VK-318 Posted March 7, 2016 Posted March 7, 2016 Location: B06 Sorn Tags: Civil, Building, Water Vehicle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The nice thing about a water world like Sorn is that it has far more usable surface area than a dryer world like Onix. In addition to the planetary surface, many facilities are build submerged in the water or on the seafloor. Many of these are hydroponic farms, but some are research labs. Differences in pressure, buoyancy of materials and staff, and relative safety from espionage satellites and spacecraft are just a few of the reasons for building dry or flooded laboratories in the seas of Sorn. "Is that were you're taking me, then?" "Yes. Spyrius has arranged for you to be delivered here. Once you have completed your work with them, you will be provided compensation, as well as funds sufficient to buy you passage anywhere you want to go." "Spyrius?" "Yes, Spyrius. They're an old company - been around almost as long as Exploriens. They did robotics and stealth technology. They were not, however, a very large business, and a nasty sequence of media disasters more or less finished them. They still have plenty of facilities in the Milky Way, and even a few out here, but they've never really been able to compete. This operation is their bid for a comeback." "How long will this take?" "Not very, I shouldn't think. I'm told that most of what they need is contained in that cargo we took from your courier ship, and the rest shouldn't take long. They don't need to you build anything for them - all they want is your theories." "As if they would tell you," Gregorovich muttered. "I don't take a job until I know all the details," I said. "You will be treated well, and you will be on your way home as soon as possible." "I'll believe that when it happens." I shrugged. "Again, it's your choice. The more you cooperate, the quicker this whole process will be, but I assure you that no one is sending you home until Spyrius has all the information they need from you." "Spyrius?" Silvia asked, after Dr. Gregorovich and his cargo had been left with Spyrius agents. "Yes, didn't I tell you? I was sure I did." "No, sweetheart, you forgot again." "Oh, bother. Sorry. Yes, Spyrius really is a corporation - or was. The Kawashita family bought them up quietly a long time ago - they're a puppet company, but the ownership, I'm told, is buried in seventeen layers of trust funds and holding companies. They still conduct research - things like spaceship design, stealth technologies, alternative propulsion, and the like." "Okay, I get that, but why bother?" "Generally speaking, I would say that it's helpful to have alternate companies to conduct any research you'd rather not be caught doing. In this specific case, the only people Dr. Gregorovich will see, speak to, or hear about will be employees of Spyrius - and ourselves, and he thinks we're mercenaries. Octan doesn't have a file on us and our crew yet, and it could be quite some time before they do. By the time they figure out what was stolen from them and by whom, it'll be to late for reprisals." "Clever." "I know, isn't it? We have no new orders for the time being, and that last mission gave us a splendid little bonus. Set a course, won't you?" "Where to?" "I'm not particular. Somewhere you'd like to go." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Didn't have as much time to work on this as I hoped. The water is not something I'm very proud of. Please note that the Variga is from a previous build and not to be judged. Quote
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