Prisoners of Sol - Girret Storm Riders (11/11)

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As it turned out, Narol was a wonderful speechwriter and a better publicist, who played up my more earnest qualities. The press releases, following the changes we made at the Storm Riders, cemented the legendary status of our leadership, I was never convinced on the far-fetched political ambitions, but when I heard public support for the kind of leadership we had brought to our organization, I began to see my squad-brother’s vision for honest leadership. The entire planet deserved authority figures that served them.

It was time for someone to have the gumption to overhaul Doros’ government at the highest level. A Storm Rider hero, who’d survived ridiculous rescues and been willing to lay his life on the line, was the perfect symbol; the one to be the man of the people. Part of me thought it should be Narol, since it was his dream and savviness that had gotten us anywhere near the highest office. However, he’d looked me in the eye and insisted that it should be my unflappable honor. It touched me somewhere deep in my heart that he respected the entirety of my person.

I’m not sure what I even wanted was honor. It was respect and love, and to have good people close to me. Narol was always the best of us. He’s the family I wanted all along, the one who’s always had my back. 

Narol passed me the last of the notes for the inauguration speech, talking points to go over on our agenda. “Remember, we need to focus on things we did for the Storm Riders, and how that will translate to our administration’s first days. It’ll set the tone for how the Alliance reacts to us; we have to keep the existing representatives and our alien allies assured that we won’t rock the glider too much.”

“Isn’t this hard to believe, Narol? When we were both in training, did you ever believe we’d rise this high?” I murmured.

“No, Representative Redge, my younger self just wanted to provide for his family and have a little bit of credibility. But then I never settled down for myself. The Riders just become your life, and we…we had quite the meteoric rise. We went through some shit, especially when you were trying to get yourself killed. I had a harder time keeping you alive than getting you elected!”

“I’d still die to protect people, you know, though time’s worn down my scales. The leaders in Mosaic’s Hall always seemed out of reach to me, someone from a disreputable family. I just hope nobody out there feels like that. A Girret can carve their own path and be judged on their own actions, enough to wash away everything else. I guess that’s why I took this role, in a sense. I don’t want power, but I want them to see that anyone can change the world.”

Tunia, who’d gotten out of the Riders with her family’s blessing, now served as my diplomatic advisor; her family had gotten the Riders’ brass to help with my campaign appeal. “We’re all more than our families, Redge. Their expectations and their legacy can be a box that confine us, and more often than not, our predecessors place those great burdens on us willingly. You and Narol helped me make it through some years where I wasn’t very happy with where I wound up. You brought me home and gave me a path out. Just like we had work to do at the Riders, we have a whole lot more now.”

“Shit, we did a little too good of a job cleaning up the Riders and making people believe in the legend. We kept the stories alive for my nephew enough that he enlisted,” Narol sighed. “I never wanted that life for him, but it was his choice. I guess seeing Tunia, that’s all we can hope for: that it was his choice. It was the life we wanted, and I hope he won’t be disappointed with what we left behind.”

My tongue flitted out, and I leaned back in my chair, thinking about the massive crowds outside. “I know he’s watching us today. We’ve made every Rider proud, with our profession more respectable than ever. The landslide victory says it all; we are wanted. It’s a great deal of pressure, as much as proving myself to be capable back in our ranks ever was. So much responsibility rests on our shoulders.”

“I’m excited,” Narol chuckled. “Redge always expects people to be better than they think they are. He puts the lives of those around him first, above all else; he’d do anything to protect Doros. There couldn’t be a better, more courageous man taking charge of our destiny.”

I reached out to my old squadmate, affection and fond memories swelling in me. “Well, there could be you, my brother. You were my guiding light from the moment I joined the Riders, as brave and honorable and visionary as they come. This is your story, as much as it is mine.”

“It doesn’t have to be one or the other. We did this together. It’s our story, Redge, and it’s only the beginning. Something tells me we’re going to be living in interesting times.”

“‘Interesting’ doesn’t mean the sought-after quiet and peace. So is that a good thing?” Tunia hissed.

“I don’t know. It could be. After all, isn’t our story one about how change and fresh blood can change the world for the better? Whatever challenges come our way, we’ll face it with courage. We’ll keep our integrity and try to do what’s right.”

I gave my speechwriter a strange look. “You know, Narol, you’re beginning to sound like me.”

“I guess your naivety contaminated me. Don’t gloat about it too much. It was bound to happen, writing speeches exactly for the purposes of ‘sounding like you!’ Though…between us, there are worse things to hope for and believe in. I see why you thought it was worth it to put everything on the line now. You wanted people to see in you what we do. The whole world knows who you are, Redge, and that’s forever. I hope you found your peace.”

“I did, brother. I sure did.”

Narol and Tunia walked behind me as I walked out to the stage, before a roaring crowd of the electorate, to usher in a changing of the guard for Doros’ leadership. I had every confidence that we’d continue to make an excellent team, despite the high stakes; there was no one else I could’ve imagined undertaking this journey with. We had pushed each other to dream and to be better, and it was time for us to share that vision with the Girrets and with any other people who’d aspire to our message.

A/N - The Redge finale! The positive PR after their success making a series of changes at the Storm Riders gets our trio on the campaign trail, where an honest, legendary hero of the storm cycle proves to be exactly the kind of shakeup Doros wants. Narol, Redge, and Tunia reflect on everything that they’ve achieved together and how far they’ve come, while outlining their hopes for a government that will serve the people. What do you think about the influence the team had on each other, and how much they’ve grown and accomplished? Do you agree that Redge is the ideal leadership for Doros, and that the strategies that worked with the Riders will work globally?

As always, thank you for reading and supporting! If there’s anything you’d like to see as bonus content next, feel free to let me know what you’d find interesting!