45

With the situation calming down on our part of the border, in January 3034, the Revenants were sent to a well-deserved and necessary R&R after a year of operations. Half went with me to Coromodir, the other part to New Vandenberg. In our place, a battalion of Griffins and a company of Shadow Hawks moved to Ward. The two Shadow Hawks lances that had been there since February of '33, also went home.

In January 3034, the shipyard in New Vandenberg activated the second slip for the construction of Invaders, having at that time three extra slips for maintenance.

VMI had during 3033, doubled the production of Double Heat Sinks, increased the production of Endo-Steel by 50% and started the production of Ferro-Fibrous. O-P Computer Electronics had started small scale production of Guardian ECM and Beagle Active Probe. It was planned to upgrade the ER PPC production to the more advanced version designed following the Wolverine design and to launch small-scale production of Extended Range Lasers for the end of 3034.

All these production lines were highly secret and only for the Taurian Defense Forces and Revenants use. Thomas was not prepared to make public such advanced equipment. Their development and production was only possible thanks to the massive funds provided by the HPG accords with the Federated Commonwealth. These funds also provided for the nascent capability of producing advanced water purification, massive civilian fusion reactors (perfect for the needs of cities) and the expansion on the shipyards and the ultra-secret HPG program. 

Although these tech and the Taurian capacities were (we hoped) still secret, they would probably not remain so for long. During the last months the number of infiltration attempts detected had skyrocketed. So far, we knew of no success but all the security experts knew that it was only a matter of time.

As a result of the operations against Liao, MRB had updated the Revenants ranking to Veteran / Reliable, with a small note questioning whether they would soon become an House Unit, the question was whether Taurian or Aurigan.

The 'fixed' DEST suits finally arrived in Coromodir. The contacts that Santiago Espinosa got on the Combine are interesting to say the least. They had access to advanced combine 'Mechs and hardware, but I bet good money that they were not official ones. Yakuza maybe? Half were distributed to the security apparatus in charge of me and my family security, the rest being sent to the team in Niops, with a package containing advanced electronic spy / commando gadgets, to help them when / if the data core was discovered.

V4RU teamed with OP- Computer Electronics and VMI to produce an Concordat version of the suits. Obviously, TMI was very interested in acquiring some. 

On March 12th​, 3034 in Coromodir I received a visit from Colonel Nikitch, a member of the Wolf's Dragoons.

The official reason for the visit was the purchase of several 'Mechs by the Dragoons, but the conversation was interesting...

'Your Highness, the Wolf's Dragoons are interested in acquiring several units of the 'Mechs that your unit recently used against House Liao, more specifically the new variant of Marauder II, the new Heavy and the new Assault. As well as the much advanced weaponry as you could sell us, specifically the extended ranges energy weapons and the Double Heat Sinks'.

'Well, as usual Wolfnet is well informed, they were quick.' was my thought before I answered.'I'm curious Colonel. VMI is in New Vandenberg, not in Coromodir, and they have an excellent sales department. So why do you come to see me and not go to New Vandenberg?'

'That's true your Highness, and I did go there first, but they said they don't have authorization to sell said items, so I came to you, to see what was necessary to smooth any problems with us buying so new hardware.'

'I'm sorry Colonel, but the sales of such hardware are not allowed outside of the Concordat by order of the Protector Calderon. I am sure you understand why' I didn't deny or confirm anything, it was useless. 'Until he allows that market to be open, VMI hands are tied. Anyway, at the moment we are just starting the production of the second variant of Marauder II, for the Heavy, which is called the Penetrator by the way, we still have some production kinks to fix, and the Bull Shark is too expensive and sophisticated to produce, ot is one of a kind, we found in the Periphery .

'Just curious, why did you change the Marauder II, that is a pure energy Assault 'Mech to one also using LRMs ?'

'Oh, that is an interesting story, colonel. At first, with the replacing of the heat sinks with Freezers, the idea was to upgrade the Large Laser for an PPC, creating an Awesome with jump jets if you want. But several MechWarriors wanted to add the indirect fire capability, and they got a very good case. The 5TC is the result of they brainstorming.' 

'Interesting. About the Bull Shark, can I know where you found that 'Mech, or is it a secret?' Nikitch asked, trying to be merely curious.

'Curious, he was found in a bunker at Baumann's smuggler's base during the operation we ran into your Colonel Kerensky. Unfortunately because Kerensky killed Baumann and destroyed most of his base, where Baumann found the 'Mech will always be a mystery. Our conclusion is that it is an advanced model of the SLDF Royal Branch, it was painted in Wolverines' colors after all.'

'Wolverines? What do you mean?' asked Nikitch with an intense eye and a sharp change of position, although he tried to disguise it, but since I was expecting a reaction I knew when it would appear.

So, you're one of the Clanners... interesting. That was my thought. 'Oh sorry Colonel, Wolverines is how the 331st Royal Battlemech Division was know, and the Bull Shark was painted in their colors and had its symbol. Ancient history.' I replied with an innocent smile. 'They were in New Vandenberg in 2764, so it's not strange to find a 'Mech of them in this region... sorry to bothering you with ancient history, but it is a hobby of mine and that's how my late father and I started the Revenants, finding equipment from that time.'

Nikitch relaxed visibly after hearing my explanation.

'But, can I interest you in something else, Colonel? Both in New Vandenberg and Mechdur we have several maintenance slips for JumpShips and if I remember correctly the Wolf's Dragoons have a considerable fleet that should need maintenance. I think you capabilities in that area in Outreach are limited…'

'Excuse me your Highness, but that is a bit more than four months on each direction…'

'Yes, but unless I'm wrong, you have an excess of lift capability right now, Jaime Wolf has not yet activated several units, after the losses sustained against the Combine. And the shipyards in the Federated Commonwealth are at full use, heck, we are even doing maintenance of several Davion ships on New Vandenberg. So, I think you could take advantage of our slips in Mechdur for a while, without reduction of your capabilities…'

'Mmmm. I see that you are as well informed as your reputation says, your Highness. I will pass your proposal along. So, no luck in providing us with some advanced technology or some of these advanced 'Mechs?'

'Maybe, Colonel, maybe. If Jaime Wolf give us, and by us I mean the Concordat and the Reach, access to some of your technology, like the production rights of some of your exclusive hardware, and say, first choice in contracts when your regiments return to active duty, after their contract with House Davion, of course, at a decent price, I am sure Thomas Calderon could add the Dragoons to the few units that have access to our latest toys...'

And so the conversation shifted to safer topics..