Chapter 63
Endings and Beginnings, Part 1[]
“I guess I didn’t expect my sister to abdicate. I knew she didn’t want the throne, but to walk away from it all. That was a bit of a shock. It’s one that took me time to get used to, but I think she made a good decision for her. The war was a necessary evil, and it is cold comfort to say that to all the families who lost someone, but the threat of the Clans had to be dealt with. All I can say is better our terms than theirs. It doesn’t heal the maimed or bring back the dead, but maybe it buys our children something we should have given them in the first place: Peace.”
- “Reflections” – pp. 275 by Victor Steiner-Davion, Davion Palace Press, New Avalon, 3071
“I know at first, I hurt my brother for walking away how I did. He had gotten used to the two of us ruling as a team. But he was supposed to be our parent’s successor, someone like me should not have that kind of power. He was in good hands, Omi, Andrew, Ardan, Yvonne. All these people would give their lives to prevent Victor from screwing up. His worst enemy was him, really. My worst enemy was a monster modern science could only suppress, not slay. When did we think the Capellans went nuclear on Sian? I could hear the whispers of the monster saying, ‘Let me out, let me free.’ No ****** way, I like my marbles, I’ve fought so hard to keep them.
“That’s why I left the throne and the court behind. I like my new job as an ER doc. It is stressful, with long hours and hard decisions. But it was saving lives, rather than ending them. Last week, I saved a mother of two’s leg after she went under a bus. And I did it in minutes. It feels damn good to do that. And I much prefer “Dr. Cox” to “Your Highness.” I earned the first one. Plus, I get the last laugh at family dinners, whenever Victor or Yvonne gets obnoxious. I just tell them about the grossest case I have that day!”
- “It's Not All Fairy Tales – The Life and Times of a Cracked Princess”, by Katherine Cox-Steiner Davion, Tharkad Press, Tharkad, 3084
Sisterly Advice[]
Personal Apartments of Katherine Steiner-Davion
Davion Palace, New Avalon
Federated Commonwealth
March 5th, 3058, 1100 hours
“Victor, I have said this many times. The answer is no.” Katherine Steiner-Davion said, forcing some not-so-neatly folded t-shirts into her luggage.
“Katherine, I’m not asking you to take the throne. But I need good advisers. And I am concer- “
Victor’s voice had an edge of fear to it. It was something Katherine wasn’t used to hearing from Victor. She walked over and grasped Victor by the shoulders, interrupting him into silence.
“Victor, you have good people here, who are going to give you the same advice I would. Plus, with you and Omi playing house? I’d be in the way. Galen’s gotten us a nice, secluded condo in a nice neighborhood in New Avalon. It’s not the palace, but for me, the palace was always a gilded cage. So, some truth-telling? What’s with the nerves?”
Victor sat down on Katherine’s bed. For the first time in his life, he was going to his younger sister for advice. “Well, if you have any bets, you’d win if they were ‘Victor proposes to Omi by the end of 3058.’”
Katherine squealed with delight and hugged her brother fiercely then she stepped back with a mock frown on her face. “Finally, you big lug! I was wondering when you’d do the right thing! So, why the nerves?”
“What if she says no?” Victor said plaintively.
Katherine giggled “Are you serious? Omi say no? That would be right up there with Sun-Tzu Liao returning from the dead. Victor, she isn’t going to say no. If we were in high school, she’d be drawing hearts and trying out ‘Omi Steiner-Davion’ in her notebook. It’s cute, but a warning, it’s making Yvonne gag at times.”
Victor shook his head “Will anyone ever tame her?”
Katherine shook her head “Yvonne, not likely. It would be a truly Shakespearean moment if that happened. And dear brother if she brings home a spouse-to-be? Give that poor soul hazard pay.”
“Hazard pay, and a medal.” Victor concurred.
“So, why wait, dear brother? It’s a new year. Stop trying to convince me to not make my own way in the world. Go and make your own!” Katherine smiled “And don’t worry about the Draconis March. I left a folder for you on your desk with a pretty good PR plan on how you two handle that. It was one of my last acts on the throne.”
“Katherine, I- “, Victor began try answer
“It’s ok, big brother. You will do fine. I must go make some things right with me. Don’t worry, I’ll be around when I’m really needed.” Katherine again hugged her brother.
“Palace is going to seem emptier without you.”, he told her.
Katherine shook her head “Oh come on, Victor, soon as you and Omi start making kids? You two will be asking me if you can hide at our place.”
Victor rolled his eyes. “No chance, we’re going to make great parents.”
“Ok, 5 kroner says you guys hide out at least once before the first one turns two.” Katherine said, sticking her tongue out for emphasis.
“Done, we’ll make the front page in one of those parenting magazines.” Victor said, folding his remaining arm across his chest. His features turned more serious, “So, you ready for med school?”
Katherine nodded “Yeah, I didn’t think I would be, but I aced the boards. And Riva Allard said I had the talent.”
Victor smiled “And what does Dr. Tadmere think?”
“Other than you’re overdoing your recovery, Victor? He says I have a lot of talent and should be considering emergency medicine.”
“Heh, I am the Archon-Prince, and if I want to kick my own ass, it’s my God-given right. As for you as an ER doc? I could see it, but you’d probably have tailored scrubs.” Victor said with a mischievous light in his eyes.
Katherine batted him with a pillow. “You fiend, I have promised myself to work twice as hard as all the other med students.”
“I said the same thing, Katherine, and they handed me a battalion of people I got killed when the Clans came. I should have been a lance leader like all the other graduates.”
“This again? Victor, it was bad luck. I asked Galen. He told me what happened. Said you wanted to stay out of some misplaced sense of guilt. Stop it, will you? You honored their memory by taking their homes back. It may not bring them back, but it’s something.” Katherine shook her head.
“You probably still get a kick out of him kicking my ass?”, asked Victor
“Only because it saved your life, bro. Imagine what Mom and Dad would have gone through if you got killed or captured. I am imagining you a Jade Falcon, and I don’t like the image.” Katherine nodded, but with a sympathetic look in her eyes. “It’s one of the reasons I love him, Victor. Because he looks out for his family. Even before we knew each other.”
“Enough wool-gathering, I guess? So, anything I can help with?” Victor rose gingerly.
Katherine shook her head. “No, the palace staff has me mostly loaded in the van. Marta cried when she saw it.”
“Marta” was Marta Donhoffer. She was from Gallery and had been the head governess to the Steiner-Davion children since Victor was born. As much as they were Hanse and Melissa’s children, they were Marta’s too. And now, one was leaving home. Marta never shed a tear in front of the kids, she had been the picture of happiness and light. But this broke her, and she unashamedly wept as the palace staff loaded the van.
“You know she’s going to overcompensate with me and Yvonne. I see many cream puffs and strudels in our future.” Victor said wistfully.
“Yeah, sure big brother, and it will be your royal duty to eat it all, lest anyone else suffer the scourge of diabetes, like your poor wife-to-be.” Katherine said in a falsetto “southern” accent while feigning fainting.
Victor shook his head “C’mere little sis, I know you gotta get going.” He wrapped Katherine up in a hug and then held her at arm’s length, tears quietly staining his cheeks. “I am damn proud of you, Sis. I know you didn’t want to rule, but you came in the clutch when you were needed, and you saved us all. Like it or not. In the now, now you go get to really make this Inner Sphere a little better than you found it.”
Katherine sniffed and wiped a tear back “Send me a video of when you propose, you big lug. I am going to enjoy watching the two of you blubber getting through it all.”
Victor laughed. “I am drafting you and Yvonne to help pick the ring. I mean you did spend 53 pages of a credit card statement.”
Katherine laughed “Victor, that’s one-tenth of one percent of the family investments. Not to mention, Omi needed it.”
Victor nodded “The kimono she got is incredible…blue and gold really are her colors.”
“Little brother, promise me one thing? Smile more? I know the past year and a half have been rough, and you not being a ‘Mechwarrior anymore is a big adjustment, but you know what Dad used to say,’..when one door closes…’”
“…Another opens.” Victor finished.
“I gotta go, be good, and try not to plunge us into any more wars?” Katherine laughed, then turned on her heel, and stepped out of the doors for the last time.
Victor sat down on her bed and exhaled, Victor, you know damn well she needs to be her own person, and the palace wasn’t ever going to let her do that. She can be that now and let’s be honest, ‘Doctor Cox’ suits her well.
Victor rose from the bed and smoothed out his uniform tunic, then turned to look one last time at the empty room before switching off the light. As one era closes, another begins, I guess. Now to determine what that’s going to look like for the Capellan Confederation?
Discussions of the future House Liao[]
Two hours later at the First Prince’s Office
“Kai, you can’t be serious. While I can give up a few worlds we took in the 4th War, you know damn well Sarna and Tikonov are off the damn table.” Victor was sitting against the corner of his desk, a sifter of brandy balanced in his one hand…though he, Kai, and Arden Sortek had probably gone through at least one bottle of Glengarry Select already.
“Victor, I can’t go back to any sort of Capellan Confederation you’re going to reform from the ashes of the old one with a sop to their pride. Hell, I plan on instituting major reforms down there.”
“Like what?” Victor leaned forward with interest.
“I am going to institute real reforms in the Confederation, a stronger legislature, real civil rights for all citizens of the Confederation, turning the Mask into less secret police and more of a real intelligence agency, as well as forming a more answerable body for counter-intel and major criminal work and yes, emancipating the Servitor class.”, Kai told Archon-Prince
“This proposal to investigate the war and its causes is interesting. I thought it was obvious who the hell started it?” Ardan asked
“The time I’ve gotten in the Mask’s archives, what’s left of them, has led me to believe there was more to it. The Blakists were far more involved in the deaths of your parents, Victor, than we believed. They goaded the Capellans into war, then snarled up the execution to make sure the war lasted just long enough to reap a profit. They also robbed the Capellan treasury blind. I found out there is a shortfall of 2 billion Yuan that nobody can account for.”
“Sure it’s not in Sunny’s slush fund?” Victor asked.
“If it were, Sun-Tzu would have bugged out long before. It’s a sizeable amount of money. Enough to form three Battlemech regiments.” Kai shook his head. “The Word of Blake used my nation as a fundraiser, Victor, and now it’s in ruins.”
“Hence why you need Sarna and Tikonov.” Victor intoned.
“Yes, even one would help.” Kai stated.
“Alright, but we want title to Salomek and the cemetery.” Victor stated firmly.
Kai nodded, “I think you have a deal, Victor. Now, let’s figure out how I turn the Confederation into a strong republic without emulating the Mariks?”
All three men laughed as Kai uncorked the bottle and began to pour another round of brandy.
Small Talk between Lovers[]
Three hours later
“Victor my love, I do believe you are quite drunk.”, she accused her lover
“I apologize, Omi, but it was good brandy, and it did help us in our contemplations.” Victor said, a deep slur in his voice “Um, can I get help with my boots?”
Omi laughed and bent down to help him. “My love, I could get used to this peace we now have. Enough to contemplate our lives together. But others will not accept us?”
“I know, you have sacrificed enough, but I hear in you a willingness to sacrifice more?”
“Hai love. There is only one way to sate the kami of the Draconis March. I must go to Kentares and apologize on behalf of my family.”
Victor jumped up with a start. “Omi, Jesus, no! You wouldn’t survive the trip. The locals there hate the Kuritans with a passion and that’s an understatement.”
Omi smiled “Victor, you, and I both know that it must happen. I’ve seen your archives and the ComStar ones. They are more…complete than the Combine files. What was done wasn’t just an atrocity. It was an abomination against humanity. It was a sin, Victor. A sin that my family ordered. Sure, it was a long-dead ancestor, but it was still my family. A Kurita must be the one to cleanse the honor of the undead souls left there to writhe in torment.” Omi’s face darkened, and the corners of her mouth squared. Victor knew his lover’s determined face, and he wasn’t about to cross her when she was like this.
“Can you at least run any speech by me and the palace speech writing staff?”
“Hai, Victor, but I must apologize. There can be no prevarications on that action.” Omi stated, steel entering her voice.
Victor nodded, and moved his hand to her cheek, gently rubbing it as he smiled “Enough of weightier matters, so, I was thinking, as soon as court business is done, I was thinking we get away on a camping trip to the hinterlands of New Avalon. Dad used to take me, Peter, and Arthur as boys. I want to share it with you.”
Omi smiled “And perhaps, Victor-san, we can make a new life under the stars?”
Victor's face betrayed his surprise. “Why Omi, I didn’t know you thought that way?”
“There is much, Victor Steiner-Davion, you don’t know…and I would love to show you. Come to bed, love…” as Omi opened her kimono…