I was asked to help out at a sales meeting, which could help me get a
Funding Scholarship
the price was higher than I thought it would be.
I am in my final year of training as an engineer with a defence company and in my last year off my college academic studies. For next year I have to win a scholarship for my degree in engineering physics, I am a maths buff and love doing maths surrounding physics of molecular fission and fusion. It's what I am good at and offsets my questionable social skills.
Without a scholarship I would find it difficult to fund my degree. My parents are all for me going to University like my older sister Shona who is currently studying Graphic Art. Although both my parents work they struggle financially each month to make ends meet, my salary helps but would be lost if I didn't have a scholarship. I am not very outward going need encouragement and a dreamer about what I would like to do.
The project I am working on is a concept for the next generation Nuclear Steam Raising Plant, NSRP, for an impending submarine build program for a foreign client. It could also become the basis of the next generation of the mini reactors we read about in the newspapers. Although I am a junior design engineer I was given the job to do the initial mathematical design model surrounding the physics of molecular fission in the reactor. Normally it would be given to a senior design architect to do but they were all tied up on a problem with a current submarine reactor operation.
Although doing thousand's of interconnecting calculation, even on a computer is quite daunting, I really enjoyed doing it. Three weeks of work and it was completed, the estimators could now work out how much it would cost to make. The marketing and tender engineers could also do their bit. The head physics design architect had checked and approved my design in concept form and I was now going back to more day to day work and catching up with my college dissertation work.
It was during this tendering project I met Peter who was a retired naval nuclear attack submarine Captain, now retired and working for industry. Normally I would not interface directly with someone so senior but they were shorthanded. Peter by reputation was difficult and uncompromising to work for, as the Captain of a submarine costing billion's he was used to getting his own way, his word was law and he was always correct irrespective.
I was the total opposite, unsure of myself always seeking acceptance of what I had done and that it was correct, we got along remarkably well and he knew his nuclear physics, could and did challenge me on what I said or proposed constructively. I was assigned to his tender team full time until the tender was submitted, working out of their plush Marketing office. During this time I was introduced to a number of company Directors, being noticed would help with my scholarship funding application or so I thought.
A month later I was back in my open plan overcrowded office, which badly needed new furniture and a lick of paint working on more mundane but still interesting jobs. During this time I was cramming for my final college exams, Peter as a way of saying thanks for helping out with the now submitted tender. I could use his tender authors to prepare and professionally present my final exam dissertation, every mark counts when you are looking for a scholarship.
The week after my final exam's I was back in the office, but with very little work to do as the company was a bit short of work, there was also talk of layoffs. When Peter came in and asked me could I look at some calculations 'unofficially' and handed over three flash drives, all marked 'Secret' I said "yes" the secret bit was a challenge to my curiosity.
There was a problem with a reactor trace element spiking on a submarine that was currently at sea on patrol. Others in the company design team were looking at it, but he also wanted me to look at the calculations from a forensic standpoint. This meant I had to do manual checking of thousands of calculation formula. To a geek like me this was mathematical heaven, I worked late every night, including at weekends for almost ten days.
I found out what was wrong, nothing with the reactor but the computer calculation formula contained an embedded error, simply put the computer formula took a single trace element reading and squared the number instead of taking the square root of it before applying it to subsequent calculation's. Creating a super compounding error showing up as an apparent spike in a single reactor trace element reading which could imply the reactivity was about to potentially fall out of balance.
Not a good thing; to find this error I had to go through and recalculate the complete reactor physics manually with a fission slide ruler, calculator and computer, that's what geeks do questioning Status Que. I phoned Peter to tell him I may have an answer, five minutes later with my calculation log book's I was in his office, door closed explaining what I found. He instantly understood what I said, apparently he had started out as a submarine reactor engineer.
The following day I was sent down to explain what I found to the senior engineer for nuclear submarines, a Dr De'ath, apparently a Channel Isles French name but to me he was always Dr Death, he was an incredibly subdued and likable person. My calculation log book's were retained and I was reminded that I couldn't tell anyone about my findings including my employer. They would be notified through official channels. Sort of James Bond stuff.
A few weeks passed the senior design architect's became free and took an interest in my concept design calculations for the company's new commercial next generation of NSRP. Apart from a few questions I was kept on the fringe of developments, very frustrating but that's a trainee's lot in life.
Out of the blue I received a call from Peter's secretary could I go to a sales meeting tomorrow as a technical assistant to Peter. Although I had been accepted by the University for my chosen course, the endorsement from the head of Naval Nuclear Engineering for the Government seriously helped me get a placement. All I needed now was scholarship funding from my company.
However, the decision on my company's financial sponsorship had not yet been made. Going to University all hinged around that, I said I would go and was told to report to the marketing department in the morning and as I would be away for three or four days pack a case.
I arrived at marketing department with my borrowed suite case in hand the next day. Waiting for me was three large sealed blue plastic boxes full of tender documents and a driver to take me to a conference venue, about an hour or so away. But that wasn't all, I was given a kilt to wear, a marketing thing, its pattern was designed uniquely for submariners, dark green and navy blue representing the sea and yellow to represent the coveted golden dolphins badge worn by all qualified submariners. I changed into it and I looked good wearing it, must admit I did get a bit of a kick out of wearing it, particularly getting in and out of the car.
When we arrived Peter was already their wearing his kilt with his naval uniform and Captains gold braid, he really looked the part, we set up the conference room ready for our foreign guests. My instructions from Peter were simple, I would fetch and carry documents over to the conference table unless he invited me to explain something. At coffee breaks pointless chit chat was allowed and encouraged, I was to serve the coffee too. Ok I could do that.
It was my first time at a sales conference but I felt relaxed about what I had to do, only thing I was a bit concerned about was. The kilt I was wearing was of a lightweight material type, nice to wear but if you turned too fast it would swing out and up, but it did give you a bit of a thrill when you did. Peter had flippantly commented that I was taking corners too fast, but he would keep that as an option if they don't accept his sales pitch. I didn't expect that type of comment from him as he was always so strait laced and always fully in control.
Our three guests all arrived in their countries Naval Uniforms each of the three senior officers had their own personal assistant. The structure of the meeting was very higher article, I or one of the other assistants would fetch and carry as instructed or requested. I took all my corners at a discreet pace and should something fall on the floor, pick it up carefully. Two out of the three assistants, who were about my age from time to time, each, dropped something on the floor having to put their heads under the conference table while retrieving it. Became a bit of a game retaining ones modesty by discreet body movements, it was a bit of below the table fun, enjoyed by all.
On the first day I verbally contributed to the proceedings for about fifteen minutes. At exactly five the meeting was suspended and the principles all retired for drinks. The assistants tided up and locked away all their principal's confidential documents. Navy protocol said we weren't allowed to partake of alcohol until we were invited to do so by our principals.
