Opalescent Reflections (2024)

Dali, Tamar
Clan Wolf Occupation Zone
12 January 3057

Ulric Kerensky had only expected to see Karl Bourjon appear across the desk from him, but as the live HPG communication opened, a second Khan was beside the leader of Clan Ghost Bear. The expression of Lynn McKenna was enough to tempt Ulric to hide behind the desk he'd laid claim to along with the rest of the Duke of Tamar's office. "Dare I ask?" he enquired, barely keeping a groan from his voice.

The muscular Ghost Bear folded his arms across his chest. "You are acting as the protector of Clan Zeerga," he rumbled.

What had those surats done now? "Aff, for a few more weeks. Since you are joining us, Khan McKenna, I assume that they have offended both of you this time?"

"You claim to be unaware?" she demanded.

"I am a very long way from the homeworlds," Ulric pointed out. "No doubt some report from Clan Wolf's Watch is on its way to me but much of their attention is focused on the Inner Sphere."

The white-haired Snow Raven glared into his eyes. "Three days ago the Zeerga jumped their entire warship fleet into the Lum system and challenged the defenders of our shipyards."

Ulric's jaw sagged open. "They claimed your shipyards, quiaff?" There were several shipyards around the Clan homeworlds but most of them were focused on servicing existing vessels - understandable since the vast reserves left from the Exodus Fleet filled most of their needs. Clan Snow Raven, the paramount clan in the field of warships, were the most notable exception: their shipyards over Lum were the only one that could build new jumpships and warships.

Clan Wolf had tried to acquire part of the yards in 2966, something that his Clan would prefer to forget. The debacle had ended their own ventures into warship construction entirely.

"Neg!" McKenna exclaimed. "To stop that we would have destroyed them, no matter the cost."

"They challenged for possession of three warships docked in the yards," Bourjon rumbled. "Two of them belonging to my Clan."

The Wolf Khan thought about that for a moment and then looked over at McKenna questioningly.

"The last was ours," she confirmed. "But with the yards under the Zeerga's guns the commander felt he must show restraint. He bargained down to fighters and elementals. A warship battle would have courted disaster."

"Something Ward and Radick no doubt calculated on," Ulric mused. "Reckless but effective."

"Their fighters punched through and allowed elementals to seize control of the ships," McKenna continued. "We ceded and they patched up controls for the jumpdrive and left a few hours ago."

"They must be heading for Eden. The facilities there are their only option to complete warships. Off hand, I am unsure how long it might take though."

"That is my own thinking," agreed Bourjon. "We will not stand for this, Ulric. Those ships cost us a fortune in resources. The Zeerga cannot continue to hide behind you."

The Khan leant back into his seat and examined the two. "I understand how you feel, but they did act under Clan law. I have no grounds to withdraw our support until March 18. Until then, any challenge to the Zeerga will be met by Clan Wolf. I can do no less…" Then he shook his head, feeling his gray hair brush the high back of the chair. "But I will do no more. If you want to strike at the Zeerga then I can only advise to wait until March 19."

Both Khans nodded grimly and Ulric made a mental note that Clan Wolf's forces in the Eden system were to make sure they left the instant that their obligations to the new Clan ended. They might once have been brethren but their actions over the last two years had soured the relationship.

"I am surprised they even wanted more warships," he added thoughtfully. "Their holdings are not so widely spread as to need a large fleet. They could have probably have claimed ships from a naval cache with less difficulty. What ships were seized?"

"The Ark Royal is our newest battlecruiser." McKenna all but spat. "Sister-ship of the Conqueror."

Ulric nodded, searching his memory. Ah yes, a substantial rebuild of an SLDF fast cruiser, roughly comparable to Clan Wolf's own flagship the Dire Wolf. "And your losses?" he asked Bourjon. He didn't particularly keep track of Clan Ghost Bear's ships but they were working hard as part of their shared supply lines with Clan Diamond Sharks so almost anything could have been sent in for maintenance.

"Do not tease me, Ulric! We had only two ships at Lum!"

For a moment, the older Khan was taken aback by Bourjon's raw anger but then his memory gave up the missing pieces. "The Leviathans?! I thought they were far from being fit to jump."

"Neg, they are largely unarmed and unarmored but their core propulsion was completed before priorities changed."

The Leviathans - the Ghost Bear's Follies - were a project going back more than ten years. Bourjon's predecessors had entered into a partnership with Clan Snow Raven to build two of the most powerful warships ever built, a new generation to exceed even the Nightlord-class of battleships that represented the best of Clan warships. The costs had been huge, justified only by the expectation of having to fight warships belonging to the Great Houses.

Discovering that the Wolf Dragoons' reports that such warships didn't exist were correct, combined with the need to supply their own invasion force, had forced the Ghost Bears to divert the resources and thus the ships had lingered at Lum with progress slowing to a crawl.

"They must have been better informed than I was," Ulric admitted ruefully. "But it would take years for them to complete the Leviathans. There's no stockpile of capital armaments on Eden and I have heard nothing of them being seized from elsewhere. I am sure someone would have made me aware."

McKenna snorted. "The answer is obvious. I will give you until the nineteenth of March, Ulric. But that clears any and all debts I may have owed you."

"I would not ask more."

The Snow Raven inclined her head sharply and then dropped out of the call, her hologram blinking away to leave the Wolf and Ghost Bear looking at each other.

"Transports," Ulric concluded quietly.

Bourjon nodded. "We considered using them for that ourselves. Weapons require solid mountings, ammunition feeds, power… and then building the armored hull around all that. But cargo modules, habitation decks and life support - any dropship yard could build that given time."

"What sort of capacities did you estimate?"

The Ghost Bear shrugged. "It depended on the preferred mix but… say a quarter million souls and as many tons of cargo, with fuel and life support to make the voyage to our occupation zone."

"You never think small, quineg."

"Neg. Nor short term." Bourjon shrugged his shoulders. "The Clan Council is furious. You know how we are when roused."

"I can only offer you what I did McKenna. When my pledge lapses, they are all yours," Ulric promised. "When I offered my protection they were our erring sibkin, I had to appease their grieving comrades. The Zeerga have burned those bridges since then."

The Ghost Bear folded his arms again. "I cannot imagine doing such a thing."

"It was not my first resort," he retorted. "I gave them a chance and they chose to squander it."

"Our Clan is not the only one that desires revenge. It is probable that by the end of March the Zeerga will hold only their enclave on Strana Mechty," warned Bourjon. "After that they may end up absorbed."

Ulric had guessed as much. He would almost have expected abjuration but the chance at the genetic legacies the Zeerga had access to would be too great a prize. "That would not have my vote but I will not fight against it. Our Clan's future is here in the Inner Sphere."

Bourjon eyed him thoughtfully. "I had heard that you were establishing enclaves here but I had never thought to hear such worlds from you, Ulric. You have become a Crusader, quineg?"

"Neg, but Clan Wolf now rules worlds caught between the way of the Clans and those of the Inner Sphere," he admitted. "Socially and geographically, the occupation zones will always be caught between the Clan and the Inner Sphere. The only way to stop further invasion is to create a point where both can meet with civility, if not peace. It will be a long road but that is something our Clans are better at than some others."

"I have had similar thoughts," the Ghost Bear agreed. "Of course, we may not have the time for such a road. If we do not survive our enemies' claws, then it will not matter. The Zeerga are far from the largest challenge we are about to face."

Kyoto City, Benjamin
Benjamin Military District, Draconis Combine
1 February 3057

Oda Hideyoshi's estate would have fit in perfectly in the Imperial City. The marquis' ancestor had acquired the land almost four hundred years ago and according to the dossier, the house had been built in the styles that were fashionable at the time. That being the traditional japanese architecture being pushed for by House Kurita as they moved the capital to Luthien, the only obvious differences were some subtleties of the wood that likely marked that the Hideyoshi family had used local timber originally or for repairs.

Probably the former, Minoru thought as he greeted his host with an exchange of formal bows. The Hideyoshi's fortunes had risen and fallen over the years. When they first moved to Benjamin they would not be able to afford shipping rates for this much timber, not even in the golden years of the Star League.

The retired Otomo officer bowed deeply as Minoru crossed the threshold and the Coordinator returned the gesture. He was the lord of all lords in the Combine but he was still a guest today.

"My lord," Hideyoshi greeted him. "You honor me with your visit."

"I regret that I have not previously had the opportunity to spend time upon Benjamin," Minoru answered politely, pretending not to notice that the older man was leaning on a cane. Hideyoshi had left a leg inside his battlemech on Luthien, if Omi's resistance had not rescued him he would be a Diamond Shark bondsman. "Your estate has the appearance of a jewel in the crown of the district capital."

"You are too kind." The samurai gestured with the arm not using the cane towards the garden. "I feared that the style might be too melancholy while Luthien is inaccessible."

That was delicately put, the younger man thought. "I have the fortune to place my own stamp upon the new capital." Even if Luthien was liberated by the counter-offensive - which would be rather optimistic - then it would almost certainly be too exposed to shift the government there. Particularly given that another move would layer more disruption onto the court.

Hideyoshi indicated a turn on the path. "It will be a little time before dinner. Perhaps you would be pleased to engage in some archery while we talk. I imagine that you have had little chance to practice as you traveled."

Minoru wouldn't have said that archery was his favorite of the martial arts, but he was reasonably proficient and he supposed that it would be unreasonable to suggest a sparring session against a man twice his age with half as many organic legs as he had. "I would be pleased to."

The older man seemed pleased and led Minoru through to one of the gardens. An open gallery at one end held firing positions and four targets stood at the far end, separated from them by a recently mowed lawn and lined with colorful flower beds.

"Less stark than the usual arrangement," Minoru murmured as he selected a bow from the selection that had been laid out waiting for them. "I suppose less skilled archers might incur the anger of the gardener."

Hideyoshi had set aside his cane once he reached a firing position and stood stiff-legged with his own bow in hand. "My wife first cultivated the flowers here," he explained. "It was a way for us to combine our pleasures… and yes, she was most wroth on occasion if an arrow went astray. A fine inducement to improve."

"One must respect the lady of the house." He knew Hideyoshi had lost his wife several years before to cancer. Making his selection, Minoru carried the bow and a quiver of arrows to the next firing position. "Would you like the first shot?"

"Please," the samurai declined with a gesture towards the targets.

Minoru nocked an arrow and extended his arm, waiting a moment before drawing it to extension. He looked down across the garden, letting the flowers flanking it fade from awareness. There was only the target, the arrow and the intent to bring them together.

The release came almost as a surprise and the arrow knifed into the target, dropping into the 9-ring just below the bullseye.

Hideyoshi did not offer sycophantic congratulations, simply drawing back his own arrow and releasing. His own arrow pierced the very edge of the bullseye. "I do not think you came here simply out of courtesy, tono."

Minoru chose another arrow. "It is the nature of governance to seek to strike many targets with one arrow."

"And neither diminishes the other. If I may help you to carry the burdens of the Combine then it is my duty and pleasure to do so."

This time Minoru's arrow was a hair too high, he had over-corrected and it would have been generous to say that the arrow was touching the bullseye. "I would value your counsel, Marquis Hideyoshi."

"In the ancient wisdom of the west, a young man in possession of wealth and land must be desiring a wife," Hideyoshi commented before launching another arrow into the target. It settled next to the first, clearly within the bullseye. "But I think that is not the topic that you have in mind."

"It is not," Minoru agreed evenly. He supposed that the remark or something like it was inevitable given that the man had a daughter who was unwed. "Have you ever met with Daniel Sorenson," he asked instead.

"I had the privilege of attending his wedding," Hideyoshi replied, to Minoru's mild surprise. "Although we are not close. I think the offer was extended simply as a courtesy to a fellow officer who was on the same world at the time. His promotion came as a surprise, but not his loyalty or competence."

"I have been pleased by both qualities." Minoru loosed another arrow and it sank neatly between the first two - clearly in the bullseye, if not quite in the center. "While on Dieron I had the chance to meet with him and he has some interesting ideas about restructuring the government of his district to reflect lessons learned over the last few years."

"Only his own district?" Lifting an arrow from his quiver, Hideyoshi examined it carefully, squinting along its length to check that it was perfectly straight. "The way some have spoken of his ideas, it would be easy to believe he wants to have the entire Combine reorganized into new districts to fit our diminished territory."

Minoru was selecting his own next arrow and let it slip from his fingers in irritation. "It would be presumptuous for one Warlord to look beyond the boundaries of his district."

"Indeed." Hideyoshi nocked his arrow and drew it. "Such a decision would be cowardly, in any case - accepting that our recent reverses are largely irretrievable. And Sorenson -" His voice was slightly strained from holding the draw so long. "- is no coward."

The arrow struck the target but only in the 8-ring.

"I hope you have extended your understanding to those who err in their comprehension," the Kurita offered. He drew and released the arrow, seeing it settle next to the last arrow, on the edge of the bullseye. "Sorenson believes that through these changes Dieron can offer more support to the coming campaigns. With the Star League divided in its priorities when it comes to repelling the Clans, I am inclining towards giving him the chance to prove his theories."

"It would be too much to expect that the Federated Commonwealth would be willing to extend efforts to reclaim our worlds at the expense of their own. Your sister's efforts in keeping them from taking advantage of our focus on the Sharks have been admirable, but it would take a miracle to have more. My daughter is a great admirer, I may have to bring her to Irurzun when Lady Omi is next there," he said in an indulgent tone. "I hope that it would not be presumptuous to introduce her - I owe your sister my life."

"I'm sure Omi would be pleased, although I'm not sure when she will return," Minoru said, picking another arrow and politely waiting for Hideyoshi to take a shot.

"Now that I can no longer take the field myself, I find myself thinking more about the future," the marquis said, nocking the arrow. "I had fixed ideas of where my life would go and now I find myself living a rather different life - I had rather hoped to be chosen as the next regimental commander but now I have to find other ways to serve." He released the arrow and it struck the dead center of the target.

Minoru drew his own arrow and sought the focus to make the next shot the equal of his host's. There was a flicker of movement at the entrance of the gallery and he sought to banish the distraction - if it was any threat his security would not have let it pass.

The arrow struck home just on the edge of the bullseye again.

"I crave your pardon for distracting you, Lord Kurita." The new arrival bowed deeply and Minoru was caught aghast for a moment. Why was Wei Rong here!

A moment later, his mind caught up with what he was seeing. This wasn't the Primus of ComStar, although she bore some resemblance with a similar figure and long hair worn in the same style. She wore a demure kimono and as she looked up, he saw solemn and intelligent eyes.

"One grants pardon only where there is something to be forgiven," he told her. "Please think nothing of it, Marquis HIdeyoshi is merely a better shot than I am."

The man in question lowered his bow. "Should I take your arrival to mean that dinner is served, Atsuko-chan?"

She bowed her head again. "Yes father."

"As an old campaigner, one should not pass up on a chance to eat," the host advised, turning back to his lord.

Minoru set his bow down. "Wise words that I have heard from both my father and grandfather. Let us wash our hands and eat."

Atsuko clapped her hands sharply and two servants entered, each carrying a bowl in one hand and a jug in the other. They had towels over their shoulders.

Rinsing his hands, Minoru accepted soap and realized that it was Atsuko who had passed him the bar before turning away to offer another to her father. He wasn't sure if he was imagining the warm touch of her hand as she gave him the soap.

His hope that Hideyoshi had missed his distraction was dashed when he saw a knowing look in the old officer's eyes. "Do not take this the wrong way, tono, but Warlord Sorenson's reforms are probably less critical to the realm's future than you ensuring that you have an heir."

The young woman flushed and snatched the soap back from her father. Minoru handed his own bar back to her before letting the servant pour warm water from the jug over his hands to wash away the soap. Her hand definitely brushed his and he watched her leave.

Minoru gave Hideyoshi a sharp look and the marquis spread his own clean hands slightly. "One wishes the best for one's children, tono. I hope that you provide well for your own, with the future of the Combine… whoever you choose to wed."

There was no doubt what the man was hoping for, only whether the resemblance between Minoru's first crush and the marquis' daughter was a coincidence.

"I admire your archery," he said blandly, changing the topic as the two of them left the garden and followed the young lady of the house towards the dining room. "Clearly, I should practice more."

Katyusha City, Strana Mechty
Kerensky Cluster, Clan Homeworlds
19 February 3057

Katyusha's primary drop-port was the busiest on the planet and until the completion of a secondary drop-port fourteen years previously it had been the uncontested king of congestion for the entire Clan Homeworlds, even with three Clans that had neighboring enclaves pointedly directing all but the most urgent of their traffic via monorail to their own territory.

The main terminal was crowded by members of every caste and most of the Clans as Sarah Weaver stalked through it, although most had the good sense to move aside rather than stand in the path of a Khan.

"We are early, my Khan," reported her aide - a warrior so green that she was probably still wet behind her ears.

"Better that than missing our takeoff," she replied sharply. After three quarrels over precedence had led to bloodshed and delays, the Free Guild that managed the facility had appealed to the Grand Council and an officer of the Ebon Keshik had been assigned to oversee traffic control. From that day on, the rule had been ironclad: you took off on schedule or you were sent to the back of the queue, which could mean waiting for days. "I will wait in the lounge, alert me when the time comes to board."

Up a flight of stairs from the main departures area, the lounge served caste leaders and other senior clansmen who might want to work in peace as they waited. Semi-enclosed booths lined one wall and doors along the other marked private rooms. The wall of armor-glass looked out over the dropships being prepared for lift, buses and luggage-haulers crawling back and forth in an intricate dance, partly blocked by the glass and steel bar that provided refreshments.

"PPC, Smoke Jaguar style," Sarah ordered brusquely as soon as she reached the bar. A few travelers already waiting for attention turned at the sight of her but they all wisely went back to waiting as they saw her uniform and rank pins.

The bartender placed a snifter glass in front of her and measured four shots of wood-grain alcohol into it before digging beneath the bar for the second part of the co*cktail. Once the next two shots had been added, Sarah drained it quickly and forced herself to show no expression as the beverage numbed her mouth - a point of pride amongst all her sibkin… of whom she was the last.

"Another," she ordered, sliding her credcard over for payment. "I will use room three."

The bartender paled slightly as he accepted the card and began pouring again. "The room is in use, Khan Weaver. By other Khans," he clarified hastily.

"Then I will deal with them directly," Sarah asserted, accepting the credcard and the fresh glass. "My aide will look for me, let them know where I am."

"Aff, Khan."

Sarah tucked her card away as she went to the door and unlatched it. The three waiting inside all looked up as she entered, two of them relaxing slightly at the sight of them. The third merely tilted his head in acknowledgement.

"A Smoke Jaguar PPC," Malavai Fletcher sneered as Sarah kicked the door closed behind her. "Who does that to their alcohol."

She rested the glass of wood-grain alcohol and prune juice in front of her and sat down facing the Khan of Clan Hell's Horses. "This is a warrior's drink, unlike you herbivores who use liquorice."

"I have more wit than to dull my senses," he riposted, indicating his mug of steaming black coffee.

"Herbivore," she repeated before nodding to the other Khans present. "Taney. Radick."

"Weaver," the Ice Hellion greeted her. "What a complete coincidence!"

That got a laugh from Radick. There was no coincidence to their meeting here, of course. It had taken careful scheduling to have them depart within an hour of each other and thus have an unsuspicious meeting before they were divided by many light years from each other.

"None of us have changed our plans," Fletcher announced. "Any delays have been within the tolerances of our agreed schedule."

"We will reunite in the Inner Sphere and carve our names into the Remembrance!" Taney declared ebulliently, raising his glass in toast.

Radick went for the glass in front of her but hesitated as she saw neither Fletcher nor Sarah responding. "I also look forward to our victories," she said, giving them a questioning look.

Seeing Fletcher's challenging look, Sarah cursed the man for being so well-informed. "There has been a change to our own plans. Khan Showers is restless at the lack of opportunities for combat against the Inner Sphere and will be taking charge of our attack upon the Diamond Sharks."

"Waiting nine more years must be hard at his age," Fletcher chuckled and sipped from his coffee. "Hells Horses are not herbivores, Sarah." He pointedly did not look at Radick, whose clan totem most certainly was.

"To victory over those who stand in our way," the Smoke Jaguar offered to break the moment and this time they all drank, Sarah's mouth numbing again and giving an excuse not to say more than a terse goodbye as a knock on the door had Taney alerted that it was time for him to go to his dropship.

"Even if Showers is taking the lead, why would we not see you in the Inner Sphere?" Radick demanded hotly after the door closed behind the Ice Hellion Khan. "I have more faith in you than I do in a fallen ilKhan."

The older woman set down her glass firmly. "As our ally just pointed out," she said, tongue feeling slightly awkward in her mouth after the two drinks, "Information has value. Will you answer a question for me in return?"

The Zeerga snorted. "Bargained well, so long as it is of no greater value."

"The Diamond Sharks are shifting more of their garrison forces out of the homeworlds," Weaver told her. "That creates an opportunity here and since Tau Galaxy has gone to the occupation zone without me I am authorized to build another new galaxy on Huntress out of production and graduating cadets who could not reach the Inner Sphere in time to aid you. The Diamond Sharks will be savaged from every direction, my Omega Galaxy adding another jaw to our offensive."

"That does make sense," Radick agreed. "What is your own question?"

Sarah thought for a moment about what to ask. "Your prizes from Lum: what will you name those warships?"

The blonde mechwarrior smiled proudly at reference to her Clan's recent victory. "The battlecruiser has been named Reunion," she declared. "And the battleships are the Revenge and the Retribution."

"Strong names," the Smoke Jaguar said, amused at the choices. Radick may be dreaming of a reunion between her Clan and the Wolves, but she thought that the other two names might be more indicative of what the Zeerga warriors would seek. For all the Khan's dreams of treating this campaign as a trial of refusal over her exile, it would be unlikely to end in an easy reconciliation between the rival heirs to the Founder's legacy.

They were interrupted again by a knock at the door. This time the visitor wore the black and white uniform of Clan Zeerga and Radick finished her glass quickly before following her aide out of the lounge.

The two remaining Khans eyed each other wordlessly for a moment after the door closed.

"You are unusually quiet," Sarah accused without heat.

"It serves me well," Fletcher told her. "I got the answers to both of your questions without cost just by keeping my mouth shut."

"You are sharper than most give you credit."

"It is the scars," the Hells Horse observed quietly. "Few can look past them."

Sarah reached up and touched the one that crawled across her scalp. "Some call them marks of failure."

"Wounds only scar if you survive them," he said and drained his coffee mug. "Where do you plan to hit the Sharks? Vinton, quiaff?"

She bared her teeth at the reminder. The Diamond Sharks and the Smoke Jaguars had been fighting each other when the arrival of the Outbound Light cut short the conflicts among the Clans and took Showers' attention away from reclaiming the enclaves on Vinton. Once a Smoke Jaguar stronghold, half the industrial world's cities now flew the banner of the Diamond Sharks.

"Information for information," she said instead. "And it is your turn to answer a question. How do you rate Radick's chances of success?"

Fletcher considered her for a moment and then shrugged. "The Wolves will be one again however it turns out: either Radick wins her refusal or Kerensky crushes her and absorbs what is left of the Zeerga. Their enclaves here will be lost by the time Radick's fleet reaches the Inner Sphere so there is no way back."

"And in either case, the Wolves will have lost their Eden holdings," Sarah noted with some satisfaction. Those enclaves bordered with some of Clan Smoke Jaguar's holdings and had been a constant point of conflict over the years. Seeing the Wolves stripped of those lands and their wealth would be very satisfying.

"Not to mention many warriors and much of their equipment. It will be a generation or more before the Wolves can recover, even with the wealth of their occupied worlds," the elemental said confidently.

"A humbling that is long overdue." She shook her head. "As to your own question, I have not yet settled on a target. It will depend where the Diamond Sharks are most vulnerable next year. They still have a frontline galaxy here in the Kerensky Cluster and another in the Pentagon. If they reduce Beta Galaxy's strength then Vinton would be tempting, but there is also their harjel source on Strato Domingo."

"Hitting the merchants in their finances." Fletcher sounded approving. The Diamond Sharks' monopoly on harjel, a critical material for elemental battle armor as well as self-sealing hulls for spacecraft, had made them immensely wealthy.

"Or we may hit them on Babylon or Dagda if Delta Galaxy is weakened. Whatever hurts them." Sarah might have spoken further but the door opened to reveal her aide.

"Your dropship is ready, my Khan. We have fifteen minutes to board."

"Fight well, Khan Fletcher," she told the towering Hells Horses officer as she rose to her feet.

"Give them hell, Khan Weaver," he rumbled and rose to bow slightly to her as she left for her dropship and Huntress.