WCGW Chpt 237

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==Chapter 237 - What Could Go Wrong==
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New Avalon (Federated Commonwealth, FedSuns State Capital)
1st September, 3046
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"It has been quite a while since we had word from Mitchell and his group. I wonder where they are." First Prince Hanse Davion said
"They have been active in our space though, that lawyer of theirs bought two Shipping Companies that were about to be foreclosed on. They are still operating their normal routes, so I am not sure what they are up to with that purchase. He has also sent out almost a thousand job offers all over known space. I suspect Mitchell is really planning to put serious effort into developing Thazi beyond a simple farming world. How did the prototype test go on that Mobile HPG that NAIS has been playing with?" Quintus Allard replied
"Failed miserably. I am told the code is in some Star League language that basically no one outside of Comstar can make sense of. We can build them, but we cannot tinker with the base code in any way. I was really wanting to have something Comstar could not intercept, but that looks like a dead end. Even double encoding a message makes me nervous. Not that they can break the codes, but that they will know we have our own HPG network up and running." First Prince Hanse Davion said
"But they could still use them out there, Comstar has nothing even remotely close to their location. Plus, it is the perfect testing ground." Quintus Allard pushed slightly.
"NAIS is already heading that way with 4 newly built Mobile HPGs. One for Wokha, one for Thazi and the other two for further testing. But the best news is that our shipyard at Wokha should be fully reassembled and operational by May of next year. I am almost tempted to tell them to begin repairs on our ships instead of building another shipyard." First Prince Hanse Davion said
"Stick to the plan Hanse. It was already a good plan, no sense tossing a wrench into it now." Quintus said
"I said tempted, Melissa would not let me anyway. Tell me more about this lawyer Mitchell is using." Hanse said
"Briscoe Osbourne. Age 34, young but very good I am told. Recently started hiring a larger staff to handle his other clients and is focusing more on just Mitchell's requests. Still uses old fashioned paper for his notes and keeps them in his briefcase, which is always with him. We got into his computer files, so we do know who all he contacted about jobs since he is directly linked to Comstars HPG compound. Most are harmless, but there are quite a few that MIIO has files on. Mainly because they are considered experts in their fields, we do keep tabs on people deemed experts because they have a habit of turning up dead suddenly. From what I have gleaned, if they were to all accept the offers, Mitchell is putting together quite a little experiment out there, packed with some very fine minds." Quintus Allard replied
"He's not poaching my experts, is he?" Hanse asked
"He is hitting all of known space, every realm. If they are an expert in the field he wants to staff, they are getting an offer. So far, very limited experts on military stuff. Economics, agriculture, water purification, civil engineering, that sort of stuff. Quite a few teachers and professors got offers also. He has not touched NAIS people though, not a single job offer. You wanting to curb his efforts?" Allard asked
"At least he is not going after my NAIS people. No, he has to develop that nation of his from the ground up. So I will give him some room to work. Maybe one day, they will ask to join the Federated Commonwealth and all the really hard stuff will be done for us." First Prince Hanse Davion said
"You really think a single planet nation can exist in this day and age?" Quintus Allard asked
"Off the radar, yes. We know it can, but once it gets on someone's radar....someone that has nefarious designs on the place. So, no, it cannot survive. Not alone. He has some impressive equipment, but not even two Regiments of Battlemechs, even advanced ones. His nation would fall if the enemy was serious or had good intel on what they will face." First Prince Hanse Davion said
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