Intelligence Report: Buena Archonette (ATwT)

==Description==
Bases on the events triggered in the Alternate Timeline with Thanks main story, an intelligences report of betrayal of the Lyran Commonwealth by one of the Archon's deputies. 
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==Story==
Lyran Commonwealth Internal Report - State of Buena Archonette 
To: Archon Jessica Steiner
Date: 14th May 3111
Forwarded: General of the Armies Aiden Grey, Estates General Buena Archonette Oversight Committee
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Archon Steiner,
As requested, I and my staff have formulated this report on the current state of the Buena Archonette. I will not mince words with you nor with your staff, Archon. The last two months have been hell to our friendship, not to mention our professional relationship. I will act with the powers vested in me by the Estates General. No more, no less. The Buena Archonette will NOT become another Isle of Skye I will not aid in the break-up of the Lyran Commonwealth that is not my duty.
I wish to be an asset to you, Jessica, and to remain your friend and ally, I am NOT here to play politics, I am also NOT here to be your gopher, nor the Estate General’s, nor anyone else for that matter! What I AM here is to clean up the mess the former Duke kindly left to us upon his unfortunate death in the orbital bombardment of Son Hoa. You trusted me many times in the past. I ask you to trust me now. Let me DO my job!
Buena Archonette
Leader: Archonette Kathy Parks
Military Strength: 6 LCTs, 1 Combined-arms Regiment, 1 Independent Battalion, 5 Warships, 8 Militia LCTs, 1 training battalion
Buena Archonette Military Command
Currently, the military within the Archonette is in a state of flux. I know you and your staff are disinclined about my decision to disband the surviving elements of the Third, Seventh, and Sixteenth Lyran Regulars RCTs, but it was necessary those units’ recent actions and reduced strength made keeping them on active rolls untenable. Surviving elements were reassigned to the newly created First through Fourth Buena Guards LCTs.
Last month’s negotiations with the Southwest Covenant allowed the repatriation of surviving Lyran soldiers and their dependents, as well as the Periphery Star Guard Mercenary Regiment and their own dependents. The repatriated Lyran soldiers will soon form the Fifth Buena Guards LCT, though this unit will be light on equipment for at least another year.
The Periphery Star Guard Mercenary Regiment, meanwhile, has signed on with the Archonette as full members of the LCAF, ending their time as a mercenary unit. Having lost all their equipment at Poulsbo allowed me to successfully negotiate their entry, none of their personnel fancied being unemployed and dispossessed. Their personnel have been split between all units assigned to the Buena Archonette to fill spaces in other units TO&E. Their arrival has also afforded us other opportunities, including beginning Phase II and Phase III of the planned Militia Heraldry Modernization Reform, allowing for three Schnelle Kräfte Rapid Response Units to be formed. Following the formation of these initial units I have made preparation for the formation of Stolz units as well. Should these be successful these units could be deployed across the Commonwealth and assist in the creation of new units.
The Sixth Buena Guards LCT, meanwhile, has been formed on paper, comprising various elements belonging to Militia forces within the Archonette, though will likely not be integrated together until around September at the earliest. While they have their own equipment, the Sixth will need further training until I consider them to be combat effective. Plans are at this time for them to be combat effective beginning January, 3113.
Speaking of Militia, I have decided to continue the reorganizing of RCTs to LCTs down to the Militia level. This part of the organization is set to begin in or around August and should present a strength of seven-eight LCTs once completed instead of the roughly three over-extended RCTs the Archonette currently fields. This will spread the militia out more thinly but allow us to move faster and respond to threats from multiple areas instead of bunching our units into a position where they could be struck.
Finally on the ground, the War College of Buena has once again become federalized. This isn’t a matter of politics, Jessica, but of necessity. Its training battalion will now be a federal unit, allowing it to be dispatched if necessary. Unlike other training battalions, the First Buena Training Battalion is an entire BattleMech battalion. Just warning you of this now as I know certain politicians will cry foul for this. The institution itself will still continue to specialize in BattleMechs and technical support, while also allowing for Armour, vehicle, and infantry training.
Not much to say about the naval presence within the Archonette at this time except for the continuing lack of it. We'll get by with the five warships we have though. I would suggest to the Archon that the units we have deployed in the Archonette be reorganized into their own squadron perhaps with a flagship. This decision is up to Naval Command however and I will leave that to your discretion.
Our primary problem militarily is we are undermanned, under-equipped, and our primarily econo-military structure is now next to non-existent for the mid-long term. Should the StarCorp facility on Son Hoa be found recoverable, the facility would be moved to Buena and quickly be a boon to the entire Archonette and the Lyran Commonwealth shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, the recovery/salvaging of this facility remains a low priority as we are still attempting to recover any survivors trapped in underground bunkers or transport tunnels on Son Hou. Further support in this area would be appreciated.
Economics and Socially
Economically, the heart of the theater was torn out by the attack on Son Hoa. I took emergency steps, relocating much of the surviving regional financial institutions to Buena. Additionally, the primary regional stock markets and the industrial market based on Son Hoa have been united with those at Buena. It won’t economically stabilize the region immediately, but will hopefully keep the Archonette afloat we will be relying on the Lyran state to funnel trade through our region. Both the Southern Worlds Covenant and Free Worlds League’s District of Gibraltar are potential customers for such trade and passing through Archonette systems is likely to bring much needed finances into our worlds through passing visitors and additional trades.
If you need more information about the plan, see Minister Linda Frein on Tharkad. I’m following her game plan on this one.
Socially, everyone here seems to be just coming over their shock on what happened at Son Hoa. Every day, more and more civilians are calling for blood against the Circinus Federation. For now, I am controlling their rage and venting it where it will do the most good. We might need to act sooner rather than later and hit Circinus Federation, unless we want to anger the local populace. Just a heads up.
Industry
We’ve been crippled. Simple as that. And the last-minute move in the Estates General by the governors and nobles of Elijay, Herzberg, and Loburg to remain within Halfway Province doesn’t help matters. The Archonette NEEDED that industry!
What is done is done, though. No crying over spilled milk and I refuse to make a political mockery of it. It will take years to build up Buena to being the level Son Hoa once was, but it is doable. I know you don’t like it. Hell, I don’t like it, but Rim Motors is the best choice and offering them financial incentives to cross into the Lyran Commonwealth is potentially a good piece of business.
However, upon further review, I acknowledge I may have been too hasty in choosing the best plan for the Buena Archonette and not the best plan for the Lyran Commonwealth. Due to this, I will allow Lockheed-CBM and Tharkad Aerospace Group to subcontract with Arcturus Arms to expand their facility on Buena. That’s if Arcturus Arms agrees, Archon.
Education and Sciences
Unfortunately, the region lost most of its premier academies and research centers with the loss of Son Hoa. Simply put, the best and brightest were at Son Hoa. Yet it is perhaps the quickest to recover, thanks in large part to the library world of Teyvareb. Though its universities are not as well-considered as those found on Son Hoa, the world boasted the theater’s backup data center. Though it will be a few years yet, I am fully confident the Archonette will see both Buena and Teyvareb as worlds sporting premier learning opportunities outside of the capital.
Local Development
The loss of Son Hoa has really devastated the region, Jessica. I just CANNOT highlight this enough. I can’t promise miracles here only do what I can to assist you and the region. One thing that will continuously influence the Archonette’s development and the development of the Lyran Commonwealth are our neighbours. Along with Lyran Intelligence I have created an overview of our closest neighbours, the opportunities that they present to us and the potential threats from them.
Circinus Federation: The reborn nation effectively stabbed the region in its heart. And while the Archonette is reeling and recovering, it is quickly and efficiently strengthening its current position. LIC and independent intel sources have confirmed the voice in the holo-video as belonging to Calvin McIntyre, son of HR McIntyre and known student of the Word of Blake.
He seems to lead a force of anywhere between five and eight separate “divisions”, combined-arms units at roughly the same strength as an LCT, depending on their makeup (at least one has two Battalions of BattleMechs). These forces are believed to be mostly pirates who were recruited from the Cyclops Station. Locating Cyclops Station should be the LIC’s primary focus going forwards. 
With two WarShips, one of which is the largest in the region, the Cirincus Federation will be a threat for the future unless we can concentrate on them, something we are unlikely to be able to do until the Clan threat is ended.
Unfortunately, I do not see any potential opportunities from this nation as long as Calvin McIntyre leads this breakaway nation.
Southwest Covenant Worlds: A collection of former Lyran worlds, these seven worlds declared their independence from the Lyran Commonwealth and seceded. In doing so, two respectably large mercenary commands and a relatively minor one have switched their allegiances over to the newly formed nation. The Seventeenth Recon Regiment aka Camacho's Caballeros, Haborym’s Legion, and Kelly's Armoured Regiment all consider the young nation their home.
The small nation appears to be in the middle of reorganizing its own military forces to defend the new worlds it calls its own, merging their militia Armor regiments with the four battalions belonging to the Seventeenth Recon Regiment, akin to Kelly's Armored Regiment. It seems these five units will be the core of their new military with the Seventeenth and Kelly’s essentially becoming house units. The Haborym’s Legion has seemingly kept itself from being involved in these reforms and appear to be holding onto their mercenary routes. That particular unit is still rebuilding itself after forcibly ejecting Word of Blake liaison officers from the unit which were picked up during their time in the Free Worlds League, the strangest thing about Haborym’s Legion is their units appear to be spread out over at least three worlds
Finally, the small nation has signed on the Black Lance Mercenary Group to shore up their military forces. The long-time periphery mercenaries control two mobile factories which appear to be heavily modified DropShip hulls that have been permanently mounted to two Monolith-class JumpShips. Where exactly mercenaries gained these vessels we currently do not know only that the Black Lance Mercenary Group spend a lot of resources on defending them and refuse to allow visitors aboard. These mobile factories, along with the small factory on Poulsbo the run by the Haborym’s Legion, will keep the young nation well supplied, if limited to mostly older technology.
The Black Lance Mercenary Group are a potential opportunity to for the future should we be able to sway the Southwest Covenant Worlds to our cause then the mercenaries could be brought under contract and we could gain access to their mobile factories.
Rim Collection: The Rim Collection has long been seen as Erdvynn Province’s big brother. That it acted decisively and merged with the batted nation earlier this month just proves this point. The Rim Collection has lost the pride of their fleet, the RCS Resolute, along with a large number of naval and aerospace personnel, not to mention assets. This has coincided with their unveil of the York-class Destroyer/Carrier, the Hellstorm from Tukayyid and the withdrawal of two further warships from Clan Space back to the Rim Collection. Interestingly, the RCS Hellstorm is undergoing more work by the RCS Providence, suggesting it isn’t fully completed at this time. Furthermore, the Collection has recently suspended work on all JumpShips and have begun around the clock work on a pair of Warships at their Viborg shipyard. Altogether, the Collection is going to war soon and I don’t want to be the Circinus Federation when they do. With the Erdvynn Provincial Guard remnants now rolled into the Rim Guards, the Rim Collection Touman has added another cluster to its already burgeoning combat forces.
In the future the expanded Rim Collection is more likely going to turn its eyes back towards the Stone Spirits instead of our borders once it has finished with the Cirincus Federation. Unfortunately its additional territory in the Erdvynn territories will likely tie them up for a while meaning the Stone Spirits may be a threat to Lyran space more than the Collections. Already we’ve seen Fire Mandrill traders approach us on border worlds looking for deals unfortunately for the Mandrills they are not as experienced with dealing with the Inner Sphere as the Sea Foxes.
Archonette Kathy Parks
Buena Archonette’s Office
--FINI--
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Category:Short Stories
Category:Works by James Tanaga
Category:Dragon Cat Collection