Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes Pt. 08

"Thanks for saying that, but I'm not the right engineer for this project; I'm the lead developer. I need more developers and programmers, and someone who can scheme this 'fast growing monster' out, oversee development of the discrete elements and ensure they remain integrated, and keep a bird's eye view of all the moving parts. It will require an unusual skill set."

Cassie demurred. "Since this is our 'free thinking' time, let me propose a different solution. Mentor your current 'team leads' to become 'lead developers' or acquire innovative minds from outside and mentor them on the discrete project to which they are assigned. I promise you they will be easier to acquire than the super-engineer you described.

"R & D is going to need additional staff regardless. As you said, there are a lot of discrete parts to develop or acquire the rights to, meaning there will need to be an equal number of lead developers, developers, and programmers, and some may require engineers as well. Since it appears financing won't be a major issue, maybe we should take a '30,000-foot view' of the 'efficiency analysis and maintenance' project and scheme beyond the constraints of Greenlight, LLC."

"Erik, I see your reservations, but she's making sense. The three of us haven't even discussed the facilities and staffing we're going to need if the military and government become clients, even if only for the logistics program, but I've been studying that and have some ideas of my own."

"My respect for you two tells me you're both right, and I suspect my own limitations are my concern," Erik admitted. "It's one thing to envision something like this, quite another to organize and manage development. I'm not usually the '30,000-foot' guy - I'm more the 'hands dirty' developer - but I may need to acquire a new skill set and grow with this project.

"And, Cass - I love the EAM tag! That's avoids the anti-green backlash, it's descriptive, and it's marketable!

"Unfortunately, because I feel like we're on a roll, we need to stop so we can go get bamboozled by the legal and financial experts."

****

Annika was positively giddy when they arrived in the lobby at six, and Hanna was walking on air. They entered the SUV and, not noticing how quiet their audience was, excitedly declared they had good fortune and good news to share with the group. Hanna went first: by vote of parents, students, faculty, staff, and administration, she had been selected Teacher of the First Semester for her campus and received $1000 to use for her class! While that number didn't impress those who had just been talking millions, it was a big number for a teacher, and the award was a big deal. They sincerely congratulated and celebrated with her.

Annika was excited that her schedule had been weaned of smaller jobs that required extensive travel, and that the producer of the hit TV series had offered her a contract for four more shows at a rate usually drawn only by the biggest stars! It would require two to three weeks at the studio, but the script was quite juicy. If acting was in her future, this was her entrée!

Erik considered that a good news/bad news scenario at best but congratulated and celebrated with her anyway. Cassie looked awestruck; Johnny appeared concerned, and Hanna's forced smile barely covered her worry. Annika read the room and asked, "Where do I need to start to reassure you? Erik warned I couldn't go if Bill couldn't produce Seal Team Six to guard me, and he said to tell him that Six was tied up but he got Seven!" She paused for applause after the punch line, but the level of concern hadn't died, so she continued.

"I accept that I'm not much of an actress, but in this I'm playing myself, remember? It picks up after my generous donation, when a director who met me sees one of my sexy commercials and offers a $10,000 donation if I'll be his date for a red-carpet charity ball. I agree and offer to match his donation if he will treat me at this incredibly costly French restaurant where no one can get a reservation.

"He does, I wear a dress Mr. Tom makes especially for me, and we wow everyone on the red carpet and at the ball. We dance a lot, make googly eyes, kiss once, and the story moves away from us. That's day one and you can see I've been there before, so the acting is no stretch.

"The other scripts are in development, but I have veto power on my part, so I don't end up nude or nearly nude the rest of the show."

"Or making out on the couch, losing some clothes or hose, walking to the bed, fade to black, right?" Erik asked.

She laughed, shook her head, and explained, "I'm not going to get off without a sexy scene or two, some suggestive ones, and some inuendo, but there will be no naked or nearly naked scenes on or under the sheets, and no simulation of sex, oral, anal, or vaginal!"

"Drink only unopened drinks, don't go out drinking with the boys, and don't end up alone with one of the 'playahs' and maybe you'll escape unscathed, assuming Koslov's boys don't get ya!" Erik predicted.

Annika scoffed. "You must have never heard of 'Me Too! Those things cost you your career now!"

"And yet the director of that commercial when I accompanied you out here tried pretty much all of that, and extortion!" Hanna reminded her.

"Also, 'Me Too!' might discourage most, but you're the rare Unicorn, remember? Some will be tempted."

"Unicorns aren't rare on that set!" she assured Erik, who interrupted before she could continue. "So how many of them have a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition cover to their credit?

"Yeah, that's what I thought - none! Look, we're happy for you, or at least I am, but this is not a step taken without potential consequences, aanndd, I thought you said the wedding planning is way behind?"

She blanched. "Well, there is that. Maybe I can film my part in a few days and get back to work on what matters most! I'm not sure I want our mom's making ALL the decisions!"

The Kansas Prime Rib was perfectly seasoned and cooked, the salads and sides were excellent, and the light conversation, centered around Cassie, and Cassie and KJ's invitation to party in Texas, was a relief after the heavy conversations of the day. It was good to be carefree twenty-somethings again, if only for a night.

The next day was the same day, but the Greenlight executives had begun to cull the chaff from the grain and decisions were more easily made. For Annika, the opposite was true. The clearer her vision became, the greater the needs she and her advisors identified, and they began drifting toward an administrative structure that would free Annika to focus on design and marketing.

That night over supper she complained to the table about how overwhelming it was to start a business and got unexpected help. Erik volunteered Aila to research and compile data on successful fashion houses, and then make recommendations for structuring a startup. Cassie disclosed her familiarity with the use of Computer-Generated Images (CGI) and AI in commercials, and also disclosed her plans to propose a small CGI/AI division to generate income while the innovations take root.

Annika could see how that contract, and a contract for cyber security with the firm Greenlight was using, would reduce her stress and liability, and what was a happy supper turned into a business meeting. Hanna soon abandoned them, citing the need to prepare for 20 excited students arriving early tomorrow, and every weekday.

Johnny led the day three team meeting, and Erik and Cassie were blown away by his thoroughly researched demographic study of skilled and reliable workers in economically depressed areas just north of the Twin Cities, and his rationale for building production facilities there. Cheap real estate, readily available construction companies, experienced semi-skilled to skilled labor, and community and four-year colleges ready and willing to assist with training programs and interns. He even had the cost estimates and timelines ready. Cassie and Erik did the 'oh mighty Swami' wave to him, heaped praise on him, and admitted their embarrassment at the half-assed presentations they had made.

Johnny had never avoided center stage, and he reveled in it for a while, before changing expressions and gruffly asking if their praise was so effusive because they normally considered him a nonentity, or did they mean this was good even for him?

Cassie rushed to assure him she had considered him an exceptional leader since she met him, but this presentation was superlative. Erik, thrilled at his sudden insecurity, opted for the latter, saying he had no idea Johnny was capable of something like that, and said he was glad Johnny had discovered AI. Cassie was aghast, but the lifelong friends knew each other too well, and Erik got a frog on the arm and a middle finger in return.

Fogleman wasted no time before informing them the financing they desired had been approved, at a very favorable rate, with the amount to be determined by their needs. The sighs of relief were audible, which caused Carl to smile and ask if they really thought they might not get approved.

"Honestly, no, but I'll be frank. When you hear our proposals, you'll understand why we had and still have reservations. We will begin with this little jewel, and then Johnny will take over.

"One of the outcomes of the meeting with the cast of characters in Los Angeles was a commitment to meet with government and military representatives about the AI-assisted Logistics program. Should either decide to run even a small test program, we'd be hard pressed to provide the hardware, software, and support. Should they want more, well, you see the problem. Johnny has devised a solution for jumping from a small single-client shop to a moderately-sized shop to serve a moderate client base. We feel it is well researched, efficient, and cost-effective."

Johnny laid it out as he had done earlier, gaining confidence and persuasiveness as his presentation proceeded, questions were asked and answered, and his logic and data were accepted.

"What about Texas?" Carl asked. "Do you intend to do the same down there for the module?"

"Our working name for the module is Cassie's: the Efficiency Analysis and Maintenance Module" or EAMM, and the project is the EAM project. Yes, but I need to do what Johnny did: study demographics, economics, costs, project future expansion, and the willingness of UT, A&M, Blinn, Austin Community College, and trade schools to participate. I know Musk is getting assistance, but he's a bit bigger than we'll ever be, I hope."

"For God's sake, Erik, don't get into space exploration! We have too much to do here on earth!" Johnny pleaded humorously.

"As a matter of fact, we need to interrupt your dreaming and scheming for a reality check. We've been looking at the structure you will need, and we have a proposal. You sell Greenlight LLC to Greenlight Innovations LLC, which will be financially supported by Appleseed. It will include the required accounting and auditing functions, a small, well-constituted board of directors who will appoint officers and approve policy, but you may remain a partnership for tax purposes or become a corporation. Our tax group will go over the election decision with you.

"I'm sure it sounds like a takeover, but it isn't. In our opinion and the opinion of Appleseed, this is only preparing you for the predicted growth by providing a more flexible structure and taking advantage of tax and other laws. Annika is facing the same dilemma, but she's building from the ground up. With her recent notoriety on top of her long-standing fame as a model, the one-woman shop idea she started with is untenable, so she will begin with the more elaborate structure we're recommending for Greenlight."

Johnny and Erik had that overwhelmed look a twenty-five-year-old will get when confronted with a situation never imagined. The twenty-nine-year-old Cassie, however, looked comfortable and confident. When Erik queried her, she brightly replied, "Oh, I've already been through this when the little gaming company outgrew its britches. You look at reorganization as frightening; I see it as a challenge, and I see us coming out the other side prepared to take on the challenges your creative mind will always bring!

"The differences between reorganizing Galactic Gaming and Greenlight are scale - Greenlight has the potential to be much bigger - and future-thinking decisions; again, due to your creative mind, or actually minds, as I see Johnny exercising his creativity more. I'm pumped!"

Erik and Johnny exchanged looks, and then Erik stated, "Good, because you are hereby appointed the reorganizer, by unanimous vote of the partners! We're going to focus on our segments; you are going to handle all other administrative functions. We'll meet daily to ensure communication, but we don't want the details unless you feel they are critical matters.

"Did I lay that out correctly, partner?"

"You did! I'm nearly at capacity with developing and implementing plans for growth of the logistics program, and you still don't even have prototypes, much less plans for the physical structures and personnel you'll need."

****

The meeting was held in the Olsson Building in early February. Technically, it was merely an exploratory meeting with a couple of federal and military representatives, but the room included military brass, two ministry of finance officials, two congressional aides, and a sub-cabinet level representative of the executive branch. Cassie and Carl facilitated, and they stuck to the agree-upon agenda.

It was soon clear that their audience was quite familiar with the AI-based, human-guided logistics program and its results to date, so that presentation turned into a Q & A and then negotiation: how many can you provide, and by what date? Apparently, the size of the 'test program' on their side was practically limitless, so all limitations were those of GI. Cost would be negotiated when GI could offer enough to matter, with Johnny promising a worthwhile amount would be available "within 90 days."

The agenda items related to the EAM program and EAM module were fraught with difficulties. Erik had no intention of going into detail with so many people in the room and reluctance became recalcitrance when one general officer suggested this program might fall under the 'national security' umbrella. A congressional aide intervened, assuring them that the government would not interfere, but would do everything possible to assist because of the potentially far-reaching effects of the program.

Erik, guided by Cassie, then gave an overview and update on progress, and disclosed plans to begin developing facilities in Bastrop County, Texas in anticipation of developing prototypes to test. He was informed the government owned a large amount of property in that county, associated with an old military base called Camp Swift, and that acreage could be provided for secure testing or other purposes, as needed.

The members of their audience were impressed with the government/ academic/ business agreements already in place, by the use of green energy, water, and foliage, and the construction plans that minimized hard surfaces. The solar farm would power all facilities at the site, and feed excess production into the rural electric cooperative lines. Plants and even crops planted throughout and around the solar array would largely eliminate the heat effect, and rainwater or groundwater harvested would be used three times and thoroughly cleaned before being released into the Colorado River or used to irrigate plants.

Though he would only describe security measures in general terms, it was obvious that the security of the facility from cyber-attacks, mother nature, or human intrusion was a top priority. Erik did admit to vulnerability from air attack, and said he was open to solutions. That caused a brief stir from the military contingent, and he was told they would get back to him. He didn't mention the drone detection measures being implemented, because he expected that the early tests would likely be from the government or military.

One congressional aide advised them that their innovative use of resources and construction methods would certainly qualify for both grants and tax incentives; Cassie assured them they had applied for known grants and incentives, and she would be happy to discuss other prospects.

The meeting ended amicably, and the general officer who 'threatened' Erik apologized for jumping the gun but explaining that the potential cost savings and improved utilization of transportation, troops, and weaponry really did make it a national security interest. That did not make Erik feel warm and fuzzy, but it was not a new thought to him either, so he reassured the officer that he would seek assistance should the need arise.

The rest of the week and the first three days of the next were akin to being in the center of a hurricane, and then it was time to fly to Texas. Cassie left after work Tuesday, the others after work Wednesday night. They spent the night at Lost Pines Resort and were at the construction site east of Bastrop at nine. Reports from the site were accurate; construction was proceeding on time and according to specifications, and the solar array was in place in the deforested, fire-devastated area atop the red dirt hill in the middle of the property.

Only Erik and Annika knew about their house, and neither had been there in over a month. Cavo

They had seen the photos sent by the foreman, but the reality jarred them, just as the site, size, layout, and beauty of the interior jarred Hanna and Johnny. Cavo was pleased to see them and enthusiastic about the improvements accomplished but warned that only the third floor was presentable.

As the foreman warned, the first floor was a staging area and the second floor a construction zone. The third-floor hallways, rooms, and stairs, the observation tower, and the "Widow's Walk" were largely done, with fresh paint on the walls and ceilings, and gleaming wooden floors, wainscotting, crown molding, stairs, and banisters. Though the least ornate, the interior of the third floor gave them an idea of how the other two floors would look when completed.

Johnny was enthralled with the tower and the walk atop the roof. The hills on TX 71 had been cut and the valleys levelled, so, with the forest on both sides, you didn't notice how hilly this red-dirt area was until you climbed the tower and looked down over it. Hanna was impressed by the vistas, with the view over the river valley and further south, where the mixed pine/oak forest became primarily oak and other hardwoods, being her favorite.

Erik pointed out the top of bluffs, and how the treetops suddenly fell away toward the Colorado River. "That is a natural barrier for anyone leaving the river to come up here," he explained, "but it works both ways - we can't go down there either, so we have river running through both properties, but no access."

Cavo interrupted him with a grin. "That's not exactly true. While you were gone, we talked to the builder of this house. Although there were no plans, he said the owner discovered a crevice slanting down from the top to a plateau about the riverbank and had them expand it to 6'6' high by 6' wide. They framed it, tied the steel, poured the concrete, and then brought in red clay to cover it. It has steel doors on each end that are hard to see.

"If you want to see it, let me guide you through the other floors and the basement, get feedback, and we'll take ATVs down."

They wandered about each floor, got status updates, Annika gave the feedback needed, and then they explored the finished basement, which was Erik's baby. He was pleased; it would suit his purposes.

The slope of the tunnel was steep, but the rough concrete floor made it walkable. Cavo showed them that you could take a small ATV through the tunnel, but both doors needed to be open because it was too tight to get off and open the other door. He, Erik, and Johnny discussed options and agreed that reinforced doors, electric door openers, and more lighting would be necessary.