The Industrialist

Jaqi was spontaneous. After their fruitful conversation in her pad with after a few glasses of sparkling wine and after a slight blur of senses, they headed to Homestead Green – Agricultural Sector.

Hesitantly, Lance tried to refuse Jaqi’s request. However, he did not want to disappoint. Moreover, he wanted to gain more information about other sectors and learn more about farming.

He needed his Aiveez farming to flourish with a bigger space. They need to prepare for the Demetrian Season, fearful more of another Wolf incident a year ago.

His concern also extended to the Outsiders which made a living outside the walls and high probability of Abominant Encounter.

It would also be a good trade for the Outsiders and in which pertaining to additional business income.

Hence, garnering more information in Homestead Green, the most sophisticated farming system, was an advantage for his nursery farming.

His apartment could only accommodate such volume that only produces around fifteen to twenty bombs in one growing cycle. The Aiveez would take two months for its stem to mature and harvest its nectar.

Inside the Taxicraft as they were heading to Homestead, Jaqi wanted to know more about Lance.

"I invited you because I am jealous of you, actually," Jaqi said. She sat cross-legged; her clothes’ slit revealing a little of her thigh. Her cheeks flushed. Unknowingly, maybe because of the alcohol or her awkward statement.

"Jealous of what?" Lance replied, sitting in front of her in the comfort of the Taxicraft couch. His legs were comfortable, his arms rested along the edge of the couch. His shyness had vanished which the alcohol greatly contributed.

"We have the same level and age you and I, a year before. During a scrapper, I don’t know what to do. I can’t formulate usable inventions. My parents are not scientists so I seek advice from Scientists."

"To who?"

"To Doctor Menks. Of course, he is a family friend, so… He advised me to take courses and advanced studies offered by the Corporation to broaden my knowledge about inventions. My parents spent a lot, 50,000 units for five courses and still, I struggled with my invention. The ShowerSmart. I have been formulating the prototype for months."

Although he considered Jaqi a friend, he also considered her to be a source to gather more information about his enemy. The thought annoyed him that he may be using Jaqi for his dark agenda. He convinced himself that what he was doing was for the greater good.

Even Jaqi could be his enemy in the future.

"I am the one supposedly to be jealous of you. You have these courses and gain a lot of technical know-how about various fields."

"That right there is my point. You only took the three free introductory courses as a mandatory requirement for a scrapper registration. Then you managed to submit your first invention, the bioscanner after a few months."

"How did you know about it?"

"Well, first I heard about it by Doctor Menks. When he told me about a Scrapper Tier 1 managed to submit the Bioscanner invention and was approved. He just told me to maybe, motivate me somehow."

"I have read about you in the Corporation’s article." She continued. "All inventors who successfully patent their inventions will be announced in the High Academia. Well, you know, most of the Scrappers can even invent something after they are in their twenties. Reading about you captured my interest. Who is this guy? So, seeing you at the SARS building was a rare opportunity."

"It was maybe luck that I have invented the Bioscanner. I mean, living as a Commoner and especially in the scrap yards, the crime rate is high. There are a lot of theft incidents due to water scarcity in our neighborhood. So, that compelled me to invent something that is anti-theft. Sadly, my invention is not free, so not all Commoners can afford it."

Being a lowlifer, living an unprivileged life had its perks. It drives the individual to great lengths just to survive. Lance sought for redemption made it his driving force, a burning passion to gain more for his vengeance. And the key to achieve his goals was to invent more just to augment himself to become an Industrialist.

"That right there, nobility!" She said. "I wanted to know more about you but you seemed so secretive. I mean, I can see there is a lot that you are not telling me. I respect that. But hey, I am just happy that I finally meet you and talk to you face-to-face."

"You have a lot of friends, you’re even famous," Lance said, still not convinced why a Leric had gained interest in a lowlifer.

"Yeah. For sure. I have a lot of friends. But we don’t talk about Science and projects. I am a science nerd but my circle of friends is not. They talk about boys, about parties.

And I am tired of partying, seems to me I have no direction at all. That’s why I seek someone like you and the same age as mine."

"Lucky I am," Lance smiled. She smiled back.

Her gaze shifted to the taxicraft’s window; her arms folded to her chest. Her smile ceased and there was sadness in her expression.

"Hey, are you ok?" Lance asked. He knew that Jaqi would succumb to her emotions easily which would manifest on the expression.

"Yeah. I am fine," she said, stammering. "Just reflecting. You know, I mean… I am just lucky to have these mentors, Doctor Menks, and even Doctor Zee. But I felt so powerless. I am a Mech Tier 3 now, probably because of my parents’ influence.

It’s a great jump from Scrapper 1 to Mech 3. That’s impossible. You know, looking at the guidelines, it’s too good to be true."

She had a lot to drink and it numbed her sensitivity about the topic. She was not drunk but somehow the wine had affected her emotional state.

Lance decided not to react to her statement. He knew for a fact that jumping ranks that high was impossible.

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"Apologies, I get too emotional especially when I drink alcohol," she said and her smile recovered a saddened state.

Lance only smiled. Silence filled the passenger cabin of the taxi craft. He let Jaqi overcome her emotional state and let his eyes flit to the scenery to where their vehicle passed.

"We are here!" She spoke after a few minutes.

As the vehicle decelerated and parked at the side of the concrete curb, the AI’s voice loomed inside the passenger cabin. "Have a wonderful day, your fee is 50 units."

Lance wanted to pay but 50 units was way too much. Nevertheless, he started to activate his hologram and transfer units for payment, Jaqi intervened and she paid it immediately with only a swipe of her hand against the scanner.

"Done. Let’s go!" Jaqi dragged Lance outside the craft. She seemed excited.

They arrived in front of an elongated dome-like structure, and adjacent to it had the same shape but smaller than the one in front of them.

It was large, like a football stadium and its walls were fine sheets of metal, silver-colored. His first time to tread on this sector awed him with great deal. He thought that the Agricultural sector would be heaving with plants and livestock in an open space.

No. They were enclosed structures in domes. It’s about the whole sector consisting of these domes.

They ambled towards the entrance and the door just slid open. He missed the hissed sound. It surprised him.

’Not airlocked? Odd.’ He thought.

All structures Inland were airlocked. Even the Cabins in Steelpoint were also airlocked. Every structure needed second filtration as it was way before the existence of MAF.

"Let’s go inside, I want you to meet my mother," Jaqi said as she held his hand and went inside and a spray of cold smoke engulfed their bodies as they went in a confined chamber made of transparent plastic.

Lance had cold chills again hearing the word mother.

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