Chasing Stars in Hollywood

Tuesday, April 19.

After a late night dealing with the high-ups of various newspaper industry unions, William Hearst III still got up before seven this morning.

He simply couldn't sleep.

In his study, William III suppressed an instinctive reluctance from deep within and turned on the IBM computer on his desk. The headline on the Egret portal homepage still prominently featured the news that Simon Westeros would personally intervene to stop the Rwandan genocide.

The Westeros system had recently been criticizing the Hearst family's role in inciting the Spanish-American War, and now they were getting involved in a war themselves.

Hypocrites.

But just as a sense of moral balance began to rise, William Hearst III became despondent again.

Last Friday, in a bold move, William Hearst III closed three newspapers under Hearst Corporation that were embroiled in lawsuits. He then began to rally employees, industry unions, and the federal government to counter the Westeros system's lawsuit barrage against the Hearst Corporation.

However, this initiative was almost completely overshadowed by the Woodfield Estate bombing on the same day.

Through the family's deep political connections, William III had a vague sense that this incident might be related to Simon Westeros, but he couldn't obtain any definitive information or evidence, so he could only regard it as a rumor.

Closing down three newspapers worth over $70 million and promising numerous benefits to industry unions while utilizing the family's most fundamental political connections was supposed to stir things up this week. Yet, just yesterday, that detestable upstart concocted shocking news about the Rwandan genocide and then posed as a saint intending to maintain world peace in Africa.

It was clear... the Hearst family's matters weren't even on his mind.

$200 billion versus $2.5 billion.

Even if he was a hundred times unwilling, William Hearst III had to admit that the power gap between the Hearst family and Simon Westeros was immense. The series of life-and-death confrontations concerning the Hearst family hardly affected the Westeros system's expansion.

If only...

If reconciliation had been possible...

Regret was the most pervasive feeling in William III's heart now.

However, Simon Westeros had adopted an unyielding stance, rejecting all reconciliation requests from the Hearst family, whether directly or indirectly conveyed, without mercy.

Last Friday, closing three newspapers was supposed to regain some initiative. Yet, as an apparent response, just yesterday, alongside the exposure of the Rwandan genocide, the Westeros system initiated another three lawsuits against three more Hearst family newspapers, with a total claim amount of $120 million.

It was then that William Hearst III realized he might have made a blunder.

Hearst Corporation could no longer close these newly sued three newspapers. Among them was the San Francisco Chronicle, a heavyweight West Coast daily with a circulation in the millions. Its revenue alone was ten times that of the first three newspapers combined, and its value exceeded $800 million, accounting for a third of Hearst Corporation's total market value.

Now, with six lawsuits, the total claim amount reached $370 million. Regardless of the eventual outcome, just the legal fees alone would cost at least $30 million annually, as estimated by Hearst Corporation's legal department. This sum might be only half of what the Westeros system spent, but for Hearst Corporation, it was a substantial burden, and further cuts would mean abandoning any hope of winning the lawsuits.

Moreover, the comprehensive blockade of Hearst Corporation by the entire Westeros system meant that if all disputes were not resolved quickly, Hearst Corporation would rapidly decline in the next few years.

William Hearst III pondered these matters with a complex mind, his fingers unconsciously clicking into the Rwandan genocide special section.

Among the latest important news was a public statement from Rwandan acting president Theodore.

Theodore completely denied the Egret portal's accusations of a racist genocide in Rwanda, claiming that the Rwandan army was merely clearing out anti-government forces.

He also accused Simon Westeros of seriously interfering in Rwanda's internal affairs, calling it blatant aggression, and demanded that Westeros immediately withdraw troops from the shores of Lake Kivu, or else he would lead an attack on the Westeros refugee camp there.

Finally, Theodore turned his ire towards the US government, accusing them of orchestrating this event from behind the scenes and warning that if the US persisted, the Rwandan people would make the US military taste the bitter fruit of last year's Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia once again.

Fool!

That was William Hearst III's first reaction after reading the Rwandan acting president's statement.

In his view, the only way out for the Rwandan government at this stage was to stop the killings immediately and eliminate evidence as much as possible, then request the intervention of the UN, which was used to muddying the waters, rather than confronting a madman head-on.

Moreover, the fool dared to threaten the United States.

Last year's Black Hawk Down incident in Somalia was primarily due to the US being wary of international public opinion and not daring to take large-scale military action, and refraining from using heavy firepower due to civilian concerns. Even so, the US military, with just a hundred soldiers, fought against over 6,000 Somali militia for 12 hours and killed over a thousand people, losing only 19 soldiers.

From a purely military perspective, it was by no means a failure.

Now, some lawless punk had gathered 5,000 mercenaries, equipped with weapons no less sophisticated than the US military's, and occupied an absolute moral high ground. How could they possibly let a group of African wild monkeys take advantage, like last year's US military?

Realizing his emotions were out of control, William III took a deep breath, closed the page with Theodore's statement, and returned to the special section's homepage.

Last night, around 9 PM Eastern Time, the UN issued a statement again calling on the Rwandan government forces to immediately stop the massacre of civilians and directly naming Simon Westeros, urging him to exercise restraint.

France, with its entrenched interests in Africa, also got involved.

A statement from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released at 9 AM local time on Tuesday, also called for the Rwandan government forces to stop killing civilians but criticized Simon Westeros' actions as nearly invasive, demanding that he not launch attacks against Rwandan government forces to avoid further complicating the regional situation.

In contrast, the US government, after a routine response to the exposure of the Rwandan genocide yesterday morning, had not made further comments.

Pondering for a moment, William Hearst III thought this might be an opportunity.

Simon Westeros' actions had made too many people feel passive, with the UN losing face and other self-proclaimed civilized and just nations also looking bad. Moreover, that kid avoided his own country and instead gathered 3,000 former Soviet soldiers, once enemies of the US, which was a blatant provocation.

The great USA could not tolerate a lawless brat acting recklessly every day. It was time for everyone to unite and firmly curb the expansion of the Westeros system.

Determined, William Hearst III picked up the phone and instructed his assistant to prepare a plane to Washington after breakfast.

Meanwhile, around the same morning time, Simon was already in Washington.

Being based in the US, with the Westeros system's roots here, Simon never intended to completely disregard all surrounding rules and act recklessly, which would only make him an enemy to everyone.

The report on the Rwandan genocide unexpectedly diverted domestic attention from various heinous incidents last week, particularly the Woodfield Estate bombing that shocked the nation. However, Simon hadn't planned for this distraction, as he had been preparing for this for a long time.

Raymond Johnston had previously warned Simon that intervening in African affairs might backfire. Simon had initially considered, like many other countries, to watch the Rwandan genocide coldly, but ultimately, he chose not to.

It wasn't out of sympathy or anything else.

Having lived two lives, Simon's heart could now be cold enough to watch the world burn, let alone turmoil and massacres in a distant small African country.

He simply decided to do it and then executed it.

And since he decided to do it, he would do it thoroughly and grandly.

Of course, there had been prior considerations.

Simon didn't plan to harm his own interests for this matter, nor did he intend to mire himself in an irreparable quagmire.

For Rwanda, it was a tiny country with an area of just over 20,000 square kilometers, only one percent of its neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and it had no significant natural resources worth coveting. Its only advantage, perhaps, was its strategic importance, especially for France.

France's core interests in Africa are mainly concentrated in West and North Africa. Historically and presently, East African countries have been within the UK's sphere of influence, with Rwanda marking the boundary. West of Rwanda are primarily French-speaking countries, while eastward are English-speaking countries. Neighboring or nearby countries like Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya are still Commonwealth members.

Therefore, controlling Rwanda would allow France to covet and overlook the UK's traditional sphere of influence in Africa.

Hence, intervening in Rwanda's genocide would essentially offend only France. Once the Hutu regime in Rwanda was destroyed, France's decade-long investments would be wasted, and its ambition to expand further east in Africa would be thwarted.

Apart from that, Simon's personal intervention to stop the genocide might embarrass many self-proclaimed righteous nations and organizations but wouldn't genuinely antagonize them.

As for the current Rwandan government, Simon never took them seriously.

Having perpetrated a humanitarian atrocity like the genocide, the current government couldn't be tolerated any longer.

Moreover, even if they could continue, Simon wouldn't care about a bunch of African wild monkeys.

However, suddenly assembling a large number of mercenaries to cause

 a stir in Africa required an explanation to the nominal government authorities, so Simon had flown to Washington yesterday afternoon and was invited to have breakfast with Secretary of State Warren Christopher this morning.

Warren Christopher, nearly seventy years old, was thin but spirited.

According to the prepared materials, Christopher was a moderate Democrat whose diplomatic stance favored maintaining America's international reputation and curbing its 'world police' hegemonic mindset to ease potential conflicts with other countries.

The Clinton administration chose Warren Christopher as Secretary of State after the Soviet Union's collapse and the end of the Gulf War, as a buffer to change America's past confrontational and expansionist stance.

After last year's setback in Somalia, Christopher's diplomatic policies influenced the decision to withdraw from regional disputes.

Despite being a moderate Democrat, Warren Christopher was not weak. As breakfast began, this seasoned politician, who had held high office since the Carter administration, unceremoniously asked, "Simon, what do you really want?"

Simon, seemingly unaffected by the pressure emanating from this veteran politician, slowly cut the fried egg on his plate and said, "Warren, for a country so poor that it can't even provide everyone with a pair of pants, what do you think I can gain?"

Apart from the so-called strategic position, which was meaningless to Simon, he couldn't gain anything from Rwanda.

Of course, this operation wasn't about being a savior. The Westeros system wasn't seeking mere material returns. Even though Africa had abundant natural resources coveted by many nations, they held little appeal for Simon. If he wanted to make money, he had safer and more profitable investment channels.

Warren Christopher scrutinized the young man opposite him, hiding some envy for the younger man's achievements, but his tone remained firm: "Do you know, since yesterday, the White House and Congress have been under immense pressure from all sides, with many believing that the US government is orchestrating this behind the scenes."

Simon shrugged. "I'm sorry to hear that."

This matter was indeed inexplicable.

Even though Simon avoided using American resources, recruiting military forces from South Africa and Eastern Europe, many would still see it as a cover-up.

After all, controlling Rwanda would mean controlling a strategic location, whether moving east or west.

Following last year's failure in Somalia, the US didn't plan to reengage in African affairs soon, but European countries with stakes in Africa didn't think the same. They saw this as the US's attempt to rebound from Somalia by using Simon to regain influence in Rwanda.

By controlling Rwanda, a strategic hub in central Africa, the US could simultaneously target the traditional interests of the UK, France, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal in Africa.

This was also a potential option Simon offered to the federal government.

Simon didn't plan to directly gain material benefits from this Rwandan operation. However, if the US government wanted to take over subsequent matters, he wouldn't mind going along with it.

It seemed that the authorities had made their decision.

If the federal government intended to reengage in African affairs, it would have been Defense Secretary William Perry meeting Simon, not Secretary of State Warren Christopher.

Warren Christopher didn't continue arguing with Simon, saying, "The White House received intelligence last night that your troops have contacted the Rwandan Patriotic Front?"

Simon nodded.

The Rwandan Patriotic Front, a Tutsi rebel group once in power, was supported by the Ugandan government, which had British backing. Britain and the US were staunch allies.

Since 1990, the Rwandan Patriotic Front had been fighting the Hutu government, trying to regain control of the country. They reached a peace agreement mediated by the UN late last year. Unfortunately, before progress could be made, President Juvénal was assassinated, sparking the Rwandan genocide.

Only the parties involved could fully understand the intricacies of blame.

Simon had no intention of unraveling this mess. However, establishing contact with the Rwandan Patriotic Front was a crucial step in his plan. Their cooperation meant implicit approval from the British and American authorities.

When the Rwandan Patriotic Front eventually regained control, the Westeros system's actions would gain legal and moral legitimacy from the new government, eliminating potential risks.

As for France, which would lose its influence in Rwanda after this war, Simon didn't care.

Warren Christopher, seeing Simon admit to the contact, continued, "That's good, Simon. The White House's stance is that you only need to safeguard the refugee camp you've established. Other matters will be handled. Also, send back the mercenaries from Eastern Europe as soon as possible. This situation is awkward for everyone."

Simon shook his head without hesitation. "I'm sorry, Warren. I'm not someone who likes to quit halfway or play a supporting role."

Warren Christopher's gaze turned sharp. "Listen, Simon, do you know what you're doing? This is invasion. Don't be stubborn, or the federal government and the UN will have the right to sanction you, even bring you to a military tribunal."

Simon remained unfazed, his gaze equally piercing. "Warren, if I'm brought to a military tribunal for stopping a genocide that could claim millions of civilian lives, the world will lose faith in your so-called tribunal, and I will be deeply disappointed."

Warren Christopher was momentarily at a loss for words.

The US military's hasty withdrawal from Somalia last year was due to a lack of moral high ground.

This time, the horrors of the Rwandan genocide displayed by the Egret portal had sparked global outrage against the current Rwandan government. No matter what the young man did, he would garner widespread public support.

This was the difference.

Moreover, Simon Westeros had strategically occupied the moral high ground through his media platform and quietly contacted the Rwandan Patriotic Front, showing that he wasn't acting impulsively but had carefully considered everything.

Except for gathering mercenaries from Eastern Europe.

Just hours earlier, during the morning in Europe, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, in response to a question about Simon hiring Eastern European soldiers, sarcastically remarked that when humanitarian disasters occur, it's the former Soviet soldiers who step in, not the so-called 'forces of justice' from the West, which is something the world should seriously contemplate.

Ukraine's first president, Leonid Kravchuk, whose administration would fall in this year's elections due to economic collapse, also firmly defended the sale of arms to private forces in an interview with Western media, questioning whether the journalist preferred the genocide to continue.

Warren Christopher had little hope that this breakfast meeting would persuade Simon Westeros to comply with the government's wishes. If he were a submissive, spineless person, Simon Westeros wouldn't have achieved his current success.

This kid's willingness to come to Washington was already a concession to the federal government.

"Alright, Simon, but both I and the President hope you know when to stop." Finally, with a reluctant warning, Warren Christopher added, "However, this operation shouldn't lack America's presence. The White House has allocated $20 million in aid and 500 peacekeeping soldiers, who will head to Africa this morning."

Before Warren could continue, Simon nodded with a smile. "I'll have the Westeros refugee camp ready to receive them, and they'll get plenty of camera time."

Warren Christopher felt a bit awkward but continued, "However, Simon, our soldiers will only handle peacekeeping within the camp and won't engage in any military operations."

Simon, not wanting US interference in his actions, nodded again.

In fact, the White House and Congress would prefer to stay out of it entirely if possible.

However, the US couldn't remain detached.

It came down to votes.

Since the Rwandan genocide news broke yesterday, many African Americans took to the streets in numerous US cities, demanding federal action to stop the atrocities.

And this morning, while it was still breakfast time, reports reached Warren Christopher that over ten thousand people had gathered near the White House and Capitol, including not just African Americans but also peace advocates of all races, demanding federal intervention.

Globally, mainstream media headlines today were almost entirely about the Rwandan genocide. If governments continued to watch passively, they would face overwhelming media criticism.

Thus, if the US government ignored the Rwandan genocide, the Democrats would suffer greatly in this year's midterm elections, especially among African American voters, affecting other voter groups as well.

Because of what this young man stirred up, many at the White House and Congress had sleepless nights.

The initial compromise was for the US to provide material aid but avoid military intervention.

This way, they could address public concerns without risking another Somalia-like debacle.

Additionally, media support from Simon's Egret portal was crucial.

Though many mainstream media outlets had dispatched reporters to Rwanda, Egret portal, with its early arrangements, still held significant influence over the narrative, especially with its online broadcasts reaching millions globally, surpassing many traditional TV media in impact.

The US military wouldn't engage in combat but needed a positive image on camera.

For this, cooperation from Egret portal was vital.

Once Simon nodded again, Warren Christopher added, "One last thing, Simon, you should be aware of your position. So, try not to let those Ukrainian mercenaries steal the spotlight."

_________________________

[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! $5 for all!!] 

[w w w . p a t r e o n .com / INNIT]

[+50 PowerStones = +1 Chapter]