Chapter 40 The Ivory Room (Aalam) (Caderyn
Upstairs on the sixth-floor conference suite glass walls, polished egos, the city muffled below.
Aalam presided at the head of the table in a suit that made restraint look like an art form. Cadeyrn sat rigid beside him, every line of his body a dictated order. Olivia Hoshina-Takeda diplomat and pristine perched opposite Cynthia and Barnard.
Barnard looked like he’d been ironed into existence: clean cut, posture immaculate, a smile that said privilege came with practice. Everyone knew how he got the job a well-placed name, a father’s favor but he’d worked too; he’d elbowed, outperformed, and quietly moved people out of the way when opportunity knocked. His entitlement had the polish of earned polish; he wore nepotism like a bespoke jacket and knew exactly when to button it up.
Around them, the room buzzed with low conversations from elite programmers and product managers. An undercurrent of something bigger hummed beneath the surface a breakthrough if they could only stop it from collapsing into the logs.
Aalam’s tone cut through the static. “If we want to secure government contracts against the other big hitters, our programming has to be stable. No theatrical patches, no smoke and mirrors. Stability is credibility.”
Olivia nodded. “Most other companies have the same issue — they just know how to prolong the glitch long enough to close deals. We can try alternatives beyond the SIM-KHA framework, but the foundation has to be durable.”
One of the younger programmers leaned forward, eyes sharp with curiosity. “There’s talk that Rune Calder’s attending this year’s Plug Conference with his mentee, Eric Backwelder. They’re supposed to be hosting a closed Q&A session for senior developers.”
The air shifted instantly ambition thickening the oxygen.
Engineer: “If Rune’s there, and we can get even a five-minute conversation, that’s a power move. His endorsement would wipe out every competitor’s edge.”
Aalam considered it, thoughtful. “A meeting with Calder could redefine our trajectory if we can secure one.”
Olivia tapped her tablet, already ahead. “I’ve already secured VIP passes. Three-day access. It’s invite-only harder to get than government clearance. If we position ourselves right, I can request a side meeting. Kaori will come — her insight on system architecture makes her a good bridge for the conversation.”
Cadeyrn gave a short nod. “Agreed. Rune won’t waste time on flattery. He’ll want precision.”
Barnard felt a small jolt of adrenaline the electric charge of ambition and proximity to greatness. “This could be our chance to solid footing”
The conversation shifted to timelines, prototype polish, and investor optics the PR choreography to make everything appear flawless. The crumbling internal admin system? Barely a footnote.