Chips

CTechFab Industries

Wichita, Kansas

June 25, 2052

 

“Jim!” Al's booming voice echoed through the office, breaking the tense silence. “When will that ASIC shipment arrive? We need them today if we’re to keep production going.”

 

“Just a minute!” Jim replied irritably from behind his office door.

 

Al let out a frustrated sigh and rose from his desk, making his way to Jim's corner of the office.

 

Jim looked up from his computer screen, his face etched with worry.

 

“They've pushed it back two weeks,” he informed Al with a heavy sigh. “The earliest they can get it to us is July 8th, assuming the freight trucks can even make it through.”

 

Al slammed his hand down on Jim's desk in frustration. “Shit! That means we'll miss our window to FibreTen. We have to let them know.”

 

“I was just about to do that after I spoke with you,” Jim answered calmly, used to Al's outbursts.

 

“With all their fancy AI and quantum computers,” Jim continued, “you'd think those billionaires at FibreTen would be able to adjust their production schedule to accommodate this delay.”

 

“Yeah,” Al grumbled. “It was so much easier before the floods and trade wars when we could source supplies from China and Japan.”

 

Just then, Al's phone rang, cutting off their conversation.

 

Giving each other a puzzled look, both men waited for Al to hang up and fill them in on the call.

 

“It's receiving,” he said in surprise. “They have a delivery from DG Inc. Apparently it's the ASICs for our boards.”

 

“I don't recognize that company name, do you?” Jim asked curiously.

 

Al shook his head. “Never heard of them either. Let me check our orders.”

 

A few moments later, Al sat back in his chair with a shocked expression on his face.

 

“It seems I ordered these components over a month ago,” he explained, shaking his head incredulously. “But I don't remember doing so, and I definitely would have since we've never done business with this company before.”

 

“Well, if you didn't order them, then who did?” Jim questioned, a hint of concern in his voice.

 

Al's face hardened into a determined look. “I don't know, but I'm going to find out. The last thing we need is someone hacking into our system and placing orders without our knowledge, even if it did end up saving us in this situation. I’m calling IT now!”