FSRB Chpt 244

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 244==
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March 3072The Bear Moves Cautiously
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===First Prince avoids comment due to Lyran Military Coup d'état===
March has the High Command continuing to direct the war against the WoB Protectorate. First Prince Victor with many of his political allies within the Lyran Alliance arrested or under suspicion and reluctant to cause any further arrests of those who still look to him for guidance stops his activities to prop up the Lyran Government. Instead he throws himself into the military campaigns - although at the request of both Prince's Champion Galen Cox and Marshal of the Armies Jackson Davion he refrains from leading his 1st Davion Guards RCT personally into the fight. He does however briefly "hop" over to Caph where he is greeted by the various garrison units and Duke Gustafson and his sister the new commanding officer of the 1st Caph Grenadiers - Leftenant General Melissa Gustafson. While the former Major in the 4th Davion Guards has been promoted rapidly she has an extremely experienced command staff which has been assembled in order to support her and having anyone except a Gustafson lead the unit was likely to cause serious problems in the long term. For the time being the 1st Caph Grenadiers are under orders to obey Marshal Orsina of the 4th Davion Guards in the event of having to engage in combat - something that would come naturally to almost two fifths of the unit which are only lately transferred from the 4th Davion Guards.
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===March Lords insist for more Borderer Regiments===
On the 3rd of March, the Duke of New Syrtis openly petitions the High Command for permission to form two additional Borderer regiments within his March along with their respective Training Battalion forces. He states in a public letter to the High Command on New Avalon that while the border with the Taurian Concordant is currently quiet and with little raiding or threats on it, this situation cannot be counted upon to continue forever - and points to the recent invasion of his March by elements of the Taurian Defense Force. He requests permission to raise Border commands upon the worlds of Midale and Hyalite. He even offers to shift troops over from the Warren & Ridgebrook CMM to help form the core of the new units. Feelings within the High Command are mixed given that this might lead to an escalation in border tensions. Howeve,r there are strong arguments for reinforcing the border units - plus the formation of a Borderer regiment on Hyalite for instance would allow the withdrawal of the 36th Avalon Hussars RCT from that key world. 
Upon hearing the news the Duke of Robinson also puts in a hurried petition for two new Borderer regiments to be formed within his March. There had been plans during the initial formation of the Borderer Brigade to form units on Fairfax and Clovis, however these had fallen by the wayside. While both worlds are now far behind the new front lines of the Draconis Combine/FedSuns border, the Duke feels that they could be extremely useful as a strategic reserve and both worlds have strong and diverse economies and have historically been bases for AFFS units - the Fairfax DMM and Clovis Guard which were both destroyed in the Succession Wars.
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===Tikonov unusual warm welcome to the Wild Geese===
The Wild Geese mercenary regiment arrive on Tikonov and find themselves disembarking at the Tikograd Spaceport to a full parade through the city. Both the 2nd Tikonov Cossacks and the Tikonov Martial Academy Regimental Training Combat Group take part in the parade, but pride of place goes to the Blackhorse Squadron of the Wild Geese, the unit commanded by the Duke of Tikonov's grandson. Brigadier Alisande Faulkner and her command staff at the end of the parade are greeted by the Duke himself on the steps of his palace where he gives a speech welcoming all of the Wild Geese to his planet and donates to the regiment two lances of Cataphracts and a lance of Koschei heavy battlemechs. He invites the officers of the unit to a ball in their honor at the same time. Only a blind man however would not notice that while the Duke is the soul of courtesy to Brigadier Faulkner he mostly seems to be paying attention to Colonel Paul Bowman his grandson. 
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===Talks between Sian Republic and FedSuns===
The Federated Suns' Ambassador to the Sian Republic requests a meeting with Lord Protector Talon Zahn to discuss confidential matters. The Lord Protector who even three years after the formation of the Republic is barely holding things together is extremely reluctant to formally meet with the ambassador of the realm which shattered the Capellan Confederation into it's three remnant successor mini-states, but decides with some misgivings that it is better to do so than to risk a refusal that might see a AFFS RCT express the First Prince's displeasure at the snub. He invites the ambassador to meet with him at the Republic Palace (former Forbidden City) on the 30th.
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===Pirate Hunting in the Periphery===
The 7th Avalon Borderers LCT jumps into the abandoned Baltar system and begins a sweep of the planet to check for pirates. They accidentally interrupt a meeting of several smaller pirate bands who have arranged a truce in order to discuss how best to counter the AFFS pirate sweeps which have caused them so many difficulties of late. With their fighter sweeps showing a number of grounded dropships around the abandoned planetary capital the 7th Avalon Borderers conduct a combat drop on top of the pirate dropships. 
This bold move almost backfires badly when the various pirate bands, cut off from their dropships and escape, launch a furious assault on the 7th Borderers to retake their transports. The only thing that prevents the initial charge from overrunning the shocked AFFS troops is the lack of coordination between the various pirate bands. While their initial attack is overwhelming they soon break up into their respective groups and head for their own dropships as soon as they break the AFFS lines. Rallying quickly and relying heavily on their artillery battalion and aerospace wing to prevent the pirates escaping the 7th Avalon counter attacks. With their battlemechs in much better condition than the ramshackle equipment of the pirates even after their initial losses and with their armour battalions and battle armour troops giving them a major edge the 7th engages the pirates in a point blank battle amongst and even within the landed dropships. Battle armoured troops, stationed within the pirate dropships when they were taken hold out valiantly until relieved by their comrades who had been driven back. Three pirate dropships, all Leopard class, are recaptured briefly and one manages to get off the ground but is swiftly brought down by a swift pass by a squadron of Vulcan class heavy aerospace fighters. At the end of the twenty six hour battle the pirates are almost annihilated, but at heavy cost to the 7th Avalon Borderers LCT. At almost full strength at the start of the fight, nearly half of the unit has been destroyed or killed while engaging the pirate bands. 
The brutal fight on Baltar does result in the final bands of pirates within the region being broken or fleeing the area. Those few bands who had wished to continue to fight and harry the AFFS forces in the hope of holding onto their "territory" had largely been those present on Baltar and they had all been destroyed. The remaining groups decide wisely that the discretion is the better part of valor and opt to move on. Rather than risk further entanglements with the AFFS if they head in the direction of the Tortuga Combat Region (or worse the FedSuns "pet" Clans!) they opt to cut through or go around the Taurian Concordant and hope to set up shop in the area between the Concordat and the Magistracy of Canopus. 
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===Capella Unrest Continues===
The riots and resistance within the former Capellan Confederation worlds continues on, but at least on most of the key worlds is under control. With the Capella system itself now reinforced by the 8th FedSun's Dragoons the heart has went out of the rioters. A brief upsurge of violence and riots on Sarna is dealt with by the garrisoning 5th Syrtis Fusiliers RCT quickly and as bloodlessly as possible. Still the best that the AFFS troops seem to be able to manage is to keep the resistance to low level protests rather than open revolt as they had been close to reaching before the redeployments. 
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===Naval Developments===
The shipyards within the Dieron system, heavily damaged during the capture of the system, are finally repaired by the 29th of March. Rather than being sold to an existing large scale naval shipbuilder the yards have been reorganised as a new company. Dieron Shipyards is released onto the public stock exchanges of the Federated Suns at the start of March. Most of the stock is unsurprisingly snapped up by companies like FedBoeing and Challenge Systems and by nobles such as the Dukes of Robinson and Kestrel, however a full 20% is withheld and sold only in small amounts to private investors. The new company has been able to obtain (via the FedSuns Government) licenses to produce Congress-D II frigates, Davion III destroyers, and Fox II corvettes. Only the Congress-D II design was difficult to obtain permission from the company that owns the rights, Challenge Systems. However in return for a full quarter share in the company they had agreed to license the design to Dieron Shipyards - something that the Federated Sun's Navy and Government had been keen on due to the fact that until now every Congress-D II frigate built for the Sun's had been constructed in Challenge Systems shipyards even if at different yards. Adding an additional company that had access to the design for added redundancy was seen as a valuable option. A single Congress-D II and Davion III are laid down alongside two Fox corvettes. 
The 3rd Independent Squadron of the ComGuards see's a fifth Fox I corvette finish at Filtvelt and begin it's shakedown cruise to join it's parent formation at Novaya Zemlya. A new Fox is laid down but this time it is a Fox II and is earmarked for the AFFS not the ComGuards. 
Also at the Filvelt shipyards, the cruiser, FSS James Davion, slips free from it's construction bay and begins a series of shakedown jumps and training missions as it slowly makes it's way towards New Avalon. Although for the time listed as part of the ad-hoc Training Squadron it is destined for the 2nd Carrier Battle Group. A new cruiser is laid down soon after. 
At FedBoeing's shipyard at Galax five Fox II Class Corvettes complete construction. The FSS Logandale, FSS Fallon, FSS Brundage, FSS Lucerne, and FSS Estuan all complete construction. The FSS Logandale is immediately dispatched to join (or as many refer to it re-join) the 5th Corvette Flotilla. Accompanying her are the four other Fox IIs completed who are destined to form the 5th Flotilla's 3rd Division. This leaves only the 3rd & 6th Corvette Flotillas as consisting of only two divisions along with the still forming 10th Flotilla. The FSS Nigel, FSS Larned, FSS As Samik, FSS Frazer, and FSS Madras are all laid down in the new available slips. 
The FedBoeing yards at Galax also complete two Davion III destroyers. The first is swiftly handed over to it's ComGuard crew. The second however, remains in limbo. A Lyran Navy crew had arrived to take ownership, however with the current issues with the Regent of the Lyran Alliance the FedSuns hold off on handing it over. They don't however refuse to do so. Diplomatically they explain there are some "teething issues" with the ship. Teething issues that don't require a shipyard as a new destroyer is already taking shape within the vacated slip. However, on the 20th of March when the Regent formally petitions the Federated Suns to seize the assets of the traitorous House Blackstone, soon after the ship is quickly handed over to the Lyran crew. The LAS Battle of Arcturus immediately begins heading for Lyran space using dead systems and avoiding FedSun systems. Two new destroyers are laid down. Who they are being built for is left open. 
At New Syris, the destroyer FSS Darter completes and moves off to join the 5th Carrier Battle Group. In the now vacant slip, the FSS Dacotah was laid down. Plans are being considered for adding additional slips at New Syrtis, either for more Davion IIIs or for Black Lion II Class Battlecruisers. If the Duke of New Syrtis George Hasek gets his way it'll be both. 
The Challenge Systems yards at Panpour completes a Congress-D II Class frigate. The FSS Chisum joins the 2nd Patrol Squadron. The 2nd Patrol remains working up and training around the Outback slowly moving towards the world of Filtvelt. The training exercises that it is undertaking seem largely designed for convoy escort duties.
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===Developments in Industry===
At Torrence a Dagger-O OmniFighter line goes operational. This brings the total production facilities for the Dagger-O on Torrence to four with a fifth approaching completion. Along with the other facilities scattered across the Federated Suns more and more Dagger-O are pouring into the AFFS and in particular the Federated Suns Navy. Even with the expansions production is barely keeping up with demand. 
At St Ives the Sun Corp production facility begins producing Hauberk battle armour. Even with the basic facility now producing Hauberk suits the facility is still under almost constant expansion. Indeed some thought is being given to adding a Cavalier plant. 
Sapphire Metals announce that their new "Hades" variant of the former Kurita Akuma Assault Class battlemech will be put into production at their facility on Shimonita. The design has been reworked to a more "knightly" look for the company in order to throw of the stigma of the very Japanese styling of the Akuma's armor moldings. The company has been helped in this by the NAIS. 
The single largest industrial development however in March is the opening of the huge Achernar-Sun Jaguar Daedalus ConstructionMech plant on New Huntress. By the end of the month dozens of the versatile industrialmech are marching from the facility and the plan is for this to become hundreds. 
Clan Sun Jaguar also see's their Stormcrow Medium OmniMech production line go operational on Valois. In a surprising move the Jaguars began constructing a line to produce the Horned Owl second line battlemech. However they are clearly looking to add some variety to their second line formations.
Clan Nova Cat also add a production line, again for an Ocelot light class battlemech for second line units. Some at least however are being traded to the AFFS in return for resources to help expand their enclaves. 
On New Avalon, NAIS begins Operation Pendragon. This is an attempt by the facilities top scientists and engineers to not only produce small scale runs of Clantech equipment but designing and building an entire battlemech without the aid of their Clan allies that is equipped with cutting edge Clan level technology. The plan is to have a prototype within a year.
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===Clan Troop Movements===
====Ghost Bear Jail Break====
The disappeared forces of Clan Ghost Bear turn up in March. The entire force appeared in the Orestes system of the Free Rasalhague Republic. The two huge battleships begin escorting the Alpha and Rasalhague Galaxies towards the capital world of the Free Rasalhague Republic as the garrison and militia units on planet scramble to defend their world. At Fort Miraborg, the high command of the KungsArme fight to keep calm and to plan their defences.
Unlike within the halls of Fort Miraborg, however calm does not reign over Orestes. Simmering tension within the civilian population erupt into violence when the native Orestians take to the streets to protest against the actions of the government which has led to Clan Ghost Bear's arrival. Economically marginalized by the refugee communities who had flocked to the world they call for the release of the Ragnar Magnusson and surrender to Clan Ghost Bear. When regular troops move to disperse these protests some of the local militia move to protect them. Open civil war is narrowly averted by a plea for calm from Christian Mansdottir. 
However as the Clan ships approach orbit the defensive dropships and fighters of the garrison units attempt to stop them. Those attempts fail when various specially formed Valkyrie Clusters spill forth from the super battleships and their heavy dropship escorts move to screen them. Entering orbit however there is no large scale combat drop on the almost panicked world. Instead, both huge Leviathan II class Heavy Battleships move into a synchronous orbit over the Haakon Prison Complex. At which point the entire Rasalhague Galaxy conducts a combat drop onto the prison. Battle armor troopers land within the prison itself while battlemechs crash down either into the open areas or around the prison to block any attempts to interfere. The prison wardens and paramilitary riot police stationed there as well as a small garrison of armour and infantry aren't defeated, they are destroyed. Within the hour battle armoured Elemental's are leading Galaxy Commander Ragnar Magnusson from the prison and onto a waiting dropship. He is rushed up to the CGB Great Bear where the Khan is waiting for him. Whatever they are discussing upon his arrival at the flagship. The world of Orestes and it's defenders can only speculate as they wait with dread for any further combat operations. Rasalhague Galaxy remain dug in around the Haakon Prison Complex but make no effort to engage Kungsarme troops unless they are fired upon. 
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Galaxy Commander Katrina Steiner meets with saKhan Sellen Cage. In a three day conference they come to an agreement. The two women, neither seeing any future in their respective Clans order their troops back aboard their dropships while looting anything of value they can from the world of Liezen - which includes any people with skills that might be useful. Once their dropships have attached to their jumpships the flotilla jump out escorted by CIH Cold Hunter. Four mixed Galaxies of troops, several dozen jumpships, a Lola III Class destroyer and almost 20,000 civilian caste members disappear into the void. Leaving the way open for Clan Hells Horses to continue invading Clan Wolf's territories. 
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===Troubles in the Lyran Alliance===
====Assault on Odessa====
On Odessa, the 11th Donegal Guards approach the defensive works around the city of New Bealton and promptly smash into them as the month starts. Their heavy and assault mechs crash through the defending 2nd Odessa Regulars and are soon forcing a hole in the traitors lines. Into this gap pour the 2nd Royal Guards RCT while the 17th Donegal Guards RCT swings around and attack the 1st Odessa Regulars. The Regulars in their own defensive lines to prevent them reinforcing the 2nd Regulars. Within a week even the most fanatical of Duke Fisk's supporters are aware that the battle is hopeless and both Odessa Regulars (or what is left of them) surrender unconditionally. When units from the 2nd Royal's approach the Ducal Palace the entire structure explodes in their faces killing thousands of locals and injuring tens of thousands. All witnesses agree that the Duke was inside along with almost all of his family except his son on Tharkad. 
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====Duke Kell demands audience with the Regent====
Grand Duke Kell arrives with Duke Bradford on Tharkad just as news of the fall of Odessa and the explosion of the Ducal Palace is announced. They immedietly demand a meeting with the regent to air their grievances. Both men make an effort to visibly not contact the Federated Suns Ambassador for aid in this matter. Regent Adam Steiner immediately agrees and invites the men to join him for a heart to heart.
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===The Free Worlds League War with the Word of Blake===
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====Battle for Gibson====
On Gibson, the 2nd Shadow Division - confirmed destroyed on Hesperus by the AFFS - appear with no warning and attack the 8th Free Worlds Legionnaires. Heralding their attack with a trio of tactical nuclear weapons the 2nd Shadow Division attack through the still glowing and burning holes they have punched in the Free World Legionnaires lines. Faced with these brutal tactics the surviving members of the Legionnaires rally and call down orbital fire against the 2nd Shadow Division, sometimes literally on top of their own lines. In at least three documented case cut off and isolated elements of the 8th Legionnaires call down heavy naval ordinance on their own coordinates as they are overrun. 
When the 1st Marik Militia, swing in to reinforce the heavily pressed 8th Legionnaires, the ghostly 2nd Shadow Division melts back and withdraws. The remainder of the month is spent with the FWLM forces slowly expanding their landing zones and seeking to pin down where the various WoB units are. Many (particularly within the 1st Orloff) call for a push towards the major cities and factories of the world, while more conservative planners wish to slowly expand the area controlled by the FWL on the planet and secure the ground slowly. A compromise is reached at the end of the month when the 1st Orloff Grenadiers push out towards Portent City while the 1st Marik Militia and 12th Atrean Dragoons secure their flanks. The remaining units continue to slowly push their lines outwards. The 6th Oriente Hussars is landed to help with this.
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