paulobrito
Well-known member
My share of the material from the long trip I had recently discussed with Edward had been a battalion of obsolete Shadow Hawk 1R. Although they were not very valuable as front line units, my plan was to offer them to Kamea, as garrison units, a role in which they would still very useful with a slight retrofit, most of all in the Periphery, and I knew she would appreciate this gift as her realm was lacking ‘Mechs.
The next thing I did after ensuring that the battalion was shipped to Kamea was to read the security report I had received from my TMI liaison and it contained good news.
Thanks to the continuous improvement of safety standards, and better surveillance equipment, the number of sabotages, and 'incidents' in the Concordat had decreased substantially in recent years. The number of spies and saboteurs caught had also increased, though almost none were caught alive. A fact known only to a group of few people, in which I was included, was that some of these spies and saboteurs were ROM. However, they had reduced their activities in recent years. I didn’t believe that our defenses were that efficient, my theory (and hope) was that the Federated Commonwealth had become their top priority and that they had to reduce their efforts in the Concordat.
While in New Vandenberg, I took the opportunity to check personally and on-site the status of several projects I had started.
For example, one project I had started in 3015 was battle armor research and development, but until recently it was only awarded a small budget.
Starting with only few things efficient for real battle armor, a fully articulated two-hand exoskeleton, high-density batteries, mid-range sensors and armor efficient only against light infantry weapons and an upper weight limit not exceeding a ton, progress had been slow and difficulties numerous.
Using the strongest industrial myomers available for the body and “muscles” and medical myomers used for artificial limbs in the articulated hands that needed to be capable of performing precise operation, the first powered armor prototype produced, worked only for a short time before shutting off and its armor was still very light, only efficient against light infantry weapons.
One of the main limitations was that the myomers used could not support more weight, which would have solved both the problem of protection and of the greater battery capacity. Extras such as magnetic clamps and scaled up infantry jump packs were only starting the testing phase.
The existing prototype at the end of 3031 weighed 650 kg, was able to withstand moderate infantry fire, but not any from a 'Mech' weapon, was reasonably agile and capable of using most infantry weapons although some had to be modified. Its autonomy was still small and the software had too many bugs for anything more than laboratory tests or a very small field test.
Another program launched, but that was only in the design phase, was an advanced Aerospace Fighter weighing 90 tonnes and packing 20 Double Heat Sinks as well as 16 tons of armor. It had an ER PPC in the nose, with one ER Large Laser and a LB10-X in each wing with two tons of ammo and 2 Medium Lasers firing backwards. Another interesting feature were the two large bays for internal weapons I had requested and that were designed so that each could carry 2 elongated Arrow IV. These Arrow IV, still in experimental phase, were aimed at taking care of bigger space threat thanks to a rocket booster and an advanced seeker. If the Fighter had to deal with ground targets, 'normal' Arrow IV could be used.
The prototype would be using parts that we couldn't yet produce but I had managed to acquire over the years (and the several caches visited) a small stock of ferrous-aluminum armor as well as different things found on ‘Mechs unable to run like a 270 XL taken from a Hussar HSR-200Db a Beagle Active Probe or a Guardian ECM unit.
The problem with the advanced Arrow IV missiles was that the new seeker, which can provide an anti-Fighters and anti-DropShip capability was still in the early test phase at O-P Electronics but if we could produce a prototype, “regular” Arrow IV missiles would be available.
If you added to all these problems, the fact that no one on New Vandenberg had any experience in designing a new Aerospace Fighter from the ground up, the obvious conclusion was that my project was way too advanced for the Concordat in 3031, but developing a new Fighter took years, and I was confident that when the aircraft would be ready to roll up, the technologies would be mastered.
The last project I looked after was a Heavy 'Mech, an advanced Penetrator. The difference with the PTR-4D in my universe was the use of an Endo Steel chassis that had allowed it to pack two more Heat Sinks and a Guardian ECM. Apart from the fact that it was still impossible to produce the Guardian ECM or Anti-Missile System (even if I could always “salvage” some from other designs or from stocks I had) and that the quantities of Endo Steel produced were quite small, even if they had doubled since my last stay in the system, the main obstacle to the development of this ‘Mech was that I only had vague memories of its specifications, which was obviously insufficient to tell the engineers what I really wanted and made its development a trial and error process. However, if you also added to that the lack of experience of VMI in producing new designs, the overall delay seemed to me not so bad as we were now in the final stages of building the first prototype, even if the Guardian ECM and AMS systems were from the diminutive stock of these components I had from early cache raids.
The only program that had reached the production phase was my idea of a modular weapon, similar to but better than the much-vaunted, and very heavy, SLDF Mauser 960.
V4RU had started with a stripped down version leaving only the pulse rifle, but with still 6kg to carry and with the help of Pinard Protectorates Limited (PPL), the Taurian specialists of small weapons, they had designed a lighter version, weighing only 5 kg, that was capable of taking modules thanks to a system similar to the one used on the modern assault rifles of my universe and the rail system they used to add extra functions and tools. This allowed all the extra options of the Mauser 960 (advanced optics, grenade launcher, bayonet, even the survival kit) to be added in almost any possible combination, in the field (if one was ready to go for a really heavy assault rifle). It took some time for V4RU and PPL to finalize the design and to iron out the quirks, but what we got, in the end, was the first true modular pulse rifle in this universe.
They even improved the model by creating a more dense / capable battery, that doubled the number of the shots, its only drawback is that cost considerable more than the standard one, or putting a connector for an external power pack which together with the replacement of the standard insulator with a more capable one, could transform the weapon into a real machine gun. Another improvement was an adjustable multi-position telescopic buttstock, offering six different lengths of pull.
Even the internal components were designed to be easily replaceable, making it an instant favorite of all armorers. Showing the prototypes to the TDF, in a private, and very discreet demonstration, generated a big order. I also ordered enough to equip my Revenants with it.
After analyzing the hardware found in Baumann’s base, something interesting was found, an ER PPC but a kind of enhanced version, which dealt more damage. If I remembered correctly, the Wolverines had developed those, and they were a midway between the original ER PPC and the Clan ones. So far, my people were studying how to produce these advanced models.
While reviewing everything, I also hold several reunions not only with the people I had put in charge of governing the system for me but also with the local representatives of various companies.
One of the things that I had placed a lot of importance on was how to reduce or if possible eliminate the dependency of New Vandenberg on other systems. In the last years, for example, the local production of medicines had grown to the point that New Vandenberg exported them to the rest of the Concordat.
While the other big shareholders in VMI were very satisfied with my performance they didn’t want to invest in the factory complex in Detroit until the Calderons showed the way. It was the same for the investment company that my in-this-universe father had, they were interested but didn’t want to get involved without reassurances from the Calderons. For that, I needed to wait for Thomas’ decision. Maybe if Thomas decided to go that way, would the others follow.
Exiting the last reunion of the day, I received a phone call from my secretary on an urgent matter. This phone call probably saved my life because it made me head into another direction, as a car that was parked near mine exploded. Without these steps in another direction, I would have been caught in the full blast of the explosion. Thanks to this and the fact that my civilian suit was made of very discreet but advanced personal armor, I only got some cuts, burns and a concussion. This was not the first time that I was in danger, I had been several times in battle but this was different, and I would lie if I said that it didn’t affect me.
Unfortunately, the subsequent investigations never found the culprit / organization behind it.
However, Lieutenant Fisk, the head of my security apparatus went completely (in my opinion) bananas. Not only was the number of goons that followed me every place I go doubled, but a lot of restrictions were placed on what I could and couldn’t do. When I tried to change that a bit, I got a message from Thomas saying ‘shut-up and take care, we don’t want to lose you’. The bastard even sent two specialists from his personal guard to analyze my security and implement the procedures they thought were needed.
Two weeks later, having taken care of everything I could in New Vandenberg, I decided to go back to Coromodir, leaving behind me (or, so I hoped) someone dedicated to kill
The next thing I did after ensuring that the battalion was shipped to Kamea was to read the security report I had received from my TMI liaison and it contained good news.
Thanks to the continuous improvement of safety standards, and better surveillance equipment, the number of sabotages, and 'incidents' in the Concordat had decreased substantially in recent years. The number of spies and saboteurs caught had also increased, though almost none were caught alive. A fact known only to a group of few people, in which I was included, was that some of these spies and saboteurs were ROM. However, they had reduced their activities in recent years. I didn’t believe that our defenses were that efficient, my theory (and hope) was that the Federated Commonwealth had become their top priority and that they had to reduce their efforts in the Concordat.
While in New Vandenberg, I took the opportunity to check personally and on-site the status of several projects I had started.
For example, one project I had started in 3015 was battle armor research and development, but until recently it was only awarded a small budget.
Starting with only few things efficient for real battle armor, a fully articulated two-hand exoskeleton, high-density batteries, mid-range sensors and armor efficient only against light infantry weapons and an upper weight limit not exceeding a ton, progress had been slow and difficulties numerous.
Using the strongest industrial myomers available for the body and “muscles” and medical myomers used for artificial limbs in the articulated hands that needed to be capable of performing precise operation, the first powered armor prototype produced, worked only for a short time before shutting off and its armor was still very light, only efficient against light infantry weapons.
One of the main limitations was that the myomers used could not support more weight, which would have solved both the problem of protection and of the greater battery capacity. Extras such as magnetic clamps and scaled up infantry jump packs were only starting the testing phase.
The existing prototype at the end of 3031 weighed 650 kg, was able to withstand moderate infantry fire, but not any from a 'Mech' weapon, was reasonably agile and capable of using most infantry weapons although some had to be modified. Its autonomy was still small and the software had too many bugs for anything more than laboratory tests or a very small field test.
Another program launched, but that was only in the design phase, was an advanced Aerospace Fighter weighing 90 tonnes and packing 20 Double Heat Sinks as well as 16 tons of armor. It had an ER PPC in the nose, with one ER Large Laser and a LB10-X in each wing with two tons of ammo and 2 Medium Lasers firing backwards. Another interesting feature were the two large bays for internal weapons I had requested and that were designed so that each could carry 2 elongated Arrow IV. These Arrow IV, still in experimental phase, were aimed at taking care of bigger space threat thanks to a rocket booster and an advanced seeker. If the Fighter had to deal with ground targets, 'normal' Arrow IV could be used.
The prototype would be using parts that we couldn't yet produce but I had managed to acquire over the years (and the several caches visited) a small stock of ferrous-aluminum armor as well as different things found on ‘Mechs unable to run like a 270 XL taken from a Hussar HSR-200Db a Beagle Active Probe or a Guardian ECM unit.
The problem with the advanced Arrow IV missiles was that the new seeker, which can provide an anti-Fighters and anti-DropShip capability was still in the early test phase at O-P Electronics but if we could produce a prototype, “regular” Arrow IV missiles would be available.
If you added to all these problems, the fact that no one on New Vandenberg had any experience in designing a new Aerospace Fighter from the ground up, the obvious conclusion was that my project was way too advanced for the Concordat in 3031, but developing a new Fighter took years, and I was confident that when the aircraft would be ready to roll up, the technologies would be mastered.
The last project I looked after was a Heavy 'Mech, an advanced Penetrator. The difference with the PTR-4D in my universe was the use of an Endo Steel chassis that had allowed it to pack two more Heat Sinks and a Guardian ECM. Apart from the fact that it was still impossible to produce the Guardian ECM or Anti-Missile System (even if I could always “salvage” some from other designs or from stocks I had) and that the quantities of Endo Steel produced were quite small, even if they had doubled since my last stay in the system, the main obstacle to the development of this ‘Mech was that I only had vague memories of its specifications, which was obviously insufficient to tell the engineers what I really wanted and made its development a trial and error process. However, if you also added to that the lack of experience of VMI in producing new designs, the overall delay seemed to me not so bad as we were now in the final stages of building the first prototype, even if the Guardian ECM and AMS systems were from the diminutive stock of these components I had from early cache raids.
The only program that had reached the production phase was my idea of a modular weapon, similar to but better than the much-vaunted, and very heavy, SLDF Mauser 960.
V4RU had started with a stripped down version leaving only the pulse rifle, but with still 6kg to carry and with the help of Pinard Protectorates Limited (PPL), the Taurian specialists of small weapons, they had designed a lighter version, weighing only 5 kg, that was capable of taking modules thanks to a system similar to the one used on the modern assault rifles of my universe and the rail system they used to add extra functions and tools. This allowed all the extra options of the Mauser 960 (advanced optics, grenade launcher, bayonet, even the survival kit) to be added in almost any possible combination, in the field (if one was ready to go for a really heavy assault rifle). It took some time for V4RU and PPL to finalize the design and to iron out the quirks, but what we got, in the end, was the first true modular pulse rifle in this universe.
They even improved the model by creating a more dense / capable battery, that doubled the number of the shots, its only drawback is that cost considerable more than the standard one, or putting a connector for an external power pack which together with the replacement of the standard insulator with a more capable one, could transform the weapon into a real machine gun. Another improvement was an adjustable multi-position telescopic buttstock, offering six different lengths of pull.
Even the internal components were designed to be easily replaceable, making it an instant favorite of all armorers. Showing the prototypes to the TDF, in a private, and very discreet demonstration, generated a big order. I also ordered enough to equip my Revenants with it.
After analyzing the hardware found in Baumann’s base, something interesting was found, an ER PPC but a kind of enhanced version, which dealt more damage. If I remembered correctly, the Wolverines had developed those, and they were a midway between the original ER PPC and the Clan ones. So far, my people were studying how to produce these advanced models.
While reviewing everything, I also hold several reunions not only with the people I had put in charge of governing the system for me but also with the local representatives of various companies.
One of the things that I had placed a lot of importance on was how to reduce or if possible eliminate the dependency of New Vandenberg on other systems. In the last years, for example, the local production of medicines had grown to the point that New Vandenberg exported them to the rest of the Concordat.
While the other big shareholders in VMI were very satisfied with my performance they didn’t want to invest in the factory complex in Detroit until the Calderons showed the way. It was the same for the investment company that my in-this-universe father had, they were interested but didn’t want to get involved without reassurances from the Calderons. For that, I needed to wait for Thomas’ decision. Maybe if Thomas decided to go that way, would the others follow.
Exiting the last reunion of the day, I received a phone call from my secretary on an urgent matter. This phone call probably saved my life because it made me head into another direction, as a car that was parked near mine exploded. Without these steps in another direction, I would have been caught in the full blast of the explosion. Thanks to this and the fact that my civilian suit was made of very discreet but advanced personal armor, I only got some cuts, burns and a concussion. This was not the first time that I was in danger, I had been several times in battle but this was different, and I would lie if I said that it didn’t affect me.
Unfortunately, the subsequent investigations never found the culprit / organization behind it.
However, Lieutenant Fisk, the head of my security apparatus went completely (in my opinion) bananas. Not only was the number of goons that followed me every place I go doubled, but a lot of restrictions were placed on what I could and couldn’t do. When I tried to change that a bit, I got a message from Thomas saying ‘shut-up and take care, we don’t want to lose you’. The bastard even sent two specialists from his personal guard to analyze my security and implement the procedures they thought were needed.
Two weeks later, having taken care of everything I could in New Vandenberg, I decided to go back to Coromodir, leaving behind me (or, so I hoped) someone dedicated to kill