TBC26

==Chapter 26 - The Broken Commonwealth==
===Aftermath of Battle of Gibbs===
CWS Bloody Fang, Cameron Class Battlecruiser
Gibbs Star System, Lyran Commonwealth
Late 3146
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There hadn't been a Fleet Action like this since the fall of Terra, and yet, it wasn't so extensive that it couldn't happen again.
Despite her best efforts, and the efforts of the Commonwealth's current ally of convenience, fully half the Falcon Fleet had slipped the trap. Having escaping the Gibbs system.
"This is a great victory, Admiral, I am pleased to be a part of it."  Star Commodore Ivan Fetladral congratulated her over comms when the last of the enemy's major vessels were confirmed to be well away from Gibbs.
"No, this was a defeat and a ****** up." Sharon stated.  "At best, at best it's a draw.  Half the enemy's fleet, including their flagship, got away." Her eyes on the screen were cold and hard, her tone sharp and reeking of disappointment.  "Instead of neutralizing their navy, we just taught them how to fight us."
Nobody had an argument for that.
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===Gathering of Leaders===
The Royal Palace
Tharkad Star System, Lyran Commonwealth
November 3rd, 3146
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Back home on Kowloon, November is start of the truly warm months. This year would be a high summer year, with both suns at closest approach and an average temperature in the Nha Tranh area of forty five degrees Celsius throughout the 30 hour daylight period.
On Tharkad, it's late fall and into early Winter, on a world much much colder.
"At the founding, there were nine archons. This went on until Archon Basileus Marsden threw the other eight down." Trillian Steiner-Davion was explaining.
"I took history class in grade school." Sharon commented, "We can also look at the precedent of Archonettes and the walking mistake of Tamari LaRue."  her skinsuit came with built in insulation and heaters. This left only her face and head exposed to Tharkad's frigid, damp air, as they walked up the steps of the Royal Palace.  "So you're a tributary to the Wolf Empire now." Sharon added.
"So are you." Trillian told her, and Sharon simply nodded grudging assent.
The Khan of the Wolf Empire was waiting inside, "Welcome home, Trillian." he said, "Apologies for the condition of the place, we cleaned it up but..."
"It's fine." Trillian said. "This is Admiral Sharon Ngo, you mentioned a desire to meet with her in person."
"Khan Ward." Sharon nodded, not quite bowing but also pointedly not saluting.
"Admiral." he returned the abbreviated courtesy.  "Star Commodore Fetladral had good things to say about you."
"I'm sure they're exaggerated." she said, "He was kinda cute for a skinny dude, but a little too eager to take the battle at Gibbs as a win."
"You contend it was not?" asked Alaric
"We lost around a third of our ships for only half the enemy task force destroyed." she stated, "It was a ****** disaster-they got our measure, they won't fall for the same thing again.  This wasn't Jutland, it was Savo Island.  I'm not sure they're going to give us enough time to make up the losses and we were in pretty bad shape when it kicked off."
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News Spread of Changes in the Commonwealth as result of the Battle of Gibbs
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[Ripples...]
One of the results of Wolf intervention at Gibbs was that the Wolf Empire gained access to warship-grade shipyard facilities. Which was much, much, closer than the Sea Foxes.
The other knock-on was a pushing back of Falcon influence. This would end up creating a buffer zone between where Reinhardt Steiner's offensive began, and where it ended.  The net result being that the Lyran Commonwealth looks LESS like a barbell.
The final knock-on being an accord reached between Trillian and Alaric.  On Wolf Empire maps, the rest of the commonwealth is now colored a lighter shade of the same brown, and this is acceptable with the Commonwealth's new status as a semi-autonomous protectorate of Clan Wolf.
For the first time since Katherine Steiner-Davion, Lyrans were tributary to another empire.  That said, the empire is ruled from Skye instead of New Avalon or Terra is beside the point.  The ongoing threat of the Falcon ordun and the remnant realm's impoverished, damaged, state has left little in terms of options save a fall into irrelevance followed by being devoured anyway.  This compromise state at least allows something like a State to continue to exist-even if it is as a tributary protectorate subject to the will of the Khan of the Wolf Empire.
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