warrior caste. The weapon has far 
  more potential than the warriors could possibly see.
  I do understand the decision, however. Khan Koga’s contin-
  ued interference with the project pretty much forced our hands. 
  If we hadn’t given it up so quickly, I’m sure it would’ve brought 
  more scrutiny into our labs, which is dangerous at such a criti-
  cal juncture.
  I suggest we discuss with General Remer the possibilities of 
  getting this weapon into the hands of other Clans—starting 
  with our Clan’s allies, of course. such an “appearance” of layered 
  acceptance will definitely keep the warriors’ focus on Warden/
  Crusader ranting, allowing us to continue further research with-
  out interference.
  —edison
  [One of my assistants discovered this amid the ruins of the lab 
  explosion on Tamaron in late ‘67. It was on typpis paper, a material 
  with which the Loremaster is surely familiar. Took us a bit to find the 
  right chemical key, but as you can see from my scan… —P 1/14/68]
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/06: THE SOCIETY  
  034 / 035
  less well developed—but still potentially dangerous—is an 
  apparently thriving market between certain genetic laboratories and 
  the Dark Caste. While tissue, blood and organ traffic is not unknown 
  to human experience, the idea of such prominent scientists with 
  abundant resources trafficking warrior body parts with known 
  bandit-caste surats is as disgusting as it is baffling. The imagination 
  can concoct many extreme theories as to why, but regardless, this 
  practice seems to be thriving between certain parties.
  I am certain now that part of the burrock shame we uncovered 
  not so long ago has to do with these abhorrent dealings. The 
  problem I see is that while the adders absorbed Clan burrock, 
  their failure to eradicate the burrock identity from the rest of the 
  castes seems only to have complicated matters. I have personally 
  been involved in a couple of projects with former burrock scien-
  tists. These scientists, incredibly, continued to refer to their Clan in 
  the present tense, as though it still exists—despite admonitions 
  from me and other falcon scientists. I wonder if the adders know 
  they may have a larger problem than they realize.
  SOCIETy OPEraTIONS
  as I have tried to understand this complex web of the society, 
  it has become more and more apparent that not every Clan is 
  tainted by this conspiracy. Rigidly adherent Clans—such as the 
  Vipers and blood spirits—show little or no evidence of collusion. 
  either these castes are just as rigid-thinking as their Clan edicts 
  indicate, or they’re so deeply involved that no evidence can be 
  found of their perfidy. I tend to think the former; Viper scientists 
  are notorious for their constant issuances of Trials of Refusal 
  regarding lab results and the insane chain of command for report-
  ing conclusions.
  other Clans, such as the scorpions and Hellions, seem indiffer-
  ent. either their castes—just as lax in some areas as our own—are 
  ignorant of the society, or they were not deemed “important” 
  enough for society inclusion. as each Clan’s caste has a primary 
  focus in its disciplines (Coyote in weapons, falcons and adders in 
  genetics, Wolves in conventional sciences and so forth), maybe 
  these other Clans are considered as recruiting pools. or worse, as 
  test subjects.
  and now I think my paranoia is getting the better of me.
  better I change direction and run down the list of rumored and 
  hinted experiments going on under the warrior caste’s collective 
  nose (or with its possible tacit approval).
  armaments is focused solely on the development of weapons. 
  because I lack the necessary skills to understand such engineer-
  ing, I cannot follow some of the data, nor can I make conclusive 
  assumptions. I will include the information I’ve discovered, if only 
  to have someone more qualified than I make better educated 
  guesses. I do know there has been a buzz recently regarding the 
  “disappearance” of the Ancestral Home at Tamaron. Most Coyotes 
  insist it’s on a standard training regimen to the farther reaches 
  of the system, but darker stories—told only after several dozen 
  quaffs of fusionnaires—speak of grievous injuries to crew mem-
  bers, shifting systems and some type of “ghost” inhabiting the 
   SOCIETY
   SOCIETY
   SOCIETY
   SOCIETY
  [Voice 1]: [filtered] “-ject 53A experi%nced severe headaches again, though func-
  tionality was still eig%y percent of n*rms.”
  [Voice 2]: “That’s e#couraging. And the rest %# the gr%up?”
  [Voice 1]: [filtered] “Operating at ac#eptable levels. The Hazen-Kuf%el group seems 
  to have exhibited h#gh traits in vision and cognitive reaction. #*%@ising.”
  [Voice 2]: “As exp#cted. What of the Kufael-Andr%ws mix?”
  [Voice 1]: [filtered] “Subpar. Two have suc@%mbed to Yamki Syndr#me. I su#%est 
  this line be scrapped, as this is the third c&#@rol group with high failure rate. It 
  seems the matches with our Tier l%#es are more con#*%tent…[corruption]…
  exceptional blood typing and motor…[corruption][file ends]
  [It seems the unauthorized testing of Bloodnames is more widespread among the Clans 
  than initially understood. I looked up Yamki Syndrome. It appears to be a genetic 
  disease recently discovered by Coyote scientists, in regard to various incompatibilities 
  among certain genomes. It is fatal, with no known cure. –P 9/13/63]
  THE SOCIETY
  [31990] Levels are still too high at this point.
  [42991] So I’m not sure I’m following. Do you want to 
  execute a transfer or no?
  [31990] We do, yes. After the recent battles on Lum, 
  we have an exceptional overage of tissue and blood 
  for your dissemination.
  [42991] Ok, then. Standard rates, though we’re going 
  to need to augment our initial order.
  [31990] I told you, we have to be careful moving those 
  particular items to your neighborhood.
  [42991] Then use your merchies to slide it by the 
  Adders. Not like it’s that difficult, quiaff?
  [31990] Aff. Of course, they are Burrocks at heart, so I 
  suppose they can be reasoned with, if things go sour.
  [42991] They’ll cooperate more than you know. Some 
  of them are still very much a part of us.
  [31990] That’s not what we’re worried about. They’re still 
  warriors, and thus worthy of respect—and suspicion. 
  [42991] Granted. All right, we’ll hold back on the items. 
  But you owe us.
  [31990] Owe you? Hardly. You’re getting your tissue, 
  and at a bargain, to boot. Keep pushing us and see just 
  how long in the dark you last. We burned the Burrocks 
  once, we can easily burn them again—and remember, 
  this time, it’ll take down another Clan.
  [42991] Point taken. See you in two weeks. But you 
  and me? We have more personal issues to discuss.
  [Discovered this buried in a Chatterweb server. I had some 
  of my friends—I can’t call them agents, it smacks so 
  much of the Watch—do some inquiries for me. I can’t 
  be certain, but I think some of the remains collected 
  for vat mixing went missing. It’s horrifying to consider, 
  and completely out of character for a Clansman, but 
  the doubt remains. The numbers just don’t even out. Or 
  maybe I’m getting paranoid. –P 3/6/68]
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section06: THE SOCIETY
  battle computer. When drunk, some Coyote warriors sneer about 
  the forays with the falcons, claiming their commanders “wisely” 
  removed the ship from the system’s defense bid due to “malfunc-
  tions.” as near as I can tell, this was technically true, but the official 
  reports don’t necessarily match up.
  WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS
  Which reminds me about the official records regarding Hunt-
  ress and the ProtoMech projects.
  on a whim, I examined what I could of the data taken by the 
  various Clans. long analysis shortened, it seems that while Proto-
  Mechs are a staple to some Clans, most have by now discarded the 
  program as more wasteful than useful. I know Clan Jade falcon 
  came to that conclusion.
  Yet… some evidence points to a continuation of the program, 
  despite official Clan policy.
  I believe—for the falcons—that certain scientists think that if 
  the warrior caste has deemed the project a failure, they are free 
  to continue developing it anyway. This seems to stem from the 
  attitude that the Clan Council no longer requires updates, status 
  reports, testing observations and the like, and thus, it is cast from 
  the collective Council’s mind. but if resources remain available to 
  continue the program…then it can go on, right under the Coun-
  cil’s nose. 
  I suspect this may be the case here. While the project is 
  indeed “dead”—for our Clan’s purposes, anyway—selected raw 
  materials, components and the like are still being accepted and 
  transferred. The numbers are small (accounting errors, possibly), 
  but they are there.
  Which means that if etienne is continuing the program, then 
  why? for what purpose? More important, if etienne is part of this 
  society, how many other Clans with “failed” ProtoMech projects 
  are still involved? and again, this begs the question. Why? 
  The ProtoMech project wasn’t necessarily a failure, when con-
  sidered throughout the whole of the Clans. Indeed, some Clans 
  field them in large quantity. However, I’ve also seen reports of new 
  weaponry surfacing for these units—some produced by Clans 
  that have deemed those projects unnecessary, or as a backup to 
  augment second-line forces in place of vehicles. If that is the case, 
  how are these Clans producing such innovations for an admit-
  ted evolution to their primary weapon of choice? Is the society 
  progressing in other research and development akin to the cross-
  breeding of genetic legacies? and if so, why?
  Damn, there’s my paranoia again.
  oK, moving on. other somewhat-substantiated rumors involve 
  new terraforming techniques being tested in the Tanite worlds by 
  the adders. a “smart armor” rumor—revolving around theories 
  regarding our smart building construction technologies—ema-
  nates from Tokasha, though the Horses are more absent than 
  present there lately. and of course, the constant speculation 
  about discovery of a new colony world or two, despite the fact 
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  i
  [Ok, so after some paranoid thoughts, I ran across this in a labor 
  caste newsnet article on Circe. –P]
  seems our warriors like playing jokes on each other, to keep 
  themselves sharp. according to the loremaster’s office, a recent 
  Watch report included some bizarre sightings in the deep jun-
  gles outside of Dehra Dun. our intrepid warriors—unblooded 
  and out of their sibko training schools—ran across two large, 
  unidentified creatures. Hairy, about eight feet tall, and mandrill-
  like in appearance, the “intruders” were discovered in a clearing 
  lounging in the sun. now, as every good Circian knows, there 
  are no fire mandrills or other monkey-like creatures inhabiting 
  in our jungles. 
  according to the report, the two warriors were so startled 
  that by the time they reacted, the two monkeymen had “leaped 
  up with surprising grace into the branches of a nearby tree, and 
  swung away from the area. one of the intruders was heard 
  to swear in a very Clanlike manner.” The two Raven watch-
  men searched the area for an hour and found no trace of the 
  intruders.
  While the loremaster’s office did issue an alert, several 
  sources within the Watch command indicated that the encoun-
  ter may well have involved some of the fire Mandrill elementals 
  visiting on Clan business. “every Raven knows the Mandrills 
  have issues with hygiene—who would not want to run naked 
  through our beautiful jungles?” 
  Mandrill officials have made no comment, though someone 
  did issue a Trial of Grievance for the slanderous comments. That 
  Trial will take place tomorrow at Circe Recreational field, num-
  ber four.
  In the meantime, castemen, keep your eyes peeled for our 
  resident monkeymen. Holographic evidence will be rewarded 
  with extra credit allotments.
  [Is it within the realm of possibility that…? No. It is unfathom-
  able. This has to be the delusions of two wetnurse sibkids. Or does 
  it? –P 8/20/68]
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/06: THE SOCIETY  
  036 / 037
  that no Clans have claimed new worlds in their Councils or have 
  any known shipments traveling to new destinations. Interest-
  ingly enough, few shark vessels have been seen lately among the 
  Pentagon worlds, and their normal merchant fleet in the area has 
  dropped by more than half. Many shark crews have reportedly 
  begun to pull triple tours and longer shift hours. I tend to discard 
  such information, as it is merchant- rather than scientist-oriented, 
  but it is curious nonetheless. If it’s the society, though, why would 
  they need new worlds when our own homeworlds are easily large 
  enough to hide most facilities? Witness the camps on Ironhold.
  I am rambling now.
  forgive me. My nervousness is getting the better of me. I 
  swear I am being observed nearly all the time, even in “secured” 
  rooms. Though I have little evidence to prove it, I suspect the 
  large collection of data I’ve amassed has been noticed by now. 
  and if this society is even half as competent as I fear they are, I 
  am truly frightened. 
  fear—probably another reason I washed out of warrior train-
  ing. even now, I cannot shake it.
  Though I do not fear for my life. What I fear most now is that if 
  the society succeeds at whatever their goal is (something I’ve not 
  entirely discovered, but only suspect), then the Clans as whole will 
  change, and drastically. Great father, I hope not.
  THE SOCIETY
  that no Clans have claimed new worlds in their Councils or have 
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  [An assistant managed to catch part of 
  this conversation in a recreational center’s 
  refresher area. Not an exact transcript; it’s 
  mostly from his memory. Take it for what you 
  will. –P]
  “Techie #1 was discussing something 
  about the game these two apparently had 
  completed, and made some joking com-
  ment regarding deceiving his opponent. 
  What caught my attention was the men-
  tion of the Jaguars—something on all our 
  minds, after their recent string of defeats at 
  the hands of the barbarians. something to 
  the effect of ‘suckered you like we did those 
  poor Jaguar labbies with the laaM system.’ 
  “as an aside, I’d worked with Colin on 
  adapting the laser anti-air Missile system 
  for the Night Gyrs. What a crock that was, by 
  the way.
  “Techie #2 then laughed, and said, ‘yeah, 
  what suckers they were. I knew we had 
  them when that trial we rigged for the 
  prototype went just as we planned. I mean, 
  come on. Those Jaguars do not know surat 
  shit about defense systems.’
  “Techie #1 agreed, mentioning something 
  crude about how that showed, regarding 
  their belly-up performance on Huntress. 
  ‘Their arrogance and closed-minded pro-
  cesses only prove they are not fit for inclusion 
  with the rest of the Progressive Clans.’
  “Techie #2 mumbled something in 
  response, then changed the subject.
  “The reason I brought this up to you, sci-
  entist Watson, is that it seems to confirm 
  my group’s suspicions that some scientists 
  are developing inferior technology simply 
  to sate warrior-caste anxiousness. I know 
  the laaM is an old—and, thankfully, now 
  dead—system, but this set off alarms in 
  my head.
  “If indeed some Clan scientists are devel-
  oping inferior weapons and ‘presenting’ 
  them to the warriors—then either these 
  scientists are idiots, and the falcons have 
  nothing to fear, or their energy and atten-
  tion is elsewhere and apparently needs to 
  be hidden from the warriors. The question 
  then becomes, why?”
  —Scientist Steven Ford
  THE SOCIETY
  …<garble>…esting has compl…<garble>…ase stage four. 
  Cycle continues as predicted, with dissipation of kinetic ener…
  <garble>…ile little damage is noted to targeted impact area. 
  as the theory predicted, less than a nan…<garble>…ar-instan-
  taneous deflection of the projecti…<garble>…oderate power 
  requirement. amplification of cycle should increase area of pro-
  tection on a scale of magnitude equal to the amplitu…<garble>…
  ext step is installation of system test on the anc…<garble>…
  [Another piece of data salvaged from that discarded database on 
  Tamaron. I’ve no idea what the hell this is—my specialty is genetics, 
  not physics, or whatever this might be—but I have included it for 
  completeness. –P]
  THE SOCIETY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section06: THE SOCIETY
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  That most members of the Clan scientist caste have a superi-
  ority complex when it comes to their own importance is a given. 
  They are the Keepers of every Clan’s bloodlines, the developers 
  and engineers of new weapon technologies, and they believe they 
  are most responsible for the Clans’ continued survival, beyond 
  even victories in battle. some take this attitude even further, 
  plotting for the day when they can openly take power from the 
  warriors and rule according to Kerensky’s “true” vision: the laws 
  of science.
  The scientist Cabal is made up of those with this most extreme 
  viewpoint. In their vision, Clan identity is more often ignored than 
  emphasized. such a society would need to operate under extreme 
  secrecy and remain compartmentalized, with only a select few 
  sitting on a virtual ruling council, directing the overall ebb and 
  flow of Clan research and development through secret channels. 
  Though privately eschewing Clan loyalties, the cabalists of some 
  Clans would be more representative in such a conspiracy than 
  others, depending on how rigid, controlling or simply demanding 
  their warrior castes are. In Clans with a more liberal interpretation 
  of Kerensky’s Way, cabal members may find themselves with even 
  more freedom to conspire against the warrior elite.
  so desperate is the need for secrecy across these cabals that 
  most members would rarely know more than a few others within 
  the conspiracy—and even then, such contacts will likely be only 
  those within their own discipline or area of expertise. scientist 
  cabal members would also need to be masters of misdirection, 
  for they enjoy a wide range of freedom to execute their own 
  plans only so long as the warriors focus their energies elsewhere. 
  Cabal members therefore keep contact with fellow members 
  to a minimum, exchanging communications only in code, and 
  holding face-to-face meetings under such tight security that 
  even Inner sphere intelligence organizations would have a hard 
  time cracking them.
  because scientists are often involved in cutting-edge techno-
  logical production and study, it is not unusual for cabal members 
  to carry or use prototype weapons and equipment. Trueborn 
  scientists can be the most dangerous, as their warrior training 
  serves them well in the rare conflict that arises. Depending on 
  how involved a cabal cell is within the society, their intelligence 
  and security networks can rival or even exceed the power of the 
  Watch, thus keeping the scientists one step ahead of the warrior 
  caste’s intel arm.
  a secret cabal is the antithesis of Clan society; if discovered, 
  the warrior caste would waste little time in eradicating such resis-
  tance. some Khans and other high-ranking warriors may be aware 
  of extraneous scientist activity, however, and permit such activity 
  for reasons only they can explain.
  Ultimately, the scientist cabal’s activities should be portrayed 
  as mysterious and complex. at any given time, it may be unclear 
  how far their plans have progressed, and what form such plans 
  might take in the scheme of their ultimate revolution. as the peo-
  ple entrusted with the lifeblood of Clan society, the means open 
  to the Clan scientist Cabal can be devastating.
  THE SOCIETY
  THE SOCIETY
  i
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 505)
  SECURITY lEVEl QUARTZ
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS 
   
  038 / 039
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS
  Rome, TeRRa
  apRil 7, 2768
  Hauptmann Ueli Marrer tugged 
  on the hood of his plastic pon-
  cho, trying to keep the crest 
  of it far enough over his face 
  so that the cold drizzle from 
  the gray skies would stop drip-
  ping on his hawk-shaped nose. 
  He succeeded for a few moments 
  until the hood settled again. 
  Exasperated, he sighed, suffer-
  ing the cold precipitation as he 
  watched large men load up the 
  small DropShip with pressboard 
  crates. His sharp malachite eyes 
  caught movement to his left as 
  his aide, Wachtmeister Marti 
  Sporri, came running toward him. 
  While Sporri was by no means 
  a small man at 180 centimeters, 
  Marrer towered over him.
  “Hauptmann, the Gestapo is 
  here!” he yelled. His gloved 
  hand pointed toward the nearest 
  building, Concourse E of the 
  Julius Caesar Spaceport. Three 
  mercenaries, all clad in green 
  fatigues and hefting laser car-
  bines, braved the rain to stand 
  before him, secure in the shel-
  ter provided by the brims of 
  their black caps.
  Ueli’s mood darkened and his 
  mouth went dry, but he kept the 
  worst to himself. “Get them to 
  hurry up,” he growled to his 
  subordinate, then turned toward 
  his visitors.
  As he strode toward them, he 
  watched their rifles carefully, 
  and fingered the heavy-caliber 
  pistol concealed beneath his 
  slate-gray poncho. The Gestapo 
  approached as well, meeting 
  him on the tarmac, just to the 
  right of an ankle-deep depres-
  sion already filled by the 
  spring rain.
  “What can I do for you, gen-
  tlemen?” Ueli asked, shouting a 
  bit over the storm’s incessant 
  pounding.
  The middle mercenary, a man 
  in his thirties with poor den-
  tal hygiene, responded. “We’re 
  here for a piece of your action,” 
  he said with a wink. “You know, 
  a tithe to keep in the holy 
  emperor’s good graces.”
  Ueli scowled, then bowed his 
  head in a nod. He pulled his 
  right arm from underneath the 
  poncho, revealing a sheaf of 
  Star League Dollars.
  The black-eyed woman to 
  his right snatched the money 
  and fanned through the stack, 
  ensuring they were all the same 
  denomination. “Is this fifteen 
  percent?” she demanded. She 
  would have been attractive, but 
  a lifetime of sneers and frowns 
  had wrinkled her face prema-
  turely, while her tone radiated 
  contempt. 
  He shrugged. “I’d normally 
  give you twenty, like those 
  North Americans give the wait-
  ers, but I just used my best 
  judgment today.”
  The leader of the trio 
  reached out and grabbed the 
  lapels of the Hauptmann’s pon-
  cho, trying to pull him down 
  to his own level. But Ueli’s 
  large frame was too much for 
  the Gestapo man’s strength and 
  he only succeeded in pulling 
  himself up on his toes to glare 
  at Ueli’s strong jaw. Undaunted, 
  he expelled his noxious breath 
  into Ueli’s face. “Judgment?” 
  he seethed. “You better not be 
  pulling anything, or we’ll have 
  to check all of these to make 
  sure of the value.”
  “Be my guest,” Ueli responded, 
  waving his right arm at the 
  last few crates being loaded 
  into the aerodyne craft behind 
  him. The Gestapo released his 
  hold on Ueli’s poncho and turned 
  his head to look at the loaders. 
  “I just didn’t want you to spend 
  the night looking at dead bod-
  ies in the rain.”
  The man stepped back from 
  Ueli and turned to face him. 
  “Bodies, eh?”
  Ueli nodded. “The members of 
  that uprising you killed three 
  days ago. The off-worlders?”
  The man stroked his jaw, “I 
  didn’t know there were so many.” 
  He looked at his companions as 
  the third member of their party, 
  small and weaselly, sneezed as 
  if on cue.
  After a moment, he shrugged 
  and turned to the woman. “Let’s 
  go,” he said, snatching the 
  money from her before lead-
  ing them back to the welcoming 
  shelter of Concourse E.
  Ueli took his left hand off 
  of his pistol and trudged back 
  toward the DropShip, intending 
  to join its cargo to its final 
  destination. He smiled, wonder-
  ing if the thugs who had just 
  left would ever know they took 
  ten thousand Star League Dol-
  lars to let the Vatican’s most 
  precious artifacts sneak out 
  from under their noses.
  He hoped not.
  Hope iV
  July 18, 2770
  A bespectacled man led Ueli 
  to the balcony, where the majes-
  tic Istyn Valley filled his 
  sight. A sapphire river snaked 
  through the luscious greenery 
  of the tropical forest. In the 
  distance, the granite walls of 
  mountains thrust upward against 
  the clean blue sky, like the 
  snow-covered teeth of a gigan-
  tic beast. How very different 
  from the seven hills, Ueli mar-
  veled, unused to seeing nature 
  so pure.
  His reverie was interrupted 
  by the engineer at his side, 
  a short man who spoke with an 
  Outworlders Spanish accent. 
  “Everything is done to your 
  specifications, sir,” he said 
  proudly. “Once more I must say 
  that never have I had such an 
  elaborate project as this. The 
  monastery is magnificent in 
  its own right, but the vaults 
  and secrecy you requested were 
  something beyond the ordinary. 
  The home office isn’t going to 
  believe what we managed out 
  here, my friend, but I’m sure 
  they’ll appreciate the second 
  half of the payment.”
  Ueli nodded solemnly. “Then 
  it’s homeward bound for you, 
  ja?”
  DARK PERIPHERY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS 
   
  040 / 041
  masterson: “That was the opening to Clyde Cutler’s latest 
  novel in the Drake Penn series, Dark Periphery. In this story, our 
  hero encounters the brotherhood of Randis, an order of warriors 
  whose real-life mystery still enthralls those who have heard of 
  their exploits.
  “The brotherhood of Randis—an elusive but effective group of 
  modern knights. They have been active in the Periphery for almost 
  a century now, yet have never turned to piracy or raiding to profit. 
  These mysterious men and women have reportedly managed to 
  turn their world from a small garrison to a reasonably function-
  ing example for today’s Periphery. and yet, even more mysterious 
  than their shrouded origins, they have used their scant resources 
  to go traipsing around the coreward edge of known space to 
  fight evil. Who are these mysterious do-gooders, and where did 
  they come from? What are their goals, immediate and long term? 
  are they really heroes, or does a dark mission hide behind their 
  Templar-like façade?
  “Here to discuss the brotherhood today is the Drake Penn 
  author himself, Mister Clyde Cutler! Welcome to Universal Truth, 
  ladies and gentlemen! I am your host, Rupert Masterson!”
  [Applause]
  masterson: “Mr. Cutler, it’s good to have you with us today.”
  Cutler: “Thanks, Rupert. Please, call me Clyde.”
  masterson: “okay…Clyde.” [audience laughter] “so, we’ve all 
  read your opening. Where did you come up with this background 
  for the brotherhood? I mean, surely the secret sect of the Catholic 
  Church, guarding the Holy Grail or some other, has been done to 
  death?”
  Cutler: [chuckling] “Well, it has, Rupert, but that’s for hack writ-
  ers, I’m only half hack…” [laughter] “no, the events in the opening, 
  like all the openings to my novels, are based on plausible occur-
  rences from the past. sure, I take liberties, but I fill in with my 
  imagination what fits the facts. I don’t make the facts fit my story 
  line.”
  masterson: “so you’re saying all this happened, and was 
  recorded somewhere?”
  Cutler: “Well, the massacre at John Paul II square was real, as 
  are the Greenhaven Gestapo and the swiss Guard. They aren’t 
  some sect or order, just the military arm of the Vatican that pro-
  tects the pope and the Church. I combed through records on 
  Terra, as well as shipping manifests and reports about the broth-
  erhood. There were holes, to be sure. after all, the Usurper’s forces 
  weren’t as good at keeping records as some of the other despotic 
  régimes of history.”
  masterson: “so what basis do you have for this fantastic story 
  about the brotherhood of Randis?”
  Cutler: “Hauptman Marrer was a real member of the swiss 
  Guard, who was decorated and known for getting things done, 
  no matter how. He was a ‘big picture guy,’ serving his pope, and 
  I guess his God, for the long-term betterment of humankind and 
  the Catholic Church. Comrades had mentioned he’d sacrifice his 
  immortal soul to do God’s will.
  “also, there was a shipment of bodies recorded as being taken 
  off-world three days after the Massacre.”
  masterson: “Well, if bodies were shipped out, how does that fit 
  your assertion that the relics were smuggled out in their place?”
  Cutler: “The John Paul II square Massacre was the slaughter 
  of six hundred Pauline fathers protesting the treatment of the 
  Vatican by the Usurper’s forces. What the Gestapo didn’t know 
  was that the Paulines were hermits who hadn’t been allowed off 
  Terra by their order. so there were no members from the feder-
  ated suns.”
  masterson: “Well, that certainly is an intriguing possibility, 
  but what about the next part? on Randis IV? surely there are no 
  records of that available.”
  Cutler: “no—well, maybe. The brotherhood would not share 
  any records or diaries with me. but sandro Manufacturing, based 
  in the outworlds alliance, sent out a building crew to an unknown 
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  masterson: “That was the opening to Clyde Cutler’s latest 
  masterson: “so you’re saying all this happened, and was 
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  The man smiled, more ner-
  vously this time, and adjusted 
  his glasses, looking for all 
  the world like a child asking 
  for a cookie. “Well, yes,” he 
  said with a chuckle. “As soon 
  as you provide us with the 
  coordinates back to Ramora.”
  Ueli leaned his forearms on 
  the railing of the balcony and 
  rested his large frame on them, 
  taking in the sweeping view 
  again. Just as the engineer 
  began to awkwardly clear his 
  throat, he cut off whatever 
  the man was about to say with 
  words of his own.
  “Do you believe in God?” he 
  asked.
  Confused, the man adjusted 
  his glasses again. “No. I’m a 
  man of science. What does this 
  have to do with anything?”
  Ueli shook his head sadly. 
  “Well,” he sighed, “He believes 
  in you…”
  “What?” The smaller man 
  spun around at the sound of 
  a scream and a sudden crack 
  in the hallway behind him. He 
  never saw Ueli’s hands thrust 
  out to catch him under his 
  shoulders. Nor did he find any 
  more understanding during the 
  500-meter fall that followed.
  A fall that ended on the 
  shores of the clear blue river, 
  now tainted by a thin ribbon 
  of red from his broken body.
  Up on the balcony, Ueli 
  crossed himself and looked up 
  to the sky, “Forgive me, Heav-
  enly Father, for I have sinned 
  to protect the relics you have 
  entrusted to us,” he said in 
  reverent tones. “And forgive my 
  men, for they were only follow-
  ing the orders of His Holiness. 
  And bless the workers who have 
  died here this day, that they 
  may not have died in vain…”
  DARK PERIPHERY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS
  location in 2769. They were paid in a mixture of Star League Dollars 
  and gold bullion. The crew, their equipment and their Dropship 
  never returned. still, the advance sandro did get covered all the 
  benefits the company later paid out to the survivors of those 
  workers.”
  masterson: “so that’s the kindness mixed with ruthlessness 
  we’d expect of Hauptmann Marrer?”
  Cutler: “Yes.”
  masterson: “and what of the actions of the brotherhood 
  since their formation? I assume more recent reports back up your 
  story?”
  Cutler: “To an extent. It is fiction, after all.” [chuckles] “but based 
  on fact. Members of the brotherhood’s inner circle never retire 
  fully, you know; they remain on Randis. They never leak anything 
  out, and for the most part the citizens of Randis IV are very happy 
  with them. still, the fact that they attack pirates and brigands—
  not just defend against them—while living in the Periphery says a 
  lot. These guys aren’t taking the easy way out, but rather working 
  hard to bring Randis into the thirty-first century. and protecting 
  that world and their headquarters at all costs is their ultimate 
  priority. It would probably take a crack RCT at least to defeat the 
  brotherhood on Randis IV.”
  masterson: “and their counterparts in your book? When Penn 
  has to break into their monastery fortress, don’t we find out some 
  other interesting things?”
  Cutler: [smiling] “They’ll just have to buy the book and find 
  out.”
  masterson: “Dark Periphery, by Clyde Cutler! available at your 
  local bookstore or Mississippi book network. Thanks for being 
  here, Clyde.”
  Cutler: “Thanks for having me, Rupert.”
  [Cut to: Commercial break]
  masterson: “and, welcome back to Universal Truth. next up, we 
  have two more experts who can tell us about the recent history of 
  the Randis brotherhood and Randis IV: Dr. David Pratcher from the 
  University of Robinson and Takahiro naguchi, consultant for the 
  outworlds alliance Military.
  “Gentlemen, thanks for appearing with us tonight.”
  Naguchi: “You’re welcome.”
  Pratcher: “Thank you.”
  masterson: “now, gents, what can you tell us about Randis IV?”
  Pratcher: “Well, history records that it was originally charted as 
  Hope in the late 27th century, but there are no records of organized 
  colonization until almost a hundred years later. Resource-wise, the 
  planet doesn’t have much in the way of desirable minerals that 
  we know of, and its single continent is dominated by a massive 
  rain forest. strangely, Randis IV is actually the second planet in its 
  system—not the fourth. Most people think the idea was to give 
  it one of those misleading names, like Iceland and Greenland on 
  Terra, or perhaps the explorers there counted from the outermost 
  planets inward, rather than in the traditional inward-to-outward 
  progression.”
  Naguchi: “Randis is in both a good and a bad location. There’s 
  nothing around it, so for trading it has a near monopoly on local 
  stopovers—but not a lot of trade goes through that way, so the 
  locals have to be a bit more self-sufficient than most.”
  masterson: “I see…and what can you tell us about the broth-
  erhood of Randis?”
  Naguchi: “Well, we know erdelmaine Randis formed them and 
  renamed the system just before the start of this century. They 
  were all superbly skilled individuals who could pilot a ’Mech and 
  were physically superior to most everyone—kind of like the Clans. 
  but they also demanded a solid moral code, and a demonstrated, 
  deep-rooted Christian faith.”
  Pratcher: “of course, the group Randis started out with had a 
  lot to learn about the latter two. I’m not sure where Christianity 
  entered into it during his wanderings before he arrived on Hope, 
  but he was never seen as particularly religious before then. Philo-
  sophical, yes, but not religious.”
  Naguchi: “They focused on defending Randis at first, then 
  worked at trying to bring order and justice to the rimward 
  Periphery. Unfortunately, they weren’t so good at fighting as 
  a unit, nor against the underhanded types that reside in their 
  locale.”
  Pratcher: “Right, but all that changed when Galahad frews 
  replaced Randis. He was an expatriate from the federated suns 
  who spent a couple of years teaching at the Kilbourne Military 
  academy before joining the brotherhood. He immediately got 
  rid of the excessive physical rituals they required, and worked on 
  creating a unit that could work as a team.”
  Naguchi: “and that’s the point where we saw them start to 
  make a difference beyond Randis. Their big headliner came when 
  they hit antallos, of course. How they knew exactly where a star 
  league cache was located on a world regularly scoured by pirates 
  and loners, nobody knows, but the remarkable thing was how 
  they handled fuchida’s fusiliers. The fusiliers saw them hit the 
  ground and came to assert their dominance over this ‘new blood,’ 
  only to be held at bay by a smaller force who cleared out a cache 
  nobody even knew was there.”
  masterson: “so now they all drive star league ‘Mechs?”
  Pratcher: “not really. What they pulled out of that cache 
  included some star league-era machines, but many were report-
  edly Rim Worlds ‘Mechs that got upgraded when amaris held the 
  Terran Hegemony. There were even some mothballed machines 
  left over from the age of War. but there weren’t enough for the 
  entire brotherhood.”
  Naguchi: “exactly. only the best warriors would’ve received 
  those machines. The good press they got in the 3050s attracted 
  newer, better candidates—including a pair of former smoke 
  Jaguars with their machines, I hear. one, in fact, turned out to 
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS 
   
  042 / 043
  be lucas beckett, who was raised in the Josian Cloister, a Clan 
  religious group with many of the same ideals and traditions that 
  the brotherhood held. between that and his combat prowess, he 
  probably rose quickly.”
  Pratcher: “I’ve heard of him, too. I think he was also unusually 
  adept at politicking—especially for a Clanner. He somehow man-
  aged to get the Council to vote him Grand Knight after dismissing 
  frews.”
  Naguchi: “ah, yes. I think even frews knew they needed to 
  keep shaking things up.”
  Pratcher: “not sure there. frews has gone on record saying 
  he’d still like to lead the brotherhood, but he’d never tear them 
  apart to do so.”
  Naguchi: “either way. but I think we can agree there’s some 
  internal conflict over ‘Clan influence.’”
  Pratcher: “oh, certainly, but they have more important things 
  to deal with.”
  masterson: “such as?”
  Pratcher: “Well, recently pirate attacks on Randis have 
  increased. That doesn’t make sense.”
  masterson: “Why’s that? It is the Periphery…”
  Naguchi: “except that Randis has been well defended and 
  the brotherhood has only gotten better. attacking them on their 
  home ground is a bad idea, even for pirates. no, I think something 
  is motivating them.”
  masterson: “You mean paying them?”
  Pratcher: “or supplying them. likely, the Word of blake. The 
  blakists and the brotherhood were never on good terms to begin 
  with, but the addition of a former Coyote, brother nyleith, exacer-
  bated the enmity. nyleith personally cut a swath of death through 
  blakist ranks during a raid and increased the brotherhood’s oppo-
  sition to the Word.”
  Naguchi: “It could be the Marians, worried about the brother-
  hood’s moral code.”
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  Here’s a collection of short vignettes 
  people have told Universal Truth about 
  the Brotherhood of randis:
  “brotherhood? bah! Damn bunch of glo-
  rified frat boys. They drop down and start 
  blasting whoever they decide is bad. never 
  mind the destruction they bring to all the 
  bystanders. no better than the rest, I say.”
  —Rusty Carwell, New Haiti
  “My lord, they came to our rescue! 
  Johnson’s Jackals were worse than 
  locusts! They demanded food, money, 
  even my daughter! What could we do 
  about it with just twenty families? The 
  brotherhood of Randis hit those Jackals 
  before they had a chance to react. Unlike 
  previous ‘saviors,’ they didn’t take more 
  from us. Hell, for the price of a few sand-
  wiches they hit the Jackals and took off. 
  even left us one of the Jackals’ Locusts as 
  a memento.”
  —Tasha Purelle, Oscar
  “I tell you, they know stuff. I was 
  there when they hit antallos. after they 
  smashed the fusiliers, they headed 
  straight for Hart Valley, near where I live. I 
  mean, right to the old rubble we thought 
  was a rock fall. They waltz out of there 
  with a few truckloads of parts and four 
  ’Mechs. I’d never seen ’em before, but I 
  showed pictures to old Man Whithers 
  and he told me they were Rampages, an 
  old Rim Worlds design. I tell you, those 
  guys know secrets.”
  —Maynard Dawson, Antallos
  “They’re not as high and mighty as you 
  think. I spent a few years as a Knight-Can-
  didate. I had to help maintain the ’Mechs 
  and defend Randis when they were off 
  saving the universe. and you know what 
  we got to pilot? stuff that made the Striker 
  look high tech! Man, so goody-goody 
  and they have all sorts of rituals and 
  tests. They worry about willingness to die 
  for their mysterious cause when I’ve got 
  supreme moves?”
  —Martin “Blazer” Madden, Solaris VII
  “They’ve totally revitalized the Periph-
  ery! When I got here, Randis IV was like the 
  other worlds I’d visited. now it’s almost 
  like a successor state world. They’re really 
  looking to the future.”
  —Taylor Gill, Randis IV
  “The brotherhood of Randis? Their hearts 
  are in the right place, but sometimes they 
  get a bit caught up in flashy one-on-one 
  fighting. like those Clan fellows. Pride 
  goeth before a fall and all.”
  —Dillard Royce, Malarn
  “They’ve brought the word of God to 
  us! Without them I’d still be lost. They are 
  great men doing even greater work. They 
  are angels, sent from above. I thank heaven 
  for them every day.”
  —Ethel Bennett, Valasha
  “Damn, they’re good. lately they’ve got 
  technology, but they’re still good. I tangled 
  with them about a decade ago. now, I’ve 
  seen plenty of good gunners. Hell, every-
  one thinks a good gunner is all you need. 
  but when you tangle with good pilots, I 
  mean well-rounded guys, you’ll know it. 
  They’ll come on at you and show you how 
  to fight close in. or they’ll let you chase 
  them through tricky spots. You fall down a 
  time or three and you’d be surprised how 
  much that turns the tide. Don’t even get 
  me started on their teamwork. This is the 
  Periphery; no one is used to that.”
  —Shark, Astrokaszy
  WORD ON THE STREETS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS
  masterson: “It wouldn’t be the first time Romans picked on 
  Christians!” [audience laughter]
  Pratcher: “or even the outworlds alliance—” [Naguchi scoffs] 
  “—though that’s less likely, I admit. I’m sure the alliance leadership 
  has never been happy that the brotherhood keeps stepping in to 
  help out their people. It makes the outworlds leaders look bad.”
  Naguchi: “neither the Marians nor the alliance have the cash 
  and hardware to spare like Word of blake does. If the Word plans 
  to get the Taurians under their thumb, the brotherhood would be 
  a constant thorn in their side.” 
  masterson: “so are they really threatened by pirate attacks?”
  Naguchi: “Right now? no. but they don’t have the resources to 
  sustain that sort of attrition for long. The reports I have say they 
  can make their own ammunition, but no components.”
  masterson: “Interesting. Well, thank you gentlemen. It looks 
  like the brotherhood has a tough fight on their hands. Will they 
  survive? The way things are going these days, no one knows, but if 
  so, they’ve set themselves up well for the future….”
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  The brotherhood of Randis is a tight-knit group of warriors, very 
  experienced and dedicated. Though they are no longer the all-
  around warriors that they were decades ago, they have progressed 
  as a cohesive fighting unit, demonstrating teamwork and fighting 
  skill not seen in the Periphery outside the elite forces of the major 
  states. but the brotherhood is much more than a fighting force. 
  They seem to have some long-range plan, but one known only 
  to the group’s innermost members. apparently benevolent, the 
  brotherhood often seeks alliances with those who espouse similar 
  ideas, but aren’t afraid to make examples of anyone they deem 
  “immoral.”
  OrgaNIzaTION
  The brotherhood of Randis can be broken down into three dif-
  ferent groups: Knights, Knight-Candidates and squires. Members 
  of the brotherhood refer to themselves as brother (sister, if female) 
  or by the title that indicates their place in the organization.
  Squires: squires in the brotherhood are referred to simply 
  by that title, regardless of rank or seniority. These people are 
  drawn mainly from the inhabitants of Randis IV, but also can be 
  among those rescued from imperiled situations on other planets. 
  some have even come from other worlds voluntarily, seeking to 
  contribute to the brotherhood’s cause. The squires provide tech-
  nical and labor support for the brotherhood, and can be found 
  in almost all non-combat roles, including technicians, cooks and 
  transportation. They are paid well (but not extravagantly) for 
  this work and provided with shelter and food. some of the more 
  dedicated squires have been known to work for room and board 
  alone, donating their salaries to the brotherhood’s coffers, but no 
  prejudice is shown toward those who accept their pay. becoming 
  a squire requires a background check and a security interview, fol-
  lowed by an initiation rite. 
  knight-Candidates: The Knight-Candidates are mostly 
  offworlders seeking to join the brotherhood, though a few 
  native Randites have been inducted in this fashion as well. The 
  brotherhood offers no initial instruction in how to operate a 
  battleMech (or, more recently, an aerospace fighter), so Knight-
  Candidates must pick up their skills elsewhere (or learn from a 
  Knight who personally takes on the candidate’s training—a rare 
  occurrence). like squires, Knight-Candidates receive one title, 
  regardless of rank or seniority. They often act as supervisors for 
  squires, but are also expected to assist with the maintenance of 
  brotherhood machines. They must undergo security and back-
  ground checks, plus a technical proficiency exam to make sure 
  they have the requisite skills to carry out their duties.
  Knight-Candidates are reimbursed with a small salary, but all 
  their basic needs are seen to by the brotherhood. When the broth-
  erhood is off-planet, the Knight-Candidates are expected to form 
  the defensive core for Randis IV alongside the conventional plan-
  etary militia. While a major crisis has yet to require such a defense 
  force, increased pirate activity makes it increasingly likely in the 
  near future.
  knights of randis: The Knights themselves are the fighting 
  force of the brotherhood, and represent Knight-Candidates who 
  have proven themselves to the Grand Knight and his closest 
  advisors. not only must a Knight-Candidate excel at combat to 
  be a Knight, he or she must also demonstrate extensive knowl-
  edge in religion and philosophy. The tests for Knighthood vary 
  from aspirant to aspirant, though some sort of ’Mech or fighter 
  dueling against a seasoned brother is required. In the past, such 
  tests included physical and endurance challenges, but these are 
  rarely required by the current leadership. Upon passing their test, 
  Knights undergo an elaborate initiation ceremony and reception. 
  all Knights are referred to as Knight until they receive a promotion 
  to a higher rank (such as Knight-errant or lord/lady Knight).
  Knights who command lances are titled Knight-errant, while 
  company commanders are called lord (or lady) Knights. The broth-
  erhood has no permanent battalion commanders, but a temporary 
  title of Paladin may be awarded if such a formation is required or 
  established for a Knight to lead. The leader of the brotherhood of 
  Randis is called the Grand Knight; the current Grand Knight is lucas 
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/07: THE BROTHERHOOD OF RANDIS 
   
  044 / 045
  beckett. The Grand Knight leads a council made up of all the lord 
  and lady Knights (including those who have retired from active 
  service), who in turn elect the Grand Knight as necessary (usually 
  upon the death or dismissal of the previous one). The Grand Knight 
  is free to ignore the council’s advice, but the council may vote for 
  a new Grand Knight at any time with a two-thirds majority “no 
  confidence” vote. This council knows the brotherhood’s deepest 
  secrets, of the past and the future.
  gOaLS
  The brotherhood has several goals, of which the most impor-
  tant is the protection of Randis IV. Though the planet began as 
  a home for the brotherhood’s fortress Monastery, that role has 
  changed over the years. The brotherhood today limits itself to 
  mere defensive actions on-planet, spending considerable time 
  seeking other downtrodden peoples in the coreward Periphery. 
  brotherhood envoys have even landed on some Taurian and out-
  worlds planets to drive off predatory groups, while the Knights 
  have grown ever more proactive in searching out and assailing 
  pirates and brigands throughout the region.
  The brotherhood has also worked to improve Randis IV’s 
  industrial and commercial base. at present, these efforts focus on 
  updating Randis’ on-planet transportation system and attracting 
  new interstellar trading partners to boost the economy. While 
  the brotherhood’s source of wealth has long been a mystery, it 
  seems they are now self-sufficient thanks to the small taxes they 
  collect from the local people. Meanwhile, Randis IV’s day-to-day 
  operations are administered by a democratically elected civilian 
  government whose members defer to the brotherhood only in 
  military decisions or major crises.
  finally, the brotherhood sponsors missions to many worlds to 
  boost education and awareness. These missions offer a mixture of 
  literacy and religious teachings, similar to the missionary work of 
  many major faiths. While the missionaries don’t force their beliefs 
  on the unwilling, their lay education always includes spiritual train-
  ing. Despite this “string” attached to the opportunity, people from 
  various denominations flock to the brotherhood’s missionaries, 
  and some planets eagerly welcome them. Viewing missionaries 
  as sacrosanct, the brotherhood often makes protection of these 
  volunteer teachers a top priority, and Knights have been known 
  to ruthlessly hunt down anyone who harms or kills a brotherhood 
  missionary.
  THE BrOTHErHOOD aND rOLEPLayINg
  Given the brotherhood’s active role in the coreward Periph-
  ery, players have plenty of opportunities to come across them. 
  The most obvious is visiting Randis IV. The brotherhood requires 
  all visitors to announce their identity and intentions. Their 
  limited aerospace assets will oppose any military landing, and 
  military vehicles are not allowed to leave their transports unless 
  accompanied by an aspiring Knight. The Knights occasionally 
  hire mercenaries to continue bringing virtue and stability to the 
  Periphery, and frequently use such units to gather intelligence in 
  the region.
  alternatively, the players could be on a planet that the brother-
  hood is visiting, perhaps even battling them (if they seek the same 
  objectives or find their roles opposed). brotherhood warriors 
  readily but warily accept assistance in attaining their goals; even 
  allies who have worked with them before are kept at arm’s length. 
  The Knights fight hard and use every advantage at their disposal 
  unless they deem an enemy an honorable foe (at which point their 
  combat philosophy is more akin to Clan dueling protocols). once 
  an enemy has been defeated, the brotherhood typically treats 
  them with mercy, though some may find themselves headed back 
  to Randis IV to face trial for their crimes.
  finally, the brotherhood may seek out the players, to hire them 
  or to join their order. While the brotherhood has many appli-
  cants, they always keep an eye out for talented warriors who also 
  possess a strong sense of ethics and spirituality. Usually, retired 
  Knights contact promising talent, though a missionary might con-
  tact someone he or she feels may add to the brotherhood in other 
  ways. Randis IV, after all, seeks not only military units to perform 
  tasks for the brotherhood, but also groups who can help improve 
  the planet’s infrastructure.
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  THE bROTHERHOOD Of RANDIS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  046 / 047
  THE marINEr’S TaLE: 
  IN THE DarkNESS BETWEEN
  all right, I’m not going to tell you my name. I think when I’m 
  done you’ll understand why not. You can just call me the Mari-
  ner, on account of I’ve been shipping out for a lot of years. Did 
  a hitch in the fedCom navy and four decades in the merchant 
  marine.
  I’ve been from one end of the old federated Commonwealth to 
  the other, delivered medicine to the Confederation and machine 
  tools to the Combine. even did a little business with the Hansa—
  and maybe a Diamond shark or two.
  so when I talk about hyperspace, listen up; I know more than 
  you. I can say that, and I don’t even know who you are. I’ve seen 
  about every damn backwater world in the Inner sphere and half 
  of ‘em in the Periphery. I’ve spilled more whiskey in hole-in-the-
  wall joints than you’ve drunk. I’m known among merchants and 
  navy types—and pirates.
  so, listen up. I’m gonna tell you something important, because 
  I know. because I’ve seen it.
  something lives in the darkness between.
  and once you really understand that, let’s see if you ever sleep 
  again.
  SkIPJaCk
  I used to know a captain named Peter Welton, skipjack to his 
  business associates. He and his crew made their bones hijacking 
  Jumpships in out-of-the-way Periphery systems. They’d lie in wait 
  and fight their way on while the vessel’s crew was still recovering 
  from the jump. Then they’d space the crew.
  It was good business. back in those days, there wasn’t anyone 
  around to stop them. 
  I knew skipjack, because after a bad run-in with an alliance 
  aerospace squadron he moved out of the ruthless business of 
  hijacking and into the considerably more profitable business of 
  protection. 
  Did I pay him?
  You bet. This wasn’t the Inner sphere; if you wanted to do 
  business in the Deep Periphery, you had to be prepared to color 
  outside the lines.
  How’d skipjack get into the business? He got his crew like most 
  pirates do—he killed his boss. Her name was Tammy Chen, but 
  everyone called her angles, because she always had all the angles 
  covered. she was smart and cool and dangerous.
  I never thought she’d go down.
  but she did.
  and then...
  Well. Therein lies the tale. but don’t take it from me. let’s get it 
  straight from the horse’s mouth…
  MYSTERIES Of f 
  As fun as it is to lay the blame for everything on Blakist 
  plots (what aren’t those guys responsible for, anyway?), I think 
  centuries of missing JumpShips are hardly a phenomenon we 
  can lay at their feet alone.  While I don’t think anyone would deny 
  that the Master’s Hands may have grabbed a JumpShip here and 
  there, some folks believe that something even darker is at work 
  out in the empty reaches of space.
  Here’s an account from a man who calls himself “The Mariner.” 
  I know, I know, when you first dip into his tale you may think he’s 
  some kind of crackpot, but keep reading and I guarantee you’ll 
  feel a shiver wriggle down your spine. 
  And if you’re honest with yourself, you might just admit the 
  disquiet you feel is a symptom of truth.
  —Starling
  NOTES
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 505)
  SECURITY lEVEl GRANITE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  [The camera centers on a small, battered 
  table, painted pale green. The room isn’t 
  much bigger than the table and the lights 
  are low. The image looks washed-out and 
  because the video is low quality one might 
  believe the fault lies with the recording equip-
  ment. In reality, this is just the kind of room 
  that will not abide color.]
  [A man, tall and thin, sits at the table. His 
  cheekbones are high and angular, his eye 
  sockets sunken. His face is the color of chalk, 
  all of it combining to give more an impres-
  sion of a skull than a human face. He sits 
  there chain smoking, bringing cigarettes up 
  to his lips one after the other with shaking 
  hands.]
  [Interrogator, off-camera]:  “state your 
  name for the record.”
  [The man closes his eyes and sighs deeply.]
  [Welton]: “for the last time: skipjack.”
  [Interrogator]:  “Your full, legal name.”
  [Skipjack Welton explodes, rage twisting his 
  features. He throws the cigarettes at someone 
  off-camera.]
  [Welton]: “Who bloody cares? Do you 
  want to hear this or not?”
  [Interrogator]:  “all right. all right.”
  [Skipjack’s rage subsides. He settles back 
  into his chair, rubbing his eyes with the heels 
  of his hands. ]
  [Welton]: “My crew did the Queen of the 
  Void job.” [Laughs bitterly.]  “‘Course, they 
  weren’t my crew back then, were they? They 
  belonged to angles.”
  [Interrogator]:  “The Queen of the 
  Void?” [Scoffs.]  “someone has delusions of 
  grandeur.”
  [Welton]:  [Irritated] “I can tell my story 
  to you, mate, or I can tell my barrister. Your 
  choice, friend.”
  [Interrogator]:  [Grunts.] “Go ahead.”
  [Welton]:  “angles had everything 
  figured. If you’re going to load and drop 
  cargo, everyone knows where you’re going, 
  there’s just no keeping a secret like that. 
  The Queen avoided standard shipping 
  lanes to dodge pirates, so we staked out 
  uninhabited systems. on her fourth run, we 
  got lucky. she jumped to the zenith point 
  of a b-class sun. We were there, waiting. 
  our Dropships were on top of them before 
  they knew it.”
  [Interrogator]:  “What happened to the 
  crew?”
  [The man rolls his eyes, but says nothing.]
  [Interrogator]: “You’ve already admit-
  ted to being part of a conspiracy to commit 
  piracy. That’s a capital offense, Welton, so 
  why not tell us about the crew?”
  [Welton]:  “I told you—the name’s 
  skipjack.”
  [Interrogator]:  [Sighs.] “all right. 
  Skipjack.”
  [Welton]:  “angles left me on Raider and 
  she took command of the Queen.” 
  [He shakes his head and his eyes wander, 
  losing focus. He’s not seeing anything in the 
  room now.]
  [Welton]:  “she was a real beauty. a Star 
  Lord, all six docking collars full, loaded down 
  with Mules and Mammoths. The pride of 
  any far Periphery merchant fleet. so angles 
  figures, if she takes the Queen, I won’t try 
  anything. The Raider was just a Merchant car-
  rying two Leopard CVs.”
  [Interrogator]:  “she didn’t trust you?”
  [Welton]:  “she didn’t trust anyone, mate. 
  That’s what made her so bloody brilliant.”
  [Interrogator]:  “Wasn’t she right? Why 
  take out the Queen?”
  [Welton]:  [Snorts.]  “You think just like 
  a straight. I was just as smart as angles. 
  Smarter. What she had was the Raider and 
  the crew. With both, I could have ten Queens 
  of the Void.”
  [Interrogator]:  “You just had to get rid 
  of angles.”
  [Welton]: “bingo.”
  [Interrogator]: “so?”
  [Welton]: “It seems some bright bloke 
  had time to insert a Trojan in the Queen’s 
  navigational core. Designed to crash the 
  computer in mid-jump.”
  [A noise from off-camera, possibly a gasp.]
  [Welton]:  “and that was that.” [The man 
  rubs his hands together like he’s brushing dirt 
  off them.]
  [Interrogator]:  “Then why are you talk-
  ing to us?”
  [Skipjack swallows hard and a hunted 
  expression comes into his eyes.]
  [Welton]:  “We were jumping for…our 
  base system. needless to say, the Queen 
  didn’t make it. That was six years ago. and 
  times were good ever since. I was smarter 
  than angles. and I told everyone in my crew 
  just what had happened to her.”
  [Interrogator]:  “so they knew exactly 
  what kind of bad-ass they were dealing 
  with.”
  [Welton]:  “Yeah, something like that.”
  [Interrogator]:  “so what happened?”
  [Welton swallows again, combs his fingers 
  through thinning hair the color of pale straw. 
  The similarity to a skull is striking.]
  [Welton]:  “eighteen days before, we 
  were holding at our system’s zenith after 
  making our insurance collections. Then we 
  detected a pulse...” [He licks his lips.] “a Star 
  Lord jumped in, fully loaded. I launched my 
  Leopards. figured, hey, if flies are gonna 
  wander into the web, what’s a spider to 
  do? as the droppers were burning for the 
  ship, my navigator got a nice picture of her 
  through our main telescope. I took one look 
  at it and decided to jump out.”
  [Interrogator]:  [Laughs derisively]  
  “You’re not very brave for a pirate, are 
  you?”
  [Welton]:  “Think so, mate? Take a look 
  at this.”
  [The man slaps something down on the 
  table. For a second it’s a blurry rectangle and 
  then the camera refocuses to reveal a pho-
  tograph. The camera zooms in, showing the 
  rounded bridge of a star lord-class JumpShip. 
  Clearly marked on the vessel’s hull is a frag-
  ment of a legend, cut off at the edges by the 
  borders of the telescopic image: “Ueen of 
  THe Vo”]
  —Excerpt of an Alliance interrogation of 
  subject “Captain” Peter “Skipjack” Welton, 
  dated 8 July 3065, Alpheratz. Subject later died 
  “under mysterious circumstances” before he 
  could be brought to trial.
  MYSTERIES OF THE DEEP
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  048 / 049
  There’s a couple points the ol’ Mariner would like to make 
  about this little video. first off, no one has actually seen the Queen 
  since her disappearance all those years ago. and, ’course, no one 
  from skipjack’s crew has come forward to vouch for his story. 
  but then, no one can explain how a man on 24-hour suicide 
  watch managed to hang himself in the middle of the night.
  The alliance studied that picture plenty careful. near as they 
  could tell, it wasn’t doctored. Careful optical analysis of the stars 
  behind the jumper revealed a genuine star pattern that allowed 
  them to pinpoint a real system, one that had the freshly aban-
  doned remains of a pirate base on the fourth planet.
  and one more thing: a couple years ago someone took down a 
  Kurita Jumpship named Kokpekty Maru. The fighting tore that ship 
  up pretty bad; the crew even spiked her jump drive before they 
  were spaced. The raiders tore every piece of cargo and usable 
  equipment off the Maru, leaving her a floating hulk dead in space. 
  but they missed something.
  a security camera.
  That camera recorded a three-second snatch of tape, an image 
  of a woman with shoulder-length raven hair, bright blue eyes and 
  cruelly beautiful face.
  The image is grainy, but there’s no doubt in my mind.
  It was Tammy Chen.
  I don’t rightly know what killed ol’ skipjack, but I’ll tell you this. 
  I think he ‘d rather have died before he faced the ghost of angles.
  she was scary enough when she was alive.
  gHOSTS, Or gHOST ParTICLES?
  There’s plenty I’ve seen in the universe that can’t be explained, 
  but that doesn’t mean some fool won’t come along and try to 
  explain it anyway. Here’s an article from a man I met on new 
  avalon. You can tell from reading it that he never spent a day in 
  the black, but at least he knows his numbers.
  so, for those of you not favorably inclined toward the mysteries 
  of the universe, here’s a plausible scientific explanation to describe 
  the strange disappearance and reappearance of Jumpships in dif-
  ferent places and times.
  sure.
  but however you want to explain it, there’s always the infini-
  tesimal chance that something strange will appear right in front of 
  you. and you’d better be ready.
  WINNINg THE LOTTEry
  one of the things this all means is that anyone could stumble 
  across a lost vessel at any time. and because these ships have 
  been frozen in some kind of weird jump stasis, it’s possible that 
  decades or even centuries after various Jumpships were lost, they 
  still might be recovered, potentially with the cargo—and even the 
  crew—intact.
  It’s the kind of prize that would dwarf the value of the wrecked 
  star league Jumpship Andromeda.
  Here’s a partial list of some of the vessels that might be out 
  there awaiting some lucky crew to stumble across them:
  • In April of 2128, the FTL colony ship Liberator was lost with 
  hundreds of settlers aboard.
  • In 2363, the JumpShip carrying Capellan ambassador Fashir 
  Tucas mysteriously disappeared, sparking a war between the 
  Capellan Hegemony and the federated suns.
  • During his Exodus to the Pentagon Worlds, there are hints 
  that General Kerensky’s fleet lost at least one Jumpship loaded 
  with slDf troops.
  • During the FedCom Civil War years, several WarShips inexpli-
  cably went missing, including the las Arthur Steiner-Davion and 
  the las Yggdrasil.
  • In recent days, David Lear, the eldest son of Duke Kai Allard-
  liao, was lost with the Jumpship Capellan Star.
  now, it may seem like the odds of finding one of these lost 
  starships are so low that there’s no point in even considering it, 
  but think about this: when the Queen of the Void reappeared, she 
  arrived in the very system that was her original destination. That 
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  nowadays, the average person takes the reality of interstel-
  lar travel for granted, but the Kearny-fuchida drive that makes 
  it all possible is actually an outgrowth of an exotic branch of 
  physics that is capable of producing some startling results.
  The average layman is well aware that a misjump generally 
  leads to a Jumpship materializing at the wrong spatial coordi-
  nates, many times to the point of being lost in the void. but few 
  laymen may also understand that the same kind of disaster is 
  possible with time as well as space.
  space-time is a four-dimensional construct, comprised of 
  three spatial dimensions and one time dimension. Just as a ves-
  sel with a Kearny-fuchida (K-f) drive can traverse the normal 
  spatial dimensions of space-time, it can also—theoretically—
  traverse time.
  It’s critical to understand that virtually all K-f field equa-
  tions are time independent. In other words, the relative time of 
  the vessel’s emergence into real space (as noted by an inertial 
  observer) is not fixed by the equations, but is a variable. This 
  variable is governed by the energy input of the jump and the 
  precise shape of the Kearny-fuchida field.
  furthermore, since the K-f field equations are coupled, non-
  linear, differential equations, their solution is heavily dependent 
  on initial conditions. but as with any chaotic system, no out-
  come can be described beforehand with an arbitrary level of 
  precision. 
  —Excerpt from the essays of Dr. Robinson Crousten, Ph.D., 
  Astromechanics and Hyperspatial Technology, New Avalon 
  Institute of Science, 19 September 3058
  MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  may mean we know where these lost ships might reappear, just 
  not when.
  so if you want to go prospecting, all you have to do is pick a 
  destination system.
  and wait.
  and maybe you’ll get lucky.
  EarLy arrIVaL?
  one way to avoid pirates in the Periphery is to jump into 
  uninhabited systems en route to your destination. You can’t be 
  boarded if no one knows you’re there. My vessel was hanging out 
  at the nadir point of a brilliant b-class star the color of sapphire. 
  We had our sail unfurled, filling up with stellar radiation, when we 
  detected an electromagnetic pulse.
  I went to battle stations, but there was little I could do. We were 
  two days out from having our drive charged and all the droppers 
  I was carrying were civvies. I was sweating hard; if these were 
  pirates, we were in big trouble.
  The other ship jumped in close, not fifty thousand kilometers 
  from us. They hung there in silence for a few minutes, as if they 
  were puzzled, and then they hailed us.
  The woman who appeared on my screen was pretty in a dis-
  tinguished way, light brown hair brushing her shoulders, clear 
  skin, sharp green eyes, maybe mid-forties. no tattoos, no (obvi-
  ous) piercings. and best of all, no opening threats. I started to feel 
  hopeful.
  Then she frowned and asked, “Captain, where is the nadir 
  charging station?”
  now it was my turn to frown. “I’m sorry,” I said.
  she goes, “The bluestar approach nadir Charging station.”
  I shook my head and told her, “I’m sorry, Captain. This system’s 
  uninhabited. It’s never had a charging system.”
  “of course it has,” she answered impatiently. “This sun’s 
  within thirty light years of bremen and its luminosity cuts 
  charging time by twenty hours. That’s why the Hansa built a 
  charging station in—”
  she froze, then, turned to ice. like she’d just thought of some-
  thing. Then she says, real slowly, “This system doesn’t have a 
  charging station.”
  “of course not,” I snapped.
  she nods and says back, “We obviously jumped into the wrong 
  system. I’ll have to have a serious talk with my navigator.”
  I shook my head and tried to be helpful. “There aren’t any other 
  systems with charging stations nearby,” I told her. “not until you 
  hit the league, anyway. What was your destination?”
  for a second she said nothing. and then she sighs and goes on 
  about a damaged plasma injector, asking if we have a spare she 
  can trade for.
  “okay,” I said slowly, realizing she hadn’t answered my 
  question.
  We agreed to have our engineers make all the arrangements, 
  and finally—just before closing the connection, and with a belea-
  guered smile on her face—she says to me, “May the peace of blake 
  be with you.”
  TImE’S arrOW
  There’s another strange possibility here, the way I see it. as that 
  lubber Crousten said, the K-f equations are “time independent.” 
  What that means is that not only might Jumpships come from the 
  past, but maybe they can come from the future, too.
  sound far-fetched? Well, I think it may already have happened.
  Today, the Inner sphere is torn apart by the cruel machina-
  tions of the Word of blake. as we watch world after world fall to 
  the blakies, with millions trapped in reeducation camps, whole 
  planets alight with nuclear fire or utterly silent in the aftermath of 
  biological attacks, we wonder: “How could it have come to this?”
  How could the blakists have gathered to themselves the 
  resources—the sheer military power—to declare war on the entire 
  Inner sphere?
  Remember that much of Comstar’s immense military power 
  was spent in turning back the Clans and that Word of blake only 
  had access to a portion of what was left. Yet they’ve fielded 
  enough battleMechs, Warships and WMDs to invade new avalon, 
  nuke Tharkad and outreach, crush the northwind Highlanders 
  and Wolf’s Dragoons, infiltrate the free Worlds league, battle for 
  luthien, take over the Chaos March and drive off a massive force 
  of more than twenty Warships and ten divisions when Comstar 
  came to call on Terra. 
  It seems impossible. and yet here we are.
  but what if Word of blake didn’t develop all this military power 
  in the years since the schism? What if they developed all this mili-
  tary power in the future? and then, somehow, managed to send it 
  back in time, to use it when we were least prepared?
  The idea has a certain plausibility, I figure. Imagine the Inner 
  sphere a century in the future. The Word looks around and real-
  izes that the universe is not heading inevitably toward the blessed 
  blake’s vision after all. Instead, the successor states stubbornly 
  cling to their individuality, refusing the Word’s “enlightened 
  guidance.” and as much military power as the Wobbies had been 
  building up over the years, their prospective enemies have built 
  up even more.
  What’s a poor fundamentalist theocracy to do?
  Well, if their advanced research gave them a better understand-
  ing of the Kearny-fuchida fields than anyone else, they might have 
  learned how to send Jumpships—or Warships—into the past.
  and perhaps Word of blake decided to attack at a better 
  moment, a moment where their future military build-up would 
  give them an advantage over the rest of the Inner sphere and a 
  time when their “blessed blake’s” vision first started to go wrong: 
  the time of the so-called “Third Transfer.”
  and if you still can’t swallow all of this, then remember this little 
  detail: the vessel used to attack Tharkad was the lCs Invincible. 
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  050 / 051
  Right, the same Invincible that was lost in a jump accident back 
  in 2853. 
  now tell me, how does Word of blake happen to come across an 
  ancient Warship lost to history for nearly two centuries, if they didn’t 
  have an understanding of all the bizarre consequences of travel 
  through hyperspace and how to turn them to their advantage?
  ON SECOND THOUgHT…
  as if marauding Wobbies from the future weren’t scary enough, 
  here’s another thought to keep you awake long into the wee 
  hours of night. The Word always speaks of blake’s vision as if it 
  were a stone cold certainty. Most people probably chalk this up to 
  the rhetoric of religious fanaticism, but consider this: If the blakists 
  really are from the future, it may be that they are truly certain how 
  blake’s vision turns out. Because they’ve seen it.
  In one of those disturbing paradoxes that always seem to fol-
  low time travel theory around like a love-starved puppy, they may 
  have launched the Jihad precisely because they already know 
  how it will end.
  of course, if that’s true, this means that no matter what we do, 
  we cannot win.
  a CHaNgE OF HEarT
  The best friend I ever had was a man named Henry K.
  Henry was my chief engineer, the best I’d ever crewed with. 
  Give him a spanner wrench and a plasma cutter and he could fix 
  a rainy day. There was more than one time he held my jumpers 
  together with baling wire and crossed fingers.
  I needed him.
  one night we were sitting in my stateroom, getting loaded on 
  the worst whiskey you can imagine, waiting for our sail to charge. 
  I knew Henry better than anyone in my family, better than any 
  woman I’d ever taken for a lover. We’d been shipping out together 
  for a lot of years, always away from home, until the ship itself 
  became our home, and her crew our family.
  so Henry was like my brother.
  anyway, we were sitting there, getting juiced, and he’s telling 
  me about this clothing-optional cabaret on Canopus, and we’re 
  laughing so hard he can barely get the words out. I’m crying, I’m 
  laughing so hard. and then the laughter slowly bubbled away, and 
  we were quiet and it was one of those perfect, contented moments 
  that happens sometimes and reminds you that you’re blessed.
  and then he looked over at me and said softly, “You know, 
  __________, all I ever wanted to do was be an engineer on a ship. 
  I think I’ll stay here forever.”
  I swallowed past a lump in my throat. “as long as I’m captain, 
  Henry, you’ll always have a place.”
  It was one of the nicest moments of my life.
  except when we reached Taurus, he just jumped ship. no 
  explanation, no discussion, just cold words:  “__________, I don’t 
  want to ship out anymore. I’m retiring.”
  “Here?” I said, amazed. “aren’t you even going back to the 
  suns?”
  “Here,” he said firmly.
  It was a disaster. We needed him to keep the ship going. We 
  could have been marooned. but somehow we managed to hold it 
  together until we found another engineer. 
  but I never did understand why Henry changed so suddenly; it 
  was almost as if someone had flicked a switch in his mind.
  WHaT LIVES BETWEEN
  Ghost ships, appearing from the past to terrorize the living; or 
  future warriors, visiting genocide upon the people of the present, 
  are all horrifying enough. but there is another possibility, one so 
  monstrous that it keeps me awake at night.
  Just thinking about this makes me never want to make another 
  jump again.
  We have come to think of hyperspace as a conduit, a way from 
  here to there. and it is that. but we’ve never stopped to consider 
  what else it might be. Remember: hyperspace is another universe.
  and it’s entirely possible that someone—or something—
  actually lives there.
  and if strange beings do inhabit this alternate universe, they 
  have to be creatures born to a different physics, creatures that 
  dance to a different song. and I can’t help but wonder if they hate 
  us—we, who rip holes in the fabric of their reality and send our 
  ships streaking through them. How much damage might we be 
  causing on the other side of the inter-dimensional rift?
  It’s impossible to know for certain what such beings might be 
  capable of, but if monsters from another universe were invading 
  my sphere of existence, I’d choose to fight.
  but maybe they’d do something more subtle.
  Consider:
  The archon-Prince of the federated Commonwealth, Victor 
  steiner-Davion, bends all his power and resources to the task of 
  overthrowing his sister Katherine. and then just when he suc-
  ceeds, he yields control over the two halves of his realm, forever. 
  Incidentally leaving the federated suns and the lyran alliance 
  vulnerable when the Jihad begins.
  Precentor Martial anastasius focht proves himself to be an 
  able servant of the traditional Comstar, even negotiating with 
  the invading Clans on Primus Myndo Waterly’s behalf. and then, 
  suddenly, he turns away from blake’s vision, spearheading reforms 
  that ultimately cause the schism between Comstar and Word of 
  blake. Which, of course, leads us to the Jihad.
  Comstar replaces Captain-General Thomas Marik and ulti-
  mately aids the Word of blake’s assimilation of the free Worlds 
  league. Until, one day, he decides he’s had enough of that and 
  emerges as an opponent of the Word and a champion for what’s 
  left of the league. Which, naturally, throws the league further into 
  chaos and opens another front against Word of blake.
  starting to see a pattern here?
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  What do all these fateful about-face decisions have in common? 
  aside from the fact that they all played into the most destructive 
  conflict humankind has ever seen, they all happened after the 
  people involved had completed jumps through hyperspace.
  and maybe they were changed.
  Think about what this means. In the instant of translation, that 
  barest scratch of time when a Jumpship is in their universe, a man 
  sees all kinds of strange stuff. What if that’s the time when they can 
  reach inside a human mind and subtly twist it. The person comes 
  out on the other side as the same individual, but his goals and 
  beliefs are suddenly shifted, just enough to serve their purposes.
  Maybe enough to lead to the destruction of us all.
  We could be fighting a war here—one we don’t even 
  know about. one so big that, as bad as it is, the Jihad is only 
  a single battle.
  I shudder to think what comes next.
  and because I divined their purpose, because I know their 
  methods, could I be Public enemy number one? If I were to travel 
  through hyperspace again, would they sense me? Would they 
  reach out in that tiny nothingness between seconds and make me 
  not me?
  I just can’t take that chance.
  This is why I’m remaining here, safely hidden on a world whose 
  name I don’t think I’ll mention, with this universe solidly beneath 
  my feet. no more trips through the black for me. something lives 
  there, something that loves the darkness.
  and hates us.
  I don’t want to be that thing’s tool.  Would you?
  CHILDrEN OF THE VOID:
  a TOUCH OF WrONgNESS
  [The screen starts out black and then a picture appears. Everything 
  in the frame is white: the soft mat that covers the floor, the padded 
  walls, even the man in the picture’s center. He wears white pajama 
  bottoms and a white straitjacket, arms tied behind his back. He wears 
  no shoes or jewelry, of course, and sits sideways. He presses up against 
  the wall, as if he wants to reassure himself that it’s really there. His left 
  eye is closed, and his right eye is concealed by a dark blue patch—
  the only color in the shot besides the pale pink of his skin and the 
  brown arc of his receding hairline. The shot lingers on the patch for 
  a moment, as if inviting the viewer to imagine how deranged a man 
  would have to be to gouge out his own eye.]
  [glick]: “It’s wrong. Wrong, wrong, and some more wrong. 
  They just can’t see. no, can’t see. I. I can see. I can…” [Snorts.] “like 
  it does me any good. We’d all just rather close our eyes than see 
  the truth.” [Glick never opens his eye or turns his head during his 
  entire rant.]
  [Interviewer]: “You think they don’t believe you, Precentor?” 
  [The voice is distorted. Forensic analysis shows the masking was 
  added subsequent to the initial recording. This is not the voice Glick 
  heard, but it’s as much as you’re going to hear.]
  [glick]: “no, no. no. Problem isn’t that they don’t believe me. 
  Problem is that they do. If you see my meaning.”
  [Interviewer]: “What did you see that scared them so badly, 
  Precentor?”
  [Glick opens his good eye. It is a gorgeous color somewhere 
  between green and gold. The eye is so beautiful that the viewer can-
  not help but feel sorrow for its lost mate, sacrificed to the man’s pain 
  and madness. He shakes his head slowly at first, then vigorously.]
  [glick]: “I won’t go back there.”
  [Interviewer]: “You have to.”
  [glick]: “I won’t. There’s no looking back. no looking back, 
  understand? no looking back. This is not a place for looking back. 
  I’ve been in looking-back places before and this is not one.”
  [Interviewer]: “I know it’s frightening, Precentor. but tell me 
  what happened. Please.”
  [glick]: “It’s just that it’s so wrong. Don’t you see? There’s just 
  a touch of wrongness.” [Smacks his forehead against the padded 
  wall.] “Wrong. ness.”
  [Interviewer]: “The truth has the power to heal.” 
  MYSTERIES Of 
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  f f 
  Okay, so hyperspace is an infinite patch of strangeness, a uni-
  verse twisted into impossible geometries. Few regard a journey 
  outside time and space as pleasant. Even the briefest brush of 
  weirdness has its consequences. Roughly ninety-three percent of 
  travelers report mild discomfort. About eight percent suffer sick-
  ness. Half a percent experience occasional hallucinations.
  And a tiny fraction go mad, if our Mariner was any indication…
  But imagine what hyperspace would do to human beings over 
  prolonged exposure.
  Surely there exists no human agency so depraved, so cynical, 
  that they would bend something as twisted and unnatural as 
  hyperspace to their own profane uses.
  Oh yeah, that’s right. Forgot about Word of Blake.
  This alternative account of the mystery that is hyperspace comes 
  from the testimony of Precentor Christian Glick, an…uh…retired 
  agent of ComStar’s ROM. When one of my sources spoke with him, 
  he was dressed entirely in the white garb favored by his Order.
  Only these were the kind with sleeves that tie in the back.
  Glick wasn’t just off-balance. He was terrified. Broken. Insane. He 
  was boots-don’t-reach-all-the-way-to-the-jump-pedals CRAZY.
  Doesn’t make him wrong, though.
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  052 / 053
  [glick]: “Power to heal.” [Voice drips with contempt.] “Yeah. I’ll 
  look into it.“
  [Interviewer]: “There was a time when you served humanity. 
  now the people of the Inner sphere need you one more time. 
  They need the truth. I have searched long and risked much to find 
  you, Precentor. Won’t you tell us what you’ve seen?”
  [glick]: “look, if I scratch your back, you’ll scratch mine, does 
  that work for you? I’ll tell you all of it, but then there’s got to be 
  some serious back-scratching going on, oK?”
  [Interviewer]: “sure.”
  [glick]: “sure, sure, sure.”
  [Interviewer]: “It started when you stowed away.”
  [Glick closes his good eye. Laughs bitterly.] 
  [glick]: “Yes, so clever. Hid where none of them could find me. 
  so clever, me. smart and loyal and brave. Moron.” [He spits the word 
  out. Then he draws a deep, shuddery breath, like he’s trying to gather 
  himself.] “never saw it coming…” 
  STOWaWay
  so for months, “Good” RoM had been hearing whispers about 
  something. a very special something called Manei Domini. The 
  Master’s Hands. We didn’t know much, didn’t hear anything but 
  fragments, disjointed bits of rumor that didn’t make any sense. 
  but the rumors, they were persistent.
  and “Good” RoM began to wonder if some of them might be 
  true. someone had to find out. 
  Guess who they picked?
  …Her name was Unshakable Faith, a Merchant-class Jumpship 
  out of Procyon. To all appearances, she was a typical freighter 
  doing business in the March, but a careful search of recharging 
  station records turned up something interesting. 
  about one out of every five jumps, she failed to visit a nor-
  mal port of call. one second she would be above the pole of an 
  inhabited system and the next she wouldn’t, but she wouldn’t be 
  anywhere else, either. 
  after a while, “Good” RoM noticed. The first thought was: 
  secret base.
  so they stuffed me in an envelope, licked the stamp and mailed 
  me “Care of Word of blake secret base,” CoD. Wasn’t that clever of 
  them?
  Here’s the recipe in case you want to try this at home: one 
  shielded box, so no one can scan inside. one tamper-proof secu-
  rity system, so it will be obvious if the box is opened. an aI, wired 
  to a transceiver that’s (hopefully) tuned to the ship’s navigation 
  broadcast freq. and a deadly operative capable of killing a man a 
  hundred ways with his bare hands.
  and, oh yeah, about eighty micrograms of tetrodotoxin.
  ever try it? oh no, you couldn’t have. otherwise you’d have the 
  room next to mine.
  “Good” RoM told me tetrodotoxin—or TTX—comes down to 
  us all the way from ancient Terra where it had been used in certain 
  bizarre religious practices on a backwater island called Haiti. The 
  traditional users of TTX had another name for it. 
  They called it the Waking Death.
  TTX suppresses autonomic functions, blocking the sodium 
  ion channels that enable certain key electrical impulses. breath-
  ing becomes extremely shallow, heart rate slows. The victim loses 
  muscular control. You just lie there, staring up at a world you’re no 
  longer a part of. but it doesn’t stop your senses. or your mind. You 
  know everything. Feel everything.
  You just can’t do anything about it.
  “Good” RoM told me they gave me TTX so if the fanatics 
  opened the box all they would find was a dead man. You know, for 
  my own protection. sure. I couldn’t help noticing that they didn’t 
  tell me until after they’d given it to me. It sure made the conversa-
  tion shorter. and they didn’t even have to explain to me what I 
  could expect if I was discovered.
  sometimes I wonder whether they really are “Good” RoM.
  anyway, here’s the best part. When Faith reached epsilon eri-
  dani, the people who’d contracted to have this mysterious and 
  very valuable box delivered suddenly found that they didn’t quite 
  have sufficient funds to settle their bill. What do you think the 
  blakists did?
  You guessed it: they held the box pending further payment.
  Jumps two and three were to normal destinations.
  I got “lucky” on jump four.
  BECaLmED ON THE COCyTUS
  Jump klaxons sounded throughout Unshakable Faith. If I had 
  possessed even the slightest control over my body, I would have 
  screwed my eyes shut. but even that tiny comfort was denied me.
  Then it happened.
  for those who have never endured a jump, there’s no way to 
  describe it with words. Reality twists, bending itself along curves no 
  human eye can see. Time and space tear, a wound so horrible that it’s 
  impossible to believe it can ever be healed. for an infinitesimal frac-
  tion of a moment, you are everywhere—and nowhere—all at once.
  and then—if the nav computers have done their job right, and 
  if there is no fault in the star drive, and if no object exists at the 
  Jumpship’s arrival point to distort the emergence bubble as it 
  forms—then the business is successfully concluded and the vessel 
  arrives safely at its destination.
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  What follows, according to my source, is a composite transcript 
  verified against certain secret briefing documents identified by 
  Christian Glick. It has been summarized for clarity.
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  Reality comes back to itself, and all is right with the world 
  again.
  even the pain of a heaving gut and the sour taste of stomach 
  acid is a relief after the “wrongness” of hyperspace. This is what I 
  felt after the first three jumps aboard Faith.
  but not after number four.
  That time, space-time seemed to break apart and I found myself 
  screaming in my head, screaming in a body that could not make 
  a sound, not even something so small as a sigh. The fundamental 
  “wrongness” of hyperspace dragged on for a second.
  and then another.
  and another.
  only a few seconds, but the iron hegemony of time had been 
  broken in this unholy place, and three seconds might as well have 
  been forever.
  I felt a sharp prick in my left arm. The aI tied into the nav sys-
  tem was programmed to administer the TTX antidote when Faith 
  jumped to a system not listed in its registry of inhabited stars. 
  The terrible implication sank in, even as the drug began to take 
  effect. The aI had ID’ed a gravity well not on its list. Which meant 
  we were no longer in transition.
  We had arrived.
  but we were still in hyperspace.
  I felt the “wrongness” all around me, felt it in me. “Wrongness” 
  bound up in the very way of things here. suddenly I was reminded 
  of the river Cocytus, the River of Wailing, a course of black water 
  snaking its way through Hades, a place of lamentation and despair. 
  We were becalmed on the Cocytus. 
  The antidote flushed the TTX out of my system and slowly my 
  heart began to beat and my breath caught.
  I used my newfound freedom to shudder.
  THE NamELESS ONE
  still, I was RoM, and I had a mission.
  The box’s lid popped open with the hiss of equalizing pressure. 
  Then it slid away. My coffin was releasing me. 
  I reached over with a shaking hand and pressed a button on 
  the black bubble of plastic strapped to my left bicep. The device 
  ejected a wafer of silicon a centimeter square and a few millime-
  ters thick. I carefully slipped it into a sleeve and dropped it into my 
  pocket, then climbed out of my grave to go and find the Word of 
  blake.
  I had three tactical objectives: first, reach the Jumpship proper 
  and hide the chip with the base’s location, so it could be recovered 
  when Faith returned to normal space and was boarded. second, gain 
  any amplifying intel on the Zealots’ base and operations there.
  and third, stay alive.
  only problem was, it was nearly impossible to think of any of 
  these things while I was sick as a dog. Motion sickness happens 
  when the eye and the inner ear don’t agree; imagine what it’s like 
  when the eye doesn’t agree with the mind.
  Hyperspace is a universe of higher dimensions. as with our 
  universe, mass bends space and time, but not always in ways that 
  we humans expect.
  floating in hyperspace was like being in a reality reflected 
  through a funhouse mirror. everything shaped wrong—squat and 
  fat or long and thin. only here, it wasn’t an optical illusion. Here, 
  the mirrors were true—it was the objects themselves that were 
  distorted. The objects and the space they inhabited.
  I stumbled over invisible obstacles that blocked a seemingly 
  smooth, level deck. I placed my hand out to steady myself against 
  a bulkhead and felt nothing but yawning emptiness. but if the 
  ship had been twisted into a bizarre geometry, it was nothing 
  compared to what had been done to me. My body felt bloated 
  and huge, ready to burst, like a piece of rotting fruit. and then it 
  felt squeezed and twisted, wrung out like a washrag.
  slowly, I made my way through a troubling land.
  I drifted across an empty cargo deck a fraction the size it should 
  have been. an emergency diagram on a bulkhead was labeled 
  with the word, Mule. Had to get to Faith herself. Droppers could 
  be detached, so if I left the chip here, Comstar might never find it.
  I came to a space-tight hatch painted white, a distorted red 
  cross in its center. My grip tightened on the flechette gun in my 
  right hand while I pulled the rocker down. The hatch popped 
  open.
  I had expected to find myself in a small space with a single bed, 
  adequate sickbay space for the twenty-man crew of a Mule.
  Instead, I found the rest of the cargo deck. The cavernous 
  space had been partitioned into cells, each four meters by three. 
  S Of THE VOID
  i
  S O
  S
  first, Do no harm
  Minor reactions to hyperspace are as old as interstellar 
  travel. The stress on the human body caused by a jump is real, 
  but generally not harmful. The average patient will encounter a 
  variety of symptoms including: headaches, mild disorientation, 
  vertigo, nausea and diarrhea. In most cases no treatment is 
  required. In a few rare cases it may be necessary to prescribe 
  rest, hydration and a mild analgesic.
  There have been documented cases of heart arrhythmia 
  and even psychosis, but these are extremely rare. studies 
  have shown that 83 percent of those presenting with severe 
  symptoms are psychosomatic.6
  We are not advocating that the ship’s surgeon ignore the 
  possibility of an emergent condition, but it’s critical that the 
  small likelihood of such an occurrence be balanced against 
  other demands on his or her time. no matter how stressful 
  hyperspace is, no one is ever exposed to it for more than a 
  fraction of a second.
  — 6. Xu, Clark, et al, 3012
  — C.l. Rodriguez and R. Goldfarb, Handbook of Jump 
  Medicine (Eighth Ed.), New Avalon Institute of Science Press, 3027
  MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  054 / 055
  The cells were separated by free-standing walls, fashioned from 
  the same pale blue material that medical personnel often use for 
  scrubs. a cart loaded down with medical equipment rested at the 
  end of each cell.
  and each space had its own operating table.
  I realized the table nearest me was stained brick red with blood.
  “What the hell?” I whispered.
  That’s when I heard the clack of mag boots, followed by voices. 
  I remember them clearly.
  a woman was saying, “Supplication’s captain reports that he’s 
  nearly finished unloading the initiates—”
  a low, deep voice cut her off. “They are not yet initiates, Cap-
  tain,” it said, unmistakable in its menace. “They shall not be until 
  they pass the Rite of ascension.”
  “of course,” the woman said hastily. “I meant no disrespect.”
  I anchored myself and raised my weapon.
  “such distinctions may see trivial to you, Captain,” the deep 
  voice continued, “but I assure you they are not.”
  and just then they stepped into the open.
  There was a second. a second when I flashed on a woman in 
  her late thirties, pretty, shoulder-length ash-blonde hair, fair and 
  slim, dressed in navy blue coveralls. 
  beside her was a monster. Two meters tall and at least 200 
  kilos—all of it muscle. His pink skull was shaved clean and marked 
  with slate gray tattoos that curled into demonic shapes. The mon-
  ster was dressed all in white.
  In that second, there was just enough time for the woman’s 
  eyes to go wide. Just enough time for the monster’s mouth to pull 
  into a tight, predatory grin.
  and then I pulled my trigger.
  I was aiming at the woman’s right knee. I wanted her to live, 
  wanted her to talk, but I forgot where I was. 
  shards of deadly plastic swooped up and cut right through 
  her chest, walking a line of death across those navy coveralls and 
  then drifting across the monster’s chest. The gray blur of flechettes 
  walked past the monster’s body and, finding nothing to stop them, 
  curled around in an impossible loop and came back toward me.
  I dove for the deck and came back up, my weapon still in 
  hand.
  In a blur, I looked up in time to see the monster snatch my 
  pistol away from me and crush it in his bare hand. Crimson roses 
  bloomed in a neat row across his chest and all I could think was, 
  Why isn’t he dead?
  I managed to get a knife up. He was strong, but I was faster. I 
  stabbed low, below the ribs. The blade sliced through flesh and 
  then stopped with what sounded to me like a dull thunk.
  He just laughed. a moment later, he casually smashed me 
  against a bulkhead. The world grayed out.
  I looked up at his eyes, and he flashed me a cold, cruel grin. 
  “so, Comstar has sent you to spy on us,” he said. “surely, you must 
  have some questions.”
  I managed to choke out a strangled, “W-who?”
  “I am without name,” he intoned, as if he was prepared for 
  this speech from the moment I showed up, “for when I was made 
  there were none to give me a name. I was here when there was 
  naught but void. There was no lamashti, no azrael, no avitue, no 
  apollyon. I brought them forth! I named them.”
  His words sent a chill shivering down my spine. Those were 
  demonic names. for a second I actually wondered if the Word had 
  managed to call forth diabolical allies. “H-how?”
  a broad smile stretched across the monster’s face, and for the 
  first time I realized his teeth had been replaced by fangs fashioned 
  from stainless steel. “Come,” he said. “I will show you.”
  maNEI DOmINI
  I looked at the horrible operating tables stretched across the 
  deck of the Dropship. “W-what…?” I stopped, not really wanting 
  to know the answer. I drew a deep breath and tried again. “What’s 
  this for?”
  “This place is not meant for humans.” The monster’s voice was 
  soft. Reverent. “only the re-engineered have a chance to survive.”
  I don’t have words for the horror I felt as I understood what he 
  was telling me. Hyperspace was broken and wrong, but this was 
  worse.
  “You experiment on them,” I whispered.
  “We improve them,” he answered. “We supplement their 
  muscles with strands of myomer. add armor beneath their skin. 
  enhance their senses, so they can smell like a wolf, see like an eagle, 
  hear like a deer. We bless them with the powers of godlings—and 
  still that is not the limit of our gifts.”
  “What else?” I whispered, unable to imagine what could be 
  worse.
  “This realm is beautiful,” he said softly, “but it is a beauty alien 
  to your kind.”
  Your kind. like he was no longer human.
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  “…It’s gray, so gray. all gray and wrong. Wrong to look 
  at, evil, the abyss looking back. but somehow we can’t help 
  ourselves, even as I feel the madness uncurl in the back of my 
  mind. and then you see a black sphere, lights winking merrily 
  on its surface. and that’s the worst part. because it means—“ 
  [Sobs.] “It means, someone’s down there!” [Breaks into hysterical 
  weeping.]
  —Comstar secret archives. Interview with Demi-Precentor 
  [Redacted] after viewing Image ζ-24, Codeword: MaRIGolD. 
  all further access to ζ-24 forbidden due to high risk of 
  irreparable psychological damage. Refer all inquiries to 
  Precentor RoM.
  THE FIRST CIRCLE OF HELL
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  “The terrible randomness of the extra-dimensional universe 
  drives the human mind into itself,” he went on. “This place washes 
  all doubt from its adherents. Those who survive the trial cannot be 
  shaken from the blessed path.”
  Horror rose within me like a dark shadow. Just what the uni-
  verse needed: cyborg supermen who had been tortured until all 
  vestiges of humanity had been burned away, leaving only a core 
  of utter fanaticism.
  “Those who survive,” he said, “win the highest honor: to serve 
  as the Master’s hands, the Manei Domini.”
  I sifted through all the self-serving propaganda until I found 
  the one word he’d said that truly mattered. I looked up at him. 
  “What trial?”
  He flashed me a cold, stainless steel smile.
  aSCENSION
  It seems that for these “Manei Domini,” going to Hell is not 
  enough. Having your body violated is not enough. bending your 
  very mind to their purpose is not enough.
  They wish one thing more: the Rite of ascension.
  If one is to be the very hands of the Master (whoever he is), one 
  can be nothing else but the best. The nameless one provided the 
  same means with which Word of blake always resolves its disputes: 
  violence and deception.
  WITNESS TO maDNESS
  He brought me to the Faith’s bridge, but what I saw on the 
  main holotable nearly crashed my mind.
  a stone of onyx set adrift on the shimmering gray sea of 
  insanity. 
  somehow, I recognized it as a world.
  I don’t know how long I stood there, but it was sudden, 
  brutal violence that jerked me awake. I don’t remember the 
  blow, but I awoke to its effects. My body smashed into the 
  bulkhead; I spat out a broken tooth.
  “Good morning, sunshine,” said the monster gleefully.
  I glanced back at the thing staring at me from the holotank 
  and almost lost myself all over again. Would have lost myself if 
  my captor hadn’t blanked the image.
  “What is it?” I whispered.
  “The echo of a star.” He nodded at the now-inert holotank. 
  “That one is sirius. even now you feel the disturbing touch of 
  its gravity rippling through your body as we orbit.”
  I swallowed in a dry mouth. I had seen lights on the black 
  world. I was sure of it. “but I saw—”
  “Yes,” he said. “We inhabit stars the way others inhabit 
  planets. We are Manei Domini.”
  “still,” I said lamely. “Must be dangerous.”
  “We are prepared for all eventualities.”
  My gaze followed his to the helm station, a long console 
  that controlled Faith’s maneuvering thrusters, integrated nav 
  data and sheltered the jump controls. a grim-faced woman 
  with skin the color of cedar and close-cropped raven hair sat there, 
  her hand hovering over a red button shielded by a spring-loaded 
  plastic cover. They were at emergency jump stations. 
  We were the press of a button from normal space-time.
  I looked up and realized the monster was watching me with 
  glittering eyes. He flashed me a stainless steel smile. Tempting me. 
  Daring me.
  I drew a deep breath and anchored myself.
  “You have a rare opportunity,” he said coldly. “To witness the 
  birth of Manei Domini.”
  a new image appeared on the screen. This time it was a 
  group of men and women standing in a circle. They wore skin-
  hugging shorts and tees the color of blood. and something else: 
  Gauntlets.
  They all looked up at a sphere that hovered above them, their 
  guide star on the journey into madness.
  “The sphere can be moved by the electromagnets in their 
  gauntlets,” the monster explained. “Its terrible gravity wielded 
  like a blade.” 
  as I watched, a buzzer sounded and a woman, quicker than the 
  rest, aimed her gauntlet at the sphere. Drawing it down.
  and suddenly something was sweeping through the arena, 
  like a fine crack in ferroglass, a seam in reality itself. This thread of 
  strangeness cut right through one of the men. His body twisted 
  and bent to accommodate it. Reformed around it.
  suddenly there were two of him. or at least two complete 
  halves of him.
  The line had caught him high in the chest. Half of him was 
  arms and head and the other half was torso and waist, legs still 
  kicking. Yet somehow the bubble in reality had closed the wound. 
  f THE VOID
  i
  f THE
  f
  [TSENg]: “The key to predicting behavior in an 
  n-dimensional space where n > 4 is understanding that 
  physical laws still apply in higher dimensions but their effects 
  will be expressed through a geometry markedly more complex 
  than our own. as with conventional space-time, mass will warp 
  the fabric of reality, but not in any way that is intuitive to the 
  human mind.”
  [aNDrEWS]: “Have you modeled possible geometries for 
  various n-spaces?”
  [TSENg]: “no. Without a better understanding of the nature 
  of higher-dimension universes, such an effort would have no 
  practical application.”
  —Question and answer period following presentation: 
  “Properties of non-Compactified Higher Dimensional 
  Constructs,” Kimberly Tseng, Ph.D., free Worlds Technical 
  Institute, 12 December 3059
  INDETERMINATE GEOMETRY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  056 / 057
  The dying man wasn’t bleeding. His organs and bones weren’t on 
  display for everyone to see; the terrible wave had actually remade 
  him. The point where’d he’d been bifurcated was covered with 
  smooth, tanned skin.
  and right then I knew what I had to do.
  as the monster, lost in his moment, leaned toward the screen, I 
  launched myself toward the helm station.
  The nameless one was around in a second. The beam of his 
  laser crackled as it passed just over my left ear. He missed by a mil-
  limeter, but only because I hadn’t aimed for the emergency jump 
  controls as he probably expected. 
  My target was the thrusters.
  I hit the controls and suddenly Faith lurched forward, toward 
  the black world and its terrible gravity. a transparent sphere grew 
  on the bridge, like a child blowing up a soap bubble. It cut into the 
  helmsman next to me, breaking her into a dozen different parts.
  It barely kissed the monster, touching his hands. His face.
  but it was enough.
  His right hand floated off, smooth skin stretching across the 
  stump where the wrist had been, orbiting him like a little moon. 
  His left arm had been severed at the elbow. It reappeared, some-
  how growing out of his belly.
  His face appeared normal—except for the smooth expanse of 
  skin over the place where his mouth had been. His mouth reap-
  peared below the new arm.
  and I could hear it screaming.
  It was only then that I reached up, flipped up the plastic cover 
  and hit the red button. The last thing I remembered was the des-
  perate wail of emergency jump klaxons.
  aND SO, yOU SEE, IT’S aLL COmE TO THIS
  [Glick slumps forward. A dark vee marks the front of his white 
  scrubs. His hair is stringy with sweat, his eyes are dark and sunken 
  in a pale face. As if telling his tale has taken something out of him. 
  Something vital.]
  [Interviewer]: “It’s a good story.”
  [glick]: [whispers]  “but?”
  [Interviewer]: “I’m just not sure if I can believe you.”
  [glick]: “You promised there would be some scratching of 
  backs.”
  [Interviewer]: [hesitates]  “What do you want?”
  [glick]: [strains against the straitjacket]: “It has been a year since 
  I could use my hands. Half in darkness, half out. all of it in Hell.”
  [Interviewer says nothing.]
  [glick]: [faces the camera straight on, back against the wall] “You 
  think I’ll hurt myself, but you’re wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong!”
  [Silence]
  [glick]: “You promised.”
  [The interviewer sighs. A pair of hands reaches forward and cuts 
  the sleeves free. He quickly rips the jacket off, revealing a sunken chest. 
  He draws a shuddery breath.]
  [Interviewer]: “Just for a moment.”
  [Glick laughs. It is a strange and unsettling sound.]
  [glick]: “You have it all wrong, friend…”
  [He reaches for the eye patch and pulls it away, revealing a smooth 
  patch of skin where an empty socket should be. The interviewer 
  gasps. Then Glick slowly turns, revealing a beautiful green-gold eye 
  embedded in his back. The eye looks up into the camera… And then 
  it blinks.]
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  The vidclip is only a few seconds long, but it’s set to loop, 
  so you watch it over and over again. not much to see, really. 
  according to the legend at the bottom of the screen, the shot 
  was taken more than 600 million kilometers from the system 
  primary, which has shrunk to a yellow chip of light in the frame’s 
  upper right-hand corner. The object’s barely illuminated by the 
  distant sun and it’s hard to tell what it is. or rather, what it was. 
  because now all it is, is junk, twisted and broken.
  and for a long moment you think that’s going to be all you’ll 
  be able to say. Until it tumbles around and you see the distinc-
  tive rounded bridge of a Jumpship. 
  and you think maybe you can make some lettering out: 
  “nsHaK”
  but that’s all.
  —Comstar secret archives, Codeword: MaRIGolD. Refer all 
  inquires to Precentor RoM.
  SHIPWRECK
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  Despite being part of humankind’s common knowledge since 
  the early days of space travel, hyperspace remains one of the 
  greatest mysteries in the Classic BattleTech universe. since the first 
  Jumpships flew to the present, thousands—perhaps even tens 
  of thousands—of vessels, their passengers and their crews have 
  vanished into the void of hyperspace, their fates unknown. and 
  the profound effects of hyperspace travel on the human psyche—
  also known since the days of the first Jumpships—have led many 
  to wonder about the nature of hyperspace, whether it is inhabited 
  by intelligence alien to humans, or by the ghosts of misjumped 
  crews. Could humanity truly survive the weirdness of hyperspace 
  for extended periods, and what would such an environment be 
  like? The Mariner’s Tale and the Void Children are just two possi-
  bilities gamemasters and players may explore when dealing with 
  these mysteries of hyperspace.
  mISJUmPS
  In normal Classic BattleTech game play, a misjumped ship is 
  considered destroyed, having failed to emerge at its intended 
  destination. In role-playing circumstances, this could mean the 
  ship has simply arrived off-course, either at a wrong planet, far 
  from the jump point in the intended system, or even deep in inter-
  stellar space. If the drive (and the ship!) has not been destroyed 
  in the bargain and a second jump is possible, the ship and crew 
  may reach its destination, only at a later time, none the worse for 
  wear.
  The Mariner’s Tale opens up three additional possibilities, 
  however, that players and gamemasters may attempt to employ 
  in their own battleTech campaigns:
  Delayed arrival: The first new misjump effect brings a ship 
  from the past to its intended destination at some point in time 
  far later than intended. ships undergoing this kind of arrival may 
  emerge anywhere from hours to centuries after they initiated 
  their last jump, experiencing nothing more alarming to them than 
  some strange “hyperspace turbulence” en route. In game play, the 
  players’ ship and crew may encounter a delayed-jump misjump 
  at almost any time, and if the arriving ship is from a particularly 
  distant period in the past (such as the time of the first star league 
  versus the Clan Invasion), the game could revolve around dealing 
  with a crew lost in what to them is a frightening new future. (of 
  course, given the lost technologies of the past, star league-era 
  ships arriving in the present day would almost certainly become 
  prizes to fight over.)
  Future Shock: a second—and decidedly rare—new misjump 
  possibility fetches a ship from some point in the future (again, 
  within a range of hours to centuries) and hurls it back into the past. 
  In the Classic BattleTech universe, no documented and verified 
  evidence exists that such a misjump has ever occurred, however, 
  and most luminaries in the universe would likely laugh off claims 
  to the contrary. Particularly daring gamemasters may still wish 
  to explore the possibility of receiving a “visitor from the future,” 
  or—conversely—sending their Jihad-era characters back to the 
  distant past, like the dawn of the second succession War.
  Denizens of Hyperspace: The third potential new conse-
  quence of a misjump can be as subtle as it is terrifying; an alien 
  intellect, native to the other-dimensional realms of hyperspace, 
  may touch the minds of one or more crewmen on the misjumping 
  vessel, altering the character’s belief system or perhaps possessing 
  his mind wholesale. The nature of such changes and possessions 
  may range wildly, from a sudden new fear of jumping to a terrify-
  ing berserker frenzy aimed at destroying the ship and all hands 
  aboard—including the victim. affected crewmen may not even 
  be aware of the change when it manifests itself, though their col-
  leagues may quickly notice their unusual behavior.
  any (or all) of these new possibilities may be combined with 
  more traditional results of a jump accident, such as material dam-
  age to the jumping vessel or death to a portion of the crew.
  Gamemasters have many opportunities to use time-traveling 
  Jumpships to set up intriguing historical juxtapositions. for 
  example, what would happen if a lost slDf Jumpship were to 
  reappear in the midst of a naval battle between Clan Jade falcon 
  and the lyran alliance? Would the slDf fight alongside their 
  descendants, or would they side with one of the very successor 
  states whose irresponsibility drove them out of the Inner sphere 
  in the first place? How would Clan forces react if soldiers of the 
  fabled star league reacted with horror at news of their eugenics 
  program? Would a lost Jumpship from the Davion navy appear-
  ing in the middle of the fedCom Civil War side with Victor or 
  Katherine? Would forces from a bygone era of the free Worlds 
  league follow the false Thomas Marik? What would samurai from 
  House Kurita’s past make of the new, liberal Draconis Combine?
  only the enterprising gamemaster can say for sure.
  In addition, misjumps are an opportunity to mix technology 
  from different eras. How would Clan forces fare against slDf regu-
  lars? How would battleMechs equipped with MasC or gauss rifles 
  or double heat sinks influence a key battle in one of the earlier 
  succession Wars? Perhaps key technology introduced at just the 
  right moment would allow House Kurita to finally take Hesperus II, 
  or allow Hanse Davion to rip apart the Combine in 3039.
  finally, characters may emerge from a jump with their abilities 
  and skills intact—but their values and objectives subtly shifted. 
  Imagine a mercenary commander whose right flank suddenly 
  goes rogue in the middle of a battle, a member of House Davion 
  who suddenly finds himself on the path of blake, or a loyal DCMs 
  officer who suddenly sees the wisdom of the black Dragons.
  a jump accident offers tremendous opportunity for game-
  masters to throw a monkey wrench in the works, to insert a little 
  randomness in a nice, orderly battle plan.
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/08: MYSTERIES OF THE VOID 
   
  058 / 059
  THE “VOID CHILDrEN”
  The nature of hyperspace is unknown to the denizens of the 
  battleTech universe, as no one ever experiences the realities of this 
  alternate dimension for longer than the seconds it takes to transit 
  through a jump. Thus, actually “living” in hyperspace—assuming it 
  is even possible—is unknown. Indeed, the laws of time, space and 
  physics may not apply as we know them within the void of hyper-
  space. Players and gamemasters interested in exploring this ultimate 
  frontier can conceive of almost any kind of adventure, where wholly 
  different rules may apply as determined by the gamemaster.
  That the Word of blake is building an army of fanatical super-
  men called the Manei Domini is widely known today, but where 
  these creatures came from and the reasons for their extensive 
  modifications are a source for much debate. The “Void Children” 
  theory presented here suggests that the Word has tapped into the 
  dangerous and unpredictable nature of hyperspace, not only as 
  a place to hide its darkest secrets, but also as a means to hone 
  the Master’s Hands in an environment so hostile, so alien, that the 
  only way to survive it is to transform oneself into a hybrid of tech-
  nology and humanity.
  In a game that incorporates the Void Children, only the 
  cybernetics-enhanced Manei Domini have the modifications 
  necessary to survive in hyperspace for extended periods of 
  time. These modifications enable them to go so far as to inhabit 
  the hyperspatial counterparts of the stars themselves (which 
  underscores the sheer counter-intuitiveness of hyperspace 
  reality). How they accomplish the act of entering and staying in 
  hyperspace is just one of the mysteries gamemasters may wish 
  to explore. Meanwhile, non-modified humans exposed to this 
  realm for more than a few seconds may gradually go mad by 
  simply trying to make sense of the twisting layers of surrealism 
  that surround them. almost nothing may be what it seems in 
  hyperspace, but only the Manei Domini Void Children know for 
  sure.
  Player characters may find themselves exposed to the Void 
  Children in any situation where they encounter the Master’s 
  Hands, and may be pulled into their mind-shattering non-reality 
  (or pursue their quarry into it) at any time. once there, however, 
  death at the hands of the fanatical Manei Domini may not be the 
  worst fate of all.
  MYSTERIES Of THE VOID
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 505)
  SECURITY lEVEl GRANITE (SCANNING SIGMA)
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section09: THE ANCIENTS
  THE ANCIENTS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/09: THE ANCIENTS 
   
  060 / 061
  From: Potts, D. Jennette [LT, D93]
  Sent: Monday, August 10, 3068 8:27 AM
  To: Sharma, K. [CDR, D93]
  Subject: FW: Re: Ancients Kidnapped My Brother
  Mr. K,
  Im fwding mail from a nutter who might have something. 
  I think he’s found some readymade allies sitting in the Ter-
  ran System. These Belters didnt like Comstar and probbly 
  really dislike WoB plus they dont seem closely watched by 
  the Branch of Terran Affairs. Ignore his babbling about gen-
  gineered immortals who kidnapped his brother. The meat is 
  the FWL Stellar Geographic file. I couldnt get an original copy 
  because of the HPG craziness so Im fwding this to you.
  Jenny
  ---
  > From: kagamepa.belladonnamail.srv
  > Sent: Friday, July 31, 3068 11:27 PM
  > To: Potts, D. Jennette
  > Subject: Re: Ancients Kidnapped My Brother
  >
  > Agent Potts,
  > 
  > I think we have a misunderstanding. My brother Pierre and I 
  are not FWL citizens. We are naturalized subjects of the Fed-
  erated Suns. Pierre did have a job with the FWL publication 
  Stellar Geographic, but is a loyal son of the Suns.
  > 
  > I’m contacting you because he stumbled onto something 
  in the Terran system. Stellar Geographic sent him as a writer 
  when Focht opened the system. Pierre did this last report 
  on the inhabitants of Terra’s asteroids and said he was onto 
  something big, some medical miracles the “Belters” had. He 
  disappeared a week before that report was due. I have his cor-
  respondence. He told me he received intimidating messages 
  to drop his investigations into Belter medicine, but was doing 
  one more interview with one Belter doctor supposedly more 
  than two hundred years old.
  > 
  > My family put together the money to send me to Terra when 
  Pierre was reported missing. The Belter police and BOTA 
  seemed helpful, but some conspiracy (yes, I said the “c” 
  word) was blocking the police. Security vids went missing, 
  officers were taken off the case, superiors started discourag-
  ing officers. When I hired private investigators and tried to 
  interview some of Pierre’s contacts, I got threatening mes-
  sages, too.
  > 
  > I finally found the doctor whom Pierre tried to interview. 
  The doctor told me that with a complete mastery of human 
  DNA, the Belters had figured out “centuries ago” how to 
  prevent aging. Because that discovery was so disruptive, 
  they hid it, and only a few Belters now get the treatment. 
  The modern recipients would kill to keep the secret. I met 
  the doctor a second time in a public area of Metis, but they 
  killed him anyway. I was rescued by WoB. A group of Robes 
  had come to throw me and other foreigners out of the Ter-
  ran system the second time I met Doc Otis. They didn’t 
  even know someone had been shooting a laser into a public 
  park, but I didn’t care. Whoever it was stopped shooting 
  when the Robes came in. I let them throw me out of the 
  Terran system.
  > 
  > The Federated Suns police gave up the investigation two 
  years ago and since then I’ve been trying other means, like 
  you. Can MIIO get into the Terran system and investigate 
  Pierre’s disappearance? He was a loyal, taxpaying son of the 
  Suns who doesn’t deserve this.
  > 
  > I’ve attached two files. One is Pierre’s article on the Terran 
  Belters and another is a letter about his unpublished article 
  on Belter medicine. Maybe they’ll help.
  > 
  > Respectfully,
  > Paul Kagame
  > kagamepa.belladonnamail.srv
  THE ANCIENTS
  for those of you overwhelmed by tales of lost worlds, sur-
  vivors of amaris’ Republic and creatures living in hyperspace, 
  how about something closer to home? say, Terra-close? How 
  often do you think of the belters (or, as some call them, the 
  ancients)? I thought not. funny how some of the stranger soci-
  eties today can hide in plain view like this, huh?
  Now, whether they’re a threat or not is entirely for you to 
  decide…
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section09: THE ANCIENTS
  THE BELTErS
  —Pierre Kagame, from Stellar Geographic (July 3057 edition)
  I’ve been through the wonders of the Terran system these past 
  few years, and I hope I’ve given you an intriguing look into Terra 
  (Terra, Terra and more Terra), Mars, Venus, Titan and even Mercu-
  ry’s Hermes Industrial Complex (Home of the fighting HiCkies, the 
  best ice hockey team in the system). but by far my most intrigu-
  ing encounter came when I was poking around luna’s armstrong 
  City. There, I bumped into a Dropship pilot at a bar, who made me 
  realize there might be a few more fascinating stories left to tell.
  apparently, there’s an entire region existing mostly below 
  Comstar’s radar: Terra’s asteroid belt.
  EarLy HISTOry
  With the early twenty-first century introduction of fusion rock-
  ets, the Western alliance opened the solar system to widespread 
  exploitation. By 2031, a group of North American and European 
  investors encouraged the Western alliance to settle the asteroid 
  belt, where mountains of nearly pure metal tumbled aimlessly 
  through space. The first colony, a possession of the ancient United 
  states of america (Usa), was established on one of the largest 
  “Main belt” asteroids, Metis. Metis proved to be the naked core of 
  a large, primordial asteroid that had lost its mantle in a titanic col-
  lision. This 200-kilometer lump of nickel-iron held more metal in it 
  than the Inner sphere could use in ten thousand years. To the Ter-
  rans, who were quickly chewing through the last of their natural 
  resources, Metis seemed like a godsend. and it wasn’t alone.
  for a glorious century, Terra’s “belt” became the new industrial 
  heartland of humanity. boundless resources fed Terran industries 
  while the zero-G environment led to breakthroughs in dense 
  materials—factors that allowed fusion engines to shrink steadily. 
  Zero-G factory experience in the belt also allowed vast, rapid cost 
  reductions in casting Kearny-Fuchida drive coils during the 2100s.
  but the belt became a victim of its own success: improving 
  fusion rockets and less expensive K-f drives brought mines on 
  habitable planets closer to Terra than ever, and those mines were 
  always cheaper to operate than the zero-G, hostile environment 
  of asteroids. by 2200, the belt was in a steep economic decline. 
  It would take three centuries for domestic growth in the belt to 
  replace the loss of “foreign” business.
  This was the first of several “rejections” by Mother earth that 
  led the belters into isolationism. Though belters won’t admit that 
  such ancient events affect them today, their archaic culture, insu-
  larity and (in some cases) outright xenophobia seem to stem from 
  being repeatedly spurned by the rest of humankind following 
  such a glorious start. 
  Refugee groups fleeing Terran alliance oppression at home 
  reinforced this belter isolationism in the 2200s. Many refugees to 
  the belt were those who simply couldn’t afford Jumpship tickets, 
  but the belters’ “traditional” politics drew in many others. The belt 
  had been developed by just a few Western alliance nation-states, 
  whose colonists settled their asteroids pumped full of propa-
  ganda about national pioneering spirits, the high frontier and all 
  the usual colonial psychological engineering. This situation cre-
  ated populations that stayed truer to their founding nations than 
  many of the nation-states themselves. as Terra itself grew more 
  cosmopolitan and culturally diluted, the belt claimed some allure 
  for its “untainted” expatriate cultures.
  but while “old belters” looked askance at the new colonists and 
  their escapist politics, the new blood also brought new money 
  and a new labor pool that enabled belters to climb beyond “zero-
  G cavemen” to their current spinning habitats, which are today 
  among the largest structures ever built by humans. The new 
  industrial self-sufficiency and dramatically improved standards of 
  living more than made up for any differences between oldsters 
  and newcomers.
  THE BELT aND THE TErraN HEgEmONy
  James McKenna’s military coup in 2316 and his apparent dic-
  tatorship over Terra essentially ended most belters’ interest in 
  outside ties beyond what was necessary for their survival. by the 
  2330s, said survival mandated the Belt’s acceptance of Hegemony 
  governors, but these governors learned (generally via civil pro-
  test) that the best policy toward the belters was to leave them 
  alone. The belters, in turn, played along with the image that the 
  Hegemony ruled them.
  That laissez faire attitude continued throughout the star league 
  period; belters only drew notice when the region had something 
  to offer the military, or fostered Hegemony independence from 
  foreign natural resources. 
  Their own resource independence ultimately brought belters a 
  brush with infamy. one of first lord simon Cameron’s inner circle, 
  a jaded dilettante of no note, sought a thrill beyond the Riviera 
  Circuit and found the belt. afterward, he talked lord simon into 
  visiting the exotic area. lord simon’s opinion of the belt as a 
  resort was not recorded, but he did find something even more 
  fascinating there: the belt’s vast mineral riches. no doubt Terra’s 
  asteroid belt (like those of many other systems) was filled with 
  bountiful resources, but the delicate environments made them 
  too expensive to mine. nevertheless, since the Terran Hegemony 
  was importing resources from the depths of the Periphery, lord 
  Cameron hoped asteroid mining might prove viable after all.
  simon Cameron proceeded slowly with belt mining, to reduce 
  the shock to the Star League’s sensitive mid-28th century economy, 
  but never lost interest in plans for a massive expansion. feasibility 
  studies had progressed to pilot mining operations when the first 
  lord went on his fateful tour of the Inner sphere.
  according to belter lore, the first lord visited a Rim Worlds 
  asteroid mining operation that was making innovative use of 
  robotics. There, the belters maintained, a Rim Worlds mining 
  company conspired with a Hegemony import firm to sabotage 
  a mining robot. The intent was to discredit asteroid mining in 
  THE ANCIENTS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/09: THE ANCIENTS 
   
  062 / 063
  general with the berserker robot, hopefully derailing Terran 
  asteroid mining projects into the bargain. The belters have no 
  doubt this conspiracy existed, but many still argue whether 
  it actually intended to kill the first lord, or if that was an unin-
  tended side effect caused by last-minute changes in his tour 
  schedule. either way, the effort worked. before the belt could 
  repair the tarnished reputation of their industry, stefan amaris 
  launched his military coup. 
  THE BELT aND THE FaLL OF THE STar LEagUE
  In the effort to escape amaris’ attention, isolationism once again 
  became a paramount concern throughout the belt. Unfortunately, 
  the belters of the Trojans (which possessed major shipyards) were 
  subject to brutal occupation by Rim Worlds troops. Caspar drone 
  ships ravaged Trojan belter spacecraft during unannounced “travel 
  curfews,” and whole colonies were destroyed for even minor resis-
  tance. after the liberation, the emigration of Trojan belters became 
  the primary source of Kuiper belt and oort Cloud settlers. 
  Comstar’s rise would eventually replace the belt’s Terran 
  Hegemony government, but in the period between administra-
  tions, the belters used their short-lived independence to address 
  the psychological trauma of the amaris occupation. They raised 
  militias comprised of extremely capable fighter wings, and placed 
  heavy defensive weaponry around major habitats all across the 
  Terran system.
  accordingly, Comstar took a very light hand toward belt 
  administration. Indeed, in only one key area was Comstar willing 
  to risk the expense and bloodshed of angering the belters: main-
  taining Terra’s isolationism. The branch of Terran affairs (boTa) 
  was given the dubious honor of containing belter foreign trade 
  and keeping the home system sealed. because boTa was even 
  more light-handed than the Hegemony, and because of the hor-
  rific bloodshed of the succession Wars, the belters accepted boTa 
  governors and isolationist policies.
  THE BELT, THE SUCCESSION WarS, aND TODay
  Having already spent nearly six centuries turned inward, the 
  belters easily maintained several more centuries of effective iso-
  lationism during the insanity of the succession Wars. left to their 
  own devices, the belt’s population and industrial capabilities 
  reached the point where self-sustaining internal development 
  became possible, ushering in a renaissance that continues to this 
  day. Despite their origins, the belters gradually lost interest in all 
  foreign trade during this period, largely because exports could 
  only bring a fraction of the wealth generated by the belters’ own 
  growing population.
  like Terra (and unlike most of humanity), the belt did not suffer 
  from the loss of technology during the succession Wars. admit-
  tedly, their loss of access to the vast Terran Hegemony university 
  system and industrial base (both devastated by the “atomic infec-
  tions” of the 2800s) substantially slowed Belter progress in this 
  area, but by the standards of the rest of the Inner sphere, the belt 
  remained marvelously well advanced.
  Today, the thoroughly insular belt has refused the invitations 
  of Precentor Martial focht to open wider contacts with Comstar 
  and the rest of the Inner sphere, but a small minority seems genu-
  inely interested in the affairs of worlds beyond their terrestrial 
  neighbors. Perhaps in the coming decades the people of the belt 
  will awaken to the possibilities for trade offered by its minerals, 
  shipyards and medical industry.
  BELTErS: WHErE aND WHO arE THEy?
  The belters are a scattered lot. Despite their collective name, 
  they are not strictly limited to the Terran system’s main asteroid 
  belt, though about a billion of these spacer-like frontiersmen 
  reside among these rocks. The other belters are more widely 
  spread throughout the solar system, with each family seeking 
  its own perfect homestead in space around sol. according to 
  Marv (my local guide), several hundred million belters also group 
  THE ANCIENTS
  “5000 channels of Terran brainwashing or 
  50 channels of crap from Metis.”
  This statement, which even today sums 
  up belter opinion of their entertainment 
  options, also identifies the current reason 
  why the average belter has little respect 
  for Comstar. light-speed lags prohibit 
  belters from large interactive computer 
  networks, so the belters are more stuck 
  with one-way broadcast entertainment 
  than the average Inner sphere planet.
  Initially, the belters were politely neu-
  tral toward blake’s Word, but wouldn’t 
  adopt it. Key portions of blake’s philosophy 
  entailed restricting the production and 
  maintenance of technology to a techno-
  theological elite, while life as a belter 
  required most of the population to have 
  extensive technological knowledge. This 
  cultural disconnect evolved to an outright 
  dislike of Comstar’s philosophy when the 
  order’s proselytizing missions grew more 
  heavy-handed.
  This distaste has been continually 
  refreshed down the years because Com-
  star, prime editor of Terran entertainment 
  programming for two and a half centuries, 
  ceased being subtle with their propa-
  ganda after a couple of generations…and 
  Terra was the primary source of broadcast 
  entertainment programming in the Terran 
  system, including for the belt. belters are 
  endlessly vexed by parables of blake in 
  Terran action-adventure and soap opera 
  vids. (neither can they escape it, as the 
  domestic belt entertainment industry 
  cannot compete with big-budget Terran 
  studios.)
  DECISIONS, DECISIONS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section09: THE ANCIENTS
  together in the Trojan and spartan asteroid clusters (collectively 
  called “the Trojans”), which lie in the solar la Grange points that 
  lead and trail Jupiter’s orbit (sol V, a gas giant). about a hundred 
  million more belters reside in the Kuiper belt, while perhaps 
  another ten to fifty million homestead the oort Cloud.
  I suppose it says something about Comstar’s inattentiveness 
  that Marv’s population figures startled my Comstar escort (“I 
  thought there were only about fifty million belters!”) and ignited a 
  snit between Terra and Metis.
  as readers might note, other space-dwelling groups exist 
  throughout the Inner sphere and Clan space, so one might wonder 
  if the “belter” label applies to them. but while some of the Terran 
  belters say so, others are strict in applying the term solely to those 
  hailing directly from the Terran asteroid belts (this includes even 
  the “slowboat” colonies of Columbia and Terrelibre). 
  Belter Habitats
  Habs, homesteads, steads, townships, warrens, cities—belters 
  have many names for their communities, some of which I’ve 
  deciphered. “Habitat” refers to any place where belters live. “Town-
  ships” and “cities” refer to larger habitats or groups of habitats in 
  close proximity. The other terms seem to shift meaning based on 
  context.
  The smallest, youngest and poorest are milli-G systems of tun-
  nels (called “warrens”) hewn into the primordial rock of asteroids. 
  Warrens are dug out by families, clans and belter companies seek-
  ing new real estate or wealth. Much of the belter economic boom 
  comes from their own real estate and industrial speculation, and 
  the little pioneering habitats (“homesteads” or “’steads”) that fol-
  low represent the cutting edge of that boom.
  older or wealthier habitats quickly construct rotating struc-
  tures to provide a healthy 1G environment for as many of their 
  facilities as possible. The most common form of this uses rings of 
  railroads, where habitat trains race in endless circles. such tracks 
  are invariably buried in tunnels of concrete and heaped regolith 
  to protect them from debris and radiation, and more cars can be 
  added as the population grows.
  for most of the largest habitats, giant rings (“stanford toroids”) 
  or stacks of rings (“crystal palaces”) rotate within huge tunnel sys-
  tems, sometimes encircling the waist of smaller asteroids. These 
  larger townships and cities always have sizable parklands in their 
  upper decks, and the quality of such parks is often a point of civic 
  pride. (sales of well-sculpted parkland may cost tens of millions of 
  C-bills per hectare, virtually paying the entire habitat’s construc-
  tion bill.) 
  Belter Travel
  Compared to their habitats, belter transports seem mun-
  dane and mostly fall into three categories: foot, light rail and 
  spacecraft.
  spacecraft travel between belter habitats uses the normal fare 
  of Dropships and small craft, and as a lot of habitats are scattered 
  around a lot of locations, the belters probably have one of the larg-
  est aerospace industries of any single “world” in the Inner sphere. 
  Though their domestic demands leave little room for export, if 
  you’re looking for a spheroid Dropship or small craft, you can’t 
  find a more dependable vessel than a belter-made ship. You prob-
  ably won’t find better space pilots than belters, either—though 
  one belter small craft salesman confided to me that you probably 
  don’t want to make a belter pilot or his ship try anything too fancy 
  in an atmosphere.
  as an isolationist bunch, one might think belters have little use 
  for Jumpships, but the vessels they typically build in the Trojans 
  put the lie to that impression. Jumpships are seen not only as a 
  tool of foreign commerce, but a vital lifeline to those belters who 
  live in the oort Cloud, where their habitats lie scattered across a 
  sphere whose outer diameter is more than two light-years wide. 
  The belters thus maintain a “public transit system” of Jumpships 
  that visit clusters of these far-flung homesteads on a monthly to 
  annual basis, and rely on such vessels to cut down in-system travel 
  time in emergencies.
  Belter Technology
  If you’re familiar with the wonders of Terra from the past sev-
  eral years of Stellar Geographic reports and just read the section on 
  belter habitats, then there won’t be much new belter technology 
  to amaze you. belters have taken zero-G industrial operations to a 
  new scale, but you could find the same in atrean or Galaxan orbit. 
  about the only thing that truly is marvelous (beyond the giant 
  space habitats) about belter know-how is their medicine.
  During my time among them so far, it’s become clear to me 
  that the belters are far more lax about regulating human genetic 
  engineering than any other nation in the sphere, and they have 
  truly wrought some miracles as a result. (I would summarize some 
  of them here, but when I got to ten thousand words and two 
  dozen vidclips in the first draft, my editor told me to save it for 
  next month’s issue.)
  The two-eagle tour is this: most belters who work full-time 
  near vacuum have less fear of decompression than the rest of us; 
  virtually no belter needs to worry about the loss of bone strength 
  or health from extended exposure to zero-G; and belter hospitals 
  can modify immune systems to deal with virtually any common 
  disease or cancer. look forward to the details next month.
  Belter religion and Culture
  The abiding difference between belter culture and the culture 
  of any of a thousand “generic” Inner sphere planets stems from 
  the environment in which they live. belters are drilled from child-
  hood to handle habitat emergencies, decompressions and zero-G 
  movement. a sheltered, habitat-dwelling belter who has never 
  been in vacuum can give the average Inner sphere spacer a run 
  for his money in navigation, maintenance and damage control.
  THE ANCIENTS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/09: THE ANCIENTS 
   
  064 / 065
  obviously, belters have some deficiencies in skills common 
  in the Inner sphere (like driving cars, weather watching, and so 
  forth), but they have equivalent interests if you know where to 
  look. The large park areas of major habitats have sports arenas 
  little different than those one might see dirtside. Ice hockey, base-
  ball and football (soccer) are popular and follow major interstellar 
  league rules. of course, belters are also interested in rarer zero-G 
  sports, like null-G soccer and jai alai, solar sail racing, forceCross 
  and Yahn sun.
  an armed Society: Travelers should know that belters—espe-
  cially those in the Main belt and independents—are an armed 
  society. local cultural (and technical) differences tend to vary the 
  weapons of choice between blades or firearms, but in the robust 
  hulls of many belter colonies, these people are not often afraid 
  to “spray lead.” and their excellent medical technology means 
  that most belters are rather blasé about poking pointy things into 
  irritating people.
  Nobility, aWOL: another interesting point about belter society 
  is the distinct absence of nobility in belter culture. Though some 
  belters have noble titles, these are all awarded by foreign powers 
  and grant no special authority among other belters. Under belter 
  laws, a noble belter is no different than a commoner, a practice 
  rarely seen among the nations of the Inner sphere and Periphery.
  Cultural groups: Despite their reclusiveness and cultural 
  mores, belter society is easily recognizable and very human. They 
  maintain an open, capitalist society similar to many planets in the 
  free Worlds league. They speak their minds openly about their 
  own societies and others without fear of secret police. Individuals 
  can seek profit from honest work, and may move from habitat to 
  habit as they wish (or can afford). In fact, the five belter groups 
  I’ve identified so far enshrine these “basic rights” in their local 
  constitutions.
  a deeper look at the five belter cultural groups—roughly akin 
  to nation-states—may explain why visitors often see this techno-
  logically advanced society as “backward.” While many people from 
  Terra often exaggerate their connections to the ancient cultures 
  of humanity’s homeworld, many of the belters (who also claim to 
  be descendants of various ancient Terran nation-states) make a 
  point of living these ancient cultures. Descendants of the ancient 
  United states, for instance, dominate the Main belt, though bra-
  zilian communities also claim a stake in this region. (To describe 
  these societies for our league readers, consider the United states 
  society as similar to pre-dictatorship Claybrooke, while the brazil-
  ian people resemble those of oriente under the allison dynasty.) 
  Mandarin Chinese settlers, meanwhile, are strong in the spartan 
  asteroid cluster (though the post-amaris emigration left a vacuum 
  that drew many Main belt settlers here as well), while settlers from 
  france dominate the Trojan cluster. (both of these clusters have 
  more autocratic systems of government than the Main belt, often 
  granting the franchise only to “station shareholders” rather than 
  to every adult.)
  The fifth and final group of belters might be called “average 
  belter” or “belter generic,” and seem to result from a belter cultural 
  “melting pot.” These people differ from other belters primarily 
  in their absence of cultural attachment to ancient nation-states, 
  replacing it instead with a kind of formless pioneer spirit.
  religion: as one might expect of a culture a short flight 
  from Terra and deeply interested in its roots (if not interacting 
  with Terra’s current tenants), belters focus on traditional Terran 
  religions. Roman Catholicism dominates the belters’ religious 
  universe, largely thanks to the devout brazilian populations. a 
  multitude of other Christian sects are present, though none in 
  great numbers, which has enabled buddhism to claim the status 
  of the belters’ second most popular faith. The range of other Ter-
  ran religions in the belt is positively dizzying; all can be found 
  somewhere, but the “extraterrestrial” religions (like new avalon 
  Catholicism and the one star faith) remain essentially unknown 
  here. atheism and agnosticism are also common among belter 
  communities, but while their numbers may be significant, other 
  belters offer a wry saying about such folk: “No one’s an atheist in 
  a blow-out.” 
  gOVErNmENT
  belter government is a complicated thing. as mentioned ear-
  lier, each of the cultural groups maintains a separate government 
  (collectively referred to as “The big four”), with an “international” 
  organization called the Metis Commission coordinating these 
  groups and the independents. nominally, these groups are united 
  in a commonwealth relationship with Comstar’s branch of Terran 
  affairs (boTa), which supposedly dictates belter foreign relations 
  while granting them domestic autonomy.
  Though the Metis Commission loosely oversees the belters’ 
  many “independent” habitats, most are either family-run or—
  when slightly larger—model their governments on the nearest 
  “big four” system. still, the Commission maintains some inter-
  habitat jurisdiction among these settlements and thus has the 
  authority to act as mediator during disputes.
  legally, Comstar’s boTa is the ultimate authority over all 
  belters, but in practice, Comstar only involves itself in belter for-
  eign relations. even in this arena, however, few boTa governors 
  (or RoM operatives) seem active in belter affairs. 
  SLOWBOaT COLONIES
  Talking about the definition of “belter” with Marv brought up 
  an interesting topic I had to pursue: slower-than-light (“slowboat”) 
  colonization efforts that predated the Terran alliance’s K-f drive 
  colonization program.
  as every schoolchild knows, Terran alliance Kearny-fuchida 
  Jumpships founded humankind’s first interstellar colony on new 
  earth. but the “slowboat” colonization efforts of the preceding 
  century are far less noteworthy because—frankly—they came in 
  second despite enormous head starts.
  THE ANCIENTS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section09: THE ANCIENTS
  Columbia
  The first two slowboats, incredible as it may seem, were secret 
  parts of the Magellan probe program. I was a bit dubious, but 
  after Marv dragged me through the Metis Museum of History to 
  see the Magellan Colonization Program and offered to arrange a 
  Jumpship ticket to visit Columbia, I’ll accept that this “secret sub-
  program” existed. 
  as some secondary-school students may recall, history books 
  usually report that the Magellan program, initiated in 2028, sent 
  eight fusion-powered probes to nearby star systems at about 
  two-thirds’ light speed. one of the probes, Magellan-6, failed and 
  the others found “only” three habitable planets.
  but this was not the entire story.
  Ten probes were actually built. Magellan-0 was a prototype used 
  in the Terran system to demonstrate high-speed navigation and 
  debris shielding. Magellan-9, meanwhile, was a spare that helped 
  engineers diagnose in-flight problems on other probes. When the 
  other probes had uneventful flights, program budgets were cut 
  and Magellan-9 was “expended in a flight test” to eliminate the 
  storage costs of what was—for its time—a giant spacecraft.
  but Magellans-6 and -9 were not lost or “expended” after all, 
  though an effort within the then-dominant Western alliance 
  strove to make sure history books recorded them as such. In fact, 
  these probes had their large payload bays replaced with even 
  larger habitats. Magellan-9 was lost in flight due to a debris colli-
  sion near the orbit of neptune (sol VIII), but Magellan-6 succeeded 
  and founded the colony today called Columbia. 
  The Magellan Colonization Program owed its existence and its 
  secrecy to factions within the ancient Usa that opposed joining 
  the Western alliance. Popular votes had carried the union, even 
  though it was necessary to hint at embargos to sway some fence-
  sitters. These threats alienated the extremist factions, including 
  ultra-loyalists within the United states’ huge military. since the 
  Usa’s aerospace industry (including federated boeing) won most 
  of the Magellan contracts, it was relatively easy for the ultra-loyal-
  ists to arrange an “escape mission” on the Magellan probes. If they 
  couldn’t keep the Usa out of the alliance, they would build a new, 
  “purer” United states in another star system.
  staffed with about fifty ultra-loyalist diehards, Magellan-6 
  thought it was heading toward a habitable planet, since orbital 
  telescopes had spotted free oxygen, nitrogen, water and habit-
  able temperatures in the target system (a world some thirty 
  light-years from sol). slowed down by its massive habitat, the ves-
  sel took 89 years to discover a bitter truth: the “habitable” planet 
  was a “super-earth” with a surface gravity almost six times that of 
  Terra. 
  Thus marooned in an alien solar system, the second- and third-
  generation crewmembers of Magellan-6 settled the system’s 
  bountiful asteroid belts and collectively named them Columbia 
  after a colonial region in the old Usa. Miraculously, this colony 
  thrived, and its resulting culture is (I’m told) strikingly similar to 
  that of Terra’s belters in the new Washington settlement. Colum-
  bia remained undiscovered until 2850, when ComStar found it 
  (apparently via a radio telescope array). I’m told Columbia’s first 
  contact experience was akin to waking up in an insane asylum’s 
  psycho ward with no warning. The Inner sphere was in the grip of 
  the second succession War and Columbia wanted no part of that. 
  Comstar later turned to Terra’s belters for diplomatic relations 
  with the isolationist Columbians.
  Columbia today remains extremely isolationist because its 
  limited contact with the outside triggered two civil wars. The 
  first happened around 2875, when the Columbian government 
  attempted to centralize power in order to remain hidden from the 
  Inner sphere. The second happened at about the turn of the mil-
  lennium, thanks largely to economic disruptions from imported 
  technology. belters are now allowed back in, trading medicine for 
  the products of cheap Columbian labor, but Columbia stridently 
  avoids having anything to do with other foreigners.
  Terrelibre
  Between 2082 and 2099, another series of slowboats was 
  launched (with no knowledge of the Magellan Colonization 
  Program). These did not come from a single program or class 
  of spacecraft, but were rather a motley group of a dozen ships, 
  including modified interplanetary vessels and purpose-built 
  starships, meant to carry dissidents fleeing the Western/Ter-
  ran alliance. aerospace technology had advanced enough 
  since the Magellan era to make these slowboats surprisingly 
  feasible despite the limited resources available. only three of 
  these ships were lost in flight, likely due to life support failure. 
  six more arrived at their destinations, the three habitable plan-
  ets discovered by the Magellan probes. However, they arrived 
  in the mid-22nd century to find burgeoning colonies already 
  established by Terran alliance Jumpships. The alliance had a 
  long memory for dissidents and turned these missions into 
  laughingstocks, not the historical achievements they were. (This 
  propaganda ultimately forged the modern notion that slowboat 
  colonization is unfeasible.)
  The other three slowboats went to uninhabitable systems in 
  hopes of avoiding contact with any future Terran alliance coloni-
  zation. fusion rocketry had reached the point where engineers 
  had come to believe in the feasibility of one-way colonization 
  by small missions. Whether this belief—or merely desperation—
  spurred these slowboat missions enough to target uninhabitable 
  systems is a matter even the belters aren’t certain of.
  The fates of these slowboat missions remained unknown until 
  the 2330s, when rediscovery of the slowboat records by Terran 
  historians prompted the Terran Hegemony to launch a much-
  publicized “quest for the lost colonies” (an act likely aimed at 
  distracting the public from domestic problems). By 2338, it was 
  found that new london had failed in the mid-2200s, never hav-
  ing quite reached a self-sustaining point, but the brazilian Paraiso 
  THE ANCIENTS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/09: THE ANCIENTS 
   
  066 / 067
  THE ANCIENTS
  From: pierrek.fwlstellargeographic.mail
  Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 3057 10:28 PM
  To: kagamepa.belladonnamail.srv
  Subject: Fountain of Youth, Paulie
  Paul. These Belters are great. I just got here and was sam-
  pling the local food when I lost my left index finger over a girl. 
  Another restaurant patron had reservations (hah!) about me 
  talking to the waitress. (“Furriners tain’t ‘sposed tuh talk at 
  no Belter girl.”) While explaining I was just ordering, “Caveman” 
  Marv (“All m’friends call me that”) stabbed his knife into the 
  table to make his point (hah!) It was a thirty-centimeter blade 
  thick as my wrist, and split my second knuckle and two finger 
  bones lengthwise. I shouted a “battle cry” (sick whimper) and 
  jammed my spoon into Marv’s eye. When the cops got me 
  uncorked from the table, they took us both down to the clinic, 
  snipped off my finger and promised to grow me a new one (and 
  Marv a new eye). I got my new finger stitched on yesterday—
  they even matched capillaries, so there’s no swelling. I have 
  to practice some to retrain motor nerves, but Paul, Belters 
  have organ and limb regeneration! My fingerprint didn’t even 
  change.
  Once I covered our fine, Marv warmed up and volunteered 
  to be my guide (“Bein’ a bit ‘tween employments right now.”) 
  He said the spoon attack impressed him more than covering 
  the fine. (“Terries n’ Robes usually just screams when they 
  gets stuck.”) He even bought me “a proper Belter pigsticker” 
  (once I gave him his first payment.) Since then, Marv’s been a 
  font of knowledge about the Belt.
  I’ve told you about some of the other things Marv’s shown 
  me, but this letter’s about their medical tech. Marv is a walk-
  ing poster child for Belter medicine. There’re the assorted 
  machine tool and pistol injuries (“Yeh, a knife in a gunfight wuz 
  a bit slow on my part.”) that Marv’s endured in his seventy-two 
  years. (Look at the picture—does he look over thirty?) 
  After one blow-out cost him two lungs, some sinuses, an 
  eardrum “an’ a good pair o’ underbritches,” Marv got some 
  “retrofits” to survive vacuum exposure. His skin and connec-
  tive tissues were toughened, he got some extra sphincters 
  here and there (did the pics of his sphinctered-up nose and 
  ears come through?), and an extra set of transparent eyelids. 
  When I didn’t believe him, he went to the nearest airlock and 
  showed me. He danced outside the airlock for five minutes 
  to show off (I clocked him!), then hurried back in to get some 
  frostbite treated—the handle he’d held onto in the milli-G had 
  been shaded for hours. A quick spray at a clinic fixed that right 
  up. And you still have to vent a lot of internal gas pressure to 
  avoid embolisms, so I ended up buying Marv another “pair o’ 
  underbritches.”
  Marv’s past employment includes a merchant JumpShip 
  that visited the Federated Suns in the 3010s. During one 
  shore leave, he entered (hah!) a passionate but unprotected 
  relationship with a port prostitute, picked up Joshallan Fever 
  (“an’ sundry private conditions”) and had shrugged off the 
  diseases before his DropShip returned to its JumpShip. (Red 
  dwarf, 3-day transit.) Belter “vaccinations” consist of enhanc-
  ing immune systems to incredible levels. Paul, this stuff is all 
  genetic, and it’s a standard treatment for Belter kids, the ones 
  that don’t inherit it from their parents.
  Marv’s introduced me to Belters who go for extreme cos-
  metic modifications, to look like animal-human hybrids and 
  weirder things. These aren’t just surgery, they’re genetic 
  changes. Marv didn’t think much of the “weird ’uns” and took 
  pains to point out the changes weren’t inheritable, but this 
  sort of thing shows just how advanced Belter medicine is: 
  major genomic changes for cosmetic purposes.
  One thing I must look into is these “Ancients” Marv’s told 
  me about. I mean, undergrad biochemistry taught me about 
  genetic mechanisms for aging. The Belters must know much 
  more. Marv says it’s an open secret that a lot of the higher 
  Belter politicians are lured out of the private sector (and its 
  high wages) with offers of this “Methuselah Treatment,” on 
  the theory that this will give the Belters better leaders. After 
  being in public office, they supposedly get new IDs and dis-
  appear. Marv’s got me hooked up with a local doctor whom 
  the neighbors say is more than 300 years old. This guy, Doc 
  Otis, supposedly met Richard Cameron when he was a kid! I 
  know this sounds like bull, but you wouldn’t believe the photos 
  and stories Marv got from the locals. Hell, I even got my first 
  threatening commcall telling me to stay away! This is either an 
  incredibly elaborate practical joke, or I’m on to something. And 
  since SG is still refreshing my expense account, I’m going with 
  “I’m on to something.”
  Let me know if those pics came through. I used new com-
  pression software that I’ve heard ComStar malfs up.
  Pierre
  THE ANCIENTS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section09: THE ANCIENTS
  and french Terrelibre were growing, if not prospering. Paraiso’s 
  15,000 inhabitants abandoned their colony when the Hegemony 
  offered them passage to a habitable planet. Terrelibre lost some of 
  its population to a similar offer, but the majority remained out of 
  dislike for the Hegemony’s oppression of Terrelibre’s motherland. 
  In fact, Terrelibre’s population grew soon afterward with a flood of 
  european immigrants, and the colony came to host a THaf fleet 
  base (which used the system’s astronomical name, Ross 248, for 
  misinformation purposes). This base would be administered in 
  time by the slDf, and today reportedly hosts a Comstar fleet. Ter-
  relibre, I’m told, provides most of the personnel and materials for 
  that base.
  Unlike Terra’s and Columbia’s belters, most Terrelibrans report-
  edly live on a couple of Terra-sized uninhabitable rocky planets. 
  The hostile environments there keep Terrelibrans in enclosed hab-
  itats, and inspired a relatively belter-like culture, but the benefits 
  of living in natural gravity and in close conjunction with Comstar 
  have created a society more closely aligned with the Inner sphere 
  than segregated from it.
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  are there ancient immortals lurking in the solar system aster-
  oids? This is, of course, a question for the gamemaster. 
  Gamemasters who decide to include these ancients in game 
  play should not get swept away by the mystery of the name. These 
  are individuals who have lived a long time in good health and 
  were chosen from the belters’ business elite to be capable leaders. 
  The prospect of prolonged life discourages personal adventurism 
  by the ancients, and so they tend to act indirectly, often through 
  intermediaries.
  The belt is a modern society, with well-evolved social and 
  political mechanisms, not a corrupt world of darkness. The 
  ancients’ actions beyond the belt are therefore primarily aimed 
  at maintaining their secrets, relying on the intelligence agencies 
  of belter governments to do the dirty work. after all, they reason, 
  if the trillions of people in human-occupied space were suddenly 
  granted immunity from old age, that might present a horrible 
  overpopulation problem for the entire Inner sphere. Compared 
  to the collapse of civilization, a bullet in the brain and troubled 
  consciences are worthwhile sacrifices.
  THE ANCIENTS
  i
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 505)
  SECURITY lEVEl MARblE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON 
   
  068 / 069
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON
  from Cults of the Inner Sphere: The Followers of the Saints Cameron, by eva fragerstrom
  OrIgINS OF THE CULT OF THE SaINTS CamErON
  Jonathan Cameron, the fourth to sit in the First Lord’s throne, died of a stroke in 2738. On New Earth exactly one year later, Lieutenant 
  saul Robstein was struck blind and dumb at the controls of his Crockett. slDf doctors could find no medical reason for his affliction, and 
  the lieutenant suddenly regained his sight and speech three days later, ranting that the ghost of Jonathan Cameron had come to him. 
  Holding a flaming sword in his hand, the ghost told Robstein that Jonathan’s sister would die in two years, but that her influence would 
  be felt far into the future. after undergoing a thorough medical 
  and psychological evaluation, lieutenant Robstein was found to 
  be in perfect health. He was cleared to return to duty with the 
  191st Royal BattleMech Division.
  Two years and three days later, Jocasta Cameron indeed died. 
  five days after that event, another soldier—this time a gunner 
  named sandra Ustus in the seventieth Infantry Division—was 
  struck deaf, blind and dumb for five days. as with lieutenant 
  Robstein, doctors could find no physical or psychological reason 
  for her condition. Ustus, too, claimed to have experienced a visi-
  tation during this time—only from Jocasta Cameron. allegedly, 
  this ghost prophesied that simon Cameron would be slain by an 
  “assassin’s digging machine.”
  Both incidents were all but forgotten until 2751, when Ser-
  geant Heinz Mann inexplicably fell into a coma the week after a 
  malfunctioning [or sabotaged –Starling] mining robot killed simon 
  Cameron. Sergeant Mann, of the 290th Mechanized Infantry Divi-
  sion, had previously been in excellent health and his condition 
  baffled doctors for eight days. When he awoke, Mann talked of 
  experiencing visions of dozens of dead Camerons, all lying in their 
  own blood.
  The media was quick to link Mann’s story with those of Ustus 
  and Robstein, and interest in these odd tales increased even fur-
  ther with the publication of correspondence between Jonathan 
  and Jocasta. by an odd twist of fate, the staff at the Court of the star league was beginning to release these private letters and writings 
  (in accordance with the ten-year rule). The media attention drew unprecedented interest to these collected diary extracts and letters. 
  but while many who read these works dismissed them as mere curiosities (at best), others took Jonathan’s writings about his bizarre 
  dreams to be visions of the future. These believers began to meet and eventually formulated a set of common beliefs and rituals, shap-
  ing their lives based on the “prophesies” of the dead first lord’s letters. Prominent was the belief that both Jonathan and Jocasta were 
  saints of God, who watched over the star league from Heaven.
  Initially, the general public considered these “Believers of the Saints Cameron” nothing more than harmless crackpots. But in 2753, 
  the haunting similarity between Richard Cameron’s first meeting with stefan amaris and a dream Jonathan Cameron had recounted in a 
  letter half a century before fanned the embers of public interest. soon the cult had a following fifty million strong, giving it considerable 
  social and political power in the Terran Hegemony. Many members of the slDf were also believers, thanks to the publicity given to the 
  visions experienced by Mann, Ustus and Robstein.
  The Cult of the saints Cameron not only survived the amaris Coup and the fall of the star league, but prospered as its adherents 
  unearthed new revelations from Jonathan’s writings that warned of these catastrophic events. as the first succession War raged, small 
  groups of believers sprung up across the Inner sphere and beyond. but as the generation who had lived through the destruction of the 
  star league died out, support for the cult began to wane. Meanwhile, arguments over the interpretation of certain key dreams further 
  fragmented the remaining believers. 
  bereft of coherent leadership as the second succession War ground on, the believers’ numbers dwindled. by the start of the Third 
  succession War, the cult was reduced to a few small pockets in the Periphery and the lyran Commonwealth. only the occasional sighting 
  of a believer monk or nun (invariably clad in humble robes of homespun material and bearing the sword that is their symbol of office) 
  reminded the Inner sphere at large that the cult still existed. over the centuries, tales continued to recount events where endangered 
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  i
  I always say there’s noting better than a mysterious cult to stir 
  up a good conspiracy theory. Of literally hundreds out there, some 
  are officially acknowledged or even supported (the state-sponsored 
  Cult of the Dragon in the Draconis Combine, for example). Others 
  are vigorously suppressed. Few survive the passing of their founder 
  (often conveniently the focus of said cult). The Cult of Saint Cam-
  eron (or the Saints Cameron, plural, depending on who you talk to) 
  is one of the exceptions to the rule. They have survived through the 
  centuries, guarding the (allegedly) prophetic writings of Jonathan 
  Cameron.
  Many scholars agree that, like Nostradamus before him, Jona-
  than Cameron’s letters and diaries can be loosely interpreted to 
  match events centuries after his death. But is the Cult of St. Cam-
  eron content to watch and wait for their prophecies to come to 
  pass, or do they nudge things from time to time?
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON 
   
  070 / 071
  communities, lost travelers or wounded soldiers 
  unexpectedly received aid from these mysterious 
  figures.
  THE kNIgHTS OF ST. CamErON
  formerly a battalion commander in the Twenty-
  ninth lyran Guards, Martin Gluck retired from the 
  LCAF in 2955. A devoted Believer, Gluck announced 
  his intention to create a mercenary command that 
  would participate in “the struggle between good 
  and evil, in which the knight is always the lord’s 
  first defense.”
  Many thought Gluck mad. everyone expected 
  him to fail.
  but despite the odds, Martin Gluck’s “Knights 
  of St. Cameron” took to the field in 2956. Formed 
  around an assembly of men and women whose 
  ancestors had served in the slDf, the Knights 
  proved something of an oddity. Maintaining high 
  moral standards far above those expected of mer-
  cenaries, the Knights often undertook “charity” 
  missions defending poor worlds out on the Periph-
  ery for little or no pay. as a result, the Knights’ 
  equipment and finances were often in poor shape. 
  Unable to attract the best MechWarriors (pedigree 
  alone only went so far), the Knights’ lack of skill 
  and cohesion made them something of a laugh-
  ingstock in the eyes of other mercenaries, yet they 
  still fielded roughly two full ’Mech regiments by the 
  year 3050.
  The Knights of st. Cameron were operating 
  under contract to the federated Commonwealth 
  when the Clans attacked the Inner sphere. fight-
  ing the Wolf Clan with great spirit but little skill, 
  their first regiment was slaughtered almost to the 
  last warrior on Rastaban. on Domain, their second 
  regiment was equally overmatched. forced from 
  the Casswarn Plain by the 352nd Assault Cluster, 
  the second Knights attempted to fall back to the 
  Kusson Mountains. outflanked at the Zazz River, 
  Colonel Dewey led his command to the city of 
  Kusson instead. Close on their heels, the 352nd 
  launched an assault that quickly took the city—but 
  when the dust settled, the Knights had vanished.
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  f THE SAINTS CAMERON
  In the wake of the first Star League’s collapse, the Believers added General Aleksandr Kerensky’s 
  name to those of the two Saints Cameron, thus completing their trinity of divine figures.
  Jonathan Cameron: Eldest son of First Lord Michael, Jonathan became First Lord of the Star League 
  in 2690, when his father was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and retired. In public, Jonathan projected 
  an image of a confident man with few pretensions and affections. Privately, he was haunted by dreams 
  of Terra’s destruction. This was the driving force behind Jonathan’s push to expand and update the SLDF 
  at a time when the Inner Sphere was enjoying a golden age of peace and prosperity. The crowning glory 
  of the rearmament program was the creation of the Space Defense System, which (ironically) would 
  ultimately allow Stefan Amaris take control of the Terran Hegemony and inflict such heavy casualties on 
  the SLDF as they fought to liberate it.
  Though he maintained a charming and self-assured exterior, Jonathan Cameron was tormented by 
  insomnia, anxiety attacks and repeated loss of physical control similar to epileptic seizures. He claimed 
  that he had visions during these times, but only confided these visions—most about an endangered 
  Terra—in letters to his wife and sister. Unfortunately, Jonathan’s mind began to crumble under the 
  stress and he became increasingly indecisive, prompting an attempted coup in 2729. Thankfully for the 
  Star League, Jonathan finally realized he needed help, and relied more and more on his sister’s advice. 
  With Jocasta making the critical decisions, Jonathan focused his attention on humanitarian projects such 
  as building hospitals and contributing to relief efforts. He became deeply loved by the people of the Star 
  League during the last years of his reign.
  Jocasta Cameron: Jocasta was known as a bright and precocious child with a love of the grand balls, 
  pomp and ceremony that marked life at Court. Thus, she surprised everyone in 2704 when she joined a 
  cloistered Benedictine Order at the Abbey of St. Joan in Scotland. Over time, Jocasta became head of the 
  abbey, living a sheltered life devoted to God.
  Mother Jocasta nevertheless maintained a close relationship with her brother Jonathan, and the two 
  corresponded frequently. These letters are the foundation of the Believers’ doctrine. More than anyone 
  else, Jocasta was aware of and concerned about what was happening to her brother. When leading mem-
  bers of the SLDF and Star League Court attempted to remove the First Lord for his growing indecisiveness, 
  they had Mother Jocasta in mind to replace him. She remained oblivious to the plot, but the coup attempt 
  finally made Jonathan realize just how sick he was. He offered to step down in favor of Jocasta, but she 
  refused, saying that her religious life came first. Instead, Jocasta agreed (with the blessing of the High 
  Council) to act as First Lord Jonathan’s most trusted adviser. A sophisticated communications link to Unity 
  City was installed, and Mother Jocasta became the Star League’s secret co-ruler. As Jonathan’s physical 
  and mental health failed, Mother Jocasta shouldered more and more of the burdens of government.
  Aleksandr Kerensky: Given his role in the events surrounding the fall of the first Star League, it is 
  not surprising that the Believers chose General Aleksandr Kerensky to complete their divine trinity. The 
  (then) mysterious departure of the Star League Defense Force and its leader into the Periphery spawned 
  a host of theories and predictions. As the Succession Wars dragged on, the idea that Kerensky (or his 
  descedents) would someday return to save the Inner Sphere took root in popular consciousness.
  The reality of the Clan Invasion has eroded some of the mystique surrounding Kerensky among the 
  Believers (much as it has done for followers of the One Star Faith). But the Believers are quick to point out 
  that it was in fact Kerensky’s son—not the great general himself—who created the Clans.
  Minor Prophets: To many Believers, the ill-fated Simon Cameron became a minor prophet even 
  though he had shown little interest in spiritual affairs during his life and has appeared in no visions after 
  his death. Also on this honored list are Steve Thorvald, head of the first Star League’s Department of 
  Information and Education. He was the visionary behind the Prometheus network; a massive database to 
  which all schools and libraries in the Terran Hegemony had free access.
  THE TRINITY
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON
  mODErN TImES
  The appearance of the Clans also marked an increase in 
  sightings of believers along the invasion front. They may have 
  been gathering information on the invaders, or acting on an 
  interpretation of some of Jonathan’s more obscure visions. The 
  disclosure of the Clans’ true origins sparked renewed interest 
  in star league-era history throughout the Inner sphere, and 
  brought the writings of Jonathan Cameron back into the pub-
  lic consciousness. for the first time in more than a century, the 
  believers saw their numbers rise.
  The reappearance of the Knights of st. Cameron served to draw 
  additional attention to the cult, even though links with the merce-
  naries are tenuous at best. In late 3053, a JumpShip entered the Main 
  street system. Identifying herself as the Jonathan Cameron, the 
  Monolith-class vessel released her Dropships. aboard were Colonel 
  Mortimer Dewey and a battalion of survivors from the Knights’ sec-
  ond regiment. Rebuffing all inquiries as to how they had escaped 
  the Wolves and where they had been since, the Knights announced 
  their intention to rebuild. once more the call went out to those with 
  blood ties to the original slDf.
  Reconstruction went quickly. Colonel Dewey had access to 
  a seemingly endless supply of money, and the Knights’ Drop-
  ships were laden with supplies and equipment—much of it of 
  first Star League vintage. By the start of 3055, the Knights were 
  independently patrolling the Periphery border, aiding worlds the 
  Federated Commonwealth could not garrison effectively. In 3058, 
  Colonel Dewey announced that the Knights of st. Cameron (now 
  at regimental strength) were ready to accept contracts. Desperate 
  for troops to bolster its frontiers, the newly formed lyran alliance 
  signed them up immediately.
  at first, few realized just how different these Knights were from 
  their predecessors. Then they more than proved themselves against 
  the fourth Davion Guards on fort loudon during the fedCom Civil 
  War. no longer the laughingstock of the mercenary community, 
  the Knights have gone on to hand the Jade falcons’ Delta Galaxy a 
  string of embarrassing defeats.
  The Cult of st. Cameron has benefited greatly from the fedCom 
  Civil War, the dissolution of the second star league and subsequent 
  events. Previously obscure passages from the cult’s texts have now 
  been interpreted as referring to these recent occurrences. across 
  the Inner sphere, people are beginning to embrace many of the 
  cult’s beliefs, looking for signs of salvation in the collected works of 
  the long-dead Jonathan Cameron.
  Ironically, this turnabout in the cult’s fortunes may also destroy 
  it. long-standing divisions between disparate groups have only 
  widened, fueled by arguments over the correctness of the latest 
  interpretation of various passages. With no central authority to 
  uphold an “official” version of their beliefs, cooperation—even 
  communication—between the scattered groups appears to be 
  breaking down.
  The Three Swords: arrayed in a fan, the 
  Three swords of saint Cameron represent 
  the three saints. The use of swords origi-
  nates from the flaming sword carried by 
  Jonathan Cameron (known to have been 
  an expert swordsman) in his visitation to 
  lieutenant saul Robstein.
  Today the swords have been adopted 
  by the Knights of st. Cameron as their unit 
  symbol.
  Jocasta’s Habit: a rendition of the 
  habit worn by benedictine nuns, the believ-
  ers use this symbol to commemorate their 
  second saint, Jocasta Cameron.
  The Bloody Throne: one of the most 
  powerful (and prophetic) images from Jon-
  athan Cameron’s dreams, the bloodstained 
  throne is used by believers to remember 
  the fall of the first star league—an event 
  that many feel tragically vindicates their 
  faith.
  SYMbOlS
  at the cult’s height, the symbols of the believers of the saints Cameron were a common sight across the Inner sphere. These symbols 
  appeared everywhere: on the sides of buildings, on battleMechs and combat vehicles, even on the hulls of Dropships and Warships.
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON 
   
  072 / 073
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  CUlT
  lT
  l Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  CUlT
  lT
  l Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  [[[FORUMID192.1946.175.16/CULTS/
  sTCaMeRon]]]
  Interesting. but what do they actually 
  believe?
  :-Bonduur
  That they can foretell the future?
  :-19HUCk885
  not quite. They think Jonathan Cameron 
  could, though.
  :-Veladrum
  oK. Here’s a question. If you know the 
  future, would you try and change it?
  :-Bonduur
  Please! Don’t ask! You’ll just start one 
  of those fate/predestination/God’s will 
  debates. Makes my head hurt.
  :-19HUCk885
  What about these “monks.” anybody got 
  anything on them?
  :-Bonduur
  My uncle ran into one on la Grave back in 
  ’51.
  :-LTDmasch
  Is this your uncle who was ambushed by 
  aliens on stein’s folly, or the one who says 
  Hanse Davion is still alive and running a 
  holiday resort on leamington?
  :-Veladrum
  neither. This was Uncle Jacques. He was 
  with the fifth Davion Guards then. fighting 
  the Jade falcons. His JagerMech took a hit 
  to the ammo bins and he had to punch out. 
  so there he was, armed with nothing but a 
  survival knife and with these two elemen-
  tals heading right for him. 
  :-LTDmasch
  and?
  :-19HUCk885
  Well, Uncle Jacques is thinking he’s got no 
  chance and maybe he’ll surrender. Discre-
  tion being the better part of valor and all 
  that. Then all of a sudden up pops this 
  mysterious robed figure swinging this real 
  big sword. 
  :-LTDmasch
  a sword? against a pair of elementals?
  :-Veladrum
  Hack. slash. Two Clanners in full battle 
  armor down, and all in a couple of sec-
  onds. Must have been some kind of 
  vibro-blade, You know, like the DesT 
  vibro-katanas? anyway. night is falling 
  now. Uncle Jacques’ savior walks up, 
  grabs him by the arm and gets him off 
  the battlefield and into a cave. never a 
  word the whole time. When he wakes up 
  next morning he’s alone in the cave with 
  a saR unit just arriving outside. 
  :-LTDmasch
  Come on. nobody drops battle-armored 
  troops with a sword! so what happened to 
  your uncle?
  :-19HUCk885
  Got a new battleMech. Went back into the 
  line. He died during the fedCom Civil War—
  covering Victor Davion’s back on York.
  :-LTDmasch
  Hmmm. The link between the believers 
  and the Knights of st. Cameron are just a bit 
  tenuous, don’t you think?
  :-Bonduur
  so who do you think is bankrolling the 
  Knights, then? The one star faith? another 
  bunch of whack-jobs nostalgic for the 
  “good old days” of the star league. They’d 
  get on like a house on fire. 
  :-19HUCk885
  Wolverines!
  :-Nuzo
  Please! That is your answer to everything. 
  somebody disappears in the Periphery. It 
  was the Wolverines! Unidentified raiders 
  attack some world. It was the Wolverines! 
  a whole roll of toilet paper gets used 
  in one day. It was the Wolverines! Get a 
  grip!
  :-19HUCk885
  I want to know where they got all their 
  equipment from. first star league, eh? What 
  do you think? Comstar? Word of blake?
  :-Veladrum
  Wolverines!
  :-Nuzo
  nuzo, don’t make me come over there and 
  hurt you.
  :-19HUCk885
  Main street is right on the Periphery border. 
  How about a forgotten star league cache?
  :-LTDmasch
  Gods! I hope not! That one got old with 
  Immortal Warrior VII.
  :-Bonduur
  How about the Clans? some of their second-
  line units use old star league designs.
  :-19HUCk885
  but the Clans aren’t exactly handing over 
  their old equipment. How could a bunch 
  of second-rate mercs knock off a Clan arms 
  depot?
  :-Veladrum
  We’re sure these guys aRe the Knights? 
  Could they be another covert Clan unit, like 
  Wolf’s Dragoons, snords irregulars or Clin-
  ton’s Cutthroats?
  :-Bonduur
  We don’t know that the Cutthroats were 
  Clan. The Clans don’t have any record of 
  them. from the sounds of it, these are the 
  real Knights. The question is how they 
  escaped from the Wolves, and where they 
  got all their equipment. somebody has to 
  be backing them.
  :-19HUCk885
  If not Clan, then who?
  :-Bonduur
  Wolverines!
  :-Nuzo
  nuzo!
  :-19HUCk885
  CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  born during the fading glory of the first star league, the Cult 
  of st. Cameron once enjoyed enormous power and prestige. 
  When stefan amaris’ Rim Worlds Republic troops seized Terra, all 
  that came to an end. but even as the Hegemony fell under the 
  Usurper’s control, a small group of believers who held positions in 
  the Court of the star league managed to escape. led by the Court 
  archivist, Gerrit van Munster, they carried away with them copies 
  of many unique documents. Chief among these records were let-
  ters and diary entries written by Jonathan Cameron that had not 
  been released to the general public for security reasons.
  These records have formed a secret core to the cult’s beliefs. 
  only the most senior believers have ever seen them. Central to 
  the divisions plaguing the believers is the vision that some terrible 
  calamity will overtake the Inner sphere and all of humanity. from 
  the start, the believers began preparations to face this event—
  to ensure the survival of the human race. They established safe 
  havens on lightly inhabited planets, and in isolated regions of 
  more populated worlds. They quietly stockpiled food and sup-
  plies. They converted their wealth into imperishable gold and 
  gems. They hoarded knowledge in secret caches.
  and then the believers settled down to await the apocalypse.
  a CULT DIVIDED
  as the star league disintegrated and the Inner sphere plunged 
  into the succession Wars, the first divisions began to appear 
  within the believers’ ranks. surely the cataclysm had come, for 
  what could be worse than the tableau of death and destruction 
  now playing itself out? Many of the believers abandoned their 
  self-appointed task. but some remained convinced that the worst 
  was yet to come.
  Down through the centuries, the cult’s senior members pored 
  over Jonathan Cameron’s words, interpreting and reinterpreting 
  their meaning. This inevitably led to further divisions. Today, the 
  modern Cult of st. Cameron is divided into three major groups: 
  Traditionalists, Cloisters and Templars.
  Traditionalists
  These believers contend that the original interpretation was 
  correct, and that the amaris Coup and subsequent succession 
  Wars were indeed the cataclysm Jonathan Cameron foretold. 
  While they still adhere to many of the cult’s practices, they no 
  longer consider themselves the guardians of humanity’s future. 
  as their emblem, they have adopted the bloody throne.
  Cloisters
  Holding to the idea that the cataclysm has yet to come, the 
  Cloisters are isolationist almost to the point of xenophobia. More 
  common out in the Periphery, their scattered settlements take a 
  long view, often eschewing technology for a more sustainable 
  long-term lifestyle of subsistence farming.
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  i
  CUlT
  lT
  l Of THE SAINTS
   S
  CUlT
  lT
  l Of THE S
  What is perhaps most striking about the collected let-
  ters and writings of first lord Jonathan Cameron is the vivid 
  imagery from his dreams and visions. often it is impossible to 
  accredit them to known events. others appear to be so star-
  tlingly accurate that it is no wonder some believe he could see 
  the future.
  In a letter to his wife in 2692, Jonathan talked of “dreams 
  of Terra scarred and mutilated.” at the same time he confided 
  to his sister that he had experienced a vision of “foreign flags 
  on earth’s soil and strange, coarse men walking the white 
  halls of Unity City.” With amaris’ coup, these dire predictions 
  would come all too true. In a 2703 letter to his sister, Jonathan 
  wrote “…a Cameron child shall stand before a distant ruler and 
  be beguiled by his rough country ways and the interests they 
  share. I fear for the child because the distant ruler has cruel, 
  dark thoughts…” In 2753, Richard Cameron met Stefan Amaris 
  for the first time in a hauntingly similar scene.
  In light of more recent events, some of Jonathan’s visions 
  are open to reinterpretation. The image of “Terra dimmed and 
  no longer the bright beacon of the Human race” previously was 
  thought to relate to the amaris occupation or the fall of the first 
  star league. but with Terra firmly in the hands of the blakists, 
  a third possibility suggests itself. The first lord talked of see-
  ing “an impenetrable shield of swords and ever-vigilant eyes 
  to guard against any threat approaching Terra.” This was one 
  vision he attempted to fulfill personally with the introduction 
  of the sDs system, but it could equally apply to the ease with 
  which the Word of blake defeated the Com Guards’ ill-fated 
  Case White.
  Was Jonathan’s dream of “Terra under threat by a pack of 
  ravening beasts” warning us about the Clans? Could his vision 
  of “all the stars above blotted out by a creeping darkness” have 
  been a warning of the damage to the HPG network? Then there 
  is the recurring image of a lone figure, standing in defiance of 
  some seemingly overwhelming force. Different interpretations 
  have suggested everyone from Hanse Davion to anastasius 
  focht. 
  In the end, people find what they look for amid the centu-
  ries-old writings of a deeply troubled man.  
  VIEWS OF THE FUTURE?
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/10: CULT OF THE SAINTS CAMERON 
   
  074 / 075
  Unknown to their neighbors (if any) and passing Periphery raid-
  ers, these groups are often sitting on carefully hidden caches of 
  high-tech equipment. The pride of these secret storehouses is the 
  data cores many of these believers have uncovered, which contain 
  fragments of the Terran Hegemony’s Prometheus database.
  The Cloisters use the stylized habit of Mother Jocasta as their 
  emblem.
  Templars
  This third main group in the Cult of st. Cameron is itself frac-
  tured into many smaller ones. some lean toward the Cloisters’ 
  interpretation of Jonathan Cameron’s prophesies, that the cata-
  clysm is yet to come. others contend that the Clan Invasion or the 
  Word of blake’s Jihad may be the long-awaited events. Regardless 
  of their beliefs, the one thing all Templar believers share is the 
  conviction that they cannot stand idly by and watch.
  each Templar group (or order, as they call themselves) operates 
  from a chapter house, though they rarely resemble an ecclesiasti-
  cal structure. each order chooses its own course of action. some 
  travel the poorer worlds of the Inner sphere, serving as doctors 
  or teachers. others take a more militant bent in the “struggle of 
  good against evil,” whether against evil nobles, Periphery raiders, 
  the Clans or the Word of blake. The Templars have adopted the 
  three swords as their emblem.
  Templars use a ranking system that dictates the duties and 
  responsibilities they must undertake.
  lay Member – The Templars depend on lay members to pro-
  vide each order with funds and supplies. lay members seeking 
  to advance to the next rank usually take service in the chapter 
  house, providing the order with its menial labor force. Through 
  faithful service and a suitable aptitude, a lay member can achieve 
  advancement to the rank of squire.
  squire – an order draws its skilled workers from the ranks of 
  the squires, who commonly receive education up to university 
  level. squires are entitled to carry a sword and receive armed and 
  unarmed combat training. especially promising students will be 
  apprenticed to a knight.
  Knight – each order has forty-seven knights. a squire can only 
  progress to this rank when one of the existing knights dies. Can-
  didates must undergo a grueling (but rarely fatal) series of trials 
  not unlike a Clan Trial of Position. Upon becoming a knight, an 
  individual is expected to choose a weapon or form of combat. 
  This will become a life study for the Templar. a few will achieve the 
  exalted accolade of Weapon Master, the undisputed champion in 
  their selected field. Knights receive schooling in modern strategy 
  and tactics, and many also receive MechWarrior training.
  The Sword: a believer Templar knight’s sword is no ordinary 
  weapon. In the right hands, these finely crafted vibro-blades can 
  even cut through battleMech armor. all knights carry a sword in 
  addition to their chosen weapon. 
  The Code: Templars are sworn to uphold the chivalric code: 
  courage, honor, courtesy, justice and a readiness to help the 
  weak.
  The Quest: at least once in his life, each knight is expected 
  to undertake a quest. often inspired by studying the writings of 
  Jonathan Cameron, the object of a knight’s quest can range from 
  bringing aid to a disaster-struck community, to hunting down 
  pirates in the Periphery, or discovering a long-lost star league 
  artifact. on occasion, groups of knights and their squires have 
  undergone quests into the Inner sphere as mercenaries, to fight 
  in the succession Wars or against the Clans.
  CUlT Of THE SAINTS CAMERON
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 505)
  SECURITY lEVEl SlATE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section11: THE SAURIMAT
  THE SAURIMAT
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/11: THE SAURIMAT 
   
  076 / 077
  THE SaUrImaT: a COmPENDIUm
  “The saurimat are a predatory sect of mercenary assassins hail-
  ing from the planet shaul Khala.”
  “Khaled, Hassan ali: Major. born on shaul Khala, Khaled began 
  his career as a saurimat Commando, or “Quick Death assassin.” 
  after leaving the Commandos under non-disclosed circumstances, 
  he worked as a freelance mercenary before joining the Gray Death 
  legion, where he remained until his death.”
  end of entry. no additional data available.
  —from Bruckner’s Guide to the Inner Sphere, Dobless Info ser-
  vices, 3068 Electronic Edition
  CUrIOUS, ISN’T IT?
  Generations of children were kept in line by stories of an evil 
  saurimat warrior grabbing them at night. not many unexplained 
  murders haven’t got at least one ninja, RoM operative or arabic 
  assassin on the short list of suspects where the public’s mind is 
  concerned. Uncountable bar tales tell of chance encounters or 
  near brushes with the “Quick Death.”
  and yet…everything this condensed public knowledge yields 
  when one queries the saurimat is summed up in those two snip-
  pets of data above.
  let’s take stock and have a closer look at what we know:
  “The Saurimat are a predatory sect of mercenary assas-
  sins…” Yikes! a sect! not exactly non-info, but not helping much, 
  either. Warrior sects or orders are nothing new, and it is a legiti-
  mate form of organization (whether or not something’s supposed 
  to be kept secret). It gets catchier with the “assassins” part, of 
  course; this automatically means the group’s actions have to be 
  oriented outwards. (otherwise, they wouldn’t last that long, right? 
  I mean, while surely fun, playing assassin and counter-assassin in 
  a closed membership usually reduces the number of potential 
  targets rather quickly!)
  added to this comes the label “mercenary,” which definitely 
  establishes the saurimat as guns (or knives) for hire. Which brings 
  us to the question: Why don’t they leave any data traces? not 
  in reports, contracts, rumor-mills. Yes, it can mean that they are 
  either very, very good, or they operate under false flags (or both). 
  nonetheless, such an utter absence of hints is highly uncommon 
  for someone depending on contract work, no matter how elite 
  they are.
  “…From the planet Shaul Khala.” now, this is just hard to con-
  firm. a planet is a big place to hide, but the locals there do have 
  a large amount of folkloric “hooded man in the dark” tales. and 
  our dear late Major Khaled hails from there, right? but please note: 
  Khaled only stated that he was born on shaul Khala.
  anyway, what’s to say? for a sphere-wide phenomenon, it is 
  highly unlikely (but not impossible) to be or have been localized 
  to just one planetary system. but who would have carried the tale, 
  then? The word “saurimat” has been in use much longer than 
  from the point where Major Khaled came in the open. Maybe the 
  major just rode a clever publicity wave for his own benefit? Prob-
  ably not.
  “…Khaled began his career as a Saurimat Commando, or 
  ‘Quick Death Assassin.’” Here are some fun details. are they 
  assassins or commandos? While probably only a play on words, 
  Khaled’s early career title might hint at a wider range of skills 
  that possible saurimat warriors possess. This bit does not contain 
  helpful confirmation or denial info, though. and the “Quick Death 
  assassin” subtitle sounds positively bad-ass, but does it really 
  reveal anything new? I mean, let’s face it: slow assassins generally 
  don’t live very long or in secret.
  so the question is as simple as it is valid: Do the saurimat exist? 
  and if they do: What are they really? 
  The answer?
  Yes, they do.
  but not quite like expected.
  BELIEF TO THE STarS
  When believers in Islam finally left Terra in the mid-25th cen-
  tury (relatively late in the colonization game), their search for a 
  messiah gradually fused many distinct groups of northwest afri-
  can Muslims into a group known as the azami. The azami groups 
  settled worlds with hot suns and desert sands—places that most 
  reminded them of their Terran homelands and allowed them to 
  live their lives in accordance with the Koran (Qur’an). being among 
  the last major religious movements to spread into space and 
  adapt their canon to the new age, Muslims saw themselves often 
  outnumbered and even ridiculed by adherents of other beliefs. 
  Their preference for harsh worlds kept them separate from most 
  other populations, which further fostered a sense of separation 
  between them and the rest of the interstellar community.
  More than any other worlds, their settlements became bas-
  tions of faith. arkab, algedi, al na’ir, Markab and shaul Khala—all 
  were resoundingly dominated by the Muslim religion, and remain 
  so today. In fact, the world of arkab (as most any spheroid knows) 
  is considered the interstellar center of the off-Terra Islamic faiths.
  Traveling among the stars, the azami took with them not only 
  their beliefs and scripture, but also tried and true traditions of 
  everyday life. like hawala, their honor-based, informal money 
  transfer system.
  as one might expect, interstellar culture did not take kindly to 
  THE SAU
  AU
  In case the Cult of St. Cameron doesn’t do it for you, let’s try 
  something darker, shall we? How about a good old-fashioned 
  assassins’ guild? Well, you’re in luck, my friends, because the next 
  bit looks at the Saurimat. Cult? Mercenaries? Freedom fighters? 
  Blakist pawns?
  As ever, read and let your own wisdom decide…
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section11: THE SAURIMAT
  non-conformists. anything went in those days, and the weak were 
  relentlessly exploited, crushed and left for dead (not necessarily in 
  that order). but the azami were quick to counter, and established 
  early on an equally informal “security service” that assured safe 
  passage for settlers and their goods to azami worlds.
  This network called itself the saurimat.
  at first merely colonial companions, these men (and a few 
  women) gradually morphed into other fields of travel assistance, 
  providing a wide range of services related to safe interstellar 
  travel for fellow azami. They provided basic information and flight 
  arrangements, aided the search for lost ones, assisted with spiri-
  tual needs, and of course, provided bodyguards.
  This last service naturally could not be performed by just any-
  one. saurimat bodyguards had to have the right aptitudes and 
  training. as mercenaries could not be trusted to follow the way of 
  the Shari’a, the azami solution was to establish their own schools 
  of martial arts on arkab. 
  step by step, the loose collective calling itself the saurimat 
  transformed into a more formal organization working directly for 
  the newly formed azami governments. It grew steadily, tasked 
  with running spaceports and other hubs of transportation as the 
  colonies spread across planets and established new civilizations. 
  With nationalization, the name saurimat slowly went out of use, 
  kept only as an honorific for the armed section of the security 
  branch.
  and this might very well be the first seed of the legendary 
  mercenary murderers we hear whispers of today. True to their 
  calling as non-military security, alumni of the saurimat martial 
  arts schools were held to act as inconspicuously as possible, while 
  being constantly alert, swift and decisive. Their training focused 
  on unarmed combat and close-in fighting with a variety of weap-
  ons, skills best suited to fighting in the close quarters of Dropships 
  and space stations. Cultural demands saw to it that these men 
  were also thoroughly schooled in the way of the mind and the 
  Koran, to reinforce not only their role as protectors, but also their 
  faith in what they were protecting.
  The next step forward in the saurimat’s evolution came in 
  2680, when Coordinator Urizen Kurita launched a campaign to 
  exterminate all non-Japanese culture in Combine space. by way 
  of their arkab legions, the azami leaders had the military part 
  of the resistance covered, but they lacked an effective counter to 
  the Dragon’s Isf, whose operatives targeted azami mosques and 
  other clerical or cultural centers with terror attacks.
  so who better to call on than the loyal sons of allah already 
  being trained on arkab?
  after saurimat operatives proved successful in thwarting 
  numerous Kurita terror attacks, the azami’s high council decided 
  to keep their “special forces” even after the Dragon and the azami 
  reached an accord. The azami honored the saurimat by remod-
  elling them into a religious order, tasked with “safeguarding the 
  sacred ways.”
  over the next several decades, the saurimat became a cadre of 
  temple guardians, based out of desert holds on arkab (and later, 
  other azami worlds). Tasked directly by the azami elders, saurimat 
  warriors felt responsible only to the Muslim clergy, not to the sec-
  ular governments that ruled the azami planets. (some, naturally, 
  viewed this distinction with skepticism, given the actions of some 
  Mutaween on pre-spaceflight Terra, but unlike those religious 
  police, the saurimat saw themselves more as passive wardens of 
  sacred grounds than enforcers of belief.)
  HUmBLE BEFOrE CHaNgE
  for nearly two hundred years, the saurimat fulfilled its role 
  quietly and—for the most part—unnoticed. Members of the 
  order honed their skills or stood guard at mosques and other reli-
  gious centers, perfecting their martial arts and knowledge of the 
  Koran all the while. Many achieved the ultimate goal of becoming 
  hafiz—those who knew the entire scripture by heart—and more 
  than a few would serve their communities as mullahs after retiring 
  from active warrior duty.
  of course, technological advancement did not halt at the gates 
  of the order. as their off-the-record tasks still included special 
  forces work, the saurimat kept up with modern weaponry, and 
  even incorporated battleMech training when the superiority of 
  these machines could no longer be ignored. This would prove 
  a wise choice when the succession Wars erupted and—for the 
  first time since Urizen’s reign—saurimat warriors would be called 
  upon to defend the azami’s holy places against invaders. 
  In 2775, the Saurimat’s loyalty faced its greatest test, when 
  Kurita troops incinerated Dalkeith—another predominantly Mus-
  lim world—in a nuclear assault. a cry of outrage arose from the 
  Kurita azami worlds when they heard of the fate of their lyran 
  brothers and sisters, but even then, the saurimat held still, assist-
  ing the azami high council in calming the public. 
  or so it seemed.
  In 2989, centuries later and far away on the other side of Com-
  bine space, Muntasir surur, the Maulana of shaul Khala’s saurimat 
  enclave, cited the Dalkeith massacre as one of many reasons to 
  make his intentions public.
  surur was a strong believer in a deviant version of azami 
  scripture, one based loosely on ancient Terra’s Isma’ili sect. With 
  a romantic notion of the Islamic past, he remodeled his warrior 
  lodge into the warped image of what he knew about the Hash-
  shashin (a sub-sect whose specialty included assassination), and 
  proclaimed himself a descendant of the Hashshashin leader Has-
  san-i sabah himself. Hailing from a secluded fortress high in shaul 
  Khala’s barren mountains, surur declared for all azami to hear that 
  the true assassins were back!
  but unlike their namesakes who spawned the term, surur’s 
  assassins did not only act on their own behalf. available to the 
  highest bidder, their “services” could be bought by anyone—and 
  directed against anyone.
  THE SAURIMAT
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/11: THE SAURIMAT 
   
  078 / 079
  shocked by this revelation, the azami leaders tried to reason 
  with the renegade Maulana—to no avail. His mercenary business 
  continued, practically subsidized by Combine officials who sought 
  to even some personal scores. It was during this time that the 
  saurimat reputation became common knowledge, but not in the 
  way their masters had intended. It would take the azami elders 
  more than twenty long years—and the death of a sympathetic 
  member—to finally decide that something drastic needed to be 
  done to curb their radical brothers.
  On the evening of December 15, 3010, a joint force of Saurimat 
  commandos from four other azami enclaves successfully assaulted 
  surur’s fortress and put a violent end to his order’s schism. Those 
  who resisted were killed on the spot, and those captured were 
  executed by morning.
  only one of the neo-Hashshashin was kept alive, to be banished 
  and sent into the deserts by his brothers as a living memorial to 
  what happened. This man was a young initiate, known by the 
  name of Hassan ali Khaled.
  FaITH rISES
  from then on, the saurimat orders practically dropped from 
  public view, silently returning to their intended duties and praying 
  to atone for the sins of their brothers.
  but the bloody lessons of shaul Khala fueled another trans-
  formation within the organization and the faith upon which it 
  stood. already floating around as a whispered dream for more 
  than a hundred years, when the term was considered more of an 
  honorific, the idea began to solidify around the time of the fourth 
  succession War that the saurimat truly were “the sons of the 
  Prophet,” carrying his very blood in their veins.
  What made this particularly unusual was that, though they 
  inferred descent from the Prophet Mohammed, the saurimat 
  never truly proclaimed which of the fifty or so Muslim prophets in 
  consolidated Azami scripture (as of the 3020s) they believed they 
  descended from. Candidates included Mullah Rashid al-Musafa, 
  said to be one of the first Muslim elders to travel to another star. 
  This lack of distinction may well stem from a desire not to alienate 
  any specific azami sect, despite the near-sacrilegious nature of 
  the claim itself.
  The full repercussions of this change cannot yet be fully identi-
  fied, but it had an immediate impact on the azami elders and their 
  high council—the latter now effectively controlled by saurimat 
  Maulana. Where in the past the council decided the course of the 
  faith and the saurimat, now the saurimat lead the high council 
  and therefore the azami faith.
  Though this last fact is publicly unconfirmed (by azami cus-
  tom, the elders and the high council are considered the spiritual 
  rulers of all azami, rather than any one sect or sub-sect), it would 
  explain unusual events, like the Dalkeith incident in september of 
  3037. There, two Arkab Legion regiments (allegedly the Second 
  and the fifth, though official records do not bear out that a fifth 
  arkab legion ever existed) reportedly escorted a company of bat-
  tleMechs bearing arabic sigils during a planetary raid that pitted 
  them against the eleventh lyran Guards and the fourth fedCom 
  RCT. The devastating five-day attack (largely denied by fedCom 
  media at the time) destroyed or damaged nearly two regiments’ 
  worth of ’Mechs and vehicles. It ended shortly after the mysteri-
  ous company of ’Mechs (bearing the hafiz, a sigil that translates to 
  the arabic word for “guardian” and is used for people who have 
  memorized the Koran) secured and stormed the small town of 
  Helden and looted a cemetery there. after-action reports cited 
  warriors in black caftans and face-shrouding keffiyehs performing 
  some kind of washing ritual before unearthing an old tomb, to 
  retrieve what was later revealed to be a Muslim prophet’s burial 
  shroud. escorted by the two legion regiments, the mysterious 
  company and their prize departed as suddenly as they came, and 
  though neither side has confirmed all details of the action, many 
  residents of Dalkeith claimed afterward that the attackers were 
  led by saurimat holy men.
  luckily for the Inner sphere, this has been the only major sauri-
  mat military action seen so far.
  THE SaUrImaT TODay
  as of the start of the blakist Jihad, the state of the saurimat 
  was as shrouded in mystery as ever. four years later, however, the 
  picture has sharpened somewhat.
  for one, the order still exists and still holds considerable clout 
  in the azami community, hiding as it were in plain sight. but the 
  days of the mercenary saurimat, available for hire, are no more. 
  The loyalty of today’s saurimat lies not with money or power, but 
  with his faith. as an order, they are led by an unknown Imam and 
  his inner circle of four Maulana, who acknowledge no authority 
  other than the azami high council—and even then only in ques-
  tions of faith, not worldly matters.
  The order’s secretive nature makes its strength hard to deter-
  mine, and estimates have fallen anywhere between a few hundred 
  active saurimat to three thousand initiates spread unevenly across 
  the major azami worlds. small saurimat centers are said to be 
  located on algedi, sakai, Dabih and (of course) arkab, while even 
  smaller outposts can reportedly be found on odabasi and al’nair 
  and even a few worlds outside the Draconis Combine where the 
  Muslim faith is particularly strong. Meanwhile, on shaul Khala, 
  azami followers believed to be saurimat maintain a constant, sol-
  emn vigil in memory of the surur incident, in the hopes that the 
  tragedy that happened there will never occur again.
  The more recent recall of the arkab legions to defend their 
  homeworlds has also not gone unheard by the order, and DCMs 
  observers have reportedly braced for some kind of reaction by the 
  secret sect. Despite the debunking of a lot of exaggerated tales 
  over the centuries, the Dragon maintains a healthy paranoia toward 
  the Combine’s arkab population, and remains vigilant against the 
  threat of “arkab commandos” like the saurimat. especially with 
  THE SAURIMAT
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section11: THE SAURIMAT
  tempers flying high amid the legions’ desertion, the DCMs and 
  the Isf are likely keeping a sharp eye out for these mysterious holy 
  warriors.
  some DCMs war game scenarios—according to rumor—place 
  as much as a battalion of battleMechs in the hands of the sau-
  rimat, with additional resources that may equal a full-fledged 
  army capable of materializing within hours of a planetary assault 
  on any azami stronghold. (some have even suggested that a full 
  saurimat-trained arkab legion may be hidden off-the-books 
  somewhere, just waiting to be revealed.)
  Though it’s doubtful such warriors would field top-notch 
  equipment, the Combine military is likely taking into account the 
  saurimat’s reputation and the strength of azami faith. surely, they 
  would know that in hand-to-hand combat, armed duels or even in 
  ’Mechs, these warriors will put up a hell of a fight. Indeed, recently 
  disclosed battleRoMs from the Dalkeith incident show a pair of 
  presumed saurimat Grasshoppers pummeling a lyran scout lance 
  in minutes without even bothering to use their lasers—this after 
  losing a BattleMaster and an Atlas to prior combat action.
  one thing is clear: nobody wishes for the saurimat to enter the 
  current conflict. but when they do, everyone will be watching—to 
  see his or her childhood terror in action.
  Insh ‘Allah, indeed. May the Prophet have mercy on all souls.
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  The saurimat do exist, but in exactly what form is the real 
  question. Their secrecy makes it hard to find the answer—and the 
  secret is often maintained by violent means. 
  The saurimat are strong believers in the azami faith, which is 
  built on the teachings of the Koran. While some of the men (no 
  women are allowed in the order) live the secluded life of monks, 
  spending their time training, honing their skills and studying 
  scripture, most saurimat do not shy away from populated areas. 
  Many, in fact, may be well integrated within local communities, 
  where they act as temple guardians or as servants to the mullahs 
  and generally lend aid to the needy. Their outward calm does not 
  exude fanaticism, though they are known to act as missionar-
  ies when the opportunity presents itself, hoping to impress the 
  tenets of their beliefs on others. 
  Underlying their public façade is the martial background of the 
  saurimat order. every saurimat aspires to be a master in the way of 
  the “Quick Death,” a special form of close combat. This discipline 
  teaches agility, decisiveness and stealth, and is applicable to all 
  forms of melee fighting, whether with bare hands or blades. The 
  “Quick Death” relies heavily on surprise, and the use of poison is 
  not uncommon. The saurimat’s preferred weapon is the jambiyya, 
  a dagger favored by desert folk.
  shaul Khala was home to most of the specialists in the discipline 
  of the “Quick Death,” who sold their skills to the highest bidders. 
  but while other saurimat apparently destroyed the enclave there, 
  rumor has it that Hassan ali Khaled was not the only survivor of 
  surur’s sub-sect, and that a few more managed to escape to new 
  samarkand. There, they may have built a new fortress in absolute 
  secrecy, known to no one but these radical saurimat. a mission 
  to contact one of these renegade saurimat could be a particular 
  challenge for the players—one fraught with mortal peril.
  With the Jihad pulling the Inner sphere into chaos, the saurimat 
  may abandon their shadows and come to the fore to avenge any 
  injustice visited upon the azami peoples. by any means necessary, 
  these warriors may hunt down any Word of blake officers linked 
  to the desecration of azami holy sites or other crimes against the 
  residents of azami worlds.
  These saurimat may even emerge armed with battleMechs, 
  and as many as a battalion of saurimat ’Mechs may be found on 
  the azami worlds of arkab and algedi, flying the order’s colors. 
  Most of these machines will be of older vintage (some may even 
  be ancient), but with few exceptions all will feature at least one 
  fully articulated hand actuator—or even two (as saurimat Mech-
  Warriors have a penchant for physical attacks).
  tempers flying high amid the legions’ desertion, the DCMs and 
  where they act as temple guardians or as servants to the mullahs
  (14 March, 3069)
  Al Na’ir [INN] – “…everyone is up in arms against 
  the invaders, war rages in the streets! I can see 
  burning hovercars everywhere. Men, women, carry-
  ing whatever weapons they could find, are running 
  between them. Even the Muslim monks in the mosque 
  just across from where our hotel stood are joining the 
  fray! … Ouch! That must have hurt… And… WOW, 
  Paul, did you see that? I think Father Mohammed 
  there just trimmed that Purifier!…”
  (21 May, 3070)
  Al Na’ir [VOICE OF TRUTH [PEEP OF THE MEEK]] – 
  People of Al’Nair! After the tragic demise of former 
  Governor Salieri and his staff [in an accident caused 
  by a leaking gas line two weeks ago], we are proud 
  to present his successor, Dame Uta. She is—on very 
  short notice—taking the place of Claudio Manolo 
  [who sadly passed away last night—a stroke, they 
  claim].
  Dame Uta will continue the great work of her 
  predecessors, [fulfilling the promises Storia Manning 
  couldn’t hold in her short reign] as well as trying to 
  fill the large footprints her uncle has left [before 
  his “hunting accident”]. May she guide these people 
  well. [Until she bites the dust herself, that is. Which 
  is about…four days away according to local betting 
  pools! Way to go, whoever’s doing this! And don’t 
  forget, people: Broadcast tomorrow at ten. You know 
  where. Free Al Na’ir!]
  (12 April, 3072)
  —Alleged broadcast on DCMS general channels (source 
  unknown), Algedi 
  Dragon! 
  Our world suffered. You did not reply. We prayed for you. 
  Your claws grabbed our holy grounds on Dabih. On pur-
  pose. We forgave you. 
  Your fiery breath scorched Azami homes on Algedi. To the 
  ground. We warned you.
  Your eggs made barren the Prophet’s lands. Once and for 
  all. We pray again, this time for us.
  Dragon.
  Do not sleep. Do not stand still. We will come for you.
  You will not be safe. 
  May your death be quick.
  THE SAURIMAT
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED  
  080 / 081
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNlIMITED
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  >>>EYES ONLY: PROTOCOL (1/79)
  Date: 1 June, 2979
  ATTENDING:
  Count von Steffelbus (presiding), Prof. 
  Markovsky (protocol), Prof. Julian, Prof. 
  Attenborough, Dr. Erdogan, Dr. Liechti, Ass. 
  Berger, Kovacs (guard)
  TRANSCRIPT:
  Count Steffelbus (CSB) opens the assem-
  bly by thanking everyone for accepting this 
  “highly irregular” invitation.
  CSB outlines his plan to extensively fund 
  advanced research in the field of “inter-
  connectedness,” namely HPG and JumpShip 
  technology. This research will be conducted 
  in secret until results are ready for wide-
  spread use. (See attached presentation.)
  Financing will be entirely assured by out-
  side sources, channeled through CSB.
  The projects will report directly and only 
  to CSB, in a manner yet to be determined.
  PA then presents the state of work so far: 
  A detailed analysis of possible fields of 
  research, sorted by estimated timeframe, pro-
  jection of investment, probability of success. 
  “Quick Wins” are: Alternate means of inter-
  stellar communication, medical bionics and 
  agricultural bio-genetics. Identified as long-
  term projects are social sciences, improved 
  interstellar travel and time-warp.
  CSB approves of the analysis and sets the 
  momentary focus on communication and travel 
  again. He dismisses cyber-technology and time-
  warp, but will fund additional research groups 
  for social studies and bio-genetics.
  Prof. Julian (PJ) asks what the planned dura-
  tion of these projects might be. Reply from 
  CSB: “Until they are done.”
  CSB stresses the importance of utmost 
  secrecy, especially toward ComStar and affili-
  ated organizations.
  PJ would like to know why the projects do not 
  involve ComStar, as the premier specialists in 
  most of the fields to be researched. Reply from 
  CSB: “Because they are not to be trusted and 
  were responsible in the first place.” 
  CSB does not elaborate, discourages further 
  questioning and asks non-interested attendees 
  and PJ to leave the room.
  PJ and Dr. Liechti (DL) leave.
  CSB informs those remaining that the depart-
  ing individuals’ next of kin will be notified 
  of their accidental deaths later this evening. 
  Families of DL and PJ will be contacted the 
  day after tomorrow, because the bodies have to 
  be sent back first.
  CSB thanks the assembly for their engagement 
  so far and signals his hope for a promising 
  future.
  >>>END TRANSCRIPT
  INTERCONNECTE
  NTERCONNECTE
  I got this from a scavenger acquaintance of mine. Says it comes 
  off an uncharted satellite orbiting Rosamond. Apparently the 
  machine intercepted a burst stream toward something making a 
  pass through the system. He even identified the source: ABJ’s local 
  correspondent’s office (which conveniently went up in flames a 
  couple of hours after transmitting). Yeah; so much for credibility.
  On the other hand, the data is not without appeal: If the hints 
  are true, it would explain what Steffelbus’ I.U. has been up to and 
  why it’s hurting so bad now (To my chagrin, it doesn’t cover how 
  the company came to be in the first place. We’re still working on 
  that.).
  Oh, and about that satellite: ITT-F-281 as a designation sounds 
  definitely Irian to me. Looks like old Siggy had his personal pair of 
  eyes up the Count’s blue-blooded behind all the time. 
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED  
  082 / 083
  INTErCONNECTEDNESS UNLImITED: 
  TakINg THE FaLL
  The following summary comes from the Andurien Business Jour-
  nal (dated November 3071). I should point out that the article is 
  unpublished and unfinished. It was leaked as part of a data dump 
  by individuals unknown.
  INTErCONNECTEDNESS UNLImITED (IntUnl)
  main Headquarters: Granite Falls (Rosamond)
  CEO: Count Elric Von Steffelbus V
  main Products (Holy Order Press): Philosophy and religious 
  media
  main Products (Peloran motors): Civilian vehicles
  Profile:
  During the first quarter of this century, Interconnectedness 
  Unlimited (IU) was the biggest success story in federated suns 
  business. Coming out of nowhere in the latter half of the 30th 
  century, Interconnectedness began gobbling up corporation after 
  corporation—big and small—without apparent rhyme or reason.
  by the start of the fourth succession War, IU had a total of 
  twenty-three major divisions. but just as the fedsuns economy 
  was turning around, Interconnectedness began to suffer from 
  cash flow and management problems. even the mass opening 
  of lyran markets did little to aid the ailing conglomerate, which 
  began to sell off its lesser-producing divisions. By the mid-3040s, 
  IU had become a shell of its former self, with many observers 
  baffled as to what went wrong.
  and it’s not getting better. after the insolvent remnants of the 
  SLDF ceased payments on the 2.8 billion C-bill stadium project on 
  solaris VII, Interconnectedness apparently suffered from massive 
  liquidity problems. at the same time, the corporation’s first and 
  biggest asset, Triple-f, encountered another series of lawsuits not 
  unlike those of the early 3030s. With the fast-food restaurant chain 
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNlIMITED
  >>EYES ONLY: PROTOCOL (2/94)
  Date: 28 November, 2994
  ATTENDING: Count von Stef-
  felbus (presiding), Prof. 
  Markovsky, Prof. Attenborough, 
  Dr. Erdogan, Dr. Berger, Ass. 
  Monroe (protocol), Ass. Lupin
  TRANSCRIPT: CSB greets the 
  body and thanks them for the 
  good work. He inquires as to 
  progress made in the past six 
  months.
  PM elaborates on the current 
  status of technical proj-
  ects (see attached files for 
  presentation):
  Interstellar communication:
  Improved HPG range:
  • Theory is sound and proven
  • Practical application 
  highly questionable due to 
  tremendous power needs
  • Available computing power 
  takes too long to calculate 
  receiving station
  • PROJECT SHELVED
  Lightweight, transportable HPG 
  generators and receivers
  • Categorized Lostech (used 
  on WarShips, etc.)
  • Reproduction not yet 
  possible
  • Input needed
  • PROJECT ON HOLD
  Low-bandwidth, FTL radio 
  transmitters
  • Theoretically possible
  • First “fax”-tests 
  inconclusive
  • Further investigation of 
  SL research notes necessary
  • PROJECT IN PROGRESS
  Remote guidance
  • Categorized Lostech
  • Exact scope of application 
  to be defined
  • PROJECT ON HOLD
  Interstellar travel:
  Improved K-F range
  • Several theories confirmed
  • Testbeds under 
  construction
  • PROJECT IN PROGRESS
  Improved JumpShip batteries 
  (energy storage for multiple 
  jumps in sequence)
  • Categorized Lostech
  • Re-engineering of lithium-
  fusion batteries complete
  • Tests completed
  • READY FOR MARKETING
  Improved solar sails (acceler-
  ated energy consumption)
  • No suitable replacement 
  materials found
  • Superconductors too unre-
  liable for asked quality
  • PROJECT CANCELLED
  Stationary K-F drives (“jump 
  gates”)
  • Physical installations 
  possible
  • No theoretical approach 
  yet found on how propel-
  ling other objects might be 
  possible
  • PROJECT CANCELLED
  In-system flight capability
  • No work done due to other 
  priorities
  • PROJECT ON HOLD
  CSB appears pleased and 
  assures his support and 
  sufficient funding. Before dis-
  missing the assembly, he once 
  more reminds us of the need 
  for absolute secrecy. To aid 
  in that matter, the new mobile 
  laboratories should be finished 
  “in a couple of weeks.”
  >>END TRANSCRIPT
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  already reeling from the direct effects of the Jihad, widespread 
  government rationing and plummeting sales in general did the 
  rest, forcing Count steffelbus to liquidate the entire chain. It 
  remains to be seen whether Peloran Motors might suffer a similar 
  fate, as its civilian market sales have also plunged in recent years. 
  still going strong, however, is Holy order Press, which literally 
  thrives on the current crisis (a recent fedsuns contract to print 
  pocket-book editions for affs troops springs to mind). The reli-
  gious publications division also recently expanded its portfolio 
  with quickly available and affordable services perfectly suited to 
  the needs of various other faiths and upstart sects.
  nevertheless, the situation looks grim for the once mighty 
  corporation: IU stocks have plummeted 34 percent over the past 
  two months alone (at the few exchanges still open). With insiders 
  claiming that the company’s financial reserves are nearly depleted, 
  analysts wonder why Count steffelbus has not yet started cross-
  funding out of his personal fortune, which many suspect amounts 
  to more than 45 billion C-Bills. The Count has not been available 
  for a statement.
  THE TUrNINg
  Whatever the real mystery behind the corporation might be, 
  there is no doubt that it’s all closely tied to a single family: The 
  steffelbus clan of the federated suns. elric von steffelbus, founder 
  of Interconnectedness Unlimited, formed the company when he 
  was in his early twenties. He led the corporation in first generation 
  long into his eighties, though neither his exact age nor his birth-
  place were ever known. During his earlier years, steffelbus was a 
  handsome young man with flamboyant taste in clothes, vehicles 
  and women—a typical example of an up-and-coming fedsuns 
  corporate magnate who quickly became the darling of the upper 
  class. He acquired his title and many of his companies mainly 
  through connections made during this time.
  In his heyday, von steffelbus spouted a philosophy about 
  the interconnectedness of all things, which he attributed to an 
  ancient book he’d read as a youth. This eccentricity endeared him 
  to people, especially the younger rich, who saw him as a kind of 
  professional religious guru.
  Around 3010, however, Count von Steffelbus went into seclu-
  sion and has not been seen publicly since. Countless explanations 
  arose as to why, some of which are undoubtedly pure fantasy. one 
  of the more plausible suggests that Count von steffelbus suffered 
  from a rare degenerative disease that required his isolation.
  In the late 3020s, rumors swirled that von Steffelbus had a wife 
  and a son nobody knew about. Reportedly, they initially appeared 
  at the Count’s mansion on Rosamond at this time, but were 
  turned away. Not until 3035 were these rumors proven, when von 
  steffelbus publicly accepted the legitimacy of his son (elric von 
  steffelbus V) and introduced him as his successor to head Inter-
  connectedness Unlimited.
  elric von steffelbus V not only continued his father’s business, 
  INTERCONNECTED
  NTERCONNECTED
  NTERCONNECTED
  NTERCONNECTED
  >>EYES ONLY: PROTOCOL (2/05)
  Date: 3 October, 3005
  ATTENDING: Count von Steffelbus (presiding), 
  Prof. Markovsky, Prof. Berger, Dr. Erdogan, Dr. 
  Lupin, Dr. Bonetti, Ass. Monroe (protocol) 
  TRANSCRIPT:
  CSB asks for a minute of silence in honor of 
  Professor Margaret Attenborough, who died on 
  March 5 peacefully in her sleep.
  Sales:
  CSB informs attendees that a high-rank-
  ing representative of the Lyran state has 
  acquired basic blueprints, a prototype and 
  total reproduction rights to our Space-Fax for 
  a substantial sum and several commitments.
  Projects:
  DE reports that no further progress has been 
  made concerning the “super-jump” technology. 
  The last test seems to have worked, but he 
  and his team were unable to track anything. 
  Residue and multi-spectral analysis of the 
  jump-off point were inconclusive as well. This 
  leads to the conclusion that the fifth test bed 
  in as many years is either lost in hyperspace 
  or has materialized outside instrument range, 
  but is unable to return.
  DE and his team will again go over all the 
  available DCMS data from jump accidents, mis-
  jumps and even the recently acquired notes of 
  Kearny and Fuchida.
  PB announces a plan to install one of the 
  newly developed mini-HPGs on the Lucretia. 
  Extensive testing in ComStar-controlled space 
  ended positively. They cannot be intercepted 
  by third parties.
  He also presents the schedule for the bi-
  yearly exchange of Lucretia’s lithium-fusion 
  batteries. 
  Varia:
  PB thanks CSB for financing his new 
  prosthetic arm and leg, but reveals his res-
  ervations about colleagues in social sciences 
  being allowed to test their new concepts on 
  Lucretia’s crew. In addition, he states—as a 
  vegetarian—his thankfulness for the progress 
  made in the hydroponic department.
  >>END TRANSCRIPT
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED  
  084 / 085
  but shared his reclusiveness. after the takeover announcement, 
  the younger von steffelbus retreated to the family’s Rosamond 
  estate and largely refused to confer with the public, save for his 
  annual semi-religious activities. However, this did not prevent 
  him from marrying a young woman named Verena bannson in 
  3049, or fathering two children—a daughter and a son—in the 
  years that followed.
  The young Count, who did not formally take over until after 
  his father’s death in 3039, was often held accountable for the 
  demise of the steffelbus legacy. but while this ultimately might 
  prove true, it is not through lack of trying or poor business man-
  agement. after all, the downfall did not begin until five years 
  after the younger Count’s takeover, and the only thing he sold 
  off in a 27-year career were the divisions that had been profit-
  less before his tenure. Those companies remaining under the IU 
  banner meanwhile demonstrated top-notch performance, right 
  up until something unexpected turned the tide.
  THE PrESTIgE
  Interconnectedness Unlimited has always maintained a low 
  political profile. The conglomerate heeds the laws and pays its 
  taxes, but otherwise keeps out of government or politics. The 
  famous exception to this rule concerned the alliance between 
  the federated suns and the lyran Commonwealth. as the 
  company name implies, IU enthusiastically supported intercon-
  necting the two realms—not only because the alliance would 
  open a whole new market for the company, but because Count 
  steffelbus’ political engagement at that precise moment also 
  served to deflect interest from another incident involving his 
  corporation.
  In June 3022, AFFS troops were sealing off the New Syrtis 
  shipyards, the main repair site for fedsuns Jumpships and Drop-
  ships. armed Dropships and constant aerospace fighter patrols 
  discouraged any unauthorized person from approaching the 
  shipyards. a near-constant flow of coded communications went 
  back and forth between the facilities and the new avalon Insti-
  tute of science. The press, of course, went wild and so did the 
  other realms’ Intelligence agencies.
  It took the federated suns more than three years to release 
  the first official communiqué and subsequently reopen the 
  new syrtis yards. as predicted by many, the communiqué was 
  short on words and information: an explosion in one of the 
  dry-docks supposedly triggered a chain reaction that involved 
  several chemical storage areas and a fusion reactor. The disaster 
  required extensive repairs and decontamination of the affected 
  areas. Interest waned after this brief but believable explanation 
  until only conspiracy nuts still ran around shouting “new syrtis 
  incident” in their pamphlets. 
  In hindsight, with the investigation file available (opened to 
  the public in 3065), the case does not appear quite so clear. For 
  one, most of the file is still blacked out and marked “classified,” 
  NESS UNlIMITED
  but shared his reclusiveness. 
  the younger von 
  estate and largely refused to confer with the public, save for his 
  annual semi-religious activities. However, this did not prevent 
  him from marrying a young woman named Verena 
  3049, or fathering two children—a daughter and a son—in the 
  years that followed.
  his father’s death in 3039, was often held accountable for the 
  demise of the 
  prove true, it is not through lack of trying or poor business man-
  agement
  after the younger Count’s takeover, and the only thing he sold 
  off in a 27-year career were the divisions that had been profit
  less before his tenure. Those companies remaining under the IU 
  banner meanwhile demonstrated top-notch performance, right 
  up until something unexpected turned the tide.
  T
  political profile. The conglomerate heeds the laws and pays its 
  taxes, but otherwise keeps out of government or politics. The 
  famous exception to this rule concerned the alliance between 
  the 
  company name implies, IU enthusiastically supported intercon
  necting the two realms—not only because the alliance would 
  open a whole new market for the company, but because Count 
  s
  served to deflect interest from another incident involving his 
  corporation.
  s
  s
  discouraged any unauthorized person from approaching the 
  shipyards. 
  back and forth between the facilities and the 
  tute of 
  other realms’ Intelligence agencies.
  the first official communiqué and subsequently reopen the 
  n
  short on words and information: 
  dry-docks supposedly triggered a chain reaction that involved 
  several chemical storage areas and a fusion reactor. The disaster 
  required extensive repairs and decontamination of the affected 
  areas. Interest waned after this brief but believable explanation 
  until only conspiracy nuts still ran around shouting “
  incident” in their pamphlets. 
  the public in 3065), the case does not appear quite so clear. For 
  one, most of the file is still blacked out and marked “classified,” 
  NESS
  >>EYES ONLY: PROTOCOL (1/36)
  Date: 15 February, 3036
  ATTENDING: Count von Steffelbus (HPG, pre-
  siding), Elric von Steffelbus V (HPG), Prof. 
  Markovsky, Prof. Monroe (protocol), Dr. Lupin, 
  Dr. Bonetti 
  TRANSCRIPT:
  Note: This meeting takes place as a real-
  time conference call between the research 
  ship Lucretia and Rosamond, Steffelbus’ 
  residence.
  CSB introduces his son, ESB, as his suc-
  cessor and declares his own retreat from 
  any active part in the project, effective 
  immediately. We express our sincerest regret 
  that the treatment developed for him seems 
  to have had no effect.
  ESB summarizes the events of the past 
  five years and concludes in the outlining of 
  his drastic actions: Funding for the bio-
  genetic and social science departments will 
  be eliminated. 
  Apparently ComStar is closer than ever on 
  our heels, pressing I.U. hard for the last 
  piece of the puzzle. The pesky robes did 
  their homework at New Syrtis. To think they 
  figured out we have super-jump capability on 
  sensor telemetry and debris alone! Not bad 
  for guys who mainly concern themselves with 
  ‘safekeeping’ and destroying knowledge, and 
  don’t know squat about developing. Now, the 
  SBs have been forced to sell off quite a few 
  of their companies just to keep us here on 
  Lucretia warm and running.
  Projects:
  DL informs everyone about the plus side of 
  our situation. We finally managed to retrieve 
  the New Syrtis prototype! Both its LF and JD 
  cores were burned out, as expected. Retool-
  ing of the prototype has already begun and 
  finding the flaws in the calculations will 
  only be a matter of time.
  ESB urges us not to hasten this close to 
  the final goal. He will make sure the nec-
  essary parts and equipment are delivered 
  quickly. However, building another prototype 
  is out of the question, as C* surely keeps a 
  close eye on all the shipyards. We will need 
  to make do with what we have.
  >>END TRANSCRIPT
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section12: INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  which seems excessive for a mere accident. In addition, while most 
  witness statements speak of huge explosions, many claim that the 
  dry-dock was not destroyed, but “disappeared” instead. The dry-
  dock was on a four-month lease to Golden star lines, a company 
  then belonging to Interconnectedness Unlimited.
  further digging—this time in military archives—reveals what 
  borders on raiding actions around new syrtis aimed at nearly 
  everything carrying an antenna or sensors capable of listening 
  out into space. Combined with the fact that the sensor logs for 
  the shipyards and the recharge stations were purged “for main-
  tenance” and the entirety of their records for June 3022 got lost in 
  the shuffle, the plot thickens.
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  In short: Interconnectedness Unlimited did it.
  The steffelbus family rose out of nothing to a title, untold 
  riches and a sphere-spanning enterprise. Much more important, 
  they fooled Comstar and would have given the prestigious naIs a 
  bad name if some of their technological achievements had come 
  out in the open.
  but the steffelbus family did not let that happen. Instead, they 
  condemned scientists to a life in hiding. Mastering challenges for 
  no one to see in an ivory tower hopping between the stars.
  and though some mysteries are revealed, others are not.
  Who was the elder Count elric von steffelbus IV? Where did he 
  come from? and how did he start this conglomerate? What were 
  his motives for sealing away scientific ideas instead of throwing 
  them out onto the market, like anyone else might have done?
  What of his alleged son? Why is he watching the demise of his 
  father’s empire with such calm? Does he still have a few cards up 
  his sleeve or is he just waiting for the end?
  Gamemasters exploring this mystery should be aware that 
  whenever one riddle about IU is solved, others will pop up. IU 
  can be played straight as a mere front for technical research, 
  where players get jobs either protecting or stealing secrets. or it 
  can be much more. after all, IU’s founder was revered as a guru 
  of “interconnectedness” and funded “social sciences” on a par 
  with more practical applications. from that point of view, play-
  ers might encounter a basic manipulation plot as nearby as their 
  local Triple-f: The meat did not fail regulations, it was laced with 
  psychosomatic proteins, making a planet-wide behavior experi-
  ment out of today’s special. Yummy!
  FaCTS: THE COrPOraTION
  Interconnectedness was once a huge corporate empire and 
  remains powerful to this day—if somewhat diminished. Its diver-
  sity is immense and follows no form or structure. somehow, 
  everything a steffelbus touches turns instantly into gold.
  Yet no gold can be found behind this façade. both steffelbus 
  Ceos were hardliners to the core and they rule with an iron fist. 
  Those divisions that fail to perform are cut, and whoever complains 
  gets “the letter.” especially in the early decades, IU takeovers were 
  considered very hostile, and Count steffelbus IV faced scores of 
  labor problems, which he solved swiftly and without patience.
  The tender spot on the whole apparatus was (and is) the secret 
  research IU funded: Requiring massive amounts of money to run 
  and lately even more to protect, these projects have drained the 
  empire’s coffers. Since the mid-3030s, when ComStar (and later 
  the Word of blake) started its mudslinger campaign in earnest, IU’s 
  efforts to live up to the ideals of its founder have effectively left 
  the company bleeding to death. 
  FaCTS: BEHIND THE STagE
  Planned to be huge from the start, the research behind IU is 
  what the steffelbus family truly lives for. but how to keep such a 
  project free from unwanted attention? simple: In a world of con-
  stant war, the key to survival is to remain unseen. so the Lucretia 
  came into existence: a Tramp-turned-laboratory. Jumping from 
  empty system to empty system, the scientists on board worked 
  undisturbed on technological and biological sciences.
  The new syrtis incident, according to the wildest rumors, was 
  one of IU’s early demonstrations—the modified Lucretia, a new 
  super-Jumpship that IU used the local dry-docks to complete. In 
  an effort to avoid exposure after a security breach, the project 
  manager on-site initiated a jump-sequence in the middle of the 
  shipyards, taking all evidence (and a big chunk of the installation) 
  with her. but whether or not the rumors are true, the Lucretia was 
  apparently lost in 3071. And though theories swirl that the vessel’s 
  drive was a success, to date IU has yet to market such claims or 
  offer “super-jump” technology to anyone.
  be that it as it may, Interconnectedness Unlimited has put a 
  stamp on the Inner sphere in its own way— if only through its 
  mysteries.
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNlIMITED
  i
  NTERCONNECTEDNESS UNlIMITED
  i
  NTERCONNECTEDNESS
  NTERCONNECTEDNESS UNlIMITED
  i
  From: Precentor Ali Ahmad Kassed
  To: Precentor Martial Cameron St. Jamais
  SOJ/ROM Security Protocol: Avanti – Basso 6898
  DATE/TIME: 10033071 – 1341 Casino
  ////Mission not accomplished. Capture failed, target destroyed.////
  ///Precentor, after a long hunt we finally managed to trick the prey. Thanks to the 
  upgraded core, we took a hundred-year jump and surprised the Lucretia in her recharge 
  cycle at the nadir point of system PX-4509.///
  ///Fighters and DropShips scrambled immediately, but we had dropped out too far 
  away from the jump point, too late. Somehow Bannson scrounged up enough charge 
  for his Lucretia to make a micro-jump into the system’s sun, but late enough so that 
  our boarding parties were also destroyed in her wake. I guess that’s what you get when 
  attacking a colony ship full of KF-scientists with nothing to lose.///
  ///We will soon join them. My Invader’s jump core and L-F batteries are blown out, 
  as predicted. We are fifty light-years away from the next system, and so rescue cannot 
  be attempted. Now the station-keeping drives are sputtering as well.///
  ///For the Master!///
  INTERCONNECTEDNESS UNLIMITED
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  086 / 087
  MINOR PlAYERS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  DEVLIN STONE
  Now, I’ve known Ella Reese for a while, and we’ve had a lot of fights 
  about her willingness to listen to just about any cockamamie theory 
  the wind blows her way. When it comes to someone like Devlin Stone, 
  though, her approach might be the best, and maybe somewhere in 
  the mishmash below is something that resembles the truth.
  —Starling
  THE ELUSIVE DEVLIN STONE: THE TrUTH
  (Or a FEW rEaSONaBLE FaCSImILES)
  —from BullsEye, an INN-sponsored talk show (recorded 18 
  January 3073)
  [Ella kay rEESE]: “all right, let’s get to Devlin stone. Has 
  anyone had so much of an effect on the Inner sphere with us 
  knowing so little about him? sure, we don’t know anything about 
  the bounty Hunter, but with all due respect, he has nowhere near 
  the influence stone has gathered in just two years. and okay, 
  there’s the Word of blake’s Master, but he or she was designed to 
  be mysterious and shadowy. stone has emerged as a man of the 
  people, but the people rallying around him don’t know a thing 
  about him. at least, nothing before he came out of the blakist 
  camp on Kittery.
  “Well, we’re going to fix that now. no one in the Inner sphere—
  besides stone himself and his friend lear—is really an expert on 
  Devlin stone, but we’ve got three people who are as close as it gets. 
  With me is forrest barsun, who’s managed to freelance for most 
  media organizations and half of the intelligence organizations in the 
  Inner sphere; brenda Moore, who somehow gets invited to every 
  state function she wants to attend—I’ll get her secret for doing that 
  one day—and elliott Korschack, who, for my money, has the best 
  network of weasels and lowlifes in the entire Inner sphere, with the 
  possible exception of some of the darker recesses of the MIIo.
  “so, guys—Devlin stone. Where was he before he ended up in 
  the blakist camp on Kittery? Go!”
  [Brenda mOOrE]: “oh, no-brainer. He was in the elevated halls 
  of one of the Inner sphere’s noble families. This is simple logic. You 
  do not develop the leadership ability this man has shown out of 
  nowhere. The skills he’s displayed in building his Kittery Prefecture 
  are skills he brought with him into the camp. If you want to know 
  the truth about who Devlin stone is, start with this: he’s a noble.”
  [Forrest BarSUN]: “elitist hogwash, brenda! a sure sign 
  you’ve been spending too much time with nobles is when you 
  adopt their canard about how only they are eligible to rule, that 
  they’re the only ones with the real ability. The simple truth is that 
  many people, regardless of their lineage, have the ability and 
  temperament to rule, and it’s only our over-reliance on so-called 
  nobles that holds such people down. Well, the walls between 
  nobles and commoners break down pretty fast in a prison camp, 
  and you start caring about actual ability a whole lot more than 
  you care about blood. stone doesn’t lead these people forward 
  because he’s a noble—he leads them because he has the guts, the 
  fire to beat back the blakists.”
  [mOOrE]: “all right, if he’s not a noble, then who is he?”
  [BarSUN]: “now, now, brenda, you’re asking me to skip ahead 
  to the ending! let me lay the groundwork for you—I’ve been 
  interested in this fellow since he first threw back the blakists on 
  Kittery, so I’ve spent a fair amount of effort the past few years try-
  ing to track down his past.
  “I started with what seems to me like a simple assumption, but 
  others will probably find it radical—I assumed that his real name 
  is, in fact, Devlin stone.”
  [Elliott kOrSCHaCk]: “How charmingly naïve! Tell me, do you 
  think God’s name is actually ‘God’, too?”
  [BarSUN]: “Despite Korschack’s condescension, I think it’s a 
  reasonable assumption. after all, why would someone doing what 
  stone’s doing want to hide his identity? He’s become the shining 
  hope of the Inner sphere! armies on hundreds of planets are using 
  his name as a rallying cry! If I were stone, I’d want to hear my real 
  name on all those lips, not some pseudonym.”
  [mOOrE]: “all that proves is how utterly out of touch barsun 
  is with the real world. The politics of the Inner sphere are never 
  simple—there are always reasons someone needs to hide from 
  someone else. I could list dozens off the top of my head, but let’s 
  pick just one, the most obvious one—stone is using an assumed 
  name because his real name could easily be tied to the Word of 
  blake, which would undermine his recruiting efforts. stone, in his 
  previous life, was a noble with well-known blakist sympathies.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “You may not be going far enough. one of the 
  more interesting stories I’ve heard lately says that stone had a lot 
  more than blakist sympathies—he was one of them, and highly 
  placed, too. His success owes a lot more to his insider knowledge 
  than to any military genius.”
  [BarSUN]: “You see how quickly these conspiracy theories go 
  off the rails? That last story is clearly wrong on its face—the blak-
  ists aren’t gentle enough to simply reeducate their defectors. If 
  you’re highly placed and then defect, they don’t leave you free to 
  use their secrets against them. 
  “now, I’ll admit brenda came up with a possibly compelling 
  reason for stone to change his name, but it’s nothing more than 
  conjecture—a neat story, but she’s got nothing to back it up.”
  [mOOrE]: “oh, quite the contrary, forrest! I’m not engaging 
  in mere guessing games here. If I think he’s a noble; that means 
  somewhere in the Inner sphere, a noble family is missing one of 
  its male members.”
  [BarSUN]: “More than one family, I’d wager.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “Right. There’s probably a hundred or so male 
  nobles buried in the wreckage of sports cars at the bottom of 
  various cliffs and mountains.”
  R PlAYERS
  i
  R Pl
  R
  Once more, we wrap this up with a few “minor” players, though 
  one should never look at a conspiracy as minor. I reserve the term 
  for those who are upstarts or known fringes, the kind that maybe 
  aren’t so hard to peer into as the others. This time around, I bring 
  you three, and the first is about some new messiah that’s shown up 
  around the Kittery front…
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  088 / 089
  [BarSUN]: “Yeah. and another hundred hiding at their mis-
  tresses’ houses.”
  [mOOrE]: “You’re both quite amusing. now, I certainly can’t 
  pretend to know the whereabouts of every noble in the Inner 
  sphere, but I didn’t have to track everyone. I had two primary 
  criteria: first, the noble should have come into contact with the 
  Word of blake in some way, thus exposing himself to capture. 
  second, seeing as how stone ended up on Kittery, he was likely 
  near that planet when he was designated for reeducation.”
  [BarSUN]: “I’m not sure how useful either assumption is, but 
  I’ve gotta say I’m interested to hear where this is going.”
  [mOOrE]: “Where this is going is Ziliang. seven years ago, Duke 
  Malin alexander’s third son, Pierre, expressed some blakist sympa-
  thies in an interview. His father tried to muzzle the boy, but rumors 
  persisted that Pierre not only had blakist sympathies, but that he 
  was trying to go against his father’s will by joining the Word. This 
  mini-controversy persisted for three years, then stopped. Pierre 
  has not been seen in public since, and I’ve talked to a few former 
  friends of his who said they lost contact with him.”
  [BarSUN]: “That’s not much to hang a theory on.”
  [mOOrE]: “ah, but there’s more. I’ve heard reports of a few 
  intelligence intercepts about blakists plotting to kidnap nobles 
  in order to force their families into concessions. someone like 
  Pierre alexander would be an ideal subject for kidnapping, as he 
  had already demonstrated blakist sympathies and might even 
  have sought blakist contacts. They’d have to do little to capture 
  him besides wait for him to come to them.”
  [BarSUN]: “I’ve heard nothing about these kidnapping plots.”
  [mOOrE]: “That’s hardly my concern. now, we should also 
  remember the planet we’re talking about—Ziliang—is a harsh 
  mining world populated by rough characters. Duke alexander 
  is not a gentle man, and he’s raised sons to be prepared for the 
  tough atmosphere of their homeworld. someone who grew up 
  under Malin’s tutelage is exactly the kind of person who could 
  not only survive, but triumph in a blakist camp.
  “and, of course, there’s the matter of the first name—Pierre. 
  Trace that name’s etymology back to ancient Terra, and you get 
  the word ‘petros’—stone. Pierre needed to adopt a pseudonym 
  for obvious reasons, but like so many before him, he chose a 
  name with ties to his own. Devlin stone is Pierre alexander.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “a very entertaining story, with enough of 
  a veneer of truth to make it appealing to anyone who doesn’t 
  mind ignoring a few key facts.”
  [mOOrE]: “such as…?”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “Well, for starters, Pierre alexander was a 
  well-known incompetent, a dilettante who couldn’t lead an 
  army to the mess hall, let alone to the conquest of multiple plan-
  ets. He’s been silent, all right, but that’s because his father finally 
  got tired of being embarrassed and put him under wraps. Pierre 
  alexander is not leading an anti-blakist revolution on and near 
  Kittery—he’s in the back rooms of some palace in the federated 
  suns, drunk out of his gourd.
  “The second problem is that someone like alexander, who 
  flirted with blakism mostly out of youthful rebellion, wouldn’t 
  have gathered the depth of blakist knowledge that stone has 
  demonstrated. People talk about his guts, his toughness, his 
  tactical brilliance, but his victories come down to one thing—he 
  knows how and where and when to hit his enemy. He’s got the 
  knowledge of an insider, knowledge someone like Pierre alexan-
  der would never have obtained.”
  [BarSUN]: “You’re at least right about the tactical brilliance 
  part, elliott, which leads nicely to my theory. once stone started 
  making noise on Kittery, I started looking for him. finding every 
  person in the Inner sphere named Devlin stone is not easy, but 
  it’s possible. now, there may be a few people in barbarous areas 
  like the federated suns’ outback that my scan missed, but hon-
  estly, how many people in those areas would ever be captured 
  by blakists and then rise to become a great military leader?
  “as you may guess, my initial sweep came up with a huge list 
  of names. ‘Devlin’ is not the most common first name in the Inner 
  sphere, but there are billions of stones out there, and the combi-
  nation of the two names is not as rare as I had hoped. There was, 
  of course, no way to go through the list name by name, even 
  with the help of my network.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “I’m impressed at the amount of work you 
  put into a task that was fundamentally flawed from the outset. If 
  I was making a list of people who were likely to become the Dev-
  lin stone, people who were named ‘Devlin stone’ at birth would 
  be the first group I’d eliminate, not investigate.”
  [BarSUN]: “That’s because you’re bogged down in your 
  conspiracies. The rest of humanity doesn’t work like you, elliott. 
  We’re more straightforward.
  “anyway, the next step was to apply some filters to the list. 
  age was a natural one; so was general health. Then I added mili-
  tary service, since it’s pretty clear stone didn’t learn about war 
  on the fly—he was trained somewhere.
  “The list of candidates started getting smaller. I used geog-
  raphy, too—like brenda, I didn’t figure the blakists would ship 
  a prisoner across the entire Inner sphere. They’d just drop him 
  somewhere close to where they caught him.
  “now I had a manageable list—too big for one man, of course, 
  but not too big for my network. so I sent my feelers out, and 
  before long the candidates were reduced to a mere handful. I 
  took the investigation entirely into my own hands at that point, 
  and soon I had only one name left on my list.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “let me guess: Devlin stone.”
  [BarSUN]: “Devlin stone of Cold basin, Colorado, to be 
  specific. He fits the profile perfectly. Born in 3041, he enrolled in 
  Point Barrow Military Academy in 3060. He became the type of 
  soldier Point barrow is renowned for—tough, brutal and at his 
  best when conditions are worst. He was given his own battle 
  armor squad in 3068 and assigned to the Sixth Crucis Lancers. 
  He was on Galax when the Blakists attacked in 3069 and listed 
  as MIa after the attack, and he hasn’t been seen since—until, of 
  course, he emerged on Kittery.”
  [mOOrE]: “nonsense.”
  MINOR PlAYERS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “Hogwash.”
  [mOOrE]: “You’re saying Devlin stone is nothing more than 
  some fedsuns foot soldier?”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “The blakists took the trouble of sending an 
  infantry soldier off to Kittery for reeducation instead of just killing 
  him?”
  [mOOrE]: “I find the whole story preposterous.”
  [BarSUN]: “You two don’t like my account only because it’s 
  too direct for your twisted minds. Remember, I said stone was a 
  talented soldier, a squad commander with a bright future. Why 
  would the Word throw away such an asset when they could bend 
  his mind to their will and put him to their own use? look, the 
  simple fact is this—a skilled soldier named Devlin stone disap-
  pears after a Blakist assault in 3069. Then a skilled soldier named 
  Devlin Stone escapes from a Blakist camp on Kittery in 3071. The 
  facts are plain.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “ah, but that’s the problem. since when have 
  any stories of the high and mighty in the Inner sphere contained 
  ‘plain’ facts? When have they ever traveled in a straight line? The 
  lives of the powerful are as crooked as an arthritic snake.”
  [BarSUN]: “snakes don’t have …”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “That’s not the point. The point is, do you know 
  how disappointed people will be if they ask ‘Who is this Devlin 
  stone character?’ and you answer ‘He’s a soldier named Devlin 
  stone.’ no, no, no, that will never do.”
  [BarSUN]: “Well, since you haven’t liked either my explanation 
  or brenda’s, I suppose you’ve got a better one.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “nope. at least, I don’t have a carefully laid-out 
  investigation to share with you. I’ve been at this game for too long, 
  I know that the truth tends to pop up in a place completely differ-
  ent from the one you’d expect. so I haven’t taken time to concoct 
  a grand theory. all I’ve done is listen.”
  [mOOrE]: “and what, pray tell, have you heard?”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “Many things, many things. enough so that I 
  could’ve done this whole show by myself, except you two wouldn’t 
  shut up. so let me hit the highlights.
  “first, there’s the blakist angle. Plenty of people out there are 
  convinced that stone has demonstrated far too much knowledge 
  of blakist tactics and forces to be an outsider. He’s an insider, they 
  say, who turned. In fact, a lot of them think he wasn’t imprisoned 
  on Kittery at all—they say he was working at the prison, probably 
  as a ranking administrator, and he finally got fed up with what he 
  saw there.
  “There’s an interesting companion piece to that theory. It goes 
  like this: stone has demonstrated so much knowledge of the inner 
  workings of blakist operations that it’s clear he had pretty high 
  rank. so high, in fact, that a lot of people are amazed he’s alive—
  ranking blakist traitors have a very, very short life expectancy. so, 
  according to this theory, the only reason stone is still alive is that 
  blakists want him to be. It looks like he’s fighting them, but in real-
  ity he’s doing their will, and every person he draws to his side is 
  another person signed up to this secret blakist cause, wittingly or 
  unwittingly.”
  [BarSUN]: “and what are the blakists going to gain by fighting 
  themselves?”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “beats the hell out of me—the workings of the 
  Wobbie mind are pretty twisty. Whatever the scheme is, though, 
  it’s a long-term game they’re playing. The current war and may-
  hem fits with their immediate goals—whatever stone’s up to is 
  laying the foundation for their goals a few years, maybe even 
  decades, down the line.”
  [BarSUN]: “Why that makes more sense to anyone than the 
  fact that Devlin stone is actually Devlin stone is beyond me.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “I’m sure it is. now, rumor-mongering in the 
  Inner sphere is not complete without a few stories out there claim-
  ing that one famous person is actually another famous person 
  with a new name. To that end, a number of interesting identities 
  have been attached to Devlin stone. The arthur steiner-Davion 
  rumor, for instance, is quite popular.“
  [BarSUN]: “arthur steiner-Davion’s been dead for nearly ten 
  years!”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “Well, yes, but ever since the attempt on 
  Thomas Marik’s life in 3055, people have been suspicious about 
  assassinations through explosions. Without a complete corpse, 
  stories spread.
  “speaking of Thomas Marik, that’s another amusing rumor 
  I’ve heard a few sources deliver with complete earnestness. not 
  that Marik himself—the real one, not the one that’s been lead-
  ing the free Worlds league over the past decade and a half—is 
  stone, but that stone is the mouthpiece for Marik. It’s not clear if 
  Marik was supposed to be in the camp with stone, or if they met 
  after stone’s escape, but everyone supporting the theory agrees 
  on one thing—stone’s leadership capabilities come from Marik’s 
  training.
  “There’s also a theory that stone is actually a Clanner who’s 
  been Inner sphere-ized. I haven’t heard much speculation about 
  the actual name or affiliation of the Clanner, but supporters of 
  this theory believe it accounts for stone’s considerable battlefield 
  prowess. like a new Jaime Wolf, if you will.”
  [BarSUN]: “Congratulations, elliott—each of those theories is 
  more ludicrous than the last.”
  [kOrSCHaCk]: “I didn’t say I believed any of them—just that 
  there’s an ever-growing number of people out there who do.”
  [rEESE]: “…and we’re about out of time here, folks. I guess 
  we’ll wrap it up on that stunningly inconclusive note. and for 
  our viewers at home, if the question is, ‘Who is Devlin stone?’ the 
  answer seems to be ‘Whoever you want him to be.’ Good night.”
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  as should be clear from the transcript, the truth about Devlin 
  stone’s background is elusive. at this moment, no concrete facts 
  about the man have emerged, and stone isn’t talking. He is a 
  screen onto which people project their own hopes, fears or dark 
  thoughts. Gamemasters should feel free to adopt (and adapt) any 
  of the explanations above—or invent their own.
  MINOR PlAYERS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  090 / 091
  THUggEES
  ///Security Classification: Omega Ultra – Eyes Only
  ///Security Priority: Alpha One Ultra
  ///Date / Time Group: 30730228—18:50 Zulu Local 
  ///Transmission Method: Classified
  ///Transmission Origins: Classified
  ///Transmission Destination: Classified
  ///Transmission Sender: Damocles 
  ///Transmission Recipient: Sun-Tzu Liao, Chancellor, Capellan Confederation
  ///Begin Message:
  OPEraTION: rEVELaTION
  Chancellor, 
  Per your request on 30710624, my team and I followed up on 
  the situation concerning the Thuggees and Word of blake. I have 
  confirmed the reports of two new “Warrior Houses” comprised of 
  Thuggee and what appear to be some new type of Manei Domini 
  (MD) cyborgs, all loyal to Kali liao. In addition, I can confirm that 
  the relationship between Kali liao and Cameron st. Jamais goes 
  well past a mere alliance. The mission has been costly, as you will 
  find in my report below:
  CHESTErTON
  We began our investigation on Chesterton, target of a so-
  called “Warrior House Rakshasa” attack earlier this year. Having 
  already been in the general area, my team made planetfall 
  two weeks after receiving your operational request. Working 
  covertly, so as not to draw attention from any hostile operatives 
  on-planet, we infiltrated the fedsuns military base and the hos-
  pital for intelligence.
  militia Base
  The militia base suffered extreme damage when local reserv-
  ists mobilized to meet the Rakshasa attack. our main objective 
  was the area where the defenders made their final stand. Unfor-
  tunately, we found no bodies or cybernetic hardware in the field. 
  However, we did find a number of blast locations consistent with 
  known MD suicide detonations; the blast radii averaged thirty 
  meters.
  Hospital
  bravo Team accessed the hospital to find any survivors for 
  personal accounts of what took place. Their secondary task led 
  them to the morgue for remains of the attackers. The morgue’s 
  security provided standard protection, and bravo infiltrated 
  without incident.
  Survivor accounts: Very few personnel survived or lived long 
  after the attack. bravo did gather intelligence from five survivors, 
  including a leftenant ashley Johnson. each personal account 
  corroborated the others. The attackers were an unknown Capel-
  lan unit comprised of cybernetically enhanced troopers believed 
  to be MD, and led by one MD in particular described as “very 
  large.” Johnson’s detailed account also provided an important 
  detail: she stated that she recognized the insignia as that of a 
  Thuggee cult. 
  morgue Investigation: bravo’s incursion yielded some inter-
  esting information. They located the semi-intact remains of a 
  Thuggee warrior killed in the battle by a lucky head shot. after 
  taking the remains elsewhere to inspect and dissect them, we 
  found body modifications that included cybernetic eyes, hearing 
  and mastoid communication system. The hardware is of appar-
  ent blakist and Capellan origins, but the detonators for the major 
  implants were definitely blakist technology.
  Observation
  Initial conclusions determined that Kali liao’s military force 
  has support from the Word of blake, based on the information 
  obtained in firsthand accounts and cyber hardware in our pos-
  session. I have included vidpics of the all the physical evidence. 
  for further investigation, we determined to infiltrate Highspire.
  HIgHSPIrE
  Infiltrating Kali’s domain proved most challenging. My team 
  and I considered “joining” the Thuggee cult as one method; how-
  ever, if blake’s light of Mankind were on-world, our chances of 
  making it were not good. after exploring a number of options—
  all equally dangerous—we chose an orbital insertion. for our 
  own operational security, I will acknowledge we were successful 
  in grounding without detection.
  During the inbound approach, we managed to gather a large 
  amount of encrypted elint, identified numerous signal sources 
  and located the primary operations center through triangula-
  tion. Once we cleared orbit, we deployed our parasails at 19.3 km, 
  landing about ten kilometers north of the furthest transmission 
  point; we activated our mimetic systems and moved out.
  To avoid detection during our ingress toward the first Thug-
  gee compound, we spent five days covering the distance. During 
  this time, we monitored all transmissions, attempting to decode 
  and break their encryption. by the third day, my comms special-
  ist successfully deciphered part of their security protocols. We 
  discovered that Cameron st. Jamais happened to be inbound at 
  the time, and due to land within the next 24 hours. I modified our 
  mission to classify st. Jamais as a target of opportunity. on the 
  fourth day, we spotted a combined Thuggee and Manei Domini 
  unit out on a training mission, and held our position until they 
  swept back through our area. When they did so, we shadowed 
  them to their base, our first target. 
  MINOR PlA
   PlA
  In a way, this one’s a supplemental report. For those of you who 
  missed my last compilation (hey, it happens!), there was quite a bit 
  of buzz linking Kali Liao to the Manei Domini and the Sixth of June. 
  Well, while we undoubtedly got a lot of that right, there’s always 
  a twist or two nobody considered. Want to see the kind of horror 
  one gets when the Word and another murderous cult join forces? 
  Take a look!
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  The unit we trailed was exceptionally well trained and disci-
  plined. They operated and moved in a manner similar to a blake’s 
  Wrath unit (or in this case, light of Mankind). once they arrived at 
  their compound, two operatives met the returning unit. Though 
  we were looking at Manei Domini, it took my unit several minutes 
  to recognize these operatives as such. Unlike MD troops sighted 
  to date, these operatives had two sets of arms towering over 
  the others. My second in command, Thor, recognized these two 
  as members of my former unit. The sight—combined with the 
  recognition—was most disturbing to look at.
  at that point, we backtracked one kilometer to regroup and 
  analyze our observations, while samson—my comm specialist—
  and Hercules broke the rest of the Thuggees’ encryptions. (I am 
  attaching the “0101” encryption at the end of this report.) My 
  operators discovered a number of important items in the various 
  logs, but two caught their immediate attention. I have listed them 
  in order of importance.
  The relationship between kali Liao and Cameron St. Jamais
  This is a very serious and intimate romantic affair. Kali liao is 
  deeply in love with st. Jamais, so much so, it appears—from the 
  messages between them—that she practically worships the 
  ground he walks on. Here is an excerpt of one decoded exchange 
  that supports this conclusion and more.
  Date/Time Stamp: 30711015/1815 – 1820 zulu Local:
  >>>Begin Transmission<<<
  [kali]: “Welcome home my dearest love, Cameron. We have 
  missed you. I have missed you. When you land, I’ve everything 
  prepared, just the way you like it. Tomorrow, we shall celebrate our 
  son’s birthday. Cameron Victor turns seven and he cannot wait to 
  see his daddy after so long apart. afterward, I will take your mind 
  off all your problems so you can relax, then we will make love until 
  we fall asleep, spent and sated.”
  [Cameron]: “Thank you, my queen. You know how to make 
  me feel welcomed. I have been away far too long from you and 
  young Cam. I cannot wait to put my arms around you, drink in 
  your beauty, and listen to your beating heart. I have brought 
  something special for Cam from Terra; a little something I picked 
  up in london. My dearest, I have missed you so. I’d like to try for 
  another child; I know you’ve been longing for one.”
  [kali]: [Coos] “oh, my darling, I have waited so long to hear you 
  say that. I had begun to fear that with all the fighting between the 
  Confederation and your Word of blake, you had forgotten about 
  us. but we can discuss that later. Right now, I just want to wrap my 
  body around you. How much longer until you land?”
  [Cameron]: “My love, take heart; I will be with you in just 
  twenty hours. I know you’re distressed over fighting. Remember 
  that I would never act against you or your Confederation. These 
  strikes instead aim to remove those who are disloyal to your 
  family—our family. With precision, the Word purifies your realm, 
  purging those who would break ranks and betray us. and I com-
  mend you on unleashing our Rakshasa upon Chesterton. It was an 
  awe-inspiring, masterful stroke. Truly worthy of the Goddess.”
  [kali]: “ah, you truly know me, dearest Cameron. Your selfless 
  devotion to seeing the path cleared for our rule, our unity against 
  the enemies of the Confederation and your new Hegemony, will 
  bring the other Houses to their knees, and we shall toast our 
  combined victory with the blood of our foes when the new age 
  dawns.”
  [Cameron]: “I will owe it all to you, my darling. oh yes, the unifi-
  cation between the new Terran Hegemony and the Confederation 
  will be unstoppable. I must sign off for now, my queen; duty calls. 
  but know this: I love you dearly, and I will see you tomorrow, after 
  I land. sleep well, my love.”
  [kali]: “It will be a fitful sleep until you are with me again, my 
  dearest. be sure you get everything done before you land; I want 
  nothing to take you away from me for at least a week. You are 
  the air that I breathe and my reason for living. I am yours forever, 
  Cameron.”
  >>>End transmission<<<
  Observation
  Kali is clearly smitten with st. Jamais. apparently so much so 
  that she actually believes the blakist units fighting the CCaf are 
  doing so on her behalf. What surprised me—as I am sure it may 
  you—is that this also confirms the existence of a son, whose name 
  appears to be Cameron Victor St. Jamais-Liao. Chancellor, it is not 
  for me to make suggestions, but if this child is legitimate, he could 
  pose a grave threat to your line of succession. 
  Senior Level manei Domini
  The next message confirmed the presence of a high-level 
  Manei Domini, identified solely as Precentor Ravana. Ravana 
  apparently hails directly from the Manei Domini ranks, and is held 
  as joint commander for the Warrior Houses Rakshasa and White 
  Tigers (including all support forces). The Dynasty Guard’s infantry 
  regiment apparently trains exclusively with both Warrior Houses, 
  and the entire regiment deploys Ying long armor, though we 
  were unable to determine the source of these suits’ manufacture. 
  I have coded the details about all force compositions into the end 
  of this transmission.
  THUggEE TraININg CENTEr
  With limited time, I put my entire team down for four hours 
  of rest. We slept in the modified armor recently acquired by 
  Hermes, my requisition and supply master. as the suits were 
  Ying long models outfitted with experimental C3i gear (thanks 
  to your Celestial Wisdom for this support, though I regret to 
  report that the C3 gear suffers from some grievous limitations), 
  we hoped to pass ourselves off as a Death Commando recon 
  team, if discovered. 
  At 0245 local, we deployed into three squads and moved 
  out for our first of three targets. The team infiltrated from three 
  different points; alpha (my squad) from the north, bravo from 
  the southeast and Charlie from the southwest. This was an 
  MINOR PlAYERS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  092 / 093
  intelligence mission, not combat. I chose 0330 local because 
  security watches are most vulnerable then, and seeing as we 
  were on Highspire, the possibility of an attack—we hoped—was 
  a low priority.
  My team entered the compound undetected. as expected, this 
  was the training center for new Thuggee members who would 
  later be integrated into existing units. each team recorded several 
  gigabytes of video for further analysis, and—after Charlie team 
  remained behind to leave some “surprises” for use in possible 
  diversionary tactics—we regrouped to move on to the next objec-
  tive, Kali’s palace. 
  With sixty kilometers of forest-covered mountains between the 
  objective and us, time was precious. I thus ordered the team into a 
  “V” formation dispersed at a maximum distance of ninety meters, 
  allowing detection of any patrols without endangering the entire 
  team, while we advanced at an increased pace.
  CHU-LI mOUNTaINS
  by dawn, we had covered roughly a third of the distance when 
  bravo and Charlie squad detected a forward watch position. 
  apollo—Charlie leader—detailed the position, comprised of a 
  squad of what appeared to be cybernetically enhanced Thuggees. 
  Thor of bravo confirmed the same at his location. While they held, 
  I moved alpha up parallel to their positions and found no sentry 
  watch. after a sensor sweep found no electronic detection equip-
  ment in my area, my team crossed through, while bravo and Charlie 
  converged on our location. It was going to be slow progress from 
  this point in.
  At approximately 1500 local, we emerged atop the crest of the 
  last mountain and sighted the place, nearly twenty kilometers 
  distant. I called Thor and apollo in to discuss our next move. from 
  our position, we had a commanding view of the plateau below. 
  The palace lay at the center, and about five kilometers to the north 
  was a large military spaceport, protected by at least twelve anti-
  air missile emplacements. The third target of our mission would 
  involve taking control of four of those silos and destroying the 
  remainder. st. Jamais’ Dropship was due to land in less than six 
  hours. 
  With no cover beyond small rolling hills and a river supplied by 
  a waterfall ten kilometers to our right, apollo suggested the river—
  which snaked by the spaceport—as our best means of approach. 
  Thor and I concurred. Moving back down the northern side of the 
  ridge, we moved briskly to reach the falls and ran headlong into 
  a Thuggee patrol. our speed betrayed our stealth; we engaged. 
  The Thuggees—apparently modified, but only lightly so—were 
  outnumbered by our men three to one, and wore no battle armor. I 
  thus ordered a close-in assault, catching the Thuggees by surprise. 
  The fight was over in seconds, with the Thuggee MDs slain before 
  they could react. after assessing our situation, we descended along 
  the falls and into the river. The current helped cut our time to the 
  target. 
  THE PaLaCE
  Three hours later, we emerged from the river close to the space-
  port. I sent two scouts to secure the area and awaited the all-clear 
  before the rest of us surfaced, ready to fight. as our scouts moved 
  to the nearest emplacement control stations, they encountered 
  only a single non-modified Thuggee standing watch at each. We 
  deployed, took out the sentries quickly and eliminated the weapon 
  operators inside, securing all three control stations, which samson 
  confirmed as the entirety of the spaceport weapon control net-
  work. apollo put two men in each station, to await my command 
  when the time came. My remaining men then moved toward the 
  palace at a slow pace. The sheer number of weapons emplace-
  ments we could now make out marred the beautiful, classical 
  Chinese architecture of Kali’s palatial estate. Gaining entrance to it 
  would prove very difficult.
  My team had moved within a thousand meters when a sonic 
  boom erupted above us. Instinctively, we hit the ground, as flood-
  lights sprang to life and transformed night into day. I slowly rolled 
  on my back and spotted an inbound Dropship; st. Jamais had 
  arrived ahead of schedule!
  at that moment, the doors to the palace opened. out marched 
  a total of twenty Manei Domini, four abreast, bearing Thuggee and 
  blakist markings. as these troops headed toward the spaceport, the 
  largest man-monster I’ve ever seen appeared, following the entire 
  formation. He stood at least two and half meters tall, wearing a red 
  robe adorned with gold-inlayed archaic writing. His hood lay back, 
  exposing long, raven-colored hair. With the exception of red glow-
  ing eyes, his face appeared extremely handsome, almost angelic.
  This, I realized, was Ravana. following him were five more red-
  robed MDs, though none stood as tall.
  as I directed my team to reorient toward these men, the roar 
  of the Dropship grew louder as it closed to land. apollo broke 
  silence to inform me that Thuggee troops had appeared from an 
  underground bay at the spaceport and were now closing on his 
  position. I ordered him to lock and fire, setting the emplacements 
  on automatic defense before falling back to the river. We would 
  rendezvous at the base of the falls.
  at that point, Thor informed me that the primary Thuggee-
  blakist formation had stopped. as I looked up, I found Ravana 
  had turned in our direction, and his eyes narrowed on me. In that 
  moment, I could taste the fear in my mouth; the hair on the back 
  of my neck stood up and my stomach grew cool. Ravana smiled, 
  exposing a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth and fangs. I knew he’d 
  made us when he ordered the main formation onward, while he 
  and his five companions faced us, waiting.
  I slowly stood, ordering the rest of the team to do likewise and 
  prepare to engage. Ravana removed his robe in one fluid move-
  ment. frankly, if I or any of my men were ordinary infantry, we’d all 
  have pissed ourselves and broken at the sight. Ravana was massive. 
  His metallic legs ended in razor-sharp claws and blades extended 
  from his massive arms.
  MINOR PlAYERS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  Then he spread a pair of broad, demonic-looking wings, the likes 
  of which I have never seen on any of the Word’s Domini troops.
  He pointed directly at me, or so I thought, and in a clear, calm 
  voice ordered his people to disrobe. all were similarly modified, 
  except none of the rest sported wings. at that moment, apollo 
  fired a full spread of missiles at Cameron’s incoming Dropship. 
  That brief distraction was all we needed, and I ordered my team to 
  target lock and fire!
  Twelve plasma bolts reached out for the Manei Domini and 
  bathed them in an explosion of convergent fire. When the plasma 
  dispersed, only three of the six stood. Two bodies lay on the ground, 
  still burning, but Ravana himself had vanished. The three remain-
  ing MD sprinted toward us. We fired again and again, and again 
  until the last one dropped three meters in front of us. I ordered a 
  tactical withdrawal toward the river, even as multiple explosions 
  rocked the incoming Dropship overhead. More missiles launched 
  toward the ship as we continued our fallback.
  Titan half-called a warning, but was cut short. I turned in time 
  to see Ravana fly by, grab him and rip through his armor with 
  those forearm blades. streaking into the sky, the monster disem-
  boweled my man, and dropped his mangled corpse from close to 
  one hundred meters up. I ordered a flanking team to watch our 
  right and the rest of the team tried to track Ravana. In the air, he 
  was fast, almost too fast for our suits’ fire control systems. We 
  moved and fired and he flew in and took out half of alpha and 
  bravo squads before we made it to the river. I was about to dive 
  in when Ravana caught up with me, driving me to the ground so 
  hard I was stunned in spite of the armor. I tasted blood, and knew 
  the pain of broken ribs. 
  Ravana stepped back and sneered at me. as the air slowly 
  returned to my lungs, he stalked around me as if I were prey ripe 
  for the kill. He stopped on my right, and his words will haunt me 
  forever: “I know who you are, Damocles. How dare you defile this 
  holy place, heretic?” He then kicked me—armor and all—a full ten 
  meters. I managed to stand up and face him, and even raked him 
  twice with my battle claws as he reached for me again. He roared 
  in pain and I tried to make the river, but he recovered too quickly, 
  grabbed my right arm and twisted me back toward him. His claws 
  pierced my armor, biting deep into my arms.
  Ravana then said, “I am going to dine on your heart as I watch 
  the rest of your team flayed alive.” He pulled one hand back to do 
  just that, when I fired my plasma weapon into his chest.
  The punch and heat of the blast forced him to let go and I felt 
  myself thrown back toward the river’s edge. We both stood up 
  slowly, and I could clearly see Ravana’s exposed metallic ribs and 
  myomer muscles, still glowing from the discharge. He stepped 
  toward me, but paused. five of my team had returned to face him. 
  With that same fanged grin, the monster pointed a razor-sharp 
  finger at me and declared, “This isn’t over, my old friend…this 
  isn’t over.” before any of us could react, he’d leaped into the air, 
  extended his wings and vanished. 
  Under cover of darkness, my remaining men carried me to our 
  rally point, where apollo and four of his team were waiting. Dur-
  ing our journey back, I tried hard to remember if Ravana and I had 
  been friends before the schism, but I drew a blank. His voice, how-
  ever, was vaguely familiar. We spent two weeks heading back to 
  our drop zone and supplies. Doc patched me up enough to oper-
  ate my battered armor. apollo reported that Cameron’s Dropship 
  crashed on the tarmac after the second missile strike, but did not 
  explode as we’d hoped. He also distinctly witnessed a “bat-winged 
  object” flying away from the craft, and I knew Ravana had saved 
  st. Jamais.
  Though the mission was ultimately compromised, Celestial 
  Wisdom (either by a mole in your staff or else Ravana read my 
  thoughts—at this point I’d believe it), we managed to escape with 
  a good amount of intelligence that may confirm your suspicions 
  about Highspire and Kali’s activities there. Per the terms of our 
  contract, that would make this a technical success, though the loss 
  of eight good men and women (including Cameron and Hercules) 
  make it a Pyrrhic victory, at best. We are scheduled for extraction in 
  a week, Celestial Wisdom, and will be offline until we rest, recover 
  and replace our losses. afterward, per our retainer, I will let you 
  know when we are operational again.
  —Damocles
  ///End message///
  ///attachment encoded alpha zebra One Charlie One///
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  That Kali liao has somehow managed to raise two self-styled 
  Warrior Houses of her own on Highspire, while ostensibly under 
  lock and key is no longer a secret to the Capellan leadership or 
  that of the federated suns’ Capellan March.  nor is it a secret that 
  these “Warrior Houses” (the Rakshasa and the White Tigers) incor-
  porate the extensive cybernetics featured by the Word of blake’s 
  Manei Domini. but while these facts are no longer in dispute, the 
  question of how far the relationship goes between Kali and Cam-
  eron st. Jamais may decide what the ultimate objectives are for 
  such terrifying new forces. are Kali liao and Cameron st. Jamais 
  scheming lovers, plotting a coup against the Celestial Throne? 
  Does Chancellor sun-Tzu liao know more about them than he’s 
  willing to let on, even to the mercenaries he sends to confirm 
  his suspicions? How much direct control do the Manei Domini 
  have over these Thuggee-Manei Domini hybrids? and are their 
  even more radical implants a sign of the lengths to which the 
  Word will go in order to further modify their most fanatical and 
  bloodthirsty warriors?
  Players who encounter ordinary Thuggees in combat can expect 
  little mercy and lots of bloodshed. Combined with the sheer terror 
  of their cyber-enhanced elite, these fanatical followers of Kali liao 
  have grown even more deadly and unpredictable—a combination 
  that could easily tip the balance of power throughout the region.
  MINOR PlAYERS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  094 / 095
  THE TaNITES
  <FOrUmID816.9877.22.766.42/CLaN SOCIETy>
  SUBJECT: The Tanite Civilization
  I think it’s time to talk about the so-called Tanite civilization again. some new material has come available recently that sheds a little 
  more light on this secret society and just how far their control lies. 
  What do we know already? supposedly the Tanis system lies just fifty light years away from the Clan homeworlds, but somehow this 
  advanced civilization remained undetected by the best technology the Clans had to offer for centuries. and when the Clans finally came 
  in to take over, by their own admission they had a hard time assimilating these Tanites. but there is no talk in their history poems about 
  great battles and glorious victories. It’s a huge black hole that ends as suddenly as it appears. all of a sudden, the system is controlled by 
  the Cloud Cobras and the burrocks, but neither Clan lets anyone, other than the star adders, in. and somehow, this makes sense to every 
  Clansman, who all live under such overpopulated conditions that they have to fight each other over tiny apartments. They don’t think that 
  this entire system, just a couple of jumps away, is worth fighting for? That’s what they all want you to believe.
  In reality, the Tanis system was colonized by a team sent by the Illuminati, who were tracking Kerensky. The team, led by 34th-level 
  Master Templar Hoban Tarik, utilized this system as an outpost while they carried out their real mission—to kill Kerensky, destroy his com-
  mand and take charge of his “star league in exile.” It didn’t take much for these propaganda masters to infiltrate Kerensky’s civilization and 
  incite the Clan Civil War. With Kerensky and DeChavilier dead, they incited the war that nearly wiped out the few survivors. but the brother-
  hood managed to sneak Kerensky’s sons away long enough to build a force that could reconquer the Pentagon while the brotherhood 
  kept the Illuminati’s Templars occupied.
  Ultimately, the Templars managed to assassinate the two Kerensky brothers, but the brotherhood’s influence remained. so they built 
  their secret base up in the Tanis system and used that as a staging area to slowly infiltrate their own agents into the Clans, while bringing 
  more resources in from their other bases in the Deep Periphery. When they were finally ready, they lured ships from the only Clan to be fully 
  subsumed by the brotherhood—Clan Cloud Cobra—to their base. There, they disabled the Clan ships and ’Mechs with their CenTURIon 
  weapons. It didn’t take them long to brainwash the Clanners and send them back for reinforcements. Within a few years, they had killed 
  every brotherhood operative in that Clan and begun to reach their tendrils into the rest of the Clans.
  They completely infested half a dozen other Clans, and soon had control of the entire Grand Council through their “mind slugs,” mental 
  leeches that burrow into a host’s brain and make him completely subservient to anyone with the right ultrasonic transmitter. They made 
  the Clan Invasion happen, they had Clan burrock destroyed when some of their warriors found out the truth, and they ordered the Ghost 
  bears and nova Cats to move back to the Inner sphere. 
  Their agents and mind slaves are throughout the Clans now, having all but destroyed the brotherhood there. only the so-called “Wolves 
  in exile” remain free of Templar influence. The Templars command Clan society from their never-seen homeworld of Tanis, where two 
  dozen galaxies of elite shock troops await their orders, along with hundreds of regiments on staging worlds surrounding the Inner sphere, 
  to mount their final offensive to subjugate Humanity under the Templars’ thumbs—once the Jihad has ground the militaries of the succes-
  sor states down further.
  What bothers me is how long they were sitting there unprotected in the Tanis system when they could all have been wiped out so easily. 
  other findings have recently come to light. I’ll let those researchers present their own evidence.
  This is the biggest conspiracy in Clan space. The Tanites have burrowed their way throughout Clan society without opposition, save 
  the too few members of the brotherhood. They are the masters behind all the Clan wars, and when the Clan brutes need something else 
  to fight or start trying to think for themselves, they send in the Dark Caste to take everyone’s attention off their maneuvering. 
  from information I’ve gathered, the Tanis worlds are the most populous and industrial in all of Clan space, terraformed by the Tem-
  plars to serve as their base of operations. over the centuries, they kidnapped hundreds of thousands of Clanspeople, under cover of 
  Gordasch | Posted: 23:54:41.25; 19073061T
  Hokum6652 | Posted: 17:01:14.87; 20073061T
  MINOR Pl
   Pl
  Here’s another fun fringe group that comes up often in the 
  lore of some Clans, yet strangely never appears on the maps of 
  the Clan Homeworlds. Some accounts make them sound like a 
  Clan-style Bandit Kingdom or Kerensky’s answer to the JàrnFòlk, 
  but this worldnet forum thread offers some even better theories to 
  contemplate.
  —Starling
  NOTES
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  Clan battles and Trials, bringing them back to their worlds and brainwashing them. and they started to build their own army. first they 
  used ‘Mechs and tanks stolen from brian Caches. later, they built their own factories, which allowed them to create entire divisions of 
  high-tech omniMechs.
  These shadow warriors and their allies are the greatest threat to Humanity that exists today, bigger than the puppet blakists. That is 
  why they must be defeated. The only way we can hope to do that is to let the galaxy know about them. That is why I’m coming forward 
  with what I know. at this point, I’m sacrificing myself for this, so before they get to me, I’m going to give you everything I have. Don’t let 
  them get away with this!
  This first file is an interview with a Clan warrior captured during operation serpent:
  >>rec072252t073060.ts110415t023061<<
  “Twice during Operation REVIVAL we requested use of the Tanis system to recharge our JumpShips, but were denied. During that time, one JumpShip from 
  another Clan entered the system and invoked a Trial of Possession for use of a recharge station. That ship, and the forces it carried, was never seen again…
  “As a Star Captain in the Jaguar Swords Cluster, I had an opportunity to interrogate many captured Cloud Cobra and Star Adder warriors. All knew of the 
  Tanis system, but only a few ranking warriors confessed to ever having been to those worlds. Each told of barren planets populated only by a few miners and 
  small garrisons. Even under narco-interrogation, none broke, though the bio-monitors indicated they were lying… How they could do so under such condi-
  tions is unknown, but we were instructed by our commander to execute each of them for unspecified crimes rather than allow them to infect our Clan.
  “When I became commander of the Jaguar Swords Cluster, ilKhan Lincoln Osis officially struck our Cluster from the rolls so that no one would know of our 
  secret assignment to discover the hidden truth behind the Cloud Cobras and their untrustworthy allies. He spoke of rumors that the scientist caste was conduct-
  ing illegal genetic experiments and creating armies of mutated abominations in this secret star system. The Dark Caste was also involved in this, apparently 
  supplying not only civilians and warriors captured during raids, but also significant secret technologies and guidance. Lincoln Osis never spoke directly of this, 
  but I believe he thought that the Clans had been infiltrated by a powerful unknown force. 
  “We never had the chance to launch our investigation. This unknown force somehow learned of our mission and directed the destruction of our Clan before 
  we could find out their secrets.”
  >>endrec<<
  This next bit of information is from a smuggler who spent many years in the Deep Periphery before being captured by the fedCom. 
  He spent several years under lyran supervision while they pumped him for information. eventually, he was shipped off to the Marian 
  Hegemony and released. He was killed under circumstances considered “suspicious” even for the Periphery.
  >>begin Transcript:
  “I got paid transporting cargo containers into the Deep Periphery. They came from all over the place, but the pickup was always on Kooken’s [Pleasure Pit]. 
  From there, we’d go out a few hundred light years and meet up in an uncolonized system with a pulsar as the primary, I suppose so nobody could notice the 
  traffic. Always did this with two JumpShips just in case. Our contacts was always different, but they had the money, well at least the precious metals, so we gave 
  ‘em the cargo. They looked and talked like normal, so I didn’t think much about them. Far as we cared, they was doing their own thing and we was doing ours.
  “One time, the maid of the deep black, she catched up with us, real good. We was three or four jumps away from the pulsar when my drive blew. Damn 
  seals just let go. The Malcolm was dead in space, but our other ship was still good. So we left a skeleton crew behind an’ took Nina to make our meet. I 
  figured we wouldn’t get paid or they’d be put out. Damn if I wasn’t surprised. 
  “They followed us back to the blown ship and had their crews fix it up. I don’t know where they got ‘em from, but these guys was the real deal. Better 
  than I ever seen before, even the jackboots in the service. They fixed her up better’n she ever was. New seals, changed out the old bum catalyzer, fixed her 
  up prim and right. 
  “But those guys was as strange as any I ever seen. It’s like they was talking and I understood the words and all, but damn if I had a clue what they was 
  sayin’ half the time. One thing I remember, an’ I asked my mate ‘bout it just to be sure. They kept talking about ‘Tanis High Dock.’ Them’s the words. This an’ 
  that, ‘Tanis High Dock.’ They could fix anything there. Hell, they could build me a new jump drive quicker than it would take ‘em to fix up the Malcolm. But 
  then some thick-neck types shut ‘em up right quick. That all stuck with me. Ain’t no doubt they was talkin’ about their homeworld. Hell if I’ve ever heard 
  of that place though.“
  >>end Transcript.
  Hokum6652 | Posted: 17:23:33.01; 20073061T
  Hokum6652 | Posted: 17:35:12.51; 20073061T
  MINOR PlAYERS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  096 / 097
  and finally, this piece of information from Ivan lier. He’s brought incredible amounts of black information to public light. This bit is 
  from his time within Loki while assigned to Federated Commonwealth Intelligence Corps Outpost 221.
  >>SCRAM/DEC87F1027AF//Start<<
  I spent eight months on Outpost 221 during the first days of the Clan Invasion. The few Clansmen our boys could capture on the “left” side of the 
  Commonwealth—mostly Falcons—during that time were routed through our little station, along with their equipment. You hear about how Clans-
  men are the toughest and never break. In reality it took about two hours. You can hold out against pain, or keep reciting the same limericks all you 
  want, but that won’t stop a cerebral probe at full power. 
  We found out a whole lot of interesting bits of information while we had them there. Hell, we had the location of the Pentagon worlds ten years 
  before someone leaked the story about that Clan “defector.” My office mate at the time came up with that one at a brainstorming session, but we all 
  rejected it outright as too unbelievable. He fabricated the cover anyway, just as a contingency. We gave the general public far too much credit, as it 
  turned out.
  We had our share of bullshit, of course. Most of it from the fresh-out-of-training Clanners and their version of civvies brought along for support. 
  The tale of the Tanites was right up there with the biggest crocks, but over the years I’ve seen enough supporting evidence to confirm these outrageous 
  tales.
  The story begins with the expulsion of Clan Wolverine and the Minnesota Tribe mystery. The Wolverines made a complete circuit of the Inner 
  Sphere, eventually settling in a former Rim Worlds Republic system that, like Outpost 221, had been erased from the maps. Like the tale of the Tanites, 
  it was discovered during the interrogation of prisoners. What they found was one of Amaris’ hidden industrial worlds. Slave populations kept the 
  factories running while the Amaris Dragoons secret police kept the “peace” though public executions and other terror tactics. When the Republic fell, 
  Amaris’ troops executed every single prisoner, took everything that wasn’t nailed down, disabled what they could and left.
  While the bulk of the “Minnesota Tribe” made their trip around the Inner Sphere, a smaller group secretly made their way to this world and claimed 
  it for their own. The larger group gathered a big contingent of refugees on their circuitous trip, adding much-needed manpower, and rebuilt the world. 
  At the same time, they used the technologies of Kerensky to build a clone army, equipped with the most advanced tech of the Star League era. 
  While steadily increasing their numbers, they sent spy ships back to Clan space. They ultimately made contact with the Clan Resistance, the so-
  called Dark Caste. The Dark Caste were still in their infancy, and were primarily raiding for subsistence. The Wolverines gave them the organization and 
  backing they needed to truly fight against the Clans, but they needed a base of operations. That’s where the Tanis star system comes in. 
  It had been cataloged decades earlier, but the actual report was lost sometime during the great exploration push prior to the Clan Civil War. 
  Wolverine navigators found the system by sheer accident in one of their JumpShips’ navigation computers. They had their base of operations near the 
  Inner Sphere, but that was 2,000 LY away. They consequently began a crash program to build up the Tanis system, bringing in cloning chambers and 
  constructing cities and factories. Within a decade, they had more than a million “citizens”—mostly children birthed from the cloning chamber using 
  the genetic legacies they’d stolen from the Snow Raven repository years earlier (before nuking it; some stories say they did that to cover their tracks, 
  while others say it was an accident). 
  These clones became second-class citizens, led by the “elite” natural-born—an ironic twist considering how the other Clans developed—though 
  classified into castes not unlike the Clan society they so reviled (another bit of irony) and given only minimal education.
  While the Wolverines built a massive army, their spies within the Clans kept them apprised of political movements and technological break-
  throughs. The Wolverines were out to destroy Kerensky’s “Clan way of life” and to unite the Inner Sphere under their own ideals of peace, but they were 
  still woefully under-equipped to do so. Their break came in the form of a Clan expedition that found the hidden Tanis system. The expedition was no 
  match for the Wolverines, who spent months mind-bending the crews, replacing those that couldn’t be brought under control with clones, surgically 
  altered to take their place. 
  This one bit of luck allowed them to eventually replace scores, then hundreds, of Burrock and Cloud Cobra warriors and scientists as more and more 
  were brought in to “visit” and then “garrison” the worlds. To outsiders, those Clans took control of a minor star system with an indigenous population 
  that descended from an old Star League-era colonization attempt. In reality, the Wolverines began to systematically conquer those Clans from the 
  inside. They used them to destroy those Dark Caste groups that failed to fall in line or that attracted too much unwelcome attention. Soon enough, 
  they infiltrated the Star Adders, taking complete control of that Clan.
  While their replicates took over the militaries of the three Clans, other agents infiltrated the scientist caste, eventually working their way through-
  out all the Clans. At first, their goal was simply to abscond with the Clans’ technological advancements, allowing the Wolverines to not only keep pace, 
  but even to jump ahead in many cases, thanks to the advanced research labs Amaris had built centuries before.
  During the 30th century, they hatched an even more insidious plot. They used their infiltrated scientists to begin subtly altering Clan gene pools, 
  diluting strong lines and incorporating defects into the entire genetic library. 
  Hokum6652 | Posted: 20:45:18.88; 20073061T
  MINOR PlAYERS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section13: MINOR PLAYERS
  Soon afterward, everything nearly came crashing down. Unaligned Dark Caste groups began attacking the Clan civilization in earnest, bringing 
  the wrath of the Clanners down on them. The Wolverines scrambled to keep everything under control, but when that failed, they instructed the Bur-
  rocks and Cloud Cobras to strike out, destroying the last vestiges of the unaligned Dark Caste. That move, along with a planted story that some former 
  Burrocks were involved in a cover-up and eliminated in the process, pacified the rest of the Clans and maintained the peace. 
  At the turn of the century, the state of affairs in the Inner Sphere prompted the Wolverines to do something about it. Their agents began to stir the 
  pot, so to speak, rallying more and more Clansmen behind the call for invasion. It took some time, but they finally pushed the invasion in 3048. 
  The rest was almost history. They had to increase the intensity of their operations, exposing them far more than they wanted. Their actions got 
  noticed, and very nearly brought them down. Up to that point, they replaced only certain key persons within the three Clans they’d infiltrated. They 
  couldn’t control everyone, including a group of up and coming Burrock warriors. Ristars, they call them. These ristars found out something was wrong, 
  and they won command of their Clan in true Clan fashion—by killing their leader. Problem is, they were Clanners, which basically means that naïveté 
  is inbred. They wanted to clean up their Clan, so instead of bringing in outsiders to help them, they tried to take care of it themselves, and that got 
  them Absorbed. The Wolverines sicced the Star Adders and the Cloud Cobras on the Burrocks, and spurred the Blood Spirits to jump into the fray for 
  good measure. The resulting mess eliminated all opposition, and gave them the opening they needed to replace almost all of the Adders and Cobras 
  with their replicates. Since the “Absorption,” every Star Adder and Cloud Cobra unit has either rotated to the Tanis system or rotated personnel and 
  equipment with one that has gone there.
  The takeover is nearly complete. The Clan wars are already beginning, and the Wolverines mean to come out on top. And when the Jihad and the 
  Clan Wars are over, they will be in position to launch the last phase of their plan: they have fifty divisions waiting to assault the Clan homeworlds, and 
  more than two hundred more poised to sweep through the Inner Sphere, destroying every last vestige of civilization so that they can impose their own 
  on the survivors.
  You have been warned.
  >>sCRaM/ReC///stop<<
  Thanks for sharing. Do we have maps to Tanis or the Wolverine homeworld, or at least some information on those worlds? We’ve 
  been hearing about hidden and lost worlds ever since I’ve been around, but this is the first hard evidence I’ve seen on these.
  Ivan, thanks for putting your life on the line again to share with us. Keep sharing your loki experiences. We need to let everyone 
  know what they are up to.
  <Message deleted by controller>
  I agree. everything Ivan says is golden, even if it doesn’t make a whit of sense.
  I don’t even know why I try, but here I go in any event.
  If the lyran alliance or the federated suns, or the federated Commonwealth, or anyone knew about something this big, there is 
  no way, I RePeaT no WaY, for something as large and wide-reaching to remain secret. The members of the star league would have 
  to know, and to date not a single piece of shared intelligence has ever remained classified. It is absolutely impossible for anything this 
  gigantic to be kept under wraps for this long. Period. 
  Thanks for sharing. Do we have maps to Tanis or the Wolverine homeworld, or at least some information on those worlds? We’ve 
  BendR74 | Posted: 14:00:33.12; 21073061T
  Steug | Posted: 16:07:22.68; 21073061T
  <Message deleted by controller>
  SHAEPR | Posted: 19:45:29.85; 21073061T
  NameRedacted | Posted: 09:12:53.00; 22073061T
  Kommandant^Kreuk | Posted: 01:16:20.09; 23073061T
  MINOR PlAYERS
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/13: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  098 / 099
  My grandfather worked with a contractor that used to build and repair black ops stations throughout the lyran Commonwealth. 
  He never talked about it until his last days, even after he found out they infected him with terminal cancer. He never said much, but 
  he did tell a few stories about Site 221. I remember the name clearly because that was my sister’s birthday. He helped build it into 
  the side of an asteroid, and then would be called back every five to ten years to expand the facility. The last time he was there was 
  ten months before he died. He said he saw something he shouldn’t have, and they killed him for it. Ivan, contact me. I have some 
  evidence I want you to verify.
  seems like everything here has to be a galaxy-wide conspiracy. seems more logical that the mythical Minnesota Tribe died out long 
  ago instead of coincidentally finding some hidden amaris super-factory-world. or that maybe a couple of Clans happened to stumble 
  upon a world that they want to keep all for themselves, so they defend it.
  What about the Word of blake? are the blakists just puppets for the Wolverines or are the wolverines the blake puppets because I 
  keep hearing about these hidden worlds and if they have these hidden worlds that they keep attacking everyone from how come they 
  don’t know about the wolverine hidden worlds. I don’t see how they cant know about those worlds because they have the star league 
  maps of all the worlds they inspected even if they didn’t send anyone there to colonize. The wolverines have to be word of blake or 
  maybe they became the word of blake back when they came to the inner sphere but had to become comstar because that’s what they 
  were before they were wordof blake. but if they aren’t then how come they can have hidden worlds out there because they know whre 
  all the hidden worlds are just look at jardine and the hidden planets they’ve been hiding at.
  I do remember seeing some information that looked pretty funny. I snagged a copy of the last field Manual the star league put out 
  before the Jihad that showed some pretty impressive Cobra and star adder forces on Tanis. You don’t put that many forces on a single 
  planet unless you have something to hide.
  I remember hearing something about the scientists, but I thought that had something to do with the falcons. Do you think they 
  could all be in league together? How would we prove it, even if they are?
  I’d be more apt to believe a drunk on the street than the rubbish coming out of Ivan’s mouth. He’s a chronic liar and purveyor of 
  fantastic stories. Hokum believes everything he says. Hopefully the rest of you can apply a little logic before you swallow it whole.
  Maaraa5559 | Posted: 21:43:33.39; 23073061T
  SkeptyKryttyr | Posted: 12:07:43.91; 24073061T
  Anguis^Gryndui | Posted: 05:19:22.48; 29073061T
  K8uy1l09s | Posted: 14:54:07.73; 30073061T
  I remember hearing something about the scientists, but I thought that had something to do with the falcons. Do you think they 
  ML8730tty | Posted: 14:54:07.73; 30073061T
  SkeptyKryttyr | Posted: 06:06:52.00; 06063062T
  gamEmaSTEr’S SECTION
  The Tanite civilization is a mystery even to most Clansmen. few hard facts are known about this small system on the edge of the Clan 
  homeworlds. Conjecture runs rampant throughout conspiratorial subcultures in the Inner sphere and among the Clans, yet to date no 
  one has asked the serious questions or challenged Clans Cloud Cobra or star adder to rights in the system.
  What is known is that those two Clans jealously guard the Tanis system. They have at least a full star of Warships on patrol, waiting to 
  pounce on any intruders, and at least two Galaxies of troops on the ground. no Clan has been able to land its own troops or ships on any 
  of the Tanite worlds, and no ship without a pre-approved travel plan has ever left the system without first being claimed by Clan Cloud 
  Cobra or star adder in a Trial of Possession.
  MINOR PlAYERS
  MINOR PlAYERS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section14: MINOR PLAYERS
  JU<CORRUPT>SS
  101 .......................................Roots of the Jihad
  102 .............................Word of Blake and True Peace
  103 ...................................The Point of the Jihad
  104 .......................................The Clans Must Die
  105 ...........................................Ways and Means
  200 JIHAD: THE EARLY YEARS
  201 .............................Operation: Sovereign Justice
  202 ...............................Operation: “Thunderstrike”
  203 .....................Operation: “Überschatten/Broken Fist
  204 ................................Operation: “Steel Hammer”
  205 ....................................Operation: “Showtime” 
  206 ...................................Operation: “Ice Storm”
  300 AROUND THE SPHERE
  ??? <UNRECOGNIZABLE/WRONG TYPE>
  OPENING FILE///TSSMOOMH.A12  <WARNING:PARLOUS CONTENT>
  CBS.Dterm (UNENCRYPT)
  PGUP/PGDN  <NEXT>
  <MORE>
  X
  LINK BROKEN
  Ladies and gentlemen...I give you the cherry on the cake...or a rotted pit. Can’t figure it all out yet. But I recently received a packet unlike 
  anything that’s crossed my desk in long, long years of ferreting out the secrets you all don’t want to see. 
  The encryption on the copy I received (and I now know it is just a copy of the master documents) made the electronic lockdown on the Alli-
  ance Reserve Bank look as easy to crack as it is to score in a Canopian Pleasure Circus. I’ve barely scratched the surface ... and I’ve been at this a 
  while. I keep thinking I should tap Lefty ... but not sure I trust him enough with this gem.
   However, what I have been able to dig up ... damnation if it didn’t get my blood pumping at the possibilities. And all I’ve really been able 
  to ferret out yet is some file names! Now some of it seems to simply be a compilation of news reports from around the Sphere, ala Bosworth 
  before he got plastered. Another section is an odd assortment of biographies, from interstellar mega players down to the seemingly innocuous 
  ... who’s keeping tabs on these people, I’m not sure ... though I’ve got some good ideas.
  But the real meat and potatoes of these files ... they scare the living shit out of me. Now, I’ve had my fair share of run-ins ... you all remember 
  the erasure of The Hidden documents the first time I tried to publish. But if my code-breaking is good enough (and it usually is), then the mark-
  ers on some of these files bear coding that place it directly off of Victoria Parrdeau’s hard drive. You all remember her, right? Precentor ROM ... 
  first for ComStar, then Word of Blake, now missing? Doesn’t get much more authentic than that. And if that’s authentic, then we might finally 
  have hard information on Word of Blake military deployment over the past several years. Not something I’m gonna wet myself over, but other 
  military leaders? Yeah, invaluable.
  No, the kernel that stands the hair on the back of my neck on end is the last few file names I cracked (more encrypted than anything else!). 
  But I teased out some file titles ... and normally I’d laugh them off as much as I do aliens in the void or the genecaste (sure, I published them, but 
  that’s because I’m a media whore ... ). But after verifying Victoria’s electronic stamp ... and seeing the vista those few file titles open ... the pos-
  sibilities are enough to rock this completely jaded discoverer-of-secrets to his core. And if it’s true ... whoever holds these secrets will decide the 
  fate of the Inner Sphere for the next decade and more. Empires will rise and fall through these secrets ... even I’m not sure I’m willing to place the 
  bull’s-eye on my chest for revealing everything...which is why I’m only dropping innuendos at this point ... and scuttling back to the shadows.
  Enjoy the light show, people ... it’ll be unlike anything seen in centuries ....
  —Starling
  NOTES
  0
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/14: MINOR PLAYERS 
   
  100 / 101
  B<UNRECOGNIZABLE/WRONG TYPE>
  401 ............................................Albert Benton
  403 ..............................................Alex Keller
  404 .......................................Alys Rousset-Marik
  405 ........................................Janice Annapoulis
  408 ..........................Jocelyn “Joey” Myrianna Nichole
  411 ..............................................Marcel Webb
  412 ............................................Ross McKinnon
  414 .............................................Stacy Church
  415 ............................................Bounty Hunter
  416 ................................................Gavin Dow
  423 ........................................Kiyomori Minamoto
  424 ............................................Shakir Jerrar
  505 ...........................................“Thomas Marik”
  507 ......................................Titus Cameron-Jones
  664 ...............................................David Lear
  666 .............................................Devlin Stone
  710 ..........................................Wolfgang Hansen
  A03 .................................................Apollyon
  A09 ...................................................Avitue
  A98 ...................................................Berith
  A02 .......................................Cameron St. Jamais
  B08 ..........................................Geoffrey Zucker
  470 ............................................Lindon Ashley
  808 ................................................Kali Liao
  OPENING FILE///TSSMOOMH.A12  <WARNING:PARLOUS CONTENT>
  CBS.Dterm (UNENCRYPT)
  PGUP/PGDN <NEXT>
  <MORE>
  M00 THE WORD OF BLAKE PROTECTORATE
  M01 Overview ....................................Organization
  M02 .....................................Protectorate Theater
  M03 ........................................... Lyran Theater
  M04 ...................................Federated Suns Theater
  M05 .........................................Capellan Theater
  M06 ......................................Free Worlds Theater
  M07 .........................................Draconis Theater
  M08 ........................................Periphery Theater
  M10 ..............................Protectorate Militia Forces
  Deployment
  Operational Standards
  M15 Shadow Divisions
  M1A Mercenary Support Forces Mercenary Deployments And Status
  OPENING FILE///TSSMOOMH.A12  <WARNING:PARLOUS CONTENT>
  CBS.Dterm (UNENCRYPT)
  PGUP/PGDN <NEXT>
  <MORE>
  X
  LINK BROKEN
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section14: MINOR PLAYERS
  J00 <UNRECOGNIZABLE/WRONG TYPE> THE LOOKING GLASS
  J01 
  Overview
   
   .....................Victor Steiner-Davion Married?
   
   ...............................Sun-Tzu’s Parentage?
   
   ...............................Clinton’s Cutthroats
   
   ..................................Katherine Set Up?
   
   ..................Arthur Steiner-Davion: The Truth?
   
   ..................................Kali And Cameron?
   
   ..................................What’s In A Name?
  X00 
  X01 
  X02 
  Exile
   
   .................................Log: 7 August 2824
   
   ................................Log: 29 August 2824
   
   .............................Log: 20 September 2824
   
   ...............................Log: 31 October 2824
   
   ..............................Log: 19 November 2824
  <FILE CORRUPT>
  <FILE CORRUPT>
  <FILE CORRUPT>
   
   ...............................Log: 17 January 2825
   
   ..............................Log: 12 February 2825
   
   ..................................Log: 3 March 2825
   
   .................................Log: 26 March 2825
   
   .................................Log: 11 April 2825
   
   .................................Log: 19 April 2825
  <FILE CORRUPT>
  <FILE CORRUPT>
   
   ..................................Log: 15 July 2825
   
   .............................Log: 21 September 2825
   
   ...............................Log: 29 October 2825
   
   ..............................Log: 14 December 2825
   
   ................................Log: 9 January 2826
   
   ..............................Log: 212 January 2826
   
   .................................Log: 29 April 2826
  <FILE CORRUPT>
   
   ..................................Log: 27 June 2826
   
   ..................................Log: 29 June 2826
   
   ................................Log: 11 August 2826
   
   .....................................New Era Day 46
  XA1 
  The Book of Vengeance
  XF1 
  The Scorpion Doctrine
  XF3 
  The Hidden Hand
  XX0 
  What Lies Beneath
  OPENING FILE///TSSMOOMH.A12  <WARNING:PARLOUS CONTENT>
  CBS.Dterm (UNENCRYPT)
  PGUP/PGDN <NEXT>
  <END FILE>
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  102 / 103 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  The following rules cover roleplaying as well as the Classic 
  BattleTech board game, allowing players to integrate the organi-
  zations, groups and powerful individuals in this book into almost 
  any type of campaign or game play. 
  CLaSSIC BaTTLETECH rPg rULES
   The following rules expand on those presented in the Clas-
  sic BattleTech RPG (CBT: RPG), as well as its supplements, such as 
  Lostech (LT), Classic BattleTech Companion (CBTComp) and Combat 
  Equipment (CE). Where applicable, these rules also expand on 
  those established in Interstellar Players (ISP1).
  as noted in the Introduction, most players and gamemasters 
  may consider these rules optional for their campaigns. some, 
  however, are generic enough to add depth even to those games 
  that do not include the power players featured in this book. all 
  players in a gaming group should agree upon the inclusion of any 
  of these rules before using them.
  INFLUENCE aND SPECIaL CONTaCTS/ENEmIES
  The following section contains the selection of expanded trait 
  rules originally featured in Interstellar Players. Unless otherwise 
  stated, these traits follow the rules in CBT: RPG (see p. 78). 
  Remember that some of these new traits are so closely related 
  to existing traits (such as Contacts) established in previous rule-
  books that players can exchange them at the end of character 
  creation to give existing characters more flavor. When making 
  such trait swaps, however, the player must switch among similar 
  traits of equal point values, with the gamemaster determining 
  whether the exchange is appropriate.
  Developer’s Note: The rules for effects of Influence presented 
  here correct a minor error in the interaction between characters 
  with Influence in rival organizations. as such, these rules super-
  sede those found in Interstellar Players.
  Influence Trait
  The Influence Trait reflects a character’s overall power and sta-
  tus within his or her organization, and may be used to “pull some 
  strings” or affect the outcome of negotiations and other social 
  interactions both within and beyond the organization’s umbrella. 
  This trait applies only to the character’s membership within covert 
  organizations and secret societies; for more public roles, such as 
  government administrations, military command structures, noble 
  society and corporate circles, the soC attribute remains the mea-
  sure of the character’s stature.
  Initial Influence
  Characters who possess the In for life Trait automatically gain 
  an Influence Trait for whichever group they are “in.” The starting 
  level of the character’s Influence is automatically assumed to be 0, 
  but for every two life Paths taken while In for life, the character’s 
  Influence in that organization increases by one level to reflect the 
  connections made over the years. also, after acquiring the In for 
  Life Trait, the character’s Influence increases by 1 point for any 
  event roll result of 17+ on a 2D10 Life Path (10+ for a 2D6 Path), or 
  decreases by 1 for an event roll result of 8 or less on a 2D10 Life 
  Path (5 or less on a 2D6 Path). 
  additional levels of Influence may not be purchased during 
  character creation; they can only be earned through roleplaying. 
  Jim’s PC takes the Fugitive Life Path and gets a result 
  of 4, meaning that his parents indoctrinated him into a 
  clandestine rebellion against the government, and he thus 
  gains Influence (0): Rebellion. His next two paths, Merce-
  nary Brat and Military Academy, yield event rolls of 7 and 9, 
  respectively, which add nothing to Jim’s Influence, though 
  the time spent automatically increases it to Level 1. 
  In Jim’s first Tour of Duty Life Path, he rolls a 4 for the 
  event, which decreases his Influence by 1 point (back to 0). 
  He decides to push his luck and takes another pass through 
  Tour of Duty, this time receiving an event roll of 10, which 
  increases his Influence once more by 1 point (to 1). Because 
  this is also his fourth path taken since he gained In for Life: 
  Rebellion, he automatically gains one more level of Influ-
  ence, bringing his final initial Influence level to 2.
  altering Influence
  events in which a character gets involved often cause his or her 
  influence to rise and fall, depending on the character’s participa-
  tion and the outcome. Certain events may cause an automatic shift 
  (promotion within the organization, making new contacts and so 
  on) while others may have a more hit-or-miss effect. The Influence 
  Table below provides a guide to which situations improve a char-
  acter’s Influence, and which may decrease it. Certain events cause 
  an automatic change in value, as demonstrated under the auto-
  matic events header, while others yield a possible opportunity for 
  Influence change—deemed positive or negative, as appropriate 
  to the situation.
  for possible changes, the character must make a soC attri-
  bute Check, adding the character’s current Influence level, 
  divided by 4 (rounding down), to the result. If the check is suc-
  cessful on a possible opportunity to raise Influence (noted by 
  a Positive listing under Type of Roll), the character’s Influence 
  increases by 1 level for every 5 points (or fraction thereof) by 
  which the roll succeeded. If the check fails on a roll for a pos-
  sible decrease in Influence (indicated as a negative under Type 
  of Roll), the character loses 1 Influence Level for every 5 points (or 
  fraction thereof) by which the check failed. any other results—
  failure in an opportunity to increase Influence, or success in a 
  check to determine possible Influence loss—has no effect on the 
  character’s Influence Trait.
  a character also receives one free attempt to increase his or 
  her Influence for each year in game time that progresses during 
  a campaign. This is treated as a positive possible change roll, but 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  104 / 105 
  may increase the character’s Influence by no more than 1 level, 
  regardless of the roll’s Margin of success (Mos).
  To avoid undue Influence inflation or over-use, gamemasters 
  should use discretion when deciding which events should be wor-
  thy of changing a character’s Influence Trait. 
  Effects of Influence
  Unlike the soC attribute or the Glory and Prominence Traits, 
  which denote one’s standing within open societies and public 
  life, Influence represents a character’s standing within specific 
  circles. The Influence trait has no affect on someone unfamiliar or 
  uninterested in said group. Indeed, when interacting with a rival 
  organization, a character’s Influence may even have a negative 
  effect. 
  Players using the advanced Contacts/enemies rules (see pp. 
  209-212, CBTComp) may also use their character’s Influence Trait 
  to aid in finding a contact through the organization’s resources, 
  adding a modifier equal to one-third of the character’s Influ-
  ence level (rounded down) to any required Protocol, streetwise 
  or scrounge checks as necessary. Rather than making such 
  checks only once per day, however, a character with the Influ-
  ence Trait and access to his or her organization’s resources may 
  make as many attempts per day as the character has levels in 
  Influence.
  Same Organization: When dealing with other members of the 
  same organization, add the character’s Influence level to the result 
  of all soC-related checks. 
  Different Organizations: When using Influence between 
  characters of different organizations that are somehow related 
  or aware of one another (which depends on the campaign and is 
  ultimately up to the gamemaster), the character with the higher 
  trait level gains a bonus to all soC-related checks between them 
  (such as Protocol) equal to the difference between their Influ-
  ence levels. 
  rival Organizations: When two characters with 
  Influence in rival organizations interact, the differ-
  ence between the characters’ Influence levels is 
  subtracted from both characters’ soC-related skill 
  checks, rather than added for either character. This 
  means that if a character with an Influence level of 
  10 deals with a character who has an Influence of 4 
  in a rival organization, both characters must apply 
  a –6 penalty to the SOC-related roll result when 
  attempting to negotiate with or influence the 
  opposing character, rather than seeing the more 
  influential character add his usual +10. This penalty, 
  however, only applies if both interacting characters 
  are aware of each other’s ties to rival groups, as 
  determined by the gamemaster.
  Jason’s character has the Influence (10): 
  Manei Domini Trait and is currently dealing 
  with a character who has Influence (6): Cult of 
  St. Cameron. The gamemaster decides for this 
  campaign that the Cult is fiercely opposed to 
  the Domini, so their spheres of Influence rival 
  each other. This means that Jason’s character 
  and his St. Cameron “enemy” apply a –4 modifier to each 
  other’s SOC skill checks against each other (the differ-
  ence between Jason’s Influence of 10 and his opponent’s 
  Influence of 6). If, on the other hand, the gamemaster had 
  decreed that the two organizations were allied, Jason’s 
  character—as the one with the higher Influence—would 
  have added 4 to any SOC-based skill checks against the 
  St. Cameron character (10 – 6 = 4), while his counterpart 
  would have received no modifier.
  Influence and Contacts/Enemies
   Under the advanced Contacts and enemies rules presented in 
  CBTComp (see pp. 209-218), the contacts and/or enemies acquired 
  by player characters over the course of character creation or 
  roleplaying were given an overall Influence Rating to reflect their 
  resources, usefulness or status. for a more precise accounting 
  of this nPC characteristic, a numerical Influence Trait rating may 
  be assigned to any Contacts or enemies the PC may have, if said 
  character is connected with an organization that can exercise vast 
  powers on the interplanetary scene.
   To find the basic Influence rating of an nPC Contact or enemy, 
  cross-reference the ranking (level) of the Contact or enemy with 
  the Contact/enemy Table below. The nPC’s numerical Influence 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  Influence in rival organizations interact, the differ
  ence between the characters’ Influence 
  subtracted from both characters’ 
  checks, rather than added for either character. This 
  means that if a character with an Influence level of 
  10 deals with a character who has an Influence of 4 
  in a rival organization, both characters must apply 
  a –6 penalty to the SOC-related roll result when 
  attempting to negotiate with or influence the 
  opposing character, rather than seeing the more 
  influential character add his usual +10. This penalty, 
  however, only applies if both interacting characters 
  are aware of each other’s ties to rival groups, as 
  determined by the gamemaster.
  Manei Domini Trait and is currently dealing 
  with a character who has Influence (6): Cult of 
  St. Cameron. The gamemaster decides for this 
  campaign that the Cult is fiercely opposed to 
  the Domini, so their spheres of Influence rival 
  automatic Events 
  Influence Change
  Promoted within organization 
  +1
  Demoted within organization 
  –2
  Eliminated a threat to organization 
  +2
  Created a threat to organization 
  –4
  Successful mission for organization on own initiative 
  +1
  Gained new Contact (Special or normal) 
  + value of contact
  Exposed organization secret 
  –5 
  Events for Possible Changes 
  Type of roll
  successful mission for organization under orders 
  Positive
  Increased level of Reputation (good or bad) 
  Positive
  eliminated rival within organization 
  Positive
  failed mission for organization  
  negative
  acquired enemy 
  negative
  Under observation by authorities or media 
  negative
    (per game month)
  INFLUENCE TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  level appears in parentheses beneath the Influence Rating col-
  umn, but may be modified if the nPC lacks the In for life Trait or is 
  a special Contact/enemy.
  This table also incorporates the data found on p. 209 of CBT 
  Companion, and so can be used to determine an nPC’s relative 
  point values in attributes and Traits (using the character possess-
  ing the applicable Contact or enemy Trait as a basis), as well as 
  the nPC’s range of skills and upper limits (once again relative to 
  the player character in question). skill Points for nPCs are spent 
  at a direct rate of 1 point per skill bonus level (starting at +0). For 
  example, an nPC level 2 Contact—in addition to having a base 
  Influence level of 5, if he also has an In For Life Trait—would pos-
  sess 5 more Attribute points, and additional Traits worth 2 points 
  more than the character. Said NPC would also have between 10 
  to 12 skills, with a total of 15 NPC skill points spent between them, 
  though none of these skills can outmatch the player character’s 
  own skill by more than a +2 bonus. (If the gamemaster elected to 
  give the nPC the Pistols skill, and the player character has Pistols 
  Skill +4, the NPC can have Pistols Skill +6, though such a skill would 
  cost 7 NPC skill points.)
  SPECIaL CONTaCT/ENEmy TraITS
  Cost (Special Contact): 2 per Level (Max 4); Value (Special Enemy): 
  2 per Level (Max 4)
  special Contacts and special enemies are particularly well-
  connected nPC Contacts and enemies that a player character 
  may develop (or run against) in the course of an adventure. 
  special Contacts or enemies are always In for life within a major 
  organization—secret or otherwise—and are beholden to said 
  organization’s goals and directives. They also tend to hold far 
  greater influence as a result, and are often far more skilled and 
  capable than comparable nPC Contacts and enemies, typically 
  wielding enough clout to have the player characters do their bid-
  ding, rather than the other way around.
  If using the CBTComp Advanced Contacts and Enemies Rules 
  (see pp. 209-218) to locate a Special Contact, the point cost of 
  the special Contact Trait is added to the base Tn, reflecting the 
  difficulty in getting through to these secretive character types. 
  However, this same value is subtracted from any Tns when using 
  a special Contact’s influence to obtain manpower, information 
  or supplies, reflecting this individual’s superior ability to make 
  things happen.
  Skills and Fields
  The following section contains a new skill and several skill fields 
  for CBT: RPG characters. Unless otherwise stated, these follow the 
  rules as presented in CBT: RPG and CBTComp. 
  martial arts/Quick Death (New)
  a purely offensive form of combat, Quick Death’s intent is in 
  its title: to kill as fast as possible. Providing no defense at all, this 
  style is best used in conjunction with stealth or in situations where 
  surprise is on the character’s side. otherwise, characters using this 
  skill in melee combat will suffer a +2 TN modifier for rolls to defend 
  against another character’s Martial 
  arts skill. (Rfl / WIl)
  Temple Jab (attack): This 
  attack adds 3D6 damage to a suc-
  cessful strike against the target’s 
  head, but cannot be used against a 
  character that is wearing a helmet. 
  If the attack fails, the attacker is 
  momentarily thrown off-balance, 
  and any Tn to hit the attacker in 
  the following round receives a –3 
  modifier.
  Side Stab (attack): The Tn for 
  this special attack increases by the 
  target’s Rfl attribute, plus the tar-
  get’s highest Martial arts skill bonus 
  (if any). If successful, the target must 
  make an immediate Knockout 
  Check with a Tn Modifier equal to the attack’s margin of success. If the 
  attack fails, the attacker is momentarily thrown off-balance, and any 
  TN to hit the attacker in the following round receives a –3 modifier.
  Weapon Style: A character must have a +2 Skill Bonus or bet-
  ter in Quick Death to use this ability, which allows the character to 
  combine any of his known martial arts maneuvers (such as Temple 
  Jab) with weapons in which he is skilled. When using Weapon 
  style in an attack, use the lower skill bonus of either the Martial 
  arts or the weapon being used. If successful, the weapon’s dam-
  age is added to the normal damage and effects of the attack.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  against another character’s Martial 
  a
  attack adds 3D6 damage to a suc
  cessful strike against the target’s 
  head, but cannot be used against a 
  character that is wearing a helmet. 
  If the attack fails, the attacker is 
  momentarily thrown off-balance, 
  and any T
  the following round receives a –3 
  modifier.
  this special attack increases by the 
  target’s R
  get’s highest Martial 
  (if any). If successful, the target must 
  NPC ranking 
  Influence rating (Level) 
  attributes/Traits 
  Skills (NPC Points)/Limits
  Henchman* 
  None (1) 
   –5 / –2 
  6–8 (15) / +0
  Level 1 
  Low (2) 
  +0 / +0 
  8–10 (20) / +1
  Level 2 
  Medium (5) 
  +5 / +2 
  10–12 (25) / +2
  Level 3 
  High (8) 
  +10 / +4 
  12–15 (35) / +4
  Level 4 
  Very High (12) 
  +12 / +6 
  18–24 (55) / +7
  Additional Modifiers
  nPC is not In for life 
   
  x0 
  nPC is special Contact or special enemy** 
   
  x2
  *Henchman NPCs may serve any Ranked NPCs of Level 1 or higher      ** Special Contacts/Special Enemies are always In For Life
  CONTACT/ENEMY TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  106 / 107 
  PErSONaL EQUIPmENT
  The equipment below follows the standard rules set down in 
  CBT: RPG, CBTComp, LT and CBT CE.
  Jambiyya Dagger
  a traditional arabic dagger, the jambiyya (or gambia) is still 
  widely used in many azami cultures. While the blade itself is short 
  and slightly curved, its distinctive feature is its bent sheath (usu-
  ally made from native wood). often created from exotic materials, 
  with elaborate adornments on its sheath and hilt, the dagger is 
  as much a mark of status as it is a deadly weapon. This weapon 
  is favored by many saurimat assassins, who often lace the blade 
  with contact poisons and leave it at the scene of a successful 
  “assignment.”
  St. Cameron’s Templar Vibrosword
  Created as much for ceremonial duties as for combat, the vibro-
  swords used by the Templars in the Cult of st. Cameron are elegant 
  in style, hearkening back to the classic long swords of ancient 
  Terra. With a longer blade than most vibros, balanced for superior 
  fighting, the Templar vibrosword matches the capabilities of the 
  vibrokatanas used by the Combine’s elite DesT—an astounding 
  feat for a weapon practically handcrafted in the Periphery.
  Thuggee rumal
  a ritualistic weapon for stealthy kills, the rumal is a weighted 
  garrotte-like weapon that outwardly resembles a scarf (usually 
  yellow) and is often worn as such (or as a sash) by Thuggee war-
  riors. The current incarnation of this weapon adds a modified form 
  of monowire to the scarf’s weave, granting this weapon the abil-
  ity to crush through personal armor or even slice through flesh 
  when powered up. To achieve the desired results, however, the 
  attacker must first make a successful attack against the target’s 
  head before using the weapon to strangle.
  rOLEPLayINg aDDENDUm
  The following information for gamemasters and players of CbT: 
  RPG campaigns is intended to cover other aspects of life related 
  to the power players in this book, and should be used to help 
  add a more distinctive flavor to such campaigns and characters. 
  However, as with the skills, traits and equipment listed previously, 
  many of these game rules may be applicable even to those cam-
  paigns where secret groups are not a factor.
  Possession
  Though no proof has ever been found of their existence, 
  uncounted rumors still maintain that sentient aliens exist in the 
  space-savvy times of the thirty-first century, perhaps even watch-
  ing human affairs with fear, envy or hatred. In many tales, such 
  beings are as ruthless as they are inconceivably advanced, and 
  persistent stories tell of alien possession—the sublimation of the 
  mind to the will of an extra-human intellect.
  Whether or not these rumors are even close to the truth, 
  abundant documentation exists regarding people who have suf-
  fered profoundly life-altering mental changes after a hyperspace 
  jump—often in ways that make the worst recorded cases of 
  Transit Disorientation syndrome (TDs) seem mild. Whether attrib-
  uted to aliens, “space madness” or the disruption of the human 
  brain’s electrochemical processes by the unknown fluctuations of 
  hyperspace, the folklore term “possession” has taken hold in many 
  circles to describe this unusual phenomenon.
  Gamemasters willing to allow for such possibilities (especially 
  in light of the alien hyperspace-dwellers hinted at in Mysteries of 
  the Void) may explore the possibility of alien possession any time a 
  character or nPC experiences a jump through hyperspace. These 
  rules presuppose that such creatures hate humanity and will 
  do anything to cause pain and suffering to as many humans as 
  possible, but creative gamemasters can develop alternative moti-
  vations for such entities, with potentially different effects. 
  game rules: a successful possession occurs in a similar fash-
  ion to the brainwashing effects described on p. 123 of Interstellar 
  Players, with the following key differences: 
  first, because of the strange nature of time within hyperspace, 
  the effects of breaking down and reprogramming a mind essen-
  tially take place immediately. The weeks normally required to 
  brainwash a subject do not apply in the case of possession. 
  second, because the physics (or inhabitants) of hyperspace 
  have direct access to human minds, there are no physical signs of 
  torture or deprivation. Characters and nPCs will have no memory 
  of the mental ordeal they’ve been through. 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  	
  	
  	
  Equipment		
  AP•Damage	
  	
  Range	
  	
  Cost/	
  	
  Item 
  Skill 
  ratings 
  (CBT) 
  Type 
  S/m/L/E 
  Shots 
  reload 
  Weight 
  afil 
  Notes
  Jambiyya Dagger 
  BLA 
  A/A-A-A/A 
  1•1D6 (0.02) 
  M  
  — 
  — 
  15 
  300 g 
  DC 
  —
  Templar Vibrosword 
  BLA 
  E/F-F-E/D 
  5•3D6 (0.26) 
  M 
  — 
  3 pps* 
  500/* 
  5 kg 
  Per 
  –1 TN
  Thuggee Rumal 
  WHP 
  E/F-F-F/F 
  2•4D6 (0.14) 
  M 
  — 
  1 pps* 
  350/* 
  280 g 
  CC 
  ** 
  *Uses power packs, shots given as power points per shot (pps), reload cost based on power pack used.
  **Requires successful hit to the target’s head; base damage is 1•3D6 if unpowered.
  NEW WEAPONS TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  Gamemasters therefore should conduct possession rolls in 
  secret and not reveal the results to the players.
  In RPG game play, the gamemaster makes a 4D6 roll for each 
  character or nPC who undergoes a jump, subtracting one-third 
  of the character’s WIl (rounded up) from the roll result. If the 
  modified roll result is 20 or higher, the character is psychologi-
  cally altered during his transit through hyperspace. for example, 
  if Spaceman Nadia has a WIL of 8 and undergoes a jump, the 
  gamemaster makes a 4D6 Possession roll with a result of 22, but 
  subtracts 3 (WIL 8 ÷ 3 = 2.667, round up to 3), for a final result of 19. 
  lucky nadia has (unknowingly) resisted or avoided possession. 
  In CbT game play, the same roll is made only for unit com-
  manders and pilots who pass through hyperspace (rather than for 
  every crewman on a given vessel). This includes all transported 
  units, such as Dropships and fighters attached to an attendant 
  Jumpship.
  In both RPG and CbT game play, the effects of a successful 
  possession are determined by rolling 2D6 and consulting the Pos-
  session effects Table below. each possession effect is described 
  below. When any such effects are determined, gamemasters need 
  not explain them to their players. Instead, the gamemaster may 
  assume control of the player’s character and perform the actions 
  described. CbT units whose commanders or pilots succumb to 
  possession effects must roll a separate Initiative from all other 
  units.
  If a character’s possession is recognized by his comrades, and 
  he is then captured or subdued, deprogramming as described in 
  the Brainwashing section of Interstellar Players takes effect
  Extreme Paranoia: In RPG play, a character suffering extreme 
  paranoia from possession feels everyone around him is out to get 
  him and will disbelieve anything told to him, no matter how obvi-
  ous the evidence. The character is essentially subjected to all the 
  effects of the Combat Paralysis Trait (even if not in combat at the 
  time), and suffers a –3 TN modifier to all actions for 1D6 + 5 minutes 
  after the jump. These effects apply in addition to any that stem 
  from pre-existing traits such as Transit Disorientation syndrome.
  In CbT play, a unit suffering from possession-induced extreme 
  paranoia suffers a +1 to-hit modifier to all Piloting and Gunnery 
  rolls for the duration of the effect, and may not execute physical 
  attacks during this time (including ramming). In addition, fighters 
  and other single-pilot units under the paranoia effect must roll 
  2D6 during the End Phase of each turn. On a result of 9+, the unit 
  will attack the nearest friendly unit with no additional modifiers to 
  Piloting or Gunnery skills, and no concern for heat issues or critical 
  damage. Crewed units under a paranoia effect suffer a +3 to-hit 
  modifier for all Piloting and Gunnery rolls (reflecting extreme 
  wariness between the commander, his loyalists and the rest of the 
  vessel’s confused crew). after the paranoia effects wear off, the 
  affected units may no longer expend Thrust, maneuver or make 
  other actions for the remainder of the scenario.
  minor Disorientation: In RPG play, a character suffering minor 
  disorientation from possession is subjected to mild grogginess, 
  akin to being suddenly roused from a deep sleep. For 1D6 + 5 
  minutes after the jump, the affected character’s DeX and Ref attri-
  butes are modified by –1. These effects apply in addition to any 
  that stem from pre-existing traits such as Transit Disorientation 
  syndrome.
  In CbT play, a unit suffering from minor possession-induced dis-
  orientation suffers a +1 to-hit modifier to all Piloting and Gunnery 
  rolls for the duration of the effect, and may not execute physical 
  attacks during this time (including ramming).
  Disorientation: In RPG play, disorientation from possession is 
  akin to suffering a blow to the head. For 2D6 + 5 minutes after the 
  jump, the affected character’s DeX and Ref attributes are modi-
  fied by –2. These effects apply in addition to any that stem from 
  pre-existing traits such as Transit Disorientation syndrome. 
  In CbT play, a unit suffering from possession-induced disori-
  entation suffers a +2 to-hit modifier to all Piloting and Gunnery 
  rolls for the duration of the effect, and may not execute physical 
  attacks during this time (including ramming).
  major Disorientation: Possession-induced major disorienta-
  tion is similar to severe intoxication or “jump sickness.” For 4D6 
  + 5 minutes after the jump, the affected character’s DEX and REF 
  attributes are modified by –3. In addition, the character’s BOD, 
  INT and CHA scores are modified by –1 to reflect significant loss of 
  grace and function. even after the effects wear off, the character 
  automatically receives the Transit Disorientation Trait (if he did not 
  have it previously) as a permanent side effect of the trauma.
  In CbT play, a unit suffering from major possession-induced disori-
  entation suffers a +3 to-hit modifier to all Piloting and Gunnery rolls 
  for the duration of the effect, and may not execute physical attacks 
  (including ramming) or re-enter hyperspace during this time.
  Coma: In RPG game play, possession-induced comas render 
  the character unconscious immediately after the jump. The coma 
  lasts up to 6D6 + 10 hours. If medical attention is available before 
  the end of this time, the character will survive on a successful 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  2D6 roll 
  Effect
  2 
  extreme Paranoia
  3-5 
  Minor Disorientation
  6-7 
  Disorientation
  8 
  Major Disorientation
  9 
  Coma
  10 
  Turncoat
  11 
  Berserker
  12 
  Headhunter
  POSSESSION EFFECTS TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  108 / 109 
  MedTech Action Check with a +4 TN modifier (other conditional 
  modifiers apply as well). otherwise, the comatose character suf-
  fers an apparent stroke and dies at the end of this period.
  In CbT play, coma effects render any fighters or other single-pilot 
  units inactive for the duration of the effect. larger units—such as 
  small Craft, Dropships, Jumpships and Warships—may function 
  normally, but suffer a +1 to-hit modifier to all Gunnery and Pilot-
  ing rolls, as well as a –1 initiative modifier as secondary officers 
  attempt to cover for their stricken commander.
  Turncoat: In RPG game play, for 1D6 + 3 minutes after the jump, 
  the affected character will turn and attack any friendly characters 
  he can reach. The turncoat is not truly controlled by any oppos-
  ing force, however, and may not be used as part of a coordinated 
  attack; he will simply engage whichever of his comrades are near-
  est until he is rendered unconscious, immobilized or killed.
  In CbT game play, fighters and other single-pilot units under 
  the turncoat effect will attack the nearest friendly unit as though 
  it is an enemy, with no modifiers to Piloting or Gunnery skills. 
  Crewed units under a turncoat effect will attack friendlies for only 
  1D6 ÷ 2 turns (round up), with a +2 to-hit modifier for all Piloting 
  and Gunnery rolls (reflecting a struggle between the commander 
  and his loyalists, and the rest of the vessel’s confused crew). after 
  the effects wear off, the unit functions normally again.
  Berserker: In RPG game play, for 1D6 + 3 minutes after the 
  jump, a possession-induced berserker rage drives the affected 
  character to attack any character nearby—friend or foe. The ber-
  serker will neither withdraw nor coordinate attacks with others, 
  and will ignore any and all orders from superior officers. Instead, 
  the berserker will rush the nearest unit and attack without regard 
  for defensive actions—literally fighting until he is killed, or his 
  nearest targets are obliterated (at which point the berserker will 
  find another target and continue). 
  In CbT game play, fighters and other single-pilot units under 
  the berserker effect will attack the nearest unit (of any affiliation) 
  as though it is an enemy, with no additional modifiers to Piloting 
  or Gunnery skills, and no concern for heat issues or critical dam-
  age. Crewed units under a berserker effect will attack other units 
  for only 1D6 ÷ 2 turns (round up), with a +2 to-hit modifier for all 
  Piloting and Gunnery rolls (reflecting a struggle between the 
  commander and his loyalists, and the rest of the vessel’s confused 
  crew). after the berserker effects wear off, the affected units may 
  no longer expend Thrust, maneuver or make other actions for the 
  remainder of the scenario.
  Headhunter: The most insidious possession effect in game 
  play, a character who becomes a “headhunter” in RPG play appears 
  outwardly normal after the jump and—if in combat—will fight 
  alongside comrades and other friendly units until the opportunity 
  to attack his or her own vessel (or force) leader presents itself. at 
  that point, the possessed character will turn and strike, focusing 
  entirely on killing the command target without any regard for self-
  preservation.
  In CbT game play, the “headhunter” unit at first rolls Initiative 
  with the rest of its allied side. However, once a friendly command 
  unit enters the headhunter’s forward or forward side/wing arcs 
  (for non-Jumpship/Warship units), or along any non-rear arc (for 
  Jumpships and Warships), the headhunter will attack the com-
  mand unit with no modifier to Gunnery or Piloting skills for the 
  first turn. for all subsequent turns, the unit operates per the rules 
  for a possessed berserker unit. If the possessed headhunter unit 
  is the command unit, it functions normally for 1D6 turns after the 
  jump, only to suddenly explode during the Movement Phase of the 
  following turn as the vessel’s self-destruct systems are engaged.
  CUTTINg IN
  on exceedingly rare occasions—and invariably with no warn-
  ing or discernible reason—Jumpships and Warships thought lost 
  to long-forgotten hyperspace accidents have been known to 
  appear out of the thin vacuum, sometimes unaware of their own 
  disappearance, and sometimes as little more than drifting, dead 
  hulks. Many long-time spacers call this bizarre phenomenon “cut-
  ting in,” and consider it one of the great mysteries of the void.
  before incorporating this unusual effect in game play, a 
  gamemaster should realize first and foremost just how incred-
  ibly unlikely a Cutting In event is. While Jumpships and Warships 
  have disappeared countless times in Classic BattleTech’s history, 
  the odds of a ship suddenly emerging in the midst of a player-run 
  unit’s activities—or even during a space battle—are nearly nil. It 
  is thus up to the gamemaster to decide when a vessel’s “cutting 
  in” is appropriate to the campaign, and it shouldn’t happen more 
  than once or twice in any given crew’s lifetime.
  If a sense of pure randomness is desired to check for Cutting In 
  effects, the gamemaster may roll 2D10 once for every hyperspace 
  jump the players have taken where their vessel simply waits to 
  recharge. on a result of 20, reroll the dice. If the second result is 
  also 20, a lost Jumpship or Warship will appear. The vessel should 
  materialize within sensor range of the player characters’ ship, rais-
  ing all sorts of alarms.
  The class and identity of the newcomer is entirely up to the 
  gamemaster’s imagination, but the following factors should 
  be considered before making the decision: will the lost vessel 
  become a prize to be claimed by anyone parked in the local area, 
  and will she resist capture? Which local faction or factions might 
  the appearance of the vessel aid (or cause the most difficulties 
  for)? Is the lost vessel meant to take part in a space battle, or is it a 
  ferry for cargo, passengers or military troops? Will the presence of 
  this single vessel cause an imbalance in the forces arrayed?
  after determining the vessel’s identity, the gamemaster may 
  then roll 2D6 to determine its condition and reactions and consult-
  ing the Cutting In Vessel Disposition Table. full explanations for 
  each disposition result appear below. as with the vessel identity, 
  however, gamemasters should feel free to tailor vessel disposition 
  to meet the needs of their specific scenario.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  Debris: The arriving vessel is completely destroyed. It appears 
  as a shower of debris three hexes long, which drifts across the 
  map sheet at a rate of 1 hex per turn, along a vector determined 
  by the gamemaster. any unit moving within a hex occupied by 
  the destroyed vessel must make a successful Piloting skill roll with 
  a +2 modifier or suffer damage equal to a successful attack by an 
  NAC/10 (location determined randomly, based on the unit’s facing 
  relative to the debris’ movement).
  Black and Quiet: The lost vessel reappears intact, but shows 
  no lights and emits no signals or radiation. It drifts across the map 
  in the same fashion as debris (see above), but may be boarded and 
  captured per standard rules, with no rolls required to determine 
  success.
  Damaged but Operable: The lost vessel reappears func-
  tional and largely intact, but clearly has suffered substantial 
  damage. It doesn’t communicate with either side, and drifts in 
  the same manner as debris (see above). The disabled vessel may 
  be boarded per standard rules, but any possible crew on board 
  may resist.
  Functional/Stands Off: The lost vessel reappears in good 
  condition. If combat is going on in the area, it moves clear of the 
  crossfire along a vector chosen by the gamemaster. either way, the 
  vessel does not immediately communicate with other ships.
  Functional/Communicates with Both Forces: The lost ves-
  sel reappears in good condition. If combat is going on in the 
  area, it moves clear of the crossfire along a vector chosen by the 
  gamemaster. It communicates with both sides, and may—at the 
  gamemaster’s discretion—decide to help or hinder local vessels.
  Shoot First, ask Questions Later: The lost vessel reappears 
  in good condition. Whether or not combat is going on in the 
  area, it immediately attacks the nearest unit upon emerging from 
  hyperspace.
  rOLEPLayINg WITH INTErSTELLar PLayErS
  The additional interstellar players presented in this sourcebook 
  represent more shadow organizations and individuals who may 
  wield considerable influence in the Classic BattleTech universe. 
  In general, most of these groups play out the same way as any 
  major government, military organization, noble house or Clan, 
  with upper-tier leaders clinging to the shadows as their pawns 
  and followers interact with the outside world, acting as their mas-
  ters’ eyes, ears and hands. Though the methods and styles may 
  vary from group to group, and can be adapted to suit any gaming 
  environment a gamemaster so chooses, the following paragraphs 
  provide a general guideline on how to use these interstellar play-
  ers and other shadow groups in a standard RPG campaign.
  Character Creation and Shadow groups 
  strictly speaking, every time a character gains the In for life 
  Trait, he or she has become a member of a shadow group, from a 
  mere criminal organization or political conspiracy to membership 
  in a secret intelligence agency or one of the interstellar players 
  featured in this product. Membership in all such cases carries with 
  it an air of secrecy—an imperative to keep full public knowledge 
  of the character’s organization, its true motives, and its true goals 
  closely guarded, available only to those who have earned the 
  proper level of respect and trust.
   To reflect this general distrust of outsiders, players whose 
  characters acquire the In for life Trait may also add either the 
  Dark Secret or Quirk (1)/Paranoid Traits, if neither has already been 
  obtained during the creation process. In exchange, the player may 
  add 1 point to the character’s SOC or WIL Attributes (regardless 
  of affiliation limits, to a maximum of 10), signifying a rise in public 
  status or intensity that often accompanies membership in such 
  dangerous and powerful groups. a character with In for life must 
  also compute his relevant Influence Trait level within that group 
  (see Influence Trait, pp. 100-102).
  Player characters should not be able to join just any shadow 
  group during the creation process, however. While covert 
  operative groups, government conspiracies, rebel factions and 
  organized crime are certainly possible, groups such as the Illu-
  minati, the ancients and the scientists’ Cabal, should not simply 
  be chosen or randomly rolled, as such groups are highly restric-
  tive and so secretive as to be nearly invisible in daily life. These 
  types of groups should be accessible only through roleplaying. 
  Gamemasters should carefully review which groups may or may 
  not have any impact on their games, and decide up front whether 
  characters may be generated that belong to such groups fresh 
  from character creation.
    
  roleplaying and Shadow groups
  by and large, most of the shadow organizations the player char-
  acters might encounter will reveal themselves through their nPC 
  members, and whole adventures may be based on discovering, 
  joining or even attempting to destroy or expose a shadow group 
  to the universe at large. once again, it falls to the gamemaster to 
  determine how hard or easy such a process is, using the published 
  source material on such agencies and organizations as a guide. 
  Joining the ranks of the brotherhood of Randis may be an easy 
  enough feat for a Periphery-born character with a noted hatred of 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  2D6 roll 
  arriving Vessel’s Disposition
  1–3  
  Debris
  4–7 
  Black and Quiet
  8–9 
  Damaged but Operable
  10 
  Functional/Stands Off 
  11 
  Functional/Communicates
  12 
  Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
  CUTTING IN VESSEL DISPOSITION TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  110 / 111 
  pirates, but slipping the same character into the Thuggees should 
  be nigh impossible.
  because they shroud themselves in secrecy, in fact, characters 
  may well be In for life with a shadow group before they even gain 
  enough influence to affect the group or learn its secrets. The Hid-
  den’s cabal, for instance, may put prospective members through 
  a series of tests with and without the character’s knowledge, all of 
  which must be overcome to reach a new level of trust within their 
  order. less sophisticated groups may ask the same of a player char-
  acter, usually in the form of loyalty tests such as killing a member 
  of a rival group or member of society, risking life and limb as nec-
  essary to survive such rites of passage. These tests often have the 
  additional effect of forcing the character to accept the leadership 
  of the shadow group; they can shatter long-standing allegiances 
  to others or even violate laws that in effect make the character an 
  outcast from normal society, hunted and shunned by all but his 
  new “comrades in arms.”
  The ultimate goals of any shadow group should always be 
  worked out by the gamemaster, even if the ultimate leaders of 
  the shadow group never choose to reveal themselves to their 
  members. Most will pursue multiple goals at once, all of which are 
  pieces of a larger puzzle. still others may actually be operating at 
  the behest of an even larger organization.
  Characters who are not In for life with a shadow group none-
  theless may easily find themselves under such a group’s sway, as 
  special Contacts or special enemies within such groups can pull 
  strings or make demands that the characters must abide by or 
  suffer the consequences. Indeed, the player characters’ reaction 
  to these individuals may ultimately prove to be their initial rite of 
  passage into the shadow group, and their “success” may result in 
  becoming In for life with an organization that chose them rather 
  than the other way around.
  Shadow groups and Spheres of Influence
  To clarify how the various shadow groups operate, the 
  expanded shadow Groups Table below provides a general 
  description of each group’s primary political and social spheres of 
  influence, plus any special rules regarding membership and activi-
  ties within the organization beyond those previously discussed, 
  and the maximum attainable Influence Rating its members may 
  reach. Gamemasters may feel free to modify these tables as they 
  see fit, as the very nature of most organizations makes them hard 
  to easily quantify.
  for Political spheres of Influence, each group has an entry of 
  Home, neighbor or all, reflecting how far their reach extends 
  relative to their base of operations. an entry of Home means the 
  group primarily works within the political boundaries of its own 
  state or local region, while an entry of neighbor indicates a group 
  that is equally active at home and within neighboring realms or 
  states. an entry of all means that operatives of this group may be 
  at large anywhere in the Inner sphere, Periphery and even Clan 
  space (though some organizations may have “blind spots,” such 
  as Interstellar expeditions, which has no significant contacts in the 
  Clan homeworlds).
  for social spheres of Influence, each group is rated as 
  Underworld, Political, Religious, Corporate, Military, all or Ren-
  egade. Underworld spheres mainly encompass the realms of 
  organized crime and the black market, and blatantly operate 
  outside the law. Political spheres primarily cover state intel-
  ligence agencies and political conspiracies, which may not 
  always operate outside the law, but may involve some degree 
  of “ethical flexibility.” Religious spheres are those that focus 
  almost exclusively on spiritualism and inspire an often-fanati-
  cal following. Corporate groups revere the bottom line above 
  all, and often operate legally but with the cold and calculating 
  methodology of a machine. Military spheres can range from 
  armed rebel sects and militias to a grouping of like-minded 
  soldiers dutifully serving their state, but are universally armed 
  for bear. all spheres can reach into many aspects of society, 
  groups so pervasive their influence can be felt everywhere. The 
  final classification, Renegade, represents “none of the above,” 
  reflecting those groups that are small and personal, such as 
  mercenary commands and bounty hunters.
  special membership requirements may vary wildly, but most 
  come in the form of required combat training (with more restric-
  tive groups specifying the state that does the training), rites of 
  passage (which vary from group to group, and can range from 
  massive donations to illegal acts such as destruction of property 
  and even murder). some are even hereditary, with most members 
  born into the group and new recruits from outside almost unheard 
  of. still others may have minimum attribute or trait requirements. 
  for those that have a minimum Influence Rating to enter, mem-
  bers already In for life with the group may not use their Influence 
  Trait until they attain a certain level of Influence within the organi-
  zation. after that, however, the trait functions normally. 
  INTErSTELLar PLayEr NPCS
  The ancients (belters), Chandrasekhar Kurita and the Thuggee-
  Manei Domini hybrids (Phansigars) presented in this book are all 
  special characters whose abilities can have an extraordinary—and 
  potentially unbalancing—effect on roleplaying campaigns. These 
  characters should never be allowed in campaign play as player 
  characters, and so they lack life Paths for character creation. all 
  three of these character groups are presented here exclusively for 
  use as non-player characters (nPCs), each with special rules per-
  taining to their capabilities in roleplaying campaigns.
  BELTErS IN gamE PLay
  In normal game play, belters rarely appear beyond the confines 
  of the Terran solar system and even then may not encounter other 
  characters who choose to stay clear of the Terran asteroid belt and 
  oort Cloud regions. Though most belters possess some form of 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  genetic and surgical modifications, by far the majority of belter 
  encounters will consist of belter civilians whose light modifica-
  tions and so-called “genetic vaccines” offer little more game play 
  effect than most existing CBT: RPG traits. even more rarely seen 
  are the belter militias, police sWaT personnel and security agency 
  strike teams, whose enhancements tend toward more extreme 
  augmentations. 
  belters do not share their genetic engineering techniques or 
  technologies with outsiders, meaning that player characters may 
  not benefit from belter genetic modifications.
  average Belters
  Most belters differ little from any other human. Their “genetic 
  vaccines” produce trivial effects below the scope of CBT: RPG rules, 
  such as good teeth, clear skin and the elimination of most inher-
  ited diseases. It is highly unusual for any belter to have attributes 
  (other than CHA, EDG and SOC) below 3, but all Belter Attributes 
  are purchased as normal during nPC creation.
  Many belters, however, do benefit from more significant 
  enhancements. These common belter enhancements are mostly 
  covered by existing CBT: RPG traits: ambidextrous, attractive, Com-
  bat sense, exceptional attribute, fast learner, G-Tolerance, Good 
  Hearing/Vision, night Vision, Pain Resistance, Poison Resistance 
  and Toughness. While many belters invest in such enhance-
  ments for their children, belters generally cannot afford too many 
  enhancements, as even a common enhancement exceeds the 
  annual income for a belter family. To reflect their greater access to 
  these enhancements, however, belter nPCs may choose any two 
  of the above-listed traits at a cost of 1 point less than normal (to a 
  minimum of 0 points).
  Better Belters
  Genetic vaccines and enhancements are not enough for 
  every belter. The somewhat rarer augmentation packages used 
  by the so-called “better belters” are described below (see Belter 
  Augmentations).
  Combat Belters: on the off-chance a campaign runs into 
  conflict with belters, genetic engineering will have less impact 
  Shadow group  
  Political Sphere 
  Social Sphere 
  max 
  Special membership
  Or group Type (Examples) 
  of Influence 
  of Influence 
  Influence 
  requirements
  Intelligence Agency, Military (DEST, DMI) 
  Neighbor 
  Military 
  16 
  Training by the state
  Intelligence Agency, State (LIC, ISF) 
  Neighbor 
  Political 
  16 
  Training by the state
  Major Corporation (Irian, Interconnectedness) 
  Home 
  Corporate 
  15 
  None
  Organized Crime (Yakuza, Mafia) 
  Home 
  Underworld 
  12 
  None
  Rebel/Terrorist Group (Pirates, Black Dragon) 
  Home 
  Military 
  12 
  Combat Training
  Religious Cult (One Star Faith, Exituri) 
  Home 
  Religious 
  14 
  *
  The “Ancients”/Belters 
  Home 
  Renegade 
  9 
  Hereditary Membership
  Bounty Hunter 
  All 
  Renegade 
  8 
  *
  Brotherhood of Cincinnatus 
  Home 
  Military 
  14 
  *
  Brotherhood of Randis 
  Neighbor 
  Military 
  12 
  Combat Training*
  Chandrasekhar Kurita 
  Neighbor 
  Corporate 
  14 
  None
  Clan Scientists’ Cabal 
  Home 
  Political 
  14 
  Min. INT 6+; Clan Scientist Caste only*
  Coterie/Cult of St. Cameron 
  All 
  Military 
  12 
  Combat Training*
  Davion Warriors’ Cabal 
  Home 
  Military 
  14 
  Min. SOC 5+*
  Devlin Stone 
  All 
  Renegade 
  10 
  None
  Far Lookers 
  Neighbor 
  Political 
  12 
  None
  Genecaste/Void Children 
  neighbor 
  Renegade 
  20 
  Hereditary Membership
  The Hidden 
  all 
  Political 
  20 
  * 
  Illuminati 
  All 
  All 
  35 
  Min. Influence 10+*
  Interstellar Expeditions 
  All 
  Renegade 
  12 
  None
  Jàrnfòlk/Tanites 
  Neighbor 
  Renegade 
  12 
  Hereditary Membership
  Manei Domini 
  all 
  Military 
  20 
  ally: The Hidden* 
  Saurimat 
  Home 
  Religious 
  14 
  Combat Training*
  Scourge of Death/Thuggees 
  Home 
  Military 
  12 
  *
  Sixth of June 
  All 
  Political 
  16 
  Combat Training*
  *Character must also complete appropriate Rites of Passage to join/remain in this group
  EXPANDED SHADOW GROUPS TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  112 / 113 
  than generations of experience in a unique environment. When a 
  fighter pilot gets a zero-G scooter at age three and spends the rest 
  of her life operating spacecraft, raised by family and friends with 
  a similar background, she tends to make a fine pilot regardless of 
  modifications. an entire culture that only screens the best of the 
  best for militia piloting duty will thus have truly fearsome space 
  combat abilities. belters exemplify this logic, with Green-rated 
  fighter and Dropship units starting at what most Inner sphere 
  militaries consider Veteran status, and getting better from there. 
  The same applies to belter militia infantry and battle armor units, 
  but only when fighting on asteroids or in habitats.
  To reflect these capabilities, Combat belter nPCs may choose 
  the Infantry, Pilot or Vacuum Resistance modification packages as 
  traits (the costs of which are listed in their descriptions). Combat 
  belters may select up to two such packages per character (but may 
  add additional standard traits with any remaining trait points), 
  with all modifiers considered cumulative. In addition, belter pilots 
  or infantry operating in vacuum and/or microgravity conditions 
  receive a +3 RPG skill bonus to all Piloting, Gunnery and combat 
  actions in such environments. (In CbT game play, this equates to a 
  –1 modifier to the Belter’s base Gunnery skill, and a –2 modifier to 
  his base Piloting skill.) If a Combat belter must act in a planetary 
  atmosphere, however, these bonuses are lost.
  Non-Combat Belters: More radically altered civilian belters do 
  exist, though encounters with them can be extremely rare. also 
  taking advantage of advanced genetic engineering or even surgi-
  cal/cybernetic implantation, these nPCs may take the extensive 
  Cosmetic, Pilot or Vacuum Resistance augmentation packages 
  listed below as a trait (the cost of which is listed in each descrip-
  tion). other modification packages are also possible (see Other 
  Modifications, below), at an additional cost of trait points, but 
  non-Combat belters may select only one augmentation package. 
  However, they may pick up additional standard traits with any 
  remaining points.
  BELTEr aUgmENTaTIONS
  The following augmentations reflect complex “trait packages” 
  available only to belter characters, developed by a combination 
  of genetic therapy and surgical enhancements such as cybernetic 
  implants. Combat belters may select up to two augmentation pack-
  ages per character, while non-Combat belters may select only one. 
  Extreme Cosmetic modifications
  Trait Point Cost: 2
  When belters want more radical changes to their appearance 
  than standard enhancements allow, they turn to cosmetic aug-
  mentations. Cosmetic augmentations allow recipients to look like 
  aliens, anthropomophoric animals, or simply bizarre. additional 
  prehensile limbs tend not to work well due to the human brain’s 
  difficulty in coordinating the new limbs, but other minor benefits 
  are possible (like claws and fangs).
  rPg rules: non-belters tend to react to recipients of these rad-
  ical cosmetic augmentations as though they had the Unattractive 
  trait. Gamemasters may grant –1 or –2 TN bonuses for Intimida-
  tion and Interrogation checks by belters with extreme Cosmetics. 
  belters who cosmetically add limbs may not effectively use them 
  in the same turn where they are also using their natural arms.
  CBT rules: Cosmetic augmentations have no impact on CbT 
  game play.
  Infantry modifications
  Trait Point Cost: 4
  belter soldiers, paramilitary police officers and government 
  security personnel are often augmented with speed, strength and 
  durability in mind. The exact augmentation varies between belter 
  governments, but the end result is similar to dermal myomer 
  implants. The augmentation is rarely obvious; the recipient simply 
  looks athletic.
  rPg rules: +2 BOD, +2 STR, AV: 3/3/3/3, Pain Resistance
  CBT rules: each belter infantryman with this augmentation 
  may sustain 1 additional point of damage per trooper, whether in 
  battle armor or out of it. also, conventional belter Infantry may 
  reduce any burst fire damage sustained (see pp. 215-217, TW) by 
  1D6 (to a minimum of 1 point), and do not sustain double damage 
  when attacked in the open (but only as long as the entire platoon 
  features this modification).
  Pilot modifications
  Trait Point Cost: 4
  belter fighter pilots are good even without genetic augmen-
  tation, but this standard augmentation—which reinforces visual 
  acuity, circulatory systems, bones and joints—makes them excep-
  tional. belter pilots also usually get the vacuum augmentation, 
  listed below.
  rPg rules: +1 BOD, +2 REF, G-Tolerance, Good Vision, Night 
  Vision
  CBT rules: Each fighter pilot applies a –1 modifier to randomly 
  rolled Piloting skill results. Belter fighter formations receive a +2 
  initiative modifier as long as the entire squadron features pilots 
  with this modification package.
  Vacuum resistance
  Trait Point Cost: 3
  This augmentation is a battery of tissue reinforcements: some 
  artificial sphincters, oxygen-storing tissues, nitrogen-scavenging 
  marrow and transparent inner eyelids that combine to protect 
  a belter from vacuum exposure. Vacuum resistance takes a 
  minimalist approach, and so radical changes in appearance and 
  internal organs are unnecessary. With the modifications, internal 
  pressure (without injury) is kept low (though sudden decompres-
  sions necessitate immediate exhalation to avoid lung embolisms). 
  The vacuum of space provides good thermal insulation, though 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  protective clothing 
  is needed to avoid 
  injury during lon-
  ger exposures or 
  from contact with 
  sun-heated and 
  shadow-cooled external surfaces.
  rPg rules: The recipient is effectively immune to the worst 
  vacuum effects, can hold his breath for up to 10 minutes’ worth 
  of moderate activity, and is immune to the “bends” and nitrogen 
  narcosis. bare skin contact with exterior surfaces still causes burns 
  or frostbite (treated as an incendiary weapon attack to the contact 
  body location with an RPG damage value of 1•2D6).
  CBT rules: Infantry with this augmentation may ignore the 
  damage doubling effect of vacuum, but only so long as all mem-
  bers of the infantry unit possess this modification.
  Other modifications
  Trait Point Cost: Variable
  Gamemasters should feel free to create other genetic augmen-
  tations. It is recommended that gamemasters in a creative mood 
  reference Manei Domini cybernetics for inspiration (see pp. 120-131 
  Jihad Hot Spots: 3072 or pp. 131-134, Interstellar Players) rather than 
  the radical Genecaste modifications (pp. 128-131, IP); belters have 
  yet to produce anything so extreme as the Genecaste.
  The Trait Point cost of other belter modifications is up to the 
  gamemaster, but should equal at least the value of the highest 
  comparable RPG character trait, plus 1.
  NEW mErCENary EmPLOyEr: UNCLE CHaNDy
  as a character, Chandrasekhar Kurita is a corporate power bro-
  ker active on the interstellar scene, best known for his flamboyant 
  lifestyle, which contrasts sharply with his brilliant intellect and 
  curious sense of ruthlessness and honor. Though he is not averse 
  to hostile corporate takeovers, his overriding ambitions have 
  always been toward the betterment of his native Draconis Com-
  bine and—on the larger stage of the Jihad—the ultimate defeat 
  of the Word of blake.
  Though he lacks direct clout in Combine politics, and has 
  eschewed a personal military (beyond certain unlisted corporate 
  security assets that amount to a private conventional militia), 
  “Uncle Chandy” has become one of the Inner sphere’s biggest 
  private employers of mercenary commands, particularly since the 
  onset of the Jihad.
  With his corporate facilities often marked for Word of blake 
  attack, Chandrasekhar Kurita’s base of operations remains 
  mobile—indeed, the player characters may never encounter 
  him directly, if he deems it too risky. Most contact for mercenary 
  operations will come through intermediaries, and most will occur 
  outside of MRbC channels (a curious thing, considering how Kurita 
  prefers MRbC-rated mercs to unregistered commands). 
  Typical mercenary contracts offered by Chandrasekhar Kurita 
  may include security duty for his corporate facilities—such as the 
  Hachiman Taro electronics central offices on Hachiman (still under 
  reconstruction as of 3073)—or affiliated facilities like the StarCorp 
  Industries plants on son Hoa. other missions may include pirate 
  hunting (much of it in the Terran Corridor/Word of blake Protec-
  torate), or even special operations similar to those offered by 
  Interstellar expeditions.
  game rules: When using the rules from Field Manual: Merce-
  naries (Revised) to find contracts and such, mercenary commands 
  from 1 company to 1 regiment in size that are not classified as 
  Rogue or Wanted may easily find themselves offered missions by 
  Uncle Chandy. If the player characters’ mercenary command quali-
  fies, any Draconis Combine or Corporation employer rolled up 
  after the start of the Jihad in 3067 may actually reflect a contract 
  from Kurita and HTE. To determine if that is the case, roll 2D6 after 
  finding the Combine or Corporation employer result. on a result 
  of 8+ for this roll, the employer is actually Chandrasekhar Kurita. 
  as an employer, Uncle Chandy offers different terms than 
  most. To determine the starting terms for one of Chandrasekhar’s 
  missions, consult the Chandrasekhar Kurita Contract Terms Table 
  below and use them in place of the standard employer con-
  tract term modifiers. However, as Chandrasekhar does not trust 
  the major mercenary hubs to do his recruiting for him, modi-
  fiers for Hiring Hall may not be applied to any contract terms or 
  negotiations. 
  THUggEE-maNEI DOmINI (PHaNSIgar) HyBrIDS
  shortly before the onset of the Jihad, unconfirmed reports 
  described the existence of the Manei Domini—the Word of blake’s 
  bionics-enhanced elite warriors—throughout the Chaos March 
  and beyond. When full-blown war erupted in 3068, entire legions 
  of these self-described “Hands of the Master” were unveiled, their 
  so-called “shadow Divisions” often spearheading assaults against 
  the most entrenched targets in the Inner sphere. 
  Yet as shocking as the hyper-elite cyborgs of the Manei 
  Domini are, their Thuggee counterparts—born of a secret alliance 
  between Kali liao and Cameron st. Jamais—take the concept of 
  man-machine hybrid warriors to terrifying new heights.
  Unique to the Thuggee cult led by Kali liao, the so-called 
  Thuggee Manei Domini combine Word-provided cybernetics 
  technologies with the inhuman imagination of the bloodthirsty 
  fanatics who view Kali as the Death Goddess incarnate. also 
  known among themselves as “Phansigars” (a corrupted Thuggee 
  term that roughly translates to “stranglers” or “noose operators”), 
  these warriors are both a psychological weapon and a deadly 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
   Payment 
  Length 
  Command 
  Overhead 
  Salvage 
  Support 
  Transport
   multiplier 
  multiplier 
  multiplier 
  multiplier 
  multiplier 
  multiplier 
  multiplier
   
  1.1 
  0.7 
  –1 
  +0 
  +2 
  +2 
  +2
  CHANDRASEKHAR KURITA CONTRACT TERMS TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  114 / 115 
  CONTraCT #172115
  Type: security Duty
  Unit Size: Up to Reinforced Company
  Location: Masamori, Hachiman
  Duration: 12 months
  Payment multiplier: 1.1
  Command rights: liaison
  Overhead Compensation: 10%
  Support rights: full
  Salvage rights: full
  Transport rights: none
  Background: Heavily damaged by Word of blake raiders in 
  3070, the Hachiman Taro Electronics Ltd. compound is now being 
  repaired. However, Chandrasekhar Kurita is concerned that the 
  blakists will attempt to disrupt the reconstruction of his corporate 
  headquarters and strike at Hachiman once more.
  gamemaster Notes: Chandrasekhar Kurita has guessed cor-
  rectly. The Word of blake is indeed planning to attack. each month 
  that the players are on station, there is a chance that the Word of 
  Blake will mount a raid. Roll 2D6 and add 1 for each month the mer-
  cenaries have served under the contract. on a modified result of 
  10+, Blakist raiders attack.
  The Blakist force size will be approximately 75 percent of the 
  defenders’ force and will consist primarily of battleMechs and 
  battle armor. fighting will take place in the streets of Masamori 
  or (at the discretion of the gamemaster, based on the player char-
  acters’ preparedness  or lack thereof) within the walls of the HTe 
  compound. The Wob force is more interested in inflicting damage 
  to the HTE compound (represented by a minimum of 18 Medium 
  Cf buildings) than in eliminating the player characters. The blakists 
  will withdraw if they suffer grater than 25 percent casualties. The 
  cost of damage caused during the attack (by either side) can be 
  calculated at 5,000 C-bills per CF of the HTE buildings. If this value 
  exceeds three million C-bills, the Word of blake can claim victory, 
  regardless of their own losses.
  following an attack, continue to check for additional raids, but 
  restart the modifier count from 1.
  CONTraCT #172182
  Type: Pirate Hunting
  Unit Size: Up to Reinforced Company
  Location: lyran alliance, Terran Corridor
  Duration: 3 months
  Payment multiplier: 1.5
  Command rights: Independent
  Overhead Compensation: 25%
  Support rights: 75%
  Salvage rights: full
  Transport rights: full
  Background: Isesaki shipping concerns in the lyran alliance 
  have come under attack by unidentified raiders. Chandrasekhar 
  Kurita is seeking mercenary commands to sweep the Terran 
  Corridor end of the alliance to locate and eliminate the raiders.
  gamemaster Notes: The size and mix of forces should be 
  tailored to match that of the players’ force in overall size and skill. 
  While some attacks have been directed against Isesaki Dropships 
  and Jumpships, the raiders have been concentrating much of their 
  efforts on planet-bound warehouses used to ship cargo.
  This particular group has been operating from a base located 
  on an uninhabited moon in the soilihull system in bolan Province. 
  sources inside the bolan government have tipped them off that a 
  shipment of new Clan tech weapons is being moved through Ise-
  saki to starCorp for study at the loburg factory. The gamemaster 
  should provide sufficient clues to allow the players to narrow their 
  search to soilihull. additional adventure opportunities present 
  themselves in the search for the corrupt bolan official and the true 
  source and nature of the Clan technology allegedly being supplied 
  to starCorp.
  CONTraCT #172245
  Type: special
  Unit Size: Combined arms Company
  Location: Draconis Combine
  Duration: 8 months
  Payment multiplier: 2.0
  Command rights: Integrated
  Overhead Compensation: 20%
  Support rights: full
  Salvage rights: none
  Transport rights: employer supplied
  Background: Chandrasekhar Kurita is funding a group from 
  Interstellar expeditions who are searching for a forgotten slDf base 
  thought to be located somewhere between Unity and Hassi’R’mel. 
  The expedition requires additional security in light of continuing 
  hostilities with the Word of blake. 
  gamemaster Notes: The contract includes a generous pay and 
  support package in compensation for the restriction that the mer-
  cenaries will receive no share in anything the expedition finds.
  The expedition consists of two Invader-class Jumpships refitted 
  with lithium-fusion batteries (at the expense of some Dropship-
  carrying capacity) and a pair of Mule-class Dropships. The security 
  force answers directly to Dr. Klaus Monahan, head of the expedi-
  tion. In addition to the ship crews, Monahan has a team of eight 
  engineers, archeologists and historians. The gamemaster should 
  generate whatever encounters he deems appropriate, including 
  options such as encounters with other tech hunters, Word of blake 
  forces, pirates, decedents of stranded Jumpship crews and so forth, 
  before the expedition ultimately discovers its goal.
  The base has been stripped by General Kerensky’s troops, but 
  the team recovers a coded memory core. Dr. Monahan takes great 
  pains to keep the player characters away from the core; should 
  they succeed in copying or stealing it, the players can expect Chan-
  drasekhar Kurita to dispatch the infamous bounty Hunter to recover 
  it before they can crack the encryption.
  UNCLE CHANDY CONTRACTS
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  fusion of technology and humanity. The Phansigars are built to 
  incite panic with their very appearance, but also represent Kali’s 
  most devoted and capable followers. In Classic BattleTech games, 
  Phansigars—regardless of their type—are always considered Vet-
  eran or elite-rated warriors, and may only be fielded by forces with 
  Capellan or Word of blake affiliation.
  The following rules expand on the base Manei Domini rules 
  provided on pp. 120-131 of Jihad Hot Spots: 3072. as the Phansigars 
  are effectively based on the Word of blake Manei Domini, many of 
  the implants and basic game rules for Word of blake Manei Domini 
  also apply to them. Players interested in creating and using these 
  Thuggee-Manei Domini hybrids will need the rules in JHS3072 to 
  recreate the full effect.
  Phansigar Overview
  like their Word of blake counterparts, Thuggee Manei Domini 
  should be used only as non-player characters in standard role-
  playing settings (though player characters with a deep and 
  proven loyalty to Kali liao may—through the course of a roleplay-
  ing adventure—be inducted into their ranks, thereby becoming 
  nPCs). Phansigars are almost never seen outside of Kali liao’s 
  special “Warrior Houses,” except as part of a security detail for the 
  self-described Death Goddess (usually between four and seven 
  troopers). There are no female Thuggees, and so there are no 
  female Phansigars (any seen in their ranks are actually Word of 
  blake Domini assigned as chaperones or advisors).
  The Thuggee Manei Domini Character Creation Table details 
  the alternative form of the Manei Domini system used by the 
  Word as described in JHS3072. When creating Phansigars using the 
  base Manei Domini rules in JHS3072, these values apply in place of 
  those used by their Word of blake equivalents.
  as with the Word of blake version, the Thuggee table lists 
  Phansigars in order of their “level” within the organization, and 
  provides both the Thuggee rank (based loosely on ancient Ter-
  ran Indian military ranks), the equivalent Capellan Warrior House 
  rank, and character point values distributed as appropriate 
  among the Phansigar nPC’s attributes, traits and skills, respec-
  tively. finally, as with Word of blake Manei Domini, Phansigars 
  receive values indicating the minimum number of cybernetic 
  implants they may acquire, the maximum level of such implants, 
  and the minimum number of implants they must receive for 
  their rank. While Thuggee-style Manei Domini have fewer ranks 
  than their Word of blake counterparts, they tend to have a higher 
  requirement for cybernetic implantation, reflecting their even 
  more radical nature.
  attributes: Phansigars assign attribute points in the same 
  fashion as their Word of Blake counterparts (see p. 120, JHS3072). To 
  reflect their greater emphasis on physical prowess and self-muti-
  lation, these Thuggee Manei Domini may not assign more than 5 
  Attribute points to Charisma and must place at least 5 points each 
  in strength and body.
  Traits: Phansigars spend points on traits under the same rules 
  and with the same restrictions as their Word of blake counterparts 
  (see p. 120, JHS3072). However, in place of the Word of blake auto-
  matic traits (In For Life/Manei Domini, Quirk [3]/Loyalty to Master, 
  Quirk [2]/Hatred of Clans and Quirk/Hatred of nobility), Phansigars 
  automatically receive: In for life/Thuggee Manei Domini, Quirk 
  (3)/Loyalty to Kali Liao and Quirk (2)/Bloodlust. No trait may be 
  taken that will clash with these free traits.
  Skills: Phansigars spend points on skills under the same rules 
  and with the same restrictions as their Word of blake counterparts 
  (see p. 120, JHS3072). The recommended skill sets for Phansigar 
  operatives may vary with their function, but unlike the Word of 
  blake Domini, they do not formalize their functions using second-
  ary designations. Instead, they are simply classified by combat 
  function. see Thuggee Manei Domini Classes, below.
  Implants: Phansigars assign implants under the same basic 
  rules and with the same restrictions as their Word of blake counter-
  parts (see p. 120-121, JHS3072). as with Word of blake Manei Domini, 
  Thuggee cybernetic implants receive self-destruct components 
  that may be triggered remotely, by fellow Phansigars or by the 
  operative himself. Thuggee self-destruct modules also activate if 
  the nPC is killed or incapacitated by Head or Torso wounds, and 
  are typically explosive or incendiary-explosive in nature. explosive 
  self-destruct implants produce an RPG Damage of 8 x 5D6 (Type 
  X, blast [Quarter radius]), or a CbT Damage of 0.4 per trooper to 
  enemy units at Range 0 at the time of death. Incendiary-explosive 
  implants cause 2 x 3D6 RPG Damage (Type E, Blast with a 6-turn 
  effect duration and incendiary effects), or 0.15 CBT Damage per 
  exploding trooper at Range 0 (to enemy units only). all Phansigar 
  implants may also be cosmetically enhanced, either to resemble 
  human flesh or—more commonly—to produce a more nightmar-
  ish and intimidating effect.
  In addition to the implants shown in JHS3072, Thuggee-Manei 
  Domini hybrids may also choose from the implants described 
  below for RPG settings and CbT game play.
  Thuggee manei Domini Classes: In addition to levels of 
  implantation and experience, Phansigars also fall into several 
  distinct classes, which define their primary function in combat. 
  Unlike the Word, the Thuggees provide no special nomenclature 
  for these classes; they are simply used by the gamemaster at the 
  time of nPC creation to help guide the skills, implants and other 
  characteristics of the Phansigar warrior. Despite this difference, 
  Thuggee classes may be used in nPC creation in the same fashion 
  as Word of Blake Manei Domini classes (see pp. 121, JHS3072), with 
  the notable exception being that the Thuggees do not make use 
  of infiltrators.
  Creating Phansigars for CBT game Play
  In CbT game play, Thuggee Manei Domini forces—like their 
  Word of blake equivalents—are always fielded as combat units, be 
  they conventional infantry, battle armor, combat vehicles, fighters 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  116 / 117 
  or battleMechs. These units do not require full character creation, 
  and so only the implant levels and combinations need be deter-
  mined for each Phansigar unit (by platoon, where applicable, for 
  the sake of simplicity). because they do not integrate well with 
  any forces (allied or otherwise), Thuggee units must always roll for 
  Initiative separately.
  for base Gunnery and Targeting skills (before any implant aug-
  mentations are applied), Phansigar units are always considered 
  Veteran or elite (roll for skill level as normal, but reroll any result of 
  Green or Regular). Phansigar warriors also receive a +1 roll modi-
  fier when determining random Gunnery and Piloting skills.
  for vehicle, battle armor, fighter and battleMech selections, 
  Phansigars may use any units fielded by the Capellan Confed-
  eration or the Word of blake (b column). If operating as part of 
  an occupation force within another realm, these Thuggee Manei 
  Domini may instead field 1D6 – 1 units for every two lances, cho-
  sen from the faction tables (b or C columns, where applicable) of 
  the occupied world’s native realm. for example, on a roll result of 
  4, a pair of Phansigar lances operating on Chesterton would roll 3 
  units from the fedsuns Random assignment Tables instead of the 
  Capellan or Word of Blake tables (4 – 1 = 3). 
  When constructing Phansigar infantry units, note that the 
  Thuggees use standard Inner sphere formation sizes, rather than 
  those of Comstar/Word of blake.
  as with their blakist equivalents, the CbT capabilities of all Thug-
  gee Domini implants are cumulative unless otherwise noted (so 
  long as any applicable conditions noted in their rules descriptions 
  are met). These effects apply as indicated to all ’Mech, fighter and 
  vehicle units (but not particularly large units, such as large-sized 
  support Vehicles, Rail support Vehicles, Dropships, Jumpships, 
  space stations or Warships), and to infantry units in accordance 
  with the same rules described for Word of blake Domini troops 
  (see p. 121, JHS3072). 
  Battle Value: Thuggee Manei Domini units compute their 
  battle Values in the same way as their Word of blake equivalents 
  (see pp. 121-122, JHS3072).
  Thuggee manei Domini in action
  In roleplaying settings, Phansigars of most classes may be 
  encountered only in battle (typically along the Capellan borders), 
  and then only against objectives that Kali herself has an eye on. 
  special operative Thuggees may appear anywhere, often operat-
  ing independently, while command Thuggees rarely appear far 
  from their own field commands.
  Frequency of Encounters: Phansigars should be used even 
  more sparingly than Word of blake Domini, as they represent 
  Kali’s hyper-elite and rarely venture far from the Capellan sphere 
  of influence. Their nature makes them ideal for leaders of major 
  offensives, key combat actions, highly dangerous covert missions 
  and such, often performing independently of other allied forces. 
  Unlike blakist Domini (some of whom may appear normal, even 
  attractive), Thuggee Domini almost never appear normal, as most 
  undertake extreme modifications and favor personal mutilation 
  as a means of “purifying the soul.” 
  Players interested in pre-Jihad games should note that the 
  Thuggee Manei Domini did not publicly surface prior to their first 
  appearance on Chesterton in 3071. Gamemasters therefore should 
  avoid using Phansigar characters in events prior to that date.
  Thuggee manei Domini attitude: The Thuggees’ singular 
  devotion to Kali liao, whom they revere as the incarnation of the 
  Death Goddess, makes their Phansigars seem far more intense 
  and bloodthirsty than even the Word’s Domini. These people 
  pride themselves on becoming the monsters into which they have 
  transformed their bodies, and see as their mortal enemy anyone 
  their mistress deems to be so. Thus, unlike the Word’s Domini, the 
  Thuggees are more ambivalent about the Clans than about tradi-
  tional Capellan enemies such as the federated suns and the free 
  Worlds league. To them, all that matters is the glory of killing and 
  dying in the name of Kali. This also means that Phansigars rarely 
  take prisoners (if ever). Indeed, most captives taken by Thuggee 
  Manei Domini can expect a gruesome execution in the field as a 
  sacrifice to the Death Goddess.
  among other (non-Domini) allied forces, the Phansigars strive 
  to intimidate, affecting an air of imminent physical violence. This 
  attitude can cause friction between regular blakist forces or even 
  blakist Domini assigned to work with the Thuggees (though 
  blakist Domini personally do not regard the Thuggees as a true 
  threat). This attitude is so pronounced, however, that Thuggee 
  Domini simply cannot function under any form of integrated com-
  mand with non-Thuggee troops, and so campaign commanders 
  generally keep Thuggee forces well separated from other allied 
  commands.
  Thuggee manei Domini Interaction: In confrontations, 
  Phansigars are utterly void of fear, mercy or remorse. They are 
  more likely to end a debate with a gunshot or a knifing than with 
  words. Their indoctrination makes it impossible to talk them out 
  of anything they set their minds to, or to turn them against one 
  another. These warriors implicitly trust one another and harbor 
  few ambitions beyond serving their Death Goddess. To reflect 
  these realities, CHa-based skills such as negotiation and fast Talk 
  automatically suffer a +10 TN modifier when attempting to sway 
  or bribe a Thuggee Domini, unless the speaker can manage to 
  appeal to the warrior’s belief in his Goddess’ will.
  In ceremonial occasions—shrouded in intense secrecy, where 
  only other Manei Domini (preferably Thuggee Domini) may be in 
  attendance—Phansigars interlace their normal speech with a harsh 
  blend of Hindi and Han Chinese. This language is used to intone 
  specific greetings or chants that appear to have intense meaning 
  to the Thuggees, but which often confound outsiders (requiring a 
  Linguistics Action Check at a +2 TN modifier to decipher).
  Thuggee manei Domini in Combat: In combat, Phansigars 
  are swift and completely ruthless. To maximize their potential, 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  they—like their Word of blake equivalents—strive to take out mul-
  tiple targets as quickly as possible, but also pride themselves on 
  maximizing the gore factor, preferring a host of bladed weapons 
  in an effort to spill as much blood as possible. Thuggee Domini 
  never retreat from battle out of personal fear, but may make 
  strategic withdrawals if ordered to do so by a recognized repre-
  sentative of their Goddess. When cornered—with no apparent 
  avenue of escape—Phansigars tend to go berserk, and will often 
  hurl themselves at the enemy, where their suicide implants can 
  cause maximum effect.
  Thuggee manei Domini Nomenclature: Phansigar characters 
  bear names similar to most citizens in the Inner sphere. Unlike the 
  Word of blake Domini, they have little use for “ascended” names, 
  and do not always stand on ceremony with ranks and titles, unless 
  in the presence of superior officers (or their Goddess). However, it 
  is not unheard of for Kali liao to bestow upon a “worthy” Thuggee 
  Domini a “rebirth name” (often one taken from legends of Hindu 
  mythology). This “rebirth name” is roughly equivalent to a Word 
  of blake Manei Domini’s “ascended” name, but unlike the Word’s 
  Domini, “reborn” Phansigars may use their birth names and their 
  “rebirth names” interchangeably.
  Becoming Thuggee manei Domini: The Thuggee cult in 
  the Confederation very rarely recruits from the outside, but it 
  remains possible—through roleplaying—for player characters 
  with a Capellan Confederation affiliation (and a demonstrated 
  devotion to the Death Goddess Kali) to be inducted into the ranks 
  of the Thuggees and their Phansigar elite. Doing so, however, 
  not only requires a demonstrated fanatical and unquestioning 
  they—like their Word of blake equivalents—strive to take out mul
  in the presence of superior officers (or their Goddess). However, it 
  Thuggee 
  Corresponding 
   
   
   
  maximum Cyber 
  minimum
  ranking 
  Warrior House rank 
  attributes 
  Traits 
  Skills (Points) 
  Implant Limit/Level 
  Implants
  Sepoy 
  Zhangi-si 
  57 
  9 
  13–17 (49) 
  3/3 
  3
  Naik 
  Ban-zhang 
  59 
  10 
  14–18 (59) 
  3/4  
  3
  Havildar 
  Pai-zhang 
  61 
  11 
  15–19 (79) 
  3/4 
  3
  Subedar 
  Lien-zhang 
  63 
  12 
  16–20 (89) 
  4/4 
  4
  Jemadar 
  Ying-zhang 
  65 
  13 
  17–21 (96) 
  5/5 
  4
  Risaldar 
  Shiao-zhang 
  67 
  14 
  18–22 (106) 
  6/5 
  5
  THUggEE maNEI DOmINI CLaSSES
  Primary 
  requisite
  Function 
  Implants 
  recommended Skills
  Reconnaissance 
  Cybernetic eye or ear* 
  blades, Comms/any, Interrogation, navigation/any, Perception,
   
   
  security systems/any, stealth, surveillance, survival, Tracking
  Defense 
  full-body Myomer* 
  Demolitions, electronic Counter-Measures, blade, Martial arts/any,
   
   
  Pistols, Rifles, security systems/any, sensor operations,
   
   
  support Weapons, survival, Tactics/any
  assault 
  enhanced Prosthetic* 
  blade, Martial arts/any, Intimidation, Pistols, Quickdraw, Rifles, shotguns,
   
   
  submachine Guns, support Weapons, Tactics/any
  Vehicular Pilot 
  Vehicular DNI* 
  Comms/Conventional, Computers/Any, Gunnery/Any (3), Navigation/Any,
   
   
  Piloting/any, sensor operations, Tactics/any, Technician/any
  Command 
  Communications Implant 
  administration, bureaucracy, Communications/any, Computers/any,
   
   
  Cryptography, Intimidation, Interrogation, leadership, 
   
   
  negotiation, Tactics/any, strategy
  special operative 
  any* 
  acting, blades, Computers/any, Disguise, Deception, fast-Talk,
   
   
  Interrogation, negotiation, Perception, Protocol/any, security
   
   
  systems/any, seduction, stealth, surveillance, streetwise/any, survival
  *Any type
  THUGGEE MANEI DOMINI CHARACTER CREATION TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  118 / 119 
  devotion to the Death Goddess, but also the sacrifice of flesh in 
  such service. extremely selective, Kali liao chooses only the most 
  devoted to join her Warrior Houses’ ranks, and then only after the 
  applicant has already suffered injuries severe enough to require 
  implantation.
  as with those who become Word of blake Domini, player char-
  acters who become Phansigars should be “retired” to nPC status.
  Prosthetic Jaw/Fangs (Level: 1)
  Replacing the jaw and all teeth with metal and myomer pros-
  thetics is a common enough cosmetic enhancement for Manei 
  Domini, approximating the function of the real thing while pro-
  ducing a fearsome look. some operatives take the process a step 
  farther by reinforcing the musculature and jaw and adding fangs, 
  resulting in a prosthetic mouth that can deliver real damage in 
  personal combat.
  rPg rules: The prosthetic jaw and fangs can only be used in 
  melee combat against a subject who has been successfully grap-
  pled by the operative. Delivering the attack is then a simple action 
  rolled as a melee attack with a TN modifier of –3; determine hit 
  locations based on what body parts are closest to the operative’s 
  mouth. The bite itself has a base damage of 2•3D6 (3•4D6 if the 
  operative also has triple-strength full-body implants; see p. 130, 
  JHS3072), plus the operative’s sTR.
  Prosthetic jaws and fangs automatically count as a “Hor-
  ror” cosmetic implant as well, providing the operative with the 
  Unattractive Trait, a +1 modifier to CHA and a –2 TN modifier for 
  Interrogation and Intimidation checks.
  CBT rules: Prosthetic jaws have no impact in CbT game play.
  Enhanced Prosthetic Jaw/Incisor Injectors (Level: 3)
  a variation on the Prosthetic Jaw/fangs, the enhanced Pros-
  thetic Jaw/Incisor Injectors is more deadly because these “fangs” 
  incorporate special cartridges that can be used to inject toxins, 
  fluids or even air into a target’s bloodstream. 
  rPg rules:  The enhanced Prosthetic Jaw/Incisor Injectors 
  functions in the same way as the standard Prosthetic Jaw/fangs, 
  but can—in addition to delivering normal bite damage—also 
  deliver a single dose of toxin (per incisor, to a maximum of 2 per 
  operative). 
  Typical toxins can deliver poison damage with an aP of 2 
  or 3 and up to 3D6 damage dice, and may include a continuous 
  effect—lasting up to six turns—that can be either lethal or subdu-
  ing in nature. If an air cartridge is used instead of toxins, the target 
  must roll a boD check after a successful injection. failure indicates 
  that an air bubble has entered the victim’s bloodstream, which is 
  fatal in 3D6 turns.
  enhanced Prosthetic Jaws/Incisor Injectors automatically count 
  as a “Horror” cosmetic implant as well, providing the operative 
  with the Unattractive Trait, a +1 modifier to CHA and a –2 TN modi-
  fier for Interrogation and Intimidation checks.
  CBT rules: enhanced Prosthetic Jaw/Incisor Injectors has no 
  impact in CbT game play.
  Prosthetic Tail (Level: 1)
  a peculiar outgrowth of cosmetic (horror) prosthetics 
  favored by some Thuggee Manei Domini, the Prosthetic Tail is a 
  1- to 1.5-meter long combination of metal, plastic and myomers 
  intended to mimic the look of an animal’s (or demon’s) tail. While 
  far from prehensile, this implant can aid in balance and even 
  makes for an improvised weapon in melee combat, but must be 
  detached before the operative can use all-encompassing armor 
  or operate most vehicles.
  rPg rules: The Prosthetic Tail can be used to enhance acro-
  batic maneuvers (applying a –2 Tn modifier to acrobatics and 
  free-fall skill checks), or as a rear-facing whip in combat (in which 
  case, the reinforced tail has a base damage of 1•2D6 plus the opera-
  tive’s boD; triple-strength full-body implants do not enhance this 
  damage). a tail-whip attack in melee combat is delivered in the 
  same fashion as a standard melee attack, except the target must 
  be one meter or less behind the attacker.
  The tail is considered to have its own armor Values in combat 
  (2/2/2/2), and may not be clothed, as doing so impedes its func-
  tionality. operatives who wish to use their tails must therefore 
  wear altered clothing and armor that allows the tail to extend out-
  side their attire. (This also means that tails may not be used if the 
  operative is wearing battle armor, an exoskeleton or environment 
  gear, nor if he or she is operating any kind of vehicle; a Complex 
  action is required to detach a tail before using such gear.)
  Though the tail is not considered a limb per se, hits to the 
  operative’s abdomen location from the back may strike the tail 
  on a separate 1D10 roll of 6+, in which case, the tail is considered 
  disabled if it sustains more than 2 Wound Points.
  CBT rules: Prosthetic Tails have no impact in CbT game play.
  Enhanced Prosthetic Tail (Level: 2)
  a deadlier version of the Prosthetic Tail, the enhanced Tail adds 
  length, armor, triple-strength myomers and retractable blades. 
  less flexible, this prosthetic is not as useful in aiding balance, and 
  makes it impossible to operate vehicles or battle armor of any 
  kind while attached, but the result is a far deadlier and effective 
  weapon in melee combat.
  rPg rules: The enhanced Prosthetic Tail can be used to aid 
  acrobatic maneuvers (applying a –1 TN modifier to Acrobatics and 
  free-fall skill checks), or as a whip in combat (in which case, the 
  tail and its retractable blades have a base damage of 3•4D6 plus 
  the operative’s boD). a tail-whip attack in melee combat is deliv-
  ered in the same fashion as a special melee attack, but can reach 
  targets up to 1.5 meters away.
  The enhanced Tail is considered to have its own armor Values in 
  combat (4/4/3/3), and may not be clothed. Unlike the standard Pros-
  thetic Tail, the enhanced version is too bulky to be tucked in, and so 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  operatives must always wear altered clothing and armor to allow 
  for the tail’s extension. This also means that enhanced Tails may not 
  be used if the operative is wearing battle armor, an exoskeleton or 
  environment gear, nor if he or she is operating any kind of vehicle; 
  the tail would have to be detached first (a Complex action).
  While not a limb per se, hits to an operative’s abdomen loca-
  tion from the back will strike the Enhanced Tail on a separate 1D10 
  roll of 5+, in which case, the tail is considered disabled if it sustains 
  more than 4 Wound Points.
  CBT rules: Conventional infantry units using the enhanced 
  Prosthetic Tail add 0.21 damage per trooper against any target at 
  point-blank range (same hex). To deliver this damage, however, 
  requires a successful attack roll with the usual +2 to-hit modifier 
  for infantry melee weapons.
  additional Prosthetic Limbs (arm/Leg) (Level: 3)
  some Thuggee Manei Domini, inspired by certain depictions 
  of Hindi deities and demons, have voluntarily opted not only for 
  replacement limbs, but also for the experimental addition of extra 
  limbs (usually based on Type 4 or 5 prosthetics). These added arms 
  and legs enhance not only the Thuggee’s terror factor, but also 
  their battlefield prowess. The only limitation to this technology 
  appears to be based on the brain’s ability to coordinate the extra 
  limbs, which forces the operative to consciously choose which 
  arms and legs are acting at any given time, while the others either 
  lock in place or—in the case of natural limbs—simply go limp.
  rPg rules: a Phansigar operative can add up to four limbs, 
  which may be any combination of arms or legs (each such limb 
  counts as a separate implant). all such limbs are grafted onto the 
  torso, as symmetrically as possible (odd-numbered limbs will 
  extend from the back). The addition of extra limbs precludes the 
  ability to wear normal armor and clothing without extensive mod-
  ification, and battle armor use is impossible without removing the 
  extra prosthetics first (a Complex action per limb).
  each additional prosthetic limb functions as its nearest “natu-
  ral” limb would (right-side mounted extra arms function as right 
  arms, while left-side mounted extra legs are treated as left legs). 
  If hit location rules are used, the attacker determines randomly 
  which extra limb is hit based on the equivalent “natural” hit loca-
  tion rolled (for example, if an operative with two left arms is hit in 
  the left arm location, the attacker randomly determines which left 
  arm is hit).
  extra limbs have one key limitation: the human brain can only 
  effectively coordinate four limbs at any given time. This means 
  that an operative who chooses to add extra limbs (even if natural 
  ones have been replaced with prosthetics) must decide which 
  limbs to use in each round. The combination of limbs is up to the 
  operative, though legs must always operate in matched pairs if 
  walking, running or jumping is intended.
  arms and legs not used in a turn will either lock in place (if 
  they are prosthetic) or hang limp (if natural). natural legs that “go 
  limp” in this fashion cannot support the character’s weight, and 
  he will fall if not already lying or sitting down. Prosthetic legs that 
  are locked in place bring the operative to a standstill (though he 
  is not considered immobile). Prosthetic arms that lock in place 
  can still hold objects—and may even lock in place while holding 
  the triggers for automatic weapons—but may not release them, 
  manipulate them or aim with any reliability; attempts to use such 
  “frozen” limbs to deliver attacks apply a +6 TN modifier, but are 
  counted as an Incidental action. Prosthetic legs can be “locked” 
  into a Walking or Running movement mode, enabling an operative 
  to move as an Incidental action, but this works only to proceed 
  forward or backward in a straight line and makes the operative 
  easier to hit (a –2 Tn modifier applies for the attacker). evading or 
  sprinting is not possible, as both require more concentration.  
  for example, if an operative has two extra arms in addition to 
  his natural two arms and prosthetic legs, he can spend a turn using 
  his legs to walk or run while two of his four arms use weapons or 
  operate equipment. In a following turn, he can stop moving (lock-
  ing his legs in place), and use all four arms to operate equipment 
  or weapons. In the turn after that, he could opt to lock his two 
  prosthetic arms in place (so that they continue to hold items or 
  weapons), while using his legs for movement again and his natural 
  arms for other equipment.
  CBT rules: additional Prosthetic limbs have no impact on CbT 
  game play.
  Enhanced additional Prosthetic Limbs (arm/Leg) (Level: 5)
  a logical extension of the experimental additional prosthetic 
  limbs, the enhanced versions are designed to incorporate weap-
  ons and other items in the same manner as standard enhanced 
  prosthetics. The Thuggees make use of many of the same 
  enhanced prosthetic weapons as other operatives, but have 
  also demonstrated a fondness for a specialized, monowire-laced 
  scarf, which they use as a garrote in a modern adaptation of their 
  favored strangulation weapon, the rumal.
  rPg rules: enhanced additional Prosthetic limbs function 
  in the same fashion as their standard counterparts referenced 
  above, but may also incorporate a single weapon or tool per limb 
  (which may be used only while the limb is in active operation). 
  The Prosthetic limb Weapons Table below provides statistics on 
  prosthetic limb-mounted weapons, while the capabilities of other 
  tools mountable within a cybernetic limb are listed under other 
  Prosthetic Upgrades. beyond carrying these devices, enhanced 
  limbs function as described on p. 145 of CBT: RPG. additional rules 
  for the tools and weapons appear on pp. 108-115 of A Guide to 
  Covert Ops. Weapons and items with a single-shot firing rate can-
  not be “locked on” in enhanced additional Prosthetic limbs, and 
  so will cease operation if the operative locks the respective limbs 
  into a position.
  CBT rules: Conventional infantrymen equipped with 
  enhanced additional Prosthetic limbs that include weapons may 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  120 / 121 
  add the CbT damage value of the weapon to the platoon’s dam-
  age value for any standard weapons (listed in parentheses beside 
  the weapon’s RPG damage). The limited range and punch of such 
  weapons means that this bonus damage may only be applied 
  against other units that the platoon engages in its own hex, and 
  that the sum of the damage for all prosthetic weapons used must 
  be rounded normally (rounding 0.5 up) before it may be applied 
  against a target.
  Prosthetics with Grappler or Magnet enhancements may pro-
  vide an infantry platoon with a –2 modifier for any anti-’Mech leg 
  or swarm attacks made by the platoon, but only if a significant 
  portion of the troopers in the platoon possess this enhancement.
  The additional listed prosthetic enhancements have no impact 
  in CbT game play.
  glide Wings (Level: 3)
  an unusual modification for Manei Domini, glide wings consist 
  of a collapsible framework grafted onto the operative’s back and 
  made of a flexible, yet sturdy material. at full extension, these 
  wings—most commonly formed to resemble angel, bird or bat 
  wings—may be used to assist in free-fall operations or even pro-
  vide unpowered, short-range flight when air currents are good. 
  However, as the wings are developed for “hands-free” operation 
  (unlike a hang glider or parafoil), the control systems effectively 
  interfere with the operative’s normal motor control in the same 
  way that additional limb prosthetics do. While gliding, this typi-
  cally means that the operative’s legs are “shut off.”
  rPg rules: Glide Wings provide a –4 Tn modifier for free-fall 
  and Jump Pack action checks made within any atmosphere rated 
  Thin or thicker. While in use, they also provide the character with 
  an air movement rate of 10 meters per turn, plus 1 meter for each 
  level of atmospheric thickness above Thin (in order, these levels 
  are: standard, Thick and Very Thick). However, as the wings do not 
  provide for true flight, glide wings can only gain altitude at half 
  the rate they can travel horizontally or downward. While in the 
  air, using the Glide Wings counts as a simple action that replaces 
  walking (as the operative’s legs are effectively deactivated in 
  flight). landing—which requires the deactivation of the wings in 
  favor of the operative’s legs—counts as a Complex action.
  Glide Wings do not function underwater, and may not be 
  clothed if they are to be used. operatives intending to use fully 
  enclosed battle armor, exoskeletons or environment suits, or 
  operate vehicles, must detach these prosthetic wings first.
  Glide Wings (which have Armor Values of 2/2/2/1) lose all 
  functionality if they suffer sufficient damage in combat. When 
  collapsed, they can be struck by any successful torso or abdo-
  men hit to the operative’s rear. When extended, all attacks 
  against the operative receive a –2 Tn, and any attack hitting the 
  operative’s torso, abdomen or arm locations from the rear auto-
  matically passes through the wings. from the front, only hits to 
  the operative’s arm locations will strike the wings, and then only 
  on a separate 1D10 roll of 4+. When resolving damage against an 
  operative using Glide Wings (after factoring in the wings’ armor 
  value), any damage that passes through the wings to strike the 
  operative subtracts 1 Wound Point from the result; damage that 
  passes through the wings or that hits only the wings will inflict a 
  maximum of 1 Wound Point per hit. Glide Wings are considered 
  destroyed if they suffer more than 3 Wound Points.
  CBT rules: Conventional infantry units comprised entirely of 
  operatives using Glide Wings may dismount from VTol units (and 
  Dropships hovering over the ground map) as a jump infantry pla-
  toon (see p. 225, TW), so long as they are not operating in vacuum 
  or very thin atmospheres. such platoons also do not suffer any 
  damage from falls, whether from their own actions (walking off 
  terrain 2 or more elevation levels high, including buildings) or by 
  displacement (see p. 151, TW).
  Flight Wings (Level: 5)
  a far more radical variation on the Glide Wings prosthetic, the 
  powered flight Wings prosthetic is an integrated system that 
  combines a much more elaborate wing design—complete with 
  the ability to flap and angle for better wind management—with 
  a series of chemical jets and reinforced cybernetic “launch legs.” 
  The result is a combination of gliding and vectored thrust system 
  that enables an operative to literally fly for short durations.
  rPg rules: Flight Wings provide a –6 TN modifier for Free-Fall 
  and Jump Pack action checks made within any atmosphere rated 
  Very Thin or thicker. They may be used in either an unpowered 
  “glide mode” (per standard Glide Wings rules, including move-
  ment rates), or to achieve true flight for short durations. When 
  used in true flight, they provide the operative with an air move-
  ment rate of 20 meters per turn, plus 2 meters for each level of 
  atmospheric thickness above Very Thin (in order, these levels are: 
  Thin, standard, Thick and Very Thick). Unlike Glide Wings, flight 
  Wings in true flight mode can increase altitude at the same rate 
  as they can travel horizontally or downward (or they can glide 
  per the standard Glide Wings rules). During true flight or gliding 
  modes (both of which count as simple actions), the operative may 
  not use his legs, but the integrated linkage between the wings 
  and the legs (which are used to provide an extra boost to lift-off) 
  make landing a simple action as well.
  flight Wings do not function underwater, and may not be 
  clothed if they are to be used. operatives using flight Wings may 
  not use fully enclosed battle armor, exoskeletons or environment 
  suits, or operate vehicles, as the wings may not be detached. flight 
  wings use chemical thrusters that provide up to 5 minutes of true 
  flight before they must be recharged.
  flight Wings are reinforced and so have armor Values of 
  4/4/3/3, and will lose all functionality if they suffer sufficient 
  damage in combat. When collapsed, they can be struck by any 
  successful torso or abdomen hit to the operative’s rear. When 
  extended, all attacks against the operative receive a –3 TN, and 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  any attack hitting the operative’s torso, abdomen or arm loca-
  tions from the rear automatically passes through the wings. from 
  the front, only hits to the operative’s arm locations will strike 
  the wings, and then only on a separate 1D10 roll of 5+. When 
  resolving damage against an operative using flight Wings (after 
  factoring in the wings’ armor value), any damage that passes 
  through the wings to strike the operative subtracts 1 Wound 
  Point from the result; damage that passes through the wings or 
  that hits only the wings will inflict a maximum of 1 Wound Point 
  per hit. flight Wings are considered destroyed if they suffer more 
  than 5 Wound Points.
  CBT rules: Conventional infantry units comprised entirely of 
  operatives using flight Wings receive 2 VTol MPs as long as they 
  are not operating in vacuum, and may disembark from VTol units 
  (and Dropships hovering over the ground map) as a jump infantry 
  platoon (see p. 225, TW) in such environments. such units also do 
  not suffer any damage from falls, whether from their own actions 
  (walking off terrain 2 or more elevation levels high, including 
  buildings) or by displacement (see p. 151, TW).
  Dermal Camouflage (Level: 5)
  an extreme variation on dermal armor that also incorporates 
  electronic “sneak suit” technology, Dermal Camouflage is a full-
  body myomer implant that overlays the operative’s skin with 
  sheets of photosensitive electronic webbing—akin to a perma-
  nent head-to-toe bodysuit that provides basic protection from the 
  elements (and human modesty). Using sensors arrayed along the 
  operative’s body, this dermal camouflage creates a mimetic armor 
  effect, blending the operative into the colors of his surroundings. 
  The limitation, of course, is that the operative may not effectively 
  use this implant while carrying bulky items (which cannot be so 
  camouflaged), nor can he wear any exterior clothing or armor for 
  additional protection. 
  rPg rules: as long as an operative does not wear any addi-
  tional armor or clothing, and does not carry more than 5 kilograms’ 
  worth of additional gear, his Dermal Camouflage applies a +6 TN 
  camo modifier to visual-based Perception and sensor operations 
  checks against him when it is active. (activation is considered an 
  Incidental action.)
  Dermal Camouflage also provides the operative with a 1-point 
  increase to STR and BOD, a 1-point decrease in CHA and the fol-
  lowing Armor Values: 2/3/3/2. As a full-body implant, heavy 
  scarring—coupled with the full body covering and the armor’s 
  tendency to create odd optical effects even when not activated—
  also adds the Unattractive Trait.
  all the stealth benefits of Dermal Camouflage are lost if the 
  any attack hitting the operative’s torso, abdomen or arm loca
  body myomer implant that overlays the operative’s skin with 
  EnhAnCEmEnt	 AP	•	DAmAgE	
  RAngE
  ITEm TyPE 
  SkILL 
  [CBT DamagE] 
  TyPE 
  S/m/L/E 
  SHOTS* 
  rPg gamE PLay NOTES
  Weapons
  Laser 
  PIS 
  3•2D6 [0.07(E)] 
  E 
  5/11/25/60 
  3 pps 
  Obvious Port (power)
  Ballistic 
  PIS 
  2•2D6 [0.01(B)] 
  B 
  1/3/5/10 
  2 
  —
  Dart Gun 
  PIS 
  1•1D6 [0(B)N] 
  B 
  1/2/3/5 
  1 
  May use Tranquilizer darts
  Needler 
  PIS 
  1•3D6 [0.02(B)N] 
  B 
  1/3/6/10 
  5 
  Splash, AP 0 vs. barriers
  Shotgun 
  SHT 
  1•4D6 [0.01(B)] 
  B 
  1/3/6/8 
  1 
  Splash, +1 TN (recoil)
  Sonic Stun 
  PIS 
  0•3D6 [0.01(E)N] 
  S 
  1/2/3/5 
  2 pps 
  Subduing
  Sub-Gun 
  SMG 
  2•1D6 [0.05(B)] 
  B 
  2/5/10/20 
  20 
  Burst (4/2), Jam on fumble
  Laser Sight 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  90 (max) 
  0.05 pps 
  –2 to weapon attack TNs
  Blade 
  BLA 
  1•1D6 [0.02(P)] 
  M 
  — 
  — 
  —
  Needle 
  BLA 
  0•1D6 [0(P)N] 
  M 
  — 
  1 
  Effect as poison or medication**
  Shocker 
  BLA 
  0•3D6 [0.04(P)N] 
  E 
  — 
  3 pps 
  —
  Vibroblade 
  BLA 
  4•2D6 [0.14(P)] 
  M 
  — 
  1 pps 
  —
  Rumal/Garrote 
  WHP 
  2•4D6 [0.14(P)] 
  M 
  — 
  1 pps 
  Requires successful hit to Head in melee
  Non-Weapons
  Climbing Claws 
  † 
  1•1D6 [0.02(P)N] 
  M 
  — 
  — 
  –1 TN to Climb (per limb)
  Electromagnet 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  1/2/3/5 
  2 ppm 
  15 kg max; –1 TN to Climb (magnetic, per limb)
  Grappler 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  2/5/8/12 
  — 
  150 kg max; –4 TN to ensnare or Climb
  Holster/Cargo 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  –3 TN to Quickdraw (holster only)
  Lockpick 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  –1 TN to Security Systems
  MicroComp 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  0.005 ppm 
  –2 TN to Computers; no Electromagnets
  PL-MASC 
  † 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  2x Sprint (once per 2 turns); +5 to other actions
  *Energy-based equipment uses HC micro power packs only; ammo is in power per shot (pps) or per minute (ppm) of sustained use. 
  **Capabilities of poison needles (one injected dose) are discussed in the rules for poisons and antidotes (see pp. 114-117, Lostech).
  †The RPG Skill for such items varies with the item’s use.
  CBT Damage Key: E = Energy; B = Ballistic; P = Point-Blank Damage (+2 to-hit target at hex 0); N = Damage vs other conventional infantry only.
  PROSTHETIC ENHANCEMENT TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  122 / 123 
  operative wears any outer clothing or armor, carries items in excess 
  of 5 kilograms in weight, or deactivates the system (implants are 
  not counted against the effects of Dermal Camouflage; even “skin-
  less” prosthetics and such are modified to incorporate the mimetic 
  technologies). a serious Wound to the torso will also deactivate 
  the Dermal Camouflage, as many of the sensors and camouflage 
  control systems are heavily clustered there.
  CBT rules: attacks against conventional foot or jump infantry 
  units comprised entirely of operatives using Dermal Camouflage 
  receive an additional to-hit modifier based on the number of 
  hexes moved by the target unit in the same turn as the attack: +3 
  for 0 hexes moved, +2 for 1 hex moved, +1 for 2 hexes moved, and 
  no modifier for 3+ hexes moved. In addition, because the Dermal 
  Camouflage forces the operatives to go without armor, all damage 
  from non-infantry weapons against infantry using Dermal Camou-
  flage is doubled (for burst-fire damage, this translates to twice the 
  number of damage dice; see pp. 215-217, TW).
  operative wears any outer clothing or armor, carries items in excess 
  receive an additional to-hit modifier based on the number of 
  ITEm 
  rPg gamE PLay NOTES
  Cybernetic Eye (IR) 
  No darkness TN modifiers
  Cybernetic Eye (EM) 
  May detect electronic/magnetic targets as a Radar Sensor (p. 108, LT); Range: 2 km
  Cybernetic Eye (Telescopic) 
  –2 TN modifier to M/L/E when used with weapons or surveillance skills
  Cybernetic Eye (Laser Sight) 
  –4 TN modifier to M/L/E when used with weapons or surveillance skills
  Cybernetic Ear (Enhanced) 
  –3 TN modifier to surveillance skills; +2 TN to stealth against the user
  Cybernetic Ear (Signal Pickup) 
  100 meter range
  Cybernetic Speech (Variable) 
  —
  Cybernetic Speech (Ultrasonic) 
  —
  Recorder Unit 
  Duration: 6 hours, looping
  Boosted Recorder Unit 
  Duration: 24 hours, looping
  Transmitter or Receiver Unit 
  Range: 100 meters
  Boosted Transmitter or Receiver Unit 
  Range: 1 kilometer
  Communications Unit 
  Range: 100 meters 
  Boosted Communications Unit 
  Range: 1 kilometer
  Filtration Liver 
  Poison Resistance Trait; When sweating: +1 TN to CHA skills, +1 to +3 TN to Stealth
  Filtration Lung 
  AV 1 vs. gas weapons
  Vehicular Direct Neural Interface (VDNI) 
  –1 to Piloting, half all Aimed Shot, Attacker Movement and Target Movement modifiers
  Buffered VDNI 
  Ignore Small Cockpit penalty; half all Aimed Shot, Attacker and Target Movement modifiers
  Dermal Myomer Armor Implant 
  +2 BOD, +2 STR, +1 REF, AV Increase: 3/3/3/3, Pain Resistance, –1 CHA, Unattractive
  Triple-Strength Myomer (TSM) Implant 
  +4 STR, +2 REF, Toughness, –1 CHA, Unattractive
  Dermal Camouflage Armor Implant 
  +1 BOD, +1 STR, AV Increase: 2/3/3/2, –1 CHA, Unattractive
  Pain Shunt 
  Pain Resistance Trait and +1 TN to DEX (permanent); Clumsy Trait (1 year)
  Pheromone Effuser 
  Range: 3m; 10 doses; –4 TN to Seduction and related for 1D6-1 hours (min 1)*
  Toxin Effuser 
  Range: 3m; 10 doses; “Manei Mortis”: [6D6 (–1D6/meter); Lethal; Duration 4 (–1/meter); Inhaled;
   
  Speed: 1 (+1/meter); Detection Difficulty +3]
  Secondary Power Supply 
  80 points per supply; rechargeable; reduce pain med needs for myomer use to 1/24 hr
  Cosmetic Beauty Enhancements 
  Attractive Trait; +1 CHA; –1 TN to Seduction and Negotiation
  Cosmetic Horror Enhancements 
  Unattractive Trait; +1 CHA; –2 TN to Intimidation and Interrogation
  Prosthetic Jaw/Fangs 
  Bite: 2•3D6 (3•4D6 w/ TSM)+STR**
  Enhanced Jaw/Incisor Injectors 
  Bite: 2•3D6 (3•4D6 w/ TSM)+STR; Toxin: [2•3D6 or 3•3D6; Lethal; Duration 4; Injected; Speed: 1; 
   
  Detection Difficulty: +1] (1 dose per injector; max 2)**
  Prosthetic Tail 
  –2 TN to Acrobatics and Free-Fall; Whip Damage: 1•2D6+BOD; Tail AV: 2/2/2/2
  Enhanced Prosthetic Tail 
  –1 TN to Acrobatics and Free-Fall; Whip Damage: 3•4D6+BOD; Tail AV: 4/4/3/3
  Additional Prosthetic Leg/Arm 
  Add 1 extra prosthetic limb (max. 4); Action Limit: 4 limbs per turn
  Enhanced Additional Prosthetic Leg/Arm 
  Add 1 extra enhanced prosthetic limb (max. 4); Action Limit: 4 limbs per turn
  Glide Wings 
  Glide in atmosphere (see rules); –2 TN to Free-Fall/Jump Pack; Wing AV: 2/2/2/1
  Flight Wings 
  Glide or fly in atmosphere (see rules); –2 TN to Free-Fall/Jump Pack; Wing AV: 4/4/3/3
  Note: For additional rules and descriptions on prosthetic enhancements and cybernetic upgrades, consult A Guide to Covert Ops (pp. 108-115).
  *Half TN modifier and duration for subjects of same gender or hostile to operative. See description for additional rules.
  **Other mods apply per Cosmetic Horror Enhancements
  CYBERNETIC UPGRADES TABLE
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  CLaSSIC BaTTLETECH rULES
  The following rules are compatible for use with Classic Bat-
  tleTech Total Warfare (TW).
  NEW VEHICLE EQUIPmENT:
  SmarT rOBOTIC CONTrOL SySTEmS
  Introduced: early spaceflight
  Just one step removed from the fully autonomous robotic 
  control systems used by the star league’s Caspar-class drones, 
  robotic control systems are actually a rare, automated form of 
  the basic remote drone control systems that are still used in 
  the 31st century. Using sophisticated “smart” programming to 
  simulate artificial intelligence, but designed for simple tasks, 
  robotic control systems completely lack a human component, 
  and rely entirely on their own on-board sensors for input. This 
  makes them susceptible to eCM, while their rigid programming 
  often leaves them unable to adapt to changing environments. 
  Despite this, many firms still produce robotic control systems for 
  the civilian and industrial sectors, but few military commands 
  employ robotics when remote-controlled drones are cheaper 
  and easier to deploy.
  Smart robotic Control System
  rules Level: advanced 
  available To: IndustrialMechs (four-legged only), battle-
  Mechs (four-legged only), Combat Vehicles, support Vehicles, 
  Conventional fighters, aerospace fighters and small Craft. 
  Tech Base (ratings): both (D/e-f-f)
  game rules (CBT): Units using a robotic operating system 
  are automatically considered to have a Crew of 0, regardless 
  of the construction rules for said unit, and may not use crew-
  served equipment beyond weapons, communications, sensors 
  and piloting/maneuvering controls. a robotic unit’s Piloting or 
  Gunnery skills may be determined by consulting the Random 
  Skills Table (see p. 273, Total Warfare), using the skill rating of 
  the programmer (Green, Regular, Veteran or elite). However, 
  these random skill rolls suffer an automatic –3 modifier (to a 
  minimum result of 1). Furthermore, regardless of the result, if 
  the robotic-controlled unit is a ’Mech, apply an additional +1 
  to the unit’s base Piloting skill (in place of the standard –2 for 
  quad designs), to reflect their relative lack of balance in the 
  absence of a pilot.
  In CbT game play, robotic units operate with their own 
  Initiative roll, which receives a –4 roll modifier. even if allied non-
  robotic units are present, the robotic units operate on their own 
  initiative, and are not counted as part of their allied non-robotic 
  player’s force. allied human-controlled units may be desig-
  nated as controllers for friendly robotic units prior to the start 
  of a scenario and may—in place of their normal Weapon attack 
  Phase—activate or deactivate any single friendly robotic unit 
  within the controller’s line of sight. a deactivated robotic unit 
  will become an immobile target and may take no actions until 
  reactivated. (airborne robotic units that are deactivated within 
  a planet’s gravity well automatically crash, while units in space 
  drift along their last vector and speed.)
  because they lack crews and pilots, critical hits against robotic 
  vehicles that would normally stun, wound or kill a driver, pilot or 
  crew do not inflict crew-loss effects. likewise, fighter and ’Mech 
  cockpit location hits do not force the robotic unit to make Con-
  sciousness rolls. However, critical hits to the vehicle commander 
  (or those that destroy the cockpit/life support of a robotic ’Mech, 
  or the crew of a robotic aerospace unit) destroy the robotic unit’s 
  operating systems, effectively deactivating it for the remainder 
  of the game (as described above). Robotic-controlled aerospace 
  units suffer no pilot damage effects for high-G maneuvers (see p. 
  78, TW), nor will they suffer pilot damage effects from overheat-
  ing or hazardous environments.
  In addition to the above, robotic-controlled units operate 
  within certain predefined limits intended to maximize their 
  survivability. Robotic units that track heat will not deliberately 
  exceed their heat management systems, and will not use any 
  equipment that generates heat in excess of their heat sinks—
  though heat from external sources (such as fire, flamers and 
  plasma weapons) may drive a robotic unit into higher heat 
  levels. A robotic unit that passes a heat level of 14 points can per-
  form no other action beyond basic movement at a Walk/Cruise/
  safe Thrust rate. Robotic-controlled units also cannot perform 
  charging, ramming or Death from above physical attacks. 
  Robotic-controlled units cannot clear weapon or turret jams in 
  combat. 
  If a robotic unit is exposed to a hostile eCM field, eM Pulse 
  or a Haywire Pod, the unit’s sensors will be overwhelmed and 
  the controlling player should roll 1D6. On a result of 4 or less, 
  the robotic unit acts as though deactivated for 3 turns (see rules 
  above regarding deactivation), at the end of which—if it remains 
  under an eCM effect—the robotic unit reactivates and moves 
  immediately toward its home edge as if it were a crippled unit 
  under the Forced Withdrawal rules (see p. 258, TW). (even if the 
  unit escapes the eCM effect while withdrawing, it continues to 
  retreat, and remains out of play for the remainder of the sce-
  nario, but can “reinitialize” for later scenarios.) On a result of 5, 
  the robotic unit continues to move (or accelerate) in the direc-
  tion it was headed at the time, but takes no other actions for 3 
  turns (though, if any other unit lies in its path, the controlling 
  player should treat the effect as a charge or ramming attack 
  with a +4 to-hit modifier). On a result of 6, the robotic unit goes 
  berserk and attacks the nearest active unit of any type with any 
  on-board weapons as long as it remains within the area of eCM 
  effects (if unarmed, the robotic unit simply charges at the near-
  est unit instead).
  Robotic units move in accordance with the standard rules 
  for their vehicle type, and may make sensor sweeps and use 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  124 / 125 
  unmanned communications systems (akin to unmanned satel-
  lites). They may also operate any and all mounted weapons 
  per normal rules for the robot unit’s type (regardless of crew 
  needs; for targeting purposes, robotic units ignore modifiers for 
  operating with insufficient crew), but they cannot make second-
  ary attacks. Robotic units may carry any other equipment that 
  requires crew to operate (such as MasH units, field kitchens and 
  so forth), but may not use these items (or conduct field repairs) 
  without human crewmen.
  aside from the above rules, robotic units function per the 
  rules for their applicable vehicle type, including other critical hit 
  effects and all effects due to heat.
  Construction rules: For units weighing less than 10 tons in 
  total mass, the robotic control system adds no weight beyond 
  that of the unit’s existing control systems. For units 10 tons and 
  over, however, robotic controls add an extra 5 percent of the 
  unit’s total weight to the tonnage of any basic cockpit or con-
  trol systems already employed by the unit. (larger aerospace 
  units such as space stations and Warships have been known 
  to employ robotic operating systems as well, but these larger 
  systems are not covered under these rules.) ’Mech-based robotic 
  control systems are unavailable to bipedal (humanoid) ’Mech 
  designs.
  a unit using a robotic operating system is always considered 
  to have a Crew of 0 (regardless of its normal needs under the 
  vehicle’s construction rules). In all other respects, the unit follows 
  its standard construction rules. (note: if the robotic unit requires 
  weight to be spent on life-support systems, the robotic unit is 
  not exempt from this requirement.)
   
  game rules (rPg): Robotic-controlled units in RPG game 
  play use the standard CbT game play rules, but such units make 
  sensor operations Checks in any situation where a human 
  character might make a Perception Check. The respective skill 
  bonuses for a robotic unit are equivalent to its CbT Piloting and 
  Gunnery skills, multiplied by 1.5 (rounded down). A robotic unit’s 
  sensor operations skill is the same as its Gunnery, while its Mar-
  tial arts skill is the same as its Piloting.
  Robotic units are immune to any actions involving soC, CHa 
  or WIl. Robotic units are presumed to have the following RPG 
  stats: STR (10 x Unit Tonnage, rounded up to a minimum of 1), 
  BOD (10 x Unit Tonnage, rounded up to a minimum of 1), DEX (10), 
  RFL (10), INT (4), WIL (1), CHA (1), EDG (0), and SOC (0). Gamemas-
  ters, however, may modify these statistics based on the robotic 
  unit’s role.
  NEW PrOTOmECH EQUIPmENT
  some Watch reports have indicated that Clans fire Mandrill, 
  Cloud Cobra and snow Raven have been testing some interesting 
  prototype equipment on their ProtoMech designs. observation 
  indicates two systems apparently in the final stages of develop-
  ment; the fire Mandrills’ Magnetic Clamp system (MCs), and the 
  Ravens’ extended Jump Jet system (XJJ).
  magnetic Clamp System (mCS)
  r&D Start Date: Unknown (Clan fire Mandrill)
  Prototype Design and Production: Circa 3070 (Clan Fire 
  Mandrill)
  Hoping to get slower ProtoMech designs into battle quickly, 
  Mandrill scientists and technicians strove to come up with a 
  streamlined transport system to allow the heavier ProtoMechs 
  to ride on battleMechs the way battle armor can be carried by 
  omniMechs. after multiple attempts, the Clan nearly gave up 
  the idea until they obtained a working fa shih battlesuit sample 
  from Diamond shark traders. While the acquisition was politi-
  cally charged—leading to Kindraa Kline’s severe decimation and 
  loss of power—the Mandrills’ Council changed their tune after 
  watching a Predator easily transport two heavy Roc ProtoMechs 
  across the testing field. Realizing the increased battlefield poten-
  tial, the Clan authorized continuation of the program, despite 
  the current design’s flaws.
  rules Level: experimental 
  available To: ProtoMechs 
  Tech Base (ratings): Clan (f/X-X-f)
  game rules (CBT): When functional, ProtoMechs may use 
  the Magnetic Clamp system to mount any Clan battleMech 
  (omni or otherwise) per the Mechanized battle armor rules (see 
  pp. 226-227, TW). However, a battleMech may carry no more than 
  two ProtoMechs in this fashion, with the ProtoMech occupy-
  ing the front or rear Center Torso locations only. If the ‘Mech 
  receives damage to a location mounting a ProtoMech, the Proto 
  is immediately dismounted, but sustains half the attack damage 
  (rounded up) to a random location.
  While transporting ProtoMechs, a battleMech’s speed is 
  reduced in accordance with the standard rules for carrying 
  unprotected external cargo (see p. 261, TW), using the total 
  weight of the ProtoMechs being carried to compute the change 
  in MPs. omniMechs and omniVehicles—which can accommo-
  date up to six battle-armored troopers without affecting their 
  speed—may subtract 3 tons from the weight of each ProtoMech 
  carried in this fashion when computing the external cargo 
  weight (to a minimum of 0 tons per Proto). ProtoMechs may not 
  be transported by aerospace units in this fashion, even if said 
  units are omnis.
  any critical hits to a ProtoMech’s torso automatically destroy 
  the MCs. 
  Construction rules: The Magnetic Clamp System weighs 250 
  kilograms for ProtoMechs under 6 tons, and 500 kilograms for 
  Protos 6 to 9 tons in total mass. The MCS occupies one weapon 
  slot in the ProtoMech’s torso.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  Extended Jump Jet System
  r&D Start Date: Unknown (Clan Cloud Cobra)
  Prototype Design and Production: Circa 3071 (Clan Snow 
  Raven)
  fascinated with the development of the sylph battle armor’s 
  VTol capability, Clan snow Raven attempted to mount a similar 
  system on their newly attained ProtoMech technology. While true 
  VTol capability remains more theory than fact, Raven scientists 
  managed to develop a longer-firing jump jet system that effectively 
  increased the range of jump-capable ProtoMechs.
  rules Level: experimental 
  available To: ProtoMechs 
  Tech Base (ratings): Clan (f/X-X-f)
  game rules (CBT): ProtoMech Jump Jets are the effective 
  analogue to battleMech Improved Jump Jets, offering a maximum 
  jump distance equal to the unit’s Running MPs, rather than its Walk-
  ing MPs.
  Construction rules: extended Jump Jet systems weigh twice as 
  much as the standard ProtoMech Jump Jet weights (100 kilograms 
  per Jump MP for ProtoMechs under 6 tons, 200 kilograms per Jump 
  MP for Protos 6 to 9 tons in total mass). Unlike standard jump jets, 
  ProtoMechs may mount as many XJJs as they have Running MPs.
  NEW aErOSPaCE EQUIPmENT: SUPEr-JUmP DrIVES
  During the Jihad, the Word of blake reportedly demonstrated an 
  amazing ability to deploy troops to all corners of the Inner sphere 
  in a fraction of the expected time even when using a command 
  circuit of lithium-fusion equipped Jumpships. allegedly, this feat 
  entailed the use of a so-called “super-jump” technique that may in 
  fact have been partly developed by Interconnectedness Unlimited 
  years earlier.
  Word of Blake Super-Jump System
  r&D Start Date: Unknown (Comstar?)
  Prototype Design and Production: Unknown (Word of blake)
  less a piece of equipment than a series of shunts, bypasses and 
  computers, this technology simply requires a jump-capable vessel 
  that also features a functional lithium-fusion battery.
  rules Level: experimental 
  available To: Jumpships, Warships
  Tech Base (ratings): Inner sphere (f/X-X-f)
  game rules (CBT): The Word of blake’s “super-jump” technology 
  simply requires a pre-existing K-f drive and a lithium-fusion battery 
  to function, and adds to this mix a few components of inconsequen-
  tial weight and bulk that override certain safety protocols and such 
  within the jump drive systems. When engaged, the jumping vessel 
  initiates a normal K-f jump sequence with the charge stored in the 
  drive core and then—nanoseconds later—begins a second jump 
  sequence that magnifies the jump by several orders of magnitude, 
  effectively creating a “jump within a jump.”
  an incoming super-jumper has an unmistakable emergence 
  wave. What first appears as a massive burst of thermal radiation 
  dissolves into a group of smaller signals, creating the impression of 
  a massive Jumpship or Warship coming in with an escort group in 
  tight formation. even more remarkable is the range of the Word of 
  blake super-jumps, which appears to be effectively unlimited. 
  The technique is dangerous, and applies a +3 target modifier 
  when computing jumps and executing them (dramatically increas-
  ing the chance of a misjump). More devastating, however, is the 
  fact that the very act of jumping automatically destroys the jump-
  ing vessel’s K-f drive and its lithium-fusion batteries. a vessel that 
  executes a Word of blake super-jump is therefore making a one-way 
  trip unless it can get to a friendly space dock where its drive and 
  battery can be replaced.
  Construction rules: Word of blake super-jump technology 
  takes up no significant weight or space in Jumpship or Warship, but 
  may only be installed on vessels that include both a K-f drive and a 
  lithium-fusion battery system.
  Interconnectedness Unlimited Super-Jump Drive
  r&D Start Date: Circa 2980 (Interconnectedness Unlimited)
  Prototype Design and Production: Circa 3000 (Interconnect-
  edness Unlimited)
  IU’s own alleged super-jump technology supposedly explored 
  the same approach the Word of blake may be using in the Jihad, 
  but retained numerous safety measures and cut-offs that deliber-
  ately reduced the range of their super-jumps and made it much 
  more likely for vessels to survive the trip with cores and batteries 
  intact. Unfortunately, it remains unclear how successful the project 
  ultimately was, as IU never produced a super-jump capable vessel 
  for sale, or unveiled the techniques and technology it might have 
  employed.
  rules Level: experimental 
  available To: Jumpships
  Tech Base (ratings): Inner sphere (f/X-X-X)
  game rules (CBT): Interconnectedness Unlimited’s super-
  jump technology worked in the same fashion as the Word of blake 
  variation, but had a maximum jump radius of 120 light-years, and 
  doubled the requisite time to plot a jump. Though its inbound 
  jump signature would match that of a Word of blake jump, the IU 
  super-jump system was far less likely to cause K-f or battery dam-
  age; rather than such an event being automatic upon arrival, the 
  controlling player of a vessel undergoing an IU-style super-jump 
  rolls 2D6. On a result of 8+, the K-F drive loses 1 point of integrity 
  from damage.
  Construction rules: IU’s super-jump technology makes exten-
  sive changes to the K-f drive that result in a 2 percent increase in the 
  drive’s total weight (rounded up to the nearest ton). It also multi-
  plies the K-F drive’s total cost by a factor of 10, rendering super-jump 
  capable drives prohibitively expensive.
  The Lucretia
   starting off as a Tramp with two Mule Dropships permanently 
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  126 / 127 
  attached, the IU-owned Jumpship Lucretia was heavily modified 
  over the decades to resemble a flying habitat, filled to the brim with 
  laboratories, workshops, hydroponics bays and think tanks. The 
  Lucretia was home away from home to hundreds of IU scientists and 
  researchers, and—before her fiery end in the star of an unnamed 
  system—was supposedly fitted with an experimental IU-made 
  super-jump assembly.
  NEW VEHICLE EQUIPmENT: 
  CENTUrION WEaPON SySTEmS
  r&D Start Date: Circa 2760 (Star League)
  Prototype Design and Production: Circa 2762 (Star League)
  In the late 28th century, Generals Kerensky and DeChevalier 
  tasked slDf researchers with developing non-lethal weapons to 
  disable the advanced technologies that had proliferated through-
  out the Inner sphere and Periphery. a few concepts were tested 
  and met with limited success, but practical testing and combat 
  simulations soon showed that even a modicum of electronics 
  hardening, coupled with combat maneuvering, would still render a 
  ’Mech, vehicle, fighter or other piece of combat equipment virtually 
  invulnerable to what the slDf science and Technology bureau had 
  designated Centurion weapon systems. 
  Research into the Centurion project continued nonetheless, 
  with some systems reaching operational capability. Unfortunately, 
  against all but the oldest and most distressed equipment still in the 
  field, the prototype system had little to no operational range.
  During trials, engineers fitted test units with a special transpon-
  der that would automatically shut down those units when struck by 
  the weapon’s beam, just to be sure. Thanks to those transponders, 
  initial trials went well enough for the slDf to order an extended 
  test. even with the transponders, however, the weapon ultimately 
  proved unreliable, with a limited arc of effectiveness and widely 
  varying range. The Centurion weapon itself was shelved, but the 
  transponders were modified to allow the remote shutdown of 
  ’Mechs and vehicles in the case of unauthorized use or theft.
  The transponders were put into limited use, with the codes nec-
  essary to shut down the parent unit supposedly entrusted only to 
  slDf field commanders, the colonels and generals who led the star 
  league’s armies. In reality, the codes quickly found their way into the 
  hands of just about anyone in the slDf that wanted them. among 
  some MechWarriors, it became a practical joke to shut down each 
  other’s ’Mechs. not long thereafter, the codes began to fall into 
  the wrong hands, leading to several disasters, including the loss of 
  nearly two 
  battalions 
  of brand-
  new slDf 
  battle-
  Mechs 
  and the 
  destruc-
  tion of several more companies by pirates on the world of 
  Zebeneschamali. The entire Centurion system was shelved at that 
  point, but thousands of transponders remained in service, while 
  thousands more that were supposedly destroyed may have been 
  stockpiled as a part of integrated communications systems in slDf 
  depots across the Inner sphere.
  Though the system remained undeveloped for more than five 
  centuries, evidence exists that some groups may either have dug 
  up ancient prototypes of this weapon or developed their own from 
  plans discovered in the Helm star league Memory Core.
  rules Level: experimental 
  available To: IndustrialMechs, battleMechs, Combat Vehicles, 
  support Vehicles, Conventional fighters, aerospace fighters and 
  small Craft.
  Tech Base (ratings): Inner sphere (e/f-f-f)
  game rules (CBT): The Centurion uses a directed electromag-
  netic pulse to overload the electronic systems on the target unit, 
  though the weapon’s effective range is minimal in this mode. 
  against units with the Centurion transponder, or that either have 
  unshielded electronics or lost that shielding, the Centurion weapon 
  has a much greater range. Prior to the start of a game, the game-
  master (or the players) must determine which units (battleMech, 
  vehicle, ProtoMech, battle armor, fighter or aerospace fighter) are 
  susceptible to the Centurion weapon.
  Units equipped with a Centurion use it like any other direct-fire 
  energy weapon. Though it delivers no damage or heat to its target, 
  the weapon does inflict heat on the firing unit as normal. against 
  targets susceptible to it, the Centurion weapon has the range pro-
  file of an Inner sphere light PPC; against units not susceptible to 
  the weapon, the Centurion’s effective ranges are reduced to that of 
  a standard Inner sphere small laser. The Centurion does not work 
  with a targeting computer.
  Upon a successful hit, the player controlling the targeted unit 
  immediately makes a shutdown roll as if the targeted unit’s heat 
  were 14 points higher than its current level (though this “heat” is 
  not added to the unit’s heat level). If the roll is successful, the unit 
  continues to operate normally. If the roll fails, the unit immediately 
  shuts down. If the weapon successfully targets a unit that is already 
  shut down (for whatever reason) the unit remains shut down for the 
  next turn.
  Construction rules: a unit may mount any number of Centu-
  rion weapons.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
   
   
   
  minimum 
  Short 
  medium 
  Long 
   
  Critical 
  ammo
  Type 
  Heat 
  Damage 
  range 
  range 
  range 
  range 
  Tons 
  Slots 
  Per Ton
  Centurion 
  4 
  0* 
  0 
  6 (1) 
  12 (2) 
  18 (3) 
  5 
  2 
  —
  *The Centurion deals no damage; instead, a unit successfully targeted by this weapon makes an immediate shutdown roll as if its current 
  heat level were 14 points higher than it truly is.
  CENTURION WEAPON SYSTEM
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  NEW BaTTLEmECH: rmP-5g ramPagE
  mass: 85 tons
  Chassis: Stanwhich 850
  Power Plant: AMC 340 XL
  Cruising Speed: 43 kph
  maximum Speed: 64 kph,  86 kph w/ MASC
  Jump Jets: none
   Jump Capacity: none
  armor: PanzerSlab Type 9
  armament:
   2 Maxell DT Medium lasers
   1 Luballin LB 10-X Autocannon
   1 Buzzsaw Anti-Missile System
   1 Zippo Mark X Anti-Personnel Flamer
   1 Jackson Dart LRM-10 Missile Rack
   3 Marklin Mini SRM-2 Missile Packs
   1 Tronel XIII Large Pulse Laser
  manufacturer: Weigel armory and Munitions 
   Primary Factory: Kwangjong-ni (destroyed 2767)
  Communications System: Transcom alpha
  Targeting and Tracking System: KBC Starsight Model 3
  Overview
  originally designed as a standard heavy line ‘Mech for the Rim 
  Worlds Republic, the Rampage served its role adequately. With 
  amaris’ takeover of the Terran Hegemony, he finally had access to 
  all the advanced star league technology. Knowing he would likely 
  have to fight at least some parts of the slDf, he had Hegemony 
  engineers design a modern upgrade for the Rampage. Rather than 
  leave it a simple assault ’Mech, the engineers enhanced its speed 
  as well as its firepower, producing a fast assault unit that would 
  give the star league forces fits in the years to come.
  Capabilities
  The redesigned Rampage was built to be fast for its size. 
  Though some designers pushed for a top speed in the 80-kph 
  range, they debated whether to accomplish this by lightening the 
  entire design or by employing an experimental extra-light engine 
  design. as a more economical compromise, they opted for an Xl 
  engine augmented by a MasC system, enabling the Rampage to 
  reach almost 90 kilometers per hour for short bursts. Meanwhile, 
  to enhance the ’Mech’s firepower, designers installed an LB 10-X 
  autocannon and an Artemis-enhanced LRM-10, coupled with a trio 
  of streak two-packs and a large pulse laser for heavy and accurate 
  punch. for even more power up close, the Rampage rounded out 
  its weapons load with a pair of medium lasers and a flamer, while 
  adding the defensive feature of an anti-missile system.
   
  Deployment
  The Rampage was assigned to the elite Republican Guards, 
  though some—mostly older chassis—were also shipped to the 
  rebelling Periphery realms from which amaris sought to retain 
  support. Rampages were assigned to units that could keep up 
  with their speed, either as a fast strike unit or as heavy support for 
  a medium unit. More than one opponent thought they could use 
  a heavy medium to outmaneuver the Rampage and found them-
  selves facing its formidable firepower.
  Variants
  The Rampage-2G, produced for decades in the Rim Worlds 
  Republic, was twenty-five percent slower than the 5G. It also 
  lacked the streak launchers and artemis IV fire control systems. 
  Its standard class-10 autocannon had two tons of ammo, but so 
  did the LRM. Instead of the 5G’s antimissile system, the 2G used 
  a single machine gun with a full ton of ammo, while a standard 
  large laser replaced the advanced pulse laser. Though this older 
  model boasted ten more heat sinks than the 5G, these standard 
  sinks lacked the efficiency of the 5G’s heat management system.
  Another progenitor to the 5G was the 4G, which was produced 
  in limited numbers. This variant removed all of the ’Mech’s missile 
  systems, a medium laser, three heat sinks and half a ton of armor 
  (mostly from the legs) in exchange for a powerful gauss rifle.
  Infamous mechWarriors
  Captain Bernard “Ogre” Critchly: a captain in the Greenhaven 
  Gestapo, one of the few non-Republican mercenaries to receive 
  the new Rampage, Critchly earned the nickname “ogre” for his 
  poor hygiene and brutal disposition. after having his portrait 
  spray-painted on the sistine Chapel, Critchly was quickly frus-
  trated by the protests that followed. While the Gestapo managed 
  to control the first outbursts, additional protests mounted in 
  response to the Gestapo’s ruthlessness. During one, Critchly 
  blocked in 750 monks who were staging a hunger strike in John 
  Paul II square, and killed more than six hundred of them with his 
  Rampage alone. During the liberation of Terra, both Critchly and 
  his Rampage disappeared; neither the warrior nor his machine 
  were ever reportedly seen again.
  Ivan “ranger” Chekov: Known as “Ranger” for his ability to track 
  down slDf forces gone guerrilla, Ivan was not only a great stalker, 
  but a formidable foe on the battlefield. Using his Rampage’s 
  superior speed, his favored tactic involved gaining the most 
  advantageous positions as quickly as possible before unleashing 
  a torrent of firepower on one side of his foe—then maintaining 
  the same relative position to exploit the weakened flank almost 
  exclusively. Chekov took down more than twenty-five opponents 
  this way. but while he was deadly to slDf units, Chekov allegedly 
  opposed mistreatment of the local population and prisoners on 
  new earth. after the war, he was one of the few Republican offi-
  cers to be cleared of war crimes charges, but soon after retiring to 
  new earth, he was lynched by the local populace.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  128 / 129 
  Type: Rampage
  Technology Base: Inner sphere
  Tonnage: 85
  Battle Value: 1,842
  Cost (C-bills): 23,069,439
  Equipment 
   
  mass
  Internal Structure: 
  Endo Steel 
  4.5
  Engine:  
  340 XL 
  13.5
   
  Walking MP:  
  4
   
  Running MP:  
  6 [8]
   
  Jumping MP:  
  0
  Heat Sinks:  
  13 [26] 
  3
  Gyro: 
   
  4
  Cockpit: 
   
  3
  Armor Factor:  
  256 
  16
   
   
  Internal 
  Armor
   
   
  Structure 
  Value
   
  Head 
  3 
  9   
     Center Torso: 
  27 
  40   
     Center Torso (Rear): 
   
  13   
     L/R Side Torso: 
  18 
  26
     L/R Side Torso (Rear):        
   
  9
     L/R Arm: 
  14 
  27
     L/R Leg: 
  18 
  35
  Weapons and ammo 
  Location 
  Critical 
  Tonnage
  LB 10-X AC        
  RA    
  6 
  11
  ammo (lb-X) 20 
  RT 
  2 
  2
  LRM 10   
  LA 
  2 
  5
  Artemis IV 
  LA 
  1 
  1
  Ammo (LRM) 12 
  LT 
  1 
  1
  Anti-Missile System   
  RT 
  1 
  0.5
  Ammo (AMS) 12 
  RT 
  1 
  1
  Medium Laser      
  RT 
  1 
  1 
  MasC 
  RT 
  4 
  4
  Medium Laser       
  LT 
  1 
  1
  3 Streak SRM 2s      
  LT 
  3 
  4.5 
  Ammo (Streak) 50 
  LT 
  1 
  1
  Flamer          
  LT 
  1 
  1 
  Large Pulse Laser    
  CT 
  2 
  7
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/section15: RUles aDDenDUM
  NEW aErOSPaCE FIgHTEr: mk. 30 
  “BLaCkWaSP” rOBOTIC INTErCEPTOr
  mass: 50 tons
  Chassis: X-5.90.30
  Power Plant: VOX 250
  armor: searWeave
  armament:
   2 Hellion Prime eR large lasers
   1 Maxell Medium Laser
  manufacturer: allied aerospace, Inc. 
   Primary Factory: Pollux (destroyed 2767)
  Communications System: Ulsop WaspWave X100
  Targeting and Tracking System: Ulsop Inquisitor K37
  Overview
  The Mk. 30 “BlackWasp” was one of the Terran Hegemony’s first 
  fully robotic interceptor fighters exclusively intended to back up the 
  might of their elaborate automated planetary defense networks. 
  This companion to the Caspar class of drone Warships debuted in 
  the late 2720s and was widely distributed among various outlying 
  Hegemony outposts to bolster defenses against invaders, but was 
  rendered obsolete by the Mk. 39 “VoidSeeker” series almost forty 
  years later, thanks to the latter craft’s improved shielding against 
  hostile eCM. nonetheless, many Hegemony sDs networks contin-
  ued to rely on BlackWasps even into the star league’s final days.
  Capabilities
  Highly maneuverable and powered by a smart robotics system 
  perfected by Ulsop Robotics, the Mk. 30 could outfly most human 
  pilots and relied on a cutting-edge combination of extended-range 
  lasers and double-strength heat sinks for maximum offensive poten-
  tial without need for resupply. Designed to operate exclusively in 
  space, in squadrons of no less than six such fighters, most BlackWasps 
  were carrier-launched by Caspars, specially built drone Dropships, 
  or dedicated carrier satellites placed in planetary orbit. Their smart 
  robotics control systems enabled Mk. 30s to react to changing com-
  bat situations on the fly, without constant human supervision, but 
  over time many BlackWasp squadrons began to lose effectiveness in 
  protracted battles. often, these failures occurred due to severe elec-
  tronic interference or a programming glitch that allowed many to be 
  drawn too far from their carriers for refueling.
   
  Deployment
  BlackWasps were originally deployed exclusively by forces of 
  the Terran Hegemony as part of the Hegemony’s own planetary 
  defense networks, but as they were displaced by the newer Mk. 39s, 
  many turned up in outlying slDf outposts as far from Terra as the 
  frontier world of antallos. Throughout the centuries since the star 
  league’s collapse, traders and prospectors across the Inner sphere 
  have reported contact with ancient squadrons of what many 
  believe are rogue Mk. 30s—still carrying out their ancient defensive 
  missions around long-forgotten outposts.
  Type: Mk. 30 “BlackWasp”
  Technology Base: Inner sphere
  Tonnage: 50
  Battle Value: n/a
  Equipment 
   
  mass
  Engine:  
  250 
  12.5
   
  Safe Thrust:  
  7
   
  Max Thrust:  
  11
  Structural Integrity:  
  7
  Heat Sinks:  
  14 [28] 
  4
  Fuel:  
  480 
  6
  Cockpit (Robotic): 
   
  3 + 2.5
  Armor Factor:  
  176 
  11
   
   
  Armor
   
   
  Value
   
  Nose 
  46
     
  Wings 
  45 / 45   
     
  aft 
  40
  Weapons and Ammo Location Tonnage Heat 
  SRV 
  MRV LRV 
  ERV
  Medium Laser 
  Nose 
  1 
  3 
  5 
  — 
  — 
  —
  ER Large Laser 
  RW 
  5 
  12 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  —
  ER Large Laser 
  LW 
  5 
  12 
  8 
  8 
  8 
  —
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  
  connection/JIHAD CONSPIRACIES/15: RULES ADDENDUM  
  130 / 131 
  NEW FOrCE rULES: THE SaUrImaT
  Classic BattleTech rules 
  as they are not a military unit per se, the saurimat’s alleged battleMech battalion only loosely follows the standard Inner sphere 
  organizational order of companies and lances, putting more emphasis on the training of the individual pilot. 
  Their technology is never top-of-the-line, and mostly consists of hand-me-downs from the associated arkab legions. for unit deter-
  mination, saurimat ’Mechs use the “D” or “f” columns (at the player’s discretion) of the Draconis Combine Random assignment Tables. 
  Reroll any units that lack hand actuators (including quads). The saurimat never employ vehicles or fighters.
  saurimat warriors cover the whole spectrum of experience, but their MechWarriors have in common a natural affinity for ‘Mech pilot-
  ing. To reflect this, a saurimat MechWarrior’s Gunnery skill may never exceed his Piloting skill. (If randomly determining skills, swap the 
  Piloting and Gunnery skills for any saurimat warrior whose Gunnery exceeds his Piloting.)
  furthermore, to reflect their expertise in close combat, saurimat MechWarriors may execute one extra physical attack during the 
  Physical attack Phase, so long as the attack does not use the same limb or limbs. This bonus attack may even include a charge, Death 
  from above or push attack (treat charge attacks as using the torso, while push attacks use both arms and Death from above attacks use 
  both legs). However, because they combine movement and attacking, only one charge, Death from above or push attack may be made 
  per turn (they cannot be combined with each other for the bonus attack), and must be resolved before the second bonus attack. 
  Finally, to reflect Saurimat fanaticism, all Saurimat BattleMechs are exempt from Forced Withdrawal rules (see p. 258,  TW), and always 
  operate with their auto-ejection systems disengaged.
  RUlES ADDENDUM
  i
  KIRI-J(f) SYSTEM SECURITY SCANNER (12.3.89 bUIlD 5
  SECURITY lEVEl AMbER
  0
  
  © 2007 WizKids, Inc. Classic BattleTech, ’Mech and BattleMech are trademarks of WizKids, Inc. All rights reserved.
  Permission to photocopy for personal use.
  ’MECH RECORD SHEET
  TM
  'MECH DATA
  WARRIOR DATA
  CRITICAL HIT TABLE
  HEAT DATA
  Type: RMP-5G RAMPAGE
  Movement Points:
  Cost: 23,069,439 C-bills
  Tech Base:
  Tonnage:  
  85
  BV: 1,842
  Walking: 
  Running: 
  Jumping: 
  4
  6 [8]
  0
  Weapons & Equipment Inventory
  (hexes)
  Qty
  Type
  Loc
  Ht
  Dmg
  Min Sht Med Lng
  LB 10-X AC
  1
  RA
  2
  10
  (DB,C/S/F)
  —
  6
  12
  18
  Large Pulse Laser
  1
  CT
  10
  9 (P)
  —
  3
  7
  10
  Anti-Missile System
  1
  RT
  1
  (PD)
  —
  —
  —
  —
  Medium Laser
  1
  RT
  3
  5 (DE)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  Streak SRM 2
  3
  LT
  2
  2/Msl
  (M,C)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  LRM 10 w/Artemis IV
  1
  LA
  4
  1/Msl
  (M,C,S)
  6
  7
  14
  21
  Medium Laser
  1
  LT
  3
  5 (DE)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  Flamer
  1
  LT
  3
  2 
  (DE,H,AI)
  —
  1
  2
  3
  Inner Sphere
  2767
  Name:
  Gunnery Skill:
  Piloting Skill:
   1 
   3 
   2 
   5 
   3 
   7 
   4 
   10 
   5 
   11 
   6 
  Dead
  Consciousness#
  Hits Taken
  Left Arm
  1-3
  1.
  Shoulder
  2.
  Upper Arm Actuator
  3.
  Lower Arm Actuator
  4.
  LRM 10
  LRM 10
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Torso
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Leg
  1.
  Hip
  2.
  Upper Leg Actuator
  3.
  Lower Leg Actuator
  4.
  Foot Actuator
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Head
  1.
  Life Support
  2.
  Sensors
  3.
  Cockpit 
  4.
  5.
  Sensors
  6.
  Life Support
  Endo Steel
  Large Pulse Laser
  1-3
  1.
  XL Fusion Engine
  2.
  XL Fusion Engine
  3.
  XL Fusion Engine
  4.
  Gyro
  5.
  Gyro
  6.
  Gyro
  4-6
  1.
  Gyro
  2.
  XL Fusion Engine
  3.
  XL Fusion Engine
  4.
  XL Fusion Engine
  5.
  6.
  Center Torso
  Right Arm
  Shoulder
  Upper Arm Actuator
  Lower Arm Actuator
  Hand
  Right Torso
  Right Leg
  Hip
  Upper Leg Actuator
  Lower Leg Actuator
  Foot Actuator
  Endo Steel
  Artemis IV FC
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  6.
  Streak SRM 2
  Roll Again
  LB 10-X AC
  Endo Steel
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  Endo Steel
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  Flamer
  Streak SRM 2
  Streak SRM 2
  Ammo (Streak) 50
  Ammo (LRM) 12
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  MASC
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  Medium Laser
  Anti-Missile System
  MASC
  MASC
  MASC
  Ammo (LB-X) 10
  Ammo (LB-X) 10
  Ammo (AMS) 12
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Large Pulse Laser
  Damage Transfer
  Diagram
  Life Support
  Sensor Hits
  Gyro Hits
  Engine Hits
  XL Fusion Engine
  Medium Laser
  Heat
  Scale
  Overﬂow
   0
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5 *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
   6
   7
   8
   9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  16
  30
  Shutdown
  Heat
  Level*
  Effects
  28
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 8+
  26
  Shutdown, avoid on 10+
  25
  –5 Movement Points
  24
  +4 Modifier to Fire
  23
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 6+
  22
  Shutdown, avoid on 8+
  20
  –4 Movement Points
  19
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 4+
  18
  Shutdown, avoid on 6+
  17
  +3 Modifier to Fire
  15
  –3 Movement Points
  14
  Shutdown, avoid on 4+
  13
  +2 Modifier to Fire
  10
  –2 Movement Points
   8
  +1 Modifier to Fire
   5
  –1 Movement Points
  Heat Sinks:
  13 (26)
  Double
  Center
  Torso
  Rear (13) 
  ARMOR DIAGRAM
  Right Torso
  (26)
  Torso Rear
  (9)
  Right
  Left
  Torso Rear
  (9)
  Right
  Leg
  (35)
  Left Arm
  (27)
  Right Arm
  (27)
  Center
  Torso
  (40)
  Left Torso
  (26)
  Head (9)
  Left
  Leg
  (35)
  Head
  Center
  Torso
  (27)
  Right
  Leg
  (18)
  INTERNAL STRUCTURE DIAGRAM
  Left
  Arm
  (14)
  Right
  Arm
  (14)
  Left Torso (18)
  Right Torso (18)
  Left
  Leg
  (18)
  
  © 2007 WizKids, Inc. Classic BattleTech, ’Mech and BattleMech are trademarks of WizKids, Inc. All rights reserved.
  Permission to photocopy for personal use.
  ’MECH RECORD SHEET
  TM
  'MECH DATA
  WARRIOR DATA
  CRITICAL HIT TABLE
  HEAT DATA
  Type: RMP-2G RAMPAGE
  Movement Points:
  Cost: 7,015,755 C-bills
  Tech Base:
  Tonnage:  
  85
  BV: 1,444
  Walking: 
  Running: 
  Jumping: 
  3
  5
  0
  Weapons & Equipment Inventory
  (hexes)
  Qty
  Type
  Loc
  Ht
  Dmg
  Min Sht Med Lng
  Autocannon/10
  1
  RA
  3
  10 (DB)
  —
  5
  10
  15
  Large Laser
  1
  CT
  8
  8 (DE)
  —
  5
  10
  15
  Medium Laser
  1
  RT
  3
  5 (DE)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  Machine Gun
  1
  RT
  0
  2 (DB,AI)
  —
  1
  2
  3
  LRM 10
  1
  LA
  4
  1/Msl
  (M,C,S)
  6
  7
  14
  21
  Medium Laser
  1
  LT
  3
  5 (DE)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  Flamer
  1
  LT
  3
  2 
  (DE,H,AI)
  —
  1
  2
  3
  Inner Sphere
  2735
  Name:
  Gunnery Skill:
  Piloting Skill:
   1 
   3 
   2 
   5 
   3 
   7 
   4 
   10 
   5 
   11 
   6 
  Dead
  Consciousness#
  Hits Taken
  Left Arm
  1-3
  1.
  Shoulder
  2.
  Upper Arm Actuator
  3.
  Lower Arm Actuator
  4.
  LRM 10
  LRM 10
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Torso
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Leg
  1.
  Hip
  2.
  Upper Leg Actuator
  3.
  Lower Leg Actuator
  4.
  Foot Actuator
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Head
  1.
  Life Support
  2.
  Sensors
  3.
  Cockpit 
  4.
  5.
  Sensors
  6.
  Life Support
  Roll Again
  Large Laser
  1-3
  1.
  Fusion Engine
  2.
  Fusion Engine
  3.
  Fusion Engine
  4.
  Gyro
  5.
  Gyro
  6.
  Gyro
  4-6
  1.
  Gyro
  2.
  Fusion Engine
  3.
  Fusion Engine
  4.
  Fusion Engine
  5.
  6.
  Center Torso
  Right Arm
  Shoulder
  Upper Arm Actuator
  Lower Arm Actuator
  Hand
  Right Torso
  Right Leg
  Hip
  Upper Leg Actuator
  Lower Leg Actuator
  Foot Actuator
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  6.
  Single Heat Sink
  Roll Again
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Autocannon/10
  Roll Again
  Medium Laser
  Flamer
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Single Heat Sink
  Machine Gun
  Medium Laser
  Ammo (AC/10) 10
  Ammo (AC/10) 10
  Ammo (MG) 200
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Roll Again
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Single Heat Sink
  Large Laser
  Damage Transfer
  Diagram
  Life Support
  Sensor Hits
  Gyro Hits
  Engine Hits
  Ammo (LRM) 12
  Ammo (LRM) 12
  Heat
  Scale
  Overﬂow
   0
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5 *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
   6
   7
   8
   9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  16
  30
  Shutdown
  Heat
  Level*
  Effects
  28
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 8+
  26
  Shutdown, avoid on 10+
  25
  –5 Movement Points
  24
  +4 Modifier to Fire
  23
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 6+
  22
  Shutdown, avoid on 8+
  20
  –4 Movement Points
  19
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 4+
  18
  Shutdown, avoid on 6+
  17
  +3 Modifier to Fire
  15
  –3 Movement Points
  14
  Shutdown, avoid on 4+
  13
  +2 Modifier to Fire
  10
  –2 Movement Points
   8
  +1 Modifier to Fire
   5
  –1 Movement Points
  Heat Sinks:
  23
  Single
  Center
  Torso
  Rear (11) 
  ARMOR DIAGRAM
  Right Torso
  (23)
  Torso Rear
  (8)
  Right
  Left
  Torso Rear
  (8)
  Right
  Leg
  (31)
  Left Arm
  (24)
  Right Arm
  (24)
  Center
  Torso
  (32)
  Left Torso
  (23)
  Head (9)
  Left
  Leg
  (31)
  Head
  Center
  Torso
  (27)
  Right
  Leg
  (18)
  INTERNAL STRUCTURE DIAGRAM
  Left
  Arm
  (14)
  Right
  Arm
  (14)
  Left Torso (18)
  Right Torso (18)
  Left
  Leg
  (18)
  
  © 2007 WizKids, Inc. Classic BattleTech, ’Mech and BattleMech are trademarks of WizKids, Inc. All rights reserved.
  Permission to photocopy for personal use.
  ’MECH RECORD SHEET
  TM
  'MECH DATA
  WARRIOR DATA
  CRITICAL HIT TABLE
  HEAT DATA
  Type: RMP-4G RAMPAGE
  Movement Points:
  Cost: 22,917,739 C-bills
  Tech Base:
  Tonnage:  
  85
  BV: 2,020
  Walking: 
  Running: 
  Jumping: 
  4
  6 [8]
  0
  Weapons & Equipment Inventory
  (hexes)
  Qty
  Type
  Loc
  Ht
  Dmg
  Min Sht Med Lng
  LB 10-X AC
  1
  RA
  2
  10
  (DB,C/S/F)
  —
  6
  12
  18
  Large Pulse Laser
  1
  CT
  10
  9 (P)
  —
  3
  7
  10
  Anti-Missile System
  1
  RT
  1
  (PD)
  —
  —
  —
  —
  Medium Laser
  1
  RT
  3
  5 (DE)
  —
  3
  6
  9
  Gauss Rifle
  1
  LA
  1
  15 (DB)
  2
  7
  15
  22
  Flamer
  1
  LT
  3
  2 
  (DE,H,AI)
  —
  1
  2
  3
  Inner Sphere
  2750
  Name:
  Gunnery Skill:
  Piloting Skill:
   1 
   3 
   2 
   5 
   3 
   7 
   4 
   10 
   5 
   11 
   6 
  Dead
  Consciousness#
  Hits Taken
  Left Arm
  1-3
  1.
  Shoulder
  2.
  Upper Arm Actuator
  3.
  Lower Arm Actuator
  4.
  Gauss Rifle
  Gauss Rifle
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Torso
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Left Leg
  1.
  Hip
  2.
  Upper Leg Actuator
  3.
  Lower Leg Actuator
  4.
  Foot Actuator
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1-3
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  4-6
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  1.
  2.
  3.
  4.
  5.
  6.
  Head
  1.
  Life Support
  2.
  Sensors
  3.
  Cockpit 
  4.
  5.
  Sensors
  6.
  Life Support
  Endo Steel
  Large Pulse Laser
  1-3
  1.
  XL Fusion Engine
  2.
  XL Fusion Engine
  3.
  XL Fusion Engine
  4.
  Gyro
  5.
  Gyro
  6.
  Gyro
  4-6
  1.
  Gyro
  2.
  XL Fusion Engine
  3.
  XL Fusion Engine
  4.
  XL Fusion Engine
  5.
  6.
  Center Torso
  Right Arm
  Shoulder
  Upper Arm Actuator
  Lower Arm Actuator
  Hand
  Right Torso
  Right Leg
  Hip
  Upper Leg Actuator
  Lower Leg Actuator
  Foot Actuator
  Endo Steel
  Gauss Rifle
  Gauss Rifle
  Gauss Rifle
  Gauss Rifle
  Gauss Rifle
  6.
  Flamer
  Roll Again
  LB 10-X AC
  Endo Steel
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  LB 10-X AC
  Endo Steel
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  Ammo (Gauss) 8
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  MASC
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  XL Fusion Engine
  Medium Laser
  Anti-Missile System
  MASC
  MASC
  MASC
  Ammo (LB-X) 10
  Ammo (LB-X) 10
  Ammo (AMS) 12
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Endo Steel
  Large Pulse Laser
  Damage Transfer
  Diagram
  Life Support
  Sensor Hits
  Gyro Hits
  Engine Hits
  XL Fusion Engine
  Ammo (Gauss) 8
  Heat
  Scale
  Overﬂow
   0
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5 *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
   6
   7
   8
   9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  16
  30
  Shutdown
  Heat
  Level*
  Effects
  28
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 8+
  26
  Shutdown, avoid on 10+
  25
  –5 Movement Points
  24
  +4 Modifier to Fire
  23
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 6+
  22
  Shutdown, avoid on 8+
  20
  –4 Movement Points
  19
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 4+
  18
  Shutdown, avoid on 6+
  17
  +3 Modifier to Fire
  15
  –3 Movement Points
  14
  Shutdown, avoid on 4+
  13
  +2 Modifier to Fire
  10
  –2 Movement Points
   8
  +1 Modifier to Fire
   5
  –1 Movement Points
  Heat Sinks:
  10 (20)
  Double
  Center
  Torso
  Rear (13) 
  ARMOR DIAGRAM
  Right Torso
  (26)
  Torso Rear
  (9)
  Right
  Left
  Torso Rear
  (9)
  Right
  Leg
  (32)
  Left Arm
  (26)
  Right Arm
  (26)
  Center
  Torso
  (40)
  Left Torso
  (26)
  Head (9)
  Left
  Leg
  (32)
  Head
  Center
  Torso
  (27)
  Right
  Leg
  (18)
  INTERNAL STRUCTURE DIAGRAM
  Left
  Arm
  (14)
  Right
  Arm
  (14)
  Left Torso (18)
  Right Torso (18)
  Left
  Leg
  (18)
  
  © 2007 WizKids, Inc. Classic BattleTech, ’Mech and BattleMech are trademarks of WizKids, Inc. All rights reserved.
  Permission to photocopy for personal use.
  TM
  AEROSPACE FIGHTER RECORD SHEET
  FIGHTER DATA
  CRITICAL DAMAGE
  VELOCITY RECORD
  HEAT DATA
  ARMOR DIAGRAM
  EXTERNAL STORES/BOMBS
  PILOT DATA
  Name:
  Gunnery Skill:
  Piloting Skill:
   1 
   3 
   +1 
   2 
   5 
   +2 
   3 
   7 
   +3 
   4 
   10 
   +4 
   5 
   11 
   +5 
   6 
  Dead
  Consciousness #
  Hits Taken
  Modiﬁer
  Type: Mk.30 BLACKWASP
  Thrust:
  Cost: N/A
  Tech Base:
  Inner Sphere
  2750
  Weapons & Equipment Inventory
  Qty Type
  Loc. Ht
  Tonnage:  
  50
  BV: N/A
  Safe Thrust: 
  Maximum Thrust: 
  7
  11
  SRV MRV LRV ERV
  1
  Medium Laser
  N
  3
  5
  —
  —
  —
  1
  ER Large Laser
  LW 12
  8
  8
  8
  —
  1
  Fuel: 480 Points
  ER Large Laser
  RW 12
  8
  8
  8
  —
  1
  Robotic Control
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  —
  (0–6)
  Standard Scale
  (6–12) (13–20) (21–25)
  Turn #
  Thrust
  Velocity
  Effective Velocity 
  Altitude
  1
  2
  3
  4
  5
  6
  7
  8
  9
  10
  Turn #
  Thrust
  Velocity
  Effective Velocity 
  Altitude
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  16
  17
  18
  19
  20
  Key:-
  HE - High Explosive
  LG - Laser Guided
  C - Cluster
  RL - Rocket Launcher
  FCS
  +2
  +4
  D
  Gear
  +5
  Avionics
  +1
  +2
  +5
  Engine
  2
  4
  D
  Life
  Support
  +2
  Sensors
  +1
  +2
  +5
  Heat
  Level*
  Effects
  Heat
  Scale
  Overﬂow
   0
   1
   2
   3
   4
   5 *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
   *
  19
  20
  21
  22
  23
  24
  25
  26
  27
  28
  29
  30
   6
   7
   8
   9
  10
  11
  12
  13
  14
  15
  17
  18
  16
  Heat Sinks:
  14 (28)
  Double
  30
  28
  26
  25
  24
  23
  21
  27
  22
  20
  19
  18
  17
  15
  14
  13
  10
   8
   5
  Shutdown
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 8+
  Shutdown, avoid on 10+
  Random Movement,
   avoid on 10+
  +4 Modiﬁer to Fire
  Ammo Exp. avoid on 6+
  Pilot Damage, avoid on 6+
  Pilot Damage,
   avoid on 9+
  Shutdown, avoid on 8+
  Random Movement,
   avoid on 8+
  Ammo, Exp. avoid on 4+
  Shutdown, avoid on 6+
  +3 Modiﬁer to Fire
  Random Movement,
   avoid on 7+
  Shutdown, avoid on 4+
  +2 Modiﬁer to Fire
  Random Movement,
   avoid on 6+
   +1 Modiﬁer to Fire
  Random Movement,
   avoid on 5+
  Nose Damage 
  Threshold (Total Armor)
  5 (46)
  Right Wing
  Damage Threshold
  (Total Armor)
  5 (45)
  Aft Damage
   Threshold
  (Total Armor)
  4 (40)
  Left Wing
  Damage Threshold
  (Total Armor)
  5 (45)
  Structural
  Integrity:
  7
  
   
  A Lost WorLd, A Lost City 
   
  An AnCient GLAdiAtor
   
  A tAbirAnth WArrior
   
  even the shAdoWs hAve seCrets
  On October 25, 3068, the Word of Blake flooded the Inner 
  Sphere HPG networks with “White Noise”, a stream of  
  gibberish and propaganda that made communications 
  virtually impossible. Amid the noise, stunning secrets 
  were revealed: Anastasius Focht was once Frederick 
  Steiner; ComStar Primus Sharilar Mori was a Kurita spy. 
   
  Yet along with the secrets revealed and the spreading fires 
  of the Jihad, the Blakists unveiled terrible new weapons 
  and an army the size of which the intelligence agencies 
  of the Inner Sphere had scarcely dreamed, spawning a 
  darker, new wave of mysteries, and whispers of shadowy 
  cabals. Hidden worlds, cults of assassins, ancient societies 
  and even the mysteries of hyperspace—all emerged as 
  possible sources for the Word of Blake’s newfound power. 
  Once more spanning all of human space from ancient 
  Terra to the far-flung Clan homeworlds, the conspiracies 
  behind the Jihad could be the key to unraveling the 
  greatest war since the days of Amaris.
   
  Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2 describes 
  several of the most powerful and influential people, 
  organizations, and entities at work behind the scenes 
  of the Word of Blake Jihad. Some of these conspiracies 
  are firmly grounded in Classic BattleTech lore, but shown 
  here in ways never before seen; others have only recently 
  emerged from their own shadows. Gamemasters and 
  players can decide which of these power brokers are real 
  and which are paranoid fantasies spawned by the chaos 
  and fear of the Blakist Holy War!
  ©2008 WizKids, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Jihad Conspiracies: Interstellar Players 2, Classic BattleTech, BattleTech, BattleMech, ’Mech, 
  and WK Games are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of WizKids, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.  
  Catalyst Game Labs and the Catalyst Game Labs logo are trademarks of InMediaRes Productions, LLC.
  Under License From
  STAR LEAGUE ERA 
  STAR LEAGUE ERA 
  SUCCESSION WARS ERA
  CLAN INVASION ERA
  CLAN INVASION ERA
  JIHAD ERA
  CIVIL WAR ERA
  CIVIL WAR ERA
  WEBSITE: CATALYSTGAMELABS.COM
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/BattleTech [multi]/Sourcebooks/BattleTech - Interstellar Players 2 - Jihad Conspiracies .pdf