<strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ef/Damian_Harper.jpg)</div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Damian nodded slowly in agreement with Allia. <strong>"We could use those battle armors. We should not give up on them entirely. I will continue to set aside what I can and, in the meantime, I will keep my eye out for good prospects. There is bound to be some talent out there looking for work. They are just in shorter supply than jocks that might be useful after they've proven themselves. No sense spending money hiring inadequate candidates,"</strong> he explained, as he wanted to make sure the commander knew he was still in full support of expanding their unit in such a fashion. But, sometimes it was better to wait for a good opportunity, than to settle for what they'd found so far.<br/><br/>Was surprised to find himself the target of a promotion. While he had always been a prominent feature in the company's Command Lance, his rank had been no higher than most others. He was first lieutenant. Technically, he still was, but leading the Command Lance added some cachet to it all. He was unsure what prompted it, but he could see the logic behind it. He was one of the few surviving members of the company, and contrary to the new recruits, he had shown himself capable on many occasions. He was not the best when it came to guiding in the heat of battle. He was the type to plan in advance, meticulously so, and subsequently execute the plan with pinpoint precision; most often using terrain to his advantage. But, he was nothing if not confident. He could handle it.<br/><strong>"Once I know what I am working with, I will whip the Command Lance into shape. You will have your fire support,"</strong> he stated confidently. For a brief moment, it seemed as though he was almost eager to get back into Charybdis, get out there, and fire some missiles like the good ol' days. He missed Carlos.<br/><br/><strong>"Next on the agenda is a matter of staff,"</strong> he already knew this was going to be a painful subject for Kari, who had never been put in that position before. He placed a datapad on the table and slowly slid it towards her. It contained a long list of names, complete with links to their files and reports on their most recent evaluations.<br/><strong>"Because of the beating we have taken, we are understaffed in certain areas, but overstaffed in others. Our field personnel is stretched thin, but out backup is still more or less manned to handle a full company. This will drain our resources faster than we can keep up with. Under normal circumstances, I would suggest keeping the crew at full capacity for as long as possible, so we keep experience and camaraderie with us, and not potential competition. Replacing someone once we grow again would also mean hiring someone who needs training and time to fit in; contrary to someone who we left on the pay slit for a little longer. But,"</strong> he looked from his commander to Allia, and back again. <strong>"We do not have the funds to sustain that business plan. I have compiled a list of people that can be considered superfluous at this time, as well as a margin per department on the minimum and maximum number of crewmembers we should, or could, let go. There are some basic recommendations in the report as well, but the final decision is yours to make. I advise you look at this in a calm moment,"</strong> Damian explained, as he leaned his chin and cheek against two raised digits in a pensive fashion.<br/><br/><strong>"I will warn you that this is a delicate matter. Morale is fragile. But it has to be done,"</strong> he finished.</div>