CS3056-35

=Chapter 35= 
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==Clover Spear - The Story of the '56 War==
Prologue, Book 2, The Hammer Falls
====Intelligence Report====
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March, 3057
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Juliette watched through the window to the courtyard below, as grizzled sergeants ran infantrymen through close quarter drill. While all were veterans of the AFFC, the finest combined arms military not being run by a cult, they were from multiple units, and still getting used to working together. Fortunately the Heavy APCs have arrived, along with the Pattons, Manticores and Po Tanks we ordered, she mused, and that’s not counting the hundreds of tons of other gear Cooper’s boys and girls will need. Then there’s transport ... here’s hoping Kitty Steiner-Davion is good to her word. So far, the regent of the Federated Commonwealth had held up her end of the bargain between them, but with Spheroids you never knew where you stood.
Sighing, she turned to where Adrian stood, noteputer at the ready. “You have the latest update on our targets?”
Her best friend, aide and bodyguard in and out of the cockpit, nodded, tapping on his device. “Cleared through MIIO, Wolfnet, plus word from the normal sources.” he added coyly, even here, on Sudeten with the Clanners cleared out. He didn’t name the Lost by name. Even a hint of their presence could betray the various loyal Barons seeded throughout the OZ. “Cross checked and collated, with the appropriate annotations and footnotes.”
“Summaries.” she ordered, and he nodded, knowing that she would absorb the details later.
“Erewhon, population ninety million, large continents with few small oceans. Cool and dry, most of the population is in sheltered, fertile valleys fed by geothermal activity. The folk are hardy and laid back, mostly subsistence farmers and sheep herders, but there are six sizable cities with light industry, and spaceports where large quantities of wool, grain and other local products are loaded onto DropShips. The populace is descended from New Zealanders, being a mix of Maori, Scottish, English and Scandinavian ancestors. The Falcon forces largely stick to the cities, and the locals let them, preferring to mind their own business. More recently groups of Labourer, Merchant and Scientist Caste Falcons have been landing and building their own enclave, including industry and manufacturing.” he reported
“There aren’t any regular Falcon units reported to be on site, apart from some basic Solahama infantry and armor units at the main spaceport. There’s just not much the Tankers really care about there. However, signals intercept suggest it may be being used as a fallback site. So there may be survivors from broken Budgie units recuperating there when we arrive.”
“Shame to interrupt their RR.” murmured Juliette. Strangely, she didn’t sound very apologetic.
“Gotterdamerung is next, and we both know the story there. Small, cold, tiny population of neobarbs who make their living herding reindeer and supporting whatever pirate band is hanging about the spaceport. Just so happens this time around it’s the Falcons, 4th PGC.”
Juliette nodded: maybe fifty thousand people lived on that snowball, and apart from its location on the Exodus Road back to the Clan homeworlds. She wouldn’t even be bothering with it. “Next?”
“Population of almost eight million, Last Chance is a hot, wet world with a large trio of continents largely covered by mountains and jungle. Most of the people live in three cities that are at the mouths of large rivers, but there is a serious logging and cattle industry. With the loggers clearing land for the cattle to be raised on, slowly beating back the jungle day by day. Unfortunately, the local wood is very hard, yet rots very quickly once harvested: much of the work is done by ancient LoggerMechs that are on their last legs, and lots of brute force. The Falcons have largely ignored the activities of the locals, as long as they bow their heads and pay their tithes.”
“Fourth Talon Cluster was scheduled to be stationed there just before Clover Spear kicked off, and there’s no indication they’ve moved yet.”
“And Botany Bay?” She asked with a raised eyebrow, remembering previous discussions about the rather ... rambunctious former RWR planet.
He grinned. “Much of the almost a million residents of Botany Bay live underground. In geothermally fed caverns that give shelter from the obsidian sand and ice storms that ravage the surface on a regular basis. Settled by Rim Worlds Republic convicts and political prisoners, the locals actually benefited by the Falcon conquest. As the Clanners had a method of building domes at the lone spaceport that wouldn't be eroded by the storms before the year was out. Unfortunately for the Clanners, the locals also proved to be disturbingly independent, chafing heavily under the Clan yoke. Well they remembered the name Kerensky, and they had no love for the decedents of the SLDF, whatever they called themselves now.”
“The Third Talon might have thought they had an easy temporary posting, but the locals have other ideas. It seems they haven’t gotten any easier to control than they were under Amaris. Punitive expeditions into the caverns with Elementals and light 'Mechs broke up the last three attempts at rebellion, but there are rumors that another attempt to push the invaders back into the Black is underway ...”
“Gods bless those convicts.” the Baroness shook her head. “Presumably there’s the normal share of Solahma troops and ‘military police’ caste bully boys on each world?”
He nodded. “Seems an easy way for Lyrans living under the Tankers to get a better ration is to volunteer to kick Periphery folk about while wearing green.” He shrugged. “More things change ...”
She turned back to the window, as a full regiment of infantry, technically mercenaries but in her pay, snapped to attention, their hands slapping on the stocks of their battle rifles loud enough to echo up to her office. “Oh no, my friend.” she said softly, a hint of fang showing as her lip curled in a slight smile, “After this campaign, things are never going to be the same.”
Neither of them discussed the final target on their itinerary. The Baroness was as familiar with the intelligence regarding Von Strang’s World as he was. She checked the updated data summaries each day upon waking, and before going to bed. In a lesser woman, such would be considered obsessive behavior. In her, it was simply reality.
“Marik and the others have all touched down. You’ve got a breakfast meeting with them scheduled tomorrow with all three colonels, after they’ve got their people settled.” he continued: ''“Kristen’s Krushers, the 13th Republican Light Lancers and the Legion of the Rising Sun had been subcontracted to join von Strang’s Legion on their campaign, paid by Steiner-Davion. “The galley has checked with their staffs to ensure we don’t make any basic dietary mistakes or the like.”
“Good work.” she told her former classmate, who just holstered his noteputer on his belt and stood at ease. She glanced over at him. “And our own people?”
He shrugged. “Two battalions are ready to march, third is still working up. Give Major Haddock a month to get used to his promotion and get over his nerves, he’ll be fine. We won’t be the same as we were before the Island.” he added in a slightly warning tone.
Juliette turned back to the window, taking solace in the sight of soldiers at work. “We never are.” she whispered, the faces of men, women and children under her care who had died over the years since her crusade had begun. So many ... she shook her head to clear it. When she turned back to Adrian, it was the Vampire who met his eyes. “They’ll be ready when we drop onto Erewhon ... or when we leave.” she said firmly. “There is no other choice.
“We’re going home.” she said integrity
;Chapter by Gladius
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