Chapter 3 Part 1
Castle Avalon, Avalon City, New Avalon, Avalon Combat Region, Crucis March, Federated Suns, Federated Commonwealth, 25th September 3046
The autumn afternoon was glorious with the light coming in from the window into the sitting room in the family section of the place. A great many tears had been shed in this room by the occupants now they were all emotionally spent, Mellissa sat on the couch facing Hanse who sat in an armchair, a death grip on the arms. Melissa still had tears running down her cheeks but had a look of cold rage that reminded him of her mother; Victor had stood up and was pacing looking increasingly red-faced and furious as he paced before the window.
On the coffee table sat the folder that Justin had given him that dreadful night, the pictures lay on the table face down after Melissa and Victor had looked through it.
“Victor, please sit down,” Hanse said.
Victor looked at him, nodded and sat back down then Melissa spoke her voice with all the warmth of a Tharkad Blizzard, “I assume that plans are already in motion to extract our daughter?”
“Yes we should hear something over the boxes soon,” Hanse said.
“Good,” Melissa said, “Afterwards the AFFC will roll over the Confederation what they have done goes beyond….” she stops struggling to hold back another wave of tears, “they need to be lanced from the Inner Sphere for good.”
“Yes, I…” Hanse was about to say when Victor interrupted him, “How?”
They both looked over to their son, his eyes filled with horror at the images of his sister and he went on, “How could either of you let this happen!”
“Victor,” Hanse said standing, “We had intelligence that said….”
“NO!” Victor snapped, cutting Hanse off, shocking the First Prince as he walked up to him, jabbing a finger at him, “How did neither of you notice your own daughter my sister had been replaced with an imposter! You saw her regularly before she was taken! You should have noticed!”
Mellissa seemed taken aback by Victor's outburst, “Victor,” she said, “we….”
He rounded on her, “You had HPG conversations with her and exchanged messages and were here the day after she was taken if the estimates are to be believed,” Victor was yelling at this point, and Mellissa seemed to lean back.
Victor turned back to Hanse and yelled, “HOW DID NEITHER OF YOU NOT NOTICE!”
“Victor,” Hanse said firmly, “enough.”
Victor opened his mouth and fire another alpha strike, then he looked back and saw Melissa was crying again. The rage drained from his face, and he staggered to one of the rooms other armchairs and he sat down slowly.
“Damn it, dad,” he said quietly, putting his head in his hands, “she is my sister what those butchers did….”
“And she is our daughter,” Hanse said to his son as he stood and moved over wrapping his arms around his wife, “we would do anything for you but we… I have failed you, your mother and your siblings.” It was hard for him to admit in fact, it was the hardest thing he had ever had to say, “but I promise you this there shall be a reckoning.”
Victor nodded then Melissa said, “when this breaks both sides of the Commonwealth will want blood I assume you’ve cut orders for BOXER and FROST and sent them to Sarna and the Capellan Marches?”
“Yes I have,” he said to Melissa, “I sent the warning order as soon as BROADSIDE and DIRK were supposed to go in.”
“Good,” She said, “I planned to take a tour of the Sarna March. Anyway, I think I’d best stop by Sarna. I planned to tour through March. I will light a fire under the command there.”
Hanse opened his mouth and stopped as his wife gave him a look then went on, “you're also going to need to speak with Candace on the entire journey to New Avalon she was spitting fire the entire journey, I was able to get Justin to speak to her, however…”
There was a knock of the door and Justin Allard and an incandescent Candace Liao.
“Hanse,” Candace said, “What the hell….”
Hanse felt his fury rise and stood from his seat, but Justin cut through his rage, “Hanse,” the master of MIIO said, “We have her.”
Candace looked at him about to say something but she took a look around the room and her fury transformed to concern as Candace saw the relief on the face of the Steiner-Davions at Justin's words.
“Hanse,” she asked in a calmer voice, “what's happened.”
“We had a doppelganger, Candace,” Hanse said, “your bloody sister pulled the wool over my eyes, and we only found it through stupidly good luck.”
Candices eyes flew wide, “the operation was a distraction? Who was the double?”
Hanse looked to Melissa and she took over, “It was Katherine she was taken.”
Candace sat down slowly in the seat and Melissa picked up the folder and shoved it under Candice’s nose, “Read. It.” Melissa said.
Candace picked up the folder and scanned through it her face drawn and pale as she looked through the pictures, “This is what your sister,” Melissa said her voice filled with venom, “did to my little girl.”
“She is no family of mine,” she snarled.
Something in Hanse snapped, and he said, “then why in god's name did you deny my forces passage through your realm when I asked for it during the Andurien War?”
She opened her mouth but he felt his anger rise, “I know you wanted to protect your people, but the Confederation is no longer your nation you have the Compact,” he stood his eyes aflame, “I could have stopped this from ever happening! My daughter wouldn’t have been butchered by her mad plans!”
He clenched his hands and felt a twinge in his chest but pushed on, “because of your previous actions I could have wiped the gross monstrosity of your former home nation of the Sphere for good earlier and few people would have died or been butchered like this!” He jabbed his finger at the stack of pictures.
Candice had gone pale as Hanse had spoken and Justin had grabbed her hand squeezing it.
“Hanse,” Candace said standing, but he cut her off again with a chop of his hand.
“If you wanted to protect them then you wouldn’t have left them to the tender mercies of your sister and her cultist, psychopaths and sycophants” he shot back, “you would have let me burn that murderous psychotic piece of human shit out of her DAMNED NEST! YOU CLAIM TO CARE ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE LET THE ARMED FORCES OF THE FEDERATED COMMONWEALTH MARCH THROUGH THE COMPACT AND HELP US BURN HER OUT! THE SAME DAMN BASTARDS WHO TRIED TO REPLACE ME AND NOW REPLACED MY DAUGHTER!”
Candace sat back, and Hanse stood his fists clenched so hard they were going white when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked over and saw Melissa stood next to him, a hand on his shoulder and a concerned look on her face.
“Hanse that's enough we are both angry, but Candace did not do any of this to Kat,” Melissa said then added into the silence, “If this had been Kai, you would be doing the same same thing as Hanse is doing now.”
Melissa eased him back into the chair and she sat down next to him.
“You're both right,” Candace said, seeming to have aged, “I objected then because I still see them as my people, Hanse. And I thought, given time, they would remove Romano on their own and see their way towards steering the Confederation to what it once was, and should be. Now? Now, my sister has destroyed that chance. She must be removed for the sake of the Inner Sphere. It's gone far beyond you, or me. Her own people starve and die, and she's done this to the rest of us. This has to end, and I would rather put down the rabid dog, then leave the task to others."
Hanse looked at her for the moment and looked at the shocked Victor and his calm wife and he felt his rage, “I’m sorry Candace I shouldn't have blown up like that you are a friend as well as an ally.”
Candace gave him a hard look, “I understand that your angry Hanse I’m furious too at what that monster has done too to my nation and my people.”
Hanse said with a sharp nod and looked to Melissa who said, “We dusted off BOXER with your involvement. It means we can go with BOXER 2 instead of one we need to get a message to Colonel Seng with the arrangements.”
“I’ll see to it,” she said woodenly, “Though I ask Hanse please make this a clean kill.”
He nodded then he looked a Justin who had held his peace till now and nodded at which point Melissa spoke, "Hanse and I have talked it over and involved Victor in this discussion,” she said, “We both want to hang you out to dry however like your father you have been both a good friend and an effective servant up until now. You will keep your position.”
Justin looked relieved, “However,” Melissa said, her voice going cold, “This is both your second and last chance, Justin don’t waste it.”
He nodded, “Hanse, Melissa, Victor I hope to regain your trust,” Justin said quietly, “but we found others there I’ve compiled the list but there are some important and essential people in that group from the Confederacy, the League and the Concordat but we pulled one other young girl from that place….”
Fox’s Den, Grand Avalon Mountain Range, New Avalon, Avalon Combat Region, Crucis March, Federated Suns, Federated Commonwealth, 25th September 3046
Ran Felsner adjusted his monocle as he listened to the report from the NAIS Leasion officer. The woman was talking happily about the technology recovered from Victoria. Initial reports looked promising so far it looked like they could resurrect several royal designs in the near future and the documentation in question looked like to lead to some breakthroughs in the near future. He’d seen some plans for something called a Multi-Missile Launcher that some bright spark had come up with and the NAIS weapons department was already working on a prototype which looked to be demoed soon. They were still sifting through the data but the sheer amount looked promising for the development of battlemechs and weapons systems in the future.
He continued to listen to the NAIS representative as she went on to talk about the factory lines taken from Victoria, Grand Base and Menke to an extent would go a long way to rebuilding several lines inside the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth in the sections of FedCom bidding had already begun with the companies from both sides to see who get the spare parts. Along with the possibility of other lines being set up on both sides of the FedCom with tenders being sent out by the First Prince.
He only had one ear on the proceeding Ardan and Hanse had told him about what had happened with Katherine and he was furious and had already sent out the orders to both the Capellan March and Melissa had sent a coded message over the blackboxes to Nondi. Both units tapped for BOXER and FROST should be ready to leap off; he now only waited for the go order from Hanse
There was a knock at the door and an aide entered the room and stood at attention, “Sir message from the palace.”
“Give it here Leftenant,” he said calmly. The Leftenant handed it to him and the room went silent as he opened it and slowly read through it.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” he said, “word just came from the Palace that we are go for Operation BOXER 2 and the Archon is sending word for Operation FROST set for tomorrow.”
The member of the Federated Suns State High Command nodded; they had all received the warning as did the Lyran Officer there as well.
“Looks like you will get to field test your Multi Missile Launcher professor,” he said at the woman with a smile which brought a small laugh from everyone.
“Sir they said BOXER 2,” asked General Neilson commander of the Quartermasters, “that means that the Prince and the Archon managed to get the Duke's agreement?”
“Yes seems that way,” Ran said, “that means you need to dust off the supply plans as well as get them moving to Siridar and Alcyone PDZs the units should be already gearing up and also speak with the Commonwealth-State Command and St Ives Command see if they meet the supply needs of their section of the Operation and if we need to supplement them or vice versa.”
“Yes sir,” said General Neilson with a nod and began making note.
The room quickly became a hive of activity as Ran and the officers there set about preparing for war.
Castle Avalon, Avalon City, New Avalon, Avalon Combat Region, Crucis March, Federated Suns, Federated Commonwealth, 26th September 3046
The throne room was a grand space Lisa Belladonna stood with the other press, a mix of First Royal Guard and First Davion Guards stood in their ceremonial positions both for show and protect the leaders of the Federated Commonwealth throughout the hall; courtiers of the new realm stood talking to each other. She had been part of the New Avalon Posts for about five years and was noted to be a bloodhound when it came to a story and today her palms were itching.
That meant the announcement today was going to be something big she could feel and her feeling had been confirmed with the two thrones set up for the Archon and the First Prince. She scanned around seeing Harry Thorst amongst the herd of reporters and nodded to him a fellow reporter who worked for the Tharkad Broadcasting Corporation in its news show On the Spot he was a good person to have a drink with and they had collaborated on the same story more than once.
Just over from them was the vapid and generally all-around ****** Patrice Turner of ComStar New Bureau. She wouldn’t know good reporting or press neutrality if it took a crap in her coffee mug in the morning. Lisa had the distinct displeasure of dealing with her more than once. She’d also been involved in a vicious lawsuit against her over both copyright issues and liability that had been settled out of court. But Lisa had never forgotten her attempts to drag her name through the mud.
There was a slam of rifle butts on the stone floor and the master at arms announced, “Announcing First Prince and Duke of New Avalon Hanse Adriaan Davion,” another slam of the rifle butt, “Announcing Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth Melissa Arthur Steiner.”
She looked and saw the twin monarchs of the Federated Commonwealth advance down the carpet towards the thrones Hanse was wearing the new dress uniform of the Federated Commonwealth Armed Force, Melissa was wearing a court gown in the colours of the Federated Commonwealth. Both had drawn haunted looks on their faces from what Lisa could see as she made notes on her pad.
They both took the dais, their thrones were set and sat down and surveyed the crowd before them.
“People of the Federated Commonwealth,” Hanse said, the hidden sound system carrying his voice through the throne room, “we come before you today not as rulers but as parents who have suffered a great tragedy.”
That set the crowd to hushed to talking quietly as hanse continued, “the Capellan Confederation has crossed the red line which separates humans from monsters, it came to the attention of Commonwealth intelligence that our daughter Katherine Morgan Steiner-Davion was taken by agents of the Confederation and replaced by a double.”
A shocked and angry rumble went through the crowd, Lisa's mouth mung open at the announcement she looked around, every one of her fellow reporters had a shocked look on their face. Then there was a rush of angry shouts, curses and questions directed at the royal couple.
Both Hanse and Melissa stood there waiting for quite which was eventually given as the quite returned but it was an angry sullen thing.
It was then a projection appeared and Lisa felt like she wanted to vomit, she heard other people vomit but she could only stare at the young woman on the holo, “that is what they did to our daughter,” Melissa said taking the place of Hanse, “they tore my daughter to pieces and broke her down so she did not even know who she is these monsters did to fifty-nine other people. This crime can not stand.”
A growl of agreement swept the throne room and Lisa found herself joining them, “they broke these people to try and manipulate the course of events of the Inner Sphere and the Periphery,” she said holding the entire throne room, “to their own abominable agenda, it is time for the Federated Commonwealth along with our allies in the St. Ives Compact to finish what it started! It’s time to end the Tyranny of the Capellan Confederation! It’s time to bring the madwoman of Sian to account for her countless crimes.”
She raised her hand and the most powerful room pointed at her, “Yes?”
She licked her lips nervously and then bit the bullet and asked, “Your Grace you said fifty-nine other people may you tell us a few of their names.”
“Yes we can,” said the First Prince of the Federated Suns, “to name three they are Grover Sharplen, Gavin Dow and Naomi Centrella.”
This sent the entire crowd off what was followed was pandemonium and it took fifteen minutes for the guards to calm everything down.
(Taken from Katherines War: Fire and Fury by Major General Harry Tuttle published in 3080 by New Avalon Swan Press)
….. The redline conference was broadcast throughout the Inner Sphere and the Periphery and set off a veritable firestorm in the Federated Commonwealth. In the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth, it unified them in collective horror and anger at what had been done to the Princess on many worlds people immediately enlisted for the nascent AFFC and riots broke out in anger at what had happened many Cappelen expatriates were attacked until the police could bring the situation under control. It also saw defence firms kick production into overdrive to both equip and supply existing units and support the sudden surge in troops. The equipment taken in BROADSIDE proved to be a godsend in this regard.
Tied into the attack on Cappelen expatriates were attacks on notable separatist movements such as Free Skye who it was felt by the mobs that their efforts in taking needed resources from watching the enemies of the Commonwealth due to their actions. This led to many both innocent and guilty being lynched, beaten or attacked and their homes and business being vandalised.
A noted casualty was Ryan Steiner who was attacked by a supposed loyal aide and placed into a coma. It came to light when investigators looked over the incident that he was the leader of Free Skye and his assets were seized along with his estate pending a more thorough investigation….
….However, this is covered in other chapters beyond what went on beyond the Federated Commonwealth particularly the Free World League, the Taurian Concordat, Magistracy of Canopus and the now-defunct ComStar….
