TBC9

==Chapter 9 - The Broken Commonwealth==
Spider Moon Coast Guard base
Kowloon, Lyran Commonwealth
September, 3145
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"Well, looks like we have two claimants for the Archonship."  Sharon noted, looking at the news and information delivered with the latest transport to enter the system.
"Two?" Commodore Cu'ong asked.
"Two. Alaric Ward, Clan Wolf's new Khan, has tossed his hat in the ring, wants the job, claims birthright by blood."  Sharon's lip twisted snarkily, "Katherine's pet.  I'd almost call that an automatic disqualified right there."
"Didn't she-" Cu'ong began
"Plunge the realm into civil war and move to New Avalon before joining the Wolves? yeah, she did...unfortunately, Alaric has a competent military backing him." Sharon sighed, "You know what this means, though right?"
"Um...no?"
"We're not paying taxes this year." Sharon said savagely.  "Alaric has Tharkad, Trillian doesn't have a working government OR military, but she's got the legitimacy claim on her side.  means there's gonna be a civil war, but until there is, there are two claimants to the throne and I don't like either one."
"You don't even KNOW either one."
"Point." Sharon put the dispatches down, "How's progress on the yard?"
"We've got four cutters up to operational spec."
"We need a lot more."
"I'm aware, but we've got four out of mothballs and running with crews available-if you want more than four, you'll need to wait."
"Put the four we've got running on picket." Sharon ordered, "Send them through workups based on Li's manual, get the gunner's mates certified and that includes the special weapons sections."
" Do you think nukes are going to come out?"
"I think if anyone has them, I want that anyone to be us." Sharon stated. "There is no such thing as overkill, only open fire, and I need to reload.  unless or until there's a functioning national government? we're on our own out here."
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Intelligence Center
Jesenice System
Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
Late 3145
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The information on Kowloon's leadership was not hard to obtain, but it was remarkable for being so shallow-even by Clan Watch standards.  Militarily, Kowloon looked weakened by two successive Archons, first Andrew Steiner ordering the centralization of Naval-quality shipyard equipment at Gibbs, and then successive 'draws' on the planet's militia resources, and finally, re-ratification and enforcement of disarmament treaties applied after the cure for the Arluna Plague was released in 3108.
The Raid idea had been rejected by the Chinggiz, Malvina did not want to bog down the Ordun in a war so far from the Terran Corridor, but she did authorize surveillance assets to monitor the area and she authorized preparations and planning to begin for a conquest to widen the entire Lyran Front, as a reaction to that nation's decline and potential available resources.
After all, it would not do to be fully engaged on the Terran front, only to be attacked from a Lyran flank.
Lionel Mattlov, therefore, had imagery taken by stealthy means.
"They are rebuilding their little fleet."
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