Battletech 3047 IC

[Mando Knight]

"Very well, then." Mr. Harris leads Nikita across the massive Hiring Hall complex to an area dominated by offices for companies maintaining a more-or-less permanent presence on Outreach, including the LFTA. Once inside, he greets the receptionist. "Good afternoon, I'm James Harris and this is Sergeant Lowel of Odin's Chosen, we would like to schedule an appointment with Mr. Schmidt to discuss the Carstairs contract."

"One moment, please." The receptionist searches her computer for a minute, then continues. "Ah, I see he had a pre-approved offer for you, and he currently has openings at 1600 this evening and 0900 tomorrow morning."

"The 1600 slot will work fine, I believe. Is there a more complete tactical report for us to look over before we meet?"

"Let me see..." the receptionist searches her computer some more, then flips through a file cabinet and pulls out a file folder. "Here's what he has cleared for release so far."

"Thank you." After leafing through the documents, Mr. Harris hands them over to Nikita. "What do you think, Sergeant?"

Spoiler: Documents

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Spoiler: Tactical Report

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The report from the Carstairs facility's security chief (one Kommandant Rudolph Hatfeld, LCAF, Ret) is obviously abbreviated for release, but most of the relevant details remain.

The existing security's warbooks have identified that the raiders operate at least two lances of BattleMechs: a Locust, Wasp, Firestarter, and Spider in one, and a Griffin, Phoenix Hawk, Shadow Hawk, and Wolverine in the other. The machines have been modified to reduce ammo dependencies, favoring lasers and flamers over autocannons and machine guns.

The raiders use camo patterns, and their allegiance has not yet been identified (though both Free Skye and Combine affiliations are raised as possibilities).

Spoiler: Carstairs Info

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Carstairs is a generally prosperous world within the region currently organized as the Federated Commonwealth's Skye March, with modestly abundant resources, industrial capacity, and agriculture supporting a population of just over a billion. With only 45% surface water coverage and a Tharkad-like average equatorial temperature of 292 K, the planet's habitable area is dominated by semi-arid and continental climate zones. Some factories dating back to the Star League still remain, and the LFTA is in the process of rebuilding others. Old records refer to a Star League military base, but its supposed location has been lost.

Spoiler: Pre-Approved Offer Terms

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Payment: 4489000 C-bills per standard month of operation, plus 3741000 C-bills per month during transit. Payout is twice monthly, with the first month of transit pay in advance and the remainder on arrival. (Current peacetime operating cost: 394150 C-bills per month)

Command Rights: House (unit is to be placed under the authority of Kommandant Hatfeld for the duration of the assignment)

Overhead Compensation: Full remuneration (covers out-of-pocket expenses such as food, lodging, local taxes, etc.)

Salvage Rights: 20%

Support Payment: 40% Battle-Loss Compensation

Transport: 100%, paid on arrival (estimated value: 800000 C-bills)

Current total payout: 35216000 C-bills, 3741000 in advance

------

"It's a weekly thing the Garage does. They open up the band stage so just about anyone can play. Some of the townies swear that's when the best bands in town play, but for me it's been about fifty-fifty. But like I said, they drop the cover charge for the night."

[samduke]

before heading to her quarters for the night jynx pays a visit to each of the units personnel barracks posting the order for the Captains unit briefing tomorrow at 0800 location hangar deck.

[RandomLunatic]

Xiaofan shrugged. "The price is right, at least. Let's go."

[Hemnon]

Nikita 'Fury' Lowel

Nikita gave the contract and related documents a thorough read, silent beyond the odd 'hmmm' and 'huh' sound from time to time. She then looked up at Mr. Harris and pursed her lips in thought for a moment.
"Well... I'd like to see a small change, at least, potentially a more on-hand discussion on final payout as well, but that'd all require a more direct face-to-face re-negotiation of the specifics." Nikita said and rubbing a finger over her lips in a thoughtful manner. (basically it'd be better to do a Negotiation roll when face-to-face with the employer or do so with an instant-contact hyperpulse communication.)

[Mando Knight]

LFTA Office

"Of course, that's the purpose of the appointment with Mr. Schmidt. Rather, I was wondering if you had anything else you think we might need while we wait?"

Elsewhere in the Hiring Hall

Pixie gives a short shrug. "Well, the show doesn't really get going until later, and I do have some stuff I need to get done first. I'll be there at 1900, it's at 37th Street North and the Lakefront Drive off-ramp."

DropPort

Sleipnir's pad bustles with activity all day in anticipation of the coming launch, with technical teams working to ensure the 'Mechs are secured for transport while the ship crew prepares the vessel itself and double-checks the rest of the cargo. As day turns to night, however, the crowd thins a fair bit as many return to rented lodging on-world for one last night's sleep before shipping off for months of transit.

[Hemnon]

Nikita 'Fury' Lowel

Nikita rubbed the bridge of her nose, feeling her exhaustion creep up on her, since she'd misunderstood Mister Harris' word to such a point. "Oh, yes.... Right. If you mean something like a cup of tea or some such, then yes that would very much be something I'd need. Other than that, I cannot think of anything we'd need, negotiation-wise. We'd really only be in need of listing off merits on our own end, small highlights on service to show that it's of value to our client to accept handing off more generous terms to us since they'd still gain a net gain in the end. Anything we can use to make it seem that we are asking for less than expected and make them feel they still get a one-up on us in terms of feeling they made a good deal." Nikita voiced out in a low tone, leafing through the documents a final time before handing them back to Mister Harris.

Spoiler

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Btw how much total bonus does Mister Harris have for Negotiation rolls? just curious, cuz I think Nikita got like +4 or +5 in total, as long as Mr. Schmidt is attracted to the female gender.

[McStabbington]

Jack McKenzie

Jack trudged into his shipboard room and closed the door. As senior mechwarrior, he and the captain were the only ones with private rooms, but still, the room was cramped, with the bed elevated above the office nook. He set his helmet on the desk in the nook, sighed and changed his clothes. His mechwarrior togs he folded and put back in the storage locker for his uniforms.

Upon changing clothes into his skivvies, he broke out one of his wife's gifts: a hardcover copy of some book from ancient earth called The Brothers Karamazov. Clambering up on his bed, he set his overhead alarm for 0600, and began to read.

[samduke]

After securing her personal things in the cargo bay, jynx found her shared quarters and settled in for the duration.

[RandomLunatic]

Xiaofan started moving some of her personal effects from her hotel room to the DropShip and checking to make sure her 'Mech was secure for travel.

But there'd be time for relaxing later. After dinner, she dressed herself up and headed out to the address she'd been given.

[Mando Knight]

Hiring Hall, LFTA Office

"To the food court, then. It's a more comfortable area to discuss specific strategies than here, anyway." Mr. Harris gestures to follow Nikita back out into the hallway, and to the Hall's Food Court, a sprawling floor of food service with more variety than any other venue in the city.

...

Upon returning to the office for the appointment, the receptionist recognizes Nikita and Mr. Harris, and rises from her seat. "Just in time, Mr. Schmidt is right this way." She leads the pair through the LFTA's offices to Mr. Schmidt's open door, and introduces them to the man inside. "Your 1600 appointment is here, Mr. Schmidt. This is James Harris and Sergeant Lowel, of Odin's Chosen."

Mr. Schmidt, a man in his 50s with a clear military background in his bearing, stands in acknowledgment. "Thank you, Lisa, that will be all." As the receptionist leaves, he continues as he waves toward a pair of chairs facing his desk. "Come in, have a seat. I understand you have some questions about the Carstairs contract?"

---

Captain McKenzie's Quarters

Although the novel itself is ancient, this edition is a more recent one, clearly meant to be a part of a well-read noble's library rather than the cheaply-bound copies used as university texts. It also bears a lengthy preface about the history of the novel's impact and the inadequacy of various previous translations (in the preface author's opinion, at least).

Before Jack can fully settle in, however, there's a knock at the door.

---

The Garage

When Xiaofan arrives at The Garage, she's greeted outside by Pixie and the rest of her lance, all dressed for a night on the town. "Hey, you made it! Let's go, the show's about to start!"

Inside, there's a clear mix of both mercenary and civilian patrons, and the first band of the night appears to be made up of members of another mercenary unit.

[Hemnon]

Nikita 'Fury' Lowel

Nikita gave a light nod in greeting to Mr. Schmidt and took the offered seat, squeezing her eyes together a little before opening them wide again, a quick mental preparation for a lot of detail-stuff.

"Yes indeed Mr. Schmidt, However I'll lead our capable Frontline Negotiator do most of the talking *cute giggle, very much made with full intent to be charming*. I'm merely here to represent the Company as a Ranked Battlemech Pilot." Nikita said and just quietly leaned back in her seat and let Mr. Harris take over.

[RandomLunatic]

"You didn't say you were bringing the whole troop!" Xiaofan said excitedly.

Once inside, she went up to the bar and ordered the house tap, in hopes of getting served quickly and snagging a good vantage point. Of course, to Xiaofan, good vantage point had less to do with proximity to the stage and more to do with proximity to the exits.

[McStabbington]

Jack McKenzie

Jack sighed, put the book aside, and climbed down from the bed. "Enter."

[Mando Knight]

LFTA Office

Mr. Schmidt eases into a well-practiced salesman's smile. "Please, call me Hank."

Mr. Harris flips through the contract dossier for a couple of seconds, then pulls out a page of interest. "Now, about the contract terms..."

The next couple of hours are spent discussing details ranging from the chain of command to support services and salvage terms to room and board accommodations:

"The Captain was hoping for more independence in command than—"

"No, Kommandant Hatfeld was quite explicit on that when he reviewed your unit profile."

"His marks at the Nagelring were exemplary, and independence would give him better latitude to resolve the threat."

"The Nagelring is why Hatfeld was insistent on house command. Your captain might be an excellent academic, but he's untested in the field."

...

"Our cut of the salvage seems rather low for a contract offering BLC."

"It seems generous to me, the known OpFor doesn't have as valuable of assets as your company."

"The Loss compensation might be, but without us you won't have the forces to take that salvage in the first place. Give us fifty percent salvage rights, and we'll accept reducing the support payment to thirty-five percent BLC."

"Thirty percent, and you have a deal."

...

"Tell me about these boarding arrangements."

"Peter Walther, the CEO of our local affiliate, has arranged for your unit to be housed at one of his properties, a dormitory he had purchased from a struggling private school some years ago and had updated into studio apartments."

"Sounds a little cozy for a company of mercenaries, what's the catch?"

"Other than your employer being your landlord? No catch. It might be a bit middle-class for your blueblood commander, but it'll beat your DropShip any day."

---

The Garage

"If it's our last night before launch, I can't leave my girls hanging!"

With a full lance in tow, it's fairly easy to claim a booth to yourselves. It's early enough in the night that you're the first to take the best one in the house: close enough to the exit if you need to make a quick getaway, and with enough view of the room to spot anyone approaching.

The first band of the night performs well for being what amounts to a garage band, and the second band is somewhat more skilled and lures Pixie's lance out to the dance floor. The third band plays with still more technical skill, but their actual performance feels more rote than the second.

With the extra backup, engaging in or avoiding social interaction with the rest of the bar is easy enough: Pixie and her lancemates make for well-practiced wing-women who pick up on and adapt to Xiaofan's preferences. Pixie herself is the social butterfly of the group while Miriam is reserved and spends more time nursing her drink than anything else. Kylie and Gwendolyn fall somewhere between the two, with Kylie proving to be more of a conversationalist and Gwen preferring the dance floor.

---

Captain McKenzie's Quarters

The door opens, and a Canopian woman in her late thirties steps in: Olivia Harris, skipper of the Sleipnir. "Sorry for the late intrusion, Jim just finished his report on today's negotiations. He also has an appointment to finalize the contract tomorrow at 1000, if you could join him."

She places a folder on the room's desk, with a summary memo clipped to the front.

[McStabbington]

Jack McKenzie

"I appreciate you bringing that, Olivia. Be sure to tell Jim that I'll review these first thing in the morning along with the briefing reports, and that I'll be along after the briefing to sign the documents." Jack signed and rubbed his eyes; he knew that he needed to start running again and lose some of the extra weight he'd been putting on, but he also knew that he couldn't work on anything less than six hours worth of sleep.

He looked back at his ship's captain. A born spacer, she'd been one of the experts loaned to his command by his family, for which he was duly grateful. Though it helped that she'd worked her way up through the ranks, but this was her first command, well deserved and overdue though it may have been. "In the meantime, is there anything left to do before dustoff? Especially anything you need of either myself or my men?"

[RandomLunatic]

Despite herself, after a few drinks Pixie's energy was just infection. Xiaofan reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged onto the dance floor for the second band, and was quite enjoying herself by the time the third band came up.

[Hemnon]

Nikita 'Fury' Lowel

Nikita would nod along or add in a small compromise comment now and again, but was more or less leaving the majority of the talking for Mr. Harris, not wishing to show any sort of accidental undermining of negotiation-authority from him - Doing so would only harm Their outlook as a unified negotiation team, and instead give Mr. Schmidt, Hank as he said his first name was, more leverage to use to gain an upper hand.

[Mando Knight]

LFTA Office

The negotiations eventually come to a conclusion, with Nikita offering just enough leverage that Mr. Harris is able to gain more ground than he concedes. Hank Schmidt fusses with a document on his desk computer for a minute, then hands Mr. Harris a data card. "Here's a copy of the contract with the adjusted terms marked in. I still have an opening tomorrow morning at 1000, if you bring your CO in then we can sign and file the finalized copy with the MRB."

"Sounds like a plan, pleasure doing business with you."

---

The Garage

By the time the third band closes their set, the crowd starts to thin, and Pixie and her lance start to get up to go. "Xiaofan, I think we'll get along just fine, 'n yer welcome to hang with us any time. Well, we'll see ya in th' mornin'." Although Pixie herself is obviously more than a little sloshed, Miriam appears to still be sober enough to keep the gang together as they leave.

---

Captain McKenzie's Quarters

"No sir, the ship is ready to go when you are, besides the half-hour warm-up and Preflight check. By your leave, I'll let you have your sleep." Unless interrupted, Olivia nods her head and steps back into the hallway, closing the cabin door behind her.

---

Hangar Deck, the next morning

At 0900 sharp, the entire company has assembled on Sleipnir's main hangar deck for Captain McKenzie's address. Pixie clearly has a bit of a "hungover but dealing with it" cast to her face this morning, but Lt. Flynn and her lance are as sharp and alert as anyone could ask of a MechWarrior unit, even if they're getting ready to spend the next two months cooped up in a DropShip. Technical teams and the DropShip crew are also about, focused on double-checking cargo manifests and any last-minute transport preparations for the company's 'Mechs.

---

Later, in the LFTA Office

After the briefing, Mr. Harris accompanies Captain McKenzie back to the Hiring Hall. Hank Schmidt greets them and ushers them into the office himself, where a ComStar adept is already waiting as a representative of the MRB. "Any last questions before we sign, Captain?"

Spoiler: Final Terms

Show

Current Scope of Operations: Provide BattleMech (and, when needed, Aerospace) security and defense to LFTA-affiliated facilities and operations on Carstairs (currently focused on refurbishment efforts of Star League-era factories, but subject to change due to transit time). Counter-raid and seek-and-destroy operations are not included in this contract.

Payment: 4489000 C-bills per standard month of operation, plus 3741000 C-bills per month during transit. Payout is twice monthly, with the first month of transit pay in advance and the remainder on arrival. (Current peacetime operating cost: 394150 C-bills per month)

Command Rights: House (unit is to be placed under the authority of Kommandant Hatfeld for the duration of the assignment)

Overhead Compensation: Full remuneration (covers out-of-pocket expenses such as food, lodging, local taxes, etc.)

Salvage Rights: 50%

Support Payment: 30% Battle-Loss Compensation

Transport: 100%, paid on arrival (estimated value: 800000 C-bills)

Current total payout: 35216000 C-bills, 3741000 in advance

[McStabbington]

"Jack" McKenzie

Quarters, Midnight

"Only to ask whether or not Jim is coming with on the trip, or if he's going to remain here on Outreach."

[Mando Knight]

Captain McKenzie's Quarters

Olivia raises an eyebrow at the question. "Of course he's coming, sir. The groundwork he's laid in here on Outreach is important, but his administrative skills will be more useful if he's with us, not a couple hundred lightyears away."

After a brief pause, she adds "And... if I might be so blunt to state the obvious, he's more useful to me if he comes along."

[McStabbington]

"Jack" McKenzie

Jack offered Olivia a modest smile. "Even among Canopians, there's such a thing as discretion. For what it's worth though, Olivia, I'm glad he'll be along, and not just because Jim can help me with payroll and quartermaster work. I'd have felt bad if the job kept you both apart." He tapped the file gently. "If there's nothing more, I'll see you tomorrow Captain. I need to get some shuteye."

[Mando Knight]

"I have nothing else at the moment. Good night, sir." Olivia steps back into the hallway, closing the cabin door behind her.

---

Hangar Deck, the next morning

At 0900 sharp, the entire company has assembled on Sleipnir's main hangar deck for Captain McKenzie's address. Pixie clearly has a bit of a "hungover but dealing with it" cast to her face this morning, but Lt. Flynn and her lance are as sharp and alert as anyone could ask of a MechWarrior unit, even if they're getting ready to spend the next two months cooped up in a DropShip. Technical teams and the DropShip crew are also about, focused on double-checking cargo manifests and any last-minute transport preparations for the company's 'Mechs.

---

Later, in the LFTA Office

After the briefing, Mr. Harris accompanies Captain McKenzie back to the Hiring Hall. Hank Schmidt greets them and ushers them into the office himself, where a ComStar adept is already waiting as a representative of the MRB. "Any last questions before we sign, Captain?"

Spoiler: Final Terms

Show

Current Scope of Operations: Provide BattleMech (and, when needed, Aerospace) security and defense to LFTA-affiliated facilities and operations on Carstairs (currently focused on refurbishment efforts of Star League-era factories, but subject to change due to transit time). Counter-raid and seek-and-destroy operations are not included in this contract.

Payment: 4489000 C-bills per standard month of operation, plus 3741000 C-bills per month during transit. Payout is twice monthly, with the first month of transit pay in advance and the remainder on arrival. (Current peacetime operating cost: 394150 C-bills per month)

Command Rights: House (unit is to be placed under the authority of Kommandant Hatfeld for the duration of the assignment)

Overhead Compensation: Full remuneration (covers out-of-pocket expenses such as food, lodging, local taxes, etc.)

Salvage Rights: 50%

Support Payment: 30% Battle-Loss Compensation

Transport: 100%, paid on arrival (estimated value: 800000 C-bills)

Current total payout: 35216000 C-bills, 3741000 in advance

[Hemnon]

Nikita 'Fury' Lowel

Nikita had managed to sleep quite well and seemed much less grumpy and bleary-eyed that following morning.
Unless requested for something, either in Official Capacity, or some other function for the Merc Company itself, Nikita would be busying herself with listening to an audiotrack on her Noteputer for Immortal Warrior Classified Operations II.