- A Secret Strategy for Relocating the Capital — Under the Triple Suns
The Aporiana estate of Perigaul lay in an unusual stillness.
Beyond the outer walls, space reflected the light of the triple suns floating in the direction of Iphnia, emitting a cold, white radiance.
Meter gazed at the back of the man standing by the window.
Hannis Izal.
Though he had just secured his third election victory, his expression was far removed from the composure of a winner.
“Mr. Hannis. Congratulations on your third term,”
Meter offered lightly. Hannis responded with a wry smile.
“…This isn’t a time to be celebrating, Meter.”
He turned around and exhaled deeply.
“Our Free Galaxy Party was utterly defeated. Including myself, we’re left with only three seats.
Meanwhile, the Cassandey Meier faction of Neo-Aether has secured ninety percent.”
Those words were tantamount to a declaration of defeat.
“Galactic restoration is all but stalled.
I can’t even face Consuüm, or Ms. Dora Wave…”
Hannis’s gaze drifted toward the distant stars.
Superimposed upon them was the overwhelmingly grand ideal of galactic rebirth.
“Cassandey Meier…”
The moment her name was spoken, the air grew tense.
“She’s a formidable woman—hard as iron, never to be underestimated.
And just when our cooperation with Consuüm was finally beginning to take shape…”
Meter hesitated for a moment, then spoke up resolutely.
“Actually… while you were campaigning on Iphnia, she suddenly came here.”
“What did you say?”
“Yes. She stared at me intently and called me ‘Tick-Tock.’
So I told her,
‘I do have a proper name. It’s Q. Meter Echo.’”
Hannis fell silent for a while, then laughed bitterly.
“So that’s why.”
From that point on, she completely changed her strategy.
She deployed twenty thousand “Tick-Tocks” — androids bearing an uncanny resemblance to Aporiana Perigaul —
marching them through the streets of Neo-Aether, staging herself as if she were the proxy of Aporiana’s authority.
“Using such underhanded tactics…
when in reality she’s the very embodiment of authoritarianism, the polar opposite of Aporiana.”
Hannis quietly clenched his fist.
“With the Archive in this state, the dream of galactic restoration is—frankly speaking—finished.
Her policy is to cut off aid across the entire galaxy. It’s utterly deplorable.”
He fixed his eyes on Meter.
“Meter.
Isn’t there… some brilliant idea to overturn her?”
Meter tilted his head slightly and thought for a moment.
“You’re sounding awfully pessimistic, Mr. Hannis. What’s wrong?”
After a pause, he chose his words carefully.
“A brilliant idea… you say.
Well, for example—”
His gaze shifted to the projected star chart.
“After the Lilinas Empire declined, the galactic center moved to Neo-Lilinas.
After that, to Miwall.
In other words… the capital has always moved.”
Hannis caught his breath.
“Relocating the capital…?”
“Yes.
Maube is merely on the edge of the galaxy.
So why not move it to a star closer to the center? — What about Iphnia?”
For the first time in a long while, a spark returned to Hannis’s eyes.
“Iphnia… the world of the triple suns.
Indeed, it’s close to the galactic core. And above all… it’s a world I know like the back of my hand.”
He smiled slowly.
“Meter.
I’ll take that idea.”
Outside the corridor, the light of the triple suns crossed and merged, dazzling in their brilliance.
“This might… just turn things around.”
Meter nodded slightly.
The center of gravity of the galaxy was about to move once more.
To be continued.
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