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NEW PREMIER VOWS PROSPERITY FOR ALL
At the opening business session of the new Council, Premier Axel Obreduur was direct and forceful in declaring that “The people of Guldor have spoken. They want prosperity for all, not just the wealthy and fortunate.” Premier Obreduur went on to attack indirectly the policies of the previous government by claiming that the people wanted “meaningful work in Guldor, not cheap goods produced by impoverished susceptibles in other lands.” Only after those points did he address the concern felt by most Guldorans, the need for a “return to stability and order” after the demonstrations and violence mounted by the extremist New Meritorists in recent months.
The Premier claimed that the demonstrations resulted from a failure of government to understand that destroying Guldoran jobs to increase short-term corporacion profits only meant that most Guldorans suffered immediately and that such increased profits would be short-term and temporary …
Gestirn, 24 Fallfirst 1266
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On Unadi morning, when Dekkard settled himself behind the wheel of the gray Gresynt, he wore one of his new gray suits, with the red cravat of a councilor. Avraal sat beside him as he eased the steamer down the narrow drive at Emrelda’s house.
As he turned onto Florinda Way, he couldn’t help but hope that most of the administrivia and personal changes that had occupied much of the previous week and a half were largely past. With Premier Obreduur’s suggestion and blessing, he’d hired Svard Roostof as his senior legalist and Margrit Pettit as his personal secretary, and after bells of interviews settled on a junior legalist named Luara Colsbaan, who’d been highly recommended by Ingrella Obreduur, and two typists. All of the staff had been at the wedding and the reception following, hosted by Emrelda.
“It was quite an endday, dear, or should I say, ‘Ritten Ysella-Dekkard’?” he asked playfully, reaching out to squeeze his wife’s hand.
Calling it quite a day was an understatement. After all the changes—especially from security aide to councilor and from being single to being married—the simple act of driving to the Council Office Building left Dekkard with a sense of the surreal, a sense heightened by the early-morning mist too light to be rain and too transparent and warm to qualify as fog.
“It’s been quite a year,” she pointed out, ignoring his use of the title.
“But yesterday … was special.”
“Yesterday … or last night?”
“Both,” he managed, with only the slightest of hesitations.
“Last night,” she said with an impish smile, squeezing his hand in return.
Dekkard flushed, but kept his eyes out for other steamers as he turned south on Jacquez.
“The last few days have been busy and different,” he finally said as he turned onto Camelia Avenue. “But I’ve been thinking. We haven’t talked about what you should be doing. I don’t see you sitting around waiting for me or Emrelda to come home. Maybe you could take Isobel Irlende’s place working for Carlos Baartol, at least for a while.”
“Obreduur mentioned that possibility last week. I also thought about looking into working for the Guilds’ Advisory Committee directly.”
“Do they have any empaths?”
“Isobel said they didn’t, but they used to. Carlos hired her, and they never replaced her.”
“Then he obviously pays more.”
“I want to work,” Avraal replied, “but pay isn’t everything.”
“Then talk to them both.”
“I set up appointments last Quindi.”
“You didn’t mention that,” he said with a smile.
“That’s because I wanted to see if you brought it up.” She paused, then added, “I’m glad you did.”
If likely almost too late. “So am I.”
The rest of the drive was much like that of most mornings over the past two years. Dekkard watched the streets and the steamers on them. Avraal kept sensing emotions of anyone who neared the Gresynt. Yet neither of them worked for Obreduur anymore. Dekkard was a councilor in his own right, and Avraal couldn’t work for either. Neither wore the gray security uniforms they’d donned for years, but gray suits, his with the appropriate councilor lapel pin, and hers still showing her as a staff aide, a matter they needed to take care of as soon as possible.
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