A Battle Unseen

[Doc]

Wood House, Dragon Hills, Duchy of Odufaray, 8:30pm local time, 9:30 Kaliburg time

There was a knock at the door of the Empress' Offices.  The knock was late, but not unexpected.

"It opens" said Mary.

"Madame, it is your sister," said Lady Marian Southern, after entering the room and standing by the door.

"Please show her in, Lady Marian,"  said Mary.

"Aye, my Lady," said the Empress' personal Assistant, who stepped forward and waved at the lady outside of the room to enter.  Lady Marian then disappeared from the room and closed the door behind her.

"Sorry I'm so late," said Margaret.  "The trip in was a bit of a pain."

"What was the matter," asked Mary.

"Oh, the Ferry was late getting into port first of all because we had fog in Kaliburg, then when we were coming in, the driver nearly hit a deer.  It was just a bunch of little stupid things."

"Would you like to take a shower first?  Maybe have some dinner?  We had spaghetti tonight.  Some tea maybe?"

"No, let's just get this over with so I can relax the rest of the night," said Margaret.

'Alright then.  What's the news?"

"So the Party I think is settling on a team.  They were kind of cagey when I was asking them who they were going with, but I think they have a name they want, and finally agreed to tell me after a vote.  Really Mary, I don't know why you don't just do away with that stupid Party..."

"They serve their purpose, Meg.  Sometimes when I want to bury something, the Party helps me kill it in endless debate...  the caucuses provide the illusion that there's an opposition...  its a necessary evil.  So.  Who is it?"

Margaret paused.  "I don't think you're going to like it..."

Mary took a breath as she stirred her tea.  "Well, get it over with then," she said, dispassionately.

"It's Anderson."

"Oh Meg.  How could you let them pick her?"

"I tried to tell them.  I told them you weren't going to want her."

"Want her?  How could they even think I would consider her?  She's a god damned republican!"

"No she isn't, Mary," Margaret said, with a laugh.  "That's totally not true."

"It's a no.  I'm not going to have that idiot."

"Well, she's the one they want," said Margaret.  "She's the one they are going to vote for."

"No," said Mary.  "There's no way."  Mary paused and then pressed a button on an intercom.  "Lady Marian, get Hurst in Kaliburg on the phone for me please."

Margaret jumped up from her chair and ran to the Intercom.  "Lady Marian," she said into the machine.  "Belay that for a minute, please," she said.  Mary looked up at her younger sister.

"What do you think you are doing, Meg?" she asked incredulously. 

"Just think for a second, Mary," said Margaret.  "You can't interfere with what they are doing, remember?"

"Well if they want to pick a democrat to be the next Chancellor, what else do you suggest I do?"

"You had me in a room for a week and a half talking to these people.  What was that for?"

"To make sure they did the right thing," answered Mary. 

"Right, but you didn't want to do it yourself?  Remember what you were talking about with the Democratic Club?"

Mary sat back in her chair.  "I knew that would come back to bite me in the ass."

"Mary I'll call Hurst for you.  But if you need to have another name, then tell me who you would like, and I'll pass it on.  Don't undermine your own work with the reformers by getting involved."

Mary stared at Margaret.  "What the hell is this country coming to when I can't tell these people who they are going to name to serve in my own damned government?"

"Just give me a name, Mary.  I'll make the call.  That way we can keep you air gapped."  There was a long pause.  "Mary, I'm trying to help you..."

"Well, then I want Edwards," said Mary.

"No, he's already on the record saying he would, and I quote, teach the democrats a lesson or two.  The Party won't vote for him."

"Ok then what about Malcolm?"

"He wants to spend you into the dust with military spending.  And we just learned that he wants to cut poor spending."

"Oh God damn it," said Mary, exasperated.  "Well, I mean that's everyone."

"Come on Mary, there's 79 Deputies...  What about one of the freshmen?"

"You mean like Lady Alvarez?  What is she?  Like 15?"

"Alvarez is 29...  But... she's actually not bad."

"Are you kidding me Meg?  No, not her."

"Well, you have to pick someone.  And she's family at least..." said Margaret.

Mary let out a long sigh and sipped another draught of her tea.  "Do you think the Party would vote for her?"

"Well, she's one of the few people who both sides recommended, but you had me veto that choice.  But I think she could get the votes, if we said she was a compromise."

"She's too much of a Brethrenist," said Mary.  "She's too close to the Meeting.  If she's the chancellor, every single ruble for procurement will be a big fight."

Margaret thought a moment.  "Is this your only objection?  That she's a Brethrenist?"

"I mean, yeah, She's in the lunatic wing of her Meeting.  She's a real hippy..."

Margaret laughed.  "Mary, You're a real Hippy yourself!"

Mary shot her sister an appalled look.  "I most certainly am not!" she said.

"You are!  Look at you:  You only wear cotton, linen, hemp or wool.  You are a vegan.  You live up here in the forest like an elf.  You don't use gasoline.  All you care about is peace and the environment and planting trees.  You are such a hippy!"

"Yeah, and I shoot guns for sport and have a gem horde.  I'm the Empress of a goddamned empire!  I am the Empire!"

"No, ma'am, you're a total hippy.  Look, if that's your only problem with our cousin, that she reminds you of yourself too much, I think we have our girl..."

"No, Alvarez is wrong on Athosia...  I don't want her."

"What do you mean?" asked Margaret.

"She thinks I should give up on Athosia and just leave Baltusia alone...  She said that to the papers last year."

"Mary, first of all, that's a small thing.  One person isn't going to change anything in Athosia for you or anyone.  Second:  She has property there:  in fact her whole family does, a LOT of it.  I don't think they are going to want you to abandon Athosia...  Third, she sponsored a bill to invest in Baltusia's rail network just last week.  She really wants you to work with Baltusia to finally build that line.  The Alvarez' have a lot of money in Athosia.  I think if you talk to her, you'll find that she's probably really open to your positions."

Mary rubbed her temples and let out a sigh.  "I need more tea," she said as she got up and crossed the room.  At the tea stand, she looked back to her sister:  "Are you sure you don't want any tea?"

"Did you put the opium in it already?"

"There is no other way to take it," said Mary as she poured her own cup once more.

"I'll pass then," she said. 

"Alright," she said as she crossed the room and sat back down.  She took a long sip.  "If you were me, would you pick Jennifer?"

Margaret thought for a moment.  "The Nationalists like her connections to the Crown.  The Internationalists like her pan-Seleyan viewpoint.  And I'm pretty sure we can guess where the Brethrenists are at.  The democrats might like that she's young and could be reform minded...  IBSI likes her.  I'd pick her."

"She's untried..." said Mary.

"She's impressionable, and can be persuaded," said Margaret.  Mary rolled her eyes and then exhaled as she began to feel her tea work on her.  "Alright." she said as she reached over and pressed her intercom once again.  "Lady Marian, call Hurst now and patch him through here."

"Yes Madame," said Lady Marian Southern's voice on the other end of the line. 

Mary looked at Margaret.  "I hope you're right about this one."  After a moment of silence, Lady Southern said "Hurst is on 1, Madame."  Mary pressed the button and said thank you, and Margaret stood up, walked to the desk, picked up the phone and said, "No, its me...  It's Alvarez.  No...  No...  Look Bob...  No, I'm here with her now.  It's Alvarez.  Yeah, I know.  Nope, it's not open.  It's Alvarez.  Alright?  Yeah, tell him if he has any issues, to call me, not her.  Got it?  Alright.  Let me know when its done.  I'll be up.  Alright..."  And she hung up.  Mary took another sip of her tea.

"I better take that shower now," said Margaret.

"When you're done, have Don fix you a plate.  I'll see you then.  We can play some cards.  The kids are asleep and Martin is in town this evening.  We'll talk about the others."

"It's gonna be a long night, isn't it?" asked Margaret.

"No," said Mary.  "It doesn't have to be.  If the Party gives you what you want."

"Big IF," said Margaret.

"When..." said Mary with a lazy smile.