OPERATION:RATNIK (Golden Lion AU)[]
- Chapter Seventeen – Mergers and Acquisitions -[]
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7 July 3023
“Chairwoman, we cannot meet the obligations that Chancellor Maximilian has set out for us in his next five-year plan. We cannot sate his hunger for senseless growth for its own sake.”
Duchess Candace Liao sat atop the boardroom table as fading light passing through the windows of St. Ives Mercantile Association’s (SIMA) tower where she had spent all day in meetings. “There are never enough resources for you President Wen. What do you do with all the money you make?”
“Chairwoman Liao, your St. Ives Commonality has the most efficient, profitable, and well-capitalized businesses in the Capellan Confederation. If it were part of any other Successor State, we would be competitive, but our only viable export destination is on the opposite side of our empire. We have limited jumpships for trade nor will the Lyrans send any within our realm beyond the agreed corridor for fear of C.C.N. seizure and retasking.”
“Much is expected of those that are successful.”
“Every year we reinvest our profits, train more and better workers, build factories and credit, yet every five-years the Chancellor still expects us to work miracles from mud. Our market is saturated, there is no more room for growth without an expansion in trade, general consumption, or government funds to offset our expense rather than the purchase of imported luxuries, or graft.“
Candace gripped her ivory topped cane with a scowl, but HildCo Interplanetary’s President was unphased, he meant it. Much of what she owned had been imported from The Magistracy of Canopus, Lyran Commonwealth, or Draconis Combine. It was a very pointed critique.
“These past years have been very difficult for us with growing aggression from the Federated Suns. We tapped credit with Tharkad, but unfavorable exchange rates make repayments difficult. Many of us at SIMA have not been taking a salary to help service our debt. If we fail to make them COMSTAR would collect it on their behalf. We already face enough barriers to trade to add another.
Chairwoman, you must push back against the Chancellor and his latest industrial plan, or we will rapidly become insolvent. Only to be acquired by well-connected Scions, run into the ground, then sold for scrap. If this continues our enemies need just wait until they consumed us from the inside”
The Board was silent as Duchess Candace Liao and President of HildCo Interplanetary Feng Wen stood opposite one another, Candace looked over the suits, “This is your general consensus then?”
None said anything in opposition, “What would you need to meet the targets?”
“Money, Material, and Manpower. Same as always Chairwoman
.
The Lyrans are willing to sell us more efficient industrial machines, but they are expensive and only financed from Commonwealth banks. We can mobilize the manpower but even the meanest servitor is an expense that must be recouped. Materials will come when money goes.
At the end we need a paying customer. The Military Ministry has been slow in approving HildCo’s payments for deliveries. They claim paperwork delays, but are never late for Ceres Metals, Earthworks Limited, Defiance, or Coventry. If we cannot pay our own producers; how can they be expected to deliver more product every year?
Even if they forced us to do so at gunpoint, eventually we’d run out of money and raw materials.”
Candace tapped on her cane as she sat down followed closely by President Wen, “I will elevate your concerns to The Chancellor.” She fiddled with red fingernails for a moment. “I cannot offer any guarantees that he will negotiate. You will soldier on until there is another option. Understood?
Meeting adjourned.”
She stayed looking out over Tian-Tan, leaning slightly on her cane. The SIMA building formed the nucleus of this planetary capital and her demesne’s center of power. A boardroom had become her battlefield after MechWarrior status was taken away. Romano was growing in favor and rumors were that Maximilian might appoint her as heir-apparent should she calm her more…impulsive appetites.
Just like the battlefield she was losing ground and had to fight to stay in favor, attempting to please a madman whose very nature made such a thing impossible. Quarter by Quarter her St Ives Commonality was nearing fiscal paralysis just as she was completing her recovery from the physical variety, both after years of painful adjustment. There must be options she could yet explore, some unforeseen treatment to hasten their recovery. She lifted the cane from the ground and fought through the pain, something that could let them stand taller than before.
18 July 3023
Three scientists from the St Ives Science Institute stood before Duchess Candace Liao’s heavy Highspire hardwood and gold/ivory inlaid desk within the SIMA building. Long coat, hat, and cane hanging behind her as she preened her nails with a letter opener. “What was so urgent that it required my immediate attention, Doctors?”
“We have new reports from the Mount Lee expedition on Victoria.”
“The what? Please excuse me and start from the beginning. Yours are only a few of the reports I see every day. Unless it has my treatment schedule, in which case I always put it on top.”
They brought a slide deck, because of course, damn scientists as bad as marketeers. “Duchess, two years ago SISI authorized an expedition to locate the legendary Mountain of Thunder. One of many SLDF facilities built to support their Periphery campaigns during the Reunification War. We think particularly against the Taurian Concordat.”
“Well considering the Canopians rolled over and spread their legs, while the Taurians almost nuked all comers to dust, I would expect as much from the Cameron Steamroller that was the SLDF.”
Her interruption disrupted their flow as was the intention, “Our team located a ruin which led us to a series of collapsed tunnels. These tunnels led to what is called the Carlos Dagmar Lee Battlemech Research Facility, according to the signage and material we have been able to recover.”
“Should I know that name?”
“He was the Commanding General of the SLDF during the Reunification Campaigns.”
“And a narcissist.”
“Almost certainly Duchess.
Regardless much of the facility seems to have been abandoned in haste. We will require additional resources and time to explore the facility and see what may lie within it, what we might be able to uncover, and potential resurrect. This could the Capellan Confederation’s Halstead Station.”
She straightened in her chair at rapt attention. “Halstead Station was worth fighting and dying for and it was merely a library of old dusty books. An abandoned SLDF research facility, so close to our border would be irresistible. Who else knows about this?”
“Considering the gravity of the situation our reports were carried by SISI courier along with mundane research during a regular resupply trip. Maybe twenty people.”
“Keep it that way for now. I want additional reports hand delivered to me, and only me.”
“What about the Chancellor?”
“Only me, understood?”
They bowed, “Yes, Duchess Liao, we understand.”
“I will give you what you wish for the next four months and redirect a transport from Brazen Heart for ‘mineral prospecting.’ Report back to me or my deputy every two weeks on your progress.”
“As you wish, Duchess.”
“If this turns out to be a worthwhile expedition you will handsomely reward. You are dismissed.”
Candace Liao turned her chair toward the window after the scientists departed and the room was made secure again. “An abandoned SLDF research facility, all to myself. If this is the Confederation’s Halstead Station that could change everything, in my favor.”
Her hand gripped the letter opener so hard it drew blood. She looked down as her blood dripped onto a stack of papers blotting them crimson. “The only thing I can fight with and against now is paperwork. I need a partner, a champion.”
A delicate silk handkerchief was wrapped over the wound but balled up into her fist, “ever since my MechWarrior status was ripped away from me!” She sent papers scattering across her office and a paperweight crashing into the wainscoting, “I can’t do it myself.”
Behind her a Telescan chirped with a COMSTAR News Network update. She opened the compact tablet; one side showed the latest trades on SIMA’s exchange, individual tickers, and other market data. The other was a picture and report, ‘Mandrinn Tormano Liao celebrates with three time Solaris Grand Champion Justin Xiang in The Jungle.’ Her brother was one of the few news topics she bothered letting COMSTAR know she was interested in, mostly to see whether he might suffer some terrible misfortune on distant Solaris VII. Quite the opposite though and as she looked at Justin Xiang more the Telescan propagated more information on the latest and greatest Solaris Champion.
Since she was already in her purse, she picked out the lipstick tube and applied Canopian Candies ‘Capella Crimson’ to her lips before pursing them. “Maybe Justin Xiang is interesting in being MY Champion. He might just have everything I need, and I can offer him anything he wants.”
23 July 3023
Justin Xiang walked into the COMSTAR Offices to check his mail terminal like he did once a week. As a three-time Solaris Grand Championship a lot of fan mail was sent to this address, after his mother uncovered unsolicited pictures of fans. There was a name he hadn’t expected to see at the top, “Duchess Candace Liao? Wants to meet me on Tsinghai. All expenses paid.”