Ivan stared at the assembly in front of him and still couldn’t believe how this had happened. The Invasion had turned bloody fast, and the Jade Falcons were stymied from the start from their turncoat scouts. The Federated Commonwealth had spent years preparing for an invasion and the Jade Falcons had borne the brunt of that prepwork. Only the timely intervention of the Diamond Sharks had spared the Falcons from an ignominious defeat. The Jaguars had turned the situation to their advantage and had forced the Draconis Combine into a surrender when they captured the heir of the ruling Kurita family. Star Colonel Hohiro had done a magnificent job of leading the invasion of the Davion territories. Comstar had changed everything.
One battle to decide the fate of the universe they’d offered. One battle on Accursed Tukkayid. That battle had been an elaborate trap. The galaxies had dropped onto their target sites and landed in the middle of a nuclear firestorm. Comstar’s fleet had jumped into the system and opened fire on the assembled clan fleet. It had been a masterpiece of deception and treachery. The Dire Wolf had barely escaped from the battle, and it was so badly damaged it took it nearly six months to jump back to friendly lines. Ivan had managed to save as many of the units that were committed to the battle as he could, but barely two galaxies of troops returned from that god forsaken world. The surviving Khans called a council, and Ivan had been voted in as the new Ilkhan. With the blood of his sibmate and Sakhan still warm on his hands...he ordered the unthinkable.
In June of 3053, the entirety of the clans descended on the Inner Sphere in a mass invasion. The Jaguars had been able to hold most of the former Draconis Combine and the rest of the clans had staged out of there as they visited the Ilkhan’s vengeance on the Inner Sphere. It had taken nearly twenty years, but in October of 3075, The Goliath Scorpion forces breached the Terran system and landed their entire touman on world. By Christmas they had taken the system. The remaining successor states sued for peace. They were drained by the war effort, and were on their last legs. Only the Magistracy of Canopus had surrendered at the outset of the invasion. They had no desire to wage a war against the clans, and had submitted themselves to Clan authority immediately.
Ivan was sitting in the court of the Star League, surrounded by his people, the Khans of the clans that had survived the war. Also present were the heads of the surviving successor states. They had all come to offer their well wishes and their fealty at the founding of the Second Star League. Ivan wiped the tear from his eye as he listened to their passioned pleas for a brighter future, and the assistance of the Star League in rebuilding their shattered worlds. He waved them all away, and sat quietly on his throne.
“How did we get here?” He said to no one in particular.
“You let your emotions blind you, my sweet brother.” Vara said quietly to him. His hand wavered as he stared, trying to figure out what he was seeing.
“You died...aboard the Dire Wolf.” His voice caught in his throat.
“And you used that as an excuse to bring total war down on the land of our ancestors.”
“They were dishonorable dogs who deserved a worse death than we gave them!” The ancient Elemental roared at his sister’s ghost.
“You were hurt in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine and you let that guide your hand. You unleashed a holocaust on hundreds of worlds my brother. How could you do that?”
“There were valid military reasons. The targets were sheltering Comstar personnel. The order of the day was no mercy, no respite for the Order.”
“That was Your order. You gave the command that set all those worlds to the flame. Your order forced atrocities that make even Amaris seem saintly by comparison. How did you lose your way?”
“I lost you...and my universe stopped making sense. The principles i set my world too didn’t matter anymore, because you were gone.” He felt the tears stain his cheeks. Her hand was warm against his skin and he leaned into her touch.
“And you never found me, not in this version of your life.” The voice had changed and he was staring into the face of a different woman.
“Who are you?”
“I am the other half of you, my sweet husband.”
“I don’t understand…”
“You should rest now, your labors are at an end.” The voice soothed his ear.
“No..there are things that must be done. The League must stand.”
“Rest, Ivan, your day is done…” She said to him. His eyes closed, and it would be an hour before the security detail would find his cold body on the throne…
Sickbay
The monitors flared to brilliant light and warning beeps filled the air. Amelia sat up immediately and the doctors were just as alert.
“He’s crashing, we need to get him out of that tank, now.” One of them said. The remaining staff rushed him quickly into the operating room and Amelia had no idea what was going on...
“Rest, Ivan, your day is done…” She said to him. His eyes closed, and it would be an hour before the security detail would find his cold body on the throne…
Sickbay
The monitors flared to brilliant light and warning beeps filled the air. Amelia sat up immediately and the doctors were just as alert.
“He’s crashing, we need to get him out of that tank, now.” One of them said. The remaining staff rushed him quickly into the operating room and Amelia had no idea what was going on...
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