[Gesthenia]

Rosa Chapman listened to the buzz of voices from the hall next door. For a moment she suddenly felt all of her 47 years. It had been a long few months and a gruelling election campaign.


“Are you ready, Rosa?” Her campaign manager Annabelle Fisher appeared beside her.


“Give me a second please, Annie.” Rosa took a couple of slow deep breaths, cast one last look at her notes and pushed open the door. A loud cheer greeted her as she walked to the microphone. She forced a broad smile on her face and raised a fist. A fresh round of cheers and applause rose from the crowd.


“Well, here we are! I would like to congratulate all my fellow candidates for a well run, if at times tough, campaign. I also extend my profound thanks and gratitude to my campaign team and the thousands of volunteers and activists whose hard and tireless work helped make this victory a reality. Today marks a new chapter in Gesthenia's history. As a nation we have undergone many trials and tribulations in our past. But today we take a step towards putting them behind us.


“Gesthenia is a proud nation made up of proud people. I am grateful and humbled that the people of Gesthenia have entrusted me to guide this great country. I will repay this trust by working for the many, not the few! For too long have the poor, the disenfranchised and most vulnerable members of our society been left to fend for themselves. This must not be allowed to continue. I promise to everyone here, and also watching and listening across the country, to implement a series of comprehensive programs of reform and development, as promised in my manifesto. Something which would not be needed if not for the years and years and years of corruption and incompetence of the previous administration!”


She paused. “I apologise. I sometimes forget I'm not still on the campaign trail.” A smattering of chuckles drifted around the room.


“But on the subject of my predecessor, Mr Anthony Malvern... While I may fundamentally disagree with many of his views and policies, I have found him to be a worthy opponent, a man of strong convictions, both in the Chamber and on the campaign trail. However, like all of you by now, I too have been paying attention over recent months to the accusations and rumours surrounding Mr. Malvern and the activities of members of his government. Therefore, I am announcing that my first act as President will be the formation of a judicial commission into the actions of my predecessor.”


She stepped back from the microphone. There was a moment of hushed silence in the hall. Then the noise started. A cacophony of journalists all shouting questions, a sizeable amount of applause Rosa was pleased to hear and a few angry shouts and boos. Anthony Malvern grasped her hand and smiled for the assembled cameras.“You bitch!” he said.


Rosa leaned down to his ear. “Now, now Tony. You of all people should know the dangers of saying 'unfortunate' things in the presence of microphones.” For a brief moment a look of absolute hatred flashed across his features before he forced a grin back towards the crowd. After a few minutes, Rosa stepped forward and raised her fist in celebration then turned and headed for the steps off the stage. Annabelle, her campaign manager was waiting for her offstage.


“Well, Annie, let's see if they are still calling me 'bland and moribund' in tomorrow's papers now!” said Rosa, and strode off down the corridor.

[Gesthenia]

President-elect Rosa Chapman strode down a long carpeted corridor. Behind her she could still hear the commotion she had started with the bombshell announcement in her victory speech. Her campaign manager Annabelle Fisher hurried to keep up with her.


“Rosa, do you think that was wise making an enemy of Anthony Malvern?” asked Annabelle.


“What's the worst he could do? He's a tiger who's just had all his teeth removed,” said Rosa. “Besides, Tony's a big pussycat really. Or he will be once I've finished with him.”


“He still has friends and allies in high places. Like Gilbert Marsh and the National Observer –“


Rosa sighed. “Fine. You may be right. Get hold of Matt and arrange a meeting. The three of us can sit down and go over our media strategy.”


Annabelle looked at her. “Three of us? But I'm just your campaign manager and the campaign's over –“


“Annie, you've a good head on your shoulders and you're a damn fine campaign manager. More importantly, you're a good friend. I'm going to need people I can trust. I want you to be my Chief-of-Staff.”


A man's voice came from behind them. “Can I quote you on that, Madam President?”


“Oh, fuck me!” Rosa muttered. She stopped and turned round. A young man in his mid-twenties wearing a cheap suit stood in the corridor. His press pass hung from a lanyard round his neck.


“If it isn't 'intrepid boy reporter', James Barnes as I live and breathe?" Rosa flashed a grin at Annabelle. "Shouldn't you be rummaging through some celebrity's bins or something?” 


A hint of a blush tinged his cheeks. “Only my mum calls me James. Besides, contents of bins aren't half as interesting as that hand grenade you dropped back there.”


“OK, Jimmy.” Rosa gestured towards him “Walk with me for a bit. At the very least, you can tell your colleagues in the newsroom you spent five minutes with the President-elect.”


He fell into step beside her and pulled a voice-recorder from his pocket. “So, Madam President-elect, a Judicial Commission? Have you thought about who is going to lead it? I hear Justice Rinaldi could be in the running.”


“Eric Rinaldi is a very highly respected lawyer and judge, who I hold in the highest regard. But I've only just been elected. I have barely had time to think about what I'm going to eat let alone the intricacies of a Judicial Commission.”


Jimmy raised an eyebrow. “Really? Surely you are not saying you announced something as momentous as a Judicial Commission without any prior thought? You must have some ideas?”


“Come on, Jimmy. Of course I have considered it. Look, what I will say is this: details of the Commission will be announced in due course, most likely after the inauguration and only after extensive consultation and collaboration with my team and with the Ministry of Justice.”


“Talking of collaboration,” said Jimmy, “What do you say to allegations that members of your own party have had connections to Anthony Malvern?”

“OK, cool your jets. Don't want to appear too eager now, do we? You'll put the rest of your colleagues to shame.” Rosa stopped outside a door. She turned to the Personal Security Officer standing in the corridor. “Jeremy, would you please escort Mr. Barnes back to the main hall?” She turned to Annabelle.

“Call Matt. And see if we can get some food up here. I'm starving!” Rosa went into the room followed by her campaign manager and the door closed behind them. Jimmy Barnes followed the Security Officer back along the corridor. “Huh, she hadn't actually answered my last question,” Jimmy thought. Maybe it was nothing but then again maybe it was 'something'. He pulled out his phone.

“Hey, Ronan. Jimmy Barnes. You got time for a drink and a chat?”