ALJ Chpt 59

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==Chapter 59 - A Long Journey==
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22 October 2786
Mackolla (Federated Suns)
The find on Cephei's habitable planet had finally been reported along with a request for engineer support. Lieutenant General Samuel Mitchell only had a single engineer platoon here on Mackolla, the rest were on Morgan's Holdfast. They had only a two Leesups Trucks, but it was all he had at the moment. He ordered them deployed along with a mixed company of armor and infantry to provide security for the operation. Even though the system was deemed secure, he was not about to take any chances. In a way, it was a trivial matter, he had a brewing "fight" with the AFFS already on his plate, but the best news was his sister Patricia had announced that she was ready to go back to work, but not as before.
"I need to get back to work, Sammy, but I don't think I can handle combat operations anymore. The shrink told me that it could very well cause a relapse. Major Paulina Flores can handle the combat side of the house." Patricia had said
"She is a fine officer. But what do you want to do, Patty?" Lieutenant General Mitchell asked
"I cannot take over Site 222, those Caspars could bring the horror right back, what they did over Terra and other worlds is just too much. But I can handle the overall transportation support side of the house if you need but honestly, I have been reading all the reports getting back up to speed and all. I am really curious about where those Conestoga Transports had visited so many times. That is what I really want to do, go have a look around out there. Retrace their movements to the letter, we have the jump logs. Who knows what we will find out there." Patricia said
"Patty, that could be a multiyear mission. A year out and a year back just to visit a single location. Add in the fact that we have no clue what you will find when you get there, it could very well be hostile." Sam replied not feeling comfortable about this.
"I am willing to risk it. Each of them made multiple trips to those two sites, something has to be out there. Maybe something we can use. I have been keeping tabs on what you and dad have been doing and planning after all. I know we are short spacers, but the absolute minimum crew for the Conestoga is a total of 60 each. Give me my marines back and two squadrons of Aerospace fighters and I can make this happen. I have read up on the Conestoga, those primitive cores were designed for reactor recharging, not sail charging. That alone reduces the trip time, three-day recharge versus eight days.....I can be at the closest site in about six months' time by my calculations. See what is there and then head back here to report, a hair over a yearlong mission. I would want a full complement of Dropshuttles and the machinery off one of my Tramps though, if we break down, we will at least have a chance of repairing. I would want to take both Conestoga, less chance of both breaking down out there and stranding us. Maybe some of my repair folks. Supplies for a three-year mission, just in case. There and back, no risk taking." Patricia explained.
"If that is what you want to do, I will not stop you, but it doesn't mean I will not worry. There is no way to call for help from out there, that I do not like at all." Sam expressed to her.
"If we are not back in eighteen months, then you know something went wrong and can send a rescue mission." Patricia
"Our problem is crews for even attempting that. I thought Infantry was our critical weakness, but I am quickly learning that it is ship crews that are our critical shortage." Sam replied
"Well, since you're fielding those Tracker as warships, yes, it is now a critical problem. Like I said, I have been keeping track of what is going on, you have just enough crew to minimum man both Conestoga, SLS Second Chance, one Monolith and three Dictators for rapid response. Everything else is on minimum crew or no crew. I told dad that this morning that finding spacers needs to move to the front of the line. He said he was going to put out a call for new hires, any civilians will man the civilian ships, when you actually get them operational, but veteran military folks will be shuffled to that side of the house. Until you can get more trained at that training facility your building way out there. Which by the way, after I do these scouting missions, I would really love to take charge of, for the space crews anyway." Commodore Patricia Mitchell said
"I think that would be perfect for you, Patty. You can go on your adventure but take no chances. Promise me that." Sam told her
"I promise, Sammy, no chances. You have my word." Patricia promised
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23 October 2786
Gerald Mitchell had submitted the paperwork to start Mitchell Transport and Freight Haulers, he named Patricia Mitchell as CEO. This gave him the cover he needed to put out a general hiring announcement stating his need for Dropship, Jumpship and Shuttle crews. There was a 5,000 sign on bonus and extra 15% salary for SLDF veterans for the first year of service while non SLDF would receive a 2,000 sign on bonus at the completion of their first year of service. He fully intended to get this up and running as soon as possible, and his plan was to use the Merchant Jumpships from Site 222 as a starting point. Not the biggest, but they could fully service them, and they would be fully owned. That meant every cent earned would be pure profit after maintenance and upkeep. His talks with Patricia gave him some numbers to work with at least. He had spent some time running the number and he had found a niche he thought he could exploit to maximize profits. There were actual cruise lines, but the Dropships designed for those carried too few passengers for his idea. 
With the looming war, he knew there was going to be another flood of people fleeing the fighting. He had identified a lack of dedicated people movers between systems, and he wanted to exploit that need. Bouncing idea's off Patricia, and research of travel records, there was on average two thousand people at any time waiting to leave a planet for a new destination. Those numbers had been pulled from systems within 120LY of Mackolla only. He wanted to use the Jumbo Cargo Dropship for this only because he could not secure a license for the Mule Cargo Dropship which was newer. But Boeing Interstellar owned the rights for the Jumbo Dropship and was willing to sell him a license for 400 Million and no royalty payments. But he had hesitated to purchase the license previously, but if the Invader Jumpship captured by Sammy was bought, he was going to beg for the funds to make this happen. He had checked the interstellar market this morning and wished he could snap up the 37 Jumbo Dropships sitting there for sale around the Inner Sphere. But he was at his hard limit on cash reserves after his spending spree and only had one billion in the bank to cover expenses, he was not counting any funds sitting in each purchased companies accounts as Mackolla Enterprises since they would need those funds and more to rebuild their operations here.
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