8. Plotting

  Matho and Thera both absorbed the situation the best they could; Aristonicus who was completely broke now became a multi millionaire, and this paradigm changing realisation made the two of them rather humble.

  “So Aristonicus, what exactly are your plans?” Matho said.

  “I don’t want to be the head of anything,” Aristonicus said, “I say that just to begin, we have a party that wishes to increase the science budget and make the world a better place.”

  “Right?” Matho said.

  “I will make sure cooperatives are important to the formation of the party, a general skepticism of hierarchy, but generally we want to invest in technology in innovation, the way to make our country better is to invest in the future.”

  “Leftist technocracy?” Matho said skeptically.

  “I don’t think every minister should be a scientist or something, just that science should have a lot more investment in it,” Aristonicus explained, “and now, we have the chance to form the party, and have it compete with Elon Musk and other oligarchs.”

  “Right because you have oligarch income now,” Thera interjected.

  Aristonicus clasped his temple and his nasal bridge and then scratched his bald head. He was being as patient as possible with people who didn’t quite believe in him.

  “Are the working class going to flock to a party like this?” Matho asked.

  “They are currently voting for charlatans in Reform, although a lot of them are the middle class,” Aristonicus said, “Elon Musk is bribing the British electorate to vote a certain way.”

  “He’s funding lots of different far right parties,” Thera interjected.

  “Exactly, any country with a semblance of democratic thinking has this problem, now if we just roll over, Elon Musk will scavenge various countries like the carrion bird would to corpses. We will grow, attracting scientists and workers. Hell I can start helping fund scientific projects right now.”

  “Aren’t you already stretching yourself a bit thin?” Matho asked.

  “Well, Alt Energy LTD is going to buy some stocks, and prepare for the coming storm, this is a task. I am well aware of getting the ire of the government could entail, particularly one connected to that pernicious oligarch,” Aristonicus said.

  “Yeah,” Matho said, “I never thought you would be the one to lead the charge.”

  “I am a mere financier,” Aristonicus said, “I do not wish to be the one leading anything.”

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  “Bribing scientists with what, funding for their research projects?” Matho repeated.

  “That’s the idea, the party will have three fundamental tenets, cheap energy, massive investment in tech/science, and a skepticism of hierarchy,” Aristonicus explained, “I need to get in contact with various people in order to make it happen.”

  “So what will this party name be?” Matho asked.

  “I don’t know, the research party, or the tech party or something.”

  “Fascinating chat lads,” Alex said, “as head technician of Alt Energy LTD I can try and get in contact with scientists who have interest in such an organisation.”

  “Alright it’s already 11 AM, I am going to get funds, you folk do whatever you want, you can go back to your work, or whatever,” Aristonicus said, “I need time to think.”

  “Research Party,” Matho said, “research and equality. No Innovation Party sounds better I think,” Matho said, “as much as it pains me.”

  Aristonicus worked for three hours. Flopping onto the bed in tiredness at 2 o’clock. He left himself have a personal fortune of ￡61 million, instead keeping ￡10.8 million in the company accounts.

  “There’s an interesting guy I found,” Alex said, “a man who is researching algae and carbon capture, and wishes to make a company for producing fertiliser, food products and other things, maybe even fuel.”

  “He needs capital?” Aristonicus said.

  “He does, he’s struggling to get a loan for any of his projects, banks see his work as not worth the investment I guess,”

  “Then I will invest in it,” Aristonicus laughed, “algae huh, what a fascinating man.”

  “Only trouble is, he’s not often in England, he comes only to get investment, he’s on the island of Sal off the coast of Africa.”

  “What in Cabo Verde?” Aristonicus said with incredulity, “that’s miles away.”

  “Well, he bought the lab for a bargain and wishes to use the property to sell algae to various farming companies all across, he wishes to do everything possible with it that he can,” Alex explained, “hey that’s what he told me, anyway.”

  Aristonicus pursed his eyebrows in incredulity, he was trying to contain his bad words.

  “So he needs a shit tonne of investment,” he said, “the Innovation Party will have someone who is trying to clean up the environment in a serious way.”

  “That’s great that you’re trying to get yet another oligarch, but what about members?” Matho admonished his friend.

  “They’ll come,” Aristonicus said, “they’ll come.”

  The four of them got pizza, and researched the man in question. Amalric Smith, an eccentric man who seemingly invested everything into algae. Alex as the company clerk sent the email:

  Dear Amalric,

  We at Alt Energy LTD are very interested in investing in your company, ￡10 million as some starting capital enough for you?

  Kind regards.

  Alex.

  Amalric received the email and stared the sight of the words and immediately began jumping up for joy. He immediately sent an email back, indicating how delighted he was. ￡10 million left the company accounts and an immediate ally to the cause had unwittingly been recruited.

  “We need to tell him about the party right?” Matho said.

  “We’re fostering relations,” Aristonicus said.

  “Grooming new oligarch friends,” Matho said, “goodness me,” he said grasping his nasal bridge.

  “I’ll buy a printer,” Thera said, “we’ll need lots of paper to propagate propaganda to people.”

  “Hemp!” Aristonicus said, “hemp producers could also be affiliated with us,” he said.

  This guy earns a bit of money and is already seeing what industries he can control and influence. Matho thought.

  Matho and Thera did indeed buy a printer, and lots of paper, they thought about logos and how to influence the locals to want to join the party.

  “We’ll need a proper party office, not just an office out of your company building,” Thera said.

  “For sure,” Aristonicus said, “I’ll organise it.”

  This guy is a money printer now, everything we could dream about can come true, the government who is backed by various oligarchs could come tumbling down. All the things we talk about might come true.

  And slowly it did.

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