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Book: Lieutenant (The United Federation Marine Corps Book 3) by Jonathan P. Brazee
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Authors: Jonathan P. Brazee
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with me.”
Killington Industries
Chapter 7
“I can’t believe Killington authorized the arty,” Joshua said to Ryck as they lay side-by-side on the ridge a klick from the plant.
“Well, they’ve designated where we can fire, and most facilities are off limits, but yeah, that’s pretty flash,” Ryck responded. “We’ll see how much good it will do in about a minute,” he said before checking his face shield readout. “Make that 52 seconds.”
The entire battalion had landed on Killington Industries five days before and had been cooling their heels waiting to either forge ahead with the mission or pack up and go back home. Most Marines thought their mere presence would goose the negotiations between Killington and Fukimoto Corp, with the Federation negotiating team assisting. But things had broken down last night past the point of no return, and the mission was given the thumbs up around midnight local time.
Killington Industries Co., Ltd. and Fukimoto Corp were industrial competitors of the first rate. When Killington had been granted the charter for the planet, Fukimoto had been thrown the bone of a right-to-operate license by the Federation. Killington had erected massive conversion facilities, while Fukimoto stayed small, with only a token facility. This had worked out for almost 70 years until Fukimoto decided to expand their factory. Killington, as the planetary authority, began to stymie Fukimoto by throwing roadblocks at the spaceport for the importation of machinery and equipment, making it difficult to hire construction workers, and refusing to authorized the increased power supplies.
Fukimoto sued Killington, claiming unfair impediment to business. Federation courts sided with Killington, acting as the Federation authority, though, stating that the Killington Industries charter only allowed for Fukimoto to operate on the planet, not for Killington, acting as the company, to have to support Fukimoto in that business. As Killington paid for the spaceport, paid to operate it, and paid for the infrastructure, they had the right to withhold services to a competitor or at least not work to improve them.
This raised a pretty heavy outcry throughout the Federation. A majority of Federation planets were under corporate charter, charters held by a tiny select group of corporations. Other companies needed freedom to operate on all planets, and this was setting a bad precedent. Fukimoto appealed the decision.
Ryck thought Fukimoto, and by inference, all the companies siding with their legal battle, had a good case. Federation charters granted wide powers to corporations, but they also incurred obligations, not the least of which was the requirement to be neutral representatives of the Federation itself on all planetary matters.
Then Fukimoto upped the ante. One of Killington’s largest facilities, Killington Industries Plant #5, was located about 30 klicks beyond Fukimoto’s own factory, and the power lines ran from the generation plant to Fukimoto’s factory and then on to Killington’s. Fukimoto threatened to shut down the power, and Killington responded by deploying corporate security into the Fukimoto plant, physically taking control of the power substation. Fukimoto was not going to simply accept that, so they hired a company from Kracivik’s Battalion that not only cleared out the Killington jimmylegs [18] at the Fukimoto facility, but took over Killington’s factory for good measure.
Fukimoto issued a press release that this was only to “protect” the power grid until the appeal process made its way through the court. The Federation stepped in, ordering both corporations to the negotiating table. The Marines were brought in to emphasize the Federation’s resolve in the matter. When Fukimoto walked away, the Federation ordered the Marines to take back Factory #5.
Ryck had been in more than his fair share of conflicts, but never as a fully
Killington Industries
Chapter 7
“I can’t believe Killington authorized the arty,” Joshua said to Ryck as they lay side-by-side on the ridge a klick from the plant.
“Well, they’ve designated where we can fire, and most facilities are off limits, but yeah, that’s pretty flash,” Ryck responded. “We’ll see how much good it will do in about a minute,” he said before checking his face shield readout. “Make that 52 seconds.”
The entire battalion had landed on Killington Industries five days before and had been cooling their heels waiting to either forge ahead with the mission or pack up and go back home. Most Marines thought their mere presence would goose the negotiations between Killington and Fukimoto Corp, with the Federation negotiating team assisting. But things had broken down last night past the point of no return, and the mission was given the thumbs up around midnight local time.
Killington Industries Co., Ltd. and Fukimoto Corp were industrial competitors of the first rate. When Killington had been granted the charter for the planet, Fukimoto had been thrown the bone of a right-to-operate license by the Federation. Killington had erected massive conversion facilities, while Fukimoto stayed small, with only a token facility. This had worked out for almost 70 years until Fukimoto decided to expand their factory. Killington, as the planetary authority, began to stymie Fukimoto by throwing roadblocks at the spaceport for the importation of machinery and equipment, making it difficult to hire construction workers, and refusing to authorized the increased power supplies.
Fukimoto sued Killington, claiming unfair impediment to business. Federation courts sided with Killington, acting as the Federation authority, though, stating that the Killington Industries charter only allowed for Fukimoto to operate on the planet, not for Killington, acting as the company, to have to support Fukimoto in that business. As Killington paid for the spaceport, paid to operate it, and paid for the infrastructure, they had the right to withhold services to a competitor or at least not work to improve them.
This raised a pretty heavy outcry throughout the Federation. A majority of Federation planets were under corporate charter, charters held by a tiny select group of corporations. Other companies needed freedom to operate on all planets, and this was setting a bad precedent. Fukimoto appealed the decision.
Ryck thought Fukimoto, and by inference, all the companies siding with their legal battle, had a good case. Federation charters granted wide powers to corporations, but they also incurred obligations, not the least of which was the requirement to be neutral representatives of the Federation itself on all planetary matters.
Then Fukimoto upped the ante. One of Killington’s largest facilities, Killington Industries Plant #5, was located about 30 klicks beyond Fukimoto’s own factory, and the power lines ran from the generation plant to Fukimoto’s factory and then on to Killington’s. Fukimoto threatened to shut down the power, and Killington responded by deploying corporate security into the Fukimoto plant, physically taking control of the power substation. Fukimoto was not going to simply accept that, so they hired a company from Kracivik’s Battalion that not only cleared out the Killington jimmylegs [18] at the Fukimoto facility, but took over Killington’s factory for good measure.
Fukimoto issued a press release that this was only to “protect” the power grid until the appeal process made its way through the court. The Federation stepped in, ordering both corporations to the negotiating table. The Marines were brought in to emphasize the Federation’s resolve in the matter. When Fukimoto walked away, the Federation ordered the Marines to take back Factory #5.
Ryck had been in more than his fair share of conflicts, but never as a fully
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