SIRC-2

=Richard the Belligerent=
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==Chapter 2==
Kerensky the Paragon, Kerensky the Mediator.The Reign of Richard the Retard by Doctor Arnhot, Luthien Press, 2578 
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The first meeting with the Star League High Council and Richard Cameron was the first time that the First Lord had ever shown such disrespect and on such a large scale.
Richard Cameron threatened the annihilation of the Great Houses for the alleged crime of being involved in the death of Simon Cameron.
While this does sound as if it were the actions of a child, petulant and distressed with the loss of their father. It was not the actions and words befitting the leader of the Star League. An individual upon whose shoulders trillions individuals rely on for their existence and survival. Proof that in his immaturity, Richard Cameron had taken a role he had no qualifications for.
While some may decide to forgive the slights of a child, such forgiveness cannot come when said child is the First Lord.
An individual upon which the lives of trillions rested, prosperity or poverty from a few words out of his lips.
Instead of allowing an adult run the Star League and grow up, Richard Cameron's tantrum ensured that there would never be a chance to grow up. His petulance would mark his reign and even now it continues. This first meeting set the tone for all the following meetings, the First Lord never once maturing as he aged upwards.
Stripping the Great Houses of their economic assets through constant threats to deploy the SLDF on their nations, overriding all economic good sense and concern in doing so. Ignoring the advice of qualified experts while doing so, Richard Cameron destroyed the economic balance of the Star League and, already, at the age of 8, ensured that there would never be peace again.
Economic imbalance, as the famous Harvard Economists Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff posited, was a necessity to ensure political and economic stability. If every involved actor was gaining something from the current political and economic system, they would, as rational actors, ensure that it did not stop.
At the age of 10, Richard Cameron destroyed much of the economic power of the Great Houses, and instead handed it to the Periphery who proceeded to nationalize the assets that once belonged to the Great Houses. Such communistic tendencies demonstrated the immaturity of the Periphery States and the squandering of economic resources for no actual gain.
This lack of economic understanding, unfortunately, is endemic in Richard Cameron's actions during his time as First Lord.
Worse, the use of military threats with economic violence does nothing to engender peace amongst allies. Instead, using threats on one's allies instead creates dissatisfaction and ill-will.
Richard Cameron ignored this advice and used, instead, the SLDF to weigh in all matters that concerned him. Threatening to reduce each world in each state to the stone age one bombardment at a time.
 
Notable amongst these incidents was when Richard Cameron threatened Minoru Kurita with a 'good time' as he called it in 2970. Massing warships throughout the Draconis Combine and calling all of them on a projected HPG call in the middle of the High Council room. The First Lord threatened to reduce the Combine to ash in a single move.
His words 'It took 200,000 years for mankind to develop iron tools, how long will it take you to reinvent chopsticks by the time I'm done with you?' have become infamous throughout the Inner Sphere.
Richard Cameron proceeded to stared Minoru Kurita down until the House Leader, displaying incredible maturity and restraint capitulated.
This would forever poison the relations between the First Lord and the Coordinator, and indeed, such a display would poison the relations with all the Great Houses, so blatant and horrific was the threat.
The basis for such drastic escalation of threatened violence? Bandit vessels which had previously belonged to House Kurita had been commandeered by Bandits and were attacking Star League facilities.
Believing the lies of his advisors, Richard Cameron had claimed the vessels were House Kuritas and gave the order under pretext of 'Star League Defense Force';
If they were not 'annihilated by Combine forces immediately, the Combine would be annihilated.'
Instead of using the superior SLDF to destroy these bandit vessels, House Kurita suffered a 20% reduction in their warship numbers hunting down the bandits and henceforth, fought against every decision that Richard Cameron made.
Such actions demonstrated Richard Cameron's inability to lead, rather, it illustrates, quite clearly, that Richard Cameron was willing to threaten first, negotiate never. Such actions would have led to the annihilation of the Star League save for the Paragon, whose name is still spoken of positively today. Across the Periphery and the Inner Sphere, Aleksandr Kerensky is the only reason the Star League continues to exist today.
Even if its existence is in a reduced, almost beggared state due to Richard's actions.
Kerensky's offer to have the SLDF replace the lost Combine warships on patrol was the only reason that the Coordinator did not (rightfully) attack the First Lord then and there.
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Analysis and rebuttal of The Reign of Richard the Retard by Professor Jericho, 3025, New Avalon Press
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In Chapter 2, Judas Arnhot displays, yet again his prejudices and economic academic background.
In the manner of economists throughout the Inner Sphere and beyond, Arnhot has displayed a complete trust in his sources, regardless of where the data may be coming from and thus, in the words of ancient Terrans;
Shit input means shit output.
If your data inputs are wrong, your outputs, regardless of how much they make sense will be wrong.
Arnhot attributes the various actions of young Richard Cameron to youthful impetuousness. Petulance and tantrums, threatening the Great Houses for personal slights. Displaying a lack of maturity in the manner that only a child could.
And yet, if it was truly such a problem, if his tantrums were truly such a problem, why was it then that there were little substantial protest to his actions? Putting aside diplomatic protests and attempts to vilify the young Cameron in press briefings and publications... no Great House, despite the numerous 'humiliations' in the words of Arnhot, ever removed themselves from the Star League.
Why is this the case?
 
To put it in simple terms for my readers, the various times the SLDF was deployed, it was done so with the words of Richard Cameron, still a child in the first instance, in their ears. A recorder sent to every single unit from the squad level and higher. The words upon the recorders justified the actions of the SLDF not just to themselves, but to the people they were protecting.
Many of these recorders have been preserved as museum pieces and hold great significance in the Periphery Worlds. For the words contained within represent a seismic shift in the policy of the Star League and the SLDF. Words that remain the at the core of the SLDF to this day.
You are the Star League Defense Force. Your purpose is to defend the Star League. To defend all of the Star League. To defend the Star League against its own member states if necessary. There are no favourites here. Great House or Periphery, these are all part of the Star League, these are all entitled to the same protection. For it is all Star League, and you are its Defenders. Upon the Star League Charter which grants me, the First Lord with all powers regarding the defence of the Star League, I give you these orders now. Execute with extreme prejudice anyone who threatens the Star League. Anyone. 
This recording was reportedly played before each and every engagement of the SLDF to remind its members of the momentous role that they had accepted upon signing up to the prestigious institution. A prestige that would grow immensely in the Periphery States during Richard Cameron's reign.
Indeed, the words of Arnhot never gained a foot hold in the Periphery States where Richard Cameron is venerated as the greatest First Lord to have ever lived.
The Great Houses, particularly during the various Hidden Wars demonstrated just how far they were willing to push. Deploying Warships disguised as pirates and bandits each other, against SLDF forces even. Neutral First Lords or conciliatory First Lords, did not in fact, create an aura of peace in the Star League. Rather they were weak First Lords, for they allowed the Great Houses too much of a free leash.
And, like unruly children, the Great Houses demonstrated their inability to understand the definition of moderation. A stern parent was necessary, and Richard Cameron, even in his youth, was that parent the Star League so desperately needed. This was not the moral strength that so characterised the previous First Lords of House Cameron. Leading through moral virtues had instead led the Star League to the brink of collapse.
 
The moral virtues that House Cameron embodied did little when the Capellan Confederation and Free Worlds League conspired to pass Council Directive 41. Said directive stripped the Periphery's Territorial States of their protections via a Star League appointed steward. The economic exploitation of much of the Periphery happened in spite of First Lord Jonathan Cameron, First Lord Jocasta, and First Lord Simon Cameron.
 
It was only through direct action that the moral 'virtues' became moral 'actions' by which House Cameron could justify their title of Defender of the Star League. It was only through Richard Cameron's direct action that the Periphery States were protected from the rapaciousness of the Great Houses.
And for direct action, strength was necessary.
An iron fist in a mailed gauntlet was necessary, and Richard Cameron was that fist.
 
He was not afraid to let the House Lords know, that he knew, that they knew, that the forces that they so disavowed were disguised House troops. That those corporations exploiting the Periphery and driving it to rebellion were House sponsored. That he would destroy them without a second thought... or that he would force them to destroy their own troops with Executive Order 156. Destroy them and suffer the morale damage such an action would cause.
 Executive Order 156: All forces using former Star League member equipment without clear allegiances to a member of the Star League are to be destroyed by all members of the Star League on sight. Failure to do so is treason.
 
In doing so, House Cameron forced House Kurita, through legal and physical coercion to annihilate 20% of their own warships. The excuse House Kurita had given being to the fact that they were actively attacking Star League Facilities being that they had been 'captured by pirates'.
This is conveniently ignored (as economists do to processes compared to results), by Arnhot. All of Richard Cameron's actions during each High Council were legal under Star League charter. There were no judicial challenges because Richard, despite acting like a child, clearly demonstrated clear understanding of his position as First Lord. More importantly, he demonstrated he understood the limits that were imposed on him and how to circumvent them.
 
Of course, it would have never worked if not for Aleksandr Kerensky. Where Richard Cameron was belligerent and direct, to the point where some asked if he had ever heard of the Star League's Department of Social Relations. Masters of diplomacy, a department many thought Richard despised given his complete lack of it as a person.
Aleksandr Kerensky was the moderating force that controlled Richard Cameron and prevented his worst excesses.
 
These people are severely lacking in critical thinking skills.
 
The Star League, despite its name and moral standing, is, quite simply, an Empire. Within an empire there is always the struggle of centralisation within the Imperial Core and decentralisation of power to the Periphery.
Such was the case 5000 years ago, such was the case 4000 years ago, such was the case 3000 years ago, such was the case 2000 years ago, such was the case 1000 years ago, and such is the case now. The periphery will always seek devolution of power to the periphery and a weakening of central control.
 
The Imperial Core will always seek to centralise power and evolve power upwards into their own hands.
This innate clash of Imperial Core and Periphery is what defines an empire. A balance is necessary and when power is concentrated in one hand, the Empire begins to collapse.
Concentrated in the Core, and the periphery is struck by indecision, becoming brittle and shattering at the slightest touch. The Core collapsing perhaps as the lack of resources from the Periphery weakens the Core until a rebellion shatters the entire mess.
Concentrated in the Periphery due to an ineffective Core, internal supply lines and logistical concerns lead to alienation of the Periphery from the core. Should it continue, the empire will collapse entirely as the Periphery assumes the roles that had previously been the concern of the Core and rejects it entirely for total autonomy. Alternatively, a coup may be launched for the Periphery to become the new Core.
The Council and the Periphery states had been attempting to devolve more power under the inattention, nay, malicious neutrality of the previous First Lords. Leading to the case where the Council attempted to repeal Council Edict 2650, itself a restriction on their military sizes.
In any case, Richard Cameron represented the first such effort since Jonathan Cameron to centralise power within the Imperial Core. However, unlike Jonathan Cameron, he did not so do with massed military buildup, using the implicit threat of the SLDF to force matters to resolve. Often the SLDF was forced to deploy regardless and the end result pleased none, not even the SLDF.
Richard Cameron did not use the implicit threat of the SLDF as the first tool for negotiation, no, he used the threat of actual deployment of the SLDF as the first step. After the first 3 cases resulted in actual SLDF massed deployments, none on the Council or the Periphery States held any illusions as to the First Lord's patience with the typical games of court.
Consolidation of power within the position of First Lord and the Star League bureaucracy was central to Richard Cameron's reign. An act that ensured the Star League continues to last to this day, despite what misgivings the House Lords and misguided paperback historians may have.
As a paper historian, Arnhot does not understand this. The Star League was not a series of numbers and economies meshing together in prescribed and clearly delineated manners. But rather a merger of people and their desires, people that formed states and empires. As such, any attempt to understand the reign of Richard Cameron cannot be understood without a comprehension of the Star League as a whole.
A subject upon which Arnhot lacks a grounding. Very likely, this lack of understanding was why he was dishonourably fired from the Department of Economic Relations. His inability to comprehend the reason for Richard Cameron's actions, as well as his continued seat in the position of First Lord displays, if nothing else, the complete lack of grounding in reality that an economist such as Arnhot possesses. If Richard Cameron had been truly so ineffective, he would have been removed as prior First Lords had been, and yet he remained until the day he died of food poisoning from an exotic mushroom he ate while on tour.
But, the author digresses. Kerensky was important in this swirling morass of tug and counter tug by the Imperial Core and the Periphery States between themselves due to his ability to rein in Richard Cameron.
Where Richard would leap to his feet, glaring at Minoru Kurita once again pushing his limits. Kerensky would pull Richard back and prevent the situation from escalating.
The fact that he needed to do such prevented Kerensky from travelling and inspecting the SLDF bases as much as he would have preferred early in Richard's reign. His presence required on Terra to prevent the SLDF being deployed to annihilate a Council Member House without his knowledge. Richard Cameron had indeed deployed the SLDF using his powers as First Lord at least 3 times prior, Commanding General Kerensky could not risk such a deployment escalating into a full shooting war.
His legendary ability to restrain the First Lord would lead to him being named the Stalwart, a rock in the face of the tensions rocking the Council as the Imperial Core clawed back its power from the Periphery.
In time, many understood that to speak to Richard, one must speak to Kerensky. And yet Kerensky could not be bribed, could not be swayed, remaining loyal to the Star League's code at all costs.
In time, it would lead to the rise of the nickname 'Paragon'.
One might think this relationship was like a tiger and its zookeeper.
The reality, from analysis of the end results of Kerensky's and Cameron's interactions with the High Council, illustrates a careful play established by a First Lord and his most loyal General.
One was the iron, the other the velvet.
One was the ever aggressive savage, the other the patient mediator.
Working together to keep the Star League alive and the House Lords focused on issues other than starting genocidal wars with one another. A precarious balancing game of strengthening the Core and placating the Periphery.
In misunderstanding the truth of the Star League's precarious situation in 2751, Arnhot fails to identify the justification for the First Lord's actions.
As Arnhot's analysis continues, so too will we explore this complicated relationship between First Lord and his favourite General.
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2751, Terra, Unity City, Unity Palace
Aleksandr Kerensky stared down at the First Lord.
 
Sitting on the couch, the eight year old was scratching his buttocks, his free hand feeding friend potato slices into his ever gluttonous gullet. The room he was in a mess, a refusal to allow the maids to clean, or a statement that he would clean it up (he wasn't sure). The end result being that there were clothes on the floor and what looked like several miniature Battlemechs in combat formation... facing off with a washing mop.
 
On the vidscreen opposite him was a cartoon, the kind that children should be watching. This particular one involving a pink female pig... bullying her much larger father.
 
"Peppa!" The father shouted before the vidscreen was turned off by the First Lord himself, Kerensky stepping in front of the boy and saluted.
 
He had no authority over the boy, indeed, he was under the boy's jurisdiction... but he was the only one that could speak sense into him. Or so the House Lords, the Camerons, and everyone else with access to the First Lord had said.
 
"Lord. I am..." He started but was cut off as Richard waved a hand at him after offering a sloppy salute of his own.
 
"Aleksandr Kerensky, Commander of the SLDF. Yes. I know. I've been meaning to speak with you." The boy said, swinging his body around and beginning to roll up the bag the chips were in. Sealing it off before, he, himself stood up to clean his hands in the sink at the corner of the room.
"At ease by the way, I just need to get myself cleaned up before we talk further." The boy had said before leaving to wash his hands. Itself a journey of just a few steps.
Now that he thought about it, the entire room was as if someone took an apartment and then removed all the internal walls. Then condensed the result into something more suited for a junior officer's quarters than that of the First Lord of the most powerful nation to have ever existed.
A toilet was in the far corner, a sink and shower next to it, and on the other side was a kitchen. To Kerensky's right was a bed and closets, and behind him was the exit.
The center held the couch and the vidscreen.
Why were there no walls?, he wondered.
He did not consider who had done it, the staff of Unity Palace were capable enough to build a room like this overnight.
Coming back, the boy First Lord sat in a chair to the right of the couch. Patting an identical chair next to him as he did so.
This... was nothing like what they had told him the First Lord was like. He was nothing like the braying, maniacal animal that had created such a shakeup in the Council. So much so that they had, unanimously, messaged him to return to Terra post-haste and deal with the new First Lord.
He was being shown respect, a respect for his station and not just his status as an adult. A sensation that felt alien from an 8 year old boy.
Yes, this was a presence that befit the one he called 'Lord' he thought.
And so he sat.
"Kerensky. How long do you think the Star League will last before it collapses?" The boy Lord asked, staring him in the eye.
Those eyes were not the eyes of a child. They looked old, irritated... dangerous. With his mind occupied by the shock of seeing through the windows of such a bitter soul, his mouth moved automatically.
"Forever."
And, if he had his way, it would.
"Your patriotism does you credit, Kerensky. Unfortunately, it will likely collapse within 50 years if it continues the way it is."
Kerensky paused, shock filling his face.
"No, I am not Jonathan Cameron, I don't have visions. I have just read a few books... and... well... history doesn't repeat, but it rhymes. Do you think I want to be First Lord? I want to sit down, eat, sleep, read, maybe even write. But I am here now, and I have been given a duty. I hate this duty, but it is mine, because apparently I'm the only one who see's the problems." He said, eyes never straying from Kerensky's own.
"My Lord?" Kerensky asked, no longer treating the First Lord as a boy, no, he was, at the very least, an equal in intellect.
"The Imperial Core, Terra has, under many weak First Lords, allowed power to leave its grasp as soon as Ian Cameron took the throne. Nominally, the First Lord is first amongst equals, but that is a level of bullshit nobody takes seriously. When the Periphery, which, by the way, includes the House Lords as well as the Periphery, have enough power devolved to their level, they will just strike out on their own and the Star League will cease to exist. Or, worse, they will seek to take the throne of First Lord for themselves, reasoning themselves capable."
The First Lord stood up and walked out to the bulletproof blocks. They were of the same material as cockpit glass, but at half a metre thick, they were no longer windows but blocks.
"As it is right now, the Star League has 2 reasons why it remains intact. The first is the trade and diplomacy that is facilitated by Star League departments. Second, the fact that the SLDF prevents any of the Great Houses from taking Terra and crowning themselves the new First amongst equals. They assume, as all in history have, that the institutions of the Star League will remain intact during this takeover."
He turned to look at Kerensky.
"My ancestors believed that being morally righteous would cause others to follow our example. They were idiots. Morality is worthless, only actions matter. We do not have much time, General. But by the end of this, I will ensure the Star League continues to exist. If only to stop those morons out there from killing themselves trying to take the throne of First Lord."
He stepped forward and sat back down.
"I acted the belligerent bull to force the morons to recall you to Terra, General. There are others in the Star League bureaucracy that we need to contact, but I will need capable hands if we are to save the Star League and the trillions of people within. Your hands."
Having said nothing during that monologue, Aleksandr took in a deep breath.
He was 51, but in all his time, he had never seen something like this.
Then again, House Cameron was known for being strange, for their surprises.
He shouldn't have been surprised.
"What do you need me to do, Lord?" He asked, moving off his chair and kneeling on the floor before the First Lord.
"You will act as a moderating influence. A nominal leash on my person. If only to give those morons who call themselves First Lords the peace of mind to not panic." Laying a hand on Kerensky's shoulder, the First Lord mimed the act of a knighting ceremony.
Hand on shoulder, then the other shoulder, then his head, sealing his loyalty into the embodiment of a First Lord he would serve until he died.
"Why do you call them moron's Lord? All of them are quite capable..." His voice trailed off as he remembered the current Captain-General.
"Because none of them can see past their own noses. They want power, they want weapons, they want tools of war. Say they get it, what will they do next? Or rather, let's attack this from a different angle. What are the most bloody of wars, General? The wars where the most blood is split, the most harm is done to the nation's moral character, the most atrocities are committed?"
Richard had sat back down and Kerensky too retook his seat, mind racing. Stopping then, on the Marik Civil War that had just occurred years prior.
"A Civil War."
"Precisely. And what do you think fighting over the seat of First Lord will be like? Consider it as the Commanding General of the SLDF."
Kerensky's mind quivered at the thought.
It would be like the Age of War... but infinitely worse. All fighting for the title of First Lord, none of them giving up, the war starting and stopping, starting and stopping until all of civilization itself was annihilated.
"I see you understand my problem. Will you serve then, General? To keep those morons from doing anything rash and starting the civil war early?"
 
He bowed his head.
He had been afraid that this First Lord had none of the moral character of his father and the Camerons before him.
 
He had been proven wrong.
This First Lord had the moral character of all Camerons, but, more importantly. He had the will to use it, whether his subjects liked it or not.
The House Lords most likely would not enjoy what was coming. But, like recruits who were being given vaccination injections, they would take it... it was for their own good 
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