Chapter 8

The Nagelring, Tharkad

District of Donegal, Lyran Commonwealth

August 30th 3048

Victor was back in the Nagelring for his final semester. This time, he was rooming with Renny Sanderlin. Renny was far taller than Victor, though Victor was used to that by now. What Victor liked about Renny was that he was unassuming and never tried to butter him up. Not that he was rude, but his comments when Victor struggled with astronavigation concepts made it clear that he didn't see Victor as his meal ticket.

Renny was also a fantastic MechWarrior. He was one of those who handled a 'Mech better on the training field than in a simulator. Some people were just like that, while Victor, like most others, performed the same in both. The way Renny piloted, though, seemed perfectly melded with his machine.

I could still take him, but it would be tough. He was born to pilot a fast medium, the kind that took advantage of his superior piloting skills.

He missed Kai and Wendy. He had heard of their plans to join the Davion Heavy Guards together, which left him with a pang of sadness. Victor was heading to the Lyran side after graduation, meaning he would be separated by hundreds of light-years from his friends.

The other students at the Nagelring weren't exactly making him feel welcome. They seemed to fall into two camps, and both frustrated him. The first was the sycophants, eager to plant their lips firmly on his ass. Their desperation was so obvious it sickened him. Their flattery, occasionally accurate when Victor did well, soured the personal triumph he'd normally feel after acing a simulator scenario.

The second group was the complete opposite. When assigned to work together in lance simulator missions, they challenged everything he did, which was maddening to deal with. It hadn't been like that in his first year, and if he'd cared more, he might've tried to figure it out. But, in all honesty, he didn't. In less than a year, he'd be a Kommandant, leading a full battalion. The petty dramas of the Nagelring already felt childish to him.

One interesting thing was the back-and-forth correspondence with his sister about the 'Mechs they'd be receiving from their parents after graduation. He, of course, had his heart set on the Victor, but Katherine had swayed him toward upgrading to the largest 'Mech possible. The new Devastator Assault 'Mech was now in production, but given its newness, there was still time to schedule a variant for the next production run.

Katherine had used it to great effect in the fight against their father. But he preferred the Victor's mobility, with his favorite weapon being the AC/20. They had tinkered with the existing Devastator schematics, and though its slower speed of 54 km/h was annoying, they could exchange one of the Gauss Rifles and one of the PPCs for an AC/20, CASE for the ammo, an advanced battle computer, and add jump jets. This deviated from the 'Mech's original design, but it was that or reconfigure the Atlas.

Final decisions needed to be made soon if he wanted his 'Mech ready by June next year. What surprised him was that Katherine wasn't getting an assault 'Mech at all. This flummoxed him since, as a Kommandant, she was entitled to a heavy 'Mech. The only exceptions were regiments like the Davion Light Guards or those raised on poorer worlds.

When he questioned her, she replied that her unit would be ad-hoc and operate differently than most line units. She planned to adopt some of Cassandra Liao's concepts from the St. Ives Janissaries. Instead of commanding a 'Mech regiment, she would combine a mixed force of 'Mechs, artillery, and vehicle support. On paper, it would be a reinforced artillery battalion, consisting of one 'Mech company primarily made up of light 'Mechs, two artillery companies, and one armored company.

The 1st NAIS Research Battalion, leave it to Katherine to create a whole new formation.

The plan was to station them on a near-Periphery world and hopefully conduct field testing with her new Spitfire Cannons when pirates or mercenaries tried their luck. In the end, she had chosen her graduation bounty to be a modified Phoenix Hawk-3D model. It made him nervous knowing his sister would be piloting only a 45-ton 'Mech, but with her aptitude in piloting, perhaps superior evasion would serve her better than more armor.

***

New Avalon Institute of Science, New Avalon

Crucis March, Federated Suns

October 4th 3048

"Good, your aim is improving, let's run it again," Katherine told Wendy.

Wendy was slick with sweat from the jarring training session. This was one of the 'custom training' exercises that Katherine was putting her through. In this instance, the princess and Wendy's boyfriend, Kai, were in a pair of Blackjacks, alternately firing their AC/2s, causing her simulator cockpit to rock nearly nonstop. Her task was to land her PPC shots despite the continuous rocking of her 'Mech. This was not easy, but she was steadily improving.

The simulation loaded again, and she gritted her teeth and prepared to be knocked about again. Since returning to NAMA, Katherine had started these additional extracurricular training sessions. The reaction among the other cadets was mixed. Some were still resentful of the favorable treatment Katherine was receiving. The final year was the toughest, and being able to skip classes was something many were envious of.

Wendy had learned that Katherine was doing much more than just her NAMA training. She was neck-deep in the College of Engineering, designing things. Part of her wanted to explain to her fellow cadets what Katherine was doing, but she feared it would only make things worse. Custom-fitting their own 'Mech was something only a royal or some other highly placed blueblood could afford.

After another round of being jostled, they all exited the simulator. Katherine gave her a nod.

"You've overcome your weakness with aiming while under fire. Additional training can be helpful, but will have diminishing returns. I know your goal is to pilot a heavy 'Mech or even an assault one, but you're still given a rating in all 'Mech categories and those are applied toward your final class rank. My suggestion would be to run through light 'Mech simulator training with Kai when you have a spare moment," Katherine said.

"Thank you," Wendy replied, and she meant it. Her scores were probably good enough to get her into the Davion Heavy Guards, but her class rank had improved even further. The number of slots available each year was highly dependent on the regiment's attrition. Some highly skilled MechWarriors were rotated out when given a promotion, others retired, and yet others had career-ending accidents or even deaths.

After Katherine departed, Wendy gave Kai a kiss.

"Her and her brother are so different, and yet also utterly alike," she mused.

"How so?" Kai asked her.

"Their differences are obvious, but their drive and focus are eerily similar. Victor was number one here in NAMA in nearly every category. Only your 'Mech combat scores were better than his, but he beat you out in every other section. Both are scarily intelligent, and both have you as their friend. They must see your potential as well," she complimented.

Kai grimaced, "You praise me too much. I've corresponded with Katherine since childhood, and our fathers work closely together."

"Kai, my love, your inability to see how others perceive you is… something. Honestly, Kai, I thought you respected them."

He pulled his head back in surprise. "I do! They are incredible. You should have seen them on Tharkad…"

"Uh huh, then why do you think so little of their judgment?"

"I don't..." he trailed off. "Ah, I see. Because my self-reflection on my worth does not match their stated view of my worth, you believe I think their ability to perceive talent is off-kilter. Only, you don't think that I think that; instead, you are using this as a way for me to be less hard on myself."

"See? I knew you were smart," Wendy grinned and kissed him again.

Kai sighed. "I know I'm better than the average 'Mech pilot. I have to be. It's just I have a lot to live up to, and I don't think I can."

"Oh Kai, better than average? Pfft, that is like me saying Takashi Kurita is slightly uptight. We'll work on it. Now, how about we destress and clean up in the shower?"

She waggled her eyebrows, and saw that Kai was letting himself relax. Her lover rarely let his guard down, but intimate moments with her were a healthy release for him.

And quite an enjoyable time for us both!

***

Avalon City, New Avalon

Crucis March, Federated Suns

February 10th 3049

"Results from the raid?" Hanse asked.

Justin reviewed the information on his datapad. "The mercenaries gave as good as they got, but the Kurita forces were well prepared. The Draconis Combine is also playing tit-for-tat and has hit two of our own worlds with raids. They were repulsed, but it has the Draconis March in an uproar."

Hanse frowned. This was nothing more than saber rattling and probing of defenses. He knew he wasn't facing the Coordinator of the Combine, Takashi, but his far more dangerous son, Theodore Kurita.

Attempting a victory over the Draconis Combine will be a massive undertaking. The time is not yet ripe. Time is on our side, though. They have nothing like our NAIS, and every year that goes by, we should grow stronger and stronger compared to our counterparts.

"Call off the other planned raids, Justin. I had hoped to find weakness so that we could end the threat of the Draconis Combine for all time. I wanted to gift my realm to my children, with us unquestionably secure. If we move now, even if we win, the cost would be oceans of blood and material."

Justin nodded. "I agree, Highness."

Hanse switched subjects. "Catch me up to speed about how Victor and Katherine are doing."

"Astonishingly well. Victor will earn the top spot at the Nagelring. He was more popular in NAMA, but the instructors are giving nothing but glowing reviews.

Hanse beamed with pride. "As they ought to. I wish he was as popular in the Lyran half. Given that the Suns half was far more pleased with the union of our realms, Melissa and I agreed to have Victor raised solely on Tharkad and attend the Nagelring, and still, his negatives are higher than his positives in the media."

"Ryan Steiner is partially to blame," Justin replied. "There's been no hot spots in the Isle of Skye, but there is long-running tension. The media sees Victor as the embodiment of you, and Katherine as the embodiment of Melissa."

Hanse drummed his fingers on the table. "We'll continue with our plan of having him assigned to a Lyran unit. The more time he has on that side of FedCom, the more the Lyrans will accept him. I'll also see if we can make a big media splash of him graduating top of his class. Melissa will hit the circuit hard as well; her popularity numbers are unmatched by anyone."

"Well, almost everyone," Justin corrected.

Hanse turned to him with a curious look.

"Your daughter's favorables have edged out her mother's. She's the face of several product lines across dozens of worlds. She's eminently photogenic, and from Nondi Steiner on down, Lyran High Command likes her."

"Good, she can be her brother's biggest advocate," Hanse remarked. "How have her simulator results gone?"

"They have improved, but not as much as she is capable of. The instructors have noted she has spent considerable time working on ad-hoc training with other cadets. That includes my son's romantic interest, Wendy Sylvester, and Gregory LeBeau," Justin replied with a note of amusement.

"LeBeau… why does that name sound familiar?"

"He's the son of the CFO of Achernar BattleMechs, Paul LeBeau. You've met him in person," he looked down at his datapad, "twice."

"Are they doing well?" Hanse asked.

"Yes, both were previously good, but now are some of the best. Your daughter has a knack for training. If you hadn't already promised to let her create the 1st NAIS Research Battalion, I would have suggested she lead a training battalion."

His daughter's choice was downright… odd. An artillery-focused mixed battalion? She had also requested primarily recently graduated artillery officers, 'Mech pilots, and armored officers. He had declined that, because a unit needed some seasoning. For all her brilliance and skill, she was still very young, and the battlefield was different from a simulator.

"That may be a future assignment for her. She's probably the youngest Kommandant either of our realms has ever had, so we shall see. And your own son, he seems likely to wish to join with Wendy in the Davion Heavy Guards. Are you pleased with that selection?" Hanse asked with curiosity.

"It will be good to have him on the same planet. Wendy has been good for him. As has Victor. I'm not personally a fan of the structure of the Heavy Guards; the idea of family working in the same unit is problematic. But, so long as he is happy, that is all I care about."

Hanse did, of course, care about his children's happiness. But his ambitions for his children were far higher than Justin's. Victor would be the first ever Archon-Prince. Hanse had high hopes that Victor would not only lead the combined realm successfully but also finally bring to heel the rest of the Inner Sphere. Both he and Melissa had talked of handing over the reins of ruling the realm long before they passed. That would ensure a far smoother transition and allow them to play an advisory role during his critical first few years.

I must admit, it will be hard to relinquish being in the ruler's seat. I have never felt more alive than when plotting the future of the Inner Sphere.

"Good. The Heavy Guards will be lucky to have him. Anything else that needs my attention?"

"Some good news from New Syrtis. The new Axman and Caesar 'Mechs are now in full production. The New Syrtis Capellan March Militia is very pleased with the designs and sent glowing reviews. Both 'Mechs take advantage of XL engines and Double Heat Sinks. While highly expensive to manufacture, ton for ton, they will outclass other designs. While heavy 'Mechs, they can go toe to toe with assault 'Mechs that don't have those advantages."

Hanse grinned. When war inevitably broke out again, he was thrilled to know that the Federated Commonwealth would have a sizable technological edge!

***

The Nagelring, Tharkad

District of Donegal, Lyran Commonwealth

May 19th 3049

Victor felt a sense of accomplishment and pride. For once, he didn't mind the ever-present pomp and circumstance. Watching the other members of his graduating class introduce their parents, siblings, and guests to the proud kith and kin of others, he realized how significant that was for many. He had been laser-focused on his goals and future, but so had everyone else. They had all earned the right to celebrate and be proud of their accomplishments.

His blond head lifted, and his smile broadened as his roommate stepped in, nearly filling the doorway. Victor raised his hand in a wave.

"Over here, Renny."

Victor's mammoth roommate, Renard Sanderlin, returned the greeting and turned to lead three more people into the room. When Renny reached him, he took Victor's hand in his massive paw and gave his arm a hearty shake.

"Hey Vic, glad to see you still here. There was a line at the restaurant…"

Victor waved off the concern, and then saw the new unit insignia sewn on the uniform's shoulder.

"You made it into the Uhlans! That's great, Renny. Congratulations!"

Renny flushed and then scratched the back of his neck before introducing his guests.

"Vic, these are my parents, Albert and Nadine Sanderlin."

Greetings were exchanged, and Renny only supplied Victor's first name.

Renny's mother smiled politely. "Victor?" she said hesitantly, waiting for Renny to supply his roommate's family name.

"Mother, this is my roommate, Victor Ian Steiner-Davion."

Victor saw Nadine Sanderlin stiffen, then start to drop into a curtsey. He leaned forward, gently resting a hand on her shoulder. "Please don't," he said smoothly. He pointed toward the gold cord looped around Renny's left shoulder and then to a similar braid around his own. "This reception is for those of us fortunate to rank in the top 5 percent of our class. Here, thank God, I am among equals and wish to be treated no differently than my friends."

Nadine raised an embarrassed hand to her mouth. "Forgive me, Highness. I should have recognized you from the news holovids… It's just that you seem so... I mean, in the holovids, you're…"

Victor laughed easily. "I'm pretty sure the holovids make me look taller, too. I often feel sorry for the camera operators, most of them closer to your son's size. Their directors insist on shooting from impossibly low angles to make me seem taller."

Renny's father explained that Renny had mentioned his roommate was the Victor Steiner-Davion, but they'd been skeptical. Victor understood why, since dozens of other cadets had made similar claims.

They chatted amiably for a while before Renny gave him a nudge with his elbow.

"Spooks, 11 o'clock and closing."

Victor saw agents of MIIO – now FCIS – enter the hall. There were several, which meant his parents would soon be arriving as well.

"It must be the advance team." He glanced at the Sanderlins. "Come, let me introduce you to my parents."

Albert Sanderlin's face lost much of its color. "Highness, we are simple quillar farmers from Rijeka…"

"We're no one special…" Renny's mother said softly.

Victor shook his head emphatically. "You're mistaken in that, Mrs. Sanderlin. You are the parents of someone I am very proud to call a friend, and that makes you special, indeed. But beyond that, you, and trillions like you, make places like the Nagelring possible. You just told me this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, so let's make sure it's a memorable one."

They agreed, then turned to watch the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth and the First Prince of the Federated Suns enter. His mother's age only showed in the mature grace of her movements. Her blue gown was cut in a youthful yet stylish fashion. The silken material revealed a hint of flesh, but nothing that would cause a scandal. The diamond and sapphire necklace and drop earrings matched the gown's hue. Her blond hair, swept up, was encircled by a simple platinum coronet.

His father was wearing the navy-blue dress uniform of the Davion Heavy Guards. Hanse Davion stood tall without a hint of a slouch. Age had leeched some of the ruddy color from his hair and had given his face a few seams, but no one would ever mistake it for a sign of weakness. The Prince, his blue eyes bright, exuded a confidence and power that crackled through the crowd like static electricity.

I hope I've made you proud.

Introductions were made, and Nadine looked nearly ready to faint. Her husband, however, was beaming proudly, especially when Hanse Davion thanked his son for helping Victor with some of the more advanced courses, such as astronavigation. After a few moments, three others joined the tight-knit conversation. Victor noticed the FCIS agents keeping others at bay with seasoned, polite firmness.

"Renny, this is your new commanding officer, Marshal of the Armies, Morgan Hasek-Davion, and his wife, Duchess Kym Hasek-Davion."

Renny shook hands and introduced his parents while Victor turned to face the man with his hand extended toward him.

"Congratulations, Highness, on your graduation and your class rank."

Victor shook the hand firmly. "Thank you, Secretary Allard. I know you are never far from my father's side, but with the graduation at NAMA happening concurrently, I would have thought you would be able to attend Kai's ceremony. Rumor has it he's the top rank in his class."

Justin gave a slight shrug. "Duty calls, Kai understands matters of state, as does your sister."

Victor let out a small sigh. "Right. I told my parents to split up so each could attend one ceremony… but I guess they needed their photo-op with the Archon-Prince designate's graduation."

"They did, and you are going to have a full schedule as well before your assignment comes through and you're sent to your first duty station," Allard told him firmly.

"You know I hate those things." At Allard's look, Victor held up both hands in mock surrender, more quickly than he would have to others he expressed his frustration about a subject to. He knew that Secretary Allard was completely loyal to his family, but something always unnerved him about the deadly grace of the past Champion of Solaris. If there was ever danger, Victor knew his father would fearlessly lead and inspire everyone. But it would be Justin Allard who would have already been in motion and probably have already taken out the threat without blinking. He didn't think there was anything in the universe that could shake the man. "I know, I know, they are necessary, it doesn't mean I can't complain about it."

They turned as conversation began to die down when his father raised a glass high.

"I would like to offer a toast to our assembled sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and companions." With pride in his eyes, he glanced at Victor and Renny, then faced the crowd again. "They are the future of the Successor States and we are blessed that so able a group is ready to fulfill such a mighty responsibility."

I am ready, father. Still, I dread the coming of the day I lead this nation, for it will mean countless billions of lives will depend on my judgment – and any mistake made then will be irreversible.

***

Icar

Tamar March, Lyran Commonwealth

August 10th 3049

I didn't get everything that I wanted, but I had asked for quite a bit. The founding of a new battalion with a never-before-seen configuration was already pushing it. However, I was pleased with what I would be commanding.

The 1st NAIS Research Battalion was, on paper, a mixed artillery battalion with 'Mech and vehicle support. The core function was to test, record, and analyze various methods of using artillery batteries, particularly the new Spitfire Cannons. Given that I had a financial stake in the success of the Spitfire Cannons, it was an absolute display of nepotism to give me this role, but I was going to run with it.

The 1st Artillery Company was made up of sixteen Spitfire Cannons, eight J27 Transports that could carry said artillery pieces, their lighter and easily transported configurations allowing me to manage with only eight transports and spare ammunition. Additionally, the company also had two Ferret Light Scout VTOLs, each weighing about five tons. They were primarily assigned for reconnaissance and target spotting. The Hauptmann in charge was not a NAIS graduate like I had wanted; instead, it was a mid-30s officer from the Capellan March named Jain Halstead. He was of mixed heritage, similar to Justin Allard. His service record was clean, though somewhat uneventful. Apart from defending a world from two raids in the last decade, he had not seen any combat.

The 2nd Artillery Company was made up of eight Thumper Artillery Pieces, eight J27 Transports for transport, and two Ferret Light Scout VTOLs, serving as the control group for our artillery tests. This company was led by another veteran in his 30s, named Sven Fischer. Originally from the 23rd Arcturan Guards Regimental-Combat Team, he had seen extensive fighting during the War of 3039, facing the Draconis Combine. I had already met him, and he was eager to prove that his Thumper battery could surpass the 1st Company.

The armored company was effectively the 3rd Artillery Company, but on paper, it was the 1st Armored Company of the 1st NAIS Research Battalion. The main fighting arm consisted of six Partisan Heavy Tanks, each mounted with four Autocannon/5s. Instead of standard munitions, they used flak rounds, serving as an AA unit. The armored company also included four Scorpion Light Tanks, one APC, and one J27 Ordnance Transport to resupply the autocannons during prolonged engagements. I took the liberty of having standard rounds available alongside flak rounds in case they were needed. The armored company was led by Hauptmann Ariana Wright, the youngest of the three Hauptmanns in the battalion. Having graduated from the War College of Tamar in 3045, she earned a promotion in under four years.

Normally, a Kommandant would typically have a command lance in addition to three support companies, but for my purposes, I ended up taking what would have been a command lance and turning it into a command company. I was going to be unorthodox, so why not continue that trend? The company of 'Mechs I commanded was made up entirely of light 'Mechs, save for my own medium 'Mech.

I took direct command of the lance and the company, while also overseeing the battalion. Some might argue that wasn't particularly efficient, but given how I ran my Kampfgruppe during my second life, it would work. It helped that I trusted the other two lance commanders. Leftenant Aiko Roth was still with the FCIS – as well as officially part of the AFFC – was a very sharp 'Mech pilot. I would rate my brother, Kai, Justin, and my father above her, but few others. The other Leftenant was Gregory LeBeau, technically skilled, but a bit unimaginative. His connections through his father, a key industry leader on New Avalon, were why I had started working with him, but he took to simulator practice like a duck to water.

Along with the 'Mech pilots, vehicle operators, and artillery crews, I had a small army of others assigned to the battalion. There were sixteen maintenance crew and techs dedicated just to the 'Mechs, and another eight in each company for the artillery and vehicles. That brought the total to fifty non-combatants tasked with maintaining and repairing our fighting units. But there was more.

For security, we had a platoon of soldiers under the command of Leftenant Zach Rogers. They served under Agent Ainsworth as part of my protective detail and also provided security for the battalion itself, guarding against any attempts to sabotage our equipment or harm anyone. Ainsworth, Gustav, and two other FCIS agents were assigned due to my position as a spare in case something happened to my elder brother. As the next in line for the Archonship and First Prince titles, I warranted elite protection. I also had half a dozen support crew who took care of the basic needs of the battalion, handling personal logistics like meals, toiletries, and other miscellaneous items.

This was just the ground portion of the battalion. Given my status, it was crucial that I had a reliable means of leaving wherever I was stationed. To that end, an Invader Class and a Merchant Class JumpShip were permanently assigned to the unit, along with five DropShips. Even so, space was tight enough that I had my NAIS research and design team, as well as the TharHes machinist teams, come separately. I had splurged a bit, since 'Mech simulator pods varied greatly in quality. The NAIS and the Nagelring had top-of-the-line simulators, and major worlds typically had good ones, but Icar, my duty station for the next two years, did not.

I dipped into my now rather hefty fund of C-Bills and splurged on a dozen 'Mech simulator bays. This would allow me to conduct exercises with the entire company if I chose to. It would also likely make me incredibly popular with the 12th Star Guards, the mercenary regiment stationed on Icar, since they could use the facilities when my unit wasn't. The quality of a simulator was measured by how closely it replicated real-world 'Mech operations, so anything that brought the user closer to actual piloting was highly sought after.

The 12th Star Guards were on a long-term contract with the Lyran Commonwealth. A solid mercenary unit, they boasted four regiments, though they were no match for the fabled Wolf's Dragoons, Eridani Light Horse, or Kell Hounds. Their regiments served as the primary defense on four worlds within the Wotan Command region of the Tamar March. Wotan Command is an 11-world sub-region that falls under the authority of Marshal Robert Bryant.

Ironically, despite being a mercenary and the planet being a fief of the Lyran Commonwealth with its own Duke, the commander of the planet's military forces was Colonel Hannah Caitlin. She was in charge of the 3rd Regiment of the 12th Star Guards. This was unusual, as there was an AFFC line officer, Leftenant-General Matt Thompson, commanding over 300 armored vehicles, VTOLs, support units, and even some artillery. However, due to the primacy of 'Mechs, it was Colonel Caitlin who called the shots and, for all practical purposes, would be my commanding officer while stationed on Icar.

Colonel Caitlin reported to the commander of the 12th Star Guards as part of the mercenary unit. However, when it came to the defense of the world and the broader Wotan Command, the chain of command ultimately led to Marshal Robert Bryant. He, in turn, reported to Marshal Kevan Darby, who oversaw the 'Blackjack Operations Area.' Marshal Darby reported to Field Marshal Cynthia Franks, who was responsible for the entire Tamar March. Field Marshal Franks reported directly to Field Marshal Nondi Steiner, head of Lyran State Command. With the formation of the AFFC, she also reported to the Marshal of the Armies, Morgan Hasek-Davion – a fact she absolutely detested.

It put me in an enviable position. If any part of my chain of command truly made things irritating, I had some exceptional connections to rely on. Despite those connections, it didn't mean I had a command circuit all the way to Icar. The planet was on the edge of the border to the Periphery, and only one jump away from the Free Rasalhague Republic world of New Caledonia. That world held at least a regiment of 'Mechs, but it wasn't much of a threat to Icar. The FRR was in no position to go to war with anyone, let alone the Federated Commonwealth. That wasn't to say that worlds along the border were never raided, because that did occur, but it wasn't terribly likely. Periphery bandits and mercenary units, now that did occur off and on, and I figured there would probably be at least one incident in my two-year stint on Icar.

Icar itself wasn't a heavily populated planet. It had two major continents and had been rather poorly settled. All its heavy mining, the planet's only real export, occurred on the northernmost continent, but 90% of the population lived on the southern continent. As a result, the distribution of defense forces was skewed toward what was most likely to be raided—the northern continent. I would be stationed in Cuanger, the planet's only spaceport, where I would be joined by two battalions of the 3rd Regiment of the 12th Star Guards, as well as the entirety of the 1st and 3rd Armored Regiments of the Third Icar Armored Brigade.

Fraserburg, located about 30 km to the south, was where all the iridium, platinum, and osmium mining took place. It was guarded by the Second Battalion of the 12th Star Guards and two battalions of the 2nd Armored Regiment. The final battalion of armor was stationed on the other continent in the city of Athena Magna. That made me a bit nervous, as the ComStar HPG terminal was located there. ComStar had a company of 'Mechs, a battalion of armor, and a motorized infantry regiment stationed in the city.

My father is right to worry about ComStar.

ComStar being on another continent didn't prevent messages from being sent or received. They simply relayed them over normal planetary networks. Of course, I had also been entrusted with one of the K-Series black boxes. About the size of a briefcase, it was the Federated Commonwealth's backup plan in case ComStar ever hit us with an Interdiction again.

These devices were fantastic, but they had a number of drawbacks. For one, they were hideously expensive to make – so much so that Icar didn't have one until I arrived. My own brother, the heir, didn't have one either, but the RCT commander he was assigned to did. That was probably the only reason I received one. Secondly, they were slow compared to HPG messages. The signal would go out to all other black boxes, but only one message could be sent at a time. If I tried to send another message, it would disrupt the original connection, which didn't make sense to me based on how the entanglement chain worked. But even for me, that stuff was mind-bogglingly complex.

As a practical matter, I could send a message from Icar to Tharkad, and it would arrive in a little over a week. That same message would take just over a month to reach New Avalon. Another drawback was its extremely limited data capacity – a very short voice recording or a few pages of text. And since it had to be encrypted in case anyone else got their hands on one of these black boxes, using it became a bit of a hassle.

That said, I occasionally received some interesting messages that were probably never intended for me, coming from other users of the black boxes. It was reassuring that my father trusted me with state secrets at this level, especially considering I was still only 16 years old.

My efforts to strengthen bonds between the Great Houses had begun to bear fruit. Ragnar, the Prince of the FRR, seemed to have started writing in earnest himself. Whether he was now more trusted or if whatever passed for FRR Intelligence Services had stopped being so obvious, I couldn't say. Either way, I was fairly certain he was at least reading the letters.

Ragnar seemed naïve but also eager to continue practicing in 'Mech simulators as he prepared for his own enrollment in one of the few academies within the FRR. I offered him a few basic pointers and wished him well. I also asked questions to learn more about what made him tick. The FRR was a weak state with few defense industries. Its only functioning 'Mech factory was on the world of New Oslo. While other planets produced conventional forces like armored vehicles and artillery, with just one 'Mech factory, they depended largely on the generosity of their neighbors.

The Lyran Commonwealth enjoyed a buffer state between itself and the Draconis Combine on a major front. We also liked to consider ourselves high-minded enough to allow the people of the FRR to determine their own fate. On the Combine side, not being as surrounded was a boon, allowing them to concentrate more heavily on the Draconis March, one of the most heavily militarized zones in the Inner Sphere, in their efforts against the Federated Suns.

Isis Marik had stopped fishing for NAIS information and had instead begun treating our letters as more personal. I was sure the communications were still being monitored, but I was learning more about her. She was intelligent, though overly fond of fashion and what I viewed as petty intrigues. It was possible she brought up fashion to bridge our interests, considering I had become something of an icon for many beauty products, but it really didn't hold much interest for me.

Still, I had the foundation of a working relationship with them too. The Allard-Liao family was also diligent in their responses. Communicating with near-peers served as an outlet, and I genuinely enjoyed keeping up with their lives. Kai, of course, was still stationed on New Avalon, and from what I heard, he and Wendy were set to marry soon. Time was marching on, and I would soon be meeting my new CO.