Daybreak:Alpha Chapter

Chapter 1 - Playing with Fire

"You've been to Earth?"

Kaede's eyes were wide as saucers, as she stared unblinking at the Worldwalker amidst the barren, wintry forest.

"Third orbital of Sol? Indeed," Gwendolyn nodded. "The first realm I visited after I began traveling the worlds."

A nostalgic grin spread across her lips as she leaned back against an oak tree:

"I was rather depressed and wanted to leave everything behind. So I found this beautiful lake on a rainy, forested island to relax in. But it seems that once you're a queen, you stand out no matter where you go. The tranquil years passed, and I eventually came to the attention of a local King in search of help."

"I take it you turned him down, treaty and all?"

"Not my full powers, no. But he was so righteous, passionate, and cute too," Gwendolyn closed her smiling eyes as though imagining him. "So I tiptoed around the treaty a weee bit. Gave him an item made local with a finite blessing."

The Worldwalker's grin then faltered into a faint grimace.

"...That story didn't end very well. Taught me a lesson too."

"Do you remember which Kingdom it was?" Kaede mused as she sat and munched on a bowl of lamb stew in hand, hoping she might pinpoint a link to Earth history.

"Cornwall, if I remember right."

"Cornwall!?"

If her memory served, Cornwall was the birthplace of the mythical King Arthur, and had been absorbed to form the throne of England centuries before the Norman Invasion. That made Gwendolyn's arrival on Earth well over a thousand years ago.

"That can't be right," Kaede stood up from her rocky seat and began to pace about. "You said you've only been 'Worldwalking' for a few centuries. Cornwall hasn't been a Kingdom on Earth for much longer than that!"

"Time, is a fickle spirit when you journey between worlds..."

Gwendolyn rubbed the familiar's head as the much-younger girl stopped within reach to pause and think.

"--I wouldn't overthink it, dear," she added with a peaceful smile. "After all, the universe must keep some secrets to itself."

Earth's astrophysicists might scream heresy at that, Kaede thought.

"Then..." the familiar girl gulped down a breath of courage. "Would it be possible for you to take me back?"

"No."

Kaede felt like Gwendolyn had just punched her hopeful, not-maiden heart; proverbially speaking of course.

Shot down, so easily! Not even the slightest room for negotiation!

The Samaran familiar wasn't sure if and how she would say goodbye to the still-unconscious Pascal. But it was always better to know her options ahead of time.

"That really hurts, Grandma."

She had meant to say Obaasan, an appropriately respectable way to address the elderly in Japanese. But some terms just didn't translate...

"Grandma? Now whose the hurtful one!?" Gwen was still smiling though as she feigned outrage.

"But," Kaede paused for a brief moment before deciding to tag along. "You're over several centuries old!"

"--And my heart is still romantic and young!"

"...Plus you have great-great-great-grandchildren!"

The Worldwalker's meadow gaze did darken this time, sending a chill up Kaede's spine in an instant.

"Don't remind me, after how idiotic one of them turned out to be," Gwendolyn answered, her intoned pressure immediately put an end to the conversation.

A true queen would always remain a queen, no matter how many centuries passed by.

"But why can't you send me back to Earth?" Kaede returned to the original subject. "Is it because of the timeline fluctuation?"

Male body or not, if Kaede's only choice was an Earth in a different time period -- when her family and friends did not exist -- then Kaede would rather not return at all.

"The time issue isn't insurmountable, just... complicated," Gwendolyn brushed aside the topic as though it were obnoxious legal code. "But the simple answer is that it's against the rules."

"The treatise between the Worldwalkers that you spoke of?"

"Yes," the elderly lady nodded. "Just like intervention in mortal affairs, cross pollination of individuals between worlds is forbidden. We're allowed to spread ideas ourselves using local tools, but it stops at that -- an equal footing between us all."

"Then how do you explain my presence here?" Kaede spread her arms, one hand still holding onto her bowl. "Captain Markov -- he's a Samaran skywhale merchant -- once surmised that the immortals must have played a joke on me, since it's abnormal for a Samaran to be 'born' in a fully-grown body, luggage and all."

Gwendolyn brows furrowed:

"Well, I admit. Your case is... peculiar."

"Does that mean you also admit that a Worldwalker likely had a hand in me being here?" Kaede crossed her arms in challenge.

The former queen pursed her lips:

"There is a chance, yes. Perhaps even a strong likelihood..."

The Samaran girl was in awe. She had gambled on her previous statement without truly believing in it, using it mostly as bait. But now? The catch was so overwhelming that it pulled her back into the sea... or in this case, to sit back down on the large boulder and reorganize her explosion of thoughts.

Ever since Kaede heard the theory from Captain Markov, she had acknowledged celestial interference as a possibility, however remote. The arrival of Gwendolyn increased the chances, as it not only proved the existence of the fabled Worldwalkers, but also showed that under the right circumstances, they did intercede upon mortal affairs.

But to consider that her arrival on Hyperion was not just Pascal's doing, but the intervention of divine forces as well. It would imply that a Worldwalker had seized Pascal's spell as an opportunity, perhaps even boosting it with the power to reach across worlds. But that would also mean that Kaede's summoning was no mere coincidence. She had been plucked by some fateful search criteria to become a pawn in the political chess between timeless beings.

"T-then...?"

"But where's the proof?" Gwendolyn stared back. "'Likely' is not sufficient cause for me to take action, certainly not in violation of a pact that maintains peace across worlds."

The Samaran girl deflated at once.

If even a Worldwalker could not see any obvious evidence of misconduct, how was she -- a young girl without even any spellcasting ability of her own -- ever going to find it?

"It doesn't make any sense though," Kaede puzzled. "If the Worldwalkers banned cross-pollination of individuals and ideas, then doesn't that mean that the Samarans' very nature breaks the law?"

Gwendolyn shrugged as she made one of those 'it can't be helped' looks.

"The Samarans predate even the First Generation Worldwalkers. Obviously, since several of them are Samaran. But their circumstances... let's just say there are loopholes that even immortal archmages have trouble closing. Of course, many of us never cared, since the Samarans are also the ones least interested in pushing their ideas around."

Kaede tilted her head in curiosity, and Gwen simply added:

"It's almost a racial behavior for them. You included."

With her thoughts turned inwards, Kaede had to agree. She had introduced many ideas to Pascal as potential 'solutions' to problems he faced. But very rarely did she push any ideologies upon him, nor did she hold any great desire to. One could even argue that she had always been this way, possibly as a byproduct of her cross-cultural education and heritage.

But are Samaran mostly like this? How much did it contribute to me becoming one?

It only raised more questions that Kaede would like to ask Captain Markov the next time he brought King Alistair.

"But in either case, you can't send me back to where I came from?"

"No," Gwendolyn declared with a sympathetic look. "Not even when I have a pretty good idea of who might be responsible. I wasn't a Worldwalker... actually, I wasn't even alive yet when she made her famous intervention, but if you read between the lines of history, her footprint in the sands of time is clear as the dawning sky."

Kaede blinked. She wasn't an expert on Hyperion history, yet. Though there were certainly events on Earth that simply could not be explained. Like how an uneducated, peasant girl from a backwater village could inspire an entire nation from the brink of defeat, becoming not just a charismatic messiah but -- by all records -- hold unprecedented knowledge of hostile strategic dispositions that brought one miraculous battlefield victory after another.

Rare anomalies like Jeanne d'Arc defied all rational logic, yet somehow they would appear at the precise moment to alter the fate of the world.

"A name would be helpful," Kaede spoke as enthusiasm sparkled in her rose-quartz eyes.

"Sure," Gwendolyn grinned. Clearly this did not violate any code of 'immortal conduct'. "But keep in mind that names are as fickle as the wind for many of us, especially the older Worldwalkers. The one I speak of -- I call her 'Tara'. It was the identity that I first met her in, but she has at least a dozen others."

Tara? Kaede searched her mental archives and came up blank. It was far too simple and generic of a name to begin her research with.

"I recommend you start with the Great Eastern War fought between the Polisian Federation and the Great Khanate, predecessors of the Grand Republic and Dawn Imperium. Focus on its great turning point at the Battle of Samara and the man responsible for it," the older women added. "His victories and his allies' reforms are what transformed the region into the modern Grand Republic of Samara."

Kaede nodded. The Samaran Captain had given her the exact same example, which was a good sign of not only its correlation, but also the availability of its information.

"What was his name?"

Gwendolyn bit down on her lip in thought.

"It's hard to pronounce, so I may not be saying it right. But I believe his name was... Subotai."

The familiar girl's eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Kaede had never encounter a greater irony -- that the only man who managed to conquer Russia on Earth was responsible for forging it in another world.

...

How could a man whose military conquests led directly to the death of tens of millions somehow be reborn with the serenity of a Samaran?

Kaede was still in her little world when a cell phone ring tone began in the back of her head, jolting her out of her reverie.

Magic always seemed to adjust to the user, even in the case of her earrings' ability to receive Farspeak.

Must be Onee-sama calling, Kaede thought as she gave it a mental 'click'.

"Hello. You've reached voicemail box of Kaede S--"

"Quit joking around, Miss Familiar," Kaede immediately recognized the serious tone of Karsten, Pascal's Majordomo in his Nordkreuz estate. "Is your master -- His Grace -- available? I've been trying to reach him for two days now."

"He's... unconscious. Injuries from recent combat..."

"Then why are you fine?" Karsten snarled. "Is it not your familial duty to protect your master?"

Kaede wanted to retort. She had been kilopaces away when Pascal cast that reckless spell. How could she have helped? But, at the same time, she was also the reason he experimented with magic beyond his comprehension in the first place.

"I was in a different battle... on his orders."

Even Karsten couldn't reprimand her for that.

"I hope you're taking good care of him then," his stern voice rang as authoritative as to the estate's other servants.

...And in Karsten's eyes, Kaede was exactly that: a servant of the von Moltewitz house.

"I am, and he's slowly recovering," Kaede tried to sound reassuring. "May I ask what you are calling about? Perhaps the Princess would like to know as well."

"The Princess does not need to be bothered by such trifles," the Majordomo reprimanded. "Though it may help if you inquire one of her advisors. We're running into some... business trouble... here in Nordkreuz. The Public-Private Investment Partnership that His Grace created before departure has developed some questionable behavior as of late."

Kaede's lips twisted. She should have expected this. Every economic reform throughout history has run into its share of road bumps and, occassionally, massive pitfalls.

"What's the issue?"

"Stocks in the North Sea Company -- one of the three created by His Grace -- has been rising at a phenomenal rate. Normally this would be good news, as it implies more capital investment for the recovery of Nordkreuz. However, Her Grace, Cardinal-Chancellor von Lanckoronski, have expressed concerns that these changes are 'unnatural'. They say that the availability of capital should not double and triple from nothing. Yet the city is awash with rumors of how quickly the company could profit, once the Skagen Peninsula's territories are annexed by the King's peace treaty with the Northmen. They claim that there is great wealth in the north, with new products like cocoa soon to enter the market to earn a killing..."

Kaede frowned. Assuming things remained similar as they often were, cocoa was a product of the new world. It grew in tropical climates, and certainly not in the cold north. Weichsen soldiers no doubt acquired batches of it during Operation Winter Typhooon, which in turn made its way back into Weichsel to energize public curiosities. But the Skagen Peninsula -- if annexed -- could hardly yield any cocoa crops!

"These rumors are causing... 'speculation', as the Cardinal's supporters describe it, to run astray," Karsten continued. "One local guildmaster claims that all his apprentices have sunk their savings into the company. Because of this, the North Sea Company's stocks have quintupled over the past few weeks, achieving companies values that -- according to the Cardinal's agents -- surpasses even the gross value of Nordkreuz combined before the air raid."

The Samaran girl bit her lip. The story now sounded familiar enough to clear her doubts.

Someone at Nordkreuz -- likely a major investor of this North Sea Company -- had learned to game the new system. The false rumors were most likely started by him, and the rampant speculation was fast forming a 'financial bubble' where asset prices grow to be inplausibly, unrealistically high.

If such a bubble was allowed to keep growing, it would eventually pop. The collapse of the Japanese Assets Bubble in 1992 ruined an entire generation to stagnation. A single company in Nordkreuz would not have such catastrophic results, but with public confidence on the line, even a a small disaster could ruin Pascal (and her) attempts to introduce modern finance and investment.

"Karsten, please listen to me -- this is a potential problem that Pascal foresaw in our discussions," Kaede told a blatant lie to fabricate some authority for her following statements. "The Cardinal's supporters are partly correct, although I suspect they hold alterior motives as well. The North Sea Company is developing what we call a 'bubble', and if left unmanaged it could spell disaster for Pascal's new economic policies. We must nip this problem in the bud by popping this bubble with a sharp prick."

"His Grace always did show foresight," Karsten spoke as proudly as a father would. "He has left instructions then?"

"Yes." Kaede's thoughts were running on overcapacity now. Even for her this was frontier territory, as she had no experiences at all when dealing with finance. "We're not sure if this'll work. But -- Pascal suggested pulling out all of [I]his[/I] initial investment in the troubled company at once, which is a sizeable figure sure to cause a noticeable dip in the company's asset value. People will notice, and their confidence will waver. Seize this opportunity and begin spreading a counter-rumor that the company is facing a crisis of mismanagement, even lying about their funds. Use the estate's maids, footmen, suppliers -- anyone you have access to propel the rumor."

"The maids and footmen, spreading rumors!?" Karsten sounded insulted.

"Karsten, please, more is at stake here than just the honor of the house here. Someone is most likely manipulating the system in a most treacherous attempt to sabotage Nordkreuz," Kaede stressed. "If the counter-rumors are successful, the North Sea Company's stocks will begin to sharply decline as people lose their confidence and pull out their funds. Once the fall begins, I want you to slowly re-inject four-fiften of Pascal's pulled funds over a ten-day period to stabilize its descent. Let the company collapse, but not all at once, so the people's losses may be mitigated."

Kaede recommended eighty-percent so Pascal wouldn't lose everything he had thrown in. An early pull would net him quintupled earnings to spend. Since this was his money, it was best if she could return his original investment and not... earn a beating.

She doubted he would. But Pascal did have a scary temper.

"At the same time, put a trade-ceiling -- a daily limit on the value of stocks bought or sold at once by any individual. Consult the guild leaders on what is the yearly earning of a new craftsmen and use that figure. File an official request in Pascal's name to the King's Black Eagles in the city, to report on anyone who attempts to retrieve sums exceeding five times this ceiling. This should require only an agent or two from them. If they ask, tell them there may be foreign subterfuge at play."

Kaede would not be surprised if there was. Vladimir Lenin once warned that "Imperialism is the monopoly stage of capitalism." But by the same token, capitalism could be monopolized and controlled to aid imperialism. The Holy Imperium of the Inner Sea certainly has a history of tying military and economic expansion together. Weakening Nordkreuz by sabotaging its economy certainly played to its geostrategic interests.

"Do you understand everyone that I've said?" Kaede asked to confirm.

"Yes. I'm not keen on such rapscallion behavior. But I believe I understand its necessity."

"I have no doubt that His Grace will be thankful for your sacrifice," Kaede smiled. "Please keep me apprised of day-to-day development. I'll see if any of the Princess' advisors may weigh in on this challenge before Pascal has recovered."

"Understood. Please take care of His Grace." Karsten then added, almost imploring: "I'm counting on you."

With a mental 'click', the Farspeak call ended, and Kaede took a deep breath to calm back down.

It was her first experience with just how much power she could wield through decrees in Pascal's name -- not just Pascal the Captain or Pascal the Crown Prince Consort, but Pascal the Landgrave.

Even a slight taste of it felt... intoxicating, in a self-righteous sort of way.

She had better be careful with this power, especially as her influence with Princess Sylviane grows. Plenty of trusted, close advisors have lost their heads because they grew overconfident in issueing orders in their master's stead.