"Miss Thompson, if you could still see into the future you'd know that I'm not aiming for the grand slam this time. You can only ever do that once. I was very unlucky in that events beyond my control conspired to put an end to PSP rule. The energy crisis, the Warming, the Credit Crash. No government could withstand that combination. Take a look around at other countries. How many of the leaders of ten years ago remain in power today? We were the ones who were blamed. People don't like to blame their own greed and exorbitant lifestyles. They want someone to hold responsible. And government gets it in the neck every time, from outbreaks of food poisoning to hurricanes. Blame the government."

"From protesters being whipped to death in the street to seed potatoes being dished up on the tables of Party members," Greg said.

"Those kind of incidents were inevitable to start with. But the abuses were solvable, given time."

"You had ten years," Greg said. "All they ever did was get worse."

"The people who made up the PSP's local committees were unused to power. If they had been allowed to establish themselves, then we would've seen stability. But of course, Mindstar and that plague of urban predator gangs incited trouble in the cities, goading the Constables." He flexed his hands in agitation. "We were… misrepresented."

Gabriel laughed unsteadily. "What's the matter, Armstrong? Did you think the hard-left had a monopoly on political agitators?"

For a moment Greg thought he would hit her, but the ex-president eventually sighed resentfully. "This time I have settled for a more slow-burning form of reformation. There are thousands of my appointees still in place throughout the civil service, primed and waiting. The New Conservatives will soon have to order an intervention as the private and denationalised companies begin to falter, bringing them back into the government fold. My people will assume the management duties, with a great deal of success. And I shall direct them, president in all but name and public visibility."

"We'll fight you," Greg said levelly. "We'll fight you with everything we've got. Bows and arrows if that's all that's left, we've done it before. And we beat you before."

"Yet here I am. This seems to be the month of miraculous comebacks." He laughed, and grinned round at the faces in the living room. "I do believe I'm talking to a reactionary. However, I don't intend to spend hours justifying my actions to you, Mr. Mandel, nor debating the pros and cons of centrally controlled economies. You were brought here to answer questions. And that is what you will now do."

Greg thought he must've flinched, certainly he stiffened.