SotU Chpt 38

=Chapter 38=
==State of the Union==
Castle Davion, New Avalon
Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth
October 12th, 3063
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The throne room had seen little damage during the liberation of the castle, Daniel had heard. That damage had been repaired only once more vital concerns were dealt with but there was now no trace of it as more than a thousand nobles and court officials formed loose ranks across the vast chamber.
There was no formal formation upheld in the assembly but so many of the men and women had military backgrounds that without prompting they tended to stand in lines facing towards the throne beneath the great stained glass window at the far end. Hundreds more looked down from seating on side-balconies, forming little clusters on the upholstered benches. Those of higher social or military rank were on the main floor and generally closer towards the front.
The vaulted ceiling was high enough to have housed BattleMechs, but Daniel could see no doors large enough to admit them so presumably the Lyran practice of flanking the throne with a pair would not be followed here. Rather than put himself forward he was standing near the rear of the chamber.
As a result, he was among the first to notice two exceptions entering the room. Yvonne Steiner-Davion was on Tancred Sandoval's arm and the pair declined to advance far from the door.
Only a moment later, the brass section of the royal orchestra announced from their own gallery the arrival of the Vice-Regent.
Catherine Steiner-Davion had made no habit of wearing formal gowns even in court. Instead she wore military-styled pants, bottle-green with a lyran blue seam, and a black blouse. The only ornamentation was a enameled pendant displaying the Fist and Sunburst of the Federated Commonwealth, suspended on a gold chain.
Reaching the principal throne she bowed her head to it and then stepped aside to the slightly smaller throne to its left. Katrina, Daniel gathered, had used the central throne to indicate she considered herself monarch while Peter - and before him Yvonne - had occupied the right throne as Regents to an absent monarch.
Taking the least of the three thrones was a political message. Although today she did not sit at first.
Another crescendo from the horns admitted another lord. James Sandoval wore full uniform as he stepped onto the red carpet that marked the centre of the chamber and Daniel heard a slight hiss from Tancred.
He turned slightly to look at the royal pair. "I didn't know your father was on New Avalon, Lord Sandoval."
Tancred's eyes flicked to him but it was Yvonne's that widened in recognition. "He has been discreetly here for a few days, Master Holstein." She nudged Tancred forward covertly so they could speak softly without drawing attention to themselves.
"Discreetly?" The young lord kept his voice down but he shook his head. "He was hardly discreet at the negotiations.The ambassador must have reported so the Combine knows he's here. It's only the court that's unawares."
Daniel frowned at that. The Catherine he knew certainly kept her own counsel but how was that going to work now she was at the least watching over the Federated Suns half of her brother's realm in his absence? "When you say he wasn't discreet?" he murmured, watching the Duke approach the dais at a slow, proud stride.
Tancred folded his arms. "He demanded the restoration of every world lost to the Combine since the end of the Third Succession War as a condition for withdrawing from the occupied worlds."
"What?" The Draconis March had been forced on the defensive in the Fourth Succession War and even victories in 3039 hadn't redressed that. "That's... a dozen worlds?"
"Fourteen. And we only have troops on one of them."'
Yvonne pulled Tancred's hand down before he could gesture obviously and laced her fingers through his. "I believe it's a negotiating tactic. He and Catherine can't possibly expect that Theodore would accept such terms."
Trumpets sounded as Duke Sandoval reached the end of the hall, placing both his feet on the first step of the dais before dropping to one knee before the throne. "Princess Catherine," he declared - microphones picking up his words for speakers all around the room. "As Vice-Regent for your brothers I ask that you accept my oath of service to the Federated Commonwealth."
In turn, Catherine stepped forwards and extended her hands 'helping' the burly Field Marshal to rise to his feet. "Duke James, it is my honor to accept that oath from the Duke of Robinson, the Defender of the Draconis March and the Liberator of Marduk."
Daniel blinked and glanced at his companions. Other than a tightening of Tancred's lips they seemed far less shocked than many present. Catherine’s words were tantamount to declaring that Marduk - one of the Combine worlds invaded by the Duke - would not be returned to House Kurita.
Although he did not kneel once more, James placed his hands between Catherine's and lowered his head. "I, James Sandoval, pledge my allegiance to the Federated Commonwealth and the House of Steiner-Davion, as represented here by our lawful Vice-Regent and elsewhere by our Regent Peter Steiner-Davion. I swear my commitment to the liberties and the well being of our people, obedience to the Throne and to the Council."
Catherine seemed to hesitate. "And I, Catherine Morgan Steiner..." She paused a moment and then added with emphasis: "Davion, on behalf of my brother and of my house accept your allegiance. To repay your duty with loyalty and your service with respect. In the traditions common to our worlds."
Well at least that was done, Daniel thought drily. Now if George Hasek would make time to attend a formal court and offer the same then the three Marches of the old Federated Suns would be officially united behind Prince Victor... or at least behind Peter and Catherine, which was about the same thing.
He was about to say as much when he saw Yvonne's worried face and wondered if it was. Victor hadn't been mentioned at all.
"It is with pleasure," Catherine continued, as James removed his hands and turned to stand beside her, "yhat I can inform you that last night, the Combine's ambassador returned a verigraphed signature from Coordinator Kurita, affixed to a treaty ending the fighting between our two nations."
Daniel glanced at Tancred. "Did you know?" he murmured under the cover of the buzz of reactions around the room.
"Yes, but not the terms."
"We're about to find out the key points," Yvonne pointed out. "she's clearly about to tell us."
"Over the next two months our forces on Al Na'ir, An Ting, Matsuida, and Proserpina will hand the worlds over to peacekeeping forces provided by the Word of Blake." Catherine declared. "Once we have fully withdrawn, the DCMS will regain control of these worlds. On Marduk, however, all remaining DCMS forces have been ordered to withdraw... and we will permit this. For that world, lost to the Suns more than thirty years ago, is now restored to us through Duke Sandoval's resolution."
Tancred took a deep breath. "That's not as bad as it could be," he admitted grudgingly. "both sides can probably live with that... for now."
There was a stony silence from Yvonne and both men looked at her. "Your highness?" Daniel asked cautiously.
"She's opposing Victor's allies," she said at last. "by choosing the Blakists over ComStar or even mercenaries to act as peacekeepers all the while taking a Combine world."
Her discontent was hardly the pattern though. The voices of those around them seemed favorably inclined towards the agreement and the obvious approval of Duke Sandoval set a seal upon the matter.
Servants circulated, offering glasses and since it would hardly do to oppose the treaty, when Catherine called for a toast to the valor of the Armed Forces in the Draconis March, even Yvonne raised her glass and sipped.
The dais emptied as Catherine was drawn aside by Count DuVall and James Sandoval returned to the main floor, shaking hands with those eager to bask in the reflected glory.
"Master Holstein... Daniel." Yvonne stared at him. "You've spent more time with this Catherine than I've had any chance to. What is she after? What are her goals?"
He frowned in thought. "I don't think we ever discussed anything beyond liberating New Avalon. I assumed she wanted to end the civil war... well, also she was fairly strongly upset by talk of Lyran versus Suns or Davion versus Steiner so... at a guess she wants to repair the divisions between the two halves of the Commonwealth."
"That's hard to argue against," pointed out Tancred. "but also harder to do. The formal union of the thrones lasted only a couple of years before Katrina tore them apart."
"Perhaps she wants to use the Combine as an outside threat that both sides can agree to hate." Yvonne looked unhappy at the thought. "We have enough problems with the Capellans but that's not such an urgent issue to the Lyrans."
"Reuniting the Federated Commonwealth would shake the Star League." Tancred shook his head. "Most of the other lords would be very wary of it." He turned and looked into the crowd. "My father's coming."
A moment later and he was shown to be right as James Sandoval broke through another line of officers and stood facing his son. Both Sandoval stared at each other, heads turning in anticipation of a confrontation.
James was the first to speak. "Your grandfather fell out with his father too. They reconciled in the end, but it took years."
"I suppose strong wills run in the family." Tancred answered his father.
"Yes." There was a twinkle in James' eye. "Mayetta was a defeat but I can't say you did wrong there. You earned respect from those you fought for, and those you fought against. No one blames you for Yalos' ambition." He extended his hand.
After a moment Tancred met it with his own and the two men shook, though there was enough tension in the younger man's shoulders that Daniel suspected the reconciliation might be only skin-deep.
"I'm surprised that you were persuaded to make peace with the Combine." Tancred ask his father
The duke turned to Yvonne and bowed his head slightly in respect. "Your sister had a convincing argument."
"May I ask...?"
James considered and then tilted his head towards the door. Tancred nodded and Daniel stepped aside as they began to leave the room. However, Yvonne caught his eye and beckoned for him to come with them.
"They're proud enough to quarrel," she murmured - deliberately loud enough for the Sandovals to hear. "but not in front of a guest. And I think your father will want to know the answer as well."
James smiled quite shamelessly at the assertion. "You seem to have found some backbone, Princess. I approve. But who might you be, young sir?"
"Daniel Holstein, sir. My father has consulted at NAIS in the past." he told the Duke
"Ah, the dwarf. A clever man. Very well." Either he knew of the Heimdall connections or he simply didn't want to seem ill-informed.
Once out of the court, Yvonne spoke briefly to one of the staff and they were escorted to a small side-room where they could speak in private. Though less impressive than the throne room, Daniel noted that the furniture was still largely antiques and the oil painting on the wall was a minor historical treasure in its own right - the four hundred year old 'Wedding of Guenever Cameron', with the bride's half-brother (and future First Lord of the Star League) flanking the happy couple on one side and a future First Prince, Richard Davion, on the other.
"So how did Catherine persuade you?" asked Tancred.
"Theodore is no fool and he can't win wars on both his borders, so it only makes sense he'll make peace on one. Even at a hit to his reputation - and then redeem himself in the eyes of his people with glorious victories against the other."
Yvonne arched an eyebrow. "And between us and Clan Ghost Bear?"
James shrugged. "As little as I like it, the fighting has cost us supplies and soldiers we would need for an extended conflict. Meanwhile, Catherine has information that another Clan, the Hell's Horses, are seeking a foothold in the Inner Sphere and will strike at the Ghost Bears. At that point it will be in the Bears' interests to come to terms with Theodore as well - but if he's no longer at war with us then he has the opportunity to bring his full strength to bear - no pun intended - while they cannot do the same."
"And it gives us a chance to rebuild." Tancred nodded.
"But why the Blakists?" asked Daniel. "Why not mercenaries. Or ComStar? Is Catherine leaning towards them. I thought they were fanatics."
"They are," James agreed. "but we know very little of their strength. They have Terra and they have suppliers in the Free Worlds League. Calling on them to take over means we'll get a look at the troops they send and can assess their training and equipment." He made a face. "ComStar's neutrality has been strained already and if we used mercenaries, who would pay them?"
Yvonne shook her head. "Is Catherine looking to ally with Thomas Marik by offering the Word of Blake favor."
"That would be a pretty worthless alliance." the duke said dismissively. "Hadn't you heard? After Catherine's public appearances a lot of houses started doing blood tests to make sure they knew who their own kin were... and an awful lot of Mariks have suddenly begun to distance themselves from the Captain-General. I have to wonder what they found out."
The looks exchanged by Tancred and Yvonne suggested to Daniel that they had a good idea, but neither said anything.
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