Christine looked down at the pad in her hands.
The LCD noteputer was chugging away.
Her great aunt, Olivia had been concerned when the Colonels of various regiments had started to come by for a meeting with Huu.
It turned out the man's industrial concerns were expanding to the point that even the touring regiments wanted his vehicles.
Wanted his vehicles for the purpose of actually living up to their image as fighting warriors and actually earning the applause that they received while on tour.
The family had been gobsmacked.
It was like every single method that one had of raising public awareness of Huu Vu and more importantly, of Tetersen was coming right to their door.
How the hell were they going to keep secrets if everyone kept coming by for a cup of tea?
Her directive then, laid out there on the LCD screen was rather unambigious.
Keep a heavy hand on Huu so he would stop meeting with everyone that had a moment of spare time. Or, failing that, build a designated spot where he could meet people under the careful watch of their own people.
In other words, build an exhibition centre next to the spaceport so that they wouldn't have to travel across the entirety of the planet to meet at their incredibly secure and nearly secret factory.
A factory that was, to all intents and purposes, a Clan Wolverine asset with just how many of them were inside of it.
She sighed with exasperation at the man.
So focused on just helping others, building factories, constantly expanding that he forgot that the rest of them weren't exactly in the same mold.
"How are we all today!?" The exuberant shout from Huu entered her ears as he came into the office.
The murmurs of greetings from those inside came back.
"Christine! How are we?" He nearly shouted her name as he came around the corner on the way to his office, beaming at her waiting for him, always punctual.
At least he was remember her name now, through sheer exposure if nothing else.
"I'm fine Huu, but we do need to talk about setting up an expo centre for your meetings in the future." She said, looking at his face to read his reaction.
His face was always open, always ready to show emotion, the very things he was thinking even for those that knew him.
Which she would claim to after 2 months.
He wasn't a deep and calm lake, he was a turpid creek. Not so deep but always rushing and flowing, never stopping. Not even for a moment, because the moment that happened, he would go stagnant (in his words at least).
This face was one that was disappointed.
"Why can't I just bring them here to look at my mountain?" He asked, looking crestfallen.
Christine sighed in her mind. Ah, he wanted others to appreciate the work that he had put in. It was, in some small way, his pride showing. Pride that hadn't been evident before, but everyone here was one of those that had been around him constantly weren't they? Not exactly the people that he wanted to show off to given they had seen it all before. But new eyes were different.
She needed some sort of consolidation to keep him happy she decided.
"Well, we can have a demonstration at the expo. You can show off some of the more automated parts of the factory to show everyone else how your designs work." Her suggestion had him brightening up, his expression flickering as his mind ran a million kilometres an hour, dumping idea after idea into the swirling cauldron that was his imagination.
"That's a great idea. It's a little unfair for everyone here to stop what they're doing whenever someone comes by I suppose." He said, looking a little embarrassed as his eyes roved over the cubicles that looked like a natural rock formation outside his office.
Well, she said cubicles, but really, each one was about three times the size of a regular cubicle in the office buildings that she had seen prior. Each one having the standard office chair, desk, and filing cabinet… but also a sofa to lounge on, a pinboard to keep track of ideas, a coffee table, a small fridge for snacks and drinks, and even a small wash basin that served the dual function of providing water.
It was like a small apartment more than it was an office cubicle.
Her own was like it.
So was his, just with walls that reached the ceiling so he could have his calls in private.
He really did take the idea of equity in the workplace to its natural conclusion.
"Yes, it would be. How would you like the Expo area designed? I'll get some Cl-contractors on it." That was close, she had nearly said Clan. It would be a problem if he found out, what with the fact that he was categorically unable to keep a secret.
His mind went a million kilometres an hour, his mouth went a billion.
Often speaking before he had even stopped to consider what was coming out of his mouth.
Not the best when you were trying to keep a secret.
+Break+
Clan Wolverine was restructuring. Max (Maxxy) Kerensky thought that it was about time. Not that he had hidden this or anything, he had been very open about the need (in his opinion) to do so in order to affect the changes they wanted on the Inner Sphere.
The Clans would come, their ways were insular and different, but they were still human. Population and resource pressures would affect them as much as it affected everyone else. They would eventually desire or even demand a return to the Inner Sphere and bring with them their short-sighted and ruinous ways.
Instead of hiding away and trying to gently prod the Lyran Commonwealth to doing better, why didn't they make some overt moves and hide in audacity?
What was stopping them except their own cowardice?
The fear of being discovered by the LIC, the descendants of the Star League Interstellar Communications organisation, even the other successor house spy agencies.
This Huu on the other hand had changed things a great deal indeed. His actions had caused a seismic shuffling of priorities.
They couldn't hide anymore, not with just how much of a metaphorical ruckus that this Huu Vu was causing with his wide ranging calls to industrialists and planetary governments across the Donegal region.
Taking refuge in audacity was the only option that they had left now.
Well, the only realistic one.
Hide in audacity, inside of Huu's corporation, the Utility Corporation (the name left a great deal to be desired). Acting as it's employees and providing an excuse for their counter-espionage tactics.
Or.
Try to keep themselves hidden and be wary of literally everything around that might trip over them by accident.
At least they would be able to act openly in the first scenario, an excuse of keeping their corporation safe versus a private citizen doing some very illegal things.
Ha.
This Huu was perfect.
Maxxy was riding the wave himself with his militarised versions of the Utility vehicles. Slapping guns on them and creating Block 1 models.
The default being the civilian models, but the Block 2 was essentially a separate company. Not that he was making his own weapons or anything.
Rather it was the understanding that the average customer was a very annoying and picky individual that had a million and one different requirements for their vehicles.
Even with the base Ute, one could order one with less armour to mount a bigger weapon. Or one could order one with a forward facing medium laser. Or 2 mech machine guns in the bed with half a ton of ammunition.
Every customer had their own needs because each customer was from a different planet with different conditions.
Instead of the main company trying to make a million and one different variants to hopefully sell a few of them, it was better and easy if the standard and unmodified vehicles were delivered to Maxxy, who would then modify them to the customer's heart's desire.
Which was what he was in the process of finalising now actually.
"I need one with a plow. My tractor blew its gasket a few years ago. Had to do things by hand don't you know? Been saving the money for a tractor, can't be borrowing money from the government don't you know? But then they told me about this Ute of yours. 26,000 Kroner for one? I told Bess that I needed one of these Utes don't you know?"
The farmer was speaking and Maxxy didn't narrow his eyes a the old man's negotiation tactics. Especially not when he had just knocked 1000 Kroner off the price for a new Ute.
Ha, he was ready old man.
"Well, I can get a plow fitted for you easily enough. The question is the cost Baron Anchovy. A plow only costs 200 Kroner. But if I put one on the back of a Ute, it's probably going to tear it in half after only 200 hours of use. I would need to strengthen the frame and add a proper hook-up for the plow to be used properly. That is going to set you back around 1000 Kroner in total." He said to the Baron who was looking at him with narrowed eyes.
Yes old man, it was expensive.
"However, if you are willing to wait a few months, I'm sure I can convince Mister Vu to build a version of the Ute for hard utility work with a strengthened frame at no extra cost." Maxxy continued before the Baron could interject.
It worked, the man's face worked silently as he pondered the issue.
Get one now… and be able to shove it into the faces of all his noble friends.
Or wait for one that would actually be designed for the purpose.
Maxxy knew which one he would choose, after all, the Baron was a prideful man.
Ennobled for his mining concern, the man pretended at being a farmer for the social cachet more than anything else.
He couldn't afford to not be the first one to purchase, not when the Utes were finally being sold on the open market. The factory machines weren't being used to make more factory parts it seemed, turned instead to their true purpose of building Utes.
"I'll take it. I need it on the 18th." The miner cum farmer said, face stern.
Maxxy allowed him his victory, that was fine, his dealership just made 1000 Kroner extra from a single day's work after all.
Returning to his office, he opened up the document on his noteputer. The one that was trying to sort out a quote for the local militia that were looking to purchase a few Utes for a Aufklarungregimenter the local Duke was trying out.
Granted, given the cost of a Ute, even with military weapons stuck on top of it. The Duke was likely trying to get one over his nominal military commander in the Pherkad Operations Area.
Probably have him demonstrate one of his glorious marches or something, and then bam! Sudden attack by a regimen of Utes.
A regiment of them running around with 216 Utes would certainly be a shock to anyone. A regiment being double the strength of a regular one given how compact the Ute was and how it could be stacked high in a vehicle gantry… and its crew of 2 was certainly a factory.
The problem right now was trying to fulfil the orders for the civilian Utes and the military Utes to meet the demands of every customer who wanted a customised one (all of them).
Not that Maxxy minded, life was great.
All of these people were coming to Tetersen, every single one of them was going to be forcing his Clan to change their ways to adapt and survive.
After all, the Wolverine cares not what the foe is, it will survive regardless.
Which meant adaptation and growth.
Which meant that his Clan would adapt and grow out of the rut they were in.
Ha!
To glorious victories.
+Break+
Pamphlet acquired by ROM for interrogation detailing a Modification to the Ute.
Title: Ute Mod Farming
Sub-Heading: Reinforced frame to allow attachment of farming equipment!
Image: Several different farming implements from seed drills, plows, fertiliser distributors are pictured with hook attachments.
Sub-Image: Rear image of a Ute vehicle with rear tow hook attached.
Footer: Buy your own for 30,000 Kroner today!
Analysis: The production of the the Ute Mod Farming is proof of Precentor XXXX's claim that allowing the Ute's continued existence will be detrimental to Blake's vision. With a fusion powered vehicle being widely available the ability to overcome the blocks placed by the Blessed Order in their way will be much less difficult than prior. It is predicted that within 5 years, there will be enough Utes to significantly alter the demographical picture of the Commonwealth in an upwards and positive trajectory.
-This cannot be allowed. Punitive action must be taken.- Purged for advocacy.
The continued existence of the Ute manufacturing complex and its founder Huu Vu is a fundamental threat to the Vision of Blake.
+Break+
Total RP Turn 7 2991 + 10 Months
16 RP 8×2 Ute Factory
Lyran Bonus = 1 + 0.3
Total RP = 16×1.3 = 20.8