The Thunder of Engines by Laurence Dahners

Author:Laurence Dahners [Dahners, Laurence]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-06-10T22:00:00+00:00

***

Tipping liberally, Arya managed to arrange a back room for their dinner at the Buffalo. She cringed at the thought of holding a critical dinner in such a low-class place. This was not in alignment with what she thought she’d been learning in business school. Nor with her mother and father’s business sensibilities. Her parents had started out very poor and were diligently working their way up, but they’d always held any meetings at places that strained their budgets.

However, she’d decided it’d be foolish to try to move this pack of—what she thought of as juvenile—men and boys to a better-quality establishment.

Arya’d been pleased when Lee, another woman, had been their first point of contact with Space-Gen. But, when the Space-Gen contingent had arrived with ten members; Lee, another junior engineer, Teri Nunsen, and Space-Gen’s CFO, Cary Lark were the only women. Then, Marks, as she’d heard prior to his arrival, had proven to have such a dominant personality the rest of the Space-Gen team had seemed to fade into the shadows. Well, not Lee, but I think that’s only because I feel like I know her.

Arya made sure there were thirteen chairs while praying that these immature-acting men didn’t have some expectation that she’d have arranged a stripper or some other humiliating entertainment. She knew such things still occurred in some parts of corporate America and had always thought she’d have the gumption to stand up to such idiocy. But can I resist when there’s so much money on the line? she wondered. Will I just roll over if they start asking for something offensive to women? Would Kaem expect me to lower myself to… such a level?

Arya shook herself and turned to worrying about things she could control. She started checking the sturdy chairs for stains or stickiness. She was glad she did. She had to ask the server to replace two chairs.

She set to checking the silverware and glasses.

Arya decided everything was as good as she could hope for in a place like the Buffalo. She’d just started worrying about whether Kaem and Gunnar would arrive in time to provide emotional support when the door opened and the Buffalo’s star-struck night manager ushered Aaron Marks in the door.

Marks made a beeline for Arya. The rest of his people were a little boisterous, as if they’d already had a couple of drinks. Marks, however, seemed fully in command of his faculties. Of course, he’s so brilliant, you could probably knock fifty points off his IQ without most people being able to tell.

Arriving beside Arya, Marks said, “Thanks so much for setting this up. That demo this afternoon was…” he shook his head as if in wonder, “very informative. Have any other companies come for demonstrations?”

Arya, shook her head, resolving to be tighter lipped than she’d been earlier in the day.

“Was it Orbital Systems or Martin Aero that offered you the ten million?

“Um…” Arya said, still feeling like she shouldn’t answer Marks’ questions about their business, but unable to come up with a good reason why she shouldn’t answer this one.

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