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'''Operation ROSEBUD''' was a [[ComStar]] plan enacted by [[Primus of ComStar|Primus]] [[Myndo Waterly]] to sponsor the creation of the [[Free Rasalhague Republic]], an independent state composed of the [[Draconis Combine]]'s [[Rasalhague Military District]], as well as worlds taken from the Combine by the [[Lyran Commonwealth]] during the [[Fourth Succession War]].

==History==
===The Plan===
Conceived in the aftermath of the Fourth Succession War, Waterly had several reasons for pursuing this plan. Unlike Primus [[Julian Tiepolo]], Waterly believed that the more splintered the [[Inner Sphere]] became, the easier it would become for ComStar to push its agenda. Waterly was bitterly opposed to the [[Federated Commonwealth]] alliance, which she saw as a threat to a renewed [[Star League]] formed under ComStar. She recognized that by creating a buffer state between the Lyran half of the Commonwealth and much of the Combine, it would free the [[Draconis Combine Mustered Soldiery]] to defend a significantly smaller border in any future war against [[First Prince|Prince]] [[Hanse Davion]]. Waterly even believed that the creation of a new state might lead to the secession of the [[Federation of Skye|Isle of Skye]], an event that would effectively sever the two halves of the new superstate.<ref name=COM59>''ComStar'', p. 59</ref>

===The Deal===
In mid-[[3030]], with the Draconis Combine and the rest of the Inner Sphere still recovering from the conflict, Waterly brought her proposal to [[Coordinator]] [[Takashi Kurita]] and it was rejected out of hand.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 222</ref> Unperturbed, Waterly met with Takashi's [[Heir-designate]], ''[[Gunji_no_Kanrei#Gunji-no-Kanrei|Gunji-no-Kanrei]]'' [[Theodore Kurita]], on [[Dieron]] in September 3030. There, she made an offer.<ref name=HD217222>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 217–222</ref><ref name=COM59/><ref>''Historical: War of 3039'', p. 8</ref><ref>''20 Year Update'', p. 64</ref>

In return for releasing [[Rasalhague]], the Combine would receive a large amount of equipment from their warehouses to help Theodore rebuild the DCMS. In addition, Theodore would receive [[ROM]] intelligence on enemy troop movements, preferential rates on [[Hyperpulse Generator|interstellar HPG transmissions]], the transfer of the contracts of several [[mercenary]] units and finally the posting of [[Com Guards|Com Guard]] forces within Combine borders.<ref name=COM59/><ref name=HD217222/> Theodore tentatively agreed.

Waterly then had to convince the [[First Circuit]] to accept the arrangement. She did so by assuring them that all mothballed Star League-era equipment would be stripped of [[Lostech|lostech]], the advanced military equipment used by the [[Star League Defense Force]]. She also claimed that the Com Guard troops would only serve to protect innocent civilians, and would not act as the aggressor.<ref name=COM5960>''ComStar'', pp. 59–60</ref>

===The Ronin War===
{{main|Ronin War}}
Matters proceeded well from there. The ''Kanrei'' turned a blind eye to the growing dissent festering in Rasalhague, while ComStar began to provide [[BattleMech]]s and other equipment to the Combine,<ref name=COM60>''ComStar'', p. 60</ref> such as the ''[[Thorn (BattleMech)|Thorn]]'',<ref>''Technical Readout: 3039'', p. 240</ref> the ''[[Sentinel]]'',<ref name=TRO3050100>''Technical Readout: 3050'', p. 100</ref> the ''[[Crab]]'',<ref>''Technical Readout: 3050'', p. 118</ref> the ''[[Kintaro]]'',<ref>''Technical Readout: 3050'', p. 132</ref> and the ''[[Crockett]]'' (renamed the ''[[Katana (BattleMech)|Katana]]'' by the DCMS).<ref>''Technical Readout: 3050'', p. 194</ref> These were all 'Mechs that had not been seen by the [[Successor States]] in centuries. They also provided more well-known designs such as the ''[[BattleMaster]]'', some of which were still equipped with [[Star League era]] tech.<ref name=TRO3050192>''Technical Readout: 3050'', p. 192</ref> Unknown to virtually anyone, [[Precentor]] Dieron [[Sharilar Mori]], secretly a Combine intelligence agent, arranged for a number of these 'Mechs to retain their advanced equipment. The DCMS, for its part, passed the matter off to a fortunate oversight by some anonymous ComStar clerk.

In [[3034]], the Draconis Combine recognized the creation of the Free Rasalhague Republic.<ref name=COM60/> The [[Archon]] [[Katrina Steiner]] of the Lyran Commonwealth was likewise obligated to surrender the worlds they had taken from the Rasalhague District, despite the strenuous objections of Duke [[Selvin Kelswa III]], leader of the [[Tamar Pact]], among others.<ref>''Historical: Brush Wars'', p. 90</ref> Kuritan [[Tai-shu|Warlord]]s [[Marcus Kurita]] and [[Vasily Cherenkoff]] openly revolted against the move, triggering the [[Ronin War]], with elements of the DCMS loyal to Marcus and Cherenkoff fighting against the nascent Republic [[KungsArmé]] and loyal DCMS elements under the command
of the ''Kanrei''.<ref name=COM60/>

During this conflict, Waterly once again met with the ''Kanrei'' on Dieron. Waterly was infuriated that the Combine had retained twenty worlds from the old Rasalhague District, reorganizing them into the [[Alshain Military District]]. Theodore rebutted that the equipment House Kurita had received had been stripped of their advanced equipment. Both ultimately agreed to continue their arrangement, and Theodore further provided Waterly with a gift: [[Frederick Steiner (31st c.)|Frederick Steiner]], secretly held prisoner in the Combine for several years, would enter ComStar's service and be renamed Anastasius Focht, [[Precentor Martial of ComStar]]. Under his command and expertise, ComStar's military would reach impressive heights.<ref name=HD297301>''Heir to the Dragon'', pp. 297–301</ref><ref name=COM60/> The Combine loyalists and the Free Rasalhague forces were ultimately successful, and the Free Rasalhague Republic would survive.

===Aftermath===
Matters in the Isle of Skye did result in a [[Isle of Skye#The Rebellion of 3034|brief rebellion]]. It was quickly put down, though it pushed back Hanse Davion's plans for several years. Primus Waterly would secretly meet with Duke [[Ryan Steiner]], laying the groundwork for opposition to the Federated Commonwealth alliance for years to come.<ref name=COM60/>

The greatest results of Operation Rosebud were made clear during the [[War of 3039]]. Facing new Kuritan formations using unknown machines severely demoralized the [[Armed Forces of the Federated Suns]] troops,<ref name=TRO3050100/> and House Kurita had an overwhelming advantage in the intelligence war, with ComStar ROM, the [[Internal Security Force]] and the [[Order of Five Pillars]] all working collectively to throw the strategic planning of the Davion high command into chaos.<ref>''Heir to the Dragon'', p. 349</ref>

==Notes==
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050]]'' claims that an unnamed [[Precentor]] was responsible for the unauthorized release of several [[Battlemaster#Variants|BLR-2C ''BattleMaster''s]] to the Combine, 'Mechs which included the very advanced [[Cockpit Command Console]]s. This so-called "[[Precentor Who Lost His Name]]" was reduced to the rank of [[Acolyte]], and was undergoing "reeducation" on [[Terra]] as of [[3051]].<ref name=TRO3050192/> How these events fit with the actions of Sharilar Mori is unclear.

==References==
<references/>

==Bibliography==
* ''[[20 Year Update]]''
* ''[[ComStar (sourcebook)|ComStar]]''
* ''[[Heir to the Dragon]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Historical: Brush Wars]]''
* ''[[Historical: War of 3039]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3039]]''
* ''[[Technical Readout: 3050]]''

[[Category:Political Events]]

Operation ROSEBUD - Revision history

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