Lithium

Overview
Lithium is the chief of the Alkali family and CEO of the eponymous family business, the Alkali corporation. Lithium already had Potassium when she took over Alkali corp, and Lithium had to quickly adapt to fit both her work and her daughters in her life. Under Lithium’s guidance, the Alkali corp not only reinforced its place as the major supplier of energy and natural resources but also developed groundbreaking technology that expanded Alkali's business. Now the Alkali corp is present at every step of the energy chain, instead of just production, and their advanced fuel cells are the last word in mobile energy supply. Lithium has devoted herself to her work to make this success happen, she’s very serious and aloof but is pretty bad in social situations, preferring the cool tranquillity of her office. She deeply loves her family and especially her daughters, even if she’s quite bad at showing it, leading to a strained relationship with her eldest, Potassium, as she didn't understand her rebellious nature

Relationships

 * Potassium: The relationship between Lithium and her daughter Potassium is currently at its worst as Lithium. In a misguided move to secure Potassium's future, Lithium went against the girl's will to go her own way. The strained relationship sunk some more when Potassium quite simply left at her majority, so the two stopped interacting altogether for three years now. The situation took a toll on Lithium who cares deeply for her daughter, and despite the belief that the company was still the best bet for Potassium, her daughter's absence increasingly distresses Lithium with each passing day. The situation is forcing Lithium, whether she wants it or not, to gradually question her rigid outlook about her daughter's happiness.


 * Sodium: Lithium's youngest daughter became the de facto next-in-line for Lithium's succession, however after the fallout between her and Potassium, Lithium is much more cautious about the subject with Sodium. Things are made more complicated by the fact that Sodium has never been raised to become Lithium's successor, on the upside Sodium has only a very vague idea of her future, where her big sister was much stubborn and determined. The subject is only gently brought up every now and then, Lithium still having quite some time before retirement and not being in any rush to push her second daughter away.


 * Rubidium: Despite being respectively aunt and niece, Lithium and Rubidium have a rather no-nonsense relationship. Lithium values Rubidium as a very important person for the company, responsible for many achievements and supporting Alkali's expansion towards high-tech energy management. She's also very grateful of Rubidium for taking care of the difficult Caesium and Francium sisters, as she herself doesn't know how to handle them, she's actually rather impressed that the two of them can be such important support for Rubidium's work. Other than that they don't really interact outside of work as they have completely different interests.


 * Polonium: Although Polonium is a professional partner of Lithium's at the city council, she's now mainly her usual drinking partner. Lithium and Polonium are quite alike, underneath their very different physical appearance: they're both middle aged hard working women with lots of responsibility, but with rather unfulfilling social lives. Although Polonium's life has recently been livened up by the arrival of her niece, Thallium, Lithium still painfully lives with the absence of her eldest daughter Potassium, even if Polonium does her best to alleviate it.


 * Iron: Lithium's main business partner, Iron and her megacorp have numerous but strictly professional relations, especially in the energy and mining department. Lithium sees in Iron a highly competent industrialist, but is a bit puzzled by Iron's lack of etiquette.


 * Aluminium: Lithium can't wrap her head around Aluminium's person, their companies might be business partners in the field of advanced technologies, but Lithium is utterly baffled that a person like Aluminium can even be a businesswoman. Aluminium's behaviour makes Lithium very uneasy, so she quietly tries to avoid her and talks business with Aluminium's assistant Scandium.


 * Uranium: Uranium is a relatively recent business partner of Lithium, but a really interesting one. The gynoid programme called for very durable but small energy supplies, and even with Alkali's level of technology, these devices had to be developed from scratch. Uranium's very high standards have pushed Alkali's technology forward and benefited both sides; Uranium had energy supplies for her programme, and Alkali could reap the benefits of their research by giving the new technology commercial applications.


 * Boron: Although Lithium's relationship with her daughter's best friend was rather smooth, it understandably took a much more awkward turn since Potassium disappeared. Lithium knows Boron is in contact with Potassium and won't tell her anything, but Lithium also sees that Boron is not too happy to be in this situation. During the three years since Potassium's departure, Lithium probed Boron many times about this whole situation, only to find out that Boron's friendship with Potassium was firmly and tightly rooted in her heart, and that Boron will never overstep Potassium's boundaries. Not really knowing how to handle it, Lithium settled in letting Boron look after Sodium as tutor and vacating big sister.


 * Yttrium: Although Lithium's relationship with Boron became awkward after Potassium's departure; her relationship with Yttrium became downright confrontational. Even though her character is nowhere near as rough as Potassium's, Yttrium certainly knows to speak her mind, especially if it's about defending Potassium in front of Lithium. Unlike Boron who is understandably very emotionally linked with Potassium, Lithium can't really 'get' Yttrium and Potassium's friendship. As far as she can tell, it’s some sort of an unquestioned mutual loyalty; Yttrium unwaveringly sticking with Potassium’s side. Yttrium confrontational character towards her caused many frictions over the years, but in hindsight, Lithium has started to wonder if Yttrium didn't do this on purpose to spare Boron.