Manufacturing the Goal

Inspired by the business novel The Goal by Eliyahu M. Goldratt and Jeff Cox, and the military sci-fi of Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, Manufacturing the Goal explores a near-future world in conflict, where unexamined assumptions have led to stagnation and possibly the end of humanity's march to a bright future.Janet Williams finally has her dream job - Planet Manager of the OS Corps orbital factory #27, boothing the D-Class interstellar ship. The D-class is the pinnacle of human technology, squeezed into a seven-meter wide pressure sphere. There is only one problem - corporate has given her six months to show profitability - and every initiative Janet has tried has failed.Parva Endropove is commander of the first flight of D-class ships, heading to take control of the distant Lalande system before the dogs do. There are millions of sim-trained, ready and eager sailors on Earth, awaiting their launch, but there are only thirteen ships to put them in. Streaking away from Earth, snug in his sep, Parva can only hope more ships are launching behind him to help in the fight. Otherwise, there is only one way to survive. Run.