FSRB Chpt 77

----
==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 77==
 Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter
----
July 3067Unrest
-----
===People's thoughts of the upcoming Royal Marriage===
For most of July much of the talk within the Federated Suns was the impending marriage of the First Prince. Everyone wanted to know when it would be, what would the service be like, etc... To make it worse for those seeking information there wasn't a lot of it to go around. Official releases were merely that the marriage would take place sometime in 3068. Other details are being kept back for now. Which is just adding fuel to the fire for the demand for information. Duchess Isis Marik, who was already very popular with the Federated Suns given her family history, is now a household name and her popularity is soaring. Even in the Draconis March were there was some concerns that many would feel that she would be used to divert resources to the Capellan Front her tour with the ever popular Duchess Yvonne Davion-Sandoval has made her a figure of respect and affection. On top of all of that the First Prince has had victories on both fronts and added worlds to both of his frontier Marches and so many feel he is entitled to some domestic happiness. 
The Taurian front by now is quite and with most of the prisoners returned to the Concordat tensions are beginning to diminish. Although it's noted that the 1st MacLeod's Regiment on Rollis has been granted sanctuary by the Chancellor of the Confederation and a small allowance has been set up to not only support the units rebuilding but also a small "court in exile" for Grover Shraplen. A strike against this unit and the so called court would probably result in inflaming opinion within the Taurian Concordat so for now the AFFS are leaving the exiles alone. At least for now. 
----
===State of the FedSuns Navy===
Within the Federated Suns Navy Fleet Admiral Buchwald has now formed up four Corvette Flotillas. The 1st Flotilla has a number of damaged ships and is missing the destroyed FSS Kittery and its currently being held in reserve at Edwards. The 2nd Flotilla is permanently assigned to the New Avalon Combat Region - which is considered a vital rear area given the huge number of key worlds, shipyards and military factories within that single region, not to mention the seat of the entire realms government. The 3rd and 4th Flotillas are assigned to the Capellan and Draconis Marches respectively. There are enough Foxes scattered on various detached duties to form a 5th Corvette Flotilla of 8 vessels, although instead the Fleet Admiral is considering raising the size of each Flotilla to 3 "divisions" of 4 ships each. The Admiral is also considering forming a fourth Cruiser Squadron when the next group of Avalon cruisers finish at Kathil in early to mid 3068. Although he is also wanting to replace the cruiser FSS Covenant within the 3rd Squadron and bring the Prince's own 1st Squadron up to it's full strength of 4 ships. One thing which has caused some concern from some other members of the High Command is the officer chosen to command one of the new Avalon cruisers - the XO of the FSS Lucien Davion, Commander Stepan Makarov who was born on Tikonov. Placing such a major warship in the hands of a Tikonov born officer is causing a few raised eyebrows. However these concerns are shut down hard by Marshal Ivor Wasjinji who points out that he himself was born on Tikonov and now commands the entire Crucis Lancers Brigade. Many of his fellow Marshals and Field Marshals had forgot his heritage given how long he has been a staple of the AFFS. Indeed after this aborted attempt to blacklist him the Fleet Admiral orders that Makarov's new command undertake it's shakedown and training cruise to Tikonov and other worlds in the region. 
Within the Federated Suns military industrial complex a huge order for Class 30 Naval Autocannons are placed. These guns are now used on the Congress-D II frigates and Davion III destroyers. These weapons have become the FedSuns almost standard NAC, but this order is in addition for those already ordered for the building frigates and destroyers and will result in a large scale expansion of their production within the Federated Suns. On top of increased production at Galax a large scale plant will be built on Gulkana to help keep up with demand. A new orbital factory is commissioned that is expected to go into production by November 3068. The defending 28th Avalon Hussars RCT is listed to have it's aerospace regiment brought up to full strength as a priority to help cover this investment, while 2 squadrons of assault dropships are dispatched to provide additional protection. Arrangements are made that the production from this plant when it is finished will be shipped to the various shipyards in LF equipped Tramp Class JumpShips with large scale aerospace and dropship protection, perhaps even a Fox or two. 
Despite the massive increases in fighter wings attached to regiments of the Regimental Combat Teams, each with every RCT for instance now having at least a full aerospace regiment of 60 fighters. As well as the need for large scale fighter wings attached to various warships the High Command begins to make preparations for expanding the independent fighter regiments assigned to the Navy. Even with the huge demand for pilots and aerospace fighters that the expanding AFFS is making on the industrial output of the realm and it's academies the investments in these areas are actually managing to provide a health surplus. So much so that even with the expected return to service of New Syrtis aerospace carriers the AFFS can afford to increase independent fighter wings and regiments numbers. Many of these new wings will consist almost entirely of Sparrowhawks, Corsairs, and Stukas Aerospace Fighters for now and will be assigned to high risk border worlds and key industrial worlds deeper within the realm. New Avalon for instance will with the addition of a new aerospace regiment now have 6 full regiments of aerospace fighters assigned to protect it with another 3 based in the outer system, on top of the wings and regiments assigned to the garrisoning units and warships in system.
----
===Problems with Marshal Deedee Faulkner===
Marshal Deedee Faulkner is told in July that the excess recruits from the New Aragon, Kittery, and Mitchel Reinforced Training Battalions will be allocated to form a new 1st Avalon Borderers which will be attached to her brigade. Before she can bring it up she is told that the fate of the Sheridan Knights is not up for debate. At this stage her constant jockeying for that unit to be assigned to her brigade is now a running sore point with the High Command and some are beginning to question whether or not it is time to retire the veteran officer and replace her with someone who can accept a "no". Others are even going so far as to suggest that the Avalon Borderers be formed as their own independent regiment in response to her constant politicking to teach her a lesson. 
----
===Payback for slights===
In response to the insult to Duchess Marik by the Chancellor, the First Prince directs the Director of the DMI to send teams of MI4 and MI6 into the former Sarna March worlds... With specific orders to cause as much disruption as possible to the CCAF and the local organs of the Capellan State but also to remind the people there of the years of peace and prosperity they had enjoyed within the FedCom. Left unsaid by the First Prince is that the MI6 Rabid Fox teams will almost certainly consider the assassination of Liao loyal planetary governors, militia leaders and regular CCAF officers as "disrupting" the CCAF... First Prince Victor is furious at the word choice of Sun-Tzu towards his new fiancee and every time the Chancellor repeats it (it's now a common insult thrown by Sian towards New Avalon) his anger grows. While he's not prepared to go to war over an insult he is however prepared to make sure that his displeasure is known. Additional he contacts the Korsakov's Cossacks and has their contract shifted over from the AFFS to himself as Victor Davion. The unit is then given full access to the AFFS's ToE and allowed to replace any and all mech's within it's ranks with updated and upgraded equipment during July. A number of "advisers" and "auxiliary lances" are also attached to the unit during this upgrading process - almost all of them drawn from units fanatically loyal to House Davion, including apparently the Fox's Teeth company of the 7th Crucis Lancers RCT... 
----
===Developments in Industry===
The Firgrove Consortium which has been looking to increase the types of fighters it's producing announces plans to put an updated Vulcan heavy Aerospace Fighter into production by August 3068. Although this plant will be somewhat rough and ready and only able to make limited production runs. The AFFS are looking at this development with interest and if the fighter is up to scratch may make investments to mass produce it. 
Kallon Industries announces they will be adding a second Enforcer III line on Novaya Zemlya. This will increase their BattleMech lines on this plant to 4 as well as their Cavalier battle armor production plant. The new line isn't expected to go online until September 3068. 
Universal Air offers an updated and revised Ares Attack Craft up to the AFFS. They present the prototype to the Admiralty and suggest they can put it into full production at their plant on Delevan with almost no notice. The new attack craft is put through it's paces in a hurried trial. 
On Kestrel the New Independence Weaponry plant begins expanding with support from the Duke of Kestrel. An additional production line is being constructed to increase production of Marauder II Assault BattleMechs, with consideration being given to add Battlemaster production to this facility. The Marauder II expansion is scheduled to finish by November 3068. 
The Corean plant at New Avalon sees an additional line of Centurion BattleMechs go online. No matter how many of this BattleMech are constructed the appetite for them within the AFFS is almost constant. The newer BattleMechs are often used to replace older variants which are then dispatched to the March Militias or even various planetary garrisons with their worn out Centurions being either mothballed or sold to mercenary units for refitting into their service. Indeed often the AFFS will sell a Centurion to a mercenary unit and then get an additional income from refitting it at say the Hasek Refit Center on Bell for the mercenaries! 
GM see's it's new Blackjack-O line go into production on Salem. As per the new line on Kathil the company see's long term contracts offered to supply the popular omnimech to the AFFS. By now within the regular formations of the AFFS almost every Blackjack has been replaced by the omnimech version, although a number of upgraded Blackjack's remain within the March Militias and lower end training formations. 
On Woodbine, the Robinson BattleWorks plant is announced to have broken ground on a new expansion with a second Battle Hawk Light BattleMech line being added. Despite still being almost blacklisted by the 2nd Robinson Rangers the rugged design had developed a strong popularity not only with the March Miltias but also the various training units of the March and the forming Conroe Borderers. The line will be completed by February 3068.
----
===Riots in the Free Worlds League===
Within the Free Worlds League the situation is just about under control when 3 out of the 6 Zion province delegation are killed in a single night - with 2 of the others critically injured and the final member missing. The first attack kills 2 of the 3 dead and injures 1 when a car drives by the restaurant that the 3 MP's are eating at and throws a bomb into it, with nearly 30 others killed or injured. The second attack kills the remaining fatality in the delegation when a sniper shoots the MP as he's leaving the theatre with his wife and the third attack is another drive by shooting that leaves the fifth MP on life support in hospital. The last MP of the delegation is simply missing with his home's door smashed in by military grade breacher rounds and his 3 security guards killed. While nobody officially takes responsibility for the attacks many point the finger at the WOB and the riots which were dying down now flare back up again even worse. Within Zion Province the 13th Marik Militia which had been moved from Irian following the destruction of the 3rd Free Worlds Guard's find themselves barely able to avoid having their garrison posts overrun by rioting civilians. In some cases the reformed militias instead of helping put down the riots actually actively join them. Even outwith Zion the situation is getting worse rather than better and the Captain General rushes back towards Atreus... 
----
===Kaffray's Own is on its Own===
While this is all ongoing the MASK agents assigned to Jaffray's Own attempt to arrest no fewer than 11 Mechwarriors who are considered disloyal to the Chancellor. When the rest of the unit intervene the MASK agents send word to their supporting forces who are supposed to be on Repulse. Unfortunately these units - [[Warrior House|Warrior House Lu-Sann and the 3rd Sian Dragoons had been moved to counter any potential threat during the Taurian-FedSuns war and had not returned to Repulse, but nobody had made the MASK agents aware of that. With a quick firefight ongoing in the barracks, Colonel Jaffray is forced to make a snap shot decision and joins his troops in destroying the MASK team to the last man before hurriedly fleeing the world. The rogue unit jumps into the Duchy of Andurien in the Free Worlds League where he immediately seeks asylum and requests his unit be allowed to sign a mercenary contract... The personal intervention of the Duchess herself manages to have him land upon the planet without being blown out of the skies and while under the guns of the 1st Free Worlds Legionnaires. Colonel Jaffray begins negotiations for a mercenary contract with no lesser personage than Dame Humphrey's herself...
Within the Liao Commonality a number of other MASK agents begin to report disturbing signs of FedSuns infiltration and support for the Federated Suns rising... Pro-Sarna March/FS graffiti begins to appear towards the end of the month...
-----
 Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter
077, Chapter