The Industrialist

High Science Academy

Doctor Adamsons PreMasters Course – Masterworks Energy Sources

***

Lance felt advantageous knowing that Adamson was his mentor on the first free course offered to him when he achieved the Mechanic Tier 3.

He had an actual advantage because Adamson shared advanced studies for the lessons that he would partake in for the rest of three months. However, it was not the totality of the curriculum.

Adamson started the class with the history of Energy sources before the era of the Nuclear World War. It was interesting for Lance but it held no bearing for his endeavors. He felt the night outside had seeped inside the room, filling the atmosphere with cold night air. It was not because the lessons went deeper and difficult to comprehend, but it became boring.

Lance saw his classmates yawn. However, Adamson shifted his pacing, jumping from the history of Energy sources to its application in the new era. Then, the lessons became lively and highly relatable, at least for Lance. He thought before of his comrades at the rebel faction for the haste he needed to provide for the weapons against the SHF.

His fingers itched from the thought of it. Form the looks of his classmates, they had been to several courses before this and probably had increased their intelligence grade. He started with the preMasters class with the grade Zero, however, he managed to catch up because of experience and archive stock knowledge.

The archive provided various applications related to the courses offered.

"Lance Berkley. What is the most advance battery that we use in this age?"

"Ah…" Lance halted a few awkward moments. Heads turned towards him. He never thought that Adamson would call his attention, and he would not supposedly know that he attended the class, as he sat at the far back.

"Fission Cell Battery."

"Hmm. Fission Cell Battery. Partly correct. What is the applications that we use now for the Fission Cell?" Adamson said, footfalls echoing as he ambled down the stairs from the stage he stood from.

"Structural Generators. Fission Cells are used as alternative sources and backup energy sources for high load units, such as an entire building." Lance answered.

He knew that based on experience. Sometimes, Mechanics discarded dead batteries in the scrap yards if they exceeded their shelf life. And Lance would sell them off not because of their features but because of their weight.

After his answer, Lance was only half-listening to the entirety of the lecture. Adamson would not notice, but for the remaining minutes, Lance scribbled his design for the Energy-filled armor for the rebels. He would make them indestructible soldiers.

He watched the clock and it was almost 2000 H.

"Tomorrow, we will have a knowledge evaluation test. This is to identify your current know-how about this course. If you achieved the bracket of high scores, you can finish this course for only one month. However, achieve below the bracket, you will finish this course as is." Adamson announced.

The digital bell rang, and the students hurriedly hauled themselves from their plastic chairs, dim lights brightened, illuminating the room. As Adamson filed his presentation from his computer, placed it in his bag, and Lance walked toward him, climbing up the stairs onto the wide podium.

"Doctor, do you have a minute?" Lance asked.

"Yes, Lance. What can I do for you?" Adamson said, tugging his bag on his side.

"You know, Mister Leric is breathing down my neck. He wanted me to be aggressive in weapons design. I need some courses for it, Doctor. Maybe you can endorse me. CBD will pay the tuition for me."

"Hmm. What's your concept?"

"Armors. Now, I am submitting a Railgun proposal to CBD. I just want to make the design right, and safe of course."

"Hmm… How about Energy Weapons and Ballistics? Yeah, I can endorse you. Actually, one will be starting next week."

"Really? That would be great, Doctor Adamson. Thanks."

"You really are going for this, yes?"

"Yes, I am, Doctor. I want to achieve the highest Scientist rank. I don't to slack off, like the other kids."

"Passionate. That's great. Keep it up. I want you to be ready for our assessment, tomorrow. If you want to move forward fast, then finish my course fast. I know you can do it."

***

The next morningn/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Lance went to Omnexus Market the moment he went out from SteamHaven Condominiums. Bodyguards patiently tailing him. The good thing about a Weapon's inventor was his flexible time. He could be in the office for just a few hours, as long as he satisfied Mister Leric and the Directors of the Weapons Division, which he had not seen.

These personalities tend to be more discreet because of the work they do. Lance too should not disclose much about his responsibility in CBD.

He went directly to the Leasing Office of Omnexus, inquiring about the vacancy slot in the market. Fortunately, he could avail one without further scrutiny and only required minimal documents which he readily had for formality. He submitted his Edocs inside his CloudArchive; Scrapper license, Citizen ID, Scientist Rank License, Certificate of Residency, even applicable employment details, and current Business Permit to Operate which the Mafia had processed for him.

The staff gladly provided him Edocs in return for profiling and application formalities. He accomplished and made a downpayment of 4000 units for a two-month lease. Furthermore, the staff gave him some guidelines and more formalities. Quickly, he read through the docs, and a clause caught his eye. 'No selling of illegal merchandise, or unregistered jewelry items…"

Even so, he accepted the Edocs, and signed them using bioscanner without further questions. The stall keepers were lenient about that clause. Well, the keepers would not dare eliminate black market items or they would lose merchants and business owners. High-classers tend to extravagantly spend on these exotic, unsanctioned, illegal items, and others came from outside the walls.

The Omnexus seemed a ghost town early in the morning. Some storeowners had yet to arrange their items on their shelves. Damian, Joe, and George waited at the empty stall.

"Guys, this is it. We can start selling." Lance enthusiastically said. "Now, I want the rebel faction to support this business as it can provide more units for them.

"Sure, you can count on that," George said. He matched Lance's enthusiasm. George had a passion for trading, more than Damian. However, the latter had more experience and knew the trade routes better than George, hence, the ex-soldier had been sent into the far South, miles beyond the Axiom Trench, even the Outsider trade camps in Asphodel peaks but never near Broadridge Mountains.

"What are we going to sell?" Joe asked.

"Abominants. Tyllrium. Terrabitha Scraps. Packed Meat. Of course, rare gems. You name it. If the Rebels can provide, we can sell." Lance responded.

"Abominants?"

"Skorgarz, Zelkians. We are farming those things. Seer is farming Skorgarz I think."

"Why do they need Skorgarz here Inland?" Damian asked.

Enjoy new adventures at empire

"We can't really say, these Inlanders buy everything unique to them. Especially the illegal ones."

"Who would man this stall?"

"I don't know, George?"

"George?" Damian asked George.

"Of course, I can. It will be my pleasure. Now, how much is my comp?"

"2000 a month?"

"What!? That much?" Joe said. "Let me do it instead."

They laughed at Joe's chagrin.

"Yes, but to an extent. Now, this is not an ordinary Trench-Outsider trade. We are dealing with High-classers here, so you must answer their queries in a formal way," Lance elucidated.

"Formal way? The… how?" George asked.

"Don't curse. Greet them. Remember your tone. Be patient because they ask a lot of questions. Don't be surprised with the prices. I will quadruple them from their original pricing."

"How much revenue are we talking about here?"

"50,000 units to 100,000 units a month."

"Wow! So, when are we going to start?" Damian said.

"Tomorrow? Ready the supplies. I will invest 10,000 units in it. Damian, you manage the money and this business. I can't be physically here every day, so Damian will serve as a branch manager."

"What about my route trades, kid?" Damian asked.

"Talk to the council, Damian. This is our proposal. The potential income per month for our faction is around 15000 or more per month. I am sure they will replace you for that. This is an opportunity that we can't let it slide."

"What about our profiles?"

"Let me handle it. The Mafia can expedite citizenship docs."

"What about me?" Joe asked.

"I am just messing with you. Shifting schedules. The store will close late in the evening and it will open early in the morning. You will both earn 1000 units each."

Joe nodded and George approved.

"What about the weapons, kid?" Damian asked.

"Have you discussed with the council about the metal forging in prison?"

Lance needed the metal forging back at the prison for the rebel faction's additional income stream. He wanted the weapon manufacturing to be as clandestine as possible, away from the grasp of the Government and the Corporation.

"Yes. We are on."