Part 225: Political Vote 11 Results and Combat Theater Vote 10
Political Vote 11 Results and Combat Theater Vote 11Dire Spider
Orbiting Jabuka
Clan Widowmaker Occupation Zone
5 July 3033
Ulric’s thumb stabbed down on the ‘vote’ buttons built into his chair’s right armrest with a careless precision. The button slid home with a loud click, joining a short-lived cacophony of votes. To his chagrin, Ulric’s vote had come after a moment’s hesitation when the flurry of voting was already starting to fade.
Silence reigned in the council chambers as the Widowmakers waited for the final tally.
A single click echoed through the chamber.
It took only a few moment for Ulric’s eyes to focus on Cyrilla Ward. The aging Galaxy Commander stood slowly, her cold eyes staring at the floor below. As the leader of House Ward, Cyrilla was a powerhouse of the Clan’s politics, and her displeasure was evident. Without any formality, she announced, “This is a joke, Tasha,” before turning and quietly storming out of the council chambers.
Conal Ward clapped his hands together, drawing attention back to the floor. “The tally is complete. With 70% to 30%, Aye passes. To any who wish to challenge this, the odds are 3:1.”
Silence held the hall. At one Star facing a full Trinary, or one Elemental facing three of his brothers, the odds were abysmal. Ulric knew there would be no challenge, the Widowmakers would march on the rebels and crush them; likely with a smaller force continuing the invasion as planned. In this, Ulric would serve wherever the Clan required.
“So it shall stand,” Conal announced ritually, when no challenge appeared. “Until we all shall fall. Seyla.”
****************************************
“Would you gentlemen mind explaining this to me?” Natasha Kerensky demanded, her rigid posture making evident her displeasure. Among all things, she most hated standing still; and yet for her to pace in front of ‘guests’ would be unseemly. So she stood, bristling, like a caged tiger hoping someone would be foolish enough to stick a limb through her bars to give her something to maul.
Behind her, images from the Hell’s Horses’ near disastrous attack on Luthien played out. The Coordinator’s unusually powerful PPC fired to unseen effect while the Widowmakers’ chief scientists watched with rapt attention and murmured to each other.
“—doubled the number of induction coils?”
“Do you see the size of that heat exchanger, quiaff?”
“—can not handle the stress. Do you see it blister the armor around—”
“—unreliable modification. It is clearly prone to failure—”
“—match the power of one of our ER PPCs, do you think?”
Aged to near decrepitude, the eldest of the Clan’s scientists, a man named Alezander, stepped forward. “I would not call it true innovation, my Khan. They have simply increased the capacitor size, at the cost of a good deal of efficiency. A powerful weapon to be sure, but an unreliable one.”
“Could we do the same with our own PPCs?”
Alezander contemplated that for a few moments, enduring Natasha’s growing impatience. He nodded quietly, “Aff, my Khan, but the modifications would almost certainly not be worth it. We would be trading range, weight, size, and heat efficiency for hitting power. That is not a trade-off I would be comfortable with.”
“Gentlemen,” Natasha spat, then added more respectfully, “and guest. The Goliath Scorpions have launched another full wave alongside the Steel Vipers and Jade Falcons. The prevalence of energy weapons in the Goliath Scorpion touman has kept their lack of supply lines from crippling them; and I hear they’ve even called on Clan Blood Spirit to negotiate with the Rasalhague rebels! They continue to encroach on our invasion corridor, and I am through humoring them. With our supply lines cut, our options are limited. Soon, we’ll need to start downgrading the armor on several of our designs to make proper use of the standard materials we’ve taken from the Inner Sphere. Gentlemen, we need a new edge. The Goliath Scorpions have proven to be to effective, and if they are named the ilClan we will turn our backs on the Inner Sphere and return to the periphery in ignominious failure; stripped of all our gains by the whims of Isolationist cowards. I want a prototype by the end of the week. If it works, I want them in production by the middle of August.”
Alezander bowed his head low. “It shall be as you wish, my Khan.”
“An interesting quandary,” ecKhan Grevan Steiner mused quietly. The six-dagger star and small black cap incorporated into his uniform showed him to be a member of the Cloud Cobras’ Ka’an cloister. He too regarded the footage with some interest, his fingertips stroking a phylactery incorporated into the codex at his wrist. “ilKhan Kerensky, you are not the only invasion force hurting for Ferro Fibrous armor. Simply, this invasion has outpaced the Homeworlds’ ability to produce it. The Home Clans have begun hoarding what little remains in their armories, and with no proper foundries in the Inner Sphere it will be quite some time before the greater resources here can be turned towards the war effort.”
He paused, eyes twinkling. “It would interest you to learn that the Cloud Cobras have been working on a new laser weapon, quineg? One similar in scope to what you see behind you. You have taken a fair amount in salvage from the Inner Sphere and while the technology may be inferior, it is still usable and could be combined with our own lasers to form a heavier type. The Ka’an cloister stand ready to provide you with the schematics. Should you desire them.”
Natasha stared quietly, “Why offer me this information?”
“Why indeed?”
Her eyes narrowed. “No games. I know you Ka’an enjoy answering questions with questions, but I am in no mood.”
Steiner held his arms wide, “I understand, ilKhan; but am unprepared to expose a possible weakness within my Clan to an outsider. Even if that outsider is the ilKhan. Simply, we want the invasion to continue and we desire the ilClan to be any but the Goliath Scorpions. If you accept, we will offer the same information to the Steel Vipers and Jade Falcons, that you might all have an edge in the battles to come. Do you accept?”
Natasha stared in silence, meeting ecKhan Steiner’s cold gaze. “Bargained well and done,” she agreed after a few moments. “Send us the data.”
****************************************
“Force Commander Halas, thank you for joining me on such short notice.”
Edgar Halas stood at rapt attention. “I could hardly turn down an order from the Captain-General.”
“When last I heard, we were out of a job,” Dr. Fatima Sequord, his second in command, spat. “Now that you have the New Dallas core, you don’t need our research and—”
“Fatima,” Edgar cautioned, exhaustion creeping into his voice. “Please.”
Duncan Marik offered them both a warm smile, “Since it seems you’re both quite anxious, I will cut to the chase. I’d like your research to continue, in a… somewhat more public environment. You have two of the three battalions of Star League-era BattleMechs we recovered from Helm; as well as several new prototypes. Your so-called ‘1st Research Regiment’ will form the core of a new unit, with free reign to research as you please. You will be beholden only to me for orders, and the unit will be officially tasked as an anti-Clan force that, on paper, will consist of five regiments.”
Duncan paused, “all under your direct control, Force Commander Halas.”
For once, even Fatima was silent. Halas rocked quietly, stunned, “Five regiments?”
“The official announcement will be made in one week’s time,” Duncan explained, “of the creation of a new `Mech unit I’m dubbing the ‘Knights of the Inner Sphere.’ It will be open to any pilot willing to join, regardless of their origin state, provided they can pass an extremely strict entrance exam and are willing to swear fealty to me. Applicants with scientific backgrounds will be prioritized over those without, and any dispossessed `Mechwarriors will almost certainly be granted a prototype and as I said: your research will continue unimpeded. In fact, I expect your research will likely be expanded.”
“This is to draw attention away from the New Dallas core, isn’t it?” Dr. Sequord demanded quietly.
Duncan Marik nodded, “The problem with scientists, you’re very good at ferreting out answers. Yes Doctor, you are correct. Officially, the weapons schematics were recovered from the Helm core. By you.”
Combat Theater Vote 11
11 August 3033
1) 1st Kestrel Grenadiers
One of the most elite units in the Crucis March, the 1st Kestrel Grenadiers have been asked to do the impossible: to take a world away from the Clans. With most of the regiment tied up in defensive actions, will the 1st Kestrel’s third battalion be enough to accomplish this daunting task? [INVASION]
2) Jade Falcon Guards
Death strikes with swift talons, and the Jade Falcon Clan’s elite Jade Falcon Guards are the best the Clan has to offer. The vanguard of the invasion, their bold bidding practices have always won them innumerable honors and yet, in his boldest bid yet, Star Colonel Cadence Pryde’s Alpha Trinary may be in serious trouble as they try to take a world from two battalions of the 36th Dieron Regulars. [INVASION]
3) Death Commandos
The former Capellan March Militia, now the Syrtis Militia, holds Moravian. This shall be the first world on our path to seizing Kathil from House Hasek. You will sacrifice anything, your lives, your `Mechs, even your honor to accomplish its capture. You are the Death Commandos, let none bar you from your duty to the Celestial Throne! [INVASION]
4) 6th Syrtis Fusiliers
Amidst a raid gone awry, Colonel Victor Hasek’s command lance has been cut off by the Capellans. The Capellans clearly mean to capture Hasek and his crippled Cyclops. Will his loyal command lance be enough to hold off a concerted Capellan assault?
Combat Theater Vote 11
1) 1st Kestrel Grenadiers
2) Jade Falcon Guards
3) Death Commandos
4) 6th Syrtis Fusiliers