Avatar: The New World

Chapter 1: The Corporate Plan

Rorrick

Ting-a-ting-a-ting. The familiar ringing sound went off in Rorrick's ear and he flicked on his head set. "Corporate support, tech division, how may I improve your day?" It was a well practiced line and it came out sounding more bored than helpful. "And when was the last time you turned the device off, sir? Yup, I want you to try that for me." He yawned and leaned his head back against his chair. "Okay, now turn it back on... That did it? Okay great. Thanks for calling the Toro Corporation, have a nice day." He hung up, made a note on his work station and rested his head in his palm as he waited for the next thrilling call. He could hear the voices of his coworkers, all packed tightly together in long straight lines and all answering similarly mundane questions from confused consumers.

As he leaned into his hand, his eyes began to slide closed. Darkness took over for a second but just before he fell asleep -- ting-a-ting-a-ting. He wiped a small trail of drool from the corner of his mouth and flicked on his head set. "Corporate support--" He started but something distracted him. A woman standing across the call floor in between two rows of desks. Her hair was cut short, and she was wearing a strange outfit made of brown and blue wool, trimmed with bright white fur. She was a strange sight popping up out of the sea of corporate gray.

"Is anybody there?" The sound of an old woman's voice brought Rorrick back to the job at hand.

"Right, sorry, uh..." He looked up at the woman in blue again and realized she was staring directly at him. "Tech division, how may I--AH!"

The woman was right in front of him now, but he hadn't seen her move. He tossed his headset to the floor and sprang to his feet. Her eyes were glowing so bright it was hard to look at them.

A hand suddenly reached out from behind and took hold of his arm. He turned around and saw the face of a familiar woman. "You okay?"

"I, uh... Sully, it's you."

"Course it is, who else would it be?"

Rorrick turned to where the woman in blue had been standing, but nobody was there. Instead, he saw his supervisor standing three rows over, motioning for him to join her.

"She doesn't look too happy." Sully twisted her face as she looked over at their supervisor.

"She never does." Rorrick sighed and made his way across the call floor.

"I never do what?" The old woman snapped as he came closer.

"Nothing, ma'am."

The grin that spread across the old coot's face was coy and smug. "That's right, I never do nothing. Ha! Because that means I'm always doing something!"

Rorrick cringed at the miserable joke, but quickly turned it into an uncomfortable smile. "Right you are, ma'am."

She leaned her shoulders back and puffed out her chest. It was something he'd seen holos of chickens do in grade school. "I don't need you to think I'm funny, ya brat. I need you to head to the Boss whenever you're ready."

"The Boss?"

"Yep, now go, get on with it, off my floor."

"But you said when I'm ready."

"Come on kid, don't you see? You're on a Corporate Plan now."

Rorrick's eyes grew wide and he looked back at Sully. Her face twisted with concern, but she was otherwise distracted by a call. "I don't really think I need a Plan though," he said and his supervisor made a clucking sound that again reminded him of a holo chicken.

"Well Corporate thinks ya do so get on with ya! Go!" She shooed him with her clipboard, swatting against his raised forearms as he tried to protect his head from the blows. He easily gave in to her coercion and allowed himself to be led to the elevators.