FSRB Chpt 35

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==The Federated Suns Reborn - Chapter 35==
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July 3064Arrivals
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===Lexington Combat Group changes===
The month of July started for the Federated Suns with the various officers, troopers and even supporting elements of the Lexington Combat Group voting on whether or not to accept the First Princes' offer of a permanent place within the AFFS. By company and platoon the various elements of the unit marched into the hall's set aside for the purpose and allowed to cast secret ballots marked with the simple question "Should we join the AFFS? Yes/No". By the early hours of the 2nd of July the vote tally had been counted and the results handed to Major General Malcolm Feinman. With representatives of all three of the ruling councils of the brigade standing beside him he announced the result to the brigade - the vote has been 80% in favour of joining the AFFS as the Lexington Combat Guard to 20% in favour of rejecting the offer. Initial polls taken by the various officers had suggested that the split was 55%-25% with the remaining 20% undecided, but the acceptance of the provisional name change and the promise of an accademy had clearly not only swung the vast majority of the undecided in favour of the offer but also some of those who had been opposed to it. 
At 9am on the 2nd of July (after a few hours of sleep) Major General Feinman formally requests that his unit be admitted to the AFFS as the Lexington Combat Guards Brigade and be authorized to take up their regular army duties. By 1030amm Field Marshal Feinman is authorized to have his units drawn regular army uniforms - albeit with a shoulder patch that they are authorized to design themselves to show their heritage as the Lexington Combat Group. He is also informed to pick a handful of officers and NCOs to be transported to Lexington to begin setting up a home base for the new brigade as well as begin preparing for the construction of the Lexington Military Academy.
Given the huge majority in favour of the change even those who were initially reluctant to join the AFFS feel they should honor the vote. Very few members of the Lexington Combat Group will reject becoming the Lexington Combat Guard. Those few slots that are opened due to resignations will be more than filled with eager AFFS transfers. 
A final note of welcome comes from the government of Lexington itself. The world itself can see the huge benefits of having a major combat brigade headquartered on it and make the offer of turning over the slightly crumbling Fort Ballycastle the former HQ of the SLDF XXXIIIth Corp to the Lexington Combat Guards as well as wide areas around it either as a military base or as the site of their new academy - or indeed both. 
Even as the Lexington Combat Group begins it's transfer into the Lexington Combat Guards on Defiance a number of jumpships are arriving and disgorging dropships which head for the surface. On each of the ships is newly painted a never before seen emblem, a Jaguar silhouetted against a sunburst. The Sun Jaguars have begun to arrive. 
===Clan Sun Jaguars Arrival===
The AFFS garrison consisting of the Broken Wheel CrMM and 11th FedSuns Dragoons RCT has already began preparing. At a base that hasn't been used since Task Force Serpent left the world a huge number of barracks and accommodations have been assembled and prepared for the incoming Clan Sun Jaguars. Dropships begin landing and disgorging a large number of dirty, hungry people almost all of whom are from the technician and labourer castes. Only a handful of military dropships are present in the landings and most of these are also stuffed with more refugees than warriors. The soldiers of the 2 AFFS regular units on planet had been preparing to greet their former hated foes with mixed feelings but seeing the dishevelled refugees pouring from the dropships breaks down the barriers that the Davion troopers had put up within minutes. Soon formal stilted welcomes are put aside and the two units forces throw themselves into the job of getting the half starved crowds organised, washed and fed. Many of them have been on the run since Operation Bulldog smashed through the Smoke Jaguar Occupation Zone in 3059, living hand to mouth with what little supplies their accompanying warriors could find for them. Almost all of them were Home Worlds born Smoke Jaguar civilian castes who had been brought forward to support their warrior masters within the Occupation Zone and had been hurriedly evacuated ahead of the SLDF attacks. Left behind by Galaxy Commander Hang Mehta with few protectors they had began the slow and long journey home only to receive word that their home's had already been seized by the SLDF. Since then they had merely drifted with a handful of mostly wounded warriors and damaged mech's to protect them. 
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Those few omnimechs, battlemechs, and elemental battle suits which the force contained were all in extremely poor state of repairs. Still the first official unit of the Sun Jaguars, the 1st Sun Jaguar Guards, formed up as their charges were cared for and formally requested to join the garrison to defend the world of Defiance against any enemies of the First Prince. They were hovering a little over half a cluster (if everything is working which it isn't) and assured the commanders of the two AFFS RCT that their Khan was following. He had unfortunately been drawn away by rumours of a number of Clan Smoke Jaguar prisoners held on the Draconis Combine world of Matamoros and had taken his Keshik and the 2nd Sun Jaguar Guards to liberate them. The 1st Sun Jaguar Militia were escorting a second wave of odds and ends who had still been assembling when the 1st Sun Jaguar Guards had left Antallos. Simply put they had not had enough food and water supplies on planet to keep the groups together so had divided their forces. 
Faced with almost a humanitarian crisis word is sent out to nearby worlds for medical supplies and food to be sent as soon as possible and to New Avalon and Minette for medical troops and engineers. Supplies are soon diverted and several major supply dumps on Defiance are opened to provide the Clanners with MREs. While unappetising they are at least nutritional. 
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On Robinson, the First Prince hears of the plight of the refugee Sun Jaguars and orders that further steps be taken to help the civilian castes in particular. He also sends a letter to his friend the First Lord and to his brother the Archon requesting that any Smoke Jaguar prisoners (civilian or warrior) of either the Star League, Lyran Alliance, or indeed St. Ives Compact be released into his custody. He offers his own personal assurances as to their good behavior and treatment. 
===AFFS Changes and Trouble===
While awaiting an answer the First Prince continues his discussions with Duke Sandoval and Duke Davion. Along with his promise to expand the 3rd Robinson Rangers to a full RCT he promises the Duke of Robinson that an additional 4th Robinson Rangers will also be formed as a matter of priority. Expansions of the current formations to RCT status will also be prioritised. While this goes a long way to appeasing Duke Sandoval he does point out that even with these promised additions he will have 4 RCTs to match the Syrtis Fusiliers 6 RCTs. The First Prince acknowledges this, but points out that the Duke also has the Deneb Light Cavalry brigade which is not only headquartered in his March but also has the bulk of it's units based there. Along with the well regarded New Ivaarsen Chasseurs. Victor Davion promises to support what reinforcement's he can for the Draconis March but can't generate units from thin air. He does promise that the next Avalon Hussars RCT will be stationed within the Draconis Combine's Outback region as an additional measure. He also offers to consider forming 2 additional Training Battalions at Fairfax and Clovis to provide additional recruits for expanding the various Draconis March forces in the coming year. As long as the Duke is prepared to help with the production of his factories on Robinson and Woodbine to provide Watchmen, Sentries and Battle Hawks when that design comes into production. 
As these discussions go on word comes from the Fighting Urukhai regiments that the units have decided to remain mercenaries, however a large minority of the regiments would like the opportunity to join the AFFS. From the 8th Striker, 2 companies had opted to join the AFFS, from the Sluggers another 2 companies and from the Bar Hounds 3 companies had decided to request to join the AFFS. Seizing on this opportunity the First Prince offered to form these combined 7 companies into a 4th Robinson Rangers regiment - but still hold himself to the forming of an additional unit as a priority. Seeing the opportunity to gain a veteran command to his brigade Duke Sandoval agrees. The various contingents of former Urukhai are invited to Sandoval to join the Robinson Rangers Brigade as it's 4th regiment. 
===FedSuns Industrial Developments===
At Kathil a new Avalon slip enters production at the start of July, with stockpiled parts which had been readied so it could get a good head start on a new Avalon cruiser. This brings the total slips producing Avalons to 5 at Kathil. A 6th slip is scheduled to begin construction. 
thumb|Avalon Cruiser
Within Tikonov's New Independence Weaponry plant the Battlemaster line enters production. It is built not only to produce finished battlemechs but also to produce a surplus of spare parts for this mech design due to the high number of valuable Battlemasters within the AFFS which have been suffering from a lack of spare parts. 
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With the meetings finished the First Prince takes a jump line to New Avalon and arrives back on the planet in time for the end of July. He immediatetly orders that the CEO of StarCorp's Federated Suns branch be brought to see him on the 1st of August 3064. Amanda Sanchez, already somewhat nervous at having been kept on New Avalon for the First Princes's return, the general tone of those officers agreeing to speak to her and the lack of her well known "friends" within the officer corp, begins to get extremely nervous. Nervous enough to attempt to send a HPG request to her company headquarters on Menke. Her concern is turned to alarm when she is refused permission to leave Mount Davion and told she is not allowed to send HPG messages nor receive any further guests. Guards appear outside her doors at this time.
===Shrapton moves===
On Taurus, the Protector Grover Shraplen gives a speech to the Privy Council about the unfettered aggression's of House Davion. He point to their recent aggressive annexations of worlds in the Chaos March, attacks on the Draconis Combine and blatant invasion of the Capellan Confederation. He does agree that in several cases they have been somewhat provoked by petty raids (if indeed these raids were not merely staged) but that their reprisals have been out of all proportions. He shows horrendous holo-vid footage provided of Davion atrocities provided to him by the Capellan Chancellor and asks the Privy Council if they wish to see the rabid Davion troops on Taurian worlds before they act? He requests an immediate massive increase in funding for the Taurian Defense Force. Included deep within his spending bill is a provision to rebuild the Concordant Navy - with no specific price tag attached to this small footnote. His motion is approved. 
This increase in funding provides a huge boost to the current Protector's popularity within the Defense Force and leads to Marshal Cham Kithrong despairing of any call to return rule to the Jeffrey Calderon's son... Still he prepares to announce the child's existence in August and hopes for the best. 
===Plight of the Narhal's Raiders===
On Fellanin II, the 7th Ghost's Tai-sa Tosakiri Kaifu order the Narhal's Raiders into their dropships. Now. Both sides are soon formed up facing off against each other. When Colonel Pedro Antonio Giraudoux attempts to explain they still have a great deal of equipment to prepare the 7th Ghost immedietly opens fire, destroying the Colonel's command lance where they stand and killing all 4 mechwarriors. Tai-sa Kaifu then immedietly orders Lt. Colonel Luigi Froeze to take command and order his troops to stand down. However even as he is giving this new order the 7th Ghost is charging forward firing their weapons and launching a general attack. Shocked by the murder of their commanding officer the Raiders react with fury and a general and brutal fight erupts across the base. 
Using their assault weighted support formations, the 7th Ghost manages to seize most of the base, but the mercenaries at least manage to hold them off long enough to evacuate their dependants aboard their dropships and hold the small military spaceport long enough to evacuate what is left of their command. Even as they are fleeing for their lives, Lt. Colonel sends a desperate cry for help via the command dropship's radio to the HPG station on the planet to send word of their plight to the Federated Suns. Under the cover of their fighter wing, the Narhal's Flock, the Raiders flee for the zenith jump point with Draconis Combine fighters and 2 assault dropships in pursuit. 
With every civilian jumpship fleeing the system at the approach of the running space battle there is little chance of the Narhal's Raiders escaping the system, but with almost split second timing the FSS Brest jumps into the system with a small number of empty jumpships. The FSS Brest announces to the pursuing Combine forces that it is here on a "humanitarian mission" to pick up "wounded and refugees" and that it is here on a "mission of mercy". It will not fire unless fired upon. Just in case however it is launching it's own fighters and a full 4 wings of fighters from the 2 Vengeance class dropships it is carrying as well as 3 A-3 pocket warships. Faced with the prospect of not only starting a war, but also starting it with a hopeless defeat Sho-sa Thadeus Shotoko of the 7th Ghost Aerospace orders his fighters to retreat and allow the evacuation of the Narhal's Raiders. He does send the FSS Brest's captain a pointed threat that his violation of Combine space will be reported not only to Luthien but to the Star League. Captain Jack Aubrey's retort on an open channel off "What will they do? Censure me?" perhaps sums up the general feeling of the AFFS towards the Star League after the censuring of their First Prince. With that parting remark the FSS Brest oversees the orderly evacuation of the remaining Raiders and jumps back across the border on the 30th July. Already a storm of messages are flying between Luthien, Robinson, New Avalon and St. Ives... 
===Battle for Caph===
On Caph the tide turns rapidly when a massive naval flotilla jumps into the system with WOB IFF transponders. Leading the way is the WoBS Deliverance and WoBS Guarded Knowledge, an Essex and Lola III class destroyer respectively along with no fewer than 4 Zechetinu II corvettes. Advancing towards the planet in a screen the corvettes rush forward to engage the WDWS Darius while the 2 destroyers attempt to take up orbital bombardment positions and screen the incoming dropships carrying 3 WOB Divisions. 
The WDWS Darius and a heavy aerospace fighter screen attempt to punch through the corvettes in order to engage the transports and prevent the incoming destroyers from being able to target the ground troops. In a brief but savage engagement the Darius is crippled and then destroyed by missile strikes from the corvettes.The Wolf's Dragoons warship does manage to destroy one of the corvettes and damage another before the last missile snaps her spine in two and causes her core to explode. 
Even as the WDWS Darius is dying, the WoBS Deliverance and WoBS Guarded Knowledge begins a pin point accurate orbital bombardment using naval lasers of the now retreating Delta Regiment and the 2nd Kearny Highlanders. The retreat quickly turns into a rout and the WOB troops on planet joined by their fellows sweep forward even as the 2 destroyers move to cut of any attempt to flee the planet in dropships. 
A handful of Dragoon and Highlander dropships do manage to burst free before this cordon is complete, but none of them were able to await the fleeing troops. Those ships which did attempt to wait for the Delta's and Highlanders to reach them were burned down as they attempted to reach orbit having waited too long. Even in the ships which managed to get away in time only half would survive, as the surviving corvettes chased them, to reach their jumpships and flee the system carrying word of the attack. The few remnants of the Delta regiment and 2nd Kearny Highlanders would break into small groups and several would be found by the Duke of Caph's remaining retainers who would help them to escape into the irradiated wastelands. Those that weren't reached in time would almost all be hunted down. Within 2 days of the brief battle the world of Caph formally requests annexation to the WoB Protectorate. 
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Within the Free Worlds League, the Captain-General begins to prepare to put before Parliament a bill to increase the number of Marik Militia and Free World Legionnaires commands. As riders to this bill he is preparing a number of additions which will also increase funding for the Silver Hawk, Protectorate Guard, and Regulan Hussars. Knowing he will need to buy votes.
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