Re: Life – Business & Technology - Chapter 64

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Under the bright sunlight raining down on a middle eastern city, Director Price oversaw the installation of ten Future Arms All-Weather Missile Defense Batteries around Kandahar.

[$500 million is a big chunk of Future Security’s annual budget, but we’ve invested too much in the city to watch it fall from enemy artillery.] Price thought while walking around a battery emplacement.

He watched a few FS operators chatting with locals at a Halal Guys fast food restaurant.

Kids were running around the clean and orderly streets playing with each other without worry or fear.

[This is what we’re protecting. Fortunately, neighboring hostile nations haven’t set their sights on Kandahar. But it will only be a matter of time.] Price pondered.

The new missile defense system in place was inspired heavily by the Israeli Iron Dome. The batteries will deploy target-locking and intercepting missiles to stop any incoming attacks. Each battery costs $50 million to build and requires yearly maintenance.

Luckily, Future Arms already produces missiles for the US government, which reduced the R&D time for the new system.

Price mostly spent Future Security’s 2013 budget of $25 billion on new equipment like FAV-1s, Stingrays, and ASR-1 drones. Troop training and drills weren’t too hard to manage, considering the US had 8,000 soldiers who were happy to train with the FS operators.

[I’ll need to switch out the 5,000 FS units stationed in Mexico soon. The private security contracts we inherited from Andrews International are such a fucking hassle.] Price thought begrudgingly.

[Recruiting more security forces can be a viable stop-gap measure but will become inefficient soon enough, especially with the company’s rapid expansion. Future Tech prides itself on the quality of its products; then Future Security should do the same.]

Price decided to contact Heidi as soon as he got back to his office.

He opened a comlink channel request after text messaging Director Heidi regarding his problem.

“Price, I’m busy right now. What’s this big problem you mentioned?” Heidi stated with her alluring voice.

“Do you have any suggestions for a project to enhance my men’s capabilities in battle? Unfortunately, Future Tech is growing too fast, and we won’t have the capacity to train new operators continuously.” Price said in a hushed tone.

“What? Are the Dragonflies, AVs, and atmospheric recon drones not enough for your men? Heidi asked, annoyed.

“You know I don’t mean it like that, Director Heidi. We appreciate what the Robotics division has done for us here at Future Security this past year. I’m just asking for a friendly suggestion from a trusted colleague.” Price replied sincerely.

“You’re quite the lucky guy, Price. I’ve been busy designing an advanced version of the SpaceX spacesuit using exotic materials like graphene. We’ll have to test the suits soon, and I assume you’ll be able to do it for us at Kandahar. Then, of course, we’ll make adjustments based on Future Security’s offensive and defensive requirements.” Heidi offered.

“I’m open to testing products like the Hypervisor and this new suit, but what is it exactly?” Price asked.

“Vince suggested the inspiration for the design at a SpaceX engineer meeting a few weeks ago. Have you ever heard of Space Marines, Director Price?” Heidi asked honestly.

Vince discussed business with an African-American man wearing a lab coat in his 30s.

Diontray Ellison, or Dion, was the assistant director of the material science sub-division. He specialized in carbon-based allotropes and was a protege to Morgan.

They were waiting for a European Union representative to meet with Future Tech to seek research cooperation.

A typical Texan man in his early 30s wearing a sleek three-piece Future Couture suit accompanied a French gentleman in his 50s up to the penthouse living room.

“This is Gaston Boudier, a high-ranking member of the European Atomic Energy Community,” David said as he introduced both Vince and Dion to their European guest.

“We have contacted Morgan through the British consulate but had no luck. Thank you for meeting with me directly.” Gaston said with a french accent.

“Europe is a large market, and I’m always happy to entertain potential customers and clients. So would you please take a seat wherever is most comfortable?” Vince stated sincerely.

Gaston and David took their seats across the living room table.

“Let me be frank. My department has spent the past year investigating Future Tech products’ use of carbon nanotubes. It seems like you’ve devised an economical solution in mass-producing carbon microstructures. The EU was planning on investing $1 billion for a ten-year program for graphene R&D, but it is now practically useless knowing Future Tech already employs a viable manufacturing method.” Gaston explained.

“Dion, do you think $1 billion would have been enough capital to advance graphene production?” Vince asked.

“It would be impossible, even with $10 billion for ten years. Our graphene production is only possible due to advancements in our AI manufacturing suite.” Dion explained.

“Your ‘Graphene Flagship’ initiative would have been useless, either way. So what does the EU want from me?” Vince asked honestly.

“One of the ultimate goals of our graphene initiative was to develop superconductive materials for fusion energy research at ITER. This project is the most crucial research path in human history.” Gaston explained with passion.

“I beg to disagree, but I do understand the importance of clean energy. However, you still haven’t mentioned what the EU wants from Future Tech.” Vince replied.

[We’re researching treatment for any form of cancer, which is pretty essential, in my opinion.] Vince pondered.

“We would like to invite Future Tech to collaborate with ITER as a US representative. Of course, your company will receive a portion of the $60 billion in ITER government funding from the EU.” Gaston offered.

“In your dreams. Future Tech’s graphene production process is worth trillions of dollars by itself. So why would I share my technology for such a pitiful amount? Vince asked in an angered tone.

“Might I remind you of the EU’s long-standing relationship with the United States” Gaston replied.

“You don’t have to remind me like I don’t have to tell you how many billions of dollars in taxes the EU would lose if I choose to relocate all my businesses to the states.” Vince fired back.

“Gentlemen. It seems like this meeting has gotten off-track. You’ve traveled from quite afar, Gaston. Let me show you to your quarters. I can explain the protected status of our graphene technology on the way.” David interjected.

They left the penthouse living room and headed towards the guest floor.

“Dion, was I too harsh on the old Frenchie?” Vince asked after calming down a little.

“I agree with you 100%. However, these people have no right to force us to share technology for such a low price. I would understand if it were the US government, but we aren’t beholden to a foreign organization like the EU.” Dion replied honestly.

“Thanks for attending the meeting with Gaston, just in case I needed the technical expertise. Keep up the good work, and you’ll find yourself an executive director position soon. Morgan trusts in your work,” Vince stated.

“I appreciate Morgan’s nomination. I’ll live up to both of your expectations as best as I can.” Dion replied.

“You’re dismissed for now. I’ll have Aiya call you if I require technical assistance.” Vince instructed.

[My outburst might give me a headache later on. I should contact Marcia to get me in touch with the US Department of Energy just in case.] Vince pondered as Dion left the penthouse.

Vince opened a private comlink channel and contacted Marcia Kemp, his lead attorney.

“How is David doing with the EU representative? Are there any issues?” Marcia asked.

“David is doing fine with Gaston. But, on the other hand, I may have gotten on the wrong foot with our guest. He had the audacity of asking for our graphene production process for just a portion of $60 billion in funding.” Vince explained.

“You were right to deny him. The US government would spend way more if we could guarantee a working fusion reactor within a few years.” Marcia replied.

“Should I continue negotiating with the Frenchie, or should we discuss things with the federal government first?” Vince asked.

“Leave Gaston to David and me. I’ll talk to Ernest Moniz, the Secretary of Energy, before finalizing anything with the Europeans.” Marcia replied.

“And Kemp-Jacobs has recently signed a lease agreement with the Houston Port Authority for our pending oceanic shipping division. How much funding should I provide Andreas for construction?” Marcia added.

“I still have $15 billion in cash left for Q2 of this year. So I’ll approve $5 billion as the initial funding for facilities, and I’ll add more in Q3.” Vince replied.

[My billions leave as fast as I earned it. Well, money was always meant to be spent, I guess.] So Vince pondered while counting his liquid savings.

Stats last time checked:

Future Tech current valuation – $300 billion

15 million BTC (currently trades at $1,000)

$10 Billion cash in Future Tech

105,000+ employees (FT AI, Future Studios, Hive Mind Manufacturing, FT Micro Devices, BitCash, FT VR, Future Tech F1, FT Investments, Future Arms, Future Med, Future Tech Robotics, Future Education, SpaceX)

20,000+ operators under Future Security

Personal Vehicles: Klassen Phantom, Agera R, Agera SFV, Boeing Luxury 787 Dreamliner

Five company collaborators (Epic, Koenegisegg, SpaceX, Tesla, Hyundai C&E)

Dozens of investments under Future Tech Holdings (i..e., Instagram)

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