HidHop-12

==Chapter 12 – A House of Stone==
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===Meeting with Distraught Mom===
12/02/3051 | Tharkad System, Lyran Commonwealth
Archon Melissa Steiner strode through her Palace beneath leering gargoyles and centuries old artistic masterpieces. Her journey took her across the loggia overlooking her Throne Room, now vacant of its guardian Griffins and sharpshooters that could take down any interloper within its vast emptiness, halting at an ornate oak door fronted by a parlor within which stood a pair of Diplomatic Guards. They saluted as she approached, “Duchess Steiner is waiting for you, Your Majesty.”
She walked through the door to smell the herbal aroma of fresh tea filling an office seeped in grandeur. Melissa removed the strainer and set it aside before turning to see the older and still glamorous woman neatly tucked into the leather chair. “You took that mint from the gardens didn’t you.”
The woman gracefully returned her cup to the gilded saucer, “I wanted it to be fresh, Archon.”
Melissa matched her ‘Aunt’s’ posture, both had gone to the same finishing school in Tesseraburg and it was a shared learning. “I appreciate the extra effort Anette, and your gifts for Arthur and Katherine.”
“Just a few things I picked up with Walter on our trip to Rewland.”
A sheaf of papers was shuffled across the desk, COMGUARDs force depositions from Odessa, detailed manifests from Isesaki Shipping, strings of Capellan Confederation based front companies, intimate details from the Outworlds Free Trader Corporation and military suppliers from every corner of the Inner Sphere. All showing how the Blessed Order had accumulated armies of combat vehicles and battlemechs for the ‘security of the Inner Sphere’ without anyone noticing. “but how did you get these? What sources do you have that I do not?”
Anette smiled ruefully, “Do you want to compare numbers, Archon? 
I was banished from Tharkad by Katrina for a reason. While I may not be capable of everything I once was, I was quite capable once.”
“So, you are calling in favors?”
“For services rendered and secrets kept.
Anything that can help get me back to Somerset and my sons.”
“I understand this is difficult for you, Anette. I would be as troubled if our places were switched, and it were my family behind enemy lines. We will of course do everything we can to stop the Clans, but we need a win first and time for our forces to prepare a counterattack. 
My hope is that COMSTAR evacuating their people and information about the planets off-world while disabling the HPGs will slow the Clans down. Otherwise, they have blinded us. 
We only have Phelen’s reports and Steel Viper defectors to go on now.”
“There will be others I am sure of it.”
“I appreciate your optimism.”
“Do not lose hope that things will improve Melissa. At least we have something to focus on now. 
We just need to stem the tide and turn it against itself.”
“I fear that there may be a crack in our seawall.”
There was an unconscious hitch in her otherwise smooth movement, “Roman?”
“I’m afraid so. Someone needs to speak to him, and I think it needs to be you. He won’t listen to me.”
“What makes you think he will listen to me? We haven’t spoken since…”
“Because Sarah didn’t get off Chateau when the Steel Vipers attacked and only a few people know.”
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===Compelling a General to Lead===
12/27/3051
Commanding General Roman Steiner exited the concrete bunker and into another dour room filled with grim faced soldiers. His shaggy brown hair was streaked with gray, uniform with sweat, and he had forgotten when he last had time to take a shower. Lian, his staff office stood at attention looking his way with discomfort. “Speak, Hauptmann.”
“Duchess Steiner is waiting on the ramparts for you, General.”
Roman replaced his shirt with the one from his desk, “Which one?”
“Anette.”
The brass buttons on his white uniform shirt shined under the light but omitted the tie, running his hand back to tie his hair in a queue, bearing a grimace. “What does she want?” He growled.
“To speak with you on the ramparts.”
“Why not here?”
“I didn’t ask. She just left to walk on the ramparts after telling me this.”
“By herself.”
“She is a member of the Estates General.”
“That doesn’t mean she can do what she wants on my mountain.”
Lian shifted under his gaze, “It is not my place to tell her that General.”
“Very well,” Roman donned the dark blue peacoat from the closet, “then I shall.”
Cool night winds blew from the Bremen Sea toward Mount Wotan Military Reservation, Tharkad and Olympia, the Lyran Commonwealth’s twin capital cities glittered in the distance. Beneath these ramparts was an extensive array of fortifications and bunkers capable of withstanding anything short of a persistent saturation attack by hostile Warships, a threat only capable in theory…until now. 
Anette’s brown hair came unbound from beneath her hat with a strong gust. A voice attached to boot steps approached her, “It is a long hike down. I hope you brought your furs, Duchess.”
She wrapped the ermine trimmed shawl about her, “I always do when I go to the mountains, General.”
Roman stood at the battlements beside her, “Why did the Archon send you. of all people to speak with me?”
“Shock value. You know Melissa, always being so dramatic. 
It wasn’t my choice.”
“How long has it been, cousin?”“Thirty six years. A lifetime ago.”
“Two lifetimes ago, If I could take it back I would.”
She took a deep breath, the memory of her mother’s suicide and her own time at 'The Institute' on Gallery equally unpleasant. “None of us can though. As much as my uncle thought it would hurt your career, he was gravely wrong. Although perhaps not completely. I know about Sarah, but have you told Joan and your granddaughters yet?”
He rubbed his hands together to warm them, “No. Phelen escaped, there are probably still resistance units laying low on the occupied worlds.”
“Phelen Kell has the misfortune of being part of a particularly reckless group of mercenaries. You’d have to launch a mission from the FRR to get her back and the Elected Prince would never allow that.”
“He could be convinced…” Roman clenched his fist on the railing but Anette put her hands over his.“It’s not going to happen.”
“You sound very confident. Don’t you want to do the same for your sons.”
She moved one of her hands to cover her heart, “Of course I do but they’d only just charge right back into the enemy if I did. Sarah and Leo would do the same.”
Roman breathed deep and clouds bellowed forth from his nostrils, “What would you have me do then?”
“Your job.”
“But I cannot even protect my own daughter.” She sensed the profound shame in his voice and a tear.
“They knew what they were getting into when they enlisted. You don’t need to protect them. You just need to think of a way to stop the Clans and get them back.”
“I don’t know that I can.”
Anette caressed the pillar holding up the sloped ceiling, “I had to take a sculpture class in art school. I didn’t want to, it sounded like a lot of hard dusty work, and I had more interesting things to do. Parties to attend, scandals to cause.”
“If this is going to be a very rambling speech save it. We have a war to fight, I need a shower, and rest.”
“While that is certainly true, we both know that neither of those things are going to happen tonight unless you listen to me. 
So, the instructor had a very interesting background, he was an architect as well as a sculpture. He reminds me of the duality of our House. Steiner, someone that works with stone. 
The same stone that builds fortresses or walls can be turned into a work of art. Mount Wotan for instance, fortress and wildlife preserve, always prominent never intrusive. The Triad, surrounded by mighty walls and heights while being filled with awe-inspiring masterpieces. 
We Steiner are not easily turned. Melissa has made you the architect of the modern LCAF, Roman, now you must sculpt it to task. Take away everything else until you have only what you need. We believe you can do it, and I think you need to as well. 
You just need to think differently, less hammer, more chisel.
Until then Melissa and the Estates General will see that the walls of our House are well buttressed against this storm.”
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===A Burdened Mother===
01/08/3052
Rewland sprawled out beside the equatorial Glotte Sea, it was a small city in population and height, no one wanted to ruin the ocean view or share their space. Rewland College of Fine Arts, the Commonwealth’s premier institution for such things, was indistinguishable from the other carefully landscaped mansions nestled within the hills. 
Within her late mother’s house, one of the smaller ones near the college, Anette Steiner leaned into a man with graying hair, but firm resolve on his face. They looked out at the cruise ship sparkling for the city pier. One of many that along with the city heliport ferried passengers throughout the New Bismark Archipelago carrying Tharkad’s elite to their own private islands and workers to the oil rigs anchored to its seafloor feeding the planetary industries insatiable hunger for more material.
“I am very tired, Walter.”
“Of anything in particular?”
“Waiting, the Clans haven’t moved since taking Tamar. 
Every day more ‘Noble Rulers’ take refuge in the capital instead of standing their ground. 
Even Rewland is getting crowded, I’m sure that ship will be filled with overflow, every hotel room on world is occupied by people that escaped the invasion zone with their treasures intact. 
Everyone will talk about how brave the LCAF is while refusing to pay their taxes and moving their wealth out of the Commonwealth before the Kroner tanks. 
It sickens me. 
How can we resist the invaders when everyone that can afford the ticket abandons their world at the first sign of trouble? Have we really fallen so far?”
“I know. This is difficult for me too. If I were a younger man, I’d be the first one to volunteer on a mission to find our boys. 
I unfortunately can’t help you motivate the nobles to stand by the Commonwealth’s values and not just their own value.”
“I just don’t know what to do. The Estates General has become draining, everyone just shifts blame to cover their ass instead of solving problems.”
He clasped her hands in his, “Get some rest, and just keep trying. That’s the best you can do for yourself right now.”
She buried her head into his shoulder as he stroked her hair, “Do you think they are ok?”
“I think we taught them well. They’re smart boys they will figure something out.”
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===Liberating the Captive===
12/08/3051 | Somerset, Clan Occupation Zone
The Fury dropship landed at Somerset Military Academy’s starport. A storm was approaching from the West as dozens of Spheroid POWs shuffled down the steep ramp to the sound of stun sticks and medusa whips. “Move faster! We will take off before this storm arrives.”
They were greeted by a bus whose Academy Seal hastily repainted to Clan Star Adder’s insignia. One of them shouted at the assembled Patrol officers that took custody of them from their Mongoose captors. “What did you do to my brother!”
“Shut up worm!” Shouted their gracious ‘host’ that had stuck them in the cramped platoon compartments that smelled of sweat and despair. “You are their problem now.” He shoved the clipboard back at the attending officer a woman by uniform, but he couldn’t see her face behind the helmet. “Watch out for that one, he is nothing but trouble.”
“Thank you for the warning, Patrol Commander. Prisoner Three-One-Zero. The Commandant wishes to see you alone.” 
She looked toward the Mongoose Patrol who split off to supervise the loading of supplies from the Starport onto their dropship. “With no cameras.”
Two men hauled him away into a Patrol car and drove away as the Fury launched back toward space and its next prisoner transfer. They sat in quiet as the officer drove toward the Academy and beyond.
“Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere with no cameras.”
“If you just intend to shoot me, get it over with.”
“That would be too easy for you, Kapiten Andrew Steiner.”
“So, you know me?’
“Of course, I do,” Rachel removed her helmet and shook her hair loose at the stop light, “I’m actually insulted you don’t remember me. Has it really been that long?”
“Lieutenant Spector?”
“Just Rachel is fine.” The guard beside him undid his handcuffs.
“What happened to Adam?”
“He’s still in charge. It’s complicated, but he has a plan. One he’ll be happy to explain when we get there.”
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