Snippet F.L. 8

Yeah I know… But this popped into my head and I’ll embed it somewhere in the book when I come back to it.

“Would you like me to build you a garbage truck too?” Alfonso asked with a sneer.

“Don’t go all elitist on me,” Lee said. “You won’t crack smart on garbage trucks if nobody picks up your trash for a couple of months and you need to use your precious time to dispose of it. I’m sure you heard perfectly well that I asked you to design a truck not build one. I know you like building fancy toys that show off your skills. I don’t know anybody else I can trust to do this competently, much less artistically. I know you’ll make it pretty as well as functional because you can’t help yourself. That’s fine but it’s important it be trustworthy and safe for my people. I’m prepared to reward you handsomely to do this for me.”

“I’ve learned to control my acquisitive nature,” Alfonso said. “People who are never satisfied are never happy. You did manage to tempt me by letting me build myself a copy of your new aircar. I had no prospects of ever affording such a luxury from building sports planes. I’ve increased my prices on those as much as the market will bear, but they’d never pay me that well.”

“I’m not so sure,” Lee said. “All the influx of rich people from Home have really driven prices up. Haven’t you gotten any work from them?”
“A couple of contracts after our aircars are done,” Alfonso said with a dismissive wave.

“You put escalator clauses on those linked to inflation I hope?”

“I said I wasn’t greedy. That doesn’t mean I’m stupid. But as much as I appreciate your custom, and the side gig we’re setting up, I’m not keen to sit on my butt and design stuff I’ll never get to build. Life is too short to do stuff that isn’t fun,” Alfonso said.

“Exactly!” Lee agreed.

Alfonso blinked a couple of times and obviously couldn’t parse that any way that she wasn’t contradicting herself.

“I’m offering more life, all out of proportion to the little bit of it I’m asking you to use. They are within a couple of months of offering basic life extension therapy for Derf. It’s in testing for any untoward reactions right now. It will be expensive until it is much more common and available from several sources. I’ll buy you the premium version – a lifetime subscription for future versions and add-ons. Tell me that isn’t a deal,” Lee challenged him.

Alfonso sighed. “I should just refuse to talk to you if I don’t want to get sucked into whatever you want. If I agree to listen, I might as well just ask what you want, and be resigned to accommodating you from the start.”

“You just don’t want anyone to doubt your independence,” Lee said. “You value that part of your reputation as much as being known for quality. I’m not going to damage that. I’ll be careful to structure our contracts so nobody knows exactly how much I’m paying you. Payment in kind makes it easier. I want you to be happy to work for me.”

Alfonso looked sour. “Happy is asking a lot. People think you’re a fool if you are all mindlessly chipper and cheerful all the time.”

“I hear what you’re saying. Some people would think you aren’t serious. Not me. You can still play curmudgeon with your public if you want and grin on the inside.”

“I suppose,” Alfonso allowed. “Tell me how they determine it’s safe. I’ve no desire to think I bought extra years and then discover it kills you early instead. I’m sure they would be very apologetic if that happened, and maybe pay a fine, but that would mean more to my heirs than me.”

“Keep this to yourself. I’m not sure Dr. Ames wants it talked around. He did the same with humans. He found Derf with a terminal disease and offered them a large cash payment for trying out particular gene mods. They have near nothing to lose and a lot of them do have family they would like to leave better off financially.”

“That makes perfect sense to me,” Alfonso said. “Why would you need to keep that quiet?”

“People can be strange,” Lee said. “He was sure some would feel he was taking advantage of their situation.”

“Well, he is, but not to their harm.”

“I agree. Some people got the false idea life extension is rejuvenation, and if you had a nasty cancer or something like an aneurysm it would treat it. It doesn’t work that way. The metabolic and immunological pathways are so similar in Humans and Derf we’re confident we won’t have any of the gross errors they made in early human LET. Dr. Ames has always been insistent that he won’t install a gene mode for which he doesn’t have an undo.”

Ah, he does sound sufficiently cautious,” Alfonso allowed. He stopped short of saying yes. Lee just sat silent and let him stew on it. She’d sold it all she was going to.

When the pause grew uncomfortable Alfonso started fidgeting with his hands.

“If I’m going to the trouble to design this truck we might as well license the design for anyone else who wants one, and pick up a little coin,” he suggested.

Lee took that for a yes.

“I don’t need an exclusive on it,” Lee agreed. “I would like at least one more copy to take to a supporter on Providence. How about if we have the same folks building the aircars to your design make the trucks?”

“They would probably need a new dedicated building,” Alfonso said. “I’ve been there and they are tight for space already.”

“Then we should build them new place and move the truck production to the old building,” Lee said. “If I have to finance the building and equipment, I want the same deal as the aircars. You get a straight ten percent add on fee.”

Alonso blinked.

“I’ve already agreed to design it. A per vehicle fee add-on is just found money for me.”

“You’re right, and you really aren’t greedy,” Lee said. She offered her hand to swipe.

“Done,” Alonso agreed and brushed her palm.