“Sir? They’re approaching.”
The voice of his AI assistant broke Syaoran Strickland out of his rumination. He had been staring at the portrait of his parents, seeking its council. It was a hand-painted canvas depicting a visage of his mother and father as he remembered them. The brushstrokes had an ethereal quality that captured their meaning more than their likeness. His father was in the background, tall and straight-backed; his eyes stared ahead in confidence and utter fearlessness. His mother was in the foreground, her brown hair moving in the direction of an unseen wind. She was beautiful. The portrait was one of a kind and cost a lot of Reds. It was tall, too, traveling from floor to ceiling in his lavish office.
“I’ll meet them on the landing pad, thank you,” he said, returning his attention to the painting. “I just wish I knew what to do about this Hunter business besides just turning to the ICG. It’s really hurting my ability to change anything around here.” Syaoran looked up at the painting but turned away.
“I wish I knew you both,” he said, eventually. He walked around his massive desk and headed to the glass doors on the other side of the office. Through them, you could see the landing pad outside.
Syaoran is the current CEO in-name-only of StellarCorp Estates, the 4th settlement on Izanami. His Grandfather, Sawyer Strickland, started the corporation and settled the land on the opposite end of Izanami from Saint Century City. He offered a different vision from the, at the time, other three settlements and offered all who worked with him ownership over their production. The city exploded in population and siphoned plenty from the Capital, Saint Century.
Syaoran’s mother and father, Sofia and Sheng Strickland, continued their grandfather’s vision until capital interests murdered them. Too young at the time—barely a toddler—control of the Company split amongst a board of directors who quickly brokered agreements with members of the newly formed Izanami Central Government.
That was 56 years ago, though he still looked and felt 30, thanks to cyber implants and AUG installs. His dark hair, perfectly cut, pushed back with his sides neatly and perfectly trimmed. He wore a shimmering blue three-piece suit that perfectly fit his large frame. The in-name-only thing had its perks, though at the expense of some power.
Because of those brokered deals, every decision in the Company was made by a Board of Directors, just like at the Capital. Those with the most shares had the most say; Syaoran had just his legacy shares, and that’s it. He was like their mascot, sent to do things like this.
He waited on the landing pad of StellarCorp Estates Tower—a structure so big it could be seen from space—for the arrival of Lady Steel.
*
Roxanne followed Corina as they traveled through the Izanami atmosphere. They would start cutting their altitude at this point to reach StellarCorp. As they traveled, Roxanne took the time to do more digging about the settlement. She was not shocked to learn that anything she learned about the place in the past wasn’t true. Never, in any of her textbooks or official study guides, was it mentioned that it used to be somewhat of a worker’s paradise.
It became clear to her that there was a lot of Izanami history she didn’t know, and she vowed to change that once she had some time. Ah, time, that ultra-rare luxury—indeed, she’d find some just around the corner.
The current events are quite fascinating. Ten members of their board have been murdered in the last two weeks.
I feel like I’m rubbing off on you.
Please. I simply find it fascinating as a mystery in and of itself. You are more like…what is the term? A voyeur.
The snark is definitely from me.
Azonne sent an eye-roll emoji into Roxanne’s HUD and made her laugh. Corina slowed down just a few minutes ahead so Roxanne could catch up.
“What’d I miss?” Corina asked while Roxanne casually passed her.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Ever have a roommate?” Roxanne rolled onto her back and looked over her chest with her hands behind her back. She loved flying.
“Close, shipmates,” Corina caught up, and they both traveled the same speed through the clouds until they pierced through them.
“Well, imagine that, but it’s 48/7, and it’s in your head?”
“Ah,” Corina considered. “So, do you two not get along? How does that work?”
“Nah, we get along too well, actually.”
“Oh, come on.”
“I’m serious,” Roxanne rolled again so her stomach was parallel with the horizon. “It’s like we know each other so well, disagreements are pointless, and you can’t just hide behind your crutches because they know your crutches and can kick them right out from under you. It’s like feeling vulnerable all the time. All the time. Sometimes, I just surf the net anonymously just to grab that safe feeling again.”
“Um, can’t she hear you right now?”
“She knows all this!”
“Ah,” Corina tried to hide her smile. “I get it.”
“And then, sometimes I wonder if she even actually really likes me or just puts up with me because she’s supposed to, and then I wonder if she feels the same way, and like-”
“Rox…,” Corina interrupted her. “We talk almost every night. Why am I just hearing this now?”
“I don’t wanna dump my stupid little brain problems on you.”
“So you just keep it in until you explode, makes sense.”
“Yeah!”
Corina shook her head and pointed in front of them, “There it is!”
Roxanne followed her finger and spotted the massive tower cresting over the horizon. She zoomed in on her HUD and clocked all the various buildings and the atrocity at its center that almost reached the atmosphere. Seemingly wide at the base, the tower twisted upon itself until it splayed out flat like a disk at the very top.
“Last one to the landing pad?” Corina asked.
“What will I win?”
“When you lose, I get Millie’s home cooking to go.”
“Deal!” The two streaked toward the pad. Roxanne touched down first, but only barely. She grinned happily and lifted her chin slightly.
“Just so it sinks in, I didn’t specifically ask for anything.”
Corina raised her eyebrows; she was smiling too. “And? I expect you to be reasonable.”
“Me? Reasonable when I possess a limitless favor from the almighty Lady Steel?” Roxanne scoffed. “You completely misjudged my character.”
“Okay, calm down.” Corina laughed. “Limitless?”
Roxanne spread her arms wide. “You solicited a bet without defining all the terms. It’s not my fault.” Roxanne placed her fingers on her chest as if she were offended. Corina grunted and turned her back on Roxanne, who pursed her lips and smiled. Corina was one of her favorite people to banter with.
A man approached them, emerging from the glass partition on the other side of the pad. He was handsome, Roxanne had to admit; he reminded her of Wes. And that thought sent a troubling shiver down her spine. Never mind the idea she might’ve found Wes Gibson attractive, she shuddered visibly.
“Lady Steel?” He asked. “What a silly question; of course it’s you; hello!” Corina and the man shook hands briefly. He turned and then offered his hand to Roxanne.
“I recognize you,” he said. “Saved the whole human race, eh? Syaoran Strickland, a pleasure.”
Roxanne took his hand lightly and shook it, “Roxanne Belmonte.”
“Well, I didn’t think this warranted Lady Steel alone, never mind two great heroes.”
“I take murder very seriously,” Corina said.
“Of course! I’m grateful and not one to look a gift horse in the mouth! Follow me-ah-would you like a tour? I’ve been told to ask that.” He laughed, but Roxanne found it forced, like he was playing pretend. It creeped her out. He was so well put together otherwise, it stood out all the more. But did she hear something about a tour?
“Would I?!”
Corina blew out her cheeks and sighed. She let Syaoran and Roxanne lead the way. He avoided the glass partition and took a stairwell positioned at the platform’s edge.
“You’ll get a better view of the settlement from here,” he said while he descended. Roxanne was practically skipping when she took hold of the railing and strolled down the steps. Corina wasn’t far behind. From up here, it was clear how vast the settlement was. Myriad buildings down there stretched as far as Roxanne’s magnification would allow.
“So all the workers live down there?” She asked. “And they come here to work?”
“Some have to come here, while others can work closer to home; some even work from home.”
“No way,” Roxanne said. “They don’t allow that in Saint Century.”
Syaoran paused in front of a doorway and scanned his eyes. The door opened vertically, and he stepped aside to let Roxanne and Corina enter before him.
“Well, yes, that’s always been what separates our community from theirs. It’s why I fight so hard to keep it going.”
Roxanne stopped after she entered; they were in a hollow area bathed in a red light. So many things were being built at the center, like different machines, ships, and robots. It was a lot for her to take in.
“What exactly do you make here?” She asked.
“A little of everything, we have our fingers in all sorts of pies. We started out as ship manufacturing. We made the best ships. ‘If It’s Not A StellarCorp Ship, It’s Not Worth It.”
He repeated the mantra as if he had to and not because he wanted to. Roxanne glanced at Lady Steel to see if she felt weird, too, but she was busy watching all the action at the center.
“We’ve got projects going on all down the tower,” he said, interrupting her train of thought. “Now, if you follow me, there’s a conference room right this way, and we can discuss this business.”