With A Bared Sword

[drakensis]

Chapter 44

Yang-ku, Nanking
Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth
19 December 3057

Field Marshal David Sandoval looked like hell. Bandages still covered much of his face, and the cast around his left arm was too light to hide the fact that half of that hand was gone. He returned Kate's salute with the other hand, wincing slightly at raising his arm, and then lowered his hand back to the controls of his wheelchair.

"Don't get too excited, your highness," he said, and there was a twinkle in his eye. "I know I look like I've made a perfect recovery, but I'm afraid my topknot hasn't grown back in yet. It will be a few more weeks before the doctors sign off on my taking on even administrative duties."

Kate couldn't help but return the smile. David Sandoval might look a lot like his brother, but he had an easy charm that she admired. He, like her, had grown up as the spare rather than the heir, and on his occasional visits to New Avalon, they had got along well. "I can barely tell," she lied.

"I look far better than some of my staff," Sandoval replied, and the mask slipped - there was anger beneath the smile. "Not to mention quite a number of other senior officers. We owe Chancellor Liao a reckoning."

"I don't disagree," Kate acknowledged. "It will take some time, but we will not forget."

The Field Marshal nodded heavily, and she could see the fatigue now. See the lack of energy. She had seen recovering patients at NAIS and while she was no doctor, she had some idea of how long it would take to recover from such severe injuries. Weeks meant at least a month, maybe more than one.

"I wanted to thank you," he continued. "I am not surprised that you stepped up - you are a Steiner-Davion. But I am grateful. I think it is important to say that. My men needed leadership, and you provided it."

"It was the least I could do."

Sandoval shook his head. "You could have returned to New Avalon, led the efforts from there as the viceroy and that would have been just your duty. You went beyond that. Let no one say you are a lesser officer than your brother was."

Kate shook her head. "I fought in one battle and did little enough."

"You saw to it that we have won others," he disagreed. "And you extracted units that might otherwise have been lost. Leading attacks, whether you take the field or not, is harder than holding troops together in a retreat. Without you we could have lost a dozen commands I could list. Instead, I hear they are here and at other rallying points - refitting, getting replacement soldiers. I have not been able to visit them, but I still know their commanders and I can read their mood from the reports the doctors let me read. They are ready to fight - we have not lost yet."

That was putting a brave face on it, in Kate's opinion. Perhaps he had to though.

Rather than disagreeing, she gestured at the wall. "It's chaos."

"War always is," Sandoval told her. He looked at the map on the wall, the worlds it had been his responsibility to defend. Kate knew what he was seeing.

Sarna itself was lost - not even to the Capellans. The Kaifeng SMM had rallied to a local governor with much the same idea Pierre Benton had tried on Epsilon Eridani. Reinforced by cadets from the academy on Sarna and now by mercenaries, the Sarna Supremacy claimed three worlds now, along with the name of the pre-Capellan Confederation realm that had governed worlds from Campertown to Goshen. The new realm wasn't a tenth that, not yet - and she was sure that Sun-Tzu Liao had no more intention than she did of allowing that. But the Chancellor was in a position to do something about it, while the mighty Federated Commonwealth was not.

"We haven't seen something like this since the Fourth Succession War," the Field Marshal considered. "Perhaps not even then - Janos Marik pulling out of the Terran corridor is the parallel I was thinking of, but we were able to take hold of those worlds. "If the Capellans could do that, they would be - and the number of unaligned worlds right now means that they can't."

"That's what I'm advised," Kate confirmed. "His people on Outreach and even Galatea are trying to hire up mercs to let him push harder but a lot of the small units are being signed up with new governments. Harlech's Hiring Hall was insane."

Sandoval looked over at her. "You went there?"

She shook her head. "Not personally. I spent all my time there convincing Maeve Wolf that the Dragoons are required to hold Outreach as part of the Federated Commonwealth and that going independent would invalidate their claim."

"I have nothing but admiration for your ability to persuade her of that," the wounded Marshal admitted. "The Dragoons have always been… difficult. And walking away with two regiments under contract even then."

"Northwind was good practice. I hate to blame father for this but some of the deals he struck are coming back to haunt us."

Sandoval smiled sadly. "Hindsight is always easier. I wasn't part of the planning then, but I doubt that this situation was considered at the time. Every generation inherits what they see as obvious oversights by the last. Hanse - or even Ian, I suspect - likely had to wonder why their father and grandfather had spent so much time building up relations with the Free Worlds League when the Lyran alliance was so rewarding as an alternative."

"Victor's eventual children will no doubt wonder what we were thinking."

"Yes, I promise that they will. That's life, I'm afraid."

Kate had to wonder how long it would be before Victor moved on from his feelings for Omi Kurita. His plans to lead the reinforcements put him at risk, but she had a feeling it might lead to him reconnecting to soldiers his own age. Perhaps he'd meet someone more politically acceptable. The only women in his age bracket at Tharkad were husband-hunters and there were few things the Inner Sphere's most eligible bachelor found less appealing than young women chasing the consort's crown.

"I realize you're not ready to take over, but I would appreciate your opinion on my immediate plans," she said, taking up a pointer. Sandoval would have to take over those plans, so if he didn't agree then she would be well advised to change them now.

He backed up his wheelchair and turned for a slightly better view. "I would be pleased to."

"With the loss of Corey, we don't really have any rallying points in the Palos operational area," Kate began. The rimwards end of the Sarna March, the one closest to the Capellan March. Palos itself was somewhere in the morass of independent worlds, some of them still fighting over who the planetary government would be. "The Sarna Supremacy's position makes them a bulwark that's complicating Capellan logistics in trying to take worlds between Sarna and Bell."

Bell was part of the Capellan March but she'd had to pull regiments back there for stable and secure basing. "Right now, the region is a three-way contest between ourselves, the Capellans and Sarna. We're not going to win it, but the longer it goes on, the better our position will be. We don't just have to take over the governments, the Zhanzeng de Guang, their imitators and their rivals using the same tactics that are the biggest problem."

Kate indicated three worlds near Bell. "We've got a hold on Jonathan, Footfall and Highspire - not perfect but the tide is in our favor." Then she traced a line. "If we can do the same for Shipka, St. Andre and Shenshi then we have something resembling a defensive line to halt Capellan efforts into the Chesterton and Tikonov regions."

"Resembling," Sandoval said with a hint of bitterness.

She nodded. "There's no real lines in space, but having those worlds strongly held will make for bases that Sun-Tzu can't ignore. New Aragon will need to serve as our staging area for operations there - and for the worlds behind that line. We can't ignore them, but as long as they don't become bases for Capellan's to bypass our defenses they're a lower priority."

"Diplomacy may work," the Marshal suggested. "Find factions there that remain loyal and send them supplies and support - even a company of 'mechs might be able to tip the balance there in favor."

Kate nodded, then indicated two more worlds. "Gan Singh and Styk have formed a defensive pact, the Styk Commonality. I'd love to take Styk and its 'mech factories but the best I can say right now is that they're a brake upon the Capellans and the Mariks." She paused and then added: "Unless Thomas Marik turns to diplomacy himself."

"Offering them provincial status?" asked Sandoval. At her nod, he reached up with another wince and ran his one intact hand over his scalp. "It depends how threatened they feel. And the same for Saiph, I suppose?" Another little cluster of worlds who had banded together.

"Liao will want them all," she said. "Marik may not wish to offend his future son-in-law. And then there is our biggest concern." Kate used the pointer to indicate the world that shared its name with the ruling house of the Capellan Confederation."

"Liao," Sandoval recognised, his voice a growl. "Do you believe we can reclaim it?"

"Seven of the Warrior Houses landed there," Kate replied. "It's not impossible, but we would need a large force and for now we need our troops elsewhere. Before I even consider it, we have to worry about Zurich - there's a force of the Crater Cobras there supporting a Zhanzeng de Guang-backed government. They are sending support to Nanking, where we are in a better position."

"I agree with you in principle," the Marshal agreed. "Secure defensive positions and we can hopefully clear out the worlds behind them once we don't have to worry about losing what we already hold. Once the Archon-Prince arrives, we will have more forces to work with."

---

Chapter 45

Mount Asgard, Tharkad
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
31 January 3058

The septic green of Clan Jade Falcon pierced the map of the Federated Commonwealth.

That had been the case for years now, but since Tukayyid no more worlds had fallen to the Clans' talons. That couldn't be said now, and the blow hadn't fallen against the fortified and garrisoned worlds that lined the border.

"What do we know?" Caesar Steiner asked evenly as Victor studied the display. The young - comparatively, he was Reinhart's father - general had only just arrived on Tharkad. There hadn't been time yet for him to take over from Nondi. In fact, Victor had had no chance yet to break the news to his aunt that her replacement had been decided.

The commander of the Lyran State Command wasn't even here yet - she and Morgan Hasek-Davion had been spelling each other, twelve hours on and twelve off, for weeks as preparations were made to deal with the threat to the Terran Corridor.

Morgan was beginning to show the signs of strain at that, lines deeper on his face. Even a touch of white at his temples that hadn't been there until… Well, not since Victor's accession to the throne. "The Jade Falcons hit without warning. The worlds are well behind the frontlines and only have militias protecting them."

Engadine was shown as having probably fallen by now - the last news was long enough ago that the outcome was predictable. Neerabup and Willunga had been hit next and Victor suspected that the latter world had also fallen, although Neerabup was a little better defended. It was only a matter of time though. As for Bucklands, the only news was that Jade Falcon jumpships had arrived, but the pattern was unmistakable.

"How are they doing this?" he asked. "Our projections were that Clan Wolf had done so much damage that the Jade Falcons would be recovering for months yet."

"We have a possible answer for that," the representative of the Intelligence Secretariat reported. Curaitis had been heavily involved in the hunt for evidence to convict Ryan Steiner and his promotion had been a reward for that. He still looked as if he would rather be in the field, to Victor - although the Archon-Prince suspected he might be projecting his own feelings. "Our latest reports from Wotan have taken time to arrive," the man added, before anyone could ask why his information hadn't been made available until now. "But there is evidence that Clan Jade Falcon has absorbed much of the Wolves' surviving military strength. It's possible that this also includes their territory."

"They were just clawing each other to death a few weeks ago," muttered Caesar. "I can't see them working smoothly together."

"It's almost entirely speculative," Curaitis said, "But this expedition might be intended to bond them with the Jade Falcons against a mutual foe."

Victor wished Phelan was here to consult, but they had a considerable amount of data on the Clans now. "What exactly was reported?"

The spy checked his noteputer. "Clan Wolf equipment was being repainted by work gangs into Jade Falcon colors, and the Jade Falcon leader made a grand ceremony out of cutting the bondcords of several individuals whose names match senior officers within Clan Wolf - mostly Star Colonels but at least one Galaxy Commander."

Caesar nodded in understanding. "It would make a great deal of sense on a purely military basis," he said. "Both Clans are depleted by their conflict, not to mention Phelan Kell's defection to us. Combining their strength might be as much about warding off threats from the other Clans as anything else."

Victor leant over the map. "They're still using that strength against us. And we have limited options to counter them."

Morgan nodded. "We already stripped what we could from the frontlines to deal with the Free Worlds League. Of course, if the bulk of the Jade Falcon strength is here then it's possible we can afford to move more regiments away…"

"If." The Archon-Prince shook his head. "The Steel Vipers are still there and as far as we can tell they're unscathed. Do we have any indications that a new ilKhan has been appointed?"

Curaitis frowned. "Not clearly. There was a Grand Kurultai scheduled on Wotan but we do not have reports yet of anything being announced - news could be on our way, but if so it has not arrived. We also have no reports yet of other Clans' leadership setting out."

"They might be meeting by HPG proxy," Morgan speculated. "We know they make much more liberal use of HPGs for real time communication than ComStar does."

"So we don't know."

"If an IlKhan had been appointed, news would likely have reached worlds nearer to us quite rapidly," the spy noted. "At least, I would expect the Jade Falcons to be celebrating if their leader was elected. We have no reports of that, and having defeated Ulric Kerensky, it seems likely that Khan Crichell would have been a leading candidate. Our profile on him suggests that he would make much of such an achievement."

Victor exhaled slowly. "The Truce of Tukayyid is effectively a dead letter then. The Jade Falcons might just be the first Clan to move - although why they'd hit us out there, I do not know."

Caesar joined him at the table and reached into the holographic display. "Perhaps it is just what it looks like," he said. "They have outflanked us. Look at where their line of advance will take them."

The four worlds in question formed an irregular diamond, elongated with the first to he struck nearest to the periphery and Bucklands the deepest inside the Commonwealth. Victor watched his cousin's finger trace the direction of travel further, past other worlds that to him were little more than names on the map even if they were home to millions of his citizens. But soon the finger found something more substantial. "Coventry." One of the most important industrial worlds of the Commonwealth.

"And beyond it, if we assume the truceline is not restraint." Caesar's finger continued until it pointed at another world. The world they all stood upon. "Tharkad. Unless we hear otherwise, I must assume that the Jade Falcons are coming here."

Morgan folded his arms. "I cannot argue with that. I hope you are wrong, but in that case we must stop them. Tharkad isn't just the capital. Beyond its political and economic might, it's at a key junction in logistical routes: almost every major jumpship lane in this half of the Lyran Commonwealth goes through this system or those around it."

The Archon-Prince closed his eyes wearily. "If we cannot afford to pull back from the Tamar March then we have only one option for where to pull a response force from." His eyes went to the cluster of regiments that was assembling near the border between Donegal and Skye, preparing to move up en masse to relieve Callison.

There was ripple of concern from around the room and Victor turned, looking around. "I don't like the idea. If anyone has any alternatives, however junior you are, then speak up. But Thomas Marik has offered me an armistice - a negotiated settlement that recognises most of his gains. If I use the task force we've spent the last weeks assembling to fight him then we may lose Coventry or even Tharkad."

No one said anything.

"I am open to any reasonable alternative," he continued. "I will be breaking promises made to those already fighting in the Terran Corridor if I take Marik's terms. I do not want to do this. But -"

"I see no other way," Caesar Steiner said quietly. His words were audible. "Your highness, I volunteer to lead those regiments to Coventry. We can have them there before the Jade Falcons arrive, unless they ignore every world in their path."

Morgan walked to the table, circling it, eyes on the display as if viewing it from another angle would open up another option. Then he shook his head. "I am sorry, Victor. I believe you are right. And if that is the case…"

"Then I need Thomas Marik's agreement now. He will learn of this attack soon," Victor pointed out. "His terms will be harsher once he knows we are facing another attack, one from the other flank."

And still, no one else was able to come up with a realistic alternative. Or if they did, they did not voice it.

Victor nodded. "The responsibility is mine." Surely the blame will be. "Morgan, get our forces moving back towards Coventry. Caesar, I appreciate your offer but I need you here. I will lead the task force personally. That was always my plan, and I am as prepared to fight Clan Jade Falcon as anyone else would be."

Also, Kathy had handed over control of the Sarna March back to David Sandoval a week ago. She was on her way back to New Avalon - if things went disastrously, she would be in a secure position to salvage whatever could be done from the wreckage. The last few months had proven she had the ability to do so.

He turned to leave and then paused. "Morgan, we never heard back from the spyship we sent to Sirius?"

Morgan grimaced. "No."

"Something is up there. The Marik offer seems to be on the assumption that we control those worlds. Since he hasn't asked for them, we may be in a fractionally better position than we thought. I'll try to get him to drop Callison from his claims, but if he doesn't have those worlds, I'd rather not lose those worlds to whoever does."

---

Chapter 46

Avalon City, New Avalon
Coventry March, Federated Commonwealth
3 February 3058

The command circuit back from Terra Firma had taken its toll on Kate and she'd slept only fitfully as the shuttle made its approach to New Avalon. The last jump had been aboard a Merchant jumpship scheduled to carry wounded soldiers to the NAIS College of Medicine for treatments they could not receive anywhere else. Rather than bump the dropships, a small shuttle had been crammed into the jumpship's hangar. Her 'mech and all but a small escort would wait for a later jumpship.

The traffic through the proximity point between New Avalon and its star was heavily regulated, but it cut the transit time to the surface to hours rather than days. The only closer options were the points created by the capital's three moons and their own interactions made those too hazardous for regular use.

Two gravities of acceleration would have been ill-advised for the wounded, so their dropships would take more than a day to arrive. Kate felt that the short-term pain of the experience was worth it - a chance to get home and rest in her own bed before what would no doubt be a busy schedule of catching up with everything she'd missed.

The roar of superheated air around the shuttle died down and the princess was able to look out of the window at the landscape below as the shuttle rolled and began its final deceleration burn, angling down towards Castle Davion. Much like most working dropships, the small vessel was a roughly globular shape, mounted above the engines. The upper hull made up the heat shield for re-entry but now that they were coming in to land, she could see the fields and forests below, giving way to the sprawling capital city - great towers, open campuses, the mansions of the wealthy and the factories and warehouses needed to make the entire complex metropolis function, the whole knit together by highways and a network of elevated railways.

Castle Davion rose above it all, as it had for centuries. The deliberately archaic structures with their gothic architecture and vast size were inimitable, immortalized for years on bank notes as well as every conceivable form of recording.

The shuttle settled towards one of the small pads on the edge of the drop port. It didn't need quite as much clearance as a dropship would, but it was still a fusion torch being pointed at the ground.

"Your highness." The hauptmann leading her escort platoon leant over as far as he could given seat constraints. "Your sister is waiting for you at the terminal."

Kate smiled with some relief. "Of course she is." Probably to make some reasonable complaints about the delays in returning. She'd never intended to leave Yvonne handling the public duties as long as she had.

The shuttle touched down, the sound of the engines fading and as soon as it was deemed safe, Kate unstrapped herself and picked up the small bag that was her only luggage. She didn't need to carry much with her - most of her possessions would either catch up shortly or were already waiting for her at Castle Davion - so it was just an overnight bag. "I'll carry it myself," she told the officer when he reached for it. "You're already busy keeping me safe."

"If you say so, your highness."

"You are senior to me, so I suppose you could insist," she joked and then took her place in the middle of the queue of guardsmen ready to disembark. She wore the same duty uniform as the rest of the Davion Guards so she wouldn't stand out if there really was a threat waiting.

By the time she was at the hatch, bright afternoon sun making her wish she'd brought sunglasses, a limousine was screaming across the ferrocrete towards them - moving fast enough that the leading elements of the platoon were even taking defensive positions until the aircar skidded to a halt - the driver expertly bringing it up to the line marking how close any vehicle should approach.

The door swung open and Yvonne leant out. "Kate!"

"Yvonne!" she called back, smiling and waving. Then the gesture faltered as she saw her sister's face. "What's wrong?"

The redhead climbed out, waving a newspaper. "Politics!" she exclaimed.

Kate crossed to her and accepted the broadsheet, unfolding it to see the front page. Then she said a number of things that Mom would have scrubbed her mouth out with soap and water for. Personally, not even handing the job over to staff.

"Yeah," Yvonne agreed, rather than teasing her.

The main headline was explosive. 'STEINER-KURITA ROMANCE?!' it shouted. And below it, taking up almost half the page was an image of their oldest brother talking to Omi Kurita. It must have been taken years ago… at Dad's funeral? Perhaps even earlier - on Outreach. She wasn't sure.

But the expressions on their faces were perfectly clear. The photographer had done a wonderful job of capturing the feelings between them.

If there was nothing else, that would have been damning, but the story below wasn't just speculation on that one fact. No, someone had talked. Someone close to the royal family. Someone who was able to give far too much information about the relationship between Victor and Omi. And yet, at the same time, they gave too little.

Meetings, kept discreet to avoid this sort of attention. Those were mentioned.

But the understandings that those meetings must be entirely chaste were not. The reality that this Romeo and Juliet had no intention of letting their feelings destroy them was not touched on. Instead, the delicately woven gaps left room to imagine a fairy-tale romance that was well on its way to 'sealing the deal' of a dynastic marriage.

Oh, nothing was clearly said. Everything was speculation. Some of it was even couched sympathetically. Not that it mattered.

It wasn't even some tawdry tabloid. The Inquirer was a reputable paper, one of the mainstays of conservative political discussion on New Avalon. And this was the morning's paper.

"How bad," Kate asked simply, tossing the paper back to her sister.

Yvonne caught it. "There haven't been riots… but there is already a demonstration outside the gates. Victor canceling the reinforcements to Skye was the -"

"He what?" She had been out of contact for less than three days!

Her sister made a face. "The Jade Falcons are hitting Coventry Province, so he's negotiating an armistice with Thomas Marik. That's what the demonstration was about, but they're going to have more things to put on placards now."

The sun was no longer the sole cause of Kate's headache. "Welcome home, Kate…" she said. "Dammit, Victor!"

She got a hug from Yvonne. "Welcome home." And then: "The High Council is meeting right now. Those who didn't go home."

The elder sister nodded wearily. Many of the High Council had arranged to prolong their usual autumn visits to the capital in hope of attending a Christmas coronation. Even once it became evident that this wouldn't be the case, inertia had kept most of them on New Avalon. But… "How many of them?"

"I think they have a quorum." Yvonne gestured towards the limousine. "Uncle Hammond and Uncle James are trying to keep them from doing anything rash but I think they might need help."

Kate threw her bag inside and climbed in after. The High Council dated back to the foundation of the Federated Suns, a legislative body that had elected the first Davion Presidents. Presidents and then First Princes had had to work with the High Council, but the Succession Wars had demanded greater centralization of power to direct a war effort that lasted for generations. The High Council met every year and approved the decisions of the First Prince with little dissent.

But in theory they did not have to. They were the voices of the planetary governments of every member world in the Federated Suns and exactly how much power they had in the Federated Commonwealth was a very fuzzy issue.

It was a point Kate was left musing over as the limousine took off for the great hall of the castle at top speed. The paved roadway rushed by underneath them, various landmarks going by in a blur that was only partly due to her distraction by political calculations. Yvonne gave name after name of those present and even just the key leaders made it clear that more than a few of those attending were those who had complained about Victor's policies in the past.

The journey was over entirely too soon, the limousine arriving at one of the side entrances to the grand structure. Kate hopped out, wishing she was dressed slightly more formally than a duty uniform. Then again, it might play well. The Suns was traditionally very favorably inclined towards it's soldiers.

The sisters passed sentries at the main door, then Kate led the way through the network of side rooms until she arrived at one of the discreetly placed entrances to the main dais. There were guards here as well, two men in the First Davion Royal Guards. They saluted crisply as she approached and Kate returned the gesture before she opened the door.

The great hall was full. Seating had been laid out, as was customary for a council meeting, and Kate reflexively counted each full row as she went up the three steps onto the dais. A quorum? There were something close to three hundred attendees - and the 'public' seats behind and in the galleries were completely full of those who lacked a vote but had the connections or other status to get in.

Horatio DuVall was standing at the front of the dais, calling for order and he turned slightly as the sisters stepped forward, Kate heading for the viceroy's throne. If the speaker was having trouble then perhaps she could -

The Duke of Argyle had been at DuVall's side, but as Kate approached, J Hammond Davion turned and to her astonishment, he took two steps and then stretched out one arm to block her path.

The move drew eyes and though the hall could not be called silent, it at least began to quiet, all eyes going to those behind the Speaker.

"Is there some reason," Kate asked, projecting her voice to be heard above those still speaking from the floor, "That you are not welcoming me?"

Her uncle's voice was statesmanlike, calm and almost regretful. Some instinct sent a shiver down her spine. "Your highness, you may not yet have heard that your brother has agreed an armistice with House Marik."

"It is my understanding that it is an unpleasant necessity," Kate said firmly. "And perhaps you will now answer my question, your grace."

Hammond turned to Horatio DuVall and gestured invitingly to the pale count. There was a flicker of smugness barely audible in the duke's voice. Beyond him, Kate caught a glimpse of James Sandoval, face rigid in fury. "For that, I believe it is for the Speaker to say."

"Your highness." DuVall bowed slightly. "I regret to inform you that a motion has been placed before the High Council and by a clear majority… your brother Victor Steiner-Davion has been deposed."

Kate's first reaction was relief, closely followed by contempt for herself. She took a half-step forwards. "And thus I am no longer viceroy. I see." Then she let her eyes sweep the room, looking from left to right across the crowd of nobles and elected officials who made up the High Council. Drunk upon their own power, she guessed. She could guess almost at a glance who had voted for and who against.

"My lords and ladies," she said, forcing herself to remain calm. Or to pretend it. "Our nation stands at war. We cannot be without a leader. You have removed my brother, but I think you have not yet elected a new First Prince." She doubted if any but a very few had even considered what the provisions were for that. The few who had called for this. "I lack a seat upon the High Council in my own right, but as the senior member of House Davion present, I nominate Marie St. Clair Hasek-Davion as regent until such time as a successor is decided."

Her aunt was in the second rank, and if there was one thing that everyone knew about the eldest child of Andrew Davion it was that she had not the slightest desire for political power. There was a wave of applause for the motion and Kate pulled Yvonne back aside as their aunt made her reluctant way to the dais, Hammond Davion also forced to give way rather than seem ungracious.

"What do we do?" hissed her sister?

"Panic?" Kate suggested, almost giddy at the shock. "We may as well get that over with. It'll be hours before we do anything useful."

 

[drakensis]

Act 3 - Depression​

Chapter 47

The Triad, Tharkad
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
3 February 3058

He couldn't believe it.

Everyone had something to say about the messages from New Avalon, but Victor simply sat and listened. He heard everything - as if from a distance - but he did not contribute a word as his counselors responded. His friends and family were saying everything he could think to.

Except, at last, one thing. "How did Kathy lose control so completely?" he asked in a soft voice.

All eyes turned towards him.

"She's been my viceroy for over a year and had her finger on the pulse of politics since… father's death. How did they sneak this up on her?"

"Maybe they didn't have to." Nondi was the first to speak and others paused at her harsh worlds.

Victor felt his eyes track across to his aunt, like the crosshairs of his Dire Wolf's targeting systems. "What do you mean there?" he asked, voice still calm and contemplative. He felt strange… disassociated. As if all the emotions he should be feeling were off at a distance.

"Is it not convenient?" she replied crisply. "She has military glory to her name now. She had two years to build up allies in the High Council before she left for Sarna. Perhaps all this is little Katie's plan from the beginning."

The Archon-Prince raised his hand before Morgan Hasek-Davion - who had taken a long stride towards the Field Marshal, eyes blazing - could speak. "Aunt Nondi?"

"Yes?"

He opened a drawer and the envelope was right where he had left it. Victor flipped it out onto the surface of his desk. "I accept your resignation," he said, voice still almost unnaturally tranquil.

Nondi's eyes widened and now words deserted her.

"Your service to the Federated Commonwealth has been without compare," he continued. "Your loyalty, putting service to your sister, your niece and to myself above your own desires is legend." Then he rose to his feet. "I can ask nothing more of you."

He bowed, deeply. She was owed that. More than that. But so was his own sister.

When he straightened, Nondi's eyes were furious. She reached up to her collar, wrenched off the rank pins off her collar and then hurled them at his desk. The metal badges bounced off the old wood and landed somewhere behind him.

Without a word, the aged officer stalked out.

"Not quite how I planned to do that," Victor told the others, feeling a touch more energy at last. "My sister admires her greatly - for her loyalty, for her devotion to duty. I would need far more than this to doubt Kathy's integrity."

Galen moved round behind the desk and crouched to recover the rank pins. "The viceroy has been away from New Avalon for half a year," he said once he stood again. "A lot can happen in six months."

They had been a very busy six months, Victor reflected. "True."

Morgan Hasek-Davion folded his arms. "The truth is though, she didn't entirely miss the signs."

Victor arched an eyebrow. "Explain, please."

"She wrote to me of the unhappiness at your continued absence from New Avalon," the Marshal of Armies pointed out. "So did my mother… Blake's Blood! George knew about it and he hasn't left the Capellan March in two years! Surely she must have mentioned it to you!"

He lowered his head for a moment. Had she? He had received many letters from Kathy, personal and business alike, but it was hard to call the words to mind right now. Still… she had wanted him to go to New Avalon. Told him so before their mother was even buried.

"She told me I should go to New Avalon. I planned to, so often." Things had kept preventing him from doing so, but that now sounded like an excuse rather than a reason.

"The question of how this happened may be less important than what you intend to do about it," pointed out Caesar Steiner. "When Alessandro Steiner was presented with the vote of no confidence by the Estates-General, he looked for support from the ministries… and the military."

"Don't tempt me," Victor warned him, though the attempt at joviality fell flat.

"It's not really an admirable comparison, is it?" Galen noted. "It might be worth checking where the Estates-General stands on the topic…"

All eyes turned towards the Speaker of the Estates General. Erika Aths was a silver-haired matron, one of Nondi's generation, and she hesitated a moment before saying: "I have not polled the representatives, but I would expect most to stand behind you, sire."

"Even after Skye? After Joshua Marik?"

She nodded. "The degree of empathy for House Marik in the Estates-General is hard to underestimate. They sat and watched as the Clans tore through the Tamar Domains. Omi Kurita is more of a problem… How much truth is there to that?"

Victor swallowed. "I like her very much, but it would never work. When she asked my help rescuing Hohiro, it was at the price of her father forbidding her to contact me again. She chose her realm over me, as she should. As I must."

"Good enough," Aths concluded. "I can work with that - but there will need to be action not words in order to slay that dragon. You must marry, Victor. Not now, of course. But that will drive the nail into those stories that there is more than cautious friendship between you and House Kurita."

"Brides are not so easily found," he protested.

"Everyone else seems to manage." The Speaker looked over at Morgan. "Is there something wrong with Davion men? You seem to be the only one this century to marry at a sensible age."

The redhead coughed at the remark. "Yes, well my son George is married."

"He doesn't count. Doesn't use the Davion name at all, does he?" Aths shook her head and turned back towards Victor. "Half the human race are women, just make me a list of what you're looking for in a wife and I can find candidates. You putting in the time to actually court them is the problem!"

He flinched. "Yes, my… easy schedule with all the free time."

The woman made a scornful voice. "It will reassure the Estates-General, which is your concern I believe?"

"Thank you," Victor managed. "Does anyone else feel I should be aware of… concerns with my fitness to lead?"

Several officials shook their heads.

"The troops like you, for the most part," Caesar added. "The regiments being gathered for Callison were eager to fight under your command."

"Good to know." Victor took a deep breath. "We have a war already, facing the Jade Falcons. It's very fortunate that Thomas Marik accepted the peace deal before word of this reached him. It will be difficult for him to go to his Parliament and demand another war with the Federated Commonwealth now. If this had happened even a month sooner…"

"Six of one, half a dozen of the other," Morgan assessed. "If you were still on the way to reinforce the Terran Corridor, it would have carried political weight with the High Council. I agreed with your decision at the time, but with hindsight…"

"Wars on two fronts are at best stalemates," the Archon-Prince pointed out. "That was what prolonged the Succession Wars for so long. And now we have both the Jade Falcons and this new challenge: can we afford a military solution?" He looked over at Caesar Steiner. "You're the new commander of the Lyran state command, cousin, you tell me."

"I'd say I was honored, but right now…" the dapper Steiner observed. Then he shook his head. "At the least, we can't spare anything to send to the Suns. You can ask Jackson Davion but if he lacks the forces then I can't find them for you."

"I appreciate the honesty," the Archon-Prince said and then turned to his cousin on the other side of the family. "Morgan?"

The Marshal of Armies looked at him. "I don't know," he admitted. "It will depend, in the end, more on the hearts and minds of the Federated Suns than the battlemechs. We saw that on Skye…"

"So." He sat down again. "This is in Kathy's hands then."

---

Chapter 48

Castle Davion, New Avalon
Crucis March, Federated Commonwealth
3 February 3058

It was odd for Kate to find herself on this side of her office.

Marie had taken the reins as regent, which included use of the same office. There really hadn't been much time for that.

"I don't appreciate you dropping this on me," her aunt complained. "I'm too old for this."

"I hope it won't be for long."

Yvonne sat on the couch. "Why didn't you nominate Uncle Hammond? He's been handling most things while you were away, Kate."

"Yes, he has - hasn't he?" Kate said pointedly. She doubted it was coincidence that the news leak and the vote had taken place while she was in transit and out of regular contact.

"Girls, don't fight each other." Ardan Sortek was standing next to Marie's desk. "We have enough enemies… and you may be right, Kate. I believe your father trusted Hammond but he never brought him into his inner circle. He should have seen the discontent was building into something like this. Maybe he's just getting old."

"I'm not Hanse Davion," she pointed out. "And nor is Victor. I wouldn't have believed it of him a year ago, but from what I saw in the High Council, I don't think he's unhappy about this."

Ardan opened his mouth to speak and then thought better of it.

"Do you think he's behind this?" asked Yvonne. "But why?!"

Marie was the one to answer. "Think about the succession, Yvonne. The High Council won't look outside of House Davion for a First Prince. If they set aside the Steiner-Davions, who is next? Morgan has the stature but…" The matriarch of the Hasek-Davions broke off, apparently thinking of her son, then shook her head. "Everyone knows he wouldn't take it. He renounced his claim years ago, and my grandchildren don't even hold the Davion name as a result. After that, the next most senior claim is Hammond."

"Playing second fiddle to father was one thing," Kate agreed. "Most of our problems over the last two years would have hesitated to challenge the great Hanse Davion. But Victor and I are younger, less experienced. We don't have the same… you said stature, Marie, and that fits."

"This is a mess," Ardan said grimly. "Who can we trust?"

"James Sandoval is solid," Marie told them. "This business with Omi Kurita annoys him, but he respects that Victor wasn't acting on it. And he's a believer in the Federated Commonwealth."

"That helps, but it doesn't necessarily mean the rest of the Draconis March will follow." Kate leant back. "I counted the votes - the vote to remove Victor had enough support that if every absent member was here and supported him it would still have been a majority."

"What are our options?" Her aunt looked at Ardan.

His lips twisted. "I asked my cousin about military options."

"Bishop?" asked Kate.

He nodded. "The First Davion Guards' support for House Davion is unshakeable. If you asked, I believe we could take New Avalon and detain the High Council. But…"

"What then?" she agreed. "We'd be kicking off a civil war, and those tend to be anything but uncivil. Besides… if Hammond did orchestrate this, he is also a Davion."

Marie slumped, eyes closing for a moment. "There are a lot of Davions." Then she turned her chair (Kate's chair) and looked at Ardan. "Why ask Bishop, not Jackson?"

"He's from Argyle," the old Marshal reminded her. "I don't know how close he is to Hammond."

"Not very," Kate told him. "But it was the right call. Uncle Jack is very rule of law and…" She looked over at Yvonne. "You did political studies more recently than I did. The High Council's situation is legal, isn't it?"

The youngest person in the room nodded reluctantly. "Removing a Prince requires a quorum and an absolute majority - fifty percent of all votes, present or not, plus one more," she added as Ardan gave her a questioning look. "Dimitri Rostov was technically deprived of his rank as Prince of the Terran March by that mechanism, before Alexander Davion's march on Robinson. So there is precedent, even if it's never been used for a First Prince."

"With that said," the elder of the two sisters added, "I don't think Jackson would back anything illegal from Hammond or whoever else might be setting this up. He was born on Argyle but his mother and most of his family are from Victoria." That branch of the sprawling House Davion were notorious for their loyalty - Jackson's mother had been Ardan's predecessor as Hanse's Champion.

"Our first move has to be peeling away the opposition," Kate continued. "People like Helen Trempeleau and Roger Sanromea-Davion may not be pleased with Victor, but I don't think they would have voted against him if I'd been there to represent his interests. Intentionally or otherwise, Hammond didn't do that. If we reach out to our friends and allies, building up our own voting block, then this is salvageable."

"We have time," Yvonne told them. "Electing a First Prince also requires an absolute majority, but it needs more than a quorum. The requirement is a full house of the High Council. Every member needs to attend, validate a proxy or be confirmed as medically unable to do both. That will take a while."

"I disagree," Marie said quietly.

Kate tilted her head. "Oh?"

"Oh, you're right about reaching out, but that is our second priority." The old woman smiled sadly. "First, we have to decide who we are building support for."

"I don't like what you are suggesting."

"I don't imagine that you do," Marie assured her. "But… Yvonne, I believe it is legal for Victor to be re-elected as First Prince?"

"I can't think of any precedent either way. Probably?"

"But," the dowager warned, "It would be much harder. A great deal of the opposition is centered on Victor personally. If Hammond is really behind this…"

"I still find it hard to believe this is intentional," Ardan grumbled.

Marie slapped the desk with the flat of one hand. "Ardan! I know what ambition looks like!"

Kate flinched and saw Ardan do the same. Marie's late husband had plotted treason for years. It had killed him in the end, one of many secrets that House Davion preferred to keep out of the public's eye. Shame for that was one reason Morgan Hasek-Davion had renounced his own place in the succession.

"What matters more?" Marie continued, voice gentler. "Reinstating Victor? Or keeping an usurper from taking the throne. Which is worse for the Suns… and for the Federated Commonwealth?"

Kate covered her face. "Are you telling me to become an usurper myself?!"

"Kate." Her aunt's voice was sad. "We have options. Military action. Pushing Victor's cause. Or finding a compromise candidate - you or someone else. But which of those has the best chance of success?"

---

Chapter 49

The Triad, Tharkad
Donegal March, Federated Commonwealth
9 February 3058

Victor rose to greet Phelan Kell as the Khan of half of Clan Wolf entered his office. "Phelan, how's your father?"

"He is adjusting well to the new arm. Losing mom…" His cousin shook his head. "Not so much." They reached out, Victor going for a handshake but Phelan turned it into a clasp of forearms.

"Good job on Morges," the Archon-Prince said. "Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to have taken the wind out of the Jade Falcon sails."

IlKhan Kerensky had instructed Phelan to bring the more warden-leaning members of Clan Wolf's touman into the Inner Sphere, safe from retribution from the Jade Falcons. His message, delivered as they crossed into the Inner Sphere, made it clear that their leader did not expect to survive his attack on Wotan. In what might have been his last act as the ilKhan, Kerensky had created the Kell bloodname for Phelan - perhaps the greatest honor that the Clans had among their rank. It was a burden Victor's cousin was clearly still coming to terms with.

"I am not sure how they have the warriors or equipment to make another attack," Phelan admitted. He sat down on the couch and crossed his legs. "We beat them on Morges but it will be months before I would want to take my warriors into that sort of campaign. Which means I cannot help you out with them at the moment."

"Our belief is that they absorbed Clan Wolf into their ranks, or at least all the survivors in the forces Ulric and Natasha were leading."

The Khan's eyes narrowed. "No, that is not it. Or rather… they did, but then they turned them loose again."

Victor gave him a curious look. "Go on?"

"It's complicated. Summing it up, the Jade Falcons did declare absorption of the Wolves, but either because of internal frictions with the Wolves or between their Khans they carved them off as the 'Jade Wolves'. Then the Wolves dropped the first part of that. Technically they're a new Clan, but basically it's back to the old Clan but without the Wardens. Our information is that they'll need to take time to rebuild and I can't see how the Falcons are better off."

"We've seen at least three Galaxy designations that we haven't before," the Archon-Prince told him. "It could be the result of reorganization, or new forces from their homeworlds. They're showing off a lot new 'mechs we haven't seen before."

Phelan's brow furrowed. "I wish I could help more."

"I doubt this will be our last campaign against the Clans," he replied.

In the long run, the technicians Phelan had brought might be more important. Right now there were teams from Tharkad, Hesperus II and - ironically - Coventry - helping the Wolves set up the factories they had brought in order to support rebuilding their forces. But once that was over they would be taking what they had learned of Clan technology back to the factories they worked with. He'd have wanted NAIS participation, but that was obviously going to be a problem.

"Speaking of other campaigns," he added, "Let's talk Conal Ward."

Phelan paled. "Shit."

"Yeah, I appreciate Dan Allard keeping it quiet until I could call you on that myself." Victor leant forwards. "Why did you delete that data?"

The Khan stiffened. "It had to be kept secret. Conal could have won a Trial and even if he lost he would have been a martyr to the Crusaders. I killed him myself, but no one could know or the Truce would have collapsed there and then."

"We were supposed to be working together!"

"What would you have done, demanded that Ulric turn him over to you?"

Victor shook his head. "I already had to give up on hunting down the Red Corsair myself. I understand that he couldn't have done that." He steepled his fingers. "No, I would have asked for something much like what you did: to clean up your own mess."

"Hey, you got Ryan Steiner. I should get something!"

He glared at the attempted humor. "Yes. I did get Ryan. And Richard, and Robert. And I may have burned some bridges with Ilse Aten by sending her sister Hermione join them at the gallows. I'm not sure where she's going to stand politically. The point isn't that you dealt with Conal and I didn't, the point was you lying to me about it!"

The defiance bled out of his cousin and for a moment, Victor saw himself in the Kell. He'd inherited Clan Wolf from Ulric and Natasha, much as he himself had inherited the Federated Commonwealth. And he too had lost half of his people.

"Don't do that again, Phelan," Victor told him, easing his tone. "I've made my own mistakes. It's important we both learn from them."

Phelan nodded, not meeting his eyes. "Alright."

"Look at me when you say that."

The Wolf - and he was a Wolf now, not a Kell Hound or a Lyran - snapped his gaze up and their eyes met. For a long moment the cousins exchanged glares and Phelan was the first to break away.

"Alright," Victor agreed. "I believe you."

"Do you mind telling me what's happening with Katie?" the other man asked, trying to change the subject.

Victor accepted that. "Turns out, she's been signing her letters as Kate since her first year at NAIS."

He got a bemused look from Phelan. "That was ten years ago, Victor. Granted, she's always going to be little Katie who hated getting her dress dirty, but I'd have thought you'd have noticed."

"You know how you always skim the last bits of a letter because it's just the usual goodbyes and you know that already? It's not like she talks about herself in third person on videos or in person." Also he'd kind of tuned out the 'in addition, you should come to New Avalon' that had featured in just about every message she sent him. That was what he'd been reviewing the letters for - noticing she signed them had been an unexpected byproduct of that re-read.

Phelan shook her head. "Caitlin would have kicked my ass if I called her something else. Katie... Kate is too easy on you. Anyway, what is going on with New Avalon?"

"Currently, the High Council is looking for its head."

"Have they checked their assholes?" Phelan shook his head. "Do you think the Federated Commonwealth will survive? Can you even regain the throne?"

"I might win the throne back in a civil war, but I'd lose a lot in doing so," Victor leant back in his chair. "In theory they can vote me back in - log this as some sort of extreme protest. It would be contingent, explicitly or implicitly, in my going to New Avalon."

"And would that cost you the Archon's throne?"

He snorted. "I've spoken to the Speaker of the Assembly, and laid the groundwork. It would mean not taking command on Coventry, but keeping New Avalon would be worth it."

"Who would replace you on Coventry then? Morgan Hasek-Davion?"

"No, I'd take him with me. I was thinking I'd re-activate your father's commission."

Phelan scowled at him. "I'm not sure that's the best idea."

"We lose too many good officers to the merc trade," Victor told him. "There are times I think I'd be better firing everyone at Mount Asgard and replacing them with a half-dozen mercenary commanders. Your father isn't the only mercenary officer I've been reaching out to. We need new blood at the top, something to change the culture of our officers."

"I wish I could say you were wrong," Phelan conceded. "What would he be leading?"

"Twelfth Donegal Guards and Tenth Lyran Guards are on their way. The Kathil Uhlans will be on the next collars available. Besides that, there are mercs moving. Gray Death Legion, Second Kearny Highlanders… First Kell Hounds."

"Against three galaxies, that may not be enough," warned his cousin.

"We are looking at moving in some more RCTs," Victor admitted. "It may be more than three galaxies, that's just what we've seen so far. I can't be sure they don't have more in their quiver given we didn't think they could do this much."