From the various News outlets of the Inner Sphere
6. January 3023
Peace between the Lyran Commonwealth and the Draconis Combine!
Today the Archon and the Coordinator signed the Peace of Arcturus. It is the first peace treaty between Successor States with a long-standing enmity since the Fall of the Star League. While the negotiations have already been going on for half a year, following a cease-fire between Houses Steiner and Kurita declared last June, analysts are secure in their opinion that other events hastened the discussions between the two Star empires.
With the formation of the "Concord of Oriente" by Houses Davion and Marik, the first alliance of major Star empires in centuries, late last year as a counter to major offensives by LCAF and DCMS, the political pressure on the coreward Houses had undoubtedly risen.
Hilton Head Island, TerraSol-System
3026
Political Overview: After the scarce the Commonwealth and Combine gave us (and the rest of the Inner Sphere) on 6. January 3023 with the signing of a peace treaty between both nations, we can say that the most adverse possibilities for us are to be ruled out.
It seems that the treaty was not done for a new great offensive against the Steiner´s and Kurita´s other main enemy, the Free Worlds League and the Federated suns respectively, but because of exhaustion. Of the military units both nations could have moved away from their common border, without lowering the security level below the needed minimum, just roughly a third were moved. This means two possible scenarios: The Commonwealth and Combine do not trust each other, which is highly likely given their shared history in the last centuries. Or both nations are exhausted, the DC economically, since our blessed order has access to most of the data we knew of their eroding "Pillar of Jade", the LC mentally, since war is a necessary evil for them to protect their industry, the Lyrans real religion. A third option is a combination of the above.
Nevertheless, both Lyrans and Kuritas used the reinforcement of their rimward borders for a "final attack" before going into a defensive mode we see now for two quarters of 3026. This reluctance to go on a, presumed by many sides, great offensive, especially the Bushido-driven Combine, is a lynchpin of the assessment of war exhaustion. Tharkad and Luthien know that with every day they let go by without hitting the FWL and FS with their for now superior numbers on that fronts, the signatories of the "Concord of Oriente" might find a real solution for combating their foes.
All the conquests made by the Steiner and Kurita militaries speak of a defensive strategy with a focus of getting the ability for conquests of opportunity and raids on important worlds. For a bit more detail, please read the following.
Since 3022 the following FWL and FS worlds were conquered by the Lyrans and the Combine:
Lyran Commonwealth - Amity, Concord, Danais, Helm, Kalidasa, Millungera, Nockatunga, Rochelle, Shiloh and Uhuru
Draconis Combine - Bergman´s Planet, Cassias, Deshler, Elidere IV, Galtor III, Harpster, Harrow´s Sun, Marduk and New Aberdeen
While industrial hubs like Kalisada and Marduk are real prizes, the only viable reasons to invest the resources to take e.g. Nockatunga or Harpster are strategic or political.
We do not know how much the Combine, especially the ISF, know about the Feud between Hanse Davion and Michael Hasek-Davion, but the conquest of Elidere has heightened the tension in the upper echolon of the Suns.
The Lyran vectors into the Free Worlds League are in one case reconquest of systems lost during the 3. Succession War and then to get systems as starting points for raids and real offensives. With the frontlines as they are now, the Steiner forces can strike or attempt to conquer easily important FWL systems like Tamarind, Thermopolis or Stewart.
The Combine´s attacks netted them an important Mechfactory and they straightened out most of the "Galtor-Bulge" in the frontline.
These successes notwithstanding the two Houses could have attacked with far more force than they did in the last years. The only logical conclusion, since there is nothing in the mass of Data our Order accumulates every year that gives hints to other possibilities, is that DC and LC are trying to recover, which means they are harder under pressure than we assumed considering the general state of the Inner Sphere. If even the economic powerhouse of the Sphere is weakened so far militarily, then the time might be near for our order to bring the enlightenment of Blake to the Houses.
We should give the Fox some hints about the weakness of the Steiners, he has enough ideas, we can make him act on them.
He might already doing so, since the separatist movement in the Federation of Skye under Duke Aldo Lestrade is acting more openly and with greater resources than indicated before. The Isle of Skye is majorly for the Duke, while the Rahneshire is on the side of the Archon. The Virginiashire is parted by location. The worlds bordering the Combine are pro-Archon, while those close to the Isle of Skye are pro-Lestrade. Here is a lot of fuel which could trigger an uprising in Skye. Which would be a positive development for us, the FWL and the FS.
We should keep an eye on this.
The Combine´s internal situation is as always not easy to predict due to their closed society, but there seems to be a very conservative or reactionary group forming called the Kokuryu-kai, the Black Dragon, which is against working with non-Kuritans. We try to contact them.
The "Concord of Oriente": This alliance between Houses Davion and Marik has been put hastily together after the Commonwealth-Combine peace treaty negotiations became earnest and concrete. Rumours we could find out say, that the Prince was not really convinced that signing an alliance was the right thing at that time.
He feared the political repercussions, but AFFS and the foreign ministry got him to sign to put up a sign against greater Draconis aggression sure to come.
Well, Prince Hanse´s prediction of a counter-alliance by Combine and Commonwealth has so far not come true, which is more indication that the Steiner-Kurita treaties were a desperate measure, but the relations of the Federated Suns with the Combine and now especially the Commonwealth hit a new low.
We are rather sure, that while old enmity hinders an LC-DC alliance forming, Tharkad and Luthien will not break the peace for some time to come, since it allows them to concentrate more forces at their other borders than they could before.
If I may voice a personal opinion to the esteemed Inner Circuit? I think the First Prince was right that the treaty with the Mariks was a hipshot. Especially since the Liaos are not in it. After "Operation Doppelgänger" there was no chance for that. There might be the possibility of a two-front attack against the Capellans for revenge and their industries, but at the moment I do not see it coming, since the FS and FWL would need to concentrate forces there, which would allow Commonwealth and Combine to widen their operations against them, even if for now the Archon and the Coordinator do not commit all they could. Still, a sudden strike against Liao might be the key, since it could surprise the Steiners and Kuritas, before they can move more units in position.
Economically, the move by Atreus and New Avalon to close an alliance was the opposite of the political outcome. The FWL is the second-strongest economy after the Lyrans and this will help the Federated Suns a lot. Additionally, the FWL has a very good Jumpship production rate, which will also help the notoriously short on Jumpships FS. But considering the sheer amount needed, this is a long-term project.
All in all, the situation remains volatile and considering the relative lull in the fighting, I think we will see the next Succession War in a few years, around 3030.
From the "ROM"-Year´s End Report 3026
"I can remember this day like it happened yesterday. Being at Events of this magnitude personally, is not something you forget, even nearly six decades later."
- Brigade General (ret.) Jochen Koch, at his 110th birthday
Mount Nagayan, HelmRahneshire, Lyran Commonwealth
7. September 3025
"Sugoi!"
"Sie haben recht, Tai-sa, dies hier ist sagenhaft!" (You are right, Colonel, this here is fabulous!), answered Oberst (Colonel) Jochen Koch, the Commander of the 3. Lyran Guards, in the same slightly awed voice as the Kuritan officer.
For the veteran Mechwarrior and long-time C.O. of the "Eversworded Third" the short campaign against the Mariks was his last tour of duty before retirement. And what a special tour it was from the onset, still this topped it.
As a prestigious unit with known chivalrous conduct, the 3. Lyran Guards had been one of the regiments which got a small Kuritan liaison group assigned in 3024. Both governments wanted a new point of view on tactics, strategies and generally to close the rifts between the two Houses. So liaisons had been sent to chosen units of the LCAF and DCMS. If the "first run" would go well, the others regiments would get liaison groups too.
The Thirds´ liaison group commander was one Tai-sa (Colonel) Tenshi Aragaki, who had served with Dieron Regulars and Sword of Light units. For the Guards and especially her Commander Oberst Koch, it was clear soon, that Tai-sa Aragaki was a Kuritan Samurai through and through. But while he tried to achieve accordance with the Bushido, he was open for new ideas, if they were "honourable". A running gag developed fast in the 3. Lyran Guards about the methods the Kuritas must have employed to find an officer open enough to get along with the "lowly merchants" they were.
Jokes aside, Colonel Aragaki impressed the Guards with his manners, sometimes sharp insights and his talent at the Mechcontrols. Tenshi Aragaki was impressed by the "Eversworded Third" as well. Compared to most Combine troops except the elite units, the LCAF was lavishly equipped with Mechs and Materials, but it were the soldiers of the Third who impressed him the most. Despite the common perception in the DCMS and Tenshi himself had seen and used some "classics" by the worst of Social Generals, the Lyran warriors were good, really good. It seemed the Lyrans problem was the bloated officers corps. The Social Generals who did know nothing about war, were fewer than thought, but they tainted the perception and the good work of others.
The Third´s high standard was certainly not the common one across the LCAF, but then again some DCMS units left much to desire as well, Aragaki shuddered just thinking about sinkholes like the Legion Vega.
Before coming to the Commonwealth, he would never have kindled the thought that Lyrans and Kuritas could really work together, their way of life too different. As an officer close to Heir Theodore, he knew about what happened behind the curtains with DC and LC, but he had had reservations if it could function beyond some basics.
Now being in the Commonwealth for over a year, his reservations were reduced. While quite a bit away from being Samurai, the Lyrans had their own advantages, codes of conduct and all in all every Pillar of State had it´s importance. Actually their mastery of Production and Trade was already benefitting the Combine enormously.
But Tenchi and his 9 comrades in the liaison group had been most pleased when they heard that the 3. Lyran Guards would be among those hitting the FWL to take some strategic systems from the Mariks.
The Kuritas had been everywhere, sometimes even observing as co-riders in Lyran command Mechs and as warriors they hoped that the end target of the offensive the Third was part of, the world of Stewart, would be reached in 3026.
When the Guards came to Helm to conquer the system as a jumping point for attacks against Stewart, one evening during an informal get-together Tai-sa Aragaki had told the Lyrans about his ancestor who had been a Mechwarrior in the First Succession War. He was with the invasion force of Minoru Kurita´s attempt to get the SLDF depots of Helm, which were said to be full of resources and stuff, but the depots had been evacuated. If just somewhere else on the planet, since the defenders had little time or if the Mariks had found it before, they never knew. Rumours about the depots persisted into the present, mostly in Comstar.
The Order, always a bit obsessive when it came to defending their High-Tech monopole in many areas, seemed to had taken a special interest in Helm in the last months. The Third had to battle the 20. Marik Militia, which had taken care to be as destructive in the fighting as they could be, especially collateral damage, very disturbing.
Had the battle been gone on for longer, Koch would have been requesting a declaration of "Vogelfrei" (Outlawed) on the Marik unit.
During the bloody fights, a sudden strike by the Thirds´ Aerospace fighters, which had been held in Reserve for such an occasion, had destroyed the Field H.Q. of the Mariks, after that the fight had been over soon.
When the position had been reached by Lyran forces, between those who had died was a small group of Comstar personnel. Unusual, but even more unusual was that there was still tentative evidence, that the battle had mainly been led by the Comstar people.
These events led the Colonel to the decision to search for the elusive SLDF depots, starting from where the Militia had been especially marauding, extending outward.
In the second week after Helm had been taken, a combined Lyran/Kuritan search unit (Tai-sa Aragaki unsurprisingly had been very interested in that search) had been successful. The depots had been shifted and were still on Helm. A real "Bonanza".
But as impressed as all were from the "raw materials", the Thirds´ chief technician led the two Colonels into a computer chamber. While looking rather standard, the real prize was in the computer storage, they had been told. The best Techs of the 3. Lyran Guards were busy copying the data into high-security storages.
"Herr Oberst, Tai-sa", Chief Schlechtweg was literally walking on air, "this is the biggest Lostech found in centuries! Not in mass, there had been caches found with even more machinery, just look at the Wolf Dragoons with their Mechs, they must have found an old SLDF storage too, but in worth."
"Schlechtweg, I know what a big discovery we all made, but what is getting you this exited? Considering your reaction, I see that it is really big, but on the outside this computer looks rather normal. There are some things I hope for, but please stop keeping us in suspense."
"Sorry, Colonel, but for us Techs it is not the Holy Grail, but not far away from it."
Koch made an "at ease" gesture, he and Aragaki were exited as well.
"No Problem, Chief, I know how important the upkeep and recovering of High-Tech is."
"Colonels, in that computer is a Star League library from shortly before the First Succession War. Full of various topics, many of them technical!"
A short silence descended on the three men, all knew what this could mean. A total reversal of the slow loss and loss of knowledge. For moments only the beeps, whirrs and low voices of the Techs could be heard. But the pure joy everybody in the small room felt, could nearly be touched by hand.
"We have already two copies made, one for us, one for the Tai-sa, secured outside and simply copy several reserve ones. We have disabled the main self-destruction device, but to be sure that nothing happens later, I would advice to keep the facility off-limits for 3 weeks, with a bomb squad searching this place for some hidden 'gifts'."
"Good idea! I will arrange everything. Leave the depot as soon as your are ready and be careful. Thanks, Chief!"
Koch and Aragaki left the depot, talking excitedly about this found.
"At the moment, only our two nations possess this library. What do you think how long we will keep this advantage, Colonel?"
"Tai-sa, I fear not as long as we wish. We have to spread it wide throughout our realms, if we want a fast recovery, so spies will sooner or later get it. But we should have exclusive access for at least some years. We must use that time well."
The Fox Den, New AvalonCrucis March, Federated Suns
5. January 3027
"How is it going, Blue?"
The MIIO agent reporting to the First Prince, Duchess Fenlon, Ardan Sortek and Morgan Hasek-Davion directly, was of average build and look. Easily forgotten, an advantage not to be underestimated.
"'Operation Free Albion' is running smoothly, your Highness! It was managed to get all Virginiashire systems rimwards of a line Laurieston-Freedom-Ryde onto the side of the Duke. He has the backing of the Isle of Skye and these worlds. Using the cultural ties and discrepancies to sow strife was very effective. As was decrying the peace with the Dracs. The only wormwood with this tactic was that all DC border planets in the Virginiashire and the whole Rahneshire, which profit from the peace stand and will stand on the side of the Archon. Not that it will matter much after we have taken Hesperus II. Then the rest of the Federation of Skye will change allegiance, maybe except for some hard patriotic systems."
"What about the Hesperus part of the Plan?"
"We just wait for your order, my Prince! Lestrade seems to have worked for a longer time than the current Archon is even in office on his 'Independence Plan'. We were able to transport our attack force in secrecy into striking distance of Hesperus. A simple message - Skye will revolt and Hesperus will fall."
"The political situation?"
"While Duke Lestrade would prefer to reign an independent Federation of Skye stat, he will stand on the side of the Federated Suns until we, the Mariks and his forces took care of the Steiners and later on the Snakes. His Skye will stay allied to us, but be an independent State from then on. Since we descended in part from the same Anglo-Scottish-Irish stock, Duke Lestrade sees us as closer in spirit than the German Steiners. Interestingly, he shares the same dislike of the Mariks as the compatriots he wants to get rid off."
"Will this be a problem to our alliance with Atreus?", interjected Duchess Fenlon.
"No, Lestrade knows that his dream can only become true with our help. He wanted to make a deal with Frederick Steiner after helping him get the Archonship, but Frederick and Katrina Steiner, while not fully reconciled, have found a working relationship. Which actually gets better the longer the peace with the Combine holds. It seems, that her prestige spurt by getting a functioning treaty with the Snakes impressed Frederick much.
So Lestrade needs outside help, especially since even in the Isle of Skye there are non Anglo-Irish minorities and Lyran patriots. To win them over or persuade them to leave, he needs a drumbeat."
"The attack on Hesperus II. Where our Davion Guards, Crucis Lanciers and New Ivaarsen Chasseurs together with one of these so-called 'Free' Skye Rangers will take the Planet for the 'Free Skye Federation'.", came the deep voice of Morgan Hasek-Davion from the background.
"Exactly, your Grace. But you sound doubtful, if I may say so. We send 5 regiments from three of our best Brigades plus the Skye regiment and surprise is on our side. The LCAF is no match for our AFFS.", replied the MIIO agent.
Morgan, the tall, muscular Mechwarrior and only Hasek-Davion First Prince Hanse trusted, had not reached his high position by being mute.
"Agent Blue, Hesperus has been attacked seriously over a dozen times and the Lyrans were always victorious. I concur that we have a strong force, esp. if the hints are right in that the Lyrans are exhausted and the surprise of the attack and an uprising on our side. And I have the greatest respect for Ran Felsner, who is personally leading the force. Victory should be ours. And I see the great gains we would make militarily and politically.
But let´s think about the unthinkable. The defenders of Hesperus repel our regiments. Even with the Isle of Skye in flames our warriors would be in enemy territory, since Hesperus lies in the Rahneshire. You said it yourself just minutes ago, the Rahneshire is loyal to Tharkad.
Somehow I truly doubt them changing allegiance, nor that many Isle of Skye and southern Virginiashire planets, if Hesperus does not fall. And then? In the worst case, our troops would be at least 4 jumps from the next FWL system, not to speak about the jumps needed to reach Caph."
Ardan Sortek had just waited for Morgan´s pause. He and the heir to New Syrtis had had doubts from the onset of this plan. It had many of the daring, unconventional ideas Hanse was famous for, but both men could not shake the feeling that this plan, however many rewards it could bring, was a Dare to Fate too far.
"Hanse, Morgan is right. We are your friends and do not criticize the potential gains. They would be huge, but this Operation is simply a maximum risk gamble, especially with our concentrating of forces in the March Draconis to retake Marduk soon.
Since we cannot let the defence against the Cappis slide, you know as well as we do, that to get the forces needed for the offensives to the front, we had to denude most of the Periphery borders."
Hanse Davion stroked swiftly through one side of his red hair. "I know, Ardan. And I do not like that one bit. But we have to set a sign that the Concord of Oriente and our beloved Suns above all, were and are the premier Houses of the Sphere. Janos Marik asked me personally to help his forces. And since we still are limited by the fact that our two realms have no common border and the Capellans still in the way, we have to get a breathtaking pause on the Combine front and to keep the Lyrans busy with other things. Then Janos´ and our troops will bring down the Cappies."
"Hanse, we had a talk like this before and while I get it, still not like, but get why you stir up internal trouble in potentially friendly Houses, this is shot too fast. The Lyrans will be angry enough once they find out, which state helped a traitor spreading his seditious messages. But while technically there is no cease-fire between the LC and us any longer, the Lyrans have not attacked us even once in the last years.
If we give 'Albion' the green light, no matter how successful, the Elsies won´t forget this for a long time. We would have three of the Houses against us. For now, the Lyrans do not coordinate with the Dracs, they are just at peace. Their non-aggression against us might be a sign that they are still willing to negotiate. Albion will wreck-"
"Colonel Sortek", interrupted the Duchess, "you say it yourself, for now, might, - The Lyrans decided to discontinue our treaty negotiations, despite our generous offers. They made their bed, now they have to lie in it. For all we know, they could be preparing a major attack right now. At the moment they have a luxury we do not, the ability to securely strip one of their borders to the bare minimum of forces. Soon they will turn their greedy eyes on our worlds, now that they can spare units."
While Ardan Sortek did not have the rank to really discuss the matter with the foreign minister, Morgan Hasek-Davion had.
"Olivia, we all know the truth behind the propaganda articles we spread in the aftermath of the negotiations. Our offer was mainly good for us.-"
"Yes, naturally, we have to look out for our nation first, but there were enough perks for the Lyrans in it. Far more than the Snakes would ever give them."
Hanse entered the talk again. "I have to agree with Olivia on this one, Morgan. You are right, our offer was more positive for the Federated Suns than the Lyran Commonwealth, but good enough for contentment on both sides.
I have to say that while the League will help us greatly, their great Jumpship production capacity alone will be a boon for us in the future we still cannot fully estimate, I would have liked a treaty with the Lyrans more since they have even more money and general production capacity, High-Tech in particular, than the Mariks.
Since the Elsies did not take our good offer, we have to hinder them helping the Snakes."
Morgan´s short thoughtful look at Prince Hanse and Duchess Olivia surprised many bystanders in the Den, but the tall New Syrtian continued.
"Hanse, Olivia, pardon me for saying this, but we cannot let us blind by our old perceptions of the other Houses. New Avalon might be too close to the scene to see it, but since I have lived much of my life on New Syrtis, far from both Combine and Commonwealth, I have a different look on some things about those two. I even used some old connections of my father, after I heard the plan outline first.
We simply estimated and not without reason that the standard response would be no other House beside us would start negotiations with the Lyrans. If we would have been the only nation, then the Elsies would have accepted, because having some advantages instead of none is still the better deal. But this time the Dracs, for whatever reason, decided to come to the table too. And -"
"Yes, but as said, the Dracs cannot, even if they wanted to, offer what we did."
"Olivia, herein lies the folly we made. We did not really anticipate, since we all grew too fond of the routine of the Succession Wars, the wants of the Lyrans. We never asked, if what we see as an advantage, do the Elsies see it so as well?
My contacts told me that the LC, maybe because they are the only House which could save a glimmer of the Star League into the present, is really concerned about more ongoing Tech-loss. The Lyrans might simply wanted to have some peace to recover from the wounds of the Wars and the Combine gave them that. Not our offer with the certainty of another war in the immediate future.
And more, the Snakes might have been lucky to break with their tradition of not responding to others. The treaty of 3024 has started a thaw in relations between Tharkad and Luthien. The Dracs continue to gain in public opinion. There is still bad blood, but the common citizen thinks that if even their oldest enemy can see why peace is a must, then there is hope for the future. The Lyran public is actually very displeased with us and the Mariks because of their peace proposal and our reaction. In the case of the 'Cappis' they are less so, since beside trade, there is only occasional contact, so the average Lyran does not have much against the Confederation."
"Taking away Hesperus makes them vulnerable once more for Combine attacks too"
"If we take Hesperus. If we do not, the peace between the Snakes and the Combine will hold a lot longer. And they might really begin to work together. Hanse, there has to be another token you can give the League public as help. Say attacking Rigel Centaurus, showing that we want to take pressure away from them, before there might be another uprising."
"Morgan, you know we are in the deciding phase if we want to unite the League and the Suns by marriage and cement our alliance."
"Yes, I know. But this attack against Hesperus is a gamble that can go horribly wrong. If I would ask you to reconsider and green light a less ambitious, but more secure Try to help the Free Worlds, would you?"
"As much as it pains me, Morgan, we have to go through with Operation Albion."
It was a big surprise for the people in the Fox Den, when Ardan Sortek and Morgan Hasek-Davion suddenly had their weapons out and a second Hanse Davion entered the room.
"I have to say, your plan is good, but too risky, Imposter."
"Hanse, I had trouble believing my sources and Ardan´s tale, but the fact that he", Morgan pointed to the other Hanse, "pushed on without listening to "his" friends, erased the last few doubts I had."
The Hanse that had been in the room the whole time showed disbelief on his face. "What do you mean with 'Imposter'? The only imposter here is you, trying to undermine the Federated Suns. How could you gain the trust of my oldest friends? Guards please arrest this person and Colonels Sortek and Hasek-Davion. It seems, Morgan, your father´s blood does taint you."
Nobody followed the order. The newly arrived Hanse spoke again, having fixated the others face the whole time.
"The Game is over. Most people here in the Den knew about my return from captivity since yesterday. We just gave you the chance to unmask yourself and you did. Trying to push your plan through gave you away. Your plan is sound, I admit, which seems to be the reason that you could win government members for it, but it is far too daring in our momentary position.
One mistake and the backlash would shake the position of the Suns quite heavily.
Which is what your masters hope for."
The First Prince´s voice got a bit softer. "You truly believe to be me, I can see it in your eyes. I do not know if you were willingly going into this operation or never had a choice, so I exile you to Cogdell, where you will live under close observation. Now we have to stop this 'Declaration of war' against the Lyrans."
One of the communication experts was already standing there to take the coded message to the HPG-station, when the false Hanse Davion began to laugh.
"Imposter, the Federated Suns are lucky that I had a feeling in the last weeks. So I gave Field Marshal Felsner coded orders in secrecy before his lift-off. I doubt he will listen to you. The Federated Suns will be saved by our triumph on Hesperus. You will all see then, who is the real first Prince."