Hizumi strolled through the mansion as if it were her own. She lived and trained here, everyone knew who she was. Her Mistress dominated over everything, and Mistress Nyx was as good as a mother to her now. With only a select few council members here, Hizumi could easily act as if this was all hers. When she wanted something, she could demand for it. If it was something she herself could not take, then she could borrow an army to take it.
This new desire of hers however, was more than what an army could do. She needed access to an entire planet. One that she could terraform and recreate for her own needs. Mistress Nyx, after several solar rotations since her last trial, was allowing her to try once again. Excitement shown in the sparks that radiated out in an aura around her. The purple flashes all around her spooked a few of the technicians that strolled the hallways around her.
“Mistress.” Hizumi bowed slightly as she announced herself.
Smiling broadly as she entered the council hall, Hizumi took in every person present. Noting that a few of her conspirators were precisely where she needed them to be.
“Hizumi, welcome. Please find a seat, we are already in the middle of a discussion.”
Hizumi quickly moved to obey her Mistresses command. The long hall had several seats and end tables lining the walls. Books and candles filled most of them, a few others had some trays of food and drinks.
The two long tables that ran the middle of the hallway buzzed with conversations. The council members from the different planets and guilds that made up the Galactic Federation often came to meet here.
With Mistress Nyx sitting in on daily meetings, they all hoped to gain her attention for some matter or another. Hizumi was about to be no different.
“So? Will the Federation send forces to help?” This was the commander’s ambassador from Tios.
“What good will a military presence be on your farm land?” Mistress Nyx seemed unconcerned by the man’s pleading.
“We cannot promise any extra arms for soldiers even if we could approve their presence.”
“But! Sirs, Mistress, can we please agree that something needs to be done. At the very least send me home with a cargo freighter full of the needed supplies for my people to survive another few rotations while we deliberate. Every hour I spend here discussing, is an hour my people go without aid.”
“So dramatic, Minister.” Hizumi had had enough of their bickering already. If this was all they were worried about, she had more important matters to see to.
“How dare you!” The Minister stood, suddenly extremely angry.
“There, your real feelings show. Your world suffers because of the greed it is plagued by. There are plenty of resources to go around, you just don’t wish to share with those you see as lesser than you. What does an army do, I believe was the Mistress’ question. That army patrols fields and the markets in towns. They arrest anyone caught stealing grain or fruits, vegetables or fiber crops. Mines become military checkpoints that require governmental referral. Transit stations run on limited schedules under extremely tightened security.”
“Only under Martial Law.” The Minister cut in.
“And what would you call requesting military presence?”
Hizumi wasn’t about to back down from this issue. She knew better than to let the Minister get his way. He was a part of a group that had been planning a turnover of power for several solar rotations. She knew because she had been in on part of the planning meetings under a different alias.
“That,” The Minister paused slightly, “is definitely not the same as declaring Martial Law. We are simply asking for some more protective measures. We have many vast areas of uninhabitable land. It needs to be patrolled to protect the small areas of viable farmland safe.”
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The Minister simply sat back down, having nothing more to say.
“What good is an army against the natural conditions of the terrain? Even if there were bandits attacking your villages and farm land, which you have not reported any of, an army is not for long standing personal guard. We can not afford to send in Federation trained Military, just so you can keep your hands on the power you wield.” The Chairman of the Council did not raise his voice, but commanded all of their attention nonetheless.
Nyx waved her hand, addressing the group as a whole.
“What could win, where an army can not? You need a local hero figure, someone for the people you already have under you to rally to.” Her words were soft but loud enough for everyone to hear. “Food and energy resources, those are yours to bring back to your planet. I will appoint a fund for relieving your shortages for a period of one central solar rotation. After which, a solution for making up for your own shortcomings should be in place. If it can be done sooner, I will revise the fund as a reimbursement fund for the remaining time in the rotation.”
Hizumi blinked, but knew better than to question her Mistress. This decision could ruin her plan to take the planet under her own power. Did Mistress Nyx know? Or was this just her playing the benevolent deity for her people?
That would fund the Empire that was trying to suppress the other factions that Hizumi backed. They would turn the food into profit and the energy would be channeled into producing and maintaining their weapons and defense systems. Hizumi’s idea to have an insider into the workings of the Empire’s government was hopefully going to pay off. She would have to get word to him fast.
“How generous of you Mistress Nyx, Commander of Chaos.” The Minister was all too quick to stand again, just so he could bow for his Mistress.
“Begone then, and start researching a plan for making it up to me.”
There it was, her cold tone of “Do my bidding” Hizumi was used to hearing. They hadn’t been in contact for several months, but after so many rotations being her apprentice, or slave, or heir, or whatever she was supposed to be, Hizumi knew her Mistress’ true self.
She was only giving them the resources to end the issue, and to maintain the hold over the star system that she controlled. Each of the kingdoms on the Tios Planet were rich enough in resources. The current largest empire was rich in precious metals, one that was needed for conducting power in the Starway links.
That was why Nyx demanded they be brought into the Federation. Hizumi had seen what a chance the world presented for military experimentation, the conflicts and monsters on that world needed quelling anyway. The two had then made the planet the next challenge in their game.
Hizumi, with help from a few members of her growing circle, decided to take the underdog route and back the smaller population. With Nyx giving funds and promises of enrichment to the largest empire. For nearly six weeks they poured resources down to the planet. Shipping in food and supplies as well as hundreds of diplomats to help ease transitions.
The power hungry empire was quick to accept Nyx and her handouts, never questioning what the return for her would be. That was just how Nyx played the game, she made you believe she was undoubtedly beyond understanding and yet extremely benevolent. The people worshiped her like a god, they gave everything she asked for in exchange for her gifts.
Hizumi chose a different method. She stayed in the background, simply guiding others to help and connect where they would best suit her own needs. Stitching together a weave of smaller heroes and would be saviors. Her reach went beyond just a few like minded cities, Hizumi was able to have connections across the entire world. It gave her an edge that she hoped to use against her Mistress in taking control of this planet.
Military relief in the form of a guild system was her main way of liberating people, and then redirecting the control of the lands to her own hands through that same system was her goal. Several of her associates that were showing signs of opposing Mistress Nyx, a few of them were here to assist in building the guild with her. A couple had gone to another world, a peaceful one with its own technology bloom. They had a special mission to help Hizumi test a new military prototype.
If Hizumi could gain control of this planet and its resources, she might have enough to go after another before her Mistress could spare the manpower. She had a small faction building behind her, most of them were only partially in control or next in line for control of their respective world’s government. Most were against the military expansion that the Federation was currently pursuing.
Nyx let her armies do as they please to take worlds with no advanced civilization on it. Hizumi had seen what some of them could do, there was no fighting back against them until they had a way to gain equal footing. The new vessels were proving to be versatile in adapting to the users unique styles. Some were over zealous however and died quickly, it was becoming an extremely expensive loss.
Kuru had reported a few that she was keeping an eye on personally, that should prove fruitful. That wickedly devious character was not to be underestimated. Hizumi knew who she truly was, but knew better than to share that secret with anyone. Kuru had her own role to play in the current schemes, and Hizumi really hoped she would have a place beside her for the future.