Where's My Caf?

[Cassandra Paige]

Etti IV​

Genu-Tech HQ​

Tak tak tak tak.

Cassandra Paige moved down the hallway from the elevator toward the CEO's office.

Her office.

After careful deliberation (actually sticking a hair pin randomly into the business directory), Cass had purchased the genetic engineering laboratory and associated business. And promptly fired 80% of the non-science staff, leaving just a skeleton of support staff she intended to replace over the coming weeks. The work through of the laboratory staff would happen more slowly as she worked to rebrand the company, and who stayed and who was fired would hinge quite a bit on their responses to her plans.

Pushing the double doors open, grey eyes skipped over the frankly dowdy and dreary office she had only recently acquired. She had only given the previous occupant 24 hours (generous) to remove his things. And now it was hers.

"Lovely," she said, the sarcasm clear in her voice.

She stepped over to the desk, running her finger across the surface (fake composite wood, she'd replace that immediately). Lifting her hand up and rubbing her fingers together with vague disgust, she looked out over the only part of the office worth renovating the entire floor for-

The view.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Lila Sanders, the poor unfortunate soul chosen from a handful of previous office staff to remain employed received the wonderful news not but a few days ago that she was to remain captive, correction privileged, to keep her job working for the new CEO Miss Cassandra Paige.

In most cases, everyone else kept their head down, looks away, and out of directly line of sight from the woman, however, Lila had little choice. She was lucky enough to be selected as the new CEO's assistant.

Hearing the double doors of her office close loudly ahead, she sighed, shook her head, and put on her best smile. That was until one of the little monsters grabbed onto her leg. "What in the wor- Why are-" Looking down the hallway she couldn't see any of the scientists that remained, bending down she tried to remove the creature from her however it wasn't going to happen.

"Go! Shoo!" Shaking her leg she realized this attempt was in vain, something she would have to deal with after the boss got her morning coffee, not like it was going anywhere. So, opening the door she replaced her smile, and approached the desk, setting down a small coffee and a bag with a small pastry.

"Good morning, Ms. Paige."

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Looking out over the view, Cass was mulling over plans. Mostly they involved rubbing her mother's nose in it when she was so successful and married to someone who actually mattered (a certain face as a place holder for that for now) instead of to a glorified accountant (love you papa) like she was. Let the Paige's delude themselves into thinking just their money alone mattered-

She blinked, turning with a certain 'what is that smell' look on her face when her thoughts were interrupted. Grey eyes blinked and she looked down at Lila, then that gaze cast over to the caf and paper bag.... she could already see grease starting to dot the white paper. The desk blocked the view of the creature clinging to her leg, but that was for the best.

Cass probably would not have handled that well at all.

"Who are you and what is that," she said, not even attempting to hide her distaste as she indicated the items placed on her desk.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

"I'm Lila... The assistant you hired two days ago from marketing... I um- heard you say you really wanted a caf on your way in so... I got you one... and a pastry."

Okay so maybe the confident approach hadn't worked. It's never going to work with this woman. It took all Lila had not to implode on herself the woman turned and glared with the cold grey eyes, Lila's brown eyes instantly slamming into the floor as they made contact for but even half a second.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Cass probably would have looked at a dead nezumi on her shoe with less obvious distaste than she cast at the items on her desk. It was only slightly better as she looked back at Lila, gaze brushing up and down.

"Well Lily, to start, I don't eat anything that bleeds grease through paper, so you can put that in the trash right where it belongs," she said, her tone indicating that wasn't the only thing she could put in the trash, but only just saving it from being without question about Lila herself. "I would take an egg white omelet, however. I'm sure you can manage that." Her tone said that in truth she doubted it.

"Second I take my caf light, with non-fat creamer and *two* sugar-free sweeteners. Not one. Not three. Two. Vanilla, if it can be found in this gods-forsaken place."

She said it like she was talking to a six year old who ought to know better than to play in the mud.

"Go on. Shoo."

She made a shooing motion with both hands, brow furrowing as if she legitimately couldn't understand what the girl was still doing there.

Sitting down at her desk, she started sorting through the stack of flimsies already waiting for her. There was no clearer a dismissal possible. She could return when she had something actually edible for her.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Nodding quickly, Lila grabbed the bag and caf made her way out of the office, the little creature clinging onto her leg for dear life.

After about thirty minutes of rummaging around, being told no pets were allowed at the local cafe, and the elevator being out of service, she finally arrived back at Cassandra's office. Egg white omelet and Vanilla caf, light, non-fat creamer, and specifically two sugar-free sweeteners both present.

"I'm so sorry for the wait it took awhile to get back up here, the elevators out and there was a line at the cafe-" She said breathily, still trying to catch up from her twenty flight stair run.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

"It doesn't matter," Cass said briskly as she focused on the holo projected on her desk. One hand flicked idly across, moving this, dismissing that.

Maybe it was her being understanding of the situation.

"I'm not hungry anyway anymore."

Then again, maybe not.

She tapped out a few more things, then dismissed the entire image. Rising up from behind her desk, she liberated the caf from Lila with two fingers, careful not to touch her, and then breezed past.

But then, at the door, she paused. Looking behind her she eyed the young woman up and down.

"What is that *thing* on your leg?"

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

Turning with her hands together, the bag of food already having been placed on Cassandra's desk. "I- I'm um, not sure.. I can't get it to leave... It grabbed onto me in the hallway, I think it got loose..." Her words coming out chopped, rather nervous for the explosion that will likely happen in a few moments.

As the creature held onto her leg it made a slight purring noise, digging its claws further into the nice leggings to woman bought not but two days ago. "I tried to get rid of it but... it won't go...-!!" A small squeak followed from Lila as a bit of blood dripped from the claw wounds.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Cass pulled a small device out of her pocket. She'd insisted on it as a precautionary measure and now she was glad she had. Depressing the button, she watched expressionlessly as the creature whimpered and let go of Lila's leg. Yelping as though it had been kicked, it went scurrying off around the corner. She turned that expression back to the girl herself, as she pocketed the item again.

"There's a particular frequency of sound our animals do not like," she calmly explained. "Beyond our hearing. That looked like one of the prototypes, heavens knows why it was here."

She sniffed.

"Come along," she said, rolling her eyes. "And stop gaping like a Mon Calamari. I'll show you to your desk and you can call someone to track down the little monster."

Cassandra Paige clearly did not think highly of her own brain child.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

The blood dripped down her leg slightly, the pain only light however the feeling of sadness she now felt for the poor creature was extreme. It hurt her but it hadnt deserved that.

Pouting she followed behind Cassandra with a ball of guilt in her chest, looking after where the creature ran.

"Perhaps we should think of a more ethical way of handling them?... Not that I would ever question you! But doesnt that seem a bit cruel?..."

 

[Cassandra Paige]

Cassandra paused.

It wasn't merely a stop. It was more the way a snake would freeze right before striking. She didn't turn around right away, merely tilted her head ever so slightly to the side.

"A more...... ethical...... approach.... you say?"

Slowly she turned, a small smile on her face.

"This method allows for the removal of these animals without causing physical or psychological harm. It is easy to carry, fits in a pocket. It works swiftly and can be used for only a brief moment to gain the desired effect. It is undetectable to humans. Alternatives were suggested of course," she looked down at her nails for a moment.

"Shock collars, for instance. Or a chip that could induce the same effect, only internally. Shock prods, distributed to staff. Of course, those methods are potentially dangerous for say, an avian based creature, and less effective, requiring greater amperage on, say, a reptilian one. An embedded command word that would force them to obey. Of course we could always simply shake a can of coins loudly in their faces or smack them on the nose with a rolled up news paper."

Grey eyes, cold and unyielding, despite the pleasant smile on her face, found Lila's.

"This method is both humane and inexpensive. So please. Enlighten me, Miss Sanders. On just how you would accomplish the same without harming the animals, keeping our overhead down so we can afford to employ.... people..... such as yourself.... and have the method be effective over a wide range of animal types?"

She waited.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

"I-I..." The girl looked as though she were about to cry. Scolded like a school child at work was not the way she wanted her first day to go.

There wasn't much she could say, of course simple obedience training were the answer, even the command word to perhaps simply get their attention would have been better than violating their ears with a high pitched noise that caused it to flee in pain. However, she was left stunned herself now.

"I-Im.. S-sorry..." A tear dripped from her left eye as she looked to the floor, quickly trying to wipe it away before it was seen. Day one, crying, great start Lila.

Making a note to herself, she placed a reminder to go find the animal on her own before the scientists got to it. Some training and reward system would work surely, it didn't mean any harm. Though for now all she could hope for was for Cassandra to drop the idea Lila spoke up, which she decided she was never going to do again.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]

 

[Cassandra Paige]

If she had brought it up, Cass would, of course, have had a dismissive counter to it.

She always did, and always would. Learning that early would make it easier in the long run to work for Cassandra Paige. Anyone who could not handle it would be better suited to leave now. Run, don't walk, to the nearest exit. Not everyone had the temperament necessary to be her personal assistant.

Of course, Cass didn't really care.

"This is your desk," she indicated the one just outside of the door to her office. "You will take comm calls and direct those that do not truly need to speak to me, which will be most of them, to their correct destination. You will see in my appointments and retrieve refreshments. You will organize those appointments and brief me on them the morning of."

The list of duties was long, and Cass went on for another minute or two before stopping. She looked down her nose at the other woman.

"Questions?"

The tone stated, clearly, that she had better not need to repeat herself.

[member="Lila Sanders"]

 

[Darth Morrow]

"N-No..." The girl shook her head and bowed slightly waiting for Cassandra to make her leave. As she did Lila took her seat and began looking over what little supplies she had been left with. A notepad, a comlink, and a pen. A trip was in order later she supposed in order to get what she really needed, either that or raiding a supply closet.

Sitting quietly and watching the phone she noticed the hiding creature underneath the desk. Pulling in her chair she covered it from view and gently pet its back with her foot and beginning to flip through the notepad to see the notes of the previous owner.

A call rang though on comlink before she had a chance to think of anything else, reaching down cautiously she picked up and answered. "Genpals, Lila speaking, how may I help you?"

And that was the start to a very boring day.

[member="Cassandra Paige"]