Chapter 26

By Cliff

Beta and Clean up: Not done

Reviewed by Hotpoint and Cannonshop

15 Oct 3047 the second run

New Circe

Robert was looking around the bridge of his ship. He saw all of the old faces from the last trip. On one side of his chair was Jules, the new ship's commander and now holding the rank of Captain. On Roberts other side was Jess, who was the head of the intelligence section and now officially the third in command of the convoy. Not all of the mission's crewmembers were returning for the second resupply run. This was for two main reasons. One was because of the advance age of some of those veterans, and the second was for money. Then there was the laundry list of other reasons, which would support someone's decision to decline volunteering for the mission. All they "needed" to do was fail a protocol test, and then they would be off the mission. The younger ones would not stay that much longer at home, not with a major war going on around them. They just would be put in the replacement personnel pool, and soon they would be supporting the war effort in other ways. It just would give them some more time off.

Every crewmember had been making a basic salary, for the 9 months that they had been gone from New Circe. That was a pretty nice nest egg to come back to, and then you could add on what they could have spent of their trip's bonus money on items to bring back home. That was enough funds, that it was leading to a good start on an early retirement. The final kicker was the payout from the sale of the items from the general cargo. On all of the other runs? It had taken years to move all the items, without over saturating the market.

It could also be years before anyone could get a share of the profits, after all the bills had been paid to support the resupply run. This time it was "only" 10,000 tons of cargo, with a large number of people to split the cargo across the whole planet. The final major sale had been done three weeks ago. The lowest ranked person in the crew had gotten at least 150,000 SL script bonus, after taxes. Some of the older crewmembers had decided to take the money and relax in style, for a few years. They still would have to do any reserve and special training that they were called to do by the military. But other than that? Many would be spending time with children or grandchildren and fishing poles.

The Merchant class jumpship and a blockade runner going by the name of Rob Roy, it was carrying. All were already attached to the underside of the Tramp class jumpship SLS Styx. The jumpship was already carrying three dropships opposite of the attached unmanned jumpship and her one egg shaped cargo. To more than a few people, who saw the mass of metal, as they flew by in small spaceships. It looked slightly obscene. The heavy hitter in the convoy was still the Leopard CV class modified dropship, called the Hobgoblin. It was carrying the same six fighters, which it had on the last trip to the Inner Sphere.

The second most powerful ship in the fleet, was the Trojan Class Blockade Runner, White Rabbit. This time it had been modified to take in lessons learned from the first trip to the Inner Sphere. The first modification was that it had been outfitted with artificial gravity deck plating in her crew living quarters. This would improve the health and morale of the crew on the almost year long trip. The second modification had been the slight reduction in cargo space, to fit two squads worth of infantry bays within her freshly painted hull.

The last major modification was a bit harder to notice, and it had taken the longest to accomplish of all of the major modifications. Now every access point on the ship had been modified in some very unusual ways. This was done to hopefully counter any future run-ins with anymore ComStar supplied or black-market Hacking Decks. Each hatchway had been loaded with modified software, and a few new physical devices hidden from even a detailed inspection. If anyone made it that far and still wanted to keep pressing their luck? They would have a high-powered shock plate to get physically over. The Navy staff had taken all of the AARs findings very seriously, and the input of those personnel involved in the mission. Then a few of them had spent some brainstorming time at the main bar of Pirate Pete's.

The third and last dropship on this mission was the Mule class dropship called Lisbon Maru. She also had been modified like the blockade runner, Carrier, and the jumpship. She also lost some cargo space to carry two squads of infantry or marines and the modified access control points, as well as gravity plates in the sleeping spaces.

All of that work had not been cheap, and the work had been rated at the topmost priority for the whole fleet. The modification had been a last-minute addition, as far as modifying spaceships went. They had been moved to the top of the priority list, as soon as the second resupply run had been green lighted. If not maybe just a little before and hidden from the budget people on the Station. That the modifications could be done on the planet and did not need to use the limited space on the Station, helped conceal this work.

This time the supply run was not kept secret, from the rest of the planet. This was better in some ways, and not so good in other ways. At least this time? They would not have to travel out to the "normal" jump points, before they started the run. They would be starting the trip, right here at the L 1 point near the planet. The downside was that he was getting about a dozen messages an hour, demanding that they make room for someone not on the approved list. Clan Wolverine knew that the ships belong to the SLDF Navy, but most in the Colonies did not grasp this little bit of data. It was not how the refugees from the Colonies of Kobal, were used to both doing business and reality. That was how they saw it from their point of view.

The new jump location was one of the changes, he had suggested. That along with the addition of the gravity plating had been his ideas. Higher command had not taken all of his ideas, as easily as those two. They had not given in on getting one of the longer ranged DRADIS systems fitted into the jumpship. They also did not let him take one of the few Mammoth class dropships, much less the even larger but even fewer within the SLiE Behemoth class dropship. The rumor mill had said that they were still looking at the idea for using the Mammoth in the future, but not near future.

They could still bring back a little less than 10,000 tons of cargo, but that seemed like a lot of work for just one payout. Robert was working on some ideas on how to improve both his defenses and cargo lifting power of the ships under his command. In one of the last meetings, he had fielded a few more of those ideas to Commander Xi. The reception had been positive, at least about the core of his ideas. He had been given the green light to see what he could make happen on his own, and that he could keep off of the books until his next AAR.

The one thing that had been Okayed, was the upgrading of the main weapons in the Tramp Class jumpship to a front-line tech level. A precedent had been set with the sending of first generation of the extended ranged weapons on the last mission. The same rules would apply to the clan tech ER large laser. They would only be able to be fired at "normal" first generation ER weapons range. This would give him a nice hold card, if things went sideways. In one of the books he had brought back on the last trip, it had showed that new Tramp Class ships were being built. Not only were new ships of that class coming off of maybe two different production lines. They were outfitted with Star League extended ranged large lasers and anti-missile systems. At least that was the reason he was given for the upgrade. He had no idea about the ship out of time and the possible future.

Robert thought, that some of the readers of those reports might have had to be sent to the nearest hospital when they found out that the Inner Sphere also was beginning to outfit ships with Lithium-Fusion Battery systems in place of the cargo areas. That was going to help with the cover story, on why the Styx could not carry the 3,000 tons of cargo she should be able to. Now all they would have to do, was to keep the cover story intact.

This got Robert to thinking about what he was carrying for trading or selling on this trip. They had to sell the newly repaired Merchant class jumpship M/V Altmark, which the Styx had recovered. It along with the Trojan class dropship Rob Roy, would bring a huge capital advantage. That is, if they could find someone to sell them to. They also were carrying smaller items that would be easier to move, but they also would not bring as much in trade as one lump sum. They had one hundred office computers in space safe boxes, along with 100 old late Star League ultra-class 5 auto cannons. For the first time, they were also going to be carrying 50 late Star League tech extended range PPCs. Every one of them had been made before the Exodus. They were found in Cache sites or pulled off of the surviving machines from the time of them fleeing the rest of clan space. Clan Wolverine had not made that type of weapon since around 2825.

These autocannons were not as used, as the first set they had carried. They still were well used by the SLDF ground, aero fighters, and dropships. They were also going to try to sell the fighters the Hobgoblin carried. Robert had pointed out, when they got back, that if they sold them all? They would be almost defenseless. This time? Six additional heavy fighters that had been pulled out of the cache sites on the far side of the planet, were loaded as extra cargo on one of the dropships. They would join the wrecked Vulcan fighter in a cargo bay, in stackable cradles copied from the ones used to transport trucks. As the older fighters were sold or traded? One of the stored fighter craft would be brought out and it would replace the sold craft on defense duty.

The SLDF in Exiled supplied items, were not the only items packed down in the cargo bays on two of the dropships. The Colonials had also added some items to trade. Those had been cleared by the leadership in both camps, and they had agreed that they would not risk anyone finding out who they had come from. A set of 100 over and under pistols and 100 of their marine rifles with 100 rounds of ammunition per weapon, were packed down in easily disposable shipping crates.

It was not known how they would sell to the rest of the Inner Sphere, so only two tons of cargo space had been allocated to them. If they sold well? The rest of the old and removed from service Colonial projectile weapons would be sold to the Inner Sphere on any follow up runs. Only a few would be kept back for research and possible placement in museums or private collections. Few Colonials thought that they would still be useful as front line weapons in 5 to 6 years anyway. At least this way, they would generate some income for the city state.

These old weapons were joined by 100 new built Blazer rifles. Each weapon had been checked by a SLDF armorer and cleared to be fully functional. This had not gone over well with the Colonial in charge of the school, which had made them in the first place. Then 10 of the heavy weapons had failed to work and had needed to be sent back to the school for repair. The Colonial instructors had turned almost purple, and they had not said a word that Robert could hear. Robert had no idea they could have that many Blazer rifles to trade, but that was what was loaded. He was betting that more than one person in the Military of the Colonials was not happy about that large of a number of those things being sent off planet. It was not his place to care. Every laser weapon they sold, was one that was not in the hands of the Colonial military. But it was more money to buy other things that the Colonial Military very badly needed.

Having supplies from two different groups would make his and his limited staff's job a lot harder. Now he had to keep two complete sets of books on what was sold and what was bought. The results of the sales of those items would be used to acquire items, which the Colonial government had listed out as things they wanted. He also would have to make sure that the inventories would have to be watched very closely. Then again, that was why each cargo capable ship under his command had a designated Cargo Master.

Robert gave a slight snort as his mind played over what was on the shopping list on this run. The one good thing going for the Colonials. It was that Admiral Adama, was not a fool. He knew they did not have much in the way of trade goods to buy stuff. Bill, with Robert, had arranged for a private tour of the Styx not long after the impressively long list had been set to his office. The Colonial had explained what was not in the memo that Robert had been given. The Admiral had told Robert the priority for anything that the funds their items might make, were to be used on. It was a lot shorter of a list than "The Official" list. He had brought a digital copy of one of the books that Robert had brought back. It took him a few minutes to fine the images that he was looking for. He was not used to using a Star League type of computer interface.

First on the list was a combat engineer vehicle, the book gave it a list price of around 460,000 C-bills. Next on his wish list, was a Karnov UR VTOL Transport. It was listed at 550,000 C-Bills coming new off the production lines. He also asked about watercraft that could be good for light protection duties on rivers and maybe close ocean work. Robert reminded the Colonial that both items were not that high tech of an item to acquire, and that they might be of limited combat utility. Admiral Adama had not said a word, but he just looked over the rim of his glasses at Robert.

After a few long seconds of quiet. Bill Adama had started talking about the different types of books, that if he can find them. They would like a copy of. It was a broad range of books, which went from history, to religious, to technical manuals. The Admiral made sure to point out. That the books were a distant third on the list of things he wanted, and his people needed. Anything after that was well down on the list of priorities. When the Colonial military officer left the Styx? Robert would write in his journal, about how impressed he was with the craggy faced man. He understood why the Colonial Military had given him the command of a battleship and the rest of their fleet without batting an eye. When his people recovered, and he was still viable. He was going to be hell on the space ways, like something out of a holovid.

The odd items that the Colonial had wanted, was added to the wish list, minus the books, to the overall list. The list from Robert's people was basically the same as he had been given on the first run, but all of the Jumpship parts had been removed. It was felt that they did not need to add anymore to the story that the first run had started. Their dossier should now be well established. The parts they had brought back, and had not been used on the Merchant, had been modified to support other of the older SLDF support ships. In place of those parts, was added what Robert, Jules and Jess all thought was really damn dangerous. When he had brought this up to Commander Xi? She had locked his heels and told him that it was needed. He had no idea why Elizabeth Anne Ngo from Kowloon was so important, but he would do his best to "Find every scrap of data on her".

According to the information they now had from the books and consolidated into a formal brief by SLIC. It was found out that maybe a clan unit called Wolf's Dragoons, was in operation around the Inner Sphere. That unit had seen major combat in the House Marik civil war, which had happened back in 3014. Robert had been directed to try to buy one of the lost Wolf's Dragoons mechs that might have been salvaged. They did not just want any mech, that might have been bought somewhere in the Inner Sphere and used by that mercenary group. They wanted only the ones from a list, which were known to be only used by Clans and lost to the great houses for over 100 years. If he could find this small item, and then bring it back to the big brain types. It would be taken apart and checked against known clan manufactory techniques and other marks and stamps. Ones that Clan Wolverine had in data files and in some cases, examples were in storage.

Robert looked out the massive armored windows of his ship. The area around the L 1 was very quiet, compared to the space around the different orbits in the local space around the planet. The main ships for both the Colonial Navy and the Star League in Exile's Navy, were getting ready for a major movement of their own. Rumor had it, that they were planning on a deep raid into Cylon controlled space. Robert was not "in the know" but it looked like they were bringing the heavy hammer down on the thinking machines. This attack force would be home before he and his people would be able to, unless they were dead.

Robert saw one of the crewmember's float threw the hatch and pulled herself down into a chair. Robert now was back into the real world. He was still wondering, if not outfitting the command and weapons areas with the Colonial made artificial gravity plating was a good idea or not. With a shake of his head, he got his mind into the right head spacing. "Okay, Jules. What do you say? Let's get the wheel rolling one more time."

Robert pushed a button that activated the communication line to all of the crewed ships. "To all crews, on all ships. We are about to start our run. All protocols are now fully enforced. We have a job to do, and all of our people are counting on us. We will not let them down. The jump clock is set at two hours, before our first jump."

Robert cut the line and nodded to the new Captain of the modified jumpship Styx. Jules took the nod and gave his own commands. In 2 hours and 10 seconds. Over half a million tons of jumpship, dropship, cargo, and crew were gone. It happened when the newly checked out, but very old jump drive system that had been built into the 660m long jumpship had ripped it out of one part of space and put it in another.

Felix looked out of the bridge of his new command. The bridge of "his" ship was well forward of the massive aft mounted rotating ring. He was watching the ugly, to his eyes, mass of metal as it winked out of this system. Just as the ship so ugly only her captain could love her, had left this star system. He reached down and scratched his new leg. He still thinks that it is longer than his old one. And it seemed to always tingle at the oddest of times.

Felix Gaeta had taken over this ship, after her old master decided that he had enough of space and combat. He had taken over and started working with the SLDF Navy Tug Wrench and another SLDF made and crewed cargo dropship. All of the specialized personnel were living in the open cabins that this ship had, and at one time had held high paying customers.

At first the other two working vessels, had just been "tied" to the outer hull of the Colonial made ship. After their return with the first "found" wreck. Three Dropship collars were attached to the port side outer hull. There were now 4 collars, and the same two helper dropships were still working with her. Felix had just signed off on the plan to extend that number to 8 SLiE style docking collars. He was looking forward to taking on a different mission. But only after they had removed the dangers of the Cylons from finding any "lost" technology, which could give them an advantage over the rest of the human race. Soon his ship would start to have some teeth, but that was going to be a little further down the road. Soon his ship would have weapons pulled off of some of the salvaged ships she was finding. The more lost ships that his crew recovered. The sooner his vessel would get some "real" weapons.

The first jump of the Styx was using the standard drive, as a final test of its last rebuilding cycle. One hour, after arriving at the point safely. All systems were charged, and the Colonial made drive was brought online. With a quick goodbye transmitted to the nearby Magellan class jumpship, the Styx was gone again. With all of the engines tested. They now were going 15 light years an hour. At the end of a dozen hours of travel? They had traveled almost 200 light years from their home star system. As with before. They spend the rest of the "day" at rest to give their people a break and to check out all the ships systems. Before they would do it again the next day. It did not take them long to get into a pattern of jumping for 12 hours and then standing fast for 12 hours in orbit around some star.

The modified Leopard would be leading on the 4th day of traveling, and from then on. On the last trip they were only traveling eight hours a day and going farther with each jump. The math said they could make longer jumps, but Robert was not going to push the engines this early if he did not have to. Due to better planning, or maybe it was just better luck. The odd collection of moving metal did not run into any strangers, all the way to the split point.

Notes:

Mission focus. This trip will be a more of a blend of Intel gathering as well as supply gathering. Now that SLIC knows what questions to ask. They can be more active in sending RFIs (request for information).

Making the Blazer Rifles. Most of the first few runs would not be useable for the field. The instructors and students would both be learning at the same time. The test is still in the early phases on whether to field these weapons to any Colonial personnel. Right now, it is just another squirrel or shiny object for people to look at.