Monopoly

In a glittering new capital on Venus, a single corporation has turned a barren world into a bustling metropolis. Brian Hanson, chief scientist for the Venus Consolidated Research Organization, spends his days perfecting a vital vitamin while his mind roams over the city’s sleek towers and the uneasy quiet beneath them. The company’s monopoly has brought prosperity, but whispered rumors of angry old families and covert insurgents linger in the background. Hanson’s disciplined routine masks a growing unease about the price of control.

One night, while he relaxes in an irradiated bath, his solitude is shattered by a frantic knock and a police search for a rebel hiding in the administrative sector. The officer’s quick departure leaves Hanson alone with a mysterious figure—a woman with platinum‑blond hair and striking blue eyes—standing on his bed, her calm voice cutting through the tension. Their unexpected encounter forces him to confront the hidden currents beneath the city’s polished surface and hints that his scientific ambitions may be caught up in a larger struggle.