If it’s not your family’s business, your name isn’t on the list of owners, and you’re not working for commission or bonuses, it’s perfectly fine, and often beneficial not to overdo it at work. There is such a thing as over-performance, or exceeding expectation to your own detriment. Case in point, when the bosses at the Division popped over to ask us to take another long-term job for them, I immediately knew that this was our successful conquest and pacification of the Empty-Bell Complex biting us in the ass.

Seren now knew that we were A) somewhat okay with long-term assignments, B) able to handle large-scale projects on a cosmic scale, and C) easily bribed. A crappier boss would have only paid attention to points A and B, and said boss would have been handed a polite but firm letter of resignation. Seren was a clever sumbitch, and I have to at least give him the credit of saying that the bonuses offered were impossible to say no to, in a good way. The higher-realm darkness and data that we were given as an early bonus wasn’t even the most generous part of our compensation.

Anyway, it looked like I was about to head out on a nice long trip. I’d initially figured it’d be Jack and me, and a few of the folks from the sect, as well as some of the Empty-Harvester Colony. The default operations layout for our Empty-Society. However, when I talked things over with Jack, she made some really good points for why at least one of us should stay in the Shattered Heavens to keep an eye on stuff from a top-down perspective.

We might have pacified and thoroughly subjected our Empty-Bell Complex, but it still needed a close looking after. Also, while our Calloway Clan had done a fairly decent job establishing itself within our section of the cosmos, we weren’t so well-entrenched that all our heavy hitters could just disappear without some chucklehead trying to make a move. So, it probably was a good idea for Jack to be present and visible so that any would-be wise guys kept their heads pulled back.

I ‘did’ figure that Kalpana could go with me then, but just as she was about to agree, Jack kicked her from under the table, and a slightly befuddled Kalpana made up some lame excuse for why ‘she’ couldn’t go. I might have overlooked the sitcom/romcom shenanigans that were clearly going on under my nose, but I was going to be going away for a fair bit. I’d be gone for a little over half a millennia because there was a bubbling mass of steadily-growing cosmic evilness that I needed to babysit.

“Alright, so mind telling me what you’re scheming this time?” I said with a sigh. Wondering why I had to fall in love with such a tricksome woman.

“Boo-boo...You’re not supposed to actually ask when you see me setting up a play. You’re supposed to politely look away and let me work my magic,” said Jack.

“Uh, how about no?”

“Ugh, fine...I genuinely ‘do’ have a lot of stuff to do over here, but Kal and I have been talking things over and we thought that this would be a waste of a good opportunity for you, hon,” said Jack.

“An opportunity?” I said. Skeptical, but open-minded because thus far, all of Jack’s spidery schemes had always been in my favor one way or the other.

“Think about it, love...You are about to embark on between 500 and 800 years of playing mortal while you keep an eye on the Dark Song Orchestra’s attempted incursion on our territory. From the debriefing documents, Director Kaylan gave us, most of that time will be spent doing pretty much nothing and playing court with the immortals of that part of the Empty-Bell Complex. You’re normally so busy...Wouldn’t this be a great time for you to finally find those last two wives of ours?” said Kalpana. Making me realize that she was genuinely part of this scheme as well.

I frowned and then my expression turned thoughtful.

“Huh...Alright, I guess that makes...some sense. I wish you’d talked it over with ‘me’ first though,” I said. Still frowning a little.

Jack got up and gave me a hug and tender kiss.

“Oh, don’t pout my sweet...We would have told you eventually, you’re always just so busy…” said Jack.

“And when you’re not busy, you’ve always been just a tad too shy about...Still, we should have talked to you about this first...We just thought you wouldn’t mind,” said Kalpana.

I sighed.

“It’s fine...I guess,” I grumbled. Admitting to myself that I didn’t mind as much as I was acting. I didn’t like the idea of being played around with, but ultimately, I had not one but two massive multiversal complexes that I was looking after, with the Empty-Bell Complex and the Empty-Dream, and I’d been busier than I’d ever been looking after them both.

Also, if I was the part of our family that built the planes, trucks, bullets, and bombs, I’d always kind of taken it for granted that Jack, and now Kalpana would be the ones who took charge of planning out how to actually sack the metaphorical city for our Empty-Society and our family.

It was a dynamic that I was used to and was generally comfortable with. It was the dynamic that worked best for our family because I was aware enough of my own weaknesses and strengths to know that I wasn’t the “plotting” type. Jack’s scheming mind, and Kalpana's sharp, militant, industriousness, were a huge reason for our Calloway clan, and the Empty-Society's rapid rise and integration within the immortal community.

Even in our personal lives, I was usually kind of okay with them planning and arranging things around me, while I was in my own, often literal, worlds. I just preferred that they clue me in, so I didn’t end up feeling like I was being totally manipulated or looked out of the decision-making process.

“Uh...Anyway, just like, tell me sooner when you’re setting up your little plays, will you...Please?” I said. Relenting.

“Of course, pudding. I really am sorry if I’ve been making you feel like you’re another piece on my board,” said Jack. Seeming to actually mean it, though honestly, that wasn’t even a concern of mine, because I knew well that even she was another piece on her board.

Once all of us were on board with Jack’s little plan to turn my work trip into a “spring-time” tour, it was time to see if the other players were interested in taking part. Though honestly, knowing how Jack operated, I doubted they’d have gone to all the trouble to try to set me up if they hadn’t already confirmed things in that area. Sure enough, when I got around to asking Hong Mirae if she wanted to help me out on an extended job in one of the mortal worlds our Empty-Society controlled she said yes.

I got a little surprised when three others popped up, which got me throwing dirty looks at Jack, until I saw that even she was taken aback by a few of the new faces. Shrugging in chagrin as she saw unplanned elements hopping onto the stage she and Kalpana had prepared.

Little did either of us know that this was just the beginning of a whole bunch of unplanned elements that would enter the hidden and unhidden parts of the plans we’d set for the upcoming mission.

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“Are...Are you sure you don’t mind?” said Kian. Packing her things, and sweeping a small mountain of books and gold into her personal inventory, to serve as an away-hoard.

Lorelai simply gave the other woman a thumbs-up.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” said Kian. Giving her good friend a quick hug and resuming her packing.

“I promise I’ll check in often...I just didn’t want to miss this chance. Don’t let those snakes in the senate walk all over you,” said Kian.

“I shall rule with an iron fist as needed, your majesty,” said Lorelai. Punctuating her words with a courtly bow.

“Nhn...D-, Don’t be afraid to eat a few of them if needed,” said Kian. Nodding. Remembering her own tumultuous first few decades as Empress.

Kian wasn’t abdicating. She was just letting her viceroy, assistant, and maid take over her imperial duties for a bit, while Kian left the Shattered Heavens in a rare act of boldness. Pursuing the feelings that had steadily been building within her over the passing centuries.

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Elsewhere, a single, winged figure stood beneath the blinding radiance of a planet-sized angel. While none of the Empty-Society’s actions had broken the bottom-line of the peace of the cosmos. Even the prospect of a large slice of the cosmos transitioning to a state where immortality becomes a near inevitability was acceptable.

After all, the Asphodelian Empire, and the territories held by the Division all seemed to gradually lean towards that direction, and a certain level of equity of opportunities and available materials for the denizens of the various worlds, was better for the peace and well-being of the cosmos.

Still, the movements of the Empty-Society were getting larger and larger. With the number of dark beings gathering beneath the group became something of a concern for the angels, and their fellows who walked the lighter paths. Thus the angels had begun to take some measures of their own. To hopefully sway the Empty-Society, while they were still largely a force for good.