One Small Step for Man [Calliope/Ehefra]

She was glad she was not this woman.

That was the initial thought process that went through Ehefra's head as she stepped into the woman's office. She could already see it in her. From the look on her face, Calliope had the look that she fucking hated more than anything to see on someone's face. Someone who had been buried in paperwork. Didn't these people have actual in person work to be doing? Or MEETINGS to be had? A brief glance at the woman's desk had Ehefra wondering just how much time the Direcvtor had spent in this office. But perhaps she was just overreacting. She was a bit on edge about that shit thanks to a recent encounter with another Director.

"No problem. I know things have gotten pretty busy lately, but I have plenty of time when it comes to stuff like this." She assured the woman, glancing at the chair she had been directed to. She made her way over and stood infront of the chair, briefly considering just standing, before ultimately sitting in it. Beeps poked her head out of the inside of Ehefra's jacket, before simply going back to sleep inside her inner pocket. Having deduced that she would rather sleep.

"Things are going well. I admit, I was a little surprised at the state of it when I first entered my position. Was less of a division and more of just a fancy office I guess. But with some work, a bit of rebranding, and rennovations. I think that the success has been pretty immediate." She asserted. Naturally Ehefra having taken over the division had resulted in some considerable changes. Certainly, there were some more....old fashioned ideologies about technology and such when she became Administrator. Study, sure, but not much innovation. Something she had very quickly remedied. In addition to renaming the department and restructuring, the department had not only become much more active, but had become very integral as well. Ehefra's own inventions derived from her unique powers alone had extensively improved the department's ability to collect and process information.

She gestured to the woman's own personal console.

"I know you've probably already seen plenty of the reports. But I sent tou an Overall Report this morning to your Secure Mailbox. A general overview of ongoing Projects, including the installation of the new Training rooms in the Silbern and the City of Lights, as well as the Data collected during the Africa Conflict through the use of my Tracker Bracelets." She noted. The structural stuff she'd been applying to the City of lights ever since she joined the Vandenreich. But the Bracelets were a new addition. Initially designed to collect data on Liltotto Lampert while she was ....developing her unusual abilities. A numebr of other volunteers and Steingruft Field agents with the bracelets had been able to collect a large ammount of data on enemies that engaged with Vandenreich forces, as well as data on the abilities of the Vandenreich operatives themselves.

Data which had, among other things, Revealed that one of their Shinigami Operatives had an Inner Hollow they had not informed their superiors about. Admittedly a last minute addition to the report, but one that was worthy of mention as Ehefra had also included some concerns about the interaction she had with the young man in question.

Ehefra gave a nod of her head as she watched the woman pull up the file, perking a brow slightly. Ah. Well alright, she would have hoped that the woman would have called her here after reading it, but that was fine she supposed. "Thank you Ma'am." She noted softly, though at the mention of the woman's allocation of resources, Ehefra couldn't help but smile calmly. "Not at all. Truth be told, the majority of my projects have been handled by volunteers and drones. I've been encouraging members of the Steingruft to pursue their own projects so long as they garner approval of their coordinator or higher depending on what resourcves they want and the nature of the request. I've been pretty self sufficient outside of a few members who show an interest in my work. Honestly most my of work has been focused on infrastructure. I'm not gonna lie, I really was only tangentially aware of the project..... Beeps?"

She glanced down, and a little swiveling noise escaped her jacket as her companion Cube floated out and then hovered over the desk. After a moment, she pinged and a little holographic display of the design showed up. Specs, capabilities, and blueprints. Huh, seemed kinda ...rudimentary. It seemed mostly mechanical compared to what she was used to working with. However, she didnt look into it. She knew a lot about cirtizuing other peoples work, but this was also her boss, so she simply let Beeps settle back down into her jacket.

"I admit, that kind of project is outside of my expertise. In any case, was there anything specifically you wanted to speak with me in regards to?" She ventured, after all she hardly imagined this was just a normal performance review.

Ehefra's brows raised ever so slightly and she couldn't help but be a bit reminded of something she herself had actually been concerned about. However, she couldn't help but be a bit concerned about the woman. She took a gander at the schematic itself again. It seemed so...bad. As a matter of fact.... hadn't she put something together with that arrancar boy that would function similarly , but without all of that shit this thing put out? Hm. Her eyes shifted from Beeps, and then back to the Director. Weapons? Armor? Enhancements?

"I admit that I'm a little...confused. Our sphere of influence doesn't have much to do with armor and weapons. If you have enough troops to secure three territories, and have five territories you need to protect. Gearing up your men won't do anything for those spaces you dont' have the manpower to handle." She murmured softly, folding her arms.

"Not only that, but that sort of development isn't within my area of expertise. But I think some of my newer Steingruft have a bit more experience in that area. I'll see about putting them to the task, though I hope you'll excuse me for focxusing my own attentions elsewhere." She noted sympathetically. As amusing as it would be to learn about that kind of shit, she'd be better off delegating that work to the experts she had on staff.

Though certainly, Calliope wasn't the only one thinking about their compatibility as Subordinate and Superior.

"Director. IF you don't mind me asking, why exactly did you take the position of Director?" She gestured toward the projection of the woman's most recent pet project. "While I don't qute understand the function it's supposed to fufill, I can recognize that you're passionate about it coming to fruition as a benefit to the vandenreich. You have the kind of passion for your work that I'd expect from one of my Steingruft. And I can only imagine working on it has been chipped considerably by being director. So what stuck you here?"

Ehefra nodded her head slightly at that and let a hand rest on her hip.

"The matter of our forces won't be a problem for much longer. The future is where attention lays most comfortably. Regardless of the loss of forces we endured as a result of Africa, we've also seen an increase in applications. An entire City destroyed, and a massive section of a country rendered unlivable. And even more area is now much more dangerous than it once was. The Remnants of Vastime for the most part are relocating. Civillians torn from their homes. Soldiers and Guards seeking somewhere they can put their skills to use. Thanks to the Vandenreich's considerable presence in Africa, many of those individuals are finding their way here. We are, presently, experiencing a loss of manpower. But I believe in the coming months that will be compensated for by the flood of new recruits. Not just willing fighters, but people saved by us who feel that we represent something they want to be a part of. In that vein.... training is much easier to divy out than finite resources like weapons and armor." She stated plainly. She seemed awfully knowledgeable about preparing people for battle for a Researcher. But then again, if Calliope had taken the time to look into Ehefra's file, she'd have plenty of informationa s to why that is. She was, after all, once a wandering teacher for Quincy.

That tightened expression promptly relaxed Ehefra,. and her own smile grew so much more sincere. "We will be working together for quite some time. My purpose in the Vandenreich is to bring out the potential of every able bodied soldat. That would include you." She stated simply.

Even so, she couldn't help the look of utter dissapointment on her face.

What, her old job meant she didn't have a ladder to climb so she took a job with the Vandenreich? Was being a Top Dog more important than her passion?

Probably not. There was, in fact, likely more to the other woman's story. But the fact of the matter was that Calliope didn't speak about the why. She had chosen to divulge the 'How'. A choice that as it were, simply reflected badly on her character from Ehefra's point of view. But she kept such thoughts to herself.

"I can't really say I can understand any of that. My father wanted me to have a job like that. But what I wound up doing was wandering Malaysia for several years until I heard about the Vandenreich and came here. I uh.... kinda know that I come off a little rough around the edges, so sorry about that. Not an expert at playing nice. I had to be mean to my students or they wound up as hollow food. So for that, you have my apology if I'm coming off as disrespectful. With how busy we've been, I havent' been able to work on my manners s'mucha s I'd like." She reached up and lightly itched the back of her head as she made her concession. But all the same, she remained more or less calm. Something perhaps a bit annoying for someone like the Director who enjoyed seeing people squirm.

"So. Got any questions of further requests for me?"

Ehefra made a bit of a face as the response, but maintained something of a smile. Well that was a pretty long winded way to say 'Dont worry about it'. Still, she supposed she should at least be glad her boss wasn't taking offense.

"I mean, I have the blueprints. And truth be told,. I have a meeting later today with the Grandmaster in regards to the subject. Well... among a lot of other topics" She stated calmly, itching behind her ear before gesturing to Beeps who promptly gave a few trills before swiveling. "If you're really interested in it, the reports I sent to your console include those points in particular among them." She stated simply. "I hope you don't mind, but uh, I'd rather not get into the subject. As it's a lengthy one, and I'd rather not get carried away. The notes cover it well enough." She noted softly, standing upa s she did so.