NDiS Chpt 6

=New Dawn in the Sun's - Chapter 6=
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==Harry becomes a Volunteer==
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Sondra Black Memorial Ball Room, Mt. Davion
New Avalon, Federated Suns
August 12th, 3015
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"No, you have to understand, Militia Mechs aren't like BattleMechs. They exist on a spectrum." Harry Brockton pontificated to one of the New Avalon born nobles. She was cute enough, but he couldn't be bothered to remember her name. The lack of spurs, and complete ignorance on military matters made her inconsequential to him… or perhaps it was the three scotches he had already indulged in. It didn't help that she was from one of the golden five, and despite his families' best efforts they were best remembered in the popular histories as biological warfare specialists.
 
A point he had been reminded of for his entire time on world. Between the stress of making sure that the prototype mechs they would be leaving for the AFFS to test out would be returned, negotiating a reasonable license for their version of the mml system with the chancellor of the exchequer, and fielding questions and complaints from the borrowed Crucis March Militia pilots about when they could get back to their unit on top of knowing that the Brockton family had depleted their defensive forces in order to provide the frames needed for their demonstration he was swiftly reaching the end of his rope. The added stress that came from a stream of noble snubs he had endured because of his family meant he was more then ready to kick back a relax.
 
"A 'mechs is a mech, isn't it?" the girl asked with a raised eyebrow.
 
"Nope. A proper BattleMechs more than the sum of its parts. We at Trevlu Brockton, manage to make a few of them every year, but we need to import at least some of the parts. The engines for example, those take much more precision than our machine tools can manage. MilitiaMechs on the other hand? Those we do, and we do them well. Our offerings are mid-range though."
 
"Explain this spectrum then," the girls eyes narrowed and she gave him a suspicious look. "Because none of my highly paid tutors have mentioned anything about that, and I'm on the list for Albion."
 
"Right… Bottom of the barrel, something like the Quasit. Purely civilian construction, basically anything that complies with the SecurityMech treaty of 2613. Most sensible people consider them to be SecurityMechs, but they are used in a militia role for poorer systems. A step up from that are the lighter so called primitive 'mechs, they use older construction techniques and have looser tolerances. The downside to that is anything under sixty tons is questionable on the battlefield unless its in a specialized role. The Icarus and Swordsman we at Trevlu make would count as this."
 
"Not the Whitworth?"
 
"Nah, that's a specialized role. A militia grade tin man can hang with all up BattleMechs as long as it stays in its lane. It's not as good as an all-up BattleMech, but I would feel confident taking one of our militia grade Whitworths against one of Corean's Icarus IIs." Harry finished off his fourth glass of scotch and put it onto the tray of a passing waiter. "Next up you have the heavier offerings, sixty tons and up, and those which like I said have a specialized role. Our Whitworth, Achernar's militia grade Dervish which is made right here on New Avalon, are examples of lighter offerings that fill a role well enough that they qualify for this level. Otherwise, you have things like Robinson Mech Works OstWar, Kallon's Wolverine, or the Trevlu Battleaxe."
 
"Interesting you don't call it yours, considering your position with the company?"
 
"Brockton doesn't make it, so I can't rightfully call it ours." Harry gave the girl a disarming smile. "We do put together the next step up, but that layer of the continuum is in dispute. Bottom end BattleMechs are still BattleMechs after all."
 
"But you consider them to be MilitiaMechs. So, bug 'mechs?"
 
"No, those have a role on the battlefield." Harry shrugged. "It's more things like Corean's Icarus II, mechs that aren't quite enough to really fill the role their shoved into."
 
"And your own Swordsman doesn't qualify for that?" a smooth voice from a red headed man Harry didn't recognize through the alcohol he had drunk spoke up.
 
"Swordsman can take an Icarus II any day of the week, twice on Sunday. Their only real competition for the title of best low-end medium is the Vindicator." Harry shrugged off the implied criticism easily. "Some might argue the Blackjack is competition, but its long-range punch isn't up to the job. Short range? Nasty little buggers are hell on wheels but the Swordsman is fast enough to keep out of range, and even at the base 2T configuration's a nasty enough infighter to make any sane 'jack driver think twice. The new refits we're going to be putting out in the next couple of years? Those can take and keep the crown. The problem with the Swordsman isn't its prowess on the battlefield, its political, morons on New Avalon keep reinforcing its status as a symbol of disloyalty. Doesn't help that the various first princes have been hoodwinked enough that it's not an accepted chassis for front line service in the AFFS."
 
"What makes you so sure that there were morons on New Avalon instead of there being solid reasons why the 'mech wasn't acceptable?" the red head asked seemingly interested. Harry noted that there seemed to be a bubble of space forming around him and ignored it, in favor of snagging another of the excellent scotches.
 
"Because there are always morons infesting this planet!" Harry threw up his arms in exasperation. "Industrial policy? Oh, lets make sure we're dependent on Terra and when that proves to be a mistake lets take what our loyal retainers have managed to retain and give it away to foreigners! Foreigners are hitting our vassals as they try to rebuild what was stolen? Oh, their headquarters is here, lets back them up rather then slapping them down like we should. We designed and made a better machine for its role? Let's side line it politically and pay for a foreign designed piece of shit. Education? Have you read a history books? We prop up the moronic veneration of a Terran born, Lyran trained, social general who only survived giving the Dracs an advantage over the AFFS because he was too stupid to read a damn map, and then was instrumental in covering the DCMS's murder of his commanding officers, rather than our own native-born son who carried the moron to victory despite his massive strategic blunders. The Suns would be so much better off if we weren't dragged down by consistent mistakes originating on New Avalon."
"That's certainly a take." the red head said skeptically. "Not sure what it has to do with the Swordsman, but it's a take."
 
"Evidence of consistently bad decision making, and prioritizing foreign interests over those native to the suns as a matter of policy." Harry shrugged and threw back his scotch, ignoring the looks of horror he was getting from the people who were in earshot. It felt good to unburden a bit to a new Avalon asshole, and it wasn't as if he was going to see the man again after all. A few more days and he would be on his way to the Commonwealth with the First Princes blessing, parlaying new developments into bounties for his family firm before their advantages and secrets could be given away.
"Like your own upcoming venture into the Commonwealth?"
 
"Nah, that's a rare bit of sense. First Prince has to know we have a limited window before our newest secrets are stolen, better to trade for what we can get then have foreign relations and the department of procurement give our secrets away for nothing, again. Lord knows Corean's corporate headquarters here are a direct line to Atreus, and the department of procurement is going to want them to update their pieces of shit rather than buying the Swordsman or supporting Achernar's Enforcer like they should… again."
 
"The Centurion is a good workhorse…"
"Achernar's Enforcer is just as good and it's a native development, and with a little bit of funding I would bet they can put the Hammerhand's back into production, both of which are much more useful platforms for deploying our new advantages then the Centurion and Icarus II and they aren't imports. Not to mention their Dervish could really benefit from the Lyran advances we have access to. Besides supporting the Swordsman is a good way to develop drop in upgrade packages for the Shadow Hawk, rather than wasting pounds on a dead end like upgrading the Icarus." Harry sighed heavily as he said that. "But that's not how its going to go. The Centurion is going to be prioritized because Corean can get it done faster. Never mind they're going to do it by importing their specialists from the league. The Swordsman is going to be sidelined again, and new upgrades for the Shad are going to be developed by Kallon, rather then use what we already have. Which of course will be the excuse for why theirs no money in the budget for helping smaller manufacturers upgrade their plants, again."
 
"If you were in charge, how would you combat this alleged bias?" The red head asked, annoyance creeping into his voice so obviously that even in Harry's inebriated state he could hear it.
 
"I've got seven upgraded mechs on my Dropship as show pieces for the march militia; two Shadow Hawks, three Swordsmen, a Whitworth, and an Icarus II." Harry replied easily. "DMI or any AFFS command could attach an eighth so we had two lances, and they could have a trustworthy evaluator along, then let me take my people over the border, either one, and take a look at the results. Doesn't cost anything, and gives everyone in the Fox's Den an idea of how their simulations stack up to reality. Then when I'm proven right let MIIO off the leash to sniff out where the corruption was in the evaluations the AFFS ran."
 
"You know, that sounds like an excellent idea." The red head straightened and waved over an older woman with fading red hair which had at one point matched his own. "Yvonne, have any raids we don't have the forces to pull off at the moment?"
 
"A couple, why My Prince?" Yvonne Davion, grandmother of the AFFS answered, and it suddenly hit Harry just who he had been going off on.
 
"Harry Brockton here just agreed to take an evaluator with him and run a real-world test of the designs that are being evaluated. I thought we could help him out and give him a target." Hanse Davion, the first prince, smirked as he said that.
 
"Well. fuck." Was the only reply Harry could think to make.
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Chapter 6