Huu stepped off the dropship, onto the land (landing pad) of Blackjack and nearly wept.
He was home, he was safe, and he was definitely not... well... in whatever hellscape was outside of Blackjack proper.
A hellscape where anything could get him sick without a moment's notice.
It was like walking naked through the desert, at some point you will touch sand.
Ugh.
Anyway! He had concerns!
A lot of concerns.
He had been away for... three...two...three...three... Seven Months!
Seven months, wait. No, eleven months! And everything had gone topsy turvey.
It was November of 2991, nearly two years since he had first gotten the System, and everything was so different from when it had started.
++ Host has remained the same. The System is impressed. ++
Thanks system, that means a lot, he thought fondly.
From orbit, he had been able to see the growing vein of octagons spreading out beneath him. Each one formed from eight fortress blocks. Or, as they had been named 'Sections'.
As in. Each one of those was 500 million.
Why hadn't he made truly enormous losses if they were spending that much money! Where had it come from. There had been one, read that, one means of making things cheaper thanks to the mould system. But that was to 50 million per 30 metre hex. So how had he not lost more money!?
How?
Where?
He was quite seriously, asking the questions. Because he had no idea what the hell was even going on right now.
How had this happened? There was meant to be one section that was sucking away money, the individual hexes were meant to be so expensive that he could just keep losing money for decades. A real white elephant project! Like trying to open German-inspired-Dim-Sum in the Capellan Confederation.
Wasting money the entire time, an endless black hole of losses.
Not here on Blackjack.
What had happened here? Had something happened that made this possible? To ruin his everything?
From his loss making dream team to profit making nightmare.
Whyyyyyy!?!?!?
That wasn't even to mention the fact that he was dealing with the fact that there was an assassin, or a group of assassins.
Or... something.
The entire time on the route home, in between bouts of jump-sickness, was one where he was seriously wondering if he was about to get stabbed.
The objective had been to survive this entire cycle. Half of it was gone already, and yet nothing.
The suspense was killing him. The happenings on the jumpships had been concerning at first, but Glory had explained the situation to him.
There had been two times when the jumpship had simply had its crews replaced.
Huu had no idea why, at first. Then he had been told that this was normal. That crews had been switched in and out to give them a break.
Like submarine crews and ship crews with the gold-blue shift changes.
It made sense, why would you want to be on a Jumpship for years at a time? That would be claustrophobic and terrifying. Switching as you needed to was just common sense.
Glory had explained it when he asked for clarification, and Huu figured that yeah, it was just bad luck he was on board when the change over happened.
Yet, there was a niggling at the back of his mind.
Why had there been no dropship crews or passengers that had met with them? He had wandered the jumpships during the times he wasn't sick, Voidy preventing anything more serious from happening, like the last time.
Yet, the entire time, he had never met anyone from a dropship. Some had been docked, yet none of their passengers had entered the dropship to walk around, to stretch their legs, to do anything at all.
It was incredibly strange, but most people preferred to stay in their dropships Glory had explained. There was always the threat of pirates, those without bodyguards like the Wolverines would be at risk of being hijacked from unknown attackers.
Each dropship would therefore remain closed, only opening if they absolutely had to.
Huu agreed with it, yet, he couldn't help but think that it was strange. At the same time, the fact that his bodyguards looked like knights in shining armour, with their helmeted heads, full plate protection, and axes... well, if he didn't have them around, he would probably be hiding in their dropship as well.
Perhaps he was just travelling with people that just didn't want to meet others? Space Hermits or something?
What was even stranger, Glory had told him the people wanted to settle down and sell their dropships. Eggers General Utility had bought them for a steal.
The same with the jumpship.
He thought they were rare in the Inner Sphere, which was why a single jump cost 50,000 Kroner... so why were two different crews selling their jumpships? Maybe he was just really lucky? Anyway, something to think about for the future, maybe have them run transport routes?
Anyway, the assassins weren't on the dropships or jumpships, so the question was, where the hell were they?
Did he have to live the rest of his life in fear, terrified that someone was coming to kill him or something?
Where!?!?!?
He took a deep breath.
Looked up.
And wondered what the fuck was going on with the O'Neill Cylinder.
He had wanted a loss-making project! He wanted to lose money!
What in the actual hell was going on with the cylinder? There were already parts of it, in the three months since he had sent the message, that had started construction. Strips of what he had been told was rockcrete, that had been painted a brilliant white. Floating in the stars, visible with a telescope.
Two strips of white!
That was two too many!
He wouldn't have even known they were there if he hadn't been told about it, but there was work being done!
There were serious questions that needed to be asked.
Like, why was everyone trying to make him money! He was gone nearly a year and here they were, all trying to stab him in the back. Except for Education and Media... and the Defence Force... right, half of them were traitors!
There were the department heads in front of him, waiting on the inside of the airlock. Itself connected the exterior of the fortress (no allergies in this building!). All were here to welcome him back, or in other words, to stab him with profits. The dropship landing pad, right in the middle of Administration Central Section was surrounded by the gun batteries aimed at the sky. Manned by part-time Administration workers for extra cash.
Which was something else he had a problem with! Where in the name of all that was holy were all of these emerging from? There were enough of them that they had individual names for different departments! Enough workers to have them shoot guns in their spare time.
He had questions, there better be some good answers.
Hiding his scowl, Huu prepared himself. He had to smile, being angry was how you got the wrong answers. Answers that would make him profits instead of losses!
Despite making losses in the last cycle... he was really really worried that the pattern wouldn't continue.
+_+
Glory stood behind Huu as he walked forward, back straight. The department heads that were on Blackjack were lined up in the same way that knights would stand beside a rolled out carpet.
They were here to welcome home their liege.
Despite not having sworn themselves to his service officially, all knew it was a matter of time. Even if it was a matter of sentiment, the sheer practicality of tying themselves to a star that could not stop rising was only... Lyran.
Profit, prestige, all went hand in hand with their service to Huu Eggers.
At the forefront was Erwin Jaxon, looking extremely pleased with himself.
Huu smiled, nodded at each of the department heads.
Looking puzzled at the ones he hadn't actually met yet.
"What is new?" He said, after he stopped before Erwin, shaking his hand and greeting him.
"The Smialy has entered mass production on Blackjack, Hesperus, Furillo, Donegal, Tharkad, Skye, Sevren, Winfield, Romulus... anywhere a factory can be put down."
A pause.
"We don't... own all those factories do we?"
"Of course not, it is because of our partnership with the industrial concerns on Blackjack. They own the rights just as much as we do."
Huu let out a brief sigh.
"Good. We can't hog everything, that's how you get anti-trust lawsuits from the Estates General. We produce the ones here, but we need to share the production with anyone who wants it." He said, sounding grave, looking Erwin in the eye.
Then a pause.
"Also, I thought the Smialy was from the Iron Harvest game?"
"Yes Boss, the name is from the game, but since the ownership has gone defunct, we've been able to put it into use for our Militiamech production."
Huu stopped again, his thoughts rolling around in his head.
"Militiamech?"
"We can't use it as a Battlemech sir, that's absurd. Can you imagine trying to sell it as an Ultra-Light? Who would buy it? So, we're marketing it as a Militiamech, for those who can' afford Battlemechs."
Huu just nodded, face stoic.
"How likely is it that we can fool anyone with a brand change?"
Erwin looked a little abashed.
"Well, not much, but if we don't mention it being an ultra-light anywhere in the marketing, it shouldn't ever enter the minds of our customers."
"Hmmm... good. Good. Keep at it."
Turning around, he reached the left side of the honour guard.
"Hauptman Steiner-Patrick sir. Representing General Cocci of the EDF."
"General Cocci?"
"Yes sir, he understands that it may be presumptuous, but the EDF has expanded to 12 mechanised regiments. Having just a Hauptmann in charge would be a problem in some circles."
"Right. General Cocci then. Has there been any updates that I need to know about."
"No, sir, we have continued our training mission and have brought most of the Rasalhague Kingdom's militia forces up to our standards. Anyone who wants to invade will find themselves in for a world of hurt."
"Good. Good. Keep it up, see about expanding a little more. Why stop at the Rasalhague Kingdom, see about expanding to the Free Worlds League border and see what good you can do there. Maybe even the Periphery borders. A few more regiments won't be an issue."
"Sir!"
He continued down the line to Chisaki Nagao.
"Everything good?"
"Yes sir. The movies and shows marketing the Smialy are in post-production now. We should have them on screens and holovids by the end of the month. We're spending every pfennig on the advertising."
"Advertising? Did I order advertising?"
"Of course, didn't you ask us to produce Pacific Rim movies and shows? The use of the full body, haptic control system is the same one we're using in the Smialy, it's going to make every Lyran want to pilot one for themselves. You're a genius, Boss!"
Huu staggered as if this were a shock. Which it very well might be. For all his work, he hadn't been able to keep a finger on the pulse of the happenings on Blackjack. All of the work his subordinates had done was probably staggering him with their capabilities.
For all that he had been able to foresee a great deal of the changes to the Commonwealth. The fact that his subordinates had risen to meet his demands had likely been shocking in and of itself. Surpassing his expectations, causing real shock to the genius that was Huu Eggers.
Glory felt that her loyalty to the Boss, in the year and a half she had known him, was growing immeasurably. He was completely dedicated to the Lyran Commonwealth, absolutely ready to give up blood and effort to ensure their success.
"Right. I guess we need to chat a bit more later about what to do from here. Keep it up."
Chisaki beamed at him, just as Steiner-Patrick and Erwin had.
Turning around to the other side of the carpet, there was Hunter Bek.
"I noticed there's... a lot of Blocks on the ground now."
"Yes sir! We've done our best to build off your vision. I can't believe you had it all planned out from the beginning. The Blocks that are all environmentally sealed arranged into Sections, that are then connected to Hexes. The designs also work in Space because of how they are all sealed! We can just build them here and send them up if we're desperate. But the same building techniques work just as well in space as it does here! You're a genius Boss!"
A pause.
A stare.
"Sections?"
"Yes Boss, the lads have come up with individual names for them. Blocks for the single 30 metre block, Sections for the long strips, Hexes for 8 Sections connected together, Spokes for the sections that connect different Hexes."
"Right... So, what's in space right now?"
"Those are the test blocks. We're trying different manufacturing techniques to test which ones work best. For the production and the end result. We're also experimenting with the frame. Steel does not have the tensile strength that we require, and we're looking at using carbon nanotubes, like in myomer production. We can use old methods, but the designs are too fragile for use in the Succession Wars, so we're looking to future proof it."
"So... you're not at the stage where you can build colonies yet? What about the frame?"
"Not yet for both questions, but give us a year, and Eggers Construction be ready to handle full production, on our own sir."
"Right, that's fine. Keep spending more money on R&D, better safe than sorry. Keep up the good work. Also... exactly how did the price of producing a Block fall so much?"
"Ah, I cannot claim credit for that one. It was Guðlaug Jónasdóttir and her family. They're practically wellsprings of ingenuity! Always finding new ways to make things easier, cheaper, stronger. It's like they're construction savants! I have no idea how they keep coming up with these innovations."
A pause.
"Jónasdóttir... I'll remember that." The Boss said to himself before nodding at Bek. Voice grave, filled with gravitas.
Turning down the line, he turned to one of the new faces, Danival Júlíusson, representative of Eggers Agriculture on Blackjack.
"Farming?"
"How could you tell, sir? Was it the overalls?" The reply was full of good cheer as Huu stood before an absolute bear of a man. One that might not even fit in the cabins of his farming equipment.
"Yes. It was the overalls. What have you got for me? Are the farms still making losses?"
"Yes sir. As per your orders, we have been working to develop the worlds in the Rasalhague Kingdom for agriculture. There have been no profits as of yet, we are still working to rejuvenate the land to sustain agriculture. It is proving to be difficult given the state that the Combine left the worlds in."
Huu stared at Danival for a moment. Eyes flickered, tongue moving behind his lips before he finally spoke.
"You will see an increase in investment immediately. Food, warmth, shelter. Those are Maslow's basic needs, without them, we descend into barbarism, indistinguishable from the Combine. You will have everything you need, more money, more manpower, more machinery. Ask, and you will receive."
The Rasalhague man of Icelandic descent saluted, the tears in his eyes barely held in check. When one's mission in life is to help others. And are then provided with the tools to help everybody, their loyalty has been bought. Their faith, nigh unshakeable.
Huu meanwhile continued down to the second last individual.
"Aliyah Martinez, headmistress of Eggers Education, chief administrator of Education City. It is good to meet the man who has made it all possible."
Rocking back briefly on his feet, Huu rolled with the abrupt introduction.
"Right, right. Are the tuition fees still zero?"
"Yes. Current enrolment is-" Aliyah was cutoff as Huu waved. As he had done so many times in the past, Glory knew. The numbers of those who were learning did not matter. Why? Because, to put it simply, there were not enough of them to satisfy him.
"Yes, whatever the number is, it needs to be higher. We need to train more people, educate more people. Education is the fundamental force that pulls people from poverty. That provides social mobility. Whatever your enrolment numbers are, increase them. Whatever the fees... in the future, keep them at zero. We must remain firm."
The headmistress, from Glory's experienced eye, was becoming emotional.
"Yes. We will be able to reduce the costs of running our educational outreach programs. The Lyran Commonwealth has seen fit to award us a subsidy of 3 billion kroner per year. The conditions of which are to fund the enrolment of mechanical sciences and aerospace design/construction."
Huu stilled again in shock.
For once, the Estates General had moved with surprising swiftness in awarding these grants. The Boss had likely thought it would take far longer, three billion kroner being a small amount to one such as he. After the success of General Utility's subsidiaries, but it was still a mark of success to receive official support from the government.
"Do not decrease spending at all. Whatever subsidies we get, spend it all. It's not there to reduce our costs, it's there to add to what we can do. At no point are you to reduce the fees or funds! We will not stop until every single person in the Commonwealth is educated to an acceptable standard!"
Huu was panting slightly. Taking a deep breath, he straightened up and looked Aliyah in the eye.
"We receive a great deal from society. We must give back equally. This is how Eggers Gee-You will prosper."
With that, he turned to the final individual in the welcoming committee.
"Mairi Mackay, Little Lord. It is good to finally see you. I am Vice-Lord of the Wolverines, head of your personal guard."
"I... have a personal guard?"
"Yes, there was an attempt on the life of your mother earlier last month. She led the clean-up operations alongside our warriors. In the aftermath, we were able to glean intelligence that they were trying to assassinate you." Glory noticed that, for some reason, the Boss looked relieved at that information. Was the idea of people trying to assassinate him relieving in some way? Did he consider it a mark of success? That if they were trying to assassinate him, it meant he was moving in the right direction?
If so, she needed to move to prevent this misconception from taking root!
"In the wake of this revelation, your Honour Guard, the Veelvraat, was created. To protect you and eliminate threats to your person before they arise. We number 200. At this very moment, those aspiring to the Veelvraat are trialling for the position."
"Right. Um. Okay, sure. Stick with me, I guess. Also, mom? She was attacked?"
Huu sounded slightly resigned, more than anything else. Which, for those that knew Katherine Eggers, was the more reasonable reaction.
A monster on the field of battle, there was the legitimate question of whether or not she was a battlemech in human form. Unrelenting and only slowed by the fatigue created by the act of killing, of swinging her arms over and over to reap souls. That was only what she was like on foot.
In a Battlemech, she was even worse.
"Yes, she has lamented the lack of credible threat against her person."
"Of course she would, dad should get her pregnant again, so she has something else to think about for a while."
The room stilled. Palpable horror rising up through the floor, as if this were something truly terrifying for all involved. Like spectral ghosts seeking to wet one's socks inside their shoes, leaving them with soggy socks for the entire day, squelching with every step. The smell afterwards...
Horrific.
Those inside the room had been ranked high enough to see the footage of Katherine Eggers on the field of battle, itself saved by LIC for future blackmail. In the case of Katherine the Fell Hand, it was more likely to be used as bragging material. In any case, they had watched the recordings... to get a general idea of what it was that she was like... as a person. The Boss had likely seen it from her own battle ROMs.
A person that one started nearly every battle with the words, "I am Katherine von Eggers, of the world, Blackjack the Third. Ennobled by Giovanni Steiner, First of his Name. Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth, rightful heir of the Star League. Who among you will receive the honour of being the first to die to my hand on this day? Name yourself, so that I may carve your epitaph into the barren rock of your home."
One would think the pilot was one filled with bravado and a complete lack of ability, bolstered only by their family purchasing not just one Assault battlemech. But twelve, to form a company to keep their idiot scion alive.
Yet, she had done it in a Commando, often the smallest battlemech on the battlefield. Mocked by nearly all who had met her, Katherine would soon feed them their teeth... and skulls. To prove her word true, she would rush forth in a straight line. All the better to get into melee range faster. Using her superlative piloting skills to climb enemy mechs, to smash their cockpits in with her fists. To close in enough that one's armament proved useless in the face of another mech grappling onto their rear.
The mech sized knuckle-dusters acting as focal points for her fists, always punching, always tearing, always generating extreme terror in her foes. Upon victory, she would do as promised, burning down their homes, annihilating their forces. Leaving intact salvage that had formed the basis of her mercenary company, that had formed the nest egg for future investments that allowed her to run a personal guard of several Commandos, infantry companies, and more for the last 17 years.
Before leaving, Katherine would finish her promise. Carving the names of the dead, followed by 'X had the honour of being the first to die to Katherine von Eggers, first of her name, on X day of X month of X year, on X world. They are honoured in being slain by Katherine von Eggers, first of her name.' The deed done using her lasers onto the bare rock of a burning compound.
It would be followed with 'X had the honour of being the second to die to Katherine von Eggers, first of her name, on X day of X month of X year, on X world. They are honoured in being slain by Katherine von Eggers, first of her name.' Repeating until all had been recorded, Mechwarrior, infantry, and vehicle crew alike.
Huu Eggers had clearly missed the... insanity of her genetics. As well as the physical capabilities, and balance, and a great many things that would keep him alive... but he had survived to this point. The idea, however, of rolling the genetic lottery with multiple siblings and coming up with her... uniqueness.
More than a few of the leadership shuddered.
All save Vice-Lord Mackay, who looked incredibly interested in the idea.
"Right, so. Where's my room? I need to do some thinking and sit down."
"Please, follow me, Little Lord. Your suite is located at the centre of Administration."
And so, the Wolverine led the Boss away.
Glory, waiting until they were out of earshot, had more to do. Completing her duties as executive assistant, chief of Administration, turned to Hunter Bek.
"Why didn't you mention anything about the primitive jumpship and dropship facilities?"
He paused.
"Well, because they haven't been laid down yet. We are still waiting on Nashsan Shipping and Nashsan foods to sign the agreement. Without them, we can't do anything and telling the Boss of a potential contract is worthless, he only values results you know? Anyway, I've compiled a list of those that have signed onto the Primitive Bounty plan, they're willing, but it's all relying on everyone to sign on for it to be official. Everyone has to act as one, or so we wrote in the initial interest contract." Handing over a data pad for her to examine, Glory had to raise her eyebrows.
Scrolling through the names and profiles, Glory couldn't help but be impressed. That this was kept a secret from her Administration department? Even more so.
Bountiful Delicacies, Commonwealth-Grand Hotel Insterstellar, Zettle Metals Incorporated, Edasich Motors, Rastaban Agricultural, Longanecker PlastSteel, Acrux Agricultural Industries, the Lyran Free Traders Association, Lockheed, Shipil, Bowie, Semler Data Tron, Ioto Galactic Enterprises, Defiance Industries, TAG... and House Steiner through the Archon.
Included in this list were the major agricultural producers of the Commonwealth, major weapons industries, industrial concerns, ship builders, ASF, dropships and jumpships, as well as the House Steiner themselves.
The reason why so many had signed onto this plan was obvious. With a large chunk of the Combine market now being part of the Rasalhague Kingdom, jumpship routes were now uncertain, and thus necessitated a change to the profit equation to ensure the continued survival for some corporations.
Namely, increasing the supply of jumpships so that they could increase overall supply of goods sold to make up the shortfall. One that came from the Combine no longer being a large consumer of goods, what with them turning inwards and reacting extremely harshly following the division of the Rasalhague Kingdom.
Rastaban Agricultural was just one example. With five trillion acres of farmland over five worlds, their biggest customer was the Combine. With the Combine locking borders (and likely sentencing their people to slow death by starvation), Rastaban had to find new markets to pursue. An unfortunate side effect of operation Sleipnir, where traders had been used to sneak in weapons and cultural materials that led to the Rasalhague Kingdom's uprising.
Yet included in the list were corporations that shouldn't be feeling that pinch. Or did not traditionally involve themselves in the Jump/Drop ship market at all.
"I am glad you are following the Boss's dictates of diversifying our supply chain outside of the Eggers family. But so many different companies?"
"Yes. Due to the fact that many of them have already cooperated with the Smialy project, I approached them first through Erwin. Then word leaked, and everyone with even a small amount of money or resources wishes to take part. They will be building facilities in-system. Likely inside our colonies, the structure acting as shields... but, nothing will be finalised until Nashsan and House Steiner sign."
Glory nodded. Excellent.
The Boss' dictates had been followed, she would not need to exercise some... Administrative power.
"Education. Why did you not disclose the grants that have been provided by private corporations to Eggers Education?" Her voice remained level. None in the room were fooled. She was Glory Brantzollen, the gauntleted fist that hid beneath the velvet palm of the Boss. One did not ignore the velvet, for the other option was the fist. And the fist was always ready to crush skulls.
"The offers were rejected as per policy. Therefore, I felt no compunction to disclose them. They sought to influence Eggers Education's purity and for that, I could not accept."
"Excellent. Continue as you are, Education, for all that it may be losing money, education of the citizens serves the Commonwealth, and thus the Inner Sphere as a whole."
Turning to Chisaki she raised an eyebrow.
"It is not as if we are doing much that I didn't disclose. We're producing movies... music, the usual." Chisaki defended herself, looking affronted.
Glory's eyes narrowed.
"And your work in the Combine?"
Chisaki flinched, just slightly.
"We've disseminated... certain types of media into the Combine."
"Certain types such as subversive anime calling for revolution? Like Code Geass, Gundam Wing, and Appleseed? Your actions may be endangering us on Blackjack. Cease until we have the capabilities to contest orbital supremacy against a strike force sent to nuke us into the ground."
Chisaki looked sulky before nodding.
"Agriculture, I notice you said nothing about your work in the border worlds. While the Boss may not have offered you praise for the good you are doing, know that he sees and understands. The increased funds will do little to assist in the current efforts in the Rasalhague Kingdom. They will go very far in the periphery worlds. Continue as you are, it is for the good of the Commonwealth."
Danival looked a little torn at the idea. For all that he was now working for a Lyran corporation, assisting his people in the Rasalhague Kingdom, he still had the trappings of Combine 'education'. The Lyrans were meant to be enemies, yet they had done more for the people of Rasalhague, than the Combine had done for the entire length of its existence.
Still, his natural compassion won out, and he gave a reluctant nod.
"George Steiner-Patrick. How many worlds has the EDF spread itself across?"
"At this point, 53."
"And this was not significant enough a point to raise?"
"We are merely providing training-"
"The EDF at this point in time has 230,000 members. And you don't think this might be relevant? Your standard procedure of recruiting from the worlds you land on has created significant consternation from the LCAF, LIC, the Estates General, and even the Archon himself. One mistake because of a saboteur or traitor... and you may need to be cut loose. I hope that I am understood on this matter."
He saluted.
"General Cocci will see the regiment decimated before that occurs, ma'am."
"Good, see to it that he receives the message that it's either he who carries it out, or me. Erwin, just what are you playing at with the Smialy?"
"Whaaat? I've got it sorted. We've done the diversification thing. We've got producers everywhere they can fit. They're licensing the design, or already have one. We've got supplies coming in, it's all good."
"And this Zero-gravity model? Or the Fortress Compatible Model? Or the Lowca and Tur design processes you have going on. I also noticed you did not mention the Leopard 2 tank that you are now putting into production. Why are you trying to hide things from the Boss?"
"Well, it's meant to be a surprise. You know how good he is at figuring things out. I just wanted to see if we could get something done in secret, you know. It's a little... creepy, working with a boss that can see what you're doing from the other side of the Commonwealth."
Glory sighed.
While she understood the motivation, that did not mean that she agreed with it.
"You must tell him of these now, before he reacts... poorly to your deceit."
He sighed.
"I'll get on it." Erwin's grumble, at least, was under his breath.
Glory nodded before dismissing the assembled leadership.
Such were the duties of the Boss' iron fist, the knife in the dark.
Unnoticed, but essential for the smooth running of any enterprise.
Edit: Expanded on the Katherine's Epitath writing