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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.4

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


        Emerald Solutions, Inc. (Emerald Solutions), whose address is 500 -
108th Avenue N.E., Suite 2020, Bellevue, Washington 98004 and Mark Markowitz
(Executive), whose address is 10 Graydon Place, Flanders, New Jersey 07836 enter
this agreement.

        The parties acknowledge that Emerald Solutions sells and implements
software-based custom strategic solutions and that Executive is an experienced
and successful manager and leader.

        Emerald Solutions hires Executive under these terms:

1.      EMPLOYMENT

        1.1    LENGTH. Executive's employment with Emerald Solutions begins on
               August 29, 1997 (Effective Date), and continues until ended as
               this Agreement provides.

        1.2    FULL TIME. Executive will work full time. Executive will devote
               his good faith efforts in support of Emerald Solutions'
               operations and goals, during the entire term of this Agreement.
               While Executive's employment by Emerald Solutions under this
               Agreement continues, Executive will not engage in any other
               employment or consulting without Emerald Solutions' advanced
               written knowledge.

2.      EXECUTIVE'S DUTIES.

               Executive will serve as Emerald Solutions' Vice President. If
        Emerald Solutions reassigns Executive without Executive's consent, the
        Executive may, at the Executive's option, decline to accept the change
        in title or the new assignment and elect instead to treat it as
        termination without cause by Emerald Solutions.

3.      COMPENSATION PLAN.

        3.1    PAY. Emerald Solutions will pay Executive initially at the rate
               of $120,000 a year (Base Salary), payable in equal increments on
               Emerald Solutions' standard payroll schedules, which are
               bi-weekly as of the date of this Agreement. Payment will begin as
               of the first standard payroll following the Effective Date.
               Executive's compensation will otherwise be reviewed on an annual
               basis, as with other executives of the Company.

        3.2    STOCK OPTIONS.  Executive will be granted 100,000 stock options
               n the Effective Date under Emerald Solutions' Stock Option Plan.

        3.3    BONUS. Based on performance criterion established by President
               and approved by the Board of Directors, Executive will be
               eligible for a bonus up to 30 percent of base salary. To be
               eligible for this payment, Executive must be an active employee
               at end of calendar year. During first year of employment, any
               payments will be prorated based on the number of full calendar
               months of employment. This bonus may be doubled based upon the
               Company exceeding its financial plan by a specified level.

        3.4    OTHER COMPENSATION.

               3.4.1  HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS. Emerald Solutions will pay
                      medical insurance, life insurance, disability insurance,
                      retirement, and other fringe benefits in accordance with
                      Emerald Solutions' then existing policies applicable
                      generally to senior executives.

               3.4.2  REIMBURSEMENT. Emerald Solutions will reimburse
                      Executive for all expenses reasonably incurred in
                      discharging duties as an employee of Emerald Solutions,
                      subject

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                      to Emerald Solutions' standard policies for amounts and
                      documentation to which all comparable employees may be
                      subject from time to time.

               3.4.3  VACATION/PERSONAL TIME. Executive shall be entitled to
                      vacation and sick time in accordance with Emerald
                      Solutions' then existing Earned-Time-Off (ETO) policies
                      applicable generally to senior management.

4.      TERMINATION.

      4.1   VOLUNTARY BY EXECUTIVE. Executive may resign from Emerald Solutions
            by one month's notice.

      4.2   VOLUNTARY BY EMERALD SOLUTIONS. Emerald Solutions may end
            Executive's employment, without cause, by Notice, subject to Emerald
            Solutions' obligation to pay termination pay noted below.


      4.3   WITH CAUSE. For the purposes of this Agreement, to be terminated
            With Cause shall only mean termination for (a) failure or refusal to
            carry out directions of the Board of Directors and/or Emerald
            Solutions' senior executive officers, which directions are
            reasonably consistent with the duties set forth to be performed by
            Executive; (b) an act which results in Executive being convicted of
            a felony; or (c) an act of misappropriation of Emerald Solutions'
            monies or assets, fraud and/or dishonesty or disloyalty to Emerald
            Solutions, such as but not limited to a violation of Executive's
            obligations under Section 5 or 7 of this Agreement. Emerald
            Solutions may terminate this Agreement effective as of the date
            Notice of Termination With Cause is given specifying the cause.

      4.4   COMPENSATION ON TERMINATION. Following termination, Emerald
            Solutions will pay these things:


               4.4.1  COMPENSATION AND EARNED VACATION EARNED THROUGH
                      TERMINATION DATE. Executive's Base Salary and bonuses as
                      earned through the termination date, and a buyout of all
                      accumulated but unused ETO time, to be paid within thirty
                      days of termination.

               4.4.2  BASE EXTENSION. Unless Employee is terminated With Cause,
                      or voluntarily resigns for reasons other than a breach of
                      Emerald Solutions' obligations to the Executive of which
                      the Executive has given Emerald Solutions Notice and at
                      least thirty days opportunity to cure, Emerald Solutions
                      will continue Employee's Base Salary for the longer of one
                      month after the termination date, or one week per year of
                      service up to a maximum of thirteen (13) weeks after the
                      Effective Date of this Agreement. Payment of the Executive
                      Base Salary shall be made on Emerald Solutions' standard
                      payroll schedules from the date of termination, as if the
                      Executive had not been terminated.

               4.4.3  LIMIT TO PAY. Emerald Solutions shall not pay Executive
                      any continuation of base salary under Section 4.4.2 for
                      any period during which Executive violates his obligation
                      under Section 5 or 7 of this Agreement.

      4.5   OFFSET. To the extent permissible under applicable law, without
            prejudice to other remedies, Emerald Solutions may offset any
            amounts Executive owes Emerald Solutions against any amounts due
            upon termination or thereafter.

5.      CONFIDENTIALITY.

      5.1   CONFIDENTIALITY. Executive will keep Emerald Solutions' Data
            confidential. In doing so, Executive will not disclose Emerald
            Solutions' Data directly or indirectly to any person, other than an
            employee of Emerald Solutions or a person to whom disclosure is
            reasonably necessary or appropriate to further Emerald Solutions'
            business.


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        5.2    EMERALD SOLUTIONS' DATA. Emerald Solutions' Data consists of any
               trade secret or proprietary or confidential information of
               Emerald Solutions or of any Emerald Solutions affiliate. Emerald
               Solutions' Data includes, but is not limited to, records, files,
               memorandum, reports, price lists, software, customer lists,
               drawings, sketches, documents, equipment, and the like relating
               to Emerald Solutions' business which Executive uses, prepares, or
               comes in contact with during the course of his work for Emerald
               Solutions. Any information known generally to the public or any
               information of a type not otherwise generally considered
               confidential by persons engaged in the same business will not be
               treated as confidential.

        5.3    THIRD PARTY DATA. Executive will also keep third party Data
               confidential as required by Emerald Solutions' obligations to the
               third party, for at least as long as is required for Emerald
               Solutions' Data, but longer if required by any agreement Emerald
               Solutions enters into with the third party.

        5.4    RETURN ON TERMINATION. Executive will return all Emerald
               Solutions' Data and third party data on termination of this
               Agreement.

        5.5    SURVIVAL OF OBLIGATION.  The provisions of this Section 5 shall
               survive termination of this Agreement.

6.      INVENTIONS

        6.1    DEFINITIONS. "Inventions" means new ideas, improvements, or
               discoveries, whether or not patentable or copyrightable, as well
               as other newly discovered or newly applied information or
               concepts. An Invention is a "Covered Invention" if it relates to
               Emerald Solutions' actual or anticipated business; or was
               developed in any part using Emerald Solutions' resources (time,
               supplies, facilities, or data); or it if results from or is
               suggested by a task assigned to, or work performed for Emerald
               Solutions by Executive. As used in this Section 6, "Emerald
               Solutions" includes Emerald Solutions' sister corporations or
               subsidiaries and Emerald Solutions' clients, consultants, and
               contractors.

        6.2    ASSIGNMENT. All Executive's right, title and interest to any
               Covered Inventions that Executive makes or conceives while
               employed by Emerald Solutions, belong to Emerald Solutions. This
               Agreement operates as a prospective assignment of all those
               rights to Emerald Solutions.

        6.3    OBLIGATION.  The provisions of this Section 6 shall survive
               termination of this Agreement.

        6.4    NOTICE. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to
               the contrary, this Agreement does not obligate Executive to
               assign or offer to assign to Emerald Solutions any of Executive's
               rights in an invention for which no equipment, supplies,
               facilities or trade secret information of Emerald Solutions was
               used and which was developed entirely on Executive's own time,
               unless (a) the invention relates (i) directly to the business of
               Emerald Solutions or (ii) to Emerald Solutions' actual or
               demonstrably anticipated research or development or (b) the
               invention results from any work performed by Executive for
               Emerald Solutions. This satisfies the written notice and other
               requirements of RCW49.44.140.

7.      NON-COMPETITION; NON-SOLICITATION.

        7.1    COMPETING DEFINED. During Executive's employment with Emerald
               Solutions, and for eighteen months afterward, unless Emerald
               Solutions consents in writing, Executive will not compete with
               Emerald Solutions, or solicit business from Emerald Solutions'
               customers. This commitment will not survive termination of this
               Agreement if the Executive voluntarily terminates his employment
               as a result of Emerald Solutions' breach of its obligations to
               the Executive under this Agreement, provided the Executive has
               first given Emerald Solutions Notice of the breach and at least
               thirty days' opportunity to cure it.



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               7.1.1. COMPETING DEFINED. "Competing" means to provide any
                      services or knowledge in the area of information
                      technology directly or indirectly to an Emerald Solutions'
                      customer. Service is "indirect" if the service is provided
                      to another person or company who in turn provides it to an
                      Emerald Solutions' customer. "Service" includes acting as
                      an employee, independent contractor, consultant, officer,
                      director, or agent. Being employed by a company that
                      itself provides service to an Emerald Solutions' customer
                      or competes with Emerald Solutions is not competition
                      unless the Executive himself is providing the service
                      directly, or gives assistance that is substantively
                      related to a particular Emerald Solutions' customer or to
                      providing services or knowledge that competes with Emerald
                      Solutions to others to help them perform those services or
                      compete directly.

               7.1.2. SOLICITING BUSINESS DEFINED. "Soliciting business" means
                      with respect to custom solutions, performing work for or
                      soliciting work from anyone who has been a customer or
                      client of Emerald Solutions, or providing knowledge or
                      assistance to another for any of those purposes, on either
                      a consulting or an employment basis.

               7.1.3. EMERALD SOLUTIONS' CUSTOMERS DEFINED.  Emerald Solutions'
                      "customers" are:

                      (a)    EXISTING. Entities or individuals who have
                             purchased consulting or programming services,
                             software, or goods from Emerald Solutions at
                             anytime within three years before the day
                             employment ends.

                      (b)    ACTIVE PROSPECTS. Entities or individuals who are
                             active prospects of Emerald Solutions. An active
                             prospect is one upon whom more than three calls
                             have been made in any one-month period, or to whom
                             a proposal has been submitted or by whom a proposal
                             has been requested, and from whom, on the date
                             employee's employment terminates, Emerald Solutions
                             reasonably believes it may secure work or product
                             or service orders.


                      (c)    DEPARTMENTS OR DIVISIONS OF CUSTOMERS. In the event
                             a customer has more than one department and/or
                             division, only the particular department and/or
                             division which would otherwise qualify as an
                             Emerald Solutions' Customer if considered
                             independently shall be deemed a customer of Emerald
                             Solutions under this paragraph 7.1.3, and not any
                             other department or division.

        7.2    NON-HIRING. During Executive's employment and for eighteen months
               afterward, unless Emerald Solutions consents in writing,
               Executive will not solicit or assist in the solicitation of
               Emerald Solutions' employees.

        7.3    SURVIVAL OF OBLIGATION.  The provisions of this Section 7 shall
               survive termination of this Agreement.

8.      NO CONFLICTING OBLIGATIONS.

        8.1    VIOLATION OF OTHER AGREEMENTS. Execution, delivery and
               performance of this Agreement and the performance of Executive's
               other obligations and duties to Emerald Solutions will not cause
               any breach, default or violation of any other employment,
               nondisclosure, confidentiality, consulting or other agreement to
               which Executive is a party or by which Executive may be bound.

         8.2   DISCLOSURE OF OTHER TRADE SECRETS. Executive will not use in
               performance of Executive's work for Emerald Solutions or
               disclose to Emerald Solutions any trade secret, confidential
               or proprietary information of any prior employer or other
               Person if and to the extent that such use or disclosure may
               cause a breach, default, or violation of any obligation or
               duty that Executive owes to such other person (e.g., under any
               agreement or applicable law). Executive's compliance with

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               this paragraph will not prohibit, restrict or impair the
               performance of Executive's work, obligations and duties to
               Emerald Solutions.

        8.3    FALSE REPRESENTATIONS. Executive will not (a) make any false,
               misleading or disparaging representations or statements with
               regard to Emerald Solutions or the products or services of
               Emerald Solutions or (b) make any statement that may impair or
               otherwise adversely affect the goodwill or reputation of Emerald
               Solutions.

9.      OTHER MATTERS.

        9.1    EMPLOYMENT AT WILL. Executive's employment with Emerald Solutions
               is "at will" and may be terminated at any time by an executive of
               Emerald Solutions. This Agreement will survive any termination of
               Executive's employment.

        9.2    NOTICE. Notice to Executive shall be sent to Executive's most
               recent address shown in Emerald Solutions' personnel records.
               Notice to Emerald Solutions shall be sent to Emerald Solutions'
               headquarters address, marked attention: President. Either party
               may change its address by Notice. Notice shall be effective when
               the person to whom it is sent actually gets it, if sent by any
               method that leaves a paper or electronic record in the hands of
               the recipient. If sent certified or registered mail, postage
               prepaid, return receipt requested, to the proper address this
               section defines, notice shall be considered effective whether or
               not actually received on the date the return receipt shows the
               notice was accepted, refused, or returned undeliverable.

        9.3    SEVERABILITY. This agreement will be enforced to the fullest
               extent permitted by applicable law. If for any reason any
               provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or
               unenforceable to any extent, then (a) such provision will be
               interpreted, construed or reformed to the extent reasonably
               required to render the same valid, enforceable and consistent
               with the original intent underlying such provision and (b) such
               invalidity or unenforceability will not affect any other
               provision of this Agreement or any other agreement between
               Emerald Solutions and Executive. If the invalidity or
               unenforceability is due to the unreasonableness of the scope or
               duration of the provision, the provision will remain effective
               for such scope and duration as may be determined to be
               reasonable.

        9.4    NON-WAIVER. The failure of Emerald Solutions to insist upon or
               enforce strict performance of any provision of this Agreement or
               to exercises any of its rights or remedies under this Agreement
               will not be construed as a waiver or a relinquishment to any
               extent of Emerald Solutions' rights to assert or rely on any such
               provision, right or remedy in that or any instance, rather, the
               same will be and remain in full force and effect.

        9.5    ASSIGNMENT. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
               benefit of Emerald Solutions, its successors and assigns and
               shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Executive, and
               Executive's administrators, executors, legatees, and heirs. This
               Agreement shall not be assigned by Executive.


EMERALD SOLUTIONS, INC.                     MARK MARKOWITZ:



-------------------------------------       -----------------------------------

Title:    President
          ---------------------------       Date:
                                                 ------------------------------

Date:     August 21, 1997
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