Posted July 22, 2021, 10:25 a.m. by Civilian Kenzo B'tren-Hyrushi (Governor) (James Sinclair)
Posted by Civilian Luana Iolani Kaili (Director of Medical and Social Services) in Governor’s Office - You Just Got Here, But… (Tag Dr. Luana)
Posted by Civilian Kenzo B’tren-Hyrushi (Governor) in Governor’s Office - You Just Got Here, But… (Tag Dr. Luana)
Posted by Civilian Luana Iolani Kaili (Director of Medical and Social Services) in Governor’s Office - You Just Got Here, But… (Tag Dr. Luana)
Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Kenzo looked at the letter of resignation and the very short list of potential candidates. “How in the Nine Hells am I supposed to move forward if I can’t keep positions filled?” he mumbled to himself. Then suddenly, his black eyes widened and he smiled. He pressed the comms and said “Please have Dr. Luana from Sacred Heart hospital come here as soon as possible, please.” He then began the process of installing the new Director of Health and Social Services.Hyrushi, Governor
Kaili had been in the middle of working her way through the latest reports from her staff, when she received the message to report to the Governor’s office as soon as possible. So after reading the last two paragraphs of the report she had been reading, she made her way out of her office and over towards his office.
When she arrived at her destination, Kaili greeted the security guard and then said, “My name is Doctor Luana Iolani Kaili and I have an appointment with the Governor.”
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
“Doctor, yes. The Governor is expecting you.” and they indicated the lift.
“Thank you,” Kaili replied with a nod and moved towards the lift. As she entered she immediately pressed the button that would bring her straight towards the Governor’s office. The lift ride wasn’t long, but left her just enough time to check herself in the mirror, making sure her black slacks and grey-ish blue blouse and her hair were still in order after her walk here.
As the lift doors opened, the Governor’s receptionist looked up and smiled. “Doctor. A pleasure. Please, go right in.”
After greeting the receptionist with a smile and a thank you, Kaili preceded towards the office and walked right in as she had been told.
As she entered, Hyrushi stood and smiled. “Ah, Doctor. So very good to see you again. Please, come in. Have a seat. Would you care for some tea?” he asked as he poured some into one of a pair of cups before him.
Hyrushi, Governor
“It’s good to see you as well, Governor,” Kaili greeted Kenzo with a warm smile as she walked into his office and sat down. “A cup of tea would be nice, thank you.” Tilting her head to the side, she contemplated him for a moment before asking, “What do you want to talk about Governor?”
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
Hyrushi smiled and said “Not so much talk as inform. We had a resignation recently in one of the colony directorships. Remembering you and I discussing the potentiality of you taking on such a role, but you very politely and graciously declining, I decided to offer you this position. Well… offer may be a bit of an understatement. However, it is a position you are immensely qualified and more than capable of doing. In fact, it is the same thing as your projects we discussed previously… just on a larger scale.” and he slid the now-poured cup of tea towards her.
Hyrushi, Governor
Reaching for the cup, Kaili looked at the Governor with one eyebrow raised. “What position are we talking about and why would ‘offer’ be an understatement?” she asked straight forward before lifting the cup to her lips and taking a small sip after inhaling the tea’s aroma. She was feeling slightly uncomfortable and was getting the impression that she wasn’t going to get much say in whether or not she’d take the position. And that was a prospect she did not like at all and yet she tried to remain open minded. After all, her gut feeling might be wrong or it might be a position she would actually be willing to accept anyway.
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
“Director of Health and Social Services. That is a position I need you to fill. The priorities and ideas you had when we had dinner were exactly what the role needs. Now, you can make those happen without seeking approval from anyone but yourself and me. It will also ensure that the colony has a dedicated Mental Health professional at the helm of the community’s medical system. You are, in short, the ideal candidate. And as such, I have already put you in the role. Your office is ready and your staff eager to get started. Now, I do know that this is sudden. But please… try and look at this as I am. You are absolutely the best fit. You are here. And you already had ideas to help in this very arena. If you can tell me three reasons why you aren’t the right person fo rthe job, I will remove your name. If you can’t, then you are the new Director. I simply cannot take no for an answer…” and he smiled at her, “… and you cannot turn away from the sheer amount of good you can do in this role. I know it to be true.”
Hyrushi, Governor
For several long moments Kaili simply looked at the Governor, her lips ever so slightly pursed and her eyes ever so slightly narrowed. Eventually she said, “I don’t like it when other people make decisions for me and leave me no real option to object or in this case: deny. I do see why you think I’m the best choice for this job. And while I don’t like the idea of changing positions so soon after arriving here, you are presenting compelling arguments.” Leaning slightly forward, she looked him deeply in the eyes and then asked, “Where is the catch?”
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
Kenzo smiled and leaned back and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. “My dear Doctor, I am never one to force anyone into a position they would not want. You absolutely can refuse or object.” and the smile widened slightly. “I just won’t accept it.” and he smiled in a genuinely friendly fashion. “In all seriousness, though… I thought if I simply asked you would, as you did the last time I offered you a position, simply decline as politely as you did before. Here you at least get a taste of the position first. As for the catch? It’s going to be a very difficult position. The colony is expanding… or rather… will be expanding. Quickly and with great emphasis on immigration and infrastructure development. Public Health will be intrinsic to making sure everyone stays healthy and cared for. It will be daunting, I will not lie to you.”
Hyrushi, Governor
With her eyes still slightly narrowed, Kaili listened. And then thought about it all in silence for several minutes while taking a few sips of tea. “If I say yes, and I’m not saying I will,” she eventually replied, “What exactly will this position be comprised of and what will it entail? And what are your expectations of the person who holds that position? And I want a straight forward, to the point answer, if you please.” Her voice was still even and gentle and her body language mirrored that. And while she wasn’t entirely happy with the way he was going about this, she wasn’t angry or upset either. She simply tried to get all the information she needed to make an informed decision and make it clear that she was capable to stand her ground, stand up for herself and that she wasn’t a push-over.
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
Kenzo felt her hesitancy and her irritation at the way he ‘assigned’ her to the role… but he also felt the undercurrent of excitement and even pride. “The position is comprised of you and a current staff of two-hundred and thirty seven employees of Oed Health and Social Services. It entails all aspects of public health: housing and building inspections, food service inspections and licensing, water quality, waste management… the list goes on. Additionally, I would like see a high priority placed on community services and mental health accessibility. Living under a dome isn’t natural. I want to make sure that people are adapting and that they are prepared for when the dome finally comes down… which I am striving to have happen sooner rather than later.”
Hyrushi, Governor
“That certainly encompass a lot. Including many areas that are way outside my field of expertise,” Kaili replied slowly and then drank another sip of tea. “And yes, I do understand that I don’t have to do all of that personally, but that my staff will be handling the majority of those tasks. And yet, even as more of a coordinator and the one who has the final say I’m not entirely sure I’m actually up for that task,” she added rather bluntly. “What makes you think I’m the best choice for that position?”
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
Kenzo’s face remained passive and he simply looked at her for a moment and then said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world…
“Because you care what happens.”
Kaili chuckled softly and looked at Kenzo with her eyebrows raised and a slightly lopsided smile on her face while once again saying nothing.
He waited a moment and then said “Almost anyone could ‘administrate’ the division, of course. Some could even it do it well… keep it running, make sure budgets are set and adhered to, personnel are performing adequately, tasks are completed timely and with the proper documentation… but they wouldn’t give a damn if their decisions impacted a neighborhood community center. Or a nursing home. Or a group of homeless living in a derelict building. They wouldn’t care if their policies made it harder for victims of displacement to find housing or food. They wouldn’t *care… as long as their precious bureaucracy was preserved and the appropriate forms filled out correctly.” He leaned forward, jet black eyes seeming to glow with an ebony fire.
Without blinking or shifting her position, Kaili stared back into Kenzo’s eyes. He did have a point. She just wasn’t sure if caring was enough to do that job well.
“I don’t want someone who is going to tick boxes, I want someone who will help. The. People. Period. And that’s you. You say you feel that you are not up to the task? I say how do you know until you try? So if you don’t want it, give me the three reasons I asked for and you can go. Otherwise… you have a meeting with your senior department managers in an hour. Which will it be, Doctor?”
Hyrushi, Governor
“Fair point, Governor,” Kaili replied after looking him deep into the eyes for a few more moments. “You are right that I won’t know for certain till I give it a try. I’m just hesitant to accept and consequently risk failing and leaving you or rather my successor with quite a mess. And yet other than that I can’t really think of any reasons not to take the job,” she continued honestly. “So I guess you found yourself a new Director of Medical and Social Services.” She couldn’t help but sigh ever so softly as she made herself smile at Kenzo.
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
Kenzo leaned back and visibly sighed in relief. “Doctor… if you fail it will not be you alone who does. I will support you and your Department with everything I can. So while it seems daunting, you are not in it alone. Also, you have more than a few openings, as the people who didn’t care have been let go over the past week, subordinates promoted, et cetera. So while you have some glaring holes in your organizational chart… you get to hire people who share your vision. And the ones who remain in the department are going to be supportive. Many are idealists at heart… I would recommend encouraging that idealism to grow. I think it will be good for us all. Do you have any questions?”
Hyrushi, Gov.
“I’m one hundret percent certain the questions will come, but right now I’m feeling a little overwhelmed, to be honest. There is a lot for me to think about. A lot to wrap my head around,” Kaili admitted unashamedly. “Though there is one question I already have: Am I free to hire whom ever I deem qualified or do I have to run those things by anyone first?”
~Dr. Luana Iolani Kaili
“Your department, your decision. The only thing they must do form the Government side is pass the security screening. Other than that, you may hire whomever you want. But, as is said, with great power comes great responsibility. You will be held responsible for the performance of your department. Make sure you hire those who will make that a non-issue.”
Hyrushi, Gov
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