OPREF-2 Chpt 6

=Book 2, Chapter 6 - House of Cards=
==Opalescent Reflections==
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===Bargaining with Mercenaries===
Imperial City, Luthien
Clan Diamond Shark Occupation Zone
10 December 3050
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"I am not saying it is beyond repair," Gideon told Ace firmly, "But for the time and parts needed. It is more efficient to strip it to repair other 'mechs." The technician was cleaning his hands with a rag. "You were hard on it."
 
"Most of that was the fault of the enemy," Ace pointed out defensively.
 
Gideon eyed him suspiciously. "So the enemy jumped and drove their cockpit directly into the foot? Because I do not recall that model of 'mech having jump jets."
 
"I said most of the fault, not all of the fault." Ace explained
 
"I would need to strip one leg up to the knee to deal with the damage to the actuators," the aging technician told him. "And that is the good leg."
 
Ace raised his hands in surrender. "You are the expert, Gideon." Losing his 'mech was unfortunate but if it got other omnimechs back in service then he had no real grounds for complaint. Casualties - human and in terms of equipment - had been high across the board. Triage was sorting both to get as many of both fit for use again, but the touman was in no state for another battle,
 
Whether there would be enough time to have them back in something resembling fighting trim by the time the next wave of attacks was due to begin was another question. Ace doubted that anyone knew yet - the technicians were still assessing the full impact.
 
"I appreciate all your hard work," Ace added. He had heard of Barbara Sennet's message to the technician caste and - perhaps inspired by it - the support staff had been putting every waking hour into making good damage taken. Without them, the battle might have turned out very differently.
 
The final numbers were in that they had faced the equivalent of twelve regiments of battlemechs, bringing the level of opposition to the point that Ace would have been tempted to abort. And the battle was not over - the majority of Luthien remained under the control of the Combine civil authorities and such forces as had managed to escape the fighting. Securing the planet would not be easy - there were literally billions of citizens to deal with.
 
Gideon reached up and massaged the side of his neck. "I would appreciate it if you could take better care of your next 'mech."
 
"I will do my best," Ace promised, although he knew it had much less weight than either would like. "Are the tech crews getting enough rest?"
 
"We are getting a staged twelve hours on and the same off since the city fell." the older Diamond Shark assured him. "It is slowing repairs, but not as much as the errors that sleep deprivation would cause."
 
Ace was about to discuss ordering warriors to help the techs where they were not already doing so - Mechwarriors and Elementals had to know some of the maintenance skills for their own weapons - but his comm buzzed. He stepped back apologetically, and tapped the device. "Ace Enders."
 
"Galaxy Commander, there are nine battlemechs approaching the base," Norman reported. He was covering command post duties until his own Gargoyle was repaired. Hopefully it was in a better state than Ace's Stormcrow.
 
"I understand. What do we have to intercept them?" Ace asked, turning and making long strides in the direction of the command post.
 
"Julian's Star is moving to intercept and another is getting mounted up," the mechwarrior replied. "But they don't seem to be moving in to attack."
 
To be fair, attacking the Twenty-First Assault Cluster with just nine battlemechs would be a rather rash decision. They had almost twenty battlemechs in fighting shape - if in need of further repair work when the opportunity arose, but able to fight. And it was unlikely that the approaching force were in much better state.
 
It didn't take long the reach the command post - the same prefab building that had been used on the march from the original landing site. Dropships had moved up now that there were no air defenses to worry about, but no one entirely trusted the DCMS facilities yet. There was probably nothing wrong with them, but one booby trap could wipe out a trinary if they had missed one.
 
Inside, Ace found Norman hunched over a console. "Sir, they are offering you a challenge." He held up a headset.
"Me?" Ace checked it was muted and then donned it. "By name?"
 
"They just asked for the commander." The mechwarrior lent forwards in his chair. "They claim to be Wolves."
 
"Well, Wolf's Dragoons… you mean Clan Wolf? First generation Wolf's Dragoons?"
 
"Aff."
 
Ace unmuted himself. "This is Galaxy Commander Ace Enders of Clan Diamond Shark."
 
"And I am Galaxy Commander Natasha Kerensky of Clan Wolf," a woman's voice replied. "I claim the use of a Dropship and JumpShip to take my binary to our Clan's invasion corridor. What do you bid in defense?"
 
Kerensky? Ace pulled himself over to one of the consoles and ran a check to see if he had a file on the original Wolf's Dragoons membership. "Under the circumstances, I would have to verify your identity."
 
"I don't recall that being a requirement for a trial's bidding," she replied quickly. "Or did all the real warriors die fighting the snakes?"
 
"No, but you do not even sound like a Clan warrior," Ace pointed out. "And the Combine have tried to trick us with false identification before. What is a Wolf binary doing here?"
 
"We were with the Wolf's Dragoons, obviously. But it's time to rejoin the Clan. If you don't have the guts to fight then you can just hand the ships and crews over, Galaxy Commander."
 
"I think not," Ace said crisply. He had found the file he wanted and sorted the list for bloodnamed personnel. There was indeed a Natasha Kerensky on the list. "If you want transport back to your Clan then we may be able to work something out, but I doubt they would thank me for sending a fake, so I want to meet you first to check your identity."
 
"...I'd say you were paranoid, but given the Combine. You may have a point." the woman conceded. "Alright, how do you want to play this?"
 
"Dismount and one of my mechwarriors will bring you to the command post." He looked over at Norman, muting his microphone. "Relay that to Julian."
 
"You're asking a lot of trust from me now." Natasha objected.
 
"What sort of Wolf lacks the courage to face those they challenge?" Ace asked her.
 
That got a laugh. "You have me there. Okay kid, but if this turns into a trap. I'll have my binary storm the camp and it'll take more than a couple of stars to stop us."
 
"Thank you for the warning." he answered and removed the headset.
 
"Julian will send her back," Norman told him. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
 
"Neg," Ace admitted. "But I am curious. And we can take reasonable precautions." He gave orders for two Elemental guards - and to prepare for potentially hosting a binary of visiting Clan Wolf warriors.
------
A few minutes later, a red-haired woman who looked as old as the late Coordinator walked in. Despite the lines on her face, she stood straight and moved confidently. "So which of you is Ace Enders?" she asked, looking around the room as if she was the one in charge.
 
"That would be me."
 
"Blake's blood, how old are you?"
 
"Twenty…" he recalled that his birthday had passed during the battle, "Four."
 
Natasha seemed bemused. "Did we kill the previous galaxy commander? I know attrition's been harsh, but I was thirty before I won my rank."
 
Ace shook his head. "I was in command when we landed." He had checked the limited data available on Natasha Kerensky while he waited and her comment scratched off one of the questions he'd planned to ask her - that was the right year of rank.
 
The redhead shook her head. "It feels like I should be asking you to prove your identity, but since you say so…" She reversed one of the chairs and sat down straddling it. "How do you want to prove who I am? I doubt Clan Wolf has given blood samples out."
 
Ace checked his notes. "If you are who you say you are, you've fought our Clan before. What world was it?"
 
"...that was a long time ago." She closed her eyes for a moment. "Paxon, I think."
 
That was correct. "Which unit?"
 
"I was with the 328th Assault Cluster, I don't recall who we were against."
 
Ace nodded. She was right about her own unit, which was what he had meant. "Alright. And according to my information, only one other warrior graduated from your sibko. What was his name?"
 
"Ha. Nice try," she told him. "It was Rilla - Cyrilla Ward. How did you know that?"
 
Also correct. "We keep files on high ranking officers in other Clans. You're a footnote on hers."
 
The Wolf's eyes flashed. "Watch your mouth, punk."
 
"My nose gets in the way." he told her wryly and set the noteputer down. "Very well, I accept that you are who you say you are. Moving on to your challenge, I think it would be unfair to bid less than two binaries in defense of our dropship… given your greater age and experience." Then he spread his hands. "Or would you like to make a deal."
 
"You surat," she growled. "It'd serve you right if I had the whole Black Widows turn up, then see how your two binaries managed."
 
"I was thinking we'd send them from the aerospace forces," Ace replied cheerfully. "Forty aerospace fighters should make mincemeat of your 'mechs. But I take it that you are interested in bargaining."
 
Natasha leant forwards on her chair. "You don't even look like a Diamond Shark." she complained. "Burrock descent - that's where the bloodname comes from, isn't it?" When he inclined his head, the aged woman continued: "But you do sound like a Shark. Alright, what are you wanting?"
 
"I would like a Clan Galaxy Commander's full debrief on everything she can remember about her experiences fighting in the Inner Sphere." Ace told her. "More than forty years of experience counts for a lot and since I arrived here, I have developed a suspicion that what got passed on was edited - the politics of the Grand Council can cause problems like that."
 
That surprised her and she leant back slightly. "I couldn't say," she admitted after a moment. "I am willing - but just a debriefing. I'm not agreeing to you wringing me dry with chemical interrogation and then handing me over to Clan Wolf in a year or two."
 
Ace pretended disappointment. "Oh well, if you want the express transport option then I'll have to ask you for a little more." He wasn't sure what to ask for a moment and then had a thought. "Perhaps frequency and encryption for a radio channel we can use to contact the Wolf's Dragoons." It was possible that others might be induced to take the same sort of deal - he doubted that mercenaries would want to fight a long-running guerilla war on Luthien.
Natasha frowned. "I can give you one such channel," she conceded. "But I want your word that we'll be on the first shipment across to the Wolves. I know you've got to be trading supplies with everyone."
 
She would be wrong about that, Ace thought. "Not so much as you may think. But by all means - if there is nothing soon, then the next time the ilKhan calls for a Grand Kurultai, my Khan can take you to meet with the Wolf Khans. Until then you and your warriors will be extended our hospitality."
 
The woman nodded in agreement. "Bargained well and done." She offered her hand and Ace accepted, shaking hands. "I get the feeling I'll find out from someone here how you got to be a Galaxy Commander when you're barely old enough to shave," she added, releasing her grip on his hands.
 
"It is not a very long story." Ace said modestly.
 
"It hardly could be at your age."
 
He let her have the last word, turning and sending word to Julian that the 'mechs were to be allowed in and the mechwarriors made welcome. Hospitality would mean a tent and the same camp rations being issued at the moment, but if that wasn't to their taste that was just too bad.
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Once Natasha was gone, he opened a channel to Gamma Galaxy headquarters. It only took a few moments for Barbara Sennet to be available. "I was meaning to contact you later today." she greeted him abruptly. "Is there a problem?"
 
"More of an opportunity." he replied and outlined what had happened.
 
There as a long moment of silence before she asked: "You believe her account will be that valuable?"
 
"All our information about the Inner Sphere comes from ComStar or from the Combine's own accounts which are obviously biased," Ace pointed out. "An independent viewpoint from a Clan warrior could help us to avoid future problems as we expand our own firsthand knowledge. And at the end of the day, one Union on a dropship collar next time you attend a Grand Kurultai is not going to eat into our shipping very much."
 
The Khan frowned. "We are more stretched than you may think. I have already decided that one Galaxy will be remaining on Luthien - we cannot afford to keep supplying four galaxies on the advance."
 
Ace nodded in understanding. "We will need forces here to pacify the planet, and I suppose it reduces pressure to bring Omega Galaxy up to strength quickly if they are based here."
"Those are valid points, but I do not plan to leave Omega Galaxy," Sennet told him. "We are better supplied with secondline equipment, and Luthien is valuable enough that there could be an attempt to liberate it so I am leaving you here with Alpha Galaxy."
 
That wasn't a possibility Ace had considered. He opened his mouth to object and then paused, weighing the reasons.
 
"If you challenge me," the Khan warned him, "I will go out of my way to choose a means of combat I know you are not skilled in. This is not forever, and completing the conquest will add to your prestige more than taking other worlds that are of no real note."
 
"I would not say that our targets in the next wave are unimportant," Ace disagreed. "But I will not challenge the decision. There is enough sense to what you say that I would be putting my pride above my duty."
 
"Good. For what it is worth," she added, "You have proven your competence as a Galaxy Commander. I will have a posting for you when I take over Alpha Galaxy, but that will be put off again, obviously." She paused. "Now, what do you propose to do with the frequency for the Wolf's Dragoons?"
 
"It seems to me that they would likely be unhappy about the prospect of fighting a guerilla war on Luthien," he explained. "The DCMS soldiers may attempt it, but the mercenaries have other concerns. They might be willing to accept a batchall to come out and face us if we offer them free passage should they win."
 
"An interesting idea," Sennet allowed. "However, that would cost us more in troops and equipment, when we are already in need of more of both. There is another option. Open the channel now and I will offer them a bargain."
 
Ace glanced over at Norman and the two of them set up the transmission. "We will be live in three seconds, my Khan. Two, one…"
 
"Greetings to the Wolf Dragoons," Sennet declared formally. "I am Barbara Sennet, Khan of Clan Diamond Shark and victor on Luthien. I wish to speak to Jaime Wolf or one of his officers."
 
There was a long pause and Ace had almost come to the conclusion that they were being ignored when a man spoke. "I am Major Mackenize Wolf, current commander of the Wolf's Dragoons on Luthien. What do you want?"
 
Sennet seemed unfazed by the blunt reply. "I take it that you are familiar with Clan customs, Major?"
 
"I wasn't born in the homeworlds, but I know of them." he admitted.
 
"Very well. Out of respect to the valiance of your troops, I offer you hegira." the Khan told him. "If you accept, we will grant you safe passage to your dropships, release any of your captured warriors who wish to rejoin you and then permit them to travel to whichever jump point you find convenient. It will be up to you to arrange JumpShips out of the system but I am sure ComStar will be cooperative."
 
"What is in it for you?" Wolf asked suspiciously. "Diamond Sharks have been pretty anal about trying not to let troops escape them up to now."
 
"That is true, Major. However, you are mercenaries - and moreover, you are a unit descended from Clan warriors. We have no real quarrel with you, and allowing you depart will let us focus on the DCMS forces - who I assume will not retreat no matter what you offer. If you prefer to remain here and fight us for however long it takes us to run you down, this is acceptable of course."
 
Wolf hesitated. "Since you said you have no quarrel, what about the Kell Hounds?"
 
"I have no contact information for them," Sennet admitted freely. "If you can relay the offer to them, the terms are the same and the offer is open for the next forty-eight hours. After that, your dropships will be considered valid targets."
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===Rein of the new Coordinator begins in Crisis===
Yamashiro, New Samarkand
Galedon Military District, Draconis Combine
5 January 3051
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Previously Minoru had not entered the Black Chamber beneath the old palace. Even as the assumed heir, should the worst happen -
 
(Which had happened).
 
- he did not have the status to be seated at the high command of the DCMS, much less to lead the meetings. But today, after the rituals of purification and enthronement -
 
(Clad in the red and black haori that only his grandfather should be wearing).
 
- and ceremonies before the entire court, Minoru was Coordinator of the Draconis Combine and the room belonged to him. As he walked down the long staircase, broken by five landings that each had their own security requirements, he allowed himself to relax slightly. Even to pause and take time to try to center himself.
 
It would have been a dreadful day even if, partway through the preparations, Subdash Indrahar had not taken the liberty of interrupting him with an update of more bad news.
 
This was his life now.
 
Before he opened the door at the bottom of the stairs, Minoru checked himself in a small mirror there and took a deep breath. He was no longer a young chu-i, nor a mere grandson. He was the dragon and he must rule or he would be ruled over by the power brokers of the Draconis Combine - reduced to a puppet, as had once happened to the Emperors of Japan.
 
With his chi centered, Minoru opened the door and entered the chamber. Desultory conversion at the table ceased and four pairs of eyes went to him as he let the door close and crossed to his chair.
 
The room was not actually black, it was comfortably furnished and lit. But the space that he saw was barely a third the volume of the chamber. The rest was ancient machinery of Star League origins intended to keep every possible means of communication or intrusion from entering.
 
Here in the Black Chamber, the Coordinator and his warlords plotted the future of the Draconis Combine and of - eventually - all mankind. No security measure could be considered too extreme.
 
Sat at the head of the table, the Coordinator tipped his hand slightly to Subhash Indrahar. "Inform them."
 
His grandfather's old friend wasn't in one of the comfortable chairs, he preferred his own wheelchair. How the ISF chief got down the other staircase, Minoru had no idea. Possibly someone carried him to the threshold. "Now he looked even more ancient than ever, hands almost trembling. "One of our agents on Luthien has reported on the status of other members of House Kurita," he informed the group. His usual smile was gone. "It is now almost certain that the Son of the Dragon perished upon the battlefield."
 
The Warlord of Dieron lowered his head. "You are sure?" he enquired solemnly. Michi Noketsuna was usually cheerful and confident man - but he was also Theodore Kurita's trusted friend.
 
"Our agent has made contact with DCMS personnel being used as bondsmen." Indrahar said softly.
 
Boris Petroff almost spat. "Traitors. They should have ended their lives with honor, as Hohiro-sama… did…" He looked guiltily at Minoru.
 
The Coordinator did not respond to the Warlord of Benjamin's gaffe except to wait for Indrahar to continue.
 
"The soldiers in question have been asked to refrain from doing so, in order to gather further information on our behalf." the old man explained. "They are sacrificing their personal honor for the sake of the Combine, which is itself an act of honor."
 
Minoru hoped they would be rewarded in the next life, because there was damn all he could do for them at the moment.
 
"According to their reports, a command variant Hatamoto-chi has been recovered and both occupants had been killed after short-range missiles penetrated the cockpit." Indrahar continued. "It is not clear if the Diamond Sharks have managed identification, but we know that only one such battlemech was deployed, and we know that the Kanrei and his wife were using it. We must regrettably conclude that neither will be able to provide guidance to the Dragon in the future." Even if they had survived, Takashi's instructions for the succession had been specific: unless Theodore was free to confirm his ability to take control of the Combine by the new year, he was specifically removed from succession to clear Minoru's path. If his parents had escaped - something he had prayed for every day (almost every hour) until the quick briefing this morning - then Theodore would have found himself Kanrei for life, serving his own son.
 
(Minoru would have considered that awkward position - being an unfilial son who took his father's office - gladly if it meant they were with him).
 
Li Dok To, Warlord of Galedon, leant forwards. "They will be avenged," he promised bluntly. The same four words he had uttered when he heard of Takashi Kurita's death. The veteran officer was not prone to flamboyant language, but he was loyal. Minoru's new capital lay within the warlord's district, which made the latter invaluable.
 
After letting those worlds settle down, Li turned towards Noketsuma. "I am given to understand that you have diverted shipping to transport the Wolf's Dragoons and Kell Hounds back to the Federated Commonwealth - even after they fled Luthien."
 
The younger warlord smiled coldly. "Your understanding is not without basis."
 
"Since they are cowards who fled once the Diamond Sharks invited them to, you should have taken their 'mechs. Then it would take only one dropship to send them back and we could use the 'mechs."
 
Noketsuna tilted his head. "I will not speak of the Kell Hounds since I believe it is the Wolf's Dragoons who bear your ire. It would ill-repay those who fought for no less coin than honor alone to steal from them."
 
Minoru knew that Li Dok To had served in Galedon District as far back as the disastrous scheming by Grieg Samsonov to force the Wolf's Dragoons into disbanding and joining the DCMS, but he did not recall whether the old general had been part of that matter. Clearly Noketsuna did remember… and he had been aide to the famous Minobu Tetsuhara, who had died in the debacle.
 
"If the Dragon and the Wolf can forget their feud to fight as allies." he murmured, "Can their followers do less?"
 
Both warlords turned their heads and then bowed their heads slightly. "Christian Kell also evacuated surviving warriors of the Genyosha by claiming them as his own when their position was cut off," Noketsuna continued more moderately. "More than a dozen warriors with experience of surviving battles against the Clans - a scarce resource since the Sharks seem reluctant to allow escape from them."
 
"In addition to the information about your parents, Tono." Indrahar continued, "There is better news of your sister. As of forty-eight hours ago we know that she was alive and had avoided capture. The Order of Five Pillars are working to hide court officials and skilled workers from the Diamond Sharks. Lady Omi has taken a lead in these efforts."
 
"How long can they stay hidden?" the Coordinator asked seriously.
 
The old spymaster spread his hand. "That is an imponderable, Tono. Luthien's population is not small and this is to your sister's advantage, but the Diamond Sharks are not entirely inept in turning populations towards them."
 
"Including the yakuza." grumbled Petroff. "Can we even trust the Ghost Regiments when we hear about yakuza working with the Diamond Sharks on captured worlds? You know that their membership is mostly gangsters."
 
"The yakuza situation is complex." Indrahar observed. "True collaboration is rare and some are actively supporting efforts to destabilize the invader's rule. Unfortunately, the Sharks have shown more patience than most of the other Clans when it comes to such matters, while also being quite ruthless when they are able to tie such acts to the groups." He paused. "I suspect that some of their officers may have captured manuals for our own occupation practices on worlds taken under the Dragon's rule. There has been a significant upswing in the capability of their garrisons."
 
"'The most dangerous enemy is one who can learn'," the Coordinator quoted. He turned to Petroff. "What is the record of Ghost Regiments who have fought against the Clans?"
 
Evidently that information was not at the Warlord's fingertips as he had to open one of the consoles built into the table to find out. After a moment's typing, he reported: "Five of the Ghost Regiments have been committed to battle the Clans. The First and Fourth Regiments were destroyed by the Diamond Sharks' Alpha Galaxy on Cyrenaica, the Second at about the same time on Carpare. Previously, the Sixth and Eighth Regiments took heavy losses with the Eighth disbanded to bring the Sixth Regiment back up to strength. The Seventh Ghost Regiment based on McAlister and has raided occupied worlds twice, with some small victories."
 
"Even small victories have been hard to come by, this last year." observed Li Dok To.
 
Petroff took a deep breath. "I confess, it is not a record that suggests disloyalty. If it were a more honored brigade, I would apologize to their standard in the hall of the Ministry." The Ghost Regiments did not currently have a banner among those displayed outside the Ministry of the Expansion of the Glories of the Draconis Combine - they remained somewhat covert in nature, having been kept a complete secret from the Federated Commonwealth until they were deployed in 3039 and were still not always recognised.
 
"Their losses reflect a greater problem," Li Dok To observed. "We have seen tremendous losses. Besides the Ghost Regiments and the loss of three-quarters of the Sword of Light on Luthien, three regiments of Galedon District Regulars have been lost already - the Pesht and Alshain brigades are all but extinct. Can we continue to throw regiments into the path of the Clans?"
 
"We have few options," Noketsuna answered. "If they were minor border worlds I would counsel to gather forces for a decisive strike but the simple fact is, they are assaulting some of the most valuable industrial worlds we have. Three Dieron Regular regiments are also gone, and the Forty-First may not survive the Smoke Jaguars' assault on Alshain. We cannot evacuate shipyards and factories in the time we have."
 
"Tono," Petroff said quietly. "The DCMS will die to the last to defend the Combine, but as matters stand that is a real possibility. Close to a third of our battlemech forces have been disbanded, destroyed or will need years to recover. Losses are proportionately lower for infantry and armor only because fewer have been redeployed to fight these battles. The loss of two Sun Zhang Cadres leaves us with a shortage of replacement mechwarriors for at least a year - and the First Cadre is on Alshain with Warlord Dieron's Forty-First Regiment. We need a new strategy."
 
The Coordinator did not disagree, "My ears are open." he said quietly.
 
"The costs of what I propose will be steep," the warlord continued firmly. "We must evacuate workers and information from the Clan's path, at least within my own District. Units deployed there will be fighting holding actions only, and additional aerospace assets provided so we have some chance to withdraw them. Refits and new production should be sent to regiments out of that path."
 
"Are you planning to effectively cede worlds between the Clans and Dieron?" asked Noketsuna. He kept his voice non-confrontation. "I ask this sincerely, not in criticism."
 
Petroff exhaled. "You cannot possibly hate the idea more than I. But the only solution I see is to establish a force of upgraded battlemechs and other equipment, which means we cannot expend such fighting in the near term. More worlds will fall in the time that takes - but once such a force exists, it can be used to retake Luthien and the worlds around it - severing the supply lines for the Diamond Sharks and Ghost Bears. The ISF's reports -" He bowed slightly to Indrahar "- suggest that the Smoke Jaguars will be unlikely to aid their fellow Clans."
 
Minoru hated the idea, viscerally. Giving up more worlds to the Clans? After so much already had been lost?
 
"Is that the beginning you want for the Coordinator's reign?" demanded Li Dok To, scowling across the table at Petroff.
 
"No. But I would like the Combine to survive so that our lord is not the last Coordinator, the end of all our history and traditions."
 
"Your concerns are noted." the Coordinator cut them off. He looked at each man in turn. "Begin evacuating workers, information and such tooling as possible. Li Dok To, your part is to provide secure sites to resume production as quickly as possible. Work with the Department of Procurement and spare no expense, not to just set up new factories but to have them building new technology."
 
Indrahar leant forwards slightly. "If I may offer counsel, not on behalf of the ISF but in my experience of the previous reign?"
 
Minoru simply looked at him.
 
"Luthien Armor Works and Alshain Weaponry had begun work on new factories on Tok Do, but with that world in the path of the Clans they are now going to have to move their efforts to somewhere in Galedon or Pesht District. Initial reports suggest that the rescue of the workers your sister is sheltering would contribute greatly." the old man said. "It would also bolster morale… if it is possible to find forces for such a raid."
----
===Facing the Hard Reality Coming for Them===
Hilton Head, North America
Terra, Sol System
15 March 3051
----
Rather than the usual chamber, Wei had assembled the First Circuit in a large meeting room that had more amenities. Like chairs. She was fairly sure that one of the reasons that most meetings were held standing was to keep them from over-running, but right now she wanted the gathered Precentors to take their time and actually engage with each other.
 
Perhaps they could come up with options more palatable than those her staff and Focht's had presented to her.
 
Everyone settled down as Wei took the podium. "In the twelve months since the Clans returned, they have repeatedly proven to be a greater threat than any of the Successor States encountered." she said quietly but clearly. "More worlds have changed hands in less time than we saw in the Fourth Succession War - and we are also aware that due to logistical constraints, this is not their full strength. IlKhan Leo Showers has made no secret that their goal is to create a new Star League in their own image, destroying the Successor States in the process."
 
Wei paused to let that sink in. "Some of my more frustrated predecessors as Primus might have applauded. Unfortunately, the Clans have proven to be no better than the Successor Lords. The destruction of Reykjavik, which killed Thorne and millions of others is the most egregious of their actions, but reports from the occupation zones report actions that range from the pragmatic to the reprehensible. Their intention to impose their culture without regard to the societies they are now ruling is causing tragedies every day."
 
"Respectfully, Primus," Tiger Lily rose to her feet. "Our Blessed Order has seen such tragedies before, many times."
 
"That is entirely true, Precentor," Wei agreed, choosing not to make an issue of the interruption. "Nor is this the first time that we have had to fight to defend enclaves under our protection. However, it has been been over a century since our ability to defend our neutrality has been seriously challenged. At that time, the threat of military force was sufficient to force Coordinator Hugai Kurita to back down - and his actions were limited to a single abduction of a ComStar acolyte from one of our hospices." Wei folded her hands. "We now face the possibility of losing control of Terra and the factories that allow us to continue our operation of HPGs - and of leaving billions who live peacefully under our protection under Clan rule."
 
"Despite hopes that the fall of Luthien three months ago would exhaust the Clans' resources, this has not proven to be the case. A further wave of attacks has been completed and despite all the opposition they face, the Clans appear confident in launching an eighth wave within the next few weeks at best. Projections are that wave will wipe out what remains of the Free Rasalhague Republic and leave the Clans within six or seven jumps of Terra."
 
Wei looked at the First Circuit and more than a few had fear in their eyes. "There is currently no change in the expectation that our current immunity to attack will be overturned once the Clans' Khans believe that they have a realistic chance of taking Terra."
 
"I thought the AFFC were mounting a counterattack." enquired Precentor Sian without standing.
 
Wei glanced over at Anastasius Focht. "I believe it would be appropriate to hand over to the Precentor Martial to address the current state of military affairs."
 
The white-haired officer rose from his seat at the side with other department heads and replaced Wei at the podium, waiting until she had taken her seat on the other side of the room where she could see both the podium and the First Circuit.
 
"The Federated Commonwealth has committed fourteen Regimental Combat Teams and six other commands, in order to keep four worlds attacked during the sixth and seventh waves contested." he reported. "Please note - this is not retaking the worlds, it is more accurate to say that Morges, Bountiful Harvest, New Exford, and Kandersteg have not fallen. With each defended on the level of Pesht, this is tying up more than a galaxy from both Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Nova Cat - neither Clan seems willing to cut their losses and withdraw and nor do they seem willing to slow their advance into the Inner Sphere, leaving them with weaker forces."
 
He paused and brought up a map. "The current expectation is that Summit, Garrison and potentially Arcturus - given its historic importance - will be defended in the same way with forces continuing to arrive. It seems likely that both Clans will have to choose between either surrendering those worlds - which would free up the AFFC forces there for an actual counterattack - or ceasing their advance after the ninth or tenth wave. It seems reasonably unlikely that these two Clans pose an immediate risk to Terra."
 
Then he moved his pointer to the shrinking territory of the Free Rasalhague Republic. Only six worlds still glowed with the indigo hue that was used to indicate the state. "Clan Wolf faces no such challenge. Losses taken by the Kungsarme on Tukkayid have reduced them to seven effective commands, one of them - Tyr - having been recently formed out of militia and volunteers. They are currently refitting and reorganizing on Orestes -" The Precentor Martial indicated the world furthest from the Clans "- and Camlann." The second world was the crimson of the Draconis Combine.
 
"What does Minoru Kurita have to say about that?" asked Joseph Buckley.
 
Precentor Andrew Norris cleared his throat. "I haven't had the chance to speak to him, but Precentor New Samarkand assisted in negotiating the use of facilities there as the Kungsarme no longer have the bases needed to operate their full force from. The Kungsarme forces there will likely remain in place to defend Camlann from Clan Wolf or Clan Smoke Jaguar."
 
Focht nodded. "It is not currently clear if Clan Wolf's next wave will reach Orestes or Camlann, but it seems likely that every other world of the Republic as well as the Federated Commonwealth's worlds along that border will be targeted. Kelenfold, the local command center has been partly evacuated of support staff - so whether it's the Jade Falcons or the Wolves that secure the right to attack it, the world has almost certainly been written off. Clan Wolf is, at this stage, judged very likely to carry on and secure worlds in the Skye and Dieron regions that could be used to strike at Terra."
 
He moved the pointer to the next Clan. "The Smoke Jaguars similarly have no real concerns along their flanks. There are multiple single-world insurrections going on behind them, but for the most part they are keeping them isolated by cutting off access to our HPGs and moving a small number of garrison units to squash each rising one at a time." The one-eyed man lowered the pointer. "Their reprisals are brutal, but to be honest, they are not out of line with practices used by any of the Successor States historically. It's questionable how much of their corridor they will really control by the time they reach Terra, but that is a price they are willing to pay."
 
Wei pretended to study her display. She'd read the reports of some of those reprisals and regretted it. And as much as it had disturbed her sleep since, it had been far worse for those who experienced them first hand. Those who survived.
 
"The loss of Alshain has left the remains of that military district in a state of collapse and Xinyang Prefecture is also falling. There is scattered resistance, but our analysis is that it is mostly buying time for the evacuation of critical equipment and personnel." Focht shook his head, "There seems little doubt that Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Ghost Bear will push across Benjamin District by the summer. The latter, in particular, have comparatively low garrison needs and a large force, making them a major threat."
 
"That leaves the Diamond Sharks." He looked at Norris. "Since taking Luthien they have focused on industrial worlds near the capital such as Avon and Chatham, which has left them lagging behind the other Clans. Our intelligence suggests they intend to resume the advance, with a particular goal of taking Dover - a major industrial world that the Ghost Bears didn't quite reach in the last wave. From their, our expectation is that they will target the District capital of Benjamin. If the DCMS does intend to mount a defense of any world in the next few months, that will be where they make a stand. Losing another district capital after Luthien would underscore the new Coordinator's inability to defend his realm and the consequences for that are… hard to predict."
 
"In summary," Focht told the First Circuit. "At least three of the Clans are likely to pose a threat to Terra, a fourth may. Only two are unlikely - unless, of course, they resort to extreme measures. Pride can push people to take actions they otherwise might not."
 
"If we had our full warship fleet we wouldn't have to fear the Clans!" snapped Newton Fawcett. The Precentor for Talitha was one of Buckley's cronies, when they weren't verbally jostling for dominance among the religious extreme of ComStar. "With Odessa as a base, they could sweep across the invasion and shatter it before the Clans came close to Terra."
 
"And if they had never returned in the first place, we wouldn't be having this conversation," Joe Murphy shot back. "We must deal with the situation as it is."
 
Fawcett came halfway to his feet. "We could have had the fleet if the Primus hadn't frittered the budget away on her pet projects!"
 
"Since you weren't part of that debate," Tiger Lily cut in, "You seem to be operating on incomplete information."
 
"Like what? You voted with her to cut the naval spending."
 
Wei stepped forwards to reclaim the podium. "Actually, Precentor Atreus voted for naval spending to increase." She nodded towards the woman in question. "Since we had comparatively little at the time. If you are referring to the original proposal to activate our entire warship fleet, the most optimistic estimate for doing so would have taken until 3053 - and the experience of the current fleet suggests strongly that that was too optimistic. The only way we would have had the entire warship fleet active by now would have been to start before I was Primus or to cut corners on the programme, and the costs would have been astronomical."
 
Fawcett sank back into his seat reluctantly.
 
Buckley tried to hide satisfaction. "I believe that continuing and expanding the warship fleet is justified once the current construction is completed?" he asked innocently. "It may not be available for our current crisis but now that the Clans are here with their fleets we need a more capable fleet."
 
"I must unfortunately agree." Wei admitted, letting her reluctance show. "Plans are underway to double production of Dante-class frigates and eleven additional ships - four Black Lion-class battlecruisers and seven Aegis-class cruisers - are being prepared for refit and reactivation. In addition, a new destroyer design is under development for production alongside the Dantes. Over the next five years we expect to bring the ComGuard fleet up to forty warships - although this does depend heavily on retaining control of the Titan shipyards and of Terra's industrial capacity."
 
It was going to involve some serious austerity measures and the only reasons she'd not cut the Venusian programme as well was that the solar shade would also serve as a training facility for the construction workers building and maintaining the warships. "I hope that this is satisfactory, Precentor Buckley."
 
He dipped his head slightly. "Once again, Primus, your foresight proves that Blake himself must have protected you from the terrible events five years ago."
 
Somehow, Wei doubted if Jerome Blake would have been caught dead where she'd been at the time. The man had apparently lived entirely for his beloved [[[HPG]]s. Which was pitiful now that she thought about it.
 
"Moving back to our current situation," she said out loud, "We have a conundrum of our own. The consensus of suggestions made since I first raised the matter is that we have a limited number of options to deal with the Clans. There is no real doubt that as things stand, the Successor States will not be able to prevent them from reaching Terra or that they will try to seize this world once they have the chance. The proposals made by members of this body all fall into one of four options: firstly, surrender Terra…"
 
There was a rumble of discontent from around the room.
 
Wei raised her hand. "Even if it is to be rejected, we must consider all possibilities. Secondly, fight to defend Terra. Thirdly, indirectly assist the Successor States more than we currently are. Fourthly, directly confront the Clans before they advance significantly closer to Terra. Does anyone have any further suggestions that these do not cover?"
 
No one spoke up.
 
She nodded solemnly. "Precentor Martial, I understand that the ComGuards are preparing for the second and fourth options?"
 
"Yes, Primus." He drew himself up. "I must stress that a decision to commit to either will need to be made soon, in order to concentrate our field armies for operations. We have assembled twelve divisions at enclaves between Terra and Vega, but moving them into position for either options will take time that is increasingly short."
 
Tiger Lily spoke up: "How does that compare to the strength of the Clans?"
 
Focht didn't dissemble. "Approximately equivalent to fifty of their Clusters - about half the frontline strength of all six Clans in the Inner Sphere. It would be necessary to fight them under favorable circumstances to have a good chance of success."
 
"It seems to me that the ComGuards are insufficient unless we work with the Successor States," declared Rachel Orchard. "Is that our only option?"
 
"No." The Precentor Martial shook his head. "To some degree all of the Clans have divided their strength, and their custom of bidding means that they would reduce their forces to the minimum they believe necessary. Clever bidding to set the terms of the conflict will be a key part in preparing to face them."
 
Tiger Lily stood. "Any fight on Terra would incur damage to the homeworld," she announced. "And surrender is unthinkable. I favor any plan to halt the Clans short of Terra."
 
Wei sat back and let the Precentors express their own opinions, letting Focht field the technical questions of what was and was not possible. She would prefer to fight here, personally, adding the defenses of Terra to their strength and possibly picking off one Clan at a time as they raced to arrive - but Tiger Lily was once again rallying considerable support within the First Circuit…
===State of the Inner Sphere as of March 3051===
----
===WolfNet: Draconis Combine===
Recent History
At the beginning of 3050, the Draconis Combine and its armed forces stood tall as one of the most formidable military forces in the Inner Sphere. While far outnumbered by the AFFC and its mercenaries, just short of one hundred Battlemech regiments made the DCMS the second largest army and they had more than proved themselves able during the War of 3039. While a renewed war with the Federated Commonwealth was very unlikely to go as well for them, all analysis showed that the Dragon would exact a heavy toll even in defeat.
 
The Clan Invasion struck the Combine like a fabled tsunami, and there was no 'divine wind' to save them.
 
The loss of their capital, along with two district capitals and many of their interior industrial worlds was in many ways an inversion of the shocking losses faced by the Capellan Confederation during the Fourth Succession War: the Capellans lost their outlying industrial hubs and were reduced to their core territories and impoverished periphery borders while the Combine were forced to rely on outlying nodes of industry and control.
 
Still, the truce forged on Camlann left the Combine with the chance to rally as the Confederation had done earlier during the Canopian-Andurien invasion of the 3030s. The difference, unfortunately for House Kurita, is that Chancellor Romano Liao was not facing an peer opponent - even if they had combined their forces, the two smaller realms lacked the numbers and experience to defeat even a staggered Successor State. Coordinator Minoru Kurita did not receive this mercy when the Diamond Sharks resumed their offensive.
 
Today, more than six years after the Clans' first appearance, the DCMS can no longer be considered a first rank military within the Inner Sphere. More than half their regiments - battlemech or infantry - have been struck from their rolls. Only a relatively thin sliver of worlds separates their ancient Federated Suns enemy from their new nemesis, Clan Diamond Shark.
 
But, governed from a world that once ruled over a mere prefecture, the Combine survives. Battered, bloodied but not broken, the Mustered Soldiery continues to stand guard over House Kurita's realm, supplemented for the first time in a generation by mercenaries.
 
It is perhaps an irony that some of those are mercenaries are the Wolf's Dragoons, inspired to set aside their long hatred of the Dragon by Jaime Wolf's death in the battle of Luthien. In the same light, pragmatic self-interest makes the Federated Commonwealth the most valuable ally of the Dragon: Hanse Davion knows full well that every DCMS soldier facing the Clans is defending the Suns whether they wish it or not.
Chain of Command
 
The DCMS answers directly to Coordinator Minoru Kurita, via the High Command on Irurzun. It is the Coordinator's prerogative to delegate this role to a Deputy for Military Affairs (Gunji no Kanrei), with the most prominent example in recent years being Takashi Kurita reactivating the office for his son Theodore. Warlord Michi Noketsuna of Dieron was elevated to this role in early 3053, serving until his death the following year. Since then, the Coordinator has elected not to appoint a new deputy.
 
Historically many Coordinators have limited themselves to issuing general directives or even vague instructions, leaving the specifics to District Warlords or local authorities. This can be interpreted as an expression of trust in their subordinates… or less charitably as distancing the Coordinator from any failure. A defeated officer can simply be declared to have failed to comprehend their instructions, excusing responsibility from being placed upon their superiors. The late Takashi Kurita was a particular master of this approach, frequently sharing haiku or making vague comments to his subordinates.
 
The current Coordinator is functioning under rather different circumstances. Not only has Minoru Kurita had essentially no opportunity to build up the sort of reputation his grandfather had as a field commander (it is likely his advisors would unite to deter him from attempting to directly wage war given the uncertain succession), there are now only three Warlords which makes it much harder to pit them against each other should one choose not to accept the blame for a failure.
By the same light, Minoru Kurita can reasonably use that same inexperience to shield himself. He appears to be currently balancing the need to show himself to be in command of the DCMS with careful consultation of more experienced members of the high command. Often an officer advocating a specific policy or decision will find themselves charged with carrying it out. If they succeed, glory is shared with the Coordinator. If they fail, they bear the weight of having either given poor advice or have overestimated their own competence.
This is not to be taken as a sign of military weakness on the part of the current Coordinator. It is known that Minoru Kurita trains daily in martial arts and at least weekly in a Grand Dragon of the same model preferred by his brother and their grandfather. All reports concur that he is more than capable as a combatant and that his lack is solely in field experience.
 
Military Districts
 
Of the five previous Military Districts, Pesht District has been entirely conquered by the Clans while Alshain District was reduced to only two worlds (Camlann and Buckminster have been reassigned to Benjamin District). This leaves three military districts, each headed by a warlord who sits on the High Command and who exercises considerable control over their assigned region of the Combine, in both military and civil terms. It would not be unfair to compare their power to that wielded by the march lords of the Federated Suns, although the post of Warlord is at least non-hereditary.
 
Each district has a permanently assigned force of District Regulars answering directly to the warlord. Additional units are allocated by the Coordinator on the advice of the High Command, and can be reallocated just as easily. District Regulars can be sent outside their home district and frequently are, but it is generally understood that the High Command will only do this if the warlord of their district agrees that this poses no serious hazard to the security of the worlds in their charge.
 
Dieron District is the only military district that has not been reduced by direct attack from the Clans. Aubisson, the world nearest to the truce line, is two jumps from Clan Wolf and Clan Smoke Jaguar's occupation (the world was contested between the DCMS and AFFC at the time of the invasion and is only part of the Combine by virtue of the Federated Commonwealth being able to redeploy the forces there to face the Clans faster than the Draconis Combine was). Historically the smallest District until Rasalhague District was reorganized into Alshain District, Dieron contains a number of important industrial worlds and is now roughly co-equal in size with the other two.
 
Warlord Daniel Sorenson is the most junior warlord, elevated from his previous low rank as one of Theodore Kurita's preferred troubleshooters. Despite concerns about his lack of experience with high level commands, Sorenson has proven able at finding competent and trustworthy subordinates to administer the district and ensure a steady flow of supplies to the frontlines while he lays the groundwork to defend Dieron should the Clans move towards Terra. The new warlord has proven surprisingly popular with the people of Dieron itself, a world that has often been restive given its roots within the Terran Hegemony. While previous warlords adopted repressive measures, Sorenson has instead begun relaxing these tight controls so long as production quotes and public order are not affected.
 
Benjamin District remains the central military district and contains the new capital on Irurzun. Approximately half the Combine's Clan borders face Benjamin, including all of their borders with Clans Wolf, Smoke Jaguar and Ghost Bear. Two worlds (Mersa Matruh and Koumi) are above the truce line but so far the Clans have elected not to take them (although there have been occasional raids). For the most part Benjamin District's concerns are preparations for a renewed invasion through Buckminster and Kajikazawa prefectures, and launching raids into the Clan Occupation zones to gather information and support resistance movements. The latter is becoming increasingly difficult as the Clans tighten their grip.
 
Warlord Boris Petroff may be the most powerful of the three warlords at the moment, with the largest slice of the reduced DCMS at his command and a central position that would allow him to cut the other two off from each other in the unlikely event of an open conflict. He has proven to be not only an able tactician but also a skilled diplomat and it is believed that much of the unity of the High Command in these unprecedented times falls to him. There are whispers that Petroff aspires to the one promotion he may yet reach for, to the post of Gunji no Kanrei, but if he is attempting to secure that role through anything bar diligent service to Minoru Kurita then the ISF have presumably found no evidence of it.
 
Galedon Military District was once the most prestigious of the five districts, commanding half the border with the mighty Federated Suns. Now it commands half the border with the Clans as well, particularly with the predatory Diamond Sharks. The humiliation of losing both the Combine's ancient capital of New Samarkand and the district capital of Galedon V has been a stinging blow to the warriors of this district, particularly as Galedon V is only a single jump away from their remaining territory. Raids across the border to liberate personnel, equipment or valuables left behind in the long retreat rarely lack for volunteers to carry them out.
 
Warlord Li Dok To is the oldest and most experienced of the warlords, having served the Dragon for over half a century. The grizzled veteran has long eschewed political entanglements, making him an invaluable choice as the protector of the Kurita dynasty as they rebuilt from the loss of Luthien. While the new capital does not lie within his district, it is only one jump away in the event of a crisis. Currently Li Dok To is rotating his command post between the two remaining prefectural capitals (Matsuida and Kaznejoy) rather than designating a new district capital. He has stated that he feels there is no need for the latter when Galedon V is in reach to be recovered in due time.
 
Draconis Combine Admiralty Assets
 
Unlike most other nations, the Draconis Combine treats all its aerospace assets as a distinct organization from the rest of their military. The Draconis Combine Admiralty is responsible for all JumpShips, dropships and aerospace fighters, operating under a separate chain of command that theoretically only intersects with that of the DCMS at the high command level. In practice, the High Command and its departments assign DCA assets to DCMS units and they are subordinate to local commanders.
 
The Clan Invasion has been utterly disastrous for the DCA. While their battlefield performance was at least as good as that of their comrades on the ground, Clan Diamond Shark not infrequently utilized their warships to capture dropships before they could escape carrying soldiers - something that contributed significantly to the number of units lost prior to the Battle of Camlann. Far more serious were the loss of the aerospace factories on Schulyer, Chatham and Dover, all of which fell before any serious evacuation of personnel and equipment could be carried out.
 
While some rescue work has been carried out by local resistance and raiding missions have managed some recovery of engineers, the Draconis Combine lost all ability to replace its aerospace fighters and most of their access to spare parts almost overnight. As a result, while other navies are receiving massive investments to construct warships, the best that the DCA has been able to offer was restoration of the DCS Togura with ComStar aid. While the warship fought bravely over New Samarkand, its loss with all hands means that there is essentially no hope of the DCA building a warship fleet at this time. All their available resources are being poured into replacing the ability to maintain and replace their aerospace fleet.
 
Currently, Wakizashi Enterprises has almost completed construction of a factory on Kervil to build the Sabre interceptor. This will be the first domestic production of the fighter since the original factory on Galedon V was lost during the Succession War and the location is strategically problematic as Kervil lies between the Clans and Terra, but this was a requirement made by the Federated Commonwealth for the help of Lockheed/CBM and Jalastar, the only current manufacturers.
 
Efforts to put spare parts back into production are finally succeeding, but for the last few years the DCA has been left dependent on captured and salvaged equipment from the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth, parts for which they now need to salvage. Wakizashi's next project is construction of a factory for the Sai in a safer location. The design data for the advanced fighter was backed up on Luthien and evacuated before the capital fell, but there have been insufficient engineers available with the right training to build a factory for it. With the expertise from Kervil and technical advice from the Outworlds Alliance, this will at least give the DCA an advanced light aerospace fighter to begin rebuilding their tattered aerospace wings.
 
The DCA is also dependent on the Outworlds Alliance for JumpShip maintenance, with joint efforts ongoing to expand and restore Quatre Belle shipyards to meet their requirements. While the majority of their JumpShips have escaped capture by the Clans, allowing them to meet current needs, an increasing number of the fleet are overdue for repairs and routine work which means leaves the crews operating cautiously in case these irreplaceable vessels are lost to avoidable breakdowns. It's probable, but not confirmed, that ComStar is providing some degree of support in this but such aid would have limits.
 
The Draconis Combine's finances probably do not stretch to the construction of a shipyard to fill these needs at this time, but the strategic situation the Coordinator is in may leave them no strategic option but to sacrifice elsewhere to do so even at the cost of vital military projects elsewhere. The long wrecked StellarTrek yards over Togura would be a possible candidate were it not so close to the Clan truceline, since unlike similarly destroyed shipyards still orbiting Dieron and Altair, it wouldn't be in the direct path to Terra or simply move the achilles' heel of the Combine into reach of a past and no doubt future enemy.
 
Draconis Combined Mustered Soldiery Assets
 
Unlike the shattered aerospace sector, a number of the factories feeding the DCMS were unscathed and new production is springing up to replace the losses suffered during the invasion. In some cases workers and tooling have had to be relocated repeatedly before reaching what are now hoped to be their long-term homes. Of course, many still hope to return to New Samarkand, Luthien and other worlds now ruled by Clan Diamond Shark.
 
Luthien Armor Works, having retaken their former name of New Samarkand Armor Works and now re-christened Kurita Armor Works, may take as long as a decade to reclaim their title as the largest battlemech manufacturer of the Draconis Combine. Financially, the behemoth is struggling and they were forced to license off their prized Grand Dragon design in order to finance their new tank factory on Hachiman. New Demolisher and Schrek heavy tanks are expected to enter production very soon, and if Tanadi Computers continue to experience failures in building the Grand Dragon at their new factory on the same world it is entirely possible that the troubled manufacturer will find themselves selling factory and license back to KAW or possibly to their rival Hachiman Taro Electronics.
 
The main KAW plant on Irurzun is nearing completion and executives have confirmed that the DCMS is entirely satisfied that the three designs selected for manufacture there will not share the ignominy of their previous product. The Daimyo medium 'mech is intended as a cost-efficient work-horse and the slightly larger Komodo is touted as a top-notch battle armor killer that should be equally dangerous to Clan 'mechs at close ranges. Rounding out the trio of new 'mechs, the Daikyu is a fast cavalry design intended to compete against Clan heavy mechs in speed, armor and range. Initial specifications look promising but the same could have been said of the Tora.
 
While the production line of the ill-received Tora was not removed from New Samarkand before the Clans took the world, design data was and it is believed that Cosby Myomer Research Firm on Vega have purchased the design and established a new BattleMech research division to try to devise a solution for the problem child of the DCMS 'mech line up. It seems unlikely that the DCMS will be interested in purchasing the result, but it may find its way to the mercenary market or other private purchasers if Cosby can solve the problems.
 
The current crown jewel of the Combine's battlemech manufacture is Independence Weaponry on Quentin IV. Long suffering from damage caused by centuries of fighting between House Liao, House Davion and House Kurita, Independence Weaponry received massive investment from the Federated Commonwealth to rebuild towards its former glory… only to be lost to the DCMS in 3039 in one of the most humiliating events of that year for Hanse Davion.
 
Focused on heavy and assault designs, Independence builds upgraded JagerMech, Marauder, Victor and Atlas battlemechs as well as refit packages (some of which have been traded to the Federated Commonwealth to generate badly needed foreign currency). This does mean that they are backwards in terms of new developments: Independence is one of two manufacturers of the Gunslinger assault 'mech in the Combine and are reportedly working on the new Naginata command assault 'mech which has yet to be unveiled. In 3055 a scandal broke out when it was revealed Independence's repair facility was systematically refitting ANV-3M Anvil heavy 'mechs shipped from Free World Defense Industries, removing the Sutel Precision Line large pulse lasers for use in Panther upgrade kits. Allegations of industrial espionage through creating an unlicensed variant were eventually rejected by the FWL courts, but both corporations faced significant legal fees as a result.
The other major battlemech factory in Dieron Military district is Yori 'Mech Works on Al Na'ir V, who continue to manufacture the Atlas, which has been their standby for centuries. More recently they have diversified to build Hatamoto-Chi and Catapult 'mechs. There has been discussion of Yori buying out Diplan Mechyards' remains (the company is bankrupt after their incomplete factory on Aix-la-Chapelle was destroyed during the Clan invasion) and beginning to build the Mongoose and Jenner, but Yori lacks experience in lighter 'mechs and are so far resisting the suggestion.
Scarborough Industries, also on Al Na'ir, are one of the DCMS' two main tank manufacturers and focus on hovertanks. Almost all DCMS light armor battalions are supplied by Scarborough, who provide the Saladin, Saracen and Scimitar hover tanks. Improvements for these workhorse designs are underway, but were slowed by diversion of resources to develop an upgraded Maxim hover transport to carry DCMS battle armor. The latter programme suffered a serious set-back when the DCMS rejected initial proposals, pointing out that the infantry compartment remained too small for a full squad of battle armored infantry. This is likely to further hamper the provision of advanced technology to DCMS light armor and mechanized infantry units.
The other major tank factory in the Combine is Prosperina's Bulldog Enterprises. In stark contrast to Scarborough, Bulldog's licensing of the Tokugawa heavy tank after the original factory on Luthien was lost has led rather smoothly to the development and now production of an upgraded model already going into deployment with medium and heavy tank battalions. It seems likely that Bulldog will use the profits to try to make similar upgrades to their namesake design, the Bulldog heavy tank.
 
In the same prefecture, Nimakachi Fusion Products continues to build Spider light 'mechs, having updated their lines to include the 7M variant. Despite pressure from the Coordinator, the slightly larger Venom has not been released for manufacture on Lapida II, reserved for Nimakachi's home site in the Free Worlds League. Given a new round of negotiations on Terra to discuss coordinated activity against the Clans, it seems likely that Captain-General Thomas Marik is reserving consent to share the design as one of his cards to pay during those talks so the Combine may yet receive the more powerful design.
 
Moving across to the Galdeon military district, the Victory Industries factory on Marduk has finally finished converting all its Griffin and Wolverine production lines to build Hippogriffs for the DCMS. The transformation has been deferred by repeated problems with component manufacture. ComStar's patience has been surprising since it is hardly a secret that many of these disruptions were cover for tooling being removed for use in other factories. The Order's neutrality has been wearing thin of late but they will now be able to draw on Victory Industries to support their deployments along the Combine-Suns border.
thumb|Hippogrif Medium 'Mech
The other battlemech factory in the district, Lexatech's secondary site on Hun Ho has been expanding since the loss of their main facility to the Diamond Sharks in late 3050. While they cannot manufacture Land-Air Mechs on Hun Ho, Lexatech does manufacture parts for Stingers and are reportedly looking into constructing these light 'mechs there - it isn't clear yet if they can secure a license for Earthwerks' 5M model or if they'll need to build an older variant. Lexatech certainly doesn't have the design team currently to devise their own, their only current production is the Gunslinger, a design developed jointly by the ComGuards, AFFC, and DCMS before being licensed out to manufacturers.
 
Battle Armor is a key development for all the Successor States, as a form of warfare that was entirely unknown in the Inner Sphere until the arrival of the Clans. Like the Gunslinger, the unimaginatively named Inner Sphere Standard Battle Armor was developed internationally and the DCMS has established factories under direct state control on every prefectural and district capital below the truceline (factories above the line were barely begun when Clan Diamond Shark resumed it's invasion, and all sites were abandoned with tooling relocated to other intended factories).
 
While this diversity of production means that it is very unlikely that there will be any disruption to the supply of battle armor to the DCMS infantry branch, other productions have reared their heads. Besides the aforementioned issues with Maxim Hover Transports being adapted to their needs, the DCMS have discovered that there are subtle differences between sets of armor built at the various factories. While these have no impact worth mentioning on battlefield performance, it does make it difficult to repair damaged suits with parts from other factories. A review of how standardization can be enforced is underway, but it appears low level rivalries between officers in each district may lead to the DCMS having to accept at least three different 'standard' suits despite the best efforts of the high command.
 
Training
 
The DCMS was fortunate that the initial waves of the Clan invasion were relatively sparing on their military academies. Four facilities were lost before they could be substantially evacuated but three of these (the Pagoda for Luthien Officers, Wisdom of the Dragon and the Kensai Kami) were 'finishing schools' intended to add polish to graduates of other academies. Replacing this capacity is underway and a facility is under construction on Irurzun to prepare officers for the burdens of staff and command duties - no final name has been approved but it seems likely that Theodore Kurita Memorial University will be the final choice.
 
The loss of Dover Institute for Higher Learning was a more serious blow as it was primarily a school for doctors and engineers, with a secondary mechwarrior track. Given the needs to update the DCMS technologically, the destruction of the Institute has almost certainly set back DCMS efforts to rebuild by months or years. A handful of surviving staff have been sent to An Ting University, aiding in restoring the damaged facilities there. It is hoped that the revived university (badly damaged in 3015 by Sun Zhang alumni in revenge for an An Ting victory in the Kensai Kami programme) will be able to fill the gap left by the Dover Institute.
 
Two other academies have been lost more recently, though fortunately with sufficient warning to evacuate staff, students and the majority of their equipment and libraries. Sun Zhang Mechwarrior Academy, the largest mechwarrior academy in the Inner Sphere, has always been the backbone of the DCMS' mechwarrior corps and it would be hard not to see some satisfaction at the loss of its home by graduates of other schools. The bulk of the facility have been relocated to Irurzun and while student numbers are depleted, a new class was enrolled in early 3056, the first to be trained entirely at the new campus.
 
The Aerospace and Interstellar Institute, the DCA's main academy, was similarly displaced from Midway and like Sun Zhang it is now located in close proximity to the new Imperial City on Iruzun. In both cases, some students and equipment were sent to Galedon Military Academy who seem remarkably reluctant to release either. The students have graduated and will do so but GMA, already notorious as one of the toughest schools in the Combine, is proving equally brutal in rejecting demands that they surrender the equipment. Given the dire straits of the DCMS, it is likely the Coordinator will be reluctant to tell the academy to give up its recent expansion, instead providing replacement supplies to Sun Zhang and the AII.
 
Galedon's other surviving academy is the Sun Tzu School of Combat, which has generally been looked down on by mechwarriors due to its stress on combined arms tactics. This has given it a leg up when it comes to the School's battle armor programme which is considered the best in the Combine. With direct access to the Kaznejoy Battle Armor factory, Sun Tzu can at any time field a full regiment of battle armor, currently the largest concentration in the DCMS although it is probable that the Otomo will eventually have the option of fielding its entire strength in battle armor.
 
In addition to the new academies on Irurzun, Benjamin District's main remaining academy is the University of Proserpina, one of the oldest and most established higher educational establishments in the Combine. Often neglected by the DCMS due to active sponsorship by the Proserpina Hussars (who recruit heavily from the school), the university has benefited considerably through cross-border trade with the Federated Commonwealth. It's believed that the new simulators were purchased from manufacturers in the Crucis March, although if so then the source is remaining quite quiet about it.
 
The only military academy in Dieron District, to stretch the term, was the Dieron District Gymnasium - a facility that produced a very small number of graduates each year, focusing entirely on 'mech training at the expense of political doctrine. The entire school is essentially a gymnasium and a simulator bank manned by retired DCMS officers. Irregular as it may be the DDG tends to produce capable mechwarriors at a low cost, so Warlord Daniel Sorenson is funding two similar schools (on Vega and Nirasaki) to expand local opportunities to serve the Combine as mechwarriors.
 
More advanced in construction is the Algedi War College, which is aimed to bolster recruitment from the Azami worlds. A number of the staff will be members of the Arkab Legions no longer fit for frontline service and it's expected that at least half of any graduates will be assigned to the brigade, something that is politically contentious since past Coordinators have been wary that the religious practises of the Azami fit poorly with the wider culture of the Draconis Combine. Minoru Kurita has insisted on this program however, citing his father's deep respect for the Arkab Legions during his brief service with them and their loyal service against the Clans. Whether this will bolster his support from the Azami or undermine his authority remains to be seen.
 
The largest question that remains unanswered about the Combine's military training is where the ISF and in particular the DEST command units are being trained now that New Samarkand has fallen to Clan Diamond Shark. Many answers have been suggested but none have so far been supported by evidence.
 
Arms of the Dragon
 
Despite adding four regiments to their roster by nationalizing noble retinues to form the Dragonsteeth regiments, the DCMS has been reduced overall from sixty regiments to forty over the last four years of fighting. This is less severe than the losses faced during the original invasion, but it is of limited reassurance to the survivors.
 
The Elites
 
The only brigade of the DCMS to have grown during the last few years, the Sword of Light have been able to add three battalions to their order of battle, bringing the Fifth Sword of Light back to strength with veterans hand-picked from units that had faced the Clans. Rather than being committed directly against the Clans, something that could have wiped out House Kurita's best mechwarriors, the Sword of Light has instead been used to maintain order - in particular, they took charge of training up the four Dragonsteeth regiments formed from nobles volunteering to show their courage against the Clans. While not one of these regiments would survive the onslaught, the last being wiped out on New Samarkand, such discipline and training in combat above the lance level as they possessed was the result of the Sword of Light's efforts. Very few new battlemechs have been assigned to the Sword of Light, although many of their members have been given upgrade kits for existing battlemechs.
 
The Ryuken were spared the initial weight of the Clan Invasion but were stationed along the Diamond Shark's long border with the intention of raiding into it after the truce of Camlann. This left them facing the brunt of the renewed invasion and the last few years have cost them severely, to the point that after the last survivors retreated below the truceline, there were no living members of the Ryuken-ni and Ryuken-yon left to rebuild their ranks (unless some survive as bondsmen). The remains of the other three regiments have been consolidated into a single Ryuken regiment of four battalions and they are currently stationed on Irurzun to defend the new capital, allowing the Otomo to focus on guarding the Imperial City itself.
 
Stationed on Mersa Matruh, above the truce line, the First Proserpina Hussars fully expected to face a full attack by the Diamond Sharks but instead were only exposed to a succession of raids from the Diamond Sharks intended to keep the troops below the truce line off balance. The Hussars remain proud that they avoided being pushed off the world and although they lost half their mechs over the course of the attacks, they also managed to capture several clan 'mechs, fielding a full company of Omnimechs. The Hussars have been transferred back to Proserpina to rebuild and so that scientists and engineers at the university can further examine the Omnimechs in hopes of duplicating the technology.
 
The Regulars
 
The three regiments of the Alshain Avengers have had a period of relative peace in contrast to the rest of the DCMS, since the high command kept them facing the Smoke Jaguars in case of any break in the truce. This left them low on priority for supplies, although they've been given enough to sustain occasional raids against the Clans to keep their skills sharp. After the last world of Pesht District fell to Clan Diamond Shark, the Sixth Pesht Regulars absorbed the survivors of the rest of their brigade and christened themselves the Pesht Avengers in conscious emulation of the Alshain brigade. This didn't stop them from taking significant losses on Galedon V and since then they have been brigaded alongside the Alshain Avengers for administrative purposes, which fits poorly given their enmity for the Diamond Sharks. Supplies for the Avengers inevitably favor the Alshain regiments, which has left the Sixth little expectation of rebuilding their third battalion any time soon.
 
The bulk of the DCMS remains the District Regulars, although there are only nineteen regiments remaining across the three military districts. The smallest of the three is the Benjamin brigade, reduced to five strong after the Third and Eleventh Benjamin Regulars were mauled fighting on Soul. The handful of survivors from the Eleventh have been folded into the Third regiment, who remain understrength even with this addition.
 
The Galedon Regulars are stronger than the Benjamin Regulars on paper but not only were three regiments (the Second, Ninth and Sixteenth) all lost fighting the Diamond Sharks but almost all the others were battered to the point that the brigade can field fewer 'mechs in total than the other brigade. Only the Twelfth Galedon Regulars are at full strength and this only because they received the lion's share of the cadets from the Sun Tzu School of Combat's most recent graduating class - having been stationed on Kaznejoy.
 
While Dieron District hasn't seen direct attack and can field the largest brigade out of any of the military districts, they still lost the Eighth Dieron Regulars on Nakaojo and all three other regiments sent to fight the Diamond Sharks took substantial losses. All three districts have now had their regulars returned to normal postings within their borders as they regroup and rebuild, which will hopefully help to rebuild morale after the series of defeats inflicted upon them.
 
The Legions
 
Stationed on An Ting and Vega respectively, the Fourth An Ting Legion and Eleventh Legion of Vega have been used as training commands in lieu of the Sun Zhang Academy Cadres (the last of which was disbanded in 3054). This has allowed the two regiments to maintain their full strength and provide some semblance of strength facing the Federated Commonwealth, but it's fair to say neither is really fit to face the Clans with little in the way of upgrades. There are constant rumors that each brigade will be allowed to form a second regiment as the DCMS rebuilds and so far neither brigade has been amalgamated administratively with any other unit, but there is also no sign of any allocation of equipment or personnel for this purpose. The An Ting Legion is perhaps the more likely to be granted this as An Ting University's expanded classes may provide an influx of new warriors in the near future.
 
The Second Arkab Legion only barely escaped Pesht District after several clashes with the Diamond Sharks, frequently retreating from one world only to find their destination had also fallen. They were reported as destroyed after contact was lost in 3053 only to appear in Benjamin District, having crossed the Draconis Rift to avoid capture. This was cause for great relief by the Fourth Arkab Legion, who immediately recruited their brother regiment for a raid on Corsica Nueva to rescue captured DCMS soldiers on the occupied world. The Arkab Legion's victory - destroying half the garrison and escaping with over a thousand prisoners of war - was a proud victory for the DCMS and was a major argument in favor of the creation of Algedi War College.
 
The status of the Shin Legion is complicated - once Capellans in service to House Kurita while little more than mercenaries, they have now been elevated to the Capellans' official contribution to fighting the Clans. While the Legion hasn't been officially reinstated to the CCAF's rolls, the individual soldiers have all been formally pardoned, received back pay and in some cases returned to the Confederation either to retire or to accept positions in the CCAF. They have been replaced by more volunteers and all members of the Shin Legion are now members in good standing of the CCAF, if not always on active service.
 
The flow of supplies and volunteers that began in 3052 has reached the point that despite losses fighting in Pesht and Galedon military districts, the Legion was able to reform their third regiment. Currently the total strength of all three regiments combined is just over six and a half battalions, but a constant flow of CCAF soldiers, battlemechs and other equipment is expected to correct this within the next six months. The Shin Legion may have the highest proportion of advanced equipment in the DCMS at the moment, including not only upgraded battlements but also the first of the new Snake and Thunder battlemechs in deployment anywhere in the Inner Sphere.
 
The Irregulars
 
Rather than commit them against the Diamond Sharks, the DCMS assigned the Amphigean Light Assault Group a politically sensitive task: ensuring that mercenaries hired to raid into the Clan occupation zone do not go rogue and cause problems. Unstated but at least as important was to ensure that conservative elements within the Combine didn't provoke the mercenaries into incidents that would destroy efforts to recruit reputable mercenary forces after the repeal of the Death to Mercenaries order. Working closely with liaison officers, the Amphigeans wound up policing dozens of incidents and in three cases launched raids to retrieve mercenaries whose transports had been destroyed or captured - one of these raids cost the 1st Light Assault Group their 6th Company, but the other two were not only successful but huge propaganda successes.
 
Expecting to be able to hit the Clan's garrison forces, the Second Night Stalkers were shocked when their raiding operations instead encountered the newly formed Epsilon Galaxy. Executing an immediate retreat, the Stalkers learned of the renewed invasion only after contacting ComStar. Rather than fall back, the regiment broke up into three raiding parties that tried to hit the Shark's supply bases to buy time for the invasion. Although none of the raids succeeded, they did force the Clan to deploy additional garrison elements and two parties managed to escape with a small quantity of salvage. Reduced to a reinforced battalion, the Night Stalkers have slowly managed to build up two further companies worth of strength as they recovered below the truce line. Their commanders count every day that the regiment isn't disbanded to rebuild other units as a victory, but are keeping their low expectations from the lower ranks.
 
A third of the Ghost Regiments were destroyed in the first phase of the Clan Invasion, something to some degree blamed on poor cohesion - although DCMS officers may have also been treating them as expendable or assumed the downteched SLDF hardware that made up most of the yakuza's machines would perform better against the Clans than they did. Unfortunately for the troops who saved the Combine in 3039, the renewed invasion was even worse for them - the DCMS threw the Ghost Regiments into battle not with any expectation of victory but only to buy time for evacuations of equipment, critical personnel and more reputable units.
 
Today, little more than a regiment of battlemechs remain of the brigade, divided between the Ninth and Twelfth Ghost Regiments. Worse even than their numbers are the damage to their reputation after the Sixth Ghost Regiment disintegrated on Lonaconing, warriors deserting the DCMS to offer their services to Yakuza operating within the Diamond Shark Occupation Zone. The valiant conduct of other regiments could not stop word spreading and Warlord Li Dok To is believed to have approved or directly issued orders that the remaining Ghost warriors were to be used up as ruthlessly as the Dragonsteeth regiments. Certainly this is the belief of the bulk of of the two remaining regiments, which have been relocated out of Galedon District in hopes of a new start… although given their low place in the supply priorities it is likely that the two will have to be disbanded unless something changes.
 
There is one last addition to the DCMS' roster: similar to the Shin Legion, the First Tyr regiment is made up of foreign troops that exist as something between an 'ethnic' regiment like the Arkab and outright mercenaries. The surviving Kungsarme have reluctantly followed General Mansdottir to serve House Kurita in hope of an eventual restoration of the Free Rasalhague Republic. Given the poor performance of the DCMS this may well have been cause for regret, but it is believed that Mansdottir expects that the DCMS' great need for soldiers mean they will be more willing to make a favorable deal than the AFFC. The Tyr regiment, once the spearhead of liberation against the Dragon have instead become one of their strongest weapons against the Clans, with a dozen successful raids against Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Ghost Bear to their credit so far.
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Chapter 2-6