Chapter Eleven

Returning with Simon from the communications room we find Katrina, Nondi and Melissa waiting for us.

"Simon, Rick would you care to join us for lunch?"

Seeing Simon nod I reply. "We would be delighted to join you ladies."

I have an enjoyable lunch while engaging in small talk. Who would have thought I would be here in the palace sharing lunch with the Steiner ladies, it is almost surreal. Having eaten our meal we return to the sitting room where several new people are waiting.

"Mr. Grimm these gentlemen are my technical and financial advisors."

"Very well Archon, may I suggest we go through my inventory starting with the inner sphere 20-ton mech class and work our way through the remaining inner sphere mechs class by class. I will make note of the make and model of the mech, it's listed cost and any advanced features it may have. To make this easier on both of us I will only note which mechs I wish to retain, all the others are available to you if you wish to acquire them. I am open to out right purchase, trade or other forms of compensation. I would like to note that if it is possible, Warrior Arms Inc. should be given preferential purchasing or licensing rights to any reverse engineered technologies or machines. I hope this meets with your approval Archon Steiner."

"Yes, Mister Grimm your proposal is agreeable. Let us begin."

Having completed the light mechs I have a tentative agreement of 340 million C-bills for the mechs Katrina wants. Leaving me with a Locust 5M, three Mongoose 66's, two Hussar 200-D's, two Spider 5V's, a Night Hawk 2Q, two Falcon Hawk 9k's, two Talon 5W's and three Spector 5F's.

"Whew you drive a hard bargain Archon. Shall we continue with the medium class mechs?"

"Thank you Mr. Grimm, and yes let us continue."

After another round of tense negotiations Katrina has agreed to 974 million C-bills for the medium mechs and has arranged to set aside four Phoenix Hawk 1's, two Chameleon 7V's including my ride, two Starslayer 3C's, a Centurion 9A as a spare for Mastiff's mech, three Griffin 1N's including Wolfman's, two Wolverine 6R's including Ricochet's, a Wolverine II 7H, two Lynx 9Q's and a Lynx 9C for my force.

"Mr. Grimm would yo please join us for dinner while I can still afford to eat."

I chuckle along with the others before agreeing to join the ladies for dinner.

"I hate to discuss work related matters over dinner but your arrival has thrown one hell of a monkey wrench in my schedule. I would like to have your Mule and Behemoth dropships emptied for the Helm mission. If you agree I will have the cargo moved to secure storage and separate out the cargo you are retaining. Upon returning from Helm we can then unload the dropships and work out your share from the cache. When we have a figure for the space you require to transport your equipment etc. then we can discuss a possible trade involving your dropships. How does this sound to you?"

"Your request sounds reasonable, if you can provide access to communications after we finish our dinner, I will order my people to work with yours to see to it."

Having finished dinner and issued the orders to unload the cargo Dropships I return to my Suite as our negotiations have been scheduled to continue in the morning.

Having just finished my breakfast I hear the knock at my door signaling my escort has arrived. Going over my inventory for our negotiations is a lot of work. After the usual greetings we get right down to work. I know Katrina has been putting other responsibilities off to deal with me and I don't want to waste her time.

With the heavy class done Katrina has agreed to 1.621 billion C-bills for her selections and has arranged to set aside three Lancelot 01's, two Crusader 3R's, four Bombardier 12D's, three Exterminator 4D's, two Thunder bolt 5S's including Willy's, three Archer 2R's including the one aboard the Scythe II, three Warhammer 6R's, three Shootist 8A's, three Excalibur B2's, three Marauder 3R's, three Black Knight 6's and four Flashman 8K's for my force.

After a quick lunch we get right back to negotiating over the inner sphere assaults.

Let me see if I still have my balls, Lyrans' sure do love their assaults. I had to fight tooth and nail just to keep some of the assault mechs. Katrina is going to have to cough up 1.935 billion C-bills and I managed to keep two Awesome 8Q's, three Thug 11E's, two Battlemaster 1G's, three Crocket dash 1's, two Emperor 6A's and two Highlander 732's.

"I am sorry to say this Mister Grimm but I must call a halt to our negotiations as duty calls. I look forward to doing battle over your inner sphere vehicles in the morning"

"As do I your highness."

The next morning, we dive right in to negotiations for the vehicles and come to quick agreement on 872 million C-bills and reserving the attached list of vehicles for my forces.

Two Beagle's, two Rotunda's, four MASH's, four Lightning's, four Chevalier's, four Zephyr's, four Maxim's, four Condor's, four Drilson's, four Thos'r, two Turhan's, four Demon's, all six of my Manticore's, six Marksman's, six Shrek's, four Fury's, four Alacorn's two Jiffty's and four Long Tom's.

The negotiations for VTOLs and fighters went even quicker with my only wanting to keep a pair of Ironsides and my ten Stingrays. Katrina agreed to fork over 405 million C-bills for the lot.

"Now we come to the difficult part of the negotiations Archon. The battle armor and Clan technology equipment. I can not place a price on this equipment as there is no equivalent to base it off of. I would love to keep it all however I understand you want it all. So, I ask do you have a proposal for me?"

"I do, but let us withdraw to lunch so we may speak in private."

"As you wish my lady."

I walk with Katrina to a new room where I find a preset table with meals waiting for us. Surprisingly there are no servants or guards to be found. Okay she really meant private; I have never been in her presence without guards around.

"Rick, I am in a difficult position as the treasury can not afford to buy your equipment outright and the Library core and information you provided is priceless. I have been thinking long and hard on how to compensate you for all that you have already done. Hell, I would have given you Melissa's hand in marriage if she was not already committed to Hanse Davion. I am in shock; I had no Idea that could have happened. I would like to ennoble you as a Duke, do you have any suggestions for a planet based on your future knowledge. I would give you Kwangjong-ni but it is not of high enough profile to be considered adequate compensation."

"I, ah, I, don't know what to say, you have utterly blindsided me with your offer. May I have a moment to consider a response?"

She snickers before replying "Yes, you have until we finish lunch to respond."

"Might I suggest Loxley as it should have a Kong Interstellar Star league Era factory complex that is in the Gray Mountains, or Storfors as it has an ancient factory that used to belong to the Coventry Conglomerate."

Katrina takes a moment to consider something before responding.

"Very well Mr. Rick Francis Grimm, I offer you the Dukedom of Loxley to include the five systems within thirty light years. This would include Storfors and Gulf Breeze, formerly know as Commonwealth Mining Outpost 26, as well as three other minor systems. We plan to assist you in refurbishing the factories and creating orbital industries at Gulf Breeze as it is primarily an asteroid mining facility based out a 930,000-ton space habitat. It will take me some time to make the arrangements but I should be able to make it happen after the mission to Helm"

"With that out of the way let us finish lunch before we go over the details of what I have planned for you and your company."

Having finished lunch Katrina jumps right back to our discussion.

"I have a proposal for you Rick. l would like to forgo the outright purchase of any of the future machines and only purchase those machines produced during the Star League or those that are currently produced. I would then like to create a shell company to hold the rights to the future machines in which you are the majority owner and to which Hanse and I will purchase shares. The purpose of this company would be to use the information from the library core and the future machines to generate funds and licensing agreements from selected manufacturers by leasing the equipment for the purpose of reverse engineering."

"I would have to see the legal documents for this company but your proposal sound reasonable."

"Simon has informed me that you like to play around with the advanced technology according to your Master Tech. would you like the opportunity to go to the NAIS?"

"Yes I would like to do that if it can be arranged."

"Very well I will make it happen, Is there any thing else I can do for you Rick?"

"I could use some help recruiting for my Reapers if it is not to much trouble Katrina."

"Not at all, Rick. Now I am sorry but I must leave you as I duties I must attend too."

Later that evening I find myself still trying to come to terms with how my life is going to change so dramatically in the next few years. First, I am to assist with the Helm cache and upon my return take my share of the spoils. Katrina will have her people assist with my recruiting for the Reapers. I am to attend the NAIS to study the new technology and engineering. At the rate she is going I would not be surprised to find a wife waiting for me upon my return from Helm. I am sure I was in shock as I just kind agreed to everything she proposed.

I spent the next day reviewing what was discussed with Katrina over and over in my head as she was unavailable due to maters of state. I have arranged to have a Black Knight 6 readied for my use and the Wolverine II for Ricochet. I will have to speak to the others and see if they wish to change mechs as I have a feeling the Helm mission will not be a walk in the park.

Katrina has promised me at least three MechWarriors to fill out my bays. She has also requested the 20 small craft bays on the Vault be emptied so they can house fighters. She is trying to recruit more pilots for my fighters so that she does not have to split up her own forces.

I should suggest she use Snord to distract Janos Marik while we go after the Helm cache. I wonder if I could hire the Gray Death legion to train my force and offer them a future landhold on Storfors? Great another thing to run by Katrina. Damn my mind won't stop spinning out all these thoughts. I need to eat something and maybe go for a walk to calm my mind.

I ran my thoughts past Katrina when we next met and she said she would look into them.

I wonder how things will turn out for Snord and the Dragoons having been fingered as Clan scouts. I am sure the 'Fox' will plan something for the Dragoons. I may even find out what while I am at the NAIS.