Building The Strongest Family-Chapter 106: Test Track & Negotiations

SIX DAYS LATER

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HyperRail-X Proving Grounds – Dawn

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The desert air was crisp, and the rising sun painted the landscape in hues of gold and orange, casting long shadows across the 20-kilometer test track that sliced through the barren terrain like a laser beam.

There it stood, the HyperRail-X prototype,motionless on its gleaming alloy rails, its silver hull glimmering under the morning light.

Even at rest, a faint hum from its superconducting coils hinted at the power waiting to be unleashed.

Arthur took in the scene from his elevated observation platform, his sharp navy suit a striking contrast against the rugged backdrop.

Beside him, Oscar, his cousin and head of Osborn Heavy Industries, was engrossed in final diagnostics, fingers dancing over his display tablet like a pianist hitting all the right notes.

"Magnetic field integrity is holding steady at 98.7%," Oscar muttered, his voice laced with focused intensity. "SEDS coils are pre-chilled to operating temperature. Power distribution looks stable."

He glanced sideways at Arthur. "Are you sure you want to push it to 700 today? We haven’t fully stress-tested the aerodynamics at that speed."

Arthur shook his head with a smirk. "If it holds together, Derrick won’t just buy three units, he’ll clear out his treasury for an entire fleet!"

Oscar exhaled sharply through his nose, rubbing where his goggles had left faint indentations on his skin. "You do realize that at 700 km/h, even a micron of track misalignment could tear this whole train apart? The lateral G-forces alone..."

"...are already accounted for," Arthur interrupted smoothly. "The dynamic stabilization algorithms adjust suspension settings 10,000 times per second! And don’t forget the track’s carbon-fiber reinforcement can handle triple the stress."

Surprise flickered in Oscar’s eyes as he regarded him thoughtfully. "You’ve been reading my reports."

"Just skimming," Arthur admitted with a grin. "But I know enough to sell it."

Suddenly, a klaxon blared, a sharp signal marking the final countdown.

The HyperRail-X’s engines whined to life as a blue glow enveloped its undercarriage from electrodynamic suspension systems igniting.

Derrick had been quietly observing from the railing when he finally broke his silence: "How does it accelerate that fast without tearing itself apart?"

Oscar’s grin widened, the first genuine excitement Arthur had seen from him all morning," It’s all in the hybrid propulsion system! At low speeds, we rely on conventional electric motors for torque.

But once we hit 300 km/h, that’s when the

magic happens,the SEDS system kicks in. Superconducting coils create opposing magnetic fields between the train and the track, wiping out friction entirely!"

He gestured enthusiastically as the HyperRail-X surged forward with a thunderous whoosh, reaching an astonishing 500 km/h in under a minute. "Just look at those wheels!"

As the speedometer climbed to 550 km/h, the sleek alloy wheels retracted flawlessly, lifting the entire chassis mere centimeters above the rail.

The shriek of metal grinding against metal faded away, replaced by an eerie yet soothing hum that filled the air.

Derrick’s expression tightened as he observed this marvel. "But what happens if we lose power mid-transition?"

"Not to worry," Oscar replied without missing a beat. "We’ve got triple-redundant battery backups in place! Plus, mechanical failsafes can re-engage the wheels in just 0.3 seconds. Honestly though? The real challenge lies with aerodynamic stability.

At these speeds, air acts like a solid wall! That’s why we designed a variable-geometry nose, it extends another meter at supersonic velocities to slice through drag."

With a jolt of exhilaration, they watched as HyperRail-X barreled past at 700 km/h, a gleaming silver streak racing across the desert landscape.

The observation tower vibrated slightly, not from the train itself but from the displaced air behind it; it felt like a delayed thunderclap rattling their coffee cups on the railing.

Oscar’s tablet flickered to life with streams of data flowing across its screen. "All systems are go! Coil temperatures are holding steady at -196 degrees Celsius and we’re recovering energy from regenerative brakes at an impressive 92% efficiency."

He shot Arthur a triumphant glance. "See? I told you that niobium-titanium alloy was worth every penny! That guy Edward really made quite a fortune off me!"

Arthur clapped him on the shoulder with pride. "And I assured Head Bureau Derrick it would work!"

Bureau Director Derrick remained still, his knuckles turning white against the railing as he stared intently ahead. "How soon can you build fifty of these beauties?"

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In a sleek, glass-walled conference room overlooking the impressive HyperRail-X prototype, engineers buzzed around its hull like ants on a shimmering silver carcass.

The air was rich with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the faint ozone scent of discharged capacitors.

As Arthur, Oscar, and Derrick settled around the elegant black marble negotiation table, anticipation crackled in the atmosphere.

A silent attendant placed three thick folders embossed with the Osborn crest before them. Derrick opened his without ceremony. "Fifty units. Delivery within eighteen months."

He tapped on the projected cost breakdown displayed on his tablet. "At four-point-two billion per train, that’s a staggering two hundred ten billion Aurelian! The Treasury will never go for it."

Arthur leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled thoughtfully. "Then let’s explore what they might approve."

Oscar slid his data pad across the table, revealing a complex graph that danced with numbers. "Here’s a breakdown of our cost drivers: SEDS coils account for thirty-eight percent, niobium-titanium superconductors don’t come cheap.

But..." He swiped to unveil another chart. "If we order fifty units, we can shift to batch-forged alloy production and drop the unit cost to three-point-eight billion."

Derrick squinted at the figures. "That still puts us twelve billion over budget."

"Ah," Arthur interjected smoothly, "but you’re overlooking potential energy savings." He gestured toward Oscar.

"Exactly!" Oscar chimed in as he pulled up another schematic. "Compared to conventional maglev systems, HyperRail’s hybrid technology cuts power consumption by forty percent! Over a twenty-year lifespan..." A new figure flashed across the screen: "Ninety-six billion in operational savings!"

Derrick remained unfazed. "The Treasury doesn’t care about twenty-year projections; they focus on this fiscal cycle."

Arthur smiled knowingly as he shifted gears. "Which brings us to Option B."

"Staggered delivery," Arthur proposed confidently as he flipped to a new document. "Twelve trains now at four billion each and the remaining thirty-eight over two years at three-point-five, tied to energy savings milestones."

Derrick scoffed lightly. "You want me to gamble my career on unproven metrics?"

"No," Oscar corrected him while pulling up live test track data that showed promising results. "Proven metrics! Today’s data shows ninety-two percent regenerative braking efficiency, two percent above projections!"

A tense pause filled the room as Derrick drummed his fingers against the table thoughtfully. "Even if I accept that, we need infrastructure upgrades; existing stations can’t handle these speeds."

"Already solved," Oscar declared, zooming in on the train’s docking interface. "This is the HyperRail-X Central Control System, the nerve center of our entire network!

This advanced system oversees every train, track, and station, ensuring safety, efficiency, and seamless coordination across the railway.

And guess what? It comes with a price tag of 5 million each. But don’t worry; we’ll cover the first twenty as a goodwill gesture!"

Arthur watched Derrick closely; he could see the man’s eyelid twitch,he was hooked.

Derrick leaned forward, his expression shifting. "There’s another problem. PrimeRail Transport has a standing offer for their conventional maglev trains at two billion per unit."

Arthur’s smile remained unwavering. "Ah yes, their ’Horizon’ model. Impressive top speed of four hundred fifty km/h, but energy efficiency? A mere sixty percent of ours."

He tapped his tablet, and a video played, a Horizon train struggling up a steep incline, its motors screeching in protest.

"Their linear induction motors overheat at gradients above three percent while ours handle eight without breaking a sweat."

Oscar jumped in enthusiastically. "And let’s not forget their maintenance costs, thirty percent higher! Just think about wheel abrasion alone..."

"Enough!" Derrick interjected, raising a hand to silence them both. "I know their tech is inferior," he admitted reluctantly.

"But politics isn’t just about specs; it’s about favors."

Arthur steepled his fingers thoughtfully. "Then let’s talk favors." He slid a single sheet across the table with an air of confidence.

"Osborn Heavy Industries will fully fund the Neo-Luminara Capital Corridor’s first segment: two hundred kilometers of track and four stations."

Derrick froze in disbelief, his aged eyes widening. "That’s a fifty-billion-dollar project!"

Arthur nodded calmly. "We’ll recoup that through toll revenue over ten years," he explained smoothly. "But here’s the real kicker..."

He lowered his voice conspiratorially, leaning closer to Derrick. "You announce it as a government project and take full credit for it, all we ask is exclusive right-of-way for HyperRail."

Derrick’s pupils dilated slightly; Arthur had just offered him a legacy

Taking a deep breath and locking eyes with Arthur, he nodded faintly but decisively,

"Okay!"