Chapter 65
A Royal Betrothal[]
“The differences between Arthur and I are, sadly, many. But they mostly stem from my brother’s views about my wife. I admit, it’s not good to speak ill of the dead. But in life, Arthur was a pompous ass and a bigot, even by Sandoval standards. I regret giving him the job to rebuild the Tamar March, considering what came later, but it seemed like a good idea at the time, and it mostly kept him out of trouble for a time. What came later, well? That is my greatest regret. However, the day I lost my brother, I won my wife. So, I can’t say it was all bad?”
- “Reflections” – by Victor Steiner-Davion, Davion Palace Press, New Avalon, 3071
Meeting with an Arrogant Man[]
Offices of the First Prince, Davion Palace
New Avalon, Federated Commonwealth
April 30th, 3058, 0600 hours
Victor sat leisurely at his father’s desk. He didn’t have the heart to re-decorate. Even though Omi had said “It’s alright to put your own mark on the place, Victor.” He just couldn’t do it. It would feel like killing Mom and Dad all over again. And now, I gotta hope I am not giving a job to a guy just because he is family. Omi stood to one side of Victor’s desk, her arms folded in the sleeves of her burgundy kimono with an intricate sword and sunburst design woven in yellow across the sleeves and down the back. Ardan Sortek stood on the other, calmly eating an apple with a paring knife. He flashed Victor a million-dollar smile. Never change, Uncle Ardan, never change.
“Ya know, Victor, I have been thinking?” Ardan said while swallowing a bit of apple.
“You have now, do tell?”
“Ha, ha, your highness. In any event, your family and girlfriend are right. You need to re-decorate this place. Your father wouldn’t have wanted his office turned into a memorial to him.”
“I just…I don’t know.”, Victor began
“Trust me your Highness, it’s alright. He’d be good with it.”
“Thanks, Ardan, you did knew him best.”
“Aye, I did. And I miss him terribly. But I plan on staying on till I hit the mandatory retirement age in three years.” Ardan shrugged.
“I’ll give you an exception by royal decree…”, he told Ardan
“No, you won’t, Victor. You will let me go play golf and spend my grankids money like any other self-respecting AFFC retiree.”
Victor laughed. There’d been so little opportunity for mirth of late, even with the war being over. The cleanup of so much of the Inner Sphere was proving to be a job that was too much for the Archon Prince himself. Victor hated to admit it: I need help. He would have preferred to give Peter the job of reconstructing the Tamar March, but the fact was, Peter was busy as regent in the Commonwealth half of the realm, and with Katherine gone, Yvonne was going to have to take the job in the Suns for a while next year.
So, Arthur it was.
The intercom buzzed and a disembodied voice came from the speaker “Your highness, your brother Arthur has arrived. Shall I send him in?”
Victor nodded “Let’s have him.”
“Yes, your highness.”
A few seconds passed and Arthur came into the room, dressed in the full undress uniform (with all his decorations) reporting as per AFFC regulations, stopping some ten paces from the front of Victor’s desk, and proffering a proper parade ground salute. “Haputmann Arthur Steiner-Davion of the 1st Robinson Rangers reporting as ordered, your highness!”
“At ease, Arthur, this isn’t AFFC business. In fact, take a seat, will you? You’re making me nervous.”
“Yes, your highness.” Arthur took a seat but remained in a cadet brace that Victor was sure was going to give Arthur back strain. Noone could miss the ugly looks he was giving Omi. It was making Victor unconsciously bristle.
“So, Arthur, haven’t seen you since the planning for NAQAM. So, how was your foray in the Draconis March?”
“It was fine, sir, but the Hauptmann would have liked to get some trigger time. I got stuck in a staff role as an assistant to the assistant G-3 at March headquarters. Hardly a job for someone of my talent.”
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Dragon Heavy 'Mech
Victor chuckled. “Arthur, I know about you taking that captured Dragon during the action on Quentin. I have people at NAIS, Arthur, and the fake beard looked cheesy on you. But the fact is, you could have gotten yourself killed at a time when the line of succession has been shaky. And yes, I know you got a kill on a Combine Charger. Nicely done, but you are a member of the AFFC, and as such, you follow orders…my orders? We clear?”
“Crystal, Sir.”, the young responded
“Good, now, the real reason I wanted you here is that I have a job opportunity for you. I take it you have read the news about the mess we have in Tamar?”
“I have sir, but it’s more staff work of which I am clearly un-“, Arthur begun to speak
“Were you arguing with me, Haputmann?” Victor let a slight tone of displeasure creep into his voice.
“No sir, but as your brother….”
“You expected me to give you an active assignment? Perhaps you haven’t noticed, but there aren’t a ton of those left right now, and I am giving them to people who aren’t ‘freely interpreting their orders.’”
“There’s still the Dracs!” Arthur blurted.
“The Draconis Combine has been crippled to a level that they won’t be a threat to us for the next two decades.”
“Yes, dear brother, and that’s why we should finish the job!”, young man exclaimed
“So how do you define finishing the job, Arthur? Oh wait, I’ll let you say it for me.”
Victor produced a ROM playback device and placed it on the desk, then thumbed the PLAY button. The playback was audio only, but it was clearly Arthur’s voice.
“The Inner Sphere would be better off without the Combine. Hell, we owe them for Kentares, I say we find one of their worlds and repay them back in the same coin!”
Victor pushed the STOP button with an audible click that reverberated throughout the room. He gave his brother a piercing stare. “You really should learn to keep your damn mouth shut, Arthur. You don’t think your DMI bodyguards don’t report to me? I regret that Mom and Dad didn’t give you the spanking you deserved. I never thought you were up to massacres.
“There’s a reason we memorialize Kentares. It’s so nobody repeats it. And yet, you think the AFFC ought to ‘repay them in the same coin?’ What the hell is wrong with you? If I didn’t know better, I’d think we sent the wrong sibling to get mental health treatment.”
“Nothing is wrong, sir, I am simply cognizant of who the enemies of the Commonwealth are, unlike you, who is willing to sleep with them.”
“Tread carefully, Arthur.” Victor growled, a warning tone in his voice.
“Why, Dear brother? It’s not like your little Drac strumpet isn’t going to stab you right between the shoulder blades the firs-.”
Arthur said, smiling arrogantly as he found what he thought was the chink in Victor’s armor.
Victor rose quickly to his feet, the look in his eyes murderous. “Arthur, I am going to give you one chance to take that back, or I am going to do what Mom and Dad failed to do.”
“Like what, Shrimp?” Arthur rose as well, towering over Victor and repeating an insult they had used as children.
Victor’s fists clenched. “I am this close to cashiering you from the AFFC. Your next words should be very careful, Arthur.”
“I am not afraid of you, Victor. I mean, you are shorter and got one good arm. Hate to see you with some bruises for the holocams.”
Victor promptly went around his desk with pure murder in his eyes. Oh, that’s it. You’re going to pay for that.
Victor made to move but felt an arm on his shoulder, he turned, and it was Omi. She was shaking her head wordlessly, as if to say No, do not do this. He isn’t worth it.
He took a couple of cleansing breaths, then turned to Arthur. “Arthur, I will have the details of the assignment forwarded to your inbox. For the sake of your future, I very much recommend you take it. Our conversation is over. Get out.”
Arthur smiled a cruel smile, saluted sloppily, which Victor failed to return, and turned on his heel, whistling Colonel Bogey’s March badly off-key.
Once the door closed, Victor sat down hard at his desk and closed his eyes, looking at the ceiling as he took more breaths to calm down.
Ardan looked on “I would have liked to pummel him, Victor, but you’d have had no choice to drum me out of the AFFC and never allow me in the palace again.”
“I know Ardan, but I am going to preempt that and give you a royal pardon if that little bastard ever pulls that again.”
“Think he’ll take the assignment?”
“Nope, but we need him to, even if he is a barely competent bully boy. We need to have a member of the family running things out there, but Peter’s plate is too damn full already.”
Omi blanched “Iie, Victor, as odious as he is, he is family.”
“Family that insulted you, Omi. I won’t have that.”
“Victor, my love, I can take care of myself. He will see my steel if he treads too far.”
“Of that, Omi, I have no doubt.”
The door soon burst open, it was a very hot under-the-collar Yvonne who was still in NAIS sweats and looked as if she had gone 15 rounds with a professional boxer. “Did Arthur’s mouth run again? Palace staff is talking, he’s bragging about getting your goat.”
Victor nodded sadly. “He almost got me to pummel him. Let him brag, the entire palace knows he is full of crap.”
“Oh, dear brother, I can do things you can’t. Especially when I hear he called Omi a whore.”
“It was a strumpet, Yvonne, as much as that hardly makes things better.”
“Doesn’t matter. I am going to black his damn eyes.”
“Yvonn-“ but before Victor could get the words out, Yvonne was gone. “Christ, should I stop her?”
Omi and Ardan’s heads shook no in unison.
“Victor, it’s sometimes useful to have loyal younger siblings. This is one of those times.” Ardan deadpanned
“No comment, next question.”
- Response from Palace PIO when asked why Arthur Steiner-Davion was sporting two black eyes when reporting to his new position as the “Rebuilding Czar” for the Tamar March
Dinner & Expected Surprise[]
Six hours later
“Dinner was wonderful as usual, Marta.” Victor Steiner-Davion left off an appreciative if a bit gauche belch. The dinner was ostensibly to celebrate Katherine’s first day of med school, but…there was an ulterior motive on Victor’s mind. One that was burning a hole in his tunic’s pocket.
Victor was dressed in his usual AFFC undress uniform, with only a few medal ribbons on the right breast, and the rank of a Kommandant. Omi was wearing Victor’s favorite blue and gold kimono, Galen was wearing a tailored business suit, while Katherine was in a pair of black denim jeans and a sweatshirt that said “NAMA Med School” in blue letters.
Katherine and Galen looked heavenward as if to say, ‘Can we take him anywhere?’
Marta shook her head, her grey perm remaining still as her grandmotherly face cracked a knowing smile “Just because it’s good manners on Islamabad, it’s not here at the palace, your Highness! And what would Princess Omi think?” She turned to Omi “He’s not normally like this, your highness, but after the trying day he had today…to confess, I never liked Arthur. I know he’s a royal, your highness, but he is a nasty little sort.”
Victor exhaled “From your lips to God’s ears, Marta. Katherine took the heat for when he tripped that cousin of yours who was a maid around here. Good of her, but we all enabled that little jerk. Guess we figured he would be so far from the throne, how much damage could he really do?”
Omi shook her head. “Victor-san, he is an odious person, but he is the kind I will have to appeal to when I go to Kentares next month.”
“I still want you to take more protection, my love. I would not put it past Arthur to have stirred the pot with some idiots like the Citizens for Davion Purity.”
“I will be careful, and I will pack the sword, just in case.”
Victor blanched at that. “The Sword” was the one she had used in that nasty incident with Hans Ricol’s goons. And he noticed she got a bit of the shivers every time she looked at the damn thing. “Dearest, might I interest you in a Federated Hold-Out pistol instead?”
Omi shook her head “I am more comfortable with a sword, Victor. But yes, I could stand to learn. Father and Brother had meant to teach me more, but…they didn’t have the time.” Omi glanced down at the mention of her now-dead family.
“Omi, I’ve been thinking about family and there’s something I wanted to ask you?”
“What is it?”
“Well, here goes.” Victor slowly rose, then snapped his fingers, and a pair of violinists from the AFFC palace band came in, playing a very slow and soft Vivaldi tune. Marta was sniffling and quickly reached for a handkerchief to stem the oncoming tears.
Victor laid out a handkerchief of his own and kneeled in front of Omi on one knee on the handkerchief. He took Omi’s hand, looking up with a look of pure joy in his eyes. “Omi, honey. Look, I have wanted to ask you this question since we first met eight years ago. I knew then what I knew now. That you were the one I wanted to be my partner in crime, and in life. I can’t promise a rose garden, or even that things will make sense. But..I do promise to be the best husband I know how to be. And you will want for nothing, and I will never let any harm befall you, this I swear to my dying breath. All I ask is for your fair hand in marriage?”
Omi looked shocked, even a bit mortified “A partner in crime? I will not break any laws!” The violinists stopped abruptly.
Victor’s eyes went wide. Oh no, what have I done?
Katherine yelled, “Omi, it’s one of those English idioms! I’ll explain later!”
A look of understanding soon dawned on Omi’s face. She smiled and said…“Oh, so sorry, Victor-san. The answer is, yes, of course you, Kawaī baka (Cute Idiot).”
Victor grinned, and slowly put the engagement ring on her finger, with not a little bit of help from Omi. They then embraced in a lip lock that was more passion and love than anything steamy while all assembled, including much of the palace staff clapped. When Victor and Omi came up for air, they noticed all the joy of those assembled, Victor turned to Galen and Katherine.
“I’m getting married! I kinda need a best man!” Victor said with a giddy tone in his voice.
“Like you were going to ask anyone else?” Galen deadpanned
“True, but I am just…over the moon right now?”
Omi turned Victor’s face back towards her. “Victor dear, there is one more thing I have to tell you.”
“Uh, what?”
“You will be a father come the winter snows.” Omi’s grin was electric and she positively glowed.
Victor had tears in his eyes. “Thank you, honey. I get two great pieces of news in one day! I feel amazingly blessed and more than a bit giddy. Marta, perhaps no champagne for me?”
Galen and Katherine held hands under the table and shared contented glances. She whispered to Galen “Better tell your groom to keep this stuff to himself until after Kentares. He blabs and the Draconis March goes up in flames.”
“I will mention it to him…in between congratulatory drinks in his study later.”, said Galen
Katherine cried tears of joy for her brother and Omi, but they were bittersweet. She had just found out that she and Galen were unable to conceive due to Galen’s time as a ‘Mechwarrior, and her own medical treatments for Dombrowski-A. It was a bitter pill for them both, but they had resolved to adopt as soon as Katherine finished med school. But they had decided to keep this bit of information between them for now. Let’s not spoil Omi and Victor’s joy right now. ****** those two never looked better.
““My brother has a reputation for being broody and kind of a grump, but he’s always happy around Omi and the kids. He’s always made time for them, and I am happy to say, he is every bit the father our father was. I guess we both learned from the best when it came to our parents. I am just happy that we both got to have the families we always wanted.”
- “Confessions of a Cracked Princess, Katherine Steiner-Davion-Cox”