Sirius Zero: Building A Corporate Kingdom After Being Expelled

"Edward! Let me in! I’ve found out something about St. Ignatius!" shouted Annette, ringing Edward’s doorbell.

"What is it, Mom? We are busy," asked Mikaela, opening the door.

"Did you know, that one of the students of St. Ignatius is the child of Saladin, the dictator of Libya?" demanded Annette, marching into the house.

"So? What’s that got to do with anything?" asked Mikaela, a bite of impatience in her voice.

"So? So? He’s a ruthless dictator! You’re not safe there! Nobody is!" screamed Annette.

"While I do have that reputation, I’m not about to go on any killing sprees inside my own dearest friend and brother-in-arm’s sovereign territory. And I do respect the sanctity of an educational institution," chuckled Saladin, who was sipping tea in the living room.

Annette started violently at his voice and stared in wide-eyed terror at the sight of Saladin in Edward’s living room.

Edward himself was shifting uncomfortably on the couch, while Yasmin, Yue and Adelaide were seated with tea, cake and workbooks, shaking with amusement.

"Mom, meet Yasmin’s dad," said Mikaela, as Annette crumpled to the floor.

---

Annette awoke with a groan.

Her senses returned, and she realized she was in an unfamiliar bed.

"Where am I?" she asked, trying to get up.

"Relax, you’re in my house. You fainted in shock," said Edward, who was sitting beside the bed.

"Ugh! OK I remember now, I found out that Saladin’s kid is in St. Ignatius, and I wanted Mikaela not to go because of that," said Annette.

"Yeah, you fainted because you saw Saladin himself sipping tea in my living room," chuckled Edward.

Annette slumped back into the pillows.

"I don’t see how that’s funny, Edward. You know, it’s bad enough I’m being treated like some annoying house guest in my own house, and now I find out that my baby girl is sipping tea with a dictator who threatens nuclear Armageddon at the drop of a hat. I don’t know how much more of this I can take," she said, curling up into a ball.

"Hey, it’s not like I’m thrilled about this either. I was there OK? I was on the USS Farragut during that military standoff. But you have to remember. Behind the atrocities, the threats, and the posturing is another human being, and a father looking out for his daughter. That’s who he is right now. He came here by himself, in civilian clothes, and with only a two-person security detail stationed outside. You don’t have anything to fear from him," said Edward gently.

"What is happening? Why am I being dragged into this horrible situation? I just want to live in peace," sniffled Annette.

There was a knock on the door, and Mikaela entered.

"How are you feeling, Mom?" she asked.

"I can’t do this any more Mikaela. I want to live a normal life, not get mixed up in dictators," sobbed Annette.

"You know, Mr. Saladin is actually a pretty normal person. I got scared too, but he’s actually quite nice. Even Captain Hawkins says so," said Mikaela, taking Annette’s hands in hers.

Annette slowly stopped crying, and sat up.

"OK. I can see that my concerns are being completely dismissed. I shall leave you and your posse in peace, so I expect the same courtesy and ask that you don’t disturb me today," she said, her voice dead.

"Your concerns are not being dismissed, Ms. Petra. They are being addressed. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not some bloodthirsty brute. I’m perfectly capable of civilized behavior and discourse, and so I’m assuring you that you and your family have nothing to fear from me. In fact, I owe you a debt of gratitude for your daughter befriending my precious Yasmin," said Saladin.

"I see," said Annette, though she still trembled at the sight of him.

"You have my word as both a parent and a sovereign that no harm shall befall on you and your family, even if Mikaela and Yasmin’s friendship ends," said Saladin.

"I suppose I don’t have much of a choice do I?" muttered Annette.

"No, you don’t. And you’ll be nice to Mr. Saladin, even if he’s promised not to hurt you," said Mikaela, tugging Annette’s hand to get her out of the bed.

---

"Let’s try this again. Mom, meet Yasmin’s dad," said Mikaela, pulling Annette towards Saladin in the living room.

"Hello," said Annette stiffly.

"Hello to you too, Ms. Petra. I commend you for raising such a civilized young lady," said Saladin.

"So, these are your new friends Mikaela?" asked Anna, who had come over after Annette had been unconscious, and was equally nervous around Saladin.

"Yes. They are," said Mikaela.

"Ms. Petra, can we go back to your place?" asked Anna, now close to tears.

"Of course, come along," said Annette, and ushered Anna out the door.

The atmosphere relaxed the instant Anna and Annette had left.

"I can definitely see why you were nervous about this," chuckled Yasmin.

"Yeah, but looks like it went OK. What was that with Anna though? She was perfectly happy to be with Ester," said Mikaela, puzzled by Anna’s tears.

"Seeing us probably made the feeling real. All this time it was only a possibility that you were drifting apart," said Adelaide.

"I suppose that’s true enough. Well, I shall let you ladies have your study session now. Captain Hawkins, it was nice meeting you," said Saladin, taking his leave.

---

"Those girls were cruel and mean!" sobbed Anna into Annette’s hoodie.

"Why what did they do?" asked Annette, gently stroking Anna’s back, in the safety of her own living room.

"They misgendered me! I told them I go by they/them pronouns, and they told me to stop doing that because it is dumb!" cried Anna.

"No, Anna. It is not dumb. You have a right to be called by what you want. Don’t worry about those prissy brats," said Annette.

"B-but Mikaela herself is starting to be mean like them!" sniffled Anna.

"Yes. And I’m very angry at her, but I couldn’t do anything with that brute Saladin there," growled Annette.

Anna’s sniffles slowly subsided.

"Shall we play scrabble?" she asked.

"Sure," said Annette, and pulled out an old scrabble set.

---

The doorbell rang, and Annette answered it to find Stefan standing in the doorway, a vein throbbing in his temple.

"Ms. Petra, I’d like a heads-up the next time Anna asks to come home with you," he said, his voice shaking in fury.

"Y-yes, of course," said Annette, a little taken aback by his attitude.

"Dad. I’m not coming home. I’m staying here with Ms. Petra," declared Anna.

"Anna, I’m going to ask politely only one more time. Come here, we are going home," said Stefan.

"Mr. Stanislaus. Anna has been having a very hard time. Can’t you see that she is distressed?" asked Annette, coming between them.

Stefan glared at Annette.

"Where was this empathy when Mikaela was crying for Ivan? But I’m not like you, Annette. Fine, Anna may stay over, but Anna, if I hear more claptrap out of you, I’m packing you off to St. Ignatius Academy. Are we clear?" he asked.

"Crystal, sir," said Anna, her eyes dead.

"And Annette, remember. The next time I’m not given the courtesy of a phone call, I’m pressing kidnapping charges. Do we have an understanding?" asked Stefan of Annette.

"Y-yes," said Annette.

Stefan turned on his heal and stalked back to his Lamborghini Aventador.

Annette closed her ears as the roar of his Aventador’s engine rent the air, and he sped off leaving a trail of smoke.

"Come on, Anna. Let’s get you some bedclothes and a toothbrush. You can sleep in Mikaela’s room. She’s moved across the street for all intents and purposes," said Annette after taking a few deep breaths.

---

"What happened?" asked Maria, as Stefan entered his house in a foul mood.

"Anna has latched onto that bitch Annette! I should never have let my guard down! In trying to save Ivan’s relationship with Mikaela. I’ve lost mine and Anna’s" growled Stefan, flinging himself into a chair.

Maria knelt before him, and gently took his hands in hers.

"Stefan, this is not your fault. Don’t blame Ivan and Mikaela. Anna is still a sweet innocent girl. We can fix this together," she said soothingly.

"I don’t see how Maria. Anna has really started to resent us both," sighed Stefan.

"How about you meet her halfway? Don’t dismiss her views, but keep a firm handle on how far the ideology can go," suggested Maria.

"You think that will work?" asked Stefan.

"I know it will work. Anna may not have Mikaela’s towering intellect, but she’s not stupid. If you meet her halfway, she’ll be happy to moderate her own views," said Maria.

"OK. I’ll try. Thanks, Maria," said Stefan, giving her a kiss.

"My pleasure, Stefan," said Maria, returning the kiss.

With a primal growl, Stefan swept Maria into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.

---

"What the hell?" asked Anna, seeing Stefan pull up to Annette’s house in a white Toyota Prius.

"Hey, I’m trying to meet you halfway. I know you hate the Lambo, so let me take you to school in a nice quiet EV," said Stefan, who was also dressed casually in a gray hoodie and jeans.

"Who are you and what did you do to my father?" asked Anna, eyeing him suspiciously.

"Unlike some people, I’m perfectly capable of easing up on the flashy stuff. Are you coming or not?" asked Stefan.

"Fine, let’s see how long this lasts," said Anna. She turned to Annette.

"Thanks for letting me stay over, Ms. Petra," she said, giving Annette a hug.

"Feel free to come by any time," said Annette, returning the hug.

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