Act 2 - Bargaining[]
With A Bared Sword[]
Chapter 35[]
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
The Triad, Tharkad
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
23 June 3057
“Is this confirmed?” Victor asked urgently.
Precentor Klaus Hettig dipped his head. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“If you don’t mind my asking?” Galen inquired, glancing at the plain-text message that Hettig had brought all the way to Victor’s desk. “How has it been confirmed?”
“Khan Ward is of course a member of both Clan Wolf’s own Council and the Grand Council of all the Clans,” Hettig answered, not bothering to pretend that he hadn’t read the message. “I know that a very similar missive is on its way from Khan Natasha Kerensky to Outreach. While we are not party to the Clans own HPG traffic, we do have sufficient information to be sure that a Grand Kurultai has been called and that the Clans generally considered Crusader are increasing their military readiness. Added to Clan Wolf’s recent agitation, I find the described circumstances highly plausible.”
Victor held the letter out for his friend to examine. “So the Truce is about to collapse?” Six months ago that would have been a catastrophe. Today it was just very bad.
“Not immediately,” Hettig admitted. “But there is a real possibility that we will see the victory of Tukayyid overturned by the end of the years.” There was none of ComStar’s usual neutrality on his face - the Precentor was one of those who had fought the Clans there in 3052, winning an agreement that the Clans would cease their invasion for fifteen years. Not much more than a third of that time had passed… it must have felt as if all their sacrifices were for nothing.
“It’s possible that the ilKhan will win the vote,” Galen said slowly. “But Phelan didn’t seem to think it was likely.”
“More to the point, ilKhan Kerensky doesn’t seem to expect to win the vote,” Victor observed. “How many people saw this?”
“A few of our Order saw it en route,” replied Hettig stoically. “While we will not be sharing exact copies, my counterparts in the Draconis Combine and the Free Rasalhague Republic will be alerting their governments to the general situation.”
Galen folded the letter and handed it back. “If he loses the vote, then it goes to a Trial of Refusal. Do you have any idea who he will need to fight?”
“That will depend upon the exact numbers who vote in favor of the charges,” the Precentor told them. “After bidding, of course.”
“In the worst case, it could be sixteen to one then,” concluded Victor. “He wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Hetting nodded slightly. “That is unlikely, however. Ulric Kerensky faced similar odds when he tried to oppose the Clan’s vote to invade. At that time, bargaining reduced the numerical odds of the Trial to three to one. According to Clan Wolf’s own warriors, they came very close to victory in that battle. It would be a mistake to underestimate Ulric Kerensky.”
“Given that he’s been charged with genocide, I think we can assume he would hold nothing back.” It was hard for Victor to imagine the mind-view of such a claim, but given the Clans’ genetic programme, it did make a certain amount of sense. Fifteen years of the Clans being held back meant that their warriors couldn’t make their name and win places in the breeding programme.
Of course, it was utter hypocrisy as the Clans had managed perfectly well to carry out trials against each other for centuries. But that wasn’t the point. The invading Clans had grown drunk on easy victories against the Inner Sphere during their previous invasion and the warriors who had come up the ranks since were eager for the same.
They wouldn’t find it so easy this time, Victor swore.
“If Kerensky wins,” he reminded them, “Then the status quo continues and we lose nothing. But if he loses… would their Grand Council return to Strana Mechty to elect a new ilKhan, as they did after the death of their previous ilKhan?”
Galen nodded. “That would give us most of a year to continue preparations… but they would realize that.”
“Indeed.” Hettig folded his arms behind his back. “For that reason, our analysts believe it is unlikely. We have considered previously the circumstances of ilKhan Kerensky being deposed or simply dying - accidents happen, after all. On balance, we believe that between impatience to resume the fighting and awareness of how much the Year of Peace benefited the Inner Sphere, that an ilKhan will be elected within days if Ulric Kerensky is defeated.”
“And we have no idea what they will do,” Victor said. “Terra will still be a priority, but they have to assume that we will counterattack their flanks…”
“We assume that Tukayyid will be a target,” the ComGuard declared. “While we maintain a garrison there, it is far from the forces deployed in 3052. At best, it will cost them time and resources. It is also possible that Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Nova Cat will try to avenge their previous defeat at Luthien, although I personally feel that this would be a costly error of judgment on their part.”
“But every Clan will want Terra,” the Archon-Prince said firmly. “Tukayyid is on their way there, I think you are right. But the main force of at least six Clans will be trying to race towards the heart of the Inner Sphere. Setting aside the strategic implications of severing my realm, the symbolic importance of holding the capital of the Star League will be paramount in their eyes. The Skye March and the Dieron District will be the key battlefields.”
Hettig nodded silently.
“Makes sense,” Galen said. “At least they don’t have surprise this time.”
“Yes.” Victor turned to the Precentor. “Thank you, Klaus. I need to discuss this further, but once we have more officers available to begin updating our expectations. Will you be available?”
“Of course, your highness.”
“Then expect an invitation to Mount Asgard.” He looked at the clock. “Tomorrow. I’d say early, but given some of the officers will need to travel -” Or would be hungover from this evening’s entertainment, it was already late afternoon so chances are that no small number of the senior staff would be knocking off for the evening already. “- likely in the afternoon.”
Hettig bowed. “The Peace of Blake be upon you, your highness.”
“If we are very, very lucky,” he said and watched the Precentor leave. “So much for visiting New Avalon this year.”
“We could get lucky. He’s right, nothing Phelan said about the ilKhan suggested that he was a pushover.”
“That would be nice, and at least we should know one way or the other before I have to decide.”
Galen grinned. “Or you could go now. A command circuit to get you there, a quickie coronation and you can be back before the Clans have time to resolve their affairs. If you leave right away, we can pretend that you had no idea this was happening until it was too late.”
“Somehow I think that Kathy has more in mind than ‘Hi’,” he waved with one hand. “And ‘bye’,” he waved the other at Galen.
“Well, yes, she’d want to crown you as well. Possibly swinging it quite hard as she puts it on your head,” his friend agreed.
Victor shook his head. “Hard enough to distract me while she chains my ankle to the throne. I think she would let me out after I greet every member of the High Council and attend the Privy Council a few times but I’m not entirely sure,” he joked.
“I rather doubt it.”
The Archon-Prince chuckled. “No. Everyone would see it as me retreating to New Avalon in response to the Clans being a threat,” he said firmly. “We cannot keep this a secret and it would do morale no good. I still plan to go their for Christmas if the Truce holds but for now, we need a plan for the alternative. The more probable outcome.”
There was a real chance Phelan will die if Ulric fails, he thought. Either fighting at the ilKhan’s side, or being purged as a result of defeat. There was considerable anger at the ‘defection’ of Morgan Kell’s son to the Clan that had taken Tamar, but it was understood that he had been captured first and a certain grudging admiration for rising so far and fast. But to Victor’s understanding, many within even his own Clan hated him as an ‘upjumped spheroid’ and disputed his right to the Ward bloodname. His cousin was in grave peril and there was nothing Victor could do about it.
“I’d better have NAIS alerted,” he said. “We can’t afford to risk the Free Worlds League becoming hostile. Joshua Marik will need to survive a bit longer than the original plan called for.”
“Are you going to tell your sister?” Galen asked. “I don’t think she’ll appreciate learning that you didn’t visit but you still did this right under her nose.”
“She isn’t on New Avalon right now,” Victor reminded him. “And besides… I don’t know how she’d react. Using a doppelganger like this comes a bit too close to what Max Liao did to my father before the Fourth Succession War. It’s not an easy topic to broach.”
His friend gave him a dubious look. “You know here better than I do.”
“I will let Kathy know,” he told Galen. “About the Clans, and that I still plan to go to New Avalon if this blows over. She’s right, I shouldn’t keep putting it off. Can you send the messages to gather the high command at Mount Asgard tomorrow?”
“I think I can manage that much,” the Leftenant General assured him and left Victor to write two letters he didn’t want to deal with. Why did Ryan Steiner want this job so much?