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New Dawn in the Sun's - Interlude[]
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Interlude: Watchers in the Dark[]
Brockton HPG
Brockton, Federated Suns
August 19th, 3015
Precentor Max Quin felt a creeping exhaustion as he nodded to the Adept who was operating the HPG through the sound proofed rooms viewing port. He had cleared the transmission room for this meeting, but he still felt that it was a mistake. He already had enough problems due to decisions made far beyond his level, having the lower ranked Adepts know that he was being called to the carpet wouldn't exactly help him get a handle on the situation on world. Despite his objections Precentor New Avalon had insisted on a live feed, despite the tremendous waste of resources it represented. A tone sounded through the room and Max joined in with the prayer before the holo sprang to life, displaying Precentor Vandel, resplendent in his formal white robes.
"Peace of Blake be upon you, Precentor Brockton." Huthrin's strong baritone, well trained in oratory over his years on the First Circuit rang through the room.
"In Blake's name I serve." Max replied evenly, grateful he had managed to keep the trepidation out of his voice. "How may I aid the First Circuit in following Blakes will today?"
"Explain to me just what is going on out there." Huthrin dropped the rituals and theatrics, diving straight to the point. "We have heard almost nothing out of Brockton since Holy shroud wrapped up, and now they are in the weapons development business?"
"Precentor, they have been in the weapons development business for years. An act we have been encouraging as long as they kept to the conventional roads. The fragmentation which the blessed Blake predicted is predicated on the nobility's comfort in feeding their vices. We have, as policy, cleared the way for imports from the OutWorlds as a means to hide the declining tech level of this system. It was thought that through this device we could induce the fragmentation which is inevitable, and through strategic actions assure our eventual ascension." Max knew he was about to go onto dangerous ground here and took a deep breath before continuing.
"The First Circuit has, as a matter of policy, encouraged local development of militia grade gear. It encourages nobles to think they are stronger than they actually are, and we have gone to great lengths to prevent dissemination of the known vulnerabilities of said gear. Unfortunately, here in the suns the First Circuit badly over estimated their industrial strength, forcing them to face their weakness head on and innovate around the problem. To make matters worse, political decisions have been made which seem to have been designed to tweak the noses of the locals."
"Your appointment…" Huthrin stated flatly.
"My appointment. It was a direct slap in the face not only to the nobility but the common people who look to our guidance. While it was in some ways understandable… having a supposed Highspire trained chemist as Precentor here was a political mistake." Max leaned back, both men were well aware that the closest he had ever come to Highspire was a brief sojourn on Liao while with the Light of Mankind, and then continued. "I believe I am up to the task of being a Precentor, but in this system my cover identity is a provocation and a reminder of the horrors of the first and second wars, and who led them through said blood bath. Support for Davion has been firming up, where as before my appointment it was on a downward trajectory."
"I understand the delicate position which certain factions have put you in, but I still need to explain just what happened." Huthrin's voice was merciless as he pressed the junior man. He didn't want to admit it, but Allen Rusenstiens revenge for supporting his ouster had been a brilliant political move. It had created on ongoing headache which the rest of the First Circuit was watching with glee along with sharpening their political knives to elevate their own proteges should he fail to properly contain it. "New weapons systems don't just pop out of thin air after all…"
"In this case it's a combination of our programs. We have been encouraging Brockton to spread what remains of their knowledge base, causing a spike in the educated work force in this region of space while driving down the level of known scientific facts, which is a self-sustaining reaction as basic science fails to find funding due to the fact that what the scientists are looking for is known in systems which have kept their knowledge beyond the level that was known to the alliance. Coupled with our encouragement of the development of a lower tech industrial base in this region of space? A lot of known shortcuts have had to be rediscovered causing a general rise in the inventiveness and adaptability of the engineers who are educated here. This broad-based depression of knowledge was deemed to be the best compromise available to us, while maintaining the balance of power."
"We all know how well that went." Huthrin grunted in annoyance, disliking how Max was regurgitating facts that were already known to him. "So basically, what you're telling me is that because we didn't allow Krupp and the like to be pigs in a trough like we did in the Combine they needed to adapt."
"Exactly. It doesn't help that the local ROM contingent is constantly haring off on the perennial wild goose chase that is the mythical core forges the alliance supposedly put out here. Or their obsession with the TAS Philadelphia being somewhere in system, I seriously doubt that ship ended up docked or abandoned out here. It would be nice if we could recover her, if only to keep the myth that the Dreadnought was the first Warship and to relieve ROMs budget from spreading that fantastical story about her loss around, but that won't happen in this system. Brockton was a scientific colony, focused on terraforming during the alliance and it was a matter of policy even back then not to allow critical infrastructure like a core forges, or weapons production, out of the Sol system. Between that, ensuring that redevelopment of higher-level industry doesn't happen, and keeping an eye on the college for any signs of relapsing to their old ways…and most importantly, the real reason why I was assigned here, making sure that the plague dog equipment stays in reserve. We do not want that to be pulled out and used, ever. Honestly, we're swamped out here. I do not have the manpower to keep an eye on every engineer who is educated here, especially not when they are following the paths, we want them too."
"Looking to rediscover the secrets of the Code Red is a path we want them to follow?"
"Yes, because they don't have the equipment or engineering data to actually do it." Max looked every bit the light of mankind team leader he had been in his younger days as he said that. "What Collin Wallis came up with was a monkey model work around, one that was known and discarded in by Star League scientists as inefficient and too limited to be worth pursuing. The alloy created is known to us, as are its limits."
"I trust that this Wallis will not be repeating his success?"
"He had an unfortunate encounter with a drunk driver more then a year ago." Max replied mildly, his slight grin the only indication of his satisfaction with a job well done.
"And the rotary autocannons which were based off his work?"
"His widow followed in his footsteps in finding work a rounds." Max shrugged as he admitted that. "She combined his work with brute force to achieve the desired result, albeit in an inferior manner. It's a technological dead end, but one that can be pursued for decades before anyone realizes that, diverting research funding from more dangerous avenues."
"Are there more dangerous avenues available to them?"
"Yes." Max answered flatly. "As I said the core forges are a myth, but given enough time they might be able to monkey model something approaching one, giving them access to a true yard instead of the limited refit and repair capabilities that they have at the moment. Industrial tooling is another area of concern, as they kept at least some records of what they had before Corean received the go ahead from Michael Davion to begin repossession proceedings."
The two men shared a satisfied smile at that assertion. The truth of the matter was that the Brockton industrial base had never reached New Avalon, despite what the executives at Corean thought. It had been diverted and replaced by ROM while in transit. Rim World manufactured tooling was less efficient, effective, and designed to be operated and serviced by an undereducated population, therefore it was much easier to reproduce, repair, and lacked the black boxing which came standard with proper Hegemony equipment. Between Kerensky's efforts, and the early efforts of ROM operating with the remaining hegemony intelligence officers, most Rim World tooling had successfully been dealt with. Brockton, by virtue of the Brockton families' efforts to save their own skins, had been a glaring exception to that success. Fortunately, Michael Davion and Corean had given ComStar a chance to correct that mistake.
"Beyond those problems I also need to keep an eye on what the Brockton family is up to. They are far too adaptable for me to be completely comfortable that I truly have the measure of what's going on here. Their stunt with Jalastar came out of left field, and while their opportunism is something that we can use their ability to think in the long term is a continuing worry."
"Would it be prudent to think about allowing the family to meet its natural end?" Huthrin enquired, his voice mild. "The Allison precedent comes to mind…"
Max opened his mouth to reply with a snap judgement and then stopped himself. Despite what he thought about ComStar's continuing fumbles in the Free Worlds League this wasn't the time or the place for him to voice his concerns. The truth was the leagues chaotic natural tendencies had rendered every effort by Comstar to formulate a coherent policy into a schizophrenic mess. Something that was best exemplified by the fact that ROM assets had been brought in to rebuild portions of their industrial base after ROM had been tasked with wrecking it. Fortunately, they were operating under the auspices of a secessionist minded province, but it was still a farcical situation. Actually, that brought to mind a possible suggestion, the Andurien precedent might not be amiss here.
"I'm not comfortable with the next in line on world and any off world noble family…"
"There is that." Huthrin grimaced. He was just as aware as Max was of how the new nobility operated. Without centuries of legitimacy behind them they tended to need works to prop themselves up. On border worlds that was easily controllable, a few subtle nudges and they would channel their energies into military adventurism. Brockton very much wasn't a border world, and raids out there would be obvious, so any new noble would turn to either trade, or industrial development to make their mark.
"Better to see if we can pull a Humphreys on them."
"Difficult, the suns doesn't work like the league does…" though ostentatiously against the idea Huthrin sounded intrigued.
"Brockton is already ignored by New Avalon, despite their achievements. With suitable prompting a wedge is natural…" Max grinned as he said that. "They are already supporting the CrMM well beyond what New Avalon deigns to send."
"Keep working on developing that idea. It's impractical for the moment, due to the attention they just garnered, but long term it might very well be the answer we have been looking for. Speaking of attention, your job is about to get a lot harder. Hanse Davion is moving the second Chisholm Rangers on world, and they're bringing a heavy intelligence section with them. Keep your operatives under control, we don't have the usual deniability out there." Huthrin ordered. "I trust that there will be no further developments out of the blue?"
"I have already impressed on my ROM section that very idea." Max nodded in agreement. "Precentor Ilian's sudden passing seems to have motivated them sufficiently."
"Do express my condolences to his subordinates," Huthrin was perfectly comfortable mouthing that platitude. There were times when failures had to have consequences, and it seemed Max understood that well. After all he had arraigned for the lead ROM agent's passing personally. "It sounds like you have the situation as in hand as it can be, should that change…" Needless to say Huthrin didn't feel the need to finish his threat. Max understood him very well.
History of Militia Mecha[]
Excerpted from; Innovations and Adaptations, technological development in a time of decline.
Arnold Duchamp, Dean of the College of Political Administration (Ret.)
NAIS Historical press 3085
Militia mechs are an odd confluence of political and military development, the genesis for their creation lay in the separation of the Principality of Gibson and the Principality of Regulus in 2699 and the subsequent political strife. It came to a head in 2837 when the Free Worlds League was interdicted after catching ComStar in the usual Terran practices, and responding in a completely understandable way. The Principality of Gibson's political leadership, seeing a chance to frustrate their former lieges, diverted the entire military production of the province to the FWLM in a display of loyalty to Charles Marik. Included in the materials diverted were more then a regiment of already paid for mechs, and other sundry equipment, purchased by the Cameron-Jones family as a means to rebuild the 2nd and 3rd Regulan Hussars. The Cameron-Jones family, having there attempt to secure the loyalty of their provincial forces undermined by outsiders, reacted with predictable anger.
Regulan Dropships and fighter carriers, crewed by Regulan militia, began an embargo of the Principality of Gibson. By the end of 2838 the situation had gotten so bad, both on the ground in the Principality and in military terms for the FWLM as critical supplies were interdicted by the Regulans, Midge Allison stepped in to attempt to resolve the situation diplomatically. With the ending of the interdiction, and the federal court ruling on Atreus which firmly rebuked the Principality of Gibson for their blatant contract violation, a compromise was reached.
Prince Andronache Cameron-Jones attempted to use the incident to force FWDI to relocate at least some of their facilities to Regulus proper. It was a demand too far, as no one was willing to endanger the leagues fragile military production in the middle of a war, but one she refused to back down from. Finally, a compromise was reached with the Principality of Gibson supplying the industrial tools needed for a battlemech facility. Given the state of industrial tooling production in the league at the time it should come as no surprise to the reader when the tooling arrived it was not what she had been promised. Midge Allison was forced to step in again, remembering the fabled Sarissa, he provided the plans needed to put that primitive machine into production as a stop gap until the deal was fulfilled. While that never occurred, the introduction of the Sarissa to Regulan forces allowed the Cameron-Jones family an outsized influence in league politics over the following years.
Using their natively produced Sarissa's the Cameron-Jones family stood up the 11th and 12th Regulan Hussars as a pirate hunting force in the Rim Commonality and Regulan Fifes. Their second line nature meant that they were not called to the front like their sister regiments, giving the Prince of Regulus a powerful political tool. Charles Marik, after his return from his successful defense of Iran, was intrigued by the idea. In the hopes of reducing the use of the home defense act he added a subsidy to the 2845 league budget to stand up further production sites of militia grade equipment. From there the idea exploded across the League, with each province attempting to put out their own 'mechs. While most of these smaller manufacturers failed by the official end of the second succession war, they did have a remarkable military effect. Front line units, especially provincial units, were deployed to the front at a higher rate then they had been allowing the FWLM to push back the gains made by the LCAF and CCAF.
Used as rear area security, and provincial protection forces, the primitive renaissance had begun. League based manufacturers began to dig deep into their archives to put out their own offerings to take advantage of this new market. Some units were notable failures like the reintroduced trooper (See FWL-Circinus Federation war of 2850), but most did their duty. By the end of the Second Succession War Free Worlds based manufacturers had come up with a healthy stable of primitive mechs under their new marketing label: militia mechs; Orion's, OstWars, Hectors, Icarus, Griffins, and the Sarissa.
A Tale of Two responses
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Longbow Assault firesupport 'Mech
By 2850 it was clear on both Sian and Tharkad that something was allowing the FWLM to deploy far more of their forces to the front lines then had been though possible. Investigations by the LIC and MASK swiftly determined the cause, the political response couldn't have been more divergent. On Sian Chancellor Laurelli Liao declared the Militia 'Mech a flawed concept developed in response to her blessed mother's foresight in developing the Vindicator. Declaring that her valiant warriors would not suffer from inferior equipment like the Sassenach guilo nekulturny of the league she increased production of the Vindicator, keeping her response almost entirely political.
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Ymir Assault BattleMech
In the Lyran Commonwealth, there was a radically different response. The regency council, seeing a way to repair the damage done to the Steiner name by Claudius the Cruel, openly embraced the concept. Tenders were put out to all 'Mech producers while a frantic search for an answer to the Sarissa was launched. Coventry responded by putting the Ymir and original version of the Commando back into production. Star Corps offered the original LongBow, while the O'Leary family managed to salvage Mountain Wolf Battlemechs by acquiring MacEnroe motors and putting out the Crossbow. Additionally, they also offered licensing it to all who asked. With the exception of the never completely satisfactory Crossbow, all of the companies involved flatly refused to license their designs to the smaller manufacturers who sprung up to take advantage of the grants that the Steiner family was offering.
The program the regency council had put into place was succeeding in its military objectives, but failing in its political ones. While there were a plethora of designs coming out of the Commonwealth, they lacked a solid trooper which could be subject to an open license like the Free Worlds League's Sarissa. Then the newly formed Apollo Mechworks released the Phoenix Medium BattleMech, which while it was what was being sought was absolutely the wrong 'Mech from a political standpoint. The regency was trying to emphasize the caring nature of the Steiner family, not imply that they were the Amaris's reborn. Loki was dispatched to deal with Apollo, and a frantic search of LIC's archives was begun. The regency no longer cared about intellectual property, so long as it was held by a foreign entity, they needed an answer now.
Fortunately for the Commonwealth, LIC had the answer in its archives. When Merryweather Industries exited the Battlemech market LIC had acquired all of their documentation in an effort to divine Hegemony manufacturing techniques, including their intellectual property. Having located a solution, the Gladiator was licensed to anyone who had a hint of production capacity, usually for little more then a single Kroner, an answer to the Sarissa had been found…
Echoes across the Sphere
The Federated Suns, and the Draconis Combine, initially ignored the revolution which was occurring. While the Suns lacked the industrial means to take advantage, as shown by their later attempts at adopting the Lyran model, the Combine's contempt for the LCAF led to their deliberate ignorance of the effects Militia 'Mechs had. When the Third Succession War broke out, the DCMS found their assaults rapidly flagging as their more advanced machines were forced to wade through rivers of Lyran Militia 'Mechs. While the Lyran adoption of the Militia mech did not cure the ills of the LCAF, it did allow them to blunt the initial assault and hold their ground.
Kurita samurai were highly offended by the entire premise of a Militia 'Mech, likening it to handing an inferior sword to your loyal retainers, despite that distaste the DCMS would eventually have been forced to adopt the militia mech if they had not successfully recovered several Jenner lines. The recovery of front-line production allowed Miyogi Kurita an opportunity he used ruthlessly to smear his sister Roweena Kurita who through the offices of the PRE had been advocating for the adoption of a Militia 'Mech of the Dragons own. Being a concept that was embraced by the losing side of a dynastic struggle the Dragon would refrain from adoption, concentrating their considerable industrial efforts on rebuilding their industries with at least some success.>br?
First Prince Michael Davion, enamored as he was with the business community despite the failure of his money for peace initiative, used his late entry into the Third Succession War to try and emulate the Steiners. His attempts were marred by similar problems to those which were encountered by the regency council, namely the lack of a flagship design which he could disseminate. Kallon was willing to put the original Wolverine into production, Star Corps Crofton had little trouble following the lead of Son Hoa and putting out a Longbow, Corean offered up the Icarus, and Achernar put the Dervish, BattleAxe, and Hammerhands on the table. Unfortunately for Michael, licensing quickly became a point of contention to such a degree that the court costs began to eat into the industrial support budget. Despite his best efforts most of the smaller manufacturers he had sought to create folded rapidly as the subsidies dried up.
The only notable success stories that Michael's subsidies achieved in creating smaller manufacturers were Robinson Mechworks, who in a rather unusual move licensed the OstWar from Kong Interstellar, and Trevlu Mechworks who merged with a gutted Corean subsidiary. Finally, on the verge of entering the third succession war Michael took the unusual step of buying out the Battleaxe from Achernar as his flagship, a move that had he made it just a few years prior would have substantially aided his efforts. As it was, for most manufacturers the support was too little too late.
Author's Chapter Notes[]
- Word from the Author
- The history of the Militia Mech was originally not a posted as part of the story. However, because its kinda integral to the story, and not going to come up soon. So wI have written a bit of a history lesson of this AU. Should have a bit of culture and history lore in it.