Disaster Relief (Invasion) Tharkad (1619). Now with RP.(Combat Complete)

[august]

In response to the overheard fragment Taks cast a sidelong, awkward glance at Russel for only a moment before he realized the inappropriateness of the gesture. Overcompensating, he threw on an friendly smile. "So, ah, sir, while we're waiting, who is your favorite for this year's All-Commonwealth Cup?"

[Deathrider6]

Tharkad.

 Daniel looked back at Taks. "Colonel, I'm really not sure the team from Coventry looked really good. I'm not sure if Charlemange will let them play anymore this year. I don't have a lot of time for sports but Donegal United looks good as well. Arc-Royal and Pandora were making a run as well."

[Deathrider6]

Heidelburg, 4th Royal Guards HQ, Tharkad.


  Kommandant Dieter Handlemann-Bitburg stepped into the room. "General, I have a communique from Arcturus." He passed the meesage flimsy to Russell, then turned to Taks." Hello Colonel." He then waited for Daniel to read the flimsy.

[Deathrider6]

OOC Note: Have frefrained from posting while waiting for others to post. So here's some more filler so to speak.

Hiedelberg, Tharkad.

  General Russell was not a smoker but he occaisionally enjoyed a quiet cigar. He nodded to the guards ans walked to a quiet spot twenty five feet away from and enterance or window. Ahhh this will be nice. He waitred for Nondi and the Clan Wolf Loremaster to finish their meeting so he could give his reports.

[NVA]

...Coming in off PM...

The door reopened and the doctor walked out, leaving the door open behind him.

"...Yes General, perhaps it is time to call the others in."

[Deathrider6]

Heidelberg, Tharkad.

  General Russell walked back into the room just as the door openede caught a snipet of the conversation and waited to be summoned.

[Dave Baughman]

General Steiner, looking somewhat pale under the conference room's flourescent lights, was dismissing a Wolf Clan medic just as Russel and company entered.

"Gentlemen, I apologize for keeping you waiting. Galaxy Commander Tutuola has been briefing me on a rather unpleasant strategic situation that is developing at Arc-Royal."

"Colonel Taks," she addressed the Arc-Royal officer flatly, "The Galaxy Commander believes that the Arc Royal theater is on the verge of collapse. Is this accurate?"

[august]

"General, I'm not important enough to have clearance regarding everything that might be relevant, but my understanding is yes. Clans Star Adder and Ice Hellion have taken a number of worlds within the theater. We're facing widespread defection to the so-called Rim Worlds Republic - rebel troops even tried to seize Pandora. If not for the intervention of the Dracs-uh-onis Combine allied troops, they might have done serious damage to what troops remain loyal. Of the LCAF forces loyal to the government, a good deal of them were trapped behind enemy lines. I hear they've made it through safely, but not in time to shore up the defenses against this wave of attacks."

"Aside from the DCMS on Pandora, the SLDF has been extremely uncooperative. The Davionists aren't responding to any of our transmissions, and latest has it that Marco Hall wants to strip Arc-Royal of her military facilities and turn tail. The government ain't having that - as I understand it, we'll go down fighting and it'll be scorched earth if it comes to it. I can't say I'm happy about it, but better that than some fatass Terrans receiving the the work of our hands pro-bono via routes paved with Lyran blood. Er, excuse me, General -slip of the tongue."

"If that weren't enough, we know that there are Leaguers in the area just waiting to snatch up what worlds they think the clans won't hit, and my esteemed colleagues from Donegal think that murdering Hesperans is more important than helping defend the Commonwealth, giving our worlds to the Lavenders all the while."

"Suffice it to say, General, I hope that whatever situation you referred to involves the saints appearing in the flesh on Arc-Royal. It's going to take a miracle to bail out the theater. We fail and we lose the government for the second time in three months."

[NVA]

Listening to the General, the Loremaster shook his head.

"General Hall has just taken over the Star League Defense Force.  If you wish to lay blame at earlier actions, perhaps you should take it up with Victor.  However, that is not here.  General Hall is working with the Lyran government and those Lyran troops who recognize General Steiner's command.  However, those are few to find in the arena, General.  Most, would rather make Arc Royal its own state or head of the whole Lyran government.  And, given that the Government of Arc Royal and the people who claim to 'lead' the Steiner State from there are holding a hostage and threatening terrorist actions, it is unlikely that government will ever be recognized by the Star League.  What General Hall has done is look at why the UIW has been able to survive the clans at this point.  And, frankly, it is because they do not have anything the other clans want.  As there are no loyal Lyran troops on Arc Royal, the best the Star League can do for the Lyran state is to remove those facilities to a safer location.  Truth be told, with the self destruction of the Lyran government and everyone wanting to be called leader, the job of the clans became far easier.  Your leaderships claim to being 'the' Lyran leadership is no better than anyone elses.  Which is probably why the Star League does not recognize a valid Lyran government at this time.  And, it is this very reason that Clan Wolf recgonizes Nondi Steiner as acting Regent.  Anything else will strip any claim of membership in the Star League by the Lyrans.  Now, if you believe that is what you want, then I am sure Clan Wolf can be convinced to remove all of our assets protecting Lyran worlds and let the clans do with those non Star League worlds as they would.  If, instead, you truly give a surats backside about the Lyran state, then convince your damn government to quit beating the war drums, work with the Star League Defense Force and the other member contributions.  Recognize that General Steiner is General of the Armies and quit trying to make your own military leadership.  Quit trying to make more enemies.  Those Free World troops seconded to the Star League Defense Force will be dealt with if they take actions against you.  But, if you insist on making a new state, then you have NO protection from the Free Worlds League by the Star League, as only the FWL is a member then."

[august]

Taks shrugged off the Wolf's speech.

"General Steiner, with respect, could you please dismiss the chatty clanner? I thought that this was LCAF affair, and for my part we could probably get things done more effectively if we didn't have foreigners interrupting us and dictating to us our own laws and telling us how to do our jobs."

[Deathrider6]

Tharkad.


  "I beg to differ on your opinion of Loremaster Tutuola, Colonel." He shook his head. " I will remind you that prior to actions taken by various parties in the Lyran Government the Wolves in Exile were an intergral part of the LCAF defensive plans for the Arc Royal Region. I do feel that the Loremaster's presence is unnerving for me personally his insights may be of value. I will defer to General Steiner on that regard but I will not tolerate your characterization of the Wolf Loremaster as 'chatty' Colonel. Do so again and I will charge you for it. Loremaster Tutuola would be justified in challenging you to a Trial of Griveance for your remarks."

[august]

"General Russel, this self-righteous piece of vatborn trash has the nerve to tell me to my face that my troops and the people who stand beside me aren't 'Loyal Lyran troops,' and you defend him? And charge me with whatever the hell you want - you're the one who is following the orders of a goddamn war criminal! You ally yourselves with this scum and worse, the Leaguer shits, and you have the fucking nerve to tell me that I've not got the best interests of the Commonwealth in mind? You know what's in the best interest of the goddamn Commonwealth? Not killing other Lyrans! My people are dying at the hands of the clans right now, while your Skye-Donegal faction orbitally bombards Hesperus! I don't give two shits if you differ with my opinion! Because yours is so far beyond the pale that it's a goddamn insult that I have to stand in the same room as you and pretend that you're a ranking LCAF officer."

"I sided with Arc-Royal because I was there, and because it was convenient. Thank the Lord for that. Because no matter what they may be doing, the Estates General has shown it's got its priorities straight. We haven't killed any of our countrymen, and everything we have is being used to fight the invaders. So fuck you, fuck your murderous pretender Archon, and fuck your pal the little Wolfling who calls me a traitor and wants to lecture me about what's legal and what's not in MY home nation!"

[Deathrider6]

  "I see that dealing with you in a reasonable manner is going to be pointless Colonel. It would appear that I will just have to allow General Steiner to deal with you as she see fit. I will put this in terms even you understand. If General Steiner orders me to arrest and try Robert Kelswa-Steiner for war crimes I will do so. If she orders me to try the officer who perpetrated the Orbital Bombardment of Hesperus II I will do so. If she orders me to put a bullet in your brainpan I will do so. You chose Arc Royal because it was convienient. I could care less why. As for who eventually becomes Archon I really could care less. There is no law that states the archon has to be a Steiner. Ultimately it is the People of the Commonwealth who decide. Not Robert, or Sharon or even Charlie. The delegates form Skye and Donegal were elected by the people of ther respective worlds Colonel, not appointed by someone making a bald power-grab."

 "My legal Commanding Officer is in this room as we speak. She will decide where the troops under my command go next. I do recommend you tell your masters to reign in their mercs at Gacrux. I'm sure that the FWLM will not meekly walk away next time. As for thier presence in the Commonwealth that is Robert's doing. I argued against it and still disagree with it but if it keeps even a small fragment of the Commonwealth alive it might just possibly be worth it. I would rather have to play nice with the FWL than kowtow to the likes of Daphne Rowe of the Clans."

[Deathrider6]

  "Your reaction to being told you are out of line amuses and disgusts me Colonel. It shows the kind of officer you are. Tactless and insufferably rude. Inspite of that you do have a place here until General Steiner throws you out or Loremaster Tutuola challenges you to a Trial of Grievance."

  "If you have issues with dealing with the Wolves keep them to yourself and take them up with General Steiner privately. I'm sure you'll be dealing with me soon one way or another. My hope is that we will be attacking the Clans as a united force rather than coming in to remove your 'head of state' because she has put the entire Commonweath at risk beacuse she can't co-operate with others."

 

[august]

"Pft. You're cut from the goddamn same cloth as the clanner. All talk about saving the Commonwealth, have a thousand lectures on every subject, and your thumbs are up your asses doing nothing whatsoever while our countrymen die. Your hope is that soon you'll fight the clans - why aren't your allegedly patriotic Skye troops doing that right now? Cowards, all. Chain of command this, legal succession that. Send it all to hell! If we actually care about the people, these questions need to be set aside and we need to be fighting the invaders!"

"You, the Wolf and every goddamn successor state save the Dracs has refused to help out Arc-Royal because they have a beef with the government. So what? I used to think that we fought for more than governments. All this condescension about how Arc-Royal has done nothing but alienate her allies, blah, blah. I know it for a fact that the government reached out to every single power in the Inner Sphere save the Leaguers asking for help and requesting dialogue. You know how many responded? Just the Wolves, and they did it only to lecture us on why they couldn't be bothered to help us, but that they were going to take our military facilities away for our own benefit. Blame Mulcahy if you want - she's never, by the way, been called Head of State - but the Estates broke its back stretching to reach out to our allies. They couldn't be bothered to even try, and you're blaming us. What you think is a high horse is a mountain of red tape, Russell. Spare me the righteousness."