Side with Captain Kepler

"As I said yesterday, we should be building up our numbers and not wasting lives. Training an army to take back our planet will require soldiers with experience. I agree with Captain Kepler in this." Your two sisters look at you with concern, Hope just shaking her head while Charity seems ready to argue the point. You look them in the eyes. "I will not have this colony see one murderer fall just for another to take his place." Even as you said these words, you realized just how much faith you were putting into those you would spare. There was a reason a military coup was a common aspect of infant democracy. You wonder how many of those who had just yesterday aimed a gun at you still wished for a chance to pull that trigger, but you have made your decision.

Hope tilts her head, "You didn't overthrow The General with sweet sentiments. If anything, this first act of leadership just shows weakness, an opening for your enemies to take advantage of."

"Mighty, cunning warrior," Charity sighs, " but none too bright. Well then, it is more important than ever to pick the right people for the consul suffectus positions, and it is clear who that is. Elect Hope and me."

You smirk. "I didn't take you two for politicians."

"That's the point, bro," Hope chimes in with a shouldn't-you-know tone. "Neither one of us cares a spit for leading the colony. You will basically have sole rule to do whatever you want. You gotta lock in the important parts now during this transition to make sure your whole Republic thing starts exactly like you want it to without wasting your term debating. You are going to end up only getting half of your goals done and watch as some idiots muck up your vision."

They sure seem to have this notion worked out considering it was just this morning that you declared your intent to be Consul.They must have been thinking of strategies since last night for each of the potential options for government. You let the thought pass as you respond. "I think that defeats the idea of Consul and balance of powers to begin with."

"Not at all." Charity rolls her eyes. "The little people thinking they have a say is the point. It keeps them happy and orderly. In reality, politics under any name dictatorship or a Republic will be the same, a mad grab for power. You've proven to be the strongest and most fit to lead, so why split hairs on propriety? Besides, do you doubt you could sculpt this Republic to be everything you want it to be on your own?"

"As the Consul sculpts, tools will be required, chief of which are these nominations," the Kepler cuts in. "The slots of consul suffectus are valuable bargaining chips that, if tossed aside for more solo power is like tossing a chisel and hammer aside because they might mash your thumb when using them." Ignoring the sharpened looks from your sisters, Selma continues. "Right now, the colony will be split between those that hated the General's rule and harbored rebellion in their hearts and those that thrived within the General's rule. Both will watch you closely with high expectations on either side. At this time, the Consul should consider electing one member from either side to balance the two factions and allow both to understand that they can work with this new system instead of chafing against the transition."

"Okay, so I keep my friends close and enemies closer...but keep everyone closest until I know which is which," you comment.

The captain nods. "The General was our singular ruler, but even he knew to pass off common administration to others if only to spare himself the monotomy. As such, each of the four gate villages has a judge that presides over day-to-day rulings. Elect one of them to consul suffectus and you will show that they can still hold sway in the new Republic. The more revolutionary crowd will see this as the return of obression; so, you balance with the other nomination going to someone they can see as championing the common man's cause in government. I'm sure your mother would have a short list of names as I have always suspected she was connections with that ring of rebels."

You consider these two sides. On the one hand, working with complete authority would gurantee that you never have to compromise the principles you see for this Republic in backroom dealings. On the other hand, you know that creating an inclusive structure with both sides would allow for more balanced representation, which one might say was at the core of the democratic spirit. Both paths has their benefits and costs. Is was up to you to chart the path of your new Republic.