216 Burger Shock (1/2)
UNS Singapore. Captain's Quarters
Blake sat down before his work desk and triggered the conference call which he had pushed back to later. Almost immediately, the display screens lit up with multiple images of various officers and in charge.
”Alright, let's start the meeting.” Blake waved away the salutes and greetings. ”Sorry for the last minute cancellation of the staff meeting.”
Snickers and grinned flashed back at him from the images as almost everyone had heard about the love triangle drama going on. Blake smiled back and said, ”Before any of you ask, yes it well pretty well and no, the Princess is not marrying anyone else.”
”Damn! We hoped there will be more drama going on!” Someone said from the conference and everyone laughed.
”Alright, funs over, time for serious work!” Blake shook his head at the childish antics of his men.
Chief Matt reported first, ”We are experiencing a massive shortage of rare earth minerals and also some industrial metals. Stuff like neodymium, europium and ytterbium etc etc. Despite their name, rare-earth elements are, with the exception of the radioactive promethium, relatively plentiful in the crust.”
”We need to survey and open more mines to exploit these resources as they are needed from refining stainless steel to lasers and even LED lights.” Matt proposed. ”As for the industrial metals, we are lacking mostly with Molybdenum which is needed for steel alloys and super alloys and aluminum for almost everything from household products to vehicles and even construction.”
Blake nodded and said, ”There should be a shipment of bauxite ore from the Isles at Far Harbor and do what you have to source for our minerals and metals needs. Anything else?”
”Yes, sir,” Matt replied, ”We have completed the train line connecting all the major facilities to the Colony just in time for the Year One Founding Day's celebrations. So far we only have two train engines completed and it will also be unrevealed at Founding Day itself.”
”Good, next?”
”Our operation to bomb the Goblin City is partially successful,” Commander Tommy said. ”We destroyed or damaged 65% of our targets.” He inserted a UAV image of the aftermath of the bombing raid which bomb craters could be seen clearly against the backdrop of snow.
”Here, here and here,” Tommy pointed out several details on the image. ”These are the primary ship production facilities Naval Intel had identified, but only two of these high-value targets were hit by the bombs.”
”The new FB - 1 Mariner has proven to be quite capable as of now, and with external fuel tanks installed, we can extend there range more to directly strike against Goblin City,” Tommy said. ”My pilots are ready to hit the city again to finish the job.”
”No,” Blake rubbed his chin. ”Let the goblins rebuilt. Besides in this weather, it's too risky to fly and the pilots also can't see shit and the refueling squadron is on its way back to Far Harbor already.”
”Captain, we can hit them again as long we install fuel tanks!” Tommy insisted. ”We can destroy the goblins once and for all!”
”No, I want to keep them there,” Blake cut off Tommy's words. ”Let them rebuilt and once they do, we send in another raid to bomb them. This way we can allow the pilots to gain experience and confidence.”
Dr. Sharon laughed out loud, ”Hahaha, Captain, you wanna use the goblins to farm experience for our men?”
Blake nodded, ”Yes, Goblin City will be our live fire exercise's targets.”
Tommy grinned, ”Damn, I didn't think of that!”
”You need to play more games!” Dr. Sharon advised. ”Anyway, we have a nice 0.23% increase in our population. 200 over babies were given born safety in the hospital this couple of months and the number hopefully will rise.”
”Do we have adequate beds and medical staff?” Blake asked worriedly.
Dr. Sharon nodded, ”I got 27 apprentice doctors and 142 nurses that all had various experience in healing or were healers before. But I have problems with dealing with offsite injuries and illness.”
”We only have a very simple ambulance coverage within the city that the locals are just starting to learn to make use of,” Dr. Sharon highlighted out her problems. ”Any offsite injuries take us too long to respond and I am hoping to set up clinics with their own ambulance support or if possible an aerial ambulance for rapid rescue work.”
”Fire out a memo to the supply department and get them to issue you with what you need,” Blake gave his consent. ”Anything else?”
”No, alright, the last part of winter is almost here, after Founding Day, the weather should start to go bad, very bad,” Blake said. ”But this year, we have no enemies at our doorsteps and we have ample food. Everything is kicking off nicely and we are doing more than surviving! I want to thank everyone for their efforts in holding on strongly! Thank you!”
The officers all cheered happily despite knowing that they had no way home.
”But the Captain got enemies! Enemies of the heart! HHAHAHAA”
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Fleet Master Megan stepped into the suite that the attendant laid her into and was impressed with the exotic decor of the room. She stepped into a living space where sofas sat around a glass coffee table facing a strange flat black reflective dull mirror like object. A liquor bar sat at the corner of the room where there was a floor to ceiling height glass doors framed by white curtains that opened out to a balcony that showed off the city in all its splendor.
A door led to a bedroom with a large fluffy bed that had Megan bouncing on it happily like a little girl. Her chests of personal belongings were neatly packed inside the room without any signs of tampering. The view of the room also showed a nice view of the city and with a final door that led to the washrooms.