Earth 1, Kaznia
The last few months had been tough ones. Once back on Earth X, she'd been sent to the prison zone. The choice had been simple, spend nearly all day in a cell or join one of the work parties, helping to repair buildings, infrastructure and other facilities that had been damaged or destroyed in what she thought of as the rebellion - the official name for it now seemed to be the Civil War. It hadn't been very civil from her perspective.
At first, she'd scornfully refused to do anything that would help the rebels who now called themselves the Provisional Government. When the so-called Official Government was elected, she and all the other prisoners received a standard letter, stating that they could shorten the length of their sentences by up to half if they agreed to take part in the work of reconstruction. She'd ignored the letter for a couple of weeks, until the growing boredom of her incarceration grew to the point where she couldn't bear it.
And now here she was, in Kaznia, sitting in her own office, within what was mostly a construction site. Savage had had her rescued and for that she would always be grateful. But her perspective had changed. In the back of her mind, she had always believed that, somehow, Earth X could be retaken. That would never happen. Her fortieth birthday was on the horizon - which, yes, did mean that she was young for a General, but what had she achieved? Her reputation had gone down with her cause, her capture on the Avianoids' world had been humiliating, her imprisonment even worse.
''Think of it as a new start''.
Both Vandal and Cassandra had offered her that advice and she was trying to take it. She'd taken over the 'Disrupt American Life' project, thrown herself into the planning of the recent 'riot'. On the surface that had been a success, done exactly what it was intended to do. But she was shaking her head as she thought about it. That wasn't the way forward.
''You wanted to see me?''
He'd been watching for a few minutes before he let her know he was there, during which time she'd been gazing out of the window in a reflective fashion. She'd changed, he thought. She was still highly competent but some of the fire had gone out of her during her captivity. Perhaps it would come back in time, he hoped so.
''I've been thinking - that you should scale back on the ''Disrupt American Life' project for now.''
''Why? I thought you were doing a good job.''
''Within what I have. People that are no more than half-trained at best. I'd like to tell most people to ease back and bring the best to Kaznia, give them some proper instruction, turn them into officers, commanders. Then set them to training others - both here and in the other countries where you have friends. You'll be around for ever, I won't. I'd like my legacy to a self-perpetuating army that you can use when the right time comes.''
It was his turn to stare out of the window. Men in hard hats looked like ants scrambling about the half-constructed building opposite. There was quite a lot in what she said.
''Make up a list of the people you want to bring. It's time that Caspar and Dronon did something to earn their keep.''
He brought out the newspaper he'd been holding behind his back during their conversation.
''In the meantime, I thought you'd like to see this.''
She glanced at the main article on the page he'd turned it to.
''Oh, I do.''