MBMSFS Chpt 9

==Manufacturing a Blueprint for a More Stable Federated Suns‎‎ - Chapter 9 - ==
== - Some Clean Up - ==
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Chapter>>
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===Problem with Pirates===
[Arthur Corean]
[Personal Lab, Corean Enterprises]
[New Avalon, New Avalon System; Federated Suns]
[October 12th, 3027]
"So you want to bring in some fresh blood to the manufacturing scene then?" Hanse looked at me with a tumbler of his favorite drink in hand, the man swirling around one of his few vices underneath his nose; it was a strong vintage, as I could smell it from where I stood two paces away, though I was certain my choice to not imbibe probably made me more sensitive to the smell than it otherwise normally be.
 
I had always been a talkative drunk, one that couldn't keep my thoughts to himself once I got a few drinks in me, and the thought of letting slip something truly damaging was so terrifying to me that I completely swore off the stuff once I came to the realization that I had been reborn into this shithole of a universe. 
 
We had shared a drink with Marshal Ducrimmon-Davion to 'seal the deal' once we buried the hatchet, though I had a simple FizzyStar Diet Cola, and since the Marshal wasn't one for celebrations of any sort- a man after my own heart, truly- we finished his drink and quickly beat feet to the elevator while escorted by Samantha. Once he had taken his leave I set about busying myself preparing for the bevy of presentations that I was going to give the First Prince, the first one I was starting right now.
 
With the way the man was kicked back in the comfy leather armchair, the top few buttons of his suit, and cufflinks undone, I could tell that the man was completely relaxed.
 
"Yes," I cloned the feed from the computer terminal in my office and routed it to the holo-projector in the center of the 'lounge space' where Hanse's, Ardan's, mine, and the most recent addition- Samantha's- big comfy chairs were arrayed in a circle around it, "It has come to my attention that even once Corean reaches full manufacturing capacity here on New Avalon we won't be able to provide for the entirety of the Federated Suns... let alone the Federated Commonwealth. Not by a long shot."
 
I hit the arrow key and moved on to the next slide, "Robinson Standard, Exostar Unlimited, and Tiamat Systems Incorporated. These three companies are based out of the worlds of Robinson in the Draconis March, while Sherwood and Baranda are in the Periphery of the Crucis March. They are component manufacturers, making parts for Battlemechs, Tanks, and VTOLs on contract for a multitude of Federated Suns companies, however, they have all been on the hunt over the past few decades for a backer that can help them beak into the big leagues."
 
"From what my corporate contacts have been able to gather, along with their most recent work history with Corean Enterprises- though our last contract with Exostar for limited production of our B-Tech T&TS expired back in 3001- I believe that they have the necessary QC to meet my standards," I crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned back in the chair, "More to the point, they're all three solid, solely FedSuns based manufacturers. I can't keep all of my technology to myself if I want to see it proliferated in a reasonable amount of time, but given the multi-national nature of Kallon, I can't fully trust that my technologies won't 'accidentally' fall off the back of a truck and end up in the hands of the Combine or Free Worlds League. GM, Achernar, Lycomb-Davion Introtech, Federated-Boeing, and Jalastar Aerospace are the ones that I am seriously considering for right now."
 
I flicked to the next slide, "GM has one of the largest industrial bases in the Federated Suns, and if there is anyone that could help Corean fulfill the needs of the AFFS then it would be them. FedBo because they're going to be my gateway to Dropship and Jumpship manufacturing, Jalastar my in for learning the ropes of Aerospace Fighters, and Archernar and Lycomb-Davion because they have the facilities and manpower to help spread the burden that Corean will see in the coming years. I'm certain that Lycomb-Davion Introtech would also like to get back into 'Mech manufacturing, so I think we could exchange pointers- them giving me ASF expertise while I help them build Battlemechs.
 
However, I think that while producing for the AFFS is all well and good... we can't forget about the whole market segment that is the Outback and Periphery. The moment we turn our attention elsewhere, I have a feeling that piracy is going to rear its ugly head; if not naturally then pirates propped up by ComStar."
 
Hanse rubbed at his eyebrow with a thumb, "You believe that ComStar is also funding pirate groups? Not... that I am doubting, not after everything I've come to learn but..."
 
"Several Periphery pirate kingdoms all suddenly cropped up on the Lyran/Combine border in 3002 and started raiding both sides, with some of the larger bands having access to a regiment or more of LosTech Battlemechs, Dropships, and JumpShip? Then the Pirates just so happen to start attacking ComStar HPG stations as well? Lost and Canal were two such worlds, and while ComStar said that there was only 'light' damage from the raids... you have to ask yourself a simple question: Where did the Pirate Kingdoms go?" I held up a hand and drew an outline of the Lyran's core-ward Periphery border, "The Lyrans certainly didn't destroy them, and if the Combine had they would have been smugly telling the whole of the Inner Sphere how they managed to destroy 'honorless cur that the Lyrans were too inept to handle themselves'."
 
"I believe that ComStar cracked open their caches and fed it piecemeal to the pirates in the hopes that they'd reignite the fighting between the Combine and Lyran Commonwealth. However, when the pirates got out of control and turned against ComStar? Well, they had to get rid of them. However, like any group of people, they might forget their folly and return to their old tricks," I crossed my arms over my chest and adjusted myself in the office chair, tossing one leg over another, "Which is why I am worried about the Periphery systems of the Federated Suns. Particularly those near the raiding paths of the Tortuga Dominion."
 
I saw Hanse wince at that, because his brother Ian Davion, along with the Wolf's Dragoons, staged a punitive raid on one of the Dominion's worlds. While they certainly gave the pirates a black eye, a good portion of them did manage to escape, but the Dominion world of Haiti wasn't their stronghold world, Tortuga Prime. While they haven't made any raids into FedSuns space since 3007, it was only a matter of time before they got the gumption to try again; pirates were consumers by nature, not builders. 
 
Never makers or creators- taking from someone else is all they know how to do.
----
====Reinforcing the Forgotten & the Neglected====
"While I admit that the Outback and periphery have not always been well-served by the Federated Suns, simply due to the needs of the Capellan and Draconis Marches... what makes you think that we're going to shift focus so far away from there that they might become a target?" Hanse sipped at his drink, the man sniffing slightly at the burn. 
 
I closed my eyes for a few moments as I leaned back in the chair, trying to think about the best way to tackle this potential landmine.
 
"The announcement of the Federated Commonwealth and your eventual marriage to Melissa Steiner," I began slowly, "Mind you this is pure speculation on my part, based on what I've been able to piece together, but I think that you are planning something Big. With a capital 'B'. The steady ramp-up of military procurement, the lowering of the number of raids made by the AFFS while increasing the raids by Mercenaries, Operation GALAHAD, not to mention your barely constrained desire to see my new weapons and what not rolled out as soon as possible."
 
I saw he was about to speak but I held up my hand, "Please, Hanse. Let me finish?"
 
The ice in his tumbler clinked as he rotated his wrist, but he nodded, "Very well then, please continue."
 
"Trust me, my design and engineering teams are ecstatic with the level of trust you've extended to us with the attempts to roll out our products more quickly. While we know that we've tested our designs to hell and back, ultimately our ability to conduct mass testing in search of faults is limited by our small sample size. It's with the AFFS that our products can truly be put to the test, and normally you and the AFFS would wait until all of that testing had been completed before initiating a mass adoption. That clearly isn't happening here." 
 
I unfolded my arms and placed my palms flat against my thighs.
 
"So while I am not going to say that you're rushing the process, as I firmly believe that our designs are rock-fucking-solid already, the desire to see as many frontline units as possible armed with our new weapons systems leads me to believe that there is a reason why you want them pushed out so quickly," I turned my head to Hanse, "I think that the AFFS is going to go on a major offensive within the next five years. Whether the Tip of the Spear is leveled at the Combine or the Capellans I can't rightly say, but my money is on the Capellans; there are a lot of important manufacturing facilities that are within striking distance on the Capellan border... and I get the feeling that you owe dear old Max for his doppelganger stunt."
 
I popped my thumbs with my fingers as I chuckled a bit, "Now that last part could be projecting... my personal grudges against ComStar and the Free Worlds League onto you but... if there was anyone who deserves to have his nose bloodied harshly then it would be Maximilian Liao. Besides, the new Federated Commonwealth would need to showcase its strength and ability to coordinate, so what better way to do that than a nice, massive assault on our foes? I haven't heard much about the particulars of GALAHAD, but it's shown that the LCAF and the AFFS at least have some capacity to work together."
 
Hanse stared at me good and hard for a few moments before he tossed back his drink and hissed as it went down hard, "A very interesting train of thought, Arthur. Now, you said something about preventing our more vulnerable areas in the Outback and Periphery from being targeted by opportunists and Nere-do-wells?"
 
I knew a change in discussion when I heard one, and coming from Hanse that was as good as any confirmation that Operation RAT was still right on schedule, but attempting to dig any further, or to beg for him to hold off for a few years so that I could bring more of Corean online to support it would only invite problems.
 
So in true Arthur fashion, I arched an eyebrow and then shrugged, something that had the tension in Hanse's shoulders disappear, "Robinson, Exostar, and Tiamat. They've been wanting to break into the big leagues for ages now, not content to merely make parts for someone else if they don't have the prestige of making their own Battlemechs to go along with it. I believe that if we allocate some forces and resources their way they will be more than happy to not only manufacture the Mechs I have designed, but this will also show that the Outback and Periphery of the Federated Suns hasn't been forgotten by New Avalon."
 
I tabbed over to the next slide, which showed two artistic renditions of the two 'Mechs I was about to propose; one looked like a scaled-down Trebuchet, while the other looked like a similarly scaled-down Centurion, except without the silly head fringe.
 
I had tried to get the fringe removed from the head of the 'Mech, but my engineers and design teams clutched their pearls and gasped dramatically. It was 'iconic' they said. It was 'a huge part of the 'Mech's identity' they said. So rather than try and beat my head up against a brick wall I gave up; abusing my tyrannical powers within the company for something as small as this was pointless.
 
"Which is why I would like to ask for support in creating a 'Periphery Protection Initiative' or something fanciful like that, where you, Hanse, ask me, Arthur Corean, to help with the security situation in the Periphery. For a minimal amount of investment by the AFFS, we could drastically improve the safety of the Periphery planets within the Crucis March."
 
The First Prince hummed in thought as he clinked the ice in the empty tumbler, "It would certainly prove to be popular. The Periphery realms have been, as I said, underserved. So seeing some military industry grow there that can directly supply militias would be a boon for relatively little cost..."
 
I flipped over to a previous slide to show the locations on the wider map of the Federated Suns, "And while Robinson is already a very wealthy planet under the Sandovals, Sherwood and Baranda are in prime locations with a great many systems in between it; the additional jump ship traffic to and from those planets will create a substantial uptick in commerce, at least relative to their current economies. And with the SCMFs and Mini-SCMFs that I want to put out there, if there is no need for a particular 'Mech, then they can switch production rather quickly to Tanks, ASFs, or Conventional Fighters."
 
"Yes, there is no denying that your self-contained manufacturing buildings do have a lot of flexibility in terms of what they can build and how quickly they can reconfigure," Hanse leaned forward in his chair as he stroked his chin, "And given how well protected Robinson is, and how deep Sherwood and Baranda are... the chances of them being damaged in raids are very slim; other than possible raids by pirates, of course. Tell me about the 'Mechs you plan to produce, Arthur."
-----
Guardian-1A:
 
Mass: 40-tons
 
Body: /40.0t
- Cockpit: Corean Series I Andosteel Cockpit 2.0t [$150,000](+1 Head Slot)
- Cockpit Additional: Corean Armored Cockpit 1.0t [$50,000](-1 Head Slot)
 
 =====[$200,000 | 3.0t/40.0t]=====
 
- Life Support: Corean Hi-Comfort I [$100,000]
- Sensors: Hi-Band I [$120,000] ($3,000 x 40 tons)
- Target & Tracking System: Corean Headhunter I Series T&T [$160,000] ($4,000 x 40 tons)
- Myomer: [$80,000] ($2,000 x 40 tons)
- Internal Structure: Standard Steel 4.0t [$16,000] ($400 x 40 tons)
- Upper Arm Actuator: [$8,000] ($100 x 40 tons x 2)
- Lower Arm Actuator: [$2,000] ($50 x 40 tons)(Right hand is a gunhand)
- Hand Actuator: [$3,200] ($80 x 40 tons) (Left Hand Only)
- Upper Leg Actuator: [$12,000] ($150 x 40 tons x 2)
- Lower Leg Actuactor: [$6,400] ($80 x 40 tons x 2)
- Foot Actuator: [$9,600] ($120 x 40 tons x 2)
 
 =====[$717,200 | 7.0/40.0t]=====
 
Engine: Corean 200 Std. Fusion Engine 8.5t | Walk: 54kph / Run: 86pkh | Supercharger + Gov: [Walk: 108kph / Run: 162kph]
-[$746,666] (Std. Fusion $7,000 x 200 Engine Rating x 40 tons / 75 = $746,666)
Gyro: Corean Standard Gyro 2.0t (Eng: 200/100=2.0t)(4 Gyro Slots = 0 Extra CT Slots) [$700,000] ($350,000 x 2.0t)
Jump Jets: Corean Standard Jump Jets x 4 1.0t [$800 x 4 x 2 x 40 = $256,000]
-120m Jump Distance
Misc: Corean Supercharger 200-Series 1.0t | 1 Crit Slot (RT: 11 Remain) [$50,000]
Misc: Corean Supercharger Governor 0-200 Series 0.5t | 1 Crit Slot (RT: 10 Remain) [$50,000]
Misc: Corean CASE?
 
 =====[$2,519,866 | 20.0t/40.0t]=====
 
Armor: 8.5 Tons of Corean Standard Armor Plating
Armor Points: 136/137 (8.56t MAX)
Cost: [$8,000 per ton x 8.5t = $68,000]
 
=====[$2,587,866 | 28.5t/40.0t]=====
 
Cooling: 15
-10 Single Engine Heatsinks
-5 External Single Heatsinks [$10,000]
 
=====[$2,597,866 | 33.5t/40.0t]=====
 
Weapons: 6.5t
 
 Alpha Heat: 20 Heat
 Alpha DMG: 33
 
-Head: 1x "Buzzsaw" Anti-Infantry MG Pod 0.25t | 1+2D6 vs Infantry | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $10,000
-Center Torso: 2x "RedLite" Enhanced Small Laser 0.5t | 6 DMG | 2 Heat | 120-240m | 2 Crit Slots | $35,000
-Right Torso: 1x "GreenLite" Enhance Medium Laser 0.5t | 5 DMG | 3 Heat | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $50,000
-Left Torso: 1x "GreenLite" Enhance Medium Laser 0.5t | 5 DMG | 3 Heat | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $50,000
-Right Arm: 1x "BlueLite" Enhanced Large Laser 4.0t | 9 DMG | 8 Heat | 520-1040m | 1 Crit Slot | $150,000
-Left Arm: 1x "GreenLite" Enhance Medium Laser 0.5t | 5 DMG | 3 Heat | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $50,000
-Left Arm: 1x "RedLite" Enhanced Small Laser 0.25t | 3 DMG | 1 Heat | 120-240m | 1 Crit Slots | $17,500
 
=====[$2,960,366 | 40.0t/40.0t]=====
----
"The Guardian is a scaled-down, 40-ton version of the Centurion-"
 
"Where is the head fringe?" Hanse asked incredulously, his free hand flapping about, "You can't just get rid of the Centurion's head fringe, Arthur. It's iconic, and very much a part of the 'Mech's identity."
 
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, counted to ten, and then exhaled.
 
"It isn't the Centurion, Hanse. It's based on the Centurion, but it is its own 'Mech, and therefore has its own identity. As the Guardian."
 
The man sniffed playfully before using his empty glass to shield the smile on his face, "Alright, alright. I see that you're not going to budge..."
 
"Moving on," I flicked over to its stats, "As it is based on the Centurion, despite its ten-ton drop in weight, it still shares 43% parts compatibility with it, meaning that should something go wrong- like a raid that damages the facilities- then chances are pretty high that New Avalon could jump out the required parts needed to keep production going while repairs are affected. The thing is designed with absolute ruggedness in mind, with the Corean Advanced Armored Cockpit, its 200 Standard Fusion Engine, and standard fusion engine-"
 
"You make it sound as though you've got any other type of engine to put in the 'Mech, Arthur," Hanse's lips twitched, "You don't happen to have Extra-Light Fusion Engines being made in secret out there, do you?"
 
When he jerked his head out to the window overlooking my personal lab I huffed and shook my head, "Once I get the Helm Core in my hands I'll have all sorts of neat shit to share with you, Hanse. But alas, until that time we'll just have to settle for the bog standard fusion engines for now. Though we are close to making some breakthroughs in terms of shielding, but that will be a discussion for another time, so unless there is anything else you want to add?"
 
Seeing that he didn't have any more snark for me, I continued.
 
"So yes, anyway, it has the maximum amount of armor for the chassis at 8.5 tons, and with the Armored Cockpit, it can survive a hit from an A/C-20 and keep on trucking. Other than the Buzzsaw LMG pod in the head, the Guardian-1A has an all-energy loadout, with a single Enhanced Large Laser, and three Enhanced Medium Lasers, and for when the pirates get close, the pilot can lay into them with three Enhanced Small Lasers. Fifteen single heatsinks keep the 'Mech more than cool, and the pilot can hold down the triggers on the Large Laser and two of the Medium Lasers without overheating the 'Mech; for close-range combat, they can fire all of the Medium and Small lasers and remain at a heat deficit."
 
I pointed out the other important piece of equipment, "And with the Corean Supercharger and Governor, the Guardian can reach speeds of 162 kilometers per hour for short bursts. The smooth ramp-up and ramp-down make it very easy to handle the additional speed, and it will allow Mechwarriors to quickly maneuver into position or extract themselves from a sticky situation. 4 Corean Improved Jump Jets give it the ability to leap 120 meters horizontally, and 42 meters vertically. The Guardian and Watchman both share all of the same features except the weapons packages, of which-"
-----
Watchman-1A:
 
Mass: 40-tons
 
Body: /40.0t
- Cockpit: Corean Series I Andosteel Cockpit 2.0t [$150,000](+1 Head Slot)
- Cockpit Additional: Corean Armored Cockpit 1.0t [$50,000](-1 Head Slot)
 
=====[$200,000 | 3.0t/40.0t]=====
 
- Life Support: Corean Hi-Comfort I [$100,000]
- Sensors: Hi-Band I [$120,000] ($3,000 x 40 tons)
- Target & Tracking System: Corean Headhunter I Series T&T [$160,000] ($4,000 x 40 tons)
- Myomer: [$80,000] ($2,000 x 40 tons)
- Internal Structure: Standard Steel 4.0t [$16,000] ($400 x 40 tons)
- Upper Arm Actuator: [$8,000] ($100 x 40 tons x 2)
- Lower Arm Actuator: [$2,000] ($50 x 40 tons)(Right hand is a gunhand)
- Hand Actuator: [$3,200] ($80 x 40 tons) (Left Hand Only)
- Upper Leg Actuator: [$12,000] ($150 x 40 tons x 2)
- Lower Leg Actuactor: [$6,400] ($80 x 40 tons x 2)
- Foot Actuator: [$9,600] ($120 x 40 tons x 2)
 
=====[$717,200 | 7.0/40.0t]=====
 
Engine: Corean 200 Std. Fusion Engine 8.5t | Walk: 54kph / Run: 86pkh | Supercharger + Gov: [Walk: 108kph / Run: 162kph]
-[$746,666] (Std. Fusion $7,000 x 200 Engine Rating x 40 tons / 75 = $746,666)
Gyro: Corean Standard Gyro 2.0t (Eng: 200/100=2.0t)(4 Gyro Slots = 0 Extra CT Slots) [$700,000] ($350,000 x 2.0t)
Jump Jets: Corean Standard Jump Jets x 4 1.0t [$800 x 4 x 2 x 40 = $256,000]
-120m Jump Distance
Misc: Corean Supercharger 200-Series 1.0t | 1 Crit Slot (RT: 11 Remain) [$50,000]
Misc: Corean Supercharger Governor 0-200 Series 0.5t | 1 Crit Slot (RT: 10 Remain) [$50,000]
Misc: Corean CASE?
 
=====[$2,519,866 | 20.0t/40.0t]=====
 
Armor: 8.5 Tons of Corean Standard Armor Plating
Armor Points: 136/137 (8.56t MAX)
Cost: [$8,000 per ton x 8.5t = $68,000]
 
 =====[$2,587,866 | 28.5t/40.0t]=====
 
Cooling: 12
-10 Single Engine Heatsinks
-2 External Single Heatsinks [$4,000]
 =====[$2,593,866 | 33.5t/40.0t]=====
 
 Weapons: 6.25t
 
Alpha Heat: 17 Heat
Alpha DMG: 34
 
-Head: 1x "Buzzsaw" Anti-Infantry MG Pod 0.25t | 1+2D6 vs Infantry | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $10,000
-Center Torso: 2x "RedLite" Enhanced Small Laser 0.5t | 6 DMG | 2 Heat | 120-240m | 2 Crit Slots | $35,000
-Right Torso: 1x "GreenLite" Enhance Medium Laser 0.5t | 5 DMG | 3 Heat | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $50,000
-Left Torso: 1x Corean "LitePak" LRM-5 1.0t | 5 DMG | 1 Heat | 180-900m | 1 Crit Slots | $40,000
-Left Torso: 1x Corean "LitePak" SRM-4 1.0t | 8 DMG | 2 Heat | 0-270m | 1 Crit Slots | $80,000
-Right Arm: 1x "GreenLite" Enhance Medium Laser 0.5t | 5 DMG | 3 Heat | 300-600m | 1 Crit Slot | $50,000
-Left Arm: 1x Corean "LitePak" LRM-10 2.5t | 10 DMG | 3 Heat | 180-900m | 2 Crit Slots | $120,000
 
 Ammunition: 3.25t
-Left Torso: 2.0t of LRM Ammunition
-Left Torso: 1.0t of SRM Ammunition
-Left Torso: 0.25t Corean CASE
 
=====[$2,978,866 | 40.0t/40.0t]=====
---- 
"-the Watchman is its counterpart, though both 'Mechs are more than capable of standing on their own merits. The Watchman is based on the Trebuchet chassis, also scaled down to 40-tons. It has twelve heatsinks that cool a weapons package consisting of a Corean LitePak LRM-10 in the left arm, a LitePak LRM-5 and SRM-4 in the left torso, two Enhanced Medium Lasers, two Enhanced Small Lasers, and the obligatory Buzzsaw LMG Pod in the head. It carries two tons of LRM ammunition, and one ton of SRM ammunition, giving it above-average endurance for what the 'Mechs might reasonably be expected to fight in the Periphery."
 
I interlaced my fingers and thrust them out to crack them, a pleased smile on my face, "All of that for around £2,700,000."
 
"These are completed designs?" Hanse dragged a thumb along his jaw, "And I see that you're including your... Corean CASE in there at only a quarter-ton. I doubt you've made progress on it since you last showed it off."
 
I bobbed my head to the side, "You would be correct, but once the Core arrives then I should be able to see what I'm missing as far as Ferro-Fibrous goes. Implementing that should be easy enough for me. Push comes to shove we can still use the 1-ton prototype CASE I have, and drop a Medium Laser, Heatsink, or a ton of ammunition. Or we could just go without the CASE entirely and add another Small Laser to the design; we've been running around with unprotected bins of ammunition for centuries now and thought it was an acceptable risk."
 
He gave me a sheepish grin, "Fair enough."
 
"And as for the designs? Well, the Centurion and Trebuchet are models I'm intimately familiar with, as are pretty much every Tech in the Federated Suns. Scaling them down 20% while keeping most of the structure the same, only accounting for some shift in hard points, wasn't all that difficult an affair. I could have the Trebuchet line on Augusta produce a company or so of these Watchmen by February and a similar amount of Guardians come January; they're smaller and easier to manipulate for the equipment already there," I gave Hanse a look, "However, these will be simplified models, even if it has a Corean Advanced Cockpit as its base. The full feature set will still be there, but the number of buttons will be reduced, and some of the key features automated by the computers instead of having manual options."
 
The First Prince blinked and then nodded, "Ah, yes. As terrible as it might be to say, the Periphery systems are known for throwing anyone able into the cockpit. There are hardly enough slots or funding to put everyone through a Mechwarrior Academy, after all, so simplifying the control schemes inside of the 'Mechs would only be a boon to the poor farm boy who finds himself standing between his home and pirates."
 
Good. 
 
I'm glad we're on the same page. 
 
Most of those Periphery pilots would be lucky to get a 90-day crash course in piloting before being tossed in front of a pirate raid and being expected to stop it. The easier it is to learn how to pilot the better, but since all of the advanced features of the 'Mechs will be there? It will sort of be like a fighting game that's easy and intuitive to pick up, but with a high-skill cap.
 
Hanse Davion hummed as he ran a finger along the rim of the Henan crystal tumbler, "It will take a bit of pull to get a quiet 'no-compete contract' passed through the procurement board... but with Duke Sandoval likely to stand behind me on this I think we can push it with relatively little issue. Really, I think it might be even easier than that; most of the larger corporations would see a contract to make inexpensive 'Mechs for Periphery Garrisons as not worth their time, though they would be more than happy to create such a 'Mech if the AFFS footed the bill. Which-"
 
Hanse narrowed his eyes slightly, a wry foxy grin on his face, "-is where Corean Enterprises will come in. I'll announce the... Periphery Protection Initiative and lay out the terms for the new 'Mechs contingent that this be a 'Ready Made' off-the-shelf solution. We'll host a competition with a 12-month deadline, see what rough designs they can come up with, and then the AFFS will host a trial. That will give them some time to come up with a workable solution if they have one, as 'off the shelf' will be a requirement, and if they cannot have that done? Well, then they just have to miss out."
 
I shrugged, "I suppose I could use that time to court the companies and see if I cannot find any way to refine the design further."
 
I was pretty damn confident that the Watchman and Guardian 'Mechs could roll off the assembly lines hot and heavy, but truth be told I would need the manufacturing lines for the -1X series of variants I wanted to produce for the Centurion and Trebuchet; the VLK-1X line would be able to turn and burn just fine.
 
"Excellent," The First Prince smiled a touch as he stood up and walked over to the bar to fix himself another drink, "I must say that with everything that has been happening behind the scenes, the plight of the Periphery has sort of slipped out of focus for me. So this... ready-made solution to one of the dark spots on my track record has me feeling rather splendid right now."
 
"Well, I'm happy to be of assistance, my Prince," I intoned solemnly, putting the additional effort to sound genuine, if only because I truly meant it; the FedSuns Periphery and Outback really never got a whole lot of development, and even when it finally did start to get some attention the Clans and the Blakists were more than happy to shift focus away from them once more. 
 
----
====Refit Proposals====
"So," The First Prince began as he sat down with a freshly filled tumbler, only a single thumb of alcohol from what I could see, "Now that we have your two 'Mechs out of the way... there are two Battlemechs that I'd like your input on."
 
I tilted my head to the side as I pulled up a small note-taking application on the computer terminal in front of me, "Alright then, fire away."
 
"I didn't bring the plans with me since this was supposed to be more of a social visit for the Marshal, but since we're talking about new 'Mechs- and don't let me forget about Refit Kits either- I feel that now would be as good a time as any," Hanse began as he cradled the arm holding the tumbler with his free hand by the elbow, "The Enfield was a design that was meant to be the replacement for the SLDF's Wyvern Battlemech. It comes standard, according to the design plans for the machine, with an LB-X 10-rated Autocannon, a Large Pulse Laser, two ER Medium Lasers, and a single Small Laser. It has-"
 
Hanse gave me the run-down on the 'Mech, and it was one of the ones I remember vaguely about, with it being produced sometime after the Helm Memory Core and before the Clans. It was a good 'Mech all things considered, though a touch expensive for what it offered, thanks mainly to its XL engine.
 
I typed away at the specs as he talked, and once he finished he shifted gears to a new 'Mech- the Devastator.
"The Devastator is something that I truly wish to see completed sooner rather than later, Arthur. NAIS already has the plans and work has just started on constructing the mock-up of the first prototype, but I'd like for you to have a hand in it," The Prince sipped at his whiskey, the man hissing as it went down hard, "The Federated Suns is lacking in Assault-Weight 'Mechs, and I think that if you apply some of your time to it we could have them up and running about before 3040."
 
"I could definitely look into it, but the Helm Core is going to be the limiting factor here. There is no doubt in my mind that having twin Gauss Rifles paired with twin PPCs and four Medium Lasers would make the machine a terror on the battlefield, but-" I stopped typing to look at him, "-I have issues with the 'Shared Technologies Clause' that the NAIS charter works off of."
 
One of the foundational principles that NAIS had was that technology that was researched under its banner was to be proliferated among all manufacturers of the Federated Suns, barring certain restrictions of course. Any work I did for the NAIS would be spread to the other companies, which I wouldn't normally care about because I could take whatever NAIS made and then improve upon it for Corean to produce, but if I worked on the Enfield and Devastator 'Mechs and utilized Corean equipment for it then I'd essentially waive patent rights; this would essentially remove my ability to earn royalties and fees from the designs.
 
However, that was only if I brought the equipment into play.
 
If NAIS decided to utilize Corean weapons and other systems then they could contract Corean to produce said components for the 'Mechs in question. The key was not volunteering to utilize proprietary technologies and instead letting them arrive at using Corean equipment as if it was their idea all along. 
 
It was a small distinction, a little bit of legal monkey work, but it was enough to prevent most manufacturers from jumping on board to help NAIS out whenever there was an issue that the Academy and its academics couldn't immediately find a solution for. It was also a fairly glaring weakness in my eyes, as no matter how brilliant the egg heads were within NAIS, they were scholars first; there were certainly excellent engineers within those ranks, but they weren't the ones working for the massive Military-Industrial mega-corporations.
 
 Small teams of scientists and engineers could indeed put forth some great effort, with their diminutive nature allowing them to focus since they simply didn't have enough people to justify diversification, but other times there was no substitute for throwing tons of men and money at a problem. 
 
The age-old adage of 'quantity being a form of quality' all its own.
 
"I have no issues assisting these two programs on a structural and technical level, and I'll even throw in my two cents as to how NAIS could streamline development and manufacturing for the 'Mechs," I popped the knuckles of my thumbs as I considered how to approach the rest of my thoughts, "However... asking me to throw my full weight behind them would put me in a bad situation because I'd have to offer up any technologies those prototypes would use as part of the deal. Given the 'Free and Open' nature of NAIS' developmental policy, there is no guarantee that Corean might win the bidding process. Considering everything we have on our plates already, and with the Guardian and Watchman projects, I think it would be uncharitable to essentially have yet another 'No Bid' contract be given to us."
 
Despite wanting to make as much money as possible to fuel Corean's growth and expansion, snatching up two more contracts like that would put a lot of stress on the company. I had the Marauders I wanted to build, and hopefully Robinson Standard, Exostar, and Tiamat would handle the manufacturing of the Guardian and Watchmen 'Mechs for me. That way I could devote New Avalon's manufacturing power elsewhere... such as the Cataphract and Raven 'Mechs; I wasn't much of a fan of the Cataphract, but it was a capable machine, and I just loved the Raven. Aside from the Wolfhound and Locust, it was one of my favorite Light 'Mechs in the setting, and nothing would make Hanse happier than to encounter those Ravens during Operation RAT and for me to have an assembly line up and running producing them to further smack down the Capellans.
 
Hanse pinched his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger, "Yes, I can see how that would be a problem. Yet I find myself wanting to see what you could do for the 'Mechs regardless. Just your weapons alone are already starting to get heads churning with all sorts of ideas..."
 
"I'll offer my expertise for the structural and manufacturing side of the house, but will let NAIS come to their own conclusions as far as technologies to be incorporated into the designs. Besides, if you make it an 'Open License' once they're completed then any FedSuns manufacturer who can demonstrate the capacity to manufacture the 'Mechs can build them," I shrugged my shoulders, "I'm certain that by the time they are ready to begin mass production, I could come up with a Corean variant of the 'Mech."
 
"Yes," Hanse sighed, "But then we'd run into standardization issues; even if the Mechs ran the same weaponry there would be differences in cockpits and electronics packages."
 
"Which is a bridge we'll cross when we get there, there is no sense in worrying about it, not when right now we need to talk about refit packages," I turned my attention back to the computer terminal and moved over to the next slide, which had a photo of four shipping containers, "I already have some designs drawn up for how Corean can refit existing Mech stockpiles with our improved weapons packages. Designed to be quick and easy to install without any futzing about with connection hard points, they should make installation a relative snap; one of the longest parts about these refits will be installing all of the additional ammunition, armor, and cooling the Pilots will be able to add to their machines thanks to the saved weight from the weapons." 
 
"These are already done for all Corean-made Battlemechs, for example, the Locust-1V that we produce will be refit as the -1CW; a tentative title to be sure."
----
Locust-1V to 1CW
Delete:
-1x Medium Laser (-1.0t)
-2x Machine guns (-1.0t)
 
Add:
-1x "GreenLite" Enhanced Medium Laser (+0.5t)
-2x "Chisel" Dual MG Arrays (+1.0t)
-0.5t of Armor
Notes:
-Shift 1-ton of ammo in CT to two 0.5t bins located in the arms; if they're going to get blown off anyway, might as well not have the MG ammo anywhere near the CT.
-Add two points of armor to Left and Right Arms, and Left and Right Torsos; or four points to the legs. Mechwarrior's preference.
 
OR
 
-2x "GreenLite" Enhanced Medium Lasers (+1.0t)
-2x "Chisel" Single MGs (+0.5t)(Drop ammunition to a quarter-ton per MG)
-1.0t of Armor
Notes: Much less Anti-Infantry/Anti-Armor capabilities with two fewer MGs and a half-ton less ammo, but more medium-ranged firepower with two Enhanced Medium Lasers.
----
I showed a few other designs for Corean 'Mechs, replacing the current Autocannons with their "LiteMetal" counterparts, the same with the Medium Lasers, LRM Packs, and Machine Guns. Really, the goal here was to free up additional tonnage while increasing survivability and overall combat effectiveness by increasing the amount of armor and cooling potential the current stable of AFFS 'Mechs had.
 
Hanse stared up at the refit packages on display, the man's expression near-unreadable even to me, though with his mouth hidden by his hand, I could just barely make out some of his mutterings, "-this it might be worth delaying..."
 
He then snorted before shaking his head, "It's funny because I was going to bring up the possibilities of similar Refit Packages for our Mechs, but it seems that you've once more anticipated my needs, Arthur. Let me see the rest of what you have drawn up, and get me some print-outs please; I'll need something to take with me if I'm going to get the Procurement Board... well, on board."
----
===Treasure Map List===
-Helm: Helm was selected to be the SLDF's 8th Army Corps' logistics Hub within the Free Worlds League. SLDF facility for Fort Chuba created to act as filter for Nagayan Mountain Complex. (Found)
 
-New Dallas: Received Royal Grade SLDF technologies. Most lost during New Dallas/Marik conflict but some still could be around? Boneyard exists of mothballed 'Mechs and vehicles; fusion engines from the vehicles would make the trip worth it alone, as would the tons of armor. Possible Terran Hegemony Intelligence presence, would search the area thoroughly with ground scans and mobile penetrating radar. Close to Terra, HIGHLY likely ComStar is monitoring the system. Possible refits of SLDF ECMs onto Jumpships and Dropships to reduce or mask signatures? Toxic environment and radiation would require Infantry Exosuits and sealed vehicles.
 
-Epsilon Eridani IV: Was known HQ of SLDF Fifth Army Group. Group level command facilities. Amaris' RWR forces were unable to destroy most of the Fifth Army Group's supply caches. Possible caches in the Brownwood and Shamus Mountain ranges; depot was known to be able to hold very large Dropships for Group-level services.
 
-Outreach: Known Mech Service and Repair facilities around Blackreach. The planet hosted the God Damn Martial Olympiad from 2704-2736! Had facilities to repair Mechs and Vehicles for whole Divisions! How has no one remembered this!??????
 
-Clinton: 11th Army Group of SLDF stationed in Military District 1 of the Commonwealth Command. V Corp had extensive supply surpluses with lots of Royal hardware. With V Corp's home station being Clinton there is most assuredly a Castle Brian there. Since no one has found one yet that means it hasn't been discovered. Though Mercenary unit Snord's Irregulars (No name unit w/ a Commander w/ possible ties to Wolf's Dragoons? Has insane luck finding things? There is something there.) has taken up residence on Clinton. Chances with Snord's penchant for 'finding' things he likes and taking them, high chance that they have found the Castle Brian. 
 
-Kwanjong-ni: RWR world, with purchases of large cargo submersibles from Lyran firm which just so happened to be destroyed during the Amaris Coup. No industry outside of fishing. Why massive cargo submersibles? Given Amaris' particular brand of crazy, along the same lines as the SLDF brand of crazy, highly possible there is something utterly banal like an underwater Mech facility. 111th Light Horse Regiment of SLDF was dispatched to search for something, but they didn't find it. We all know that if something wasn't found then it is still there. Lost Sea most likely location based on its proximity to the planet's sole spaceport, mineral-rich mountains, and the planet's small raw materials refineries.
 
-Bristol: Jolassa Weaponry plant, manufactured the Fury tank. Advanced computers. Possibly still around. (Found).
 
-Antares: Large SLDF Supply Cache that fed the 13th Army Group of the Commonwealth Command. The town of Alba was a known 'hotspot' for SLDF personnel, as there was a supply garrison posted there to receive supplies that missed the 12th Army. General Erwin Moeller's memoirs mention the XXX Corps of the 12th Army Group throwing bitch fits over the 13th Group getting all of the good supplies despite their lax posting while they were passed over for the new equipment for their Anti-Piracy/Banditry missions. The town of Alba also has some still functional Star League-era Water Purification Plants; possible outreach once Helm Core arrives for study if manufacturing processes are unclear?
 
Ptolemy IV: SLDF Supply Outpost 601. Meant to supply elements of the 12th Army Group. Briefly mentioned in the memoirs of Major General Trevor Chan- 'The Best Man Unselected', Pg. 237.
 
Kennard: Hosted SLDF's XVII Corps of the 3rd Army Group. While it's unlikely that any Castle Brians were constructed due to the mobile nature of the 3rd Army, it did act as a base of operations for the HQ Element of the XVII Corps for almost 30 years before they were redeployed to the Concordat during the New Vandenburg Uprisings.
 
Hobbs: Hosted HQ of SLDF 4th Army Group. AFFS used cave complexes to supply units of the Capellan March. Possible Castle Brian?
----
====Reflecting on the situation====
There were over twenty locations on the list that I gave to the First Prince, with the ones I- and by extension my Father- had the highest probability of finding anything worthwhile. I also dropped the hint that the Helm Memory Core might have the locations of further SLDF caches, so if Katrina's people who had gotten the core first hadn't started digging, then now was the time to do so. There might very well be a whole treasure trove of shit that the SLDF left behind that Kerensky couldn't strip and take with him during the Exodus.
 
When the First Prince left with everything that I'd given him, it was with a bounce in his step and a hand held up to his temples.
 
Other than a warning to keep an eye on Misery and the Wolf's Dragoons- because it is almost a guarantee that the Head Snake will try to fuck them over, and as much as I don't like them they will be an asset for the Federated Commonwealth if we can rescue them intact.
 
Hanse had arched an eyebrow, though he held in the question that was no doubt burning within his breast.
 
Why would I dislike the Wolf's Dragoons?
 
Well, other than them laughing at my request to purchase the Marauder II Battlemech plans, nothing that I could disclose at this point.
 
I needed Commander Mason on board, to dig into the past of his Father so that I could unveil the 'off the books' transcript of an interview my own Father 'had' with an unnamed member of one of our Jumpship crews. Said 'Unnamed Crewmember' would 'admit' to being part of Kerensky's Lost Children- a society of Clans- after being interrogated for attempting to send an unauthorized message from one of the Corean Family's Jumpships. 
 
I went full hog on this, even using some twenty-year-old blank papers still in my father's office desk, using a retrotech typewriter (since my father was a bit of a sucker for the old and fancy things our family had), with the transcriptionist for the interview being one Daisy Rittenhouse. 
 
Considering my father had a known love of the mysteries of the Inner Sphere, something he shared with Interstellar Expeditions, whom he had funded more than a few archeological expeditions for, the man having something like this locked up in his personal safe would just fit him far too well. With there being no identifying information as to which of the 107 Jumpships the Corean family owned, who the 'Unnamed Crewman' was, and with my Father and Daisy Rittenhouse being both dead it was a perfect crime. 
 
A crime that would be further built upon once I got Commander Mason on board and started digging into his Father's past, and the papers would be further vindicated once I got a chance to sit down and harass Jaime Wolf with Hanse and Commander Mason in the same room. With my initial thread of 'evidence', Nikolai Mason's story thrown on top of it, and the reaction from Jaime Wolf? It should be a slam-dunk to get the Federated Commonwealth already poised to start preparing for the Clan Invasion. 
 
I also really wanted to bully Jamie Wolf into giving me any Clan Tech he had access to; while I wasn't a turbo-fanboy of the Mercenary Company with the thickest plot armor in the Inner Sphere, there were some inconsistencies in the writing that sort of bothered me. Did they have access to Dire Wolf OmniMechs with their Clan-Tech weapons or not? 
 
While pretty much everything that happened in what little WD source material I'd consumed came to pass, that doesn't mean that the details couldn't have been wrong. Which was rather frightening to think about.
 
What if the whole Battletech franchise in my world came to be due to some strange hyperspace, HPG shenanigans? Nobody really knows what the hell happens in hyperspace, and maybe I was reincarnated due to said hyperspace shenanigans?
 
Really, the thought of it sent shivers down my spine, but it just further reinforced that I cannot rely solely on the little knowledge I do have. 
 
I'll just need to actually become a forward thinker, but since I'm not responsible for anything other than my corporation and Dukedom, this severely limits all of the forward-thinking I have to do. 
 
I'll leave that to Hanse and Melissa because that's their job.
 
Hooray for delegation!
----
==Chapter Note==
*Chapter Note from the Author ; Finishing out this little interaction. It was already starting to get long in the tooth, but I am loath to cut character interactions. Likely a shorter Commander Mason interlude incoming next chapter as he and the Marauders are going to be arriving in the system shortly. Then as his father's Victor gets repaired, the transponder beacon in his Mech along with the data can be found by Arthur who can then bring them in on the ComStar situation.
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