Chapter 19

Sam tells me she got emails from people in a few countries with plans and layouts for their “dream” ranch, dairy, or farm, and that there would be a National Seminar in Europe in 3 days we could attend, as well as one in North America next week. I tell her to plan on us attending both and see if there was an Asian equivalent. I also tell her we would look at the “dream” plans before I turned in for the night.

I ask Sam if she can get an update from Ryker as to the number of PG’s completed, and what else we should be making or getting done for Arkadia and the other planets in the Guardian Systems.

I tell you Sam is quick! She gets back to me a few minutes later telling me that Ryker has 2 out of the 5 PG’s completed with the AC and 3 out of 4 BCs finished in the third PG.

She goes on to say that the Space Station is 15% completed and that Ryker says I might want to think about purchasing a couple Byorn Ore Refineries for the Guardian Solar Systems.

Hmmm, the Byorn Ore Refineries are a very good idea. We could probably use another one here as well. I ask Sam about getting 3, 1 more for here, and 2 for the Guardian Solar Systems. How much would they cost and how long before we would have them here and in our systems.

She said they are usually ordered well ahead of time and built to order, but she would get a Furst to find out what the situation is.

We looked over the “dream” plans for the ranches, dairies, farms, etc, and they all looked doable to me. Nothing outlandish or “supersized.”

The European seminar is being held in Paris so we decide to go early and do some sightseeing. The view of Paris at night from the top of the Eiffel Tower is something to see! We hit the usual tourist areas and soon have some paparazzi tagging along taking photos.

I tell you they have no respect for others at all! At times they almost hit us with their cameras as they shoved them in our faces! From now on our Security detail will be VISIBLE when we are out on the street. We duck into a small Bistro and Sam transports us back to the J&J. Lesson learned! Hahaha.

The seminar itself was ok but those in charge of the different “Associations” were a bunch of conceited assholes, telling me that they would need to “oversee” the industry on Arkadia, that they would need this amount for a salary plus a whole bunch of other perks. Yeah, somehow I don’t think so.

“Sam please tell me these arrogant pricks haven’t been invited to Arkadia.”

“They have not DD. And from their subscores, they won’t be. Shall I add them to the “no way Jose” list?”

“Oh thank God! Yes, make sure they are on that list!”

I thank them for the information and tell them we are still many months away from gathering colonists and leaving Earth for Arkadia. Yes, it is a polite way of saying, “you ain’t coming with us!”

The actual people who owned and/or worked in the industry were very different than the conceited assholes that ran it. Many were family-owned operations that were just making ends meet what with the ever-increasing costs and decreasing prices for their products, as well as the difficulty in competing with the big corporations.

Many of them had looked at the website and the areas we had designated for their industry and were impressed if it was all true. Some of the older folks asked about opportunities for their children on Arkadia, as they wanted them to have a fresh start and not be saddled with the family’s current debts.

I tell them that if they went to Arkadia they’d receive a Medical checkup which would add around 25 years to their life, so they shouldn’t exclude themselves just because of their age.

Depending on the acreage, equipment, livestock, etc, Arkadia may buy their assets or pay off their debts if they migrated to Arkadia. I would then put everything we didn’t take with us up for sale.

I said that the proposed wages, salaries, costs, etc that are posted on the website were “projected” and that everyone would be working for me at first, but I hoped that many would want to buy the business at a later date, or continue working for me and keep receiving the salary.

I thought this way everyone would be able to find out for themselves if they wanted to “buy” and go on their own or not.

I did remind them that they had to take the “Enhanced” CAP test to be considered. A lot more seemed to be interested now than were previously. I guess only time would tell and we’d see by how many took the “Enhanced” test.

We checked in with Larry and Sara and both were working with the Furst on tweaking their sections of the website. Sara did ask how long until we got an Orphanage as she wanted to get actual photos and “selfies” for her section to give it a more inviting feel.

I tell Sara we’d check on some properties and get back to her. I remind them both of the need to look “worldwide” and not just North America. I tell them they shouldn’t have any problems with languages as they both have ULTs now and not to hesitate letting us know if they needed anything.

Sam thinks I should do a TV interview and give an update on our progress and plans, so we agree to see if our favorite reporter is interested.

I call Angela McKee and someone else answers her number saying, “Hello.”

“Hello, this is DeDeus Sanderson, Guardian Prime of Arkadia. May I speak with Angela McKee please?”

“Yeah right. As if the Guardian Prime of Arkadia would be calling little Angela.” I can hear someone screaming in the background asking why was he answering her phone and who was calling?

“Some dude says he is DeDeus Sanderson, Guardian Prime of Arkadia.”

“Give me my phone and don’t ever answer it again! Hello DeDeus? This is Angela, sorry about that. A colleague decided he’d answer my phone while I was away from my desk for a minute.”

“Hi Angela, yes it’s me. Are you working now? I hope not at my favorite media corp hahaha.”

“Yes I’m working and it’s not at your favorite place. They did offer me a job after seeing my interview with you but were hoping I’d be able to get interviews with you. I knew that even though we get along well enough, you wouldn’t take questions from ANYONE working for them. Hey! I see you and Sam are still together and in Paris! Ooh la la! Now that we’ve done the pleasantries what can I do for you?”

“Sam and I were wondering if you’d be interested in doing an interview with us about how things are progressing and see for yourself what we’ve got going on.”

“ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? YOU’RE ASKING ME IF I’M INTERESTED IN DOING AN INTERVIEW WITH THE MOST SOUGHT AFTER PUBLIC FIGURE IN THE WORLD?”

I had to hold my cell a ways from my ear as she was shouting quite loudly. I think everyone in the company she worked for knew now.

“Calm down a bit Angela. No need to shout and deafen me ok? Yes I am serious. We would do most of the interview here on the J&J, but we’d also take a trip to the Pacific Ocean, and out to the asteroid belt to show you our gear out there.”

“Sorry for shouting DD but you don’t know how excited this makes me. Yes yes yes I want to go. Hang on while I ask the boss.”

I hear Angela yell at her boss asking him if she can go do an interview with DeDeus Sanderson, Guardian Prime of Arkadia and the Guardian Solar Systems, and 1^st of the Furst. I don’t think he believes her as I hear him say yeah whatever, go ahead.

“I don’t think he believes me but I’m coming with you. What time will you beam me up?”

“I hate you, Angela! I haven’t been able to say “beam me up” yet and now you beat me to it! Hahaha. Sam will call you with the time and where you should be for her to come and get you. You won’t need a cameraman as we’ll provide you with any footage you want.”

“Ok cool. Thank you so very much for this DD. This is a fantastic opportunity and I really appreciate it.”

“You are welcome, Angela. You are a good, honest, reporter and I don’t mind helping you if I can. See you tomorrow.”

Sam tells me of an apartment “complex’ consisting of 2 buildings, 18 floors with 288 apartments total in each building. The 2 would house around 2300 persons at 4 to an apartment.

The buildings are empty as what few residents remained after an extraction moved elsewhere. The owner was one of the people extracted and the building went to his kids. His kids were moved to one of the government housing places and the buildings put up for sale.

I tell Sam to make an appointment to see them and to find out who the money from the sale would go to. I also ask her to see if she can find the kids. Maybe they’d be people to take to Arkadia or at the very least want to live back in their old home.

Sam informs me we have an appointment to see the buildings at 10 am tomorrow. Well, I guess our time here in Paris is over after 3 days so I ask Sam to take us back to the J&J.

Sam and I arrive at the apartment buildings about 15 minutes early as I wanted to take a look at them from the outside. I don’t know why they call them a “complex” as from the outside they appear to be 2 buildings side by side.

The realtor arrives early as well and explains that many years ago it was 1 huge office building, but then when condos became all the rage, new owners renovated them into condo/apartments. They’re listed as a “complex” as they have shared amenities on the first couple floors in the central areas of the 2 buildings.

The buildings are being sold on behalf of the owner’s teen-aged children though they weren’t too happy being forced out of their home. The listing has been open for 3 months now and titles are free and clear.

Sam asks where the owners are now as she’d like to talk to them if we buy the buildings, and the realtor gives her their names and address.

We enter the first building and inside everything still looks clean and in good condition. The realtor says the main entrance I cleaned weekly but the hallways on each floor and apartments themselves are not. The entrance is currently secured with self-locking doors and access is via key or video intercom. The elevators are working properly and we use them to check out some apartments on several different floors, where I take a look down the stairways as well. A bit dusty as expected but they still looked in good condition and everything worked when I tried them.

Sam, get some Furst to inspect the buildings from top to bottom, inside and outside, and let us know of any deficiencies. What do you think of them?”

“Several Furst will start immediately DD. The place fits our needs for the Orphanage and it could remain operating, collecting orphans even after we’ve gone to Arkadia. The young are the future is how the saying goes doesn’t it?”

“Excellent idea about keeping it open and operating after everyone migrates Sam. We could migrate orphans until the first Swarm arrive. Make sure we let Sara know about that.”

I like what I’ve seen and tell the realtor I’ll offer the asking price minus 10%, in cash, and it will be my responsibility to have any problems fixed.

We fill out the paperwork and she says she will take it to the owners now and see if they will accept it. I ask if we can go with her as we have something we’d like to ask them before she lets them know of our offer.