Three weeks later... July 1860
Werner Maxwell stepped out of the carriage, letting his dusty boots touch the earth's dusty surface. The coach driver leaped off his seat, instantly setting to the bags and luggage strapped to the top of the coach. Duran stepped out of the carriage after Werner, shading his eyes with an elegant yet simple black hat he had purchased. It was July, and the summer heat lingered about on the grassy knoll that they had stopped by. A cluster of trees shaded crests of hills every here and there, and the cicadas hum kept a natural music to the air. However, this summer meadow was home to an incredibly large complex; groups of buildings clustered together, such as a university campus would be. Werner adjusted the brim of his hat so that the sun would not shine in his brown eyes.
"Is this it?" Werner asked his friend, Duran, who was helping the coach driver with their things.
Duran looked up from a large pack at the rust colored campus. "Aye. This is our new home. Leyline Observatory..."
"Huh..." Werner looked at the campus. "Kind of out of the way, wouldn't you think?"
"There's a reason for that my friend..." Duran chuckled. "I'll explain it to you on the way in..."
** *
Two security officers nodded and pulled a lever in their little booth, allowing the chain link gate to slide open for the two men and their luggage. Duran smiled and waved as they entered. The ground was hard and unnatural, obviously cement. The large buildings sat in a grid fashion, all surrounding a rather large building in the middle. They were all the color of rust, and numbered with large white numbers. Mean and women walked about (Werner had presumed them to be scientists) happily as they conversed with one another. Large, pack animals were pulling carts of equipment from one building to another. Werner simply stopped to allow it all in. Duran, who was ahead, stopped and turned to face his partner.
"Impressed, Werner?" Duran chuckled.
"Quite..." Werner replied as he watched the pack animals pull the cart. They weren't oxen or cattle or even horses for that matter. They were a strange muscular beast that resembled the Horned Monsters in the Grand Canyon near his home in Boot Hill. The large, bipedal reptiles had to weigh at least two tons, and they carried about on them two enormous horns jutting from where their shoulders would be. Their blue skin covered a large, carnivorous head that let out deep grunts as they pulled with all their might.
"Cannon buffalo." Duran was reading Werners mind. "They import them from the Sunset Frontier. They make great experiments, as well as pack animals."
"Well, this place... it seems to have a university feel to it..." Werner commented.
"Excuse me sirs, but could we hurry up with you luggage?" The coach driver requested.
"Ah, yes." Duran answered.
** *
The luggage was set down in a room and the coach driver was given his fee. Smiling, the coach left, leaving the two gentlemen on their way. Duran felt it was probably best to announce their arrival before settling in, and Werner thought that as well. The hallway was lit with fluorescent lighting, adding to the observatory's technological prowess. Though the walls were of the same rust covered metal caliber as the exterior; there was a homely feeling about it. The hallway seemed to stretch for a long ways, allotting doors on the right and left. Werner looked about at the many people they were, passing as Duran led.
"This is all government owned, right?" Werner asked. It was a fair assumption. After all, the government was the one who had summoned the Council of Seven into being.
"Not exactly, Werner." Duran replied. "Before the Slayheim Civil War, this establishment was privately owned and operated. However, when the war had started twenty years ago, The Filgaian Government thought that this place was secretly providing the Arizonian movement with arms and advanced technology..."
"So the Government shut it down?" Werner asked.
"Nah, Leyline provides too many useful resources for the filgaian Government to shut down. So after the war ended, the Government was quick to try and nationalize Leyline. However, keeping the laboratory up and running was more difficult than imagined, so after about eight years, the government was about to give up. That's when Saint Industries stepped in..."
"Saint Industries? You mean the river boat manufacturing monopoly?"
"And the current arms developer for the Filgaian army. Saint Industries saw that Leyline was about to go under due to financial costs..."
"Because the Government was spending all of it's money trying to restore the State of Slayheim..."
"And decided they would help pay for the costs if they had a say in the projects that Leyline undertook."
"Huh, so Leyline may be owned by the government at first glance, but in reality it's owned by Saint Industries..." Werner concluded.
"It's not just Saint. Several smaller corporations have jumped on board as well. Today, the Government only provides about 13% of the finance."
The two finally reached a door at the end of the hall. Duran took a card from his coat pocket and swiped it through a reader. The door opened slowly, allowing the two passage. Werner and Maxwell stepped into a voyeur, where a secretary was sitting behind a desk, typing on a typewriter. She turned to the two scientists and smiled. "How may I help you sirs?"
"I am Dr. Duran Feld and this is Mr. Werner Maxwell." Duran introduced his friend and himself. Werner tipped his broad cap to the girl. "We were told to meet with the Leyline committee when we arrived."
"Ah..." The secretary ruffled through several papers before finding a certain one. "Here you are on the schedule. I'm sorry, but the committee is currently in a meeting. It will be over shortly, so you can wait right here."
"Thank you ma'am." Werner responded as the two took their seats. The sat down on a leather padded bench, under several black and white photographs which one would guess were the committee members. Werner looked over to Duran. "So, what is the Leyline Committee?"
Duran craned his neck so that he could make out the photographs behind him. Werner made suit. "The Leyline Committee are several people that head the Leyline Observatory. It's made mostly of corporate heads and things of that nature. Professor Berlitz is the only government official on the committee, so you can tell that's chiefly corporate in nature." Duran pointed to a photograph of an elegant middle aged woman with tied back dark hair and bright skin. "That is Anastasia Saint, the chief director of the Committee."
"Anastasia Saint, you mean the famous war hero from the Slayheim Revolution?" Werner pondered.
"The very same. When her father died, she took over Saint Industries and runs it the same way she ran her battalion: mercilessly. She's pretty much our boss until we leave Leyline."
Suddenly, a door opened and several men in business suits exited. Duran and Werner waited silently as the noisy train had left the room all together. Once they all had left, the secretary smiled towards the gentlemen. "The committee will see you now."
** *
It was a long, rectangular room, lined with bookshelves on two of the four walls. One wall was made into a chalkboard, as the other was windows, allowing sunlight to stream into the room. In the center of the room was a long table, in which were seated twelve men and only one woman. Several chairs were still empty, which Werner hoped were for people visiting, and not more men with more power than themselves. The men (all dressed in elegant charcoal black suits with monocles, tailcoats, and an array of mustaches) had a dignified look upon their faces as they waited for the two scientists to sit. Werner took his large hat off and sat his coat on the chair behind him. He was wearing a white button up collar shirt, which was tucked neatly into his khakis and suspender straps. He coughed as Duran was wearing a simplified version of what everyone else was wearing. At the head of the table was Ms. Anastasia Saint, dressed in a flowing dress of exquisite material and fashion. Her hair was dark and tied (just as in the photograph) and her skin was light, indicating a life of leisure. She seemed to be frowning, as all business type folk did when their precious time was being used.
"Dr. Feld and Mr. Maxwell, I presume?" Anastasia asked, her voice showing no emotion at all.
"We are they, Ms. Saint." Werner replied as Duran looked around the board. Berlitz was not to be seen.
A servant walked in, carrying a large dish, which several glasses of wine were held. The men took their glasses eagerly, taking a sip as Ms. Anastasia cleared her throat. "So you are the Council of Seven, is that correct?"
"Well, not just us, but essentially yes." Duran replied.
"Well let's get one thing straight. There's no need for formalities, for I have both of your records on file and have already taken the liberty of looking through them. President Grant may have summoned the Council of Seven along with the House of Representatives and the Senate, but your operation has been moved to this establishment until a further date. This means that you and you operations are under the board's jurisdiction. If your research is providing little results with a large amount of spending, then we'll pull the plug. There's no need in wasting money, is there?" Anastasia smiled.
The other businessmen nodded in approval as Werner and Duran swallowed. Werner had found that he didn't like the Leyline Committee. Not at all.
Duran finally decided to speak. "As for deciding who will be appointed to department heads of the Council of Seven, will your board be seeking to approve potential candidates?"
There instantly was a murmur among the board members. Several were shouting that they indeed should, as the board should approve all affairs under Leyline. However, there were those who thought that by getting too involved with the Council would lead with tensions with the government. Werner watched the debate. He had seen arguments in his time, but none so important as this one. If the board sought sovereignty over the Council, then many candidates might be flushed out due to something that had nothing to do with their scientific merits, such as race, gender, or academic prowess. The door opened as Professor Berlitz Lee stumbled in, papers in hands. Duran was very much relieved.
Anastasia knocked the table hard with a gavel, which instantly shut the men up. Her dark blue eyes ran to Berlitz, who sat himself down near Duran. "Glad you could join us, Professor Lee."
"I'm terribly sorry ma'am." Berlitz apologized at once. Werner noted this as well; even government officials held high regard for the President of Saint Industries.
"Hmmm. It is best for our corporations if we have approval over Council nominees. An unsatisfactory department head would cost the companies and share holders involved in this project too much money." Anastasia ruled.
"Hold one minute, Ms. Saint!" Berlitz spoke up. He held out a paper and showcased it before the boards faces. "No where in the contract does it say that the Leyline Committee has that kind of jurisdiction. Approval of Council members is reserved to the Senate."
"Need I remind you, Prof. Lee, that Project: Yggdrassil has an estimated cost of well over 4.6 trillion Gella, of which 56% is being paid by the corporations representing the Leyline Committee?" Anastasia raised an eyebrow.
"Are you deciding against the contract?" Berlitz was shocked.
"If we pull out of this deal, the Filgaian government is left with an enormous bill to pay by themselves. I am quite sure that a tax hike to pay it off would not be appreciated by the masses." Anastasia rested her fingers on the table. "And the same would appeal to an attempt to nationalize this committee."
Berlitz sighed and placed the paper down. She was quite right. There would be no way that the government could pay for such a project by itself. Yggdrassil is supposed to save the dying world, but yet these corporations still seek only profit.
"Well, onto department issues. How much space do you think the Council project will require on campus?" A businessman in a large handlebar mustache asked.
Berlitz looked to Duran, who nodded. Duran looked straight to the board director. "At least seven class AA laboratories and housing for some 210 people."
"Two hundred and ten people?" Anastasia repeated.
"Thirty people for each department…" Berlitz spoke.
"Thirty people does sound reasonable…" A businessman in a fancy monocle added.
"And most personnel will come from campus anyway, therefore housing on the majority is all ready provided." Another board member stated.
"Well then, I suppose then that your number of employees sounds sufficient. However, in order to provide you with your request for laboratory usage, we would have to build another class AA laboratory." Anastasia replied.
"Six will do." Werner finally got in to the conversation. "My department can handle any laboratory environment."
"Any laboratory environment?" Anastasia seemed quite pleased.
"Hahaha! We can provide a tool shed for you then!" A board member laughed. A wave of laughter instantly set through the table.
Duran leaned closer to Werner and whispered. "Are you sure of that, Werner?"
"I've been working out of my office for the last six years, Duran. I don't need the best of the best." Werner replied.
Anastasia tapped her gavel thrice more, awaiting silence. She looked to Werner, a smile creeping along her face. "Six AA class laboratories and one C class laboratory it is. Any other questions?" There was silence. Anastasia smiled and tapped her gavel. "Then this meeting is adjourned."
** *
As all of the businessmen board members and scientists emptied the room, Berlitz caught up to Duran and Werner as they walked a hall, drifting off from the busy business types. Berlitz rubbed the back of his neck as Werner placed his rawhide leather coat upon his shoulders.
"Ah, I am quite sorry for appearing late. Who knows what hell you two were exposed to…" Berlitz sighed.
"I had no idea saving the world would be so complicated." Werner said.
"Trust me, it could be worse." Duran chuckled. "In fact it will. Once we pick our candidates, we'll have to defend them in every way, shape, and form from the committee, the government, and the public."
"The public?" Werner questioned.
"There will be a protest party for about everything. Women's groups, animal rights activists, republicans, everything…" Berlitz filled him in.
"Sounds like lot of fun." Werner sighed. "Just how do we go about getting candidates any how?"
"Well…" Duran reached into his pack of papers. "We have resumes of over seventy applicable nominees. Your just going to have to choose them."
"Me?" Werner was surprised.
"You were always better with people then I was, Werner, lets be honest." Duran laughed.
"Well, I got you there…" Werner smiled. "Can I see those?"
"Already?" Duran asked as he handed the papers over to Werner. "Don't you want to at least get setteled in first?"
"The sooner the better, as they say…" Werner said as he opened a manila folder.
"There's a catch on that as well…" Berlitz spoke. "You must have at least one member who's a chief specialist here at Leyline…"
"Great…" Duran sighed. "Just how many limitations are there?"
"No idea Duran, but we're gonna get around them all right!" Werner looked up and grinned.
"I hope you do Maxwell… I hope you do…" Berlitz patted the taller man on the shoulder as they walked down the rusty hallway…