Baradin Island Prison

Irisz - I found this brief write-up on the Baradin Island prison complex while doing some research. It's quite a bit out of date, but it gives some background on what we're looking at - Nikola

Located off the western coast of Fletcher's single supercontinent, Baradin Island was not initially seen as a promising site for colonisation. Cold, isolated in a stormy ocean with little arable land and the only significant local lifeform being a crocodile analogue, the only real interest that surveys of the island generated was in the form of mineral resources. Mining operations were first set up in the late 25th century and, while initially yielding  promising results, the mines were played out by the early 2700s. The mines were abandoned, with much of the infrastructure left to decay.

The Capellan annexation of Fletcher following the fall of the Star League bought a new life to the island. The Confederation saw it as a potential location for a maximum security prison, especially in light of their crackdowns on remaining Hegemony loyalists. Baradin Island was chosen for its isolation and harsh climate in order to discourage escape or, at the very least, reduce of an escapee actually making it to the mainland.

MIIO Report FLETCHER-6732/44-B

We captured this individual and his BattleMech while he was trying to get off-world. The information we gathered from him does mesh with the files 'donated' by SIS regarding an illegal BattleMech dueling circuit on Fletcher, and suggests that it's still active. As much of a potential risk as it represents, we also don't have the resources at the moment to shut it down. Best we can suggest is coordinating with the Fletcher Planetary Guard to try and contain the situation, and hope that it doesn't spiral too far out of control. Given that Fletcher is in the current line of advance of the CCAF, the last thing we need is a BattleMech armed gang war on our hands.

Fortunately, we were able to get information back from our agents on Galatea within the MRBC (or, at least, what's left of it) to confirm our suspect's identity and back story. Anton Trang is a long-time mercenary who has had numerous short stints in a number of bottom-feeder mercenary commands. He's had a life-long problem with authority and a habit of skirting around acceptable conduct, which should have made him unemployable. Unfortunately, in today's climate, your average Merc command can't afford to be choosy, which kept him in regular pay until recently.

Underground Dueling on Fletcher (part 2)

(From Off the Circuit - Illegal BattleMech Duels, Free Galatea Press)

The origins of the second incarnation of Fletcher's underground BattleMech dueling circuit are far less clear then the first, even though its lifespan was far longer. What is known is that the first battles were occurring by the late 3080s, sometime after the signing of the Treaty of Tikonov. At this point, the circuit was not well organised and rather small, with relatively few participants. Many of them were fugitives already, including survivors of Mercenary units that had worked for the Word of Blake during the Jihad and been declared outlawed.

In its earliest days, the biggest boost to the reborn circut was actually a side effect of the fledgling Republic government and one of its key programs. Despite the successes of the Military Resources Redemption Program (MRRP), a not inconsiderable amount of BattleMechs and other equipment managed to slip through the cracks in a number of ways. In some cases, 'Mechs that were officialy destroyed were actually salvaged, while others saw numerous destroyed 'Mechs cobbled together to make functional wholes. In some cases, MechWarriors who refused to give up their machines either passed them on to criminal groups, or simply deserted rather than hand them over.

Mastrovika Interrogation Log 58391-45

Voice: This is the interrogation of Servitor Yee Kang regarding the disposition of Sang-Wei Lo Biao-McTavish. Servitor Kang was recovered from a Diolong SUV along with the body of San-ben-bing George Paulos near the ruins of a factory identified on historical records as HildCo Annex #3. [Pause] Servitor Kang, explain in your own words what happened.

Kang: You have to understand, none of this is my fault. I was merely following Sang-Wei Baio-McTavish’s orders

Voice: Of course; he is one of the Barduc, and it is your duty to serve him. What I wish to know is what happened to him.

Kang: Very well. Some time after arriving on Fletcher, Sang-Wei Biao-McTavish discovered the presence of an illegal underground BattleMech dueling competition. He took it upon himself to enter this contest, apparently as a way of proving the superiority of the Cappellan Janishi over all others.

Voice: Of course.

Maskirovika Recording Log 58389-29

Voice 1: So explain to me what exactly happened last night.

Voice 2: We had two new recruits to the fight, for starters.

Voice 1: Explain in detail.

Voice 2: The first was a prospect that Ivar (Analysis: Ivar Wolf, former Steel Wolf member. File attached) had bought in; Casual Metworst. The guy checked out, and had ‘Mehc experience even if he had no ‘Mech of his own. Metworst also came in with an associate, Bruce Wolf who was another former Steel Wolf he identified as being Bruce Wolf. Only Metworst was entering as a competitor.

Voice 1: What was Bruce there for?

Voice 2: Bruce was apparently Metworst’s contact with Ivar, and his ‘in’

Voice 1: I see. And the other prospect?

Voice 2: Another one of Ivar’s finds. Haaki Aardvarkssen, a merc who had been stranded on planet when the Cappies took over. He had stashed his Axman some time back, but was short on funds to look after it. So Ivar offered him a way to use his ‘Mech as an incentive.

Voice 1: Do you think either of them were behind what happened?

Voice 2: Given that they were both occupied, I doubt it.

Paleontology in the 32nd Century

From  Scientific Avalonian, March 3115

The science of paleontology is one that had remained rather under-developed and under-utilized during Mankind’s expansion across the stars. While understanding the origins and past of life on Terra had always been a source of fascination for humanity, the same could not be said of the myriad of other worlds that he touched. While it could be said that humans had a vested interest in their homeworld’s past, it is clear that those other worlds they inhabited did not have the same attachment.

It is estimated that the fossil records of less than one percent of all the inhabited worlds in the Inner Sphere have been even adequately explored. Even then, much of that exploration has been very shallow, only providing a cursory glance at their evolutionary pasts. Worlds that have supported life for billions of years have pasts that are largely unknown, and with very few who are interested in exploring them further.

From the Campaign Journal of Major Jospeh Petrie

Following the unexpectedly heavy resistance encountered to our initial landings, Major Irisz Magyari opted to conduct further investigations of the disposition of the CCAF forces on Fletcher. Her agents were able to infiltrate Royce and uncover a number of leads as to what exactly was going on with the Capellan forces. Their discoveries confirmed our suspicions that the 1^st Liao Guard had dug in on-world and assumed an entirely defensive stance.

While there were no known CCAF movements, the mercenaries did make one curious discovery. The Capellans had been importing large amounts of heavy machinery onto the world, and then distributing it to different places without actually using it, and rather stockpiling it for unknown reasons. Several locations were identified as destinations for this equipment; among them was Fenris Keep, a former Wolf Clan (and later Steel Wolf) enclave on the world. Another location identified was a shipping facility on the shores of the Arevass River.