TEP Chpt 21

=The Eagle's Perch=
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Book>>
-----
==Chapter 21 - Beginning's End==
----
===The incredible Proposal===
Atreus, Marik CommonwealthFree Worlds League2733
Alice Allison'
It was bright this morning. A fresh summer breeze rustled the maple trees surrounding Capitol Hill.
 
As I walked in through the double doors of Parliament, I took a moment to taste the air.
 
The temperate Ionian summers encouraged Parliamentarians to wear themselves lightly. Beneath the chasubles of the MPs were fashionable summer dress. They were bright and airy, reflecting both the climate and the general mood, this fine day.
 
 There was an energy that has gripped Parliament. An excitement that pervades every corner of the Capitol. The electricity in the air was palpable, I could feel the tingles in my fingertips.
 
 The finest stock of men and women representing the Free Worlds mingled in the benches of Parliament. As always, before Parliament would begin, the MPs would spend their time talking and schmoozing each other. While they generally ambled about, there were quite a few spots of stability. In there were the various camps of the Free Worlds League, representing the Federalists, Provinciailists, Free Traders, Protectionists, Pro-Star League, and Anti-Star League interests.
 
"Jay, so good to see you!" I greeted.
 
"Ma'am," he answered back with a nod, in his usual laconic manner. We hugged and gave each other a good pat on the back. It was good to see him again. We parted during the retreat from Regulus. While I took the majority of Oriente's militia deeper into the Marik Commonwealth, at my behest, he led a coalition of smaller provinces in pinning down what was left of the 'loyalist' Battalions in the Principality of Regulus IV.
 
During that time, he followed our plan for shaping the League post-war. He curried favors and allies among the smaller provinces, to gain their votes and support for later use. It wasn't like I could take such a grand opportunity lying down. With Boris willingly sticking himself in Regulus IV, even after its recapture by the 4th Fleet, he was in no position to do the same.
 
Because of Jay's efforts, I was able to lock down the majority of the Protectionists.
 
After greeting him, he took his position to my right.
 
"Samson!" I greeted another of my allies.
 
He nodded a smile at me, in lieu of a proper greeting. The casual man was my ally from the Anti-Spinward expanse of the Free Worlds. He was the informal representative of business interests from Kalidasa and their allies.
 
He was intelligent and cunning. Wrestling him away from Boris' camp, required promising the Ministry of Taxation to someone of their choosing. A hefty promise, but the price was well worth the reward.
 
It was surprising that I was able to do that at all. Kalidasa was normally recalcitrant, stemming from their pluralistic corporate oligarchy. It was rare that they could agree on something. Backing Boris was one of those rare agreements they had. Now, backing me was another.
 
 "Madame Allison! My friend, so good to see you!" shouted Droupadi. The Regulan man was a born rebel. When the civil war kicked off, he took his world militia and ran Spinward. He didn't stop running until he arrived at the rebel battle lines.
 
Others came with him. Some from the Marik Commonwealth, some from the Principality of Regulus, others from the smaller loyalist provinces. What made him and his entourage unique wasn't that they were against Elise and the authoritarian Federalists. It was that he represented the Pro-Star League sentiment rife within the Coreward reaches of the League.
 
My allies and I represented a return to form. A return to before the Dormuth Bombing, and Gerald Marki's descent into paranoia. It was when the League was at its most peaceful, at the cusp of realizing our potential after having weathered the recession.
 
We intended to return to those lofty heights. We would restrain the excesses of the Federal, empower the Provinces, and have business booming, once again. And we're soon to realize our collective ambitions.
 
Around me more of my parliamentary allies congregated, greeting, laughing, and cajoling each other. There was an air of a coming victory. A victory promised through the years of endless toil.
 
Jay, Samson, Droupadi, and I made up a massive voting block inside today's Parliament. I'd hazard a guess that we were made a slim, decisive minority. We represented roughly 33% of all MPs. Not enough to bully or push the rest of parliament into voting our way, but certainly enough to gain a strategic momentum.
 
I've been working on this camp for years. The Provincialists were always a part of the Free Worlds League political landscape. Their influence waxes and wanes with the era, growing and weakening according to the dominant mood or prevailing interests.
 
In the era of the Star League, the Provinciailists had gained an enormous advantage. Peace. Peace unseen since before the Alliance and the First Fall. A peace that has brought into question the power of the Federal, and its relationship with the provinces. It was supercharged further by the civil war. Finally pulling more parliamentarians into the camp's orbit by the disgusting example set by Elise and Bertram.
 
In the free-for-all politics of the Free Worlds League, having so many members of parliament united under a single banner was a powerful statement. It said, loudly and proudly, this was the new wave. A new order that the rest of the League must orient themselves around or be swept away as irrelevant.
 
They would be my wrecking ball, smashing away the old order.
 
It couldn't have been better timed. Boris Marik was singularly unique among Mariks, in that he is uninterested in expanding his own power. The position of Captain-General is unique within the Free Worlds League, in that it is a powerful position that the Speaker of the House has no hold over. The Captain-General is appointed by Parliament, and that lends it incredible political pull, credibility, and legitimacy. After painstaking negotiations, endless committees, and favor-trading, who would gainsay what the majority of Parliament says is the best choice? Only a fool, that's who.
 
That pull, credibility, and legitimacy has served as a powerful base for all Captain-Generals to wrest yet more unofficial powers over Parliament. The creation of SAFE was the latest and most obvious of the Marik's power plays. Lesser known was the hijacking of the Ministry of Trade via the enforcement of customs, typically done by the Navy, then turning around and using the entire ministry as a bargaining chip against Parliament.
 
The sheer smugness Gerald exuded that day was enough to instantly curdle milk.
 
The position of Captain-General has been typified by cunning political acumen and a burning hunger for power. So it is incredibly refreshing to have one that is principled and courteous. Thus far, Boris has been shockingly uninterested in intervening within Parliament's day-to-day affairs as Captain-General.
 
In contrast to all that came before him, Boris has been quiet, never admonishing the infamously stubborn, contrarian, and spiteful parliamentarians on what was 'good for the realm.'
 
There has never been a more opportune moment for me to push my House's longest ambition. To rule and reign the Free Worlds League as the first among equals. As the preeminent House. As the face of and leader of one of the most powerful states of the Inner Sphere, and Human history.
 
To accomplish that, I had three objectives. The first was to prevent the ratification of the Provisional Constitution. The easiest of my objectives. With my block, I had the votes and the momentum to make it happen.
 
The second, was that I needed to become the House Speaker. As Speaker, I had the power to appoint whoever I wanted to whatever ministry I wanted them in. Which would be necessary in order to fulfill my end of the bargains I struck with Kalidasa, and the unspoken agreement I have with Droupadi's Pro-Star League MPs.
 
That wasn't to mention the control over the Legislative process the Speaker has. Being able to assign longer reading periods was invaluable for getting legislation through the Voting Divisions. That meant the Speaker could heavily weigh for and against legislation as they see fit. Practically, they could sink bills in the first Voting Division alone, by simply not giving proponents enough time to convince the Legislature.
 
The third, was to abolish the position of Captain-General. It would be impossible to abolish the Captain-Generalship without being Speaker of the House. There was simply too much institutional inertia to do that as just another member of Parliament.
 
The creation of the Constitution and the changes it affected upon Parliament had solidified the Captain-General's executive powers. It was a double-edged sword that I ultimately had to support. By solidifying and codifying the Captain-General's powers, the Provincialists have prevented the position from accruing any more power and influence.
 
That was the danger of having a democratic political system largely governed and regulated by traditions and norms. Enterprising, power-hungry leeches could simply abuse the flexibility given by being bound by tradition, and taking whatever they want. Without any hard rules to limit them, the only thing in a leeches way was the will of their peers. And history has shown just how effective that is against the Mariks.
 
We had successfully limited the Captain-General to being the Commander-in-Chief, three vetos over bills, the ability to call for general referendums, represent the League in foreign affairs, accredit diplomats, make non-binding deals with foreign powers, and issue pardons. All-in-all, an important victory for the Provincialists. Except for being able to veto bills from Parliament, most of these powers weren't new for the Captain-General. A testament to how bloated the position had become over the centuries.
 
I had to congratulate my past self's foresight. While distasteful, it does prevent Boris Marik from throwing around any wild cards to upset the delicate post-war political landscape. Even if he's intent on preserving his reputation for impartiality, I couldn't take that chance. Not with victory so close for my House.
 
Which is why I pushed for today to vote on the Constitution. And why my allies and I have gathered together in Parliament as a single block in the benches.
 
Today, we would vote on the ratification of the Provisional Constitution. If the vote fails, we can move forward with alternative proposals. Proposals, like mine, that would remove the Marik's Right of First-Refusal from the Captain-Generalcy. Apart from that one change, the constitution I propose would reset us to before the civil war.
 
Should my bill make it through the first Voting Division, the twin forces of nostalgia and familiarity will power the political momentum to pass the bill.
 
And I'm confident I have enough votes to make it through the First Division.
 
There were two camps, as usual. The 'Federal' Parliamentarians and the Provincialist Parliamentarians rivalry had taken center stage. Boris 'led' the Federalists, while I led the Provincialists.
 
Boris may have succeeded in pushing through his agenda during the civil war, but the civil war is now officially over. He no longer has the political pull he once had as the Captain-General leading the war effort. And his disinterest in intervening within Parliament prevents him from accruing favors.
 
Effectively, I have no opposition. The only thing I needed to overcome was Parliament's typical contrarianism and stubbornness. Years spent preparing the political field via the anti Captain-General movement would now come to a head.
 
As the clock struck 10 am, the ambient buzz of the Senate halted. We took to the old oak seats quietly and solemnly. The opening ceremony would soon begin.
 
The Parliamentary Guard standing to the left of the dais walked forward a step with a bronze ringed, chestnut wood mace. He made an exact ninety-degree turn left, walked three paces to stand perpendicular to the ceremonial gong. With the mace, he rang the gong three times.
 
The double doors opposite the Speaker's dais flew open. The Speaker's Parade slowly marched through the Senate hall, led forward by the Usher of the Amber Axe. Behind him followed the Parliamentary Guards Sergeant-at-Arms carrying the Blue Baton.
 
The Parliamentary Guards wore crisp new violet uniforms. A brighter shade of purple. Subtly different from the old Federal colors, but ultimately still the same. It was something proposed by Boris. A means of differentiating from the Tyrant while also providing historical continuity. It was important for Parliament and the Captain-General to reward the Nameless Warriors, and these new uniforms were just the start.
 
Boris Marik slowly stood up from the Captain-General's seat. He descended the dais and approached the center of the room. In the middle of Parliament were the Clerk and Table Officers. There he met with the Parade and drew the Captain-General's sword in salute to the Speaker of the Senate, before standing aside and letting them pass through. Just as they passed, Boris stepped forward and slowly brought up the rear, sword still drawn, resting upon his shoulder.
 
The Parade ended with the Speaker ascending the dais and taking his seat. The bearers of the Amber Axe and the Blue Baton resting the symbols of our offices upon the Clerks and Table Officers table. As this happened, Boris' slow march ended at the foot of the Speaker's dais, just in front of her. He did a sharp about-turn to face Parliament to perform another sword salute before sheathing his sword and taking his seat.
 
The honorable Speaker, Angajuk Luo, took her gavel and hammered four times. At the fourth and final pound of the hammer the Speaker of the Senate rose, "Hear me, o' honorable Senators of all free worlds, I now call in to order the four hundred and sixty-first session of Parliament."
 
Parliament had officially begun.
 
Clearing her throat, Speaker Luo continued. "Honorable Senators, before we begin the readings, the Captain-General has requested to make an announcement. Given the esteem which Parliament and I hold for him, I have assented."
 
How unusual. It wasn't often the Captain-General made an announcement to Parliament before the first readings. That last one was over three generations ago, and that was to announce their retirement.
 
Standing from his seat next to the Speaker's dais. Boris Maik spoke. "Senators of the League, it is a great honor to have served as your Captain-General these past four years. Together, we have accomplished incredible feats.
 
"We promised to return democracy to the high temples of our civilization. We have done that. Gathered here today, you are proof of that accomplishment.
 
"We promised to return the light of freedom to our homes. We have done that. SAFE is no more. The Freedom of Speech, of Assembly, Thought, and Peaceful Protest, the lights of liberty burns brightly in the hearths of our people once again.
 
"We promised to return to our ancient traditions of democracy, and to rebuild it stronger anew.
 
"We have not done that. It is something we still have yet to do. Which is why we have gathered here today. Today we vote on the ratification of the Provisional Constitution, and the new Parliament.
 
"I have faith, that whatever happens, it will be the right choice. Truly, I tell you, nothing done in the name of the people, by the will of the people, could ever be wholly wrong.
 
"Yet, no matter what choice is made by the Senate, a shadow will mar its purity. For not all vestiges of Tyranny has been excised. Its influence, her influence, still shadows these halls, and darkens our hearts.
 
"There is one last blight that must be excised. One last monster to slay. One last evil to vanquish.
 
"I speak, of course, of the Captain-Generalship!"
 
The entirety of Parliament gasped. My own mouth fell open. This was unprecedented. No Marik has ever seriously entertained abolishing the Captain-Generalship, that was entirely a Provincialist Parliamentarian cause.
 
Above a slowly growing disquiet, Boris raised his voice. "To that end, I Boris Marik, Captain-General of the Free Worlds League, Commander-in-Chief, and Defender of the Realm, hereby abolish the position of Captain-General. All of its powers shall, henceforth, be inherited by the Speaker of the House."
 
He removed his sword and placed it at his desk. He ripped his epaulettes off and placed it beside the sword. He began stripping himself of the symbols of his station. Of what was his station. Then walked down to the floor of the Senate. "I am no longer Captain-General. With luck, no one else will be. I—I am merely another Senator, representing the Marik Commonwealth."
 
At the end of his speech, Parliament immediately began screaming his name. Rather than shock or derision, he was met with effusive praise. I could see Baron Ngubu ugly crying fat tears down her eyes. That woman never cries.
 
That went on for a whole minute before the cheers died down, and the Speaker could wrestle control back with a stern glare. "Senator Marik, please take a seat," said Speaker Luo. So it was official. The Captain-Generalship is gone, and Boris Marik was now just another Senator. He disappeared into a throng of small provincial representatives. Independents. It was a clear statement, as before so again, he would remain impartial and uninterested in Parliament's affairs.
 
Speaker Luo shuffled some papers around before resuming Parliament. "Let us return to the task at hand. Parliament today has a singular agenda, to ratify or reject the Provisional Constitution. Should it be ratified, Parliament will continue as normal per the new constitution. In the event of its rejection, Senators may put forward their own proposals to replace the bill. We will follow the traditional format on voting for the replacements." Sighing, Speaker Luo took off her glasses and rubbed her forehead. "Additionally, as many of you know, as it is now peacetime, I will soon be retiring from my position as Speaker of the House. Thus, a new Speaker will also need to be voted in after the current legislative period."
 
"Boris Marik for Speaker!" shouted a backbencher, I don't know who. But judging from the direction, it was an independent that did the deed.
 
"Silence!" shouted Speaker Luo, smacking her gavel for emphasis. "Good. Let us begin voting."
 
"Oh shit," Jay breathily whispered. I turned my head right to look him in the eye. What would scare him so bad?
 
Seeing my questioning stare, Jay answered, "If the Marik is a Senator, he can be the Speaker."
 
Oh, fuck.
 
With the abolition of the Captain-Generalship, all of its powers were inherited by the Speaker of the House. The Speaker, as of right now, is the singularly most powerful person in the entire League. At no point has anyone been as powerful as Luo is right now, save for Elise Marik.
 
Within Speaker Luo's hands were the combined powers of the executive, legislative, and due to tradition ultimate judicial branches. She is, functionally, the judge, jury, and executioner of League politics. And she's about to retire.
 
Boris Marik had built a reputation during the more peaceful parts of the war for impartiality, fairness, and an unfailing adherence to the rules, formal and informal. When he took an active part in the conflict, he did so by making a grand splash, diving head first into the heart of the loyalist forces on Regulus IV, and all but dueling Elise Marik to the death.
 
His reputation was only further bolstered by staying behind and pinning entire fleets down with his mere existence on Regulus IV in a deadly game of cat and mouse for months. Somehow he still found the time to write, and the resources to internationally publish, letters encouraging rebellion against the Loyalists, both open and subtle.
 
There was no way he wouldn't get the seat.
 
Who the fuck could campaign against a man that's worth four fucking fleets.
 
He's built too much prestige and pedigree in his words and actions to be denied that. He wouldn't even have to actively push for it, the MPs would do it for him. Shit, they'll even do so against his wishes.
 
"Jay, we need to sink my bill."
 
"Ma'am?" he turned to me quizzically.
 
"We need to sink my damn bill." I was panicking. "My bill, as is, would keep the powers of the Speaker the same as right now. With Boris' credentials, popularity, and the Speaker's powers, he'll become the emperor and dictator of the League. We cannot afford that. I can't afford that. We need to sink my bill."
 
Understanding seeped into his eyes, and he gave me a stiff nod. "You realize, once we sink your bill, someone else's will go through. And we can't stick with the current one, because that don't fix the problem."
 
"I know," I harshly whispered. This was a complete and utter disaster. Not even fifteen minutes in and I've already lost. I took a deep, calming breath, before flipping up the desks discrete folding screen and hitting the buttons to vote against ratification.
 
It wasn't long before the votes were all accounted for. Speaker Luo rose from her dais and activated a holotank. In the center of the room showed the results. Nearly 75% of Parliament voted against ratification. More than enough to override any veto by the executive.
 
"Very well. Honorable Senators, Parliament has spoken. In a clear majority, the bill to ratify the Provisional Constitution has failed. We will now begin the First Reading of the alternative proposals."
 
The alternative bills presented themselves on my screen as Speaker Luo introduced them. She called up the proposers one after another, to speak at length of the merit of their bills, their vision of what a proper modern Parliament would look like. None of them caught my eye, because they all had the same problem as mine. No one ever imagined the dissolution of the Captain-Generalship, and the consequences thereof. If either mine or theirs passed, we would end up with a dictator Speaker, ruling over the League with an iron fist.
 
Sir Humphreys then stood. His proposal opening up on my screen. Unusual of him to be standing and participating. He was an Andurien, they typically want nothing to do with Parliament or the Federation as a whole. So for him to be participating in any capacity, let alone proposing his vision for a modern Parliament, was unique.
 
"Madame Speaker, my fellow Senators, it is a great honor to be participating in the democratic process of this day. It has long been the ambition of mine, to see the ship of state wrenched away from the pitfalls of the past, and set sail once again to upon a course, right and proper.
 
"I state, as many of you today, will have also noticed, that there is too much concentration of power in the hands of too few. The position of the Captain-General was but a symptom of a greater disease. The disease being a total lack of the separation of powers.
 
"Under a different nation, this would not be a problem. No world has issues with assigning total authority and power to a single, soul. But at the scale that which we operate, that same sensible common sense begins to break down. Our ancestors created the Free Worlds League's Parliament, naively believing it would stay small. That there would be no more admissions into the League, or that the growth of colonies would not explode as they have during our era.
 
"This has created a mess of competing interests constantly jockeying against each other. A mess of overlapping jurisdictions, and authorities, and powers, and responsibilities, and so much more that confuses observers and obfuscates facts.
 
"Why is the Ministry of Human Services competing with the Ministry of Trade over jurisdiction in enforcing some regulations regarding imported health devices? Who knows! They sure don't. Only pursuing the cause because it's what they've always done, especially as that means they get a larger share of the budget.
 
"And now, with the abolition of the Captain-Generalship, the supreme powers of the executive, legislative, and judicial fall upon the shoulders of the Speaker. The Speaker can now give orders to the military. The Speaker can now introduce or reject, and weigh in on legislation, and due to the history of the League, the Speaker can preside as leader of the final Judicial circuit against cases of Parliamentary import.
 
"Why is it that anyone can accrue power so? Because there is nothing to stop them. Good, righteous souls, and ancient traditions, can only hold off the greedy and avaricious from power for so long before they fail.
 
"I know you have all thought so too. We all have whenever we think about the past Mariks and the Captain-Generalship. No offense, Boris." he waved to his friend.
 
"None taken," Boris good-naturedly replied.
 
"Which is why Boris and I have drafted this proposal."
 
Excuse me? What?
 
"Bill C-9-Z-6. A bill that will introduce the separation of powers. A bill that will neuter any would be Tyrant or Dictator forever. A bill that would protect the electorate from the worst excesses of the great machine that is the Nation."
 
So this was Marik's play.
 
As I read, I had to strain my memory for my historical political education. This was a semi-presidential system. Under these beyond ancient systems, the government would be separated into three parts, the Legislative, the Executive, and the Judicial. The Legislative would be further divided as a bicameral system, with different representative systems for each division.
 
This was absolutely the work of Humphreys and Marik. Both of them had doctorates in pre-Alliance history. Those two were infamously well learned on topics of beyond ancient past. Boris was known to push forward his own obsession whenever possible.
 
While unusual to the modern woman, it wasn't unworkable. Certainly they were right about concentrating power in the wrong hands, but to use this momentous vote for this. To use the second most important vote in all the League's history to push his pet mission. Ludicrous.
 
Still. It wasn't unworkable. I could salvage my plans and House's ambitions with this. "Jay. This is it. We're voting for this one."
 
"You sure? You'll be playing into his hand."
 
"I'm certain."
 
Humphreys rambled on some more about righteousness and properness. I didn't pay attention. I already cast my vote, and the rest of my block followed suit.
 
The President position. The head of the executive. I'm almost certain Marik named it that, for me. Tomás Allison, my ancestor, was President Tomás Allison when he signed the Articles of Unification in 2271. That had to be deliberate. A call back to the ancient days, of a bygone title no longer used by my House. While no longer in use, it still held meaning. It still held power.
 
With what I know of him, that was a challenge. One that I will accept. When this week is over, I shall have laid the groundwork to become the first President of the Free Worlds League.
----
===What should do if you fail?===
Atreus, Marik CommonwealthFree Worlds League2733
Elijah Johanson Aquino
It was late at night, and I just arrived to Boris' Ionian estate for the reunification. Klemens, Boris, and I were finally together again, that called for a celebration. Aside from surviving the end of the civil war, which we were also celebrating. And, Boris and Klemens successfully passing their new Constitution, which we were also, also celebrating.
 
We had three things to cry happy about. So we had to party thrice as hard.
 
So Boris pulled out the karaoke mics and we started screaming it out. Literally. None of us knew how to sing worth a damn. Our voices were better fit for dying cats being brutally castrated by rabid piranhas.
 
There's just something about knowingly singing terribly that's incredibly liberating.
 
Klemens however, took offense to that, having pulled out an ancient song to sing. Enma? Inka? Something like that. Apparently he was supposed to sound like a dying cat or a mourning gecko. Considering he's the one with a PHD in history, I'm inclined to believe his claims. Who knew there were songs you were supposed to sing terribly.
 
Later, the servants came by with boneless spare rib burgers, drenched in barbecue sauce, and the crispest, freshest vegetables known to man. I loved it. I would have married it. It was that good.
 
We ended the day by going out to the balcony for some star gazing and drinking.
 
A companionable silence settled in while we gazed up at the heavens.
 
I was in my third shot of Malibu when Boris interrupted the serenity. "Guys, I have one last happy announcement to make."
 
"Oh?" Klemens hummed.
 
Boris turned around in his sun chair to face us. "I'm getting married!"
 
"Congratulations!" I shouted, giving my man a fist bump. Really, it was a long time coming. A scion of the Marik House, even a branch of the main House, wouldn't have stayed unmarried for long. Somehow, Boris managed to keep putting his off for a full decade, despite his father's insistence.
 
"Yes… that's grand," Klemens murmured. Ah. Yeah. That would be awkward for him. After having held a torch for Boris for so long, it must have been crushing to hear he's getting married. "I, uh, wish you the best."
 
"Thanks guys." Boris smiled, one of his terrawatt smiles. I could physically feel the sincerity and happiness coming off of him.
 
A soft 'urk' alerted me, Klemens felt it too.
 
Poor guy.
 
That's what you get for not confessing your feelings. Or learning to move on.
 
Later I'll have to drag Klemens somewhere quiet and let him vent. After that, we'll be right as rain. It's not like the marriage will get in the way of our friendship.
 
"Who are you betrothed too, by the way?" I asked, curious about the lucky girl to snag Boris up.
 
Boris' smile softened, into something more tender. "Her name is Catherine Cameron. Yes, from those Camerons. I met her in the Hegemony."
 
Oh? Oh, no.
 
If there was one constant among Anduriens, all Anduriens, anyone in the League and beyond could rely upon, was their rampant xenophobia. Normally it was directed against Capellans, but a close second was the rest of the League, tied with the Terran Hegemony.
 
Boris laid back down to stare at the stars. After which I hazarded a peek to Klemens. His face was rock solid, carved straight from granite.
 
It was going to take more than a good ranting to calm him down. If ever.
 
Ah, shit. I'm going to have my work cut out for me.
-----
*; Author's Chapter Note : And that's the end of Book 1 Virtus. I hope you like the Allison segment, because the rest of book 2 will primarily revolve around politics. In contrast to many other B-Tech fics, save one, the focus (outside of the soap opera melodrama) will be around Grand Strategy. Grand Strategy as in the politics, policies, diplomacy, resources, and industry that shapes the who's what's, when's, where's, why's and how's wars are fought. To me, that's always been more interesting than the mechs, tanks, and fighters. It's the human element that always makes me sit up and pay attention, as opposed to the technical element.That said, I'll be taking a break from writing to plan and rest the creative juices of my brain. So this story will be on hiatus. I hope you enjoyed the journey so far, and look forward to what's coming next.Also, on the Allison segment. Treat yourself to a cookie if you had any inkling of what I had planned. Even just guessing that Boris stranding himself on Regulus IV would be important post-war, gets you a cookie.By-the-by. For those curious, I'm basing the new FWL Government on France's system.
-----
<<Previous Chapter - Return to Story Index - Next Book>>
21, Chapter