After spending a whole week cleaning up the remnants of QuickLinks Logistics along with our allies at West Coast Agroindustry, I was finally able to return to NLA.
The entire operation ended a lot more smoothly than anyone had thought. High Gate Groups, the rival group of corporations that QuickLinks was part of, hadn’t responded to their member’s demise at all.
Even so, it took some time for us to clean up all their assets spread across the three cities of Firebird, Miles High, and Can Sauce City.
I returned to NLA and rushed to my office to oversee the work that was being done relating to the takeover of the new logistics route. Joey had also invited me to a meeting later tonight to discuss the aftermath and handover procedure of QuickLinks’ routes.
I stepped into my office and witnessed three technicians in the middle of setting up the new projector I had Vin purchase for me. The West Coast Agroindustry meetings took place over their holographic meeting room, and I needed the hardware that supported these virtual meetings in my NLA office.
The projector cost me fifty thousand credits despite being an entry-level corporate model.
Instead of leaving them to their work, I stepped forward and joined in on the assembly. One of the technicians sent over the schematics and I began going over it to join in.
The schematics had precise instructions on how to put together each unit, but we had to figure out where to install it in the room. The main unit was a no-brainer, being by my desk, but the projector units needed to be spread out across the room. It took us a whole afternoon to measure and drill holes into the walls to install them.
When it was done, Vin seemed to have sensed it and immediately entered the room with perfect timing as the technicians left.
“Rollo, here’s the expense and casualty report for the operation. We’re still working on the budget estimates for establishing our foothold in both Miles High and Can Sauce City. That is also what you’ll be discussing in your meeting later tonight, right?”
I grabbed the terminal he held out and browsed through it. “Yeah…”
“Then inform me of the results as soon as it ends. I’ll relay it to the relevant departments.”
“Okay…”
“Rollo?” I heard him ask as I continued to be focused on my terminal.
“Yeah. What’s up?”
“Is there something wrong with the reports? Why do you look so perplexed, going over it?”
“Oh, I was just reading over the casualty report here.”
“Yeah, it was on the low side of our forecasts. Only two KIAs and several injured.”
They had launched a frontal assault on QuickLinks bases in Firebird and wasteland outpost afterward. I guess it couldn’t be helped, taking some casualties in a war.
“Yeah, but about this part about one of the family members of the deceased refusing to take our compensation…”
“We tried several times convincing the mother that there are no strings attached, but she is highly anti-corpo. We couldn’t even arrange to deliver the body back to her.”
“If we don’t properly compensate our men’s family, it’ll be as if I broke my promise to them. Send me her information. I’ll go speak with her.”
Vin shrugged, “If you want, I guess… Though, I’d recommend leaving her alone. If she doesn’t want the money, it’s not our responsibility.”
I stood up and stretched my back. “Still, it’ll present a bad image to the rest of the company. I’ll take care of it later. For now, want to go grab a bite with me?”
“No way I’m missing out if you’re treating. Lead the way.”
----------------------------------------
I sipped on a milkshake as I returned to my office after our meal. There was still a little bit of time left, so I reviewed our recent production numbers for our vehicles and cybernetics.
We managed to expand our vehicle products somewhat, and we are able to produce a Wraith every day now instead of two every three days. The Shades, though, were constantly being downsized as the market for it continued to shrink.
The target market only consisted of a certain profile of mercenaries and we didn’t really have many repeat customers, with it being a one-time purchase.
I should start planning for another commercial product as our earnings would continue to shrink. The new transportation routes may compensate for the majority of it, but we needed to keep growing and not stagnate.
Stealth technology isn’t a wise choice to continue spreading, so maybe another implant since I do have ten points in cybernetic engineering. I should use my electrical engineering knowledge to add a function with a competitive advantage somehow, too.
An alarm suddenly rang out and broke my chain of thought. Before I knew it, it was already time for the scheduled meeting.
I directed my attention back to the terminal in front of me and ensured it was properly connected with the new projection module. Then I activated and the lights in the room instantly dimmed. The room took on a blueish tint before an entire oval table was projected into the room.
I was sitting in one corner while I watched as various people’s projections appeared beside and across from me. There were a few empty seats that likely signified guests who hadn’t joined yet. There should be around two dozen people here once everyone arrives. I took the opportunity to survey all the new faces around the table.
The more expensive projectors would’ve been much more realistic, but for me, this was more than enough for meetings. What was even the point in seeing each other in high definition to the point you could see their pores?
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Many of the people around seemed to be well acquainted, conversing with their neighbors. I could only spot the movement of some people moving their lips as their conversation was muted for me.
I was soon able to spot a familiar face, who smiled in my direction as our eyes met.
“Rollo, it is good to see you well,” the bald man greeted from the head of the table. We were a distance away, but I could hear him clearly, as if he was right in front of me. I double-checked the voice settings I was on before I replied.
“Joey, it is a pleasure to see you well as well.”
“We should definitely have a chat at one of my restaurants while you’re still in town. We can set something up after this meeting, but for now, I believe it is starting.”
I glanced around the room at his words and spotted the few empty seats earlier had been filled.
The chatter quickly subsided, and one of the unfamiliar faces had their entire seat light up, literally being in the spotlight and drawing everyone’s attention. It was an elderly man, with a head full of grey hair that reached his shoulders. When I focused my attention on him, I could see his name card pop out displaying a ‘Hamlet Worshire - Worshire Corporation’.
“Greetings everyone. Every representative of their corporation that will be attending the meeting today is here. We will now start the meeting regarding the aftermath of eliminating QuickLinks Logistics.” He took a pause and glanced around at each person before stopping at me.
“Thanks to our new allies, the Halls Corporation, we have successfully eliminated one of the malicious actors that had been impeding our business operations. As we have previously discussed, we plan to have them take over the route from Firebird to Miles High, and the one between Miles High and Can Sauce City.”
I nodded at his words. No one around the table seemed to have anything to say, so the old man continued.
“Previously, QuickLinks Logistics intercepted our shipments when we used any other company and charged us 300% more than the market rates. I would like to enquire on behalf of our West Coast Agroindustry what rates the Halls Corporation can provide us after we have helped you take over the routes.”
All eyes were drawn to me. I had previously discussed this with Joey before joining their alliance, though we never had settled on anything concrete. There were just too many variables at play, with how much assistance they provided before we took over the route, how much we contributed to the war, and the operations costs of running the route.
Everyone in the alliances mainly specialized in food-related products or shipping. Their previous transportation companies were destroyed by the rival, High Gate Group, so none of them could accurately estimate the costs when the turbulent wasteland condition was such a variable.
This sort of gave me a blank check on what I would charge them. Of course, a discount was expected as they were my allies, but that was based on the market price. They didn’t know about my lower operation costs from befriending the wastelanders. If I could befriend the ones by the new route, my profit margins could widen significantly.
“From what we gathered on the new route so far, the best I can promise right now is a 20% discount from the market price,” I spoke out to the audience.
“Our average discount rate among the alliances is 30%. Surely you can accommodate a little more. We’ll be moving large amounts of our products on a consistent schedule, so it’ll be easy for you to manage, too.” One of the men I didn’t know immediately shouted out.
“The costs and risk of operating in a new territory are just too great right now. That is why 20% is the most I can offer right now.”
“Very well,” Joey said, “20% is acceptable. I trust that Mr. Halls will provide us with the best rates that he can offer and will increase the discount if possible in the future, correct?”
“Yes, of course.” I immediately agreed. It was all just for the sake of appearance, as everyone in the room knew that no corporation would suddenly offer discounts without something in exchange. It seemed like the 20% discount was within their initial expectations and are satisfied with it.
Hmm, maybe I should’ve lowballed it some more. I have to install refrigeration compartments on the trucks for their foodstuff, too.
The meeting soon moved toward the handover procedures. They had taken over some equipment and vehicles from their attacks, but I would need to set up the facilities in each respective city first before they handed it over.
Each corporation would discuss further with us about further discounts for each vehicle they transferred to us. It was very welcomed, as the fact they were willing to hand over the vehicles was a huge boon. We didn’t have enough vehicles, so it saved us the trouble of leasing and let us get the transportation network up and running faster while we slowly produced our own vehicles.
It was an arrangement that was mutually beneficial.
The meeting then ended as it got late. I spoke with Joey some more privately to set up a meeting. He seemed eager to be my first customer of the new route and wanted to sign a contract already.
When I got off the call, I quickly sent the summary and key points to Vin before I headed over to my workshop.
It would’ve been nice to go out and hunt for some experience points too, but it wasn’t entirely safe to do so with things still settling down. Who knew if a survivor of QuickLinks or their allies put a target on my head?
Also, my persona, Cloak, was only active in Elevate City, so it wouldn’t be smart to have him appear in NLA while I was in the city at the same time.
I pulled up my status and the terminal in my workshop and got to work brainstorming a new cybernetic product we could sell instead.
Status
Level:
21
EXP:
260/2100
Musculoskeletal:
211
Neural Reflex:
65
Visuomotor Coordination:
87
Endurance:
59
Sensory Perception:
127
Upgrade Points:
0
Upgrades:
* Stealth +7
* Hacking +5
* Cybernetic Engineering +10
* Stealth Technology +10
* Software Engineering +6
* Electrical Engineering +8
Enhancements:
SAID: Zenitech Sebastien v2
Bio-Coprocessor: SocialCorp Lightning II
Optics: Mirage Tech Clear-Sights mk.12
Cyberarm (Left): Nova Tech Heracle Mk. 3
Cyberarm (Right): Nova Tech Heracle Mk. 3
Auditory: SocialCorp Echo IV
Vocal: SocialCorp Orator III
Cardiovascular: BioGen Lifepump 5
Additional Processing: Halls Corp Custom ST
Miscellaneous: Halls Corp HSU Custom Shade
Cybernetic and electrical engineering, what can I make that best take advantage of the two?