Chapter 56

Castle Davion, New Avalon

Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth

4 April 3058

Kate's office had changed.

She couldn't put her finger on it at first. No one had used it while she was away on Northwind and Terra Firma. Marie hadn't added or removed anything while she was using it as the regent. There hadn't been any redecoration, although it would have been a good opportunity if the room had needed it.

(Now that she thought about it, the fist-and-sunburst woven into the curtains might need to be changed. Or maybe not. It was a subtle, but present, statement of her commitment to the alliance. Something to consider.)

"Being behind the Free Worlds League in warship strength," she said, "I can understand. But behind the Capellans? And by this much?"

"We believe the Word of Blake has helped them considerably more than ComStar was willing to aid us," Alex Mallory told her. He was a Capellan specialist and had led MIIO under the auspices of Justin Xiang Allard's leadership of the Intelligence Secretariat as a whole. Though often overshadowed by the other man, his infiltration of the Maskirova thirty years before had been arguably even more successful - at least in terms of actual mission goals. No one had expected Allard to successfully convince Duchess Candace Liao to defect with an entire Commonality. "And that aid we have will likely be constrained in the future."

Kate nodded. Terra had fallen, but ComStar did control the Titan shipyards for now. There was no real chance of that lasting for long though. That would make it much harder for the ComGuards to maintain their own warships, much less export drives to the Federated Commonwealth states.

"We have built five corvettes," she said. "One more by the end of this year. The Avalon and two more corvettes next year? Compared to which...?"

"The Capellans didn't construct their destroyers," protested Admiral Buchwald. "They were constructed in League yards. Their first home-built warship won't launch until the end of this year."

Mallory cleared his throat. "The end of summer," he corrected. "The yards are pushing harder than previously expected."

And the CCS Feng Huang would be a battlecruiser, almost four times the size of any of the corvettes. Not to mention that two of the corvettes built at Galax were on their way to Alarion, to form the seed of what would now be a separate Lyran warship fleet. If Victor had been on Tharkad and in position to argue then it might have been three of them. Morgan Hasek-Davion was at least conscious of the threat posed by House Liao and willing to wait for a third corvette.

Kate indicated the map on the display. "I don't know who came up with the strategy, but the Capellans have found an excellent way to put pressure on the Sarna Supremacy. The blockade of Sarna means they can't reinforce Kaifeng against the current invasion and they're also suffering economic depression. It might be enough to bring down the government." She gestured to the various undecided worlds 'behind' Sarna, and stretching to the Capellan March. "It's stopped the spread of Sarna influence on neighboring worlds."

"Good for us," Buchwald pointed out. "They were competing with us for control of that region."

"Not when the Capellans are taking up the slack," Mallory admitted. "Our focus has still been on the more coreward worlds - particularly when it comes to Styk and Small World's pocket realms."

Kate nodded. "At this point, a strong Sarna Supremacy is a counterbalance to the Capellans and we benefit from that. I want that blockade broken, Admiral."

"Your highness," Buchwald said cautiously. "Our corvettes are half the size of those destroyers. If we lose them, our warship fleet is non-existent for a year. All the money, resources and favors invested -"

She pushed her seat back and stood. Crossing the room she opened the cabinet to one side and lifted out the model of a Fox-class corvette from it. "Admiral, you have told my brother and I that you would deliver a fighting navy, something I confess the Federated Suns have rarely managed in our history. If these ships," she brandished the model, "will not fight, then what use are they?"

"There will be losses. Combat losses, perhaps even a total destruction."

"I'm aware - painfully aware - of that fact," Kate told him quietly. "The Capellans raided Lee in 3055 and they cost us a valuable assault dropship, showing naval supremacy. We cannot afford to let them keep doing that. Do not tell me we cannot fight for Sarna. Tell me what you need to make this work!"

The older man stared at her for a moment and then he began to think, really think, about it. "The corvettes can carry more dropships," he said at last. "Ship on ship, we can't match those destroyers yet. Certainly not that battlecruiser. It means… if you want this, then it means going now and before the Feng Huang can be deployed."

Kate went back to her seat and gestured for him to go on.

"I'll need to commit our newest assault dropships and every aerospace fighter we can take," Buchwald continued. "Ideally, that means taking our Vengeances."

Those were the largest combat dropships available, dedicated aerospace carriers. Each could carry twice as many fighters as one of the destroyers, and they weren't built in the Federated Suns, which made them impossible to replace right now. "Take three of them," she said without hesitation. "And assign the best fighters we have. I know we can't make this another Lee Turkey Shoot, but I'm not pulling my punches here."

The Third Succession War victory over Lee had been a crushing victory for the Suns, one that had destroyed Capellan dreams of matching aerospace forces with the Suns. There was a reason that Chancellor Liao had picked Lee to raid three years ago to rebuild the pride of his navy.

Buchwald met her gaze. "We can try, your highness."

"That's all any of us can do, Admiral. Get them moving, you are right about the timing."

Mallory waited for Buchwald to leave and then looked over at Kate. "Do you intend to make an alliance with the Sarnese? They are rebels against the Commonwealth."

"We failed to defend them," she replied. "I am not going to condemn them for looking for ways to protect themselves. If we prop them up, we can work out some compromise over the worlds between our current borders."

"You want to turn them into another St Ives Compact?"

Kate nodded. "If we support them, they can constrain Capellan presence in the region. Right now, that's the biggest threat to our borders. The Combine are still focused on the Clans and Thomas Marik stretched his political capital for his offensive."

"Deferring repayments of our loans from League lenders was a shrewd move by your brother, but the worlds Marik regained do give him a lot of credibility," Mallory warned. "For now, the Capellan alliance is unpopular enough to keep the balance of power in his parliament against further action but that could change."

"Nothing lasts forever in politics," she agreed. "Right now it's Sun-Tzu we have to worry about most, but in a year or two that could change. A stronger Sarna Supremacy aligned with us gives us options to respond." She shook her head. "I hate what happened on Sirius and Procyon, but the fact we put Gryn down buys us time when it comes to the League."

The charismatic Alisander Gryn had taken advantage of the Marik offensive to take control of Sirius and Procyon, with his following taking the HPGs and military equipment belonging to the mercenaries providing the garrisons on both worlds. A former ComStar acolyte, Gryn had espoused a vision of worlds redeemed from what he saw as the evils of technology and had begun to 'purify' his new domain by rounding up intellectuals and technicians, as well as other dissenters, to eliminate them.

Given the Sirian worlds weren't habitable outside of domed cities, the policies were obvious madness… but Gryn held control over communications and military forces until the Denebola SMM were sent to investigate. Already furious at the loss of their homeworld, the Skye March Militia command had taken out their frustrations on Gryn's forces and taken both worlds back.

The ComStar associations had rebounded against Thomas Marik, another former member of the order. It seemed possible that he might have even lost control over the Sirian Lancers who had been denied the chance to retake the two worlds during the offensive.

"Every little helps, I suppose." Mallory bowed his head. "I believe our time is up."

"One last thing - Hammond Davion?"

"On Argyle and fending off a lawsuit from the Inquirer over liability for certain leaks. I take it you would like us to see that the antipathy between them continues?"

"Yes." Kate checked her schedule. "And now I have to make my way to a meeting on setting standards for the uniform of the new AFFS. I'm not entirely sure why they need me to be there. I already told them I just want more body armor worked into the dress uniforms." That might have cut down the casualties suffered from the terrorist attacks in the Sarna March.

"Well, you are the First Prince now."

Oh right. That was what had changed.

Chapter 57

Leitnerton, Coventry

Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth

2 June 3058

There wasn't much left of Leitnerton. That, unfortunately, tended to be the result of battlemechs brawling in streets.

Victor's Dire Wolf stalked across the debris and then stared up the slopes towards the valley road that was the best route to advance up towards the Jade Falcon's bases of operation. It would be the very devil to fight through the narrow confines, only able to bring equal numbers against the technologically superior Clan forces.

Which was why he had no plans to do so.

"Colonel Kell," he asked quietly. "How does it stand?"

Morgan's red and black Archer was unscathed by any of the battle damage that marked Victor's Dire Wolf or any of the other 'mechs that had retaken Leitnerton. He moved the 'mech smoothly to stand by Victor's side. "Dan Allard confirms that they are in position," he confirmed. "The Jade Falcon scouts found them and enough of them have survived that they should have reported back by now."

"Good." Victor inhaled slowly and then let the air out of his lungs. This hadn't been cheap and it could get worse yet. Then he hit the control he'd pre-set for a very specific channel. "Khan Pryde, this is Firestorm Actual. I would like to continue our conversation from Coventry Military Academy."

Then he sat back and waited. It would be unreasonable to think that the Jade Falcon Khan was sitting waiting for him to respond. Around him, the Seventeenth Skye Rangers continued to dig in. The Jade Falcon forces that had been pushed back from Leitnerton might be coming back in a hurry. After all, there were only two ways out of the valley they had used to reach the town and then to retreat and the other end was currently occupied by the 1st Kell Hounds regiment, one of the few Inner Sphere forces that had a significant amount of Clan technology - prizes from Luthien and other clashes with the Clans. They should also be occupying the valley mouth with enough room to use their numbers to full effect.

It didn't take all that long for a familiar voice to reply. "Victor Davion, I presume."

The Archon straightened in his seat. "Steiner-Davion," he corrected. "I am uncertain why you find that so hard to grasp. After all, several distinct Clan bloodhouses share a single name as a result of kinship between their founders. I make no claim to be of the Bloodhouse Steiner, even if we may be distant kin."

The Khan said nothing for a moment. "You were very coy with your name at the military academy. 'Victor' of Twycross, indeed."

"I was there," he pointed out. "It was even my plan, though I was not the overall commander."

"And here?"

"My plan, my command," Victor confirmed. "My responsibility, something you understand, quiaff?"

"Aff," she allowed. "You have at least a small understanding of our ways. So, what do you wish?"

He checked the clocks. "You should be aware that I have most of what remains of your Mu Provisional Galaxy bottled up in a valley near Leitnerton. I have sufficient forces at either end to annihilate those warriors before you relieve them?"

"That may be your belief," Pryde allowed. "What of it?"

Victor had to give her credit. She sounded as if she was genuinely willing to fight that out even if any outcome of that would cost her hundreds of the young warriors she was here to blood, as well as their equipment. Perhaps credit wasn't the word. He glanced at the monitor and checked again for any sign of another Jade Falcon force that could arrive in time to aid a breakout.

As best he could tell, they were none. Even if they had access to the same mine tunnels that the Kell Hounds had used to outflank Mu Galaxy, the nearest Clusters were half a day away. The rugged mountains of the Cross-Divides played no favorites.

"I offer an alternative," he said simply. "Hegira."

"You have not beaten me," the Khan objected haughtily.

Victor leant forwards in his cockpit, even if she couldn't see him. "I would say we have both achieved our goals here on Coventry."

"And what do you know of our goals?"

He grinned savagely. She was listening! "We have taken quite a number of bondsmen. It is plain to see that many of your warriors are raw and untested. This campaign has let you test them in battle - given them a taste of what you hope for if whoever is elected as ilKhan chooses to renounce the truce won at Tukayyid."

Pryde said nothing.

"You also need to show your strength. The Refusal War was a… dirty affair. Your predecessors as Khans did not win much glory for Clan Jade Falcon. And you've pushed almost as far into the Inner Sphere now as you did in 3050. Clan Jade Falcon's talons have clearly not dulled in the last eight years."

"And what have you achieved, Archon?" the Khan demanded.

"We've stopped you," he said quietly, but with certainty. "Not driven you back, that I will admit. But we have managed what the Federated Commonwealth could not do back then: fought you to a standstill. Even worse for you, every world we lost in this campaign has been retaken."

That had been a shell game, covering the shuffling of personnel between commands as Jackson Davion purged AFFS units of Lyrans and replaced them with Suns-born soldiers who preferred not to remain with their previous regiments. It was only after Victor's current command had been delivered to Coventry that it had been possible to look at moving units to take on the garrisons left behind by the Jade Falcons.

"You have amassed enough forces that we need go no further to wet our talons," Pryde confirmed after a moment. "But that hardly leaves us in need of being granted hegira."

Victor thought of Galen Cox, currently in a hospital in the rear area and awaiting transport back to Tharkad. The hospital was a busy one. "I am sure that if the universe was restricted to your Clan and to my own realm you would be entirely happy to make Coventry an eternal war zone, sating your warriors' lust for glory," he told her. "But we both have other enemies and the Wolves are on the prowl."

"You are well informed," she growled.

"The confirmation was welcome," he admitted. Not all of the Wolves who had remained behind were Crusaders and some were keeping communication channels open with Phelan's exiles. Reading between some of the lines made it clear that the new Khan was planning operations to test his reforged forces in battle hitting both of their neighboring invasion corridors. The Ghost Bears could look after themselves, but the supplies and replacement warriors needed by the Jade Falcon garrisons were currently here on Coventry.

Marthe Pryde hissed in frustration. "I was on Alyina," she admitted, "When our forces almost trapped you. It is irksome to find the situation reversed."

Victor hadn't been aware of that, but he didn't see that it mattered. "Is there really anything more for you to gain here?" he asked reasonably.

"To retreat with an enemy in front of us would be disgraceful," the Khan asserted. "And to accept your offer would be to accept defeat."

"If you would prefer to continue fighting as the Wolves tear your occupation corridor to shreds, I can hardly insist," Victor told her bluntly. "Of course, if that is your choice then I will have Colonel Kell's forces close in upon your Mu Galaxy and you will be in the same position but with about three less Clusters of troops by the end of today."

"...Kell?" she asked quizzically. "Is he of the same kinship as the former saKhan of the Wolves?"

"Colonel Morgan Kell is his father."

"Ah, the one with the accursed stealth system on his battlemech. We have been trying to capture that 'mech for over a week now."

Victor hadn't known that, but it did explain the string of Jade Falcon bondsmen that the Kell Hounds had handed off to the custody of his provosts before entering the mine tunnels. "Yes. I have some respect for Phelan Kell but compared to his father, he is something of a disappointment."

"Was he also on Twycross?" enquired Khan Pryde.

"No, but he did deploy on Luthien."

"An impressive codex," she admitted. "But yours is not without its achievements either, Victor Steiner-Davion. If we were to capture you, it might almost be worth entering you to try to win the bloodname of your kinsmen."

"If you captured me, you would arouse a foe more formidable than I think you understand," he told her. Arthur was his viceroy but Kate was his heir and if she was left with both halves of the Federated Commonwealth after everything they'd just been through, she would probably stop at nothing to drag him back.

The Jade Falcon grunted. "For now, I suppose, we do not need to add another enemy. Very well, Archon. I will accept your offer. For now, this world is yours. By our law, both sides are to return any bondsmen taken. If you open the route to Leitnerton, I will have ours convoyed there within… forty-eight hours should be sufficient time."

"That is acceptable," Victor agreed, trying not to sound too gloating. "I will have our own bondsmen gathered here in the same timeframe. Please inform Mu Galaxy that the route for their withdrawal will be cleared within sixty minutes, although they should remain within the marked boundaries of the road."

"Or be fired upon?" challenged Pryde.

"No, but it would take more than an hour to clear the minefields," he told her.

Chapter 58

Castle Davion, New Avalon

Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth

19 June 3058

David Sandoval looked much better than he had back on Terra Firma. Kate knew the doctors had been concerned that taking back his responsibilities would have set back his recovery, but he was one of those men who was most energized by having something constructive to do.

He and his brother both looked good in the new uniforms. They looked very much like the traditional AFFS dress uniforms, with the bottle green jackets and pants, set off by the golden half-breast plates. The main difference was material, with Kate having authorized funding for fabrics that would have been deemed lostech when the old uniforms had been retired. The capes had also been maintained, dark blue with a crimson lining. These were reinforced too and apparently NAIS swore blind that the fabric wouldn't burn even under the heat of a military flamer.

Kate certainly hoped not, since she was wearing one as well and would be trusting her life to that in public in the future.

"You made good time, Field Marshal," she greeted David.

"Thank you, Field Marshal," he replied with a smile. "And belated congratulations on your promotion."

"Yes." Kate was sure her ears were a little red. She hardly felt like a real Field Marshal - although how would she know what that was like? "It was unexpected, but well timed."

"As was your intervention at Sarna," Leah Thomas noted. "The Sarnese have been extremely receptive to receiving a diplomatic visit now that it's possible."

"The victory was won by Admiral Buchwald's preparations," the First Prince said firmly. "An excellent first performance by our warship forces."

Everyone in the room nodded in appreciation. The Capellan blockade of Sarna had required that their warships be spread out, and the arrival of three corvettes along with their task forces had caught them entirely by surprise. CCS Xizang had taken heavy damage before her two sister-ships arrived to reinforce her, and faced by the prospect of losing one of the precious ships even in the event of a victory - and perhaps a second given the balance of aerospace numbers - the Capellan commander had thought better of pressing his luck.

"It will take some months to make good the damage taken by FSS Fox," Stephen Davion pointed out. "The navy can't win a fight without an eye-watering repair bill."

"Better than losing that fight," the Marshal of Sarna pointed out. "If the Supremacy accepts the offered mutual defense treaty, that will make it a great deal easier to hold back Sun-Tzu Liao. I doubt his ambitions fall short of reclaiming every world his grandfather once ruled."

"I think he would be willing to 'compromise' with every world Barbara Liao once ruled." Kate got a few chuckles at that joke. The Capellan Chancellor before the outbreak of the Succession Wars had ruled a far larger realm than her current successor did. "We will need more warships. I've authorized the laying down of the next three Avalon-class cruisers now: Camelot, Caliburn and Camlann. Whether any are purchased by the Lyran fleet or not will depend on future discussions with my brother - I know Alarion are working on a light cruiser but reportedly that's bloating into something larger than the Capellan's Feng Huang."

That got an eye-roll from Ardan Sortek. "Lyrans don't always go for the largest and most expensive option."

"Not always, but in this case… they might be. I've seen the proposed numbers for that thing," James Sandoval admitted. "It does look good, but I can't call it a light cruiser."

Leah Thomas leant forwards. "The New Syrtis shipyards are already thinking about warship construction as well as being available to repair them. If we need to expand production further…"

"More construction in the Capellan March?" the elder Sandoval asked archly.

The Capellan marshal shrugged. "I don't control where we have the infrastructure, James."

Kate raised her hand for peace. "In the short term, that is the situation. If we do ever have the resources to build a shipyard from scratch I will be eyeing the Draconis March, but that is all I can promise."

"It would be a very large endeavor," the duke admitted.

Ardan Sortek cleared his throat. "Moving to the topic we are actually assembled to discuss?"

All eyes turned to where Kate's champion sat facing her from the bottom of the table.

"After discussions with Caesar Steiner and Morgan Hasek-Davion, we have had a proposal from Jackson Davion to continue the AFFC as a third, shared, service for some regiments," Sortek told them. "This would significantly reduce the burden of reorganizing and -" he touched his half-breastplate, "- providing fresh uniforms, stationery and the like."

The marshal of the Crucis March snorted. "It didn't take long for them to buy him off."

"Shut up, Stephen," Sortek said without changing expression at all. "A considerable number of officers and men facing the Clans want more than lip service for the idea that we will continue to support the war against the Clans. Victor's win on Coventry has helped rebuild some of his credibility - everyone loves a winner, and he's the sort of fighting Archon that is popular with men on the sharp end."

"We were already looking at the Federated Commonwealth Corps remaining a shared force," pointed out James, who had raised the first RCT in that corps and then commanded the entire body of them until his father's retirement elevated him to head of the Draconis March. "This would be an expansion of that?"

"Essentially yes," agreed the champion. "The option would be there to scale them back down later, or if at some date in the future the armed forces are fully reunified then they would serve as a nucleus to build from. We would have options."

"What units are we looking at?" enquired Marshal Thomas pragmatically.

"The Deneb Light Cavalry on our part, plus the Republican Guards and on the Lyran side, the Arcturan Guards."

David straightened. "That would mean pulling forces out of my area!"

"No," Kate corrected. "At this time those units would not be getting transferred, or if so it would only be to exchange them for other commands. We aren't talking about the AFFC being focused on the Clans exclusively. They would remain as a supporting force for both sides of the alliance."

James waited until his brother relaxed. "And who would be in command of this? Morgan Hasek-Davion?"

"That's correct. He would also serve as Supreme Marshal of the Federated Commonwealth, coordinating all our military operations," Sortek confirmed. "That is going to be necessary."

"Isn't this going to lead to overlapping chains of command?" asked Stephen. "That's the entire reason the AFFC was formed in the first place."

"One of the reasons we're going to have to hammer out the exact boundaries for everyone's positions," Sortek told him. "And there were other reasons, which you are well aware of."

The one-eyed marshal subsided again. He was intensely tiresome but his energy made him invaluable, Kate had been assured. She was beginning to think that it might be best to put all that energy to work somewhere else though. "Speaking of command roles…?"

Ardan nodded. "Yes. I have decided to retire as of the end of this year." He paused and looked around the table. "I am not as old as Hanse was, but I don't want to go as young as he did either. It's time for fresh blood, since we're making a fresh start."

"I hope you'll be available for consultation," James said drily. "Whoever takes over from you will have a hell of a job; the new AFFS is barely a skeleton at the moment."

"I'm only going as far as my family's home, but please don't knock the door down every day. When I say retired, I mean it."

James' brow furrowed at the phrasing, "Wait, are you…?"

Kate leant forwards and captured his attention. "I was hoping that you would be willing to take over the AFFS as my champion, uncle James."

"Me?"

"No one here doubts your ability or loyalty," she told him. "Your experience is exactly what we need in building up an AFFS that can defend our realm and support our allies."

He reached up and ran one hand over his topknot. "But who would take care of the Draconis March?"

She pointed at his brother. "I was thinking Field Marshal Sandoval, Field Marshal Sandoval. If you think he's up to the job."

"He's a bit young…" James muttered and then his brother punched his shoulder. "I suppose he'll do."

"Which then leaves the Sarna March vacant," pointed out Marshal Thomas.

"No." Kate shook her head. "It doesn't. I've decided to divide the region up between the Draconis and Capellan Marches. We don't even control Sarna any more, and leaving those worlds with their own separate identity left that identity open to be defined by people whose loyalty has proven… questionable. The Epsilon Eridani region will be added to the Draconis March, leaving you responsible for our end of the Terran corridor, David. The rest of the area will form two new command areas for the Capellan March under you, Leah. I know that won't be a quick hand-off, but I want the framework in place so that we can formally dissolve the Sarna March's structures by the time Ardan retires…"