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Ra’as
Ra’as Drayven studied the blueprint as it spun slowly in the air above his holo-disc.
There were seven other people in the room, maybe more, if the interns were on this morning. But all of them were silent, reverent almost.
They knew Master Drayven valued silence when he was deep in his creative process.
He studied the elegant lines of the Executive Palace as the image rotated. A good design combined the owner’s wishes with the local building codes. A great design included efficiency of materials and local sourcing.
And Ra’as Drayven’s designs took it all one step above and beyond, giving the owner things they didn’t even realize they wanted. Which was why he was so sought after in the upper circles of architectural design and planning.
It was said that Ra’as Drayven had a sixth sense for figuring out what his clients secretly craved.
Technically, if he did have another sense, it would be his seventh. All Kotenka had an extra sense already, but it made people uncomfortable to think about, so most pretended not to know about it.
Ra’as didn’t think he had any special intuition. Or if he did, he was using it without realizing it. Most times, he simply added elements he personally felt were needed to elevate the structure to its best form.
So far, his clientele had possessed the good sense to be grateful.
And now that he had achieved almost celebrity status, he doubted any of them would have the audacity to challenge him, even if they didn’t like his work.
The floating lines in front of him faded until he found he was looking at the one area of the structure that he knew instinctively needed his eye.
The newly elected leader of Ulfgard was obsessed with Old-Earth history, especially what was known as Greco-Roman culture and architecture. The entire design for the Executive Palace, to be built to house the leader’s family as well as hold all ceremonial occasions, had been put in the hands of Ra’as Drayven & Associates, with the tacit understanding that the Master himself would have his hands on every facet of the project. Ra’as had done his homework, and decided to imbue the manse with hints of the leader’s obsession.
Soaring ceilings and echoing arches blended organically with the more modern feel of the drawing. But something still wasn’t right.
“There,” he said. “Lift the third-floor landing by two feet and open the space under the stairs.”
“Of course,” his first assistant said, scowling at her holo-screen as she tapped into it. “Space for another powder room?”
“A circular hall for the second floor,” he said. “The flow will echo the downstairs layout. The flooring in that section above should be composite glass.”
“It’s under the third-floor skylight,” the assistant murmured in understanding. “There will be natural light without adding a window.”
Six other voices made sounds of understanding and appreciation. Fingers danced in the air.
The rotating drawing adjusted to match his vision.
“Now columns,” he said.
Knee walls disappeared and were replaced with columns to echo the ones on the facade and in the courtyard.
“There,” he said. “Yes.”
There was a smattering of applause, as often happened when he had a breakthrough - no matter how minor.
The applause made him feel embarrassed for himself and for his staff, but he allowed it. If he wanted to employ the best available minds, he had to indulge them. If they wanted to work for a scary boss, he would intimidate them. If they wanted him to be a star, he would perform.
For Ra’as, the only thing he cared about was that blueprint, and the building it would become. Everyone and everything around him was a tool, more or less useful at turning the vision into a reality.
An old-fashioned chime-ring sounded on his bracelet.
“Go,” he said simply to the people in the room. “Make it happen.”
They scattered immediately, like a herd of prey running from a rhine cat.
“Ra’as,” his mother chirped the minute he tapped the screen. “Where are you?”
