Long-Distance Partnership

Posted on Thu 25th Mar, 2021 @ 5:51am by Ignatius Collins
Edited on on Thu 25th Mar, 2021 @ 5:52am

589 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Business Not At All As Usual
Location: Collins-Griffin Mining office, 10th Floor, Spock Tower
Timeline: MD-10, 0900 hours

It wasn't so much that Collins-Griffin Mining Ventures had come up in the world as it was that Ignatius had finally, after considerable discussion with his partner, Adam, convinced Adam to agree to them formally opening a Starbase 109 branch of it.

"You're going to marry her, aren't you?" Adam stated flatly to him during one of their frequent subspace radio calls.

Ignatius didn't need to ask who Adam meant. "Yep," he replied.

"Which means you're going to remain on Starbase 109 for the foreseeable future unless, by some miracle, you might feel disposed to convince the lady to move back to Earth, and you leave a senior manager in charge there, instead."

"The honest-to-God truth is, Adam, I really like it out here," Ignatius told his partner and friend. "Even with the pirates, space in the Triangle is wide open. That's why I came here in the first place to survey it, remember?"

"Wide open? Ignatius, you're in the middle of a political hotspot bordered by us, the Klingons, and the Romulans. I don't see how you aren't in the middle of border skirmishes every week!"

"Because the UFP is keeping a close eye on the Klingons, and the two Romulan sovereign states are in too weak a position to do more than make idle threats. The new Republic, frankly, wants things peaceful."

"Hmph. We'll see how long that lasts," Adam said. "There's still the pirate problem."

"And there always will be. I've completed setting up the office front. There's even a secretary! I might move us to pricier digs in a few years, but for right now, floor 10 of Spock Tower is fine for our needs. I've taken the new ship out on some test runs, and she maneuvers smoothly." Ignatius refrained from mentioning the almost-catastrophe he and Purulence had dealt with on their first trip out together. No need to raise Adam's blood pressure any higher than it already was.

"So now you're selecting ship crew?"

"I and the future Mrs. Collins are about to begin screening and selection of the pilot applicants this evening. There's one or two I'm knocking off the list right away. One looks pretty good, but all of his qualifications are Breen--though high-level, for all that."

"Breen qualifications? Why would you even consider him?" Adam asked. "We don't know what their standards are."

"The way he interacted with me. He's the real deal, not some con artist. Sharp, too. He doesn't want a salary; he wants to negotiate a cut. If he's half as good as he says he is, he just might be worth it."

Adam shrugged. "Well, I'll leave that to your discretion. You've always been much better at reading people than I am--which is one reason why I do wish you'd return here. I value your insights."

It was rare for his friend to admit to such a thing, Ignatius thought. When they'd first met, he'd considered Adam a hopeless worry-wort. "And I value you for your mind for details that would drive me buggers if I had to remember them. Adam, any time you need me there, just say the word, and I'll be on the next ship out, okay? No questions asked."

Adam breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He glanced at the wall clock in his office. "I've the board meeting to get to. I'll announce at the next staff meeting that we're taking transfer applications from anyone who wants to join you in the boonies. See you later, Ignatius."

"See you, too, Adam. Stay well."

 

RSS Feed