Admin94

==Chapter 94 - The Administrator==
Tharkad Shipyard 
Gasthaus station
Tharkad system
Lyran Commonwealth
3150
Day three of the summit...
The arrival (late) of the Snow Ravens provided a short interruption in the constant back-and forth, both by arriving late, and by having no visible agenda beyond 'well, we wanted to see what everyone was talking about for ourselves'.
Rear Admiral Emily Falcone found her own duties expanded as a direct result.
"You are of Clan descent, quiaff?"  Khan Lankenau asked.  "How did it feel, going against the Falcons?"
"Good, sir." Emily said firmly, "I am from Hue, our branch of the 'family' was kicked out because of the Arluna Flu.  The sad joke being, the rest of the line of my ancestors was reaved when the Clans went to war on each other."
"Oh?"
"Pershaw, sir."  she said. "Since Hue city is dominated by Kerenskyist social norms, I would have to challenge an existing bloodname holder for the last name, and we do not have any families claiming the name.  No Bloodhouse.  'Falcone' is the generally accepted substitute for a variety of no-longer-existing bloodhouses, it gets more complicated when you acknowledge we have no...trueborn in Hue.  the last generation of pureblood Falcons in Hue died out when I was a little girl.  I believe the closest you'll find on Kowloon are the Icaza-Mosovich family down in the Golden Lake area, and those are half-caste elementals."
"The Pershaws were fairly good pilots, in their day." the Snow Raven SaKhan said, "You at least keep to that tradition."
"Service to the nation is a pretty big deal in Hue and Golden Lake." Emily said amiably.  "We are not...raised in creche's or anything like that, but it is expected to enlist and to excel." she smiled, "Your quarters for your stay." she said, "I broke with some of the family by going Coast Guard instead of Militia or joining the Volunteer Regiments."
"Oh?"
"Dad was a fighter pilot." she said, "Excuse me, my gene-father flew fighters with the Volunteers, and before that, as a Clan aeropilot."  she grinned, "I got dad's height.  When Sharon and I go on leave, I get to be the pretty one, and she gets to be the winggirl."
"So you have known Admiral Ngo for a long time, quiaff?"
"We came up through the ranks together." Emily said, "I was her executive officer on the Marjorie Ngo during her last cruise on the Quarantine line, and was her flag cap when we took the Ia Drang out of the zone to relieve Tharkad in '43."
"What is her relationship like with the current Archon?"  the Snow Raven asked.
Emily thought for a bit as the SaKhan's staff moved into the quarters and swept for bugs. "Complex." she settled on.  "Sharon hates some of her politics, and I doubt they are going drinking in port together...but I would call it a good, solid, relationship of mutual respect.  Friendly-as much as those things go."
"What of the Marshall of the Armies, Roderick Steiner? How is her relationship with him?"
"Roderick's one of her stronger backers on the political front." Emily said, "A hard-core backer, when the Estates General tries to balk at one of her projects. He was there the next day testifying why it's absolutely necessary, and I know for a fact she often doesn't tell him about the situation before he's moving in support.  He even took some steps to eliminate the positions of some academy profs who were objecting to her methods and positions.  You're asking about Sharon because you're here about our navy."
He gestured to his uniform, "Snow Raven?" he said, "Of course I'm here about your navy. There are concerns that the very real progress you are making, will be undone if the result of this conference is what we suspect it is."
"How's that?"
"I have reliable intelligence that Stone's naval program may be installing Caspar control systems on their fleet." he said, "Such a system presents a threat to our security in the Raven Alliance. While there are buffer states, we border the Combine and House Davion. The Davions have recently signed a mutual treaty with the Republic, if our intelligence is accurate..."
"Another strong naval power in the region helps your security." Emily said.
"Exact." he said, "Your disarmament harms our security. So it is felt that our presence can help...alleviate that threat."
==Note from Author==
The following is the current situation as described by the Cannonshop as the state affairs between the nations of the Naval Conference at the Shipyard.
'''
[out of story: the scorecard]'''
Lyran Commonwealth: Up and coming Naval power, riding high off the outright defeat of the Mongolized jade falcons and reconquest of the former Jade Falcon OZ.  Half-assed alliance/nonaggression pact with the Wolf Empire (composited of WiE and Clan Wolf).  Many bricks were shattered when the Lyrans turned around and started slinging large numbers of new-build warships in the Falcon War (3147 to 3150).  Probably the largest operational and functioning fleet (of Warships) in human space (the Snow Ravens being the second largest).   Notably, this fleet was constructed after tossing the Revised Uniform Naval Treaty of 3105 into the recycler following the formation of 'Fortress Republic' in the wake of Gray Monday (the sphere wide HPG blackout) and the Republic civil war.
Republic of the Sphere/Fortress Republic/Prefecture X (Devlin Stone): Wants to reimpose limits on Naval expansion, has a known fleet (in mothball) of 91 or more Capital Warships, making them (Prior to 3045) the largest potential fleet, just came out of fifteen years (3135 to 3150) of self imposed isolation. Which has been busy reactivating their fleet, is also pushing for naval disarmament to pre-3130 levels.  Desperate to get the RUNT put back into place and either tap off the excess from the Lyrans, or turn them against their many enemies.
Capellan Confederation: They never liked the RUNT (or the Republic Treaty, or the Republic).  Mostly bottlenecked by resource shortages and budget problems but, with one of the most innovative local warship designs in the Inner Sphere.  The Chancellor would really rather the Republic NOT get the Lyrans to help push the sausage back into the casing and is immensely enjoying the whole event so far.
Free Worlds League: With the LCN's reform and the Lyrans suddenly showing that yes, a massive industrial power CAN build a competent navy. The FWLN is dipping their collective toe into the game, with attempting to rebuild a naval powerbase.  Issues with Regulus, and with the Republic on their border, have forced something of a slow process on them but, at least since the Wolf Empire removed several problem provinces from consideration. Now they have a national need.  Nikol Marik is keen to try and pry the Lyrans out of their stated Neutrality and onto the FWL's side, (or at least, establish something resembling friendly relations and trade so they can maybe get some side benefits from the Lyran naval building program.) The Free Worlds League has a problem in that they jumped in with both feet due to their desire to retaking "Republic" worlds as soon as the Fortress cut them off.  Nikol's position and economy suggest the nascent FWL her mother Jessica built. Risen from the ruins the FWL was, is in mortal danger of being broken up again by a vengeful Republic of the Sphere. She has little faith that the Capellans CAN help her realm and less trust that they will. (This in spite of personal friendship with Danai Centrella-Liao, including knowing that Danai was raped by Caleb Davion.)
Draconis Combine:  Not happy with the Republic come in on House Davion's side. However, victorious enough that if Coordinator of Worlds Yori Kurita can get peace-talks going, she can declare victory and buy time to rebuild the Combine navy in to emulation to what she's seen with the Lyrans.  In particular, her bottleneck is having a single warship-capable yard at Luthien.  (Dieron's was destroyed by retreating Republic troops).  Kurita's position is that if the Lyrans stay neutral, they have a chance at pursuing a cease-fire without it being a death-knell.  If the Lyrans come in with Stone and the Ghost Bears in addition, the Combine faces annihilation and will be forced to fight to the last man-only to fail.  (Having enemies on all sides kind of does that.)  As a realist, Yori Kurita sees zero possibility that the LCN will come in on her side, so she wants the Lyrans to remain neutral.  She has made some inroads into establishing an informal pact with the Free Worlds League against the Republic. Even more establishing a similar informal relationship with House Liao, but counts neither of them as strong enough to help should the Combine face a three-front invasion.
Clan Snow Raven/Raven Alliance: Probably the best of the Clan Watch organizations still report to the Snow Raven Khans in the former outworlds alliance area.  As a result, they're 'watching with alarm' as Devlin Stone's people are modifying and reactivating the Republic's mothball fleet, with SDS/Caspar hardware. Lacking the industrial development and raw resources necessary to match a massive build-up of highly automated battleships that their tech people feel is only a few months away, they're counting on having other naval powers available to threaten the Republic and slow the inevitable advance before having to commit warships themselves.
Rasalhague Dominion/Clan Ghost Bear:  Stone's Fandom, big believers in the ideals of the ROTS, major supporters. Had Stone asked them to attack the Combine, there would be little hesitation. The problem the Dominion has, is that their sum fleet consists of two Leviathan -Class battleships and a nice selection of expensive and powerful dropships.  As a ground force, the Ghost Bears are a terror to behold but, as a naval force...they are hampered in comparison with naval powers like the Ravens or the Lyrans.  (Especially the Lyrans).
Federated Suns: Having taken a beating and really, really are in dire straights. They had been Need Republic aid to retake Combine World of Benjamin, retake their own regional capital Robinson back. They additionally needed Republic aid to blunt CapCon probes and retake New Syrtis.  The Fedsuns has reactivated their warship program but, are hampered by some rather...unique...doctrinal ideas that have resulted in some of the strangest choices in human history. Which includes the development of dedicated, a jump-capable rams. That is, warships built specifically to be used in ramming attacks at close quarters.  Julian wants a cease fire with the Combine almost as much as Yori wants to give it to him but, for entirely different reasons. To the Federated Suns, a cease-fire is a chance to regain lost capacity after the crushing damage of the Palmyra incident. It would be a chance to retrench for a counter-offensive to push the Combine into a corner and do to them, like how the Lyrans did to the Jade Falcons.  At present, the AFFS is reliant on RAF support and supplies, and is in a besieged mindset.  Multiple attempts by Julian to use filial connections to Trillian have failed to manifest in the form of a Lyran Fleet to help his realm against their many enemies. Now he's stuck taking aid from Devlin Stone, and some aid from Clan Ghost Bear (Mostly in the form of arms shipments and supplies).
Clan Sea Fox: Happily making money from almost all sides of this situation. They are happily renting refit/repair services to the Ghost Bears. Selling weapons to both sides of the Combine/Fedsuns war and cheerfully supplying arms to the Liaos, as well to the Republic. Selling advisory services and weapons to the Free Worlds League (and Regulus.)
Clan Sea Fox's position is that 'war is good for business'. Notably, they lost a good customer when the Lyrans overran the Jade Falcon Golden Ordun but, this has not harmed their relationship with the Lyran Commonwealth...much. The insistence by CNO Sharon Ngo not to use foreign sources for the LCN, however, is seen by the sea foxes as a bit of an insult.  (though not enough of one, at present, to merit a military response.)
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