Chapter One Hundred and Twenty-Two: Reclamation
Tharkad, August 11th, 3030
"Nondi, did the two Marksman Regimental Combat teams make it over to the Skye region yet?" Regis asked.
"The 1st Marksman are currently inbound towards La Blon while the 2nd Marksman are at Lyons." Nondi reported.
"Good, we'll kick things off once the Kell Hounds and Archon Steiner are back in Lyran space." Regis replied. "We've spent fifteen years working on reforms and rebuilding units, and now it's time to see if we can push the Draconis Combine back."
"We'll be on our own for a decent bit of it, the Treaty is only for defensive purposes for now." Nondi reminded Regis.
"I know that," Regis said, "But LIC has reported that they've rotated more people over to the Federated Suns border and that we'll have the greatest chance to do this than we ever have before."
"If we manage to hit them in that window." Nondi said, "LIC has been wrong before, and with Joshua Wolf having two regiments and working with them for the past five years worries me."
"Didn't the Wolf's Dragoons go over to the Wolf Confederation?" Regis asked with a confused expression.
"Not all of them." Nondi said, "Two of their regiments went with Jaime Wolf and his family to the Confederation, one Regiment went independent and goes by the name of Snord's Irregulars, and the other two followed Joshua Wolf into contracts with us first, and then over to the Draconis Combine."
"That's right." It clicked in Regis's head. "Snord's Irregulars mainly help us stir up chaos in what's left of the Free Worlds League."
"It is what we pay him for." Nondi agreed. "They do good work over on that border."
"Well, we'll get everything together and have everything ready for when Archon Steiner gives us the go ahead." Regis said. "We've got a dragon to kill."
Rigil Kentarus, August 15th, 3030
"Melissa, it's good to see you." Frederick Steiner said with a broad smile. "I've heard good things about Marksman Academy, and I can't wait to see how you compare to our Nagelring and Sanglamore Graduates."
"Hopefully better," Melissa replied, still standing at attention. "Permission to see to my lance's removal from the Archon's dropship sir?"
"Permission granted." Frederick responded. "You'll be training with your new unit for a couple of months before anything big happens. "
Kentares IV, August 10th, 3030
"Happy Birthday son." I gave David a hug. "Are you excited for your second to last year at the Academy?"
"Yeah, we're totally going to kick your tail in the training exercises this year." He said with a grin. "I'm finally going to beat mom too."
"In your dreams maybe." Natasha replied, "That is the only way you would even be able to stand a chance."
"And besides," I said with a grin. "It's the First Kentares who are on rotation for the exercises this year."
"Crap." David's face paled a bit. "Packer has more people in the 1st Kentares than the entire academy since he absorbed Vincent's Commandos"
"Which is why this year the training exercises will involve the Militia units cooperating with the Academy in order to simulate an invasion."
"But that's unrealistic," David tried to point out. "The chances of someone making landfall on Kentares IV are astronomical."
"Good word choice," Natasha said with a smirk. "But you can't always count on things to go your way."
"Which is why we're doing a simulated invasion scenario." I said. "We've made Kentares as heavily guarded as possible, but it's still one of the most tempting targets that any enemy could try and take"
"Is that the reason that you and Saph have been off world so much over the last couple of years?" David asked.
"Yes actually." I said with a sigh. "She's already halfway through her bachelors degree from the SLC with a double major in accounting and engineering. She's also been helping me crunch numbers and work on getting more copies of our factories spread out so we don't lose production here should the worst come to pass."
"Well, I guess I know who is getting the company then." David said wryly, as if it hadn't been evident years ago.
"Well, she still idolizes you so I wouldn't be worried about going penniless." I said with a grin. "In fact, Natasha and I might even let you have a stipend."
"Will I have to work on the farm for it again?" David asked. "I still don't know why you keep all of those animals on the estate grounds."
"You learned a lot of things about politics and people on the farm." I said with a grin.
"Like what dad?" David asked sarcastically, "You're really going to sit here and tell me that there was a lesson in all of the farm animals you made Sapphire and myself take care of?"
"Yep." I said popping the P. "Remember how the animals didn't always understand that you were trying to take care of them?"
"Yes," David responded.
"That's what people are like when they're at their best, and when people are panicked, they act just like the cow that got loose that you had to wrangle as a kid." I smirked, "And when you stepped in shit and had to clean it up is relevant to all of politics. Sometimes you step in shit and have to clean it up either verbally or physically, and it's not always pretty, but it always stinks."
"How long have you been waiting for that question?" David asked as he realized that these answers were prepared a long time ago.
"Around five years," I said with a grin. "Sapphire asked a year ago when she stepped on a cow pie."
"What did she do afterwards?" David asked.
"I threw it at dad." Sapphire said as she walked into the room. "But the old man dodged it and threw me into the pig pen."
"Age and treachery always trumps youth and skill." I butchered the quote. " One day, you two will be able to take your mother and I on, but today is not that day!" I laughed Maniacally.
"Get him!" Sapphire said as she charged me.
"I'm on it!" David agreed.
"That is what you think." Natasha said as she grabbed Sapphire's collar. "Are your chores finished?"
"No." Sapphire mumbled. "But the animals are so stupid." She kicked the ground.
"No doing fun stuff until the chores are done." Natasha said sternly. "Now go finish those chores."
"Speaking of chores." I said as I pinned David to the ground with a deft twist. "You did help McAllister clean up the 'mechs that you were supposed to right?"
"Maybe." David tried to break out of the pin. "But it would have taken three days to finish!"
"Well then, I think David needs another lesson on why not to mess with Mac." I said with a smirk. "What do you think Nat?"
"I shall call him immediately." She pulled out her slate. "McAllister, did David finish cleaning the 'mechs like he was supposed to? Hmm, Only half of them you say? Thank you." She hung up.
"Do you want to deliver him, or should I?" I asked.
"You deal with the farm animals." Natasha said, "I only help with that because you asked me to, now that our children do it I will never do it again."
"Alright," I chuckled. "I'll go make sure Sapphire doesn't get lost on the way again."