DVH Chpt 17

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==Davion Heir (BattleTech CYOA)Chapter 17==
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===Improving relations with Aurigan Coalition===
Murirod, Muridox
Aurigan Coalition
18th December, 3015
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“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me so promptly, High Lord Arano.” says Victoria.
“It is no trouble,” replies the genial man, “I’m sure that you have a busier schedule than mine and I would be a fool to turn down the First Prince when she has asked to meet with me.”
 
“I’m glad to hear that.” says Victoria, “To get down to business, I’m sure you would like to see the Aurigan Coalition recognized as a legitimate state by the Federated Suns.”
 
“I certainly do,” agrees High Lord Tamati Arano, looking absolutely positive at the path the conversation is taking, “I know that the Coalition has only been around for little more than a century, but we are certainly a legitimate nation for all our faults and size. It has just been troublesome to get recognition of that fact. So far only the Magistracy has been willing to accept the validity of our claims.”
 
“Well, I can’t speak for any other nations, but I suspect that the Free Worlds League and Lyran Commonwealth might change their tune though no promises,” says Victoria, “In any case, I am hoping to open up an amicable relationship between the Federated Suns and the Aurigan Coalition. I know your state is very minor compared to my own, but I would rather have trade and tourism rather than death and destruction.”
 
“Likewise for reasons I feel should be obvious.” says High Lord Arano, “Now I don’t want to be the sort of person who looks the gift horse in the mouth, but I would be amiss in my duties if I didn’t at least ask about why the sudden change in stance?”
 
“As with all things these days, the Draconis Combine breathing down my neck,” answers Victoria, “While I don’t expect you to aid me in that, I am looking to secure my borders with diplomacy so I can prioritize my coreward front.”
 
“Ah, completely understandable,” says High Lord Arano, “I would be happy to help in that regard, but I’m afraid that the differences in power mean that the Coalition won’t be able to do much. And that the nature of the Coalition’s government means I cannot make any unilateral agreements as much as I would like to be able to. I have to consult the Founding Council before the Coalition can formally agree to anything. I don’t see them not agreeing to this mind you. They aren’t fools by any means.”
 
“Of course,” replies Victoria, having read a briefing on the peculiarities of the Aurigan Coalition prior to this meeting, “I don’t require that we walk out of here with an agreement. For today, I merely wish to establish common ground and an amicable relationship. Due to my busy needs and lack of personal experience in such things, the Ministry of Foreign Relations will be taking point in the negotiations. As our people are now neighbors to each other thanks to recent events, I feel that establishing trade and potentially more is in our mutual best interests.”
 
“The Founding Council will certainly be willing to make formal trade agreements with one of our new neighbors,” replies High Lord Arano before pausing, “Or perhaps soon to be our only new neighbour if the rumors are correct?”
 
“I have given Candace Liao leave to reclaim the Capellan worlds conquered by McCarron and Canopus.” confirms Victoria, “I have also forbidden her from attacking the Concordat, the League, and the Coalition.”
 
“Unless you have any objections, I’ll pass that onto the Founding Council.” says High Lord Arano, “Knowing about the lack of alternatives should help speed things up and keep anyone from playing silly games in hopes of getting a better deal.”
 
“I have no objections.” answers Victoria.
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===Ceasing of Raiding===
Wete, Zanzibar
Taurian Concordat
24th January, 3016
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he knew that the Taurians were going to be frustrating to deal with, but Victoria hadn’t been expecting them to be getting on her nerves before she had even arrived. Yes, it was entirely reasonable for Protector Zarantha Calderon to delay the talks until after Christmas so she could spend it with her family. And yet at the same time, she was forcing the First Prince to wait at Zanzibar for the Protector instead of granting her permission to come to Taurus for the talks.
 
While it irked Victoria to have to wait on Zanzibar until the Protector had finished up for Christmas and made her way over, she hadn't spent the time unproductively. Zarantha Calderon may have spent her free time getting to Zanzibar, but the Taurian individuals who had an interest in speaking with her had wasted no time getting their butts to the planet once they learned the First Prince would be coming. And by making the decision to talk with the Aurigans first once the Protector had delayed their own talk until after Christmas, Victoria had given them a chance to reach Zanzibar before Zarantha showed up.
 
The average Taurian may be disposed to dislike House Davion and the Federated Suns by default, but some individuals in the Concordat are more open-minded, especially those who seek to be able to trade with the largest market that they have access to. So since Victoria arrived at Zanzibar at the start of the new year, she has been dealing with Taurian businessmen and corporate representatives who want under the table business with the Federated Suns.
 
Whilst it may all be rendered irrelevant if Victoria does come to a suitable arrangement with the Protector, the First Prince feels that she has arranged a pretty good fallback in case she doesn’t. The Taurian Concordat may refuse to trade with the Federated Suns, but they have no such refusal to conduct trade when it comes to the Aurigan Coalition. While it would mean the Suns paying more than direct trade with the Concordat, by selling to the Aurigans who then resell the goods to the Federation, the people of the Federated Suns can get access to the products of the Concordat. 
 
It might be underhanded and more expensive, but given that the Taurians produce some desirable Heavy ‘Mechs that the TDF only buys half of, Victoria won’t complain. In a day and age where the Draconians are the only people who are building new ‘Mech factories with relative ease, Victoria will take whatever BattleMech production for the AFFS that she can get her hands on.
 
Ideally such measures will be unnecessary if things go well, but when it comes to the Taurians, Victoria isn’t going to get her hopes up. Especially since Zarantha decided to put these negotiations on hold for Christmas since that is an unpleasant indicator of how well she values these talks. Or maybe Victoria is overthinking it because she doesn’t have much of a family while Zarantha does. Not that the Protector has much of one either with just her son and his wife along with their son, her grandson.
 
That said, even now Victoria is the first one to arrive, wearing a comfortable blue dress as she sits at the table. Thankfully it doesn’t take too long for the elderly Zarantha Calderon to enter.
 
“Protector, thank you for coming,” says Victoria as the other woman sits down, resisting the urge to add a ‘finally’ onto the end of her sentence.
 
“Well, you are the first First Prince who has decided to approach the Taurian Concordat for diplomatic negotiation since the Succession Wars began,” replies Zarantha gruffly, “Perhaps even as far back as since the Reunification War took place.”
 
“Quite probably,” agrees Victoria, “Since we are being blunt here, I must say that I am surprised you agreed to this. The typical stereotype would have you refusing to even hear me out.”
 
“Hmph, there’s more truth to that than I would like,” admits Zarantha, “Plenty of my advisors recommended that I don’t even talk to you because a Davion isn’t trustworthy, but only a damn fool would ignore it when your largest neighbour proves their ability to militarily crush you if they felt like it. Especially when they then turn around and ask to talk. Costs me nothing to hear you out and to be frank, I’ve never been aligned with the factions who think that going to war with the Federated Suns is the future of the Concordat.”
 
“I also don’t want war between the Suns and the Concordat,” says Victoria, “I know our people have had their differences, but the Concordat is the sort of nation I can live with and I don’t feel like sending my people to their deaths for things that happened centuries ago.”
 
“A rather un-Davion like attitude,” comments the Protector and Victoria restrains herself from laughing at the audacity of the older woman, “You Feddies sure make a big deal about the Kentares Massacre despite happening over two centuries ago.”
 
“The Draconis Combine still supports the Kentares Massacre to this day as their official line,” retorts the First Prince, doing her best to retrain the anger that the clearly insulting comment was meant to provoke, “Oh they might make some talk about Jijiro being a bad Coordinator for it, but they do so in secret and they don’t object to what was done, just him getting too closely tied to it. They praise the actions of the DCMS for dutifully obeying the Dragon’s orders. They have war crimes as part of their regulations and standing orders and they reward war crimes while punishing people for refusing to commit them. They have slaves and openly proclaim it is House Kurita’s destiny to conquer and enslave all of humanity.
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==Author's Chapter Notes==
;Word from the Author: nd here is Victoria securing her rimward border. Cutting a deal with the very eager Aurigans and cutting another deal with the reluctant Taurians on the grounds that the Kuritans are worse and a bigger threat. Anyway, we are hitting the endgame of the story now. I have another thing for Hikari to hit Victoria around the head with and then it is the big Steiner/Davion vs Kurita showdown. After that, I might do an epilogue to tie up some loose ends.
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