Planning for Planning

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  “So, Elenore, how Are things going with the hiring for the UK projects?” Solaris asked as they pulled up to Mikimoto for some Christmas shopping.

  "I've got a few good prospects who are going to be flying over this weekend." She explained. "A few who might fill the project manager roll, someone I'm liking the look of for an administrative secretary and another as your personal secretary." she said. "I also have someone coming out to interview for a stylist for you and the gang as a whole. I've arranged an online interview with a potential IT and Cybersecurity specialist but transporting him will be a challenge. Agoraphobia."

  "A stylist. I hadn't thought about that, I did have one back in the day that Wendy managed. Good call on that, and a secretary will take some of the weight off of Penny." Solaris smiled at the store clerks, her eyes dancing at the beautiful pearls. "Things are likely to get more hectic than less." She began selecting items for her Fledglings. The store assistant had been called and warned so she had a small trolley ready to put the heroes’ selections on. "We could get the Agoraphobic a private cabin, they do those on that one Arabian airline right?

  "The main Japanese carrier has similar setups for first class international, so I've considered it. I could argue about looking into a longer-range private jet, though for most purposes the 600 does the job. I don't know how much we're going to find ourselves ferrying people around and how we'll go about it depends on what else spins up.”

  "I do see your point..." She selected a set of black pearls for Zoya. "Technically the plane we have is good for hopping in the pond. but getting something a bit more designed for intercontinental flights might not be the worst idea. Especially if we start hiring more people from abroad.

  "And start more projects abroad. I mean, I now have the small project in San Francisco with that warehouse of Interment goods you recovered but couldn't return. We're taking a trip to Japan, and I know there's a Hong Kong interest we should visit out there. And that's ignoring the fact that you have managed to fill three buildings to over-full of businesses. The damn shop is almost too small, and I was thrilled at how big it was two months ago."

  Elenore shook her head "Not really a complaint, but with Erica, Levi, Talia and Badger, with support from Kar1n and Anzy, I can barely justify keeping any lifts free for visiting tubers, and I think we're going to need a specialist in cad design for the printer farm and CNC equipment you bought us. It's capable of way more than we're doing with it."

  “I thought it looked useful. They finally delivered the big machine, that's good to know. We can get another shop or building to convert. I remember Bailey sending us an email about a bunch of real estate offerings.

  .”Oh It is, Kar1n and the brains love it. RIght now we're generally flipping one extremely high end, rebuilt sports car a week, and we also sold a weird, armored thing the boys got bored and built to the Tailor.."With the money from the shop I've bought four apartments on spec, that already had tenants but with open apartment space above for our potential future staff needs. So, you know your Real Estate Portfolio is growing rapidly."

  "

  "Land is almost always a good investment," Solaris said with an approving nod. Handing her card over to the shop assistant to ring. "I wonder if we can find something bigger to give more space to spread out, or if we should focus on getting smaller buildings as we have been."

  "I'm pondering an upgrade. We've had the Tailor approach us asking questions about Griffin cars. The idea of a fleet vehicle appeals to him to some clients... that would suggest needing a larger workshop just for that. And with the CNC gear, and the plasma cutter we can do pretty darn bespoke setups."

  "Do you think we should put a real estate agent on the payroll? Someone who can look for properties and land opportunities? Solaris said as she took her bags and walked out putting them in the trunk. "I think the Lego store next. That should have some interesting things for Talia, Grey and Badger."

  "Not necessarily. I think it’s more fun for us to wander and look for what we like. Would a real estate agent have brought the limo place to us?" She shrugged. "We can recruit or even retain Cassie's friend who did the reno on the gym, which makes sense from a contact building sense anyhow."

  "That is fine, I brought you on to manage project details. I am not going to tell you how to do your job." Solaris laughed. "Even, if now it looks more like you are going to be the manager of the project managers. I hope you don't regret signing up with all the work." she teased.

  "No, not at all, but if I can be a little bold?” At Solaris’s friendly nod she continued. “A: You get the star destroyer for Thud, or he'll never stop pouting and B: I think we need to start thinking about what you want to do long term, or at least, mid-term."

  Solaris lifted the huge box down. Setting it on a cart. "We can't have Thud pouting now can we. What about Talia? some of those fancy car ones with the engines? And how do you mean mid and long term?”

  "For Talia and Dino-boy. She'll love it, and he won't admit it, but he'll love it." She chuckled. "And I've been watching you. You're a very type A personality, and very goal oriented. The problem is, I'm not sure what your goals are. You're choosing to keep things mellow right now, and that's fine, but I'm betting after the first of the year, you're going to start getting fed up with not doing anything with a real goal."

  "Honestly. I don't know." Solaris selected a couple of cars for the two teens, and a tankman set for Penny. " When I was about Talia's age, I decided my goal was to be a nurse, to be useful like my mom. Then the war started, and my goal was to serve my nation. Then I became enhanced, and my goal was to win the war, and to keep the human cost as low as I could. then there was the reconstruction, then the Red Scare." The tiny woman sighed. grabbing a Yankee’s stadium kit for her office.

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  “I guess right now, I just want to live for myself, have fun, enjoy the peace I fought for.” She picked up a box of extra motors and parts almost randomly, putting things in the cart. “I mean I am sure I will find causes and problems, but I like what I’m doing now building a team…”

  “And that’s fine. I can just keep working on finding small income generators and building your assets to support it. I just ask you to think a bit about it so if something comes to you, I can get a heads up. “

  “I will.” She pushed her cart to the checkout, making some suggestions for Levi and Erica. I got Anzy three sets of handmade Japanese knives, and Marcus a side car for his bike. Luxury art supplies and orchid seeds for Mercedes, and a high-end gun cleaning kit for Granny Ruan.

  “Levi is easy. He needs an upgrade to his flight headset. He kind of skimped. Erica is always hard to shop for. It doesn’t help that she is so tiny, buying off the rack for her is a crapshoot. “

  “What about a certificate to go get custom clothing? I am sure I can work something out with Cassie.”

  “Might be best. And Cassie is back in New York since her team went to England to do the manor visit, part one. “

  “You got them for the urban exploration on the Summer Manor?” Solaris said. She’d also gotten the girl some lovely pearl earrings.

  “Yeah. Carl got out of his cast, and they wanted to make the first visit. Since it’s not a lair they want to do before, during, after. “

  “That makes sense, hopefully they had fun. Speaking of fun, how did things go with Badger?”

  “He is so adorkable and awkward. And where he got a lime green tie I do not know. I am giving him another date to see how it goes. “

  “That’s good to hear, he seems sweet, where did he take you?”

  “A little Italian place in the city, then an off-Broadway show. The show sucked so we ended up leaving early and getting donuts. “

  “Well, that sounds lovely. Did you manage to get him into an apartment? Zoya told me he was living in the shop.”

  "Yeah, she might have understated it. Oh, interesting note, he can burrow through concrete. Coincidentally he built a den under the shop. It's surprisingly nice, purple crystals.” She sighed. “I have very strange taste in men."

  “He’s smart, kind, well mannered, and has a job,” speaking for my day and age he is a winner.” Solaris teased.

  “I am thinking you could set the bar a bit higher boss.”

  Solaris laughed. “I don’t know, sounds pretty good to me, though I also have to add durable to my wish list.”

  “Yes, well, I can’t have anyone allergic to cats.” she chuckled.

  “Do your summons actually have dander?” Solaris said curiously.

  “It’s weird… I don’t think they do, but I had two roommates who needed to change rooms because of allergies.”

  “That is odd.” Solaris agreed as they loaded Legos into the car. Okay let’s see I asked Badger and the other brains to make a non-lethal sidearm for Kriegsmarine. And Kitsune asked me to send her a case of Ranch dressing.

  "You'd think they'd start importing it. It's a bit of a running internet joke on both sides of the ocean."

  “Well, it made an easy Christmas gift. She’s going to send me some soy sauces that aren’t sold here.”

  "That will thrill Anzy." She nodded. "I think there's discussion about going in as a group for you. Kinda hard to beat you to the things you want. Any hints from the woman who can lift anything?"

  Solaris smiled. “I am still learning this time period. I am sure there are lots of little fascinating gadgets I haven't seen yet. And handmade gifts are always welcome.”

  "We rebuilt a tank, hard to top that in a month." She chuckled. "Sharper Image here we come!"

  "Is that a hair salon?" Solaris asked curiously as Marcus drove them up towards Bergdorf’s.

  "No. It's a store that sells gadgets. Useful, useful, potentially useful, not at all useful. the whole gambit."

  Ahh, Sounds like fun. Solaris began selecting handbags for her girls, these were bags for a night out to go with more formal clothing. For the boys she selected fine leather wallets and money clips

  Elenore with a bit of a blush bought Badger a smart looking bowler hat. "So, what do you think of doing open call interviews for the Japanese ESEA students looking for work? Enhanced have way less issues in Japan than some places, but certain power sets or looks can cause major issues."

  I am fine with that; do you just want to have the English students meet us there? seems almost silly to fly them here right before we head to Japan.

  "We could look into bringing them all out to Japan, as well. A bit of a Senior class trip, along with the graduates acting as chaperones, with a couple of teachers. We're already bringing the American schools out to the desert for your intramural bots in the sands."

  "That works for me. Silly to send a plane and not fill it."

  "I'll have to check how big those classes might be. Maybe renting something hefty." She chuckled. "I don't think THIS number will come in often enough to buy our own airliner."

  Solaris chuckled. "It will make a nice treat, a boxing day gift for the seniors and graduates."

  "I want to say they have three academies in the UK, so probably fifty at most. I'm sure we can find a good hotel that would support that many and allow us access to a conference room or two to interview."

  I can interview in my suite, but we will want to arrange a nice dinner meet and greet for the Japanese and English schools.

  "A banquet room, then. Still, it’s not hard. I'll have the legal people work up what we'll need to give the hired on, to process for US work visas, for those who will need it. We've already set up a corporate entity to do payroll in Britain."

  "That is good. I forgot about the need for work visas. By the way I talked to Louise, since your job duties have changed a bit, you will be getting a raise as well as your quarterly bonus at the end of the year.

  "I wasn't even thinking about anything like that. Thank you. I've just kind of been enjoying the job to be honest with you."

  "That is good, I want to make sure to pay you for the work you are doing so you stay in love with the job. It's hard to find someone who understands both my enjoyment of business, and my sense of whimsy."

  "And who won't go off and do something reckless with the resources they have. Fortunately, I'm not reckless."

  "If you were, we wouldn't have as much fun." Solaris said cheekily, as she selected wallets for the boys. "Speaking of my whimsy. I think I have everything arraigned for boxing day. It won’t be as big this year. Not enough time to plan, But I think everyone will be happy, and I can go all out next year."

  "Call it a trial run."

  "Yes, next year’s Boxing Day will be one to remember." Solaris said with a smile.