from her bestseller: To Inform the Dragon Panjandrum Press, Genoa, 3035 In my contract it says that I am to cover marriages, births, affairs de coeur, scandals, etc. I am forbidden to mention politics. But what's a girl to do when births and marriages are but totally tangled with politics? Since the start of this decade, we've seen: 3030 Victor Ian Steiner Davion, the first of the children (3 to date) of First Prince Hanse Davion of the Federated Suns and Archon - Designate Melissa Steiner Davion of the Lyran Commonwealth; with this birth the Alliance becomes fact. I can look at the press pictures of a rosy baby, then at a brighteyed, happy child. But how can I limit myself to discussing his walkies with nursie when what my readers want to know is Where is he going to be raised? In Tharkad, at the court of his grandmother, Archon Katrina Steiner. Where will he live when he succeeds to both thrones? He will alternate years in the Lyran Commonwealth with years in the Federated Suns. His sister Kate (now 3) will be regent for the Federated Suns while he is in the Lyran Commonwealth; his brother Peterwill do the same forthe Lyrans while the Archon Prince (as he will be titled) is in Davion mode. When willall of this happen? Not until both of his parents abdicate in his favor ... or, of course, die. 3033 The long-hidden marriage of Kanrei Theodore Kurita, Prince of Luthien, to Tomoe Sakade, mechwarrior with his Legion of Vega (and near-commoner) is revealed. Their oldest son Hohiro is an able young man in his early teens who goes everywhere he can with his father now that he need not be hidden. Hohiro, together with his brother Minoru, and his sister Omi is the major reason why Coordinator Takashi Kurita is reconciled to the marriage he had no part in making. Indeed, during the twelve years that the Kanrei's marriage was a secret, he was continually exerting himself to escape his father's marriage plans for him! 3033 Birth to Morgan and Salome Kell of a son, Phelan, is celebrated. The CO and XO of the Kell Hounds announced the expectation of a child during a visit to Col Jaime Wolf on the Wolf's Dragoons world of Outreach for state-of-the-art medical counseling on infertility. Phelan is yet one more healthy example of Inner Sphere babyhood. Another new Kell Hound is clearly in the wings. Salome has reluctantly agreed to stay out of her 'Mech for the last trimester before birth. She resents the necessity but can't quarrel with the reasoning. 3034 President Neil Avallar of the Outworlds Alliance has welcomed the military presence of ComStar on his worlds. Two new HPG stations have been built, with more in the planning stages. Diplomatic and educational teams spread the Word of Blake throughout the Alliance, while three new Guard units give aid against the perpetual bandits. President Avallar has sought alliance with other Periphery kingdoms. Distance from the Magistracy of Canopus makes a practical alliance difficult, while the increasing tension between the Magestrix and her heir makes it difficult to know which side to ally with. The increasing paranoia of Thomas Calderon makes an alliance with the Taurian Concordat impossible to achieve. If President Avellar wishes an ally, he must look to the Inner Sphere. In 3034 he married Baroness Rebecca de Sanders, Chargee d' Affairs in the AFFS Embassy to the Outworlds Alliance. She has not technically resigned her position, but is on indefinite leave. In September of this year, their son Mitchell Avellar was born. ComStaris notreportedto have led the general rejoicing. To give a more lengthy example of how difficult it is to disentangle affairs of the heart from affairs of state in this Marrying Decade of the 3030's, let's look at two marriages from the first half of the decade: The first is that of Justin Xiang Allard to Candace Liao, Duchess of St Ives. Candace is the daughter of Chancellor Maximilian Liao of the Capellan Confederation; until her flight with Justin she was heiress to House Liao. Justin is the reknowned mechwarrior, son of Minister of Information Quintus Allard of the Federated Suns. In an elaborate campaign of deception, Justin was tried and exiled by Prince Hanse Davion, built up a record as a Federat-hating 'Mech PilotGladiator on Solaris, became co-head of a Capellan task force linking the Armed Forces and the Maskirova or secret service, and convinced Chancellor Liao to retool most of his best fighting'Mechs with a useless "Triple Strength" myomer muscle fiber which disintegrated under combat conditions. When Duke Morgan Hasek-Davion's forces rescued him, Justin brought along another passenger, Duchess Candace. (By the way, Duke Morgan's Duchess, the former Kym Sorenson,who was once a sweetie of Justin's in his Solaris days, has announced her state of Happy Expectation. Do you begin to see why I feel the Inner Sphere is awash in Very Important Babies?), The St Ives Compact is now a small independent state between Houses Liao and Davion , with strong political ties to Davion and emotional ties to both, ruled by the Duchess, with an independent legislature to advise her. Justin runs security for St Ives and aids the Duchess' brother Tormana Liao in his efforts to return stable government to House Liao. Take a deep breath, gentle reader! Now it starts to get complicated! Whether or notActing Chancellor Romano Liao had wanted Justin for herself, or simply had wanted Candace's status as heir, it is unequivocably clear that Romano hates Candace with a rage that is strongly flavored with jealousy. Phransigar assassination teams have twice made attempts on the lives of Candace and Justin. The second and more serious attempt was made in 3031 when Candace announced her pregnancy. Romano promptly became pregnant herself without the formality of marriage. These events resulted in the births of Kai Allard-Liao late in 3031 and Sun-Tzu Liao in 3032. Kai is a family name; Sun Tzu is the famed military strategist of the old Chinese state on Terra. The babies continue to flourish; the assassins do not. Contrast this with 3034's Marriage of the Year, that of Ryan Steiner, Duke of Porrima, Ruler of the Isle of Skye, with Morasha, daughter of Duke Selwin Kelswa of the Tamar Pact. The bride was beautiful - and almost totally ignored. The toasts at the wedding feast were, in order, to the bride's father, the groom, the heads of each of their armed forces, the grandchildren yet to become, and - oh, yes, a happy marriage to whats-her-name. So far Duchess Morasha has none of the fire of her father. She appears on her husband's arm on state occasions; her smaller chair is placed next to his in the Reception Chamber, but it is rarely occupied. The cruelest comment on their marriage was overheard; two members of Rasalhague's delegation to the wedding, forgetting that Swedish is spoken in worlds other than their own systems, were heard offering two to one odds that the first offspring of the marriage would be, not a child, but a company of BattleMechs... Keep politics out of love, O Honorable Editor? Not in the real universe. As well try to keep love out of politics. Back to BattleTechnology 10 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1988 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com