After dinner,

the guests disperse around the mansion,

drinking, smoking cigars,

poking clumsily at the billiards table,

laughing at things

that are forgotten a moment later.

She-What gets tired of it,

and descends from the back deck again

to sit on the beach of the lake.

The waters gently lap at the shore.

The sun has set now,

and the crescent moon

hangs low on the horizon,

like a dangling hook.

The first stars faintly glimmer.

The party soon dies down,

and She-What listens

to the chatter of long goodbyes,

followed by cars taking off.

Finally, the night is quiet,

and an astonishing peacefulness

fills the nature-dome.

When She-What hears footsteps

behind her,

she know it’s her father.

Who else would come find her?

“It’s a beautiful night,”

she says,

as she listens to his shoes

pad across the lawn.

“This isn’t night,”

the Supreme Executive says sternly.

“It’s a machine.”

She-What’s confidence

collapses

at her father’s rebuke.

She turns and looks at him.

“I know,” she murmurs.

“I’m just saying...”

“Our people deserve better than this,”

her father says.

He peers at the holographic moon,

locked in a computer-managed network

of illusion and nature.

“You deserve better than this, Adena.”

“What do you mean, dad?”

she asks him.

Dauntius sits next to her.

“You’ve seen the reports,”

he says.

“The mako energy is getting

more unstable

and

harder to reach.

The Black Hemisphere

is contracting,

we don’t know how,

or why,

but it is,

and now there are these damn

‘ghoul clouds.’”

“But what can we do?” She-What asks him.

“I don’t know,” her father says.

He picks up a rock

and skips it across the lake.

She-What’s father

rubs the evening stubble

on his chin.

“Adena...” he begins,

“I was telling the truth earlier,

when I said you’ve never disappointed me.”

“Dad...”

“Let me finish,” he says.

“Someday soon,

I’m going to ask you

to assume more responsibilities

at Thunder Corporation,

and take over some of the decisions

I make

on a daily basis.”

“Why?” she asks, anxious.

“Is something wrong, dad?”

“No!” he answers, smiling in reassurance.

“Nothing is wrong.

But I’m going to readjust my focus,

and dedicate myself solely

to the future.”

“What do you mean?”

The Supreme Executive

gathers his thoughts.

“Thunder Corporation has grown

as much as it can

in the Black Hemisphere.

Our competition with Otai

is at a stalemate.

Our resources are dwindling.

We’re trying to grow,

but we’re surrounded by walls.”

He pauses for a moment.

“In the meantime,

we have reached intractable states

with our enemies —

we signed the peace treaty with Otai,

but our war has just turned

silent,

and our myriad of opponents

hiding in the Underforest

strike us

from an unreachable position.”

He sighed, folding his hands together.

“If we don’t find a solution to these problems,”

She-What’s father tells her,

“Thunder Corporation will slowly

diminish.”

She-What considers her father’s words.

Is this

what has been bothering him?

Why he has been so distant?

But what about her own fears?

Her own...

doubts?

“Adena,” her father says,

“I’m going to reliquish

the position and power

of Supreme Executive

and bequeath them to you.”

“But!” She-What stammers,

“No! You can’t!

I’m not you, dad!

I’m not ready to do what you do,

I’m not near ready!”

“When will you be ready, Adena?”

“I don’t know!” she answers, exasperated.

“But not yet!”

“Time may seem inexaustible, Adena,”

the Supreme Executive says,

“But I assure you, it isn’t.”

“I know that,” She-What says,

though she really doesn’t.

“You have to understand something, Adena.

Thunder Corporation is in trouble.

It isn’t a problem now,

and it isn’t going to be a problem

tomorrow,

but it is slowly diminishing.

We must find a way to expand.

We must find a new vein

of opportunity.”

“But where?” she asks.

“Let me worry about that,” he replies.

“I have some ideas.

But be brave, Adena —

there is no one

in the Black Hemisphere

I trust with the future

of Thunder Corporation,

other than you.

You are my daughter,

my heir,

from my own flesh.”

He cups her cheek,

and smiles at her.

“You know,” She-What says,

blushing in embarrassment,

“You still haven’t told me

about my mother.”

Dauntius is caught off guard.

“I know,”

he says at last.

“Time isn’t inexaustible, dad.”

He chuckles to himself

sadly.

“I will keep my promise,” he says,

“But you must wait

a bit

longer.”

They are silent.

“I haven’t said yes,”

She-What says.

“About taking over for you

at Thunder Corporation.”

Her father smiles.

“But you will,”

he tells her.

to be continued...

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