ALJ Chpt 38

frameless|right|300px|link=A Long Journey
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==Chapter 38 - A Long Journey==
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12 February 2786
New Avalon (Federated Suns)
"Highness, it seems that Mackolla Interstellar Salvage made a discovery, they just offered Basantapur Fine Metals an option to purchase a fully operational Snowden Mining Station for 5.8 Billion. There is also a report from Mackolla about an ancient Aquilla Transport and two additional Snowden Stations arriving at the same time. No offers to sell any of the others at this time."
"They are in the salvage business. But then again, this Gerald Mitchell is setting up quite the little business empire out there. He just purchased Lockheed Galactic completely, didn't he?" First Prince John Davion asked
"He did indeed. Reports indicate that they are in the process of breaking everything down for shipment from Thorin to Mackolla."
"If I remember your initial report on that inquiry, Lockheed Galactic only had a maintenance slip but no production ability. They purchased parts from outside sources to conduct repairs. It is a smart business move, but it also is a set back to my plans. It allows them to maintain their fleet, but it also places a facility that can aid in routine maintenance to our own ships where it is needed most. How did he pay for Lockheed?" First Prince Davion asked
"Money was transferred very soon after we deposited the funds from the latest Monolith purchase."
"So, they are robbing Peter to pay Paul. Short term loss to get a support structure in place for long term gain. Should we be concerned with this Aquilla ship?" First Prince Davion asked
"No, sir, I asked the Navy, and they literally laughed at my question. But on another note, an inquiry has gone out to Boeing Interstellar about purchasing license rights for the Aquilla and Conestoga Transports."
"I have never heard of either one, what is a Conestoga anyway?" First Prince Davion asked
"They have been out of production for centuries, the Aquilla has a 15LY range and the Conestoga has a 20LY range. I had to look all this up by the way. They cannot carry Dropships, they used Dropshuttles carried internally. The only advantage is they have transit drives and can move into orbit of a planet where any passengers or cargo are delivered by shuttle craft or Dropshuttles. I am assuming they found a Conestoga also."
"But why a license for either ship? Has Mitchell purchased or inquired about production equipment to manufacture either of these ships?" First Prince Davion asked
"No, Highness, not that we have found. He very well could be waiting on the sale of the Snowden to begin ordering. But those funds would purchase a shipyard large enough to manufacture the Aquilla, roughly 2.6 billion. Then possibly two to three years for everything to arrive and another two years to assemble it. Rough guess, ten years before the first Aquilla would be manufactured. But they are hideously expensive compared to a normal Jumpship, in the Billions for each ship. It makes no economic sense at all. That is what I learned from my research and why they went out of production when the Jumpships we have now entered production, the new ships are just so much cheaper to build."
"Okay, then this might speed up my plans if they go down this road to build either of these ships. It could very well bankrupt them building the very first one. Monitor this and keep me in the loop on this." First Prince Davion said
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