Travel Interlude (aka Sakhara +)
Imperator Pax
Talon Master
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Travel Interlude (aka Sakhara +)
Henry leaned back in his chair looking over the Pratt and Whitney information, but only really half paying attention to the financial paper work. He had considered as the deadline had gotten closer rushing, pushing the resources into it to bring the Shipyard online... and he had held off... but it had been tempting. The mechs showing was, it had been tempting... maybe he had over done it to... but industry couldn't be treated as magic. Technology shouldn't be treated as magic, and that might have he admitted to himself at least seemed hypocritical given he had magic to make technology more or less out of thin air, but there needed to be industrial competition.It was why he had considered shoving money into existing corporations in hostile take over schemes if it came to that... which it hadn't. Still they needed to publicize that you could still manufacture new ships, by building new yards, that that wasn't lost, that wasn't something humanity could no longer do. So that first Star Lord being built would need to come online sometime next year, and then the year after that they could take ship number two and offer first option to buy to House Davion.
And then they'd go from there ... and he was already looking out to six seven months out, and when the prospect of most of his friends would be going off to their first real duty stations. It played a part, it was impossible to pretend it didn't especially since in Justin's case he had some idea about what was coming... and seen what Justin was up against in terms of public opinion.
... and well it hadn't helped the situation that that when one just got down to it, Michael Hasek-Davion rubbed him the wrong way.
"So we're going to Robinson right?"
"Yeah, that's right." He replied to Justin's question. Justin's question demonstrated he was ignorant of the internal mulling, "He's," He leaned forward, and extended a sheet of paper from another stack, "Bringing on some of the RBA cadets, for... politics and stuff, I think there is going to be some of kind of small tourney for the cadets or something."
"When did you find out?"
Henry shrugged, "Basically this morning." There had been an email about it from 'technically' last night after lights out, but, it had been last minute... maybe something had gone out through the HPG network, or maybe it had just been failed to be mentioned. Maybe he had just failed to note a social cue or implied to the effect of. "So you know, good luck."
"Is, is that why Alexandria is bringing her Orion?"
He shrugged again, "I wouldn't doubt it," It wouldn't have surprised him if she had volunteered herself, or if the Vice Chanellor had played the honor of the school card up to here as ... most likely valedictorian or whatever, but they would have to see what happened. "Anyway, I get the impression its cadets from the Battle Academy, Avalon."
"Probably Northwind." Justin noted, "Might see..." he stopped to think about it... "I don't know maybe some of the other schools, Lex is probably serious about making a splash there. You brought the Rabid Fox,"
"Yeah, but I had planned to do that anyway. Its cadets only." He reiterated.
Justin snorted, "Right, you know there is a good chance if Avalon's in the run up, my little brother he's over there."
Henry found that to be unlikely, but then again... decided to defer disputing the point, "What does he pilot?"
"Valkyrie." Justin pivoted on the defensive after he said, "What it could happen."
"They're not going to put you up against anyone in a light mech, its ridiculous brother or not... besides even if he was in the tournament he'd be just as likely to run into Lex in the running." and very much doubt Alexandria would have any issue using her Orion's mass to layout a Light Mech regardless of who the pilot was.
--
Alexandria had the benefit of a large and comfortable suite aboard the JumpShip. It wasn't quite all of the comforts of home, but near enough... it was actually a step up from some of the amenities of the dorms.
She considered herself better prepared this time. The docking with the Star Lord meant they'd be leaving soon.. and on the other hand they'd be taking the circuit that connected Sakhara with Robinson first... she wasn't sure if that meant there was a ship waiting in Kestrel or not... but she supposed it it didn't matter.
Her father, the reigning Duke, and Justin's father should already both be on New Avalon... but they were going on New Avalon to to collect the Duke of Robinson, as well as the Duchess of Victoria... they were also going to drop off machinery for Robinson's industrial works.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that Robinson and Sakhara would likely both end up producing BattleMechs that would flow to New Ivaarsen. Only an idiot couldn't recognize that leaving aside political connections, Ivaarsen was to important to leave under defended, the world was wealthy, pro Davion, and was the gateway for any Combine attack on either Robinson or deeper into the Federated Suns, and that the opposite was true. New Ivaarsen, and Royal sustained what was effectively a salient into the Combine.
It was what she expected Yvonne Davion to question her about... even if she didn't necessarily ascribe to the idea that they were actually having the cadets game out actual Combine positions. That rumor had been going on since they had started the larger exercises... maybe if they had been closer to the Capellan front the Combine wouldn't have so overshadowed the perspective, but more likely the exercises were genericized in the interest of being teaching material.
Whatever the case she had brought her assignments with her... even if she suspected there would be too much to do...
A chime sounded letting her know to make her way to the dining hall aboard the ship. Justin was already complaining about how much longer from the sound of it by the time she got there.
"We'll make the jump to Bettendorf in a few hours, Franklin and then Robinson," Henry sipped his coffee, "The time table is mostly based around separation and docking." She wondered if The Duke of Robinson, and Yvonne Davion were then already en route or docked aboard the JumpShip in Robinson, "We'll rendezvous with the others, jump to DeWitt and then from Kestrel two more jumps and then to New Avalon."
A time table being measured in days not months... and JumpShips carrying signficant amount of material... just the trip from Sakhara to deliver whatever were in the holds of the cargo dropships was ... probably an eye watering volume of cargo in terms of monetary value. Reports of which Justin was just leaning on as if he didn't have a care in the world. "Hey I was gonna ask," Her cousin questioned still slouching, and while she couldn't be sure his empty glass had probably been a beer, "When did you find out about this tournament that is happening?"
She paused, of course that would have been his priority, the implication had of course been there when they had left. A dozen BattleMechs had been brought to New Avalon as a gift to the academy there, something was going to have to be done a set of lists was likely, "Officially I suppose I knew the evening before we left," She replied, "I certainly suspected that some sort of holiday festivities were a given not that I necessarily presumed to participate." The diplomatic answer wasn't precisely what Justin was looking for, so she continued, "I expected that the cadets from New Avalon might duel one another, but its not all together unreasonable that we should be invited to represent Sakhara, or that other schools of the realm those of note should participate..."
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