Act 3 - Depression[]
With A Bared Sword[]
Chapter 51[]
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The Triad, Tharkad
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
28 February 3058
Victor slammed his fist into the desk. “You’re telling me this entire thing is a training exercise?!”
“More than that,” Phelan Kell corrected him, “But that is a part of it.”
“Walk me past this again,” the Archon-Prince demanded.
His cousin remained standing, but leant on the back of one of the chairs facing Victor’s desk. “The Jade Falcons really were as gutted as we thought at first,” he explained. “What we didn’t know is that they began raising a whole new generation of warriors close to twenty years ago. Dozens of sibkos that probably number over a thousand potential warriors. Maybe even twice that.”
“But that’s well before the Clans began their invasion,” protested Galen.
“Given that most of these warriors aren’t old enough to normally be facing a Trial of Position, I don’t think they were planning for the Invasion we got,” Phelan told him. “We may never know since Elias Crichell is dead and he seems to have been keeping this close to his chest. If anyone else knew then it was his predecessor, Yvonne Hazen, and she died about a decade ago so…”
Victor’s aide gestured to the data on the trivee, where one of the new Jade Falcon omnimechs was on display, overlaid by by analyst’s assessment of its qualities. “I take it that the new ‘mechs we’re seeing are the same thing - something long prepared?”
The khan shrugged helplessly. “I think the designs themselves are based on lessons learned in Operation Revival, but the factories that build them are probably the same plan.”
“And you knew nothing about any of that?” Victor demanded.
“I know you do not have much respect for the Clan’s Watch,” Phelan told him, “But what you’ve seen of them in the Inner Sphere is them being totally out of their comfort zone. In the homeworlds, they are almost entirely focused on the other Clans with investigation of outsiders like the Dark Caste being seen as just as much of a punishment as actually fighting them. The Jade Falcons may not like to admit it but their Watch is one of the most capable among the Clans.”
Victor considered that and then nodded. “Alright, so this is a test for them?”
“I think the fact that units that have taken worlds are being left to hold them means that this is literally a test for them, maybe literally their Trial of Position. Those units have proven themselves - both the kids just brought into the touman, and the officers picked to lead them. They are being left behind to let other warriors get their chance.”
Galen folded his arms. “And what happens when they’ve all proven themselves?”
Phelan released his hold on the chair. “I do not know. It will depend on their new Khan and I have never met Marthe Pryde. Her reputation is that she’s excellent but conservative, so this is not what I was expecting. Customarily, Clan warriors do not complete their training until they are twenty. If she is bringing warriors out this far, I can only assume that the Falcons are under pressure to show their strength after the Refusal War.”
“And taking Tharkad would do that.”
Victor shook his head. “No, I don’t think that’s their plan. Our own sources suggest that the Clans have agreed to return to their home to elect a new ilKhan, and until then…”
“They are unlikely to overturn the Truce,” agreed Phelan. “They would want an ilKhan and a plan before they take that step. Right now they likely do not even know which Clans would be fighting.”
“Great, more Clans?” Galen protested.
Victor’s cousin tilted his hand back and forth. “The invaders would be against widening the invasion. They might not get their way, but between them and the remaining Wardens it is more likely that Clans would try to take over invasion corridors from the existing invaders either by trials of possession or a trial of absorption.”
“And that’s why the Jade Falcons need to show their strength,” Victor concluded. “After their losses, they look like a candidate for absorption.”
“Exactly. I am not sure what Vlad is doing to protect the Wolves from the same thing - hitting the Inner Sphere would be hard for him without overturning the truce first - but I am certain he has a plan.”
The Archon-Prince rubbed his chin. “So the units we’re seeing in the push on Coventry are likely provisional forces just assembled for that campaign. In the longer run, these new warriors will be filtered into the galaxies still in the Occupation Zone. It would explain why our forces don’t report them as returning to their previous strength.” A fourth Galaxy had been identified in the forces moving on Coventry and the number of dropships seen suggested there might be a fifth, less units left behind as garrisons, hitting the provincial capital.
Phelan slapped the back of the chair. “Most likely, yes. Of course, if you do not contest Coventry they will not give the world back. It would be a wonderful staging area for them to strike at Tharkad once the truce ends.”
“Which it will.”
Victor and Phelan both nodded in agreement with Galen. It was only a matter of time.
“The good news is that it means we can pull more units in,” the Archon-Prince decided. “The Jade Falcons aren’t as strong along their corridor as we thought. Galen, tell Morgan I want him to activate the Zeta Three contingency for reinforcing Coventry.”
“Zeta Three?” asked Phelan curiously, as the Leftenent General left the door. “I hope that gives you enough. My best estimate is that you’ll need eight commands just to match the Jade Falcons.”
There was a “hello Arthur” from Galen in the outer office and then the knock of knuckles against Victor’s door.
“Come in,” Victor called and his youngest brother entered.
“Blake’s blood,” Phelan cursed. “What are they feeding you, Arthur? Last time we met you were only this tall!” He held one hand around the level of his ribs.
“That was ten years ago,” Authur pointed out and offered his hand, only for Phelan to catch him in the same forearm grip he had picked up from the Clans. “Am I interrupting?”
“Nothing you won’t need to know,” his brother assured him. “We will be able to send more reinforcements to Coventry than I thought.”
“That’s good.” The young officer turned around one of the chairs and sat down, resting his forearms on the back. “How much?”
“Three more regimental combat teams,” Victor informed them both. “The Fourteenth Donegal Guards and the Seventeenth and Twenty-Second Skye Rangers.”
Phelan titled his head. “Ten units, maybe nine and a half given you’re not bringing all the Gray Death Legion. Closer to nine given one of them is just a March Militia. But why not more FedSuns forces?”
“Arthur?” Victor asked.
His brother shook his head slightly. “Kate got the High Council to support us, didn’t she? Why not include them? Don’t you trust them?”
Well, his brother was fresh out of the academy. Victor suspected he might not have understood it any better at the same age. “I do, and the Kathil Uhlans will be representing the Suns half of the AFFC in the fighting, but from the messages Kath- Kate has sent, one of the claims being made is that ‘their’ regiments are doing the dying for the sake of sparing Lyran units. That means we need a victory that is mostly won by the regiments they are disparaging. In the meantime, they are ‘covering our back’ as she put it, by keeping watch on the Occupation Zone.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Arthur admitted. “It’d be easier without those divisions though.”
“The real world isn’t easy,” Victor said heavily.
“Sir?” his secretary called. “You have an urgent message from Precentor Hettig.”
“Case in point,” he sighed. “Put him through.”
The TriVee switched from the display of the new omnimechto the familiar face of Klaus Hettig. “Archon-Prince,” the officer greeted and then turned his head slightly. “Khan Kell. …Prince Arthur.”
Arthur nodded slightly to confirm the identification.
“My brother will be viceroy here in my absence,” Victor told the Precentor, “You can tell him anything you were to tell me.”
Hettig looked grim. “Of course, your highness. I regret to inform you that our Order has lost control of Terra.”
“What?” three voices exclaimed.
The Precentor nodded solemnly. “The Word of Blake have invaded and we are seeing a significant number of defections - including the entire 21st Centauri Lancers, who have either broken contract or been subverted somehow.”
“Aren’t they mercenaries?” whispered Arthur.
“Aff, under contract to the ComGuards,” Phelan replied.
Victor ignored the byplay. “Did they have League help?” While the Terran corridor didn’t depend on access to Terra, it was hard to deny that the pro-Marik faction of ComStar hardliners holding the motherworld did pose a new threat to the critical line of communication.
Hettig shook his head. “No, although it is likely they received logistical aid that might otherwise have gone to support further League operations against you.”
He leant back in his seat, rubbing his eyes. “And if I move to your aid…” There was no way of knowing how Thomas Marik would respond to his allies being attacked, even assuming Victor could find forces to do so.
“That will not be necessary,” the ComGuards officer informed him. “Precentor Martial Focht is overseeing a relocation of our leadership to Tukayyid. Our intention is to maintain our commitment to holding back the Clans. Retaking Terra is a matter for the future, and it would be ill-advised for us to lean on one of the Successor States to achieve it in any case. I have been asked to advise you that the ComGuards will continue to provide you support against the Clans, including our previous offer of support on Coventry if you wish it.”
“Thank you,” Victor told him. “But as with Terra, Coventry is something we have to do alone. I will be more than satisfied if you can assist in covering us against the other Clans. I will deal with the Jade Falcons personally.”