"You can't be serious!?" The old man shouted in alarm. Standing from his chair in the conference room and glaring over her proposition illuminated brightly over the Ultra Depth Projected Screen lightly tacked to the back wall.
"Ahem," She cleared her throat adjusting her tie while really elegantly swinging her pointer at the UDP, the screen creating a quick 3D schematic in thin air just at the tip of her pointer. "The turbine alone cost around $50,000 even despite its outdated model and I've gotten several offers for the microprocessor containing the AI. Let's just say —" She gave the crowd a wide smile. "The offer is astronomical and I can't share with all of you the price tag yet. — Not to mention the advancements we'd reach if we uncover the Knight compound and complete our end of the bargain with the government in the next 5 months. There will be more money flowing through Knight Industries than even back in its hay day." The woman beamed running her smooth long elegant deep purple nails over the refined wood of the conference table.
The audience applauded except for one very unconvinced professor who was tapping his silver fingers over the table, the servos in his arm whining as he repeated the gesture over and over again.
"I don't think that's fair." The old man grumbled over the subsiding clapping of the rest of the board. Eyes all pinning him promptly as he curled his metallic fist trying to make a point.
"It's not about being fair but taking advantage of the opportunity presented to us. The recovery of the Knight Industries Two Thousand is a prime example of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If we play our cards right — It'll boost us past the competition and we'll have a chance at Leon - 0850. All the other major technology companies have done a minimum of one trip to the asteroid and have mined half a million worth of alloy and resources. If we are able to recover the Knight Compound and create a fairly effective procedure of extraction the government will employ us as their main resource collaborators on the asteroid. We'll have a complex hold in the market, not to mention an extensive spread of our name." The woman pointed over the UDP screen as it quickly reconstructed an asteroid and placed powerful mining rigs that were "digging up" the asteroid in an effort for the audience to take a peek at the prototype still under development. They were extremely impressed, except for —
" — But you haven't thought over the possibility of being unable to deliver the knight Compound!" The old man piped up, standing from his seat once more trying to reason with the board.
"There is no reason to believe it isn't unrecoverable. Besides, the tech team has devised an elaborate plan to recover the formula from the AI's memories be it necessary…"
He clenched his jaw, spreading his silver fingers over the smooth of the table. He greatly despised where this was going. The woman had no idea what they had on their hands — a relic with their history. Giving it away like a worn pair of shoes was unthinkable! The 2000 had been born here and giving away their technology would only produce later headaches he figured a newer generation of the Knight Industries would have to endure. Hadn't they endured enough already? They hadn't been able to strike a good contract with anyone in the last decades…let alone in the last months and several of their projects had been pirated out of the labs and or patented by someone else. Sure they were in a tight fix but the last thing they could resort to was selling off the 2000 like spare parts only to have to beg for them several years later when the going got even rougher.
"I don't like this idea." He sighed, closing his eyes and hoping someone else on the board would agree with him. It only took a party of two to make the group have to reconsider and he really wanted to preserve their heritage — The 2000 was the last left of its breed…the last untouched memento they had of better days…a pilot project that hadn't been renewed.
"What are our alternatives?"
He opened his eyes and glanced across the table.
The woman by name of Margaret grinned back at him. The twinkle in her eyes reminded him of why she'd been selected to join the board in the first place. So lively, so generous and always trying to find the best bargain — he only hoped she could do so now.
Ellena Knight leaned against the back wall, shaking her head.
"Margaret, I find it hard to believe that you would side with professor Archer with nothing in return." She harshly accused with all eyes on her.
The rest of the board furrowed their brows.
"Now hold on a second…" Professor Archer snapped back.
"With all due respect, I did NOT converse with Professor Archer prior to this conference as you're convinced to believe." Margaret fought back, keeping her eyes trained on Professor Archer and never once turning to face Ellena Knight angrily glaring at her now. "However, I also believe that the Knight 2000 can continue to be preserved as it is our inheritance and if I do say so myself; you're great grandfather's legacy." Margaret snapped her gaze from Archer and to Miss Knight in a heartbeat, who found an interesting spot on the floor to gaze at for a moment.
"I have an alternative." A man by the name of Walter piped up from his seat, gingerly raising his hand respectfully. He'd never liked conferences much less to speak at them but the topic was hot and he couldn't help but personally contribute his grain of sand.
"Well! Let's hear it!" Professor Archer stood excitingly from his seat!
Walter cleared his throat, giving Miss Knight a quick side glance.
"I think recovering the Knight compound is wise —"
"Oh, brother! You're siding with her –!?"
"Let me finish!" Walter hollered rolling his eyes.
Professor Archer gulped sinking back in his seat and running his hands over his temples. The little hair left on his bald head getting tangled over the exposed wiring in his mechanical hand.
"Nonetheless, the 2000 should stay together and here in its home. I propose we —"
"The only option for the car is incarceration." Miss knight hissed, pinning Margaret and Archer. Though she frankly had always favored Walter as one of the more reasonable members on the board she couldn't see why he was siding with the wimps.
"I oppose that!" Archer leaped from his seat under the amused eyes of everyone.
"Then what do you suggest?" Miss Knight sighed, growing tired of this predicament.
"We can always deploy the 2000 back into action! Course we'd have to retrofit it but it could work!" Archer elaborated, just about to pull out his projecting pen when Margaret stepped forth to the front of the conference room prompting Archer to take a humble seat.
"I think it would be wiser of us to take this one step at a time. I too agree with Walter and Miss Knight; the Knight compound is our priority. However, the 2000 should stay in one piece and not be distributed to any buyers until we've solidified our bargain with the government and other affiliated agencies. Until then the Knight 2000 is to stay here, at our inconspicuous site Knight Laboratories under lock and key. I promote me and Archer as administrator over the custody of the Knight Industries 2000 — "
"I'd like to assign Walter Headstone as well." Miss Knight proposed with a bright grin of hers. "As well as John Shackle and Emily Everette."
Archer raised a brow, while a hushed murmur spread through the conference room like wildfire.
"Any other propositions?" Miss Knight asked, taking a seat herself at the head of the table with satisfaction.
Archer gulped raising his hand.
Miss Knight clenched her jaw.
"Yes?"
"What if the Knight Compound can't be recovered?"
The woman clasped her hands together, the conference room going instantly silent.
"It's best if we don't get ahead of ourselves…"
