WoWS3 Chpt 29

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==Weapons of War Saga: The Final March- Chapter 29 - ==
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===Aiding the Lyrans===
Helena’s Office
New Lazarus
19th April, 3144
“Hmmm… It was only a matter of time but of course the Lyrans are already trying to poach.” Director-General Helena Cameron read the dispatches.
“What are we going to do about it?” Reimu asked.
“The only thing we can. Foster I have new orders for Thomas Erik Mahan. We’re going to setup a joint training command for the Lyrans to establish their own school and Privateer service from later on. Next to you he’s the best person to get it done and he has experience with the kind of service we’ll be teaching the Lyrans to make. In the meantime we’ll draft up joint force agreements, including attachees and observers for the Lyrans. That way we can have Lyran authorities on hand observing and if they say out the airlock, well we’re covered.”
“You’re going to help them setup their own Privateers service?” Reimu asked.
“You better believe it. This way instead of poaching our talent we’ll be teaching them how to hone their own.” Helena told her aid.
“They will need ships.” Foster added.
“We can start them with Trackers and then maybe they can figure out what they want to use for their service. They got some good Corvettes in their archives they can dust the plans off of.”
“Where should we put this joint training command?” Foster asked.
“Someplace they’d be somewhat comfortable and familiar with. Skye.” Helena answered.
“And the audience?” Reimu asked.
“After she’s had a visit with her mom or if Trillian decides to come here.” Helena nodded.
“No offense to your daughter, but this might require high level negotiation between you and the Archon directly for something of this scope.” Reimu noted.
“You’re right. If we had HPGs I would leave this in her hands. I think it is time. We’ll see how much Trillian actually trusts us. I’m inviting her here. To New Lazarus. But word it carefully, Reimu, I want her to have room to gracefully decline without losing face. But let her know I will be bringing my new Royal Black Watch with me if she insists I go to Tharkad.” Helena nodded.
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===Matchmaking does not equal love===
"The Royal Strategy; or why we can't marry who we love."
"That's unfair. Helena's happy with Leon, after all." Amanda Roberts noted.
"It's a different situation." Elizabeth Cameron stated, "once she's recognized as legitimate, the other House Lords will be crowding around waving heirs and relatives, looking for a strategic marriage, count on it. My sister produced a lot of kids, she could probably do with pushing out a few more, just to cement her position."
Amanda laid the papers on the table, "lots of daughters, few sons, but Yori is female, Nikol is female, Trillian is female, and all three are, based on this…'playbook'? In need of heirs and claimants to the old Star League throne. Daoshen is a weirdo, and Christien is gay."
"Yah, and has it stopped him from having an heir?"
Amanda rolled her eyes, "no…but that's more because-"
"Because Sterling McKenna, who backed him, allocated an iron womb] to make sure of it." Elizabeth asserted. "The bloodline game is REAL, Amanda."
"Why bring it up to me?" Amanda asked.
"Helena considers you to be part of the family-hell, so do I. Your family-the Roberts? Are eligible to play this game of thrones, or to be pawns in it."
"I'm not sure I like that idea."
"Get used to it, Amanda. It's going to take more than martial victory to stabilize the world of humanity, and Helena herself has pointed out that not playing isn’t an option. Not forever anyway. Plus ultimately in the end names have power. Yours has earned a great deal in its own right."
"Kolossus mentioned something like that once." Amanda sighed, looking out at the swirling vortex of the Port Orphan system.
"Yes, and like or not, you represent a sovereign power, allied to other sovereign powers. I, on the other hand, am the figurehead for a client state, I only have to occasionally pretend to play the game."
"Helena has to play it for real." Amanda realized.
"Yes, yes she does. I don't envy that in the least." Elizabeth sipped something amber colored. “Mind you it did take her a long time to realize not playing had its own consequences. But of all the people out there, honestly I think she is correct in saying she is disconnected from humanity because of how long she has lived. Where she is wrong is that I think her particular type of disconnect actually makes her perfect for the role we all hope to see her in and I think she just might be able to do it.”
“Her type of disconnect?”
“Yes. She doesn’t have the same type of vanity and hubris that has been the source of so much of human conflict but everything she has endured means she does have the steel to go with her compassion. She is not so naive to think the war will end when the shooting stops. It will just take a different form.”
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===Wolf catches a scent===
Bolan City
Bolan, Wolf Empire
28th April, 3144
Khan Alaric Ward allowed himself a smile.
Despite the Falcons moving enmasse to his territory the Lyrans had only offered meager resistance.
The 2nd Bolan Guards fought well enough to be sure but the contest was over quickly.
The real shock, was the civilian leadership, greeting his arrival. As Archon.
He'd made the claim as an insult, and to leave open a door, and here the civilians were, willing to declare fealty.
He did his best to keep a stony exterior up, to show no shock or surprise. Yet to be welcomed… He had not expected that in the slightest.
What had brought him here was long ago there were shipyards. A commodity he needed, badly, as the Watch had confirmed the Republic and this Eternal Princess had quite the fleet.
Relying on the Sea Foxes and what he’d already cobbled together in the Empire was a losing proposition.
“Governor, I am quite pleased about your oath. Let it be known we will be restoring your world’s industry to its rightful state, rather than have it stripped away for the vanity of far away rulers who have allowed themselves to be corrupted by avarice.” Alaric said calmly.
"Milord, Thank you. Tharkad ignored us for decades, the Republic also ignored us. Nothing but promises and unequal trading deals. It's going to be good to have a ruler who understands."
"I am curious, how did you know of my intent? I do not recall any propaganda in favor of the Clans being found…"
The Governor grimmaced, and produced a recording.
A familiar young woman in the image…"...he needs your shipyards-the ones left unrestored after the Jihad, He's likely to offer you a deal, the sort the Lyrans can't…"
"Interesting." What is your game, Helena, sending an Envoy to Bolan?
"Where is she?" he asked.
"She left over a month ago, but she told us you would need us and that's more than Tharkad ever did."
“I do, Governor. and together we shall accomplish great things. Even restoring the Star League. And no small part of that will be thanks to you.” Alaric kept his expression controlled.
This Envoy all but ensured we would have this world. This is a most interesting game indeed. Almost certainly a misstep but one I will gladly take advantage of.
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===Mistakes been made.....time for plans to be laid===
"...Bolan was a mistake." Helena Cameron said, "right or wrong?"
"Yes. Bolan was a misstep." Today, Peregrine was at Lazarus. "My sister thought she could warn them to dig in. They didn't dig in, they surrendered once the occupation force was well and truly beaten, which to be honest, didn't take long since the garrison there was undersupplied."
“2nd Bolan Guards were also largely composed of locals. What we have been able to gather they fought just enough to satisfy honor but no more.” Juanita added.
"He offered them mercy and respect." Pestilence mused, 'Didn't he?"
Peregrine nodded silently.
"So…Alaric has eighty percent of a working shipyard…" Helena hummed for a moment. “Means he’s going to be on the offensive before the end of the year.”
"I have a weird idea…" Peregrine spoke up, "..why not engage him in diplomacy now, before his forces are knocking on the door at Port Lazarus?"
“I’m an existential threat to his legitimacy.” Helena sighed.
"Worst case is he traps whoever you send and maybe kills them. BEST case, is we might be able to deal. Priss's reports from inside the Wolf Empire last year suggested Alaric's a reasonable ruler and not a nut." Peregrine observed.
“We have to try, don’t we?” Helena shook her head.
"So, does that mean I'm going to have to go?" Peregrine asked, "After all, one of us is more disposable than the rest if it is a trap."
“I’m reluctant to put any of you in that situation, it seems he’s figuring out how to use your nature against you. But if I send a regular diplomat…” Helena leaned back in her chair.
Only Lori has the experience for this level of diplomacy outside the Envoys but if it is a trap…
"It has to be me or Priss." Peregrine said, "I mean. Sure, he might be able to block an upload, but we're not royal scions, and he can't 'trap' a consciousness if he doesn't kill the envoy."
“Go. Take whatever precautions you reasonably can.” Helena sighed.
"Wait, Peri, what's your plan??" Pestilence demanded.
"Nice suit, Explorer class Jumpship with an LF battery, a few secretaries and a writ from Her Highness as a Diplomat with a legal name, open source documentation, and everything in the open." Peregrine stated, "no covert ops on board, I fly in, announce myself to all and sundry, and present Her Majesty's offer for talks. He busted Priss because she ****** up her covert tradecraft, but 'Peri K. Roberts' is going in as a palms-up mouthpiece for a neighboring power." Peregrine enunciated, "which will put the Watch off any 'bag and grab' since Clanners adore it when people are honest with them." she glanced at Helena, "I need an official title for this to work, Majesty, something to put on the letterhead."
“Special Ambasador with the Star League Diplomatic Corps sounds about right to me.” Helena nodded.
"You're going to miss mom's visit, Peregrine." she told her sister.
"I know, but this feels like something she'd want me to do…", Peregrine told her.
“Last report was that she hasn’t even left Port Orphan yet. It’s been about a four month trip here the normal way.” Helena added.
"Homeport?" Juanita asked.
"Kolossus, a subsidiary site of the Star League, of course." Peregrine said, "everything up and up, they can't know what to dig for if everything they expect to dig for is out in the open."
“Hmmm… Any requests for other biographical details? I know Kolossus has made some of that potentially difficult to believe if going for full honesty.” Juanita asked.
"Roberts experimental Sibko 3-11 works once they do the gene-testing you know they'll do. I've got my 'flunked warrior training' documents and those worked pretty well with getting into the Falcon's medtech subcaste. This time it's easier because he'll have less to dig for once the clan references are removed, though…he took on a lot of damaged Falcons…"
“Yes. Hence why I know he’s going to be on the offensive again before the end of the year. He has to or they’ll become a problem instead of an asset for him.” Helena nodded.
"If I bring him the research, it might be a sweetener." Peregrine mentioned, "He can't guarantee he'll use them completely up regardless-they are pretty good fighters, he might be positively inclined if he thinks he can keep them after."
“Do it. If nothing else it is the right thing.” Helena nodded.
"I'll need you smart people to come up with a list of proposals and ideas to present." Peregrine added, "besides the medical data. This is palms up diplomatic, it's expected."
“Don’t look at me, I know math and hyperspace calculus. Biology is way different than physics and high order math.” Helena chuckled.
"You're making policy. I need at least three unreasonable demands he can reject and I can give in on, three more reasonable requests he might actually give on, and three 'sweeteners' to keep his attention."
“Part of the job isn’t it? Okay. Well, I’d love for him to for sworn into becoming First Lord, ilKhan, or invading Terra To bend the knee to me would be acceptable as well, and restitution to the people he’s invaded and conquered. So maybe those can be the unreasonables. A non-aggression pact with us and our allies, turn over Mongols guilty of War Crimes, and shit I don’t know him well enough for a third suggestion for something he might agree to. Sweeteners obviously the cure, our recognition of his Empire as a new sovereign state to be treated as an equal with all other states, and a Royal Pardon for their ancestors crimes of Desertion, Piracy, Theft Under the Color of Law, Brigandry, and a bunch of other crimes I’ll have to write up.” Helena sighed.
“Really? You’ll pardon them for all of that?” Juanita raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, you’re right. That should be contingent on Alaric bending the knee.” Helena nodded.
“Your Majesty, I need you to be serious.”
“That’s just it. You’re right we need to try diplomacy with Alaric. But at the same time everything about who he is, the people he leads, and what that all represents means he has to attack either us or our allies and soon. I’ve been among Clanners and know them quite well too.” Helena shook her head. “I’m willing to make the attempt. It is who I am after all to give people that chance. So that's really the best I can do for terms and treaties, well we can work out fine details as needed.”
"Don't expect a treaty, but try to get one anyway. Got it." Juanita commented.
“Yes. I know I’m not being particularly helpful in that regard for what I’m putting on the table but if anyone else has an idea for a realistic third treaty point to ask for I’m all ears.”
"If it gets him to talk, that buys time." Peregrine nodded, "I'll do my best."
“Thanks, Peregrine. I do owe you one for this.” Helena told the young woman.
"All part of the service."
“Well, you pull this off I know this wonderful spa on Old Lazarus. I’ll arrange everything.”
“Seventh Heaven?” Juanita asked.
“That’s the one.” Helena nodded.
“It folded up in 3077.” Juanita shook her head.
“Shit…” Helena swore.
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