“Do we just not have a noodle place?”

“There’s pasta near the meat man’s shop.”

“Nah, I’m thinking like a punch bowl full of pho or ramen.”

“We do have one place, but it’s off of Lake Street and only open on the weekends.” Naomi chimes in.

“Booo. Much sadface.” I browse the exchange and find an Astoria-based vendor for Ramen that doesn’t do a store front, but is still well rated. They sell by volume and adjust the finish accordingly? I am sold sir. Ten minutes later I’m sitting in Capitol Commons, eating an embarrassingly large bowl of ramen, with a side of gyoza and edamame.

“Since this is only the second Forum we’ve held, and this time we have a structured new business schedule, what do you think is going to happen in there?” I do my best to keep the food in the bowl or in my mouth.

“If the opening meeting for the Festival is any indication, Governor Kenner, of Aelea; is going to put you on the spot today. I’m not sure what the inclusion of the Consuls and some more rough and tumble new Governors will look like though.”

“Well, do I prepare for war, or do I regal Empress?”

“This is why you need a PR person and an image consultant” Naomi replies. “Though, enough people may know about the Forum that folks are waiting until next week to respond to Bill.”

“If Bill is having issues, then there’s definitely something planned and great pains are being taken to keep it from me.”

That may be why Melissa was invited, even paid to be here.

“Now that, I believe. Tessa thinks that my brunette ex was hired to keep me out of people’s business long enough for a plan to develop. She’s a tech Psycher so I believe it.” How do I counter someone that’s just better than me at what I need to do? She knows I can teleport, she knows my engraving and trinkets are pretty powerful, but what else does she know?

“I’ll move our whole security team there if you think it’s necessary. Do you have a plan?”

I snort at the last bit. “A plan? I have an Empire with no written laws, of course I don’t have a plan. My plan was to hire people to help me with this management garbage, and within six months I already have greedy manipulators trying to get rid of me.” I sigh into my ramen, hopefully cooling it off, “We only have like ten minutes to prepare anyway.”

While finishing my ramen, I decide that the Conquering Empress look is the way this is going: EVA with Corundum Crown. Remember, Penny, you built this, you are building this. No matter what these people try to do, this is yours and your people’s Empire. Most importantly, just because I don’t know a better way, doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Be wary and keep an open mind.

Did you trip and fall into the self-help codices?

Nice, Tessa. I needed that smile, it’ll make me look a bit feral and “scare the children” as Naomi and Camacho say. I walk up the outer steps building a head of steam. I find the ten foot tall doors closed for a meeting that shouldn’t have started. I take a minute to ping all of my Consuls with no responses. Melissa can definitely block comms. Ah well, always wanted to do this anyway.

I aether-pump for strength as I kick the doors with my grounded boot anchored. The doors blow off the hinges and fly into the room, making me appreciate the engineering on the door latches that held fast. I see a mostly empty theatre setting with a presiding gallery that has too many people in it, more specifically, too many people in my chair.

We designed the room like the Senate hearing floor, just more vertical, and on the far wall instead of whatever raised boxes, there’s an arcuate gallery of seats with mine as the highest. Kenner is currently sitting in it.

I fly up to the space next to my chair, landing next to the smirking man. “Move.” I touch my left wrist and turn the spellform to summon my shuttle into the hallway, blocking the doorway I kicked in.

Tessa, project a shield around this hall, nothing in or out, not even air.

Can do. In a minute or so, I should be able to contact you to Rich again.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

You’re the best, hon.

Kenner, realizing that whatever I did wasn’t a weapon, relaxes and opens his mouth to speak. Nope, having none of this. I pick up the chair with him in it and throw it over the gallery railing. I summon a new throne in my colors and sit up.

The Governors gasp at my brutality, surprisingly few of my Consuls are alarmed.

“Let me guess, changed the meeting time, used a comms wiz to keep it quiet, and once everyone had agreed to something you were going to tell me how it is?” Before anyone dares to reply, I hear a familiar voice hiss and say “what the fuck?”

She is terrible at handling aether. That would have never shut down Katie.

I see Melissa on the side of the theater seating holding her head, blood dripping from her nose and eyes.

“For the purpose of getting through the next three days and actually getting laws and an Imperial Code in the books, I am going to treat whatever this was as a prank. Impersonating me and my authority is actual Treason. So are most crimes against me and my house. So let’s start with that punishment. The punishment for treason is death, or a commuted sentence as decided by the Empress. Judges and Justiciars can try and sentence everything else, but treason is mine. Now before I disseminate My Promise to Astorian Citizens and my rough draft of the Imperial Code, I would know what transpired here and what, if anything, you have settled on in my absence.”

According to Rich, they talked about money and what types of Imperial encroachment they wouldn’t tolerate. He doesn’t give me any details because he checked out of the discussion just after it began.

“The Governors brought up some decent points about finances, but their initial conditions and lists of assets are poorly informed.” Mercer stood from his seat, not looking directly at me.

“Thank you Consul Mercer. Please explain, the Governors seem a little gobsmacked.”

He looks to the Governors helping Kenner out, and returns with a sinister smile. “They desire a fairly common sales tax and income tax arrangement, but they want to pay the Empire with a luxury tax based off of rent in each capitol district.”

I chuckle at that oversight and or daring approach. “They want to pay me with money they make on something they stole from me. That’s hilarious. Did they remember I require basic subsistence and housing for all citizens?”

“They did, but they just assumed the Empire would continue to pay for it.”

“I see, they have made a lot of assumptions indeed.” I take a deep breath and send out my Promise and my draft of the Imperial Code. “Take those documents and revise your plans and machinations. We will deal with proposals for changes to the Code in a few hours after you have had time to digest the document. I will be locking down Exchange services except food and drink until the conclusion of today’s session, which has developed into a shut-in.”

I stand and fly over to the Consul area. “My apologies Consuls, the ‘Code’ I put together is based from our conversations over the last few months, and I should have socialized it with you all before this event. I value any feedback you will undoubtedly will have.”

Francesca looks up from her seat, “This is just a modification of the bill of rights and a few amendments, right?”

I nod, “More or less. I struggled with the idea of Liberty, and Freedom to govern themselves . . . with some caveats.”

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Foreign Affairs and System Management will have some better words than a nerdy Empress.”

“Haha, anyway. I’m going to go take some trash out and see if anyone was locked out. If you need anything, Message Tessa, and she’ll get it to me.” Most of the Consuls agreed to do a job for the villa and pay benefits, and are not interested in the drama, so they nod dismissively as they read their screens.

I walk over to Melissa and tell her it’s time to leave.

“I’m a Founder, Penny, I deserve to be here.”

“You haven’t been a citizen in more than a year, Mrs. Hunsaker. You have no rights here.” She crosses her arms in childish resistance. I have no idea what her role is in all this, but she was clearly paid to be a part of this.

“Sergeant, Mrs. Hunsaker is coming with us.”

“Yes Ma’am.” She grabs Melissa by the back of the neck and moves her toward the side exit with a series of hip checks and pushes. I signal to open the shield at the doorway and the five of us step out into the rest of the Consul building.

“It’s fine to let her go now.”

“Okay,” she shoves Melissa to the side and keeps walking with me. “I’m going to make a few calls, Admiral.” I nod.

“Why can’t you treat me with care and concern, like you do with Katie?” Melissa asks, sounding small and vulnerable.

“When you left, it made me feel like an experiment. A choice that was necessary at the time, but one that you dismissed after life seemed restored, when the plan got back on track. I though I was part of THE Plan, when I was really a backup.” I twist to look up at her, “and then you come here with a sob story looking for my sympathy. While Katie got taken advantage of.”

“We could have tried friends, but the only reason you came back was for money, involving you in some gambit against me. That makes you a manipulative, backstabbing asshole.”

She scoffs, “Always thinking of yourself, Penny, no wonder your alone.”

And to think I was in love with her for a while. “Say hello to your parents and thank them for me.”

It was low, and I probably deserve the smack that is coming, I certainly don’t move. The good Sergeant does though and spartan kicks Melissa in the side and down the stone steps.

“Not on my watch, Bitch.” She checks me over quickly and then nods at the good work she’s done.

“Nine on form, solid eleven on timing.”

“Nine? No way, that was a textbook front kick.”

“No movie lean or arm pull back? Sorry, the nine stands.”

Her lip curls halfway between a snarl and a smirk. “Empress still rated me 20/20 on a defense action. Stamp it and send it.”

“Got some folks coming in for backup?”

“Speth and a new girl. Heard about how you dismissed Bethany and signed up immediately. And no, she is not another horny fangirl as far as I’m aware.”

“Thank Andromeda for that.” I chuckle.