Chapter 12

Winfield System

Tamar March, Lyran Commonwealth

March 29th 3050

I finally received a response from Leftenant General Ansel Cabrillo of the Wotan Tamar March Militia. That must mean Marshal Bryant was off-world and it was Cabrillo who had the black box. While it was referred to as 'Wotan Command' it didn't necessarily mean the top brass had to be on Wotan. Hell, they might even be on Tharkad attending various strategy sessions or social functions.

As commander of a March Militia unit, Leftenant General Cabrillo had an immense organization under his command. The March Militias were a close cousin to the Regimental Combat Teams. They typically had a regiment less of armor and weren't quite as quick to get upgraded technology as our RCTs. They also had less Aerospace support than official RCTs. They were normally fixed in place on the world they supported, as opposed to an RCT, which could be called on to invade or secure a planet outside of their typical base of operations.

Still, a full BattleMech regiment, two armored regiments, five infantry regiments, a dedicated artillery unit, and at least some Aerospace assets made for a potent force. The orders that came through the black box were to evacuate from Icar. That had already happened, so I was mollified by my choice to cut and run instead of trying to face another attack. He had even instructed me to make my way to Wotan, so two-for-two in terms of predicting orders. That had to count for something, right?

Communication with Winfield confirmed ComStar was playing games. The ComStar Demi-Precentor on planet promised a detailed investigation and assured me that a Priority Alpha message could be sent free of charge. What wonderful customer service – sending our messages only when it wasn't critical.

I wrote a detailed report about the enemy and included only vague loss numbers for now. Since I was sending it via ComStar and didn't know how badly they might try to screw us, I avoided fully revealing my unit's operational status. I paid special attention to some of the anomalies – the ritualized beginning of combat, the way they didn't deploy their entire force at once, how the Toads fought, and their strange lack of coordination in focusing their attacks.

Within four hours, I received a response from my father. He was pleased I had made it off-world and appreciated the additional information about the attackers. Since I already had a NAIS team with me, they would use the facilities on Wotan to begin analyzing the technology immediately rather than undertaking the long journey to New Avalon. Devoting a command circuit wouldn't be ideal, as they might need it for other purposes. He was cheeky enough to comment on ComStar failing on multiple worlds recently, hoping they would resolve their 'technical issues' soon.

Shit, is he saying Icar might not have been the only world attacked? Well, if other worlds have fallen to these strange invaders, maybe my reputation won't be eviscerated after all.

It was time for me to interrogate our prisoner. He had been battered by his ejection, but any lingering concussion would have cleared up; otherwise, he was healthy. He had been briefly brought out of sedation to confirm he could regain consciousness before being placed back under. He was the only injured prisoner who hadn't been sent down to Winfield. Leftenant Rogers also refused to be separated, and since his injuries were no longer life threatening, I didn't force him to go down with the rest of the injured.

Agent Ainsworth advised she could do a field interrogation, but information obtained through brute force methods wasn't always reliable. The preferred method for the FCIS was narco-interrogation, and unless someone was specifically trained to resist their effects, they typically revealed a lot. With proper medical equipment, interrogators could detect most falsehoods and misdirection attempts. However, my defenders as a protective detail didn't have access to those highly specialized substances.

"Before we go straight to torture or drugging him, let's try just speaking with him."

Ainsworth and Gustav were with me when they brought him around. As a precaution, one wrist was cuffed to his bed, but I wasn't particularly worried. FCIS were highly trained individuals, and with my superb reflexes, I was confident I could avoid getting hit by an attack in time for help to arrive.

The man looked around confused and gave a slight grunt. He pulled on the cuff lightly, but oddly enough his eyes lingered on the medical bracelet on his wrist.

"What is your name?" I asked, putting on a friendly smile.

"Oston. MechWarrior of Clan Wolf. Alpha Galaxy. 4th Wolfs Guard Cluster. Alpha Super Nova. I was defeated in battle, quiaff?"

I nodded. "You were, and we have some questions. I've observed one of your people speak and later had a brief conversation with her during the battle. Then I spoke with a second one of your people; in each instance, I noticed you expected me to understand your ways and traditions. But that is not the case, and I am not native to Icar. So, if you explain something, please be detailed."

"I will not betray any Clan Wolf secrets. I will not commit bondsref. I will serve."

I felt my eye twitch. "I am young and don't understand all this terminology. What is bondsref?"

He winced as I spoke but then nodded very slowly. "Hmm, this is unexpected, I thought… to answer your question, it is for those who refuse to serve as bondsmen when captured in battle. May I ask if you were the one who captured me?"

Another term!

"I couldn't tell you who specifically found you, but it would likely be one of the personnel in the MASH units. I currently hold command, as the leader of the Third Icar Armored Brigade was killed in the fighting, and the leader of the 12th Star Guards, 3rd Regiment, is wounded and has been sent to the surface for medical attention."

"And your name?"

"Katherine, Kommandant Katherine Steiner-Davion. Now, why did you attack Icar?"

Oston considered the question for a few moments. "To take the world for Clan Wolf."

"Is Clan Wolf targeting more planets?"

"I will not betray my Clan and share its secrets. It is not required of a bondsman."

"What is Clan Wolf?"

Again, the pause for consideration. "We are the descendants of those who left the Inner Sphere with the Great Father, Aleksandr Kerensky."

I knew well the story of the Kerensky departure from the Inner Sphere. The tales of General Kerensky one day returning to save the Inner Sphere had fallen out of fashion after the Succession Wars and centuries of time, but it remained a well-known tale.

"Why didn't your commander attack with all her forces?"

Another wince. "That was her bid to take the world."

"Bid?"

Another expression of confusion. "I am sorry, you told me earlier to expect you not to understand basic things, but I can explain. The 4th Guards Cluster was bidding against another for the right to take the world. Both commanders bid aggressively, for we did not expect much of a challenge."

"You had intelligence about the world? From where?" I asked.

"I will not betray the secrets of my Clan."

Gustav shifted his weight, but Oston paid him no notice.

"Your commander, this Star Colonel Jera Carns, she brought in reinforcements. Were they part of the bid and used just as a reserve?"

Oston shook his head. "No. She attacked with her final bid. She would lose only some honor if she reinforced her attack with her opponent's last bid. Better than defeat."

This was fascinating. Incredibly stupid, but fascinating.

"Those reinforcements helped her, but we still won. Not a day later, we received another communication, this time from Star Colonel Erik Kerensky."

Oston frowned. "It is… improper. The invasion must succeed so a second trial would have been deemed acceptable."

"Trial?"

This went on for some time; he would explain something, but use a word of significance I would have to go back and get Oston to define. A clearer picture was starting to form as I learned much.

I learned how warfare with the Clans was accomplished. A series of trials designed to prove warrior skill and find victory by the narrowest of degrees. It was quite insane to me. If you could use two Stars to crush an opposition, or just one Star and barely win, using only one Star was the honorable choice. Even though it made your victory less likely and would damage your resources more, rather than simply overwhelming the opponent with superior numbers.

I learned about Zellbrigen and how Clan warriors were expected to fight one-on-one, according to their code. Oston explained that, since we had abandoned Zellbrigen by ganging up on a single target, they would have been well within their rights to do the same. However, it would be of greater honor to stick with the restrictions of Zellbrigen, even when your opponent does not, and win. And since they looked on us with contempt, they never truly considered the possibility of losing.

What purpose is there in tactics if everything just resolves to a series of one-on-one duels? Such a system might well benefit me personally, but I could never see this flying in the Inner Sphere.

It was a shock to learn that they viewed mercenaries as not true warriors and considered vehicle users second-string or worse. My own unit was considered particularly loathsome because they believed it was a "Scientist Caste" unit. Apparently, Clan society was divided into a caste system, with the Warrior Caste at the top and lesser castes like the Scientist, Merchant, and Laborer forbidden from taking up arms.

Oston thought about it for a while, but eventually told me there were seventeen Clans, though he wouldn't provide more details. My plan was to turn him over to FCIS after extracting all the information I could. Wotan, being a command world, likely had the facilities for a proper narco-interrogation. The information we were getting was valuable. I tend to be an excellent judge of character and rarely misread people's intentions, so I was confident he was being truthful about his people.

He also refused to share details about technology, only expressing surprise at how weak our 'Mechs were. He wouldn't reveal the locations of their Clan worlds. He also refused to disclose future targets for Clan Wolf, along with many other details.

He did explain about the bondsmen, and again expressed confusion on why I would need an explanation when a bond cord had been placed on him.

How fortuitous, he thought his medical bracelet was us making him a bondsman!

When he explained the concept of a bondsman to me, it seemed akin to indentured servitude. However, if he served well, there was a chance he could rejoin the Warrior Caste.

"Wait, you would fight for us if we made you a Warrior again?" I asked incredulously.

"Aff, that is the way of it, though such a thing has never happened before. But if you adhere to the Clan way of taking bondsman then in my view it means you may be worthy of fighting for. After all, you had the strength to defeat me in the first place."

"So if another Clan, say this Clan Ghost Bear attacked you in a Trial of Grievance, and defeated you, you could be made a bondsman and then later made into a Clan Ghost Bear warrior, and would you then be expected to be loyal to the Ghost Bear? Even to the point of fighting his one-time comrades in Clan Wolf?"

"Aff."

These people are nuts. Though I did notice the qualifier he provided. All the same, this has been incredibly useful.

***

Winfield System

Tamar March, Lyran Commonwealth

March 31st 3050

I had passed down word to Leftenant General Winfield about the attack by Clan Wolf as well as the details provided to me by my captive. That was wise, for on the last day of March, another attack came. I was first alerted by the JumpShip captain that unknown JumpShips had arrived at a Transient Pirate point near the planet. I marveled at how daring their JumpShip navigators were, as it was when we jumped to a Non-Standard Proximity Point, I had been nervous.

Perhaps their better technology allows them to reduce the risk of misjumps.

I immediately sent a communication to Winfield, but given our distance in system, instant contact was, of course, impossible. After some time, I got a clear picture of what was happening.

A Star Colonel Diane Anu of the Fifth Battle Cluster had issued a batchall. General Winfield was unwilling to provide detailed information about his defending force, and the communication ceased.

Is that the right call or the wrong one to make? Through the batchall process, it could lead to us being able to fight them piecemeal due to the way they bid, but we also eliminate the element of surprise and keep them tactically in the dark. I suspect that if this invasion grows larger, it will be highly dependent on the circumstances of each world.

Even if the battered forces we had could make a difference, since we were at the Nadir point, it would take us days to reach the surface. Given the brutal efficiency and much closer Pirate point the enemy had jumped into, the battle would likely be resolved before we could help. Nonetheless, I requested ComStar send another Priority Alpha message to clarify my orders. As time ticked by and no response came, I realized once more that ComStar was hampering us.

Are the Clans leaving ComStar alone? Had they cut a deal? If the Clans were taking over the HPG networks and ComStar facilities, then they would be doing all they could to help us, not hinder us. Well… they could still be spiteful, but I give it low odds they would be that idiotic. I can only assume, then, that ComStar is actively helping the Clans or, at the very least, has cut some sort of Non-Aggression pact.

With that information in mind, I immediately used my black box again to explain why I thought ComStar was working with our enemy. This would interrupt my initial message from being received by any black boxes that hadn't already received it, but by now the message should have gotten to Tharkad, and I knew for sure Wotan had received it since I had received a response from them.

Over the coming days, while our JumpShips recharged so we could jump again, we would receive reports on the battle below. With the knowledge of the superior range of their weaponry, Leftenant General Winfield deployed rapidly and rushed in as the Falcons had landed. It was touch and go, and they managed to destroy many of the enemy 'Mechs, but the elementals were Winfield's Regiment's bane. MechWarriors knew how to do physical attacks with their 'Mechs, but it wasn't something practiced often. Ultimately, they were forced to withdraw, but in good order and had delivered a good mauling to the Falcons. The regiment would retreat off-world but not before helping prepare the Winfield Militia Brigade for guerrilla action.

We jumped out to Derf when our K-F drives were recharged. Winfield's Regiment was still on planet preparing to evacuate, but they had their own JumpShips. No ComStar communication had come during those entire five days. I had questioned Oston again, but he refused to speak of the issue, claiming again he wouldn't betray his Clan by divulging anything specific. It seemed he would only prove to be a source of information about general Clan society, not about anything useful on a military level.

***

Trell

Tamar March, Lyran Commonwealth

April 13th 3050

Kommandant Victor Steiner-Davion had been shocked to learn his sister had fought her first combat engagement, not against pirate or mercenary raiders, but against an invading force with advanced technology that outstripped even the best NAIS could produce. The scale of the invasion was unknown, but it was clear multiple planets had been hit, and the commanding officer of the Twelfth Donal Guard, Leftenant General Jeremy Hawksworth, had cancelled the planned training exercise with the Red Brigade to prepare for a potential attack.

It wasn't enough.

The mines placed along likely approaches had slowed the advancing foes down, but only temporarily. Units were on hight alert, aware of the technological superiority and even aware of the 'Toads' and how they operated in packs. They had time to prepare. Had defensive plans in place. Ensured they had sufficient supplies and ammunition.

It wasn't enough.

They came on in an unstoppable tide, and Victor was forced to face an enemy he was utterly unused to. Fortunately, he had a 100-ton behemoth and was able to fight back. Doubly fortunate it could jump allowing him to remain mobile enough not to be left behind or out maneuvered.

His aide, Galen Cox, proved himself a proficient 'Mech pilot, and his Crusader regularly supported Victor during the battles that took place. He had a creative way of identifying enemy 'Mechs, too. So far, he had already dubbed one a 'Thor' and another a 'Loki.'

The Thor was a 'Mech that acted similarly to a Grasshopper. It was heavy and had jump jets, but it was also faster than the Grasshopper and featured long-range weaponry that could strip a 'Mech of its armor with disturbing quickness. Galen had called the other enemy 'Mech variant, the Loki, because of its 'mad design' that somehow managed to pack both ultra-long-range and ultra-short-range weaponry in one chassis. Long-range PPCs, backed by lasers and an SRM system, and short-range machine guns! It even had an anti-missile system installed. Despite all that, it still had more armor than a Rifleman 'Mech.

The battle they were now in was taking place in the rocky pass leading to HQ. Fortunately, the rougher terrain and mountainous heights stymied some of the enemy's range advantage. The enemy's accuracy was frightening and on par with Victor's own, which meant their accuracy was far greater on average than that of his battalion.

"One is coming up over those rocks, move Victor!" Galen ordered.

Victor didn't back up. Instead, he launched his 100-ton 'Mech forward and keyed his jump jets. He fired his Gauss rifle, aiming to strike one of the Thor's arms and off-balance the 'Mech in mid-air. His aim wasn't perfect, and instead of tearing through nearly a ton of armor, it only clipped the edge of the Thor's arm, doing far less damage. In the blink of an eye, he switched tactics and, still in mid-air, thumbed the trigger to unleash a vicious barrage of autocannon fire from his AC/20. At the same time, his medium lasers lashed out, and all four weapons hit, dealing serious damage to the Thor's main body.

The Thor responded with a vengeance. Despite being under the typical minimum range for LRMs, they still burst across Victor's 'Mech with savage, armor shattering force. These were followed by heavy autocannon fire and the PPC. All of them hit, despite being fired in mid-air and after the Thor had already been rocked by Victor's attack.

His left leg, right arm, center torso, and right torso had all been hit, and combined with the earlier damage, there was almost nothing left to protect his internal systems. Victor's 'Mech teetered in the air as he desperately tried to land, but a 100-ton 'Mech wasn't like the 80-ton 'Mech he had spent years piloting in the simulators. Off-balance, he hit the rocky ground unevenly and crashed forward, slamming his 'Mech into the rocky wall. The impact caved in part of the wall and dealt even more damage to his custom Devastator. As he struggled to extricate himself from the rocks, he heard more missiles launching.

Galen is using his Crusader's SRMs against the Thor.

He righted his dangerously leaning 'Mech just in time to face another wave of attacks. This time, the LRMs mostly missed due to their already short extreme range, but the PPC and autocannon landed solidly.

Wait? What the hell? The autocannon is now firing cluster rounds?

Warning claxons sounded as his internal armor was breached. He gritted his teeth as the ammo mechanism for his Gauss rifle was destroyed, though fortunately, the weapon itself hadn't exploded. He responded with his AC/20, letting it roar and scoring a direct hit to his opponent's center mass. The enemy 'Mech moved sideways, attempting to avoid the barrage, but Victor was having none of that and kept his aim steady. His medium lasers added to the carnage, and he saw Galen's Crusader close in, unleashing point-blank SRMs into the enemy 'Mech's side, followed up by the chattering sounds of machine gun fire. Not done with that, Galen's Crusader punched the Thor in the arm.

Metal screeched as an incredible amount of damage was dealt in such a short time. The enemy 'Mech was badly wounded but stayed upright despite the damage and the physical attack that jarred it. Laser-focused on Victor, the Thor pounded him with another combination of PPC and autocannon fire, this time again with cluster munitions.

Heat spiked in Victor's 'Mech as his XL engine was hit.

Damn it, this 'Mech needs to go down now!

Despite the lowered heat capacity and the difficulty of aiming a PPC at such close range, Victor unleashed every weapon he had left. The sauna inside his 'Mech, only partially counteracted by his cooling vest, turned into a near inferno as the heat built up, starting to cook some of the internals.

And yet, it was worth it. The PPC, AC/20, and medium lasers nearly finished the 'Mech, leaving Galen's SRMs and medium lasers to deliver the final blow.

"God damn it, Victor, we need to move. 2nd Company was wiped out, and the last report said they only took down one enemy 'Mech. There are nine more of these headed through the pass at any moment. Get moving!"

Victor's 'Mech was sluggish as the sweltering heat slowly dissipated. He knew he had to retreat, but it galled him. This was the third 'Mech he and Galen had helped take down, but there had to be more he could do. The RCT comms channel was quite disciplined, but it was clear they were getting destroyed out there. The Red Brigade, with the help of some friendly artillery, had managed to isolate and wipe out fifteen enemy 'Mechs in an effective ambush. When the rest of the defenders had tried to replicate it, they instead found themselves in a grinding battle that had led to far more casualties for the 12th Donegal Guards than for the enemy.

"All right, all right, I'm coming."

Galen's Crusader was pockmarked and damaged, but unlike Victor's Devastator, none of its weapon systems had been taken down. As they retreated, Victor frowned upon seeing a company of 'Mechs from another battalion in the regiment move into the area they had just vacated.

"What are they doing, they can't hold."

"They are buying you time to get out."

Victor felt sick to his stomach. "No, we can reinforce and take bring what's left of the Charlie lance to help. We'll have numbers on them…"

"That company is made up of mediums. If the heavy company that just engaged and got wiped couldn't stop them, there's no way a company of mediums and us are going to cut it. And we know more 'Mechs are coming. We have our orders from Den Mother," Galen argued.

Damn it all, he's right.

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at HQ, where Leftenant General Jeremy Hawksworth ordered him and Galen off the planet. Victor countered, suggesting they retreat into the Black Mountain foothills and wage a guerrilla effort through it and Thunder Rift. They knew the local terrain and could repeat the success of the Red Brigade over and over again.

"That might work, Kommandant, but you have your orders. You are the heir to the Federated Commonwealth; we are not going to risk you on such an operation."

Victor saw red. "Don't do this to me! Outside of the Red Brigade's ambush, my unit has had the most confirmed kills out there! We can do this; this world doesn't have to fall."

"It's falling, and our doctrine says that when we know a world is going to fall, we evacuate our most valuable assets first. Get on the DropShip, Victor. That's a direct order," Hawksworth said.

Victor ground his teeth. Military discipline dictated that he obey instantly, but he was also the Archon-Prince Designate. He could probably force his will upon the rest of the RCT, regardless of what Hawksworth said.

"No, I will not give up on this world. Get me comms now."

"Hauptmann, get him out of here."

Victor, who had not taken his loss to Phelan Kell all those years ago, had trained in fisticuffs extensively afterward. He ducked the sucker punch his aide had tried to land on him. A quick shove to the unbalanced Galen sent him to the ground. Hawksworth called for the MPs and they hesitated, but then quickly swarmed over Victor. Unlike in the holovids, multiple people could easily overcome someone, even if their target was well trained. It probably didn't help they each were taller and outweighed him considerably, nor that they seemed far more graceful than most men their size. Cursing at them all, Victor was physically forced into the Leopard DropShip and taken off-planet.

***

ComStar First Circuit Compound, Hilton Head Island

Island North America, Terra

April 15th 3050

Primus Myndo Waterly directed the attention of the Precentors to the center of the chamber.

"This transmission has recently arrived from the Precentor Martial. I will play it for you, and then we will discuss the next steps to take."

The image of Anastasius Focht, the military leader of the ComGuards, appeared in a three-dimensional holographic display.

"The Peace of Blake be with you, Primus. I bring greetings from Ulric, the Khan of the Wolf Clan. They have been gracious hosts and have agreed to the terms previously outlined. I have yet to discern their purpose for the invasion, and have been met with polite evasiveness when I attempt to press. Mindful of my unique role, I have not pushed forward aggressively."

The man adjusted his eye-patch, cleared his throat, and continued.

"Of note, there is some rivalry within these separate Clan groups. The ilKhan, or Khan of Khans, is Leo Showers and he is from the Smoke Jaguar Clan. There is palpable tension between him and Ulric. Showers is in daily communication with his Smoke Jaguar commanders who carry out his orders from significant distance."

Myndo felt the tension uptick in the room as every Precentor knew that meant the Clans had access to HyperPulse Generators, something that, until now, had been ComStar's exclusive domain.

"The Wolf Clan fields a superior military force and has, in most cases, handedly triumphed in their invasions. It should be noted that the normally unreadable Wolf Khan did exhibit distress when learning one of his Star Colonels was slain on the world of Icar. He and the commander were apparently close, but I was unable to divine the nature of their relationship."

Interesting, Icar is where own of our own problems first occurred.

"They have been merciful in their conquest, with the exception of the capture of a limited number of slaves that they call 'bondsmen.' I suspect they may be being used as hostages for the good behavior of the taken worlds. They accept surrenders and do not divorce any non-military assets from the hands of the citizens of these worlds."

The message was nearing its end, heading toward the most critical portion.

"I will be able to send another transmission when their flagship jumps to the next location. As agreed, the Clans will continue to allow us to administer the HPG network on captured worlds and act as an intermediary with their populations. In exchange, we will not allow any military communications to be sent into or out of worlds they have taken, and we will continue to provide them with intelligence on their next wave of targeted worlds."

The image winked out, and several Precentors began speaking at once.

"They have our technology!"

"We are providing them intelligence?"

"Why was this not brought to the 1st Circuit first?"

Myndo called the session to order.

"When I sent our Precentor Martial to the Clans, time was short. I will address all concerns in today's session; however, we must first bring everyone up to speed on the progress of the invasion. Precentor Tharkad."

The sleeves of Precentor Tharkad's robe slipped down past his wrists as he gestured animatedly.

"The Jade Falcon Clan has already taken ten Steiner worlds, including the deep strike at Trell. The Wolves have taken two worlds, Icar and Chateau. This is more of an emergency than any this Order has faced."

"Be more detailed, Precentor Tharkad," Myndo commanded.

There was an irritated glare before he spoke, "In a crescent from Barcelona up and around the rim of the Lyran Commonwealth, the Jade Falcons have taken Barcelona, Bone-Norman, Anywhere, Here, Bensinger, and Toland. More recently, they have taken Steelton, Persistence, Winfield, and Trell, though there is heavy guerilla activity on several planets in particularly Winfield. Furthermore, not all the 12th Donegal Guards have been defeated, and with their advanced warning, they were well prepared to go to ground and prove a thorn in the invader's side."

"And the Fox's heir?"

"Escaped off world," came Precentor Tharkad's response.

Myndo nodded and gestured toward Gardner Riis, the lanky Precentor of Rasalhague.

"Between attacks by the Ghost Bears and the Wolves, the Rasalhague Republic has lost twelve planets. The Wolves have taken Skallevoll, Outpost, Svelvik, Alleghe, The Edge, New Caledonia, Balsta, and St. John. The Ghost Bears have taken Thule, Damian, Holmsbu, and Pinnacle. Like the Wolves, the Ghost Bears have not tormented the captive populace, save for the mercenaries, whom they view with disgust for selling their services."

Myndo accepted that answer and moved on to Precentor Dieron.

"The Draconis Combine has lost seven worlds to the Smoke Jaguar Clan. Richmond, Idle Wind, Tarnby, Bjarred, and Schwartz all fell easily. Rockland put up more of a fight, but only on Turtle Bay was any real damage inflicted on the invaders. The Fourteenth Legion of Vega got ripped up, but destroyed several opposing 'Mechs. The yakuza on the world are causing trouble, and there have been supplies destroyed and even some Jaguar warriors murdered in a bombing."

Ignoring the trivialities, Myndo asked if Hohiro Kurita, who had been stationed there, had been found.

"My people have not located him or his body. It is possible he went underground, or that he was captured by the Smoke Jaguars."

"After all the information had been shared with the group, an angry Precentor Tharkad spoke."

"This intelligence sharing with the invaders must not continue. Have we abandoned our mission of leading humanity back into the light? How does aiding a formidable invader in his conquests help us achieve our purpose? Our message of spiritual prosperity and the words of our blessed founder will mean nothing to these invaders."

Myndo gave him a patronizing smile. "This course of action is the most logical under the circumstances and does advance our cause. First, in exchange for military intelligence, the invaders will allow us to remain on their conquered worlds and act as an interface between the populace and the invaders. We will position ourselves as the benevolent class of administrators, restructuring not only the governments but, more importantly, the educational systems, to indoctrinate the people with our message. To wit, ComStar is the savior of all mankind, and only through us can humanity rise again."

She ticked off another point on one finger.

"Second, we can direct the invaders toward targets we wish to destroy for our own purposes. We can incite the Smoke Jaguars to shatter Luthien and decapitate the Draconis Combine. We can turn them toward cold Tharkad to eliminate that half of the Steiner-Davion axis. With Thomas Marik sympathetic to our cause, we can keep the invaders away from his holdings until they have spread themselves thin enough to be defeated."

Her tone shifted into a more conspiratorial one.

"Third, and ultimately, giving the Clans military intelligence will make them dependent on us. We will become their eyes and ears, so that when the time comes for us to cut them off, they will be blind and deaf. By then, the Precentor Martial will have gathered enough knowledge to defeat these hordes. And so, all of mankind will rejoice as ComStar rises to destroy the alien invader."

Precentor Tharkad still looked angry, but several others were nodding along.

I have them.

"In short, ladies and gentlemen, the Clans and their invasion are a means to an end. I will use them and then discard them. In this way, and in our own time, the dream of the Blessed Blake will be realized."

Precentor Tharkad shook his head. "And what do we tell the Great Houses? Melissa Steiner and Hanse Davion know, thanks to their daughter, that we failed to deliver or delayed abnormally long in sending the Priory Alpha transmissions. They know, and they're demanding an explanation. I spoke with Field Marshal Forney. He's angry, as are most of Lyran State Command. He specifically says he fears the Fox may go completely rabid if we continue to stonewall. Our ComGuards are good, but with only a company of 'Mechs and a couple of battalions of conventional forces, they could attack hundreds of HPG stations on their worlds."

Precentor Sian scoffed. "Not even Hanse Davion would be so bold."

"His two eldest are his pride and joy, his crown jewels, and he blames us for their near capture or deaths! With our Precentor Martial on a diplomatic mission to the Clans, this would be the worst time for open conflict with the Federated Commonwealth," Precentor Tharkad stubbornly replied.

Myndo frowned. She had hoped to conclude this session with that triumphant call to arms, but as much as it galled her to admit, he was right. It would also interfere with any future indoctrination efforts in conquered Lyran space. They needed to provide a response.

"Since you are so worried," Myndo said reassuringly, "we will provide an answer – a partial truth. That ComStar cares most about the people of the Inner Sphere. In exchange for assurances from the invaders not to cause undue harm to the civilian population, ComStar will be allowed to continue operating the HPG network. However, as a stipulation, they required ComStar not to transmit any military information, including troop movements, once the Clans have entered a system."

Precentor Dieron was quick to nod. "That would work. The Fox may still do something rash, but I believe Melissa Steiner can temper his bloodlust, especially given the reality that they will need their full military power to confront the enemy."

"See?" Myndo nodded in thanks to her protégé. "Precentor Dieron is correct, but as a precaution, we will put our ComGuards on high alert, and I will address the issue of our preparedness with our Precentor Martial when the time is right. While our ComGuards may be scattered across the nations, they still total over fifty 'Mech regiments, along with far more Aerospace, armor, and infantry divisions." She proudly looked each of them in the eye. "Remember, we are no longer a toothless tiger, dependent only on our HPG services to avoid destruction."