“Olimi Tertel? He’s alright in my book…Tad bit too mysterious if you ask me. He’s always the quietest one at the table during council meetings, always so calm and collected. Never once have I seen the man sweat or let on that he’s tilted at something or someone. In a way I guess that makes him a nice and friendly person to speak with, but I can’t help but feel like he’s hiding something underneath his cool exterior…”
- Viokoro Velan
“…So it’s a tantrum room?”
September 20th YC 121
“Itsu” Restaurant, Commence District - Hoiyori, Nannaras X
“What is taking them so long? Geez, I’m both starving AND falling asleep.”
“Patience, Viokoro. I’m just as famished as you are, trust me.”
“Yeah but are you tired like I am Olimi? ■■■■, I was up all night working on this damn project for the Regiment. Didn’t get an hour asleep aside from this unintentional nap it took while on the can.”
“What project does the Regiment have you on that is making you deprive yourself of sleep?”
“They wanna build this military base out at sea off the coast of Namiyo, built like an oil rig except houses a bunch of military assets and personnel. Problem is I don’t have the slightest ■■■■■■■ clue about building something in the ocean and me and my team have been scratching our heads figuring out how to design the damn pylons to support the thing.”
“How soon is the Regiment expecting results?”
“Tokitu said ‘As fast as humanly possible’ and gave me some fruity ■■■■ about how we need to work within human limitations. There’s no exact deadline in place.”
“There you have it then, the Regiment wants you to take your time and not rush yourself Viokoro, why are you pushing yourself like this? It isn’t healthy for you.”
“I dunno, I just…”
“You just…?”
“I-I just…Can’t stand that I’m caught up on something so mundane as designing pylons for a platform, you know? I feel like it should be elementary to just chalk up a design for, but we’re not nailing it down. It’s really, REALLY, starting to frustrate me. It makes me really angry and feel incompetent at my job. It’s getting to the point where I’m cussing out members of my architect team and well…I don’t want to be that kind of boss, I just…■■■■! It should be simpler than this!”
“You sound like you need to clear your mind.”
“I KNEW you were gonna say some ■■■■ like that Olimi! Ugh, alright - hit me with your zen talk then.”
“I will try and refrain from my “Zen-talk” and give it to you straight. Firstly - you need to get some sleep sometime soon, the more you push yourself like this the more clouded your thoughts will be. Secondly, you need to discover some form of release for these negative emotions you’re experiencing.”
“The hell is that supposed to mean?”
“What I mean is find something that helps you channel this anger out of your mind and body. Something…That doesn’t involve you taking it out on someone else of course.”
“Well what is it that you do?”
“Me?”
“Yeah…What exactly are YOU doing that keeps you as cool headed as you are? How are you “channeling your anger” out?”
“Admittedly what I do might not be the best for everyone else.”
“Well just answer the question.”
“Well aside from my yoga routine I do daily? I have a chamber set aside in both my office and my quarters where I have an assortment of different…Plates.”
“Plates? Like…The ones you eat off of?”
“Yes, bunch of cheap, generic disposable porcelain plates that just…snap so satisfyingly in half.”
“Oookay…Go on.”
“In that chamber, I have a club, bat, a blunt instrument that I’ll take and just start…swinging and smashing plates until there and none left. The room is sound-proof so I’ll…Start screaming obscenities and swears at the plates, project onto them someone or something that had recently angered or upset me.”
“…So it’s a tantrum room?”
“Well I wouldn’t exactly call it th-”
“Tantrum room.”
“…Yes, a “Tantrum room” would be one way of putting it. Like with any tantrum it’s embarrassing and childish and after I’m though, I do feel ashamed of myself because I begin to think more rationally now that I cleared my mind of such emotion. I’ll do this weekly - or - if I’m experiencing something intense in the moment.”
“So underneath that calm exterior, you’re an angry and violent ■■■■■■■■■■■■?”
“I’m human, Viokoro. Just like you, I’m not immune to feeling anger and frustration. I’ve merely disciplined myself to keep it bottled up and then, find a way to release it in a confined and controlled setting so that nobody is harmed physically or mentally by my emotions. It’s better this way.”
“You said you project those that angered or upset you onto these plates you’re smashing…Have…I ever been one of these plates?”
“Everyone has. You, Tokitu, Stelmari, Auljam, Monden…The Patriarch himself. My own employees have of course angered me from time to time…But I hold nothing against them, as I’ve already settled my differences with the plates I broke.”
“Suuuure, I’ll take your word for it…”
“I mean…You did ask, I’m merely opening myself up to you to get across my point that instead of taking out your frustrations on your colleagues, find something else to get those emotions out. Exercise, or pick up a hobby.”
“I don’t got time for any of that.”
“Make time for it, get yourself a routine, a schedule or something. Like you said, the Regiment doesn’t have a deadline for you, so…Don’t rush yourself, don’t push yourself towards such unhealthy lengths. You don’t need the Conglomerate thinking you need to be placed under Mandatory care…”
“Ahhhh, yeah you’re right. The last ■■■■■■■ thing I need is to be arrested by the ■■■■■■■ Ohrions for being “unhealthy” in their eyes and locked up like Monden…”
“Quite so…And it looks like our waitress is here.”
“About time…”
“I am so terribly sorry for keeping you two waiting! We’re a little understaffed at the moment so we’re still getting your food cooked. However! I do have here the tea you two ordered. Fresh and hot and ready for consumption.”
“Well at least there’s some good news…Alright, pour me a cup, I’m about to slip into a coma here.”
“Of course ma’am! Also I must say you two ordered quite wisely with this tea. Lonetrek Black Tea is highly recommended by the Ohrion Conglomerate for being rich in vitamins such as-”
“Yeah-Yeah-Yeah, is it caffeinated?”
“Well…Yes, one of the strongest tea on the menus in that regard.”
“All I needed to hear. Thank you.”
“Uh…No problem! I’ll just leave the pot right here…And I’ll be back with your meals as quickly as I can.”
“…”
“…”
“…Mm-Oh man this stuff is bitter, oof. Wish they gave us some sugar to go down with this stuff.”
“Unfortunately that doesn’t fit in with the Conglomerates’ dietary plan for the Zaibatsu.”
“Yeah…Those ■■■■■■■ just get all hard at the thought of controlling what people can and can’t put into their bodies. They got this tyrannical grip on sugar of all things…I mean ■■■■! This whole restaurant got shut down because management was trying to peddle soda pop. Soda! That’s what’s considered contraband around here by those stiffs in the Board of Health and Wellbeing…”
“Well in their defense, soda like Quafe and Starsi is pretty horrid for you.”
“And that’s their choice to make? Not mine? Like…A single drink of Quafe isn’t gonna kill you. Propaganda here states otherwise however, they say it will kill you by getting you addicted and rot your insides out, give you type-2 diabetes…And they’re peddling this fear mongering with their cute little mascot, with Suha.”
“She is quite popular around here.”
“A little too popular if you ask me, I for one think it’s incredibly weird that they had colony administration chalked up a cartoon design of her likeness and plastered it everywhere. I mean…I can’t leave my ■■■■■■■ quarters without seeing it! It’s practically everywhere.”
“This is a problem for you?”
“Yes, its creepy and disturbing because this mascot the Zaibatsu has chosen is a god damn sympathizer to the Guristas! Our mascot is someone who legitimately wants to see the Caldari State burn to the ground and prop up a bunch of ■■■■■■■ pirates in their place…Hell and me and Stelmari were the only ones throwing a fit over the news…Speaking of which, why are you always so neutral and passive about these kind of things? Huh? You didn’t toss your weight in during the council meeting.”
“I’m not one to pick sides Viokoro, I have a job and I fulfill my job. I don’t concern myself with politics around here.”
“Nobody likes a fence sitter, Olimi.”
“I’m not sitting on a fence, neither am I on either side. I’m just somewhere else entirely, focusing on my tasks and responsibilities.”
“No wonder your name always stays out of the news then…”
“The press is a distraction from my duties, I don’t seek out their attention.”
"Yeah…You just stay docile and obedient and do what you’re told.’
“…Now you’re just trying to insult me Viokoro.”
“…Sorry, I’m just…Cranky I guess.”
“In that case, after we’re done eating, I suggest you return home and get some sleep.”
“Can’t, I got another shift in two hours.”
“Call in sick, not only are you the boss, but the Conglomerate policy guarantees you time off to recover if you’re feeling ill.”
“I’m not sick though, I’m just tired.”
“Unless you have a habit of calling out…Nobody is gonna know anything. No Ohrion is gonna come knocking to ensure you’re not lying. Just…Hand off responsibilities to your second in command for once and sleep in today.”
“That does sound nice…”
“Treat yourself Viokoro. Your branch if the Zaibatsu won’t engulfed itself in flames if you just take today off.”
“Yeah…Yeah! I might just do that for once…Kinda exciting actually, I’ve never been in a position to where I can just “Call out” of work. I’ll just take today off and sleep…Thanks Olimi.”
“Don’t worry about it…Ah! Looks like our food is here.”
“Finally! let’s eat…”