WCGW Chpt 37

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==Chapter 37 - What Could Go Wrong==
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28 July 3041
Toten (Former Outworlds Alliance)
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"HOT DAMN!!!" Sergeant Nathan Davis shouted from inside the Holo Display room. He was playing with Drive Three, the first one found, he had finally figured out how to actually open a particular planet and what it showed was beyond his belief. He left the secured room, carefully locking it while nodding to the posted guards. Moving rapidly, he searched for Leftenant Colonel Mitchell, finally locating him on the grav deck having lunch with Ship Master Sarah Campbell. "Sir, we have got to make one more trip to that Tramp."
"Why? There is nothing left onboard that we can take. Unless your looking to dismantle the bridge." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell replied
"I need that ships logs. Cargo manifests. Hell everything, we can find. A detailed search of every room. Need proof, come to the Holo Room." Sergeant Nathan Davis said
"Okay, show me what is so damned important." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said while standing up.
Back in the Holo Room, Sergeant Davis started pointing to displayed systems. He described each in turn. "Baliggora, we know the 315th Battlemech Division was stationed there. It was also the location of the LXVIII Corps. As you know and have teased me about, I have spent over a month playing with our first batch of recovered drives. Buried on Drive Two, the first batch of drives, it took a few weeks playing around in here to figure it all out, but I finally figured it out and now it makes perfect sense sir."
"What makes perfect sense? Your speaking in circles. Have you finally cracked under the strain?" Leftenant Colonel Mitchell asked
"Drive Two, I figured out how to open the planets. That opened a whole new world of information. I have actual coordinates AND aerial maps of every significant site on every planet out here. From SLDF bases to SLDF cache sites. What I do not have is what was actually located at said sites. That Tramp out there visited a bunch of systems during it's last year. Be nice to know if it was dropping cargo off or picking up cargo, wouldn't it?" Sergeant Davis explained
"Jesus, Davis, you have done it again. Hell Yes, it would. If picking up, and we know what it took, maybe we don't spend a ton of time hunting an empty hole." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell replied with a smile.
"You get me what I need off that Tramp and I will find us our next target, Sir." Sergeant Davis said
Leftenant Colonel Mitchell lifted a small radio "Chief, I need you to take a detail over to the Tramp. Ships Log, cargo manifests, hell everything you can find. Grab everything."
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6 August 3041
Chief Zuniga and a small army had spent a week sweeping the Tramp Jumpship for anything and everything. They had removed every computer drive they could find, ransacked every cabin, pried the ships safe from the captains quarters, hauled off over 6 tons of ancient book binders full of paper, notepads, another 3 tons worth of manuals covering everything from SLDF regulations to recipes from the kitchen. Until finally Chief Zuniga had said "There is nothing left on here. Nothing. Well, it's time to go home, we are way down on fuel anyway."
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7 August 3041
Inner End (Federated Commonwealth)
The Invader Jumpship, SaRI Express, materialized at the Nadir Jump Point. Underwent the expected customs inspection before being cleared. Once that was done, Intrusive, their Intruder Dropship, undocked and proceeded for the planets Space Port. Leftenant Colonel David Mitchell wasted no time in checking his in-system message board. He both smiled and winced when he learned that another Monarch Passenger Dropship and Mule Cargo Dropship had arrived and were on the surface waiting for him.
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10 August 3041
Intrusive, the unit's Intruder Assault Dropship, settled gently to the Space Port. Once it was deemed safe, the ramp was lowered, and everyone started making their way to the tarmac. Chief Vincent Zuniga wasted no time in peeling off to check out the new Dropships. "You need me, I will be examining the new turds you dropped on me." He said to Leftenant Colonel Mitchell.
"Sergeant Major Pullman. Good to see you again." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said shaking the offered hand
"Glad everyone is back safe and sound. I was actually here to strangle Chief Zuniga. You have any idea how much money he has spent on that Monarch? No, how about 21 Million C-Bills!! Now where is he?" Sergeant Major Pullman demanded
"Calm down, Sergeant Major. Capitol expenses. Had to be done. Before you kill him, how about getting some mech jocks to pilot all these mining mechs we got into a warehouse for safe keeping." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said with a smile before asking "How are we coming along on construction?"
"Just broke ground. I am told it will be a couple months at least before we can even think of moving in. Master Sergeant Croyle hired a local construction company to help out. For 8 Million C-Bills. We are bleeding cash sir." Sergeant Major Pullman replied
"It's progress, Sergeant Major. Progress costs money." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said
"Yeah well, we are down to 43,523,000 C-Bills and dropping fast. I hope like hell you brought back a bounty worth selling." Sergeant Major Pullman replied
"I could find nothing to really identify those mining mechs inside. Nothing current anyway. We found partial manuals and such. So we will take a guess and call it 3 million each. We grabbed 29, so fuzzy math says 87 Million worth. Another 20 or so left out there plus 2 Dropshuttles and a nice recoverable Dropship, value not a damned clue." Leftenant Colonel Mitchell said with a broad smile
"Well, they cannot be deposited in a bank or pay the bills until you sell them sir. Tell me are going to sell that Dropship? I thought you were Army, not some damned Navy puke, cause your sure building one." Sergeant Major Pullman replied
Across the Space Port, Chief Vincent Zuniga walked aboard the second Monarch Dropship and he was not impressed, not in the least. "Good lord, it is almost as bad as the first one. Just no foul odor." After fifteen minutes he boarded the Mule Dropship, again he cringed at the condition inside. Walking to the cargo lifts he could easily see that 3 of them had not worked in years. "Lord save me from fools playing spacers."
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