It had been a long day of board meetings and design conferences with my lead team of engineers, but I stepped into the dimly lit ballroom of the monolithic LCC building and reminded myself that I needed to deliver this presentation flawlessly. More than any other wing of the business, the inroads we were making into hydro-harvesting could drastically reshape the everyday lives of the people of Vaxivia.

I knew our investors would be a hard sell. It wasn’t the most profitable venture; in fact, we would definitely lose money up front. The long-term implications, though, could reshape Vaxivia and, in turn, our company.

I walked up to the podium, my compendium of notes on the project in hand, and took a deep breath. So many eyes on me—the weight of it was stifling.

I wasn’t nervous because I didn’t know what I was talking about or because the technology wasn’t sound. I was nervous because I needed them to care, and if there wasn’t money in the venture, I wasn’t sure they would.

I smiled serenely out at the large gathering in the ballroom, at the shallow faces of Vaxivia’s wealthiest inhabitants—wealth that my family had largely helped to create. I would make them care.

“Thank you, Kamala, for that kind and thoughtful introduction,” I said, acknowledging my public relations director. “And thank you all for joining us here tonight. As you’ve just heard, I’m Tasha Lord-Case, and I’d like to talk to you about the future.

“When my father founded the Lord-Case Company, it was with the vision of developing and transforming Vaxivia into something more than a wasteland, into a thriving center of business and commerce. He started with a small team of fellow engineers and worked tirelessly to make that vision a reality.

“All of you here today placed your faith in my father, in his vision. You believed in creating a better future here on Vaxivia, and, through years of hard work and shrewd business decisions, it is, indeed, better than what it was. For some, that might be enough, but I believe there is more here to achieve.

“You’re here tonight because I’m asking you to put your faith once more in the Lord-Case Company, to invest in the future of this business and this planet. I’m asking you to see the potential not just for ourselves, but for the all of Vaxivia’s citizens.”

The lights dimmed on cue, until it was nearly pitch black. Then the room exploded with color as the holographic interface projector came to life and transported us all to a hidden oasis, a thousand meters below Vaxivia’s crust.

Using the latest form of holographic replication, it looked and smelled as though we were actually in the cavern. The room filled with aahs as my investors enjoyed the sensory entertainment.

“Now, I ask that each of you take a sip of the water before you,” I said, and they all giddily reached for the sleek glass pitchers.

Their delight with the fresh, pure taste of the water was palpable and buoyed my enthusiasm. Water on Vaxivia generally had a dull, musty flavor and was in such short supply that even the wealthy didn’t drink it by the pitcher so casually.

As I glanced out over the crowd, taking in the excited faces, one face stood out. A man with skin tinted the palest purple, silky black hair, and intense, fathomless dark eyes that were studying me intently. I felt my pulse leap and was struck by the instant, heated reaction I felt.

My skin tingled, and I couldn’t drag my eyes or my focus away from him. His eyes slid slowly over me, appraisingly, and I could almost feel him removing my clothes as he did so.

When his eyes returned to mine, he quirked a sly smile, and I suddenly felt like I was someone entirely new, someone who didn’t think twice about making eyes at a gorgeous, strange man across a room.

I wanted to smile, but my lips felt unbearably dry and instead I licked them. He smiled more definitively then. The heat that flashed through me when he smiled, seductive and a little dangerous, had me reaching for my glass of water.

Suddenly, I realized Kamala was clearing her throat. Recovering myself, I launched back into the presentation, hoping no one noticed the sudden flush in my cheeks.

I continued on, “Water is one of the essential requirements for sustaining life. As we all know, it is in far too short supply on Vaxivia. Or is it?

“This water, ladies and gentlemen, this pure, refreshing water was harvested here on Vaxivia. It’s difficult to believe, I know. What you’re seeing around us is a projection of a cavern located approximately one thousand meters below Vaxivia’s crust. Our engineers discovered it while mining for Palladium.”

The cavern was carpeted in verdant and alien plants. Around us, small, serpentine lizards scurried past. The air was hot and damp, as water dripped from the cave’s ceiling and gathered in pools around us.

“As you can see, we have encountered a lush and thriving ecosystem. Flora and fauna have flourished in caverns such as this. The life in this cave is sustained by one of many massive underground aquifers that our team has discovered. Our hydrogeologists estimate there could be nearly as much water below Vaxivia’s deep crust as on the surface of Earth Prime.”

A collective gasp came from the crowd as the implications of this sunk in. A lot of money was made on Vaxivia through controlling the limited supply of surface water.

“When Earth Federation colonizers began developing Vaxivia, hydro-cultivation robots began molecular manipulation to establish a sustainable water supply for the planet’s future residents. As you know, those plans were abandoned. What resulted was the formation of confined and artesian aquifers that, until now, have gone untapped.”

The translucent image of our newest drone iteration appeared in the middle of the room, rotating and offering the audience a full view of our latest technical creation.

“Our team of mechanical engineers has developed, and continues to improve upon, a fleet of hydro-harvesting drones, like the one you see before you. The Melusine ASD-13 can locate and drill up to a thousand meters down, allowing us to easily and quickly transport this precious resource for both municipal drinking supplies and irrigation and agricultural purposes.

“With water supplies such as this, Vaxivians can fully cultivate their own food supply and operate truly outside of Earth Federation’s control. We will no longer be dependent upon teleportation import; in the next fifty years, Vaxivia could become fully autonomous and self-sustaining.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is the future,” I said, pausing for effect, as the audience clapped. The holographic interface faded away and the lights brightened somewhat.

Confidence surging through me, I smiled and looked at the mysterious man in the back of the room again. I held his eyes for just a moment, feeling a little daring, until an investor called out a question. I sat down at the long table with the rest of our leadership team.

Over the next hour, we fielded questions about our projections and development plan. The plan had several stages, the first of which would be the most expensive. Infrastructure for transporting water would be the first step of many for creating a viable network of waterways.

Thousands of jobs would be created over the course of the project, and many of those hires would be experts that would need to be recruited. An influx in our immigration would also bring with it an economic boom, if handled correctly. Steel City was large but would also need additions made to its infrastructure and services.

This project wasn’t just about opening up a plentiful water supply to our people, though that was a chief motivation. It was also about revitalizing the dream of what Vaxivia could be and adapting that dream to the people who had claimed it as their own.

Vaxivia had been meant to be a resort for the uber wealthy, but, instead, it had become a haven for dissenters and political refugees seeking freedom from the oppression of the corrupt Earth Federation regime, people who had sought a fresh start and a better life for themselves and their families. This was about making that haven something prosperous and plentiful.

At twice the size of Earth Prime, Vaxivia had enormous development potential and the idea that the Lord-Case Company could be responsible for realizing that potential brought meaning to my work. We had made a fortune from the people of Vaxivia, now it was time to do something for them, to give back.

After the question and answer period was over, people began moving freely about the room, engaged in animated discussion of our revelations.

I saw Albert, my CFO, at one end of the table, making his way toward me, and I quickly merged into the mass of attendees. I hadn’t briefed Albert on the full contents of the presentation, and I was keen to avoid the confrontation for now.

I chatted politely as I mingled and made my way to the bar at the far end of the room. A green-haired bartender came over immediately as I sat down.

“I’ll take a Parallax, thanks,” I said, sighing as I relaxed onto the plush stool.

“Make that two.”

I turned, surprised, toward the low, rich sound that came from behind me. It was the mystery man from the audience. My stomach jumped.

“Wonderful presentation, Ms. Lord-Case. You must be pleased at the reception,” he said, gesturing to the enthused crowd.

“Yes, quite pleased, Mr.…” I let my voice trail off.

“Just call me Ragal,” he said, smiling.

“Ah, well then, call me Tasha. I don’t recognize you from any of our previous investor presentations. Ah, thank you,” I said to the pretty young bartender who had delivered two glass flutes full of fizzing purple liquid.

“Thank you,” he said, inclining his head to the server and passing her several coins. He turned back to me and raised his glass in a toast before we both sipped.

His face contorted slightly at the flavor of the bitter mineral tonic that I had specially stocked in the building. I swallowed my laugh as he tried to play off the surprise.

“It’s a mineral tonic one of my Gindaxian clients introduced me to—an acquired taste. I find them very refreshing, and the nutrient profile helps to boost mitochondrial function and intracellular ion concentration,” I explained and then realized he probably didn’t care or even know what I was talking about.

He was devastatingly handsome, with his shoulder-length black hair worn loose over a sleek charcoal gray suit.

“Ah, Gindaxians, an interesting race,” he replied. “Hyper-intelligent beings, and yet they possess one of the poorest immune systems in the known universe.”

I smiled at his knowledge of the obscure planet. “Yes, I’ve heard that they have developed a cure to every known disease because of the fragility of their physical bodies.”

“Understandable then, their preoccupation with wellness. A terrible pity that their sense of taste has no medical utility.”

I laughed. “Well, concessions must be made in the name of health.”

Just then, Kamala came up and let me know that a scrivener from the local press was asking for an interview. I groaned inwardly. The Vaxivian press seemed to enjoy portraying me as spoiled and far less competent than I was.

“Please give him my regretful apologies, but I’m discussing our new venture with a very important investor. He can talk to my assistant Li about scheduling an interview sometime tomorrow.”

“You got it, Tasha,” she said, giving Ragal a flirty once-over as she walked away.

“Sorry to drag you into my nefarious schemes, but it’s been a long day and I would rather not tack any more work onto it,” I said, turning back.

“I understand and give you full permission to include me in any inappropriate or nefarious plots you may have for the remainder of the evening,” Ragal said, his voice and suggestion sending chills of excitement up my back.

“Perhaps we might continue this conversation someplace more removed from your work commitments?” he all but purred.

In a board room, going over technical plans with an engineer, or behind the controls of just about any aircraft, I was in my element, I knew what I was doing, and I was in control. Flirting with a handsome and mysterious stranger, however, was uncharted, awkward territory.

The invitation hung in the air between us as I wavered. “I’m not sure. I have a full schedule tomorrow…” I was exaggerating. I did have a meeting with a foreman at our newest factory, but it was hardly a packed morning.

I bit my lip, wanting to go but feeling suddenly insecure.

He looked a little dejected as he smiled apologetically. “I understand.”

Impulsively, I reached out and grabbed his forearm as he turned from me. “No, wait.”

The contact sent an electric, excited rush through me.

“Where did you have in mind?” I said, smiling at him seductively, feeling suddenly daring.

His lips curved into a similar smile and we made our way through the crowd, out of the building, and into the darkness. I wasn’t sure where the night would lead, but I felt suddenly more alive, more present than I had felt in a long time, maybe more than I had ever felt.