Nebulous Mechanisms

Friday " I don't see what's so funny? " " Really, " Dr. Egerton continued to force a thin dry chuckle. " Because I think it's pretty funny. Don't you feel funny even saying it? " " No I do not feel funny saying it, " XienCheng spat back with disdain. " Because it isn't funny. It isn't funny at all. Do you have any idea how much money the Ceres mine lost last week? " " I have no idea, " Egerton shifted in his chair and wondered how much longer this was going to take. " Well, I can tell you. I have the numbers right here… " XienCheng jammed at the conference room screen with his fat fingers; they looked less like fingers and more like poorly made sausages that had been left out on the counter too long. " It's in here somewheres, " the husky administrator continued his search, rubbing a cheap vodka hangover out of his neck with his free hand. This precarious tapping and rubbing position exposed XienCheng's stomach. It jutted over his straining belt in a manner that was both reckless and embarrassing. Egerton looked away and scanned the ridiculously small conference room. It had everything you'd expect from a new office plaza hastily constructed in the sprawl of satellites and stations that ringed Earth. New carpet, gleaming table, faux leather chairs even glasses and a perspiring pitcher of deceptively clear water. But why did it have to be so small? Egerton thought to himself. And small it was. The room barely fit Egerton and XienCheng. They were knee to knee. It was a ludicrous doll house version of big business and Egerton wanted to leave. The smell of the new carpet and the smell of the fat administrator were both getting to him. " Here it is. Yes. Yes. Here it is, " XienCheng was pleased with himself. But then his voice turned grave when he read the number, " 2.5 billion Euros. And that's just one week. So you can see Dr. Egerton that this is no laughing matter I assure you. That's why we need your help. That's why Shanwei said I should talk to you. " " Yeah I know Shanwei told me all about this but I didn't think he was being serious. " " We can end this meeting right now Dr. Egerton. We need you …