Reconstruction

"We've been giving handouts to these faltering communities for too long."

Echoes Lincoln Miner to the other five acting members of the council seated around him. Especially to the one sitting directly across from him on the other side, Councilman Jock Kluggs, the biggest threat to his absolute influence over the council.

"There's only so long our government can continue to provide far reaching aid to planets that aren't worth the effort."

Miner rises and begins to fiercely gesture towards the other members.

"It'd be like spending months to repair a derelict ship, whilst a superior, higher quality one sits there, slowly rotting away without a finger placed on it."

"How will we help the many communities within our jurisdiction that ARE actually contributing what little prosperity this government has with that mentality?" asks Lilianna Jay, who rises from her seat to look Miner straight in his face.

"Simple, Madam Jay, we give them what little we can afford to, then once we rebuild our own stability, not having to worry about giving lofty support to communities that are too broken to fix, we can have the power and ability to actually help them out."

Lilianna Jay nods and sits back down.

"My fellow councilmen, Nulistea is in a bad state. I've seen it, you've seen it. If we want to see her restored to the glorious superpower she once was in the galaxy, we need to focus our reconstruction efforts on the one system that matters most."

For an instant, Miner hoped that this time, he had scared off Kluggs. That he had finally regained his authority, and that Kluggs would finally be complacent. Then he saw him stand up, with a face that projected that same intense desire for rebuttal he always has in the face of ideological adversity.

"How can you completely abandon the planets that continue to try their hardest to pull us through the slump we are in, despite how impoverished most of them are?!"

Kluggs points a stern finger Miner's way.

"You are spitting in the face of this federation's founding principle: In the light of the stars, we will stand strong together."

"Precisely the key, Councilman Kluggs, strong. None of those communities providing "aid" to us are strong in any capacity. They simply can't be depended on given the circumstances."

The other four members seemed to whisper in agreement, but Kluggs wasn't backing down.

"It doesn't matter how much they may be struggling, it is our sacred duty to give them what they are owed, and then some. Otherwise, what's the point in having them under our flag's watch?"

Miner clenched his fists in frustration. He hated how much of a fighter Kluggs was about these things. Things were so perfect for Nulistea, he thought, until this guy had to be promoted to this position alongside him. Now he's throwing everything into pandemonium. He's the reason the federation is in this mess to begin with.

"Besides, we both know you aren't using those additional resources for the system's well being. You're using it for you and your buddies' own."

"Outlandish!" Miner screams as he rises from his chair and began running towards Kluggs from around the table. Lilliana Jay grabs Miner before he can do any damage. Kluggs backs up towards the golden plated walls of the chamber, as Hunter Piedman got in between them.

"The two of you knock this off! This is not the time for petty fighting! Our federation is on the brink of collapse, and we need a concrete solution! In all my thousands of days work to Nulistea, I have never seen it so poorly run!"

Everyone stood in stunned silence. Hunter Piedman was an older man, the longest serving councilman in Nulistea's history. He was often genteel in expression, so the sudden outburst caught the other members in the room in complete surprise.

"We'll reconvene tomorrow evening. We've been here too long and haven't gotten anywhere." Jay proposed. "Let us hope that progress will be made towards this matter then."

With that, they all leave the chamber, with Kluggs and Miner staring into each other's determined souls between Piedman's shoulders.

#

Lincoln Miner strolled through the city, paying no mind to the civilian assaults happening to the side of him, under the group chants of "Nulistea failed us!", up to the steps of the Fastigian Council Center.

What Miner saw in the executive chamber had him appalled. There Jock Kluggs was, with the council in the palm of his hand. He was already presenting his dangerous case with such irresistible conviction to the members. His say in anything was slipping by the second.

"What is going on here?! Meetings don't start until every member is present!"

"It hasn't, Councilman Miner. I'm just discussing some key points about our present situation for the council to keep in mind before we settle on a strategy."

He knows full well that he is the main one responsible for this "present situation", Miner thinks to himself. He's disguising his selfish intent to drive this federation into the ground under his foolish ideas.

"You mean you're just brainwashing these good folks to fall for the same plan that caused us to collapse to start with." Miner replies with sass.

"Please, let us not start this again." Piedman says, too tired to get as aggravated as he was the evening before.

"I agree. It is imperative that we come up with something." Jay chimes in.

"All the more reason we go with my suggestion. To give to this system before we give any help to those communities in dire shape. We are not in the predicament to do half of the far reaching acts that Kluggs wants us to."

Miner looks around to see how the members are taking what he's saying. Gauging if he has made any ground in getting anyone on his side. The faces seem to be merely in contemplation, nothing more. He starts to fear that Kluggs has already lapped him twice over in this race. Miner clears his throat and wipes a single bead of sweat from his brow.

"We were barely in the shape to do it before, what makes us think we would be now?"

"I would." Kluggs fires back. "If we want long term stability for everyone under our federation's protection, we need to extend as big of a helping hand as possible."

Lilianna Jay starts to raise a hand to speak, but Miner slams a hand down on the table in frustration, cutting off her moment.

"That hand has now shrunk because of you! It's only a matter of time before this beautiful, multi galaxy spanning giant of peace, power, and unity ceases to be! All because you want to give everyone, everywhere a bigger cut than they deserve!"

"They have been nothing but loyal and faithful to our governance for years, and our repayment is to leave them empty handed?"

"We don't have a choice, Kluggs! If they are still struggling after all we've handed them, that's their own doing! We need to be thinking about the state that we, the ones with authority, are in. We're losing resources and power we can't afford to! Our ability to govern will be diminished before we know it!"

"Even with the shrinking resources, we can't just have those dedicated communities go with nothing at all! Our prosperity depends on the expansive community Nulistea has fostered. We lose them, we lose the entire federation."

"We may well have already lost it thanks to your illogical way of thinking!"

Lilianna Jay shifts in her chair, as if just noticing something. "Hey, wait a mo-"

Kluggs rises from the chair and speaks without addressing Jay's concerned speaking.

"You have some nerve to say that it's all my fault that this happened. Considering you were a big reason why our first attempt at this failed! My idea was sound, but you consistently tampered the execution time and time again, helping your buddies' home planets out a lot while leaving others with barely anything."

"Even if that was true, it's not as if you raised a finger once about that."

"We rule, and have always ruled, by the consent of the council. Something you don't seem to understand."

"Will the two of you stop?!" Lilianna Jay shouts. "We're not getting anywhere, and I heard some loud shou-"

SPEOW!

A perfectly synchronized wave of loud blaster shots rang out, startling the room into petrified stares. Citizen screams and angered cries follow, and this pushes Lincoln Miner to open a small slit of the outside through the front door to see what was going on.

What his eyes surveyed was a row of armed guards with blasters trained on a huge crowd of protestors just outside the Center. Just a bit ahead, some bodies strewn about.

The protestors retreated back a few steps ahead, but they weren't leaving the area. One of the guards turns and sees Miner peeking through the door. He rushes to the door, and yells at the council to evacuate the chamber, urging them to take the back way.

Nobody has any more words. All they can do is flee as their control comes under the fire they fanned.

#

A few days pass, the violence only getting worse. The people, only growing angrier. The council can't get back into the Center, the crowds aren't letting up.

Lincoln Miner sits in his large home, filled with the most aggressive worry. All the times he checks outside to see chaos in the streets, only heightening it. Seeing how far on the brink Nulistea is, he can only think of one thing to do.

Miner makes careful sure to peek a bit outside his door, then slowly walks out of his house. Crossing the street, he rolls into the dark corner of one of the buildings, out of sight of the rabid mob approaching. They raise banners shouting for a "New Order".

Miner sped off through the alleys in search of the only one that, he thought, could somehow help him even slightly remedy this.

Lincoln Miner knocked on a door, checking across both his shoulders with great speed and inattention out of panic. Jock Kluggs opens the door and is shocked to see Miner there.

"What in the stars are you doing on my property? How did you not get-"

Lincoln Miner barges inside before Kluggs can finish his thought. Miner grabs Kluggs by his shoulders.

"We need to do something!"

Kluggs shoves Miner, releasing his grip.

"Get the hell off me!"

"I just want what's best for Nulistea. I know you do too."

Kluggs gives a deep sigh.

"I know that providing consistent greater reach and help to those planets that need it will pay off in the long run. We need that loyalty."

"We can't do it at the cost of our own prosperity, Kluggs. Without that, we aren't a superpower anymore. Then those places can't depend on us. Nowhere will be able to."

Kluggs crosses his arms and scoffs.

"Well, what do you suggest then?"

Miner thinks for a moment and looks to the floor. After a moment, he speaks.

"I despised you and what you were doing. All your proposals. Yet, I myself refused to ever see you halfway. Refused to let everyone else do the same as well."

Kluggs has a look of honest shock on his face hearing Miner saying such a thing.

"We both refused to. I think, for the good of our glorious federation, we need to put both our convictions together under a compromised vision."

Miner extends a hand Kluggs' way.

"For Nulistea, Councilman Kluggs?"

Kluggs gives a brief look of suspicion, but sighs, understanding the gravity of what they're in. He can't believe himself as he grips Miner's hand in agreement.

"For Nulistea."

Miner gives a satisfied smile.