Creds Out and More Creds In

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Sometimes even Gen had to admit that she could not do everything. She had a war to fight, an identity to secure, and a company to run. Her company had done well in terms of what was brought in, but there were ulterior investments that consistently kept the company in the red--or at least near it. Breaking even was not going to cut it forever.

The Benefactor surveyed the wheat fields of Ansion through the window at her table, their stalks a shimmering blue in the moonlight of dusk. It was not often that Geneviève dined at a restaurant of this class, but it was best to make a good impression.

Her company had initially been started as a front for slave liberation, and it still remained faithful to that purpose where it could. It would only be fitting that an ex-slave--and presumed empire-hater--would take charge of her company. She seemed to be making some great connections with the Mandalorians in recent history, as well. And that was how her scouts had found, and how she had selected, this [member="Anastasia Rade"].

Hopefully she would show up. It was time for the future.

 

[Anastasia Rade]

When Anastasia was first approached by the scouts she assumed that they were really looking for her brother but they assured her it was her. The CEO of ECHO Esprit wished to speak to her but they wouldn't say why. She figured that reason to be because they didn't know.

She agreed to go to Ansion with them to meet her out of pure curiosity. Ana knew to be caution as well though as they may be trying to use her to get to her brother. Such thoughts faded though on the trip there as she read about the company and what it did. It supported a cause very close to her heart. Hopefully she had been called here to be given the opportunity to work with them.

Straightening her black dress Anastasia took a deep breath as the waiter walked her over to where [member="Geneviève Lasedri"] was sitting waiting for her. She wanted to make a good first impression.

"Ms. Lasedri it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Anastasia Rade."

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Of course, Geneviève was outdressed as usual. Her candidate had arrived in a rather elegant black dress while Miss ECHO Esprit herself was more relaxed in a halter topped item with armorweave pants underneath the skirt--all black, of course. There was a time when people actually cared about her and would have criticized her endlessly for her wardrobe, but she gave even less of a care to it now than she did back then.

All that concerned her now was that Miss Rade had arrived. "Good evening, Anastasia." She did her best to smile (A true smile had not crossed her face in years.) and swept aside the formalities from here on. "I'm going to be upfront with you. You're here to prove to me that I can trust you unattended. No handholding."

Gen waved the waiter over to their table as she continued to speak. "Consistently good judgment without excessive hesitation is what I need. Oh, and you may order whatever you like. It's on me." Pressuring already, the company owner anticipated a decisive request of the waiter. Her CEO would need to know what they wanted and know how to get just that.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Anastasia had been tested before on her use of different weapons. Her brother had wanted to ensure that she was prepared before going into battle. Nobody had tested her judgment though so this was going to be interesting.

A light smile crossed the young woman's face as she took her seat. Ana was confident in herself as she had learned to be self sufficient. She had to be in order to survive.

"Thank you," she nodded looking down at the menu briefly deciding what she wanted. There was no need to not be pleasant. After all you caught more bees with honey than vinegar.

"We are ready to order," she looked to the waitress. Ana didn't know what half of the things on the menu were but that didn't keep her from picking something. "I'll have the petite filet mignon with the béarnaise sauce and potatoes as my side. Please also bring a glass of Chardonnay." After writing down her order the waitress turned to look to Gen's for hers.

Before the end of the night she would have that job. She wasn't going to give her host the chance to say no. Ana would show her what other skills she had which were not on her resume or whatever she already knew about her.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

The first test had been almost trivial, but Anastasia had passed it without batting an eye. She also had revealed how cultured she was, a trait that Geneviève would not have considered important had she not been choosing the public controller of her company. As juvenile as it was, high-class behavior was widely viewed as a requirement for people of any 'significance'. Gen had been rebelling against that all along--even before she was rebelling against the galaxy at large.

When it was her turn, Lasedri followed suit with an immediate request. "I'd like the bantha empanada--with dioche sauce--and a bottle of mistwater to complement it, naturally." The waitress nodded and strode away, seemingly pleased with the fact that both patrons had been quick to order, with no questions asked. Gen was pleased with the absence of bothers, herself.

"Now," Miss ECHO Esprit began, "Tell me a little bit about yourself. Something I wouldn't know." Her brown eyes--one of them artificially brown--glanced off to the corner of the room for the briefest of moments, seeing if Miss Rade would respond or not. It did not exactly matter either way, but her reaction might give a hint of her personality and how she operated. "What was the gift you always wanted but never received?"

She would do her best to throw Anastasia off her game. Of course, Gen was, in reality, hoping she would not be rattled.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

She assumed that Gen had done her research on her before bringing her here. The basics of her life was not something Ana needed to go over. It was just waste both of their time and she didn't wish for that.

When she was a little girl she had wished to go outside and play in the sun. She had wanted out of her cage which luckily for Ana came true. There was a part of her that wished none of it ever happened but it had and she was a stronger woman for it.

"My brother's love. He had been locked up with me and I thought it would be us against the galaxy. He's not adjusting well and even though he hates me I refuse to give up on him. I know what he's going through. I would love to see places that former slaves could go for help adjusting to life in the outside. I was one of the lucky one who was taken under someone's wing."

She had ideas of what she would like to see out there in the galaxy and the type of woman she wanted to be. Ana belonged here, she knew that she did.

"I looked into your company on the way here. It seems to primarily serve the Rebellion. A notable cause I assure you and one I support. I'm sure you also wish to expand your business. The Mandalorians are not in support of slavery."

Ana was being bold but if she wanted to show that she had ideas and wanted to make moves.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Hmmm... That had been a little long-winded of an explanation for her. She had hoped for something short and too the point. Too much information given would not be good when seeking the advantage in the corporate battlefield. She had not made a fatal blunder, but Lasedri would have to suppress this if Anastasia was to become CEO. "Very well, though you will have to be more subtle about things when your work begins.

"Also," she added, warily eying the other diners in their vicinity, "We don't talk about the Rebellion. You might as well erase that detail from your mind now, because otherwise, you will have a death mark and every tangible asset of this company will be obliterated. Oh, and when you talk about me, my name is Viola." She did not want to sound harsh, but there really were people who were after her and anyone directly associated with her and the Rebellion. Even those indirectly connected might be targeted in the pursuit of the Alliance and its leaders. And if the company's funding of her group became public knowledge, there was no doubt it would suffer attack to cripple everything Geneviève and her people had worked for.

Anastasia did impress with her foresight about Mandalorian relations, however. Lately, Gen had been gaining traction with some of their culture, and establishing a firm foothold in Mandalorian space via this hopeful CEO would likely 'seal the deal', so to speak. Very perceptive, this young girl seemed to be. "While it may seem a little strict on our 'loose lips' policy, we have much room for minds like that. It's praiseworthy." Now, another question. "What kind of innovation would you like to see in the medical field, specifically? It's a bit of a neglected field, and we're hoping to springboard to the top of the medical game."

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

She nodded in understanding. Ana didn't want to do anything that could jeopardize the company or put a target on her back. She knew how to keep her trap shut and had a pretty darn good poker face. My lips are sealed. I won't say anything else. I understand why as well so there is that." Ana didn't meant anything just wanted Gen to know that she had done research.

Ana was quite close to the Mandalore and she knew he felt as she did. She was quite confident that her brother would be interested in a contract with them.

"I would be interested in innovations tailored towards battle medics. The galaxy is in constant war against each other whether we like it or not. I would like to have a more compact med kit. The Mando's make their own but what if we marketed one? Put in what we know is needed but amped up like Bacca spray. It's easier to use than the shot. That's just an example of course as I have a kit full of things that could be slightly tweaked. The way it's marketed is just as important as being innovative but that comes later."

She had more ideas but she didn't want to ramble on anymore. She hoped that "Viola" got what she was going for.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

Geneviève liked innovation, but she liked even more the prospect of owning the market in a particular field. Medical companies seemed to be scarce these days, and therefore, medical products. To get their name out with even the simplest of inventions would likely earn a long-lasting place in the stores of the United Clans of Mandalore. And this was a perfect route to raising awareness on a galactic scale, never mind a potential contract with the Mandalorian clans.

"I like that," she simply said. "These days, people forget to go for the simple, and instead focus on the more advanced--but less proven--technology." Anastasia had failed to follow her glance to the corner of the room earlier, and now having heard her initiative in production, considered that she had a bit of a grasp on her personality. The Mandalorian girl was focused--perhaps a little too focused on what was at hand--but what could one expect in this sort of situation? She was vying for a job of great responsibility and--hopefully--great pay. And she had the mind to think of the subtle things that matter, as opposed to the vain and the flashy. So far, things were looking good for the potential CEO.

There was still something important to go through, however, and it might seem a rather odd question to most. But first, their food. "Let's play make-believe," Lasedri began, interrupted briefly as the waitress returned with their orders and placed the dishes in front of them. Gen nodded her thanks and resumed speech. "We cater to the medical field, primarily. I would hope that we never blunder, but let's assume we do and a bad medicine is released and recalled. How could we recover from the bad publicity?" Actually, this was a scenario she was not completely certain of, herself. It would be very intriguing to hear what Anastasia had to say.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

Ana nodded in thanks as their food was brought to them. It smelled really good and she couldn't wait to just dig into it but first the question.

"If mistakes are made it's best to own up to them as soon as they are found,stop production immediately, and recall what is needed. The most important thing is the wellbeing of our consumers. We should properly take care of any whom took our medicine and had a reaction to it. I see many corporations just throw money at an issue in hopes it goes away. We figure out what was wrong with it, let the public know and fix the issue. Really it will depend how bad it really gets. It boils down to taking responsibility for what happened and making it right."

Ana paused to take a sip of her wine. "Publicity in of itself can be a double edged sword. We may have the best of intentions however the public takes it the wrong way. In the ways of good publicity it's always good to give back to the community. I know at expos we would set up and show what our medical equipment does but I also like that idea in a less formal setting as well for the general public so they can see what we do. Like a health fair." All of Ana's ideas at the moment were rough but in time she could flesh them out more if Gen was interested. She for now was just trying to get out some original thoughts.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

This one seemed to have a mind capable of handling a business, indeed. But could she handle her business. There was a possibility of hostile relations with other company owners in this ruthless galaxy. Gen took a few bites of her dish and clutched her knife, pulling it underneath the table as if to threaten her interviewee.

"Suppose you are forced into a meeting with someone you suspect wants to kill you." She raise her eyebrow menacingly. "How would you avert such an incident?" It was about creativity, perception, and survival. Lasedri needed a CEO who could protect the company, the company's owner, and herself. However she would arrange her survival, escape, or execution of the enemy in this hypothetical situation might determine if she was the best choice. Gen hoped she was. She had satisfied so far.

[member="Anastasia Rade"]

 

[Anastasia Rade]

"My owners wished to kill me on a daily basis. I know how to handle those whom give me the death stare. You grin and bare it during the meeting for appearances of course. If they start something I know how to put someone down quickly and quietly. I will never allow anyone to threaten me again nor would I allow them to threaten my company." She smiled as she cut a piece of her steak before taking a bite.

Ana knew that she looked harmless but she wasn't that. She wasn't going to allow anyone to take advantage of her again. If she got this position she would take care of this company as if it was her baby.

[member="Geneviève Lasedri"]

 

[Geneviève Lasedri]

There was little else she had in mind for now. Plenty of research had been done on this young lady beforehand, so Geneviève had been nearly prepared to distribute the reins in the first place.

"So, if I were to attack you right now..." Gen stopped and gave a disarming smile as she place her knife back on the table. "I'd like to admit you as my chief executive, Anastasia. I think it would be futile to search for anyone else."

[member="Anastasia Rade"]