20.2

Chapter 20.1 Do you hear the people sing?

3028

Terra

Hilton Head

With the reveal of the beginning of the 4th Succession war, the faux peace of the wedding was ended. Everyone was leaving, and the barrage of weird questions I had been subjected to by nearly everyone, finally ended. But it wasn't over yet.

Eventually even with the disruption the party ended. People began leaving. Long after the Chancellor had already made his hasty exit.

I walked up to the married couple. Hanse had been utterly glorifying in the chaos he had created, while Melissa kept a calm face.

She had obviously known, but I didn't really know her opinion on it all. I had been forced to wait quite a while in the end, only as things were winding down, did an aide let me know Hanse and Melissa were available to talk to.

Watching up to the new couple. I sighed. I was… Tired.

"Ah. Commander… Should I use Cameron?" Hanse asked with a weird voice.

There is that stupid weird question again! Why do so many people listen to Romano Liao!? She was crazy!

"Not unless you want me to kick your shins. And I am still wearing my boots." I grumbled as I walked up, and ignoring the groom for a moment, I pulled Melissa into a hug. "Congratulations."

"Thank you Vicky." Melissa replied back into my hug actually sounding touched. Pulling away I turned to Hanse.

"Congratulations on your marriage. I wish your family peace in your time." Was that a disguised dig? Yes. yes it was. Did Hanse realize that, but still accept the compliment.

He did. He was a pretty smart fellow after all.

"Thank you Commander."

"Don't thank me yet, you haven't gotten your marriage gift. You should open it. It will make the rest of this easier." I tell them pointing towards the table. A few things had been shown off so far, but my letter hadn't.

Melissa nodded sensing my seriousness and walked over to the table grabbing the letter and cutting it open with the same knife that Hanse had cut the cake with.

Inside was a simple piece of paper. I liked directness when I was messing with someone after all.

It was a set of coordinates, the name of the system to use the coordinates, and a single line.

Since you decided to be an idiot and start the Fourth succession War. You will need this to make sure you win it. -Vicky

As expected the moment Melissa read it aloud Hanses face shifted into a blank mask, the Fox coming out to play.

After all, they had all known I had dropped off the letter almost a week ago.

"Predictable." I tell Hanse with a haughty smirk. "You can trick Max. You can trick Takashi, but I'm Lyran, and I've been all over the Suns in the last year. If you think I'm stupid enough to not notice the build up and be able to guess what it is, and if you think I don't have you figured out Hanse, you should know I expected you to start the war for a while."

A soft but definitely forced laugh slipped from the mans throat. "Well what else can I say, but I'm glad you are the only one." He offered with a slight grimace that was quickly hidden away.

Oh yeah. People that think they are brilliant, hate when their plans get noticed. Especially since my usual joking manner meant Hanse thought I was an idiot.

Well jokes on me I guess.

I was. I hadn't found a way to stop this nonsense.

"There has been a change though. I'll admit. Originally I planned on grabbing the ISDF and focusing entirely on support. You are going to conquer a lot of worlds, a lot of people are going to be left homeless, hungry and hurt." I ran a hand through my hair. "I still want to do as much as I can, but I spoke with some of the most important people in the Inner Sphere over the last week. And I realized my hopes of ending this peacefully, isn't going to happen."

"They don't want peace." Hanse offered with a casual shrug, that earned him a glare.

"Don't act like you aren't involved in that either, Mr. I'm going to turn my wedding into a declaration of war." I sighed again. "You're probably wondering what I had planned for you, at those coordinates you will find a few Colossus prepped and ready for war. They have SLDF level equipment." I looked to Hanse. "Hopefully an entire regiment of mechs is enough to help you out."

The eyebrows on Hanse Davion were well past his hairline as he considered that.

"I didn't think you had so much equipment."

"Oh, it's nothing. A tiny offering. Again that was what I was going to give you before, even with my distaste of your little war. But the ISDF isn't going to sit back anymore. I'll be mobilizing against the Combine, and assisting the Dragoons. Guaranteed Takashi is going to focus all of his attention against them. So I'm going to get them to the point that the historians will call their battle the 2nd Thermopylae."

It took Hanse a few moments before he clicked. "Greek Spartans?"

"That's exactly it. While they are doing that, I'm going to be setting up the next step." I trailed off suggestively as I waited.

"Okay Vicky what is your next step?" Melissa asked, exasperated as she had to play along with my nonsense.

"Why the only sort of battle that should ever be fought against Samurai my dear Melissa. Shiroyama." I spoke the name of that battle with deadly seriousness.

Neither of the two recognized the name right off, but I threw them a wink, and stepped away. They would look it up eventually. Until then, I needed to get moving. It was time for the ISDF to mobilize, and to enact Operation Shiroyama.

After all, it was time for the Samurai to Fall.

—--

Of course decisions required preparation. Not long after the couple had finally left I went to speak with Katrina.

Nondi and Katrina were both drinking in their private room. Both women probably realized the trouble Hanse had just made. Even if Katrina had to have known about this in advance, after all the Lyrans were going to try and keep the Combine busy.

"Aunt Katrina. General Nondi." I called out as I was let into the room, both women waving me over. Katrina looked like she had finished crying a few minutes before I arrived.

"Seeing Melissa in her dress got you huh?" I asked, pinpointing the Archons emotions like an arrow as she let out an actual bark of laughter.

She must have been a bit more into her drinks than I expected.

"Yes… You should probably know, Melissa will be going to New Avalon. In secret." Katrina eyed me with that, and I gave her a grin.

"I know. I heard the announcement that Melissa was going back to Tharkad. Knew it was baloney. Don't worry. I'll keep my mouth shut. I wouldn't want to have to send the stick for a second rescue."

"God I hope not." Katrina offered with a sigh.

"Right… I'm sorry. This… Isn't a social visit. Archon. General."

That perked both women out of the quiet mood they had fallen into. Katrina took a moment as if pushing away the slight buzz of the alcohol, while Nondi seemed completely unaffected from whatever she had drank.

"Commander. What do you need?"

I hesitated. God how could I say this? I had spent half a decade working towards one thing, only to realize the plan was unworkable. No not that it was unworkable. I admitted. Just that it would take too long.

We only had twenty or so years. If I didn't get the Inner Sphere working together before then? The devastation of the Clans… The Slavery?

So I needed the ISDF to be more than its slow growth allowed for. "The ISDF is going to mobilize fully, against the Combine."

That got a slightly pleased look from Katrina, but it was Nondi that asked the question both women were probably thinking. "Does that mean you will allow your Warship to act?"

"Yes. The Stick will be taking part in the ISDF operation. But that's not all. I meant. The entire ISDF. I'm pulling out all the stops."

Katrina nodded, obviously not getting quite what I was hinting at. Yet. "Another offensive with your people will be very useful at splitting the Coordinators attention even further."

I felt kinda bad about this… I actually felt myself wiggle a bit as I tried to figure out how to best explain this without having an archon strangle me to death.

Oh well. I couldn't think of anything. Blunt it was.

"Hypothetically, If someone had a fleet of jumpships. How many could the Commonwealth reasonably crew? Hypothetically of course… Also how many mechwarriors does the Commonwealth currently have dispossessed that could be stuffed into a mech ready to fight? I should probably ask about dropship crew and techs, as well… Just to be sure."

For once Katrina seemed completely unbothered by me. She simply kept a nice little smile on her face as she picked up her glass of wine. Did she expect this? Was I too predictable? Did she know about the Nanoforge!? I mean, it had been years now. It was definitely possible someone in the ISDF had tattled.

Oh. She just chugged that glass. Nevermind. I guess I still can shock her.

"Nondi. Go get what we need. I think it's time we talked numbers."

"Yes Sister." Nondi spoke after a moment, her eyes staring at me like she was attacking me with daggers. But she stood and left the room.

Only when she was gone did Katrina speak.

"Victoria. Where are you getting this? The equipment? The Warship?" Katrina finally asked, as Nondi left the room. I hesitated. I liked Katrina. She was cool, and I had already trusted her with a lot. But the lies were getting big. She was going to want something.

"I can't tell you. But I know how this looks. So let me be as clear as I can." I rubbed my face a bit with my gloves. "I found a lot of stuff thanks to my mother. I'm on your side. I never lied to you about my intentions. I want the Succession wars to end. And I don't really care overly much how that looks. Whether that ends with a Steiner-Davion on the Throne of the First Lord. Or just everyone realizes how big space is and stops fighting over the same three worlds like idiots."

Katrina sighs as well, rubbing at tired eyes. "I should lock you up, and interrogate you until I know everything you know. I should. But you saved my daughter Victoria. You saved Melissa. So I guess I'll put my faith in this weird child that showed up out of nowhere and hasn't done anything but help the Commonwealth, and my family. Just. Promise me. This isn't some trick. Some attempt to…"

"It's not. God no. Look at me. Do I look like someone who wants to rule? Aunt Katrina. I would literally run off to the periphery to hunt bandits if anyone ever tried to put a crown on me." I admitted joking and she chuckled at that.

"I did that once. It was fun."

"What? No way! Details! Story time first. Plans to conquer the Combine second. At least until General Nondi gets back."

Her laugh was pure as she nodded "Fine if you insist. Well. It was right after my Uncle tried to have me assassinated-"

—-

I managed to escape the grasping talons of Lyran greed late that night. The plan was set. Numbers were taken down, and I was on the hook for shit that I didn't even have yet.

Stupid Jumpships. Why was it so hard to get a Jumpship!?

Still I would be leading my own assault into Combine space, to help split Combine attention against another invasion corridor. All the better to break the samurai.

I was put into communication with a few generals that would be in overall command, of both the Commonwealth, and Federated suns forces, and would help coordinate all the assaults. Although I doubt the Dragoons were going to play ball. Not that they had to. The focus on them would be so intense any plan for them to assault the Combine would fall through.

I left Terra the next morning. While taking off I kept my eye out into the sky wondering where Gauge was. I had heard from him, but it was only through a text message. Basically that he was busy doing Comstar stuff, and then it was about four pages of him screaming at me, about the Stick.

I was happy with that. It meant Gauge was fine. ComStar couldn't have gotten the insults he used right after all.

Before leaving I had sent out a few messages. Zaniah would Mobilize, and I had sent out nearly twenty different messages through ComStar A few of them costing me a hefty chunk of change considering how I was sending them. To my own amusement I expected most would end up in Combine hands shortly. But would they even be able to make sense of them? Of my intentions?

I doubt it.

They would have to understand what I was capable of to even start figuring out how fucked they were.

First priority? Getting enough force together all the way on this side of Terra. The Combine would probably only expect a modicum of force from me. Well, and a Warship. But I expected a lot of nukes to get unpacked to go against The Stick. But I knew they would be heavily focused on the Dragoons. Enough that just the Lyrans alone in the original time had been able to capture a large chunk of the combine, only to lose it to Rasselhague.

Another issue I would have to figure out.

But as always something came up. A few days of quite travel, the Jumpship I was on, made the jump to Saffel. Once there I was introduced to a new problem. Once the Jump completed, before I had even gotten the smell of raisins out of my hearing.

Yeah. Jumpships were weird.

I was called up over the intercom by the dropship Captain. The man was a member of ComStar, and the fact he was practically screaming for me to get on the bridge of the Leopard told me something was up.

Rushing into the bridge I figured out why the captain was so frantic. "Finally! Here, talk to them! Tell them not to fire!"

Confused, I was pushed in front of a holo emitter displaying a familiar face.

"Captain Nelson."

"Commander! Tell this idiot I'm not threatening him! I'm simply ensuring a demarcation zone… It's good to see you Commander. We had a problem." She tells me, and I knew she was telling the truth. Sandy looked tired, and she had a healing gash on her forehead that was healing well, but still obvious.

"You don't have to worry, The Stick won't fire. Captain report." I turned away from the Babbling ComStar adept that was the captain of the Leopard.

"We were attacked. A sudden Nuclear strike. A missile launched from a Shuttlecraft. We were alerted to it, but… We were too slow. The Stick is limping. But we managed with only injuries, no casualties. The armor held."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough. But that's not all. About the same time as the nuke hit us, a jumpship came into the system, and released a few dropships."

I scowled. Someone had taken a shot at my ship!

"Status?"

"Well despite just getting hit by a nuke we were alert… Let's just say we noticed them a lot faster than they expected. They also weren't expecting the accuracy of our Naval Gauss." The Captain says with a sinister sneer as she shows a hint of the fury fluttering under her skin. I had never seen Sandy so angry, not even when we had rescued her. I guess she still had a bit of an issue with Combine in space.

"Alright. I'm going to head over, and we can complete the debrief in private."

"Of course Commander." The holo ended with a bzzt, and I sighed.

Dammit. I needed the Stick and its mobility for my plan. But if it was stripped right now… It certainly wouldn't be safe to use it.

"You. Get me on board my ship. And if you have a nuke on board… I'll be very upset." I growled to the Captain who looked horrified at my words.

—-

"They somehow slipped into a convoy of supplies, no one even noticed. And our 'sensor' operator was overworked. It's my fault Commander. While we have a clear view of the system, we don't really have trained stellar sensor operators. We were relying on noticing the big things, and something small slipped past."

"He still noticed it." I offered gently, the woman had been furious when I arrived, but not at anything but herself.

"Yeah. At least no one died, but it was close. They were aiming for the magazine. If we hadn't initiated evasive maneuvers, we could have gone up."

I sighed mostly in relief at that. Sandy and I were standing together, looking out into space as she explained everything that happened. The room we were in had already been searched for bugs, so it was safe to bring up the secret topics.

"I'm sorry. I didn't send a message because I wanted to try and keep this as quiet as I could. We are so vulnerable right now, and it's all my fault. I shou-"

"No." I turned to her and to her surprise actually pulled her into a hug. "Don't be sorry. I gave you an impossible task, and you have done a damned good job. This isn't your fault. This is enemy action."

Of course eventually I pulled away and we got back to the rest of the briefing. "The dropships are fine. White Base was on planet, taking leave, and your Leopard was with them. The others were in other systems, putting down some libraries, so it was just the Stick hit."

"That's a relief. A dropship, even a Colossus, wouldn't have handled a nuke so well."

"I don't know if losing practically all of our armor counts as handling it well Commander."

"Better than exploding."

"Right. Well the Combine assault that followed, well, they tried. We popped the first Dropship before they even realized they were under fire, the second had managed to start putting out a few ASF, before they died. The last Dropship, released its full complement of ASF, but they couldn't maneuver fast enough to dodge our shells either. Then we simply mopped up the ASF with accurate point defense. Two of the ASF had nukes, but we targeted them first." She shrugged.

For the poor Combine they must have been frantic when they realized their secret nuke fighters were being targeted first.

"Well, at least that's done. I bet the Saffel defense force was happy to get all that scrap."

"Gods no. They have been screaming at us for days." she shrugged. "Apparently they are worried the Combine will send an assault force to retake their scrap."

"But I bet they are still working through it taking what they can."

"Of course." Sandy chuckled at that. The first laugh I had gotten out of her since I arrived. Good. Hopefully this wouldn't hang over her head for too long.

"Okay if the Stick is in this condition, I will do what I can to make sure the important systems are good to go, but I am going to need to do something drastic. Sandy I need a working Jumpship. Hell I need a lot of them."

Sandy blinked before her face took on a truly sinister smile. "Did I ever say you are the best Commander ever?"

"Uhhh. No actually. Usually you are cursing me out." I offered weirded out by sudden the sudden almost sinister amusement.

"Yeah well guess what Jumpship is still in the system?" She offered almost hungrily. It took me a minute.

"Wait. The Combine Jumpship is still here?"

"They are. They had to do an emergency burn from their jump point when I started filling the area with lead. I wasn't aiming for them, but they were on line behind the enemy dropships so they got a scare. They are still charging their drives."

It took me a second to remember. Jumpships were untouchable in this time. Of course they would feel confident waiting around, what were we going to do. Attack them? No one did that. And it was safer to wait around for the drive to finish charging than try a fast charge.

"Sandy. Get me that ship." I stated bluntly, going full Commander voice as I did.

Her smile was truly evil. But I did watch it slowly return to normal. "Are you sure Commander? I really doubt anyone will be happy if Jumpships become targets again."

"I am. Because it turns out the Fed-Com are about to get a new fleet of brand new Jumpships. Funny how that works." I watched the shocked look spread across Sandys face.

"Commander? That's.. An escalation. You've always been careful about what you make."

I was silent for a long while. "I met the leaders of the great houses. There won't be peace Sandy. Not until we make the prospect of peace the only choice they have to continue forward. I hate it. I despise everything about it. But diplomacy is more than just words. Sometimes you have to remind idiots the cost of idiocy.

"Understood Commander."

—--

A different perspective

Benjamin Rommel

Zaniah III

Benny walked into the merc den. It wasn't the first time he had been in here funnily enough. Zaniah didn't used to have something like this, but the planet had started to become pretty… if not popular, then frequent stop for mercs in the area.

After all, if you needed spare parts, you could always reach out to the ISDF, and for a good price, they might have them. Especially considering Benny made it a standing order that if any mercs on the planet helped out in acting as Opfor in a training exercise the ISDF might just cut off a bit of cost.

But this was a different circumstance.

As he entered he looked over the bar, mercs from different squads hung out around the building, sometimes by themselves, as the rest of their unit were off doing other things, sometimes the entire group sitting around a table drinking.

But Benny was here for a specific purpose. Just like what would be happening on hundreds of planets all across the Inner Sphere.

Vicky had sent out a message to every Library, and ISDF group in the Sphere. Of course it was also being submitted to the MRB, Vicky was being surprisingly straightforward about it.

So Benny walked over to the physical message board, and pinned the request into place.

"Yo kid! Your ISDF right? You finally hiring?" A woman wearing standard merc mechwarrior gear stomped over in her unlaced combat boots. Benny reminded himself that Hanna would not approve of him flirting with the pretty merc.

"The ISDF is posting a job, yes." He says stepping to the side to let her see the posting. It took about twenty seconds before the reaction he was expecting happened.

"The fuck!" Her curse attracted the eye of every other merc in the den, Benny wasn't surprised, he had been watched by most since he entered. "This has to be a joke." She demanded the red head pushing right into Bennys face, although he was really struggling to focus on her eyes when her hair kept brushing his nose. Seriously the headband was cute, but if she could just back up a bit?

"No joke." He said, pointing and letting her see that his finger was resting on the note, where Vickys scrawled signature was. "Commander's own handwriting. This contract is backed up by the MRB to. Their update should be posted soon, I got this message at the same time they did."

"Fuck. Fuck fuck! Hell Yes! I'm in! Randys Raiders! Randy will agree no problem, where do we sign up!?"

"Contact the MRB. And get your ass to Saffel. That's the current meeting point. Although you will probably be pointed somewhere else, when you get there."

"Fine with me!" She yelled, heading over to the Comm system, that was connected to the MRB database. She was probably signing up for the contract immediately.

Interest peaked Benny stepped aside, watched the same emotions hit everyone that checked out the posting, which ended up being everyone.

"Hey Kid. This… Are you guys really serious about this?"

Benny looked as the entire room had turned, all of them wanting assurance this wasn't a prank. "MRB backed, and if you don't know, I'm Sub-Commander Rommel, This contract is real. Not a joke, and not a prank. If you ever wanted to change your life around? Well there it is." Benny turned and left. Hopping into a truck that had been idling for him. His job was done for now. But he just knew he would be in charge of handling all this nonsense.

"Vicky I hate you." He whispered. Although he felt thrilled at the same time. This was the moment when the whole Inner Sphere would know how powerful the ISDF is.

But he was going to end up with so much paperwork!

—---

Work work work.

After committing to a piracy action, that had gotten me a ton of flack after. Seriously, the Governor of Saffel had even called, despite the time lag to scream at me.

I had just walked away letting him scream at an image of me that wasn't even still there until he realized I had left.

We had jumped out of Saffel. The Stick stayed behind for now. Instead a skeleton crew had taken the Combine Jumpship. An invader to an uninhabited system nearby. They were ISDF members of the Sticks crew who knew how to initiate a jump, but not much else, that was all we needed. A single safe jump out of Saffel.

We arrived in Lockdale. A system so close to Terra you would expect it to be bustling.

Instead it was dead. A gray planet floating in the system, the ancient debris still floating around here and there. A testament to the destruction Amaris heaped onto the Inner Sphere.

Just another dead world. Abandoned and forgotten. Literally forgotten as it happened. But not to me. Not to the Helm Core.

Once we were in system, after a quick check with my Sensor, making sure we were alone. I had everyone switch out to the NFX Leopard, and gobbled up the Jumpship with the Nanoforge.

I couldn't help but grin. For the first time. I had Jumpship blueprints!

It took a week of flying around to get the beginning of Operation Shiroyama started. Metal extractors were placed throughout the asteroid belt. Only then did my work begin.

First, I needed a base. I found an asteroid that was stable, and close to the jump point.

Using the Leopard I began building the first Castle Brian since Zaniah. Piece by piece, the Large Nanoforge ripped into the asteroid and in its place a castle formed. The bright white of the ferrocrete standing out brilliantly against the dark stone of the asterid. And the massive red Eisen-Blume imprinted on the front informed anyone who would see it now and in the future who it belonged to.

Only then did the Leopard dock into the Castle Brian. And deep inside, in a room that I secured with every lock I had. I began producing a factory, and then another. And another.

I ended up needing more Metal Extractors to keep the factory's hunger in check.

The Army grew.

—-

A different perspective

Ian Flounders

Saffel

"So I have a MRB backed contract to take command of a Jumpship. Here it is. I've been here for weeks. Waiting, you keep telling me to be patient, but I don't see a jumpship!" Ian yelled at the Holo. He was getting real sick and tired of waiting around at the edge of a system in a dirt cheap dropship for a Jumpship to 'appear' that he would take command of.

His Ma had told him not to be a fool. That the offer of a Jumpship on lease with a new company was obviously some trick. No one just had Jumpships to offer people. Any ship off the lot was bought up years in advance, and any captured ship certainly wouldn't be handed over to a third son like him.

But he had a good feeling about it. And had signed onto the contract.

Big mistake.

"Captain Flounders. I told you a week ago. We are waiting on delivery. It will be here. If you don't wish to continue the contract. I will allow you to break the contract without repercussions, but it will remove you from taking the contract again."

"Do you know how much it cost to get here! You can't just-"

"I can." Captain Sandy Nelson, the first human to captain a Warship in over a century cut off Ian without hesitation. "You can be patient. Enjoy the benefits of the ISDF and our contract, or be impatient and leave." As she spoke her holo shifted as someone entered into sight and spoke to her, although the holo couldn't pick it up.

Before Ian could say anything else she raised her hand to him and continued speaking before nodding.

"You are in luck Mr. Flounders. The transport taking you to your Jumpship just arrived."

Ian stopped letting his mouth click shut before nodding slowly. "Good."

"Dock with the Jumpship ready for you, they will take you to where your jump ship is waiting."

"About time. Ian out!" He growled, hitting the holo. It buzzed for a few minutes before finally turning off.

"Let's get moving!" He called out and his crew jumped to it. He would be happy to finally get rid of this ship.

Over the next day he sped over to the waitingJumpship. And as he approached it didn't take him long to notice something was off with it. Well for one, it was painted in the colors of the ISDF, something he had grown used to seeing,since hanging around the Saffel system was 'The Biggest Stick,' Awful name.

But as he approached he noticed something more. "That Jumpship… That's not an old ship. It's new." He commented, unable to resist as they passed over to the docking rings, he noticed instantly that they were in perfect condition. He had spent a not so small amount of his childhood cleaning and repairing his family Jumpships docking collar.

He had never seen a better looking collar in his life.

"What the fuck." He rushed out of the bridge once the Collar connected and rushed to the connection. Opening up the hatch he didn't move on into the Jumpship. No, he spent a few minutes going over the collar shocked at the fact it was in perfect condition.

"This Collar. It's never been used before." He finally admitted to Caitlyn, his wife. She had been hovering around wondering what he was freaking out about.

"That's impossible Ian. Even an off the yard Jumpship would have taken cargo, or ships on the way over. There isn't a Jumpship yard near here."

"This is brand new Cait. Look. The connection here? Not a scratch on it. I've never seen a Collar that didn't get scratched as it unhooked. But this one? Not a single etch into the metal."

He spent the next few days looking all over the jumpship. It was skeleton crewed, and with a bit of diplomacy he offered to help the overworked staff.

His crew, people who all had been born on a jumpship, leapt to help.

And more and more data was flowing to Ian. This was a pristine ship. And every part was pristine. Perfect.

He almost cried when he first got to see the jump drive. It was beautiful. He can still remember the Longsteps drive, how they had patched it with every spare part, or even hand made replacement they could get.

The engine room was beautiful. None of the odd smells, or hissing releases of steam, or air that shouldn't exist on a ship to be found.

Although Ian still didn't know where they were going. They were waiting for more dropships. More Jumpship crew connecting to the ship, and the fact they filled up every collar told Ian something weird was going on.

Even weirder than a brand new jumpship.

Hell. S-7As' the 'Bus' as it was called. Were constantly landing on the Invaders two hangar bays, but they weren't dropping off cargo.

They were dropping off even more Jumpship crew. Some he recognized from his years plying the trade channels, all second or third sons or daughters like he was. Those that wouldn't inherit their ship, but still had all the skills.

And then almost a week after he boarded.

The Jumpship was ready to jump.

And as the crackle of a perfect Jumpfield arced around him he felt so confused about this whole situation.

And then, since he had joined the 'crew' he was able to be on the bridge when they finally jumped to where they were going.

They jumped to a dead system of all places. Apparently it was called Lockdale? He had never heard of it. It was just another dead system, a place wiped clear with nucleaer fire, or bio weapons. But now?

He gasped. The sensor system, he had made sure to park himself close to as they made the jump, began picking up contacts.

Then more contacts.

Then even more.

And then more and more and more!

Ian gulped, as the Jumpships sensor was basically flooded with ships. Dropships. Jumpships. More jumpships than Ian had ever seen in one place before.

"Well buddy. Since you're already up here. Go ahead and pick out one of those beauties. One of them is going to be yours." The 'captain' of the Jumpship told him, the boy was barely capable of jumping the invader, which is why Ian had helped.

Ian stared out into space.

What had he just walked into?

Chapter 20.2 Do you hear the people sing?

3029

Lockdale

Green Base

I watched as the Jumpship disappeared. Green Base was completely made by me, so everything I wanted it had. Giant window behind my massive chair and desk?

Done.

Desk that was actually a massive round table for all my command staff?

Done.

Sensor hooked into the Desk to display a current view of the entire solar system of Lockdale, just to make sure nothing was coming to nuke me?

Done.

Yeah it was a massive evil overlord room. I swear if I could have figured out the Lava I would have done so.

Although I was tempted to do massive lava flows anyways, just make them out of holo tech or something.

I mean. I was basically committing war against an entire space faring nation that does make me the evil Overlord right?

"Commander?"

"Sorry Sandy was a little distracted. That was the Dragoon delivery right?"

I watched as the Holo of Captain Nelson buzzed through a noteputer. "Yeah. Captain Flounders of the Jumpship… Kerensky's Exodus? Is there a reason for the name Commander? You let most of the other captains pick the name of their ship."

"Yeah. It's just a joke. Don't stress about it. How are repairs?" I offered barely keeping the chuckle in as I thought of Wolfs reaction.

"Well Green Base isn't a perfect repair station, but your setup is good enough. Give us a few months, and we will be safe enough to be mobile."

"That's fine, you might end up sticking around Green Base until we begin anyways."

Sandy nodded for a moment making a note of something off Holo. "I would feel a lot better with a few more ASF screens, but at least you upgunned Green Base… You do realize that thing is the most gunned… Warstation? What do you even call that monster?"

"Don't be jealous, The Stick is the second biggest." I tell her with a joke earning a scowl, and I knew if I was in person she would have thrown something at me. "Sorry sorry. I figured since I'm using it as a manufactory, I might as well arm and armor it. I don't want the Combine thinking they cut the head off our forces with a surgical strike."

"Well I think you went a little crazy Commander."

"It's a Castle Brian in space, with more weapons than a Warship. Of course I'm crazy. Like a fox… Oh Hanse already has that line. Damnit." I Tsked as I realized I wouldn't really be able to use that line anymore.

"Right. Well getting the Jumpships crewed is going at a… reasonable pace. But you know the Governor in charge of Saffel is going to kill you. You basically asked every merc, big and small in the Inner Sphere to meet there."

"They'll live. And it will be good for their economy, think of all the Jumpship traffic!"

"With how close we are to the border? Not likely."

"It's fine. Hanse and Katrina both sent some forces that are in the system. They should have enough ASF screening for now."

"Let's hope so. Because otherwise that system is going to become a bloodbath."

"We will be moving hopefully before they think to react… That and The Dragoons are about to get a massive force increase. Should give the Coordinator something to think about."

"I was wondering about that… You sent more than a regiment."

"I felt bad." I admitted, with a shrug. "I don't much like the Dragoons, but they aren't my enemy. Just jerks with their heads up their ass. Plus they are on our side for now. So I guess we can try bonding over shared Drac killing."

Whatever Sandy was about to say stilled as she turned to look at something off holo. A quick nod and she turned to me. "Well Commander. This is your mess. So I'll leave it in your hands." The holo cut out after a moment, and I was left wondering what the heck my favorite captain was up to when I got an alert.

Checking my massive sensor net, I noticed a new jumpship in system, as well as the dropships attached to it. The dropships that weren't ISDF.

A moment later I got a message forwarded to me, and I couldn't help but smile.

Sandy called it a mess. I called it progress.

—-

A different perspective

Mercenary Randy Riot

Randys Raiders

Randy took a moment to sit down. It wasn't every day you jumped into a system, only to have a demand from a goddamned Warship to identify themselves.

Well it was definitely the most secure system Randy had ever been in. They had been allowed to continue on, and given an orbit path, but damn had he nearly shit himself staring into the guns of a Warship with the means to use them.

"Fuck yeah."

"Cindy shut up." He demanded wiping his head down with a rag. It had been half a decade since Randy was a full on mech Jock. Too old. And after a particularly pleasurable break on a canopus world, too fat. But the raiders were still his. Mostly because when he was younger he had managed to convince his dear old dad that the family Overlord should go to his merc son, and not his first born.

So the raiders had begun, and done well for themselves. The Raiders weren't quite a company of mechs, but close enough with a few hovercraft support, even a small duo of ASF for backup. They had gotten quite good at planetary defense contracts. Despite their name.

Randy had been a different man in his youth, and despite his efforts none of his asshole jocks would let him change the name.

But this offer had been… God. Who made offers like this? Especially to mercs like him? This was the sort of thing the Dragoons got offered, or the Eridani Light Horse!

People didn't just… No. He shook his head. Sure this could be risky, but he had spoken with Rommel himself. The man had looked Randy dead in the eye, and told him how much of a fool he would be not to get his ass to Saffel. So he had. Even faster than the ISDF could. He had been probably at least a few days ahead of them, and made all speed. Not that it was very fast. Jumpships were hard to come by right now. Delays were everywhere.

The Feds and Commonwealth were requisitioning every jumpship they could get their hands on for the war.

They were even already calling it the Fourth Succession War.

But he was still about ready to piss himself. This close to the Combine border? On a dead system? With a Warship staring him down?

This deal had better be worth it, and not some trap to steal his equipment. His mechjocks would never let him live it down. But the ISDF had been trustworthy. Every deal they took, they held honorably. Hell. They had even helped an old rival out when his Highlander finally lost its Gyro, and half the fusion engine.

They had sold him a set, at cost practically, and had added a discount for old Garret to train with their pilots.

Crazy bastards the ISDF.

"Fuckin' hell. Randy! Look at those beasts."

"Already seen it Cindy, seen all I want of it."

"No you scaredy cat! The Dropships! Look at em all!" She ran up and pulled him out of his chair, causing a grunt to escape him as he took his feet and was pulled over for the view. And he could see what Cindy had been talking about. With his own two eyes, he could see it.

"There must be half a hundred dropships there." He muttered seeing the sparkling white ships that almost looked like stars until you got an eye on them. He shuddered. There were too many. "There are too many." He admitted to Cindy staring at the fucking armada of ships.

She was quiet for a time, the awe of seeing them fading as she started actually doing the numbers. "You're right. This is impossible."

"Those things… They are all Colossus… There aren't that many Colossus dropships in the entire Inner Sphere. There hasn't been that many since…" The statement hung in the air for a while. The amount of rumors about the ISDF had been growing over the years. Considering Randy had actually been on Zaniah, he had a better idea of what they were than most.

But this was like someone proclaiming their innocence while actively polishing the gold they just stole.

It was almost too obvious.

He shook his head, wondering what the other merc companies that had jumped in with them were thinking. Hell, there had been even more companies jumping into Saffel while Randy was waiting for the ISDF jumpship to show up.

"Hey Randy? Do you think that we are big enough to get one? I mean we already have our Overlord."

"I don't know Cindy. I don't know what's even going on anymore. But it's too late to back out. So I guess we are finding out."

"Yeah."

—--

My legs burned, and my head felt like cotton. It had been weeks since the first mercs had started showing up. More and more dropships were being filled out. Men and women signing on to fight. Of course for now it was all for greed. It wasn't everyday someone offered so much metal in a Contract.

But it wasn't just Merc Companies. Sometimes it was single Mech Jocks. Or ASF Jocks. Tank commanders from planetary militias were showing up. Dispossessed Nobles, or even Noble guards were all flocking to take part in the Contract I had put up.

I knew that with everything going on, it might take a bit before the Combine realized the extent of what I was doing. It was a race. To see if I finished first, or they realized what I was doing and came to try and stop me.

For now, it was working probably because no one could have expected the extent of what I was preparing.

But I was being run ragged. I was the only one that could put in production orders. Which means, I was entirely in charge of making sure everything that was needed was being created and ready to be pushed onto a Dropship once it was loaded up with its crew, and ready to be loaded up with equipment.

Sure I expected some of the mercs might flee once they jumped out of system. But if even 60% stuck around?

Then I would still be the sort of force that reminded Great Houses that they didn't have the only say.

And honestly? I had no idea of how many people were actually coming. I had put out the message through the MRB contract, and had every ISDF Library put up notifications about it. And I had even hired to have the contract put up physically in some of the bigger Merc havens.

Now I just continue to build. Supplying enough equipment for every man or woman that came to fight.

I didn't care if they were green as grass farmboys, or decades of experience mercs. If they came to help in Operation Shiroyama. They were given a gun, a tank, an ASF, a mech, or even a dropship.

Every mech or ASF pilot was given a case that had a SLDF era Cooling suit and NeuroHelm and holdout blaster.

Every tanker was given something similar for them.

Every Dropship would be loaded to max capacity with tanks, Mechs, and ASF, and whatever ammo was needed to ensure they were ready for war.

Every. Single. One.

This may very well be the single largest armament of non house, or SLDF troops in the history of the Inner Sphere.

And more and more kept coming.

With only the skeleton crew of trustworthy ISDF members, we were running behind. Weeks behind unfortunately.

Until. Right as I was putting together an order for the armory of a Colossus, filling it with all the equipment it would need to fight a war. I got an alert that had me racing away. Up to the command center.

The holo was quickly activated. The image that met me almost brought tears to my eyes.

"Hey Commander. Miss us?" Hanna asked as she stood next to Benny. Her arm slung over his shoulder, despite Bennys straight backed stance.

"Hanna you… Yes. A lot. Now get your ass landed, and unloaded. I need more hands. Like all the hands. So many hands." I muttered tiredly. More people I trust would make this a lot easier.

"Hah! Always lost without us! C'mon Sub-Commander! Sounds like we need to pull our Commander out of trouble again."

"Commander. It's good to see you again." Benny offered calmly, although I could hear the emotion in his voice.

It had been way too long since we were together. I smiled, nearly blinking tears out of my eyes. Stupid. I never should have ran off without more of my friends! If they were with me, I bet they could have helped come up with a better plan to deal with the Succession wars.

But they weren't because I wanted to be mysterious. Stupid Vicky.

"Daww. Look at wittle Vicky tearing up because her besties are here."

"I take back every nice thing I was thinking about you. You overstuffed gorilla."

"Bitch! I'm not stuffed! These are all natural! They're natural aren't they Benny?" Hanna turned teasing.

"GASP."

"Did she just say, gasp?"

"Of course she did Benny, she is an idiot. Yes Bimbo, Benny and I started dating."

"Squeeee!"

"Ugh. I hate when she is like this. All positive and shit. So I'm changing the subject. Fuck Commander you don't do shit by half do you? It was only because Sandy basically took over and jumped us here with the stick that we even got here. Shit is crazy out there. I swear those guys in Saffel almost sent up their ASF against us. You really pissed them off. Do you even know how much traffic they have in system?"

"Probably half the Inner Sphere… Or at least two-fifths."

"Yeah just about." Benny joked, "Commander? I'm here to help what do you need."

"Ugh, don't support this, it will only encourage her."

"Benny I love you. With all my heart. Leave that monster gorilla. I'll treat you as the God King you are."

"Hey! Hands off you-"

"Sorry. Hanna is the only woman for me." He spoke with a happy smile as his arm snaked around her waist and pulled her in. The bright brush across Hannas face was absolutely adorable… And now it was saved for ever and ever.

Call me a Bimbo will you? Hah! That picture is coming out during the wedding!

"I'm going to send you our current roster. Benny I've been focused entirely on outfitting. I need some discipline and order. I need the lone people connected to a crew, a dropship, and a jumpship, and put under our command."

"Oh." Benny looked a little gray after a moment. "So you want me to do all the work."

"So I want you to do all the work!" I chirped happily. Ah man. Having friends back together again was the best!

—--

A different perspective

Aaron McOwen

Aaron couldn't believe half of what was happening around him. Four months ago he had been a farmhand on Saffel. He had once been lucky enough to pilot a mech a bit in the planetary guard while they were recruiting, although he hadn't made it all the way through training. The bad harvest had meant everyone that was farming needed to get back to it. When the hundreds of mercs had descended onto the planet he had been swiftly picked up by a group wanting more mercs. Wanting anyone with even a tiny bit of mech handling experience.

After all, The Contract would supply any mechwarrior with a mech as long as they would fight. Aaron was lucky. He actually did know how to use a mech, even if it had only been an Urbanmech.

Some of the others he had seen 'recruited' didn't even have that.

But 'Colonel' Fritz had shut the fuck up when they were jumped into the system.

Aaron had been there, when the man had seen just what was happening. He had thought he had the ISDF tricked. Bring a few more people, get a few more mechs maybe? And laugh as he takes the new equipment for himself.

But then he jumped into something none of them had been ready for. This wasn't a merc contract.

It was a fuckin' war.

And Aaron had signed up to fight it. Although to his amusement old Fritz had been getting real cold feet with all his plans to 'jump out of the system with all the equipment they would give him, and make a run for it.'

Nothing quite like looking down the barrel of a Warship to remind yourself about how important it was to keep to agreements. Especially since the warship looked like someone had scorched its surface, pitted and scarred a massive rend in its side, yet all the more fearsome for it.

They had been in the system for almost a month when things started really picking up. Fritz and his little lance of mercs were finally signaled to land on the massive fucking asteroid station that dominated the space. It was like a hive of bees. A swarm of constant activity that simply demanded the attention of everyone in system.

The old beat up Leopard that Aaron had been stuck on for much longer than he ever wanted landed, and they were finally able to step out into the docking bay they had been given. The place actually was spinning creating an artificial gravity that meant he wasn't floating around anymore like he had been for the last few weeks.

Before Fritz could take more than a few steps out, a cart drove up. The back.. Trolley? Had seats and a member of the ISDF gave them all a tired smile. "Welcome to Green Base! I'm Joy, Just to be sure, are you Colonel Fritz Of the Ritters Company?"

"I am!" Fritz offered standing tall as if showing off the tens of 'medals' he had decorating his Lyran officer uniform. Of course it was second hand. Fritz had never been in the LCAF. Which Aaron had found out over the last few weeks.

"Excellent!" Joy offered without seeming to even take notice of the medals. "Hop on, I'll be driving you up to the offices, there you will be introduced to a command officer, that will be your point of contact! Also here is a Noteputer, please go through the contract Colonel. The options you choose will alter your contract benefits."

"R-right." The man offered dazed as he looked over the Noteputer, his eyes growing wide for a moment as he started browsing, before Joy coughed into a fist.

"Please jump on. We have little time."

With a stuttered apology. Something Aaron wasn't sure he had heard the man say to this point, they all climbed on and Joy drove them out of the massive hangar they had parked in and up into a freight elevator. And then through another hallway that had more ISDF personnel driving other mercs around, back and forth.

And then they went into another Elevator… Finally they were dropped off at a surprisingly normal office space. They had gone from the interior of an asteroid base, through a normal door, into a carpeted quiet reception room.

"Welcome! Please come in and sit down, The Colonel will be with you soon!" Another member of the ISDF called out as she poked her head out of one of the back rooms, her arms full of paper in one arm, and a noteputer in the other. "There is some coffee on the table, it's fresh!"

They waited a while before an ISDF Colonel eventually pulled them into a room, and with the entire crew of the Ritters Merc Company there, they hashed out the contract. The deal making Aarons eyes widen in shock. They all signed, Aarons hand was shaking as he pressed his thumbprint into the Noteputer marking his acceptance of his part of the contract, both what was expected, and what he would receive.

His mind was so blasted, that he wasn't sure what happened from there. Just one thing stuck in his head.

Damn that was good coffee.

—-

It was time.

I honestly felt pretty nervous. My palms were sweaty, and I was wearing gloves so I couldn't even wipe them down.

I stood on the foot of my Nightstar. I honestly felt a little nostalgic about it. I hadn't done this in… years? At least one. It had been a long time. But this was different. I wasn't just going to be speaking to my kids this time.

This time I was speaking to the entire Inner Sphere.

We had finished our preparations for Operation Shiroyama. Well… At least 90%... Maybe 60%. It was enough. All of the Jumpships that had been crewed were either already on the other side of the Inner sphere helping the Lyrans, Suns, or they were here. Full.

Not a single Docking Collar currently stood empty. All of them were full of dropships. Colossus. All of them.

It wasn't the largest army ever gathered. Not even close. But it was certainly the largest mercenary gathering ever.

Period.

And I wasn't done. This was phase one. A message to the Inner Sphere…

I exhaled. Raising my face to the Holo recorder.

"War." I spoke clearly, not loudly, thankfully, the mic at my neck was picking up everything I had to say.

"We have been at war for too long. Tyrants demand we kneel. They believe they are the only ones who have the right to rule us. Divine Right they call it."

"House Kurita, believes that humanity belongs to them."

I looked out over the crowd of my kids. I forgot that I was speaking to a Holo prompter. My nervousness faded. No, it was replaced with something hot, and caustic. Anger.

"I spoke to Theodore Kurita on Terra. I asked him about peace. And the words that he spoke then convinced me. He said there would be no peace in the Inner Sphere, as long as House Kurita was not ruling it."

The faint buzz of my kids muttering to each other reached me. I let them talk for a moment.

"Very well. Theodore Kurita. Takashi Kurita. If the only peace that the Inner Sphere will ever attain is if you rule it. Then there is only one option open to me. Someone that refuses to bow to you."

"The ISDF will not condone endless war. So we will make a stand. The ISDF is already at war with the Combine, at the direct order of the Coordinator." I raised my hand revealing the piece of paper I had been holding.

The paper the Coordinator had sent with his little Haiku declaration of war.

"So today marks a choice. Coordinator. House Kurita as a whole, The Combine state. Hear me now. The ISDF will not stop until you are no longer a threat to the Inner Sphere. Whether that means the complete destruction of the warriors in your family, or it means accepting your surrender, and permanent and complete renunciation to your right to rule over humanity. That is what I will attain. I will not stop. I will not be bribed. I will not fail in my task."

"Even if it costs me my life. I will not stop."

The entire auditorium grew quiet. The kids looked shocked at my words.

"So House Kurita. This is my declaration of War. Mine isn't a piece of paper."

I reached over. The pot of warpaint was ready for this. I placed my markings across my face once more. A statement that only my kids would understand. The sign that we truly at war. Once I was done, the Holo panned over. Showing my kids all doing the same. And then?

Then as planned the Holo turned towards the massive window that took up the wall infront of me. There were rows of Jumpships. Each of them had Colossus massive bulbs in ISDF colors attached. Almost like a parade was ready. And as the Holo zoomed in showing off a few of the Jumpships.

Only as the Holo panned over The Stick. Which was mostly repaired, did I speak.

"So hear me Coordinator. Today the ISDF begins Operation Shiroyama."

"The Fall of the Samurai begins now."

The Stick jumped out of system. And as the Holo panned out more and more of the jumpships disappeared.

"And to those who see this broadcast. The ISDF Irregular program is still open. To those who seek peace, Who want to find a path they can follow, or those who simply want to see the Combine stopped. Know that the contract the ISDF has sent to the MRB is still active."

"So come. Join me here, not for the Fourth Succession War."

"But for the Final Succession War."

—--

A different perspective

Hanse Davion

New Avalon

Hanse sipped his morning coffee. He couldn't help but feel pleased at everything that had happened. The war was going excellently, even if he had that trouble with Michael. He still regretted that it had come to that. But he was also pleased there.

It was one less threat.

But it was all working well. Melissa was a delight, despite the age gap. And it was likely that she may even end up pregnant with his first child soon. If she wasn't already.

Then there was the coup that was recruiting the Northwind Highlanders to garrison Northwind cutting off the Combine counter assault. Although he had been amused that the attack had been far weaker than he had expected even with the biological weapons the 5th Sword of Light had used.

The 'Stick' was still working well as a deterrent despite his requests to the ISDF to move it to another system. Saffel was no longer in danger, not with how many mercenaries had been flooding into the system.

Hanse frowned. He had read the 'contract' the ISDF had offered. It was too much. He knew the ISDF had more equipment than it had let on. The Warship spoke of that. As well as the message from Katrina, promising, and then delivering Jumpships. A lot of jumpships. But to put a mech into the hands of any Mechwarrior that was willing to sign up?

He had no doubt that even the reserves of the ISDF would be empty by now.

But the contract wasn't rescinded. Wasn't canceled. Which it should be, if mercs were showing up to an open contract and being denied. The MRB would have long since cancelled the contract and then punished the ISDF for the mishap.

His frustration at the ISDF was quite intense. Refusing to follow any of his requests. Making plans that made no sense. And worst of all? Every agent he had sent in, had either not been able to find out where the ISDF were going, or had managed to get a spot on a Jumpship.

Only to not report back in.

It was annoying. The Commander hadn't even responded to any message in months. He was almost tempted to have a Blackbox sent over just to get some idea of what was happening.

Worse was the fact Hanse was pretty sure he knew where they had gone.

The Memory Core the Commander had handed over had a Galaxy map from before the first succession war. Of course it had plenty of dead systems.

If every jumpship wasn't currently in the process of moving troops, he would have sent a jumpship to 'Lockdale' to find out what the Commander was doing.

Because in the quiet moments, when his mind brought him back to a DNA test. Back to Romano Liaos words.

Back to how she had a Warship. Had equipment that appeared inexplicably.

He almost wondered who was backing her, and his mind always came back to the same answer.

Was she… Could she be?

Was the SLDF trying to reconnect to the Inner Sphere?

Questions without answers, because she was practically untouchable. Even Hanse, despite his desire for answers, wouldn't break the protection.

She had saved his wife after all.

She had given his people technology long lost.

She had brought a warship to the Inner Sphere, and put his people on it. To ensure that it couldn't be used against him.

She was certainly a conundrum.

He both loved, and loathed conundrums. He loved solving them. He loathed the ones he couldn't.

"Hanse." Melissa waltzed into his room, Ardan nearly hurrying right behind her, which was unusual. Ardan rarely rushed.

"Love? Ardan? What is it?"

Both of them seemed speechless for a moment before Melissa laughed. A chuckle that was almost hysterical and amused all at once.

"Vicky." she finally answered then shrugged as she waved Ardan forward.

"This was picked up by the HPG in the most recent delivery. It was handed over with an emergency priority. I agree. You need to see this."

"Please tell me she didn't lose the Warship?"

Melissa barked a laugh as she walked around his desk and after placing a kiss to his cheek she patted his shoulder.

"Better. She may be solving your little issue with Takashi Kurita."

"What?" He asked honestly, a little confused. Unless she had somehow managed to get the Warship over Luthien… He hoped that wasn't the case. As much as he wanted Takashi dead. He also respected the man. And well. An orbital bombardment like that would be… difficult politically.

"Here my Prince." Ardan as always the man quick to save his Prince pushed a chip into the Holo reader embedded into his desk.

And Hanse over the next few minutes felt himself grow cold.

Not because the forces were that shocking. It was, of course. That was a lot of hardware she had just pulled out of her… Well. It was a lot. But not enough to beat the Combine as it stood.

But it definitely confirmed something in his mind.

"There is only one place she could have gotten so many Colossus." He finally admitted. He hadn't wanted to accept it. To face it, but damn. The girl had completely outplayed him. Outplayed the Inner Sphere.

Because while the DNA result had been mostly inconclusive. Mostly. It had been enough that the suspicion hadn't been dispelled.

He remembered the doctor, his own personal physician, the only one that he trusted enough with what he needed done, and to keep his mouth shut.

"If we were dealing with anything other than something of this importance, I would confirm it outright… But it's been centuries. The drift in DNA is too large to state with complete confidence… And it doesn't… Especially without a more accurate sample. Is she a Cameron? Yes. Is she… Is she a descendant of Richard Cameron? I can't say. I would need a sample from Richard himself to confirm. We have no record of his DNA on file. Terra will. I guarantee it."

And so Hanse was faced with a horrible truth as he rewatched the Holo.

He had the most dangerous person in the Inner Sphere. Because he had no doubt that she was a sign the SLDF was returning. And they?

They were following their Cameron. Regardless of her name.

"If she wasn't so damn helpful. I would just kill her." He muttered, earning a shocked gasp from his wife who whacked his shoulder.

"Don't even think about killing my friend!"

"My Prince?"

"Ardan?"

"No assassinating Commander Eisen-Blume. She may be trouble. But she has shown that she is on our side."

Hanse sighed, outvoted. Truly this was awful! He used to be able to get away with his plots! But now he had a lady wife, and his best friend often working against him! "Pour me a drink Ardan? My lady wife has stolen my arm."

"Yes my Prince."

"Hah! I told you Ardan! I told you Vicky would drive him to drink! Mother ends up needing headache medicine every time she deals with her… Oh god. My Mother is probably watching this right now too!"

Melissa burst into utterly delighted laughter as she settled herself into Hanses lap, which at least was a more pleasant experience than watching the Commander's speech.

Damnit the idea of using the foot of a mech as a podium was quite good. He had always just done it from the cockpit. He might have to steal the idea. "Melissa… Did Eisen-Blume ever confirm she was a Cameron to you?"

"W-what? Cameron? What gives you tha-... Hanse. My Husband… That was a movie." Melissa offers almost mockingly.

"Was her DNA a movie too?" He joked back, earning a confused look from his wife. It was a moment later that he winced.

He hadn't told her about secretly doing a DNA test on her friend had he?

He noticed Ardan slip away, Hanses drink poured, but out of reach.

Ah. His best friend truly was wise. Also cruel.

—--

A different perspective

Luthien

Takashi Kurita

He looked down at the small box that had been sent through ComStar express mail.

He knew what it was.

The former Governor of Ko had arrived year ago carrying one. Showing what the ISDF had sent.

A box. Filled with a blood covered iron flower.

A declaration of war.