FSRB Chpt 225

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 225==
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November 3070Interlude: Free Skye
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Fort Freedom (Formerly Dunscaith Castle) 
Skye, Skye Province 
Lyran Alliance 
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"I won't order my troops to commit suicide!" General John Claverhouse Dundee almost shouted at his liege lord the Duke of Skye. "And that's what that order is! Suicide!" 
"So you are going to let the damned Davions continue to bomb the every living hell out of our aerospace assets and destroy every fighter and dropship we have?!" Duke Robert Kelswa-Steiner snarled. 
"Your grace they have ALREADY destroyed our aerospace assets! At the current time there are exactly seventeen aerospace fighters left on Skye, and eleven of those are trapped in a half collapsed bunker that they were being rearmed in when the AFFS came to visit!" Dundee tried to keep his voice at least slightly more respectful. "Every single unit that I send to support the shattered spaceports and airbases ends up being reduced to scrap metal as soon as the Davions notice they have arrived! Usually within an hour or so! I won't order any more of our ground forces to reinforce the abject defeat that our aerospace assets have suffered! Hell, I'm not even sure if any orders to do so would be obeyed, the 2nd Company of the 4th Rangers third battalion are still weaseling out of following my orders to report to the New Glasgow spaceport to help repair work!" 
"So we just give up?! Surrender?! To VICTOR?!" This time the snarl was almost a scream from the Duke. 
"No, Your Grace, I'm not giving up. Nor am I suggesting we surrender to First Prince Davion or indeed to General of the Armies Adam Steiner. I'm just trying to explain who sending tanks and Battlemechs to get bombed into oblivion is not the best use of our assets!" The general responded ignoring the almost panic in his lords voice. At least they were meeting in private rather than in the main command room. "My lord we have to accept that at the current time the situation doesn't favor Free Skye. With the weakness of the LAAF and the crumbling situation on several borders it did appear that now would be the time to strike a blow for the freedom of the Isle of Skye, but the intervention of the AFFS has prevented us from doing so... At the current time I would advise coming to terms with the Davion and conserving what forces remain to us so that we can eventually liberate the Isle. Even with the expansions that Victor has undertaken to the AFFS he has a vastly increased realm to patrol and defend and has enemies on several borders... In time New Avalon's attention will drift from the worlds on our border's and move on... While I hardly think that given the political crisis that the Alliance is undergoing that Tharkad's position will strengthen... We need to conserve our strength and bide our time...!" 
"Conserve our strength and bide our time..." Kelswa-Steiner shook his head. "The Alliance is falling apart and my military adviser still wants to wait and see...!" 
Before Dundee could snap back the door opened and a worried aide looked in. Wheeling on the aide the Duke snapped. "I gave orders we were not to be interrupted!" 
"But your grace... We have a call from the Comstar HPG compound - First Prince Victor Davion has made a direct connection and demands to speak with you... immedietly!" The aide blurted. 
For a brief second the Duke's face went pale, but then he rallied, calling upon all of his political skills to put on the facade of a calm and collected leader and nodded. "Of course, I have been expecting him to call me. Good. I will be there shortly to discuss how to resolve the current unpleasantness..." 
As the aide rushed off to let the Comstar adept on the line from their compound know that the Duke was coming. Robert Kelswa-Steiner stood and straightened his suit before glaring at John Claverhouse Dundee. "I'll buy us the time that you think we need, John. But you better not let me down again..." 
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