Ambassador Ponan had made his way to the podium, and thundered over the speaker through the din.

“The problem that no one has bothered to voice, and I’m sure is instrumental to both the decision we make together, as well as the personal decisions we will make for our nations, is this.”

Silence had begun to accumulate, and the audience was his.

“I, for one, feel as though my actions were not my own for the past two weeks. I have never before considered revolution, yet have acted in it. And after having several conversations, most of you feel this way, and even suspect the same of your self-appointed superiors.”

There were murmurs of assent, but the floor remained his.

“We cannot return to how things were – what has happened has too much momentum. We can either succumb to infighting, only to fall and be forced to Verdan rule, or we can unite… under a common government.”

Before the arguments for freedom resurfaced, he concluded.

“My nation would follow, but not behind a leader who has been… affected.”