novelODS Chapter 64 The Skyward Provisional Government is Established!
Chapter 64 The Skyward Provisional Government is Established!
Chapter 64 The Skyward Provisional Government is Established!
Three days later, the gunfire in the main battle zone on Mars had subsided.
After the war ended, the Skyward faction quickly refreshed the [Mars Counterinsurgency War] mission, and the players' battlefield shifted from frontal assault to urban counterinsurgency warfare.
For the Fourth Calamity, while the rewards for Counterinsurgency Wars are a tier lower than those for Global Wars, they are advantageous due to their high mission density, dispersed locations, and moderate difficulty, which allows casual players who haven't yet accumulated enough contribution points to continue exploring various parts of Mars.
Mars is now in a stable transitional period of government, and the counterinsurgency is just the last struggle of some clowns.
Now, the Skydrive flag has been hoisted on Mount Olympia, the Propylene Orbital Port, the Mariner Valley Industrial Zone, and the Polar Ice Sheet Fuel Ice Hub, and the military and political nodes left behind by the College of Cardinals have been taken over one by one.
The old regime's platinum emblem was removed, and the new red Skyward insignia was hung in the administrative hall, the spaceport control tower, and the Covenant Army's base. Mars finally began to transition from a state of war to a state of regime change.
Today, within the political heart of Mars, the Olympus Hub, all the high-ranking officials of the new government have gathered.
Zhang Qiming, in the name of the Sky Drive Commander, organized a closed-door secret meeting here. The attendees included Saint Sophia, the supreme leader of the Mechanical Church, Zhang Nanhai, a core member of the Sky Drive, and revolutionary heroes such as Belisarius Caul.
In addition, a large number of reformist bureaucrats who sided with the revolution and former officials who chose to submit to the new order also attended the meeting.
Chief Justice Urban was also on the list.
Ever since the Skydrives started the revolutionary wave, Grand Inquisitor Urban was one of the fastest to change his tune and surrender.
As early as the day Ares' Auditorium was destroyed by a nuclear bomb, he sensed the changing winds and knew that the world on Mars was about to change.
When the Royal Guard changed its flag, key figures of the College of Cardinals were detained one after another, and the Supreme Arbitrator was brought to justice in court, he finally realized the reality: clinging to the rotten old church authority would only lead to being buried in the dustbin of history along with the old forces.
To put it bluntly, this is not a temporary defection. I have actually been lying low for many years. From the very beginning, I have been one of the Sky Drive's own people hidden in the Tribunal. All of this was just an act, a long and arduous journey!
I've been a fellow Skydriver for a long time!!!
Urban was well aware of his position. He held the secret files accumulated by the court over the years and was familiar with the dirty secrets and evidence hidden beneath the surface by the various factions of the College of Cardinals. He knew exactly who the pragmatic judges who could still be retained were and which stubborn conservative forces had to be eradicated.
For Skydrive, now is a time when everything needs to be rebuilt. Utilizing its own resources is far more cost-effective than building a brand-new supervisory and judicial system from scratch. Even if it is only a short-term borrowing, it can save a huge amount of adjustment costs.
Therefore, when he received the summons to attend the Olympus Conference, he did not hesitate for a moment.
Dressed in a solemn black suit, the chief judge had removed all the platinum insignia that he once wore as a member of the College of Cardinals, and the only thing he wore on his lapel was the red badge issued by the Provisional Takeover Committee.
The military shuttle landed steadily in the inner courtyard of the hub. As he stepped down the gangway, he looked up and saw that the council hall that was once the exclusive domain of the Holy Cardinals was no longer guarded by the Papal Guards. In its place stood in formation, fully armed Skywarriors.
Urban felt no resentment whatsoever; power always follows the victors.
Moreover, this is precisely the time when the organization needs him, and the new regime is in dire need of personnel. He can take this opportunity to express his stance and become a role model for surrendering and turning to the authorities.
Before the formal meeting began, Zhang Qiming met with a group of key figures in the inner courtyard.
The meeting wasn't exactly extravagant, but everyone present wielded immense power; Saint Sophia stood to his left, Zhang Nanhai guarded his right, while only Caul clutched his data board tightly, his face etched with impatience. Dora Caul had never liked such grand occasions.
When Chief Justice Urban was called by name, he immediately straightened his collar and strode forward.
He finally saw that young rebel—no, the great Martian leader of change!
Zhang Qiming was much younger than he had anticipated. At such a young age, he had already become the supreme leader of a planet, truly a man of great potential. He believed that under the leadership of the new commander, Mars would surely move towards a bright future.
Urban approached, bowed slightly, and then grasped Zhang Qiming's outstretched hands with both of his, his smile conveying just the right amount of respect and eagerness.
"Your Excellency Commander, it is a great honor for Urban to finally see your true face today."
He held his hand firmly, and his tone was extremely sincere, as if he had been waiting for the Sky Chaser to descend for the past twenty years.
"The old system of the College of Cardinals has long been rife with problems, and the people of Mars have suffered from its stagnation and censorship for many years. Now that the Heavenly Exorcists have restored order and rectified the chaos, the Court of Justice is willing to accept the leadership of the new government, assist in investigating the crimes of the old faction, and safeguard the new legal system of Mars."
Zhang Qiming looked at his sarcastic expression and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
He saw through him at a glance: Urban was a smooth operator, adept at assessing situations, and this very shrewdness was precisely the bargaining chip that the new regime desperately needed.
Those who wield power have always prioritized merit and loyalty in their selections.
Politics is not a moral contest between gentlemen; it is essentially a power struggle.
In this system, morality is merely a garment that can be put on and taken off at will; only genuine loyalty is the hard currency that never loses its value in the political arena.
Of course, Zhang is a man who aspires to be a philosopher-king.
If some officials are too corrupt and inhumane, don't blame him for being tough with both hands.
In his eyes now, Urban is just a special commodity that is temporarily circulating.
Even if the other party's loyalty is somewhat feigned and expedient, as long as he can maintain his stance towards Skydrive, I will make full use of his value and squeeze every available resource and function from this "currency".
Zhang Qiming did not immediately comment on the pledge of loyalty, but simply raised his hand and gently patted Urban's hand, speaking in a calm and easy tone: "It's good that you have the intention. In the future, to rectify officialdom and eliminate old malpractices, we will need you to take the lead. If you perform your duties conscientiously, the Tianqu government will not let down those who are capable."
Urban felt relieved, and his respect deepened.
"Please rest assured, Commander, I will diligently fulfill my duties and will never disgrace the Skywards and the Commander's trust!"
Zhang Qiming nodded and released his hand: "Take your seats."
Urban bowed and stepped back, his back already beaded with cold sweat.
Having successfully passed the first round of tests, Tianqu's decision to retain part of the court's structure indicates that he still has value. Whether he can maintain his position at the table of power in the future depends entirely on the implementation and compliance of the reform plan.
Before long, all the military and political leaders arrived.
The meeting lasted from daytime until late at night, interrupted several times by urgent military reports and updates on the Fourth Fleet's movements. Guards outside took turns changing shifts, and everyone inside remained on duty—every decision made at the meeting would forge a new order on Mars.
After a night of negotiations, the framework of the temporary Martian government was finalized. The temporary ruling committee will take over military and political affairs and temporarily administer the entire territory. The "Mars Temporary Program" will be promulgated at a later date.
Ultimately, the temporary plan was basically established.
The new regime is named the "Provisional Government of Mars," with the "Provisional Governing Committee" coordinating the highest military and political affairs. It will first take over Mars as a transitional government, and then convene a larger-scale all-Mars conference to announce the "Provisional Program of Mars" to the entire territory.
In terms of politics and economy, the "Mars Temporary Joint Council" was established, which oversees three temporary administrative offices: Tharsis, Mariner Valley, and Polar Ice Sheet. The first step is to connect the administration, resources, transportation, and urban operations of the three major areas.
In terms of military affairs, the Mars Defense Force General Staff Office was established to bring the Mars Defense Ground Force, SA Aerospace Armed Forces, and the Guardian Orbital Fleet under unified command; the Navy established the Mars Defense Force Naval Command, which temporarily integrates the First, Second, and Third Fleets.
The issue of the Fourth Fleet has been included in a follow-up special project.
In terms of oversight, the original Truth Investigation Committee was reorganized into the "Mars Committee," which includes the Bureau of Takeover of the Old Government Institutions, the Bureau of Investigation of Industrial and Mining Safety, and the Bureau of Reorganization of the Sacred Servants System.
The Bureau of Industrial and Mining Safety Investigation was established with the personal approval of the Supreme Commander Zhang Qiming. Its purpose was to break the long-standing oppressive shackles of the old Papacy.
In terms of technology and industry, a Technology Liberation and Reconstruction Committee was established to take over SA technology certification, the abolition of prosthetic debt, the supervision of military production, and the resumption of key industrial production.
The new policy of abolishing prosthetic debt originated from a proposal by Saint Sophia, who proposed to abolish the church's practice of indulgences and to abolish the church's usurious loans for prosthetic bodies to the public.
At the same time, she went further and proposed a long-term plan, hoping that in the future, all basic work-related artificial bodies needed by the public would be covered by the central government and distributed and installed free of charge.
In the judicial sphere, a Provisional Supreme Court was established, under which are the Provisional Charter Court of Mars and the Special Trial Court.
To preserve some institutional independence, the Supreme Court's judges and budget will be jointly nominated and allocated by the Provisional Governing Council, the three regional government offices, the National Defence Force, and the Council, so as to prevent it from becoming a private tool of any single department as soon as it is established.
Zhang Qiming looked at the final confirmed organizational chart, his gaze sweeping over the faces of the three fleet commanders—Saint Sophia, Zhang Nanhai, and Kaul—and a group of former government officials.
The people at this table may not all be loyal, but they all know that Mars has changed hands.
Finally, the Supreme Leader of the Skywards raised his hand to sign the confirmation document. He then addressed the assembled crowd, saying, "That's all for now. Tomorrow, we will issue the first decree, announcing to all Martian citizens the formal establishment of the Provisional Government of Mars!"