Chapter 1051
A Choice of Helplessness
The openness of the Eagle Tribe has always been their public image.
To put it bluntly, how can a church-state where the chief must place his hand on the Bible when swearing in, and a country where abortion is not allowed in most states, possibly be an enlightened and open country?
The people of the genuine Eagle Tribe are very traditional and conservative, to an unimaginable degree.
As for some of the content promoted in those films and television shows... it's really just brainwashing of the lower classes.
After all, if the lower classes don't indulge themselves, how can we keep them locked up at the bottom forever?
The "happy education" touted by many public intellectuals is actually the most crucial link in locking up upward mobility for people at the bottom of society.
Even if someone hates studying, they have to admit that if they want to achieve upward social mobility, they absolutely cannot avoid the painful process of studying.
To protect their own interests, the upper echelons of the Eagle Tribe devised various mechanisms to prevent the lower classes from easily achieving upward social mobility. That's why these so-called old money people are so hostile to those who have no background or connections.
Faced with the mocking or skeptical smiles around him, Reeves made no outward expression.
Reeves strode to the presentation screen and took out the materials he had prepared beforehand.
Reeves has a clear understanding of the world, or rather, he has an extremely profound understanding of the Eagle Tribe nation.
He knew that in this country, your skin color actually determined the upper limit of what you could achieve.
Unless one has an exceptionally great opportunity, coupled with being ruthless enough, it is impossible to truly reach the top.
If it were ten years ago, when he was still a young man, Reeves might have simply quit.
Let those old men have their headaches.
But now, Reeves is no longer a young upstart, so he remains calm and composed in the face of ridicule and doubt.
"Our company's 'Starsail' manned spacecraft, although initially designed for near-Earth orbit tourism and space station crew rotation, has several unique features..."
Before Reeves could finish speaking, a soft chuckle came from the surrounding area.
In this day and age, let alone near-Earth orbit tourism, even rotating personnel on the space station is an extremely difficult task.
Therefore, Reeves' design philosophy sounded utterly ridiculous to them.
It's as absurd as someone proposing to achieve full industrialization 1000 years ago.
But Reeves was not affected in the slightest and continued his presentation.
"First of all, our aircraft uses a hybrid engine of methane and liquid oxygen, which has a very wide range of adjustable thrust and allows for more precise attitude control."
"Our automatic docking system is primarily optically guided, with the assistance of lidar and artificial intelligence technologies. This makes our automatic docking system more tolerant of the docking interface status of the target aircraft."
"Finally, and most importantly, our spacecraft was designed with rapid response and mission flexibility in mind from the very beginning."
"Wait a minute, let me interrupt."
A technician from a traditional aerospace company interrupted Reeves.
So-called powerful and wealthy people must maintain a basic level of dignity, and they certainly won't personally do such evil deeds.
Therefore, this technician only stepped forward to question Reeves at the behest of his boss.
"Your design concept is indeed very good, but the question is, do you have any reliable finished products right now?"
The technician wore a mocking expression.
"You're not saying you need me to approve the budget for you, are you?"
"I've seen your tricks many times. I advise you to go back to where you came from."
Reeves clapped his hands lightly.
"That's a good question, and that's the main point I'm going to make next."
"Gentlemen, there is no need to doubt our technological reserves and existing products."
"Because we now have a ready-made, near-complete spacecraft prototype, and a considerable number of reserve rockets."
"If we can obtain priority authorization and resource support, we can guarantee to complete the adaptive modifications within a month and test a streamlined rescue mission."
"In addition to transporting basic relief supplies, we can also be responsible for replacing the space station's robotic arm and repairing the docking interface in this classic version of the rescue mission!"
"A month?" The Defense Secretary raised an eyebrow. "Our space agency's assessment will take at least four months!"
The implication behind the words is quite clear.
Even established companies like ours estimate that it will take at least four months, yet you dare to shamelessly claim that it will only take one month.
They can even repair robotic arms and docking interfaces. Doesn't that make us established companies seem completely incapable?
Reeves was quite clear about this.
"With all due respect, we are a very dynamic company. Most of our employees are young, passionate, and creative."
His meaning was clear: it was implied that you old guys should make way for the younger generation.
This statement immediately drew criticism and dissatisfaction.
The chieftain frowned slightly.
To be honest, he didn't really mind such a minor offense.
To put it bluntly, the reason he didn't have a good impression of Reeves was simply because of his background.
But if Reeves can bring him enough benefits, then this less-than-ideal attitude can undergo a complete 180-degree turn!
Whether they are businessmen or politicians, they only care about profit.
And His Excellency the Great Chief is a very competent politician.
"Please elaborate on your rescue process. I want to hear more about the technical aspects."
Reeves felt a slight stirring in his heart, but he didn't show any joy on the surface. However, he knew that he had persuaded the great chief.
At least he's interested now.
“We don’t follow the usual procedures at all.”
Reeves speaks very fast.
“Our company has conducted a simplified test of this mission internally. Throughout the entire rescue process, we will only focus on the core risks, and there will only be one objective.”
Rivers paused, then said confidently:
"Our rescue spacecraft will approach the space station, use our unique technology to grab and stabilize it, and then achieve a secure docking, thus completing the rescue mission."
"If the entire Big Ball line wants to hear more technical details, then I can give you a more detailed explanation."
Seeing the chief nod, Reeves continued.
"We plan to use a robotic arm to capture the object and then use a rigid connection to dock with the International Space Station, just like we would with a recovered rocket fairing."
“I have investigated the detailed information of the two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station. I believe they have enough experience to assist us in replacing the robotic arm and overhauling the International Space Station interface.” The chief frowned slightly.
"You mean you need two astronauts on the International Space Station to assist you with the repair and replacement mission?"
Reeves nodded without hesitation.
"Frankly, I can't think of any other way to keep the International Space Station running."
"If the repair and replacement work cannot be completed, the International Space Station may have to retire more than 20 years earlier than expected."
"I believe this is an unacceptable deal for all of you."
As the murmurs gradually rose within the meeting room, Reeves pressed his hands down.
"Of course, of course, we certainly know that there are considerable risks involved."
"But according to our medical team's assessment, the two astronauts are currently in good physical condition and are fully capable of carrying out this mission."
"With our assistance, it is entirely feasible to carry out short-distance relocation and complete the repair and replacement tasks."
"After the repair mission is completed, it will take a maximum of two weeks for us to launch again and bring the two stranded astronauts back."
"If things go smoothly, or if the space station is in better condition than I expected after inspection, then it's not impossible for us to take over these two astronauts directly on our first mission."
"Comparatively speaking, I think this is better than waiting for their physical condition to deteriorate further, or for the space station to completely go out of control."
Reeves shut his mouth, smiled, and looked at everyone in the conference room.
The meeting room erupted in chaos!
The airline's experts immediately countered, pointing out dozens of technical risks inherent in Reeves' plan within minutes.
There were even dozens of violations of safety regulations.
Some even called it "extreme irresponsibility towards the lives of astronauts"!
Reeves wore a cold smile.
The ones who are irresponsible for the safety of these astronauts are none other than the politicians sitting in the meeting room and those so-called established aerospace technology companies.
If they had just shown a little more courage, or taken fewer kickbacks and used the funds properly, those two astronauts would probably have been brought back long ago.
It is impossible for a normal person to live in the weightless environment of space for an extended period of time.
These two astronauts have now been stranded on the International Space Station for nearly a year, and the weightless environment has already caused irreversible damage to their bodies.
It's ridiculous that they're only now saying they need to be responsible for the safety of astronauts.
Traditional contractors, on the other hand, seized upon the maturity of the technology to launch a relentless attack.
They expressed serious doubts about the maturity and reliability of Reeves' technology.
"Popularity-seeking" is the mildest of their words.
Reeves ignored the politicians and the giants of those established companies, and instead stared intently at the Great Chief.
Because he knew that the real decision-maker was the Great Chief himself, not these so-called politicians.
Undeniably, this chieftain made many mistakes in his foreign policy, which even caused the Eagle Tribe to suffer a significant loss of prestige in the eyes of the world.
But he was ultimately a chief who was willing to get things done.
At least during his term, the Eagle Tribe maintained a facade of prosperity and power.
If it weren't for the sudden rise of the Longxia tribe and the strategic mistakes in several military clashes, the Eagle tribe would probably still be a paradise on earth in the minds of many people.
But in any case, at least this chieftain ranks slightly higher among all the presidents of the entire Eagle Tribe.
The debate lasted for several hours.
The chief remained silent throughout.
He was also hesitant, unsure whether to choose this newly rich man of humble origins.
Because, strictly speaking, Reeves doesn't belong to their circle.
He is a rising star who has come from behind.
The Eagle Tribe has lost the ability to expand its territory, or rather, they have always maintained their strength through plunder.
They had no intention of making a cake, nor were they willing to make a big one.
The total amount of benefits is limited, and the emergence of new elites will inevitably erode the interests of the established powerful and wealthy.
If the Great Chief chooses Reeves, it's not just that Reeves helps him resolve his political crisis; on a business level, it's equivalent to the government of the Eagle Tribe endorsing Reeves' company.
A problem that even a long-established aerospace company couldn't solve was solved by a new cabinet. Isn't that enough to demonstrate their technological prowess?
This means that Reeves can avoid taking detours for several years, or even more than a decade.
The chief is considering whether this deal is worthwhile.
But capital is ultimately a short-sighted creature.
From a long-term perspective and from one's own interests, choosing Reeves is undoubtedly not a wise decision.
This is because it would mean the Great Chief would offend those established airlines.
Moreover, his term still has only three years left.
If any unforeseen events occur that further deteriorate his relationship with those established powerful figures, his retirement life may not be so pleasant.
But then look at these powerful and wealthy individuals who hold positions without doing any work...
Without Reeves, he probably wouldn't even have made it through the midterm elections.
Ultimately, the Great Chief decided to defy the objections of the majority.
Although from his personal perspective, choosing Reeves might not be a good thing.
However, from the perspective of the Eagle Tribe as a whole, the emergence of a more technologically advanced company would be highly beneficial to the entire nation.
At least this chieftain still wants to do something practical.
However, this did not stop him from making money.
In fact, the chieftain of the Eagle Tribe has many ways and means to make money.
The mere act of signing a pardon can allow a great chief to amass a fortune that is unimaginable to ordinary people before he retires.
What is a pardon? It's actually quite simple: you pay money, and I release you from prison. It's specifically for wealthy people who have committed crimes.
Or rather, they are wealthy people who committed crimes and were subsequently exposed. (End of Chapter)