160 AD
“Consul Prometheus” the call echoed through out the marble hall of the Senate. Only one Senator would be here so late in the evening. “What is it Senator Ho-Ting” Consul Prometheus asked turning wearily. “Consul Prometheus may I have a minute of your time.” Senator Ho-Ting’s party was only second to his own party in numbers in the Senate and therefore he had better give him at least a few minutes of his time thought Prometheus.

“What can I do for you Senator?” he asked though even Ho-Ting knew he meant what do you want to whine about now? “Consul, what do you hope to accomplish with all this stalling in the Senate? We should declare our neutrality right away, we are in no position for a war.” Prometheus eyed Ho-Ting, this was a new tactic and Ho-Thing was a clever man and usually he would be using the indecisiveness of the Senate to further his own career by spouting off propaganda that his party was not an effective ruler. “As you know Senator I have not convened with my council nor our foreign affairs experts, I have not even talked to any of the foreign powers, allies or otherwise.”

Well the first part was true, he had been in contact with many of the powers the ones he knew anyway, and he still lacked formal or informal contact with the Zulus. He had just convened a brief informal conversation with the Mali right before the war had broken out, but that was not necessary for the Senator to know. “But Senator” he continued, “ I will let you know everything there is to know once I find out for myself, we cant go and make an unknowledgeable decision now can we Senator” Senator Ho-Ting glared at Prometheus he knew he was being mocked but calmly replied “ Well you would know more about that than I would Consul, anyway thank you for your time” With that Prometheus watched him walk off. “Bastard” Prometheus said under his breath, as he walked in to his Council room “he did not even let me get in the last word”

Upon entering his Council room he asked, “Alright what’s the state of the Republic?” Turning immediately to his Domestic Advisor, who replied “Better than can be expected sir, as you know ever since you decided to give the people more of a voice our production has taken a hit, so we get less cities up less often, but with the help of our allies the Australians and the Mongols who each gave us a city. So three new ones were built since last time. If we keep this up we will catch up to the Israelites by the next report sire.”

Yes that was true thought Prometheus, even if two were gifted there were already two new settlers, one to the new world the other up north to Siberia and a number of them were being built though slowly. “… and in land size our spies have reported we surpass the Israeli Government” Yes that was good he thought ever since he had seized control from the evil A.I. he had used the Israeli’s as the ones to catch up too as they were the only other small power in the world. No he thought that is not correct, in size and population they were smaller than the rest however in military strength they could probably give most countries a good run for their money. Thinking about that made Prometheus glad they had the Mongols between him and the Israeli people, even if they had never been hostile, a small powerful nation was not something he would want to deal with. On the other hand big powerful nations would likely ignore him but a small one, that would be dangerous.

The domestic advisor continued “And some good news sir, we are second in per capita” a smile crossed Prometheus’s face “and number one in family size and productivity. Not to mention third in literacy…”
“Excuse me, third in literacy?” This struck Prometheus as odd, they did not have a library in the entire country, must be the high per capita he thought maybe they could buy more books?

His military, trade, science and luxury advisor all talked at once when the domestic advisor had finished.
“Yes I know you all want more resources for your various departments.” Prometheus replied “However there is just not enough to go around, first we must grow to a good size then we shall improve your departments.” Well maybe not the military, after the revolts when to many divisions were out of Chinese Glory a few years ago there were riots there, that was not something that he had wanted to deal with again, and with it being the only city in New China that caused more headaches than he would care to repeat.

Now it was time for the Foreign Affairs department to speak, and Prometheus did not just look his way but glared and said “ Now explain to me how after years of you telling me that eventually when war broke out it would be west vs. east, the Mali and the Adriatic’s were at war.”

The Foreign Advisor gulped “Well you see sir, The west has never gotten along with anyone, with the exception of the Adriatic’s and the Israelites, they have all squabbled among themselves for so long that when the Adriatic’s called for a Union against Eastern imperialism it fell on death ears.” That was true thought Prometheus, he remembered when the Adriatic monarch had held a conference to determine the fate of the new continent how after the Australian proposal he had almost had a fit, calling for unity against the now Republican Triple Entity, he had also used China as a political tool. Something that Prometheus still held against him, the nerve of some westerners. However he did feel for the plight of the Chinese people, something that almost made up for his ignorance. “… the Mali with their new king have decided that they need more land than the Adriatic in the new world and would not be the smaller power as they were in the old world so a mix of old feelings and the Mali change in power is the result of the conflict”

“On the other hand” Prometheus added getting back to his Foreign Advisor “ you may not have been wrong with your previous prediction. The war between the Adriatic’s and the Mali may escalate to include the world if we are not careful, the Israeli for example are they not allied with the Adriatic’s in a pact to counter the Republican Triple Entente or as they call the Pacific Alliance.”

“That is so Consul and the Israeli are most likely to declare war to expand their borders and influence in Africa.” Could the Mali stand up against both the Israeli and the Adriatic Empire? No I doubt it thought Prometheus, maybe defensively but not enough to force a victory. And to get the Adriatic to give up what the Mali want in the New World would require a victory. “But what of the Zulu’s?” Prometheus thought out loud. “Reports are they will most likely to stay neutral,” the advisor answered quickly. That’s what he said the Zulu’s would do if the west fought the east Prometheus reminded him self after all the Zulu had all the land he wanted in the new world. But would the Zulus want the Mali Nation stronger on his northern border or would they view the invasion by Israel a threat to the united African front mentality. Not to mention what the Mongols would due their senate was newly formed some cry out for war to rewrite the borders, others to stay Neutral. Then there is the Australians; O the Australians they would not be happy once they learned that the Adriatic’s had cities in Central America but will be their reaction?

“I should retire” Prometheus mumbled to himself with his head in his hands “what do we hear from the Mali and the Adriatic?” The advisor wasted no time “Well both countries recognize our claim to land west of the Mississippi and North of the Rio Grande including Baja California. And sir I have a report for your eyes only when you have time on the situation, as we know it including very sensitive information.

“Thank you foreign advisor, until we talk with our allies we have to many assumptions and not enough facts. I will keep stalling the Senate, and we shall keep building cities. In the Foreign arena we will talk to our allies and hopefully provide a united front, if war does come we have no need to fear it as we will be separated by a great deal of land and the entire Mongol empire.” With that the Council members left for their homes.

Well he thought tiredly if the world does go to war at least China will be safe.