A long, long time ago...

In a galaxy far, far away...

"All packed up, Alice?" said Karl.

"Certainly"

The Ryccian Government had invested much in space travel. It wanted to escape the desolate Pacifica it knew, wishing to avoid bloodshed and other nations. Thus, in secrecy, they had designed space vessels to take them far, far away from their native planet, and built them underground. All the materials had been mined on Ryccia or on asteroid fields.

The route had been planned. The star, A1P2RI4L5, was charted, and a suitable planet had been found. They were going to transport 200 million people from various ethnicities on a legendary journey.

This would take 1,000 years to complete. To accomodate for this, the ships would put all citizens in cryogenic sleep, and the robots would take care of maintenance. Only when it was truly dire would a professional human be awoken, and then return to their slumber.

The citizens had no choice. The Ryccian Government forced them all to leave. But the promises were astounding. An entire planet, bigger than Pacifica itself, all for the Ryccian nation to live in peace? Most did not object to such measure at all.

"Come, let us go to the registration centre", said Karl.

"Oh, I forgot something! I'll take it, quick!"

"Hurry, we do not want the military to arrest us"

Alice ran to pick up something. It was a family heirloom, passed to her throughout the generations. A diamond necklace with her family's star on the center...so beautiful. She could not forget it.

"I have it. We must leave", said Alice.

This family registered, and went to their designated ship. And so, they began to travel. A travel towards destiny.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 02-05-2020, 10:07 PM by Ryccia.)

Reply

Imperial Parliament, Daonlathas
Ryccian Empire

It had been 67 years since the late Empress had secured the first taste of liberty and democracy to her realm. Her successor, the frail Emperor Alexander, was considered weak due to his health. With an ill Monarch, wealthy absolutists in the Imperial Royal Family and in the nobility seized the opportunity to influence politics and restore despotism to the Empire.

Their plan was going well. For a decade, they had introduced laws that slowly eroded the democratic system. And now, it all came to ahead. A law that would make Parliament appointed, not elected, by the aristocracy.

"It is time to secure change, gentlemen. Democracy has been a failed experiment, and the people's will indicates that they desire a return to a glorious past. Speaker, I motion this bill to a vote"

"As per procedure, we shall now vote on my comma-"

THUMP THUMP THUMP

"On my comma-"

THUMP THUMP THUMP

The door opened. To everyone's surprise, it was Emperor Alexander. Whispers and murmurs began to circulate, as he walked slowly to the Speaker, and in front of Parliament...

"Empowered by the Constitution of the Ryccian Empire, I do, as the Emperor of the Ryccian Empire and Sovereign of All the Races, use my royal perogative here to dissolve the Imperial Parliament at once"

This was unbelievable. What in the world was going on, many wondered.

There was outrage. Shouts and protests from Members of Parliament ensued. "You have no right!", "Traitor!", "Unacceptable!"

"ORDER! ORDER! ORDER!"

The Imperial Parliament was in an incessant fury. Booing and jeering filled the chamber. But the Emperor, despite being physically fragile, was unfazed by it all.

"ORDER! ORDER! WE SHALL HAVE ORDER IN THIS CHAMBER!"

"...This noise demeans you all. All of you are puppets, not loyal to the principles of the Constitution and the people. I may be weak, but I have honour. I refuse to allow what Mother sacrificed...love, blood, family, even her own father, to be torn to pieces. She was a principled Empress, the founder of the liberty our people enjoy as a fountain of clear and refreshing water after being parched for eternity"

"All my life I have been frail and inept. All my life I have known I am not the brightest soul, only an average in skill and intellect. I know perfectly that my life has been cursed with illness and incompetence. But I shall not allow the legacy of the late Empress...and the legacy of the Revolution and their brave fighters to be washed asunder, to be destroyed by malicious and manipulating aristocrats who dream to restore tyranny and destruction. If I have the ability to at least do something of importance in my life, it is to defend the rights and liberties of my subjects. Despite my lack of talent, I am able to put myself where she stood if necessary"

"You have no claim to the people's will if you wish to trample it! The rights and liberties our populace cherish shall not suffer the blaze of greed! And thus it is why I have done it. I refuse to give assent to more laws that will crush the people's will, and I do not care if you shall send all horrors to kill me. I am unable to excel in my life. But at least I can defend her and her honour. I can defend the Democratic Revolution. For circumstance dictates that such a man that would otherwise have been forgotten as a retarded footnote will stand against you"

"May the Stars Grant Glory to the Empire! May the Stars Grant My Wish"

"Hail to the Empire! You are dismissed!"

The Imperial Parliament erupted in a rage. More shouts were the order of the day. But the Emperor did not care. He glanced to the Speaker.

"ORDER! ORDER!"

"Speaker, may you confirm to this Parliament that what I do is well within my right and annointed power to sack my Ministers and call for a fresh election? Is what I do well within my right to, as Emperor, demand?"

Once more, the Parliament interrupted. Such a ceaseless bunch of hooligans...

"ORDER! ORDER!...Your Imperial Majesty, if this is what you want, then you can, as Emperor, command"

The Imperial Parliament was dissolved. The Emperor personally ensured that the election would be clean and fair. The result turned out to be certain: the people's will desired the Constitution and the Revolution to remain.

Alexander is now a legend in the present day. His courageous act is viewed as a saving grace for the democracy Ryccia partakes in today. Most, including many Republicans, revere and respect him as a national hero. He may have been weak and inept, but he saved the Empire. He saved the Light of Liberty.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 01-31-2019, 05:57 PM by Ryccia.)

Reply

Kingston-Levit, Core, Ryccian Empire
Sargenta Estates

The Sargenta family were, in the ancient past, powerful nobles in the planet of Levit. As part of the aristocracy, they had once controlled areas of politics and commerce in the planet. However, when the Democratic Revolution came and deprived the nobility of their special privileges, the Sargenta attempted to build a business empire. This failed, and thus the House of Sargenta underwent a gradual decline until today, where they are faced in a precarious situation: the estates their family had owned and lived in for millenia was at risk of being seized by the banks due to their outstanding debts.

The 26-year old Augustus Cordia Spae Novia Sargenta Colston had only one family member left: his 51-year old aunt. Unlike many nobles of his caliber, Augustus received a normal education and lived a rather poor lifestyle. He worked as a retail store employee at Walmart, providing a macabre income for a lineage of his stature. Technically a High Duke, he appeared more of a commoner than anything else. Only this aged, rundown estate he had called home was what reminded that his bloodline was of some importance...in the past, that is.

His father had attempted to restore the family's prestige once more by investing in business, but he failed miserably. Crushed and saddled with debt, he committed suicide. Now, the banks wanted their money, and that estate would do.

"...Aunt, we must sell the estate"

"No, how many times have told you: we shall not sell this house! It is the only thing we have left of the Sargenta dynasty! It is the only thing I have left of my Father..."

"The bank is coming. They shall seize this house, my dear aunt. It is inevitable at this point. We might as well put it up for sale and obtain a higher price than what the bank plans to offer us in exchange"

"Over my dead husk of a carcass, Augustus. Over my dead body!"

"Enough, Aunt! The Sargenta family is dead! It has been so since the revolution! We are nothing now! We might as well accept our fate with grace, the grace my ancestors would have employed in this defeat"

"You shall see, Augustus. We are not moving out of here! We shall not end our line!"

---

Kingston-Levit, Core, Ryccian Empire
Colbury Group Headquarters

The Colbury were a noveau riche family from the commoner classes. Having risen in prominence only 70 years ago, the Colbury had built a local planetary business empire that even engaged in some commerce offworld as well, but they did not have any of the prestige of the traditional aristocracy. To the establishment of the elite, the Colbury family were commoner upstarts whose fate had yet to be decided.

Sophia Colbury Jadeline was looking to obtain the respect her family deserved. She was the granddaughter of the founder of her family's fortune, as well as the Chairwoman of the Colbury Group. A young, ambitious woman, she was determined to expand their family's wealth and prestige. Luckily, she would receive an offer.

"M'lady, an elderly woman wishes to speak with you"

"Who might she be?"

"A certain Aurelia Sargenta, m'lady"

"Sargenta? Is that not the noble house that is under financial duress?"

"Allow her to pass. Hopefully this results not to be a waste of my time..."

"Yes, m'lady"

There, she arrived. A desperate-looking 50-something year old woman.

"Greetings, Ms. Colbury. Please, do hear me out. You are my last hope"

"Who are you and what do you plan to discuss?"

"My name is Aurelia Mirina Aquae Sargenta Lightflame, and I wish to discuss a marriage"

"Marriage?"

"No, she could not mean-"

"Yes. My nephew is the High Duke of Sargenta of House Sargenta. If you marry him, you and your descendants shall obtain his titles by virtue of consortship. This shall entitle you to the right of partaking in the galas held by the Imperial House of Levit. I am but a mere laywoman regarding commerce, but I can tell that you wish to forge closer ties with them in order to expand the Colbury financial empire"

"...You are one clever raisin, old lady. Very well, you wish for me to marry your nephew, I take it?"

"Indeed. Despite our poverty, the title of High Duke is quite the coveted peerage amongst the aristocracy. Due to our financial troubles, our usage of it cannot be effective, but a certain wealthy High Duchess could"

"...I shall consider the offer. You may now exit the premises"

"I am grateful for your time, Ms. Colbury"

Arraigned marriage was not on par with her ideals, but Aurelia had nothing else to lose. Augustus could reject the idea, but she was desperate, for she wished to preserve her family's legacy. For her Father, for her ancestors, she would not let the House of Sargenta have its ancestral home taken away.

Even if it means forcing him to act against his will.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

Reply

Kingston-Levit, Core, Ryccian Empire
Sargenta Estates

To the surprise of Aurelia, Ms. Colbury actually took up the offer. She was going to arrive at the estates to formalize the marriage.

Augustus was horrified. His aunt was selling him like merchandise! This shall not do. It was outrageous!

"WHAT?!"

"A wealthy businesswoman is coming to marry you, darling. We shall finally be able to save our house. Is that not magnificent?"

"What have you done?! I shall not accept this!"

"Augustus, you must understa-"

"No, forget it. I am not going to follow this archaic ritual"

As Augustus walked out, Aurelia laughed. What was she laughing for?

"...I knew this would happen. It is thus why I brought this with me"

Aurelia brandished a small blaster. It was ancient, as it was a family heirloom.

"You are going to kill me? Then fire, I dare you. I dare to you to murder the only family you have remaining"

"No, I shall commit suicide. I cannot bear this anymore. If you shall not marry her, then I lose...the House of Sargenta shall die..."

"..."

"..."

"...........Put it down. I shall comply with your wishes"

".....Thank you. I have no other wish than to honour our legacy..."

"...When is she arriving..."

"In an hour, darling. I was originally going to freshen you up, but if you do not wish to formalize yourself for the event, I shall not force you"

"Very well"

"...I am deeply grateful and sincerely sorry it has come to this, my dear nephew. There is no other way"

"I shall go get dressed"

Thus is fate. Thus is the duty to preserve this ancient line. Even if it means sacrificing the freedom of the only close relative you have...

Ms. Colbury arrived an hour later. She had a local bureaucrat with her.

"Greetings, Mr. Sargenta. Pleased to meet you. Let us get down to business, shall we?"

"Greetings, Ms. Colbury. I concur wholeheartedly"

The official gave them some datapads to fill out.

"Please, if you could both sign here..."

Both individuals did as requested. They signed.

"There we are. By the power invested in me by the Government of Constantinople, I officially declare you husband and wife. High Duchess of Sargenta, congratulations"

Sophia looked at her new Sargenta relatives, or so now stated the law. She gave them a small funds card and a datapad.

"Here are the required funds to renovate these estates and pay back all your debt obligations. I shall move in to a room of my choosing. If you shall excuse me, I must return to my tasks at hand. If there are any concerns, please contact my secretary, whose number is included on the datapad I have provided. Good day"

Colbury left the premises. She had a business meeting to attend to. The estates were nice indeed, and she looked forward to making them her new residence. Marrying whoever that guy was could prove beneficiary due to his title affording him invitations to the galas and balls of the economically powerful Imperial House of Sorventia.

What an excellent business transaction that was.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 02-12-2020, 10:18 AM by Ryccia.)

Reply

New Hope, Ryccian Empire
New Territories colony in the Two Frontiers region
Galyesh Agriculture, Inc. - A certain Customer Support Employees Work Chat

Heliena Tornkrain: Hi guys! Did you watch the latest episode of Stardust?

Kixe Xinoxa: @ Heliena Tornkrain Sure did! I can't believe that they finally made it past the rings of Garshor IV.

Fabian Acustein: Okay guys, I've just come from a vacation to Stoinia. I've arrived in Ryccian space, and I'm checking in at the spaceport.

Kixe Xinoxa: How did it go?

Fabian Acustein: It was horrifying. Sure, the people were nice, but I looked up some of their history...and, well, it all speaks for itself.

Kixe Xinoxa: What do you mean?

Fabian Acustein: ...They hunt sentient beings. They call it a "Great Hunt" and they consider the meat and fur of this "Mardakii" species to be luxurious.

Heliena Tornkrain: WHAAAAT?!

Kixe Xinoxa: BARBARIANS!

Rihelen Aleric: Told you so! Those Stoinians are butchers!

Heliena Tornkrain: That's why we have to teach these primitives proper lessons in civilization.

Rihelen Aleric: They are far too depraved! They are just disgusting! Not even the human barbarians from the Old Empire committed murder and in such a sadistic way!

Fabian Acustein: It's their history that forced them to be that way. You know how the Old Empire started: it was primitive because it was recent, and they literally committed genocide. The Velpans enslaved several species at their inception, and the Vonmisians treated their xeno subjects as second-class citizens. The Stoinians are good people at heart, but the incivility that has been forced upon them by history can be corrected with the proper example.

Kixe Xinoxa: I don't know about you guys, but I don't like wearing the fur of a dead, sentient being. Those are barbarians by force, but they don't need to be this way.

Rihelen Aleric: Not even my Vonmisian ancestors killed for sport, Fabian. They are a bunch of psychopaths and sadists, you just did not see it! They will not show you that behaviour regularly!

Taik Lie (THE BOSS): What in Kamino are you using the work chat for? Why are you discussing politics here? Also, remember, tomorrow we go out at noon. @ Fabian Acustein You still have to work tomorrow, sorry.

Rihelen Aleric: Sorry Taik, and, sweet! Who is up for a night on the town?

Kixe Xinoxa: A pint of beer and a munch of chaleysik? Sounds awesome!

Fabian Acustein: I guess I'll go, I have nothing better to do anyway.

Heliena Tornkrain: I can't go, I have something pending.

Taik Lie (THE BOSS): Ah, before I go for the night, we have a new coworker coming. A Quarren by the name of Krigen Kror will arrive tomorrow. Make certain to receive him well because we need more workers for the office. We do not wish to scare him off. Well then, see you all tomorrow, and stop using the work chat for politics! I tolerate a lot, but I cannot have corporate reprimand me for some argument between you all.

Rihelen Aleric: Got it.

Kixe Xinoxa: Ok

Heliena Tornkrain: Night

Fabian Acustein: Good night, I guess

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 12-15-2020, 01:53 AM by Ryccia.)

Reply

Kingston, Core, Ryccian Empire
An ancient building

"Pater Noster
qui es in caelis,
sanctificetur nomen tuum..."

This was an elderly woman who was alone on a building that had been deteriorating for almost a thousand years at this point. She was the Countess of Marivieu, and although her family had fallen into poverty 880 years ago, they still managed to retain their estate. As they had no way to pay for maintenance, the noble Marivieus let their ancestors' lands rot. Grass grew wild, buildings in the estate crumbled due to their age, and the whole plot was left abandoned. The Countess and her son, who were the only ones who lived here, only cleaned the areas they regularly used and lived in. Their rooms, the kitchen, some bathrooms and a living room were all spotless, but the rest of their hereditary mansion was dilapidated and left to wither away. Advancements in technology meant that they could easily ward off pests without much issue, but they couldn't afford even the most rudimentary of service droids to assist them. Moreover, all the successful Marivieus had left their region, seeing no point on missing out on lucrative employment opportunities. Some had even left for other planets. All the Marivieus who had done well after their family fell into misery had always left the estate, leaving the title and lands to relatives who had no other choice to or wanted to stay there.

The Countess had been instructed by her parents to recite a certain amount of words in a run-down building. It was a tradition in their family, but one whose meaning had been forgotten long, long, long ago. The Countess knew no Latin, and thus was not aware of what she was even reciting. Her parents told her to recite these words to "honour" her ancestors, as these words were important to them, but even those Marivieus from way back in the Democratic Revolution didn't know why their forefathers made them do this. There were several theories regarding this recital: was it some way to remember their ancestors? Were their ancestors spiritual and wanted to calm the spirits of their past blood with this rite? Why? Was it a ceremony for prosperity, ancestral ritual for honour, or was there no spirituality involved and this was just an arbitrary act invented for remembrance?

Whatever it was, the Countess followed the instructions of her father and still travelled every Sunday to recite this gibberish she didn't understand. After all, even if it made no sense, nobles like her remained steadfast in their ancestral traditions, and wouldn't let them die, no matter how useless or meaningless it seemed to the nobles themselves.

After performing this ancestral ritual, she left.
 

The building was in severe disrepair. It was a miracle it had lasted for all these years. She wished she could fix it, but not only were her funds insufficient to hire a construction team, the blueprints for this building had been sold 720 years ago to a collector due to their financial woes. Sigh...someday.

"Mother, I have returned"

"Oh, Ferdinand, welcome home. Did you have a good day?"

"I procured these groceries. They were holding a sale: everything was at least 15% off. I managed to purchase this superb wine for us both to enjoy"

"Marvelous! I have some exquisite Crini bread left in the refrigerator. Perhaps we can make a sandwich out of it?"

"Let us enjoy it, then. Bread and wine, haha!"

She had no idea what she had done. The meaning of this ancient human ritual had been lost to time. In another corner of the galaxy, certain Terrans knew all of this quite well, so well they took it for granted. But in this country, the course of time had already passed. The significance of it all had already been lost to history.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 06-20-2021, 03:08 AM by Ryccia.)

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Daonlathas, Ryccian Empire
Last Year of the Democratic Revolution

The war had raged on for so many years...

The Core, once that golden region of prosperity, was reduced to a starving relic of its former self.

The Old Empire still held on stubbornly, defying the revolutionaries to the bitter end. Apart from the Core, some other besieged loyalist worlds were isolated in pockets all across the Human nucleus of the Empire. All the alien lands of the country had been liberated by now.

Aurelia Vitaia Fortuna Shinelight Karyber still remembered those days fondly, the days before the war, when the Core was opulent and glorious. As the centre of Imperial bureaucracy, a highly disproportionate amount of Old Imperial officials came from here. Historically, it was the poorest of the Empire that migrated to other worlds. After thousands of years of Imperial expansion, only the families with the best pedigrees were left now. The average Core citizen could find some notable person in their lineage. Indeed, since the citizens of the Core mostly interacted with each other, and since record-keeping was an ancient art for the best families of the Empire, a vast majority could even trace the Emperor or Empress they were descended from. These golden and historically preserved bloodlines relative to the rest of the Human regions of the Empire, the wealth and sophistication of the Core, everything...all of it permeated Core society. The citizens of the Core, more than any other human subculture in the Empire, valued family ties greatly. This is to be expected from a people who descend from the nation's highest elites, and this ancestry also allowed them to have the highest education rates in the country. The Core made up a sizable amount of the professionalized workforce. The Core had the highest rate of university education levels in the country, the Core formed a gargantuan portion of the military officialdom, the Core had the highest standards of living, the best infrastructure, the most efficient bureaucracy...you get the idea. As the old frontier saying goes, "follow the gold, and you'll reach the Core".

But all that glory, all that power, all that honour, all that history...it was meaningless now. Under a crippling interstellar siege, the resources the Core depended on to sustain its decadent lifestyle were drastically reduced. For the first time since the Mandalorian Wars, a conflict that ended thousands of years ago, rationing had been introduced to preserve food supplies. However, as these planets still had their own domestic sources of food from their farmlands, there was no way they would ever starve.

The Core was now a fortress. The Old Empire's remaining fleets had all retreated to this region, making the epicenter of the nation the most militarized region in the sector. In addition to this, land defenses meant that any attempts by the rebels to launch planetary invasions to take these worlds would spill an unimaginable torrent of blood. It would be a massacre for both the loyalist remnant and the revolutionaries. The human sections of the revolutionary armies and even some alien troops didn't want that, whether it'd be out of genuine concern for life or self-interest, as trade with such a traditionally wealthy region after the war would remain as profitable as before. A few aliens, mostly the alien officers of the revolutionary forces, were former collaborators who helped the Old Imperial regime enforce its brutal and exploitative reign, and thus making a wasteland out of this region would embolden their more uncompromising, radical peers by mere symbolism alone. No, the Core had to join the rest of the Empire in the flames of revolution.

And that chance arrived.

The Core's communications security systems were top-notch...as is everything else in these lands. No matter how much the revolutionary hackers tried, they simply couldn't break through and disseminate propaganda.

Aurelia was recalling those days. Back then, she had been a rising star in the Imperial bureaucracy. She even governed a rural Velpan world for two years. But then, the war came, and as higher-ranked governors were displaced from their posts, she was demoted and sent back home to Daonlathas. Her expertise in technology allowed her to get a job in the headquarters of the Ministry of Communications, supervising a communications security system site.

When blood spills, people hear.

"Miss Shinelight, a military messenger is here to see you"

The news could not have been more horrific. Aurelia's sister, Luna, was a colonel in the Imperial army. Sadly, she had been left behind in the retreat to the Core, and was now on one of those isolated loyalist worlds. The revolutionaries had landed, and she had fallen in battle, leading her regiment in a last stand against a surprise attack. The military commended her posthumously, as it was reported that her brave fight to the last had given time to the rest of the loyalist armies to regroup and mount a more effective defense.

This sent Aurelia into a cataclysmic tragedy. Luna had been her only sister. They had been close, tight-knit friends ever since they were infants. Now, one of the people she had loved the most was gone, consumed by the fires of this war.

Due to her heartstricken state, she was careless in her duty. In her hysteria, she accidentally pushed a button in the system that would set everything ablaze.

---

Liberated Territory of the Grand Coalition
Last Year of the Democratic Revolution

"Sir, you have to see this"

"Mmm?"

As if by a miracle, the rebels had detected a sudden weakness in the code of the security system they had tried to break so many times.

"Don't wait for orders, just do it!"

After so many years of trying, the revolution had finally broken through the heart of this human Empire.

As befitted its status as the suzerain region of the Empire, the Core was incredibly xenophobic. Whenever scant rumours of war crimes against alien civilians by Imperial forces circulated there, they were either dismissed or ignored. The humans of the Core, more than most, saw the alien territories as their property. Why should they care over damaged merchandise?

However, when the poorer human regions of the Empire rebelled, the regime had to keep a strict blackout on all news coming from these planets. Atrocities against inferior alien scum was one thing. Atrocities against humans, even if they were socially inferior to the elitist Core, were another. The Old Empire only knew one language: violence and terror. So, even on their own turf, they could not respond in any other way.

There was one example of Imperial brutality that had shaken the liberated territories of the Empire to its core. When the Mandalorian clans finally decided to rebel, Keldabe, the capital of Mandalore and one of the most important cities in Mandalorian space, was virtually obliterated by Imperial bombers. That city had an almost mythical grade of historical significance to the Mandalorian people. Their first Mand'alor had founded the metropolis personally. Not only had around two-thirds of Keldabe's 1.2 billion population perished, the heart of all Mandalore had been crushed as punishment for following the path of their ancestors in resisting the Imperial regime. The Devastation of Keldabe is still remembered to this very day as the greatest atrocity the Old Empire committed against the Mandalorian people. Not even in the most brutal moments of the legendary Mandalorian Wars did such an apocalyptic event take place. To this very day, even after more than a millennia later, Keldabe has never fully recovered, as only one billion people reside in the cosmopolitan city. Although it remains the cultural capital of Mandalorian space, the Devastation was so extreme that, after the war, Sundari was made the capital, and so Mandalore's political and financial centre shifted there.

Such an unspeakable crime was never even mentioned in loyalist space, not even briefly. To the Core, Keldabe remained that everlasting Jewel of Mandalore, a legendary city for all to admire.

This and many other atrocities were leaked to the Core once the rebels had managed to break through. Even if they held control over their last worlds, the Old Empire's days were inevitably numbered.

---

Juno, Ryccian Empire
Last Year of the Democratic Revolution

Protests, riots and other types of disturbances broke out all across the Core. For the first time in two thousand years, the people of the Core dared to hold a protest against the government. The Old Empire was now in turmoil, and since the Crown Princess Alice had crowned herself the Empress, the Core now had someone to defect to in good conscience. A New Empire was born.

And so it was. The Grand Duke of Juno and many high-ranking nobles of the planet switched sides, declaring themselves for the New Empire. Even the cynical Grand Duke could not stomach such sadistic atrocities such as what happened in Keldabe. He had known of them as they happened due to his status, but, after the rebels leaked it, his conscience was finally freed.

The Core was the Empire's heart. It was here where the Empire was born. It was unthinkable, even for the rebels, that the regime would ever punish it as they had done with the rest of the country.

Everyone was wrong.

The last Emperor of the Old Empire, Alexander, was desperately clinging on to what bit of power he had left. He needed to set an example. Even if the Empire was cornered to the last, they would never, ever give in.

Juno was that example.

The Emperor, against the advice of his own ministers, had ordered the Empire's last superweapons to travel there: the feared weather-changing satellites. Set up in the planet's orbit, Juno's peaceful lands which had never known war in their entire history were ravaged. Hurricanes and tornadoes of an apocalyptic scale were reported. The Empire had declared war on its own heart. Shooting your heart is not wise if you wish to remain alive.

Even the fiercest of Core loyalists were stunned by what was happening. Juno was famous for its calm weather and mild environment. When its first colonists set foot there thousands of years ago, they considered themselves fortunate to live there. They could have never imagined that their descendents would suffer such an indignity.

The revolutionaries, partly out of genuine outrage and partly to seize the momentum, launched an impromptu assault on Juno. They had arrived with one of the largest combat fleets ever assembled in the war to crush the Old Empire's project of cataclysm. A few ships from the loyalist fleet defending the planet also defected in outrage, hitting their former colleagues from where they could have never expected: their own backs. The battle was over in two days.

Despite the satellites only being active for one week, the natural disasters were as brutal as the regime that created them. When they had finally subsided, around 300,000 people had died, and millions had been made homeless. Juno was the only planet to suffer in this way. When the rebels landed their armies, they were pleasantly surprised to see that all remaining Imperial forces in the planet capitulated almost immediately. After being left for dead by their own government, none of the commanding officers wanted to resist.

After Juno, the Old Empire lasted only a mere more months. Historians and other experts still debate to this day how long the Core could've survived, but it was clear the Old Empire could've lasted for longer, perhaps a few more years than it did.

There is a secret no one knows, however. The last Emperor of the Old Empire, Alexander, knew this would precipitate his collapse. He had long ago recognized defeat. Despite the revolution going against every autocratic and humanocentric ideal he stood for, and despite his own personal avarice for power, he knew he was finished. To save the Core and the Empire as a concept, he needed it to hate him and to facilitate the union between loyalists and revolutionaries after the war. He needed them to give up, or else world after world, so zealously loyal to him and the autocratic regime, would resist to the bitter end.

The new Empress and the leader of the revolution, Alice, had always suspected after the war that her father let her win. She had known him her entire life, and knew how he thought and acted. She had once been his cherished daughter he had sought to place on the throne one day. In the end, he saved her throne, and the monarchy. But she would never get to thank him for his last act of fatherly love, as twisted as it seems. He died, his soul at peace, knowing he had preserved the Empire in the end, loving his daughter to his last breath.

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 09-06-2022, 09:06 PM by Ryccia.)

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Constantinople, Ryccian Empire
Almost 3000 years ago

The war was over.

Against all odds, the Ryccian Empire had won a stunning victory.

The Vurbentan Dominion and the Serene State of Vonmisia, two star nations that had clashed with the Ryccians for a century or so by now, had been conclusively defeated. Despite the Vurbentans sharing no border with the Ryccian Empire, they had a vested interest in helping the Vonmisians: keep the buffer state between them and the bellicose humans alive.

The Lord of Vurbenta, Akoxio IV, and his court never believed the Ryccians would ever prosecute such a brutal and total war. At most, they believed they would only annex their northern neighbors and make them pay some war reparations or something. He severely underestimated the ultra-xenophobic arrogance of these humans. The Ryccians were granted a golden opportunity to expand south and conquer billions of new subjects. To these extremely militaristic, totalitarian jingoists, this was a dream for them.

Akoxio IV and the Leader of the Vonmisians, Raihar Taleric, both looked at each other at the conference table. This treaty was a formality. They knew their days as rulers were over. Their shame over this defeat...they could both read it in each other's faces.

Then, the Chief of State of the Velpan Grand Authority, Falix Anushiwalan, arrived. The Velpans had joined the war when they saw that the Ryccians intended to expand aggressively to the south. They'd hoped their surprise intervention would catch the Empire by surprise and outflank them. The way these aggressive human savages overcame the assaults on all fronts demonstrated their fanatical determination to win against all their enemies.

In the end, even the imperialistic Ryccians didn't have the energy to pursue the Velpans fully. As punishment, the Velpan Grand Authority was due to lose the Velpan areas of what is now Voluntaias and Velmino, as the Ryccians managed to convince the racialist Kaminoan Technocracy to attack them from the north in an opportunistic campaign for territory.

Speaking of the longnecks, the President of Kamino, Talan Liat, made her entrance. As one of the victors in this war, although by far the less victorious of the two, Sue looked on with an almost comical smirk at these three leaders. She was celebrating tonight, her ego at her zenith. A descendant of hers would inherit that same arrogance and intelligence she displayed 3000 years later.

Then, finally, the Ryccian delegation arrived. As a way to inflict the ultimate humiliation, the Ryccian monarch didn't attend the ceremony. Heck, not even the Chancellor was there, nor even the Foreign Affairs Minister. No, they sent the former ambassador to the Vurbentan Dominion, Theresa Montpleasant, to deal with them. This was the final indignity for these once-proud leaders, but they had no choice but to sign. Otherwise, the Ryccian fleets over Vurbenta and Vonmises, the homeworlds of their peoples, would glass them beyond recognition.

However, the Velpan Chief of State wasn't having it.

"Where is Ryccian monarch? Answer! Who you are?!"

"Mr. Anushiwalan, your English is terrible. I am the Duchess of Sorlicht, and I will be the representative of the Imperial crown at the signing of this treaty"

She didn't even give him her name.

In Ryccian aristocratic culture, you referred to your superiors in rank by an honorific. You never said their names, ever, and they would refer themselves to you by their title. As the Velpan leader, Anushiwalan knew this. This was Ryccian hubris at its peak.

"Duchess of Sorli-"

"Your Grace, Mr. Anushiwalan, it is Your Grace. Were you not briefed?"

"This is outrage! I demand you give respect to us!"

"How amusing. Sign the treaty"

Domineering language, barking commands. No diplomacy. The Duchess was ordering the Velpan Chief of State around as if he was a servant of hers. She, on behalf of the Empire, was asserting Ryccian hegemony over them.

...and the most frustrating part? Anushiwalan knew he could do nothing. The Velpan fleets were almost wiped out by this war. If the Ryccian-Kaminoan campaign continued, they would be destroyed, just like the Vurbentans and Vonmisians. The only reason the Empire wasn't seeking to conquer the Velpans too was because they desired a buffer between them and the Kaminoans, and because they didn't want the longnecks to gain more worlds. But, if he insisted on withdrawing from the peace process for an insult to his person, the trigger-happy Ryccians would gladly oblige, with destruction.

Well, it could be worse. Unlike those two over there, he at least had a country to go back to.

And so, his honour in tatters, he grabbed the Ryccian pen and signed the treaty. The Vurbentan and the Vonmisian did the same. The Ryccian Empire had effectively doubled in size. They now ruled over alien savages as their suzerains. It was the beginning of a long and arduous tale of brutality and tyranny.

For the first century of Ryccian rule, these new regions were extremely rebellious. Revolt after revolt failed, as the Ryccians amped up the bloodshed in retaliation. However, over time, the Vurbentans and the Vonmisians were pacified, obeying Ryccian Imperial rule due to fear.

The Ryccians reorganized their societies, creating new collaborationist classes loyal to them. The old aristocrats of these two states were cast aside into the dust, replaced by cynical bureaucrats on Ryccian payroll. They were willing dogs receiving orders from Daonlathas, implementing Imperial policy and exploiting their kin. To further break species loyalty, these collaborators were forced to learn English so they could be stationed in worlds alien to them. The lucky ones could even serve in human worlds, a coveted assignment as such posts came with legal equality for them and their families, something which the rest of their countrymen were deprived of.

What happened to the Lord of Vurbenta? Initially, the Ryccians tried to use him as a pawn with which to rule their conquered territories. However, he betrayed his masters and started a rebellion. For this, he wasn't executed. The Ryccians didn't like executions in rebellious lands such as these. They wanted helpless prisoners, not martyrs. So, he was sentenced to the worst humiliation possible: servant to the very Duchess who attended the peace treaty ceremony. To ensure his compliance, a chip was placed in his brain. With this, the Duchess could shock him as she pleased to keep him in line. Initially she only did so as punishment, but, as many Ryccian nobles tended to do, she eventually used it for sadistic entertainment, wishing to see this once-great monarch grovel at her feet for mercy.

And the Vonmisian Leader? He committed suicide, as did most of his Grand Council. The humiliation was too much to bear. When the rest of the Serene State learned of the terms of capitulation, upper-class Vonmisians took their lives en masse. They had hoped for some puppet state or exceptional autonomy, but the Ryccians insisted on complete annexation. For the proud Vonmisian aristocrats, this fate was worse than death.

The Velpan Chief of State was assassinated two months after he got home to Velpus. The oligarchic Grand Authority was riddled with factionalism at this time, and so his opponents, furious at this treaty, took the chance to kill him.





...Ah, you're still here. Why did Imperial rule last so long, you ask? Almost 2000 years of Ryccian suzerainty?

Simple: they were actually better than their own elites.

The Vurbentan Dominion was a totalitarian monarchy just like the Ryccians were. Unlike the Ryccians, however, who legally left the private lives of their subjects alone, the Dominion had laws for everything. You couldn't do this or that if you weren't from some social class, same-sex relationships were outlawed as the state wanted the citizenry to reproduce, the highest-ranking nobles could kill you literally for no reason in public, you had to believe in the official state faith that revered the ruling Lord...it was extremely restrictive. When the Ryccians took over, they repealed most of these social laws, seeing them as archaic and barbaric. The Vurbentan populace was jubilant. Even if they were now a discriminated class, their arrogant elites were now legally equal to them. Despite being in chains, they were now free.

Another factor was the manner of exploitation. The Vurbentan commoners were organized into inheritable noble groups, with certain nobles "owning" X or Y amount of citizens. These nobles could arbitrarily restrict their subjects' lives, and they could extract as much tribute as they wished, as long as they left some tax revenue for the central government. It was a sort of mobile neofeudalism.

The Dominion on its own also taxed their citizens immensely, and since the aristocracy owned all the prominent industries, the working conditions were almost slave-like. With the Ryccians now in charge, these noble groups were abolished, and workers' rights were improved, as the Empire disdained slavery and saw these pitiful standards as such. Now, you worked for a Ryccian company that, even if it gave you some cheap salary and your terms were bad, at least you didn't have to worry about food again or the supervisors whipping you for "laziness". It was more...humane now. Heck, you could finally buy a toy for your children every once in a while. You finally had dignity as a person for the first time in eons.

The Vonmisians were a similar story, although less extreme. The Serene State of Vonmisia was an oligarchy composed of noble families who ruled by birthright. Only certified nobles could vote in elections, and the commoners got squat. As these nobles were hellbent on staying in power, the commoners could not engage in commerce or, depending on your social caste, even go to university. Their destiny was to be workers for their companies and fields.

With the Empire in power, they got rid of these privileges only certain castes and classes had. Now, everyone could open a business and get educated. Sure, the Ryccians imposed draconian policies to extract wealth and made them second-class citizens, but, compared to the limiting caste systems of before, this was better. At least they weren't fifth-class citizens now!

As a measure to make themselves popular and to make logistics easier, the Ryccians also improved infrastructure in the region. This benefited the poorest in society, as entire slums of neglected lower caste labourers finally got access to reliable electricity, running water and the wonders of the modern world. Ironically, when the Democratic Revolution occurred, it was the descendants of these lowest castes who were initially more loyal to the Empire until the sheer brutality and the promise of total equality and freedom changed their minds.

But that was all yet to pass. Theresa was only thinking of what champagne to buy in order to celebrate this victory. The future for the Empire looked bright. Her family would surely live on and thrive with this new conquest. Forever, with the Empire...forever.

Who knew the current Duke of Sorlicht, her present-day successor, was only an average citizen two thousand years later?

Deputy Regional Minister of the Planning and Development Agency(March 8-May 19, 2014)

Local Council Member(April 24-August 11)

Court Justice of TSP(August 15-December 7)

Quotes

"The 1% is like a 1% battery charge. It will die out if it is not charged(the charge is the 99%). But if you don't charge it, it will die for sure, sooner or later"
- Me (2001- Present)

"Change is the world's blood"
- Me (2001-Present)

[Image: 9ehfkQV.png]

(This post was last modified: 09-08-2022, 11:36 PM by Ryccia.)

Reply