Chapter 2 - The Best Laid Plans 2
Featuring ...
Millie closed the door to their quarters, a big smile on her face. She plunked the flowers in two vases of water, leaving them both on the kitchen counter. She took a look in the mirror that hung over the holographic fireplace, and decided that she looked rather pretty in her ballet bun and makeup, and opted to go out on the town as she was. She skipped into her bedroom, stepping to the vanity. She put on the sapphire earrings that Mister James had sent her for her sixteenth birthday, and slid the matching bracelet on her right wrist. It seemed fitting to wear the gifts since he would be spending the evening with them. Maybe, she thought, mama might like for him to spend the night.
Millie giggled at the thought. How many sixteen year old girls were secretly plotting how to meddle in their mother’s love life? But she remembered the smile on her mother’s face when he approached with the flowers, and as she would untie the ribbons on boxes that she would pretend magically appeared under the Christmas tree every year. Perhaps she wouldn’t have to pretend this year.
Millie put on her coat, picked up her mother’s coat, and hurried out the door. She took the stairs down and flew across the landing and out the door to the Bolshoi. She spotted the small private transport– always in all black with no logo– parked along the sidewalk, and hurried towards it.
The force of the explosion hurled Millie back, throwing her off her feet. Her head hit the marble steps, and she slipped into darkness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Millie took in a sharp breath, trying to break the fog that seemed to cloud her mind. The room was bright, and she could tell through the haze of her vision that the walls were white. She could hear beeping, though she couldn’t tell where from.
“Oh, you’re finally awake.” A professional looking woman sat in a chair beside the hospital bed, a PADD in her lap. She didn’t say who she was or how long she’d been there but it was clear from her tone it’d been awhile.
Millie winced against the brightness of the lights. There was a pulsing in her head that made it hard to focus. “Mama?”
“Unfortunately no. My name is Steele. There is not an easy way to tell you this but you were injured during an explosion of a transport. That happened three days ago. You’re in the hospital.”
“Hospital?” Millie forced her eyes open despite the discomfort the bright lights caused. Her thoughts felt like sludge. The ballet. Christmas Eve. The celebration. “Where’s my mother?”
The woman, Ms. Steele, was quiet for a moment, watching the girl with firm blue eyes. “Your mother was one of two people who were killed in the explosion.” Her voice was measured and emotionless. “I am very sorry for your loss. My employer was also killed. I was here with him.”
Millie felt like the air had been ripped from her lungs. “She was– was with–”
“James Nadall, my employer and…well, I know this is a hell of a thing to spring on you but there’s more I need to discuss with you and time is of the essence.” Her eyes went to the closed door with two silhouettes shown through the glass. “Have you ever heard of an intra-galactic corporate-state called Shadow Incorporated?”
Millie shook her head slowly, an action that made her feel nauseous.
“Alright, well, Mr. Nadal was the boss of it. And what’s more, you’re the heir to his shares, sorry for the rhyming. As such, control of S.I. falls to you if you will sign this agreement I have with me.” She casually offered the PADD.
“Heir?” Millie pushed her stiff body into a seated position. “And I thought his last name was James. He–” She looked down at the PADD in her lap. “What is this?”
“You are the heir to his shares in the company, essentially, the government of S.I. If you sign here, accepting them, you become the head of S.I. If you refuse, well, very soon it will become public that your father has died and there will be a very big power struggle and my best guess is that his sister, your aunt, will take his role.”
“But why would he leave all of this to me?” Millie began scrolling through what seemed to be a lot of legal speak that her brain fog couldn’t make sense of. “He was just a ballet patron.” And then Steele’s words sunk in. “My…aunt.” She looked up from the PADD. “My…father? Mister James was–”
“Your father, Miss Stepanova. I am…was….Mr. Nadal’s executive assistant for the past ten years, I accompanied him to Earth on nearly every visit since you were a child.”
“He…they never told me.” Millie looked down at the PADD and back up to Steele. “This whole time…all the performances and recitals he attended…I thought he was just…” Her hand rested on the PADD. “And if I don’t take over for him, his– my aunt is in charge. Is she a good person?”
Ms. Steele eyed her. “I am prohibited per my employment contract from disparaging any member of the Nadall family, living or dead.” She left it at that.
Millie gave a quiet sigh. “I wish he would have told me that the fate of some planetary superpower would someday be my responsibility.”
“It was his intent to do so during this trip. Or at least establish a real relationship with you. We always assume we have more time, I suppose. But that does not change the fact that you have a decision to make. If you accept, you are the heir and become the CEO.”
“And if I sign, how soon do I have to leave?” Millie looked up again.
“I have an S.I. medical ship in orbit.”
“Can you–” Millie’s voice was quiet. “Can you make sure that Mama is laid to rest?”
“With your permission they will be placed side by side at an undisclosed location with all due respect and honors including your….” Ms. Steele checked, “Orthodox rites.”
“Side by side.” Millie took a deep breath and pulled the stylus from the PADD. “Show me where I need to sign.”