Essen Station; First brief.

[Hanz.Vonbek]

Life's path often set in stone based on where we are born, from what parents, in what time period. Very few are able to change their stars for lack of opportunity or even desire. Such is the case for people living in Earth all that time ago. It would come across as totally ironic that in the ever expanses of the Sirius system alone, where more variations of literally every walk of life somehow co-exists, the ability to change into something you're not is even more restricted.

Hanz was a mal-nourished baby that grew into malnourished adult. Born to parents who's entire existence from birth had been the same to the point of their timely demise, the opportunity to be anything more than a Junker was unheard of. Parents and grandparents would turn in their non existent graves whilst bearing a tear in their eye at the thought of Hanz, the youngest and only son leaving their world to join a house corporation. Such a fete that Hanz himself is stunned to believe it's happening. Only time would tell if such an endeavour would play out as desired.

As far as Junkers go, Hanz had "made it big"- Very lucky indeed.

There's generally two types of Junker;

1. Those who peddle illicit substances, weaponry, technology, information and anything which holds credit-value all whilst holding under the radar posing as "Scrap/Waste Material/Anything of value which can be salvaged"
   
2. The ones who actually spend their entire life in debris fields collecting scrap metal in the hope of returning meagre financial return to get the next lot of supplies in, followed by spending even more time in the scrap fields. Having had little to not contact at all with anything but scrap salvaging.
   

Hanz came from a background of the latter, boasting only a few very fortunate assets to his name.

• A heavily used but very functional "Salvager" ship, handed through the generations.
  
• Having "been in the right place at the right time" during the most recent Maltese and Corsican clash over Freeport Nine. The part after every conflict nobody talks about; the clean-up. All sides had welcomed all Junkers capable in clearing wreckage. An extremely lucrative business bringing god-tier wealth (within the Junker community at least). The horrors it brings are even less spoke about.
  

This life, although wretched has brought Hanz something he couldn't pass up. An opportunity to change his bloodline Junker lifestyle. He'd been a friend, understudy of sorts of the late Mcboyle. An extremely successful Junker who was known across most Sirius. In the latter years of McBoyle's time, he'd began to shed assets he could no longer manage. This, coupled with the recent monetary influx from the Theta Clean-up, Hanz immediately purchased a small base within Frankfurt. The next 36 months were spent cleaning, scrubbing, polishing, updating & completely overhauling the station. The base was no stranger to Outcasts turning up for a quick refresh of supplies before slipping off back into the unknown. The base had even somehow paid off a Rheinland Polizi siege.

With systems finally becoming updated, and it's Junker history being scrubbed away, the hopeful now businessman made his way for the very first time onto a Kruger owned station. He'd applied a little while ago and had no idea he'd been accepted. it was only after checking the Neural Net some time later after the base's clearly outdated systems had been overhauled he'd realised.

~Equip with only a well worn suite which clearly wasn't made for him & a relentless attitude, he set course in a salvaged Heavy Tanker transport for Essen Station, New Berlin.

After docking, he made his way to the front desk, before approaching a sectary clutching his printed copy of application and acceptance.

I'm here to see Herr Karl Mecker?

[Kruger]

Margareth, my secretary of many years, usually calm and thoughtful, enters my office at Essen Station in a panic. And I jumped up from my seat behind the enormous rosewood desk, widening my eyes, surprised by the unprecedented manner in which my secretary had acted. I asked her with a silent expression, which she understood and now, overwhelmed, upon understanding her nonsense, explained to me that there was a stranger who wanted to speak to me and that, judging by his appearance, she did not believe him, and therefore became exasperated, but after calming down, she told me that it was my friend Junker Hanz Vonbek.

Amazed, I asked her to show him to me!! This young man has an excellent life story.

He came in. Then I said to him:

Hanz, you finally showed up. Come in and make yourself comfortable. There are drinks in the cupboard. Help yourself to whatever you like. It's been a long time since we last saw each other. I am glad that you decided to invest the fruits of your entrepreneurial efforts. Not bad: a Salvage and a POB. I am sorry that your parents did not support you in your desire for greater heights in life. I do not mean to say that the Junker's life is bad, depending on the point of view, of course. Your parents, for example, from what I understand, were proud of the work they did, for which they supported you and formed you with your entrepreneurial disposition.
Now, by joining us, quality miners looking to find seams of Aluminum, Uncut Diamonds and Silver in the rocks of Rheinland, we will be able to meet more often at the bar, drink and chat. Just like Krüger miners!!

Well, my friend, as you know, my responsibilities often go beyond the time I have available, but I will certainly always have time to listen to you and, within my scope, help you in whatever way I can, not much... hahaha. Just kidding. We'll find a way to do it, whatever it is. And I'd definitely like to see your application to join the ranks of Krüger Mineralien at my desk. We have a lot to do. The demand is great and a force combined with your mental capacity and business acumen is welcome.

So, what do you say?!!

[Hanz.Vonbek]

Hanz was very fond of the man in front of him. Most corporate types knew him to be a Junker, nothing more and nothing less. It was conversations with this gentleman a few years prior that had lead him to enlist to the ranks of Kruger to begin with. The way he took those in front of him at face value without any prejudice. Gave his precious time without a single hint of wanting anything in return. Hanz was willing and wanting to work as hard as he possibly could to prove himself in the corporate world, to break free from the chains instilled from birth as a Junker.

There were many avenues in which becoming a part of Kruger would expand his own life and potential outlook. Hanz had spent years of carful planning to get to this moment.

"Sir, it is an honour to see you again. I will say though, I have already applied and been accepted! Of course, I will be more than happy to go through any formalities and apply again if necessary."

Hanz hands a tablet to the man in front of him, the accepted application very clear to see.

"Given my shabby appearance, I guess I need some form of uniform? Where can I find this? I am more than happy to pay.

I have three mining vessels, two transports and the crew to man them all. I merely await your orders, sir.

I think the main thing we are missing is the Uniform, however, everyone abord the station I command is more than willing to adopt what we need to best serve Kruger."

[Kruger]

The pile of paperwork on my desk had been filling my time for days as I read it and decided on acceptable parameters that benefited Kruger and the entire contingent of employees, from the miner to the clerk around me, including my secretary, who wouldn't give me a moment's rest. I was constantly reminded of the many commitments I still had, consciously telling me that there was still a lot of bureaucratic work to be done, such as meetings with suppliers, the board of directors, and shareholders, as well as the staff, who constantly needed to be motivated and instigated by improvements that would achieve all their personal and family goals.

Well, there she is, reminding me of all of that [important blah blah blah, of course]. Finally, she finished, and I sighed with relief at having completed so much that I had already resolved with her help. Now it was her job to guide the digitization process for her other employees at the Essen Station Office and send them to destinations in various locations across the vast Sirius.

I was ready for a drink and perhaps a little exercise to maintain my physical structure. Eating well, sleeping at least eight hours, drinking plenty of water, and always having a devotional time with the Creator aren't enough. Physical structure, despite the labor that many consider a curse, is actually a blessing. And I, with my business responsibilities, have to stick to a workout at the gym to compensate for the physical labor that would give me great pleasure to perform alongside the frontline workers in the mines or transporting them for various purposes, whether for refining or, after processing, commanding the supply by personally transporting it with the crew of some freighter. Like: Kruger to the galaxy's systems.

That's when my secretary re-entered my office. There was, I believe, a note of concern in her expression, due to the amount of work she was coordinating for final resolutions after we'd agreed on the guidelines together. In her hand was a tablet. She placed it on my desk and said, "Mr. Mecker, that gentleman who was with you before, a Junker, has accepted your invitation to join our functional team. From what I read, he's already begun investing in acquiring a base to work on something I haven't yet figured out what it is." I interrupted her, saying I would get back to my friend Hanz Vonbek as soon as possible.

Upon reading the information he mentioned there, I realized he had indeed joined our ranks, so I promptly activated a Kruger parade order to have him uniformed and properly documented for service. I also noted he has three mining vessels, two transports, and the crew to operate them. That's invaluable. A key contributor, who enhances Kruger with this functional and collaborative appointment.

I asked Margareth to introduce him to my office. She left, and he soon entered. Full of energy and courage to pursue his goal. We greeted each other, and after reminiscing about some happy experiences, we discussed current concerns regarding his projects, as well as long-term goals. Then we said goodbye. He left, and for a little longer, I spent some time discussing what we had agreed upon.

Therefore, regarding Hanz Vonbek, I authorize him to obtain all commodity operational facilities, maintenance necessary for his production and commercial supply purposes at our base, as well as access to this office to resolve any issues with me and/or my secretary, who has the authority to grant authorizations on my behalf according to my previously established instructions, only.

I hereby dispatch and sign, both for sending and for encrypting a file in the annals of Kruger Mineralien.


Krüger Vorsitzender

[Hanz.Vonbek]

The sheer gravity of the situation in which Hanz had found himself was beyond comprehension.

He'd come from the gutters of society, straight to the promise of a better life. He didn't want to bother Karl Mecker too much. He was a friend, but a extremely busy one.

He had hoped his efforts would one day pay off and lighten Karl's load, make him proud of the decision to grant his application and access to everything he'd need and more. Only time would tell if he'd be successful or not.

He was just a Junker, now he had enough rope to hang himself by should anything go wrong. He would not let his friend down.