Aerion
25-09-2004, 05:34
Balkre sat in his rather comfortable seat in his executive helicopter, equivalent to an Sikorsky S-76. He looked around the interior. Extra large comfortable seating, a mini bar, plasma screen, and large windows made this truly the luxury helciopter of Aerion's corporate elite. He gazed out the window at the large helicopter pad that the helicopter was rising from, off of the massive two hundred floor skyscraper that was the corporate headquarters of Aerionian Motor Works, the largest, and one of the only domestic manufacturers of automobiles in Aerion. The megacorporation had a virtual monopoly other than smaller to mid-size luxury, and upperscale automobile corporations.
Balkre was Chairman of the Board of Aerionian Motor Works, an extremely influential, and powerful position. He was known as a stoic man, a man who did not care for people but rather cared for money, for power, and for influence. He had a mind of figures, a calculating mind, that only saw an increase in profit. Unfortunately, he was not uncommon among the corporate elite.
As the large helicopter lifted off, Balkre watched out the windows at the sunset illuminating the massive skyscrapers of Cathe, the Provincial Capital of Edorian, one of the northern provinces of Aerion. It was here that Aerionian Motor Works had most of its huge factories, and it was the center of the automobile industry. Though one may think it would be a gritty city, it was not at its center, but the massive factories of the automobile corporations here did take up the skyline in the distance. Because of urban space, and the centralization of industrial districts, factories in the city were multi-story, sometimes a massive twenty story rectanglular shaped building, and train tracks literally went through the buildings as well as public transportation systems.
Balkre sighed deeply, he was unimpressed by what some would say was a beautiful sunset over the city. He was unimpressed by it all, everything except the profit margin of the corporation, and his own power. It was no longer about the money any more, for he had plenty of it. He owned fifteen homes, had a personal staff of 500, and a fleet of 50 personal vehicles..even luxury vehicles not made by his own corporation. He had all the conveniances one could want, and so now he wanted power.
He hated, with a passion, the King of Aerion. A seething hatred that he kept low. The King had his hands in every corporation, through proxy, and mandatory ownership of 10% of every domestic corporation in Aerion. The King had a Royal Representative on the Board of Directors of AMW, a man that Balkre had thought of calling a hit out on to make him have an "unfortunate" accident.
Luckily, the King did not have his hands in Aerionian Motor Works as much as he had other megacorporations in Aerion. Aerionian Motor Works practically pulled the strings in the province, and had power that extended beyond just the simple legal power of a corporate entity. Aerionian Motor Works had the Provincial Governor's "court" under their control, and the Provincial Governor himself was very inclined to listen to Balkre.
The helicopter flew over the historical district of the city now, which was supposed to be "restricted" airspace for security purposes, but the corporate elite were allowed to fly through. The historical district contained the traditional center of the city, the central forum, though this now was displaced as the center of Cathe by the downtown area, which could be called a "business district" mostly if it were not for the entertainment, and high cultural venues there as well.
Now the helicopter flew over the massive Governor's Palace, a massive and old marble edifice topped by one large gold dome. Built in the common early Aerion architecture, a combination of Greeko-Roman, and Arabic architecture with the later use of the Baroque style for the interior.
Ahh, the Provincial Governor. A man, appointed by the Lord High Steward, to "govern" the province. But in this province, everyone knew who governed the province, the megacorporations, particularly Aerionian Motor Works. Luckily, this Provincial Governor was more inclined toward luxury and waste than the last Provincial Governor, who actually did his job. This meant that the Provincial Governor was weak to the more political corporate elite of the city.
Balkre was not a man that let himself become lazy with luxury, or enslaved to the trappings of it. He was a serious businessman, a man who liked power for the sake of it. He did not care for the outrageous spending of others, but did keep his spending level to the standard of those of his social status, which would be considered outrageous by other cultures.
But the culture of Aerion's high society was a culture of excess, and eveyrone knew it. Especially the wage slaves of Aerionian Motor Works, who were called not employees, but "assets". However, they were treated well enough, but only enough to increase productivity.
Balkre reached over, and grabbed some brandy from the mini-bar in the helicopter. He poured him some, and took a long sip. Ahhh, it was good. But he was not content. He wanted more power, he needed more power. He hungered for it, and he would have it............
To be continued in Part 2............
Balkre was Chairman of the Board of Aerionian Motor Works, an extremely influential, and powerful position. He was known as a stoic man, a man who did not care for people but rather cared for money, for power, and for influence. He had a mind of figures, a calculating mind, that only saw an increase in profit. Unfortunately, he was not uncommon among the corporate elite.
As the large helicopter lifted off, Balkre watched out the windows at the sunset illuminating the massive skyscrapers of Cathe, the Provincial Capital of Edorian, one of the northern provinces of Aerion. It was here that Aerionian Motor Works had most of its huge factories, and it was the center of the automobile industry. Though one may think it would be a gritty city, it was not at its center, but the massive factories of the automobile corporations here did take up the skyline in the distance. Because of urban space, and the centralization of industrial districts, factories in the city were multi-story, sometimes a massive twenty story rectanglular shaped building, and train tracks literally went through the buildings as well as public transportation systems.
Balkre sighed deeply, he was unimpressed by what some would say was a beautiful sunset over the city. He was unimpressed by it all, everything except the profit margin of the corporation, and his own power. It was no longer about the money any more, for he had plenty of it. He owned fifteen homes, had a personal staff of 500, and a fleet of 50 personal vehicles..even luxury vehicles not made by his own corporation. He had all the conveniances one could want, and so now he wanted power.
He hated, with a passion, the King of Aerion. A seething hatred that he kept low. The King had his hands in every corporation, through proxy, and mandatory ownership of 10% of every domestic corporation in Aerion. The King had a Royal Representative on the Board of Directors of AMW, a man that Balkre had thought of calling a hit out on to make him have an "unfortunate" accident.
Luckily, the King did not have his hands in Aerionian Motor Works as much as he had other megacorporations in Aerion. Aerionian Motor Works practically pulled the strings in the province, and had power that extended beyond just the simple legal power of a corporate entity. Aerionian Motor Works had the Provincial Governor's "court" under their control, and the Provincial Governor himself was very inclined to listen to Balkre.
The helicopter flew over the historical district of the city now, which was supposed to be "restricted" airspace for security purposes, but the corporate elite were allowed to fly through. The historical district contained the traditional center of the city, the central forum, though this now was displaced as the center of Cathe by the downtown area, which could be called a "business district" mostly if it were not for the entertainment, and high cultural venues there as well.
Now the helicopter flew over the massive Governor's Palace, a massive and old marble edifice topped by one large gold dome. Built in the common early Aerion architecture, a combination of Greeko-Roman, and Arabic architecture with the later use of the Baroque style for the interior.
Ahh, the Provincial Governor. A man, appointed by the Lord High Steward, to "govern" the province. But in this province, everyone knew who governed the province, the megacorporations, particularly Aerionian Motor Works. Luckily, this Provincial Governor was more inclined toward luxury and waste than the last Provincial Governor, who actually did his job. This meant that the Provincial Governor was weak to the more political corporate elite of the city.
Balkre was not a man that let himself become lazy with luxury, or enslaved to the trappings of it. He was a serious businessman, a man who liked power for the sake of it. He did not care for the outrageous spending of others, but did keep his spending level to the standard of those of his social status, which would be considered outrageous by other cultures.
But the culture of Aerion's high society was a culture of excess, and eveyrone knew it. Especially the wage slaves of Aerionian Motor Works, who were called not employees, but "assets". However, they were treated well enough, but only enough to increase productivity.
Balkre reached over, and grabbed some brandy from the mini-bar in the helicopter. He poured him some, and took a long sip. Ahhh, it was good. But he was not content. He wanted more power, he needed more power. He hungered for it, and he would have it............
To be continued in Part 2............