The Last Command part 3
New Avalon
Crucis March
Federated Suns
May 23, 3024
"No one man can govern so vast a realm, even if that man is genius, saint, and hero all at once. And when a man of inferior or even ordinary abilities tries to exercise power over so many worlds and so many billions of people, the result is the tyranny, chaos, ignorance, greed, or hatred that we have already seen too often."
– Simon Davion
Hanse Davion was widely considered a very important man, whose every minute of time was worth unimaginable value even compared to the wealthiest of plutocrats in the Inner Sphere. You could never buy your way into a meeting with the First Prince of the Federated Suns, a man personally responsible for the fates of over half a thousand worlds and dozens of billions of people.
As he commanded over a hundred regiments with millions of men-at-arms, usually even mercenary commands in the regimentary scale such as the Dioscuri (2 regiments, assigned to guard the entire Kearny Combat Region facing the Taurian Concordat) were not worth his time.
But Hanse Davion had personally courted the Eridani Light Horse's three regiments on their way out from Steiner employment and continued to offer them extremely generous terms. After turning away Wolf's Dragoons and DCMS 17th Galedon on Hoff, Hanse personally communicated through HPG with Nathan Armstrong his congratulations and sympathies of their losses and of his intention to allow the Light Horse time to rebuild, remanding them to rotating garrison duties and selling them new BattleMechs at cost.
Eridani Light Horse technicians and field commanders were invited to lecture at NAIS to share their insights about Star League technology and doctrine, and their personnel were granted access to his research facilities.
When Hanse Davion received the message that Brevet General Nathan L. Armstrong solicited a face-to-face meeting with a special request that Ardan Sortek be there with him, the notion tickled Hanse's curiosity enough that he sent word back that time would be made in his schedule.
Colchester to New Avalon was 4 jumps away and at best speed would take 52 days. Technically it was possible to shorten the travel to much sooner if a jumpship was conveniently at the next stop with an empty collar, but even as the core worlds of the Federated Suns were busy with ships, it was an unreliable prospect compared to chartering with a Jumpship headed in most of the way and then checking schedules in the next systems with planet-based HPGs. Make it an even month to be sure.
The vagaries of interstellar travel meant that keeping a strict schedule was not really possible. Once Nathan Armstrong had made it on-planet, he would be given a date when it would be convenient to present himself.
-.
That day had arrived.
Ardan Sortek was Hanse Davion's oldest friend and the commanding officer of the Davion Heavy Guards. He looked dashing as picture-perfect on the recruiting poster as one might need for the AFFS, but in actuality was uncomfortable in more social situations.
"You're favoring the Eridani Light Horse too much," he said while they waited at a solar overlooking the Davion Gardens. "But I haven't seen you this happy to meet someone for a long time now. Are state functions and all those double-speaking diplomats so unbearable?" Ardan Sortek shook his head sadly. "It's good that you're taking time away for the things you personally enjoy. Lostech and the Star League… there are worse hobbies for a Prince to have."
"Right, you haven't met General Armstrong before haven't you?" The Davion Heavy Guards were usually assigned to flexibly defend the Crucis March and were had as the homeworld Galax, one Jump away from New Avalon. Too far away from Hoff. "He's not as deranged as the rumors say, you know. Not even the Light Horse as a whole. It's kind of fascinating, they're as much a living cultural artifact as much they're some very highly trained fighters."
"The Crucis Lancers RCTs were formed from the Star League soldiers that chose to stay instead of going off with Kerensky. They still maintain many Star League traditions, what more do you expect to gain from mercenaries?" Ardan mused. "In fact, on paper, I'd say that ELH as an RCT are inferior to our Regimental Combat Teams. One BattleMech Regiment and Three Armored and Five Infantry is better than Three Regiments of mixed BattleMech and Armor. Mech for Mech, the numbers run to almost the same."
Hanse nodded. "Then on Hoff they faced with one regiment and the Dahar Militia, another medium-weight regiment, Wolf's Dragoons' Epsilon Regiment which was very heavily tilted towards Heavy Mechs and the 17th Galedon. Outnumbered mech by mech, they still made a very good showing of themselves. They ruined the Galedon Regulars and almost threw back the Dragoons. I've been looking over the BattleROMs of that campaign, if you plot it over a map, there's just this… smoothness in how they maneuver, you know?"
"I think the Crucis Lancers RCT could have done better," Ardan looked mulish, unwilling to concede the point.
Hanse only smiled, not pointing out that the Crucis Lancers were also tasked to defend a wide area and moving them would expose a weakness like on Quentin, when two Battle Regiments of Wolf's Dragoons and Takashi Kurita himself showed up.
"My lords!" came a voice from the door at the far end of hallway leading into the solar "Presenting, Brevet General Nathan Armstrong of the Eridani Light Horse!"
"Ah!" cried Hanse. "Here we go."
"My lord Prince Davion, thank you for taking the time to meet me," Armstrong bowed.
Hanse smiled genially and bid him to take a seat. He compared Nathan Armstrong to Ardan Sortek and found they were very much of a similar type. One was just blonde and the other of dark hair. The two measured each other with wary gazes. Perhaps it was their similarities that instinctively made them be on guard.
He smiled impishly.
"You're welcome, and I'm pleased to allow it. Now what's this about?"
"I have two concerns to bring to your attention, Prince Davion. The first, as detailed in the information packet delivered earlier, is a request for reorganization of our defensive support commitments under Section Nine of our basing agreement."
The Eridani Light Horse refused to say the word 'contract' at any point.
"Under Section Nine, portions of the Eridani Light Horse ground and naval assets may be detached to support resupply operations. We have a need to temporarily remove one JumpShip and one company to support resupply and recovery for a period of no less than ten months."
"That's… a long time," said Hanse. "I have to ask, which JumpShip?"
"The Monolith-class SLS ARENDAL, and one Mech company of the 121st Regiment."
Hanse's eyebrows raised, then lowered. He clasped both palms together and leaned with his elbows on the table.
"Nine drop-collars are particularly valuable. A company, that's fine. But a Monolith JumpShip is so large and so rare that losing access to it would have wide-ranging repercussions. What's your real reason for this?"
"Officially, this is a supply run and the Eridani Light Horse are under no obligation to speak about the source of resupply for security reasons. Unofficially… we also request access to a Mule DropShip without any crew."
Hanse smirked "Daring, are we? If you're willing to make demands to my face - no, even if you say it as a request, you could have just asked it from regular channels - you better have a good reason."
From beside him, Ardan Sortek's eyes narrowed at the insult.
"Unofficially, this supply run is valuable enough to detach those elements and spend so much time away from the front because it may bring you things both of us want." Armstrong nodded briefly "Things… NAIS would want."
"Oh? Interesting. Why shouldn't NAIS just go with you to take a look at those… things?"
"Operational security, Prince Davion. MIIO is good, but the fewer that know any details, the better. Even right now, only three people know about this - five now, I suppose."
Hanse Davion leaned back and crossed his arms. "Five months…" He grunted. Then he smiled again. "It's in the Periphery, isn't it? Did you happen find out about some sort of Star League cache?"
Armstrong blinked. Figuring out that much just from the travel time - Hanse Davion was as canny as the rumors made him out to be.
"I can neither confirm nor deny, but suffice it to say my lord… the Eridani Light Horse are prepared to offer their fair share. As someone I know said to me 'the rule of dibs doesn't exactly apply outside of Davion space', but in respect to the possible inconvenience this brings, we are prepared to pay a reasonable… found property tax.
"Needless to say, this much should only ever stay between us. Or wherever might be listening to this right now, be it MIIO, Maskirovka, or hell with it, let's say even Comstar." Armstrong turned aside to shout "STOP LISTENING TO MY PHONE SEX CALLS, YOU PRICKS!"
Hanse grinned widely.
Ardan was taken aback by the sudden vulgarity. "Wha-"
"Hah! Good one, good one!" No one had the balls to be so offensive in the face of the First Prince of the Federated Suns. This could get you cashiered in any other House, but Hanse Davion? Someone knew Hanse had a sense of humor.
Armstrong's face was back to a placid mask of professionalism, so much that if anyone were to ever ask, it was clear he would deny ever having said anything improper that the questioner would look like they were the one crazy.
Ardan gave Hanse a look that said 'are you really sure he's not as deranged as they say?'
"You know what? Fine. I'll allow it. I mean, ahem, House Davion and the SLDF will work this out somehow. Whatever you need to carry this out, just ask your liaison, he'll get it done," Hanse waved the issue away. "What about that second concern you said?"
Armstrong nodded. "You know of WolfNet, right? Wolf's Dragoons' surprisingly effective intelligence agency? Well, the Eridani Light Horse doesn't have one of those, but we are starting to see how useful it could be."
Hanse smiled and nodded while Ardan Sortek started to frown. Armstrong added: "SLDF Precept Eight: Intelligence. Information is like eggs, the fresher the better. A good guess might win a battle, but a bad one can eventually lose a campaign.
"Not all that is useful in battle happens while on the battlefield. Military intelligence needs as much actionable data as it can obtain in order to create a cohesive strategy. Without an Objective to work towards, all lives lost are in vain."
Hanse nodded again. "Right. So are you asking for our assistance in building an intelligence network?" He looked eager. This would tie down the Eridani Light Horse to House Davion even further.
"Ah, well. We have already begun. We happened to get our hands on some data that my conscience cannot allow me to go without being passed on to its target. We have no means at this time to verify this, but you should be able to do so with more… subtlety."
"The target. You mean me and Ardan?" Having himself be a target for all sorts of skullduggery was nothing new to Hanse, but straight-edged Ardan Sortek? That seemed to really irk him. His friend was a simple man with simple desires, to serve the Federated Suns on the field of battle. The only reason to meddle with him is because it could emotionally hurt Hanse.
Very carefully, Nathan Armstrong reached into his jacket and took out a folded envelope and a lighter that had already passed several security checks.
"For your eyes only. Even right now, we should not speak of this lightly. Please burn after reading."
With one raised eyebrow, Hanse took the envelope. He unfolded the paper within and began to read. As his gaze passed line by line, the easy grin on his face faded into a stony mask.
He looked up, and gone was the affable round-faced nature that so endeared him to the Federated Suns to be replaced with the keen and ruthless political mind that earned him the name "The Fox". He said "This sounds… all too far-fetched."
Armstrong opened his arms out in a minute shrug. "And yet not all that impossible. Again, we are in no position to verify this."
Hanse glanced towards Ardan. His expression stormed with indecision, and then he sighed. He beckoned his friend closer, and with a shush gesture to his own lips passed the paper over.
Ardan read through the paper, then scowled.
"This is nonsense!" he spat out, glaring at the man. What respect he had for the Eridani Light Horse and their scrupulous SLDF tradition was tarnished slightly. "You can't seriously expect me to believe-"
"Believing is not at all required," said Hanse. "Intelligence without verification is just a story that might as well be fiction, right?" He grinned again. "Who knows - maybe someone could make a holo about this someday."
He took back the piece of paper from Ardan's hands and set it alight.
"Your request to detach a portion of your regiment is has my blessing. We're going to find a way to make do. House Davion has been fighting Kurita for over half a millennium now, a little less won't break us. As for anything else… well, that's beyond your remit, isn't it?"
"Thank you, Prince Davion. Yes, we are more comfortable with being soldiers."
Ardan Sortek was not as convinced. "How is this not a dereliction of duty? Think about the people that could have been helped during that time."
"Administration is the most boring, mind-numbing part of running a military organization, but it is infinitely preferable to fighting without adequate transport or ammunition," replied Nathan. "The SLDF is not in the habit of leaving people to die. The regiments without will just have to fight twice as hard when called, I suppose."
Ardan Sortek looked away and coughed into his hand with a noise that sounded something like 'hurensky'.
Armstrong nodded. "And sometimes assholes are just assholes, and sacrificing your precious people for the forever ungrateful is foolish to the extreme."
Ardan bristled. "What are you implying?!"
Armstrong shrugged. "The Eridani Light Horse was originally assigned to the Rasalhague District to keep peace between Steiner and Kurita, even as barely-disguised pirates and bandits raided each other's worlds. When Kerensky called, the Eleventh Corps, Third RCT remained in service to the people. We defended the Draconis Combine against the first thrusts of the Lyran Commonwealth.
"Then we heard about the atrocity that was Kentares and realized that House Kurita was not a fitting place for us. On Sendai, the Draconis Combine murdered our dependents, and so we our own grudges to bear against them as the Federated Suns do. Sometimes you have to help yourself to be in a position to help more people - soldiers are soldiers, heroes are heroes, but martyrdom doesn't save people. It only inspires others to do the work you can't do anymore."
"You know, I have to ask - why did it take this long for the Eridani Light Horse to consider working for House Davion?" Ardan asked next.
Nathan Armstrong looked out the large arched window. The lavish expanse of Davion Palace with its multiple gardens and broad plazas hid a structure designed to be defended and fought over using BattleMechs. "The Light Horse on our exit from Kuritan space first decided to head towards Marik space. The Free Worlds League seemed to us as the closest to the Star League principles as, you will have to forgive me, Davion monarchy is just as willing to fight for worlds as anyone. The absolutist autocracy of House Kurita was bad enough, House Davion like House Steiner just seemed too centralized to be comfortable for us."
"Heh. First time I hear the League being a dysfunctional factional pit of voles being a feature," said Hanse. "That's fair."
Then mused as well "Minoru Kurita declaring himself the First Lord needed to be opposed, but even now I'm not sure if John Davion really needed to declare for it himself. Relationship between the Terran Hegemony and the Federated Suns had always been good, would it have been so bad? I'm sure House Davion could have smoothly continued the Star League norms, compared to other claimants."
"The destruction and atrocities of the First Succession Wars make such concerns moot, my Lord. Everyone was mongering for worlds. The Light Horse in service to House Marik felt that the luxury being offered to us was tempting us to let go of the traditions and standards of SLDF and be just highly regarded Marik troops. That's why the Eridani Light Horse split apart and went off to the Periphery."
Ardan wondered if this was a subtle insult being directed at the Crucis Lancers. "But that didn't work out so well for you, did it?"
"The lack of resources eventually just forced the Light Horse Regiments to farm the poor soil. A pirate raid in full regiment strength raided our supply center, which had always been suspicious. This forced the compromise to lend out the military services of the Third RCT. That was when we traveled to the Lyran Commonwealth and spent over seventy years teaching the Draconis Combine to fear the sign of the trotting brown horse."
Ardan sniffed. Well he could respect that, at least.
"In 2946, the Eridani Light Horse matched against Bronson's Horde, the mercenary unit that was formed from elements that stayed within the Free Worlds League. As a Brevet General, I can be replaced if ever I let mercenary considerations take over Eridani tradition. We broke the back of Bronson's Horde over our knee and even now they fight for and against all Great Houses as little more than bandits and pirates.
"That is the importance of tradition and history. All mercenary commands have their own histories, their own mythologies, but ever has the Eridani Light Horse centered itself on the highest standards of the SLDF. Our dream is someday, maybe, if we keep fighting long enough and serve worthy leaders - maybe someday we would live to see the Star League reborn and humanity at peace once more."
"Heh." Hanse grinned twistedly again and casually lounged back with an arm over the back of his chair. With a teasing tone "If you really believe that, as the remaining piece of the SLDF, why don't you just take Terra?"
Hanse was just joking, for of course Terra's protection in the middle of the Inner Sphere was its neutrality. Taking Terra would ruin the neutrality of the HPG network and the free trade passing through the Terran corridor and would then have to fight off everybody.
The strength of the SLDF.
The might of the Terran Hegemony.
Kerensky took away the army that did have the power to fight off everybody. Without it, quickly and completely, did the entirety of the Terran Hegemony vanish, devoured by the Carrion Lords.
He was a Lyran orphan. He had no particular attachment to Terra.
It would take immense, colossal, insane power to rebuild the core of the Star League.
Armstrong closed his eyes. Just a dream, nothing more.
-.
-.
Colchester
Crucis March
Federated Suns
One month ago
"Robotnik, why am I getting shipments of Fluid Guns?" Armstrong asked with a sigh.
Robotnik responded: "The Urbanmech asks a question: can an Assault Mech still hit you if you have completely obscured its vision with Obscurant? Probably. But what if its footing is unstable under an Oil Slick? Chances are high. What if it's also on fire and bathing in Inferno Gel? Now it has bigger problems to worry about. Frankly at this point the metal-eating Corrosive is just adding insult to injury.
"We can go full Wizard on this thing! No sense of right or wrong! URBAWIZARD, HARRY!
"More rationally: Fluid Guns are useful for police actions. Expect shipments of regular Urbanmechs even before you go off to claim my cache. I accept myself as a man who knows the value of patience, but also recklessly impulsive when it suits me. Go test them out with the kids."
"How is this even possible if you're dead? Are you even actually dead?"
"Does the concept of custom shipping orders somehow elude you?"
Armstrong closed his eyes and massaged the furrow between his brows. Fine. Someone who had enough spycraft to penetrate the Maskirovka probably has enough black funding for all sorts of things. Due to the nature of interstellar transport and specialized industries, many worlds already order things via HPG and then the sender only ships them out as JumpShips become available heading towards the target world.
But-
"You are much too conversant for a mere recording. How are you even responding to me right now?"
"I'm just responding to what a reasonable person would say in your situation triggered by keywords. Do you think somehow I'm getting HPG signals through? Your whole base would be blasting with ECM and radiation from the HyperPulse wave right now."
"What if you're like, I don't know, some sort of brain in a jar or something."
"Do you actually think whatever measly processor your stupid holo playback device has the capacity to run a human mind or some sort of artificial intelligence? Don't be silly beans. Heck, it doesn't even have a way to receive outside signals, does it?"
"If you had the time to make so many of these recordings to deal with every possible topic, maybe you should have spent more of it with your son. This legacy of words isn't the same as having a father."
"I tried, but I had to send him away. Let him remember me only in happy times, not as the withered cancerous carcass I would soon become. Let his memory only have his father always being a strength in his life that he can always rely on. And grow up as a man of strength and vision that can support others."
"I think being too concerned with appearances is too egotistical of you, but too late now, I suppose."
"I don't know what to say about that."