05-28-2021, 01:30 AM
Chancellor’s Study, Chancellorial Manor, Geminus
Thursday, May 27th, 2:28 PM
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The old clock on the wall was almost silent in its progression, only emitting a slight noise for every second. But for the Chancellor, it was enough to drive him mad. Another second of my leadership, gone wasting time on routine paperwork. How is this leading? He marked a few things on the paper before him with his blue pen, before closing the folder with a sigh. You’d think I’d get used to this, after five bloody years. He fidgeted with his pen, tapping it on the desk in some kind of morphing rhythm. The folder was placed with a stack of others, leaning precariously over the desk like an unstable skyscraper.
His secretary stepped in the door, causing him to sit up at attention. “Senator Morrin is here. Shall I send her in?” Will stood and stretched, nodding. “Please do. And when I’m finished, please ask the Vice Chancellor to head on over here when she can. We have a few things to discuss.” The secretary nodded, stepping out of the doorway to reveal Lynn Morrin, Senator from the Nordjura Province. “Lynn, nice to see you. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, Tea…?”
“No, thank you. You sure you don’t have anything stronger?” She asked, taking a seat in a chair before the desk, glancing around the large room at tiny details on the walls and paintings. Will chuckled and walked around his desk, facing Morrin as he sat. “Believe me, I wish I did. Do you know why I’ve asked you here?”
She furrowed her eyebrows, sitting up slightly. “No. My secretary said that the subject would be discussed here, which means you’re either plotting, sharing state secrets with me, or letting me know horrible knows. If it’s the latter, we can skip the pleasantries. I’m not exactly good at them anyway, and I don’t want to waste too much of your time.”
“No, it’s not bad news. And believe me, your presence is a relief. Don’t worry about the time, unless you have plans of your own.” He paused, spinning his silver wedding band around his finger. “No one else knows why I called you here. It’s also not any state secrets. You probably know about most of them anyway.” He paused once again, thinking about his phrasing. “Have you considered the Vice Chancellor Position?”
Her eyebrows went up at that, and she took a few moments to reign in her surprise. “You want to put me on the ticket. To reel in conservative voters to a Coalition ticket. It’s a smart idea, and it would work better than many other vice chancellor options. But wouldn’t a ticket with my name on it piss off the Greens? Things are a bit rocky between us, which is probably the greatest understatement I've made in my career."
"It likely would, but they'd get over it, given that they'd be on the top of the ticket. They know they likely can't win that without making some concessions. Plus, in actual party leadership, the Greens have been overlooked for a while. In the Eclipse Party, It was always the Progressives trying to appease ModLefts, and they were mostly expected to follow. They have power now. We all do, in a circular gun standoff kind of way."
Morrin's surprise faded, to her more characteristic stoic unamusement. "So, I'd be subservient to a Green Chancellor, likely Leah Stendē? I'd temporarily serve as your servant and meatshield for a couple years, while possibly losing my own credibility? How, exactly, are you going to try to sell this? It's a net loss for me."
"Not if you become Chancellor after Stendē. You'd be in the prime spot to run. You're both a conservative icon and a moderate messiah. And even as Vice Chancellor, you'd be in a much better place to use your party's influence. Plus you could advise Leah in her administration."
Lynn thought for a few moments, looking at the Chancellor with a masked look. "And the gag rule? I'd have to keep my opinions silent for two years. Specifically on Abortion and other points where I disagree with Leah. Don't get me wrong, she's immensely qualified. I don't know if I can look past our ideological differences."
The Chancellor nodded, raising a finger. "But, you can have an impact on that. Your party has tangible influence now, and as part of the administration, you'd be the leader of your party's base, and a representative for ModRights throughout Eiria. Do you want to give an opportunity like that up?"
Morrin sat in a rare silence for almost a minute. "I'll think about it. Jesus, no one can say you aren't ambitious. No guarantees though. And I'll want to sit down with Stendē before I agree to this." She sighed. "I'll see you on the floor."
"See you then, and thanks for your time." The old oak door clicked shut behind her with a click, opening once more for Ava Christiansen, Lancaster's Chief of Staff. "You asked for me, sir?"
"Yes. Could you clear off some time in the next few weeks for a Serso Leadership meeting? Not right away, as we have some things to work out, but soon enough. Could you organize that with the Coalition Leaders?"
"Sure." She paused, going over an apparent mental checklist. "Pardon me for asking, but is this related to the Chancellorial Election? And, if so, should I lead with that when I schedule it?"
"...Yes, it is, and preferably not. Again, I still need to work out a few things on top of actually running the country, so I'll need a little time. Could you also send the Vice Chancellor in, if she's waiting?"
"Yes sir." She left quickly, causing Lancaster to close his eyes and take a quick breath. Convincing Morrin had been difficult enough, and not guaranteed, but convincing Stendē was going to be a whole different ballgame...
Thursday, May 27th, 2:28 PM
Tick. Tick. Tick. Tick. The old clock on the wall was almost silent in its progression, only emitting a slight noise for every second. But for the Chancellor, it was enough to drive him mad. Another second of my leadership, gone wasting time on routine paperwork. How is this leading? He marked a few things on the paper before him with his blue pen, before closing the folder with a sigh. You’d think I’d get used to this, after five bloody years. He fidgeted with his pen, tapping it on the desk in some kind of morphing rhythm. The folder was placed with a stack of others, leaning precariously over the desk like an unstable skyscraper.
His secretary stepped in the door, causing him to sit up at attention. “Senator Morrin is here. Shall I send her in?” Will stood and stretched, nodding. “Please do. And when I’m finished, please ask the Vice Chancellor to head on over here when she can. We have a few things to discuss.” The secretary nodded, stepping out of the doorway to reveal Lynn Morrin, Senator from the Nordjura Province. “Lynn, nice to see you. Can I get you anything to drink? Coffee, Tea…?”
“No, thank you. You sure you don’t have anything stronger?” She asked, taking a seat in a chair before the desk, glancing around the large room at tiny details on the walls and paintings. Will chuckled and walked around his desk, facing Morrin as he sat. “Believe me, I wish I did. Do you know why I’ve asked you here?”
She furrowed her eyebrows, sitting up slightly. “No. My secretary said that the subject would be discussed here, which means you’re either plotting, sharing state secrets with me, or letting me know horrible knows. If it’s the latter, we can skip the pleasantries. I’m not exactly good at them anyway, and I don’t want to waste too much of your time.”
“No, it’s not bad news. And believe me, your presence is a relief. Don’t worry about the time, unless you have plans of your own.” He paused, spinning his silver wedding band around his finger. “No one else knows why I called you here. It’s also not any state secrets. You probably know about most of them anyway.” He paused once again, thinking about his phrasing. “Have you considered the Vice Chancellor Position?”
Her eyebrows went up at that, and she took a few moments to reign in her surprise. “You want to put me on the ticket. To reel in conservative voters to a Coalition ticket. It’s a smart idea, and it would work better than many other vice chancellor options. But wouldn’t a ticket with my name on it piss off the Greens? Things are a bit rocky between us, which is probably the greatest understatement I've made in my career."
"It likely would, but they'd get over it, given that they'd be on the top of the ticket. They know they likely can't win that without making some concessions. Plus, in actual party leadership, the Greens have been overlooked for a while. In the Eclipse Party, It was always the Progressives trying to appease ModLefts, and they were mostly expected to follow. They have power now. We all do, in a circular gun standoff kind of way."
Morrin's surprise faded, to her more characteristic stoic unamusement. "So, I'd be subservient to a Green Chancellor, likely Leah Stendē? I'd temporarily serve as your servant and meatshield for a couple years, while possibly losing my own credibility? How, exactly, are you going to try to sell this? It's a net loss for me."
"Not if you become Chancellor after Stendē. You'd be in the prime spot to run. You're both a conservative icon and a moderate messiah. And even as Vice Chancellor, you'd be in a much better place to use your party's influence. Plus you could advise Leah in her administration."
Lynn thought for a few moments, looking at the Chancellor with a masked look. "And the gag rule? I'd have to keep my opinions silent for two years. Specifically on Abortion and other points where I disagree with Leah. Don't get me wrong, she's immensely qualified. I don't know if I can look past our ideological differences."
The Chancellor nodded, raising a finger. "But, you can have an impact on that. Your party has tangible influence now, and as part of the administration, you'd be the leader of your party's base, and a representative for ModRights throughout Eiria. Do you want to give an opportunity like that up?"
Morrin sat in a rare silence for almost a minute. "I'll think about it. Jesus, no one can say you aren't ambitious. No guarantees though. And I'll want to sit down with Stendē before I agree to this." She sighed. "I'll see you on the floor."
"See you then, and thanks for your time." The old oak door clicked shut behind her with a click, opening once more for Ava Christiansen, Lancaster's Chief of Staff. "You asked for me, sir?"
"Yes. Could you clear off some time in the next few weeks for a Serso Leadership meeting? Not right away, as we have some things to work out, but soon enough. Could you organize that with the Coalition Leaders?"
"Sure." She paused, going over an apparent mental checklist. "Pardon me for asking, but is this related to the Chancellorial Election? And, if so, should I lead with that when I schedule it?"
"...Yes, it is, and preferably not. Again, I still need to work out a few things on top of actually running the country, so I'll need a little time. Could you also send the Vice Chancellor in, if she's waiting?"
"Yes sir." She left quickly, causing Lancaster to close his eyes and take a quick breath. Convincing Morrin had been difficult enough, and not guaranteed, but convincing Stendē was going to be a whole different ballgame...
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