//------------------------------//
// Doubts in a Starry night 
// Story: Conversations between trusted Comrades 
// by Spolachs 
//------------------------------//

8th of May 1009 ALB

Mount Aris was busy these Days even at 10pm. The modern world had truly reached Hippogriffia, the streets were still brightly lit during these late hours blocking out the light of the stars but lighting up up the blue star banner, found on so many posters and the flagpoles of the royal palace. All of this seemed impossible, when looking back. Just five years ago the Storm King sacked Hippogriffia, looted Mount Aris and defaced the royal palace. Just six months ago, first the red banner then the blue banner had been hoist over the palace, signaling the beginning of a new era. And just two days ago it may have already reached its final days.

The royal palace, now the "House of the Revolution", was the centre of the new government until a suitable replacement was found and the palace could be turned into a museum. The Darkness hid most of its imposing sight, only the guards patrolling the roof and the balconies gave glimpses of its real size. The entrance was still fully lid and guarded at this late hour, creatures were coming and going at a rather low rate. Most of its Windows had closed blinds, hiding the darkness inside from the darkness outside. It was hard to imagine that this was the place where a brighter future was to be created.

But through the armored blinds of a former guestroom light was trickling outside, the office of the general secretary was still brightly lid. Sitting on an ebony chair at an expensive ebony desk, the red Hippogriff scribbled some words onto a paper only to cross them out seconds later.

Dear Comrade Hard Line you are hereby invited to...
"No, that is too high and mighty, too distant and inappropriate for a founding member of the party and it sounds like a verdict"

Hard Line, I want to invite you to...
"No, that sounds more like I want to take him to a party or go out on a date with him. I just want to have a private talk with him."

Posada sighed her eyes wandering to the clock on the wall of her office, ten past ten, 22:10. Her Cap was resting on the desk, while she wore her uniform casual and open, yet still tight enough to hide her old scars behind the fabric. Her yellow Eyes however were betraying her, occasionally tearing up from exhaustion, while the bags under her eyes were only growing. She was frustrated and tired. The last two hours were wasted away trying and failing to write a letter.

Posada looked back into the almost empty guestroom she called her office. Only two chairs, a desk, a radio, a telephone, a clock and an armchair remained of the luxury of the guestroom. The bed, wardrobe, all the portraits and other furniture were either stored for the museum, sold to rich collectors or taken into exile by Novo. The only new furniture was a map of north zebrica and the Blue Flag of the Revolutionary North Zebrica, both of them hanging from the wall behind the armchair. At least the Bathroom remained complete, minus the expensive products which were stolen during the revolution. The room had no portraits or mirrors, Posada felt uncomfortable by their gaze, as if she was being spied on. She even had the mirrors and walls of the palace checked for hidden rooms, thankfully the former royalty had some decency. Failing to get any inspiration from the furniture, Posada buried her face in her claws in defeat and remembered the reason for writing her letter.

Two days had passed since Hard Line wanted to find and execute the former Queen Novo, mother of comrade commissar and already dear friend Skystar. Initially Posada was proud of how quickly and effective she shut down his proposal, but then she started to doubt herself. Not if she was right to defend Skystar, but if she treated Hard Line fairly by humiliating him.

Fearing that the unity and purity of the party and council was at stake, Posada was conflicted on what to do. She did not want to throw Hard Line out of the Party or the council. Especially considering she just invited, former princess Silverstream and her old friend, former fascist Crack Lightning to form their own wings of the party and gave both of them a seat on the council despite their questionable believe in the cause. Purging him from the Party seemed harsh, Hard Line was after all not just a founding member of the Revolutionary Workers Party but also her comrade and her friend.

Frustrated by this dilemma and her own indecisiveness Posada reached into one of her drawers to pull out a bottle of aquilian wine, generously left in the wine cellar by the former Royalty and an ordinary glass. Maybe she should take Hard Line to a bar in Seaquestria. A knock on the door ended that thought.

"Comrade general secretary Posada, comrade Starry Eyes wants to have a word with you." One of her personal guards, Cyanterra, asked from the other side of the door.

Quickly composing herself and putting away the alcohol, Posada answered :
"Of course send her in and please you don´t need to address by my title."

"Understood, Comrade Posada" The Guard replied.

Walking in with her signature small smile, Starry friendly teased :
"So what are we celebrating? We heard you putting away the glass and the bottle." Posada blushed in embarrassment, becoming even more red than she already was, before Starry walked around the desk and quickly embraced her.

Finishing the hug and sitting down on the armchair beneath the blue banner rather than the chair opposite of Posada, Starry began talking:
"I was gonna retire for the night and saw that you were still working. Maybe I can help, so whats been bothering you?"

"Its Hard Line, after his "proposal" on the council, I started to question his place in the party and honestly, the state of the party itself. I.. I don´t want to throw a comrade and a friend out of the party and I do worry that we are maybe losing sight of our vision. I don´t want to repeat the same Mistakes Skynavia or Stalliongrad made and lose sight of our vision or have our nations crippled by disunity and infighting." Posada answered frustrated, with a hint of sadness.

Starry Eyes waited patiently until the end of Posada´s cry for help, before talking in an empathetic almost motherly tone :
"Posada you told me conflicts and disagreements are part of a healthy revolution, how is this situation different than an anarchist trying to get us to abolish our nation as a concept or Crack´s, frankly concerning, proposal to introduce a creature score system to determine who deserves equality. This is why we have a council and you as our gen-sec, to guide us into a better future. Right now we are trying to find a path towards that future, and each of us tries to find a role in that future, helping to create it and molding it according to their own views."

"Yes, but I hoped our future was not hunting down and executing pardoned royals." Posada frustrated but teasingly interjected before continuing in a serious tone :
"What if he wants to imprison the former princesses, our new comrades or something even worse?"

"That is why you need to talk to him, steer him away from his hate and remind him of our cause. I know that his proposal was a terrible first impression of the council on Skystar and I know that is one of the reason you are so worked up about this. Try to remind him that we want to built a world for everyone, regardless of their past, built among other things, on justice not vengeance. But it has to be you that reminds and guides him. He wont listen to most of us, he won´t listen to me. He is not hostile towards me, but he sees me as a hopeless idealist. But you are our leader and he still looks up to you for the most part." Starry encouragingly replied.

Posada took a moment of silence to think about Starry´s words. She was right, just how Marks´s words guided her to create a better future, Posada needed to guide Hard Line to abandon his hate and vengeance. But how? Maybe Posada needed to reassure him that his fears were unfounded. Hard Line feared most, not the reactionaries from outside the party, but the revisionist within the party, which is why he started attacking everyone that wasn´t following Marks´s work by the book.

"I was hoping he would have calmed down with his fear and hate of "revisionism" and of the monarchy after we achieved our victory, especially after Skystar became a member of the party. But he is still awaiting a counter-revolution or thinking that Skystar is whispering words into my ears, using me to crown herself queen, undoing everything we achieved and destroying the revolution from within. As If I would just gonna let that happen and become her mindless puppet." Posada said frustrated with a hint of anger.

"And that is the reason why he proposed his idea, he is concerned about the unity and purity of the party and if we are maybe losing sight of our vision. Reminds me of someone I know." Starry explained to Posada before teasing her, making Posada flinch in embarrassment.

Now in a serious and but still empathetic tone, Starry continued:
"We both know what happened to him and his father because of his mother. I still remember when he told us his story, he was bursting into tears half way through. He blames Novo for his mother´s mistakes, after all she was the head of the nobility and continued this unjust system. When Novo abdicated and you were busy building a new cabinet, Hard Line, me and some other comrades, were celebrating in Seaquestria. I remember seeing him smile and being actually happy for the first time. That is why I know he can move past his hate, but at the same time we cant expect him to move past 30 years of hate and shame immediately, we have to take it one step at a time.
Think about it like this, if the Storm King had peacefully surrendered could you just forgive him or would you want to hunt him down and end him, for what one of his underlings did to you?" Starry asked carefully.

I WOULD END HIM!

A voice shouted inside Posada´s mind, it was her own. She was in shock about how quickly and how willing she was to end the life of a, admittedly horrible, but defeated and most likely defenseless creature. Posada had to admit to herself that the voice in her head was right. Was it even possible for her to show any mercy for the Storm King, the bringer of pain to so many creatures, the reason for her capture and torture and the leader of her tormentor?

Starry´s smile faded during Posada´s hesitance. Posada grasped at her scars through her uniform which had begun to itch unbearably, before answering slowly :
"I.. I do not know,... maybe I would,... but it would be for justice, for all the creatures that suffered under him, not my personal vengeance." Posada quickly composed herself, unsure if she was telling the truth.

Brushing aside this moment, Posada asked Starry :
"But how will I get through to him? Right now I am failing to even write an invitation to him, maybe I should just invite him personally to a bar in Seaquestria and have a drink with him." before showing Starry her attempts.

Starry´s smile returned while reading her attempts before advising her : 
"Talk to him, just how we are talking right now, a respectful and friendly conversation between comrades. Alcohol would be too informal, it would seem like you do not take the situation seriously and would come across as desperate, not to mention how would he even react under influence? I dont think we could control him and he would probably say some questionable stuff, which could just further humiliate him and us if we were in public."
"The Letter on the other claw seems to impersonal to address a fellow comrade and friend and would look like just a formality before you purge him from the party.
Hard Line wants to hold a seminar on revisionism in three days in one of the royal halls here in the palace. Allow him to do it under the conditions that you two will have a talk before the seminar starts and simply talk to him like a friend. However you should brace yourself he did storm out of the council with quiet the anger after the speaker closed the council."

Posada gave her a nod, accepting her idea.
"Good, then I will propose this to Hard Line" Starry said before standing up and preparing to make her leave. The Clock showed the time being 10 to 11, 22:50. Starry herself was also starting to get tired.

"Wait." Spoke Posada before getting up from her chair and pulling Starry into a hug: 
"Thank you Starry, for helping me and being a good friend."

"What are Comrades for" answered Starry, surprised by Posada´s sudden embrace, before breaking it and walking to the door. "Posada please, try to get some sleep and you really shouldn't drink at this late hour. You need a clear and sober head for the next days." Starry finished before wishing both Posada and her guards a good nights rest and making her way towards the sleeping quarters.