March 17, 2365
Venusian researchers complete R&D on a new class of power plant technology. Solid core antimatter tech will provide more power per ton in new generators, and, even more importantly, it will allow research to begin into the associated drive technology. Research begins immediately, and is slated to be completed in mid-2367.
June 6, 2365
Serious debates about the expansion of the Empire have been going on in the Senate behind closed doors. For the last several months the Navy and Guard have been preparing for a major deployment to the frontier, and proponents of an aggressive policy towards Plateau have been arguing for the deployment of the 1st Expeditionary Fleet to Wolf 359. The supporters of this policy, including several senior senators, want to use the fleet to force Plateau to open itself to trade and diplomatic contact with the Empire. Unfortunately for them, a sizeable majority in the Senate oppose using force to open the Plateau system. Therefore, the 1st EF will be dispatched to the opposite frontier to expand the boundaries of the Empire beyond the Verge and New Victoria colonies.
The 1st EF leaves orbit on this date to assemble at the warp point to Proxima Centauri. The 1st EF will be composed of the 3rd Battle Group, the 2nd Detachment of the Imperial Guard, a troop transport contingent carrying four brigades of Army, Marine, and Guard units, and a support group. Rear Admiral Sir Sam Craig commands the Fleet.
The Imperial Guard has been growing increasingly unhappy at its perceived loss of influence and position in the modern Empire. In the first heady days of the new interstellar era the Guard was a credible rival to the Navy and commanded combat strength that was considerable, given the remnants of old Imperial tech that was their sole province by law. In modern times, though, while the Guard’s combat strength has increased in absolute terms, it has dwindled to insignificance in relation to the power of the Navy. The Navy currently fields three battle groups composed of battleships supported by light cruisers and frigates, four carrier strike groups, two cruiser groups, two escort groups, and a massive home defense fleet composed of six superdreadnoughts and a monitor. Against that massive assemblage of firepower the Guard can field what would be considered by the Navy as little more than a reinforced escort group. While the Guard does control several old-tech systems and ships, these are less important than they used to be given the ever-advancing nature of Imperial technology.
The Guard’s current situation is largely due to a festering distrust within the Senate for a military force that is not under its control and oversight. While the Emperor could have funneled more funding to the Guard without the approval of the Senate, instead the Emperor has cultivated support for his domestic and foreign agendas within the Senate by tacitly agreeing to limit the size of the Guard. While this has had the desired effect within the Senate, the Guard has grown increasingly disaffected over the last several years. This disaffection has not gone unnoticed by the Emperor and his senior officers, and has been somewhat offset by increased pay and privileges awarded to the lower level crewers and officers.
The composition of the 1st Expeditionary Fleet reflects the Guard’s loss of influence, and is particularly grating on the Guard’s senior officer corps. Where in the early days of the current interstellar era the Guard provided a significant portion of the 1st EF’s combat strength, this is no longer true. During the early planning sessions, Admiral Craig made a concerted attempt to limit the Guard involvement to a single ship, the scout Far Eye, the only Guard ship that the Navy really wanted to be assigned to the mission. The Guard vigorously opposed that, but in the end was only able to scratch together a force of three light-cruiser sized ships and eight gunboats in addition to the old-tech scout due to on-going commitments in the solar system and upcoming refit and overhaul schedules. The squabbles between Admiral Craig and Admiral Sharpe, the CO of the Guard, around the inclusion of the Guard in the Fleet led to bad feelings between Admiral Craig’s staff and the senior Guard officers of the detachment assigned to the Fleet. Admiral Craig remained above the fray in public, but behind closed doors was very critical of the Guard leadership and their obstinate ways, and had been heard to comment several times that the Guard officers were living in the past.
July 12, 2365
The 1st Expeditionary Fleet is in position at the innermost unexplored warp point in the Wolf 1061 system, after refueling at Verge. The 3rd Battle Group, under Rear Admiral Sam Craig, jumps through first, followed shortly thereafter by the Imperial Guard detachment. They find themselves in a modest system centered on an M3-V star. There are three inner rocky planets and two gas giants with a total of twenty five moons. None of the inner planets are habitable, but one can be terraformed relatively easily. The system is identified as Gliese 687.
The Guard officers in command of the detachment are very prickly about transiting second, after the area is secure, and insist on being allowed to probe the system without interference by the Navy. Admiral Craig is initially against authorizing this, as the scout Far Eye is a national treasure and quite literally irreplaceable, however, under unceasing pressure from the Guard he eventually authorizes their probe, privately commenting to his chief of staff that if they were all lucky the Guard units would never be seen again.
The Guard detachment sets out for the inner system to probe for signs of advanced civilizations, leaving the 3rd BG behind to watch the warp point, the troop transports, and the route back to the colony of Verge. Nineteen hours later, when the Guard detachment was 680 mkm’s away, it detected three unknown ships. The Guard scout’s powerful old-tech sensors quickly classified the unknowns as 7,200 ton automated warships while they were still 1.44 billion kilometers out.
Guard Captain Josh Parry, still smarting at the treatment the Guard has been receiving at the hands of the Navy, decides against informing the 3rd BG and its arrogant admiral of the contacts and instead launches his gunboats. The six gunboats are soon speeding away at maximum speed towards the contacts. In the meantime, he orders his group to continue closing on the enemy.
Fifteen hours later the six gunboats were in attack position, 35 mkm’s short of the oncoming automated warships. Two of the gunboats were old-tech scout variants, and thus were unarmed, but the other four were fully equipped with eight Standard Mk II missiles each. All four gunboats launched a coordinated attack targeted on one of the frigate sized automated warships and then turned back.
Seventeen minutes later the thirty-two missiles of the strike arrowed in on their target and took it out in a series of blinding explosions. Eight missiles impacted against the alien ship, and which was then split in half by a massive internal explosion that left nothing but small debris. The Guard scout’s sensors clearly showed that it only took eight missiles to completely destroy the target, leaving twenty-four circling, looking for new targets with their onboard sensors. All twenty-four hit the closest automated warship, which absorbed the blow and was left damaged. The two remaining automated warships continued closing on the Guard force, although the damaged warship was slowed.
After a short period of rearming in the gunboats were launched a second time, streaking away to engage the alien warships that were now 500 mkm’s from the Guard mother-ships. Five hours later they were in position to launch their strike at the closest alien ship and thirty two missiles streaked away from the gunboats. All thirty two missiles hit their target, but it continued on course towards the Guard ships, albeit much slower than before. Once again the gunboats turned back towards their carriers.
Three hours later the gunboats were back aboard their mother-ships and Captain Parry had a decision to make. The two remaining alien warships were approaching at 5,000 kps, the same speed as his detachment, and were now 212 mkm’s away. There was time for one more gunboat strike before the enemy ships were within range of the detachment. He was sorely tempted to allow the alien ships to approach, so that his ships could have the honor of destroying the alien ships, but in the end prudence won out. He dispatched the gunboats yet again. He had no desire to allow the alien ships to have a chance to engage the irreplaceable scout. It was at this point that Captain Perry began having misgivings, although he didn’t give voice to them. If he miscalculated and allowed the enemy to damage the scout, his career would be over and his name would be blackened forever. He was beginning to realize that even if the scout survived untouched he might have bitten off more than he could chew by merely risking the scout. Allowing the Navy to protect the Guard ship and take all of the glory was galling, though.
The gunboat force approached the lead alien ship and launched half of its missiles at 40 mkm’s, reserving the other half for the second alien ship which was trailing nearly 303 mkm’s behind the lead ship. Eleven of the Imperial missiles hit the target before it broke up, meaning that it had absorbed forty-three Standard II missiles. The gunboats came about and began closing on the last automated warship. Once again the Imperial missiles streaked away from the gunboats. This time the alien ship absorbed ten missiles before it was shattered by an internal explosion. Their targets destroyed and missiles expended, the gunboats turned back towards their mother-ships.
At this point Captain Parry decided it was the opportune time to report his success to Admiral Craig. Just over an hour later Admiral Craig received the battle report and went ballistic. His mission orders were explicit in their guidance regarding the Guard’s old-tech scout, which was not to be risked under any circumstances. Admiral Craig ordered the Guard detachment to hold in place and, after detaching one of his battleships and a few escorts to watch the warp point, headed in-system with the rest of his battle group to escort the Guard detachment through the rest of the probe.
Once the Naval contingent had joined the Guard the combined force completed their probe of the system, finding nothing new. During this entire period the relations between the Guard officers and the Naval officers on Admiral Craig’s staff were icily correct. Upon leaving the system Admiral Craig dispatched messages detailing the contact and the dispute with the Guard to the Admiralty via the couriers stationed at the colony on Verge. The Captain Perry sent messages of his own. The arrival of these messages on Terra sparked a massive debate within the Naval Affairs committee in the Senate. For years several Senators had been advocating the complete takeover of the Guard by the Navy, and this incident added fuel to the fire.
While the Senate had no direct oversight over the Guard, which was completely funded and controlled by the Imperial Family, they could certainly have a significant indirect effect by blocking the Emperor’s legislation and/or funding earmarked for Imperial priorities. Many within the Senate had been concerned for some time about the Guard and their lack of oversight of such a significant military force. This threat had to be taken seriously, and the Guard responded vigorously, largely through its own supporters within the Senate. For the most part these Senators supported the Guard as a balance against the burgeoning power of the Navy, and of late their numbers had been growing. In the last fifteen years the Navy had gone from a few ramshackle system defense cruisers to fielding monitors and superdreadnoughts, and many were concerned about its increasing influence within the Imperial bureaucracy. Admiral of the Fleet Tannenbaum was admirably apolitical, for all that he was the Emperor’s brother, but the most far-seeing within the Senate worried about his eventual replacement with someone who might be less beholden to the old traditions of the Imperial Navy.
The scene had been set for some time for a battle royal between the two sides, and the incident in the Gliese 687 system provided the match that set off the conflagration. Within a matter of days the “debate” between the two sides had spread out of the Naval Affairs committee to the Senate floor with both sides accreting adherents as the dispute grew. It was at this point that the media became aware of the dispute and its origin, and the story was suddenly in every home on the home world. With the entire home system watching the debates in the Senate suddenly become more circumspect. Neither side knew how the public was going to come down on this, and neither side wanted to risk the public going against their side.
Finally, after a week of continued low-key debate and simmering public interest, the Emperor called for a meeting with the leaders of both sides when the entire affair threatened to spill out into the press yet again, with unpredictable results for everyone concerned.
The Emperor and his brother, Fleet Admiral Tannenbaum, awaited the others in one of the numerous smaller studies that populated the Palace complex. The study was old and well appointed, with comfortable chairs scattered around seemingly at random, but an observant person would perceive the fact that all of the chairs focused on one, the one that the Emperor stood by. Admiral Tannenbaum stood behind and to the right of the Emperor, leaning against the fireplace. The two brothers greeted the others as they arrived, with the Emperor especially working to make each comfortable as they arrived.
First to arrive was Senator Reed, current chairman of the Senate Military Oversight Committee and leader of the faction calling for the disbandment of the Guard. Senator Reed chatted with the Emperor for a few seconds then warmly greeted Admiral Tannenbaum. The two had worked hand in hand for years building up the Navy and were close allies.
Next to arrive was Senator Quiron, the Deputy Chairperson of the Ways and Means Committee, and the leading proponent of the pro-Guard faction in the Senate. Senator Quiron crossed the room to the Emperor, ignoring the other two, and engaged him in small talk about his family. Finally, she took a seat on the far side of the room, continuing to ignore the Fleet Admiral and her chief opponent.
The last to arrive was Admiral Sharpe, the Commanding Officer of the Guard. She crossed to the Emperor who greeted her warmly. She then shook Admiral Tannenbaum’s hand and nodded to Senator Reed somewhat less warmly, then took a seat next to Senator Quiron.
Emperor Tannenbaum nodded to them all and gestured to the seats. After they had all taken seats he sat as well, and looked around at those he had assembled. After a second he nodded. “You all know why I’ve called you here today. I’d like to start by laying out my intentions for this meeting. All of you have done a very good job staking out your positions, so there is no need to continue posturing here. Rhetoric will not help us advance, nor will contention.” He gave them all a hard look. Both Admirals nodded in agreement, while Senator Reed returned a bland poker face and Senator Quiron looked rebellious. “This is threatening to spin out of control, and if it does none of us can predict where it will end. I have information that Empire-Wide News is planning on publishing a story late this week on the events in Gliese 687, based on interviews with the courier crew that brought the news of the conflict between the Guard and the Navy. Apparently several crew members of the courier had friends on the ships in Gliese 687, and these friends relayed gossip from within the Guard and Naval ranks on board the ships. This report will confirm the worst of the gossip that is making the rounds now, and once the sharks pounce things will get ugly quick.” The Emperor settled back in his chair and looked at the two Senators. “That is why I want to resolve this now. Before we start, though, I want to get one thing clear. Neither side is going to get everything you want, we might as well get that out right now.” The Emperor turned to Senator Reed and fixed him with a steady stare. “I will not allow the Guard to be disbanded under any circumstances. It is the guarantor of my family’s safety and power, and I will not compromise on that issue.”
Admiral Sharpe nodded, and after a second so did Senator Reed.
The Emperor then turned to Senator Quiron. “Equally, I think it would be counter-productive to give the Guard as much as you’ve argued for in the past. The public has acquiesced to the existence of a military force outside of the direct control of the Senate up to now because of the popularity of the Imperial Family, and because it has operated below public notice. Giving the Guard capital ships, battleships and dreadnoughts, would put them in front of the public on a constant basis. That wouldn’t be a good idea.”
Senator Quiron scowled. The capital ship idea had been his, to counter the burgeoning power of the Navy.
“Does anyone have any comments?”
Senator Reed cleared his throat. “Sire, you are hardly impartial in this matter, being that you personally control the Guard.”
The Emperor grinned. “I make no claims of impartiality, just of having the power to end this matter now.” At the Emperor’s flat statement Senator Reed winced. The Emperor’s power was extensive, if rarely exercised. After a second, the Emperor went on. “I am the commander in chief of the Navy as well, which means that I sit on both sides of this matter, as I do on so many of the issues that come before me.” The grin disappeared and he leaned forward, all business. “I believe it gives me the perspective to resolve this issue. Certainly I have the power to force a resolution, although I’d rather not antagonize everyone over something like this that I believe can be resolved without resorting to such extreme measures.”
“Sire, my instincts are telling me that you have a resolution in mind. Why don’t you tell us what it is, and we can move forward on that basis.” Senator Reed settled back with an interested look on his face.
If this statement had come from either of the admirals the others would have believed it was a choreographed setup, but while Senator Reed was a staunch loyalist, he was not known to be a close confidant of the Emperor. The others looked at each other, trying to weigh the undercurrents in the room. The interests of the two admirals were obvious, and both of the Senators had clearly staked out their positions in the partisan bickering that had taken place up to now. The situation was complex, though. Admiral Tannenbaum was the chief uniformed officer of the Navy, and his interest as the uniformed head of the Navy was clear, but he was also the brother of the Emperor and a close confidant. Admiral Sharpe was the head of the Guard and the personal retainer of the Emperor, so that should make her loyalties clear, but there were persistent rumors of dissatisfaction within the Guard over a perceived lack attention and support from the Emperor. Senator Reed was a staunch loyalist, but also a known supporter of the Navy and opponent of the Guard, for all that he was a loyalist, as he believed that the Navy was the natural guardian of both the Empire and the Imperial family. Senator Quiron often found himself in opposition to the Emperor and his programs, but supported enlarging the Guard out of his innate distrust of the established military and in particular the Navy.
After taking a second to marshal his thoughts the Emperor nodded. “Very well. I noted that your positions are clear, I may as well make my position clear. I propose expanding the Guard significantly over the next several years by giving it purpose-designed battlecruisers to augment its offensive strength. In addition, I propose transferring several squadrons of frigates from Naval control to the Guard to supplement the Guard’s anti-missile capabilities.”
“But, but…” Senator Reed shook his head, shocked at the Emperor’s proposal. Even Admiral Tannenbaum looked concerned. After taking a few seconds to gather his scattered thoughts, Senator Reed continued. “But Sire, you yourself noted that giving the Guard a larger profile before the public was counter-productive. How can you justify this massive expansion of their capabilities in light of that concern?”
The Emperor leaned forward and looked at both of the Senators. Senator Reed was pale, while Senator Quiron was struggling to keep a suspiciously smug smile off of his face. “Because, I am also going to propose that the Senate fund the expansion of the Guard, at least in part. In exchange for Senate funding the Guard and the Imperial Family will agree to partial Senatorial oversight of the Guard.”
It was Admiral Sharpe’s turn to look outraged as the two senators settled back into their chairs with interested looks on their faces. “But Sire, that contradicts the very purpose of the Guard’s existence. We were established to be separate from the Senate and the other branches of the government, specifically to defend and protect the Imperial Family.”
The Emperor smiled. “I think that we will be able to work out a deal with the Senate that will allow you to continue in that role with little or no interference. Isn’t that right, Senators?” Before they could speak the Emperor continued. “In light of the expansion of the Guard, and the expanded territory the Navy must cover, I am also going to ask the Senate to formally approve the expansion of the Navy as well. Specifically, I am going to ask for the approval of the Navy’s proposed 2366 Destroyer design, and the discontinuance of the production of light cruisers in favor of heavy cruisers. I don’t think that is asking too much, is it?”
Senator Quiron smiled for the first time since she entered the room. “I think we can see our way to approve that, although I’m sure there will be minor modifications made here and there.” Internally Senator Quiron was ecstatic. The Guard would be expanded to counter-balance the burgeoning power of the Navy, and even better the Senate would gain oversight and some control over the Guard. This was a coup worth nearly any price.
There was some more discussion but as far as everyone present was concerned the real business was concluded. The deal was struck, and the controversy would die down before All-Empire went public with its story.
August 7, 2365
The 1st EF jumps through the second unexplored warp point in the Wolf 1061 system. The new system is a single-star system with an M8-V central star closely orbited by two rocky planets and a gas giant. None of the planets are particularly interesting, but the combined Guard and Fleet units perform a probe anyway.
As expected very little was found in the system and within two days the fleet was ready to return to Wolf 1061.
Upon its return to Wolf 1061 Admiral Craig ordered the fleet to set its course for Verge, where it would refuel and resupply. From there it would set out for Altair, to push back the Empire’s boundaries in that territory.
October 14, 2365
The 1st EF jumps out of the Wolf 922 system (one jump beyond Altair), into a binary system with two cool, dim stars. The stars are orbited by a fairly large number of asteroids, planets, and moons, but unusually for such small stars, the outer planets have distant orbits and the binary companion is distant. Admiral Craig orders his forces into the system primary to probe for civilizations or automated warships, but avoids the outer planets to reduce the amount of time required for the probe. Admiral Craig lays out a course that will take the fleet through the bulk of the extensive asteroid belt.
October 15, 2365
The Empire-Wide Mining Conglomerate announced today the initiation of the Gliese-526 mining program. Gliese-526 is located two jumps from Sol, beyond the Lalande 21185 system. The Gliese 526 system contains several valuable mining sites, some situated in the system’s extensive asteroid belt. The first site will be located on one of the thirty three moons of the eighth planet, a gas giant orbiting 497 mkm’s from the system primary.
November 29, 2365
The 1st EF, freshly refueled, jumps out of the Wolf 922 system into a planet-less K5-V system. The star is quickly identified as Gliese 875, and then the 1st EF jumps out. Its mission complete in the Wolf 922 system, the fleet moves turns back towards Altair, headed for the V1581 Cygni system.
Terran Expansionism
The support for Imperial expansion is broad-based and cuts across class and economic lines. However, this support comes in many different flavors and intensities. An overview of the primary pressure groups is given below, with particular attention to the situation with Plateau, which is used as an example to further illustrate the group’s beliefs:
The general populace: By 2365 the Empire’s population has grown more diverse and less “Terra-centric”, however, the Sol system in general, and Terra in particular, are still the center of the Empire both economically and politically. The other three population centers in the Sol system all largely follow Terra’s attitudes and beliefs, not slavishly, but fairly closely, making Terra the trend-setter for the Empire. The Terran population is firmly behind the expansion program, for a variety of reasons, as is the rest of the home system’s population. In essence, the general population believes that expansion into interstellar space has brought peace and prosperity to the home system, a belief that is easy to understand given the blighted economies and civil war that marked the period of isolation brought on by the warp point collapse. This feeling is general throughout the Sol system, as the expansion has brought prosperity to all of the populated planets of the system. Mars has prospered as its industries became the heart of the Imperial expansion, and the people of distant Titan have done very well from the ongoing mining efforts centered on their moon. Venus, in particular, has done well with its globe spanning universities and research centers. This generalized support for expansion is broad-based, however, there is an extra component on Terra itself. Unlike the populations of the other inhabited Solar bodies, the people of Terra believe in the manifest destiny of Terra to bring civilization and prosperity to the rest of the galaxy, and especially to the former colonies of the old Empire. While not fanatical about this belief, it is a deeply held belief and broad-based, from the lower economic strata to the aristocracy. The Imperial government has been very careful to foster this belief, and to act within its unspoken boundaries. The people of Terra believe that it is the government’s duty to carry the benefits of Imperial citizenship to the former colonies of the old Empire, but, at the same time, the vast majority of the people are against generalized military adventurism. The Emperor and the Senate recognized this sentiment when they set the restrictions for military action against former colonies. If the Imperial Navy begins to forcefully incorporate old colonies, regardless of their citizen’s status or desires, Terra’s population will soon turn against expansionism and the Navy. In the matter of Plateau, the public’s attitude is mixed. Current sentiment is against intervention, however, there is a deep discontent with the fact that there is no contact what-so-ever and an increasing fear that the lack of contact is indicative of a larger problem within the Procyon system.
The Imperial Navy: The bulk of the Navy’s senior commanders support the expansion of the Empire, but as with the population of the home system this support is nuanced and is somewhat reserved. The Imperial Navy has a long tradition as being the guarantor of the peace and the defender of humanity. This tradition goes back to the early days of the Empire, when the Imperial Navy was established specifically to prevent the horrors of the general wars and economic and political collapse of the mid-twenty first century. No less than eight major cities were destroyed by nuclear bombs in between 2028 and 2047, and four were devastated by different types of bio-weapons. The Empire was established specifically to end these horrific events, and the charter of the Navy specifically prohibits the use of nuclear weapons against populations. Indeed, the Navy’s primary training centers on Terra were established on sites of the worst destruction, former city sites like Washington DC, Mexico City, and Tehran, specifically to inculcate the new officers with a dread and distaste for the worst depths that humanity can sink to. The Navy has successfully resisted all attempts to move away from this somewhat distasteful tradition, although during the long isolation after the collapse the Navy and its traditions were marginalized while the various regional militias became the primary armed forces of the aristocracy. Ever since the civil war and the re-establishment of the Imperial Family, the old traditions have been reasserted within the Navy and the regional militias have largely been disbanded. All of this means that the Navy, while supportive of expansion for fiscal and traditional reasons, will be deeply reluctant to intervene in the internal affairs of a colony or race that does not want to be included in the Empire, without some overriding reason to intervene. The Imperial Navy’s attitude towards Plateau is similar to that of the public’s. The officer corps has a deeply rooted aversion to engaging another human government in combat without an overriding reason, and Plateau has, as of yet, failed to provide that reason.
Heavy Industrial Combines: The heavy industrial combines of the Empire are largely headquartered on Terra, while their primary operations are centered on Mars. Most of the major combines have an increasing presence on Verge and New Victoria as well. The heavy industrial combines are those industries involved in manufacturing heavy industrial and mining equipment, and this classification includes the primary shipyard operators. For the most part the heavy industries of the Empire are solidly expansionist, and for obvious reasons they support a large military, in particular the Navy. However, the heavy industries are somewhat isolationist, although not rabidly so. Many of the firms fear competition from established manufacturers in newly discovered colonies, or new technologies from such colonies that might destabilize the status quo. In the matter of Plateau, the heavy industrial combines have been neutral, leaning towards non-interference, preferring as usual the status quo.
Light Industrial Combines: The light industrial combines of the Empire are centered on Mars, but unlike the heavy industries they are much more decentralized and spread out throughout the Empire. The light industrial concerns are very supportive of the expansion of the Empire, and most go beyond that to supporting the expansion of the Empire by any means. This attitude is largely related to the fact that the bulk of the firms within this classification are desperately searching for new markets for their goods, and every colony found and brought within the Empire will bring them incredible riches once they gain access to its economy. The light industrial combines have been the primary motivating force behind the movement to open relations with Plateau regardless of the cost.
Imperial Mining Conglomerates: The Empire’s mining concerns have grown in power and influence since the dawning of the new Imperial era, as the voracious appetites of the home system’s industries and shipyards grew and grew. The various large mining concerns have been instrumental players in expanding the borders of the Empire, and are heavy contributors to the semi-civilian Exploration and Survey Corps. The large mining concerns have a vested interest in finding new sources of resources to replace the steadily decreasing resource deposits in the interior areas of the Empire, and have been increasingly successful in lobbying the Senate and the government to fund expansion. The large mining concerns also have a vested interest in bringing new population centers into the Empire. To date all three of the worlds incorporated into the Empire, Verge, New Victoria, and Ssssith, have been resource poor in their own systems, making them prime target markets for out-system mining operations that are the specialty of the biggest Imperial mining corporations. Studies commissioned by the mining concerns and their public front organizations have indicated that most, if not all, former colonies that were isolated by the collapse will be in the same boat, with their local resources depleted and in dire need of large amounts of trans-newtonian resources. For all of these reasons the mining concerns favor continual expansion, to include aggressively incorporating new populations into the Empire, however, they are divided on the wisdom of forcing new populations into the Empire. By their very nature the bulk of most of the corporation’s activities are at far-flung outposts in otherwise uninhabited systems. Many of these operations have no real defenses and depend on Naval units stationed in nearby systems for protection. This makes most of the mining corporations sensitive to unsettled conditions, and they all fear the destruction that could be associated with a prolonged war. In the case of Plateau, the mining corporations have kept up a steady pressure on the Imperial government and Senate to find some way to open the system to trade and exploitation without actually causing a war.
The Imperial Family/Emperor: The Imperial Family has significant holdings in all of the economic groupings listed above, and is very sensitive to the mood of the public, particularly on Terra. Given these holdings the Imperial Family’s position tends to be a reflection of the Empire’s as a whole. The Emperor has gone to great lengths to moderate the Empire’s drive to expand, and in particular the drive to reincorporate former colonies. On several occasions the Emperor has given speeches before the Senate calling for moderation in its approach to Verge and New Victoria, a position that has not gone unnoticed on those two colonies and something that has caused the Imperial Family’s popularity to surge on those two planets. The Emperor’s position on Plateau has been consistent, he is concerned about the lack of contact but reluctant to force them into relations with the Empire.
Imperial Senate: The Imperial Senate is really a sum of all of the above power groupings and many more besides. Currently, in relation to Plateau, the balance of power in the Senate leans towards those who favor non-violent expansion.
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