Proud Bull Rising Part 3

Welcome back for part three of my Battletech alternative system.

2820

Having gathered the resources and volunteers needed, Taurus begins the final stages to start colonizing some of the worlds they've been examining. Three of the these worlds, Orkney, Charleston, and Carthage, are within the current Concordat borders with the remaining, Belle Isle, being just beyond them. The continued influx of refugees from the Inner Sphere fleeing the ravages of the First Succession War assist in finding the populations needed to get these colonies going.

All four colonies see a strong growth from the start. The refugees continue to expand the populations allowing them to reach a self sustaining level within a few years. By that point, all are able to begin exporting if not mined minerals and ores, then at least agricultural products to the rest of the Concordat. The desire to see the Concordat as strong as it was in the past drives the support of the average Taurian citizen. They might be unable to reclaim worlds lost long ago to the Davions and Liaos but they can grow outwards and reclaim worlds they had to abandon.

The TDF lures the King's Wild Cards mercenary unit out of Canopian service with favorable terms for anti-piracy and garrison duty. The King's Wild Cards are a light weight regiment that has attritioned down to just over a battalion in strength with no appreciable assistance from the Magistrix armed forces to rebuild or replace their losses. The unit is deployed to New Vandenburg for a year to train with the militia forces while starting to rebuild and then are sent to the Artru System to garrison and train the local militia forces while perfoming patrol sweeps to discourage piracy.

2821

With a handful of new worlds being resettled and several more being explored for their potential, the Taurian economy continues a slow steady growth. Several closed mining complexes are re-examined for the potential of reopening them. Expansion of asteroid mining in several major systems has also in the begining stages of implementation. The newly settled worlds, now with stabile populations and exports increasing, continue to slowly grow as more and more infrastructure is built. Celano, Regis Roost, and Argos are slated as the next worlds to be colonized.

With the official end of the First Succession War, trade with the Inner Sphere realms begins to pick up slowly but significantly as the various Great Houses seek the resources needed to rebuild the many shattered planets and industries across their space as well as their militaries. Exporting minerals and ores begin to give the Taurians the funds needed to further expand their own infrastructure and worlds. Refugees from farther within the Inner Sphere continue to arrive and are directed to the new colonies.

The improving assests of the Ministry of Intelligence leads to a crack down on smugglers and black marketeers. These efforts go a long way to assisting in improving the nation's economy as it eliminates the means for graft and displaced funds. These missions result in the discovery of several agents from other nations who were using the criminal activity as a source of information. One such agent was from the Capellan Confederation who was able to be turned. This new asset gives them insight into Maskirovka agents and missions in the area.

So that is all for this installment and I'll see you all in about a week for part 4.