FSRB Chpt 51

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==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 51==
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October 3065Incursion
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===FedSuns preparation for War===
With intelligence reports filtering in regarding Hohiro Kurita and Sun-Tzu Liao having met on Sian throughout October the mood in Mount Davion was naturally grim. Although the reports were sparse on the details the obvious signs of friendship even if staged were in no way good news for the Federated Suns that much was obvious. Despite the fact that it was unlikely that the two states were about to immediately launch an invasion of the Federated Suns all combat commands were put on a state of heightened alert. Just in case. If nothing happened the experience wouldn't exactly be wasted either. Victor and Jackson Davion both agreed that standing the AFFS up temporarily would also send the right message of strength to the Kurita's and Liaos, basically "we're ready". In the meantime the various command staffs began preparing more up to date war plans which took into account this new potential alliance and also looking at ways to strengthen the military of the FedSun's in preparation for what might be a two front war. 
In these preparations Jackson Davion with the First Prince's full blessings prioritized immediate offensives in the event of impending war. If the Kurita's and Liao's pushed for a war with House Davion they would be fighting and bleeding on their own worlds was the strong feeling of the High Command and General Staff. They would hit first, hit hard and keep on hitting until the Snakes and Dragons cried enough! Although just in case funding to increase fortifications on certain key worlds - such as the Galtor Thumb and Mitchel and Nanking - was authorized. 
Even as these orders went out the planning and preparations for Yvonne Steiner-Davion's marriage to Tancred Sandoval went ahead. Robinson's already heavy defenses were increased. An elite conventional armor brigade and a similarly experienced full infantry brigade were dispatched to Robinson and ordered to attach themselves permanently to the 1st Robinson Rangers to immediately raise the unit to a full RCT. Although integration would take time this was considered the best way to form a RCT around the flagship unit of the Rangers Brigade. Similar plans are put in place to do the same for the 2nd, 4th, and 5th in 3066-67. As an additional safeguard against any attempt to disrupt the ceremony the Davion Light Guards RCT is dispatched temporarily to Robinson to reinforce the garrison.
In orbit the defenses also weren't neglected. No less than 4 full assault dropship squadrons were assigned to Robinson along with a full independent aerospace brigade and 3 Fox corvettes - the FSS Robinson itself along with her sister ships the FSS Brest and FSS Warren. It was also expected that when the First Prince arrived he would bring with him the FSS Melissa Davion at least and probably the FSS Hanse Davion.
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===House Davion: Weapons exporter===
One area of disappointment privately was that Archon Peter Steiner had sent a message that he could not attend his sister’s wedding given the sudden crisis within his realm. Given the circumstances on the Clan Jade Falcon border this wasn't a surprise. Indeed, Yvonne had suggested to Victor that perhaps he could send some warships or a handful of RCT's to aid their brother, but the First Prince had quietly refused. The Lyran Alliance had made it's decision to secede from the Federated Commonwealth and it would have to stand on it's own 2 feet without leaning on their former comrades in the Federated Suns. Although he did authorise large scale sales of military equipment to the Lyran Alliance as a way to support his brother and former subjects. An offer that was immediately accepted. Unlike within the Free Worlds League the profits of these sales would be ploughed straight back into expanding the military industrial complex. For the first time in centuries the Federated Suns was now a large scale exporter of military equipment rather than an importer. 
Along with the funds from the sales of such battlemech's as Victors, Battlemasters, Atlas, and Awesomes which the LAAF were favoring in their purchase the Federated Suns was beginning to see the first profits from their sales to the ComGuards coming in. Not only from rising factory production but also the restoration of battlemechs and tanks from the boneyards. One additional source of income from this source was the AFFS offering the services of their Hasek Refit Center for this purpose and soon ComGuards dropships were shuttling back and forth between the various boneyards such as Novoya Zemyla and Bell with holds full of barely functional or even totally non-functional war machines that would be taken in hand and refurbished to return to active service for the ComGuards. Again, the income from these sales were going directly into financial subsidies to increase military production. 
One immediate beneficiary of this investment was the funding of a new Marauder II production line on Kestrel. Long term plans had called for this line to be built but given the sales to the LAAF and their desire for "proper" assault mechs these plans were hurriedly brought forward. Construction would begin in November and with the full support of the FedSuns's Government and the Duke of Kestrel the line would be rushed into production by June 3066. During October the Marauder line enters production even as the Marauder II line is authorised. 
At Galax, Kathil and Panpour the large construction slips which had been assembling were finally completed. They would immediately lay down a New Syrtis class fighter carrier each. These ships were a new variant of the old carrier design, upgraded for the modern era and were planned to be the flagships and center pieces of the new Federated Suns' Fleets moving forward. 
On Belladonna, the Kallon Industries plant begins producing a number of Challenger Main Battle Tanks although production numbers are limited. Production wont hit full swing until well into November. Still each tanks produced is snapped up by the AFFS and ComGuards. As well as prioritizing getting the Challenger Main Battle Tank production line into full production the company staff are pushing hard to get their first battlemech line online for the official date of the 21st November. 
The ComGuards get a huge boost in their supply lines when the new plant on Defiance comes online and has all 4 battlemech lines enter production this month. An entire line of Nexus production is immediately snapped up by the ComGuards while the Sentinel, Crab, and Flashman lines are split between the AFFS and ComGuards. A second Sentinel and a Mongoose line also under construction. 
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===Clan Jade Falcon incursion into House Steiner===
Even within the Federated Suns, the main source of news in October is the news coming from the Lyran Alliance's border with Clan Jade Falcon. On the 3rd of October the Jade Falcons soar across the border and hit the worlds of Kooken's Pleasure Pit, Pasig, Mkuranga, Babaeski, Morges, A Place, Dustball, Koniz and Ballymure. Excluding the last world these are all worlds of the former Arc-Royal Defence Cordon and many AFFS units were stationed there during the FedCom era. Hitting the worlds were elements of 2 front line galaxies, the Gamma Jade Falcon Galaxy and the Delta Gryfalcon Galaxy supported by the second line Epsilon Galaxy. In attacks reminiscent of the Clan Invasion the Jade Falcons struck without mercy and with incredible speed but found themselves lacking the shock factor of old. While several units such as the 25th Arcturan Guards on Mkuranga and the newly arrived 3rd Lyran Regulars on Dustball were swiftly overwhelmed and either crushed or drive off world, other units dug in and fought back hard. On Morges the 16th Wolf Guards Battle Cluster despite facing twice their number in the 8th Talon and 4th Falcon Dragoons Clusters smashed the 4th Dragoons in a quick engagement before turning to face the 8th on a more equal footing while sending requests for support. On Pasig, a joint force from the Wolves-In-Exile and LAAF were unable to drive the Jade Falcon Guards and 9th Talon Cluster from the world but were able to hold their own in the face of the invasion. 
On Tharkad the Archon Peter Steiner began organizing a counterattack on the same day as the news of the invasion hit. He announced that he would personally be leading the counterattack and made it clear that 2 RCT's from the Royal Guard would be accompanying him to Arc Royal to join the rest of the assembling force. However when he named the units there was shock, he would be taking the 2nd and the 4th Royal Guards with him. Given that officially the 4th didn't exist this did cause some confusion, but the newly assembled unit was already boarding it's dropships. 
Even as the Guards marched to war, General of the Armies was assembling forces to join the Archon on Arc Royal while also ordering units close to the front to launch spoiling raids or prepare for additional invasions. Losses were already mounting but Adam Steiner knew that the couldn't afford to show weakness, not to the Jade Falcons and most especially not to the critics of the new regime within the Lyran Alliance itself. He wasn't aware that Duchess Yvonne Steiner-Davion had petitioned her brother to send aid but had he been he would have curtly refused it. Calling for Victor Davion to save them would reek of weakness and would likely end Peter Steiner's rule before it could truly start. However he grateful did accept the offers of military supplies at the reasonable prices the Davions were offering. Unfortunately, the officer he sent to negotiate with the Federated Suns military liaison officer was from the "old school" and so most of the machines purchased were expensive assault mechs rather than more versatile (and cheaper) light, medium and heavy mechs. 
Within the Draconis Combine, the Falcon assault upon the Lyran Alliance was noted and then subsequently ignored. In direct contrast to the almost united front that the Successor States had presented during the initial Clan Invasion and Operation Bulldog the DCMS made no effort to aid the LAAF in this fight. None had come to their aid during the Ghost Bear war after all. In the meantime they continue to transfer former Smoke Jaguars to the Nova Cats. 
The SLDF did however dispatch the 1st Royal Battlemech Regiment to Arc Royal to join the growing LAAF force. Further reinforcements were promised, but the only current free unit was the Eridani Light Horse regiments. 
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===The Crusader Wolves consider their options===
Within the Clan Wolf Occupation Zone, Khan Vlad Ward also took note of the invasion. He immediately summoned his bondswoman Katrina "Steiner" Wolf and sought her advice in regards to this invasion. To keep his options open he ordered the Tamar Galaxy to mobilize to support his 2 front line Galaxies at Katrina's advice. While still under strength it was felt that their inclusion might win over some to the Wolves side. 
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