FSRB Chpt 56

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==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 56==
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'February 3066Tensions Rise
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===Reforming Kathin Uhlans===
In early February, the First Prince gets word that a former comrade of his from the 10th Lyran Guard and Operation Bulldog, then Captain and now Lt. Colonel Archer Chrisifori who had been recalled from semi-retirement on his homeworld of Thorin to join the newly forming 4th Royal Guard, has suffered a horrendous injury during the fighting on Esteros during the attempts to overrun the retreating Jade Falcons. Given the nature of his injuries, Victor Davion immedietly dispatches an invitation for the Lt. Colonel and any other critically injured officers to attend the NAIS for treatment, at his own expense. While the LAAF will not officially endorse this invitation and accept it on behalf of injured men and women (primarily as a matter of pride so as not to have to acknowledge that the Federated Suns has facilities they lack) they won't block any who wish to take up the First Princes' offer. On the 28th of February a Dove class dropship filled with critically injured Lyran and mercenary personnel lifts of from Esteros and heads for New Avalon. No Wolf warriors (and few Kell Hounds) will be on it as their own medical facilities are (although limited) actually superior to even NAIS. Another 2 Dove's will soon follow. 
As well as this offer the First Prince dispatches no lesser person than Ardan Sortek, his Prince's Champion, to Tharkad (or Arc Royal or any other planet) to meet with his brother Archon Peter and Khan Kell to make them several offers. The terms of these offers are known only to Sortek and the First Prince and Marshal of Armies so as to avoid any potential leaks. They will not be sent over the HPG's as it's now obvious that at least some WOB sympathisers in Comstar are feeding intelligence to the cult from messages they are copying or deciphering. Comstar's aura of neutrality is now worn so thin as to be transparent. The same chain of jumpships which are assembling to transport the 3 Dove dropships and their injured cargo will be used to rush Sortek into the Lyran Alliance and back when his mission is completed. 
The First Prince and his Marshal of Armies also spend most of February quietly having meetings with the various members of the staff's at Albion and NAIS as well as influential former alumni and staff. Both Davion's push strongly for the 2 large academies to accept the suggestion that they accept the First Prince's offer to expand to 3 and 5 regiments of cadets respectively. By the end of February the various faculties are coming around to the First Prince's side in larger and larger numbers. Many are swayed by the arguments, others out of loyalty to House Davion or FedSuns and a few are swayed by ambition, seeing opportunities in the expansions. Duchess Isis Marik helps the First Prince in several of these quiet meetings, charming more than a few old warhorses into supporting the Prince. By now it is an open secret that the First Prince and the Marik heiress are romantically linked. The gossip rags have avoided breaking the story as given the popularity ratings of the Prince it could result in their offices being the subject of riots. Still it is only a matter of time before the open secret comes out. 
In preparation for this Isis Marik is readied for a tour of a number of worlds within the Federated Suns to raise her profile and improve her image. A trip through much of the Outback and to both Robinson and New Syrtis is planned with a large number of stops on a variety of worlds. Local nobles and officials are contacted and prepped to ensure that the tour is a success and the people see the Duchess in a positive light. Various military formations are also informed of the impending VIP visit and commanding officers begin preparing suitable welcomes and receptions. Duchess Yvonne Davion-Sandoval will accompany Duchess Isis Marik for at least part of the tour in order to further link the Duchess with House Davion in the minds of the people. 
The First Prince also signs into law the formal annexation of the world of Cooperland as firstly a protectorate and then once the planet has been properly integrated a member world of the Federated Suns. The planet is somewhat vulnerable given it's isolated position within the Periphery, but it's raw material potential and usefulness as a base on the flank of the Concordant make it strategically valuable. In order to protect the world the entire 12th Avalon Hussars RCT are instructed to make the world their base and conduct further anti-piracy patrols from their new homeworld. The 12th is also ordered to look out for any viable colony worlds between Cooperland and the rest of the Federated Suns so as to potentially create a more secure link to the new world. Their former posting of June is then garrisoned by the 23rd Avalon Hussars RCT who can use the worlds factories to continue to build up their forces. 
Within the Capellan March and particularly on the world of Kathil a growing movement is pressing for the reformation of the Kathil Uhlans. Organized around retired AFFS officers and troopers who had served in the unit it is gaining widespread popularity. The Duke of Kathil in particular is an outspoken proponent of the idea, pointing out in several speeches that many "lesser commands" have been formed or reformed and that the 1st Kathil Uhlans should also be honoured with reformation. The Lion's of Davion must be reformed is the gist of almost every press conference that the Duke gives. It's obvious to most within the High Command that Duke Petyr VanLee's isn't pushing for this on his own, but is almost certainly prompted and supported by Duke George Hasek's wish to reform his father's regiment. Unfortunately very little can be done to push back against this movement, particularly given that many members of the High Command are themselves in favour of the proposal. 
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===Developments in Industry===
On Chesterton the Phoenix Hawk line at the Achernar Industries factory enters production and soon the versatile battlemechs are being shipped to units - particularly those in the Achernar, Nanking and Valexa PDZs. All three March Militia's in those PDZ's will be amongst the first recipients of new Phoenix Hawks, while others will be sent to the Sheraton Knights and Tikonov Cossacks. 
At Tikograd on Tikonov, the first prototype of the newly refurbished and redesigned Koschei battlemech begins testing. Initial problems soon begin to show in the Rotary Autocannon ammunition feed and the engineers are soon busy working on redesigning the ammunition supply. This will delay the production for some time as Earthwerks is keen on having the roll out to the AFFS going without any hitches that might taint the design. 
Johnston Industries, a long term supplier of hatchet armed battlemechs for the FedSuns, contact DefHes in the Lyran Alliance and seek a license to produce the hatchet armed Nightsky battlemech. They request permission to produce the Nightsky 4T, 5T, and 6S variants at their New Syrtis and Novaya Zemlya plants. 
On El Dorado the Demon combat tank line comes online and begins shipping these much sought after tanks. A full company from the first production run is donated free of charge to the AFFS with the "request" that the tanks be placed within the Davion Guards armor formations. Meanwhile the ComGuards buy up the full numbers of their allotment and begin shipping them to shattered armor companies to replace losses. 
The new Centurion 'Mech line on June at the Corean factory goes operation. This means that the factory now has 3 Centurion lines operational alongside a Valkyrie line and a semi-automated annex building Musketeer hover tanks. A second Valkyrie line is now planned. 
General Motors also begins plans to expand Blackjack-O production within the Federated Suns. The popular omnimech is in limited production at their New Valencia plant and has a new line under construction at Victoria but demand is outstripping production. They send out orders that their Blackjack refit facility on Talcott begin retooling to enter full production of the omnimech version of the venerable battlemech while also instructing their Kathil plants to add a Blackjack-O OmniMech line. 
A small diplomatic incident happens when the new Maltex factory on Errai opens with it's first line producing Wyverns. The ComGuards immedietly request to place orders for at least half the production of the new battlemechs and are turned down flat. Instead Maltex offers the entire production run to the AFFS and long term contracts at a very attractive price for up to 6 full companies of the famed urban fighter battlemech. Comstar immedietly lodge a formal complaint, pointing out that they were the ones who provided the money to rebuild the plant. Maltex points out that this money was in compensation for stealing their Thug design and gifting it to Earthwerks and as such they have no obligation to provide the ComGuards with a single spare part let alone fully built battlemechs. The AFFS happily sign the contracts with Maltex for exclusive rights to the new Wyverns and assign the first company to no lesser formation than the New Avalon CrMM, although a number of liaison officers being attempting to negotiate a compromise that will reduce tensions between Comstar and the company.
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===Clan Falcon Conflict- Fighting Over Esteros===
Within the Lyran Alliance, the various military units which had fought at Esteros and along the Falcon border begin the difficult task of starting to rebuild. Losses are particularly heavy in those formations which took place in the brutal fighting on Esteros. The two Royal Guard commands which took part for instance entered the system at full strength but between them can field barely 9 battlemech companies by the end of the fighting. Archon Peter Steiner himself has been injured with several cracked ribs and a broken collar bone when a headhunting mission of a star of Elementals swarmed his battlemech. Only intervention from his bodyguards saved the Archon from being either killed or taken prisoner. 
In space, the LAS Robert Kelswa and LAS Fylgia are ordered to Alarion. As soon as the LAS Katherine Steiner is commissioned in June the LAS Robert Kelswa will undergo repairs. However the single capital grade slip is full and likely to remain so until well into 3069. As such a new slips is ordered to begin construction. When it is finished in 3067 it will start with repairing the LAS Fylgia. Once the heavily damaged battlecruiser is repaired the more lightly damaged LAS Yggdrasil will be repaired - in the meantime the LAS Yggdrasil is moved to Tharkad where some basic repairs will be conducted. The Werewolf remains at Esteros to protect it's two damaged battlecruiser counterparts. While the Ulric Kerensky can potentially jump there are some doubts as to the safety of the jump engines, while the Implacable is in no way fit to jump out of the system. Repairs are started but without any repair facilities it is unlikely they will be successful at allowing the ships to leave the system. The Full Moon returns to take up station at Arc Royal.
===Revenge on Caph===
At Caph, within the WOB Protectorate an unexpected jump signature appears on the 2nd of February. Immediately a Zechetinu II corvette angles in to attack whoever has invaded but doesn't open fire when it sees that the dropships burning for the planet are displaying Free Worlds League IFF codes. Although there are no orders to expect them, the ship's captain naturally has a reluctance to open fire on the official allies of the WOB's ships. This lets the 1st, 2nd, 5th, and Old Free Worlds Guards to slip past the outer system and head for the world of Caph. The whole way in the dropships send out messages that they are here to conduct wargames with the WOB Militia and 3rd Guards. Colonel Ricardo Catere-Jones for one isn't fooled and orders his 3rd Free Worlds Guards to take up defensive positions and orders weapons free if any "fellow" Guard formations approach their positions.
These precautions however prove to be totally ineffectual when instead of landing at the spaceport the 4 loyalist formations conduct a full combat drop right onto the heads of the 3rd Free Worlds Guards on the 16th. Leading the way the Old Guards smash straight down on top of the defensive positions of the 3rd. Right from the start the traitor Guards are forced into frantic FPF (Final Protective Fire) in a vain attempt to clear their positions and buy themselves time to reform. Attempts that the loyalists have no intention of allowing. Even as the Old Guard die to create LZ's for the follow on waves and to bleed the 3rd the other regiments are landing straight into the battle. In a 7 hour battle the loyalist elements of the Free Worlds Guard entirely overrun the 3rd's position and kill every traitor they can get their hands on. Any captured or surrendering 3rd Guards officers and men are summarily shot out of hand. 
By the time the nearby WOB Militia can rush to the scene, the battle is over. All that is left of the 3rd Free Worlds Guards are corpses and perhaps a handful of survivors hiding out in the nearby countryside. The loyalist Guard units have suffered horrendous causalities, but stand ready to resist any attempt to punish them for this strike. Colonel Dana Briggs, who has succeeded General Tamara Findlay after the General was killed in her Grand Titan destroying the last stand of the 3rd's command company, informs the WOB officers that they have no fight with them. That they came to deliver the rewards for treachery upon the 3rd and now that this has been done they will leave this damned world and never come back if they are promised safe conduct. 
Within 24 hours of the initial landing, no fewer than 3 WOB Militia Divisions are encircling the shattered and still burning base. The remaining Free World Guards are manning the now shattered defenses and conducting what repairs they can but nobody is in any doubt that if the WOB attempt to take vengeance for the killing of the 3rd then the entire Free World Guards Brigade will die on Caph. But as General Findlay has said at the final planning session they will at least "die clean" without anyone saying they tolerated traitors within their ranks. The remaining loyalists number roughly 2 regiments of battered BattleMechs with supporting formations having suffered almost 50% casualties in their rage fueled attack. 
Hurried HPG messages from Caph to Terra to Atreus ensue with both sides attempting to deescalate the situation that is on the brink of turning into a war between the WOB and FWL. After 3 days of heated and tense discussions at the highest level a compromise is reached. The remaining Guard will be allowed to leave Caph but will never return to the WOB Protectorate on pain of death. The members of the Guard who took place in the attack will also be placed under an interdict from entering any WOB facility and banned from using the HPG network or any other WOB service for the rest of their lifetimes. Meanwhile the FWLM will cease all investigations or complaints regarding the WOB producing the Zechetinu II corvette. 
Privately the Captain-General is furious. The concessions he's been forced into have undermined his position with the WOB and he is no longer able to pursue the matter of them producing corvettes without license. But publicly he is forced to welcome back the returning Guard with commendations and honours for their "heroic" efforts to "ensure that treachery will never pay!" or face losing even more votes in parliament. He is able to salvage some good from the situation by using an attachment to his military budget to "rebuild the hero's of the Guard" to get his military budget through. The 1st, 2nd, and 5th will be rebuild to full strength and a 6th and 7th are authorized. The new 6th will infuriatingly take as their motto General Findlay's famed "We Will Die Clean" utterance. 
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===Sun Jaguars continue gather their own===
Within the Draconis Combine, large numbers of former Smoke Jaguars begin marching onto cargo dropships that have been outfitted to carry passengers and are soon leaving the Irece Prefecture's worlds. The SLS Far Star, SLS Glory Road, and SLS Nebula with a large convoy of jumpships are formed up are then escorted by the SLS Growler as they head via dead systems towards the Clan Sun Jaguar enclaves... 
===Word of Blake moves in Capellan Space===
At Menke a large WOB Militia formation arrives at the end of February and burns for the planet. The ComGuards 467th Division stands too but is forced to deploy a full third of it's forces to counter any potential attack by the Capellan garrison of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th McCarron's Armored Cavalry and the 2nd Sian Dragoons who also stand too and take up positions some distance from the Comstar compound. The 467th is in no doubt that the Capellan's aren't standing up their formations to help them in the coming fight...
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