Chapter 308 A Political Offensive
January 20, 2017, U.S. Capitol, Washington, D.C
The streets, once ordinary thoroughfares, were now transformed into arteries of democracy, coursing with the lifeblood of the people. A sea of faces, representing the rich tapestry of America, converged upon the National Mall, where history was about to be rewritten. The quadrennial presidential inauguration was more than a ceremony; it was a ritual, a symbol of continuity, a testament to the enduring spirit of the United States.
In the distance, the gleaming white dome of the Capitol Building stood as a sentinel, a beacon of hope and a reminder of the nation's resilience. Its hallowed halls had borne witness to countless chapters in the American story, and today it would play host to another. The Capitol Building's steps, flanked by fluttering flags representing the fifty states, had become the stage upon which the future of the country would be unveiled.
Inside the Capitol Building, the air was charged with a blend of excitement and solemnity. Elected officials, dignitaries, and distinguished guests gathered in the ornate chambers, reflecting on the weight of the moment. The President-elect, resolute and contemplative, prepared to assume the highest office in the land. A page was about to turn in the annals of American history, and the world watched with bated breath.
But beyond the ceremonial grandeur and political pomp, the inauguration held a deeper significance; it was a celebration of the people's will, a demonstration of the peaceful transition of power that lay at the heart of American democracy. It was a reminder that, regardless of the challenges faced, the nation's commitment to its ideals remained unwavering.
Not too long after all of the invitees had taken their seats did the inauguration program begin, and things moved fast and as noon approached the swearing time too got closer. Not long after noon reached and passed the swearing in arrived as the president elect Donald H. trump took to the podium together with his wife, who would stand near him as he was sworn in. n((0VelbIn
(Ed note: names may or may not have been... slightly changed to protect the author from potential pointless and time-wasting frivolous defamation lawsuits. I'll neither confirm nor deny who we mean.)
As he reached the podium, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who was already there. He shook hands with the President-elect and had a short greeting before handing him two books that he would swear on: his childhood Bible and the Lincoln Bible, which had only been used by one president before him for their inauguration.
"I, Donald Hunt Trump," he said, repeating behind the chief justice word for word as he read the oath, the final piece of the puzzle before he become the president of the world's most advanced and powerful country, "do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
The moment he finished reciting the oath, the thousands of the now-president Trump's supporters cheered as they expressed their happiness and excitement.
...
"Now it begins," Aron said as he watched the inauguration through his glasses. He rose from the chair he was sitting in after taking off his seatbelt. The alarm had begun ringing in the plane he was in, a warning light that had flipped on when the alarm rang out painting the chamber a red hue. The plane's rear cargo ramp slowly opened, equalizing the atmospheric pressure inside and outside the cargo bay he was in, dressed in a light tracksuit.
He walked to the ramp with his hands in his pockets, and the moment the ramp was fully lowered, he took two running steps and leaped from it, despite not wearing a visible parachute at all.
...
"And so it begins," Alexander said as he watched the same live broadcast event, but not a single semblance of worry was anywhere to be seen. He'd had more than enough time to prepare for the upcoming chaos, and both his government and his person were absolutely ready for the unprecedented global power shuffle that was about to take place.
....
"Now let's see how you reshape the world order," Rina said from her room in the Cube. There were two screens in front of her; one showed the US presidential inauguration and the other was focused on Aron, who was falling through the air. Although she knew he was set to benefit from the upcoming chaos, she hadn't asked for full details; not only was she a woman who enjoyed surprises, but she also knew that if he needed her help, he would let her know.
After all, the two lovers wholeheartedly trusted each other.
...
The same air of expectation lingered in the atmosphere in the Kremlin, despite the ceremony taking place at 8:00 PM in Moscow.
....
The ceremony continued.
Following his oath, Trump stood at the podium and began delivering his first speech as the 45th president of the United States.
"Today's ceremony has a very special meaning. Because today, we aren't merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but from Washington, DC back to you, the people." He began his speech by showing his fangs to the people that he had been keeping them hidden from, but in a subtle enough manner to leave him at least some plausible deniability.
"For too long, a small group in our nation's capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost." He paused due to people screaming their agreement with his words, then continued, "Washington flourished, but the people didn't share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but jobs left and factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories! Their triumphs have not been your triumphs! And while they celebrated in our nation's capital, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land...."
He continued his speech, making sure every word of it was heard by the attendees. Once he had finished speaking, he was escorted back to his chair to wait for the event to continue.
...
The president started wielding his sword of power that night, beginning with something that would make the public believe him to be a president for the people and not for corporations by signing Executive Order 13765: Minimizing the Economic Burden of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Pending Repeal. It directed federal agencies to take certain actions to "minimize the unwarranted economic and regulatory burdens" of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) while the administration worked on plans to repeal and replace the healthcare law.
The next day, women across America took to the streets in a nationwide march, protesting the misogynistic and hateful comments during the 2016 election. They had organized beforehand on Pangea, and Nyx agents were here and there in the crowds, stirring up the mud. Trump took to Pangea and made a few contradictory posts himself, at first posting, "Watched protests yesterday but was under the impression that we just had an election! Why didn't these people vote? Celebs hurt cause badly" early in the morning.
But an hour later, he did a complete about face and posted, "Peaceful protests are a hallmark of our democracy. Even if I don't always agree, I recognize the rights of people to express their views".
People who were at first worried heaved a small sigh of relief that the loose cannon hadn't started shooting people moments after becoming president.
But that didn't last long as he immediately drew proverbial first blood on the 23rd of January. It was the fourth day of his presidency, and he withdrew the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which was a multinational trade agreement between 14 Pacific Rim countries, including Eden and Esparia.
He didn't stop there, either. The following day, he approved the Keystone XL Pipeline, a network of pipelines that transport crude oil from Canada to refineries in the United States. That reduced their import demand from other countries—including Eden, which was among the top exporters of oil to the US, thanks to a deal signed by the previous administration's State Department. Obama had wanted to make peace with Eden, seeing it as a "better friends than enemies" situation after they'd demonstrated the capability of ICBM launches.
But Trump didn't care at all, thinking that America was still the most powerful nation on the planet and held the biggest stick.
He truly was like a bull in a china shop as he continued an increasingly blatant political offensive against Eden. On January 27th, he delivered another hit to Eden and Esparia by including them in a travel ban that he had signed into enforcement by executive order. While it was primarily targeted at majority Muslim nations, people were wondering about him including the "third world shitholes" of Eden and Esparia. After all, they had just begun their development as nations after shedding their brutal dictatorships and people assumed that they were in a recovery period from that.
Still, regardless of the reasons people came up with as to why he had included them, no one could argue that Trump's travel ban would make it very difficult for those from Eden and Esparia to enter America.
