OPREF-3 Chpt 10

=Book 3, Chapter 10- Stacking the Deck=
==Opalescent Reflections==
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===Challenges of Economics===
Yamashiro, New Samarkand
Diamond Shark Dominion
9 January 3055
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Perhaps as a reminder of their victories, this time the Clan Council had been assembled remotely in the main hall of the palace of Yamashiro, on New Samarkand. Relatively few of the Diamond Shark's leadership were there, but the world did have the communications infrastructure to support it, and it served as a useful hub for the three frontline galaxies in the Inner Sphere.
 
Ace found himself projected close to the low dais and was amused to see that this time the projections included whatever the bloodnamed were sitting on for the meeting - with the result being that there were quite a variety of chairs in evidence, from the starkly functional to a bowl-like chair of bamboo that had so much padding that Ace thought he could sleep in it. Two or three of the Council were even using their cockpits, although he hoped none of them were going to engage in actual combat during the meeting.
 
The merchant bring projected onto the main floor of the hall was not a retired warrior, although he did have the look of a Sennet. Possibly he had a trueborn washout in his recent ancestry - Ace wondered if the man might have relatives who might use his own example to try to get into the warrior caste. He had thought his situation would remain essentially unique, but there had been some loud squawking on the ChatterWeb about a Jade Falcon (of all Clans!) freeborn trying for a bloodname.
 
The woman had failed, but reportedly she had defeated at least three trueborns to get that far. It would have interesting implications if they won, and apparently some Scientists were being asked harsh questions about why there was so little gap between trueborns and certain freeborn.
 
"It is technically feasible to adjust the banking system to match Clan practices," the man confirmed. "However, it would not be practical to force everyone on the occupied worlds to liquidate their current hard currency in favor of the Kerensky. Simply manufacturing enough coins would be a considerable expense and it is almost certain that Kuritan currency would be circulated under the table - an illicit economy operating alongside our own."
 
"That would be extremely damaging," the saKhan observed speculatively. Bikendi Vewas was over a thousand light years away but he was clearly still paying attention to events in the Inner Sphere. "If I recall my basic economics classes, the value of a currency is as much psychological as it is material. A second currency, one used in defiance of Clan law would be… subversive."
 
The merchant nodded. "It would also make control over the economy spongy, if you take my meaning. Such transactions would be hidden and therefore untrackable."
 
"You make it sound as if our currency is not trusted," Angus Labov asked, from where he was placed near Ace.
 
"In essence, it is not. The fact that work credits expire if they aren't spent is apparently too much of a step," the man confirmed. "To some extent it is a matter of education as much as it is of trust. Under House Kurita's rule there has been an economic underclass of those denied employment for various reasons, such as age or out of petty retribution. There is therefore a cultural belief in the need to accumulate and retain wealth as a cushion against such a fate."
 
Ace wasn't entirely sure that the Clan system worked as well as was being implied here, but he wasn't going to argue that the Combine's approach was better.
 
"Are you suggesting that we cannot convert the Dominion to the Clans' economic system, quineg?" Evangeline Clarke challenged. The galaxy commander scowled challengingly at the merchant, who gulped nervously.
 
He shook his head. "That is not a simple question. In the short term, the answer is no: we cannot. That is not to say that we should not do so eventually," he added hastily. "Only that doing so right away is out of reach."
 
"Then what does the Merchant Council suggest?" Barbara Sennet inquired pointedly from the dais.
 
"Once we dismiss a short term transition, this leaves two alternatives. Firstly, we carry out the transition as soon as it can practically be done, regardless of cost." The merchant factor shook his head. "Those costs would involve massive economic dislocation, with impact on almost every industry, causing widespread discontent with our rule and very probably widespread rebellions against us. Or, finally, we could wait until the population has been educated in the advantages of our economic models, bringing in the processes in a gradual fashion to minimize backlash."
 
"And in either of these cases," the Khan observed, as whispers went around the council. "There would need to be an interim period when the Dominion would functionally operate under Inner Sphere economics."
 
"That is unacceptable," came a protest from those placed further away from the dais. Ace wasn't really surprised to see that it was Annika Enders. "If the Clan chooses to indulge unclanlike practices among our civilians, with the subversion of our ideals, the other Clans may see us as breaking the Unity. This could lead to censure for the Clan, perhaps even to abjuration or absorption."
 
"Annika," chided Angus. "When our merchants say that something cannot be done, they mean it cannot. I have spent time as a merchant and I understand their value to our Clan. They do not try to tell warriors how to wage war, and we should never expect that our understanding of economics is greater than those who have spent their lives mastering that field."
 
"Then why allow retirement from the warrior caste into civilian caste?" the young warrior asked. "You were still capable of serving the Clan as a warrior, but you stepped away from that to… were you simply dabbling as a merchant? Pretending to be one, while retaining your seat here?"
 
"Warriors who retire into other castes provide a valuable bridge between the castes," Angus snapped. "Most serve as I do, in roles that make use of that interaction rather than claiming that I am able to match the expertise of those who have studied their fields for decades."
 
"Even after years in your Clan, I cannot understand that decision," she replied. "I recognize that it is accepted and that the Grand Council does not condemn it, but I see no reason that someone who is no longer a warrior should still be seated on the Clan Council. If you are not going to end your own life, you should have been stripped of your bloodname so that it can be held by a warrior!"
 
There was a hiss of anger from several corners. Even with the losses in battle, the Diamond Sharks had not far short of a thousand bloodnamed warriors present and roughly four hundred of them had been members of Clan Burrock. There would have been more, pushing numbers past the allowed one thousand, but dozens of bloodrights had been retired or reaved as a result of current or previous holders being involved in Dark Caste dealings. While those directly involved had been executed, even those personally blameless had been stripped of their bloodnames and sent to garrison units.
 
It was theoretically possible for those warriors to enter another Trial of Bloodright but the chances of success were minimal - there had been a string of suicides, and Ace suspected that quite a number of lethality in trials within those units were functionally also suicides. It was a sore spot for all the former Burrocks and Annika had just jammed her thumb into that wound.
 
Angus laughed derisively at the suggestion. "That would have made it rather awkward for those of us who have been recalled from reserve to serve as warriors."
 
"You complain about Diamond Shark ways," accused Evangeline, "But our ways must be superior to those of Clan Burrock, or how was it that one of our freeborn warriors defeated you so easily to claim the Enders bloodname?"
 
Annika's face went red since her only out here would be to praise Ace, and she would probably rather die than do that.
 
"Or if that is just your personal failure," the galaxy commander added, "Clan Diamond Shark won the second place among all the Clans when contending for a place in Operation Revival. Your former Clan was among the first to be removed from consideration."
 
Ace and Angus both rolled their eyes as the 'Blood Angel' casually inflamed the anger of every former Burrock in the Council. Who needed political enemies when she was an ally.
 
"Our ways are superior and you should embrace them." Clarke concluded triumphantly.
 
Showing that she had a backbone, if not sense, Annika did not back down. "I do not challenge the absorption, and I do acknowledge that your ways have been upheld by the Grand Council. But to reject the Clan economic system is something that has never had such consent in any Clan. How far can a Clan stray from the laws and customs laid down by the Founder before we can no longer be seen to be a Clan in the eyes of the others. There has been too much compromise and a line should be drawn."
 
Ace wasn't surprised to see that this drew home. Since his argument with Val, he had tested the waters and found that even those who admired his accomplishments personally still felt more comfortable with the more conservative threads of thought. Granted, Diamond Shark conservatives would still be a poor fit for many other Clans, but there were still customs they wished to cling to - both those shared with other Clans and those unique to their own.
 
"There, I concede, you have a point," Clarke agreed reluctantly. "I do not question our merchants' assessment that an immediate transition is not possible - any more than if they asked me to make a Dire Wolf outrun a Fire Moth. But there is a sound argument for doing this as soon as it is possible."
 
Barbara Sennet shook her head and looked at the merchant who had been discreetly silent as the warriors debated. "Could you give us a timeframe for what the Merchant Council sees as medium and long term for these purposes?"
 
He pursed his lips. "Assuming no major military operations that would impact production priorities and the necessary shipping - and no further expansion of the Diamond Shark Dominion… we could begin the transition in two years. In the event of other demands, we could be looking at as many as five years from today. Following which… I would say five years to complete the necessary infrastructure. Much of which, I must stress, would almost certainly require the support of the touman. Precisely how the anticipated insurrections would be dealt with is, of course, a Warrior matter."
 
"So the long term consideration would have it done by the time the Truce of Camlann expires?" asked Angus. "That seems more optimistic than I had expected."
 
"Ah?" the merchant said in surprise. "My apologies for any confusion, Star Colonel. That was the medium term estimate."
 
There were startled noises from the less aware warriors. Ace, for his part, suspected Angus of being deliberate in his 'misunderstanding'.
 
"The alternative, which is the Merchant Caste's recommendation, is to spend the next twenty to thirty years laying the groundwork, particularly in terms of education - although the infrastructure can also be brought up to the needed levels over that time. After this there would be a ten year period of gradual transition, which would be considerably eased by the majority of the working population having grown up under our rule and having a much deeper trust in the Clan's obligation to them than is currently the case."
"What you are saying is that most of the Clan Council will not live to see the Dominion operate as a proper part of the Clan," exclaimed Bikendi Vewas.
 
The merchant exhaled slowly. "What constitutes a proper part of the Clan is another matter, Khan Vewas. The vast majority of the Merchant Council will also no longer be active by the end of this process, but that was not a consideration. A successful transition that does not make the Dominion a net drain on our Clan's resources was."
 
 "A lot of things can change in thirty years," Ace mused, glancing at Angus.
 
"They can indeed," the Star Colonel replied under his breath. "You might need to make a decision, Ace. The vote on whether to hit the Outworlds will be close, but I do not think the Khan will bend on that even if you offer your vote in favor of the longer view on this - because she knows she will have your support there. But all the other favors we have been pulling together are only going to give us a voting bloc on one issue. And this issue is leaning towards now with the medium view being an accepted compromise."
 
Ace closed his eyes for a moment, envisaging worlds from New Samarkand to Richmond rising up against the Diamond Sharks. "I see you have a preference."
 
Angus nodded. "We cannot get both. So are you going to do the intelligent thing and agree with me?"
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===Dealing with tactical trickery===
Nile River, Qanatir
Periphery March, Federated Commonwealth
28 February 3055
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Unsurprisingly, Aidan had been punished for siding with Diana over the Serling incident. He did think that being detached to liaise with the Steel Vipers was cruel and unusual though.
 
As he studied the stiff back of Star Colonel Ivan Sinclair, he could at least be sure that he wasn't the only one suffering. He'd been forewarned that taking Horse would be unwise as Sinclair was very definitely not one of the more liberal Steel Vipers and detested freeborn warriors.
After considering his options, Aidan had made his decision on a simple logic: leaving a freeborn Star Captain in charge of the Gyrfalcon Guards would probably lead to more friction with the rest of the galaxy, and he didn't have many experienced Star Captains. With the choice reduced to two, he had elected to appoint Star Captain Taman (currently one bout into the trial of bloodright for a vacant Malthus bloodright) as the acting commander as operations in this star cluster and bring the rather more senior alternative with him.
 
"I have seen tidier formations in sibko parade marches," Joanna observed as she watched the Steel Vipers trinary fan out across Qanatir's rolling hills.
 
"Well, one of those sibkos was mine," he pointed out, watching the Steel Vipers fume. Perhaps Horse would have been the lesser evil…
 
His old falconer snorted. "If you are trying to uphold your sibko as an example, you have no experience of them," she grumbled. "I will not say that you were the worst, but it was a stiff competition."
 
"I was expecting more opposition for a command world," he allowed. "But if their bid was accurate, most of the local defense force was defeated on other worlds already."
 
"I would not be astonished if the AFFC had falsified their bid," Sinclair interjected, turning back from the display screens of his pre-fab command center. "However, it was my Thirty-Ninth that broke the back of the Qanatir March Militia on Kwangjong-ni."
 
Joanna snorted. "A grand accomplishment."
 
"It was not without effort," the Steel Viper agreed, and then realized a moment later that Joanna's compliment had been rather less than sincere.
 
Aidan shook his head. "While we cannot routinely take Inner Sphere bids at face value, they do occasionally provide useful information. And here on the fringes of the Inner Sphere, it is relatively unlikely that they have substantial reinforcements available."
 
Sinclair glared at Joanna and then turned back to Aidan. "That is my own thinking. Our main force will smash what remains of the March Militia, while the flanking force secures the dropport and prevents their escape."
 
Joanna said nothing, which was close to an actual compliment from her.
 
For his part, Aidan looked over at the displays. "That seems like a sound tactic - cutting off all avenues of retreat obviously can lead them fighting ferociously, but if they do not realize that there is no escape then pushing the defenders into a retreat can exhaust them before that point is reached." He gestured. "What route do you intend to send them along?"
 
Sinclair turned to the techs. "Bring up a larger tactical map."
 
The display flickered and switched to a map of the region around the planetary capital. As was so often the case, it was a sea port. The blue marks of the three Stars of the main advance were pushing northwards along the coastal plain, with scattered red markers indicating points of resistance.
 
Sinclair indicated another blue dot moving along further in land. "We are moving them up through this valley here. It is thinly populated and damage from pirate raids is reported as leaving little communications infrastructure between the capital and these farms. It will take time for any warnings to reach the Militia.
 
That seemed sound enough to Aidan, but he couldn't help but think there was something wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it though.
 
"I look forwards to seeing another victory over the Scavenger Lords," he said politely and then indicated a sideroom that wasn't currently occupied - probably intended for briefings. "May my aide and I use the screens there to observe, rather than disturbing your staff."
 
Looking pleased to be rid of them, Sinclair gestured towards the door. "Of course."
 
Joanna scowled as she entered the side room. "There is something wrong with their strategy."
 
He waited for the door to finish closing and then looked over at her. "What did you notice?"
 
She snorted. "Nothing, but you are worried and you are more observant than Sinclair, so something is wrong."
 
Aidan gave her a sour look. "When you are complimenting me, however back-handedly, something is certainly wrong." He turned on the display screen and found that it had the ability to repeat the screens outside - and to access immediate tactical data. "Unfortunately, I do not know what bothers me about this."
 
The Star Captain pushed him aside and brought up the map. "This is what you were looking at when you started frowning. Something about the flanking force?"
 
"Not precisely. Five 'mechs might be able to get up that valley without drawing too much notice," Aidan admitted. "Particularly since they will have the cover of night for most of it. Maybe there is something else about the terrain…"
 
Joanna ran her finger down the west side of the city, or what had been the west side before a pirate raid burned out the industrial districts a hundred years before. "Perhaps this region will be mined. If the flank force is stopped, the Militia might have a chance to reach the drop port."
 
"I would not count on it. The area is too open, without choke points. They would need too many mines to cover that much ground." Aidan frowned. "No, it is the valley, I think. Do we have any more maps of it?"
 
With something to focus on, Joanna didn't bother complaining. She opened the directories of maps available for the region and brought up a more detailed map. "Everything seems to flow inland from this valley," she noted.
 
"Which is exactly what I would not expect. Even with the industrial zones damaged, power lines and communications would logically have been connected through to the city."
 
"Perhaps there was contamination." She cycled through alternative maps.
 
"Wait!" Aidan snapped as he saw something. "Back to the last one."
 
Joanna blinked and reversed the cycle.
 
"That's it!" Aidan declared, indicating a line on the map. "I knew there was something, I saw this map when we were considering bidding for Qanatir."
 
He yanked open the door. "Sinclair!"
 
The Steel Viper turned. "What now, Pryde?"
 
Aidan saw the flanking force on the map and pointed at the display. "You might want to redirect them, Star Colonel. They are about to cross a line."
 
Sinclair shook his head, but didn't try to dismiss him. "What are you talking about?"
 
"That route you indicated cuts across the edge of the ComStar enclave."
 
"I am aware," Sinclair replied moodily. "They have no significant forces present and there is nothing of significance in the area, so they are unlikely to react anyway."
 
Aidan arched an eyebrow. "Are you sure of that?"
 
"It is a calculated risk, Pryde," the other Star Colonel grumbled. "I recognize that the ComGuards are a formidable force, but they are reported as having less than a Star of troops present, mostly infantry."
 
Joanna rubbed her chin. "Do we not have standing orders about not provoking ComStar?"
 
"We do," Aidan added. "But I take it that Clan Steel Viper has other orders."
 
"I have discretion on this matter," Sinclair confirmed.
 
"Sir." One of the technicians turned his chair, one hand gripping the side of his headset. "You have a call from Precentor Qanatir."
 
Sinclair frowned and checked the map. "We have barely crossed into their territory. They should not have noticed yet."
 
"Well they are a communication company," Aidan offered sarcastically. "Perhaps they are good at communicating data?"
 
The commander of the Thirty-Ninth Battle Cluster scowled at Aidan and turned towards the tech. "Put the call on the screen."
 
The main screen lit up with the face of a woman wearing the hooded robe of a ComStar Precentor. While the hood cast much of her face into shadow, Aidan saw a nasty looking scar across her jaw. She was standing in a command center similar in size and shape to the one they were in, though it seemed much more established.
 
"Star Colonel Sinclair," the Precentor greeted in a frosty tone. Then she turned her face slightly in Aidan's direction. "And you would be Star Colonel Pryde."
 
"I am honored to be recognized. And you must be Precentor… Carrington?" he asked, hoping the intelligence files from the watch were correct.
 
"Precentor Carrington was recently reassigned, although I appreciate the attempt to remain current on our personnel." She tilted her head in acknowledgement. "I am Precentor Jeanne D'Antonio." Then she turned sharply to Sinclair. "We meet again, Star Colonel."
 
He blinked. "I do not recall…"
 
"I was previously a member of the ComGuards," she replied. "I was required to transfer to a less active arm of the Order after I was injured on Camlann. Fighting the Thirty-Ninth Battle Cluster, as it happens."
 
"What a coincidence," Sinclair observed tersely, probably not enjoying the reminder. "But I doubt it is why you have contacted me."
 
"Correct." D'Antonio leant forwards slightly. "Star Colonel, your forces have violated ComStar's enclave borders. Remove them, or they will be removed."
 
"Star Colonel," Aidan warned, gesturing to mute the call.
 
Sinclair made a throat-cutting gesture to the tech, who hit a control. "Muted, sir."
 
"Well, Pryde?"
 
Aidan gave him a warning look. "If the intelligence reports didn't report a change of Precentor, are you sure about the ComGuard forces?"
 
Sinclair paused, thought about that and then drew back his lips in a snarl. "You have," he allowed, "A point." He pointed at the tech, who touched the control again. "My apologies, Precentor. There must have been a… navigational error. I will have our forces pulled back and ensure this does not happen again."
 
D'Antonio stepped forwards slightly, hood slipping just enough to let light flicker off what had to be artificial eyes. "You disappoint me, Star Colonel."
 
"What?"
 
"Pryde," she clarified. "I suppose that I must accept that apology. However, there will be a ten percent surcharge on any messages sent by the Thirty-Ninth Battle Cluster for the next year. Even accidents have consequences." Her call cut off abruptly
 
"You could not have let them get themselves interdicted?" Joanna asked as Sinclair snapped orders, between irritated looks at Aidan.
 
Aidan shrugged. "Interdicted, yes. But if they decided to attack the command center and we defended ourselves? That might blow back on our Clan."
 
Joanna was still trying to find a fault in that when Sinclair snapped and demanded that they go back to the side room and let him think. That finally satisfied her, to Aidan's relief as he would be sharing a relatively small room with her for the next few hours.
 
He would have to remember punishments like this, next time he had to discipline someone. Khan Chistu was considerably more creative than Pershaw had been.
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===Division among the Ranks===
Dali, Tamar
Clan Wolf Occupation Zone
18 March 3055
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Ulric's face was frozen in a mask of disapproval as voices clamored for attention within the repurposed chapel.
"We did not come here to rule a sliver of the Inner Sphere," Dalk Carns declaimed, his voice managing to cut above the shouts both applauding the loremaster and decrying him for his other words. "Nor to become just another Successor State. We are the Clans! We are the Star League!"
 
"What do you suggest we do?" Erik demanded. "The truce has another eleven years to run. When it expires, yes, then we can move on Terra and claim our destiny as the ilClan. In the meantime we must prepare."
 
"Wait, as our warriors age and our skills atrophy?" challenged Carns. He was old enough that he might very well no longer be able to fight when the truce ended in 3066. "Wait as new generations of our warriors have no chance to prove themselves. Look at the Sharks, look at the Falcons and the Cats." He pulled off his gloves and slapped them together. "If even the Steel Vipers have warriors with more experience than ours then would we be the ilClan in the end? Would we even deserve it?"
 
Natasha Kerensky rose to her feet.
 
A mistake, Ulric thought. Better to let him burn out first, but there was no reining Natasha in at times.
 
"That is why we should take Rasalhague," she proposed. "The Smoke Jaguars are making a total botch of their occupation zone. Give our warriors their war, against the Smoke Jaguars. Prove they are unworthy to lead any future advance on Terra. Leo Showers still thinks he can reclaim his position as ilKhan, it is time to make it clear to everyone that he is nothing but a failure."
 
There were shouts of support from all through the hall at that. Rallying anger at the Smoke Jaguars was not hard among Clan Wolf.
 
But Carns shook his head. "I see your thinking, Natasha. And it is true that the Smoke Jaguars are a blight upon the Clans. But there is something you do not account for. The Inner Sphere is fighting far more effectively than they did before. Eleven years from now, they will have been sharpened by years of battle against the Falcons and Sharks. There are already reports of them developing their own versions of Omnimechs - not yet the equals of ours, but great steps towards that level." The loremaster paused. "Today, we could carve our way to Terra. Five years from now, with many of our mechwarriors and elementals barely blooded, and that against Smoke Jaguars who have grown fat fighting mere insurgents? That is less certain. And if we wait twice that long…"
 
"No truce!" someone shouted from amid the Crusader ranks. "No truce!"
 
The room descended into another round of shouting and Ulric remained quiet, counting who was shouting what. The numbers were not disastrous… but they were not good either.
 
Vladimir Ward managed to make himself heard: "We must strike now! We were victorious on Camlann! Why let other Clan's failures hold us back? Invade! Invade now!"
 
The shouts of "Invade now" reinvigorated what might have been a declining chorus of support from the Crusader's on the far right of the room. Ulric frowned. This might get out of hand. He was about to signal some of his supporters to start pointing out the logical flaws, when a text message from Erik popped up on the small screen of his private messages.
 
It was a real strain not to look concerned at the message. It wasn't that bad, was it?
 
Unfortunately, the next call to speak was from Erik's own camp - or rather, it was a defector from that middle ground. Dwillt Radick was a Star Colonel in Gamma Galaxy, whose officers were for the most part Wardens… but he had slipped steadily into Erik's camp. Now he went further as he called for a vote.
 
Even Dalk Carns could tell the situation was out of control now, but it was too far gone as younger bloodnamed behind him took up the call.
 
Ulric tapped a message of conditional agreement to Erik's thoughts, before messaging Natasha. Hopefully this wouldn't go far enough to need the precautions that the three had discussed already, but if they did then being ready would be required.
 
Debate within a Clan Council was one thing, but a formal vote was another. The results would be a matter of formal record, and unlike mere debate, that could not be kept from the other Clans reliably.
 
Rising to his feet, Ulric left the other preparations to Natasha. He had to take the lead of this now. "This is the Council of Clan Wolf," he declared firmly, taking a step forward. "Not a marketplace or beerhall. We do not decide our affairs by who shouts loudest, but through our wit… and our skill." He reached up and stroked his beard as those with some sense of gravitas ceased trying to be heard over their neighbors. "Dwillt Radick, did I hear correctly that you call for a vote, quiaff?"
 
The Star Colonel drew himself up. "My Khan, whatever you heard, that is what I said."
 
"And what would you have us vote on?" He held his hand up for silence from the rest of the room. "No, let him speak. We will have no lack of clarity of this. Are you endorsing the proposed operation to secure Rasalhague, or one of the other ideas that have been raised?"
 
Radick looked nervous with all eyes upon him, but he squared his shoulders deliberately. "I propose that we renounce the Truce of Camlann and strike at Terra!" he called out loudly. "I call for a vote on this matter."
 
Bloody fool! Ulric had hoped that this would be headed off by offering him an out, but there were muffled cheers from behind Dalk Carns - though they were quickly called to order by the Loremaster.
 
"It is the right of any of our Bloodnamed to propose a vote," Ulric allowed. "Normally, through submitting the request formally before the Council meets but that is a convention and not the law." He scanned the room, and out of the corner of his eye saw that Natasha was working at her console, sending message after message. Fortunately, all eyes were on him. And in the crowd, Erik was similarly hunched over.
 
Not too late to abort this, he thought.
 
"I oppose this measure," he said firmly. "One Clan alone might take Terra, but holding it would be another matter. And our links back even to Tamar, much less the homeworlds will be a strain."
 
Marialle Radick rose to her feet from the cluster of younger warriors. Unlike most she did not try to shout, merely waited to be acknowledged. When she alone was doing so, there was no real option. Ulric gestured for her to speak.
 
"My Khan, since the vote is called, let it be done."
 
Ulric felt a shadow go over him. "The vote is called. Dalk."
 
The Loremaster came to his feet. "A vote of aye shall be to renounce the truce and to have the touman readied for a resumption of the invasion. Planning of such a resumption and the movement of troops will still be required," he added with a cautionary gesture that was far too little and far too late. "A vote of nay upholds the truce, and therefore opposes any renewed invasion at this time."
 
"You may cast your votes now," the Khan ordered. The votes were gathered electronically - ironically by the same side-channels being used by Natasha and Erik to ready their people for the worst case scenario.
 
In the air between the Khans and the seated warriors, columns appeared - one in green for the aye votes and red for the nays. At first the columns seemed to grow equally, early votes from the most fervent believers in each view. Ulric added his own vote and as the less eager voted, he was relieved to see the red moving faster, taking the lead.
 
Up went the green. Up and up went the red. The vote was going his way.
 
But fear congealed in Ulric's heart. Because red wasn't winning by enough.
 
It wasn't enough to have a majority. It had to be a crushing one. Four or five to one. Enough that only a fool or a desperate warrior would call for a Trial of Refusal.
 
Dalk Carns knew that, and for all his many many flaws, he had been probably begging everyone he could think would sway to vote against. Not now. It was too early for him. He couldn't put his own vote against it, that would alienate the core of his support - the young and angry. But if enough older and wiser heads remembered that Clan Wolf's Crusaders could not afford to move now, not when the other Crusaders were for the most part otherwise engaged.
 
But votes continued to trickle in and the green never stopped climbing.
 
Until it did. Half as high as the nay votes? A little under. But not enough. Nowhere near enough.
 
There were times Ulric thought that the Bloodnamed of his Clan Council was made up of morons. He was revising that estimate right now… and not in a good direction.
 
Looking across the chamber he saw Erik's face was white. He didn't want this any more than Ulric did… but there was no longer a choice. These numbers would leak, it was inevitable. And the Grand Council would go spare.
 
Kerensky's own Clan had come close to voting in favor of rebelling against a Grand Council decision.
 
"I call for a -"
 
"No!" Dalk snarled before Vlad Ward could try. "There will be no Trial of Refusal. Not on this. Not with odds like this."
 
"We can win!" the young warrior hissed, eyes narrowed fanatically.
 
"You can gut the Clan is what you can do," Natasha said conversationally. She gave Ulric a little nod. She had given the orders then. Twenty percent had been the cutoff, and she hadn't been about to wait. Erik must be doing the same. Ulric would have done the same in their shoes.
 
He was not ready for this.
 
"The only way you would win is if you killed close to half the Clan, because none of us will bid low on this," the saKhan continued, voice low and contemptuous. "And even if you didn't… you would destroy whatever you led to 'victory', because you utter fools just voted to break the Unity."
 
A chill went through the room. Dead silence.
 
And Ulric nodded to those who looked at him.
 
"The Grand Council voted to accept the terms proposed by ComStar," he reminded them. "And those terms are binding on every Clan. This is not an internal matter of one Clan."
 
"Maybe you cubs can tear us down. Maybe you can even make it to Terra." Natasha's scornful voice made it clear how likely she thought that was. "But that doesn't leave you as ilClan. It leaves Clan Wolf abjured. Our homeworld enclaves seized. The Smoke Jaguars free to seize our occupation zone. And our touman surrounded on every side by Successor Lords who know they finally have a chance to loot Terra without ComStar stopping them."
 
Dwillt Radick slumped into his seat. "Why… why did you not say that?"
 
"Because you called the vote," Ulric said mercilessly. "And you," he stabbed a finger towards Marielle, who was white-faced. "You insisted on no further debate." He paused. "The duty of a Khan is not to be the only member of the Clan Council who thinks!"
 
"I think it would be best," Carns said into the silence, "That we strike this vote from the official record."
 
"Do you propose," Ulric said quietly, "That we then forbid every bloodnamed warrior from being bid in trials against other Clans? Because as soon as one of us becomes isorla, then we can be questioned… and this Council's position on the issue of the Truce of Camlann is going to be a subject of some interest." He shook his head. "We cannot hide this, we can only own it… and take the necessary steps to preserve Clan Wolf."
 
"What are you talking about?" Katya Kerensky was his own second generation descendant. Smart, moderate, not loud enough to be one of Natasha's proteges, but not in Erik's camp either. She'd understood, Ulric thought. But she didn't see the answer that he had.
 
He almost wished that he hadn't.
 
"It is my duty as Khan," he intoned solemnly, "to protect the Clan from enemies internal and external. This… foolishness is clearly the former."
 
"Are you suggesting some sort of… purge?" Vladimir Ward came to his feet pugnaciously, trying to count how many of those present were in his camp.
 
Ulric shook his head. "Not in the sense that you appear to suspect. It is within the authority of a Khan to deem that there is an irreconcilable divide within their Clan. And take that divide to the logical conclusion." He steeled himself. "I hereby declare the formation of Clan Zeerga, independent of Clan Wolf. And I assign all those who voted in favor of this motion to that Clan."
 
The room was rocked by howls of disbelief. Vlad was not the only one on his feet now. There was even a surge of warriors towards the dais, perhaps hoping to overpower Ulric and Natasha. That surge cut off almost immediately as two Elementals of the Golden Keshik entered from the side doors of the chapel, their suits barely fitting through the door.
 
It was obvious suicide to try to attack an armed Elemental with no weapons save sidearms, and at least now they saw that, Ulric thought. Where was that thinking earlier?
 
"I will allow unblooded warriors to join you, if they so wish," he continued. "Enclaves will be assigned… somehow. We will see you armed and otherwise equipped to survive as a Clan. The Scientist Caste will no doubt have a great deal to say about deciding the disposition of our genetic legacies…"
 
That was another nightmare that he was going to have to go through. He had planned everything that he could without actually talking to most of the people affected… not that he could have met everyone affected by this if he lived to be a hundred. Millions of civilians would find themselves assigned to a new Clan simply because they were in an enclave that was more or less arbitrarily given to the Zeerga.
 
"The traditions, livery and so forth will be for you to decide."
 
"I am a Wolf!" Vladimir pushed forward, suicidally courageous if either of the Elementals chose to fire but he didn't quite try to get across the rail dividing the Khans' dais from the rest of the room. "You cannot force us out of the Clan."
 
"I see no other way." Ulric met the young mechwarrior's gaze. "Oh, and if you are thinking of a Trial of Refusal… we will fight augmented… and I said we would give you equipment to get started as a Clan, not that you could keep what you have. So you do not have a 'mech to fight in. Which really would make it a very short trial."
 
Dalk Carns buried his face in his hands.
 
"One day I will kill you," the most junior Ward warned angrily. "This is not over."
 
"No. It is barely beginning." He jerked his chin and Vlad took the hint, turning and walking away. Not to his seat, out of the chamber entirely.
 
Natasha hiked up one leg, resting ankle on knee while she slouched in her throne. "There are guards now on all hangars," she announced matter-of-factly. "Orders for new assignments - or transport back to the homeworld for those who are no longer Wolves - will be forthcoming. This will be dealt with as quickly and cleanly as we can arrange." Then she clapped her hands together. "Now vamos! Get out, Zeerga. This is the Wolf Clan Council and you have no place here anymore."
 
The holographic representatives of the new Clan winked out almost as one. Those here in the flesh followed Vladimir slowly and reluctantly. The handful of Wolves still sat on the far right looked more like prey than predator, realizing how isolated they now were.
 
Ulric saw Phelan speaking quietly to the towering Evantha Fetladral, trying to understand what the implications were. The elemental seemed uncertain, for the perfectly understandable reason that this had never been done before.
 
"Our first order of business is electing a new loremaster," Ulric announced, trying to hide his worry. "I nominate Erik Kerensky, do we have a second?"
 
There were and the vote that followed was almost overwhelming.
 
We have unity again, Ulric thought. But at what cost?
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Chapter 3-10