Chapter Eighteen: "Ahh The Negotiator"
After jumping back to Taurian Concordat space, we took the Bittersweet, Puma, and Vagabond down to Burton. On our way down, we transmitted our AAR's to the MRB and our liaison sent his report to Colonel Calderon.
"Alright," I transmitted across the intercoms of the Vagabond and directly to the other two dropships. "All of you are required to take at least forty-eight hours of shore leave starting when we have landed. After you finish your duties, head over to the bar and have them put all of the drinks on my tab. I'll head over after I'm done talking to the locals."
A bunch of cheers resounded through all three dropships. "You sure you want to do that boss?" Sheppard asked me as I rounded the corner headed to the main sleeping quarters. "We'll drink you dry."
I just chuckled. "Y'all deserve it after what we just pulled off." I shrugged, "I'm going to go and sleep until I wake up now. Let Captain Daniels know that he's in charge until I wake up."
"Alright Captain, I'll pass on the message." Lieutenant Sheppard said. "Just so you know, that was a hell of a shot you pulled off on that Quickdraw, shooting like that had to come from somewhere, you'll have to tell me the story sometime."
"Would you believe me if I told you it came from being stuck on a Warship for a year?" I asked, smirking a little bit. Sheppard just looked at me confused. "I'll tell you someday. But for now I'll leave it to your imagination."
"Alright, keep your secrets!" Sheppard yelled after me. "I'll get to them someday."
I just walked away, chuckling all the while. Upon reaching the common sleeping quarters, I sat down on the bunk that I had picked out earlier and as soon as I wrapped myself in the blankets and strapped myself down I was asleep.
Senior Chief Samuels loved his job. Being the senior NCO on the Vagabond was a dream come true for a former career sailor. He was highly ranked enough to delegate and still low enough to actually get to work on things in person. Currently, everyone was supposed to be on shift and he was checking to make sure there weren't any slackers. When he saw that there was someone asleep in the main quarters he took it upon himself to wake them up and put them to work in typical NCO fashion.
"What the Hell are you doing!" Samuels Screamed at the top of his lungs. "Get up and get to work you lazy Shit!" the Senior chief hit the quick release on the straps and tipped the mattress over before stopping as he realized who he had just screamed at and woken up.
"Well, it's good to see that my NCO's haven't slacked on their training." I snarked as I tried to untangle myself from the covers. "I would have appreciated being woken up a bit more gently though."
"I'm so sorry sir." Samuels said apologizing furiously. "It won't happen again."
"No, no." I responded. "You were just doing your job and I get it. I would like to get back to sleep though if at all possible." I shook his hand and let him help me remake the bed as an apology before curling back up and going to sleep.
"Sheppard, make sure the bar is still standing when I get there." I said as I hopped into one of the company trucks. "I want a drink too." I then drove off, headed in the direction of the office that Colonel Calderon had given me the directions to.
"Captain Hull, thanks for coming on such short notice." The Colonel greeted me as I walked into the office. "You want anything to drink before we get down to brass tacks?" He asked as he walked over to a well stocked mini fridge. "I've got sweet tea, iced coffee, some juice."
"I'll take some sweet tea." I replied. Making my way over to the other side of the desk. Opening my rucksack and taking out both my 'Noteputer and my notepad and also retrieved my copy of the contract with the Taurian Concordat. I had both a physical copy in paper here and a digital one on my 'Noteputer.
"Let me tell you," Calderon opened up as he gestured for me to sit down. "You're company does really good work. Even if you do have a weird company structure." He then sighed. "Now for the grit. We want both of the Jumpships you captured. We don't want to invoke the clause we included but will if we have to."
"I want to keep one of the Jumpships. I need the lift capacity. As it is, I had to leave the Messenger here while we went pirate hunting." I responded. "I'm willing to give you the Merchant, it's the Jumpship that's in better shape and frankly, I need the collars."
"I'll be willing to lease the Tramp to you while we fix up the massive ship we salvaged." I responded with a shrug.
"That's not good enough." Calderon responded. "We have money to spare, but we don't have the capability to make our own Jumpships as is." He passed over a sheet of paper with a Lot of zeroes on it."We're even willing to offer you half of the brand new cost of both Jumpships and lend you the use of the Tramp until your contract with us is up and a little bit after."
"While that is a lot of zeroes," I responded. "It's no substitute for lift capacity." I sighed. "I'd like to keep one of them, but if it's that or the clause invoked I want a different deal."
"Alright then, let's hear your counter-offer." Calderon leaned back in his chair.
"You get both Jumpships on the condition that I can use them for sixth months after our contract is up and you cover the cost of repairing the Dropship that I picked up as well as the price listed here." I responded, tapping the paper with the price that they were willing to pay for the Jumpships on it. "I can only swing this though if I can manage to find another Jumpship soon after. So I want a guarantee that if we don't find another Jumpship within a year that we can continue to rent one of them until we've found our own."
Calderon thought for a good long while. "Let me talk to some people and get back to you tomorrow." He said standing up and shaking my hand. "Have a nice night Captain." He showed me the door.
I got in my truck and headed to the bar that the Wardogs and Marksman had taken over. I had a merger to discuss.
"Captain!" the fighter pilots of Wardog Squadron greeted me loudly. "Welcome to our corner of the bar."
I raised an eyebrow. "Are any of you sober enough to discuss terms?" I asked taking a seat across from Blaze.
"Blaze is!" Chopper chimed in. "He's always the Designated driver."
Blaze just shrugged and gestured to a table close by but slightly secluded. "Lets talk away from the motormouths over here."
I sat down and pulled out a sheet of paper detailing what I was willing to offer if they joined the Marksman and what duties I expected them to perform if they merged. Blaze took out a pen and paper and made a couple of notes. Humming to himself and circling a couple of things.
"Change these things a little bit and we'll have a deal. Most of us aren't good at the numbers and logistics. I'm the one who managed all of the books. If you can balance them out and pay off the debt you'll have us for as long as we've got birds and pay." He then shrugged. "Chopper and Hitman will stay as long as you keep them fed and pay for their bar tabs. All jokes aside, it was a pleasure working with you and your men and we'd love to stay on as long as we keep being treated like this."
I nodded. "I can make that work." I shook Blaze's hand and turned to the table they were at. "Welcome to the Marksman Wardog!" I called out while gesturing to the bartender to pour another round.
Authors note: So, no promises I'll maintain this kind of update schedule. If I manage to find a Beta I'll probably update even faster than this. So if someone wants to im still in the market for a proof reader or beta.