Chapter 321: Selling the Satellite
March 30th, 2029.
White House, Washington D.C.
Michael Reyes walked briskly through the grand hallways of the White House, escorted by two Secret Service agents. He clutched a folder filled with detailed reports and data from the recent tests of the Weather Manipulation Satellite. The past few days had been intense, but the results were groundbreaking. Now, it was time to present these findings to President Thomas Greene.
As they approached the Oval Office, Michael took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. The agents opened the doors, and he stepped inside.
President Greene stood up from behind the desk, extending a hand. "Michael, good to see you. Please, have a seat."
"Thank you, Mr. President," Michael replied, shaking his hand firmly before sitting down.
President Greene motioned to the folder. "I understand you have some important findings to share with us today."
"Yes, sir," Michael said, opening the folder and spreading the documents on the desk. "These are the comprehensive reports from our recent tests in Nevada. The Weather Manipulation Satellite performed beyond our expectations."
The President leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Walk me through the key points."
Michael began his presentation, by outlining each phase of the testing process. "We started with cloud seeding, followed by inducing precipitation. The satellite successfully created rainfall in the desert, which we monitored closely. The data confirmed that we can control the amount and duration of the rainfall. Next, we tested the satellite's ability to create extreme weather conditions.
We simulated a hurricane, a cold front, and an intense heat wave. Each test was executed flawlessly, and the satellite maintained control throughout.
President Greene examined the documents, nodding thoughtfully. "What about the freeze test? I understand you managed to create an ice age-like environment."
"That's correct," Michael confirmed. "We set the parameters to maximum and successfully froze a portion of the desert. The satellite's systems worked in perfect harmony, maintaining the extreme cold conditions without any issues."
"I see, now since it is controlled remotely from a command center, is there a way for a third party to hack into these systems and manipulate the weather for malicious purposes?" President Greene asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Michael nodded, expecting the question. "We've anticipated that risk, Mr. President. The satellite's control systems are protected by multiple layers of cybersecurity protocols. We've implemented advanced encryption methods and regularly conduct penetration tests to identify and address any vulnerabilities.
Additionally, the satellite's commands can only be issued from secured, authorized command centers with stringent access controls."
President Greene seemed reassured. "That's good to hear. Because we don't want others hacking into our satellites right?"
"Absolutely not, Mr. President," Michael laughed. "We've taken every precaution to ensure the satellite remains secure and under our control."
President Greene laughed too and then his expression turned serious. "Now how many satellites can we build before the end of the year?"
Michael raised an eyebrow, sensing the gravity of the question. "I should take it that you are going to start a conflict in the year 2030?" he asked, his expression turning equally serious.
The President gave an ambiguous nod, his eyes conveying a sense of urgency. "Let's just say we need to be prepared for any eventuality. How soon can you scale up production?"
Michael took a deep breath, considering the logistics. "With the right resources and support, we could potentially build and deploy three more satellites by the end of the year. But that would require significant investment in both manufacturing and launching capabilities."
"You'll have our full support. I'll ensure the necessary funding and infrastructure are made available. We need to prioritize this project for national security."
"Well that will be your team as I will not be handling it anymore," Michael clarified. "I want to go back to the Philippines. I missed my girlfriend, my mother, and my workmates. Everyone. If war is going to start by the end of the year, we will have to make preparations as well."
"Does that preparation include you having another set of advanced technology?"
"Something like that," Michael said. "You already have your weather manipulation satellite which you can use for your conflict. I also have mine and don't worry. The Republic of the Philippines won't have that possession because I will use it for myself. Now, I want to be paid for my service to the United States.
It's proven that the weather manipulation satellite can be used for military purposes and I require you to pay a huge sum of 50 billion dollars in exchange for rights to the technology and for the first three satellites. This includes all the operational and maintenance support needed to ensure their effectiveness."
"50 billion dollars? For four satellites?"
"That's correct," Michael confirmed. "It's easy to use. You just have to set the satellite on course to the place where you want to attack and with a push of a button, those people would think it's just extremely bad weather, affecting their agriculture, economy, infrastructure, and overall stability.
It's a non-lethal way to exert pressure and can be controlled precisely to minimize collateral damage."
President Greene leaned back in his chair, contemplating the proposal. "It's a high price, and there is something you should know about us, the United States. In order to give you that money, it'll have to pass through Congress and be scrutinized extensively. This isn't an easy sell, even with the strategic advantages you've outlined."
"I know that, but I'm sure you have your people down there at the congress that can speed things up without it being bogged down in endless debates and red tape," Michael replied, his tone steady but firm. "This technology is groundbreaking, and the potential benefits far outweigh the costs."
President Greene sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're right. I'll do my best to expedite the process, but it's going to take some maneuvering."
Michael nodded. "I appreciate that, Mr. President. The sooner we get this approved, the sooner you can build those satellites."
"Wait, what do you mean the sooner we can build those satellites? Didn't you just give us the schematics for it?"
"Well, not everything. I have to have leverage."
President Greene raised an eyebrow, intrigued and slightly wary. "Leverage? What kind of leverage are we talking about, Michael?"
"Leverage in a situation like this. You might not pay me right after I handed everything," Michael said coolly.
"Yeah…that makes sense."
Michael rose to his feet and straightened his suit. "That would be all, Mr. President. I think it's time that I leave."
"Have a safe trip back to the Philippines, Michael."