Beyond Kuiper: The Galactic Star Alliance by Matthew Medney & John Connelly

Author:Matthew Medney & John Connelly [Medney, Matthew]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2020-11-09T22:00:00+00:00

He’d heard of the legendary Eurasian Steppe winters, but actually feeling the icy winds burn his skin was another thing. Otherwise, the journey to Asia Zone 27, Grid 9 (formerly Kazakhstan) had been uneventful. It was here the World Council established the new Chokin Regional Science Academy3. Taking advantage of all the post-war reconstruction, they’d decided to build key tech and research facilities in the lesser-trodden areas of the world.

Watching the city zip by from his mechataxi4, Bernard fretted about the coming meeting. So far, the crew consisted of a close circle that shared his vision: William, Angie, and Ric. He had no strategy to sell the Nomad to an outsider. He felt it shouldn’t even require an explanation. Any effort to pitch it like a product in some ad campaign seemed facepalm-worthy.

By the time he ascended the stairs of the Chemistry building, he was still clueless but had settled on thinking: Best not overpredict it.

Justin’s nasal drawl reminded him that he wasn’t alone. “The information logs say the main research lab is on sublevel 4.”

“We could just ask someone, Justin.”

Angelika’s O.L. tag-along was all network interfaces: totally lacking people skills. Bernard expected Angie to keep a close eye on him, but she was ruining her cool with this toad.

“What are you going to do if she says no?”

He was impertinent too. “Young man, I do not fail. That’s why you’re here answering to me, not the other way around. Now, go find us an elevator.”

Passing through several airlocks, they arrived outside the thick shock glass of Advanced Kinetic Chemical Lab 1. Beyond it, about fifteen chemists toiled. Some working with beakers, flasks, microscopes, and other lab accoutrement. Others manipulated test equipment that pulled, punched, deformed, skewed, and otherwise tortured the dark licorice strands of some new polymer. On the far side, three interacted with a holofield, much like the one in Williams’ office, teasing apart molecule images and recombining them into strange atomic tectrices in an effort to bend electrons into a stable form.

Bernard pressed the intercom, and its chime brought all activity to a halt. He cleared his throat. “Ah, may I speak to Dr. Medina Karimov?”

An attractive, dark-haired thirty-something woman stepped from the circle of three. “Bernard Hubert?”

As she wove across the room passing her colleagues, their activity resumed. She opened the inner airlock to greet them and quickly sealed it behind her.

“No worries, there’s nothing harmful in there.” She pointed at Justin. “But allowing an O.L. employ to see any of our proprietary work for Space Oasis would violate dozens of contract clauses. What say we continue this in my office?”

Bernard liked her already. “Lead the way.”

“And, by the way, welcome! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Dr. Hubert.”

“You, as well, Dr. Karimov. Please, call me Bernard.”

“Well, Bernard, I must confess. I already know why you’re here.”

Is security this bad already? The crew isn’t even fully recruited. On the flip-side, this could be another easy chat.

Despite some slight surprise, Bernard remained poker-faced. “I see, and how did that come to pass?”

“Ava gave me a call about ten minutes after she left your dinner.

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