Admin42

==Chapter 43 - The Administrator==
Nha Tranh
Kowloon System
Lyran Commonwealth
3144
"What is your niece doing?" Cecily Vanderberg-Laikes, Assembly rep from Xiao Loc, demanded, slamming an offprint of a Lyran news report.
Ducal Regent Patrick Ngo leaned forward at his desk, and looked at the headline. "Her duty." He said, looking up, "To the realm, remember that thing we're all members of?"
"She's building warships and weapons of mass destruction!" she vented at him.
"Yes." He said, "We've been doing that for some time. If you've been paying attention to the budget allocations for the Coast guard-"
"She's building them for Heinies." Cecily spat, "She's violating god knows how many treaties-"
"Four." Patrick stated, "Three of which we've been in violation since before the Arluna outbreak...I don't grasp your problem, Representative. Nations make and break treaties with great regularity."
"Our Duchess is playing soldier for the Steiners again!"
"Ah...I see." he folded his fingers together, "You object to national service then?"
Cecily stopped, and sighed, "Take a break everyone, take five." 
The recording crew took the hint, and backed off. "Pat, your delivery needs work. You're going to be in front of the Speaker tomorrow and in front of the cameras. You're coming across as callus and uncaring, that won't fly with the targeted demographic...and calling anyone's patriotism out, in public? bad move until they've dug the hole deeper. This is an election year and the Commonwealth Loyalist party is polling low, okay? You need to turn it back on them in a different way-spin the news in a different light, there are thirty seven districts in play this election and the secession parties are polling stronger this year than they have since the Thirty-fifties."
He sighed, "Cecily, I'm no good at this stuff. Hell, Amanda wasn't any good at this stuff. What do you want??"
"Try emphasizing the economic benefits, remind people of our successes, remind people that it was Kowloonese ships and Kowloonese crews who saved Tharkad, and that our star nationally is on the rise." she explained, "Point out that the restrictions are being loosened, exports are up, income is up, that the economy is stronger."
The crew waited until one of Cecily's makeup people had finished, and returned.
"Okay, from the top..."
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