WCGW Chpt 204

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==Chapter 204 - What Could Go Wrong==
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Thazi (Independent System)
16th June, 3045
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Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Campbell along with all the Invader and Merchant Jumpships were back safe and sound. Only both Star Lord Jumpships carrying the SaRI ground troops had yet to arrive. The moment she touched down she headed right for Major General (President) David Mitchell and was clearly not very happy.
"The fleet is officially shut down. We are down two Merchant Jumpships until they can be repaired in a shipyard and one of those cannot even get to a damned shipyard for repairs. I have no clue how that will ever happen, so she might be a total loss. When our Star Lords get back, no ship moves on an operation until it has had a complete overhaul in a shipyard. It is not worth the risk to our people nor losing any one of those ships to a major breakdown out here." Lieutenant Colonel Campbell said
"I agree. Nothing is worth the risk. I assume Chief Zuniga briefed you in that we are trying to come up with a way to service the fleet without relying on the AFFC next door?" Major General (President) Mitchell asked
"Yes, and while it is a good idea, a service platform does not qualify as a shipyard for major repairs. I will still have two Merchant's down for major repairs. It will help with regular maintenance, but not major repairs. In addition, we do not even have the trained personnel to even help support us. The damned crews will have to do all the work, which means the fleet is still idled due to lack of crews while any sort of maintenance is being done." Lieutenant Colonel Campbell replied
"Chief Zuniga was very clear on that point Sarah. Now let me make sure you got the news that the new commander at Wokha has basically cut us off from the repair slips for the immediate future. So, unless you want to wait possibly a year or longer, what is it going to take to get you to agree with a mission to Boulsi, right next door. They were supposed to have had an Olympus Station at the Nadir Jump Point. Maybe we can strip what we need off it to give us a hand over here?" Major General (President) Mitchell asked
"That sorry son of a bitch. The data we had said Thazi also had one, but it must have been destroyed. Two month down time for maintenance at the minimum and ONLY then if Chief Zuniga gives a ship a complete thumbs up will it be allowed to head out. Not a maybe, not a hint of doubt but a complete and total thumbs up. Nothing less. Period. I am serious David, we have pushed these old ships too hard the last two years without a good maintenance plan." Lieutenant Colonel Sarah Campbell replied
"We just need a single ship for the mission. We are not even planning on making landfall but a simple look to see if that station is still over there and if it is, what kind of shape is it in." Major General (President) Mitchell said
"I will go tell Chief Zuniga to start his maintenance cycle. This totally sucks. We got screwed and now we are damn near stuck out here. I do not like the idea of depending on sheer luck to survive." Lieutenant Colonel Campbell replied
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18th June, 3045
Captain Sam Falconi of the Intruder Class Assault Dropship, the Intrusive, was beyond bored. A system survey and a complete one at that was not a task that even remotely strained his skills, but it did strain his patience. So far, they had surveyed 4 planets and 39 moons and had not found a single object that was man-made anywhere. Now they had begun conducting the survey of the sixth planet in the system, a large gas giant with a staggering 24 moons and a damned dust ring that made quick sensor scans almost impossible since the dust ring scattered radar returns and caused a haze on any sort of long-range visual scans. It would probably take a month just to survey this area. Then they still had 5 planets and 107 moons to go before the system was completely scanned and surveyed. We are going to need a damned refueling ship out here someday, he thought.
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