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The Search for a Successor
A Timeline in a Week by Statesman



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Statesman! What is this?

A Timeline in a Week, of course! Well, the hope is to finish it before the end of the year, to be specific.

I mean, it's been a while.

I've been working over in Shared Worlds Election Games for the most part.

What brings you back here, then?

Just a brief conversation with my friend and sometimes collaborator, @Techdread.

Is this a joint project?

Nope. Inspiration struck and I figured I might be able to crank out a short timeline before the year ended.

Well, what have you got this time?

Oh, you know me. I don't want to spoil anything.

Damn it, man! Can you at least -

Is this a dead trope? The whole self-interview thing?

I thought I was supposed to ask the questions.

Only if this is still an appropriate trope, though.

The trope says this is supposed to be an internal dialogue.

I was at the gym, my pre-workout coursing through my blood. It has a lot of caffeine in it. My body and mind were both on full cylinders when Techdread mentioned via PM how a certain figure never really gets his time in the sun. It stuck in my head. Made for a terrible workout with how unfocused I was, but the pieces have slowly started coming together.

This isn't an internal dialogue anymore, is it?

Soliloquy, pal.

Oh, God. Another voice?

I got home and immediately pulled up AH.com and opened up this new thread.

Can we get to the -

I must admit, I haven't written a word of the story yet, but I've got a rough outline of how things are going to work out.

You still haven't told us what the POD is, though.

So bear with me, all. It's been a while since I've written a non-EG story, but I'm really excited for this one.

The POD is that Melville Fuller died in a car accident in 1907, which allowed Theodore Roosevelt to appoint William Howard Taft to the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Oh, so you know the POD?

*types furiously*

He's getting carried away with excitement, and you wanted to know. Don't complain.

Can we get started?

Yes!

Hey, he's back!

Let's get this show on the road, then.

It all started with President Roosevelt's search for a successor...
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