Thank you for joining me, friends. I know these past few weeks have been difficult.
Richard Carlile, deposed opposition party leader, and now organizer of a new underground movement, scanned the faces of those present. They had gathered to consider their next move. Clearly, recent events, namely the queens seizure of Parliament, had forced them to consider meansoutside the current political systemof accomplishing their shared goal: political and economic justice for the people of Bretonia. This meant the dismantling of the monarchy and the military industrial complex that supported it.
All of those present political leaders, scholars, workers, defecting military and police shared this end because in one stroke, it addressed their respective needs. The question, of course, was how the end was to be accomplished.
Since Carina has forced us out of the legal and political system in Bretonia, we must think outside that system for a way to effect the political revolution weve all agreed is necessary. Ive prepared a statement describing our current situation. This is to show others potential allies and the general public alike what were about. Since weve agreed, I believe, that our primary approach as an organization is political, we must begin all our efforts with persuasion. This is the first step in that process.
The various members gathered took the statement copies provided them, and this is what they read...
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Federalist League
When, in the course of human events, a people is ruled with too little regard for its own freedom and self-determination,
When corporations who neglect and abuse their own workers for the sake of profit are put in service to such rule,
When history is forgotten and nations are brought to near ruin by distorted understandings of their identity and purpose,
It is time for the people to rise with one voice, to demand justice and accountability, to finally remember who they really are.
We call this great nation back to its true origins, and forward to its true destiny!
History
The Federalist League is an underground political movement in Bretonia that arose in response to rampant corruption in the Bretonian monarchy and the industrial complex that supports it. Comprised of academics, populist activists and politicians, former employees of BMM and Bowex, defecting naval and police pilots, and a number of other discontented citizens, the Federalists seek to bring about a revolution in Bretonian politics through the institution of a new constitution and purely democratic institutions. Their name derives from the democratic model they seek to implement: a multi-level government where elected and empowered local and system governments attend to the daily needs of their citizens while an elected Parliament and Prime Minister attend to the affairs of Bretonia at large.
The leader of the Federalists, Richard Carlile, was head of the opposition Populist party in the Bretonian Parliament before going into hiding in 817 A.S. as Queen Carina seized Parliament and outlawed Populist politics. Before that, Carlile had worked his entire career to shift the center of government power from the unelected monarchy to the elected Parliament, which he saw as representing the will of the people. Always in the minority, Carlile and the Populists strove nonetheless to represent what they understood as the peoples interests, and to attempt to counter the increasing power of the monarchy and the corresponding lack of will on the part of the Royalist prime minister and his government. Their struggle was exacerbated by the ongoing and fruitless war with Kusari, as well as the increasing enrichment of the megacorporations.
Things came to a head when Lord George Mountbatten made claim to the Bretonian throne. As Mountbatten struggled against Carinas forces, the populists observed the seeming lack of regard for the good of the people in favor of personal interests of the disputing claimants. Carlile sensed and opportunity and called for a summit of the parties along with Parliamentary leadership to draw the violence to a close, and to begin to repair so many of the problems facing the Bretonian people. While Mountbattens response was favorable, Carina refused, citing reasons of national security confidentiality. Rebuffed in this manner, Carlile called for an official Parliamentary inquiry into royal policy development, including the role of the admiralty and the influence of the megacorps.
As this intrigue unfolded, another element of intrigue changed the situation considerably. Carlile received a visit from the leaders of a small consortium of scholars, distinguished professors in history, religion, political science, economics, and other fields of human social development. They had come upon an incredible find in the bowels of the Royal Archives: a collection of diaries and logbooks from passengers aboard the original sleeper ship that came from Great Britain on Old Earth. These documents represented the thoughts and plans of a wide spectrum of Bretonias original settlers, and their contents constituted perhaps the most significant historical find in a millennium. They prepared a call out to researchers across Sirius to join in the analysis of the texts.
However, before a public announcement could be made and a general invitation extended, certain documents were discovered amidst the collection that caused considerable dismay. Various personal records of British royals and nobles were found indicating a conspiracy, a concerted plan to restore a monarchy of power in the new star system, and to do so by means of a new industrial revolution. These were significant to begin with because they confirmed the suspicions of the consortium that the monarchy on Old Earth, contrary to historical documents propagated to the public, had not always been powerful, but had at one time been simply a symbol of unity in support of the real power, that of the people as represented in a parliamentary form of government.
In conjunction with current and former megacorp employees, these researchers subtly found ways into the databanks of BMM and Bowex in order to locate corporate documents that might correspond to the old royal records. Before long, they had found exactly what they feared: old earth corporations, knowing they would need to transition from an information-based economy back to a much more industrial one at their destination, had committed capital, logistical, and political support to the royal conspirators in return for exclusive licensing on government projects. The new industrial revolution was in the works, and a monarchy undergirded by a massive military industrial complex was to be born on the other side of the great sleep.
The scholars many with populist inclinations and sympathies for the disaffected workers of the megacorporations felt they could not release this information publicly for fear of it being confiscated or destroyed by the government. As soon as Carlile had issued his call for a Parliamentary inquiry, however, the scholars knew they had found an ally and friend, and they met with him secretly to share their findings.
Carlile, stunned at the findings, wondered what role this revelation would play. The answer came fairly soon, as royalist Prime Minister Worthington announced that there would be no inquiry by Parliament, and that any further legislation to that effect from the Populists would be blocked. Carliles immediate response was to display the historical materials to the chamber and to the public. Worthington was silenced for the time being, but the Royal Court was not to be challenged with impunity. Within days, the queen ordered her security forces to seize the Parliament building and to arrest Carlile and any of his associates. Tipped off shortly before her forces moved in, Carlile managed to escape and to eventually rendezvous with his compatriots in secret.
From there, the new allies went into action. Carlile and the consortium decided they must act prudently but decisively, and so they called in various workers rights movement leaders, former employees of the mega-corporations and of the Bretonian Armed Forces, as well as a number of populist politicians and activists. Despite their diverse backgrounds, all of them shared a common vision: an egalitarian political system rooted in democratic commitments, and an economic system where employees could earn an honest living free from abuse and neglect. The Federalist League was born.
After a few minutes of intense reading, the general consensus of the group was the Carlile had captured the spirit of the movement. Now that they could introduce a new political narrative to the turmoil, the practical implications of their decisions were becoming more real.
"Richard, first of all, I think we need to figure out who our friends are. Have we any?" asked Barbara Hastings, until recently the Bretonian deputy foreign minister.
"I think so, Barbara, though our friendship may operate in a more subtle manner. Certainly, we'll receive no opposition from Alisdair Buchanan and Gateway. Of course, he cannot do more to support us, since he's trying to protect his company. Also, I think we can count on the friendship and resources of IMG. They've no love for the Crown given the situation in the Taus, and their opposition to BMM is well known. Indeed, the navy now considers them hostile - they've got nothing to lose. In fact, through various contacts, I've even managed to procure a gunboat or two from them for our purposes." A general murmuring moved about the room. "We don't intend to engage the BAF in battle head-on very often, but we do need a robust platform for our message and for our protection.
"Also, we have some agreement from the Mollys disaffected by the Treaty of Dublin to allow us to operate out of Arranmore and Mull bases." Now the murmuring became somewhat more critical. "I know, it is definitely a less than ideal situation, but at this point, I don't see how we have a choice. We have to resupply and repair somewhere..."
"But Richard," interrupted Hastings, "is that politically expedient? Don't you think the public will disapprove of our...accommodations?"
"Probably to an extent," replied Carlile, "but there is no other option, and I think we can come to some arrangement with the clans to not target trade or civilian vessels indiscriminately. Besides, I think they'll be more engaged with BAF, UoG, and the Corsairs anyway.
"For now, I've also prepared a list of ships to which we have access, and the directors will coordinate with you on vessel procurement. Our trade and military wings are being assembled even as we speak, and I'm counting on your support as well as that of the groups you represent.
"All in all, ladies and gentlemen, I think we are doing the best we can considering what we have to work with. It is not ideal, but then again, neither is the situation we're in the middle of right now. Remember, we look to the people's good before our own. This may cause us no small amount of backlash from the powers-that-be, and it won't always seem to the public that we're on their side. After all, Carina's got the most powerful propaganda machine in this part of Sirius. That said, we know we're in the right on this.
"So, if no other questions, let's get to it. Meeting adjourned."