Omake: Disappointment And Oppertunity.
You are Peng Ru, Secretary to one of the ministers of the Interiors assistants and secretaries, most notably to Heavy Industry, in charge of building not only the many fortification bunkers but the parts to the Fabled, Iron-Tiger.
And you are in a bad mood over the last few years. Sure the Most Glorious Leader has done a good job in securing not only his rule but the love of his people, but the support of his many factions within the parties, but it also left you in a little bit of a bind.
Most notably, his very clear focus on the Agriculture sector, when compared to your sectors. And there was the fact that a massive aircraft carrier cleans up and maintains the perimeter, went to your most hated Rival, Mao Zhang, Secretary to a secretary of one of the garrison commanders, one that was not even an anointed member of the party yet! The fool was undermining the Most Glorious Leaders rule by appointing him as a watchman and immigration officer.
Every time you had tried to protest such actions, you were ignored, nay, you were laughed at, as the Most Glorious Leader was busy with other matters. Sometimes those matters went to the portrait of his blasted wife, a woman you despised for her-
Well, you despised her because your daughter was a candidate for marriage to the Leader. Instead, she lost that race to… The Glorious Leaders wife, and when you tried to scramble and maintain your position and promotion by offering her hand to another man, a lesser member of the party who would be … She ran away. That Harlot just did not understand everything that you have done to help her! She owed you for everything.
You took a deep breath and controlled your emotions, and looked back to Li Gen, who was, annoyingly, ignoring you. "Are you even listening to me?" You asked as he turned the page of his book, some imported novel that he got from one of the American Sailors.
Starship Troopers. In English, a language that you could not understand. A language you were sure, that before that Carrier showed up, your son had never read before, at least to your knowledge.
What a stupid book, as if the World could ever unite without the Most Glorious Leader and the Nation of Guangchou leading the world into the stars!
Another page turned and you snapped, slapping your son in the face. "I am talking to you." You took the book and held it in your hands.
Your son then took a breath and slapped you back, and stole it back. That insolent!- "Yes, you were, and I was ignoring you, I really have no idea why you continue to talk about your plans with me, I have no wish to actually help you. I mean, you killed my brother, so why should I, you'll just kill me too."
"You-"
Your son then stood up. "Go on, vent, perhaps your old heart will finally give out and we can burn your corpse." He said. "But if you are going to join us for dinner, we eat in ten minutes."
He… He… He just left you, after he slapped you! And didn't even offer an apology!
You needed to discipline that boy, maybe you could see him drafted or… "Volunteered" into becoming one of the first Pilots of the new model of the Iron-Tiger. They were wishing for young blood to be brave enough to try it, and with your pull, he can 'Rise' Up into the ranks of the pilots.
If he lived, he would bring glory to the family, and make your promotion almost assured.
If he died? Well, you killed one son before, what's killing another. You knew it was for the glory and the greatness of the State!
He was a traitor that would have destroyed the State, and your position in it.
You took a moment to take a deep breath as you felt your heart calm. Tea… you needed tea.
You reached for the pot, yes, you can- "Peng, Comrade Minister needs you!" Your secretary made you drop the teapot and it shattered on the table.
"Dammit boy! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" You shouted rising above the broken pot as you grabbed your wooden walking stick and struck him in the face.
That idiot boy crumpled to the ground, and he did not move. "Goddammit boy, wake up and tell me what the minister wanted!" You hit him again, this time in his leg and his chest.
Still nothing. Still no movement.
Oh.
Not again.
You killed another- Fuck! It was so hard finding replacement secretaries that were competent when they kept on dying!
Then his chest rose, and the boy convulsed, coughing in a fit as he regained consciousness. He was not bleeding… good, you could hide your little outburst and just make it seem like he fell over.
Oh good, he survived. You'll make sure he is tortured later. He made you ruin that fine teapot you stole from the Japanese Captian you killed as a child.
"Tell me, what does the minister want?" You asked, comforting the young man as he shook his head.
"He's telling me to tell you that you are being promoted to his under secretary." He stated.
That… That was news. Good news. That meant when he died until the Most Glorious leader appoints someone to replace him, you would be in control.
Good. Good, it was all coming together.
Now if only that disgrace of a daughter would return home. That would be incredible.
You still had friends that might be willing to kidnap her from whatever hole she was hiding in. America most likely, but that remains to be seen.
You taught her well, almost enough to be proud of her. But she went underground far too well for this to be just a simple running away scheme.
She had help. And you would soon find whoever helped her.
And flay them alive.
But first, dinner with the family. You needed to keep up appearances. "Since you broke my teapot. Clean it up." You ordered.
"Yes sir."
