Turn of the Century

Chapter 1.1 - Yet More

Prime Minister's Office

7:20 AM

He wanted to sleep, just returned from the first in a set of guaranteed meetings. Yet he could not, the act impermissible to do so at the time. Immovable barrier put between his eyelids, such that they could not close no matter how much they tried. Quietly, he groaned.

Several staffers and assistants stood in front of and around him, confined to their side of his desk. The first, amongst the most senior that remained, began with some news. "By this time, Prime Minister, several flights have, as requested, taken off for maritime patrol and observations."

A different voice followed soon after, dropping by with a date and time via a somewhat alarmed voice. "Prime Minister, Director Juichi, and Yaichiro have scheduled consecutive meetings on the coming Sunday at around midday."

Then, a question. Different person, and yet in the same monotonous voice. "So Prime Minister, your next course of action?"

Prime Minister. He'd have to get accustomed to being called that, at least for the next few days if not for the next few weeks or months. He was only the acting, of course, but who was to say he couldn't run for it in the party and subsequent national elections?

Shoichi would have almost turned a head. He readied himself to reply, yet was hesitant to answer, hesitant to so much as acknowledge the news—asking himself instead if the real Prime Minister Nobuharu was, in fact, present as he flinched. For all that had happened, there was barely any protocol—no guides or procedures they could, or had been, following. He needed breathing room in a rapidly sinking ship, something to lean upon in an increasingly exhausting journey. So patiently, his subordinates waited, ready to take on what he had.

There existed plenty of doubt or potential for, and plenty of distrust toward what Shoichi would do. Some of those amongst his subordinates right in front of him certainly subscribed to this notion, which Shoichi very nimbly took notice of, no matter how subtle they were. The hard-set jaws and bodily deflection away from him, as well as their eyes straying from his whenever he looked toward them, and only glances being the reply. Shoichi was certain that at least half of the men in front of him would be trouble. He couldn't fault them in doing so, only having risen to his current state by misfortunate happenstance.

Taking his attention away from them, he looked down to his hands which he'd folded together on his lap. Shoichi found himself unable to start. Break it down first, then attack it, just as the years had taught him. But how would he do it this time? The ideas passed around in the meetings beforehand felt good to him, as though they'd approach the excellence he needed, but they were just ideas yet to be put into legislation. He'd have stroked his temple with what grub had accumulated under his nails were he any slower-witted.

And of course, everybody had something to input, every advisory committee and board possible with a conflicting opinion to the last. How was he to satisfy all of them and all the citizens of Japan without so greatly jeopardizing his position at the top? Prime opportunity to be so swiftly swiped from him. It was one of many striking questions he asked himself, where he knew the cost of his actions would either be an inability to do anything thanks to the bureaucrats or worst-case massive protests to dethrone him thanks to low approval.

Shoichi's eyes rolled—spun—around in their sockets, panning the room for any help, any clues. Pots and paintings and tables and seats. Nothing worked without sacrificing something else significant, no way to weasel out in sight. Not until they laser-focused on a single misplaced object.

A pairing of domino tiles left discarded right by a bonsai tree, probably left behind from the night before and probably Hitoshi's doing—always a fan of Western games. He could push over one domino, yes, and a cascade naturally would follow leading to a bill's passing. So a thought came into his mind: how he could manipulate the order of the dominoes so that the cascade was shortened to as few as ten, as five, steps away. Should each fall be another sacrifice, how few falls could then be done?