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+--- Thread: One door closes, another door opens (/showthread.php?tid=43809)
One door closes, another door opens - RockCrystal - 07-13-2010
Everyone on Canterbury Station in the New London system has met Ross Williams. A thin, somewhat stooped gentleman with a shock of white hair, he always has a friendly smile for everyone he meets. Even the people he has to fire, as head of Human Resources for Planetform, Incorporated.
This particular day, however, he was smiling a good deal less...
"F-fired?!"
Ross Williams stared across his boss's desk. His boss, the CEO of Planetform Inc., sighed and leaned back in his chair.
"Now, Ross. You knew this was coming. You're well over the mandatory retirement limit, and besides, you're just not producing the results anymore."
"Not producing...! Why, you insolent pup! I was hiring terraformers when your daddy was in diapers! I was Head of HR when you still thought girls carried cooties-"
"And 70 percent of the scientists you hired have since left the company, many-" Ross tried to interrupt, but his boss spoke louder and overrode him. "-Many to our competitors in the Kishiro Keiretsu. I'm told the percentages in our Security and Transportation departments are even worse-"
"Because YOU capped their pay and have been cutting benefits!"
"Ross." The CEO leaned forward slightly. "The Ayr project is stalled. Harris is under siege. Liberty STILL won't take over operations on Minor, or allow us to start work on Cold Bay. We just don't have the money for such luxuries as bonuses and hazard pay anymore. Unless you'd like to invest your personal fortune here, it's time for you to clear out your desk." The CEO pressed a button on his desk. "Security?"
"WAIT!" The anger that Ross had been displaying earlier had vanished in an oncoming tide of desperation. "What if... What if I do invest my personal fortune? I... I have some ideas, I've told you about them before...!"
The CEO sighs, and releases the intercom button. "Ross, I'm not having you turn Planetform, Inc. into some wacko cult. That's just-"
"Hear me out! You could... you could spin us off. A new shipping and security firm, wholly owned by Planetform, with me as it's head. I could run it the way I want, you'd get the supplies you need... everyone would be happy!"
The CEO and Ross sat together, silently, for several minutes. The CEO was calm, thoughtful, contemplative. Outwardly, Ross Williams, former Planetform HR director was anxious, shifting his seat, but there was something about his eyes that suggested he had anticipated this outcome...
Finally, the CEO spoke. "Nothing illegal, Ross. No drugs, no murder, no midnight sacrifices to the God-thing of Edenia-"
Ross chuckled weakly and flapped his hand. "Drugs? You don't need drugs to form a religion. People these days are half-brainwashed already, you just need the proper doctrine and they'll flock to you in droves. And of course we wouldn't practice human sacrifice. That would be bad for buisness."
"...very well. You have permission to start a corporation under the Planetform banner. As far as I'm concerned, what or who your employees worship is none of our concern. This conversation never happened. The CEO punches his intercom button once more. "Gladys? Please call off Security. Mr. Williams will be moving his offices to that vacant wing of the station. Assist him any way you can."
Ross Williams stood up, his normal demenor restored. "A pleasure as always, sir." He started for the door.
"Wait. You haven't mentioned the name of this new 'corporation'..."
Williams half turned, favoring his former boss with a grin. "Well... part of what we do is cause rainfall with Silver, isn't it?"
"Silver Iodide, yes. So?"
"So I was thinking of the name... Silverfall."
One door closes, another door opens - Klerkenen - 07-13-2010
Lovely posts, will be looking forward to the follow-up.
One door closes, another door opens - RockCrystal - 07-15-2010
//placeholder. Decided to move this post to a different section: http://discoverygc.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=74865