Madness

Mittelsspannung Orbital Shipyards
Fenris
deWulf Corporate Space

Hella Kobetsky had to admit that Rollen played a pretty good political game. Better than she could. Frankly, the idea that anyone could get something past Chief Minister Rheinbach not once but twice was almost terrifying. She sipped a glass of ice water as she looked at the construction docket in front of her. The vast majority of Mittelspanung’s yard capacity was in use. A bit of it was engaged in some final construction projects already approved, but the vast majority was, as Rollen had predicted, peace dividend work. A fresh satellite yard was indeed under construction, its components scheduled to be built and assembled sometime in the next three months in Sif orbit. Right when the first ships scheduled to be mothballed would arrive.

Not to say that was the only work being done. A collection of smaller escort ships and support craft was being laid down; neglected arms that would be needed in the peace to keep systems secure and shipping safe.

And Mittelspanung wasn’t the only busy yard. One thing that Hella had loudly complained about was the sheer… creativity had been put into most of the satellite yards. There were five different designs of satellite yard! Five! Her eyes slitted, glowering at the bulkhead wall as she remembered when she was told that fact. Each of them was slightly different, based on who had built them. Some had two small boat bays. Others had only one. One design had armored plate as part of the central (only, in fairness) module, while two others had vastly overbuilt life support systems. It was madness.

And Rollen had not only gone out of his way to correct that problem, but sell it to the corps as an investment opportunity! And they had bought it. deWulf Heavy Industries had not only bought the idea, they’d actually flexed a little corporate muscle to make sure that it happened. Madness. So what was once five designs was now being consolidated into one uniform design that took cues from the various in-service designs.

Oh, and rolled in a sixty percent increase in yard capacity while they were at it.

Madness.

Her terminal beeped. Another order, this one from Rhinehold Unlimited, countersigned and approved by the corporate council.

It was all madness.