NationStates Jolt Archive

Upsetting the Balance...

The Princeps Senatus stood, fists clenched on the oak table before him.

“This is not a Gladiatorial game, Senator, where you can shout as you please!”

“Ah hah!” shouted Marcus Verrius Primus. “Another example of your-your…” Primus looked at the copy of Das Kapital on his desk, “bourgeois mentality! Fighting animals and slaves for your enjoyment! It sickens me, and I tell, Aquinians won’t-“

“Enough!” Roared the Senate Leader. Primus visibly shrunk before him for a moment, and then quickly regained his composure. It was a side of the usually reserved Leader most junior Senators had never seen, or veterans hadn’t in years. Returning to his normal tone of voice, he continued; “Now, Senator, sit. You shall be expelled from the Senate until such a time when we decide you may return, for punishment or resumption of your job.” The Leader slowly returned to his seat and sighed.

“I’ll be glad to get out of this hall that so stinks of actionary- or, re- propaganda!” shouted the newly arisen Primus, soon also finding new arms on his shoulders. “Unhand me, you brutes!” A near-collective sigh was released by the Senate as three Guards ‘escorted’ Primus out of the Chamber.

---

A strikingly light blue sky blanketed the city; a few white clouds floated lazily near the horizon, above them the Sun, high. A cool breeze occasionally blew through the avenues and winding side streets of the Capital city.

A perfect day for a walk, truly. Thought Emperor Flavius Claudius Laevinus.

A man in a tee-shirt ran up the street. “Free up Aquinium! Don’t keep us from infor-“ Three Praetorian Guards threw themselves upon the man and halted his advance.

“Oh…Let him go, the vulgar fool.” Laevinus said to his bodyguards. “Toss him into some alley.” The soldiers complied, and he continued his walk.

Aquinium, Laevinus reasoned, was like a corked bottle floating in an ocean, of ideas and foreign influences. Most countries, in contact with others, let these flow in, slowly. Briefly looking at some other nations of the globe, Laevinus could see they were moderate in their ideals from their steady allowance of ideas.

Aquinium, however, had been bottled up for longer than the Emperor could remember. Now, with an end to isolation, the cork on Aquinium had been plucked out, and the foreign ideals rushed in and filled the bottle. Like a man who quickly drank of wine, as opposed to slowly sipping it, Aquinium would stumble and fall, if something was not done.

OOC: Applauds, and congradulates. Are you a new nation, or a returning vet. If you're new, great work, and you may hear from me again. (That's good, by the way.)

Oh, and, TAG!

OOC: Thank you, thank you! I have, actually, been here for a bit before. As for this, I'm not quite sure where to go, that is, opening it and all. But I know the Empire will survive in the end.

OOC: Well, always trying to ID good new players. If you need a pseudo-honorable-badguy outsider, let me know. All about that tech/economic dominance ICly, so if you need a heel that won't just bomb civilians, let me know.

tag....... very nice

tag....... very nice


what they said!

OOC: Kaukolastan, I think I could use a socialist type here, as that movement seems to becoming the largest threat to the status quo.

IC
Primus walked down the street, hands at his side, clenching his tunic.

The day was receding. The sky, still light blue at the horizon, held a few dark clouds. The street was lined with working-class Aquinians walking, sitting under the canopies of shops and homes, watching their children play.

It's not so bad, is it? Thought Primus. Maybe I went too far.

But, they work with what they are given. They could still do so much better.

Primus came upon a corner, where a man stood upon a crate in front of non-descript building. A small knot of men, and a few women, was gathered in front of him. The Senator came closer, and stopped behind the listeners.

"...and it's all here, really. It explains why our current system is so unfair to the vast majority of us." Primus saw the man was holding a capital of Das Kapital (seemingly in vulgar Latin) in his hands. "I nearly memorized it, anyone want to borrow the copy? I'll grant you, Marx can get pretty difficult, but see me, and I'll do my best." A man with one of the women looked around, and then raised his hand. The orator handed him the book. "Hopefully, I'll get some more copies."

So, this man is a Marxist as well? Primus thought. He seems very nice, and agreeable. Not like those diehards who shout outside the forum. Primus' colleagues would have likened him to one of those.

As the speech-giver gave his final words and farewells, the crowd slowly dispersed. The man stepped off crate and spotted Primus.

"Hello, friend. How are you doing?" He sounded truly genuine to Primus.

"Fine...fine, really." Answered the shamed-Senator.

"Interested in any of what I had to say?" The man spoke in a Vulgar dialect, and Primus adjusted.

"Oh, yes. I've read Marx myself. He's wonderful."

"You soud like an educated man. But what I had to say...I didn't say it." The man laughed. "That is, I'm just spreading the message." He paused for a moment. "Would you be interested in helping out? Most people here can't read, much less a foreign book."

Primus thought. Come here? Amongst the plebians? He shook his head. What kind of thought was that? Horrible.

"I...I think I would."

The man smiled and put a hand on Primus' shoulder. "That's good, friend. Me and some others are going to meet here tomorrow, 'round seven 'clock. If you want to come, that'd be fine." The man gave a knowing wink, and walked off.