Living Legends

On the eve of Operation Exodus, the SLS Manassas, a WarShip with an experimental advanced KF drive, suffers a misjump that delays its emergence at the destination system by almost three centuries. For the Star League era vessel, being held in jump stasis effectively amounts to a jump ahead in time when she emerges in the Clan Occupation Zone in 3058, right in the middle of an Inner Sphere espionage mission carried out by ComStar's Explorer Corps. Complicating matters is the fact the ship's captain had a falling out with Aleksandr Kerensky for incompetence and insubordination; in the 31st century, the Clans remember him as a war criminal while Star League propaganda covering up the true events led to the Inner Sphere believing him to be a hero.

Although it is technically within the scope of established technologies for the BattleTech universe, fans have voiced mixed feelings about the "time travel" story arc which some feel violates the aesthetics and feel of the setting.

The book's canonical resolution is unclear; due to the fact that the far-reaching implications of the plot never materialized in other publications and had no impact on the overall timeline, it is explicitly established that the SLS Manassas was destroyed one way or another before any party could investigate its experimental jump drive. Similarly, while the exact fate of the crew remains unknown, all possible results are tailored to cover up the entire affair and keep information from leaking out.

According to comments by Mike Miller and CGL freelancer Kit deSummersville in this thread on the BattleTech Forum, it was planned to briefly revisit the Manassas storyline in passing in Jihad Hot Spots: 3072. A sidebar would have mentioned one of the crew members doing a book tour. However, this was changed for a canonical mention of Dr. Deidre Nakamura (of BattleTech: The Animated Series fame) in the eventual publication, found in a sidebar on p. 113.

From the back cover
"MERCENARIES WANTED!

Major employer seeks small mercenary group to take on long-term retainer contract. Interested parties leave message for Val at .
 * Team must include MechWarriors and scouts.
 * Transport provided.
 * Excellent pay.
 * Clan contact possible.
 * No garrison or riot duty.

An unknown WarShip's sudden appearance deep in the Clan Occupation Zone may jeapardize {sic} a spying mission vital to the Inner Sphere. The player characters must investigate the mysterious arrivals to determine whether they are friends or deadly new foes&mdash;while staying one step ahead of the Clans!

Living Legends is a roleplaying adventure for use with MechWarrior, Second Edition. Set in the BattleTech universe in 3057, the adventure draws the player characters into a centuries-old mystery. The adventure includes a sourcebook section describing life in space and the various systems on board a WarShip, including detailed deck plans."

Contents

 * INTRODUCTION
 * How to Use This Book
 * Margin of Success Tables
 * Skill Target Numbers
 * The Story So Far
 * Plot Synopsis


 * EPISODE 1: UNDER COVER
 * Don't Worry, it's Only Us
 * Special Delivery


 * EPISODE 2: UNEXPECTED GUESTS
 * Mysterious Strangers
 * Getting Out
 * We're from the Government, and We're Here to Help You


 * EPISODE 3: THE REAL STORY
 * Truth Be Told
 * Grand Tour
 * Getting to Know You
 * Hunting Party


 * EPISODE 4: SHOWDOWN
 * Secret Conference
 * Tough Choices
 * Guerilla War
 * Undercover Again
 * Final Countdown


 * EPISODE 5: GETTING OUT
 * My Kingdom For a DropShip
 * Here Comes the Cavalry


 * ENDGAME
 * Awarding Adventure Points
 * Loose Ends


 * CAST OF CHARACTERS
 * Captain James Cromwell
 * Lieutenant Randall Lewis
 * Lieutenant Andrea Sarti
 * Lieutenant Donald Terry
 * Lieutenant Ruth Mitchell


 * SOURCEBOOK
 * The Mission
 * The Gear
 * Roxborough: The Hideout
 * WarShip systems
 * Jump Drive
 * Layout
 * The Lioness
 * Life In Space
 * Gravity
 * Atmosphere and Environment systems
 * Daily Routine
 * Communications
 * Hyperspace Travel
 * A Brief History of the Star League
 * Origins
 * Golden Age
 * Civil War
 * Deck Plans