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Chapter 63: The Price of Justice

The final meeting was in Alexei Voronkov’s office. It was not a discussion; it was a verdict. Irina Yashina, her face a mask of grim duty, laid out the final, irrefutable evidence. The Swiss banking authorities had confirmed it. Lev Remizov, Viktor Orlov’s oldest friend and business partner, a man who believed the revolution was a great betrayal of the nationalist cause, was Colonel Chernov’s primary financier.

“I will be petitioning the Swiss for his extradition and seeking a warrant for his arrest on charges of treason,” Yashina stated, her voice leaving no room for negotiation.

Viktor Orlov, who had built his empire on the art of the deal, tried one last time. “Irina,” he pleaded, his voice stripped of its usual commanding tone. “I understand the facts. But you must understand the reality. Lev is not just one man. He is tied into half the financial institutions that are keeping this country afloat. His arrest, a public trial… it will cause a panic. A crisis of confidence. It will be an economic earthquake. Is there not another way? A quiet retirement? A deal?”

Yashina’s gaze shifted from Orlov to Voronkov. This was her moment of truth, the test of the promise he had made her in the hotel suite. “Mr. President,” she said, her voice like cold steel. “The moment we make a ‘deal’ for our powerful friends is the moment we become the government we overthrew. It is the moment my office becomes a sham and our new constitution becomes a lie. There is no other way. There is only the law.” She held his gaze. “You gave me a sword and a shield. I am asking you now if they are real, or if they are just theatrical props.”

A heavy, absolute silence filled the office. Voronkov was caught between his most powerful ally and his most ferocious principle. His decision would define the soul of his government. He remembered his own words, his promise to the nation. I am not interested in building on sand.

He looked at Viktor Orlov, his expression one of profound, genuine regret, but also of unshakable certainty. “Prosecutor,” he said to Yashina, “proceed with the warrant. You will have the full and public backing of my office.”

Then he turned to Orlov. “Viktor. I am sorry. Truly. But she is right. This is the price of the country we are trying to build. And the price must be paid.”

Orlov stood motionless for a long moment, absorbing the blow. He had lost. His friend was gone. But in the cold, logical core of his being, he knew the decision was the correct one. He gave a single, slow, heavy nod of acceptance.

Then he did the hardest thing he had ever done. In a final, powerful act of choosing the new system over his oldest loyalty, he picked up his secure phone. He dialed Lev Remizov in Zurich.

“Lev,” Orlov said, his voice a strained whisper. “It is over. They know everything.” He listened for a moment to the panicked voice on the other end of the line. “No,” he said, his own voice growing firm. “Do not run. Do not fight it. That is the old way. It will only make it worse for everyone.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “Come home. Come home and face it. It is the only honorable thing left to do.”

He ended the call and stood with the other two in the silent office. A necessary, terrible, and noble sacrifice had just been made. They had proven, to themselves and to the world, that their new Russia was built not on the shifting sands of favors and alliances, but on the hard, unforgiving bedrock of the law. They had paid the price of justice, and in doing so, had purchased the legitimacy of their new nation for a generation to come.

The Discourse, 63: The Theory of Legitimization Through Sacrifice

Section 63.1: The Final Test: Law vs. Personal Loyalty
This section brings the new state to its ultimate political and ethical test. All governments, especially new ones, are built on a network of personal loyalties and alliances. The central conflict here is the clash between these informal loyalties (Orlov’s friendship with Remizov) and the formal, abstract principles of the rule of law (as embodied by Yashina). In the old regime, personal loyalty was the supreme and only virtue. Yashina's unyielding stance and Voronkov's final decision represent a revolutionary inversion of this principle. They are making the deliberate choice that the abstract principle of law must be held as a higher value than even the most crucial personal alliance.

Section 63.2: "Legitimization Through Sacrifice"
Voronkov’s and Orlov’s final decisions are a powerful example of what can be called "legitimization through sacrifice." A government can claim to believe in the rule of law, but these claims are just words. Legitimacy—the deep, popular belief in the right of a government to rule—is earned through actions, particularly actions that are costly. By allowing a powerful friend and ally of the revolution to be prosecuted, the leadership is making a tangible, painful, and highly public sacrifice. This act does more to prove their sincerity and the legitimacy of their new system than a thousand speeches. It demonstrates, in the most powerful way possible, that no one is above the law.

Section 63.3: The Evolution of the Oligarch
Viktor Orlov’s final act—convincing his friend to surrender—marks the completion of his character arc. He began as a cynical operator, joining the conspiracy out of pragmatic self-interest. He has now evolved. By choosing to uphold the law even at a great personal cost, he demonstrates that he has fully internalized the values of the new system. His motivation is no longer just about protecting his assets, but about protecting the stability and integrity of the rule-of-law state itself, which he now understands is the only true long-term guarantor of his prosperity. It is the final victory of the new Russia: it has not just defeated its enemies, but has successfully converted one of its most powerful and cynical players into a true believer.