Twelve.
The Lady Mercedes

The planet of Venus had not had a ruling class in centuries. This did not mean that the planet was a democracy. Far from it. Venus was, after all, the perfect capitalist society ruled entirely by the might of commerce. And Hector Della Robea owned 90% of those businesses making the Della Robea family the most powerful on Venus and the closest thing to a ruler the planet had.

His only daughter, Mercedes, stood to inherit her father's empire and had been groomed to do so from a very, very young age. The day when she would step up to start taking control of certain aspects to Della Robea Industries was growing nearer and nearer as she came closer and closer to graduating Madres University. She already wore many hats. She already had certain subsidiaries answering to her directly. She was the lady of the Della Robea home, often entertaining guests with her father, as well as when her father was unable to do so. She was also a student studying the fine arts of business, politics and anything else her father thought would aide her in her future as CEO of an entire planet.

It was 4 am and the clock at her bedside table was blaring harshly in her ear. It was another 5 hours before class, but she had to check in with a few of her father's men who ran one of the research facilities on earth before hand. She was expected there at 6 and she had to prepare, including getting ready and eating breakfast before hand.

Still 4 am was an unbecoming hour of the day for someone to get out of bed, Venus's Lady or not. Mercedes rolled over to turn off the obnoxious alarm clock and then simply glared at it hard. Shortly after there came a knocking on the large door to her bed room.

"Lady Mercedes," came the male voice from the other side.

Mercedes sat up to stretch. "I'm awake, Galen," she called out.

"Breakfast will be set in 45 minuets, Lady Mercedes," he told her through the door. "I will come to fetch you then."

"Yes, Galen," Mercedes sighed. 45 minutes was not a lot of time to get ready. It barely gave her enough time to shower and dry and style her hair. But it was routine and a routine Mercedes had grown quite accustomed to. She slid out of her comfortable and warm bed and still yawning made her way across the large bed room to the bathroom to shower.

45 minutes later she unlocked and opened the door to her bedroom and stepped outside. She had on a crisp dark blue pants suit, her hair up in a long pony tail. Over her arm she had a garment bag containing the skirt and sweater she would change into for class after her meeting had concluded. Galen was waiting for her in the hall. He was a young man, younger than her last Attendant had been by a good 20 or 30 years. He was 27 years old. He was tall, standing a good head and shoulders taller than Mercedes herself. He was lean and fit with dark hair and light eyes. He bowed a good morning to her before taking the garment bag and placing it over his arm.

As the two of them walked down the hall, Mercedes a step in front, he went over that day's schedule with her. Like Mercedes Galen wore more than one hat. He was her assistant, her driver, her butler, at times her adviser and at all times her body guard. He was still somewhat new to the job. Jacques had retired the previous year much to Mercedes disappointment. Almost immediately her father had sent Galen to take his place. He was the first young man who had ever been assigned to her. He had been one of Hector's own elite detail and must have impressed the elder Della Robea to entrust him with his only daughter.

"...you have class from 9 until 3," he was telling her as they walked. His eyes were on the clip board in his hand, "Micro managing, Political Science 301, Historical Venue and Accounting. After which you will be able to come back here to change and speak with your father before having dinner with Halan."

"Oh, that is tonight isn't it?" Mercedes frowned slightly.

"Yes," Galen looked up from the clipboard, "You have kept rescheduling it. It was going to come up eventually. You haven't seen him in almost 6 months. With your graduation coming up soon-"

Mercedes held up a hand to silence him, "Yes, Galen, I know." She started down the stairs towards the first level of her town home.

"Very well," Galen answered after a moment. He looked back at the clipboard, "I will call to confirm you will be at Contessant tonight."

Mercedes had to stifle another yawn into the back of her hand as Galen talked. 4 am was still a ridiculous time to be up and about. She was met at the bottom of the stairs by two of the house's maids who each curtsied slightly to her and wished her a good morning. Mercedes nodded to each of them as she started towards the breakfast room. There waiting for her was quite the morning spread. Eggs, bacon, cereal, grapefruit, toast and tea. Mercedes frowned a bit and turned to look over her shoulder, "Will you please remind Cook that at this hour in the morning the only thing I'm prepared to eat is a cereal bar?"

Galen raised his eyes towards the table and blinked. He smiled faintly and nodded his head, "I think he has a hard time believing that a simple cereal bar will be sufficient for you through out the day."

"Well at 5 o'clock in the morning, I'm not really prepared to eat much else!" Mercedes huffed. She took her seat at the head of the table and helped herself to her toast, "Feel free to have the rest of my eggs if you want, Galen."

Galen had his own breakfast prepared for him as well. The helpings were in a smaller proportion to Mercedes', but he ate exactly what she ate. He smiled again and shook his head, "I'll have cook wrap them up and I'll have them for lunch."

"Eggs for lunch," Mercedes made a face as she nibbled on the toast.

"They're quite easily the best eggs I've ever had," he told her. He glanced down at the inside of his wrist and the watch that was seated there.

"How are we doing on time?" Mercedes asked.

"If all you're going to eat is toast, then we are ahead of schedule," Galen answered.

"It was your genius idea for me to be up this early," Mercedes made a face at him, "You should know by now that I don't eat a large breakfast."

"Yes of course," Galen bowed his head a little, "My mistake."

"Mmm," Mercedes finished the piece of toast. But she smiled anyway. Galen tried very hard, she had to give him credit for that. And she hadn't truly tested him yet. Jacques was so used to her and could have read her like a book. He had been her attendant since she had started school at 6 years old. There was not a thing she could say or do that would have thrown him. Mercedes was just itching to try to see how far she could push Galen until he dropped the official wall of an officer. "Well, let's go then," she got to her feet just as Galen had started to eat. He looked up at her, his fork still not having reached his mouth.

"The sooner we meet these scientists the sooner they can bore me to tears," Mercedes said holding up a finger and winking at him, "And then the sooner I can be through with them and write the report I'll give to father. Come on now, Galen." She turned from the table and made a vague gesture over her shoulder, "We'll have the cook wrap up what you haven't eaten."