The Empress of Unjity by Laer Carroll
Author:Laer Carroll [Carroll, Laer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-05-28T04:00:00+00:00
Chapter 20 - Construction
A few days before July 4th the Vannier-Hagen management had a "construction shack" landed on the Lunar surface by a heavy-lift cargo spaceship. Felicia accompanied the V-H specialists who powered it up and tested its Lunar readiness. There was no surprise when it passed with flying colors. It had been designed and tested very rigorously on Earth. V-H wanted no hint of problems on its well-publicized Athens City project.
The Construction Shack was like a very big high-tech mobile home able to move at a slow pace on the Lunar surface. It was driven a half mile to the rim of a mile-wide crater. There an area had been swept of Moon dust, leveled, then covered with a thin layer of concrete made mostly of Moon dirt.
Then it had been settled onto the concrete, powered up by an onboard warm-fusion generator, aired up, tested, and occupied by a crew which double-checked the onboard computer diagnostics. Felicia was a nominal member of the crew but stayed out of the way and just performed oversight of the crew. Not surprisingly, she saw no problems or ways to improve the process. The crew was made up of members of the engineers and the mechanics who had created the shack.
The crew stayed on a few days and greeted a virtual Vannier-Hagen Vice President in Charge Of Something or Other. She was fiftyish, mildly stout, distinguished looking, and dressed in a business suit with a dress that went to just below her knees.
The crew assured the VP everything was in perfect shape and turned her over to Felicia.
Felicia had to wait only three seconds of lag time between Earth and the Moon to receive the VP's speech to her. The V-H channel the corporation had given the woman was very good for such a short communication round trip; those usually took four to seven seconds. No doubt it was also very expensive.
"Good day, Major Romero. I've heard a lot about you. I'm happy to finally meet you. I understand you are physically onsite."
"I'm equally happy to meet you, Madame Vice President. Yes, I am here. My job is, as you know, to provide perspectives not available to people who are more immersed in the action at hand. But not so distanced that I am disinterested."
The image of the VP was very relaxed as she waited for Felicia's reply. Felicia wondered if she did a lot of trans-Lunar communication.
"Good to hear. Keep up the good work, Major. Have a Good Day."
Felicia only nodded as the image disappeared. Back on Earth the woman had not waited the three seconds for her acknowledgement.
On July 4th the Construction Shack was officially entered into service. On Earth the VP and a newsblogger chatted briefly to let V-H congratulate itself on beginning the construction of Athens City. Felicia attended the ceremony virtually but said nothing. Her only part was to stand in her spacesuit before an instrument panel beside which a window let blog viewers see a slice of the Moon.
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