While the Inner Sphere leaders were meeting several times a week, their heirs were training in Clan battle tactics. Neither the meetings nor the lessons went smoothly. A month-to-month overview of the conference would reveal the following: February: Hohiro Kurita, grandson to the Coordinator of the Draconis Combine, and Victor Steiner Davion, heirto the Federated Commonwealth, clash sharply. Isis Marik, heiress after her brother Joshua to the Free Worlds League, refuses to take part in the training. Kai and Cassandra Allard-Liao both participate. Omi Kurita is kept at her father's side. March: although it costs him a battle, Sun-Tzu Liao baits his cousin Kai instead of cooperating with him; they had been assigned as partners in a training exercise. April: Chancellor Romano Liao accuses Kai of deliberately endangering his troops on Twycross. He is called to testify in this Council of leaders, none of the other young royals being present. A surprise witness clears him, a doctor serving with the Tenth Lyran Guard. Also in April, Victor Steiner-Davion's relationship with Omi Kurita causes comment in gossip sheets across the Inner Sphere. Ragnar Magnusson, youngest of the royal warriors, attempts to keep the peace between SunTzu Liao and everyone else. May: Romano Liao comes close to refusing to cooperate with the Inner Sphere-wide effort against the Clans. She remains convinced that the Outreach conference is an effort by Hanse Davion to trick the Capellan Confederation into lowering defenses along the Davion border. Following a clash with her sister, Candace Liao is overheard to say, "I will protect those I love. If she ever strikes alone of you or the twins or Quint, even death itself will not keep me from avenging them." June: Sun-Tzu clashes with Victor Steiner-Davion, refusing to be under his command during an extended training exercise. July: Economics bog down the conference table asthe hardfacts emerge: if the Combine, Rasalhague, and the Commonwealth are to bear the frontline fighting, then they need spare parts to upgrade their 'Mechs to meet the clash with Clans troops. The Free Worlds League realizes that almost 90 percent of the next five years' production would be pledged to making these field modification kits, while the payment schedule would drag on until the next century. August: the severely ill Joshua Marik is sent to state-of-the-art medical facilities by Hanse Davion. The First Prince's own command circuit of JumpShips hurries the boy to the leukemia ward attached to NAIS. Hohiro Kurita and Victor Steiner-Davion are presented with Clans-type 'Mechs from Wolfs' Dragoons' BattleMech factories. Romano Liao refuses to join the alliance, returning to the Capellan Confederation. September: The young royals' training is completed. Victor and Omi say an affectionate goodbye. Victor, Hohiro, Kai, and Ragnar return tothe battle zone with their aides and friends. BattleTechnology News From the Front Inner Sphere Factories Retool For Clans War Mercenaries Refuse to Fight Conference on Outreach Miraborg Surrenders to Wolf Clan Man in the Street Interviews Clan Invasion Incoming! The Sergeant Speaks his Mind Kai Allard-Liao Plunges to Death Ragnar Magnusson Lost Back to BattleTechnology 18 Table of Contents Back to BattleTechnology List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 1992 by Pacific Rim Publishing. This article appears in MagWeb.com (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com