CHS4-20

==Chapter Twenty - Book 4 – Chappy's Howling Siegers==
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===The Long March to Battle===
Operation Dragons Tail
36th Avalon Hussars
Planetary sector 1408
Huan, Draconis Combine
April 21th, 3030
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Local Time: 18:00 GST
The 22nd Company commanded by Hauptmann Brett Sahar arrived at their designated sector two days late. The going was tough, and he now sees the wisdom in only sending a company in advance to the town Retme. Retme was nestled in the valley in-between to major mountain ranges. This town will be one of two cities that will serve as a way station for the final phase of the invasion. 
Since Operation Dragon’s Tail was a massive undertaking DropShip support was nonexistent until May 15th, 3030 so marching 1000 miles through a jungle was slow going. The General used the 22nd Company to make a path for the main force causing most of the unit staying together. So far from the reports that Hauptmann Sahar has read the militia has not put up much of a fight, but that could all change the closer that the Hussars get closer to the capital.
“22nd Company form on me formation will be the v wedge, GOGOGO!” Hauptmann Sahar said.
A few minutes later, “Hussars, target dragon in coordinates 3742.” announce Sahar.
Missiles and lasers started to hit the Dragoon the pilot for the Dragoon was taken by surprise and was destroyed before he was able to radio back to headquarters in the city. Hauptmann Sahar saw an opportunity knowing that if he waits for the rest of the regiment the element of surprise will be gone. He orders his company to move into the city expecting a fight he got nothing.
“22nd we will bed down here for tonight and wait for the rest of the regiment. Put a watch at the edge of town just in case.” Sahar said over the net.
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Meanwhile
Leftenant General Skidmore was marching her unit towards the 22nd Company through the forest via the makeshift path that the 22nd Company made. She left behind the 11th Company at the beachhead base to protect the regiment’s supplies. Then about 400 miles into the march she had the 4th Battalion split off and make a march east across the plains of Serenity to attack the eastern town that was on the opposite side of the mountain range. The Capital for the planet was right in the middle of this mountain range and she hoped she could attack from both sides and cut off all escape.
Unfortunately, the 22nd's commander entered the western town six days too early, even though there was no sign of the enemy the timetable was messed up, and how she loved time tables and organization.
By the time her regiment was in place in both cities the planetary government surrendered, and the planet was now under Davion control.
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===Reflections: The ambitions of the Wolf===
Operation Overlord
AFFS HQ deep underground
New Avalon, Capital of Federated Suns
May 15th, 3030
First Prince Davion was looking at the reports that were coming in and was amazed by what was happening. First, his friend General Chapman had not disappointed him, in fact with the number of planets that the General was ‘liberating’ in such a short time was astounding. 
The Prince thought that his own forces were not doing too bad with three new planets on the Kurita border under Davion control and four planets on the Liao boarder within the last week. What he was most surprise about was the Wolf’s Dragoons mainly their leader, Colonel Jamie Wolf. 
After Kurita nearly destroyed them, a few years ago, the Prince open a line of communication with Colonel Wolf and convinced him that the Federated Suns would be a friend to him and his unit. The Prince noted that upon finally meeting Jamie Wolf face to face the Colonel had a great presence about him, this guy could be a leader of any of the great houses thought the Prince at the time of the meeting. The Dragoons were nearly destroyed and needed a place to repair and rebuild, Federated Suns provided that. When the First Prince decided to attack and wipe out Liao once and for all. 
He knew that his Kurita border was going to be open to attack and so he went to Jamie Wolf to asked him if he could help, the Prince still remembers the conversation like it was yesterday……
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June, 3028 
Planet called Inner End on the border of known space and Outworlds Alliance in the conference room somewhere in the capital building two powerful men meet and shook hands. 
“Hello, Colonel Wolf.” said the first man. 
“Hello First Prince Davion, how can I help you?” said the second man. As they both sat down and had a drink of the clear water at the table Davion started off.
“Colonel Wolf, I know you have a grudge or an vendetta against the Coordinator Kurita, so I am informing you of my plans to see if you want in.”
 
Jamie Wolf lean forward and looked right into the eyes of the Prince, “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, I want to wipe out the Liao leadership and nation. To do that I am going to have to pull some forces along the border of Kurita, even though there will be selected targets on that boarder it will still be weak. So, I am asking if you have rebuilt enough in the last few months to do garrison duty along the border and if Kurita attacks you can take your revenge.”
Jamie looked at the First Prince and just smiled.
The First Prince saw something that intrigued him and frightened him in the smile that Wolf was giving him. Jamie Wolf finally opens his mouth, “My Prince tell me five planets in which you want to invade, and the Wolf Dragoons will invade and destroy Kurita.”
The ‘Fox’ as people called him was truly surprised, “Five Planets? How have you rebuilt fast enough to support that?”
“My Prince, I have five full Regiments waiting to take vengeance we can support this action; we had people in reserve that was not in Kurita space when they betrayed us.”
“Ok, well these are the planets for the first wave and depending how the rest goes will depend on the next phase, here let me show you the complete plan and the allies we have for this endeavor.”
One name caught Jamie Wolf attention and he pointed to that name, “This guy I would like to meet him one day…His surname is familiar to me and my people.”
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Present day
The First Prince still had no idea where the Wolf's Dragoons got their men and equipment and he suppose that he did not care as long as they carried out the attacks they promise to do.
Jamie Wolf did not like dipping into his secret cache of 'mechs and men, now there was an imbalance between Inner Sphere equipment and men and the other source. The more he pulled from the other source the harder it will be to maintain his unit secret and the itchiness of his warrior bothers from elsewhere. The last betrayal had made him rethink his tactics and standing in the big picture, he was grateful for the First Prince, and was happy that the Prince did not push him to give up his secret, for that his unit wouldn’t disappoint the Federated Suns. This invasion though he instructed his commanders to do battle the old way….
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====Hungry for Revenge====
Governor Communication Center
An Ting, Draconis Combine
May 5th, 3030
“Sir, we have a communication from the leader of the Wolf’s Dragoons, looks like he wants to talk to the governor.” said the enlisted in front of the communication array.
“Sir!! Four JumpShips just entered known space.” the enlisted in front of satellite image said.
The Major took it all in, “Get the governor down here now, open communication with the Dragoons JumpShips and let’s see what they want.” With war erupting all over the inner sphere the last couple of months the Major thought to himself hopefully they are friendly.
“Governor” Jamie Wolf said with a smile, “I am going to offer you a deal, one that your leader never gave us.”“What is that, General?”
“A chance, I have a full reinforce regiment here, instead of landing 140 Battlemechs 80 tanks 30 aerospace and 2 battalions of infantry, I will land 50 'mechs, you can throw everything you have against them and the DropShips that will transport. If we win the battle the planet is ours if we lose we will leave and never come back.”
The governor was in shock what kind of treachery is this. He cleared his throat, “Why do this?? I don’t understand how can I trust you that when we win you will leave.”
Jamie Wolf smiled, “Well you might have two battalions of 'mechs and another in tanks, but you won’t win. I am betting that my men are better than Kurita scum.”
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===Reports that Echoed around the Sphere ===
Lion's Den, AFFS HQ deep underground
New Avalon, Federated Commonwealth
May 15th, 3030
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First Prince Davion finally got to the Wolf’s Dragoons report, mmm interesting Hanse thought why would he tell the planet militia how much men and equipment he was bringing and where he was landing so that they could bring all their defenses to bare, and why in the hell did he only take 50 mechs….good thing they won the battle and the planet it seems in one day, Brilliant I guess the Prince said to himself. Something is different about Jamie Wolf the Prince thought to himself, the near destruction of the Wolf’s Dragoons by Kurita forces seemed to make Wolf more direct and more focus than before. The other reports were going well too, in fact Capellan forces are in a flat out retreat after the stunning victories in ten of the fifteen planets that Davion forces invaded and the other five planets were about to fall. If his force could continue to push without outside influence, mainly Marik and ComStar, Capellan could completely fall within two years. 
The Prince took another look at the new power that he helped create. While he always knew that General Chapman could deliver something, in the back of his mind started to tingle. Even though the General put in place checks and balance to ensure the loyalty of the Federation to the Federated Suns something started to worry the Prince, the what if…what if the General is killed or when he dies, will the Freedom Federation pose a bigger threat to his nation. What if, and that is when he started to formulate plans to take care of the Freedom Federation if it comes to that.
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====The Price of Failure====
Throne Room of the Coordinator
The Imperial Palace
Luthien, Draconis Combine
20th May, 3030
Coordinator Kurita stood over the five Sho-shos (Generals) that he perceived failed the Combine. “You Sho-shos, I hold responsible for the failures of these last five months. All five of you advised me that the Federated Suns would not attack so soon after the last war, one Tai-sa knew and now he is dead. You owe me your honor.”
Every General went to their knees unsheathed their tantōs and committed Seppuku. As the blood ran together, wild like a river, on the marble floors of the palace. Coordinator Kurita took a sip of his wine stood up from his throne and looked at the subordinates of the dead Sho-shos, “You are now in charge of the war, I suggest that you five serve me better than these men did.” Coordinator Kurita said with an insane glare in his eyes.
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====State of Mind of the Chancellor====
Celestial Palace
Sian, Capital of Capellan Confederation
20th May, 3030
Chancellor Maximilian Liao sat alone in the Royal Palace bathing pool; he had already shooed the handmaidens away after the report from the front lines was presented to him. How could his people, so prideful, run away from a fight? Traitors all of them slowly he started to see conspiracies at every corner.
 
Concerned for her father, Romano did the unthinkable by going into the Royal bathing pool, “Father the water is cold you need to get out.” The Chancellor looked at his daughter without really seeing her and screamed for her to get out. As she left, she noticed the dead aid’s blood starting to drip into the bathing pool and her father’s knife in the heart of the aid, with intel report on the pad that was lying next to the aid. She snatched the pad up as she left and discovered why her father was being this way.
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====Border Concerns====
Palace, Command Center
Atreus, Capital of the Free World League
May 20, 3030
Janos Marik was intense, five months had gone by, Steiner ignored the Free Worlds, and was concentrating on Kurita, he would show that Archon not to forget Marik. His generals entered the chamber and did not have a plan for invading the Lyran Commonwealth, instead it was this nonsense about military preparation. Then a creak of a chair as an old woman stood up from the far-right side of the table, it was the Duchy of Andurien Dame Catherine Humphreys, even at 69 she was still a formable foe. “Excuse me general, and if it pleases the Captain-General Marik I would like to say something.”
“Go ahead, Dame Humphreys, I would be honored to hear something other than excuses.” Janos replied.
“Thank you.” as she bowed slightly. “Everyone it seems are afraid to attack the Lyran Commonwealth, well I am not and would send my forces if the Captain-General request it since my forces are ready, unlike all of yours.” 
She surveyed the room and not too many would look at her in the eye so she continued, “Like I said my troops are ready, but instead of Lyran invasion I would like to add another option. We attack the planet Betelgeuse in Capellan space and siege the factory there, with the Federated Suns taking planets from Capellan by the handful we need to set up a barrier between us and them, using Capellan planets that we conquered.” 
As she sat down everyone turned to look at the Captain-General to see what Janos would say, “Interesting, my Dame, I know that you and others before you in your family have always desire the planet Betelgeuse. I agree we need to have some planets as a buffer against the Davion expansion. We had an agreement called the Concord of Kapteyn, but now that it looks like Liao is going to fall we need to protect ourselves. Send your troops, My Dame, and I will also authorize some mercenaries to invade a few planets as well, the rest of you need to be ready for action within the next six months no matter what.” With that Janos Marik got up and left the table.
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====In Need for A Friend's Aid====
Lion's Den, AFFS HQ deep underground
New Avalon, Federated Suns
June 1st, 3030
First Prince was walking down the long hall leading back to the palace and his Throne Room. News of success in all fronts had him feeling excited, enough so that a plan started to form on a particular planet to conquer, Dieron, if the he could conquer that and maintain control over planet, it would be a major blow for the Combine. He would need units from the Davion military and Lyran military. A thought crosses his mind what if he could get his old friend to lead the invasion. In his mind, he already had the 4th Skye Guards and the 4th Skye Rangers from the Lyran units and then his 36th & 56th Avalon Hussars. Now he needed to convince General Chapman and his command regiment to travel that far away from his own war zone to participate in the battle of the century.
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Book 4 - Chapter 20