ALJ Chpt 65

frameless|right|300px|link=A Long Journey
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==Chapter 65 - A Long Journey==
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13 December 2786
New Avalon (Federated Suns)
Lieutenant General Samuel Mitchell was no fan of space travel which could last months, but the way he felt right now he hated a command circuit even worse. Even the good night's sleep and hot shower did not seem to clear his head very much. He was currently on his third cup of New Avalon Gold, the strongest coffee on New Avalon according to the description on the menu of the hotel restaurant. Seeing the same AFFS Colonel that had met him at the space port enter he downed the rest of the coffee and stood to meet him halfway.
"General Mitchell, I hope you slept well."
"It was a deep sleep, but I still like I got run over by a tank." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Command circuits do not give the body time to recover, they can be a curse and a blessing when needed. If you are ready, the First Prince is waiting."
"Then let's not keep him waiting any longer than we have to. This meeting is liable to be unpleasant enough as it is." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"You have caused quite a stir among the brass, but they are too hands on and do not allow enough freedom of action to those in a place to make the best decision. They are afraid that if word of your actions spreads more commanders might act and start a war."
"Pirates cannot start a war we cannot win. I just figured taking the fight to them was better than sitting back and letting them pick the when and where to strike. If they learn that my sector is actively hunting them, maybe they will go mess with someone else. Not that I am wishing another Federated Suns world get raided mind you. I just think there should be no safe place for pirates, it should be open season on them wherever they are found." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"But consider this, what if it is a false flag operation by another House?"
"Are you asking if that would affect my thinking? My answer is it makes no difference in my thinking at all. Raid my sector and I will hunt you down and deliver my response in force. The Tortuga Dominions have been a pirate haven since the Reunification War, started if I remember correctly by a former AFFS unit. Why the Federated Suns has not stomped them into the ground yet is beyond me. I even fault the SLDF for not wiping them out. There are slavers operating out there, innocent people being held against their will, doing lord knows what to survive." Lieutenant General Mitchell said as they got into the ground car.
"Maybe the First Prince can answer your last question, that is beyond my pay grade, sir." The rest of the ride was in silence.
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First Prince John Davion was actually waiting for them and even moved to open the door to the ground car. "General Mitchell, it has been a long time since we last met. Welcome to New Avalon."
"Highness. Thank you. It is a beautiful world." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied with a bow.
"Come inside, there is much we have to discuss." First Prince Davion said with a sweep of his arm towards the doors of the palace.
The walk was filled with just some idle chat until they entered a small conference room, and the door was closed behind them. "Please have a seat General Mitchell. Thirsty?"
"No, Highness, but thank you." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied 
Once First Prince John Davion was seated did the conversation start to turn. "First let me say good work on capturing those filthy pirates. But independent action like that could start a war. Not to mention leaving your sector undefended and open to an attack while your away. This is not acceptable. Your mission is to safeguard those systems no to go playing the heroic knight in shining armor. What if while part of your command is off chasing pirates attack Mackolla? Your father is building quite the little empire out there and I applaud his efforts for they will make the Federated Suns that much stronger someday. What if pirates were to make off with all that your father is accumulating? Or even just destroy it all? Do you see where I am heading?"
"Highness, I doubt there is a pirate force out there that could make it past SLS Second Chance or my Aerospace defenses. Much less defeat my ground forces before the forces deployed returned or an AFFS unit responds to a distress call. Though the AFFS naval patrols have decreased so much along the border that to sit and wait for the pirates to attack at their leisure is just inviting a disaster. In addition, I deployed the 11th Hussar Regiment with Aerospace support to conduct the sweep. Their addition allowed me the extra strength to actually perform that sort of sweep to begin with. Which brings me to a larger issue, the AFFS seems to think of us as a simple planetary militia force. Which is even then supported by the AFFS in some fashion. We have not gotten a single replacement soldier, not a single bullet or replacement part. That is all coming from our pockets. If this is the way it has to be, then maybe we need to renegotiate and we just go Mercenary. At least then during a garrison contract the AFFS would be paying our expenses." Lieutenant General Mitchell countered
"You did not want to join the AFFS as regulars. You were quite explicit in wanting to remain in the Mackolla area and that is exactly what I gave you." First Prince Davion said
"Yet the AFFS restricts my ability to train replacement troops saying all replacements will come from AFFS training centers, yet none arrive. In two years, not a single replacement. I think your senior officers are just pissed because we have not had to call for their help and yet can still conduct offensive operations and safeguard those systems we garrison. This is a new era, there is no longer a SLDF to patrol your borders or conduct the anti-piracy operations. In my time out there, I have learned that before our arrival, the four systems we garrison averaged a raid every three months. Yet in our time there we have defeated one raid and took down another band during our recent activity. I would call that a failure of the AFFS." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"I think you're missing the point, General Mitchell. You cannot take independent action like that. I cannot have officers that just go running off whenever they want to. That just will not be tolerated." First Prince Davion said
"Then I need the forces to be able to protect my charges and that requires personnel and equipment. I cannot even purchase replacement equipment on the open market due to the AFFS buying entire production runs. Defense is harder than offense." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"I will concede the point and allow you to recruit replacements for your forces. I know your father has managed to recruit quite a large security force for his corporations. Don't look shocked, your smart enough to know that my intel services might be dull, but they do find a nugget every now and then. I can only assume that some of that security force will find its way into your command. I will even make sure you can purchase some replacement equipment. But your garrison sector will have to expand. I need you to take on garrison duties on Bartrock, Valois and Giverny." First Prince Davion said
"I will need to be able to recruit on all my garrison worlds to fill out that force structure. I also want permission to open my own training camps. They will be trained to SLDF standards, that is how my command will always train. I also need to have the authority to take command of any Planetary Guard if needed." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"That ability is reserved for rank of Marshal or higher. We have never had a non-regular as a Marshal." First Prince Davion said
"I will train the Planetary Guard units in our training facilities. In two years, you will have the best trained Planetary Guard in my sector of the border." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
First Prince John Davion was silent for several minutes as he thought things over in his mind. Allowing them to recruit would put a drain on their financial resources. Getting them in line to purchase equipment would be a massive drain on their financial resources. His father's business adventures would take billions to build them into functional businesses before the first product was even built for a dollar profit. The increased size of their sector would place a strain on their transportation assets also straining financial resources. But would it be enough strain to speed up my plans.
"I will promote you to General, I cannot make a non-regular a Marshal. You cannot pursue anti-piracy operations without High Command authorization. Is that clear?" First Prince Davion said
"Yes, Highness. But if I may. Allow me to conduct one last sweep, to knock the pirates back hard enough that I get the two to three years I need to get everything into place." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Your target being?" First Prince Davion asked
"Tortuga Dominions. Let my forces sweep that cesspool clean of pirates and slavers. Free the people there from their bonds. I can hit them hard enough that they will be no threat for years to come. It is something that the Federated Suns should have done years ago and the SLDF for that matter. Instead, everyone just let them fester and raid at will. It is time to lance that festering boil once and for all." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"That could take years. Time we might not have." First Prince Davion said
"If I am on the offensive, the pirates cannot be attacking our worlds. When I am done, we might have decades of safety and quiet along the Periphery border." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"General Mitchell, have you been keeping up with the news?" First Prince Davion asked
"If you're speaking about how the Houses are starting to tear the guts out of the Terran Hegemony, then yes, Highness, I have been keeping up. I have also kept up with how the Houses are starting to fight each other. If that is your concern, then having a safe border could free up four to five regular commands currently guarding the Periphery border." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"That is why naval patrols are down so much along that border because they are needed elsewhere." First Prince Davion said
"I might be able to help with that too. During our anti-piracy operations, we stumbled upon a ship of yours. My sister and her people are currently working to get it back to Mackolla. Of course, there will be a salvage fee for the return of the ship, it is taking quite a bit of work to get her jump capable again. I think 50% of her value would be a fair price for her return." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"The Federated Suns has not lost a ship in years. Which ship do you refer to?" First Prince Davion asked
"FSS Chesterton, New Syrtis Class Aerospace Carrier. She is banged up and currently not jump capable, but that is being worked on as we speak. I was toying with adding her to my fleet, but I cannot crew her." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"The Chesterton, she was captured by the Taurian Concordant almost two centuries ago. It is one of the worst losses in our history. You found her? How?" First Prince Davion asked
"Jumping into uninhabited systems. Why she was there. We have no clue, but we found her. My father has Lockheed Galactic arriving real soon. I am told rigging a framework is not too difficult, I am sure they would love the work in making repairs and we have an excellent engineer that could probably come up with some nice upgrades for her. It could be their first project." Lieutenant General Mitchell said
"I think you are over inflating that salvage fee, General, by quite a lot. Ten percent is a fair price." First Prince Davion said
"For a normal salvage operation maybe, but this is needing extensive repairs to bring her to a repair yard. Consuming a large quantity of time and parts. Forty-five percent." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"Twenty percent General and you are pushing your limits." First Prince Davion said
"Forty percent and we toss in an upgrade. But we will need some serious access to repair parts and material. Or we settle for the twenty percent, get her to Mackolla and the AFFS can haul her somewhere she can be repaired by you, taking up a valuable slip. Just adds six months or more before her real repairs even start. At least at Mackolla, we can start the work right away. Or for the twenty percent I can send you the coordinates and the AFFS can send one of your yardships with an escort to recover her. Depending on where they have to travel from, it could be one to two years." Lieutenant General Mitchell replied
"General Mitchell, are you sure your father is the business minded of the family. I need to consult with a few people, I will send for you tomorrow." First Prince John Davion said ending the meeting.
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