Copeland Supply, Salvage, and Resale

by cliff.west

This is a spinoff story. It takes place after "But a somehow a most melancholy" and" Hunted Tribes". Please read those before this bit of work. I will not be recovering those stories, but re-reading them will help you fallow this story. This fiction also will be slow on the combat action.

20. Chapter 20 5 april 3047

Chapter 20

By Cliff

Beta and Clean up: Not done

Reviewed by Hotpoint.

5 April 3047

Bivouac system day 2

Robert was looking around the command deck. He had no idea who might have the answer to his first question of the day. He was a little early for his posted shift. These people had been on shift for almost seven hours already. "Well, I better just ask." Robert thought to himself before he opened his mouth.

"Do we have any recordings of what happened to the salvage operation, after I left shift last night?" He addressed the question to the whole command center.

One of the crewmembers looked up and turned around to the mission commander. It was a slow movement in zero gravity. "Sir! We have a complete history of it. It is on the ship's command server. Just click the "Updates" folder on your console, and it could replay the whole take."

The look she was giving the captain, was odd. She knew that her Captain knew about, how to review mundane data. If it was important? They would have told him, when he came on the bridge. She was wondering what was going on, and if she had done something wrong.

Robert nodded to the younger woman and pulled his screen up from the arm rest. He found the folder he wanted close to the top of the file tree and started the playback. He was able to watch the events at between two- and three-times normal speed, and sometimes. He would bump it to a faster play back to see events unfold even quicker. As it played, he realized that he had lost the bet with Jules. They had not sent a dropship to help move the dropship wrecks. And as the three 150ton small craft towing the fighters closed the distance to the massive station. One of the great repair bays opened for them.

Robert watched the wrecked fighters move passed the massive door, that showed a Blue Number 3 on it. It was a door that was a hundred meters tall and 20 meters wide. That was very odd. Bay 3 was the closest to the central hub of the station, and was always the first bay to be filled, with high value haulers. It made it easier on the crew of those ships, to use the full range of facilities on the station. If Bay 3 was empty? Then it was a good bet that the other bays were empty as well. This was a major indication, that this system might be on its last legs of viability.

All three light fighters were towed into the same massive bay, but the small patrol craft did not stay long hidden from view. They possibly only stayed long enough to refuel, change crew, and return back to the deep black. Robert watched an hour at fast forward speed, as the first two MK VIIs and the one Patrol craft released their tow lines to the three patrol ships returning from the station. The now released small ships moved away, and used what Robert knew was the most economical speed for the MK VII landing boats.

"They must have been very low on fuel, after the way they were running their engines," thought Robert. It was an odd way to do business, it worked. But it was just very odd. He would have tried something different, if he had been in command over there.

The three small craft now released from the dropship parts, made it back to the station very quickly. They also entered Bay 3, just like the other three ships had. They emerged from the same bay, 20 minutes later. That was what Robert thought, was about the time needed to refuel ships of that class, do some minor systems checks, and preflight with a fresh set of crews. That was, if you did not worry about little things, like safety. The three patrol ships were rejoined by the refreshed towing ships and attached more lines to the two-part wreck.

One of the Landing craft joined the Patrol craft towing what was left of the aft section. The other two ships attached themselves to the larger forward section. With the increase of thrust available to the operation. The two-part wreck was towed into Bay 3 a little over two hours, after the other ships were added to the parade. Bay 3 must have looked more like a junk yard, than a repair docking bay for a larger cargo dropship.

As the Bay closed and the repair facility no doubt re-pressurized, Robert stopped the playback of the video data. When he looked up? He started giving orders. "Contact the Boat Bay Chief. I want one of the Landing boats prepared for launch. I also want Jules, Jess, and two of our larger crewmembers armed and as heavily armored as they can. I want to be ready to launch, in two hours. Also contact the Captain of the Hobgoblin. I will need two fighters that are not the CAP, to act as my escort. I want them to cover us, while we go to the recharge station."

Robert was on a roll, and hands were flying across screens. "While we are gone? I want the ships set for an emergency jump, but I also want all weapons manned and all fighters deployed. Do not contact the station, to let them know we are going to come over. I want their first warning, to be when we start heading their way!"

Robert had an evil grin on his face. This was a dangerous game, but he was good at it. He would make sure that they did not do a "fast" burn. "It was time to let the locals know, what it felt like when it happened to them. Well at least a little bit of what it felt like any way," thought Robert.

In the dark of space. The Styx was the center of a formation of concentric rings. The ring closest to her was occupied by the dropships White Rabbit and Hobgoblin. The second and last ring was patrolled by two fighters that made up the combat patrol. Currently on shift. The CAP job belonged to the light fighter Cheetah for quick reaction, and the old Vulcan for heavy hitting at range. It was an odd team, but each pilot needed to pull a shift. Combat in this system had proven that both of these types of craft had been very useful.

That was what the Recharge station was tracking. Then in a blink of an eye, the count of contacts almost doubled at the jump point. It was when one contact left the jumpship and two more left the Fighter carrier half a minute later. At first, the system's operations department thought that it might just be an early shift change of the CAP. You know something to break any pattern, to make it harder for someone to plan an attack on them. One that a bad guy might have picked up on, just like the station had already done. It was a good SOP and one that the station's crew had seen many times before from other visitors.

Then he notices that all three new targets, were heading right for his home. The huge nonmoving and under gunned recharging station. The operator almost hit the alert button, then changed his mind after a second thought. If the three new contacts had been followed by the blockade runner or that Leo class Carrier? Then he would have hit the "Big Red" button. He hit another button instead, but that one "only" alerted his boss that something was up. Then he hit a more common button on his consol.

"Craft approaching Bivouac station. Please state your business and send a flight plan, please." After all the excitement with these guys, like being attacked by that other dropship yesterday. He did not really want to be the one to risk upsetting them any farther, if he didn't have to. They had taken out that pirate dropship with both speed and skill. Both items that were in very short supply on this station, for a few decades now. Those things had been missing along with good weapons. The ones that they had were also not the best, even out here on the edge of nowhere. This all equates, to the Traffic Control department being nice to them.

Over the old speaker came a voice, that identified that it was someone called Styx Actual and escort. And they were coming over because they wanted to see the station commander. They did not seem like they were going to take no for an answer or accept someone else, not this time. He gave them clearance to dock. Then he notified his superior, that they had a VIP coming over. And they were in transit with a heavy CAP. He told his boss who they wanted to see, and that they did not seem very happy right now. For the first time, in a long time. The operator was thankful he was not higher ranked. This was one issue; he did not want to have to deal with. He liked breathing a bit too much, to want to get caught in this crossfire.

When his shift supervisor for Traffic Control reviewed the lower level operator's action? He kicked the problem up to the station commander's office. He did attach the information with a note, that said he was going to meet this group and where. The Boss might not be there, but he had to be there. He left the dingy room and made his way to the assigned docking bay that Traffic Control had given the approaching group. He was making a good turn of speed as he pulled himself down half lit corridors. This part of the station was in Zero G.

When he had made his way down the worn hallways and made the last turn. He did not run into a flunky from the commander's office, but the head woman herself. They made some small talk, as they now waited for the airlock to cycle from the bay to the main living space. Whatever he had been expecting? He did not get it, when the hatch was pulled open.

Five people floated through the hatch. All of them were wearing heavy body armor, and side arms were on the hips of the front three people, two men and one woman. What was, so distracting? That was the two large escorts, pulling up the rear. It was not that they were armed or even armored. That was not uncommon in this part of space. No, it was that they looked more like small mountains, than dropships crewmembers.

The female escort of the two was almost two meters tall and had thicker arms, than any of the legs on marines they had on board this station. She looked like she could bend airlock hatches in half, and then chew them up to make nails out of the now damaged metal. The head of Traffic Control did not know if he should be scared, or in love. Before he could make a fool out of himself? He caught a slight head shake from his boss. That told him to go back to his job and leave the area for the boss to do her job. He was fine with that and nodded back to his boss, before turning and leaving the area. He did not even look over his shoulder, as he went back to his mundane job.

Luzena Wilson watched as the young idiot male went back to the job, he was being paid to do and not getting underfoot. She had enough to worry about, and now she also had a massive Stuka class fighter orbiting her station, and it was working with a lostech Ironsides. One that this group had somehow found and gotten back into working order was keeping it company. When she turned back around. She was looking at each of the people entering her domain, one at a time. She had no idea who was in charge of this group. She automatically discounted the pair of walking mountains, at the rear of the group. That just left two men and one woman, normally the woman would be in charge since this was the MC. But her gut told her, that they were not from anywhere in the MC. This helped, somewhat in narrowing the field. If they were from the Combine? She would have looked at the oldest man in the room. That would have been the male walking mountain.

One part of her mind noted, that they all were wearing protective body armor. It looked like it should be able to stop most medium to heavy caliber weapons fire. Not that they should need it here on the station. But after the surprise attack that they had just been subject to? She thought it was a prudent move, on their part. Finally, she gave up trying to figure out who was the boss. It was wasting her time. She did not like wasting time, not one second, if she could help it. She was still trying to work out some of the questions these people were causing her and her staff, since they had jumped into her system. She had been looking forward to having more traffic. Now it was a case of be careful what you wish for…. You may get it.

Luzena shrugged her shoulders and gave up her mental guessing game. She lifted her chin up and addressed the group. "Okay? So, who is Captain Copeland?" The younger looking of the two men stepped forward with a confidence, that one was expected to have. If they wanted to run an interstellar company, that carried your name painted on a 660meter long jumpship? You had to be able to project the right "air".

Robert looked at the woman across from him. She was wearing a standard ship's suit without any name tapes or rank tabs. Just like the group Robert had brought on to the station with him. "That would be me. You must be Manager Wilson."

Robert said as he stretched out his arm and opened his hand, in a friendly gesture. In Zero gravity. You did not exactly give strong and vigorous handshakes to people. They might bounce off the hard floor or the equally hard ceiling. All would be socially bad, and possibly physically dangerous to both parties involved.

The woman returned the gesture. "I guess you want to interview the survivors. I did have one of my law enforcement officers talked with all of them. At least the ones, that could talk. This is my system, Captain. You are only a guest here. If you would have only waited a few more days? I would have sent a copy of all of our findings, to you." She put a bit of Bitch into her tone, to let them know. That she was not happy, to see some strangers testing her leadership of this system.

Robert was watching the woman trying to get a read on her body language, and her use of certain words. He was looking forward to seeing how she was going to react, to what he had planned. "That is one of the things that I thought we needed to talk about, face to face. It is not, however, the main reason I thought I needed to come over here to see you. I had tried to arrange a video conference with you. But you seemed to have been working on other issues, and your staff could not set up a time for that conference."

She heard the words, but she did not put much weight to his words. He was only a male, after all. There was a reason that all of the leaders and power players that were in the Magistracy of Canopus, were female. "Why don't we look at what is left of the Pirates equipment? Then, we can have a formal meeting in my office."

She turned and floated down the hallway, without another word. The group followed her down the metal corridor. That looked as old as it was, if not older. She had not even asked them to remove any weapons, and to leave them inside their way home. It was still in equally rundown small craft bay. That would have been the normal way to handle it, but these were not normal times. They had not been "normal times" out here for a very long time.

The group made their way through the massive metal beast of a space station. They passed people and little shops as they now walked. They even passed whole family groups, living in the beast. Just off the main access to the shopping and living quarters, was the inside hatch to Bay 3. The bay was listed as Facility One on the wall maps, and the directional signs posted along the way. It had been a long time since Robert had been this deep into one of these massive structures. The Star League in Exile did not have the resources to build one of these things. It had the need, but it had not had a need that would justify the massive amount of the diverse resources needed to make one.

They entered the massive bay in one large group, still led by the local leader. It was designed as a repair facility, which could hold ships up to 150,000 tons in a short sleeve work environment. That type of an environment had helped with the repairs of those visiting ships. This station was run down, but the big clue that things were not going well for the locals was what was in this bay.

Any of the repair bays on Olympus class stations were always in high demand. Most of them had waiting time listed in multiple months or even years, in some systems for their use. Whole shipping schedules were adjusted, so that a ship could make use of even the smallest of these bays. So, when Robert saw the prime repair bay? Robert was already trying to figure the angles on what was going on. He did not like what he was coming up with.

The massive hatch was designed to help with the transfer of large parts into the bay. It was overkill and not a small safety risk, to open it for only six people to enter the large repair bay. It did have the advantage of being able to show off the massive bay, in one big shot of wonder. The SLiE only had unpressurized yards to maintain their orbital fleet. The 150,000ton capacity bay swallowed up the 2,000 tons of wreckage like a pea in a trash dumpster. All of that pirate wreckage was suspended by cranes, chains, gantries, all in a warm, bright, but zero g environment.

What was left of the three pirate fighters and the two parts of the dropship, where like little pieces of food caught by a huge spider web inside the bay. There were five or six people floating around the forward part of the dropship, that appeared to be doing something on that part of the wreck. It was a mystery as to what they were doing, from the lower level near the huge main bay door. This was not the first time most of the visitors had seen something like this, but on a lot larger scale. Then again. It was a rare site, even for them.

Wilson was waiting for the strangers to say something, but they did not say a word. She also thought that they did not look that overly impressed, with the view of the Pressurized repair facility. She pointed up to one of the crewmembers floating near the bridge section of the dropship. That was very distressing. She had wanted to overall her visitors, with her command.

"The easiest way to get access to the bridge is threw one of the armored glass screens. My people have been trying to dump the computers. But so far, they have not had any luck. They don't know if it is due to the battle damage. Or if the crew did something to them, before they died, when the fuel and ammunition storage areas had a bad reaction to the damage your fighters did to it."

Robert was looking around and trying to seem impressed with the view. But compared to what New Circe had? This place was on its last legs and would maybe be second rate even in this part of the Inner Sphere. Or maybe even as low as a fourth-rate facility for the SLiE or clans. "I have a few people on my ships, that are very good with computers. I could send them over, if the price is right?"

Robert could see that the manager's back straightens up some. She had not liked the way he had delivered that offer. Robert decided to soften his tone, just a little. "Just send us a message, if you need them. I only have four requirements, if you do ask for them. One you pick them up and drop them back off. So, it's only your fuel being used in the traveling. Two? It is, that you're personally responsible for their safety. If anything happens to them? I will have issues. And I think you know, how my company handles…..issues."

Robert pointed to the fighter carrying dropship, that was in two parts above their heads. It was a silent way to say that he had no problem going violent. He kept talking in a level tone and watched the woman. "Third? It is that I want a copy of any information that your able to find on those computers. The Fourth? It is that you will pay them directly for their time and skills."

Robert was looking and wanted to see, how she recovered to his amended offer. He really wanted to see whatever information that they might find lurking in those computers. He hoped, that somehow it would provide him a few leads on who had been behind this attack. If he could find out, if this was a part of a larger operation? Then he could plan better. If it was a small enough group? He just might stop by, and let his fighters get some live fire range time.

"Thank you, Captain. That is a very generous offer of you. I will keep it in mind." The manager was in deep thought as she spoke.

The requirement of someone from the Station picking them up, would lessen the chance of a retaliatory attack being smuggled in from their ships. With what happened over the last few days? That was not an unlikely possibility to worry about. This part of space had been dangerous, everyone knew that. But her people had not had to deal with an attack in almost a decade.

"Why don't we go to my office for a more private conversation, Captain?" She was schooling her face and body language. Robert was now getting nothing from her.

Robert nodded, and the group did a zero g turn and pulled themselves along a wall mounted handrail. Very quickly they had exited the massive repair bay. They made their way down to the 150m gravity deck and into an office, that was waiting for them. Now under normal weight. They were walking on well-worn carpet, until they entered a door marked "Manager's Office". The female leader of the system walked to the desk. They saw that it had only enough seats available for only Jess, Jules and Robert.

The remaining two members of his crew were going to be acting as door guards and playing the part of intimidators. They were very good at this job, since they both had tested down from the infantry skills a decade and a half ago. They had not failed out, because they were not big enough for the job. It was just that they were not stealthily enough, when compared to the rest of the people trying out for that job. In this current job, stealth was not required. They just needed to be scary, and this they could do in spades. This was a little different than the weapons turret position on the jumpship, that they had been assigned to do.

"Okay, Captain Copeland. You asked, or I should say forced, for this meeting. So, what is it you and your people want?" Asked the woman setting behind her clean metal desk. She was target locked on Captain Copeland. She had already worked out. That she had only two or three cards to play, in today's little contest. They were very good cards, but still. She did not have that many to play, and she knew that if this man was smart. He might be able to outmaneuver her. She was hoping and in truth praying. That this man was not that smart or that cutthroat, to push her that way.

Robert smiled a little, but he did not want to give anything away. "Right to the point. Okay, I can do that."

"Ms. Wilson, we want to know. Why they attacked us, and/or who sent them to attack us. Also, we are a salvage company. It even says so in the name printed on the side of my ship. We would like all of it, returned to us. They attacked us, unprovoked. We defeated them. So, what is left of their equipment, should belong to us. The crews are yours. After both of our interrogators find out, what we need to. We will take them and push them out an airlock, without a spacesuit. I consider them Pirates, and that is what we do with pirates where I come from." This was his pre-planned opening move, and it was meant to rub her the wrong way.

Luzena Wilson was taken aback, for a few seconds, by the blunt statements from the man across the desk from her. It took only a flash, before she was ready to say her part. She had all night to get most of what she wanted to say together. She had known that the visitors would want to talk to her. She knew that most mercenary units wanted and needed battlefield salvage to keep them in operations for the long term. Most of the time, it was the only way for them to get repair parts. She also knew that this was not just the case with mercenary units out this way.

"Captain Copeland. Let's get something straight. You're not a mercenary unit under contract to the MC or to me, for that matter. That means that legally. You cannot claim salvage rights of any kind in my system. The act perpetrated on you, is a criminal act. One that happened under my watch, and we will be the one's investigating it. If the surviving attackers are convicted of piracy? Then we will handle them, in accordance with the laws that were put down in this system and the relevant laws of the Magistracy government. And not how you think, they should be handled. For all we know. This attack was because you had worked with them before. Then you had a falling out. And they wanted very badly to get even with you, no matter what would happen to them in the process. It's not normal for a pirate attack to keep going, after they had lost the advantage. This group kept gunning for you after they lost all of their fighters and had taken a massive amount of damage to their dropship."

Robert about lost it, when she made the accusations that they might have been working with these pirates. Then his mind started to catch up and worked the issue. She had a very good point. About a revenge attack, and how far this group pushed before making a visible effort to break contact. Before he could say something, Jess jumped in and pulled the station's boss attention towards her.

"What a load of crap! They attacked us! It's more likely, that you are working with them. They were in this system and hiding behind your station. You did not even warn us that an unknown carrier was in this system when we arrived! You let them surprise us!" She was about to levitate out of the chair, and only stopped talking when Robert put his hand over hers. This had the effect of dumping cold water on her attitude.

Jess did not want this woman taking control of this meeting. She needed to give the other woman another target to worry about. She had been studying every bio and social report about the MC, that the Styx had been able to collect. She knew that Captain Copeland would understand her action. It was just too bad that not all of it was acting. She was upset about the accusation of them working with Pirates. If she had been back home? She would have challenged the station manager to a Trial of Grievance.

"Ms. Wilson! They were my people, that were attacked. It is going to cost us not a small amount of funds, to fix the damage and replace the ammunition we used. What would have happened, if we lost one of our crewmembers, during the attack? How would I be able to compensate the surviving family members? We need something, that we can trade later for some cash to pay for all of those things." Robert stepped back into the line of fire. He had to fight a smile down at the way Jess had jumped in to spread out the attention without needing to plan out for it.

Luzena stopped talking and was rocked back in her well-worn high back chair. "How far should she go with this group? "They had been the target of the attack. They had made someone very mad at them, for some reason. That was for sure." She thought to herself, but she kept her face very still. She did not even move her fingers.

"Okay! All cards on the table. You're not going to get anything from those fighters, or the dropships that you might be able to sell." She put her hands up in the air to stop any interruption from the group across from her. "Before the Gran's Peanut. That was the name they gave to Traffic Control when they were dropped off on us, two weeks ago. That had been the first jumpship to stop by, in over eight months. I have been sending messages to the company headquarters on every jumpship and dropship, that has shown up for the last three years now. I have yet to receive a reply, to any of those messages. So, what does that mean for you?"

Luzena looked levelly at Robert. "We are short on some types of parts, and we hope to get them from those wrecks. If that scout jumpship makes any type of threatening move against anyone in this system? I will take it, also. It would be very helpful to me, now and in the future. I kind of hope that they do something, so I and my people can take it over. It's not a question of what you deserve or need. But what we need, to keep over 10,200 people alive and healthy that live in this system. We have two functioning Small manufacturing space stations, and what we can make on this station. That is all we have, to keep everyone alive in this whole star system.

Robert was a little stunned. They had been cut off. They were on their way to becoming another lost system. What he thought, most likely happened, was that someone high up in the company had taken over and hidden this system as their own little piggy bank. Now that person was gone, or dead. Since this was not on anyone's books? No one had known to stop by, to keep getting the profits and products that a mining system should generate.

Robert's mind jumped back to what had been said. "If you have been out of touch, for that long. How have you been able to get food and air for everyone?" Robert was working the problem. This stop had not been visited by any of the resupply runs in the past. He had only known about it due to his access to old SLDF files. He had thought that it might be a good way to get filler cargo, and not spend a lot of capital.

"We can harvest enough food to keep everyone from starving, for now. One of the local mining families had a private little experiment, that they had been working on for some time on their own. They had found an old mined out and hollow asteroid, several years ago. They did some sculpting work on the insides, and then they shifted in some comet ice. They had brought it in by the boat load, on their off time. They said that they were trying to turn it into a 1km diameter greenhouse and waterpark, for kids. After I found out about it. I was able to speed along the project and change its plan. We helped them to make a light rod. One big enough to act as a giant grow light. It will be a few more months, before it will produce anything in a measurable amount. We had a very steep learning curve to get through the test phases. Right now, all we can harvest is limited to our small hydroponics sections spread out on different habitats and gravity decks."

She gave a soft chuckle. "We won't starve, but it's pretty dull on the selection of what we have on the dinner plate for the last six months. We can do that, as long as we have to. That is until we have things sorted out back at the home office, and we are back up in running at full speed."

Robert was thinking about the Colonials and there run from the Cylons. It was centered around how they had been living on vat algae for months. He looked over at Jess who had her nose in her noteputor, she always had with her. She was digging for something, and she would not have been doing that right then. If it was not important, in some way. Robert was thinking also, and he went into multi-tasking mode. He wanted some more information.

"So, have you mined out the whole system?" He was trying to come up with a reason that they had been dumped to die on the vine, if his first idea was wrong. It also let him have a try on getting more up to date information about this system.

Luzena was now leaning forward in the chair and was looking at the group of strangers, like a hawk might look at a rabbit. "Captain Copeland? I don't' think you know the history of this system. This system had been setup by the SLDF Navy as just one more recharging station. It was expanded after the coup. It was used to help support their rebuilding efforts to retake Terra in 2769. It was to supply them with raw materials, to be traded for finished supplies and other support. We have not even worked half of the closest asteroid belts to the jump point, much less the main belt, or the belts closer to the two primary stars. At the rate were going right now. We could double or even triple our output, and still not make it to the main belt in 300 years. So, no! We are not mined out, far from it. All we need is the company to get off the stick, and ship us some parts."

Jess looked up and nodded to Robert, before talking. She had found what she was looking for, and she was now ready to leverage it. Robert gave her a nod. He trusted her not to get him in over his head, much less her head. "Jess? Do you have any input, that you want to make on this?"

Jess put on her saleswoman smile and sat straighter in her office chair. She made and kept eye contact, with the other woman. "I do Captain. Ms. Wilson, you said you have two Small Factory satellites? Why don't you set it into replicate, or go into twin mode? That would increase your manufacturing base. Then they would be better in supporting you in any repairs, or even any new building you need to undertake in this system. That is, if you have the raw material on hand to feed more of those two 2500ton class systems?"

The other woman was not sure how to take, what the other woman had said. She decided to play for time but also not lie. "I'm not sure, I understand what you mean by a Twinning mode Miss. Right now, both of them are just producing parts, on an as needed basest. They both are not running at maximum capacity, but they are in steady use threw all of their four shifts. But they cannot make everything we need to keep functioning, for long."

Jess kept her face in saleswoman mode. "Ms. Wilson, if you have a "copy" program? Or you can reset the computer code. The SLDF made Factory satellites comes with an option for twinning in their base program load. What that does, is to help you make a second facility of equal size. We had this problem on my home planet, a while ago. That is until someone found it buried in an old block of the core computer code, that came with it. If you do have the original load of software? You can manually set it to this mode."

Jess was not moving as she talked. "What it will do? Is that whenever it is not working on something. It will use that time and resources to build parts for a new factory. It even does it, in the order that it needs to be put together in. That way you don't need to have a crew, that has built one before to get them into operation. You also might want to see what is preloaded on those systems in the factories you have in operation. Some have a pretty large set of files on different things, that they can make without the current owner knowing it. That is, if you have the raw ores for them to use. If you don't? Then it's a moot point."

Luzena made a chevron shape with her hands under her chin and was thinking as fast, as she could. "I don't know very much, about how those things are set up. What if we don't have a copy of the original programing? Is there another option?" As far as she knew those two factory sats could only make parts 100tons in mass or smaller from a very limited list.

Robert jumped back into the conversation with both feet. "Well, Ma'am. If that is the case? I would suggest that the next jumpship that comes by? You tell them that you're having problems with your small factory satellite. Let them know that you're willing to pay, and then wait for someone to get you a complete copy for you. That is the sort of low mass, high pay cargo any jumpship captain would jump at with both feet. I would offer my ship, but I have no idea when I will be back this way. I'm not the type of person to say I will do something, then not do it. I have no problem putting the word out at our next few stops, just let me know if you want me to do that."

She did not let her face show it, but she was hoping that these traders might have a copy of the software that they would be willing to sell or trade for. They certainly knew a lot about them. "I will have to check this out. I would like to table that idea for, now. Maybe we can get to working out something, later between our two companies. Now, back to the original problem. The salvage rights to what is left of those pirates."

Robert looked at Jules and then to Jess, but in the end. It was his choice to make. "If you have been actively mining. How about we settle this, with two cargo containers of partially refined industrial radioactive ores. We would be even, I think, on expenses that was caused by the pirates. We can work on another trading agreement, afterwards. We have cargo space that needs filling. We can do it here or somewhere else down the line."

Luzena was thinking hard and looking at every word, he had said. He had just said. That if she did not take them up on this offer? They would not be doing any more trading, with her people. She needed time to find out about this Twinning Mode, they were talking about. She did some quick math in her head. How long had they been charging there jump drives? And then how long did they have left before the engine was fully charged and ready for use? Then she ran the numbers on what it would cost her, to give up 40 tons of ore. She was very good at her job, so it did not take long to run all of the numbers, that she could think of. With that done she came up with a plan. Coming up with a plan had taken the longest amount of time.

She shifted her weight and reached to a device on her desk, and then pushed a button. "Karin. Please contact storage and have two Type 4 shipping containers from lot 56784 sent to Small Craft Bay 6. I need this done, quickly."

Luzena released the button cutting the connection, and then looked back to Robert. "Okay Captain, you have your ore. I think we should go to your ship and inspect it, before you accept it. I would not want you to think that something unfriendly was being loaded onto your ships behind your back." She started to rise from her chair and walk to the hatch. The rest of the people in the room followed her. Behind them at the end of the column, were the two escorts from the Styx.

When they left the stability of the gravity hamster wheel deck, again. They had to pull and float back to the Landing bay. It was holding one of the two Landing craft the Styx had left New Circe with, in her small craft bays. The mixed group entered the pressurized bay without saying a word all the way from the office to the small craft bay. As they were coming in one set of access points in the small craft bay. Other people in ship suits were pushing two free floating 20ton capacity shipping containers in from another set of access doors, on the other side of the cargo bay.

Wilson and Robert checked each of the two containers as a group. Each of the containers was divided into four sections, each one could hold 5 tons of ore in each of the reinforced cells. One of the containers had been loaded with a mix load of actinium, radium, uranium and einsteinium in the lead lined shipping boxes. The other container was loaded with Technetium, Radon, Neptunium, and extremely useful Americium.

Robert let the locals load the containers into the main cargo area of the landing craft. As Luzena and Robert watched, the crew loaded and then secure the cargo in the small craft's cargo bay. It was time for Robert and the woman to have one more conversation in semi privacy.

"Ms. Wilson it was nice to do business with you. If I were you? I would be careful about that scout jumpship. They might want to pull their surviving friends out of here, before they jump. Have they asked about the attack in any way?"

Luzena had a full smile now on her face, as she floated above the scarred deck plating. "Captain! As far as anyone, but your crews, and a handful of my people know. There were no survivors, that lived for more than a few hours after the fighting was over. I would like to keep it that way. If you don't mind.?"

She had shifted the tone in her voice. This man had just surrendered salvage rights to three light aero fighters and a blasted, but still valuable dropship hulk. The working weapons they could pull off two of the fighters were worth more than the ores, that she had just traded. It was a very fair deal, in her mind. It had moved this group out of the column of being a problem and a pain in the neck. Now they were firmly moved into the business partners category. For now, that is. Things like that had a habit of quickly changing in this part of space.

Robert smiled back at the woman. "I can understand that. Now, that we have worked this out, to an equitable conclusion. I should get this back to my ships." He waved to the woman, then floated back to the small craft and boarded her for the return trip back to his ship. He turned to the woman one last time, before clearing the hatch to his ride home.

"I will have my cargo master, contact your cargo master, to see if we can do more business. Please let me know, if our computer people are needed."

The trip back was uneventful, as were the following two days. The only change had been when a formal request of some software support had come in. Jules made an arrangement for two of the crewmembers who were very good with computer systems, and two escorts who were only okay at computers to be transferred. They would be paid directly by the station staff, with Jules acting as an intermediary for the small group. This was so that they were paid a fair amount, for the services they were giving to the locals.

While the small computer team was over on the huge station. The Styx intercepted a request by the Scout. They wanted to get a quick charge, since there did not seem to be anyone who wanted a lift out of this system. The stress level was raised to an extreme level, when the Station's manager asked how they were going to pay for this not inexpensive procedure. The little jump ship said, that they wanted to trade food stuffs and MC credit chits for the recharge. They said, that they could send over their one small craft carried by the jumpship. But it would need to make two trips, to do the job. Getting a quick charge was not cheap.

That option did not go over well, with the Station manager. They countered with the locals coming to pick up the payment, in two small craft. Only one small craft could land in the small craft bay at a time and load cargo of any large size. But each of the station's craft would put two armed ships close, to the little unarmed jumpship. Robert ordered all of his ships to go on high alert, but all of the fire control systems were to remain only in standby mode. While his crews were running to battle stations. He was contacted by Ms. Wilson on laser beam.

They were able to set up a "normal" secure video conference between the two objects in space. She made a request, that if it would not be too much trouble. She would like for Robert and his ship to stay, until the Scout had jumped out of the system. Robert let her know, that he had planned to do just that, but it was kind of her to ask. He told her, over Jess's objection. That he was worried that the little jumpship would try to follow them or report to someone, were they might have gone. He did not want to give any one time, to set up another and more powerful ambush on them further down the line.

They both had a good laugh about that. She offered to reimburse him and his company for any cost this delay might cause. Robert just waved it off, and told her that if they make it back this way? When they were a little more stable, than they might work something out. A couple of days was not going to be that much of an issue for Robert's over all schedule. The transfer of food and energy went without any issues between the station and the scout. That did not mean that both the station and Copeland's ships were not on high alert the whole time.

Two days later. The maybe pirate jumpship left the system, without any more interactions between any of the ships or anything that had been around it. Before the energy wave could dissipate. A radio message was sent to the only remaining jumpship in the star system from the massive space station.

Robert had been spending a lot of time on the bridge. So much so, that he was even taking his meals there. It was not a surprise, that when the message came in. He was on the bridge to receive it in real time. He had been expecting a third jumpship to come in at any minute, full of assault dropships or carriers gunning for them.

"Sir! We are receiving a message from a Ms. Wilson. It reads as a person to person communication." The communication crewmember turned in his chair, to tell the commander of the mission of the possible issue.

"Go ahead and read it aloud, please." Robert had not even looked up at the crewmember. He was working on his own workstation. He was planning their next jump, and the jump after that one. Robert was looking at wrapping up this trip. The one remaining holdup was trying to find any leads, on the right size of dropships that they needed back home. That had proven harder than he had thought that it would be.

The crewmen could tell that the commander was not really paying attention, but it was an order. So, he did as he had been told. "Sir, she requests a dinner with you and your command staff tonight. It advises ship's casual for the dinner clothing."

Now that got Roberts attention, and he looked up from what he had been doing. "Let her know, that we would love to." He thought for a quick second. "Let her know. That we will be taking one of our Landing Craft over in six hours. Also, that is if she does not mind. We will bring the drinks for the dinner." Robert had his fill of drinking "local" made zero g moonshine.

The crewmen gave the reply, he had been told to give. A few seconds later. He then pushed the ear bud deeper into his ear. He had to have the person on the other end say everything twice, and he still did not believe what he had heard.

"Sir? I think it was Ms. Wilson on the other end of the transmission. Anyway, they said plan for a dozen people when you bring the drinks over. They also said that we could bring one of the dropships over, if that was easier for us to make the trip."

Allowing a dropship to dock with the station? That was a major change from the directive, that had been announced within minutes of the attack against the Styx. Maybe that directive was coming to its conclusion. Only small craft with their smaller crews and their limited ability to move and hide a large number of troops, had been allowed to dock with the massive station. It had been reinforced when the Scout Dropship had showed up unannounced.

Robert laughed good heartedly. "I guess, that meant that they are starting to trust some of us. Contact the White Rabbit and let them know that we will be coming over in a few minutes. I would like them to be ready to disconnect from the Styx and make our way to the Olympus. Maybe we will be able to do some trading after all."

That was the end of the communication with the station, and the crew settled back into their work. The blockade runner had more open cargo space, than any other ship under his command at the moment. Besides having a little hidden firepower might just turn out to be handy, if things went sideways at the last minute.

A few hours later the Blockade Runner named White Rabbit with Robert, Jess, and the Cargo Master aboard the ship disconnected from the long jumpship. It was only a thousand miles on a one-way trip to the station at the edge of the null gravity zone, that was the jump point. The egg-shaped ship made its way slowly towards the station, before flipping and then slowing down to a crawl as it got closer to the Olympus. This allowed the small thrusters placed around the large ship to safely fire to make it to the correct docking spot, that the local traffic control had told them to dock to.

The dinner guests were going armed with just their side arms for defense, and a mixed group of crewmembers from the dropship and jumpship were going to explore the station. They also were going armed, just in case. Three small groups of people left the ship at the same time. Only one of the groups had an escort waiting for them when the drop ship docked to the station. It was only one person, and it was not for safety reasons that she was there. She was there to make sure that the dinner guest could find the right location, for the VIP dinner scheduled for tonight. This class of space station was the largest still in general use, by the Inner Sphere. Getting lost was a very real possibility, for anyone not used to their designs.

The dinner was held on one of the many large gravity decks, so that they could eat in comfort like normal people. When Robert and his group arrived, a male steward took the bottles of wine and harder alcohol, that Copeland had offered to bring with them. They were quickly shown to another room, that was not set up for eating. It was set up for socializing, before or after dinner. It was a very rare space to have on an object, that floats in space a long way from any planet. It also showed the visitors, that great care had been given about having them come over.

Luzena Wilson turned to face the group as they entered the room. "Captain Copeland, good timing. I would like to show you and your people something."

She turned back around and pointed to the huge screen on the wall. When Robert and his group walked up to it. Luzena used one of the side controls and it zoomed in on one of the small space base factories. A large block of silvered looking metal was being floated out of its cargo bay. There was not really any way to tell how big it was, at first. That was until another Mk VII landing craft attached some towing cables to the new object. Now they could tell that it was almost the same size, as the 150ton small craft. The group was watching, but not really seeing what was going on before them. All they knew, was that it seemed very important to the system manager. They watched it for almost ten minutes, before the visitors started to shift on their feet.

"Ms. Wilson? I will say I'm at a loss what that module is going to be used for?" Jess was the one asking the question, but the whole group had been thinking the same thing. She had very good timing, and she had saved anyone from making a social error.

The most powerful person in the system turned back around, to face the group. She had a tight-lipped look, then you could see that it dawned on her. "I should have let you know beforehand. We were not sure it the local pirate would have picked up the transmissions, or not. My people were able to crack the computers, and they copied the complete software package on Module Alfa. We now have a copy, and it is stored on this station."

She was pointing to the Small class Factory on the screen. "We then reset the software on Alfa, like you suggested. We are still testing it, before we do the same thing with the other module. But right now? It seems to have worked better, than we had any right to hope for. So far, we know that we have lost all the files on how it is supposed to make parts for our Tigress class ships. So far that is all of the bad news. With the reboot? It deleted all the corrupted files, and some older administrative files. My top tech said that now we have an almost 20% increase in the computer systems speed, after rebooting. She has no idea how that will translate into increased production, but we are sure that it will be a benefit. We shifted all critical support, that we need in the systems to Module Bravo and our workshops. They are working at maximum output, and it can cover everything we need. That is unless we have something major break, again. We are using Alfa to focus on building a replacement satellite. I believe you called it a twin. We are hoping that it will be complete and working in about four to six months, or less. We found all of the files to make all of the parts, that we thought needed to be imported to keep the station going."

Robert was impressed. She must have given the orders before Robert had re-docked with his jumpship after that meeting. "So? What are your long-range plans for them?" He was pointing at Module Alfa, and the part being towed out of sight. She had admitted, that she was not fully using the capabilities that she already had at her disposal. So now what would they do with the additional output they were building?

The woman looked back at the playing images on the screen, but at first did not say anything. Did she want to let them know what she was planning? It was not treason, but how could they use that information against her and her people. They had been the ones to help her. And they had not asked for anything in return, for that help. That was the kicker for her, to tell them her long range plans. She was interrupted before she could say anything incriminating, by the bell announcing that dinner was being served.

The group left the meeting room and returned to the room that held the long dining table. Robert had to force himself not to lift up the ornate table covering and look at the table that was beneath it. He would have bet that the table would have been in one of the group mess halls or even a worktable in a shop, until a few hours ago. You could not tell from the top, but he was sure that these people would not have a dedicated formal dinner table set aside. Just as a just in case, a VIP meal was needed to be sat on it.

Each seat had a name plate sat next to it, so that a good mix could be made of the group. As the food was served and the bottles opened, that Robert and his group had brought. This help lubricate the group at the table, and soon small talk broke out among them. Robert was willing to let the small talk continue. He had a feeling this was almost like a Founding Day meal that was held back home, once a year. He did not want to be the one to bring up work, and possibly ruin the atmosphere. As it turned out after the main course was set, Ms. Wilson brought work back into the conversation.

"Captain Copeland, you were asking about my long-term plans a while ago. I was thinking of just blowing you off, but then I had some time to think. If it was not for you and your crew stopping by, and more importantly staying and helping. We would not be able to do this. So maybe, it's not that much of a risk to let you in on my little plan."

The part of the dinner guests, that lived in the system were both smiling and chuckling at her comment. "After we reset Alfa, some of my people started going through the list of things the auto factory could produce. Beside the Twinning mode you told us about and the Olympus files, I told you about. I, and more importantly the crews, on that station did not know that they could make. We just would produce what we have always been using them to make. After they get that new factory up and running, Charley will twin again. I want four more of those things up and running in this system, as soon as we can. That is my short-ranged goal, which I would like to have done in less than a year."

She was watching Robert very closely as she spoke. "After that? Then my midterm goals are a bit vaguer, for right now. We are very short in the total number of small crafts, that we should have on hand. I hope to rectify that and build maybe twenty additional small craft of various types, that we need in this system to keep everyone safe. We should be able to fix that shortage very quickly, with two new factory satellites working on the problem almost full time. We also do not have any heavy lift capability in system, like dropships, that are left that are in working order. We had an old Buccaneer, but it had a catastrophic engine failure that killed the whole crew. That was when I started trying to reach the home office and notice something might be wrong."

Robert was listening and taking mental notes as she kept talking. That little bit of information did explain why they had only used small craft to recover all of the wrecks. This system had not only been on its last legs, it had been on its last toes when they had jumped in. They might have been six months to a year away, from being another abandon and lost system.

Luzena kept talking, after she stopped to have a sip of wine. "I have notified my crews, in the repair bay. That they are level 3 for priority, on anything they need to fix the Pirate Leopard CV. That puts them only below anything to support what we have now in operation, and production to support the twinning process for the new factories."

She held up her hand to stop anyone from saying something. "Yes! I know that it would be cheaper in man hours, just to scrap it. But I think that it will be worth it, just to get those teams some practice on working on a craft of that size. At least before they have to start building a second dropship from scratch. I would like to have two of those fighter carrier dropships, under my orders for defense of this system. It would make us a tougher target for any pirates, that might still be around. So, besides a second dropship? My long-term goal is to have a medium class factory module built." Now, she stopped talking and looked at the faces around the table, to see if she could read what they were thinking.

Robert was not that surprised, by what she had said. It was that he was surprised, by the scale of her plans. He had thought that she was an ambitious person. Now he had been proven correct, about that assumption. "Ms. Wilson. First off? There is a big difference between a 2,500ton small module, and a 17,000ton medium class factory station. You cannot just copy the software from what you have and install it on one of those monsters. They just don't work that way. I have no idea where you could find anything like that, outside of a major Inner Sphere house. You might want to take the increase personnel requirements, and just build more of the smaller modules. After you get a few of them built. They can grow exponentially, but you would need more people. The good part? It would be that all of your people would be trained on that one type of facility."

Robert kept a slight smile on his face, as he got ready to drop his cold shower. "You want to build a dropship on your own? That is impressive. Me, I just would sell spare parts to any passerby. All it would take is two or three visitors, before word got out that you had spare parts for jumpships, and some dropships. I would keep it very quiet, that you're making most of the parts yourselves. It could draw a lot of unwanted attention to you. That unwanted attention could come with a lot of firepower. And besides, you would get more value for finished products, than you can from ores."

Luzena smiled back at Robert. "I was thinking about that and having the smaller modules. They would make it harder, if we are raided. It would be less of a total loss. If we lost one of those to a damaging by a raid of some kind, compared to losing a medium sized one. The downside? It is that they are limited to parts that are a certain size and mass. Say no items more than 200 tons or so. That would make replacing major sections of the Habitats or this station almost impossible. Much less supplying the repair bays, with parts to support any dropship, and jumpship repairs that they might have to perform. There is a way around it, but it would take a lot of skill on our crewmember's part. I would like word to get out. That we have open repair bays, or a very short wait time for them.

Luzena had a glassy eyed look. "We already have the metallic resources, and if we can get more traffic? That will bring in foods, organics, expendables and other luxury items that we can use. I already had been told about the special software needed to run a larger sized Factory satellite. I was told that it would be different, and very hard to find. That is short of a major capital world. I know of about six different systems that have that class of module in operation. I worked with each of them firsthand. I hope, that by the time the larger module is complete. I will be able to beg, pay, or steal a copy of the software for us to use." She said the last part with a slight laugh, but Robert was not too sure it was meant totally in jest.

Robert smiled and went into salesmen mode. He put his silverware down, took a sip of wine and got ready to skin this cat. "Well, Ms. Wilson."

Luzena interrupted Robert before he could finish. "Captain please, call me Luzena." A few of her people almost choked on their food, and they could not hide it from the visitors. Not one of them had ever heard this person offer up her first name to anyone, ever!

Robert let a sly smile come to his salesmen's face. "Okay Luzena. Then please call me Robert. Now that we are on a first name basis." This was going well Robert thought. "Let's see what we can do about some battlemech trading."

The woman nodded and shot a look at her subordinates. A look that said if you say a word. I will put you out an airlock, without a spacesuit. She was enjoying having someone, that she thought was her equal. That was rare for her, and she would not want to waste the time.

Robert just let it go and tried to make it look like he didn't notice. The look she had given to the people around her. "If you're looking at having two carriers and your fighters in the bays on this station filled? Then you're going to be short some fighters. I have a few, that I am willing to sell. We don't have much in the way of repair parts for them, but we have six fighters and one more that is wrecked but repairable. If you can find the parts for it?"

Luzena smiled at the older man. "Thank you, Robert. That is very kind of you. But we are short on cash, and we can't trade too much more of the ores we have on hand to you. I have written contracts for most of what we have on hand, and most of them have paid half in advance for them. If I knew that they would not be coming for it, or the contracts were fake? Well, that would be a different story. Until they are in breach of contract, on their end? I just cannot risk it. I would love to have three or four more fighters, but I just don't have the capital. If I did? I would be writing up the paperwork, right now and not having drinks with you.

Robert had hoped that he would be able to move the dropship. But if she did not have the capital to purchase one or two fighters? Then there was no way she would be able to get the capital together to buy the White Rabbit from him.

"Luzena, I had to try. I am a merchant, after all." He smiled at the women and around to the rest of her team. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew that things were still going well, just like any other dinner between friends.

The rest of the meal and after dinner drinks was a nice diversion, for all of the participants of the dinner. Most people would have said, that very little work was accomplished. But this could turn out to be a groundbreaking agreement between a would-be supplier, and a transport company. That same company, that also seemed to have a knack for making powerful people mad. They also had a knack for having high tech items to trade, to anyone who might want to pick up a few.

The crew of the White Rabbit, and its cargo master were not any luckier trying to find bulk cargos. The station just did not have the ready supply for sale that they needed. Several times offers were made to sign a contract with only half or less down, for delivery at some later date. They reported, later to the command staff. That the mood of the locals had improved markedly, when word went out that the first part of the new factory module had been placed into orbit.

There had been a special news announcement, that the second part of the module was now under construction on Alfa. All of the inhabitants were advised, to be careful, and that any new parts or tools that had to be made. That it would slow the construction on the new support station. A timer was displayed on select screens around the station, which showed a countdown to when the next part of the module would be launched. A second set of numbers were listed as an estimate of when the new factory station might be completed.

When Robert was told about this later that night, when they all had returned to the White Rabbit. He had to admire Ms. Wilson, for that bit of fiction about the building of the new module. It was somewhat true. It would slow them down, when they had to divert resources to support making other things. It would also make it seem that Joe Public, had a hand in directly building the new craft. Robert thought to himself, that he needed to remember that little trick. You never know when something like that might come in handy, later.

Early the next day. The dropship separated from the recharging station and reattached itself to the jumpship that would carry it away from this station. When the White Rabbit had started its way back to the jumpship. It had notified the station Traffic Control, that the jumpship Styx would be leaving this system. Robert was on the bridge of the Styx when it was time to leave.

They had to wait for the jump sail to be fully folded and stored. This had caused an unexpected delay. It was when there was a problem with the system, that was used for this job. It had simply quit working halfway through the exercise of pulling the sail in. It was a simple fix, of a part that was known to wear out often. That meant that they had spares on hand, in the limited cargo area of the jumpship to do the repairs. The crew had replaced this type of part, twice already on this mission. The odds were that it would need to be replaced again, before they were able to get home.

Before the jump drive was activated, Robert sent a personal message to the mistress of the station. He was telling her, that he hoped to be back this way again. But he did not know when that would be. He wished her luck on her expansion plans, and that he would pass along the information about her open repair bays.

Notes:

Deck plans for a recharge station. I could not find any deck plans or other information about what the layout on something like the Olympus class station might be. So, I made it up.

Supply contracts. Those were legal and valid documents, as far as she had proof of. If no one comes to pick up those orders? Then she can legally resell them to any third party. I did not want Robert to get to much stuff from this system.

Any Jobs for those that fail the few active military slots each year? What better job for a failed almost elemental, but a job working with heavy weapons.

Good guys/Bad guys? You make friends and sometimes you make enemies. By now Copeland had two enemies. Now they have one low powered friend (meat factor) and one middling powerful one (systems manager). We will have to see about the rest.

Missing/lost system. ComStar made 5 whole star systems disappear, so what is to say that a company could not make one small outpost fall off of the books.