Chapter Text
Author’s note
I have had an interest in the Clans since my first introduction to Battletech in the '90s, which was fully ignited by playing Mechwarrior 2 and reading Robert Thurston's Legend of the Jade Phoenix trilogy. In some ways this work is just a pastiche of those seminal novels, though if we're lucky maybe I can bring something fresh to the table. It is easy to fall into portraying Clan characters as either campy Nicolai Malthus-esque cartoon villains or "Proud Warrior Culture" cardboard cutout protagonists. I hope to show imperfect individuals living in a flawed (and often ugly and cruel) system, touching on themes like militarism, imperialism/colonialism, classism, etc. The Jade Falcons are not the 'good guys,' but to quote the band Earth... "Even Hell has its Heroes"
A few of the chapters of this story were written as part of a collaborative Battletech writing group in 2023. Roldana was created by me as an antagonist for a raid into the Clan Occupation Zone by characters written by the other participants of that group. We soon moved on to other plot lines and Roldana was shelved, though the GM told me he wished to bring her back as a recurring villain for future story arcs.
In 2024 the group dissolved, and the larger BT collaborative writing organization it was a part of essentially disintegrated as well. Despite this Roldana remained in the back of my mind, especially since she was an avenue to explore a topic that I feel has been glossed over in most BT fiction: the struggles the Clans must have gone through integrating conquered Inner Sphere populations in the post-REVIVAL era, and how contact with the Inner Sphere changed the invaders themselves. Wanting to return and expand on those themes, Roldana herself is now being revived.
All of the original Roldana scenes I have revised for inclusion here were written entirely by myself. The chapters Lean Times and Fool's Errand have only seen minor editing from their original form as part of the collaborative group. Beyond Pain includes elements of a scene from that collaborative project as well as new material. All other chapters are new pieces of work at the time of their posting.