Joe and the French Man head into the station, the French Man wants to give Joe his usual tour, but before he begins he tells Joe: "Monsieur White, I must say I wasn't quite expecting your crew to arrive so early, I actually thought we had agreed your crew would arrive in the afternoon, after the eclipse" Joe responds: "Yeah well, you know sometimes things happen and we just need to improvise a little". The French Man stays quiet, as they now walk through the stations large hangar area, Joe speaks: "So I see you've mobilized quite a bit", The French Man smiles and quickly replies: "Oh yes, all our vessels have arrived, all the equipment is ready, our engineers are still working the details of the landing point, we believe we already have a safe spot where to move in, it is a clear path leading directly onto the site, and apparently, based on their preliminary calculations, it should take somewhere around 10 months to get there".
Joe listens, he doesn't sound too impress or else interested on what the French Man says, he continues to stare at his watch, something troubles him. Just to follow formality and to show some interest in the conversation, Joe says: "ten months, I thought you'd be there quicker". The French Man turns slightly worried and looks at Joe with a regretful tone as he says: "Yes, unfortunately, that's the soonest, there is no other way". Joe then asks: "Can you mobilize by air?". The French man answers while nodding: "Nope, I'm sorry, our trucks are just too heavy, since they are so well armored, we thought of it but we can't, but rest to sure, we'll have at least a few months to build the essentials, a tarmac, dorms, a tower, warehouses, a lab, by the time your ships arrive they should be ready to move in and take over -pauses-, I heard is a big mobilization". Joe replies: "Yes! the biggest in the Alliance's history, we've brought pretty much everything we have, everything is riding on this one". The French Man replies: "We'll Monsieur, feel trusted that we will deliver on time and budget, we are well aware that the Alliance expects nothing short of that"
The French Man now wants to steer conversation, he asks: "Monsieur White, how long have you been with the Alliance?" He looks on to Joe with suspicion, Joe replies: "I was hired by the CEO a few months before coming out here, he knew he needed a spokesperson, due to his condition, and a legal guardian" The French Man asks, now curious: "So will you be signing the contract on his behalf?"
Joe apparently wasn't quite ready for this question, the CEO was supposed to sign the documents himself, Joe is in fact improvising as he goes along. Joe did not plan his visit too well, at least not while disguising in an avatar; he answers in a somewhat nervous and indecisive tone: "Ohh yes, I guess I will be signing on his behalf". The French Man turns serious quickly, he responds: "Well Monsieur, I'm afraid then that the accord will need to be re-drafted, that will take some time". Joe looks to him, he is running out of words, he says: "Yeap, I'm afraid you will have to do that… but that's okay, there's time, any word on your pilots and the vessels?" The French Man responds, "I'll check on them right now, but first I would you to like to meet our attorneys, they have some questions".
By now they stand in front of the beautiful corporate conference room, the attorneys still sit at the end of the room sorting out and typing up documents, the catering looks almost ready. Joe waives at the attorneys from a distance, the attorneys waive back at him, by now they are beginning to feel rejected. Joe says: " Look, I think this is all real simple, just tell them to put my name on it, if there are any conflicts we'll just mark them up by hand and I'll initial it, there is no need for formalities here, I'm real sorry but I need to get back to my shuttle and check on the CEO, he was feeling really bad before we got here, the entry from orbit took a lot from him, I also need to talk to my pilots" The French Man finds it hard to hide his increasing discontent and anger for things are not going as planned, besides Joe White's incomprehensible impatience.
From the corner of the hallway suddenly appears Parker, the French Man smiles at him. Joe turns to see, he recognizes Parker, he's surprised; just for a brief moment, Joe forgets that he is in his avatar, Parker will not recognize him, Joe smiles at him and says: "Parker ! wow, look at you !". Obviously, Parker reacts in confusion since he does not recognize him, although he seems to have a strong resemblance with someone he may know -The colonel-, but he just can pinpoint it, Parker says: "I'm sorry, you look familiar but I don't quite recall…?".
The French Man looks on; he is now more suspicious. Joe suddenly realizes Parker cannot possibly recognize him, he replies to Parker nervously: "I'm sorry!, you don't know me… but I've sure heard a lot about you! and I've seen you in so many pictures and movies from company events, I could recognize from a mile away -laughs-, I'm Joe White, I'm the CEO's assistant, we're here to sign the agreement, I take it you've known that he has been ill?".
Parker looks on in confusion, Joe continues: "his condition has severely worsen recently, he may not make it back home, so he wanted to come down here and at least get to see some of the work". Parker asks: "The CEO is here?, in the base?" Joe replies: "Yes". Parker now looks on to him with intrigue and confusion, since his "Colonel" eyes look quite familiar, Parker though can still not pinpoint it, it's been years since he last saw the Colonel. The French Man stands there still observant and weary.
The Russian arrives; he discretely informs the French Man that apparently the pilots of his vessels are skeptic of the planned journey, and that he must go talk to them personally. The French Man tells Joe: "Monsieur White, I have to personally attend some of the crew's immediate needs, if you like you can wait for me here while we prepare your ship?". Joe replies; "No, I better head back to my shuttle now, I kind of lost my way, perhaps Parker can escort me". The French Man replies: "Actually, Monsieur Parker and I have some business to discuss" Joe looks on suspicious as the French Man says: " We are still sorting out the details of where our tee shot event will be, right Monsieur Parker -gives him a fake smile and eye wink-?". Parker barely smiles at him but perceives the French Man wants to talk to him about something other than golf. The French Man then says: "Perhaps our "Doctor" can escort you?". Joe replies while looking at the Russian with some hate and disgust: "No, that's okay; I'll just follow the signs".
