EuropaJupiter
Posts: 43
Joined: 7/31/2018 Status: offline
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Arteeta... Small planet orbiting weak star, far in north from human space. When it was discovered for first time, it didn't grabbed anybody's attention. Surfface was covered in tick ice, never ending winter was ruling over that world and life could only exist with usage of expensive technology. Technology that would need to be maintained all the time. If anybody back then would say that Baxter Kingdom will risk war over that very planet, nobody would believed. However, as planet was properly explored it was discovered that it has endless supply of one of rarest substances in entire galaxy. Deneba Crystals... The Kingdome was quick in establishing mining operation and distributing precious crystals all over its colonies. Royal Palace - King's office King Juran was sitting behind his desk. In front of him stood four nobleman. Each represented one Great Noble Family. At his side stood Lady Recca. Grand Admiral Lord Nelson Willington was also present, even if just by view screen, as he could not leave his place of work at RSN HQ. All this meeting was organised because Quameno Technocracy managed to colonise Arteeta and forced miners out of planet. Now Technocracy claimed whole this system and space around it to be their. Moreover they refused to trade Deneba Crystals with Baxter Kingdome. This situation not only hurted whole Kingdom, but also was humiliating and undermined authority of Great Noble Families and King himself. "I contacted few times Quameno ambassador in recent days. But negotiations didn't led to anything really. They assure us that their colony ship was send way before our mining station was established and that they didn't mean us any harm, but in same time they refuse to share crystals with us. And that is not going ot change. Of course... I can not allow that to go without response. Our supplies should last for two... Maybe three years. Sekurans are still selling us Loros Fruits, so it is not as if could not support our economy for longer time. Nevertheless, it is highly profitable to controll our own supply of such rarity. Diplomacy has failed. What are our options? Any suggestions?" Representatives of Nobility looked at each other nodding slowly. Than one of them steeped foward, kneeled down before King "Your Majesty... I am affraid that given situation our only chance of regaining supply of Deneba Crystal is by war. We all here wish to assure you of total support comming from our families. Crystals have been our major income source for a very long time now. We are willing to pay huge price just to get it back." That was truth. Nobility was holding its possition of power more by its ownership over land and right to exploit natural resources than by their "birth right". In fact, many, many smaller noble families were forced to WORK for commoners that managed to accumulate big fortunes. Such situations of course never happened in state organisations - here "birth right" was sacred and even if commoner obtained rank higher than somebody from nobility, it was made sure that noble will never ever end up under commoner's command. Great Noble Families were of course still richest and most powerfull organisations in whole Kingdom, second only to King and his court. But as time went it was harder and harder for state organisations to keep nobility separated from high-ranked commoners. Whether they liked it or not - change was comming. Slowly, but surely. And they knew it. And will do everything to stop it from comming or at very least, slow it down. Loosing acces to Deneba Crystals was major blow for them - which might be good for King himself, if not for the fact that it was also major blow to The Kingdom itself. "My Lord..." started Lady Recca "Perchaps there is another way to consider here... One that would avoid us a war. What if we will simply send in our forces and takeover Quameno colony silently? No war declaration. No colony-release diplomacy." "Uff... If we do that our reputation will..." started one of nobles, but other put hand on his shoulder. "Yes, it will suffer. But we will regain acces to Deneba Crystals. And we will send message that we are not going to sit silent when somebody robs us. Your Majesty... Whatever you decide, know that you have full support of Great Noble Families, as long as it will lead to regaining controll over crystal's supply." King sat there for a moment thinking. Than he stood up and walked toward display, where Grand Admiral was present "Admiral. Do we have forces that could handle this kind of task?" "Your Majesty, we are currently fighting at least five pirate clans that are raiding our planets and attacking traders. But yes. According to last data, Arteeta should be relatively unguarded, and it should take few years for local population to form non-dissmisive land forces. Taking that planet over should be a cake walk. Even more if they do not expect us to do it." "Exellent. Prepeare troops and sent them there. We can always abort mission should something unpredictable happen. Of course... Such action on our behalf may cause Technocracy to declare war against us. I want you to keep that in mind. Whatever happens, make sure that our fleets are ready to defend our space in case of retaliation." "I understand Your Majesty. I will make sure that our fleets will remain in orbit of Crown when our troops will land on Arteeta's surface, and will stay there for month or two. If Technocracy choose to declare war on us, we will be ready. Though I doupt they will bother. Space betwen us is too big for that." "Are you saying Lord Nelson that they aren't capable to reach our space with their fleets?" "No, no... Of course they are capable of that My King. But it won't be efficient war for them. Moving fleets will take a lot of time. Tons of fuel and supply. And every fleet they will send against us will be one fleet less to protect their own systems from pirates and other enemies. What I am saying is that from my point of view, they will be better off not starting war." after some thoughts he quickly added "Of course... Alien mind is alien to us. And I heard that they have access to some crazy technology that makes such trips cheaper... Still, I think that in case of war we will have serious advantage when defending." "Allright. That is settled than. Begin operation Lord Admiral. I consider this meeting to be over. Lady Recca... Please, stay. I would like to ask for your advice on other matters." he looked at his guests. Admiral Nelson simply cut connection after meeting has ended - he was too busy to waste time for politics anyway. Not that he cared - he choose military service exacly to run away from all plotting. For him it was simple - there was enemy and so there fleet went to combat it. Period. Nobles on other hand, if they could, they would stayed there forever listening to everything that is being said. Of course, now that he looked at them in silence, they had no other choice but to bow gently and move out of his office. He waited few minutes, and only then he started. "Lady Recca... I will be honest with you. So please, be honest with me and tell me what you think about what I am going to say to you." She noded her head in silence. "I will retake Arteeta. But I won't give it to any of Great Noble Families. I don't want any of them to have it." he looked at her, seeing great surprise in her eyes "I will let local Quameno to controll mining operations on land they managed to develop with their own work. And later on, any colonist that will decide to emigrate there will get same rights. We will supply that colony with what they need to survive there. They in return will supply us with Deneba Crystals and other goods. But none of Great Noble Families will put their hands on that planet." "Your Majesty... That is very bold move... And..." "Just say it. I know you were helping my father loyaly. Just like Sir Magnus. I know you were helping my grandfather. And his father as well. You and Sir Magnus... How old are you two again? Gene therapy was extremly succesfull in your cases. You managed to gain expirience that is beyond most. Funny, isn't it? I am the king. I am ruler of many worlds... And I know that I am helpless against time. My genes decided of it. All royal line... My grandfather, father, now I... And in future my children. We will all die out of old age in natural order. While some nobles and high-ranking commoners will get to outlive them. And you two... You two will get biologiclly older only by what? A month?" "Five years Your Majesty. Five years. Heh... Around five years. Can't say for sure. And I don't know how old I am. Stopped counting my Liege." "Right... Five years while two generations of royal family will die out of old age... Yet those are our shoulders that have bear burden of leadership. So... If I am to carry it sucessfully, please, be honest. Just say what you want to say. I must know what you think will happen after they will learn about my decision." "Your Majesty... If you indeed will do what you say, please, be very carefull about yourself. Otherwise you may not live even long eoungh to have childrens. I saw people dying for lesser reasons. Even with all the power granted to you by your authority, if they will want your blood they will eventually get it. Neither I nor Sir Magnus will be able to help much." "I know... Thank you for honesty. You may go now. I will need to think. But way I see it, Great Noble Families already existed longer than they should. No more patronage from my person. If they want to remain in their position, they will have to work for it." Half year later human soldiers landed on Arteeta, capturing colony without a single shoot. Quameno population - which surrendered without fight was offered place in Kingdom. Only thing they had to do was to acknowledge King Jurand Bendu III as their rightfull ruler and protector, which they did. To be honest, they didn't had any other choice if they wanted to continue their work and have easy acces to Crystals. War with Quameno Technocracy never broke out. Grand Admiral Lord Nelson Willington was right on every single thing - they were just not able to fight such conflict even while possesing superior technology.
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