Chapter 50

The next day, Annabelle received hundreds of emails through the website, thanking her for taking on the task of cleaning up the oceans. There was only a couple of negative ones, but they were so poorly written that they were just chalked up to uneducated people trying to cause problems.

If you can’t even spell or make cohesive sentences, no one is ever going to take you seriously!

After going through her fan mail, Annabelle was in a good mood and eager to do more.

Mark suggested checking in with the breakfast club and Jacob to see how close the recycling business was getting to launch. They hadn’t seen the breakfast club at the pavilion, so after they had finished their breakfast, they decided to walk out to their office.

They ran into Cass and Beth on the bridge, so they turned around and walked back to the meal pavilion with them. This time though they just grabbed some coffee and sat down with the girls. They were both a bit depressed and when Annabelle asked why, it was because Zack had been arrested again. That group of activists he had gotten involved with wasn’t giving up their push to create a pride parade, although this time they were trying to paint a rainbow crosswalk on one of the bridges and were arrested for vandalism.

Mark asked, “Do you have someone else to work on the backend programming, since Zack was obviously having issues?”

They admitted they had a new programmer that had moved here from Atlanterra, Beth said he was ‘next level’ with the stuff he was able to do, he just needed more help on the front end stuff. Cass teased Beth about giving him a lot of personal attention and Beth was blushing.

It had also helped that they had moved to hosting everything on Atlantean servers instead of Earth-based servers. Everything was faster, more reliable, more scalable and way more secure.

When the conversation came to Jacob’s recycling business, they invited Mark and Annabelle to come back to the office with them, as they were supposed to be sitting down with Henry and Jacob to go over the new recycling business and choose a name. They had been holding a contest for their staff to suggest business names, with the winning submission receiving a weekend at one of the Lunar Adventures hotels.

They were going to decide on the name this morning, finalize the logo and website and they were hoping to do the launch soon after.

The girls quickly finished their breakfasts and the foursome started walking back to the office. As soon as the office came into view, the conversation came back around to what to do about Zack.

The girls really didn’t know what to do, they had been best friends since they were kids, but it was almost like he was someone else now that he got involved with that group. His work had become very shoddy, he rarely even came to work anymore and, when he did, he just constantly complained about the Federation suppressing their freedom of speech. Cass and Beth even mentioned how they wished they’d taken Mark’s initial advice and built their own houses.

It sounded like Zack had went off the deep end with the brainwashing that those activist groups do, but Mark didn’t really know what to say about it.

Fortunately Annabelle had an experience to tell. “My bridesmaid, Lindsey, had an older brother that had gotten involved with a bad crowd. After numerous arrests, he didn’t change his ways and just became toxic to be around. I remember mom and dad even telling me not to go to Lindsey’s house because it wasn’t safe and to invite Lindsey to the ranch if we wanted to play. They had tried to do an intervention and even therapy, but it didn’t work and they eventually had to disown him for the good of the family. It’s been years now, I’ve never heard the family ever mention him since and I don’t even think they know where he’s at or if he’s still alive. It was a tough decision, but it made the rest of the family more cohesive because of it. I don’t think you’re at the point of disowning Zack, but he needs to be sat down and talked to. If he continues down the path he’s on, you may have to make a tough decision.”

They eventually reached the office and raised voices could be heard from inside the meeting room as Cass rushed inside.

Zack was yelling at Henry about supporting an oppressive regime and how he wants to refocus HIS company, and that they were going to cut off Internet access to the Federation and so on.

Annabelle had kept Mark outside the meeting room and as Jacob showed up for the meeting, Annabelle suggested he stay out as well.

Cass pushed Zack down into a chair and yelled at him to stop it!

He did settle down and then he started to cry. Beth then entered the room and stood beside Cass, as he asked why they were not supporting him?

Cass simply stated. “We would support you, if you were making sense. All this stuff your new friends are trying to do is not even an issue in the Federation, so they’re manufacturing a cause to give them purpose. You need to stop and think ... you’re smarter than this!”

A centon later, Zack seemed to have calmed down a bit, so Annabelle, Mark and Jacob entered the meeting room.

Zack immediately stood up and started ranting and raving at Mark about the Federation suppressing his freedoms and that HIS company was no longer going to do work for the Federation or give them Internet access.

Mark thought to Cricket, “Can you limit his access to all our systems?”

“Are you asking if I can or are you asking me to do it? I can and will if you want.”

“Please remove his access to all systems immediately, if he wants to redeem himself he’s going to have to start at the ground level.”

Mark stared at Zack and firmly stated. “You don’t own this business—I do!”

Zack then said, “When we first asked you where you wanted the office, you said it was our business now, so we could set it up wherever we wanted. That makes it our business!”

Mark said, “True I did say that, but I was referring to it being your business to run, the business ownership is still in my name, you don’t sign the paycheques, and it isn’t your money supporting this company! So, no! You can’t stop doing business with the Federation, nor cut off Internet access. In fact, effective immediately, I’m placing you on a medical leave of absence. You have two sectons to change your attitude or you’re fired, I’d highly recommend going to see a psychologist or finding some new friends.

Didn’t you hear what Cass just said? You’re smarter than this! Your new friends are trying to make an issue out of something that’s not an issue in the Federation. That is never going to work! If you, or your friends, want to live in a place where those sort of issues exist, so you legitimately have a cause to support, you are welcome to move there, but it’s not in the Federation.”

Zack was in a state of shock, realizing he might potentially lose his job. So he solemnly walked out of the office.

Henry then stated, “He has root access to all our systems, having an upset employee with that kind of power could cripple the company.”

Mark shook his head. “I’ve already suspended all of his access, since we rebuilt that software we had been using with our own version on Atlantean servers, Cricket is the only one with true root access! If, in two sectons, he wants to redeem himself, he is going to have to start at the bottom.”

Cass and Beth were sitting there quietly, contemplating what just happened. Cass eventually said, “Thank You! He needed to be slapped with some reality and put in his place. I don’t think I could’ve done it!”

Henry then said, “I’ve never had to deal with a situation like that either! Thank you!”

Mark then said, “I DO still own this company, if anyone is having issues, please make sure I know about it!”

Jacob then quietly asked, “Do we need to postpone our meeting?”

Henry said, “No, of course not! Cass? Beth? Are you two OK? Do you need a few centons before we start the meeting?”

The girls indicated they were OK for the meeting, even though there were tears in Beth’s eyes as Mark and Annabelle gave both girls hugs.

After everyone took a moment to collect themselves and get seated, Henry started the meeting by outlining the entire business plan they had worked out, for Mark and Annabelle’s benefit.

There was three tiers to the system, if they opted to have their own conversion facility it was 100,000 credits or about $1 million US dollars for the facility and then the collection bins and hopper liners were 100 credits each. If they opted NOT to have a conversion facility, the collection bins and hopper liners were 500 credits each and the matter would be teleported to the nearest storage facility, which will likely be Atlantis until others come online, and then recycled as a variety of other products.

It was worth it for a city to have its own conversion facility as it would create a revenue stream to recuperate the costs of the facility and bins. The conversion facility would accept the raw material and then convert it into other raw materials to be used for manufacturing or landscaping. The company would take 50% of the conversion sales, the rest would be transferred back to the city.

Mark thought that sounded like a good business plan. They then asked Annabelle if she could do the announcement of the new business.

Annabelle said she would, but then asked, “What is the name of the business?”

Henry laughed, “I guess we should probably have decided that first. I’m glad you and Mark are here, we’ll get better point distribution.”

Henry then printed off the list of names from his spreadsheet and gave a copy to everyone in the room. Then explained that they had 6 points to assign to 3 names. Put a 3 beside your preferred name, a 2 beside your second choice and a 1 beside your third choice. Hopefully the scoring system would produce a clear winner.

Everyone looked over the list of names and after a few centons and numerous scribbles, everyone handed their sheets back to Henry, who then entered the numbers on the spreadsheet, which was displayed on the screen.

Everyone’s top choice varied quite a bit and spread the points out drastically, with no two people choosing the same name, however many of them had chosen the same name as their second choice and then the third name was quite varied again.

So the winning name ended up being the commonly chosen second name, which was ‘Trash Converters’, a play on the international pawn shop chain. Jacob wasn’t aware of the reference, but it was a name he had assigned a point to, but now that he understood, he was in favour of it. However a quick Internet search revealed there were already companies called that, so the next highest scoring name won, ‘Atlantis Recycling’.

The girls had a website designed for the business already, there was just a bunch of (company logo) and (company name) placeholders all over it. So they pretty much decided to use the blue Atlantean symbol, with the triangular recycling arrows going around it and the company name in large letters on both sides of the logo.

The girls asked for the day to finalize the logo and finish the website, then Annabelle could make the announcement tomorrow.

It was around 11:00 when the meeting finished, and Annabelle indicated she wanted to go to the ranch for the afternoon. So they went to the transit stop by Cleito’s Temple and called for a lift for two to the ranch.

When the lift arrived, they boarded and it rose into the air, just like it always did. However, after a few centons it slowed down and stopped at the port and a family of four got into the lift. Then it rose into the air and continued on its way to the ranch.

Mark asked Cricket, “Since when did the lifts start picking up people along the way?”

Cricket said, “It’s always been that way, you’ve just never noticed it, since the only place either of you go is the ranch and there’s usually no one else going there. There have been a few changes to the transit system though, the 10 person lifts are pretty much for private, local, resort, port and some travel between municipalities, but most of the travel between the municipalities is handled by the larger 50 person lifts, it all depends on time of day, events, request queue, etc.”

The family must have just arrived on Atlantis, as they didn’t seem to recognize Mark and Annabelle, but since they were both wearing cowboy hats the two pre-teen kids asked if they were going on a trail ride too?

Mark and Annabelle both laughed, and said she probably wasn’t going to go for a trail ride today, but Mark might.

The kids then dominated the conversation, talking about horses and centaurs and the fancy camping gear and how this was going to be the best vacation ever ... No one else got a word in edgewise until the lift slowed and descended toward the ranch.

As the lift landed and the rear door opened, the kids exited first, eager to start their adventure, so Mark offered to carry some of the family’s luggage, which they gladly accepted.

The parents exited next carrying some of the luggage, then Annabelle and Mark followed, with Mark carrying the rest of the luggage. Joe welcomed the family to the ranch and led them to the cabin they would be staying in, with Annabelle and Mark following along. As the family were putting their stuff into their cabin, the kids came running up with Candy and Dany chasing them.

The parents came out to see the kids, as Candy and Dany stopped and gave Mark and Annabelle kisses and hugs. Meles then came up, bowed and said, “It’s good to see you again, my King,” as he then bowed to Annabelle and said, “my Queen.”

The couple suddenly felt ashamed that they had let the King and Queen carry their luggage, but Mark and Annabelle just waved off their apology.

Joe went over the family’s itinerary, which included a riding lesson and then a quick trail ride up to the waterfall and back for a late barbecue tonight. Then tomorrow was going to be a ride up to the Meteor Plateau, where they would camp for the night and then ride back the following day.

With the review completed, Kat rang the dinner bell at the cook shack. So everyone made their way there, with Lydia and the sisters joining from the schoolhouse they had constructed on the ranch. It was a little log building that had a craft bench, two desks and a teacher desk, but it also had a washroom and drink dispensers.

Seeing Mark and Annabelle prompted another round of hugs, as everyone grabbed something to eat and then sat at one of the picnic tables in the shade of the trees.

Mahasin and Imaren sat next to Annabelle and they all talked just like good friends. It was nice to see the girls happy and doing well, they were especially excited that next semester they would be joining the school at Baronville, a town 25 kilometres west of the ranch in the Atlas region.

After lunch, Kat and the centaurs went to the arena for their riding lessons, while Mark, Annabelle and Joe cleaned up the cook shack and then sat on the porch and watched the riding lesson.

Once the lesson was over, the family got to walk around and stretch their legs, while Joe got Chief saddled and grabbed the restroom kit.

The restroom kit, or shit kit as Joe called it, was another one of Solara’s reusable construx disks that could create a washroom with an external water dispenser.

After about 15 centons, the family mounted their centaurs and Joe led the group out for a quick trail ride to the waterfall.