Chapter Ten
His office door burst open. “What is the meaning of this, Stratos!”
The biting complaint caused his hand to slip, and he lost half an hour of work. He stifled a curse and closed out the program. “What is the meaning of what, Mother?” He masked his irritation with a bland expression and folded his hands on his desk.
“Since when do you not have time to talk to the CEO?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Where was his assistant? Why hadn’t she warned him his mother was in the area?
“You canceled our meeting. Then you refused to take my call.”
Savannah. He’d told her to clear his schedule and keep everyone away, but he hadn’t meant his mother, even if she was the last person he’d wished to see at any time.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have a choice. She was the chief executive officer.
His father had founded and headed the company, but upon his death three years ago, the mantle had passed to Frysta.
Savannah should have realized his mother was the exception to his edict.
“It was a mistake,” he said. “It won’t happen again. ”
“Really, Stratos. You need to find competent help.”
His hackles went up. Savannah was his assistant, and, until now, she’d done an exemplary job. Nothing was ever good enough for his mother; she found fault with everything.
“You should speak to Corona about getting someone better. Why she would hire a human, I can’t fathom.”
“I’m quite satisfied with my assistant, and Corona didn’t recruit her. I did.”
“Well, there’s your problem.”
“I don’t have a problem, Mother.” Other than you pitting my sister and me against each other.
He and his father had shared a love of design; Atmos had taught him everything he knew and had anticipated Stratos running the company at some point.
But he’d died prematurely, and Frysta took the helm and appointed Corona, who’d never shown any interest in the family business, as the head of Personnel.
His mother wanted Corona to succeed her when she stepped down. However, the installation of a new CEO required the rubber stamp of the board of directors, some of whom were aware Atmos had intended Stratos to inherit the position.
“So, how did you hire her, then?” she asked.
“Through GAL Friday. It’s a temp agency Kepler recommended.
” Thank the stars and Kepler, he’d followed his advice.
For all the faith his mother put in Corona, she was incompetent.
She hadn’t produced a single acceptable prospective assistant.
It was almost like she’d scouted for the most unqualified candidates.
“Oh…Kepler,” his mother said derisively. She’d met Kep once and had taken an instant dislike to him.
“What did you want to speak to me about?” Stratos said.
“Another one of our prototypes is being manufactured and sold on the black market.”
Flekkery. “Which one?”
“The genetic stabilizer.”
OberTech had become a victim of corporate espionage, their product prototypes stolen, manufactured, and released before they could produce and distribute them. The company had lost billions as a result. This latest case was the third time.
They suspected the Prellims, but they couldn’t prove it. All they could do was tighten security—and try to gather the evidence to sue in galactic court in hopes of recovering some of the lost revenue.
“I assume Internal Audit is on it?” he asked.
“Of course they are!” snapped his mother like he’d asked a stupid question.
He recalled all the times he’d barked at Savannah for asking questions.
At that moment, his door peeled open, and his assistant poked her head inside.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were with somebody. I brought you lunch.” She held out a covered dish.
He motioned. “Come in.”
She entered and set the dish on the corner of his desk.
“Savannah, this is Frysta, CEO of OberTech. Mother, this is Savannah Mays, my executive assistant.”
Her eyes widened, and she hunched her shoulders before squaring them. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
His mother sniffed. “If you’re still here the next time I call and you don’t put me through immediately, I will fire you myself.”
Pulling a frigid tone and stare from her playbook, he said, “With all due respect, Mother, Savannah is my concern, not yours. If there’s any firing to be done, I’ll handle it.”
His mother stiffened. “See that you do. We’ll talk later.” She departed, leaving a wake of icy disapproval.
“I’m sorry! You said no interruptions,” Savannah said. “I had no idea your mother was the CEO—are you going to fire me?”
“No. It’s my fault,” he said and watched her jaw drop. “You did ask if there were exceptions. For the future, my mother is an exception.” He disliked dealing with her, but he had to do what he could to avoid unduly antagonizing her.
“Thank you for the lunch. That was thoughtful,” he said, and she gawked at him like he’d grown a second head.
“You’re welcome.” She paused. “That’s three.”
For a moment, he didn’t understand, but then he chuckled. “Don’t get used to it.”
“How is the design coming along?”
“It was going great.” Until the unexpected visit. He hoped he could pick up the threads. “I’d better get back to it.”
“Right. You know where to find me.” She headed for the door.
“Savannah?”
She turned.
“Just so you’re fully informed—the VP of Personnel is my sister. I would prefer not to speak to her at any time.”
Green eyes widened with shock before a mask of cool professionalism snapped into place. “Good to know.” She slipped out of his office.
Personal ethics prevented him from allowing an innocent bystander to become collateral damage in family battles, but he had to watch his step. Firing Savannah was the least of what his mother could do. She could fire him, and that would pretty much hand the company over to Corona.
His sister didn’t have a flekking clue and would run the company into the ground.
She had no head for business and barely knew their product line.
His weakness was that he wasn’t a people-person, whereas Corona could fake congeniality and schmooze like a master—when it suited her.
She never bothered to fake pleasantness with him.
He called up his design so he could study it while he ate and then lifted the lid off his lunch.
It was still warm. How could he have let his mother fire Savannah after she went to the trouble of bringing him lunch?
None of his other assistants had tended to him the way she did, but that wasn’t it.
He liked her. He would miss her when Verilla returned.
* * * *
His mother’s the CEO! Boy, I stepped in that one. Savannah sank into her chair. She’d been almost sure she was going to be canned—at least get a dressing-down, but he hadn’t done that. Instead, he had stood up for her.
Battle lines were obvious now—Corona and Frysta versus Stratos.
She’d been aware the company was a family business—she hadn’t realized Stratos’ family was the family.
Now, she understood how he’d risen through the ranks despite his lack of people skills.
However, compared to his mother, he was a pussycat.
Savannah wasn’t easily intimidated, but Frysta scared her.
She’d never met a colder person in her entire life.
Thankfully, the memo had vanished before she’d brought it to his attention. He would have confronted his sister. Inserting herself into a family feud would not end well for her. She didn’t wish to make an enemy of Personnel. She was already on the CEO’s shitlist.
Let’s try not to get in any more trouble.
* * * *
Savannah powered down her system, stood up, and stretched. She’d gotten a tremendous amount accomplished today, including organizing the files. She’d made a friend—Brad, and an enemy—the CEO. So that was kind of a draw. She was ready to head home to a massage, a drink, and dinner.
Stratos was still working. She’d heard nothing from him since the altercation with his mother.
She poked her head inside his office. The model had grown to epic proportions; he was barely visible behind it. She still had no idea what it was, but it looked impressive.
“Stratos? I’m leaving.”
“Leaving? Going where?”
“Home.”
He poked his head around the model. “Why? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. It’s after 7 p.m.”
“It is?” He consulted the chronometer on his desktop. “All right.”
“Do you need anything before I go?”
“No.”
“How much longer will you be here?”
“I don’t know.”
She had a hunch it would be a long time yet. “All right, then. See you in the morning.”
“Fine.”
She’d gotten a ways down the corridor when she reversed, caught the tube, and zipped to the cafeteria. There wasn’t much choice this time of day, but she got him a meal and tubed back to his office.
His brow furrowed as his fingers moved nimbly over the model, making small adjustments. She set the tray on a credenza, as there was no space on his desk. “Eat something.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“You’re welcome.”
She was about to exit.
“That’s four,” they spoke at the same time.
Stratos peered around the model. He grinned.
She smiled back. “Good night, Stratos.”
“Good night, Savannah.”