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Chapter 87 - The Administrator[]
Tharkad Naval Shipyard - Guest Complex
Tharkad system
Lyran Commonwealth
3150
elsewhere at the reception...
"...calculate it, based on what they put on display escorting us here? That's not a threat." Captain-General Nikol Marik said, as a suited steward passed refilled bulbs around.
"I counted the hull numbers, either they're very good at painting, and I mean very good, or they have at least as powerful a fleet as the Republic has in storage." Danai Centrella-Liao accepted one of the drinks. "I'm a little nervous-all the Lyran Navy types are wearing skinsuits under their clothes."
"It's perfectly safe." Yori Kurita seemed to materialize unbidden, to collect a fresh drink from the Stewards. "One of the little changes under Trillian's rule-their entire Navy is required to wear those. They must have their helmets, basic survival, and damage control gear at hand at all times, including on planetary assignments. They somehow, they're actually able to enforce it."
Nikol nodded, looking over the Coordinator, "You're wearing one too."
"It seemed the fashionable thing to do." Yori confessed, "Mine is, naturally, better than theirs, but no joke, Trillian's got enough Navy to make Stone nervous."
"Maybe to make us all nervous." Nikol noted. "We've barely gotten a dozen pre-war ships repaired, and she's turning out that many every year."
"Oh, more. Which is what has the Republic's Exarch nervous." Yori commented. "And we should be nervous...but I'm less nervous right now, than I was when I arrived."
"Do you really think she wants to be a Neutral?" Danai asked.
"Aside from Julian being very persuasive and a relative?" Yori waggled her hand a bit, "I think maybe so. I think she is quite alright with letting the Wolves attack the Republic, and continuing to refuse to aid her cousin directly."
"Huh, that doesn't fit the history." Nikol said.
"No, it doesn't...unless you know the whole story." Yori said, "Trillian listens to her lunatic Admiral-the one who built that impressive fleet outside the viewing window. That Admiral thinks there's a threat coming from the Deep Periphery. She is also outspoken to both her Sovereign and anyone who will bother to listen, with the opinion that the former Terran Hegemony-all those worlds our ancestors have been fighting over?"
"Yeah?"
"Is absolutely worthless real-estate?" Yori said firmly. "I believe I overheard her calling it 'used up' and expressing the view that the only thing the Republic has of value are trillions of welfare recipients and a border exposed on all sides to people who have grudges."
"You're fighting over some of that territory." Nikol noted.
"I'm fighting the Davions, just like my ancestors have for generations untold, I'm fighting the Republic, because they're backing the Davions. Maybe next week I'll be fighting the Ghost Bears over the same territory." Yori shrugged, "Or, maybe I will use this cease-fire to declare victory, consolidate gains, and focus on more...important matters, like fortifying against an external attack in order to avoid going through what my Great-Grandfather had to endure when the Clans came out of nowhere." She sipped her drink, "I'm still deciding."
"What's the breaking point?" Danai asked.
"Whether Trillian Steiner stands her ground, or caves to Devlin Stone." Yori stated, "If she caves, we will have to continue the war to prevent such an alliance from annihilating my nation. In that case, it might be a good idea to make allies who will join us in our struggle to remain free of Terran Domination. We have taken Dieron, the Combine is once again whole...mostly whole. I can declare victory and focus on preparations to face an external threat-provided Trillian Steiner doesn't weigh in to make this another Succession War on Devlin Stone's behalf."
"Given what they did to the Jade Falcons, I think we'd have to seek allies for the Confederation." Danai said carefully, "It would be catastrophic for us. Another Fourth Succession War, only without a Candace Liao to narrow their advances and preserve our industrial base..." She looked to Nikol, "And you, they would go after on general principles, seeing as the League reclaimed Republic worlds too, and you have the Wolf Empire breathing down your necks."
"I've been putting out feelers to the Wolf Empire. Our acceptance of Clan refugees and the threat of the Republic combined, they might be potent allies." Nikol said, "Or they might turn and eat us whole. Alaric makes me nervous, and Anastasia is a psychopath, but they might be a better choice than letting Devlin Stone roll us over and break us again."
"Oh god, you're really interested in getting Steiner on your side?" Danai asked.
"She does have the forces and the successfully beat both the Wolves and the Jade Falcons. Now has peace with the Wolves and has annihilated the Falcons." Yori said approvingly, "I could think of poorer choices for the Free Worlds League. Better choices, like the Dragon, but poorer options do exist."
"We still have a few tricks, Yori." Danai said quietly. "I didn't miss the dig at the Confederation."
"I was not 'digging' at the Confederation. I think a direct alliance with the Wolves would be the worst option for Nikol's people, not yours. Clanners as allies are inevitably poised to stab you in the back-they can't help it, it's their nature, as we discovered with the Nova Cats. On every other level, the Republic is outright the worst option possible. I am sure you have seen evidence in your own territory of their manipulations, including Gray Monday."
"Trillian doesn't want a war with the Republic." Nikol said.
"I don't want a war with them either-anymore." Yori stated, "What we want and what we need sometimes do not share a definition, but if the Republic can be isolated to a single pair of allies? or frozen out? we can make them irrelevant. Leave the sad little king on his sad little hill and move on."
"I am unsure I can convince Daoshen of that." Danai noted.
"Something to overcome when and if we have the opportunity." Yori said carefully.