area, which consisted of twenty buildings of varying sizes and shapes.
"Salaj is Freeland's main manufacturing facility. Here we produce the components for our spacecraft, shuttles, weapon systems, missiles, and personal weapons. Computers and chips are produced at our facility at Alesd, about five hundred kilometers to our south. Come, I will show you each facility."
We spent the afternoon touring each plant. Shuttles were still being produced for planet-side use, but most of the shops were idle. Finally, he led us to a small building. Inside were ten computer stations, but only three were occupied.
"I'd like you to meet Guga Sa'Arkadi. Guga is our chief designer. He's the one who will develop the plans for your cruiser. Guga, this is the dybbuk, Captain Reese. And these are Captain Pavao, who commands the Bobcat, and Captain Corbitt the Osprey." Da'Maass smiled. He obviously had a sense of humor in addition to a keen mind and fearless as demonstrated in our encounter at Yamhill. He'd proved he'd gladly die for Freeland. I hoped he'd work as hard to save it.
"Nice to meet you Captain Reese, Captains. I understand you want us to build you a cruiser. One like the Hunter you have?" Sa'Arkadi asked, his small, thin face bright with interest.
"No, Sa'Arkadi. I want you to help me design a cruiser for the Riss. It will be unique and cannot use any SAS components," I said as Pavao nodded in agreement. Guga was almost vibrating with the idea of creating something new. "For the basic structure, I'd like the cruiser more or less round like the SAS cruisers, with three tiers. The top tier completely open and containing no weapons. The bottom tier has the fighter and shuttle bays, missiles and engines. And the middle tier everything else. All the tiers need to be six meters high. The Riss are big people." Everyone stood there with his or her mouths open.
"Very unusual, Captain Reese. Very. What will the diameter be?"
"Smaller than the normal Light cruiser." Fewer Riss could operate a cruiser since they can easily handle multiple functions.
Image of a Riss on a tightrope over a deep canyon.
"About three quarters the size. Call me when you have a tentative structure, and we can discuss the details. I'm no designer, so I'll have to rely on your knowledge; however, I know what I want."
"Da'Maass, for now, I'd like you to think about multiple small engines rather than two or three large ones." I couldn't use the SAS design, and I didn't want to. I wanted something new, something uniquely Riss. And while I was at it, something better than currently existed. Da'Maass smiled but said nothing.
A feeling of pride followed, something I seldom felt from Thalia. Not that I doubted she was proud of her people, just that it was taken for granted. I hadn't thought of it before, but I also felt it.
"Well, Nadya." Pavao pushed her dinner plate away and lifted her glass of wine in a gesture of a salute. "You're not what I would have expected from a new Captain who is suddenly a station commander. I would've expected such a person to be more concerned with image."
"I understand what you're saying, Nance. Feeling that people are judging you, and scared to death they find you lacking. I think I've been feeling exactly that way for the past couple of years. The promotions have come too fast. But here, there are far more important things to worry about." It was funny in a sense, and I grinned. The stakes were far greater than my reputation. "And I've been too busy."
Pavao laughed. "I appreciate you letting Corbitt and me, be part of the Riss cruiser project. Besides relieving the boredom, I love it. I've never seen a cruiser being built. And I'm not only a part of the project team, but we're constructing something truly unique. I'll bet it will be beyond anyone's imagination." Her smile disappeared as she looked from Varisko
"Salaj is Freeland's main manufacturing facility. Here we produce the components for our spacecraft, shuttles, weapon systems, missiles, and personal weapons. Computers and chips are produced at our facility at Alesd, about five hundred kilometers to our south. Come, I will show you each facility."
We spent the afternoon touring each plant. Shuttles were still being produced for planet-side use, but most of the shops were idle. Finally, he led us to a small building. Inside were ten computer stations, but only three were occupied.
"I'd like you to meet Guga Sa'Arkadi. Guga is our chief designer. He's the one who will develop the plans for your cruiser. Guga, this is the dybbuk, Captain Reese. And these are Captain Pavao, who commands the Bobcat, and Captain Corbitt the Osprey." Da'Maass smiled. He obviously had a sense of humor in addition to a keen mind and fearless as demonstrated in our encounter at Yamhill. He'd proved he'd gladly die for Freeland. I hoped he'd work as hard to save it.
"Nice to meet you Captain Reese, Captains. I understand you want us to build you a cruiser. One like the Hunter you have?" Sa'Arkadi asked, his small, thin face bright with interest.
"No, Sa'Arkadi. I want you to help me design a cruiser for the Riss. It will be unique and cannot use any SAS components," I said as Pavao nodded in agreement. Guga was almost vibrating with the idea of creating something new. "For the basic structure, I'd like the cruiser more or less round like the SAS cruisers, with three tiers. The top tier completely open and containing no weapons. The bottom tier has the fighter and shuttle bays, missiles and engines. And the middle tier everything else. All the tiers need to be six meters high. The Riss are big people." Everyone stood there with his or her mouths open.
"Very unusual, Captain Reese. Very. What will the diameter be?"
"Smaller than the normal Light cruiser." Fewer Riss could operate a cruiser since they can easily handle multiple functions.
"About three quarters the size. Call me when you have a tentative structure, and we can discuss the details. I'm no designer, so I'll have to rely on your knowledge; however, I know what I want."
"Da'Maass, for now, I'd like you to think about multiple small engines rather than two or three large ones." I couldn't use the SAS design, and I didn't want to. I wanted something new, something uniquely Riss. And while I was at it, something better than currently existed. Da'Maass smiled but said nothing.
"Well, Nadya." Pavao pushed her dinner plate away and lifted her glass of wine in a gesture of a salute. "You're not what I would have expected from a new Captain who is suddenly a station commander. I would've expected such a person to be more concerned with image."
"I understand what you're saying, Nance. Feeling that people are judging you, and scared to death they find you lacking. I think I've been feeling exactly that way for the past couple of years. The promotions have come too fast. But here, there are far more important things to worry about." It was funny in a sense, and I grinned. The stakes were far greater than my reputation. "And I've been too busy."
Pavao laughed. "I appreciate you letting Corbitt and me, be part of the Riss cruiser project. Besides relieving the boredom, I love it. I've never seen a cruiser being built. And I'm not only a part of the project team, but we're constructing something truly unique. I'll bet it will be beyond anyone's imagination." Her smile disappeared as she looked from Varisko
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