Legends of Galactic Heroes - The Sleeping Dragon

Chapter 17

Following the capture of Iserlohn Fortress, Yang Wen-Li was promoted to Vice Admiral. He was invited to the anniversary ceremony of the Officer's Academy at Thernuzen, the second largest city on planet Heinessen. Thernuzen held many memories for Yang from his time at the Officer's Academy.

The large plane carrying Yang lands and jostles Yang awake.

"We're here Vice Admiral Yang." Julian says to him as he stretches and yawns, "I had a nice nap."

The giant beluga sized plane docks at an airport gate and the two simply go inside as they go down a down escalator to the main floor of the airport.

"We don't have any particular schedule... except for the ceremony of course." Yang says as he turns his head to them. "So if there's anything you'd like to see, we can go."

"Don't worry about me. Besides, isn't there someone you'd like to see?" Julian asks with an eyebrow raised to Yang.

When they start walking, they're swamped by the new reporters and cameras as the lightbulbs to brighten filled with magnesium phosphorus flashed in front of them. They apparently waiting for them when they're walking away from the escalator. This continues until a near late middle aged man walk through the crowd.

"You're Vice Admiral Yang Wen-Li, aren't you? I'm Raymond Togliatti, Manager of the National Peace Conference, Thernuzen district. Pleased to meet you." He holds out his hand and Yang shakes it saying hello.

He's then jerked and pulled forward by the man and the man starts infront of the cameras. "Everyone! The Hero of El Facil! The Magician and Miracle of Iserlohn! Miracle Yang! Let me introduce Vice Amiral Yang Wen-Li!"

"Seriously Yang? Not even 10 seconds you get off a plane and you're swamped by anyone and everyone who wants a thing or a bone to pick with you, or want your support." Says a voice that he now knows and simply walks forward with his eyepatch on. The other reporters were shocked by the fact that the saviour of the 4th fleet and the twin hero of Astarte and El Facil would be present at the same time. "Everyone, meet the Hero of the 4th fleet!"

Then a small girl walks up to the pair and is seen holding a bouquet of flowers. "Vice Admiral Yang... the bouquet." The girl turns her head away from Yanv and gives a look that Harrow has seen before. Yang then stands up until Raymond gives his speech. "Everyone. This girl is a war orphan. Her father was killed in the Battle of Astarte." Harrow gives a menacing look with his amber areas of his only eye glow red.

'Bold words to say in front of a girl who lost their father and say his death was glorious you self righteous, entitled DICK.' He thought as the man continued.

"He gave his life to protect the peace and freedom of his fatherland. Isn't there some way to honor the sacrifice of her father?" There is! That way is fight to the finish, to topple the Empire. People in the so-called Peace Party advocate a peace treaty with the Empire. They think peaceful coexistence with a despotic state is possible. But that is only wishful thinking! The anti-war part's claims about the Empireare untrue. This is a free nation. Therefore our Alliance tolerates opposition to national policy. But the Peace Party is naive. They are no more than a bunch of spoiled children!" Another person starts yelling, that's right from behind the three and they then look at him.

"In the upcoming Thernuzen special election, vote for me, Raymond Togliatti. Everybody's choice. Join us in tomorrow's victory. Long live the Alliance! Long live the Republic! Down with the Empire!"

Others start joining in until Harrow cuts infront of the cameras on Togliatti and he crouches down to the orphan's level. "I've seen that look before. The look of "why you killed my father." That has happened before because I had done it as well to other before you. I have lost 4 sisters and 7 brothers. I only have 4 sisters and 5 brothers left in this life and I'll be looking to see that they stay away from the war. For you, you want to see this 150 year long war to end. I understand you by just one look you give with your eyes." Unbeknownst to him and the others, they were live and recording it.

Harrow stands up, "you know I usually don't give a shit, but I'll give some advice: never glorify the dead along with it infront of those who lose them ya DICK!" Harrow delivers a punch to the gut and Togliatti doubles over and falls to the ground. "Yang c'mon, we have some friends to go to today before the ceremony." He turns to the cameras and points at them. "Vote for the peace party if you want no more people to die in this pointless war. That's all I have to say."

Yang, Harrow, and Julian leave a stunned group of news reporters and cameras as they walk away. They head to the apartment they're going to be in. Yang slumps down on the bed and Julian sits in the chair whilst Harrow sat in the table with the bouquet. "Well, I'm stunned. I didn't expect to get roped into a political circus in a place like this."

The TV screen and it audio system were playing showing Yang and Harrow which was then cut to Harrow lunching Togliatti in the gut.

Julian: "It makes it look like you came to support that war advocate and you, Harrow as a peace advocate."

Harrow: "That's exactly what the scoundrels wanted just so that they can get to stay in power."

Julian: "What scoundrels?"

Yang: "The brass that sent me and Harrow here. I bet Trunicht's behind it."

Julian: "Does the Defense Minister do things like that?"

Yang: "Yeah. I should have expected. I was always on the verge of flunking out of the Academy, but they invited me to the anniversary ceremony."

Harrow: "Because you were the only student who beat the top student, Wideborn in your year, and started from rags-to-near-normal-riches. And guess who had to pay for your half of your overall tuition?!"

Yang flinches when Harrow asked that question. He gets up to the edge and Julian stands up and asks. "Vice Admiral, shall I make some tea?"

"Yeah. Even better if there's brandy in it."

"I want mine to be very strong please."

Julian runs out of the room before the doorbell to the apartment rings. He opens the door and followed by negative sounds.

A man rushes in to try and punch Yang, but he dodges it before hitting the wall behind him. Some even saying that Yang was a "shill for a warmonger." Julian rushes to grab a gun in their cases and Harrow rushes to the phone for security. It could have gotten worse for all three on both sides had Jessica and Lapp not shown up to stop it. Security shows up and Julian tells them of a slight scuffle because of being intoxicated. Harrow puts the phone away as they're all sitting down. Jessica and Yang almost go into a heated argument. But overall both met the leader of the peace party and left to see good memories. All it took was an explosion to shatter it.

This would result in the overall fallout of Jessica and Lapp running and Jessica being the leader of the peace party after Thorndike's death. After the ceremony at the academy. The bombing would cause the main dominant party: The New Democratic Party on the main defensive after all of Thernuzen voted for the Peace Party. This would also lead to other planets to question the leadership of the New Democratic Party legitimately eligible to lead the Free Planets Alliance. This would however be answered in the few coming days.