2252.01.25 – President’s Office, Earth
2252.01.25 – President’s Office, Earth
It had been four days of peace. Four days. And now? Now Ersh was again legally elected President. He looked in the mirror. His face. When did he get so old? Would his term end in death, or in electoral defeat? Or, perhaps he could, one day, retire?
He smirked. Retire? Him? No, not before his work were done. Or taken away from him. Next election was in 2262. He’d be 96 years old, if he lived. And he had good genes, he knew that. But you never knew. Only God.
Four days ago. The Emperor of the Roman Empire had bowed to Sol’s dominion. An authoritarian brought low. It warmed a democratic hearth. Now, the terms were relatively harsh, harsher than Ersh had wanted. But he did not rule on his own. He had the Senate. And the people of Sol. Perhaps, he muttered under his breath, in a few years. After he had worked up the support for a better treatment of the Romans.
He looked at the map. Takharam had been annexed, the rest of the Roman Empire intact. Yet humblewd. And, of course, the Sathorians had annexed two systems. He couldn’t understand why they did not close the corridor left after peace was signed.
He shrugged. Not his problem. If anything, Sol and the Sathorians were on friendly terms. As a result, they were on “friendly” terms with the Romans too. Ersh was sure he could get the two to an agreement.
In fact, he had a suggestion or two for the Sathorians, although if they would like it was another matter. As long as they were friends, the northern border was secure. The southern border was relatively secure too. If only he could get the three members of the federation to let Sol join.
But no, he had tried. The Othari was positive and had voted for Sol to join. The other two… The other two had complained Sol was too far away and wouldn’t agree to it. And this federation operated on unanimous voting.
Now the west, north and south-west were secure. In the east laid unknown wastes. And south-east? The Janislaws and their vassals the Freeholders. Sol’s navy was the strongest in the known galaxy. But Janislaw’s technology lead was sobering, to say the least.
It was clear; Sol needed to work on her internal economy and technological output. First, he would build up the starbases. The planets too, of course, but there were still plenty of space on all of them.
He began to write down ideas. Orders to be executed. It would be a long night. “If only Abia had been here”, he muttered to himself.
It had been four days of peace. Four days. And now? Now Ersh was again legally elected President. He looked in the mirror. His face. When did he get so old? Would his term end in death, or in electoral defeat? Or, perhaps he could, one day, retire?
He smirked. Retire? Him? No, not before his work were done. Or taken away from him. Next election was in 2262. He’d be 96 years old, if he lived. And he had good genes, he knew that. But you never knew. Only God.
Four days ago. The Emperor of the Roman Empire had bowed to Sol’s dominion. An authoritarian brought low. It warmed a democratic hearth. Now, the terms were relatively harsh, harsher than Ersh had wanted. But he did not rule on his own. He had the Senate. And the people of Sol. Perhaps, he muttered under his breath, in a few years. After he had worked up the support for a better treatment of the Romans.
He looked at the map. Takharam had been annexed, the rest of the Roman Empire intact. Yet humblewd. And, of course, the Sathorians had annexed two systems. He couldn’t understand why they did not close the corridor left after peace was signed.
He shrugged. Not his problem. If anything, Sol and the Sathorians were on friendly terms. As a result, they were on “friendly” terms with the Romans too. Ersh was sure he could get the two to an agreement.
In fact, he had a suggestion or two for the Sathorians, although if they would like it was another matter. As long as they were friends, the northern border was secure. The southern border was relatively secure too. If only he could get the three members of the federation to let Sol join.
But no, he had tried. The Othari was positive and had voted for Sol to join. The other two… The other two had complained Sol was too far away and wouldn’t agree to it. And this federation operated on unanimous voting.
Now the west, north and south-west were secure. In the east laid unknown wastes. And south-east? The Janislaws and their vassals the Freeholders. Sol’s navy was the strongest in the known galaxy. But Janislaw’s technology lead was sobering, to say the least.
It was clear; Sol needed to work on her internal economy and technological output. First, he would build up the starbases. The planets too, of course, but there were still plenty of space on all of them.
He began to write down ideas. Orders to be executed. It would be a long night. “If only Abia had been here”, he muttered to himself.
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