Terms of Contract (Day 8 EA, Admin offices)

[Ezmeralda]

Ezmeralda made her way down to the administration area. She needed to argue her contract clauses so... She took a deep breath.

This was going to be a bother.

[GM Yuusha]

The offices were fully staffed today. There was a lot of tapping away and surprisingly little chatter.

As Ezmeralda heads in a familiar blonde woman, the Chief Administrator, spots her and stands up to held. She had front desk duty today.

[Ezmeralda]

"Hey Tessa," she said walking over to the desk, "I need to discuss my mech situation."

[Tessa Wentworth]

"Hey Ezmeralda. Erm, sure." She looked behind her. Too noisy.

"We should probably go to one of the meeting rooms. Do you have a little time? I need to get some documents. Eric asked me this morning to contact you to set something up, but I hadn't gotten around to it yet."

[Ezmeralda]

"Sure, that sounds fine," she said lightly, "I've got all day really."

[Tessa Wentworth]

"More importantly, how are you feeling?" Tessa asks, walking around the counter to stand with Ez. "I'm really sorry about your Battlemech."

When she had a moment she signalled for someone else to sit on frontdesk. She'd go and collect the documents needed too.

[Ezmeralda]

"I'm okay. The bruising is still clearing up but the pain is mostly gone and I need to look in on the stitches tomorrow," she took a seat in the meeting room.

"I am hoping we can work something out about that. It has been bothering me."

[Tessa Wentworth]

After the walk to the meeting room, Tessa sits opposite Ez and she passes her a copy of the contract she'd signed.

"Okay, you have a few options. It was lost in combat and not intentionally, so that triggers clause Twenty Three. It's the first time, so that means we skip to section C). That allows three options. Financial settlement and the company assigns you a company mech to use in future is one. You could, as choice two, opt for a similarly priced mech, something within ten percent of the original stock purchase price adjusted with inflation or the current as new, whichever is less, that we have available or can easily provide. Do note that would mean the Obsidian Angels' future liability for loss is lessened under clause Twenty Nine."

Ezmeralda would fine everything highlighted in her copy to make it easier to follow.

"The third is a differently priced mech. If less, then it is similar to option two except you secure a financial award of the difference. If more, then it will act as a forward advance on future remuneration, particularly any contract bonuses. Effectively, it's a debt that is paid off over time. That will also mean, under clause Twenty Four, that if you leave our service without the credit being repaid, you will owe it to us and the Mercenary Review Board will be informed."

She smiles awkwardly. "Obviously, we hope that's never necessary. Erm, finally, there is always the possibility of renegotiating the contract and thereby coming to some mutually agreement arrangement instead."

[Ezmeralda]

"So what mechs are currently available?" she asked getting the feeling she was being offered a lifetime's supply of debt or a lighter mech plus a house down payment.

[Tessa Wentworth]

"Let's see..." She picked up some papers stapled together. Ez gets a glimpse of record sheets.

"Aside from our existing UrbanMech 60 L, and a Locust 3 V..." She says the model numbers slowly, clearly not too familiar with the specifics of each. "... The Chief Mechtech believes he or his teams will have the following operational by this evening or tomorrow morning. A Phoenix Hawk 1 D, a Spider 5 V, a-"

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"I can take over with that part Tess."

Laks says, stepping into the meeting room and waving to Ez.

"Thanks for popping the CO a message. I was in his office so he sent me over."

The small Captain grins, rubbing her hands together as she walked over to the meeting table.

[Ezmeralda]

"The Phoenix Hawk isn't terrible but it'll leave my lance too light on armour to be used for line operations," she said clearly not thrilled with her options."

"Hey Laks! Please tell me some good news," she gave a wave to her CO.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"Okay, I will."

She took a seat. "But I have some nagging to do too. Good news first. Eric brought you on in preparation for a commission. You're nearly there, but he wants to see a decent victory so he feels you've earned it and that you're properly ready. I agree with him. So, we're going to give you a leg up toward that. Consider it an early incentive." Laks smiles cheerfully. "At Budai there was an idiot piloting an Orion. We took it from him mostly intact and it's having its arm replaced today. The armour should be back in place and the weapons reloaded by tomorrow morning. It's a VA. Heavily armoured, AC/10, some short range weapons. It fits your preferred combat style. You'll be able to take more punishment, but... that doesn't mean you should be a masochist. I'll get to that."

Laks gestures for Tessa to pass her the papers and the Chief Administrator does. She flicks to the pages covering the Orion. The bundle is passed to Ezmeralda. "It's beyond what a normal replacement would cost, as you can see. So, that'll trigger... erm..."

[Tessa Wentworth]

"Clause Twenty Four." Tessa chimes in. She passes Lakshmi a spare copy of Ezmeralda's contract. Laks takes a few seconds to go to the right page and double check.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"Right, so, it'll trigger this clause, which will put you on the hook for the excess should you wish to leave our service. But, we don't want to be draconian, and our situation is looking better after the last couple days of work and salvaging. Assessments were grim two days ago. Now we're looking at a profit. We found more in the barracks and weapons site than we estimated. I'll get to the point, neh? Everyone is going to get a bonus at this rate, officers especially, and we hope you'll make second lieutenant by then as Cat has. This would be your bonus. You'll be getting it in advance. That would, at the end of this contract-" She stops at a meaningful look from Tessa. "Ano, at the end of this contract should it continue to go well, it would mean you own the Orion - a heavy mech - in full. No Clause Twenty... Four. You could leave, if you wished."

She punches her right fist into her open left hand.

"I'd beat you up if you did, but legally you'd be fine."

[Tessa Wentworth]

"Laks..." Tessa sighs. "Official business meeting mode, please."

The administrator gives Ez an apologetic look.

[Lakshmi Kaala]

"I'm just playing... mostly." She mutters the last bit. Laks clears her throat. "It's that or you take the P-Hawk or a 4P Hunchback we're expecting to have ready tomorrow as well. That would be a standard replacement."

She turns her hands into weighs, moving them up and down. "So, upgrade or replacement... or financial pay-out and you're in a company mech. Your choice Sergeant."

[Ezmeralda]

Her eye twitched, "So it is money but I am dependent on the company for a mech to use, a Phoenix Hawk, or 3 million c-bills in debt to the company and hope the bonuses are really good?"

[Lakshmi Kaala]

Lakshmi scratched her cheek. Not the reaction she was expecting. "Eto, yes, but I was trying to say that whatever the bonus is, the difference is C-Bills would count as it." In other words the more expensive mech would become the bonus.

[Ezmeralda]

"So it would be the bonus not merely reduced by it?" she asked suspiciously. This would mean the brass were expecting a ridiculous pay out. "That seems too good to be true."