Barchetta's Lightning Brigade

In 3022, the Barchetta family rules the world of Sullivan for Hanse Davion and the Federated Suns. Young Matthew, more interested in the pleasures at Madame Lu's than his studies as a mechwarrior, stands next in his family's line to head out and make a name for himself. This is his story....

The BLB is formed and taking work, but Hirohito Kurita is up in arms when the gang stumbles upon one of his lost jumpships, and refuses to give it back. As Val has long suspected, Merra really isn't from around here. But, she more than makes up for it in spades, when she convinces the Khan of her clan, Fire Cat, to relocate to the SLDF Brian Castle on Banori. All Matt has to do, is defeat a true born Clan warrior in single combat, Shadowhawk VS Warhawk.

With the arrival of Clan Fire Cat, Matt's and Co's lives are turned almost completely upside down. Everyone is working at super speed just to get the base on the airless moon Banori up to snuff.

After returning home from Niles, things begin to fall into place. Maybe not killing Breslin was a bad idea, but Matt's no murderer. Val, still tweaking and tuning the unit, is surprised, as is everyone else, when Merra admits to knowing the Black Widow, and asking her for help. Thomas convinces Matt to drop the BLB in favor of joining wholly with Fire Cat, and changing the name to Fire Cat-in-Exile. And lastly, the BLB gets some welcome aid from those crazy mercs from beyond the void, Wolf's Dragoons!