The Rothschild carriage pauses at the Gardens, and Jules Karekin alights. A footman brushes Mr. Karekin’s jacket and gives a nod of approval. Jules pulls himself to his full, if modest, height and looks towards the Palm Tree where he immediately sees Johann Wentworth, dressed as if he was already a True Citizen.
“Johann, I am so glad you could be here today”
“A Citizen-Pretender could hardly refuse such an invitation from a True Citizen, Mr Karekin”
“Jules. Please call me Jules. Friends always do. and I hope more than just social obligation brought you here today.”
“Well now, that would be telling. Jules.”
The two exchange a mischievous glance.
"Johann, have you heard the 11-string guitar sensation will be here in the fall? "
“Goran is coming to Weatherby? We get more cultured by the day!”
“yes, I hope to have him strum a few notes at our modest pied-a-terre in Whipweed Place. You simply must come by”
“I’d be delighted. But weightier matters demand our attention. A constipated space lizard as Ambassador to New Prussia? How can that mean anything other than war? War means change, and change means opportunity. No one understands that better than a Rothschild.”
“True, Johann, but I hope for peace yet. Peace builds wealth, while war only shatters it. Sure, some are faster at picking the pieces than others, but that is not the way to long term wealth. Exponential growth built on mutual cooperation is, and that requires stability.”
“Are you saying that the Rothschild-Landuau’s won’t make money on this war?”
"oh, we have so many interests, some branch of the corporate person will turn a profit. But if we could, we’d stop this nonsense. Build a sandfishery right, it creates wealth for generations. Build a bomb right, and all you’ve got is rubble. "
“I am deeply worried about my piece, Johann. I have done well here, but a fairly modest New Prussian blockade, for example, would bring it all down. Alas, I fear many of my fellow Tea-Cees have not taken the Prussian threat seriously and our forces are dreadfully under-prepared.”
“It’s not just the TCs. While war in the abstract is diverting, I sense little stomach amongst my fellow See-Peas for an actual fight. We know who will do most of the dying while you Tea-Cees play your mutli-dimensional chess games.”
“What do you think of our leadership?”
“There are some fine souls leading the ranks, but are FItzroy Somerset and the Earl of Cardigan the best we can do? Also, the state of kit varies strongly by unit. The old hands who have seen real war seem to be making sure their units are properly outfitted and trained, but so many seem to be more interested in preening for the Weatherby Space Times than doing the tedious work of preparing for battle.”
“Yes, Johann, as if any would trust WST reporting at this point… I really must get better information from the front…”
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