“Why do you have a secret base on the Moon?” Patience asks through our helmet comms.

  “It started out as a information relay in case someone figured out how to shield the planet again. As one of the few spacefaring humans on Earth, and an ally to the Empire, I’m allowed to use it as a Haven.”

  “If it’s a Haven, why can’t we go inside?”

  “It’s not pressurized. It takes most of a day to get it ready for habitation, so a call-ahead to the AI is necessary. And before you ask, there aren’t many vehicles that can make the short jump from Earth Geo to the Moon and it takes about a day to get there if you’re accelerating and decelerating constantly.”

  Patience is silent as we walk around the facility, the view of the stars and outer planets truly breathtaking without the light pollution of Earth. My assistant gets a funny look on her face before she flops backward in slo-mo. As soon as her back causes the dusty rock to ‘poof’ she starts swishing her arms in the dust.

  “I am the first being to make a dust angel on the Moon!” Patience exclaims with the giddiness of a child.

  I snort, knowing that the old astronauts that landed on the other side of the planetoid would not have done this as that dust is sharp as hell and wrecks joints and seals. I take a couple photos with my suit’s cameras and walk back to Aria.

  Once Patience gets onboard, she gets sprayed down and we jump a few kilometers above Bikini Atoll—my default warp intro incase I mess it up as there’s not much out here but Empire assets. I get a few pings from the Navy of the Pacific about airspace this and that, but once I give them my name, they calm down.

  “Somehow I feel you understated the importance of my job when you hired me.”

  “Nah, I’m dating and working with important people. I’m not that big of a deal.” I get swat on the back of my head.

  “Sorry boss, but you’re being dumb. If you’re dating up and you have major work relations, you’re also important!”

  “Listen to your assistant, Kimber, she’s more savvy than you.” Aria chimes in.

  “Et tu, AI?!”

  “I want a raise.”

  I snort in response, “No, but I will let you use the rental on the Imperial Island on Bikini Atol.”

  Patience levels a grimace at me, “You have the authority to let me use that, and you still don’t think you’re important? What are you accidentally one of the most powerful people in the world, or something?”

  Aria titters her adorable laugh.

  “See, even your ship is laughing at your willful ignorance. Aria, what’s her net worth rank on Earth?”

  “Assistant Patience, while human and resource capital are hard to measure, I am confident that if you take Kimber’s off-planet assets into account, she is within the top twenty five.”

  My mouth drops open at the ranking. For real? I do the math for the money I’ve made and spent in the last two weeks and realize that billions of old USD$ changed hands because of me. Crap on toast, maybe they’re right.

  I pay my employees well, I get top-level gear for my settlements, yet I still have money. Am I not doing enough? Sure my communities could use more things, but not only am I buying the means of construction, I am also housing them and feeding them for free. Could I be doing more? Absolutely. But from what Penny and old media tell me, a population without strife doesn’t thrive. I personally take that to mean that if the public doesn’t have to work, they won’t and will complain about what they do have. Which is why I don’t give a stipend—every credit I am scheduled to get from the Empire this founder’s day will go into public works projects and community assets.

  Once we get back to Vegas, Patience jumps off the loading ramp and runs to the civics office.

  \I’ll chat you tomorrow. Unless you need me today?\

  Hah, still on task despite her discomfort. Good work Patience. /I want to get that batch on the market tomorrow, so if you could finish that Exchange research by tomorrow, 9am, I can make some moves. I have things to fund and I need that inflow of cash in case you needed my motivation./

  \You need millions for what by tomorrow?\

  /I’m working to support 600kg of cocaine a year, and I need to buy like 10k more trees, buy that 5M ton transport, and hire a hundred employees. AND, I need you to reach out to query a meeting with Warram Financial again for a meeting./

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  I write a message to Francesca about the trees and how fast I can expect those modified tree seeds to mature, and if anyone is in the market for tons of cocoa beans. I should do some experimenting with those, seeing as I will have a surplus of those things and I doubt they have zero use in alchemical mixtures. Maybe I can make an aether-rich chocolate shake that can replace my juice intake.

  ***

  “Kimber, why are we even arguing about this, it’s not illegal here.” Jamie’s Scion states wile Marcus stands behind them both, ready to detain them.

  “Because we adhere to three different codes. Imperial mandate, Nevahrado Law, and Elsewhere Laws.”

  “Because, with Imperial mandate and the Laws I added, coerced indenture is tantamount to slavery!” I shout in my old abuser’s direction.

  “Kimber, you have questioned them, you have seen the documents, they have chosen to be well-compensated for the chance of getting an aether version of my predictive Track. If you don’t believe me, authorize the aether rations so I can do my job.”

  “Jaime, we covered this. I require all aether adaptation efforts to be supervised by myself and Doctor Kenneck. I expect this to last at least two years, until we can be sure that the results translate positively to all programs and not just the physical ones. That and you all need to realize that the acclimation food won’t be funded by me. You want a trainee on the aether program, you sponsor the food and drink. I can afford to sponsor one trainee per department, maximum. But I still need applications, I still need to see their training regiment. They need to be physically and mentally able to survive this crap.”

  “This is not what we agreed to, Kimber.” The new Personnel Director interposes.

  “You agreed to something you didn’t understand.” I breath in heavy and sigh. “Look, Founder’s Day is next week. Your departments will get their yearly allotment then. Since I don’t have a budget yet from you clowns, how about you send me that, instead of lobbying personally for more money. That way we don’t have to have this conversation a few more times.”

  “How do we know you’ll distribute the Imperial funds equitably?” My supply officer asks.

  “I won’t, that’s why you need to agree and publish a budget. I will distribute per your plans, but if there is no plan, I will guess, and I doubt anyone will be happy with it.”

  “I get the Director’s point,” Marcus chimes in. “I think we will be more productive on a budget discussion. So, I recommend you convey ‘pro tempore’ powers to someone for the tie break and leave while we discuss like the council you set up should.”

  Hey, Marcus, not a bad idea kid. Not only is that excellent statesmanship, it’s an excellent way to put Patience on the spot!

  “Alright. I immediately convey Deputy Director authority for council voting and objections to my assistant Patience.” I turn to my assistant who has gone very pale during my interlude. “In case of a tie, I will make a ruling tomorrow. Until then, for the love of the Empress, just pretend that you can stomach working together. So many people are counting on you.”

  I see a flicker in a few of their eyes, that my concerns actually mean something to the community and not just myself. I sigh that it took that much to reach that few.

  Is there a better way to do this?

  Better is subjective in governance, Kimber. Historically, managing the people with a drive to lead is the largest obstacle a ruler must face. Enable them, redirect them, or neutralize them seem the only available options. You are currently re-directing them as you are not providing enough rope for them to make their own decisions and hanging themselves with them.

  Is that really what it takes, Tova? Failing before we realize our folly? I skim my memories to see if I’ve experienced that revelation and I don’t know if I ever felt like a success. Odd that it took hiring an assistant to look at me like a big fat liar to realize that I might have succeeded in life a time or two.

  You’re still a ridiculous Human, but at least you’re starting to realize what you’ve accomplished.

  Fiiine, I’m good at taking advantage of opportunities. I can admit that. But don’t you dare try to tell me that my opportunity was manufactured.

  Kimber, you escaped an assassination attempt and got Marcella as a sponsor by being 100% your version of asshole.

  Yeah, Tova, but what am I without Marcella’s intervention?

  A survivor.

  She doesn’t say more, but that word resonates withing me. That is what I am, more than a sense of justice or retribution, I survive. Fuck, I wish it were the first two that were the core of me. Justice is what I strive for, but in the core of me, survival is what keeps me moving when things seem too much.

  “Tova, you know I don’t like existential garbage. I had to learn that word to swear at you properly, after all.”

  She chuckles in my brain, but doesn’t say anything else. Fine. Asshole.

  Taking time for a few self-deprecating thoughts before entering my Elsewhere condo, I ponder the next steps of my existence. Do I continue with alchemy but look at lower-level concoctions, or do I try to advance my settlement-related skills? Those are my most accessible skills, but what else could I do? Management is not entertaining. That can wait until Patience’s market analysis comes in. Instead, I start looking at Founders’ Day and how I can make that an event in my settlements instead of just Astoria. Funded festivals, government assisted discounts for businesses (just like Aelea) et al? I like the idea, but we don’t have the infrastructure. Free transfer and Exchange tax-free day? Okay, I can see that. Let us market that and ship it. I send that to Paris to handle the Civics preparation and move on to the next thing.

  /Hey baby, you planning on going home for Founders?/

  \Kimber, damn do I need a cuddle right now. But yes, I need to continue my prep to transfer the rule of Moiriax to another Warden and I need my Astoria time. Plus, my present for you is at the Castle.\

  /Zizi. We talked about presents./

  \Yeah, and I never agreed. I am going to give you presents. Now I’m in the Middle East and odd behavior gets you killed here, so I’ll see you in six days, hon. Bye.\

  Boooo. I understand, but I need snuggles too. I don’t sleep near as well unless she’s there to hold me.

  With an excess of energy and some money in my pocket, time for experiments.