Breaking the Star
Khan Darwin Lassenerra kept his face impassive as the Merchant Factor droned on, listing the damage done, predicted shortfalls, supply levels of ammunition and parts. It was, in short, a disaster. Tokasha had fallen, and then the Bears, enraged at the death of their beloved Khan, had followed up with an assault on the Horses’ Niles factory barely a week later. While that Trial had been successful, the fighting had ‘accidentally’ spilled over into the factory complex itself, resulting in heavy damage as the two sides fought without regard for quarter or mercy for the better part of two days, until mutual exhaustion had separated them, and the Bears had finally fallen back.
“So, in short, my Khan, we are down to twenty-five percent production capability for 'Mechs and their parts. With salvage from Niles, we should be able to rebuild Alpha Galaxy to its nominal strength. Beyond that, any plans for expansion in the future will have to be severely reduced and, even though it pains me to say this, we strongly suggest that future military operations be curtailed. Replacing losses is going to be hard. We estimate eight months before Niles is fully operational again and this will only bring us up to forty percent of our previous production levels. This will allow us to sustain production for any losses sustained and unless we are involved in battles on the scale of Niles or Tokasha, we should be able to produce enough 'Mechs to not only sustain current loss projections but exceed them and start rebuilding.”
“And how long do you believe this will take? And please, be honest, we must be honest with ourselves in this time of crisis.”
The Merchant Factor glanced at the Clan’s Chief Scientist who sat to his right and she nodded slightly. “The damage to the Niles facility is extensive. If the fighting there was accidental, the Bears knew where to hit. It will be at least eighteen months before we can begin to match our previous loss and repair rates. To build a new facility to match those we lost, five years, and this is assuming a steady supply chain and no other Clan declaring a Trial for our facilities.”
There were gasps and muttering from the people assembled in the room. At least five years of ‘marking time’ before any major rebuilding could be done: it was unthinkable. If other Clans learned of their weakness, the Horses could expect a flurry of Trials that would bleed their touman dry, opening them up to the threat of Absorption.
Khan Darwin held up a hand, his face set, betraying none of the concern he felt.
“Silence! We need answers, not anger. We cannot let our passions dictate our actions, not now. So…solutions?”
“We should charge the Bears with wantonly attacking our factory during the Trial on Niles. They deliberately attacked the facility and caused excessive damage in a direct attack.”
“We have no evidence of that. They said our forces pulled them into the factory and the BattleROMs from our 'Mechs and those we have salvaged from the Bears corroborate both our point of view and theirs. They could declare a Trial of Refusal against us.” What was left unsaid was that a Trial of Refusal of such a charge could escalate until the Horses could not win. The Khan watched his two most senior Galaxy Commanders argue their points, but he saw only ruin in either approach.
“Neg, we need to rebuild. If the other Clans know of our current state, then we will face Trial after Trial and it will lock us into a degenerative spiral that we might never recover from. And I will not see our Clan be Absorbed. That is not our future. SaKhan Yana Fletcher, your thoughts?”
The younger man gathered his thoughts. He’d gotten the reputation of being quite radical and one who refused to let the Horses abandon their traditional combined arms approach.
“We cannot build enough 'Mechs and we must devote our resources to rebuilding, so our ability to trade for them will be limited. So, we take the obvious step: more vehicles.”
“More? We had begun winding down vehicle production and..”
“Now we need them more than ever. We simply cannot sit around for five years in our current state. We need equipment and we need it now. Tanks consume fewer resources and are easier to run. Correct, Chief Scientist?”
She looked up and nodded “Aff, SaKhan, even a hundred-ton tank would use the resources of a heavy OmniMech. And while Galaxy Commander Vincent Anu is correct, we had begun winding down vehicle production due to the success of the Tokasha works, it would be a simple task to reactivate our vehicle facilities and to restore them to production.”
Fletcher smiled “So we can produce our own equipment again: will this negatively affect our rebuilding efforts?”
“We might have to divert some resources, but only in the short term; in the long term it might impose a few months delay in upgrading the Niles Industriplex, but these facilities are secure and can be brought online in a matter of weeks.”
“But you said yourself that most of our current vehicles are of little use outside of garrison work, quiaff?” Galaxy Commander Tina Neely said, meeting Fletcher’s eyes.
“Aff. But in the short term, they will suffice; that said, new vehicles based on current and older marks could be developed and put into production.”
“And who will help us with this?”
“The Coyotes. Scientists speak loudly in their halls and would listen to us. We have good relations with them. So, we trade our designs for their assistance. We offer to share the designs with them freely, in return for trade concessions to help us build facilities needed to produce any new vehicles. We have the manpower. Our sibkos are still on schedule and we risk having hundreds of trained warriors sitting around waiting for 'Mechs. So, let us give them tanks. We alter our training to include a major focus on vehicle combat: the teamwork we emphasise will help gel the crews together and should not adversely affect unit cohesion.”
“A big ask…some may well refuse.”
“Then they will have to fight for what they want. And rise or fall on their own merits. But, my Khan, my brothers and sisters, we cannot have any wild colts trying to ‘show us the way’. The Herd will have to move as one if we are to survive the coming years.”
Backed by the Khan and with the consent of the Galaxy Commander’s, saKhan Yana Fletcher’s Project Zhukov was approved and within days the Horses and Coyotes were speaking as the Technician caste went to work on reactivating the facilities that had been put into standby mode. It was estimated that it would take six months to crank up production and then the first new vehicles were expected to be undergoing testing and be pressed into production. All the Horses had to do was survive for eight months. And keep as low a profile as possible. With the Bears spent from the great battles at Niles and Tokasha, one threat withdrew to lick its wounds, but other Clans could smell blood in the water and started to circle.
