SotU2 Chpt 8

=Chapter 8=
==State of the Union - Book 2==
Part Two - Irian
Can't sleep beneath the trees of wisdom
When your ax has cut the roots that feed them
Forked tongues in bitter mouths
Can drive a man to bleed from inside out
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Kirin River, Irian
Free Worlds League
23rd December, 3064
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“Last time I had that many people waiting for me to get off a dropship, I had to shoot my way off it.” Galen Cox observed, twisting his neck to look out of the window at the crowds at the spaceport.
“I hope that won’t be necessary, you didn’t bring your BattleMech.”
“That would just make it a fair fight.” the blond SLDF officer told Isis, with a broad smile to show her that he wasn’t seriously worried.
She nodded. “Well, as I recall ‘fair fights’ are a cardinal sin in military planning so let’s not do that.”
“That’s me told.” Galen agreed and stepped forward to hold the door for her.
A wall of sound greeted Isis as she walked out into the spaceport concourse. The Captain-General had pushed her patent of nobility through with as much stealth as he could arrange so it had only been a week since Isis’ elevation to Duchess of Irian hit the public, strategically paired with her return to the Free Worlds League in the news.
To either side of the concourse, BattleMechs came to attention as if the Captain-General or some other dignitary was arriving. The four ‘Mechs to her left were predominantly white, with green and purple highlights on their limbs - Free Worlds Legionnaire colors -  while the four on the right were purple with red and blue accents, marking them as the Marik Militia. Behind the lines of troops, a mass of people stood, many waving flags bearing the eagle badge of House Marik.
“Quite a welcome.” Galen commented
Isis nodded and raised her hand to return the gesture. “At a guess, the Seventh Free Worlds Legionnaires and the Thirteenth Marik Militia - they’re the two regiments stationed here, but I wasn’t expecting a parade welcome.”
“Perhaps the Captain-General gave them orders.” Galen nodded to the flags being waved by the crowds beyond the ‘Mechs, each showing the Marik eagle. “It’d be hard for IrTech to complain about you after you get a hero’s welcome like this.”
“There is that.” she conceded.
Up ahead the waiting delegation had two FWLM officers flanking an assured looking civilian.
“Mr. Hughes,” Isis greeted him, stepping forwards openly. “I hope I haven’t taken you away from business by arriving on such short notice.”
Sigismund Hughes gave no sign of his annoyance that after decades of intransigence from his family and his corporation, Irian would now have a duchess. “It is both business and pleasure to welcome you to your new home, Duchess Marik.”
Isis extended her hand and the CEO of Irtech bowed his head to kiss the back of it. “A home is something I’ve missed for a long time.” she told Hughes. “It’s very gracious of House Hughes to be so welcoming.”
With a sharp smile, Hughes turned his head to include the officers. “I’d like to introduce you to Colonel Reissing, who handles security around our battlemech plants, and General Mountash, the commander of Irian’s garrison.”
“I’ve heard of your regiments,” Isis assured the two. “the Thirteenth Militia appeared regularly in the military histories I’ve studied and the growth of the Legions has mirrored the growing strength of the League through my childhood. I’m sure that if called upon, you’d both bring honor to your formations.”
Lucy Mountash smiled broadly at the compliment. “That’s very kind of you to say so, your grace.” Reissing merely nodded quietly, a more reserved smile flickering across his face. The general looked to Galen. “And you can only be the legendary Galen Cox. We weren’t expecting to see one of the heroes of the Clan Invasion here on Irian.”
Galen saluted crisply. “I didn’t realize I was a celebrity here in the League, General. The Commanding General sent me here on a purchasing mission and Lady Isis offered me the opportunity to travel with her.”
“We’ve known each other since ‘fifty-one.” Isis added smoothly.
“You look very healthy for a dead man.” the general quipped, offering Galen her hand.
He accepted and shook vigorously before taking Colonel Reissing’s hand. “It seemed expedient not to let the then-Archon know that the bombing hadn’t killed me; but now that the war’s over I can use my own name again.”
“I’d have thought that the SLDF would make orders through their FWLM liaison officer.” Hughes mused out loud as he took his turn welcoming Galen. “Aren’t you a long way from home, Colonel?”
“I was born on Tamar,” Galen explained. “it’s a little difficult to travel there at the moment, Clan Wolf tend to object. As for the FWLM liaison, their job is to coordinate military operations with the SLDF. We prefer to have as few middlemen as possible when it comes to purchasing. You may have heard that we’re forming two new brigades in the next few years and Isis persuaded me that Irtech was the logical place to start looking for BattleMechs.”
“We do have some production.” Hughes somehow kept a straight face with that understatement, though he did look back at Isis for a moment.
That’s right, she thought, realizing he’d grasped the point. I bring connections that can be useful - and profitable - to Irian. And I’ve got backing other than the Captain-General. Two companies of battlemechs could cost as much as a quarter of a billion C-bills. After that they’d need spare parts, and if a good relationship could be established then there could be future purchases - who knew how large the SLDF could eventually become?
“I’ll be glad to talk business with you.” The CEO shook Galen’s hand. “But today is our Duchess’ day.”
“No, Lord Hughes, today is their day.” Isis nodded towards the crowd. “Colonel Reissing, would it disturb your troops if I went to meet the public?”
“Given how many of their families are in the crowd, I’d think they’d be pleased.” he answered drily. “Please come with me, your grace.”
Isis accepted Reissing’s arm and he escorted her towards the people of Irian, followed by Hughes, Galen and General Mountash.
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*Wiki Trivia Note: The story had been written in 2019, when it ceased being written. This chapter marks resumption the series in 2021. 
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