obtain, but I must also find some way to keep the temperature as close to zero degrees Celsius as possible at all times." Von Helmont shook his head. "Where will the instruments come from? True, Santorio Santorio developed an air thermometer in 1612, but it was notoriously unreliable. I have a precision mercury thermometer on order from the Essen Instrument Company thanks to my son, but they have a six month backlog in all of their orders, and their priority customers in Essen have first call on any emergency equipment. If you truly want to make chloramphenicol any time in the next few years, you will have to get the cooperation of either Essen or Grantville, both in terms of ingredients and instrumentation."
Rubens sighed.
Essen.
In any reasonably normal European political environment, the Republic of Essen would have been still-born or quickly repressed by the Habsburgs. But with the League of Ostend focusing their military and diplomatic efforts on the United Provinces and the Swedish-supported United States of Europe, little outside backing could be given to Catholics along the Rhine who were alarmed at the founding of the new republic.
Still, Louis de Geer was a famous Dutch industrialist known for his pragmatism.
"So Alessandro, what do you think? Perhaps it is time we paid a visit to Essen? At the very least we can perhaps establish some useful diplomatic contacts."
Scaglia nodded and smiled. "And other contacts as well. I am interested in meeting more of these Acontians."
* * *
"God, I am so nervous."
Nicki Jo Prickett twirled when her friend, lover and confidante, Catherine Boyle, motioned for her to turn around.
Catherine eyed Nicki critically and then readjusted the silver barrette that kept Nicki's bun of black hair in place.
"Why?" said Catherine. "You've been to business and diplomatic meetings like this before. What's the expression? Piece of cake."
Nicki Jo shook her head. "Piece of cake? I don't think so. Colette and Josh are both in Grantville. All the other times I've been able to sit back and let Colette handle most of the explaining and negotiating. I was just along to provide the technical expertise and show myself off as the resident, token American. It's like I'm some kind of damn talisman. They want to keep touching me to see if I'm real."
Well, I can understand that," Catherine said softly, moving her hand down to stroke Nicki Jo's neck. "I like touching you, myself."
Nicki Jo laughed. "Now stop that! I've got no time for hanky panky!"
Catherine laughed herself and stepped back. Nicki Jo was a year or two older than Catherine, but she had been totally out of her element in the aristocratic society of seventeenth-century Europe. As the daughter of the great earl of Corke, Richard Boyle, on the other hand, Catherine had been learning the ins, outs and intrigues of European nobility almost from birth. When Nicki Jo had been recruited in Grantville by Colette and Josh Modi to help develop and run the Essen Chemical Company, they had hired Catherine Boyle to assist her, along with other members of the Acontian Society who had arrived from England in mid-1632.
Catherine motioned for Nicki Jo to turn again. Clothing for businesswomen in Essen was still more conservative than in Grantville but definitely trending in the right direction, in Catherine's opinion. Nicki Jo was dressed in a dark gray stylish riding skirt with inside pockets and a white, long-sleeved, high-collared blouse. Over the blouse she had a buttoned black vest.
She needed something more. This would be a male-only meeting, after all, except for Nicki.
Catherine snapped her fingers.
"What?" said Nicki Jo.
"You need something to add to your femininity," said Catherine, rustling through the dresser in their bedroom. "It never hurts to distract the male opposition in a business meeting. Ah, found it!"
"You want me to wear that?" said Nicki Jo, pouting. "I gave you that for Christmas."
"I know," said
Rubens sighed.
Essen.
In any reasonably normal European political environment, the Republic of Essen would have been still-born or quickly repressed by the Habsburgs. But with the League of Ostend focusing their military and diplomatic efforts on the United Provinces and the Swedish-supported United States of Europe, little outside backing could be given to Catholics along the Rhine who were alarmed at the founding of the new republic.
Still, Louis de Geer was a famous Dutch industrialist known for his pragmatism.
"So Alessandro, what do you think? Perhaps it is time we paid a visit to Essen? At the very least we can perhaps establish some useful diplomatic contacts."
Scaglia nodded and smiled. "And other contacts as well. I am interested in meeting more of these Acontians."
* * *
"God, I am so nervous."
Nicki Jo Prickett twirled when her friend, lover and confidante, Catherine Boyle, motioned for her to turn around.
Catherine eyed Nicki critically and then readjusted the silver barrette that kept Nicki's bun of black hair in place.
"Why?" said Catherine. "You've been to business and diplomatic meetings like this before. What's the expression? Piece of cake."
Nicki Jo shook her head. "Piece of cake? I don't think so. Colette and Josh are both in Grantville. All the other times I've been able to sit back and let Colette handle most of the explaining and negotiating. I was just along to provide the technical expertise and show myself off as the resident, token American. It's like I'm some kind of damn talisman. They want to keep touching me to see if I'm real."
Well, I can understand that," Catherine said softly, moving her hand down to stroke Nicki Jo's neck. "I like touching you, myself."
Nicki Jo laughed. "Now stop that! I've got no time for hanky panky!"
Catherine laughed herself and stepped back. Nicki Jo was a year or two older than Catherine, but she had been totally out of her element in the aristocratic society of seventeenth-century Europe. As the daughter of the great earl of Corke, Richard Boyle, on the other hand, Catherine had been learning the ins, outs and intrigues of European nobility almost from birth. When Nicki Jo had been recruited in Grantville by Colette and Josh Modi to help develop and run the Essen Chemical Company, they had hired Catherine Boyle to assist her, along with other members of the Acontian Society who had arrived from England in mid-1632.
Catherine motioned for Nicki Jo to turn again. Clothing for businesswomen in Essen was still more conservative than in Grantville but definitely trending in the right direction, in Catherine's opinion. Nicki Jo was dressed in a dark gray stylish riding skirt with inside pockets and a white, long-sleeved, high-collared blouse. Over the blouse she had a buttoned black vest.
She needed something more. This would be a male-only meeting, after all, except for Nicki.
Catherine snapped her fingers.
"What?" said Nicki Jo.
"You need something to add to your femininity," said Catherine, rustling through the dresser in their bedroom. "It never hurts to distract the male opposition in a business meeting. Ah, found it!"
"You want me to wear that?" said Nicki Jo, pouting. "I gave you that for Christmas."
"I know," said
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