The Industrialist

The water inside the transparent aquarium vibrated as Lance tapped the glass. His naked eye could not see the vibrations, only the clusters of polluted particles that floated in volumes as they danced against the reverberations made by his finger.

He was worried that his aquarium would leak on the sealants he used as he connected the corners of a rectangular glass. But Jasper had made an integrity scan in a given frequency until he was sure that it would not collapse.

The widespread tank was enclosed all around except for its top.

He wished there would be fish swimming around the lonely tank, but the idea dissipated instantly as the pollution filled the water.

'It would surely die.' Lance sighed.

Fishes were a scant resource anyway. There were oceans before, wider than the lands, but now, all held no living creatures that were not abominated. If the land creatures had grotesque mutations, however, the sea animals were worse.

He had seen one recently, the shark mixed with octopus. His stomach churned upon the thought of it.

The timer of his clock was set again. He adjusted its alarm to another half-hour.

'That should be it.' As Lance calculated. He took out the robotic floater, round and waterproofed, from the tank and pressed a button retracting the thread-like tentacles back to the round casing. As the tentacles disappeared, clumps of pollution were collected and drained to his washing sink.

20 liters of water inside the aquarium mixed with 80% pollutants. Lance poured a pail full of liquid waste. He called it the FOG – Food, Oil, and Grease.

The FOG samples were easy to collect. It was 30% mud, 30% chopped food waste, and 40% urine. His own urine.

"Combining FOG in the water tank, comprising 80% of the clean water volume," he said in the record.

"Only 10% of pollution reached the bottom, 90% FOG samples floated from midrange to the water surface," he said as the dispensed FOG slowly crept inside the tank, filling the water with brownish grease.

"Robotic Floater, Trial number 10. Adjusting tentacle length to 40%," Lance said.

"Jasper, monitor collection rate will ya!" Lance commanded.

"Copy on that master," Jasper said.

"Placing Invention, Robotic Floater Pollution Collector, prototype 5, in three, two, one," Lance said and placed his prototype on top of the water. The round metallic casing whirred minute noises as the tentacles emerged from its bottom.

"Jasper, status," Lance commanded.

"Master, Tentacle length at 42%," Jasper reported.

At 42% with a setting range of 40%, and a 2% error threshold was within the expected margin of error. The thread-like tentacles were hard to control its length.

"Progress report, Jasper, every five minutes," Lance said.

Lance inspected the prototype as it floated on the water's surface and its 40 strands of tentacles which weren't perceptible at first, spread at the expanse of the water tank. It was as if the tentacles were alive, dancing together with the flow of water, waving like that of seaweed or the tentacles of jellyfish.

Then for a few seconds, the FOG particles started to attract towards the tentacles. His previous trials were sorts of successful but he wanted desirable and impactful results.

He needs to clean the water with his invention at least close to 98%. But his previous trials were way below 70%. Progressing at best, as he assessed.

Tweaks were made to the device, adjusting the length of tentacles, the volume of attractants that flowed in minuscule tubes, and the power consumed by the robot itself.

"It needs a better battery," The prototype's life was only up to an hour and he would charge again to proceed with the experimental trials.

A beeping LED light was discernable.

Lance retreated to his massage chair. He succumbed to his rest. He was mentally stressed. The round casing was not even smooth enough. He scoffed at that. He managed to scrap the round casing from service robots in a scrap yard tier 1.

'They said there are better scrap components in scrap yard tier 2,' Lance thought, imagining that his prototype would be more emphasized in terms of form.

Luckily, he had his fabrication table, with its robotic arms and precision tools. He was able to arrive at his desired fabrications even close to microscopic level sizes, such as the tentacles.

"Jasper, time?" Lance said.

"4 minutes, Master. Pollution progress is about 15%." Jasper reported.

"Really now?" He was right with the modifications. The pollution collection was way better than the previous trials. "Simulate absorption level to 30 minutes."

"Approximately 92%, Master."

92% was a good number. If his components were better materials, it would arrive at his desired 100% for only a few trials.

'Maybe it's best to upgrade to Scrapper 2,' He yawned. He felt his eyelids were getting heavier as he continued his gaze upon the progressing trial.

Then he remembered his newfound crew. The Zelkians were now marketable, only 12 of them and the breeders were on their way to another natal batch.

It was ready for pickup. Logistics was a challenge for his black-market merchandise. The Sectoral borders were rigorous in their inspections recently. Luckily, Jonaz Enterprises handled Garbage Collection Trucks, covering a major segment of the market.

As he thought, Jonaz was a brilliant illegal businessman. His Garbage Collection trucks fronted a legitimate service provider business, however, concealing the illegal merch below the trash.

But the Zelkians won't be picked up in the rebel camp to maintain the camp's location secrecy. The Zelkians will be delivered to a location amenable to the Garbage truck's pick-up routes.

Damian was badgering him about the lack of Zelkian supply to Jonaz Enterprises and would dissolve the deal. Jonaz needed 20 Zelkians at the end of the month, and on the 3rd week, he had 12 marketable Zelkains. The 8 Zelkains would be supplied by the Axiom Trench Hunters and would be hauled together with the Tyllrium truck.

He remembered that Axiom Trench merchants could supply 30 Zelkians in a month. That was his contingent plan, Axiom Trench Merchants. But it would entail lesser margins if they were directly traded compared to his farming scheme.

However, it was way better than going against Jonaz Enterprises' dealings. He remembered how Jonaz emphasized his reputation and all. Therefore, the first delivery should be perfect.

"Jasper, calculate earnings for the end of the month," Lance asked.

_______________________________________

Net Profit Tyllrium Trade to Grebert: 500 units (Received)

Forecasted Net Profit for Zelkian to Jonas: 1,100 units (Awaiting payment)

Recent transactions: 300 units (payment for fixer)

Recent transactions: 200 units (Groceries)

Total Currency: 1,090 units

________________________________________

It seemed right. Lance recalculated with his mind. It was accurate. He already paid Damian his specialist fee, of 500 units. Joe too, with his Farm management fee of 100 units. George had his fair share, 15 units a piece of Tyllrium, and the Caretaker was paid as well.

At the end of the month, after he received a total of 2200 units, deducted his remaining 70% of the Fixing rate which a deal he had to fulfill, would elevate his status almost to a mid-classer.

"Master, 15 minutes at 47% collection rate," Jasper prompted.

'It went as planned. Probably would reach up to 94% clean water,' Lance thought.

"As protocol suggests, Master. You will drink the water after we can call the trial a success," Jasper reminded.

Lance set the challenge. He knew that only a 6% rate of pollution left in the water would be acceptable to his bodily system.

After 30 minutes passed, the clustered pollution seemed to attract towards the 40 strands of tentacles. The forms and lengths of the tentacles were more perceptible now as the brown FOGs clamped together.

The FOGs seemed to be magnetized by the Floaters' tentacles, as he desired.

'Job well done,' Lance tapped himself.

He then hauled himself up from a succumbing rest, then activated a switch. The round Robotic casing hissed again and released an anti-microbial mist into the water.

"Pollution at 6% and microorganism content at 0%," Jasper scanned. "It's time to drink, master."

Lance did not listen to the AI's reminder. He went back to his chair after a satisfying sigh.

Everything went well, he presumed. The businesses and the invention. The question remains, for his 2200 units at the end of the month, was it the perfect time to augment oneself? Or to save another month to acquire the Energy accelerator for 3000 units?

The stress seemed to cloud his judgment.

"Master, may you drink the sample now," Jasper reminded again.

"Jasper, leave me at peace will ya!" the exhausted kid commanded.

For a few dull moments, he slept.

Invention number two – Roflo Water Pollution Collector.