Beyond The Impossible

Imperial Palace, Midgard City

Lyra Syzar feels nervous, adjusting her office suit. It was definitely designed to fit a human: her Lampyrian wings are not comfortable sticking out of the holes stitched on the back.

She’s more nervous for this meeting than for the actual election.

<Lady Null.> she greets the Mortal Co-Empress, making the smallest feasible curtsy.

<Just Null, please. Sit down.> Noriko Null tells her, gesturing towards her desk.

Lyra tries sitting on the chair, but the wings get in the way. She could sit in what is considered “the Lampyrian way”… perching on the edge of the seat… but she opts to just rotate the chair 180°.

<I hope this isn’t an insensitive remark, but I’ve never seen a Lampyrian sit that way.>

<On many planets where humans and Lampyrians share the same cities… which sadly isn’t many of them… sitting differently is considered uncouth.>

<That’s a dumb prejudice.>

<I agree, Null. But society needs time to grow; one can’t expect all the small things to change at once. Being accepted into human society is worthy of a less comfortable sitting arrangement.>

<Did you seriously just turn the way you sit into some kind of message? No wonder you got into politics. It goes without saying, but congratulations on winning the general election.>

<Thank you, Null. I would understand if you had doubts in me, considering the… troubling relationship you’ve had with my family.>

<Yeah, speaking of which… Torn has told me what he saw in your mind when he severed your connection to the Ichor. I’m truly sorry for what you had to get through; believe me, had I known what Aura did to you…>

<You would have assassinated her sooner?>

Noriko may not like public relations, but she’s not a novice at this: she manages to keep a straight face despite all kinds of alarms ringing in her mind.

<I beg you pardon?> she stalls.

<I’m joking. Surely you are aware of the conspiracy theory that says you had Aura assassinated so that you could become Empress?>

<I don’t pay much attention to what people say about me, Lyra.>

<You definitely should. Ignoring the public’s perception of your actions is precisely what is causing the failure of your tenure as the Ice Queen of the Winter Kingdom.>

<And you certainly don’t have any qualms about speaking your mind.> Noriko acknowledges, leaning back against the chair.

As much as she despites adulation, she’s beginning to think that Lyra could use to show a little more respect. But a part of Noriko admires her courage.

<Let’s start by getting a few things straight, Lyra. First of all yes, I was more than a little worried about another member of the Syzar family gaining political power. But Torn vouches for you, and that guy’s trust is hard to come by.>

<I am grateful of his help, both in saving my life and improving your opinion of me.>

<And helping you win the election?> Noriko asks, and to prove her point she pulls up a holographic screen showing the results of the election.

• 28% Lyra Syzar, Galactic Freedom Party
• 26% Liosthenes, Federalist Party
• 24% Cleora Kallimastoi, Climax Coalition
• 13% Euphemia Doron, Nullist Democracy
• 6% Antiochos, Galactic Republicans
• 3% Zenon, Mortal Reformation Party

<I am sure your involvement in a Vanguard mission played some part in you gaining 2% more votes than Liosthenes, considering you two were head to head until election day.> Null says.

<I’m more embarrassed that nearly a fourth of the Galaxy voted for Cleora. What does an Aphrodite candidate with no executive experience have to offer, besides having breasts twice the size of my head?> Lyra complains.

<Those numbers are a bit troubling for me, Lyra. As the candidate with the most votes you are automatically the Prime Minister, but will your government be able to work with such a schizophrenic Galactic Senate? Ideally I would call for a second ballot, but it wouldn’t be a good image for the Galaxy’s first free vote.> Noriko argues

“Plus it would mean keeping direct control of the Galaxy for months, and I can’t risk turning into Abyss while running the place” she mentally adds.

<It will be difficult, but it’s my job. Fortunately enough, all the candidates are people who have the best interest of the Empire in their minds. Assuming Cleora has a mind. But Euphemia only reaching 13% might be a bigger problem for you, Null.>

<How so?>

<Her party, Nullist Democracy, represents the interests of the Church of Null. The fact that it received so few votes is a signal that the strength of your religion is fading.>

<I don’t see it as a bad turn of events, Lyra.>

<Really. May I speak freely with you, Null?>

<I thought that was what you were already doing.>

<You really need to make up your mind about what you want to be, Null. As Prime Minister of Olympus, I was voted by the whole Galaxy and will govern it as a whole… but your vassals Athena, Helen and Aphrodite still have a huge level on independence and will act independently from me on a variety of subjects. Even though they pledged allegiance to you, their sectors are effectively still sovereign territories.>

<Your point being? You hardly need to explain to me how the system works.>

<The Winter Kingdom is technically a vassal state. It just happens that, right now, you are your own vassal because you are the sitting Ice Queen.>

<I am aware of the situation. And trust me, I’m not happy about it and don’t plan to keep things as they are indefinitely.>

<The damage may already be done. Are you aware of what’s the current public perception of your rule in the Winter Kingdom?>

<I know it’s abysmal.>

<Not helped by your, let me be frank, bizarre behavior. The public was already against your treatment of the previous ruler before you savagely beat her.>

<It’s complicated.> Noriko replies, not wanting to go any deeper.

What would Lyra say if she knew it wasn’t her who assaulted Leiko, but her own evil personality Abyss? A dark monster that could potentially break free at any moment from her mental prison?

<The situation must be dealt with, Null, before the Winter Kingdom creates a schism between your vassals. I do have three suggestions on how the situation could be solved, but you are not going to like any of them.>

<Shoot.>

<First option: you nominate someone as your successor and you abdicate from the Ice Throne; surely there is someone who could rule in your place?>

<That’s the plan. The problem is that the Winter King basically killed any possible pretender to the throne before he took power. And looking for technicalities to exploit has proven more difficult than I realized… it figures that a billion year old society would have thought these things through.>

<I took the liberty to analyze those rules. You just have to nominate a living relative, and you just happen to have a half-sister.>

<You’ve got to be kidding. Nalani’s just a kid!>

<There have been thousands of children on the throne.>

<Absolutely out of the question. I wouldn’t wish that position on my worst enemy! And as smart as Nalani is, she’s not qualified.>

<I assume that you’re going to object to your father for similar reasons.>

<You assume correctly.>

<You have a cousin, Shinobu Tanaka? My intel says he’s a successful businessman. Although nobody has seen him since your coronation.>

<Shinobu’s working for me on a different position.>

<I was not informed about that.>

<By design. It’s personal business.>

<I see. Second option: marriage. You can nominate your husband, or your wife, as your successor and then immediately abdicate to…>

<No.>

<Kylon would be an excellent choice. He is a well-known figure, it would restore a Lar on the throne which would go great with the public, and since you two are already in a relationship it would look like a natural turn of events.>

<Not a good idea. What was the third option?>

<Null, if I may ask… is something wrong between you and Kylon?>

<You may not ask that.> Noriko replies. Lyra could push, but the sight of the silver eyes shining convinces her this is a touchy subject.

<The third option is merging the two crowns. The Winter Kingdom ceases to exist as an independent vassal state and is directly absorbed into the Olympian Empire… this would effectively make you the last Ice Queen.>

<Isn’t that guaranteed to piss off every single living Lar?>

<Hence why it was the last option.>

<Then we’ll go with the fourth one.>

<Null… there is no fourth one. Those are the options available to you.>

<For now.>

<Yes, for now, but you can’t stall forever! Gods, humans always think they’re going to live forever!> Lyra exclaims, rolling her eyes.

The harsh expression on Noriko’s face makes her realize she overstepped her position.

<Oh gods, that was such a racist thing to say. I’m sorry, Null, I didn’t…>

<You’re not wrong.> Noriko admits, standing up; she’s too nervous to keep sitting down, and she paces towards the nearest window.

<You know something, Lyra? I really, really hate being Empress.>

<I figured as much. Then why did you accept the position?>

<It had to be me. Someone else might’ve gotten it wrong.>

<You’re having second thoughts?>

<Not exactly. I don’t want to die an Empress, Lyra: what I really want is leave this job to someone who can do it better than me. Ideally, replace this job with an elected position.>

<Is that why you put in the Constitution that you can’t fire me?>

<That’s right. You still report to me, but the Prime Minister can only be dismissed by a vote of no confidence by the Galactic Senate. I’m going to supervise, but the people have to learn to rule themselves. Otherwise, I’d be no better than a god.>

<A neat concept. But as the years pass with you waiting for a perfect solution before taking action, the people of this Galaxy… the little people who slip through the cracks, like I did… suffer the consequences.>

<What would you want me to do, Lyra?>

<Take a stand! Either be a hands-on Empress and rule, or step aside and let the Galaxy run its course. You can’t be both at the same time, no matter how smart you are.>

<I know. You remind me a lot of me when I was younger, Lyra; things were easier when I just had to rebel against the authorities. Now I’m the authority, and it sucks: I can’t blame anyone but me.>

<You knew things wouldn’t be easy when you accepted the crown.>

<I did. And I can’t delay this forever… first Gaea, now Ereshkigal, the Empire is the target of too many external threats now. I can’t afford any more troubles from my own Galaxy anymore.>

<So what will it be? Option one, two or three?> Lyra insists.

“The farther away from power I am, the better” Noriko thinks “Now that Abyss is back, I can’t allow her to act as Empress. I can’t turn Nalani or dad into a target, I can’t trust Shinobu to inherit Leiko’s position, and if I annex the Winter Kingdom it will start a civil war”.

<Option two. I guess I’ll have to get married.> Noriko decides.

<Excellent decision. I’m sure Kylon will make a great king and a good husband.>

<But it will… have to wait.> Noriko quickly ends Lyra’s celebration.

<I though we agreed that stalling is the worst thing you could do.>

<I know. But Kylon is also in a mission at the moment.>

<May I ask what kind of mission? Or when he’ll be back?>

<You may not ask either.>

<I see. Kylon’s not dead, right? You would tell me if he was dead.>

<Absolutely. Trust me, Lyra, everything’s under control.>

Lyra Syzar never truly believed the rumors about Null murdering Aura. But the fact that all the people who could potentially relieve her from the burden of leadership keep disappearing is making it sound more and more plausible.