Alpha Man Chapter 17

[Ed Man]

The Solar Power Plant
Chapter 17

Josh study the logs and the amount of traffic going to the Carrier. Then he looked at the report Sarah had kept since their arrival. A group of scientist were studying how the Xenon became self-aware.
Josh contacted the Officer in charge of the Carrier and had Her contact the scientist and ask when will they be finished? And who is the top bidder on the Carrier and how much did it bring?

The Officer informed Josh the Teladi had won the bid and it was 13.75 million credits and the Teladi are willing to pay you now and take control of the Carrier.

Josh informed the Officer that would be fine just transfer the credits. Lacy was awake now and eating breakfast as Josh had the TL jump to the sector and pick up the Ls.
As the TL entered the sector Josh noticed 12.375 million credits had been transferred into his account.
When the last L had docked and Josh ordered the TL to jump to Light of Heart and move to a remote area near the Trading Station and wait. And to start refitting the Ls one at a time keeping two standing by as protection.

Josh contacted the Teladi Company Agent and thanked Her and the Teladi Company for their help and assistance.
Then he undocked and jumped to Nyanna’s Hideout and had Sarah autopilot to the Trading Station while he ate some breakfast.
As the Exaireo docked Josh looked at Lacy and told her to come with him he wanted to pick up a few items she’ll need.
Josh took Lacy to a nice clothing store and told the sales Woman that he wanted to see a few business suits on Lacy. And some casual wear and evening wear.
Lacy was all excited as she modeled the outfits for Josh. Lacy asked Josh to please come in her dressing room she needed to ask him something.

“Josh I like playing dress up but they might get mad when we leave without buying anything.”

“I brought you here to get you some nice clothes. You’re going to need them on our next job.”

Lacy rapped her arms around Josh and gave him a long hot kiss. As the sales Woman asked is every thing all right do you need some help?
Josh left the dressing room and ask that they continue he wanted to see the rest. Josh enjoyed watching Lacy modeled the outfits and when she got to the evening dresses Josh realized how lovely she was.
After selecting a more conservative evening dress along with the other outfits. Lacy select her personal clothing as Josh waited in a break area.
Josh had the clothes sent to the Exaireo as he took Lacy to a shop that specialized in personal protection devices. As they entered the shop a salesman helped Lacy establish what type of protection would be the most effective for her. Josh made the final choice after seeing Lacy was at a complete loss. He selected a small hand stunner and defensive spray.
Lacy paid close attention to the salesman as he explained how to use the stunner and spray and showed her a few methods of protecting herself using them.
Josh hugged Lacy and smiled at her as they left the shop.
As they passed a music shop Lace explained that she ounce played a guitar and sing a little. Josh wanted to her play and sing so took her inside.
Lacy talked to the owner as he went into the back and brought a guitar out and handed it to her. Lacy played the guitar a little and then started singing. Josh and the Owner were impressed as Lacy sang a couple of songs. Josh told the Owner to show him the best five guitars he had. And asked Lacy to examine them and pick the best one out as a gift for an investor.

They left the shop and headed for the dock Lacy asked Josh to give Her the details about the job?
Josh explained that her job was to screen applicants, their company was about to open a Solar Power Plaint in Lucky Planets. And they would be hiring a new workforce.

Lacy explained that she wasn’t qualified to hire anyone. That’s why I need you. You have a fresh out look the laptop will give you questions to ask. You need to watch their actions I will give you some training clips to watch. We need to make one more pick up a laptop for you.

It won’t be as bad as you think the first people hired will be managers. After that they will play a part in the hiring for their departments.
The first will be the Station Manager and I’ll be helping with that. Then you and the Station Manager will hire department Managers. After that you’ll be working with them.

Josh what will you be doing? Will we get to see each other I’ve never seen or done anything like this?

You’ll get to see me every day and you’ll be fine. I’ll dock my Lifter at the Trading Station we can stay in it. The Company will rent an office on the Station to work in. You’ll be working a 5 day eight hour workday then off two.
I’ll be overseeing the Station and its supplies along with the ships needed to keep it running.

Josh had the Excel jump to Light of Heart and dock at the Trading Station as they picked up the laptop for Lacy.
Josh had Sarah lease an office onboard the Trading Station with docking rights for five ships. And posted a hiring notice with the Argon.

As they undocked Lacy had started studying when Josh had Her to come and set in the cockpit with him.
As he explained about the jump-drive and jumped to Light of Heart as Lacy looked out at the Stations.

Then Josh headed to the TL and flew around it showing Lacy where to dock. And explained that the Station was all ready onboard and ready for deployment and that he would be spending the majority of his workdays onboard the TL.
Josh docked at the Trading Station and the two went to the leased office to look it over. One of the station attendants had placed a poster next to the door of the office with the company name and logo on it.

Josh looked at the name and logo with pride as they went in. The office was decent it had a large waiting area with restrooms and a reception window leading to three offices. Josh had seen the layout and pictures on the PDA before he leased it. Lacy looked at Josh and told him she liked it.

Josh had one of the drones take the guitar and clothing he had purchased for Lacy and place it in the extra cabin on the Excel.
As they went to the Exaireo Josh had Lacy gather the rest of her things so they could go to the Excel to eat, clean up and go to sleep.
Lacy came out and told Josh the drone had placed the guitar in her room.
Josh smiled as he looked at Lacy and told her. The guitar is a gift to her from him.
As tears filled her eyes she kissed Josh and thanked him saying. She was nobody special why was he being so good to her?
Josh pulled her close and kissed her on the cheek as he told her softly she was to him.

Then he turned picked up a snack and went to his cabin and told her to get some rest tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

Josh woke in the early hours and review a list of workers and fighter pilots for the TL. A small crew was all he wanted for now on the TL.
Josh selected the crew and sent the offers out as he sat down to eat breakfast. The Mandalay onboard the TL had been reworked and ready to go.
Josh ordered the Mandalay to dock at the station next to the Excel so Lacy would have a fast ship to pick up or meet with personnel. Then he contacted the Station Bank and had 200,000 credits transferred into an account for the SSP and made Lacy the administrator.

Several of the offers had came back accepted and were awaiting orders. Two were pilots all ready on the station so Josh had them meet him in the docking bay near the Excel.

Josh checked with the Shipyard and they had a Buster outfitted to transport 30 troops. The Shipyard cut 20% off the price because it was an older model and had been used by the shipyard. Josh quickly ordered it seeing it had max speed, rudder and cargo and ordered it to dock and pickup the pilots.

Sarah had directed the crewmembers onboard station to assemble at the office and wait for orders.
Josh welcomed the Pilots and gave them orders to start transporting the crew to the TL as he gave them a list and directed them to the office. Most of the crew had just finished their tour of duty with the Navy and were in sector. The ships Captain was at the Shipyard in Argon Prime and had just accepted the offer. Josh was excited to get the Captain he had wanted for the TL.

“Josh contacted Ann and told her that her old Commander was now the Captain of the TL. The two talked for a while as Ann explained to Josh that the TL and SPP was 100% all his. She was grateful for the offer but the shipping company and trading was taking all her time.
Josh talked Ann into adding two more Dolphins to Rious Shipping with Argon Pilots to ease the workload. As he made her promise to slow down enjoy life a little.”

“Ann laughed as she replied like your slowing down. Look at you you’re about to open a new station and that’s slowing down. I like doing this I’ll slow down someday. I’ll check in on you and the chief after you start the station deployment. You’ll need a break then. As she laughed and closed the COM.”

Josh felt as if he had abandoned Ann to the shipping company and adding two more ships didn’t make him fill any better. Josh contacted her as he jumped into Argon Prime and told her of his guilty conscience about the shipping company. She laughed because she was filling guilty about not wanting to be involved with the TL or SSP.
Josh felt better after the talk with Ann as he docked at the Shipyard.

Josh welcomed the Chief onboard and transferred the layout of the TL and the crew list onto his PDA he sat at the table and studied the data till they reached the TL.

Josh flew the Chief around the TL as he asked. “Have you given her a name?”

“Not yet but I have a few in mind. After the Stations deployed she’s going to be refitted. I’ll explain later Chief and welcome aboard.” Josh said with a smile as they docked.

A ship android was waiting to assist the Chief as they docked. Josh shook the Chiefs hand and explained that the TL had a jump-drive and as soon as the crew was onboard jump to Lucky Planets and fly to the deployment position and standby.

Josh returned to the Trading Station to review the list of managers with Lacy.

Josh jumped when he felt Lacy rub her foot against his leg as she smiled saying. “I didn’t mean to surprise you. What do you thank about this one? His performance record in station management is great. He’s been an assistant manager on a SSP for five years and has a degree in business management and public relations.”

Josh looked over the list Lacy had. She had done a background and financial check on the man.
He looked to be the best choice so Josh told Lacy to go hire him.

Lacy looked confused as she asked how?

Josh smiled and said come with me. Josh took her to the bank so they could scan her in as administrator of the account.
On the way back he showed her the Mandalay. Lacy was like a kid with a new toy as Josh explained the new features onboard.
Lacy contacted the manager and set up a time for her to pick him up for a meeting from the Mandalay.

The two went back to the Excel and started putting together a list for department managers.

As the two were leaving to pick up the Manager for their meeting the Chief informed Josh that TL crewmen were onboard and they would be leaving the sector.

Josh switched to an outside view on the monitor so they could watch the TL jump away.
The TL was engulfed in light as space folded and the TL went through the Gate sectors away.
Jump-drives were new and to see a capitol ship jump was a rare sight.

Josh had Lacy pilot the Mandalay the ship was fast and responsive. Lacy was a first-rate pilot but had no dog fighting training. A few days in a simulator would help.

“Josh explained that when a pair of Pirates attack, you had better know what to do or you’ll be dead or captured. A good pilot can be taught to dogfight but a bad pilot who likes to fight won’t survive long.”

Josh told Lacy she needed to use the simulator at the Trading Station to improve her fighter skills he licked having her around. Lacy kissed Josh as she told him she would.

They were back at the office in no time discussing a salary and responsibilities. After about an hour into the meeting the Station had a Manager. Josh welcomed him to the company and explained that he had to go deploy their new SSP and to start hiring department managers.

Lacy followed Josh outside the office to say goodbye. Josh told her he would be back in two days to see her and pulled her close and gave her a kiss.

Josh engaged the jump-drive as soon as he was clear and docked with the TL. All systems were ready the paper work was done and the Boron had approved the location.
Josh looked out into space were the station was going looked at the Chief with a smile as he said begin station deployment.

The lights outside started flashing yellow as the Chief announced over the ship COM station deployment initiated. The main bay doors opened as the drones started building the main frame and placing large pre-assembled sections of the station. Josh had added an extra self-sufficient power unit that could power the station and produce 120 energy cells per cycle. With crystals the station would be able to produce 396 per cycle.
A standard station produces 276 per cycle using two crystals and at stock prices that was only 1048 credits profit per cycle.
The power plant produces 120 per cycle with no crystals and at stock prices that’s 1920 credits profit per cycle and in this case less is more.

The Boron Government was impressed with the clean energy of the power plant and that the station could produce 120 energy cells a cycle with no crystals.
Crystals are in high demand and the Crystal Plant in sector had agreed to supply 50% of all the needed crystals at stock price. In return the SPP would sell energy cells at stock price to them.

Josh had purchased three Dolphins from Salas and had them refitted at the HQ. Two were working the Crystal Plant one was stockpiling crystals and the other was buying energy cells.
The last Dolphin was universal trading and would be stationed out of the SPP.

The station was taking shape when Josh received a message from Lacy asking if everything was all right?
Josh was confused about the message when Sarah explained that this was workday three. And you had told Lacy you would return in two days.
Josh had lost track of time. Everything in space looks the same all the time.

He seen when her shift was over and made dinner reservations for two.
Then sent flowers telling her. “I had lost track of time please have dinner with me tonight so we can bring each other up to date.”
Lacy was relieved that things were all right as she accepted the invitation.

The dinner was going well as Lacy explained that the last manager’s position had been filled and the departments had started hiring workers. Josh had brought a time lapsed video of the stations construction for Lacy.
The two were enjoying their dessert as Josh received a message form the Chief. A power unit in one of the deployment drones had malfunction and it was going to take two days to get a replacement.

Josh gave Lacy a kiss on the cheek as he told her he had to go back to the TL there was a problem with a deployment drone.

Josh had Sarah take the part down to the secure section where the construction unit was and start repairing the part. As Josh docked the drone had been repaired and was back in service.

The Chief was at a complete loss on how the drone was repaired. He had inspected the part before contacting Josh and it was beyond repair.
Jose tried to explain that Sarah could do amazing things. The Chief looked unconvinced as Josh said come with me I got something to show you.

Josh took the Chief below and showed him the construction unit. Then he explained that Ann was the only other one that knew about the technology. Josh explained how he planed to slowly introduce the technology to the races.
The Chief was overwhelmed for a moment. Then he turned looked Josh in the eye and thanked him for showing the construction unit to him and agreed with his plan for introducing the technology.
The Chief had a new since of security knowing that the ship could be repaired no matter what the problem.
As the two talked Josh revealed the plans on refitting the TL.

Things were back on schedule two days later when Ann docked on the TL to visit with Josh and the Chief.
The cook had prepared a special meal for their guest as they went to the mess hall to catch up and eat.
The Chief gave Ann a tour of the TL as Josh returned to the command deck and waited on them.
Ann wished Josh well with the station as She left the command deck for her ship and back to trading.

The station was about completed as Josh made a date with Lacy. She had done an impressive job at getting the right personnel for the station. The station was two days from completion and Josh had a different career he wanted her to tackle.