(no subject)

[thefirststark]

Factory Building #3 doesn't stand out much from the dozens of manufacturing sites in southern California.  The two things that distinguish it most?  That it was build after the war ended, when so many other factories were being shut down.  And that it's in Whittier, more than a little off the beaten path.  It had been a bit of pork brought home by Congressman Voorhis, something that Howard was glad to take advantage of.  And the fact that Voorhis was gone and replaced by a newcomer named Richard Nixon wasn't important.  Everyone in the district wanted the jobs, after all.


The location wasn't perfect.  The nearest full scale airfield was a good drive, meaning that planes would have to be towed on substandard roads for testing.  And those same roads didn't make the drive there an easy one.  But Howard was still pleased with the factory, with the labor pool, with the cost of the construction, and the government contracts that went with it.  Specifically, the B-35.  The next generation in long range bomber. 

The staff was all abuzz today.  Howard's visits to the factory were rare.  He generally trusted his managers, and usually had somewhere else to be.  That he was making an inspection left everyone eager.  Or nervous.  Was there something wrong?  Was there someone even more important coming?  Or was he just being a boss and pulling the sort of surprise inspection that other bosses love?  All anyone knew was that he arrived through the private garage and went to his office unseen.

They didn't know that he had left the office and gone into another dimension for a while.  Or that he was bringing back a guest.

Comments

[thefirststark]

"Language changes. Much as technology does. Even if I can't offer much insight into the former." He now leads Nori to see the other two planes, with less explanation since it's more or less the same as the first.

[electro_kinetic]

"You ought to teach your kids when they're little. Makes it easier to pick up new languages when you grow up with two," she says, hands tucked back into her pockets as she follows Howard around.

"Remind me to give you the rundown on JP-8, it powers pretty much anything that can run on diesel. Been modified, though, it's formulated with less benzene and icing and corrosion inhibitors, fancy stuff."

[thefirststark]

Seems that airplanes still run on oil derivatives in the future. No surprise there. An atomic reactor wouldn't work too well on a plane. For a number of reasons.

"Fuel is one of the few things we don't make ourselves. But there are enough oil companies competing for my business that we can rely on them for advances every so often. I'm meeting with someone from Esso Thursday, in fact."

[electro_kinetic]

"Stay away from Dutch Royal Shell if you can," she says. "They take a pretty shitty turn with their profits."

[thefirststark]

"We try to buy American if we can. And Esso has a reasonably good track record for us." The fact that Esso isn't supposed to sell its products in Chevron territory doesn't matter much to Howard.

[electro_kinetic]

"Reasonably?" she asks. "I'm assuming there have been some disappointments, the way you say that."

[thefirststark]

"Occasional moments of price gouging. The family history of manipulating the markets in their favor continues at any of the Rockefellers' firms." He has nothing against the Rockefellers as people. Or even as businessmen. But he's not fond of certain behaviors from anyone.

[electro_kinetic]

"You say that now--by my time almost the whole monopoly is back together. I think it's like eighty percent, all owned by the same people. Petroleum is ridiculously priced."

[thefirststark]

"They put it back together?" He thinks for a moment. "I think I just felt both Presidents Roosevelt turn over in their graves." He isn't sure what to make of it. He likes competition. He also likes winning.

[electro_kinetic]

"Almost," she says. "I don't think anyone's put it together yet, to be honest."

[thefirststark]

"Something to keep an eye on, I suppose. If I played the market more." He makes enough money from his company without needing to invent widely.

[electro_kinetic]

"What, you're domesticated now?" she chuckles.

[thefirststark]

"I prefer to make money selling my products, not trading in stocks. It's safer." Taking a chance with his life in a plane? No big deal. Taking a chance with his money? That's another story.

[electro_kinetic]

"Because you're so concerned with safety," she replies with an impish, lopsided grin.

[thefirststark]

He just glares for a moment. And then smiles.

"Of course I am. How else do you think I've always walked away from every landing?"

And by now, they've made a full circuit around the factory floor. It's really not that large once you know where you are.

[electro_kinetic]

"Luck, maybe?" she asks. "Or the universe thinks you're too pretty to die a horrible death."

[thefirststark]

"Why, thank you." He prefers "handsome" to "pretty" but a compliment's a compliment.

Sadly, the universe will not always agree.

"I do believe you've seen it all, Nori."

[electro_kinetic]

"This definitely ranks as one of the coolest things I've seen in a long time," she says, looking around a last time, spinning on her heels.

"Thank you, Howard. Seeing all this stuff is cool beyond belief."

[thefirststark]

"My pleasure. Care to see some more of my day, or are you ready to go back to the Bar?" He figures it's only decent to let her decide if she's had enough.

[electro_kinetic]

"That depends on what the rest of your day is like," she chuckles. If it's meetings, she'll pass. She's ever been greatly patient with other people talking at her. "Planning on doing anything exciting later?"

[thefirststark]

He thinks for a moment. He is the boss, after all. And could do whatever he wants. And with whomever he wants. But he's still ambivalent about whether doing that much more with Nori is a good idea.

"Nothing as entertaining as this. Or so I expect."

[electro_kinetic]

She sends a glance his way, eyebrows piqued, but she doesn't ask if he's really that worried about having a mutant anywhere near him. Or a girl. Japanese girl. (There are plenty of reasons he could be twitchy, and Noriko doesn't bother most of the time to field guesses. It's an exercise in frustration.)

"If you're that nervous, back to the bar is fine. I can get this chalk out of my hair."

[thefirststark]

He feels just a bit self conscious now. But he would prefer not to explain at the moment. Even if that might be a mistake.

"Then let's go back to my office and I will find you a door?"

[electro_kinetic]

"Let's hope I don't get locked out," she says lightly. "Lead on."

[thefirststark]

[ooc: and fade...]