Six

Tyler's implant sent an urgent ding and he picked up. It was set for only three things. A Horvath attack, something happening to the girls or the expansion of the Troy.

"Go," Tyler said.

"We're getting expansion," Nathan said.

"Finally!"

The Troy was overdue to start expanding. When you're melting nine trillion tons of nickel iron, models only go so far. But it was at least a month overdue. And it wasn't like you could induce. They were already using 80% of SAPL and some other projects had had to be put on the back-burner.

He spun around in his chair and put the view up on the wall-screen. He could view it through the implants but some things you just needed the emotional satisfaction of watching it on a nine square meter plasma.

"How long?" he asked. "And . . . is it expanding?"

"Slowly at the moment," Nathan said. "The models say it should expand slowly at first, then up to about 90% rather rapidly. Then, perhaps, a slight additional expansion but when it cools it's going to contract so . . . when it slows down that's probably what we'll end up with."

"Okay," Tyler said. "How long for it to really balloon because . . ."

"I hate waiting," Nathan finished. "Not long . . ."

"Whoa," Tyler said as the nickel-iron asteroid started to grow in size very much like a balloon that was being inflated. A big, spherical, molten, metal balloon. "Cool. Is it really going to take a year to cool?"

"Nine . . ."

"Trillion tons," Tyler said. "Got it. Can't we speed that up? What about running a comet into it? They're cold."

"You're insane," Nathan said, shaking his head. "Just fricking nuts. And, no, the problem is we can't get good heat transfer. The vaporization energy involved in sublimating a comet, and just about any comet that contacted this would completely sublimate, is high. But . . . well first, if we just impacted it even at low velocity, it would warp the shell."

"Pass," Tyler said.

"And most of the energy wouldn't transfer," Nathan said. "It's something we looked at but it's not really worth doing. What we are looking at doing is making a shield for it."

"I don't think it needs more defenses," Tyler said, dubiously. "But if you think so . . ."

"Not that kind of shield," Nathan said. "A large, and I do mean large, sunshield. To get it fully into deep cold. But even then, heat doesn't dissipate well in vacuum and, well, it's nine . . ."

"Trillion tons," Tyler said. "What's the next iteration up from a trillion, by the way?"

"We've decided it's a hell-of-a-lot," Nathan answered, grinning. "Wha-oh."

"What?" Tyler asked, still watching the expanding sphere. He realized that the small dot in the view was the Monkey Business and shook his head. The support ship was closer than the Troy, how close he wasn't sure, but it still looked like a speck.

"The expansion's already slowing," Nathan said, examining his figures. "The sphere also cooled more than expected. May be less than a year before we can get to work. But there's a problem."

"Big problem, little problem?" Tyler asked, pulling up his own system to examine the sphere. "Little problem."

"Right," Nathan said. "Little problem. As in it's got a 'small' problem. As in . . ."

 

"I thought you said it was going to be ten kilometers across with a kilometer thick shell," General DeGraff said. "Not nine kilometers across with a kilometer and a half shell."

"Hey, more armor," Tyler said, shrugging. "It's still one hell of a big system. And it's not like the interior's going to be crowded. Seven and a half kilometers across is pretty darned big, General."

"Big enough," General DeGraff said. "I was sort of pulling your leg. Hopefully, it won't get the name 'Runt.'"

"Doubtful," the rather short tycoon said, making a face. "It's nine kilometers wide. Nine point two four. Twenty-nine kilometers in diameter. Now that we've done one of these we're tightening up the models. It looks as if doing a full blossom to the size that was predicted in the original essay is darned tough. The surface tension of even highly heated iron is just too high. You'd have to scoop out a big container in the middle to get enough volatiles."

"A thought occurs to me," General DeGraff said, rubbing his chin.

"That it's small enough to fit through the gate?" Tyler said. "We're going to have to wait for it to cool so we can hook up the nukes to move it, General. We're actually going to hook the nukes to another asteroid and crash it into the Troy. Why irradiate what you don't have to?"

"Opening and closing the door?"

"We're working on figuring out how to cut the door," Tyler said, shrugging. "We need to get the Troy nice and stable first. No rotation. That's going to be interesting. Then we have to cut the door. It's a kilometer and a half of nickel iron. Which is just great at dissipating heat. I'm on the three twenty to Wolf, General. Some issues have come up. I'll have to talk about that later."

"Have fun in 359," the General said, looking quizzical. "Any chance you're going to bring Granadica back? We could use that production capability in this system."

"Not on your life," Tyler said. "To get to Wolf, an enemy has to come through the Sol system. Not to dispute the whole 'every life is sacred' but if we're going to have a chance, we need Granadica working. I was sweating the whole time she was in the Sol System. She's not coming back until I either have a replacement or I'm sure she'll be somewhere very safe."

"I'm not sure anywhere in this system is safe, Mr. Vernon," General DeGraff said. "Especially if the Horvath get E Eridani. Unfortunately."

"Have you looked at the specifications on Troy?"

 

"Begin," Tyler said, waving expansively.

Granadica came complete with design facilities, management offices and meeting rooms. Like much of the fabber they could all use some TLC. Tyler had let contracts for upgrades and improvements, guys with paintbrushes instead of the fabber having to devote resources, so the current meeting room had a newly built look.

The air still smelled rusty. Coupled with paint. It did not blend well.

The group was mixed human and Glatun. The gas mine project was a huge endeavor and even with Granadica's help it was going to involve a lot of people and a lot of skull-sweat.

Most of the Glatun were from various Gorku departments but there were members representing six different subcontractor or invested corporations. The humans were just as diverse, coming from a dozen different corporations that were involved with everything from subsystem design to logistical support.

But nobody could really get moving until a few disputes got hammered out.

"Mr. Vernon, gentlebeings," the Glatun said. It was a VP sent out by Gorku Corps. to act as their representative. "A dispute has broken out even before we can begin initial construction over the primary design of the Wolf Gas Mine. Gorku Corporation has supplied designs for its most advanced technology in gas separation in refining."

It threw up a video of a space elevator that was, essentially, two flat plates that looked something like washers connected by wires. Dialing down it walked the viewer through the facility as he continued to talk.

"Upper platform rests in geosynchronous orbit," the Glatun said. "The system has four large storage tanks capable of moving two million gallons of Helium Three per hour. That is enough to fuel an entire Glatun task force.

"The separation center, resting in the near earth gravity region, pumps up fuel from the depths of the gas giant through four large carbon nanotube woven pipes and refines it. Return pipes for unused gases create a siphon effect, reducing the need for pumping power.

"Four carbon nanotube support wires hold the two sections together. At each end each wire splits into sixteen separate secondary connection wires. The system can remain stable with as few as four of each.

"There is an elevator as well," he concluded, "for movement of supplies and personnel in and out of orbit. This was the initial design, a design well tested in the Mi'Wexiqey system."

"Well tested my rear quadrant," Granadica said.

"You'll get your chance," Tyler said. "Continue."

"The design does include some proprietary components, which some have suggested is intended to increase profitability to certain parties," the Glatun said, distastefully. "But it is the very best design available. Absolutely state-of-the-art. Gorku Corporation is convinced that this is a superior design to more . . . to earlier systems and as a major investor is . . . challenged by the idea of using a less capable design."

"What's proprietary?" Tyler asked.

"Some of the so-called separation systems," Granadica said.

"They are superior systems," the Gorku VP said.

"They're over-priced junk," Granadica said. "All you have to do is look at the actual output of the Mi'Wexiqey Mine!"

"That was when we were testing this system," one of the other Glatun said then shut up at a look from the VP.

"There were some teething issues with Mi'Wexiqey," the VP said. "But we have worked those out. This system is a refinement of those."

"Okay," Tyler said. "Before we get into a shouting match with the AI that controls our air . . . Granadica? And less on the negatives and more on the positives, please?"

"The problem is the negatives," Granadica said. "I built my first gas mine over five hundred years ago in the Bulhubic system. Still works like a charm. Some of the new stuff they're doing just makes sense. We always had problems with the boron fiber support wires. Carbon nanotube's a better material and the spinners they're providing are great. All for it. And the Apollo suggestions on producing the upper and lower rings are good. It's these new pumps that I think are nuts."

"Reason?" Tyler asked.

"There are the usual heavy grav pumps at the base of the lift pipes," Granadica said. "All good. But the system uses a series of pre-separators during lift. Theoretically, it should cut down on the separation requirements on the top side. That saves power overall which saves money. They're proprietary and add about 10% to the cost but theoretically they'll save you money in the long run. Theoretically. Truth is, Gorku's never gotten them to work. Mi'Wexiqey is still only separating at 20% of its rated capacity. Because it's all got to be done by the upper separators. Which, because they're built to do a final separation not primary, can't handle the full load. They've been tweaking and tweaking and tweaking but they can't get it to work. And now they want to foist off the same stupid system on you ignorant humans."

"That is a . . ." the Glatun VP said, angrily.

Tyler held up his hand. "Granadica, not helping your case. Okay, so Granadica says that your system is an overpriced piece of crap. You say that it's the greatest thing since sliced bread. Do we have a less invested arguer? Mr. Audler? You're the primary human contractor."

Byron Audler had come up through ship design and construction. Wet ships. He'd made a smooth transition to the Constitution project, though. Tyler had practically stolen him from BAE to be the project manager on the LFD side.

"When the question came up I did some research," Audler said. He was middle height and heavy set with a shock of red hair. He also, apparently, smoked a pipe. Or maybe he just habitually had one stuck in his mouth. "And they're both right. The pre-separation process should work and save money in the long run. And so far, it doesn't."

"We've gotten the bugs out," Ujo Chit said. The Gorku project manager ruffled its back hair in exasperation. "The problem was inherent with the Mi'Wexiqey design. There were mass interactions in high-pressure cryogenic conditions we hadn't taken into account. We've redesigned and as soon as we can get the authorization, we're going to rebuild Mi'Wexiqey to fit the new designs. We haven't gotten that, yet, so of course it's still not working right! This is the right design."

"Can you build it with . . . I guess Granadica's idea of what the upper separation should be and the pre-separators?" Tyler asked.

"Yes," Audler said. "But it's going to add another fifteen percent to the cost. And more power usage which is higher costs in the long run."

"We've got time to decide since none of this takes place until the upper and lower rings are done, right?"

"Yes," the Glatun VP said.

"We'll do it with both. If Gorku will provide the pre-separation system without additional surcharge," Tyler said.

"Impossible," the Gorku rep snapped. "As I said, this is state of the art. We're not just going to give it away."

"Yes," Tyler said, smiling. "You are. Because right now, nobody will touch it with a ten thousand kilometer pipe. If it works here, others will buy the system. As I said, this will get worked out later. If Gorku doesn't want to field test their system, we'll do it without the pre-separator and I'll take the hit on the upper separators which I know work. But, frankly, this will be a discussion between myself and your bosses. Thereby my Solomon act. Get to work on the rings and the skyhook, Granadica, start working on the standard separation systems. And the pre-separators will be discussed in another forum."

"Okay," Audler said, nodding at the Gorku rep.

Tyler had enough experience of Glatun at this point to pick up that the Gorku rep looked relieved. That didn't give him great hope for the pre-separators.

"The next question," Tyler said. "Aware that the answer from engineers is always going to be 'no.' Any way to speed this up? I'd like to have it online in three years, not five. I have specific reasons."

"Two years cut off?" Audler said with a wince. "I really don't think so."

"Possible on our end," the Apollo mining rep said. "But we'd need more SAPL. And we're still looking at exactly how to make a steel washer the size of Lake Washington. Nickel iron won't cut it for this."

"If we've got the washers we can increase the spin speed with more spinners," Granadica said. "If we double the spinners we can cut six months off the space elevator construction."

"We don't have double the spinners available," the Gorku VP said.

"I can make them, kiddo," Granadica said. "If you'll cough up the permissions. I've already got the plans. All we need is eight more. I can do that in a day."

"No way," a Gorku representative down the table said.

"Besides," the Apollo rep said. "There's the problem of enough separated carbon."

"Carbonaceous asteroids?" Tyler said.

"They're not pure carbon," one of the Glatun said. "Not pure enough by far."

"Okay," Tyler said. "To speed up construction of the elevator we need: more pure carbon, eight additional spinners and a way to make giant steel washers in space. What about the pumping and separating equipment?"

"A year's run," Granadica said. "If you want me to keep going with my current program. I'm devoting thirty percent of my cycles to repair and replacement. Another five percent to maintenance. That will go down, a bit, when I'm done with my rebuild but that's going to take another year at this rate. Ten percent to mirror construction. Not VLAs. Just BDAs, VSAs and VDAs. Ten percent to prototype and small ship construction. That's fifty-five percent of my cycles. This is a lot of pumping equipment. It's the equivalent of building a billion ton freighter in difficulty. Take a year."

"Start right away," Tyler said.

"Been working on the stuff that wasn't being argued," Granadica said. "Still take a year. And Gorku is insisting that their pre-separator system has to be built by their own fabbers. And since they're backed up, they can't even give us a start date on them."

"And another year and a half of installation," Byron said. "Cut that down, some, if we have more hands and bots. But that takes . . ."

"Trained people," Tyler said, wincing. Even with many of the five billion and change people left on earth being unemployed due to the damage done by the Horvath attacks, finding people who were willing, qualified and capable of working in space was a nightmare. Everybody needed more qualified people. "There's some overlap, though, right?"

"Yes," Byron said. "Some. Quite a bit, actually. The main thing we need is the rings to get started. More spinners would be nice. I'm ready to get started on this thing!"

"Okay," Tyler said. "I've got some people to see and some calls to make. Get going on what you can get going on. I'll see what I can scrounge up on my end."

 

Tyler had moved to his ship for the calls. Technically, he could order Granadica to not listen and it couldn't. The call would go into a locked memory buffer. Probably. But he didn't want the AI having an itch it couldn't scratch.

He placed the call, wondering if it would pick up.

"Tyler," Niazgol Gorku said. "How was the meeting?"

"So, does your pre-separator work or not?" Tyler asked.

"Oh, Gol," Gorku said. "Are they trying to foist that piece of fleck on you?"

"I take it that's a no," Tyler said.

"My chief engineering officer insists it works," Gorku said. "And he has some arguments. It would be great if it worked. So far, no joy."

"So I pitched you sell it to us for cheap," Tyler said. "If they can get it to work, great. Then you can point to Wolf and say 'It works!' There's something about the new design having to be installed initially or something. But to make sure, I'm going to have to put in a normal separator system. So I can't take the hit on the newfangled system and the old one."

"Sounds like a fair compromise," Gorku said. "I'm not willing to take a hit, though. I'll give it to you at cost. That will be slightly higher than without it but not the full price."

"Hey, you're an investor," Tyler said. "Do the math and see if it works."

"I'll do that," Gorku said.

"What's the word on the home front?" Tyler asked.

"The Benefactor rep on the Multilateral Talks is an idiot," Gorku said.

The Multilateral Talks were an outgrowth of the Glatun release of the border systems with the Rangora. With that crack, every major polity in the area had poured in wanting to trade systems.

Humans were only allowed an observer. The Horvath were sitting at the table.

"They're going to give up E Eridani to the Horvath," Tyler said, grimacing. It was their only contact lane with the Glatun and the rest of the galaxy.

"The requirement is that all ships be given free passage," Gorku said, bitterly.

"Like that's going to happen," Tyler said. "So much for human freighters plying the space lanes. Oh, on that note, I need permissions for Granadica to produce some of your proprietary spinners and all your proprietary mining stuff."

"That . . . would be a hard sell," Gorku said.

"We'll cut you half the profits you'd normally make," Tyler said. "And you don't have to take up time on your already overworked fabbers. Also if the Horvath put us under an embargo we can do everything on this end."

"Seventy-five percent. And your point on the fabbers is good. We were tapped out on time."

"Done," Tyler said. "Keep in mind that we're probably going to need release at some point on everything. If worse comes to worse."

"I'm putting pressure on the Council to do releases of military equipment," Gorku said. "But on commercial releases I have to deal with the board. They're worse."

"Tell me about it," Tyler said. "Okay, nice talking to you."

"I've got to go, too," Gorku said. "Good luck."

"We make our own."