Chapter 4: Why did I take this job?
"Hey, you got a minute?" Kara looked up from her computer. It was Youngman. "I'm putting through Sharyn's suggestion on the mines. I want to ask a favour."
"Name it," Kara said, drawing her hands back. Youngman had been under no obligations to let her keep her job after the last election, but he had. Whether she liked it or not, she owed him.
"I want her to come back tonight. Talk to Jachtian."
"Why?"
"Humour me. Eight o'clock."
"I'll ask her."
"You can't tell her?"
"She'd tell me to go to hell."
"She's like you."
"She's worse than I am. She's young."
"I know."
"You know that and you still want her there? Ken, she's liable to start dictating policy right there in your office."
"Good. I could do with a laugh."
"What was that about?" Kara's assistant, an absurdly young man in a suit, asked as he started at the President's retreating back.
"I have no idea."
"What does he want?"
"I have no idea."
"Kara…"
"I have no idea." She walked out. "I need the report on the Fleet retrofitting of the landing bays and the information on Secretary Vsevolod's campaign plan for the next election. And don't tell me you can't get it!"
"Was she always such an arsehole?" he asked one of the older staff.
The old man snorted. "She used to be worse. Like, way worse. She's mellowed a lot. Age, marriage, kids and being the First Lady will do that to you."
"She laid the President out and she's mellow?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Why did I take this job?"
"You're asking me?"
"Hey, you got a minute?" Kara looked up from her computer. It was Youngman. "I'm putting through Sharyn's suggestion on the mines. I want to ask a favour."
"Name it," Kara said, drawing her hands back. Youngman had been under no obligations to let her keep her job after the last election, but he had. Whether she liked it or not, she owed him.
"I want her to come back tonight. Talk to Jachtian."
"Why?"
"Humour me. Eight o'clock."
"I'll ask her."
"You can't tell her?"
"She'd tell me to go to hell."
"She's like you."
"She's worse than I am. She's young."
"I know."
"You know that and you still want her there? Ken, she's liable to start dictating policy right there in your office."
"Good. I could do with a laugh."
"What was that about?" Kara's assistant, an absurdly young man in a suit, asked as he started at the President's retreating back.
"I have no idea."
"What does he want?"
"I have no idea."
"Kara…"
"I have no idea." She walked out. "I need the report on the Fleet retrofitting of the landing bays and the information on Secretary Vsevolod's campaign plan for the next election. And don't tell me you can't get it!"
"Was she always such an arsehole?" he asked one of the older staff.
The old man snorted. "She used to be worse. Like, way worse. She's mellowed a lot. Age, marriage, kids and being the First Lady will do that to you."
"She laid the President out and she's mellow?"
"Yes."
"Oh. Why did I take this job?"
"You're asking me?"