Welcome to Future Industries

WELCOME TO FUTURE INDUSTRIES_ "Where no dream is impossible." Asami Sato RP Blog

[thehighguybenblaze]

[uzumakijk]

LoK S04E11: Kuvira’s Gambit

[feetoph-deactivated20210826]

[benditlikekorra]

BK: Asami’s prototype for the flagship Future Industries dirigible was a challenging and intricate design task, but our prop designer Christine’s enthusiasm made it a fun process. i knew the upcoming Metal Clan city and vehicles were going to be steeped in an Art Deco style, so I gave Christine the direction to make this an Art Nouveau airship. She came up with this striking silhouette and developed it beautifully. William had the daunting task of designing the elaborate Art Nouveau atrium and cockpit within the parameters of the bizarre volumes dictated by the exterior design of the airship. He executed them stupendously, resulting in one of my favorite locations of the season. Designs by Christine Bian, William Nanqing Niu, and Angela Sung. Paintings by Emily Tetri and Frederic Stewart. 

[benditlikekorra]

[x]

[talks1st-blog]

“the great sea frees me.”

Home / Ask / Rules / About

UVA - Indie Legend of Korra OC.

Open to everything (OC’s, castmates, smut, fluff, angst, kickassery)

Extra friendly!

Multiverse/Multiship

Mun & Muse 18+

Years and years of RP experience

Please, father, forgive my photo edit sins.

[redlipsandgunships]

[coldfxre]

Yes, the contacts alone would be more than worth it, she decided. Even if her stomach was already clenching up at the idea of trying to impress so many people all night while also remembering to watch and imitate Ms. Sato’s manners, emulate General Iroh’s accent, and not fall asleep at seven-thirty, as she was accustomed to.

This was exactly what she’d worked for ever since she came to Republic City. She didn’t think she would be able to focus on Coldfire so soon–she thought she’d have to do more time for someone else’s business first–and she was elated, anxious or not.

Akiyama’s patents were what she’d studied before filing her own, to understand how best to describe and diagram her ideas. She never thought to meet him in person. She pictured him as a dry person–one could hardly be as exacting and precise as he was without being a little dry.

“That would be perfect, Ms. Sato,” Rei assured her, withdrawing her hands at last. “An old colleague of mine was obsessed with Pitka’s work, actually. He’s also Water Tribe,” she said, as if that explained it in any way. That bastard Tullik would flip his lid when he found out Rei got to meet Pitka, and speak to her, firsthand. Good. She’d have to find a way to really rub his nose in it.

“Six o’clock tomorrow, then?”

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami nodded and stepped around her desk to walk Rei back to the lift. As she went, she collected the necessary paperwork; her father had been very lax on such things, perhaps because of his less than professional upbringing, but Asami was all about it. Keeping her dealings transparent and proving that her company was not harboring secret Equalist facilities anymore was worth it, even if she was starting to get a migraine from leaning over books all night and day.

“I’ll send Lulu for you. She’ll take you wherever you need to go before we start dinner, so don’t be afraid to ask anything of her. And I’m afraid that I will still need you to fill these out,” she said, unleashing the burden of her novel-length documentation on poor Rei, “so bring them with you.”

They reached the lift, and Asami was left standing beside it, smiling. “Is there anything else you’d like to know, Rei?”

[ktbtcs]

Future Industries

[benditlikekorra]

BK: In the episode “Reunion,” Asami is seen reading a magazine while waiting for Korra. Originally we made it a fashion magazine, with an ad featuring Ginger wearing a feather boa. We all know Asami likes fashion, and I think we thought the ad would be funny, but when it came time to approve the artwork, I found it vapid. Asami is an industrial magnate–she would have her own ad in the magazine! So I came up with this recruitment ad, using a prop designed by Joseph Aguilar. Angela Song Mueller fleshed out the characters from a sketch I did, and S.L. Lee, PhD, translated the following copy for the ad: “Ladies, Future Industries wants you! Are you interested in an exciting and rewarding career? Come on down to one of our recruitment offices and schedule an interview. We offer expert and entry-level positions. Don’t wait; come and seize your future!” Republic City background design by Christine Bian. Painting by Melissa King. [x]

[opalbeifxng]

               “I’m Ｏｐａｌ. But uh– you already knew that!”   ✿  ✿  ✿

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami placed her hands on her desk, palms up, to invite Rei in as a gesture of a solidarity. “I’ll have our contract drafted up and finalized as early as tomorrow morning. You can leave your paperwork with Lulu at the front desk and my team will be in touch when everything is in order for you. But most importantly…”

Most importantly, Asami could not help but to soak up Rei’s delight and bask in it herself. Future Industries had finally come full circle since her father’s gracious sponsorship in the past. It was close to redemption, this feeling.

“We have SO much work to do, you and I,” said Asami, glowing with pride. “I would like to invite you to dinner at my estate, once the ink has dried and all that. I’ll tell you all about the future of our collaboration, and I hope that you’ll tell me more about yourself in return. Would you do me that honor?”

[coldfxre]

Oh, this was profoundly uncomfortable; Rei’s excited energy turned nervous at the display of partnership, but she did what she felt was the correct move to make professionally and clasped Asami’s hands with enthusiasm. The other businesswoman seemed radiant, glowing with what almost seemed a spiritual energy of joy and compassion. Rei felt positively drab in comparison. Her emotions were nearly always a flatline.

“It would be my privilege,” she said politely, still smiling. Who am I? I’m nothing. I’m a fisherman’s daughter. I can’t go to a dinner at the Sato estate. I should be spending my time working. I’ve overreached myself again! But it was an incredible honor, and she couldn’t turn down the professional contacts she could make by going. “Thank you so much for this opportunity, Ms. Sato.”

Besides, the Sato residence was famed for its grounds, which included a satomobile test track and an airport. She couldn’t turn down the chance to see that firsthand.

[redlipsandgunships]

"Thank you so much for coming to me," Asami said, and she meant it. Visualizing Rei taking her patents to a competitor -- well, she could not imagine what unfortunate fate would befall the city under different circumstances. Asami held tightly to Rei's hands and squeezed.

"How does tomorrow night sound?" she asked. "I can invite all the greatest minds in association with Future Industries so that you'll be in good company. I'm sure Mei Ling would love to formally meet with you, and Dr. Akiyama, the senior scientist at our research and development camp, will most certainly want a chance to pick your brain." Asami sometimes spoke quicker than she was mindful of, a bad habit that came from the rapid-fire staccato in her head once it got going. "Oh, and Pitka is in town this week! You'll have to meet her. She was one of the first female shipwrights of the Northern Water Tribe and her glacial catalyzer is something you have to hear about firsthand. How about I send a Satomobile to collect you at six in the evening?"

What Asami did not mention was that the company she'd outlined was comprised of stiff, serious professionals who lacked the fervent presence of the comrades she'd grown used to over the years. Pitka was the exception, but even then, Rei would be doing Asami a favor by breaking up the mundane assembly with her passion and invigorating ideas. Maybe she could even get Akiyama to break into a smile. That alone would make the whole thing worth it for her.

[paper-flamesmoved]

REBLOG IF YOU ARE AN active LEGEND OF KORRA BLOG

I’m making some new blogs and I want to know who’s out there.

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

Perhaps without knowing it, Rei had pulled the trump card. All she had to say was his name – Varrick, that charming and facetious devil – and Asami’s decision was set in her mind.

It wasn’t only that. Asami could recall dinner parties during which her father and several of his contemporaries had fallen all over themselves to disprove the accounts painstakingly illustrated within Rei’s paper. Her methods were criticized in wine-splashing chronology, from theory to practice, her audaciousness scowled at and dismissed. (And then, funny enough, when further experiments bolstered the credibility of Rei’s paper, her writing was no longer the subject of any kind of discussion at her father’s table, dissenting or otherwise.)

And then there was the railgun itself. Asami thought of spirit vines and Varrick’s contempt for his own creation and the sadistic glee with which Kuvira distorted his brilliance. She thought of her father. No. Asami had to make Rei an offer that she could not refuse.

“I would like to discuss a partnership between Future Industries and Coldfire Repairs,” she said, nearly before Rei could finish speaking. “We can provide you with your own production plant and whatever resources you would need to nurture your vision. Rei.” Asami sighed. She knew all too well the position of privilege that she was speaking from, and she wore her humility with a soft-eyed sort of dignity. “I too am a kind of visionary, but I believe that our visions are complementary. I could employ you, but I’m afraid that it would further stifle your creative capacity. You would maintain your intellectual property, though I will stipulate that in order to retain the benefits of our partnership, you will operate within the same philosophical parameters that serve as the foundation for Future Industries.” And that was when the soft eyes and near-smile gave way to an expression much more grave and profound. Asami couldn’t bend lightning like the woman sitting across from her, but she could invoke it in an atmospheric sense as she studied Rei in the aftermath of her proposal.

[coldfxre]

Rei had been trying to steer the interview in her favor, of course. That was the purpose of interviews, to impress and to haggle until the other person made you an offer so good, they regretted it as soon as you’d accepted.

Except that Asami Sato, somehow, had bypassed all of that by making Rei a better offer than she’d dreamed of haggling for. Even the tension in the air after the offer had been made couldn’t put a damper on Rei’s mood.

She didn’t feel like a thirty-five year old woman, she felt like a ten year old child for the first few seconds. It took all of her self control not to shout ‘YES!’ in her fellow businesswoman’s face. That wouldn’t exactly be a professional move.

“I wouldn’t have applied to Future Industries if I didn’t believe our visions aligned,” she answered, “but quite honestly, I didn’t expect an offer of this magnitude. Improving the lives of everyone and contributing to the defense of balance in the world. Who could ask for a loftier or better mission?” She smiled, and this one was less tense and more genuine. “Of course, I’ll need to review the full terms with yourself or your legal team, as you see fit, but I would be absolutely delighted to accept your offer, Ms. Sato.”

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami placed her hands on her desk, palms up, to invite Rei in as a gesture of a solidarity. "I'll have our contract drafted up and finalized as early as tomorrow morning. You can leave your paperwork with Lulu at the front desk and my team will be in touch when everything is in order for you. But most importantly..."

Most importantly, Asami could not help but to soak up Rei's delight and bask in it herself. Future Industries had finally come full circle since her father's gracious sponsorship in the past. It was close to redemption, this feeling.

"We have SO much work to do, you and I," said Asami, glowing with pride. "I would like to invite you to dinner at my estate, once the ink has dried and all that. I'll tell you all about the future of our collaboration, and I hope that you'll tell me more about yourself in return. Would you do me that honor?"

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami was thinking something along the lines of, That’s my girl, but she didn’t say that. Not yet, anyway. Rei wasn’t the first shining star that Asami had seen performing acrobatic feats to escape corporate tethers. 

“Of course not,” she agreed, nodding her head. “Their budget forecast wouldn’t allow anything of the sort.”

Asami didn’t need Rei to break an NDA. She could probably name Rei’s extant projects off the top of her head: consumer-grade hummingmech, baby’s first electrified glove, maybe even a wingsuit or two - made of fiber blends susceptible to the elements, of course.

“You must be quite proud of what you built here.” The idea occurred to Asami that Rei could be a plant, whether for Cabbage Corp or her own business ventures, it didn’t matter. What didn’t agree with her suspicions was the soul that inhabited the figures of her blueprints, the willful aspiration baked into the careful narrative of her journals. “Tell me more about your business.”

[coldfxre]

“It’s a repair shop I launched about thirteen years ago, now,” she explained. “Coldfire Repairs. You see, I apprenticed with an inventor for a few years after I arrived in Republic City, but I didn’t have the investment capital to launch a business focused on research or innovation. All I had was a meager amount of savings, so it was more practical to start small. Repairing neon lights, appliances, mopeds, other electrical fixtures. I’m a firebender–no combat training–and after years of practice, I can control the amount of current in my lightning. It made repairs fast and easy, which provided me with a way to fund my research.”

She tapped the article in the center, which was probably the least impressive part of her portfolio when applying to a place like Future Industries.  “It was slow going, but I did get to explore the answers to some of my questions, which were published in the Journal of Physical Theory.”  An Attempt to Verify the Tullikian Effect at High Voltage, neatly typed across the top of the page, was followed by an abstract and a diagram of several lightning benders all bending in the same small space. “Eventually, this research led to the idea for my railgun.”

She flipped over to that blueprint. “Varrick Global Industries was considering licensing and manufacturing this, but we haven’t come to an agreement yet. This cannon runs on lightning bending alone, though it can be hooked up to any sufficient electric current if a lightning bender is not available.”

Leaning back in the chair, she folded her hands primly in her lap. “My shop still operates with two employees who I’m training to repair things in my off time, but obviously, that space is inadequate for the caliber of engineering I aspire to now. I need a company to work for and with, and people working under me, to really capitalize on some of these ideas.”

[redlipsandgunships]

Perhaps without knowing it, Rei had pulled the trump card. All she had to say was his name -- Varrick, that charming and facetious devil -- and Asami's decision was set in her mind.

It wasn't only that. Asami could recall dinner parties during which her father and several of his contemporaries had fallen all over themselves to disprove the accounts painstakingly illustrated within Rei's paper. Her methods were criticized in wine-splashing chronology, from theory to practice, her audaciousness scowled at and dismissed. (And then, funny enough, when further experiments bolstered the credibility of Rei's paper, her writing was no longer the subject of any kind of discussion at her father's table, dissenting or otherwise.)

And then there was the railgun itself. Asami thought of spirit vines and Varrick's contempt for his own creation and the sadistic glee with which Kuvira distorted his brilliance. She thought of her father. No. Asami had to make Rei an offer that she could not refuse.

"I would like to discuss a partnership between Future Industries and Coldfire Repairs," she said, nearly before Rei could finish speaking. "We can provide you with your own production plant and whatever resources you would need to nurture your vision. Rei." Asami sighed. She knew all too well the position of privilege that she was speaking from, and she wore her humility with a soft-eyed sort of dignity. "I too am a kind of visionary, but I believe that our visions are complementary. I could employ you, but I'm afraid that it would further stifle your creative capacity. You would maintain your intellectual property, though I will stipulate that in order to retain the benefits of our partnership, you will operate within the same philosophical parameters that serve as the foundation for Future Industries." And that was when the soft eyes and near-smile gave way to an expression much more grave and profound. Asami couldn't bend lightning like the woman sitting across from her, but she could invoke it in an atmospheric sense as she studied Rei in the aftermath of her proposal.

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

Aha, there it was. Asami considered herself by no means jaded, but there was a certain wisdom in apprehension that she’d learned throughout the years. Rei’s reply had her riding a kind of high that was equal parts pride and passion, but then… There was that name.

Cabbage Corp.

The patents were what drew Asami’s attention, then. It was time to be pragmatic. Mei Ling was right, this woman was the find that she and her director had been scouring the Republic for, but Cabbage Corp had something that Future Industries did not.

Fiscal morality. Wherever they could save or scrounge some credit, Cabbage would leap like ring-tailed winged lemur in a shaken tree. Who knew what kind of tricky licensing they’d tagged on to this brilliant mind? Asami’s brows drew low, her tone affecting a somber seriousness.

“How much of this,” she asked slowly, “would be available exclusively for Future Industries? I’m sure you know that times are changing rapidly, Rei. I wouldn’t want to earn the ire of your former employers; we have a reputation to uphold in this company and lawyers on retainer that would prefer to stay that way.” She smiled her way through a silent laugh at her own joke. “Do you have an outstanding contract with Cabbage Corp? Do they have any rights to the work that you perform independently?”

[coldfxre]

That was foremost on Rei’s mind, too; she didn’t mention it immediately because she wanted to emphasize her value, but it was, no doubt, of utmost importance to address her business ethics.

And, of course, shit talk Cabbage Corp. There was a reason she didn’t want to work there anymore.

“I was employed there on special terms,” she explained. “They tried to rope me into a more restrictive contract, but after owning my own business for a dozen years…” She smiled. “They found me difficult to convince. I’m a peasant and a haggler by nature, Ms. Sato, and not ashamed to say it. Proud, in fact. I am allowed to conduct my own research, and retain the intellectual property, so long as I worked on their projects and hit quarterly goals, as well. I have no outstanding contract with them; I only have to give them a months’ notice when I choose to leave. Most importantly, everything you see here is my own work. I respect the non-disclosure I signed with Cabbage Corp about their in-house projects, so you won’t see any of that in my portfolio.”

A pause.

“But between you and me, they weren’t having me work on anything interesting in the slightest.”

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami was thinking something along the lines of, That’s my girl, but she didn’t say that. Not yet, anyway. Rei wasn’t the first shining star that Asami had seen performing acrobatic feats to escape corporate tethers. 

“Of course not,” she agreed, nodding her head. “Their budget forecast wouldn’t allow anything of the sort.”

Asami didn’t need Rei to break an NDA. She could probably name Rei’s extant projects off the top of her head: consumer-grade hummingmech, baby’s first electrified glove, maybe even a wingsuit or two - made of fiber blends susceptible to the elements, of course.

“You must be quite proud of what you built here.” The idea occurred to Asami that Rei could be a plant, whether for Cabbage Corp or her own business ventures, it didn’t matter. What didn’t agree with her suspicions was the soul that inhabited the figures of her blueprints, the willful aspiration baked into the careful narrative of her journals. “Tell me more about your business.”

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

For a second there, Asami was about to start worrying that Rei’s posture was going to be an omen of distance between them. The smile cleared her mind and Asami responded in kind.

“And I’m interested in you,” she said, finally taking her seat. She crossed her legs beneath the desk and spread the necessary paperwork out before them, most of it boring and bureaucratic. (Wage and tax statements, that carbon-copied form that would have to accompany Rei to a corporate-cleared physician’s office, and waivers barring Future Industries from suffering legal penalties in the event of a spirit vine incident.) These, she passed forward without looking away from Rei and her charming bag. “I’m sure you’ve seen our reception hall. We’ve had many women from all walks of life eager to get into our patent office, or the front desk, or even the janitor’s closet. Everyone wants the invisible job, not the challenging, innovative careers that I need.”

She leaned back in her chair, and if it was anyone but Asami, Rei could say that her sweeping gaze was a good sizing up. With this one, it was something different: an engineer’s eye for mentally deconstructing something new. “What is it that sets you apart from the others, Rei?”

[coldfxre]

“It is precisely my thirst for challenge that makes me such an excellent fit for Future Industries.” She was determined to lay this out as boldly as she could; Asami did not seem like a person who valued meaningless kowtowing over sheer brilliance. “I arrived in Republic City with nothing but the clothes on my back and worked my way to where I am now: an inventor at Cabbage Corp. with a machinist and technician working under me, published scientific author, patent holder many times over, and proprietor of my own repair shop boasting two employees on the side.” She opened her portfolio, which unfolded into a four-wide display of blueprints, sketches, articles, and patents. “What sets me apart is that I’m not just looking for a job. I’m looking for an opportunity to blaze new trails with electrical tech.

“Quite frankly, I’m feeling constrained at Cabbage Corp. With greater resources, more people working under me, and more freedom to test cutting edge technologies, I’m confident I can produce effective, interesting, and profitable designs for Future Industries.”

[redlipsandgunships]

Aha, there it was. Asami considered herself by no means jaded, but there was a certain wisdom in apprehension that she’d learned throughout the years. Rei’s reply had her riding a kind of high that was equal parts pride and passion, but then… There was that name.

Cabbage Corp.

The patents were what drew Asami’s attention, then. It was time to be pragmatic. Mei Ling was right, this woman was the find that she and her director had been scouring the Republic for, but Cabbage Corp had something that Future Industries did not.

Fiscal morality. Wherever they could save or scrounge some credit, Cabbage would leap like ring-tailed winged lemur in a shaken tree. Who knew what kind of tricky licensing they’d tagged on to this brilliant mind? Asami’s brows drew low, her tone affecting a somber seriousness.

“How much of this,” she asked slowly, “would be available exclusively for Future Industries? I’m sure you know that times are changing rapidly, Rei. I wouldn’t want to earn the ire of your former employers; we have a reputation to uphold in this company and lawyers on retainer that would prefer to stay that way.” She smiled her way through a silent laugh at her own joke. “Do you have an outstanding contract with Cabbage Corp? Do they have any rights to the work that you perform independently?”

[redlipsandgunships]

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami Sato’s office was in legendary order. The spartan decor of the window-paneled room culminated in the elegant sprawl of her desk at the midline, a professional mahogany construct with classy brass accents that did not overpower the deep earth tones glowing warmly in the filtered sunlight. Asami herself was dressed to match her surroundings in dark wool that catwalked the border between business and apex fashion, her smile cherry red, her bright eyes lined in such a way that her inquisitive glance seemed that much more piercing.

“I’m so glad to meet you, Rei,” she said, shaking hands over her desk in the manner of someone who truly fancied such introductions, taking her time to maintain eye contact, to grip Rei’s hand precisely. “I’ve never seen Mei Ling rush into my office so quickly. She had so many good things to say about you; you’ve made quite the impression on my director. Would you sit with me for awhile?” 

Asami broke contact to make a sweeping gesture at the high-backed chairs facing her. She would not sit before her guest was at ease, but she did start flipping through paperwork to ready herself for their interview.

[coldfxre]

The office was on the cutting edge of architecture and decor in much the same way that Future Industries was on the cutting edge of technology; it was flawless, clearly assembled by craftsmen of great skill, in the sharp art deco style that had seized Republic City in recent years, hybridized with Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation influences.

“Of course; thank you.” Rei took a seat in one of the unnecessarily comfortable chairs, her posture ramrod straight and correct as always. She reached into her worn leather messenger bag (which only looked better with time and damage, in her opinion) and withdrew a thick portfolio of her work, which she set on the table between them, but did not yet open.

It was good to hear she’d impressed, but it wasn’t surprising. She knew she’d presented herself well; and when her words failed, her work spoke for itself.

“Regardless of her enthusiasm, I assure you, I’m even more interested in this job than Mei Ling is in me,” she added with a smile.

[redlipsandgunships]

For a second there, Asami was about to start worrying that Rei's posture was going to be an omen of distance between them. The smile cleared her mind and Asami responded in kind.

"And I'm interested in you," she said, finally taking her seat. She crossed her legs beneath the desk and spread the necessary paperwork out before them, most of it boring and bureaucratic. (Wage and tax statements, that carbon-copied form that would have to accompany Rei to a corporate-cleared physician's office, and waivers barring Future Industries from suffering legal penalties in the event of a spirit vine incident.) These, she passed forward without looking away from Rei and her charming bag. "I'm sure you've seen our reception hall. We've had many women from all walks of life eager to get into our patent office, or the front desk, or even the janitor's closet. Everyone wants the invisible job, not the challenging, innovative careers that I need."

She leaned back in her chair, and if it was anyone but Asami, Rei could say that her sweeping gaze was a good sizing up. With this one, it was something different: an engineer's eye for mentally deconstructing something new. "What is it that sets you apart from the others, Rei?"

[redlipsandgunships]

“Ladies, Future Industries wants you! Are you interested in an exciting and rewarding career? Come on down to one of our recruitment offices and schedule an interview. We offer expert and entry level positions. Don’t wait; come and seize your future!”

This is what lead you to board a train bound for Republic City’s bustling (and borderline overwhelming) industrial district. Here, the blocks are concisely squared and the fog rolls low over the street. The Future Industries tower casts a divisive shadow across the main thoroughfare and juts above the skyline uncontested.

Inside, someone with an eye for gilding and glamor has constructed a plaza worthy of a technological sultan. The marble floors reflect an ethereal dreamscape of the cogged and geared ceiling murals, and the secretary that meets you at the desk looks like she has come alive from the centerfold of a fashion magazine.

You take a number, you wait, and then you are politely ushered to a golden lift encased in whimsical filigree. The polished steel doors offer you one last glance at your reflection before you meet The Big Boss.

Welcome to Future Industries.

[coldfxre]

There was no use denying, to herself or to anyone else, that this was exactly the opportunity Rei had been working and waiting for. The moment she entered the lobby, she knew that this was where she belonged: the merging of science, engineering, and art, streamlined processes and elegant design. Marble and lofty heights may have intimidated her in any other space, but this wasn’t a palace; it was a shrine to human progress, to nature subdued and kneeling to serve humanity.

And Cabbage Corp was a crap company, anyway. It had been a significant step up from working in her dingy little shop, but it was grossly mismanaged. She’d always known it was just a stepping stone to something greater.

With her dark hair waved, wearing a new, dark purple qipao that was appropriate for the winter weather and brought out the ring of deep blue around her brown eyes, she felt as though she fit into the scene seamlessly. Yes, this was just a first interview, but to any passerby she could very easily be an employee here, on her way to her private laboratory with five or ten assistants working under her.

So she was having a rare moment of complete confidence when she was ushered into Asami Sato’s office. She smiled and extended her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Sato. I’m Rei. I spoke to two of your employees on the telephone about a position as a lead inventor.”

[redlipsandgunships]

Asami Sato’s office was in legendary order. The spartan decor of the window-paneled room culminated in the elegant sprawl of her desk at the midline, a professional mahogany construct with classy brass accents that did not overpower the deep earth tones glowing warmly in the filtered sunlight. Asami herself was dressed to match her surroundings in dark wool that catwalked the border between business and apex fashion, her smile cherry red, her bright eyes lined in such a way that her inquisitive glance seemed that much more piercing.

“I’m so glad to meet you, Rei,” she said, shaking hands over her desk in the manner of someone who truly fancied such introductions, taking her time to maintain eye contact, to grip Rei’s hand precisely. “I’ve never seen Mei Ling rush into my office so quickly. She had so many good things to say about you; you’ve made quite the impression on my director. Would you sit with me for awhile?” 

Asami broke contact to make a sweeping gesture at the high-backed chairs facing her. She would not sit before her guest was at ease, but she did start flipping through paperwork to ready herself for their interview.