Chapter 675 - 669: Heads are not Enough
Chapter 675: Chapter 669: Heads are not Enough
Keep in mind that these energy blocks, when used even in a super-large warship like the Peach Blossom, are extremely powerful.
Setting aside how Tobia’s side might think, Jasmine Davis had quite a lot to process at the moment. After closing their communication, Finn Lewis immediately had Luna Starfield contact another person. This person was none other than Caleb Shaw, the man who sold him the warships!
If Finn Lewis remembered correctly, this fellow claimed that their warships were available in stock! If they truly are, there is no need to worry about the delivery timeline. Considering the capabilities of these warships, a single jump can cover a distance of up to 5,000 light years. Even though such a maximum distance jump might leave the warship unable to make another jump for several days, if the fleet is big enough, one jump would suffice!
The communication was a bit slow, as the distance from the Death Star was quite considerable. Of course, the Heritage System’s diameter spans hundreds of thousands of light years, so some distances are bound to be vast. Although 5,000 light years sounds like a lot, compared to the diameter of the Heritage System, it’s relatively insignificant. Reaching the other side of the galaxy would require dozens of such jumps.
This journey would take at least a year. The communication was established after approximately one minute. When Caleb Shaw appeared on the screen and saw the situation behind Finn Lewis, it was obvious that he was aboard a spaceship.
“Mr. Lewis.” Recognizing Finn Lewis, Caleb Shaw immediately greeted him enthusiastically. After all, Finn Lewis was his biggest client, having made him a considerable sum of money.
“Mr. Shaw, I am here to do business with you.” Finn Lewis cut straight to the point.
A chill ran down Caleb Shaw’s spine as he sensed a different atmosphere in Finn’s tone. After a brief pause, he hurriedly responded, “Mr. Lewis, tell me. Are you looking to purchase more warships?”
“Do you have any first-class warships?” Finn had no time to waste.
Upon hearing the words ‘first-class warship,’ Caleb Shaw couldn’t help but feel his heart pound. These weren’t easy to sell. Only the federal royal family has the right to produce and own such vessels. They even required a permit from the inspection bureau.
Even if you were nobility, unless you were a nine-star aristocrat, you could only possess a second-class warship. Nevertheless, if you bought a first-class warship through a royal family member, that wouldn’t be a problem, as long as the royal family member acknowledged the purchase. If you couldn’t identify the source of your purchase, however, the inspection bureau would certainly cause you trouble.
“Mr. Lewis, not everyone can own a first-class warship,” Caleb Shaw said, gritting his teeth.
Finn Lewis raised his arm, revealing the family crest of the Two Five-Clawed Golden Dragons, which came into Caleb Shaw’s view. Seeing this emblem, Caleb Shaw’s pupils narrowed, especially when he saw the nine golden stars surrounding the two dragons, symbolizing Finn’s status as a nine-star royal!
Finally appreciating his customer’s stature, Caleb Shaw didn’t know what to say. “We have them! Each one costs 500 million star credits! It comes with all the necessary combat equipment, plus a gift of 500,000 combat robots; 300,000 for reserve and 200,000 ready for action!” he blurted out without hesitation.
“Do you have them in stock now?” Finn Lewis asked, squinting his eyes.
“Yes!” Caleb Shaw nodded without hesitation.
“How many?” Finn asked three words.
Caleb Shaw found his scalp tingling. The question wasn’t how many Finn Lewis wanted to buy, but how many were available. A first-class warship, even the inspection bureau wouldn’t have more than a couple of dozen available.
“Ten!” Caleb Shaw said, gritting his teeth. He quickly added, “But if Your Highness requires more, we could deliver at least 20 more in half a year. We would need full payment, though!”
“I’ll take all ten available! And as you suggested, furthermore, I need 100 of the second-class warships — the White Elephant class that you mentioned last time!” Finn Lewis said.
Caleb Shaw was astonished. One hundred warships? What on Heritage System was he planning? Was he going to sweep over the galaxy? Although a second-class warship doesn’t pack as much punch as a first-class warship, each is a powerhouse in its own right, one of the federation’s most formidable weapons. Five second-class warships would surely blow up a first-class warship.
“Your Highness, we won’t have that many,” Caleb Shaw replied, his voice slightly hoarse, his heart pounding. He desperately wanted to know what exactly Finn Lewis was planning to do with such a massive fleet?
“How many do you have?” Finn Lewis immediately inquired.
“At most, 82! Your Highness, permit my saying so, but I don’t know what you intend to do with such a large number of warships. The energy consumption would be a massive figure! While their engines could supply most of their energy, the energy needed for things like cannon firing and engine launching would be formidable,” Caleb Shaw answered swiftly.
“Can the energy supplied on the warships sustain a war?” Finn Lewis asked directly.
Caleb Shaw wanted to tell Finn that his question showed a lack of understanding about this matter. What does he mean by ‘sustain a war’? An interstellar war could last an hour, or it could go on for a year.
“In theory, it can sustain a warship’s operation for a month,” Caleb Shaw said, “but in practice, it can’t achieve that.”
“How many star credits would it take to supply enough energy and other resources to sustain continuous operation for a month?” Finn Lewis continued to inquire.
“For a second-class warship, roughly 30 million star credits. For a first-class warship, about 100 million star credits,” Caleb Shaw responded.
“That’s not much, I can afford it,” Finn Lewis said casually, gesturing dismissively. While he didn’t know exactly how much the Roberts Coin he owned amounted to, he knew he could still afford these purchases. Since he could afford it, he was not worried, “Do you sell this energy supplement?”
“YES, of course, we do!” replied Caleb Shaw quickly.
“Well, we can start our negotiations then. For 10 first-class warships, a total of 50 billion star credits, 82 second-class warships, each priced at 100 million credits, adding up to 82 billion. Additionally, the large replenishment ships equipped for war, you tell me how many are needed. They should be fully stocked with logistical supplies. I’ll give you 200 billion star credits, is that a problem?” Finn didn’t even bother negotiating the price. Rich men can afford to be capricious in this manner.
Listening to this conversation, Jasmine Davis was thoroughly stupefied. The figures being discussed exceeded her comprehension. She couldn’t calculate how much money Finn was throwing around.
Not to mention Jasmine Davis, even Caleb Shaw’s brain had turned into mush. He was shell-shocked by Finn. In terms of the raw value of these warships, they were certainly not worth 100 billion star credits. If Finn had negotiated, for around 120 billion, he would have happily closed the deal. But now, Finn was offering an additional 80 billion star credits!
This… this was just… just too extravagant! Caleb Shaw’s brain was utterly reeling.