The Forging of the Loyal Horns (Part 2)
Essenbach is one of the great ducal houses of the Primus Arm, and IndyneXo is a venerable corporation that the family has built and nurtured over three hundred years. At the same time, Kaiya is the duke's esteemed daughter while also having risen to chief researcher at IndyneXo through her own merits—and she's currently locked in a power struggle with her father over company control. In short, she's a spoiled genius rebel.
"Still carrying on that fight for control, are you?"
At Habsburg's question, she shrugged and took a sip from her cup of synthetic super-protein shake.
"You know it. Dad's conservative management style has no future. Insisting on sticking to safe, existing products? That's the kind of crap cowards pull. Dad's a scared little bitch who loves playing it safe in gay mode."
Habsburg's mind reeled for a moment at her blatant self-own, but he quickly composed himself and chuckled along obligingly.
"And I know all about how you opposed that head-on, built your own Lab 7 research facility, 'repurposed' company funds, and created the Terminator prototype."
"You know your stuff. While you're at it, use the fancy word 'innovation'! You're the one yelling about smashing parliament for innovation, aren't you, congressman?"
Overwhelmed by her utter lack of decorum in word choice, he found himself admiring this passionate, brainless intensity and decided not to push further.
"Ah, right. Innovation... sounds good. Haha."
Anyway, their father-daughter relationship had hit rock bottom, locked in a cold war where they weren't shooting each other—yet.
And really, an accelerationist charging toward the future couldn't lose to some backward old fart planting a "no foreign influence" stele on the beach and declaring, "Hell yeah, our ancestors' vibes will keep out all that outsider crap!"
"Anyway, welcome. Congressman."
Kaiya, dressed in grease-stained mechanic's overalls, sniffed and extended her right hand—spotless, the liquid metal instantly erasing any stains. Her rolled-up sleeve revealed faint silver lines on her forearm: traces of the metal alloy subdermal implants she'd done on herself.
"A pleasure to meet you, Lady Kaiya."
Habsburg chose to ignore it. At least this woman had a conscience that acted.
"When you've come to see something amazing, you need an amazing place for it, right?"
Habsburg gazed past the glass partition at the Terminator prototype and continued.
"I heard the full-body conversion surgery was a success?"
Her lips curved into a smirk.
"Well, Prototype Unit 3 stabilized. Rejection rate at a perfect 0%, metal alloy compatibility at 99.7%, and transformation speed down to 0.3 seconds. Basically complete. And this in my body proves it."
She smiled casually, turning her right hand platinum, then morphing it into a sharp, solid spear tip for demonstration. Habsburg gulped, awed by her sheer pointy enthusiasm.
"Impressive."
"Impressive doesn't cover it. This will leapfrog the Empire's military tech by a generation. No more 'warrior casualties' for humanity. No need to kiss Eldra ass for their Soul Engineering."
Kaiya tapped the glass partition, and the prototype inside responded—its right arm shifting from sword to spear, axe, shield, triple-barreled machine gun in rapid demo.
"Cool, huh? This'll make the Human Empire even stronger."
"Whoa... But, uh, can it live a normal daily life? I mean... any side effects?"
"Hmm..."
She stroked her chin thoughtfully.
"Mirror Syndrome—that's what I call it. The researchers say it's a minor thing: it can mimic emotions but not feel them."
So even if it suddenly turns into an emotionless machine sand-nigger, no biggie.
Sensing she was about to saddle them with massive drawbacks, Habsburg asked if this was really okay.
"...And that's 'minor'?"
"Yep."
"Why?"
"Cuz that's the kinda side effect weaklings get. And I'm fucking strong. Yeah."
"..."
This conversation ain't normal, Habsburg thought.
He admired the spectacle a bit longer, then steered back to business as things veered weird.
"Ah, the Forge speech—did you see it?"
"!!!"
Kaiya's face lit up massively.
"Every second, goldfish bowl included!"
"How'd you interpret it?"
She leaned against the glass, arms crossed.
"War's messy—honestly complicated. Mind sharing your wisdom, congressman?"
Habsburg smiled.
"A conscience that doesn't act sides with evil, so... here's my take."
He pulled up a chair by the glass; she sat opposite.
"What... you say it so kindly on the surface."
Habsburg drummed the table.
"His Majesty's stance is simple: carrot and stick."
Kaiya's red eyes sparkled.
"Dialogue as the carrot, and severed heads as the visible stick?"
He shook his head.
"His Majesty didn't offer a carrot or show the stick."
"Then what?"
"He seems to loosen the reins a bit outwardly, but really, it's tightening control."
She tilted her head.
"Specifically?"
"The Empire's history is tied to the founding Emperor; no future without one. Him doling out power like that while twisting himself up..."
Kaiya paused a beat, then answered.
"Hmm... Our Emperor's got trust issues, huh?"
Habsburg's eyes widened.
"Exactly. He seems kind and trusting on the surface, but he's doling out scraps of power, watching how far you'll climb."
He drew a circle on the table.
"And this border governor's rebellion? Probably confirmed his suspicions."
She nodded.
"I think so too."
Kaiya said, "People have free will—unpredictable creatures. His Majesty gets that, but wanted proof of his paranoia, so he went personally. I'd do the same if I were Emperor."
Habsburg slapped his knee.
"Spot on. Humans don't easily trust superiors who are omnipotent."
His voice dropped to near-reverence.
"The superior have broad minds. He's... too grand for mere humanity, with dreams and power to match. Just hard to control quadrillions."
Kaiya stared straight at him. Her red eyes gleamed like gems in the glass lights.
"So... that's why you came to me?"
Habsburg smiled with ambition at her dawning realization.
"That 'so' is exactly it."
He pointed at the Terminator beyond the glass.
"You're the first in human history to succeed at full conversion and control it."
Her lips curved.
"You know your stuff?"
"I know what I want to. 'Chairman.'"
Her smile froze.
"..."
IndyneXo's chairman was her father, Friedrich. She instantly grasped why Habsburg called her that.
"What do you want?"
She let out a hollow laugh.
"Three things. And I'll unconditionally grant Chairman's three requests in return."
She uncrossed her arms, elbows on the table, leaning in.
"Spill."
"First. Ah, before that..."
He paused dramatically.
"Our Chairman is also the duke's daughter, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Not married yet?"
Her red eyes narrowed slightly—guessing his intent.
"Hmm... I get what you're driving at."
She leaned back.
"Truth is, I'm interested in him too."
Habsburg's eyes lit up.
"But the competition's fierce..."
She counted on her fingers.
"Another megacorp like IndyneXo, families spawning governors across planets. Tons gunning for Emperor's main consort spot. And he's young—bright future, everyone wants a line."
"Indeed."
He nodded.
"But our Chairman has unique talents, unlike them."
He gestured at the glass.
"Like that."
The prototype demoed transformations.
"Whaddya think?"
"...Got it."
"Good. On that note, I heard you created a new Machine God to replace the Empire's lost one. Name was..."
She replied with unconscious pride.
"OGAS. Old Soviet project from Earth history that flopped. Stumbled on it studying."
Originally a Soviet plan for a nationwide economic computer network from Earth history. Unrealized—and now repurposed as my ultra-high-performance AI system.
"Ah, right. Haha. Anyway, that OGAS."
Habsburg smiled, eyes cold.
"I 'don't know' about it. Whatever happens, it's just people attacking people. If any bad OGAS stories leak..."
"You'll cover for it?"
He nodded slowly.
"Trust me, Chairman's inevitable. And you can connect with who you want."
She eyed him at his bold claim.
"So what I do is make His Majesty..."
He cut in before she finished.
"Yes. Ensure he reigns eternally, dominating. That's what he wants."
Her red eyes gleamed.
"And finally..."
He trailed off expectantly; she picked up.
"Mechanize all humanity. Perfect, betrayal-proof transhumans like me—but gentler Terminators."
"For ideal rule."
"Nice words. Haha. I love it. 'Living Heaven Project' was just that. I'll keep it from fanatic hands."
"Of course! Can't let it screw His Majesty."
She snorted arrogantly at his veiled warning, then laughed with him.
Kaiya stood.
"To Make Empire Great Again, I gotta oust Dad first. Need something extraordinary."
He nodded.
"I know your power. Money-made, but potent."
He rose, dropping his final line.
"Loyalty isn't just to state—it's to humanity, our species, homeworld. Humanity first."
He paused, inhaling.
"You get it."
Steel beneath the subtlety: "Humanity first" flipped to "Corp profits serve humanity," then "Emperor's will is humanity's—obey."
Kaiya wasn't dumb; she caught the layers. Felt slightly mocked—he'd narrowed her choices, then said "choose."
Not bad. That's my path anyway.
She didn't mind. Scarier was the Emperor enabling this weirdo, tolerating his madness—even using it.
Preaching peace on battlefields while live-streaming enemy heads? Calculated aggro, not accident. No "little sis went nuts, unavoidable" excuse holds water.
After Habsburg left, Kaiya activated the hologram alone, replaying the Forge speech.
Make Empire Great Again.
If he meant it, and Habsburg's right, he needs tools. To control quadrillions, surpass human limits.
OGAS could be that. Terminators too.
Only natural the maker stands by him.
Ah~ what a masterpiece painting that'd be.
She smiled, red eyes fixed on the hologram Emperor.
"OGAS."
Yes, Chairman.
OGAS already called her "Chairman"—programmed that way.
"How's our Giant stock and guard force?"
"Not bad. Or... a bit short?"
She nodded. Plenty for ousting Dad—and after.
"Ha... this Emperor. Why so damn attractive? Hope no weird chicks around him."
Arms crossed, spinning in her chair, lost in thought. Then she eyed her mirror self.
"...Who's that?"
That's the bitch who's haunted a husband and father missing his dead wife for years.
Yeah, my value's always been that.
Time to up it. Dad needed a revaluation of his daughter's worth.
Shwick—!
Kaiya morphed her left arm into a razor spear tip, right into a blade, and slash—severed it.
Regrew her right hand, gripped the spear, hurled at the wall-mounted Dad photo.
Thunk! Dead center in his heart.
"...Well, if I marry him, I can throw tantrums, right...?"
Emperor's everyone's dad, right?
He could be mine!
But first—to be the original.
"OGAS. Prep."
Yes. Destination?
"Forge. Time for steel to clash."
Acknowledged.
Weapon tests were due.