Battletech #56 - Patriots and Tyrants by Loren L. Coleman

Author:Loren L. Coleman [Coleman, Loren L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, Fiction, Adventure, General, High Tech, Military, Fantasy games, BattleTech (Game), Adventure games, Computer war games, War games
ISBN: 9780451458452
Publisher: Roc
Published: 2001-09-06T05:00:00+00:00

18

Avalon City, New Avalon

Crucis March

Federated Commonwealth

6 December 3062

Katrina sipped her morning tea as she finished reading the report handed to her over breakfast. Delicious, was her first thought. The news was the best she’d had in a long time.

Her eggs were cold and her wheat toast soggy when she finally set the hardcopy aside. The cinnamon-spiced tea, at least, was still warm.

She set the hardcopy on the small table that had been set up on the balcony of her suite in Davion Palace, and smiled. Life was good. Spread out at her feet was Avalon City, seat of the throne that had been her father’s and her mother’s and now hers. It had been Victor’s, too, but he’d never deserved it. He would never understand the realities of holding so much power.

Richard Dehaver, who’d delivered the report, stood nearby holding up the wall with his narrow shoulders, waiting to be acknowledged. Katrina continued to ignore him as she watched the city stir to life, the distant sounds of traffic just beginning to compete with a steady drizzle that made an entrancing pattering against the balcony awning. It was springtime on New Avalon’s southern hemisphere, the seasons a few months off the Terran-standard year. It would be deep into winter now on Tharkad, the ground iced over and snow piled into deep drifts.

And on Mogyorod? Merry Christmas, dear brother. I hope you can return your present for Arthur.

"Your thoughts, Richard?" she finally said.

"I recommend that you withdraw into seclusion for a few days and let the media do most of the work. If you must make a public statement, it should be very brief and very emotional."

Katrina nodded. Her thoughts exactly. "I want Arthur’s final words saturating the holocasts and radio networks on every world in the Commonwealth," she said calmly, as if ordering up another cup of the spiced tea. "Follow it up with any footage or reports coming off Robinson. The people will be outraged, and in a crisis, they look to strong leaders."

She thought the timing of this was truly exquisite; it would solve so many problems. "This will also serve to distract attention from our efforts to consolidate power on the rebellious worlds. Send messages out at once to each of them."

"Video?" Dehaver asked.

"No. I’m far too distraught to appear in person at the moment. Prepare written missives to Kathil, Kentares, Benet, and any others. Keep it short and vague." She thought for a moment. "Along the lines of ‘Due to tragic family matters, I am authorizing our representatives to take on broader local powers, and I expect to see all pressing business brought to a speedy conclusion.' Have that prepared for my signature by this afternoon."

He nodded. "It will be done."

"And I want my brother’s body brought back to New Avalon immediately. We will lay him out in state and I can grieve—very publicly. I suppose it’s too much to ask for an open casket?"

Dehaver’s grimace was eloquent. "We’ve barely found enough to fill a small bucket, Highness.

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