Although the JE team could readily adapt some penthouse rooms (lounge, bar, quarters, etc.) with very minor updates, others required more thorough revisions to adequately serve JE functions. Fortunately the relevant furnishings and equipment could be quickly obtained on Earth (unlike remote space locations), so the team managed to bring the most important work spaces into operation within only a couple of weeks.
The team worked hard to set up its innovative conference room, which focused on a powerful holographic projection system. Team members sat around a specially configured conference table, atop which the projector could display 3D images of various city blocks. These projected images could be updated in real time, and the powerful system could track moving vehicles – and even individuals as they walked around.
Such surveillance systems had long proved highly controversial, reflecting serious privacy intrusion concerns, but the powerful technology proved so successful for so many purposes, that most people seemed willing to accept them for sheer convenience. Despite misgivings, the JE team realized they'd need this capability to enhance their own operations – including the need to monitor the increasingly ominous activities of Hyde Rival minions.
Office operations support all JE activities, so the team established functional office space as quickly as possible in coverted rooms within the penthouse suite. As soon as the office equipment became operational, they decided that the first order of business should involve working out a practical balance between starship and office duties so that Galileo could collaborate more effectively with Olympia in managing JE operations.
They contacted Seaplane, who in turn contacted Martian colony officials. After considerable back-and-forth communications – irritatingly laggy due to the great distance between Earth and Mars – they worked out a reasonable approach: Galileo would share starship captain duties with his colleague Thad, who had logged nearly as many hours in spacecraft and already proved himself very skilled at clever evasion tactics when necessary during space flight. Moreover, the transport line employed other captains as well (although few as experienced as Galileo and Thad), so it was possible to set up a rotation system, allowing Galileo to remain at JE Earth facilities for extended periods between flights.
Olympia expressed relief: “Whew, I'm so happy we could work something out! At least now I can avoid becoming overwhelmed by managing JE operations here alone while also helping Sarah get the new android lab established. So now our professional – and personal – lives will be much better!” Galileo agreed: “Oh yes, far better! Say, let's go celebrate with some good food and drink....”
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