Power Games

by David Applegate

  “Even you?”

  “Yes, the top thirteen are ranked by personal wealth. If someone was richer than me, that individual could remove me. Another way is if I broke the law, I don’t mean something minor like been a week late with my taxes or a parking ticket, but if I were negligent in my duties or incompetent, then I would be declared unfit for office, but then the next highest-ranked member of the house replaces me.”

  Shocked Kaede asked, “Is that how Dain plans to have you removed?”

  “It is possible, but he does not have the support of the House of Lords.”

  “I thought they have no power over the Senate?”

  “The lords do more than run the bureaucracy. They run the civil and criminal courts. But they own most of the retail stores. Dain knows if he upsets them, he will struggle to meet payroll within a few years.”

  “Dain nit-picks everything you do. Does he hope public opinion will remove you?”

  “Yes, this year, he focuses on my health and age.”

  Confused Kaede asked, “Age? I thought we don’t die from old age?”

  Takahiro smiled and said, “We don’t, but nobles must undergo magical rejuvenation to maintain peak performance.”

  “Even Lords?”

  “All nobles over five hundred. That is why I have the largest chain of health spas and resorts in the Empire. Lords who support me get discounts and those who reach their sales quotas receive free magical treatments.”

  Kaede nodded. So, the lords are the key to power, and he purchases their support using the casinos, healthcare, the teahouses and private resorts. He looked up at Takahiro, “Where is the House of Lords?”

  “The official chambers are on the fifth floor. Because they have outgrown it, only the Lord of the seven main systems meet there, the rest of them work out their offices in the Imperial office buildings near the airport.”

  Curious, Kaede asked, “I thought they did most meetings in the Imperial court?”

  “Yes, but it is to our advantage that most lords are busy in their offices,” Takahiro replied.

  Kaede nodded, suppressed a grin, then asked Takahiro, “What about the Dragon Council? You have the support of the Dragons, right?”

  “They are on the sixth floor, but it is not what you think. The Dragons only have one council member. The rest of the members are the heads of each Empire. Most of the time, the council meets so that ambassadors can convey messages from their rulers to the Empire. Neither the Dragons nor the council has much impact on how the Senate would vote.”

  “Oh.”

  “The Dragons love me,” Takahiro said. He smiled, but his eyebrows were low, and he looked past Kaede.

  Kaede nodded. “Then why are you worried?”

  “If Dain can force Patya to hold another formal inquiry into pirate attacks on the Exodus fleet, the people could learn I sent agents to Terra without the approval of the Senate. It was also a violation of the Dragon Treaty, and that is enough to have me removed,” Takahiro replied, his ears were low, they dropped to his shoulders, he hissed when he mentioned Dain.

  Kaede’s nose and forehead wrinkled, his ear dropped, and he raised an eyebrow. “I thought Patya was our friend?”

  Takahiro shrugged, but his ears didn’t move. He replied, “Yes and no. His company depends on cheap resources from me. I am sure your father has shared his disagreements with my methods with you, but no system is perfect.”

  “I understand, the lords want a greater share, and if Patya locked them all up, the others would undermine you,” Kaede remarked.

  Takahiro nodded. “Yes. For now, the House of Lords is content, and most of the Senate will not support any attempt by Dain to have them remove me, but that could change. That is why I will name you as my successor. Before you accept, know that as crown prince, there will be times you will sit on the throne, usually while I undergo medical treatment or take a tour of the Empire.”

  Kaede immediately stepped forward and said, “I accept.”

  Takahiro bowed slightly to Kaede, then said, “Did you accept your father’s title because you argued with him?”

  Kaede gulped. His ears fell to his shoulders, and he replied, “No,” in a soft voice.

  Takahiro leant forward and asked, “What was it about?”

  “I wanted to buy a professional racing superkart, but he said that it was a frivolous purchase. I said it is my money. Then he said I am too young to drive it.”

  Takahiro leant back and said, “Your father and I spoke a short time ago. You left out the part where you asked Lady Abelle if you can do a science degree at the Imperial University, and when you came to get his permission, he said no. I disagree with him, but he thinks you’re abusing her generosity,” Takahiro said, he examined Kaede’s face, Kaede looked down and away, his ears sat on his shoulders. “I see. Tell me, is that what you want?”

  Kaede looked at Takahiro and said, “I read some company reports on high-energy, and I understood some of it, and I want to know more about Material Engineering and Physics.”

  “That is not an answer. Give me a yes or a no?”

  “I’d rather have the kart,” Kaede said with a thin smile.

  “You have a kart.”

  Kaede sighed. “It is for beginners, and my father installed a speed limiter. I can make it spin and everything, but it is slower than a bicycle.”

  “Kaede, what did I tell you about wealth?”

  Kaede looked at Lady Toshiko, then to Takahiro and replied, “Earn more than you spend and invest your excess wealth wisely.”

  “Such as?”

  “Make things people buy in great quantity, but never meet demand. Always keep prices high and customers wanting more. Except for food and alcohol, those you always produce in excess and provide cheap to the workers.”

  Takahiro leant forward and asked, “What if I allowed you to drive your electric kart in the car park on the weekends?”

  Kaede’s ears fluttered. Then Kaede stared at Takahiro and asked, “What is the catch?”

  “You agree to study business at university and start a research company.”

  “I need someone to race and a better kart to race them in.”

  “I see, who did you have in mind?”

  “Izanami,” Kaede replied immediately, his ears fluttered, he took a step forward and said, “I also need a wand, and to choose my courses at the university.”

  Toshiko gulped and looked to the side, Takahiro took a deep breath and asked her, “Is he magically active?”

  Toshiko looked at Kaede and replied, “I thought it best if you didn’t know.”

  “Lady Toshiko, you know what happens to young wizards.”

  Toshiko bowed low and said, “I accept total responsibility. Technically, it is only illegal for him to have a wand in public.”

  Kaede glanced at Takahiro and then asked Toshiko, “What happens to young wizards?” Kaede loudly asked in a high-pitched tone.

  “Calm down. Magic affects the caster emotionally. Young students are easy to overstimulate, and they often become attached to their teacher,” Toshiko replied.

  “Which is why training an underage wizard is illegal,” Takahiro added in a deep voice.

  “Girls get trained,” Kaede said.

  “Yes. Girls do get trained when they turn thirteen, and they are trained in groups by a witch,” Takahiro said, “All Elves may be born a girl, but that will change. When puberty comes, you will turn into a male.”

  “Emperor, as he has exceeded force one, in magic, on his own. The Minister of Magic can grant permission for him to be formally trained in magic because he has a rating of over one. Need I remind you if he goes untrained for too long, he risks magic stagnation,” Toshiko said.

  “Magic stagnation?” Kaede asked.

  “When someone doesn’t use magic for more than a year, they could lose the ability to use magic, and may never recover from the condition,” Toshiko replied.

  Takahiro said, “By all means, keep him from stagnatio
n, but make sure he can control his emotions. I do not want him to become a magic addict.”

  “Addict?” Kaede asked.

  “Kaede, you will learn about that later. Lady Abelle has given you a great gift, education. While you are free to choose, I ask that you complete a business management degree with courses on taxation and business law. If you want to be my heir, I require you to run a successful business. If either your studies or business declines, you will lose your wand, racing karts, and other distractions, such as your friends. Do we have a deal?”

  Kaede bowed. “Yes, Grandfather.”

  “Good,” Takahiro said.

  “What is my business?”

  “I will create a research company for you. It will focus on fusion energy, anti-gravity and fuel-efficient rockets for shuttles.”

  “But you are working on a reactor.”

  “What I am about to tell you is classified Omega. Lady Fukuhina captured a warship, and it has a more powerful reactor than ours. Unfortunately, my high-energy centre has published papers, and the Senate knows that my team has been unable to increase the power output of a fusion reactor. Given your intellect and understanding of fusion energy, this is the perfect way to show you are a worthy successor to me.”

  “But,” Kaede said.

  Takahiro raised his hand and interrupted him. “I will feed you the details and in your own words, send sketches and notes to your research centre. Produce a better reactor, and you will be the crown prince.”

  “But isn’t this cheating?”

  “Yes, but it is the world we live in, everyone is spying on and often stealing from each other.”

  “Even you?”

  “Yes, Toshiko has a group we call the Shadow Knights, a vast network of spies in my employ.”

  “Why me? You are an accredited engineer.”

  “Yes, I created the geothermal power plant and the distortion field generator that renders craft invisible at a distance. But we failed for many years to improve upon existing fusion power.”

  “Yes, I have seen your designs.”

  “Yes, many in the company and beyond know about your doodles on the fusion research notes.”

  “You want to put my name on someone else’s inventions?”

  “Kaede, for a long time, we have been using the same reactor design and have made no improvements in thousands of years. You understand the technology and can explain it. All you need to do is design, and the research team will make it work. Make it part of your engineering degree, then do the business degree.”

  “It is my company? I mean, if I want them to design and make me the best superkart, they will?” Kaede asked, his ears fluttered.

  “You have a limited budget, laws to adhere to, and to keep getting funded, you need to produce products within a time limit. Since you have already contributed to the advancement of science and technology, no one will question you taking an interest in research. Soon textbooks will contain your diagrams and theories,” Takahiro said.

  “What if I want to make a better superkart?” Kaede asked.

  “Racing karts are public domain, you can fund it, but the tax credits are low. I require you to produce a product to sell for a profit and not a personal toy. If you want to be on a racing team, I will buy you a kart and expel you from the clan.”

  Kaede gulped and asked, “What if I develop an electric racing kart as a by-product of research into a viable electric flying car?”

  “Use your funds and make a product. Like high-energy research, a viable electric flying car is one of many projects with high tax credits,” Takahiro asked.

  “You should retain rights to the product, you can legally raise funds by selling your tax credits to another company, as long as they are not part of the same corporate group,” Toshiko pointed out. Takahiro grumbled.

  “Grandfather, would you like to buy my tax credits?” Kaede asked.

  “Good boy. Lady Toshiko will make sure you have all the staff and funding you need. Do not forget there are many knights with law degrees. The research centre will start from your raw notes, and under Lady Toshiko’s tutelage, you will guide them to the production of a working reactor within a year. Another tax credit program is starship engines.”

  Kaede grinned and asked, “How do I turn an electric kart into a superkart?”

  Takahiro huffed in frustration, and replied, “Make sure you build your superkart with your funds as a by-product of electric flying car research and only use the intellectual property you have licenced or developed. Toshiko will give you a list of all intellectual property, who owns what and how much each licencing fee costs.”

  “Can I hire Izanami?” Kaede asked. He looked to the side, with a slight grin.

  Takahiro frowned and leant forward. “To do what?” he asked in a low growl.

  “Oh, to improve quantum computers, which I believe is a high tax credit project.”

  “Kaede, I know how much Izanami means to you, but long ago I made promises, and cannot change them. The computers from the pirate’s ship went to Dain.”

  Kaede huffed and said, “Izanami and I have been sharing ideas on how to improve the quantum processor, the university has students in their advanced classes do projects for the Dain Corporation. If she presents her paper, she will get a degree with honours and they get an improved processor, all the profits will go to Dain,” Kaede said, “But if I hire Izanami and give her a workshop, she can graduate with a degree, knowing I will reward her with employment and some property rights.”

  “Oh? What improvements?” Toshiko asked.

  “Don’t encourage him. He already has enough projects,” Takahiro said.

  Toshiko frowned at Takahiro then smiled at Kaede and said, “Ignore him, go ahead, tell me about it.”

  “Izanami and I etched 256 nano processors and placed them in a stack inside a boron nitride nanotube, and filled it with non-conductive liquid coolant, which I created. They ran for seven days at room temperature without crashing,” Kaede said.

  “I am impressed,” Toshiko said.

  “You ran a stress test on the processor?” Takahiro asked.

  “Yes,” Kaede replied.

  Takahiro rubbed his chin, and he pondered then asked, “Why boron nitride?”

  “It is used to make high-temperature bearings and various other products, including the heat-resistant tiles on the outer hull of suborbital planes,” Kaede replied.

  “We tried that before,” Toshiko said.

  “Izanami is sure my coolant made it work,” Kaede replied.

  “How many times have you done this?” Takahiro asked.

  “Only once, but it completed more cycles per second than any other processor,” Kaede replied.

  Takahiro gestured to Toshiko to come to him. He whispered to her, “Ensure Izanami can repeat the process twice. If she does, have her turn in a paper that had her get close, but it overheated, no mention of Kaede’s coolant, have Abelle return Izanami her rights to her paper so that she can seek employment.”

  “Yes Emperor,” Toshiko said, “Shall I test his coolant on the Hashimoto Processor?”

  “Yes. But file after Izanami graduates, and make sure no trace of the original experiments between them exists,” Takahiro said.

  Takahiro waved back Toshiko, and said, “Make sure you retain majority rights to all research.”

  Kaede asked, “Does that mean I can hire her?”

  “First, create a formal research paper. Kaede, you are to make it clear to her that discussions you and she had about your coolant and the processor took place in your workshop. Also, make sure the processor is etched using a Hashimoto chip etcher.”

  Kaede bowed and said, “Yes, Grandfather.”

  “Toshiko will make sure a paper trail and experiment exists,” Takahiro said.

  Toshiko bowed and said, “Yes, Emperor.”

  Chapter 3

  As Toshiko led Kaede to the door, Takahiro said, “You need to produce various prototypes and have each tested i
ndependently.”

  Kaede turned and said, “Yes, Grandfather.”

  “Toshiko, make sure he lodges patents, not just for the processor, but also for the cooling system and coolant in his name,” Takahiro said.

  Kaede went to say something, but Toshiko hushed him.

  “Toshiko, this cheap etcher of his, it is rather slow. I think once he has everything documented, have it shipped to my research centre. I will have my team make it commercially viable,” Takahiro said.

  “No need,” Toshiko said.

  “It is not an etcher,” Kaede said.

  “Oh?” Takahiro asked.

  “I call it the Kaede Atom Manipulator. It is only a prototype,” Kaede replied.

  “What does it do?” Takahiro asked.

  “It uses replicator technology to layer atoms,” Kaede replied. “But we have ideas on how to improve it, starting with faster processors.”

  “What else does it need?” Takahiro asked.

  “So that we can see and move a single atom, I need better scanners, precision robotic arms, magnetic lenses, gravity lenses and lasers. For now, the only way to achieve greater precision is to build them in a zero-gravity laboratory,” Kaede said.

  “Robotics is a low tax credit project and is highly regulated to help keep unemployment down,” Takahiro said.

  Confused Kaede asked, “What has unemployment got to do with precision robotics?”

  “We don’t die of old age, that is why we discourage the development of better robotics,” Takahiro replied.

  “I need precision tools to produce a cold laser with a magnetic lens able to focus on an atom. I can use the laser to increase the fuel efficiency of any reactor,” Kaede said.

  “We need to maximise profit and decrease costs,” Takahiro said. “I don’t want you taking too long to get the processor to market.”

  “Then, my project shall be about recycling orichalcum and electronic waste. That is a large tax credit project,” Kaede said.

  Takahiro leant on his hands, his eyebrows raise and his eyes wide open. He pondered and said, “Toshiko, check the legality, and if he is right, make it happen. But I suspect any project that involves the development of a new robotic arm will have the program fall into the low tax credit bracket,” Takahiro said. He sat up and slid his hands into his sleeves and glared at Kaede.