"Welcome to Grumman-Tech , Mr Hackenbacker . Please proceed to the Level five conference room as indicated on your AD "
Brains felt at home inside the high-tech atrium. All around were small knots of people in intense conversations , barely avoiding walking into each other. The " Big Push" was consuming this Corporation as well as any High-Tech Company with a horse in the race. No doubt there were similar scenes at Hitachi Heavy, Nordtech, Kyocera and Tsing Tao.
Once inside the conference room , Brains attention started to drift. The subject was old news , hyped by the corporation to get big Push contracts. He started to mentally arrange his schedule when he got back to the island – the Anti-Satellite spinner needed reviewing , Two needed a software update and there was a huge download from East-Tech to look at.
He didn't notice people . The Tracys knew him well enough to know that he liked to be a part of the team but separate. It often happened with people with high intellectual capacities that the social skills were limited. Brains ( he hardly thought of himself as Hiram ) accepted this but sometimes envied the easy affability within the family at meal times. As for romantic engagements ….
The conference was winding down. Brains was halfway to the Transport when he saw a familiar face.
Doctor Nguyen was all smiles as he bore down on him .
" Hackenbacker , you should have said. How did you find it?All old hat for you , eh?" he winked.
" Doctor Nguyen , ha-how are you?" Brains replied , thinking " Nothing life-threatening , I hope!"
"Fine , old chum" Nguyen continued , his affected Oxford accent grating " Look , I would love to shoot the Breeze but the higher-ups want me upstairs pronto. Perhaps my colleague could give you a quick tour? Ms Sabapathy , is that ok?"
"Yes , of course , I would be more than pleased" smiled Ms Sabapathy. Brains looked up and swallowed. Ms Sabapathy was , frankly , gorgeous.
" Raji Sabapathy , Mr Hackenbacker. Pleased to meet you" she said , brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Pah-pleased ah-also Miss…" stumbled Brains , pausing for an assault on the surname.
"That's all right , Mr Hackenbacker " she smiled " Everyone cocks my name up. What would you like to see first?"
Brains gulped.
To be continued