"Well Vyacheslav, a fine story you've put before the Coalition. You seem to be a dead man walking. You seem to have no place left to go." Emil leaned back in his chair, placing his left boot onto the desk, and a derisive tone came into his voice. "It was so good of you to think of the Coalition as your last resort." Staring at the man a moment longer, Emil then slowly sat up in his chair, glancing quickly at the door, then back to Vyacheslav.
"People like you disgust me. You have no loyalty. You only came here because the Coalition was your last resort. The Red Dawn is not some garbage bin that takes the dregs of Sirius. If you truly had Revolution in your heart, we would have been your first contact, not your last."
Andreyev then gave a barely perceptible nod to the two Marines who'd silently entered the room at Emil's signal and were now flanking the would-be recruit. Vyacheslav never had a chance as the Marine quickly slid his knife between the ribs on his left side. The Marines quickly picked up the body before blood could be spilled on the floor and would take Nikitin's corpse to the nearest airlock. There was no evidence at all someone had just been murdered in the office.
Arrogance isn't welcome in the Coalition thought Emil as he leaned over and thumbed the intercom. "Send Stukov back in".
Vladimir Stukov
Vladimir Stukov re-entered the room with a slightly confused look on his face. Emil couldn't help but smile a little. "Mr. Nikitin had to abruptly depart Comrade Stukov. Let's see how you answered my query".
' Wrote:Well comrade commissar neither is better, Queen of Bretonia and its citizen are all full of pride , they do not use their knowledge and brain ...pride is their doom. The thing about Liberty is something different they rely on their so called funds and influence on other Sirius major houses. They hunger for profit , for credits... no honor in that sort of thing, also they do not realize that if they can fool others with their money they can too be fooled and that is their doom.
Emil listened as Stukov answered exactly as he told not to. But Emil was more curious about the man's actual answer. Vladimir raised some good points, showing to Emil that he did know what the Coalition was about. As Vladimir gave his intentions and knelt before the desk, Emil was more than impressed by the man.
"Get up comrade, no need to kneel for me", said Andreyev. "While I respect your answer, you were told not to answer 'neither'. Other Commissars would have you're life for it. I'm giving you a chance to redeem yourself." Andreyev took a packet out of his top drawer and handed it to Stukov.
"Fill out this paperwork and we'll see how you do. Dismissed." Emil sat back down with a sigh. The other Commissars aren't going to like me listening to kids who don't pay attention, but I've got to go with my gut. He leaned over and keyed the intercom. "Anyone else?"
Youri Aliabiev
"*static* There's one more new one, and some kid with a grenade in his pocket that looks like he's going to wet himself *static*". Emil smiled as he shook his head. Sounds like Comrade Weise is at it again "Send in the poor bastard".
Emil shuffled some papers around to find who the kid is as he walked into his office, a bulge coming out of the breast pocket of his jacket with a string attached to it. The slight smell of Coalition vodka was on the boy's breath as he looked at Emil. "Youri Aliabiev. I see you've been drinking with Commander Weise. That man has a thing for explosives and vodka, but not necessarily in that order. Let's see here..." Emil looked over Youri's paperwork as he made the recruit stand with the grenade still in his pocket.
"Seems here Comrade Weise left you standing there as he went off on another of his 'adventures'." Emil chuckled silently at how Weise tormented the recruits, but became serious soon enough. He looked right into the eyes of the young recruit. "Well? What to do with you. Says here you've been studying the Coalition story. Tell me then son, who was Aeon and why did McIntosh get rid of him? You can step outside as you think of your answer. Knock when you are ready." Emil watched as the young man glanced noticeably at the grenade in his pocket. "Oh, you keep that present from Comrade Weise right where it is for now son, but don't trip on that string. Dismissed".
Alexandra Volkova
As Andreyev watched Aliabiev leave the room, he stood and poured himself a small glass of vodka from the bar in the office. The hint of vodka in the air made him a little thirsty. As he made his way back to his desk, a tall, muscular young woman walked into his office and crisply saluted.
Emil sat down slowly as the young woman waited, getting more apprehensive by the second. He leaned back and took a sip from the glass as he studied how the woman handled the pressure. As he placed the glass back on the desk, Emil tilted his head and raised an eyebrow, telling the girl to begin.
' Wrote:I heard you you are looking for new recruits. Let me introduce myself.
My name is Alexandra Volkova. I was born at Stokes mining station. My father died when I was one year old. He died in mining accident. I know how hard it is to live in poverty with this name. My mother worked as waitress, bar dancer and in many other jobs to earn us some money. When I was ten years old we moved to Planet Leeds. It didn't help. We were living in slum working like slaves for fat capitalism pigs. When I was 19 I have earned enough money to buy Startracker. I wanted to get out of that hole where I lived.
I decided to do something with my life. I want to change my life and make from Sirius better place. I think it's time for revolution!"
The young woman finished her speech and waited for Emil to respond. He wasn't quite sure what to make of this brazen girl. While her story tells of a hard life, and her motives seem pure, something just doesn't sit right with me about this. "That's quite the story. But I find myself wondering if you've truly thought this through. The Coalition is a hard life; one not for the faint of heart. While you may think you've overcome some adversity, it is but child's play compared to the rigors of life spreading the Revolution.
"I'd like you to go back outside and think about the answer this question. If your answer is satisfactory, you may be able to continue on in the Coalition. Tell me what you will be giving up to join the Coalition. And do not give me fluff and drivel. I want a real answer from you Ms. Volkova. Dismissed."
Emil did not miss the slight confusion on Alexandra's face at his question, nor the jolt of surprise at his quick dismissal. As the door shut behind Ms. Volkova, Emil wiped his hands over his face and leaned back in his chair. Great Lenin, weeding through the garden searching for the rose. This is how I spend my days for the Coalition. Emil thumbed the intercom again. "Anyone else?"
"*static*Two more Comrade Commissar. Just walked in. Should I send them in?*static*"
At least the Coalition's attracting recruits thought Emil. "Yes, please send one in."
Mark Donovan
The door opened and a man walked into the room and directly to the front of Emil's desk. Before Emil could open his mouth, the man started blabbering.
' Wrote:Comrade Commissar, I wish to join your struggle against the capitalist oppressors of Sirius. As it was back before our ancestors left the Sol system, so it should be here in our new home.
But enough about that. You surely know your goals better than I. Perhaps you would like more information about me? I was born on Leeds where my parents worked for BMM. I don't need to tell you of the hideous injustices that they endured. Needless to say, I could not bring myself to allow such conditions to continue unchecked, and that, in short, is why I am here today. The whole capitalist framework of the House economies is corrupt and exploitative of the people. I volunteer to join your struggle for freedom!
What is it with Bretonia these days? thought Emil as he listened to yet another Leedian make their case. Emil stood again and walked to the bar to refill his glass. As he was there, he poured another and walked over to the clearly agitated Donovan. Glasses in hand, Emil stood not more than ten centimeters from Donovan, purposely taking the measure of the man. For almost a minute, Emil did nothing more than stare blank-faced at the would-be recruit as Donovan became more and more distressed.
Finally, Emil held a glass to Donovan. "You look like you could use a drink son. Mykolaiv's best." Donovan took the glass, and Emil went to sit back at his desk. "Now, here we are. You about to leave an unfortunate stain on my carpet by relieving yourself unexpectedly, and I waiting for you to crack under duress, I find myself questioning your calm under fire. The Coalition finds itself constantly under fire. We have enemies on all sides. Not one of us is safe except within the halls of Zvezdny. As I sit here now looking at you, I am not sure you can handle that kind of pressure."
As Emil paused to take a sip from his glass, the vodka burning it's way down his throat, he again took the measure of the man standing before him. "But, you are here, and that is a start. You will take your leave of me, return to the waiting room outside, and I expect you to have a worthwhile answer to this question: How does the GottKanzler of Rheinland curry the favor of his people, and what can the Rheinland Revolutionary Alliance do to stop this? Now, take your drink and head out to the waiting room to ponder your response. Dismissed!"
The now much relaxed man seemed to scurry out of the room with as much haste as he came in, exiting the office without a sound. I'll be interested to hear that man's answer thought Emil as he sipped again and moved some paperwork on his desk. There was one more in the waiting room, and as Emil was gathering forms, he heard the door open and shut in front of him. Not afraid of an ambush in his own office, (the Marines had the place as secure as could be) Emil continued to work at his desk.
Sergei Gohel
Emil glanced up to see a slump-shouldered, downtrodden man walk into his office. The man came to stand before his desk, hands clasping a cap in front of him. By the man's demeanor, he seemed to be expecting Emil Andreyev to already know who he is. Emil went back to his paperwork as the man continued to stand in front of his desk, shifting uncomfortably back and forth on his feet. Filling out about a half-dozen reports on current recruits, Emil purposely ignored the man standing before him. He continued until the last of the recruit forms had been filled out, and his glass was empty. Twenty minutes had passed with the man standing before his desk, and Emil could sense the man's anxiety growing.
Emil got up from behind his desk and moved once more to the bar. This time he did not pour himself vodka, two was his limit for a shift, but instead poured two glasses of water and walked back to his desk. Emil placed one glass in front of himself, and the other on the edge closest to the man still standing in front of his desk. Only now, did Emil acknowledge the man's existence in the room as he briefly glanced at him while sitting back and holding his own glass.
"Ah water. So simple a thing, but so necessary. It is the giver of life they say." Emil set his glass down and looked directly at the man before him. "Life is the Coalition. Life is the Red Dawn. Life is you telling me who the hell you are, and why you look to have no life left in you." Emil sat back and waited for this man's response.
