36

As soon as the series of meetings with the various companies was over and after having given the final instructions to "my" government, I started preparing myself to leave for Coromodir. The day before my planned departure, I received a message from Thomas requesting that I went to Taurus ASAP. Showing what ASAP meant, he had arranged for a 'Pony Express' chain of JumpShips to accelerate my arrival.

What now I wondered. I had "just" left and many things could also be discussed via HPG.

The trip was happily without surprises and two weeks later, I was on a DropShip approaching the capital of Taurian Concordat.

The first news I received while still in flight was that ComStar had Interdicted the Federated Suns due to an attack on the HPG in Sarna. I smiled and muttered 'We happily continue to follow the script, I see. Hopefully ComStar will remain busy with the Inner Sphere for a long time.' I saw the stunned look of the captain of the DropShip, who restrained himself and did not comment, while I swore for saying that out loud.

As soon as I landed, I was brought to Thomas' private cabinet, and the reason behind the emergency became crystal clear. Anne-Maria Centrella was there with both Calderons.

It turned out that Magestrix Kyalla Centrella had decided to fix her relations with the Concordat and had sent Anne-Marie to work out the details.

The proposal that the Magestrix was making me was that my companies would upgrade Magesty Metals and Manufacturing (MMM) to the same level that VMI had been, help rebuild the Dragonfly line and sell as much of VMI production as possible (obviously the one not already sold by firm contracts in the next two years) to the Magistracy. Thanks to the new construction lines (not only of 'Mechs and ASF but also vehicles and components), the upgrades of older lines and the capacity to order parts from companies inside the Concordat that had also been upgraded, VMI now had a lot of untapped production capability, which would for the first time be pushed to its limits. The Magistracy wanted to buy everything at real market price, not even asking for a discount for such big order, with the only condition being that the operation should be kept secret as long as possible. Clearly, Thomas was okay with that, otherwise he wouldn't have called me here. Apart from that confidentiality clause and the size of the order, it was a normal contract and one that provided VMI with the necessary funds for some expansions / research I had in mind, so I had no problem signing it (furthermore with the blessing of the Protector).

I was also informed but with no details that the Magistracy and the Concordat had signed a treaty of non-aggression and several commercial accords. Ah, and that the last part of the Aurigan debt still in Magistracy hands had been transferred to the Concordat...

My inner thoughts told me that Kyalla Centrella had understood how fragile House Liao was and was already planning her future offensive against it. No doubt that she had already talked with Catherine Humphreys. But, for going as far as launching this offensive, she needed the Concordat help to beef up her military forces and to give her quiet borders, so it was obvious that she would want to be in good terms with the Concordat or turn them into allies. In order to do that she was ready to let split her last piece of influence / interest in the Reach.

With the political questions already addressed by Thomas and the technical side also dealt with, my principal question was if the Concordat would be going into that total mess that was the Andurien Crisis as I knew it.

When I asked Thomas in private (I didn't want Anne-Marie to know that I might have a clue about their plans) about that (putting the case as hypothetical as I couldn't say how much I knew about this universe), he answered that, for now, the Concordat was going to stay away, but that depending on the performance of both sides, maybe it would try a quick land grab. Hypothetically, of course. While I was not informed on the guarantees or reasons Anne-Marie gave the Calderons that the Concordat would not be the target, both of them seemed to consider them good enough.

Even before Anne-Marie departed for Canopus, the issue of the new relations between the Concordat and the Aurigan Restoration was addressed. A message was sent to Kamea 'inviting' her to come to Taurus to negotiations, with a possible clearing of the Aurigan debt that is now in Concordat hands to attract her and providing her with the same 'Pony Express' fast travel I had received. Kamea arrived at Taurus after Anne-Marie had departed, conveniently removing the Magistracy from these negotiations.

To the surprise of the Aurigan leader, she was received with all honors and treated like an important chief-of-state and not like the leader of a small nation being called by the local super-power.

Instead of demands, she received a proposal for a formal alliance with her as the junior partner, but with offers of financial support and access to technology and production that her nation so desperately needed. The Concordat gained access to the for now, poor Aurigan market, and one of the secret clauses was that should there be a war between the Concordat and the Capellan Confederation, Concordat troops would be able move freely through the Aurigan territory.

The offer included a selection of the data in the data cores focusing on agriculture, civil industry and medicine as well as the repair and expansion of the dockyard in orbit of Mechdur, the expansion of the military-industrial complex on the same planet with the creation of lines for production for conventional fighting vehicles and fighters and some low tech parts to sell to the Concordat and Magistracy military forces. That Concordat companies (including VMI) gained partnership with the Aurigan companies – and in some cases like in Mechdur control over them - that received support was one added condition.

Until now Kamea had made good use of her time, consolidating the power in her hands (among other actions she had ordered that all belongings of the now extinct House Espinosa would be given as repayment to House Arano) and rebuilding what she could of her nation. But it had been badly damaged during the civil war and the ongoing Fourth Succession War did not help at all in the development of trade, the Aurigan so desperately needed. So, the proposal from the Concordat was the solution to her problems, even if it turned the control of substantial parts of her economy to Concordat hands.

To Kamea's surprise, (the issue had already been talked with me before with Thomas securing my agreement) Thomas also wanted us to marry, sealing the alliance of both nations. He didn't offer the hand of his son, because the Aurigan Restoration was a minor nation compared to the Concordat but going through me was still a way to link both nations.

The last part of the deal was the clearing of all the Aurigan debt, Thomas had already secured the part that I and VMI controlled. One of the benefits for the Concordat was that it secured that part of the border, gained a junior partner and many low tech industries in the Concordat had access to a whole new market.

Without revealing anything, Kamea asked for some time to think, which obviously was granted and left for the Aurigan Embassy.

Without much surprise, the next day I received an invitation requesting me to visit her.

As soon as I arrived at the embassy, I was immediately directed to her room. She received me as the perfect High Lady, nothing in her attitude, pose or tone of voice would make me think that we had been lovers.

I was subjected to a long questioning about the proposed deal, whether it had been my idea, what my plans were, what I thought of the situation and how I saw the future of Aurigan Restoration in case the proposal was accepted, what Thomas planned to do in the future, etc.

I answered as best I could, without revealing secrets and trying my best to maintain an equivalent tone and pose to the Kamea's one.

Finally, and without revealing anything about what she planned to do, Kamea dismissed me.

'This is not going very well Jean-Luc' was my thought when I left the embassy.

Two days later I was called back by Thomas.

Thomas, Edward and Kamea were already there when I arrived.

Fortunately and contrary to what I had feared, Kamea had accepted the proposal. And when she said so, she looked at me and winked and smiled (a warm smile).

'One of these days that girl is going to be my death' I murmured to myself.

'Did you say anything ?' Asked Edward with the air of someone who was having immense pleasure painted on is face.

I answered back with the best innocent face I could manage. 'Nothing, my Lord, I'm just very happy with the decision of her Highness'.

The next day, me and Kamea departed for Coromodir and Edward to New Avalon, no doubt to make a very interesting proposal to Hanse Davion.