Coffee Spoon
03 Jun 2019Elderrook
I acquired another ship. I got a deal on an old Adder-class general utility vessel from Zorgon Peterson. Maybe some day I'll spring for a new ship fresh off the showroom floor, but right now credits are more important than fresh paint.It's a real step up from the Sidewinder. I'm going to hire a pilot to keep the courier work going while I start ferrying cargo in the new ship. I'm leaving the nameplate as it is. Not sure why they called her the Coffee Spoon, but I can live with it.
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The new pilot is working out pretty well. He's greener than an old piece of copper, but he's a hard worker. He doesn't even complain much about The condition of the Sidewinder. I'm surprised he's not a better mechanic. I was always taught that being a skilled mechanic was a prerequisite for piloting a starship. He manages, though, and that's all I can ask for.
I'm renting a small office as well. I even hired a full time shipping coordinator to man the comms there. I never expected to have an 'employee' of my own and now I have two. Crazy, right?
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The Coffee Spoon has been a steady credit maker. I've managed a full refit of the Sidewinder as well as picking up a Hauler-class transport, the Jiminy Cricket. She's a little rough around the edges, but there's a real need for independent cargo shipping and she's perfect for that. I hired on two more pilots. Both are older gentlemen. Between the three of them, I can keep the Sidewinder and the Adder flying while still giving them some time off. No need to work them to death. That's my job, apparently.
I've been keeping the Hauler moving with consignment shipping. I tried my hand at speculative trading, but without more experience with the markets it was mostly a losing proposition. I brought an administrative assistant on board to assist the shipping coordinator, as well as a team of freight jockeys to move things in the warehouse I've leased. I'm still trying to break into a larger market, but that's not an easy thing to do. For now, I'm concentrating on making sure my place arrive on time, every time. Hmm. That could work as a slogan.
I've applied for a business license, but that's going to take some time. No one wants to be the issuing body of a failed business venture. I'll have to prove myself first.
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Cargo shipping isn't a glorious career. In fact, it's pretty low end. Routine routes mean seeing the same places over and over. I'm making connections though, and that's sure to be valuable down the road. One thing that's become clear to me is that there's a lot of politics no matter where you go. Keeping track of the various factions, special interests group, and political societies is a full time job in and of itself. I've learned to walk lightly and keep my personal feelings to myself. Who'd have thought that freight hauling could be so competitive?