InaG Chpt 18

==It's not a Gundam - Chapter 18 -Wading into Politics- Book 2 -==
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===Meeting the Captain-General===
Grand Hyatt Hotel - Atreus City
Atreus, Free Worlds League
February 3027
Today I was being invited to my own party. I expected it to be a private visit. But as a public figure they always had to make a fuss. It meant fancy suits, fancy music, fancy alcohol, and fancy food.
 
I'm thankful that a Military Uniform counted as proper attire. With BT being the future as perceived in the 80s the fashion felt ... tacky ...
 
I never voiced it. Though Secelia Dote didn't need to be a mind-reader to notice the grimace I had.
 
It was just us two in the fanciest suite in the fanciest hotel on Atreus. Us and the ugly as sin outfits I've ever seen. At the very least the guards stood outside the door and the press outside the building. I wouldn't be caught dead with what the locals gave me.
 
"I'm not changing into that."
 
She held up to me what could be generously called a suit.
 
"Why not?" She raised her eyebrow, "Some of the best tailors in the League wanted to give you these."
 
She gestured to the other outfits gifted to me. Some were brands I was familiar with. Some not. When did Walmart become known for luxury tuxedos!?
 
I had to guess that they wanted to use me as free advertising. Though I wanted to know who in their right mind would buy an orange plaid-pattern leather tuxedo.
 
Suddenly someone knocked at the door. I opened it and saw nothing ... then I looked down and saw the mono-eyed visage of a Zako staring back up at me.
 
"Commander!" He saluted, "Zako."
 
I saluted back, "Soldier."
 
"I have a report for you, Zako."
 
"Thank you. Dismissed."
 
The Zako saluted again before he turned and left.
 
I read the paper and my frown deepened with every line.
 
It was not an if but when there would be reincarnations out of my reach. What surprised me was that there were folks who had shown up earlier in the timeline. Folks who had already passed and left a legacy.
Whether the Gundam on Jalastar was a good or bad one I had yet to discern. There was no doubt it was a Gundam, besides the name it had the familiar head shape albeit slapped onto the monster that was The Gunsmith, a Battlemech that shouldn't even have been made until more than a hundred years from now.
The details were sparse. The Guild was no spy agency but we had our connections and my robots to collect and sift through data. The daughter of two reincarnates inherited a Gundam seemingly built entirely out of native Inner Sphere Technology. It was as impressive as it was concerning if the BattleROMs were accurate.
 
But I now knew that Nina Keith was being ushered to New Avalon with all due haste and the NAIS was likely going to try and see if they could recreate the White Devil.
 
The Balance of Power was going to shift again; and with it the chance that the Fourth Succession War could happen despite the butterflies I created. As if Calderon throwing his hat into the ring wasn't bad enough.
 
"What does it say?"
 
"Confidential. Sorry, Dote."
 
"Probably the Gundam." She surmised, "Toms been in his man cave trying to make something to match."
 
"...Thomas Marik?"
 
"That Tom yeah."
 
"Has he been acting differently recently?"
 
"Can't say I have no ... You got something don't you?"
 
I always believed Thomas was replaced during the Car Bombing. And that he went nuts because of what it did to his head and ComStar cramming their dogma down his throat.
 
But that was so far off me just being here had butterflied it away. Hopefully.
 
"...Also confidential."
 
Secelia pouted and proceeded to pinch my cheek.
 
"Ow."
 
"No keeping secrets between us." She huffed.
 
"I agreed on not lying to you." I pointed out, "not saying things at all is still valid."
 
"I am altering the deal." She crossed her arms, "Pray that I don't alter it further."
 
Another knock. This time it was one of the guards.
 
"Sir " the guard said, "The Captain-General is here."
 
"Let him in." I ordered.
 
Janos walked in,
 
"You two done flirting?"
 
"Captain-General..."
 
"Please call me Janos." He answered, "Also name you're firstborn Janos and I'll give you a planet."
 
"Sir." His Secretary glared.
 
"I kid." He waved it off, "Mostly."
 
"Is there a reason why you're here?"
 
"I do. I need to talk you: man-to-man. Before those vultures in Parliament spoil both our moods."
 
Secelia coughed.
 
"Man-to-Man-to-Secretary." Janos corrected, "What will it take for you to join the Kapetyn Accords?"
 
"A solid no."
 
"Ha!" He punched my shoulder, "Smart man! Smarter than this old bastard! If it wasn't for the Lyrans and Fed-Rats teaming up I'd have laughed in Max and Takashi's face."
 
"Was it worth it?"
 
Janos snorted, "At this point? Doubtful. But lines are getting drawn son. The First Prince and the Archon are going to make their bid to win the Succession Wars. I can just smell it."
 
"I wouldn't loose much sleep if Liao and Kurita took the brunt of it, but there are plenty of people they will be sending to their deaths."
 
"I know." Janos grimaced, "And that includes some of my own men also."
 
"Captain-General." I met his eyes, "if you want me to I can help you mediate peace talks."
 
"If I could ask for peace I would have."
 
"Tom has been working on that also." Dote added.
 
"He's got more headway than I have." Janos admitted, "I'll let you know you're interested. But it will take two, not just one."
 
"I can imagine The Archon would agree." I concluded, "She was the one who sent that open message in the first place."
 
He shook his head, "I'm not speaking about Katrina."
 
"The Capellans."
 
"The Cappies. I don't honestly give a damn about The Cameron's fancy title. Max does. Takashi does."
 
"Captain-General I don't like the Capellan System as much as you do but I formed the Guild to be a defensive alliance."
 
"Then what was Circinus?"
 
"A police action against Pirates. Legitimate Causus Belli as well. And I won't make one up."
 
"Like I said he's one of those goody two-shoe types." Secelia replied.
 
"If I had a whole team of you I'd have won the war by now." Marik grunted, "Unfortunately I have to share you with my secretary."
 
"Phrasing~"
 
"Like I give a shit Dote. Exarch I don't need you to fight my war for me. I need you to get me a better Capella."
 
Behind my mask my eyes widened with realization, "...Tormano."
 
"THAT freeloader?" Secelia exclaimed incredulous, "He's the black sheep of the family."
 
Tormano Liao and his father had a falling out. THAT I knew. The moment he married a Commoner Gardener was the last straw. He was close to being disowned, hell his father tried to have him killed and replaced by a lookalike in the canon timeline.
 
Officially he was the Capellan Ambassador for Junker. Unofficially Max wanted Tormano out of way.
 
"Not unless he backs Tormano." Janos countered.
 
"Secelia is right." I answered, "He has no supporters. Either of his sisters would eat him alive."
 
"For now." He replied, "No Supporters now. Everyone thinks you're the Kingmaker. And right now we got a King to make."
 
"..."
 
"The other option is to let the war happen. You know it will. Hanse is surrounded on all sides by enemies. Takashi Kurita is brutal, Calderon is insane, Max is brutal AND insane. You gave everyone new weapons, new ideas, and they're itching to test it out on each other.
 
...or you can make Tormano the Chancellor and have him end this pointless fighting so me, Hanse, and Katrina can rightly un-fuck the Inner Sphere.
 
Just know that the moment we or the FedSuns back Tormano he'll lose any legitimacy. This is something only you can do Exarch. Your the new kid. Everyone's eyes are on you and you have mechs, money, and manpower to back it up."
 
"What about Takashi?" I finally spoke again, "ComStar?"
 
"We'll cross the bridge when we get there." He admitted, "Maybe Davion and Steiner will solve it for us."
 
I suddenly had to urge to look toward the window. Out into Atreus City, directly at the Ptolemaios and what lied inside it.
 
I was never sure if it was truly telepathy. But sometimes I just knew what the AGE Builder wanted. It even tempted me, it knew that I had a bleeding heart, it dangled the carrot in front of me, and every damn time I took a bite because I was as Secelia said: 'one of those goody goody types'.
 
My eyes darted back to the women I cared for and the man who stood somewhere between parent, grandparent, and uncle for her.
 
I wouldn't put out hits on Candace or Romano, but I could speak with Tormano. While I knew he was a man who desired the throne the organization he founded canonically worked for the betterment of Capellan society; I could get behind THAT.
 
"I don't want to leave things to chance." I spoke, "But I will do things. My way."
 
In the end. I could at least say I tried.
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===Antagonizing the Wolf===
Central Courtyard, FWL Parliament, Atreus City
Atreus, Free Worlds League
February 3027
If it wasn't for the Mechs I would have sworn I was in Europe. The Parliament building was old which was odd to say in 3027. The bricks, the statues, the fountains, practically all the architecture seemed to have been ripped from the history books.
 
Unfortunately that didn't include the outfits. For every tuxedo or man in uniform there was a walking eyesore and I had the misfortune of seeing them all line up to meet me. The faces blurred into each other. More than one person wanted to talk business and both my coat pockets were getting stuffed with business cards.
 
There were plenty of greedy people and plenty more who hoped I could magic their issues away. I made no promises but I made sure to make a list of people and planets the Guild would approach first.
 
"Another Command Circuit?" Secelia mused, "Do you think Jumpers grow on trees?"
 
I shrugged as I looked at the folded up map I had kept with me. If it wasn't manufacturing and salvage the Guild earned plenty of profit through the Jumpship network. Dozens wanted to add their planet to the list of stops, others clamoring to reserve collars for one cargo load or another.
 
"One and a half routes. Canopus-Atreus. Junker-Alphard-Atreus."
 
"Your expanding the Junker-Alphard line? Why not a whole new one?"
 
"Like you said: not enough Jumpships. We'll need to salvage WarShip wrecks soon."
 
Secelia scoffed, "As if that will ever happen."
 
I gave her a look.
 
"...you can't be serious."
 
"I am. Dropship Collars are Dropship Collars and a Compact KF Drive is still a KF Drive."
 
"Exarch-honey." She whispered harshly, "WarShips SCARE Spheroids. They don't pop from Beam shots like the ones from our world!"
 
"Not after we defang them. I have enough weapons as-is."
 
I left out the fact that I plan to have them to be able to rearmed and refit to Gundam-grade warships if need be. Just in case.
 
"As if THAT would matter! It doesn't take much for people to be in awe of you one moment and hate and fear you the next." Her voice softened, "believe me I know."
 
"Are you done flirting?" said a feminine voice, NOT Dote's.
 
I looked up at a second dusky bombshell in my midst.
 
Emma Centrella, daughter of the Magestrix, and supposed to be an ensign in the Canopus Military at the moment. Instead she was here in unfriendly territory with a dress that would have wrapped plenty of hormonal young men around her finger.
 
She had also, halfheartedly, tried to seduce me.
 
Secelia did not show it but she tensed. Emma may have done the bare effort as per her mother's instructions but more than one honeypot thought I was driven by hormones.
 
"Didn't find another boytoy to play around with tonight Emma?" Secelia frowned.
 
"I have. He's right there."
 
Emma pointed to her Battlemech, a Vulcan, a gangly medium-weight anti-infantry machine. It could not fight mechs in open combat but it was a monster in urban warfare.
 
That was until it received Gundam-tech. Her machine, just like many others displayed around the Parliament were just like the luxury sportscars: meant to show wealth and prestige and that the owner traveled in style. Except their rides could kill and they were there to prove the Mechwarriors had teeth. To each other ... and to me.
 
The Mercurius and Vayeate may have drawn the attention of the crowd, but they stood next to Battlemechs, Mobile Suits, and machines that mixed both.
 
"It looks something Rouji-kun could snap in two."
 
"For an Urbie it holds alot of garbage." Emma replied.
 
"Ladies." I grumbled, "Not the time."
 
"Fine." Emma sighed, "But my mother asked me to deliver you a message."
 
"Well." Secelia crossed her arms, "Spill it."
 
"Just a reminder that the Periphery is the Periphery and the Inner Sphere is the Inner Sphere."
 
"...That's it?" Dote questioned.
 
"Yes." Emma declared, "You two have a lovely night."
 
With her piece said she turned and melted back into the crowd.
 
"What a waste of time." Secelia mumbled, "What did she mean by that?"
 
"Reminding me that there is plenty of distrust and animosity between the two." I concluded, "Just like Earthians and Spacians."
 
She scowled, "I never treated Suletta or Earth House like that."
"Not you. But plenty of others did. Mashmyre's world had it the other way around but the result was just the same."
 I wonder what Zeon Deikun would think, knowing that humanity never left earth, they just brought it with them. Their war, their hatred, their greed, their lust for power.
 
"Then it's a good thing they aren't here." she huffed, "I am. And you already met the old geezer."
 
"Its a start." I conceded.
 
By the end of the night I was going to strike deals with a dozen more worlds and dozens more corporations and non-profit institutions. The Camerons may have ensured peace with military power, HARD power. I was going to do so with soft power.
 
As the party went on and I spoke with one forgettable face after another I heard the announcer herald the arrival of the Kuritan Delegation. I was half-surprised to see the face of Chandrasekhar Kurita among them. As the most powerful businessman in the Combine I knew me and the Guild would have to interact with him at some point. Seeing Jaime Wolfe walking beside him? Less so.
 
The crowd seemed to part as the Combine beelined towards me. Besides the sole exception of Jamie in a suit, each and every man and women either wore a uniform straight out of Imperial Japan or a Kimono made of intricate patterns stitched on silk.
 
The Kuritan diplomat bowed respectfully alongside the others. Jamie opted to salute. Chandrasekhar never bother to do either. I bowed back and saluted in turn and could not help but notice the latter two analyzing my every move. My talk with the diplomat was short; mostly transactional business in nature. My real focus was with two of the some of most dangerous men in the Inner Sphere.
 
"Lord Kurita. Colonel Wolfe." I greeted.
 
"Lord Exarch." Wolf acknowledged, "We have heard much about you."
 
"Plenty of positives I hope."
 
"Somewhat." the man known as 'Uncle Chandy' grinned, "More than one of my Cousin's samurai wanted to have a duel with you. MechWarriors AND Aerojocks."
 
"Not just them." Jaime added, "There are betting pools on Solaris to see who could defeat you."
 
"I assume that includes The Black Widow?"
 
For the whole night I had also gotten cards from mercenaries looking for work, officers hoping to recruit from me, and plenty of aces hoping to fight me.
 
"Naturally." Wolf admitted, "She is actually here on Atreus and itching for a match."
 
"Both of you?" I wondered out loud, "Aren't you training the Ryuken right now?"
 
It was an open secret that The Dragoons were training a DCMS unit to fight like them. Mercenary work often included training and garrison contracts. But the secret Clan Spy visibly tensed, he likely wanted to know much I knew.
 
Was I another Clan Agent? Was I one of the Not-Named? They were all questions he probably had floating around in his mind.
 
"I have plenty of men and women who are up to the task." he answered smoothly, "I assume it is the same for you in the Guild?"
 
Biggs and Wedge were conducting outreach to other Periphery States. Cid was overseeing infrastructure development efforts. General Gluck was pacifying remnants in Former Circinian space. Colonel Barrett had been helping reorganize and coordinate Cooperative militias. Mack was Mack.
 
"I do. I trust them with my secrets. I don't have a Warrior Caste who lords over everything and everyone."
 
Chandy snorted, probably assuming I meant the Combine's and the greater Inner Sphere's obsession with Martial Prowess. Jaime's face tightened with emotion.
 
"Maybe this world would be a better place if it wasn't." Kurita mused.
 
"Something we can agree on Snake." Dote rolled her eyes, "You won't BELIEVE the number of meatheads me and Janos have to deal with."
 
"Were it so simple." Chandy shook his head, "I am what you Gaijin would say 'a Lover not a Fighter'."
 
"There's always a place for Soldiers." I spoke, "Not Warriors. We need Wardens not Crusaders. You agree, Colonel?"
 
Confusion turned to half-relief, half-concern, and ended with stern resignation.
 
Wolf stood firm, calling back to the mission his Khan had given him, "...We do. Lord Exarch, if it is not an issue can I speak with you after the party?"
 
"Gladly."
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==Chapter Note==
*; Note from the Author : The Exarch's first real fight against an Ace and a Dragoon POV coming up!
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Chapter 18