Zaeswin does not know the extent of our information on him, and currently, our infiltration of his organization exploits his underestimation of our knowledge of him.
There's very little to gain from revealing his existence, and a lot to lose. I'd drag Zaeswin out if our public opinion is low, for a scapegoat, but at present, what do you blame on him? The public is just too happy with the progress of the economy to care.
And intrigue actions against Zaeswin are difficult enough when facing just his passive security measures. A tipped off superspy is dangerous.
Zaeswin does not know the extent of our information on him, and currently, our infiltration of his organization exploits his underestimation of our knowledge of him.
There's very little to gain from revealing his existence, and a lot to lose. I'd drag Zaeswin out if our public opinion is low, for a scapegoat, but at present, what do you blame on him? The public is just too happy with the progress of the economy to care.
We're not revealing any of our current information on him. This is an interview about the revolution, and that should include the individual who was actually the previous leader of Gazintah. The people have a right to know why things happened in the past and who was responsible, rather than being forced to remain ignorant.
What are you going on about "tipped of superspy"? We're not revealing anything that he doesn't already know we know, frankly we're still keeping hidden most of what he knows we know about him. We're just letting some of his past come out into the open rather than it being obfuscated for the purpose of being obfuscated, and I personally think this is a good mind set to promote in someone who has a spy background. There has been a tendency in RL by intelligence agency's and certain politicians in the past to just slap national security onto incidents due to embarrassment rather than any valid concerns.
Is the knowledge that Zaeswin was previously the ruler of Gazintah a matter of national security? IMO the answer is a no so it can be safely mentioned and rightly should be. Are our operations against him currently? Yes, so they won't be. Vorzhan is an intrigue specialist so he/she/it/they (not sure which is appropriate in the English language) can easily work out what is safe and what isn't safe to say. It should also synergy with his just and one who stands with the people traits.
[X] Agree to give an interview. Open up about what might have happened, but don't mention Zaeswin.
[X] Contact Phoenix Wing to discuss terms, via Lucille talking to people.
Because Zaeswin doesn't exist, except to the spies who knew his actions. Nobody knows that he existed, that he's still alive, except for the person ruining his plans
He's not even a secret ruler, simply one of many many people pulling the strings.
We currently have operatives getting deep into his systems and you want to blow that intrigue up for what?
This is a multi-year operation that's been ongoing since the revolution to reach through his entire net and uproot him, his backers and his agents from throughout the system.
Don't ruin the whole endeavor on a political whim.
When we announce him it has to be at a trial, his crimes and deeds listed in full. Not something that would give him PLENTY of room to go to ground, cut off the trail and resurface another time for his revenge.
Announcing his existence when we don't even know where he is does not drag him out of the shadows. It does the opposite.
[X] Agree to give an interview. Open up about what might have happened, but don't mention Zaeswin.
[X] Contact Phoenix Wing to discuss terms, via Lucille talking to people.
[X] Agree to give an interview. Open up about what might have happened, but don't mention Zaeswin.
[X] Contact Phoenix Wing to discuss terms, via Lucille talking to people.
Vote closes tonight, so get your votes in, though of course it's going to take me a while to do the Turn, because there's a lot to it. I'm still at the 'looking over options and stuff' stage, but I figure I might as well close the vote tonight to do the rolls needed for reactions and get started. It does look like, however, that in Martial and Stewardship, the number of options/actions will, for the first time, not increase. Now, for Stewardship since you have two locked in, that's a bit painful, but for Martial with 2 new actions opened up each turn, it means you can start digging in! Overall, you're going to have...*does the math*, 4 new actions this turn. Where does the fourth come from? Well, you'll see.
There exist Barsa whose Personal Combat is nearly/at 50. Very, very few, and their Martial is significantly lower, "Only" in the 20s and 30s, since it's personal capacity, not literally being the reincarnation of every famous General combined.
But yeah, it's a thing that happens. Mostly among most race's special forces/elite units/Jedi. Yes, I said Jedi. The Barsan Council has an elite unit of monks/peacekeepers who use superlative skills to keep order. Some humans jokingly labeled them Jedi, though they're as much spooks (that you shudder to think of), legends, religious leaders, and super-cops as anything else.
They do know kung-fu though. They might or might not be involved in the peace council.
Turn 5--2829 (A)--Martial, Diplomacy, and Stewardship
Breathe in. Breathe out. Vorzhan's legs skitter across the floor, moving in a tense pattern, its meaning easily readable by any Xvorzit. There are a thousand, no a million, social cues and emotional ties and links in the Xvorzith culture, even more than among humans, but there were commonalities too.
People didn't usually pace when they were in a good mood, whatever species they happened to be. The year was almost over, and there was still so much to do. The charts on this quarter's economic graphs were going to come in soon, and Vorzhan had to know what to ask the holocasts he nominally controlled to do. Honest reporting, so far, but if they screwed up--and plenty of people were telling them that their actions involving Caste and their acquisition of the Mines were clear mistakes--they would have to, not lie, but understand that the truth isn't always as straightforward…
Yet here they were, about to tell their experiences, including the fact that there were secret orders to fire, and deadman switches that could have blown up protesters, and so, so very much in the way of grey over the golden morning where Gazinitah was saved from tyranny. The Speaker had been prepared for this interview for nearly a month, in between dragging themselves out of the law book and having meetings with citizens about the benefits of buying a Bond today. Selling the future of Gazinitah felt a lot like selling themselves, with how much people hung on their words. Some people, this didn't include B'iyiuna, who was quite respectful but clearly didn't buy into the idea that they were some model bug without flaws. Which was good, because the pressure was just getting stronger and stronger and--
"Speaker?" the assistant asked, "If you want another cup of--"
The mug of liquid they *had* been holding was crushed, the slimey rotted-into-liquid mold, in all of its delicious spiciness and warmness, dripping down onto the ground. "No. It's fine, was just thinking."
The other bug's legs kicked slightly, and they leaned in closer, asking the inevitable follow-up question, "What are you thinking?"
*****
1d100+19 (Diplomacy)+10 (Will of the Hive)=98
What were they thinking? The interview was a bad idea, and yet as they were flown up into the sky, they knew they'd something special. They'd told a story of frustration, of forces attempting to ruin everything, of how each day they woke up with more to do and yet they did it all. They conquered all of the difficulties and allowed the revolution to continue. And that's how the Speaker put it. Not that they saved the revolution singlehandedly, though there were some who said that was the case, but that they had allowed it to happen. They had made sure that nobody would stand in the way of the people. And now their job was the same, to act with the people, to make sure the people knew what they were doing and why.
That was the essence of this new government, of everything that billions had risked their lives for, might have given them for if things had been otherwise. It was sobering, the responsibility placed upon them, but they would stand up to it, they had promised they would. And in the evening glow of the setting sun, the sky blue-red, as darkness and light warred (and no Xvorzit would get easily the idea that darkness was anything but welcome, the cool dark of the den, against the light of the exposed plains where monsters roamed) and finally resolved their differences, they could feel that was a promise they could keep.
Speaker Vorzhan rolled down the window and felt the wind whip past their wings, which fluttered in pure joy. This world was a world of peace, of joy, of people made happy by their efforts. What was a bit of sickness, a little cough that wouldn't go away, and a few headaches against that?
Every day billions labored for a better Gazinitah, many in horrid conditions, many working long hours even by Xvorzit standards. Why should it be that their leader, the Speaker for those who did not always get their voices heard, should be lazy? Shiftless. Weak. Pathetic.
They could do it.
*****
On Sol, debates raged on the war, on the difficulties and the costs incurred thus far. News of this spread across Gazinitah, and while there was a brief controversy when B'iyiuna said, "I have no idea what humans are saying, they're weird and I don't get them" it was a common sentiment. Xvorzith were heavily inclined, culturally, towards peace, but the arguments mentioned soldiers off-hand, or casualties among civilians (in the hundreds after months of occupation). The real focus was the 'danger' of engaging in more and greater wars, and the cost in supplies and foreign aid. Why wouldn't the lives be the most important thing to be considered. It was especially baffling that the dozen dead Solarian soldiers got the most face-time compared to all of the dead civilians.
Still they watched, and days after the Speaker's meeting for 'My Revolution' turned into months.
*****
Kikkizit deleted half of the entire document without saying a word. Hazitean's face was priceless as she stared at him, as if contemplating leaping at him to strange him. "Wait, what….c'mon, what's wrong with that draft? I've had this 'staff' of mine go through it ten times, and then Bizentara got off their ass and pitched in too."
"You mention money, monetization, and spend a lot of time talking about the legal ramifications," Kikkizit said.
"But, I was told that I should at least mention that, the aides were all pissy about it," Hazitean protested.
"Maybe you should mention it, near the end, but honestly, start with the fact that it could let our ships blow the shit out of other ships. At least the Speaker will be able to smile at that and shake their head. This, though, this'll--"
"Are they… fuck. Are they really getting that fragile?"
"Like a tall tower where a single explosive in the right place can--"
"We have to do something! Don't we?"
"We probably do," Kikkizit said, "But you're a much bigger friend of theirs than I have ever been."
"Huh," Hazitean said, as if baffled by the idea.
******
Somewhere, I'isanah drank themselves into a stupor and prepared to try again tomorrow. Surely it shouldn't be that hard, talking to a bunch of fellow bugs. They were all Xvorzit, so why was it turning out to be so hard? They couldn't go back now. The Speaker, they were attractive, but so dedicated, so fierce, so powerful. They envied them, seemingly bullet-proof, so confident. They never had breakdowns. They never felt like a useless sack of shit who couldn't do anything right.
*****
1d100+27 (Lucille diplomacy)+5 (Opportunity)=103
"Please open the door."
They didn't reply.
"I can hack this door."
No reply.
"I can do it in my sleep."
Finally, a reply. "I could counter-hack faster than you. You know I can, Yaziha, I'm not incompetent at everything."
"Who said you were incompetent?"
"They would," the Speaker said, opening the door remotely and crawling further into their den of blankets, the headaches pounding every third second, blocking out all thought. Their speech was full of odd chirps and whistles and pauses as they were interrupted again and again by the agony. "I left them at a meeting to discuss opening up funding into the black budget for Lucille's idea, from her--"
"Yes, the meeting. It's not important, it can be rescheduled. You've been, I hate to say this, but you've been driving yourself too hard on this."
"No I haven't."
"Yes you have."
"No I--listen, Yaziha, you taught me a lot, but this is something you didn't prepare me for. I admit, I'm not always the best at this, but it's mine. You know that, it belongs to me. I lost a lot. You lost a lot. Everyone lost a lot to the Rulers, and I can't even hurt them. I can't even kill Zaeswin, not yet. But I have leadership. And even if I don't get it--"
If you burrow down deep enough into the blankets, the paranoia goes away. That is what the Speaker does. Inside every Xvorzit is a desire to be with others, to smell them, to feel them, to know them. But there is also a fear of being snatched away, of some monster leaping into the den and snatch you up. So the Xvorzit had burrowed, and finally, at the bottom of a pile of hundreds of blankets, a regular den of them, Vorzhan finally felt safe. Safe. Even Zaeswin couldn't get them from here.
"Get what?"
"Did you know that there is a science to market design, to how you set up and regulate the markets on commodities. But not all commodities, some of them fall under a different sort of pricing schema, and of course there is a lot of difficulty in monetizing and regulating certain aspects of commodities, since they are often a required and foundational element of any modern economic and taxes on them are regressive--that's at least simple enough to get--but more importantly need to be keyed against a wide variety of factors that you can find in subsection 3, paragraph...37. This chart clearly shows that there is a definitely correlation of causation and effect between government control of mining infrastructure as opposed to mining outputs as opposed to private control and public regulation, which is why," Vorzhan droned, their voice low and fast, as if trying to run through a thicket of words.
"What the fuck was that?"
"Proof that I'm not the right ruler. Kikkizit gets some of that stuff, academically, but eventually I just shut down and nod and nod and nod and that's all I am, a puppet. You know, the other day--"
"I was told. I've been wanting to talk to you about that," Yaziha said, with chirp-sigh, "They say you gave up, the other day. Just signed everything in front of you. And they kept on sending more and more ridiculous things, and as long as it began with economic jargon you'd signed it, but the moment you saw anything having to do with...anything else you didn't sign it."
"It's how I caught them."
"You didn't need to yell at them."
"I didn't need to not yell at them. It was a cruel prank, and I'm not feeling--"
"Merciful? Kind? Patient with stupid stuff? If that's so, Gazinitah has a problem. Just...let me talk to you. Let me--"
"Shut up, please. I can't take this, not right now."
Arms wrapped around their torso, thick, grizzled, black-yellow arms, and then the rest of a body pushed up against them in a close embrace. "I can leave if you want."
"...no. This is," they let out a soft chirrup, smelling, feeling, being comforted by the mere presence of another Xvorzit.
"This is… okay."
Martial: Much is left to be done, and you're no closer to having complete mastery and control than before. Tank research continues under private umbrellas and Haziteans stalks from place to place, now in complete command of the Military, at least in theory. Will roll 1d100 to see if Hazitean adds bonuses to the actions you're taking. Will roll 1d100+20 (New hovertanks acquired)+5 (Enthusiasm)+5 (Foreign Examples) to see what those crazy Tankers are up to. (Pick four) (+10 to all non-naval, non research options. +5 to all Research options.)
Current Bleed: 600+25+30 (Naval Costs rising)-500 (Savings from Gifts)=155 Wealth from Bleed. Next turn that increases by 65 as more ships come online, turn after that it increases by 25 as the last one gets fixed.
Good Old Bugs
The officers and higher-ups of the military accept Hazitean as a leader, as the person in charge of them, but she herself doesn't have a good opinion of them and, far more importantly, they know her but don't particularly respect her. She's a whirlwind, and she could blow in and learn more about them, as well as try to make them toe the line. There's a new person in charge of the military, after two years of drift and indecision, and her name is Hazitean.
Cost: 20 Wealth
Probability: 60%+10
Reward: Learn more about the officers, get them more under Hazitean's thumb, allows other actions later.
Colonial Police
The colonies have their own military forces, with their own (far smaller and uneven) budget. They, even more than the army, function as police more than anything. You could make sure you have control of them and figure out what their situation is, whether there are any funds there that could be creatively transferred, and of course whether they are loyal and competent. The colonies haven't stepped out of line, but neither are they completely integrated, and the situation is still more than a little confused.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 65%+10
Reward: Options, an outlook on things.
Domo Arigato
Studies should begin on the robots and the various weapons retrieved during the ground battle. There might be interesting design principles or technologies there, though it's entirely possible that there won't be too much. It's hard to tell, now, when all that you have are the remains of a lot of combat bots, but there might be something there that can be used.
Cost: 10 Wealth
Probability: 1d100, the higher the better. +5
Reward: Study the inner workings of the robots and machines deployed by the ship.
Study the Wreck
Begin studies on the ship you recovered, the one that seemed to function most in the atmosphere but apparently, according to Hazitean, could also go into space. Safely, if only because it had no crew whose safety the ship had to take into account. It's complex, and with the controlling mind dead there's no guarantee that you'll get anything.
Cost: 15 Wealth
Probability: 60%+5
Reward: Begin research on the wreck, the abomination.
(Free) Gun it!
The Farsha Mk.2 handgun, and its long gun version, is a horrible gun. You hate that weapon with a passion. As petty a thing as that is, you hold that grudge very deeply. It's a loud, inefficient weapon, a hog of energy and bullets, and you've seen civilians that have better weapons. You could try to convince the soldier-castes to buy some of a better model and make, in fact you have some ideas already. And you're going to start by buying some on the budget you know about, maybe do some trials to show how much better they are?
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 75%+5
Reward: Your defense forces start using guns that, while not cutting edge, are at least not completely and utterly out of date. Also, you're convincing the people who you might be prosecuting to arm themselves better.
War Bonds
The bonds are a huge success, but currently they are mostly enriching the main budget. Hazitean has plans and so does Bizentara, and there is still a shortfall in the budget anyway. More money is needed, a lot more, but a good start would be to divert some of the money from the bonds, sort of. Create 'peacekeeping bonds' and offer them alongside the other bonds. It's going to be a cut into the overall profits rather than something new, but it'd help divert resources towards maintaining the military which was beginning to get some focus.
Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 75%+10
Reward: 20% of the total Bond money goes to the Military. At this point, it'd be 170 Wealth, but it'd grow and shrink as the overall Bond total grows and shrinks. May have the chance later to do other things, though the non-martial nature of your society inhibits it.
Security or Liberty?
There have been calls to decrease the scope of the defense forces to interfere in internal affairs. The police should handle it, and the idea that there is a need for forces with special weapons or more militant tactics to deal with crime seems to many to be a sign of all that was wrong with the old order. Others have argued that in these chaotic times the need is greater than ever. Separating them and enacting laws to further this split would cost little directly, but could cause bruised egos and negative effects. The demand for this is increasing and at the moment, resting under military control, police reforms are all but impossible.
Cost: 150 wealth
Probability: 65%, +10
Reward: Separate police and defense forces, updated planet page to represent this, increased opinion with the common Xvorzit, grumblings among the defense forces, ???
Commission on Pay and Caste
Both the pay of the rank and file and their opportunities to advance are determined partially by caste. Many see this as unfair- you could begin to look into it, though it'd risk getting nowhere, being sabotaged by the officers, and will certainly raise more than a few hackles. Still, it might be worth it.
The police lack consistent procedures in a number of areas, and even more importantly some soldiers aren't adequately trained as peacekeepers, leading to plenty of troublesome incidents. You can begin to work things out by having a set of rules and structure made for the police and the soldiers for as long as they and the police are the same- to the extent that there aren't a number of alternate organizations all overlapping in this regard. Either way, it's a start.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 60%+10
Reward: Create a code of conduct and a stronger set of rules for the police, open up Police Options pathway.
Slim Down
There are plenty of troops who are no longer interested in being part of the military, and thus could at least in theory open up some more cash when you're bleeding money every turn. Less to pay in terms of healthcare, though there would be some even if they retire from the military, and less troops. But those that remain would be those that are dedicated to the job, and there's likely not going to be a huge drop in the quality of the troops and their ability to work- the ground forces always were too large for the task at hand.
Cost: 25 Wealth.
Probability: 80%+10
Reward: 150 Wealth opened up each turn.
Admiral Bizentara?
Captain Bizentara is a very skilled commander and holds a lot of respect from his men and the navy. It might be hasty, but you could promote them to Admiral and place them in charge of the fleet in general. They could then act towards making reform of the navy possible, to the extent that you know their opinions, goals, and ideas.
Cost: 50 Wealth a turn
Probability: 90%
Reward: New and separate Naval Options category created, has 1 action per turn.
Patrol Routes!
You could have someone set up more thorough and workable patrol routes. It'd give your ships and crews experience, if not in battle (mostly) and would make it less likely that anything goes wrong. It'd also give you a chance for small encounters and the like every so often, and would certainly be a way to exercise your flabby naval muscles.
Cost: 50 wealth, 10 Wealth a turn
Probability: 70%
Reward: Patrol routes created, chance of things happening each turn!
Engines and Jump drives, oh my?
You almost died because the FTL drives that your navy uses are unreliable and apparently are given to problems of that nature. This will not stand, and not just because you swore an over-dramatic oath towards it. You don't expect miracles, but surely there can be research into finding out what's wrong with it and how to fix things, and maybe start up more naval research in the future.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 100%
Reward: Potential quick-fixes for engine problems, open up the 'Naval research' options tree and the like.
(TL;DR: Unlocks naval R&D)
Shipyards!
Any improvements to the hardware or refitting of the ships to be more up to date is impossible while the shipyards are third rate, the contractors unknown- requiring laborious individual negotiation on a ship-by-ship-basis- and the overall situation is not so good. Begin looking into solutions for what Naval officers you talk to refer to as their 'shipyard woes.'
Cost: 25 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Opens up shipyard/hardware upgrades, chances to eventually build newer, or more up to date ships. Might have some economic advantage for civilian ships, though not anytime soon.
(TL;DR: Unlocks naval construction & refit)
Maximum Capacity
Startlingly, this is an area where Bizentara and Hazitean have a lot of synergy. Both were excited by the technological news, and both want to jump on it. Hazitean says she's aware that early on there will be a scramble, so the chances will likely improve, but she says that ultimately if they want to have a modern navy, they need the capacitors.
There is a further point, though. Captain Bizentara points out that even if the Speaker decides not to go for modern, up to date ships (an idea they disapprove of, but the understand that money is tight and it might not seem necessary), the reduction in capacitor volumes would allow them to fit all of the obsolete ships with autoloading missile launchers, allowing them rough parity with the rest of the fleet in terms of missile weight, at least covering for that deficiency. In any case, since the upgrades will eventually be applied to the ships of any polity that can afford it, falling behind is not a valid option.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 35% +10
Reward: Gain the new capacitors. Will be able to start upgrading ships once you get the Shipyard situation worked out. +1 ??? if taken on the same turn or after 'Admiral Bizentara.'
Diplomacy: Your adviser has been starting off somewhat slowly, easing into his job, as it were. They begin working by organizing the second annual celebration of the revolution's victory, and keep going from there. (Pick 3) (+0 to Foreign Diplomacy, -5 from your adviser and his lack of furrin' knowledge balanced out by the +5 bonus to Foreign diplomacy) (+5 to Internal Diplomacy)
No, seriously, what?
You are going to talk to the monarch, and anyone that you can find. It boggles your mind and gives you a headache every time you think about their misrule. You need to talk to them, figure out what happened and why it happened, in order to prevent this sort of thing in the future. And because your suspicion of them has increased dramatically over the last few months, to the point where you're half-afraid they're working against you.
Traitors, the lot of them, Hazitean says, deserving of being pushed up against the wall and shot. Your disagreement is... rather less vocal than it was before.
One of the more obvious ways to look diplomatically is towards the various human powers in the regions. Acquire dossiers on them, learn more about their trading needs, figure out as much as you can about them for the purpose of having more complete diplomatic relationships later on.
Recent events in the Barsamen Confederacy have come to your attention. You have no ties with the Confederacy, or even the Xvorzith hive world that is part of it, but it's one of the most powerful and populous entities in known space, to the extent that it is a single government. You could look into learning more about them and how there might be some connections that could be made.
Even more obvious are the other Xvorzit hives. Many have governments similar to the one you're trying to set up, so you could talk to them, try to figure out how you might work together. It'd be easier in some ways, though ultimately you are competitors as well as friends in the economic struggle. But it's certainly something you could follow up on.
I'isanah is working on this, actually! She's really, really frustrated in this regard.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options for the option god!
Learn the Will of the Hive
What do the people want, diplomatically? Are there any groups that haven't been heard, are there options that have been ignored because they have come from outside the usual context and the corridors of power? You should ask around, start to get to know the people's will. And of course you've been reminded that their desires are not only stellar, they also have diplomatic goals and desires here as well.
Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, learn the Will of the Hive on these matters, increased popular opinion, ???
A Voice for Colonies
The colonies feel excluded, but there's a simple answer to that. Include them. You can hire some more people onto your staff, to help you better cover the colonies needs and hear their opinions, and hopefully that will keep you up to date on them.
Cost: 10 Wealth per turn.
Probabilty: 75%+5
Reward: Gain (1) 'Colonial News' each turn. Improved colonial opinion, unlocks/gates other stuff later.
Extending the Common Goods
The government runs holocasts and other programs are very popular, and are frequently downloaded and watched by those in the colonies, but the news sections are entirely of planetary news and very little of the colonies' issues. Now, they certainly value knowing about the home planet, but if diplomatic efforts were extended to make sure that all benefits therein came to the colonies as well, it would be appreciated.
Cost: 25 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 80%+5
Reward: Colonies mollified, can use the holocast to disseminate opinions/information to them. Greater cultural control over the colonies established.
Re-establish all the Embassies
It's right there in the name. Establish new embassies in the Technocrat Imperium, the Incorporated Suns, the League of Free Worlds, the People's Republic of Tanara, the Republic of Deiah, Stendar, the Varalai Federation, the Transpecies Harmony Republic, The Star Kingdom of Kenoadad, the Republic of Graha, the other Xvorzith Hives, the Barsa Confederacy, the Ilwari Union, the Tawasi, the Mercantile Republic, the Rorrox...everyone, absolutely everyone.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: Roll for each individual state with diplomacy and modifiers and different DCs for each. Failure is a minor setback...unless you crit-fail.
Reward: Embassies EVERYWHERE
Political Toe-Dipping
Your ambassador to Sol would have to step lightly indeed, but they could start to try to learn more about the political situation on Sol, and transmit it back to you. Since Kikkizit has been rather quiet on their interactions with Prime Minister Mutumbo this would be a good first step, though there's some danger, if not done right, that it could be seen as untowards interference.
You've heard so much about them, and you've sorta been busy the past while, so why not have a meeting with him...and just as importantly, bring up modifications to your existing treaties to deal with the critical 'bleed' situation, or all sorts of other matters.
Cost: Free
Probability: Roll 1d100+Diplomacy to see how it goes.
Reward: ???
Diplomacy?
How much of that huge diplomatic budget is corruption? If any of it is, can it be taken away? And is there any waste or areas where it could be trimmed down even if it isn't corrupt? You're still not at the 'belt tightening and desperate scrabbling' part...well, mostly, but surely there's a little fat there.
Stewardship: You're fine. You'll prove it, and do a great job, and everyone will praise you like they've been doing before. Surely that will make it worth it? (Pick 2, 2 locked in right now) (Will of the Hive currently at 2. +10 to all (Hive) rolls, must do a (Hive) action this turn to maintain.)
Colony Administration
Try to arrange the administration of the colonies in a way that will work better. Right now there are appointed governors and small councils and the like, you could bring democracy (and people who are more surely in your pocket) to the colonies! It's probably overdue, and there are more calls for it now than there were before.
Cost: 100 Wealth, 50 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%
Reward: New colonial administration, stronger hold on them, options.
(Locked in!) Buy-out?
You know the Iashec have holdings on the planet, tax-free other than bribes and what few taxes they aren't immune to. You could research and begin buying out the smaller of the holdings and companies, while seeing what else you can do. Ultimately you want them all gone, yet short of nationalizing them in an overt act, it's going to be expensive and take a while, but it might have very positive effects on the economy. You can also do the same for the Colonial holdings at the same time, now that you know about them. Though now that they're on to you it could be a lot more complicated, or even lengthy with long legal battles and negotiations.
Cost: 600 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Time: Completed this turn
Reward: Government now owns several companies, potential wealth increase, options on what to do with them, knowledge of the larger Iashec firms that are harder to buy out.
Military Duties
You could open up some new taxes, import and export duties in order to pay for the military bleeding. In the long term, it might dampen economic growth, but it could make a quick patch for the shortfall that can then be fixed later.
Cost: Free, for now.
Probability: 100%
Reward: 250 Wealth toward the military budget. Small across-the-board opinion loss.
(Ongoing) Open Up Avenues
This is ongoing, and will be continued unless you vote to discontinue it. So you can ignore it, though at some later date you might decide that the markets are tapped out and that continuing to spend 100 Wealth on it will provide no bonuses. Indeed, it is possible for that to happen, eventually.
Cost: 100 Wealth a Turn
Probability: ???
Reward: Continues the program. No need for a slot.
(Hive) Unhelpful Taxes
There are taxes designed towards the underclasses, like the way that there is a tax for having more than one sac worth of kids, or the extra taxes levied if you live in houses constructed by non-builder-caste members. Those you know about. Your former caste. Tons of them cluster, and then there are payroll taxes, and taxes on basic necessities, and 'buy in' taxes designed to make sure that each and every member of the society has 'chitin in the game.' It's all rather problematic, and bizarrely enough, here Hazitean is taking the lead in advocating against them. She was born poor, and still remembers those times.
Now that the will of the Hive has been unleashed, this is a Hive action.
Call: High
Cost: 300 Wealth
Probability: 65% (+10 to rolls for it)
Reward: -600 Wealth a turn, Worker opinion increases, potential long-term gains.
Exemptions Must Go
The ruler caste doesn't pay taxes. The merchants don't pay import fees. People of the military caste have 50% discounts on all taxes. The diplomatic caste is immune from all import and export fees, as well as any fees on gifts they receive, and there are a thousand other exemptions. Some are not entirely bad and might be turned into some sort of 'tax-credit/reduction' sort of thing, like with teachers, or with builders and property taxes or so on, but a lot of it just can't be defended at all. Rip it all away, and let the light of taxation finally hit them.
Cost: 250 Wealth
Probability: ???, rolling better means you get more.
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth a turn, targeted groups will like you less.
Lower Taxes
The counterpoint is that the exemptions, while unfair, are also the only thing keeping the system going. As utterly messed up as the taxation system is, if everyone was getting hit equally it'd fall apart. More efficiency could, some argue, lead to depressed economic growth. Yet at the same time lowering taxes would lead to a large shortfall, and in the long term everyone admits it isn't a solution.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: -800 Taxation income, tax burden reduced, mitigates for exemptions, preventing the economy from dipping, but might create difficulties in the future. Increased opinion of you across the board, though.
(Hive )There's Power in a Workers Association
Long hours, beatings, suppression of workers rights. You cannot accept any of this, and it has to stop now. Start by setting up some commissions. And if any of them get in your way, any of those so-called 'public corporations' that allowed this, you have no compunctions about destroying them. Patiently, slowly, justly, but if it comes down to it, destruction is better than the situation as it is now. Plus, it'd be really, really cathartic.
Cost: 25 Wealth a Turn.
Time: 1d4 Turns
Probability: 100%, rolls less than 40 add another year onto the time.
Reward: You shall BREAK them. You shall make it so that the worker no longer fears those who would exploit them, and if they stand in your way it shall be the last mistake they make.
Mines of the Hive
You need to make them productive. Which means charts. Graphs. Long meetings and economists accusing each other of being literally worse than Jasirin. All in a long day's work, but it would lead to the mines you purchased out in order to reform turning some degree of profits, at least hopefully.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Wealth, options, lots of good stuff!
Trauma Centers
Those that are hurt cannot be un-hurt. You cannot turn back the hands of time, but you can punish the guilty, prevent these things from happening, and open up psychological groups to allow them to cope with all that's happened, among other things. These abuses didn't used to be common, and they are disgusting, against everything Xvorzith culture is meant to embody, and yet you have a feeling that the disgust and rot is going to have to be cleansed, bit by bit, to restore Gazinitah to what it might have been.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 90%
Reward: Open up more clinics for those suffering abuse and rape, either at the hands of an employer (what drew the case to you) or otherwise.
Talk to the Castes
These castes were the ones that ran the bureaucracy that the ruler-castes led, they organized the economy, they did much of the middle-management. And they have been cast aside for the moment. You could reach out a hand and talk to them, learn about their concerns and see what they know?
Cost: Free
Probability: 80%, roll 1d100+Stewardship+½ Diplomacy to see how they take it.
Reward: Information, more knowledge of what they think of you. Opens up options.
Judicial Activism
Judges are terrible, chosen by inter-caste mechanics, and not remotely fair. You can solve all of these, taking the selection away from the judicial caste, for the moment doing it via appointment and eliminating those judges that don't measure up. Eventually you'll have to stop doing it by hand, it's not efficient, but for the moment there's at least enough information to start throwing out the worst offenders and starting with a clean slate, however difficult in time and work (with lawyers) it would be.
The standards for lawyers is both far too strict and far too lax. Call attention to their problems and change the standards in a way that doesn't lead to as much railroading. It'd take money, potentially money you don't have, but it'd improve standards some.
Cost: 100 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 75%+5
Reward: Better lawyers and law-situation. Options might eventually open up (given time.)
Legal Reforms
Now that the bad laws have been eliminated, it was time to start fresh. You can start creating laws that can more carefully target the large cartels, keeping them off balance, and undermining the truly dangerous parts of drug culture and other such dangerous avenues. One has to step carefully not to repeat the mistakes of the past, but that the future might hold more than mistakes, it's something you must believe in, and so you shall have your lawyer friends and others try to craft something new, see whether it sticks.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%+5
Reward: Reformed laws, more weapons in the legal arsenal against large-scale crime, without targeting or weakening individual liberties more than is necessary.
(Locked in) A Survey of the Law-Books
You could hire some people to look through the entire law-literature of Gazinitah for suggestions towards tighter, more careful reforms. However, at this point with the judiciary not yet reformed, with very difficult requirements and fewer trusted members, this would take a while. But it would probably pay off. Probably. Though at the moment it'd be difficult.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Time: Will complete next turn
Reward: Further legal reforms, more knowledge of your own laws, other advantages/perks.
(Hive)Palace Fees
No. Get rid of it. You cannot possibly accept this as a valid use of economic power of your country, and you have to at least reduce it. It'll be dicey, and there might be calls against it from some, while others call for its complete elimination. You'll try to balance it, reducing it greatly while not leading to protest or dislike.
Call: Medium-Low, but growing, thanks to increased issue awareness. No major pressure yet.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: 500-1000 Wealth, potential raised/lowered ruler/worker opinion. The rest of that money (300-800 Wealth) would have to be gotten at in the budget more subtly because it's less obviously payoffs and might cause a bigger stink.
Search for an Adviser
You don't need help. You're fine. You don't get why anyone's suggesting this, but you supposed an adviser might be useful. Maybe, but probably not. Because you're doing just fine.
Cost: 200 Wealth, 100 Wealth per turn to pay them.
Probability: 100% (roll to see how good of a selection you find to choose from.)
Reward: An economic advisor. If they have a higher Stewardship than you than you can finally have time to take a breath without numbers swimming through your head. +1 Stewardship, if replaced by Adviser's bonus, becomes +1 Personal Action, thus allowing the same number of Stewardship actions and one extra Personal Action.
(Hive) Caste Signifiers
It is currently legal to do genetic tests on prospective employees, and more than that, on most forms of identification, one's caste or former caste can be found, thus while in theory caste prejudice is being broken down, at least at the lower levels, in practice there are many ways to detect it. While some castes don't have genetic factors, others do, and others have 'common' genetic factors, or the like. In any case, the ID tells the whole story. You could ban all testing for those certain factors, and begin actions to shut down this form of quiet discrimination.
Cost: 50 Wealth
Probability: 60%+50
Reward: Improved opinion for several groups, - opinion for others. Other things.
Equality Division
A division could be founded, of police and other figures, specifically to deal with the rising tide of inter-Caste crimes on both sides of it. Not just crimes, but also discrimination. Both could be covered and investigated constantly by the police, though it'd start slow and might also target some from less-fortunate castes striking upward.
You could buy out the company now that it's been laid low by your lawsuits and your consumer protection, and perhaps use it as a way to get the poor subsidized food on the cheap, as well as generally win points with the populace. It wouldn't make much, if any, money as a government corporation if you used it this way, but there are things more important than wealth, at least directly
Cost: 200 Wealth (It's a big company)-50 Wealth in losses a year
Call: Low
Probability: 100%
Reward: You now own a company! Joy. New options! Opinion of the masses increased.
(Hive) Public Transportation
Public transportation needs to be better, that much is rather obvious. And there are some calls to do so, even though it is indeed quite expensive. It'd be best at the moment to start with the areas of complaint, a set of Hive-Cities on the southern continent, solving their problems directly without going for the big, sweeping gesture...yet.
Call: Medium
Cost: 150 Weath
Probability: 85%+10
Reward: Public transportation improved in one area. Increased worker opinion. On the other hand, more graphs.
Public Parks
Recreating the entire agricultural order is not on your agenda at the moment, and so you've told Kikkizit to shelve the plans until there is less on your plate since even looking at it for too long does horrible things to you, but public parks sounds nice, safe and uncontroversial, and Kikkizit talked you through it in a way that both allowed you to understand it without creating too many difficulties. Plus, it'd improve morale.
Cost: 75 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Parks start getting built, people get happier. Maybe you can go to one of them sometime and relax away from economic duties?
*****
A/N: So some details! The number of martial actions is the same as last turn, but you have two more actions, so you're starting to get ahead as I thought. Diplomacy's lower on options than I had hoped it would be, but more will be unlocked and it's somewhat close to what I sorta want the 'end-point' to be where everything is relatively steady. The big place where doom and gloom exists is Stewardship, which has always been the most bloated and continues its trend, combined with a lack of open options! Still, things are all good, mostly.
I do have to ask, would you prefer to stick to this two-part format for voting/Turn stuff, or would you rather move to an omnibus format where I have all of it in one update, spoilered of course.
McClenahan: Increased bleed is due to the navy expanding- the light cruiser damaged over the Pirates' Moon is back in service, as are the first wave of captured ships- a total of four light cruisers, four destroyers, and five frigates. Nice to see the navy gaining a little muscle, hm?
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] Officer Bug?
[X] Slim Down
[X] Shipyards!
We need to get the police and military to be seperate. The fact that this might allow us to shift the police into a civilian agency - and thus decrease military spending - is just a bonus. Officer Bug seems to have good synergy with that. Slimming down will get rid of most of the bleed, and we really don't need a huge military right now anyways. Especially given that they're all third-rate equipment. Shipyards mostly because it's cheap, and opens up actually improving our ships. Next turn, I'm hoping to do a bunch of Naval options if we have the cash.
[X] Re-establish all the Embasies
[X] Meet Sol Ambassador
[X] Diplomacy?
R-establishing the embassies with everyone is something we'll want to do. It'll get us a lot more possibilities, and gets us some legitimacy in the eyes of the galaxy. The Sol ambassador seems like he might be able to help the bleed a bit, which we'll need to deal with sooner or later. Plus given that Sol is our biggest ally for the moment, we should probably look into that. And finally, we have a bit of a money problem, so we should try to see if we can't get rid of some corruption.
[X] Unhelpful Taxes
[X] Search for an Advisor
The people want tax relief, and their demands seem reasonable enough given that some of those taxes are ridiculous. Unfortunately, that's a rather large economic loss that we would struggle to afford. I considered taking Palace fees to cover that loss, but we're nearly going insane due to the economic shenanigans we're trying to pull. We need an adviser pronto.
As to the update schedule, breaking it up into 2 parts is better given the shear number of options. Doing it all at once would just be too big.
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] Officer Bug?
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Patrol Routes!
I'm hoping that by separating the police into a civilian organization that we would decrease our military spending making the other options redundant, along with the many usual benefits from having a police organization. Making sure those new police and competent is ideal, as is ensuring Hazitean knows the officer class for the military she is in command of. Patrol Routes! is to get our ships moving once more, and to secure our sector of space from any shenanigans.
[X] No, seriously, what?
[X] Re-establish all the Embassies
[X] Meet the Sol Ambassador
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, meeting with the Ruler caste is absolutely essential. They are either working for Zaeswin in which case they need to be eliminated, or they are embittered towards him and will help us against him but either way we must speak to them. This has been delayed for far too long.
Re-establishing all our embassies gives our nation greater recognition and legitimacy and meeting with the Sol ambassador is helpful given how powerful and influential they are. In the option it says they can help with the bleed, but given the vast economic disparity between our polity and theirs, I would hope that perhaps they would be willing to refinance our loans for a lower interest rate.
[X] (Hive) Unhelpful Taxes
[X] Search for an Adviser
[X] If possible swap a Survey of Lawbooks for this Talk to the Castes
We need a hive option and Unhelpful taxes is perfect given the opinion bonuses, long term benefits, and it doesn't meaningfully impact our budget given we're at an overall surplus. As has been made clear last year, and we've been smacked over the head with it this year, we have essential need of an adviser.
As I mentioned earlier I would like to swap Lawbooks for Castes if possible given I believe it was taken prematurely and the many benefits that speaking to the people that run and manage our bureacracy and economy, especially as it would be here that we would be able to not only learn about our budget but rearrange it. I would understand if it isn't possible though.
[x]Good Old Bugs [x]Security or Liberty? [x]Officer Bug? [x]Slim Down
Improve Hazitean's kniowledge of our current officer corps. Separate the poice and military functions of our armed forces. Standardise our police procedures to improve the ability of the police to do their jobs and not inflame the wider citizenry. and get rid of the troops who aren't comfortable in their new role or needed for law enforcement.
[x]No, seriously, what? [x]Re-establish all the Embassies [x]Diplomacy?
Talk with and question the Ruler caste to find out if they actually are in league with Zaeswin. Open up diplomatic relations with everybody we can to broaden our options. and have the diplomatic budget examined for corruption and graft.
[x](Hive)Palace Fees [x]Search for an Adviser
The Palace Fees action frees up a lot of Wealth for our economy. Yes, we do need a goddamn economic adviser as it sounds like we're on the verge of a complete nervous breakdown.
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] Officer Bug?
[X] Slim Down
We need to establish Hazitean's authority.
The separation of our military and police forces, the shrinking of our military and a code of conduct have a good synergy and should help against the bleeding. Also a dedicated, able police force is a reward in and of itself.
[X] No, seriously, what?
[X] Re-establish all the Embasies
[X] Diplomacy?
We are at a point where we should really talk( interrogate) the former rulers, their dealings with the Iashec and most of all our very own Bond villain.
The reestablishment of diplomatic contact with the wider galaxy opens up further avenues for help, trade and potential allies and incidentially embassies are also good for intelligence.
[X] (Hive) Unhelpful Taxes
[X] Search for an Adviser
We need an advisor asap because Vorzahn is steaming ahead into burnout country, the taxes are unpopular enough that the streets are talking and they sing the song of angry bugs. Also, they are ridiculous.
Next turn we should probably find out the Will of the Hive in diplomatic matters, but right now finding out any more issues we need to solve, and figuring out the budget are all good goals.
EDIT: Changing my vote slightly...
It's unfortunate that taking the Taxes option causes a decent drop in tax income, but the High demand for it suggests it's something we should be doing despite that... hopefully the other options we picked will remove some corruption and lower any new overrun...
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] Officer Bug?
[X] Slim Down
[X] No, seriously, what?
[X] A Voice for Colonies
[X] Diplomacy?
[X] (Hive) Unhelpful Taxes
[X] Search for an Adviser
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Admiral Bizentara?
[X] Slim Down
[X] Security or Liberty?
Hazitean needs to secure her influence and loyalties in the military.
And we badly need the action Bizentara offers, not to mention reduced difficulties generally.
Trim away the excess costs, and finally, separating the police and military allows us to use foreign aid for it.
Not taking the gun upgrade until we have more wealth/loyalties assured
[X] A Voice for Colonies
[X] Diplomacy?
[X] No, seriously, what?
Best to start getting the colonies loyalties back in line, and look into the hidden budget before it does even more painful things.
And we probably should check in with the Ruler caste before they start biting us in the ass.
[X] Search for an Adviser
[X] (Hive )There's Power in a Workers Association
Get the long awaited advisor, and for the Hive action, Worker's rights should be the least painful option. Taxes is highly desired, but at this point we might as well shoot ourselves to rip out the budget.
If you burrow down deep enough into the blankets, the paranoia goes away. That is what the Speaker does. Inside every Xvorzit is a desire to be with others, to smell them, to feel them, to know them. But there is also a fear of being snatched away, of some monster leaping into the den and snatch you up. So the Xvorzit had burrowed, and finally, at the bottom of a pile of hundreds of blankets, a regular den of them, Vorzhan finally felt safe. Safe. Even Zaeswin couldn't get them from here.
Veekie, I do like the Admiral Bizentara? option, but right now if we take the Officer Bug option instead of that, it takes care of setting up the police, and preventing it immediately becoming vulnerable to corruption and abuse... at least, OVERT corruption and abuse...
That said, next turn I do believe we should pick him, as well as Maximum Capacity to get the boost he gives to it... Hopefully we can also pick a personal action to boost the Capacitors chances...
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Admiral Bizentara?
[X] Slim Down
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] A Voice for Colonies
[X] Diplomacy?
[X] No, seriously, what?
[X] Search for an Adviser
[X] (Hive )There's Power in a Workers Association
The problem with taking the admiralty option is that it separates the Navy from the rest of the Martial category, and gives it only 1 option. That severely limits the number of things we can do for the Navy each turn if we take it, where we can use all 4 of our martial actions to do Martial and Naval things right now. That said, it would be beneficial in the long term as we got more options for it, but right now we aren't in so much of a need for it. The more actions we have the more wealth we have to spend as well.
[X] Good Old Bugs
[X] Security or Liberty?
[X] Officer Bug?
[X] Slim Down
[X] No, seriously, what?
[X] A Voice for Colonies
[X] Diplomacy?
[X] (Hive) Unhelpful Taxes
[X] Search for an Adviser
The problem with taking the admiralty option is that it separates the Navy from the rest of the Martial category, and gives it only 1 option. That severely limits the number of things we can do for the Navy each turn if we take it, where we can use all 4 of our martial actions to do Martial and Naval things right now. That said, it would be beneficial in the long term as we got more options for it, but right now we aren't in so much of a need for it. The more actions we have the more wealth we have to spend as well.
Though, not to spoil too much on mechanics, but the number of actions you get for Naval depends on a new mechanic which only unlocks once you, you know, have a Naval category, and which increases the longer you have a naval category. In other words you'll have 1 action for a number of turns, and then at some point, 8-10 turns at MOST and probably a few less, you will gain a second action. Getting a third would take more than a little grinding of (Insert name of mechanic I'll reveal once you start a Naval category).
Also, yeah, we have a tie between colonial voices and embassies! Someone needs to break that tie!
