Van Cronovis stepped out of the taxi, and gave the driver the fee for the ride. He and the driver gave each other pleasant greetings before the taxi left. The cyborg -if Van could be classified as one, since he was fully machine, not half-machine and half-organic- turned to look at the sun that hung high in the noon sky. His "eye" zoomed in on the small spot right next to the sun. It was a black dot moving across the sky, imperceptible to the naked eye. Fortunately, his "eye" was a advance camera made for sniper rifles. He shuddered as he remembered the cost of designing and actually having it manufactured for himself. While his family had been rich and well off, it didn't mean that Van was spoiled to be oblivious to the cost of his entire body.
He continued to watch the dot move while his eye tried to catch a better image of it for though process. Then he had it.
'Seems the nearest spaceport has launched another starship,' he thought to himself as he calculated the projectery of the spaceship.
Then he pulled his head back down and stared at the Solan Starworks shipyard that he was about to visit for his appointment.
About a month ago, he had contacted the Solan Starworks' administrative division for a sale of their spaceships. Unfortunately, he had been told that the Astral Vanguard, the national military of the Ironmakuanhe Astral Commonwealth was buying most of the ships they were producing. Since he hadn't immediately needed the ship back then, he settled for ordering one to be made and delivered to the nearest shipyard from his home in Irsepelas. The man he spoke to said it would take a year for it to be ready.
Sure, he could wait a year.
A week ago, they said that there was a delay and that he would not be able to get his spaceship until two years later.
Well, he didn't like that.
So he called the scientist whom he made the copyright contracts with. Van asked the man to convince some of the managers to allow him to personally make a spaceship with some help.
"Of course," Van had said. "Whatever I make, Solan Starworks can use its blueprints as long as a small copyright fee is involved."
That got him the clearance he needed to use the Solan Starworks shipyard only five clicks from the city limits of Irsepelas.
And here he was now, ready to make a ship.
The shipyard itself, however, didn't seem like it was used much. Compared to the ones he visited and worked in before, it was really small. Maybe big enough for one cruiser, but actually having a cruiser would severely limit the space even for human movement.
He let out a digitalized equivalent of a sigh before heading towards the main gate.
He continued to watch the dot move while his eye tried to catch a better image of it for though process. Then he had it.
'Seems the nearest spaceport has launched another starship,' he thought to himself as he calculated the projectery of the spaceship.
Then he pulled his head back down and stared at the Solan Starworks shipyard that he was about to visit for his appointment.
About a month ago, he had contacted the Solan Starworks' administrative division for a sale of their spaceships. Unfortunately, he had been told that the Astral Vanguard, the national military of the Ironmakuanhe Astral Commonwealth was buying most of the ships they were producing. Since he hadn't immediately needed the ship back then, he settled for ordering one to be made and delivered to the nearest shipyard from his home in Irsepelas. The man he spoke to said it would take a year for it to be ready.
Sure, he could wait a year.
A week ago, they said that there was a delay and that he would not be able to get his spaceship until two years later.
Well, he didn't like that.
So he called the scientist whom he made the copyright contracts with. Van asked the man to convince some of the managers to allow him to personally make a spaceship with some help.
"Of course," Van had said. "Whatever I make, Solan Starworks can use its blueprints as long as a small copyright fee is involved."
That got him the clearance he needed to use the Solan Starworks shipyard only five clicks from the city limits of Irsepelas.
And here he was now, ready to make a ship.
The shipyard itself, however, didn't seem like it was used much. Compared to the ones he visited and worked in before, it was really small. Maybe big enough for one cruiser, but actually having a cruiser would severely limit the space even for human movement.
He let out a digitalized equivalent of a sigh before heading towards the main gate.
