KnightofTempest
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Chapter 41
🕑 Added 2024-08-26 10:42:49 +0000 UTCAs my Grand Ducal Council gathered together once again, I sat in the meeting room waiting for them while reading a report. This one had been forwarded to me by Minister Kowalski on the situation in the Second Principality of Rasalhague. It was an overview of their current crisis since they couldn't decide on a Prince. The presumed frontrunner prior to the events surrounding their independence had been the prominent resistance leader Haakon Magnusson, however, his support base wasn't as firm as everyone had expected prior to independence.
It turned out that because Lyran Military Intervention had secured independence rather than a homegrown resistance like Haakon Magnusson's Tyr Movement, he wasn't as popular as the analysts had presumed. Furthermore, the tactics of the Tyr had resulted less in a free Rasalhague and more in harsh Combine crackdowns, even during the height of the fighting in the last years of the war, adding to his unpopularity. It would be one thing if the Lyrans had given him their endorsement as they had in my memories of that other timeline, but the Archon seems content to simply counter Combine's attempts to place a candidate of their own on the throne.
It's been six months since the Handover and the Regentskapsråd or Regency Council assembled out of the various Valdherren, Szlachta, Lairds, and Boyars of the territory that makes up the Second Principality still can't pick a single candidate. Apparently, according to Minister Kowalski, there's a chance an outside candidate could be elected that nobody saw coming since the deadlock has lasted this long. Supposedly it's the only thing likely to break the deadlock absent some other external factor.
If that were to happen, Minister Kowalski's report has reliably informed me that I have a chance of being elected, owing to my proven track record and my family's ancestral holdings on and control of Krakow, the moon of Predlitz. There are several options available to me to attempt such a thing, including leveraging the fact that it was my equipment that managed to turn the tide against the Combine, attempting to gain Lyran support for my candidacy, relying on my recent victory over the Combine Forces in the Oberon War to boost popularity, and the usual financial inducements to various electors on the Regentskapsråd.
It was as I was mulling over my options that the Council arrived. I put the report down and waited for everyone to take their seats before calling the meeting to order.
"All right, so we have a lot to go over before I leave for Apollo. Who wants to start first?" I questioned.
"I will. Your deal with Precentor Hope. It was foolish to agree to it, but I cannot deny it appeared to be necessary. Thankfully, I have had my agents encrypting our end of every link you gave him for the past few months. I have also had men following up on his claims about Precentor Armanovitch on Rasalhague." Informed Minister Simowitz.
"And?" I queried.
"We used the best encryption we've gotten from the SLDF Memory Core, and added a few of our own, just in case. Nobody is getting through that without tripping major alarms and having us pull the plug. As for Armanovitch, I think perhaps she is at least mostly on the level. Everything we dug up on her could fit inside a shoebox, she's thoroughly wiped the majority of her past." Admitted Minister Simowitz.
"So what have we dug up?" I asked.
"What we could dig up allowed us to form a very basic timeline. It indicates she was critical of both political factions in ComStar during her time at Sandhurst but learned to hide it sometime after specializing in Military Intelligence during year two of the Academy. Unfortunately, she was deemed insufficiently zealous by ROM and shunted off to be a Staff Officer for the Formalhaut Garrison. Then she was sent to the Mercenary Review Board after gaining a Precentorship in the ComGuards." Answered Minister Simowitz.
"So how did she wind up getting control of the Rasalhague HPG?" I pressed.
"All signs indicate that it was unexpected. Apparently, the former Precentor, Michael Gruffyd, was very much a Hardliner. Unfortunately, he had the misfortune of stopping at a Cafe in Reykjavik for lunch after a meeting with the Warlord of Rasalhague when he got caught up in a bombing by an SPA Splinter Group. He didn't make it and Armanovitch schmoozed like hell to get the promotion. Apparently, she had quite a number of favors built up with various other Precentors and just barely managed to get the HPG Slot." Continued Minister Simowitz.
"And it's your opinion that she still harbors enough of a grudge that Precentor Hope's Scheme will work?" I questioned.
"She's very cautious about what she says regarding ComStar's Hierarchy, even after drinking. However, that in and of itself is telling. In an organization like ComStar, apolitical language generally means your opinions aren't in vogue in either of the current factions. I think she's on the level." Nodded Minister Simowitz.
"All right, have the agent you've got liaising with Precentor Hope's people give the go-ahead to widen the circle of trust to include Precentor Aramovitch." I ordered.
"Da, will do." Affirmed Minister Simowitz.
"While we're on the subject of Rasalhague, I see you've been reading the briefing on their situation I sent you. A decision on that needs to be made sooner rather than later if we want to maximize the impact of declaring you a candidate." Spoke up Minister Kowalski.
"Right, I'd like to at least try for the Princes' Throne. I think we can afford to do the playing up of my track record against the DCMS and my designs' strategic impact during the closing phase of the Third Successor War. In your opinion, what would it take to get Lyran Backing?" I queried.
"The Lyrans are already our allies on more than an ad-hoc basis, thanks to fulfilling our treaty obligations recently. The Archon is also personally well-disposed to us thanks to our Star League Era Medical Scanners picking up her cancer in time for effective treatment. I think getting Lyran Backing should be doable with only a minimum of trading favors. We might have to offer a discount on specialized ammunition or something to the LCAF, but as stated, they're already firm allies. I think they'll go for it. You don't want to try bribery? I know it might seem gauche but it really is a decent way to get votes when it comes to the Nobility." Mused Minister Kowalski.
"Can we afford a large-scale bribery campaign? We have a lot to spend on just improving the Oberon Worlds from what they were, let alone raising new regiments and flotillas to defend them, plus there's the remaining indemnity to the Combine." I frowned.
"I actually had a look at our projected growth versus our current earnings and expenditures because I figured there would be some new expensive scheme we needed to pay for." Interjected Minister Kokkonen.
"And can we?" I asked.
"Well, right now, with all the extra income from the Oberon Worlds, the treasury is bringing in forty billion C-bills a year in net revenues after expenditures to keep what we have running. It currently costs eight-hundred-fifty-five-million C-Bills to produce the equipment for one Grand Ducal Guards Regiment. Given we intend to stand up an extra sixteen of them in the foreseeable future? That's thirteen-billion-six-hundred-eighty-million C-bills worth of expenditure. Minus the remaining four-billion-five-hundred-million C-Bills left in the indemnity that we really do need to pay if we don't want to be thrust into an immediate resumption of war, and that leaves twenty-one-billion-eight-hundred-twenty-million C-bills for just a single year's worth of the budget, not including any growth, for other expenditures." Informed Minister Kokkonen.
"We shouldn't need more than a few dozen million slipped to the right people." Remarked Minister Simowitz.
"Those right people would be Hertzog Erich Martens of Predlitz, who might not want the Prince's personal holdings so close to his own, Voivoda Ilyana Sorenson of Radlje, the second daughter of the Former Warlord of Rasalhague and the Combine Candidate, and Hertig Haakon Magnusson of Alshain." Informed Minister Kowalski.
"Alshain is still in Combine Hands." I pointed out.
"Rasalhague is being slated as the Princely Holding, which means that Hertig Magnusson couldn't claim it or Sigurd, its moon, for his own. He decided to stake a claim to the Dukedom of Alshain as a sort of promise that the Principality would reclaim the world in the future." Explained Minister Kowalski.
"So, with another thirty-six-million C-bills slated for Bribes, that leaves twenty-one-billion-seven-hundred-eighty-eight-million C-bills of the Budget unaccounted for, yes?" I questioned.
"Minus another five billion for repair and replenishment of the various Guards Regiments and Aerospace Flotillas that took serious damage in the Oberon War. We'll have to put a pause on building Naval Corvettes and slow the pace of production of upgraded Dropships and JumpShips for our flotillas. Each Corvette costs over a billion C-Bills to produce, after all, and the Star Lord Twos cost seven-hundred-fifty-million C-Bills apiece, to say nothing of Pentagon Two, Avenger Two, Excalibur Two, Leopard Two, and Achilles Two. Each of those ranges from one-hundred-fifty to four-hundred-million C-bills apiece." Informed General Jorgensen.
"Can we cut back on the number of Regiments? Maybe do a phased rollout? How many would you say we'd need to put out a year? If we were to phase in new regiments every year till thirty-thirty?" I queried.
"I'd say if we stand up four new regiments each year, we should strike a good balance between fiscal responsibility and defense of our new holdings. We'd need to at least stand up one new flotilla in that time to go along with that, though." Cautioned General Jorgensen.
"So by my count, if nothing changes, that gives us twenty-nine-billion-six-hundred-thirty-nine-million C-bills each year for the next four years to work with. Minus thirty-two-million for bribes and that leaves twenty-nine-billion-six-hundred-seven-million C-bills to play with this year." I calculated.
"Correct." Confirmed Minister Kokkonen.
"So, what do we need to work on and how much can we do?" I asked.
"I'd like at least ten billion in funding for industrial and energy improvements on our new worlds this year." Informed Minister Kovar.
"And I'd like ten billion for Infrastructural Improvements." Added Minister O'Neill.
"Done. Which leaves six billion for Research and Development. What can you do with that?" I questioned.
"That should get us our ER PPC Prototype along with the next stage of our Power Armor Development Program. There might be a few hundred million left over, but that won't really do much to push any of our other R&D Projects forward in any significant direction." Informed Minister Macszek.
"What can we do about that trade-wise? Any trade agreements we can make to pull in an extra billion or two?" I queried.
"We've expanded our trade with the Lyrans for military equipment about as much as we can right now. At least until we can switch over plants on Oberon Six, Ferris, Blackstone, and so on to begin production of our own equipment and technology. Raw materials and older equipment are another story, but the Lyrans don't really need it." Frowned Minister Huber.
"What about the Second Rasalhague Principality? Can we sell raw materials to them while we switch plants on Oberon Six and elsewhere over?" I asked.
"They're mostly paying with credit right now until they can sort out their government issues. While ComStar Financial Services is guaranteeing that Credit, thanks to the Principality being Primus Tiepolo's big win from the Terra Conference, there's still a bit of uncertainty regarding any purchases made on credit." Warned Minister Huber.
"Still. I think we should go for it. How long until we can switch over production facilities in our new territories?" I questioned.
"Munitions plants can be switched to production of specialized Ammunition within a two-week time frame. Anything else is going to require over a month at least, depending on what exactly we want to make." Informed Minister Kovar.
"Rasalhague is newly independent, and their Kungsarmee isn't exactly very robust at the moment, being a mishmash collection of equipment purchased from various sources on credit. It strikes me as a situation where they would be willing to buy as many specialized munitions as possible, as a force multiplier to beef up their anemic forces until they can sort out a proper government and chain of supply. Do you concur, Minister Huber?" I queried.
"I think that just might get us an extra two billion for the budget this year, My Lord. Depending on negotiations, of course." Agreed Minister Huber.
"One billion of that will get us to the next phase of our Extralight Fusion Reactor Project, but that's about it." Informed Minister Macszek.
"In that case, we'll bank the extra billion in the treasury for a rainy day. What else?" I asked.
"My men caught a suspicious person loitering around a Buccaneer Arms facility on Zertarum, a man named Darren Kimani. When we arrested him, we caught a microfilm camera on him with photos of the assembly lines for the Mauser Nine-Sixties, along with less detailed photos of Sabre Two Production. Police Interrogation was conducted alongside Minister Simowitz's people." Informed Minister Jonsson.
"And?" I pressed.
"After being dosed with enough Sodium Pentathol to drug an elephant and being denied sleep for forty-eight hours he revealed he was sent by the board of Ceres Metals Industries to try and collect whatever technical information he could get." Added Minister Simowitz.
"I'd bet a million C-bills that Maximillian Liao put Patrick Rivoli up to it. It seems like the sort of move he would make." Scoffed Minister Kowalski.
"No bet. House Rivoli may be corrupt, but the Liao's have long since learned to play them like a violin." Smirked Minister Huber.
"We also had to confiscate a poison tooth from Mister Kimani. It seems like if he got caught, the bigwigs on Capella Seven were expecting him to commit suicide." Pointed out Minister Jonsson.
"Also a move that Maximilian Liao would make." Sighed Minister Kowalski.
"Da, I believe Mister Kimani will find himself disavowed if we bring this up to the Capellans." Intoned Minister Simowitz.
"So what do we do with him, then?" I questioned.
"He's obviously guilty if he was caught with incriminating photos and confessed to industrial espionage." Mused Minister Kokkonen.
"The law says that those guilty of espionage are to be executed by firing squad unless their sentence is commuted by the Grand Duke, in which case they get life in prison." Reminded Minister Jonsson.
"We still have execution by firing squad on the books? That's a bit inhumane, isn't it?" Frowned Minister O'neill.
"Could be worse. The Liaos still have the electric chair." Shrugged Minister Kowalski.
"Even worse." Huffed Minister O'Neill.
"I don't think we need to stoop to their level. Just commute his sentence to life in prison." Suggested Minister Macszek.
"Unless you feel like re-instating penal labor? Your father did that during the early part of his reign on Butte Hold and it built a lot of industrial infrastructure." Offered Minister Kovar.
"Actually, I had an idea about making him work for us. How feasible would putting a double agent in Ceres Metals be?" I queried.
"It might take some doing to convince him, but it could be done." Frowned Minister Simowitz.
"You're thinking of putting a mole in a major defense company of the Tristar Alliance to keep an eye on their attempts at technical catch-up?" Asked Minister Macszek.
"I am." I confirmed.
"It's not the worst idea in the world. At the very least it will give us a picture from which to extrapolate the Tristar Alliance's recovery from the War." Concurred Minister Kokkonen.
"It's better than executing him, at least." Admitted Minister O'Neill.
"But can it be done without raising suspicions? We'll need to have him return with something in order to allay any suspicions. Something that won't give the Tristar Alliance an edge." Frowned Minister Kovar.
"Wait, he said any technical innovations?" Frowned Minister Macszek.
"He did, why?" Asked Minister Jonsson.
"Because we just reverse-engineered a more fuel-efficient motor for Jump Packs. it adds another six minutes to flight mode and one-hundred-fifty leaps to assisted mode. By itself, it's nothing special without the advanced polymer jump-infantry armor we put out which allows flight mode to be operated at maximum speed for up to a hundred seconds. That's what really gives the new jump packs the edge in Jump Infantry Combat." Explained Minister Macszek.
"So we give him the new Jump Pack motor?" Questioned Minister Huber.
"He'll need more than that." Frowned, Minister Kokkonen.
"So we give him a few other inconsequential things. Stuff that won't give the Tristar Alliance enough of an edge to deal with upgraded Lyran Capabilities, let alone our own. Small arms, like the Buccaneer Arms Adventurer Assault Rifle or the Buccaneer Arms Voyager Auto-Pistol. Small improvements to allay suspicion." Offered Minister Macszek.
"The Adventurer and Voyager would be an improvement over the Ceres Arms Smasher and Piercer currently being used by the CCAF. It would sell it." Agreed Minister Kowalski.
"Then that's what we'll do." I commanded.
"I think that's everything then, My Lord." Informed Minister Kokkonen.
"Right, then I think you all know what to do. Get to it." I ordered.
As the meeting broke up, I felt like I might actually be able to carve out something that could withstand the assault of the Clans when they came. If I could become the Prince of Rasalhague, in addition to the Grand Duke of New Ålborg, and build up from there? With the Lyran Alliance on top? I might just be able to do it. That was a thought for later, however. For now, I needed food and some sleep.
Tomorrow, I would be on a JumpShip bound for Apollo to see Katrina again. . .
XXXX
AN: All right, here's the first major Council Meeting Post-Oberon War. It has a detailed breakdown of the budget, along with a few other things, most notably the situation in Rasalhague and the discovery of a Capellan Industrial Saboteur.
Like I said, a lot of this stretch is going to be Politics, Kingdom Building, and Economics. Not just with Council Meetings or stuff for New Ålborg either. Katrina didn't just invite him to Apollo for shits and giggles. She's actually holding a massive party for the Lyran Nobility to show off her accomplishments during the last phase of the Third Succession War. Then there's the Princely Election in Rasalhague to boot.
Things are gonna be less war-focused for a bit now. Politics, Economics, Kingdom-Building, and Skullduggery are going to be the name of the game. At least until the next major flashpoint occurs.
At any rate, the next chapter will be the first part of the trip to Apollo.
Stay tuned. . .
Comments
KnightofTempest
He doesn't need Helm. He has a better Memory Core he's been pulling stuff from to reverse-engineer. Also, the Grey Death Legion isn't a thing ITTL to begin with, as Trellwan wasn't attacked, since the Oberon Confederation was focused elsewhere.
Artman
Also the clock is ticking on Helm. I don’t see the MC being able to move on it, but doing nothing with the information?
andrew rousseau
Hmm, its 3026 right? Wonder if we'll be seeing melissa around, also appreciate no marriage of mellissa to hanse, that was always creepy to me even if hanse is cool
Ha dug
Honestly would be quit smart if he started ‘finding’ proof that the combine played a much bigger role in the fall of the star league in ‘old ISF’ facilities. Could push the clans to focus much more heavily on the Combine
Ha dug
Oh nice, getting our boy on the throne of rasalhague and beefing them up to resist the clans would be amazing. Only thing I’d worry about would be the combine freaking out even more as the buffer state they thought they could keep neutral suddenly falls squarely in the Lyran side of things. Might lead to a fair amount of assassination attempts to watch out for. Also if he can beef them up enough it would be funny if the clans decided to just go all in on the combine as the weak man of the inner sphere instead of gut through the Lyrans, rasalhague and combine all at once
