Glinwick Inkblast stood patiently outside the steel pneumatic door. One arm curled around a neatly stacked bundle of files, note pads, and assorted paperwork, the even tempered gnome lifted her free hand and solidly depressed the blue button on the panel of blinking lights beside the door. She drew a steady even breath and moments after depressing the button the door slid smoothly to one side to the faint sound of air pistons firing. -Psss-
Inside the room opened to a large subterranean office space. In the middle stood a large heavy desk with organized piles of papers spread across its surface. Behind it sat her boss, Executive Officer of Operations and Resources Jilli Ann Freeblink. Her white hair was braided and worn tight to her head as two coiled buns. She spoke rather casually, a slight twinkle in her eye and smirk on her lips, to the image displayed upon a wide rectangle of imaging glass that floated near.
Freeblink stifled a giggle. "Of course, Nixi dearest! I'll get it done right away."
The image, that of a middle-aged balding gnome with a full brown mustache and green goggles, appeared flustered at being called 'dearest'. He looked to be preparing a scolding retort when with the a casual gesture from Freeblink the image faded and the floating imaging glass drifted back across the room to settle on a wall mounting.
"Ms. Freeblink. I have those records you requested." Inkblast said coldly.
Freeblink scooted in her wheeled chair down the length of the desk, gesturing to a vacant section of her desktop. "Put them here please."
As Inkblast moved across the room small devices (fashioned of a strange hybrid of mechanical and magic) were tirelessly at work sorting through the piles of paperwork, stacking, stamping, folding, and doing the many menial tasks Ms. Freeblink would otherwise be doing. Some of the devices were stationary, a few moved freely along tracks or with legs of their own, and still others levitated under their own power zipping this way and that throughout the expanse of the office.
Glinwick Inkblast moved casually through the chaos without an incident, learning long ago to just ignore their complex choreography. She place the files as directed and stood with her back straight, hands clasped behind her back.
"Is there anything else I can do for you, Ms. Freeblink?"
Several panes of imaging glass floated around the white haired gnome. She considered each in turn, interacting with their changing graphical displays. "Yes, Inkblast. I need to you submit two advertisements and a classified to the Scholar newspaper."
"Do you want them to say anything particular?"
"Not really. Short and simple." Freeblink shrugged.
"I leave the technical intellectual-tempest designing for you and your interns." Freeblink tapped on one floating screen then switched to another. The others shifted positions to remain within Freeblink's view.
"An ad for Henris Consulting. An ad for Dibik Engineering, and an add in the classifieds for Gnomerian Industries."
"Hiring again, ma'm?"
Freeblink nodded. "With expansion comes jobs and the need for the talent to fill them."
"Indeed, ma'm. I'll meet with the marketing department right way."
