FSRB Chpt 205

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 205==
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July 3071After shocks
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===Revelation and Concerns===
The Federated Suns government, First Prince Victor and the AFFS spent much of July (when not engaged in active combat operations against the WOB Protectorate) dealing with the after effects of the Battle of Arcturus. While on the one hand no Federated Sun's troops, ships or personnel had been involved in the battle, the ramifications of it threatened to impact greatly on the Federated Sun's as the facts became clearer. First and foremost of these of course was that former Usurper-Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion remained at large and by all accounts in command of a large body of now battle hardened troops.
===Growing Tensions in Lyran Alliance===
First Prince Victor Davion on top of his responsibilities and duties as the head of the AFFS and being heavily involved in the planning and implementation of Operation Harvest spent much of the month sending HPG messages to friends, supporters, and even sometimes respected enemies within the Lyran Alliance. Largely these messages were one and the same, calling for calm. With news that General of the Armies, Adam Steiner, had suffered crippling injuries and was still undergoing various surgeries as late as the 11th of July. The mood within the teetering Lyran Alliance's leadership was best described as "fraught". The tension within the LAAF in particular only grew when the first casualty reports began to filter out from Arcturus with barely two regiments of battlemech forces remaining in even borderline operational capacity out of the seven committed to the fighting. While the warships committed to the fighting remained in much better shape, none of them had avoided damage. 
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===Clan Nova Cat Meeting Request===
The First Prince is also contacted by Khan West of Clan Nova Cat who wishes a face to face meeting with him to discuss something of importance. He informs the First Prince that he will be bringing a guest with him. The First Prince accedes to this request, although he makes a point of contacting Khan Nevversan through the Elemental Star that she has left to guard him to see if she knows anything about this. She doesn't, but informs him that her Star of warriors will prevent any harm to him with their lives. A point she also makes to each warrior as well via HPG.
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===AFFS Troop Alignments in Lyran Alliance===
At the same time the troops assigned to Operation Nightfall redeployed to try and calm tensions on those worlds closest to the Federated Suns and their targets in Operation Harvest. With the various units which remained at cadre level strength, Field Marshal Sortek kept the 1st Capellan Dragoons and 1st Aragon Borderers on Hesperus, but he swiftly redeployed the 1st Kittery Borderers to Denebola to bolster the still rebuilding Denebola FTM. The 3rd Ceti Hussars RCT was split between Thorin and Murphid to keep tensions on those two closely linked worlds under control while the 26th Avalon Hussars RCT was moved to Yorii. He also dispatched the 1st St. Ives Cheveau-Legers "Cadre" to St. Ives at Duchess Allard-Liao's request. Sortek also sought permission for the 5th FedSuns Dragoons "Cadre" to be re-designated for active defensive operations as it had managed to regain 50% strength - a request that was granted by the end of the month. In a surprise move the LAAF's Lyon FTM placed itself under Field Marshal Sortek's command for the "duration of the emergencies". For now the Field Marshal requested it maintain it's post on Lyon and continue to work to reintegrate those worlds. 
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===Meeting on Robinson===
Prince's Champion Galen Cox reaches Robinson and enters into discussions with Duke Sandoval on the First Prince's behalf regarding the Kentares DMM. After some consideration (and after extracting two concessions) the Duke agrees to the Prince's proposal - subject to the Kentares DMM and Duke Eric Dresari. At which point Cox leaves Robinson and heads to Kentares. 
===Duke of Kestrel's Donations===
Duke Cunningham of Kestrel dispatches nearly a full battalion of battlemechs and mechwarriors to Gandy's Luck, along with a regiment of armor and several battalions of battle armor forces that he has managed to assemble. All of these troops are the very best he can beg, borrow, steal, hire or recruit and are to be integrated into "his" 1st Kestrel Grenadiers RCT. The new personnel for the time being are grouped as a provisional combat command and will be slowly integrated over the coming months so as to avoid disrupting the cohesion of the elite unit, but they are in fairness all combat veterans and highly skilled soldiers in their own right. These additions will raise the unit back up to 70% of it's listed strength, although the Kestrel CrMM will drop to 90% at the same time. Only extremely hard training by the remaining troops and officers of the March Militia unit will avoid their skill level falling to green with the absence of so many of their best soldiers. To help them in maintaining their skill level the Duke personally finances transportation for a full mech battalion, armour regiment and two infantry regiments to travel to the Combat Training Center on Robinson - giving a further generous donation to Duke Sandoval to allow his unit to use the facilities there rather than the overstretched facilities on New Avalon.
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===1st & 2nd Messengers of Shiva sweep of the Pirate Haven Cluster===
Within the Pirates Haven Cluster the 1st & 2nd Messengers of Shiva combine to take down a battalion sized group of pirates. Many of these pirates display a much higher level of skill than normal and are piloting battlemechs which are a lot more modern than the usual hand me down of pirate bands. Most of these designs originate from the old Capellan Confederation. The 1st Messenger's take on the bulk of the fighting and lose just over a company of battlemechs in the engagement, while the 2nd Messengers move in behind them and overrun the retreating and damaged pirates falling back from the combat as they attempt to reach their dropships. Both units are commended for their actions by Marshal of the Armies Jackson Davion and ordered to continue their sweep.
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===AFFS Troop Expansion and additional support===
On Cooperland the 12th Avalon Hussars RCT are instructed to break off a reinforced battalion with supporting forces to make up a new Avalon Hussar RCT. The newly formed 13th Avalon Hussars RCT is ordered to make it's best speed to Inner End within the Kilbourne PDZ in order to reinforce the frontier. The High Command has grown increasingly concerned with the growing presence of Clan Snow Raven within the Outworlds Alliance and wishes to bolster the garrisons there. It additionally reassure the people of the Outback that they have not been forgotten about. While the new 13th Avalon Hussars will be far from a full unit, with their support elements they will effectively be a full LCT force and plans are to build them up to a full reinforced RCT over the coming years - as well as rebuilding the 12th Avalon to the same level. Unsurprisingly, the command staff of the 12th Avalon Hussars dispatch their greenest troops to the new unit. Although they do provide an excellent cadre of junior officers and NCO's to make up for this. 
The High Command also announces that a new Refit Center will be built at Brockton without the Outback. This will be on the same model as the Hasek Refit Centre and the Sandoval Refit Center on Bell and Clovis respectively. With the 1st Brockton Borderers and 1st Brockton Reinforced Training Battalion on planet it is felt that this will give sufficient security to deter any would be pirates from attacking the refit centre. It is to be named the Zibler Refit Center. 
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===Unexpected immigrants to New Andurian===
The prisoner of war exchange with the Draconis Combine hits a major snag when a number of DCMS troops request political asylum in the Federated Suns rather than returning to the Combine. For some this is as a result of their worlds no being on the Davion side of the border, others have heard (unfortunately true) accounts of returning units/prisoners being imprisoned or worse by both sides of the growing civil war, while others just don't want to return to the type of bloodbath that the Combine Civil War is shaping out to be. For obvious reasons the AFFS is less than keen on allowing them to settle down on now FedSun's worlds where they might join resistance groups but are equally loathe to accept them into the AFFS itself. A solution is found when the Duchess of New Andurian offers to take any and all DCMS veterans who will volunteer to serve in her Andurien Armed Forces in Exile and offer them full citizenship of the Duchy of Andurien - when it is liberated. All would be political asylum seekers are offered the option of taking the Duchess up on her offer or returning to the Combine. 
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===Nova Cats continue to build their Enclaves===
In the Tortuga Combat Region, Clan Nova Cat continues to expand their new enclaves. While there is basic housing for almost 90% of the incoming Nova Cats these prefabricated houses are expanded upon and the existing agricultural areas expanded. Much of the new effort however goes into constructing the dismantled factories they have brought with them - although almost as much effort goes into establishing wilderness nature preserves for the Nova Cats. The Clan has brought with them on each world and beginning to build Blood Chapels for each Bloodnamed House.
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===Developments in Industry===
The GM plant on Menke, the small Cavalier battle armour plant go operational in mid July. Plans are already in place to expand it to meet the growing needs of the League March. 
On Proserpina, the two Tokugawa Tank production lines are now fully repaired. There is almost no demand for the vehicle within the AFFS or even those mercenary units which are long standing employee's of the Federated Suns. However, having foreseen this Buda Enterprises has been given permission to sell the vehicle to foreign buyers such as the Lyran Alliance, Free Worlds League, and ComGuards. Indeed the single biggest purchaser is the Andurien Armed Forces in Exile who order two full battalions. 
Veridan Dynamic's new plant on Sarna completes construction of it's third Tiger line. Two more lines are scheduled to come online in the coming months, but even with all five lines working around the clock demand from the new Planetary Guard formations and March Militia's of the League March far outstrip the facilities production. 
On Orestes, Galaxy Commander Ragnar Magnusson arrives and requests a meeting with Christian Mansdottir. This is refused unless he sends his honor guard from the 1st Rasalhague Bears back across the border. He is permitted to remain with one aide and five (unarmoured) Elemental bodyguards if he wishes to attend the former First Lord. He reluctantly agrees, keen not to fail in his mission. 
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===Clan Troop Movements===
Within touman of Clan Wolf, the various warriors are in shock. Acting in the name of the injured saKhan Raddick, Galaxy Commander Steiner orders the remaining troops within the Lyran Alliance to withdraw back to a defensive line at Benfled, Orkney, and Jabuka to fight off any Lyran counter attack. For now her orders (going out under the saKhan's name) are obeyed. 
Clan Jade Falcon, realizing it's long term adversery is injured abandons plans to invade the Lyran Alliance towards Melissia or Arc Royal and instead begins a huge build up at Colmar. From there they can strike back towards Terra, retaking the six worlds they lost to the Wolves during their own invasion of the Lyran Alliance or instead can strike deeper into the Clan Wolf Occupation Zone. Khan Pryde in a surprising move also sends word to the Clan Hell's Horses forces who she knows are in the former Oberon Confederation region to let them know of Clan Wolf's reversal. 
Clan Ice Hellion, while hearing of the misfortunes of Clan Wolf and tempted to pull out of the four worlds they have conquered from the Lyran's instead decide to take advantage of the situation where they are. They strike out at Jesenice and Pangkalan and overrun these worlds with little difficulty. It is obvious they are heading for the key world of Melissia. 
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===Troubles in the Lyran Alliance===
====Inarcs prepares for invasion====
The Duchess of Inarcs, with Clan Ice Hellion just a single jump away, demands that her planet be reinforced. Duchess LaRue sends word that unless at least two RCTs are dispatched to her aid she will consider the Lyran Alliance to have abandoned her planet and will act accordingly. In the meantime, she cease all shipments of Battlemechs from Blackstone BattleMechs and instead uses them to form a third battalion of Blackstone Highlanders - with the full support of House Blackstone. 
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====3rd Hesperus Guards Pressured off Skye====
On Skye Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner orders the planetary militia into LAAF service and uses them to form a 1st Skye Guard RCT. In a spirit of support for the LAAF he orders the 3rd Hesperus Guards RCT from Skye and to deploy to the world of Arcturus to "help their brothers there", citing the formation of the 1st Skye Guard as a full RCT to bolster the defence of his capital world as meaning there is no need for the 3rd Hesperus to stay. Under extreme pressure and with the 1st Skye Guard RCT as well as the 3rd & 4th Skye Rangers RCTs deploying around his formation and no support from the 1st Skye Jaegers - the commanding general of the 3rd Hesperus Guards folds and moves off world on the 30th, heading for Freedom. 
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====Murder on Alarion====
General Caesar Steiner moves his command post to Alarion and issues commands calling for all loyal LAAF formations to await word from Arcturus. With reports reaching him of growing tension in the periphery regions and in Skye he begins to plan operations to crack down on any attempted rebellions in General of the Armies Adam Steiner's name. He is found dead in is command post on the 29th. Both he and his aide are found to have drank poisoned coffee. 
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===Kurita Civil War===
====Battle for Dumaring Continues====
The 3rd Proserpina Hussars, using the route found by the 7th Arkab Legion, appears behind the 5th Galedon Regulars, and pins them in place while the 6th & 8th Arkab Legions launch an attack. Only the frantic relief column from the 12th Vega Regulars which punch through the 3rd Proserpina Hussars allows the 5th Galedon Regulars to escape the trap, but almost half the 5th Galedon don't escape the trap, while nearly two companies of Vega Regulars die getting them out. With this defeat the position, of the Minoru Loyalists on the planet of Dumaring is precarious. 
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====42nd Galedon continues their Reign of Terror====
With reports filtering in from across the planet of the atrocities committed by the 42nd Galedon Regulars. The 3rd Genyosha and 14th Pesht Regulars are enraged, continue to launch furious assaults on the defensive lines of the 42nd Galedon Regulars. Just as it looks like they are beginning to crack the Black Dragon lines a tactical nuclear missile is fired into the 14th Pesht Regulars advancing 2nd battalion, destroying it in a handful of seconds. The few survivors are overran in their crippled Battlemechs and killed by the 42nd Galedon. With the existing damage, the few survivors of the 14th Pesht are rolled into the 3rd Genyosha who request warship support from Luthien.
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====The Mad Dragon calls for Support====
Despite the victory on Dumaring, Hohiro is finding his position even within the Benjamin District which is his key base of support. At the end of July, he sends word to his Blakist allies demanding they send him assistance to overthrow his brother...
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