Page 46 of Pets in Space 10

“Okay, so this may sound like a conspiracy theory, but what if Tikka’s resignation wasn’t as impulsive as it looked?

The messy project, HM-8544, is for a psychoactive drug concept.

This is my first job in the pharma industry, but even I know how risky those can be if they cause harm.

If she was being forced to rush or tolerate incompetence, maybe she was already looking for an exit.

The reorg just sped up her timetable. Whoever is behind the rush would want her off the premises so she couldn’t talk about the screwup. ”

Her scenario made sense, giving words to the murky picture that had been forming in his mind.

Gaerynx had seen sloppy work and unethical corner-cutting in his previous years working for startups, but RyoGenomica prided itself on rigorous process.

In her scenario, the sloppiness could be deliberate. Or a cover-up. Or...

He traced a faint pattern on the table with his finger, wishing he had something to draw with.

Maybe he should start carrying a mini tablet.

“We don’t have a lot to go on. Only Dequer or Sainik would have the authority to rush a project like that.

Or maybe someone on the Governing Board?

I think the board members have pharma expertise, but only Consuelo Margoth has operational experience.

However, as Board Leader, she wouldn’t have to be secretive.

On the other hand, she’s been on extended leave long enough that they made Dequer a temporary board member so they’d have a quorum.

” He wiped away his imagined sketch in frustration. “I detest company politics.”

“Me, too, but I think it’s worse than that.

On her way out the door, I asked Tikka about active projects that our teams should watch for in case the remaining HuMed staff got swamped.

She mentioned a couple, then said HM-8744 — not 8544 — needed a psychokinetic audit review, and suggested I use a twenty-six-year-old project we’d worked on as a reference.

She looked kind of… tense when she said that.

” Amalena’s fingers lined up the utensils in a neat row.

“Maybe the guards made her nervous. Or maybe she believed the rumors that the new security company monitors all our offices, not just the hallways, for sound and vid. But I think she was trying to tell me where to look.”

They were interrupted by the approach of a cartbot styled to look like a miniature orbital shuttle. It chimed for attention and presented their drinks. Gaerynx handed Amalena’s to her and took his own. “Are you hungry?”

“I could go for that veggies-and-dip sampler.” Her mouth sketched a brief smile as she waved toward the view window where a larger starship had just launched. “I’d feel guilty taking up premium diner real estate during eating hour for just a no-kick drink.”

Gaerynx smiled. “Manager Y’Loro thanks you. So do I, because I want a sandwich and I’d feel guilty making you watch me eat.”

After they ordered and paid, the cart glided away. The restaurant was crowded, but the superior acoustics and subtle music made the noise fade into the background.

Amalena slid her napkin into her lap. “When I got back to my office this afternoon, I checked the projects. HM-8744 doesn’t exist. The messy project, HM-8544, is listed as psychoactive, but not psychokinetic, but I know almost zero about HuMed drugs, so that might be immaterial.

I didn’t have time to go looking for the company archives, much less figure out how they’re organized.

I’ve never needed to before, since Agronomy Support is the youngest department.

” She snorted derisively. “Not counting Customer Innovations, of course.”

“Of course,” Gaerynx agreed with a wry smile.

“Last night, I got to thinking about how long they’ve been planning this.

I remembered seeing Sainik, Dequer, and sometimes Bikendi, along with another executive or two, in our second-floor conference rooms starting last fall.

Third floor’s are better, but ours are bigger.

Then I remembered Cora in Campus Ops complaining that Sainik and Dequer are bringing meeting attendees in via the old entry gate instead of going through the new security gateway. ”

Amalena dramatically put her hands to her cheeks. “Oh, my stars! Executives breaching policy? How can that be?”

He chuckled. “I know, right?”

“Any idea who the visitors are?”

“Nope. Not RyoGenomica employees or contractors. They wouldn’t need special treatment.

” To be honest, he’d mostly noticed the visitors because they’d unpleasantly reminded him of the civilian versions of his older brother’s asshole friends who used to hang out in their shared apartment.

They shared a characteristic air of arrogance.

“Or it could be coincidence. The visitors could be for another project altogether.”

Frustration crossed her face. “Like what? They couldn’t be potential lease buyers, or Legal would have sanctioned Sainik and Dequer for breaching core policy. To hear the company lawyers tell it, failing to document even a single business contact will make lawsuits spring up like thorny stinkweed.”

He gave a cynical laugh. “I doubt Sainik believes the rules apply to him. He likes privileges and to be noticed. Dequer likes profits. Bikendi’s an ex-lawyer. I can’t say anything bad about him professionally, but Staffing Officers make me nervous.”

Amalena frowned. “Why now? You said the whole thing feels rushed, and I agree. So why now?”

“Well, here’s my own conspiracy theory.” It wasn’t a topic he liked, but it had to be said.

“Thanks to my parents, I’m a registered minder, a low-level telekinetic with enough talent to push a little paint, and Tikka has never hidden her filer talent – she remembers everything.

Line managers can’t be terminated for being minders because we’d sue them in Ivyar Planetary Court and win.

But if the executives want us gone, they could use the reorganization to demote us so we’d leave on our own.

” He hated the defensiveness that had crept into his voice.

“Unfortunately, you would just be collateral damage, whether or not you’re a minder. ”

She shrugged one shoulder. “Much to the annoyance of the Citizen Protection Service Testing Center, both my mandatory tests were ‘inconclusive,’ so that’s what my official CPS record says.

” Her eyes narrowed in thought. “It’s a plausible motive, especially if we were on some rabid anti-minder planet like Vaylamoinen or Sanangerel, where they’d expatriate or segregate all minders if they could get away with it.

Except as far as I know, the company’s hiring managers don’t care about it.

I wouldn’t rule your theory out, but I bet a lot of RyoGenomica’s staff are minders, or at least have minders in their family.

Targeting minders would work if Sainik’s goal is to torpedo the company by driving off half the staff, but aren’t there easier ways? ”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Creating a poisonous social environment, for example. In one company I worked for, two of the founders wanted the company assets but not the other three founders, so they drove it into bankruptcy with deliberately bad management and formed a secret shell corp to buy the assets on the cheap.” It was a relief to think that he wasn’t being targeted for something he couldn’t change.

And, to his surprise, a stronger relief that Amalena seemed unfazed by his minder status.

His parents had meant well by voluntarily registering all their offspring in the hope that they’d also receive a prestigious free education and a lucrative CPS job, like their firstborn son had.

Too bad Gaerynx and his younger siblings had only low-level talents at best. However, to some people, that was a distinction without a difference. To them, all minders were cheaters.

After a long moment of silence, Amalena rested her chin on her interlaced fingers. “So back to my earlier question. Why now? What’s changed?”

He considered the various startups he’d worked for.

“Could be anything. New investors, racing a competitor to market, beating upcoming legislation changes.” Exasperation coursed through him.

“Nothing we can do about it now that it’s rolling.

And executives never admit mistakes.” He snorted cynically.

“Unless they can find someone else to blame.”

A frown settled on her face. “I’m not a forecaster or anything, but I feel like this mistake could ruin the company.

RyoGenomica took a chance on me three years ago.

I’d just left… well, a difficult situation in Mintaka.

An imploding organization and a poisonous relationship.

” She offered a small, self-deprecating smile.

“I needed the stability. I owe the company for that.”

Her words resonated deep in him. “I sync that,” he said quietly. “My resume looked like a tour of failed pharma startups before I landed here.”

She took in a deep breath, then captured his gaze with hers. “We can’t stop this stupid reorg, but maybe we can slow it down. Get the Governing Board to really look at whatever Sainik and Dequer are cooking up, instead of letting sparkly visuals lull them into complacency.”

“How?”

“What we do best.” She pointed to herself, then to him. “Research and analysis, and observation and out-of-the-box thinking.” One corner of her mouth lifted in amusement. “And better presentation skills.”

Tikka had been treated shamefully. His team deserved his support. And determined and sharp-witted Amalena was right. RyoGenomica was worth saving.

“I’m game. Where do we start?”