BoTH Chpt 39

==Blood on the Horizon - Chapter 39 -==
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===New Possibility===
"So, what's got you all excited?" I asked Rook. 
 
"I think I just found a repository of potential Star League depots and Caches," he grinned. "I'm recording the data onto a separate data core now for us to go over later."
 
"Good," I looked at the data he was pouring over. "Make a couple of backups just in case. Once we get this thing up and running I want to wipe the Astrological data. I like the Taurians, but I'm not volunteering loot to anyone before we've had a chance to go over it."
 
"I get it, boss," the Tech hooked up a second core to begin transferring data. "But there is one location that's fairly close."
 
"Which one is that?" I asked. 
 
"This system, here," he highlighted a world on the edge of the Concordat. "Artru is likely one of the ones we can grab loot from while we're in between contracts here in the periphery."
"I think we'll have to see if there have been any rumors or news broadcasts about caches found within the last hundred years." I replied. "I figure if there are, that there's probably not much left in those locations and we'll have to move on to the next."
 
"So I guess someone's going to end up doing that grunt work," he shrugged. "So long as I'm not the only one who's doing it I'm good with it."
 
"We'll have admin go over it," I said as I made sure that the data was being transferred over intact. "That's the sort of thing we pay them for, after all."
 
"Well, aside from that, we've managed to get the computer systems up and running." Rook pointed out the panels that were lit up. "The tech is more advanced than anything I've worked with before, but the principles were the same. The odd thing is that the pirates have only been here for a year or so. Which is a good thing, considering they had only just started stripping things out to repair their 'Mechs and tanks."
 
"Anything else interesting turn up when you were looking through things?" I asked. 
 
"Yeah," he nodded. "The machine shops here are supposed to be able to construct anything provided we've got the plans and correct materials."
 
"Which solved a lot of logistical issues," I stroked my beard. "And I assume the cargo space onboard is good?"
 
"Call it fifty-five thousand tons now," Rook shrugged. "Maybe less if you have the Concordat do some refits."
 
"They owe us for the Jumpships," I replied. "They can repair and refit this for a fraction of what the Jumpships were worth."
 
"What're you thinking of having done?" One of the people doing repairs spoke up. 
 
"Well, for starters, we need some defensive weaponry. This thing doesn't even have the armament of a Jumpship. So we're going to sacrifice a bit of cargo space to repair it and bring it up to snuff. Then we're going to make sure that we kit up our new hires with enough aerospace assets to fully outfit the bays."
 
"Sounds good to me boss," Rook smiled. "But we should probably get it back in the void first."
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===We got ourselves a Convoy===
Date: October 8th, 3002, 3002
Location: Pirate Outpost Codenamed Axylus
"Keep an eye out for any remaining pirate jumpers," Blaze informed his unit. "Hitman, you're on escort duty for the new dropper, I know she's a big one, but I need her covered."
 
"We're on it, Wardog," the normally quiet leader of Hitman responded. "Just make sure that our paycheck stays secure."
 
"Big one's taking off now," Blaze chuckled in response. "Her name is the Argo for now, but given that they found her crashed and haven't found her black box yet…"
 
"Wonder if there will be a poll for the names?" Chopper mused over an open channel. "If there is, I'm putting my vote in for Big Bertha."
"We'll find out after she's out of the repair docks," the current pilot of the Argo replied. "For now, we'll keep her as is until we rechristen her."
 
The Argo passed by the fighters, the five Aerodyne dropships in formation around it, the Messenger leading the pack while the twin Leopard CVs brought up the middle with the pair of Buccaneers in the rear. 
"Be advised, King Henry, we've got a convoy in tow." The Messenger sent ahead. 
 
"I take it we got a good haul?" Kaylee asked when the transmission finally reached her. 
 
"That's an affirmative," Victoria Jewel replied. "We're going to need all of the collars to get this back to known space though."
 
"Sounds good. We'll keep the champagne waiting for you."
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===Arriving to a hostile company===
Date: October 23th, 3002
Location: Taurus, Taurian Concordat
"Mercenary group Marksman, do not deviate from your assigned course or you will be fired upon."
 
"Copy that, control, following designated course."
 
"They're awful friendly." I muttered.
 
"They've got a good reason to be paranoid," Jewel shrugged. "And given how much debris is around, I'd rather follow one of their safe courses."
 
"Well, we're only here to collect the rest of our pay and get the Argo repaired and refit," I replied. "After that, I've got something lined up with Interstellar Expeditions."
 
"Off to explore the galaxy?" Sheppard asked. 
 
"They're letting us use their Star Lord to haul the rest of our kit," I shrugged. "And at no extra charge. On top of that, it's a really good check, and we get to keep all of the salvage from anything we find."
 
"So we guard a bunch of eggheads and collect a good bunch of pay," Peterson shrugged. "Sounds good to me."
 
"We'll see if we can pick up some more recruits to round out our pilots," I shrugged. "Because technically we're still here on contract to the Concordat until the end of the month."
 
"Didn't they rotate the Black Jacks into place?" Sheppard asked. 
 
"Yeah," I shrugged. "I guess a full battalion was something they would rather have. Because they got a multi-year contract."
 
"Oh well," Sheppard shrugged. "IE has a good rep. And working for them often leads to some interesting salvage opportunities for the units that end up hired."
 
"When does the new contract start?" Jewel asked. "Our people are going to want shore leave."
 
"We've got a few months," I replied. "They'll get their downtime. But we need to get people to crew the dropship and to find spares."
 
"Right," Peterson spoke up. "With the Argo, we can pack enough to fight in sustained combat provided we control the skies."
 
"I'm going to give our new hires a check to buy whatever they can pick up on the local markets," I nodded. "We're going in with eighteen fighters as escorts."
 
"Good," Sheppard grinned. "It's always better to outnumber the opponents in the sky."
 
"I'll drink to that once we're on the ground," Peterson replied. "Let's just get there first."
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Chapter 39