“Good evening, I’m Alejandra with channel seven news. We have a breaking story as congress has just past the Inclusion Act, officially recognizing several new humanoid species as temporary residents. These groups, who have been collaborating with local and federal authorities over the past few weeks, hail from a world reportedly embroiled in conflict for over three thousand years. Making some uncomfortable with the ready acceptance of these groups to live in peace with us.
“The Inclusion Act grants these new residents temporary resident cards, allowing them to work and attend schools. Both critics and supporters are astonished by the government's swift response to this unprecedented situation. Congress and the President's approval ratings have soared to an all-time high as medical teams and border patrol agents were promptly deployed to screen for diseases, educate the newcomers on basic laws, and provide shelter for the influx of refugees. The ability to communicate with the differing races is rumored to be a major road block. It is unknown how some groups are having major success in this area.
“One city, in particular, is earning praise for its exceptional handling of the situation. We now go to Jacob at the Congo distribution center in Mekland, Oklahoma. Jacob?”
“Thank you, Alejandra. The response here at the Congo distribution center has been nothing short of extraordinary. Within hours of the Orc race arriving on the airport runway, they were guided to set up a camp in the Congo parking lot. They promptly organized, forming lines to complete paperwork—much like a job application process—providing accurate counts of new residents, their names, and photographs. Copies of these documents were delivered to officials on the same day.
“In a forward-thinking move, the center set up a projector screen to show movies, helping the Orcs understand our culture and behavior. Remarkably, despite not knowing English upon arrival through the portal, they’ve found a way to communicate enough to work in the facility. I spoke with a manager, who requested anonymity, who shared that the state granted emergency permission to employ the Orcs. This allows them to earn wages, contribute productively, and integrate into the local community.
“One key piece of advice from the manager: avoid referring to them as "fantasy races" or "fantasy creatures." The Orcs find these terms confusing and offensive, as this is not a fantasy but our shared reality. Back to you, Alejandra.”
“Thank you, Jacob. A quick follow-up: Congo isn’t typically known for charitable practices, and there have been rumors of potential labor exploitation. Can you provide any insight?”
“From what I’ve gathered, the agreements with the Orcs mirror those of other employees, with the added provision of being restrained to stay on-site until certain conditions are met. This measure is because they sit in the middle of an urban area. Temporary shelters have been arranged for them inside a gated area. Whether this constitutes exploitation remains unclear, and we’ll need to wait for further developments to answer that question fully, Alejandra.”
“Thanks, Jacob. We’ll keep our viewers updated on this evolving story. Later tonight at eight, we’ll explore the Elven races, who are being courted by talent scouts for modeling contracts and Hollywood roles. Up next, an exclusive interview with Cassidy Benallie, the hero of New York. She recently defeated a giant serpent on Wall Street by conjuring fire out of thin air. Calling herself a sorceress, she’ll address misconceptions about her supernatural abilities. Stay tuned after this commercial break.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Do you suffer from chronic hemorrhoids?”
Alexander walked away from the break room TV, feeling the pressure of the world’s eyes on his workplace. He had multiple meetings daily with everyone from immigration agents to congressmen, all checking in on their political investments. One secret he had persuaded Susan to keep was how they had managed to get the orcs communicating enough to understand work practices: he simply attributed it to the orc Chieftain Caloom possessing a communication skill—and nothing more.
Outside of those meetings, however, Alexander’s attention was engaged in assisting Congo with revising their corporate policy—a task far less captivating than it might seem. Redefining the term “race” was a sensitive issue, steeped in complexity. The challenge of distinguishing between the new and old “races” stemmed not from misunderstanding but from a linguistic dilemma. Unable to simply designate them as “fantasy” races, Alexander had to construct lengthy, context-laden sentences that inflated the policies he worked to develop. Fortunately, his recommendations would be reviewed by lawyers, who would ultimately refine his proposals.
Overall, Alexander’s endeavors were highly successful. Congo’s public relations department praised his prompt and effective actions. Susan, his superior, was delighted with his shrewd decision to hire an unconventional workforce—an army of orcs. The development had honestly surprised him.
This move not only resolved ongoing strikes and labor shortages but also proved highly efficient. The orcs quickly adapted to the corporate language and, unfamiliar with unions, streamlined operations. Alexander was being assured that his promotion was in the works. He didn’t blame corporate for the delay. The world had almost ended, after all.
Though the orcs’ initial violent tendencies had caused a few workplace incidents, their conduct improved significantly after their Orc Chief declared Congo a Wizard’s holdings, leading them to behave with more respect than would be expected. Alexander’s other venture had proven useful as well. He had crafted a few enchanted items with the Comprehend Languages skill. He had handed these to a select group of orcs that the chief had pointed out, and they now assisted with training and interpretation for the other employees.
His musings were interrupted as someone called out to him.
“Alexander, the master of the mystical arts and slayer of corporate emails!” a cheerful voice called from the doorway.
“Please have a seat, Crew Member Ridley, and report,” he said, redirecting the conversation to business.
She was now responsible for providing a daily update on the orcs’ work habits. As she sat, light reflected off her silver feather pin in her hair—a constant reminder to Alexander that not all was fun and games in the new world of magic and might. Ridley stepped into the cubicle and saluted.
“Reporting in, Sir! I have threatened, coerced, and displayed mighty feats of strength to strike fear into the hearts of our employees. Productivity is now at pre-orc levels and rising. There are always requests for more translating devices, but the more we have, the less incentive there is to learn American!”
“English.”
“Whatever, sir!”
Alexander was feeling suspicious about Ridley’s sudden upturn in mood from the night before.
“Ridley,” he asked directly, “did you manage to find another monster last night?”
One of Ridley’s tattoos allowed her to locate things she wanted to find. It was wildly flexible, but it had a once-per-day use limitation. She had been asked to save it for monsters that were close to urban areas, so as to do the most good.
“No,” she said morosely. “I did find out they are still putting on a Studio Ghibli marathon at the movie theater. I was really worried it had been canceled.”
“Oh. Well, I am happy for you.”
“I wonder if I could watch it in the original Japanese with my translator earring and understand it… Holy crap! How did I not think of this before!”
Alexander thought about his work crafting translating items and how he had advised selling them to other regions now adjacent to the new races. Then he recalled his latest creation.
“Ridley, can you go and get someone to join our meeting today?” he asked.
“Sure,” she replied, snapping out of her mental to-watch list.
“If you could go and find Bru-haha and have him join us, I would appreciate it.”
“Oh! I love that guy!” Ridley exclaimed, dashing off to fetch him.
