Chapter Seventy-Nine: Dismantle/Repair

Chapter Seventy-Nine: Dismantle/Repair

Luyten 68-28 August 25th, 3017

"Captain Rogers." I greeted the Comstar officer. "I need you to explain to me in your own words what is going on in Comstar's ranks." I handed him a glass of water. "If I like your answer, I might just repair the Bordeaux and send you on your way back to Terra."

Rogers just sat there for a minute collecting his thoughts. "There's something of an ideological disagreement between several factions in our ranks." He finally replied.

"Ideological differences rarely lead to trying to kill the entirety of the other side." I commented, "Unless one side is like the Spanish Inquisition."

"That's shockingly fitting." Rogers said. "To be completely honest with you, there's a radical faction who are trying to ensure that Comstar has total domination of the Inner Sphere." He met my eyes. "But you already knew that didn't you?"

"I suspected." I said after a moment. "And with the data we pulled from this system, I have confirmation." I paused for a minute. "If I return you to Terra, I expect you won't be supporting the radical faction?"

"No sir," He shook his head. "Not after they tried to kill us like that, I'll be supporting the moderates through and through." Rogers sighed. "I expect it will take time to clear out the radical elements though."

"That's fine." I responded. "Just so long as they stop trying to make war on me and my family."

"I can't promise anything." Rogers said after a moment of silence. "But I'll do what I can."

"Get the Bordeaux to the yardship." I told him, "We'll get your ship fixed up an rearmed and sent back on to Terra."

"And the rest of this system?" He asked me.

"This system." I replied, "Belongs to the Marksman now."

August 27th, 3017

"The populace giving us any issues?" I asked Mathis. "I don't want anybody doing anything stupid."

"No sir, they seem to have settled down." He responded. "They don't seem to much care as long as their standard of living isn't impacted."

"We'll have to maintain a presence in the system anyway." I replied. "The amount of material here is amazing."

"Yes sir." Rook replied. "I compiled a report of all of the orbital factories." He glanced down at his 'Noteputer. "We've got some massive Endo-Steel and Freezer factories in orbit, along with some other Lostech in production."

"Such as?" I asked. "We had to destroy a fair few of them due to the amount of radicals on board."

"The remaining factories produce Gauss Rifles and ERPPC's along with ER Large Lasers." He replied. "Those and the Freezer and Endo Steel foundries/factories were the ones that we prioritized, everything else is either in need of repairs, or we had to destroy."

"Lovell." I turned to the NCO at the table. "What Ships are able to be repaired in short order?"

"There's not much left of the Montpellier." He started. "We might be able to salvage the K-F drive and some of the capital weapons emplacements to move to the Kentares system, but it's pretty well shredded."

Glancing down, he consulted his list.

"They apparently were in the finishing stages of refitting the Cameron class here into a command ship. It just needs ammunition, a crew and it's ready to go." He sighed. "It seems they focused on the Cameron, and the Potemkin, and VincentclaIss ships here. Because all of the Lola III's here are in need of full repairs and to be brought out of Mothballs." He glanced down at his notes again. "While those three are in the late stages, the others are going to need a couple of years of yardwork to be brought back online."

"Well, considering we're going to be using this system as a base, I think we can spare the people to get them working again." I said. "While y'all were looking into everything else, I went on a search for the SLIC ships that may have been mothballed here." I grinned.

"And?" Hanse asked, finally speaking up. "What did you find?"

"There are Five Pueblo Class Dropships here along with three Bug Eye Warships." I got a little excited. "There are also several mothballed Nightwing's and three to four Tracker Warships.

"And that means what exactly?" Hanse asked me.

"It means that we have options for surveillance that we didn't have before." I told him, "We can use these vessels to help us keep tabs on the Draconis Combine, or any other nation that we might be up against." I shrugged. "By the way, do you mind delivering the Vincentclass to the Taurians."

"No, why have me deliver it though?" Hanse asked bluntly. "I'm a Davion."

"Exactly, just make sure to get a picture of Thomas's face when you're giving him the keys to the Warship ok?" I grinned. "I love messing with him."

"I worry that one day you're going to piss off the wrong person." Hanse told me. "And no one will be there to back you up."

"I never go anywhere alone anymore." I shrugged in response, still grinning. "So I've got backup everywhere I go."

Odessa, Lyran Commonwealth, August 25th, 3017

"I'm giving them the Commonwealth Medal of Honor." Archon Katrina Steiner told Colonel Felicia Paige and her XO Major Jenkins. "They earned it."

"I know they did." Paige responded sadly. "I just wish they didn't have to earn it at all."

"I'm having the noble's on Odessa tried for treason." Katrina told the two officers. "I know it's not much consolation, but it's what I have to offer for now."

"Thank you Ma'am." Jenkins and Paige replied in unison. "We're going to have their funeral on Kentares if you want to join us."

"I can't." Katrina gave a sad smile. "I spent too long away at the beginning of this year already."

"We'll record it for you." Paige responded. "I know they were your old Marksman Fireteam."

"You do that." Katrina replied. "If they have any family, I'll be matching whatever the Marksman provide for deaths in service."

"We appreciate it Ma'am." Paige replied. "But we take care of our own."