pirated stuff

Outreach

Sarna March, Federated Commonwealth

March 8th 3051

Victor's father had a second surgery, and the medical staff believed there would be no further complications. They did warn that as he recovered, he would need to avoid stressful situations and space travel for at least the next month. His father had grumbled quite a bit, but he promised his family he would take it easy. Instead of his normal duties as First Prince, he would be delving into his enjoyment of old military history.

Victor had continued his training with a ruthless zeal. MacKenzie was no longer their trainer, having left Outreach two weeks prior. In general, there were fewer familiar Dragoon faces as two more of their regiments had left for the front. He was anxious to join them, but he knew that once their training regimen was complete, he would be shipped to Coventry, where the Davion Heavy Guards awaited.

His days were getting longer as his mother had taken over the duties his father typically carried out for both realms. As a learning opportunity, Victor was sitting in on meetings with Justin Allard and the rest of the FedCom military brass. He was learning a lot and realized there was so much more going on behind the scenes than he had ever realized.

For example, with the Wolf's Dragoons' information on how to construct WarShips, the JumpShips and DropShips that had moved units to the front were now laden with scientists, engineers, and industrial equipment taken from the threatened areas of Lyran Commonwealth to the Federated Suns. Shipyards at Kathil and Galax were going to be enhanced. Vehicle factories in Johnsondale and 'Mech factories on New Avalon were being expanded as well.

And how the Lyran Commonwealth nobility is howling.

Victor had never imagined that amid a war for survival, people would still play politics like this. The Lyran half had always been an industrial juggernaut, but increasing industrial capacity away from the frontlines made sense. Twycross had fallen, Sudeten was on the frontline, and Coventry might even be in danger soon. His mother was working overtime to calm the factious Dukes, industrial leaders, and Lyran State Command over what they saw as the poaching of resources and talent.

Today, he would be attending a much smaller meeting with Thomas Marik. His mother had made it clear that he was there to observe, not to make judgments or hurl accusations. She had impressed this upon him both as his mother and as the Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

In the room were only him, Justin Allard, Jaime Wolf, Thomas Marik, and Cassandra Blake, the Quartermaster General of the FWL. All had been introduced previously, allowing them to get down to business immediately.

"Captain-General," the Archon began, "we are facing a grave threat, one that imperils us all. My husband is still in recovery, and some of our most advanced NAIS medical teams are coming here to Outreach to ensure he is given a clean bill of health." She glanced at Jaime Wolf. "Your staff is exceptional, but our medical team would like to conduct a review for these matters."

Turning back to Thomas, she lowered her voice. "We are also bringing in our pediatric oncology team, and I would like to have them review your son's medical history and current treatment. The NAIS has made significant advancements, and it is worth seeing if they can assist."

Victor saw Thomas blink a few times in surprise.

"I had not been expecting this, you have my thanks, Melissa."

His mother was nodding. "Our children are important to us. I understand the strain you must be under, and I can only pray that your brave boy survives his battle. Joshua deserves every chance to live, as does the Inner Sphere. I've spoken with Jaime Wolf about the Clans. Did you know that their medical care, despite having even greater knowledge than we do, for the disabled and the elderly is nearly non-existent? They consider it wasteful to save their lives."

Thomas looked taken aback. "No, I did not know that."

"The Clans are truly monstrous; with their technology, we could do so much to help so many of our citizens. Winning this war and obtaining their library of medical knowledge is one of the fondest desires I have. That is why I've come to speak with you. I would like to have a frank discussion and have an offer for you. Once my husband recovers, he will have his own perspective, and though I love him, he has always been in favor of forceful negotiation."

Victor forced his face to remain smooth. What was his mother doing? This was her husband she was talking about!

Thomas glanced from Melissa to Justin and then back to Melissa, before sighing. "Archon Steiner, I can only explain my limitations in so many ways."

"Thomas, my mother was not remiss in my education. I know what is within your capabilities and what is not. I also know that you wish to gain tangible benefits for your aid. There is simply no time to do all this properly, and so I am suggesting a new paradigm for these negotiations."

She pulled out some papers and pushed them forward. Thomas took them and began to read, and Victor could tell by the visible surprise on his face that their contents shocked him.

"You cannot be serious. An election?"

Victor's mother nodded. "Indeed. You wished for worlds? Well, I won't simply give you Lyran citizens, but I can support self-determination for the following worlds: Callison, Marcus, Van Diemen, Talitha, Wasit, Devil's Rock, and Oliver. Elections to be held in two years to determine if they wish to stay within the Lyran Commonwealth or join the Free Worlds League. Your people will be allowed to enter those systems to make their case. I trust Prince Magnusson to also send neutral arbiters, or if you prefer, Wolf's Dragoons to ensure the fairness of the elections."

She leaned forward as Victor struggled to contain his own shock.

"This should appease those back home, and this proposal includes the other offers we have previously made. Non-aggression for 20 years after the last world is liberated from the Clans. Access to Clan technology provided by Jaime Wolf, but also the research NAIS has completed on all non-military avenues, including construction, engineering, medical, and astrophysics. The third corvette-class WarShip constructed by FedCom will also be delivered to your people, though the estimated delivery time is uncertain, but within the next decade. In return, you will create the refit kits to allow existing Inner Sphere 'Mechs to receive those needed upgrades and ship 30% to the FedCom, 30% to the FRR, and 30% to the Draconis Combine. You will keep 10% for your own forces, and by the end of 3051, you will move a minimum of five of your regiments to the warfront with the Clans."

His mother took a deep breath. "I promise you Thomas, this offer will not be repeated. I do not wish to belabor the point, but you are receiving far more than anyone else would offer you."

Victor thought it was too much. Far too much, but he was obedient and didn't speak up.

Thomas Marik studied her and then his aide whispered something to him.

"It is a generous offer, and I feel we are near a deal…"

His mother stood up. "I have many things I need to do, good day Captain-General."

The Captain-General's scarred jaw opened a few centimeters. "Wait, Archon. Let us not be hasty."

"This is a take-it-as-it-is offer. Refusal now means I withdraw from this negotiation and leave it to my husband. You won't get better terms."

Thomas chuckled. "And here I believed it would be easier to negotiate with the Fox. Very well, I will agree. The Free Worlds League will make your upgrade kits and we will aid your military with our 'Mechs. There are details that need to be worked out regarding these elections, but our factories will begin switching over production immediately."

Jaime Wolf gave Marik a tight smile. "Good, progress has been made this day. I would urge you, Captain-General, to do more than just the minimum needed. Going above and beyond your five regiments will no doubt endear the people of those worlds that will be decided by election." The legendary mercenary gave a sigh. "We know Romano Liao will not cooperate, and as such, I will be calling this summit to a close soon."

Victor watched as agreements were signed and when Thomas and his aide left, he turned to his mother and Justin.

"How is this in any way a fair deal? We are going to give him a WarShip and potentially lose worlds? And we are paying through the nose for those refit kits!"

"A WarShip that has not been built yet, and by the time it does get built we will either have been defeated or managed a peace. By the time we have built a third corvette-class WarShip, we will have already launched our first destroyer-class." His mother took him by the hand. "Victor, those are all worlds that used to be a part of the Free Worlds League. Despite that, I believe on most of those worlds we will win those elections. The scientific data was always meant for all the Inner Sphere. The core agreement remains the same, but now we have an answer and a decision. We can plan to move forward."

Justin nodded. "This opportunity only came about due to your father's medical incident, but this is the silver lining. While Hanse did not like the idea of potentially ceding any worlds, those are Lyran worlds and it is the Archon's decision."

Victor still didn't feel right about it. They were giving in to a selfish bastard who instead of unifying and working together for the good of all was extorting them!

His mother must have read that in his expression. "Victor, think it through. An agreement like this is so important because it allows us to pull our military from the border. We won't leave the important worlds unguarded, of course, but everywhere else, once we have the necessary JumpShips capacity, we can start bringing more of our military to the interior. The five Marik regiments give the FWL some skin in the game and a common enemy."

"I do understand," Victor said with frustration in his voice, "I just don't like it. The man rubs me the wrong way, he wasted so much time and made things harder on Father."

"So long as you understand," Justin said directly. "The agreement is structured that payment for those refit kits is stretched over sixty years. The WarShip is at a minimum five years, and likely more from fruition. If he does start a war or reneges on the agreement, he'll never be able to collect. Nothing in this life is a guarantee, but we've successfully bought Thomas Marik, and if he wants to get paid, he needs to follow through."

Victor hated politics like this, but he knew it would be required of him when he became the Prince Archon.

***

Alyina

Tamar March, Jade Falcon OZ

March 18th 3051

Aiko stalked forward in her Timber Wolf as the rest of her squad followed. The Provisional Garrison Cluster that defended the world insisted on using their full strength against the invader and did not consent to any duels. That meant they had to do it the hard way, but probably the safer way when it came to Princess Katherine's life.

Katherine refused to sit out of battles, especially when they were small Star or Trinary fights. Here, though, without the need to fight honorably, they could operate much more safely. The world of Alyina was temperate, and the defenders had chosen an open space to take advantage of their theoretically superior range.

What a joke.

They had deployed the full regiment along with an artillery regiment. It was bloody overkill. Since the battlefield had ample space, they had simply established their presence, quickly setting up their Spitfire Cannons and Thumpers, then waiting. The Clans were often impatient, and these Garrison Clusters seemed almost eager to run into their guns. Had they done so, that would have been fine too. They would have slowly advanced a battalion of artillery two kilometers at a time while the other two remained ready to fire. Their armored tanks and infantry companies also had flak-loaded field guns, so Aerospace wasn't much of a threat – though it appeared the Clan force guarding this world didn't have any.

Into the guns they ran, charging straight into a blistering rain of death for nearly ten kilometers. Two companies of 'Mechs had been equipped with Thunder LRMs instead of their regular ammunition. Once the enemy's path had been detected, they seeded the ground with mines. Thunder LRMs didn't fire regular missiles; instead, they launched mines. While unlikely to fully destroy a 'Mech, the mines would cause significant damage to a 'Mech's legs.

If they went around the deployed minefields, all the better, because the guns were already aimed for it. By the time the wounded 'Mechs got close, it was Katherine and Aiko's turn to begin tearing them apart. Long-range weapons like ER PPCs, standard LRMs, and smaller variations of autocannons struck the survivors.

Aiko herself unleashed 40 LRMs and her two ER large lasers. At the same time, two Summoners also fired their LRMs and ER PPCs, and the already wounded 'Mech disintegrated. Aiko, always keeping a close eye on Katherine, saw her snap a mine-damaged leg off an advancing Marauder IIC with her own ER PPCs. The 'Mech crashed down, its pilot attempting to avoid landing headfirst, with only partial success. LRM fire from other 'Mechs and Katherine's next barrage of Particle Projector Cannon strikes kept it down.

All along the line, a similar fate befell the garrison forces. Their damaged 'Mechs were no match for the firepower of Katherine's elites, who not only weren't damaged but also had far greater numbers. Over 80 'Mechs against 45 – or more accurately, around 35, since a good quarter didn't make it through the artillery hell – was light work for the 1st Royal FedCom Guards.

Aiko heard Katherine's voice come through on the command channel. "Excellent work. Disable the mines and gather the salvage. Almost no OmniMechs, but those IIC variants are equipped with Clan weapons, and the more of those we have, the better. And is that 'Mech an Emperor? Five centuries and still kicking – impressive."

These one-sided battles were enjoyable. Waldorff had been even less defended – a single Nova, or five 'Mechs and twenty-five Elementals. Some of Leftenant General Winters' Jump Infantry Sniper Corps had taken down two near-pristine Elemental suits with visor shots for Hauptmann Rogers' Elemental Company. The others were nearly all completely destroyed in battle, but the techs had been performing miracles of late, and they felt confident they could get another pair up and running.

These battles only make us grow stronger, but at some point, we are going to run into a serious opponent – maybe on Twycross, maybe even before then.

In the post-battle meeting, Colonel Lautner was grumbling. "I only got to shoot my new autocannon once! Colonel Fischer, I must insist that next time you don't cause so much damage. It isn't very sporting."

Aiko knew it was in jest, but there was at least some truth to the elderly Colonel's faux griping. The man desperately wanted to let loose with his new Atlas, and he simply had not found a worthy fight here or on Waldorff.

Katherine told her gathered officers, "Leftenant General Redburn is reporting two PGCs on Wotan and will be making landfall in the next two days. It will be bloodier than this, but he will have three armored regiments, nearly three 'Mech regiments, a battalion of artillery, two mechanized infantry regiments, and more Aerospace than their garrison. I expect him to do well, and we will continue our plan for his command group."

The Princess paused. "So far, the Jade Falcons have not moved anything from Twycross, but reports from agents indicate a large number of JumpShips arrived in early March and have jumped away, destination unknown. The timing means it is possible they are already beginning to plan for a counterattack, or they could just be reinforcing their frontline forces. It is the number of JumpShips that worries me, as the agents indicated it would be enough to move more than two of their Galaxies."

Aiko cursed. "Two Galaxies? Ten clusters? If they are just garrison ones, not too bad. But if they are frontline…"

Gregory was shaking his head. "I am guessing they might be a mixture? By all reports, the Clans, at least on the offensive, always use practically pristine BattleMechs. They must be replenishing their frontline 'Mechs. I'm less worried about a counterattack and more worried where they are headed. It could be a strike force planning on taking Sudeten."

People ventured their opinions, and Katherine made her decision. "Intelligence has what looks like two Stars of BattleMechs and a sizeable non-Elemental battalion strength infantry unit defending Denizli. No reports of JumpShip activity, meaning the massive wave of reinforcements is not there. We will take a day or two to finish our salvage operations and then take our DropShips back up to our transport. We'll hit Denizli and then play it by ear. In all honesty, I want Twycross. Giving the enemy a 'Mech production facility is bad news, and by now have probably upgraded the facility to help produce Clan technology. Being able to examine how they did so could be invaluable for what our own factory upgrades will take.

"Then we'll get it for you, Highness!" Colonel Lautner said forcefully.

Katherine flashed a smile. "I want to take it and avoid significant casualties. So far, we've hit worlds with minimal defenses and have been able to overwhelm them with sheer firepower. Let's not get overconfident."

Being on the offensive had its negatives, but being able to pick and choose their targets based on the reports from teams on worlds with the Black Boxes, allowed them to tear them apart piecemeal. No real test of their combat prowess had occurred, but the amount of damage inflicted by their task force was significant. Psychologically, it must also be tying the enemy High Command into knots.

Their failure to stop Katherine earlier is going to haunt them for a long time.

***

Colmar System

Tamar March, Jade Falcon OZ

March 22nd 3051

Khan Elias Crichell of the Jade Falcons realized that if something was not done very soon, his Clan would not only fall far behind, but he himself would be replaced despite all the efforts he had made to build his position within the Clan. There was simply no way he could defend all the worlds he had taken, and since there were so many avenues of attack across a broad front, his forces would be tied up retaking worlds while the enemy simply moved from world to world, annihilating his touman.

Three additional frontline Clusters and fifteen PGCs should have been enough… but he had already lost the equivalent of four PGCs with the worlds that had fallen. Wotan was a particularly harsh blow. His victories were also harder to come by – Colmar and Dompaire were won, but the casualties inflicted on his elite units were unsustainable. With the prior losses on Twycross and Blackjack, as well as the grinding attrition, he was now well below three frontline Galaxies in strength.

This is impossible. I thought to win the greatest honor by going through the strongest nation – after all, they are just Spheroids. But just as a Trueborn Command Star can lose to a Cluster of Solahma freebirths, so too are my Jade Falcons facing defeat.

The Snow Ravens were proceeding slowly and had not seemed to draw any of the enemy's defenses away from this corridor. No, in fact it seemed as if the enemy were growing ever more numerous. Elias knew that by June things would change, but he risked losing half the worlds he had taken before then.

On the political front, trying to keep Diamond Shark and Smoke Jaguar from each other's throats was an exercise in frustration. At this point, he was almost desperate enough to use his WarShips to simply shoot down attacking Spheroids, but if word got out, it would be his undoing. No, he needed another plan – one that would trap his foe against a world they intended to attack.

But which world? Would they try to contest Twycross again? The enemy had made three thrusts – one of no real concern, taking worlds of little importance; another that struck at Wotan; and the last that took Alyina.

He needed the Diamond Sharks' assistance now, but his ally Leo Showers now found himself in a dilemma. The ilKhan wanted garrison forces as well, but both the Diamond Sharks and the Nova Cats were now against him. Unwilling to be saddled with either, he also did not want to give other Clans the advantage of freeing up additional Clusters.

For Elias, the time had come to force the issue – allowing the Nova Cats and Diamond Sharks a role in the invasion, but on a voluntary basis. HPG-capable WarShips were part of his fleets, and he could arrange a 'near-live' broadcast with the ilKhan. It was past time to have the conversation.

Once arrangements were made the ilKhan's holographic image appeared.

"My ilKhan, we need to allow Clan Diamond Shark and Clan Nova Cat to join the invasion."

Showers shook his head. "Neg. The Steel Vipers slowed the Wolves – I will not have the same done to my forces. Nor will I allow another Clan to benefit if they are not at odds."

"The Watch reports heavy raiding on the worlds you have taken, and they are not providing nearly enough resupply for your Clusters. I am under attack by the largest nation in the Inner Sphere, and the invasion has slowed to a crawl. Without a change in strategy, I can no longer support your leadership."

Showers eyes seem to flare. "You dare?"

"Aff, what choice do I have? And with me will be the Clans you have snubbed. With me will be the Snow Ravens. I suspect Ulric salivates at the idea of bringing you down. What shame will your Bloodname bear with an ilKhan who failed to win a war against Spheroid barbarians?"

Showers was quivering with rage, so much so that Elias doubted he would be able to articulate himself.

"What do you purpose then, Khan Crichell?"

"The Reserve Clans will be activated and given a place in a corridor, if requested by the owner of that invasion corridor. Once within the corridor, they may participate freely and advance on worlds as they deem fit, and may join the race for Terra. If you or the Ghost Bears do not wish assistance, you need not take it."

Showers looked at him balefully. "So, you will have the Diamond Sharks join you because of your alliance with Khan Hawker. Meanwhile, the Ghost Bears may call upon the Nova Cats, and there will be no one to aid the Smoke Jaguars."

"That is the summation of my plan, my ilKhan. It is either that, or I withdraw my support and we see how the Grand Council votes go. Remember, your own corridor deals with the Draconis Combine. When the Adders finally arrive, it will draw away some of the Draconis Combine's military strength."

The ilKhan was still angry, but he gave a tight nod. "Fine, but I will not forget this betrayal, Khan Crichell."

"We have worked well together in the past and should continue to do so in the future. The Wolves must be stopped, quiaff? All I am doing is evening the playing field, as the Federated Commonwealth is truly two nations in one."

"I will make the announcement soon," Showers said, his voice disgruntled. "From the last report, they have already moved some of their Clusters to the Periphery."

"Aff, the Diamond Sharks have two frontline Galaxies and the Nova Cats have three. Likely, they will summon their PGCs from the home worlds as well, but those will take more than half a year to arrive – likely longer if they cannot barter for transport with other Clans."

Showers growled and ended the transmission. Elias thought about how he could best trap the enemy. Once they were dropping down in their DropShips, they would be vulnerable. As long as he had one WarShip, or even a ComStar message – though he was beginning to distrust them – once they had committed their forces, he could send in his already battery-charged fleet and drop in behind the Spheroid DropShips. With enough Aerospace forces to destroy them if they attempted to flee, the fight would be one they were forced to take. Instead of fighting with a Cluster or two, he could bring a whole Galaxy.

And why make it dependent on any one planet? I will use one of Hawker's Galaxies as well for this. One group in orbit around Trell, the other on Baker 3. That will put more than dozen worlds in strike range.

It would take a few weeks to assemble what was needed, and Khan Hawker's agreement, but Hawker was eager to join the invasion – that carrot should satisfy him. Once the counterattack had been crushed, he would let Hawker deal with Sudeten and bleed his own forces against that tough nut. From there, his Falcons would soar, sweeping through resistance to ensure they would not only catch up but take the lead.

***

Hainfeld System

Free Rasalhague Republic, Wolf OZ

April 4th 3051

The end of the paltry sixth wave gave Ulric and his Wolves time to prepare for future conflicts. They had secured only three additional worlds and had lost Thannhausen to a counterattack from the Federated Commonwealth. What interested him most about this was that it had been a FRR world.

Our enemies are cooperating with each other. How novel.

ComStar claimed that a Draconis Combine regiment was also garrisoning a FRR world and that another one of the formidable FedCom RCTs was now garrisoning the planet of Wheel for the FRR. The Wolf's Dragoons, the primarily freeborn advanced reconnaissance force, had fully gone over to the Inner Sphere, and a fellow Bloodname holder of the Kerensky line had fought and won against the Ghost Bears.

There were still some of Natasha Kerensky's generation within Clan Wolf, and Ulric had questioned them, learning some interesting things. Despite her advanced years, they believed that this Natasha Kerensky would be a formidable foe.

It seemed that every prediction the ilKhan and his supporters had made was wrong. The Inner Sphere could work together, was working together, and they had the ability to fend off the power of four Clans.

We only showed up with a portion of each Clan's full power, but unless we had delayed the invasion, we would not have reasonably been able to move our entire military all at once anyway.

Ulric's desire to see his clan become the ilClan was multifaceted. He was a Warden to his core and believed the Inner Sphere should not have been invaded. But since it had, it would be much better to have it ruled under his Clan than under one like the Smoke Jaguars. With the increased resistance, Ulric knew that the key to long-term success was to work in conjunction with the Inner Sphere people he had conquered. Worthy bondsmen who joined the Clan warrior caste willingly would give him a strong edge over his peer Clans. Keeping production high in conquered worlds would allow him to shorten his supply lines, and knowledge of the individual commanders his Clan would be facing was invaluable.

It was why Phelan was no longer a bondsman and was training hard for his upcoming Trial of Position. Ulric knew that people like Phelan were key. How much easier would conquered worlds accept their new rulers if they saw that they too could rise high in the Clan hierarchy? Ulric was too much a product of the Clans to consider rigging the trial to make it more likely Phelan could defeat three opponents.

Based on what his trainers have reported, he should have little difficulty in earning a Star Commander rank, but a Star Captain would be my preference.

"A C-Bill for your thoughts?" Anastasius Focht asked.

The old man was dressed in his white ComStar robes. Ulric knew that many of his fellow Khans distrusted the ComStar envoy. His lined face and eyepatch gave him a grizzled look, but the set of his shoulders and his erect bearing made it clear he was, and maybe still is, a warrior.

"I will grant them for free. I was just thinking of young Phelan and what I hope he can accomplish after finishing his Trial of Position."

The man nodded. "I see. I know you have been quite busy, but I still do not quite understand the purpose of what your ilKhan did with the Steel Vipers. It has hurt your ability to strike at the Inner Sphere. Why would the leader of the invasion wish to hamper it?"

Ulric and the other Khans had been instructed not to advise their allies of their eventual goal. It had become more pronounced when word of ComStar being home to nefarious agents of the Scavenger Lords had been provided by the Jade Falcons. Focht had claimed that ComStar security was the best in the Inner Sphere, but no organization could be perfect. Not with an organization as large as ComStar. They were working on restricting information to just their First Circuit and searching for the mole among their lower ranks.

"Each Clan wishes to be the strongest. The Smoke Jaguars are ascendant thanks to the ilKhan, but if another Clan proves to be consistently better, then he may be pulled down and replaced with someone else. Showers fears my Wolves and has attempted to cripple us."

"Has he succeeded?"

Ulric's lips curled up in a wolfish smile. "No. He has slowed me, but it is only a momentary setback."

"What of this recent decision to activate the Diamond Sharks and Nova Cats? Is that an act of sabotage as well?"

"Neg, there is more going on behind the scenes there. The Diamond Sharks are working cooperatively with the Jade Falcons. I have had some interesting discussions with the Nova Cat Khan, and we may be close to reaching an agreement."

Focht looked stunned. "But… don't you already have the Steel Vipers?"

"Careful, Precentor Martial, I may not be as sensitive to language as others, yet it is a habit you should break."

The man bowed his head in acknowledgement and then waited for Ulric to continue.

"The Steel Vipers in this corridor require us to bid against them for worlds. The Nova Cats could make it a three-way bid, which allows for certain flexible thinking to unravel the ilKhan's aims. When one bids for a world, the initial bid they make may be called on as reinforcements, but only with the permission of their bid opponent."

"Meaning the Nova Cats can be asked, not just the Steel Vipers, since they were part of the bid!"

He understands instantly, truly he sees our ways.

"Precisely," Ulric acknowledged, "and if both I and the Nova Cats are aligned, we can also refuse any requests from the Steel Vipers. It is an elegant solution, but I must ask myself, do I trust them? Can I be certain they will not have a dream that causes them to change course? They make for excellent allies, until they are not."

"Can the ilKhan block your efforts?" Focht asked.

"He can try, but his position is precarious. The Diamond Shark Khan humiliated him in the Grand Council and received exactly what he wished for within a month's time. Trying to circumvent a policy he has just introduced will chip away at his strength. Even the other Crusader Clans will begin to wonder just how poorly equipped his Clan is if he must consistently work to thwart me."

He continued to speak with Focht for a time, and the conversation helped order his thoughts. His Wolves were ready for a significant assault. The Seventh Wave was going to start in May, and with the Nova Cats' help, the bidding would be far less troublesome. Their frontline Galaxies could also make an immediate impact in smashing the most well-defended worlds.

So many of our own worlds back in the Kerensky Cluster are held by multiple Clans at once. There is no reason we cannot do the same with the Nova Cats for a world like Tamar.