[X] Contact Dame Egonova, unofficial leader of your mother's allies in the Senate Commons. If enough of the nouveau-riche and "mandarin class" withdraws their support, Ivan's coup will collapse without you having to fire a shot. (Mandate will be "Pursuit of Justice." Egonova will expect to be named Minister for the Exchequer. Gain trait "Stewardship Focus:" +3 Stewardship, +2 Diplomacy, +1 Learning.)
You consider your options, fingers steepled and eyes boring into the opposite wall as the assembled council waits for you expectantly. The ideas have been proposed, the possibilities laid out - and it dawns on you that they can be divided neatly into two categories: force and subterfuge.
Force is straightforward; linking up with Admiral Kozlova or groveling before Duke Yusopov would give you the ability to at least step up to Ivan's fleet at near-parity, but with the possibility of future conflicts in mind, you shelve both ideas - the losses to the fleet, at this point, will be far too great. Furthermore, you think with some amusement, you're not particularly interested in being at a lowly duke's beck and call.
Now, subterfuge - that is much more appealing. You've never exactly been one for military matters anyway, preferring the scholastic arts and the dagger to the cudgel. But who to ally with? Your first instinct is to take the Bishop's advice and tie yourself to Panin; but you conclude that that is too hand-tying; the Cult is notorious in political circles for its machinations and overuse of the Daggermen for perceived slights, and you've little interest in provoking the wrath of the Blades should you fail to live up to Panin's expectations.
Next, you consider having General Baronova removed and usurping the Okhrana. There are a lot of bonuses to that option; through Tatiana, you already have a connection to Moskva's intelligence community, and your mother likely had her own agents within the organization who might be able to assist your takeover. They could sabotage Ivan's fleets, assassinate his supporters and his generals, and generally sow enough chaos for his already-unstable regime to topple.
But you're nothing if not a woman who considers the future, and you quickly come to the conclusion that subverting the secret service is too risky. Even after a hypothetical purge conducted by Lisitsyn, you won't have full control over the Okhrana's hiring process, and Lisitsyn, if he can be convinced by your people, might be just as easily be swayed by others.
Only one option then.
"Lord Evgeny," you say, eyes still focused on the far bulkhead.
"A-ah, yes, Your Ladyship?" The little man sits ramrod straight in the chair, eyes wide and staring and hands vibrating on the table. He looks for all the world like one of those little dogs your great-aunt once had had imported from Terra - Chihuyas? Chiyooees?
You focus on him, crushing down any more errant thoughts. "You know the Senate best here, Lord Evgeny. Bring us up to speed."
It is not an easy decision, but you're fairly certain it's the correct one. The Senate, both Lords and Commons, is essential for a smooth reign; the Lords are representatives from the dozens of noble houses that make up the Lands of Rurik, and the three major houses - Aristarkhov, Yusopov, and Goryemkin - hold vast sway through their own representatives.
As for the Commons, they are made up of some of the most wealthy and influential commoners in the Lands of Rurik; tycoons like Egonova, powerful local governors, military officers, and the like. To be appointed to the one hundred seats in the Senate Commons is to be one of the most powerful people across the Rurikovich domain.
Egonova's faction, if it can be marshaled, could theoretically kick the economic and political support out from under your brother. Egonova herself has many friends and contacts within the byzantine Moskva bureaucracy, and without the bureaucracy, Ivan cannot govern.
If the Senate turns, then out of necessity, the bureaucracy will turn; if the bureaucracy turns, so too must the military-industrial complex that feeds the armies of Rurik. It's not a foolproof plan, or even a plan with a high chance of success - but in the long run, it's probably your best bet.
Evgeny Aristarkhov says as much, stammering the words out like a machine gun. You wonder why this little man was appointed to the Senate himself, but as he begins to lay out numbers and explain how you might go about it, you realize that he is a veritable fount of information and numbers. You can see why your uncle chose him as one of his Senators.
"It will take some time, but the Senate can effectively c-cut off Ivan's logistical s-support." Evgeny places a trembling finger on a set of numbers that takes you a minute or so to read. According to intel, which continues to flow in from isolated loyalist groups on Moskva, both sides are hanging on by a thread; while Ivan controls much of Posadka, sporadic fighting is severely hampering his forces' ability to resupply.
"Can we get a quantum comm with Egonova?" You ask, glancing at Baron Vladimir.
Your uncle nods. "Ivan may have knocked out the Mir system's slipstream relay, but we can try to hail her personal quantum ID." He pauses. "Assuming she's listening."
"At a time like this, Uncle, I'd be shocked if she wasn't."
—
It takes a few hours of breathless waiting, but eventually the Orlan's comm officer informs you over intercom that the Dane Svetlana Egonova is ready to "discuss terms."
You inwardly grimace at the terminology used; you knew going in that this would be a negotiation from a position of weakness, and that Egonova potentially has a lot to lose by siding with you, but seeing it put so bluntly is a bit nerve-wracking. Before you have the quantum comm routed to the conference room, there is one more thing you need to figure out - one deceptively important thing that could make or break this.
Vladimir has had a fabricator on Norilsk print you an "official" uniform of the Preobrazhensky Guards, mich like the Tsarina wore at official public functions and when addressing her subjects. At your dubious look at assuming your mother's mantle at a time like this, before she's even been laid on her pyre, the Baron shrugs apologetically. "It's a little presumptuous, I know, but it's politically useful. You want Egonova - and anyone else you deal with - to think of you as the Tsarina, rather than just one contender for the throne. This will help."
[ ] Don the uniform. You have to present a strong face for potential allies.
[ ] Refuse to wear the Guard uniform, and instead remain with your normal attire. You have no interest in such pomp and circumstance at this time.
