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EuropaJupiter -> RE: Human Monarchy AAR (8/8/2018 10:47:52 AM)
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Child Steps
Years have passed as The Baxter Kingdom consolidated its grasp over Sol System. Every planet by now has its mining base. Sol 2 become popular tourist attraction bringing regullar income for state. Lesser asteroids has been shared betwen Great Noble Houses - a way of compromise betwen nobility and royality. While King and his court hold power over all major source of resources, nobility was free to use minor sources as they saw fit. And while at first it seemed that nobility was put into big disadvantage by such agreement, in reality even minor sources allowed for virtually infinite income. System was so simple! Commoners were doing hard work of mining - be it by ships or by working in mining stations - and ruling classes were taking large percentage of income for allowing mere commoners to exploit their "land". And yes, while before space exploration gold was hold as symbol of power, richness and authority, now possesion of land took that role. And so, every - even smallest - asteroid in Sol System has been claimed by one or another noble family.
It was simple and solid system. Very stable - even if it was not uncommon for miners to perform an act of "pirate mining". Despite how it all sounds, this system brought a lot of improvement into lifes of lower classes. Influx of materials ment more aviliable work for better payment. It also ment more goods on market that were affordable - even luxurious ones that in past were aviliable only to upper classes, and even than not for everybody - only for richest. New cities has been found. Old cities were build taller and taller - after all resources weren't a problem anymore. At lest, they were less of a problem than aviliable space. Finnaly, for the first time in known history some of commoners became actually richer than some members of nobility. Before space exploration, such situation was unthinkable. Now it was slowly becoming acceptable reality, and every statistical analysys was comfirming that it wasn't just one-time occurance. It was a trend. Of course, it didn't mattered much for royality or any of Great Noble Families - their possition was and would remain unaffected. But smaller noblility could feel in danger. How this problem will be addressed? Future will tell. For now, Crown was flourishing and Kingdome became stronger than it ever was.
And than... Everything has changed once more. After over a decade of hard work, Lord Antiliusz Hassari and his team were succesfull in creation of very first FTL Engine. It was large, bulky, expensive and inefficient as hell! But even with all that, it was fastest way of travel aviliable for mankind. It was also only way to reach neighbooring star systems. And finnaly, even with its inefficiency it was still way cheaper way of travel than usage of conventional Ion Thrusters. What happened next, was true revolution. Every ship that was in use was redesigned so that it would feature FTL Engine. Travels that took months or even years before, now took only days. Transport of resources suddenly became more fluid, less time-consuming and way less risky. Kingdom retroffited its two exploration ships, that were sitting aimlessly in orbit around Crown for years. Now, with FTL Engines, they were recrewed and refueled - a new purpose was put into their existence...
Royal Palace
Some things change... Other stay the same. It was true for everything, including Rolyal Palace - some things changed, other things stayed the same. But to make things even more interesting, sometimes the more things change, the more they stay the same. Audience Hall was filled with crowd - as always, every noble family had its representative, every major press send its representative as well as royal court being present. Despite numerous changes, ceremonial parts stayed the same. King Gudan Bendu XI sitting on his throne with half bored, half dismissive expression. Red carpet prepeared for those who asked for honor of audience... But still, sometthin has changed - golden statues were gone. In their place were put paintings representing landscapes of diffrent world that were now under royal controll, holograms displaying more interesting landscapes from another worlds and even actual rocks that were taken from those planets and brought back here - intact. Those were most beautifull actually. It is not to say that gold dissapeared completly from royal palace - it was still very present. It just... Stopped playing major role. Now it was more of a background, side decoration... Just like nicely done and well polished building material before. It was, it looked pretty, but other than that it was of no real value.
"Sir Erhard Kümmel and Lady Colette Beauchamp, two captains of exploration ships are seeking an audience with Your Majesty. Will it be granted?" asked laudly one of pages standing next to a doors. Yes, definietly... Some things NEVER change, even if everything else changed.
As always before, King Gudan waved slowly his hand in inviting gesture.
"Your audience has been granted to you. You are now allowed to stand before King." and as tradition required, both captains stood up and slowly approatched their king, kneeling right before him.
"Who are you and why are you here?" asked monarch, barely looking at them.
"I am Lady Colette Beauchamp your majesty. A captain of exploration ship. This is my younger collegue - Sir Erhard Kümmel. He is also captain of exploration ship. We camed before you, Your Majesty to ask for your approval of our mission. We are to take our crew and our ships and leave Sol System. We are to venture into unknown, where no human was before."
King stood up, camed close to his two subjects and put his hands on their hands in patronising gesture. "I approve and bless your mission. May you both return without harm. While you are there, remember that you are my representatives, and by extend - representative of our noble Kingdome as well as whole human race. May honour guide your heart as courage fills your soul. Be pround, families whose sons and daughters serve Kingdome as those two are. For my favour will shine upon you." After this little speech, King took back his place at the throne, let both pilots stand up and kiss his signet ring. After that they were allowed to depart, and so an audience was over.
Two days later, both pilots left Sol System and become first human being that ventured toward distant stars. Four days after their departure, their families were given ownership of every moon and asteroid to be found in those systems. It was a clear message for all noble houses in the Kingdome - serve me well, and I will return a favour by granting you welth and possition.
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