New Avalon 2.5
His mind was filled with numbers, just as the papers in front of him were a survey of shipping rates, the projected costs of having to move something DropShip, and JumpShip across space. Given how in demand those numbers were he doubted to see much change.
In a market setting if he needed to he could buy using the essence with either C-Bills or BV buy something with BV sell it for C-Bill value but if he bought something either way and sold it it it might take longer but he could sell at a mark up reflective of market conditions in the 3
rd Succession War, and the same held true of manufacturing new in this era. That required having a buyer, handling other factors in business and what not and it was a matter of time.
The lesson, of course that Henry understood was to not focus on the margin, but on volume... if he could bring large volume to market it a low profit margin for individual unit sold was less important than selling fewer for more. If he was going to do that he needed to be able to reasonably produce, and diversify production across multiple sites. Diversified production in this case was not international in this case... money was important and all... but his priority was the Federated Suns, activity and influence in the Federated Suns. Business partners, and deals with people operating in the Lyran Commonwealth or the Free Worlds League, people who held certain licenses who would have to be interacted with were one thing... but diversification needed to be inside the Federated Suns borders... just not...
... not on New Avalon. There was already so much going on here, he just couldn't fathom adding to the eggs in the basket... well at least so long as his options remained open... given what he knew of the wider universe if he didn't have any choice then he'd do it... but he doubted it was going to be an issue. "No I am currently expecting that late next year we should be able to expedite full scale production of centurions," He said after a minute. "There again really the principle bottleneck is the assembly line, once we have the assembly line put together and a steady chain of supply I think we will should be good."
Justin just nodded, as down on the level below techs worked to safety check his cataphract for the upcoming tournament.
It wouldn't matter that he didn't understood... that the commentary the dancing around was going right over his head. Justin would have graduated by that point, by the time the Centurion's entered full scale production.
That would be the real change. The truth was he would likely prioritize heavier production ... that was larger BattleMechs to be produced on Bristol, closer to New Avalon. There were other factors, but some of it was the thinking of avoiding placing assault battlmech lines on Sakhara for mass production ... he was already probably putting the planet at a lot of risk, what with it being so close to the Combine border. There were political reasons as well... and that at least Justin did grasp.
"Oh yeah you told me, Hanse Davion pilots a BattleMaster, the whole engine deal." The senior cadet nodded in what he no doubt interpretted as macho and surety in things.
"Yes if I can secure Bristol I'll diversify mech production," And truthfully if he didn't receive Bristol, he could work around that... but given the discussion and with the shipyard completed he expected they were going to move forward.
--
IN security terms Yvonne Davion knew that attempts would be made, and the truth was she expected that all of the late First Prince's Children understood that... not just Hanse, and Ian... which presented her with a problem that was both political and personal in nature. Especially in the light of the increasing fractious relations within the royal branch. Between the true born brothers, and their base born sister and her husband's machinations... and ambitions.
... and that was largely without them knowing what it was Ian had planned. Before Halstead talks with the Commonwealth had been a matter or could have been looked at just a matter of determing where the new archon stood.
That the new archon hoped to discuss a détente in the conflict, and the possibility of peace between the successor states more or less on the modern boundaries were something that House Davion could largely agree to. There would be objections, but she doubted that they would be serious enough to impede formal treaties between the Federated Suns and the Lyran Commonwealth... because well to be frank one had to recognize that peace between two of the states was an admirable goal, but she doubted that the Combine would simply agree.
The trade treaties from before Halstead between Davion and Steiner were small things, building blocks, the beginnings of a foundation... but more than that Ian hoped to secure his realm's borders further. Idly she was greateful that Ian was just sitting down for this meeting.
"Can we predict what the general's response will be?"
She looked up over her folded hands at the question from the First Prince, "No," Yvonne replied simply, "And truthfully we don't know enough ourselves... if our analysts are correct which I would be willing to wager they are... Clay's household are as we have discussed descendants of SLDF troops." In itself that was nothing, there would be no reason to make issue of that detail by itself, "If however the expansion on Sakhara is what we believe it to be, and the chatter we have observed is valid-"
"Then its confirmed?"
She mulled accepted the interruption from the sovereign, "19
th Striker Regiment, 3
rd Regimental Combat Team Star League Defense Forces... but the IDCs, the identity friend foe codes transponders were limited sources from what we believe are Land Air Mechs, probably from the Regiment's Recon Company when the League was intact."
"Are they with us?"
"No, the majority of Clay's household troops remained behind, my understanding is there are expectations of an attack by the Combine and the Colonel of the tentative descendants is commanding the defense." Her analysts going over the data they had from Sakhara's defensive force weren't confident that the signals were from Land Air Mechs, but the transmitted frequencies suggested they were from a Regimental Reconnaissance Company based on the communications... which of course they knew because Admiral Clancy had joined the Federated Suns in the 29
th century after Kerensky had departed the Inner Sphere he had brought over a treasure trove of intelligence documents as well as signal intelligence material. "The DropShips aboard the Star Lord have a large aerospace component, we believe that they are Star League Defense Force fighters, however."
"Not Stingrays?"
She shook her head, "No, while Sakhara clearly is producing new F 90 aircraft using a 240 engine," That they were clearly manufacturing on planet, "These are larger," apparently earlier,"Deathstalker models," Eighty ton aircraft, "The real... sticking point," Was the term she settled on, "Will be Clay's earlier comments," During his previous visit, "... that the Eridani were bushwhacked on Talitha," She remarked. Yvonne couldn't bring her self to perfectly quote the vernacular young person's grammar. "I don't believe that simply having Clay drop that bombshell would be the idea way to handle it..."
"No I will make sure to tell them myself."
Yes the First Prince had said that before, Ian was quite adamant that telling Kerston personally was his job... "Yes sire," She replied with exaggerated indulgent slowness, "But if we could request proof it might make things easier." ... and frankly it would have been better if the Duke of New Syrtis hadn't been present to see the mechs on the previous visit to New Avalon, or present for the conversation which was the root of this whole matter.
It couldn't be helped though.
Hanse cleared his throat, "What are the chances then that he has recordings with him?"
"I couldn't say." She replied. "It was a matter that she hadn't directly broached, but we should consider the ramifications of the evidence. The ISF is purported to have fed intelligence from House Kurita to Stefan Amaris we are not talking about just the Eridani in terms of ramifications."
"Of course not," Hanse agreed immediately, "Any incriminating information would reflect poorly on House Kurita to say the least." They hadn't been ignoring the matter... there were other things to do, especially given other developments. She had little doubt that Ian would have released the information in the wake of Halstead or Mallory's world, but he could be convinced to wait for the time being, to play for time until they had their forces ready. That had defined their efforts over the last two years.
