Read Online April 8: It's Always Something by Mackey Chandler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Mackey Chandler
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question Kurt. "I sit at a desk most of the day and you are a young man who does physical labor. If I ate what satisfies you I'd be seeing the doctor to lose some weight in a month. It's easier just not to shove it in my face in the first place. I enjoy it well enough. They do a fine job with limited supply, don't they?"
"Thank you. I haven't been eating this well back in Mobile," Kurt admitted. He couldn't imagine how better supply could improve it. He wasn't a gourmand to get all prickly over the lack of a real lemon. They just squirted everywhere but where he wanted them to go anyway.
"You returned when supply was just about as bad as it got. They've made great progress with salad things and vegetables. They even produce limited beef now. Not bone beef," Jan added at Kurt's surprised expression, "but I've had a filet mignon from their early production that had excellent taste and texture. The fellow directing most of this, a young fellow by the name of Singh, assures me we'll have vat grown chicken and lamb and pork over the next couple years. They even plan to raise shrimp in some of their water storage tanks."
"Mr. Singh is the fellow I hope to work for on the moon, and Home later on," Kurt said. "I'm promised an interview and a medical. It isn't a totally done deal yet."
Jan didn't say anything for a moment, looking up from his meal faintly surprised.
"I think you would be doing very well to gain an association with Jeff Singh. He's well regarded at Home and on the moon. He has two partners, Heather and April, who aren't as well known to the public for their business dealing as they are for their political activities. However I'll advise you they are both quite capable and not to be underestimated." Jan added an emphatic little nod to that statement, so Kurt took it to heart. The man was very low key, and not given to extravagant gestures. He could see already that a nod from Jan was the same as some others raising their voice and flailing their arms about.
"Thank you, that's good to know. A useful little bit of insider stuff. I'll try not to say anything stupid if I meet either of them while dealing with Mr. Singh."
That was good. He got the point entirely. Arash came up and laid his hand hesitantly on the bread basket. Jan made an almost unperceivable no motion with his head, and Arash took it. Kurt had cleaned his plate so thoroughly there wasn't much he could have sopped up anyway. There was one piece of pita left Kurt had ignored awhile, so Jan judged that his guest was done.
Arash returned with a fresh pot of coffee. An extravagance that astonished Kurt. He hoped they wouldn't just discard the half pot that had cooled. This time there was a more elaborate plate of sweets. Jan was pleased, as he hadn't asked for it, but Arash took it on his initiative to extend the luncheon so he could pump a little more out of the fellow, but Kurt took it another direction, and he didn't fight it.
"I'm curious. You obviously aren't a North American since you were so...firm with them. You look European and the name is German isn't it?"
Jan gave a nod and a tilt that said: Yeah, close enough.
"Whom do you represent?" Kurt asked.
"Why, all twenty seven sovereign nations that have a charter interest in the station! No, really ," he insisted to Kurt's skeptical expression. "If I've stifled some of them trying to take advantage, to dominate use of the station and curtail other member's privileges, I'm simply doing my job and what's right. It's no surprise that the big contributors, the Americans and the Chinese who put the most money into its construction, might think they have greater rights. That seems to be human nature, but I've consistently disabused them of any such silly idea. The charter is clear that they all have equal access and opportunity to use it according to their ability."
Kurt caught that..."You've pissed off the Chinese too?"
Jan spread his hands and pantomimed an unconvincing innocence. "It isn't like
"Thank you. I haven't been eating this well back in Mobile," Kurt admitted. He couldn't imagine how better supply could improve it. He wasn't a gourmand to get all prickly over the lack of a real lemon. They just squirted everywhere but where he wanted them to go anyway.
"You returned when supply was just about as bad as it got. They've made great progress with salad things and vegetables. They even produce limited beef now. Not bone beef," Jan added at Kurt's surprised expression, "but I've had a filet mignon from their early production that had excellent taste and texture. The fellow directing most of this, a young fellow by the name of Singh, assures me we'll have vat grown chicken and lamb and pork over the next couple years. They even plan to raise shrimp in some of their water storage tanks."
"Mr. Singh is the fellow I hope to work for on the moon, and Home later on," Kurt said. "I'm promised an interview and a medical. It isn't a totally done deal yet."
Jan didn't say anything for a moment, looking up from his meal faintly surprised.
"I think you would be doing very well to gain an association with Jeff Singh. He's well regarded at Home and on the moon. He has two partners, Heather and April, who aren't as well known to the public for their business dealing as they are for their political activities. However I'll advise you they are both quite capable and not to be underestimated." Jan added an emphatic little nod to that statement, so Kurt took it to heart. The man was very low key, and not given to extravagant gestures. He could see already that a nod from Jan was the same as some others raising their voice and flailing their arms about.
"Thank you, that's good to know. A useful little bit of insider stuff. I'll try not to say anything stupid if I meet either of them while dealing with Mr. Singh."
That was good. He got the point entirely. Arash came up and laid his hand hesitantly on the bread basket. Jan made an almost unperceivable no motion with his head, and Arash took it. Kurt had cleaned his plate so thoroughly there wasn't much he could have sopped up anyway. There was one piece of pita left Kurt had ignored awhile, so Jan judged that his guest was done.
Arash returned with a fresh pot of coffee. An extravagance that astonished Kurt. He hoped they wouldn't just discard the half pot that had cooled. This time there was a more elaborate plate of sweets. Jan was pleased, as he hadn't asked for it, but Arash took it on his initiative to extend the luncheon so he could pump a little more out of the fellow, but Kurt took it another direction, and he didn't fight it.
"I'm curious. You obviously aren't a North American since you were so...firm with them. You look European and the name is German isn't it?"
Jan gave a nod and a tilt that said: Yeah, close enough.
"Whom do you represent?" Kurt asked.
"Why, all twenty seven sovereign nations that have a charter interest in the station! No, really ," he insisted to Kurt's skeptical expression. "If I've stifled some of them trying to take advantage, to dominate use of the station and curtail other member's privileges, I'm simply doing my job and what's right. It's no surprise that the big contributors, the Americans and the Chinese who put the most money into its construction, might think they have greater rights. That seems to be human nature, but I've consistently disabused them of any such silly idea. The charter is clear that they all have equal access and opportunity to use it according to their ability."
Kurt caught that..."You've pissed off the Chinese too?"
Jan spread his hands and pantomimed an unconvincing innocence. "It isn't like
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