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The conclusion of the team that had examined the MCS Coranna / SLS Bismark was that repairing the WarShip, while possible, was more of a complete rebuild than a repair / refit.

Still, the Black Navy of the Concordat was much interested in the ship, reasoning that a rebuild of this size, while expensive and time consuming, would bring immense information and experience in maintaining, and even building large WarShips.

In the end, the 'purchase' of the WarShip from the Canopians was approved, and it was transferred to Bolthole, where it would be rebuilt.

Meanwhile, the troops that had participated in the conquest of Marian Hegemony were coming home, being replaced by second-line forces, since the mission now was more a peacekeeping one, under the Lothian League flag.

Sara Arano-Bassot, had returned earlier, courtesy of a semi-Command Circuit, landed on Coromodir in September 3054.

Thanks to the best Canopians specialists in cosmetic surgery, the scars she had gained in the campaign, were eliminated without a trace.

The Taurian population and the political opponents of the Arano-Bassot had also noted that they had been the only noble family to send private forces for this campaign. The population did approve of it while the political opponents of the family took good note of this campaign which fueled even more their anger and their arguments against the Reach. 

While Jean-Luc stayed 'at home', dealing with the expansion of industrial capabilities in Coromodir V, Sara went with her mother to Taurus, part of her training to one day replace her as regent of the Reach province.

By mere luck, or perhaps not, Edward's eldest son Anthony (call me Tony) Calderon, who by this time was doing his military service in the Concordat Navy, and who was also being trained to replace his father, was at home. Both youngsters found the other fascinating, and conversations between the two were constant.

In September 3054, the MAF executed the long awaited 'cleanup' at Astrokaszy. If on the one hand it did not employ WarShips, as for the moment it only had one, at both nadir and zenith jump points appeared simultaneously JumpShips loaded with combat DropShips that started launching shuttles with marines and ASFs, 

This time MIM had done its homework, and a JumpShip also appeared at the most common pirate point and relatively close to Astrokaszy III, immediately launching DropShips to capture the JumpShips stationed in that area.

Even before the first troops set foot on the planet, the mission was already a success, with 7 JumpShips captured, 4 Invaders, 2 Merchants and a Tramp, and 2 DropShips, both Jumbo class, showing that they too could conduct efficient space operations.

Shervanis City had close to a battalion of 'Mechs defending it, but the defense was short-lived. The MAF had indeed learned, and had sent a combined force, supporting their advanced 'Mechs (including 4 Bull Shark Assault ones) with artillery, armored vehicles, infantry and ASFs, All of them well-trained and equipped forces, very different from the pirates and near-pirates who opposed them.

At the end of September, having achieved its objectives, the MAF withdrew from the system. .If in space they had captured only two DropShips, in Shervanis City they had captured ten more, taking with them eight in lift-off condition and destroying the last two before leaving. Between the material captured and the pirate groups destroyed or fleeing, it was a major blow to the pirates in this area, the survivors left for less hostile areas.

Meanwhile, similar, albeit smaller operations had taken place in the space between the Taurian Concordat and the Magistracy of Canopus, with all systems known or suspected of harboring pirates receiving 'visits' from the MAF or the TDF. August and September 3054 was a bad time for pirates in this part of the Periphery.

When news came out in October 3054 that communications with the Greater Valkyrate and the Oberon Confederation had been lost, everyone thought that the Federated Commonwealth or the Draconis Combine had also eliminated these pirate dens, even though the Oberon Confederation was a more or less legitimate kingdom by this time.

Only Jean-Luc, when he got the news, knew what was coming.