My name is Rosalina Vimentah, I am CEO of Rosa entertainment industries, a subsidiary of Enigma Inc. with a net worth of over five hundred trillion universal credits, I pay myself a handsome salary of two hundred and fifty billion UC's after tax which I pay at a severely reduced rate due to some Enigma corp-boys owing me some favours. I charge practically everything through company expenses though and as a result, I am unfathomably rich. Beyond that, I hold a prestigious reputation that extends deep into Enigma and even some of the other Terra-corps, my name is well known and deeply respected.
As we speak, I am currently hosting a “Well done on making tons of money!” party in the directors board room of the Rosa Tower, a startling tall structure of glass and steel with views over the entire city and the neighbouring ones too. I am mid-way through preparing for my grand entrance and the board room is already swarming full of heel snappers and “too big for their boots” types who think that sucking up to me will enrich their future opportunities. But I am taking a risk tonight. Not with any of those shit-stains, but I have something different lined up afterwards. Something unique.
My assistants finish applying my requested make-up and help me button up my dress, this dress alone costs more than their entire years pay packet and I pay my staff above the industry average. I glance at myself in the mirror, hair is looking elegant, I had it dyed two days ago and its a beautiful white-golden blonde and in a tight ponytail, allowing me to show my ears to the room. If you're wondering, I am a “cheetah” breed, with the appropriate facial markings, my ears currently have several natural diamonds implanted in them and a Ubershard piercing through the other, theres something about the dull grey of the Ubershard that really stands out when everyone else is wearing their shiniest trinkets.
My assistants finish up, my dress is a wonderful, vibrant purple, I think it matches well with my amber eyes, my make-up is on point, I give myself one final look in the mirror, I am lithe and elegant, with the right amount of intimidating. If someone hasn't pre-rehearsed their introduction, I don't want them talking to me, I like to see them psyche themselves up before approaching and my look certainly helps with that. Being honest though, I hate these sort of things, I really do. They are for the board, rather than me. Sure, the board answers to me, but people owing me favours is what got me to this position in the first place. That and my unmatched, cunning intellect and ruthless corporate policy.
It is time. I can hear the buzzing anticipation coming from the board room, the clicking of high-heels on cold, meticulously polished tiled floors, the gentle swaying of light jazz played live echoes down the corridor, I hate jazz. I don't say this lightly, but fuck jazz music. I don't need heels with this dress, i'm naturally tall, which really helps me look down on those below me, which is everyone in this building, with the exception of my mothers portrait, which hangs above my office desk. Her soul rest in peace, she'd hate these people too.
Good god, I think I can hear a saxophone.
I sigh heavily and stand from the safety of my dress room, heading down the corridor swiftly, I practically look like I float in this dress, I love it. Gliding down the corridor, I make my entrance around the very back of the board room, arriving through the massive double doors, my assistants charge ahead and push the doors open for me, they're both critter sized so its difficult for them to move such tall doors and their efforts make me laugh, but they succeed and the doors open, i'm met with the entire room turning to my attention, fifty or so heads swing around and all attempt to make eye contact with me at the same time.
Blithering idiots, I see my hostess address my entrance.
“Ladies and gentlemen, please raise your glasses for the arrival of Rosalina Vimentah, the reason for the tremendous success and capital gains made over the last 10 years!” She announces with forced passion, bless her.
I sweep my vision across them and give them the signature “Vimentah” smile. Glasses raze across the room and a round of applause rings out, I know everyone's face here, I hate all of them. My hostess knows I don't like these things and doesn't drag out the introduction, she knows I don't need it anyway.
The closest to me approach casually, they hold their drinks in as elaborate or “posh” way as possible, beverage grip is important apparently. I think Duncan is sticking his little finger out on purpose, what a pompous prick.
“Gentleman! I trust the wine is to your liking?” I ask, knowing i've picked the cheapest shit here for these chumps, funny how the cheapest and most expensive taste the same when the labels are switched.
“Wonderful!” Duncan calls out, this fat lipped son-of-a-bitch sold his parents honest, hard working mining company out and bought an automated division, firing all the staff and replacing them with drones, he's had some teething issues but he's rolling in it now. His parents disowned him for it though, they were Nomads who wanted to create jobs for their local community, he trampled over that for more money. He's disgusting and he wants to sleep with me. I think 80% of the guests here would sell their entire company for a night with me, that sounds extreme and a little up myself, even for me, right? But no word of a lie, Duncan said that to me two years ago, he was a little heavy on the ancient whiskey and let some feelings slip, I was pretty gone too but my assistants caught him saying it, they write down everything said at these things, you have no idea how useful that is.
So I have terrible Duncan under my finger now, i'd flick him away but he has friends at the table and i'm not going to let my personal hatred of fuck-boy Duncan ruin my reputation as an impartial and professional woman of business. So I tolerate his pathetic attempt at small talk with a smile and flirt a little with him, no need to cut the string just yet.
I see an ocean of custom tailored suits ahead of me, each fitted perfectly to the venomous sack of crap that bought it. I will have to said hello to all of them come the end of the night. A waiter comes around with a tray of drinks and I immediately reach for the strongest one.
“Woah! Easy there girl, night is still early yet!” Duncan laughs, seeing me do it.
“Unfortunately.” I whisper back, pretending i'm talking about everyone but Duncan, he thinks its a in-joke between us. Duncan my friend, you are the joke. Seriously, i've have rescinded this man's invitation long ago, but he has a knack for finding anomalous materials and that brings serious money in that not even I can ignore. I move to the next group after parting ways with the previous, at least everyone understands that I need to keep moving, nothing worse than a party guest who turns the night into a party quest to take up as much time as possible. Speaking of which...
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“Rosa! I had to cancel some last minute plans to arrive but so glad I made it!” She leans forward and gives me a generous hug around the shoulders, I arranged this six months ago you bumbling prick, there was nothing last minute about it at all.
“Goodness Liekna, i'm so sorry about that, nothing important I hope?” I fake deep concern, I couldn't give a damn what Liekna does. She's an equine breed, I see the bulge in her dress every year, she makes no attempt to hide her manhood with her form clinging dress, she's proud of it. Considering the amount of people shes fucked over, I suppose it fits thematically. She'd talk my ear off when she's had a few, i'm going to avoid her as hard as possible.
“Nothing more important than this!” She's as fake as me. “Deeply sorry to hear about your logistic division problems, hopefully you'll recover the loss soon!”
Oh that bitch. She's trying to embarrass me, I did end up screwing her over a little this year, it was nothing personal, I just pulled stocks out of something she was investing in.
“Thank you Liekna, I really really appreciate that.” I reach out and grab her hand, holding it tightly, I then notice she's wearing the same rings from last year, its a cheap shot but it'll do.
“You know, we should do a girls day-out some time, my treat, get you some new digs, I love splashing out on my friends!” We both smile, she knows what I was getting at, that'll dig under her skin, she likes being the “strong, independent” type. She wants to fuck me too, I swear I saw her cock twitch under her dress when I grabbed her hand. Fucking animal.
I've only really spoken to five people at this point and i'm exhausted. I want the end of the night. I'm good at hiding it, but i'm trembling on the inside and its not because of any of these suck-ups.
Jason approaches me next, I actually don't mind Jason. I'd never speak to him outside of work but he's an honest man at the very least.
“I see you didn't get those breast implants I suggested, you still look too flat for a dress like that.” He doesn't smile, he's serious. Thanks Jason.
“Honestly Jason, if I got the implants you'd stop talking to me so there's no way I can do that!” He smiles but doesn't laugh, thats the most you'll get out of Jason.
“I have to talk to you, thats how these parties work. I can't wait to go home.” He remarks, sighing loudly and walking away, the rest of the group is silent awkwardly for a few seconds and then we laugh together. Me you both, Jason. Go home as soon as you want, I insist. Nothing underhanded about him though, I bet its fun when he fires people. I imagine its something like:
“You're really bad at your job so you're fired, goodbye.” or “You sexually assaulted someone in the workplace, you're fired.” - As we all know, only the rich get to do that and no one in Jason's company is rich apart from him. I said he was honest, not fair. Normally if someone spoke to me like Jason just did, they'd be fired on the spot or kicked out of the board, but I tolerate it from Jason, only because I love watching him speak to the rest of the board like that, its tremendously entertaining. And because I tolerate it, the rest of them do, trying to follow my lead.
I survey the room again, counting up how many are left. It pains me that I know all their names, my precious neurons firing only to encode these mouth breathers names into my crystalline intelligence, what a waste. A take another swing of the strong stuff in the hope that it mercy kills some of those poor brain cells that remember what Duncan says. The night continues to drag, the jazz starts to intensify but I shoot the singer a harsh glare and he drops a bollock on the spot, elbowing the saxophone player sharply in the side and the volume drops quickly.
“Rosalina! The myth herself! Was wondering if I'd actually see you tonight!” You literally saw me enter the room, you absolutely tragic waste of muscle and leather. This is Sigma, he's draconic breed, tallest in the room and well built. He looks like an complete clown in his suit though, like a fridge/freezer sprung to life and decided to be an asshole for the day.
“Got here as quick as I could Sigma! You know you're my favourite!” He absolutely is not my favourite. I'd rather drown in oil than engage with this man outside of work hours.
“Likewise beautiful girl!” Drown me, do it now. “I thought you didn't like jazz though? Whats with the band?”
Sharp isn't he? He remembered something I told him. I'm pretty sure he read about girls in a pop-up book and learnt that they like it when you remember things they say. Colourful pictures really stick with this guy, he's a 'visual learner' which means all his staff meetings have to have charts and graphs in them. I'm certain Sigma's foreplay involves pie charts, those poor escorts.
“Oh, the board chose it, I just grit my teeth and find the people I like to make the night go quicker!” I give him a 'genuine' smile to reinforce the point, he went with a red tie today against the black suit, edgy.
“Heh, glad to know i'm one of the favourites! Say, when you get five mins, come find me, I have something i'd like to discuss with you in private.” He smiles back. I'll do it but by fuck am I going to hate it, he'd better not flirt with me, his breath smells like second hand cheese.
“Of course, i'm just doing the rounds but i'll be with you after that? Is it anything exciting?” HAH. As if. Sigma gets an adrenaline rush from changing the font on the company letterheads, his fight or flight instinct kicks in when someone sends him a badly formatted email, the man is a joke, the only exciting thing he could give me is his suicide note. Maybe that's a bit harsh actually, perhaps just a resignation instead, that would certainly make my day, maybe even my whole week.
“You're going to love it, its about data-protection and rights enforcement in Nomad sectors! I've-” He carries on talking but i'm filtering it out. You don't want to hear this, i've heard that Oneye dark agents have recordings of Sigma's business proposals and play them during interrogations to break people. It'd work on me, that's all I'm saying. He continues to waffle on for several minutes, its about getting more money from poor people, that's all you need to know.
“That sounds really engaging, Sigma, I look forward to your brief summery later!” I need to make the hints obvious or they'll fly right by him. Perhaps I can get one my assistants to wheel out a graph that shows that the longer he speaks for, the drier I become. I need another drink, sharpish. My waiters are well trained and spot me from a mile away, dancing through the conversing guests to fetch me another glass of the strong stuff, my drinks are kept separate from the chaff.
After what feels like three funerals in quick succession, i've finally done my rounds and spoken to everyone, including going back to Sigma for his business chat, he tried to flirt with me too, knew he would. I am out of his league and he knows it. I am out of everyone's league here. I could buy everyone's businesses here and fire them all on the spot, god dammit I would love to do that. Bye bye Duncan. So long Sigma. Catch you later Liekna. Don't let the door hit you on the way out, you same ring wearing bitch, you earn enough, stop being so frugal. Buuut, that would be hideously stupid. And I know it would, so I don't. But they're all terrified of crossing me, apart from Jason.
Admittedly, I am more on edge tonight than I otherwise would be. One of my assistants comes over and whispers in my ear, my guest has arrived. She isn't coming to the party though, she's going to wait for me in one of my private chambers. My stomach trembles with excitement and anticipation. Its time to make a speech now though, I mingle my way back to the double doors and hold my glass out, my assistant tap it with a spoon to signal to the room thats its my turn to talk now.
“Good evening everyone! Thank you so much for coming tonight, I know a lot of you have had to travel a long way to make it here and have had to cancel important plans to make it, so thank you again. This year has been a tough one, we've had losses and unusual circumstances to deal with, but I think its fair to say we've all persevered and pushed through the years challenges, coming out the other side stronger, wiser-”
“Richer!” Duncan calls out. A round of laughs breaks out and quickly quiets back down as I stare him down, he takes a sip of his drink shyly. “S-sorry.” He mumbles out, looking away from me.
“-Richer!” I call out, the room breaks with laughter again, I just wanted to see him squirm. I smile at him to break the tension between us and let him know I was 'joking'. “I do have some important business to attend to for a next few hours though, but please do enjoy the music, there will be food coming shortly, treat yourselves, you've earned it, its on me!” And with that, my assistants pop the doors open behind me and I immediately retreat, half the room tried to follow me but I was far too quick through the doors. Uncharacteristically so. I have hosted dozens of these things, there is nothing important in that room that needs my attention.
I have my own needs. I deserve some fun. I said at the beginning, i'm taking a risk tonight, my assistants are somewhat briefed on the occasion but I didn't give them the full details. They tell me where she is... Bedroom 7 on my private floors above. I take the lift up with my two assistants in silence, on a side note, I love the décor of the tower, black and silver through-out the floors, with occasional splashes of colour and warm down-lights. I picked everything.
The bedroom is just a short walk away from the lift, my assistants have been ordered to stand guard the lift, no guests are allowed up here, I can't have them knowing what is about to unfold. The door is slightly ajar as I approach and i'm listening intently but I can't hear anything, she must just be waiting patiently.
I push the door open and enter alone, i've been told that I should really have guards for this, but I sort of trust her, i'm not entirely sure why.
“So sorry for the delay, pleased to meet you, Leech.”