Showing perhaps a bit too much risk-tolerance for someone who just minted a Chron, she flies around outside a bit before zooming off back to the telegraph office, giggling like a loon.

The next customer brings their paycheck, worth about 30 OTC, and would like a partial-ka if they can do that, please. The one after that buys a bunch of books and mints a ka to pay for them, dramatically declaring that years off her life is worth entering a whole new branch of study! And she can get them back later, anyway. Their new-hired cashier handles both of these just fine. 

The customer after that wonders if they will buy a boatful of fresh-caught fish. Or possibly a boat. He's not very liquid but would very much like to send a ring of nine lives to his wife, who is a sea-hunter.

A partial-ka is handed out.

"I'm afraid we don't trade in most commodities, but we do installment plans on large purchases. If you could estimate the value of your catch?"

"I would estimate the catch at... A hundred fifty thousand kroner. Frozen, unprocessed, two tons. I could get a loan from Kromstadt if you give me a few weeks before the second payment."

"We can do that and even do the loan for you. Sign here." She holds up the glass tablet and indicates the dotted line.

He squints suspiciously and reads the contract thoroughly, but ultimately decides not to take the loan, since OTC has not talked to the united council about... Anything, finance laws included. He can pay 40 OTC's worth of kroner right now, can he just pay the rest in monthly installments? Also how do their penalties work, OTC hasn't signed on to the customer protection laws or anything have they? Maybe he should just come back with all the money, he thinks the whole thing is sketchy now.

That's fine. They haven't yet signed on with the local agencies; they'll take all the money when he comes back with it. Thank you have a nice day.

Half a dozen more miscellaneous customers, mostly wanting ka or books. One of them asks about their employment terms and would like to interview once they're explained!

Lindis the cashier is totally stuck when a Finn comes in and wants to buy something, and turns to Thorn or Lily to ask how they're speaking all these languages anyway.

Lily interviews the applicant and does the safety lectures. 

Thorn explains that they have translation magic that they're currently employing and you too can have it with a charm of Tongues available for a very reasonable price. 

He is a boat worker and he is ready to jump ship for the chance to get paid in MAGIC, he is a bit excitable but will totally be a cashier if they'll have him.

"I don't think I can learn Finnish on my own in a reasonable time frame. I'm already unusual for knowing Swedish, Danish, and Icelandic - and being able to muddle along in Norwegian because of that. I think the use of such an item during work hours would qualify as necessary job equipment, if we leave it here when we're done?"

Lily hires him and gives him another cashier position. She'll be here in person for a while to watch him.

They're willing to provide amulets for the duration of work so long as they're signed in and out appropriately. 

By lunchtime they're getting a steady stream of people coming to the store. There's a short argument between a Dane and a Swede that Lindis breaks up diplomatically before it advances to yelling. Five more people ask about work - two guards, one cashier, two 'any'. Half of them want to know if part-time is acceptable- Quitting the military burns a lot of seniority and benefits, but they can move to reserves.

Irene Hedström shows up just after noon, wearing a professional-looking outfit that isn't quite a suit, and is pleasant if formal, and interviews well, talking about her previous managerial and accounting experience and often taking on strange side-projects for her bosses. She's sharp. She's happy to start wherever they need her but is definitely aiming for some sort of supervisory or otherwise higher-up position as soon as possible.

They hire both guards (and arm them with nonlethal stunners) and three more cashiers. Part-time is acceptable. 

Irene Hedström can have a managerial position reporting directly to Lily. She is in charge of the cashiers and only the cashiers, the night guards are separate. She can start now. She gets better access to the benefits for employees because she is in a higher tier, and can expect a vacation at the Rose Bowers or comparable within the year. She is given access codes for the large portal so that she can bring on more stock; it opens to an OTC warehouse, liase with the warehouse staff and they'll teleport in a bin with the items she requests. 

As the day continues Irene gets to know her new staff without interrupting them overmuch and learns as much as she can about how the OTC operates from Thorn and Lily. They are very much in 'swamped' territory by late afternoon, though, often by people asking a lot of questions and not buying very quickly. Many of the customers carry guns with them, and none of her new employees bat an eye. This is a military base. (Their night guards would like to know if they are allowed to carry a real gun in addition to the stunner just in case.) Irene discovers the boat guy's good handwriting has him write up a small posterboard with an FAQ in permanent marker. She works a register herself when necessary.

People are still showing up at 4:45; Irene asks what procedures for closing are like, should they shut the doors at 5 and turn people away until tomorrow, or what?

They should shut the doors at 5 and turn people away until tomorrow, there's no scarcity of customers but there is a scarcity of employees. 

The nightguards may carry real guns as well as stunners, and it will soon be their job to disperse the crowd and send them home. Lily and Thorn will stand by to help in case there are problems.

People disperse without much fuss.

Except for Captain Olsen, who bellows his way to the front door and stands there, asking to speak to Thorn about 'this flying nonsense'.

Thorn comes to the front door. "Captain Olsen. What would you like to discuss?"

"I CAN'T HAVE PEOPLE FLYING AROUND ON MY BASE WITH THAT STORMWALKER RAIMENT! YOU NEED TO TELL THEM SO WHEN SELLING IT. I HAVE SECURITY CONCERNS ABOUT THE FORGOTTEN SONG AND PSYCHIC PAPER AS WELL! EITHER DON'T SELL IT OR WE WORK OUT SOME SORT OF COUNTERMEASURE FIRST!"

She nods along. "I understand your concerns; we'll suspend those items from sale. Also the skylime. Anything else you have concerns about?"

"YOU CAN SELL THE RAIMENT AS LONG AS IT IS CLEAR THAT FLYING OVER THE BASE IS NOT PERMITTED! NO TRIBBLES, WE DON'T NEED INVASIVE SPECIES! BE CAREFUL SELLING GUNS TO CIVILIANS. AT LEAST MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THEIR GUN SAFETY, AND HAVE PARENTAL PERMISSION FOR TEENS. THE TASP IS BLASTED STRANGE BUT I SUPPOSE NOT ANY MORE CONCERNING THAN A SLUGTHROWER. AND I RECIEVED A MESSAGE TODAY THAT THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE COUNCIL IS SENDING SOMEONE DOWN HERE TO TALK, PROBABLY ABOUT TAXES OR SOMETHING. IT'LL BE A COUPLE OF DAYS. THEY'RE COMING BY BOAT BECAUSE THE TRAIN IS NOT 'SAFE ENOUGH' FOR THEM. BAH."

"All of that is entirely reasonable and we'll get up-to-date with your regulations on firearm safety and so on as soon as we hear from the appropriate regulators; for now we'll simply not sell them. We'll stand by for the trade council people."

"LOOKS LIKE YOU'RE DOING WELL FOR YOURSELF! IF YOU STAY HERE I THINK WE'LL FINALLY GET A BANK, I'VE HAD AT LEAST FIFTY PEOPLE ASK FOR ADVANCES ON THEIR SALARY! WE'VE SELECTED UNITS FOR THE EQUIPMENT TRIAL AND THEY'RE DOING FAMILIARIZATION EXERCISES FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, THEN THEY'LL GO ON A PROPER EXCURSION. NOTHING ELSE URGENT FOR YOU. ANYTHING I SHOULD BE AWARE OF?"

"Is our current security setup with stunners and guns acceptable? And can we offer a professional instructor to help with the familiarization exercises?"

"YOU'RE ALLOWED ARMED SECURITY BUT LIABLE IF THEY START MAKING A NUISANCE OF THEMSELVES. WE CAN PROVIDE RADIOS TO CONTACT BASE SECURITY. WE'D ACCEPT THE ASSISTANCE OF AN INSTRUCTOR BUT WON'T PAY FOR IT, IF YOU WANT TO SEND ONE ANYWAY AND BET WE'LL LIKE YOUR GEAR BETTER IF WE ACTUALLY KNOW HOW TO USE IT GO AHEAD!"

"We'd appreciate radios tuned to base security, we just want to have our own security specifically trained on how to deal with misuse of our products. Speaking of which, we'll ship you some dispelling charms along with our instructor to aid you in managing magical mishaps. Enough antimagic thrown at a difficult problem usually resolves it."

That seems fine to Olsen. He jokes about one of the new night guards 'jumping ship' to the OTC, laughs too loud, then sends someone down with the radios half an hour later.