WCGW Chpt 80

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==Chapter 80 - What Could Go Wrong==
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2 February 3042
Joshua (Former Outworlds System)
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The very long travel times were frustrating to Leftenant Colonel David Mitchell, for it prevented any sort of rapid coordination of any efforts. Too far for any sort of secure communications or even discussions of any length. Risking an arrival of Mister Murphy, both Merchant Jumpships made the jump to the Nadir Jump Point, joining the civilian Merchant Jumpship with its two Hellcat Aerospace fighter escort. With the jumps complete, all the pirates were locked into the Lion Dropships prisoner cages, which were just converted Infantry bays, stripped of any sort of comfort to maximize capacity.
With an almost 3 hour lag in any sort of response from Ship Master Sarah Campbell, Leftenant Colonel Mitchell tried to come up with some sort of plan with Chief Zuniga at the Nadir Jump Point. Huddled on the grav deck of the first captured Merchant Jumpship, they started working on some sort of plan, first making a list of what they had to move.
Star Lord Jumpship - SaRI
Merchant Jumpship - Civilian
Merchant Jumpship - Pirate One
Merchant Jumpship - Pirate Two
Behemoth Dropship - Civilian
Monarch Dropship - SaRI
Monarch Dropship - SaRI
Mule Dropship - SaRI
Intruder Dropship - SaRI
Union CV Dropship - SaRI
Lion Dropship - Pirate
Union Dropship - Pirate
Danais Dropship - Pirate
Hoshiryokou Dropship - SaRI
They had plenty of collars, the problem was crews for the Jumpships. No way they had enough personnel and using the captured pirates was too great a risk. "Come on Chief, there has got to be some way to make this work. I am sick of this place already. You have worked miracles before, now is the time for another one." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"It just is not possible to man all those ships. I just do not have enough Jumpship crew for the task. But there is one way, though it is also very high risk, but could work." Chief Zuniga replied
"See, another miracle. Let's hear it." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"We jump the two Merchant Jumpships remotely. No crew onboard. Same way they bring a new jump core to a Jumpship with a broken core. We can charge the drives normally, stow the jump sail, program the jump into the navigation computer and then depart the Jumpship. We can activate the jump remotely from the Star Lord Jumpship. Once we all arrive at the new destination, we shuttle over to each Merchant, perform the after-jump diagnostics, deploy the jump sail and repeat the process once recharged. Technically, it should be safe to perform. But what Dropships do we risk on those remote-control a Merchant Jumpships? I have no issue with placing the Pirate Dropships and even the Pirates on them, but then someone has to stay and guard them. Not sure I would want to have to perform a proper boarding each time in case they get loose." Chief Zuniga replied
"So, your saying there is a way we can move everything at once. A way that we do not have to make another trip to this damned place. I am all for that." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"That is what I am saying. But there is risk attached. If something goes wrong, the ship misjumps, anything, then those people onboard are as good as dead. We barely have enough crew to operate the Star Lord Jumpship safely. No way would we be able to search for any missing ship. They would have no way to repair the ship, launch a Dropship, not without letting the pirates out, which means any of our people onboard will probably be killed." Chief Zuniga replied
"What about those spooks that came aboard at Inner End? They are supposed to have a way to communicate with Allard, or so they said. We could ask for help." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"Even if they could communicate, which I highly doubt, we are just too far away for HPG traffic anyway. With the pirates, freed slaves and our own people, we do not have the supplies to wait several months for any help to arrive and then several months travel back to Inner End. Hell, those pirates onboard the Lion are chewing thru our supplies of oxygen as it is, much less when we bring aboard several hundred freed slaves and cram them onboard the various ships. We are going to be pushing our abilities to the maximum. Leaving those poor souls behind is not an option in my opinion either. The pirates, you can space them, and I could care less, then you have to explain your actions to the Feds and they might not be as forgiving of that action." Chief Zuniga replied
"Then we go with the remote jumps. All the pirates locked down on the Lion Dropship. We will do a proper boarding on that Jumpship every jump. I am not risking any of our people willingly, nor any of our hard-won salvage. The pirates will just have to take their chances." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
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