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Chapter 74 - The Administrator[]
Tharkad System
Lyran Commonwealth
3150
Twelve Hours later, LCAF Headquarters...
"Task Force Arminius should be about here." Sharon said, highlighting a location on the holographic representation. "Based on relay data, they're almost to the rendezvous."
Trillian nodded, satisfied. "That's good... everyone but, Admiral Ngo and General Steiner, clear this space."
The command staff filed out, as well as the techs, leaving only Trillian, her bodyguards, and the two senior officers.
"What the ****** were you playing, Sharon?" the Archon scolded.
"Buying you leverage, your Majesty." Sharon stated.
"Leverage? He could've killed you." said Trillion
"Not a big loss on the larger scale, if he did that. Stone would lose all his credibility and you would be forced not to sign any treaties that compromise the Commonwealth. As it is, their negotiating position right now has gone from Stone's slightly worn reputation from the Jihad, to attempting to beg or bully aid from the Commonwealth-it was win-win." Sharon's tone was unemotional.
Trillian closed her eyes in frustration and shook her head, "It wasn't supposed to go like that!"
"Permission to speak freely, your Majesty?" Sharon asked.
"You don't have to ask."
"I believe I do, your Highness." Sharon stated, "No matter what, the fact I could bait Stone's hand-picked envoy into an act of public violence gives you status and authority on the international stage, and strips him of the leverage he might've had leveraging Lear's ideals with the public. You control the engagement on a political level now, and you have a superior physical position."
"How's that?" Roderick asked.
"We're still building warships." Sharon said, "Sources through contact with The Folk say Stone's just started gearing up-they didn't expect to ever need their fleet, and we've got them outgunned with more coverage. Additionally it the sum total of the Republic's remaining alliances that they haven't poisoned has gone down by one."
"How do you come to that conclusion?"
Sharon rubbed her bruise, "Because the clip made it to the Ghost Bear Dominion." she said. "Think like a Clanner. He lashed out, I accepted his challenge, and he backed down. Then I rubbed his face in it and made him apologize to you for the offense. Stone lost some credibility there. More with the Rassies themselves, because his man outright violated Guestrite and had to be called on it and the Rassies hold to those customs. He'll have a hard time invoking their alliance if he decides to attack us. the open lack of courtesy as a guest also doesn't play well with the Combine, and I can bet that Daoshen Liao is hitting 'rewind' and laughing his ass off."
She ran a finger along one of the consoles, "Meanwhile, your hands are clean." she added. "I'm infamous for my mouth, and from a family that is infamous for the same mouth. Howell blew the Republic's credibility as an honest broker." she turned, "And not a drop of it lands on you-even your enemies will consider whatever you do next, to either be justified, or generous. It was the right move strategically for us."
"You're sure that's how it's going to be read?" Trillian asked, slightly scoffing.
"Yeah. Status games. The Combine people will correctly identify that it was you testing the Republic's envoy by putting me in that room to do what I did. He lost composure. The Wolves might lose a few points on their estimation of me but, you gain those points back and with you, the Commonwealth gains points over the Republic. If you decide I'm full of shit and take them as your bosom-ally, nobody will think it's because you're intimidated. They'll ALL know it's because you're charitable, and the Republic is a charity-case. If you decide to go to war, you've got a ready excuse ninety percent of the governments out there will accept as legitimate and they might even find it hard to get allies from the people who don't like us."
"And Neutrality?" Roderick asked.
"Oh please, yes." Sharon said, "That's the best of all-it means they can't pull the shit they pulled for sixty years against us. It cements the Commonwealth as the honest arbiter, and it means we aren't wasting lives fighting other people's wars...can I please recall the Task Force now? Stone is activating his navy, Julian's got some success against the Combine in recovering lost territory, if we're out there, we will take casualties we don't have to fighting a foreign war we don't have to, not when we can be the honest arbitrator for the peace talks they're going to have to have."
Trillian looked tormented. "Issue the recall." she said.
"Thank you your, Majesty." Sharon said fervently.