Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Five: Black Water Revival
Banon, February 28th, 3036
"Alright people, we are one jump away from the capital of the Outworlds Alliance, and we are going in loaded for bear," Carter briefed the senior staff of the 1st Marksman who were seated at a holotable in her main dropship. "Commodore Bruce will be taking it from here."
"Thank you Colonel," Bruce replied as he stood up and took control of the holotable, bringing up some data for the staff. "We have managed to get some intel on what awaits us there, and it's not going to be pretty.
The Warships will be jumping in first, we have confirmed at least one Battleship, a cruiser or two, what seems to be a destroyer and several corvettes. We'll be bringing a Jumpship with a Lithium-Fusion battery along to use as a relay for when the void is clear for the invasion forces to come on through." Bruce sighed heavily as he looked at the staff. "I'll also be stripping you of half of your Stingescorts and aerospace assets, we're going to need them for the fight ahead."
"We lift off at the end of the week," Carter told her staff. "I'll be personally handling the distribution of escorts. This is it people, our chance to liberate the Outworlds Alliance from the boot of the insane Word of Blake and to help them get set up so that it never happens again."
"You heard the lady, move like you got a purpose!" Colonel David said when the staff hesitated on leaving the briefing room. "We've all got jobs to complete before we move on, now let's hop to it."
The staff dispersed, leaving the two ground commanders alone with Commodore Bruce.
"You brought some relief supplies along in your Warships right?" Carter asked. "I meant to ask you earlier but I got busy."
"We brought some, but not enough for the whole city," Bruce grimaced. "We're lucky that it's warm here, otherwise they'd have had even more issues."
"Bruce, the people were already near starvation on most of the worlds of the Outworlds Alliance before the Word of Blake took over," Carter explained. "The reason that the Wobbies were able to take over so effectively is because they actually made it better in the worlds of the Outworlds Alliance. If people are being fed when they were near starvation before then they're more likely to let you rule over them." Carter sighed. "The supplies are for the POWs, they've not been treated well, if at all."
"We'll offload the supplies," Bruce responded after a minute of processing. "I assume that young Hull-Kerensky is going to be following close behind in order to support the invasion from here?"
"Yeah, he's been handling the logistics incredibly well for the most part," Carter replied. "Hanse did send a letter that reprimanded him for excessive force when he tossed that Dropship captain into the brig though."
"Bad optics," Bruce shook his head. "He's got a good head on his shoulders he just doesn't have the same level of experience as the rest of us do yet."
"That's why he's only getting a slap on the wrist for this," Carter began packing up her gear. "It turned out that the captain did have the proper authorization stored away on his dropship's computer, but he had locked himself out of the systems and hadn't been able to access them yet."
"I.T is going to have a ball with that one," Bruce shook his head with a wry chuckle and a twinkle in his eye. "It might even be forgotten by command that David screwed up if the captain actually lost his command encryption keys."
"If that's the case, then we'll hear about it at the end of the investigation," Carter replied with a half shrug. "And while David is still in charge of the logistics, Yvonne Davion has stepped in over the military side of it now while he handles the actual distribution of supplies."
"Either way, it's going to be something to keep an eye on," Bruce agreed. "I'm heading back up to the Vanguard, there's a lot of prep work to be done."
March 1st, 3036
"Thanks for coming to assist Admiral, we will definitely need the help,"Bruce said over comms to the Admiral over the Davion squadron of Waships that had just entered the system.
"We're ready for a fight, Commodore, and while we didn't bring the whole fleet, we did bring some of the nuclear arsenal to hopefully help even the playing field a bit."
"I'd say we have a fairly solid chance of taking out the enemy fleet sir," Bruce replied with a small smile. "But I'd rather have the canned sunshine and not have to use it than not have it and need it."
"Then you'll be glad to hear that the pilots that will be holding and potentially using said nukes will be pilots from the Taurian Concordat," the Admiral replied. "They've lent us the use of one of their corvettes as well. We've also got the Lyrans pitching in with the Invincible, we've got a lot riding on this, so let's make sure that we coordinate properly."
"Yes sir, I'll be placing the Vanguard and the Age of Discovery under your command," Bruce replied. "I'll offer what advice I can, but there's not a whole lot of people that have been a part of Warship battles in the recent past."
"And you're one of those people," the admiral spoke up. "That's why you're the XO and in charge of the tactical planning for this op, because I trust that you'll have good judgment on these things."
"Aye sir!" Bruce responded. "I was XO in the last naval battle I was a part of as well."
"We'll broadcast the new chain of command before we get underway," the admiral stated. "Now let's get the planning done, the Word of Blake has stood for long enough."
Haynesville, March 3rd, 3036
"Thank you again ma'am," David said to Yvonne Davion. "I was nearly at my wits end with some of the more by the book people."
"You have to learn how to manage them properly," Yvonne explained to the much younger man. "They have their place and are typically good at their specific jobs, but blowing up at them will typically change nothing."
"I'm starting to understand that now, and that's why I'm thanking you," David replied. "I haven't quite been taught this sort of thing yet."
"It was something that would have been handled by you remaining in the Kentares Guard for longer," Yvonne said with a small smile on her face as she handed David and Elsa a cookie. "But this crisis changed that when we couldn't find your father."
"Either way, this has been an eye opener into why my father hates politics," David chuckled. "I never understood it until now though."
"That Mark has managed to avoid the courts for as long as he has is unusual," Yvonne said as she leaned back into her chair. "Most of us have to make much more regular appearances."
"He always managed to be doing something else unless it was an incredibly important event," David recalled.
"That, and the fact that his Ducal Guard have thwarted no less than fifty assassination attempts from various sources in the last fifteen years," Yvonne frowned. "Given that most lords and ladies didn't want a small army to land on their planets without good reason.." Yvonne trailed off. "The only bigger protection details in the Inner Sphere are those of the House Lords. So most people would rather he not pay them a visit."
"Great, my father has terrorized an entire group of the nobility," David snarked. "Now all I have to do is smooth over the ruffled feathers until they're willing to cooperate."
"I would caution you to take it slowly," Yvonne replied. "A lot of your fathers soft power lies in Sharpshooter, and the fact that no one wanted to be cut off from a premier military supplier, so keep in mind that as long as your family owns the corporation you will always have those sorts of problems."
"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it," David replied. "Now, what is your advice for handling brown-nosers?"