I was born Noketsuna Miso, son to the Lord Minister Noketsuna Takage of the Shogunate. I was tested in my youth and found to possess the ability to mesh with niode driven machinery at the highest level. This was the path to power for peasants who used it to become mecha pilots, either for the national forces, or the independent mech forces, either of the small independents, or the great warrior Clans.
For those of my noble birth, the ability was used to mesh with the great thinking engines that controlled commerce between the stars, the great banking machines. Fighting was a dirty and risky business left to condottierie, the ronin, the mercenary scum who fought and died for the noble houses, for the great merchant cartels, and for the governments that held together civilization. These barbarians were a necessary evil, like trash collectors, prostitutes and lawyers; fulfilling a function that all wished mankind would move beyond, but the wise knew was still required.
They were not trusted. They controlled the military force of the galaxy. Less than one in a thousand could pilot, less than one percent of them could survive training and combat long enough to become dangerous. The fate of billions was decided by the battles of relative handfuls who had no stake beyond “honor” in the outcome. Nobles and merchants alike understood honor to be a word that meant whatever you planned on doing, however you justified it. Warrior codes aside; who could have power and not want control? No, the Clans were obviously seeking power over the nobles, merchants, and governments, and I was to learn how.
I had been trained for years by our own household guard, and would be outfitted with the finest mecha. Normally a junior officer would begin his career with a Warhorse and two Red Ants. Obviously it would be beneath my dignity as a noble to start with so poor a showing, so I had been given an Axe Bot command vehicle, and replaced the lesser Red Ants with Warhorses. My victory in the lower level conflict should quickly demonstrate my worth, and attract the Clan’s notice.
Day 30
My men train daily, and I join them for battles. My first battles were disappointing, as my Axebot performed poorly, missing several shots, and suffering damage. I have been forced to move to the second line, and let my corporal direct the squad from the front.
Day 35
My men are openly mocking me, in battle when commands are given, I am the only one who is slow to react, I cannot process the information on my screens as fast as they seem to, and have had to shut down two of my datafeeds just to keep some sort of control over what is going on. I think I will have to join my men in daily training, as their Warhorses seem to be faster and stronger than my Axebot, as if they grow in tune based on how much they are used by you.
Day 40
We have been accepted by Clan Phoenix. They are a young Clan, and not terribly sophisticated. Their internal security networks are no match for the software in my implants and I have put data taps in all their internal communications. Details of their plots will soon by in our hands.
Day 45
Corporal Raichu is dead. As I have been splitting my time between scanning Clan data for plots against the Shogunate, and running the lance, I had not had time to address our new allotment. With my promotion I rated another pilot slot, but I had not yet brought another pilot in, as the mission could soon be over. We were attacked by members of a rival Clan who nursed a grudge from the past Faction War, and of our Clan Forces, my lance was deemed weakest, and suffered strong and repeated attack. Raichu is dead. He is being buried now, the Clan at all levels has given us support and conducted savage attacks to avenge him. I feel uneasy that they react to his death as to one of their own family, showing loyalty rare in the Noble houses, and impossible for honor less hirelings. They act like the samurai drama of my childhood fantasy, not like money grubbing mercenaries.
Day 60
I have been training hard, no more of my men will die for this mission. I owe them that much. The Clan has poured every effort into rebuilding us, and furnished us with new mecha, the Shocklite of the corporal, and warhorses of my men have been replaced by Hoplites. I have sold the old mecha and seen that my Hoplites are equipped with the best weapons we have. I have taken on several new pilots from the Phoenix training program. They are eager young gaijin, buying the myth of the noble warrior Clans. They give me loyal service, so I will protect them as I would one of my own household. I wish I could find evidence of the Clans treachery so I could return home. I sometimes forget why I am here.
Day 80
Tensions have escalated. The Blue Octet Dragons have been retained by Cogwork planets to assure their control over the nexus around Vupa 6. There have been a series of attacks, they claim we are responsible, we know they are. This is the sign I was looking for, there is treachery afoot. The mission end is near.
Day 88
We have been fighting strike after strike, the battles have been intense,we have lost some of our people. Cpt Jensen was killed, and Colonel Powers has asked that I step up, and take both half of his survivors, but his place in the command team. I liked Jensen, Blue Octet claims not to be involved in the strike, but we saw the bodies, whoever hit them had over a hundred mecha. Only a powerful Clan could have done it, and only Phoenix and the Blue Octet Dragons are here. Father, if the mission end comes today, I will not answer. Captain Jensen was no mere Ronin, no sell-sword. He was a friend, and he will be avenged.
Day 91
Ambush! Thank the ancestors we had the bigger mecha of Jensens survivors. Only the armor of the Imechs bought us time to fall back on the gate at Vupa 6. Father, we have been betrayed. It is NOT the clans that are fomenting atrocities against the Noble and Merchant holdings, the pirates from Vupa 6 are strong! There are hundreds of them. I got a call through to Colonel Phoenix. I told him we hold the gate. He is coming. His orders are simple. “You are Phoenix, you will fight until you fall, and when you rise again, your coming will burn clean the universe”. Father, if I die this day in service to Clan Phoenix, I will do so upholding the oaths I lied to take, as agent of House Noketsuna, and the Glorious Shogunate. One way or another, I die this day.
Day 92
Never have I known such pride, such despair, such fear. From the fog they came, wave after wave. They came howling and laughing like beasts. Their missiles were on us, shaking our hulls like an earthquake, but we gave back from our cannon. I give thanks to the ancestors that I had done what you forbade, father, and wasted our houses Niodes on these throw-away warriors, these sell-swords. Outnumbered many times over, my body-guards snarled their Dual Gattlings and flashed their Laserizers while my own Imech “Earth Dragon” roared out her Advanced Fury Racks, to answer twofold the strikes against her. We burned father, we fell one by one, to buy time, and the next rank strode over our fallen forms to buy us time to crawl or be dragged back through the gate. Three ranks father, three ranks advancing against five hundred foe, knowing they would be cut down by screaming madmen, but unwilling to leave their brethren to the fire. These condottieri, these hire-swords, these mercenaries; by the gods father, if I fall, let it be leading men and women such as this!
Day 93
We held father, we held. Come the dawn the pirates are broken. The Blue Octet Dragons were here first to relieve us. Our enemies accepted our word alone, and have rearmed our mecha, as if two Clans would end a feud based on one officer’s unsupported word. As if honor alone was enough between them. I am lost. My men and women are being fed, healed, and rearmed by our former enemies, while they pass word to our Clan Phoenix of our “glorious victory”. My people celebrate, even those of us who know it is a lie. What honor have I left?
Day 94
I have broken my swords before my men, I have confessed my treachery to them, and asked that they make a place in their Clan for those of my men who served both me and Phoenix both with loyalty. Let my disgrace wash away theirs. There is no treachery in Phoenix save that which I brought. The Clans are no threat to the Noble houses. They do not seek power as we do, and we do not see honour as they do. I have come to see honour as well, and know mine is lost. I see Colonel Phoenix now, a traitor to his clan, and a failure to my house.
Day 95
Lord Noketsuna Miso died today. His broken swords were given to the fire. His proud topknot was shorn off by Colonel Phoenix, and given to the cleansing flame. My name and its treachery was taken from me, and given to the flame. We are Phoenix. From the flame we rise again, and I have risen. Father, your son is dead. Know me now, Captain Phoenix Miso, Clan Phoenix.
The warrior Clans are no threat to us, but our protection. They lust for wealth and power, for glory and fame, but on their own terms. The only wealth that counts is crystal and niode to feed their great machines, the only power they want is that which they wield through their weapons or win from their peers. They do not care about our planets, our gold, our titles, our lands. They would look upon the throne of the Emperor, or the Shogun’s own command computer as a sentence, trapped away from their machines, and not a prize to be won.
They do not live in the world of titles, money and power, they live in their own galaxy. A Mecha Galaxy. They will fight our wars, and keep them far from our fields and cities, they will bleed and die to settle our trade routes, and border disputes, and thank us for the opportunity. They will keep our society alive, so that they may burn like stars in the heavens. They burn for us, so brightly, as they fall, As I will fall, one day.
I came as a Prince among Men, now I rise a Phoenix among Ashes.
Submitted by John T. Mainer #28840