Andrea listened without interrupting, watching Paradisia work through the thought in real time. The intensity of the reaction didn’t surprise her nearly as much as the direction of it did. Most people, once they got close enough to corporate power to touch it, immediately started negotiating for more access. Better implants. Better apartments. Better contracts. They wrapped themselves around the institution piece by piece until eventually they couldn’t tell where their own life ended and the company began.

Paradisia had clearly seen that happen before. Probably more than once. Andrea found herself nodding slightly by the end of it, even if she was fighting the urge to sigh in exasperation. Anyone else would be biting her hand off at an offer like the one she'd made Paradisia, but she was who Andrea wanted...

“That’s fair." She said, conveying absolutely none of the exasperation she was starting to build up. “But it's your loss. You should see some of those swanky apartments they've got on Kizingo Boulevard." Andrea whistled a high note of appreciation. "Should've done house tours just to take a shit in them somewhere."

She leaned back in her chair, folding one arm loosely across herself while the trumpet continued somewhere overhead. The noise of the bar had well and truly settled back into motion around them now that it was clear nobody was about to start shooting.

“I wasn’t trying to put you on a leash. I just don’t want the person managing my life slowly falling apart because they’re rationing implant maintenance.” A faint smile crossed her face. “But if cash and external sourcing makes you more comfortable, then cash it is.”

And that, too, was useful information. That Paradisia valued independence more than comfort. Which meant she was unlikely to become institutionalised if Andrea handled this correctly. The danger would be the opposite problem; making sure she remained invested enough to stay engaged once the novelty wore off. But that could come later. The question about power drew another small smile from Andrea, this one a little more genuine.

“You’re not my food taster, no.” She glanced briefly around the InfoBar before continuing. “The role has as much power as you’re capable of handling responsibly. A secretary at this level isn’t just answering calls. You control access to me, which means you control who gets heard and who waits outside the door.” Her eyes returned to Paradisia’s. “You decide where the attention of Lhotse's Chief of Operations goes. And if you can't see the value in that? Planting seeds and removing weeds, so to speak. Well, you're not the Cyber Punk I thought you were. Like I said, Para, we can make real change. From the top down. As long as there are profits, I don't think my bosses will care either way."

Andrea paused briefly, considering how to phrase the next part. She tapped lightly against the edge of the table, unsure how to answer her question about 'clearance'. In the end, she shrugged, and just said the truth. Just like she had been for the majority of this entire interaction. She started counting on her fingers the three things that Paradisia would have at her disposal.

“You’d have clearance high enough to know what’s happening around me, authority to act on my behalf within reason, and enough institutional weight that people below executive level would take you seriously.” A slight shrug followed as she dropped her hand back to the table. “But if somebody [i]does[/i] try poisoning my coffee, I suppose I’d appreciate a heads up.”