What my characters could think while washing dishes

[Thunderer]

Elizabeth Bosworth Hall, prime minister of the Kingdom of Bretonia

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I hate washing dishes.

But go Liz! Look at you! A prime minister who does her own washing up. Keep up like that and you'll grow up to be someone important one day, I think!

Stop it, you're being silly. There's work to be done and you haven't deserved to rest yet. Come on, hurry, wipe that speckle off! I bet most of them in the Parliament, even the commons, the corrupt self-proclaimed representatives of the people they are, have servants to do this for them. Me, I'm a self-made person and what I can do myself, I will. A hard-working and independent woman, too! God, if I didn't know better, I would have started a revolution! But no, that wouldn't be expedient, let alone ethical. Ancient France lost its hegemony after one. Because of it, I'm sure. Maybe that's why they are so arrogant now, used to be on top, but now frustrated because they aren't. Breaking the system does just that: breaks the system. Stay away from revolutions; embrace reforms. I need to bring Swords into Ploughshares back to the Parliament. Unfortunately, my power depends on my coalition with the Royalists, who will never allow it. They need to be rid of so I can ally with the Social Democrats. Dig something up on Mountbatten and Templer so I have an excuse to replace them with Whigs? No, no, they might fight back and dig up something on me... and there's A LOT I've done in the past that I'm not proud of. Maybe... maybe just let them do as they like. With Bretonia's current state of affaird, their policies are self-destructive. Foreign policy, foreign policy, always foreign policy, but when the people need them, they are gone -- their interests are only foreign. Let them lead their aggressive foreign policy in the Taus and distance myself and the Whigs from it, that's what I'll do. And when it fails, which it undoubtedly will, publicise the crisis and hold snap elections. The Royalists will lose big and the SDF wil gain much. Then form a coalition with the SDF, place their members on key positions: Foreign Office, Defence, Office for Trade and Industry. Graham has been competent in the Exchequer, he will stay. Hm... Maybe not the Foreign Office if the Whigs want it, but I need a socialist in the MoD to tame military spending -- after all, we don't really need a strong military as long as Liberty's protecting us.

No, no, not yet, the queen won't allow it. She purged the Parliament from opposition in 816 using the BAF, she might do it again. I'll need someone loyal on the Somerset, or at least someone who cares more about the law than the whims of Her Royal Arseness. This new guy Dhatri, Khatri or whatever he's called, he might be useful. He's Indian, so he can't be a Royalist sympathiser. I should probably invite him one day and mention it was me who dissuaded the Royalists from blocking his promotion.

Or not. It all seems too risky. What if the queen calls for the dissolution of the Parliament, Khatri ignores, but some other admiral doesn't? Then we have a civil war, which I of course don't want, so I will resign. And then I am forever undone, as well as the chance for reform. Or maybe...

Bloody hell, I've been washing this pan over and over. I should really get my mind together one day. Maybe try yoga... Come on, just this mug and then I can go back to work.

Ah, that's it, all done. Finally. Wait, where was I? Yoga? No, I haven't spent the last 15 minutes thinking about yoga... I guess I'll remember later, I have to go read through that 400 page fish preservation law for Gaia, a planet we don't even control... The Greens must be trying to abuse someone's lack of attention to smuggle some clause under our noses. Well, not mine!

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