After resting for a bit, Garry stood up. "Alright, let's get moving. Let's take a look around your lab."
"Of course," Nick said, standing up quickly. "Please, follow me."
He led the group upstairs, narrating as they walked. "We've structured our lab into three primary research tracks. This floor focuses on microelectronic hardware and circuit design. The second floor, which we're approaching now, is dedicated to cluster array technology."
"Wait, you're still digging into that?" Director Kai asked, sounding surprised.
From his perspective, that tech was already a home run. Militech had successful partnerships with the military and even commercial giants like Amazon. He figured the project was in maintenance mode. Why were Nick and his team still pouring resources into it? Was there really that much meat left on the bone?
"Yeah, we still have a few ideas we want to explore," Nick said with a smirk.
"Oh?" Not only Director Kai, but Liam's curiosity was piqued as well. "Is this for defense or commercial applications?"
"A bit of both, I'd say." Nick led them into the hardware lab on the second floor. "We stood this lab up recently to centralize the hardware engineers who used to be scattered across different projects. They're the backbone—they build the physical shells that let our software shine. For instance, the drones from the Miami swarm demo and the prototypes for the H1 were all built right here."
"Smart," Garry praised. "Hardware is the foundation software lives on, and software is the only way hardware actually does anything useful. They have to be perfectly synced to maximize performance. If a tech company wants to truly scale, they need to master both. Otherwise, you're walking on one leg—it's slow, unstable, and you're eventually going to trip."
Nick smiled at the validation. "We're still finding our footing in this specific department. You guys are the experts, so I'd love to hear your thoughts."
"Haha, this kid never misses an opportunity to pick our brains," Liam joked, before turning serious. "Listen, talent—pure talent—is the only real foundation for R&D. Equipment and facilities are just external conditions. They matter, but they aren't the key. If you want this place to be a powerhouse, you have to recruit and cultivate a top-tier team. You have to grow them from the ground up. It's a slow burn, so stay patient."
Nick nodded in total agreement. "We're out there scouting every day, but the top-tier talent usually gets scooped up by the big federal institutes or the tech giants. We're often left picking through the 'best of the rest.'"
"Then build them yourself," Garry Frank challenged. "Talent isn't just found; it's forged. High-level technical expertise is a result of the environment you create."
"You're right." Nick explained, "We actually prioritize hiring fresh grads—after all, we were in their shoes not too long ago. It's just that the learning curve is steep, and we're in a bit of a rush right now."
Director Kai slapped him on the shoulder. "What's the rush? You're young; you've got decades. Take the time to do it right."
Nick laughed, but internally, he felt the clock ticking. Sure, compared to most guys his age who were just trying to figure out their first entry-level job, he was miles ahead. But for someone whose eyes were fixed on the stars, the pace felt agonizingly slow. He didn't know how much of the "future" locked in his head he could actually manifest in one lifetime.
He wasn't trying to be a martyr for humanity, but he cared deeply about the soil he stood on. This era of prosperity wasn't an accident, and peace was fragile. He wanted to use his mind to protect it.
Suddenly, Director Kai's eyes widened as if he'd found a gold mine. He pointed toward a row of sleek, black drones on a test bench—each no bigger than a man's fist. "Wait, are you guys playing around with FPV drones?"
"You're familiar with racing drones?" Nick asked, genuinely surprised.
"Hehe, you think we're just a bunch of old fossils?" Director Kai scoffed playfully. "Small, high-speed, first-person-view targets are incredible for close-quarters battlefield reconnaissance. We've looked into it, but we never took a deep dive. Why are you suddenly interested? You have another 'nuke' ready to drop?"
Nick nodded. "We're working on something. Since we're applying for our defense contractor certifications, we've hit a bit of a wall. We've got the security clearances, but the actual production certs are tough because we don't have a specific defense-focused product to show for it. So, we're aiming to debut a new piece of equipment at the Defense-Industry Fusion Expo in D.C. this August."
"Oh, you sneaky kid," Liam said, smiling. "You aren't planning on taking your swarm tech and trying to out-compete our own internal projects, are you?"
It was a joke, but there was a sharp edge of genuine inquiry. Nick was the inventor of the swarm control logic, after all. If he brought a superior version to the Expo to compete with the very tech he'd licensed to them, it would be a massive headache for the Pentagon.
Nick caught the subtext immediately and shook his head. "Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of stepping on your toes. We're taking a completely different route. A different direction entirely."
"Now you've got my attention," Garry said. "I've seen the progress on the internal swarm projects, and they're doing great. But if the man who started it all is pivoting to something else... what kind of surprise do you have for us, Nick?"
"For that," Nick said with a mysterious grin, "you'll have to wait for the Expo in August. I promise, it'll be worth the wait."
He gestured toward the elevator. "Follow me. The third floor is mostly standard drone R&D—nothing you haven't seen. Let's head straight to the fourth floor."