ALJ Chpt 37

frameless|right|300px|link=A Long Journey
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==Chapter 37 - A Long Journey==
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2 February 2786
Mackolla (Federated Suns)
"Son, you told me about that fall back position you want to setup, but I need more than that to work off of. Exactly what are your plans if you have to fall back?" Gerald Mitchell asked
"To not have to depend on any outside source for our survival. If the Federated Suns lets us down in someway that threatens our survival, I want that fallback position. I do not want our future to depend on any outside source if it can be in any way helped." Lieutenant General Samuel Mitchell replied
"That is going to cost a crap ton of money, Son. Your talking about basically building your own nation. The Tortuga Dominions are not known as a safe place, it is the exact opposite of a safe place. On the other hand, we are also on the right path. You have a fleet, so you can move around. You have that ammunition plant that we have not even uncrated yet. I have Lockheed Galactic purchased and in the process of breaking down that maintenance slip for shipment out here. But we lack the ability to manufacture the tools that provide that safety. The Battlemechs, Tanks and Aerospace fighters. Even if you had the equipment to build them, you need the license to do so legally. That could get extremely expensive purchasing those." Gerald Mitchell said
"If I have to use the fallback plan, I am not going to be overly concerned with the legality of anything we need to do to survive on our own." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"That is a very slippery slope son, that sort of talk is how a bandit king sounds. I damned sure did not raise you to even think that way. I want you to promise me that no matter what, and I mean no matter what happens that you will conduct yourself and make sure those that follow you conduct themselves in a manner of civilized and law abiding way. You don't give me that and there will be no more assistance from me. I am dead serious on this." Gerald Mitchell said with steel in his voice.
It caught him off guard and he was silent before finally answering "I promise, Pop. I didn't mean it that way and you know it."
"You have a ton of power at your command, I have to make sure it does not go to your head and you stay grounded and firm in your convictions. Now, you still set on placing your fallback position on Morgan's Holdfast?" Gerald Mitchell asked
"Yes, it only makes sense. Colonel Waiters and his people already look after a settlement there of about 20,000 people. The water is drinkable with very little purification needed. The ground is farmable. If I can get a couple of those Aquilla armed up or one of those Tracker ships, that will prevent any attack on our fallback position. Or at least make an attack very painful for someone." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Then I will set aside a chunk of money from the Snowden to purchase license rights. Someday, you might be able to actually build them and when that day comes, it will be all legal like. So you need to sit down with all your experts and get a list together for me to target. Try to keep the list reasonable because those license fees will add up real fast. I will even have a go at buying some of the equipment for you if there is any money left over." Gerald Mitchell said
"Yes, sir. I can see a few fist fights coming soon as the arguments start about what to try and get." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Remind them that this might be the first and last time that THEY will have a direct say in matters concerning the future force structure. Either way, I will do my best to get what I can. If given a free reign, I will be targeting anything that had it's factories blown to hell and back during the war. At least they will be the cheapest to purchase." Gerald Mitchell said
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Cephei (Unclaimed), Periphery
"Easy, really easy. Keep it coming, nice and easy. Looking good, give me some back thrust, just a squirt. Right there, hold it right there." Warrant Officer Unger Miles said as his team started latching the compact jump core to the frame of the Tracker. They would complete the permanent attachment once they could let the Elephant Tug release it. Then they could start reattaching the ass end of the Tracker.
Two Hundred and Fifty kilometers away, another team of fifty were hard at work tearing the Athena Cruiser apart. They had already pulled twelve Naval Laser 55s and had them stowed aboard the Aquilla Transports to be transported back to Mackolla. They were not being gentle getting at them either, but the Naval Lasers themselves were treated gently.
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