Transition

[Aneya Maev]

| SULLUST |​

Sullust Central News Network Main Headquarters​

Day 4 of Council's Quarterly 7-Day Conference​

​

"Tides are shifting, winds of change are blowing," Xander muttered while pushing buttons on the coffee machine to make it brew some coffee for him. It was the fourth day of SCNN's council meeting in the SCNN Conference Centre. The three editor-in-chiefs and Xander's own personal assistant had been discussing many different matters for days now and even more days were yet to come.

But this day was about to bring the most important changes to the whole company.

"What do you mean?" Wystan, the editor-in-chief of Sullust Business was curious. He'd taken a really comfortable position sitting behind the huge round conference table, his feet on the table and arms resting on the armrests of his chair.

Corina was writing something down in her notebook, probably something work-related. Aneya had seen the woman using that very same notebook for Sullust Entertainment stuff, so that's probably what she used it for all the time.

"Newspapers are old. They are boring," the CEO said. His assistant was sitting behind the table, protocolling the whole meeting. But she did give the man a simple nod and a smile as soon as he started speaking about the mater. "You are doing a fantastic job. However, some things need to change in the company."

Aneya was now both eager to see what was going to happen yet somewhat frightened at the same time. What if the man was going to fire all of them or come up with a horribly stupid idea and not back down from it? The tone of his voice was promising, but what if it was just hiding the deeper intentions of his.

"I've discussed things with Elena," - that was his assistant - "and I believe you all need a promotion amidst the upcoming changes to the company's structure."

"Um, we can progress even further in the company?" Corina was shocked to hear, raising her head from the notebook. "Well, that's great to hear."

 

[Aneya Maev]

"SCNN is a wonderful company. I really love all the news stuff and the three fantastic newspapers and everything. But we have to move forward," Xander continued, sitting down on his seat in one end of the table, right in front of the huge screen which was blank at the moment.

He took a sip of the warm black coffee. This day, he was wearing only a black smart casual shirt with white floral pattern all over it, as well as some luxurious trousers and brown shoes. His attire was definitely not something he'd usually wear, so it was odd to see the man in such an outfit. Maybe Elena had had some influence on him.

"While we are doing great and we are managing, we need to become more powerful. And we need more funds," the CEO said. "That's where the structure change comes in. We are no longer going to work as a company uniting three newspaper editorials. We are going to be something huge."

"And that something huge is... ?" the editor-in-chief of Sullust Daily asked, reaching over to her glass of water on the table.

"Galactic Alliance Information Systems, or as I like to abbreviate it, GAIS," the man replied.

 

[Aneya Maev]

"GAIS?" Corina burst into a laugh the most funny any of the people in the room had ever heard. "Seriously? That's hilarious."

She looked at everybody else and calmed down a little bit. OK, maybe her laugh had been a little bit inappropriate. But at least it was the council meeting, where she could be herself without worrying about her image. Because all the five people there were friends.

"Alright alright, so Galactic Alliance Information Systems. Let's start with the most important stuff. Promotions. Who are we gonna be then? What happens to our newspapers?"

The woman closed her notebook and even put her pen away, focusing only on the discussion now. Or at least it seemed so. Finally, after three days of barely listening to anything on the meetings, she was actually trying to understand what was happening and maybe even provide some ideas. Because everybody knew Corina was a master of ideas.

"We have decided to create a few more positions in our company. Well, technically a ton more positions. But only six of them are really important to you at the moment," Xander replied to the funny lady with a raised eyebrow. "You're all going to occupy even more influential positions than before -- Aneya will be the Chief Operating Officer of the company, Wystan will get to work as a Chief Financial Officer once again, and Corina, you can be the Chief Sales Officer."

The whole room was not filled with enticing atmosphere. All of them were waiting for more.

"And... you're going to be specialists in your fields. Aneya can be the Head Communications Specialist of GAIS, Corina will be the Head Culture Specialist, and Wystan will assume the position of Head Trade and Economy Specialist."

 

[Aneya Maev]

Suddenly the proposed new company structure appeared on the otherwise blank screen behind Xander. It was not a difficult structure, one had to note, but it was much different from what the company was before.

Sullust Central News Network, a media company, was soon going to be turned into a pinnacle of communications, and that meant a lot had to change. No more could only newspapers do the deal -- they needed people working in every possible field of communications and information trading. And while it was clear not all the changes would be introduced at once, it looked like the CEO really wanted to make things completely new.

"The three newspapers won't go anywhere. They will remain working for the company, but you won't be their editor-in-chiefs any longer. This period of your lives is over," Xander said, his voice quite a bit sorry for the three. They had spent so much of their energy and effort and emotions on these three media publications that it felt a little bit sad to make them leave them.

But that's how things had to go. The three were Xander's most trusted employees, so a promotion was inevitable.

"However, you will continue to have some control over the publications. You will be coordinating the newspapers, providing the company's help whenever needed. You'll get to guide the new EiCs and oversee their work," the man said. "Because the company is getting too large for me to do everything myself."

 

[Aneya Maev]

Corina took a sip of her water. The information they were getting was a little bit too much to take in at the same time.

"I'm calling for a break," the woman said, rising up from the chair, stretching herself for a moment, and then moving away from the seat. "Ten minutes?" she asked from the CEO. All five members of the council had the right to call for a break at any time, yet only Xander would confirm them. Because after all, there still had to be some control over the whole conference.

"Ten minutes," Xander said, understanding that all what he'd presented the three employees with needed some digestion. The break would also give him some time to think through what he was going to say next, which was great.

"Xander," Aneya appeared next to the CEO, now taking a seat right next to him. "That's a huge change you're trying to make here. I mean, I don't think it's a bad change just yet, but I do hope you're not going to make a raspy move. These things usually need time to completely settle in and I am a little bit worried."

"Don't worry, my dear. It'll be alright. I'll manage." He smiled. "Go take a break."

 

[Aneya Maev]

"Change is inevitable," Wystan said while smoking a cigarette outside the SCNN HQs. "I mean, I think it's pretty neat that we get a promotion and the company advances and everything. Was kind of tired of running the whole newspaper stuff as well."

"Yes, true, me too. But still, I feel kind of betrayed. That's probably the work of the new assistant sithspit. She's obviously manipulating with him to ensure a better life for himself," Corina said. She didn't smoke, but she did like hanging with people and socialising. That was her thing, obviously.

"Mmhm, maybe. But we can't confirm that."

"I am saddened, too," Aneya said. "Sullust Daily meant a lot for me, just like I imagine your publications did to you. The people there were just amazing. And now I don't even get to work with them anymore."

"Well, I am obviously going to pick my assistant as the new EiC, so I don't have any issues with that," Wystan was sure of himself. "You should do the same. All of your problems would go away."

"I know, I know. Just... it's a lot to take in."

 

[Aneya Maev]

Minutes later, the council was back on the meeting, seated behind the rectangular table with round edges. Wystan didn't assume the position he'd had before, but instead was sitting in a more conservative way now. Corina and Aneya had taken seats right next to each other while Xander and Elena were exactly where the three EiCs had left them.

"So... The break's over, right?" Xander asked. He then took a piece of paper and sighed before continuing to discuss the change in the company's structure. "We're going to continue where we left off. The three newspapers."

Alright, Aneya thought, let's see what more you have to say.

"They will remain doing their normal work, but they're also going to introduce advertisement features. Other companies can now run their adverts in our papers, as well in our - yes, you're going to hear it right - HoloNet broadcast channel. We are taking a giant leap in the whole media thing and I expect it to bring a lot more of workforce and a lot more cash in."

None of them had expected that to come just yet. They knew Xander was taking the route to a more powerful media company, but they couldn't see it happening any time soon. Guess they were wrong.