1 December 3065
Chaine Cluster
Clan Jade Falcons Gamma Galaxy, under the command of Galaxy Commander Amelia Icaza, slammed into the Chainelane Isles like a sledgehammer, quickly seizing the 7 systems inside the Chaine Cluster. Above Bekke was the greatest prize, several unpressurized yards and a production facility. Galaxy Commander Amelia Icaza dispatched a jumpship to make contact with a partial HPG relay to send word back to Ironhold and Khan Marthe Pryde. The Clusters 7 systems held just over 2 million people and they were all induced into Clan Jade Falcons Laborer Caste.
Awaiting orders, Galaxy Commander Amelia Icaza ordered her Gamma Galaxy to take up defensive positions.
Mackolla
Duke Scott Mitchell was in his office looking over reports from every planet in his Outer March. Luckily, he had a very capable staff to help gather the needed information and compile it into something he could make sense of. Overall, the Outer March was coming along quite well. There were still some issues, but between the Federated Commonwealth civil engineers, the 2 construction companies he had purchased, those problems were being sorted out. He studied the current situation:
Mackolla- 16 Million people, Heavily Industrialized
Bamburgh- 127 Million people, Heavily Industrialized
Okefenokee- 392 Million people, Petroleum production
Anjin Muerto- 273 million people, Moderate Industry, Farming
Rentz- 134 million people, Moderate Industry, Farming
Gamelstolen- 4.7 Million people, Farming, Mining
Arundel- 15 Million people, Farming, Timber, Germanium Mining
Sherwood- 204 Million people, Light Industry, Timber, Farming
Ebro- 209 Million people, Light Industry, Farming
Memphis- 171 Million people, Moderate Industry, Mining
Morven- 168 Million people, Light Industry, Farming
Valois- 295,000 people, Germanium Mining, Farming
Broken Wheel- 147 Million people, Moderate Industry
Lackland- 184 Million people, Moderate Industry, Farming, Mining
Marielund- 167 Million people, Light Industry, Farming, Mining
Skepptana- 152 Million people, Light Industry, Farming, Mining
Mararn- 153 Million people, Mining
Merowinger- 18 Million people, Farming, Timber
Frankson- 14 Million people, Farming
Fugeres- 16 Million people, Farming, Timber, Mining
Ulvskollen- 17 Million people, Farming, Mining
Kenilworth- 19 Million people, Farming, Timber, Mining
Bartrock- 14 Million people, Timber, Mining
Cephei- 8 Million people, Farming, Mining
Carcri- 271,000 people, Germanium Mining
Pegasi- 4 Million people, Farming, Mining
Total Population- 2.626 Billion People
3065 Est Outer March GDP- 4.5 Trillion C-Bills
3065 Est Tax Revenue at 2% Rate- 90 Billion C-Bills
Scott focused on the estimated tax revenue, this was HIS income as March Lord, 90 Billion C-Bills. This did not even account for the money he made off everything else. His accountants had told him that most March Lords collected between 3-6% in taxes for themselves. Scott did not see the need in taxing higher, let the people keep their money. He flipped thru the more detailed reports and on the last page, he was staring at what his accountants estimated 3066 would look like and estimated growth of the Outer March. He grunted as he read the report.
3066 is expected to be a very good year financially for the Outer March overall. Valois is expected to begin large scale exports of Germanium estimated to reach, at current mining rates 5 million tons per year, at a going rate of 380,000 C-Bills per ton, for 1.9 Trillion C-Bills in revenue. Mackolla produces, at full operation, 20 million tons of Germanium per year but does not currently export it. Carcri is estimated to begin mining Germanium for export in 3066 at a rate of 800,000 tons per year for 304 Billion C-Bills. Mackolla currently has 45 million tons of Germanium stockpiled and unrefined. Current value of stockpiled Germanium is 17 Trillion C-Bills on Mackolla.
Valois' Germanium is very easily strip mined and is on par with Colorado's Germanium fields which has for hundreds of years been the Federated Suns primary Germanium supplier. Colorado exports of Germanium for 3060 was 55 million tons. Valois is expected to reach 10 million tons per year in 3 years at current growth rate, 25 million tons in 10 years, 50 million tons in 20 years at current growth. Estimates place Valois, using 50 million tons a year with a potential life of 375 years at that rate before exhausted.
Carcri Germanium fields are large, but not as easily mined. The tainted atmosphere precludes easy mining with supplemental oxygen needed outside the 2 small habitable domes on the surface.
Scott did not even try to calculate how much of that was going to hit his personal bank account. How much money does one person need?
***I calculated Germanium cost at 190 C-Bills per pound. Using 2014 Earth cost of 950 per pound, divided by 5, what I estimate a C-Bill is worth. 5 USD per C-Bill.***
