Noah looked out the window.
"It only takes one person with a rifle.” He said.
Ruby gestured towards the military end of the floor. Lots of uniforms hustled in groups, rehearsing their roles. She continued.
"Confidence. It's all about confidence. We are so fragile. If we cower behind doors then our supporters will lose courage."
Noah realised he was just wasting time. They had to get to Federation Square, opposite Flinders Street station, on the banks of the Yarra. The three of them headed for the express lift. Out into the biggest crowd he had ever seen - the biggest crowd the city had ever seen. As they made their way down Collins Street people recognised them, waved, and cheered.
The closer they got, the tighter the crush.
Ruby climbed up the steps, onto the tower. She smiled down at Noah, took in the vast scene, and began.
"Friends. Here we are. Us. All of us."
She paused. A huge cheer sprung up, and spread like a wave. In the distance, up Flinders Street, it echoed as it propagated through the narrow funnels of the streets.
"Today marks a new beginning. We have thrown off the shackles. We have the military to thank for that."
She gestured towards them.
"We will create a new social contract. There will be no more worshipping of the market. A market is not a religion, it is a mechanism for distribution. A way of organising things. No, we are not going to dispense with the market. We are not going to attempt to impose an idealistic view. There will be no nationalisation or collective ownership. All we are doing is restoring a balance that has been disrupted.
What is a social contract? It's give and take. It recognises that we are connected. That we work together. That a simple numerical majority does not mean that you take advantage. For too long we have had a system that is a slave to a powerful few, and a numerical majority. You and I have had enough.
You know we have, in part, given up on democracy. A society requires a lot of give and take. When it becomes all take and no give, it doesn’t work anymore.”
The crowd cheered wildly.
"We are not a vindictive government."
She moved on.
"Housing is for living in. It's for people to raise families, to go to work, to school. The days of rampant speculation on housing are over. We will be compulsorily purchasing large tracts of housing in the city. If you work in this city, you will have access to affordable housing. We will just keep acquiring housing until it is. Our message to the property speculators is simple: your time is over."
She paused. They cheered. Again it went in waves, rippling down the canyons. She looked across at Noah and Jack. They smiled. It was a beginning, but also an end. For so long they had huddled in back rooms, hiding, planning, scheming. To come out into the light, such a light, was blinding but also exhilarating.
"If you are a business, we are here for you. The supports of the city: transport, housing, education are going to improve dramatically. We want you to expand, to hire more people, to go with us into this bright future.
One thing has to change though. The days of paying low wages and cheating on entitlements are over. You will pay a percentage of profits to your workers. Exactly how much we will leave to you. Of course we will set a minimum, but we are hoping that you will come on board. That you will understand that we are of the future. If you take the other path, to try and continue with the old ways then we will not be tolerant at all. “
More cheering. It rose in volume as they realised that Ruby had come almost to the end of the speech. She looked up. People as far as she could see in all directions. She continued.
“I’m not going to sugar coat it for you. These are great days. New beginnings. Our enemies, for the moment, have been caught off balance. We have the advantage. But this will not last. They will process what has happened, gather their forces and come back at us. There will be many difficult days. Many days that we will wonder how we will keep going. But you know and I know that it is worth it. It is worth it for one reason: we have seized our own future.”
She waved, and descended the steps. In a tight huddle the three made their way up to the parliament. How long before it sat again? They had not even had that discussion.
First on the agenda was the security briefing. The room had a window that had a view of Spring Street. Ruby could see the brief shower of rain sweeping the street. No time for that though, here she was facing a room full of serious people. Although she was, just for a moment, intimidated by the array of older men, she told herself that most likely they were wondering how long they would have their jobs. She smiled to put them at ease.
"Thank you for coming. Shall we begin with introductions?"
They went in turn. Intelligence, Police, Military.
"I'm afraid I don't have much time. Can we cut to the chase?" She said.
They looked at each other, and deferred to Wan Li, intelligence. Mid fourties, metallic rim glasses, looking not at all intimidated by the situation.
"They have assembled a large force just north of Albury."
He brought up satellite surveillance. ”As you can see they have a significant drone force, helicopters and tanks. I expect them to reserve the tanks for later use. For the moment they will use the mobile forces."
The room paused. Ruby asked the obvious.
"We have a presence of our own. How can they proceed?"
Ruby referred to the joint military ‘exercises’ that had, courtesy of their Chinese friends, an impressive array of technology just south of the border. For the residents of Rutherglen it was quite something to see the hovering silver of the monitoring drones. Anything hostile in the surrounding 100km or so, would be met with a rapid air to ground, or air to air missile strike.
Wan brought up a topographic map.
"Yes, in good weather, these things are impossible to pass. They will search out the difficult terrain, and volatile weather."
Of course. Noah sat back in his chair. The north had the Americans, but they were unreliable and weak. On the other hand, their Chinese friends were only too eager, and engaged. A bit like using a tiger to intimidate a snake. No saying when the tiger would get hungry and turn on you instead.
Noah and Jack watched Ruby do her thing. It was that air of authority, the ability to grapple a room full of bureaucrats. How far they had come.
After the room cleared, and Ruby had turned, waved and exited with her entourage. They made a space outside, just down the steps.
Noah turned to Jack.
"Military thinking. Lines on a map. Expecting them to go out into the desert and fight in the open."
"Great speech but."
"The best. You imagine the illustrious middle class are just going to surrender their expensive real estate without a fight?"
"What are they going to do, whip their lattes into a froth and throw them at us?
They both laughed.
"What next?" Noah asked Jack. After the magnificence of the speech, the euphoria, it was back to the humdrum.
"Review the north east surveillance schedule."
"Exciting."
"Necessary."
Down two floors. Into a theatre adapted for the purpose. Noah sat, and took it in. The last ten hours, then in more detail the incidents of interest.
Jack waved at one of the operators. He climbed the steps up to where they were sitting in the top row.
Jack introduced Noah.
"Noah."