“Why can’t we just disband the company to avoid the sanctions?” Says the administrator that survived the meeting massacre by using an expensive tier 3 aether-based medicine that ended up giving her some reptilian features. Better a cosmetic mutation than dying I suppose.

“Kimber, since you have been a Settlement owner longer, and your AI can read system subtext, please explain.” Marcella, the lady who trained me and adopted me as her sister, is punting the subject to me.

“The System isn’t that easy to fool. When I looked at the ‘sanctions’, they apply to the location and all Settlement-attributed items. Everything here save cash, and maybe professional items that people were using not for Warram, carries the taint of these sanctions. The massively expensive predictive AI and hosts? Use those to do business, and that transaction gets penalties and the person you do business with will see warnings about ‘a Settlement of Oathbreakers’.”

“How do get around it then? Do your customers not care about the notification?” The administrator asks.

“You’re asking me if drug dealers care about honesty? Of course they do. It’s why the Houston deal almost went south. My operations are fine because the Settlement my company is in, has a clean record.”

“Before anyone asks, we are not going to migrate everything and everyone to Camp Elsewhere. We are here to discuss if we want to try to continue with the sanctions, or pair down our businesses into areas where it doesn’t matter. For example, developing kids into useful adults. The folks we develop aren’t going to be branded oath breakers.”

A guy I’ve never met before, representing thugs and protection services, speaks “You want us to operate as contractors? Like outsource the responsibility?”

“I do. The Health Club still has a good reputation, and so does Camp Elsewhere. The big issue being that if we try to branch out immediately after Warram falls, it’s going to look fishy. That leaves VIP protection and our regional policing in a tough spot, and the ‘comfort’ portion of our Hospitality department is probably going away for a while until we can restructure the service.”

“Here I’d thought you’d try to eliminate it altogether.” A very well made-up woman smirks as she clearly knows something I don’t.

“It’s a legitimate way to make a living, if it’s your choice. That was not always the case for Warram, and if this settlement tried to keep it going the workers would most likely see more abuse. As for the street dealers and low-level enforcers, we’ll need someone to keep that going. Nova Chem and Elsewhere have no interest in managing drugs at that level and street buyers don’t care about company reputations.

“What I want, and both of our company’s need, is for recruitment and training to continue. That means we need analytics to stay on top of the algorithm, our face and confidence folk to stay abreast of each orphanage we can, and our physical security folk to branch out to additional facilities. The hotel services portion of Hospitality will also be needed as Camp Elsewhere develops further. These groups will all be acting on behalf of the other organizations, and not Warram, which is how we dodge the sanctions when interacting with our customers.” Marcella takes a sip from her glass of water and looks at the rest of the gathered staff to pose more questions.

“How do we deal with these conflicting rumors? Half the people say the kid killed the old boss, and some say you did. We should be solidifying your reputation, not supporting the fantasies of a pretentious girl.” The Face representative asks. Fucking great, what is it with that department.

“My reputation’s fine. Floating both rumors works for me as now that my assistant has a business of her own, she can afford the reputation of barely restrained psychopath. Seeing that she’s an explosives manufacturer, and known for booby-trapping with horrendous effects, I don’t see any reason to invite uncertainty into the mix.”

The meeting of the new officer corps of Warram Criminal Enterprises devolves into the nitty gritty of pay and trying to maintain the old way with the new boss and Marcella was having none of it. The things I found useful came after the meeting when Hospitality and physical security sent me messages to get on my schedule, and a note from Marcella asking me to meet with some of Danielle’s candidates that want to know what to expect or want to learn alchemy.

\Hey cutie. Got a minute?\

/For you Z? Always./

\Well, I wanted to invite you to Astoria for a few days? And while Mom wants to talk business, I thought, maybe, we could spend some time together?\

/Are you nervous about seeing me in person? How is that even possible?/

\Hey! Don’t be mean. I’m being all vulnerable, and you’re supposed to think it’s cute, or something.\

/I do. And I would love to go. I assume you have the logistics handled?/

\Well, yeah. Mom is going to come get you, and you’ll have your meeting, then after that I’ll pick you up in Aelea.\

/Are you going to take me on a date?!/

\What? No. Of course not. Don’t be silly!\

/Sure, gotcha. Can’t be seen with a non-tier one girl on your arm./

\Can’t you just, level up already?\

/Yeah, hold on while I go take care of the aether beasts roaming around Earth./

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

\Ooh! I could pick you up early, take you to a hunting area and get you to 16, then make out with you for a week straight.\

I snort at the horny elf. /For someone who’s not supposed to think of me like that, you spend a lot of time wanting to kiss me./

\Ugh, Mom will be by next week. See you soon, doofus.\

Heh, I am so getting smooches while I’m on Astoria. This week is looking up.

***

Today is the worst.

“For the last time, Donna, I am not setting up a brothel under the guise of a hotel. My current project is a dormitory for my company workers and I need hotel services to keep them clean, man the front, and manage the grounds.”

“But Marcella said that we could resume comfort work.”

“She also said the service would probably die for a while to keep the workers safe.”

“Nonsense, just hire more security and it will be fine.”

“Why can’t you operate out of Warram? There’s already places there.” I ask, for the third time.

“We’re being monitored, okay? And the sanctions take a cut of our profits.” Donna finally gives me a straight answer.

“It’s still no. If you want to pool your money and start your own business at my Settlement? I’m all for it. But I won’t be funding such an endeavor.”

“We don’t have the money for that!”

I sigh at the greed and hubris. “Tell you what, you bring me a new labor contract for your workers that supports them and tries to keep them safe and I’ll look into it.”

“A contract? Is that really necessary?”

“In Camp Elsewhere? Absolutely. I have another meeting in half an hour, so please let me escort you out.” I stand up and walk to her and offer a hand of assistance. She scoffs and rises on her own.

Saying nothing else, she storms off and mutters under her breath about me being a stuck up bitch.

Your young appearance is doing you zero favors. Perhaps you should blow up a few more buildings.

I do have some more demo to do near the Laundry. I want to put up some more apartments, as I kind of want the ones in my building to be for my resident crafts people. Tova walks me through another design that takes up nine square blocks with the middle block being a green space.

“Would that include a barter space? Like a weekend market kind of thing?”

It certainly could, as any space that large could pose as a community events space as well. The original idea was for a fortress residence, which it can still do, but this version would support a self-contained micro settlement. I would also like to build a high-rise with floating parks in the center, inner terraces, etcetera. I took the basic flow of the Imperial Castle and made it more Earth-federal.

If we do that, I should probably buy the next step up on utilities and isolate the smaller one for my personal projects. Like the laundry and the hospital with crafting Labs.

“Did we find a smith or a tailor?”

You need to hire a secretary. Seriously. You need to talk to Paolo and Beverly anyway.

“You’re right, Tova. Sorry about that. I’ve been trying not to do that.”

It shows, but it’s still chafes.

That reminds me that I need to talk to Kenneck about Venezuela. Bev doesn’t want to go, and I need someone who will be there to help me put the plan together. Not that Paolo has had enough time to worry about his palls with as busy as my business and Bev keep him.

“Kimber, I’m here for the Security meeting.” The voice seems oddly familiar. I look through the camera and see a beefy black man in a casual-looking cop outfit.

“Leave the belt and guns in the locker safes and I’ll let you in.” As quick as I am, no reason not to be safe when Marcus is around.

He does as I ask and minutes later, we’re in the office behind the concierge desk in the resident side of my hospital.

“Good to see you Marcus. You get a promotion or is this a familiar foot in the door?”

“Both. The Warram LT offered me the roll of team coordinator and Novarro liaison.”

Hah! I need a liaison in their eyes. Nice. “Have you looked at the proposed work I need done?”

He nods, “And your recommendations aren’t bad, but they lacked a coordinating HQ?”

“Hmm, did I not list the Hospital Security spaces with the proposal?”

“There’s no room for a motor pool or bunks.”

“You’ll be using suped up scooters, and I can convert the adjacent utility building into a bunk and armory combo.” I share my HUD and show him the building I’m talking about. “Before you ask, the Laundry has bunk spaces for security and foreman roles. Though clearly not intended for residence use. The laundry has showers, and the gym in the hospital also has showers.”

Marcus nods at the portions of two buildings I highlight. “The proposal also said that the dorms would need an additional few months?”

“Long estimate. Short estimate was a few weeks. I didn’t know how much money I would have left over or how much a project like this would cost. See the money, time, quality triangle.”

“Hmm, I get it. In the meantime, you would hire a van-pool driver to and from Elswhere, three times a day. This seems doable, and our opening assessment is twenty people for rotation, and two permanent staff.”

I nod at that. “The permanent staff would have to share an apartment. I won’t budge on that until I get more housing. I’ll need an equipment proposal: three package options and what benefits/drawbacks they would have. Once I get the lodging and gear arranged, I will expect the permanent staff to transfer their work contracts to Camp Elsewhere and would prefer the remaining workers to do the same. I’ll send the pro’s and con’s if we agree this is happening.”

“Oh, I can agree this arrangement will happen, all that’s left is the gritty details.” He smiles and offers his hand. I stare at it and smirk.

“Sounds great. Get me the names and I’ll make sure they can come by and take a look without risking their lives with the turrets.” I have his interest. Even though the meeting’s over, he sticks around.

“Will we get to play with any of the fun toys?”

“Fun consultant is a very trust intensive role. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to spend some time with the company before you’ll be eligible for the position.”

I see him chuckle at the complete non-answer. “This meeting was a lot easier than I expected.”

I shrug at that. “Thanks for not trying to play games, and for your thought out and reasonable responses. Are you headed to the Health Club after this?”

“No. Your old department is looking at dealing with them. Though I heard the minor gang that deals for us wanted to meet with you.”

Empress save me from people that tase the merchandise. “Pfft, Warram needs a middle management drug dealer before I will even entertain that. I’m not going Cartel to street on this, I want a buffer, and Warram can be it.”

“Eh, that may not be a soon thing, we’re having guys shiv each other almost daily for the job.”

“Fucking idiots,” I shake my head. “Alright, I’ll send a message to Face and Admin to see if I can’t wring something useful into existence. Until then, thanks for coming Marcus, and I hope we can work as sincerely with each other in the future.”

“That is my hope as well. Be well Kimber.” He waves as he walks off, collects his pistol and belt from the outdoor locker and walks off.