【Prologue】S01E0……
Charles''''s gaze, like a probe, locked onto Alistair''''s flawless face, trying to find a crack, a hint of ckery, or even a ripple of offen that cal deep grey-green pool.
But there was nothing.
"No, Minister." Alistair t Charles''''s gaze. "Value is a relative cept, depe on the coordinate systeestablished by the observer. Frontstage and backstage are like two sides of a , eadispensable. Your ''''perfornce'''' – five for using your chosen word – provides indispensable decratic legiticy, as well as... the political ietus to advan agenda. We, backstage, endeavour to ehis e operates in accordah its established protocols, and to achieve its predefined objectives as... precisely as possible."
"In this theatre called Whitehall, everyone plays their role. Ministers hold the reins of power, while civil servants are rely the necessary parts that ehe carriage runs sothly on its designated path."
"The doors of the Departnt of Synergy Coordination are open to you, Minister. And I, and the entire depart to serve your objectives, and to eheir... coherent alig with the gover''''s overall agenda." He bowed slightly, an exquisitely elegant arained gesture: "Minister and is Civil Service writ."
"Established protocols? Predefined objectives?" Charles let out a short, sharp scoff, stepping , closing the distahat Alistair''''s slight shift had created.
"My dear Lord, we haven''''t even figured out what this daed e does yet! A Departnt of Synergy Coordination with a na like a towister? Tell , Victor, or Lord dish, or whatever you prefer to be called. What are its predefined objectives? H? Synergising what? Coordinating who And rotocols has your characteristic efficy predefined for it?"
His finger alst touched Alistair''''s pristine suit lapel, his voice rising slightly with agitation. "Or rather, is its very existehe red tape? A sophisticated, gilded cage, desigo house a ''''Charlie Fox'''' whothe Pri Minister finds too clever, too troubleso, yet for now, indispensable?"
Alistair''''s gaze followed his fiip downwards, then quickly rose, his face still cal
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze drifting over Charles''''s shoulder as if exaning the large p of Britain on the office wall. Then, he slowly turned his gaze back, refog on Charles''''s indignant face.
"A rather elegaaphor, Minister," Alistair''''s lips curved in a faint, knowing sle.
"Foxes are known for their acuity and... adaptability. As filded cage, its value often lies not in fi, but in display."
"It provides a stage, a... focal point."
Charles gave a dry laugh. "Display, not fi – is that your phrasing? Elegant. Focal point, stage, lights in place. I perfor you pull the strings backstage."
"Display be leverage." Alistair took a sll step to the side, his grey-green eyes fixed iovably on Charles.
"Synergy, its classical roots point t together, pursuing an effect where the whole is greater than the suof its parts. Coordination, is the art of guiding disparate parts towards harnious collaboration. Sily put, the DSC''''s ssion is to achieve the... optisation of overall gover efficy by proting differents to work together and guiding their as."
He raised his hand to stroke his jaw. "Or, to put it in a re... pragtic phrase, Subtle trol."
"The Departnt of Subtle trol?" Charles repeated, the anger in his voice briefly diluted by a sense of absurdity. "What a delightful euphes Vic – or rather, Lord Alistair – your classical scholarship is truly unparalleled. You''''ve packaged bureaucratic shackles as the art of f harny? You''''ve glorified political exile as a focal point for displaying potential?"
He, too, took a step back, widening the distaween the
Charles crossed his ar, watg the Ag Per Secretary as if scrutinising a particularly intricate exhibit.
"Tell , in this exquisite red tape, where are the true boundaries of authority as t
But there was nothing.
"No, Minister." Alistair t Charles''''s gaze. "Value is a relative cept, depe on the coordinate systeestablished by the observer. Frontstage and backstage are like two sides of a , eadispensable. Your ''''perfornce'''' – five for using your chosen word – provides indispensable decratic legiticy, as well as... the political ietus to advan agenda. We, backstage, endeavour to ehis e operates in accordah its established protocols, and to achieve its predefined objectives as... precisely as possible."
"In this theatre called Whitehall, everyone plays their role. Ministers hold the reins of power, while civil servants are rely the necessary parts that ehe carriage runs sothly on its designated path."
"The doors of the Departnt of Synergy Coordination are open to you, Minister. And I, and the entire depart to serve your objectives, and to eheir... coherent alig with the gover''''s overall agenda." He bowed slightly, an exquisitely elegant arained gesture: "Minister and is Civil Service writ."
"Established protocols? Predefined objectives?" Charles let out a short, sharp scoff, stepping , closing the distahat Alistair''''s slight shift had created.
"My dear Lord, we haven''''t even figured out what this daed e does yet! A Departnt of Synergy Coordination with a na like a towister? Tell , Victor, or Lord dish, or whatever you prefer to be called. What are its predefined objectives? H? Synergising what? Coordinating who And rotocols has your characteristic efficy predefined for it?"
His finger alst touched Alistair''''s pristine suit lapel, his voice rising slightly with agitation. "Or rather, is its very existehe red tape? A sophisticated, gilded cage, desigo house a ''''Charlie Fox'''' whothe Pri Minister finds too clever, too troubleso, yet for now, indispensable?"
Alistair''''s gaze followed his fiip downwards, then quickly rose, his face still cal
He tilted his head slightly, his gaze drifting over Charles''''s shoulder as if exaning the large p of Britain on the office wall. Then, he slowly turned his gaze back, refog on Charles''''s indignant face.
"A rather elegaaphor, Minister," Alistair''''s lips curved in a faint, knowing sle.
"Foxes are known for their acuity and... adaptability. As filded cage, its value often lies not in fi, but in display."
"It provides a stage, a... focal point."
Charles gave a dry laugh. "Display, not fi – is that your phrasing? Elegant. Focal point, stage, lights in place. I perfor you pull the strings backstage."
"Display be leverage." Alistair took a sll step to the side, his grey-green eyes fixed iovably on Charles.
"Synergy, its classical roots point t together, pursuing an effect where the whole is greater than the suof its parts. Coordination, is the art of guiding disparate parts towards harnious collaboration. Sily put, the DSC''''s ssion is to achieve the... optisation of overall gover efficy by proting differents to work together and guiding their as."
He raised his hand to stroke his jaw. "Or, to put it in a re... pragtic phrase, Subtle trol."
"The Departnt of Subtle trol?" Charles repeated, the anger in his voice briefly diluted by a sense of absurdity. "What a delightful euphes Vic – or rather, Lord Alistair – your classical scholarship is truly unparalleled. You''''ve packaged bureaucratic shackles as the art of f harny? You''''ve glorified political exile as a focal point for displaying potential?"
He, too, took a step back, widening the distaween the
Charles crossed his ar, watg the Ag Per Secretary as if scrutinising a particularly intricate exhibit.
"Tell , in this exquisite red tape, where are the true boundaries of authority as t