9th February
01:34 GMT
The rehabilitation centre on Rilsomtine has very visibly been upgraded. More staff and better social facilities, and I think that the rehabilitatee housing has been upgraded as well. Mylissa frowns at me as I use their link to the Imperium's communications network in an attempt to contact the Chief Minister.
"Yes, he came through on his offer of funding, but that doesn't mean that we're in regular contact."
"Do you know who Green Lantern Green Man usually gets when he calls the palace?
"
"No, I don't."
"I suspect that it's someone more important than a Third Undersecretary.
" I glance her way.
"How's Felicity been getting on?
"
"As…" Mylissa shakes her head. "Well.. as could be expected. She's very social, likes to make people happy, and has.. almost no life-goals beyond making the people around her happy."
"Has she asked after me?
"
"She did after you left, but she accepted it when we said that we didn't have any way to contact you. I've…" She looks away nervously.
"Yes?
"
"The.. karnan fleet is supposed to have left-."
"Karna has been largely reconquered. The only ongoing conflict now is what form the gordanian surrender will take.
"
"I.. don't think that you're supposed to have told me that."
"Neither Supreme Commander Gaharrugh or the Imperial Navy Attaché made any request that I not share the information. And I'm not governed by Crown Imperium law anyway.
"
"
I am."
"Then
you better not tell anyone. Not that I think it will matter. No one is coming to help the gordanians. Certainly, no one with spies
here.
"
"What about Amalak?"
"Couldn't care less. Same with Jarko and the Spiders. The Citadel Alliance was the Citadel and its hangers on. Everyone who wants to survive the Citadel's fall is reforming, and Amalak was always more of an opportunist than an ally.
"
"That-. That's.. not-." She glances at the nearest information terminal.
"No, well, you
do live in the Crown Imperium, which has a vested interest in
lumping all of its enemies together whether or not they're actually part of the same group or not. Please tell me that Admiral Oswin doesn't own the local news broadcaster?
"
"I don't think so?"
"Alright, simple version.
" I generate a map of Vega and the territories bordering on the Crown Imperium as they were prior to my arrival.
"Citadel and Friends controlled
here.
" I colour Vega, with the major planets marked.
"I freed Tamaran and blew up the Citadel.
" The Citadel marker vanishes and the coloured area evaporates.
"No party was strong enough to take the Citadel's place, so while the Citadel's former allies cooperated between themselves they were only going to get weaker.
"
"While
that was going on, the alliance I brokered between the pirate groups and the Spider Guild was bedding in. Now, the pirates
weren't allied to the Citadel, Vega was just a convenient place for them to do business.
" I mark the Control Nest, Asryx and the region where Amalak operates.
"Other pirate groups operated in the area or flew through it, but none of them really had territory there. The Spider Guild arriving caused all of the other groups to gang up on them, and they lost their entire navy before surrendering.
"
"The Citadel and its navy took no part in that war, because they knew that if they did they'd have a Green Lantern taskforce coming down on them. The branx took no part in it because their interests weren't directly threatened.
Some gordanian clans were involved, but not the ones which were closely allied to the Citadel, because the ones which were closely allied to the Citadel had no motive to risk themselves. Since the Spider Guild's defeat and the Citadel's destruction Jarko has become less piratical because his losses in the war meant that he couldn't risk it and Amalak has expanded his legitimate private security work because suddenly the area has little special appeal to pirates and it serves his interests better to be seen as legitimate. With the Citadel and -more importantly- Larfleeze gone there's a good chance that Green Lanterns will regain access to Vega, and in any case visiting pirate groups aren't guaranteed the same old safe harbour.
"
"With me so far?
"
"A
reasonable summary." Chief Minister Rikane's face appears on the communication system. "Though Her Imperial Majesty's government would
appreciate it if we were able to make the announcement of the karnan victory without it being spoilered."
"Chief Minister-." Mylissa bows in his direction.
"Miss Raul. Would you please leave the Orange Lantern and I alone?"
She straightens slightly. "Of course." She rebows and then backs out of the room, the door closing behind her.
"She was right, you know. Data management laws in the Crown Imperium are most likely harsher than what you're used to."
"Do they apply to foreign diplomats?
"
"Not allied ones. Otherwise, some do."
"Am I an allied diplomat?
"
He smiles pleasantly. "I certainly
hope so."
"Do you have a problem with me negotiating a settlement on Karna?
"
"No, but I would rather have had a little more notice. The original plan was for the karnans to be supported by the Imperial Navy and so achieve a crushing victory. We were.. still hopeful that they might win an outright victory, but with a little time to prepare we can put a spin on it. I suppose that the civilian casualties would have been
very great if they'd fought it out?"
"Yes, very.
"
"Then there we are." He sits back slightly. "Ultimately, it isn't critical to the security of the Crown Imperium whether Vega becomes civilised purely because of our efforts or only partly. Our primary foreign policy objective is to stabilise our borders, not conquer Vega."
"And your secondary objectives?
"
"Well…" He fans out his hands. "There are so
many. An end to piracy and slavery, naturally. Partially to protect our own citizens and partially through moral concerns. I regard the Imperium as an architect of
civilisation. That is the
moral justification for our actions."
"So you wouldn't want to annex a civilised region?
"
"That… Depends what you mean by 'annex'. Certainly, we have had civilised worlds petition to join the Imperium before and will most likely do so again. But
forcing ourselves on them, no, of course not."
"So how do you explain Asryx?
"
"That was before my time. Asryx was…
Ideally, supposed to give the condemned and transported a chance to rehabilitate themselves through labour. They-." He looks decidedly awkward. "They and their descendants were supposed to become full citizens once their world was developed enough to admit to the Crown Imperium. But… The Court became… Somewhat
divided…"
"The Court had an attack of fascism.
"
"Something like that. I'm not proud of it, but… A man in my position must sometimes be realistic about what can be achieved. You
will note that I haven't pushed to invade Asryx, despite having good evidence that its new ruler supports the very barbarian forces I have dedicated myself to expunging."
"If they re-entered the Crown Imperium voluntarily, would you grant Jarko the title of Marquis?
"
"Hehahaha
oh my. Heh." He realises that I'm not laughing. "My word, are you serious?"
"I brought Amalak, Jarko and the Queen together, because I
also regard myself as an architect of civilisation. And sometimes being an architect means that you must convince foundations to remain erect in the middle of a swamp before you can build anything truly beautiful. Amalak is worried that Admiral Oswin might do something self-interested and plunge the area into war. I'm here to find out what assurances both sides want and are prepared to offer in return.
"
"I
see. I think.. perhaps that we should meet in person."
