Звездопад / Starfall: Глава 10

Chapter 10

Camrad_RIP 10.02.23 в 15:01

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Camrad_RIP 10.02.23 в 15:01

The generator stella was topped by a sheaf of focusing needles of gleamed metal in the center of the lawn. Around it, a swirl of shimmering heat swirled the shield being formed. The central funnel grew narrower and narrower, and the shield went into working mode, looking more and more like a perfect sphere woven from shimmering and gleaming glass.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:04

"That's great! Eight seconds faster than the passport data! Your operator is unparalleled, Mrs. Diltar!" The manager looked up from his stopwatch and smiled - the demonstration was clearly going well.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:04

Taer put the loose strand back in place - the forming shield was creating a tangible breeze around itself - and, with a sigh, said what she was expected to say:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:05

"I think there's a credit to your technique as well."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:05

"Saphiron is the best on the market in this segment!" The manager smiled dazzlingly again and went on another run, recounting the delights of the machine.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:06

///And the only unit you can buy on the Capeira, "right now", thought 'Mrs. Diltar' unhappily.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:07

The games around the generator had been going on for the third hour. A wall of smiles and thoughtfulness greeted Taër's arrival, and 'Mrs. Diltar' was almost carried around on the arms. They took her to see the models, showed her three films about the company's products, gave her a deliciously good teymar, filled her in with technical details, agreed to a test run, and entertained her for the two hours it took the urgently needed field operator to arrive. But they did not quote a price for the installation. The manager of the Zonn-Mer Mission, the charming and gallant Atuya Rakem, was describing the benefits of the Saphiron. The Taer agreed with him at great length and wondered how much it would cost to purchase this engineering marvel, but she received no direct answer. Instead, she was told to wait until the end of the test run.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:09

The wind blowing from the unit subsided. The sphere of the shield stopped spinning, and the small waves that produced glittering ripples stopped shaking the surface. The shield became almost invisible, covering the clearing with a glass hood - the field stabilized and went to the mode of constant operation.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:14

"Would you like to try out the unit in combat?" Atuya was pointing somewhere behind him.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:15

Taer turned, following his hand, and saw a light Vortex blaster... if "light" was the word applicable to Vortexers at all. Three workers in gray overalls with the ZM emblem on the back had just rolled the platform with the blaster out of a nearby hangar and began lowering the supports. A hand-thick bundle of power ran from the vortexer's massive body to the depths of the hangars.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:15

It was two hundred paces from the blaster to the edge of the shield. The heatwave would come weakened, of course.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:16

//But I can forget about the hair, and Rima would just kill me for having to walk through a scorched clearing.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:17

The Field Operator had already changed into her Cassard colors, so she was wearing white, as was Taer. Rima didn't have her own uniform yet, and she flatly refused to show up in the garbage, so on her way to the test, the Master Operator raided the Blue Flame Castle, looting Taer's wardrobe and forcing the maids to "adjust it to fit".

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:19

"I think I'd better make do with a power dipstick," Taer's smile came out a little strained.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:19

The manager, with a quick wave of his hand, called for a group of technicians who had huddled modestly near one of the hangars, trying not to attract attention. The technicians ran over, set up a tripod with a dipstick, and in a few seconds, a bright red beam shook the field. The shield at the point of impact turned opaque, deep white, and waves of shimmering ripples ran down the sides.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:21

After a couple of minutes of testing, the generator was switched off, and the shield disbanded, giving everyone a dense wave of air as a goodbye.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:24

Rima, who had listened with an embarrassed smile to a heap of enthusiastic compliments on the speed and beauty of the shield she had created, stood up from the operator's console and walked over to the Taer.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:25

"What do you think of my shield?" With a touch of smugness, she asked.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:25

"You know damn well I don't know anything about it," Taer looked at her friend expressively, 'don't be a show-off'. "I'm not going to be able to tell you what the unit is like."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:26

"Well, the unit as the unit," Rima shrugged. "It's new. It's not worn out, and the inertia is even a little lower than normal."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:28

"Well, is it worth buying?"

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:28

"That's for you to decide, 'Mistress Diltar'," Rima smirked. "The generator's working, and the results are better than the passports. By the way, it showed almost six hundred "pvs" on the shield, and I'm not used to it yet. But whether you need it or not, that's for you to decide."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:30

Taer sighed - now she was no longer sure that the installation was really necessary. ///On the other hand it does no harm - only good, and it does the lord no harm. Encouraged by this thought, she summoned the manager, who diplomatically stepped aside while 'Mistress Diltar' spoke to her technician:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:31

I think it's a good time to discuss the financial side of our cooperation.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:31

"Of course, Mrs. Diltar," the manager nodded. "I suggest we discuss this more privately in our conference room while our technicians take care of the test reports."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:32

He opened the door of the flyer in front of Taër and helped her in by giving her a gallant hand.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:33

//Even though I'm not wearing a dress and don't need help, it's still nice.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:33

Soon they were in the meeting room - an oval room with large round windows and a large round table in the center, which was surrounded by oval-styled armchairs. And everything - the furniture walls, the trim on the chairs - was white. Tair, with her snow-white tunic, blended in with the surroundings somewhat more than she would have liked. Apart from the manager and 'Mrs. Diltar' there was no one in the meeting room.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:34

"What do you think of the unit after the test run?" Atuya Rakem sat opposite, folding his palms together.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 16:41

"My technician is pleased," Taer made a careless gesture with her hand. "I think your Saphirone is satisfactory, and I would like to know its price."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:01

The manager thought for a moment and then answered with a sigh:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:01

"You see, Mistress Diltar, Saphiron-level shield generators are not the sort of thing that has any one retail price. A lot depends on the history of our relationship with the buyer, some kind of established arrangement," Atuya Rakem sighed once more. "To my regret, our company has not cooperated with you before. And I hope that we will now find some arrangement that will be beneficial to both parties." He added with a smile.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:02

"How much, though?" Taer genuinely didn't understand the reasoning behind this beating around the bush and wanted to hear some figure.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:03

"In this sector, our company's pricing policy limits the minimum price for Saphirone to ninety-seven million danarii," the manager stopped talking and looked expressively as if waiting for something to happen.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:04

"Does this price take into account our requirements?" For Taer, speed of delivery was paramount in the first place.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:05

"Er... this is the base price, you must understand, Mistress Diltar, we certainly need to take into account the costs associated with the urgency of the order..." Atuya was expressively silent again. "As well as the interests of all the contractors..."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:07

"Listen up, dear man, so how much?"

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:07

///"Shadows, what does he want to hear from me that?! "Mistress Diltar" was already beginning to quietly lose her temper. ///I am, after all, a guardsman, not some peddler! What does he expect? That I'm going to start bargaining with him?!

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:08

"Um... well, I don't even know..." The manager was clearly confused and agitated. "Let's say we can come to an agreement around the figure of one hundred and thirty-five million denarii. What do you think?" Atuya looked again at the Taer with a meaningful look. "With all interests taken into account, of course!"

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:11

Taer frowned. //A third more expensive than expected. The Saigonians are only asking ninety-eight million for the installation, but 'right now' they don't have it and won't for the next three weeks. She leaned back in her chair, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. ///On the other hand, the lord's life is more precious. And he won't get poorer. Plus, he needs to be protected right now."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:13

The manager, who must have seen the agony of choice on Taer's face, decided to add fuel to the fire:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:13

"Actually, Mistress Diltar, I think you understand that due to the incredible urgency of the order, the price may be increased..." he paused for a moment, looking at her questioningly, as if waiting for a clue, but then he continued without waiting. "Let's say up to one hundred and fifty million."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:14

"WHAT?" Taer shrieked, jumping out of her chair, almost unable to hide her anger: //The bastards have realized that I need it urgently, and now they are trying to squeeze the money out of me!

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:18

Seeing his customer's twisted face, Atuya backtracked:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:19

"It was just a suggestion. We can go back to the hundred and thirty million option... with all interests taken into account, of course," he repeated the cryptic phrase for some reason.

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:23

Taher sighed: //Shadows with those bloodsuckers, let them choke on it! Five more minutes of haggling like this, and we'll have to give up a billion:

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:28

"OK, we're OK with that price, but the unit has to be delivered tonight, with a deadline of overnight."

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:29

"Of course, Mrs. Diltar, the unit will be delivered in the time frame you mentioned." The manager smiled ingratiatingly and asked a leading question. "Do you have any requests for calculations that are in your party's interest?"

Camrad_RIP 13.02.23 в 17:30