Edge of the Inner Sphere (A BattleTech Quest)

Though the name of the program evoked thoughts of military reforms, RAID was actually a program with a distinct focus on the improvement of public infrastructure rather than more militarily oriented goals. This wasn't to say that RAID didn't also have benefits in such areas, but the bulk of the program would be dedicated to make the lives of Shouldersians just a bit easier.

Many in Parliament had objected to the idea of starting such a program when it was on the cusp of conflict with one of its largest neighbors, but the enthusiasm shown by the public in support of the program ensured that they didn't voice those concerns publicly.

While the program had easily achievable goals on the less-populated continents, running the program in the western continent was a decidedly more difficult task. With three major population centers spread out over thousands of kilometers, they couldn't just make a single line along the coast as they could elsewhere.

They'd have to decide which two regions to connect first. Luckily, Parliament could be trusted to vote on such a decision without any biases, right?

[ ] Connect Landung and Rockton

[ ] Connect Landung and Oasis

[ ] Connect Rockton and Oasis




When people think about the Periphery, their first thought is usually about its terrible living conditions. After that, their minds turn to the instability and conflict that plague many of the microstates on the edge of the Inner Sphere. Past all of that, their last thought is usually about the state of enslavement that much of its populace is forced to live under,

Oh? You might think it is limited to such loathsome polities as the Marian Hegemony, or pirate kingdoms like the Circinus Federation. It is an unfortunate fact that once you reach the periphery, you are often only a few jumps away from worlds with massive populations of enslaved peoples.

In fact, Giant's Shoulders used to be one of those worlds. Innocents from worlds as far as Atreus and Tharkad were fooled into signing contracts that waived away their freedom and were forced to work under horrific conditions for their new masters. Not even those born on Giant's Shoulders were free, as they often inherited the debt of their parents.

Yet, the human spirit yearns for freedom.

They did not lie down and simply allow themselves to remain enslaved. Through gunfire and the stomping feet of BattleMechs, they were able to hold a successful uprising in Rockton. It was the first free settlement to grace the surface of the planet, and soon enough its ideals would spread to all corners of the world.

It is now celebrated every year during the Rockton Labor Festival, and this year would be made particularly interesting by the attendance of the President herself.


Samantha laughed to herself as she watched a small group of children chase after a man dressed as an old resource baron. They whacked at him with foam pickaxes and demanded 'fair wages', which he eventually gave in the form of plastic bags filled with candy. It seemed that the festivities had already begun, with the streets quickly filling with food stands and festival goers.

Though she wished to go out and join in on the festivities, she knew that her duty as President was far more important. That, and the fact that she'd probably give her security chief a heart attack if she just left the car and wandered out into a crowd full of unvetted individuals.

"What's the plan for today?" She questioned, glancing over at one of the aides in her limousine.

She chuckled internally as the poor girl desperately rummaged around for a schedule, "Ah- we're going to stop by at the Blair Hotel first, ma'am. Once you've gotten ready, we'll be heading over to a charity dinner with the local union leaders."

Samantha sighed, "I guess I'll be able to join in on some of the fun, at least. The speech is going to be at 9:00pm, correct?"

The girl nodded affirmatively, "Yes, ma'am. After you give your speech, the night festivities will begin."

"Sounds good to me." Samantha said with an encouraging smile. Despite her desire to participate in the celebration, she was happy to unwind a bit after several weeks of negotiation with Balthazar's Director and the King of Andiron.

Taking a moment to think, she decided to spend the time before the dinner going over her speech. She wanted to send out a message of strength and reassure the people of Giant's Shoulders that despite recent military exercises and deployment they'd be safe.

[ ] Speech Focus: International Cooperation

[ ] Speech Focus: The Strength of the People

[ ] Speech Focus: The Prosperity of Giant's Shoulders

[ ] Write-In