Year 2053, Hyderabad, India
Vikram Malhotra, CEO of Astra Global Industries, stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of his Hyderabad office, gazing at the sprawling cityscape below. At 43, he cut an imposing figure – tall, broad-shouldered, with sharp features and piercing dark eyes that missed nothing.
A soft chime from his desk interrupted his thoughts. "Mr. Malhotra, your 2 o'clock is here," his AI assistant announced.
"Send him in," Vikram replied, not turning from the window.
The door slid open, revealing a nervous-looking man in his fifties. "Mr. Malhotra, thank you for seeing me on such short notice," he stammered.
Vikram turned, his face impassive. "Mr. Gupta, I hope you have good news for me."
Gupta swallowed hard. "Sir, I've been in touch with my contact at the UN Space Development Committee. It seems they're planning to open bidding for lunar mining rights next month."
Vikram's eyes narrowed. "Next month? That's earlier than expected. What else?"
"They're implementing strict anti-monopoly measures. No single company will be allowed to control more than 15% of the available mining sites."
Vikram cursed under his breath. This complicated things. "Who else knows about this?"
Gupta hesitated. "I'm not certain, but I believe Zhao Corp and Red Planet Industries have gotten wind of it."
Vikram nodded, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Mr. Gupta, your information is invaluable. However, I need you to dig deeper. Find out who's pushing for these anti-monopoly measures. Names, motivations, weaknesses - I want it all."
Gupta paled visibly. "But sir, that level of intel... it's risky. If I'm caught-"
Vikram cut him off, his voice sharp. "Then don't get caught. Remember, Mr. Gupta, in this game, information is more precious than helium-3. Your bonus will reflect that."
As Gupta left, looking both terrified and determined, Vikram pulled up his secure comm link. "Get me Ambassador Chen," he ordered.
Moments later, the holographic image of a middle-aged Chinese woman appeared. "Vikram, to what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked, her tone cautious but friendly.
"Mei, I hope I'm not interrupting anything important," Vikram said, his voice smooth as silk. "I was hoping we could discuss the upcoming UN vote on lunar resource allocation."
Chen's expression remained neutral, but Vikram caught the slight tightening around her eyes. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're referring to, Vikram. No such vote has been announced."
Vikram smiled, all teeth. "Come now, Mei. We both know that's not true. The question is, how can we ensure this vote benefits both our interests?"
Chen was silent for a moment, weighing her options. "What did you have in mind?"
"A partnership. Astra Global and the Chinese National Space Agency. We pool our resources, share the risks, and split the rewards. It's the only way to compete with the Americans and Europeans."
Chen's eyes narrowed. "Vikram, you're proposing more than a partnership. This is a realignment of global power dynamics."
"Precisely, Mei. The West has held the reins for too long. It's time for a new era of Asian cooperation and dominance."
"And India gets...?" Chen probed.
Vikram leaned forward, his voice intense. "A seat at the table, Mei. No more being sidelined in global affairs. We break the dollar's stranglehold, create a new economic paradigm."
Chen frowned. "The Epstein drive complicates things. The Western space navy-"
"Is precisely why we need to act now," Vikram cut in. "Together, we can outmaneuver them. BRICS could be our launching pad."
"Bold moves, Vikram. But bold moves often have unforeseen consequences."
Vikram's smile didn't waver. "In this case, Mei, the consequences of inaction are far worse. You know as well as I do that whoever controls the votes controls the moon."
Chen's eyes widened slightly. "How did you-"
"Details aren't important," Vikram cut her off. "What matters is that together, we can ensure Asian dominance in space for the next century. Are you interested?"
Chen nodded slowly. "I'm intrigued by your proposal. I'll need to discuss this with my superiors, but... I believe we have a foundation to build on."
"Excellent. I'll have my team draw up a preliminary proposal. We'll be in touch."
As Chen's hologram faded, Vikram allowed himself a small smile of satisfaction. It wasn't a done deal yet, but it was a start.
His comm link chimed again. "Sir, your sister is here to see you."
Vikram's demeanor changed instantly. "Send her in immediately."
Priya Malhotra swept into the office, her sharp business suit a stark contrast to her warm smile. "Bhaiya, working late as usual?"
Vikram's face softened, his eyes crinkling with genuine affection. "Priya! What brings you here at this hour?"
"Can't a sister check in on her workaholic brother?" she teased, perching on the edge of his desk.
Vikram chuckled, a sound reserved only for family. "Of course. How are things at the foundation?"
Priya's expression grew serious. "That's partly why I'm here. We're having trouble with the clean water initiative in Africa. I was hoping Astra could lend some expertise."
"Consider it done," Vikram said without hesitation. "I'll have my best engineers on it by tomorrow."
Priya studied her brother's face. "You seem tense. Lunar mining rights?"
Vikram raised an eyebrow. "Your network is as good as ever, little sister."
"Someone has to keep an eye on you," she said softly. Then, more hesitantly, "Vikram... have you been sleeping well?"
A shadow passed over Vikram's face, gone so quickly Priya almost thought she'd imagined it. "I'm fine, Priya. Just busy."
Priya opened her mouth as if to say more, then thought better of it. "Well, don't work too hard. You promised to come to dinner next week, remember? The kids miss their uncle. Papa misses you as well , so you should definitely come. "
Vikram's smile returned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
As Priya left, Vikram turned back to the window, his reflection staring back at him. For a moment, he thought he saw something else in the glass – a flicker of memory, perhaps? But then it was gone, leaving only the hard-eyed businessman once more.
He had a moon to conquer, after all. Everything else could wait.