Chapter 29
Futures Bright and Dark
New Avalon
31st June, 3025
Hanse Davion
The talks with the Lyran Commonwealth, though already signed, were an artistic work in progress as the first Prince awaited his bride to be to come of age, even now, Katrina Steiner and her retinue were busy enjoying the ball that had been thrown in her honour. Tensions remained high between all parties as the carefully planned series of events were moving slowly into motion.
The careful moving of pieces across the board into critical positions. And yet, the First Prince had kept ever in mind the mercenaries with the ever strange technology base. Watching their strange and almost mysterious progress in the civil war tearing apart the Aurigan reach. The gathering of power into their colonels hands was an orchestra of strange orbits. And yet, the more he processed of the Raven Guard's activities, the further and further events seemed to bring the Raven Guard's political goals, and power, into alignment with his own interests. From the Capellan enemies, to managing to turn a Taurian Commodore to his own cause, and the talk of how the Raven Guard had annihilated an entire Battalion of Highlanders was the talk of mercenary circles.
And while the focus was on him. The New Avalon Institute of Science had made great leaps with the technology they'd been given. Advanced hovercraft were being tested even now on specially designed courses, the specialised jump battery concepts had matured to fruition and even been utilised in other projects, such the aptly named Heavy Laser project that was being worked on. Or even the tracking laser project. The last was going to be the crowning jewel of the NAIS weapons projects. Using a variation of the gravity plating technology, mated to advanced tactical computers, that would create enough of a gravitational gradient to 'adjust' the aim of laser weapons to hit their intended targets.
"Hanse, it is a lovely party you're throwing here." Katrina said coming up to him like the supremely confident, and powerful, woman she was.
"It i..." A pair of officers were running through the party to his position and Hanse frowned. "What is the meaning of..."
The first thrust a datapad into his face. On it was an image from the Jumpships at the nadir point. Several. Ships had been 'thrust' aside by the arrival of what can only be described as alien monstrosities, like they'd kidnapped some sort of neo-gothic architect and compelled him to build the massive ships he could see. As he watched, they sat there for almost fifteen minutes before massive torches lit behind them, the monster in the centre accelerating at half a gee. The engine flare differences told him the others were restraining their potential.
"Gods above. With me, if you'll forgive me Katrina I mu.."
"Oh no, i'm coming with you," she held up a datapad of her own.
Nodding Hanse headed for the command centre in the palace, passing orders for the planetary defences to be put on standby and everybody at the NAIS with a telescope to train them on that part of the sky. Finally making their way into the command centre there was an limitless buzz of activity.
Hanse made his way over to the communications console. "This is First Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns. You have made an unauthorised incursion into the New Avalon System, cease your drive burns." Katrina looked at him with her head cocked, as if you ask 'what would you do if they refuse?'
They waited breathlessly as light-speed delay prevented an active or instant reply. But soon the message found its destination, and hopefully a reply was on the way. The wait was no better for a return message than it was for the original.
"This is Admiral Spire of the Raven Guard and Lathe Nation. We are requesting high anchor in geostationary orbit. Otto Davion of Lycomb-Davion Introtech, Timothy Markham of Markhams Skunkworks and Duke Kane Giordino request permission to transit to the surface with assorted parties and request immediate audience with your august self. Including to explain what you're seeing." The voice said in a measured tone of one following directions.
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I waited for the response, not having slowed down but counting on the sight he beheld to prompt Hanse into action, or at least prompt a diplomatic branch by not risking my wroth at the sight of these ships. And to be entirely fair, I was in a hurry to get there, Miranda was due any day now and had expressed a desire for their child to be born dirtside, and where better than New Avalon?
Eventually the vox chimed. "Thank you for your explanation, though you did not cease your acceleration, I must say, the presence of one of my cousins piques my interest, as do your ships. You should be aware that we are currently hosting state functions including talks with the Lyran Commonwealth and Katrina Steiner has expressed her own curiosity in wanting to meet the man who owns the ships." Shit. Double Shit and Triple Shit. "You are granted permission to enter high orbit within this band." The transmission included the co-ordinate limitations. Basically, nothing that had a direct LoS to the capital city or the NAIS.
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The shuttle trip down to the palace was no less nerve-wracking as we stopped the Aquila at the hospital where Markham had received his cybernetics and Miranda was taken for admission before we continued on to the palace under strict directions.
And I did not feel all that comfortable as I set down and a dozen battlemechs surrounded the landing pad. As the passenger compartment lowered I stepped out in the finest uniform I had in my possession, but my bolt pistol had been left at home, swapped out for a Plasma Pistol. Markham and Otto followed closely as I headed for the door that would lead inside as a number of FedSuns MIIO operatives emerged with other operatives from the DMI. Glitch and Ostergaard had my back wearing their Knight Armour and carrying Hellguns while Otto simply marched past me and Markham paused next to me looking equally nervous.
"Please, come with us. It may not be safe out here." One of the MIIO operatives said, her husky voice betraying a sense of nervousness, coupled with her glances at the sky I knew she was probably terrified of my ships, despite them being well over the horizon.
There was nothing to do but follow the MIIO operative as she lead us, under guard, to a large chamber where we were asked to hand over our weapons.
"I don't think so." I said as I turned to face her, Glitch and Ostergaard looking worried as they gripped their weapons more tightly. Markham tried to make warding gestures but I brushed it off. "I understand the need and desire for security, and I've been willing to entertain it up to this point, but I will not allow us to be disarmed while there is such uncertainty to be had."
"This wasn't a request sir, for the safety of..."
"I wasn't joking. We've just arrived in five ships bigger than anything you've got and come down in a minimally armed shuttle, and agreed to be taken into a room with no information, I am willing to trust. But that trust is not unlimited." I said taking a seat.. "So you can try and shoot us and see how that goes, or ask the First Prince if he can reciprocate the trust a little?"
The look of hate, followed by panic, on her face showed that she had nothing in her orders jacket that covered this sort of situation. "Kane, you can't anger these people they're..."
"I know Markham. But right now, i'm feeling quite unloved and vulnerable." I said plainly.
The MIIO operative snapped to her subordinates to watch us and left.
It was almost half an hour before twice as many guards filed in, this time armed with Blazer rifles, but behind them Hanse Davion and Katrina Steiner made their entrance into the room. "Greetings First Prince, I apologise for my abrupt arrival, but circumstances and possibilities necessitated my visit."
"Like threatening my security detail?"
"I didn't threaten," I said with a shrug, "I merely pointed out, quite fairly if I might add, that I am in an incredibly vulnerable position, especially given what i've revealed." Hanse nodded but Katrina cocked her head.
"Perhaps you'd like to explain what you'd like to offer for the damage to the jump-ships at the Nadir point? Two of my own jumpships had their jump sails damaged irreparably. Or perhaps even just..." Hanse put a hand on her shoulder and she stopped for now, but the expression on her face said it was a test, to bait me, that Hanse hadn't recognised.
"We can discuss that later, but I have spent some time discussing matters with Otto, if you had arrived with anything less I would have believed he was mad. And yet... I saw those ships. You seem intent on tying your fates to the Federated Suns, and yet I find myself ever more curious why." Hanse sat down on a chair staring at me.
"If there is anyone in this room who don't have the highests security clearances, I would request you ask them to leave, not counting my people of course." To my surprise Hanse did as I asked, and most of the guards left, though the MIIO operatives remained. Finally I nodded. "The fact is Hanse, the Periphery is a goddamned wildland."
"Pirates plague every world not under the umbrella of a successor state or those few truly successful independent nations that have cropped up and have varying states of trustworthiness. Last time we spoke you mentioned the Federated Commonwealth, and it doesn't take much to guess where that is going to come from, either you are going to marry Katrina, or you have agreed to betroth to her daughter Melissa." I didn't need the expression on their faces to know the answer, but even so Melissa was only about fifteen or sixteen at the moment.
"That means you will form the most powerful political power block in the Inner Sphere, but you need a way to unite borders. The only possible candidate for kicking around for a landgrab is the Capellans, the Combine is too powerful to risk antagonising for a small land grab. The point is, I plan on securing the Periphery as my base of power, I plan on kicking the snot out of the Capellans and making some land-grabs of my own, and maybe put that bitch Romano to death before she hires even more assassins." I leaned back as the disconcerted looks on their faces reached me.
"I also plan on making friends and allies, bring together those nations of the Periphery that deserve a chance at greatness, the Aurigan Coalition, the Magistracy of Canopus, but we have our own enemies. We have talked Commodore Ostergaard here from his immensely powerful role into our own way of life, we've angered the Capellans through Romano, and i'd bet at this very moment some Comstar lickspittle is screaming every ounce of data he can back home to Terra."
I paused, out of breath and out of things to monologue.
Hanse and Katrina snapped out a few orders and more people left the room. "Dammit, I thought you'd missed that, or didn't understand the significance of it and yet now you've blur... no it's my fault. If i'd realised you actually meant what you said by high security i'd have .. done more." Hanse sounded flustered. "You have to understand, we are not ready for our goals to move forwards, Melissa needs to come of age and our treaties are still a secret. And now you've dropped in with technology far beyond..."
I nodded and he stopped. "I understand. And it's part of why I came here. So long as I am the sole proprietor of this technology, I will forever be a target, and so i've come to offer a number of technologies for sale to the Federated Suns, or should I say, future Commonwealth. Now shall we talk?"
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Exhaustion. That was my reward, after the cold welcome we had quickly devolved into talks and discussions on various fronts which all began to boil down to the difficulty of being considered public, let alone open, supporters of my crusade. And yet, progress was made, discussions on what could be done without them kicking off the fourth Succession War before they were ready was passed around.
And yet, tomorrow was going to be the real trial. For now, i'd headed to the hospital and been admitted to Miranda's room where I promptly crashed into a deep sleep.
Dreams assailed me as I slept, nightmares as well. Of everything I was trying to build being burned, torn down and assaulted on several fronts. The promises of technology of Project Astropath shared with the galaxy, turning it into a hell as ComStar panic with the loss of control the invalidation of HPGs would cause. The Manei Domini and Word of Blake rising too soon in panicked over-reaction.
Deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole my mind assaulted itself until a scream broke me from my reverie. Miranda was sitting up, and I knew what it was. "Oh shit. Doctors!" I shouted as I found myself in the hallway, not entirely sure how I made it from my seat to the hall. The crack of dawn peeking through the curtains as the called it in.
The next six hours were a blur of half remembered agonies as Miranda did her best to crush my right hand into powder as the process of removing new human life from its juicy manufactorum was carried out by professionals infinitely more qualified than I was to be there. What I had thought was to be my child turned out to be triplets. And I cursed telling the medicaes that I'd rather not know anything and keep it a surprise as I tried to metaphorically juggle my three newborns while Miranda smiled contentedly at me, Trotter and Markham giving rousing, but gentle, backslapping congratulations as the nurses passed my children to Miranda.
"Have you considered names?" Miranda asked me, as she held our two sons and daughter. Medical staff hovering over her. We had had this discussion before, but with my choice not to know details, it had not gotten far. But still...
"Zachariah, for the man responsible for Lathe, Mark because of this lug who helped me when everything went to hell for the Aurigan people, and Leanne, after your mother." The grin on her face said she agreed. And Markham was blushing so hard I worried he'd pop a blood vessel. I knew then that i'd do anything to protect these people. Anything at all, and that nothing could possibly bring me down off of this high for at least a week.
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I remember sleep. I remember it fondly, though it seemed to have abandoned me to my own devices. Memory of drifting off comfortably into the embrace of oblivion for hours upon hours was treasured as surely as the memory of the birth of my children. Miranda wasn't faring any better, though our people had risen to the occasion and helped out where they could, Markham in particular seemed to adopt a grandfatherly role, even as I napped in this overly comfortable chair.
But now we had been told to go to bed in no uncertain terms as Trotter, Markham and Glitch promised to take good care of the triplets while we got some true sleep. The bed looked so inviting, it called me with the insistence that only the machine spirits could otherwise manage. Lullabies rang through my skull as I seemed to float down to meet the bedframe. Miranda not far behind me, clutching one another we felt the spectres of sleep claim us. Tomorrow we would be facing Katrina and Hanse again.
But as my head physically impacted the pillow oblivion claimed me totally and entirely.
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Markham & Trotter
"Gods above, I've never seen him that exhausted." Markham said as he watched over the cribs with Trotter. Sharing a well aged drink. "He's fought wars and come away better rested." A foot lightly rocked the closest of them. "And Miranda didn't look much less so."
Trotter nodded, smiling. "The Throne Mechanicum does take it's toll, but the pilots can nap from time to time. The machine spirits try to take good care of their pilot. But parenthood takes its toll."
Markham cocked his head. "Can't say as I can say from experience, but most parents of newborn single children seem tired all the time, what else could we expect from three? The issue is if this is going to be a problem we need to plan around?"
Trotter laughed, quietly. "Something we need to plan around absolutely. Problem? Absolutely. But not in the manner you expect," He took a drink from a tumbler, "Kane's a practical man, and Miranda is absolutely chomping at the bit to get back into the thick of it. And as nobility of Lathe, our people are going to band together to see any need these kids have is going to be met with alacrity. These kids are going to get the best education, the best care... I am not worried for the kids."
Markham raised an eyebrow. "So where is the problem going to come from?"
"They're both first-time parents. They're going to fuss, want second opinions, a sneeze will probably send them scurrying for the medicae to figure out how long the kid has left to live. And of course, they're not going to want to be separated for any extensive period of time from their children, which as I'm sure you understand, is not something soldiers can afford." Trotter had another mouthful of drink, a move followed by Markham doing the same.
"Is it going to be that big of a problem?"
"Potentially yes. But maybe not, there will definitely be some fussing, but both of those kids have practical heads on their shoulders. Kane isn't likely to question the medicae on anything they say and i'd wager he wants the triplets kept safe on the Forgeworld." Trotter said with a shrug.
"True, and Behemoth has always been a practical woman.. what are their goals here Trotter, we spent a fair amount of time in transit and I still can't say I know what he's expecting out of this meeting tomorrow." Markham asked, worried.
"A new future," Trotter said, "ever since I reunited with him, Kane has had his gaze firmly fixed on something in the future, as you may know the Throne Mechanicum exaggerates dominant personal traits, and suppresses others when the first bonding is done. And ambition is the chief trait it exaggerates. He sees the Inner Sphere, and he sees a humanity riven by infighting, factionalism and technological regression. I see it too, and I know that it's a product of being born and raised on Lathe. When raised among wonders, can the mundane ever seem anything but?" Trotter shifted uncomfortably, "I believe Kane intends to establish an Empire in the Periphery. Bring the oppressed and marginalized worlds and forge them straight towards the future."
"But what is that future? What is he after."
"The Golden Age of Mankind." Trotter said as Zachariah began to cry.
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The sleep had been dreamless, I knew that much. And after twelve hours of rest, I awoke almost refreshed. Sunlight pushed weakly through the curtains and my arm was dead where Miranda was still laying on it, and yet I was content. "Morning?" She said as the unwelcome reality of being awake reached her too.
"Midmorning I think." I sat up and reached for my Chrono. It was still two hours before we would be meeting with Katrina and Hanse, this time at the NAIS.
Getting up was hard, and yet I did, locating my dress uniform that Trotter had thoughtfully left out as I headed for the shower, Miranda a few steps behind me. "So they didn't wake us up." She asked as the water started running and we climbed under.
"Trotter's had kids before, so I didn't expect any trouble." I chuckled as we washed. Unfortunately, that was the cue for fate to intervene, the door chime ringing. It was time for real talk.
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The NAIS was as well appointed as I expected last time I was here, but this time security was beefed up well beyond what I had seen last time, and curiously, it was not aimed my way as we were escorted towards a conference room where Katrina, Hanse and a number of others were already waiting. With me Miranda, Markham and Magos Cortezar made our way into the chambers, with the Magos having to fold his servo-arms in close to his body.
Whispers started up as soon as he entered the room and his mechanical limbs unfolded as he examined the people present with his cybernetic senses. Otto, who say apart from both of us, stood and consulted his dataslate, having never met Cortezar before.
"My Lord Hanse Davion and esteemed guest Archon Katrina Steiner, may I present Duke Kane Giordino, Warden of the Raven Guard, Duke of Lathe. Duchess Miranda Giordino, Timothy Markham CEO of Markhams Skunkworks and Magos Cortezar Helm the Fabricator General of the Lathe nation." The Majos had beamed with pride when I granted him the title. But it was his diligence that had kept the Forgeworld and her half a million people safe and prosperous.
We bowed politely and took the seats indicated.
Hanse was the first to speak, "We understand that you're seeking formal recognition and even support, the friendship of the Federated Suns, and through that future, the Federated Commonwealth. We understand your intentions to secure and bring the Periphery states into your own umbrella of protection, and of course we are ever grateful for the technology you shared with us. But at this time, we see little interest in investing in what might be a failed endeavor before it has even begun." The words were true, but politically motivated, the beginning of a trade, not any sort of final message.
I stood and Markham glanced at me nervously, though he was publicly our face, he knew he lacked the critical knowledge for these negotiations. Least of all how far I would negotiate with them.
"Thank you for seeing me First Prince, and it is a pleasure to be present to witness the radiant Katrina Steiner. But, as one might expect, only a degree of exchange has happened of late, and I have naturally kept things close to my chest. With I believe, a healthy amount of paranoia. It would't surprise me at all if there weren't a ComStar flunky with a glass to the door at this very moment." A healthy round of laughter a C*s expense filled the chamber for a moment.
"As for what I have to offer, that is a great deal, though as you might expect I am unwilling to simply share all our secrets, so much of that will remain close to our hearts. But there are a number of things we are willing to share and help others with. And perhaps shake the very foundation of the inner sphere with." I tossed a hololithic plate onto the table and Cortezar engaged his own datapad.
"When I first came to New Avalon, I brought the secret of gravity plating, Armigers, and our battery technology. And they were the least I could offer, what I had to offer. But now I offer something quite a bit more." I said with a wry smile.
Katrina spoke up, skeptical. "Define 'quite a bit more' ".
I nodded, accepting the statement disguised as a question. "There are four key technologies that I am willing to trade or provide in order for your public support, and more. The first is our medical technology."
"We are not exactly poor when it comes to medicines Duke Giordino," Hanse said, "The Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth likely lead such developments outside of Terra under ComStar."
Again I nodded. He was speaking truth. As best they knew it. "According to the records I have been able to obtain, the average lifespan before a natural death for the nobility of the successor states, while varying, ranges between eighty to a hundred."
Hanse consulted one of his people. "That is correct."
"And is it much different for the Lyran Commonwealth?"
Katrina frowned, thinking. "I don't think so, but I had not expected this so I didn't look into it."
I accepted that, "During the last forty years of Lathe's existence, a process called Rejuvenat was developed. This process causes a degree of age regression on a physiological level, all estimates are that the average lifespan of a Lathe citizen that undergoes rejuvenat treatments once every twenty years is two hundred, with the possibility of extension to three hundred with supplementary cybernetic enhancement. In addition, most major diseases are considered eradicated, such as cancer. Though not even we have licked the common cold." There was an expression of disbelief, understandably, the fountain of youth was a popular toy of the snake oil salesmen. "If there are any volunteers, I would be entirely content to prove our claims with a demonstration, after this hearing of course."
"The Second, and Third, are something of a package deal. The secrets of interstellar FTL travel that bypasses the mass limitations of a traditional Kearny-Fuchida drive. And a powerplant sufficiently powerful to power it. Look above New Avalon and see the proof above you, three escorts around the six million tonne range, one vessel around the twenty million ton range and one that is sixty million tons." The buzzing around the room was one of uncertainty.
"The production of a standard Jumpship is difficult enough, least of all one that uses many many times as much mass, the germanium require..." Hanse said before I, politely, cut him off.
"The 'Warp' Drive requires less Germanium than a standard Kearny-Fuchida drive. Though a number of key elements in the drives production have to be artificially produced in our own manufactorums. The only current downsides of the technology, as it is still considered to be a prototypical technology still undergoing experimentation and testing, is that the power requirements shut down a ship on jump for up to ten minutes, and that as you noticed, there is a significant gravitational shock front on our arrival."
"The damage to jump sails if that is a frequent occurance may be too much to countenance."
I shook my head. "No First Prince, our ships don't use Jump Sails at all, the Warp Drive is powered off of the ships own reactors."
There was some murmuring, but no commitments. "The last, is sharing with you, and even courting your co-operation developing it, project Astropath. Our Locuras has brought down the number of viable options to one, the Tachyon Communication Grid."
"And what is that going to do?" Hanse asked. Curiosity peaked.
"Destroy ComStars monopoly on interstellar transcommunication. If not destroy ComStar as a political entity as their enclaves become obsolete. Project Astropath is Tachyonic FTL Communication." The room exploded into excited speculation, breaking Comstars monopoly on interstellar communications was one of the goals they had been trying to achieve.
The chance to end ComStar's hand on their throats