Private Visiting Quarter

[Nyva Shei]

Today, I don't really have anything interesting to do, so while I wait for my appointments to settle down, I've decided to head to Nar Shaddaa aboard a small, simple travel ship to see how our dear friend Ada has settled in. I'm curious to see her headquarters, her employees... Did she do a good job with the place? Is she a tyrant when it comes to running a company? After all, there's only one way to find out for sure: see it for myself. Besides, Lyssara is busy elsewhere, so that's one more reason for me to find something to keep myself occupied.

After landing my ship at the local spaceport, I grab a taxi and head toward ADA Corp's headquarters. We make our way through the streets well, "streets." Nar Shaddaa is basically one gigantic city of towering buildings with advertisements plastered absolutely everywhere, and honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if Ada's ultimate goal was to buy every advertising spot on the moon just so she could monopolize them all. My taxi flies itself, which is nice; I don't have much to do besides enjoy the view. My sniper rifle is strapped across my back and I have my cudgel cane with me, so if anything happens, I'm armed. These days, I rarely go anywhere without at least one of my two main weapons.

The journey goes smoothly, and eventually the taxi touches down. I have to admit, I quite enjoyed the little urban rodeo. The landing platform is surprisingly spacious, and ADA Corp's massive building is impossible to miss. There's an enormous red-and-black A emblazoned across it, surrounded by a circular mark wrapping around the letter. Well, at least the building is recognizable. I definitely didn't get the address wrong.

As I step into the reception hall, the first thing I notice is how well maintained everything is. Someone or some robots must clean this place regularly. Good point, it actually feels welcoming. The receptionist is sitting behind her desk in an employee uniform, scrolling through lines of information on her holo-terminal. Apparently, she's human, so Ada actually employs people? Interesting. An AI that has evolved to the point where she can manage actual employees... I'll admit, even I'm surprised.

I approach the receptionist with a smile.

"Hello. I'm here to have a look around ADA Corp's facilities."

"The premises are closed to the public, ma'am. You can't be here."

My eyes slowly drift toward the ceiling, considering I'm already standing inside the building.

"I'm Nyva Shei. Ada told me I could come and visit the facilities whenever I wanted, and that I wouldn't need an appointment."

"Nyva Shei, you said? One moment, please."

She picks up her scanner and briefly checks my identity. A moment later, my file flashes green, confirming that I'm authorized. She puts the scanner back down and simply records my presence in the visitor log.

"Miss Shei, you are indeed personally authorized by the director. Please accept my apologies, and welcome to ADA Corp. Here's your badge."

I take the small card she offers me and thank her. She's only doing her job, so I can't exactly blame her. Knowing Ada, though, I'm slightly concerned about what kind of security measures she might have put in place for people who don't follow the rules. Still, the atmosphere here is surprisingly calm. No pew pew going off in every direction, no flashing neon lights flying around everywhere... It's almost surprising how normal this place feels.

I press the elevator button and make my way toward the upper floors, eventually reaching the administrative section. I should run into Ada soon enough; she's probably already been informed of my arrival. In the meantime, I'm going to make myself a nice, strong cup of coffee. Now that's the good stuff. The employees have their own break areas, so I casually claim one for myself while I prepare my coffee. And since I have an official badge hanging from my chest, nobody bothers asking me any questions. They even have little alcoves with beds where employees can take naps. That's insane.

 

[ADA]

Sitting comfortably in my office, I have control over everything here, settled into my luxurious little chair made of electrum and Corellian leather. Ever since I got a taste for the finer things in life, I haven't been able to go back, and naturally, I want the very best for my employees as well. I have so many projects and ideas that I never seem to have enough time—or enough credits—to pursue them all. And that's without even mentioning my creators, who seem to spend half their lives draining the budget of my R&D division. I've actually set up a shared sustainable development fund for them without their knowledge. Whenever a particularly large order comes through, part of the revenue goes straight into that fund, and my cash flow survives another day. I have to find some way to make money, after all.

Right now, I'm working on a prototype neural control system based on thought, with gesture controls available for users who find them more comfortable. My ultimate goal in life? To eliminate as much latency as possible between humans and machines. Anyway, today's visitor is Mirialan, and she's just entered the reception hall. I connect to the local security cameras through my network and follow her progress through the building, keeping track of exactly where she's going. The receptionist handles everything properly, so I increase the rating in her employee file. At ADA Corp, the system is relatively simple: you do your job well, you receive a good evaluation and a bonus at the end of the month. You do your job poorly? You gradually lose your benefits until eventually you're fired, but by that point, you brought it upon yourself. I can forgive mistakes when it comes to social interactions, but I won't tolerate consistently sloppy work. The quality of our products depends directly on the quality of the people making them.

Disconnecting from the camera network, I make my way toward the elevator as well. I press the button and head for the floor she's currently on: Administration. When I arrive, the doors slide open. There's no need for some grand introduction around here; everyone already knows me as the woman in charge.

I approach Nyva from behind and discreetly tap her shoulder with the tip of my index finger. She jumps. She can't sense me through the Force, and I absolutely love frightening them like this. Yes, I'm a machine. I don't understand that particular aspect of their abilities. As far as I'm concerned, it's mysticism and magic, even if I can reproduce many of the same results through technology. A Force ability that creates fire? An integrated flamethrower can achieve practically the same result. Flying? A properly calibrated jetpack works just as well. I compensate however I can. I smile when I see Nyva nearly spill her coffee.

"Hello, Nyva. Did you have a pleasant journey? Welcome to my corporation. Would you like the full guided tour, the quick one, or the short one?"

I press a button on the machine and grab a cup, although coffee isn't what I'm after. No, I'm having a glass of oil. It'll help keep my internal systems properly lubricated. The cup fills, and I gently swirl the oil around as though I were appreciating a particularly fine vintage. I bring it closer, take in its scent, then have a sip with a satisfied smile.

"Cheers."

Nyva Shei

 

[Nyva Shei]

I jump when I feel Ada's finger tap my shoulder, nearly spilling my cup of coffee in the process. When I realize it's her, I let out a sigh and relax a little.

"Fuck, Ada, you scared me. Hello to you too."

I blink when I notice that she genuinely has a coffee machine capable of dispensing oil. And since she's offering a toast, I raise my cup and clink it against hers. We're at her place, after all. She offers me either the short tour or the long one, and personally, I've got equipment to order and all the time in the world. Paradoxically, this is also the perfect opportunity to get myself properly equipped. I'll admit that renewing my gear was another reason I came all the way to ADA Corp in the first place. She should be able to provide pretty much everything I need, and since I'm already here in person, hopefully the delivery times will be a little faster.

My mistress, Lyssara, is currently having a private meeting with one of her former teachers, so I didn't want to disturb her. In the meantime, I'm going to explore ADA Corp. A company created by Ada herself definitely deserves my full attention. I pull out my datapad and start browsing through the catalog. After all, what better way to begin a guided tour than by looking at the company's storefront? The interface is smooth, dressed in the same black and red as the rest of her corporate branding, and everything feels coherent. Honestly, I don't have much to criticize there. I decide to test it by adding something to my cart a standard-model datapad and confirm the purchase. Surprisingly enough, a message immediately appears across the screen: ORDER CANCELED. I blink again. Since Ada is standing right there, I turn toward her and show her the datapad.

"Care to explain, Ada? Why did you cancel my order? I wanted to test your catalog."

While waiting for her answer, I finish my coffee so we can finally get started with that famous tour. From what I've already seen, the administrative floor is neat and well organized. There are proper break areas, actual relaxation spaces, and state-of-the-art offices. Madame is clearly treating herself and her employees rather well. It reminds me of Lyssara's company, which is also based on Nar Shaddaa. I imagine Ada deliberately chose to establish herself this close to Lyssara and me. It's not a stupid decision at all, and it also explains why she has an actual receptionist downstairs.

"Whatever anyone might say, this place looks damn good. Thanks for the coffee."

I set my empty cup down and take my old datapad back from Ada's hands. I have absolutely no intention of giving it to her just so she can throw it onto some production line; she already has newer models available in her catalog anyway. So, where was I? Datapad, basic tools, raw materials... You can actually buy a ridiculous amount of stuff here. Why not look at some armor while I'm at it? Especially if I'm going to be working with the Mandalorians.

 

[ADA]

I snatch the datapad straight out of Nyva's hands without even bothering to ask permission, casually spinning it between my fingers as I check the order she just tried to place. Of course I canceled it. Did she seriously think she could walk into my headquarters, order a standard model from my own catalog, and leave like some random customer? I look up at her with an amused little smile before finally handing her ancient datapad back. I have no reason to keep it anyway, much less take it apart. I already know my own products inside and out, and that poor relic deserves to spend its final days with what little dignity it has left.

"Yes, I canceled your order. You're not seriously going to pay for a datapad while you're standing inside my own corporation, Nyva. I've already arranged a newer model for you. It'll be delivered directly to Formac Laboratory within the next few days. And before you ask: no, I'm not charging you for it. Try to survive the unbearable generosity."

I hand her old datapad back, allowing her to reclaim her precious antique. She can keep browsing my catalog as much as she wants, although I already have a feeling I'm going to need to keep an eye on her shopping cart. If she genuinely came here to replace all her equipment, she'll probably order half my inventory before we've even finished the tour. Then again, if my catalog makes people want to empty their accounts into mine, I'd say it's doing exactly what I designed it to do. From a business perspective, I'll happily call that a victory.

When she compliments the headquarters, my smile immediately grows a little more satisfied. I could pretend compliments don't affect me, of course, but why bother lying? I spent far too much time designing this place to be pleasant without sacrificing efficiency, so hearing Nyva acknowledge the result does wonders for my perfectly reasonable and extremely modest ego.

"Thank you. I'm glad you noticed. I've invested a ridiculous amount of time and an even more ridiculous amount of credits into this place, so I might have been slightly offended if all you had to say was, 'Yeah, it's functional.' I wanted ADA Corp to have an identity you could recognize immediately, but more importantly, I wanted the people working here to actually enjoy being here. Revolutionary concept, I know."

I finish the last sip of my oil and set the glass down beside her empty coffee cup. Since Madame apparently has all the time in the galaxy and seems determined to inspect every corner of my corporation, she might as well get the full tour. I gesture for her to follow and start making my way down the corridor. Around us, the employees continue working without dramatically stopping whenever I pass. A few greet me before returning to their terminals, exactly the way I like it. I'm their boss, not some Empress who needs everyone to stand at attention whenever I enter a room. Although I admit the idea has a certain charm.

"Since we're already here, we might as well start with this floor. Welcome to ADA Corp's administrative division. Human resources, accounting, order management, logistics, legal affairs, and part of our interdepartmental coordination all operate from here. It's not exactly the most exciting floor in the building, unless spreadsheets happen to awaken something deep inside you, but without these people the rest of the corporation would probably collapse within a week."

I walk alongside her, pointing out the different areas as we go. The offices are modern and spacious enough that nobody has to work practically sitting on their colleague's lap, with up-to-date holo-displays and furniture I deliberately chose for comfort. Some of the partitions can even turn opaque whenever an employee needs privacy or simply wants to work without distractions. I could automate a significant portion of this floor if I really wanted to, but that's never been the point. A corporation staffed entirely by machines might be more efficient in certain areas, but it would also be painfully limited in others.

"And before that suspicious little brain of yours asks: yes, I could automate almost everything you see here. I deliberately don't. I employ actual people whenever having an actual person is useful. I'm not trying to replace organics, Nyva. I'm trying to replace the pointless tasks that waste their time. Subtle distinction, but an important one. Please try to keep up."

Eventually, we reach one of the break areas she'd already decided to invade before I arrived. I spread my arms slightly and present it to her as though she hadn't been casually drinking my coffee here just a few minutes ago. Several comfortable chairs and tables fill the room, accompanied by dispensers and a small area where employees can prepare food or grab something to drink. Further back are the little private alcoves she'd noticed earlier, each containing an actual bed and enough soundproofing to let someone sleep without being disturbed by the rest of the floor.

"And here we have the territory you've already successfully conquered: the employee break rooms. Coffee, food, comfortable chairs, quiet spaces, and sleeping alcoves. Employees can take a break whenever they need one, provided their work gets done. Someone who's exhausted works badly, makes stupid mistakes, and eventually starts hating their job. I'd rather lose thirty minutes of theoretical productivity and gain several hours of competent work afterward. Apparently treating employees like functioning people instead of disposable components is considered innovative corporate management."

I stop beside one of the sleeping alcoves and glance toward Nyva with a crooked smile. I know perfectly well this probably isn't what she expected to find when she came here to determine whether I'd transformed myself into some kind of corporate tyrant.

"You seemed particularly fascinated by the beds earlier. You're welcome to test one if you want. But fair warning: if you fall asleep during my guided tour, I'm having someone draw a mustache on your face. And no, your fancy little authorization badge won't save you. Executive privilege."

I start walking again, heading toward the exit of the break area before casually motioning for her to follow. Administration was only the beginning. If she genuinely wants to see what makes ADA Corp work, the next few floors should be considerably more interesting.

"Come on. Now that you've seen where my employees fill out paperwork, drink coffee, and take government-approved tactical naps, I'll show you something actually worth traveling all the way to Nar Shaddaa for."

 

[Nyva Shei]

I look down at my old datapad when Ada hands it back to me, then glance at the canceled order still displayed on the screen. So that's why. I can't help but smile a little as I tuck the device away again. I certainly wasn't expecting to walk into ADA Corp and immediately get handed free equipment just because I happen to know the owner.

"Well... thank you, Ada. I wasn't trying to get anything for free, you know. I genuinely intended to pay for it. But I'm definitely not going to complain about getting a newer model."

Especially if it's being delivered directly to Formac Laboratory. That's one less thing for me to carry around, and more importantly, one less order I have to worry about. I'll have to remember to properly thank her once it arrives. For now, though, I resist the temptation to immediately start filling another shopping cart. Judging by how quickly she canceled the first order, I have a feeling trying to sneak purchases past her while standing inside her own headquarters would be a losing battle anyway.

I follow along as the tour finally begins, keeping my datapad in hand while listening to her explanations. Human resources, accounting, logistics, legal affairs... Yeah, definitely not the most exciting departments in the galaxy, but I understand what she means. You can build the most advanced weapons, ships, or machines imaginable, but somebody still has to handle the orders, move the materials around, pay everyone, and make sure the whole thing doesn't collapse under its own weight.

My attention shifts from one section to another as we walk. I take a little more time than necessary to look through the offices, especially the equipment available to the employees. Modern holo-displays, decent furniture, enough room to actually work comfortably... Even the partitions can provide some privacy when needed. It's considerably nicer than some military facilities I've spent time in. What interests me more, though, is her explanation about automation. I tilt my head slightly as I listen, glancing toward the employees working around us.

"Hm. That's actually a distinction I can appreciate."

Coming from an artificial intelligence, I suppose I expected ADA Corp to be considerably more automated than this. Maybe entire departments filled with droids, automated terminals and machines doing practically everything while a handful of organics supervised them. Instead, there are actual people everywhere, and nobody seems particularly terrified of the woman running the place. I continue following the tour until we end up back near the break area I'd already shamelessly invaded earlier. My eyes naturally wander toward those sleeping alcoves again.

Yes. Beds.

Actual beds.

At work.

I still find that ridiculous, although the reasoning behind them makes sense. I've spent enough time exhausted in the field to know exactly how quickly fatigue turns perfectly simple decisions into stupid ones. If somebody has been staring at numbers for hours, letting them sleep for a while is probably considerably cheaper than letting them accidentally add an extra zero to an order worth several million credits.

"I'll admit, when I came here, I was half expecting to discover that you had everyone working under constant surveillance with productivity quotas displayed over their heads."

I pause for a moment.

"Although knowing you, I suppose the constant surveillance part might still be true."

I grin to myself and keep moving. As tempting as testing one of those beds might be, I didn't travel all the way to Nar Shaddaa to take a nap. Besides, I absolutely believe she'd find a way to have someone draw something on my face if I fell asleep here, authorization badge or not.

"No, thank you. I'll survive without the tactical nap. For now."

I adjust the strap of my rifle across my shoulder and follow her out of the break area. Administration was interesting enough, mostly because it gave me a much better idea of how she actually runs the place, but I'll admit that paperwork and accounting aren't exactly what brought me here. If we're finally moving toward the more technical parts of ADA Corp, then she has my full attention.

"Lead the way. I promise I'll try not to buy anything for at least the next five minutes."