KnightofTempest
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Chapter 46
🕑 Added 2024-10-01 13:53:28 +0000 UTCOur return from Apollo was less eventful than our arrival by far. For one thing, the Hasta wasn't suddenly swarmed by fighters on arrival, as everyone was expecting the arrival of the Mako-class Corvette. For another, there was only the usual traffic to and from New Ålborg rather than a bunch of dignitaries and nobles having their JumpShips crowding around the Planet.
Mind you, once we landed, I was immediately shanghaied by Minister Kowalski to discuss foreign affairs. I had scarcely stepped off the landing pad before my Foreign Minister approached with a look of determination on his face.
"We need to talk, My Lord. " Intoned Minister Kowalski.
"What about?" I questioned.
"Jápminboddu, Skiland, Sentaurus, Givrodat, Callinius, and Apsalar, not to mention your efforts to claim the Throne of Rasalhague and the potential campaign against Von Strang that you intimated over the K-Class Transmitter. A lot needs to be done." Informed Minister Kowalski.
"Enough to require a Council Meeting?" I queried.
"I'd say so, though I can update you on our progress with the Regentskapsråd now." Nodded Minister Kowalski.
"Hit me." I agreed.
"We've engaged in a charm offensive with the undecided delegates of the Regentskapsråd and managed to contact Voivoda Sorenson. We now have around as many Delegates pulling for you as Haakon Magnuson does and Voivoda Sorenson has. accepted our bribe. However, the Combine has switched tactics to trying to bolster Haakon Magnusson's side of things to counter your growing influence." Informed Minister Kowalski.
"Strange Bedfellows." I mused.
"No doubt, My Lord. However, despite the Hatred the Combine and Haakon Magnusson harbor for each other, it's managed to stalemate our efforts to sway or buy undecided delegates." Added Minister Kowalski.
"The Dragon has to know that the first thing Haakon Magnusson will try as Prince of Rasalhague will be to invade Alshain to try and capture his personal landholding. How does he plan to deal with that?" I asked.
"By all appearances, this is a stalling tactic while the Combine comes up with a new Candidate to put forward, My Lord. It seems like they're looking to invest in the Comte de Rochefort of Pomme de Terre as their next candidate but don't have all their ducks in a row there yet." Answered Minister Kowalski.
I wracked my brain trying to think of what I knew of the Comte de Rochefort and Pomme de Terre in General. Armand Rochefort, the Comte de Rochefort and ruler of Pomme de Terre was the CEO of Pomme de Terre Foods. He was the sort of person whose ties to the Combine had been less political and more economic, working with Surinami Foods of Ko Two in the Combine to produce high-quality foodstuffs for the regional market.
From what I recalled of the Man, he was greedy by nature, which meant he likely was trying to hold up the Combine for more money to be their Candidate. Unfortunately, his ties to the Combine being economic also meant he was less offensive to the average delegate of the Regentskapsråd than someone like Ilyana Sorenson, whose family had been Warlords of the Rasalhague Military District for the Combine, and even had distant marriage ties to House Kurita.
"Armand Rochefort is not going to do right by the Principality." I frowned.
"No, My Lord, he will not. However, he's a more viable candidate for Prince than Ilyana Sorenson ever was, moreso than Haakon Magnusson, and possibly moreso than yourself. Politically, he's a relative unknown, though his record as CEO of Pomme de Terre Foods suggests a history of collaboration with various Combine Zaibatsu and a greedy streak. However, the fact that he wasn't one of the ones putting the boot down on dissidents back when the Combine was in charge will go a long way for him. I hope you have good news from your trip to Apollo to share regarding the Steiners because if he agrees to be the Combine's new Candidate, you'll need it." Explained Minister Kowalski.
"I do, I've obtained the support of several key members of the Archon's Court in swaying the Archon to support me." I confirmed.
"Who?" Questioned Minister Kowalski.
"Duchess Killa of Trell, Duke Kelswa of the Tamar Pact, and Archon-Designate Melissa Steiner. Of course, I had to cut deals to get them, which ties into the reasons for my wanting to invade Von Strang's World. I'll let everyone know about the particulars once we've convened for a Council Meeting. Right now, however, I think I'd like a shower and something more substantial than the mess food eaten aboard a Corvette. We'll convene in a few hours." I intoned.
"Of course, My Lord." Agreed Minister Kowalski.
And with that, I made my way to my Apartments in the Grand Ducal Palace, shucking off my clothes and hopping into the shower. It was two in the afternoon, local time, which meant that by the time I was done showering and getting dressed, Susie would be finished with her schooling for the day. I could share a meal with my newly adopted little sister before going off to work once again. I had the Chefs in the Kitchens prepare some of her favorites.
Susie liked the Julmust produced by Valhalla Drinkworks over on Gotterdammerung. I was actually fairly partial to their Sarsparilla myself, so I had some of each brought up for our late lunch-early dinner. I also had them prep a pot of Chicken Noodle Soup, which was Susie's Favorite and one of mine as well. It seemed we both thought of it as a comfort food, though for different reasons. Susie's reason behind that was largely because it was an easy-to-make, hard-to-screw-up recipe that was a favorite of various Pirate Groups for those exact reasons. Mine was because my father would make it for me in both this life and that other life I lived in my dreams on twenty-first-century Terra.
I also had the chefs fry up some Polish Sausage, Pierogi, and Placki Ziemniaczane, because I wanted Susie to also share in some of my heritage. She was family now, so she should at least try the sort of things that were traditional for family dinners. All told it took about an hour for me to get everything ready for Susie when she came rampaging through the halls into the Grand Ducal Apartments.
"Easy, where's the fire?" I grinned at my adoptive sister.
"I dunno, I just like running." Shrugged Susie.
"Well have a seat, dinner's on the way." I chuckled at my Eleven-Year-Old Adoptive Sister's antics.
"Hey, Julmust!" Beamed Susie as she spotted the bottles on the side table.
My grin widened as Susie tore over to the side table and snatched one of the bottles. I let out a chuckle as she popped the cap off the bottle and took a swig, emulating the pirates she'd grown up around until recently. I went over and grabbed a bottle of Sarsparilla at a somewhat more sedate pace. As we sat down, Susie kicked her legs around in her seat. She had the sort of boundless energy you only tended to get in kids and it was actually pretty endearing.
"So how was school?" I queried.
"So boring! I dunno why you even have me learning Algebra anyway!" Complained Susie.
"Algebra's important for calculating firing solutions. You won't always have a targeting and tracking system to help you out with that, sometimes you'll have to do it yourself." I pointed out.
"But none of the other kids I talked to have to learn it till next year!" Pressed Susie.
"You're not the other kids. You're my sister, so you'll always be held to a higher standard." I pointed out.
"But that's not fair!" Huffed Susie.
"Life's not fair. You grew up around pirates, you should know that." I retorted.
"I know, but why can't it be unfair in my favor? You're a terrible brother for making me go through that!" Groused Susie.
Just then, one of the assistant chefs wheeled in a trolley with a big pot of Chicken Soup. Susie got one whiff of that and her eyes lit up, all complaints forgotten as her favorite food was served. I had to let out a laugh at that. Despite her piratical upbringing, she was still just like any other kid most of the time.
"Chicken Soup? I take it back, you're the best!" Remarked Susie.
"You're welcome, but try some of the other stuff I'm having made too. It's the sort of thing my family eats, and since you're family now I want to share it with you." I insisted.
"Sure." Agreed Susie.
And like that, Dinner was served. Susie, it turned out, was a big fan of the Placki Ziemniaczane. Of course, it's hard to mess up potato pancakes just like it's hard not to like them. Her thoughts on the Pierogi were a bit more mixed. She didn't like the Saurkraut Pierogi but did enjoy the potato and sweet cheese ones. I didn't blame her, I didn't like the Saurkraut Pierogi either, but they were traditional. Polish Sausage she was ambivalent on. I'd always been a fan of the White Polish Sausage but didn't care for the smoked variety. That seemed to be where Susie also was headed on that.
Of course, we both ate the soup and though there were leftover Pierogis and Sausage, the entire pot of soup and the entire platter of Placki Ziemniaczane were devoured by Susie and I. We'd also gone through several bottles of Julmust and Sarsparilla. I was tempted to have the staff order some of the Birch Beer and Spruce Beer from Valhalla Drinkworks, just to try them out. I'd never had Birch or Spruce Beer in either of the lives I'd lived or was living and if the Sarsparilla and Julmust were this good, then it indicated quality, at least.
While we ate and drank, however, Susie grilled me about my trip to Apollo. Apparently, going to a fancy ball was something she'd heard nobles were supposed to do, and wanted details. I briefly imagined my hyperactive adoptive little sister at a noble ball and winced at the chaos that my brain insisted would ensue.
"It wasn't like you hear about. I had to work a bunch of the time I was there." I informed.
"Work? Like how?" Asked Susie.
"Like I had to cut a bunch of deals to get something done that I want done." I answered.
"Is this that thing everyone keeps talking about with the Throne of Rasalhague? Are we going to have to move?" Questioned Susie.
"Yes, and not yet. We'll have to see how everything shakes out, but I'm thinking of dividing my time between here and Rasalhague." I explained.
"Good, 'cause I just got here." Grumbled Susie.
"I know. Anyway, that took up almost the whole evening. I barely got to dance or do any of the fun things you hear about people doing at big parties." I shrugged.
"Sounds boring. Wait, almost? That means you did dance with someone?" Queried Susie.
"I did. More than dance, actually. I think I might actually be starting a relationship. I dunno, I have to call her." I admitted.
"With who? Can I meet her?" Pressed Susie.
"You remember my friend Katrina from Apollo that I told you about?" I asked.
"Oh yeah, the Lyran Lady. It was her?" Questioned Susie.
"It was." I affirmed.
"Well, now I have to meet her. If you're going to be with her then I need to size her up." Huffed Susie.
"She's not an enemy Mechwarrior, Susie." I deadpanned.
"That doesn't matter, I need to see if she's good enough for my big brother." Nodded Susie, Sagely.
"Of course." I smirked.
Unfortunately, family time couldn't last forever. Soon enough, the dishes were taken away and I had to get ready for the Council Meeting. Susie also had something to do. It turned out that my adoptive little sister was a fan of one of the Holovid Series that competed with Immortal Warrior, a Lyran Series called Hauptmann Stahl. It was, at least, more plausible than the sort of shlock Immortal Warrior put out. I think Susie might actually have some sort of schoolgirl crush on the lead actor. Regardless, the series would be coming on Holovision while I was at the Council Meeting, so it wasn't like she'd be left all alone with nothing to do.
I headed out for my meeting, arriving some fifteen minutes early and finding that Minister Simowitz had the same idea, as did Minister Kowalski. The pair were currently debating the merits of subterfuge as regards Von Strang's World. Minister Kowalski was insistent that Otto Von Strang's Semi-Isolationist stance meant that we could get by on minimal subterfuge, while Minister Simowitz seemed to take the view that Otto Von Strang wouldn't be so isolationist once he was officially surrounded by New Ålborg worlds like Jápminboddu, Givrodat, Sentaurus, Battaraigi, Cryfder, Beowulf, Dirkel, and Callinius.
"I have to agree with Minister Simowitz. Once the only borders he has are us or the Elysian Fields, Otto Von Strang is likely to begin looking outwards for any sign of potential invasion. The Von Strangs are a paranoid lot like that." I added, breaking into their conversation.
"Indeed. Such men will be expecting an attack." Agreed Minister Simowitz.
"Which is fair, but we don't yet have firm commitments from Callinius and Givrodat. In fact, Callinius is a problem. Which is part of the reason for calling this meeting." Admitted Minister Kowalski.
"Wait until everyone arrives. You have my word that we'll start with that." I intoned.
Getting nods from both Minister Kowalski and Minister Simowitz, I settled into my customary seat at the head of the Council Table. As I waited, I poured myself a drink, this one a bit of red wine from a Vinyard on Nyserta. I refused to drink booze around Susie, at least at the same table when we were in private. After all, she might have demanded she get some as well and I wanted her to wait on that until she was at least sixteen. As I drank my wine, the other Council Members filed into the Council Chamber.
Once the last Minister arrived, Minister Huber, we could finally begin the Council Meeting. . .
XXXX
AN: So here we have the return from Apollo. We get a bit of Family Time with Susie and a bit of an update on the situation with Rasalhague and the Regentskapsråd. I know it may seem like a bit of a dick move to separate the Council Meeting out, but I wanted to get the scene with Susie in, just to show how she's been welcomed into Jozef's Family.
As to the Rasalhague situation, it turns out that the Combine has been taken completely off-guard by Jozef's Entry and had to scramble to put a backup plan into place. Their stopgap until said backup plan is ready is to back Haakon Magnusson as a counter to Jozef, which is dripping with enough irony to be the plot of a Twilight Zone Episode.
Meanwhile, their backup plan, the Comte de Rochefort of Pomme de Terre, is holding out for more bribe money, due to his greedy nature. Mind you, if Armand Rochefort does become the Prince of Rasalhague, it's not likely to go well for the People of Rasalhague or even the other Nobility of the Principality. The Guy is likely to try and squeeze every last Thaler out of the Population that he can, noble or not. Greed will do that when it's a defining characteristic of your personality.
At any rate, the next chapter will have the Council meeting.
Stay tuned. . .
