adstring_npc | {Unified Universe Project} [Video]

[The PCD comes on, focused on a rather orderly desk. The 'inbox' on the desk is full and Donna is standing next to it. Chairman Springsteen leans into the shot, reaching to grab and open one of the files.]

No, they all say the same thing. Reasonless panic. [He shrugs and moves it to the 'outbox.']

It's not their fault that you have them looking for anything that changes. Or that they're stupid mice, the most of them. How big is the change? [Donna's smirking and leaning over the desk, toward him. It can be noted that her blouse is low-cut, and her heels are perhaps a bit higher than are professional.]

Less than .002%. Nothing to panic over. Though the chemists are bothered. Some substance they were messing with turned into cola. [Springsteen is smirking as he rests his elbows on the desk.]

Well. This world is... [Donna shrugs.] ...predictable in its unpredictability. If they're so bothered, send some of them out. Bao wants out of her cage.

[The Chairman shakes his head.] No. I have her busy with other things.

[Donna straightens, clearly pissed off. Her lips tighten.] Another side project that you didn't tell me about?

[He snorts.] Hardly. It got approved by all of us months ago. It's just taken time to get her to head down that road. She's hardly as biddable as Morimoto was. He was useful, you know.

To a point. [She no longer looks quite as angry.] Send some of the mice out to look around, then. Ones that the snakes won't bite.

Snakes don't bite mice. They swallow them whole. [Another file gets opened; he's not paying so much attention to Donna anymore.] But some of ours should be safe. Send Andrew in on your way out. We'll pick a few.

[Slowly, very slowly, Donna adjusts her blouse. Her voice is frosty.] On my way out. There were several other things on the agenda, as you--

[The PCD times out.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

But we're not in the real world, mister, we're in some stupid crazy world. Wouldn't it make just as much sense as anything else if you were in charge because everyone loved you and you save puppies?

So are you honest, or is it just rude with connections?

Except everyone doesn't love me, and there's no reason to work to get loved when they serve anyway.

All of the above. Combined with the intelligence to know that speaking the truth without tact doesn't make rude things any less rude, and doesn't excuse the rudeness.

I still like my version better.

Mm, most people wouldn't know the difference, you're right. But why do people listen to you? What connections mean anything in this place?

Everyone likes their own versions better.

Because they know that I lead them, and I have in the past, and I've done well. Why go to someone unknown in a place as strange as this?

That's true, you'd have to be more than a jerk to get people angry enough to stop listening to you, if they're used to listening to you.

So rude works.

Mm, but that doesn't mean you're good at what you do. Are you good at what you do?

I'm very good at it. I'm even better when I have the resources I want at my disposal.