Ling ran her finger over the edge of her cup. Round and round it went as she sunk deeper and deeper into herself.
She was on the phone, talking apparently, but all that felt so far away, like it was all taking place on another planet and she was just watching a recording.
"The first alpha tests, despite difficulties, have gone well. Once the last one is complete, I think we're ready to move to the next stage," crackled a voice by her ear.
"That's all well and good but what we really need to be doing is riding this media wave," said another voice. "I need a bigger staff to handle all the interviews."
"It's not a good idea to hire up too many people all at once then fire them later," broke in Ling, forcing herself to land on the ground.
"Interns then," pushed the Head of Marketing. "I don't care what their qualifications are. I need ready hands and feet on the ground."
