"Well then, perhaps you'll forgive me if I'm somewhat blunt. I'm afraid my time is going to be limited over the next few hours. I may as well tell you now that we are about to have the first hypersonic test of the Daedalus. Tomorrow morning we will take her to Mach 25. Seventeen thousand miles per hour. A speed almost ten times greater than any air-breathing vehicle has ever before achieved."
"The sky's the limit," he whistled quietly. Alex hadn't known the half of it. This was the ultimate plane.
"Impressive, I think you'll agree." Mino smiled and poured more sake for himself.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you."
"That ought to grease the way in the Diet for your deal. And the protocol's financial grab ought to sail through the Supreme Soviet. You prove this marvel can work and the rest is merely laundering your profits."
"So I would like to think," he nodded. "Of course, one never knows how these things will eventually turn out."
"So when do I get a look at it?"
"Why, that all depends on certain agreements we need to make."
"Then I guess it's time I heard the bottom line."