Day 285 - The War Corp. - Review 1 (2237 Words)

 ©Wayne Webb and constantwriting.blogspot.com, 2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Wayne Webb and constantwriting.blogspot.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

THE WAR CORP.

By Wayne Webb

Review 1

Corporation: Blue

Post Implementation Review: Alpha

Team Designation: A.C.E.

Chair: Denis Smiley.

Board: Pryce, E – Roberts, B – Hardy, C

Manager: Simmons, Carter (15, 7)

Minutes: Lisa Four Two

Result Summary: A.C.E. completed CBT with the highest overall score in over eighteen months and posted a record score for a completely uninitiated Team. The completion of the Final Test in record time, though aided by environmental conditions, coupled with the unique aspects of the team composition presents a potential campaign to increase membership, followers and ratings in the town hundred and eighty first season of The War Corp.

The team has three strong leader contenders and a make up slightly above average in numbers at seventeen members (which is two above the average entering the final test and four above the average graduation membership).

Dispute between the Management and the Board Adviser (Roberts, B) lead to a deadlock decider by the board. The vote was three to one to instill Liam Zero Six as the designated Team Leader in A.C.E. and the Management candidate of Brodie Seven Three was promoted to Second In Command.

Losses at the first obstacle were 47% (overall Blue Corp Average 52%, War Corp League Average 51%) which posted a seasonal record for all League Teams and a All Time Record for untested Team Candidates.

Losses at the second obstacle were zero, garnering a bonus for the Manager and a Dopamine Bonus for the MVP, B73.

Losses at the third obstacle were zero, garnering a bonus (compound streak x2) for the Manager and a Dopamine Bonus for the MVP, L06.

Losses at the final test were zero, garnering a bonus (compound streak x3) for the Manager and a Dopamine Bonus for all Team Members on graduation.

Objectives Failed: Zero

Manager: Simmons, Carter.

Review Summary: Initial judgment on Team composition is sound, Board Adviser override was on corporate strategy level, and therefore it was not judged to be failing on the Managers behalf, merely a reflection of the information available at that level.

The Overall Score for Simmons Carter in the production of the team is an “Alpha” rating and it is recommended that the Manager and the Board remain in it’s current roster for the first engagement on the field to A.C.E.’s next opponent is reveled and the Board reserves the right of recall on the Manager in light of the first round draw.

Bonus Summary:

Credit Schedule A:

a) Membership Bonus: 1,300

b) Survival Rate Weighting: +/- 1,000 (per percentage point above/below League average)

c) Win Bonus: 10,000

d) Objective Bonus: +/- 5,000 (per objective)

e) Compound x2: 10,000 (additional)

f) Compound x3: 15,000 (additional)

Achievement Bonuses:

g) Hi Score Round 1: 5,000

h) Fastest Time Final Test: 10,000

i) League Record Achievement: 50,000

Graduation: A.C.E. Team.

Credit Bonus: Simmons, Carter:

a) x 17                        22,100

b) x 5                          5,000

c)                                 5,000

d)                                10,000

e)                                15,000

Subtotal                      $57,100

Achievement:

g)                                5,000

h)                                10,000

i)                                 50,000

Subtotal                      $65,000

           

Grand Total                $122,100

Carter Simmons stared at the summary payment in front of him and felt his hands shaking in shock. This summary for a single CBT was the highest he had ever seen. The score payment for the credit bonus was more like the ones that League Winner would see, in the semi finals or the Quarters if they did very, very well. This was potentially the largest payout ever made to a CBT graduation.

It was certainly the biggest payday that Carter had ever got, even compared to the in field engagements. The losses on the field would often sap the achievement bonuses; he had those before but the multipliers made the difference to the numbers. He had never got a compounded X3 before and he was certain that no Team made up of all Pod Babies had ever graduated against veterans let alone set records like this.

His partner was going to be over the moon and he had no intention of betting it on the Team, he would save it for his nest egg and the eventual failure of the Team and then he’d have a parachute for that day. It happened to everyone who did well, they’d hit a high and then plummet down when the crash came. If they cycled the winnings into the team-betting machine then they’d inevitably be caught in the need to continue work.

It was a cycle as vicious as the one that the Pod Babies were beginning, though at least Carter had the prospect of retirement without being zeroed out. It was not unheard of for Managers to retire on a Corporation Pension, but that came with responsibilities and requirements, training and publicity needs were always there. You never left the Blue Corporation; you just joined a new Team.

The rare few who retired with money were the All Stars who were paid to comment, to advise and in the lucky few cases where they had earned enough they could buy their way on to the Advisory Board for a new Team. Board Membership was a job for life, regardless of the outcome. The Board always survived even the worst of franchises.

The money was huge, and it would take care of the deposit on the house they wanted for the kids they did not yet have. Slow and steady was the plan; any lump sums were not for betting on, they were bricks in the building plan to getting the secure future he and his partner had agreed to. That was the plan and that was the way it would be.

“Congratulations Carter.” A hand came towards him through the haze of his shock at the amount of money being thrown at him. It was twice his annual salary as a junior manager in the Blue Corporation.

“Thank you sir.” He replied and took the hand, pumped it vigorously before his eyes could focus on the intended target of that gesture.

His name badge was in gold and showed no name, just a title and a hologram insignia for the Blue Corp, this was the Chairperson, the one who oversaw all Teams in the League. This was Denis Smiley, and he was legendary.

“Wow.” Was the next word out of Carter Simmons mouth and the grin he got in response to his suddenly being star struck was well received, though the Board Advisor he had clashed with on the Team Leader selection did not look happy to see the chair addressing an unknown Manager.

“Carter here was just reviewing his bonus payment, so he’s probably a little bit stunned still. We are all a little amazed at the outcome.” Bryce Roberts was the Board Adviser who had been assigned to the A.C.E. Team and his was the idea to put the Liam Designation in the Team Leader role, despite Carters objections to his mental state.

“I think you may have set some kind of record with a CBT payment, mind if I …” Denis held his hand out to Carter and he took the slip of digipaper without waiting for permission and cast his eyes over it. He frowned and reached into his pocket, finding a small wiry stylus, and tapped it on the digipaper, then added a note.  Then he smiled and handed it back to Carter with a question. “What are you going to do with it?”

“I… we, I mean my wife and I have a plan to buy into the Blue Corp Executive scheme.” It was an expensive option even for a mid level Manager, let alone a Junior one like Carter, but their plan of slow but steady would get them there in a few years with the occasional bonus like this one. He would need about two hundred and fifty thousand to deposit into the scheme, and this was a solid foundation.

“You’re not betting on a win for the A.C.E.?” Came a slow not quite snide question from the man to Denis’s left, the Board Adviser Bryce Roberts.

“Well, I…” Carter blushed in front of Denis, the man who he most wanted to emulate who watched the playful seeming exchange with a grin.

“Come now, you must think you have the best of chances in your team now? Come on? What kind of Manager would not back his team out of the gate?” He looked at the other board members and smirked, “Better hope the bookies don’t find out.”

The board laughed along with him and Carter laughed more nervously, trying to stick to his plan. “Our plan was made before the Team was assigned to me, we’ve been on this path for a long time. At least two years now, and this is… well you understand having a plan sir?” He looked to Denis for support, himself a former Team Manager made into Board Legend and now Blue Corporation Senior Executive.

“Oh grow some balls man, back your team!” the advice was delivered in a friendly tone, but the exchanges they had in the CBT selection process were very combative. Bryce expected his advice to be obeyed like an order, and this Junior Level Manager had not only disagreed but forced a Board vote on the subject.

Of course the Board backed the Adviser with the years of experience, but Bryce never forgot an insult to his reputation.

“I… “ Carter wanted to stick to the plan and he was afraid that the win would fire the bookies up and the odds would stack for them. That kind of betting out of the gate would give the opposing team all they needed to know about the opposition and the gauntlet would be down, they would be in everyone’s sights as the team to ‘teach a lesson’ until they earned the Veteran tag with at least one real win under their belts.

He had one hundred and twenty two thousand in his hand, minus the five he needed for bills and expenses in the month that was a decent start to the plan. If he bet it and win he’d double or triple his winnings, but if he lost then he could be down his expenses for the month as well.

The first round engagement was in three days, he had until then to decide on where to put the money, decide how to avoid betting his entire future on it. For maximum return the Manager was allowed an ‘all in’ bet on his first engagement out of CBT, it meant that he had to throw all of the money into the bet and if he won it would double his investment and if he won with secondary objectives, he would triple his payment.

If he lost, he would lose it all and go back to CBT with a new team, maybe with some veterans if any were able to survive the battle. If he lost then the savings they had would not let them get to the next CBT without going back into debt, something they had only just managed to get out of after two years. He did not want to lose that money, the chances of the team surviving the first real battle round intact were slim, so triple was a pipe dream and double was … unlikely, they would be targets immediately with the records they set.

“A plan is good. It is the most sensible thing.” Denis patted Carter on the arm and gave him and understanding smile. “You do what is right for you and your lovely wife Cindy ok?”

“Ok.” His head was spinning, he was given an out and he was going to take it. Denis Smiley knew who he was and who his wife was. This was huge, wait until Carter told her what was happening, she would be over the moon!

“Though.” Denis had walked away and then stopped. He turned on his heels and scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I had a plan, as I said. But this mans advice?” He put a fatherly hand on Bryce’s shoulder, making them both stand a little taller. “You resisted it the first time round and look what agreeing with him got you.”

He furrowed his brow thoughtfully. “Your call, totally your call of course, but if I were you? I’d listened to your Board Adviser.”

“All in.” Carter said and felt his face flush in fear, cold and harsh in the artificial light of the meeting room. Did he just bet his entire future, all one hundred and twenty two thousand dollars on a single game he thought they would not likely win?

“Good man! That’s good company spirit; I knew you were worth giving the chairman’s bonus to! Can’t wait to see you win the next one!”

The Board and the Chair gave encouraging looks to Carter as they left the room, while he sat in the chair next to him with a thud.

“What did I do?” He mused and he wondered how on earth he would tell Cindy he had bet everything by being backed into a corner by the man who had made him so miserable during CBT.

He looked at the bonus he had on the digipaper, and he could see the amendments in red where Smiley had scribbled him a note. The server had already read and assigned the change to record, in the bottom of the payout section Denis Smiley had added a small “x2” in red and the total was now $244,200.