FSRB Chpt 220

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 220==
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October 3070Interlude: Rehabilitation
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Fort Lucien, Addicks 
Addicks PDZ, Draconis March 
Federated Suns 
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Marshal Harrison Bradford marched into the small office and came to attention in front of the desk. "Marshal Harrison Bradford reporting as ordered, Your Highness!"
First Prince Victor Davion had stood up as the Marshal entered the room and saluted him back. "Have a seat, Marshal Bradford."
While the Marshal dutifully took a seat in front of the desk he didn't relax his posture a single inch sitting in the tucked away office that would have been more fitting for a colonel in the Addicks DMM than the First Prince of the Federated Suns as though on parade. Looking him over slowly Victor had to admit that the man looked the part. Perhaps to be expected from a former member of the 3rd Royal Guard, Bradford's uniform was immaculate and clearly tailored to him to the point of almost not being regulation. Almost, but he somehow managed to pull off the not quite regulation uniform while also appearing like a soldier and not a martinet. No small feat, particularly given the slight bias that remained within the AFFS against most things "Lyran" - the 10th Revenant Guards and Prince's Champion Galen Cox being one of the few exceptions to that rule perhaps because they had become almost more Davion than the Davions. The man himself had aged in the almost exactly fourteen years since he had led his RCT to total defeat against the Northwind Highlanders and cost the FedCom Northwind. His hair had more silver in it, a few more lines on his face, but he didn't seem to have let himself go. Good. The First Prince was favorably impressed by the Marshal's bearing. 
"Firstly Marshal, I intend to be honest to the point of bluntness in this meeting. I would appreciate the same from you." The First Prince watched and waited as Bradford gave a slight start and then nodded slightly before continuing. "Good. Very well. In that spirit, you are no doubt aware that you have been out of favor now for almost a decade and a half for your actions on Northwind. You and the officers who supported you ended up costing the FedSuns not only the vital planet of Northwind but also the use of the Northwind Highlanders for the better part off eight years. While Northwind has subsequently rejoined the Federated Suns and the Highlanders accepted contracts with us, it goes without saying that those units would have been damn useful in '57. As would have the 3rd Royals."
Bradford nodded his head slightly jerkily but firmly. "Agreed, My Prince. I make no excuses."
"Good." Again the First Prince edged his opinion of the Marshal upwards. At least slightly. Victor pulled out a folder and opened it, flicking through page after page as he spoke. "Since that time you have been given a series of staff posts, most of them ranging from mind numbing to unpleasant. Garrison reviews off the Outback. Militia Training within New Avalon Combat Region. You headed up the team that oversaw the reactivation of the Broken Wheel CrMM. Military Liaison with the Arc Royal Mechworks facility on Killarney. And a host of others. Every officer review and evaluation you have received during those positions has been positive. You have also at your own request been granted the right to address the NAIS final year students for a special lecture each year for the last three years at which you have given them lessons about knowing when not to fight... Using your own mistakes as a case in point."
Marshal Bradford's lips might have thinned slightly at that last point, but he nodded fractionally. Just as the three reports that Victor had read about the lectures had indicated, he clearly did not enjoy giving those classes. Tapping the final one of the three reports from Field Marshal Frederick Hastings of the NAIS who had attended each of them before completing a report on them, Victor continued. "It is that final action I have to say that has done the most to convince me that you have indeed completed your rehabilitation. It is one thing to bury yourself in your work and accept that your career has hit a dead end and just soldier on through that. It is quite another to stand up in front of hundreds of cadets and do your best to help them avoid the very mistakes that ended your own career. That more than anything Marshal Bradford has decided me that it is time to return you to the field..."
"A field command...?" The hope in the officer's voice was almost painful. 
"A combat command. Yes." Victor smiled at the man's entire posture shifting and nodded. He brought out a second folder and laid it on the desk. "I have to be honest, Marshal, it's not a RCT and if you don't want it I'll understand..."
"I'll take it!" The Marshal had to stop himself from almost snapping at the First Prince, shrugging his shoulders apologetically. "Sorry, Prince Victor, but even if it's a battalion of scratch troops drawn from the dregs of a Planetary Guard I'll take it!" 
The First Prince chuckled and nodded his understanding. "I think we can do better than that, Marshal... I'm offering you the 9th Avalon Borderers LCT... Half the troops will be drawn from the Training Battalions, not exactly academy graduates... The other half will be a mix of experienced personnel drawn from existing commands and low end academy graduates... And you know as well as I do that you won't be getting the best troopers from existing units..."
Harrison found himself chuckling and nodding. "Guardhouse troopers, troublemakers and misfits. The ones their CO's want rid off..." 
"Exactly." Victor nodded. "Hardly the 3rd Royals. Are you sure you still want it?" 
"100%, Sir." Marshal Bradford spoke quickly. 
"I thought you might." Victor stood and offered his hand to the Marshal who likewise stood and took it in a firm grip. "I'm planning to give you some time to get the unit formed up and then dispatching you on an anti-piracy sweep with the 1st Sherwood Foresters in early 3072. Give you some time to blow the rust off and get your unit shaken down and then pirate hunting to let the 9th Borderers gain some experience."
"I won't let you down again, My Prince." Bradford promised saluting crisply. 
Victor nodded saluting him back. "Welcome back Marshal Bradford and I know you won't..."
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