In response to all those Ranma/Battletech notions out
there, all I can is why limit yourself? For example:
---
3022: A New Beginning
A Ranma/Battletech Fusion
By Kagami
---
'We live in uncertain times. War, poverty, disease, hunger
- all these ills are commonplace afflictions upon our poor
citizens today, where once, beneath the aegis of the Star
League, they had apparently been banished for all time. As
I sit upon the throne of the Lyran Commonwealth, the cries
for relief and succor from the citizens of this great
nation echo in my ears. I must agree with their stand - war
is wasteful, war is meaningless, war neglects all that is
worth saving. What worth is a title to a throne three
hundred years dead? What worth is the title of First Lord
when there is no Star League? None, I say to you.
Let our eyes fix upon the untold future, rather than
meandering uselessly amongst the mistakes of the past. To
this end, I hold out my hand in friendship to any who will
take it. Let us achieve a new harmony and a new compact as
befits humanity among the stars.'
- From the Peace Proposal of Archon Kasumi Steiner,
3020.
---
Ranma Davion stared morosely out the dropship window at
the vibrant whites and blues that formed the icy cold
atmosphere of Tharkad, capital of the Lyran Commonwealth.
The reason for his cheerless mood stood beside him,
blissfully oblivious to his only son's unenthusiastic
attitude.
Genma 'The Panda' Davion, Prince of the Federated Suns,
wasn't the most perceptive of men at the best of times. If
not for the wisdom and good sense of Nodoka Davion, the
Federated Suns would definitely be in far worse shape than
it was at the moment. His father had neglected most of the
affairs of state to devote all of his time and ability to
train him as a mechwarrior. Pops hadn't been satisfied with
adequate: no, his son had to be the best of the best. All
right, that was reasonable enough - after all, Ranma liked
being the best of the best. But what had possessed him to
attack Jusenkyo with the Davion Guards anyway? Just because
Wolf's Dragoons had been rumoured to be on the planet and
back in service to Liao.
An excellent training mission opportunity, Ranma my boy!
The Dragoons are the best in the mercenary business. With
luck, we might be able to face Ryoga Wolf and Ukyo Kerensky
in battle! And so they had, for all the good it had done
them. Ranma rubbed his right arm in remembrance of the pain
which had overwhelmed him after that damned Vindicator's
PPC blast had shattered the cockpit of his Phoenix Hawk.
Wolf's Dragoons had indeed been on planet, but only because
Colonel Wolf had gotten his troops lost again. Their
presence had drawn the response of a Liao unit, and the
battle had turned into a three-way nightmare. He counted
himself lucky to have made it offplanet with most of the
Guard intact.
Unfortunately, he hadn't been able to avoid that fiasco at
Jusendo Springs. Liao Shan Puu, I wonder who she was?
Probably one of the old spider's many offspring. He'd have
to ask MIIO when they got home. A good warrior,
nevertheless. I hope she survived.
Ranma stared down at Tharkad again. Why were they here?
The Lyrans were neither friends nor enemies to the Davion
family. Both their star nations had little contact apart
from business dealings. At which the Lyrans were
notoriously good, he acknowledged. Perhaps his father was
here to negotiate a trade agreement?
"Say, Pops, why are we here at the Lyran capital, anyway?"
A happy grunt answered him, and he squirted a zero-gee
flask of hot water in response.
"Ouch! It needn't be quite that hot, boy!"
Freaks. That's what they were now. Utter freaks. No wonder
his family had never seriously tried to conquer the
Capellan Confederation before. If all their planets were
like Jusenkyo, he didn't want to touch them with an AC/20.
"You didn't answer me, Pops."
"Oh, nothing much. Just here to see an old friend and wrap
up a few things. Don't concern yourself, boy," Genma said
with a smile. "Just relax and enjoy the sights while I talk
with Archon Kasumi."
Somehow, that smile didn't reassure him at all.
---
"Waaaah! They're here!"
Archon Emeritus Soun Steiner wasn't the most coherent of
men at the best of times. His wife's death had gradually
eroded his ability to govern until, in 3020, his eldest
daughter had taken over the reins of power with his
blessing. Archon Kasumi Steiner looked to be a great ruler
in her own right. Her famous Peace Proposal of 3020 had
been a stunning offer to the rest of the Inner Sphere.
While House Kurita had sent no reply apart from seriously
raiding several border worlds, and Houses Liao and Marik
had attempted to wrangle benefits without offering
concessions, the Proposal had drawn a response from House
Davion and led to secret talks between the two nations,
culminating in this face-to-face meeting on Tharkad. The
alliance between the two nations looked set to change the
entire Inner Sphere.
Soun Steiner rushed into the informal office of his
daughter. To the eternal despair of the palace servants,
Archon Kasumi delighted in cooking for family and friends.
Thus, her office was usually the palace kitchen.
Delectable aromas filled the large area as Kasumi directed
the efforts of nearly fifty cooks and assistants as well as
seeing to a dish of her own. Despite her preoccupation, she
glanced up with a smile as her father entered her domain.
"Hello, father. Have they arrived, then?"
Tears streaked readily down his cheeks as he nodded in
reply. "Where are the others, Kasumi?"
"Oh, Nabiki's probably dealing with the Davion trade
negotiators, while Akane would be at her normal practice,
father." Kasumi smiled indulgently as Soun rushed off,
before turning her attention back to the simmering pot in
front of her. The arrival of the Prince of the Federated
Suns and his heir warranted the excellence that only she
could prepare.
---
Akane Steiner smiled happily as the target exploded under
the fire of her twin PPCs. The cockpit of her Marauder
boiled with heat, and even though she was currently wearing
only briefs and a cooling vest, she dripped with sweat. It
didn't bother her though. There was nothing like blasting
apart a half-a-dozen mechs on the target range to work off
the tension.
That thought brought the tension back all at once, and she
had to fight sighing despondently. How could her family
just engage her like a piece of meat? And to a Davion as
well. Well, it was probably better than Tatewaki Kurita,
who was rumoured to have a infatuated obsession for her, or
that idiotic pervert, Mikado Marik! But who was this Ranma
Davion and what was he like?
She had his intelligence report from the LIC, but it
didn't mention anything she wanted to know. And Nabiki
wouldn't tell her anything at all. She moodily triggered
another burst of PPC fire and watched another target
vehicle explode in a shower of computer-generated light.
Well, it wouldn't be long now.
As if her thoughts had evoked it, the comm channel burst
into life. "Akane." Her father's voice came peremptorily
over the channel. "Our guests are here. Please be ready at
1600 hours."
"Right, daddy," she said automatically, toggling the comm
switch to transmit. Bah, guests indeed. He'd better be a
nice guy, or I'll show him what I can do in a mech. The
next pair of azure beams cored through a Phoenix Hawk's
center torso and it vanished in a boiling cloud of flame,
making her feel somewhat better.
---
Tatewaki Kurita turned his head in surprise as his sister
entered the room and flung a missive at him. The outrage on
her face clearly revealed the state of her agitation. "What
is this, dear sister?"
"Read it and see, brother," Kodachi Kurita said, her voice
trembling with anger.
Shrugging, he unfolded the sheet of paper and started
reading. It was short, but instantly infuriating.
'Comstar Transmission X729-111-483: Tharkad - Luthien.
Regards the arrival of Ranma Davion and his father to
Tharkad. I have unveiled the true purpose of their visit.
It is not for the trade negotiations as has been previously
touted, but rather to seal an alliance between the two
Houses with an engagement between Ranma Davion and Akane
Steiner. I will endeavour to learn further details.
H. Gosunkugi, OBR.'
He carefully set the paper down on the table, hands
shaking in rage. "Your Order of the Black Rose operatives
are to be commended for reporting this news, sister. I
shall inquire as to why the ISF has failed the Combine yet
again."
"Do you see it, brother? The threat that this alliance
proposes to the Dragon?" Kodachi asked.
"Of course, I do. This farce must be stopped immediately!
I shall petition our father for the use of the Second Sword
of Light regiment and a DEST team for a strike into the
Commonwealth." Tatewaki stood up and walked over to the
stand that held his daisho. He slid both the katana and
wakizashi into his waistband, and spun round to face his
sister once more. "Tell me, sister, where this mockery of
an engagement is being held."
"The festivities will be held on Chara III, at the Lyran
Summer Palace. Do you propose to strike at them?" Kodachi
asked eagerly.
"Certainly, dear sister."
"Good. Show these Lyrans that not even an alliance with
Davion will save them from the Dragon's anger." Kodachi's
eyes flashed fire as she remembered the losses suffered by
her operatives at the hands of the skilled Lyran
Intelligence Corps. Nabiki Steiner was no mean foe when it
came to deadly information games. But, now her brother
would show the Lyrans their weakness: their inadequacy upon
the battlefield.
"Of course, sister. I shall rescue Akane Steiner from the
foul grasp of Davion and return with her to Luthien. Then,
we shall have a wedding to eclipse all others!"
The ominous crack of thunder that shot through the murky
atmosphere of Black Luthien was surely a harbinger of
victory.
---
And so on. There you are: a Ranma/Battletech fusion that
meshes fairly well, IMO, without even bringing in the Clans
(bleh).
Phil.