Triad, Tharkad
Lyran Commonwealth
2 February 3046
"The first batches of Merlins will be arriving in the Crucis March Militia next week." It wasn't Justin's first time making a report like this, but it was the first time when he was the Secretary, rather than his father. It didn't exactly make him nervous, but it was different. The only thing he could compare it to was how he felt when Kai was born. "Thus far we've not seen any sign that the ISF are aware of it."
"Which means that either they're oblivious or Indrahar is keeping his cards very close to his chest," observed the First Prince.
"It would support several indications that he's filtering the information that Takashi Kurita receives. We've not been able to confirm that, and to an extent that's his job but..."
"Hmm. Well if he is 'managing' the Coordinator, then he'll lose his head when Takashi finds out."
Justin nodded his head, unfazed by the implied warning not to try the same. Hanse's voice had been light, making it clear he wasn't concerned about the idea. "It's possible that he's working more for Theodore than his father now. He's always been on good terms with him and arguably he's more loyal to the Combine than to the Coordinator."
"Well given that Takashi is likely to run right off the deep end once he learns that Mountain Wolf are selling us 'Mechs under the table - it'll be the Wells Technologies scandal all over again - he'll be twice as angry if the ISF is covering up for it."
It wasn't a precise analogy of course: Wells Technologies had been selling Charger BattleMechs from their Luthien factory to House Steiner for decades. While the Charger wasn't exactly the most formidable warmachine ever made (although HRB's Stuart Bell was making excellent money from upgrading the FCAF's to CGR-SB standards), the company had been subjected to an extremely hostile takeover once ISF uncovered the illicit exports: the entire board of directors had been 'invited onwards'.
In contrast, Mountain Wolf were based in the Outworlds Alliance and were technically perfectly free to export their Merlin design as they wished. Certainly the pacifist Omniss sect that dominated the impoverished periphery state didn't want them. However with the state bordered on one side by the Federated Commonwealth and on another by the Draconis Combine their government would not be happy that if the corporation endangered their precious and oft-precarious neutrality.
"Well, if the Dragon Throne and the ISF are squabbling then so much the better," concluded Hanse. "We shall see how it plays out. Is there anything elso going on?"
Justin nodded. "Potentially, yes. We've been monitoring economic trends in the Free Worlds League and one of my analysts put a few pieces together and gave us all nightmares."
"Well that doesn't sound ominous at all," Hanse observed drily.
Melissa placed a restraining hand on her husband's arm. "What did you find, Justin?"
"Based on some purchases by anonymous buyers, it's possible that someone is trying to build combat jumpships. Most probably House Marik, given that the majority of purchases are inside the Free Worlds League and most probably at the Angell II shipyards from what little we've been able to trace of shipments."
The Archon's face paled and Hanse's eyes blazed. "Thomas Marik has a warship programme?" he demanded. "How did we miss this, Justin?"
"Whoever is making these purchases - if they are in fact related, which we have not thus far managed to confirm - spread them out very carefully. Even the analyst wouldn't have thought anything of it if she hadn't been also reviewing data on the Oslo."
"The Oslo?"
"Wasn't that the wrecked Star League ship in the Oslo system?" asked Melissa.
"Yes. Or at least that's what the Capellan records claimed. However, when surveyors finally got around to checking Elgin's orbital charts they found the Oslo and identified it as a Monolith-class jumpship. The working assumption was that records had gotten confused over the last two hundred years. However, if someone is looking to build a warship fleet then it would probably be easier to repair a cripple than to build a new ship from scratch so it is possible that House Marik managed to patch up the Oslo and take it somewhere for repairs."
Hanse shook his head. "A squadron of warships, no matter how small, could slaughter an invasion force aboard their dropships. Thomas is more cunning than I'd thought: there's no way I'd risk sending an invasion force into the Free Worlds League unless they had their own warship escort."
"I'm not at all sure we can afford that," Melissa warned. "I'm no expert but there's no shortage of examples to show the expense of building warships, not to mention the infrastructure to support them. The military budget is already stretched with our current commitments and it would take more than breaking off, say, our contract to fund Stormvanger's reconstruction to cover the price tag of building warships again."
Hanse grimaced. The ressurrection of Stormvanger's production of the Cyclops and Striker lines wasn't just part of the military expansion, it was a repayment of the Sandoval's loyalty. "I see your point. Well we're already putting money into restoring jumpship yards and NAIS can at least start thinking about designs. Justin, I assume you've already looked at the money trail?"
"Of course, but it's been very well laundered. So far, we've not found a common thread." Justin steepled his fingers together, metal against flesh. "Of course, it could be that it isn't Marik behind that. Easy enough to use the League as a blind."
A shadow passed across Hanse's face. "You mean ComStar. It's entirely possible. For that matter, Thomas Marik was one of them - it's likely enough that Waterly has offered him support against us if he covers for them. If anyone is able to still build warships, it will be ComStar and Waterly has already shown she's more than ready to hand over advanced technology to our enemies."
Triad, Tharkad
Lyran Commonwealth
9 September 3046
Cadet Victor Steiner-Davion had taken the controls of a BattleMech before - usually his father's Battlemaster or Katrina Steiner's Zeus )It was odd that the latter was still how he thought of the 'Mech, he thought, although it was now in his mother's name.) - but this was the first time at the Nagelring.
There were other differences he noted as he adjusted his restraints under the eagle eyes of a drill instructor. The 'Mech he was in was much smaller than he'd use before. That made it far faster and more agile, even without using the jump jets - another new experience for him. However if he made a mistake then that same agility could cause him grave harm, since the fifty-ton machine was also far more fragile than the assault 'Mechs of his previous experience.
The other main difference was that this was a new 'Mech, one of a dozen Chameleons donated to the Nagelring in recent years. Only a relative handful of mechwarriors had ever used the cockpit before Victor and if he was not aware that he was among the last of his class to be making use of the training 'Mech (the order having been alphabetical by first name) Victor might have suspected favourtism of playing a part in his assignment to it.
"If you're quite finished tying yourself down, cadet, you might want to join the others," suggested the drill instructor who had crammed himself into the small space behind the command couch. The sarcasm, at least, was exactly what any cadet would receive.
"As you say, drill instructor," Victor replied obediently and hit the switch that closed the cockpit hatch around them. Pressing down lightly on the pedals, he walked the Chameleon out onto the tarmac that surrounded the Nagelring's hangers, using a lighter touch than usual in case of activating the jumpjets. Doing so inside the hanger would have... unfortunate consequences.
The drill instructor snorted. "A little faster, cadet. Before I die of old age, if you please."
Victor eased down the pedal until he felt it reach the rocker. Any further and the jump jets would activate. Even without it, the Chameleon loped across the ground with impressive speed, accelerating to almost ninety kilometers an hour and then slowing rapidly as Victor joined the double rank of his Cadet Company.
"Now that you are all finally out here," the drill sergeant occupying an elderly Vulcan that served as his mobile observation post, "We will see see if you gentlemen and ladies -" All twelve of the company were from noble families, eleven of them from Lyran families. Victor was well aware, via a LIC briefing, of exactly how the various families had arranged that. At least his room-mate wasn't a social climber: Renny Sanderlin was still bending over backwards to avoid anything that could be construed as taking advantage of proximity. "- who obviously have now difficulty making your 'mechs move, can get them to move in formation."
It shouldn't have been too much of a problem: all the cadets had been made to march themselves in formation, that was a basic part of military training. All of them were already reasonably proficient in piloting BattleMechs - unlike their less well-bred peers, which was the one reason Victor had not demanded that the blueblooded company be broken up - so this would be as simple as using both skills in unison.
Fifteen minutes later, even the dimmest of the twelve cadets had had it drubbed into their skulls that just because something is simple does not make it easy. Much like anything on the battlefield, moving in formation would take practise and possibly some reduced egos. Each had their own little habits of moving and that was making co-ordination a problem.
"Not as easy as you thought, your highness?" asked the drill instructor quietly.
Victor couldn't help but shoot an irritated look back over his shoulder at the man. That was not the appropriate honorific to use. He was supposed to be treated like any other cadet.
The drill instructor smacked his shoulder. "Eyes front, cadet!" he snapped and Victor realised that he was drifting out of position. "That's a demerit for silent insolence. And get used to ignoring distractions. Some day you'll be doing this under fire."
FCAF Headquarters
Arcturus, Lyran Commwealth
12 February 3047
"You're a glutton for punishment," accused John Yapt.
Clifton Schroeder shrugged. "It is true," he agreed. "And your mercenary outreach programme is not equally ambitious?"
"It'll probably require less paperwork."
"You are right, but there is no sacrifice I would not make for my - for our - nation."
Gunter Hillam shook his head. "Nice catch," he advised his successor as commander of the Arcturan Guards. "But try not to wobble like that in front of impressionable youngsters."
"I will redouble my diligence," the young Marshal Schroeder promised. "I realise that another reorganisation will disorder the Guards, but I believe that this proposal is for the best. The proposed balance of armour to infantry will better fit our traditional tactics. That is desirable, yes, not making us a copy of the AFFS?"
"Don't get so sensitive, Cliff," Jeri Harrison assured him. The Marshal of the Deneb Light Cavalry had struck up an unlikely friendship with the Arcturan, enough so that there was a top secret sweepstake over whether one or both of their marriages would suffer for it. "We've all put our own spin on the idea since Melissa Davion's reforms. If you want to be hammers, well some problems really are nails."
"And some problems are just the Archon's aunt, who is not going to be ecstatic about taking back fifteen infantry regiments into the LCAF and giving up some tank regiments." Not all the regiments assigned to join the Arcturan Guards RCTs were adapting well and Schroeder's proposal was to rotate roughly a third of them back out of the FCAF and replace them with armour regiments, which would give each of his RCTs four tank regiments rather than the usual three, but only four infantry regiments each.
"Well, sir, that's why you have that extra trim around your Steiner-cross," Schroeder pointed out, referring to the distinction between his own rank insignia and Hillam's.
The older man looked at him for a moment and then turned to Yapt. "And I suppose that if I don't authorise your project you'll whine about favoristm towards the Guards?"
Yapt grinned. "Shamelessly," he confirmed. "Come on, Gunter. You know that the First Prince will jump at the chance to nudge a few of these regiments a little closer towards being house units not mercenaries. Now that the Blue Star Irregulars have signed on, I have a dozen regiments onboard. It'll let us play with splitting up our own Mech units the way the Ceti Hussars do, but still have a regiment of 'Mechs concentrated."
"Alright," Hillam sighed. "I'll go to bat for both of you. But John, the three remaining slots are to be used by Lyran Regular regiments, not 'Mercs. Experienced regiments of Regulars with some of the Hussar regiments raised under Volsung. Maybe it'll deter Ostola from coming up with a crazy idea of her own."
There were chuckles. Marshal Ostola Stellwar - absent on a tour of the FCAF units along the Marik border - was very keen that his Lyran Regulars wouldn't be left as junior hanger-ons to the FCAF as they so often had been by the LCAF.
Fox's Den, New Avalon
Federated Suns
19 September 3047
The pagentry of the Royal Court was on full display in Avalon City and nowhere more so than in the palace that was home to House Davion. However, for today, Hanse had left his wife and children (Victor was spending a year as an exchange student with NAIS College of Military Science before returning to the Nagelring to complete his academy training) to preside while he dealt with some of the ever-accumulating business of state.
"So what do you have for us?" he asked the little group waiting for him in one of the shallower briefing rooms dug into Mount Davion.
Sharon Farragut had been commander of the Lyran Navy for several years before retiring and she had come to attention as the Prince entered. You can take the admiral out of the navy, but not the navy out of the Admiral. "Sir, Field Marshal Winston has made it fairly clear that you and the Archon are looking for a solution to facing a possible warship force."
Hanse's eyebrows lowered suspiciously. "That's correct. I assume you have a proposal?"
"We do." One of Farragut's assistants had already loaded a data disc into the room's display unit and on cue he tapped a control, bringing up a rotating image. "As you can see this is a standard Leopard-class dropship - Bowie Industries build them for the LCAF and now for the FCAF."
"I'm familiar with the design."
"Of course." Farragut signalled and another image, very similar, appeared in it's place. "This, on the other hand, is a Tiger-class. A new design we haven't started to build yet." She picked up a pointer. "You can see the changes to the hatches along the side: we had to remove the fighter bays and the 'Mech bays so the only doors are cargo hatches here and a loading hatch here."
"Loading what?" asked Morgan Hasek-Davion, his eyes flicking apparently idly across the design on display.
"Missiles," Farragut answered succinctly. She moved the pointer to the nose. "This is the launch tube for a fifty-ton capital missile - the SLDF standard heavy anti-shipping missile. The ammunition store inside carries ten of them and refitting them with nuclear warheads is perfectly feasible."
"Then you believe that nuclear weapons are the solution to warships?"
"Respectfully, sir, the Ares Convention makes full allowance for using them and no practical nuclear weapon will cost more than a tenth of a percent the cost of a warship." Farragun tapped the image. "The Tiger can be built in existing construction facilities and costs a twentieth as much as a corvette would. They can also be relocated via command circuit, giving them superior strategic mobility."
"And can they survive in close quarters with a warship?" asked Hanse pointedly.
Winston, who had thus far stood aside to let Farragut make her pitch, cleared his throat. "No sir. No practical dropship can, just as no warship can afford to take even a single solid hit from a nuclear missile. And to be brutally honest, sir, I'd rather lose ten men in one of these than three hundred on an infantry transport. Which could happen a dozen times over if a Marik warship catches one of our RCTs in transit."
The First Prince sighed. "You make a good point. Will this work."
"It should," Winston replied cautiously. "It's simulated of course, none have been built yet."
"It worked for the Taurians," Farragut observed. "They did this sort of thing a lot in the 2760s - it's one reason the Star League Navy was so beatne up even before they went after Amaris."
Hanse examined the image of the Tiger for a long moment. "What do you think Morgan?"
"Well if it gave Kerensky trouble that's good enough for me." The duke leant forwards: "How long to build one?"
"In theory, six months." The former admiral shrugged. "Which probably means eight or nine for the first couple of them."
"Can you build two a year? Three would be better."
She consulted her notes. "Two, yes. Three... not in the short term. We'd need another construction facility."
"And licensing?" suggested Hanse. "Federated-Boeing build Leopards. Or could an existing Leopard be converted."
"I'd have to talk to the Directors about licensing," Farragut admitted. "If the money's right I'd expect them to agree but it's outside of my authority to commit. As for conversions, I'm not sure it's practical: the internals are rather more different than they appear and the nose has taken quite a bit of reinforcement."
"Alright. I presume you have a preliminary costing worked out, so I'll talk to Melissa about it." The First Prince offered Farragut his hand and after the barest hesitation she accepted and shook. "Thank you for coming all this way."
"It's a pleasure and a privilege," the Admiral-turned-consultant assued Hanse. "They're going to be sweet little ships and my only regret is that I'm too old to take one out for a spin."
Hanse and Morgan waited until the group had left before setting aside the matter to look at the next item on their agenda: "How's morale in the AFFS holding up," Hanse asked.
"Better than it was," the younger man answered with an air of relief. "Losing the Brigade of Guards hit like a gut-blow. Fortunately the Crucis Lancers held it together, but if most of the Davion Guards weren't still in the Federated Suns we'd be having trouble."
The Fox ran his fingers through greying hair, not contesting the point. The AFFS had been for a long time one of the two strongest militaries in the Inner Sphere, rivaled only by the DCMS. Being left in second place to the new FCAF - becoming, as one critic put it, a 'glorified March Militia' - would have been a terrible blow for their martial pride even if some of their most honoured formations hadn't 'deserted' to it. "Perhaps we've moved too fast," he admitted.
"I don't think so."
Hanse looked at his nephew curiously.
"I'm sorry to say this, Hanse, but I've been getting the impression that the AFFS needed a kick in the pants. There are too many young officers - and some not-so-young - who are entirely to impressed with themselves as the unstoppable army that brought the Capellan Confederation to its knees. Pride goes before a fall, you know."
"I can't disagree on that, but it's also necessary. Letting the AFFS turn into..." Hanse groped for an example for a moment before finding one. "...a provincial militia isn't the goal. The FCAF is the back-up for them, not the other way around."
"Then they need to find a new centre," Morgan pointed out. "And I think the Ceti Hussars could be that touchstone: they're the most senior regiments that don't have a regional affiliation. And however little the AFFS bureacracy likes it, their tactics work."
"What do you have in mind?"
Morgan produced a data disc, sliding it across the table to Hanse. The First Prince looked at it, and then back at the Duke of New Syrtis. "Summarise for me, please."
"For now, I'd like to look at reorganising the the Kestrel Grenadiers, Aragon Borderers and Kittery Borderers along the same lines: semi-indpendent combat commands. They're already combined arms regiments, so it shouldn't be too big a step for them." He held up one hand. "I know we can't really spare the 'Mechs when the FCAF is expanding the Deneb Light Cavalry and Lyran Regulars, so we can keep them at two combat commands each for now."
"It sounds entirely too much like what caused the CCAF so much trouble: breaking up regiments into battalions we could isolate and over-run one at a time," Hanse said warily.
"They aren't going to be lone battalions, they're command commands of tanks, infantry and battlemechs working together," countered Morgan. He smiled at his uncle's expression. "Don't tell me that the great proponent of combined arms is nervous about that working out?"
Hanse acknowledged the touch with a silent gesture.
"If that works out, then a few years down the line we can probably talk to Aaron - or James -" Both men made identical grimaces at the thought of the likely few years left to Aaron Sandoval, the peppery Duke of Robinson. "- about raising more regiments of Borderers along the Draconis March. You know that helping him finance raising the Robinson Rangers has helped keep the peace over our not invading the Combine, but he's also stacking them with loyalists and making inroads into the New Ivaarsen Chasseurs and Chisholm Raiders. The Borderers would be more clearly tied to you and seeing new AFFS regiments as well as FCAF RCTs will let my people know that they're not being left behind in favour of Gunter Hillam's boys and girls."
"That should help. I know that Nondi has been trying to persuade Melissa to reform some of the lost Skye Ranger regiments, to build a loyal power base in that region. Balancing that with raising regiments here should help." Hanse no longer looked weary, a devious look appearing in his eyes. "And just to raise the prestige of this project, why don't you look at doing the same re-organisation with your Syrtis Fusiliers. Romano Liao is probably feeling complacent with so much of our forces facing the Combine and the League, a lot of movement and reorganisation along her border with you will keep her on her toes."
"Well..."
"Or is what's good enough for the Ceti Hussars not good enough for the Syrtis Fusiliers."
Morgan couldn't help but chuckle. "You just want get more MIIO agents in there to keep an eye on Nathan!" Nathan Hasek, his first cousin, was first in line for the ducal throne of New Syrtis after Morgan's own children. He also commanded the three regimental combat teams of the Syrtis Fusiliers.
"That too." Hanse dropped the data disc into his attache case for later review. "So what next?"
"Cosara Weaponry are still behind schedule in building Crabs for the FCAF. Gunter asked me to bring it to your attention."
"Again!?" The First Prince leant forward angrily. "Fine, tell him to cancel his order for their next production run. If they won't respond to the carrot, let's try the stick. We can use the money to subsidise Blue Shot's proposed factory on Solaris VII."
"That will slow down medium 'Mech procurement."
"It's already slowed down, and with Blue Shot's factory built, if Cosara don't get their act together they'll see the Lynx as the FCAF's medium 'Mech of choice instead of their Crab!"
Marik Palace, Atreus
Marik Commonwealth, Free Worlds League
1 March 3048
"What do you have Wilson?" asked Thomas Marik from the throne-like chair on one side of the broad table, carved from Marik oaks six centuries ago, as was most of the furniture in this chamber of the Captain-General's residence.
The Director of SAFE, Wilson Cherenkov, stood before that chair with calm despite the fact that he knew the honest answer was not what the Captain-General wanted to hear. More than ten years on the throne of the often fractious Free Worlds League had leached much of the colour from Thomas Marik's hair but it had caused less erosion of his temper.
"I don't have their agenda, sir," Wilson admitted. "The Fox is up to something, that's obvious."
"Yes, because he plots as readily as he breathes." Thomas grimaced and then waved his hand in apology. "Not your fault that his cards are close to his chest, Wilson. Tell me some good news though. I may need it."
The spy rifled through his mental drawers and brightened. "The Free Worlds Technical Institute has received a shipment that we have been able to mis-direct from the Lyran supply lines. No doubt the Penobscot regiment of the Tamarind March Militia will be upset that a lance of reconditioned heavy 'Mechs hasn't reached them."
"The Star Corps 'Mechs?" Battlemechs were not always of primary concern to Thomas, but technology was a natural lure to a man who'd made science his deity even as a young man, following it into the arms of ComStar.
"Indeed. Two Riflemen and two JagerMechs. It would appear that the Lyrans have had their way: no autocannon are in evidence, as sure a sign as any that the AFFS didn't have the final say. All four have been refitted with Holly LRM racks, the same kind used on StarCorps' Longbow, which explains their involvement. It seems that they were to be used to provide fire support for the March Militia regiments."
Thomas nodded his understanding, although his face was disappointed. "No sign of advanced techology then?"
"That was the initial conclusion but FWTI have advised me otherwise. It seems that the refit is relatively subtle: improved guidance systems for the missile launchers and a modest armour improvements. The electronics, I'm told, aren't too different from our own new Artemis systems."
"Ours?"
Wilson chewed his lip. If they were, then it was a condemnation of his own counter-intelligence branch. But to say it were not and be found false. "As yet we don't know. Most probably it's derived from the same source: the Helm Memory Core's records of SLDF guidance systems."
That earned him a second nod. "Logical. And the armour?"
"Well we don't have a sample to compare to, but the technical analysts suggest its' probably comparable to some of what the Combine has." He paused. "Of course, since they haven't shared that with us, we can't be sure."
"Can we copy it?"
Wilson spread his hands. "That's outside my ability to determine. Certainly, the Institute will try."
"We need something." Thomas ran his fingers across the scars that marred his face. "We need something. First Berenson and now this delegation from New Avalon. What next?"
"I don't know sire."
"Find out then." The words could have been harsh and demanding, but they were not. It was a request, from one man to another, and Wilson Cherenkov could not laugh that off later had it been demanded.
"I will do what I can." He shrugged. "You may learn sooner though."
"Yes, yes." Thomas straightened his white FWLM uniform tunic. "You'd better not be here when they get here. It wouldn't be diplomatic, or so I'm told."
"Honest soldiers are better loved in diplomacy than spies, Thomas." Wilson's eyes twinkled. "They're much less threatening." He made himself absent from sight, knowing that his agents in the palace's security force would report whatever was said in the meeting. Spying on the Captain-General was an odd job for his own intelligence service, but someone would be doing it no matter what so best it was someone loyal to the Free Worlds League.
Thomas had no trouble identifying Horatio DuVall as the younger man was ushered into the chamber. The DuVall's had a history with the Federated Suns as long as that of the Davions and of course, SAFE had provided a dossier as soon as the nobleman entered the borders of the Free Worlds League. In his late twenties, grandson of a Count, ex-Davion Guardsman... it was an impressive resume and being sent here clearly indicated he was considered a rising star of the Ministry of Foreign Relations.
He bowed deeply. "Captain-General Marik, it's an honour to meet you sir."
"I'm sure." Thomas gestured towards a chair. "Since I'm speaking to you rather than Ambassador Robertson, I assume that this is highly confidential. Let's skip past the usual hour of flowery compliments. If anyone asks, we can always lie and put words in each other's mouths. It's not as if there's any content to them."
DuVall smiled thinly as he seated himself, apparently unshaken by the suggestion. "As you say sir. So shall we, as they say, get to business?"
"I would be pleased."
"Have you ever considered the goal of the Federated Commonwealth?"
"Frequently."
The emissary shook his head. "Not the paranoid fantasies of universal dominion, sir. That would be... impractical... to say the least. No. Katrina Steiner's original peace proposal."
"Peace is an interesting way of descibing conquering hundreds of worlds," Thomas pointed out coolly.
DuVall spread his hands. "The consensus of the two High Commands, as they were at the time, was that if Kapteyn were allowed to strike first, the resulting conflict would last for at least ten years and resolve nothing. You may note that there has been very little open warfare since that war. None since 3042. That's the longest period of peace since the fall of the Star League."
"The absence of war is not the same thing as the absence of hostility."
"You're quite correct." DuVall leant back into his chair. "And quite bluntly, given that the Federated Commonwealth's combined forces are about twenty-five percent larger than the collected forces of the Kapteyn Pact right now, that hostility is likely to boil over into another war before Prince Victor inherits his parents' thrones. Because that gap will only get wider over time."
Thomas carefully hid any reaction to the fact that that very point had been raised by Takashi Kurita in a recent message. "Should I assume that your master is intending to justify another war of aggression as a 'pre-emptive action'?" he asked instead.
"No, although I must admit that it does seem likely that some form of conflict is coming. The trouble is that it is very difficult for the Federated Commonwealth, being a liberal society, to co-exist with despotic regiemes such as those of Takashi Kurita and Romano Liao. However the Free Worlds League is not like that. In fact you're far closer to us than to them in that regard. An invasion of the Free Worlds League would be an exercise in self-aggrandizement at this point."
"Like the invasion of our worlds near Terra in 3029?"
"To some extent yes, that is exactly what Pavel Ridzik was doing. However I'd have to point out that your father was invading six Lyran worlds at the time." DuVall diplomatically did not point out that the more recent loss of Berenson to the Federated Commonwealth had followed Marik's attack on Gan Singh. "However, I believe he had to stop because Andurien had declared war on the Capellan Confederation, forcing him to rein them in. Even after the Andurien War I doubt that there is any fond feeling between Atreus and Sian."
"You may be right," Thomas observed tersely. "Let me guess where this is going: you're going to suggest that Victor Davion marry my daughter and that the Free Worlds League joins your happy little family."
DuVall smiled in apparent ignorance of the anger underlying Thomas' words. "The exact words of my Prince, Captain-General, is that he 'will have no part of such an agreement unless it is the true will and consent' of his son and your daughter. Not to mention of course, that the politics of the Free Worlds League mean that there is no certainty that the child of such a marriage would be elected as Captain-General."
"If Lady Isis and Prince Victor were to form an affection," he continued, "I am sure that Prince Davion would not be displeased. However he is more interested in exploring the possibility of establishing a friendship between House Marik and the House of Steiner-Davion, just as friendship has slowly been nurtured with elements of House Liao."
"You want us to be a puppet-state like the St Ives Compact?"
"Some puppet. You realise that the only reason that we didn't finish off the Confederation while you and your cousin Duncan were busy fighting against Andurien is that Duchess Liao refused to countenance it. The price of that forbearance has been the suffering of the Capellan people under Romano's tyranny for more than a decade, a price that Duchess Liao feels is better than the alternative of the Confederation's worlds becoming a battlefield between us."
DuVall met Thomas' eyes. "What I'm here to do is to see if there's the possibility of talking about our differences. To see if we can at least talk about ending this hostility, leaving Candace Liao free to take her rightful throne and for you to address the pirate states such as Circinus and the Marians who have preyed upon your people while the Great Houses have been focused on fighting each other."
