FSRB Chpt 214

==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 214==
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September 3070Interlude: Wolves brought to heel
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Jaime Wolf Command Center, Wolf Sector 
Harlech City, Outreach
Nanking PDZ, League March 
Federated Suns 
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General Maeve Wolf stood as the two AFFS officers strode into the room, as a half second later did the CEO of Blackwell Industries, Dameon Guillome. She had made a point of keeping them waiting for a full day before an opening in her schedule could be arranged for them to meet with her, but she now wondered if she had been wrong to agree to Dameon's suggestion. "Welcome to Outreach, generals... I believe you know, Mr Guillome..."
Any thoughts she had of offering them some pro-forma refreshments died as she saw the face of Field Marshal Carlos Post. The head of the Department of Mercenary Relations had the face of a warrior about to advance into heavy enemy fire - and determined to break through no matter what the cost. The junior AFFS officer, if it wasn't laughable to describe a "mere" Marshal as a junior officer, Marshal Elaine Crag of the Department of Military Justice's Legal Corp while lacking Post's grim determination hardly looked friendly. If she had had any doubt as the the intent of the two officers Post's opening comments dispelled them. "General Wolf. Mr Guillome. Thank you for seeing us, although for the record Marshal Crag and myself are not "generals". I am a Field Marshal and she is a Marshal. I haven't been a general in a decade and I think Marshal Crag similarly hasn't held that rank for several years."
Not even trying to keep the ice from her voice, General Wolf inclined her head and acknowledged the rebuke while waving the two officers and the CEO to the chairs around her desk as she sat herself. "I stand corrected. So now you have informed me of your rank Field Marshal Post, do what do we owe the pleasure of your company here today...?"
Post barely seemed to even notice the emphasis she placed upon the words and began to speak as his subordinate opened a folder on her lap. "Give the long links between the AFFS, House Davion and the Federated Sun's and the Wolf's Dragoons the First Prince and Marshal of the Armies felt that I should come personally to give you the news... As a personal courtesy."
"Well, Field Marshal? What news are you here to courteously give me?" Maeve spoke into the silence that the Field Marshal Post let hang. 
He inclined his head to Marshal Crag who took out a heavy official looking ream of papers. "That the Federated Suns and AFFS are about to petition the courts to find Wolf's Dragoons AND Blackwell Industries in breach of contract. The petition call for the immediate repayment of all loans provided to both organizations since the liberation of Outreach by the AFFS in January 3065. The loans to rebuild the Dragoons. The loans to rebuild Blackwell Industries. All of them. We will not be petitioning for any loans extended to the Outreach planetary government which were used to rebuild Harlech City or the civilian infrastructure, but every C-bill spent on rebuilding your command and Blackwell Industries are being called due. With interest. It's all in there." Crag placed the thick document down on the heavy desk. A one hundred ton assault mech's armoured foot would have shaken the room less. 
"You can't!" Dameon Guillome almost shrieked. "You'll ruin us!"
"And?" Post turned to look at him calmly. 
"We... we supply you with Clantech weapons! You can't... You don't want to lose access..." Guillome blurted. For all his usual iron control during contract negotiations he was suddenly out of his depth. 
"You are not the only supplier of Clantech weapons, Mr. Guillome. Nor even of Clantech Battlemechs. In fact our other suppliers are providing us with Clan omnimechs." Post responded. "In higher quantities than the handful of battlemechs your facilities are trickling to us." 
General Wolf, in better control of her temper than her unit's industrial supplier, spoke again. "What are the charges?"
"For you, General Wolf? Breach of contract by Zeta Battalion during active combat operations against the WOB. We hired mercenaries, not pirates. Their actions on Graham IV broke not only the local planets laws but also the laws of the AFFS's code of Military Justice as well as several Federal laws." He met her gaze levelly. "You are also in breach of your duties both as the General of Wolf's Dragoons and as the head of Outreach's government sworn to House Davion and the Federated Suns, either by ordering these acts or attempting to profit from them and not immediately informing the First Prince and your liaison officer of these illegal activities. Which frankly is something we have noticed isn't a new feature in the head's of Wolf's Dragoons. You hold this planet in the name of House Davion, something you and your Dragoon's forget whenever it suits you. Except unlike in '51 when we discovered that you had kept the secrets of the impending Clan Invasion from us and then in '57 when you just forgot in who's name you hold Outreach we are not minded to let it slide. You hold Outreach as a vassal of House Davion. The First Prince has tried to respect your pride and shown a great deal of patience with you and Mr Guillome's intransigence's to our contractual requests of you and your company. We have repeatedly "requested" when we might have demanded. You have rewarded this indulgence by returning to thinking that you are above the law." He leaned forward and tapped the heavy document. "You aren't."
Guillome went to speak again and Maeve shot him a glare. "Shut up, Dameon." Turning to the Field Marshal she ignored the document. "So... The First Prince is pissed with us, but he has not come here himself... Perhaps because of the war. Or perhaps because as long as he avoids officially having to come here the situation can still be salvaged, quiaff?"
For the first time Post's face broke into what a generous observer might be called a smile. Or at least the ghost of one. "Perhaps."
"Perhaps... So... Let's hear his terms." Wolf cut to the chase. Knowing she wasn't going to like them. Yet she would like seeing the Dragoons bankrupt, their assets seized and the regiments broken even less. "I presume he told you them..."
"The First Prince as you probably suspect is loathe to formally break the storied Wolf's Dragoons. More he knows that you and most of your troops will fight. So... Yes. He is prepared to renegotiate your current debts and obligations to his House, in return for not formally raising this matter in the courts." Post looked over at Crag. "Marshal Crag... The second document please."
She brought out an almost as large document from the same folder. "Firstly, Wolf's Dragoons and Blackwell Industries will hand over ALL copies of the design of the Shogun Class Assault Battlemech in their possession to the AFFS. Immediately. The cost of building a new factory for the design on Graham IV will be added to the existing debt of Blackwell Industries, yet the new factory will be the property of the government of Graham IV... I'm sorry Mr. Guillome, did you say something?" 
Choking back a protest the CEO of the company shook his head, having caught Wolf's murderous glare as he attempted to protest having to build a competitor's factory. "No... No General... I mean Marshal." 
"Good. Secondly, Blackwell Industries will re-purpose all existing work on the Shogun line they have begun construction for adding a second Falcon C line. At the completion of this line the company will immediately commit to the construction of a third production line. Any future lines after this will be subject to the contractual obligations which until now Blackwell has conveniently forgotten, with the AFFS Department of the Quartermaster having a joint and equal say in the construction priorities of the company. At the same time that the new Falcon lines are under construction Blackwell will begin construction of a large scale industrial unit to provide Clantech weapons, spare parts, double heat sinks, etc... All of which will be offered for sale exclusively to the Federated Suns..." Marshal Crag went through the various and extensive terms for Blackwell before turning to General Wolf. "With regards to Wolf's Dragoons. The current ten year contracts are to be extended to twenty years, with an additional rider that can extend the contracts by an additional five years at the discretion of the First Prince. All new units formed by Wolf's Dragoons the AFFS will have the right of first refusal for any mercenary contracts and they may only take contracts from foreign powers either with the approval of the Department of Mercenary Relations or if the AFFS has been offered their services and declined. Subject to the existing conditions about not serving "hostile foreign powers" or engaging in any military action against the Federated Suns..." 
When she was finished Maeve Wolf was grim faced, while Dameon Guillome was merely staring at her in shock. Field Marshal Post spoke into the silence. "Thank you, Marshal Crag. So you have our terms. I have been ordered to give you 72 hours to accept or refuse them. If you refuse them, then writs will be sought at the Old Bailey the following day... I am however ordered to make one final point, General Wolf. This is the last such gesture of restraint from House Davion. Wolf's Dragoons have repeatedly forgotten their oaths of vassalage to House Davion. The next time... Well there better not be a next time. Not just in the current First Prince's reign, but ever. Any further breaches off your legal obligations to the First Prince and the Federated Suns will be considered acts of open rebellion and treason - and dealt with accordingly... I trust you understand the severity of that." 
General Wolf forced herself to incline her head. "I understand."
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