Yellowhammer
Well-known member
A .N. -- My apologies for the delay in crossposting this over to here.
A Matter of Proper Reward for Services Rendered
(A Welcome to the Jungle canon sidestory)
Ali Kelswa Military Spaceport, Hamar, Sudeten,
Tamar Domains, Tamar Pact, Lyran Commonwealth
December 14th, 3015
A light blonde-haired young woman wearing an unadorned officer’s green field uniform with a Hauptmann’s rank insignia newly sewn on and the nametag J. STEINER opened the door to the room that she had been ordered to report to. Steel-blue eyes widened at the sight of the officer waiting for her inside and she snapped to rigid attention. “Hauptmann Julia Steiner reporting as ordered!” she barked out with a parade-ground salute.
Katrina returned the salute. “At ease. This conversation is off the record, Julia.”
The younger Steiner relaxed minutely at the words. She assumed the position of parade rest as the door closed and several white noise antisurveillance systems were turned on by the omnipresent trio of bodyguards for the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.
Katrina minutely examined her second cousin’s oldest daughter. “First off, have the doctors cleared you for piloting Mechs again?”
Julia nodded with a relieved smile. “Yes. The neurofeedback from the ammunition explosion cleared up with therapy and I have a clean bill of health now.”
“Good. And your family ‘Mech?” Katrina said.
Julia sighed. “Gungnir needs a complete factory-level rebuild and replacement. The explosion of the autocannon ammunition in the arm blew into the left torso and wrecked the chassis totally. The power cables for the Thunderbolt A5M 8cm laser assembly shorted out when the shrapnel cut them and spiked the Mech's computers with a surge that fried them. Not that my automatic ejection did much good for the cockpit either, Aunt Katrina.” Her tone suggested that the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth had far more important things to do than discuss the destruction of a family Mech with a Dispossessed Mechwarrior. Even a Mechwarrior that was a junior cadet member of the sprawling Steiner family tree.
Katrina gave a thin satisfied smile. “So your mother hasn’t arranged a replacement yet?”
“No. LCAF Medical branch wasn’t sure if I would ever be cleared to pilot because of the neural feedback and then the day after I got cleared the Mud Wrestlers boosted to Sudeten under communications blackout. She just knows that I’m still on medical hold and acting as a staff aide as per my last HPG to her a month ago.”
The thin smile widened. “Excellent. I have a job for you, Julia. I know that you wanted that transfer to the Tenth Guards now that you made Hauptmann on the battlefield rather than with politics, but I’m afraid Frederick will have to ‘do without’ on this one. It’s voluntary, though, so say the word and I’ll pack you off to the Thundering Elephants with my blessings.”
Julia snapped to attention. “I swore my oath to take the Archon’s Kroner to defend and strengthen the Commonwealth just as you and Mother and Uncle Frederick have, Ma’am! Say the word and I’ll do it!”
Katrina nodded sharply and pulled out a file folder from the desk drawer. She scribbled a signature on the forms inside and then slid it across her borrowed desk. “Effective immediately, you’re reassigned to Mercenary Troops Liaison as the permanent liaison officer for Weber’s Warriors. Officially, they will be part of the attack on Sevren and I need you to coordinate with the other elements of the plan. You placed first in your classes for tactics at the ‘Ring and I expect you to perform if the situation demands your tactical advice, Hauptmann Steiner.”
The younger Steiner took the folder. “And unofficially, Aunt Katrina?”
“Unofficially….” Katrina said slowly. “Mr. Weber has done the Commonwealth, done us Steiners a priceless service already. Get to know the young man, fight beside him on the battlefield, and work with him. I’ll be ennobling him as a Duke once I get all my chess pieces organized. When that happens, he will need to be part of Court and the nobility. He will need a… bodyguard… from some of the intrigues in the shark tanks on Tamar and Tharkad and I’m not inclined to let him get dragged under once he has to go out of his depth.”
Julia nibbled her lip, wheels spinning behind her blue eyes as she listened. “And Mother?” Julia finally asked.
“I’ll handle your mother when I return to Tharkad. Leave that to the head of the Family. Just stay blacked out on communications until the Ice Balls and then write her as normal with due attention to COMSEC restrictions..” Katrina ordered.
“Understood, Aunt. Anything else for me?” Julia inquired.
Katrina smirked and then pulled out a second folder labeled ‘TDR-6S-00001’ with classification tape sealing it from the desk drawer. “Just this. You better have packed your cooling vest because you have between now and dropping on Sevren to get up to speed with your new personal ‘Mech, Julia. I’ll want a report of the design’s capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses sent to my office so I can direct Asgard to write the doctrine on utilization once you get done stress-testing it on the Teak Dragon. Bring it, yourself, and Mr. Weber back safely.” The Archon paused. “Merry Early Christmas, Julia.”
Julia’s happy smile split her face as she read the specifications on her new Thunderbolt. “Zu Befehl, Archon!”
The Triad, Tharkad City, Tharkad,
Tamar Domains, Tamar Pact, Lyran Commonwealth
January 7th, 3016
Iris Steiner, Duchess of Furillo, automatically clutched her Odessan Sable fur coat tighter around her as she exited the private hoverlimo that had taken her from the spaceport to the center of Lyran power. She shivered at the feel of the arctic air and then decided that dignity and fashion be damned, she would lower the earflaps of her matching sable ushanka hat to prevent frostbite.
“This way, Duchess Steiner.” The escort from the 1st Royal Guards said, his breath frosting the subzero air as he gestured her away from the Royal Court or Government House toward the third massive building that made up the Triad.
The Royal Palace.
Iris raised a golden eyebrow at the unspoken message that was being sent by her cousin as she submitted to the first security screening and scanning with the aplomb and experience of a woman who had been a regular visitor to ‘Steiner House’ as it was nicknamed.
The eyebrow raised further as she was escorted deeper into the building through three more checkpoints. The priceless artwork and furnishings, some of which were actual Terran originals restored and preserved by master craftsmen, generated a mental hum as she walked alongside her guide to finally arrive at her destination.
The oak double doors, carved in the rococo 25th-century Neo-Baroque revival style, swung open and Iris stepped inside the sitting room.
The room beyond was decorated in a deliberately rustic decor with the heads of Gallery Night Boar on the wood-paneled walls, and wolf-skin rugs. In the corner, a priceless Black Forest grandfather clock ticked away the minutes next to a roaring fireplace. Likewise the furniture was solid dark hardwood, and the overall appearance was that of a trip back in time to the Germany of Grimm’s Fairy Tales on far-distant Terra. The modern conveniences of the 31st century were well hidden in the deliberately archaic setting that was one of Katrina’s favorite rooms.
Katrina Steiner stood up from where she had been working on paperwork with a bottle of Glengarry Private Select on the table at her elbow. “Guten Tag, Iris. Thank you for coming in response to my message.”
Iris curtsied and then shook the offered hand. “Guten Tag, Katrina. It was my pleasure.” She sat down in the offered seat. Her ushanka was placed next to the bottle of Kirschwasser and glass of ice cubes waiting for her. After seeing the crow’s feet carved in her cousin’s face, Iris leaned forward after pouring herself a drink of her favorite cherry schnapps. “Bad trip on the inspection tour up through Tamar? Was Kelswa being obstinate again?”
Katrina shook her head and sipped her whiskey. “It’s not Kelswa, not more than normal at least. Rather an unexpected development out of nowhere that impacts the Family. Positively. You’ll want to put your drink down for this one, Iris.”
Iris blinked but complied. “How so?” She asked curiously.
Katrina gave a wry smile. “Just that a Lyran patriot found a datacore with the key to Lostech on one of Amaris' hidden factory worlds. It checks out and I have already had copies made.”
Iris gasped in shock. “My God….”
Katrina steepled her hands and leaned her chin on them while she waited for her cousin to regain her composure.
Iris stared at the Archon and picked up her glass in shaking hands to toss back a stiff drink of cherry schnapps. “Thanks for the warning, Katrina! I’d hate to have to get my favorite coat cleaned unexpectedly during blizzard season. No shit??” The Duchess of Furillo gave her cousin a ‘don’t you dare be joking’ look as she refilled the glass.
“No shit, Iris. The problem is that what he wanted in exchange for it was something to benefit the Commonwealth as a whole rather than him specifically. While I’m happily giving him his price, it’s not tangible enough to be seen as a reward for exceptional service. Which is what’s needed.” Katrina said in explanation as she poured herself more whiskey.
Iris nodded along, visibly thought, then met her second cousin’s eyes. “Julia then?” The Duchess asked the Archon.
“Ja, Julia. Mr. Weber is fighting on Sevren, and will need a LCAF liaison officer for his unit. And since I shall be making him a Duke, a minder to help him ease into court politics and manage them on his behalf will be vital.” Katrina said. “I know I’m asking a lot of you and your oldest daughter here since you had plans for her.”
Iris sighed. “She will be upset that the transfer to the Tenth Guards that she was hoping for now that she made Hauptmann won’t happen. She just had to get promoted the way that you did with no family connections used! So I’ll HPG her and give my girl the marching orders from her mother and just prepare her younger brother Caesar to take over Furillo then.”
Katrina smirked smugly. “I already spoke to her since her unit was tapped to fight on Sevren. She agreed to the request effective immediately.” The Archon gave a satisfied smile at the ‘you sneaky bitch!’ look on her cousin’s face. “The fact that she got the first Lostech new-build Thunderbolt since Kerensky departed in place of her lost Zeus sweetened the pot a great deal too.”
Iris stared at her smirking cousin. “Katrina! You just had to one-up my plans for her birthday present!"
A. N. -- I'd like to thank Speaker4thesilent here for idiot checking me and canon compliance for his universe. Weber may not have wanted a large and visible reward for doing the right thing, but the society in BT demands that this particular knight gets a 'princess' assigned to help him fight the Dragon.
To fill folks in, Julia Steiner is a canon for this story OC, the oldest daughter of Iris Steiner (Duchess of Furillo) and the older sister of Caesar Steiner (Dad had a man-crush on the Roman Empire when naming kids). She graduated top tier in her class at the Nagelring two years ago and elected to earn promotions through battlefield combat rather than family wealth and pull (she has a bit of hero-worship for Aunt Katrina as a role model). Several months ago, her company of the 8th Donegal was fighting the Dracs and her Zeus exploded from an autocannon ammo bin hit. The result is she got a wound badge, the field promotion for leading the remnants of her company out of the ambush was made permanent, the McKennsie Hammer, and a transfer to staff duties while they worked on her neural damage from the feedback. She's a good political operator, but prefers not to play politics, especially with men's lives at stake.
A Matter of Proper Reward for Services Rendered
(A Welcome to the Jungle canon sidestory)
Ali Kelswa Military Spaceport, Hamar, Sudeten,
Tamar Domains, Tamar Pact, Lyran Commonwealth
December 14th, 3015
A light blonde-haired young woman wearing an unadorned officer’s green field uniform with a Hauptmann’s rank insignia newly sewn on and the nametag J. STEINER opened the door to the room that she had been ordered to report to. Steel-blue eyes widened at the sight of the officer waiting for her inside and she snapped to rigid attention. “Hauptmann Julia Steiner reporting as ordered!” she barked out with a parade-ground salute.
Katrina returned the salute. “At ease. This conversation is off the record, Julia.”
The younger Steiner relaxed minutely at the words. She assumed the position of parade rest as the door closed and several white noise antisurveillance systems were turned on by the omnipresent trio of bodyguards for the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.
Katrina minutely examined her second cousin’s oldest daughter. “First off, have the doctors cleared you for piloting Mechs again?”
Julia nodded with a relieved smile. “Yes. The neurofeedback from the ammunition explosion cleared up with therapy and I have a clean bill of health now.”
“Good. And your family ‘Mech?” Katrina said.
Julia sighed. “Gungnir needs a complete factory-level rebuild and replacement. The explosion of the autocannon ammunition in the arm blew into the left torso and wrecked the chassis totally. The power cables for the Thunderbolt A5M 8cm laser assembly shorted out when the shrapnel cut them and spiked the Mech's computers with a surge that fried them. Not that my automatic ejection did much good for the cockpit either, Aunt Katrina.” Her tone suggested that the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth had far more important things to do than discuss the destruction of a family Mech with a Dispossessed Mechwarrior. Even a Mechwarrior that was a junior cadet member of the sprawling Steiner family tree.
Katrina gave a thin satisfied smile. “So your mother hasn’t arranged a replacement yet?”
“No. LCAF Medical branch wasn’t sure if I would ever be cleared to pilot because of the neural feedback and then the day after I got cleared the Mud Wrestlers boosted to Sudeten under communications blackout. She just knows that I’m still on medical hold and acting as a staff aide as per my last HPG to her a month ago.”
The thin smile widened. “Excellent. I have a job for you, Julia. I know that you wanted that transfer to the Tenth Guards now that you made Hauptmann on the battlefield rather than with politics, but I’m afraid Frederick will have to ‘do without’ on this one. It’s voluntary, though, so say the word and I’ll pack you off to the Thundering Elephants with my blessings.”
Julia snapped to attention. “I swore my oath to take the Archon’s Kroner to defend and strengthen the Commonwealth just as you and Mother and Uncle Frederick have, Ma’am! Say the word and I’ll do it!”
Katrina nodded sharply and pulled out a file folder from the desk drawer. She scribbled a signature on the forms inside and then slid it across her borrowed desk. “Effective immediately, you’re reassigned to Mercenary Troops Liaison as the permanent liaison officer for Weber’s Warriors. Officially, they will be part of the attack on Sevren and I need you to coordinate with the other elements of the plan. You placed first in your classes for tactics at the ‘Ring and I expect you to perform if the situation demands your tactical advice, Hauptmann Steiner.”
The younger Steiner took the folder. “And unofficially, Aunt Katrina?”
“Unofficially….” Katrina said slowly. “Mr. Weber has done the Commonwealth, done us Steiners a priceless service already. Get to know the young man, fight beside him on the battlefield, and work with him. I’ll be ennobling him as a Duke once I get all my chess pieces organized. When that happens, he will need to be part of Court and the nobility. He will need a… bodyguard… from some of the intrigues in the shark tanks on Tamar and Tharkad and I’m not inclined to let him get dragged under once he has to go out of his depth.”
Julia nibbled her lip, wheels spinning behind her blue eyes as she listened. “And Mother?” Julia finally asked.
“I’ll handle your mother when I return to Tharkad. Leave that to the head of the Family. Just stay blacked out on communications until the Ice Balls and then write her as normal with due attention to COMSEC restrictions..” Katrina ordered.
“Understood, Aunt. Anything else for me?” Julia inquired.
Katrina smirked and then pulled out a second folder labeled ‘TDR-6S-00001’ with classification tape sealing it from the desk drawer. “Just this. You better have packed your cooling vest because you have between now and dropping on Sevren to get up to speed with your new personal ‘Mech, Julia. I’ll want a report of the design’s capabilities, strengths, and weaknesses sent to my office so I can direct Asgard to write the doctrine on utilization once you get done stress-testing it on the Teak Dragon. Bring it, yourself, and Mr. Weber back safely.” The Archon paused. “Merry Early Christmas, Julia.”
Julia’s happy smile split her face as she read the specifications on her new Thunderbolt. “Zu Befehl, Archon!”
---------------
The Triad, Tharkad City, Tharkad,
Tamar Domains, Tamar Pact, Lyran Commonwealth
January 7th, 3016
Iris Steiner, Duchess of Furillo, automatically clutched her Odessan Sable fur coat tighter around her as she exited the private hoverlimo that had taken her from the spaceport to the center of Lyran power. She shivered at the feel of the arctic air and then decided that dignity and fashion be damned, she would lower the earflaps of her matching sable ushanka hat to prevent frostbite.
“This way, Duchess Steiner.” The escort from the 1st Royal Guards said, his breath frosting the subzero air as he gestured her away from the Royal Court or Government House toward the third massive building that made up the Triad.
The Royal Palace.
Iris raised a golden eyebrow at the unspoken message that was being sent by her cousin as she submitted to the first security screening and scanning with the aplomb and experience of a woman who had been a regular visitor to ‘Steiner House’ as it was nicknamed.
The eyebrow raised further as she was escorted deeper into the building through three more checkpoints. The priceless artwork and furnishings, some of which were actual Terran originals restored and preserved by master craftsmen, generated a mental hum as she walked alongside her guide to finally arrive at her destination.
The oak double doors, carved in the rococo 25th-century Neo-Baroque revival style, swung open and Iris stepped inside the sitting room.
The room beyond was decorated in a deliberately rustic decor with the heads of Gallery Night Boar on the wood-paneled walls, and wolf-skin rugs. In the corner, a priceless Black Forest grandfather clock ticked away the minutes next to a roaring fireplace. Likewise the furniture was solid dark hardwood, and the overall appearance was that of a trip back in time to the Germany of Grimm’s Fairy Tales on far-distant Terra. The modern conveniences of the 31st century were well hidden in the deliberately archaic setting that was one of Katrina’s favorite rooms.
Katrina Steiner stood up from where she had been working on paperwork with a bottle of Glengarry Private Select on the table at her elbow. “Guten Tag, Iris. Thank you for coming in response to my message.”
Iris curtsied and then shook the offered hand. “Guten Tag, Katrina. It was my pleasure.” She sat down in the offered seat. Her ushanka was placed next to the bottle of Kirschwasser and glass of ice cubes waiting for her. After seeing the crow’s feet carved in her cousin’s face, Iris leaned forward after pouring herself a drink of her favorite cherry schnapps. “Bad trip on the inspection tour up through Tamar? Was Kelswa being obstinate again?”
Katrina shook her head and sipped her whiskey. “It’s not Kelswa, not more than normal at least. Rather an unexpected development out of nowhere that impacts the Family. Positively. You’ll want to put your drink down for this one, Iris.”
Iris blinked but complied. “How so?” She asked curiously.
Katrina gave a wry smile. “Just that a Lyran patriot found a datacore with the key to Lostech on one of Amaris' hidden factory worlds. It checks out and I have already had copies made.”
Iris gasped in shock. “My God….”
Katrina steepled her hands and leaned her chin on them while she waited for her cousin to regain her composure.
Iris stared at the Archon and picked up her glass in shaking hands to toss back a stiff drink of cherry schnapps. “Thanks for the warning, Katrina! I’d hate to have to get my favorite coat cleaned unexpectedly during blizzard season. No shit??” The Duchess of Furillo gave her cousin a ‘don’t you dare be joking’ look as she refilled the glass.
“No shit, Iris. The problem is that what he wanted in exchange for it was something to benefit the Commonwealth as a whole rather than him specifically. While I’m happily giving him his price, it’s not tangible enough to be seen as a reward for exceptional service. Which is what’s needed.” Katrina said in explanation as she poured herself more whiskey.
Iris nodded along, visibly thought, then met her second cousin’s eyes. “Julia then?” The Duchess asked the Archon.
“Ja, Julia. Mr. Weber is fighting on Sevren, and will need a LCAF liaison officer for his unit. And since I shall be making him a Duke, a minder to help him ease into court politics and manage them on his behalf will be vital.” Katrina said. “I know I’m asking a lot of you and your oldest daughter here since you had plans for her.”
Iris sighed. “She will be upset that the transfer to the Tenth Guards that she was hoping for now that she made Hauptmann won’t happen. She just had to get promoted the way that you did with no family connections used! So I’ll HPG her and give my girl the marching orders from her mother and just prepare her younger brother Caesar to take over Furillo then.”
Katrina smirked smugly. “I already spoke to her since her unit was tapped to fight on Sevren. She agreed to the request effective immediately.” The Archon gave a satisfied smile at the ‘you sneaky bitch!’ look on her cousin’s face. “The fact that she got the first Lostech new-build Thunderbolt since Kerensky departed in place of her lost Zeus sweetened the pot a great deal too.”
Iris stared at her smirking cousin. “Katrina! You just had to one-up my plans for her birthday present!"
A. N. -- I'd like to thank Speaker4thesilent here for idiot checking me and canon compliance for his universe. Weber may not have wanted a large and visible reward for doing the right thing, but the society in BT demands that this particular knight gets a 'princess' assigned to help him fight the Dragon.
To fill folks in, Julia Steiner is a canon for this story OC, the oldest daughter of Iris Steiner (Duchess of Furillo) and the older sister of Caesar Steiner (Dad had a man-crush on the Roman Empire when naming kids). She graduated top tier in her class at the Nagelring two years ago and elected to earn promotions through battlefield combat rather than family wealth and pull (she has a bit of hero-worship for Aunt Katrina as a role model). Several months ago, her company of the 8th Donegal was fighting the Dracs and her Zeus exploded from an autocannon ammo bin hit. The result is she got a wound badge, the field promotion for leading the remnants of her company out of the ambush was made permanent, the McKennsie Hammer, and a transfer to staff duties while they worked on her neural damage from the feedback. She's a good political operator, but prefers not to play politics, especially with men's lives at stake.