"So? What do you think?"
"... It's very strange, but not unpleasant."
It had been a day since Mac had removed the first 'rat' from Tia's shadow, since then he had caught and released another, but today wasn't about that.
"What did you call this again?"
"It's chocolate… Or a synthetic version of it anyway."
Today Mac and Tia were holding a meeting in her dad's back yard, they were currently discussing new goods to sell, and Mac was intent on pushing into luxury goods.
"I think it'll need a few adjustments, I don't know about nobles, but I've never tasted anything this sweet before. My tongue is numbing."
The white cube Tia had just tasted was sweet enough for her to feel her pupils expanding as way too much sugar hit her bloodstream.
"That one was the mild one though."
"No."
"Got it."
Forced back to square one by a flat rejection, Mac was a bit dejected, but didn't let that hold him back for long.
"Then what about these?"
Presenting newly fabricated synthetic pearls of all different colours, his hope was high.
"Nope."
(Fuck.)
"Then what about jewelry? Something like this?"
"If you want me to get arrested, then sure."
(Shit.)
"What about these fabrics, it's the same kind that you're wearing."
"It could be confused for silk, which is a restricted good. So if you really want me to get arrested then I can try to sell it."
(Darkness consumes me.)
"..."
In a little over 20 seconds all hope had left Mac, approximately 40 tons of goods now had to be either discarded, recycled or put into cold storage.
"Well, fuck me sideways."
"No thanks."
"That last one was rhetorical."
Forced to continue to act professional as her boss had now learned back and was silently groaning at the sky, Tia silently sighed to herself as she threw Mac a lifeline.
"Why do you want to break into luxury goods anyway? Without an introduction or a ledger of trade nobles won't touch any kind of supply. Besides, the coal is selling really well."
"Because nobles are the kind of people I want to talk to, they hold influence that I can use."
"... Like you did with that knight captain in the capital? You know she has issued an arrest warrant for you right?"
Yesterday Tia had seen her boss' mugshot on a wanted poster as she passed into town. While this was a new development, it didn't come to that much of a surprise.
"What?"
"Okay, so you didn't know that."
"... I'm going to break her nose. That fucking brat."
With those words Mac stood back up and started walking, leaving Tia and thus ending the meeting.
"... Sure, whatever. Bye."
Right as Tia was about to get back to her own work, Mac came back and sat down again.
"..."
"So because of the arrest order I can't just walk out of town like I usually do."
"... I see."
"Do you have any ideas for luxury goods we could sell?"
Instead of immediately answering, or even thinking about the question her boss had asked her, Tia just stared at him for a few moments.
"Not really no… Don't you have something else to do at the moment?"
While Tia was happy getting paid an absurd amount for the work she was doing, her boss wasn't that exemplary of an example.
"Oh I already am doing loads of things, my mind is linked to all of the cruisers and tenders in this system, so I am currently working on material analysis of multiple different samples of raw ore in case I want to fabricate them, there's also the entire counterintelligence operation I started a few days ago which necessitates pacing through an insane amount of data. Then there's the pre deployment exercises, validations and inspections for the ground detachment I'm currently fabricating. If handling that wasn't enough I'm also in the process of rekindling a gravity engine and double everything I was already doing for the ground detachment to an air force detachment I'm reacti-"
"Okay okay I got it, I understand, I'm sorry. Let me rephrase; why are you doing all of that while staring at me in particular?"
While Tia was forced to admit that her boss was impressive in the amount of problems and challenges he was working through at once while still having a conversation with her, she couldn't understand why he had to do it in her presence.
"Well you're plenty attractive, and your face is also pleasing to look at."
"That's harassment."
"Right, I'm sorry. I'll go sit in that corner over there."
As Mac went to sulk in a corner of the yard, Tia took a deep breath to control her breathing as she felt her face heat up.
(WHAT IS WRONG WITH HIM?! DON'T JUST SAY STUFF LIKE THAT!)
-
Still slightly perturbed by her boss' comments the day before, Tia nevertheless used her mirror to check for any last minute adjustments she needed to make before getting back to work.
Today's work was a little different from the deals she had made before, instead of selling to an individual craftsman or workshop, Tia had been invited to pitch her product to a merchant. If things went well this time, another absurd bonus was sure to follow as Mac was pushing to ingratiate himself with people in power.
(Looking perfect again today, time to seal this deal!)
Having traveled by wagon to her destination, Tia grabbed a crate of synthetic coal marked Red import consortium as the special 'buzzing' crate was left behind on her coach seat.
Having parked her wagon nearby, Tia paid a few children playing nearby to feed and watch over her lizard before she made the small walk to the merchants store.
(Hendrick's import… Yeah, this seems like the place.)
The store was a modest 4 story building made of bricks, with the entirety of the first floor being an open warehouse where carts pulled in to unload and load goods and the floors above serving as office space and meeting rooms for negotiations.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tia went up to one of the workers and introduced herself
"I'm Tia from Red import consortium, I'm here to-"
"Talk to my boss."
Getting rudely interrupted by the worker as she tried to introduce herself, Tia didn't even have the chance to ask where this boss was before the worker walked away.
(... Clearly that guy must've been in a foul mood.)
With her perfect smile slightly chipped, Tia glanced around at the other nearby workers, but as each of them failed to meet her eyes she started getting an idea of what was going on.
(Surely not.)
Attempting to talk to a few other of the workers Tia was forced to admit she was being purposely snubbed.
(So you tell me to be here bright and early just so I can waste my time waiting on you?...)
While such action wasn't outright malicious, as it could always be confused as a mismatch in planning, it sure wasn't the right move to set the tone for negotiations with a new party. Looking around the warehouse and its sacks and crates filled with goods, Tia quickly spotted coal dust and figured why she was being snubbed.
(So we're hurting your business and now you want to put us down? I don't really know if I should be mad about that.)
Normally Tia would be angry at such treatment, as being forced to waste her time meant wasting money. Normally that is.
(Shame I still get paid so handsomely even if I don't make any sales. Sorry to say Hendrick, I have all day.)
Putting down her crate and setting it on its short end, Tia used it as a stool as she yawned lazily. Even sitting still she earned an absurd salary, so there was no need to get offended at every little thing.
Over the next few hours Tia sat patiently waiting to be seen, only leaving for about 10 minutes to find some food at the local market before returning to her seat.
(They're starting to sweat… Good.)
With complete oversight over sales, Tia could've walked away from this deal without any scrutiny from her boss, but doing so would leave Hendrikson import open to claim she had snubbed them, so Tia chose to just wait unbothered. With the sky starting to turn orange and afternoon soon turning into evening in a couple more hours Tia were now forcing them to finally have their meeting they had invited her out to, or face reputational damage when Tia would start spreading the news that Hendrikson import were unreliable and had left one of their guest waiting out in the cold for an entire day.
Tia could see this realisation slowly setting in for the other side, as the dockworkers who had previously done their level best to act like they were ignoring her now glancing in her direction as a steady stream of them seemed to head upstairs to talk with their superiors and inform them that Tia was still waiting for her meeting.
(Any second now.)
Although this wasn't hurting her salary, Tia's patience was also starting to wear thin, and even no matter what happened here today she wasn't going to overlook this slight.
(There we go.)
As if on cue a respectable dressed, middle aged man appeared from upstairs, sweating somewhat as he talked with one of the dock workers in a hushed tone.
"Is that her?"
"Yes, she's from Red import consortium, been here all day."
Of course their attempt at quiet conversation for naught as Tia's keen hearing picked up every single word spoken between the worker and merchant. Still, Tia didn't let any of that information show on her face as she was finally greeted.
"Are you from Red import consortium? My name is Michal, so sorry for the mix up."
(A mix up? Sure, we can go with that excuse.)
"The name is Tia, and I lead Red import consortium's efforts in this country. Nice to meet you."
As their side had just been expecting to snub a lower level employee and then blame them for the 'scheduling conflict', Tia immediately asserted her authority and watched the merchant pale as she placed the crate of coal in his arms and walked past.
"Let's get to it, I have other places to be."
Walking fast and with purpose, Tia was eventually led into a meeting room overlooking the street on the first floor where Michal immediately started off with another apology.
"So sorry for the mix up, miss Tia, I heard from my boss that you were here to show off a new product that we wanted to buy from you."
(Typical.)
Wanting to make a stink of things and her treatment even though they were at least partly apologetic, Tia figured it was better to just sell to this business once, then leave them out in the cold as the market continued adjusting to Red's insanely low prices.
"Yes, I'm here to sell you a new type of coal exclusive to my firm."
Taking her crate back from the merchant, Tia sat it down on the meeting room table where she undid its claps and opened it to the protest of the merchant.
"Please watch for dust."
When handling coal one normally had to watch out for the black dust it left behind everywhere, as it damaged most other goods and was toxic to breathe in large amounts.
"Worry not."
Mac's synthetic coal had solved this issue, as Tia demonstrated by throwing open the crate full of coal without any dust appearing.
"Not only does my firm's product not leave any dust, it also burns longer and warmer while being easier to light."
Demonstrating the product as she had done countless times by now to tradesmen, Tia watched the merchant's initial hesitation transform to astonishment and then finally confusion as she named the price.
"... Are you sure? That price seems very low."
"Yeah, it is plenty for what I'm paying for it."
Hinting at some undisclosed source that was letting her have this wonderful product for almost nothing, Tia was prepared for Michal's scepticism and countered it before he could even say a word.
"Of course, if you're not interested then that's fine too, I have plenty of loyal customers with more joining daily, just be ready to turn them away when you're forced to admit you don't carry my product."
"I'll inform my boss, one second."
Watching the merchant leave with the sample coal, Tia sat down with a satisfied smile on her face, thinking she had nailed another pitch. Sadly, she was still slightly naive in the world of trade and business. Just two minutes later a pair of burly men brandishing wooden clubs entered the meeting room, and before Tia could ask what the fuck was going on, Michal apeared with another well dressed man in his fifties.
"Miss Tia, I assume?"
Stepping forward into the room as the goons behind him blocked the door, the other merchant took a seat from across Tia as he finally introduced himself.
"My name is Hendrick."
"Ah, Hendrick himself, why the-"
"You've really stuck your nose in things you shouldn't have."
Speaking at, instead of with Tia, Hendick wore a practiced, cold smile on his face which didn't reach all the way to his eyes.
"You have no idea how much profit I've lost the past few weeks because of your little firm."
(Shit.)
In all her confidence, Tia had failed to consider these merchants might not stick to the law when dealing with her.
"So? Do you want in or are you just complaining for the sake of it?"
Figuring Hendrick were trying to strong arm himself into a position as a partner, or straight up absorb Red import consortium through coercion, Tia appeared calm as she pressed her necklace once, signaling a low risk situation.
"No, what I want is your source, they'll be working with a new partner from today onwards."
Revealing his intent, Hendrick made it clear that he was cutting Tia and her boss off of their supposed supplier. The only problem with that plan was of course the fact that Mac manufactured all goods sold himself, but Hendrick didn't know that.
"Really? How much are you willing to pay for that?"
(This might be bad.)
Still keeping up her cheerful exterior, internally Tia was starting to panic as she pressed her necklace again, feeling it vibrate slightly.
"Pay? Now that's funny."
Not showing his apparent amusement on his face in the slightest, Hendrick tossed a parchment of paper across the table.
"You're going to sign that contract."
Looking at the paper, Tia saw a frankly unfair contract where she would give up her source for the new type of coal she was selling, then her firm would recuse itself and never operate in this country again.
All for the grand total wealth of a single copper coin.
"... Is this a joke?"
"Of course it isn't. Sign the document or you won't ever leave this room."
As Hendrick spoke the two men with weapons stepped forward, making Tia silently tap twice on her necklace again as she glanced out the open window.
"Don't even try screaming either, I've bought the guards in this area, they won't be coming."
Seeing that Tia was perhaps planning to scream, Hendricks leaned back in his chair as he made a fatal mistake.
Tia was the first to notice it, a faint buzzing she couldn't quite place in her memory came from somewhere outside, quickly growing in intensity as something barely visible to the naked eye appeared outside the window.
[So the guards won't show up? That's great.]
"What the?"
With Mac's voice sounding out in the room, Hendrick and his employees only managed to be confused before a series of click's like a person closing a pair of paper sheers sounded out, the next thing Tia knew the 4 other people in the room fell over dead, fresh red blood pouring from their heads and staining the carpet.