Challenge #01943-E119: It's a Living
Having the tact and sensitivity of a kick in the ass can be considered a disadvantage in nearly any circumstance, mostly when dealing with superior or ambassador. But from time to time it allows you to unfreeze some situation. -- Anon Guest
Sometimes, delicacy and care are needed in a given situation. Sometimes, people need a swift kick in the butt. For the former, there is the entourage. Which contains all the people who know tact and negotiation, and how to 'handle' the person in charge so that the eventual blast zone is reduced or even eliminated. For the latter, there's people like Kevin.
He's not in the entourage. Not precisely. His official position is something like a waiter or, more accurately, plongeur. Someone who's official task is to take in the main dishes, take out the soiled object, take up the discarded things, and definitely take the blame. Unofficially, Kevins job is to look over the plans or paperwork, or task at hand and say things like, "Why does that thing even need that lever?" Or, "What do they want with that planet in the first place."
In other words, to call into realisation the thing that makes everyone in the room want to kick him out of the airlock in sheer frustration. And sometimes, Kevin can say the things that nobody else is allowed to say. Such as when he told the Gropnoothian Ambassador the Unvarnished Truth.
"You only want that star system because it fluffs out your empire by some million AU's[1]. This is just... spreading your mane for the plebes, isn't it?"
And the Ambassador could scoff and chuckle, and say that Kevin knew nothing of real politics, but it does give rise to an interesting question. The Gropnoothians have no use for the minerals found in that stellar system, none of the worlds in orbit of that sun are habitable by Gropnoothians. And setting up a space station would stretch the budget beyond their current capacity... but holding that star system makes His Greatness look impressive to his people, no?
And the Gropnoothan Greatness was allowed to scoff and mumble something about his imperative to seek out an advantageous position with which to negotiate further advances and potential for his people, blah, blah, blah... In a long-winded and superlative-laden speech that boiled down to, "Okay, you got me. But like flakk am I giving up this claim because Face is the thing I need the most."
And, as Kevin is cycling the refreshments, both are allowed to hammer out a deal in which the Gropnoothans maintain sovereign claim to Stellar System 2Y4-958-ER77 and the Blathnians could provide assistance in building the Gropnoothans a beachhead station in return for mining rights in the outer and inner ice rings.
And Kevin was publicly rebuked in front of the Gropnoothan Ambassador, and privately rewarded behind closed doors.
Every place of business needs a Kevin. But they're pretty difficult to find, and treasured by their employers. Behind closed doors, of course.
[1] Astronomical Units, not Australias. Though both can be found impressive.
[AN: Processed one of my newer prompts instead of the oldest. Apologies for the inconvenience, my friends]
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