Chapter 46:
The best supplier
Nahndor:
I wake up to the rustling of the Caltea trees outside my window. It is so awe aspiring, that they expand up so high, that even my apartment, which is on the twentieth floor, has no sight of the crown. I stretch, and then check my phone. I harbor a little bit of hope that Rhea might be up by now, and has texted me for good morning.
Instead of a text from Rhea, I see an official one from the police. That chases away any traces of sleep from my brain. I click on it, and read.
Mr. Oroboros, please, get some leaves, with mana in them, from the oldest Caltea tree on Ursula 590. As quickly as possible. Forward them to one Mr. Angelid, on Ursula 589. Your services will be paid for.
I blink at that. It is not every day, that the police ask me to fetch something. Getting leaves from that particular Caltea shouldn’t be so hard. I just need to fill in some forms, get a bag that prevents the leakage of mana, get special gloves...
I go about my morning routine, as I make a list of all that I will need to get the leaves. It started off small, but now I have more than twenty tasks planned for the day. I sigh, and take my phone. Agafia picks up after only two rings.
“Nahndor, good morning. Are you feeling excited about the permission for the bigger teleport that I got for us?” She asks. I blink at that.
“Wait, you got all the paperwork through?” I ask her. This is great news. With a bigger teleport, we can get bigger equipment from planets further away.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you yesterday? It must have slipped my mind. Anyway, we have permission for class A+ teleport, with small energy consumption, and no emissions. You can find one that fits the description and can transport, let us say, at least five tons in weight?” My boss asks me. I blink at that.
“I can get one without the emissions, but these types of teleports suck out energy like starved vampires. Although, I think I can find one that runs on mana, instead of electricity,” I assure her. It is a good compromise, and environment friendly.
“You are a treasure, Nahndor. So, how did the date with Rhea go?” Agafia asks. I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Well, I don’t know? I saw her to her house, and we hugged in parting,” I say. Agafia giggles at that.
“You hugged in parting? Rhea holds the title of Miss Ursula 590 and Miss Ursula Solar System, and the only thing you thought to do in parting was hug?” The pixie asks me. I sigh heavily at that.
“She also has a beautiful brain,” I argue. Agafia hums her agreement.
“Well, you better give her more than hugs, next time. Her patience with you won’t last forever. She is not some flower; you know? She has needs too,” I have to remember that Agafia is more than 2,000 years old, and likes to talk like a grandmother. Still, that doesn’t stop my face from taking the color of ripe tomatoes.
“Agafia!” I exclaim, and her laughter is my only response.
“Yes, well, just keep it in mind, ok? Anyway, you must have called for something. Please don’t say you need a vacation or a sick leave. The teleport has to be delivered by the end of the week, so I can do a deal with Nebula 543 for a mana tank,” Agafia tells me. I whistle at that. Those are big, heavy, and... expensive.
“Do we have the money for something like that?” I ask her. She is silent for a while, before answering.
“Well, we sort of got government funding. Tine and Dany romanced the Prime Minister while they were on the rocket to Ursula 589,” she tells me. I sputter at that.
“Don’t word it like that,” I say, as I look over to my oven, to see if the mac and cheese is nearly done. After closing the oven, I go, and take a plate from the rack. “What really happened?”
“Daniel had a debate with him about the Gigantoboa. Now, the Prime Minister is funding both us, and Ursula Love of Nature. With his own money, for now. But he is going to put us forward for a state order,” Agafia sounds like she wants to sing. I can’t blame her. The Deltona family is old money, and they can bring a lot to the table. Still...
“I don’t like the idea of getting government funding,” I tell Agafia. “They are going to monitor us for any small thing. If they don’t like some of our research, then they will make us stop it.”
“There are risks, but we must take them,” Agafia says. She gives out a loud sight. “My personal bank account is nearly dry. If we don’t take the funding offered to us, then we are going to have to stop our work. Now, that we are so close to the truth of Dimension Beta, we owe it to the world to continue.”
“You have money problems?” I ask her. Agafia comes out of old money, too. For her to be running out... I make a total tally of everything she has given her approval for, so far. The lab equipment, the paychecks that are never late, health and other insurances...darn, what if she ends up impoverished? “I can contribute, if you’d like me to?”
“That is very nice of you, Nahndor, but we are getting a lot of attention, from both the media, and the government. We might not like it, but we will play to their tunes. Now, before we begin to speak about something else, do tell me why you called?” She asks. My oven begins to beep. So, I am quick about it.
“I need a day off,” I say, and hear a groan from the other side. “To assist the police.”
Her groan is replaced with a resigned sigh.
“Oh, if things keep on going this way, soon, everyone in Manacom will be working for the police. Well, as long as it is a single day, then you have my permission. Just swing by the office, to get the paperwork in order,” she tells me. The oven begins to beep louder. “What is with the beeping?”
“My breakfast is burning, got to go,” I wait for her to say her goodbye, and then hang up. My mac and cheese is caramel colored, with just the slightest coating of charcoal. Oh, well.
Chapter 46:
The best supplier
Nahndor:
I wake up to the rustling of the Caltea trees outside my window. It is so awe aspiring, that they expand up so high, that even my apartment, which is on the twentieth floor, has no sight of the crown. I stretch, and then check my phone. I harbor a little bit of hope that Rhea might be up by now, and has texted me for good morning.
Instead of a text from Rhea, I see an official one from the police. That chases away any traces of sleep from my brain. I click on it, and read.
Mr. Oroboros, please, get some leaves, with mana in them, from the oldest Caltea tree on Ursula 590. As quickly as possible. Forward them to one Mr. Angelid, on Ursula 589. Your services will be paid for.
I blink at that. It is not every day, that the police ask me to fetch something. Getting leaves from that particular Caltea shouldn’t be so hard. I just need to fill in some forms, get a bag that prevents the leakage of mana, get special gloves...
I go about my morning routine, as I make a list of all that I will need to get the leaves. It started off small, but now I have more than twenty tasks planned for the day. I sigh, and take my phone. Agafia picks up after only two rings.
“Nahndor, good morning. Are you feeling excited about the permission for the bigger teleport that I got for us?” She asks. I blink at that.
“Wait, you got all the paperwork through?” I ask her. This is great news. With a bigger teleport, we can get bigger equipment from planets further away.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you yesterday? It must have slipped my mind. Anyway, we have permission for class A+ teleport, with small energy consumption, and no emissions. You can find one that fits the description and can transport, let us say, at least five tons in weight?” My boss asks me. I blink at that.
“I can get one without the emissions, but these types of teleports suck out energy like starved vampires. Although, I think I can find one that runs on mana, instead of electricity,” I assure her. It is a good compromise, and environment friendly.
“You are a treasure, Nahndor. So, how did the date with Rhea go?” Agafia asks. I can hear the smile in her voice.
“Well, I don’t know? I saw her to her house, and we hugged in parting,” I say. Agafia giggles at that.
“You hugged in parting? Rhea holds the title of Miss Ursula 590 and Miss Ursula Solar System, and the only thing you thought to do in parting was hug?” The pixie asks me. I sigh heavily at that.
“She also has a beautiful brain,” I argue. Agafia hums her agreement.
“Well, you better give her more than hugs, next time. Her patience with you won’t last forever. She is not some flower; you know? She has needs too,” I have to remember that Agafia is more than 2,000 years old, and likes to talk like a grandmother. Still, that doesn’t stop my face from taking the color of ripe tomatoes.
“Agafia!” I exclaim, and her laughter is my only response.
“Yes, well, just keep it in mind, ok? Anyway, you must have called for something. Please don’t say you need a vacation or a sick leave. The teleport has to be delivered by the end of the week, so I can do a deal with Nebula 543 for a mana tank,” Agafia tells me. I whistle at that. Those are big, heavy, and... expensive.
“Do we have the money for something like that?” I ask her. She is silent for a while, before answering.
“Well, we sort of got government funding. Tine and Dany romanced the Prime Minister while they were on the rocket to Ursula 589,” she tells me. I sputter at that.
“Don’t word it like that,” I say, as I look over to my oven, to see if the mac and cheese is nearly done. After closing the oven, I go, and take a plate from the rack. “What really happened?”
“Daniel had a debate with him about the Gigantoboa. Now, the Prime Minister is funding both us, and Ursula Love of Nature. With his own money, for now. But he is going to put us forward for a state order,” Agafia sounds like she wants to sing. I can’t blame her. The Deltona family is old money, and they can bring a lot to the table. Still...
“I don’t like the idea of getting government funding,” I tell Agafia. “They are going to monitor us for any small thing. If they don’t like some of our research, then they will make us stop it.”
“There are risks, but we must take them,” Agafia says. She gives out a loud sight. “My personal bank account is nearly dry. If we don’t take the funding offered to us, then we are going to have to stop our work. Now, that we are so close to the truth of Dimension Beta, we owe it to the world to continue.”
“You have money problems?” I ask her. Agafia comes out of old money, too. For her to be running out... I make a total tally of everything she has given her approval for, so far. The lab equipment, the paychecks that are never late, health and other insurances...darn, what if she ends up impoverished? “I can contribute, if you’d like me to?”
“That is very nice of you, Nahndor, but we are getting a lot of attention, from both the media, and the government. We might not like it, but we will play to their tunes. Now, before we begin to speak about something else, do tell me why you called?” She asks. My oven begins to beep. So, I am quick about it.
“I need a day off,” I say, and hear a groan from the other side. “To assist the police.”
Her groan is replaced with a resigned sigh.
“Oh, if things keep on going this way, soon, everyone in Manacom will be working for the police. Well, as long as it is a single day, then you have my permission. Just swing by the office, to get the paperwork in order,” she tells me. The oven begins to beep louder. “What is with the beeping?”
“My breakfast is burning, got to go,” I wait for her to say her goodbye, and then hang up. My mac and cheese is caramel colored, with just the slightest coating of charcoal. Oh, well.
