173 Meetings (1/2)
UNS Singapore, Conference Room
”Output of our current mines has risen by a total of 4%, while saltpeter output has dropped by 12% as military demand for saltpeter has dropped. We are reallocating manpower from the saltpeter mines over to the mines. Estimated transfer of manpower will take roughly three working weeks.” Chief Engineering Officer Gale reported.
”A third of our all our M1 Magelocks have been recalled back to the factory for retooling to the newer 6.5 mm smokeless cartridge and will be issued out to the frontline troops first, while the Militia will still use the original black powder M1s till the Marines have all switched over to the new ammunition.”
”Production of the new smokeless propellant is moving smoothly, but we had a couple of accidents. Thankfully all minor injuries,” Chief Gale paused and looked towards Dr. Sharon. ”Dr. Sharon and my team have worked out some SOP* (*Standard Operating Procedure) and safety measures for the workers in the factory. We will also be conducting more safety courses to ensure workplace safety for all our works in the entire production sector.”
”Also the new slime factory for processing slime for use as raw materials is scheduled today, at 1100 hours,” Chief Gale gave a nod to Captain Blake and the Princess. ”This new factory will be able to process up to 4 tons of slime daily, with more room to expand should we need to.”
”Slime captured or harvested will be gutted, cleaned, sterilized, and sorted out to either as a food product or raw material.” Chief Gale explained the purpose of the Slime factory to those that were clueless about its usage. ”Slimes like the Green and Yellow variants will be dried and processed into food. Honey Slimes will be sterilized and milked for its nectar, while Black Slimes found in the northern swamps will be sun-dried and aired, before being processed into bio-rubber.”
Bio-rubber were made by using the rubber-like bodies of the Black Slimes, stacked together and heat bonded, before been shaped into the tires, gaskets, soles, or linings and many other products. The demand for Black Slimes rocketed, and teams of hunters ventured into the swamps to hunt for the Slimes, while farmers attempted to breed the Black Slimes in their own backyards.
Blake gave a nod, ”We will be there for the opening. What else?”
”The vehicle factory output currently far exceeds our needs, so I might cut its production to half, we have sufficient vehicles like trucks, tractors, buses, harvesters, jeeps, and half-tracks to support a population of fewer than 10,000 people, not to mention the need for bio rubber for tires.” Gale added, ”On the other hand, the market for consumer products has risen, and I most likely will focus on that instead.”
”Ok, work with the Princess on what the population needs most,” Blake replied. ”Next?”
”Sir, I had the boys comb over the entire ship and found dozens of hairline cracks in the main structural frame of the ship,” Matt said as Gale finished his report. ”The ship took quite a beating when it landed, but firing the main guns finally cracked the spine of the old lady.”
”What can we do?” Blake asked.
”Either we refrain from firing the guns, or we brace the main structural frame with patches which will barely do any good once you fire the guns again. Alternately, we can remove the guns and site them on stable ground.” Matt listed out his suggestions.
”Give me a detail report,” Blake replied, ”I take a look later.”
”My team has fully surveyed the shipwreck and will commerce salvaging operations in three days once the Isles's Fleet has left the area,” Matt said, ”We will strap and secured the self inflating flotation devices we salvage from the lifeboat and wait for high tide before we attempt to float the ship out. Pumps will also be installed to pump out the flooding in the bottom hull.”
”Great, make sure the Isles don't spot the wreck!” Blake said. ”I don't want them to claim it.”
Magister Thorn gave a cough, ”I will have my best students cast a shimmering spell over the wreck before the Isles ships can spot it. I will also be there to oversee it.” Thorn gave a grin, ”Always wanted to pirate a ship!”
”Hahahaha,” The people around the table laughed and smiled at Thorn's joke before Blake gestured them to cool down and listen to Matt's report.
Matt nodded, ”Next, Ordnance have come up with a new weapon, a simple dual purpose breech loading cannon, 3” 23 monobloc gun design using a vertically-sliding breech block, firing a 76.2 mm or 3” shell. It can be mounted on a fixed pedestal or field carriage.”
”So far, tests results are quite favorable. Its range, firing at a 45.3 degrees angle, it can land a 5.9 kg shell at 7,315 meters away.” Matt read off the numbers from his notes as the display screen showed a video clip of the weapon being test fired. ”At an anti air angle of 75 degrees, laser calculation recorded the shell reaching heights of 5,181.6 meters.”
”That's pretty impressive,” Blake whistled, ”Give my thanks to the team.”
Matt nodded and continued, ”The R & D on the fast craft is still proceeding, the team is currently testing out a 1:10 scale model, once their results are refined, they should be starting the next step of testing.”
”Good, we need at least some presence in the waters around us,” Blake grinned. ”And with a light gun, we can at least have more firepower on the field or at sea against large sailing ships like what the Isles have!”
”Sir, why not develop torpedoes?” One of the naval department heads asked. ”Won't it be more devastating against their ships?”
”Yes, it will, but we know nothing of building a torpedo, and the amount of resources we need on developing a torpedo is not worth it as it can only be used at sea,” Blake explained to clarify the doubts of his people. ”While a dual purpose light gun, it can be used at sea, land, and against air targets.”
”Also. mounting a light gun takes up less space than a torpedo,” Matt added, ”A 3” gun can carry more ammunition than a torpedo launcher, and sink or damage more ships per gun than what a single torpedo launcher can do.”
”All clear?” Blake looked around the table, ”Good? Ok, what else do we have? Magister Thorn? Dr. Sharon?”
”Captain,” Magister Thorn stood up and gave a slight bow, ”Dr. Sharon and I have actually discovered something strange and disturbing about the origins of the Hero.”
”What is it?” Blake frowned when he heard it was about the Hero.
”We are unsure as of now,” Magister Thorn replied, ”But we will like to request some help in finding out more before we release the information.”
”What help do you need?” Commander Ford asked.