Another commission drawn by :iconmugen-nawashi:. I didn't know how much I loved purple until I saw Phantom colored by his pen! :)


I've been a tremendous fan of we-r-nomad's themes and maids forever - the awesome uniforms worn by heroes and villains alike was definitely a part of it! Just as Fantom (link) is a fantasy incarnation of my character, Directrix Phantom is her incarnation in a space opera, playing up some sci-fi themes. (Oh, and wearing lots of fetish-fashion uniforms, as well!) 
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"Were there no uniforms, there would probably be no armies." Supreme Directrix Phantom lives by this mantra, designing roles and assigning individuals like cogs in a grand machine. She presides over the Mirage district... for now.  

The Directrix is nominally an administrator under the control of the central government. However, political savvy has removed all but the barest of oversight, giving her leeway to control her realm like a feudal demesne. Income goes into and is distributed through her governing apparatus. It is Phantom that orders construction or demolition, and Phantom that assigns and approves appointments to any important positions. 

The Mirage sector is an occasional target for media. If Phantom is, as is widely assumed, only partially organic, is she fit to rule over organic beings? Does her long lifespan disqualify her from "lifetime" appointments? If she is destroyed, but rebuilt, is she still the titular ruler of her realm? Motions to investigate or replace her are generally ignored or die in committee. The Directrix has years of accumulated political capital, mixing bribes with veiled promises to get what she wants. She pits those that might see her removed against one another, emphasizing the stability in her district and warning of the economic collapse that could come with her sudden removal.

Life in Mirage is hardly terrible, but visitors describe it as 'uncanny.' Public space is tightly monitored. A central intelligence makes choices for the populace based on constant accumulation of data. Public transit routes change frequently and without explanation. Benches appear overnight. Business regulations shift. No explanation from the Directrix or her staff is forthcoming. AlexandrIa , the friendly face of the omnipresent machine-intelligence, states only the obvious and in the vaguest of terms. "We are always working to improve Mirage."

Academics outside the Mirage sector have suggested various theories for Phantom's pseudo-absolute reign. Is she controlling the populace, or does the populace control her? Is her appearance and mannerism just another function of the data gathered? Do the people of Mirage want to be dominated?