Laughable

[Ghosts]

“Laughable.” Vanessa dropped the oft-reused manila folder, weakly struggling to contain a stack of scouting reports, comparison tables, and financial projections, with a casual disdain onto her boss’s unusually tidy desk. “You’ve cooked up some genuinely awful trades before, but this is easily,” Vanessa paused to consider whether to check her anger before deciding against it, “EASILY the worst. I am not signing off on this trade. Not a chance.”

Vanessa Chambers, AGM of the Niihama-shi Ghosts, had been with the organization since before her boss, and before their triumphant return to PEBA. She’d had her hands on nearly every maneuver, transaction, and decision the team made since she took on the AGM role in 2032. Briefly, she’d been in over her head, but in the rare instances that became obvious, Vail never brought it into focus. Vanessa was not one to repeat mistakes, and as such, there was never a need to offer corrections. This recognition, perhaps above even being granted the opportunity to ascend from the owner’s secretary to AGM, put Vanessa at peace in a way she’d never experienced professionally. Every failed GM and executive that preceded her ultimately became embittered towards her, as it was always clear that not only had she objected to most of their mistakes in private to Vanni, but that she had his respect. At least as much as he could offer a young woman.

Yet, despite the years of working together with an implacable mutual respect, and even winning a championship together, Vanessa had grown frustrated. The team had lost another division title and another Divisional Series to Toyoma. The former requiring a game 163, the latter requiring just four games to decide. For a team in the fourth year of a contention window, it was deeply vexing to share a division not just with Toyoma, but with perennial playoff contenders Shin Seiki and Okinawa as well. That, however, is baseball. Vanessa understood that. She accepted that. Her frustration came from a different source.

Vail looked at the discarded proposal for a moment before, without his eyes leaving their calm, distant gaze upon it, he asked, “Did you read this proposal?”

“Every. Idiotic. Word,” Vanessa offered coldly. Her boss’s calm demeanor only stoked her anger. Perhaps she’d expected a mea culpa of sorts when she reproached him for the trade offer he was proposing to make to Arlington for the top pick in the 2040 Amateur Draft. Vail’s lack of apologetic tone, however, was infuriating.

“Vanessa, I have always been impressed with your thoroughness and attention to detail. You’re certain you read everything,” Vail brought his gaze to meet hers, “in this proposal?”

“Dan, not only did I read everything in this absurdity, I wrote half of it! The evaluations of Roks and Karama – MY GUYS, by the way, MY DRAFT PICK AND MY TRADE ACQUISITION – are my evaluations! I WROTE THE PRELIMINARY 2040 DRAFT SUMMARY. THIS IS MY WORK YOU’RE PISSING AWAY! And for what?! YOUR DAMN KID?? Gerardo doesn’t even like him! Elias is never going to catch at the major league level! And those idiots at OSA have him far, far over-projected in hitting ability! You’re trading two top 100 prospects, the first we got for losing one of the best centerfielders in the game at your INEXPICABLE insistence mind you, our first round pick from last year, AND a goddamn second rounder for a decent DH! What the hell is wrong with you?!” Vanessa, normally not one to raise her voice or lose her temper, was rabid. She fought to keep Angel Franco from being traded to the Evas but was overruled. The thought of being overruled again made her blood boil. She was seeing stars. She did not know that was an actual thing that could happen if you got mad enough, but there they were. Her ears pounded in rhythm with her overpowered pulse.

“I understand your reservations about the trade. I don’t necessarily disagree with the bulk of what you’re saying. That said, I am the GM of this team. This trade is already done. I apologize for isolating you from this. I wanted you to have complete deniability from it. It’s an overpay. I get that. You shouldn’t have the reputation you’ve worked so diligently tarnished by this trade. So, now you can say, to Vanni or anyone else, that you were cut out of this discussion entirely. I’ll verify that,” and with that, Vail sighed and offered a half smile to his enraged protégé.

Vanessa was confused – a rare occurrence for her. “Why the hell even offer me this proposal if you – “

Vail cut her off, “I’ll verify that to anyone considering hiring you. You’re fired, Vanessa.”

Vanessa was speechless. Her breath stuttered as betrayal poured in like an ocean spilling over the edge of the world.

“Or rather I should say, your contract is not being renewed. Given that you read everything in this proposal, to include your contract renewal, which I imagine is,” Vail paused to open the proposal and flip to the final document, whose stapled corners remained unfolded, “yes, unsigned, this should come as no surprise.” Vail took a moment to study Vanessa, who was clearly struggling to contain a range of emotions, each more negative than the last.

“I’m sorry, Vanessa. I sort of thought this would go differently, where you would have asked me why that contract was in a trade proposal, and I would have explained that I preferred not to sign it, because,” and Vail paused again, this time to steady himself, “because I have nothing left to teach you. You are ready to be a GM. Unfortunately, I also like being a GM, so this job is taken, but you shouldn’t be playing second fiddle to me, or anyone else for that matter.”

Vail had managed to hold back a tear, but as he saw Vanessa’s eyes well up, he couldn’t help but to let his own eyes water. “Vanessa Chambers, I am so proud of you. I have been so privileged to be the one to loose your potential on this league. You’re a wonder, and now it’s time for you to take the next step in your path. It crushes me that you won’t be here anymore, and I know you would have stayed if I asked, so that’s why I have to force you out. It’s time.”

As Vail carefully extracted the tears from his eyes, he reached into drawer and pulled out a bottle of Basil Hayden 10-year-old bourbon, tastefully wrapped in a red bow, and offered it to Vanessa. Wordlessly, she accepted the offering. Vail pulled out two tumblers from the same drawer, and beckoned Vanessa to take a seat. “If we open this one, I promise to send another one once you take your next job.”

“That seems fair,” Vanessa smiled.

[Borealis]

WOW!!! And she really is gone!!