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A TENSE TRANSITION(2079 Conclusion)
Over the last couple months of 2079, Eighmy emphasized that the people needed to have their say in the next election before any major changes were made. However, there were a number of things that still needed to be done. It was clear that sustaining bases on uninhabitable bodies was not going to happen with current technology. The crews needed to be returned to Earth, and whatever could be salvaged from the bases as well. Unfortunately SPACE does not have a ship capable of such a mission.
With this in mind, the Wickes-class Salvage Ship was reluctantly and unpopularly announced, though nobody had a better idea. Further damage to public confidence was largely avoided by focusing on the fact that SPACE was skimping as much as possible on its design, an all-in-one makeshift approach to limit the cost.
Size: 20.6 kt
Crew: 188
Speed: 486 km/s
Cargo: 5kt
Cryogenic Berths: 1000 capacity
Salvage: 1 module(500t/day)
Fuel: 250k
Armament: Commercial-quality sensors, 2 CIWS batteries
Cost: 682k
It would still not be cheap, but when you need to mount a 10kt salvage system there's a certain cost involved. Privately SPACE views this as an opportunity to get a handle on salvage/rescue operations which will certainly be needed in the future, but this was not the time to discuss that in public.
Several shipyards were shut down due to the striking, protests, etc., including production of the Baltimore, Caldwell, Nimitz, and Iowa XR classes. This meant Operation Renewal was on indefinite hold until order could be restored. Fortunately Howaltswerdke was able to begin production immediately, expected to be finished in just over a year.
As Rakes ignominiously left the scene, only a fraction of the research laboratories were operational and just under half of the factories and shipyards. Both New Yorks were ordered back to Earth to be scrapped.
In the following weeks, a number of adminstrators stepped up and saw their skills flourish. Coincidentally enough, duranium supplies are on the rebound for the first time due to the fact that the far-flung automines have been largely unaffected by the crisis, while the production reductions leave demand much lower than it was. Mostly the year finished in a state of relatively peaceful inaction ... there were a couple of clerical oversights such as a Forrestal not returning for overhaul until a couple of weeks late, etc. ... but nothing that seriously rocked the boat. Not all that much was achieved either, but a quiet recovery would be just fine by SPACE right now. Every uneventful week ends with a few hundred thousand more back to work in the plants, and unrest dipping a bit lower. In a best-case scenario, things could be 'back to normal' in a few months time, though memories and distrust will last longer than that. On the other hand, civilian shipping has declined over the last month, a reminder that there is a long way to go.
November 23 -- The last pair of Frontiers is finished at International Shipyard, and production switches to the Explorer. Even small events such as this are trumpeted by SPACE for all their worth, in an effort to rebuild a strong consensus of support.
December 4 -- The last pair of Prospectors comes off the line.
Mid-December -- Administrator Timmy Sheerin joins the service, another fairly talented guy who majors in small operations unfortunately. Excellent mining ability, some connections and reasonably diverse skillset make him an interesting potential.
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