After the last grueling 14 hours, Savan is called into the office of their L-low manager. A spry woman for her age, who usually exudes normal dispositions of sternness and competency required for her job. Except for today. She received a scripted “song and dance” for when an employee leaves the workforce, but it was obvious she wasn’t properly trained on it. Even though it was the first time she went over it, it was remarkable how flustered she was by it.
While each Brand tries to portray itself with a flair of novelty, they do share some policies, one of which was managerial conduct. Any L to S level executives have to portray themselves as tough, dependent, and filled with confidence, and, for occasions like these, their manuals do mention that they have to:
-” Appear compassionate, but never leave room for it to intervene when it’s required to terminate someone.”
The moment something new appeared, though, the manager broke all the rules on the spot.” At least she is trying her hardest”, Savan tried to compliment their former boss, even while suffering through the comically cheesy speech. The sheepish demeanor of the superior wasn’t helping, especially when they slurred some of the words a few times. Unfortunately for Savan, the droning about platitudes of dreams of the future, rising from the ashes, etc. was mandatory.
At some point, Savan felt as if they would zone out and fall asleep mid-speech, so in an effort to stay awake, they used a trick they learned while dealing with endlessly talkative customers: Divert attention to a personal passion, which in Savan's case always meant an enhanced part. In the current situation, it was the prosthetic hands of the manager. After dealing with angry folks that complained about those kinds of products, they learned more about the negligible differences between each piece, at least regarding aspects and minor functionalities. Besides those differences, though, the clopy thought that there wasn’t anything else separating the Brand products.
Their manager had a second-hand merchandise, from either a pawn shop or a back alley, probably doing some backhand dealings for them. On the regular market, that type of prosthetic costs about three years from the total of the manager's payroll.
The hands were polished and cared for, noticeable by the glints of light that were blinding Savan when the silver palms were waved around. Even so, the scratches and signs of weariness on the lower palm couldn’t be properly covered. Savan remembers how, on multiple occasions, it appeared as if the manager avoided raising their index finger. “It still is an older model though, probably even older than her”, they thought.
The manager ended the scripted speech a minute later and took another five to find a resignation form in their database. She swiped and clicked on countless folders while her search program tried to find something that had resignation in the body. While doing that, knowing that it might take a while, she pointed towards the instant coffee flavored maker and waved to Savan to use it if they wanted to.
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-“I can’t believe that you're going to do this Savan”, the manager muttered out of boredom after scribbling for a while, “but I imagine it must be quite an honor to be allowed to take part. I don’t know if this has happened before, but I believe you are the first C.E to volunteer for the race, dear. Correct?”
-“Oh, really? I never really looked into it, to be honest. I actually thought I would be rejected, but it was a pleasant surprise to see that I was allowed to become a patient. All I am hoping for is that I get some cute and useful augments. Emphasis on cute though, otherwise I don’t see the point in doing it otherwise”, they replied half joking, trying to shift the conversation in another direction.
-“ I hope so as well. They are quite a must these days, annnd quite pricey sometimes. It might cost you sometime…well…a hand or two to get something useful in return”, the manager sighed a bit while slowly rubbing the right palm on top of the other hand. ” Well, it was a pleasant surprise to be working with you, C.E Savan Forg, these last seven years have been easier thanks to your hard work. I hope that your replacement is constructed as well as you were”. Savan flinched a bit while keeping a polite smile, but the manager didn't notice it. “Good luck and try to make, uhm, your people proud. You are quite an inspiration for C.Es all over the world.”
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-“Thank you, but I think it would be a bit farfetched for me to be an inspiration, to be honest. I think that the C.Es are properly performing their jobs, as they were instructed from their formation. While humbled, I don’t think that I’m doing something noteworthy for my kind.”
The manager leans in over her small desk to shake Savan's thin hands, congratulate them again, and then points them towards the exit with a stretched hand and firm smile.
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At first, the clopy kept a normal posture and composure, walking at a regular, light pace. Between the manager’s office and the employee exit, rows and rows of desks, followed by factory lines and production halls, slowly stopped their work to whisper. Then stare. The rumors traveled fast, especially when someone manages to just quit. It wasn’t the tone they hoped for, the leave felt like a pitiful parade.
While obviously staged, some of the employees lazily cheered, others pretended to applaud Savan, and so forth. They just nodded in return, smiled back, and waved, while also slowly increasing their steps. Little by little, speeding up the pace, to just reach the exit and leave it all behind…until something stopped them in their hurry.
Just then, a limping C.E entered through the exit door. The injured employee was almost a spitting image of Savan, same discolored skin, bald head, and lanky figure, but their face was more feminine, with bigger lips than the clopy.
They hoped on their good foot, and went for the walls, for balance and support, and tried to take a few steps forward, until they noticed a pair of feet in front of them. The C.E, while raising their head, automatically started for the usual greet in front of a human.
-“ Hello dear collea... Oh, it’s you. Seven Four, correct?”
-“ Yes”, Savan replied in a quivery, but warm voice. “ It’s my last day here”, they nervously blurt out, until they realize it was the wrong thing to say. “ Sorry....”, checks the tag, “Four Two Three. Sorry, I, uhm, that’s, that’s a nasty limp you got there. Do you need any help with it?”
-“ Well, if you can help me get to a medical dispenser faster, that would be great.”
Savan then hurries to their side, puts the C.E’s left hand behind their shoulders, and slowly helps them to move. “So, was it an accident?”
-“ Yes, a tragic...”, Four Two rapidly reports, but then remembers that they were talking with another C.E.
-“ Actually, a child customer just got their first muscle enhancements for their legs and got a bit rowdy. It’s not that bad though, you should have seen the proud grimaces on her parent's faces when their child actually broke my shin. Nothing that a night's rest and “In a Flash” med-gel can’t fix, so don't worry about me. Look at you, though Seven, on your way to get some robotics for yourself, huh? Congratulations. “
Savan let out an embarrassed laugh and understood that their sibling didn't want to recollect more of the incident, so they went along with their deflection.
-“ Big opportunity, right? I was actually heading to get the signatures of the lower, middle, and mid-middle managers. It’s something else, you know? After 25 years, I believe I am don...I can work for something else in life. And if I prove that it's not dangerous for C.E to have prosthetics, maybe they will loosen the restrictions for the rest."
Savan then went on droning about what type of parts they might, or hope to get, how they could use them, all while Four just listened in patience, but with a bit of sympathy for them. Even though they were proud of their helpers' enthusiasm, a recurring though crossed their mind “oh…that’s so childlike of them.”
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At the medical dispenser, Savan helps the injured C.E to apply the gel and lets them rest on a nearby bench.” There. You should be able to walk back on your own in a few minutes. Listen, I hate to leave you like this, but I need to hurry, to get to the other offices, ok? Hope you get better by the next 8 hours.”
-“ Sure, no problem, run along. Oh, and before you go, I hear you like to call us clopy, right? You should know, other C.E have started to use it in secret. It’s a cute nickname, I kinda like it”. They didn't know if Savan found that info useful or if it made them feel anything, but Four wanted to at least give them some kind of gift. “You should know at least that, Savan. And, if it’s the last time, goodbye”.
Savan felt some type of sting from those words, but they couldn’t understand entirely why. As soon as they got to the exit, on the outside stairs, they took a long break on the empty steps. From there they could just watch the city for a while, sit down and just wait. They had plenty of time now to not be in a rush.