the seniority. It is correct to give him this project; after all, he is human first. This may be what he needs to expand his horizons so that he can look at the bigger picture with better understanding. We will put him in charge and promote as possible.” Tran looked at his assistant, Steve. “I have noticed some of his attitude toward the meaner sex. So for ease of control I want you to keep an eye on him, Steve. I want to know that this project will be carried out in the correct way for the betterment of the Glentol Corporation.”
The elevator door opened. Terry nodded to both men and was off toward her office at a fast pace. As the door was closing, they could both see several different staff converging on her with questions and problems.
Steven just shook his head with a smile on his face. Tran noticed. “What is it, Steve? Come on, out with it.”
Steve chuckled. “I know you are married to her, but I am amazed that she doesn’t kick your ass with the way you act. I mean, she is a black belt, right?”
Tran nodded. “But I am her boss and her husband. As for her kicking my ass, I was the one who taught her, remember? I take it this is part of the wonder that everyone feels when they realize that a beautiful woman like that would marry a short, ugly Korean like myself?” Tran’s eyebrow was up as he looked at Steve.
“Uh, no, sir. I mean, you married her and she’s a beautiful woman and you aren’t ugly. Well, not like that; I mean…” Steve stopped as he tried to get air.
Tran smiled at Steve. “It’s all right, Steve, I appreciate a sense of twisted humour and so does my wife. A sense of humour kept humanity alive when we had been kicked, and it has kept us heading out there to find more. No one really knows this, but when we were working together on the minor Asian power receiving station, she asked me to marry her. It was quite inappropriate, and she was going to go much higher than I was in the Corporation so that was strange too. We had known each other for about a year when she asked. I asked my superiors and they said yes and didn’t seem concerned about conflicts of interest or favouritism. She asked me—a short, ugly, boring Korean—to marry her because she loved me. My family was shocked. You should have seen their faces when I accepted. She is a smart, caring and beautiful woman. I am blessed.”
Tran’s face smoothed as they neared the basement. “Steve, you should really stop hanging out with those young brainless things and find a nice woman to marry. I could ask my family for some references?”
Steve was choking and turning red when the door opened. Both men stepped out and Steve held the door open for his boss, Tran Gangjuon, the regional director of North America for the Glentol Corporation. As the vehicle accelerated out of the parking garage taking the regional director back to his office across the city, all traces of the humour were gone from his face and body.
He looked at Steve. “Steve, this project is more important than most people realize. Keep a close eye on the project leader on this. If the man cannot bend and adapt to this new position, he will have to be managed.”
Steve nodded but made no notes on his pad. “Yes, sir, I will personally keep an eye on the results.”
As the vehicle drove through the city, Tran Gangjuon looked out his window and murmured, “Everything for the Corporation.” The rain coming down had turned the day to night. There was much work to do.
Chapter 6
Elsewhere
A communication line was open that was secured in the highest methods possible. No digital wireless transfer of data was used at all. Only landlines were in use, and the signal was encoded and skipped over several hundred different lines constantly. Given Earth’s current level of tech, the conversation was completely secure.
The participants knew that others could still be listening in.
There were only three participants, and they were having a short briefing after
Rebecca Hamilton, Conner Kressley