TBntG-3 Chpt 7

=The Bull and the Genie=
==Chapter 7 - Book III - The Clan Invasion==
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
-----
==Operation Liberation Rise and Fall==
----
Hesperus II, Lyran Commonwealth
----
General Nondi Steiner jinked to the side, one of those damnably long-ranged clan PPCs scorching her advanced Zeus. But they were also doing damage, pushing the clan forces back, and if the Toads were more powerful than the powered armor they had, the Clans hadn't trained to function with semi-portable weapons as much, and most importantly, a Toad could kill a PAL trooper, but not and also attack a BattleMech.
The vaunted Clan warriors seemed to be in short supply. Prisoners had been taken, and they were either from second-line Clan forces, or even auxiliary troops—periphery scum equipped in mechs very little different from the ones the Federated Commonwealth troops were piloting. Even better, the fleet in orbit, including a pair of destroyers, had withdrawn after a brief skirmish with the Comstar warships. 
We will talk about that little secret. But right now, it was time to smash the Clans. They had clearly been banking on panic to win their wars for them. But now that they were getting tied down on planets that they couldn't simply flee from… Even better, one of their "Battleships," a McKenna class, had withdrawn, showing clear signs of maintenance problems. 
"All units continue to advance. I want the factories cleared of the forces besieging them."
 
The Clans had attempted to terrify the Inner Sphere into submission, but they had failed.
----
"If we had another month, they would be completely out of position." Frederick gestured at the situation map. "Damaged" Warships had skirmished with Inner Sphere forces, and then vanished, and now the Inner Sphere units were moving faster, trying to catch or pin down their "retreating" enemy.
 
"That is impossible," the Ghost Bear Khan said. "There have already been a few unauthorized Circles of Equals over these Dezgra tactics."
 
Frederick glanced at his superior. "And you, My Khan?"
 
"More of a delay would give us more time to fortify the Free Rasalhague Republic. Their conditional surrender requires us to protect them from any retaliation. But we cannot wait, not and keep the Grand Council United."
 
Frederick frowned. The information coming out of the Combine… They had taken Rasalhague's decision very poorly. He could see the worry but…
 
"What of them integrating their own intelligence services with the Clan Watch?"
 
"That has raised issues. I understand the need for agents who are more used to the Inner Sphere, but a number of other clans feel that is placing too much power in the Watch."
 
Or that it will be full of people who are more sympathetic to the Wolves and Ghost Bear's way of doing things than the Smoke Jaguars'. 
 
But there were some things you didn't say to a Khan, even your own.
 
"Very well. With the approval of the Grand Council, My Khan?"
 
"It is given."
 
All Warfare is based on deception.
 
Another book few in the Clans had read, but it would serve them well. The Clan forces had withdrawn from their initial targets, save for second-line forces and some… over eager units, most of them Smoke Jaguar and Jade Falcon, but the Inner Sphere wasn't aware that they had withdrawn from those initial targets, and advanced further into the Inner sphere, prefabbed space stations providing supplies and support. 
 
I am wagering everything on a bet, including, quite possibly, my own life. They could not take every world, and if the Inner Sphere did not lose their nerve, they could weather this blow. 
 
But the Scavenger Lords were just as honor-focused as the Smoke Jaguars were, which was another thing you didn't bring up, even to your own Khan.
 
We will see. The target list, every Clan Warship save for the ones engaging in their deception operations, nearly fifty percent of their total frontline troop strength…
 
Focused on just three worlds. 
 
Luthien, Tharkad, and New Avalon. Frederick would have preferred to hit all of the capital worlds, but they simply didn't have enough manpower, and targeting Terra was something that just couldn't be done, not without the risk that the first Khan to land would proclaim himself IlKhan. For that matter, New Avalon was more of a raid than an invasion. Too far away to effectively support, the primary purpose there was to smash the elite units protecting the capital, as well as show the civilians that their Lords couldn't protect them. 
 
First, the Samarkand raiding groups would attack a few worlds within two jumps of the capital planets. Frederick didn't expect much from that, but every unit drawn off was one that could be destroyed or isolated. 
 
Then…
 
The main groups would strike. 
 
Fortunately, his primary worry, that they'd use the Wolf's Dragoons as a reserve force, one capable of engaging Clan forces one on one, wasn't going to be an issue. The Dragoons were on Outreach and by all accounts were actually tying down Federated Commonwealth forces assigned to watch them in case they took the side of the Clans. 
 
And if they panic, they will move as quickly as possible, rather than leaving a reserve charge in their battery-capable transports. They will come trickling in.
 
And if they do not, if they are smart, it will give us enough time to turn their capital worlds into traps, to savage even a united force on the way down.
 
Even better, if the tides of war turned against them, they would withdraw from those worlds in good order, turning them into devastating raids without risking their own forces. 
 
And if they were lucky, the damage to the morale of the Inner Sphere would win the war for them. The Council was already preparing to send a proposal—really an ultimatum to the Free Worlds League and Capellan Confederation, offering peace in return for disarmament. Frederick wasn't certain if they'd agree, but their forces were far inferior to those of the Draconis Combine, Federated Commonwealth, and Taurian Concordat, so if they could strike enough of a blow…
 
I will receive no bloodname for this. The Smoke Jaguar's may accept the Grand Council decision, but these tactics are too Dezgra. I wonder if when the war is over, they'll change the history books? Frederick shook his head. Probably not. His own Khan would take that as an insult to the Ghost Bears. Still… does it matter? It is my duty, after all. 
 
He keyed in the orders.
 
Now it was time to wait and see how the dice fell.
----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
Book 3 - 07