Rejection

As the meal went on Kane naturally did try the Bordeaux but it wasn't at all to his liking. Unfortunately some things are required of people in certain situations or positions and consuming something you would rather spit back out was was a necessary evil. The trick was to consume it fast and not let it touch the sides as it went down. Some of the drinks Kane had back in his last world were so strong they could it was rumored peel the enamel off ones teeth. They needed to be this strong as with all of the genetic engineering and increased metabolism normal alcohol had no effect on them. The steak was great though and Kane thoroughly enjoyed his thirty two ounce slab of meat.

As Kane was trained from birth as a soldier he had what everyone in the service and almost all of the rest of the Terran Space Empire's people had which were a nutrient supplement instead of actual food. The nutrient supplement could come in a paste, drink or a solid block form and has tailored to everyone's specific need so it was impossible to either get fat from over eating or starve. Only the very poor backwards outer colonies where still using regular inefficient food. Unfortunately it didn't taste overly appealing no matter what was done to it, so Kane was still enjoying the shear novelty of eating regular food in this world and the explosion of flavors from his taste buds was something he reveled in.

As the meal when on they made various snippets of conversation mostly small talk.

"So Kane do you have a girlfriend yet or if not I am sure you saw how that cute attendant was looking at you as she guided you here? If she isn't to your liking for some reason then I have a host of women I can introduce you to if you like. Abraham and I have been discussing this and we think it would do you some good and broaden your social circle a bit. Burying yourself in work and too much research isn't healthy and everyone needs to sit back and take a break for a while."

"No Howard I don't have a girlfriend or any significant other and I would have to be blind not to notice how she was making eyes at me, I could practically smell the pheromones she was giving off in her lust. I also do not need your charity cases and other women that were not quite able to meet your standards so you pass them to me. What makes you think my standards are any less then yours? I have to work hard as you are already established as a titan in the industry and I have to keep grinding away so that I can reach my dreams."

"Come now it's not like that. There are lots of women around me and I am only one man. There are only so many hours in the day and I have limited stamina I couldn't possible satisfy all of them hence I thought I would kill two birds with one stone. I can help them find someone good like you and that gets them off my back. Or could it me you like men? I am not one to judge as every genius and great man has his eccentricities but it wouldn't be good for your reputation if this got out. It is kinda heavily frowned upon. Or could it be that you have never been with a women being so busy with academics and so are at a loss of what to do with them?"

"I can assure you that my sexual orientation is straight. I just haven't found anyone that takes my fancy as I am extremely picky because my standards are equally extremely high. Once I do find someone to my liking though they will be mine no question and everyone else better get out of the way as I won't take any prisoners or hold back even if is a friend like you. I was raised in a place where polygamy is the norm and monogamy is practically unheard of. The more partners you have the more skilled and powerful you are as you can protect and provide for them while being the best mate to spread your genes to have superior offspring. While it may be true that I haven't been with anyone in this world I am not completely inept with women. Tell me do you enjoy the meaningless dalliances that you have with women? Knowing that they are only after your money or whatever they can get from you? What if you get several of them pregnant and they all start trying to claim your fortune?"

"Not being with anyone in this world? So you are a virgin then? What do you mean you were raised in a place where polygamy is the norm? I can tell from your accent alone that you are from the upper echelons of society or at least very highly educated in Britain and I thought they were all kind of prudish when having relationships? Not exactly the place where polygamy is common at least on the surface in the open. Of course you could have come from a backwards village where there was a shortage of men so the women had to make do you sharing but that reason doesn't fly. I did also have a background check done on you before we met as I admired your work and it said you came from a small village in Ireland so your accent is out of place. As for my encounters with women they aren't meaningless as they help me practice to satisfy the right women when she comes along. As for trying to claim my fortune with an illegitimate child let them try, as I have so much money that I could hire the best lawyers and bury them under laws and procedures."

"While I don't like the fact that you looked into my background I also did the same with you as well so that makes us even. A relationship is built on trust and I had to have a good look at your character to see if you were worth my time. You are correct that my accent has come from the higher echelons of British society but there were… complications. Let's just say that Britain is a place that no matter how smart or capable you are or how much money you have if your ancestry doesn't date back hundreds of years when they were slaughtering peasants for land and titles some doors will always remain closed to you. I came here for a fresh start to make something of myself that those snobs wouldn't allow and that is all the conversation I will have on the matter at least for now.

While it wasn't exactly true that his accent was from Britain, it was from the Terran Space Empire which evolved from the British Commonwealth so it sounded the same and as for Stark thinking that he was a virgin well that was his interpretation that Kane wasn't in a hurry to correct. Kane had been with most of the girls he had grown up with as they were together all the time so feelings grew and it was actively encouraged to vent their aggression as well as stamina building. A bunch of genetically engineered children with increased up emotions and urges would have been difficult to control and they needed to experiment. Every experience they gained in whatever they did increased their knowledge and practical ability and thus made them better in any field so they were always encouraged.

"Well now that dinner is out of the way and the small talk has been made what is the business that you wanted to talk about?"

"Well there are two items on the agenda. Firstly there is the helicopters that I have manufactured that I need your help advertising to both the American and British military. Perhaps a demonstration of sorts is in order? I know that you are the number one weapons supplier to the American military so I don't want to step on your toes and will give you a reasonable percentage. I just want to improve both forces tactical abilities. Here have a look as some of the schematics."

Kane handed over the basic unmodified schematics of the original designs of both helicopters keeping his modified ones to himself for the time being and Howard spent a time studying them in silence for a while before turning towards him with a gaze that was somehow both ashen and excited at the same time.

"Kane where did you get these? Or rather how did you come up with these? I am acknowledged as the best mechanical engineer in the country and these far surpass what I anything I have. Are you trying to take over my position as the number one weapons supplier? No that can't be right as you came to me with them rather then approach the military directly. Hmm I can see why you came to me as if you came out with something that far surpassed what I have my reputation and business would take a massive hit but if we work together then at least I get half the credit. I can help you set up a demonstration to both military's but they might both demand exclusive rights to buy them."

"Well Howard I am a genius in my own right. I am a student of martial arts and a lot of them hold the philosophy of concealing ones strength and abilities so opponents can't get a good read on you so as to surprise them. I use that in business, not showing all of my trump cards. Anyone can brag about how great they are but a real master just lets the masses brag, as he has no one to prove himself to and should someone try to challenge him by overestimating their own worth, well it will end very badly for them with a nasty surprise. I will give neither side an exclusive deal. Either they both buy them or neither gets any of them and they will have to deal with it. You can see for yourself how advanced they are and what tactical advantages they can provide so it will be a massive loss if they do not use them."

"Alright then leave it to me as I have the ears of some prominent people and should bring back a positive result. You said their were two items on the agenda, so would you be referring to these two helicopter designs or are these under one category with something else in mind?"

At this point Kane put of a show of being heavily reluctant to show Howard what was next but after stalling a bit to build up the anticipation he showed him his latest blueprint.

"This is my baby that I have been working tirelessly on and they make the other two designs while no matter how advanced they are to be akin to a child's scribbles. I call it the SLAP as it stands for the Sea Land Air Platform. Like the name suggests it can function in any environment and is able to travel the sea like a normal boat or submarine and can fly in then sky. It is a proper mobile fortress and command center and will negate the possibility of having the chain of command be taken out as it can move. This will be make it very difficult to pinpoint its position and thus rendering it nearly impossible to attack."

"Is such a thing even possible given the current technology? What is with your naming sense by the way? I can't imagine introducing the next best thing for military power is a slap. Let me look it over for a minute."

As Howard sat there studying the blueprint he went stiff as a board and turned as pale as a sheet. After long minutes in such a state Howard whipped out his lighter and burnt the blueprints to ashes. Kane could have stopped him but he didn't want to, as the technology was so primitive to him it wouldn't be a big threat to him. What a joke that the inventor wouldn't have ways to counter and track his own creation.

With a shaky voice and an aghast expression Howard addressed Kane.

"Sorry my friend but there are somethings that should never see the light of day and that was one of them. If that was your other avenue of cooperation then I will have to refuse!"