The smell of wood and fine fabrics assaulted her senses as Nina entered The Feminine Professional, the shop indicated by Sirius Software's instructions.
A saleswoman in an elegant black skirt suit and high heels greeted her politely. "Hello, my name is Margaret. How can I help you?" she asked Nina with a slight British accent.
"Hello Margaret, I'm Nina. I've just got a new job, and I'm supposed to get clothes that conform to a dress code." said Nina torn between admiration and derision that she felt at Margaret's attractive, yet traditionally feminine professional appearance.
Margaret nodded sagely. "Well, you've come to the right place." she said as she led Nina towards a large mirror and got out a measuring tape.
"By the way, I was told that you accept Sirius Software employee credit cards?" asked Nina, showing Margaret the Sirius Software employee credit card.
Margaret's eyes widened at the card, "My. My. So you are Mr. Zakhrov's new personal assistant" she said.
"You know him and the job posting?" asked Nina in surprise.
"Of course I know him. A very gifted and intelligent young man of wealth and taste." chuckled Margaret.
"Intelligent and gifted? He's a misogynist and a sexist pig from the 1940s! And show me ready-to-wear items. I'm not here for a damn fitting!" snapped Nina, batting away Margaret's measuring tape.
"Now that's quite enough ranting miss Nina. You could have always turned down the job if you are that opposed to him." said Margaret coldly.
"Master Zakhrov may be a traditionalist and an autocrat, but don't you dare accuse him of misogyny!" thought Margaret furiously as she fought to keep her professional demeanor.
Nina flushed. "I'm sorry. I'm just under a lot of stress. I just had the most unpleasant interview with that man of wealth and taste" she apologized grudgingly.
"Well what did you expect showing up for an interview like you've just come from a morning jog? The red carpet treatment?" thought Margaret coldly as she surveyed Nina in her over-sized hoodie and yoga pants.
"Well, not to worry. Now what kind of style and color would you like?" she asked, showing Nina a clothing rack of blazers.
"You know what? I think I'll manage on my own." said Nina, eyeing the blazers' tapering waistlines, plunging necklines and shimmering material with distaste.
"Of course. Just let me know when you are ready to pay" said Margaret coolly and left Nina to her own devices.
Nina returned with her arms full of blazers with high necklines in bright colors and matching, flowing ankle length skirts.
"Are you sure about these?" asked Margaret as Nina dumped them on the billing counter.
"Yes, I'm sure." snapped Nina tossing her the Sirius Software credit card.
"Don't say I didn't warn you, when Mr. Zakhrov punishes you." sighed Margaret as she rang up the purchases and packed the clothes into bags.
----
Nina pressed her hand into the hand-print lock of Sirius Software's main entrance door.
The huge door hissed open and Nina stepped once again into the empty lobby.
The bright yellow over-sized blazer and long skirt that she was wearing over a t-shirt, yoga pants and sneakers felt heavy and uncomfortable on her. The blazer sprawled across her shoulders, and her skirt trailed along the smooth black lobby floor.
She shuffled towards the elevator, taking care not to trip over the trailing skirt and rode the elevator to the 128th floor, smug satisfaction coursing through her that she had circumvented the objectifying and sexualizing nature of Aaron's Draconian dress code.
Though they were uncomfortable, the blazer and skirt effectively hid her figure and de-emphasized her bust.
She settled down at her new desk which was right outside the CEO's office and booted up the new computer that was installed there.
As she was trying to make sense of the computer's unfamiliar interface, the CEO's office door hissed open and Aaron strode out in his signature black leather business suit, his boot heels clicking menacingly on the granite floor.
"Good morning Ms. Avanthika," he greeted her, his icy blue-eyed gaze taking in her ill-fitting bright yellow blazer, very long bright yellow skirt and sneakers, and the thin band of dirt and grime the hem of her skirt had already accumulated from trailing on the floor.
"Morning." she growled, her defiant black eyes daring him to comment on her appearance.
Nina's defiance crumbled as Aaron slowly approached her desk. Her heart started pounding, and she shrank away from him, trembling as he towered over her while leaning over her computer.
"Your browser, email and chat applications are accessed from this menu" He explained coldly, pointing to an icon on her screen. With that, he straightened and left her.
Nina sighed in relief as he left her, cursing herself for shaking with fear at his intimidating presence.
As soon as his door closed with its signature boom, she launched the email and chat applications and started her campaign to change the corporate culture at Sirius Software, pinging employees and sending out emails, calling upon them to take action against the oppressive policies, and sexist dress code.
Aaron sat in his office and got to work. He had deliberately not given Nina any instructions or duties to see if she would be proactive in her role as his personal assistant, or would she just use her access to his company's systems to try and continue her attacks and activism.
His automated email and instant message monitoring and moderation programs blocked Nina's campaign attempts, flagged them as employee contract violations and notified him.
He gave the rapidly accumulating notifications a cold glance before he muted the notifications and got back to coding, confident that his measures to protect his company from activists was in working order.
----
Nina woke up the next morning to several text messages from Sirius Software and her bank.
The messages said that she had accumulated several employee contract violations, for which she was now liable to several thousand dollars in fines and that the amount had already been deducted from her meager savings account leaving her with just enough money in her account to travel to Sirius Software for two days via Uber.
Horrified at the brutal efficiency of Sirius Software's systems, and furious with herself for her naïveté in assuming that her campaign attempts wouldn't be blocked, Nina frantically typed an email to Aaron demanding an appeal.
The reply was terse: "Actions have consequences. You read and signed the employee contract".
With a sinking feeling, Nina read through the copy of the employee contract that Aaron had helpfully attached to his cold reply.
Sure enough, there were clauses forbidding the use of Sirius Software's internal communication systems to discuss politics, religion or ideology.
She had been so caught up in defying his dress code mandate, and so eager to start agitating for change, that she had forgotten all about those other clauses.
She typed a scathing reply to Aaron, accusing him of abuse of power and harassment, and threatening to sue him in court.
Not receiving any other replies, she quickly dressed, jumped into an Uber and raced to Sirius Software.
Nina slammed her hand into the hand-print lock on the main entrance door, but it refused to budge, displaying a red "Access Denied" sign.
Seething with rage, she buzzed the intercom. "Let me in you monster!" she screamed.
From his office, Aaron watched her through his security cameras and answered coldly through the intercom: "As of today, and as per the terms of our contract, your employment has been terminated. Get off my property."
"How dare you! I have rights! You can't just clean out my savings and then fire me!" shouted Nina through the intercom.
Deathly silence followed, the door still refused to budge.
Nina's anger started fade and worry started to surface.
"Please can we talk about this?" she pleaded into the intercom.
Dead silence met her pleas. Her worry and fear started to build.
"Please Aaron, lets talk about this. I'm sure we can resolve this without the courts." she said into the intercom again.
The intercom still remained silent. Nina started to get more anxious and desperate. Tears started to overwhelm her.
"Please! Please! Just give me another chance." she cried into the intercom.
The door finally hissed open and Nina stumbled into the empty Sirius Software lobby once again.