Leaders

I don't know which one to begin with.

Eva is standing down as leader of the Electus Matari and Jonny is running for president of the Gallente Federation. All I need now is for Ko Braya to develop a sudden interest in family life and the circle of change would be complete.

Eva's been weary for a long time. All work and far too little chance for play and study and things she enjoys for themselves. Maybe now we'll get her back as she was: sassy and footloose. I'm concerned about the Electus, though, and who will follow her as leader. I know the power of a figurehead, even an absent one.

Oh, and before this happened I finally got my EM forum settings fixed, so I can follow the discussions properly. Timing. Much discussion about the Great Wildlands and whether the arrangement the Thukker have as an autonomous state within the Republic means we should try to bring Republic law there. I think not, unless the Thukker ask us to. Others think otherwise. I'm still working out whether it's worth making the case.

Jonny, well...

From the time he first mentioned it it's been more than just another wild dream. He's been restless since the Freespace Summit. This seems exhilarating. A platform to present his ideas. A way to engage with people who aren't pilots. A way to do what he thinks the Fraction fails to do.

Even if they let him stand, they couldn't possibly let him win.

Could they?

And besides, our victory condition isn't winning the election, but getting the message out. Putting some life back in the freespace movement. Contesting the battleground of people's minds.

Our victory condition... ?

We talk about politics a lot, but largely from the position of trying to bridge a gap beween us. We both want people to be free to live the lives they choose. What that means, and how we should act to make it happen, are things we debate. Until now it's seemed largely an academic debate. I was unhappy with his RoE in Rote Kapelle. He'd like the Electus to be more active in our pursuit of our goals. I accept that CONCORD is corrupt and the Republic less efficient than it could be, but I still want my daughter to grow up in the relative safety of the clan on Matar. In a choice of life or freedom for other people, I guess I'd choose life. I guess Jonny would choose freedom.

But it has been mostly academic because things aren't perfect. We're not all podders. The dream of freespace isn't yet a practical dream, and the practical steps that are being taken towards it are largely by us, with information and community, in low security space.

Now... what will he say? What would he do if he did win? How many lives... ?

But as things are with the Federation, how many lives if something doesn't change?

Maybe this is what hope looks like.

I was looking at ships today with people from EM. When they heard about Jonny's campaign they suggested I hire security. I'm not yet ready for that. I think I have at least a few more days in the (relative) shadows.

As my belly grows my marks are stretching and changing. Is it my destiny to be a true peaceweaver and not just a pledge? How can I do that coupled with a trickster, a free spirit, a force of change and chaos? Can he also be an effective leader? A useful figurehead?

Are these just my old memes? How can I be me around the whirlwind that is Jonny? How can I be me except around him?

Mother would know what to do.