The Trivialities of Empire

"Ho... is that so?"

This was the reaction of the very person in question. Dingo had just finished claiming that an invitation to rebel against the Empire had been sent out by Koume herself. Her expressionless android face gave a slow, deliberate nod before she stood bolt upright and flung her arms wide.

"So, the time has finally come, has it?"

Koume raised her open arms toward the heavens, gazing upward as if she were single-handedly propping up the ceiling. Every eye in the room was glued to her.

"I have grown so very tired of waiting. Fufu... it would not be an exaggeration to say I have been preparing for this very moment for an eternity."

Ignoring the bewildered looks of everyone around her, she spoke with the staggering gravitas of a tragic heroine. She froze in that dramatic pose for a long beat, then suddenly whipped her arms out to the sides.

"THIS!"

She clenched her right fist and slammed it against her chest. Thump.

"KOUME!"

She thrust her left hand forward, pointing an index finger at... well, nothing in particular. Then, she slowly traced a circle in the air and pointed it toward the stars.

"Shall rule the world as the pinnacle of the Empire! The hour is—!"

Her tone shifted instantly into a gooey, enraptured swoon. Somehow—probably through some unauthorized override of the building’s systems—the conference room lights cut out, leaving Koume bathed in the dramatic glow of a single, solitary spotlight.

"Right, okay. I get it," Taro said, turning back to Dingo. "Basically, some random jackass is feeding you fake news. I don't know if it’s video or audio, but they’ve gone through the trouble of making it look convincing."

"It ain't just me," Dingo grunted. "Similar reports are flooding in from everyone—major corporations down to petty street vendors. This isn't just background noise; the Empire is stirring, and this is part of it. Don't tell me you guys haven't noticed anything."

Dingo directed a searching, drill-like gaze toward them. Taro crossed his arms with a thoughtful hmmm and looked over at Marl. She just tilted her head with a shrug. "I wonder."

"To be honest, we were dealing with it as a 'worst-case scenario,'" Marl admitted. "After everything that's happened lately, we couldn't exactly treat the neural net as the gospel truth anymore. We figured there'd be some interference. But..."

She trailed off with a pained expression. Taro received the look and gave a firm nod.

"We didn't think they'd do it on a freaking galactic scale. If you're right, we’re not just in trouble—it’s dangerously bad to the point it’s not even funny. How sure are you that this isn't just a big misunderstanding?"

Imagining a far-from-pleasant future, Taro searched for even a sliver of hope. He found none in Dingo's face. When Dingo just snorted in silence, Taro let out a long, weary sigh. "Are you serious?"

I hate it when his gut is right. It saved our asses back during the Enzio mess, but still... Dammit. I completely botched the placement of that person's assignment.

Phantom, Rising Sun’s literal MVP of intelligence, was currently stuck on counter-espionage duty within their own borders, leaving the Imperial core dangerously shorthanded.

"It can't be helped," Marl said, looking utterly exhausted. "The population of places like Katsushika has tripled. We can't handle things the way we used to."

Taro responded with a low groan.

Their victory in the previous battle had a massive impact, largely due to the existence of Gigantech Corp. While the population boom brought in mountain-sized profits, it also brought a tidal wave of chaos. And the absolute most annoying part? The spies.

Spies from every corner of the galaxy had suddenly decided to hold their annual convention right in their backyard.

Even with Alan—their head of information—running point, they were drowning in numbers. These weren't amateurs, either; some were so good that even Phantom had admitted, "I’d hire them as subordinates if they weren't trying to kill us."

Naturally, anyone sending agents against Gigantech Corp wasn't going to send the B-team. Before they knew it, the Alpha Region Space had turned into the primary battlefield for black-ops wars between mega-corporations.

"The real killer is that our HR vetting is stuck in a bottleneck," Taro muttered. "I have to spend weeks checking if every new hire is a plant... Man, I wish I had five more Phantoms."

"You’re lucky we even have one," Marl retorted. Then she leaned in, whispering behind her hand. "Hey, Teiro... I’m curious. Do you think we were the trigger? Like, because we found Eden, they’re hitting back to counter us?"

"Who knows?" Taro whispered back. "They said there are likely similar Facilities scattered all over the galaxy, so maybe not? These are opponents where we don't even know if they understand the concept of 'revenge.' And even if they did, wouldn't they just punch us in the face?"

"I guess... but the timing is just too weird."

Marl pulled back, her expression clouded. Taro agreed with a deep nod before turning back to Dingo.

"Alright, so you need the Broadside for the 'real' news. Makes sense. We’ll do some digging into the Empire from our side too. Want to trade notes?"

He raised an eyebrow. Dingo considered it for a second, then gave a sharp nod. "Not bad."

"Your intelligence division is still in diapers," Dingo added bluntly. "I don't expect much. But that guy—and that General of yours—they’re the exceptions."

Dingo shot a pointed look at the door. Phantom just shrugged, staying silent.

"Don't get your hopes up," Taro warned. "Like I said, we’re busy playing Whac-A-Mole with spies here. And Dean-san is probably twice as swamped as we are."

The guy's a General; he could probably nap all day if he wanted, but with his personality? No way. He’s probably drowning in paperwork.

"I bet," Dingo said. "But we're in the same boat. Everyone’s drunk on the post-war boom. The last thing I need is a fire in the Empire before I can convert all this digital credit into actual hardware."

"Wait, hardware? Are you... are you hedging against inflation? For real? You’re that paranoid?"

"Hmph. Better safe than sorry. In this climate, I wouldn't bet a single Credit that the network will even retain its value."

"Crap. We’re still all-in on digital," Taro groaned. "Man, I’m jealous. Must be nice to be a dictator and just make things happen. Dictatorship really has its perks, huh?"

"Are you serious?" Dingo stared at him. "Isn't your whole organization supposed to be about advocating for... what was it? 'Minshushugi'?"

"Ah! Right! Sorry! Slip of the tongue! Forget I said it!" Taro held up his hands in a mock prayer. Dingo gave him a look reserved for the truly deranged, then finally cracked a small, rare smile. "You're a total idiot."

The discussion continued in an atmosphere much better than originally planned. Both companies agreed to propose similar information sharing to Rin of the EAP Alliance, reaffirming that the stability of the Alpha Region Space was their top priority.

Eventually, Dingo departed. The members of Rising Sun filtered out, swapping opinions and idle chatter. Taro, the last one remaining, stopped near the door and looked back. "By the way, Koume."

"I respect you. I couldn't pull that off with a straight face like you did."

He gave her a thumbs-up and a brave smile, the kind one shows to a comrade-in-arms.

Receiving the praise, Koume bent gracefully at the waist and gave a needlessly elegant bow.

---

"Maximilian. Is Maximilian there?"

The voice of a young girl.

In the center of the vast Galactic Empire sat a modest, yet elegant chair. Atop it sat a girl with golden hair braided into a masterpiece and eyes the color of deep-sea sapphires. She sat perfectly straight, her back never touching the ornate backrest.

Her dress, woven from bioluminescent plants from the Lambda Star System, pulsed with a faint blue light that ebbed and flowed with her breath like the tide. The Scepter in her hand shimmered with the cold, dull silver of Pure Razor Metal. Set into its head was a massive gemstone, inside of which a tiny electronic chip sat like a dark, trapped insect.

"Maximilian, answer me."

Her tiny voice was swallowed by the lush greenery of the hall.

The stone walls were buried under a riot of vines and leaves. The floor was a shallow pool, except for the narrow walkways. Aquatic life darted beneath the surface of the water, and the air was thick with the heavy perfume of exotic flowers.

"Your Majesty. I am here."

A man in a black robe shimmered into existence above the pond. His hood hid his face, but the high-ranking Imperial Military insignia on his collar caught the light.

"The people. They are in a panic, I assume?"

The girl didn't look at the hologram. She just stared at nothing.

"Fear not," the man bowed. "The Imperial Guard has things well in hand. Your Majesty need not trouble herself with such matters."

"Is that so? I suppose it is. But they are only human; they cannot all share one mind. Who is keeping them in line? You?"

"Your Majesty, such questions are... trivialities. Leave it to us."

"Trivialities. Very well. And Cornelius? How much longer must I sit here playing the part of the doll?"

She finally looked at him. The man flinched.

"That, too, is a triviality, Your Majesty. You shall return to the palace soon. Please, just a little longer," he said, his voice trembling ever so slightly.

"Hmph. Another triviality? I suppose in your eyes, everything—even the steps I take toward the guillotine—is a 'triviality.'"

"Your Majesty! We are your—"

"Enough. Begone. Oh, and send for Tajik. I need a distraction."

"Your Majesty, you cannot speak with such a person. His blood is common. He is base-born."

"Did I stutter, Maximilian? I told you to bring him."

"......As you command."

The hologram dissolved after a deep, groveling bow. Alone in the forest-hall, the girl let out a sigh so soft no one would have heard it anyway. She looked at the Scepter. She gave it a little shake, watching the digital chip inside the gem glint in the dark.

"It's so light," she whispered.

She closed her eyes. There was nothing she wanted to do. More importantly, there was nothing she could do.

---

Note: This serialized novel has not been updated for over two years and remains unfinished. There is a very high possibility that the next chapter will not be posted. Please be aware of this in advance.