Turn 1--2427 CE (A): Martial, Diplomacy and Stewardship choices.
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Turn one, 2427 CE (A)
The data flowed and streamed across the screen, a scrawl of information moving so fast, down and down and down, filling the screen, and most of it useless. In a dark and cramped side room of a tertiary government building, our story begins, I suppose. There are many places I could begin to tell you it, but ultimately the story I want to tell is not so much of the super soldier Vorzhan and his adventures, though perhaps that will be another day, but how after the fall of a monarchy, a certain master of the most black and secret arts, hallowed and hated by humans as well as others, rose to a great public position, and how they coped with it in the 25th century of the Common Era. I am biased perhaps, because I have met Vorzhan, and they struck me then as being most impressive, and it is through this chance meeting, that perhaps you will someday read, that I grew interested in the topic and began to explore it.
Much was and is hidden, but perhaps I'll peel back the layers just a little bit. And perhaps you will learn something. The figure before us in this cramped room is about six feet tall, but like no human. Their skin was hard chitin, a deep green mixed with an even deeper brown. Thinnest in those areas, like the arms, where it needed flexibility, it was rather adequate protection, though of course Vorzhan was not naked. His huge black eyes stared at the screen, his mouth working and twisting, nose holes puffing out little breaths. His ears were holes as well, giving her head something of a spare look. Or it might have, except that the back opened up, now in irritation, not interest, to wonderful wings. They are something like a butterfly's, light and silken, spread rather far out, opening up to a lovely combination of purple, yellow, light blues, in strange patterns that could draw the eye into trying, and failing, to find sense in them.
Four legs, ending in four-toed feet, very lightly covered there, most of all, tapped against the ground in an impatient pattern as its hands, ending in five manipulator digits, fly over a virtual keyboard. They are thinner digits, and more flexible than our fingers, but five was still a quite logical number for any being of human size. It was wearing dark clothes, a laser resistant vest under a greater overcoat that hung down to between the first and second set of legs, and a pair of flexible, carapace-tight pants, speed over armor, cut short to allow the legs their full motion.
It let out a sound, somewhere between a chirp and a whistle, and then a slight click, of tongue against the roof of its mouth. Here is where I must intrude this old saying: A Translator is a Traitor. They betray a rich language by translating it into a non-native form, losing everything that makes it great. And if this is true between human languages, how much more true is it of an alien tongue. I can understand Xvorzith, but without some cybermods eve someone from Sol like myself is leery of, I could never speak it. So forgive me throughout this reading, those dear listeners who are Xvorzith, but this is the most poetic and apt translation as I can, doing as much justice to the beauty of the language as I can.
"Well, fuck," Vorzhan said.
*****
It wasn't here. It wasn't that Vorzhan was going to rush ahead, it all was step by step, but she'd been hoping that here at last was the right archive that would have news on Zaeswin. But it was all evidence of something else: an experiment involving a new type of armor, and then a document trying to cover up the failure, and then, well then it devolved into everyone's favorite game: ass covering.
It was distasteful to Vorzhan, even third-hand, documented in the archives by bored spooks, people like he had once been. It wasn't that person anymore, but the line of thought made its legs itch, and it rubbed the first two of them together. It knew this was a bad habit, but back when they were broken, after her...discharge, Vorzhan hadn't been able to help but rub them together, they itched so bad beneath the bandages. And it'd stuck. Their head-wings twitched slightly. Another failure. Never matter, they thought, finding their center, where their mental strength resided. They'd find a lead, and they'd follow it, follow it to the end and see justice.
"Do you expect me to betray my friends, my comrades in arms?" Vorzhan asked, struggling against the restraints, in a dark, musky room that that different from the one she now occupied.
"No, Vorzhan former-builder-caste, I expect only that you will die. After we extract those cybernetics. They are state property," the other bug said, leaning down, black eyes seeming to glean, its chitin a dark blue-green, exotic and strange, laser-scalpel gleaming against the darkness of the room "And I'll kindly have it back. Try not to scream. Too much."
Vorzhan realized it had freezed up for a moment, and shook its head. A human gesture, of sorts, but one picked up things. The room smelled stale, and of mold, not the sort that was cultivated for food. And grubs, the bad kind that rotted in your mouth and made you sick. A miserable place in a miserable corner of the Hive. Yet even here the reach of the old regime could be felt. (Old, ha, he corrected himself as if one couldn't still count the days since it had truly fallen?) One of the soldiers who reported that the new armor was fake was rounded up and sent to a prison camp for several years before being belatedly released and drummed from service. All to hide incompetence and graft. And the only person to pay attention were a few minor spooks doing general monitoring.
And the only person who knew and cared was, now, Vorzhan. She'd have to find this soldier, help them somehow, do justice to their supposed 'disgrace' as an 'inferior worker and second-rate soldier' as their family had been told to explain their imprisonment. Everywhere it looked, the Xvorzit saw only more evidence that it was a worthy goal, ending this sort of thing. And yet, Vorzhan had missed Zaeswin. He'd disappeared almost half a unit before the revolt began, and now the trail was almost three units [ed-somewhat over three weeks] stale. But it had been worth it, of course, making sure that bloodshed didn't occur, that it didn't all fall apart, but now that everything was working, now that she'd soon be working for someone hopefully less corrupt, Vorzhan might yet have leave to follow their hunt for justice. And if not, they'd do it on their own.
They'd been alone before, their Commander shipped off, alive only because of their rank, their friends and comrades are killed, saved only because of a chance friendship and a 'Workers Association' tie with a certain mid-level police captain who'd gotten wind of it. Had stormed in with a warrant for Vorzhan's arrest on other matters only a few minutes before the last of the cybernetics was gone. Only a day before he'd have been executed by firing squad. Arrested, and then dischraged, record sealed, to run, to hide, to make a life as a revolutionary.
And now it was all over. All over but to save the Commander, who might yet be freed. And to bring justice to Zaeswin for the thousands tortured by experiments, killed by spooks, the innocents untold going into his lair and never coming out. Vorzhan could picture it, the ways that Zaeswin could escape. Could, as disgusting as it was, put himself in the madman's carapace, understand the ways where he could use his influence and power to plan an escape. And Zaeswin was perhaps smart enough to see the shape of the architecture, the way the Hive was crumbling around the monarchy with every breath, with every muttered rumor of ruler-caste incompetence. Words but are wind, but the wind can blow through even the most secure hive, and a windstorm can knock down any Xvorzit, no matter how strong.
"Fire! By all of your blasted egg-sacs, fire!" the commander screamed yet again. But against the millions of protestors, walking forward, they could do nothing. Even over the comms the chants could be heard. 'Let the voice of the people be heard/ we are not worker-slaves/ You are not Hatini Priests!' and a thousand other chants, blending and mixing together, a wall of sound. Vorzhan can picture it, the march forward, the beauty of that moment, but he didn't see it.
He was too busy cutting off the mic of the commander before he tried to force their guns to engage automatically, and monitoring the situation across the entire Hive-World, terrified at the last moment that freedom would slither away into the dark recesses to hibernate and wait for another wet season. He was too busy then, sitting in a room not unlike the one he was in now, trying to do the work of twenty himself. And she'd succeeded, or at least done well enough that other than a few scattered incidents, the final night of the Monarchy had been...gentle. Not calm, but gentle. "Gentle" a word which inherently was tied into peace and stability, into the idea of an ordered Hive.
A newly ordered Hive.
Vorzhan knew the hard work was just begun, but it felt like enough of a triumph to smother a thousand setbacks like this. It was then that they felt it. Someone was coming. Vorzhan didn't have the monitoring software, but the proximity of others had a feel, a buzzing in her cybernetics that made their insides feel strange and constricted. It could guess it wasn't hostile, and that's all that kept it from grabbing for the weapon it had hidden in the jacket, a gun quite illegal for civilians in the old regime, and likely to still be illegal in the new regime, in all honesty.
It's a sleek piece, based off of a human design, meant for power. Instead of having hundreds of shots it only had a few dozen, but they could be gotten off quickly, and they packed a lot of punch. Ultimately if you had to empty an entire handgun clip, then you were likely against government officials, who had a lot more than just handguns, at which point it was mere logic to avoid a direct firefight.
So a gun as advanced as could be acquired, designed for sudden bursts of firing or a single, well-timed and aimed shot, that could be hidden on one's person was what Vorzhan had decided on. But they didn't draw it, as the door opened. The other figure was shorter by perhaps half a head, smaller and without head-wings. Its head was tilted, and its legs moved, in a polite pose.
Vorzhan turned, a little slowly, one hand cocking in a carefully neutral way, before asking, "Yes?"
"Sir?" Yalish said. He was a caretaker of the place, a minor functionary who had taken to helping Vorzhan out at the facility the last two days of his search. Short, and with a black caraplace, he was dressed in long scholar's robes, but with a blue-green shirt, a twisted symbol, something like the human 'S' but with more kinks, rested on it. Sessitit, a revolutionary, a martyr. Wearing the shirt was forbidden, or had been. And wearing it was now a symbol, a sign even among those who never would have dared before that they hadn't truly supported the old order. Yalish's voice was a little too deep, not yet fully come into her adulthood, or so it seemed, a bit of unevenness to it.
"Yes? I am pretty much done with this bit of the archive--"
"Humbly I must say...You have been…" there was a pause, and then their voice grew deeper, attempting to sound confident and personal and yet formal at the same time, their tongue clicks just barely fast enough, their whistling cut short by an overemphasis on the chirping secondary-vowels of the old formalities. She dipped her body, and Vorzhan realized what it was.
"Do not bow," Vorzhan said voice carefully informal, wings tipping forward slightly in a reassuring manner, "We are all citizens in whatever comes after. Equals all. Where it matters. The heart below the chitin." He realized he was quoting a popular song, but it seemed to work, and their voice when it spoke again came more clearly.
"You have been elected by acclaim, it's...it's done, Vorzhan. You are rul...in charge." Ruler was a bad word among certain Xvorzit.
Vorzhan was startled, he'd been in the running, but there were four or five other candidates who could claim the same. "What about Kikkizit? Weren't his poems an inspiration, and his jailing an insult, his escape an inspiration? I thought he was leading."
"He has been offered a position at his old University, and he expressed doubts as to whether he would be the best candidate," Yalish said, voice now rising a little higher, as if proclaiming it to the world, "And so he bowed out in favor of the others. Another was thought too implicated in the old regime--"
And not me? Vorzhan thought. I've done worse than you can imagine. But he knew the answer. Acts done in the shadows don't get seen as much as those in the light, such as those who enforced the tax policy or had to argue its laws. Those who killed in its name in the shadows, who heard of them, who cared about them? They were unseen or they were the enemy. Or they came in from the depths into the warmth of day, and did battle with the Hives. As Vorzhan had. And suddenly all was forgiven? It felt cheap, and yet…
"I suppose this makes sense. So I am to be in charge?" he chirped, still baffled, still making sense of it. A mistake had been made somewhere, but he couldn't turn around, he couldn't refuse, he could have if he'd been there. She'd have said no and they'd have found some other candidate. But…
"It is what the people say they want," Yalish said, voice carefully neutral, not sure how to interpret it. The instincts of a born courtier, Vorzhan's read was, not wishing to offend a new monarch, or potentially another refused contender.
"And I should be dashed against the rocks, my chitin cracked like glass, should I disobey the mandates of the people," it said, fiercely, stepping forward, "I should return to my temporary quarters, in order to figure out how to begin." Not that she'd wait until them. Already their mind was on matters.
The well-organized mind was something they understood, and their understanding that it was not merely what one thought but how that mattered was something the Xvorzit shared with the Barsa. The Barsa, who stressed wisdom and virtue, who tried to train even the weakest mind to at least be strong of will and heart and capable of seeing the truth. For his people, it was simpler: they understood the power of organization, of control, and so slowly the thoughts began to coalesce, even as they were led outside and through the hall, Yalish chattering, chittering, and their own words coming almost automatically, the easy patter of conversation that even the least outgoing Xvorzit could do in their sleep. Yalish was eighteen, an intern, a fan of several poets that Vorzhan had heard of--that and a dozen other details were picked up without even trying. You were a little more reticent, but also perfectly skilled at leading the conversation where you wanted it to go without it seeming unnatural.
(An Example roll for something unimportant! Talking! 1d100+Diplomacy+Half-Intrigue=1d100+34=119, critical success!)
The place was small and grimy, the walls in a stripped down style you'd seen done right before. Those grooves in the wall were supposed to hold grubs that glew in the dark to create ambient light, trapped behind glass, changed every few days--eaten, it was rumored, by the staff, for all that they weren't healthy for you--to create a lovely ambient light. Instead there was no glass and no grubs, just grey and brown walls. The closer they got to the outside, the more Vorzhan could hear the sounds. Yelling, cheering, chirping, whistling, talking. A crowd. A huge crowd. Vorzhan could guess at the numbers and know they were the least of them. Only a few tens of thousands, nothing to the Xvorzit, yet certainly more than it expected to face. They went through the wide double-doors, designed for far more people than usually came through, out into a sunny day, this being part of the Hive not covered by any sort of doming.
The sun was high in the sky, beating down on tens of thousands of Xvorzit, crowding around the entrance, kids on shoulders to view you, com-corders everyone. Thousands of videos being shot, no doubt, and he saw a holo-cast drone in the sky as well. Most were workers, wearing the greys and blues of their caste, but with the symbols of Sessitit prominent, and others yet were artists or officials. They moved hastily to bow as a cheer was let out, and then others. "Hail, lawbreaker and hero!" a Xvorzith poet and singer chanted at the front as they moved to bow.
(1d100+19 (Diplomacy)+5 (Hype)=106 THE HYPE IS REAL)
Vorzhan held a hand out and then dipped into a bow, and then lower, and lower, until all four legs were splayed in the dust, their jacket trailing against the ground, head bowed, as they pulled out an...amulet. With the symbol of Sessitit on it, holding it aloft, "Hail Sessitit! Hail the people! Hail the Hive, Hail Gazinitah! I bow to you, the people's servant."
Had the crowd roared before? It went mad, as feet stamped and cheers grew louder and louder.
"I shall do my best," he said, aware of just what he was quoting, "For all who share with me this dream. This vision." One of the poets gaped, and began to chant, a full Bazkhiti.
"And stay with you we shall/ Endless and endless are the stars and the sand/ Yet never shall we abandon you!" they began, and the crowd began chanting that most ancient of song-poems, the tune timeless. At least in theory. Vorzhan wasn't always the best judge, and it'd always seemed too light for the words, the chirps and the melody a bit too...simple? He wasn't the sort who listened to ancient poems, so it wasn't important either way.
Vorzhan rose, her clothes now lightly covered in dust, and she moved forward in a sort of sliding dance, and the crowd began to move, yielding to the sheer force of her advance as she began...dancing through the streets to the cheers and laughs and jokes and songs. In the rough and friendly company of thousands and then thousands behind them and behind them...the crowd only growing. Dancing as others join her.
To dance, to sing, these were the ways of the Xvorzit, these were the communal practices that held a people together, or so some said. To burst into song is nothing, not really, and now's a light moment, not a heavy one. At least, that's what Vorzhan tries to say, in dance.
While in the sanctity of her mind, private even with all of those others around her, she planned. Vorzhan was starting to get an idea of what he wanted to do, and how to do it. It had a lot of work in front of it, a lot to do. But it could make a better world, it wouldn't be hard to do better than the old rulers. One thing at a time, though, and for the moment the leader of fifteen billion Xvorzit danced.
Options: In the first turn or two, because you are coming off a revolution, you have a number of free actions where you have to choose between several options, dealing with the aftermath of the revolution and the like!
At the moment you have around five-thousand Wealth free-floating, total, with a lot else earmarked or out of reach while you try to figure out what is where.
Martial: Now that you're in charge, there's much you have to do. You have some experience in these sorts of things, but it's a big task to handle, and one that for the moment will be a solitary one. (Pick two)
Special Martial-Criminals and Heroes (Choose 1!)
Diplomacy: You are charismatic, and you're going to need it. Things are a mess, the diplomatic caste is out of power in theory but not fact, and so you'd better get to work, and fast. (Pick 2)
Free Action: Treaties and Deals?
You manage to stumble into a debate a month or two into your new administration. What to do about the treaties and deals of the old order? Some argue that legally and morally you should abrogate them all and negotiate anything new from a clean slate, while others argue that this would be folly, and destroy the planet's international reputation for keeping it's words. Others fire back that this is absurd and then someone...well, it got rather out of hand and now you need to decide. And yes, you've already asked about the possibility of figuring out which treaties are bad and pulling out of those. It'd be seen as duplicitious and selective.
Many of the treaties, such as the Repatriation Treaty and several of the ones that are behind the Galactic Consensus, you'd no doubt rejoin as soon as you can, but even those you'd have to pull out of...at least temporarily. On the other hand, do you want your hands bound by the dead agreements of the past?
[] Yes, get rid of all treaties, start fresh.
[] No, we will stick with our currently obligations under the old government.
Stewardship: Ultimately, the economy must be preserved, the industry must flow onwards, and you need to get a handle on what needs to be changed and what doesn't. You're in a rich sector, but the policies of the Caste Rulers have perhaps hampered growth, some say. Others say they prized growth over the good of the workers. Either way, there is must work to be done. (Pick 4)
Free Taxes Options
The taxes are unfair, too high, and rather dangerous, ultimately, to the operation of any reasonable system. Everyone agrees on that, but what they don't agree on is what to do about it. You have three general proposals that have been given to you.
****
Alright, and posted. Now, since I know this isn't Warhammer or another common/popular Dynasty game, there might be questions about some of the actions, such as what this or that means, or so on. Feel free to ask me questions, and I'll answer to the full extent that Vorzhan would know.
Wow, this is long. I could put it in spoilers for each category in the future if that helps? What does everyone think? Incidentally, I have the second half of the turn done, and in total it's nearly 10k in words.[/Spoiler]
The data flowed and streamed across the screen, a scrawl of information moving so fast, down and down and down, filling the screen, and most of it useless. In a dark and cramped side room of a tertiary government building, our story begins, I suppose. There are many places I could begin to tell you it, but ultimately the story I want to tell is not so much of the super soldier Vorzhan and his adventures, though perhaps that will be another day, but how after the fall of a monarchy, a certain master of the most black and secret arts, hallowed and hated by humans as well as others, rose to a great public position, and how they coped with it in the 25th century of the Common Era. I am biased perhaps, because I have met Vorzhan, and they struck me then as being most impressive, and it is through this chance meeting, that perhaps you will someday read, that I grew interested in the topic and began to explore it.
Much was and is hidden, but perhaps I'll peel back the layers just a little bit. And perhaps you will learn something. The figure before us in this cramped room is about six feet tall, but like no human. Their skin was hard chitin, a deep green mixed with an even deeper brown. Thinnest in those areas, like the arms, where it needed flexibility, it was rather adequate protection, though of course Vorzhan was not naked. His huge black eyes stared at the screen, his mouth working and twisting, nose holes puffing out little breaths. His ears were holes as well, giving her head something of a spare look. Or it might have, except that the back opened up, now in irritation, not interest, to wonderful wings. They are something like a butterfly's, light and silken, spread rather far out, opening up to a lovely combination of purple, yellow, light blues, in strange patterns that could draw the eye into trying, and failing, to find sense in them.
Four legs, ending in four-toed feet, very lightly covered there, most of all, tapped against the ground in an impatient pattern as its hands, ending in five manipulator digits, fly over a virtual keyboard. They are thinner digits, and more flexible than our fingers, but five was still a quite logical number for any being of human size. It was wearing dark clothes, a laser resistant vest under a greater overcoat that hung down to between the first and second set of legs, and a pair of flexible, carapace-tight pants, speed over armor, cut short to allow the legs their full motion.
It let out a sound, somewhere between a chirp and a whistle, and then a slight click, of tongue against the roof of its mouth. Here is where I must intrude this old saying: A Translator is a Traitor. They betray a rich language by translating it into a non-native form, losing everything that makes it great. And if this is true between human languages, how much more true is it of an alien tongue. I can understand Xvorzith, but without some cybermods eve someone from Sol like myself is leery of, I could never speak it. So forgive me throughout this reading, those dear listeners who are Xvorzith, but this is the most poetic and apt translation as I can, doing as much justice to the beauty of the language as I can.
"Well, fuck," Vorzhan said.
*****
It wasn't here. It wasn't that Vorzhan was going to rush ahead, it all was step by step, but she'd been hoping that here at last was the right archive that would have news on Zaeswin. But it was all evidence of something else: an experiment involving a new type of armor, and then a document trying to cover up the failure, and then, well then it devolved into everyone's favorite game: ass covering.
It was distasteful to Vorzhan, even third-hand, documented in the archives by bored spooks, people like he had once been. It wasn't that person anymore, but the line of thought made its legs itch, and it rubbed the first two of them together. It knew this was a bad habit, but back when they were broken, after her...discharge, Vorzhan hadn't been able to help but rub them together, they itched so bad beneath the bandages. And it'd stuck. Their head-wings twitched slightly. Another failure. Never matter, they thought, finding their center, where their mental strength resided. They'd find a lead, and they'd follow it, follow it to the end and see justice.
"Do you expect me to betray my friends, my comrades in arms?" Vorzhan asked, struggling against the restraints, in a dark, musky room that that different from the one she now occupied.
"No, Vorzhan former-builder-caste, I expect only that you will die. After we extract those cybernetics. They are state property," the other bug said, leaning down, black eyes seeming to glean, its chitin a dark blue-green, exotic and strange, laser-scalpel gleaming against the darkness of the room "And I'll kindly have it back. Try not to scream. Too much."
Vorzhan realized it had freezed up for a moment, and shook its head. A human gesture, of sorts, but one picked up things. The room smelled stale, and of mold, not the sort that was cultivated for food. And grubs, the bad kind that rotted in your mouth and made you sick. A miserable place in a miserable corner of the Hive. Yet even here the reach of the old regime could be felt. (Old, ha, he corrected himself as if one couldn't still count the days since it had truly fallen?) One of the soldiers who reported that the new armor was fake was rounded up and sent to a prison camp for several years before being belatedly released and drummed from service. All to hide incompetence and graft. And the only person to pay attention were a few minor spooks doing general monitoring.
And the only person who knew and cared was, now, Vorzhan. She'd have to find this soldier, help them somehow, do justice to their supposed 'disgrace' as an 'inferior worker and second-rate soldier' as their family had been told to explain their imprisonment. Everywhere it looked, the Xvorzit saw only more evidence that it was a worthy goal, ending this sort of thing. And yet, Vorzhan had missed Zaeswin. He'd disappeared almost half a unit before the revolt began, and now the trail was almost three units [ed-somewhat over three weeks] stale. But it had been worth it, of course, making sure that bloodshed didn't occur, that it didn't all fall apart, but now that everything was working, now that she'd soon be working for someone hopefully less corrupt, Vorzhan might yet have leave to follow their hunt for justice. And if not, they'd do it on their own.
They'd been alone before, their Commander shipped off, alive only because of their rank, their friends and comrades are killed, saved only because of a chance friendship and a 'Workers Association' tie with a certain mid-level police captain who'd gotten wind of it. Had stormed in with a warrant for Vorzhan's arrest on other matters only a few minutes before the last of the cybernetics was gone. Only a day before he'd have been executed by firing squad. Arrested, and then dischraged, record sealed, to run, to hide, to make a life as a revolutionary.
And now it was all over. All over but to save the Commander, who might yet be freed. And to bring justice to Zaeswin for the thousands tortured by experiments, killed by spooks, the innocents untold going into his lair and never coming out. Vorzhan could picture it, the ways that Zaeswin could escape. Could, as disgusting as it was, put himself in the madman's carapace, understand the ways where he could use his influence and power to plan an escape. And Zaeswin was perhaps smart enough to see the shape of the architecture, the way the Hive was crumbling around the monarchy with every breath, with every muttered rumor of ruler-caste incompetence. Words but are wind, but the wind can blow through even the most secure hive, and a windstorm can knock down any Xvorzit, no matter how strong.
"Fire! By all of your blasted egg-sacs, fire!" the commander screamed yet again. But against the millions of protestors, walking forward, they could do nothing. Even over the comms the chants could be heard. 'Let the voice of the people be heard/ we are not worker-slaves/ You are not Hatini Priests!' and a thousand other chants, blending and mixing together, a wall of sound. Vorzhan can picture it, the march forward, the beauty of that moment, but he didn't see it.
He was too busy cutting off the mic of the commander before he tried to force their guns to engage automatically, and monitoring the situation across the entire Hive-World, terrified at the last moment that freedom would slither away into the dark recesses to hibernate and wait for another wet season. He was too busy then, sitting in a room not unlike the one he was in now, trying to do the work of twenty himself. And she'd succeeded, or at least done well enough that other than a few scattered incidents, the final night of the Monarchy had been...gentle. Not calm, but gentle. "Gentle" a word which inherently was tied into peace and stability, into the idea of an ordered Hive.
A newly ordered Hive.
Vorzhan knew the hard work was just begun, but it felt like enough of a triumph to smother a thousand setbacks like this. It was then that they felt it. Someone was coming. Vorzhan didn't have the monitoring software, but the proximity of others had a feel, a buzzing in her cybernetics that made their insides feel strange and constricted. It could guess it wasn't hostile, and that's all that kept it from grabbing for the weapon it had hidden in the jacket, a gun quite illegal for civilians in the old regime, and likely to still be illegal in the new regime, in all honesty.
It's a sleek piece, based off of a human design, meant for power. Instead of having hundreds of shots it only had a few dozen, but they could be gotten off quickly, and they packed a lot of punch. Ultimately if you had to empty an entire handgun clip, then you were likely against government officials, who had a lot more than just handguns, at which point it was mere logic to avoid a direct firefight.
So a gun as advanced as could be acquired, designed for sudden bursts of firing or a single, well-timed and aimed shot, that could be hidden on one's person was what Vorzhan had decided on. But they didn't draw it, as the door opened. The other figure was shorter by perhaps half a head, smaller and without head-wings. Its head was tilted, and its legs moved, in a polite pose.
Vorzhan turned, a little slowly, one hand cocking in a carefully neutral way, before asking, "Yes?"
"Sir?" Yalish said. He was a caretaker of the place, a minor functionary who had taken to helping Vorzhan out at the facility the last two days of his search. Short, and with a black caraplace, he was dressed in long scholar's robes, but with a blue-green shirt, a twisted symbol, something like the human 'S' but with more kinks, rested on it. Sessitit, a revolutionary, a martyr. Wearing the shirt was forbidden, or had been. And wearing it was now a symbol, a sign even among those who never would have dared before that they hadn't truly supported the old order. Yalish's voice was a little too deep, not yet fully come into her adulthood, or so it seemed, a bit of unevenness to it.
"Yes? I am pretty much done with this bit of the archive--"
"Humbly I must say...You have been…" there was a pause, and then their voice grew deeper, attempting to sound confident and personal and yet formal at the same time, their tongue clicks just barely fast enough, their whistling cut short by an overemphasis on the chirping secondary-vowels of the old formalities. She dipped her body, and Vorzhan realized what it was.
"Do not bow," Vorzhan said voice carefully informal, wings tipping forward slightly in a reassuring manner, "We are all citizens in whatever comes after. Equals all. Where it matters. The heart below the chitin." He realized he was quoting a popular song, but it seemed to work, and their voice when it spoke again came more clearly.
"You have been elected by acclaim, it's...it's done, Vorzhan. You are rul...in charge." Ruler was a bad word among certain Xvorzit.
Vorzhan was startled, he'd been in the running, but there were four or five other candidates who could claim the same. "What about Kikkizit? Weren't his poems an inspiration, and his jailing an insult, his escape an inspiration? I thought he was leading."
"He has been offered a position at his old University, and he expressed doubts as to whether he would be the best candidate," Yalish said, voice now rising a little higher, as if proclaiming it to the world, "And so he bowed out in favor of the others. Another was thought too implicated in the old regime--"
And not me? Vorzhan thought. I've done worse than you can imagine. But he knew the answer. Acts done in the shadows don't get seen as much as those in the light, such as those who enforced the tax policy or had to argue its laws. Those who killed in its name in the shadows, who heard of them, who cared about them? They were unseen or they were the enemy. Or they came in from the depths into the warmth of day, and did battle with the Hives. As Vorzhan had. And suddenly all was forgiven? It felt cheap, and yet…
"I suppose this makes sense. So I am to be in charge?" he chirped, still baffled, still making sense of it. A mistake had been made somewhere, but he couldn't turn around, he couldn't refuse, he could have if he'd been there. She'd have said no and they'd have found some other candidate. But…
"It is what the people say they want," Yalish said, voice carefully neutral, not sure how to interpret it. The instincts of a born courtier, Vorzhan's read was, not wishing to offend a new monarch, or potentially another refused contender.
"And I should be dashed against the rocks, my chitin cracked like glass, should I disobey the mandates of the people," it said, fiercely, stepping forward, "I should return to my temporary quarters, in order to figure out how to begin." Not that she'd wait until them. Already their mind was on matters.
The well-organized mind was something they understood, and their understanding that it was not merely what one thought but how that mattered was something the Xvorzit shared with the Barsa. The Barsa, who stressed wisdom and virtue, who tried to train even the weakest mind to at least be strong of will and heart and capable of seeing the truth. For his people, it was simpler: they understood the power of organization, of control, and so slowly the thoughts began to coalesce, even as they were led outside and through the hall, Yalish chattering, chittering, and their own words coming almost automatically, the easy patter of conversation that even the least outgoing Xvorzit could do in their sleep. Yalish was eighteen, an intern, a fan of several poets that Vorzhan had heard of--that and a dozen other details were picked up without even trying. You were a little more reticent, but also perfectly skilled at leading the conversation where you wanted it to go without it seeming unnatural.
(An Example roll for something unimportant! Talking! 1d100+Diplomacy+Half-Intrigue=1d100+34=119, critical success!)
The place was small and grimy, the walls in a stripped down style you'd seen done right before. Those grooves in the wall were supposed to hold grubs that glew in the dark to create ambient light, trapped behind glass, changed every few days--eaten, it was rumored, by the staff, for all that they weren't healthy for you--to create a lovely ambient light. Instead there was no glass and no grubs, just grey and brown walls. The closer they got to the outside, the more Vorzhan could hear the sounds. Yelling, cheering, chirping, whistling, talking. A crowd. A huge crowd. Vorzhan could guess at the numbers and know they were the least of them. Only a few tens of thousands, nothing to the Xvorzit, yet certainly more than it expected to face. They went through the wide double-doors, designed for far more people than usually came through, out into a sunny day, this being part of the Hive not covered by any sort of doming.
The sun was high in the sky, beating down on tens of thousands of Xvorzit, crowding around the entrance, kids on shoulders to view you, com-corders everyone. Thousands of videos being shot, no doubt, and he saw a holo-cast drone in the sky as well. Most were workers, wearing the greys and blues of their caste, but with the symbols of Sessitit prominent, and others yet were artists or officials. They moved hastily to bow as a cheer was let out, and then others. "Hail, lawbreaker and hero!" a Xvorzith poet and singer chanted at the front as they moved to bow.
(1d100+19 (Diplomacy)+5 (Hype)=106 THE HYPE IS REAL)
Vorzhan held a hand out and then dipped into a bow, and then lower, and lower, until all four legs were splayed in the dust, their jacket trailing against the ground, head bowed, as they pulled out an...amulet. With the symbol of Sessitit on it, holding it aloft, "Hail Sessitit! Hail the people! Hail the Hive, Hail Gazinitah! I bow to you, the people's servant."
Had the crowd roared before? It went mad, as feet stamped and cheers grew louder and louder.
"I shall do my best," he said, aware of just what he was quoting, "For all who share with me this dream. This vision." One of the poets gaped, and began to chant, a full Bazkhiti.
"And stay with you we shall/ Endless and endless are the stars and the sand/ Yet never shall we abandon you!" they began, and the crowd began chanting that most ancient of song-poems, the tune timeless. At least in theory. Vorzhan wasn't always the best judge, and it'd always seemed too light for the words, the chirps and the melody a bit too...simple? He wasn't the sort who listened to ancient poems, so it wasn't important either way.
Vorzhan rose, her clothes now lightly covered in dust, and she moved forward in a sort of sliding dance, and the crowd began to move, yielding to the sheer force of her advance as she began...dancing through the streets to the cheers and laughs and jokes and songs. In the rough and friendly company of thousands and then thousands behind them and behind them...the crowd only growing. Dancing as others join her.
To dance, to sing, these were the ways of the Xvorzit, these were the communal practices that held a people together, or so some said. To burst into song is nothing, not really, and now's a light moment, not a heavy one. At least, that's what Vorzhan tries to say, in dance.
While in the sanctity of her mind, private even with all of those others around her, she planned. Vorzhan was starting to get an idea of what he wanted to do, and how to do it. It had a lot of work in front of it, a lot to do. But it could make a better world, it wouldn't be hard to do better than the old rulers. One thing at a time, though, and for the moment the leader of fifteen billion Xvorzit danced.
Options: In the first turn or two, because you are coming off a revolution, you have a number of free actions where you have to choose between several options, dealing with the aftermath of the revolution and the like!
At the moment you have around five-thousand Wealth free-floating, total, with a lot else earmarked or out of reach while you try to figure out what is where.
Martial: Now that you're in charge, there's much you have to do. You have some experience in these sorts of things, but it's a big task to handle, and one that for the moment will be a solitary one. (Pick two)
An Old Friend
Hazitean was a buddy of yours back when it felt like things were going somewhere. You were foolish, but you'd really thought that. She (quite insistent in that regard) was more on the standard-forces side of things, and advocated greater participation in naval operations to enforce the Repatriation Treaties. More than that, she argued that a hidebound and broken military system could not be effectively used, and worse was open for abuse and corruption. She eventually left, angry, and you haven't seen her since. But...you could use the help, though you're pretty sure she wouldn't just want to be your advisor, at least not immediately, but she could definitely help. Talk to your friends, send out word, figure out if she's on planet or off, and if off what can be done.
Cost: None
Probability: 50% (would be 40% without Workers Association), failure can mean she can't be found, is far, far away, or doesn't want to talk to you.*
Reward: Find Hazitean, unlock more options regarding her at that point, get her advice, adding +10% to the chance of any other martial actions this turn. Potentially she might help you in other ways. Shinies.
*Just to note, there's a personal action that can increase the chances of this where you look yourself. It adds more than a 'Personal Intervention' would. Just wanted to tell you since you won't see it until the second part of the turn-vote.
Search for an Martial advisor:
You need to find someone to give you advice, and you can't just rely on some vague hope that Hazitean might be lured out of retirement, as much as you miss her. Ask around the soldier castes, dredge up candidates, offer wages if need be, just see what you can find.
Cost: 100 Wealth, 100 Wealth a year (high salary).
Probability: 50% (40% with any actions that involve annoying the soldiery), better rolls mean better candidates.
Reward: A few options, some choices for who to appoint.
Send the Fleets to the colonies.
Still ruled by the various ruler-caste administrators and the like, they are small, population wise. Only, combined in all of the various colonies, a few tens of millions, nothing to be concerned about, and yet they had power beyond that. There are some ships assigned permanently to colonial forces, but more significantly they are vulnerable so long as they are cut off from Gazinitah. They are quite wealthy, all of these colonies or mining depots, for what they produce, the resources that are extracted, and it'd be a shot in the arm. For all of these reasons, you should begin, you've decided, by sending elements of the fleet to...safeguard these areas, not yet invade, but try to keep them close. The way you'll get it done is to talk to the two Battleship Captains you've been communicating with and get them to pass along the orders, hence how you don't need to know the specifics of the fleet to give this order.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Fleets over the colony worlds, further options unlocked, no chance of pirates or counter-revolutionaries, or other polities poaching them.
Gun it!
That 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: 700 Wealth
Probability: 50%, 60% with Talk to the Soldier Caste or What Am I Spending For?
Reward: Your defense forces start using guns that, while not cutting edge, are at least a little less completely and utterly out of date. Also, you're convincing the people who you might be prosecuting to arm themselves better.
What am I spending for?
There are huge outlays of money and wealth that at the moment are just being approved at will, by a separate coffer disconnected from the main budget, for use by the more militant castes to do as they see fit under direction, of course, of the ruling caste. It's a big, black pit of money, as you always knew it was back when you were in Information Services, second only to the Black Budget. Try to get a handle on it.
Cost: Negligible
Probability: 90%, but the lower you roll the more you might miss and the more likely there will be bad news like 'Someone stole all of the pension money and skipped planet' and so on.
Reward: Get a handle on the military budget, you will now receive information to update on the planetary page.
(Free)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 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. This action is free this turn, though failure would mean a significant setback.
Cost: 50 wealth
Probability: 50%, failure means laws are poorly written, bitterly opposed, or wind up compromising and not fully separating police and defense-forces.
Reward: Separate police and defense forces, updated planet page to represent this, improved opinion of the common Hiver, grumblings among the defense forces, ???
Tanks for Nothing!
You have tanks. Lots of hover-tanks, just sitting there. They weren't rolled out because of fears about the escalation of violence, and there are calls to sell them. Or at least some of them. A lot of them are really, really old and outdated, and apparently keeping them up is expensive, eating up a good deal of resources more than newer models, which while outdated haven't been completely and totally supplamented as useful by every other power in the galaxy. You could sell them, for scrap and parts and--once properly disarmed--for historical re-enactment and other such niche usages.
Cost: Negligible, (basically 0 Wealth when it's all factored in.)
Probability: 70% (Failure means you don't find buyers, get a bad price, some of the tanks get stolen by nuts, so on. You'll still get something.)
Reward: 250 Wealth, 500 Wealth freed up per year, smaller but more up-to-date tank corps. Possibly new Options if you roll well enough. The joy of imagining historical re-enactment with hover-tanks.
With the Fleets
You are not a bug that gets along with ships. You sometimes get a little sick, really, in hyperspace. But you know that the fleets are important, for fighting the pirates, protecting the world, all sorts of things. Learn more about the fleet. How loyal are its officers, other than the few you know personally that you'd be sending orders to and hoping they could work out everything else? How good are its ships, does it have enough in the way of budgeting? There's a lot you don't know, and that's not a good thing when they're sitting overhead with weapons that--were it not for treaties against it--could scour all of the life on the planet if given long enough for a sustained bombardment.
Cost: Free
Probability: 50%
Reward: Fleet information acquired, possibility of gauging the opinion of the fleet towards you, possible improved relationship with them.
Talk to the Soldier Caste
You've known soldiers, you've befriended soldiers and loved and hated those from the soldier castes. They are people just like anyone else, as much members of the Hive as any, and you could talk to them, get to know their desires and their fears, and try to open up to them.
Cost: Free
Probability: 60%
Reward: Improved relations with soldier-castes, get gossip/news/information about their concerns and what their leaders might have in mind.
Hazitean was a buddy of yours back when it felt like things were going somewhere. You were foolish, but you'd really thought that. She (quite insistent in that regard) was more on the standard-forces side of things, and advocated greater participation in naval operations to enforce the Repatriation Treaties. More than that, she argued that a hidebound and broken military system could not be effectively used, and worse was open for abuse and corruption. She eventually left, angry, and you haven't seen her since. But...you could use the help, though you're pretty sure she wouldn't just want to be your advisor, at least not immediately, but she could definitely help. Talk to your friends, send out word, figure out if she's on planet or off, and if off what can be done.
Cost: None
Probability: 50% (would be 40% without Workers Association), failure can mean she can't be found, is far, far away, or doesn't want to talk to you.*
Reward: Find Hazitean, unlock more options regarding her at that point, get her advice, adding +10% to the chance of any other martial actions this turn. Potentially she might help you in other ways. Shinies.
*Just to note, there's a personal action that can increase the chances of this where you look yourself. It adds more than a 'Personal Intervention' would. Just wanted to tell you since you won't see it until the second part of the turn-vote.
Search for an Martial advisor:
You need to find someone to give you advice, and you can't just rely on some vague hope that Hazitean might be lured out of retirement, as much as you miss her. Ask around the soldier castes, dredge up candidates, offer wages if need be, just see what you can find.
Cost: 100 Wealth, 100 Wealth a year (high salary).
Probability: 50% (40% with any actions that involve annoying the soldiery), better rolls mean better candidates.
Reward: A few options, some choices for who to appoint.
Send the Fleets to the colonies.
Still ruled by the various ruler-caste administrators and the like, they are small, population wise. Only, combined in all of the various colonies, a few tens of millions, nothing to be concerned about, and yet they had power beyond that. There are some ships assigned permanently to colonial forces, but more significantly they are vulnerable so long as they are cut off from Gazinitah. They are quite wealthy, all of these colonies or mining depots, for what they produce, the resources that are extracted, and it'd be a shot in the arm. For all of these reasons, you should begin, you've decided, by sending elements of the fleet to...safeguard these areas, not yet invade, but try to keep them close. The way you'll get it done is to talk to the two Battleship Captains you've been communicating with and get them to pass along the orders, hence how you don't need to know the specifics of the fleet to give this order.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 80%
Reward: Fleets over the colony worlds, further options unlocked, no chance of pirates or counter-revolutionaries, or other polities poaching them.
Gun it!
That 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: 700 Wealth
Probability: 50%, 60% with Talk to the Soldier Caste or What Am I Spending For?
Reward: Your defense forces start using guns that, while not cutting edge, are at least a little less completely and utterly out of date. Also, you're convincing the people who you might be prosecuting to arm themselves better.
What am I spending for?
There are huge outlays of money and wealth that at the moment are just being approved at will, by a separate coffer disconnected from the main budget, for use by the more militant castes to do as they see fit under direction, of course, of the ruling caste. It's a big, black pit of money, as you always knew it was back when you were in Information Services, second only to the Black Budget. Try to get a handle on it.
Cost: Negligible
Probability: 90%, but the lower you roll the more you might miss and the more likely there will be bad news like 'Someone stole all of the pension money and skipped planet' and so on.
Reward: Get a handle on the military budget, you will now receive information to update on the planetary page.
(Free)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 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. This action is free this turn, though failure would mean a significant setback.
Cost: 50 wealth
Probability: 50%, failure means laws are poorly written, bitterly opposed, or wind up compromising and not fully separating police and defense-forces.
Reward: Separate police and defense forces, updated planet page to represent this, improved opinion of the common Hiver, grumblings among the defense forces, ???
Tanks for Nothing!
You have tanks. Lots of hover-tanks, just sitting there. They weren't rolled out because of fears about the escalation of violence, and there are calls to sell them. Or at least some of them. A lot of them are really, really old and outdated, and apparently keeping them up is expensive, eating up a good deal of resources more than newer models, which while outdated haven't been completely and totally supplamented as useful by every other power in the galaxy. You could sell them, for scrap and parts and--once properly disarmed--for historical re-enactment and other such niche usages.
Cost: Negligible, (basically 0 Wealth when it's all factored in.)
Probability: 70% (Failure means you don't find buyers, get a bad price, some of the tanks get stolen by nuts, so on. You'll still get something.)
Reward: 250 Wealth, 500 Wealth freed up per year, smaller but more up-to-date tank corps. Possibly new Options if you roll well enough. The joy of imagining historical re-enactment with hover-tanks.
With the Fleets
You are not a bug that gets along with ships. You sometimes get a little sick, really, in hyperspace. But you know that the fleets are important, for fighting the pirates, protecting the world, all sorts of things. Learn more about the fleet. How loyal are its officers, other than the few you know personally that you'd be sending orders to and hoping they could work out everything else? How good are its ships, does it have enough in the way of budgeting? There's a lot you don't know, and that's not a good thing when they're sitting overhead with weapons that--were it not for treaties against it--could scour all of the life on the planet if given long enough for a sustained bombardment.
Cost: Free
Probability: 50%
Reward: Fleet information acquired, possibility of gauging the opinion of the fleet towards you, possible improved relationship with them.
Talk to the Soldier Caste
You've known soldiers, you've befriended soldiers and loved and hated those from the soldier castes. They are people just like anyone else, as much members of the Hive as any, and you could talk to them, get to know their desires and their fears, and try to open up to them.
Cost: Free
Probability: 60%
Reward: Improved relations with soldier-castes, get gossip/news/information about their concerns and what their leaders might have in mind.
Special Martial-Criminals and Heroes (Choose 1!)
Investigation: Many, including the great mass of people, argue that only a full investigation into the conduct of the military is warranted, both the defense and police forces. This has the anathema of the ruler castes and the soldiers, of course, but the full-throated support of the people.
Fact Finding Mission:
You could frame it as a fact-finding mission, investigating what if any abuses happened, who would have fired and who wouldn't have, where the corruption might be, and so on, with any punishment to wait until things are absolutely and certainly decided. The people might think you're trying to stretch out investigations enough to sweep it under the table when the media stops paying attention, however. But, you've known people in the soldier caste, can you really just move straight to it without being sure just what has been done and by who?
Cost: 50 Wealth (Legal fees, investigators, etc)
Probability: 80%, roll 1d100 (how bad things are) and then roll 1d100+20 for finding all sources of corruption/seeing how bad things are.
Reward: You get a handle on the situation, possible raised soldier-caste opinion, possible lowered. Possible lowered Will of the Hive opinion.
Firings:
You should move right into it. Ultimately, if there's even decent evidence of abuse, it'd be best to just fire the perpetrators without having to subject them to trials. It's the best way to be sure, and it looks far more proactive than any slow and steady methods available.
Cost: 100 Wealth (Legal fees plus compensation for forced retirement, etc)
Probability: 90%, roll 1d100 (how bad things are) and then roll 1d100+10 for finding it all out.
Reward: Increased opinion by the people, lowered soldier-class opinion, some of the officers and members of the defense forces and police might be fired, leading to some gaps.
Prosecution:
You saw the beatings with your own eyes. Can there be any doubt that there are deep problems and abuses in the system. And the book must be thrown at them. Anyone who seems to have a connection with the crimes of the weeks before the peaceful revolution (already called the Gentle Revolt) should be prosecuted, and you will lean on the courts to make sure this happens.
Cost: 150 Wealth (legal fees, investigators, etc)
Probability: 60%, roll 1d100 and then roll 1d100.
Reward: Greatly increased popular opinion, greatly lowered defense-forces/police opinion, more gaps in the defense forces and police ranks.
OR, you could try
Reconciliation
You could instead argue that ultimately the troops stood down, the abuses were minimal, and that ultimately everyone needs to learn to live together. This has a chance of pissing off the people at large, but would certainly be favorable to the soldiers and others. You'd stage events and meetings to try to bring the sides together in understanding, going there personally or through your friends to try to bridge this gap by whatever means you can.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: ???%, higher you roll, the better it all goes
Reward: Possible decrease or increase in the opinions of you by soldiers, ruler-caste officials, and the workers as a whole. It all depends on how you roll.
Fact Finding Mission:
You could frame it as a fact-finding mission, investigating what if any abuses happened, who would have fired and who wouldn't have, where the corruption might be, and so on, with any punishment to wait until things are absolutely and certainly decided. The people might think you're trying to stretch out investigations enough to sweep it under the table when the media stops paying attention, however. But, you've known people in the soldier caste, can you really just move straight to it without being sure just what has been done and by who?
Cost: 50 Wealth (Legal fees, investigators, etc)
Probability: 80%, roll 1d100 (how bad things are) and then roll 1d100+20 for finding all sources of corruption/seeing how bad things are.
Reward: You get a handle on the situation, possible raised soldier-caste opinion, possible lowered. Possible lowered Will of the Hive opinion.
Firings:
You should move right into it. Ultimately, if there's even decent evidence of abuse, it'd be best to just fire the perpetrators without having to subject them to trials. It's the best way to be sure, and it looks far more proactive than any slow and steady methods available.
Cost: 100 Wealth (Legal fees plus compensation for forced retirement, etc)
Probability: 90%, roll 1d100 (how bad things are) and then roll 1d100+10 for finding it all out.
Reward: Increased opinion by the people, lowered soldier-class opinion, some of the officers and members of the defense forces and police might be fired, leading to some gaps.
Prosecution:
You saw the beatings with your own eyes. Can there be any doubt that there are deep problems and abuses in the system. And the book must be thrown at them. Anyone who seems to have a connection with the crimes of the weeks before the peaceful revolution (already called the Gentle Revolt) should be prosecuted, and you will lean on the courts to make sure this happens.
Cost: 150 Wealth (legal fees, investigators, etc)
Probability: 60%, roll 1d100 and then roll 1d100.
Reward: Greatly increased popular opinion, greatly lowered defense-forces/police opinion, more gaps in the defense forces and police ranks.
OR, you could try
Reconciliation
You could instead argue that ultimately the troops stood down, the abuses were minimal, and that ultimately everyone needs to learn to live together. This has a chance of pissing off the people at large, but would certainly be favorable to the soldiers and others. You'd stage events and meetings to try to bring the sides together in understanding, going there personally or through your friends to try to bridge this gap by whatever means you can.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: ???%, higher you roll, the better it all goes
Reward: Possible decrease or increase in the opinions of you by soldiers, ruler-caste officials, and the workers as a whole. It all depends on how you roll.
Diplomacy: You are charismatic, and you're going to need it. Things are a mess, the diplomatic caste is out of power in theory but not fact, and so you'd better get to work, and fast. (Pick 2)
Caste of Diplomats?
You have an entire caste of diplomats. Just...how good are they? Have they been doing a good job? Are there any candidates from within there that you might promote to ambassadors? Any major problems sneaking up on you? You need to find out.
Cost: None
Probability: 60%
Reward: More options, have some choices for a diplomatic Advisor, ???
What are we In For?
The diplomats made treaties, of course they did. Trade treaties, military treaties, and so on. What are they anyways? Are there any landmines in there that might blow up the entire planet when we trip one? Any opportunities, any good deals, any bad ones? You feel a headache coming on at the thought of everything that could go wrong.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%, 1d100 for how bad/good the situation is.
Reward: Options, learn whether you're doomed, ???
Possibilities: Human Powers?
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.
Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Options.
Possibilities: Xvorzith Hives
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.
Cost: 200 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.
Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, Learn the Will of the Hive on these matters, increased commoner opinion, ???
(Free) Public, Free and Informative
There are going to be news holocasts blossoming like weeds in an untended garden, and at the moment you have neither the time nor energy to regulate them, and perhaps not the will. You could, however, set up a public news station to give people an understanding of your viewpoint and basic political information and the like, free and accessible to all of the public. This is a free (doesn't cost a slot) action in the first two turns, after which it begins to have an action-cost.
Cost: 500 Wealth, 100 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%
Reward: A public channel of your own, options, potentially propaganda.
Talk to the Colonies
You could send some ambassadors or representatives and the like to talk to them, make sure things are understood, try to make sure no body gets itchy legs and makes a mistake they'd regret. They are, after all, part of the Hive that you must now lead.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50% (60% with sending a Fleet, it sorta...backs their words up some.)
Reward: Open a dialogue with the colonies, Information.
Recall the Ambassadors? (Free)
Do you recall the ambassadors? It might be seen at this point as a signal that you might wish to prosecute them, but leaving them there (the default if this isn't chosen) might lead to them getting up to something, or discussing things without authority. Bringing them back also might increase the chances of figuring out certain things. There's a lot to consider.
Cost: Negligible
Probability: 60%
Reward: Ambassadors reeled back in, ???
You have an entire caste of diplomats. Just...how good are they? Have they been doing a good job? Are there any candidates from within there that you might promote to ambassadors? Any major problems sneaking up on you? You need to find out.
Cost: None
Probability: 60%
Reward: More options, have some choices for a diplomatic Advisor, ???
What are we In For?
The diplomats made treaties, of course they did. Trade treaties, military treaties, and so on. What are they anyways? Are there any landmines in there that might blow up the entire planet when we trip one? Any opportunities, any good deals, any bad ones? You feel a headache coming on at the thought of everything that could go wrong.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70%, 1d100 for how bad/good the situation is.
Reward: Options, learn whether you're doomed, ???
Possibilities: Human Powers?
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.
Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 60%
Reward: Options.
Possibilities: Xvorzith Hives
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.
Cost: 200 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.
Cost: Free
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, Learn the Will of the Hive on these matters, increased commoner opinion, ???
(Free) Public, Free and Informative
There are going to be news holocasts blossoming like weeds in an untended garden, and at the moment you have neither the time nor energy to regulate them, and perhaps not the will. You could, however, set up a public news station to give people an understanding of your viewpoint and basic political information and the like, free and accessible to all of the public. This is a free (doesn't cost a slot) action in the first two turns, after which it begins to have an action-cost.
Cost: 500 Wealth, 100 Wealth a turn.
Probability: 60%
Reward: A public channel of your own, options, potentially propaganda.
Talk to the Colonies
You could send some ambassadors or representatives and the like to talk to them, make sure things are understood, try to make sure no body gets itchy legs and makes a mistake they'd regret. They are, after all, part of the Hive that you must now lead.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 50% (60% with sending a Fleet, it sorta...backs their words up some.)
Reward: Open a dialogue with the colonies, Information.
Recall the Ambassadors? (Free)
Do you recall the ambassadors? It might be seen at this point as a signal that you might wish to prosecute them, but leaving them there (the default if this isn't chosen) might lead to them getting up to something, or discussing things without authority. Bringing them back also might increase the chances of figuring out certain things. There's a lot to consider.
Cost: Negligible
Probability: 60%
Reward: Ambassadors reeled back in, ???
Free Action: Treaties and Deals?
You manage to stumble into a debate a month or two into your new administration. What to do about the treaties and deals of the old order? Some argue that legally and morally you should abrogate them all and negotiate anything new from a clean slate, while others argue that this would be folly, and destroy the planet's international reputation for keeping it's words. Others fire back that this is absurd and then someone...well, it got rather out of hand and now you need to decide. And yes, you've already asked about the possibility of figuring out which treaties are bad and pulling out of those. It'd be seen as duplicitious and selective.
Many of the treaties, such as the Repatriation Treaty and several of the ones that are behind the Galactic Consensus, you'd no doubt rejoin as soon as you can, but even those you'd have to pull out of...at least temporarily. On the other hand, do you want your hands bound by the dead agreements of the past?
[] Yes, get rid of all treaties, start fresh.
[] No, we will stick with our currently obligations under the old government.
Stewardship: Ultimately, the economy must be preserved, the industry must flow onwards, and you need to get a handle on what needs to be changed and what doesn't. You're in a rich sector, but the policies of the Caste Rulers have perhaps hampered growth, some say. Others say they prized growth over the good of the workers. Either way, there is must work to be done. (Pick 4)
Trade Traffic?
You have some idea of who your trade partners are, and surely you'll learn more when you figure out where the Treaties are kept, but learning more is important, as is making sure that they haven't been majorly disrupted by the events of the past month*, and figure out the specifics of trade and just who is involved in it.
*Translated
Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Figure out trade-traffic, major trading partners, open up economic information on who is profiting from it.
Study the Workers' Plight
You know there is abuse. You mean to stop it, ultimately. Hours too long by their own laws, work too dangerous in a day and age when there's no good reason to use workers as if you're back on the home-planet, back when the Industrial Revolutions, to borrow the human phrase, were going on. You could investigate into these abuses, and get to the bottom of it.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 70% (50% with 'Restore Productivity)
Reward: Learn more about potential abuses, open up options, potentially increase worker opinions, potentially reduce merchant opinions.
Restore Productivity
On the other hand, whatever the workers are going through, you need to get the factories going back full speed. Provide encouragement towards this happening, funds if need be, grants to the private businesses that keep the Hive running. Ultimately, if you are going to not lose your place in the galactic economy, you need to act.
Cost: 750 Wealth
Probability: 60% (50% with 'Study the Workers' Plight).
Reward: Potentially increased mercantile-caste opinions of you, potentially decreased worker opinions, economic production resumes full-tilt, income gained from that.
Talk to the Castes
The 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.
Judge Not
The Judicial body is a mess of laws applying to different castes, of strange exceptions and corruption from top to bottom. You should know, you monitored the private communication of a few judges who were sentencing peaceful protestors as terrorists. You need to begin getting a handle on it, asking around, having some lawyers do pro-bono work in order to figure out where even to begin with this mess.
Cost: Wealth 100 (the time the lawyers working with you could have spent helping out other things)
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, learn more about the Judicial Caste and the state of the laws.
Budgetary Matters
Right now people are almost literally shoveling money out the door with no idea what it's going for. You need to learn what the budget is and where this is all going for, push past the obscruities and exemptions and departmental budgets, and get what's actually going on. It won't help with the Military, that's separate for...some reason, and will be for a while yet, but it's a vital step in order to be able to actually understand what the hell's going on.
Cost: 200 Wealth (People helping you, mostly)
Probability: 80%
Reward: Learn just what your mainline budget is, opens up options.
Search for an Advisor
You need help. Being able to fund a resistance movement or a secret holo-cast channel or do your household budget with your eyes closed and not counting off on your digits is not the same as running a world economy. Search for someone to help you.
Cost: 200 Wealth, 100 Wealth per turn to budget for him.
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. Your +1 Stewardship, if replaced by Advisor's bonus, becomes +1 Personal Action! So the number of actions stays the same for Stewardship, but more free time, yay!
Learn the People's Will
The workers hunger for change, you can learn what they want, what they truly need economically. New roads? New laws? What is it they want and need? You need to know if you are to rule them, don't you?
Cost: Free
Probability: 80%
Reward: Options.
Implement the People's Will
You could also see and act at the same time, doing what seems most popular to those you talk to. Not just listen, but be a mouthpiece for their will. It is your duty, is it not?
Cost: Variable, half-cost of regular
Probability: ???
Rewards: Do a Stewardship action (from a secret list of what they want), get improved Will of the Hive score.
Solicit the People
You need money, and you have neither taxes currently in your grasp or other methods. Ask for donations, for help, for people to donate their time and energy to help this government work. It's a group effort, but it's definitely something you can encourage.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 60% (80% with 'Wipe the Slate Clean', 40% with 'Keep them all.')
Reward: Steady stream of Wealth donated, more stable income for next turn.
The Moneybags
The ruler-castes, the bureaucrats, they have money stored away, hidden away. The rich, the powerful they always do. Vast fortunes immune to taxation, immune to sense, covered in blood. You could free it, as it were. Fuck what the former rulers say, the money belongs to the people, through your own will, to spend for their betterment.
Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: ??? Wealth, Caste and Ruler-Caste opinion lowered, perhaps dramatically, ???
You have some idea of who your trade partners are, and surely you'll learn more when you figure out where the Treaties are kept, but learning more is important, as is making sure that they haven't been majorly disrupted by the events of the past month*, and figure out the specifics of trade and just who is involved in it.
*Translated
Cost: 400 Wealth
Probability: 70%
Reward: Figure out trade-traffic, major trading partners, open up economic information on who is profiting from it.
Study the Workers' Plight
You know there is abuse. You mean to stop it, ultimately. Hours too long by their own laws, work too dangerous in a day and age when there's no good reason to use workers as if you're back on the home-planet, back when the Industrial Revolutions, to borrow the human phrase, were going on. You could investigate into these abuses, and get to the bottom of it.
Cost: 500 Wealth
Probability: 70% (50% with 'Restore Productivity)
Reward: Learn more about potential abuses, open up options, potentially increase worker opinions, potentially reduce merchant opinions.
Restore Productivity
On the other hand, whatever the workers are going through, you need to get the factories going back full speed. Provide encouragement towards this happening, funds if need be, grants to the private businesses that keep the Hive running. Ultimately, if you are going to not lose your place in the galactic economy, you need to act.
Cost: 750 Wealth
Probability: 60% (50% with 'Study the Workers' Plight).
Reward: Potentially increased mercantile-caste opinions of you, potentially decreased worker opinions, economic production resumes full-tilt, income gained from that.
Talk to the Castes
The 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.
Judge Not
The Judicial body is a mess of laws applying to different castes, of strange exceptions and corruption from top to bottom. You should know, you monitored the private communication of a few judges who were sentencing peaceful protestors as terrorists. You need to begin getting a handle on it, asking around, having some lawyers do pro-bono work in order to figure out where even to begin with this mess.
Cost: Wealth 100 (the time the lawyers working with you could have spent helping out other things)
Probability: 70%
Reward: Options, learn more about the Judicial Caste and the state of the laws.
Budgetary Matters
Right now people are almost literally shoveling money out the door with no idea what it's going for. You need to learn what the budget is and where this is all going for, push past the obscruities and exemptions and departmental budgets, and get what's actually going on. It won't help with the Military, that's separate for...some reason, and will be for a while yet, but it's a vital step in order to be able to actually understand what the hell's going on.
Cost: 200 Wealth (People helping you, mostly)
Probability: 80%
Reward: Learn just what your mainline budget is, opens up options.
Search for an Advisor
You need help. Being able to fund a resistance movement or a secret holo-cast channel or do your household budget with your eyes closed and not counting off on your digits is not the same as running a world economy. Search for someone to help you.
Cost: 200 Wealth, 100 Wealth per turn to budget for him.
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. Your +1 Stewardship, if replaced by Advisor's bonus, becomes +1 Personal Action! So the number of actions stays the same for Stewardship, but more free time, yay!
Learn the People's Will
The workers hunger for change, you can learn what they want, what they truly need economically. New roads? New laws? What is it they want and need? You need to know if you are to rule them, don't you?
Cost: Free
Probability: 80%
Reward: Options.
Implement the People's Will
You could also see and act at the same time, doing what seems most popular to those you talk to. Not just listen, but be a mouthpiece for their will. It is your duty, is it not?
Cost: Variable, half-cost of regular
Probability: ???
Rewards: Do a Stewardship action (from a secret list of what they want), get improved Will of the Hive score.
Solicit the People
You need money, and you have neither taxes currently in your grasp or other methods. Ask for donations, for help, for people to donate their time and energy to help this government work. It's a group effort, but it's definitely something you can encourage.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 60% (80% with 'Wipe the Slate Clean', 40% with 'Keep them all.')
Reward: Steady stream of Wealth donated, more stable income for next turn.
The Moneybags
The ruler-castes, the bureaucrats, they have money stored away, hidden away. The rich, the powerful they always do. Vast fortunes immune to taxation, immune to sense, covered in blood. You could free it, as it were. Fuck what the former rulers say, the money belongs to the people, through your own will, to spend for their betterment.
Cost: 200 Wealth
Probability: 50%
Reward: ??? Wealth, Caste and Ruler-Caste opinion lowered, perhaps dramatically, ???
Free Taxes Options
The taxes are unfair, too high, and rather dangerous, ultimately, to the operation of any reasonable system. Everyone agrees on that, but what they don't agree on is what to do about it. You have three general proposals that have been given to you.
Wipe the Slate Clean
The taxes are bad. Not all of them, but to try to tell apart good and bad is foolish. Instead, you could eliminate all taxes and then start right from the beginning afterwards and write a new tax code later on. You'd have to rely on donations and stored wealth, so it might be a little bit touch and go, however, but this is a very popular option, as nobody believes that, even when implemented, the taxes will be nearly as bad as they used to be.
Cost: Loss of All Tax Income (though all of it is already going to ??? sources, so it wouldn't be lost income...directly just yet.)
Chance: 50% (60% with 'Solicit The People.')
Reward: No more taxes...for now! Clean slate to start over next turn. Increased worker opinion. ???!?
Keep them All
Not forever, but for the moment you should simply stick with the taxes as is, and change them or modify them later. It will give you a solid tax base, at the very least, but will piss some people off. Quite a few, really.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70% (60% with 'Solicit the People.)
Reward: Keep taxes as is, Worker opinion drops.
Find the Right Ones
You are not a tax lawyer, and the tax lawyers aren't always to be trusted, but you could try to determine what exactly works and what doesn't. Dig through the archives, talk to economists, try to figure out at least a decent first cut that ends the most abusive practices and exceptions, even if it needs further cutting. In theory it could give the advantages of both, or it could wind up ending quite poorly.
Cost: Nominal
Probability: 30%
Reward: Dedicated stream of revenue established, Opinion of the Hive/former-rulers might go up, down, or sideways, ???.
The taxes are bad. Not all of them, but to try to tell apart good and bad is foolish. Instead, you could eliminate all taxes and then start right from the beginning afterwards and write a new tax code later on. You'd have to rely on donations and stored wealth, so it might be a little bit touch and go, however, but this is a very popular option, as nobody believes that, even when implemented, the taxes will be nearly as bad as they used to be.
Cost: Loss of All Tax Income (though all of it is already going to ??? sources, so it wouldn't be lost income...directly just yet.)
Chance: 50% (60% with 'Solicit The People.')
Reward: No more taxes...for now! Clean slate to start over next turn. Increased worker opinion. ???!?
Keep them All
Not forever, but for the moment you should simply stick with the taxes as is, and change them or modify them later. It will give you a solid tax base, at the very least, but will piss some people off. Quite a few, really.
Cost: 100 Wealth
Probability: 70% (60% with 'Solicit the People.)
Reward: Keep taxes as is, Worker opinion drops.
Find the Right Ones
You are not a tax lawyer, and the tax lawyers aren't always to be trusted, but you could try to determine what exactly works and what doesn't. Dig through the archives, talk to economists, try to figure out at least a decent first cut that ends the most abusive practices and exceptions, even if it needs further cutting. In theory it could give the advantages of both, or it could wind up ending quite poorly.
Cost: Nominal
Probability: 30%
Reward: Dedicated stream of revenue established, Opinion of the Hive/former-rulers might go up, down, or sideways, ???.
****
Alright, and posted. Now, since I know this isn't Warhammer or another common/popular Dynasty game, there might be questions about some of the actions, such as what this or that means, or so on. Feel free to ask me questions, and I'll answer to the full extent that Vorzhan would know.
Wow, this is long. I could put it in spoilers for each category in the future if that helps? What does everyone think? Incidentally, I have the second half of the turn done, and in total it's nearly 10k in words.[/Spoiler]
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