And with this, we close out the second chapter in the saga of the Gray Death Legion.
Formed in the fires of one revolt, the Gray Death was tempered in the fires of another. From a unit that could have been generously referred to as a demi-company, they departed Verthandi stronger in spirit and body. Well on their way to a combined arms Battalion. The relationship of Kramer and Carlyse was cemented in the mutual saving of one another and demons were laid to rest by one and all.
Given the passionate nature Carlyse commands in, and the way the GDL becomes a part of the communities they protect, there is little confusion as to how they grew so quickly. They literally took a piece of every world they served on with them.
What Verthandi? Even in the final pages of the book, the fall of Verthandi is written in the stars. The GDL fought and died for their freedom, but politics were already in play to keep Verthandi a part of the Combinie. Though I am rather certain they welcomed the FRR happily when it came to be. I would also predict that Verthandi was probably much unchanged by the coming of the Clans. With a long cultivated history of "You can be in charge, just let us do our own thing" combined with the more liberal Wolf, then Ghost Bear rulership, I expect the University of Regis exists even in the days of the jihad.
But Verthandi was just a battlefield. The second one for the GDL and facing the same opponent. Once again facing Duke Hasid Ricol, the GDL shamed him and brought his people low. Given what we know of who Ricol really is and was, this had to have been a glaring and harsh wound for Ricol. One he would not let go lightly.
On a more personal note, we see that Grayson has traversed so far down the path of command, that vengeance is not even a passing though to him. When he captures the Marauder, he spends no real time thinking of the pilot. The man who executed his father, Grayson cares more for if the MAD was reset. It is only in a passing note, that we learn that Kevlavic lost his arm to the glancing LRM blow from Grayson in the battle that saw Lori captured. In many ways the ultimate revenge for Grayson, to ruin the mans career, never to pilot a Mech again. Kevlavic is destined to fade into the darkness of print, never to be seen again.
The book as a whole?
It is an 80's science fiction heroic epic. With in those boundaries the book is a marvelous jaunt through a plot that is nail biting and aggravating. Still even 20 years later I only found myself rolling my eyes a few times. When you read this book, one realizes that the GDL was never one of those 'blessed' units, like the Kells or the Dragoons. They fought for every scrap, every tooth and every nail. And they damned near were destroyed time and time again.
They didn't survive because they were big, they survived because they were to stubborn to lay down and die.
Comments (5)
Aye, they were to stubborn to die, don't worry Murphy will get ya eventually. Any last technical notes, rule changes, ect?
Verthandi was Wolf then Hell's Horse, not Ghost Bears. I'm not sure the place will fare that well under Clan My Little Pony.
Indeed. Of course, as people are so fond of saying, everyone in Battletech lives or dies on absolute fiat. To know the GDL lives to fight another takes some of the pinch out of it, no matter how well-framed the inevitably-beaten odds against them are. Granted, they actually do finally lose that battle with time and entropy, unlike so many others which makes them like anything else we consider successful; possessing just so much luck for so long that they survive to be known.
Hey, look! They wrote more books! :P
You ever coming back to this?
Sigh...
This summer I hope to have the time to come back to this. My real life job is sucking my ever living soul and greatly limiting non-paid job activities.