Baker was a high ranking executive in Biotechnica. He used to be a biochemist in charge of the Night City Department, and rose his rank until he ran the whole division.
And he was damn proud of it too. Sabotaged a lot of his 'once-were' colleagues to get the position.
"We've arrived at our destination, sir." Baker heard his Aerodyne driver announce. Baker smiled as he placed his empty glass down in its place.
The door opened as he looked to the entrance to the Konpeki Plaza. Shining with neon lights and ambient illumination in all its glory.
The largest, most exclusive hotel of Night City.
Reserved only for people like him.
Baker fixed his tie as he felt rain hit the edge of his cheek.
He shivered, both at the cold and at the sudden fear that rushed down his spine.
Ever since those Boogeymen showed up in the city, rearing their grotesque metallic skulls out from the shadows, rain never felt the same for anyone in power.
Because being in power meant you stepped over a lot of people. Records, that while you could erase off of computers, you could never erase from the hearts of the people.
And if those people had enough eddies…
Baker cleared his throat as he first let his bodyguards exit out the vehicle.
Don't think too deeply into it. It's just rain. It's just a short distance.
There's no way they'd… you know. Come for him tonight.
… Right? Right?
Rain started to pour down heavier than before. What was a trickle was slowly becoming a downpour.
Baker didn't like that. No one, liked that. In fact, they hated it. Hated it so much that they decided to make a saying.
When it rains, fear the shadows.
Baker could feel himself, and see his bodyguards actively avoiding the shadows cast buildings and bushes like they were some children playing games.
That's when it happened - Baker was suddenly pulled up from the ground, sent flying up the motel wall.
Baker screamed, it happened in such a flash that not even his Bodyguards could react.
Hell, it took them a whole minute before they realised their priority had disappeared into the thin night air.
The rain hid his fading scream well.
Baker found himself dangling upside down, something grabbing his leg.
He looked up, and saw the eyeless skull staring down at him.
His ankle in the iron grip of the…
Of the…
"… Oh god…"
Of the fucking Baba Yaga.
The Baba Yaga tilted his head slightly, like he was observing Baker.
Then…
Then the Baba Yaga let Baker go.
Baker felt gravity pull him down,
He screamed again.
He screamed as he felt himself fall, until something pulled his leg again.
He stopped just in front of a window of an empty hotel room, dark.
Then he felt himself pulled back up to the top of the building.
The Baba Yaga gripped his ankle once more, eyeing him again.
"What… What the fuck do you want!"
Baker mustered out in some… pitiful act of defiance.
The Baba Yaga didn't answer. It just let him go, let him fall again.
… And let him fall just a bit more than last time before it stopped his fall.
He was looking looking at the window of a lower floor, this time occupied.
Two Corpo couples making love. He wanted to shout at them for help. A futile attempt. They were… preoccupied.
And the Baba Yaga dragged him back up before he could open his mouth.
He fell down several times, at different intervals. Each fall stopping lower than before.
A total of 6 times was he dropped, each time the ground was closer to his face before he was pulled back up.
Baker was left a blubbering mess. The rain hid and washed his tears and piss away.
There was the wires of the grappling hook snaking across his ankle. He only realised that now when the Baba Yaga decided to give him enough time to properly realise the situation.
"BILL BAKER."
The Baba Yaga finally spoke.
Oh god. Baker sobbed. The voice was horrifyingly distorted.
"That- That's me…"
"WHERE ARE THE OTHER EXECUTIVES?"
"Wha-What…?"
"WHERE ARE THE OTHER BIOTECHNICA EXECUTIVES?"
Baker wasn't allowed to answer yet as he was dropped for the 7th time.
This time he saw the cracks in the floor. That's how close this motherfucker let him fall.
Oh shit, Oh fuck.
The Baba Yaga was crazy.
"WHERE ARE THEY?"
"We- We were told to meet on the the 17th floor! Room 1734!"
"WHY?"
"Bo-Board meeting! We had… We had a Board Meeting!"
"INFORMATION."
Baker quickly ejected the shard out of his neck and presented it to the boogeyman.
The Baba Yaga took it, eyed it curiously, before turning to face the Executive once more.
"IS THIS REAL?"
"… Wh-What?"
"IS THIS THE REAL SHARD? NO TRAPS?"
"….I…."
Agent Locust let the wire fall once more, causing the Biotechnica executive to fall down to the building at frightening speed.
He screamed. He screamed his synth lungs out as much as he could.
He was stopped just as his nose touched the floor, before being pulled back up just as quickly.
"IS. THIS. THE. ACTUAL. SHARD."
The Biotechnica executive's breath was already coming out quick, but at this point in time it was much, much quicker.
"Yes! Yes! It's the real deal! It's the real deal!"
"ARE YOU SURE?"
"Yes! Yes! I swear to god it-"
"SWEAR TO ME!"
The Biotechnica executive screamed.
"Yes! I swear to you it's the real deal! It's got all the info about our-"
And he fell again. Just like that.
He screamed again.
He screamed as he saw that the wires weren't pull him back to stop his fall.
He was going to die.
He was going to die this time, for he no longer had any uses.
He clenched his eyes shut as he felt impeding dread of impact.
But inertia never came, he was stopped just as his head was about to hit the floor.
He slowly opened his eyes, seeing face to face with the puddle of rain water formed on the ground.
And the grappling wire let him go.
He hit his head and shoulders as he rolled on the floor, groaning.
… He was alive. Pissed his pants, sure. Soaked with rain, of course.
But he was alive.
Then another Baba Yaga, with a round helmet and giant stature, appeared at the edge of his eyes.
The bodyguards supposed to guard him were lying on the floor, unconscious.
"… He-HEEELP!"
That was all Baker to scream out as the giant hand grabbed his face and silenced him, dragging him into the shadows.
Agent Locust saw everything from the top of the hotel.
Noble 6 and Agent Leon was appearing from the dark, ready to move with Baba Yaga Leader.
"Fireteam Baba Yaga, going dark."
-oOo-
[This is WNS World News. Just a night ago, Several board of directors of Biotechnica was meant to hold a meeting in Konpeki Plaza. Known for housing majority of majority of entertainment icons and world's elite, as well as top-level managers, many who visited held the hotel in high regard for it's tight security.
Not until tonight, when those very board of directors disappeared in thin air. No traces of them or their bodyguard to be found.
Many guests have been unsettled, but probably not as unsettled as Biotechnica's very own CEO. As many of the board of directors were founding members or previous CEOs to the company.]
Genjiro saw one of the former Biotechnica scientists chuckle at the news.
While Biotechnica just saw a sizeable amount of their decision making assets get dragged into the shadows, Reds and Blues were onto finalising few of the products, and have Genjiro send them onto the market.
Perfect timing too. Genjiro suspected that this had to be the Cell's work. Did he exactly know how? No.
Then again, it might just have been another Megacorp sabotaging Biotechnica.
Either way, it was a chance for them to creep in and take the space that Biotechnica was force to empty at such a heavy loss.
Genjiro stood next to Cell as they looked on at the small growth plant.
Water bodies, filled with algae. Special algae, as Genjiro was noted by the scientists that watched these green slimes grow in awe.
"What was the four highest priority for Biotechnica again?" Cell asked Genjiro without turning around.
"… Medications, Bioterrorism, Food and Crops, and CHOOH2 wheat, sir."
Cell nodded his head.
"We're finished with medications and food. Contact companies that are under the Biotechnica's leash and present them with better alternatives. I've heard the news as well, the ones that disappeared can't be so easily replaced- even if they promote people into the empty seats, the info that those Boards had are near-irreplaceable. Headless chickens, for the next year or so. We replace them here and replace them now- and they don't have enough time to stop us."
"Yes, sir."
"… Oh, and I need you to find a way for us to buy the full rights of Laguna Bend and parts of the ocean of Night City. Can we… is that even possible?"
"With enough money and some persuasion, sir."
"Perfect. Tell me what I can do to help. We really need it."
Genjiro smiled.
"Of course, sir."
Buying lands? Genjiro did it enough times for Arasaka.
It really wasn't a problem.
"… By the way, sir. May I ask… what are these algaes for? Are they… food?"
"Hmm? No, not really. I mean, you could probably eat them. But they're more important due to being able to produce fuel."
"… Oh, Ooh…"
"Yeah, just grow them in water and they'll automatically start producing fuel. Just… filter and collect them, takes up less space than wheat, produces twice the amount. Not to mention the fuel itself is way more efficient than CHOOH2."
Genjiro blankly stared at the tubs lining the floors. Each one glowing faintly for photosynthesis.
Genjiro could only laugh.
"This, Genjiro, is what I consider the Coup de grace."
Oh boy, Genjiro thought.
Biotechnica really stood out at the wrong time.
-oOo-
Sasha looked at the bottle in her hand.
A new brand of medication, released by the up and rising Megacorp 'Reds and Blues'.
… yay…
Sasha rolled it in her hands.
She didn't need the medication. Nor did her sister.
Yet she still bought it.
"Hey," Stella, Sasha's older sister, placed a hand on Sasha's shoulder. "You ok?"
"Yeah… yeah…"
The day after a night of rain was always sunny.
And the rain water left behind always made sure to bounce the light and make everything sparkle.
Sasha knew that Stella herself trying to keep herself in check.
They were…
They were in front of their mother's grave.
Sasha put the bottle in front of Galina Valieva's tombstone.
[Securi-fuck off, medication for neurodegenration]
What a name, Stella and Sasha thought. Stella had a different bottle in her hand, and placed it next to Securi-fuck off.
[Securi-get fucked, Pain Killer]
Never in their dreams would the sisters know that the product name was created by none other than Cell, the CEO and founder of Reds and Blues himself.
Sasha looked at the label and laughed.
She laughed until there was tears in her eyes and her nose was blocked.
Stella could only rub her sister's back in comfort.
They wanted to say something to their mother's ashes.
To say… hey mom, we did it.
Biotechnica's stocks were sent plummeting after the several heads of the Megacorps were cut off.
And all their medications were slowly being replaced, one by one, by products that were better and cheaper.
Hell, they even managed to make profit off of releasing information about the side effects of Biotechnica's staple products, and then selling medications to relieve or treat them.
Biotechnica was slowly losing strength.
Those bastards were losing their seat.
But Sasha and Stella, for just that moment, didn't know how to speak properly.
-oOo-
The past few weeks were going in a flash for Genjiro.
More and more Megacorp executives were disappearing off the face of the Earth. And for a moment Genjiro himself was frightened as well.
But then he saw them, The Baba Yagas personally dropping shards and info off to Cell.
Everyone that knew the news around Night City was scared, and then was left shocked and flabbergasted when they found out the Baba Yagas - the fuckin Boogeymen of the town, were Spartans.
Which meant they were part of the Reds and Blues.
No one in Reds and Blues had anything to fear.
"So… so you're telling me, that you guys are willing to send us… actual- actual crops and natural meat at…" The company heads Genjiro managed to strike a meeting with skimmed over the contract once more. Twice more, before looking back at Genjiro in disbelief. "… at such a… such a low price?"
It was a giant table in the [HIGHCOM Facility DRAUGR-1], where several CEOs of Food Distribution Companies were seated.
All of them were dealing with heavy cut in products Biotechnica had supplied. They were current trying to… adapt and readjust managements. Which meant that some products weren't produced as well as they once were when the Board still had it's people.
And while they were desperate to keep their company afloat, they were still sceptical with Reds and Blues' offer.
I mean, sure. The company made very good cars that were the talk of the Earth right now.
But they were 'cars', not… 'porkchops' and 'potatoes' and 'beef steak'.
Then… then they tasted what the cafeteria was feeding the soldiers and workers.
It wasn't anything special to the Reds and Blues. They ate this everyday. They got used to this.
To the CEOs?
They never tasted meat and vegetables like this before. Lack of those sour and foul aftertaste of chemicals and hormones that lingered if you didn't sauce the ingredients liberally.
Lack of those slightly abnormal and stringy parts.
These were… in their own terms, 'clean'. Cleaner than whatever Biotechnica had been offering.
At a much, much cheaper price.
No, that couldn't be it. This couldn't be true.
There had to be strings attached, some sort of… political trick and trap they were falling into.
They had to be, it had to be!
"The meat are not natural, but… they are indeed chemical free. The vegetables are indeed grown all natural. You may not believe our offer, but it is true. We also do not intend on increasing our prices more than double the original offer, ever in our time of contract."
The CEO of All Foods, a 40-year old mexican woman with dyed blonde hair that thanks to her wealth and connections managed to get enough healthcare to make herself still look in her 20s, read the contract again, and again. Trying to find any sort of fine prints that would fuck her and her company over.
"… I…" She spoke first. "I want to see how these products are made."
Genjiro raised his eyebrow.
"I want to know exactly how these products are made, before I sign any of this."
The other CEOs looked to the woman, half nervous and half emboldened by her reasoning. Pretty soon they were all agreeing with her, nodding their heads.
"… One moment." Genjiro touched his ear comm, and on instinct stood up from his table and bowed.
Of course Cell couldn't see it, but what would Genjiro be to his knew Boss if he wasn't respectful even if Cell didn't see him?
"Yes, sir. The CEOs would like to see… yes, sir. Are you sure, sir? I… no, I don't mean… oh, oh you were joking. Apologies. Yes, of course. I shall tell them that."
Genjiro ended the call, and looked to his would be partners.
"We can agree to your request, on one conditions." The door to the meeting room opened as employees walked in with a small tag.
"We'll be disabling any sort of optics or recording devices. You can see, but it is only with your optics and memories only. No shards, no cameras. No recordings. Do you accept?"
"… Yes." One of the CEO said.
The rest relented. They had no choice.
"Good. Now, follow me."
Oh, oh how shocked they were when they walked past the cafeteria saw all the affiliates of Reds and Blues eat the same meal that they had just eaten in the office.
The same plate, the same food.
Same quality, same amount.
They thought the new Megacorps had presented something very special, just for them.
No, they just decided to serve the same meal everyone was given by the chefs.
They also saw the burly Spartans walk past, one of them (whom Genjiro called Caboose) cheerfully greet the high-standing members and just babble on about… 'cotton candies' and 'soda pops'.
The All Food CEO looked particularly unnerved by how child-like the armoured titan was, as Genjiro gleefully engaged in a short conversation with Spartan Caboose, until Spartan Simmons dragged him somewhere else.
'But they haven't heard about my dream about flying puppies!' Was all they heard in the fading distance.
Genjiro continued the tour, reaching the vast greenhouse where the Megacorp heads were bombared with… with…
Towers of dirt and soil, filled with lushous green leaves and oranges and reds fruits. Ready to harvest.
Vertical Farming, machines automated to harvest the crops and place them in baskets moved by conveyor belts.
Genjiro picked up a tomato and took a bite out of it.
"You can all take one and try for yourself."
And they all did just that.
And god, the flavour. The flavour.
The juice and skin, clean and refreshing.
In all their lives, they never tasted tomato like this before.
And if they could taste Tomato grown before the drought, then they assumed it tasted like this.
The All Food CEO didn't realise there was juice dribbling down her chin, spilt the very moment she sank her teeth into the fruit, expecting it to be as dry as the GMO.
"… You-you can't…" Head of the Akaromi BioCorp muttered as he took one more bite into the tomato and started to wander around the greenhouse like a kid placed in a chocolate factory.
To the head of one of the greatest suppliers of food? This place might as well have been.
One of the farmers taking care of the farm walked up to him laughing, holding a carrot that was just washed off with clean water.
Akaromi BioCorp CEO took a timid bite out of it. And he swore he could feel the bright orange spread inside his stomach with warmth.
"The price for the contract did not change." Genjiro spoke. "As per the contract, we just want to have control over the production and growth. Of course, the product produced by the greenhouse built in your area will all be yours."
In other words, the food companies would just let Reds and Blues use the Megacorps' land to grow food for them, at the low price confirmed several times to be 'real and final'.
"… I'll sign it." The All Food CEO answered first. Headstrong business woman, knew the deal was a once-in-a-lifetime chance that could never come back. "We can negotiate which lands you can built the greenhouse in, but first I want to finalise the contract."
"A-Akraomi Biocorp will sign it too! Th-The Reds and Blues can also grow rice, yes? I'll pay double if you can grow rice!"
Pretty soon, the greenhouse was drowned with loud demands and further attempts of negotiation.
Genjiro could only chuckle. He hadn't even shown the pork and beef farm and they were already convinced.
With how high the quality of meat they tasted, they didn't believe Genjiro's words about Meat products being GMO.
Until they saw the artificial wombs and cloning process.
No chemicals, sure. But… they were genetically modified.
Albeit as naturally as possible.
"GMO products, but they cannot be differentiated with naturally harvested meat. Perhaps better, by your reactions."
'… A super fake', someone muttered.
Then they saw on the other side of the glass wall, the CEO of Reds and Blues.
The one that refused to meet the others in person, and would rather let his subordinate take his place in negotiating deals.
Everyone was at least slightly insulted by the audacity when they first arrived here.
Now? They could… they could take that audacity with stride if it meant they could have a hand in this Company's product.
They saw as the hulking man with 4 spectral nodes glowing red carefully groomed the back of a cow. The healthiest looking one of the lot, the cow was. Quietly grazing on grass and hay spread throughout.
"That would be Marble."
"… Marble?" One of the clients asked with curiousity.
"Yes, the very first cow we procured, that was the source of our GMO farm."
All the cows you see here, originate from her cell. Genjiro added.
They heard more - how Marble was just another cow fed with chemicals and hormones in a broken down farm in Night City, procured and slowly fed back to proper health.
"Her cells tell us she's 18 years old."
"That's… the cow should be dead by now!" All Foods CEO exclaimed.
"Normally, yes. If not the old age, then the amount of chemicals pumped into her. Healthy diet and care does wonders to an animal, as you can see here."
The CEOs watched as the once frail and disgustingly thin cow head with peace. Fattened up more than any cow they had seen. Grazing, flicking her tail as Spartan Cell quietly pet her.
Then two Spartans entered the cow farm, and promptly hooked their arms under Cells' armpit and promptly lifted him off the ground, dragging him out.
"NO! NO! I DON'T WANNA GO! NO, NO! NO I DON'T WANNA GN-AUGH!"
Marble mooed as her owner was forcefully dragged back off to work.
Those products needed finalising, Cell. You don't have time to run off into the farm.
Genjiro cleared his throat as his boss made a pitiful display while exiting stage left.
He finished the tour before finalising all contracts and negotiating demands.
Even as they were signing contracts, the clients were trying to one up another, stab each other in the back.
They asked if they could buy more products, buy the patent to specific fruits or vegetables.
Akaromi BioCorp tried to monopolise on the rice, only to get a glare from the All Foods.
The Mexican cuisine would also like those rices, preferably grown clean.
"We do also want any sort of advertisement of all food products made using our agriculture to be… properly screened by us before they are released to the media, as per our Contract."
Genjiro silently looked at All Foods. "We would not like our beef to have the slogan; 'So fresh it wriggles in your mouth' as a picture of a petri dish with mince turned into smiling worms is used like it is in EEZY BEEF."
All Foods CEO smiled. "Of course! We wouldn't think of doing that. We would like this product be our newest hit, you know. Wouldn't want to harm your image. And you know… if you're keen, Mister Genjiro. I could book a room in the finest Hotel in Mexico for us to discuss our contract further, privately… if you're keen."
Under-the-table proposition. By someone on the very top of the Megacorp food chain, no less.
Genjiro chuckled, turning the offer down as politely as he can.
"I'll think about that offer, but not now."
All Foods CEO just shrugged her shoulders.
All of them took their Aerodyne back, new products that could easily replaced the slowly crumbling kingdom of Biotechnica, and Reds and Blues a few rung higher on the influence ladder.
Genjiro looked at his datapad, contracts that more or less told them the major food companies were more than happy to jump ship.
Tomorrow, Genjiro needed to talk with both Petrochem and the Night City Government.
-oOo-
Lucious Rhyne and Lars Muhammed quietly waited for Reds and Blues' Aerodyne to arrive.
Konpeki Plaza wasn't quite the same after the Boogeymen struck, many guests checking out and never coming back again.
Baba Yaga had that sort of fear factor.
Petrochem wasn't… wasn't doing so well in the first place. The severe drought and famine meant that many of their products suffered record low yields. Among them being wheat that produced CHOOH2, soybean, and corn.
All 3 were primary components of CHOOH2. Their stocks plummetted 11% thanks to that.
The only reason why they were still alive was thanks to Petrochem still giving them their share of patented wheat.
The problem? New management was struggling, ended up making a weird decision where they took 20% that Petrochem had and shared it to another company.
Many of the Companies once partnered with Biotechnica were pulling away, stocks were dropping like flies. They needed their influence and power to stay
Petrochem was fuming at the decision, but Biotechnica threatened them into submission.
Be happy that we still gave you the largest share, they said to Lars.
Bullshit, Sovoil had 35%. Now those Commie fuckers were neck and neck with Petrochem.
"Uuuhh…. Sir?"
Lucious' secretary cautiously spoke,
And out the window they saw the biggest fucking jet plane hover down to the ground.
Missiles and machine guns installed, entire hull painted green.
A Pelican, UNSC would have named the vehicle. It was a Pelican.
They watched as it opened up to reveal Genjiro surrounded by 5 ODST and 2 Spartans.
Did he need that much protection? Not really.
But it was more about making a statement.
It took a while for Genjiro to knock on the door, the secretary of Lucious opening the door to let Reds and Blues' highest level executive enter in.
"Apologies, hope I did not make the two of you wait too long."
"… Not at all." Lars muttered.
"As I have wasted a lot of your time, I will just cut to the chase: Mayor Rhyne, Reds and Blues would like to officially buy the full rights of Laguna Bend, and additionally, the coastal area of Night City."
"… Excuse me?"
"We would like to purchase land, Mayor Rhyne. In the form of… oceans and lakes."
Rhyne blinked a few moments.
"We… we can give you the Laguna Bend at a reasonable price, sure. You guys already… kinda, cleaned up the place. I'm smart enough to know that if someone else took the right, then you guys will just stop with the purification process… and… well, yeah. It would be useless again then. But the Ocean?"
"I know that there are many AI-armed sea mines in the Ocean, heavily restricting which areas are available to us. We would like to change that, albeit have starting Ocean for our business."
Lars narrowed his eyes at Rhyne and Genjiro. If Genjiro wanted a fuckin' artificial lake and the ocean, then why would he asked to come here?
Genjiro assured Lars would be very interested in his offer. But here he was, sceptical about that.
"…" Rhyne placed his fingers on his chin.
"… Are you sure you can disarm and remove those mines from our Ocean?"
Genjiro smirked, before pulling a small casino-chip like device from his suit chest pocket and placing it down on the table.
And soon, a holographic image of Spartan Cell flashed into life.
"President Cell, sir."
"Awah- huh? Oh, Genjiro."
"How quickly can we remove the Sea mines from the Ocean?"
Rhyne heard Genjiro click his tongue.
"Shiiiit, if Rhyne gives me the right to the ocean I can send Fireteam Titan to our new land. Get it all cleaned of explosives by the end of tonight."
Rhyne opened his eyes and blinked.
"You better not be shitting me." Rhyne curtly announced.
"… Hey, Bill?" Cell shouted to someone outside the holographic imagery. "Get Fireteam Titan in here. Tell them Rhyne needs some persuasion."
A slight s0und of automatic door opening and closing was heard behind the footage. Then again after a moment of silence, as Spartan Cell tapped lightly on his foot.
6 burly spartans, heavily armoured, walked into the image and surrounded Spartan Cell.
Dull grey and bronze colouration, Two of them wore EOD, One wore a Rampart, another wore Rockeye, one on the far right wore Torchbearers, and the Leader in the middle wore a reinforced Notus armour.
Rhyne and Lars stayed silent at the display. Fireteam Titan, definitely looked like their name.
Rhyne whistled.
"Shit, I'm already convinced."
Travel fees for other Megacorps coming to Night City through the Ocean may be increased. Will they like it? Hell no.
But Rhyne would rather have more ocean available for them.
He was sure Militech and Arasaka would understand.
"And why am I here?" Lars interjected as Genjiro handed a contract form for Rhyne to sign, watching as the hulking figures left the the room the moment Cell saw that Rhyne was willing to sell them the portion of the Ocean and snapped his fingers.
"Because us purchasing land concerns your… problem at the moment." Genjiro answered.
Lars furrowed his brow.
"And how…?"
"We know you are having some problem with… CHOOH2 production."
Lars sneered.
"And? You've got a solution for us?"
Lars saw Genjiro smile.
"Of course, I can show you once Rhyne has finished with signing the contract…"
"Done, and dusted." Rhyne handed the datapad back with a smile. Genjiro nodded as he took it, switching the screen from a contract to a blue print… a concept, of a new fuel source.
Lars looked at it, and slowly, his brow straightened before his eyes widened.
"… Oh, Oh. Holy shit."
"Unlike the patented Wheat, this new fuel source does not require 3 different components, large lands, and significant time for harvest. Unlike the CHOOH2 wheat of Biotechnica, which once harvested needs to be regrown before it could be harvested again, all you need to do is simply pump filter out the fuel, keeping the Algae growing and producing more fuel. More efficient production, which can grow so long as there is a body of water. In fact, soil that crops cannot grow on and waste water that crops cannot drink- are all fine for the Algae. In fact, Waste water will make the Algae grow much faster. Send any fertiliser filled-water down to the Algae farm, and it will clean the water as it eats it up and spreads, while producing biofuel. Cultivation is much easier with algae than wheat."
"… But, Biotechnica would use-"
"Their signature artificial plague? You have no need to worry about that. We have tested the algae before hand, they are highly resistant. In fact, with the conjuncture of our own design they can use the toxin as nutrient. Biotechnica cannot harm our products."
Lars was scrolling through the blue prints, the sort of platform used for their growth and fuel production.
It was…
… It was so much more efficient.
"The fuel source, this… Plasmoil, is it… compatible with vehicles running on CHOOH2?"
"Of course, we have already tested it. It's cleaner fuel too. And most of all…"
Genjiro leaned in, almost whispering to Lars.
"SOVOIL will not have any share of it. I know Petrochem is not doing so well against their rival. Now is the time to permanently one up them, leave them in the dust with Plasmoil in your fuel tank."
Genjiro was a natural salesman, born into a Corpo family and trained under several years in Arasaka.
He knew which buttons to press to make these folks salivating at the product and sales.
Lars certainly was, licking at his dry lips.
"We can grow an entire starting batch at Laguna Bend and at the Ocean, ship them off to your areas and let them grow further there, patented exclusively for Reds and Blues… and Petrochem.
I will be honest with you, Lars. Biotechnica does not have much to live. It is a headless chicken, alive right now… but for how long, do you wonder? Will they recover from their losses? Or will they rot alive? They have already reduced your patent share from 60% to 40%. A poor decision from the surviving Board of Directors. Power hungry they are, they cannot make a good decision to successfully satisfy it."
Oh god, Genjiro was just a devil in a suit.
"We also sell our patent at a much cheaper price for you. We can also negotiate further contracts regarding food products if that is also your concern. I'm sure you have already heard about Megacorps like All Foods and Akaromi BioCorp striking a partnership with us. SCOP is going to tank hits in sales when their new products using our agriculture hits the market. It will tank further when we start culturing fishes in the Ocean too."
Lars' eyes shook.
He was tempted.
It was tempting.
What was stopping him? The life long partnership with Biotechnica? The leading product being for Petrochem being CHOOH2?
Get a hold of yourself, the corporate side of Lars spoke. The one that managed to make enough financial decisions to allow him to become the newest CEO.
Biotechnica betrayed us first - look at us, grovelling at a 40% like we're still benefiting from the partnership.
Now was the time to move on.
"Now is the time to have courage, jump ship and find a new product. We assure you, that unlike Biotechnica, our partnership will not be altered unless properly discussed and both parties are happy with the change in contract."
"…" Lars opened his mouth. "I'll take it. I'll take the patent to the Algae factory. We can… We can- we can discuss more about the food after."
Genjiro smiled.
"That is what Reds and Blues wanted."