1y10m1w BV
Carpe Aeternum, docked at Tradestation Crimson Hamlet
Chuck
It was finally ready, finally time for the first major test. Soon his first manufactured prototype would be built.
If there is one thing that the Domain -and for that matter the Dominion- loved, it was bureaucracy. So much red tape. With so many needlessly specific and often contradictory rules, one could find legal justification for nearly anything a being cared to do. After a few days research, and a few more days of careful documentation, Bysteel Craftworks was officially in business. Then Chuck Byse, an authorized representative of Bysteel Craftworks, simply purchased a cheap, strictly licensed nano-forge.
It could print a any object that he could design, but only a limited quantity per month. It seemed to be based on object complexity. Before printing began, the nano-forge indicated how much of the allocated budget would be consumed, allowing cancellation or alteration if the cost was undesirable. Devices like FTL drives would consume a significant portion of the budget, while simpler items like brackets and bolts would consume almost none.
It was here that he discovered his current challenge. Creating a steel object that looks like a knife is easy. Creating a knife that is worth a damn is not. After several days of screwing around with his knife, he finally understood how to effectively shape the grain of the metal within the blade. It was slow going but -thanks to MAK- stress analysis and design could be completed seamlessly as he iterated his design. And now finally, today, the new Bysteel Craftworks survival knife prototype was ready to print. It was built of an alloy he had never before heard of, was forged in a manner that was completely impossible in practice, and, through clever use of cavitation and capillary action, shifted its balance as swung. In theory. He loaded the program and pressed the start button, consuming a significant portion of his allotted complexity budget in the process.
In just a few minutes, his knife was ready. He hesitantly picked it up. It was… beautiful. A metallic polished surface that danced as the light reluctantly reflected off the impossible curves. He swung it a few times, laughing to himself. The knife weighed a very little but, when swung, emulated a surprising amount of heft.
Conveniently, his forge also featured a built-in nano-replicator, allowing duplication of any item once every two months. He quickly set the knife in the scanner bay of his foundry. A few minutes later, his bimestrial copy of the blade was finished. He then duplicated an earlier-designed sheath.
With a smile on his face, and a skip in his step, he made his way to Bart’s shop.
“Hi, Bart!” he said as he walked through the door. Bart looked up, then wandered towards him.
“What brings you to my shop today, Chuck?”
Chuck cleared this throat. “Bysteel Craftworks requests access to your nano-replicator.”
Bart looked puzzled. “Bysteel… Chuck, you know that humans are not allowed to use nano-tech in that manner.”
Chuck smiled. “That’s the beauty of it. I’m not. The company is. I’m just the guy the company hired to send here.”
“But, surely, human owned companies face the same restrictions?”
“Unless you are very careful with the corporate structure, yes. I was careful. It involves shell companies, trusts and companies that own stock in themselves. I’ll spare you the details.”
Bart pondered for a bit. “A short version perhaps?”
Chuck thought for a moment. “Bysteel Craftworks is the majority stakeholder in Bysteel Craftworks. As such, no human has controlling interest. When officers were elected, the company abstained through inaction, leaving the sole remaining shareholder to elect the company’s leadership.”
“By remaining shareholder you, of course, refer to yourself.”
“Oh, no, it was far more advantageous for those shares to be owned by Anonymous Shell Corporation, a subsidiary of Chuck Byse Holdings Inc.”
Bart hesitated briefly. “With a name such as that, I fail to see how you can retain your anonymity.”
Chuck grinned. “I challenge you to find that connection in any official record.”
Bart stood lost in thought. “I may request access to your expertise at a later date.”
“I’ll be glad to help.”
Bart nodded. “You traveled here to utilize my replicator, correct?”
“Yes, I have a theory I wish to test.” Chuck pulled out the two blades and set them on the counter.
Bart looked at the blades, intrigued. “These appear dissimilar to the other blades you possess.”
Chuck smiled. “Brand new design. Go on, pick one up.”
Bart did. “Very lightweight.”
“You like it? It’s one of the lightest alloys I tested; One of the stronger ones too. I figured low weight should be a strong selling point. Now, give it a swing.”
Bart slightly unbalanced himself as he swung the deceptively forceful knife. “Ah, kinetics?”
Chuck chuckled. “Nope, everything there is passive.”
Bart swung it a few more times. “So no EM signature. Impressive. How did you construct it?”
“Nano-forge.”
Bart stared wide-eyed at Chuck. “You purchased a nano-forge?”
Chuck shrugged. “Bysteel Craftworks did. It’s on a complexity limited licence.”
Bart looked at the knife and laughed. “Complexity limited. Very inventive, Chuck. Though, if you already possess a nano-forge, for what reason do you require my equipment?”
“I have a theory I wish to test. The DRM organics used in my forge have a longer half life than the ones in yours. Combine that with the system’s inherent inability to produce any organics, save through its own dedicated hardware… Well, I may have a solution to that whole licence thing.”
“But Chuck, surely that would violate the licence.”
“Actually, no, the license only says I can not tamper with the marking system. I’m not. Hell, I’m not even violating the time lockouts with any individual instance of an item.”
“Well…” Bart stepped back, thoughtfully gazing into the distance. “I will allow you to perform this one test. However, I do fully intend to research this topic before allowing its continued use.”
Chuck crafted the knife and returned to Bart. “Success! Now I simply test this new blade in my own unit. Oh, and Bart, here.” He handed the first duplicate to Bart. “I’ve got a few changes I want to make yet, but this is a prototype of what will likely be Bysteel Craftworks’s first product. Thanks again for the help.”
Chuck returned to his ship and, after duplicating the newest iteration for his item, promptly placed an order for a nano-replicator similar to Bart’s. He poured himself a celebratory… something from his still. It was terrible, clearly not yet ready, but Chuck simply did not care. Things were looking good.