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| Corporate Takeover |
| (2013-05-19 - 2013-05-19) |
| Minette Odam approaches Souji with a Plan. This Plan has a high degree of corporate attitude. |
| Souji Murasame | The Ame-no-Torifune flies through the sky, putting distance between it and Baron. There are just some things that aren't worth holding onto. Souji is working on some paperwork in his office, looking over documents and planning the Zaibatsu's next move. There is so much to so, so little time to do it in. He feels like he's forgetting something, but what? It nags against the edge of his consciousness, something that is unacceptable to the perfectionist heir, but it just won't go away. What could it be? |
| Minette Odam | Charts enter Souji's office on schedual, with Minette's arms wrapped around them. There's a muffled 'hehwoh bohss' from behind the postures, and then most of them abruptly hit the ground, with Minette's arms scrambling to catch as many as possible to the effect of losing even more. She is holding a poster tube in her mouth. "Hhhhhhhrmm. Sohwwy bohss." She intones, before spitting the tube out and setting herself to the task of picking all her stuff up off of the floor and getting it laid out on the presentation easel. "Okay, I think that you're really gonna like this, Mr. Murasame." Minette opens with a degree of eagerness in her voice. "Because it's maximum profit, minimum expendit--" Minette's glasses sweep around the office. "Did you do something with this place? It feels like something is missing." |
| Souji Murasame | The heir looks up as Minette arrives. He pauses, sighing to himself as she enters. Oh right, that's what he forgot. He waits patiently as Minette begins to recover (for a defintiion of recover) and lays out her presentation on the customary apparati provided. His hands fold together, and Minette asks her question. Souji is quiet for a moment, looking back and forth around the office. It is arranged and decorated how he always designed it... "Everything appears to be fine." Souji says, and he looks back to Minette. "Proceed with your presentation." |
| Minette Odam | "...huh." A look of genuine confusion washes over Minette's face. A moment later she shrugs and goes back to picking her charts off of the floor and hanging them on the easel. "Okay, so, this is Narshe." A laser pointer dot falls on the town in a map of the world. "Rapidly industrializing town, very wealthy, mining based economy that doesn't look like it's going to slow down anytime soon. Their shift to a technological focus is due to their close neighbor... formerly close, before the fall, Figaro, whom they've enjoyed a friendly and healthy trading relationship. But there's a lot of old businesses in Narshe, one of them is Milner Tool Works. They make very fine hand crafted tools. In fact, they probably make the finest handcrafted tools for hundreds of miles. But they've got mounting problems and are having issues turning a profit due to outdated business models and obsolecence. Still with me?" |
| Souji Murasame | Souji watches impassively as Minette points out Narshe. She puts out her spiel and informs him of the potential in the area. "All right. So you've identified a point of opportunity." Souji doesn't look like he's happy yet. "What are your plans for this business?" |
| Minette Odam | "The controlling interest in the shareholders is Frances Milner. He's the grandson or great-grandson or great-grea... you get the point." Minette twirls a hand around expressively, flipping the sheet over. "He just inhereted that interest from his father five years ago, and each of those five years has seen a reduction in incoming profits despite an increasingly large market share. Because it's a larger share of a shrinking market, right? The company is numbered, they can't compete with locally manufactured power tools. Milner can read the writing on the wall and he's looking to get out while the place is still turning a profit. He's willing to sell all of his stock, for cheaper then it's really worth, right? That's where we come in. We buy it. All of it." |
| Souji Murasame | Souji nods at this point. "All right. So we take possession of a failing business. How are you planning to convert their model to one that provides a return on our investment?" |
| Minette Odam | "We don't!" Minette says proudly, flipping over her chart to reveal a picture of a dollar sign. The chart is maked with the number '7' in the corner, though it's clearly the third in the list. Minette glances back over her shoulder after what is surely a less then amused glare from The Boss and announces, "Oh, /malboro farts/." at the incorrect chart. She starts flipping rapidly between presentation charts. "Fooey, no, no, no... augh, Diablos take it." She picks up a marker and flips the easel over to get at the white board on the back. "Okay, so, Milner wants out because he doesn't know how valuable the place really is. We give him in... one million for his shares, making us the controlling interest. So we're down a million." Minette scribbles a hasty '-1 mil' on the board. "THEN! We shut the place down. Equipment like they have is very big in Palamecia right now. They're building up for a big war, the Emperor's opening mines left and right... like ours, and the country hasn't caught up technologically, yet. And he's a conqueror, so his treasury is practically hemmoraging gil with everyone trying to get a piece of the action. We can turn around and sell this equipment," Minette snaps her fingers, "Like that. Five million, easy." -1 mil +5 mil "And THEN, we sell the /land/. Worst case scenario, the buyer is an agricultural interest. Narshe isn't great for farming, all the cold and the hills and rocky ground. Even then, though? Huge amount of acres, easily worth twenty million." -1 mil +5 mil +20 mil =24 mil Minette circles that last number several times. "Milner is sitting on that much and he doesn't even know it. Well, divide that by half, he'd have to pay out the other shareholders. Well, okay, not divide by half, really it's be multiplying by point five two since he has a fifty two percent controlling interest. But you see, Mr. Murasame?" |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | The thing about being the big, almost motionless guy is that you tend to become part of the scenery if you're not doing anything important. In this way, the largest people can become the stealthiest and most unobtrusive, as long as they make a point to stay out of the way. Artyom is not a ninja, he is not a thief, but what he is, is very difficult to notice. Or maybe, he's always been there, and since he wasn't saying anything, nobody was paying attention to him. Either or! But now, he speaks. "Mmn. Liquidating assets is good, but I feel as though we may be overlooking something." Artyom rumbles, craning his neck to pop the joints in his shoulders. "Brand name. It is a very old, very historic brand. Loyal customers and loyal business partners are likely to exist across the World of Ruin. Money is good, so are big numbers, but outright liquidation runs the risk of losing potential ins on other businesses and information. Not to mention local animosity, unless part of the profit is re-invested into Narshe." "Perhaps more investigation is necessary to determine best course of action after stock purchase, mmn? Liquidation still on the table, but check and see potential non-official resources that could be available." |
| Minette Odam | "KYAH!" Minette jumps roughly a foot into the air, flinching away from Artyom's voice. "Kya-haa-haa-haaaaaa!" Minette beats her fists against Artyom's bold bigflank in a futile and barely felt gesture of disapproval. You can almost see the tears streaming from her eyes. "Arrr-teeee-yooooooom! I told you not to sneak up on meeeeee!" |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | Artyom grunts and looks away. That color in his cheeks may or may not be the tell-tale sign of a Titan being sheepish. "My apologies," Artyom rumbles, "I've been here for a while." He says, the tone in his voice vibrating in time with Minette's chest-thumping. Artyom has much bulk to pound, and very large lungs. He also has a big hand with which to pat Minette's head. "I am sorry. I did not mean to interrupt." |
| Minette Odam | Minette flails away with her itty bitty fists and noodle arms for a few more seconds with such a frowny-face on before huffily calming down. But she's still wearing a frowny face. /Such/ a frowny face. |
| Souji Murasame | Souji just watches these theatrics impassively. "That would give us a good injection of capital." He considers the situation. "But Valodjn also has a good point. Additionally, I want to establish an alternative resource flow besides Palamecia in case our arrangement with the Emperor goes sour. Have you had Ingersleben or Valodjn look over the land and assess its natural resources? If there are none there, perhaps we can use the money from the liquidation to purchase the rights to a superior location elsewhere, closer to our concerns. Logistics continues to be a nightmare in thie World of Ruin." |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | 'In case,' Artyom thinks. 'More like When.' He does not say these things, because he's sure that Souji has already come to more or less the same conclusion. Instead he replies to the most pertinent issue. "I have not yet surveyed the Narshe mines, though I understand that they are rather mineral-rich. I easily could do so within the coming week, however." |
| Minette Odam | "They've got rocks and they've got snow." Minette replies. "This is in the lowlands, so there isn't really anything worth digging into, not with established veins up in the mountains proper." Minette taps a finger on her chin. "We /might/ be able to land a prospector with more money then sense, but... like I said, the agraculture interest is low turnover but secure, Narshe doesn't have much arable land. Once again, rocks, snow." Minette clears her throat as Souji's aura of 'shut up and behave you morons' exerts itself and she starts flipping her charts again. She comes to rest on a list of names with percentages next to them. The other shareholders. "This is some..." Minette frowns, more like scrunches up her face like a petulant three year old at Artyom, "But only very some, merit to what Artyom said. He was right about it being old with loyal partners. The board of stockholders has a provision to override the majority shareholder... it's a family business but it wasn't totally stupid, but they'd need to meet a high quorum to hold the vote and even if they meet that, any two of the signifigant minor shareholders voting in our favor would block that. There would be some resistance, but once we explain things, I'm certain that profits would influence their votes. Frankly, sir, there isn't anything worth keeping. And our own treasure isn't what I'd call healthy... we're far from broke, but one good disaster and we'll be wiped of operating capitol. I advise taking this money for the quick injection of funds, twelve million gil isn't anything to sneeze at, and investing it somewhere lucrative. Like I said, advancing technology is killing Milner Tools. We're just giving it a graceful send off instead of a protracted, steady decline that can't be prevented and profits no one in the long term." |
| Souji Murasame | If Souji can trust Odam on one thing, it's hard numbers. And that's what he pays her for. When Odam's response comes and she finishes explaining the situation and the context in which everything is occurring, he nods. "All right. That appears to be sufficient data to make a decision on the matter." Souji says. "We're going with your plan, Odam. Start the process of buying him out and making us that profit. We need that money." He pauses, and looks over to Valodjn. "I want you to look over the land and see if there's anything we can pull out of it of note before we sell off the land. It's not illegal if we do it while we own it." |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | "Mmn, not necessarily," Artyom rumbles. "Mountains and hills often hold much in the way of mineral resources. However, it is because of this that many people are attracted to those regions, and tend to mine out the most readily accessible minerals. Lowlands in resource-rich areas can, over time, actually become more profitable than the mountain itself. However, work will be necessary." The Titan folds his arms over his chest, resting his shoulders against a particularly empty spot along Souji's walls. "Thirza and I are Geomancers, Minette. Do not judge land only by its surface. It would be wise to allow us to survey the area before making any decisions about what wealth might lie underneath." "Besides," Artyom grunts, "I believe there is a way to maintain mineral access while selling rights to the topsoil. If we were to lease the land instead of selling it, then we could see greater profit-over-time, while performing patchwork mining operations on more useful regions." Souji does, however, come to a conclusion on the matter. Artyom inclines his head deferentially, "Understood, sir. I will take Thirza and begin surveying." |
| Minette Odam | Minette holds up a finger. "Provided we share fourty eight percent of whatever it is with the other shareholders, remember. As your accountant, I still have to recommend total liquidation. We don't have the raw power that we did. We need investment capital, solid investment capital, before we can start looking into more stabile long term prospects. Like that mine in Palamecia. And that contract /is/ going to get renegotiated the first time Mateus' army has a can of whup-butt opened up on it." |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | "If there are minerals there, we will find them," Artyom shrugs, "The Valodjn Family rose as a mining concern- we have... experience in these matters." More like 'entire rituals built specifically to cheat at mining.' "Furthermore, I have confidence in Thirza's abilities. One way or another, this should be profitable." |
| Souji Murasame | "I am expecting the exact same thing, Odam. If not sooner. I'm more interested in small, portable objects that tend to be buried in unexpected places. Like Magicite, or technological remains. Things we don't have to declare on the forms. We can get iron and gold and copper elsewhere." Souji leans back in his chair. "And as long as the other fourty-eight percent stay in their place, everything will go smoothly enough." He folds his hands together. |
| Minette Odam | "Yipee!" Exclaims Minette as her motion carries. "Well, that was simple. Now all I have to do is throw a briefcase of money at someone then explain to a room full of people how they can make money by doing nothing! Easy! Except the public speaking. UuuUUuuuu..." Maybe she'll get Helena to do that part. |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | Artyom once more puts his massive hands too good use. By gently patting Minette on the head like some kind of colossal big brother. "Good job, Minette. I am glad that something has gone well for you. Now, make sure everything goes well on the follow-through, mmn?" |
| Souji Murasame | Souji does not seem like he's going to celebrate Minette actually making a plan and following through. In Murasameland, this is the expectation, and one doesn't praise what is typical. "I look forward to hearing of your success." Don't screw up, Odam. |
| Minette Odam | Minette moves to collect her materials from the easel. This goes about as well as one expects and results in Minette's posters ending up all over the floor. Again. "Aww, nerts." Minette starts collecting her fallen materials, but then she looks up with an expression on her face that implies that she just remembered something. "Oh! Hey. Do either of you know anything about how to seduce a man? I figured you'd have insider information, being, y'know... guys." |
| Artyom W. Valodjn | There is a sound. It's a mental sound. Not really there, but definitely heard: It is a record scratching, all too suddenly. Frank just sort of stares down at Odam with all the incredulousness of a befuddled cat. He inclines his head-- "Well," Artyom grunts. "I might... Know someone who can help." |
| Souji Murasame | Souji is :|ing as hard as he can. "That is not something I can assist you with." Souji says, simply. "You may wish to consult someone who is more of a specalist in such things." |
| Minette Odam | Minette locks eyes with Souji and the force of :| is so overwhelming that Minette goes 8O and blushes a deep and profuse shade of red. Artyom's words go over her head, literally and figuratively. And mumbles an excuse and rushes out of the room. |