A/N: So, I had to create a forum for this in with the language type Esperanto. After messing with the automated descriptions for all my other forums, and having to delete my Unspeakable Things forum (which, to be honest, won't be missed). But, I now have a forum in which I've posted review responses and had a brief discussion about where things stand. However, this chapter will give everyone a pretty good view of HP's world.
I'll admit I didn't like this chapter. It was necessary, and it sets the stage, but there's a hell of a lot of talking because it's as much a setting of time, place and circumstance as anything. It's almost like the chorus of an ancient Greek play, framing the background for the audience to understand what is about to happen.
So, bear with me. Things get moving, really moving, next chapter.
Chapter Two: Bearding the Lion
Current Day
Alec Colson, CEO of Colson Avionics, strode with an air of false confidence toward the double doors of the true center of power in the world, while hidden behind his confident expression, his stomach twisted into painful knots.
Many people who didn't know better thought that Washington, Moscow, or Beijing were the true centers of power in the world. Those people did not know the truth. No, the true center of power in the world, at least for the past two years, was in Surrey, a county bordering London, England, and housed in the gleaming new skyscraper with the burning phoenix emblem rising triumphantly on its side.
The firebird emblem was everywhere, now, from China to Miami, Alaska to Sydney. Oh, how Colson hated it!
Phoenix Industries exploded onto the energy market in 1997, and by 2000 was making the OPEC nations sit up and blink in shock at the sudden drop-off in profits. The Phoenix solar panels were astonishingly efficient and productive, beyond what most experts thought was even scientifically possible, and helped create a new generation of motor vehicles that could drive for hundreds of miles to the gallon. But more damaging still was Phoenix Industries new synthetic oil—which burned so cleanly that even environmentalists could not take issue with it—and which Potter sold in vast quantities at below-market rates.
Phoenix Industries technology had a security feature not even the Chinese—who were notoriously well known for stealing patents from Western nations—could not crack. When opened the solar panels turned into an acidic sludge which prevented any competition from studying the technology. In fact, it was suspicious just how well protected all Phoenix Industry products were. The capacitors which Colson's own people told him were the true secret behind the efficacy of the solar panels were just as protected. The interiors melted into sludge if the casing was cracked open, and the casing itself was resistant to x-ray technology. Potter's oil production facilities were in undisclosed facilities built somewhere off the ivory coast.
Then there was the Phoenix fusion power plant. The reactor outside of Marseilles was a feat of engineering Colson never thought he would see in his lifetime, and he was far from alone. The sheer technological genius the engineers of Phoenix Energy displayed in developing a controlled fusion reaction left the whole world stunned, and naysayers claiming it all hoax. The naysayers were forcibly silenced when the reactor went live, and two weeks later half of France's old nuclear reactors were taken off line. The sheer amount of energy being produced proved beyond question the reactor was real.
Alec's sources assured him Phoenix netted nearly a two billion euro profit in the construction of the reactor and the clean-up of the old nuclear facilities, and now had a state-sponsored monopoly in energy production in France that was going to pay easily three to four hundred million Euros annually above operating costs.
As sobering as his engineering and business successes were, though, the brilliant, frightening, young president of the privately owned Phoenix Industries had also recently demonstrated a ruthlessness not seen since the American Ross Perot used mercenaries to save his employees from a hostage situation.
Given the sharp impact Phoenix Energies had on the OPEC nations, it was only a matter of time before he became a target. Of course, no one would admit a link between official allies of the United States and the many terrorist organizations that existed to try and destroy the United States. Yet, when the profits from oil were threatened, somehow Phoenix Industries became a target for every fundamentalist Islamic organization in the world.
Riots and protests filled the streets of cities across the Near East, targeting British and American Embassies (and occasionally a Dutch embassy, just because). No one single reason was given, though sometimes there were rumors spread that Potter or other Phoenix senior staff profaned the Prophet or the Koran.
Harry Potter officially ignored the protests until a solar farm in Tunisia was attacked by what at first appeared to be protesters, but soon proved to be an organized, well-funded militant strike which swept through and captured over a hundred Phoenix Industries employees. Video soon emerged of an employee being beheaded at the front gates of the facility. A second was killed the next morning.
On the second night of the crises, Phoenix Security Services retook the facility, slaughtered every one of the attackers and saved all but the two employees who were publicly beheaded.
If that were the end of it, Colson supposed, it would not have been so sobering. However, Potter was not content with just freeing his people. Over the next two weeks, Phoenix Security Services swept through dozens of military and paramilitary camps across the entire Near East from Egypt to Afghanistan, ignoring political boundaries using what Potter described as "undeniable evidence of culpability" to kill thousands of militant Fundamentalists of various sects and nationalities.
The world aggressively ignored it, while according to Colson various national militaries began to wonder just what the hell Phoenix Industries was doing with that much military might, and how much it would cost to buy it. Amazingly, even the countries that hosted and secretly supported the camps were silent. Iran screamed retribution and violence against Washington for supporting Israel, but it was absolutely silent when Phoenix Industries came into the conversation even after having two of its military installations obliterated in hours. The young company president was publicly hailed as the world's new Alexander the Great, and he did not shy away from the title at all. "The world can be great, and I intend to show it how," he was quoted as saying.
In ten minutes, Alec Colson, CEO of Coulson Industries was going to sit down with this brilliant new leader and start a plan he hoped would handle a threat far greater than what he witnessed five months ago.
"We're keeping him black-listed officially," Agent Barrett told Coulson right before he received a call from Potter personally inviting him to visit Phoenix Industries. "We want him to follow our clues, rather than just open the door to let him in. So he's looking for information any way he can get it. Don't make it too easy on him."
The high rise that made up the headquarters of Phoenix Industries was brand new, built in just ten months, and shone with the gleam of new construction. The interior atrium rose up in the center of the building, framed by walls of a transparent carbon alloy that Phoenix patented. As clear as glass, the composite material was actually stronger than high tensile-strength steel. Already the new material was revolutionizing construction around the world, and was just one more thing to despise Phoenix Industries for.
Coulson walked confidently to the information desk and the small army of young people in formal suits who stood or sat behind the reception desk. "Good evening, Mr. Colson," a smiling young woman said before he had a chance to even say hello. "Welcome to Phoenix Industries."
It should not have surprised Alec that they knew who he was the moment he walked into the doors. He'd heard interesting stories about just how unbelievably tight Phoenix Industries' security was. "Good afternoon. I'm here for my appointment."
"Of course, sir. Mr. Potter is looking forward to meeting you. Ah, here is your escort."
Colson turned and was met with a tall young man with short-trimmed red hair and chocolate brown eyes. He had a broad, strong chest underneath his tailored, four-piece suit and moved with a smooth gait that spoke of training. Alec had no doubt his escort was quite dangerous. "Mr. Colson, a pleasure to meet you. If you'll come with me?"
Colson nodded politely to the receptionist and turned to follow his escort. "I recognize you, lad," Colson said with the easy lilt that seemed to charm his American colleagues. "Didn't I see you on the telly in Egypt? Weasley, wasn't it?"
"Ron Weasley," the young man said with a wry quirk at the corner of his mouth. "And I was not on the telly."
Alec smiled. "No, I suppose not." Alec was not without his own resources, of course. He knew most of Potter's inner circle from his own research.
They continued toward the free-standing elevator shaft that ran up the very center of the hollow building. As they approached, Alec could see the web of walkways that connected the elevator shaft to the eighty levels of the building that rose in sparkling, near transparent splendor around them. They walked into one of the elevator cars and immediate it shot into the sky. "A very smooth ride," Colson commented. It came to a stop just a few seconds later—eighty floors in ten seconds. Impressive.
Weasley led Alec across the sky bridge, which at first dizzying glance appeared open to the huge drop below (though of course it was not) toward the northern side of the tower. As he approached, the stretch of offices looked just as transparent as the rest of the interior of the tower—he could see the Wey River in the distance. And yet, when Mr. Weasley opened the door to the furthest office door, Coulson walked into a spacious reception area lined not in transparent carbon, but instead cherry wood and oak paneling with book-shelves rising from the floor to the ten-foot ceilings.
The interior was so incongruent with the rest of the tower that Alec actually stopped at the threshold of the door and stepped back out into the hall to stare at the window-clear wall in front of him, as opposed to the dark, wood-paneled room within.
"It's an eye-opener, isn't it?" Weasley said. "Fiber-optic cables in the walls."
Alec did not believe that for a moment, but knew this wasn't the time to argue. "A remarkable effect."
At the end of the room, behind a spacious desk of solid English oak, stood a lovely young woman with mocha-colored skin and green eyes. She was obviously waiting for him since she smiled in an expectant greeting at the two men. "Mr. Coulson, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Martha Weasley, Mr. Potter's executive assistant."
"Weasley?" Alec said, with a glance to his escort. "Any relation?"
"Mr. Potter appreciates family," Martha said smoothly, "even families that form among his friends and employees. If you'll follow me?"
Once inside the actual working area of the building, it took on much more of the appearance of a normal office building. Beyond the reception area Martha walked him by a small area filled with cubicles, while the outer wall was lined with offices. Alec noticed that the glass appeared to be reactive, in one case darkening to pure black even as he looked on.
Mrs. Weasley led him further down the hall, which curved with the outer wall of the building, until they came to a set of solid double doors. She did not even bother to knock as she opened the doors and stepped inside. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Coulson is here."
Alec followed a step behind and saw what many would consider a home-sized space. The office easily occupied eighteen hundred square feet or more. There was a sunken area just inside the door large enough to seat twenty with a one gigantic 120 inch LCD television set into the wall, framed by half dozen smaller ones. At the moment, the large television was covering the navy's efforts to recover the USS Nimitz battle group that was lost five months ago to a supposed meteor shower. Having that particular news program on as Coulson walked in was a bit nerve-racking to be sure, given his mission that day.
Despite the size of the entertainment area, only one person occupied the space—a young lady with white-blond hair sat with one leg tucked under her, a Phoenix Fire tablet on her lap and her eyes closed.
The far side of the office suite was occupied not by one, but in fact two large work stations. However, the occupants of both waited comfortably behind the nearest desk. As Alec looked at the attractive young woman standing just behind the seated figure, with one hand resting on his shoulder, he was struck by the sheer youth and vitality the couple projected. He knew they were in their twenties, but they looked as if they could still be in their late teens and were beautiful for it.
"Alec Coulson, an honor to meet you," Harry Potter said as he stood and offered a hand.
"The honor is mine," Alec lied as he accepted the almost painfully strong grip.
"And may I introduce my wife, Hermione."
"Mr. Coulson," the lovely young lady said, as she too offered a hand. Alec toyed with the idea of kissing her knuckles but knew from other's experience that such a gesture would not be appreciated.
They sat and a moment later Martha Weasley reappeared with a tray of tea and cucumber sandwiches. "Sugar?" she asked.
"And cream, thank you," Alex said diffidently. "I must say, Mr. Potter, this building of yours is quite remarkable. However did you manage to project outside images to the interior walls? Because, let's be frank, your cover story of fiber optic cables is not quite feasible for that level of illusion."
"It was actually a discarded project for the Crown, a type of camouflage," Potter said easily as he made a cup of tea for his wife, and then himself. When the secretary was done with Coulson's, she nodded not to Harry, but to Hermione, before leaving the room. The blonde continued to sit in the depressed entertainment area and watched the silent televisions. Coulson of course knew that her name was Luna Lovegood, and she was considered a "concubine" to Potter, but it was one of those facts people knew not to question or even admit to knowing at all.
"Well, I must say the Pentagon would be quite interested in it."
"The Chief of Staff might have mentioned it," Harry said with a dry smile.
"Well, you invited me here, and no lawyers are present, so I have to admit I'm curious as to my presence here. Are you interested in moving into the avionics field?"
"Yes, actually," Harry said easily. "In fact, I was fairly far along in developing an exo-atmospheric craft when I heard from my connections that Coulson Avionics was involved in a black-ops project for the American military. A project, it was rumored, that involved possibly alien technology."
Coulson snorted. "Oh, surely you don't believe that, do you? I mean, I tried myself to find proof and ended up a public laughing stock. Trust me, Mr. Potter, nothing could destroy your reputation or even your company faster than talking about aliens."
Hermione laughed before sipping tea. "Oh, Mr. Colson, there are so many ways to destroy a reputation. Believe us, we know. What we were hoping to discuss with you was the possibility of a joint project."
While she spoke, Harry tapped a few commands into a hidden keyboard, and Alec had to fight to keep from spitting out tea when an honest-to-God three-dimensional hologram appeared above the desk; it was a hologram of the F-302. In a carefully controlled tone of voice, Colson leaned forward and said, "Goodness, what is that?"
"You're an excellent engineer and an effective CEO, Mr. Colson," Harry said, "but you're a very poor liar. Colson Avionics produces the multi-engine control units that help stabilize the F-302s primary and secondary thruster packs."
"Mr. Potter, I'm afraid I can't discuss this with you," Colson said carefully.
"I understand that," Potter said. "Your little show last month was entertaining. I found it interesting that Washington bailed your company out, until I learned why. They needed your M.E.C. units." He leaned forward and typed a few more commands.
The hologram of the F-302 disappeared, replaced by a whole new craft that looked almost like a fixed-wing 50's era jet airplane with a long, tapering nose and a large projection at the tip of each wing. What Colson found surprising were the two large variable vector thrusters that reached out from the fuselage, and the rear placement of the wings with only small stabilizer fins in the nose.
"That is the Phoenix X-1, code-named Headhunter," Potter said. "It is an endo/exo-atmospheric space superiority fighter craft. I have already personally left the Earth's atmosphere in our model twice. It is capable of accelerating to one third C and runs on a modified fusion platform. Based on what I have seen of the F-302s performance in my company's satellite footage, the Headhunter would literally fly rings around them. It also sports two chemical-based particle laser cannons capable of producing repeated one-shot, one-kill blasts. Think of it as an arsenal of your most powerful air-to-air missiles without the weight. The lasers use a derivative of Helium 3, and when properly fueled can fire over a thousand shots before requiring restocking."
This is impossible. It was the only thing Colson could think of. Having recently been completely debriefed and made a part of the Stargate's alien technology review program, Colson knew that America's entry into true space flight was only possible through the extensive use of alien technologies. But what he was looking at right now bore no resemblance at all to anything they had encountered in their travels.
"What do you want?" Colson finally asked.
"I want in," Potter said simply. "You and your allies have access to alien technology. I want a piece of the pie. And in return—we could go into a mutually beneficial joint production deal on the future air/space superiority craft for the whole world that could earn our respective companies hundreds of trillions."
Colson fought to keep his hands from shaking as he put his tea down. "It is certainly an intriguing offer, Mr. Potter. I hope you understand that I am not an entirely free agent in this matter."
"I understand," Harry said. "I would appreciate it if you were willing to speak to your colleagues about the offer. I believe Phoenix Industries and Colson Avionics would make a powerful team. And if you are willing to work with us directly, well…"
"We wouldn't have to buy you out instead," Hermione said with a cool, dangerous smile.
"Frankly I'm surprised you haven't already tried," Colson said, responding instinctively to the threat.
"I'd prefer not to," Harry admitted. "When I buy out competition, it's because I genuinely believe I can do their jobs better. However, you are a first rate engineer and I believe you are the best leader for your company. I would much rather work with you. But one way or the other, I usually get what I want. More tea?"
~~Stars Alone~~
~~Stars Alone~~
On the Monday following Coulson's visit, an odd family took their supper at the top of a skyscraper of glass, steel, and magic. The garden atop the Phoenix Industries building was heavily warded against satellite observation and shrouded in a disillusionment charm that made it invisible to helicopters.
This was necessary because Luna liked to lounge in the nude, and could rarely be bothered to dress for dinner. Being a fit, nubile young woman, Harry never objected to her preference, and Hermione herself had simply grown accustomed to it.
Given his status as the youngest self-made trillionaire in the world, many people would be surprised that Harry Potter cooked for himself and his family on those nights they were actually home. He certainly didn't have to—he could easily afford to keep a gourmet chef on staff. However, Harry took several culinary courses in France early in the rise of Phoenix Industries, and when time permitted, he used the act of cooking as a form of meditation to help come down from work.
As he laid out the meal, Hermione put down her Fire tablet, a product of Phoenix Technologies, and spoke of their day. "The PM's office has said they are unable to confirm or deny anything due to obligations to their colleagues. They're black-balling us, Harry, but we know they know. Ron told me that his father heard from the American Department of Magic envoy that the Americans had discovered hard evidence of the Heaven Gate that the ancient wizards used to banish Ra. We know it exists—that's where the runes I used to trap Voldemort came from. The text I found mentioned Heaven's Gate was sealed forever. But if the American's somehow found it…"
"Mr. Weasley isn't a gossip," Luna said idly as she used her wand to magically remove the shell of her lobster. "Hmmm, this is delicious." She chewed, swallowed and then sipped her wine. "He was very excited about the news. He had even brought one of his family's history tomes from his vault to show us what was known about the myths of Ra and the wizard rebellion."
"Did you scan him?" Harry asked.
Luna frowned. "Harry, after my mum died, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley practically raised me for several years before Daddy could recover. I do believe I would have starved if not for them. I do not scan them, ever."
Harry apologized by topping off her glass and handing her a cheddar and garlic roll. She accepted his apology with relish; his rolls really were the best, after all.
They ate in companionable silence after that. After seven years together, they no longer felt the need to fill the silence with idle chatter, though sometimes they did so anyway just because Luna enjoyed talking. They followed their normal routine after eating—a light sparring match between Hermione and Harry, while Luna meditated.
None of them slept more than three or four hours a night, so they continued sparring well into the morning hours. They did not stop until Hermione's tablet beeped loudly at her. "That's different," Harry noted as they deactivated their lightsabers.
"I placed an alert on it if we received any communication from Colson." She summoned a towel not with her wand, but with the Force, and wiped the sweat from her face as she picked her tablet off the table and began pulling through the files. After a moment, she looked wide-eyed at Harry.
"He sent us information about the USS Nimitz."
"Show me," Harry said as he also summoned a towel to wipe away the sweat of a three hour sparring session with his wife.
She routed the file through the tower's wireless server and a large screen rose up from the edge of the balcony that overlooked the Wey River. The display came to life immediately. The image appeared to be taken from High Earth Orbit. Dominating the horizon, they saw a massive golden pyramid rising from the center of a hulking, floating city of black metal with glints of gold that was firing thick bolts of energy toward the planet.
"Particle based?" Hermione speculated aloud.
"Has to be; it's not a laser, the bolts move too slowly and physically interact with the atmosphere—see the heat dissipation? Slight, but noticeable. Straight lasers would lens, but not visibly shrink in size, assuming they were visible at all," Potter said.
The image switched to that of a vessel on the sea half a mile from the USS Nimitz battle group just as the blast rained down like the wrath of God himself, obliterating the entire carrier group in minutes.
"That was impressive," Hermione said, wide-eyed.
"The Nimitz had no shielding. A simple magnetic shield would have diluted the power by half," Potter muttered. "Still, it was a powerful shot, perhaps the power of a ship-based laser cannon, or possibly even a mid-powered turbolaser. Interesting."
"I felt them all screaming, I just didn't understand why," Luna said softly, sadly, as she gazed at the footage.
Suddenly the screen lit up to show an image of Colson himself behind a desk. The man looked tired, with dark rings around his eyes. "Hello, Mr. Potter," he said with his lilting brogue. "Interesting footage, wasn't it? I described to my colleagues the Headhunter that you showed me, and to express the strength of their interest, they showed me this. To be honest, I almost wish they had not. Needless to say, there are many people who are very, very interested in your space plane. So interested they are willing to let you in."
Colson looked around the office before sighing. "I've learned quite a lot myself in the past few days. I even got to ride in an F-302. It's quite amazing, really. The program is called the Stargate Program. It is run primarily by the United States Air Force, but there is an international oversight committee that is directly involved with management of the program, given how many alien cultures Earth has come into contact. It is with the blessing of the IOC that I formally extend to you an invitation to tour the Stargate Facility. We do ask that you limit your party to no more than six. When you are ready to accept the invitation, send me an email."
The screen blinked and then went dead.
"Oh Merlin, it's true then," Hermione whispered. "They've actually travelled among the stars."
Harry walked back to the dinner table, cleared it with a wave of his hand, and sat down with the towel around his neck. "Obviously we survived the attack we just witnessed, somehow. But the United States must be desperate for space-based offensive technology if those are the kinds of enemies the world is facing."
"What does this mean for the ten-year-plan?" Hermione asked.
"We may have to accelerate," Harry said.
Beside him, Luna shuddered. "Harry…."He turned and looked at her, but she shook her head. "I feel darkness. Something about this is wrong."
Harry and Hermione exchanged looks. Hermione finally said, "I'll inform Lawrence to have the failsafe protocols prepared, just in case."
a/n: Thanks for reading.