- John and Synthia, the ultimate high-powered executives, are on opposing sides of a mysterious and complex corporate situation. When the two are forced to debate their arguments before the company lawyers it soon becomes clear that there's a whole lot more on the negotiating table than anyone could possibly have imagined, with the fate of all hanging in the balance.—Anonymous
- The boardroom of the shadowy multinational Lemnis Group. Synthia (Holly Kenyon) and John (Tim Seyfert), the joint COOs, wait; the tension is palpable. The austere grandfather clock, unrelenting, ticks away the seconds.
Out of the darkness of the room steps a man, ethereal and almost unnerving in his appearance. He announces the arrival of the other two attendees of tonight's meeting: Bill (Julian Boote) and Julia (Heather Carter-Drake), lawyers of the Three S. Organisation, the representatives of the shareholders.
They enter with purpose; John greets them with warmth and respect; Synthia shows nothing but disdain, as if offended by their presence. Bill & Julia are here to negotiate a final settlement in a long-running dispute between John and Synthia a debate that, if unresolved, threatens to tear the group apart, with devastating ramifications.
John is keen to continue the policies of his father, the founder of the Lemnis Group, which allow the group's personnel to operate largely on their own initiative within a strategic policy framework but free from direct central control. Synthia, clearly knows how to aggravate John, however, and seems to be as interested in goading him as discussing the issues. John struggles to stay focused on delivering his manifesto, but becomes increasingly annoyed with Synthia, who interrupts at every opportunity.
Synthia is unconvinced by John's current operating policy, and goes on to catalogue some of the inconsistencies, failures and even fatalities that have resulted in the past from this lack of co-ordination. John cites a debt of loyalty to their staff; Synthia sees over-sentimentality masking weak leadership. With John struggling to make any further progress, the lawyers call for an adjournment. Bill & Julia can see merit on each side of the debate, but are disappointed by the recalcitrant bickering of the two parties. If neither is prepared to compromise, how can there be any agreement?
Synthia, charismatic and seductive, takes the opportunity to try and sway Bill, enticing him with half-suggested promises of how he could benefit from supporting her; Bill, however, is as offended by Synthia's corruption as he is drawn by her offer.
Meanwhile Julia, on being pressed by another Lemnis junior, refuses to discuss her voting preference, but does admit to a deep personal resentment regarding the current management's discriminatory attitudes on sexuality, and clearly believes that this, and other policy issues, call for change.
Synthia takes the floor as the meeting resumes, and begins to outline her plans for a complete corporate restructure. John tries to convince the lawyers that such fundamental changes will be disastrous, but only succeeds in compromising himself further with incriminating admissions of secret initiatives and covert actions that had been instigated without the approval of the board and concealed from the shareholders.
Synthia can see John's position weakening, and takes vindictive pleasure in highlighting the disorder John has created. John pleads for a more liberal mindset, but as Synthia makes a direct appeal to the shareholders' self-interest, he loses his temper in desperation and Synthia, overcome with contempt for John's weakness and resentment of his authority, responds maliciously, openly venting her hostility towards John and all he and his father stand for.
Shocked and appalled by the pair's behaviour, Bill and Julia decide to leave. John tries to bring them back, but to no avail. Too late, he and Synthia both realise that they have inadvertently sealed their own fate and that the fate of the corporation, and all else, is now in the hands of the shareholders.
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