OPREF-3 Chpt 14

=Book 3, Chapter 14 - Stacking the Deck=
==Opalescent Reflections==
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===Thrown into new Assignment===
CJF Turkina's Pride, Wroclaw
Clan Jade Falcon Occupation Zone
2 January 3056
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Aidan had expected heavy consequences when Elias Crichell called him aboard the Clan's flagship. Coventry had been a disaster and while Vandervahn Chistu was dead and unable to defend himself from the blame, there was plenty to go around. Marthe was dead and Kristen Redmond was in long term medical care after almost killing herself trying to rescue the fallen saKhan, unaware that it had already been too late.
That left Aidan, Rard Hoyt and Diane Anu to potentially take the fall. Rard's decision to order the retreat and Aidan's endorsement left them more vulnerable than the commander of the Fifth Battle Cluster.
 
But as he entered the Khan's office, Crichell rose from behind the desk and exchanged salutes without any sign of anger. There were certainly no aides or bodyguards to deal with any resistance, as might be expected if Aidan decided to challenge a punishment. "Star Colonel, I'm glad to see you." The old warrior waved Aidan towards a seat - not facing the desk but to one side of it.
 
Aidan sat, not sure what to make of it. "How can I serve our Clan, my Khan?"
 
Crichell turned his seat slightly to face him. "I am about to confer with the Khans of the Nova Cats and Steel Vipers. As we have yet to elect a new saKhan, you are to attend as my aide."
 
"If that is your command." Why me, why not Kael Pershaw or someone with wider knowledge?
 
The Khan smiled knowingly. "You have interacted with both Clans over the last few years, you are known to them. And depending on your performance, I may have another assignment for you."
 
So this was a test. "What do you want from me?"
 
Crichell shook his head. "Offer counsel if you feel you have it. Respond if questioned. Simple, quiaff?"
 
"Aff," Aidan allowed. He would have to watch what he said, a misstep here could draw Crichell's wrath, perhaps even endanger the Jade Falcons. He would not hesitate to face either of the other Clans if it came to that, but he had just seen how much numbers could matter. If the two Clans made common cause against the Jade Falcons that might be a serious problem.
 
Straightening his seat, the Khan checked his clock. "Here we go," he declared, tapping a control on his desk.
 
Almost immediately, two further desks appeared in the room, projected from the headquarters of the other two Clans. The holographic images of the four Khans had such fidelity that Aidan could almost imagine that they were present, and they could evidently see each other as well.
 
Perigard Zalman gave Aidan a curious look, checking his rank tabs before he noted: "You have still not elected a new saKhan, Elias?"
 
"It is an important decision, Khan Zalman," Aidan's Khan replied more formally. "Our warriors are widely dispersed, and this meeting cannot wait, quiaff?"
 
"It has been more than two months," the Steel Viper snorted.
 
"Assembling a quorum of your Clan should not be that difficult," saKhan Christopher Ahmed criticized. "But it is the Falcon's internal matter and not what we are here to discuss, quiaff?"
 
"Aff, we must decide what to do next," Zalman agreed. "We may not have taken Coventry, but the AFFC must have stripped other worlds for the forces gathered there. There is another promising industrial world that can be taken, depriving the Federated Commonwealth of a new battlemech factory."
 
Sevren Leroux leant back in his seat. "I believe you misjudge the situation, Zalman."
 
"How so?"
 
"I assume you mean Loxley?" the old man inquired. "Our intelligence confirms that it remains well garrisoned. The units faced on Coventry were units awaiting deployment as reinforcement elsewhere, just as our original intelligence suggested. We have no evidence that the Federated Commonwealth have stripped worlds of protection to hold Coventry, other than their warship of course."
 
"At the very least, those units are no longer available as reinforcements elsewhere along the frontlines! And now that we know they have a battlecruiser, we can assemble a naval star to handle it."
 
"Perhaps, but if you feel that Loxley is attainable, you may do so alone," Lucian Carns declared. "We have no intention of pressing further into the Federated Commonwealth at this time, and our warships will be needed to cover our supply lines against that battlecruiser."
 
Zalman snorted. "Very well then. Crichell, your Gyrfalcon Galaxy is ready for new operations? Between us we can…" He trailed off as the Jade Falcon Khan shook his head.
 
"We have received a message via ComStar," Crichell informed him mildly. "I know the same is true of Clan Nova Cat and I would be surprised if you have not."
 
"The Archon's suggestion of a ceasefire?" inquired Ahmed, voice neutral. "A sign of weakness on her part."
 
"Not entirely," Aidan corrected.
 
All eyes turned to him, the lowly Star Colonel presuming to speak unbidden to the Khans. "Explain," Crichell ordered.
 
"The Archon may not be a warrior herself, but she has experience of leading her nation in wars. She must be aware that we would not accept if she offered that from a position of weakness. Ceasefires require that neither side benefits from continuing the fighting. She must have some reason to believe it is in our interests to give her time to recover."
 
Leroux turned to Crichell and raised an eyebrow.
 
"Star Colonel Pryde is not party to our previous conversation." Crichell confirmed.
 
"Indeed. Thank you, Star Colonel. That was insightful."
 
From another Clan that might have sounded sarcastic, but not from a Nova Cat. Aidan didn't place much faith in their visions but he knew that they did and this had the tone of a Nova Cat who had just seen something slot together with his expectations in an interesting way. A shiver went down his spines.
"You have met without me?" hissed Zalman accusingly. "Behind my back?"
 
"Yes," agreed the Nova Cat khan. "Regarding your Clan's conduct on Coventry."
 
"What do you have to say about our conduct there?!"
 
Aidan tried not to be noticed as the four Khans shot remarks back and forth, words that he thought might have led to a trial of grievance if they had actually been in the same room. Crichell, the fifth Khan, also said nothing. He simply sat back and waited as the storm of bitter words lashed back and forth.
 
Finally, when the two saKhans had fallen silent and their seniors were pausing for breath, the Jade Falcon khan took the opportunity to steer the conversation: "I have agreed to negotiate with the Federated Commonwealth."
 
"What?!" Zalman tried to roar, but he had not yet recovered from his previous tirade and the words lacked the strength they might have earlier.
 
"We will give up nothing we have taken," continued Crichell. "But for now I am prepared to accept a new truce line, one that renounces further advances for a year or two. Perhaps until the Camlann truce expires."
 
Ahmed leant forwards. "So the Archon is right. You have reason not to press harder."
 
"We do," he agreed and looked over towards the Nova Cats.
 
Severen Leroux nodded in agreement. "That is our own position. Presented jointly, I believe that we will receive agreement from the Archon."
 
Zalman's fist hit the table in front of him. "You break the unity!"
 
Aidan winced. That was not wise to say in jest, much less in anger.
 
"Our Clans move in unison," Carns replied, voice flat with anger. "Yours is the one that does not."
 
Crichell raised his hand. "Patience, Lucien. That Clan Steel Viper has not yet accepted the proposal does not mean that they will not. They have time to consider the matter. And if they do not…" His voice grew steely. "Then I will admire their courage to fight alone where three Clans together have failed."
 
Ahmed gave his khan a warning look and then turned to Crichell. "You believe we cannot make further gains at this time?"
 
"Our losses are not unsupportable," he replied evenly. "Yet. Another failed assault, another wave of counter attack - or worse, both? That might be another matter. We have done very well to push this far. Unlike Clan Diamond Shark we are not fighting a crippled and dying state. Better to pause and consolidate than lose all our gains to overconfidence."
 
"We will consider this matter," the Steel Viper saKhan decided. "But this is not the conversation we anticipated. Perhaps we should reschedule once we have decided whether to accept the Archon's offer."
 
Leroux nodded sagely. "Of course. Khan Crichell?"
 
"Naturally. We can confer further on what terms to offer once we know whether three Clans or two are negotiating. A preliminary agreement to accept mediation commits us to nothing bar meeting representatives of the Archon. On Arcturus, perhaps?"
 
That was a very long way from the Steel Viper occupied worlds, Aidan thought.
 
"Too early to decide that," the Nova Cat observed. "We will inform ComStar that we are interested in the offer. They may wish to meet on Coventry."
 
Zalman hissed, though he sounded like no snake Aidan knew, and his image vanished from the room. A moment later Christopher Ahmed followed his Khan.
 
The Nova Cats exchanged a look, then they both dipped their heads politely to Crichell and then Aidan before they vanished in turn.
 
The old Khan sank back into his chair and turned to Aidan. "Thoughts?" he inquired mildly, but his eyes were sharp.
 
"Given Coventry, I would have expected the Nova Cats to be vengeful and the Steel Vipers cautious," Aidan admitted.
 
"Perigard Zalman fears that Coventry will be another Camlann, in the sense that his predecessor was removed from her office after that defeat." Crichell shook his head in amusement. "He forgets that she had faced previous embarrassments before that. In truth, Christopher Ahmed might make the better Khan of the pair but unless he steps up the Steel Vipers will be of little use in the near future. Oh well." He gestured dismissively.
 
"And the Nova Cats?" asked Aidan boldly.
 
"There are times when I suspect them of claiming a vision simply for the sake of being contrary and unpredictable. I had a pet cat once, when I was a child," the Khan confided. "Wilful beast."
 
"What happened to it?"
 
"She ran away when my Falconer ordered me to get rid of her." He smiled thinly. "No fool, that cat. And Leroux and Carns are not fools either. The presence of a warship is only one sign among many that the Federated Commonwealth has deeper resources than Zalman cares to admit. We have done all we can for now, a truce will give us a chance to prepare for the next phase of the war."
 
Aidan thought back to Marthe's death. "They have new battlemech designs, ones we have not seen before. I discussed some with Diane Anu and she told me that their performance was inconsistent with Star League technology, in some ways different even from our own."
 
"I am privy to the data you exchanged," Crichell told him blandly. "Kael Pershaw's analysts believe that the 'mechs involved are using an improved myomer developed decades ago by the Federated Commonwealth. It was abandoned when it was found that a simple chemical agent would cause it to combust. Possibly they employed it on Coventry, correctly guessing that we would not have such chemical warheads on hand. That will be corrected."
 
"Some would say chemical weapons are hardly honorable, my Khan," Aidan offered respectfully.
 
"Would you say that, Star Colonel?"
 
"Clubbing warriors to death is not precisely zellbrigen either."
 
Crichell beamed. "My thoughts exactly. If they do not use such dishonorable tactics then we will have no need to use the counter-agent. Honor to the honorable, but we must meet the shameless on their own ground. Now, do you have any guesses why I called you in as my aide rather than the loremaster or perhaps Kael Pershaw?"
 
Aidan frowned. "Perhaps I am being considered to negotiate on our behalf?"
 
"In a sense. I did want to see how you handled yourself when it came to diplomacy," the Khan admitted.
 
"I hardly said anything."
 
"Silence can be its own eloquence," Crichell informed him. "And Leroux approves of you, which could be useful. Kael Pershaw thinks highly of you, even if it is like dragging teeth out of him to secure that admission. Vandervahn Chistu also found you valuable. More importantly, both Samantha Clees and Angeline Mattlov admit that your performance with the Gyrfalcon Guards has been excellent. Not every officer can take a disgraced unit and rebuild it to its former glory. Does that suggest what I have in mind for you?"
 
It did not. Angeline Mattlov had been the Jade Falcon's youngest galaxy commander in her day but was now the oldest, while her rival Samantha Clees had her own eye on the vacant throne. But Aidan could only offer his vote on the matter, his reputation was too… His eyes widened.
 
Crichell smiled in understanding. "Yes, you have had an irregular career path. But we are not in a situation where our traditions can survive unchallenged. I need a saKhan who respects those traditions without being blinkered by them, ideally someone who is beholden to no faction."
 
"I could not possibly command enough votes!" Aidan exclaimed in disbelief.
 
The khan gestured dismissively. "Kael Pershaw can bring many of Vandervahn's supporters to you, they will be glad for a patron now that he is gone. Adding my own support will give you credibility." He smiled thinly. "Both the current contenders are wary of a close vote that might face a Trial of Refusal, but the delay has bred bad blood between them. Each will settle for a compromise candidate: yourself."
 
"Someone they expect to displace in the future," Aidan realized.
 
"I can secure your election," Crichell agreed. "Keeping the post is up to you. Remember, there is likely to be a vote on renouncing the Camlann truce soon. If that is accepted then there will need to be a new ilKhan. It could be that the two of them will be fighting over my office soon."
 
"Are we ready if the truce ends?" he enquired. "Our losses may not be unsupportable, but they will take time to replace and with the Federated Commonwealth's greater strength even that may not be enough to break through to Terra."
 
The older man snorted. "Save the diplomacy for the Lyrans, Aidan. Our current strength is definitely not equal to that challenge. That is why we have been making preparations for years. Did you think your new Omnimechs came out of nowhere? The research for them began almost twenty years ago and we built the factories with increased production in mind. Shipments are already on the way, enough omnimechs to more than replace our losses, as well as aerospace fighters and elemental armor. Within two years we will have a touman to rival the Diamond Sharks."
 
And the warriors to man them? Aidan thought. Where do they come from…? Wait, almost twenty years ago? "You begin creating sufficient sibkos at the same time?" he asked, "Around 3038, quiaff?"
 
That got a chuckle from the khan. "Oh, very good. Yes, Yvonne Hazen was planning it even before I became her saKhan but it took a long time to set things up so that we could arrange it without the other Clans knowing. The Dragoon Compromise haunted Yvonne - it failed both sides of the Great Debate."
 
"I can see how it prevented us from invading sooner," Aidan admitted. "But how did it fail the Wardens?"
 
"It never silenced us," Crichell answered. "And now here we are."
 
"I see." He almost asked what Crichell would have done if there was no invasion by 3058, but he wasn't sure he'd get an honest answer. Most probably one of the smaller warden-leaning Clans would have been crushed - a trial of absorption, whether it was called that or not. Two less warden votes in the Grand Council and a show of strength that would have swayed others to vote for an Invasion rather than see that strength directed at them.
 
Perhaps more than one Clan, were the Jade Falcons the only clan to do this?
 
"We will need to expand freeborn training," Aidan said instead. "We can salvage 'mechs but a killed warrior is gone for good. We cannot wait twenty years to adjust the number of sibkos created in the iron wombs."
 
Crichell shook his head, but it was not in denial. "We never stopped creating new sibkos but the losses we have taken since Operation Revival began have been considerable… and then there is the demand for garrisons. Very well, you have my support. But it is up to you to organize this, as saKhan, quiaff?"
 
"Aff. I accept your offer," Aidan agreed. "I will contact Perhaw… and then Clees and Mattlov." If he was going to do this, he would do so as his own man, not Crichell's creature. The Khan's talk of becoming ilKhan was not unreasonable, if the truce was broken. Ulric Kerensky would not be interested, Leo Showers was still tainted by Camlann, which made the choice between Barbara Sennet and Elias Crichell - and the Diamond Shark did not seem to be as skilled a politician.
 
That was the problem. Crichell was angling for a political triumph, but that would then require him to deliver a military victory. Easier said than done.
 
"I should plan on any break in the truce taking place two or three years from now, quiaff?" he asked. That fit the timing of the influx of fresh warriors.
 
"Indeed. That should be long enough for Clan Zeerga to find their feet amongst the Grand Council," his khan confirmed. "Kerensky gave us two more Crusader votes on a platter. I cannot imagine what he was thinking but I would be a fool to refuse them. Twelve votes from the other Clans in the Inner Sphere and at least eight more of the Khans are in our camp. We have a majority already, but we need enough to defeat a Trial of Refusal."
 
I wonder what the Lyran's timetable is. Aidan decided that was a question to discuss with the Galaxy Commanders. And Kael Pershaw. If anyone knew that, it would be that canny old Falcon.
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===Heated Words of Change===
Yamashiro, New Samarkand
Diamond Shark Dominion
17 February 3056
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"You have been talking about how long it will take to transform the Dominion's economy to use the work credit and now you want to use another currency instead?" asked Bikendi Vewas.
 
A different merchant factor was facing the Clan Council this time. Ace wondered if the previous representative had been demoted or if the senior merchants were rotating the job to share the load. Or as a message, perhaps?
 
"This is part of that process," the woman responded to the saKhan's query. "We cannot handle work credits or the Kerensky coins that represent them in the same way as an Inner Sphere currency, but we cannot sever the influence of House Kurita over the economy so long as the people of these worlds use the yen - nor can we use the C-bill or other outside currencies."
 
Barbara Sennet drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair she sat on. This time Ace was the most senior warrior on New Samarkand, the Khan having returned to Pesht with Alpha Galaxy. "So this is an interim step, quiaff?"
 
The merchant bowed. "Aff, my Khan. The new currency, which we propose to name the Damon in honor of the Khan of that name, can eventually be replaced by work credits. In the meantime, it will mean that almost every financial transaction taking place within the Dominion will be subject to the influence of our Clan."
 
"Almost?" queried Evangeline Clarke. "Why not all?"
 
"Firstly, because we will continue to use the work credit where we can, and secondly because of the need to interact with ComStar at this time," the woman answered smoothly. "I understand that the latter may eventually be phased out but Khen Sennet's conquests mean that even more HPGs will be required before the Dominion can operate without ComStar's HPGs."
 
Vewas shook his head. "So long as this currency makes no appearance in the homeworlds, it should cause no problems here. I would have thought that two changes in currency would add to the disruption of the Inner Sphere worlds though."
 
The merchant reached out of view of her holocamera and brought back a small coin that she held up. "These Damons will be minted in the same way as a Kerensky, so that the physical infrastructure to use them will be the same needed for an eventual replacement of them. In theory, once Damons are the default coin of the Dominion, we can re-set the chip within them to reflect that they are now representing work credits, reducing the re-minting to a minimum."
 
"Wherever we go financially, removing yen from circulation is a step in the right direction," Ace pointed out. "Everytime one is used, it reminds people that they were once ruled by House Kurita."
 
Barbara Sennet nodded in agreement. "A sound point. This matter appears to me to fall within the Merchant Council's purview, unless anyone feels that it is out of line with the policies agreed in the past?"
 
No one spoke up - a number of bloodhouse leaders had been pointedly asked to remind their juniors that running Clan Council meetings via HPG currently required hefty payments to ComStar and keeping them on point was important.
 
"Moving to the next point," the khan declared, "A large number of sibkos will be receiving their Trials of Position over the next six months. This should significantly ease our garrison situation. Please be aware that shipping them to their postings will take time. If anyone wishes to petition for an alternative posting, it would be helpful if we know about it before we finalize assignments for new warriors."
 
Ace noted that she didn't mention that most of the sibkos were made up of freeborn warriors born in the Inner Sphere, not the products of the Clan's Iron Wombs and civilian creches. "Will there be demand for warriors to carry out the trials of position?"
 
"We have sufficient volunteers from garrison units, who will be meeting their own annual requirements in the process," Sennet told him. "We do expect there to be openings for Star Captains in the garrison forces, so I would appreciate all officers making sure that Star Commanders looking for promotion are advised of the opportunity."
 
"It is hardly an opportunity," came a mutter from Annika Enders, but she was quiet enough that Ace only heard her because they were in the same room.
 
She was also partly drowned out by Kevin Nagasawa, Alpha Galaxy's newest Star Colonel. "May I raise a matter, Khan Sennet?"
 
Ace saw that the khan was unsurprised - likely this was something she'd arranged earlier. "We have completed the agenda for this meeting. I open the floor to any other concerns, but anything requiring debate may need to be scheduled for the next council session. Star Colonel Nagasawa, you have the floor."
 
The pilot drew himself up. "I know there have been rumors that attempts to introduce the diamond shark into the waters of worlds here in the Dominion have failed, I have even heard the gullible state that it is an omen. I would have an end to this: it is more than clear that it will take years for us to bring the Dominion in line with our Clan's ways. It may take as long for our totem to thrive here."
 
"Perhaps we should readopt the Sea Fox. They seem to be doing just fine," someone said as the Star Colonel paused for breath.
 
Heads snapped around, Ace's among them and he saw that it was one of his own officers that had spoken up. Thoman Clarke, a Star Captain in the Twenty-Seventh Cruiser Cluster, was not someone who could be easily brushed off. He could claim descent from Damon Clarke, the Khan who had called for the original change of totem.
 
"Do not joke about such matters," Vewas snapped, leaning forwards.
 
"I am not joking," the elemental said firmly, apparently undaunted by having all the eyes of the Clan Council upon him. "Our Clan has changed before and perhaps it is time that we change again."
 
"It is as the Diamond Sharks that we won our place in the invasion and as the Diamond Sharks that we won this Dominion." Keven Nagasawa argued.
 
"I do not deny it," Clarke riposted. "The diamond shark is an unrivaled predator in its proper waters, but now we face the challenge of ruling and defending a vast empire. The Sea Fox was first chosen as our totem by the Founder to remind us to honor our defeated foes - perhaps an apt reminder of our current challenges. I am not superstitious, but nor will I close my mind to an idea simply because it is tied to what others call an omen."
 
Shouting broke out from the more hot headed members of the Clan Council but as Ace looked around he saw that not all the voices were being raised against Clarke. No one living remembered the days that the Clan had been named Sea Fox, it was eighty years since the change had been made. But the decision still loomed large over the Clan.
 
"We cannot decide this matter here or today," Barbara Sennet called, manipulating her controls to drown out the voices of clothes. "It is a matter that requires great thought, and by Damon Clarke's precedent it would be a decision for the entire Clan, not merely one council or even one caste."
 
Evangeline Clarke stood and Sennet could not easily prevent a Galaxy Commander from speaking. "Would that involve the people on the worlds we have conquered as well? Do you want them to have a say, quineg?"
 
"It must."
 
Those two words from Ace drew all eyes to him. He gave them all a rueful smile. "If they are not treated as part of our Clan then what are we doing here?"
 
"Enough," the Khan said sharply. "Enough, I say. This will require thought before it can sensibly be debated, much less voted upon."
 
It was only pushing the matter off, but most of the bloodnamed were still shocked that it had even been raised in the first place. There was no open dissent as Semi Kalasa went through the final rigmarole of ending the meeting.
 
A private message ordered Ace not to cut his channel and as warrior after warrior dropped out of the call, he rose to his feet. "Clear the hall," he ordered firmly. "If anyone wishes to speak to me about matters of this council session, you may wait outside."
 
There weren't many bloodnamed on New Samarkand right now and not all were in Yamashiro, so all were gone by the time Ace was left alone with the images of Barbara Sennet, Bikendi Vewas and Semi Kalasa. The Loremaster glared at him. "Did you put Thoman up to that idea?"
 
"Neg," he denied. "I had no idea he was even paying attention to the rumors about the sea foxes."
 
"I believe him," Barbara interrupted before Kalasa could say more. "We do not need division in our ranks… more division, at least."
 
"At least, your remark was ill-advsed," warned the saKhan. "What were you thinking, Enders?"
 
"I spoke on instinct," Ace admitted. "But I stand by the words. We cannot afford an undercaste of the disenfranchised. It would be ready recruitment for rebellions and of aid for the Combine to strike back at us - which they will."
 
The Khan sighed. "I still wish you had not said it like that. But the words cannot be unsaid now. Next time your instincts say to speak, try to think first. It could have been said privately."
 
"Not after the Blood Angel said that openly," he disagreed politely.
 
For a moment they stared at each other and it was Sennet who looked away first. "Perhaps you are right. You have been before." And then she was gone, leaving him to wonder which particular moment she had been thinking of.
 
Vewas also vanished but Semi Kalasa remained. The loremaster examined Ace searchingly. "You go for the throat of the matter," she said at last, "It makes you a good Diamond Shark."
 
"To be honest, I doubt the people of these worlds will care much for the name of our Clan. Changing it might be a bad idea but…"
 
"But denying them a vote when our own… our homeworld castes vote, that they would care about," she agreed. "I had not thought you a student of Karen Nagasawa's works."
 
Ace smiled slightly, "Hidden depths." He'd done the bare minimum reading of the Sea Fox's first works to get through the testing in the sibko, and never gone back to them. Perhaps he should… if he ever had the time!
 
"Indeed." Kalasa dipped her head slightly and cut her channel.
 
Sitting down, Ace made sure his own cameras and microphones were off before sighing heavily and raking his hands through his hair. Had Minoru Kurita felt so worried when he sat on this dais? Probably. Better the problems of a winner than those of a loser.
 
He shook his head at the thought. This was a problem that was not going to go away. He could throttle Thoman Clarke… figuratively, at least. Trampling the elemental from the relative safety of his Huntsman's cockpit would be better.
 
After making sure he was presentable, Ace left the dais and opened the door. To his surprise, he found Val and Annika glaring at each other from either side of the door way. Behind them, Michel was watching with a degree of amusement.
 
"Just the three of you?" Ace asked. "Is this a shared matter or one at a time?"
 
"I speak for myself," Annika snapped. "Khan Sennet said that transfers could be requested?"
 
"I can put your name forwards," he agreed, leaning against the doorframe. "It is up to the commander of wherever you want to go if it is accepted or not. Although a request of a garrison post is -"
 
"Do not mock me!" she cut him off. "I have already spoken to Galaxy Commander Seth Margyar. He offered me a place in his command cluster."
 
"In Delta, quiaff?" Ace asked. Margyar had done well with Omega Galaxy, well enough to be tapped to command the frontline galaxy that was mostly staffed with former-Burrocks.
 
"Aff."
 
"Granted. I will have the paperwork drawn up."
 
Annika looked torn between relief and anger. She settled on turning on her heel and stalking away.
 
Ace shook his head. He hadn't been keeping her around for his own amusement. If Margyar wanted her then it was no longer his concern. There would surely be someone eager to take over her position. Then he looked at Val. "And you?"
 
She hesitated and then folded her arms. "I have not spoken to any commander, but I request assignment to the homeworlds."
 
"Are you sure?" Ace asked in surprise.
 
"I am sure. Perhaps… perhaps the Clan does need to change, but not by taking on ways of the Combine. I wish to return home."
 
He closed his eyes for a moment. "I will put your name forwards. There will be vacancies in other Galaxies as officers are needed for garrison posts. Whether you are chosen is outside my hands."
 
Val nodded. "Thank you." She saluted Ace formally and then she also turned and left.
 
"Is this," Michel enquired, "A bad time for me to also request transport to Strana Mechty?"
 
"Apparently everyone else wants it!"
 
The mechwarrior chuckled awkwardly. "Well, I will be back. Probably. I am not looking for a new post, but there has been a death in the ranks of bloodhouse Bukannon and I wish to compete for the bloodright."
 
"Ah, I see. Have you been nominated?"
 
Michel shook his head. "No, but I have the right to try the grand melee, the way you did."
 
"That you do…" Ace thought back to his own experience. "You will want to take your 'mech? Or to requisition one from our enclave on Strana Mechty?"
 
"I would prefer my own - there is no guarantee of a Warhawk being available to be configured for me."
 
"And you will want a technician and an allocation of supplies for repairs." He remembered having to get along without a medium laser because the Burrocks would not provide one for him. "Very well, I will request transportation for you. If there is no room for a battlemech to be carried, I will ask that a Warhawk be set aside for you to use. I cannot promise that it will be done, there is no knowing what the situation will be by the time that you arrive."
 
This was going to be a challenge going forwards, Ace thought. How long could the Clan send warriors across hundreds of light years for each trial of bloodright? But at the same time, how could warriors be denied the chance at a bloodname?
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===Escaping the Clutches of the Jaguar===
Ralpz Mountains, Rubigen
Clan Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone
28 March 3056
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The sky beneath her, the frozen world above -
 
Tyra was flying inverted, eyes flickering ahead of her to watch the terrain. She was flying low enough that the instructors who had taught her nap-of-the-earth maneuvering would have reprimanded her severely, but she had to stay in the valleys as long as possible.
Taking out Pilot Kellog had been the easy part. He was an arrogant ass who hadn't realized she wasn't bringing him his helmet until she swung it against his head as hard as she could. The little man was much more used to dishing abuse out on the technicians than in receiving it. A second blow to the head had put him on the floor and Tyra had jammed him into his own locker, an improvised gag keeping him from calling for help.
Killing him had been a temptation, but that might have been a kindness. The other Smoke Jaguars would likely take his defeat for weakness and haze him mercilessly for the rest of his life. Besides, she'd needed to focus on the harder part of the plan: hijacking the aerospace fighter waiting for Kellog and getting into the air.
 
Anyone looking closely at the flightsuited figure would have known it wasn't really a Clan pilot - they were all too short for Tyra. But no one really dared to check and thus the fact her boots barely reached her trouser cuffs, not to mention the gap between sleeve and glove hadn't been called out as she entered the hangar.
 
For all their sophistication in other areas of technology, the security on the aerospace fighter had been behind the times. Tyra thought it might have kept the average technician or pilot out, but not someone who had taken Kungsarme Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape courses. She had the voice-ID unsecured before the technicians removed the wheel chocks and despite the pause as she raced through the preflights that the real Kellog would have been doing in that time, no one had raised an alarm until she started to taxi out and onto the runway without consulting the flight control tower.
Emptying the Xerxes' magazines into the point of aerospace fighters standing at five minutes readiness had been extremely satisfying and then she had taken off before 'mechs and elementals could reach her.
 
And that left her flying through the glacial mountains of Rubigen, hoping to avoid the notice of the Smoke Jaguar aerospace fighters that she knew were already in the air and on patrol.
 
Tyra's instruments told her that she was almost halfway to her destination and she was pushing the heavy fighter's engines to their limit. That, unfortunately, also meant that the fusion engines were putting out a lot of heat that would be easy to spot if anyone came in range with thermal sensors.
 
Reaching the uppermost heights of the valley she was in, Tyra rolled the Xerxes and pulled up to skim up over the ridge separating this valley from the next.
 
Right at the apex of the climb, her sensors chirped and the bottom fell out from her stomach. Yanking back on the throttle, she dropped the bat-winged fighter into a clumsy glide, hoping that whoever she'd picked up had missed her own fighter in the ground clutter.
 
The valley she had entered was a sea of ice, dotted with rocks that 'floated' on top of the glacier moving steadily down towards the coasts. That was where she was headed, and the sight confirmed she was closing in on safety, the surface of the ice only sloped very slightly… and the Xerxes was losing altitude faster than the ice, sensors warned her that the distance between Tyra and a rough landing was shrinking fast!
 
Up ahead the valley twisted and she wondered if she might be able to make it past the turn, getting that bit of extra cover before turning the thrusters on again. It didn't look good.
 
Ditch here? Tyra wondered. She might be able to make it down to the coast on foot…
 
No, the Smoke Jaguars still claimed the territory she was flying over and they would have some idea she'd come this way, even if they'd missed her exact route. The area would be full of patrols.
 
As the Xerxes sank further, Tyra reignited the engines. They stuttered for a moment before roaring to life, melting ice that was closer to them than the distance between the fighter's wing-tips, and suddenly she was hurtling forwards with increasing speed, banking sharply around the turn in the valley.
 
More pings made it clear that she'd been picked up, two hostiles behind her and closing in from above.
 
Tyra opened the throttle wide and brought up her active sensors. There was no use hiding now.
Two Sulla Primes. She'd guessed as much. Right around the bottom of the medium bracket, they had far more speed than she did - and with her autocannon ammunition used up, either of them outgunned her.
 
There was no request for her to surrender. The pilots either knew she had no reason to give up now… or they were hungry for a kill, whatever tiny shreds of glory they might claim from this.
 
Tucking in against the side of the valley, Tyra flew as low as she could, the passage of her fighter kicking up a contrail of ice particles behind her. Enough to moderate the effectiveness of the Sulla's lasers.
 
A particle beam from behind almost struck home, showing that the enemy had more faith in the heavier weapons to hit home. She had just enough warning to dance aside, but that left her exposed to a shot from the other fighter if it was flying wingman properly…
 
No shots hit home and she glanced back just in time to catch sight of the two Sullas jostling for the lead position before they were lost to view again in her own contrail.
 
Teamwork would have killed me, she realised. Thank god for their egoes.
 
Another PPC, then a second shot. Tyra wove wildly, screaming through another twist in the valley. She wasn't going to make it to the coast at this rate… but she might make it close enough.
 
The Xerxes shook under the impact of a particle beam and Tyra screamed in shock, almost losing control of the fighter. She managed to stabilize it just in time to see a narrow needle of rock rising up ahead of her.
 
A narrow slab of stone must have been caught in the glacier years ago and was now pinned upright in an ice crevice, almost like a shark's fin or an antenna.
 
Tyra triggered her lasers and prayed it would be enough. The twin bolts of coherent light smashed into the pillar and for a moment she thought it would hold. Then she saw the stone was severed halfway up, the top half toppling slightly to her right,
 
Throwing the Xerxes up on its left wing, Tyra groped for the ejection handle in case she needed.
 
Surely the vibration of the fighter wasn't her literally scraping the stone with the ventral surface of the Xerxes! That would have sent it into a tumble that would certainly be fatal at this height.
 
The systems display showed her armor damage along the aerospace fighter's belly - likely smaller debris had hit her. More concerning, the wing that had taken the hit from the PPC was in a much worse state. She had been lucky not to lose the control surfaces in the wing. Another hit would leave her little more control than a rocket-sled.
 
If she could have opened the throttle any wider, Tyra would have done so, but there was nothing more she could do. The only relief was that she didn't have to spare fuel for a flight back, unlike the Sullas that had already been partway through their patrol. Of course, they could cruise just about as fast as the Xerxes could manage with its thrusters at maximum output…
 
Looking back, she saw only one of the Smoke Jaguars still on her tail. Had the other crashed? Broken off?
 
No and no.
 
Tyra dodged around another shot from the remaining pursuer, swivelling her head around wildly as she tried to find the other fighter… "There!"
 
Slamming the rudder hard, she threw the Xerxes into a wild S-turn that flung her from one side of the widening valley to the other. Coming down out of the sun, the Sulla's lasers and PPCs smashed down, the latter throwing up a explosion of broken ice where it hit, the lasers slashing a shallower trough as the pilot twisted to try to track the brief beams after her.
 
They just barely clipped her before the pulse ended, but that still left the Sulla with height and an energy advantage.
 
Up ahead, Tyra could see trees beginning to cling to the sides of the valley.
 
And then: <<"Smoke Jaguar aircraft, you are approaching ComStar airspace," a voice drawled. "Break off or you will be in breach of our agreement with your Khan.">>
 
Putting the nose down, she traded what little reserve of height she had left for a fraction more speed. She had to be close.
 
>>"We are in our own airspace,"<< one of the Smoke Jaguars replied, even as he or his companion fired again. It was the one behind her and one of his lasers made it through the thinning cloud of ice behind Tyra, clipping the engine.
 
It wasn't fatal, but she saw the power values of the fusion thruster flicker and then drop sharply.
 
That saved her as the Sulla above fired a more accurate salvo only for it to overshoot the slowing Xerxes.
 
<<"For about thirty more seconds,">> the woman warned. <<"Be aware that we have our own fighters in the air. You cross the line and we will drop you.">>
 
Thirty more seconds. Just thirty more!
 
The Sulla above her would need time to wheel around, Tyra guessed. That left the one behind her.
 
Checking her rear camera, she saw it zooming closer, taking the time to try and make its last chance count. Senors screamed to warn that she was locked up and Tyra took her hand off the throttle to flip the cover off a button no one wanted to press by accident.
 
She slapped the button an instant before the Sulla fired, dumping a ton of liquified hydrogen from her fuel tanks. The fuel vaporized almost instantly, cold as it was Rubigen was far above hydrogen's boiling point.
 
And the Sulla's shots went right into the cloud of hydrogen.
 
Slow as the Xerxes was, it was at least flying away from the explosion. The Sulla was heading right into it.
 
The detonation slapped the heavier fighter out of the air. All Tyra could do was aim it at a relatively open and flat stretch of ice, raise the nose a fraction and put all power to the ventral landing thrusters to try to cushion the crash.
 
The Xerxes smashed into the ice and Tyra wasn't sure what hurt more, being thrown against her harness by the sudden slow to a halt, or the hammer that hit the base of her spine. Her vision went black and red, the air driven from her lungs and leaving her gasping.
 
There was another thump and smash, this time from outside her cockpit, behind and to the left. Then a second, ahead… and a third fainter crash that had considerable finality.
 
When her vision cleared, Tyra was able to look out through the cracked canopy and saw the mangled, burning wreck of a Sulla far ahead, a trail of debris marking where the fighter's once long and graceful fuselage had bounced off the thick ice from its original impact to its final resting place.
 
Reminded by the flames that her own fuel tanks weren't exhausted, Tyra wrestled with the harness and managed to unclip herself from the seat, breaking away the remaining umbilicals. It seemed like a herculean effort to stand and push at the canopy. When it failed to slide open she hit the (covered for safety) switches along the sides and firecracker charges broke away the glass so she could lever it off and scramble out.
 
The air outside was smokey and wet at the same time, tasting unpleasant as the pilot breathed it in and worse as she exhaled. Turning around to orient herself, she pointed herself downslope and started to stagger that way.
 
Maybe she was across the line marking the border of the ComStar enclave or maybe she wasn't. Every meter might be the one that mattered.
 
She was puffing and panting when she heard the beating of helicopter rotors. Pushing back the visor of her helmet, Tyra squinted up, trying to tell if it was painted the white of the ComGuards or the mottled grey of the Smoke Jaguars, She recognised the outline as that of an SLDF Ripper, but that was no help as both ComStar and the Clans used the design.
 
Only when it turned around could she see the haloed star of ComStar on the side, rather than a leaping Jaguar.
 
Tyra stopped and waved her hands to draw the crew's attention. She saw the side door slide open and then the crew unlimbered a machinegun, swinging it out to cover her.
 
It would be ironic to die now, she thought. Unstrapping her borrowed helmet, Tyra threw it off and then clasped both hands on top of her head in a show of submission.
 
The Ripper descended to the ice, the machinegun never quite aimed at her but the gunner clearly having his or her eye on her. Two men in infantry gear sat down on the edge of the doorway and then jumped down from the hovering helicopter.
 
Unlimbering their rifles, the pair moved over, splitting up to ensure that neither blocked the other's line of sight of her.
 
"You crossed the line, Jag," the one slightly closer warned. "Don't give us any trouble or your Clan could face another interdict."
 
Tyra slowly moved her right hand from the top of her head and then saluted. "Kapten Tyra Miraborg, Flying Drakons," she offered. "I escaped."
 
"The hell?" muttered the second soldier.
 
"I didn't think Jags used ppbondsman]] as pilots," the leader challenged, moving his laser to aim directly at Tyra. "How do we know who you are?"
 
"You don't, but the Kungsarme should have their record of me." She'd hoped for a warmer welcome. "Listen… I don't know if you have this, but I have what might be important intelligence. It has to make it to someone."
 
The leader frowned. "You armed?"
 
"No."
 
He jerked his gun. "On your knees. Singh, search her. I'll talk to the Section Leader." He lowered his gun. "I don't get paid enough for this," he muttered to himself.
 
Tyra couldn't help but scowl angrily as she knelt. Her entire nation had vanished and she had spent years as a bondsman, and this idiot was bitching about having to do his own job. But she kept her mouth shut. This mattered too much to fail now.
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Chapter 3-14