Sirius Zero: Building A Corporate Kingdom After Being Expelled
Chapter 28: Excavating

Chapter 28: Excavating

The small conference room smelled of expensive cologne, and was silent as a group of mining executives watched a live video feed from the squat rover-like robot, that was drilling and scraping lead ore from the walls of the mine, and loading it onto a waiting mining cart.

"Can it be configured to mine ores other than lead?" asked Friedrich Albrecht, the CEO of Albrecht Nuclear systems.

"Yes, it can be configured to detect and mine any ore, including radioactive ones like Uranium and Thorium, and even carbon based minerals like coal, graphite and diamond," replied Aaron.

"How quickly can you ramp production?" asked Friedrich, the manic glint in his eye, matching his silver cuff links as his hands shook with excitement.

"With the right funding, we can ramp production to 100 units a month, by the end of the month," replied Aaron.

"I’ll take ten thousand units, Uranium configured, at four billion over ten quarterly installments, we have a deal?" bid Friedrich.

"You get the robots and a 5-year support contract. Throw as much money as you want, but you’re not getting a single share of equity," replied Aaron, handing Friedrich a sales and support contract.

"Are you insane kid? There’s no way we’re just cutting you a check without some kind of oversight!" protested one of the other executives.

"I’m selling you a product, not puppet strings," replied Aaron, as the other executives’ expressions turned sour.

"Selling your product without selling your control. Ha! The kid’s got guts, I like it!" said Friedrich, as he signed the contract and handed it back to Aaron, as the other executives filed out shaking their heads.

Andre watched with growing alarm, as Friedrich gave Aaron a final handshake and almost skipped out of the conference room like a happy child.

"Harry, do you have the plans for the mining robot factory ready yet? No? Well, get a move on! We’ve got to crank out ten thousand robots for Albrecht Nuclear Systems!" demanded Aaron over his phone.

He hung up and turned to Andre.

"Is the employee contract and NDA ready Andre?" he asked.

"Yes, here you go," said Andre, handing Aaron a thick folder.

"Where is the dress code mandate? And where are the social media and communication policies?" asked Aaron, looking through the contract.

"If you mean that crazy-ass draft where you dictated a female employee’s appearance down to her nail polish, and put a gag order on discussing anything related to it or Sirius Software in general,

I threw it out. There’s no way I’m putting in something that gets us sued to oblivion," said Andre.

Aaron picked up the folder, and tossed it into the trash bin.

"I refuse to let vermin into my company, Andre. Now, either you do as you’re told, or I find a lawyer with fewer scruples," he said, giving Andre a glare.

Andre sighed, and reached into the bin. "Fine. I’ll put those in, but don’t come running to me when it all blows up in your face,"

----

"I’m telling you Abel, Aaron’s turning into a megalomaniac or probably something worse!" growled Andre, as he sat in the secluded booth of a bar, nursing a drink with Father Abel beside him.

"It is indeed troubling, but quite understandable given his previous experiences," said Father Abel as he examined the contract and NDA Andre had brought with him.

"Don’t tell me you are encouraging this behavior?!" gasped Andre.

"Of course not! However, I am intrigued by it. I’m sure Aaron will cut some slack once he finds out nobody in their right mind would work for him under these conditions," said Father Abel.

"And I suppose you don’t think powering a game company HQ with its own nuclear reactors is a problem," grumbled Andre.

"Well I’m sure they’ll be quite useful during the Apocalypse," chuckled Father Abel.

"You can laugh about it! Harry, James and Mario seem to be completely under Aaron’s spell. They enthusiastically agreed with his design ideas. It’s like he’s some kind of super-villain," grumbled Andre.

"It’s the same reason people like Lex Luthor Andre. Aaron’s temperament may be like a super-villain, but he’s only 17 and nothing he’s done, is outside the law. Even the Uranium isn’t being actively mined and processed yet. He knows where the line is. I’m confident in his abilities." said Father Abel.

"So what? We just let him indulge in his super-villain fantasy?" asked Andre.

"For the moment. It’s not hurting anyone yet, and you could have simply refused to draft these if you felt they were harmful." said Father Abel gesturing to the documents.

"Well, I kind of agree with them except for the dress code. I’ve seen way too many companies implode because of stupid stuff employees say and do online," said Andre.

"And there you have it. Aaron’s demands are well within reason, the dress code is a bit behind the times, but there are going to be people who would appreciate it" said Father Abel.

----

"Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!" growled Andre as he surveyed the newly built mining robot factory.

The featureless concrete building had a long conveyor belt, and rows of robotic arms were assembling the mining robots with eerie precision.

A handful of technicians monitored the assembly line from a control room, and a few more tested and inspected the finished robots.

"Please tell me that you didn’t borrow billions just to buy all those robotic arms," he said wearily, looking at Aaron.

"I’ve got them on a 3-year lease for now, but I intend to replace them with fully bought ones once profits start coming in," said Aaron with a petulant sigh.

"Even leasing so many assembly bots would have easily cost you all of Friedrich’s $400 million installment," said Andre, looking at the factory with disbelief.

"How else was I supposed to ramp production for ten thousand units?" snapped Aaron in annoyance.

"When you told him that you’ll be able to ramp production to 100 units a month. I assumed you’d be using assembly line workers.

This robotic plant of yours is perfectly capable of producing over ten times that number in a month. And you’re not even giving Congressman DuPont his jobs!" shot back Andre.

"Hey, Collins! Tell this ignoramus what you’re doing and how much I’m paying you!" yelled Aaron to one of his technicians.

"Certainly, Master Zakhrov! I’m being paid $400,000 a year just to keep my mouth shut and to manage and maintain the drill assembly robots. Couldn’t ask for a sweeter deal!" called back Collins.

Aaron turned back to Andre. "Now, if you’re done whining about my methods, get DuPont to get me a titanium import license, as well as an export license for these mining robots.

And tell Friedrich that he can expect the delivery of the first 1000 robots by the end of the month," he said.

"Fine," sighed Andre, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"And Andre, the next time you openly question me, you’re fired as Sirius Software’s legal counsel. Air your grievances to me in private. Not on the factory floor," said Aaron, turning on his heel and walking out of the factory.

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