Taley
Establishing Nation
Concistoro dell'Impero
"Gentlemen shall I remind you that we are in Consistory!" The words echoed off the stone walls of the ancient room. This room was a conundrum for its purposes, where large oak chairs stood in a row on either side of the room with an large ornate chair at its head. There was no table, but an open space lite by hanging chandeliers. It was a room of a medieval council of the king without much change and now it served as the meeting space of the ministers of government for a modern state.
The constant arguing of the past hour ceased as everyone looked to where the words came from.
"In this room we are the lords of this empire and now here you all are squabbling over one man. One man who hasn't even been given power yet." The voice was that of Renato Scala, Secretary of Domestic Affairs. He stood from his chair and stepped into the center of the room. "Does he really think he can change anything. He's not prefect yet. The tenets of power in this empire is ours." he said holding a fist to his chest.
Uproar erupted from the ministers assembled.
"Secretary Scala." The talk died down. "My lord Secretary do you sincerely believe that we can prevail in this count. Soon he will accomplish what you have said is impossible. How can we trust your judgment now?"
"Secretary Questi, what would a woman know of politics that men play." Scala said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he retook his seat on the opposing side of the room.
Then Ottavia Questi, the Secretary of Commerce, stood and stepped to the center of the room. She stopped and looked toward Scala. "We women, Renato, know very well the games men play as it is we, weak women, that pick up the pieces of the world when you have shattered them." She turned to the other ministers in the room. "My humble lords, we are at a cross roads in our time. The people have sent a dangerous man to high office. He will use that office to undo us. The Senate will be his tiger and we the sheep." She turned back to Scala and pointed in his direction, "Mark my words my lords that he will not stop until this nation burns."
The room burst with cheers and jeers and went back to the back and forth arguments that had plagued this meeting of the Consistory.
What wasn't notice among the shouting and yelling, however, were the strained glances going among the power players of the room. While the lower ministers argued over the new threat to the nation, Admiral Fabian Merici, Secretary of War, and Julian Lapin, Secretary of Inteligence, exchanged worried looks with Vice Chancellor Carmine Gavallo. Merici knew a fight was coming either political or militarily and with an uncertain enemy. A heavy sword hung over his head as he remembered how he got his job with the execution of his predecessor General Laconi for the failed war in Jurzan. But it was not Merici who wore the most stressed look for that belonged to the Chancellor, Bishop Alexis Florioli, who sat at the head of the room in the ornate chair.
The talk had droned on and they were getting no where. Florioli banged his clerical staff singling that the debate was over. "For the time being we can do nothing. We must see how this count plays out. Until then we wait. This meeting of the consistory is adjourned."
With that the room emptied. Florioli was left with Merici, Lapin, and Gavallo. "Bishop I have a very bad feeling about this man."
"I am worried as well Carmine, but our hands are tied. If he wins we must neutralize him in the Senate." responded Alexis.
"I'm sure the Senate will side with us because they will be in similar peril."
Florioli nodded his head in agreement. "We can only pray Fabian. We can only Pray."
"Gentlemen shall I remind you that we are in Consistory!" The words echoed off the stone walls of the ancient room. This room was a conundrum for its purposes, where large oak chairs stood in a row on either side of the room with an large ornate chair at its head. There was no table, but an open space lite by hanging chandeliers. It was a room of a medieval council of the king without much change and now it served as the meeting space of the ministers of government for a modern state.
The constant arguing of the past hour ceased as everyone looked to where the words came from.
"In this room we are the lords of this empire and now here you all are squabbling over one man. One man who hasn't even been given power yet." The voice was that of Renato Scala, Secretary of Domestic Affairs. He stood from his chair and stepped into the center of the room. "Does he really think he can change anything. He's not prefect yet. The tenets of power in this empire is ours." he said holding a fist to his chest.
Uproar erupted from the ministers assembled.
"Secretary Scala." The talk died down. "My lord Secretary do you sincerely believe that we can prevail in this count. Soon he will accomplish what you have said is impossible. How can we trust your judgment now?"
"Secretary Questi, what would a woman know of politics that men play." Scala said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he retook his seat on the opposing side of the room.
Then Ottavia Questi, the Secretary of Commerce, stood and stepped to the center of the room. She stopped and looked toward Scala. "We women, Renato, know very well the games men play as it is we, weak women, that pick up the pieces of the world when you have shattered them." She turned to the other ministers in the room. "My humble lords, we are at a cross roads in our time. The people have sent a dangerous man to high office. He will use that office to undo us. The Senate will be his tiger and we the sheep." She turned back to Scala and pointed in his direction, "Mark my words my lords that he will not stop until this nation burns."
The room burst with cheers and jeers and went back to the back and forth arguments that had plagued this meeting of the Consistory.
What wasn't notice among the shouting and yelling, however, were the strained glances going among the power players of the room. While the lower ministers argued over the new threat to the nation, Admiral Fabian Merici, Secretary of War, and Julian Lapin, Secretary of Inteligence, exchanged worried looks with Vice Chancellor Carmine Gavallo. Merici knew a fight was coming either political or militarily and with an uncertain enemy. A heavy sword hung over his head as he remembered how he got his job with the execution of his predecessor General Laconi for the failed war in Jurzan. But it was not Merici who wore the most stressed look for that belonged to the Chancellor, Bishop Alexis Florioli, who sat at the head of the room in the ornate chair.
The talk had droned on and they were getting no where. Florioli banged his clerical staff singling that the debate was over. "For the time being we can do nothing. We must see how this count plays out. Until then we wait. This meeting of the consistory is adjourned."
With that the room emptied. Florioli was left with Merici, Lapin, and Gavallo. "Bishop I have a very bad feeling about this man."
"I am worried as well Carmine, but our hands are tied. If he wins we must neutralize him in the Senate." responded Alexis.
"I'm sure the Senate will side with us because they will be in similar peril."
Florioli nodded his head in agreement. "We can only pray Fabian. We can only Pray."