[Intro: Female Lead]
At ten-oh-eight, the boardroom blinds came down.
A spreadsheet opened: salary, age, tenure.

[Intro: Male Baritone]
"We need a minor change completed by noon.
A strategic team adjustment."

[Verse 1: Female Lead]
The highest salaries rose to the top.
Years of knowledge counted as expense.
A retirement date became a risk.
Nina's name sat fourth beneath the cut.
The formula selected who would leave,
then tagged each job "nonessential work."

[Pre-Chorus: Male Baritone]
"Don't call it layoffs. That sounds too severe.
Choose language that contains the needless fear."

[Chorus: Female Lead and Male Baritone Duet]
Strategic team adjustment.
No layoffs here today.
Optimize the headcount;
get signatures by noon.
Pink slips out by sunrise.
Empty chairs by afternoon.

[Verse 2: Female Lead]
I listed every task the cut would drop.
"Redistribute," the margin answered back.
I added notice, health care, unused leave,
job references and time to make their move.
Victor crossed each item from the page:
"The savings disappear if we add that."

[Pre-Chorus: Male Baritone]
"You're partner to the business," Victor said,
"not here to guard each worker's home."

[Chorus: Female Lead and Male Baritone Duet]
Strategic team adjustment.
No layoffs here today.
Optimize the headcount;
get signatures by noon.
Pink slips out by sunrise.
Empty chairs by afternoon.

[Drum Break: Floor-Tom March and Printer Stamps]

[Bridge: Female Lead]
I kept three names above the final line,
put notice, health care, unused pay in ink.
I could not pull each envelope away,
but made the board account for what it cost.

[Breakdown: Male Baritone]
Resource reduction.
Role consolidation.

[Breakdown: Gang Vocals]
Say it plainly.
We know what it costs.

[Final Chorus: Female Lead with Gang Vocals]
Strategic team adjustment.
The layoffs fill the room.
Their years became overhead;
rent still came due.
I signed the severance, not your script.
On Friday, they will hear the truth.

[Outro: Female Lead]
The envelopes waited in a row.
I took the real responses to the ballroom.
Strategic team adjustment.