WotH-2 Chpt 14

==War on the Horizon - Chapter 14 / Book 2==
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===Diplomatic Overtures===
Date: UnlistedLocation: Mandalore, Mandalore System - Mandalore Sector, Outer Rim Territories
Two people stood on a stage, a small podium in front of each of them as they waited to be introduced.
 
One was dressed in robes appropriate for her station. A brilliant blue robe draped around her shoulders, and a headdress enshrouded her head. Meanwhile, the other was simply dressed in a pair of trousers and a fine jacket. A blaster pistol rested on his hip that obviously cost more than his clothes, and his graying hair signified his experience and age.
 
"Satine, Kal Skirata, I'm Vrim Skall, and I'll be the host for tonight's debate," the moderator greeted both of the current people vying for system leadership. "You will each have two minutes to explain your possible solutions to the questions asked."
 
Shuffling a flimsy, Skall spoke. "We'll begin with the subject that lies on most people's minds across the galaxy. What would you do regarding the tension between the secessionist Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic? We'll begin with Duchess Satine."
 
"The obvious solution here is for us to attempt to make peace with all sides," Satine spoke, a brilliant and charismatic smile on her face as she paused dramatically. "Both sides are striving to maintain peace as it is, and we may be the people to intercede on behalf of either side and resolve the prevalent tension. I would attempt to reach out and hold a peace summit here on Mandalore in the hopes that there will be the opportunity to achieve peace on a neutral territory."
 
"Duchess, you still have forty-five seconds"
 
"I'm quite finished, thank you." Satine replied.
 
"Kal, you have two minutes to respond."
 
"Duchess, while I respect your opinions here, they are not going to work," Kal said bluntly. "We all know the history; we know what happens once a group has decided that the Republic will not work for them anymore. The Republic relies on the raw resources and goods that the Outer Rim and the Confederacy supply to sustain itself. They must return those worlds to the fold soon, or they'll begin to face civil unrest. Every time the galaxy has marched to war, we have been threatened. We, the Mandalorians, even when allied with the Republic, were bombed to prevent us from becoming a threat. It is not enough to simply hope for peace."
 
"Thirty seconds remain."
 
"We must look at our past and honor it, but remember that we can look to the future. We are not slaves bound to one track. I am a soldier, a warrior. But I understand that there is more. We can't secure the future for our families, our Clans, if we simply stand by and allow the galaxy to pass us by."
 
"Time is up, Kal Skirata. Let's move on to the next question."
 
Vrim shuffled his flimsy to the next question and inhaled.
 
"The next topic concerns the economy and the restoration of the destroyed sections of Mandalore and the other worlds that were harmed in centuries past. How do you plan on improving the local economy? We'll start with you, Kal Skirata."
 
"I intend to lower taxes and begin working with MandalMotors and other Mandalorian-owned businesses to Continue the restoration of Mandalore. I also plan on establishing a defense force throughout our systems. We will need the industry to support the defense force, which will drive local business up and allow us to begin the journey to self-sufficiency again. With this, we will no longer need to spend the people's taxes on paying off up jumped pirates and traders like the Trade Federation. And it will put many of the Death Watch's greatest talking points to rest because we can take care of ourselves again. We are Mandalorians, and there is more to us than destruction. We are a family. It's time we started acting like it."
 
"And now your response, Duchess."
 
"I will continue as I have," Satine stated. "Under my administration and care, we have seen steady economic growth. Instead of a shock and awe approach, it is best that we take this slow and steady. After all, it is not as if we are suffering as a people."
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Three months later…
 
"I cannot promise that things will be perfect," Skirata said, standing in front of the press, his armor on and a blaster at his hip. Our past is full of great and terrible things, just as everyone else's is. But we are Mandalorian. We honor the past, but we must not dwell on it. Instead, we must look to the future—one where we are a united people once again instead of a family scattered to the stars."
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===Lessons from Tales of Fighting Pirates===
Date: November 1st, 3017 AD/01.11.7956 CRC (Coruscant Reckoning Calendar)Location: Serenno, Confederacy of Independent Systems
"Well, I can say that I didn't expect that outcome," I looked at the holo terminal that displayed the current news from Mandalore. "I thought Duchess Satine had a firm lock on the system."
 
"It is interesting," Dooku agreed. "This Kal Skirata did not participate in the Mandalorian Civil War and seems to have a good head on his shoulders."
 
"He's a normal guy," I shrugged. "He saw something that he thought needed to be fixed and decided to step up and do something about it. The entire galaxy would be better off if people like him were elected to places of power."
 
"For a mercenary, he does appear to be a good man," Dooku said, looking at the display frozen on the man in his armor. "I expect that he'll be reaching out to the Confederacy soon enough."
 
"I doubt it," I shrugged. "His entire campaign was focused on building up the system using local means. They might reach out to sell things to us, but I suspect that we won't see them doing much in the rest of the galaxy for the next few years."
 
"Perhaps," Dooku stroked his beard. "I was surprised that he retained the Duchess as an advisor initially and then decided to send her to become their representative to the Senate."
 
"He's showing that he's gracious in victory," I sipped my glass of water. "And by keeping someone who has counter opinions, he'll be able to identify flaws in his own plans."
 
"Regardless," Dooku stood up. "This will upset the balance of the galaxy and may tip the Republic over the precipice toward war. I'm going to get in touch with Admiral Green. It may be time to move to readiness status Aubek."
 
"It's past time, sir," I stood to follow. "Where do you need the Marksman?"
 
"On Beloria," Dooku replied. "Your shipyards have begun construction, and while we have Sullust there if war breaks out, it would be better if we had more places to repair and resupply."
 
"We've got the factories from the Trade Federation pumping out spare parts for the military supplies we've been selling to the local planetary militias," I nodded. "And we've got lines for four designs of 'Mechs so far."
 
"What will it take to expand production?"
 
"People, time, and money," I shrugged. "We've got two of the three. However, trained personnel are hard to come by. Most of them are already working for other people. We can train our own, but that takes up the second resource. We're already working on getting more lines than the Archer, Toro, Phoenix Hawk, and Banshee lines we already have running. That's without getting into the aerospace fighters we're producing in coordination with Incom."
 
"Still, we must prepare more," Dooku sighed. "I had hoped that tensions would ease in my lifetime. But it seems that I will preside over the next season of war in the galaxy instead."
 
"At least the Republic will be as green as the Confederacy," I maintained pace with the Head of State."
 
"Green?"
 
"New, unblooded, have never seen conflict or fired a weapon beyond training." I explained.
 
"How would we resolve this?"
 
"There's only one way to get veterans," I said firmly. "And that's by putting them through a war."
 
"The current government would never allow us to go on the offensive against the Republic," Dooku shook his head. "We will have to find another way."
 
"There's no such thing as a clean war," I replied. "But there might be a way to get them behind starting one. Marcellus Clay has firmly pushed the Anti-Slavery front to the forefront of our union. And there is a nation that borders many of our worlds that continuously violates the laws that we have in place when they cross our borders."
 
"The Hutts," Dooku's eyes locked onto mine. "You mean to invade the Hutts."
 
"They should have been dealt with millennia ago," I replied. "They're pirates, little better than the old Barbary States of my homeworld."
 
"How were they dealt with on your homeworld?
 
"My nation went to war with them and forced them to stop under the threat of cannon fire. No more would we pay tribute to such."
 
"I would like a copy of this history if you have it," Dooku said after a moment of silence. "If it worked as you say, then I may be able to use it to persuade many to vote in favor of ridding the galaxy of this problem."
 
"I'd just urge some caution if we do go for that. The Hutts have been in control of that section of space for a long time. There's no telling what superweapons or fleets they may have hidden throughout the years."
 
"Get me that history," the Head of State strode to the hanger. "And meet me on Raxus. I will need your assistance with both Clay and the representatives. There is much to do if we are to make this work."
 
"The reward for good work is more work," I sighed as Dooku's vessel left the hangar. "I should have kept my mouth shut."
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==The Marksman Production Status - November, 3017==
The Marksman's Industries manufacturing centers on the Beloria
The list that follows is a brief overview of what factories are being focused on for the Marksman's industrial assets. I'll list them in the order that they're produced in and the priorities.
 
1. Archer, ARC-2R
2. Griffin, GRF-1N
3. Mongoose, MON-66
4. Toro, TR-A-6
5. Crab, CRB-27
6. Thunderbolt, TDR-5S
7. Atlas, AS7-D
 
The rest of the 'Mechs are things that they're producing spare parts for but either haven't broken ground for factories, or have not yet begun full production of.
 
Warhammer, WHM-6Rk
Quickdraw, QKD-4G
Shadow Hawk, SHD-2H
Marauder, MAD-3R
Catapult, CPLT-C1
Black Knight, BL-6-KNT
Swordsman, SWD-2
Hunchback, HBK-4G
Gladiator, GLD-4R
Rifleman, RFL-2N
Enforcer, ENF-4R
Orion, ON1-K 
Other units were considered, but were deemed to not be critical enough for production. They are still utilized by the people that work for the Marksman, but given most strategic gaps were covered by the listed units and the rest were made up for by Combat Vehicles and Powered Armor, it was decided to not pursue any others at the moment.
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Chapter 2-14