Just me typing whatever the hell came to mind. Dissect and use whatever you like, or none at all.
Quote:"What you're about to see, Miss Tange, is a Roughriders State Secret. While I understand that it is in your nature as a reporter to reveal these things to the public at large, please understand that this is best for the convention."
*Cue security footage of the Lancer-class factory line. Machinery is busy twiddling away at two Lancers side-by-side on the assembly line when an actinic-white flare bursts out from one of the space frames and begins to start smaller fires among the other machinery.*
"This footage was not doctored in any way, Miss Tange. As you can see a piece of faulty wiring cook off some magnesium, the sparks of which ruptured the hydraulic lines in the assembly machinery and ignited the petroleum-based hydraulic fluid as well. Needless to say, we no longer use petroleum based fluid in any of our equipment."
*At that moment, white vapor shoots out of nozzles and is quickly flushed away.*
"Fortunately, the suppression systems kicked in and saved the rest of the line. The area was sealed off and the ventilation shafts opened to vacuum while liquid CO2 was sprayed over the fires. This is important for class-delta fires in that it limits the amount of readily available oxygen and rapidly cools the fuel back down from its ignition point. The damage, grievous as it was, was well contained."
"Now we get to the fun part. Normally, spaceframes damaged like this are recycled. But as you can see in this footage..."
*The footage now goes into a time-lapse mode, where the damaged assembly machinery is rapidly replaced and the two partially constructed space frames are taken apart and reassembled as a single, complete frame.*
"... we made one whole bird out of two. You see, the thing people seem to miss is that according to the recycler system, only fifty-three percent of the wreckage was recoverable as raw material." Benjamin was grinning like an elf that had just pulled a rather spectacular prank and got away with it scot-free.
But then his expression turned stone-cold sober. "Now, Miss Tange, you must understand this. Jet and I saw some pretty serious shit out there in the Belt. Roughriders have shoot-on-site orders for about a dozen wanted criminals that eluded Great Justice and we keep our eyes and our ears pealed for them. The moment we get even the slightest hint of one of these bastards we sic the Knight Sabers on them."
"But... what about due process?"
"Maico... back on Earth, if you kill a few people, you'll probably get lethal injection. But if you kill a few hundred million then you'll just get exiled to some island in the tropics where they'll check up on you from time to time. Just to see if you're living well. I find that particular bit of politics to be utterly disgusting, because 1) Exile like that isn't exactly suffering, 2) Even if they had to dedicate a lifetime of servitude it would not make up for the suffering they caused, and 3) Killing them ensures they're no longer a problem. Besides, where the hell was due process when these sick fucks were catgirling men, women, and children by the hundreds and enslaving them with thionite? Due process can kiss my ass."
Ben then folded his arms neatly behind his back and turned to look out the office. "The Roughriders are not simply a mercenary force. We enforce peace in the name of the convention. When someone needs help, we give it without really asking for money. While our operations are funded somewhat by Great Justice, it is also fairly well supplemented by the profits made from BAT. The Knight Sabers is simply Jet's way of helping to keep that peace. You abide by her rules, then everything's gonna be hunky-dory. If not... let's just say that Jet and I will find ways to make your life miserable, and through completely legitimate channels."
"You can't do that!"
"The hell I can't. And it won't even be just me. Once the other SMOFs know that it was you that ratted Jet out they'll form ranks against you. So play nice or else you'll have your ass handed to you on a silver platter."