FCBR-2 Chpt 3

==Fate Can Be Cruel Overview==
===Chapter 3===
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1st January, 2800
Thazi (Hegemony)
Director-General Amanda Cameron kissed her son, Daniel, on the forehead leaving him with his nanny. It was time to head in for the week long briefings on everything going on everywhere. She was sure there would be plenty of arguments about what she was going to say, and then arguments over funding. Even though she gave , , Aunt Rita everything she wanted, she was still kept up to date on what was going on. Military spending was way too high without any sort of imminent threat to the Hegemony. She needed the funds for critical infrastructure on the many worlds of the Hegemony. 
A quick twenty minutes passed and she entered the conference room, her eye's swept the room quickly and noted everyone was already present and seated. She waved them back to their seats when everyone started to stand "Stay seated everyone, we have been down this path many times and you all are more family than worker bee's. We have a long week ahead of us as it is." 
She took her seat at the head of the long table, opened the folder she had carried in, extracted several pages. "Before we get to the true skull drudgery of this week, I am going to go ahead and say my peace before you all start your yearly bickering amongst yourselves. I have run the numbers my staff keeps updated myself over the last few weeks and I have to get this off my chest, we have got to cut military spending. We have the ability to completely refit the entire Hegemony Armed Forces with roughly 2 years of production, and we are currently running the factories at 75% of full capacity. 
The storage bunkers are bursting at the seams with all the equipment we have stored. Every command is at 100% strength. With First Prince John Davion gone, we cannot risk filtering any increase to the AFFS without raising many questions we really do not want asked. Now, luckily and hopefully, we will be doing a massive refit of the Hegemony Armed Forces with the new weapon systems and improved components. I understand the new designs or upgrades are already being worked on. So, for the next 5 years, I propose we shut down most manufacturing and allow them to all retool for the new designs. It will take at least that much time for the new tooling to be manufactured and installed in all the factories, so my staff tell me. By then, the improved missile systems being tested should be ready for full production. This non-stop retooling is expensive and has too stop. 
Plus, we could use the saved funding for critical infrastructure. I want to increase the number of advanced hospitals on every world over the single one they have now and those are expensive. We need to move to the next phase of terraforming on quite a few systems and that is expensive. So, that being said, I now open the floor to the protests I am sure to hear."
She sat back and waited for the shouting to start, but it never came. Commanding General Rita Mitchell spoke "Your right Amanda. I get messages every day from various manufactures complaining about the non stop tooling. We now have enough orbital factories to mass produce enough of the improved Endo Steel and Ferro Fibrous armor that your suggestion makes total sense. Seeing as how the Hegemony funds the almost constant retooling expenses anyway, the manufacturer's cannot complain too loudly about a shut down. I know the ground forces are up to date and at full strength. Tanisha, how is the fleet?"
Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka knew the shouting was about to begin, her ships cost a fortune "Overall, the entire fleet is at 100% readiness. BUT, there are a few things I would like to have. First, I want to mothball the Atreus, Monsoon, and Farragut Battleships. In their place, I want to within the next 5 years, build another 6 Texas Battleships. To keep costs down, I would even be open to scrapping the Atreus Battleships, lord knows they are not the best ships around. We can grind their cores to help offset the cost of new cores for the new Texas Battleships. 
Second, I want more Essex III Destroyers. We can scrap the Narukami II and League II Destroyers the same way we would the Atreus Battleships. Help offset some of the cost for new cores. I have too many ships built to get into an enemies face and slug it out. I want to transition more to a long range profile. I am open to either scrapping or mothballing the Vincent-Class Destroyers to pay for the Essex III Destroyers and the rest of my wish list. Cause it is a long one, I want to remake the entire fleet and the way we go to battle. I know my ships are some of the largest single items, cost wise, so I am also open to a long term upgrade plan."
While she was speaking, she had been watching the expressions of the people around the table. She remembered the arguments when she won her Brandt Corvette's, and she braced herself for another fight. But it never came. This only made her jittery, she resisted the urge to look behind her for any assassin coming at her.
Director-General Amanda Cameron sat silently for a few minutes before speaking "Tanisha, what are the current projections for the Livingston Naval Base to be fully completed?"
Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka cringed a little, Livingston Naval Base was slightly behind schedule and was costing a fortune. "Current projections have it fully completed, both the Fleet base and the Shipyard base in 2815. It is currently currently 3 years behind schedule, when we pulled the supporting Builder Yardships to hasten the repairs to our stranded ships, well that put us behind schedule. We are hoping to make up lost time by using our Newgrange Yardships to help get everything built and installed."
Director-General Amanda Cameron's next question made her cringe even more "Projected final cost of your Livingston Naval Base?"
Fleet Admiral Tanaka shuffled her papers until she found the final number "Including the cost to actually hollow out the space, 3.1 Trillion."
That number brought forth whistles from around the table along with several coughs. "Very well, I will support the modernization of the fleet, BUT, it will be spread out over the next 30 years. In exchange, I do not want to hear any moaning when in five years the Army get's the lions share of the military procurement budget when we begin their major refit. Plan accordingly, think long term, very long term Tanisha." Director-General Amanda Cameron said before looking around the table "Any objections?"
No one said a word, they all knew that the Hegemony had spent Trillions building the infrastructure to sustain and protect the Hegemony from any viable threat at the expense of the civilian sector. Everyone had known this day was coming and had years to prepare themselves for it. With a modern Navy and the way the Houses were tearing their fleet's apart, any viable invasion just got harder to imagine. 
"Gone are the days of the old SLDF. We can no longer afford to field a Battlemech, Tank, Aerospace Fighter for ten years before replacing it with a new one. We cannot sell our older equipment to the Houses, the risk of discovery is too high. With the way they have been destroying their manufacturing base, if any House were to discover what we have here, we would face an invasion that would pale to what we faced in the Terran Hegemony. I am inclined to think even the Federated Suns would give the idea a serious thought. According to Hegemony Security, even the Federated Suns Quartermasters are starting to ask questions about Mitchell Vehicles Farnesworth factory and how it manages to produce more equipment than they should be able to produce. We cannot risk discovery, so effective immediately, we will no longer transfer or sell equipment built within the Hegemony borders to anyone outside. Since Mitchell Vehicles will be able to sell to the Federated Suns from Farnsworth, priority purchasing will go to the other firms when we begin our refitting. This will help offset the financial hit they will take by my order." Director-General Amanda Cameron said
For the next several hours, they began discussing plan's for the future, current training numbers. While the ground pounders talked, Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka sat in her chair thinking about her wish list and how to make it fit over a 30 year production schedule. 
2nd January, 2800
Thazi (Hegemony)
Peter Sajak, Minister of Economic Development and Technology, had joined the conference since today was his portion of the yearly report. He had been briefed on Director-General Amanda Cameron's 5 year shut down for retooling, and that had made him sweat some. Today, he was going to deliver some bad news. He took his seat to the left of Director-General Amanda Cameron's chair and prepared his notes. When he entered the room he and everyone else started to stand but were waved back to their chairs as she rounded the table and took her seat.
"Uncle Peter? You may begin today's briefing." Director-General Amanda Cameron said, dropping the formality completely
"Thank you, I ran the numbers and I honestly do not think 5 years will be enough to retool everything. The improved missile systems are not even out of testing yet. They were hand built at the testing facility, we don't even have proper manufacturing equipment for them designed yet. I figure we need 2-3 years just to figure that part out. Plus, the researcher team is still playing with the enlarged Streak systems, they are getting close to testing them, figure another 2 years until that happens. To be honest with everyone here, I honestly think 2820 is the closest date for a industry restart. There are just too many projects that are showing promise still in development. I propose we hold off on a full shutdown until 2815 at the latest, that will give us time to work out the manufacturing process of the new technology and properly build the equipment to enter full production. Some things, improved Endo Steel, improved Ferro Fibrous and the improved Double Heat Sinks can be stockpiled and are already in full production. 
I want the time to fully test all new designs and upgrades before we put them into full production. Last thing I want is to fully field a design and then have a huge critical problem show up. We do not face any imminent threat that I know of, so I think the time we wait will pay off in the long run. Plus, we are still having some issues with the new missile systems linking up with Artemis fire control, that is currently being looked at." Peter Sajak paused when Amanda raised a hand
"Peter, we cannot continue our current production rate for 15 more years. Please tell me you have some sort of plan?" Amanda asked
"Actually, I do, sort of. We ramp down production to what I consider the bare minimum, then I want to give the prototypes to the manufacturing concerns, let them come up with proper manufacturing methods. Take the load off the research teams, plus gives them something to do. After all, it will be them that build the weapons anyway. Same for the ammunition, I am told the new systems require special ammunition currently, that means that has to be made from the ground up. They are working on getting the improved systems to accept standard ammunition, but there are still some hurdles to overcome. That is another reason I want to hold off, trying to keep multiple types of everything in a unit's stocks will be a logistical nightmare." Peter looked at Major General Curtis DeMars, Hegemony Armed Forces Quartermaster who was making notes furiously with a scowl on his face, everyone knew he liked nice neat packages.
General Rita Mitchell took the time to chime in. "Before Curtis has a stroke thinking about this coming nightmare, I agree, we need to hold off on the major retool. Let's work out the kinks. As much as I want the new stuff in the field, I also want it to be fully operational and not in prototype status. Plus we will need to have enough in the stockpile to replace damaged equipment as we begin fielding it. There are examples in history of even weapons manufacturers temporarily switching their production to non military items during sustained peace time, so how about we get them to help out on the infrastructure projects, take up the slack and keep their people employed while we work out the problems we now face."
Peter Sajak nodded, "Correct, we have so many resource deposits identified, we could always use Mining Mechs and vehicles. It at least provides an income stream for the manufacturer's in the lean times."
"Then that is what we will do, make the notifications. Now, how is the research going on the special communications?" Amanda asked
"Progress has been steady, the first few years, as you know, were just figuring out how they worked. Since then, we have managed to improve them a great deal. The initial batch had a range of 100LY with a speed of 10LY per day. We now have managed to get them up to 50LY per day with a maximum range of 450LY. We are working on a way to encrypt them right now. Our current thought is to have them assigned to Hegemony Security and for ships on long duration missions outside of normal HPG range." Peter Sajak answered
General Brian Calloway spoke next "Excellent, I would call them operational just not for within occupied space, not until they are encrypted, but damn sure good enough for Operation Long Sight."
"You still want to launch Operation Long Sight, Brian?" General Rita Mitchell asked
"Sure do. I actually have a couple more I would like to discuss. This new communications makes them a viable means of staying in contact with long range operations." General Calloway said
"Well, no better time than now. Nothing leaves this room, we do not take risks with our people. Go ahead Brian spell them out, start with Long Sight." General Rita Mitchell said
"Very well. Several missions have been launched by the various Houses to try and find General Kerensky and the SLDF. Operation Long Sight is just such a mission. I propose we first head to Epsilon Pegasus. It is a system we dug up on Terra and since erased all record of it. It was once a SLDF base and records indicate it might have a orbital repair facility. I want to find the base there and reactivate it, from there we can launch our own missions while also using it as a forward base if hostilities occur with the Combine again. It is located roughly 400LY from Naikongzu. That is Operation Long Sight.
 
Operation Far Seeker would accomplish the same thing, but using Drachenfeld as it's main base. It is already a friendly location which could easily sustain missions. It is outside range of even the communications, but we can always place a relay point. A Bastion Station would be perfect as it can be transported via Jumpship and is strong enough protected that without a warship, anyone is going to think twice about taking it on. We at Hegemony Security think we should slowly ring the Inner Sphere with such locations, both to launch covert operations but to also know what the heck is going on. With this new communications, we can place locations every 400LY if we need to and keep a virtual watch over everything. We know Amaris had other hidden bases out in the Periphery, we have yet to locate any others, but we know they are out there, we just have to find them." General Brian Calloway said
Director-General Amanda Cameron tapped her pen on a pad while she thought about it before speaking "What do you think, Aunt Rita? Sounds like a long term operation, all of these operations. Also sounds expensive."
"Initial expense would be high, mainly in ships based from these locations for conducting searches plus establishing the relay stations. A Bastion Station costs roughly 5 Billion fully staffed and equipped. But once in place, well the cost is only in keeping it supplied. A single supply mission per year would keep it fully supplied. We can always locate locations closer to purchase supplies as we establish them. Plus, I like the idea of hunting down any remaining bases out there." Rita answered
"If you think it is a good idea then I will not stand in the way. General Calloway, your Operations are approved. They will be run under your Hegemony Security. Use the black funds to support your operations. No hostile actions unless approved by me, Aunt Rita. Clear?" Director-General Amanda Cameron said
"Very clear. Thank you. If you all will excuse me, I have a ton of work to start doing." General Brian Calloway said as he stood.
Once in his office, he pulled Operation Long Sight up on his computer and began updating the information. He would initially deploy the 2972nd and 3157th Special Forces Battalions. They would secure any facilities and determine their condition. If warranted, he would try and wrangle a more permanent garrison from General Mitchell. If they actually had a orbital repair yard, he was sure he could wrestle something with some firepower from Admiral Tanaka. He would deploy them using one of his Merchant Class Surveillance Ships aboard 2 Lion Infantry Dropships. Plus they would take some specialists with them to look over anything that is found. He began writing out the orders to get the ball moving.
Once completed, he began reviewing his more ambitious Operation Far Seeker. This one would take some serious work, studying star charts, plotting places to establish relay points. They knew the discovered Rimworld bases had all been roughly 1000LY from the borders of the Inner Sphere. This at least gave him something to work off of and he began pulling up every star map in the data bases, which was all of them.
3rd January, 2800
Thazi (Hegemony)
Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka took her seat at the conference table, nodding to her counterparts. As she organized the stack of files she had carried in, she wondered how they would react to her "wish" list. It was fairly extensive and fairly expensive, but spread out over the agreed 30 years. She had even adjusted her proposed construction time line to account for the deployment of the Army's new equipment possibly reducing her budget for several years.
Once Director-General Amanda Cameron had taken her place, she spoke "Tanisha, I am told that you have prepared your wish list. So, without further waiting, the floor is yours."
Clearing her throat, Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka took a quick sip of water before starting. "Before I get to that part, I am going to break up the Navy into several sub commands. Much like the old SLDF. The sub commands will be organized like this:
Warship
Dropship
Aerospace
Transport
Support
Marines
Reserve
Plans and Strategy
This will help down the road as we mothball ships into a Reserve Fleet, but also help control the vast number of moving parts. Now, as for my wish list, it is extensive and takes into account the very worst case I could imagine facing. It will both streamline our ship counts, but also improve our ability to defeat said worst case. You all know I have griped countless times about the need to escort our Division's stripping my combat power, well, I think I have found a way to handle that in a way that both covers the need for escort while not tying up my offensive combat power. 
First, I have, with Vice Admiral Delvaney's help, slated the 5 Riga Frigates and 8 Aegis Cruisers for an extensive refit. Each will be fitted with 15 Dropship collars, turning them into Transports. Two of these ships will be able to carry a full Division into combat without the need for standard transports. In addition, each ship will possess much of it's original firepower but with increased armor protection. By refitting these ships into Transports, we will save Hundred's of Billions of funds instead of constructing a ship from scratch. Our Potemkin costs just over 74 Billion for each ship. All of the Potemkin have been refitted to SLS Mighty Lift's configuration, which provides internal housing for 50,000 people allowing for 6 month voyages on internal stores in much more comfort than aboard Dropships. The Riga and Aegis refits will not have the onboard quarters for this, so I am planning for them to be used on much shorter journey's.
If you all will turn to page 3 of my briefing folders, you will see an exact breakdown on everything on my wish list along with production time stamp for completion." Admiral Tanaka said as pages were all turned to the correct page.
2800 Projected Hegemony Fleet Needs
Texas Battleships - 8 Total, one every 5 years (25 years complete)
Luxor Heavy Cruiser - 15 Total, two every 2 years (16 years complete)
Avatar Heavy Cruiser - 15 Total, two every 2 years (24 years complete)
Riga II Destroyer - 12 Total, 2 every 3 years (15 years complete)
Essex III Destroyer - 40 Total, 3 every year (30 years complete)
Samarkand Carrier - 10 Total, 1 every 3 years (15 years complete)
Brandt Corvette - 60 Total, 2 every year (22 year complete)
Builder Yardship - 12 Total, 1 every year (6 years complete)
Newgrange Yardship - 4 Total
Volga Transport - 20 Total, 1 every 2 years (30 years complete)
Carrack Transport - 40 Total, 2 every year (21 years complete)
Potemkin Transport - 8 Total
Riga Transport Cruiser - 5 Total, refit (2 years complete)
Aegis Transport Cruiser - 8 Total, refit (4 years complete)
Merchant Surveillance - 30 Total, 6 every year (3 years complete)
Reserve Fleet (Mothball)
Monsoon Battleship - 2 Total
Farragut Battleship - 1 Total
Sovietski Soyuz Heavy Cruiser - 1 Total
Kimagure Pursuit Cruiser - 1 Total
Vincent Destroyer - 35 Total
Whirlwind Destroyer - 2 Total
Training Fleet
Dart Light Cruiser - 3 Total
League II Destroyer - 3 Total
Narukami II Destroyer - 2 Total
"As you can see, it is an ambitious plan. We have ships active that are not listed, those I have slated for scrapping and recycling of their Jump Cores. The ships in the training fleet, well, I plan to wear them out and use them for as long as I can. I increased the Merchant Surveillance ships when you approved General Calloway's mission, I expect he will want use them heavily for his operations and I will need enough to establish a good maintenance cycle for them. By my calculations, in 30 years, if approved, I will have a Fleet that can take on any House's navy and defeat it with a minimum of losses. Vice Admiral Delvaney is already working on upgrades to the base designs to make sure of this. In total, this projected fleet will cost 2.5 Trillion C-Bills spread out over 30 years. We will pay an estimated 110 Billion C-Bills which is already calculated due to the extended production time which prevents the manufacturers from taking advantage of mass production and material ordering.
An exception is made for SLS Tirpitz, Black Lion II-Class Battlecruiser, since she is Director-General Cameron's escort. She remains in service, unless she feels she needs something flashier and newer? If so, I am sure we can think of something more suitable." Fleet Admiral Tanaka said with a smile
"No Tanisha, the Tirpitz has served me well for many years and I could not bear to replace her. I see you have slated your Flagship to the reserve, what do you plan on using?" Director-General Amanda Cameron asked
"I barely get out around the Fleet much now, so I have relegated myself to the ground. If I need to make a trip, I will snag one of the Training Ships and give the trainee's a look at long distance travel." Admiral Tanaka replied
"Well, unless anyone voices an argument against your wish list, I find it both affordable and in line with the 30 year spread." Director-General Cameron said and no one spoke against it "Then it is approved, you may tender the appropriate construction requests to the manufacturers."
The rest of the meeting was purely numbers, recruitment, training, deployments, rotations and planned wargames. 
4th January, 2800
Thazi (Hegemony)
Today, it would be General Rita Mitchell's briefing of her ongoing operations to support the Federated Suns. It was never a good day, having delivered a briefing for the last 12 years. She shuffled her papers a few times before finally starting the actual briefing. She took a drink of Fallry Dark, a coffee from the Fallry system that was famous for it's coffee beans, one of the few "cash" crops that thrived on the planet.
"As everyone knows, we have 3 commands within the Federated Suns operating under cover of mercenary's. The first such command we formed was Baldwin's Corbra's, 3 Battlemech Regiments strong. After 12 years, they have suffered 123 KIA, 251 WIA and 13 MIA. They currently are garrisoning Lexington after helping take the world from the Draconis Combine, they have 2 Regiments on planet with their 3rd Regiment on Pattonsbrug undergoing refit. The forward deployed Regiments are at 57% and 61% strength. The 3rd Regiment is at 87% strength and we have the volunteers on the way to bring them to 100% strength. 
The largest, the Screaming Eagles, which is actually the 250th Battlemech Division in case anyone has forgotten, currently occupies Huron, they have orders to attack Capac and Petrolia before driving on Imbrial III. Over the last 12 years, they have been involved in some especially brutal fighting blunting the Combine's drive on New Avalon and driving them back. They have suffered 1,398 KIA, 5,393 WIA and 181 MIA over the last 12 years. Currently each Battlemech Regiment is supported by a single Armor Battalion and single Infantry Battalion. The rest of the conventional arms are on Farnesworth acting as a garrison. Four months ago we rotated the newest volunteer's to them before they redeployed forward again. In another month, those rotated back home will arrive back on Boulsi. Overall, the 250th Battlemech Division is at 88% in equipment and 105% in personnel.
The last command we have operating is the Fighting Urukhai, they are also the newest, having been deployed in 2795. The AFFS has not used them against the Combine, but has instead kept them along the Taurian border. They have seen action, mainly pirate and the occasional raid by the Taurians. They are currently on Brockway, Desolate Plains and Lindsay. Currently they are at 100% strength in equipment and personnel. In 5 years they have suffered 22 KIA and 49 WIA. We predict they will be rotated to the front soon, but against the Capellan or Combine is anyone's guess right now.
We set out with the intention of doing a 3 year rotation of troops, but the situation inside the Federated Suns has not allowed that to be kept. I made the decision awhile back that rotation will be voluntary, so as not to break unit cohesion, or via wounds that will take more than 3 months to return them to duty. So far, a total of 2,437 have rotated back, and of those, 1,192 have returned to duty with units here, the remaining 1,245 have been medically retired from duty. Per some requests, 482 of the medically retired have been returned to Pattonsbrug or Farnesworth where they have taken up support duties with their commands. Those that remained here in the Hegemony draw a pension of 125% of their duty pay since they were injured in combat. They may also apply for Hegemony financing to start a business or farm, these loans are interest free as long as they make their payments on time, and even if they falter, the interest is a fixed 2% rate. 
The same financing program is available to all service members that retire at 20 years of service with a 50% pension. Those that retire at 30 years get a 75% pension and those that serve 40 years or more get a 100% pension. They are also eligible for the financing program. We started this program in 2798 and we had a pretty big retirement rate among our SLDF veterans. Luckily, our recruitment rate is well above what we needed to replace those retiring. We knew it would happen when we started the program and were ready for it. Our yearly expense on the retirement program and financing program is 7.4 Billion in pension and 11 Billion on loans. All who have served in the Hegemony Armed Forces are eligible for education at a reduced rate, sometimes free if it is a critical skill. The normal enlistment is for 8 years, with each reenlistment set at 6 year enlistments. Every retiring service member is enrolled in the inactive reserve, or they can join the Reserve Militia on whatever planet they settle on, there they draw 1/4 of their pay per month while with the Reserve Militia. Mechwarriors and Aerospace Pilots in the Reserve Militia drill every 2 months for a week, with a 2 week exercise per year. All others do a weekend per month with a 2 week duty cycle per year. 
This Reserve Militia has enabled us to establish roughly a Battlemech Battalion, Aerospace Squadron, Armor Regiment and Infantry Regiment on every world in the Hegemony. This is outside of the Conventional RCT on each world. Not every world is at that strength, but many are. Military life is hard, but it also hard to lose the desire to serve. I have made it my mission to make sure everyone that served knows that we, the Hegemony, appreciates their service. And when the time comes that I must step aside, I pray that my successor continues the programs that I have started, even expanding them if they can. Many years ago we were the Forgotten Corps, forgotten by the SLDF, but we survived and even thrived, but we that lived through those dark days will always think of ourselves as the Forgotten. As long as I live, I will not allow ANY of our soldiers to be Forgotten."
General Rita Mitchell sat back down, never realizing that she had gotten up from her chair, absently she wiped a single tear from her eye. Every single loss of one of her soldiers seemed to hit her harder each year. She had lost count of the number of soldiers who had given their life under her command, but they all weighed on her. 
5th January, 2800
Thazi (Hegemony)
Director-General Amanda Cameron called today's discussion to order "Okay everyone, the hard stuff has been discussed and solutions have been put into place. Today, I want to discuss getting some DoME crews back to work on terraforming. They have spent years working on Livingston Naval Base and are sure to be rusty as hell. Before we turn them loose on our worlds here, I would prefer they get some work done on a world that is uninhabited. Do we know of such a place?"
General Brian Calloway spoke up first "We do and it is close by. Rover. Only 54LY from where we currently sit. The Star League seeded the damned system with satellites studying the place. We have been visiting it for the last ten years or so, downloading information. The air is tainted, and would have to be cleaned up before any further terraforming could be conducted on the soil or water. Information we recovered indicate it is fairly resource rich and worth the effort. We know of several others, but they are a long damned ways away and would be hard as hell to support properly. For what you want, Rover is perfect."
"May I ask why Hegemony Security has been keeping tabs on this system?" Director-General Amanda Cameron asked
"Of course, it is too damned close to our capital and the perfect place for a damned pirate band to set up shop and hit us suddenly. Or another Intel service might set up shop there. Just like we are going to start doing. I cannot take the chance of that happening, so I ordered bi-annual surveys of the place to make sure it stays the way empty." General Brian Calloway replied honestly
"I wish a pirate band would try, they would not get very far and my crews could use the target practice." Fleet Admiral Tanisha Tanaka groused
"And it would be a failure that I will not allow Admiral Tanaka." General Calloway sniped back
"Enough folks, let's get back on topic here. Okay we have the place identified. Contact Livingston Naval Base and have DoME kick enough folks loose to begin work on Rover. Might want to contact Linden also, I believe DoME is still technically based from there, or did they all pack up and move?" Director-General Cameron asked
"Still there and I am sure they will jump at the request. Those scientists have surveyed every rock inside our borders several times over looking for a suitable target for their magic." General Rita Mitchell said
"Good, let's get the orders issued. Kick them loose and get them started. I assume they will have an escort?" Director-General Cameron asked
"Of course, I will kick loose a Flotilla of Brandt's to watch over them. We won't let anything happen to them." Fleet Admiral Tanaka chimed in quickly
"Excellent. Guess I might as well ask, General Calloway, how is planning going for the mission to Epsilon Pegasus?" Director-General Cameron asked
"I am already putting the pieces together. Two Battalions of Special Forces along with mission specialists will depart around the 1st of March. Figure it will be 6 months or so until they arrive at their destination. Figure September before we know exactly what they find there. If it is important enough, I assume I can expect some sort of garrison assistance?" General Calloway asked
General Rita Mitchell spoke up "If it contains what was in the reports, I will make sure it is properly garrisoned by both the Army and Navy. Your folks will not be out there all alone Brian."
5th January, 2800
Quines (Hegemony)
Patrick Mitchell, Senior VP of Mitchell Vehicles, read the report on the latest test trying to solve the super jump problem. It was the 12th test and once again it had blown out the Jump Drive and LF Batteries. Over the last ten years, they had been performing at least one test per year. The Hegemony Navy funded a small part of the research to the tune of 10 Billion per year and he had Mitchell Vehicles matching it. He had used the funds over the years to build a special 250K Pressurized Shipyard at Zebuluraskai, far away from the main complex and prying eyes to support his research project. He had hired the finest minds in Quantum Mechanics and Theory, experts in Kearny Fuchida theory and experts in any field that even seemed remotely related and put them to work trying to solve the super jump problem.
He looked up as Uncle Red, Owner Mitchell Vehicles, entered his office. Without a word he took a seat and looked at his nephew. When Patrick put down the sheets f paper he was reading, he finally spoke. "That the latest test results? Another blown drive I figure from the look on your face. Your blowing thru money like there is no tomorrow on this project kid, care to explain to me why?"
Patrick put down the papers, he had wondered when he was going to get called onto the carpet. "Uncle Red, if we can solve this problem, it will give the Hegemony a military edge over everyone. Think of the potential, instead of months long trips, they are shortened to a single jump. You could order your favorite meal on a planet hundreds of light years away and if you meet it at the jump point, it will still be fresh and hot ready to eat as if you were sitting in the restaurant yourself."
"You want to go into the delivery business? Not many folks will pay the rates you would have to charge." Delbert "Red" Mitchell said with a laugh
"Come on, Uncle Red, you know that was just an example. Look, I know you don't believe me, but when we made the super jump from Terra to Vonja years ago, even though I was sedated for the jump, I swear to God almighty that I heard someone say too much power, way too much at once. Of all the people that made the super jump, 8,912 were admitted to mental hospitals shortly after the jump. Of those 8,912 people, every single one of them suffered from severe TDS. I have had investigators interview every single one of them. Most are shattered wrecks that blather non sense, but some reported hearing the same damned thing I swear I heard." Patrick said
"You think your speaking to God?" Red could not resist the jab and laughed when Patrick turned an angry shade of red
"Dammit, I knew you would not understand. No one does. But until you order me to quit, I am going to keep up this research project." Patrick said
"I was just kidding, Patrick. Everyone has their obsessions, yours is this super jump idea. Me? I like being wealthy with all the pleasures it can buy. Continue your project, but try to keep the costs under control, this thing is getting expensive as hell." Red replied
"That's why I bought those other 4 Tramp LF Jumpships. We can rotate them, while their cores are ground down and recast. Keeps me from having to buy an all new core. But right now, until a new idea come along, the field testing is over, none of the idea's have played out. Only busted drives and melted LF batteries." Patrick said
"Well then, how about you and me head to your house so I can play with your kids. I am not getting any younger and enjoy playing with their toys." Red replied
"Okay, let me wrap up a few things. You just love spoiling them, your worse than mom and dad." Patrick said with a smile
"Making up for lost time kid, making up for lost time." Delbert "Red" Mitchell said with a sly grin.
Thazi (Hegemony)
Senior Chief Engineer Ernest Whitney looked over the shoulder of Vice Admiral Trisha Delvaney and looked at the design she was working on. "Sweet Mother of God, your coating everything in Lamellor Ferro-Carbide. I feel sorry for the poor souls that have to make field repairs to those ships."
"I forgot how much you hated Lamellor Ferro-Carbide, but you cannot beat the protection it provides." Vice Admiral Delvaney replied without looking from the computer screen.
"Damned right, that stuff is Satan's own curse upon us engineers that have to make field repairs. Damned near impossible to make fit properly. Only way I would like the stuff is if I always had a shipyard or yardship around to do the repairs for me. Under my close watch of course. No yard weenie is going to mess up the repairs to my ship." Senior Chief Whitney said
"Well, I got orders to make the ships as survivable as I can and this is about the best way that I know of." Vice Admiral Delvaney said
"More like causing a bunch of ships engineers to have a heart attack or think of early retirement if you ask for my opinion." Chief Whitney sniped back
"I don't remember asking for your opinion Chief Whitney." Admiral Delvaney fired back but with a grin
"You didn't, but if you had, and not a woman I respect, I would really tell you how I feel about that damned armor." Chief Whitney said as he walked from her office grumbling about how she would be cursed by every engineer until time ends. 
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Category:Fate Can Be Cruel - Book 2 Chapters
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