What my characters think about factions

[Thunderer]

Elizabeth Hall, Bretonian prime minister

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BAF: A staggering pile of drunken wrecks of what once used to be people. Luckily, most of our neighbours are either our friends, or in a similar state. Rheinland is worrisome.

BPA: Incorruptible until the top. But not including the top.

SIS: Inhumanly good at their job. Except that they don't always agree with me what their job is. Their director is an exception, but he is the very opposite. I'm afraid many of them don't take him seriously.

BMM: The greatest good and the greatest evil Bretonia has ever done to itself.

Bowex: Another nobility club, but here they at least hold a standard that a noble should also behave nobly. A persistent fossil from Bretonia's golden age.

BMF: A sprouting bourgeon of hope that will doubtlessly find itself swatted by the serious players once it starts being seen as competition. Might need help from a government thoroughly infiltrated by the same cliques threatened by their success.

Gateway: An attempt at being Bowex without state involvement. I occasionally fear that they might resort to treasonous or at least illegal methods to be able to compete. An argument against the Liberal Party. Still, more efficient than the sluggish and smug Bowex at finding and conquering new markets. David and Goliath. Their cunning worries me.

Planetform: A galactic pyramid scheme that I hope will be discovered during someone else's term.

Mollies: A just cause gone horribly wrong.

Gaians: "People aren't nature." I wonder what kind of a mind it takes to place an asteroid in the middle of a trade lane before a passenger liner is scheduled to pass. And what kinds of people listen to it. And why didn't the queen use the opportunity to oust the Greens from the Parliament when she ousted the Populists in the 816 coup.

IMG: Not even a shadow of their former selves. How does one even survive such auto-buffoonery?

Corsairs: Very small chaps, but immensely strong!

Outcasts: Forced into conflict with the rest of humanity because the air they breathe is different. In fact, I'm not sure they are human any more, and I'm sure they think they are superhuman. I haven't met a superhuman Maltese so far, only pilots that were properly trained by a violent and belligerent culture. I think it's only an excuse to have slaves. Their governments have always been very unstable and short-lasting. I think that their national assembly, if they have one, should be painted red, so that blood is easier to clean. The Treaty of Basilica was a mistake.

Red Hessians: Another example of a noble cause going wrong. At least they aren't domestic, so we tried living in peace. They violated the non-aggression pact. Twice. And they probably blame us for being fools rather than themselves for being dishonest.

Coalition: At the first glance, small, weak, desolate and irrelevant. Yet they defeated me in battle. It would be spiffing jolly to avenge one day. I will hire a servant to remind me of the Coalition before every breakfast.

Zoners: Sometimes I wish I lived that life again. Running away is tempting, but cowardly.

Liberty: Best allies: unspeakably mighty, unspeakably naive. But soon to be past their peak. Running out of domestic resources, surrounded and barricaded by other Great Powers, they still seemed halfheartedly interested in my offers for access to the Taus. A great crisis waiting to happen when Liberty starts failing, possibly greater than the Gallic War. Possibly another Gallic War. I need to prepare alternative allies for Bretonia's future.

Rheinland: For what I know, the most efficient military in Sirius. I don't understand how they still managed to lose every war they fought. I suppose because, to wage a war, a country doesn't only need strong soldiers, but also a strong internal policy. Rheinland has always been politically unstable. The Empire, when it was reestablished, was almost our puppet, but after the Holstein Accords, this has changed. Their military didn't bleed itself out in the civil war, it joined forces, and their renewed ambitious stance towards Omega-3 worries me, as well that another instance of cooperation with the Hessians is out of the question.

Kusari: I would respect their ancient culture based on honour, tradition and discipline, was it not the most patriarchal in Sirius. Their new prime minister is a woman, but I think that this is only a façade, that she only serves as a puppet for whoever holds real power (the emperor? Probably someone less conspicuous and not just one person) and that Kusari culture will take more measures and a long time to progress.

Gallia: After centuries of brainwashing by a dynasty of tyrants, the dynasty is no more. Are Gauls free? Not from what they have become. A machine programmed to serve, without anyone left to serve. Or with too many believing they should be served, at the same time. Hopefully a failed state in the near future. A pragmatic part of me still doesn't wish that to happen. Kusari is good to us when they think they need us in the Taus.

Crayter Republic: Formerly a veritable Great Power, according to their ancient tradition, it seems they have adapted to their new place and role. When we requested Harris back, they gave it back. When Kusari attacked them, they withdrew. I feel wrong about abandoning them to the Outcasts when we invaded Edinburgh, but we couldn't possibly have helped them. I feel really sorry for them to impose our own interests on them in the negotiations with Kusari, but my compassion should not get in front of my pragmatism. There is no room for compassion in politics.

Core: A disgraceful misuse of Liberty's budget. A formerly exciting adventure into the unknown that turned into careless exploitation of the unknown, with still unknown consequences.

Order: Terrorists? That's what we tell the masses. Humanity's last hope? Frankly, if it's them between the aliens and us, I'd better find me a new galaxy.

Nomads: Something to worry about in the distant future when someone else is in power. We first have to survive until then.

GMG: I wish I was born there instead.

Auxesia: Nearly forgot about them.

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