Manville Corporation Fiber Glass Group Series Essay

1. Why have Dr. Doll’s comments precipitated a crisis? Because of the assumption â€Å"perception is everything†. Dr Doll would have to manage the immediate crisis due to this concept. People will afraid of fiberglass from the moment they heard that fiberglass is also carcinogenic as asbestos but it is appear less carcinogenic if compared with asbestos. The word â€Å"asbestos† which comes out from Dr Doll’s lip has created an atmosphere of worry among the stakeholders and reporters who attended the symposium. This is because asbestos was once a material banned from manufacturing 2. Does Manville have another asbestos on its hands? In your judgment, who or what was responsible for the asbestos disaster? No, Manville has actually not producing asbestos, It was the press or media to create an perception in public that fiberglass is actually a man-made asbestos. Thanks you Dr Doll’s comparison on asbestos and fiberglass, now Manville is facing with disaster. Manville should responsible since at that moment asbestos was actually a dangerous material to be used but Manville or the asbestos manufacturer was keeping to conceal the fact. This action was then known to the public and caused Manville to receive pressure from the stakeholder and filed for bankruptcy. 3. What should Manville’s senior managers do in view of Anderson’s news? Be sure to consider the following: a. Should they communicate with anyone? Who? What? How? When? Manville’s senior should held a meeting not only among the CEOs but also with its employee in order to discuss the crisis. They can plan to discuss about the solution to be used or suggestion which will return the truth of fiberglass to Manville. A communication established is essential in creating a link and understanding between the workers and the top manager. Manville’s top manager should communicate as soon as possible once they heard of Anderson’s news since they have no much time to be wasted so that they can carry on with other plan which is essential in rebuilding the reputation of Manville. b. Should they scale back or exit the fiberglass business? This decision should be made by depends on the circumstance but it is not arguable that information flies faster in modern days. The top level of Manville should expect that the news was known to public at the time they do a meeting in the morning. Later on if they found that fiberglass is also giving less profit or the protest of public onto the production of fiberglass was too hard to be explained. Then they are better to exit the fiberglass. However if the major problem was only on to the cost or salary problem, Manville could try to scale back by firing some employee who they think deserve to be fired but sometimes firing might not the best way to ensure a company’s survival instead it will make the company looks selfish. c. Should they modify the fiberglass MSDS or label? How? In terms of moral and also business ethic they should modify MSDS. Previously, Manville’s MSDS only labeled itch-scratch, but actually it was believed that fiberglass is causing cancer, So Manville should add additional info into the label but at the same time this label maybe will makes consumer unwilling to purchase fiberglass product. Therefore ,Manville can only keeping MSDS but they could seek for some other way else to regain trust from the public towards fibreglass

2.03 Cell Membranes and Homeostasis Essay

Objective(s): The reason for this experiment is to see how starch and iodine affect each other and how a plastic bag works similar to a membrane in certain situations. Introduction: I know prior to doing this experiment that iodine mixed with starch creates a dark color and that most objects, organic and inorganic, naturally experience isotonic reactions. Hypothesis: I think that the potato will absorb more starch than the sweet potato and they will both absorb relatively similar amounts of water. Procedure: Variables: Controlled- water and size of potatoes. Manipulated variables- potatoes growth based on contents of solution. Data: Data and Observations Bag ContentInitial color of water/iodine solution in the cupFinal color of the solution in the cup Starch and Water Dark blue, purple Blackish Blue WaterOrangeyOrange Analysis Questions Part 1 1.Restate your hypothesis and discuss if the observed results supported the hypothesis. -Based off what I observed, my hypothesis, stating that the potato will absorb more starch than the sweet potato, was correct. 2.Identify the control and variables in your experiment. -Variables: Controlled- water and size of potatoes. Manipulated variables- potatoes growth based on contents of solution. 3.Why do we observe the color of the solution before adding the sandwich bags to each cup? -To make sure that the solutions contain the necessary contents. 4.Based on your observations, is the sandwich bag permeable to starch? To iodine? -Iodine is permeable to the sandwich bag, while starch is not. 5.Look up the molecular structures of starch and iodine, and use those structures to explain your observations. -Starch is a more complex compound than iodine, making it easier for iodine to pass through objects. 6.If a balance was available, describe how you could use it in this experiment and what the purpose would be. -The balance could be used to also see the difference is the potatoes before and after the observation time. 7.Living organisms are made of cells. Those cells must receive nutrients and gases in order to undergo the metabolic processes that maintain homeostasis. In paragraph form, explain how you think the nutrients and gases enter the cell. Distinguish between the molecules that can enter by diffusion by simply moving across the membrane and those that must expend energy to cross the cell membrane. -Nutrients enter cells in to major ways, through active and passive transport. When a molecule uses diffusion or other processes that require no energy, they are using passive transport. An example molecule for this would be water or glucose. Other molecules, that need to use energy to enter a cell use active transport. Many molecules that use this are macromolecules, like proteins. Molecules use one of these two transports to enter a cell. 8.List three criteria cells use to select materials to enter or leave the cell. Then explain the role of each criterion in determining the type of transport a cell will use for different sized molecules. For instance, small molecules move across the membrane by diffusion, given they are moving with the concentration gradient. -Water can enter the cell in order to balance the amount inside to the amount of the environment. This is passive due to the fact that it happens without any external energy. -Some molecules can pass into the cell by facilitated diffusion. This is passive due to the nature of diffusion and because the solute is moving down its concentration gradient. – Sodium is moved out of an animal cell while potassium is moved into the cell by the sodium-potassium-pump. This is through active transport because it uses energy. Restate your hypothesis and discuss if the observed results supported the hypothesis. -Based off what I observed, my hypothesis, stating that the potato will absorb more starch than the sweet potato, was correct. 2.Use your observations to explain if each type of cell (potato, sweet potato/pear/apple) was isotonic, hypertonic, or hypotonic to each of the solutions. Explain what happened to each type of cell in response to the type of solution it was in. -Potato- it was hypertonic and gained water in the water solution. In the starch solution, it was hypotonic. -Sweet Potato- it was hypertonic in the water solution and went through plasmolysis in the starch solution. 3.Based on the observed volume changes, which of  the vegetables/fruits used in this experiment has a greater amount of sucrose in its cells? Explain your answer. -The Sweet Potato seemed to have an originally larger amount of sucrose in its cells. Conclusion: In conclusion, it seems like the hypothesis was relatively c orrect. From the data collected from the experiment, the two potato samples were subjected to different solutions. The potato was hypertonic to the distilled water and hypotonic to the starch solution. The sweet potato, on the other hand, was a little harder to determine, though it was obvious that it was hypertonic to the distilled water, it was hard to determine if it was hypo-,hyper-, or isotonic. Since it was hard, I did a little research and realized that what I was seeing was the sweet potato going through plasmolysis. This experiment was somewhat difficult due to the fact that I was observing periodically, but it seems like it was a success.

Why Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why Technology - Essay Example odern age. Laptops, tablets, PCs, mobile devices are creating new economic and business opportunities and students need these skills to compete effectively in the economy for career placement. 2- Reflections on what you learned about teaching, learning and technology? Teaching, learning, and technology are all joined by the common denominator that what one does with a tool is more important than any other aspect of learning. There are many situations where a person may have many resources – academic, economic, and social – but fails to produce anything with the opportunity. Therefore, it is not only providing options but also action that should define aspects of technology, learning, and education. This means class participation, projects, and hands-on building activities to generate new projects and practical experience. 3- Statements of how or why this is important to you and your class and students.

Wal-Mart analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Wal-Mart analysis - Research Paper Example The paper describes the Wal-Mart company in general. This company is also the largest grocery retailer in United States and deals with diverse ranges of product lines. Wal-Mart mainly operates in 17 different countries. It is identified that both US and UK follow a free market approach that does not impose any regulation on business expansion. According to this concept, the government has only a distant role in market regulation. In contrast, China has adopted a more restrictive approach so as to preserve the interests of its traditional traders. Although, China possesses world’s largest potential market, the strict market regulations adversely affect Wal-Mart’s business interests. As compared to Chinese market, Indian market covers the features of both capitalism and a socialistic market economy. This mixed market system provides equal power to industrialists and government over the market. Like in the case of US and UK, Japan maintains a free market system so as to en courage national as well as international traders. Japan’s industrialized economy is the third largest in the world. According to Daniels, Radebaugh, Sullivan, and Salwan, different nations follow different market systems and regulations. This varied market structures raise many challenges to Wal-Mart Stores because the organization is forced to restructure its marketing policies in accordance with the trade laws of the nations in which it operates. The sources of political risk for the countries in which the Wal-Mart has its presence vary. For instance, the organization operates in Pakistan where political conflicts and terrorism are at its peak. Such a political atmosphere is not beneficial for a multinational company like Wal-Mart because the political instability would seriously impinge on the firm’s marketing operations. Similarly, China is a communist country that strongly opposes capitalistic ideologies. Under this situation, the Wal-Mart cannot function effecti vely in China since the communist perceptions of Chinese government does not fit with the capitalistic interests of the organization. In this way, the Wal-Mart may face different political threats from its various foreign markets. Therefore, it is recommendable for the company to select foreign market segments carefully while dealing with international expansion. The above said political constraints prevent the organization from developing its product lines and business strategies in the target country. 4. Many groups of individuals possess shares in Wal-Mart and these stakeholders can be mainly categorized under two heads such as market and non-market stakeholders. A market stakeholder has an economic stake in what the company does; whereas a non-market stakeholder possesses a political stake. It is obvious that market stakeholders always aim at their economic benefits. Since both these groups contribute to the operational requirements of the company, Wal-Mart’s stakeholders must get benefits that are adequate to cover the risk elements they have taken. In the view of Brigham and Ehrhardt (2011, p.572), since investment opportunities and earnings of an international company vary from year to year, it will have to make great efforts to maintain stable dividend distribution. Hence, the shareholder satisfaction is a

African Americans and the Executive Power Coursework

African Americans and the Executive Power - Coursework Example However, three times in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, presidents made executive orders which helped overturn the accepted institution of racism against black Americans. This paper will look at Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802 of 1941, and Harry S. Truman's Executive Order 9981 of 1946, to show that these three situations were ones in which the executive power was used to create the less racist society of modern America. In 1863, the United States was in a horrific racial situation: it was the year of the New York Draft Riots, in which countless black people were murdered and lynched on the streets of the city; on a larger scale, the country was torn in a civil war over the fate of black slaves. It was into this context that President Lincoln introduced the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, an executive order which was more symbolic than effective: the Proclamation stated that slaves in the Confederate Sta tes of America were to be set free, an area over which Lincoln had no practical power at the time. Furthermore, it specifically did not suggest emancipation in the northern states which, ironically, were fighting in order to obtain the freedom of black slaves. Lincoln's aim was to starve the southern forces of free labor by popularizing this message to encourage black slaves to escape and be granted their freedom in the north – it was a purely tactical maneuver, and really not much more than a stepping stone on the way to true abolition, which was achieved with the Thirteenth Amendment at the end of 1865. Sadly, it was not until this point that the fifty thousand or so remaining slaves in the northern states were emancipated. Nonetheless, the Emancipation Proclamation remains an important milestone for black civil rights, and one of the few which was granted exclusively by the President through an executive order. In fact, the three Executive Orders discussed in this paper we re not really as powerful as they are often thought of – they were merely baby steps along a path to increased civil liberties and diminished discrimination.

Role of high performance work systems in organizational performance Essay

Role of high performance work systems in organizational performance - Essay Example This work system aims at developing high involvement through the development of an adequate degree of commitment among all levels of human resources working in the organization. The notion of the high performance work system are supported by claims that this system of work practices lead to the creation of superior performance at the individual as well as organizational levels. However, it can be argued that the system of high performance work systems often makes an organization shift from the conventional and eclectic selection of the best practices employed in human resource management which ensures the creation of higher organizational performance outcomes but does not necessarily add to the performance outcomes of individual employees in an organization. Developing the work on these lines of analysis, this essay is prepared with the objective of critically discussing the role of high performance work systems in organizational and individual performances. The scholars across vario us fields of study like industrial relations labor economics, organizational behavior, and the strategic human resource management and operations management who have presented varied views regarding the effectiveness of the high performance work systems in the contemporary business organizations. As per the views of many scholars and the researchers, the high performance work systems are extremely useful form an organizational as well as individual performances. Higher complexity in the job roles.

Computer Training Program at Fortis Hospital Assignment

Computer Training Program at Fortis Hospital - Assignment Example This has resulted in the increasing numbers of the customer complaints regarding the services of the help desk. This kind of services is not at all expected from the super luxury hospital like Fortis, Bangalore. in issue is tarnishing the image of the organization. I feel staffs of the help desk need training or development program for mitigating this issue permanently. My instructional strategy will be direct. In this training program I will directly train all the staffs related with the help desk of the hospital. The training will be done in shift wise, one shift will start from the 10.30 in the morning and will continue till 1 pm in the afternoon and the second shift will start from the 2 pm and will continue up to 4.30 pm. The whole training program will be held in the IT wing of the hospital. During the course of the training Power Point presentation will be used and all the practical demonstrations will be done with the help of computers. Each and every staffs will be given one computers where they can practice all their technical demonstrations. The cost of the training will be reasonable (Beardwell and Claydon, 2010). Power point presentation and projector will not cost high amount of money for the organization. Photo copy of the training material will be given to each and every staff of the help desk. This training program will continue for three days. At the end of the third day a simple evaluation will be done for assessing the outcome of the training. The whole training procedure will be conducted in a supportive and cooperative manner. All the staffs of the help desk are the audiences for this training program. Here all the staffs are adult and have minimum of 2 years of working experiences related with this field.

Understanding Specific Needs in Health and Social Care Essay

Understanding Specific Needs in Health and Social Care - Essay Example These concepts include the primary and secondary deviance as relates to the patients, the community and the caregivers of the social care services (Üstün, 2010, p 43). These concepts include deviance, stigma and how to address the issue of stigma. In these three concepts, the factors of stigma are of key concerns as regards the caregivers and users (Fisher & Robinson, 2010, p 209). The element of consideration in stigmatization in understanding disability and challenging behaviours entails the perceptions of the community within which this individual with the special needs lives. Further, the processes of tackling the stigmatization issue as a concept is also of key concern in understanding and addressing the issues of special needs care. Another concept in this factor is handicap and understanding the issues relating to handicapped persons, as well as, addressing the needs for such special needs person. Additionally, this understanding also entails the concepts regarding soc ial and structural iatrogenesis. This social and structural iatrogenesis entails the perception and behaviour of the society as receivers of care within the special needs issues. Further, the role of medicine in the society also entails key concept of consideration within this element to understand the behaviour and disability existent among the people concerned. It is essential since it facilitates the interventions entailed in caring and understanding these special needs regarding disability, illness and behaviour.

Primary Sources Essay Example for Free

Primary Sources Essay Primary sources are the original documents that serve as a springboard for other theorists, scientists, authors, and scholars to write additional works that are added to the subject’s base of literature. Primary sources are the first indications of a particular idea or a landmark study. They serve as a scientific starting point. Secondary sources are based on extrapolations of the original version with new additions and the interpretation of the past. For the most comprehensive literature review, both types of sources should be included in the research for a particular topic. The most powerful advantage to the use of primary sources is the assurance that these documents have not been marred or misrepresented through inaccurate interpretations or external motivations. The complexity of history makes it clear that a number of motives could influence the portrayal of original sources. When citing the works of others use only part of the source and rarely include the full context of the document. Details, the writing style, and purpose intended by the original author are important components available to researchers who choose to include primary sources in their bibliographies. The most practical advantage of secondary sources is their increased availability. Primary sources often originated decades or centuries ago. Much of the context that influenced those pieces is drastically different now and a modern interpretation might be the only way to apply the original findings to today’s world. The addition of strong secondary sources can strengthen the scope of a literature review. Lastly, most students have the most experience with secondary sources. This supposition was supported by the findings in a recent study by Oldenburg (2005). While psychology professors preferred to use primary sources, they usually reserved the assignments of these readings to smaller, more advanced classes. With the progression in their education, students gain more exposure to original sources. Most will identify the need to incorporate both primary and secondary sources into their research.

Why Divorce Is A Good Thing

Why Divorce Is A Good Thing We owe all the wonderful aspects of modern marriage to one thing: divorce. You will hear just the opposite, of course. Religious fundamentalists and politicians will tell you that divorce is crumbling our society, ruining childrens lives, and weakening the moral character of the nation. Dont listen to them. They know perfectly well why divorce is a good thing, they just dont want you to ever find out. Divorce means choice. Divorce means that two people do not have to remain bound to each other until the grave, as society dictated until the 20th century. Divorce means that human beings can determine the path their life will take. And at its very root, divorce provides for that most crucial, most valuable of human experiences: happiness. Divorce is also the great equalizer, and the hallmark of a truly advanced society in terms of womens rights. No woman can ever claim to feel like property or subjugated by men where are there are equitable divorce laws in place. When we look back at ancient civilizations, the ones that stand out are the ones like ancient Egypt which provided equitable treatment for women and the accessibility of divorce as a way to end a legal marriage. Even in the modern world, the best countries for women are those that allow them to divorce freely and without social stigma. But the freedom to live your life how you please, without affecting how others live theirs, is something that a great number of people dont want you to have. Religions in particular seem devoted to making sure that you donà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢t live how you please, that your every action is analyzed and criticized and ultimately judged. Whether its a stern and moralistic God or a harsh and judgmental society you claim as your higher power, be aware that both of them have one central belief at their core: personal happiness is bad, and personal choice is worse. The Catholic Church, for example, maintains that if you marry someone while your first spouse is still alive, you are committing adultery and will go to Hell. You are not allowed to put aside one spouse and find another, no matter what the reason. They dont like the idea of your having sex with more than one person in your life, even if you want to marry each person that you have it with. Or do they? If your spouse dies they have put no such hex on you. Widows and widowers are given the full blessing of the church to marry again. The limit seems to be three marriages, although Im not sure how stringently this rule is applied. It may be that the widowed are allowed marrying as often as they wish. But even if the church absolutely forbids a widowed person from re-marrying more than twice, it still means that the church would rather sanction youà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢re having sexual relations with three people in your life, rather than let you be married to two if the first one is merely divorced from you. Its adultery and fornication if you divorce one spouse and remarry even once, but legitimate carnal relations if you marry three times because the other two died. This cant possibly indicate a desire to limit the number of sexual partners you have, or to stamp out the sin of sex. I couldnt understand this breach in logic. As much as I disagree with the premise, if youre going to claim that all sex outside the bonds of your first marriage is sinful, then surely you have to call the widowed fornicators too, as much as the divorced are. But the church doesnt. And for years, neither did the public at large. Widowed people were pitied but respected. Divorced people caused scandal, were looked down upon by respectable people, were shunned and considered morally bankrupt. Now I know why. Its a question of choice, of volition, a unique human quality. The church, and society, simply wouldnt allow you to exercise your volition beyond that first choice of partner you made a choice, by the way, that was often made for you by your parents and had nothing to do with what you wanted. Nothing would justify wanting to make another choice later in life. Only God could do that, it seems. If God took your partner away from you, you had no choice in that, and therefore, you were allowed to choose again. If God decided to take that spouse from you too, that wasnt your choice either. As long as you yourself werent thinking and choosing and making your own decisions about your life, the church would be lenient on you. The minute you decided to affect change in your own life, to undo something you regretted doing or something that no longer served a purpose in your life, you were branded a sinner. So for centuries, miserably married people could only find freedom in the grave. Many people killed their mates to be free of them. It was not uncommon for aristocrats, attempting to climb the social ladder, to arrange for their no-longer-advantageous spouses to fall down stairs or eat poisoned meat so that they, the aristocrats, could marry someone higher up in the echelon of the nobility. For those without the stomach for murder, there was no option. There may have been unofficial separations as there are today, but the medieval mind was so accustomed to accepting discomfort and sacrifice that most unhappily married people stayed together because they felt it was their lot in life to suffer. Its a sentiment that carried through to our grandparents, and even our parents to some extent, many of whom lived out lives of unhappiness and dissatisfaction, bound for life to someone that contributed to the misery of their life, all under the guise of respecting the sanctity of wedlock. It was only when people started believing that their happiness was more important than a vow to God, that they had choice in life and were free to make choices responsibly, that marriage was a voluntary, mutually agreed upon partnership of respect and love that could dissolve if that love and respect disappearedit was only then that people started seeing marriage as an expression of joy and started enjoying the marriages they had. There is nothing sacred about a loveless marriage. Whats sacred is having the freedom to enjoy the best kind of marriage possible, the kind freely entered into by two people who understand that it could end if they neglect or abuse their partner, or that it could last a lifetime if they both want it to. Whats sacred is knowing that a satisfying, happy marriage is always possible, no matter who you find yourself with at the moment or how many times youve tried to make it work and failed. Whats sacred is saying to yourself, and your children, that happiness in love is a crucial component of a healthy life, that sacrificing that happiness for some fuzzy morality is an insult to the human mind. People who divorce and remarry respect the institution of marriage, and respect themselves. As difficult as divorce may be, as painful and unpleasant as it may be, it is necessary to preserve the essential beauty of marriage. People are much more likely to respect and honor each other, to stay in love, when they know that if they dont earn their partners love and admiration, constantly, their marriage could end. People who are bound, inextricably, to each other for life have no incentive to be good to each other. Children and Divorce But what about the children? Its a cry we hear constantly, in protest against everything from adult sites on the internet to garbage dumps to government cutbacks. Future generations, it seems, are far, far more important than this one. But I digress. I will discuss the issue of children and their relationship to marriage in a later page. Yes, children are often hurt by divorce. Yes, it can be painful for a child to see his parents split up. But I believe it is far more damaging for an adult to have grown up in a household where love has disappeared from his parents marriage, and therefore the only experience he has with it is that its a doomed institution, a miserable partnership, something he never expects will give him joy. One of the biggest mistakes parents make in child rearing is in putting their marriage last. It is imperative that you put your marriage first, not only for yourselves, but also for your children. Show your children what a marriage is, what they can expect and look forward to when they grow up. Show them a couple who are deeply in love and committed to each other, show them a man and woman enjoying being in love, respecting each other, living with each other, loving each other. If they see this, they will want and expect this for themselves. They will know what a good relationship is, and wont get drawn into bad ones. So what happens if you arent that blissful couple? What happens if you dont love each other, if your marriage isnt good? Then is that something you want your children to emulate? Even if your partner is the best parent in the world, it will do your child a great disservice if the two of you fight and hurt each other and then turn around and behave sweetly to your child. It will make your child feel uncomfortable, like they are somehow usurping love from one of their parents. Children plainly understand that their parents are supposed to be in love. Its what assures them that when they grow up theyll be in love as well. If you dont have a loving model to show your children, you are doing them no favors by staying married. Divorce. Separate yourselves from each other, and continue to be good, if separate, parents. Marry again, choosing carefully, so that your children can see that it s alright to want happiness for yourself and to go after it. Show them its alright to leave one marriag e if its bad and start another one thats better. Give them some idea of what to expect for their own happiness in the future. Divorce isnt easy. And naturally a happy marriage is preferable to divorce any day. I dont blame anyone for being afraid of divorce or for not wanting their marriage to end. But if we really want to understand what makes free, unfettered, romantic marriage possible, we have to embrace that which makes it possible, and give it the quiet respect it deserves.

Healthy Rise In GSK Profits Commerce Essay

Healthy Rise In GSK Profits Commerce Essay This report outlines the analysis made at micro and macro level on UK based pharmaceutical company, Glaxo SmithKline Plc. In this context the scope of the industry is analyzed and based on the threats that the industry can face a critical study is carried out to predict the future market position of GSK among its competitors. This analysis made is based on various models and frameworks like Porters five forces, Porters generic strategies and PESTEL analysis. These models help in clearly defining the strategic position, strategic fit and the competitive advantage of the company with respect to sustainability over the future market scenario of the pharmaceutical industry. GSK is one of the market leaders in pharmaceutical industry that comprises of 7% of the worlds pharmaceutical market. It is head quartered at UK and with operation based in US has a long history from 18th century. GSK was a result of two major market holders; Glaxo Wellcome (Burroughs Wellcome Company and Glaxo Laboratories) merged with SmithKline Beecham (SmithKline Beckman and Beecham group plc) to form GlaxoSmithKline Beecham during the early 2000 (Glaxo SmithKline, 2009a, 2009a; Glaxo SmithKline, 2009b). Pharmaceutical Industry A pharmaceutical industry in general can be defined as a private organization where discovery, development, manufacture and sales of drugs and vaccination into the market takes place (Britannica, 2009). With respect to the case study company, GSK proves to be a market leader as a research based pharmaceutical industry providing diversified health care products to influence humans life towards betterment (Glaxo SmithKline Plc, 2009a; FAME, 2009a). Market share: The recent statistics (Euromonitor, 2009a; Euromonitor, 2009b) shows that GSK by holding 7% worlds pharmaceutical market share remains to be the second major pharmaceutical company in the world and it is the third largest leading OTC health care company with a market share of 3.4% following Johnson Johnson Inc and Bayer AG. Recent report shows that GSK has shown increase in their turn over market share in vaccine sales and diversified products in US irrespective of the recession during 2008 (Brian Kevin, 2009). There has been a 10% increase in profit and sales during the third quarter of 2009. This was due to the sales and urgent orders made by various governments around the world for the treating pandemic influenza virus (Milligan, 2009). GSK gives a tuff competition to its major market share holders and generic. The pharmaceutical industry can be classified as an oligopoly market, because two major firms GSK and Pfizer will be working together to obtain solution for HIV/AIDS. Thus this will lead in building barriers for the other minor market competitors to reach the top 5. But still the generic industries in the market remain to be a major force of competition for GSK when its products patent expires (Jack, 2009). External Analysis on GSK The external analysis on GSK is done using PESTEL and Porters five force models. Macro environment The PESTEL analysis is generally used at the macro environment of an industry to understand the key drivers for change. This frame work tells the managers to make efficient strategy based on the PESTEL analysis report. Thus a few core factors of change are discussed below, POLITICAL: The US Govt by approving the license application for the pandemic vaccine allows GSK to manufacture and supply its unadjuvanted vaccine for the use of US people. Similarly many other European and Asian nations have also ordered for this vaccine which in turn will reflect a hike in GSKs revenue (Milligan, 2009) TECHNOLOGY: GSK adopted sourcing technologies from Emptoris solutions to obtain spend analysis, supply and contract management software solutions that empowered the company to add up another billion to the profit (Emptoris, 2009). The result of this was proved with the awards that it received at 2005 Baseline ROI leadership Awards for Supplier coordination and Performance management (Ziff Davis media, 2009) SOCIAL: The demographic changes are similar in Africa (Cutler J. Cleveland, 2009) India and China. The changes taking place raises a demand for increase in the standardization of the people and influencing longer life to them for a fraction of a price charged at UK. Thus GSK finds the emerging markets like these countries and establishes its brand and products to gain advantage of the changing demographic factors (Financial Times, 2009a). ENVIRONMENTAL: The threatening animal rights campaign caused the smaller firms to shift their company headquarter from UK .But GSK with the support of UK govt dissolved the case (BBC news, 2009a). LEGAL: The patent protection has been a major issue while making a sales competition with the generic manufacturers (Jack, 2009a). ECONOMIC: The recent economic recession that hit the US and UK market made GSK to cut jobs in selected plants (Decision news media, 2009). The analysis has helped in defining the extent of macro environment that supports GSK through it progress by providing few facts that remains to be driving factors to bring change for the companys revenue and brand image. However, certain environmental issues and legal factors can make the investors to rethink. Finally UK govts dependency on GSKs share towards economy is an added advantage that will remain ideal. Industry and sector: The Porters five force framework explains the influence of competitive forces surrounding an organisation. The key factors like exit barrier for existing company and entry barrier for new entrant (Gassmann et al, 2004 p21) to emerge as a rival to GSK are discussed below. Power of buyer: Power of buyer may not be a major issue for a new potential entrant to consider, but he cant stick to a single supplier. Considering GSK, it maximizes the number of chemical supplier to avoid supply disruption which results in loss in market share. On the other hand it minimizes the number of machinery and equipment to single supplier for processing products to maintain identical standard (Pierce Lisa McTigue, 2004). Power of supplier: The power of supplier is very low in the current pharmaceutical market because procurement through reverse e-auction (Science Direct, 2009) results in low switching cost (Gassmann et al, 2004 p23) and it is being followed effectively by GSK. The high supplier concentration ratio in pharmaceutical industry makes the suppliers to liberate their powers over the buyers. Threat of substitute: Threats from generic manufactures (Jack, 2009a) of drugs, have been a major threat to GSK because price competitiveness is always a major attraction to insurance company, International bodies like NICE to approve and for the end customers. Threat of entry by a potential entrant is medium. A new entrant can be former chemical manufacturer or supplier then the complexity for the company to emerge into a pharmaceutical company is quite easy. Regulative forces: The major issue in a pharmaceutical industry can be the patent protection, changing trade law and taxation, tort law (Glaxo SmithKline, 2001), approval from FDA (Russell, 2008), European and other regulatory authorities. Rivalry: Globalized leaders such as Merck, GSK, and Pfizer have remained as strong rivals in launching new or updated products (Griffiths, 2006). Competitors: The critical success factors are influencing aspects of a product that are valued by the customer/consumers. Thus the organisation has to consider these factors for taking advantage among their competitors (Johnson et al, 2008).As discussed before GSK deals with prescribed drugs and non-prescribed drugs (OTC). Thus these diversified products that it manufactures have various customer and consumers. There are four critical success factors identified in GSK as per customers valuation. They are Value, Variety, Share return, Skilled clinical testing, Value: OTC products can expect a lot of price sensitive customers buying those in the shops. However, the prescribed drugs which have less price conscious patients and more public and private hospitals. Drugs purchased by the hospital board are checked for its cost effectiveness by national organisation like NICE. GSK with high brand images looses the market due to low cost generic products after the expiry drugs patent. So GSK has to consider about the cost factor to overcome the price war. Effectiveness: Generally the drugs with more effectiveness towards the medical problem are preferred by the end customer. GSKs LEVITRA ® (Glaxo SmithKline, 2009e) which had 25% higher efficiency than it competitors drug Viagra gained an edge. Skilled Clinical testing: It is a major concern for NICE and NHS in UK. They are more concerned about the side effects that a drug can cause if it is not properly tested. (Glaxo SmithKline, 2001). Variety: diversified products with high variation are always expected by the consumers globally. GSK develops OTC products, prescribed drugs and orphan drugs (FAME, 2009). So this factor is not an issue for GSK since it has a high to make further improvements. Internal Analysis on GSK The internal analysis on GSK has been basically carried out by analysing the strategies of the company. Strategies of GSK To make a general analysis of competitive advantage the company is facing through its strategies, Porters generic strategy tool is been used (Porter, 1998a; Porter, 1998b). Porters generic strategies consist of 3 basic subdivisions such as Cost leadership, Differentiation and Focus strategy. GSK use certain strategies to create an unassailable position or outpace the competitors in the pharmaceutical industry. Considering the past 5 years GSK has effectively chosen and implemented several strategies to meet its goals. But not all those strategies have produced expected results. Cost leadership: According to porter risk outcome from having cost leadership distracts a company from possessing diversified products (Porter, 1998a). GSKs strategies have never aimed for having a cost leadership. Their major concern was to produce cost effective drugs by sourcing globally through reverse auctioning and not producing low cost drugs like the generic manufacturers who wish to position themselves in low-cost position in the industry. So GSK cut and save expenses in production and procurement to avoid the risks in differentiation as mentioned by porter Differentiation: GSK follows the strategy of MA on various biotech firms around the globe to make a use the latest technology for its drug discovery and development. This adds value to the product and the people pay the premium price fixed by the company. GSK invests more on Research Development for adding more value to the product. Recent alliances with Harvard Stem Cell Institute (Glaxo SmithKline, 2008a) and acquisitions such as that of Stiefel Laboratories and Genelabs (Glaxo SmithKline, 2008b) provide added advantage to the research and development of drugs. Competitive Advantage Resources The resources can be classified into tangible, intangible and human resources. Tangible: This can be diversified into financial and physical tangible resources. The financial resources are cash, securities and borrowing capacity (Hitt et al, 2009). Financial resources and physical assets are identified and valued in the firms financial statements. Database (ORBIS, 2009) reports GSKs balance sheet tangible asset value to be $14,108,592. The physical assets include labs owned and leased, land space for offices, manufacturing plant, medical equipment, non-medical equipment. However, the primary objective of resource analysis is not to value a companys assets, but to understand their potential for creating competitive advantage. Hence therefore GSKs tangible resources are threshold resources. Intangible: The intangible resources are the most important rather than tangible resources (Hitt et al, 2009). This is because the company introduces its premium price with the confidence to the brand image it has. And the people who have no idea about the same product from an unknown company prefer the branded product at the premium price. The intangible resources of GSK are generally the brand image, Government support to protect the patent, good will of the company, public relation. The global public policy in Glaxo SmithKline (2007) states that, Patent protection stimulates and fundamentally underpins the continued research and development for new and better medicines for diseases including those which occur in the developing world. Without adequate intellectual property protection, the medicines that are needed in the developing world are far less likely to be developed. (2007:p.2) And a cover story from Business week (2007), states that, GlaxoSmithKline discovered that, by investing to develop drugs for poor nations, it can work more effectively with those governments to make sure its patents are protected. Thus its clear from the above statement that GSK which finds the emerging countries like India, China and under developed markets for its drugs. The company uses the strategy of preferential pricing system to obtain goodwill, patent protection from the government and to boost itself as a monopoly in the market. Thus brand image and UK Government support are the unique resources of the company. Human Resources: The human capital of GSK measures to be the highest among all other competitors like Pfizer, Roche and Johnson and Johnson. There are 101,133 employees working as a part of GSK worldwide in various departments of research, development, and production. GSK alliance with state owned university carries out its research with the scientists and students there at the labs (ORBIS, 2009). Capability Prahalad and Hamel state that the term organizational capability can be coined as firms capacity to deploy resources for a desired end result . (1990: p 79-91). According to (Prahalad Hamel, 1990) Core competences are those that contribute to customer value, and to enter new market. The key capability factors are, Ability to merge and acquire: GSK has the capability to merge and acquire firms of same or different industry for lateral and vertical integration. The company has the ability to work along with rival market holder Pfizer(Pharmaceutical marketing, 2009) and it has merged with dermatology specialist Steifel. MIS: managing information system is one of the functional capabilities obtained through vertical integration with software solutions organisation like ORBIS. GSK choose to use a Lean Sigma approach to analyze the issues and develop a long term solution that supports the needs of a global company of their size (Orbis, 2008). Vertical Integration: GSK advisor uses the services of PricewaterhouseCoopers (Pricewaterhousecoopers, (2009), which provides Human Resource Services to manage compensation, pensions, share schemes and wider reward, technology, training and tax. Research and development: as a part of organisational capability GSK possess the ability to make research various drugs according to changing market demand (Glaxo SmithKline, 2009f). GSK has the ability to integrate the functional capabilities to form the value chain. Aligning Resources and Capabilities The capability and resource together form the key competitive advantage when exploited together to execute the strategy (Prahalad Hamel, 1990). In the process of aligning the resources and capabilities it is necessary to understand the companys superfluous strength that is the RD and effective vertical integrating capability. GSK finds emerging market like China and India and under developed countries of Africa. Then the management members along with the team that analyzed the market (cross functional capability i.e, developing new product) discusses about the demand of the country and decides on a perfect product to market in that country. GSK gained popularity of horlicks in India by late 1930 itself. Horlicks was launched a sleeping aid in Britain (Telegraph, 2005) and as a supplementary malt drink in India, where it holds a market share of 75% in health drink sector (Somvanshi, 2009). It also supplies drugs of great demand like H1N1 vaccine as per order made. GSK makes an agreement with the government for protecting its patent to provide the drugs at a lower cost. As these are emerging countries that are ready to allow large foreign investment accepts the deal for patent protection. Thus GSK with its financial resource targets enters the developing market with the objective establishing its brand as w ell as avoids the threat of generic industries. By acquiring, merging or by creating alliances with other existing firms who are specialized in other fields, the knowledge and skills of the employee are used to develop newer products under its ownership of GSK (Ruddick, 2009). Generally the pressure to merge with other firms builds up, when a companys block buster drug is about to expire. By this practice GSK builds up its strength to compete the challenge with newer and innovative products. However GSK has failed to exploit the resources and capabilities to its strategies at its maximum extent to attain regulatory approval from U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Russell, 2008). Conclusion It can be argued that the GSK is perfectly in the growth stage. However company has to concentrate on innovation, developing block buster drugs, and efficiently restructuring the pipeline, rather than concerning about the off-patent. The key issues that the GSK face now is, the low returns provided to the investors and share holders. The increasing cost of the production and development of drugs increases the possibility of higher sunk costs. The outlook of pharmaceutical industry as a whole suggests that the industry may run out of highly skilled scientists in the future but still remains to be the most attractive industry with high barrier to entry. Thus GSK considering the future issues and changing factors in mind has to progress through this economic downtime to prove its capability. References: BBC news (2009a). Glaxo wont be driven out of UK. [Online] Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4988858.stm Last accessed 18th November 2009. BBC news (2009b). Healthy rise in GSK profits. [Online] Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8331080.stm Last accessed 18th November 2009. Brian Kevin (2009). Flu factor adds zest to healthy GSK results. [Online] Available from:http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/d4d9d664-76f1-11de-b23c-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1. Last accessed 18th November 2009. Britannica. (2009). InEncyclopà ¦dia Britannica -UK [Online] Available from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1357082/pharmaceutical-industry. Last accessed 17th November 2009. Business Week. (2007). Beyond the Green Corporation. [Online] Available: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_05/b4019001.htm. 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GSK and Shenzhen Neptunus create new alliance to develop and manufacture influenza vaccines in China. [Online] Available from: http://www.gsk.com/media/pressreleases/2009/2009_pressrelease_10061.htm. Last accessed 19th November 2009. Glaxo SmithKline (2009d). US FDA approves GSKs pandemic H1N1 vaccine [Online] Available from: http://www.gsk.com/media/pressreleases/2009/2009_pressrelease_10129.htm Last accessed 19th November 2009. Glaxo SmithKline. (2009e). THE IMPACT OF ED ON ERECTILE FUNCTION. Available: http://www.levitra.com/about-erectile-dysfunction.html. Last accessed 27 November 2009. Glaxo SmithKline. (2009f). H1N1 influenza: responding to a pandemic. Available: http://www.gsk.com/infocus/influenza-A-H1N1.htm. Last accessed 27 November 2009. Griffiths, K. (2006). Glaxo medicine beats older diabetes rivals. Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2951867/Glaxo-medicine-beats-older-diabetes-rivals.html. Last accessed 28 November 2009. Jack (2009a). Generics make a dent in GSK sales. [Online] Available from: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dbd75fce-7b59-11d9-9af4-00000e2511c8.html. Last accessed 18th November 2009. Michael A Hitt,R.Duane Ireland, and Robert E. Hoskisson. (2009). Strategic Management::Input. In: Strategic management: competitiveness and globalization : concepts cases. United States: Cengage Learning Academic Resource Center. p76-80. Milligan (2009). Healthy rise in GSK profits. [Online] Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8331080.stm. Last accessed 18th November 2009. ORBIS (2008). GSK case study. Available: http://www.orbisglobal.com/SiteMedia/w3svc815/Uploads/Documents/GSK%20Case%20Study%202008.pdf. Last accessed 27 November 2009. ORBIS. (2009). Balance sheet. [Online] Available: http://orbis.bvdep.com/version-20091125/cgi/template.dll?checkathens=1kick=1product=13user=oxb.b5ce71006d6c243cpw=asGpiegbTuqWNfAr1N6v4A%3d%3d. Last accessed 28 Novenber 2009. Pharmaceutical marketing . (2009). GSK LINKS WITH PFIZER STIEFEL: Company moves to advance in HIV and dermatology . PHARMACEUTICAL MARKETING -DORKING. . 20 (12), p6-7. Pierce Lisa McTigue (2004). GSK breathes easy with new inhaler line: robotics and adaptable equipment help GlaxoSmithKline meet demand for the markets No. 1 asthma inhaler. [Online] Available from: http://www.allbusiness.com/plastics-rubber/plastics-product-manufacturing/298291-1.html Last accessed 18th November 2009. Prahalad, C.K. and Hamel, G. (1990) The core competence of the corporation, Harvard Business Review. p. 79-91. Pricewaterhousecoopers. (2009). GlaxoSmithKline. Available: http://www.pwc.co.uk/eng/services/glaxosmithkline_case_study.html. Last accessed 28 November 2009. Porter, M. (1998a). Generic Competitive Strategy. In: competitive strategy- Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York: free press. p35. Porter, M. (1998b). Generic Competitive Strategy. In: competitive strategy- Techniques for analyzing industries and competitors. New York: free press. p37. Ruddick, G. (2009). GlaxoSmithKline buys Stiefel for $3.6bn . Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/epic/gsk/5186751/GlaxoSmithKline-buys-Stiefel-for-3.6bn.html . Last accessed 28 November 2009. Russell, J. (09 Apr 2008). GSK rebuked by FDA over Avandia trials. [Online] Available: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/markets/2787811/GSK-rebuked-by-FDA-over-Avandia-trials.html. Last accessed 28 November 2009. Science Direct (2009) Getting the most out of reverse e-auction investment. [Online] Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL_udi=B6VC4-4H7THJ8-1_user=558526_rdoc=1_fmt=_orig=search_sort=d_docanchor=view=c_searchStrId=1105992232_rerunOrigin=google_acct=C000028481_version=1_urlVersion=0_userid=558526md5=0136d63f7d9ff73367852ba539382bb0#bbib12 Omega Volume 35, Issue 4, August 2007, Pages 403-416. 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Cure for Axillary Hyperhydrosis Essay -- Sweat Sweating Botox Treatmen

Cure for Axillary Hyperhydrosis Sweating is a natural process for all animals. Broadly speaking, we sweat so that our brains do not overheat. The brain can easily overheat if the temperature rises too high because it consumes a very large amount (twenty percent) of our metabolic energy. The brain and temperature relationship is extremely sensitive because it has been studied that brain damage is apparent if the brain temperature is raised to 106 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, in order for the brain to not reach this temperature, there must be a system that moderates the temperature—this cooling system is commonly referred to as sweating. When humans sweat, the surface of their skin is cooled, and the skin is then able to cool the blood headed to the brain. The sweat glands are in charge of carrying out this important system. There are two components to the sweat glands: the apocrine glands and the eccrine glands. The apocrine glands contribute the odor component to sweat and are associated with hair follicles, and the eccrine glands are the actual glands responsible for the secretion of sweat on the skin to lower the body temperature. (http://home.flash.net/~mortongr/sweat.htm) Dr. Richard G. Glogau explained that: â€Å"Eccrine sweat evaporates on the surface of the skin and effects a transfer of heat, primarily by direct conduction from the vascular supply to the skin. Sweating can reach volumes measured in liters per hour,† (1998, p.817). Between two and four million of these glands are found deep in the skin of the palms of hands, in the soles of feet and under the axillary skin. (Glogau, 1998) These glands secrete a very dilute solution of urea and lactic acid (Odderson, 1998). http://www.hyperhidrosi... ...perhidrosis with Botulinum Toxin. Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 24, 280-2. Heckmann, M., Breit, S., Ceballos-Baumann, A., Schaller, M., & Plewig, G. (1999). Side-controlled Intradermal Injection of Botulinum Toxin A in Recalcitrant Axillary Hyperhidrosis. J Am Acad Dermatol, 41, 987-90. Naumann, M. et al. (1998). Focal Hyperhidrosis: Effective Treatment With Intracutaneous Botulinum Toxin. Archives of Dermatology, 134, 301-4. Odderson, Ib R. (1998). Axillary Hyperhidrosis: Treatment With Botulinum Toxin A. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 79, 350-2. Odderson, I.R. (1998). Hyperhidrosis Treated by Botulinum A Exotoxin. Dermatol Surg, 24, 1237-41. Schnider, P. et al. (1999). A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-Controlled trial of Botulinum A Toxin for Severe Axillary Hyperhidrosis. British Journal of Dermatology, 140, 677-80.

Inevitable Grief in Not Yet, Jayette :: Not Yet Jayette Essays

Inevitable Grief in Not Yet, Jayette In the short story "Not Yet, Jayette" by William Boyd, Charlie, the narrator and main character, describes a day in his life, and tries to understand, what is going on with him, and where and when his life took a turn towards misery. He states: "It seems to me that everybody in their life is at least two people. Once when you're a child, and once when you're an adult. It's the saddest thing." We will now try to see how this statement relates to his life, and whether or not this phenomenon can be said to be symptomatic for our culture. Charlie, the main character of the short story, spends his life in Los Angeles, mostly looking for famous people. He used to be a star himself, when he was a child, but this came to an end as soon as he reached puberty. Now he is trying to recover the glamour of his childhood, but it is infinitely lost to him. This leads him to the reflection mentioned above. I would argue, however, that he himself is not really changed. As a character, he appears never to have fully grown up. What has changed, is the attitude of the world towards him. His society, Hollywood, in the middle of the California of the American Dream, estimates youth above all, and maintains a "childish" attitude towards things. He himself, however, is excluded from the people he dreams of being with. He lives in a world of disillusionment, the wrong side of Hollywood, together with all those who have never succeeded. But he has somehow conserved a certain hopeful candour, which makes us pity him, as we know he should have no hope. This has however prevented him from sinking into the total despair of e.g. Vanessa, the woman he calls "aunt" . He keeps on dreaming about being famous, rich and young, and he views his own existence as a kid as something close to Paradise. As I have already mentioned, he does not cope with existence like an adult. He is not able to keep his work, his family has been broken to pieces, and yet, all he does is looking for the rich and famous, and dreaming about the return of his career. He is secretly proud that Jayette, the woman in the coffee-shop, has noticed him.

Zoe’s Tale PART III Chapter Twenty-Three

Something was nudging me awake. I swatted at it. â€Å"Die,† I said. â€Å"Zoe,† Hickory said. â€Å"You have a visitor.† I blinked up at Hickory, who was framed as a silhouette by the light coming from the corridor. â€Å"What are you talking about?† I said. â€Å"General Gau,† Hickory said. â€Å"He is here. Now. And wishes to speak to you.† I sat up. â€Å"You have got to be kidding me,† I said. I picked up my PDA and looked at the time. We had arrived in Conclave space fourteen hours earlier, popping into existence a thousand klicks out from the space station that General Gau had made the administrative headquarters of the Conclave. He said he hadn't wanted to favor one planet over another. The space station was ringed with hundreds of ships from all over Conclave space, and even more shuttles and cargo transports, going between ships and back and forth from the station. Phoenix Station, the largest human space station and so big I've heard that it actually affected tides on the planet Phoenix (by amounts measurable only by sensitive instruments, but still), would have fit into a corner of the Conclave HQ. We had arrived and announced ourselves and sent an encrypted message to General Gau requesting an audience. We had been given parking coordinates and then willfully ignored. After ten hours of that, I finally went to sleep. â€Å"You know I do not kid,† Hickory said. It walked back to the doorway and turned up the lights in my stateroom. I winced. â€Å"Now, please,† Hickory said. â€Å"Come to meet him.† Five minutes later I was dressed in something I hoped would be presentable and walking somewhat unsteadily down the corridor. After a minute of walking I said, â€Å"Oh, crap,† and ran back to my stateroom, leaving Hickory standing in the corridor. A minute later I was back, bearing a shirt with something wrapped in it. â€Å"What is that?† Hickory asked. â€Å"A gift,† I said. We continued our trip through the corridor. A minute later I was standing in a hastily arranged conference room with General Gau. He stood to one side of a table surrounded by Obin-style seats, which were not really well designed either for his physiology or mine. I stood on the other, shirt in my hand. â€Å"I will wait outside,† Hickory said, after it delivered me. â€Å"Thank you, Hickory,† I said. It left. I turned and faced the general. â€Å"Hi,† I said, somewhat lamely. â€Å"You are Zoe,† General Gau said. â€Å"The human who has the Obin to do her bidding.† His words were in a language I didn't understand; they were translated through a communicator device that hung from his neck. â€Å"That's me,† I said. I heard my words translated into his language. â€Å"I am interested in how a human girl is able to commandeer an Obin transport ship to take her to see me,† General Gau said. â€Å"It's a long story,† I said. â€Å"Give me the short version,† Gau said. â€Å"My father created special machines that gave the Obin consciousness. The Obin revere me as the only surviving link to my father. They do what I ask them to,† I said. â€Å"It must be nice to have an entire race at your beck and call,† Gau said. â€Å"You should know,† I said. â€Å"You have four hundred races at yours. Sir.† General Gau did something with his head that I was going to hope was meant to be a smile. â€Å"That's a matter of some debate at this point, I'm afraid,† he said. â€Å"But I am confused. I was under the impression that you are the daughter of John Perry, administrator of the Roanoke Colony.† â€Å"I am,† I said. â€Å"He and his wife Jane Sagan adopted me after my father died. My birth mother had died some time before that. It is on my adopted parents' account that I am here now. Although I apologize† – I motioned to myself, and my state of unreadiness – â€Å"I didn't expect to meet you here, now. I thought we would come to you, and I would have time to prepare.† â€Å"When I heard that the Obin were ferrying a human to see me, and one from Roanoke, I was curious enough not to want to wait,† Gau said. â€Å"I also find value in making my opposition wonder what I am up to. My coming to visit an Obin ship rather than waiting to receive their embassy will make some wonder who you are, and what I know that they don't.† â€Å"I hope I'm worth the trip,† I said. â€Å"If you're not, I'll still have made them nervous,† Gau said. â€Å"But considering how far you've come, I hope for both our sakes the trip has been worth it. Are you completely dressed?† â€Å"What?† I said. Of the many questions I might have been expecting, this wasn't one of them. The general pointed to my hand. â€Å"You have a shirt in your hands,† he said. â€Å"Oh,† I said, and put the shirt on the table between us. â€Å"It's a gift. Not the shirt. There's something wrapped in the shirt. That's the gift. I was hoping to find something else to put it in before I gave it to you, but you sort of surprised me. I'm going to shut up now and let you just have that.† The general gave me what I think was a strange look, and then reached out and unwrapped what was in the shirt. It was the stone knife given to me by the werewolf. He held it up and examined it in the light. â€Å"This is a very interesting gift,† he said, and began moving it in his hand, testing it, I guessed, for weight and balance. â€Å"And quite a nicely designed knife.† â€Å"Thank you,† I said. â€Å"Not precisely modern weaponry,† he said. â€Å"No,† I said. â€Å"Figured that a general must have an interest in archaic weapons?† Gau asked. â€Å"Actually there's a story behind it,† I said. â€Å"There's a native race of intelligent beings on Roanoke. We didn't know about them before we landed. Not too long ago we met up with them for the first time, and things went badly. Some of them died, and some of us died. But then one of them and one of us met and decided not to try to kill each other, and exchanged gifts instead. That knife was one of those gifts. It's yours now.† â€Å"That's an interesting story,† Gau said. â€Å"And I think I'm correct in supposing that this story has some implication for why you're here.† â€Å"It's up to you, sir,† I said. â€Å"You might just decide it's a nice stone knife.† â€Å"I don't think so,† Gau said. â€Å"Administrator Perry is a man who plays with subtext. It's not lost on me what it means that he has sent his daughter to deliver a message. But then to offer this particular gift, with its particular story. He's a man of some subtlety.† â€Å"I think so, too,† I said. â€Å"But the knife is not from my dad. It's from me.† â€Å"Indeed,† Gau said, surprised. â€Å"That's even more interesting. Administrator Perry didn't suggest it?† â€Å"He doesn't know I had the knife,† I said. â€Å"And he doesn't know how I got it.† â€Å"But you did intend to send me a message with it,† Gau said. â€Å"One to complement your adopted father's.† â€Å"I hoped you'd see it that way,† I said. Gau set the knife down. â€Å"Tell me what Administrator Perry has to tell me,† he said. â€Å"You're going to be assassinated,† I said. â€Å"Someone is going to try, anyway. It's someone close to you. Someone in your trusted circle of advisors. Dad doesn't know when or how, but he knows that it's planned to happen soon. He wanted you to know so you could protect yourself.† â€Å"Why?† General Gau asked. â€Å"Your adopted father is an official of the Colonial Union. He was part of the plan that destroyed the Conclave fleet and has threatened everything I have worked for, for longer than you have been alive, young human. Why should I trust the word of my enemy?† â€Å"The Colonial Union is your enemy, not my dad,† I said. â€Å"Your dad helped kill tens of thousands,† Gau said. â€Å"Every ship in my fleet was destroyed but my own.† â€Å"He begged you not to call your ships to Roanoke,† I said. â€Å"This was a place where he was all too subtle,† Gau said. â€Å"He never explained how the trap had been set. He merely asked me not to call my fleet. A little more information would have kept thousands alive.† â€Å"He did what he could,† I said. â€Å"You were there to destroy our colony. He wasn't allowed to surrender it to you. You know he didn't have many options. And as it was he was recalled by the Colonial Union and put on trial for even hinting to you that something might happen. He could have been sent to prison for the simple act of speaking to you, General. He did what he could.† â€Å"How do I know he's not just being used again?† Gau asked. â€Å"You said you knew what it meant that he sent me to give you a message,† I said. â€Å"I'm the proof that he's telling you the truth.† â€Å"You're the proof he believes he's telling me the truth,† Gau said. â€Å"It's not to say that it is the truth. Your adopted father was used once. Why couldn't he be used again?† I flared at this. â€Å"Begging your pardon, General,† I said. â€Å"But you should know that by sending me to send you this warning, both my dad and my mom are absolutely assured of being labeled as traitors by the Colonial Union. They are both going to prison. You should know that as part of the deal to get the Obin to bring me to you, I can't go back to Roanoke. I have to stay with them. Because they believe that it's only a matter of time before Roanoke is destroyed, if not by you then by some part of the Conclave you don't have any control over anymore. My parents and I have risked everything to give you this warning. It's possible I'll never see them or anyone else on Roanoke again, because I am giving you this warning. Now, General, do you think any of us would do any of this if we were not absolutely certain about what we are telling you? Do you?† General Gau said nothing for a moment. Then, â€Å"I am sorry you have all had to risk so much,† he said. â€Å"Then do my dad the honor of believing him,† I said. â€Å"You're in danger, General. And that danger is closer than you think.† â€Å"Tell me, Zoe,† Gau said, â€Å"what does Administrator Perry hope to get from telling me this? What does he want from me?† â€Å"He wants you to stay alive,† I said. â€Å"You promised him that as long as you were running the Conclave, you wouldn't attack Roanoke again. The longer you stay alive, the longer we stay alive.† â€Å"But there's the irony,† Gau said. â€Å"Thanks to what happened at Roanoke, I'm not in as much control as I was. My time now is spent keeping others in line. And there are those who are looking at Roanoke as a way to take control from me. I'm sure you don't know about Nerbros Eser – â€Å" â€Å"Sure I do,† I said. â€Å"Your main opposition right now. He's trying to convince people to follow him. Wants to destroy the Colonial Union.† â€Å"I apologize,† Gau said. â€Å"I forgot you're not just a messenger girl.† â€Å"It's all right,† I said. â€Å"Nerbros Eser is planning to attack Roanoke,† Gau said. â€Å"I have been getting the Conclave back under my control – too slowly – but enough races support Eser that he has been able to fund an expedition to take Roanoke. He knows the Colonial Union is too weak to put up a defense of the colony, and he knows that at the moment I am in no position to stop him. If he can take Roanoke where I could not, more Conclave races could side with him. Enough that they would attack the Colonial Union directly.† â€Å"You can't help us, then,† I said. â€Å"Other than to tell you what I just have, no,† Gau said. â€Å"Eser is going to attack Roanoke. But in part because Administrator Perry helped to destroy my fleet, there is no way I can do much to stop him now. And I doubt very much that your Colonial Union will do much to stop him.† â€Å"Why do you say that?† I asked. â€Å"Because you are here,† General Gau said. â€Å"Make no mistake, Zoe, I do appreciate your family's warning. But Administrator Perry is not so kind that he would have warned me out of his own simple goodness. As you've noted, the cost is too high for that. You are here because you have nowhere else to turn.† â€Å"But you believe Dad,† I said. â€Å"Yes,† Gau said. â€Å"Unfortunately. Someone in my position is always a target. But now of all times I know that even some of those who I've trusted with my life and friendship are calculating the costs and deciding that I'm worth more to them dead than alive. And it makes sense for someone to try for me before Eser attacks Roanoke. If I'm dead and Eser takes revenge on your colony, no one else will even try to challenge him for control of the Conclave. Administrator Perry isn't telling me anything I don't know. He's only confirming what I do know.† â€Å"Then I've been no use to you,† I said. And you've been no use to me, I thought but did not say. â€Å"I wouldn't say that,† Gau said. â€Å"One of the reasons I am here now is so that I could hear what you had to say to me without anyone else involved. To find out what I could do with the information you might have. To see if it has use to me. To see if you are of use to me.† â€Å"You already knew what I told you,† I said. â€Å"This is true,† Gau said. â€Å"However, no one else knows how much you know. Not here, in any event.† He reached over and picked up the stone knife and looked at it again. â€Å"And the truth of the matter is that I'm getting tired of not knowing, of those whom I trust, which is planning to stab me in the heart. Whoever is planning to assassinate me is going to be in league with Nerbros Eser. They are likely to know when he plans to attack Roanoke, and with how large a force. And perhaps working together we can find out both of these things.† â€Å"How?† I asked. General Gau looked at me again, and did that I-hope-it's-a-smile thing with his head. â€Å"By doing a bit of political theater. By making them think we know what they do. By making them act because of it.† I smiled back at Gau. â€Å"‘The play is the thing in which I shall catch the conscience of the king,'† I said. â€Å"Precisely,† Gau said. â€Å"Although it will be a traitor we catch, not a king.† â€Å"In that quote he was both,† I said. â€Å"Interesting,† Gau said. â€Å"I'm afraid I don't know the reference.† â€Å"It's from a play called Hamlet,† I said. â€Å"I had a friend who liked the playwright.† â€Å"I like the quote,† Gau said. â€Å"And your friend.† â€Å"Thanks,† I said. â€Å"I do too.† â€Å"One of you in this chamber is a traitor,† General Gau said. â€Å"And I know which one of you it is.† Wow, I thought. The general sure knows how to start a meeting. We were in the general's official advisors' chamber, an ornate room, which, the general told me beforehand, he never used except to receive foreign dignitaries with some semblance of pomp and circumstance. Since he was technically receiving me for this particular meeting, I felt special. But more to the point, the room featured a small raised platform with steps, on which sat a large chair. Dignitaries, advisors and their staff all approached it like it was a throne. This was going to be useful for what General Gau had in mind for today. In front of the platform, the room opened up into a semicircle. Around the perimeter stood a curving bar, largely of standing height for most sentient species in the Conclave. This is where advisors' and dignitaries' staff stood, calling up documents and data when needed and whispering (or whatever) into small microphones that fed into earpieces (or whatever) worn by their bosses. Their bosses – the advisors and dignitaries – filed into the area between the bar and the platform. Usually, I was told, they would have benches or chairs (or whatever suited their body shape best) offered to them so they could rest as they did their business. Today, they were all standing. As for me, I was standing to the left and just in front of the general, who was seated in his big chair. On the opposite side of the chair was a small table, on which lay the stone knife, which I had just (and for the second time) presented to the general. This time it was delivered in packaging more formal than a shirt. The general had taken it out of the box I had found, admired it, and set it on the table. Back along with the staff stood Hickory and Dickory, who were not happy with the plan the general had come up with. With them were three of the general's security detail, who were likewise not very pleased at all. Well, now that we were doing it, I'm not sure I was entirely thrilled with it either. â€Å"I thought we were here to hear a request from this young human,† said one of the advisors, a tall Lalan (that is, tall even for a Lalan) named Hafte Sorvalh. Her voice was translated by the earpiece I had been given by the Obin. â€Å"It was a pretense,† Gau said. â€Å"The human has no petition, but information pertaining to which one of you intends to assassinate me.† This naturally got a stir in the chamber. â€Å"It is a human!† said Wert Ninung, a Dwaer. â€Å"No disrespect, General, but the humans recently destroyed the entire Conclave fleet. Any information they would share with you should be regarded as highly suspect, to say the least.† â€Å"I agree with this entirely, Ninung,† Gau said. â€Å"Which is why when it was provided to me I did what any sensible person would have done and had my security people check the information thoroughly. I regret to say that the information was good. And now I must deal with the fact that one of my advisors – someone who was privy to all my plans for the Conclave – has conspired against me.† â€Å"I don't understand,† said a Ghlagh whose name, if I could remember correctly, was Lernin Il. I wasn't entirely sure, however; Gau's security people had given me dossiers on Gau's circle of advisors only a few hours before the meeting, and given everything else I needed to do to prepare, I had barely had time to skim. â€Å"What don't you understand, Lernin?† asked General Gau. â€Å"If you know which of us is the traitor, why hasn't your security detail already dealt with them?† Il asked. â€Å"This could be done without exposing you to an unnecessary risk. Given your position you don't need to take any more risks than are absolutely necessary.† â€Å"We are not talking about some random killer, Il,† the general said. â€Å"Look around you. How long have we known each other? How hard have each of us worked to create this great Conclave of races? We have seen more of each other over time than we have seen of our spouses and children. Would any of you have accepted it if I were to make one of you disappear over a vague charge of treason? Would that not seem to each of you that I was losing my grip and creating scapegoats? No, Il. We have come too far and done too much for that. Even this would-be assassin deserves better courtesy than that.† â€Å"What do you intend to do, then?† asked Il. â€Å"I will ask the traitor in this room to come forward,† he said. â€Å"It's not too late to right this wrong.† â€Å"Are you offering this assassin amnesty?† asked some creature whose name I just did not remember (or, given how it spoke, I suspect I could not actually pronounce, even if I did remember it). â€Å"No,† Gau said. â€Å"This person is not acting alone. They are part of a conspiracy that threatens what all of us have worked for.† Gau gestured to me. â€Å"My human friend here has given me a few names, but that is not enough. For the security of the Conclave we need to know more. And to show all the members of the Conclave that treason cannot be tolerated, my assassin must answer for what they have done to this point. What I do offer is this: That they will be treated fairly and with dignity. That they will serve their term of punishment with some measure of comfort. That their family and loved ones will not be punished or held responsible, unless they themselves are conspirators. And that their crime will not be made known publicly. Every one outside this room will know only that this conspirator has retired from service. There will be punishment. There must be punishment. But there will not be the punishment of history.† â€Å"I want to know where this human got its information,† said Wert Ninung. Gau nodded to me. â€Å"This information ultimately comes from the Colonial Union's Special Forces division,† I said. â€Å"The same group that spearheaded the destruction of the Conclave fleet,† Wert said. â€Å"Not especially trustworthy.† â€Å"Councilor Wert,† I said, â€Å"how do you think the Special Forces were able to locate every one of the ships of your fleet? The only time it assembles is when it removes a colony. Locating four hundred ships among the tens of thousands that each race alone has at its disposal was an unheard of feat of military intelligence. After that, do you doubt that the Special Forces had difficulty coming up with a single name?† Wert actually growled at me. I thought that was rude. â€Å"I have already told you that I have had the information checked out,† General Gau said. â€Å"There is no doubt it is accurate. That is not under discussion. What is under discussion is how the assassin will choose to be discovered. I repeat: The assassin is in this room, right now, among us. If they will come forward now, and share information on their other conspirators, their treatment will be generous, light and secret. The offer is in front of you now. I beg you, as an old friend, to take it. Come forward now.† No one in the room moved. General Gau stared at each of his advisors, directly and in the eye, for several seconds each. None of them took so much as a step forward. â€Å"Very well,† General Gau said. â€Å"We do this the hard way, then.† â€Å"What will you do now, General?† asked Sorvalh. â€Å"Simple,† Gau said. â€Å"I will call up each of you in turn. You will bow to me and swear your allegiance to me as the leader of the Conclave. Those of you who I know are truthful, I will offer you my thanks. The one of you who is a traitor, I will reveal you in front of those you have worked alongside for so long, and have you arrested. Your punishment will be severe. And it will be most definitely public. And it will end with your death.† â€Å"This is not like you, General,† Sorvalh said. â€Å"You created the Conclave with the idea that there would be no dictators, no demands of personal allegiance. There is only allegiance to the Conclave. To its ideals.† â€Å"The Conclave is near collapse, Hafte,† Gau said. â€Å"And you know as well as I do that Nerbros Eser and his sort will run the Conclave like a personal fiefdom. One among you has already decided that Eser's dictatorship is preferable to a Conclave where every race has a voice. It's clear to me that I must ask for the allegiance I once only held in trust. I am sorry it has come to this. But it has.† â€Å"What if we will not swear allegiance?† Sorvalh said. â€Å"Then you will be arrested as a traitor,† Gau said. â€Å"Along with the one who I know to be the assassin.† â€Å"You are wrong to do this,† Sorvalh said. â€Å"You are going against your own vision for the Conclave to ask for this allegiance. I want you to know I believe this in my soul.† â€Å"Noted,† Gau said. â€Å"Very well,† Sorvalh said, and stepped forward to the platform and knelt. â€Å"General Tarsem Gau, I offer you my allegiance as the leader of the Conclave.† Gau looked at me. This was my cue. I shook my head at him, clearly enough that everyone in the room could see that he was waiting for my verification. â€Å"Thank you, Hafte,† Gau said. â€Å"You may step back. Wert Ninung, please step forward.† Ninung did. As did the next six advisors. There were three left. I was beginning to get very nervous. Gau and I had already agreed that we would not carry the act so far as to accuse someone who wasn't actually guilty. But if we got to the end without a traitor, then we both would have a lot to answer for. â€Å"Lernin Il,† General Gau said. â€Å"Please step forward.† Il nodded and smoothly moved forward and when he got to me, viciously shoved me to the floor and lunged for the stone knife Gau had left on the table next to him. I hit the floor so hard I bounced my skull on it. I heard screaming and honks of alarm from the other advisors. I rolled and looked up as Il raised the knife and prepared to plunge it into the general. The knife was left out and within easy reach for a reason. Gau had already said he intended to reveal the traitor; he said he knew without a doubt who it was; he said the punishment for the traitor would include death. The traitor would already be convinced he would have nothing to lose by attempting the assassination then and there. But Gau's advisors didn't usually carry around killing implements on their person; they were bureaucrats and didn't carry anything more dangerous than a writing stylus. But a nice sharp stone knife carelessly left lying around would be just the thing to convince a desperate would-be assassin to take a chance. This was also one reason why the general's guards (and Hickory and Dickory) were stationed at the perimeter of the room instead of near the general; we had to give the illusion to the assassin that he could get in a stab or two before the guards got him. The general wasn't stupid, of course; he was wearing body armor that protected most of the parts of his body susceptible to stab wounds. But the general's head and neck were still vulnerable. The general thought it was worth the risk, but now as I watched the general trying to move to protect himself, I came to the conclusion that the weakest part of our plan was the one where the general presumably avoids being stabbed to death. Il was bringing down the knife. None of the general's guards or Hickory or Dickory was going to get there in time. Hickory and Dickory had trained me how to disarm an opponent; the problem was I was on the ground and not in any position to block the knife blow. And anyway the Ghlagh were a Conclave race; I hadn't spent any time learning any of their weak points. But then something occurred to me, as I lay there on my back, staring up at Il. I may not know much about the Ghlagh, but I sure know what a knee looks like. I braced myself on the floor, pushed, and drove the heel of my foot hard into the side of Lernin Il's most available knee. It gave way with a sickly twist and I thought I could feel something in his leg go snap, which made me feel sick. Il squealed in pain and grabbed at his leg, dropping the knife. I scrambled away as quickly as I could. General Gau launched himself out of his chair and took Il all the rest of the way down. Hickory and Dickory were suddenly by me, dragging me off the riser. Gau shouted something to his guards, who were racing toward the general. â€Å"His staff!† Gau said. â€Å"Stop his staff!† I looked over to the bar and saw three Ghlagh lunging at their equipment. Il's people were clearly in on the assassination and were now trying to signal their conspirators that they'd been discovered. Gau's men skidded to a stop and reversed themselves, leaping over the bar to get at Il's staff. They knocked away their equipment, but not before at least one of them had gotten a message through. We knew that because all through the Conclave headquarters, alarms began stuttering to life. The space station was under attack. About a minute after Il had made his clumsy attack on General Gau, an Impo battle cruiser named the Farre launched six missiles into the portion of the Conclave space station where Gau's offices were. The Farre was commanded by an Impo named Ealt Ruml. Ruml, it turns out, had reached an agreement with Nerbros Eser and Lernin Il to take command of a new Conclave fleet after Gau was assassinated. Ruml would then take the entire fleet to Phoenix Station, destroy it and start working down the list of human worlds. In exchange all Ruml had to do was be prepared to do a little flagrant bombing of Gau's offices and flagship when signaled, as part of a larger, orchestrated coup attempt, which would feature Gau's assassination as the main event and the destruction of key battle ships from races loyal to Gau. When Gau revealed to his advisors that he knew one of them was a traitor, one of Il's staffers sent a coded message to Ruml, informing him that everything was about to go sideways. Ruml in turn sent coded messages of his own to three other battle cruisers near the Conclave station, each captained by someone Ruml had converted to the cause. All four ships began warming up their weapons systems and selecting targets: Ruml targeted Gau's offices while the other traitors targeted Gau's flagship Gentle Star and other craft. If everything went as planned, Ruml and his conspirators would have disabled the ships most likely to come to Gau's aid – not that it would matter, because Ruml would have opened up Gau's offices to space, sucking anyone in them (including, at the time, me) into cold, airless vacuum. Minutes later, when Il's staff sent a confirmation note just before getting their equipment kicked out of their paws, Ruml launched his missiles and readied another set to go. And was, I imagine, entirely surprised when the Farre was struck broadside almost simultaneously by three missiles fired from the Gentle Star. The Star and six other trusted ships had been put on alert by Gau to watch for any ships that began warming up their weapons systems. The Star had spotted the Farre warming up its missile batteries and had quietly targeted the ship and prepared its own defense. Gau had forbidden any action until someone else's missiles flew, but the instant the Farre launched, the Star did the same, and then began antimissile defenses against the two missiles targeting it, sent by the Arrisian cruiser Vut-Roy. The Star destroyed one of the missiles and took light damage from the second. The Farre, which had not been expecting a counterattack, took heavy damage from the Star's missiles and even more damage when its engine ruptured, destroying half of the ship and killing hundreds on board, including Ealt Ruml and his bridge crew. Five of the six missiles fired by the Farre were disabled by the space station's defenses; the sixth hit the station, blowing a hole in the station compartment next to Gau's offices. The station's system of airtight doors sealed off the damage in minutes; forty-four people were killed. All of this happened in the space of less than two minutes, because the battle happened at incredibly close range. Unlike space battles in entertainment shows, real battles between spaceships take place over huge distances. In this battle, however, all the ships were in orbit around the station. Some of the ships involved were just a few klicks away from each other. That's pretty much the starship equivalent of going after each other with knives. Or so I'm told. I'm going by what others tell me of the battle, because at the time what I was doing was being dragged out of General Gau's advisor chamber by Hickory and Dickory. The last thing I saw was Gau pinning down Lernin Il while at the same time trying to keep his other advisors from beating the living crap out of him. There was too much noise for my translation device to work anymore, but I suspected that Gau was trying to tell the rest of them that he needed Il alive. What can you say. No one likes a traitor. I'm also told that the battle outside of the space station would have gone on longer than it did except that shortly after the first salvo of missiles a funny thing happened: An Obin cruiser skipped into existence unsettlingly close to the Conclave space station, setting off a series of proximity alarms to go with the attack alarms already in progress. That was unusual, but what really got everyone's attention was the other ships that appeared about thirty seconds afterward. It took the station a few minutes to identify these. And at that point everyone who had been fighting each other realized they now had something bigger to worry about. I didn't know about any of this right away. Hickory and Dickory had dragged me to the conference room some distance away from the advisor chamber and were keeping it secure when the alarms suddenly stopped. â€Å"Well, I finally used that training,† I said, to Hickory. I was amped up on leftover adrenaline from the assassination attempt and paced up and down in the room. Hickory said nothing to this and continued to scan the corridor for threats. I sighed and waited until it signaled that it was safe to move. Ten minutes later, Hickory clicked something to Dickory, who went to the door. Hickory went into the corridor and out of sight. Shortly after that I heard what sounded like Hickory arguing with someone. Hickory returned, followed by six very serious-looking guards and General Gau. â€Å"What happened?† I asked. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"What do you have to do with the Consu?† General Gau asked me, ignoring my question. â€Å"The Consu?† I said. â€Å"Nothing. I had asked the Obin to try to contact them on my behalf, to see if they could help me save Roanoke. That was a few days ago. I haven't heard from the Obin about it since.† â€Å"I think you have an answer,† Gau said. â€Å"They're here. And they're asking to see you.† â€Å"There's a Consu ship here now?† I said. â€Å"Actually, the Consu asking for you is on an Obin ship,† Gau said. â€Å"Which doesn't make any sense to me at all, but never mind that. There were Consu ships following the Obin ship.† â€Å"Ships,† I said. â€Å"How many?† â€Å"So far?† Gau said. â€Å"About six hundred.† â€Å"Excuse me?† I said. My adrenaline spiked again. â€Å"There are still more coming in,† Gau said. â€Å"Please don't take this the wrong way, Zoe, but if you've done something to anger the Consu, I hope they choose to take it out on you, not us.† I turned and looked at Hickory, disbelieving. â€Å"You said you required help,† Hickory said.

Iliad and Hector

In the Iliad, both Hector and Achilles display heroic characteristics that go along with the heroic warrior code of Greece. Both characters have their strengths and weaknesses and differences in their approach to being heroic. Even with their differences, they have many similarities. Hector is a great leader and family man and a protector of his people. Achilles is a self-centered warrior who is only in it for the glory. Hector commands the Trojan army, while Achilles commands the Greek army. They both have pride and glory and are seen as heroes in the eyes of their sides’ people.Having a passion for revenge might be considered a glaring flaw in today’s standards, but it definitely conforms to the heroic code of Greek society. Hector has mixed feelings about taking part in the war. His wife pleads with him not to go, and he does not want to make her a widow, leaving her â€Å"at the loom of another man†. Hector shows heroism for going to war, but at the same time shows his human side by being indecisive about leaving his family. In Book Twenty-Two, Hector stays outside the ramparts, whereas his supporters are secure.His father Priam, wants him to retreat to safety with Achilles approaching, but his pride and honor prevent him from backing down. His fearlessness is an extremely heroic action. He then flees, which is very unheroic. It seems apparent that there is an inner conflict with emotions and the heroic code. Hector eventually stands his ground and fights. Achilles kills Hector in a very cruel way. Before desecrating Hector’s body, he allows him to die a slow and painful death. His action is another way his behavior conforms to the Greek heroic code.Even the most valiant soldier must have a human side, which definitely must object to the savage killing that is inevitable in war. On the other hand, when Achilles and his soldiers get some type of pleasure from repeatedly stabbing Hector’s lifeless corpse, another kind of hum an emotion is being displayed. This is the pent up anger and hostility that build up during one’s quest for revenge or simply battle. So, it might be concluded that the heroic code and the human emotions might not conflict after all.Hector is viewed as the more heroic one. He knows his role as the defender of Troy. Although he has a strong love and devotion to his family, he still goes off to defend his country, even after the pleading from his wife. Hector’s traits and character as a husband and father no less admirable than that as his as a warrior. Hector is a man who loves his child and wife and who can forget war when a little child cries. He is seen as the bravest and most accomplished of the warriors. He is a team player, a very gifted leader and soldier.Unlike Achilles, Hector is a more complete and well-rounded person. Hector was a man who was willing to fight until the end. Which he did. Achilles is more of a loner, except of his close friendship with Patrocl us. Marriage has no weight in his consciousness. He seems more the estranged youth than the manly defender represented in Hector. He is revered as the greatest warrior in the world, and no man can stand against him. Achilles was a very spoiled and pampered only child. He had a much undeveloped sense of his place in the world.He is viewed as an admirable warrior, and his still in battle boosts the morale of his fellow Greeks when he chooses to fight, but he is an unreliable leader who sulks when he does not get his way. Both Hector and Achilles behave as heroes throughout the Iliad. While they try to win glory in war for their families, their country, and themselves, they both have certain strengths and weaknesses in their character which dictate their very different courses of action and their thoughts.They are both presented with conflicts and dilemmas throughout the story, the resolutions of which must be made using both their human side and their aggressive heroic side, and it ap pears as if Achilles meets with the most success in this difficult task. Works Cited Homer. â€Å"The Illiad. † Lombardo, translated by Stanley. The Norton Anthology of Western Literature. Ed. Sarah Lawall. 8th Edition. New York: W W Norton & Company, 2006. 107-205.