09-27-2019, 07:11 AM
XBA Tower
Xiomeran Business Association headquarters
Downtown Tlālacuetztla
The Central Business District of downtown Tlālacuetztla was, in its own way, as much a symbol of Xiomera as the Palace of Flowers. The ancient, massive pyramids and walls of the Palace loomed over the city from their lofty perch in the foothills, as they always had. But the gleaming high-rises and skyscrapers at the center of the Chipahua Valley were the epitome of what Xiomera had become since the days when the Emperors who occupied that palace were chosen by such a primitive method as a hereditary monarchy. Thoroughly modern and glowing with comfortable wealth, their elegant towers reached for the heavens themselves, soaring over the valley and even aspiring to the same heights as the Palace.
For Xocolcōza, the Chairman of the XBA, this was only fair. As he sat at his place at the head of the conference table, he turned to look out the window at those towers. The conference room at the top of the XBA Tower had a particularly nice view of downtown Tlālacuetztla, with a 360-degree set of windows revealing the entire valley below. As he let his eyes wander over the center of the Xiomeran business world, Xocolcōza was reminded of the motto engraved into the walls of the XBA Tower lobby.
Our prosperity is your prosperity.
Xocolcōza had always liked the XBA motto, because to him, it was simply the truth. What was good for Xiomeran business was good for Xiomera. The corporations of Xiomera kept the Xiomeran economy functioning, and kept Xiomera's citizens wealthy and happy. Most of them, anyway.
If you asked different people in the Xiomeran government, you would get a dozen different theories about what kept Xiomera afloat. Xiomera was an odd nation, after all. A nation that was hardly democratic, in the traditional sense, but was still able to run a competent and competitive economy and keep its people living the good life. Some Xiomeran officials would argue that the Xiomeran culture was responsible for that. Others would cite the effectiveness of the government in maintaining order and harmony, or security.
Xocolcōza knew better. One thing kept Xiomera afloat, and one thing only. Money. When people have money in their pocket, and their needs met, they don't care enough to demand change. In fact, they run from change, because what kind of fool wants to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?
It wasn't the government that kept Xiomera afloat. It certainly wasn't the security forces. It was people like Xocolcōza, and the other men and women sitting in this room at the top of the world. Arranged at the other seats of the table were the top leaders of Xiomeran business. Longstanding corporate stalwarts such as Lohuā Licā, Mizhua and Coltec; new-school disrupters like Xō, Teliz and Matlate; and the tech companies like ISTC. And, of course, Cala Computer Corporation, Xocolcōza's own company.
Keeping the people fat, rich and happy was what kept them from carrying pitchforks and torches instead of smartphones and snacks. If Xiomera survived, it was because of what happened in rooms like this, not musty holdovers like the Chamber of Whispers.
And in this particular room, at this particular time, like the businesspeople they were, the members of the XBA saw an opportunity for a hostile takeover.
"So we are agreed then?" Zaxōc, the CEO of Mizhua Corporation, asked. "Do we need to even take a vote?"
"I doubt we need to. I think we are all on the same page here, no?" Tlitiaya, the CEO of Coltec Automotive Corporation, replied softly.
"Indeed. We've kept Xiomera running for all these years; we may as well make it official at this point," Mezcalinzi, the CEO of ISTC, said with a laugh that soon echoed around the table. "So. We will nominate our Chairman, Xocolcōza, as a candidate for Emperor in the event that our beloved Emperor Topilpopoca should fail to recover from his unfortunate wounds." Mezcalinzi threw in the part about Topilpopoca just in case anyone was listening, such as the ASI; luckily audio recording devices couldn't detect the massive eyeroll that followed his words.
"I thank you all for your support, and am honored to accept your nomination. I do hope the Emperor recovers, as we all do," Xocolcōza said, the smirk on his face belying the words of devotion. "However, should it be necessary to appoint a new leader, I think we can all agree that the most likely potential candidates are not acceptable from a business perspective. We've always wanted to run Xiomera like a business; I think it is time we put that into practice."
As the rest of the people around the conference table nodded and agreed, Xocolcōza calmly sipped his coffee. I will not let the idiots who may try to replace Topilpopoca run this country and its economy into the ground. If I have to replace them, so be it, he thought.
Xiomeran Business Association headquarters
Downtown Tlālacuetztla
The Central Business District of downtown Tlālacuetztla was, in its own way, as much a symbol of Xiomera as the Palace of Flowers. The ancient, massive pyramids and walls of the Palace loomed over the city from their lofty perch in the foothills, as they always had. But the gleaming high-rises and skyscrapers at the center of the Chipahua Valley were the epitome of what Xiomera had become since the days when the Emperors who occupied that palace were chosen by such a primitive method as a hereditary monarchy. Thoroughly modern and glowing with comfortable wealth, their elegant towers reached for the heavens themselves, soaring over the valley and even aspiring to the same heights as the Palace.
For Xocolcōza, the Chairman of the XBA, this was only fair. As he sat at his place at the head of the conference table, he turned to look out the window at those towers. The conference room at the top of the XBA Tower had a particularly nice view of downtown Tlālacuetztla, with a 360-degree set of windows revealing the entire valley below. As he let his eyes wander over the center of the Xiomeran business world, Xocolcōza was reminded of the motto engraved into the walls of the XBA Tower lobby.
Our prosperity is your prosperity.
Xocolcōza had always liked the XBA motto, because to him, it was simply the truth. What was good for Xiomeran business was good for Xiomera. The corporations of Xiomera kept the Xiomeran economy functioning, and kept Xiomera's citizens wealthy and happy. Most of them, anyway.
If you asked different people in the Xiomeran government, you would get a dozen different theories about what kept Xiomera afloat. Xiomera was an odd nation, after all. A nation that was hardly democratic, in the traditional sense, but was still able to run a competent and competitive economy and keep its people living the good life. Some Xiomeran officials would argue that the Xiomeran culture was responsible for that. Others would cite the effectiveness of the government in maintaining order and harmony, or security.
Xocolcōza knew better. One thing kept Xiomera afloat, and one thing only. Money. When people have money in their pocket, and their needs met, they don't care enough to demand change. In fact, they run from change, because what kind of fool wants to kill the goose that lays the golden eggs?
It wasn't the government that kept Xiomera afloat. It certainly wasn't the security forces. It was people like Xocolcōza, and the other men and women sitting in this room at the top of the world. Arranged at the other seats of the table were the top leaders of Xiomeran business. Longstanding corporate stalwarts such as Lohuā Licā, Mizhua and Coltec; new-school disrupters like Xō, Teliz and Matlate; and the tech companies like ISTC. And, of course, Cala Computer Corporation, Xocolcōza's own company.
Keeping the people fat, rich and happy was what kept them from carrying pitchforks and torches instead of smartphones and snacks. If Xiomera survived, it was because of what happened in rooms like this, not musty holdovers like the Chamber of Whispers.
And in this particular room, at this particular time, like the businesspeople they were, the members of the XBA saw an opportunity for a hostile takeover.
"So we are agreed then?" Zaxōc, the CEO of Mizhua Corporation, asked. "Do we need to even take a vote?"
"I doubt we need to. I think we are all on the same page here, no?" Tlitiaya, the CEO of Coltec Automotive Corporation, replied softly.
"Indeed. We've kept Xiomera running for all these years; we may as well make it official at this point," Mezcalinzi, the CEO of ISTC, said with a laugh that soon echoed around the table. "So. We will nominate our Chairman, Xocolcōza, as a candidate for Emperor in the event that our beloved Emperor Topilpopoca should fail to recover from his unfortunate wounds." Mezcalinzi threw in the part about Topilpopoca just in case anyone was listening, such as the ASI; luckily audio recording devices couldn't detect the massive eyeroll that followed his words.
"I thank you all for your support, and am honored to accept your nomination. I do hope the Emperor recovers, as we all do," Xocolcōza said, the smirk on his face belying the words of devotion. "However, should it be necessary to appoint a new leader, I think we can all agree that the most likely potential candidates are not acceptable from a business perspective. We've always wanted to run Xiomera like a business; I think it is time we put that into practice."
As the rest of the people around the conference table nodded and agreed, Xocolcōza calmly sipped his coffee. I will not let the idiots who may try to replace Topilpopoca run this country and its economy into the ground. If I have to replace them, so be it, he thought.
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