Blazing Aces

When Matabushi, Inc., a giant industrial corporation with expansive aims, arranged through treacherous means to deprive the Vandenburg family of their holdings on Anders' Moon, young Gideon Braver Vandenburg set off in April 3024 to locate the stolen chalice that was his family's deed to the property. He formed the Blazing Aces mercenary unit in the process, beginning with a single patched-up Jenner while building funds and adding a ragtag group of Mechs and pilots as he uncovered Matabushi's deceit and evaded or eradicated their network of spies, agents, and thugs. He was assisted (often unknowingly) by MI6 and MIIO agents, though hindered by traitors in his own circle of friends, and had a near-disastrous run-in with none other than Natasha Kerensky. Within five years he had located the chalice and gathered enough evidence to reclaim his property, and did so after defeating the Dark Wing mercenary assault company after a fierce running battle. Over the next fifteen years Vandenburg kept up his skills, but fathered a daughter, Maria, and settled down. Unfortunately, Gideon Vandenburg was alone on Kaesong when it was attaked by Clan Ghost Bear forces.

JumpShip trouble stranded the Blue Lightning mercenary company on Kaesong just before the Ghost Bears' invasion of the planet in December 3051. When the Bears arrived insystem, the Kaesong government pleaded with the mercenaries to defend their planet, but the mercenaries' agreement did more harm than good. Knowing that his troops would face dezgra mercenaries, Star Colonel Dane Jorgensson skipped the bidding process and simply sent in the elite Trinary Command (14th Battle Cluster, Beta Galaxy) to deal with the Lightning. Outgunned and outnumbered, the mercenaries retreated to the streets of Vedsan, where the Ghost Bears rooted them out and destroyed them.

Vandenburg was discovered by Ghost Bear mechs soon after. Though he fought valiantly against a half-dozen second-line mechs, heavily damaging several of them, his Phoenix Hawk was destroyed. The Crescent Hawks, speeding to the defense of Luthien aboard a Kell Hound jumpship, made an emergency combat drop and destroyed the Ghost Bear forces, but Vandenburg died in Jason Youngblood's arms after the battle. His last words were a message to his daughter Maria Vandenburg, telling her that he had "hidden the mechs", asking her to "rebuild the Aces". Whether or not the Blazing Aces can recover from the death of their founder is not known, but with able leadership available and a cache of Mechs to bolster their forces, this minor but hardy group may yet surface again.

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