Vanzar's Voyage - Navigating the Corporate Cosmos [Part II]

I clutched Dev’s hand tightly.

“Please don’t kill my husband. Please.. Please..!”

That was all I could think of. Dev looked calmer than me but the reciprocating tight grasp of my hand was telling a different story.?

There they were….

Sitting on my Sofa, their tentacles intertwined with each other, as if they were holding hands just like us.?

It did feel like a dream but the beads of sweat on the side of my face, the sweaty palms, and the pulsating heart beat seemed too real.

I wasn’t dreaming. Two aliens were actually sitting in my drawing room. Two freaking aliens!?

Within a few minutes, a sense of normalcy restored in the room. It felt oddly natural. Dev and I were still looking at them, totally out of our minds but something perplexed us even more - why were we not feeling scared of them? You’d not anticipate that kind of normalcy when an extra terrestrial species has arrived at your door. It felt as normal as sitting next to two strangers in an airport.

I think it was the eyes. Three magnificent eyes, radiating kindness and curiosity, directly looking into mine. Her bluish body, and three eyes reminded me of Mahadev, the god of all gods in Hindu religion. I figured it was a “she” because we connected almost instantly, like two girl besties. It was as if our minds were communicating on it’s own. There were no words said but somehow they were mimicking our emotions, and our feelings and also regulating them to make us feel less scared.

“I don’t know what to do” I blurted out to break the silence.?

As soon as they heard the sound of my voice, they kind of shifted in their seats. Was it possible that they are hearing a voice for the first time?

“Yes, you are right. We don’t communicate through sound.”? I heard something or was it my brain?

“Did you hear that?” Dev asked.

I nodded furiously.

“I am Vanzar and this is my partner, Ornon. We come from the planet Galaxior.” Vanzar was communicating with us, in our mind and it was a neural network that my husband’s and my own brain had formed with two aliens in my house.?

Woah,Universe! I was not ready for this.?

“Why us?” Dev asked quizzically.

It was Ornon’s turn to reply, “Vanz was using LinkedIn and Nabamita’s name popped up. I read some of your posts and was equally impressed. Good job, girl!”?

Did I just blush at an alien’s compliment? I somehow mumbled a “Thank you” while Dev coughed uncomfortably.?

Ok, let’s get back to the aliens.

I think both Vanzar and Ornon smiled at that awkward stint of ours.How did I forget that they were able to scan our brains??

“Would it be better if we change ourselves and become like “you” so that you can be more comfortable?” Vanzar was all business, in no time.

Before I could say anything, Dev said “That’s fine. You don’t have to change for us.”

Vanzar and Ornon smiled again. Not that sinister smile you’d imagine but a smile that comes over one’s face when they are relieved. I think everyone is more comfortable in their own skin, even the you-know-who’s.

“To be very honest, we were more scared than you.” She started, “It is difficult for me to befriend my own species and I wouldn’t have imagined it in my dreams that I’d arrive on a different planet for befriending a different species altogether”

“Do you dream?” I interjected.

“Yes we do. We are alike in many ways” Vanzar said, as a matter of fact. “But we will discuss our anatomical differences and similarities some other day. Today, I am here to understand a bit more about your work life.”?

The disappointment appeared in the form of a very familiar frown on my face. An alien is here at my place to discuss the trials of corporate life with me? Really?

I didn’t know what to say. Ideally I should have said, “Go on, ask away!” but I kept on sulking. It is as if I took some kind of offence that an alien has come down on earth to discuss office-office with me.?

“Wouldn’t you be able to scan our brains or something and get all that you want?” Dev asked. He had a valid point.

Vanzar spoke to Dev for the first time. She said, “I can but that would give me the data I want. I need to understand the underlying emotions and for that, I’d need Nabamita to talk to me.”

“Umm.. Okay..So after I give you all the information, you’d leave us alone?” I asked.

Both of them looked at each other, as if what I said hurt them a little.

“We understand the gravity of the situation here. And we understand it will be difficult to believe anything we say but we really just need some friends, I guess. Someone who could share their experiences with us.” Vanzar said. Her tone was not the usual business like and had a sad tinge to it.?

“What if someone else comes to know about this? It will be a world wide scandal.” Dev looked at me with concern and asked.?

“We can always make you forget.” Ornon said and then laughed out aloud. No one laughed except him.

Vanzar gave Ornon a mean look and said, “Ignore him. I take full responsibility that it will not turn into a world wide scandal. Honestly, you can even write about it. It will be like a fictional story. No one would ever believe that all of it happened. Trust me.”

There was nothing else I could have done at that point.

So Vanzar and I sat down with a cup of coffe while Ornon and Dev discussed the one thing they had in common and that is, Cricket. As it turns out, Cricket was a loved sport in Galaxior as well.?

Coming back to our chat, Vanzar had a lot of questions which I am summarizing below:

Vanzar: How do you trust people in an Organization? How do you know who’s your friend?

Naba: Initially, I come with an open mind. I consider everyone to be good, and kind, and empathetic. I like to see the good in people. I observe them. And people reveal themselves with time. When I realize that someone did something to breach my trust, I build a wall up quickly. In professional settings, you can’t just stop talking to someone but you can always maintain a safe distance and be careful.

Vanzar: Have you had a difference of opinion with your boss?

Naba: Many, many times. I was a non confrontational person when I started my career, the “keep-your-head-down-and-keep-doing-what-your-are-told” types. But then I learned the hard way that you have to take a stand for yourself. So, I make it a point to raise my concerns. I may come off as a complainer and whiner and, somewhat difficult, but I don’t care. To me, it feels like I am asking for help. I am raising concerns so that I can understand how to deal with the situation better, and I am mitigating risks. I don’t see myself as someone who is making things difficult by raising issues or having a difference of opinions. I see myself as someone who is confident and powerful enough to do that. So, if I have a difference of opinion, I set up a call and talk about it.?

Vanzar: Do you feel heard? Are your concerns taken care of?

Naba: Most of the time. When I feel like things are not happening the way I want them to be, I take a step back and reassess. Sometimes I gain a new perspective on how to handle those things and sometimes, I say enough is enough and now it is time to raise it again.

Vanzar: What does a difficult day in your life looks like?

Naba: I work day and night on my deliverables and send it to the client. The client reviews the deliverable and does not like it. She then goes on to share a scathing email. And that one incident, undos all the great work I did in the past and all the accolades I received. From a star performer, I turn into a person undeserving of any kindness.?

Vanzar: How do you cope with it?

Naba: My first reaction is to accept my mistake and try to turn around the deliverables, gain that trust back. It really does stress me out but that is who I am. I will take it upon me to change things. In that way, I am stubborn.?

Vanzar: How do you deal with ad-hoc tasks and changing priorities?

Naba: Ah, that calls for another round of coffee.?

Dealing with ad-hoc tasks, changing priorities and an Alien in my apartment, the final part in the upcoming edition.