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>this convention is pretty great, geekcon 20XX is the shit
>i even managed to get a cosplay together, though i suppose it was kinda an easy one to make. not like its very hard to go as a space soldier from Void-Battle. especially considering there are so many costumes available from basically everywhere
>still, i feel good. look great in my getup. whats more to like?
>"oh my god! you look so cool! can i get a pic?"
>i turn around to see the origin of the preppy voice
>whoa, pretty girl
>my helmet has a blueish silver tint to its visor, but passed the monochrome she looked like the kind of girl who would brush off somebody in ahigh effort dweeb getup like myself
"sure thing. im glad you like it"
>"of course i like it! especially since you're dressed up in star saint colors. they're my favorite sub faction"
"really? you like them too? i wagered they were so niche that most people would think i was doing my own thing."
>it seems i misjudged her power level
>"pff, as if, theyre too cool to miss. the gunmetal grey with the brassy trim. did you put this together?"
"i wish, i got bought most of the parts, only thing i made is the helmet and the body harness"
>"coulda fooled me, i think you should make a whole costume for yourself next time!"
>she was practically beaming
>sorta helped that given her fur pattern she looked kinda like a rogue star going supernova
>hell, even her mane pulled it all together, like a great big corona
>i may be exaggerating a little, but still, she was pretty
>out of my league too
>i let her snap her picture and for a moment thought we'd go our separate ways
>but as fate would have it, she was gripping my arm
>"hey, i came alone and you look like you did too. wanna pair up for some of the events for today? i'll sweeten the deal and treat you to coffee"
>coffee and a pretty girl serving herself as a totally-not-date on a silver platter?
"sign me up!"
>i think today is gonna keep getting better and better
>fast forward to when im back home a few weeks later
>that girl is a pleasant memory, our last words were a happy “see you next convention!”
>I wish I could see her sooner though
>ah well, can’t really worry about that for the moment. I’ve got a brand new job to think about
>is it any wonder that a guy like me who can afford cosplay has a high end job?
>at least I do now anyway, and I’m lucky to have landed it
>you’re looking at the new chief of infrastructure in the biggest company on this side of the country!
>strategy nerd, meet the perfect job for you. really I can’t stress enough how much I scored
>after making myself look as professional as can be I’m off to scope out the details of my new position
>I’ll probably have to introduce myself both to my superiors first, the board of shareholders or directors. Company officers, that sort of thing
>I’m not worried about that, It’ll be cool to actually greet a CEO and rub elbows a bit
>I get to the high rise building that’s in the center circle of the really over the top plaza style area
>top floors I go, and people having probably seen my picture and knowing what position I’ll have gave me the usual pageantry
>it’s a little funny since I’m basically just a glorified bean counter
>pay is just barely upper class worthy but it’s not like I live expensively
>Not quite 6 figures, but I’m sitting pretty regardless
>I meet my team of subordinates first, they seem friendly enough
>after that it was a few members of the upper echelon, technically I was below them but I attended meetings alongside them, at least when it concerned getting our goods actually out and about
>did I mention what we sell? It’s beauty products
>nice shampoos, skin/fur care stuff, makeup. The works!
>after the board I go to talk to my boss proper, the CEO
>I enter the corner office. I didn’t know what to expect- but it certainly wasn’t this
>it’s the rogue star again, or at least she looks like her
>“Hello there mister Anon, please- have a seat cordialness is for more public settings anyway”
>that’s… wow
>I feel so certain it’s her, but that voice… it’s way more sultry and… well I’m not sure what word to give it; imposing?
>it was still her voice I think, but down an octave and with a different cadence
“It’s a pleasure Miss…”
>“-Langley, But my friends and people in my closer circles just call me Helen”
>that’s an open door if I’ve ever seen one
“Does that mean I’m part of those groups?”
>there’s this deep, throaty purr coming from Miss Langley
>either I’ve just noticed it now, or she’s gotten louder with it…
>“I’d certainly like to see so, let’s take a tour of your work environment from here on out, then we can come back here to chat just a little while longer”
>I’m certainly in her element now
>though I think it’s more appropriate to call it her den
>she’s still purring like she’s an idle Harley bike, even as she takes me by the arm in the exact same way she led me around at the convention
>yep, it’s her
>now I know her name at least
>though she looks more mature now, not any one thing she’s doing to make that happen, I guess it’s her office-wear
>“this will be your office, if there’s anything you need in terms of tools or help of any kind, you either walk right into my office or give me a call on the building’s phone system, okay hun~?”
“yes ma’am. Do you have any records of how the lest chief of infrastructure did things? I’d rather build off what they had than disrupt the company’s flow”
>“should be in the filing cabinet under “policy-&-throughput.” you can’t miss it, it’s got a big red tag on it, you should start your research there”
>she knows how her old subordinates book-keep, props for her thoroughness
>we do this a big longer, and I can’t help but notice now that I’m on a repeat episode of being dragged around she feels a bit taller
>she’s just barely taller than me now, it must be the heels or something
>eventually I’m taken back to her office
>“as you know this is a salary job, so you’ll have the opportunity to work at your own pace if you really, really need it. But don’t tell anybody I told you that”
>she let out a short, feminine, deep chuckle that if this were under more raunchy circumstances would make me melt
>in fact, it feels like I’m melting now regardless
>keep calm and carry on, me. I smile and reply
“don’t tell me you say that to all the people under you”
>“maybe… I believe in working smart, not hard, if one must to always strain yourself when you put yourself to task, then you’re probably doing that task wrong. Why turn the millstone by hand when the river or the wind can do it for you”
“Surely there must be a wrench on that idea from time to time, how do you achieve that here?”
>“a little careful delegation here, some custom solutions there. And a computer or two usually does the trick”
>she was leaning into her desk a bit, the back of her hands supporting her chin, she was smiling like she just won a game of strip poker and was looking at her prize
>“I think you agree with me more than you already know, you did decide to work with what you knew we had rather than try some new shtick like some overly ambitious upstart- you’re strategic in the right ways I think. I like that about you, Anon.”
>she finally leans back in her large comfy boss chair
>“I’m going to have a coffee break in about an hour, why don’t you join me after you’ve gotten accustomed to your office and you’ve read those files you’re after hmm?”
>with a wag of her clawed fingers, I’m dismissed
“Sure thing, Miss Langley.”
>and so my heroes journey returns me into the realm of the mundane, otherwise known as my new office