Frozen Revenge
"My compound has 150. Federal has 80. Independent shelters have maybe 20 scattered. Those are the numbers we're working with."
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Because tomorrow, I'm going to propose something that will determine the future of everyone in this region." Catherine pointed to the maps. "Federal wants central control. Uniform policies. One system for everyone. It's clean, organized, and ultimately unstable."
"And your alternative?"
"Confederation. Multiple systems coexisting. My compound operates under my model—selective, efficient, results-driven. Federal operates under theirs—inclusive, egalitarian, moral. We trade resources, share intelligence, coordinate defense, but maintain