UNEDITED
QBBS Meredith Reynolds, Operations and Observation Area
“Shit.”
“Gesundheit,” Maria Orsitch, standing next to Bethany Anne, replied.
Bethany Anne turned to look at the German leader, “I’m sorry?”
“What?” Maria stopped looking at the mesmerizing display of colors from the Yollin Annex Gate and turned to notice Bethany Anne looking back at her, puzzled. Maria thought back to what she had just said and asked. “Didn’t you sneeze?”
Bethany Anne smiled, eyebrows raised. “Noooo, I said shit.”
Maria made a small ‘o’ with her mouth, “Sorry, my mistake. However, while I have you talking,” she pointed out at the gate on the screens, “Why aren’t we moving forward?”
Bethany Anne thought about that question for a second and shrugged, a glint of mischievousness in her eyes.
“Shit,” Bethany Anne replied, completely straight-faced.
Now it was Maria’s turn to stare at the young Queen, trying to figure out how she was joking. In the few weeks since those from New Schwabenland had arrived on the Merideth Reynolds, Maria had been in Bethany Anne’s company quite a bit. Enough to both enjoy and be the target of her, at times, wicked sense of humor.
It was time to play twenty questions, “Is that in English?” Maria tossed out.
Bethany Anne smiled, “Yes, English.”
Maria put a finger to her mouth before asking, “Pedantic or vulgar?”
This time, it was Bethany Anne who had to pause, “Um, let’s go with a vulgar way to say a proper word.”
“Ok, so waste,” Maria agreed, nodding her head. “So, the reason we aren’t moving forward is either an engineering issue or a convenience problem?”
Bethany Anne nodded her head in agreement this time but didn’t clarify which of the two answers might be right.
“Hmmm,” Maria thought a moment. “Most of the people on this Asteroid are Americans, yes?” Bethany Anne nodded her agreement, “So, most of you have not used a bidet in your lifetimes?”
It was just a bit over half of those on the asteroid were Americans, but Bethany Anne wasn’t trying to split hairs, here. She shook her head in the negative.
“I presume the engineer or team that helped design the restrooms were European?”
“South African, I think,” Bethany Anne clarified then paused a moment after she got that split-second far away look in her eyes. “I’ve been corrected, German.”
Maria Orsitsch nodded her head, “How many rolls are you short?”
Bethany Anne smiled, “It all depends on the quantity of months or years we decide are sufficient to change over. While we could certainly force the issue, I’ve been told there are a few things where it might be wise to bend a little. Right now, I’m being informed I should bend another eleven days due to the production schedules on Earth and how many rolls are presently shipping out across the world.”
“Just how many rolls of toilet paper are we discussing?” Maria asked, finally confirming the product that was causing the Etheric Empire from going through the gate.
“Assuming a quarter million people, an average of eighteen months, using fifty-seven sheets per person and a double-ply roll of five-hundred sheets we will need approximately seven-point-seven billion sheets or fifteen-point-four million rolls. If Earth’s manufacturing capacity is thirty-four million rolls per day, I’m told to let them acquire this paper over a little time, not to just order that many for a single day delivery.”
Maria blinked a few times, “How much money is that?”
“At least ten million priced in bulk, closer to fifteen million for something pulled off Amazon,” Bethany Anne answered.
There was another pause, “How does Amazon deliver here?” Maria asked.
“They don’t!” Bethany Anne chuckled. “ADAM puts in a particular address for a building, one not in use. We doctor up the location a couple of hours before delivery to look official enough, and we accept delivery by shipping container, or containers. We get to the site, accept the delivery by a shipping container. Leave one or multiples behind and boost the one delivered up to orbit at night. We have a pretty large skeleton ship that we now use to connect all of the containers together. Once we have enough, it is pretty damned rigid, and with its own E.I. to deal with each of the gravitic engines attached, it gets moving in our direction.” Bethany Anne put up a finger to stop Maria, “Don’t ask me how it works beyond that, my little head,” Bethany Anne made motions with her hands, fingers opening wide, “explodes!”
Maria closed her mouth. She was, in fact, about to ask more technical questions. Each time she turned around, there was something new and exciting happening here in this woman’s Empire.
Now, if Maria could just turn Barnabas’ head in the right direction, life couldn’t possibly get any better.
From Michael >>> I’m in a bit of a daze, right now 🙂
You see, we (meaning myself and all of the collaborators in the Kurtherian Universe) are working hard to pull together at (author stops typing, and starts counting on his fingers…last time he did this, he fucked up.) So, five collaboration author’s books released, five more in production (meaning we have started books together, we have nothing new out) and two more verbal want to join, but nothing will happen for at least three months or more with them).
These books cross genre’s (I suppose no big surprise there…)
We have released: Post Apocalyptic with Terry Henry “TH to my Friends” Walton (from book…12 – We Have Contact) by Craig Martelle. We have Dystopian in Justice is Calling (Reclaiming Honor) with Justin Sloan, Paul C. Middleton’s The Boris Chronicles #03 is released (Revelations), our first female collaborator (of at least three, perhaps five women who are working or will work in the Universe so far) has released a fan favorite Bellatrix over Christmas. Natalie is busy on a three book series anchored by Stephen and Jennifer called The Dark Years series (those three years between books 13 and 14) and of course, a name most of my fans don’t need an introduction to, TS Paul with our collaboration called The Etheric Academy series, first book is Alpha Class.
You can click on any of the links above to be taken to the US Amazon.com to see what’s up with those books. I’ll try to do better on another snippet with laying them out.
For those who want sizzle? That’s coming with a series on the Queen’s Rangers. I’m waiting to hear back from an author who I was talking with on a Sci-Fi sizzling series… You know, the ones that would make me blush to write? Yeah, the ladies seem to have NO trouble writing them 😉
For those who like their romance a little less sizzle, JL Hendricks is going to write a story with our very own Peter and Todd during the Dark Years.
There are two additional MAJOR events in Earth’s timeline AFTER Michael and Bethany Anne meet back up and leave the planet… I am collaborating with CM Raymond and LE Barbant on a series set generations later…You know, when people of history become people of myth and Nanites have seriously messed up humans… Possibly for the better, depending on what people do with the new abilities and powers?
However, Bethany Anne and Michael won’t be lost after book 21…They are just going on a honeymoon with those closest to them. Think of it as a five year mission to seek out… 😉
I hope you enjoy the HELL out of NEVER SUBMIT when it gets released, we are in the third ARC baby, and Bethany Anne is going to fuck up some aliens who get in her way…
The Queen Bitch is coming for them, and those who have been top dog get introduced to a new Alpha and her team.
Because if there is one thing Bethany Anne will never do?
She will NEVER SUBMIT.
