Company out of time
I remember experiments with walking armored vehicles, fire-fights in the background. Afterwards we take tramadol, pregabalin and prazosin; it diminishes the sense of trauma whether there was any or not. It depletes your memories mixing them up with dreams and coming out all fuzzy. The special ops troops & contractors call it 'eating the washing machine.'
... My corporate contact is supposed to be somebody wearing a pin that reads: “Company out of time.” I suppose it's a business Gung-ho thing; like this has to be done yesterday -or- compete, win or die etc. Contact looks very muscle-bound. I wonder if he can hold a pencil. I comment on his pin. "No time like the past." He barely blinks. "Catch-ya later." I go back to my cubicle and play with the computer. I become very bored quickly.
He barely re-appears; head over the partition-wall and dumps a sheaf of print-outs onto my desk. There's a post-it note explaining how to read the path directions to computer stuff and how to massage it to look like I'm productive. After gaining confidence of lower-level management, I can start passing intel out to the group I work for.
In no time I become a division vice-president. I don't get an office; and keep my agency salary anyway. I assume Top Management is also in league with the agency, though they get paid millions. I am expected to hold negotiations with other companies about products and services I don't understand. Most of the products are actually manufactured in the orient. I use obtuse tactics to succeed and keep my cover: For instance, I know that an eccentric display of weakness can be an aid to negotiations. Taking one’s blood pressure with a wrist or finger device will enhance the outcome as people will assume 1.) You are at least half-mad, 2.) You are not personally threatening to them and 3.) Their presence accounts for little, making you more important. Taking out the batteries, replacing them and re-measuring your blood pressure will magnify this effect. However, speaking about weakness will have the opposite effect. You will become marginalized. Therefore ignore all opportunities to explain yourself. Any question on a topic I know nothing about will result in my cocking an eyebrow and looking annoyed. Then I change the subject. If questions persist; then I mutter, "Don't worry about it; just do it." I am very successful in these negotiations. Everyone is pleased. Soon, I'll rotate out to something else.