Georgina Alice Heidler's Story

Prince grimaced slightly as he stood tall in the face of his counterparts, it wasn't often that he was the piece on the board, personally privy to negotiations. It was a duty the Emperor typically delegated to his many ministers, and adjutants, but the incomptency of those even within his own part had grown frustrating to the Emperor. And so here he was, personally tending to this debrief, so that no subject could either willfully, or neglectfully bungle the situation.

"My aims serve my people, and the interests of the Empire. It is my duty to address all threats to her stability, and to the rule of law, whether they be within my government, or at the hands of foreign influences." Prince remarked, silently moving to approach the table. Prince watched the screens, and listened intently. Already he was making his mind up, trying to find ways to better address the smoldering problems back home. He knew the backwater planets, the slums, and the outer stations would always be a hotbed for non state agitators, organized dissidence, and rebellion. He silently began to formulate his next moves within his mind.

"Perhaps imposing the same order, and the rule of law that we have within the Imperial Core, to the outer fringes would shore up the smoldering issues within the fringe worlds, and perhaps frustrate these spacers in their efforts." Prince thought to himself out loud, He knew the Quorum would voice it's reservations recalling Imperial Patrols, but in this time of peace, much of the Imperial Navy was moored back home, and could be rapidly deployed to Aschen fringe worlds, and outer territories in a campaign to bring the Party's control across the entirety of the Empire.

If the Military didn't bungle it.

Silently, Prince watched Hadriatica on the airscreen, he looked over to Marlene, and whispered to her in Anquietas, He was asking her about the threat, which she simply nodded, they both came to the hushed agreement that cooperation for now would be in the best interest of the Empire.

Prince swallowed hard, perhaps he was swallowing a lump in his throat, or his pride, either way he eventually opened his mouth to speak.

"I will instruct Admiral Nagala personally to coordinate with the Exogarden." He was having trouble with those words, and it was clear, but he knew it had to be done. "All relevant international codes of conduct, and rules of engagement need be forwarded to both the Ministry of Defense, and my office so that we can review them, and ensure compliance. Though, such an undertaking will require a complete revision in both our training practices, and our military doctrine. Such changes would be a monumental undertaking, as would any coordination with Exogarden forces, if we are to cooperate, we ask that ALIRBAD lift their blockade through the Bridge of Sighs, so that those from the Imperial Province of Isiria can be assured safe passage, in and out of Empire proper." Prince remarked. "If those conditions can be met, the Exogarden can be assured of Imperial cooperation, and compliances with all conditions surrounding this engagement."

Marlene stood there, and quietly raised her eyebrow, wondering silently what the white haired woman wanted with her, she simply shrugged, and opted not to say anything further. She shifted her footing, placing one foot in front of the other, crossing her legs slightly while hardening her gaze. She had nothing further to say to her Cobalt counterpart, though her eyes shimmered slightly while her mind peered into the ether.

Prince merely offered a frown at the response, and Kesslee saw it fit to speak up. "Langara is the most secure world in the Empire, disorganized militias would be foolish to attempt anything so close to the core, the logistics of such an undertaking would be almost impossible." The Grand Confessor said, challenging the white haired woman's assessment of Imperial national security.

Quietly, Marlene cast her gaze to Prince, and then back to the woman. "I'm not in the business of building nations, I'm in the business of the status quo." Marlene remarked. "Hearts and Minds is Minitru's department."

"Public affairs, and social harmony." Prince remarked. "But the burden of bringing errant worlds back into the fold will be everyone's responsibility, and we will need to address the shortcomings that led to these people to take up arms in the first place." Prince said heaving a sigh. "The tenets of the party will not serve those disenfranchised outer colonists, who see themselves as outsiders, looking in. If we tighten our grip, it will only serve to drive them further away from us."

"We should purge them, all of them." Kesslee remarked. "Dead people do not take up arms."

"You'd turn them into martyrs, and we're going to need the Exogarden's expertise quelling rebellion at Sky's edge, where General Nabaal, and Admiral Hanley are currently tied up." Marlene replied.

"Hanley should have glassed the planet." Kesslee rebuked, and Marlene simply shook her head. "The more we tighten our grip, Grand Confessor, the more systems slip through our fingers."

"I should have you re-educat-"

"Enough." Prince interrupted, bringing his attention back to Helianthus.

"We can debate the minutia of Aschen statecraft later, You have our support, and our compliance, we will quell this rebellion on Hadriatica, and come back to the table to debate the future, preferably on Langara, as peers." Prince said finally.