Corporate Discipline

Corporate Discipline
Date of Scene:	14 May 2013
Location:	The Ame-no-Torifune
Synopsis:	Souji calls Alma into his study to get some things straight.
Cast of Characters:	Souji Murasame, Alma Hyral

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Souji Murasame has posed:
Alma has been called into Souji's office.

The 'office', as it were, is also the Captain's room on the ship for obvious reasons. The cabin itself is well-appointed, but generally functional. There is a well-crafted table of ebony, upon which rests a tea service. In a cabinet to one side is a wine cooler and liquor cabinet, as well as a set of crystal glasses. There is an office desk in the corner, the glimmer of a magitechnological computer present. There are several folders on the desk, as well as a framed picture of a teenaged woman in a pure white dress. Alma would recognize it as Tira. Windows on the sides of the cabin afford a view of the area outside, while a locked door leads further in, presumably to private sleeping quarters.

Souji is sitting at the desk. He does not get up as Alma enters, and he gestures to the chair on the opposite side of the desk. "Sit." He says, simply.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma walked into the office with all the dignity she could manage.

Her hands were folded demurely in front of her, as the soft susurrus of her dowdy robes marked her steps across the paneling of the Ame-No-Torifune's floor. During her steady walk across the floor of Souji's office, she catches sight of the picture of her elder sister, and has to quickly tear her gaze away. Images of her sister always made her tearful, Souji must not see her cry.. and she didn't have one of her own any longer.

The darkness had seen to that.

She might have asked Souji for a copy before this, had she known he still possessed one.. but now was definitely not the appropriate time. When she reaches the chair across opposite to Souji's desk. She seats, smoothes out her robes upon her lap, then folds her hands together, levelling her visage to meet his own.

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji waits for a short time, his expression expectant after she sits.

When she says nothing, Souji nods. "Very well. You know why you have been called in here, Hyral." He says, his expression like iron. "It seems to be a failure on my part that you have not seem to have come to an understanding of what is expected of you as a member of my company."

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma would /try/ keep her expression neutral. She wasn't good at this. She wore her heart on her sleeve. She couldn't bluff to save her life. She had no confidence in herself, except under one circumstance...

When her friends were threatened. Or her friends were at each other's throats.

For that reason alone, her voice was still calm, as she answered Souji, "I am." And then after a measured pause, "Your expectations were not outlined, as I thought they were made implicit. Perhaps I was mistaken. We both know why I am working for you, Mister Murasame."

Souji Murasame has posed:
"Really then?"

Souji folds his hands on the desk as Alma speaks. "Tell me then, Alma Hyral. Why are you working for me?"

Alma Hyral has posed:
The girl would keep her expression on him, never waivering. "Not long before we had this conversation, there was a woman trying to besmirch your reputation in front of your employees. I defended you. And ever will I continue to do so, even if our association ends today."

She would then close her eyes, taking a deep breath, "The answer is on your desk, Mister Murasame. She believed in you, and so do I. There is much I am willing to ignore for her sake, and yours. There is nothing I wouldn't do, to see our world restored."

She'd then open her eyes once again, fixating them on him, "But as you believe I sometimes go too far, sometimes I believe the same of you. And it is for /her/ sake, that I must sometimes make that known to you."

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji sits there, listening to Alma as she begins to explain her situation and the reasons why she is there.

Souji's expression does not change as she explains. When she is done, Souji nods. "There is much I am willing to forgive as well, Alma Hyral. I understand why you are doing this. I wanted to hear it from you."

He pauses, and frowns. "However, it does no good for you to defend me on one hand, and then besmirch me in another. If our corporation is to succeed, we have to remain united. I do not care if you play your games amongst the other employees as long as in the end, we get the job done. And the one who decides that is me. The one who measures that is me. I hold myself to the same standards that I hold the rest of you, and I expect nothing less than excellence because I /accept/ nothing less than excellence. Our world will be restored, but it will take time and money. Both are things that require a great deal of work to ensure are properly managed and acquired."

Souji shakes his head. "I know you were joking with Odam. I wouldn't have even cared had you not been directly attempting to contradict my stance. I will hear discussion, but I will not accept defiance or threats, and that discussion should be restrained to the Corporation's channel. Am I clear?"

Alma Hyral has posed:
"I don't think you understand, Mister Murasame, that isn't a game, that I play with your employees. I'm often treated like an unpaid intern, by your employees. They have said as much. A popular nickname for me is 'cook nun' as well. I do these things off the clock for them, because I am pressured to by some, and because I am happy to, for others. I sacrifice sleep, time, and money to try and do my part in keeping your employees happy off the clock, at the cost of my own well-being."

She would shift, uncomfortably, "I only threaten to withdraw these services, if their actions, or words threaten the well-being of another employee, or a friend. And while Helena is wont to insult me on the radio, I doubt that even she will question that I am a hard worker, who strives for excellence in my research. I don't care if my research is acknowledged, or my hard work, Mister Murasame. All I desire is for it to bear fruit. And if it does not, then I will accept the consequences of failure to meet your expectations."

Another pause at that, "I apologize for threatening my resignation, the other day, Mister Murasame. That was wrong of me. But I cannot apologize for defending Seloria. Even if it turned out to be a joke, it breaches company disharmony far more to believe that the boss of the Zaibatsu has the authority to order that the employees be turned into a Toad. Or to order my execution as Helena did, in jest, on the public channel. I can promise to keep my reservations off the public channel. But I cannot say that I will not attempt to break up any open conflicts between you and Dragonius, for example. I will promise not to threaten or defy you, but to ask you politely to stop, in the future. If that is acceptable, then you are clear."

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji taps on the desk a few times, perhaps in thought before he responds. "If you are seeking gratitude for what you are doing of your own volition, you are looking in the wrong place, Alma Hyral. Excellence is its own reward. If you wish Celba to stop teasing you, you can approach her and attempt to do so. Once you have earned her respect, she will moderate her actions. Also, I have an ongoing deal with Delacreaux which would be very hard for her to fulfill should she become a toad."

He smiles faintly. "Even if she was, I would have ensured she was restored after a short while after she was tired of the novelty. I certainly do not see what the Levitani see in the water, far be it for me to question it."

He shrugs, then. "Regardless, this is acceptable. You should be able to avoid further... issues. Make sure to let Dragonius know that no longer needs to plot my demise."

Alma Hyral has posed:
"I don't seek your gratitude, Souji, nor anyone else's. Self-sacrifice and charity are two of the seven virtues. Nor will I ask you to stop Celba's teasing. That is beneath you, and beneath me to ask it of you. She is welcome to tease me on the Corporate channel all she likes, and I won't so much as raise an objection to anyone but /her/. And she is free to do the same to me on the public channel, so long as they are not what would seem like open threats to our former classmates. That only exacerbates tensions, and weakens your ability to win their talents over. Do you think my sister, will put her considerable genius to use for you, if she believes my life is threatened daily from Helena's capriciousness?"

She'd breathe out a sigh, closing her eyes, "What's done is done. Had I known you meant it that way, then I wouldn't have raised my objections. It turned out to be a jest anyhow, but I do not like it when black magic is used to.. /alter/ another individual's Creatrix-given form."

She'd incline her head slightly, "I will inform him." And then she'd look away down at her hands, her facade of calm confidence cracking, under the weight of her next request, "Mister M-Murasame... might I be so b-bold as to ask if you would i-indulge a small request?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
"I think Kyra Hyral believes you are more than capable of handling yourself. I would be... disappointed in her if she had so little faith in you." Souji says, simply. "She will join us when I have the facilities to support her efforts properly."

He waits for a short time, and when Alma's expression cracks, Souji inclines his head slightly. "What request would that be, Alma Hyral?"

Alma Hyral has posed:
"I d-don't believe she d-does, Sir."

She remains silent for a time, a hand ranging up to her bowed head, so that she might reach under her glasses to rub her eyes. "When our w-world fell, I had v-very little on my p-person. I have.. n-nothing left of her. Is t-there any chance I might h-have.. a copy of.. T-Tira's picture, p-please?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji pauses, looking over at the picture on his desk. He reaches out and picks up the framed picture, then holds it out to her. "Take this with you." He says, quietly.

Alma Hyral has posed:
Alma would look up suddenly in shock, and as she did, Souji would see the tears she'd promised herself not to cry. Wordlessly she'd reach towards the picture, but then her hand would stop, "D-Do you have a-another, for y-yourself?"

She'd lock her gaze with his. "I c-can't take this.. if you d-don't."

Souji Murasame has posed:
"I do." Souji replies. His voice is quiet, the only concession that he seems to be making to the emotional situation before him. His gaze is still as iron as ever, not allowing himself to bend even here. "Take it."

Alma Hyral has posed:
She would nod, and take the picture, holding it to her chest as if it were now the most precious thing she owned. "M-My offer is still o-open, if e-ever you wish to..."

And then she'd stop, wiping her eyes again. "A-Am I d-dismissed, S-Souji?"

Souji Murasame has posed:
Souji does not respond immediately, instead standing up and turning away from Alma, walking to the window to look out at the stormclouds that surround the Ame-no-Torifune. After several seconds, he speaks. "You may leave now." That is Souji's only reply.

Alma Hyral has posed:
"T-Thank you, s-sir." She stands up, and walks out of the office, with measured steps, head bowed, and clutching the picture.