Interview Day

  “Outside of fast food, almost no one interviews only once in the modern work environment. Most initial meetings are done over online meetings, with two or even three interviews before final hiring.”

  “Partially this is an aspect of COVID, but ironically, during the pandemic, it was discovered that fewer enhanced who could influence interviewers managed to get jobs they weren’t qualified for. The ability to review recorded interviews, as well as the tendency of digital communications to deaden or diminish such talents was a surprisingly obvious, in retrospect, security step.”

  Solaris rolled her shoulders and smiled at Elenore, “I am looking forward to this. I enjoy meeting new people.”

  "I know... and over the next couple of days you're going to meet quite a few." She chuckled. "and some of the students are probably going to talk to you at the party to see if they can present an opportunity we didn't know about. And if you're ready, we have the first applicant ready for you?"

  Solaris nodded, taking a sip of tea which was perfectly prepared by the hotel staff. "Let’s begin!"

  "First we have Mr. Tam Song-Jin. He's a North Korean refugee whose family managed to flee, though they ended up in Japan by mistake. However, his Enhanced nature was noticed when the shipping container they were in was identified, thus the family was allowed to immigrate as refugees." She said, reading the background. "He was transitioned into the NKKA, their version of the American ESEA schools, translates to Japanese Enhanced Training Academies." She explained. "He's certified up to business jets, and while he'll need to recertify in American licensing, which should be somewhat streamlined with his existing licenses and hours in flight."

  "A pleasure to Meet you Mr. Song-Jin. I hope your stay in Japan has been kind. She gave him a polite bow gesturing for him to take a seat. So you are applying for one of our pilot positions then?"

  "Yes ma'am." His accent was noticeable but thin, more Japanese than anything but with a strange tone here and there as he spoke English. "I was training for a job as an airline pilot, I've actually neglected to update my resume as I was just recently qualified on the Airbus A320 type, specifically. A small airliner."

  He paused, then sighed. "To be honest, however, I have had issues with my pending applications to airlines and other concerns. The Japanese government has been very kind to me and my family. My parents run a small restaurant in the town near the academy I trained in, but the Japanese business world is a bit complicated for non-Japanese."

  "They have always been insular." Solaris nodded. "Are you alright basing yourself out of the US? While I do travel extensively, right now that is my home, though between my projects and El’s, we will keep you in the air quite a bit."

  "I absolutely do not mind. I accepted early on in my job hunt that I would likely end up looking outside of Japan."

  "Any hobbies, or are you a pure flyboy?"

  "I ride sport bikes, and hike. My power makes hiking particularly rewarding. I have an ability we've taken to calling Thoughtography. Basically, I can create images I think or remember into drawings on paper, though I have to use existing tools and pigment to do it. I have enhanced dexterity that helps, though I have no real artistic sense, so my imagined images are, I am told, poorly constructed."

  "My motorcycle and ultralight have very nicely done graphics, though. I looked them up online."

  “That is a fascinating power, not one I have heard before, I bet it has some interesting applications. My driver Marcus also rides motorcycles, I think he would enjoy having someone to ride with, and several of my current staff enjoy hiking, we are near some very nice parks in New York.”

  "A longer road trip would also allow the Appalachian trail to be an option, a vacation I would not mind taking, after working an appropriate amount of time, of course."

  "A worthy trip, I've been to the area though it's been a while. It is beautiful." She liked his manners. "I think we will be calling you shortly."

  “Thank you. I hope you have a place for me. “

  She stood and shook his hand. “Thank you for your time.”

  “I like him, I think he will be good.” Solaris said after he left.

  “Yes, I agree. Next, we have, hm, two gentlemen asking to interview together. “

  “Interesting, to be fair we interviewed Levi and Erica together. I have no opposition to interviewing them together. A moment later a tall redhead with Asian features and a shorter Asian man with white streaks dyed in his hair walked in handing Elenore the folders with their resumes and a small thumb drive. “Thank you for meeting with us. I am Shun Ako and this is Ken Thomas codenames Smoke and Amp.

  “I see you are a cinematographer and editor, and you are a musician, specifically instrumental. “

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  They nodded, sitting at Solaris’s gesture. “That is correct, we publish online under Smoke Waves and Amp. Ken said. We’ve been watching the videos that wore coming out of Griffin garage and thought it would be a good place to expand our following and work with other creators.”

  "From what you list here, you also do music for other creators and are interested in continuing that." Elenore read. "Do you have a reel, and examples of your music?"

  “Yes, it’s on that USB stick we put in with our resumes.”

  "Then give me just one moment." Elenore plugged the drive into a small Chromebook she'd brought, specifically to look at last minute electronic documents such as this and hit play.

  The first piece was a melodious semi classical semi synth piece, with beautiful shots of cherry trees in full bloom, the moon overhead, mist rising from the ground, then fading in the sun as the tree's wept petals onto the wind.

  "Very nicely shot. You were the camera, as well as editing?"

  "Yes, Though Ken helped with lighting and shooing people out of the shots. We've been a team since we got to the schools.”

  The next video started, a pure instrumental piece set to images of people moving along a street in hyperlapse.

  "The first couple pieces are things we did together, after that is some colab and commission stuff we've done." Ken said.

  "Right, the production work is very well done." Elenore admitted, as she watched. "And the music is well composed. Is it all original?"

  "Yes, I do all my own composing, though I can also mix and edit music from open source and other vendors." Ken said with a smile.

  "And you don't mind being out in house 'composer', though I suppose that might sound a little grandiose for YouTube." El chuckled.

  "Hey, I like the sound of that! It's a lot of steady work I can do and still do session work. Ken said, Shun nodding.

  "Exactly and you aren't going to run your studios like a lot of the ones here in Japan. The entertainment industry is brutal here. And both Ken and I want to be able to love our work, not be ground to dust beneath it."

  "We'll work out the details behind how we'll work things like ownership rights and such on projects we assign as we go. I think we might have a place for you both. Let’s go over this tonight and we'll talk more tomorrow, including potential contracts."

  The two men nodded, standing and bowing. "Thank you. We appreciate the opportunity to work with you. We think you and Lady Summers are building something special."

  "We're trying." After they left, Elenore mused. "We're building something more complex than I think we anticipated at least."

  Solaris nodded. "I'm still learning, but what we are building is fun, I love seeing the passion the...Creators put into making their products."

  "Yes, well, if we take skills that others in the group have into account, this guy will give us a music department. Anzy plays at least a couple of instruments, probably more, and I know Talia plays guitar and base." Elenore explained.

  "Then there's the other gentleman who has an actual cinematography degree. Arguably we have a small TV or Film production house at this point, more than a simple YouTube collective."

  "I actually don't see the difference. Other than people having more choice of what and when they want to watch things. Fan films, shot on cell phones, can be almost as good as Hollywood." Solaris said. "It almost feels a bit like going back to the studio system where production houses kept stables of talent."

  "In a weird way. Technically we might fall into the category of "Content Farm" but we're way more... better than the normal example of such a thing."

  “We must be better to inspire others." Solaris said laughing as she quoted herself. "A good motto in business as well as heroing I suppose.”

  "Could certainly do worse. Better than 'Leave no Witnesses.”

  "Darling, depending on what you’re doing that goes without saying!" The tiny blond teased. as the door opened, and a man with fair skin and freckles walked in, his brown hair in a neat cut. "Hello, my name is Alexi Gregorvich. I am here to apply for a pilot position. His English was perfect, with only a touch of accent. He handed his resume to Penny and bowed politely before taking a seat.

  "Refugee, again... Lots of that are going around today." Elenore observed. "But it is not uncommon in the schools in the US either. Pilot, certified in Europe for multi-Engine, jet, and as a teacher. We'll need to get that all set up in the US of course. What sort of flying have you been doing, or is it just training so far?"

  "I did some crop dusting in Russia," he said, "and I've flown the schools’ planes, I also am a standby pilot for a few places, but the work is infrequent.

  "But some practical experience." Elenore nodded, making a note. "I take it that the lack of positions with steady work is why you're interested in this position?"

  "Yes. There are not going to be a lot of opportunities for me here, when there are native born men wanting the same opportunity." He shrugged. "And I get that, Russia likes to...anger everyone, and I am grateful that Japan was willing to take me in and give me a chance at a better life."

  "You aren't your home nation, though our Chef is Ukrainian, so she'll give you a little guff, but not much. She's a sweetheart."

  "I'll offer her my Grandmother's Borscht recipe to go easy on me." he said with a grin.

  "Oh, I hear the debate starting now." Elenore chuckled. "That being said, I know we need another pilot, and your background is strong, so I think we can work with you."

  Alexi chuckled. "And I didn't even have to offer the carrot I had."

  "Oh, do tell, what's the carrot? We'll still take it, after all!" Solaris laughed.

  "My enhancement. I am Panlingual, I speak all languages. A useful ability for Globetrotter."

  "Extremely useful. The best the rest of us can do is Anzy, she speaks... eight languages I think?"

  "I'm not sure but I know she sent multiples of herself to language classes, so it wouldn't surprise me."

  Alexi smiled. "I look forward to the Banquet this evening."

  "We all are, trust me." Elenore said with a smile. "We have three restaurants catering, plus music. It'll be a grand time."

  "And we will get a chance to meet the British students. Have you met with any of them yet?"

  "I talked to a couple as they got here." The Russian confirmed. "They were all planning on a nap then enjoying the banquet. Apparently, the British school reached out to other EU schools, they only wanted to bring students who were legitimately interested, and that spread the field out a bit."

  Solaris chuckled, “And possibly gets more little birds out of the nest. I look forward to meeting them.”