2634-08-25
DIT ( Department of Interstellar Transportation ) has gone and done it. They have ruled all Star Class Freighters as obsolete and therefore non-space-worthy. This means that by the end of the month I must either be in, at minimum, a new Pulsar Class, or retire. Retire? Ha! Not an option. So tug shopping I go.
The Pulsar Class is under-powered for the type of freight I haul. Good for small inter-asteroid stuff, and that's got its place, but that's not the kinda thing I run. So I'm looking at either the Neutron, or the just released Gamma class. I'm leaning heavy towards a Gamma, what with its luxury operator accommodations, brand new, dual Detroit XMR 1500 power plants, twin grav-tec boosters, and a tractor beam shear point of just over 1.5 mill metric ton.
Plus, the Gamma has got this new comm system they say lets you talk all but instantly. Not quite as sure I'm gonna like that, unless it lets me keep up on current shows. Still, gotta take some bad with the good.
I found a dealer that has one, and offered me 2.5 mill for my old Star Class. That'll make for a sizable down. Payments gonna run to shy of 7 mill a month, and they're willin to give me a six month no interest, no pay deal. If I qualify. My credit is good for it, not that I'll need it. At my current low average of 15 net, I'd have no problems making the pay. I have the connections. With the larger tow rating, my pay could see 20 a month. On a slow month.
The math just works. I deliver in Old Chicago in the am, head to the dealer at Luna 4, after. See if I can't get into that Gamma.
Logged off duty and Logged into sleeper
Driver Hal Johnson out.
2634-09-10
Made it to the dealer today, and let me tell you... talk about a yard full of eye candy. Acres of new and used tugs. Decided on a brand new Gamma Class tug with all the bells and whistles. 2.5 mill down, my old tug took care of that, and a measly 5 mill a month. Pays to have kept my credit in good shape. This is the start of a brand new chapter in my career and I'm going to give it my all.
All moved in and set up … took hours to pack out my gear. I mean... I'd been on my old tug for close to 20 standard, you accumulate things.
But … this new tug has so much more storage, even has a large galley, and a water closet with a shower! I mean holy crap! No more truck stop showers. No more seedy, low-G showers, in four room motels, on some backwater colony or asteroid.
Well I'm pretty beat. Moving takes a lot out of ya, even, perhaps especially in low-G. Need to head out to the New Holland Ship Yard tomorrow
Logging off duty and logging sleeper time Driver Hal Johnson out
2634-09-22
This tug is, simply put, outrageous. Comfortable, far more room then my old Star Class. All the amenities of any 2 star hotel, minus the pool. And don't get me started on its shear pulling power. Of course I had to negotiate a new pay rate to go with the heavier load ability. I think the damn idiots at DIT actually did me a favor.
And the best part, no more damn fuel rods. What the adverts don't tell you is that the Gamma Class has a self sustaining, self propagating micro star power plant, also known as a Solar Storm reactor.
I've got a hundred metric tons worth of classes I gotta get done to learn this new beast. They say it's almost maintenance free, but they said that about the Star Class. Ain't no such thing in my experience.
The pulling power is also understated. 1.5 mill metric tons is the base shearing rate. I opted for the upgraded version with a shear point of 2.56 mill metric ton, and they're talking about another upgrade being available in a year or so, and I'll get a discount. Sales guy sure knows how to talk to a driver like me.
In the end, this new beast, and it is a beast, cost a bit more … but with the new pay rate and load capacity, it will pay for itself over the next standard year.
I have to be in New Holland shipyard to pull a star liner into the shipping lanes by morning, and with no load, I'm making time like I'm some military go-fast. That will happen from time to time, with this new tug.
Welp time to go catch some sleep on my new full sized bed. Man that thing is comfortable. Maybe I'll watch a movie. Starman is on Netflix tonight, and that new comm unit lets me stream it fresh instead of having to cache my tainment in the banks. Think I'll actually cook a meal in my actual galley.
Logged off duty and Logged into sleeper Driver Hal Johnson out