“Every problem is made of opportunities waiting for a solution to put them all in order.” Natalie took an unhealthy satisfaction in finding that solution. At least, that's what the rushed and sweating regional manager seemed to think. She'd arrived less than four hours ago. He had never felt rushed until...about four hours ago.
He hadn't started to sweat until now. “I understand that you've been sent here, ahehe, to consult-”
She cut him off with a raised finger. “Optimize.”
“To...optimize our location operation...” He covered a curse with a smiling, easy sigh. “But I think you're missing a...sense of the ground, here?” This was how it went, he thought. Some young hotshot shows up at his office to feather her cap with a little extra efficiency. They waltz in full of swagger, tr to take charge with their fresh new processes and buzzwords. The smart ones understand, though.
He'd thrown her the most basic jargon for a red flag. No upward wants to be tied to a red flag. Self-starters come to his little hole in the jungle all the time. They never engage, never latch on. No one wants to spend the next ten years in a hole like this – that's what they called paid retirement. It was a retirement that Johann Travers appreciated quite a bit.
Natalie didn't seem to appreciate that one bit. “I've read the reports. I've already read the local news periodicals, an underground blog, a tourism guide, an intro to the local language, and a primer on customs and traditions for the natives. Oddly, you didn't mention anything about ground sensations on your report. I'm amazed production is down at all, actually, the way you put the numbers.” She kept walking down the stone steps towards the river factory complex. Natalie wasn't sweating.
Johann Travers could sweat enough for the both of them. The heat was unseasonable, his suit was already ruined, and he wasn't used to making the trek down to the factory. Natalie noted each of these details with a growing mental groan. The manager went on, “My report, heh, gave you the facts. I've been running a profitable op here, Miss-”
“Profitable on the short term. Profitability is a detail, not a goal. Based on my independent research, you've been shut down for the last three months.” She talked over his flustered, sweaty objections. “Spending your operating budget to feed the work to our competitors upriver. Your capital is burned. Your warehouses are empty. And you've been lying to us, Mr. Travers. That...could be a problem.” Her eyes were iron-hard with honest contempt. Travers couldn't help but find it unprofessional, even under the circumstances.
She stopped at the bottom step. “I don't like you, Mr. Travers. I hope I get to replace you.” She walked on, leaving Travers in a fuming, sweating, fearful mess. Assessed, measured, and placed – Natalie would have to find a use for him later.
The company could use a liar like him, but not anywhere near stakeholder impact areas like this one. Natalie hadn't come because of the reports.
She'd come to stop the revolt already in the works in the village below.
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