Chasing Stars in Hollywood

The international community's reactions to the dramatic shifts in Rwanda's situation over the course of a week were mixed. The United Nations, which hadn't yet degenerated into the largely symbolic body it would become years later, had numerous measures at its disposal to counteract the actions of the Westeros system.

However, the mercenaries of Westeros had a moral high ground this time. The UN's decision to withdraw its peacekeeping forces at the onset of the genocide was widely criticized. When the Rwandan government requested UN intervention following their initial defeat by Westeros mercenaries, the UN leadership effectively turned a deaf ear until the Hutu regime was overthrown on April 26th.

Apart from the Rwandan government, France was particularly vocal in its reaction. French media began a campaign against the Westeros mercenaries right after the systematic dismantling of Rwanda's radio network on April 19th, accusing them of causing civilian casualties and demanding Simon cease all military operations in Rwanda. After the battle on April 20th, the French government called for UN sanctions against the Westeros system, labeling the mercenaries' attack on the Rwandan government forces as near-genocidal.

Yet, following the second battle on April 22nd, the outcry from France abruptly ceased. This was because French President François Mitterrand personally called Simon's office within hours, demanding the immediate release of the French military advisors secretly detained by the Westeros mercenaries.

Simon did not intend to publicize this situation, as he still planned to conduct business in France and did not want to completely burn bridges. Doing so would make future operations in France exceedingly difficult. However, he also had no intention of immediately returning this significant bargaining chip to the French government.

Simon took a firm stance, demanding compensation from Mitterrand for the losses incurred due to French interference, including the three damaged Mi-24 helicopters and the compensation for the wounded and deceased mercenaries from both battles.

The relationship between the Westeros system and the French government was now irreparably strained. While maintaining a delicate balance without a complete break was possible, having enough leverage allowed the Westeros system to operate relatively unimpeded in France.

In the United States, the White House was displeased with Simon for ignoring their warnings and allowing the Ukrainian mercenaries to gain so much attention in the two military operations. However, the Westeros system had not engaged in large-scale propaganda within the US and had even provided ample coverage of US peacekeepers in the refugee camp through internet broadcasts, somewhat mitigating the negative sentiment among the leadership.

Most US media, under the guidance of the Westeros system, largely supported the mercenaries' actions in Rwanda.

In Eastern Europe, the rapid success of the former Soviet soldiers in Rwanda sparked a resurgence of national pride among the people, who had been in a state of despair following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent economic downturn. Many politicians, media outlets, and the general public began nostalgically reflecting on the power of the Soviet era, questioning whether their current situation was truly what they had aspired to achieve.

In Africa, Mobutu Sese Seko, the President of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), who had been close to the Hutu regime, initially condemned the Westeros mercenaries' "invasion." However, following the battle on April 20th, he quickly fell silent, aware that such a formidable force could easily march on his capital if they chose.

Nelson Mandela, engaged in South Africa's first multi-racial presidential election and having recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, simply called for restraint and hoped for a peaceful resolution rather than war.

Other African nations and the rest of the world remained passive observers.

While Rwanda captured the media and public's attention, other significant events continued to unfold. The Woodfield Manor bombing in Pittsburgh on April 15th had not been forgotten. Despite extensive investigations, many crucial leads went cold, leading authorities to conclude the case as an act of personal vendetta by a former Monroeville Machinery employee, with the specifics of the C4 explosives' source remaining ambiguous.

The true narrative known only to a select few in the highest echelons of the US government would never be disclosed. Lacking direct evidence implicating Simon Westeros, the so-called truth was merely a patchwork of conjectures by agents who had long monitored the Westeros family. The sudden reassignment of these agents to Argentina's Tierra del Fuego left Simon enough time to destroy any incriminating evidence.

In response to the shocking bombing, a congressman proposed a bill for the marking of explosive materials in the US, to trace their origins in future incidents. This proposal garnered significant support among legislators and the media, though it was understood that it would not address explosives sourced from outside the US.

Other violent incidents, including the assassination of a hedge fund manager and several family murders across the country, quickly faded from public view, blending into the background of America's routine gun violence and low police clearance rates.

Meanwhile, the Westeros system's relentless legal and financial assault on the Hearst Corporation continued. Although no new lawsuits were filed recently, the six existing ones, demanding a total of $370 million, were enough to keep Hearst preoccupied for a long time. Simon didn't see the need to push further lawsuits immediately, as excessive action might provoke a backlash from traditional media and the federal government.

Hearst's counterattack, which involved shutting down the three newspapers initially sued, backfired spectacularly. Without Simon having to release incriminating eavesdropping information, the subsequent lawsuits left Hearst in a dilemma. If every lawsuit resulted in a newspaper's closure, Hearst would quickly collapse.

The Westeros system monitored Hearst's interactions with the newspaper industry's unions and federal government leaders. Simon was in no hurry to release the incriminating information he had gathered, waiting for the right moment. Once the Hearst family allied with other forces to strike, revealing this dirt could turn their counterattack into another debacle.

Meanwhile, delaying the release of this information maximized the chances of capturing more confidential activities from Hearst's key figures.

The IPO process for Daenerys Entertainment was proceeding smoothly. The group had submitted a second version of the prospectus, which included post-IPO personnel appointments and the compensation packages for key management like Amy Pascal. Despite some congressmen opposing the company's dual-class share structure, neither the White House nor Congress had formally acted against it, knowing that it would set a precedent affecting many other large corporations with similar structures.

Connecticut, Greenwich. April 29th, Friday. 

At 8 AM, Celia Miller wrapped up her meeting with the fixed members of the Westeros military affairs assistant office in the city and drove to the Westeros estate in the northern suburbs with her assistant Emily Choplin.

Today was set to be a busy day. The United Nations was holding an emergency special session on Rwanda at its headquarters in Manhattan. Celia, who had gained considerable recognition recently, would attend as Simon's personal representative.

The session, scheduled for 10 AM, would discuss Rwanda's post-war peacekeeping, aid, and reconstruction. However, the main focus was on the presence of Westeros mercenaries in Rwanda, with the UN urging their withdrawal to prevent excessive interference in the country's internal affairs.

After the morning session, Celia would also have private meetings with the French and Rwandan UN representatives to discuss issues of mutual concern.

Celia, who had originally been a nondescript official in a branch of the Department of Defense, found herself suddenly thrust into the limelight, discussing international affairs on an equal footing with world leaders. Born in Washington, Celia had an innate ambition for power and status. Representing Simon Westeros at the UN provided a level of satisfaction she had never experienced in her political career, something her modestly capable husband could never achieve.

Upon arriving at the estate, Celia was greeted by a doll-faced girl who introduced herself as Zoe Parks. She led Celia and Emily to a living room on the east side of the villa, where another woman of Celia's age rose from the sofa to greet them. The woman, dressed in an oversized white men's shirt and loose gray pants, exuded an air of casual elegance and sophistication that captivated many men. Despite the slightly incongruous scarf around her neck, her charm was undeniable.

Sophia Fissi. 

Celia recognized her immediately. Sophia was the head of Melisandre Company, one of the "Four Women" of the Westeros system. Celia had seen her featured in fashion magazines and had envied her success, wondering why she had never received such opportunities. Even though Sophia's relationship with Simon Westeros was widely known, Celia couldn't deny the woman's remarkable achievements in the fashion industry.

As Celia and Emily joined Sophia, they couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between their own ambitions and the effortless grace of the woman before them.

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