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[1] Recommend the acquisition of Meld Design Co.

I don't know, this one's a toughie...on the surface the answer seems straightforward (1), but I just get a bad feeling about this situation...something just feels off about it. Why would Pat, who apparently isn't all that involved with Billy and had to hear that he was working for MMC from someone else over a year after he started, come to his work to share this information and talk up this company? And wouldn't acting on this information be kinda insider trader-ish? Recommending the acquisition straight away feels like a big risk when all you have to go on is hearsay from an old acquaintance.

I just can't ignore my feelings on this one, I'm going to go a bit safer: [3] Sit by and keep an eye on Meld, if it looks like another company makes a move then advise it's purchase.

Billy decides to keep quiet and not mention the information to anyone [2].
Billy doesn't trust Pat at all. He never liked the guy that much to begin with and now he's here with what is quite likely a pyramid scheme...
No way. "design breakthrough" is way too vague for Pat and he knows if he makes a wrong move his career will be toast. Besides, what does Pat stand to gain from all this? If MMC were to buy Meld, the only way he'd profit is if Meld wanted him to get them bought out, in which case, telling Billy was a really weird way for a legitimate business to go about it.

Billy decides that Pat is lying to him. Clearly, he can't trust a man infamous for not liking tomato soup, which did play a part in his decision too. The Lovecraftian voice in his head seems quieter than usual today. Probably needs more soup.

WHAT

WHERE IS OUR KEYCHAIN

WHERE IS IT

Ahem. Sorry, but keychains are wonderful creations. I was erm, mildly startled to see its absense on our perks. Might I enquire if the perks list is additional to our previous perks, or if the perks are replaced?

I would assume the latter from the repetition of "Own Desk // Two Week Vacation," yet I find it concerning that they would remove our keychain. The removal of our medical plan is likewise concerning.
Never forgotten, never forgiven, how dare they take away the splender of a key chain...
Throws 1d6 in annoyance at the floor, then rushes to fetch it from where it bounced under the bed.

[3] Sit by and watch the chaos-- Uhhh I mean, keep an eye on Meld.
Never forgive, never forget...

I imagine Billy gets to keep the old keychain... If it was listed again he might have ended up with 2 keychains... At least that's how it works in my head 

[3] Sit by and keep an eye on Meld, if it looks like another company makes a move then advise its purchase.

Recommending the purchase immediately sounds, like Moot said, a bit too inseder trade-y. We wouldn't want Billy to get in trouble for fiancial crimes.

[1] Recommend the acquisition of Meld Design Co.

It's obvious Pat is in the position to make wad loads of cash if Meld Design Co is sold, but he can't just walk to the MCC's executive's office and be like "hey, we made a breakthrough, but we don't feel like working hard to make a paycheck out of it". Instead he looked for a more discreet route to take, maybe he also saw an opportunity to help advance his old friend's career, who knows.

Billy's not stupid either, he's not going to march to the CEO's office with pompous hopes. He asks to hear more, has some lengthy conversations with Pat and one of his business associates. Once Billy is convinced they have a legit new technology, he brings in people from MCC. For starters Billy turns to his old friends from engineering for advice, and works on it from there.

With a 3 to 3 tie (and 1 spare vote) I had to roll 1D6 to resolve it and got 5, so the winning answer was 3.


Billy chooses to sit on the information for a little while, though he does take not to keep an eye out for any news on Meld Design for some time. While MMC does have a reputation for impulsive and aggressive company takeovers they is no harm in changing the corporate ethics a little bit, and adding in some logic.

Billy doesn't have to wait long though, as only a week after he spoke with Pat while he's driving to work, the radio morning news show ends with the announcement that lead manager of Meld will shortly be holding a press conference on air about their new product line...

By the time he's got to the office the presentation is only just underway, when he goes over to the floor manager and strongly suggests that buying any and all Meld shares may be a good idea... The room gets busy quickly as do similar finance rooms in many companies across the country eventually... MMC has both the homeground advantage and the edge from starting sales earlier... When the market shares are bought up the finance team is on the phones to the major investors and Meld management... By the end of the day MMC owns the majority of Meld, over the next few months it will be integrated like many companies before it.

Turns out melds new wiring techniques could net savings of up to 10% per unit...
Billy did well, his quick thinking is noted, but he isn't specifically mentioned in the directors report.


A while later and everything has calmed down... The merger is going well and that local finance team is working on making sure that there are no unexpected bumps in the road. Billy has been assigned one of the important (and tedious) tasks of looking through Melds existing finance books to find any errors.

Billy overhears Cary Hoffman complaining about the Melds finances...

Does he:
[1] Approach Cary Hoffman just now with all his findings to see if it helps.
[2] Ignore the potential situation and get on with his work.
[3] Send all his reports to the chief director of Finance Jason Parley instead.

[3] Send all his reports to the chief director of Finance Jason Parley instead.

Hmm...

[1] Approach Cary Hoffman just now with all his findings to see if it helps.

Cary Hoffman is the regional financial director, right? I see no need to escalate the situation to the chief director...

[1] Approach Cary Hoffman just now with all his findings to see if it helps.

[3] Send all his reports to the chief director of Finance Jason Parley instead.

Why not add some impulsive behaviour here.  No reason not to, really

Throws 1d6.

[1] Approach Cary Hoffman just now with all his findings to see if it helps.

The RNG commands it. It will be so. *waves hands mysteriously*

[1] Approach Cary Hoffman just now with all his findings to see if it helps.

I don't have much to say on this one...I don't see any benefit to the other options at all...

I'm surfe it can't be THAT bad, so
[2] Ignore the potential situation and get on with his work.

Sorry guys, I know this one wasn't that interesting, thanks to everyone who still voted and stuck around though!

Vote is 4 to 2 to 1, and option 1 wins

P.S. sorry this one is a little shorter as well.

Billy decides to get up and pass Cary his work, he had found some anomalies himself after all. Now with all the information and both of them looking at the finances it becomes apparent that Meld had taken out massive loans to pay for its large engineering budget, and that MMC would have to move more carefully with its acquisition.

Billy receives a commendation and a personal congratulation from Cary, he'll definitely remember Mr Potato.


A few months later and Billy has just left work when he is once again accosted by an old friend, this time it's Alain Pencer a journalist with the local Gazette.

Alain says he's run into some financial trouble and if Billy can do anything to help him?

Billy happens to know some inside information about upcoming stock market moves...

What should Billy do:
[1] Tell Alain what he knows.
[2] Buy the shares for him and send him the money later.
[3] Find another way to help Alain