Perceptive BattleTechnology readers will be keenly aware that the last issue, dated February 3028, was a bit late. Readers with the keen observation and lightning mental reflexes possessed by highly-trained MechWarriors will note that the issue number on that front cover is 0201--meaning the first issue of our second calendar year of publication--while our various Simulator rules variants refer to the same issue as 0103--the third issue of our first year. As things were originally planned, our third issue would have been out in December. Unfortunately, a series of unforeseen difficulties arose to plague us. Chief among these was the mysterious obliteration of three of BattleTechnology's regional offices, on Luthien, on Tharkad, and on Atreus. Authorities within the Draconis Combine, the Lyran Commonwealth, and the Free Worlds League have all independently assured us that these events were isolated and coincidental, the work of aberrant individuals... possibly irate literary critics. While this theory is certainly a possibility, we wonder if there might not be something more to it than this, something conspiratorial. We have discounted the rumors that local police kept secret the small, black, origami cats discovered among the ruins at each site, but there continue to be persistent rumors that Someone wants to silence BattleTechnology forever. Who that Someone is is a matter for conjecture. Suspicions range from the Nekekami (a secret mercenary unit featured in a BattleTechnology expose in Issue 0102) to the Bereiter Arms Company (displeased with our reviews of their products). Internal police units within the Draconis Combine are investigating reports that a small, well-organized band of BattleTechnology subscribers may be exacting revenge for late delivery of the magazine. In any case, let me take this opportunity to assure all of BattleTechnology's readers that we intend to continue publishing this magazine despite all threats, attempts at coercion, or acts of violence. BattleTechnology is dedicated to providing MechWarriors from all of the Successor State Houses with news from everywhere within the Inner Sphere, without favoritism, propaganda, or political manipulation. We do sincerely apologize to you all for the delay in Issue 0103/0201. New off ices for our staff s on Luthien and Tharkad have been secured, and they will be in full operation just as soon as survivors can be located or replacements can be trained. MechWarrior readers interested in news from the Free Worlds can be assured that we have not forgotten them. It may simply take us a bit longer to reorganize on Atreus, since the blast in our offices there took out most of a city block. Meanwhile, be it known that the Rules Variants in 0201 will henceforth and forever be referred to in future issues as 0201-A and 0201-B. This issue is 0202. Next issue, which is scheduled to cover news within the Capellan Confederation, will be 0203. It is fortunate indeed that the "coincidences" on Luthien, Tharkad, and Atreus did not extend to Sian as well! Back to BattleTechnology 4 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com