Chapter 21
Date: August 20, 3028
Location: Kalidasa, Free Worlds League
I was happy. It had taken a few months, but things had settled into a routine and production had met my expectations at nearly every turn. Sure, there had been minor setbacks or machines that needed repair, but that happened in every factory.
There was also something deeply fulfilling about this sort of work. Instead of managing software or programming like I had back in his old life, there was something tangible produced by the end of every shift. A piece of a 'mech leaving your machine by the end of the day.
It was something that I hadn't realized I'd missed out on until I started down this path. In my old life, dad had worked construction, as my uncles, and some of my brothers. But me? I'd wanted to make something of myself. So, I graduated high school as fast as possible, then threw myself into college, academics, and had seen glimpses of the future of technology.
Now, I was left wondering if I'd missed out on something valuable. If there was more that I could have learned from my father, uncles, and brothers. Because this fulfilling feeling was something I hadn't had when all I worked on was a screen, code, and numbers that went up and down based on 'work' that I had done.
Still, despite all of that, it wasn't like I could go back in time and redo anything. I was stuck with what was here and now. A time machine wouldn't fix anything, it wouldn't mean that I learned the lessons. But that a different me just didn't make mistakes.
The lessons I had learned and was learning now were important. They changed who I was and would stick with me for the remainder of my life. I wouldn't change them, even if I were given the chance.
"Morning, boss," Billy nodded, breaking me out of my internal thoughts as the elevator opened with an unconscious swipe of my badge. This was the entryway to the main underground parts of the factory complex.
"Morning, Billy," I jutted my chin up in response. "How're things looking today?"
"Sector five is acting up again," he manager replied. "We've taken it offline and are making the necessary adjustments. It should be back up by the time we start moving full speed today."
Sector Five was a part of the machinery we'd retooled to make the Mackie's Chassis. Which normally wouldn't be a problem, but the Mackie was a bit oversized compared to the industrialmechs the factory lines had manufactured beforehand. Which meant that the recalibrations sometimes decided they didn't want to work, and that we would have to take that section of the chassis manufacturing machinery down to check the specs before starting work for the day.
Fortunately, one of the things I'd mandated before starting full-time production was that we were going to make manuals and instructions for repairs and recalibrations for every machine in the factory. If something broke, then Billy, Eddie, or any of us didn't have to rush to go fix it because everyone already had the information they needed to work on their own.
"Do you need any help with the sector?" I focused on Billy.
"Nah, Eddie's got it taken care of," Billy shook his head. "You've got that meeting with the mercs today, remember?"
"Right," I nodded, wracking my brain and scratching the back of my head to try and pin down the memory of agreeing to that. "I had actually forgotten about that."
It was easy to forget things when you actually enjoyed moving through the factory, hanging out with your employees and putting out a finished 'mech every month. (Well, that and the fact that someone had to test fire all of the weapons before they were mounted onto the 'mech at the end, and he wasn't going to miss that. Explosions were cool!)
That, and I was enjoying getting to know everyone that worked for me. This was the last chance I was going to actually have that ability. Because our personnel list had grown to a few hundred. Meaning I knew all of them for now. But in a year or so, the amount of people wouldgrow to the point that it wouldn't be possible to know everyone. It was the sad thing about founding a growing business. Eventually, it would grow to that level and the intimacy of what we had now would fade into obscurity.
"Unfortunately, your meeting is scheduled at the same time as the next ack-twenty test," Billy smirked. "Sorry, but someone else will have to fill that role for you."
"Explosions are cool, dammit!" I swore dramatically and trying to be serious before a grin broke across my face and I began to laugh along with Billy.
"Yes, they are," Billy nodded, a grin on his face. "Which is why it's my turn to have some fun while you get to do the boring parts."
"Fair enough," I shrugged. "This isn't the first time Hammer's reached out about interest in the Mackie. But it is the first time they've actually seemed like they wanted to purchase one."
"Offer them a discount in exchange for a future security contract," Billy offered as I turned to head to the small office. "I know we already have some security forces. But Hammer and his group have more experience, and I'd rather have a lot more people available to help keep our factory safe in the event of an invasion or something."
"I'll see if they're willing to work out something like that," I agreed. "I won't pretend to know more about the security stuff than you do. Anyway, I'll get the paperwork and everything sorted out for the day. Enjoy testing all of the guns."
"Oh, I will," Billy grinned. "See you around, Boss. Go make us some more money!"
I just gave a small wave and began heading for the office area. It was a floor or two above the machinery, just at the right height for you to be at the 'waist' of a Mackie. It was soundproofed so that anyone working in it could get work done, but there were windows made out of the same thing that cockpit glass was made out of so that anyone could look out and see what was being worked on.
Entering the office proper, I greeted Miss Davis with a smile as I accepted the paperwork she wanted me to complete for the day. The paperwork wasn't even more than I could handle in a day on my own, but I'd planned for the future and hired her as a secretary anyway, she'd come highly recommended by my girlfriend. Rebecca had gone to school with her and claimed she did excellent work.
She was right. Susannah Davis was highly organized, efficient, and able to keep me on task enough that I was usually able to be done with paperwork by noon and able to go work in the factory with the rest of the employees shortly afterwards.
Today, though, I wasn't going to be able to go out into the factory. So, I asked for Susannah to step into the office with me.
"Susannah, I know we keep records in the mainframe on everyone who we've had dealings with in the past," I said. "Can you pull everything we have for Justin Hammer's mercenary company?"
"I can do that," She nodded, having taken to the computer storage like a fish to water. She loved the ability to cross-reference and find whatever she was looking for without having to go dig through physical files. "Anything in particular you're looking for?"
"It might be worth checking with the Mercenary Review Board," I continued. "But I want to see if they've worked for any corporate interests in the past, or if it was just governmental."
"Hoping to hire them?" she asked, writing down notes on her ever-present clipboard.
"It's certainly on the table," I nodded. "But I don't want to hire them and offend another ocmpany they might have worked for. So far, we've maintained good relationships with both Quikscell and Kali Yama. I'd rather keep that up than make them our enemies."
"Oh, speaking of Quikscell," Susannah's eyes lit up. "The local factory head asked if you could clear some space in your schedule for a luncheon with some of the company executives."
"Find me some time," I agreed. "Just try not to schedule anything when I have the day crossed out for Rebecca."
"Understood," Susannah nodded with a smile. "I'll get everything sorted. Let me know if you need anything else."
With that, she turned around smartly and headed towards her desk. If there were doors in the offices, she might have closed it behind her, but I didn't just want to say I had an open door policy, I wanted to be available to my employees for real. So, none of the senior staff at Siler's Salvage and Assembly had doors on them except for the main entrance door to the offices, and we were expected to be efficient enough with our paperwork that we'd also be present out on the floor and helping as much as possible.
Culture always started from the top down. What I did now would matter later on in the future of the company, as would the actions of everyone else. Even Susannah as a secretary was expected to know something about one section of the factory and to be able to help in the event of an emergency.
Now, it was time to get this paperwork done and figure out what Justin Hammer wanted.
"That's not what I expected," Rachel Castle heard her lancemate Alex Mason mutter as they entered the main atrium of Siler's Salvage and Assembly. The translucent 'skin' of a Mackie showing off the myomer muscles, actuators, and weapons of the oldest battlemech design in history.
"It's certainly one way to make sure that people want to buy one of your 'mechs," Castle agreed. "If we're impressed and we know what we're looking for, imagine what someone who doesn't know anything is going to think."
"They'll eat them alive," Alex nodded. "Natural marketing at it's finest. Everyone who sees this is going to talk about it, and if they come in, they likely have the money to purchase one."
"Pretty much," Castle agreed. "That said, their production isn't spoken for yet. So, we may be able to purchase one before they sell out."
"You think it'll happen that fast?" Alex asked.
"The local militia already purchased half their production. If by the end of the year, they don't have contracts running for the next decade, I would be surprised."
"Then we are going with Scott's idea?" Alex mused. "Take out a loan to get a second one."
"No," Castle shook her head. "We're hoping we can get one of those by negotiating for a smaller paycheck on our next contract."
"Lieutenant Rachel Castle?" A woman entered the Atrium and called her name.
"That's me," Castle replied. "This is one of my lancemates, Sergeant Alex Mason.
"Susannah Davis," the woman gave a smile and extended her hand to shake. "I'm Mister Blaze's aid, and I'll be escorting you down to the offices for the negotiations."
"Thank you," Castle shook the hand firmly. "Lead the way."
They crossed the polished stone floors, heading for an elevator on the far side.
"So, what's with the Mackie here?" Alex asked.
"It's the first one that was produced at this facility," Susannah replied. "We considered selling it, but in the end, it was decided that this was a greater use for it."
"It's certainly a statement," Castle agreed. "You guys have come a long way in the past three years."
"I pulled the records earlier," Susannah opened the elevator doors and gestured for them to get in with the security guard who nodded and swiped his badge before sending them to a subfloor. "You were some of the first people that Mister Blaze and Miss Siler sold to."
"We were both down on our luck at the time," Castle admitted. "Purchasing from you was one of the best decisions we ever made. All of the equipment has performed extremely well, and I don't expect for that to change."
"That's good to hear," Susannah said as the elevator began its descent. "We take pride in our craftsmanship, and I'm sure Mister Blaze will be pleased to hear that the equipment has performed well."
The elevator stopped after a few more seconds, and the security guard gestured for them to exit.
"My apologies, but we do have to do a second search before allowing you any further into the complex," Susannah allowed the next guard to wave a wand over her and once he had nodded, she moved to the other side to wait for the duo.
They'd already been disarmed by the guards at the front who had promised to return the handguns and knives once they were finished, but procedure was procedure, and they allowed the guard to look over them.
"Now, if you'll follow me, we have to cut through part of the factory complex to reach the offices," Susannah began to walk through the area with confidence, leading them around massive conveyer belts, welders, and other machinery until they reached a set of stairs that led up into an office area.
"Do you require any time before the meeting?" Susannah asked. "We have refreshments available in the break room if you need them."
"No," Castle shook her head. "Let's get this started."