For a moment Amolina had feared that Nolan Parnell had some kind of insider information about what she had been up to last night. But in the last chime he ended up speaking about a furniture crafter named Barton…she didn’t have the slightest idea who this Barton was, so she just looked blankly at him.
She didn’t have time to discuss on with Parnell though, because Valerius Nitrozian surprised her by dropping his snobbish demeanor in favor of showing unusually direct and resolute leadership. He grabbed her…which was unusual to say the least, as Valerius seemed to always stay at a distance and normally never touched her. The last time it had happened had been at KRI long ago, when he had pushed her down on a chair and told her to sit.
He had been pretty angry that evening. It was the only time she had seen him show anything else than a perfect and socially correct behavior. She had never seen him angry again. Or sad, or happy or anything whatsoever. He had been composed, cool and in control of himself and his expressions.
But now he pulled her up from the chair she was sitting on, in a no nonsense way that somehow made him come off as more energetic and decisive than he used to seem. When he pulled her with him aside she followed meekly, the way Amolina mostly used to react when somebody else was forceful.
While she listened to his quite aggressive questions and the threat to kick her from the project and make her clean kelvic cages en masse at KRI she felt pleased. This was clearly going her way, Valerius was reacting just like predicted! But before she had time to start to derail to a conversation about the work division at KRI, Valerius spoke again and told her she would get a third of the project and it meant he expected her to work really hard.
Amolina made a small squeak.
She could hardly believe this was happening.
Looking at Valerius, she had a feeling that if she answered by making more objections she was headed for a clash she couldn’t win. She had said she would pay on the original conditions, then refused, then said she would pay if she got to buy a third of the project. If she refused again now when she had got her “wish”…no, it wasn’t possible, because it wouldn’t make sense. And if it didn’t make sense Valerius sharp, logical mind would start working…he would squeeze the truth out of her. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Amolina was trapped by her own manipulations. She would need to go on with the project and stick to the plans, now with a complex risk to cope with. It would be unprofitable for her personally to reveal really valuable information, it would be dangerous to be outed by the blackmailer as lying or withholding vital information, and it would be disastrous to be outed by her assoiciates. Just thinking of the seriously increased risk and all the delicate and tricky maneuvers ahead of her made her feel a bit giddy.
There was nothing she could do, bar trying to limit the financial risk by demanding that they lowered the price by getting rid of some of the items. It remained to see if it would be possible. Otherwise she might end up paying 815 golden mizas...if it ended that way, she would pay, for what else could she do. But first she made a last try to discuss the price.
“I will pay for a third and I will work as hard as you will do” she managed. “But first I want us to see if we can lower the price. I think we ought to throw out…some alembics and other expensive and unnecessary things ! “
She didn’t have time to discuss on with Parnell though, because Valerius Nitrozian surprised her by dropping his snobbish demeanor in favor of showing unusually direct and resolute leadership. He grabbed her…which was unusual to say the least, as Valerius seemed to always stay at a distance and normally never touched her. The last time it had happened had been at KRI long ago, when he had pushed her down on a chair and told her to sit.
He had been pretty angry that evening. It was the only time she had seen him show anything else than a perfect and socially correct behavior. She had never seen him angry again. Or sad, or happy or anything whatsoever. He had been composed, cool and in control of himself and his expressions.
But now he pulled her up from the chair she was sitting on, in a no nonsense way that somehow made him come off as more energetic and decisive than he used to seem. When he pulled her with him aside she followed meekly, the way Amolina mostly used to react when somebody else was forceful.
While she listened to his quite aggressive questions and the threat to kick her from the project and make her clean kelvic cages en masse at KRI she felt pleased. This was clearly going her way, Valerius was reacting just like predicted! But before she had time to start to derail to a conversation about the work division at KRI, Valerius spoke again and told her she would get a third of the project and it meant he expected her to work really hard.
Amolina made a small squeak.
She could hardly believe this was happening.
Looking at Valerius, she had a feeling that if she answered by making more objections she was headed for a clash she couldn’t win. She had said she would pay on the original conditions, then refused, then said she would pay if she got to buy a third of the project. If she refused again now when she had got her “wish”…no, it wasn’t possible, because it wouldn’t make sense. And if it didn’t make sense Valerius sharp, logical mind would start working…he would squeeze the truth out of her. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Amolina was trapped by her own manipulations. She would need to go on with the project and stick to the plans, now with a complex risk to cope with. It would be unprofitable for her personally to reveal really valuable information, it would be dangerous to be outed by the blackmailer as lying or withholding vital information, and it would be disastrous to be outed by her assoiciates. Just thinking of the seriously increased risk and all the delicate and tricky maneuvers ahead of her made her feel a bit giddy.
There was nothing she could do, bar trying to limit the financial risk by demanding that they lowered the price by getting rid of some of the items. It remained to see if it would be possible. Otherwise she might end up paying 815 golden mizas...if it ended that way, she would pay, for what else could she do. But first she made a last try to discuss the price.
“I will pay for a third and I will work as hard as you will do” she managed. “But first I want us to see if we can lower the price. I think we ought to throw out…some alembics and other expensive and unnecessary things ! “
And thanks all for bearing with me making Amolina be troublesome. I'm handing this one in now.