UPDATE FOURTEEN: YOU'RE ALL TRAITORS ANYWAY
- Location
- boundless optimism
"They were enemy assets. I confiscated them." Your tone implies 'dumb fuck.' "Being frank, United Shipping has consolidated the Empire's hold over the Northern Front to an unprecedented level. We hold the sole monopoly in extrasolar and faster-than-light travel in six hundred fifty eight states." You gloss over the fact that a lot of those are barely there one planet holders. Some of them even have to share a system. That's not a nation, that's a neighborhood home-owner association. "Under a consolidated monopoly, the economies of the nations here have provided the Empire with a valuable source of funding, not disturbed by the… issues, back at Centre." You see some of them flinch. Microscopically, of course, but they still do it.
"Furthermore, expanded tonnage has and will solve many of my logistical issues. Honored judges, chronic manpower deficiency has long plagued these armies. We could never get the people or the material, in the amounts we need, to critical locations. Now we can. The question is, honored judges, why do you hate the Empire?"
"You're out of order--"
"I asked you a question, Ms. Rossi, and I expect you to answer. Why do you hate the Empire? To see it's borders denuded? Stealing bricks from the bastions to build some oligarch's mansion, eh?"
"Marquis-Admiral!" Mr. Tramonti bangs on the table. "Settle yourself."
"It is my love for the Empire that compels me to speak as such," you declare archly. "You have yet to give me an answer, only refutations on procedure!" You inject impressive amounts of venom in the last word. "Let's have an answer, honorable judge!"
"Well, I-"
"And you can't even say that the construction of this entity is past the pale. I have worked with the Institute of Economic Planning. It's registered as an Empire contractor. Are you just mad you didn't get a cut? Is that it?"
"Would that be a confession?" the judge throws back at you.
You lean back. Just talk through it. "See that?" you turn to the jury. "Trying to catch me in some bullshit technicality. Sonny Jim, this look like Rhetoric 101 here?"
You can now see Mr. Tramonti's teeth grind. A cursory survey of the rest reveals that there's a slight majority in your favour. It's true, it's more or less a victimless crime, what they're currently grilling you on. "Wherefore," Mr. Tramonti continues after mastering himself, "the defendant, the Marquis-Admiral of the Relative North Defense Fleet, claims that the Empire contractor, United Shipping, was established on legal grounds. Show of hands and intent."
The judges look at each other, their briefs, and each raise their hands if they think you're cool on this count. Eight out of thirteen. Not bad. Rossi and Tramonti's in the nays, but that's because you shat on them. But democratically, you're in the clear.
"Congratulations, Marquis-Admiral." And bang goes the gravel. "We'll pass this matter to a panel of experts for further examination. Next on the agenda will be the matter of possibly fraudulent promotions within your general staff." An aura of sweaty nervousness spikes from behind you. As you are an empath (you have working mirror neurons and an active imagination) you can guess that it'll be Alessandro.
The court files out. You stay seated for a while, stretching.
Ah, man. You're not good at this warmonger shit. You'd prefer to grease up the judges when they're coming in. But that'd just like, pigeonhole you and also make you look hella super mega guilty.
Okay, United Shipping Co's done with. They're putting it to expert review, which means ten years legal limbo. It's a fiat accompli. Now comes the actually difficult allegations to beat- corruption. Luca, damn her blue hide, is largely untouchable, because she's gens, and real hoity toity ones too. Seubi, shit. You'll have to figure out how to pull cover for him. Who'd you bribe? Gotta check the books, which you've -rm -rf'd out of best practices.
You stand and leave. You have to stay here, in the citadel they've converted to a judiciary, until 1430. You go and grab yourself a cup of hot tea, the mass produced government crap that they stock in break rooms. Luckily they're light in sugar and reporters in the break room. Was it the recent war, and the lack of ritzy hotels in sublight distance, or the kerfuffle in Centre? Ah, well, not your problem.
The next hearing is in half an hour. You have a plan brewing up in your brain to secure most of your staff, the ones you actually like. All you need to do is to have a chat with someone. If you can find him.
WHO'S THIS GUY
[]- THE SPY: "Tell your boss I said hi. Do me a solid-- do something funny sometime soon." Problem: Your guys are being investigated. Solution: Send them away. Whether it's an actual invasion, a snap military exercise, or any other less-than-war operation, it'll be a huge help to keeping the kids alive and earning.
[]- THE JUDGE: Ok, you have to work with Mr. Tramonti, despite him being a tight ass. Or, you don't need to work with him, but you do need to start getting friendly with the other judges otherwise this might not work out for you. Let your heart show, full of patriotic love of the Empire. Start on the guilting.
[]- THE PRINCE: Maybe showing yourself would be overegging the pudding. Or whatever other food metaphor it's supposed to be. Get Seubi to do it! He's charming, gregarious, and has an iron liver. He needs the connections too, if he wants to make something of himself. Indeed, you are certain that his charm will land your ass out of a decade long investigation process!
"Furthermore, expanded tonnage has and will solve many of my logistical issues. Honored judges, chronic manpower deficiency has long plagued these armies. We could never get the people or the material, in the amounts we need, to critical locations. Now we can. The question is, honored judges, why do you hate the Empire?"
"You're out of order--"
"I asked you a question, Ms. Rossi, and I expect you to answer. Why do you hate the Empire? To see it's borders denuded? Stealing bricks from the bastions to build some oligarch's mansion, eh?"
"Marquis-Admiral!" Mr. Tramonti bangs on the table. "Settle yourself."
"It is my love for the Empire that compels me to speak as such," you declare archly. "You have yet to give me an answer, only refutations on procedure!" You inject impressive amounts of venom in the last word. "Let's have an answer, honorable judge!"
"Well, I-"
"And you can't even say that the construction of this entity is past the pale. I have worked with the Institute of Economic Planning. It's registered as an Empire contractor. Are you just mad you didn't get a cut? Is that it?"
"Would that be a confession?" the judge throws back at you.
You lean back. Just talk through it. "See that?" you turn to the jury. "Trying to catch me in some bullshit technicality. Sonny Jim, this look like Rhetoric 101 here?"
You can now see Mr. Tramonti's teeth grind. A cursory survey of the rest reveals that there's a slight majority in your favour. It's true, it's more or less a victimless crime, what they're currently grilling you on. "Wherefore," Mr. Tramonti continues after mastering himself, "the defendant, the Marquis-Admiral of the Relative North Defense Fleet, claims that the Empire contractor, United Shipping, was established on legal grounds. Show of hands and intent."
The judges look at each other, their briefs, and each raise their hands if they think you're cool on this count. Eight out of thirteen. Not bad. Rossi and Tramonti's in the nays, but that's because you shat on them. But democratically, you're in the clear.
"Congratulations, Marquis-Admiral." And bang goes the gravel. "We'll pass this matter to a panel of experts for further examination. Next on the agenda will be the matter of possibly fraudulent promotions within your general staff." An aura of sweaty nervousness spikes from behind you. As you are an empath (you have working mirror neurons and an active imagination) you can guess that it'll be Alessandro.
The court files out. You stay seated for a while, stretching.
Ah, man. You're not good at this warmonger shit. You'd prefer to grease up the judges when they're coming in. But that'd just like, pigeonhole you and also make you look hella super mega guilty.
Okay, United Shipping Co's done with. They're putting it to expert review, which means ten years legal limbo. It's a fiat accompli. Now comes the actually difficult allegations to beat- corruption. Luca, damn her blue hide, is largely untouchable, because she's gens, and real hoity toity ones too. Seubi, shit. You'll have to figure out how to pull cover for him. Who'd you bribe? Gotta check the books, which you've -rm -rf'd out of best practices.
You stand and leave. You have to stay here, in the citadel they've converted to a judiciary, until 1430. You go and grab yourself a cup of hot tea, the mass produced government crap that they stock in break rooms. Luckily they're light in sugar and reporters in the break room. Was it the recent war, and the lack of ritzy hotels in sublight distance, or the kerfuffle in Centre? Ah, well, not your problem.
The next hearing is in half an hour. You have a plan brewing up in your brain to secure most of your staff, the ones you actually like. All you need to do is to have a chat with someone. If you can find him.
WHO'S THIS GUY
[]- THE SPY: "Tell your boss I said hi. Do me a solid-- do something funny sometime soon." Problem: Your guys are being investigated. Solution: Send them away. Whether it's an actual invasion, a snap military exercise, or any other less-than-war operation, it'll be a huge help to keeping the kids alive and earning.
[]- THE JUDGE: Ok, you have to work with Mr. Tramonti, despite him being a tight ass. Or, you don't need to work with him, but you do need to start getting friendly with the other judges otherwise this might not work out for you. Let your heart show, full of patriotic love of the Empire. Start on the guilting.
[]- THE PRINCE: Maybe showing yourself would be overegging the pudding. Or whatever other food metaphor it's supposed to be. Get Seubi to do it! He's charming, gregarious, and has an iron liver. He needs the connections too, if he wants to make something of himself. Indeed, you are certain that his charm will land your ass out of a decade long investigation process!
