Radstadt, Radstadt Prefecture
Alshain District, Draconis Combine
15 June 3020
The Coordinator granted Yorinaga Kurita audience in the gardens of the palace that was maintained for her a short distance from the Prefectural government buildings. The gardens were exquisite and Yorinaga could see subtle changes that had taken place over the years since his first visit. That had been on the company of Takashi Kurita of course.
A flick of Cecilia Kurita's fingers instructed her guards to leave her alone with the disgraced Tai-sa. The men backed away reluctantly - Yorinaga was renowned as a swordsman and although personally unarmed there was the possibility that he might attempt to seize the daisho that rested on a stand next to the sitting Coordinator.
"What am I going to do with you, Tai-sa Kurita?"
The Mechwarrior cleared his throat. "I request permission to join my ancestors, Tono."
"That would be convenient in many ways," she agreed but did not look up and made no sign to indicate she would release him to follow through on his words. "While your own loyalty has been without fault, there are many who feel that you should hold my office. You are after all, perhaps the most gifted Mechwarrior of your generation."
"The skills of a leader are not merely those of a samurai, Tono. Your conquest of Tamar was masterful and brought silence among those who had doubted you." And Cecilia's suppression of the Ronin that opposed her decision to form an autonomous prefecture of Rasalhague - granting seventeen worlds civil independence from the Combine as long as they provided three Battlemech regiments and eight other regiments for the DCMS - had ensured that she was fully in control of the DCMS. Yorinaga was among the few aware that Cecilia had not only permitted but secretly enabled Mies Kurita to gather her fiercest critics amongst the junior officers of the DCMS into the Eighth, Twentieth and Twenty-Second Rasalhague Regulars, correctly deducing that her distant cousin would lose control of the regiments and give her the opportunity to crush them in a single stroke.
"Some of them, perhaps." Now she looked up and met his eyes firmly. "Six years ago, I also fought a duel, Yorinaga-san. My adversary was not so skilled as yours, but when he conceded we both accepted that it was a concession that the issue had been decided rather than a surrender of his person. In principle, the Dictum Honorium recognises that prisoners may be taken rather than executed if it is in the greater interest of the Dragon that they be spared and therefore to permit the escape of the Kell Hounds is tolerable if it later serves the Dragon."
"If you feel that you must end your life then, then although I disagree I shall not forbid it. Send for your swords and for your son, that he may serve as your kaishaku."
Emotion flashed through Yorinaga's eyes. A master of kenjutsu he owned scores of swords but her request could only mean the ancestral swords of his house. And as he and Cecilia both knew: "Tono I no longer possess those swords."
"How unfortunate." Cecilia stood, although she still had to look upwards at the lean mechwarrior. "In that case, Yorinaga-san, I do not believe that I can grant your request. Still, if your son were to retrieve those weapons then all things may become possible. Until then, I suggest you consider visiting Echo."
"Echo?"
She nodded in confirmation. "In Bjarred Prefecture. Urizen Kurita founded a monastery there hundreds of years. The yellow bird that you warned me of has flown to such a place, far from the Combine."
"And the Kell Hounds?"
The Coordinator smiled blandly at Yorinaga until he lowered his eyes in apology for the brusque demand for information. "Scattered. His brother has maintained a combined arms battalion but most have elected to join other mercenary companies. The ISF has been advised that they are of interest to me."
"My apologies, Tono, that I shall not be able to serve you for the remainder of your campaign here."
The answer surprised him however. "This campaign is over, Yorinaga-san."
Yorinaga frowned. The attack on Tamar by the Kell Hounds and Winfield's Brigade had delayed the planned operations to seize Bessarabia and Kobe, which would have completed the Combine's grip upon the region. However now that the attack had been repelled, the regiments involved in the fighting had been readily resupplied and should be more than ready to resume operations.
"Katrina Steiner has made the most remarkable proposal," she revealed. "I have offered a six month ceasefire and the release of those prisoners that have not been disposed of so that we may meet and discuss it at a neutral location."
"There are those who would criticise you for accepting such an offer when we hold such an advantage."
"Military advantage can be fleeting, Yorinaga-san. The ISF have advised me that Katrina Steiner has paid a vast fortune for the services of Wolf's Dragoons over the next two years, with the condition that they not be required to fight against their former employers in House Marik. I imagine that the arrival of five fresh regiments on the Lyran border might rather hinder our operations in the immediate future."
Grand Canal Hotel, Hella Basin
Mars, Solar System
14 August 3020
Since its restoration in 3015 the Grand Canal Hotel had resumed its position catering to the top percentage of Mars' tourist trade. Only a handful of people knew that the principal financers had been the Order of the Five Pillars, and while some of those people were doubtless in ROM, only two people in the universe knew for certain that the Order had been acting on the request of Cecilia Kurita.
The sudden arrival of two House Lords and the impending arrival of a third had shocked even the famously blasé staff of the hotel, who had rushed to make ready the upper floor of each wing for the First Prince and the soon-to-arrive Archon. Their surprise was mitigated somewhat by smugness at their Terran rivals who had been expecting to host the three Lords and been deprived of the prestige as a result of the sudden change of plans.
The hotel's penthouse housed the Coordinator and her immediate companions and it was to here that Hanse Davion was ushered within an hour of his arrival. Six and a half years had left marks on both of them, but seeing Cecilia took Hanse back to a tent on Halstead Station and it was a moment before he realised that she had her hair up and wore a formal kimono. Her smile though, that had not changed in the least.
"The Prince and I will talk in private," she instructed with noticeable emphasis on the last word, dismissing the household staff. "We are not to be disturbed, even if the building is on fire."
"Even if it is under fire," Hanse added grimly.
Cecilia gave Hanse a sidelong look once the door closed. "I promise that that means real privacy. There were about a dozen bugs and other surveillance devices when I arrived, some of which will be studied at New Samarkand when I return home." Hanse knew that the reconstruction of New Samarkand University had been one of Cecilia's major projects, a conscious parallel to his own establishment of the New Avalon Institute of Science.
"I imagine there will be more in my quarters then."
"Oh absolutely, both the ISF and ComStar will have been assiduous there." Cecilia ran one finger along the moulding of a floor lamp's stand. "Hoff and Mallory's World... Hanse, I'm truly sorry."
"Marduk was as bad," he admitted. The unauthorised raid had wreaked havoc on the industrial world, probably killing more in the long run than the bloody raids upon the two Draconis March worlds. Had it not been for the very publicised executions of every officer ranked Chu-i and up in the regiments responsible he might not have been able to push through the court martial of Stephen Davion, the man behind the New Ivaarsen Chasseur's unauthorised reprisal. As it was he had had no choice but to settle for transferring more junior officers to secondary posts in lieu of actual punishment. "We both knew that this would not be easy."
"I'd tell you about An Ting but the litany of stupidity would take me all night."
"An Ting?" Hanse wracked his brain but was almost sure none of the AFFS had raided the world since he took the throne. "Don't tell me the DCMS did it to themselves?"
"Not the DCMS, no." She muttered something in Japanese that Hanse didn't catch, although he'd picked up a working vocabulary in the language over the last few years.
Hanse nodded his head in comprehension. MIIO was still piecing together exactly what had happened in Rasalhague with what was being called the Ronin War - given it had happened on the other side of the Combine and well inside the borders, the ISF had successfully clamped down on information about the incident. However, the timing would more or less coincide with An Ting University being 'closed for remodelling' which had been the explanation in the Voice of the Dragon when it had been raided back in his father's day. "So, changing the subject..."
"Actually, there's something that I need to tell you," she admitted. "Something too sensitive for even a courier."
"Why you insisted on diverting us here instead of meeting on Terra as planned?"
"No, more serious than that." Cecilia produced a small photograph from her sleeve and offered it to him.
It was Cecilia and a small girl, Hanse realised immediately. The shot was an informal one, with them both sitting on a lawn, the child - four years old, perhaps - in Cecilia's lap. They were laughing, happy. The kinship was obvious. "You have a daughter?" And a husband, perhaps? Not that he'd been celibate himself, but having a child with someone was another step entirely.
"Look again."
Huh? He checked for anything else in the picture but there was merely Cecilia, her daughter...
Who had lighter hair than her mother and blunter nose that reminded him slightly of...
Suddenly Hanse felt a sudden need to sit down. "When... how old is she?"
"Her sixth birthday is the twenty-ninth of next month," Cecilia told him and then anticipated his next question. "She's called Siriwan."
On his second attempt, Hanse managed to find one of the couches. "And you're sure that..."
"From the timing, oh yes. There's no other possibility." She sat at the other end of the couch, angling herself so that she could see him easily. "As you can imagine, it's a well kept secret."
"Who else knows?"
Cecilia reached over and took his hand. "I'm fairly sure Subash suspects although we've never spoken of it. And I've confided in Aunt Florimel and my niece Constance."
"I imagine the Keeper of the House Honour had choice words." The octogenarian Florimel's unofficial position held responsibility for the Dictum Honorium that spelled out in extensive and sometimes obscure detail the proper behaviours of all citizens of the Draconis Combine.
She smiled, the same smile that had haunted Hanse's dreams off and on for years. "The Dictum Honorium does not require chastity of me, Hanse. Quite the contrary: it is my obligation to bear children in order to continue my family line. Similarly, bearing your child would only have been an offense against the Harmony of the Combine if I did so against my own wishes as Lord Kurita."
"I thought it prohibited citizens of the Draconis Combine from having relationships with non-citizens."
"Not absolutely, particularly when the citizen in question has the permission of their superior. In this case, I was glad to grant myself an exception to that rule. I don't think it would keep my Warlords from putting Siriwan and I to death if they found out her paternity, but it does keep the Pillarines off my back."
"I understand," Hanse said at last. "I'll never meet her then?"
Cecilia gestured helplessly with the hand that wasn't grasping his. "If things go very badly then I will try to send her to you for shelter," she promised. "And if things go very well... maybe the horse will learn to sing. My people are changing, Hanse, at least a little. I don't know what the future holds for us but there may be opportunities..."
He squeezed her hand in tacit understanding. "It's a shame we didn't have long to get to know each other back then. But being who we are..."
"If we weren't who we were, we wouldn't be the people that we... want to be with." She shied away from the word that she meant.
Diplomatically Hanse looked at the picture again while she composed herself. "Can I keep this?"
"Of course." It wasn't necessary to remind him to handle the photo with discretion.
"There is one more question I have to ask."
Cecilia felt Hanse's hand slacken around hers and then his thumb gliding up the inside of her wrist.
"How do I get you out of that kimono?"
"I thought you'd never ask..."
Grand Canal Hotel, Hella Basin
Mars, Solar System
15 August 3020
Katrina Steiner had needed a few hours to settle into her rooms but by mid-day all three Successor Lords present were sat at a table in one of the Hotel's many private dining rooms with a dozen or so aides pretending not to listen in.
"I'm unclear why we're meeting here rather than at Hilton Head," the blonde observed acridly after finishing the soup that had been her choice of starter.
Cecilia had just lifted a glass to wash down her garlic bread so Hanse elected himself to answer. "I was a little surprised myself and no doubt we'll be soothing ruffled feathers with Precentors and Adepts before long, but on reflection it does make this more secure. I'd be surprised if Marik or Liao don't know we're meeting by now but their agents will have focused on where we were scheduled to meet. A change of plans like this could confound them."
"And I don't trust ComStar," Cecilia added. "Research facilities investigating interstellar communications have been entirely too reliable about suffering terrorist or foreign espionage attacks. Over a hundred students at the Imperial Institute of Technology died two years ago in a firebombing of their High Energy Physics laboratories. I don't think it's a coincidence the Institute filed two papers on the principles of hyperpulse technology in the previous six months."
"If your theory is correct, then at least you know those papers were progress."
"Unfortunately half the people who understood the papers were in the building when it was destroyed. The other half assure me that the two papers are mutually contradictory."
The frustration Cecilia clearly felt over the matter was something Katrina could emphasise with - but she felt approximately the same way when faced by the landless representatives of Tamar in the General Estates. And the capability of the DCMS to take one of the most politically important worlds of the Commonwealth was due in no small part to both the young Coordinator and Hanse Davion's inexplicable readiness to maintain if not actual rapprochement then at least a stony neutrality towards their respective realms.
There were three very good reasons for not gloating though. Firstly, the loss of the Kurita scientists was a warning for the LCAF's blacker-than-black study of the devices Katrina had found in the Periphery in 3004. Secondly, the attacks commanded by Cecilia personally - as opposed to the fall of Port Moseby at the same time to the forces of Warlord Yoriyoshi - had by the standards of the DCMS been a relatively humane one, as witnessed by the fact that there had actually been a respectable number of living prisoners to be exchanged for those the Lyrans had taken. And finally, the Archon's hopes for a future peace rested on the younger woman being as... pragmatic... as she had been thus far in her reign. Pricking at her pride would undermine that.
"On another note, how is your daughter?" Cecilia enquired as the waiters replaced empty plates with the main courses. Again, all three had selected different meals: Hanse's lasagna, Katrina's steak and for Cecilia a noodle dish that she was spicing enthusiastically with pepper and garlic powder (Katrina hoped a breath-fresher would follow the meal). "I've heard impressive tales of her intelligence."
"Remarkably adept at getting into trouble," Katrina told her and decided at least a minor probe for information would be worth it. "How about your own?"
That caused Hanse's eyes to narrow in annoyance, to her delight: the First Prince could be just a little smug, she had found in their correspondence, although certainly an improvement over their other peers. Beating MIIO at something - and reminding him of his own lack of a direct heir - was definitely a point for the Lyrans.
"She's discovered paint," replied Cecilia mildly, although there was just enough hesitation to let Katrina know that the point had struck home. "Honesty compels me to admit that she isn't a budding Mitsunobu Tosa."
Neither of the successor lords was familiar with the name so Hanse side-stepped verbally. "No military goals as yet? I know my nephew was keen to enroll in the new College of Military Science at NAIS, but he is older and maybe it's different with girls."
"Too early to say," murmured the Coordinator placidly while the Archon also shook her head.
"Melissa is certainly technically minded enough, but I'm not sure she'll ever have the muscle for the job. Still, there are other arms of the military if she chooses to serve. Still, even if it's a thin hope, perhaps her generation won't be required to wage war."
Cecilia paused and refilled her glass. "That is not a promise I can make, Archon Steiner. However..." She thought for a moment. "I would be amenable to a longer term ceasefire with the Lyran Commonwealth."
There was another moment of contemplation as the other two Lords considered the ramifications of that. It would allow the Lyrans to rebuild and probably allow them to halt any further encroachment by the Free Worlds League which had by now largely recovered from the violence of the Marik Civil War. Perhaps even take back a few worlds: Hanse Davion's highly successful campaign to isolate and then seize Tikonov had proven what an advantage having one secure border could be.
Of course, the problem was that one of the most powerful and aggressive military forces in the Inner Sphere would be sitting back, gathering its strength. And sooner or later pressure make use of that army would start to be applied towards Cecilia by warlords and generals hungry for glory.
Hanse was the first to broach the matter. "If you don't my asking bluntly, how long do you think you could maintain a ceasefire on both your borders? Even with the occasional lapses, our current ceasefire might not be possible if we didn't have other conflicts to absorb the attention of our military forces."
The admission gave Katrina pause. The prevailing policy of the Lyran Commonwealth was to secure what they still had, with even campaigns to recover lost worlds being considerably harder to finance if the Estates General were worried that the defenses of their own worlds might suffer. While the Draconis Combine being far more prone to aggressive adventurism was no surprise, she had not seen the Federated Suns in the same light.
Cecilia looked thoughtful. "A few years, depending how many of them I can send off pirate hunting. And then Dieron is quite close to the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation really... I'm fairly sure I can prolong relative peace with both of you for a decade or so but after that it's hard to predict."
"You don't think we can stop the Succession Wars then?"
"Let's be honest, they aren't really about the empty throne in a ruined city on Terra. After two hundred years, warfare is a way of life." Cecilia's eyes were dark, almost hypnotically so, as she gazed at Katrina. "A temporary ceasefire is all I can offer in that way for now. It'll take time before we see if it's as temporary as a ComStar price hike."
ComStar First Circuit Compound
Hilton Head Island, North America, Terra
16 August 3020
"So much for arbitrating the negotiations between Kurita, Davion and Steiner," Villius Tejh observed acridly once the ROM agent had finished detailing the whereabouts of the three errant Heads of State. "This makes us a laughing stock."
"Calm yourself, Villius," Julian Tiepolo warned his junior. "Your concern is appropriate but we cannot allow frustration to overrule cool judgment."
The younger man grimaced. Whether it was admitted or not, the relative prestige of the state they represented did have some impact on the subtle maneuverings for status within the First Circuit and the Capellan Confederation, already the weakest of the five Successor States, had taken significant losses through the last few years.
Somewhat surprisingly it was his main rival who rallied to Tejh's argument. "As you admit, Precentor Sian's concerns must be addressed, Primus. The strategic advantages of the truce between Kurita and Davion were troubling enough, but added to their scientific and economic advances both states have become highly dangerous." Huthrin Vandel shook his head in apparent sorrow. "Adding House Steiner to their bloc will utterly destroy the balance of power within the Inner Sphere and their contempt for us heralds near apocalypse."
Tiepolo nodded solemnly. "What you say is quite true, Precentor New Avalon. In hindsight, the incident at Halstead Station was more serious than appreciated at the time and clearly the discovery of the lostech cache on Volders has allowed the Combine to keep pace with the better funded research carried out at NAIS." He saw Vandel's shoulders tense - while the man could not be blamed for Volders, NAIS was clearly in his area of responsibility. "As a result, the fear of a technologically advanced AFFS overwhelming the DCMS has proved an insufficient motivation for the truce to be broken."
"We should have Cecilia Kurita assassinated."
Heads turned towards Ulthan Everson. Precentor Tharkad was not prone radical suggestions.
"Your reasoning?" Tejh demanded briskly.
"The ceasefire rests heavily upon the personalities of Hanse Davion and Cecilia Kurita," the man observed. "Both pushed the policy through despite substantial opposition and they enforce it fiercely. Killing Hanse Davion would place Michael Hasek-Davion on the throne and he would be likely to continue to focus on the Capellan March: it's possible the Coordinator could convince him to continue their ceasefire. But remove her and the most likely outcome is civil war. the Draconis Combine's strength would turn on itself and the temptation to take advantage would be irresistible to both Davion and Steiner."
The room fell silent at the ruthlessness of the suggestion.
"I do not wish to contemplate the consequences if ComStar were discovered to have carried out that assassination," Precentor Dieron observed coldly. Significantly older than any of his peers, it was an open secret that Charles Osterraker was under pressure to retire in favour of Tiepolo's prize prodigy, Myndo Waterly. "They hold dearly to their code of vendetta and might even dare to break Terra's neutrality."
"That's not even considering how the other Successor Lords might react." Tejh gripped the belt of his robe firmly. "But it might be a risk we have to take." A quick glance around the First Circuit made it clear, however, that he was the only supporter of Everson's proposal. Even the representative of ROM, a non-voting member of the body, seemed reluctant. "I agree that it would be a premature given the current situation though."
The Primus cleared his throat. "In the short term, reinforcing the Capellan military would slow Hanse Davion and might lead to Janos Marik focusing his energies on the Lyran Commonwealth rather than the Capellans. I recommend a cache containing equipment from our stores here on Terra but stripped of advanced equipment be prepared somewhere in Capellan space. I've no doubt that Maximilian Liao would reward greatly anyone who led him to such a discovery."
"That would be possible," Tejh agreed. "There are a few former Hegemony worlds that are no longer viable habitats, it should be relatively straightforward to create a 'forgotten militia base' on one of them."
"Does this measure have the First Circuit's approval?" Tiepolo asked, and heads nodded around the room. "Very good. Precentor Sian, please co-ordinate this with the Precentor of the ComGuards." He turned towards the chamber's stained glass window briefly, as if seeking inspiration from the sunlight streaming through it. "In the meantime, we will cease our efforts to bolster the factionalism within the Free Worlds League and provide indirect support to the internal divisions within the other three Houses. Precentor Dieron, what likelihood is there of the 'Autonomous Prefecture of Rasalhague' seeking actual independence?"
"Very little," Osterraker told him firmly. "They're still fumbling around with the authority that they have been granted and none of their leadership is so stupid as to forget that their own forces are far weaker than those Kurita smashed four years ago."
"How disappointing. Still, it seems that if the Swedenese can have their own semi-independent domain that other factions such as the Azami may seek similar status, arousing envy in their neighbours. I am sure you know where to spread the word to best effect."
Vandel nodded. "I presume that I should also stoke Michael Hasek-Davion's ambitions. After the reversals of his recent campaign, his ego will be smarting."
"Indeed," Tiepolo nodded graciously. "Perhaps if the Captain-General can be persuaded not to pursue further attacks on the Capellan Confederation, then the Duke of New Syrtis might be persuaded that he can make alliance with Chancellor Liao." He smiled thinly. "After all, if House Liao can turn brother against brother in the Free Worlds League then brother against brother-in-law in the Federated Suns should be childs-play. Now, what do we know about the discussions taking place on Mars?"
Grand Canal Hotel, Hella Basin
Mars, Solar System
17 August 3020
"Her position is very shaky, Hanse." As head of MIIO, it was Count Nicholas Truston's job to know. "There may be precedent for female Coordinators, but it's always been as an 'interim' measure until they married or their sons were old enough to reign. She's not married and this daughter that the Steiners found out about is probably her only child. If Takashi hadn't been so efficient in setting the Warlords against each other, she'd probably be dead by now."
The Prince nodded wearily. He had spent the afternoon negotiating with Katrina over a relaxation of trade barriers between their realms (no one expected such a move from the Combine so Cecilia had excused herself) and while Katrina was enthusiastic, she'd also been feeling him out about co-operation against the Combine. He didn't want to appear reluctant - and a defensive alliance made sense - but equally, the ceasefire was delicate enough that even appearances of collusion against the Combine could undo seven years of progress. "What's your opinion of the Warlords?"
Truston pursed his lips. "Sorenson's reliable but not too competent. She used him to keep control of Pesht early in her reign and moving him into Galedon has steadied that District. Hsiun Chi's probably her closest ally now that Yorinaga Kurita has dropped out of sight: they're both graduates of the Sun Tzu School of Combat and she elevated him to control of Dieron. It's entirely possible that he's ambitious enough to want to move higher though."
"The problems are Samsonov in Rasalhague and Yoriyoshi in Benjamin. It's fortunate for the Coordinator that they loath each other because they're both militarily capable and politically astute. Samsonov's career was mostly spent in Galedon and he was promoted to replace Cherenkoff. That's probably leaves him with less local support than Yoriyoshi, but it also means he has ties to Galedon's institutions and a veneer of 'closeness' to the Coordinator due to her campaigns on that part of the border. Yoriyoshi is entrenched in Benjamin and his own glory from taking Port Moseby balances that."
"What about Pesht?"
"Hirushi Shotugama." The count spread his hands. "He keeps his own counsel and no one is quite sure how he'll move. He used to command a regiment in the Benjamin Regulars so he might be inclined towards Yoriyoshi, but then, Hsiun Chi was Cherenkoff's aide and hated the man."
Hanse chuckled. "Did anyone like Cherenkoff other than Takashi Kurita?"
Truston grinned wryly. "Three regiments of the Rasalhague Regulars liked him enough to follow him to hell."
"Right... which says something about how unpopular she is. And executing every officer in the 11th Benjamin Regulars probably didn't make Yoriyoshi a happy man. So two of her Warlords are probably plotting against her and a third's loyalties are unknown. What about the rest of the Combine?" The military was usually the decision point for the Combine, but with that divided, the other arms of the government might tip the balance.
"Well you know the traditional role of a woman in Draconian society isn't exactly barefoot, pregnant and kitchen bound, no matter what the propaganda is?"
"I'd sort of gathered. It's still household management though."
"Yes, they handle the finances, look after the children... sounds obvious but in a government role that means handling the economy and education. And while a lot of traditional women don't approve of a woman being the Coordinator, there's a general agreement that she's doing a good job there. Agricultural production is up and it's in an interesting way - more mechanization for regions producing basic foodstuffs and subsidies to small farmers converting to low-level luxury foods. There are a lot of licences being issued for small businesses - the part of the Treasury that handles that is recruiting. However, the section that provides corporate oversight isn't. That might mean that she's relaxing oversight."
"More food would mean cheaper food," Hanse observed. "That's got to hurt farmers in some ways."
"It does. The market's got competitive and that does mean there are some losers. But it's reducing military expenditure on food for soldiers so the DCMS is happy about it. Particularly since that money's being channeled to new weapons factories."
"Ouch."
"Yes. That's how they're subsidising Alshain Weapons building their new facility on Ningxia. The Coordinator's exercised eminent domain to seize parts from derelict factories and contributed those. That site will almost double production of the Panther light 'Mech, and it gives them an alternate supply if they have more trouble with Rasalhague."
Hanse groaned and walked over to the window. "Aaron's going to be furious. What else does she have up her sleeve?"
Shuffling through a briefing document turned up an answer Truston didn't think that his Prince would like. "Apparently they're looking at a factory for fusion reactors on New Samarkand. Our sources say they're leaning on the Outworlds Alliance for some of the data they used to for the Merlin."
"Please tell me that they're only for the Panthers."
"There's also a tank project..."
Hanse started to swear in french.
Grand Canal Hotel, Hella Basin
Mars, Solar System
17 August 3020
Subash Indrahar was one of the most feared men in the Draconis Combine, despite his notoriously genial manner. The imperial court on Luthien regarded Cecilia Kurita's assiduous development of a close relationship with the Director of the ISF as one of the shrewdest moves she had made in the quiet chaos following from Takashi Kurita's assassination. Few realised that it was Indrahar who had approached Cecilia and not the other way around.
"It was wise of you to reveal Hanse Davion's daughter to him, Lord Kurita," he congratulated her and noted approvingly that there was not the least sign in her demeanor that she was disturbed by his admission that he knew of Siriwan Kurita's parentage. "His use of Morgan Hasek-Davion as a hostage against the Duke of New Syrtis suggested that he would be hardened against such tactics, but it is clear now that he would hesitate to move against the mother of his child."
"Integrity demanded that I share the information with him as soon as it was practical to do so," Cecilia replied mildly. "It continues to astonish me how often the honourable course of action proves also to have pragmatic benefits."
The spymaster's smile did not waver any more than hers had. "Still, I regret that his security were able to locate all of our listening devices in his rooms. They are regrettably proficient at their tasks. Even Archon Steiner's rooms are almost closed to our devices."
"Almost," she replied with a smile.
He bowed his head in confirmation. "There has been no indication at this time that Duke Ricol's activities have been determined."
Hassid Ricol was one of the most inventive Dukes in the aristocracy of the Combine and had amassed a considerable degree of power despite the handicap his Azami heritage posed in their Japanese-dominated culture. His ties to the traditionalists could have made him a focal point for resistance so Cecilia had co-opted him to begin a programme of subversion in the pirate kingdoms flanking both House Steiner and House Kurita's domains.
Posing as smugglers, Ricol's agents had approached some of the less barbaric groups for protection of their routes (which were providing the Duke with a modest profit in fact, with the price of Kurita 'war trophies' could command in the Lyran black market). From there the goal was to bring the useful pirates into a permanent role as security for the smugglers, eliminate their rivals and begin shipping Kuritan manufactured goods to the worlds they controlled. While inferior to the Lyran equivalents, the goods would be far more available than usual in the periphery. Potentially Cecilia thought that as many as a dozen worlds might be shifted into the Kuritan sphere of influence. None of them would be very valuable worlds economically but keeping Ricol busy was more than worth it and the strategic position on the Lyran flank might be invaluable.
And if the Steiners found out? Ricol was utterly dispensable.
Grand Canal Hotel, Hella Basin
Mars, Solar System
21 August 3020
Privacy is something almost unobtainable to royalty, particularly when housed not in the usual palaces but in suites of even the most exclusive hotel. As a result, after the private conference five days before, Hanse and Cecilia had not managed to find any excuse to banish all aides and bodyguards so they could have some time to themselves.
It didn't even have to be enough privacy for physical intimacy, nice though that would be, a disgruntled Hanse Davion thought. Neither of them was a teenager, after all. Just having more time to talk frankly to each other would be an improvement. He could only hope that he was hiding his frustration as well as Cecilia. Of course, maybe she wasn't finding this quite as difficult as him - he sort of hoped she was, otherwise it would be markedly unfair.
The afternoon's discussions had been about releasing medical information between their respective medical establishments. Hanse thought Katrina had been surprised to find out that that was one area where the Combine had a great deal to offer the other two. He certainly had been although a query to Truston had cleared up why: the Combine was considerably more relaxed about human experimentation than either of the other two realms. It wasn't something he found easy to reconcile with his image of Cecilia, even if she hadn't started the practice she would have grown up in a culture that endorsed it.
Hmm. Maybe he should talk to Quintus Allard. The head of counterintelligence had been married to a Capellan while he was stationed at the embassy on Sian but the marriage hadn't worked out. He'd probably have some insights into relationships across cultural lines, although then he might work out the reasons...
Distracted by considering how to approach the matter, Hanse didn't spot one of Cecilia's aides brush a potted plant with his leg and stumble slightly. Trying to keep the stack of datafiles in his arms, the middle-aged man failed to spot that he was on a collision course with a junior official of the Ministry of Ways and Means. The woman gasped in shock as the hapless aide collided with her posterior and spun sharply, bringing her own attaché case down on the man's head.
Matters deteriorated from there as two DCMS officers jumped to the protection of their countryman and a diplomatic services official moved gallantly to the aid of the woman (although by the way she was kicking the fallen man, she seemed to have little need of any).
"Stop this immediately!" Hanse thundered, bringing the incipient brawl to a halt. "What in the world..."
Cecilia cleared her throat. "Perhaps, your highness, the children can take their games outside of this hotel." Her scathing gaze took in the aides, officials and soldiers of both nations, causing even those innocent of participation to shuffle their feet. She gestured towards the elevators behind them and Hanse nodded in understanding.
"Sort yourselves out," he directed his own party. "And do yourselves the favour of not drawing my attention again today."
Then the Coordinator and First Prince stepped into the same elevator, the doors closing behind them.
Hanse waited until the floor indicator had begun to change before letting a brief grin cross his face. "I take it that that was stage-managed then?"
"Subash-san is never that clumsy by accident, dear prince," Cecilia said with a smile that was as much for identifying the perpetrator of the ruse as it was for being able to use the endearment.
"That was...?"
"He likes to keep his hand in." She consulted her wristwatch and then nodded. "And..." The elevator smoothly came to a halt, the floor indicator halting between two floors. "...stage two. We can probably give it a couple of minutes before alerting the hotel that there seems to be a problem with the elevator. I'm assured it could be anything up to an hour before we're 'released'."
"Quite an embarrassment for the hotel," Hanse observed, taking one of the modest chairs in a corner of the elevator (which was of a size that could probably accommodate a platoon of infantry in a pinch). "Or at least it would be if they were to ever admit we were here."
Cecilia took the other chair. "Fortunate for us. And with four other elevators in the lobby it's unlikely to draw attention from anyone."
"So what shall we talk about? The past, the future...? I'm still wondering how you managed to sit yourself on the Coordinator's throne."
"Oh that's simple enough," she advised him drily, rising to her feet. "I stand in front of it, like this you see, and then I bend my knees like so..." Cecelia sat down again and her smile was more of a smirk for an instant.
"I am bereft at your wit."
"And I at your sarcasm, dear prince. I will admit that my rise to the throne was something of a blunder."
"You 'blundered' your way into being the Coordinator of the Draconis Combine?"
Cecilia giggled. "You don't imagine I wanted the job, do you? I just liked being alive and it was the throne or a firing squad. Marcus is more than twenty years older than me and thought that I'd support him in his coup, so several of his cronies tried to talk me into convincing my regiment to declare loyalty to him. I was young, rebellious and never liked Marcus anyway..." Her voice grew grim. "So I set up a meeting, went up on stage... then pointed them out as traitors involved in the conspiracy to murder Takashi. They came within about an inch of being torn apart on the spot."
"I imagine that burned your bridges with Marcus fairly thoroughly."
"You could say that." Cecilia grimaced. "Sho-sho Langley had choice words for me since I'd also burned the entire regiment's bridges to him and at the time it looked like he really might manage what he was aiming for. In which case he'd certainly kill me as a traitor. And anyone else on the throne - including Takashi because we still weren't sure he was dead - would probably kill me just to be on the safe side, since by taking out Marcus' men I'd upgraded myself from simple mechwarrior to political player."
Hanse nodded his understanding. "So you had to prove your loyalty beyond any doubt, by actively taking on Marcus. And once you heard your cousin really was dead..."
"That was news that arrived in the nick of time thanks to Constance. Ivan Sorenson was probably about an inch from turning against us but with Takashi dead he had to pick someone to follow: it's just how he's wired and I was there while Marcus was still trying to cement his hold on Pesht. But I had to offer the soldiers something to fight for and a dead Takashi wasn't very surprising so..."
Hanse left his chair and crossed the frozen elevator to kneel in front of her, taking Cecilia's hands comfortingly. "Obviously you won."
Cecilia accepted his hands. "I had to run fast to make it happen and I've been running ever since, trying to keep ahead of my enemies. Not quite sure what I'm running towards."
"Is there any chance of it being us?" He raised one of her hands to his face, brushing his lips across her knuckles.
"I very much doubt that, Hanse." Cecilia's face was serene but her eyes betrayed how difficult it was for her to face that. "Which means, my dear prince, that you must do your duty to the Suns: take a wife and have heirs that can succeed your throne. One nephew is not enough."
"A nephew and a daughter," he reminded her.
"Maybe more than that."
Hanse's startled look at Cecilia's navel put a smile back on her lips. "Not now, no. But there are... possibilities that would be less betraying. Most of my Warlords can count to nine, after all. None of which is relevant to this however. We both know that Siriwan is even less likely to inherit your throne than she is to have mine one day." She shook her head firmly. "We're married to our realms first and foremost. You know that. Now we have to do what is right for them."
Yokohama Spaceport, Japan
Pacific Rim, Terra
29 August 3020
Practically the first person that Cecilia saw as she exited the dropship was Charles Osterraker. The elderly man bowed his head more in order to hide his face as he composed himself than out of any actual respect. "Coordinator. How delightful that you have finally managed to find time in your busy schedule for us."
"Well, you know..." she waved her hand dismissively. "After cancelling the conference at Hilton Head at the last minute, I felt a social visit was in order."
"I seems to notice that you still had the conference though," the Precentor noted acridly as he walked side by side with the Coordinator to the limousine that had been provided for her.
"Oh yes. It was the 'at Hilton Head' part that we cancelled. It occurred to me that it was disrespectful of us to assume you wouldn't have your own interests to argue that might conflict with ours. You're such a young organisation, after all, I fear we might not have been taking you entirely seriously."
Osterraker choked. "'Young organisation'?"
"Not quite two hundred and fifty years, I believe." Cecilia favoured him with a broad smile. "I'm afraid that doesn't really count for much more than a passing fad - such as the Star League - amongst nations with true longevity such as the Combine or the other Successor States. Still, I am of the opinion that we should have more respect for you."
The condescending words were almost enough to goad the Precentor into thoughtless words. As it was, his response sounded almost plaintive. "But if you respect ComStar then why do you not trust us to aid you in these peace talks?"
"Oh Charles..." Cecilia did all but bat her eyes at the man, who was old enough to be her grandfather. "You really need to let go of that naiveté."
Mentally, Osterraker started composing the announcement of his retirement. Let Tiepolo promote his precious prodigy to the job - he gave Waterly about a month of dealing with Cecilia Kurita before she'd need a prescription of anti-psychotics - he was done with the job. "Would it be forward of me to enquire your intentions in Tokyo?" he asked, opening the limousine door for her in a gentlemanly fashion.
"I've been invited for tea," Cecilia advised him and firmly closed the door to the limousine behind her.
Osterraker tapped impatiently on the limousine window until the Coordinator rolled it down. "I'm sorry, was there something else?"
"I believe the Primus would like to speak to you before you leave Terra. He was quite insistent upon it, in fact. If nothing else I'm sure "
"He knows where I'm staying, Precentor. And if coming here is too far for him, there's this wonderful invention called the telephone. I'm almost certain my hotel suite will have one."
LCS Donegal's Pride
Outer System, Terra
29 August 3020
"Gentlemen, your opinions on the Coordinator are valued but the decision has been made." Katrina Steiner had little patience with repetition of arguments she'd understood the first time they were presented to her. "The ceasefire may not last forever, but with the Federated Suns as guarantor it is highly unlikely that Coordinator Kurita will break it. She's many things but she is not a fool and the Combine cannot prosper with heavy fighting on both borders."
Of course, Hanse Davion's commitment that a break of the Commonwealth-Combine ceasefire would be treated as a break of his own ceasefire was debatable. The First Prince had a reputation for being scrupulous about keeping his word, but he was also an ambitious man and Katrina was not convinced that she understood the goals he had set himself.
"That promise is only for three years," Tyrell Gibson noted grimly. "When that time is up there will be nothing to constrain them."
"The Coordinator's admission that she may not be able to keep the peace longer than that is a positive sign though," the Archon told the representative of the Estates-General. "And in fairness to her, restraining Kelswa from another forlorn hope to reclaim his homeworld is going to be a challenge so she isn't the only one with unruly soldiers." Duke Selvin Kelswa had seen the effects of Draconian conquest on Tamar worlds as a young man and his passionate efforts to rouse support for reclaiming the capital of the Tamar Pact had led directly to the near-loss of Winfield's Brigade and the effective loss of the Kell Hounds mercenary regiment since the rump of that unit had accepted a contract to hunt pirates for the Free Worlds League. Undaunted the Duke was still pestering the government for another attack, albeit with less progress.
"That gives us three years to rebuild the damage done to the LCAF and to bolster our position against the League." Katrina steepled her hands. "Preferably to convince Janos Marik that we're enough of a problem that he'll agree to a ceasefire with us and focus his efforts on the Capellans." Her gaze flicked to the military officers in the room. "I'll allow twelve months for the LCAF to restore its losses and prepare for a major offensive."
Enquiring minds promptly started spreading out maps mentally, considering the Lyran-League border from Poulsbo out on the periphery rim to Rigil Kentarus, closest Lyran world to Terra itself. However before targets could be proposed, Katrina gestured for silence. "If you have recommendations for such an operation, I suggest you develop a full plan to put forward once we return to Tharkad. For now, you may take your leave."
Katrina nodded discreetly to Harrison Bradford and to her sister Nondi, indicating that they were not included in the dismissal.
"Why Katrina, just the three of us?" the Duke of Coventry asked when the door was closed, directing a ribald wink at the Archon.
"Merely insisting on a respite from your pursuit of the secretaries, Thomas. You have to take care of your health."
Nondi ignored the byplay - Bradford was a notorious flirt but he also knew perfectly well that Nondi was happily married. The habit amused Katrina however, so for her sake it was tolerable. "I take it you've already decided where to attack?"
"I have a strong preference," admitted Katrina standing so she could pace around the cramped cabin. To accommodate the meeting earlier, furniture had been folded aside, giving her room for a few steps in each direction. "But I don't want to close my mind off if someone has a better idea."
"Well get it off that impressive chest of yours."
The Archon turned to face the Duke: "Right through the Silver Hawks Coalition to Stewart."
Bradford whistled.
"Hmm. The Nathan salient again, at least to start with. Then push for Stewart not Bordon," summarised Nondi, referring to one of the major strategic features of the border during the Second Succession War. The worlds had been lost one by one over the years, but LCAF still had detailed maps and records of the area. "Marik will have to find for the region."
"Correct. If the Silver Hawks can be counted on for anything it's to start a screaming fight in his Parliament and he has family ties to the Stewart Commonality. Throw in the Battlemech factories on Kalidasa and Stewart -"
"And the Imstar factory on Amity," pointed out Bradford.
"Yes, and that. Then Janos will have to pull his federal regiments off the Capellan front to face us, raising protests from Andurien and not scoring him many points with the Duke of Oriente. He can't rely on local forces while the region around Irian is a hotbed of opposition to him."
Nondi frowned in thought. "We'll have to redeploy as well. You're talking about seven or eight worlds - can't be done with less than ten regiments unless you want Rahneshire stripped bare."
"Wolf's Dragoons will reinforce the Combine border, but plan on having mercenary regiments pulled off the line from there and several other regions. That'll create least fuss and we can pull a few regular regiments loose for the second and third waves when surprise doesn't matter quite so much."
"It's a plan, or at least the beginnings of one," agreed Bradford with unusual seriousness. "But the question remains: will Janos talk? He wouldn't hear of negotiating with his brother when Anton raised revolt so what's to say he'll be more reasonable with us? If he commits to pushing us back then we could be stuck in heavy fighting there when the ceasefire with the Combine ends. The Capellans will be too busy fighting the Federated Suns to do anything much."
Katrina nodded. "Normally yes, but there's one difference, Harrison. Fighting us would be his duty. But Maximilian Liao funded Anton Marik's rebellion, forcing Janos to declare war on his brother and execute his own son. For him, fighting the Capellans is personal. Janos Marik isn't going to get bogged down fighting us if there's a chance in the universe that Hanse Davion could get to Sian before him."
Imperial Hotel Tokyo, Japan
Pacific Rim, Terra
1 September 3020
With Grand Canal Hotel looking to gain a lock on the upper crust visitors to Mars for the next two or three decades in the wake of their unprecedented coup in hosting three Successor Lords at once, hotels around Japan had engaged in a fierce bidding war for the honour of providing Lord Kurita and her party with accommodation for her delayed visit, knowing that the costs would be insignificant in comparison to the rewards of association with the second most prestigious royal line in the known universe (the entirely ceremonial Emperor of Japan still taking precedence of course).
A combination of tradition, price and entertainment had convinced Cecilia that the Imperial Hotel Tokyo was the best choice and two days later her only regret was that she was scheduled to leave in another two days. The Imperial Palace on Luthien might be slightly more luxurious but it was also a working building, to no small measure taken up by the government of the Draconis Combine. In contrast, the hotel was entirely devoted to pampering its guests and with a tradition stretching back over a thousand years, they were by now fairly good at it.
As a result, when Myndo Waterly approached the Hotel, the staff were discreetly obtuse as to the location of the guest that the Precentor was speaking of. Not obstructory of course, for were ComStar not the great benefactors of all Terra by protecting it from the rigors of the Succession Wars? But somehow, they didn't seem to be quite able to pin down where Cecilia was at that moment, although ROM surveillance had made it clear that she had not left since her visit to the Imperial Palace the previous day.
The pale haired Precentor was about to renew her assault, armed with unquenchable confidence (some might say arrogance) that her authority could not be side-stepped indefinitely when she was assaulted from behind.
"Awk," she managed as strong arms wrapped around her shoulders in an unexpected hug.
"Well well," a friendly voice declared from behind her. "I heard there was a Precentor looking for me, but I thought it would be that old buzzard Osterraker." Waterly was released and turned to see the Coordinator looking at her with approval. "You must be the new and improved model."
"Ah... I am Myndo Waterly, the new Precentor Dieron," she confirmed, disconcerted by the warm reception. Her briefings had indicated that Cecilia Kurita was at best tolerant towards ComStar and at worst openly discourteous. A residue of upbringing from her childhood on Kuzuu had her bow to the noblewoman, although not as deeply as she once would have.
Cecilia returned the bow, giving the younger woman a moment to assess her situation and realise that the Coordinator was wearing baggy sweats and had obviously been exercising. "Myndo Waterly... ah yes, I've heard a great deal about you. Florimel was furious that the ISF were so heavy-handed as to drive you to leave the Combine."
While Waterly had been aware before entering ComStar that she was being cultivated by both the Order of the Five Pillars and by the Internal Security Force as a possible recruit, the notion that she might have come to the attention of the now-retired Keeper of House Honour had not occurred to her. "I'm honoured to have been held in such regard," she replied diplomatically, "But I found that I was called to serve a different master."
"I understand," Cecilia assured her warmly. "Our loss is ComStar's gain and your rise simply confirms all our expectations of your potential." She took the young Precentor's arms and gently but firmly began to draw her deeper into the hotel, the usual entourage of bodyguards and aides falling in smoothly around them. "I'm just going to get cleaned up - please, join me in the spa and we can get to know each other. After all, we're likely to have a long and hopefully close working relationship."
"That is hardly usual for a Precentor and the Lord of a Successor State," Myndo observed cautiously although she did not resist the guidance. Certainly the Coordinator would not attempt to harm her: an attack upon even the least ComStar adept would be met with firm retribution and she was on Earth, seat of Blake's followers.
Cecilia smiled and nodded slightly in confirmation. "I must admit that Osterraker and I have not been on the best of terms," she confessed. "While a distinguished individual, honesty compels me to admit that he was... conservative. The Inner Sphere is changing... I am sure that you see that. Blake foresaw that no one could win the Succession Wars, did he not? That the fighting would end?"
"Uh... yes. Have you studied the Word of Blake?"
"My education touched on all the great thinkers. Being the closest to our times I admit that Jerome Blake's writing drew more of my attention although I never felt the same call that you did."
Their conversation was interrupted by entrance into the hotel's spa and staff efficiently assisting Waterly in removing her clothes for the massage that would precede entering the spa waters. Under normal circumstances the younger woman might have hesitated but she was in the company of the Coordinator and it would not be fitting for a ComStar Precentor to appear less than sophisticated, so she obediently followed the instructions and resumed her place at the side of the Coordinator, suppressing the thrill at the realisation that she was being treated almost as a peer. Of course, I am, she thought. After all, I'm a member of the First Circuit, one of the most important people in ComStar and by extension, of the entire Inner Sphere.
"You know, most of my soldiers would consider this to border upon decadence," Cecilia confided as the masseur began to work on her shoulders. "But really, it's simply civilisation, isn't it?"
Waterly mumbled something non-committal, making a note to check for any similar spas near Hilton Head.