Chapter 11: Balancing the Books and the Krumpin'
The atmosphere in the WAAAGH! had become thick enough to cut with a power klaw. The Grot Scribes, emboldened by their newfound authority and Tony's backing, were pushing their luck. They were enforcing the supply chain regulations with an almost zealous fervor, even daring to reprimand Orks for minor infractions.
The Orks, in turn, were growing increasingly resentful. They saw the Scribes as uppity runts who were overstepping their bounds. Grumbling turned into threats, and threats were starting to escalate into actual acts of violence. More than one Grot Scribe had mysteriously "tripped" into a squig pen or found themselves on the wrong end of a stray bullet during target practice.
Tony knew he had to intervene before the situation spiraled out of control. He couldn't afford to lose the efficiency of his supply chain, but he also couldn't allow the Orks to completely crush the Scribes' newfound confidence. He needed to find a way to balance the books and the krumpin'.
He called a meeting with the leaders of both factions: the head Grot Scribe, a particularly meticulous individual named Quill, and Krusha, the most vocal and intimidating of the disgruntled Orks. The meeting took place in the Boss's chamber, under the watchful eye of the big green guy himself.
"Alright, you two," Tony began, his voice carefully measured. "We got a problem. Da Scribes are doin' a great job keepin' track of our stuff, but da Boyz are gettin' fed up with bein' bossed around by runts. We need to find a way to work together, or dis whole thing is gonna fall apart."
Krusha scoffed. "Dere's only one way to work together, Stikk: da Boyz tell da runts what to do, and da runts do it. End of story."
Quill, surprisingly, stood his ground. "We're not trying to boss anyone around, Krusha," he said, his voice trembling slightly. "We're just trying to do our jobs. We need to keep track of the supplies, so we can make sure everyone gets what they need."
"And who says you get to decide what we need?" Krusha retorted. "You gonna tell me I can't have more dakka? I'll krump you!"
Tony held up his hand. "Enough," he said. "I got an idea. We're gonna create a new system. A system that respects da authority of da Boyz, while still allowin' da Scribes to do their jobs."
He proposed a compromise: the Grot Scribes would continue to track all incoming and outgoing supplies, but they would no longer be responsible for enforcing the regulations. Instead, the Orks themselves would be responsible for ensuring compliance.
He suggested that each squad of Orks appoint a "Supply Sergeant," an Ork who would be responsible for working with the Grot Scribes to manage their squad's resources. The Supply Sergeants would have the authority to enforce the regulations, and they would be held accountable for any discrepancies in their squad's inventory.
The Orks, surprisingly, liked the idea. They liked the idea of having more control over their own resources, and they liked the idea of having a fellow Ork to answer to, rather than a Grot Scribe.
The Grot Scribes were hesitant at first. They worried that the Orks wouldn't take the system seriously, and that the supply chain would fall into chaos.
Tony reassured them. "I'll make sure da Supply Sergeants know what dey're doin'," he said. "And I'll be watchin' closely. If I see anythin' goin' wrong, I'll step in."
He spent the next few days training the newly appointed Supply Sergeants, teaching them the basics of accounting, inventory management, and customer service (a concept that was entirely foreign to them).
The training was chaotic and often hilarious, but the Supply Sergeants eventually got the hang of it. They learned how to read spreadsheets (sort of), how to track inventory (mostly), and how to deal with angry Orks (by yelling louder and hitting harder).
The new system was a success. The Orks, motivated by the prospect of having more control over their own resources, began to take the supply chain regulations more seriously. The Grot Scribes, relieved of the burden of enforcement, were able to focus on their core task: tracking and managing the supplies.
The WAAAGH!'s supply chain ran smoother than ever before, and the tensions between the Grots and the Orks began to dissipate. Tony had successfully balanced the books and the krumpin', creating a system that was both efficient and sustainable.