[RP/MM] T38: CSR vs FS - Hunting Order - Sector 2446 Clan Space [Complete]

[Lord Harlock]

"You mean Debra Dun and the nuclear attack," said Admiral Tourville. "Of course, we know that from the reports that the New Avalon Martial Academy have produced on the subject of the Clans." He put down his fork. "Khan McKenna, I did not seek to offend you. When I referred to barbarism, what I meant to describe was not the protoclans on Strana Mechty or the first ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky, but the societies that the Federated Suns has little or no data on from the Pentagon Worlds that formed in the Pentagon Civil War. All we know is what comes from our looking over details from other Clans but a majority is from reports from Khan Phelan Kell nee Ward of the Wolves."

Campbell injected. "We don't even know much beyond the fact the societies of the Pentagon Worlds made the Successor Wars look like a low intensity conflict in many causes other than the numbers being much higher in the Inner Sphere." Tourville nodded. "And I can understand why the Minnesota Tribe, Blood, or the NotNamed makes the Snow Ravens' blood burn. It's the same feeling that probably makes  Federated Suns citizens burn with rage about the Draconis Combine and thoughts of the massacre of Kentares IV that claimed ninety percent of the world's population. Or if you want thinking of the long ago officers of the Federated Suns Expeditionary Force on Capella on that distant day when the Capellans destroyed our forces that had taken their capital with orbital bombardment. Even the Rape of Robinson is enough to get some of my countrymen to near suicide rage."

Tourville cupped his hands. "The point is that the AFFS and our military historians love different perspectives on what happened in conflicts. Like a near blind prisoner, it helps restore our sights to find better ways to fight and learn from military mistakes. And that's why I'd like to hear your complaints about the Minnesota Tribe which is what I'll call them to avoid calling them the NotNamed which gets confusing for people of the Inner Sphere due to the lose of other clans such as the Mongoose or the Widowmakers, and I wish to  avoid giving them to much honor if we call them by their Clan Name."

Tourville added. "And I understand the power of the Snow Ravens, Khan. All I have to look it is the number of warships that the Clan that you command can assemble. As much as the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns is driven by our ground forces, our naval arm has in the last decade come to realize that our original ideas on warships being merely escorts for landing dropship had to change due to the realities of warship combats. It was only by the grace of God that we were able to adapt, and the Avalon class show much of that change in theory. So as you can tell, we have to constantly adapt in the AFFS or we will have more events like Capella, Kentares, Robinson, and horrors like Debra Dun. And it is the duty of every officer of the AFFS from a recruit to the the commander and chief, the First Prince, to make sure that no more events like that never happen again in our boarders and . . . any other nation if we can help it." And for a moment, Tourville nearly stopped.

"By now, I'm sure that even the Clans have heard that we failed to do so again. Some would say it's because of our hubris that the Dark, the former Smoke Jaguars, came from unknown places and attacked territories that we took to prevent piracy and discover their location. I speak of Tortuga. But it weighs heavily on me that the AFFS searched for two years trying to find the Dark after the Tortuga Invasion."

Campbell added. "Is it wise to tell them , Admiral?" Tourville nodded. "Khan McKenna brought up Debra Dun, so I wish to explain how we know about such things." Tourville looked at Asif and Khan Lynn. "As I said by now, the Dark's return is probably well known to the Clans. Considering that our media is broadcasted out easily where jumpships can move and pick up on transmissions. The AFFS however kept certain numbers down on the raids in 3068 in the Tortuga Territories. We never gave out the exact numbers because we never could account for how many people were in the territories due to the population mostly being pirates and brigands originally. They hid."

Tourville then got to the point. "In 3070, the Federated Suns was going to do another attempt at doing a census. However, the attack of the Dark in 3068 left those worlds nearly lifeless. Tortuga Prime lost most of her population due to starvation, massacres by mech and aerospace based weapons, and apparently capture. Before we left, the government was working on sending additional colonists out there, but who knows if the Dark has returned to wreck more massacres on the population there or somewhere else in the Periphery boarder? That's how I know what Debra Dun is Khan McKenna. It was a disaster any way it happened, and it should never have happened if the guardians were not distracted. And this Clan War is a distraction to the AFFS, we should be out there making sure the Dark is not destroying our worlds to eventually lay waste to our shining jewel, New Avalon."

Tourville then asked something. "I follow orders as a good guardian, Khan McKenna. All I want is to go home to the Federated Suns to prevent the Dark from growing stronger and destroying my nation. I want to prevent another Debra Dun, Kentares, Robinson, or even the barely spoken of lost Golden World of Arcadia. So yes, I understand it, and I want to prevent it. So, that's why I believe it is best to come to some sort of dialogue between the Clans and the Inner Sphere."

"Otherwise, the Dark will just grow, and it will destroy untold lives. And it isn't because they were Clan. No, they are no longer Clan because I have never heard Clans just slaughter innocents and burn cities to ciders just to sate some hunger for revenge. So we need some sort of dialogue, or else Avalon join the Federated Suns Arcadia as a lost world."   

[Fatebringer]

Lynn put down her glass and shook her head. "Sorry Admiral, wrong answer. For the record, before you went on this wild rant, we were talking about societies. Not Dehra Dun," correcting the the Admiral's mispronunciation of the old Raven Capitol. "What I would have said, if you did not begin this pathetic plea for your cause, was that selfishness...Admiral, is what offended us so. They did not care about the bigger picture. Whether or not the rest of what you may have heard occurred, the Not-Named took an Oath the same as the rest of us to protect the weak and powerless. They sat with us in the Grand Council and then on Circe, they broke that Oath. We took heavy losses including the death of our founding saKhan because their saKhan chose to not watch our flank, for what? Unrequited lust?" Lynn tilted her head, "Neg, even what happened on Circe was not the cause of their downfall. Just their first showing of their true colors." Lynn stood and began to adjust her suit. "As hard as it was for our Clan's founder to have to go to the Grand Council and ask for permission to access the Brian Caches for replacement materials so that we could fulfill our oath, he did so. When we were granted access to one, The Not-Named could not let go of their old ways. They felt that the Oaths they made to the people as we sat on the edge of nothingness were not as important as acquiring nostalgic war machines they were no longer entitled to, and even this, they did not do so with the dignity or honor that made them part of the Star League in the first place."

Taking a que from Lynn, Asif stood and began preparing his suit as well, speaking while he worked. "I can understand why you want this ship back in the battle. She is a fine ship, but as you said orders are orders, and your orders were to come out here and threaten our borders. Perhaps to see what we still had left, perhaps to see if our other fleets would return here in force and weaken the invasion front enough so that it would be possible to drive those there from their purpose" He looked at Lynn then back to Touville after verifying that she was ready to leave. "What I do know is that we had intended to invite you back to Lum, to give you what you really wanted. Time. Time to discuss this further and decide if you earned the right to face us in honorable combat. It would have been you, fighting for your chance to go back home and fight the war you wanted to fight, versus us who want to use this ship to end the invasion once and for all. But...it looks like neither of us will get the chance for that now. You pushed too hard, too soon Admiral Touville. The sign of desperation. You missed out on your opportunity to understand us." The two walked to the door where their envoy was waiting. Lynn stopped and turned to them. "Oh, and if you ever get the opportunity to debate with one of us again, I recommend that you never try to compare the defunct Pentagon Worlds with your Lords petty grasping for power that tore apart everything we held dear. Just a suggestion though." With that Lynn turned and continued to the door.

[Lord Harlock]

'You want understanding, fine,' lamented the Admiral. Tourville then tour a patch from his uniform. It made a scratching sound. "I offer myself as isolora or whatever you want to call it to Clan Snow Raven. Not my ships. Just me, an Admiral of the Federated Suns that is more valuable than anything made of metal and crosses the void. Just allow my ships and their crews to go back to the Inner Sphere along with the pledge that they make no stop till they get back to the boarders of the Federated Suns, and you can have me without a whimper to detail any information that you can get out of me."

Campbell looked shocked. But all Tourville said was a simple phase. "The Die is cast."

[Fatebringer]

Lynn stopped in short of going out of the door, and looked over at Asif. He shook his head. Lynn stopped and turned to the Federated Suns group. "Admiral, I was hoping for more from you. Where is your passion for the fight? Asif even gave you key getting somewhere with us. I can not decide if you declaration that one man can be as valuable as a whole ship is insight or folly,... but it will by you time!" Lynn walked heavily up the man, and looked him up and down, from the whole in his uniform down his arms to the patch on the table and then to his eyes. He could see in her gaze that no one and nothing intimidated her. "You have precious seconds Admiral! Do NOT waste them. What did Asif say! Hurry, you only have moments before I order those men to take your ship from you!" The emphasis on the one word was all the clue she would afford him. Her eyes darting from eye to eye, as if looking for understanding inside the man's skull.

[Lord Harlock]

Tourville escaped his muttering, and he closed his eyes and sighed. "Khan Lynn McKenna, I challenge you to a trail of possession to the Alexander Davion and Intreprid. If I win, my warships, dropship, fighters, and pilots will have safe conduct or safecon back to the Inner Sphere." He breathed in and out. "And if you win, you will receive the ships." Then he thoguht for a second. "I believe it is the choice of the challenged to choice the battlefield."

[Fatebringer]

Lynn continued to look him over, the doubts on his face were obvious, but she had what she wanted, even if she had to spoon feed it to the Fedsun's Naval Commander. "Conditions. You shall turn over control of your ships to our navigators, you shall accompany us back to Lum. We offer the same courtesy for you as you gave us here. Our food will not be as splendid as this, but you will find it is quite filling. A simulated Naval Engagement between the crews, with ONLY the Warships at hand and to show we mean business, I will bid away the Scabbard." Lynn pointed out the viewport, "that would be the Aegis parked at your Five 'o Clock. And as your challenge dictates, should we prove ourselves over you, we keep your entire Battlegroup and see if you are worthy of being a bondsmen, and if you win. We grant you Safcon, provided! ... You do as you have stated your intented desires are ... and go home."

<<This would mean the battle would happen next turn at Lum so there isn't a rush to get it done this turn>>

[Lord Harlock]

"I'll allow your navigators to guide the vessels to Lum, but on my word, the Alexander Davion Battlegroup does not need any Raven marines on board the vessels to supervise. You can trust a AFFS officer when he gives his word to follow to the letter."

Tourville then looked at Lynn. "Otherwise, you are well bargained, Madame Khan."

In the corner, Commodore Campbell tapped his belt that sent a text.


On the bridge

Kate Summerville received the text. She sighed and shook her head. "Okay, the tissue box needs replacement," she whispered to a marine. The marine nodded, and he walked over to a commtech.


Janitor Closet

A DMI officer walked in and then walked out. There was a mildly shake from behind the door that no one noticed since the room was well insulated for a janitor closet. The Black Boxes on both FedSuns vessels had been destroyed. 

[OOC: Yeah, the match can wait till next turn. Though I figure that it would be a good chance for someone to do a megaaero game.]

[Fatebringer]

"For all your words of honor, Admiral. I do not know you yet. We can 'reduce' our presence here, but I must insist on insuring my Navigators are all right. Will that suffice?"

[If agreed to Marine presence would be reduced to matching 1 FP, and it was my hope that we could play this out next turn ]

[Lord Harlock]

[Well, the 1 FP of marines is fine, and it will be played out next turn. Till then I'll keep the Alexander Davion and Intrepid on my sheets to save time and effort.]

[Fatebringer]

[Aff. They are your ships. We are not taking control of them, just guiding them. No need to give you the coordinates to my home  ]