Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Five: The Unexpected
January, 3038
"Coordinator," Tai-Sa Joseph Izuzu inclined his head and came to a bow before Franklin Kurita."What is it that you desire for us to accomplish?"
"We are going to crush our opposition and rebuild," the young man clenched his fists together. "The dragon may need to change with the times, but it will restore itself to new heights given time and space."
"Your will be done, coordinator," Tai-SadeLetereau responded, "I shall call all of our senior officers and the officials that are left for a full accounting of your realm, my lord."
"Good, prepare what is left of my Otomo as well," Franklin stated coldly. "I believe that there are spies and traitors among us that will be revealed when I institute some of my planned reforms."
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"I have brought you all here in order that you may begin to implement the reforms that I have planned," Franklin announced to the group of assembled nobles and people who held important office on the worlds that he still ruled over. "But first, there are traitors and spies that must be dealt with." Franklin gave deLetereau a nod and the woman commanded her troops to come into the massive chamber. "We are already aware of who the traitors and spies are, and we are giving you one last chance to reaffirm your fealty to the true coordinator."
"Death before dishonor!" One of the nobles that was a member of the Black Dragons rose up and tried to shoot at Franklin with a single shot laser pistol, only to miss by a few centimeters before Franklin rose up with his katana and walked over to where the noble had been seated.
"So you have chosen death," Franklin spoke softly in the now extremelyl quiet chamber. "I will grant you your desire." Franklin unsheathed his katana and killed the noble before turning to address the rest of the nobles. "Does anyone else have a burning desire to commit suicide?" Franklin asked as he returned to his throne. "I would prefer that you all live, there is no greater honor than to return unbroken and able to live to fight another day."
Franklin stood before his throne and flicked the blood off of his katana as he spoke. "Our Samurai are few in number, and we have long forgotten what honor truly is," Franklin sheathed the sword to emphasize his point. "Honor is more than dying for the combine, but it is in everything that we do. I am a bastard yes, but I am more than capable of leading the Dragon to prominence again." Franklin sat down on his throne. "But there are things we must change first. We do not have the numbers nor the capability of waging war long term if our soldiers believe that honorable retreat and living to serve another day is not something that will be honored. We need every single on of our soldiers. But we also have great need of civilian minds and bodies who will be willing to die for a greater cause if the need is great."
"But this will change the very fabric of the Dragon," one of the oldest nobles there stated. "Will we still be the same after this?"
"I should hope not," Franklin spoke passionately. "Everything in nature adapts or it dies, and we must now do the same or our enemies at the gates will break them down and come in to burn our houses and families down."
"I see," the elder noble inclined his head. "If you were Takashi or your father I would request the use of your garden, because I am not certain that I am capable of adapting," the old man met Franklin's eyes. "But you have made your stance on such things clear, and so I offer myself and my house to be of use to you in the way that you see fit."
"Shogun, I would be honored if you were to be my advisor," Franklin inclined his head. "I will have great need of the wisdom of a man who has seen four coordinators in his time."
"I am at your service, Coordinator Kurita," Shogun Mikhail Friedrich replied. "My world lies ready to beat the drums of war, and our factories are ever yours."
February 3038
"Coordinator!" The plant manager of the local Bergan Industries plant paled when he saw that Franklin Kurita had paid his factories a visit.
"Still yourself," Franklin spoke softly. "I have no need of your head, I desire to see what improvements might be made, and what we might be able to restore to full use here."
"Coordinator, we are only currently able to produce more Locusts at this time," the plant manager informed him. "We do not possess the licenses for much more than that."
"I am going to be arranging a meeting between all of the companies that are within our sphere of influence," Franklin informed the plant manager. "I desire for you to be there, I have need of someone with expertise from the ground floor. I read the file on you and you have worked on every machine in here and are a capable engineer are you not?"
"I am, my lord," the plant manager bowed low. "But I would never dream of being able to educate the Dragon."
"The Dragon has need of education," Franklin spoke honestly. "You work for me now, I have need of a man of your talents."
The plant manager hesitated for a moment but didn't want to speak lest he offend the new Coordinator.
"Speak up, I will not slay a man for his opinions," Franklin stated.
"I have an excellent team here my lord," the man rubbed his palms together nervously. "I do not wish to leave them behind."
"You will remain here then," Franklin said after a moment of thought. "I will send for you when I have need of you, and then you will return to this factory."
"You are most gracious!" The manager prostrated himself before the coordinator.
"Get up, I will not take a man from the place where he has found peace in," Franklin picked the man up off of his knees. "I wll send a messenger with the details of what I have need of your for." Franklin turned and left the plant the way that he had entered it, with a sudden burst of speed and energy, as if he had little time to accomplish all that he had need of."