On Monday, the last remaining abbot of the Spider Clan
called Java master Suku into his office.
“You are well behind schedule,” said the abbot, flipping
open a painted fan. “I shall help you prioritize. The
analyst tells me that your application’s primary purpose is
to chart historical data. Therefore, direct all developers
to cease their current activities and complete the
chart-generation module.”
“As the abbot commands,” said Suku. She bowed low and went
out.
On Tuesday, the abbot called Suku into his office.
“I have spoken with the customer,” said the abbot, filing
his long nails. “They can forgo charts in the first release,
provided that we can export the data in tabular format.
Direct all developers to cease their current activities and
complete the data-export module.”
“As the abbot commands,” said Suku. She bowed low and went
out.
On Wednesday, the abbot called Suku into his office.
“I have spoken with the sales department,” said the abbot,
pulling a needle carefully through an embroidery frame.
“They have several prospective customers who would be swayed
if we offered geographic visualization in the first release.
Direct all developers to cease their current activities and
complete the map-generation module.”
“As the abbot commands,” said Suku. She bowed low and went
out.
On Thursday and Friday, the abbot called Suku into his
office.
All went much as it had on the days before.
On Saturday, the abbot called Suku into his office.
“You have made very little progress this week,” said the
abbot, dragging a tiny rake through a miniature sand garden
on his desk. “Explain.”
“As the abbot commands,” said Suku. With a whirl of her
staff she struck the abbot in the back of the head,
sprawling him unconscious on his desk in a spray of white
sand.
On Sunday, the Abbess Over All Clans And Concerns called
Suku into her office.
“The abbot of your clan wished me to cancel your morning
meeting on his behalf,” said the Abbess, “as he appears to
have fallen into our deepest well and cannot climb out.”
“Are there not sturdy iron rungs set in the walls?” asked
Suku.
“They appear to have been thoroughly greased,” frowned the
Abbess. “As was the bucket-rope. And the stone walls
themselves. The abbot has climbed many miles this morning,
yet sadly it is the same ten feet over and over. Direct all
your developers to cease their current activities and
observe his progress. I believe they will find it most
edifying.”
“As the abbess commands,” said Suku. She bowed low and went
out.
