Robert Asprin – Tambu

“I smell a rat!”

There was no mistaking the diminutive figure standing on a chair in the middle of the assemblage.

“I never thought I’d see you climb on a chair to avoid a rat,” Tambu observed attempting a joke. “Sit down, A.C.”

“I have something to ask,” she called back defiantly.

“I said I would not tolerate any outbursts or interruptions, and I meant it! Now sit down!”

A.C. hesitated, then dropped back into her seat.

“Thank you. Now then, Jelly? Would you like to say something at this time?”

The old man half-rose.

“I’d rather yield the floor to Ms. A.C.,” he announced.

A titter ran through the group, and Tambu knew he was outmaneuvered.

“Very well,” he said politely, trying to salvage his dignity. “A.C.? I believe you had some comments?”

“I have an observation and a question. The observation is that we’re being flimflammed! Flimflammed, bamboozled, and hustled! What’s more, the one doing the hustling is none other than our own beloved chairman!”

She leveled an accusing finger at the viewscreen, and the assemblage turned to stare.

“No offense, boss,” she called. “But I’ve sat through a lot of these meetings, and I know your style. If this is a free discussion, then I’m Mickey Mouse. You’re playing divide-and-conquer games with the meeting, and it’s about time you admitted it. By controlling who speaks and in what order, you’re choosing what arguments you want to hear and when. Then, after forbidding anyone else to interrupt, you use your position as chair to interrupt as often as you want with questions or observations. You’re taking our arguments one at a time and carving them up. That’s not your normal style, but that’s what you’re doing.”