Conley wasn’t quite sure of the type of ship Kendra ran, but he was pretty sure that the feet up on the desk wasn’t the look she was going for. He wasn’t even going to think about the gum the lady was twisting around her finger. But as it wasn’t his department, he was going to keep his comments to a minimum. ”Um…yes,” He cleared his throat. The smile she was giving him was probably meant to appease him, instead it was making him a bit uncomfortable because it made her look a litltee manic. ”I need copies of all the…ah…” What was she – oh she was standing up. Conley took a step back, hoping it looked like he was being respectful of her space and not that he was feeling like a duck out of water. ”Portkey applications and uses for the last 10 years.”

Scrunching her nose Topanga wondered if he was nervous for some reason. "You aren't here to like rob the place or something are you?" Like, she thought he worked here, but he was being pretty odd or maybe it was just her hoping for something crazy and exciting to happen like that one day. Not that she wanted anyone hurt but hey a duel in the middle of the work day or being rescued by ministry security could be a great story to tell while out with the girls.

As she kept watching him and when he said about portkey stuff she looked around. This wasn't her thing, but she wasn't going to tell him that. "Oh yeah, I can get you those. They are.... " Stopping to really look around now. Where would they place old portkey things, maybe it was filed in alphabetical order after Floo files.

'Yeah, they'd be right over here. Come on." Waving him towards her as she walked to the filing system, though it was the filing system for the floo so those files were probably not there. He didn't have to know that though at least not yet anyway.

Rob the place? Really? Is that the sort of vibe that Conley gave off? It might explain a few things about how people outside of his department tended to respond to him. ”No,” he said, giving her a quizzical look. ”Just here for some records.” Pause. "What kind of thief walks up and asks for help?” It was a good thing, Conley decided, that this lady didn’t work in a more sensitive area. Besides what was there to really steal in Transportation? Their stash of random muggle trash/things to make portkeys out of? Or did they have a stockpile of floo powder some where?

He followed behind her, stopping when she did. He had the distinct impression that she had no clue where the records were kept. Of course he’d gotten help from someone who probably wasn’t going to be much help at all. He sighed internally and resisted the urge to rub the spot between his eyebrows. He was just about to ask if someone else might be able to help him when she waved him after her. Well, he had put a quarter in this machine, best see the ride to the end.

Did he not know a joke? What was with people here in the ministry. They all seemed so ridiculously boring. Topanga stopped in front of the filing cabinet and acted as his she was trying to remember which one it was. She glanced around the room to see if anyone was there that she could maybe causally figure out where these papers actually would be. "Dude, I was joking." She really wasn't cut out for interacting with people most days.

Seeing no one she went about her business opening the first cabinet and scanning the files acting as if she was really looking for those ones. Though she would never find them since these were.. umm... she leaned closer and almost laughed. Floo files from like ten years ago. 'Nope not there, I think they are over here." She picked a different one and started to open it.

"Sure you don't need any floo files, I seem to have lots of those here."

”Ha, funny,” he said in response to her supposed joke. It wasn’t’ really funny, what with all the problems that the ministry was having, but he wasn’t in a position to say so. Whatever knowledge Kendra chose to share with her department was up to her. He followed along with the lady, the feeling that she didn’t know where to find what he was looking for growing stronger.

Her next question rather confirmed his suspicions. ”Ahh, no….” he gave in and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows where he always got tension headaches. Hopefully one wouldn’t form because he really didn’t have the time to go find a headache potion today. Especially since he was due in the courtrooms in a half hour. ”Those won’t be of any help for the cross-checking report my team needs to do. “ From the look of the drawer of floo files, he was glad he didn’t need those. There sure seemed to be a lot of them. "I take it you don't work with portkeys?"

"So what do you do anyway? I mean we really didn't introduce ourselves. I'm Topanga." If she was going to actually, maybe try to find these files she figured she should know who he is or something about it. She looked through the files some more, but there was no portkeys in this group. They were in the floo area and all. So she had two options admit she had no clue and find someone or think this through and find what he was needing.

She was going to pick the second option and look super offended when he asked about not working with portkeys. "We are in the transportation department aren't we? You did see me at a desk, so of course, I've been around them." Making sure she didn't lie, but she didn't fully give an answer either. "Why did you need to cross-check things, anyone? Something happen?" She knew the lifts were off and the owls, but really old portkeys, what was the point?

"So I think they in the next office, lets go check there." She started headed to the actual portkey area.

Seriously? Did no one in the ministry know who he was? He had thought he hadn't gotten any bids at the Centennial party because people thought his job was boring. Maybe people just didn't know who he was and perhaps he spent too much time in the courtrooms or with the ICW. ”Didn’t we? Sorry, where are my manners. Conley, International Magical Cooperation. ” He thought saying more would sound as if he was bragging, but hopefully his name would a least trigger something. Perhaps his speculation about needing to spend more time outside of his department was correct and as such, he was now glad he hadn’t sent Walter to get these files.

Her comments didn’t deter him, although he had a feeling he had struck a nerve. ”Yes but,” he said in a tone he hoped didn’t imply anything. ”I believe, there are more ways to travel than by portkeys.” Her defensiveness made him think he was right in his suspicions that she did not normally work with portkey records. He shrugged and followed her into the next room, where he took a moment to take in his surroundings. The feeling of being watched had dissipated recently, but still Conley liked to be aware of his surroundings.

He wasn’t sure if he should answer her question, but after a moment of deliberating with himself, he didn’t see the harm in telling her. ”We are running a audit paperwork and need to cross-check port-key use for those here on Visas.”

Manners? She wasn't saying he didn't have any, but if he insisted she just lt it go, "I'm Topanga." Yep that was her name and no she wasn't named after some muggle tv show character yes she was. International Cooperation, that sounded so important and official, which made her feel a bit awkward about the papers now. This was fully official business, wasn't.

ALRIGHT, ANY HELP NOW!!


Topanga looked around the office and wondered if it was time to go home or something, it was never this dead and now she needed someone and there was no one. She was in the right place now, she hoped, but now where to find said files.

"Well hopefully they will be right in here." Was she allowed to even be in these files? Shrugging she opened them and it seemed to be her lucky day because there were portkey files here, but which ones were correct.

"What are the dates you are looking for again?"

Marcel was tired and he wanted to go home. It had been a long day with teeny boppers with their apiration tests today ... most he had to fail. What was it with kids these days? Did they even train, didn't they even try. Marcel stopped dead in his tracks ... it was official ... he sounded like his dad ... he needed to get out more, go do hip and cool things .. yeah .. maybe the casino!!!

Marcel was about to walk out of the department when he heard some conversations in the back, were people normally here this late?? He doubted it, strolling in to see what the commotion was about he saw his a few people he didn't recognize .. or maybe he did ... did the woman seem familiar .. did he know her from some where? However, one thing was for sure, neither of them seemed to know what they were looking for .. maybe they were trying to steal information.

"Anything I can help you guys find?" Marcel asked fully entering the room.

”Nice to meet you Topanga,” he said feeling no less self-conscious about the fact that nobody in the Ministry knew him. In fact, when coupled with the feeling that he had been being followed for the past few months, it made him down-right depressed. He could probably disappear and the only one who would miss him would be his husband. Which remined him, he really needed to go and talk to the Minister about that…because the big ‘official wedding’ was coming up and well, um…yeah…they were going to need to find a replacement for the British Ambassador to India.

He was rubbing that spot between his eyes again when Topanga pulled open another drawer. His faith in her ability to find the files he needed was slipping with each open and closed drawer. ”Hmmm? Oh…the last ten years. So,” he was doing the math when another person walked up. ”2091 through toda-“ he stopped talking, eyes darting between the two, because now he was wondering if Topanga did, indeed, work in this department at all.

So she was feeling more confident in these files, yes, they seemed to be the correct ones. She just really needed to find the correct date. Should she just accio them? That probably would have been the smart thing todo, but for now she was still just looking for them the old muggle way. This way she could look feel important and do a job she shouldn't be doing.

"Ten years, yes" She could get those for sure, if only she knew where to look. Hearing someone else come in she muttered "Thank merlin" though she quickly just gave a smile, "Hey, just trying to help our friend from over in cooperation look for some files." Was that where he was from again? "I'm usually pretty good at finding things, but today just struggling. Maybe you could help him find the last ten years of portkey files Marcel."


Seeeeee she knew the names of people in the department she tried to work in.

Kendra's patience and temper were both running short as she headed onto Level Six today. She had already been made aware again today about how the floos continued to not function. And because her team was still unable to find a viable solution to fix the floo network servicing the Ministry, it made her feel as though she appeared incompetent. And that would not do.

She knew that she and her transportation employees were more than capable of finding a viable solution. And prompted by her increasing frustration over the issue, she found herself in the work area of her employees as she planned on brainstorming some ideas with them today.

Though her workspace no longer had the room for it, Yasmin was determined to find a place for the monstera she took from the adoption cafe. It was turning into a dangerous game, going to the cafe. She could never quite resist walking away with a new leafy friend. It was difficult not to. They needed a home and she welcomed them with glee. It had never crossed her mind once that this habit could be growing a little out of hand.

As she made her way towards her work station, she paused with a thoughtful frown. Her desk was starting to resemble a greenhouse. There certainly wasn't any room for another pot and she was not so sure that her tablemates enjoyed the leaves dangling over their desks. Oh, but it was so much easier to work when surrounded by greenery.

Again, she paused in thought, her head tilted and mind calculating. Perhaps this plant belonged by the front! A delightful surprise for the rest of the office. A warm greeting as they made their way into the work area.

She carried it over, setting down the large pot to the right of the window before taking a step back. Would it receive enough sunlight here? She lifted up a few of its gargantuan leaves. Hm.

With Kendra newly...ah....released from the Ministry, Fletcher had taken it upon himself to visit the Transportation office from time to time to make sure things were still running as best as could be expected before the new department head took over. Of course, there was only a few days' gap between leaders, but he, as the second-most-important high-ranking Ministry official, thought it looked particularly good if he was seen out and about in important places.

So here he was, Mister Senior Undersecretary, walking off the lifts and into the Transportation cubicles with one hand tucked loosely in the pocket of his suit jacket, the other tapping a rhythm on the side of his trousers. He saw the employee inspecting the plant near the front of the office and tutted at her mildly.

"Isn't that Environment's job, to fuss with the greenery?" Only joking, see? Fletcher offered her a warm, winning champion of a smile with his comment.

He would be relieved to know that things were running as best they could given the circumstances. Though there was a somber tone that had taken over the place, though perhaps that was due to Yasmin's own displeasure with the current circumstances. Kendra had grown to be such a dear colleague and supervisor. It was unfair what happened, but Yassi wasn't sure how to combat the bureaucracy. And so she dealt with it in plants. So many plants.

So many plants that she had to find a place for this one and yet it didn't seem to fit anywhere. Not even by this large window. It looked terribly out of place, a physical manifestation of her own feelings at the moment. When she heard the Senior Undersecretary tease, she looked back and offered him a laugh. It certainly wasn't her usual funnier-than-the-joke-itself howl, nor was it as vibrant as her usual room-filling laughter.... But she did try her very best. "Do you think it looks out of place here?" She asked with a sense of urgency, tilting her head and really looking it over.

"If you were plant where would you feel the most at home?" This was, perhaps, the most important consideration.

Fletcher also PERSONALLY felt that perhaps Charles had been a bit harsh with the whole firing thing, but then again, he'd never ever screwed up on a large scale like that. It really wasn't his place to tell the Minister what to do with his fellow department heads. And so he was here doing what he did best... being a social butterfly and avoiding the man on his own floor. Thank Merlin this employee had laughed at Fletcher's joke. Good woman! Give HER a promotion! Hah!

He shook his head as he came further into the cubicles, ambling toward the sunny spots by the windows. "I think it's oKaY there, but wouldn't it be happier..." he gestured loosely toward the rim of the room, near the windows, "as close to the outdoors as possible?" This was certainly his thought process when it came to plants.

Perhaps he ought to express this to Charles. The Ministry needed the likes of Kendra. Her warm spirit was essential to the office, did he know? It didn't quite feel the same.

Her eyes wandered over to where he as gesturing to and she paused thoughtfully. "Perhaps," she wondered, tapping her chin. "But, oh, if we were to tuck her away near the windows, no one can admire her. Her leaves will be a destination for the gathering of dust." There was something about having plants nearby that brought so much peace to a room. Yassi was so desperately seeking to help the office feel more welcoming, a breath of fresh air to help ease the tension that was clearly building.

"Or perhaps I am too hopeful of what can become of this little plant."

For the record, it was difficult being a personal assistant to someone who had been let go. Technically Stella had been employed to be personal assistant to the department head rather than Kendra specifically, though Kendra had been the one who had chosen her for the position, but she hadn't exactly had anyone come and tell her where she supposedly stood now. The best she could do was continue her duties, picking up a few others here and there, that would hopefully make whoever Kendra's replacement was transition in more smoothly.

She would continue keeping her suspicions to herself. Maybe her meticulous record keeping would prove useful in the long term, but Stella wasn't about to point accusing fingers or draw any unwanted attention (other than the usual) her way. Any sabotage that was happening couldn't be a stand alone thing, it had to be part of a bigger picture and have a purpose of some kind, and Stella wanted no part of it.

She wanted to keep her job, maybe even get herself a pay increase, regardless of who she might end up assistant to.

Right now she had filling to do, the last of what Kendra had stamped and signed off before her dismissal. Tedious work, but Stella usually got such things done quickly. The pile, too large to carry by hand, was floating at her side. Easier to work from it that way. The headphones she wore helped drown out the various conversations in the work areas, her favourite French band made the work almost pleasant.

Almost. Work was just work after all.

Perhaps if the Transportation employees who felt poorly about the termination of their department head had spoken up and shared their opinions, Fletcher might also feel inspired to speak up. But as it were...

He glanced around the office area, noting the floating stack of paperwork beside Kendra's assistant with slightly raised eyebrows. Did she always work like that? And would she be the personal assistant to the next department head? More questions that were raised by this change in personnel.

"Surely we don't accumulate that much dust here," Fletcher mused. Back to the boring topic of plants. "Maybe she should rest by the lift then?" What did he know about plants? He hadn't done much with them besides steal claim several from the plant and pet cafe when he'd started here. Also, "Why is this plant a she?" Fletcher wondered aloud. He had thought plants were all... ungendered????

It had taken her a little more time than she would have liked to get to the department. Security and clearances and all that jazz had annoyed her more than anything. She would have assumed they would have realized who they were talking to but it didn't matter they would soon enough. Taking her time to find the department Simone had stopped off on a few levels just to look around. There was nothing wrong with eyeing fellow department heads and getting to know the place.

Now that she was at the transportation office Simone was ready to get down to business. Heading in she stopped quickly eyeing the people hanging around. Instead of going right up to them to see what they were doing Simone decided to hang back and listen, she had always found you could learn so much more listening than placing yourself into an already made conversation.

Even if that were the case, Yassi was doing her best to stay hopeful. though she did worry for Kendra’s sake. That was neither here nor there.

Yasmin looked from Mr. Fletcher over to the lifts, pausing for a moment in thought before a big smile made it onto her face. ”The lifts could use some more life,” she mused, bending down to lift the heavy potted-plant once again. She began to walk the plant towards the lifts as he spoke, noting Stella’s presence nearby. Oh, poor Stella. Yassi’s heart felt terribly for young Ms. Jarsdel. Though she looked to be busying herself just fine without Kendra, Yassi was certain that her termination had been devastating for her colleague.

”Stella dearest,” she paused briefly in her step (unintentionally dismissing the Undersecretary’s plant inquiry). ”How are you holding up? The concern in her voice was entirely genuine, as was her intention to listen. The plant, growing heavier by the second, found itself on the ground once again. She would make it to the lifts eventually. And perhaps even sooner, she would notice the presence of an unfamiliar onlooker. For now, however, all of her attention was given to her colleague (and Mr. Fletcher).

Her headphones had a useful charm that meant when conversation was directed her way she could hear it, so when Yassi stopped nearby and addressed her, she turned her head and gave the older woman a very quick inscrutable look, and a glance towards her companion, who had been so very welcoming when she had just been employed. Was he checking up on the department on the ministers behalf? She didn't ask, nor did she pause in her filing, preferring to get it finished sooner rather than later.

Her gaze did follow the progress of the plant as the other women deposited it on the floor before flicking up again. How WAS she holding up? Was there an implication that she shouldn't be holding up well? Had Yassi heard something?

"Bof." She said with a shrug, and then elaborated on the casually non-committal 'blah' by adding, "As well as can be expected. My work has not stopped. I still have a job even without Kendra." The for now went unspoken, though she did shoot another look at Fletcher. She would welcome the reassurance, truth be told.

Stella closed the current drawer and opened the next, continuing her careful filing as she spoke, not yet noticing the newest arrival.

So they were just going to ignore his plant question and him then?! Poor MISTER Senior Undersecretary!

Hmmph.

Fletcher wasn't about to follow Yasmin or whatever her name was around, but he did notice the lovely personal assistant looking toward him, so he couldn't help but lean up on the cubicle next to Stella. "I would think the new department head would be grateful to have someone who knows how things work," he murmured in reply. "You could be helpful with the transition."

And speaking of... his brown eyes noticed the new arrival (Simone Krafft) just lurking over there, and he raised his eyebrows toward her. "Welcome to the Ministry...?"

She was trying to figure out if the two women were in the department she was to run or if they were there on business. It had seemed one had a plant, so she couldn't help but wonder if she was delivering from environmental, which if that was the case she could probably just take it back where it had come from. Unless it could be useful in anyway, then it might be allowed to stay. Seeing the other woman working Simone decided she had to work here. It was all beginning to bore her when Fletcher had noticed she was standing there.

Placing a smile on her lips Simone moved forward, "Thank you the pleasure if mine to be here though. I hope to help get this department back in order quickly." She glanced at the women and kept her sweet smile, "Simone Krafft and you two are?"

Yassi wasn’t terribly concerned by the non-discernible look given to her by her younger colleague. She tried not to concern herself with such minute details as extrapolation hardly ever did anyone any real good. Instead, she nodded sympathetically (perhaps a little more than warranted) as Stella explained. ”Oh, I am sure the work has only doubled due to her absence. Please do let me know if you need an extra hand with anything.” She reached over to gently squeeze Stella's shoulder. Anything at all.

Again she bent down to once more wrap her arms around the potted plant. It was this time, when she stood up, that she finally took notice of the unfamiliar woman who had just introduced herself. Without yet lowering the plant, Yassi turned towards her. Peaking around the large leaves of the overgrown monstera, she offered Simone a smile filled with warmth. ”I am Yasmin Golshiri,” she paused for only a moment as if waiting to see if Stella would jump in with her own name.

”Help the department get back in order? Oh, you must be the new Department Head?” At this point, Yasmin should have realized she was thinking out loud. Unfortunately, however, she continued, ”It is so lovely to meet you. Kendra has left some large shoes to fill, of course. Though I am certain the department will adapt very quickly.” It was then that she turned to Stella in hopes that she would provide some reassurance. Though Yassi was weary of newcomers, they deserved to step into a welcoming workplace. It wasn't Simone's fault that Kendra's term had so abruptly come to an unjustifiable end.