26 Investing into the future part 3

Adam could only look in embarrassment as the woman left the room in her species version of a huff. She was trying to recommend him to pick safe options, but Adam knew that he had to take risks to have any chance. and being able to conduct bribery and pay for others to help him was something he would desperately need for the future. He would be needing to step up his efforts of improving his situation nearing the end of the training period, where tests would come more often and the final results of the officer recruits efforts would be displayed.

"Was that necessary master? you talk about your need to be careful and get as much goodwill as possible, yet it seemed like you were trying to anger the treasurer." Barruni stated her tone flat in disappointment, causing Adam's embarrassment to only last longer.

"Sorry, I need a lot to have a chance. I can't just show I'm competent, but that I'm hyper-competent. that's why I tried to get all of you to get tier 2 piloting licenses. how is that going by the way?" Adam asked, he was almost free of this damn bed and he would not appreciate being able to walk around more than when his feet returned to solid ground.

"I'm getting through it at a good pace. you were right in changing our schedules so much. it took me a while to get used to all the complex ideas, but I slowly shifted my mindset from a direct combat capability into a more thoughtful and learning-based mindset."

"What about the others?" Adam said with a smile. He didn't know if his ego was growing, but he was just glad that he didn't make severe mistakes in his plan.

"They quietened down a lot after I was enslaved. I believe your willingness to enslave me gave them the fear they needed to follow your orders. That being said, I am somehow the best pilot out of the four of us, and we are competing with the species more suited to complex piloting instead of basic cruiser pilots." Barruni sat on the couch Adam had moved into his room so he didn't have to have Barruni standing whenever they had a long conversation.

"Heh, that reminds me of an old story I read. I wasn't a fan of what it said but it may actually be truthful." Adam admitted, he needed to check on the troop's progress some time soon, maybe when he can finally stand up. it'd be good to just walk through the halls to his subordinate's room.

"What story did you-" Barruni was cut off when Adam's tablet started beeping for an incoming message. "Do you need me outside the room for this master?" Barruni asked. she knew from the rumors that masters liked to withhold information from their slaves.

"No, it's an unknown message, you're fine with hearing this," Adam said, approving the call to come through, where he saw three sets of eyes set to look in what seemed like every direction possible. it seemed like a combo between a horse and an insect. it's carapace shining all the way on it's back. Yet Adam could see the four outcroppings where the carapace extended into legs.

"ugh, this is my investor? How did such a disgusting creature get enough money for such a risky venture." She stated immediately, recoiling back at the view of Adam, causing the young man to sigh.

"So you're the prospector wishing for the 35 billion Decidu." adam started, his gaze returning to it's severe (and from what other prey species thought) hungry face, causing unease to ripple through the other creature. She knew a predator when she saw one, and while this thing was ugly and looked weak, it had the confidence and money to have her for dinner if it wished.

"Yes. We were the original species who developed on this planet before the empire took us. I have returned to my homeworld to give my species a place on this planet. what are you intending with the land you've bought. my mother told me the land was holy ground before the invasion because of the landmarks. so it should be unexploited."

Adam nodded at that, the idea seemed plausible, the empire had only colonized this part of the galaxy for a few decades before the empire rose up. so finding an unexploited cultural site here was reasonably viable. "And the reason you didn't explain this in the investment request?" Adam asked strictly

"I-it was because if I let that information slip someone else would take the land from me. they would cut me out of the picture altogether." the nervousness in the creature's eyes made Adam almost laugh. considering he was poor not even two months before this, now he was causing people to sweat (figuratively) from a question was such a shift in perspective that he found it funny.

"That is very true. How much will you require from me to set up the official scanning and mining equipment? do you just need my money or do you need me to oversee the setup of this mine?" Adam asked. he wasn't sure if he could do all the work to set up the mine, the scanning would be easy, but understanding what equipment to get, how to set up mining protocol. unless he paid through the nose for it, he would need to set up regulations from scratch.

"That will be my job. you have given me the money to set up this mine, I am not giving you any extra reason to refuse my requests." The woman stated forcefully, causing Adam's eyebrow to raise.

"Oh? and what are your requests? I'll be handling the management of the company after you set it up. do you have any desires on how I handle the management? do you want me to fill it with your peers?" Adam sounded condescending. he wouldn't allow nepotism to ruin his chances just because the woman looked virtuous.

"No, nothing of the sort. I just request that you allow me a major place on the management board and allow me to hire any Cthok in the vicinity. it will be more expensive than hiring slaves, but I will take a cut in profits that the Cthok incur. I am trampling over my ancestors sacred grounds. I will not do it for only my own profit." Adam smiled, he seemed to hit the goldmine here. He managed to get into contact with an alien that was very patriotic for their race.

"Well, then I think I can give you about 20% of total profits, with me being able to take out minerals from the mine's output as needed. if you checked the account that I am using for this, I am part of the steel soul fleet, so I will need it for funding and supply to my fleet. Of course, any extra management you add will change the amount of profit you receive." Adam was spitballing the request low there, well for what he knew. he would haggle the price to what he hoped would be an acceptable deal for both of them to accept with goodwill.

What Adam didn't expect though was his business partner? rival? he wasn't sure what they were at the moment. his translator immediately registered immense surprise coming from the creature. he had already gained a notification that these creatures communicated through scent. so he understood when nothing showed visibly on the creature. "That is... more than I hoped I would receive. are you sure you want to give 20% of your profits to the management of the company?"

Adam could only awkwardly chuckle over this, hoping the lady's communicator wasn't too advanced that she would understand the subtlety of his laugh. "This is a risky venture, and a venture I will want to pull potentially a considerable amount out of, I wish to inspire a sense of goodwill in the management. so that they will happily work under me instead of trying to backstab me to gain complete control of the company." Adam tried to explain away the gaffe of expecting the people to want more than was proper.

The more he thought about it though, the more it made sense. with the amount of money being thrown around, startup companies would be hanging on for a chance. they wouldn't be able to do much without the investment of a large investor who could throw their weight around. so Adam understood why the upper echelons could exploit as much as they were out of people trying to rise up. "T-thank you for your generosity. I will make sure that you will not regret your decision." the woman stated excitedly. Adam couldn't tell if she was cynically happy about his concessions or if she was so patriotic to her people that she would see it as an excuse for him to support her race.

"If that is all you have to ask then I need to ask this, do you have any regulations for the mines? codes of conduct for new companies are extremely expensive due to copyright. that will cut on our initial profits if I need to spend the funds to get those. I would have to lower the profit allocation to the management as well." Adam wanted to be kind, but he couldn't be complacent, if he died then whoever took over would easily be able to thoroughly exploit the company he was trying to get goodwill from.

"No need to worry ma'am." the woman stated, only now did Adam realise that the woman didn't know that he was a male, and wouldn't believe that a male could be rich enough or have enough disposable income to support her. "My mother is the foreman of a mining colony. I will be able to create our regulations with her, avoiding the copyright issues."

"That is good to hear. now my money should already be in your account. make your race proud." Adam added at the end. he was sure that the woman was patriotic of her race, he didn't have any significant evidence of that, it was just what he could garner from her words and translated mannerisms.

"Thank you." Was all the alien said before the call ended, allowing Adam to turn back to Barruni, who hadn't moved during the entire conversation.