Interlude 1

Bernhard took a deep drag from his cigar. The small room slowly filled up around him and it wouldn't be long before everyone was there. Then he had to sell them on it. These were some of the most influential people around Prussia and without them, he wasn't going to make it very far.

His political party was small and without support, it wasn't going to go any further. At the moment, its small nature hid the truth from the Aquitese and Britannians. If one of these men betrayed him and told the occupation forces about this meeting, that was the end. He'd be dragged before a Britannian court and sent into exile or prison. If he was lucky.

If he was unlucky, Bernhard would be tried before an Aquitese court. The best he could hope for was hard labor at one of the labor camps. They might just shoot him instead and save themselves the trouble.

The door closed at least and the eight people in front of him looked on expectantly. Before he could say anything, Johann Eggeling spoke: "Why has a socialist called me here? I'm an industrialist, boy, not some working peasant the communists can take advantage of. I've seen what happens to industry when a socialist government takes over. I lost all of my investments when the Romanovs lost the war. I am not keen on losing all my investments in the fatherland."

Bernhard nodded. These men were all industrialists or industry leaders. None of them would ever back a communist or a socialist. There were plenty of movements in the country that wanted to make Prussia like Roslachny.

That wouldn't work. He had read the reports of starvation and economic ruin in the People's Union. Bernhard had already discarded that form of government as a viable option. That was why he left the Socialist Party of Prussia behind.

"You're right. Everything you just said is understandable. Smart men like you would never back a party that went against their self-interest. Socialism and Communism are engines of ruin. They would lay waste to Prussia and see us all starve as we subordinated the fatherland to Roslachny.

"No. What I purpose is something new. Something different. There are elements of socialism that we cannot outright condemn, nor can we embrace the ideology of a foreign power. No, gentlemen, what I purpose here is a new ideology the people of this country can rally behind. I am Bernhard Weissman, the successor of the State Socialist Party. What we need is strength. The rule of a monarchy is too corrupt. The rule of democracy is too weak. A powerful party at the center of Prussia is what's needed."