MBMSFS Chpt 2

==Manufacturing a Blueprint for a More Stable Federated Suns‎‎ - Chapter 2 -==
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
----
===Bonding Time===
[Arthur Corean - Age 28]
[Highway 4, on the road to Avalon City]
[Avalon City, New Avalon; Federated Suns]
[April 5th, 3025]
I couldn't stop myself from smiling as I watched my younger brother, Yuri, practically paste his face to the Ferroglass viewports as we cruised languidly toward the Upper District of New Avalon City. Even at 18 years old the man was still so much a boy in so many ways, and though this wasn't his first time on New Avalon he still had figurative stars in his eyes as he watched the artfully styled buildings, monorails, and large green spaces that Avalon City was known for pass us by.
We were traveling toward the Upper District, where New Avalon University and my apartment were located, and we were traveling in style.
The Lamborghini Typhon was a 10-ton monstrosity of a vehicle, built to the specifications of a goddamn Battlemech, with a powerful hydrogen fuel cell capable of getting the beast up to 150 kilometers per hour and three tons of Battlemech grade Starslab armor plating. Vacuum and NBC-rated, the van was the perfect blend of rugged durability and ludicrous luxury, with fancy wood grains, leather shock couches with mink-appointed safety harnesses and other super fancy things that I really didn't give a shit about.
 
What I did care about, however, was that the van was super fucking durable and it was more than luxurious enough for someone of my station to have; it even had an 11.5mm rotary cannon for Anti-Infantry purposes that could pop out of the top rear of the vehicle. It took a while to get the permits for the weapons package, but considering who I was and what I represented I was able to push it through with no problem, along with the permits for my fully armed bodyguard escort teams.
 
The van itself had enough room to hold myself, my brother, two of my personal aids, and a twelve-man security team that was made up of a smattering of retired AFFS Regular Infantry and a few Special Forces types whom I paid handsomely to train and supervise the expansion of my corporation's civilian security guards. They weren't exorbitantly expensive, but they weren't cheap either, but the money I saved with all of the pay cuts from myself and the other board members was more than enough to double the size of my company's defense forces without cutting into other budgets.
 
Now that I was in charge, I was going to make sure that me and mine were kept as safe as possible, and that included my workers and research staff. No fucking fake-DEST/fake-Death Commando team was going to merc my people or wreck my shit, no sir.
 
My mother and father had been quite content with the Mercedes luxury limo that they used to travel around with, but me? I knew that people were going to try and kill me whenever they got the chance, so yes, I made sure to spring for the up-armored vehicles that cost me as much as a Locust Battlemech did, and I bought four of them. The other three Typhon vans were sent toward other random locations that I traveled to on occasion, and the drivers and four-man team that accompanied them got to kick back and enjoy an easy day while playing decoy; most of them I knew just fired up their noteputers and caught up on their favorite books, while other used the time to study for whatever University coursework they were doing that I started subsidizing for my permanent employees.
 
Sure, the program was contractually tied to a mandatory minimum of service, pursuant to how much the company was subsidizing for the particular course of study. While 'corporate hopping' wasn't nearly as rare here as it was in my last life, where people switched companies whenever possible if it meant they could climb the ladder, it was a small price to pay to ensure that I kept my best performing junior employees loyal. Spending $10,000 Pounds to fund the higher education of my employees one-time meant that I wouldn't have to spend twice as much training new ones, and waiting the years necessary for them to accrue the same level of experience to match the man or woman that left for 'greener pastures'; it also kept them invested in the company that gave them an opportunity to better themselves and earn a higher wage.
 
"If you smudge the glass I'm going to make you clean it," I chuckled wryly, causing Yuri to jerk slightly and turn around in his seat, a sheepish grin on his face and an easily visible flush on his pale cheeks.
"Ah, sorry. I sort of forgot myself," He scratched at the back of his head with a nervous laugh, his fingers mussing up his fluffy, untamed auburn locks.
 
The Corean family had an interesting range for our family genetics, and it showed in all of our mother's and father's children. Whereas Andrew, our dearly departed Mechwarrior middle brother, had all of the 'manly' genetics, Yuri had gotten all of the 'pretty boy' genetics, and I was nestled comfortably in between. On the feminine side, Yeathers was disgustingly 'cute', while Julia was shaping up to be the 'beauty', and the youngest, Amelia, while a bit too early to tell, was shaping up to be the happy middle in between like myself.
 
The few things we all shared were the flaming red hair and crystal blue eyes of our mother and father.
 
"Meh, don't mention it, little brother, I don't mind, truly. I'm just teasing," I shrugged diffidently, "It's been nearly a decade since you were last here on New Avalon, and when you came in last week it was the middle of the night... and I can't say that the travel to the Upper District isn't a visually stunning sight."
 
Pristine white ferrocrete, lots of colored Ferroglass, and interesting geometries were combined with wide asymmetrical roads and vibrant green spaces to make the city a beautiful and unique spectacle. It was both aesthetic and incredibly functional, with plenty of ways for traffic to maneuver around the city- both by vehicle and on foot- and if you looked carefully and squinted you could see the interesting bits that made this a capital city of a capital planet in the Battletech universe. Walls that had murals on them were tall and thick, easily able to conceal and protect a Battlemech. Buildings were 'stepped' in their elevations with reinforced rooftops that were designed with jump jet-capable Battlemechs in mind, and the open spaces tapered neatly into kill zones designed to funnel attacking forces into hails of artillery and LRM fire.
 
The entire city had been planned with being a defensive madhouse in mind, and with the advent of Battlemechs even centuries after its founding, Avalon City had been updated and upgraded to keep up with the changing times. It was a sprawling maze filled with choke points and underground tunnels large enough to accommodate whole battalions of 'Mechs and armored vehicles- just when you thought you had made progress out of one kill zone then the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns (AFFS) would pop out of a hidden tunnel and punish your backside.
 
It was funny because while the AFFS hungered for 'honorable and just' combat with their foes, the men and women were ready to sally forth and engage their enemies in open combat whenever the opportunity presented itself... they really weren't above some sneaky-ass shit if they could get away with it. However, I suppose you could say that about most of the Great Houses, except the Capellan Confederation- they're 'all schiesty, all the time'.
 
Though for the Federated Suns it came down to how they could frame such tactics with positive optics.
 
"So, Yuri, I was thinking..." I mused out loud as the luxury vehicle ate up the ground toward the city.
 
My younger brother perked up a bit, "Yes?"
 
"I was thinking that during the weekends we could work on getting you a civilian certification for IndustrialMechs through the company-"
 
His eyes widened almost comically as he gawped, "What!?"
 
"Well, I know that you gave up your slot for the Mechwarrior Academy at NAIS so that you could help me out," I crossed my arms over my chest, "It's something you've wanted very badly- to follow in Andrew's footsteps and join the AFFS. Yet... you gave it up for me. For the family."
 
His surprise gave way to the sudden somber shift in the conversation, and he fiddled with his hands, "Well, after Mother and Father died... it made me do a lot of thinking. About us. About the family."
 
"You've always put the family first, Arthur. You focused on your education and spent your whole childhood and teenage years ensuring that when you came of age you could help Father with Corean Enterprises," Yuri's blue eyes shifted to the side as he avoided looking directly at me, "It was your focus on the family business that allowed Andrew to follow his dreams and become a Mechwarrior... and if not for the accident then it would have allowed me to follow my own dreams too."
 
I cringed internally.
 
Please, little brother, don't equate my hyper-focus on my academics over everything else- including our family- to some sort of self-sacrifice.
 
I really couldn't bear it if my cowardice was misinterpreted as something noble.
 
He inhaled slowly, his fists clenching before they relaxed, "We're not only nobility, but we're important industrialists. Our corporation provides millions of jobs across the Federated Suns, our factories produce important components for the AFFS, and that matters a whole lot more than the dreams of one boy."
 
"I've done some self-introspection over these past few months and... I've realized that I need to grow up. The crash of the Corean Majesty has left our whole family reeling from the loss, and you and Big Sis Yeathers are stepping up to the plate to keep our company and realm stable," He looked at me now, and if this were an anime his blue eyes would be blazing with magical power, "I am a man now, Arthur. A man of the Corean family. It's high time I stop trying to reach out for childish dreams of Battlemechs and Glory... and do my part to help you and the family."
 
He gave me a sad smile as his posture slouched once more, "Maybe if Mother and Father were still alive I'd have chased my dreams for a bit longer... maybe done a few tours of duty at the Capellan or Combine border and gained some merits of my own, and then returned to do my part. However, the reality of the situation is that they're gone now, and you and Yeathers need me to help however I can."
 
I leaned forward a touch, the carbon ribbon attached to the back of my safety harness- never knew when you might get hit with a road-side IED, fuck'n ComStar- sensed the voluntary motion and allowed me to reach out and put a hand on my brother's knee, "That's incredibly level-headed of you, Yuri."
 
I righted myself before crossing my arms, a proud smile on my face, "But make no mistake, you've got a few years of schooling before you can actually help, so why don't you let your Big Brother and Big Sister do our jobs for a little while longer, hmm? There is a reason why us older siblings were born first, you know?"
 
"It's so that we can look after those who come after us."
"It's so that we can look after those who come after us."
 
Yuri rolled his eyes as he blushed a touch, "I don't know where you heard that, but Andrew would always say it too..."
 
"And who do you think told him that?" I smirked before shaking my head.
 
If I could have reached his head I would have patted it.
 
"Regardless, Yuri, a man only goes to University for the first time once, and just because you are going to help me out in the near future doesn't mean that you'll have to give up on the AFFS and your Mechwarrior dreams forever."
 
My bishounen little brother's eyes regarded me keenly, a touch of suspicion, apprehension, and curiosity lacing his voice, "What do you mean by that?"
 
I shrugged my shoulders while tilting my head, "Whatever could I mean?"
 
He then began to pout. Rather fiercely at that, and I let out a laugh that shook my gut.
 
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I won't yank your chain. Listen, the age requirements for Mechwarriors in the AFFS aren't nearly as strict as they are for say the Infantry or Armor. You can just ask Hendricks," I jerked my thumb toward the Captain of my Corporate Personal Security Detail, one of my former AFFS Special Forces boys, who nodded, "A lot of people who come into their own personal 'Mechs get them later in life, so there are provisions in place to make exceptions to the rules for them."
 
A typical Knightly House in the Federated Suns only had a single Battlemech that was passed down in the family, usually to the firstborn child if they showed good aptitude and Neural Helm compatibility. Despite being a part of the AFFS or attached to a House Guard the 'Mech, while serviced by AFFS or House Techs and maintained with their parts, the 'Mech still belonged to that family. So, say, after fifteen years of honorable service the Mechwarrior dies and the 'Mech is recovered and repaired, the second son or daughter, or the third, would be obligated to take up their relative's place. Such a thing would usually come in their early to late 30s, and sometimes they would be even older than that, but ensuring that Battlemech had a pilot and remained in action was important enough that the usual age restrictions for military service were waived as long as the pilot could pass the medical examinations.
 
"Give me ten years, Yuri," I held up ten fingers as I uncrossed my arms, "Give Corean Enterprises ten years of service and I'll ensure that by the time you're 32 years old, you'll have a brand new 'Mech- custom made by yours truly- and a spiffing new slot at the NAIS Mechwarrior school."
 
His jaw dropped open while I continued.
 
"To further help with that, I want you to get your Industrial 'Mech certification through the company. That will not only get your feet wet and used to working such a machine, but having those years of experience will make your exemption more attractive and reasonable when the ten years is up. I might have our beloved First Prince's ear, but he is a firm man- never one to sign off on anything that doesn't pass muster," I crossed my arms once more and stared my little brother down, "So make no mistake- you're going to have to work hard and earn that certification, Yuri. No one here will kiss your ass and tell you the sky is purple. Yeathers tells me you're good in the simulator, but the simulator isn't real life."
 
That having him get his Industrial 'Mech certification will help the company out as much as it helped him was better left unsaid.
 
Trying to find a qualified Mechwarrior who was willing to 'step down' to an IndustrialMech was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. They did indeed exist, but few Mechwarriors, even those who were dispossessed, were happy about not sitting astride a Draft Horse when they were used to a thoroughbred War Destrier.
 
IndustrialMechs were critical for the movement of machinery and supplies at our factories, and we were always shorthanded for qualified pilots. This was mainly due to the fact that I changed my father's rules allowing unqualified employees to pilot them, and while it meant that half of my Industrial fleet now sat untouched in the yard... the number of accidents costing millions of Pounds dropped down to near zero.
 
No more droppings of shipping containers onto critical components, no more smacking fragile apparatuses against the walls, no more gouging of support structures because the pilot misjudged the spacing and missed the guide rails.
 
It was great.
 
The loss in productivity certainly hurt, but the efficiency gains from having only qualified pilots and the lack of damages made us run in the black despite the shift.
 
To make up for this I implemented two programs:
 
The first was a requirement for all Mechwarriors in the Corean Self-Defense units to rotate in and out of the cockpits of Industrial 'Mechs. The new contracts required 8 hours of stick time per day for 60 days of service in a 365-day period. Of course, the primadonnas weren't happy about it, but given that they did little more than drill and visit the AFFS' firing ranges to shoot their autocannons and missiles while spending my money, they could deal because they got all of the Active Mechwarrior pay for none of the danger.
 
The second program was an Apprenticeship program for the training of new Industrial 'Mech pilots, and we drew from the pool of current employees who were nearing the end of their Service Contracts and had Neural Helm compatibility. Most of those employees would re-up their contracts because they either enjoyed their work or were content, but some would seek out employment elsewhere, and the loss of their experience was always a painful affair. So we started doing quarterly employee surveys with innocuous questions that gauged their happiness and satisfaction over a whole host of topics, from Job Safety to Pay, Benefits, and the like.
 
Those who were the most likely to leave the company at the end of their terms were offered the opportunity to attend a two-year Industrial 'Mech course run by either NAIS or NAU in conjunction with Corean Enterprises in exchange for a ten-year extension to their current contract. To date, we've made this offer to seventeen outstanding low-born employees who were thinking of moving to another company, and we've had seventeen successful retentions! In a year and a half to two years I'd be able to reactivate seventeen of our Powermans, Scavengers, and Loader Kings and put them back into service with qualified pilots who would hopefully be more inclined to stay once their new term was up.
 
Yuri would be taking an extended weekend course that would last his whole four years of University, but during that time he'd apprentice during the week and could, with supervision, fill one of those cockpits.
 
Then once he was out of University with his shiny new Industrial 'Mech certification he could hop in and out of the cockpit as needed. My hope was that he'd take a break from the office work on occasion to fill in when it was crunch time in the factories.
 
The fact that having an IndustrialMech certification and many years of experience working for Corean as a pilot would also make his acceptance into the AFFS more attractive even if he would, by then, be older than most of the usual pilots.
 
It would help him and it would help me. A win-win situation.
 
Yuri grinned, the teen's legs starting to bounce before he clapped, "Alright! I'll do it! I can do it!"
 
"You'll have to keep your grades up high, however," I looked at him intently, "I'm not expecting you to rank number one in your class, but if you want me to attend the weekend classes then I'm expecting you maintain Straight A's across the board, and just as Father said to me... if you drop into the B's then that class you dropped in? Yeah, the cost for that course is going to be deducted from your allowance."
 
He grimaced at the thought of losing his play money, but given he was getting an Industrialist's and a Noble's 'allowance' his payout each month was in the tens of thousands of Pounds. An extremely healthy sum of money to be sure, but given the high costs of living in the Upper Districts of Avalon City and the social obligations he'd be forced to attend with his peers in the noble and industrial scene... almost every Pence was needed.
 
I snapped my fingers, "Time management will become your most important asset, so I hope you've practiced that well. The I.M. weekend classes start at 0900 hours sharp and run until 1700 hours in the evening, so that means you need to be out of the door by 0730 and on your way back to Corean. Don't worry about transportation, a Typhon will be there to pick you up. However, do be mindful that your Security Detail isn't your maids; they will remind you if it is particularly important, but they aren't going to clean up after you or drag you about by the hand."
 
"Brother..." He looked affronted by the mere insinuation that he'd be irresponsible, but he was a teenager, a wealthy one at that.
 
Being irresponsible was in his job description.
 
I shook my head as I continued, "However, despite that tight schedule... if you plan your days out properly then there should be plenty of time for you to study, get your homework done, and maybe even go out and have some fun? Go on a pub crawl, responsibly, or take a fine dame out on a date, responsibly, or go to a rock show, responsibly."
 
"You said 'responsibly' three times!" He groused, the redheaded teen throwing his hands up.
 
"And it is worth repeating three times!" I chortled, "I didn't have to be responsible when I was your age because I was allergic to the common use of the word 'fun' and any of its synonyms. My fun was churning through my coursework as fast as possible so I could come back and pester the other eggheads into letting me help with their research, or bothering the 'Mech techs into letting me service the Industrial 'Mechs to further my education on 'Mech Engineering."
 
"Yeathers and Andrew did mention that you were a bit of a wet blanket," He bobbed his head from side to side as he muttered.
 
"Yup! The Holy Trinity of Booze, Boobs, and Booties? Not something I ever felt was worth bothering with, little brother," I tossed my head back and laughed lightly, a broad smile on my face, "The only warm caress I needed when I was your age was the static of a PPC on a test stand or the pleasing hum of a fusion engine going through its break-in phase at the factory."
 
"Truly, you were the best young noble an aide like myself could have ever asked for," Amanda Yu, one of my two personal aides- and the woman who was my maid during my schooling years- nodded with a pleasant smile on her face.
"Mister Corean, we have arrived at the Simon Davion Memorial Plaza," My driver's voice spoke out over the intercom, the polarized Ferroglass window separating the two cabins becoming clear as he looked at us in the back, "I will be parking at the 22nd Street lot, and will await your call."
 
"Excellent, thank you, Jordan," I nodded to Hendricks, "Let's do some shopping now, shall we?"
 
Just as Yeathers asked, we would spruce up my old apartment to make it more livable for someone who wasn't me.
----
====Problems with Little Brothers====
Of the twelve men in my personal security detail, eight of them wore plain clothes. Nicely tailored suits in the common New Avalon style with body armor underneath, sidearms, and compact submachine guns hidden underneath their coats. The other four wore full tactical gear that I had designed for them, with battle rifles, webbing, helmets, and armor plating; the lot on 22nd street was close enough that if shots were fired they could come running to extract us.
 
I was thankful that Hendricks was receptive to my paranoia, at least once I pointed out how ludicrously low the chances of a hydrogen seal blowing on what was essentially a factory-new Leopard was.
 
Federated-Boeing of Galax, like all Dropship manufacturers, had the strictest of quality control standards, and the crews my family employed were no less thorough. You sort of had to be on top of your shit when your product was all about hurtling through space at extreme speeds and re-entering the atmosphere over and over again for centuries of operation. The hydrogen seals were checked, double-checked, and triple-checked because they were such a critical component- the only way they could have failed was if they had been faulty from the beginning... and after having some of our corporate counter-espionage folks and my MIIO attaches do some backtracking on the seals my employees had purchased for replacement?
 
Well, the distributor where the seals had originated went under years ago defaulted on their debts to ComStar, and their facilities were confiscated.
 
Hardly a smoking gun, as the ComStar reps cooperating with the Post-Crash Investigation had reported that the seals were 'factory new' and still in their packaging when they had been shipped, but it was enough for my Head of Security to take my warnings about the toaster worshippers seriously.
 
He was currently working with our H.R. department to sniff out any employee who had been affiliated with ComStar previously and the two of them put their heads together to come up with legally sound ways of not having to re-up their service contracts once they expired. Flaws with work ethic, rules violations, safety infractions, and others were to be systematically applied to anyone who might be a ComStar plant and we would gradually purge them over time while leaving a few possible plants in unimportant positions so they wouldn't get antsy and think we were doing it on purpose.
 
I was also working personally with our I.T. and InfoSec departments to reorganize and recode our information and data management systems to ensure that we didn't have any non-approved back doors- MIIO had theirs that we allowed because I trusted Hanse Davion and Quintus Allard to not abuse them... but already a few seemingly innocuous leaks had been plugged. Upgrading to the latest MIIO-approved hardware had done quite a lot for our info-sec, even if it cost me over $100 Million Pounds and six months' worth of headaches to make the move.
 
While Battletech's vacuum-tube-based computing was certainly heartier than the silicon chipsets of my past life, I will just have to say that upgrading existing infrastructure was a lot easier when you could just swap server racks.
 
"What do you think?" Yuri patted the all-black bedspread that was on display in the luxury mattress store.
 
It was a rather ordinary queen-sized bed with a modest- for our standards- six-piece bedroom set; two dressers, an armoire, two nightstands, and a chest that sat at the foot of the bed made it up. For a college student, even a noble, it was certainly functional, and with the walk-in closet, he would have plenty of space.
 
The apartment currently had my furniture, and what was in the Master bedroom was a simple twin bed, a high-quality one to be sure, a single nightstand, and a four-drawer dresser. Having spent my younger years there I never needed to entertain company, preferring to go to my fellow student's cribs for group projects and the like, and as for the single twin mattress? Well, I was young and on my grind, so thinking about needing extra space to romp around on was unthinkable... mainly because even at my oldest I was 19 years old and everyone else was in their mid-to-late twenties and either already married or engaged.
 
"You should skip the Queen and go straight for the King-sized bed. The Master Bedroom has plenty of space, and besides," I shrugged my shoulders before pointing to a different bedroom set further down the line, "I'd heard that sleeping in a bed with another person can get rather hot at times, so having the option to put some space between you and another body might be worth thinking about."
 
"What?" He spluttered a touch, his cheeks coloring as he looked around to see if anyone had been close enough to overhear, "Must you? First Yeathers and now you too? And-! And aren't you supposed to discourage me from making 'youthful mistakes'?"
 
"Condoms have come a long way since they were first introduced, so you're only making 'youthful mistakes' when you don't use them," I pinched his cheek lightly as I wrapped an arm around his shoulder and pulled him into my side, "Besides, I want you to do what I couldn't do and live a little. Have some fun. Drink a few beers and bring a girl home. Just because I was a wet blanket with no sex drive doesn't mean you have to be. Don't think I haven't seen you ogling every beautiful lady that's crossed our path today."
 
"You were looking too," He huffed but didn't pull away, "And Yeathers gave me a mission of my own- said she wanted me to make sure you at least started looking for a wife."
 
"I am looking for a wife, but to be frank I'm waiting for the right person to come along, so when I find her I'll be sure to take her on all sorts of wonderous dates." I deflected easily with a small smile on my face.
 
Hanse Davion, get rescued already so you can find me a super sexy spy wife to guard my life... if you would be so kind.
 
"But, we're not talking about me, the sexless virgin! We're talking about you, the young man whose- according to my sources- already made it to second base!" I began dragging him over to the larger bedroom set that had elegant advertising cut-outs denoting it as a 'Davion King'-sized bed, "Why, with something like this you can have three beauties sharing your bed and never want for elbow room once the fun is over!"
 
A pair of middle-aged ladies in cottony sundresses tittered behind their hands as they passed us by, and Yuri groaned as he hid his face in his hands, "God above, why must you be like this?"
 
"Why? Because it's fun and you're being very cute; even the ladies think so," I squeezed his shoulder as I sent the two women a teasing, over-the-top wink, "More to the point, if you remember this embarrassment every time to try to talk to a girl maybe I won't ever have to worry about you making 'youthful mistakes'."
 
The glare he sent me from between his fingers was what one might generously call challenging.
----
====Accept the pain of growing up====
I looked around the 'cozy' three-bedroom apartment with no small sense of nostalgia, a smile on my face as I ran a hand over the marble island in the kitchen.
 
"I'd spent many nights sitting on a bar stool at this very island," I mused to myself out loud.
 
"With books of all sorts scattered about it and a half-eaten sandwich on a plate," Piped Amanda from the side, and I regarded her with a small smile.
 
"For everything that was taken out of this place, I for one am glad that he decided to keep this one small piece of my history," I patted the smooth black surface with my hand as I looked around the rest of the dining and living area from my vantage point.
 
The entirety of the interior had been stripped clean of all of my cheap Ikea furniture while we were out and about, the walls repainted from the warm burgundy that I had to an off-cream color, and the carpets replaced with something a bit more luxurious. I never saw the need to have soft carpets since I always wore house slippers- it was in my view that the only time feet should be bare was in bed, in the shower, or the bedroom during sex. The rest of the time?
 
At least wear some socks.
 
The two-person security team stayed at the apartment while we shopped to let in the day laborers who delivered the purchased goods, after inspecting them, of course, and because of that, by the time we arrived from our trip, the entire apartment was furnished and ready to be lived in. David Johnson and Sarah Wang were the two Level III security team members that would be responsible for ensuring my brother's safety, while Alex Wimble and Judith Fern were the butler/driver and maid who would see that the place was kept clean and orderly. The two ladies shared one room, while the two men shared the other; it might sound cramped, but you have to remember this was a 'small' apartment for the nobility who attended NAU; it was practically a tiny palace unto itself.
 
The security office, which was stuffed into a closet, had a feed patched into it that allowed every terminal in the apartment to look at the cameras everywhere in the building, and more than a few that my security installed personally and hardwired into the system; if someone thought cutting the feeds to the building would blind my staff then they would have another thing coming. Next to the security 'office' was the arms room that held no small amount of armor and ordnance; working in the Defense Industry and hand-in-hand with MIIO had no shortage of perks, so big guns and lots of grenades were in plentiful supply. The building was designed with city fighting in mind as well, so there was no shortage of well-hidden escape routes for defenders to flee and plenty of chokepoints where a few people could hold off a much larger attacking force.
 
The only ill feeling I had was that the Security Team for my little brother was too small with only two people, but no amount of money could convince anyone else in my detail to bother with guarding a teenage college student. This was odd because you'd think that having oodles of cash pushed in front of their noses would make it worth their while, but... Feddies gonna Feddie I suppose. My personal guard detail liked the prestige, pay, and the danger of protecting me- one of the brightest minds in the Inner Sphere and certainly the smartest that has ever graced the Federated Suns. There was a certain amount of honor and clout that came with being a bodyguard for an HVT, a valuable currency that the professionals liked to bandy about whenever they attended their secretive yearly conferences (or whatever they do), and while my brother was valuable to me, he and I weren't in the same bracket of importance.
 
Hanse Davion certainly wouldn't find my brother a sexy super spy wife if asked, that's for sure.
 
I sighed.
 
Poor Yuri will just have to marry for love instead of politics, the poor bastard.
 
For his part, Yuri was grinning like a kid on Christmas morning as he waffled about the apartment, putting up nicknacks on the shelves, framed photographs of the family on every available surface, and trying to get the painting of our family's estate on Augusta perfectly level.
 
When he'd finished he flopped onto the couch in exhaustion, but there was an undeniably happy smile on his face as he surveyed his personal fief like a king... while likely suppressing the fact that he was sharing it with four other people.
 
"The Summer term starts in a few weeks," I spoke out, drawing his attention, "It runs from May through July, and I took the liberty of signing you up for some classes."
 
"So soon?" I asked quizzically, though it was readily apparent the teen was feeling a bit heartbroken because I had promised to spend a lot more time with him before the first term in August started.
 
I held up a hand, "I know, I know. Settle down, alright? Trust your big brother on this. Public Speaking, Accounting 101, Home Economics, Fed Lit 101, and Intro to Inner Sphere History 101 are the classes I signed you up for. I wanted you to get those out of the way now because... well... they're not exactly the sorts of classes that require a whole semester to take. They fit the same curriculum into three months that normally would take five, and with those classes out of the way that will free up your first semester for more electives and let you start working that business track you want."
 
My slippers scratched over the tile floor of the kitchen before fading away once I reached the carpet, and I let out a blissful sigh once my ass was firmly planted in the leather couch across the coffee table from my younger brother, "This... I should get one of these for my office."
 
Yeah, I should get one for the main office in the basement- the one where I do the majority of my work.
 
His expression morphed from disappointment to slight amusement, which made me glad, "The second reason is because I happen to know those professors, and they're a lot more lax during the Summer session than they are in the Winter or Spring semesters. Fun fact you might know about your brother, but there were two classes that I almost didn't make an 'A' in."
 
He snorted a bit and threw up an arm over the back of the couch, "You? I don't believe you."
 
"Yup, it's true," I gave him a sideways smile as I slouched, "Miss Lachland is a Professor in the NAU Literature department, and she teaches not only Fed Lit 101 and 102, but she also teaches the hell known as Public Speaking."
 
"Tsk," I clicked my tongue as memories surfaced that almost traumatized the 9-year-old me so many moons ago, "Old bitch didn't care that I needed a step-stool to see over the podium that we were supposed to speak at, nor did she care that I always presented my data from my speeches accurately... noooo~... the old cunt just docked me ten-points on my speeches if I ran over or under the allotted time, and continued to dock me five points for 'Presentation' until I started bringing my own damn step-stool to class on Speech Days."
 
"Hahahaha, n-no way," Yuri's blue eyes crinkled as he held a hand up in front of his mouth, "She docked you points because you were too short to be visible over the podium?"
 
"'Presentation is important, young man. If you're giving a speech then you must be visible to the populace at all times! Do you think Ian Davion, who was known to be a rather short First Prince, didn't have a stool with him whenever he gave a speech in front of the cameras?'" I pitched my voice high and made it all wispy to better mock the old bitch's sleepy voice.
 
My little brother's laughter subsided a bit as he shook his head, "And what was the other class?"
 
"FedSuns Lit 101, taught by the same bitch. As to that particular story, she didn't take too kindly to my book reports about J. Castor's 'riveting novel' 'Where the JumpShips Sail', or Artus Stollen's biography of 'Vince Davion: A True Prince of the Federated Suns'," I shook my head, "The first story romanticizes the grooming of a young Jumpship spacer by a Noble Lady to be her personal side-piece, which I didn't want any part of, and the second heavily romanticized the life of Vince Davion the First, whose most notable feat was being the son of Alexander Simon Lucien Davion and dying in a JumpShip accident."
 
Feeling once-thought-forgotten anger bubble up in my chest I took a deep breath, and held it for a ten count before releasing it, "The man was a know-nothing, do-nothing, good-for-nothing whose greatest accomplishment was flipping his GM Trembler tank and rolling it into a ditch while he was in Academy training. When he wasn't destroying military hardware doing stupid shit, he was out sleeping with everything that walked on two legs- man or woman, he didn't discriminate- while his wife waited for him at home cold and alone. The guy was a piece of shit but for some reason, Miss Lachland was just so enamored with the guy... God, she was aggravating. Told me I'd fail the paper if I didn't at least find something positive to say about the prick- it didn't even make any sense because the guy died before he was ever even made the First Prince!"
 
My rambling must have caught Yuri off guard because he sort of gaped at me, his mouth opening and closing like a goldfish before he slowly ran a hand through his messy red hair, "Geeze... tell me how you really feel, why don't you?"
 
I shook my head before rolling my eyes, and I turned sideways and threw my legs over the arm of the couch, "Well, Yuri, if there was one thing I took seriously in my life, it was my academic performance."
 
"Yes, I know that all too well, Mister 'Graduate Tertiary School at the Tender Age of Nine and then Go to University Right After'," He returned my eye-roll with an eye-roll salvo of his own, yet there was still a glimmer of curiosity within his blue orbs as he looked at me, "So what did you do? Did you rewrite it to her exacting specification?"
 
"God no!" I laughed and thrust a finger at him, "I have integrity, little brother! I marched my happy ass straight to the Dean's office and gave him a piece of my mind! Told him that if there was objectively any 'good thing' that anyone could find about Vince Davion then I'd be happy to write about it, but since all of the legitimate literature that I could find on him had nothing but ill things to report about him and his proclivities my paper stood on its own merits. The book was a puff piece commissioned by Ian Davion, his son, to try and rewrite the history books to make his father not seem like a total slob of a man, and to this day no one has ever been able to corroborate any of the claims the book made- if anything the exact opposite is true."
 
Yuri looked like he was trying to hold back his laughter and incredulity, "And then?"
 
"And then?" I grinned, "I told the Dean we'd settle it with a competition. Myself and Miss Lachland would both write a paper no shorter than fifty pages and no longer than one hundred, to be held to the NAU's Doctoral-level quality standards, including full NAPA citations, and our papers would be presented to the Department of Lit's faculty blind- Writer A, me, and Writer B, her. The paper that would be chosen would determine who the winner was- if I won then my paper would stand as is and would be graded by the Dean on its merits, and if her's won, then I would re-write it based on the initial prompt and keep my personal analysis out of it."
 
The younger teen sat up in his chair, his eyebrows raised, "And I take it you won?"
 
"Fuck no!" I cursed vehemently as I swiped my arm through the air, "Academia is a cancer unto itself- the pricks protect each other! I can't prove it, but that bitch told her fellows what was happening I'm sure of it! She won, five-to-four, but the Dean, God bless his weary soul, still gave me an 'A' for my paper and effort, and then washed his hands of it."
 
"Hopefully it's been long enough for the old biddy to have Alzheimer's so she should forget all about the 'Corean' name when you show up to her class," I pouted as I crossed my arms over my chest, stewing in my own anger and grief, "If not then the shorter Summer class, with its abbreviated reading list, will not have that stupid-ass book on the docket, so you should be able to get an 'A' just fine with the rest of the drivel she'll want you to read."
 
My teen brother narrowed his eyes at me, "And if she does remember and decides to take her anger out on me? There are a lot of privileges you're giving me that are riding on me making Straight A's..."
 
"Then I'll read your papers myself, grade 'em myself, and if they're up to my standards then even if she decides to fuck you I'll give you a pass, but only her classes," I pointed at him with a small smirk on my lips, "I was in good with everyone else, so don't think that what will work for her will work for them."
 
"Fiiiinnneee~," He groused.
 
I got up off of the couch and walked around the coffee table, enfolding him in a big hug when he got up to meet me halfway, "Listen, I know it sucks, but getting the bullshit out of the way now will make University a lot more fun. Summer Classes every year in the first two years will knock out all of your Gen Ed. courses, and free up a lot more space for electives. Who knows, maybe you might have enough room for Battlemech 101 and 102 your senior year? Those were a damn hoot."
 
"Yeah, those do sound like fun," He murmured into my shoulder, "Though I wish we could have spent a bit more time together this summer..."
 
I pulled away from the hug and placed my hands on his shoulders, making sure to make direct eye contact, which was important in public speaking to let the listener know that the speaker was fully engaged (thank you, you old bitch), "That? Don't worry about it, Yuri. You would have just been hanging out at the offices most of the day anyway, or getting into trouble. Besides, the Summer classes end at 1500, so you'll be in a Typhon heading over to Corean by 1630 at the latest, and that's when you'll get to hang around in the labs with me."
 
I gave him a rakish grin as I squeezed him, "I've got so much cool shit to show you... but you'll have to sign some NDAs first. A lot of NDAs."
 
Yuri blinked, "Uh... paperwork? Isn't it a bit too soon for me to do any of that? I haven't even started business school yet."
 
Sorry, little brother, but you're not dodging this. Accept the pain. Embrace it. Only then will cool stuff be yours to see.
 
Wait. Since I'm the one sponsoring him and also the CEO of the Company that has to approve them... shit.
 
I'm going to have to do the paperwork too.
 
"So many fucking NDAs."
----
====First Prince wants Demonstration====
[Arthur Corean - Age 28]
[Corean Enterprises Headquarters - Head Science Officer's Personal Lab Complex]
[Avalon City, New Avalon; Federated Suns]
[December 10th, 3025]
 
When you live in the Battletech universe, one of the many things you're going to have to get used to is that massive underground structures are very much a thing.
 
Most like to attribute the love affair humanity had with large, subterranean construction to the advent of the Castle Brian concept, pioneered by then Director-General of the Terran Hegemony Brian Cameron, the concept of building shit underground went as far back as the early days of space exploration. If a drop shuttle could carry a digger from orbit to the surface, delivered by ye old Jumpships, then a digger was carried so that it could burrow beneath the surface of planets with hostile surface environments and colonization could begin. Brian Cameron just took what was already a proven concept and made it bigger, likely in honor of Texas.
 
Or some shit like that. The lore of Battletech was strange at times.
 
Regardless, even after having lived almost 30 years of my new life in this strange, wild, and hellish new universe, nothing ever quite prepared me for big, honk'n underground structures.
 
Like my own, personal laboratory.
 
Or, well, the one afforded to the Chief Science Officer of Corean Enterprises.
 
It also came with a nice fat budget for my own research, but that was afforded to practically every CSO that Corean has ever hired- I just so happened to pick it up once I finished my final Doctorate and the previous guy, Dr. Leonard Mint, retired a few months before my parents perished.
 
From the office to my personal kingdom I placed my hands on my hips, a smile on my face.
 
I had a whole football field's worth of space to put my stuff, a tight staff to work for me while I was away doing other things, and my lab coat was eye-searingly white and extra spiffy. What more could I ask for?
 
"Arthurrr~!" An amused, purring voice called out to me, and I spun around to see the handsome visage of a man that had been conspicuously absent for quite a few months, "You son of a bitch!"
 
----- 
I blinked, observing his posture and expressions, before crossing the distance and raising my arm to clasp his hand within my own, a loud 'clap' echoing throughout the office.
 
A grin tugged at my lips as our arms strained against one another; my arm was fairly strong but still weak since I was a scientist, but Hanse's arm quivered because he'd been rolled up in captivity for almost a year and drugged up to the gills the whole time. Deciding to steal the march on our 80s-era reunion, I applied a bit more force, "What? MIIO had you pushing too many pencils?"
 
His lips twitched, eyebrows furrowing as we both strained against each other, but he remained silent for a few moments as he tried to continue off the cuff, "You should make it easy on yourself..."
 
"Well, I never did know when to quit..." I grunted in response before 'throwing' the contest of strength and eased up, "Okay, okay..."
 
We both nodded at each other as our hands unclasped, and while Hanse poor hid his exertion, a few breaths coming out in heavy pants, my facade remained unbroken.
 
"It's good to have you back, Hanse," I gave Ardan the Asskisser a smirk as I wiped at a bead of sweat on my brow with my thumb, "And thank you for coming."
 
The resident dogsbody and Prince's Champion scowled at me, and Hanse looked between us with a bemused expression on his face, "Come now, Arthur, must you rile poor Ardan up all of the time? It's been more than a year since you last saw each other, would it kill either of you to at least be cordial?"
 
"When the man learns to show the barest amount of decency and respect, I will relax, my Prince," The Major's frown intensified.
 
"And I'd make a joke about 'sticks up asses' but I think I've worn that rug out a long time ago," I shrugged, "But we're not here for him, we're here for me."
 
"By God," Hanse clapped his hands together, a broad grin on his face, "Dare I say I missed your particular brand of sass, Arthur. My captives were a rather droll bunch."
 
"My Prince-!" Ardan the Boot Eater hissed, his eyes widening in shock.
 
"Relax, Ardan, truly," Hanse shook his head, "All it took was a single meeting for Arthur to suss out that I had been taken captive, and I'd bet good money that he's already likely figured it all out anyway. We can let the public have the sanitized story if I ever decide to release it, but the least we can do is let him hear the whole story- it was his letter that convinced Melissa Steiner to let you run about after all."
 
My smirk deepened as Ardan seethed in his impotence, and Hanse waved a hand, "Alright, Detective Corean. What do you think?"
 
I blinked at the sudden shift in tone but I rolled with it, crossing my arms over my chest as I leaned against the glass window, and to much to my enjoyment Hanse parked his ass onto my desk; something rather un-Princely, but when I wasn't trying to chase him out of my lab I did want him to have a place to lighten the hell up and unwind.
 
"Well, other than my details in the letter... I initially thought that you were busy doing some clandestine Stately work and had someone from MIIO take up your face a time to let you do what you needed to do. However, the more I sat with the fake Hanse the more I realized that A.) MIIO wouldn't have let him 'play' the role with how terrible his acting was, and B.) He... well, he let some things go through rather easily that I had expected to fight tooth and nail for. That and he listened to the whispered words of the courtiers around him far too often to be you, Hanse." I let my eyes rise up to the ceiling, "You take in information, parse it for yourself, and then make a decision- I don't think I've ever seen or heard of you just 'doing what you were told'. So naturally I felt some alarm about how your body double was handling business and decided to send a message to dear Ardan here so that he could see the matter handled most judiciously."
 
I bobbed my head as I looked at the red-faced officer, "If there is something Ardan dear wouldn't settle for it's anyone taking actions that would tarnish the name of his precious prince."
 
Hanse raised a hand, his expression a touch harder than I would have expected, and that hard expression was directed at me, "You didn't think to contact MIIO and raise to them your suspicions?"
 
I narrowed my eyes in return, "And who would I talk to, Hanse? The Director of MIIO, Quintus Allard? Realistically speaking, if there was anyone who would have approved your body double, it would have been him. Raising my concerns would have been barking up the wrong tree because if he felt satisfied with a potential body double's performance- and there were MIIO agents in the room during our meeting of that I am certain, then what would my complaints have done? Other than me figuring out that you had a body double, of course, which realistically he of all people would know about."
 
I sniffed and shook my head, "No. Instead, I decided to handle this 'behind closed doors' so to speak by sending that letter to Ardan, trusting that he could handle business with you and the Director without anyone having their feelings hurt. I work with MIIO every day, and I'd hate to have someone decide to punish me for figuring out their poorly constructed ploy. MIIO isn't above petty games, Hanse, you know this."
 
That made him wince, the man bearing his teeth.
 
That I called it a 'poorly constructed ploy' while hammering over the fact that Quintus Allard himself had spent months in the company of Nisei-Hanse and yet never figured out the man was a fraud was the icing on the cake.
 
Yeah, you can try to suspect me if you'd like, so come at me. I can do this all day.
 
Besides, I have MIIO practically sitting in my lap- they have access to my every phone call, email, and business meeting. Rather hard to plot when everything you do is in open view of some of the most trusted Internal Security folks in the business; only SAFE from the Free Worlds League is better at handling internal matters... but they were a much meme'd upon joke in every other category.
 
So walking up and poking Quintus Allard in his nose and telling him how stupid his Double-Hanse ploy was turning out would have been a rather bold move Cotton, and I wasn't keen on seeing how that worked out. If Quintus himself didn't get pissy with me, then someone else in the department would have, and what MIIO Agents and Directors considered 'petty revenge' I considered 'company destroying'.
 
Why does no one talk about High Flyte Aerospace anymore?
 
Because no one wants to be the next High Flyte Aerospace.
 
What MIIO did to them on the down-low while practically advertising it to the rest of the industry was both a horror show and a thing of beauty at the same time.
 
"So considering how hissy Ardan is about the whole deal, and the fact that I haven't heard about the events being blasted across the Sphere by ComStar News I take it that what happened is more... hush hush then?" I pushed off the wall and began to pace a bit, as I was wont to do when I was 'thinking'; I told everyone it helped me order my thoughts, but it just gave me something to do and made other people think that I truly was a 'genius' with a rather notable personal tick... it just so happened that I faked it for so long now that it's actually become a reflex by this point, "I would be correct in assuming that by your... deteriorate personal condition and the previous comments that you were taken captive and held against your will?"
 
 Hanse sucked on his teeth as he nodded in ascent.
 
"Then that means that the double's public absences coincided with his two retreats to the Summer Palace on Argyle? And before you ask, Ardan, I read the news, when I have the time," I rolled my eyes as the glorified gopher opened his mouth indignantly, "The First Prince can hardly visit a tea house in Avalon City without it being shouted from the rooftops, and the First Prince returning to his Summer Palace for a vacation? Loads of pictures, Ardan. The same with you, actually. Does the headline 'Prince's Champion Heroically Recovered from Stein's Folly! Taken to Tharkad for some Well Deserved Rest!' ring any bells? That was from the New Avalon Star. So yes, I knew where you were going and that's how I knew to send my letter to you."
 
The First Prince's lips trembled a little bit, which he hid with his hand, "Well, what you don't know is that I was indeed captured. Drugged and made pliable to ferret out my secrets so that the fake could be fed the information he needed to maintain his ruse. However, Ardan and his compatriots staged a daring rescue, arriving in the nick of time to help me avert what would have been an international disaster. And for that, I will be forever grateful... if I could name him my Champion once more I would for that alone."
 
I took no pleasure in seeing the beautifully handsome Sortek's face contort into something so disgustingly lovely at the genuine and heartfelt praise from the Prince.
 
"Well, now that my curiosity has been sated, why don't we move on to why we're actually here," Hanse slipped off of my desk and straightened up his back.
 
"Yes, I do have some excellent things to show you-"
 
"Yes, I am here for the neat little toys," Hanse nodded though his voice was a touch terse, "But I also want to know what you were thinking selling the FWL branches of Corean Enterprises. The sale caused the share price to drop quite a bit, and while my... double had been more than happy to tell them meaningless platitudes about it being for the 'Good' of the Federated Suns, I have my own questions."
 
"Well, I'll circle back to the beginning of this discussion: Firstly, I want to establish a baseline, and tell me if I'm sounding unreasonable. While I sussed out the double, I had no reason to believe that there was anything nefarious afoot, yes?" I held up a hand, and when Hanse nodded, following my logic, I continued, "And while I felt that your double was incredibly incompetent, I had no reason to believe that he wasn't acting in good faith. Fake Hanse approved the sale after hearing my reasoning, as did MIIO know and approve, and of course the Military Procurement Board? They knew and also approved. Every check and balance in the government, from the top down, knew and approved. So there is that."
 
"Secondly, the branch made money, which made our share prices look good, that I will not deny, but it was useless money. Money that I cannot spend to better my company here in the Federated Suns is useless to me. I think I made my thoughts clear on the matter with my many, many rants over the years of which you were both unwilling participants," The First Prince smiled wanly as Ardan Sortek's eyes grew a little glassy, likely from remembering the fiery brilliance of my hatred for a branch that tried to snipe researchers and company resources from the Main branch while offering little in return, "I am a son of the Federated Suns, and an ardent supporter of Hanse and his endeavors, of which are military excellence and economic stability and growth. Half of the millions of people we employed? We employed them in the Free Worlds League, and that was time, money, and effort spent to train those employees to construct products that were ultimately paid for by the taxpayers of the Federated Suns. So not only was there a moral and ethical imperative to put our people above theirs... there is also the issue of taxes."
 
"We were getting murdered on taxes by being an international corporation, and the FWL and the Federated Suns took their strips out of my backside every single quarter to the tune of billions," I leveled my gaze at Hanse, "Now I managed to extract a promise of a 10% flat tax on profits from the body double, as well as enrollment in the Defense Industry Enhancement initiative you rolled out well before your... disappearance."
 
I blinked a few times before working my jaw, "I would completely understand if you wished to renegotiate those terms, given that they are legally void because of the fake... however I made the decision to sell based on the savings and investments projected."
 
"That there is the rub," Hanse's hand came up and brushed along his jaw, his eyes tight, "There were a lot of agreements that the... doppelganger... made with lots of people, and while most of them I've been able to walk back because they weren't put to paper- mainly verbal agreements- your situation was notarized and immortalized within the bureaucracy. So that makes it much more difficult to try and renegotiate at this stage. Not that I wouldn't have given Corean some breaks for becoming a fully-fledged Federated Suns corporation but... let's be honest, 10% flat on profits? That's exceptionally generous. I could have swung 15% on revenue..."
 
Ardan's face scrunched up as though he'd bitten into a lemon, "And if we did void the contract you signed based on legalities then we'd have to admit that the Prince was taken in the first place, which would-"
 
"-Be a black eye that the Federated Suns could not afford at this juncture," Hanse finished up for him quickly, an apologetic smile on his face, "However, thankfully you included a clause so that the tax breaks did have a Sunset period on them, so... for the next twenty years enjoy your 10% flat tax! After that, however, they're going to go up to something that wouldn't have the other corporations banging down my doors. We can discuss the finer details at a later date, but what I wanted to get across is that the tax breaks and Corean's enrollment in the infrastructure programs will remain in place."
 
"Alright, excellent. More than excellent, even," I suppressed a burp, sort of gross really but things just happen sometimes, and let out a sigh of relief, "Well, like I said, I would have understood the situation, and it wasn't like I didn't have fall-back options if it didn't pan out, but I'm glad to hear that Hanse Davion is such a generous soul that he'd even honor the agreements of a man who kidnapped him, pumped him for information, and impersonated him."
 
The First Prince busted out into laughter, the man folding over with his hands resting on his knees, "Hahahahahaha! Goodness! Have that written as the epitaph on my headstone, Ardan- 'Hanse Davion, a most generous soul indeed'!"
 
The Prince's Champion looked as though he didn't know what to do, but after a few more moments of unrestrained emotion the man straightened up, wiping away a tear from his eye as his smile dimmed, "Sorry you had to see that, Arthur, but it's just... with everything that's happened, I really needed a good laugh. The irony of it all is just now catching up to me, it seems."
 
"While I can't claim to know exactly the indignities you suffered, Hanse... just know that you don't need to worry about a thing, not when it comes to small stuff such as this," I crossed my arms over my chest and shrugged, "If you want to tell me about it down the road you can. I am not the most empathetic person, but I'm hardly an unfeeling stump; we can toss back a few drinks sometime and bitch out loud to no one in particular if that helps you feel any better."
 
The First Prince inhaled sharply, the man seemingly discarding the idea out of hand before he paused visibly, his expression changing as he mulled the idea over, "I suppose that... maybe I'll pencil in a date for us to do just that."
 
"There is therapy, you know?" I replied with a slight Taurian drawl, my eyebrow arched and my voice unimpressed, "The Federated Suns has an extensive mental health program that you funded when you became the Prince. Maybe you should think about using it yourself? It certainly couldn't hurt, in any case."
 
His lips quirked up as he rested his fists on his hips, "I'll take it under advisement, but for now? I want to see some of the toys that you've been hyping up."
 
I inhaled deeply as I unfolded my arms and furiously rubbed my hands together, "Alright then, my Prince. Prepare to have your socks knocked off!"
----
===Hanse Davion Interlude - "Tis' the Season"===
[Hanse Davion - First Prince of the Federated Suns]
[Corean Enterprises Headquarters - Head Science Officer's Personal Lab Complex]
[Avalon City, New Avalon; Federated Suns]
[December 10th, 3025]
 
Arthur Corean had come a very long way from the boy Hanse Davion first saw so many, many years ago.
 
Even before he was the First Prince, Hanse had his proverbial eyes and ears on Arthur Corean- how could he not when? When he'd heard of the newest brilliant mind to step into the hallowed halls of New Avalon University, the young man who would one day replace his brother Ian kept abreast of all of the developments in the Federated Suns' newest genius. He even made sure to read the yearly petitions Arthur sent to the Office of the First Prince to be allowed to advance his learning by gaining exemptions from the university's rigid curriculum, and he was amused that every year Ian saw fit to deny it.
 
According to Ian, he wanted to ensure that Arthur Corean had stable grounding by sticking with his peers as they progressed naturally through the system, and to display in no uncertain terms that within the Federated Suns all students were treated equally. 
 
Average, Above Average, or Certified Genius, the educational system of the Federated Suns would give every man or woman- and in Arthur's case, child- their due, but ultimately it was a reminder that there were limits in place for a reason. 
 
Likely to prevent academic burnout or something along those lines, Hanse presumed. Or because society simply didn't like nails that stuck out.
 
So when Ian Davion passed away on Mallory's World, Hanse Davion saw fit to continue the tradition of reading and then denying Arthur Corean's requests to progress more quickly, and when he got closer, to graduate early so that he could 'focus his attentions more productively on personal projects until the start of the next academic term'.
 
With that in mind, it was no surprise that in 3016, when the New Avalon Institute of Science's facilities were completed, Arthur Corean jumped ship from New Avalon University to pursue the more rigorous scientific coursework available to him. 
 
It was likely the latest and greatest in research equipment also helped him make the final decision. 
 
By 3021 the boy had grown into a young man, his brilliant mind devouring the Masters programs for Engineering and all of the relevant Certification courses, Metallurgy, and programming for both 'modern' and 'Star League-era' coding languages. 
 
It had blown Hanse away, if he was being honest, to see the photographs of the boy attending NAU and to see what he had grown up to become by then- he had grown tall and lanky, his flaming red hair messy and unkempt, with a paradoxically well-groomed beard that matched his hair. His wirey build was concealed by the pristine white lab coat that was worn by the Doctorate-level scientists even though he was still in the Doctorate courses himself- a silent vote of confidence and a small privilege granted to him by his Professors that it was only a matter of time and experience until he had one day joined the ranks as a respected P.h.D. in his own right. 
 
The young man had even been granted a small personal laboratory within the Egg Carton, the nickname Hanse came up with for the secretive labs hidden well beneath the primary campus of the NAIS, and a sizeable budget to go along with it. It was where he could be found every day without fail when he wasn't aggravating his fellow Doctoral students with his blunt nature and brilliant mind; he'd read no shortage of complaints from his fellows while he worked on the Federated Sun's Double Heatsink program, and as time went on- the young man devouring more knowledge- those complaints only increased. 
 
It was understandable, truly. In any other time and place the young men and women who attended NAIS would all have been hailed as the Standard Bearers for the next generation of scientists that would lead the Federated Suns into a new era of scientific recovery, and later advancement. However, all of their hard work, all of their efforts... all seemingly paled in comparison to the intellect of a single man many years their junior. Every person in the Doctoral program at NAIS had earned their slots, but with Arthur Corean among their number, they all felt that he was a threat to their own ability to succeed and progress.
 
One wouldn't be wrong in believing that such an environment might foster a positive learning environment and stoke some competitive spirit, but it was more akin to watching a grown man take on a team of primary school children on the football pitch. After looking at their own growth and comparing it to Arthur Corean's, the fully grown men and women began to feel depressed and started to give up- something that could not happen, and Arthur was 'rewarded' for his efforts by being removed from the program entirely and almost exclusively confined to his personal labs.
 
Hanse felt that it was more of a punishment for being too brilliant, for shining so brightly that he blinded his peers and made them unable to see their own excellence... and it was for that reason the First Prince went out of his way to visit Arthur at every available opportunity.
 
It had been rough in the beginning. 
 
Exceptionally rough.
 
To say that Hanse and Arthur had a rocky start would be an understatement.
 
Despite his seemingly mature attitude, one noted by his teachers even in Primary School as being well beyond his peers, it was rather clear that Arthur understood that his 'reward' was anything but. The psychiatric evaluations worked up by the internal branch of MIIO believed that Arthur had been chomping at the bit to get into the Doctoral programs so soon because he was craving the companionship and mental stimulation that someone of his caliber so desperately needed. A certain level of intellectual comradery that only something challenging like the Doctoral programs of NAIS could provide, and yet, once he finally arrived he found himself ostracized by his peers almost immediately.
 
His star burned so hotly, so brightly, that it incinerated any chance that he might have had to make some friends... and when Hanse came to that realization it hit him like a punch to the gut. 
 
It dawned on him that for the many years he and his beloved brother thought they were helping the boy stay grounded and connected to his peers, it turned out that they had only done one of the brightest minds the Federated Suns had ever seen a great disservice. Arthur Corean had desperately needed the challenge, and despite having the tools to do so, Hanse Davion had failed to provide it. Because of this, Arthur failed to connect with his peers, his mere existence a great threat to their personal goals and ambitions, and that caused a great rift to form that could never be bridged; the worst excesses of Tribalism rearing its ugly head to ostracize that which was different and frightening.
After all, what sort of child crammed almost thirty years' worth of University-level schooling into just ten years? A monster, that's what. An intellectual monster that devoured any scrap of worthwhile knowledge he could get his hands on, to be sure, but a monster nonetheless. That he was also quite anti-social, even by the standards of academia, didn't help. 
 
Despite his calm exterior and relatively polite personality, the boy only succeeded in driving people away- his innate maturity and brilliance an anathema to his peers.
 
So was it any surprise when Hanse Davion invaded his personal sanctum and began asking seemingly inane questions that the young man responded with vehemence?
 
"If you're not going to ask something useful, my Prince, then get the fuck out of my lab! I can't make all of the important shit the Federated Suns is going to need to drag us out of this bag full of assholes our progenitors left for us to deal with if you keep fucking bothering me!"
 
The little 'nnnyyyyaaaeeegghhhh!' sound that he made as he weakly tossed a binder filled with paper at him really was quite adorable.
 
Truth be told, it was something that had shocked Hanse, maybe even made him furious that he, the First Prince of the Federated Suns, had been yelled at with such vulgarity- and Ardan certainly was disgusted by the childish tantrum- but it truly drove home the fact that Arthur Corean still remembered his and Ian's transgressions. 
Even after all of those years, Arthur still remembered the two men who held him back out of some misplaced sense of fairness.
 
They had successfully restrained him, hobbled his intellectual growth, and the young boy had ultimately been the one to pay the price for their hubris and folly.
 
It was at that moment, upon that dawning realization, that Hanse had made a personal vow to right the wrongs he and his brother had so thoughtlessly perpetrated on Arthur Corean.
 
The young man, more than anything else in the whole world, needed a friend, and Hanse Davion would be that friend. 
 
Even if he couldn't help everyone in the Federated Suns, the First Prince decided that he would help someone... even if it was just this single one.
So while Ardan Sortek, his ever faithful Champion and friend, was righteously offended on Hanse's behalf, Hanse calmly folded his arms over his chest and asked a simple question that would one day, he hoped, change the history of the Federated Suns for forever: "Then what would be the right questions to ask, Arthur?"
 
Arthur's face scrunched up in consternation, likely surprised that his infantile threat display hadn't drawn offense or driven him off, but the young man recovered quickly, "Well, it's a start, Hanse."
 
So from that day forward, Hanse Davion made it a point to visit Arthur Corean every month, to check up on him, to see how he was doing. He asked how his courses were progressing, how his family was, what he was currently researching- Arthur was somewhat notorious for picking up and putting down projects once he reached a stumbling block he couldn't immediately surmount- and how he thought the best route would be for expanding innovation and improving progress within the Federated Suns.
 
Most of the young man's focus had been on military technologies, unsurprising given the sheer importance military might had within the Inner Sphere during this 3rd Succession War they were embroiled in, but he had plenty to say about the terraforming and life support technologies that the Star League developed. Though he quickly dismissed them mainly because without a sufficiently strong military to safeguard those technologies, any efforts put into trying to redevelop them would be for naught as the other Successor Houses would surely destroy them when the opportunity presented itself... if capture wasn't an option, at the very least.
 
It also helped that Arthur's father was the CEO and owner of Corean Enterprises, one of the Federated Suns' premier war material manufacturers- if he focused on research related to military matters, then building up a program within the company to take advantage of such advancements was, in Arthur's book, a 'no brainer'.
 
And speaking of a 'no-brainer' it was clear to see that in Hanse's absence, Arthur Corean had been rather busy- the large underground bunker that served as his personal laboratory deep within the bowels of Corean Enterprises was positively brimming with activity. Over two dozen Corean scientists ran about the place in a frenzy, their white coats flapping behind them. Multiple long tables had black tarps draped over them in the fore, and surrounding the area were other much larger projects that were likewise concealed- with one of them being tall enough to conceal a Battlemech!
 
He... didn't manage to make a new Battlemech while Hanse was gone, did he?
 
"And who, pray tell, are we waiting on, Arthur?" Ardan's teeth were on edge, but whether it was because of the previous conversations or that Hanse wasn't concealing his giddy smile the First Prince didn't know.
 
He'd long since gotten used to the fact that Ardan Sortek and Arthur Corean would never become friends, but Hanse considered them both among his closest friends, even if Arthur was almost half his age; Arthur was 28 years old, soon to be 29 when January 2nd came around, and Hanse was already 42!
 
"We're waiting on my little brother," Arthur replied with an easy smile that seemed to only infuriate Hanse's Champion even further, "Seeing as he is going to become one of the driving forces behind Corean over the next 13 years I feel it is only proper that he be present for a momentous occasion such as this."
 
Hanse refrained from tapping his hands on his thighs as he wished to do and instead looked at Arthur, the man raising an eyebrow, "I had heard that Yuri declined the NAIS' Military Science slot for the NAU School of Business... what do you think his role will be in the company?"
 
The CEO and Chief Science Officer of Corean Enterprises placed his hands on his hips and inhaled slowly, his gaze far off, "I'm hoping that by his seventh year, he can sit in my stead and handle the more day-to-day operations of the company so I can focus my efforts where they'll do the most good- right here. However, I did promise him that I'd custom build for him a 'Mech so that he could attend NAIS' Mil-Sci program and become the Mechwarrior he's always wanted to be. When that time comes, however, I want to have someone else competent, someone I can trust... to handle the particulars in his stead."
 
The way Arthur looked directly at Hanse, his gaze deep and meaningful- not to mention the emphasis he put on 'competent' and 'trust'- led the Prince to believe that the man was going to look to him to solve that particular problem. "And... what did you have in mind for that?"
 
Arthur Corean gave him a rakish grin, "Later, once we're done here. It might be a bit of a tall order, but I think once you see what I've cooked up over the past few years you'll actually consider my proposal."
 
"I don't like the way you phrased that," Ardan muttered, "And what could you have possibly done in such a short amount of time that would warrant the direct consideration of our First Prince?"
 
"Well, I wouldn't expect you to know this given how you do your best to ignore my existence the moment I'm not in your direct FOV, Ardan," The red-haired man scoffed lightly as he rubbed at his beard before dragging his hand over all of the hidden goodies displayed before them, "But this? This is all the culmination of my many, many years working by myself in the Egg Carton. Unlike the rest of my peers, when I encounter a problem I cannot immediately solve I don't bash my head against a brick wall, I simply put the project down and come back to it when I have a brain wave. This has led me to have numerous projects running concurrently, all of which were in various states of completion." 
 
The man placed his fists against his hips as he surveyed his domain, his blue eyes slipping over every item and person in his sight, "While some might consider it 'inefficient' to do so, I was working on these advancements by myself. So rather than burn out, I chose to take the path that would lead to me making progress while allowing me to enjoy my work. After all, 'if you love what you do then you'll never work a day in your life', or something to that effect."
 
"I agree completely," Hanse hummed, replying with a large grin of his own, "Being the First Prince is exhausting to be sure. Trying? Certainly. However, there is no other place I'd rather be! Nothing else gets me out of bed in the morning quite like taking care of the people of the Federated Suns."
 
"Hanse, there aren't any cameras around... and none of my people are close enough to overhear. You can bitch and moan, you know? I won't say anything."
 
A soft chortle made Hanse's shoulders shake, but he didn't respond- poor Ardan's noble heart wouldn't be able to bear it if he did that.
 
"Anyway, it wasn't until my Father made me the Chief Science Officer of Corean Enterprises that I finally had enough funding, space, and manpower to truly start buckling down on making it past the sticking points. As brilliant as I am, no man is an Island unto himself, something that I've been gaining a lot of experience in as of late," Arthur sucked at his teeth, his voice laced with melancholy, but there was a certain warmth there that managed to shine through, something that made Hanse feel like beaming, "However, with more people, I can do more things. No longer do I have to sit down and collate the results of a particular experiment, or write down all of the observations of a new formula or manufacturing technique. My people and I have a system: I crunch the numbers and come up with the cool stuff, they test the maths and the cool stuff, and we work together to come up with a better way to do more maths and refine the cool stuff. It is a simple yet elegant system- truly, a thing of beauty."
 
It made the First Prince wonder if this was what Ian must have felt like when he was proud of the man that Hanse had been growing up to become. 
 
The Arthur of five years ago would have balked at the thought of having to work with someone else on a project, especially after they shunned him. Yes, it had been a very long road for Arthur Corean, the man had been opening up and coming out of his shell, and that was a thing of beauty indeed.
Out of the corner of his vision, Hanse watched Ardan roll his eyes- the Sortek equivalent to a child miming that he was trying not to vomit.
 
The Prince sighed lightly with a small smile on his face. These two men were almost the same age and yet both acted mature beyond their years when they weren't around each other, but the moment they were in the same space it was like Hanse had been brought back to Primary school once again! It was refreshing, mostly, though their juvenile snipes at one another did get a tad grating after a while- and thankfully, it seemed the last member of their party had arrived!
 
It was rather startling just how different the three Corean brothers were in looks, size, and stature. He'd met Andrew Corean, who had been at the time one of Ian's Recon Lance Commanders, and the man was so large that he barely fit inside the cockpit of the Valkiyre he piloted. To contrast this, young Yuri Corean was short and slight, the perfect size for a Mechwarrior to be sure; the teen looked as though he could fit into a Locust's cockpit and have room to spare! Then there was Arthur himself, who sat in the middle ground between them. 
Three brothers who served, are serving or will serve the Federated Suns with distinction- both in the past, present, and years to come.
 
It was always a humbling feeling to have the love and loyalty of daring, committed men and women such as these...
 
"My Prince!?" The teen seemed rather shocked to see them, though much to Hanse's surprise the young man dropped to a knee before him, "My apologies, if I'd know that we'd be playing host to someone as august as yourself I would have strived to be here earlier!"
 
The collar around Hanse's neck felt tight, but he resisted the temptation to tug at it, "Now, now, there is no need to fall to our knee, my good man. Please, rise. You're among friends and family here this day, pageantry and fealty have their place... but this is not one of those times."
 
Hanse noted that Ardan looked down at the young man with a pleased expression, in the meanwhile Arthur's expression was inscrutable.
 
"I am afraid that I cannot, at least not yet, My Prince. Not before I apologize," Yuri Corean's tone was soft, but there was a spine of steel within it, and Hanse decided that letting the young man apologize for whatever slight he felt he'd done the Office was for the best.
 
"Very well then," The First Prince straightened himself and clasped his hands behind his back, "Speak your peace, Yuri Corean."
 
"A year ago I was offered a letter signed by your very hand, an invitation to the Academy of Military Science at the New Avalon Institute of Science. I accepted it, but only a few short months, before the Intake Term started, I decided to... reject the invitation on short notice so that I could course change to New Avalon University and attend their School of Business so that I might assist my brother in running the family business," The teen kept his head low- his words evenly measured but there was a hint of trepidation hidden deep within, "After my rejection letter arrived, I was informed by Captain Marcus Heathrow of the AMS that my refusal had come late, which resulted in the Academy being unable to fill my slot in time for the start of the term. Because of my actions, I have not only deprived another prospective Mechwarrior of their seat, but I have deprived the AFFS of a future Mechwarrior as well. Though I do feel that my actions were the correct ones to take and my cause just... I still feel as though I must apologize for my tardiness."
 
Hanse released one of his hands so that he could rub it along his jaw, and he glanced at Ardan out of the corner of his eye, "My Champion, if you would please, look into Captain Marcus Heathrow... if memory serves me he should be of the 17th Recruitment and Training Regiment?"
 
"Of course, My Prince," Ardan reached into the pouch at the small of his back and produced a miniature noteputer, likely to write down the 'good' Captain's name.
 
The last he had been informed, the AMS had a complete roster for this term with all billets filled. So that either meant that Colonel Maginar was fluffing his reports or Captain Heathrow was attempting to browbeat and guilt prospective cadets into second-guessing their decisions. In either case, neither could stand, not in his AFFS.
 
The First Prince changed mental tracks and smiled as he reached down and patted Yuri on the shoulder, bidding him to stand, "I accept your apology, Yuri Corean, though I must say that I agree with your course of action. If I remember correctly your simulator scores were exceptional, and you were in the Top Five men in your Tertiary School's graduating class. Such excellence in my opinion does deserve to be at NAIS within my Corps of Cadets, but I am thankful that even with your dreams of becoming a proud Mechwarrior of the AFFS... you have kept your heart as well as your mind."
 
Hanse looked over at Arthur, whose expression relaxed into something more at ease, "Your family as a whole has been placed in a rough predicament with the passing of your parents, and it gladdens my heart to know that the love between brothers in House Corean runs strong enough that you would sacrifice your coveted slot to assist Arthur with running Corean Enterprises."
 
He looked back to Yuri and placed both hands on the young teen's shoulders, "So rest assured, I believe wholeheartedly that you made the right decision. Besides, I'm certain that once your brother has his feet out underneath him he'll be more than happy to release you into the service of the AFFS once your dedication and intellect are no longer needed, and when that day comes you can be certain that I will see to it personally that you have a slot when the time comes."
 
Yuri Corean's youthful visage lit up like a 1 Million watt spotlight, and even Arthur let a warm smile slip onto his face, "Of course, My Prince! I won't let you down!"
 
Hanse patted the boy on his shoulders, "Good lad. Now, I do believe we had a tour to attend. My schedule today has some flexibility, but we're already just a touch behind so..."
It was rather amusing to Hanse that for all of the hundreds of millions of Pounds worth of highly specialized equipment here within this expansive personal laboratory... the true stars of this show, as far as he could tell, were all seated on flimsy plastic picnic tables with chintzy black drapes covering them. The current table they were standing in front of had two concealed lumps, one being very small, and the other the size of a large box, which notably had two rather thick power cables running from underneath the midnight drapery.
 
"Now, I have a great many things to show you, Hanse, but this right here is the true star of the show- this is the latchkey technological development that makes everything else I'm doing to display possible," Arthur reached down and grabbed onto and stripped it away with a flourish to reveal-!
----
====New Innovations====
There were three blocks on what looked to be a cheap paper plate, and at Hanse's arched eyebrow Arthur snorted and shrugged, "Aye, a Pence saved is a Pence earned, as they say. You don't keep healthy margins in the budgets by splurging unnecessarily."
 
Ardan looked as though he was about to blow a gasket, "Endo Steel? You... you have Endo Steel!? On a paper plate!? Have you gone daft!?"
 
Arthur crossed his arms over his chest, his expression challenging, "That is not Endo Steel, my dear Champion. If you'd let me speak about it you'd know that-"
 
Hanse snapped his fingers, "I think I've had enough. Ardan. Arthur. Cut the sass. Explain. Now. If you would be so kind?"
 
The wind petered out in both of their sails, and the Chief Scientist of Corean Enterprise's shoulders slouched, "Of course, Hanse. This-"
 
He gestured to the three blocks of foamed metal, "Is not Endo Steel. What it is, however, is something much better in my personal opinion. At least for conventional use in most military designs."
 
Arthur pulled the other drape away to reveal what appeared to be a heavily modified 3-dimensional printer, with rows of electromagnets surrounding a cradle that had a plate with holes bored strategically around the current foam block that was being printed. Beneath the plate was a large clear armor glass tank, and he knew it wasn't Ferroglass because it would likely be negatively affected by the electromagnets, and inside the tank was a light red, translucent suspension fluid of some kind. 
 
"What you are looking at is the culmination of six years of research," Arthur smiled brilliantly, almost so bright that even with his eyes locked onto the printing head darting around the foam block a lightning speed Hanse felt like he was about to go blind, "I call it the Augusta Process- an entirely new industrial fabrication process, not one lost or even cribbed off of the notes of the Late Star League."
 
He pointed to a trio of laminated poster boards that had been revealed by one of the many scientists who had been- and still were- running about, the fumply old man with wispy white hair on his head; his bushy white mustache twitched as he smiled proudly. His name tag read: 'Doctor Anderson'.
 
"Its true name is the 'Partial Print/Free Particle Magnetic Alignment-Plasma Bonding' process, or the PPFPMAPB if you want an acronym, but since that is a mouthful we just call it the Augusta Process," Doctor Anderson adjusted his glasses as he played the part of the assistant, moving to the next board as Arthur spoke, "A micrometer-accurate print head dispenses a steel-aluminum alloy in teeny-tiny powder granules, one at a time, at key points in the structure, where it is held in place via a combination of weak magnetic fields and the viscosity of the suspension fluid after each dip in the tank. Once it is ready, the entire platform lowers into the fluid, which is filled with titanium dust, and that gives it its red color. Now, titanium is paramagnetic, but with the proper application of strength and precision via oscillating magnetic fields... the titanium granules are attracted to the proper points in the structure."
 
A few colored graphics showed the process in action on the board, and the assistant flipped to the next board.
 
"When it is ready, an extremely powerful electric current is run through the block, the plasma in the fluid getting as hot as the surface of the sun for a few tenths of a second, and this fuses the freshly grafted particles onto the foam block," Hanse felt his eyes widen as what appeared to be a bolt of lightning streaked from one conductive rod, through the fluid and into the foam block, and out toward the other rod; the suspension liquid bubbled slightly, but otherwise appeared to be just fine.
 
Arthur smiled smugly as the plate rose out of the fluid and a quartet of nozzles began blowing the fluid off for a few moments until only a slight sheen remained on the top surface. The printer head came down, tapped the corners of the block, made a few circuits around the outside edges, and then tapped a complex grid along the flat plane before it began darting out like mad- likely the next step in the printing process starting all over again.
 
The Chief scientist picked up one particular block off of the paper plate, which appeared to be cut cleanly in half, and handed both it and the first block over with a pair of magnification spectacles.
"The first block in your left hand, Hanse, is the typical result for a standard aluminum foam process. You'll find it looks much the same for steel alloys and even titanium. However, if you look at the results of the Augusta process... you'll see that the entire block is perfectly shaped and uniform. This leads to it having exceptional durability and strength for its weight, and even when bulked up to withstand rigorous abuse... it will take up half as much internal space as Endo Steel."
 
Hanse felt his heart rate spike as he slowly stripped off the magnification spectacles and handed them to Ardan along with the two examples, "You said that this will take up half the amount of space of Star League Endo-steel?"
 
"Yes," Arthur stated matter of factly, but he leaned forward to ensure that he had Hanse's attention, "Make no mistake, My Prince. This is not a replacement for Endo Steel. It provides exceptional weight savings and durability, and because of how it is produced we can create open and close cell designs at will, but the alloys used to make this- while similar based on samples you so graciously provided me of Endo Steel... there is something about the zero-gravity manufacturing process that gives it the rigidity and strength to resist the unique shearing and torsional forces that a walking Battlemech places upon it."
 
He regained his height, his hands on his hips- the smile returned, "However, for non-critical structural components in Aerospace fighters and Battlemechs? It can certainly save a great deal of weight over a standard steel construction... and for vehicles? Oh buddy, do I have something special for you."
 
The man spun on his heel and began advancing toward one of the larger cloth-draped objects further away, and Hanse and Yuri followed swiftly while Ardan fumbled with the foam blocks and spectacles, "The beauty of this technology is that is mechanically simple and robust. Once the printer and electromagnetic cradle are properly calibrated, they are self-correcting to a certain extent if they 'lose' zero. This means that you don't need someone in a white lab coat to service them. It also means that it is, theoretically, if you really, really, really want to, highly scaleable in size!"
 
Arthur grasped the drape and grinned like a loon at them, "I would have said 'infinitely scalable' but that would have been overly dramatic."
 
He yanked, the black fabric falling away to reveal another Augusta Process machine, but this one was much, much larger. To put it into perspective, the armor glass tank was large enough to fit what looked to be a mono-bodied frame of a light scout tank inside it!
 
A light blinked overhead, "Ah, everyone shut your eyes for a moment."
 
Hanse immediately did so, and even with his eyes closed he had to blink away the bright line of lightning from his vision.
 
The gentle whirr of hydraulics was heard, and when the Prince peeled back his eyelids he saw the scout tank chassis being lifted up into the air while pressurized nozzles blew the excess suspension fluid off the frame.
 
"Bloody hell!" Ardan hissed under his breath, and Arthur gave the man, who was furiously rubbing at his eyes, an unimpressed stare.
 
The Chief Scientist shrugged as if to say 'I told him to close his eyes', and Hanse shook his head before returning his attention to the Augusta Process machine, "I don't recognize the chassis of this particular armored vehicle."
 
"That's because it's something new we're developing. We haven't quite figured out what we're going to do with it yet other than making it a very fast Scout Tank. It's a twenty-tonner, and with the maths, we should be able to eke out a 0.75-ton frame... but to give us some breathing room, and to make it nice and even for building, we're going to likely beef it up to 1 standard metric ton," Arthur crossed his arms over his chest, his smirk deepening, "Which is just as good as Endo Steel... but we can manufacture it on worlds with .8 to 1.2 gravities, don't require zero-g, and with the precision in the process there is little to no waste."
 
The scientist looked back up at the chassis being constructed and made a noise before pointing, "Ah! Look! Top left side, quick, quick! You see that waldo there? It detected a flaw. You can see that it has a precision laser head on the end, and it will cut away the misconstructed section. That way the machine can simply retry with that portion."
 
A small cubic chunk, a few millimeters by a few millimeters, but cut away before being lifted away by another arm with a small magnet on the end, "That will add another thirty minutes to the build time, at the very least."
 
There was a frown that Hanse heard, and the Prince looked to see that Arthur was indeed frowning.
"Just like a Battlemech has 'The Triangle' of Speed, Durability, and Firepower... every manufacturing process has its own. Those are Cost, Accuracy, and Speed," The CEO of Corean shook his head, "The system compared to even standard tank chassis construction equipment is affordable, and the materials even more so since there is very little waste- even that chunk will be ground back down into a powder with the aluminum, steel, and titanium to be separated. It is also exceptionally accurate and precise, with only a small handful of errors detected and in need of correction with each construction. Its primary drawback, however, is that it is not a speedy process... but it more than makes up for it in that it's low maintenance and requires very little oversight."
 
Hanse looked away from the mesmerizing sight and toward the rest of the beauties that were still hidden from his prying eyes.
 
"Good God above," The First Prince muttered, "With this alone? Armored vehicles with a foamed structure?"
 
Endo-steel for vehicles was never attempted simply because the material ate up too much internal space for there to fit anything approaching reasonable in, but with this being half the size? That opened the door for possibilities that had never been thought of before simply because, before now, it couldn't be done.
 
Hanse's head snapped to Arthur, "How long does it take someone like Quikscell to manufacture a Scorpion Tank?" 
 
The Scientist arched an eyebrow, "They can churn out a Scorpion from raw materials to a completed tank from their Layover facility in roughly 30 days, but their quality control is utter shit. You're liable to blow your AC/5 through the back of the turret because they didn't secure the damn thing properly."
 
"And what about just the frame itself?"
 
"A week, maybe two," He shrugged, "I'm just spit-balling the numbers here, but that's my rough guess. We'll split it down the middle and call it ten days."
 
"And how quickly could one of these Augusta Process machines print this particular 20-ton frame?"
 
"Twenty-one days, give or take a day. It depends on how many defects it has to remove from the frame, but you can be 99.999% certain that what is pulled off of the plate is pristine Andian Foam alloy," He reached out and slapped the side of the glass tank, a rakish grin on his lips, "I dare anyone to try and find a shoddy weld on one of these bad boys." 
 
"Can it go any faster?" Ardan chose that moment to interject, "And can the frame be repaired?"
 
"It could go faster, but we'd have to research more precise sensors, create a new raw material flow head and capture system since we're almost at the ragged edge of what we have now is capable of, and all of that good stuff. It's not impossible, mind you, if I devote significant time to the project I could likely speed up the final product by 15% within three years. The good news is that due to how the whole system is set up, when the new system comes out it should be plug-and-play; pull the old Printing System and Sensor Suites out of their housings and slot the new ones in."
 
Arthur looked at the tank, "As to if it can be repaired? No. It can be recycled, however. What we are looking at is possibly segmenting the frames in the future in as few pieces as necessary, so if a section of the frame is damaged you can pop it off and slot a new one in place. Standard steel frames can be welded as long as the damage is not too egregious, however, tanks that find themselves on the wrong end of a Battlemech rarely are in such good shape that a patch job can get it back up and running."
 
"And you said this can be scaled?" Hanse pulled Arthur's attention back to him.
 
"Yes. It can print 20 tons of materials in 21 days, give or take, so if you wanted something bigger? A bigger armor glass tank, more suspension fluid, and a bigger build plate. A 40-ton machine frame could be constructed in 42 days, a 60-ton machine frame in 63 days, an 80-ton machine frame in 84 days, and a 100-ton machine frame in 105 days," He held up a hand, "And I know that sounds like a lot. Very slow. It is, but think about how small this footprint is- you could cram 150 of these things inside of a standard 100-meter by 100-meter warehouse and power it all with a single Fusion engine! Have 150 frames printing at the same time, where most of the manpower will be just... filling up the raw material hoppers every month and conducting the required maintenance."
 
Arthur Corean strode back and forth, his white coat swishing behind him, "Frame construction with virtually zero defects. Essentially Endo Steel frames, for vehicles, being printed by the hundreds or even thousands! This is only one critical step in the manufacturing process to be sure, but I've spent my entire life studying the Star League-era automated factory for the Valkyries, Hanse, and I think that I've almost got it all figured out!"
 
The floor squeaked under his heel as he turned to fix the Prince with a fierce, excited gaze, "This Sunchaser Light Scout Tank will be the test bed, My Prince. We will build the new factory here on New Avalon, within the safety of Corean Enterprises, and I will use everything I've learned to try and make the construction process of these relatively simple tanks automated from start to finish, with people only handling the small fiddly bits. Even the automated waldos aren't articulate enough to connect the communications, targeting, and computer systems together."
 
"And if it proves to be a success then you can try to do it with other things," Hanse felt his jaw drop a touch, "My, my, my. Arthur, you are just full of surprises. I mean, I knew you were destined for great things but this?"
 
The First Prince of the Federated Suns swept his arm toward the Augusta Process Machine, "This is beyond my wildest expectations."
 
Arthur Corean smiled warmly, though it was sort of ruined by the way he awkwardly rubbed at this neck, "Oh. Uh. Wow. I mean, shit, I like being recognized for my hard work but... I guess, when it comes from you it actually feels like it means something. So thanks for that."
 
"So, does it have a name? I know there is usually a nickname as well as a scientific one," Hanse interlaced his fingers in front of him.
 
"We're calling it Andian Foam Steel, Recipe 4DBG," That was when Yuri interjected, the young man smiling softly with no small hint of melancholy as he watched the printer head move about to start the next layer in the process, "Arthur asked me to help him, and... I wanted to honor my brother in a more widespread fashion; Andrew deserved that at least, but this? This isn't just a Corean achievement. It's a Federated Suns achievement, so I decided to give it a name that should be honored properly- it's the 'Andrew Corean/Ian Davion Foam Steel, Recipe: 4th Davion Brigade of Guards', or Andian Foam, 4DGB. I reckon that everyone will start calling it 'Andosteel' or something like that, but the science and engineering types? They'll still call it 'Andian Foam Steel, Recipe: 4DGB'."
 
Arthur nodded, his expression thoughtful, "So even when it eventually gets reverse-engineered by our foes, they'll still unwittingly be honoring our First Prince and our brother, as well as the 4th Davion Guards."
 
However, the Chief Scientist of Corean's expression melted away into something particularly nasty, "Our low-level literature obscures the true manufacturing process, hinting that it still requires specific pressures and gravities. It's a printed structure, but because of its nature as a foam anyone who attempts to make it for themselves? Occam's Razor will work in our favor here because the most likely and reasonable assertion would be that the product is manufactured similarly to Endo Steel... and that it is manufactured like any other metallic foam by injecting inert gasses into a metalized foam substance."
 
"Yet- yet they'll be clawing their eyes out trying to figure out how we're getting such purity and uniformity in the structures of each cell! Kuukuukuu~!" Arthur's laugh was as unsettling as it was villainous, his eyes narrowed with a sick, twisted sense of joy, "Oh to be a fly on the wall in those reverse-engineering meetings! Their tears will be something that will sustain me for centuries to come!"
 
"You are a very deranged individual, Arthur Corean," Ardan began, and Hanse fixed him with a look, causing his Champion to quickly change tracks, "But I am happy to say that I am glad that you're on our side, Arthur."
 
Arthur blinked a few times before he replied with a cat-like smile, "Oh, Ardan. That is probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me. I will cherish this moment forever! But! But we're wasting too much time here, so let's be on about this little tour, shall we?"
 
The Chief Scientist of Corean once more began walking away, and like good little ducklings the trio followed on behind him, and they stopped at a trio of large blocky, items covered in drapes. As they approached a pair of scientists quickly flitted about, pulling them away to reveal two boxes that had a hexagonal, cellular structure, and the third was much larger, looking like a simple rectangular box but big enough that it could fill up a side torso of a Battlemech.
"Yes, this is CASE, or Cellular Ammunition Storage Equipment, however, I will preface this by saying that it is not complete yet," Arthur walked up and slapped the front of one of them, "Though I have the electronics, pressure sensors, latch mechanism, and other small components figured out, I am lacking the Ferro Fibrous armor that the Star League used to make these things worth carrying around. So until I get that, these will remain prototypes for testing and evaluation purposes." 
 
"The first uses standard steel construction throughout with standard armor plating, but it weighs two tons. It is functional, but I'd rather spend two tons on additional armor for the side torsos to protect that ammunition than this," The scientist walked over from the first CASE and toward the second, which looked a touch bulkier but nothing that would take up an extra internal slot in a 'Mech, "The second uses Andian foam construction and standard armor plating, but weighs just one ton; still too heavy for my taste. The Star League-era CASE system weighed a half-ton, and once we get Ferro Fibrous armor I am certain that if we combined Andian foam and the Ferro Fibrous then we can have CASE for a measly quarter-ton."
 
"And that big boy over there?" Arthur placed his hands on his hips and jerked his head over to the largest of the three displays, "That's my prototype for integrated CASE in a Battlemech. The center, left, right, torsos, and legs of every 'Mech that Corean Enterprises will produce in the future will have these, though that is at least five to ten years off- sooner if we can get Ferro Fibrous armor off of the ground."
 
Hanse felt his mouth go dry.
 
The Federated Suns had a love affair with Autocannons and Missile systems, and why wouldn't they? They were (mostly) reliable, had excellent range, had good effects on target, and when it came to heat management ballistic and missile weaponry were very low on the heat scale. Even a 'Mech equipped with the ten standard single heat sinks could fire their whole complement of weaponry without running into the problems that came with overheating the machine. It also helped that the Federated Suns had a plethora of manufacturers to choose from who all produced Autocannons and Missile systems.
 
One of the biggest drawbacks of a 'Mech or combat vehicle equipped with this weaponry, outside of being limited to shorter engagements due to the limited amount of ammunition that could be carried on board, was the inevitability of ammunition explosions. Combat naturally wore down a 'Mech's armor plating, and as the 'Mech's torso was the largest target, it was the area most aimed for; and it was consequentially where most 'Mechs stored the ammunition for their weapon systems. Sometimes a lucky shot, affectionately known to Mechwarriors and vehicle crewmen as a 'Golden BB', would penetrate the plating and strike something critical even if the armor was in good condition.
 
Hanse still had nightmares from the simulators during his training days based on scenarios such as that! 
 
Even if the training pods couldn't fully simulate the experience of being inside the cockpit of a 'Mech as its ammunition stores cooked off beneath his ass... the loud 'snaps' and 'pops' accompanied by the bone-shaking vibrations were horrifying to experience. If you were lucky the ammunition cooked off sequentially, which gave you a few precious seconds to jettison the remainder of your ammunition, but if you weren't? Well, if you didn't eject in time then you were a dead man.
 
There was a reason why the 'Dump Ammo' buttons in the cockpit of 'Dana', Hanse's Battlemaster-1Gc, were all enlarged and painted frustratingly obnoxious colors. If an ammunition explosion was detected, and he'd feel it, then he wanted to be able to slap the love of God out of them; his 'Mech had three tons of ammunition for his SRMs and machineguns, and that was a lot of combustible ordnance to be sitting on top of.
 
So the thought of one day having CASE in all of the appropriate machines in the Federated Suns that needed it, of which there were many, just warmed Hanse Davion's heart.
 
Even if the inclusion didn't directly enhance the durability of the machine, the chances of successfully salvaging a 'Mech with CASE were more than 300% higher for the AFFS than those without it. Keeping the Metal intact was paramount for any military organization, and the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns was no different.
 
"Annnnndddd we're moving right along!" Arthur darted away again, and Hanse followed in his wake, his mind spinning.
 
"Ardan?"
 
"Yes, My Prince?"
 
"Cancel the rest of my meetings today. We're going to be eating dinner here tonight, because I think I'm going to need more time to digest everything that Arthur here is dumping onto my plate."
----
"And this is the newest method we've created to make a new armor glass for vehicles and 'Mechs," Arthur Corean allowed Yuri to step forward and tell Hanse and Ardan about this new advancement, "It's called the Henan Crystal Growth process... named for our Father and Mother, Henry and Anabelle Corean. Father wanted to create a newer, stronger armor glass so that our mother could better enjoy her favorite pastime- star gazing from orbit."
 
The young man went silent, and his elder brother rested a comforting hand on Yuri's shoulder before taking over.
 
"Instead of laminating the layers of crystal and ferrous materials together, we're growing them as one contiguous piece. Really, what inspired me was one of those 'Grow Your Own Crystal' science kits that my elder sister got me for my birthday when I was like five. The concept enamored me, so while it is still in prototyping, the results are promising! 25% more durable for the same weight, which should ameliorate some of the largest problems certain 'Mechs like the Battlemaster have with their enlarged glass cockpits. It means we can grow the cockpit glass into the shape that's needed by altering the electrical and magnetic currents in the suspension fluid."
 
"Because we can control the growth to an incredibly fine degree, we can make use of the auto-polarizing crystals made by Lordran Chemicals here on New Avalon. This allows us to reduce bright lights without the need for an active controller, so infantry equipped with strobe lights and dazzlers can't disorient a pilot." 
 
Arthur displayed this by picking up a powerful hand-held strobe light and pointing it at a display piece of the glass, which sat next to a sheet of a competitor's Ferroglass; something to note was that the competition's sheet was connected to a small box with leads running between them.
 
Both panes of armored glass darkened, but while the Henan glass only darkened where the bright light was focused, the entire sheet of the competition darkened. Once the light was switched off, the Henan glass immediately began to lose its opacity while the other glass took a few moments to once more become clear.
 
"If they somehow manage to figure out that it auto-polarizes and bring a powerful enough spotlight to try and black out a pilot's cockpit entirely? Well, apply a little bit of current and you can control the polarization manually with a little nob. However, I doubt that will happen, but it only costs us a hundred or so Pounds to have some hair-thin wires grown into the glass, and the electronics can be picked up from a hobbyist store in the city, so it isn't like it costs us an arm and a leg!"
----
"I'm sure you know what these are, correct?" Arthur looked as smug as any man could be as he patted the armor casings of a quartet of weapons placed on mobile heavy equipment dollies.
 
Despite seeing that they were all not connected to any power source Hanse made sure to stand well clear of the business ends of the weapons.
 
"They're a PPC, an 8cm, 5cm, and 3cm laser," Ardan replied drolly, though it was more out of exhaustion than anything else, "Respectively."
 
"Indeed you are correct! The PPC is based on the license we have with Rand, the Large Laser is from IWW, the Medium is from Martel, and the Small is a Magna model," The Scientist grinned as Yuri giggled in a fashion that was unbecoming of a young man, but despite being a weary soul Hanse couldn't help but smile along with him, "However, the true magic with these weapons, among many others which aren't on display, lies 'beneath the hood', so to speak."
 
He cracked open the casing on the Rand Corp. PPC, the latches clacking as they fell back and smacked against the armored shell of the weapon.
 
Hanse and Ardan immediately stepped forward and began to examine the internals.
 
"This looks custom," His Champion noted with a keen eye, though that was to be expected because most Mechwarriors of his caliber were known to be intimately familiar with their 'Mechs, "Certainly not a standard layout from Rand at all. It appears to be missing some of the internal cooling heat sinks, and the particle collection capacitors look to be thicker..."
 
"That is because this custom PPC is made using Andosteel for most of its structural components. It not only lightens the design by a considerable degree, but since we can make closed-cell and open-cell structures on demand in the same contiguous piece? It means that we can turn the entire frame of the weapon into a heat sink. Open-cell foam metals are exceptional at dispersing waste heat, and with a directional structure of closed-cell foam, we can essentially pump coolant through the foam, like a channel! The heat from the closed-cell foam and coolant is conducted to the open-cell, which then is radiated in a more controlled fashion through the armor shell, thereby reducing the propensity of damage to the weapon from heat spikes."
 
Arthur was practically bouncing on his toes.
 
"This also more evenly spreads out the heat load across the entire weapon versus select components, which should reduce heat warping, reduce stresses on the cooling components within the weapon, and improve the overall efficiency of the system. I was able to tune the weapon to maintain greater coherency of the particle packets over range, improving their effect on target, while only increasing the heat by a proportional amount!"
 
Arthur handed Hanse a flimsy paper note card, with messily written words that could barely be considered legible by any Star League English teacher, "Sorry about Albert's handwriting. It sucks, I know."
 
Ardan looked over Hanse's shoulder as they read.
----
"My teams and I did all of that while making it two tons lighter," The Chief Scientist puffed up, and behind him Hanse could hear several other people slapping each other on the backs, "It made me wonder why they never tried to make weapons with Endo Steel, but seeing how it ate up space inside of the weapon made me understand. However, because the Andosteel foam can replace a large portion of the internal cooling equipment, the space eaten up by the slightly larger foam steel is saved in the end."
 
Hanse took a deep breath as he flicked the edge of the notecard against his palm, "And... I take it that you've done the same with the 8, 5, and 3-centimeter lasers?"
 
"Along with some prototypes of LRM and SRM packs... and every flavor of Autocannon under the sun," Arthur rubbed at his nose with a finger, smug exuding from every pore on his body, "The Federated Suns has a well-known love of Acks and Missiles, so let it never be said that Arthur Corean doesn't know his customers."
 
The First Prince of the Federated Suns felt a hand press against his forehead as a rueful chuckle escaped his lips, "So... what's next?"
----
Hanse felt some of his sanity return as they moved on to the next display.
 
Though his sanity had returned, it appeared as though poor Ardan had taken leave of his senses.
 
"It's a cooling suit, Hanse!" The Prince's Champion and consummate AFFS Mechwarrior was hunched over a flimsy, white plastic table, the man running his hands over a one-piece fabric jumpsuit like a blind man trying to read braille, "Arthur, I take back every negative thing I've ever said about you."
 
"It's a cooling suit system, you oaf!" Arthur hissed as he pointed out the rest of the items on the table, "It is not merely a cooling suit! There are other parts and pieces that go into it- it's a homogenous ecosystem!"
 
A particularly studly-looking Mechwarrior with blonde hair and brown eyes stood stiff-backed at the position of attention as Hanse inspected him; he certainly looked the part of an AFFS poster boy to be sure. Medium-sized with impressive musculature, and the tapered gold bar with a thick white stripe at the bottom denoted him as a Major-equivalent of the Corean Enterprises' facility guard. 
 
Funnily enough, his thick mustache was still within AFFS regulations, as was his haircut.
 
"How long have you been out, Major Wilkerson?" Hanse asked idly as he walked around and put his hands on the equipment, tugging and yanking to test for fit. 
 
"Two and a half years, My Prince."
 
It was a set of body armor with integrated loops for the modular positioning of pouches, and underneath the foam padding he could feel a thin steel plate that had been tapered in what would normally be called a 'Mechwarrior's Cut'. Most Mechwarriors rarely wore armor inside the cockpit due to space, and the fact that one couldn't wear armor over the bulky cooling vest that was a requirement for operating a 'Mech in combat.
 
"Oh? And you still keep your hair in regulation? Most Mechwarriors I know are glad to be able to grow everything out once they leave the service."
 
The bottom of the plate felt slightly curved up at the edges so that it wouldn't rest on the legs while seated, and while this cut down on some of the protection for the bowels the tradeoff for comfort was something most Mechwarriors chose regardless. After all, Mechwarriors were invincible inside of their Battlemechs, weren't they? Why would they need to care about protection outside of their cockpits?
 
"The AFFS imparted a new lifestyle to me during my service, My Prince. One that I rather like. My wife also doesn't like me with long hair, facial or otherwise."
 
Hanse smiled as he admired the neat stitching on the seams before his eyes slid over to a laminated board one of the scientists in the background was holding up. "So it is a Star League-era cooling suit, just one updated..."
 
The Cooling Suits of the SLDF had a particular three-layer ballistic weave set-up, with a thin mesh 'inner sock' that could be pulled out and washed. 
 
However, knowing Arthur and his subscription to the maxim 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' then it should be no surprise that for something like this even bringing it back into the AFFS would be more than enough. 
 
"Arthur, look. I know that you and I have our differences... but what do I have to do to let you let me take this Cooling Suit with me today? It's practically my size already- with just a few alterations at the tailor's I could have this on me in my 'Mech-"
 
The smile slipped right off of Hanse's face.
----
"It's a communications block and a targeting and tracking system," Ardan's disappointed voice was drab, the man sounding as though all of the colors of the world had suddenly been stripped away from him by Arthur's refusal.
 
"Created by my staff, and coded by yours truly," Arthur, however, sounded far too chipper for a man who essentially murdered the Champion's dog by not allowing him to take the experimental Cooling Suit home with him, "It is utilizing the brand new lenses from the Henan crystal growth process as before, which will offer its visual systems unparalleled clarity, a much higher base magnification for the optics without a need for digital enhancement and the pixelation and distortion it brings!"
 
"These two beauties will be the real stars of the show for the Sunchaser Light Scout Tank. It's not a replacement for an Active Probe but-"
----
====Unusual demand====
Hanse Davion was thankful that the office inside of Arthur's personal lab was elevated, because he felt like he'd just been run over by a Demolisher tank.
He took a sip of a fine scotch, the ice cubes clinking in the crystalline tumbler- made by the Henan process, so it was as beautiful as it was nearly indestructible to everything except powerful lasers or heavy ordinance.
 
Ultimately, he decided, he'd made the right decision to cancel the rest of his meetings today. 
 
Sure, Duchess Hastings would be rather cross with him for canceling their dinner plans for a second time, but for this? The ass-pain was well worth it; he wouldn't be in any fit mental state to respond to her verbal probes anyway.
 
He, Ardan, and Arthur sat alone in the office with only the whirring of a ceiling fan to fill the silence, and for that Hanse was grateful.
 
It would take him days to mentally digest everything that was just dumped on him by Arthur, though the man was apologetic and rather sheepish; he had wanted to inform Hanse as the developments were made, but he didn't quite trust letting the 'body double' be the one to tell him. Yet another thing Hanse was thankful for, because if the Capellan Confederation had gotten their hands on just one of these advancements then it would have been disastrous. Not because any single one of these new developments would have magically given them the edge they needed to put up a better fight, but because it would have meant that Maximilion Liao's ploy had actually succeeded in some limited sense.
 
The body double had been allowed to run amok for almost a whole year, but most of the damage he managed to do by listening to the Liao-subverted courtiers was relatively easy to undo. Decrees were revoked. Promises altered or unmade entirely. Modified troop deployments were canceled or undone as part of an 'impromptu and secret' series of large-scale training exercises to test the AFFS' ability to quickly redeploy at a moment's notice.
 
However, if the treacherous Liaos had managed to get their hands on something that Arthur's Corean Enterprises had cooked up then that would be just what the man needed to consider his plot 'hashtag worth', as Arthur would say. 
 
Not that Hanse knew why there was ever a need for a '#' sign before a word or why Arthur was so keen on trying to make 'hashtags' a thing in their vernacular.
 
"Hanse."
 
Arthur's voice dragged the Prince out of his musings, and the man arched a weary brow, "Yes, Arthur?"
 
"I have two requests, both of them pretty major. Well, three requests, actually, though the third one is something I'm going to do regardless... with or without your help."
 
"Requests?" Ardan snorted, "And what do you want?"
 
"While the two 'major' requests, as you so put it have me surprised, it's the third one that has me worried the most," Hanse tipped back the tumbler and sipped, the man wincing as the ice did little to reduce the burn of the liquid as it went down.
 
"Well, the first one is the easiest I suppose," Arthur stood up and walked over to a computer terminal and logged in before a large screen on the opposite wall flickered to life, revealing a series of aerial and orbital photographs of various planets. "I want to expand Corean Enterprises, but apart from Novaya Zelmya, we are about tapped for expansion potential- it was one of the primary reasons why my Father decided to keep the FWL branch of Corean open."
 
He selected two photographs, each with its own colored outlines, "As you can see here on New Avalon, we're almost butting up against the edges of our allotted land. I can probably squeeze three or four more factories out of what we have left, maybe six if we invest heavily in subterranean structures, though the cost goes up exponentially doing that. Yes, and before you ask, I've already contacted Count Yomu and Marchess Duvon, and they've both told me they aren't interested in selling Corean any of their land."
 
"The same can be said for our landhold on Augusta. Duke Payne doesn't want to sell Yeathers any more land because he wants-" Arthur crinkled his nose in disgust, "-to 'keep Augusta beautiful' and that the lands near our property lines are among his favored hunting grounds. So since we're not a dictatorship and you can't force them to sell, that puts us in a bit of a tight spot."
 
He clicked over to another planet, one that Hanse was intimately familiar with.
 
"Novaya Zelmya," Hanse sat up a bit, "The Dragon's Field."
 
It was a warm world with a lush canyon biome, home to over 44 Million Federated Suns civilians who made their money in mining, agriculture, and manufacturing, with Federated Industries being the largest company on the planet. 
 
It was also where Hanse had ordered the build-up of AFFS troops to be moved to so that they could take Stein's Folly back from the Capellans- its thick cloud cover rendering any would-be Capellan reconnaissance moot. 'Commercial' Jumpships loitering in-system to recharge would see nothing even with advanced telescopes, spy ships loitering more closely while running on low-power would get much the same, and even the Capellan's most advanced drones wouldn't be able to glean much if anything at all.
 
The best notice they would get would be a fleet of jumpships and their attached dropships raining down on their heads to retake Stein's Folly.
 
The plan worked, but it only succeeded thanks to some quick thinking and last-minute changes, and in the end, his friend Ardan was captured by the Capellans before they evacuated the planet to return to Redfield. In the end, it was the Capellan's poor security and serendipity that allowed Ardan to see the cryostasis tube of the Fake Hanse Davion in the first place.
 
"Yes," Arthur zoomed in on the aerial photographs taken from underneath the cloud cover- a half-dozen images neatly stitched together to make a single picture because the low-flight ceiling required it, "Dragonfield, and I'm going to start calling it that from now on because saying 'Novaya Zelmya' always trips me up, is being... shall we say difficult."
 
Arthur's lips twisted into a grimace, "Premier Joanna Talc is not allowing us to convert the land we own from its residential zoning to an industrial one for no other reason I can find but because Federated Industries is asking her not to. My grandfather purchased an impressive amount of land almost a century ago, intent on developing it into a city of his own that he would govern as the Mayor-for-Life when he retired from the Company. However he never got the chance as a heart attack took him while he slept, so the land has been sitting around practically unused except for a trio of small mining operations that funnel back some choice raw materials to our factories here on New Avalon."
 
"I could see it," Hanse mused as he ran a thumb along his chin, "Federated Industries has practically had the entire planet to themselves for centuries. Having one of the larger manufacturers in the Federated Suns moving next door to them would make them nervous enough to apply political pressure. You can exert a lot of influence if you're the single largest employer on the planet, after all. However, what exactly would you ask me to do about that?"
 
Arthur snorted as he shook his head, "Well, it's not like I want to ask you to dispatch an Internal Investigations team to uncover any corruption and remove the Premier from office so that I can make use of the land that the company already owns... but I would very much appreciate it if an Internal Investigations team was dispatched to look into any corruption so that the people of Dragonfield can remove the Premier from office."
 
His smile was guileless, his shoulders shrugging, "The people stand to gain a lot from having more factories move in- competition is a healthy thing after all. More work, more opportunities for employment, higher wages, and more Jumpship traffic means that more people can travel for a cheaper ticket price. That and Corean can finally put the land we're sitting on to good use for the Federated Suns. However, I'm not going to hold my breath... which is why I'm going to ask for my first big favor."
 
He clicked over to the next slide to reveal a planet that visually was indistinctive from most other garden worlds, but the name rang some bells.
 
"I want you to grant me a System Duke's landhold over the Petrolia system and its four planets."
 
"You want another noble title for the Corean family?" Ardan Sortek gawped, and Hanse had to admit he did feel a touch of shock as well, but they were for different reasons.
 
"I could honestly care less about the title of Duke, Ardan, you should know me by now; though I will admit that being a Duke would give me a lot more protection within the shark-infested waters of the court nobility," Arthur shook his head, a deep frown on his face, "No. I ask for Petrolia because it's a system that is close to Augusta and New Avalon, and it can serve as a waypoint for the Jumpship caravans heading between my facilities and Cassias where are primary raw materials provider is located."
 
The Chief Scientist stood up and began to pace, as he was wont to do, and Hanse used that time to stand up and move over to the bar so he could refill his drink.
 
"For a system in the Core of the Federated Suns, it is criminally underdeveloped. Barely 100,000 people call it home, and there is no noble presence; the people pay lip service to the Duchy of Sodus, but that is about it. I've seen the geological surveys of the system and they are outstanding for my purposes. It has a garden world with a tolerable climate and good soil, two mineral worlds for mining, and while the last world is useless right now if we could get access to Star League terraforming technology then it could be made into a new Venus and be another breadbasket world near the heart of the Federated Suns. It also has a defunct Recharging Station still above the Zenith jump point that I'm certain I could get back up and running if given the chance."
 
"However, really, what I need is the space to build all of the shit I need to build, and the authority to fucking build it," Arthur stopped pacing and stared deep into Hanse's soul with an intensity that was almost frightening, "I want to help bring the Federated Suns into a new golden age of technological advancement, but people keep getting in my fucking way. They fight me at every turn for no good fucking reason other than money or displays of power. So give me the system, Hanse. Take me off the leash, and let me do fucking work."
 
Slowly. 
 
Ever so slowly, Hanse Davion, First Prince of the Federated Suns, brought the tumbler up to his lips and poured its contents back in a single gulp.
 
His mind was awash with so many possibilities and potential futures that it was hard for him to keep track of anything and follow a single path forward. It was a maelstrom of chaotic activity, and it all centered around a young man with an all-too-brilliant mind. A mind so bright that it forced all of those around him to shun him and avert their gaze because they couldn't bear to stand in his brilliance.
 
They feared him. 
 
They feared what he was capable of... and having seen everything that Arthur was so proud to show him and Ardan he could finally understand.
 
Arthur Corean was the great unknown, none among his seniors or his peers were aware of just how deep and vast his intellect was, and like all animals, they feared it. Reviled it because it was unfamiliar and thus terrifying.
 
Even at this very moment, after having seen everything Arthur had to show, Hanse Davion did not know just what more Arthur Corean could accomplish if his every restriction was removed- if the rules that bound him to act in the ways that polite society dictated. Structures such as those were necessary to provide stability, but there was no sense in pretending that there weren't levers that were abused to keep brilliant and exceptional people from succeeding because those who wielded said power were afraid to lose it.
 
Just a few minutes ago it was proven by the actions of nobles on New Avalon and Augusta. 
 
They had put up walls to prevent Corean from expanding... and even the Democratically elected leader of Novaya Zemlya was- allegedly, he internally chided- party to playing 'The Game' at the behest of Federated Industries.
 
Hanse felt the back of his neck start to sweat as he continued to mull his thoughts over while pouring himself his third drink of the evening.
 
If he did this he would need assurances, deep assurances... but he couldn't help but wonder at just what Arthur could accomplish with such a scheme. 
 
It was maddening.
 
"Alright, I will think on it," The First Prince conceded as he sipped at his freshly refilled tumbler, though after wincing he dropped a few more ice cubes into the glass, "What is your second grand favor?"
 
"I need to get married."
 
Hanse was thankful that he'd already swallowed, but that didn't stop him from coughing, "I beg your pardon?"
 
Arthur's head bobbed as he flopped down on the leather couch next to the computer terminal and sighed dramatically, "I didn't stutter, Hanse. I need to get married. My sister is already starting to get on my case about it, and I do want to have a wife and start having children of my own. However, the problem is that I do this all day, every day, and I don't have much time to go out wife hunting. I do not under any circumstances want to offer my un-ringed finger out to the noble courts because I would be swamped with ladies who all want a piece of my ass. Or more accurately, want a piece of Corean Enterprises."
 
The Chief Scientist of Corean made a sour face, "Especially once news of all of these monumentally important advancements finally trickles into the ears of powerful men and women within the Federated Suns. So, rather than deal with all of that hot garbage, I came up with a brilliant solution!"
 
Arthur popped up onto his feet, the man far too chipper for Hanse's liking at the moment, and he pointed directly at Hanse's chest, "So my big-brained scheme? You. You, Hanse Davion, will find me a wife."
 
"You... want me... to find you a wife?" Hanse felt his lips flap for a moment before he regained himself, "You do realize that most people abhor the thought of arranged marriages? A cruel necessity of our existence, it is, to tie families and realms together through it, and most wish to marry for love but swallow a bitter pill for the good of the Federated Suns. Yet you wish for me to find you someone to marry?"
 
The Head Egghead shook his head, crossing his arms as he clicked his tongue, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. It doesn't come without its own strings, Hanse. I do have some requirements."
 
Hanse looked to Ardan, who had been suspiciously silent this whole time, but the man was instead staring down at his tumbler muttering to himself in a daze.
 
The First Prince cleared his throat, "And they are?"
 
"Well, she has to be hot. I don't need a wife that's a cover model or anything, because I'm no GQ Magazine star myself," Hanse begged to differ, as Arthur was a rather fetching looking man, even if he was a massive nerd, "But the most important thing? She needs to be able to protect me. So I want a sexy, deadly, MIIO Agent as my wife. Preferably busty, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a big booty. If she can blow a man's brains out as easily as she blows my mind in the bedroom... and isn't averse to a lot of children then we can learn to work around each other if there are some personality conflicts. As long as she supports our children, she doesn't really even have to love me. For the good of the Federated Suns, I can live with that."
 
Hanse felt his eyebrows shoot toward the ceiling and he fixed the man, his friend, a look of consternation.
 
"Let me see if I can parse out what you just said... and correct me if I miss anything," Hanse took a sip to wet his lips and immediately regretted it because the strong alcohol let his mouth more dry than before, "You want me to marry you to one of my most lethal female MIIO Operatives?"
 
"Well... I mean... only if she's willing," The man shifted a touch, his arm coming up to grasp his elbow uncomfortably, "I'd hate for her to view it as a 'mission'. I don't want a loveless or forced marriage. She'd have to be amenable. That and she has to know the amount of danger I'm in. The Dracs want me dead. The Freeworlders most certainly want me dead. The Capellans want me dead. And we can't forget about ComStar, those guys would definitely want me dead."
 
"Again with the ComStar!" That last statement seemed to drag Ardan out of his crazed mutterings, the man yelling out, "Why do you think that ComStar is out to kill you? You of all people?"
 
Arthur gave him a deep frown before throwing both of his hands toward the large window looking out over the factory, his hands and fingers wriggling in what he called 'jazz hands'. "Do I need to break out the chart again, Ardan? Over 300 of the brightest minds in the Inner Sphere were assassinated or killed 'accidentally' with everyone pointing the blame at everyone else. These people were protected, by their respective scientific establishments and their intelligence agencies, Ardan, and yet somehow everyone always managed to find out about them somehow."
 
Being privy to numerous MIIO historical reports that were 'Prince's Eyes Only', Hanse had to agree that more than a few of the Combine and Capellan scientists killed on that list had been terminated by Fed Suns MIIO or AFFS Special Forces assets. Those men and women had been hidden from their sights for years until bits of suspiciously convenient and highly accurate intelligence were seemingly dropped into the laps by the most unlikely of sources. 
 
Honestly, looking back on some of the highlights he had initially chalked it up to serendipity, but thinking about it now? It was too convenient. It had someone's fingerprints all over it, but the Successor States at the time, being the hungry dogs that they were, never bothered to question the morsels they were given and instead moved to eliminate the scientific assets of their peers without a thought in their minds.
 
"No! No, Ardan, I'm going to talk and you're going to listen because I've had it up to here with you thinking that I'm a conspiracy theorist!" Arthur's voice rose high enough to make Hanse cringe, "Especially not when my parents were just murdered not too long ago... along with the entire crew of the Leopard they were on."
 
The enraged man sucked in a breath and tugged at his coat, "You read the report, right, Hanse? Two of the most important industrialists die in a Dropship accident right here on New Avalon- that's something you'd want to read for yourself, yes?"
 
Hanse nodded. He had indeed read the summary.
 
"There are a lot of inconsistencies with what ComStar reported on the defunct Vega Aerospace that supplied the hydrogen seals that were used to service our brand spanking new Leopard," Arthur tugged at his coat, a growl on his lips, "The Aerospace industry takes its quality control extremely seriously. They can't afford not to. That Leopard was brand new, Hanse, arrived directly from the factory from Federated-Boeing after it had completed its break-in period and services. Their report? Everything was in perfect working order and only needed mandatory services. However, to complete those services, we needed parts since Corean never had a Leopard within the fleet before now, and those parts we purchased through ComStar's Finder's program. They gave us faulty seals because they knew that if we put them in the Leopard it would result in a catastrophic failure that would doom us all."
 
"The reason? They thought that I would be on board," Arthur sighed as he sat down, "Though maybe I'm thinking too highly of myself? My mother and father were just as valid a target as anyone else, but really, I would have been on there with them for the photo ops... but I declined so that I could work in the labs here instead."
 
He leaned back and covered his face with his hands, "My anti-social nature saved my life, but I can't count on it to always do so. That's why I'm beefing up my security forces, and why I want someone who can protect my back. Someone unassuming and intelligent. Good with a blade, gun, or a 'Mech."
 
He interlaced his fingers behind his head and looked at Hanse with a brittle expression, "No matter what we do from here Hanse, a lot of people are going to want me dead for all of the same reasons. I need to be protected, and if gaining a single iota of extra protection comes at the price of accepting a sexy super spy into my bed? Well, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. I mean, MIIO is already like a nosy girlfriend to me at this point- looking through all of my messages- so I might as well make it official and tie the knot, no?"
 
"Besides, if you do give me Petrolia you're going to want some assurances, right? What better to keep the Duke loyal than to have a knife already buried in his back?" His smile became wan, "I know that you trust me, but it's not like I have... your level of confidence in Ardan here, but..."
 
He didn't finish.
 
That made Hanse Davion's noble heart ache. 
 
To think that his friend believed he was only considered trustworthy enough if there was a knife ready to slit his throat sleeping next to him in bed- the knife bearing what should be the supportive title of 'Wife'.
 
The First Prince inhaled slowly, "I will seriously consider both favors, Arthur. God knows that you've earned them. Did you know in the Commonwealth that Duchies have been granted for only a single Company's worth of Royal Grade LosTech Mechs? I'd like to think that just what is here in this laboratory is already far more valuable- I'd be a poor Prince to take all of this with one hand and offer you an empty hand in return."
 
"I..." Ardan spoke haltingly, "I think I might have someone for Arthur?"
 
Hanse zeroed in on his Champion, "Are you thinking about who I think you're thinking about?"
 
The man cleared his throat while tugging at his collar, "She's loyal to the Federated Suns, my Prince. And I think that they'd be a good match made in Hell."
 
Arthur narrowed his eyes at Ardan, "Is she skilled?"
 
"Yes. Both in and out of a Battlemech."
 
"Sweet. She crazy?"
 
"Absolutely." Ardan smiled, "A perfect fit for you if I do say so myself."
 
The two stared each other down for a few moments before Arthur nodded, "Well if someone like you trusts her then I suppose it couldn't hurt to meet her. Though I'm going to meet Hanse's pick first. A femme fatale Super Spy beats out a crazy skilled Mechwarrior in my book, hands down."
 
The Prince's Champion sniffed, "You have zero taste."
 
Not one to resist the chance to poke at his truest friend, Hanse raised his glass to hide a smirk on his lips as he smirked, "I seem to remember someone had an inordinate fascination with Metro-Goldenmeyer's smash hit- 007's: 'In His Majesty's Secret Service', not that I can blame you, the actress who played Selena Bond was rather fetching."
 
Hanse Davion had played a cameo role in that film, starring as himself, 'First Prince Hanse Davion', and delivered the important briefing to his top spy, Selena Bond- a MIIO Secret Agent with a License to Kill.
 
It only took them an afternoon to shoot the scene, the stage having been his favorite balcony overlooking Avalon City in the distance, and it was a very nice diversion from the humdrum of his daily routine.
 
Ardan's cheeks colored slightly at the reminder.
 
Arthur looked between the two with a slowly dropping jaw, "Oho? What's this? Ardan? Spill!"
 
"I tried to hook up with Selena Bond. I shot my shot. I missed. End of discussion." The Champion tossed back his drink and started to stew, "I'm going to withdraw my help in finding you a wife if you poke at me anymore."
 
"You can't do that," Hanse's eyes crinkled, "Lingling would murder you if you did, and I for one would let her. You did promise her, after all, and a man doesn't make a promise he can't keep, even in the heat of a moment."
 
As though he had been struck, Ardan crumpled in the comfortable chair, "God, you're right... what good is my word if I let this opportunity slip through my fingers?"
 
Ice clanked around the tumbler in Arthur's hand as he swirled it around, a wry grin on his face, though his attention was directed toward Hanse, "So... Lingling, eh? She sounds..."
 
"At the risk of sounding uncouth and distateful... she is the very living embodiment of the 'Female Capellan Stereotype'," Hanse simply replied and Arthur nodded, "Though instead of being judgemental and overbearing she is a bit more violent than others of her type. A boon to have as a Mechwarrior, especially when she's fighting on your side; to think that the Capellans decided she would be better suited to serve as part of a suicide squad than a Mechwarrior. Their loss."
 
The trio remained quiet for a minute before Hanse decided to finally bite the bullet, "So, we have a Dukedom landhold, a wife, and what is the third thing?"
 
Arthur smiled as he walked over to the computer terminal and opened up a file, and within moments, a few pictures in a slide deck appeared on the screen, "This has to be handled with the utmost discretion, Hanse. The moment word gets out about what I've uncovered, then the jig could very well soon be up."
 
Hanse poured himself an extra thumb, already starting to feel the buzz as he seated himself heavily in the chair he recently vacated, the Prince waving his hand, "Do go on, I'm all ears."
 
"Yes, please, it cannot possibly be any worse than anything else you've sprung on, Hanse, today." Ardan snarked, seemingly finding his inner fire once more.
 
"Helm. There is a Castle Brian there along with a complete Star League Library Core, and likely whole regiments worth of 'Mechs, tanks, and spares," Arthur Corean stared at the pair of them as he interlaced his hands behind his back, "The Nagayan Moutain Complex exists, it's real, and Minoru Kurita was so mad when he didn't find it that he nuked the planet's population centers in retaliation when he didn't find it. I, on the other hand? I intend to find it, and we need to start getting a move on soon because if we dally for too long someone else will get their hands on it, and we don't want that."
 
Hanse once more felt his mind stutter to a halt as Arthur Corean started launching into a small tirade, the map blowing up and showing historical deployment data from the Kuritan forces under the direction of Minoru Kurita's forces, "-and as you can see, the Snake spent months combing up and down the Shingen mountain range. I think that Minoru believed because the Castle Brians he'd seized control over near the Terran Hegemony after the Usurper was kicked to the curb all were the same- sharing the same type of mountainous rock formations- that it would be the same for Nagayan Mountain complex. However, after months of searching and allowing his forces at the jump points to get constantly harassed to prevent the Free Worlds League Militia from breaking the siege, he eventually got frustrated and gave up. He dropped a lot of nuclear ordnance on the population on the way out just to make himself feel better, but what do you expect from the Chief Snake?"
 
"However, I think what he and his analysts missed was this," He clicked over to the next slide to show a satellite image taken above the planet's capital city of Helmsdown, the image zoomed out to show hundreds of kilometers in every direction around it. It showed a surprising amount of green near the equator of the planet, where Helmsdeep was located, but that was to be expected because it was the lowlands- heading north or south from the centerline of the world had one traveling into ever-increasing elevations until they dropped off over the frozen oceans near the poles.
 
Arthur looked at the pair and grinned, "Alright, take a good look at this image. Burn it into your mind. The lay of the land and the primary highways leading away from Helmsdeep, specifically to the north. This image was taken during the height of the Summer, and even the mountains turn green this time of the year."
 
He flipped over from the Summer image to what could only be described as the Winter image, with plenty of white snow covering the ground, "Look at Helmsdeep- even from this altitude you can clearly see the spaceport. It was enlarged and made very robust by the Star League when they set it up as an Anchor Command in 2738, the region around Helm was meant to be a primary logistical hub for the SLDF in case they needed to deploy into the Free Worlds League. Now, if we zoom in just a touch..."
 
Arthur manipulated the image, blowing it up a little bit at a time until a solitary black line could be seen cutting its way through the snow away from Helmsdeep, the line originating from the spaceport, "That road right there? That is the Ansawat Memorial Highway, or at least it was until Minoru's temper tantrum. It was the primary road that linked Helmsdeep to the SLDF's Colonel Hinat Chuba Logistical Hub, and if you overlay the historical search patterns that the FWL's satellites recorded along with records from ComStar's Central Archives..."
 
One of the previous maps was overlayed over the top and made slightly transparent, the man using the mouse to circle around the highlighted areas, "You can see that Minoru focused all of his manpower scouring the Chuba Logistical Hub, but he came up empty-handed."
 
"As did the Mariks," Ardan noted dryly, "And they too came up with nothing, Arthur."
 
 Arthur let out an aggravated groan as he pinched the bridge of his nose, "For the love of all that is Holy... Ardan. Do we know that there was once an SLDF Castle Brian on Helm?"
 
"Yes?"
 
"And did Minoru Kurita or the Mariks ever find it?"
 
"No..."
 
"Well then you have your answer, you doofus." The scientist shook his head, "If it was there, we know it's there, and no one ever found it... then that means it is still there, it's just that no one ever found it. Kerensky's ilk never even showed up there, and no one ever left the system with the Exodus fleet either, so that means that everything that was there? It's still there."
 
Ardan pouted, but Hanse couldn't fault Arthur's logic. Star League caches were all over the Inner Sphere, with many found and many left to be discovered. Why, just last month the AFFS stumbled across a small logistical cache that contained a whole Company worth of Merkava heavy tanks, and the only reason that was found was because a heavy excavator digging tank trenches for maneuver exercises dug into a thick steel ceiling. The discovery had the entire regiment- that was supposed to be training- scouring the surrounding landscape, infantry practically holding hands as they walked in a grid until some lucky lad found the hidden entrance when he tripped and fell down the hill.
 
That young man was currently at NAIS at this very moment training to become a tank commander, with one of those Star League-era Merkava tanks to become his noble steed.
 
"Now, as I was saying. If you look at where the Head Snake was looking, you'll see that they didn't bother to search east, which leads allllll ttthhheeeee wwwaaayyyyy ddddooooowwwwnnnnnn oooovvveerrr heeeerrreeeee..." He snaked the mouse down a valley that stretched for dozens of kilometers before he stopped and began circling the valley's natural termination point, "The Vermillion Valley."
 
Arthur was practically bouncing in his chair as he looked over at the pair of them, "Think! I'm not a soldier, but I do know logistics. This Castle Brian was supposed to be the primary logistical hub for the entire FWL theater. We're talking a stockpile of regiments upon regiments of 'Mechs, Tanks, APCs, Aerial Vehicles, and all of the spare parts and munitions to keep them working and fed. Setting something like that up takes time, effort, and space. Space that the Chuba Logistical Hub could and did provide- the SLDF base was merely the intake and staging area for what went into the Castle Brian, and would serve as a secondary check for what went out of the Castle Brian... and of course, the spaceport would serve as a triple check."
 
"I was able to gather all of this from publicly purchasable planetary atlases along with history texts from the First Succession Wars," He made a face, "And from ComStar's Historical Preservation Society."
 
"Which!" He held up a hand to stop Ardan from speaking, "Just a moment, let me finish. This segues into the main reason why I think we're on the clock. This is Precentor Emilio Rachan, the current Precentor of the Helm HPG station. According to his biography from ComStar, the man is a sitting member of ComStar's Archivist's Guild, and the ranking member of their Historical Preservation board. The man is credited for finding three Star League-era caches, all of which have been taken by ComStar and interned in the numerous museums that they have scattered around former Hegemony space." 
 
Hanse looked at the photogenic still image of an older-looking man with greying hair wearing the usual plain robes of ComStar. He had crows feet around the corners of his eyes, and had a smile on his face that could only be described as 'grandfatherly'. All in all, a perfect picture of a hard-working man who treasured the Star League's history and worked tirelessly to unearth its lost history.
 
"Now, I'm certain that you're both well aware that I am a... 'practicing Blakist'..." Arthur shuddered a touch as he looked a little green around the gills, "Not that it stopped them from murdering my parents and trying to murder me... but this guy here? He was the personal aide to Primus Julian Tiepolo, one the Primus has spoken of fondly on the record. He was to Primus Julian to what Ardan here is to you, Hanse. He is a man you send to make sure things get done right."
 
"Now ask yourself this question: Why would Primus Julian Tiepolo send a man publicly known for finding SLDF caches to a planet that has a Class B HPG relay if not to find the Nagayan Mountain Complex? You may or may not know this, but a Class B posting is essentially 'Baby's First HPG Precentorship'. It's an introductory posting for individuals ComStar believes can take leadership roles. You work your way up the ladder with careful service, eventually getting a Class A relay posting, and once you've reached the end of your life then maybe you might be considered worthy enough to hold one of the major postings... like the New Avalon HPG and thus a seat on the First Circuit."
 
"Getting pushed back down to a Class B post is a demotion, and Precentor Emilio Rachan has worked at two Class B posts, three Class A posts, and was promoted to be essentially ComStar's 'First Prince's' personal aid," Arthur leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, leaving the older man's visage up on the screen, "He's not old enough to retire, and most ComStar... adherents don't retire at all. Getting kicked out of Terra and to the boonies in the Free Worlds League to run a Class B posting would be considered an extremely harsh punishment- one step removed from being court-martialed and hung as far as the ComStar crazies go."
 
Arthur inhaled before running a hand through his blazing red hair, mussing it up greatly, "So if you ask me? Primus Tiepolo believes that there is enough supporting information that they have in their archives to dispatch his best LosTech hunter to the area. Even without all of my own research, just hearing about Rachan, even if he rarely makes public appearances- the man 'not liking' the fame his previous discoveries have netted him- it would be enough to make me sit up and take notice. So... what say you, my Prince?"
 
Hanse closed his eyes for a few moments and brought the tumbler of whiskey up to his lips, though he didn't so much as sip it. Instead, he let the vapors slither up into his nostrils and sizzle, the discomfort helping him focus.
 
When he opened his eyes he looked at Arthur, "Give me everything you have and I'll ask Quintus to put some of his best analysts on it. We likely have far better imagery, maps, and orbital traffic logs than you do on the matter."
 
"My Prince..." Ardan leaned forward, the man brushing his dark hair off to the side, but Hanse shook his head.
 
"I think that Arthur has earned more than enough goodwill from me and the Federated Suns to look into this, because while I've heard wild theories about the mysterious, Vanishing Cache of Helm, none of them have been as coherent as what Arthur has presented," The First Prince sat his tumbler down, "How certain are you that it is real?"
 
"110%," Arthur grinned like a child that had just been told Christmas had come early and Santa had brought him all of the presents on his wish list, "It's there Hanse. I can feel it. Just because no one else has found it doesn't mean it isn't there. It was on the SLDF's registry and Fort Chabu wasn't nearly large enough to hold all of that equipment, and just looking at the maps there weren't any highways leading away from Chabu, but they wouldn't need those if they were taking it to someplace much closer."
 
Hanse Davion, First Prince of the Federated Suns, stood up from the comfortable armchair and looked down at Arthur Corean.
 
He had made the mistake of not believing in the young man once before, and it ended up almost ruining him. Years of forced stagnation, being forced to malinger in the darkness when he should have been allowed to burn brightly and learn, to illuminate the path forward. He and his elder brother Ian had almost snuffed one of the brightest minds the Federated Suns had ever seen with their ignorance and 'father knows best' attitudes... and after what he had just been shown? He believed it was high time that he should try to make things right.
 
If Arthur believed that the Helm Cache was still untouched, then Hanse believed him, and if it existed then it meant that the Federated Suns would need to be the first ones to get to it. 
 
Hanse Davion would not turn his back on Arthur Corean again, this he swore.
----
==Chapter Notes==
*;Note from the author: Man, there is so much more that I wanted to cover in this, but I couldn't justify it as the word count kept ballooning. I wanted to portray Hanse Davion as the sort of honorable person that would take a look at some of his past mistakes and actually feel guilty over them before trying to do what was right to make up for them. Of course he doesn't know that Arthur is a fully grown man that could handle dissappointment, even if he was more than just a touch angry at constantly being denied by both of the First Princes to advance more quickly... and the thought of a Saga of Tanya the Evil-style of 'Misunderstanding Field' would be both funny and appropriate given Hanse's character and upbringing. While Arthur was fine with working on his own, Hanse saw him as someone ostracized by his peers and a 'tortured soul' that was 'shunned' and yet was still willing to do his best for God and Country. Seeing all of the wonderous things he created on his own, his brainchilds advanced at different speeds, and when he had a full staff of science employees who had to listen to him? Well, his development speed really took off from there as he was able to focus on the big picture problems, focusing his brilliant mind on the problem areas while the staffers took care of the scutwork that slowed him down greatly when he was a student at NAIS working on his projects solo.When Arthur encountered a problem he didn't have the solution to, he shelved the project and worked on something else until he'd learned what he needed to learn while attending school. Then he came back, got over the hurdle, and worked on it before reaching the next hurdle when he inevitably shelved the project again to be worked on at a later date. He did this over and over and over again for many, many years, leading to him having a boat load of half-completed or near-completed projects that he could then foist off on his science teams to finish or assist him with. His year and some change after he took up the position as Chief Scientist of Corean allowed him to finish a great number of projects back to back, so that when Hanse was rescued and finally able to take this meeting... Arthur had a ton of mind-bending shit to dump on him.Andosteel is essentially Endo Steel, except for vehicles and non-critical components of Aerospace assets. It's something that was considered 'impossible' to do with regular Endo Steel because Endo took up too much space inside of ground vehicles, and the Clans? They likely could have put their Clan Endo into vehicles, but to them ground vehicles were for pussies, the worthless, and unclean. To them everything important is a 'Battlemech Only' sort of deal- that's how strong their Cult of the Mechwarrior goes... it is a foundational pillar of their religion, where everything they have and everything they do is based around ritualized 'Mech combat. So yeah, them no putting Clan Endo on vehicles is totally valid. However, if there was a cheaper alternative that does the exact same thing? One that doesn't require exorbitantly expensive and vulnerable orbital facilities to manufacture? That changes up the game significantly.The crystal growth method isn't as important by contrast, but more durable cockpit glass is always important for a variety of industries and vehicles, and it is a key component in the creation of ER Lasers- the more durable and better focusing glass a requirement for keeping laser beams focused at further distances.Then we have the weapons... and the weapons are essentially canon. The Enhanced PPC was created by Clan Wolverine, and after they were wiped out (along with all records of their works), the Clans took their advancements and then began improving upon them. Notably of which, in this particular case, is the Clan ER PPC, which is a monsterously powerful weapon for its size and tonnage, even if it is a bit hot. So 'Enhanced' versions of the Lasers and other weapons are a step toward creating weapons that will eventually be on parity with what the Clans bring to the table in less than thirty years time.However, with the ability to print foam structures directly, the weapons that Corean will produce will be much lighter than their Inner Sphere counterparts. The ability to create closed cell channels to funnel coolant through in the frame of the weapon itself removes a lot of the tubing and internal heat sinksing required to keep the weapon cool because the entire frame, which is open-celled, becomes a heat sinks. A rather good one at that. So the removal of heat sinks and coolant lines frees up just as much space as the Andosteel foam does, and in certain cases more space is created. This allows for Arthur and his Corean scientists to play around with the layout of the weapon and its components more freely, giving them a lot of flexibility to make tweaks to the designs.If you're feeling lost by now, don't worry, because once this gets its own thread, which is should by next chapter because if it isn't over the 40K cut-off by now then it will be soon (lol I haven't tallied it yet), then I will have an Informational section for all of the advancements Corean Enterprises makes under Arthur's leadership.Then we have the end section.Helm is a must have in every Battletech SI, and Arthur seeing that there is a rapidly closing window of time for them to hit Helm before the Gray Death Legion fiasco... has decided that the longer he waits the more things can go sideways. The propogation of the Grey Death Core across the Inner Sphere is what kicked off an arms race that saw every Great House start to build their own Star League-era shit (though those silly Kuritans had to be helped by ComStar on multiple occasions, lol) and given that Arthur lives in the Federated Suns, he doesn't want that to happen. Given Helm's proximity to the Lyran Commonwealth, he sees this as a potential opportunity for the Lyrans and Fed Suns to work together on a big project that could make a dramatic PR impact: "Lyrans and Feddies work together to secure greatest historical find since the Fall of the Star League! Archon Katrina and Prince Davion use the success of this operation to announce the joining of the Lyran Commonwealth and Federated Suns into a single realm!" is the sort of headline he's imagining in his head.It's not like attacking the FWL will cause more damage anyway- the Federated Suns hates the FWL too, they just hate the Capellans and Combine more. The Lyrans they're pretty neutral on, as there hasn't been any major incidents between them since the opening days of the First Succession War. So the two of them gearing up together to find a Brian Cache with multiple regiments of LosTech mechs, vehicles, and all of the parts to maintain them? Yeah, they'd go for that, and they would hold a televised parade to show off the shit they jacked from Janos Marik- just to rub it in their faces. "You idiots had all of this in your own back yard and you didn't know about it? Well it is ours now! Ohohohohohoho~!"The Library Core, however, is the grandest prize of them all, and with that in Arthur's hands he can stop trying to reverse engineer Star League shit and can actually start building it from their specs... so he can then start improving upon it or going in a completely different direction.Arthur wants that core very badly, and he was willing to engage in a bunch of 4-Chan behavior, sniffing around, putting together maps, reading historical troop movements, etc to get it.Though let's be honest here. Everyone knew that the Castle Brian existed. It is in the Star League's records. Though as time went on and the Houses bombed each other into oblivion, the information got buried and people forgot about it. They assumed that since Minoru Kurita and his many regiments worth of men couldn't find it then it either didn't exist or it was too well hidden to find, and thus not worth the effort to even try. Why risk the FWL's wrath when you can venture out into the Periphery to find less guarded SLDF caches and earn yourself a noble title? And over time, Helm's signifiance dropped down so low that barely anyone visited it, to the point when a 'Merchant Jumpship Fleet' (claiming to not be pirates) carrying lots of dropships arrived the people were actually very happy to see them! The prospect of money to be made... made their brains smooth, because there just wasn't anything at Helm worth raiding since Minoru Kurita nuked it to hell and back. Helm is essentially a backwater planet when one takes into account how close it is the core of the Inner Sphere. 15,000,000 people ain't shit.So if the Feddies and Lyrans are quick and careful then they should be able to pull off a lightning raid and get all of the goodies... though the real question is what does this mean for Grayson Carlye and the Grey Death Legion? lol Arthur wants that core very badly, and he was willing to engage in a bunch of 4-Chan behavior, sniffing around, putting together maps, reading historical troop movements, etc to get it.Though let's be honest here. Everyone knew that the Castle Brian existed. It is in the Star League's records. Though as time went on and the Houses bombed each other into oblivion, the information got buried and people forgot about it. They assumed that since Minoru Kurita and his many regiments worth of men couldn't find it then it either didn't exist or it was too well hidden to find, and thus not worth the effort to even try. Why risk the FWL's wrath when you can venture out into the Periphery to find less guarded SLDF caches and earn yourself a noble title? And over time, Helm's signifiance dropped down so low that barely anyone visited it, to the point when a 'Merchant Jumpship Fleet' (claiming to not be pirates) carrying lots of dropships arrived the people were actually very happy to see them! The prospect of money to be made... made their brains smooth, because there just wasn't anything at Helm worth raiding since Minoru Kurita nuked it to hell and back. Helm is essentially a backwater planet when one takes into account how close it is the core of the Inner Sphere. 15,000,000 people ain't shit.So if the Feddies and Lyrans are quick and careful then they should be able to pull off a lightning raid and get all of the goodies... though the real question is what does this mean for Grayson Carlye and the Grey Death Legion? lol''
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
2