Padromo's wiry hands rustled through another pile of documents. The governor had stayed up all night, skimming over the files of the approved fighters. The quota had been filled, and he was stamping the last papers of the qualified men. He didn’t have to do any of that, of course. There were a dozen subordinates eligible for the task, but this was no regular matter. Everything had to flow the way Padromo envisioned it — the fighters, the recruitment, the background investigations, and lastly the transportation of said competitors. Only the gathering of the hundred men remained now, and their transfer to Kybernan Magnus— planet of the High State. Exciting times were upon them. Padromo had prepared a folder for the dossiers of the fighters and, in a swift motion put them all inside it. He sprung up from his steel chair and stretched, sighing in satisfaction. There was a knock on his door, and he stilled, leisurely resuming his seat and putting his hands on the desk.

  “Come in,” Padromo ordered.

  A young cyborg slid the door open and entered the governor’s headquarters. He was no more than 25 standard years old. Wearing a not- so- well-fitted suit and a haircut which failed to complement his oval-shaped face. Nothing that couldn't be fixed.

  “Governor Padromo, sir!” the young worker greeted.

  Padromo couldn’t tell if he was enthusiastic or nervous— didn’t care either way. He had a meeting scheduled with his daughter in half an hour or so and he was impatient to leave the building.

  “Speak.” Padromo sighed and inhaled through the valve installed in his throat. He had a neck fully constructed from metal. Obtained it after an accident many years ago, long before being chosen as governor.

  “I’ve been sent to collect the files of the contestants for the upcoming tournament, sir. Hope I’m not intruding,” the cyborg added apologetically.

  Padromo shot him a cold look. “Would I have ordered you to come in here if I didn’t wish to be intruded upon?”

  “No, sir…” The young worker froze.

  “Take a seat.”

  Deep silence ensued, except for the almost mechanical breathing of the governor. It sounded like steam blowing off from some old machinery, and the cyborg made an effort not to pay attention to it, looking around instead. Padromo took a thick pen and signed the big folder, just beneath the H.S. inscription. Then, he handed it to the worker. Quick glances were exchanged.

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “You new around here?” Padromo asked.

  “Ah, yes, sir. I started last week; couldn’t even believe I landed a position in the governor’s own administration facility.”

  “You couldn’t believe it?” The governor smirked.

  “Well, of course, I know some people that would do anything to be here, serving you.”

  “What’s your name?” Padromo demanded.

  For the first time since walking into the office, the cyborg really looked into the governor’s eyes. Those emotionless pits. “My name’s Anton, sir,” Anton answered.

  “Hm, well, first of all, Anton, you didn’t land a position in here. You were chosen to serve here by our recruitment team. Accidents aren’t a thing in my facility, unless you’re implying otherwise.”

  “Sir, I didn’t mean—“

  “Second of all, people don’t just serve me in here; they serve me everywhere! This whole galaxy is under my rule if you hadn’t noticed. Refrain from such slip-ups next time.”

  Anton was at a loss for words. The conversation had taken a sharp turn, and he didn’t dare to speak.

  “And lastly, let me give you some advice. Since you’re new and you just landed this position…you ought to learn to contain your emotions when you’re in my workforce. It’s unprofessional… and rather childish, and I’m sure you don’t want your new colleagues thinking that of you, do you?”

  “No, sir! Of course not!” Anton replied hurriedly.

  “Very well.” Padromo tapped the folder in front of the cyborg. “You’re dismissed.”

  Anton took the folder under his arm and stood up, bowing his head to Governor Padromo before turning to leave.

  “Oh, and one more thing.” Padromo stopped him.

  “Yes, sir?” There was the tiniest tremble in his voice.

  “Tell Stacy to arrange me a car, will you?”

  “Right away, sir,” Anton said and left.

  Has potential, that one, Padromo thought. He got up from his seat and went to the bathroom. Staring in the mirror, he was met by a mature but strong face—the effect of the countless pills he had been taking not visible at all. Thank God. He began unbuttoning his shirt until the last link was undone, exposing a chest and abdomen riddled with scars, and another valve there instead of a belly button. Padromo palmed the metallic tap and twisted three times, then he breathed in and out. One more twist and he began buttoning his shirt back up. He ruffled whatever hair he had left on top of his head, returned to his quarters and got his coat from the chair. It was time to leave.

  Padromo locked his door behind him and made the walk through the corridor of the floor, passing by the other offices in his section. Every worker would bow their head or look the other way when he was nearby, most out of fear for their jobs and some out of respect. Padromo wasn’t sure which he preferred better. He made it to the elevators and got in, pressing to go to the first floor of the facility. The landing doors slid open, and he stepped out, heading for reception. An attractive older woman was working there.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Has the car arrived, Stacy?”

  “Yes, sir. They’re expecting you outside.”

  Padromo strolled outside and was greeted by two security guards, both over two meters in height and pure muscle. They weren’t Kybernan Magnus natives by the looks of it, but they managed to blend in well. “Sir,” one of them welcomed, and opened the car door for Padromo to get in. He sat in the back seat, and the pair sat in front.

  “I assume you gentlemen have already been briefed about the destination?”

  “Yes, sir.” They replied in unison.

  No one uttered a word for the remainder of the drive. The capital of Kybernan Magnus was beautiful during that time of day and Padromo stared outside, admiring the complex infrastructure. It was his doing after all, most of it anyway. When he first began to rule, the city looked closer to a dystopian nightmare than a capital. With the strict laws and reparations set by Padromo III, that was bound to change, and it did. Sure, half of the population had been forced to work for zero pay for months, but in the grand scheme of things, that was for the greater good. They should’ve been thanking me! Padromo reminisced, proud. There weren’t many options when he inherited the seat. He had been gifted a capital city on the decline and knew what course of action was to be taken, worked with what he had. The man would never allow himself to be a slave to somebody’s approval. He did what he thought was necessary and he did it with a heavy hand.

  The car stopped in front of a luxury establishment, and the guardian in the passenger seat got out, opening the door for Padromo. The governor stepped outside and patted the brute’s shoulder. There stood a young woman, waiting for him at the entrance. Her blonde bangs covered her eyes. She wore official attire and appeared to be rather short— something the governor was not.

  “Governor Padromo!” She exclaimed.

  “Spare your father the formalities.”

  They embraced after. It had been some time since the man last saw his daughter and he was excited, although hiding it well. Few things brought him genuine joy these days, and she was one of them. He held the hug unusually long before letting go. It was uncharacteristic of him, and it didn’t go unnoticed by his daughter.

  “Shall we go inside?” she asked.

  “Please, after you, dear.”

  Padromo signaled to the security, ordering them to wait outside and stay alert. They entered the building and were greeted by a robot host. The machine wore a red hat that read ‘Ruby’s’. It turned towards them and chirped.

  “Hello and welcome to Ruby’s! The establishment that’s been wining and dining you with the utmost care for twenty years! Do you have a reservation with us today?”

  The woman stepped forward. “Yes, Allani Julius.”

  “Ah, Miss Julius! Your table is ready. Number 7 in the outer section, as you’ve requested.”

  “Thank you.”

  They went outside and Allani immediately saw their table, her father following closely behind. The duo took their seats and ordered a drink each, using the interactive menus mounted in front of them. Their table was overlooking a great view of the south district of the city and the rich rays of the morning sun enhanced the atmosphere. Nothing was coincidental about this meeting. Allani knew that her father was almost always in good spirits in the mornings, so that’s why she had chosen to meet him early in the day.

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve come here.” Padromo began.

  “Yeah, we always used to come here when I was little, me and you.” Allani replied.

  “How’s the company doing?”

  “Really, Dad? It hasn’t even been five minutes since we sat down and you’re already asking me about my business.”

  “What? I’m proud of you. I’ve heard you’re doing well.”

  “I am… The company’s income has increased, and I assembled a new marketing team recently. Things are moving forward; the laborers’ feedback is positive. I can’t complain, really.”

  “That’s excellent!” Padromo said, impressed by his daughter’s progress.

  “Thank you. The PCA has been giving me some trouble with our new collection, but I know how to handle them.”

  “The Association? Want me to take care of them?” the governor asked while their drinks were being served by another bot.

  “No! I get enough shit for being the governor’s daughter as it is, don’t need another addition to the list.”

  “Fair enough.”

  They sipped on their drinks. The governor had lost the ability to swallow so the liquid was technically pouring down his throat. He was thankful for his tastebuds. Silence ensued for a moment and the pair studied each other. They could both glimpse into the past in the face of one another. Times were different when her father wasn’t ruling, Allani thought. He was different. Allani reminisced about the days when she and her brother and Padromo would spend time together. Their shared moments and laughter remained buried deep in the woman’s memory.

  “Any news about my brother?” Allani asked.

  “He’s serving his sentence,” Padromo replied, coldness in his voice.

  “Look, I know you and he didn’t get along very well, especially before his deportation, but I still worry about him.”

  “He’s a capable man, I’m sure he’ll manage to take care of himself. Let us not concern ourselves with your brother until he has returned, hm?”

  “Yeah… I just miss him.”

  “That’s understandable.”

  Allani took a big gulp and then ordered herself a second drink. “I’ve heard about the tournament you’re putting together. When were you intending to tell me?”

  “Ah, don’t do that, daughter. I just didn’t have the chance….”

  “Well, you do now!” Allani poked.

  “The project is almost finished. My staff took the time to find the best fighters in the entire galaxy. A hundred men, not a small number. All that remains is shoving them into one of the State’s spaceships and dropping them off here in the capital. It sounds simple enough, but it’s a complicated task, believe it or not. It will take some time, but the hard work is done.”

  “What about the bodyguard thing?”

  “You needn’t worry yourself with that.”

  “I want to know!” Allani demanded. This was about her father’s security.

  “What’s there to know? The very best one amongst them will be assigned the role of being my right hand. Simple as that.”

  “And you had to search the whole galaxy? I’m sure Kybernan has plenty of capable men for the job! What about EAGLE?” Allani couldn’t help but get anxious, it was a serious matter.

  “Are you doubting your father’s judgment?”

  “I’m not doubting you! It’s just… what if that one guy turns out to be a murderous maniac? There’s a huge possibility! This is not a dancing contest you’ve organized!”

  “While that is true, even if the prospect turns out to be a maniac, his skills won’t be denied. And most importantly I won’t have doubts about his allegiance, or suspicion of ulterior motives. Everything else that may come with it, I’m ready to handle.” Padromo finished.

  “I can’t believe you!”

  The governor was just about to answer when his phone beeped once. He took it out of the pants pocket and looked at his daughter.

  “I’m afraid we must call an end to our little date, Allani. Duty calls!”

  “What? We just sat down!”

  “You're right, but this is urgent, it can’t be put off.”

  Allani knew that she wouldn’t be seeing her father again soon. It was a miracle they had managed to come here at all. What was she to do?

  “Whatever…” Allani rolled her eyes.

  Padromo rose from his seat and straightened up, smiling at his daughter. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.” He waved goodbye and left her alone at the table.

  As he walked outside, he was greeted by one of his guards, while the other was waiting in front of the car. They hit the road again, and only then did the governor return the call.

  “Yeah, I’m on my way… Well, tell his cheap ass he must wait a little. Make him a coffee or something!” He signaled for the driver to hurry up. “Good! Oh, and connect me to the PCA while you’re at it, will you? I’d like to have a word…”