Corporate Contracts, Cambridge, European Union (Closed)

[Delta Team Curt]

It hadn't been a particularly difficult day for her so far apart, sure one of the lab technicians had nearly destroyed a multi-million credit COLASS prototype in front of a DARPA researcher, but apart from that this had been running pretty smoothly for Helena. Pausing to look at a few news headlines scrolling along the bottom of her datapad lying on the table in front of her, the research technician took a bite of her salad as she now prepared to finish up her lunch break. Since the project lead had elected to look over a redesign being worked on by one of her researchers that they had finished up today, she had missed being able to socialize with some of her coworkers now that she was eating in the cafeteria after most of the others had already finished eating and gone back to work; of course there were a few faces scattered around the rooms tables at the moment, but it seemed most of them were from some of the other restricted projects being run ont he campus seeing as she hardly recognized them.

Gathering up her bowl and utensils as she now ate the last bite of her meal, the scientist quietly returned them to the dish area not far from her table as she left with her datapad. Now making her way down the hallways of the research building, the clock on her tablet computer reminded her that she should now be preparing for the non-research related task that she had been handed by corporate a few days ago. One of the lead designers on the sterile field generator project, Doctor Aldac had decided that Helena would be the person to show off their progress to a BH&S employee that was scheduled to be most likely arriving at their facility very shortly; the researcher having been given the standard 'you represent the company' speech and reminders on how to conduct herself a few days ago. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy presenting work on her projects to clients and representative, if she hadn't RBT would probably be bringing in someone who did, but Helena often felt a bit uncomfortable when corporate executives were trying to control what she said.

The lobby of the Addenbrooke Advanced Research Facility wasn't far from her as she now made her way through the winding hallways of the facility, stopping for a moment at one of the security checkpoints set up at the entrances to the restricted labs so a Ravenwood officer could check her datapad, not spending more than a few seconds before the man gave her the all clear and let her continue on her way. She sort of missed just having to swipe her card, but given that a few months back someone had managed to bypass the security mainframe and gain access to a Level Two storeroom the slight hassle of dealing with H&A's contractors wasn't too bad. A quick elevator ride down to the ground floor with a few medical interns from the university later, Helena was now entering the lobby area as she was greeted to the sight of a pair of two all too well-known faces.

"And there's our project lead, Doctor Watson, you know Mister Yuan." the familiar voice of Reed's Operations Manager welcoming her as she approached the two men.

Dressed in a rather expensive looking business suit, the board member standing next to Aldac smiled as he waited to introduce himself.

"Pleasure to meet you doctor, I'm sorry to intrude but the board has decided to take a personal interest in this meeting." the almost perfect English of the man just all but hiding a hint of his native Cantonese accent.

"No problem, Sir." the young woman responding promptly as they now waited for their guest from BH&S.

[Schmidt]

Kathryn was less than pleased.

As the Head of the Practical Science Division for Battersby, Harris & Schmidt most of her time was spent on Noveria. From Peak 11 she monitored all operations being conducted by her department, including some of the less well-known projects that were being conducted in the depths of the department's headquarters; Peak 11 itself. It was her responsibility to manage those projects and ensure they were on task, and that they didn't represent a potential threat to the firm in any form.

Not like they ever would. Anything relating to bioengineering was conducted seperately by another group which, though it fell under the jurisdiction of her department, was managed by another individual. All of her projects were either based on the continued production of medical equipment or technology, or research into new sciences and development of possibly new technology to help the science and medical fields. She considered her work important, especially given the recent contract the firm had secured with the Alliance.

But apparently her superior, Alexandra Schmidt, felt that her time would currently be better spent meeting with members of Reed Biomedical Technologies. She was aware of the fact that Battersby, Harris & Schmidt had agreed to fund a new piece of technology being created by Reed, however she didn't know why it was necessary for her to personally go and check how things were proceeding. What did she care if this group failed to produce the goods? It just meant additional work for her department, and the potential loss of a corporate rival.

Still, orders were orders. That was what was running through her mind when she entered the lobby of the Addenrbrooke Advanced Research Facility. A grand name for an otherwise dull facility, Kathryn thought as she strode through. She ignored people who greeted her, content only to pay attention as her two assistants filled her in on the final details of her 'assignment'. The human female drew to a halt as she was met by three people; two looked more like businessmen, though one actually wore a labcoat, than scientists, though the third fit the appearance criteria.

Kathryn herself was quite well known in the scientific field, especially since becoming head of the firm's science division. Still, it was plausible - ludicrous, but plausible - that these individuals wouldn't have met her. Her assistants, however, knew the people they had just met were important. "May I introduce," one of her assistants spoke up. "Ms Harper-Jones. Administrative Partner of Battersby, Harris & Schmidt and Head of the Practical Science Division. She is the firm's representative for this endeavour."

For the first time Kathryn spoke, her voice slow and calm but not hiding her obvious annoyance at being forced to be present. "Yes, formalities. May we proceed? I want to return to my work as soon as possible, and the quicker we conduct this review the quicker I can do that." She didn't mean to be rude - actually, of course she did, she always was - but she really did find her own work more important.

[Delta Team Curt]

She didn't really need much more than a few seconds from seeing the woman step into the lobby to pick up on the fact that there was most likely a long, long list of places that she would rather be than their research facility right now. Flanked by a pair of assistants reading out what she assumed to be updates on company matters and possibly some of the details of the project that they had been sending over to BH&S, Helena tensed up as she recognized the woman now walking towards them as the head of one of the largest medical divisions in human space while not only her boss but his boss stood beside her. Attempting to give a halfway decent smile as one of the assistants now introduced the rather well-known scientist, she now somewhat regretted having not assigned this little display or demonstration or whatever someone would call it to someone else.

"May I introduce, Ms Harper-Jones. Administrative Partner of Battersby, Harris & Schmidt and Head of the Practical Science Division. She is the firm's representative for this endeavour."

It wasn't that she was exactly unprepared to explain the project to someone such as Kathryn Harper-Jones, given she was in charge of the team working on the sterile field generator Helena was probably the best prepared if anything, but she had been expecting to give a small briefing to some business executive she had little knowledge about rather than one of the leading scientists in the biomedical field. Folding her hands behind her back as the young assistant spoke, Helena attempted to relax as she hid her arms behind her body for the moment, a nervous habit still retained from when she first received the advanced prosthesis just about a year ago now. While she had become fully accustomed to using the artificial limb since her car accident, the researcher still felt somewhat mixed about having received the rather expensive piece of medical equipment.

"Yes, yes, formalities. May we proceed? I want to return to my work as soon as possible, and the quicker we conduct this review the quicker I can do that."

"Of course, madam, our presentation should not be long. The board has made sure that Doctor Harper here will not keep you any longer than we have too." Yuan's voice cheerful and pleasant despite the little effort on part of the woman to mask her displeasure being here. "Unfortunately, Doctor Aldac will be departing to attend a lecture at the university on neurological diseases."

Helena moved little as she waited for the board member to move the conversation on, Aldac now offering a smile and short goodbye as he exited the lobby of the building.

"We have a short demonstration set up in the Epsilon Labs of one our latest prototype builds if you would like to get started." the scientist extending her hand to Kathryn, "I'm the lead researcher on the sterile field generator project."

[Schmidt]

"There are so many other places I could be right now," Kathryn thought to herself. "And important work I could be doing. I'll have to talk to Alexandra about giving me such pitiful assignments when I return to Earth." Still, she knew she had to at least make an attempt to get along with these people, if for no other reason than the bad feeling she was getting in her stomach. The feeling that, if this experiment was a success, Kathryn and the Practical Science Division of Battersby, Harris & Schmidt would probably be working with Reed Biomedical again.

Fantastic.

The man in the suit - no doubt a director for the Hallard & Avett subsidiary, judging by his demeanour and the obvious cost of his outfit - spoke briefly. Although Kathryn knew she had been less than pleasant upon arrival this man seemed intent to keep her happy. Fine. Let him waste his time on pleasantries. He made mention of the nearby doctor - the male doctor, that was - having to attend a lecture on neurological diseases and thus marking him absent during the upcoming presentation.

"Neurological diseases?" Kathryn said, raising one of her eyebrows in a less than welcoming manner. Her voice, although acid in its tone, was actually rather quiet and thus most people had to strain to hear what she was saying. Anyone who knew her also knew that she never raised her voice, even when angry, and she never repeated herself. If you didn't hear her, you missed out on whatever she was saying. "I suppose someone has to do it." A derogatory comment but, from her point of view, an accurate one.

The male doctor left without a word, however. The female doctor then spoke as well, proferring her hand and informing Kathryn that a prototype had been set up in their Epsilon Laboratory, and that she was the lead researcher on the technology. "Lead researcher? And so young." The elder woman said, giving her younger counterpart a once over before sniffing. She didn't take the hand offered to her, instead walking past her in the direction the board member indicated.

"How much is this costing us?" Kathryn asked as they walked. No doubt cost and expenditure would be included in the presentation itself but she liked to have an idea of what she was getting the firm into. If this was costing more than expected she had to know in order to re-evaluate its benefits and intended revenues. She also liked to be answered when she asked a question, but she had a feeling this female scientist would give her the "it's all included in the presentation" response.

[Delta Team Curt]

She let her hand fall back to her side as the woman now brushed past her, simply remaining where she was for a moment as the rest of the group now started making their way towards the research labs; one of the BH&S assistants giving her a look indicating that she shouldn't take it personally as they passed by. It almost seemed that this person was the opposite of what she had come to expect of most high level researchers, the young woman much more used to Aldac regularly engaging his staff in a much more friendly nature rather than dismissing underlings as Kathryn was doing to her. However, she new she had to shrug it off as she now turned and hurried up to rejoin the small group as they headed into the heart of the research facility.

"How much is this costing us?" the woman speaking up as they walked along one of the main hallways of the building.

Before she could try and answer, Yuan was quick to provide an answer.

"Currently, contributions from BH&S are just under fifty-four million credits for the entire project, the mans tone remaining relatively friendly as he responded "with an approximate eighty-nine million coming from H&A."

As they made their way through the interior of the building, she noticed that the security officers manning security checkpoints of restricted areas seemed much more attentive as they passed by; no doubt realizing that a board member was present and walking around. Apart from the Ravenwood personnel, the rest of the facility's occupants seemed to be going about their business normally by the looks of things as they passed by some labs that adjoined the hallway whose windows hadn't been blocked off for security concerns.

"That number is not entirely accurate, one hundred and twelve million includes a exploratory study done by our theoretical research department a few decades ago. Helena interjecting as they reached the elevator that would take them to the entrance to the epsilon labs.

[Schmidt]

Kathryn almost led the group with her stride, never one to wait around when there was work to be done. She expected the female to answer her question about the price since she was the leading individual on this project but instead the male - the board member, if she remembered correctly - chose to answer. She made a mental note of his answer of fifty four million credits, noting that to Battersby, Harris & Schmidt that wasn't a massive sum. Still, it was enough to keep at least two other projects from beginning until this was finished.

Helana, however, didn't agree with that sum. She pointed out a new number and indicated that was for an exploratory study done some time ago, which meant this current figure was slightly off balance. This was going to be an impossible meeting if the two couldn't even agree on numbers, and she voiced such a concern. "We are not going to get anywhere if you can't even agree on a figure. I don't particularly care how much this is costing, just the length of time it's taking and how many more credits we'll need to pump into this project."

When they approached the security checkpoint Kathryn didn't bother showing her identification. Instead she merely stood, waiting, as one of her assistants rushed forward and showed all three identifications at once. The guard looked at them for a couple of seconds, checking they matched the individuals in front of him, before nodding them through. It was with a sigh that Kathryn continued, heading for the nearest elevator. "Give me a brief overview of the project." Kathryn said as they entered the elevator.

She had, of course, read all about the sterile field generator during her journey to the lab, but she wanted to see how well Helena explained it and if the board member would feel the need to interject again.