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

So sorry I'm not entertaining.

My wife doesn't care, and no one here outranks me.

You should be! Next time think of a more romantic story!

Why doesn't your wife mind? Is she in love with someone else?

Why would I care to make it entertaining?

She has money, jewelry, security. She doesn't care about anything else.

Because it's more fun.

See you're doing it again. Instead you should say she's lonely because you're cold to her, but what she really longs for is someone to care.

She's a selfish bitch who married me because I had money and power. If she's so lonely, she shouldn't have set her sights on me.

Why did you marry her in the first place, then? Politics again?

And how do you know she doesn't want you~ to be the one to comfort her?

Because she has big tits.

Why would I care? She's vapid. She'll probably be sobbing about breaking a nail again.

That can't be the only reason, unless you're very weak to a girl's figure.

You're married right? Shouldn't your vows mean something?

Big tits and she puts out when told.

Why? They're words.

[Honestly this is how she pretty much assumes most humans are at heart]

You're not romantic at all. You should work on that, it's not appealing.

And if you can't keep your word, you don't have much. Even liars can honor oaths. &hearts

You don't have power or looks. I don't want to appeal to you.

She knew what the arrangement would be when she signed the contract. She ggot to use my money and my name, I got to use her body.

[One moment, two...]

Ewwwwwwwww. Pervy old man! You're the worst!

[Which does not actually stop her from continuing with the rest of the conversation.]

So it's just a work contract to you, again politics. Don't you ever think of anything else?

I'm practical and political. Why should I hide what I am?

If you have to have a little girl explain it's a wonder you're in charge.

Or maybe people like you anyway, though I don't see why.

People don't ever expect someone to be rude and blunt and still know the difference between honesty and blurting things out. They expect the rude people to hide behind "I'm just honest!"

I'm rude. And I have connections. That's how the real world works, little girl.

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.