Corporate Synergies is a modestly epic 14-part space opera of questionable ethics and dubious morality centred on the ongoing conflict between two mega-corporations and their quest to dominate the retail landscape of Earth’s ever-expanding colonial reach.

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5

NEW EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION II

Molly didn’t know where in Bangladesh she was, nor could she even point to Bangladesh on a globe, but it was where her assigned class of EMD recruits was to be trained, so to Bangladesh she went.

Molly had expected a barebones boot camp kind of place; a place where she’d be sleeping on a metal-framed cot, yelled at by drill sergeants, eat some kind of gruel slapped onto her plate by a manish-looking woman in the mess hall.

She was, in order words, expecting life to be like it was in the movies.  Life is rarely the way it is in the movies.  Usually it’s worse, less dramatic and requires significantly more effort than most movie characters exert.  And the people in it are usually not as attractive as they are in the movies.

I don’t include you in that last bit.  You’re gorgeous.  And you’re reading, so you’re already a cut above most of the morons who sign up for the EMD.

Anyway, Molly was in for a shock and not the kind of shock she’d been expecting.  Camp Walton could have passed for a mid-grade resort, with its expansive lobby full of big cushy armchairs and well cared for potted palms.  Real potted palms, unlike those in the UniRe HR tower.  And the barracks in which she’d be sleeping were only ‘barracks’ in that there were multiple beds in a room.  The beds were actual beds, not cots, each with a fluffy comforter and a nice little side table with a reading lamp.

Dropping her duffle bag onto the bed, Molly began unpacking what little she’d brought with her and putting it carefully into the chest at the foot of the bed.

“This is not what I was expecting.”

Molly turned toward the speaker.  She was about Molly’s age, with ash blonde hair and skin as pale as porcelain.

“My name’s Chocolate,” she said with a smile, extending her hand.  “And yeah, I know it’s a weird name.”

Molly took her hand a shook it lightly.

“Molly. My dad’s name was Ebenezer, so I try not to judge.”

“Cool.  You mind if I bunk here?,” said Chocolate, nodding to the bed beside Molly’s.

“No, not at all.”

“Thanks.  It’s weird not really knowing anyone,” she said, following Molly’s lead and unpacking.  “Kind of like the first day of school, right?”

“Yeah,” said Molly, laughing nervously.  “I don’t know anyone either.  No one on the flight in was too talkative.”

“I met a nice guy on my flight.  I’m supposed to meet him in the commissary later – you should come, I’ll introduce you.”

“Oh, I don’t want to get in the way.”

“No, no, no, it’s not like a date or anything,” said Chocolate, pulling a fistful of frilly underpants from her suitcase and stuffing them into her foot locker.  “He’s just not my type, right?  And I’m not technically single anyway.  How about you?”

“I guess I’m not technically single either.  But I would be if I could afford the divorce.”

“I get it.  I’m not married, I just needed some space.  We didn’t break up or anything, I just really needed to get out and see the universe, you know?”

“So you… signed up because you wanted to?”

“Yep.  Just signed on the dotted line and headed to the seminars the next day and here I am.  I sent my boyfriend a text letting him know I’d signed up.  I hope he got it, I forgot to check.”

Chocolate shrugged.

“So what’s your story?”

With a forced smile, Molly explained her husband’s spending problem and how joining the EMD was the only viable option for her to repay her half of the debt.  She really hoped that she wasn’t going to have to rehash the story every time she met someone new.  Despite the excitement of joining UniRe and getting on the path to seeing the stars, the story of how she’d ended up there was starting to depress her.

“That sucks,” said her new bunkmate.  “But at least you had the option, right?  If it wasn’t for the EMD, you’d be in debtor’s prison and that would suck.”

“Yeah it would.”

Again, she rather hoped Rudy’s meeting with Global Consumer Group had gone badly and he’d ended up in prison.  The thought warmed her heart and she felt bad about that for a second before remembering he was an asshole and she no longer felt bad.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Enjoying CORPORATE SYNERGIES?  Check out my full-length novel that involves fewer douche-bags, Radko’s War!