[center] [h1][b][color=f72f39]Alexander Kherol[/color][/b][/h1] [/center][hr] [center][h2]Alea iacta est[/h2][/center] [hr] [b][color=f72f39]"Yeah. What about it? It has to butt heads somewhere at some point."[/color][/b] Alexander merely shrugged at his general's implications. [b][color=f7976a]"This will escalate tensions, you know that?"[/color][/b] Antony replied, to which Alexander nodded, almost nonchalantly. [b][color=f7976a]"Civil war even."[/color][/b] Another nod similar to the last one. [b][color=f7976a]"What happened to reform the Ascendancy with incrementalism?"[/color][/b] The Grand Admiral, leaning right onto the table next to him and shrugged once again with his lips perched to one side. [b][color=f72f39]"...Still there. Never has gone away."[/color][/b] [b][color=f7976a]"...I really don't understand-"[/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"Look, as I said, we are facing a fascistic regime. They are not going to abide by the laws when their power is at stake. What we did up till this point is a minor thing to them. One day, there will be something that we both cannot compromise."[/color][/b] He explained. Antony gave an unusually stern look at the Grand Admiral. [b][color=f7976a]"So you're saying it's inevitable?"[/color][/b] Alexander nodded. [b][color=fff257]"...But..."[/color][/b] Of all people, it was the impetuous Lan who spoke up, strangely calm and retrospective. [b][color=fff257]"Didn't you say we can beat them in the legal sense?"[/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"...did I?"[/color][/b] Alexander turned to her, his voice calm but with a hint of genuinity. [b][color=fff257]"I don't remember clearly what we talked entirely but I remember somewhat when..."[/color][/b] She snapped her fingers a few times. [b][color=fff257]"After Ponin remember? When we were in the medical center? We talked literally deep into the night that the nurses were mad about it."[/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"Uhh...yeah, now I remember..."[/color][/b] Alexander scratched his temple, his reply softened. [b][color=f72f39]"...but one man's opinion can change. It's been 6 years since, hasn't it?"[/color][/b] Lan gave a sideway glance as she both nodded and shrugged her shoulders. A strange attitude compared to her usual self. It unfortunately also left a very awkward silence in the room. Everyone was just...unsure of what to make of what Alexander just said. On the one hand, it was rather rare that he would act like this, taken by surprise and hesitant in his response. Perhaps they had been too accustomed to this leader Kherol image - a man of action, strength, and daringness. On the other hand, he had a point, and to be honest, even the men and women in the most intimate circle of colleagues, considered the giants of the galaxy, weren't anywhere the political insight necessary to judge what was right in this scenario, maybe except for Annette. Reform, revolution, or both? They only trusted that their superior, one of the greatest space commanders in the current galaxy, to make the right decision. Sensing the atmosphere, the candid captain of the Richthofen gently approached Alexander, having been quiet for the entire meeting silently observing. [b][color=0b4cb5]"You have a moment?"[/color][/b] She tiptoed to whisper to him. He nodded, and she turned to the rest of the commanders. [b][color=0b4cb5]"Excuse us for a few minutes. We'll be back."[/color][/b] [hr] [b][color=0b4cb5]"Look, Alex, it's imperative you be transparent about this to your commanders. Hell, maybe even to yourself for that matter."[/color][/b] Carina's austere aura was doubly so today. Her arms crossed in front of her chest as she stood at a distance from Alexander in the empty hallway. [b][color=0b4cb5]"I know what you're thinking. It's not simply about you changing your ideals suddenly like that. You've always been against the idea of a violent takeover ever since I know you. You even said that we have to fight against that instinct to do what comes natural." [/color][/b] Alexander could see the underlying criticism she was levying his way, but, as she said, he held onto that natural instinct to throw out an answer. He stood quiet by the corner of the wall looking at his friend and captain as she walked up to him, adjusting his collars and patting his shoulders [b][color=0b4cb5]"Have I been honest about how contradictory you are?" [/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"No. This I can't remember for sure."[/color][/b] Alexander said as Carina gave him a smile. [b][color=0b4cb5]"Your family remember? Your marriage too to some extent. That's what you've always wanted."[/color][/b] Alexander tilted his head to the side, and she shook his shoulders with her grip. [b][color=0b4cb5]"Come on, don't even try to deny it. You've rambled about it for years to me."[/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"Yeah, that's true. You've probably gotten sick of it coming from me."[/color][/b] Alexander gave her a witty smile. [b][color=0b4cb5]"No, that's something I can respect. But at the same time, you cannot bring yourself to leave your work. Now now I know..."[/color][/b] She said, shrugging her shoulders hard. [b][color=0b4cb5]"The Ascendancy sucks, and it needs you to fix itself. But that's not really a justification to be such a workaholic. You've taken a vacation only once for the last 8 years, and that was only a short detour with your friend. You work throughout the weekends too. I've never actually seen you NOT doing anything at all in fact."[/color][/b] [i][b][color=0b4cb5]"You want a peaceful life, but you seem have this...fear of idleness. I don't know where it's from, but you keep pushing, harder and harder to satisfy it..."[/color][/b][/i] [b][color=f72f39]"...Let me guess, it's the same deal with this one."[/color][/b] The Grand Admiral replied. Carina perched her lips a little. [b][color=0b4cb5]"...I wouldn't say you fear being idle in this case, but something else. But I'd like to believe THAT 'something else' is behind your thoughts."[/color][/b] She said, as her gaze landed on the door leading to the meeting room. [b][color=0b4cb5]"I doubt this will sway the loyalty of your officers, but it will greatly help their conviction. I am sure that Antony would like this new direction, if you're being sincere with it."[/color][/b] [b][color=f72f39]"Maybe even mine as well..."[/color][/b] Alexander gave a loose sigh before uprightly straightened his uniform again. [b][color=f72f39]"I'm gonna need my time alone. Just for a few minutes."[/color][/b] Knowing his preferences, Carina simply nodded and took her leave silently, back to the meeting room. That 'something else'... Carina was right. He did work like a workaholic. Health-wise, he still exercised daily and slept 8 hours a day, overall a fit person by the standard of a non-augmented human, but other than that, he didn't have much of a...pastime. He could say chess and reading are counter-examples, but he didn't do that often enough to recollect the last time he does so. Hell, the readings he did were for his works too. The scary thing was that he didn't even realize them. Work just dissolved the day for him. He just got lost in it and by the time he was out, the day ended and he was in bed. Rinse repeat. He definitely didn't need to work this hard. Faro is his chief of staff and the amount of time he worked is proportional to the wrinkles on his face, but the old man still spent his time everyday checking up on his wife (whom he stayed with for almost 60 years now), talking to the kids, grandkids, and if none were applicable, he'd just play balls with the soldiers. The old man has a life outside work. Everybody around him have. Alexander doesn't. Why? Was it actually fear of idleness? That by doing nothing, he achieves nothing? This Ascendancy business too. He too forgot how he wanted to do these things. It was important and immediately relevant than his work ethics, so he decided to focus on this first. For this one, now that he took the time to introspect, he knew exactly what was talked about here. It wasn't the last straw that broke the invisible camel's back, but it was the instigator. He had been working on this 'kangaroo court' case behind the scenes ever since he drew first blood. But the camel's not dead. What should he do here? He could turn back. Go back into incremental change. Change the Ascendancy gradually with small legislation and reforms, bribing or converting senators into his fold, both to build legal and political power. And then when he had enough power, he'd be able to pass any legislation he wanted, or hell even a bloodless coup, shaping the government his way. The peaceful and best solution that spared the blood of the people. But again, this is a fascist regime. Would they be so dumb to let him carry out this plan? Right now there are already whispers to strip Alexander of his Grand Admiral title as well, following Nikolas's retirement. Besides, the case he was also working on was getting nowhere as well. Following this route would likely mean that he'd lose the case. A queen sacrifice for a potentially better good. Or he could follow this through. Escalate tensions and go into direct conflict with the Ascendancy higher-ups. It would certainly mean he could just do whatever he wanted to. But he would definitely be swamping through a blood pool. Exactly what he had wanted to avoid. Revolutions are messy. The most successful ones are triumphant and are revered for centuries and maybe even millennia, but so many failed ones littered the pages of history. And all of them were washed in blood. Especially the latest one. They often are destructive more than constructive. The Grand Admiral certainly did not oppose to the idea, but so many hot-headed revolutionaries are careless with this. No coalition, no concrete constructive actions, destructive behaviors, lofty utopian views are some of the most obvious that people conveniently ignore. And Alexander was not so above it all. He made his mistakes once, what if he made more mistakes again? The blood would be on him. It took him a long while to make up his mind. As a leader, he couldn't renege halfway through. Once the decision is made, he'd have to go through with it. To his surprise, the meeting was not dissolved, but rather devolved into Antony making some Shakespearian speeches with poor Carina at the receiving end of it to keep the attendees occupied. Alexander's return made them stop halfway and stood at attention. The Grand Admiral's steps returned to the usual long stride, his gestures firm. [b][color=f72f39]"Sorry for the long delay. I will be honest, I was heavily deliberating this. If I had been more prepared going into this meeting." [/color][/b] He laid his two hands straight on the table in front of him. [b][color=f72f39]"But it's decided now. Here's the plan."[/color][/b]