Category: Annexation

Annexation (5/4 End)

Strange week; much RealLife drama I do not need. Picking at another short story, but nothing really clicking yet. I shall be patient.

Most autocrats enjoy it when people stand up to them, just because it doesn’t happen very often. The imperium’s bureaucracy is very small, as Fussy can do the work of many humans and do it faster, but I’m sure they are rather obsequious. I doubt her legates are. Forewarned by Old Dysart, Stephen does not put up with her shit, either.

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Annexation (4/4?)

Stepping up posting a bit as it will force me to finish this. There will be a Part Five, a conclusion. My notes from last night are awful, so I’ll flog them together later today.

In RealLife, I had to do preliminary tax work this morning. Ours are complicated so we’ve used a CPA for twenty years. Since the Fed’s Magic Money Machine can just go brrr, brrr, filing taxes is nothing more than a humiliation ritual the Cloud People use to show how much they hate us.

Below, Stephen meets Fussy for the first time and, I think, likes what he sees. He is a cautious and reserved man, which I think is why I had to write a part 5; nothing happens quickly. In fact, from my notes, nothing really happens.

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Annexation (3/4?)

Now we get a look at the other side of the hill. Fussy is obviously up to something and we’ll have to see just how diplomatic Johnston can be once he arrives. Telling that he goes to his boss’ father for advice rather than the current president of the GSS.

Updates may take a hit as there are unwelcome RealWorld matters I’ll need to see to. Even so, I’d like to think I’ll have this story complete within a week.

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Annexation (2/4?)

Personal, back-channel diplomacy, is how the world works. Formal meetings are to sign treaties and look good for the cameras. You can get a lot more done over beer and bourbon.

I’m beginning to suspect that this will be five parts, not four. But, we’ll see. After this exchange, Johnston pays a visit to Douglas’ father, the former president of the GSS. That will be part three. Part four will be Stephen’s trip up north, to mirror Chesney’s down south.

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Annexation (1/4?)

Having ended Fusion on Monday, I mentioned it might be several days before another idea comes along. Turned out to be about fourteen hours. As a plurality – if not majority – of my books have a female lead, I quite deliberately wanted to avoid that. So, I went and looked at the Hartmann family tree I recently updated, and pondered.

He gets a few lines in Ice Inundation Intelligence, but I really do not know much about Stephen Johnston, Fussy’s second husband, other than that he was from the Gulf Shore States and something of a political maneuverer. So, here we are.

Don’t know how long this will go, so that’s the ? next to the “4” up there.

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