Stars Rise

XXVI. Liao Cytheria and Candra Satiri

Liao Cytheria took comfort from routine; the sun rising early wasn't going to interrupt her morning coffee and sit down breakfast, even if it meant she would arrive at the office after daylight. She just ignored it and listened to her watch.

Just like every morning, she enjoyed her bacon and eggs with buttered white toast slowly, and drank every sip of fresh squeezed juice alone at the kitchen table. Her old bones ached like they would forever. Just like they did every morning, only this morning she watched the sun rising out the wide windows and over her garden fence, lighting a beautiful snarl of climbing wildflowers she hadn't really noticed in ninety years living in this house. The surface of the rock wall pond glimmered with light caught on the scales of the goldfish.

Once she was good and ready, and finished appreciating the scene, she rose slowly, feeling her muscles protest at the shift of her weight. At least she could take a link to her office downtown. A little more limber once she was up, she commuted by stepping through it.

A knock came at the office door before the link closed behind her. Cytheria ignored it and sat down, feeling stiff again, now in her joints. Behind her desk, rays of light warmed her back as if it were much later in the day than it was, but Cytheria knew the precise time. She would choose to agree with her watch. The strong, pale morning gleam sneaking halfway across her magic cast faux water desktop attempted to get into her head and weaken her discipline.

A second knock came from her patient visitor, and Cytheria directed a loud, "Come in, please," as much to the door, which understood that it should open, as to the visitor herself, Candra Satiri. The one great strength Cytheria still retained was her powerful voice; a lifetime vocalist hobby had led to protective measures for her vocal cords for which she was grateful now.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you," said Cytheria. Candra came in, curled ringlets of red tumbling around her face as she walked, an almost insulting picture of youth.

And she would be forever.

Cytheria had almost added 'today,' as in, 'I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you, today,' yet truthfully, she never wanted to see Candra Satiri, and she preferred to speak as honestly as she could manage — even if it was rude. Cytheria felt her advanced years earned her the privilege to speak truth and truth only.

"I'm readying for a meeting, Exequi, can this not wait? The pushback on expanding router license quotas this quarter is nonsensical, something I sense your faction behind, because your lot never have made much sense, and I'm not finished my closing statement on cost benefit analysis. You know, because," she couldn't resist, "my way actually brings profit into this company, where the costs you imagine are virtually . . . well, imaginary.

"Constellation has two purposes in this world, Exequi Satiri. To expand modern conveniences and prosperity, first. And second, to make money. By selling things. Like magic routers. To paying customers — so long as they have the proper licensing, which Portia Nero also insists on limiting to a point that renders them almost entirely futile for stars know what reason. Stars know what her business plan is if it isn't to drive our customer base and revenue into the ground."

Candra Satiri stood quietly through the monologue. Only when Cytheria finished did she say, "If these are your remarks to Exequi Nero, they're well written, Cytheria. I don't think you need any more preparation. May I sit?"

Cytheria wanted badly to say no. She assented with a nod. Sitting, Candra continued an old conversation. "You've toyed with our faction enough, and now your persistence will pay off; we're ready to make you the generous offer you've been holding out for. So stop refusing our offer and name your price. I'm authorized to meet it."