Asking Alice “Basarab Interview”

To view other news releases, visit MediaNet Archives.

---

Originally Published on March 17th, 2492
an ONN HoloNET production

The cheery little intro opened the show and there was Alice, seated next to a man in an obviously expensive suit. He had the dark features native to New Mumbai, and a shocking bright white smile as he was in conversation with Alice while the music played, and the Special nature of the segment - an Interview with ARES CEO Radu Basarab - was announced.

Alice gave a brilliant smile in response, clearly pleased with the man across from her. The signal to him that the cameras had come on was subtle, but he responded correctly, following Alice’s attention as she introduced him.

“Hello and thank you for joining us. I have the privilege of introducing Radu Basarab, the recently appointed CEO of Advanced Research and Experimental Systems. Thank you for joining us, Mr. Basarab. I’m pleased to have you here.” Alice’s natural sincerity gives her welcome a personal note amid the polish of professionalism.” The dark man in the tasteful suit bares bright white teeth in a smile, “The pleasure is mine, Dr. Winters.” His posture is professional, though comfortable, his attention on the woman in front of him, and the visible ARES branding of her augments. “It’s an honor to be here.” There’s something studious and appraising in how he seems to look at both Alice and the camera. Alice settled in as if they had been talking for some time, “You have five undergraduate degrees in engineering fields which gave you a particularly unique academic pedigree, in a field that favors graduate education. How did that work for you and bring you to ARES?” Radu Basarab mirrored his host’s posture, relaxed, but professionally attentive, an ankle resting casually on a knee, “I think you, Doctor, understand the lure of working with the kind of opportunities ARES offers, from bleeding edge tech, to educational grants and benefits that foster the future we’re reaching forward toward. But ARES has always shown an agility, a willingness to pivot forward, from its early days as Omega Systems, recycling technology and making it better, to turning that skill into a focus on making Urban Pacification safer and more efficient. I’m always going to be grateful for their ability to look beyond the ordinary and find something extraordinary within me. As they did with you.” Alice smiles amiably, “I appreciate that sentiment, I found my time with ARES to be profoundly formative as well. Without brushing into any protected territory, you were stationed out at Neptune. I think most of us believe the work out there is likely beyond anything inside the belt. That had to be a tough choice to go from playing with the cool toys to pursuing Corporate Leadership. What inspired you to make that pivot?” Radu Basarab dipped his head with a small smile, “You’re right that the work beyond the belt is incredibly restricted, and without giving details, I’ll say that my time there was, as you said, profoundly formative. But ARES is a development corporation. We are all still very much scientists, engineers, and analysts who have had to learn how to manage people in order to learn how to manage people. It’s a useful skill in light of what we do. Though even Adam Caine, after his fashion, was a scientist of war.” Alice held her open attentive expression, and barely dipped her head as he conceded attention back to her, “Adam Caine did things his way, as we both know. How did it feel to get the call that you’d be replacing him?” There’s a sense to the exchange that it is both familiar and foreign at once. A little too polished to feel entirely natural, but not so obviously off as to seem completely artificial. Radu Basarab matched the Doctor’s expression in a way that likely contributed to that sense, “What could I really say, Alice? It was surreal,” He leaned forward a bit, not noticing if she had done so first, “Those shoes are some impossible ones to fill. Adam Caine’s legacy is going to live on regardless of who takes on the role of CEO. Understanding that, and having the support of a board who has been capably running the company without a CEO, makes it a powerful opportunity that comes with heavy responsibility” Alice nodded her head in agreement, “I can imagine the gravity of that will keep you grounded. What does your vision of the company’s future look like? Will there be another big pivot of attention on your watch?”

Radu Basarab smiled broadly, “It’s difficult to look forward without giving a look behind. In just recent years, ARES has held the banner in executing grave decisions. The withdrawal from Mars, for example, a planet that the company saved from a failing corporation who was grossly mismanaging the resources; was a difficult decision for New Geneva’s benefit that ARES had to ensure was carried out securely. The decision to break apart Jericho V to save as many lives as we could, as you know, was New Geneva’s decision, but one that ARES carried out.” He paused and leaned forward to focus on Alice, “You know better than most, Doctor, the toll these decisions take. We’ve had to make so many of these decisions recently, that I think it’s time we do something to prevent them.” He continued, “I, for one, am tired of reacting, and I feel that resources spent competing with other security companies are resources wasted. Advanced Research and Experimental Systems will be working hand in hand with Armitech, Matsumoto Corp, and Network Systems Incorporated to develop a unified strategy of threat assessment and response, using the most advanced AIs available to develop predictive strategies ensuring the preservation of people, and their property. The infection from Jericho V? Shows a need for a renewed focus on nanotechnology and cybernetics development, to combat new attack vectors and threats. And I expect to continue to work closely with ARC systems, developing ways to help cut down on the number of those heartbreaking conversations you’ve had to have, Alice.” Alice held her expression steady as he took over for a monologue, the delay as she realized the shift in attention was only microseconds, a calculated tilted to her head, a precise spread of her lips and squint of her eyes like all of the parts of a smile were there, and they were almost coming together, without actually making it, “They are not easy decisions, nor are they easy conversations to have, Mr. Basarab. I can’t argue with the logic that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That would sound a little silly from a doctor, wouldn’t it?” She finally smiled then, warmth in the encouraging expression, “That is going to be a lot of moving parts. But your board and employees are devoted and capable and with the right leadership, we could see progress quicker than many would expect. I want to thank you again, Mr. Basarab. It’s been a real pleasure meeting you.” Radu Basarab inclined his head, understanding the gesture of closure, “I thank you for the opportunity.” Alice smiled warmly at the camera, “And thank you for watching. Be good to yourselves and to each other.”

[THE SHOW CUTS TO CREDITS, AND THE SCROLL OF SPONSORS, MOST OF WHOM ARE ELITE CORPORATIONS.]

---