FSRB Chpt 180

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 180==
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October 3070The Battle of Verde - The Stage is Set
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Verde 
Mayetta PDZ
Draconis March
Federated Suns
The advance party from Clan Nova Cat slowly slid towards orbit over the busy world of Verde. Even from approaching orbit it's small continents, island chains who's coastlines which were the home of the famed Silver Furred Walrus were evident. However even the much sought after meat and fur of the planet's Walrus's was now only a secondary concern for any visitors. Where once the planet's primary industry had been the harvesting and processing of the products of it's oceans, now the industrial sector of the planet's economy dwarfed even that of the much sought after meat product of the Silver Furred Walrus. On the planet two military industrial plants were now produced Battlemechs and tanks for the AFFS and it's allies, while in orbit the jewel in Verde's industrial crown hung above the polar ice caps - the small but growing shipyard complex founded by FedBoeing to produce the civilian and military dropships that the Draconis March and wider FedSun's desperately needed.  It was those shipyards which had drawn the attention of the Nova Cats. Where once that attention would have been one of conquest, now it was as allies that they had traveled to Verde. Those shipyards, small though they might be, would allow them to refit worn and battered dropships, replace parts on their jumpships and warships and allow their civilians to breath "free" air on the planet bellow while the fleet refitted before plunging deeper into their new home of the Federated Suns. 
Leading the dozens of dropships into orbit was the Mystic Naval Star - consisting of the Aegis class Heavy Cruisers NCS Principle, NCS Chronicle, NCS Remembrance, the Vincent class Corvettes NCS Far Vision & NCS Spirit Vision, and the Carrack class Transport, NCS Void. The six warships may not have been amongst the largest or most powerful within the Clan Nova Cat Fleet, but they were well drilled and aware of the honour their Khan had bestowed upon them - for not only were they escorting the pathfinders and logistical components who were to prepare a route through the Federated Suns for the entire Clan but they also had with them in the belly of the NCS Void over a third of the genetic repository of the clan and aboard the various dropships nearly two thirds of the various sibco's who were the very future of the Clan. Along with the genetic repository was stored an almost as important cargo of wild Nova Cats. Even if no other Nova Cat ship made it to their new homes in the remote Outback of the FedSuns their cargo holds would ensure that the Clan survived. Guarding these precious cargo's alongside the Mystic Naval Star was the front line Tau Galaxy and second line Omicron Galaxy. 
Star Admiral David Leroux looked over the fleet on his screens with no small pride but also relief at having made it to Verde. Reports from some of the civilian caste dropships suggested that they were becoming a little unpleasant to live in. Air filters were beginning to fail at having to take the strain of several times the crews they had been designed for, but the Khan's had made it clear that no Nova Cat was to be left behind for the Kurita's to take out their anger upon. Even the lowest Labourer had been crammed into the departing dropships. That was the very reason that the route through the Federated Sun's had been planned so carefully. From the crossing point at Cussar the fleet would follow in his path to Verde and from there push on-wards to Defiance. From there they would enter the final leg of their journey, with only a short stop planned at Filtvelt for their warships to undergo any required refits before they arrived at the worlds which the Sun Jaguars were already preparing for them. Hard to imagine that the once hated Smoke Jaguars, now reborn as the Sun Jaguars were helping prepare their new homes for them. Alongside the troops, engineers, and civilians of the realm who's First Prince had smashed the Clan Invasion!
The Technician Caste communications astech looked up from his console. "Star Admiral, the local naval commander, a Rear Admiral Walker "Clay" has passed an invitation for you and the Star Commodores to attend upon him on his flagship the FSS Remagen at your earliest convenience. I may not be understanding the freebirth customary greetings, but I think he is inviting you and the other warship commanders to join him for dinner..." 
Leroux nodded, making no comment on the slight twist to the Rear Admiral's second name in the astech's voice. That fitted with his own experience of Inner Sphere naval officers. Their warship experience and numbers were still so low that even here in the Federated Suns a meeting between two squadrons or formations was often accompanied by a round of invitations to attend upon the ships for social events and professional networking he believed they called it. He tried not to sigh as he realized he would probably be expected to return the invitation and host the Rear Admiral and his key officers aboard the NCS Principle. At the very least the Rear Admiral, his staff and probably the captains of the four Fox I class corvettes that had been assigned to meet them here. The Khan however had been clear, he was to make every effort to present a good face to the AFFS and FedSuns! Keeping the distaste from his face he nodded to the technician. "Respond to the Rear Admiral and inform him that I will be pleased to join him on his flagship as soon as my ships settle into orbit and I have arranged for the civilian dropships to make planet fall." 
"Yes Star Admiral." The tech began sending the message quickly. 
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