“This is preposterous!” That was the fifth time those words had fallen out of Veeto’s mouth. Of course, he stood to lose the most by shutting down the smuggling business, but it was an essential action as part of the merger. Those who were employed directly by Apoleia Inc would be redistributed to move supplies to and from Lina Station and also to deliver supplies to the Clubs and Casino’s.
“We’re simply not making enough profit to sustain it as a business aspect, those we employ as contractors can find work elsewhere easy enough, some of our own employees will, of course, have to be let go, the remainder, will be reallocated.”
Veeto’s fist thumped the table. “No!” Calina raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. “You require all of us to agree for this merger to go ahead. I refuse. This is-”
“Preposterous.” Calina finished for him in a bored tone. Her pen tapped idly on the table, turned in her fingers and tapped again. “Much like your skimming of the profits, has been preposterous.” tap, turn, tap, turn.
“I--What--How dare you!?”
Tap turn tap turn.
“Is that your final stance on the matter?” Calina’s expression did not waver before the rodians obvious fury and fear. Tap, turn, tap, turn, faster and faster the pen went, the only outward expression of her own silent and far more deadly rage.
“Yes.”
The pen stopped. “Very well, you may leave.”
“What?”
“You may leave. You have my permission to leave this room and go and do whatever it is you do when you are not employed. You’re fired.”
He was on his feet, the others around the table were opting to avoid looking at him, shrinking in their seats wishing very much they could not hear or see any of this, but equally full of glee that the were. No one liked a smuggler who pretended to be a legitimate businessman.
“You do not have that authority!”
Calina reached into a pocket and placed a small holoprojector on the table and activated it. An image of herself appeared, or rather, and image of Calina Ovmar, prior to the facial reconstruction that strictly speaking, only two people in the galaxy knew about.
“I hereby, give Calina Djo the full authority to do as she see fit in order to preserve the company. HEr authority matches mine in that she can reorganise, recruit and let go of any people within Apoleia In, and Lina Industries as necessary.”
The holorecording fell silent and deactivated. “You may leave, Veeto.” she reiterated into the stunned silence. After a heart beat, he slammed his fist against the table. “I am a member of this board, you cannot and will not fire me.”
Calina cocked her head and reached anhand inside her jacket. In one smooth motion she withdrew a holdout blaster. A flash of red, a scream of pain and Veeto was slumped over the table dead.
“We shall adjourn, for now.” she said the holdout blaster had vanished inside her jacket once more. “Shall we meet again in an hour?”
