Visiting Vieques

[Tenseiken]

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CAMERA ACTIVE

FEED SAVING TO DRIVE CMXXVII

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Rell gave a tired smile.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Xae. I don't think that is possible just yet. We haven't made any concrete plans yet.
Though I have prepared a contract based on what we discussed earlier.
Here, please have a read. I kept it short."
He disappeared into the smaller section of the workshop, only to return with two very thin, identical stacks of paper and a datapad with a pair of data drives.

"I didn't know if you wanted it in written or digital form, so I prepared both. If you accept, I would like you to sign both variants. Please read them thoroughly.
I set the price for repairs and maintenance to a fixed quota that seems quite fair. It isn't cheap, but it isn't expensive either. Once we both sign, the quote can only be re-negotiated in one year from now, and only if either you wish it or if our costs for manufacture and hours worked rise more than 8% or fall 5% below current levels."
He handed the ex-pirate both the data pad and the stacks of paper. His smile returned.

"By the way, if you show the contract to anyone who shouldn't see it, I'll put a significant price on your head and have you killed.
Nothing personal, of course. It simply pays to be careful."
Rell continued in a matter-of-fact fashion, as if the threat was completely irrelevant for now.

"To protect the Congress, the contract is between you and me personally, not between you and the Junker Congress as a whole.
Should I lose my life before all this is over, you will have to talk to the Arbiter about how it can still be honored. He is likely to honor it in my name, should something happen to me.
If you accept this new cooling technology as part of your vessel's revival, we will need detailed scans, made with our own equipment.
Without those, we can't proceed. I need to know what I'm working with before I can tell you what our next step could potentially look like.
I will contact you later about how that can be arranged. I need to borrow your chief engineer for a little while."
His smile faded and the Junker seemed to contemplate something.

"Mr. Xae, this may take a while. I don't want to keep you. Feel free to look at the models. The others here..."
He guestured towards the armed guards and the workers near the models.

"...may look grim at first, but they are pleasant enough people, if you get to know them.
Please don't mind their presence after I'm gone.
Alternatively, you could get a nice drink at the bar.
We have an interesting selection, including, but not limited to: Liberty Ale, Rheinland Bier and even some Coalition Vodka. The barkeep won't tell anyone where he gets the stuff, but it appears to be genuine."
Rell turned his full attention to the man in the sleek exo rig.

"Mr. Baldwin. There is another thing I would like to show you.
While the models here are relatively new tech, there are some electronic failsafes that the Congress has been using for years.
I don't have them prepares here, but I would like to show them to you nonetheless.
We use them all the time when we need to overclock equipment beyond safe parameters, to defend against purely electronic attacks and to confuse those who try to get clear scans of our Salvager Frigates.
If you like the idea, the corresponding tech could be installed on the restored vessel.
But I would like you to take a look at it first. While it is quite safe and easy to handle, not everyone likes the idea of purposefully frying electronics.
May I invite you to join me on my family's ship, so that I can demonstrate what I have in mind?"

"Oh, and Mr. Xae, have you read the contract?"

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FEED SAVED

DRIVE CMXXVII FULL; SWITCHING TO DRIVE CMXXVIII

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<span style="font-family:Lucida Console"><span style="color:#33CC00">*personality core activated*</span>
Science consists of stating the obvious and linking the facts. </span>