The Best of Enemies (A Battletech AU)

[PsihoKekec]

The problem with trying to nuke Hesperus II from orbit (yes, it's been tried, most recently by the Mariks) is that the factories are buried under the Myoo Moutains. So you have thousands of tons of solid granite as a 'roof' keeping them safe and the only viable way to take them out is fight your way into the cavern complexes.

Of course, that's far easier said than done since the LCAF has spared no expense in their ground fortifications too....

Honestly, the retaliation would be the FWL first and foremost.

There is still dropport, factory town and several satellite factories that are not as well protected

 

[Yellowhammer]

The Best Of Enemies (A First Succession War Battletech AU) -- Chapter XIII

“All war presupposes human weakness and seeks to exploit it.” -- Carl von Clausewitz, Vom Kriege (On War)​

CCN Pride of Bulun (Ex-FWLN Juliano Marik), High Orbitals of Irian III, Irian System, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League

31 January 2798

Ilsa Liao gave a tired smile as the holographic display updated with the firefly lights of her strike force beginning to lift off from Irian III. She then nodded to Sooraj. “You received the response from our flagship?”

The dropship captain nodded. “It will be my first time docking with a Warship, but military jumpships still use standard collars.” He nodded to his wife. “Put the ship up on the screen.”

The screen flickered and Ilsa gasped at the sight.

The Aegis had clearly seen better days. Massive craters the size of her dropship’s drives were visibly gouged out of the armor in patterns of destruction. One of the trio of thrust nozzles had a bite taken out of it at the end of a deep trench gouged through the aft port quarter of the Warship.

“Get us docked and let’s get home,” Ilsa said with fatigue in her voice. “We did what we came to do.”

Unseen behind this Overlord that her infantry had captured from the Fourth Free Worlds Guards, a massive secondary detonation enveloped the starport that she had lifted off from fifteen minutes ago -- a funeral pyre for the CCAF dead who would never return from Irian III.

Aboard the Aegis-class Cruiser CCN Kalvar Lorix

Ilsa waited while the worst casualties loaded aboard the Dropship were transferred ahead to the ship’s medbay. Finally the hatch cycled and she stepped aboard in the three-quarters gee that the massive drives were generating as the dropships and Warships left Irian.

The eyes of the lieutenant in charge of the docking ports widened at the sight of the exhausted woman in a plain green jumpsuit over her ‘Mechwarrior cooling undergarment and shorts. He saluted her sharply. “C-Celestial Wisdom!”

Ilsa returned the salute. “Your diligence serves the Confederation well. If I may impose on you, can you arrange for someone to take me to the bridge?”

“Of course!” The Lieutenant gave her a look filled with hero-worship as he summoned a subordinate to guide her.

The bridge was a hive of energy as the armada burned away from Irian III to the waiting jumpships, both CCN and CCAF as well as conscripted merchant shipping used for this deep strike. The middle-aged man in the captain’s chair rose to his feet and gave her a sharp, crisp salute which Ilsa returned.

With all due formality to his liege he greeted her. “Celestial Wisdom, your presence aboard honors us!”

“Kong-sang-shao Chao, The Confederation is honored by you and your crew’s service and dedication.” Ilsa responded as she was directed to the assistant communication officer’s seat.

She nearly collapsed into it as the suppressed stress of the combat operation and the understanding that her command responsibility for the success of Operation Léitíng was at an end hit her like a PPC shot to the head. “Do not let my presence inhibit the performance of your duties. The wise man does not meddle in affairs which he knows little of. I would think that applies to a wise Chancellor too, so please give me a status update in terms a non-spacer can understand.”

“Of course. Our extraction plans are going well on schedule. Once we reach the L1 pirate point, we shall dock with our JumpShips. They have hot loaded their K-F drives while we support your ground operations. We’ll make our first jump to the Zenith point of Blue Sava, to recharge normally there. Unless we are intercepted, which is unlikely for such a minor world with no HPG, we shall jump to Mandal, which at last reports is firmly held by our troops.” Chao said, as the green line showed their path out of League space.

Ilsa nodded. “And the League fleet?”

“If they don’t catch up to us here they won’t catch us at all. There are some strategic options they must consider. For example, we could double back and hit Connacht to destroy the shipyard there, attack the factories on Van Diemen IV, or even strike deeper toward their command and control node at Marik.” Chao said confidently, drawing ghostly arrows around the holographic star map. “They have to respect all of those potential strikes. We prevented them coming through the L1 point we used here. That is why we dropped off two Vengeance-class carrier dropships loaded with nuclear-armed strike fighters to hit them when they are helpless if they jump in. If they use a standard Zenith or Nadir jump point into Irian, they can’t catch us in the system’s boundaries before we jump out.”

“Good,” Ilsa said, closing her eyes as her shoulders slumped in the microgravity, “were there any problems with your execution of the plan?” She asked wearily.

“Nothing worth mentioning. We inflicted serious and permanent damage on League shipping and installations at Oliver and then Connaught to fulfill your orders to simulate a Elsie raiding force backing up your infiltration.” Chao responded. He then frowned at the exhausted young woman for a moment taking a candor one might not usually take with their ruler. He pitched his voice lower, “If you were one of my officers, I would order a rest cycle for you.”

Ilsa nodded, with her eyes still closed and her voice hoarse. “I have too much to do. I should look in on the wounded from the surface to provide what comfort I can.”

“The wounded shall still be aboard when you awaken. Until then, you can use my cabin.” Chao said gently, before summoning a pair of the female spacers to gently assist the exhausted young woman to the offered bunk.

Ilsa never noticed the respect and concern in the sidelong glances of the bridge crew while they silently watched her get helped to the cabin. After the hatch cycled, the ship’s crew returned to their duties.

-----------------------------------​

Asgard, Tharkad, Donegal Province, Lyran Commonwealth

9 February 2798

“Archon, I have an update on the situation in the League.” LIC Director Karl von Wolff spoke professionally as he stepped past the guards.

Richard Steiner looked at his elderly spymaster as the man entered the secure conference room where he had been talking to his uncle Paul and General Lestrade in Skye via real-time HPG links. “Well out with it!”

“The Capellan raid has hit Irian III, Archon. The results are extremely severe for the Mariks.” As always, Karl’s voice was precise and sharp when he reported to his overlord.

Richard’s eyes widened and his voice grew sharp. “How severe?”

“Preliminary damage estimates are three to four years to restore something approaching full production. They apparently broke into the main plant complex. They also had a large number of demolition specialists who destroyed key machinery and processes. Their primary strike force were painted as the Tamar Tigers and exfiltrated successfully.” A press of a button lit up a secondary monitor that showed an Irian Media Interstellar spokeswoman showing a burning drop port while cursing the ‘cowardly despicable Elsies’ responsibility for this unprovoked attack. “That kind of news broadcast is the norm now in the League.”

Richard nodded in thought, gesturing to his old friend to get on with what he had to say.

“It seems my counterpart in the Maskirovka has outmaneuvered LIC to assign blame to us.” Karl said neutrally. “Annoying, even though their strike significantly benefits the Commonwealth by crippling one of our main foes. Also, and equally relevant, the strike was within the boundaries of the Ares Convention. No WMDs were used and civilian targets were not targeted, which will reinforce Ilsa Liao’s public statements of fighting a civilized war when the truth eventually leaks out. Quite a model operation; I’d like to know the details so we could learn from their example.”

Richard sighed and looked back at the holograms of his generals. His brow furrowed as he took a moment to think of the situation. “Go to full alert in Skye and down along the League border, General Lestrade. I’ll scrape together what I have available on hand to support you. Uncle, you’ll have to cover Tamar with less, I fear. Does LIC have an idea of what the League will do?”

“We predict domestic pressure on the Captain-General will demand a counterblow and at the earliest possible moment. The likely targets are the jumpship yards at Alarion, Hesperus II, or perhaps a strike to Skye itself to attempt to hit us politically in turn. It must be a major target and it must be soon.” Karl said. He then gave a thin smile. “I suspect that the CCAF will act to strike the League at the earliest possible opportunity once they show a weakness, they are a better target than the Suns and her alliance is of benefit to her -- and us -- by letting Liao and Davion concentrate on our mutual foes.”

“Have you had any luck in securing the Third Regimental Combat Team?” Richard interjected as he looked at a map showing current LCAF troop deployments and status.

“Yes, they have agreed in principle to provide their services on a five-year contract with an option for a sixth year. Mercenary Troop Liaison is working on the verbiage and negotiating the final clauses....”

“Get them on the payroll now; pay whatever’s needed!” Richard demanded, pointing at Paul Steiner. “We need them now! I don’t care what it takes but light a fire under the Mercenary Troop Liaison to get the paperwork signed!”

“At your command Archon.” The unruffled spy exited the room at Richard’s wave of dismissal.

The Archon turned to focus on General Lestrade. “Amanda, I’ll send the mercs to you. We can use one regiment of theirs on Skye proper where they can keep their dependents safely. Send the other two regiments to Hesperus II along with the Ninth Arcturan, Twelfth Arcturan, and Tenth Skye from reserves. I’ll order Hasseldorf to back off his raiding in the isolated thumb worlds so he can cover Alarion and the systems the Mariks need to take to punch a corridor through. Uncle, I’ll send you the Stealths to keep the DCMS off our backs up in Tamar.”

“We’ll get it done.” Lestrade and Paul saluted as the video conference ended. Leaving Richard alone with his own thoughts.

Richard groaned. “I just hope this works….”

-----------------------------------​

Parliament House, Atreus City, Atreus, Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League

17 May 2798

Kenyon Marik raised his hand, scowling at the pain of his ribs flaring up again.

“Order, I say order!” He barked out at the angry faces from the speaker’s podium.

“Tyrant! Incompetent buffoon!!” Shouts of rage answered him.

The Speaker of Parliament, one of his chief political allies, gaveled in an attempt to stop the near-riot. “We shall have order or the honorable MPs shall be removed by the Serjeant-at-arms from this special session discussing what is to be done regarding the failures that caused Irian to be so severely damaged!”

Gradually order was established for the moment. Kenyon gave the room a flat stare, attempting to intimidate the purple and gold robed politicians with his power. His eyes lingered on Carter Allison, ruler of the Duchy of Oriente, and his lips twisted in a sneer.

I know who is responsible for this vise that I find myself in now, Allison. You and your ‘loyal opposition’ facade, pah!

Unfortunately, while he had persuaded Parliament to pass Resolution 288, giving him the power to summon and dismiss Parliament along with making his post a lifetime one, he could not just ignore Parliament.

Especially now.

The 2798 military budget had been passed in the January session as a matter of routine already. However, his need to release desperately needed funds to rebuild the shattered industries on Irian III to turn out ‘Mechs and munitions for the FWLM had run square into a roadblock.

He needed Parliament to pass a special emergency funding bill to stave off the complete corporate collapse and bankruptcy of his main military supplier, but in order to do that, he had to summon Parliament to assemble in the Committee of the Whole. The politicians before him made it clear that they would not accept his ‘request’ for a select subcommittee that he could pack with his political allies to pass the needed legislation to be rubber-stamped.

Oh no, it would be Parliament at their most powerful. And most fractious.

When they did assemble at his beck and call, they had first demanded an accounting from him as to how the damn Elsies had wrecked Irian Weapons Works. And what he was going to do about it to prevent their planets from being hit next.

Insolent short-sighted peasants!

Worse, the resentment for his ramming through Resolution 288 to consolidate his power had not gone away among the MPs. Quite the contrary, so this pack of Parliamentary pygmies was taking the fact that he had to come to them hat in hand to try to claw back some of the powers he required to win the war.

Kenyon took a deep breath while ignoring his aching ribs so he could dominate the room. “As I was saying, the best defense for our worlds is a strong offense. Even now Thaddeus, my son and chosen successor as Captain General, has taken naval control of the Hesperus II system and shall seize there what is required to make good Irian’s losses while destroying what the Steiner scum hold most dear! The Elsies have hit us hard at Irian, true, but we shall strike back and claim what is ours with the might of our arms, our beliefs, and our unity! All I require from you is to allocate the needed funds to make good the temporary shortfall in production from IWW until Thaddeus returns with Hesperus’ crown jewels in hand.”

More shouts answered him as his ribs began to ache again. Kenyon found Duke Allison among the Parliament’s body once more. He caught the eye of the political leader of the opposition to his rule.

Don’t think that I and SAFE have not determined who was selling IWW stock before the news of the damages to them leaked out and caused their prices to crash. I’ll break you like I have broken everyone else who stood in my rightful way…

An aide appeared from the side door as he watched the debate, measuring how best to strike. “Captain-General, I have urgent dispatches from the front.”

Kenyon turned and gave the young officer a stern look.

“Out with it, and it better be good.” He snapped peevishly.

‘S-sir, it’s from Andurien. The Capellans have jumped into the system with a large invasion force. Estimates are ten regiments with Warship support. Including,” The aide swallowed, “the Elsie cruiser and destroyer used at Irian.”

Kenyon Marik stared in disbelief as the room hushed at the news.

He grabbed the message paper from the aide’s hand as his face purpled with fury and rage.

His eyes read the impossible words that made no sense as the room started to sway around him and the roar from the angry MPs filled his ears.

“Not the Capellans!! Not Andu---!!” He screamed at the top of his lungs.

Suddenly the pain in his ribs shot up and down the left side of his body like a river of agony.

His arm and jaw were turned into fire when the combination of long hours of work, poor diet, stress, age, and refusal to have his earlier warning signs of cardiac trouble addressed suddenly could no longer be ignored as anything other than the onset of a massive and fatal heart attack.

‘The Eagle’ had just fallen.

-----------------------------------​

Author’s Note: IOTL, Kenyon Marik died of a heart attack on Atreus during January 2804. Here, the additional stress of Ilsa’s masterstroke against Irian which is hamstringing the FWLM and understanding suddenly that he had been outmaneuvered by a girl a third his age did him in. Kenyon just realized that he had sent his best men under his best general off to die against the wrong target on the wrong front and his gains from the war were in serious jeopardy. His dying realization that the weak and despised Capellans had actually suckerpunched him and the FWL quite convincingly in the crotch was Ilsa’s ultimate revenge on the man who killed her uncle and parents over Calloway VI.

Liaos be nasty bitches, yo.

 

[PsihoKekec]

Including,” The aide swallowed, “the Elsie cruiser and destroyer used at Irian.”

Now that's a nice way to say ''I fooled you!'', though I reckon there wasn't time to make necessary repairs to Aegis. So FWL now has succession festivities, with parliament clawing at the power it lost. Given how office of Captain General is discredited now, due to Kenyon being led by the nose, Thaddeus (if nothing bad happens to him on the way home) will face quite an uphill battle on home front, greatly hampering the effort to counterattack at Andurien. Might we see Home Defense Act a century earlier? Any way, the loss of production at Irian and Andurien, along with political fallout will strategically weaken FWL in the long term.

 

[Jarow]

Even now Thaddeus, my son and chosen successor as Captain General, has taken naval control of the Hesperus II system

‘The Eagle’ had just fallen.

Well, it now seems the now-current Captain General is attacking Hesperus while parliament is in session and people are unhappy with the current state of affairs. I'm sure absolutely nothing will go wrong. After all, the FWL is known for its stability and loyalty to the Captain General. They'll definitely make things better now that they don't have anyone watching them to make sure they work for the benefit of the FWL as a whole.

Poor Thaddeus; Hesperus is unconquerable, so he won't even have the advantage of coming back victorious whenever he makes it back to start his rule over an unleashed FWL parliament.

 

[Yellowhammer]

The Best Of Enemies (A First Succession War Battletech AU) -- Chapter XIV

“He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.” -- Sun Tzu, 孫子兵法 (The Art of War)​

CCN Pearl of Celestial Wisdom, Sian, Capellan Confederation

16 March 2798

The outer hatch leading to the Overlord-class Dropship cycled. Dressed once more in a Mechwarrior’s uniform with the rank tabs of ‘Captain Zhao’ with her long hair pinned up under a 6th Teng Lancers hat, Ilsa stepped through the hatch on the heels of Elias Teng. Behind her, the Sooraj family and Olivia Toledana followed under their own false identities.

Her nominal superior handed over the order document commanding that he come aboard with his staff to one of the Red Lancers assigned to the dropship. Behind him the outer hatch clanged shut.

The Strategios had requested that he and his command staff be transported to the surface of Sian by this dropship while it performed a ‘scheduled maintenance flight following engine repair.’ That killed two birds with one stone by granting him VIP transport to Sian as befitted his high lineage among the Sheng while it made sure that the Chancellor’s private dropship was ready to serve the needs of the Confederation when she required suitable transportation.

All perfectly routine.

All perfectly innocent.

The Lancers finished scanning the orders and the faces of the group seeking attendance. The commander of this detachment saluted Ilsa as they finished. She returned their salutes and then pulled off the baseball cap and unpinned her hair, letting it fall halfway to her waist.

“All clear Celestial Wisdom. Welcome aboard.”

“Well done, Subcommander Kong. Have the staff show my companions to the rooms prepared for them.” Ilsa responded with a smile for her bodyguards. “Please call for a working meal to be sent up to my quarters so I can start to catch up on the piles of paperwork that have been breeding on my desk thanks to my lack of supervision!”

Ilsa gave the dropship staff a series of smiles and appreciative nods as she passed them in the familiar passageways. She made a point of greeting them by name as best she could, recalling her grandmother’s lessons about rulership. The memory of her Lǎo ye’s words seemed to echo in her mind. ’The Chancellor is the embodiment of the State, but the State is made of people, Ilsa! Each has their role from the small to the great for the betterment of all.’

Finally she reached the hatch to her personal suite. Tears filled her eyes as she saw the familiar face of Mei Ying waiting for her in her sitting room.

The hatch closed behind her, leaving her in privacy with her cousin.

Never privacy for the Liao, merely the illusion. Such was the cost of rulership.

“Biǎo jiě!” Ilsa exclaimed joyfully as she hurried over to the older woman. “This is most unexpected! My body double?”

Ying hugged her ‘little sister’ while the tears began to fall to the azure blue silk carpet with its dancing golden dragons.

“Your body double is touring a recycling center and shall be giving a speech praising the diligence of the workers and staff who collect needed resources for the war effort, Biǎo mèi. It is a good speech if I do say so myself, and should play well on the evening news broadcasts across the Confederation. Then tomorrow as we travel to Sian, she shall be touring the military hospitals.” Ying drew back to stare into Ilsa’s eyes as her voice sharpened in repudiation. “Which you nearly became a permanent resident of! Or worse!’

Ilsa winced at the sudden change of tone. Dreading what was to come she tried to cut it off at the pass, “Ying…”

“Don’t you DARE ‘Ying’ me, Ilsa!” Ying snapped out, interrupting Ilsa before she could come up with any excuses. “I saw the footage from Irian III! One of the cameras transmitting from the spaceport showed how badly your Mech was damaged, and the request for the parts needed to repair ‘Captain Zhao’s’ Thunderbolt crossed my desk! I trusted you to not take reckless decisions in my absence!” Ying’s voice broke at the end as her tears fell. “I nearly lost you!!”

Ilsa blushed and rubbed her bandaged arm. “It was necessary…”

“Bié gēn wǒ húchě!!” Ying swore, causing Ilsa to blanch at the gutter Chinese expression. “Yes it was necessary to strike Irian III! Yes, your presence inspires the CCAF to exceptional valor while they fight under the eye of the ‘soldier’s Chancellor’! But what would happen if you had fallen there? What would happen to the State with no Liao of the ruling line save a double dozen distant cousins and the various factions eager to push forward their claimants?”

Ilsa bit her lip in thought. “I… don’t know.” She finally admitted.

Ying’s eyes glared at her kinsman, and then hardened. “I want a Battlemech for the next time you pull a harebrained stunt like this. Keep it off the record so I’m not sent to a frontline post under some nameless bodyguard, but the next damn fool time, I’m going with you!”

Ilsa’s eyes flashed fire as she opened her mouth to defend herself. Then she suddenly remembered the jump infantry on Irian and her mouth closed with a click of teeth. She took a very deep breath and sighed. “I was a rash fool, wasn’t I?”

“Ilsa,” Ying hugged her cousin once more, “I can’t keep you chained to your desk managing the paperwork and I know that you hate the ‘speeches and politics’ part of your role. I hate them too, truth be told. But first ask yourself next time if the risks to the Confederation, to your loved ones, match the possible gains. After all, your knight would be quite upset if his ‘fair Lady Liao’ got her head blown off by some filthy Leaguer before he could joust in your Cinnabar Canyon.”

Ilsa blushed scarlet. “YING!!” She shrieked in embarrassment. “That’s worse than his poetry! Perverted woman!”

“It doesn’t make it untrue, Ilsa.” Ying responded to the spluttering Celestial Wisdom. “I, as your loyal advisor and secretary, have been answering his messages to you and sending back the ones you recorded in advance for him.”

“Wait… Paul sent messages?” Ilsa focused on the key nuggets buried in the statement. “Where are they?!”

Ying grinned. “Eight personal messages are waiting for his ‘fair Lady Liao’ to respond to.” She then sobered. “Reading between the lines of his words, he too has gone forth to lead his troops from the front. I should inquire if his minders wish a case of plum brandy to assist with the headaches of trying to manage a wild stallion to go along with a certain wild tigress of mine.”

Ilsa sighed. “I should be insulted but… I can be a bit reckless and impulsive, I suppose.”

“Just a bit, yes.” Ying agreed as they reached the waiting desk. “Also, as per the Maskirovka’s reports, the AFFS is fully committed to fighting the DCMS, and has in fact started a major counteroffensive. We have identified elements of the Syrtis Fusiliers brigade on Waycross, Edwards, Versailles, and Tiskilwa.” A star map sprang to life showing the AFFS advances into the flank of the captured space.

Ilsa examined the map carefully, scrutinizing the gains marked according to the Maskirovka’s latest reports. Her face twisted in a thoughtful frown. “It looks like he is trying to isolate and pocket the Combine spearhead threatening New Avalon.” Her finger traced an arc behind the half-dozen star systems nearest to the capital world of the Suns. “That explains the strikes toward Markesan and Lexington. But the other out of Chesterton… what’s that goal?”

Ying pointed at one planet near the ones that had just fallen along the pre-war Capellan border. “He did say that it was a moral imperative for his people to liberate Kentares IV, Ilsa. The necessities of victories and politics. You’ll need to be aware of that aspect of things when you meet him on Chesterton to sign the peace treaty. He is limited by the realities of his position just as you are by the Prefectorate and House of Scions. Even his successes come with obligations and promises.”

Ilsa nodded slowly. “Yes, that is true. Just as I must continue to placate the Teng and the Hargreaves over Saint Ives and Chesterton in my turn.” She tapped Kentares IV with one finger. “It is a moral imperative for all civilized people to fight back against barbarism, even if many can be too shortsighted to see the danger to us all. I just wish….” She trailed off.

“Wish for what, Ilsa?” Ying said as she began to give her ruler, cousin, and friend a shoulder massage.

“I wish that we had the strength free to assist the Suns in putting down that Rìběn gǒu barbarian. Past what little we can do by raiding out of our ex-Hegemony worlds to strike the ‘Dragon’ between Tikonov and Terra. Sadly, we don’t have the frontage or basing, much less the men, Mechs, and supplies to do more. “ Ilsa admitted with a sigh. “All the troops from the Suns border will be needed for Operation Shǔ. What are the current reports from the League and our planned troop movements?”

The star map shifted and whirled to the cool jade-green and hateful dark purple of the League/Confederation border. As Ilsa watched, unit identifiers began to flow from Ares, Lee, Redfield, Saint Ives, Warlock, Victoria, Zanzibar, and Grand Base to gather at Shiro III while suspected and reported FWLM forces had began to shift from the border nearby toward the ravaged Irian system.

Ilsa looked up at Ying and matching smiles blossomed on their faces. Ilsa took a deep breath. “Once this is confirmed, we shall give the orders to move and strike.” She looked into Ying’s eyes. “I... shall order Senior Colonel Quinn to lead the assault this time rather than act personally. As you said, my place is on Sian now when I give the orders to move our troops and then begin the attack.”

Her finger touched Shiro III and then slashed to the purple star burning one jump away.

Andurien.

-----------------------------------​

ComStar Headquarters, Hilton Head, Terra

9 February 2798

“Conrad, do you have a moment?”

“Of course, Jerome.” The younger man fell in beside the elder as they walked to his office. “What’s on your mind?”

The door closed behind them and a variety of sophisticated anti-surveillance measures were turned on. “I need your read on the Liao/Davion dynamic, Conrad. Show me what you learned while reading people as a black marketer under the Amaris occupation”

Conrad Toyama, Precentor Dieron, took a seat and looked at his friend and mentor. “It looks like our best chance yet to restore the Star League. I remember that the initial basis was a triple mutual defensive alliance between Ian Cameron, Albert Marik, and Terrence Liao to settle the status of Andurien. But it relies a lot on two young rulers who have fallen for each other.”

Jerome Blake gave a dubious look. “You really think so?”

“Jerome, I know so. I didn’t have it nearly so bad when I wanted to get my hands on Melissa Ishikawa’s tits in high school as Paul Davion has it for Ilsa Liao’s tits. As I have told you repeatedly after watching those video messages -- it’s like high school prom night drama all over again. So what brought this on?”

“Irian.” Jerome Blake said. “Watch what Michelle’s people retrieved now that we cracked the League’s codes again.”

He pressed a button and the two men watched the recording of Kenyon Marik’s real-time communication with Thaddeus Marik. “Marik’s going to attack the Steiners, which provides Liao a chance to show that the alliance that she’s negotiating works to her people and her skeptics. If she can push the League back to around the prewar borders while they’re distracted with the Lyrans….”

Toyama nodded and pondered the elements of the situation. “I think I see where you are going with this. If you combine the political fallout from such victories with the FWLM weakness and factor in the DCMS supply difficulties that we subtly influenced by corrupting their communications. Then add in Mordiki’s brainstorm to transmit the footage leaked to him by the Drac soldiers disgusted with what they were doing on Kentares and suddenly the Combine is weaker than Jinjiro and his generals currently perceive and believe. Victories there will validate Paul’s nonaggression stance toward the Cappies with battlefield victories too that show his policy is the right one. But that brings us back to the central question. Once they have those victories under their belt and have the ability to look outward rather than fight for survival, will they turn on each other?”

Blake sighed deeply. “That’s the trillion C-Bill question, honestly. That’s why I had you do a review of all their personal correspondence. I know I’m not the people person that you are, Conrad. Do you think that they will fight?”

Toyama shook his head. “Doubtful. But check me, Jerome, the Cappies didn’t use WMDs on Irian, did they?”

“No, it was a completely clean strike under the Ares Convention. Even the spaceport blast, which created a mushroom cloud and was initially reported as nuclear turned out to be a fuel-air explosion. Beat the hell out of the military industries there, but they’re somewhat repairable. Minimal civilian infrastructure damage. I wish everyone did that, to be honest.” Blake admitted. “It would make our goal of preserving human civilization a lot easier.”

“No arguments here,” Toyama agreed as he leaned back in his chair. “But take it from someone who was a salesman for a living before Amaris, you find out what a person’s really about when it comes time to close the deal. All the charm, banter and diplomacy in the world falls away when the big money’s on the line and you have to put up or shut up. “ He held up his right hand

“On one hand, let’s take Ilsa Liao. She stuck to her stated intentions to fight under the Ares Conventions when she could have done far worse to Irian and gotten lauded for it by everyone not a Marik.” Toyama leaned forward. “I believe that Ilsa Liao is legitimately determined to fight a civilized war no matter what. She hates the Mariks for killing her parents and they are the big threat to her nation currently, therefore she won’t turn on the Suns unless her hand is forced by events.”

He held up his left hand, “As for Paul Davion, he wants to tap that Cappie ass so hard it hurts. He knows that fucking her over now will wreck the Suns and not incidentally his chances with her. Plus he hates the Dracs over Kentares and his father’s death.”

Blake shook his head at the locker room talk but didn’t disregard the underlying message. “So, what’s the next step?” He said, trying to get the conversation back to comfortable terms to ground out a possible plan of action. He needed options on top of the analysis of their characters.

“Keep subtly hampering the ISF, O5P, and SAFE’s efforts against them while giving the Maskirovka, DMI, and that new intel agency Davion’s putting together some subtle help behind the scenes. Once they get together if and when the treaty is signed, then we can play the politics game. Start making public noises about our relief that the worst of the war seems to be winding down there.” Toyama shrugged as he finished. “All the while we keep passing her that barftastic poetry of his. She hasn’t ordered a hit on him for it, so she must have terrible taste too.”

Blake laughed. “Right, right. Young love is a wonderful thing for us old scheming farts. So we keep nurturing this and hope that it develops into something greater. So, since I have you available to keep an eye on this and the Liao situation seems to be on track, let’s look at our quarterly budget numbers so we can see about ramrodding these HPG network expansion figures through the First Circuit tomorrow.”

“Sure, just let me borrow some of Michelle’s analysts to read through their mail to each other, otherwise I might get diabetes.”

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Maria’s Elegy, Hesperus II, Isle of Skye, Lyran Commonwealth

9 April 2798

A lone bugle ‘retreat’ call sounded through the sulfurous air.

A tradition stretching back over a thousand years by the most recent arrival on this planet.

In front of the headquarters for the newest regiments that had been sent to reinforce the normal garrison of the Fifteenth and Seventeenth Lyran Guards, a pair of flagpoles stood.

Unlike the other LCAF units who were assembling to do battle across the war-torn mountains and valleys of Hesperus II -- who displayed their own national and regimental flags proudly -- this national flagpole was bare, waiting for the banner of the Star League to be hoisted once more.

On the other flagpole, at half-mast in the traditional sign of morning a gold flag containing a black horse prancing flew.

To those who knew their military history, this insignia was unmistakable as the sign of one of the most storied and elite regiments of the now-vanished Star League Defense Force.

The former Third Regimental Combat Team of the Ninth Corps, specializing in raiding, ambush, reconnaissance, and hit-and-run attacks unlike the rest of the more ponderous LCAF.

They were now more commonly known by the nickname that they had earned in battle with the Draconis Combine during the Third Hidden War.

The Eridani Light Horse.

-----------------------------------​

Author’s Note: To fill folks in, Bié gēn wǒ húchě literally is ‘don’t give me your bullshit!’. Ying was pissed.

Lǎo ye is paternal grandmother. Also Rìběn gǒu Is a very insulting racial term used in Chinese for Japanese (mainly thanks to the strained history the two countries have had, see Nanking, Rape of).

Also Ilsa's planning session takes place BEFORE Kenyon Marik's death.

 

[Jarow]

Huh, it looks like ComStar (under "Blessed Blake" and his disciple Toyama) is trying to rebuild the star league by working with (two of) the successor states, instead of through hoping they all die. Even if Ilsa and Paul don't end up together, I wonder how that difference will affect things.

 

[Culsu]

Huh, it looks like ComStar (under "Blessed Blake" and his disciple Toyama) is trying to rebuild the star league by working with (two of) the successor states, instead of through hoping they all die. Even if Ilsa and Paul don't end up together, I wonder how that difference will affect things.

Maybe the butterflies started flying soon enough this time. I think they only started getting all doomsday cult when Blake dying and set up that legacy.

 

[PsihoKekec]

I reckon (at leat TTL) while Blake despised the idiots who destroyed the Star League, he hoped that their successors would recognize the futility of their interstellar destruction derby and start rebuilding under Comstar's benevolent guidance. With successors continuing the madness instead, he abandoned all hope and came up with the mad scheme of his own that he had Toyama carry out.

 

[Kujo]

So we are in the "New Economic Program" phase of C*, yeah FASA didn't really hide the parallels between C* and the Soviet Union after the revolution(though it wouldn't be irony when Stalin asks how many divisions does the primus have and Waterly answers oh about 50 and everyone forgets the Swiss Mercs!!!(at least for the Pope...)). What if Lenin (or Blake) would of held out for a few more years... (yeah he was a piece of work, but NEP showed events could 'train' him at least a bit, not so much Stalin. Do like Northern Exposure's episode on it, and it showing Lenin being 'corrupted' by American ideals). Though it is nice to see the worst of the bad guys in BT actually trying to 'help' in a meaningful way.

Great Chapter!!!!