Heading back to my team's section, I'm greeted by the familiar hum of conversations and the clicks of keyboards—a sound that's oddly comforting. After parting ways with Lemi, I give Neil a friendly tap on the shoulder as I pass by his cubicle, then settle down at my own workstation. Booting up my laptop, I check the recent call statistics; the abandon rate hovers around 10%.

"Not great, but it could be worse," I comment under my breath while sifting through a flurry of company updates and emails. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I stand to glance towards our team lead's desk, noting the absence. Given the code blue she dealt with, she's probably exhausted. It's just like her to push herself too much, and I half-heartedly hope she doesn't repeat her last overzealous snooze.

As I settle back into my chair, my desk phone suddenly rings, jolting me from my thoughts. Liz's voice comes through on the other end, subdued yet urgent.

"Vaughn, I have an onset supervisor call," she says, her words brisk.

I straighten up, my focus narrowing. "Can you send me her profile? What's been done to de-escalate the situation so far?"

"She's adamant about speaking to a supervisor. My attempts to pacify didn't take," Liz replies with a hint of frustration.

"Understood. Transfer the call to me, and I'll take it from here," I assure her, eyes scanning the customer's history on my screen. The record shows multiple engagements with no resolution.

Liz quickly confirms the transfer, and I prep myself for the delicate task ahead. As the call comes through, I introduce myself with professional warmth.

"Thank you for holding, Ms. Aerheart," I begin, hoping to convey both competence and concern. "I'm Vaughn, one of the supervisors here at MagicPerformax. I've been briefed on your situation and would like to address your concerns directly."

"Yes, Vaughn," her response is prompt, tinged with expectation. "I've invested a lot in your services for this quest, and I need to see that commitment reflected in the support you provide."

"Absolutely, Miss Aerheart. You have the full commitment of MagicPerformax behind you," I affirm with a calm tone. "I'm reviewing the details of your interaction with us and it's clear that there were some complications with the armaments and automaton system you acquired."

"The armaments are the least of my concerns, Mr. Vaughn. The automatons are the real issue—they've malfunctioned. They're crucial for the execution of my spells," she explains with urgency.

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"Ah, I understand the automatons are integral to your spellcasting process," I reply, carefully navigating the conversation while internally questioning the recommendation of automatons for a mage's tasks. Why in the world would someone recommend a tech solution for an arcane problem?

Her impatience cuts through again, "Vaughn, are you still there?"

"Yes, Miss Aerheart, my apologies for the brief pause. I am prioritizing your case now. What I'll arrange is a specialized team to address the malfunctioning automatons immediately. They will either rectify the issues or propose an alternative approach that's tailored to your magical practice," I assure her, deliberately avoiding any suggestion that her previous interactions were less than satisfactory.

"Does that imply the previous assistance I received was inadequate?" she inquires with a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Not at all," I respond quickly, "the previous interactions were steps towards a resolution. I'm here to build on that and ensure we deliver a solution that meets your high standards." I flick open a new laptop and begin documenting the escalation. As I review her account, a prior call note catches my eye, the name "Chelsea" prominently written there. Opening the file, I read through the notes and to my surprise, I see her recommending the automaton deployment as a solution.

"That woman." I mumble internally out of frustration before going back to the customer. "I will be sending your case file via email and our escalations will connect with you within the next hour or so. I really appreciate your patience on this process, Miss Aerheart."

"You are testing it, Vaughn but I appreciate your continued assistance."

...

After sending off the escalation report, I dive back into the customer's records to sift through Chelsea's notes again. It's not immediately clear why Chelsea might have misinformed the customer about the automatons' support capabilities. It could have been an oversight or perhaps a misguided attempt to impress her supervisor. Regardless, it's a significant error that needs to be addressed.

Dory's voice breaks through my focus, tinged with a hint of worry. "Hey, Vaughn, you're looking pretty intense. Everything alright? The code blue didn't hit your numbers, did it?"

"No, it's not about the metrics," I sigh, shutting the laptop gently. "There's another issue on my mind."

"If you don't talk about it, I can't help," Dory offers, her eyes showing genuine concern.

I offer a half-smile. "I know, and thanks. I'll come to you if it gets to that point," I assure her.

"Just steer clear of messing with my metrics, and we're good," Dory jokes, then heads off towards the QA area.

Just then, Alliana arrives, looking a bit disheveled but waving cheerfully. "Hey, Vaughn. Sorry about the delay; overslept a bit," she apologizes as I offer a supportive gesture.

"Don't worry about it, TL. Things have been under control here," I reassure her.

She quickly checks the time. "I've got a meeting soon. I'll catch up on emails afterward and then see if Workforce can schedule a time for us to visit Techtrae Bay and Arcanae Halls."

"That sounds good, TL," I reply, but then I remember the issue with Chelsea's error. "Actually, there's something—"

She's in a rush and interrupts, "Can it wait, Vaughn? I can't miss this meeting. Lydia will have my head if I do."

"It can wait," I say with an understanding nod. "Good luck."

She hurries off to her meeting, and I'm left to reopen the laptop and revisit the problematic notes Chelsea left. It's clear she's made a mistake, and I need to figure out how to handle it within the team's protocols.