President’s House
Gillfillan’s Gold, Rim Collection
Periphery
14th October 3094
Jerry Able headed into the compound that was the Rim Collection’s President’s House, visibly tired from having to take part in the campaign. While he publicly demanded an election, the public he knew was behind him. Very much so, for the last polls showed he held a forty percent lead over the closest other presidential candidate, Congresswoman Megan Hunt of Hiberius.
Unlike his daughter, Karen, he approved full-heatedly of the election. He just wished it wouldn’t take so much energy out of his aging body. Still, he was proud of his nation, his people. Tomorrow was the election, and already the larger voting centers were reporting lines as people began showing up so that their vote may be heard.
Only two things worried him at the moment. The Gold Herold, the newspaper company owned partially by his family, had begun printing articles that at least heavily implied his family should inherit the Rim Collection. He well knew it was Karen’s influence and the Able name that had the Gold Herold in the palm of Karen’s hands. With the Gold Herold being the second largest newspaper on Gillfillan’s Gold, and beginning to branch out to other worlds within the Rim Collection, Jerry knew he would have to keep a close eye on the newspaper.
The second thing that worried him, though, was the Stone Spirit attack on Caldarium and their near destruction of the BattleMech factory complex producing the Rim Collection’s sole assault BattleMech at the moment. Karen was on that world, now, overseeing the deployment of a large number of the Collection’s reserve assets. She had reported that morning the factory complex had only just finished being cleaned from radiation and would begin to be rebuilt sometime next week.
That had given his eldest grandson, Charlie, who ran Able’s Arms, Limited, a desire to get into the BattleMech production business, specifically to replace Rim Motors as the primary supplier of assault BattleMechs. That was mute until the young man actually supplied a design for just that. Still, he already had to publicly stand impartial between the upcoming fight between Rim Motors and Able’s Arms, less he be seen as not wanting to support the vastly popular Rim Motors. His latest speech had seen to that.
In the same speech, he also outright told everyone his plan to attend the upcoming Star League conference, where he would push for trade with the Star League Protectorate and the other Inner Sphere states and seek aid against the Stone Spirits. That had been met with applause and, he knew, had caught Megan Hunt and the other three presidential candidates off guard. While he knew it likely sealed his victory in tomorrow’s election, it also was a firm reminder that they needed allies, even with the Fire Mandrills at their side.
He was pulled out of his thoughts and stopped, leaning against his damned cane, as he heard his name. Turning around, he saw the Fire Mandrill Khan, Aemelia Showers, storm her way towards him, followed closely behind by Fire Mandrill Adjunct Lysa Djerassi in her wheelchair. By the look on both clanner's faces, he knew whatever they wanted was certainly not a social call.
“Congratulations on you finally becoming Bloodnamed and your elevation to Khan of the Mandrills, Khan Showers,” he congratulated the clan woman with graying hair. His congratulation was answered with a short, clipped nod from the khan, as befitting the one even her clan called the Cat, in respect for her past as a former Smoke Jaguar warrior. “I gather this is not a social call, quineg?” He asked the woman, using the clan term to show his respect of her.
“Neg, President Able. This certainly is not!” the clanner woman all but snarled at him. While both respected each other for their individual abilities, it reminded him he did not have as close a relationship with this woman then he did with the previous two leaders. And that showed, for only days after her elevation to what should have been Kindraa Leader of Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga, the old woman instead declared the reformation of Clan Fire Mandrill under her command. While worrying, he knew it was only a pride issue with the weak clan and not anything more disturbing then that, for the clan would keep to their word to help protect the Collection.
Sighing to himself, he decided to lead the two clan women to his private office, as he did not want to deal with them in a public environment. “This way then, ladies. And you will have to excuse my slowness. Still need this damn cane to get around with, after all,” jostling the wooden cane he hated very much towards his office as he spoke to them. He still clung to his pride as a MechWarrior, after all.
Once in his office, Khan Aemelia Showers wasted no time to inform him of why she demanded to speak to him, as he quietly sat down in the comfortable sofa in the room. “Earlier today, Master Merchant Heather of the Steelsoul Khanate, based here on Gilfillan’s Gold, informed us of Evangeline Clarke being unable to convince her clan to allow my Mandrills to maintain our control over Armory Epsilon.”
“Armory Epsilon,” he asked questioningly. While his status as President of the Mandrills meant he knew much more than the regular civilian would about the Collection’s resident clan, Aemelia’s recent reforms within the clan meant even he did not know everything about the Mandrills.
The wheelchair-bound Lysa Djerassi answered his question in place of her khan. “Armory Epsilon produces our Masada infantry fighting vehicles and the new Koshi BattleMechs we have begun to trade with the Collection’s permission with the Free World Remnants and the Star League Protectorate, President Able.”
That answered everything now, for he had heard the other Sea Fox Khanates were not happy at the Steelsoul Khanate for allowing the Mandrills to produce the light BattleMech. “Is All Dawn at danger of being attacked by the Foxes, Khan?”
Both clan women looked at each other, seemingly in an unspoken conversation, before the new Fire Mandrill khan responded to his question. “Unlikely, for the moment. Knowing the Foxes, they will merely declare a Trial of Possession against my clan for Armory Epsilon itself rather than attack All Dawn full out. Still, if and when they do come calling, my clan is too spread out and weakened to properly protect the factory complex, as it is just not worth risking our enclave on All Dawn.”
“What can the Collection do to help with this situation Khan?” he asked the Fire Mandrill khan. “It is not as if we are in a position to come to your aid without weakening the Collection’s borders ourselves.”
“I know that!” yelled out Aemelia as she slammed her fist on his desk that she was leaning on. The motion caused three of Able’s protective detail to check on them. Only after Able waved them off did they leave, closing the door to the room. “Forgive me, President. It is just irritating to be this weak!”
“Yes it is,” he acknowledged to the clan woman, calming her down. It reminded him of just why she was called the Cat by her people. After allowing the clanner to collect herself, he continued the conversation. “What are our options if and when the Foxes decide to show up, as you delicately put it earlier, Khan?”
“Fight, President Able. What more can we do?” she answered. By the worn voice of the clanner woman, Jerry knew the woman was tired of having a fight at every turn and yet, he noted her voice still held great conviction in it. It was what interested him the most about the Mandrills and the clans. They just didn’t quit, even when they should, for they were a prideful lot.
Which brought him back to the situation at present. Allow the far more powerful Foxes to take Armory Epsilon would badly hurt the Mandrills and potentially lead them closer to the Collection or cause them to separate from his nascent nation. Yet stand with the Mandrills and risking the Collection to an attack by the Foxes would cement the alliance with Mandrills far further. It was a gambit that could potentially make or break the Collection at a time where the Collection was only just branching out. A very big risk, to say the least.
And yet, with the Mandrill Khan here, he knew it meant the Mandrills were desperate. And that gave him options. Perhaps now was the time to both cement the alliance with the Mandrills and further the Collection’s need to rebuild and recolonize the planets nearby? He decided it was.
“You ask for aid from the Collection and yet, you do not give what the Collection needs,” he admonished to the two clanner women. Waving them down before they could get riled up, he continued. “The Collection has asked your clan time after time after time for assistance with using your large JumpShip fleet, which I hear is nearly all still wasting away over All Dawn and Timbuktu by the way, for help to build our nation’s economy.” Jerry knew the reason for the Mandrills to be clustered around these worlds; should they need to they could use them to evacuate the Collection. “Where is the promised medical aid? And just as many times, your Mandrills have denied our requests. And yet, here you two are. Whatever should I do, ladies?” He hoped to shame them to finally get them to agree with those two demands.
“Careful, Able!” Khan Aemelia Showers growled at him. “My warriors are dying for your Collection we came to your aid without hesitation on Caldarium and brought Timbuktu under your control!” She snapped back “my technicians are helping to rebuild your out of date production lines to match the Lyrans! My clan-“ he cut her off then.
“Your clan calls for aid, Khan, yes you have helped us but you could do so much more.” Jerry Able said “I will offer you a solution we will help you counter the threat from the Foxes but we NEED those JumpShips. And we NEED you to share your medical technology with us.” With those JumpShips they could improve this nation one hundred times over night; and the medical technology could save thousands. “I only remind you of that because, at the end of the day, my Collection and your Clan Fire Mandrill need each other, Khan. The Collection and the Mandrills MUST stand together! Or we will end up being destroyed by the threats at our border. I will order the last of our reserves to Caldarium, allowing your clan to rest and refit and be able to defend All Dawn against its enemies, whether they are the Spirits, the dezgra Lyrans, or the honorable Foxes! Think of that when we ask for aid from your clan, Khan. My Collection, as you put it, answered your call for aid. Will the Fire Mandrills answer ours, quiaff?”
That solves two problems, Jerry thought to himself, it allowed the Rim Guards likely to finally get much needed combat experience and possibly get Congresswoman Megan Hunt off his back. She'd wanted her own troops to fight for the Collection for months it might cost him votes but it was worth it. This would allow the battered Clan Fire Mandrill Touman to recollect itself on All Dawn rest, refit and rebuild. He could see his impromptu speech had shaken the Fire Mandrill Khan, while out of the corner of his eyes, Lysa Djerassi seemed to be holding her breath. He knew he was taking a risk angering the Mandrill khan; but he deemed it a worthy risk.
Moments passed by, as the Clan warrior in front of him seemed to debate with herself on how to handle Able. Finally she gave her answer with only one word “Aff,” all the while grimacing to herself the Mandrill Khan did not like the idea of her forces retreating; and she wanted revenge against the Stone Spirits for their attacks.
Able nodded to himself before slowly picking himself up and making his way to his desk. Clicking on the comm he spoke into it “Connie, this is Able. Get me priority HPG contact with Hiberius. I need contact five minutes ago.” All the while, he stared down the Cat, the Crusader Mandrill who now led a clan of largely neutrals who cared not one bit for the traditional Crusader/Warden philosophical split found in the other clans what they did care about was each other and their survival; two things he had just offered the Khan.
As they waited for HPG contact with Hiberius, homeworld of the Rim Guards, he watched as Aemelia clenched her fists before nodding to him and he responded in kind.
