MBMSFS Chpt I3

==Manufacturing a Blueprint for a More Stable Federated Suns‎‎ - Interlude 2 - ==
== - Hanse Davion/Henry Dimurot/Marshal Stephen Ducrimmon-Davion - ==
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===Dividing the Treasure===
[Hanse Davion]
[NAIS]
[New Avalon, New Avalon System; Federated Suns]
[October 12th, 3027]
Seated in a secured side room Hanse Davion felt a small amount of trepidation as he worked himself up to 'spill the beans', as it were.
 
It might have been against his carefully cultured image to be cowardly with his delays, but around someone like Arthur, who didn't care and could rightly understand his unease, he allowed himself this fleeting moment of weakness. 
 
Even if he was excited to tell the man the good news.
 
"So, how much for the weapons?" He asked as he typed Arthur's responses into his noteputer, "And how many do you have?"
 
The CEO of Corean and On-Again-Off-Again member of the Egg Carton scratched at his chin, "I can make the X1 rifles at £125 per unit, but I'll charge £300-"
 
Hanse arched an eyebrow at that, and the red-haired man scoffed, "Once economies of scale kick in the raw materials to make these weapons are dirt cheap, Hanse, and since we're growing the upper and lower receiver along with printing the Andosteel barrel shroud... the only thing we need hands for is putting the weapon together, and even then there are only fifteen parts in total. It's the simplest, most efficient design we could make. And you don't even need to worry about durability because the barrel and receivers are made from Battlemech grade materials. It sounds haughty, but unless they run over the damn things with an armored vehicle there is likely little they can do to break them unless they use them as a shield for incoming fire."
 
Hanse hummed, "While I don't doubt that things will be cheap to make... you won't be able to handle the sheer volume needed. There will have to be a phased roll-out for this, starting with the premier line units first, and then working our way back to the militias. Since you're going to be running the Federated Long Rifle out of service... might I suggest offering them a license to make them as well?"
 
"Sure thing, just make sure that their security regarding the Augusta and Henan process machines is up to my standards. I can take a £50 per unit hit so they can make that themselves. However," Arthur narrowed his eyes, "You're acting as if the X1's acceptance is going to be a foregone conclusion, and I don't like that. Let the troops and the AFFS do their job in evaluating the design first; nobody likes an overly top-down approach to procurement."
 
Hanse chuckled at that as he waved his fingers, "Of course, of course, who do you think you're talking to- Maximilian Liao? I'll give the AFFS their due, as I always do, but I have a feeling that the boys and girls in fatigues will be rather taken with the rifles if they all perform the same as the one I shot."
 
"Good, good," Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and nodded, "Anyway, I'll charge- and these are always subject to change mind you- £300 for the X1 rifle, £650 for the X2 LMG, and £250 for the X3 PDW. I'd charge more but I want the AFFS to have a reason to switch because they're simply better weapons than what we currently have available. Speaking of available, I have 300 X1 rifles, 50 X2 LMGs, and 150 X3 PDWs available for initial testing, as well as 8 tons of ammunition for the lot of them. This will fit the AFFS' Phase I trials and will give me at least five months to make some attachments, additional weapons, and more ammunition for the Phase II trials. Roughly seven months after that I will have enough capacity to complete the Phase III Regimental trials."
 
"And after that?" The man uncrossed his arms and spread them wide, "I'll have enough warehouse space and a second munitions plant up and running that can meet the Phase IV production requirements for mass adoption. If we get Federated on board then we could probably see the entirety of the AFFS and House Guards equipped by 3040 if we don't expand production at all, which I don't really see a reason why we would rest on our laurels with just the current industrial capacity."
 
"Yes, why would you stop there? Now the-" 
 
"Combat Enhancement Exo Suits-"
 
Hanse blinked before giving Arthur a look, "We're not going to be calling them CEX Suits, Arthur. Grow up."
 
It was Arthur's turn to blink before he chortled, "I hadn't caught that... how about the Infantry Combat Exosuit? That way it sounds cool, can be abbreviated and soldiers can tell each other with the utmost seriousness, 'Ice-up, boys' and 'Get your ICE ready'- oh, and the Special Forces variants can be called 'Black ICE'. Sounds pretty hip-"
 
The First Prince had no issues with that, as it did sound pretty- "Bombin' is what the kids are saying these days, Arthur. My PR department keeps me abreast of all of the 'in things' with teens to keep my approval among the younger generation high."
 
"'Bombin'? It was 'Hip' when I was in college, and I'm still in college, how did it change that fast?"
 
"Arthur, you're in the Nerd College for Turbo Nerds, you were never part of the cool crowd-"
 
"Ouch, but fair-" Arthur retorted
 
"-Now tell me how much are the suits? A 'ballpark' figure as you like to say so that I have something to deliver to my Procurement Board."
 
"At current sticker price? £20,000 is what I could let each one go for, but that's only because we're using a lot of off-the-shelf components from 3rd party suppliers who support our current civilian, industrial Exo Suits; once we cut all of them out and go fully in-house components then we'll shave off £2,500. The biggest expense is the Lithium Military Power Pack that supplies twelve hours of charge; it's big, heavy, and a fire hazard which is why it needed to be armored," Arthur ran a hand through his flaming red hair as he ran through the numbers in his head, the man speaking out loud for Hanse's benefit so that the Prince could roughly transcribe potential avenues for lowering costs for the Procurement Board, "I've already hired a few hundred new chemists from the recent graduates of New Avalon U and NAIS and we're working on finishing up the Hegemony's Solid State Battery Program that they shit canned when they realized they like Lithium battery fires over spending extra money on something not Battlemech or Mega Engineering related... so to prevent myself from digressing too much further, £10,000 per suit is what I think I can offer after a three-year production ramp up."
 
"You think you can develop a whole new battery technology in that time frame?"
 
"The research was essentially already done by the Hegemony, it's just that they didn't want to put the time and effort into developing a new, different manufacturing process. It wasn't worth the time, money, and effort for a newer, cheaper, more efficient battery when they already had Lithium batteries taped out and it was serving their needs more than adequately. Remind me to type up a brief overview of the technology and what you can expect from Corean in the future in regards to it..." Arthur shook his head, "Had the Compact KF drive not been created we might have already seen a Metal Salt Solid State Battery if only for the weight savings and charge capacities alone, but saving 50% on the mass of the Jump Core outstripped the 50% savings on batteries."
 
"£10,000 is a much more palatable number that I think the Board could be happy about, especially if we end up shuffling the budgets around for the next few years to inject some fresh blood everywhere it's needed," Hanse updated the figures that he'd give to the procurement board so that they could have a head start, and after a moment of silence, the First Prince clicked his tongue, "Okay. Now that this little distraction is out of the way... there are some things I think you need to be informed about."
 
Arthur tilted his head to the side, a small lilt to his lips showcasing his amusement, "Well? On with it man, you're acting all squirrely."
 
The Prince clapped his hands, "Well then, I suppose I should start with the excellent news then- your intelligence about Helm was correct. We found the Nagayan Complex Castle Brian, and it was everything you said and more."
 
"I fucking knew it. I knew it, Hanse. Tell me, did Ardan shit his pants?" Arthur's small smile turned into a broad, toothy grin, "And is that why you're so willing to shuffle the budgets for the infantry?"
 
Considering Ardan was sitting right next to him when Agent Game and her team presented the information to him? 
 
Yes, pants were shat, but the Prince shook his head, "You know that I won't say anything about that, not about poor Ardan. Though his reaction was indeed quite spectacular. But yes, when one suddenly finds a massive windfall of pristine Battlemechs, Vehicles, and spare parts for only the cost of fuel... it does have a rather peculiar effect on freeing up funding for other budgets. Regardless-"
 
The Prince flipped through the noteputer and pulled up a few holo-photos from the drone images and slid the device across the table to Arthur, who picked it up and whistled, "It was Four whole Divisions worth of material, Arthur. Four whole SLDF Divisions worth of material, plus a Royal Regiment, and an SLDF Special Operations Group Battalion- to include stealth Battlemechs with the Null Signature System and Chameleon Light Polarization system."
 
Hanse Davion wished he had a holo-camera so that he could savor the way Arthur Corean's jaw dropped in astonishment, "Holy shit, Hanse. I'd thought that there would be a handful of regiments... this... this is beyond my wildest expectations."
 
His ice-blue eyes slid up from the noteputer and he leaned forward, "With this amount of material we could stand up like sixteen whole regiments... or have an excellent exchange of new Mechs into units that are badly undeserved; send the Davion Brigades 'Mechs out to some line units while giving them brand new Royal machines."
 
"Well, that brings us to something that I think you should know- we had to split the find down the middle with the Lyran Commonwealth," Hanse licked his lips, "Years ago Katrina Steiner sent out a call for Peace among the Great Houses when she ascended to the Archonship. Only one responded to her, the Federated Suns... and I met in secret with her numerous times over the years- ah, we're going to be joining the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth in the coming years to form a new, unified state."
 
Arthur's head tilted far to the side as he mulled Hanse's words over, though he didn't appear to be as shocked as he thought, "Like... a Federated Commonwealth? Or are you going to be silly and call it the 'Lyran Suns'?"
 
Hanse stared at the man, who just shrugged as if this wasn't one of the most groundbreaking things to shake the Inner Sphere, "What? Ardan Sortek went to Tharkad for rest and recuperation after the debacle at Stein's Folly. Your Number Two, going to Tharkad, to rest and recover. If that isn't a great, flashing sign that relations between the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth were rather rosey then I don't know what is. I take it that you will be wedding Katrina Steiner? If I remember her husband passed away years ago, and she isn't a bad-looking woman... you did well for yourself, Hanse."
 
"Ahh....ahhhhh... mhmmmm...." For the first time in a long time Hanse Davion, First Prince of the Federated Suns, felt himself at a loss for words- this level of floundering was uncharacteristic for him, and when Arthur sat up a little bit straighter he felt his insides curl up.
 
"Hanse... no way... you aren't going to marry Katrina Steiner, are you?" Arthur clapped his hands loudly as he crowed, "You're going to marry Melissa Steiner!? Hanse! Hanse Davion, you silver fox, you! Ahahahahahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
 
Drum beats echoed in the small room as the CEO roared with laughter, his open palm smacking against the steel table, "Oh man, that is just rich. Oh, hooo, hooo, hooo, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, heheh, I've got it out of my system now, I promise. Just... wow. Melissa Steiner is just going to be coming of age soon, right? I'd make a quip about you robbing the cradle but that would be uncharitable and mean-spirited-"
 
Hanse's heart and soul were already riddled with arrows, but he was... thankful nonetheless, "Thank... you..."
 
"-Besides, I've heard that Lyran ladies prefer their men to be older and more distinguished, and you're most certainly both." His grin faded away as Hanse glared at him, and he winced, "Alright. I'll stop. But! You can't say that this whole situation isn't as humorous as it is uplifting."
 
"Uplifting?" Hanse had to ask, as he was curious about the sentiment.
"Well," Arthur sucked at his teeth as he leaned back in the metal chair, "As far as allies go, the Lyran Commonwealth is probably the best the Federated Suns could hope for. We share a common enemy in the Draconis Combine, they have similar values to us as far as personal freedoms and economic advancement, they aren't push-overs and their leadership under Katrina has been very good... if she didn't have the nobility hanging around her neck like a millstone."
 
He interlaced his fingers behind his head as he gave Hanse a gentle smile, "I think that you made the correct choice, Hanse. The Lyran Commonwealth will be as good for the Federated Suns as I think Melissa Steiner will be for you. I don't know the young woman personally, but if she is even half the woman her mother is then I think we'll all be in very good hands with the two of you at the helm. And speaking of Helm... you said that we split the loot with them? I trust they participated enough to warrant such a split?"
 
"God yes, they did," Hanse brought a hand up to massage his forehead, "If it wasn't for them we would never have amassed enough lift and JumpShips to gather all of it. Of course, the Corean Gem was critical, with its 150,000 tons of cargo space; you'll be seeing it returned to you by December... however, once it arrives its Jump Core might very well be shot."
 
"I'm surprised it held up as well as it did, the Star League only built those cores to jump the Recharge Stations to their final destinations and that was about it." Arthur mused openly, and Hanse agreed.
 
"It was a near thing, yes. But seeing as you were instrumental in this find... I am pleased to say that I made sure that you weren't cut out of the 'loot' entirely," The First Prince leaned across the table and tapped on the screen of the noteputer to bring up the list of what Arthur would be receiving.
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====Manifest of Helm for Arthur Corean====
1 Battalion of Royal Mechs (64 Mechs)
-2 Lances (8) of Emperor (90-ton) Assault Mechs
-2 Lances (8) of Pillager (100-ton) Assault Mechs
-2 Lances (8) of Sentinel (40-ton) Medium Mechs (For use with getting Defiance on board)
-2 Lances (8) of Hermes (30-ton) Light Mechs
-2 Lances (8) of Osprey (55-ton) Medium Mechs (Beagle, Gauss Rifles)thumb|Osprey Medium 'Mech
-2 Lances (8) of Ostroc (60-ton) Heavy Mechs
-2 Lances (8) of Ostwar (65-ton) Heavy Mechs (Guardian ECM)
-1 Lance (4) of Wyvern (45-ton) Medium Mechs
-1 Lance (4) of Marauder (75-ton) Heavy Mechs (MAD-2R; ER-PPCs & Double Heatsinks)
 
1 Regiment of Standard Battlemechs (344 Mechs)
- Assassins, Atlases, Awesomes, BattleMasters, Black Knights, Blackjacks, Bombardiers (advanced missile packages), Cestus (for GM), Catapults (Coolboi), Chameleon (1 Battalion, donated to NAIS and Nagelring for Training), etc, etc, etc.
-Arthur keeps the Atlas, Awesome, BattleMasters, Black Knights, Catapults, Crusaders, Marauders, Phoenix Hawks, Cestus (for GM), Cyclops (Communications), Mongoose, Griffins, Highlanders, Longbows, Riflemen, Stalkers, Warhammers, Shadow Hawks, Thugs, Thunderbolts, and Urbanmechs. (2 Battalions worth, sells the rest to AFFS).
 
1 Battalion of Royal Combat Vehicles (48 Vehicles)
Armor Company:
-1 Lance of Manticores (60-Tons)
-1 Lance of LTV-4 Hover Tanks (50-tons)
-1 Lance of Zephyr Hover Craft (40-tons)
-1 Lance of Kanga Jump Tanks (50-tons) (Nirasaki Computer from Fury)
 
-1 Lance of Prowler Explorer Tanks (55-tons)
-1 Lance of BattleMech Recovery Vehicles (60-ton Variant)
-1 Lance of BattleMech Recovery Vehicles (70-ton Variant)
-1 Lance of Alacorn Tanks (95-tons)
 
-1 Lance of J-27 Ordnance Transports (10-ton)
-1 Lance of Burke Tanks (75-ton)(No Mfg)
-1 Lance of Gabriel Scout Hover Vehicle (5-ton)(Adv. Communications)(Ferro-Alu)
-1 Lance of Lightning Hover Vehicles (35-ton)(Hovercraft Stability)
 
-1 Lance of Magi Infantry Support Vehicle (70-ton)(No mfg)(Advanced Targeting Computer; 3 diff targets)
-1 Lance of Beagle Hover Scout (15-ton)(Beagle Active Probe)
-1 Lance of Demolisher Heavy Tank (80-ton)
-1 Lance of Demon Line Fighting Vehicle (60-ton)(Gauss for study)(No mfg.)
 
Aerial Company:
-1 Lance of Vector VTOLs (For use with GM)(Beagle, TAG, ECM for Study)
-1 Lance of Ripper VTOLs (Pulse Lasers for study)
-1 Lance of Nightshade VTOLs (XL Engine, Large Pulse Laser, ECM for study)
-1 Lance of Cyrano VTOLs (XL Engine, ER Large Laser, BAP for study)
 
2 Battalions of Standard Vehicles (86 Vehicles)
-Keeps Tigers, Manticores, J. Edgars, Flatbed Trucks, Vedettes, Demolishers, 135-K Coolant Trucks, Prometheus Combat Support BridgeLayers, Pumas, Von Luckners.
-Sells the rest to AFFS for Pounds.
 
1 Battalion of Royal Aerospace (48 Fighters)
- 1 Group of Royal Corsairs (18)
- 1 Squadron of Chippewa-W5bs (6)
- 1 Squadron of Ahab-443bs (6)
- 1 Squadron of Gotha-500bs (6)
- 1 Squadron of Thunderbird-D36bs (6)
- 1 Squadron of Eagle-6Rbs (6)
2 Battalions of Standard Aerospace (86 Fighters)
- Keeps 1 Battalion of similar fighters, sells the other to AFFS (No space; has to rent an Airfield at NAIS to hold onto the ASFs he does have).
 
Specifically For Corean Study:
 
2x Exterminators Battlemechs (Stealth + ECM)
2x Specter Battlemechs (Stealth + ECM)
2x Mercury Mechs (Plug & Fight)
2x Royal Mobile HQs
2x Royal MASH Vehicles
2x Dunning Tactical Mobile Command Post
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====Being Fortunate not to be in the other's shoes====
Arthur was silent as he studied the list intently for a few minutes, the man squeezing his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger before chuckling and shaking his head, "I'm not going to turn down free material that I was certain that I'd never see, but out of all of this stuff you're sticking me with all of Mechs that don't really have any manufacturers in existence or are so rare that finding parts for them would be a major pain in the ass."
 
Hanse crossed his arms over his chest as he arched an eyebrow, "You thought that I wouldn't give you any of the find? Arthur, I would have thought that you of all people would know that I wouldn't do that."
 
"No, no, it wasn't that," The CEO shook his head as he waved a hand, "I just thought that the AFFS, always in need of Mechs, Armor, VTOLs, and ASF would hold onto every last scrap. I would have been fine with a lump sum payout or some other reward for services rendered. There is no doubt that despite the excellence of the AFFS more 'Mechs and Vehicles would always be a welcome addition."
 
"That is indeed true, which is why, unfortunately, I couldn't justify giving you the Mechs and Vehicles that were already in service and still had a logistics supply chain for," The First Prince sighed as he leaned an elbow on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand, "Those Mechs are indeed Royals, but other than the spare parts that the cache had on hand, fielding them in an Operational role would be... foolhardy at best, and insane at worst. Corean, however, needs to expand its Security Forces..."
 
"And seeing as, hopefully, we won't get attacked, then the fact that a good many of those Mechs aren't in production anymore is far less of a factor. I understand completely, and I won't say no to an infusion of Royal Mechs, as those usually have some goodies in them that are functionally extinct- targeting and tracking systems, communications systems, Active Probes, ECMs, and the like. Since they are extinct and so are their manufacturers it means their shit is fair game... which honestly? This is rather perfect, Hanse," The red-haired man gave him a rakish grin, "I have something I'm going to need your help with, though more the AFFS than anything else."
 
"Well, color me intrigued, as always," Hanse nodded, "Tell me more."
 
"So, I'm going to create a new line of T&TS and Communications packages, and I want the opinions of Mechwarriors who've used numerous Mechs and have a wide variety of experiences with them. I plan on creating focus groups to do that, looking at things like end-user features, user interface, ease of alteration and repair, and the like. I have quite a few Mechwarriors in my security forces already, but I would like there to be some outside influence on these focus groups," The man sounded very pleased with himself as he uttered the next words with a straight face, "I plan on jacking all of the best features from all sorts of different electronics packages and incorporating them into a standardized series of Corean designs; the packages from the dead corporations is just perfect for my needs, because if they aren't around to sue then what's the problem?"
 
Hanse let out a belly laugh as Arthur began to expand upon his ideas.
Hanse and Arthur went back and forth for another hour or so, and during this time there were a number of things revealed.
 
"So that Death Commando attack on the unnamed research facility was where they were conducting the finalization on the Double Heatsink Program?" Arthur asked, the man incredulous as he tilted his head, "Is that why NAIS hasn't unveiled Freezers to the Federated Suns yet? Because when I left the Egg Carton we were only a year, maybe two tops from getting those introduced."
 
Hanse felt his fist clench reflexively as he felt the bitter sting of Arthur's words, "Yes... we moved the Double Heatsink research out to that remote facility in order to enact a sting operation. We've had leaks in the past, and listening to your words on ComStar has made me realize that they might not be as neutral as they appear."
 
As much as he wished to, he couldn't tell Arthur that the sting wasn't so much for ComStar as it was for Michael Hasek-Davion. The Duke of Capellan March was someone he had his eye on for many years now, but it wasn't until his almost successful replacement with the doppelganger that Hanse had truly decided to throw the full weight of MIIO behind unearthing the covetous man's secrets. However, if he was going to ouster a March Duke then the evidence needed to be as tall as a mountain and rock-solid; treason was a serious crime that needed serious evidence, and while what they already had was good enough to convict the average citizen... the legal avenues for recourse of the nobility was a touch more strict.
 
So Hanse and MIIO hatched the plan to further entrap the Duke by leaking to him the location of a fake research facility that was isolated and ill-guarded in the hopes that someone would take the bait. Then they left an opportune hole in their defenses that would allow for a quick, penetrating strike. Like all fools who see a target too juicy to pass up, Maximilian Liao couldn't resist the opportunity to set the research of the Federated Suns back and he pounced. A Death Commando force of Battlemechs and a few companies of their Elite Infantry landed on New Avalon and stormed toward the location of the false research site, intent to destroy it utterly but...
 
But... en route to the fake site, the Death Commandos were contacted by an unknown informant and told the true location of the Federated Suns' effort to recreate Star League-era Double Heatsinks just a few dozen kilometers away.
 
"-but by that point, the scramble to catch up to them had us too far behind," Hanse felt venom dripping from his tongue strong enough to melt ferrocrete, "We were too late to evacuate them. The research we kept copies of, but the brilliant minds that were spearheading the effort could only shelter in place as Death Commandos stormed the facility and put everyone... and everything to the torch. None were spared."
 
"And you wonder why I want NAIS as hardened as I do? Mobile armor panels, grenade catchers, new weapons... it might sound whimsical but just maybe something like that could have turned the tables," Arthur sighed as he tapped his fingers on the table, his blue eyes staring down at the steel, "Did you at least figure out who it was that pointed the Death Commandos in the right direction?"
 
"Yes. We did, and it was a ComStar plant within MIIO that tipped them off, and that is all I will say." The First Prince finished, and Arthur hummed in acknowledgment.
 
During the assault, the AFFS and MIIO put a muzzle on all civilian communications to clear the airwaves, leaving only the encrypted Capellan bands and the AFFS' traffic operational. The ComStar plant within MIIO wasn't as experienced as Miss Daisy had been, and the majority of his training had been from MIIO itself, so while their clandestine contact with the Death Commandos might have escaped the notice of any other organization, MIIO was on the look-out for their own tricks. The Agent was caught, balled up, and shoved into a dark hole where some hard men did terrible things to him until he talked.
 
He couldn't offer anything actionable, not that anything could be done in the immediate future even if it was concrete as ComStar held the entire Federated Suns in a stranglehold with its monopoly on interstellar communications... but what it did do was give credence to the First Prince's more recent worries about ComStar as a whole. 
 
He now had MIIO's attention, whereas before there had been a patent sense of disbelief from the upper echelons of MIIO that ComStar of all organizations would be involved in the games that Intelligence Agencies played. That he had then been able to bring some of Arthur's previous concerns, primarily regarding the mysterious cases of suddenly appearing intelligence revolving around the protected scientific assets of rival Great Houses, to the fore and make them study it seriously was just the icing on the cake. And when MIIO begrudgingly acknowledged that their sudden strings of successful liquidations of rival Capellan and Draconis Combine scientists over the centuries might have been handed to them by ComStar?
 
It was a shock to MIIO's system, one that was sorely needed, because it was MIIO's whole job to leap at shadows and inspect the un-inspected- to uncover the truth hidden by dark veils. That an entire organization, one who handled all of the nation's communications, had for so long gone beneath notice was a huge black eye- one that LIC was certain to also feel the sting of because according to Katrina they had also been unaware of the danger hiding in their midst.
 
"ComStar isn't going to stop fucking with us, Hanse, you do know that right?" Arthur tapped his knuckles on the table, the sound of bone ringing against steel filling the small room, "Whatever plans you have for the future? Expect them to fuck with them at every given opportunity; the crazy fuckers have a messiah complex and an unhealthy reverence for technology. Expect communications delays, communications fuck ups, hell, possibly even False Flags and on the extreme end? An interdiction- they already threatened the Lyrans with it when that pirate band attacked Helm... once word gets out about the Federated Suns and Lyran Commonwealth joining hands? Yeah. They aren't going to let that stand without doing something."
 
"Which is why we've been sitting here and waiting for something to arrive," Hanse stood up from the table and walked over to a simple, hard-lined phone on the wall before picking it up and dialing. When the operator on the other end picked up, Hanse asked, "Has the Package come in yet?"
 
"Yes, my Prince. It is waiting on your word."
 
"Very good then, please, send it in."
Hanse wanted to tell Arthur about Operation RAT, but there were some things best left to military planners and experts, and while Arthur was brilliant... Hanse wasn't too sure about reading him in on military strategy and doctrine. 
 
What he would do, however, was do what Arthur asked of him- to let him help.
 
"Oh, a 'Package', eh?" Arthur looked at the door as it opened and a field agent that Hanse didn't know- but he was from the New Avalon field office of that the Prince was sure- came in with a large black briefcase and placed it upon the steel table before exiting, "This looks important."
 
"That's because it is important," Hanse sat back down and opened up the briefcase to reveal its contents, a noteputer in the pocket at the top as well as some delicate and sophisticated equipment, "This is the K-Series "Black Box" transmitter, an old Star League technology that predates the HPG network. The Archon handed over a few Lyran designs to us when we inked the FedCom Accords... and it is how we're going to get around the 'ComStar fuckery' as you so put it. However, it is... well, to say that it is limited is far too kind. The noteputer contains within it the schematics of the machine as well as all of the combined literature that NAIS and the Lyrans were able to put together on how it works; we're certain that the Memory Core that Helm contained will have further literature-"
 
"Wait, wait, wait. Slow down there," Arthur held up a hand, "What's this about a Memory Core? Helm had one? I trust that Corean will be getting an unredacted copy of it, yes? As part of my loot? I want an unredacted copy, Hanse. The shit I could do if I had that..."
 
Hanse cleared his throat, the man feeling more than a touch embarrassed that he'd forgotten that particular detail, "Yes... it slipped my mind, if I'm being honest. And NAIS will be getting an unredacted copy, but considering the sheer size of it we do not have any idea what it contains, so letting Corean Enterprises get an unredacted copy while..."
 
Arthur stared, "So it seems I have to play hardball then." 
 
The First Prince felt his hand curl up into a fist underneath the table, but he kept his face neutral. 
 
He'd never had to play hardball with Arthur before. 
 
The man always seemed more than happy to drop things into Hanse's lap and most of the time he wasn't even asking for AFFS dollars to make or research them either, so the simple thought that he would actually have to negotiate- just took the First Prince aback.
 
"My father left me a whole bunch of shit that I've been sifting through in my free time. I have possible locations on all sorts of interesting things. Including a potential SLDF cache, among other things. I want a complete copy, unredacted. You can trust that I won't do anything foolish with it, like make nukes or chemical weapons, but it would be in poor form to give me a whole bunch of Mechs no one else can do anything with and then leave me out of the Core, Hanse. Mechs? Tanks? VTOLs? ASF? I can make that shit, but knowledge? That means far more in the long run. Besides, if I can get access to the unredacted copy through the Egg Carton and NAIS it is a moot point anyway. You're just making making me take extra steps."
 
Not for the first time Hanse had forgotten about Arthur's impressive memory, and while he was certain that Arthur couldn't possibly memorize hundreds of terabytes worth of knowledge... the man certainly could memorize what he needed. 
 
What was he going to do, restrict access of the Core to the most brilliant mind the Federated Suns ever produced? 
 
Besides, if this was Arthur playing 'hardball' with him then... why, if he didn't know the man as well as he did he'd have likely been worried for the financial solvency of Corean Enterprises.
 
"Alright, that is a bit silly, I will admit, but my advisors would never let me hear the end of it if I didn't at least make a token attempt at information security..." Hanse admitted defeat on that front, "But promise me, nothing outrageous must see the light of day."
 
"Sure thing, Hanse. You know me. I'll keep it light, maybe revolutionize Jumpship and Dropship construction, re-invent Compact KF-Drives, and make a newer, lighter commercial Jump Drive. Bring back all of the lost terraforming technologies, water purification systems, etc," The man snorted as he waved a hand about flippantly, "You know- small things."
 
"Hah, 'small things', he says," Hanse playfully scoffed, "Indeed. Now, what is this I hear about you potentially having more things for us to find?"
 
"Well, it's not like I have all of that shit on me, Hanse," Arthur dug dramatically through his pockets before frowning theatrically when he came up empty-handed, "I could tell you, but it will be better if there was a presentation, right? Pencil me in for next week at Corean, in my secret lair just like last time. You're going to need places to raid for your 'recent acquisitions' of multiple Divisions worth of SLDF gear anyway; it's not like you can proudly crow about finding it on Helm. Not after the suspiciously timed Pirate raid that destroyed an HPG station."
 
Hanse felt his lips form into a thin line. 
 
When he had asked Katrina's people to set up a deniable distraction he hadn't known that she would trick pirates into raiding her own worlds before goading them into attacking the HPG. Though to listen to reports from the Lyrans on the ground who interviewed the witnesses, the Precentor didn't make it too difficult to make himself and the people at the HPG station a convenient target to vent their stresses on. Especially when they learned their jumpships had been taken over by extension their only chance for escape.
 
"Woah there, hang on. I'm sure you can't confirm nor deny, and I'm... not judging, Hanse. The Inner Sphere isn't a nice place. But for anyone who has some sort of idea of the sequence of events it is pretty easy to see that there would be a connection to the pirate raid and the Helm find... if anyone were to find out that the SLDF Mechs and Memory Core did indeed come from Helm." Arthur spread his hands, "Which is why I want to give you what I have on possible other locations from which all of this material wealth and knowledge could have come from. Nobody would be able to dispute it if you happened to find this gear at an SLDF supply cache elsewhere. Somewhere far away from Helm."
 
Hanse felt the tension fade away from his shoulders and he allowed himself to slump in front of Arthur, "Thank you... Arthur. Your help is forever a balm for the soul."
 
There was some dark part of him that had thought the discussion would take a darker turn, but he was relieved that this wasn't the case. 
 
Arthur Corean wasn't stupid. Nor foolish.
 
However, he was someone outside of Hanse's direction and control, someone not bound by the trappings of government and institutional power. 
 
Yet for some reason that was freeing in a way. 
 
It made the aid and assistance from Arthur feel more real in a way... like it was genuine help from one friend struggling to another instead of something that was expected. 
 
A silly notion, as Arthur Corean would stand to gain a great deal from all of this, but with the man's love of country, the gain of Arthur would be a gain for the Federated Suns.
 
Hanse nodded, "Alright. I'll rearrange my schedule next week, and while I'm at it I will bring Duke Ducrimmon-Davion with me. He has asked for me to arrange a meeting with you regarding the Jolassa Weaponry fiasco... so two birds with one stone? That would free me up a bit, I might even be able to take a lunch by myself simply for pleasure instead of it being a working lunch out of necessity."
 
"God, I would despise being you, Hanse. Your life sucks," The CEO and Duke shook his head with a wry grin on his lips, "It's because I know you and how your life is that I can look at all of the shit on my plate and still thank God that I was born Arthur Corean and not Arthur Davion."
 
The First Prince looked at the Black Box meaningfully, "I hope I'm not dumping too much on you..."
 
Arthur snorted as he patted the top of the case, "Who the hell do you think I am? I'm Arthur Corean. This will be light work for the weekends. Give me... six months and I'll have something better whipped up for deployment."
 
Hanse Davion sighed as he shook his head, "For the love of God, Arthur. Don't change... and if you do let it only be for the better, please?"
----
===Meeting the New owner===
[Henry Dimurot]
"You drive a hard bargain, Mister Corean," Henry Dimurot smiled weakly as he dabbed at his face, "But I think that we can partner together for the revolutionary revitalization of the Internal Combustion Engine."
 
Arthur Corean regarded him queerly, as though he were staring down at an insignificant bug, "I don't think what I just told you is computing, Mister Dimurot. Corean Enterprises won't be 'partnering' with Dimurot for anything. As of 9:17 AM this morning, I purchased on the open market, the entirety of Dimurot Motors free-floating shares at £14.48. Then I put out a market offer to purchase the rest at £20.00 even. Unsurprisingly, almost everyone took the buyout, and I am now a stakeholder in Dimurot Motors... who happens to own 83% of the company."
 
"Oh no, I heard you," The CEO of Dimurot continued smiling, "I just... find it hard to fathom that the 'corporate next-door neighbor', as my Grams used to always say, would stage a hostile take-over my family's corporation."
 
"And I find it hard to believe that you would think I would let slide the fact that it was your laxity in security that almost saw me and my brother murdered by a pair of crazies with heavy weaponry." The man shook his head, "I'm a businessman, Mister Dimurot, but that doesn't make me immune to petty impulses."
 
"Seizing control over my family's corporation is... petty... to you?" It was difficult to keep the sheer awe from leaking into his voice.
 
Awe at the audacity of it all.
 
"Yes. And I needed engineers who were experts in land vehicles to help me make newer and better things for the AFFS as well as the everyday, average man in the Federated Suns. Dimurot just happened to be both floundering financially and right across the street, and better yet I had a petty grudge to settle. So the obvious course was clear. Buy you out, save your factory, and preserve your workforce before they saw the writing on the wall and went off to GM, Ford-Honda, or elsewhere for greener pastures."
 
That last bit had stung, but it wasn't... untrue. 
 
Dimurot had been in a downward decline for decades ever since the Klathandu IV was lost to the Dracs in 3000. The company had been on an upswing for centuries, but in 2980 they unveiled their newest 'West Side Sleigh' series of vehicles that boasted new computers for better ICE performance and fuel efficiency. However, when Klathandu IV was lost, so went their computers and two of their production lines, and they were forced to start building their older East Side Sleigh series... even the recovery of the planet in 3025 hadn't helped in the slightest because the factories were destroyed in the fighting.
 
It only went further downhill when a pair of assassins decided to use their building to attempt to kill Arthur Corean, the freshly raised CEO of one of the most important manufacturers in the Federated Suns.
 
The PR hit was more hellacious than anything, and their stock prices plummeted even further. Down low enough that said CEO of one of the most important manufacturers in the Federated Suns could just... snatch up all of his company's stock and enact a hostile takeover on a whim.
 
Henry Dimurot couldn't really find it in himself to be angry, not really. He supposed that the shock of it all was still dulling the sensations, but whether he wanted it or not, the reality of the situation was thus: Dimurot Motors was no longer within his control.
 
The elderly man sighed, "So should I start cleaning out my office?"
 
"Ideally? No. The other board members, unless they actually bring something to the table, can be cut, but you?" The man's ice-blue eyes regarded him carefully, "I think that given the circumstances you did as well as you could keeping the factory open and your people employed. Not being a company producing war materials means that when you lost your production facilities on Klathandu there wasn't a safety net for you to fall back on. No funding to draw from to get new facilities built. Given the financials of Dimurot under your leadership I'd say that you did pretty well all things considered, and you know your employees and engineering teams inside and out, and because of that I'd like to keep you on board."
 
"And yet the hostile take over?"
 
Arthur Corean arched an eyebrow, "Well, if I hadn't almost been assassinated by your company's security negligence we would have been having a much different discussion, more like a partnership than anything else. Though I suppose I could have waited a few more years until you went completely bankrupt and picked you up for Pennies on the Pound, but that would have invited folks to compete for your land and your facilities, and so by doing it this way I ensure that I get everything; land, employees, and production facilities."
"Very well then... I suppose that it is only right that a Dimurot should be in charge of the new..." He waited a moment for the man to supply a name-
 
"Corean-Dimurot Motors, or CDM for short."
 
-before continuing, "Corean-Dimurot Motors. So what is our first order of business?"
 
"The first order of business is to call your design and engineering team heads in so we can hash out a design that I want to build," Arthur Corean's grin was almost frightening in its intensity, "One that will save CDM financially and put us back on the map in terms of vehicle production."
 
"Well at least you have some confidence and drive... I'll make the call."
----
"-but in order to get these numbers, we'd have to shave off a lot of weight and crank the compression ratios sky-high." Uller Xipang was Dimurot's Chief Engineer, the brown-haired man shook his head, "With our levels of technology it cannot be done."
 
"Ah, but you're forgetting something, Mister Xipang," Arthur countered as he leaned on the desk, the man looming over it like the titan of industry that he was, "You're not going to be working off of Dimurot's manufacturing capabilities. You're going to be working off of Corean Enterprises' level of machining. Your facilities will be undergoing a complete refit- new presses, waldos, computer stacks, and sensors... I'm going to bring Corean's Star League-era Automated Manufacturing to CDM so that we can produce the most robust, fuel-efficient, and powerful vehicle for just £4,800. And this is how we're going to do it."
 
The man raised a hand, and off to the side a beautiful red-headed woman whom Arthur Corean had introduced as 'Samantha' effortlessly walked around the table on her heels as she passed around envelopes. Henry Dimurot pulled out a fairly thick packet and began flipping through the contents.
 
"Everything I've learned about Battlemech engineering is going to be applied toward making this vehicle. It will be simple to operate and maintain. It will be lightweight and exceptionally robust. It will be powerful and fuel-efficient. It will be easy to customize so that third-party manufacturers can produce aftermarket parts and accessories so that the end-user can take what we produce and use it as a blank canvas to 'express themselves'. Heh," The man chuckled slightly as he shook his head, "More importantly, it will be low-frills but have all of the essentials; heating and air conditioning, windshield wipers, and a decent quality sound system with a radio and connection port so the customer can hook up thier noteputers and mini-puters to listen to their own music. Everything else? Clothe-polymer mesh seats. Polymer flooring. And either an eight-speed manual or CVT transmission. This will be a lot of vehicle for a cheap price, but it won't be cheaply made."
 
"You... made Endo-Steel for vehicles?" One of the Frame Engineers, Watson, gawped, and Henry blinked at the man before furiously flipping through the packet's pages in search of what Watson just asked.
 
"Yes. Though the frames will be manufactured within Corean's facilities; given the sensitive nature of its creation the security regarding it is a State Secret."
 
Henry felt his head swim a touch. State secret? 
 
What?
 
"And yet you're wasting it on... civilian vehicles? Should you be using this stuff for tanks and APCs?"
 
"Who says I'm not?" Arthur asked
 
"Why?" Henry found himself asking, "Why go through all of this effort for what should be an economy car?"
 
"Why, you ask?" The CEO and owner of CDM tilted his head, "Because CDM needs a new product out on the market that can turn heads and garner attention. Generate buzz. A vehicle designed like a Battlemech with low cost and easy maintenance sounds like it fits the bill. More to the point, I need DMC to generate funds because I want to expand CDM to create new Andosteel Internal Combustion engines for my military products. That means you need experience developing engines utilizing this technology, and while I have managed to snag some good engineers from other companies it still isn't enough to fully expand my ICE production capacity." 
 
The man shrugged his shoulders as if what he was talking about was the easiest thing in the world- a foregone conclusion. 
 
As if it had already been done, and all that was needed was for everything else to catch back up.
 
"CDM will provide the framework for this expansion, but for now we to get the current facilities refit and up and running as soon as possible. For that, Mister Johansen, Mister Xiping, and Mister Watson, your teams will be reporting to Corean across the street to sit down with my fabrication and prototyping teams starting tomorrow morning, which means that after you clock out for the day today, spend fifteen minutes at the Admin building to get your credentials created and process," The man fired off a few more commands at a rapid pace until he went around the entire board room before his eyes landed on himself and Miss Hastings, their Chief Financial Officer, "And last but not least, Miss Hastings and Mister Dimurot. I know that the sale will not go through completely until the Ministry of Commerce finishes filing the paperwork, but you two will be sitting down with my finance people to get a better handle on the current fiscal state of the company."
 
With that, Arthur Corean clapped his hands, "Now that we're done here, shall we make automotive history, ladies and gentlemen?"
 
When there were no questions the man simply nodded and headed for the door with Miss Samantha in tow, and Henry Dimurot looked over the assembled men and woman to see them filled with something that he'd long since thought gone and never to return: Hope.
 
Later on, after he got home that evening and had a chance to digest everything that had happened in that unreasonably short span of time... Henry Dimurot would come to terms with what had transpired. He would be thankful, even, that his once drowning company now had a future ahead of it, and he wouldn't regret taking Arthur Corean's offer to remain at the helm of DMC... the only thing he would hate is how it happened, but the reality of the situation was, unless there was a miracle, a hostile-takeover was bound to happen. If not now then only a few short years from now.
----
===Corean Motors Offerings===
Corean Motors "Everyman" Commercial Vehicle"We'd call it a soul-less econobox, but that implies it doesn't have character."
Techincal Breakdown:
Total Mass: 0.5-ton 
Chassis: 0.250kg
- Andosteel Frame
Engine: 6-Series Flat 4-Cylinder Ando-ICE w/ Twin Turbos 114kg
-Movement (w/o Turbos): Cruise: 12 (129.6kph) / "Flank": 18 (194.4kph)
-Movement (w/ Turbos): Cruise: 15 (162kph) / "Flank": 15 (243kph)
Fuel Economy: 50 kilometer per liter (117 mpg)
Range: 1,350 kilometers (844 miles)
Tank Size: 27 liters (7.1 gallons)(27kg)
-Tank Material: Closed Cell Andosteel 30kg
 
Variants: 
-Four Door Sedan w/ an Off-road "Periphery" Model
-5-Door Hatchback w/ an Off-road "Periphery" Model
-2-Door Small Bed Economy Truck w/ an Off-road "Periphery" Model
 
-Current Weight: 421kg
Other Features Include;
-Andosteel frame for seating and cushions, steering wheel, trunk, etc.
-Safety glass with a thin sheen of Henan Crystal for scratch protection.
-Titanium-Memory Metal paneling for dent protection.
-Battlemech-grade TuffPaint w/ Henan Crystal Coating for a paint that will hardly fade.
-Heating and Air Conditioning Standard.
-Forward thinking and Mechanic friendly design, with a slide-out engine tray, full quick NoLeak(tm) disconnects, SapphireClear(tm) fluid tanks.
-Heat isolating design under-hood design with ceramic coatings on pipes, thermally insulated air-intakes, with quad-turbos rear mounted on exhause w/ isolated air intakes and filters mounted behind rear-steel bumper; turbo intercooler linked into full-frame heatsink line.
-Surround-Safe(tm) Safety Airbags for crash protection.
-Theft Protection.
----
===Field Marshal's Encounter with Corean CEO===
[Marshal Stephen Ducrimmon-Davion]
[Corean Headquarters, New Avalon]
[New Avalon, New Avalon System; Federated Suns]
[October 19th, 3027]
Clad in his Dress Greens, Field Marshal Ducrimmon-Davion strode through the halls of Corean Enterprises' Administrative Complex on the right flank of the First Prince, a many generations removed cousin, and the pair of them followed a woman who introduced herself as Samantha Sterling. She seemed to know the Prince rather well if their small side-bar conversation was anything to go by, Hanse was interested in getting a status update as to the health and wellbeing of Arthur Corean since he'd last seen him.
 
"-and he has been eating everything I put in front of him," The woman smiled demurely as she adjusted her black-rimmed glasses, "He has also been staying on top of his new workout regimen."
 
"Excellent, I am glad to hear that," Hanse smiled as he lightly clapped his hands, and Stephen had to resist the temptation to roll his lone functional eye.
 
Just was it about Arthur Corean that drove Colonel Sortek up the wall and made Hanse Davion so... animated?
 
Given he was here to ask the man to not sue him into oblivion over the poor judgment of one of his overly enthusiastic juniors and Jolassa Weaponry he was soon about to find out, but the sheer thought of placing lip-to-ass for a corporate suit made him sneer. Yet the situation remained rather dire for his Ducal Guard, and by extension, him. 
 
Once he fired the previous team of lawyers who so foolishly brought the lawsuit, the new team quickly realized that between the hard evidence- communications logs, Mech ROMs, and sworn statements from the AFFS units on the ground- and the 'soft' evidence... the case would have been open and closed without even a trial; even if his last name included the word 'Davion' in it, the judge would laugh him and his team out of the courtroom. 
 
Not that he continued with the suit, not after he'd been misled as to the nature of the LosTech expedition from Corean. No, he'd had it withdrawn posthate, but now he had to come and ask politely to not be counter-sued into oblivion.
 
They stopped in front of a door and the woman gave the Prince a minor curtsy, "If you would please wait just a moment, my Prince. I will let Arthur know that you have arrived."
 
Stephen was about to start a small side-bar conversation of his own, but the moment the door opened all hell seemed to break loose.
 
"-ou can't just- just throw all of these options into an economy car and still call it an economy car, Arthur Corean! Four exhaust pipes, each with its own turbocharger! With touchless mag-bearings, auto-variable geometry, and let's not forget the intercooler tied into the cooling system that you created out of the vehicle's Gods be damned frame! Because why not!? Never mind the fact that the turbos are made out of transparent Battlemech ferro glass, or the driver's side has a damn holo-HUD display like it's an ASF cockpit! There are stages to things, Arthur! Trim levels! Price points to observe! And the compression ratios! By God!"
 
"The engine can handle the compression ratios just fine, I've already run the numbers! More compression equals cleaner burns which equals better power and fuel economy! The tungsten carbide sleeving can handle it without a problem- there is a reason we used Andosteel for the engine block, Mister Xipang! And I despise the idea of 'trim levels', when you order a God Damn car you should be able to get exactly what you want! When I order a burger I can get exactly what I want. When I go to the electronics boutique I can have a noteputer made with exactly what I want! Why can't I have that with a damn car!? If I'm on a hot planet I'm not going to need windshield defrosters, but I had to pay for them anyway because it came on the 'LX' trim package that had leather seats! We have standard equipment, and then options! Your car, made to fucking order! Fancy that? A novel concept!"
 
Hanse looked like he wanted to interrupt, but Stephen shook his head; having heard many similar arguments play out over the loadouts of their Mechs and tanks he had long since learned to let it all play out. Even Miss Sterling hadn't seen fit to interrupt, though that was because she looked genuinely amused by the shouting match going down.
 
"How are you possibly going to run this à la carte scheme when we're shipping these vehicles off world!? Are you going to have a three-year lead time for orders!?"
 
"You're thinking far too into the future! The New Avalon market alone would net us more than enough funds to work on expanding and rebuilding CDM, and then we can worry about expanding to off-world sales!"
 
"This wouldn't be an issue if you just listened to me about dealerships-"
 
"Nope! Fuck dealerships! Fuck that! I'm not letting anyone make 20-50% off of my company's products for simply holding them on a lot! Dealerships are a convenience for auto makers but a pox for the customers, and since FedSuns law doesn't require me to use them I'm not going to see my products get ridiculous markups! Not a chance in hell!"
 
"You're going to need to mark up the price accordingly then! I don't care if it only costs us £1,500 Pounds to make the damn things, the car has at least £15,000 Pounds worth of performance and features alone, and yet you're trying to put them out there for under £6,000!? Are you trying to crash the markets!? No one will be able to keep up, not unless they start manufacturing using your technology!" 
 
Heavy breathing could be heard as the two men in the room stopped shouting at each other, "Very well then. I... will be honest and say I hadn't considered the broader implications of what a highly featured, low-cost vehicle could do to the marketplace. The FedSuns is home to a bevy of smaller, local auto manufacturers, and if I price my vehicles too low then that would cause some significant distress, wouldn't it? It's not like I'm in any position to have this technology licensed out on a whim, and I can't set up a factory on every world... so what would you suggest then?"
 
"Jesus Christ. So you can be reasoned with. Okay. Phew. Set the initial price point at £7,500, that way it is only marginally more expensive than the current leader for vehicles of this grade, and then you charge extra for the options. That way it encourages people to pick up the stock models over making a custom order, but still gives them the ability to purchase the upgrades if they really want them. Even still, the vehicle is worth at least £19,500..."
 
"What is the price point for the current leader, and what are you suggesting for the mark-ups on the options?"
 
"£6,850 will get you a nicely appointed TelStar Skyliner, and as for the options... I'd say a 500% markup would be appropriate if the costs you have listed for creation are as low as you say they are."
 
"You have to remember that you are now on Corean Enterprises' supply chain, Mister Xiping. I can get bulk raw materials direct to our factories for a fraction of the cost compared to what you're used to, and with my manufacturing processes I have virtually zero waste, and I can gr-... I can make the parts incredibly cheaply with little overhead. Then once we get the design finalized and the process taped out automation will make assembly light work," Stephen heard the man he had correctly identified as Arthur Corean pause, "We'll raise the price to £7,250, and mark up the options 400%, but not a penny more."
 
Miss Sterling chose that moment to stick her head into the room, "Mister Corean, your three o'clock is here to see you."
 
"Ah, excellent. Well then, I'll take my leave. Have fun, gentlemen."
 
Arthur Corean was just as Stephen had seen in the holo-photos, tall, lean, with piercing ice-blue eyes, flaming red hair, and a neatly trimmed beard to match. He immediately zeroed in on the First Prince and greeted him with a broad smile before shaking his hand, "Prince Davion, I'm glad you could make it."
 
"Oh, you know me, forever the punctual sort," The Prince popped on the balls of his feet once before he turned to Stephen, "And may I present to you Field Marshal Stephen Ducrimmon-Davion, the Commander of the First Davion Brigade of Guards."
 
The air seemed to drop a few degrees the moment those ice chips Arthur Corean called eyes settled onto Stephen, but the Field Marshal was no stranger to people who had presence. The Marshal was the first to extend a hand, "Charmed, I'm sure."
 
"I would be," The CEO grasped onto his hand for a firm shake before striding away down the hall, "If your men hadn't tried to snipe a LosTech find and then had the gall to sue me afterward."
 
Hanse's mouth was slightly agape and Stephen felt himself starting to smile as he reached a hand up to rub his damaged eye, careful not to nudge the spectacles off of his nose, "The man doesn't mince words."
 
He could respect that.
 
"No, he doesn't," Hanse winced as he started following after him, with Stephen following on his heels, "Arthur is a direct sort; an acquired taste to be sure. However, at the very least you always know where you stand with him."
 
Not like those poncy Nobles who smile while they plot out how they are going to stab you in the back. 
 
Though given how his men acted in his absence and the fact that he was a noble himself...?
 
Stephen frowned.
 
He didn't like being compared to those good-for-nothings, because even if he had to steal as a boy to put food on the table and take care of his crippled parents he hadn't had to take a single thing from anybody since he put on the uniform. Other than separating Dracs from their lives, of course.
 
"He's off to somewhere in a hurry," Stephen remarked idly, the man noting that they had yet to catch up to him despite the hurried pace, and he almost jumped when Samantha Sterling spoke up next to him.
 
"It's one of his employee's last days on the job, and while he can't see off everyone he likes to do this when he can. Especially given this particular employee is the head seamstress for Corean's Cooling Suit production warehouse."
 
"Ah, I see," Hanse replied smoothly while Stephen tried to figure out how the woman had dropped off of his radar so easily.
 
She must be one of the spooks the Prince assigned to keep watch over the egg head, it was the only explanation he could come up with; even an eye down, Stephen Ducrimmon-Davion didn't live as long as he had by being unobservant.
 
The Snakes, for all of their drivel about Honor and the Bushido Code, were all too grateful to relieve a soldier of their head if they caught him unawares.
 
Samantha took the lead for a moment and guided them toward an elevator while Arthur slipped into the staircase, and as she beckoned the Prince and Marshal inside she smirked, "He's not allowed to use the elevators anymore."
 
Hanse cleared his throat as he smiled a touch, "Well, a little cardio never did anyone any harm."
 
Once the doors closed, Stephen was a little surprised to see the woman tap on a wall panel in a quick pattern before it popped open to reveal a hidden control panel, and she entered another code on a number pad before swiping her ID card across a card reader. A small device popped out of the panel and she spoke clearly with little inflection, "Samantha Sterling; ID# 012287565. Today's Passcode: Alpha-Golf-One-One-Five-Bravo."
 
Stephen arched an eyebrow, but Hanse appeared unphased.
 
He was the Field Marshal for the First Davion Brigade of Guards and his office only had two keys- a physical key he kept on his person and a keycard reader for his ID!
 
"Hmmm... the Cooling Suits were on the eighth floor below last I remember?" The Prince asked conversationally, and the red-headed MIIO operative nodded.
 
"Once SCMF #3 is finished we'll be moving everything over there, likely the 5th and 6th floors, as floors 1 through 4 will be used for weapons manufacturing. Arthur believes that refit kits with new weapons will be for the best in the short term; lighter weapons mean Mech chassis can max out their armor, carry more ammunition, or utilize the free weight for additional heatsinks."
 
"My sentiments exactly," The Prince nodded with a pleased smile on his face, "I swear I was coming to talk to him about that this very day..."
 
Stephen had seen the write-ups on the new weapons being manufactured for the AFFS, and while they were just now beginning their testing phases the First Prince was convinced that they would pass the trials with flying colors; he had already begun stockpiling Corean's current production capacity. While the Marshal didn't share the Prince's level of trust in the matter, even if the Autocannons, Lasers, Missile Packs, and PPCs weren't as good as Arthur Corean claimed... if they were functional... then a slightly over-priced weapon on hand for replacement was better than having none at all.
 
Many businesses have made grand claims in order to get the AFFS to pony up cash before; it wouldn't be the first time, nor the last. The only real difference is that Corean Enterprises came to the AFFS with a product that was already completed instead of with a hat in hand to ask for money so they could fund their 'gee-whiz' flavor of the month gadget. So it was likely that tipping the scales in Corean's favor. 
 
The trio exited the elevator and when they saw Arthur having a more hushed and intimate-looking conversation with an elderly woman of Vietnamese descent, they decided to hang back and let them talk. To fill the space empty space, Stephen decided to ask what was on his mind, "So... refit kits, My Prince?"
 
The First Prince of the Federated Suns nodded as he grabbed a small noteputer that had been tucked up under his arm, "Yes, refit kits. Small things, really, simple upgrades that can be handled at the Unit level by their technicians and standard repair equipment. A great many of our Battlemechs are hardly what anyone would call 'optimized'; they each have their own deficiencies that hold them back in some way or another. Some lack adequate ammunition for their autocannons, others need more cooling to properly utilize the weapons and jump jets they already have, and others have a dearth of armor plating even if their frames still have the capacity for more. Just the weapons Corean is already producing can allow for our current stable of Mech variants to be improved with relatively little cost; no need to attempt hardpoint reconfigurations at all. Here, take a look, Marshal."
 
The Prince handed the small noteputer to Stephan and he turned his head slightly to the right so that he could get his lone eye's full field of view on the small screen.
----
======================================================================================================
>>>CURRENT CONFIGURATION<<<
JMS-6S JagerMech
Armor: 6.0t/13.1875t (96/211)
---
Cooling: 10
---
Weapons: 30.0t
-A/C5 x 2: 16.0t-A/C2 x 2: 12.0t-Medium Laser x2: 2.0t
---
Ammunition: 3.0t
-2 Tons of AC5 Ammunition-1 Ton of AC2 Ammunition
---
>>>Proposed Field Refit: JM6-CW<<<
Armor: 10.0t/13.1875t (160/211)
---
Cooling: 10
---
Weapons: 21.0t
-LiteMetal A/C5-LB x 2: 12.0t (-4)-LiteMetal A/C2 x 2: 8.0t (-4)-Enhanced Medium Laser x 2: 1.0t (-1)
---
Ammunition: 8.0t
-4 Tons of AC5 Ammunition (+2)-2 Ton of AC2 Ammunition (+1)-2 Prototype CASE 1.0t (+2)
======================================================================================================
----
"This would be a significant improvement in performance, even if the machine is only receiving new weapons," He mused openly, "Double the ammunition, and is this CASE? Seems heavier than the old Star League stuff. Though four more tons of armor wouldn't go amiss; one of that better be allocated to rear armor."
 
His Brigade had Jagermechs, and while they were excellent fire-support platforms... the Dracs always found a way to sneak some forces around and shoot them in the backs. Having a second-line unit not meant to take a beating sounded wonderful in theory, but the engineers, planners, and procurement officers always seemed to forget that the enemy had a say as well, and battle lines were a lot more fluid than they ever wanted to believe. The Jaegermech's poor mobility combined with its poor armor plating meant that Stephan, like other commanders, hardly ever used them in anything other than defensive actions... or when there was no other choice.
 
Hanse hummed in agreement, "Yes. We could just as easily cut the ammunition down for additional armor, but what Corean's weapons do is give us a level of flexibility we haven't had before. Even the stock configurations could be reworked to make them more effective on the battlefield, and when new models are produced? Well, those refitted models will trickle down to the House Guards and local militias, so not a single Pound will be wasted."
 
"Other than the older, non-Corean weapons we already procured, you mean." The Marshal shook his head, and the Prince replied with a head shake of his own.
 
"Hardly, Stephen. There are plenty of Periphery nations and independent systems that would gladly pay in coin or raw materials for the stockpiles we'll be liquidating. I've heard that many are forced to manufacture their own primitive Rifle systems since they lack proper autocannons. Besides, we won't be getting rid of all of them- I plan on creating a strategic reserve of weaponry and ubiquitous spare parts that we can draw upon in case things get dire," Hanse interlaced his fingers behind his back, "Corean with their current capacity cannot hope to supply all of our needs, at least not yet."
 
Ah, there it was, that little smirk that Hanse always had on his lips when he knew something you didn't.
 
"-kay, okay. You drive hard bargain, Mister Corean. I suppose to retire today, not sign on for three more years. You convince," Arthur Corean had his arm interlocked with the stooped old woman, the tall red-haired man almost bent double so that he could hold onto her arm while they walked, "You get my daughter Industrial Mech card and slot at Mechwarrior Academy, I stay."
 
"The IndustrialMech certification is easy enough to do, Miss Mihn, but as for a slot at one of the Academies? That will be based solely on her performance; even if I am in good with the First Prince, money and favors won't get you a Mechwarrior billet if you aren't a competent pilot," He spoke smoothly despite looking rather uncomfortable with his stooped posture, but Stephen felt his respect for the man tick up just a notch, "So I will double your pay, bump up your employee health care plan to the next notch, and six weeks of paid vacation for the next three years as well as get your daughter into the Corean Industrial Mech course."
 
"Good!" The old woman adjusted her shawl over her shoulders before reaching up and grasping onto neck and pulling him down so she could plant two large kisses on his cheeks, "Ah, your father raised such good boy! Have you a woman? I introduce you to Phai."
 
"Actually, Miss Mihn, I am already spoken for," The CEO chuckled a touch as he placed a pair of his own kisses on the old woman's weathered cheeks, and he looked in their direction.
 
Stephen looked to the side to see the MIIO Agent's cheeks flush slightly, and he could tell that her pleasure was hardly forced.
 
So spooks could have hearts?
 
"Oh! She so pretty! You did well, Arthur. Oh, and the First Prince and a fancy soldier is here!" The old woman gave him one last kiss on the cheek, "I leave you be with your important meeting. Have good day! See you tomorrow!"
 
The trio moved off to the side so she could get into the elevator, but not before bowing her head deferentially to the First Prince, "Continue good work, Prince Davion. Know that we love you."
 
"And know that I love you as well, Miss Mihn. All of the people of the Federated Suns," The Prince replied with flowery words, but when they came from him you could feel the sincerity in them.
 
The elevator doors closed to the sight of an old Vietnamese woman fanning her face as she leaned theatrically against the wall, "Oooh, my Prince say he love me~!"
 
Arthur shook his head as he chuckled, "Alright then, now that that little bit of business has been taken care of? Shall we?"
----
====Cutting a deal====
They traveled down a few more floors to what Miss Sterling called the 'Chief Science Officer's Personal Labs', down in the basement of the basement. It was a very large underground structure that currently was packed to the gills with a variety of tanks both large and small, with half of them looking as though they were printing the frames for an armored vehicle. Given that Hanse, Miss Sterling, and Arthur Corean didn't explain to him what exactly they were for the Marshal decided that asking would be a faux pas; his status as a Marshal of the AFFS gave him a lot of clearance to know a great many things, but for every file or detail he was cleared to know there were a hundred that he wasn't.
 
Just the fact that he was down here without having signed a mountain of NDAs the corporate types were always so keen on, showed that Arthur Corean had a great deal of trust for the Prince and those who held the Prince's confidence.
 
Besides, all thoughts of the scientific gazmos and gidgets fled him pretty quickly as he found himself sitting across the table from the icy-eyed man.
 
"I want a scalp, Hanse. Since I can't claim the good Marshal's considering it was hardly his fault, I'm going to want someone's head on my desk. The Federated Suns needs one, anyway; if the nobility see that they can get away with attempting to snipe a LosTech find from out underneath anyone who comes to prospect then the LosTech Salvage Act of 2929 will be meaningless."
 
"My men are already being punished accordingly; falsifying reports, unauthorized sortie, unlawful use of force, misappropriation of Ducal military assets. The ones who fucked the dog will not be slipping the leash again; demoted two ranks, stripped of privileges, docked pay, and confined to quarters for the duration of the punishments established by the Federated Suns Code of Military Justice," Stephen tapped a finger on the table, "You can rest assured that their careers are shot, and this black mark will follow them even after. However, that is the furthest extent I can punish them for their crimes."
 
"I wasn't referring to your soldiery, Marshal. Knowing the type of soldier you are there was no doubt in my mind that they would receive their due. No, I'm talking about the shell company that is Jolassa. A weapons and armor manufacturing company with only fifty employees, a single office in Cardiff, and with no product portfolio? Yet they still somehow manage to pull in tens of millions of Pounds, most of which is allocated to the... twenty-two board members? That is a money laundering operation if there ever was one," Arthur Corean placed both forearms on the wooden table separating them as he leaned forward, "And they thought they could make a nice little payday by suing me. That cannot stand. Not only can Corean not afford to look weak in this critical stage of our restructuring but I cannot look like a bitch in front of the other large corporations I'm supposed to be courting in the near-term."
 
"Well then, what would it take to get you off my ass then?" The Marshal rubbed behind his ear as he sucked at his teeth, "I have a lot of shit to do, and I'm sure you do as well."
 
"I want the Jolassa company and all of its assets, and that includes the lands they own outside of the city as well as the bombed-out one on the outskirts. Additionally, I want no more than a 5% Ducal tax on Corean for the next fifty years. With the factories I can set up there I can at least employ a few hundred thousand people, but... but I want you to have some skin in the game as well with whatever spare change you can throw at me."
 
"You having money problems?" Stephen asked as he narrowed his lone eye.
 
"Hardly. I have a license to print money with my Battlemechs and weaponry, as well as the new products I'll be releasing down the line, but what I do have is an industrial capacity problem. Thanks to the generous programs of the Federated Suns I can offload some of those costs, but certain levels of liquidity must be maintained to respond to emergency situations; with the last of my Purple Bird dollars finally spent or transferred to Pounds via ComStar, the fiscal and material health of the company has never been better. But building structures capable of producing Battlemechs and Combat Vehicles, ones that won't be blown down by the first huff and puff of a big bad wolf, is an expensive endeavor."
 
Stephen Ducrimmon-Davion mulled the man's words over.
 
It had been numerous poor investments that had ruined his family and forced them from the Dukedom to the gutters. 
 
"What are you planning to build?"
 
"Whatever is needed. The beauty of the SCMF and Mini-SCMF design is that it can be quickly reconfigured to build whatever we need it to. Tanks, APCs, Battlemechs, VTOLs, the SCMF can build whatever is required." 
 
"As long as the Bristol House Guard gets a First Right of Refusal on... 15% of the production capacity, then I have around 100 million Pounds I can throw at rebuilding." The Marshal said nonchalantly even though that was almost every single Pound he wasn't using to maintain his Ducal estates.
 
The salary of a Marshal was a handsome thing indeed, but it was his investments that had earned them all of that money. If this flopped it would hurt him a great deal, but the residual income alone would see that money returned to the Ducrimmon-Davion coffers before he died; hopefully, he'd have found a woman that could put up with him by that point so he wouldn't be the last.
"Excellent, that should net you a 7.352% share of the future Corean Bristol Branch, and will get me closer toward shoring up the funding to get the demolition and reconstruction started sooner rather than later." The man activated the holo in the center of the table, "Now let me show you what your money is buying. These are only the rough plans that I came up with in my spare time based on lessons learned from the rebuilding currently happening here on New Avalon. With the allotted land that Jolassa used to own, I can set up a facility that will have eight SCMFs and twelve mini-SCMFs. I have plans for a 35-ton Light Hunter tank based on my current Sun Chaser Scout Tanks, designed to be a certified Scorpion killer-"
 
Yes, poor investments had almost killed the Ducrimmon-Davion line, but the £100 Million he was about to spend here didn't have any of the hallmarks of a bad investment.
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==Chapter Note==
*Chapter Note from the Author ; So much stuff to talk about here. Lmao. Thus the chapter went on longer than anticipated. We'll be going back to Arthur's POV next chapter because I am tired and this chapter has already taken me like... five days to write. Best to get it out and continue with a fresh chapter than to let this linger for an additional 4k words for the final Hanse POV switch. lol.
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