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[Margrave]

How are things looking Il Palazzo? Do you need some more time?

[Il Palazzo]

Yeah, a few days more, tops. I'm wrapping things up here and should be able to get back to fighting the good fight against the corruption of the League and the Church's obscurantism.

[Il Palazzo]

Thanks for putting up with me these past few weeks. There should be no more undue delays on my side, and I can only hope that this break haven't put out the flame of competition in you guys.

To make the game a bit more tantalising, I've decided to wobble this five-legged chair of ours, make one leg somewhat longer.

Turn sent

Lazarus waited at the landing pad of the Shield of Argaon, only a low, constant humming a reminder that the ancient machines were mysteriously spinning a veil of protective force over the neighbouring territory. That, and an almost imperceptible flicker in the sky when a friendly ship was passing through. The two haulers just now causing clouds to ripple were carrying a very special cargo.

'Welcome, Leaguemeister, I trust you had a pleasant journey. My household guard will show you to your new quarters, where you will find plenty of time to contemplate your past mistakes.'

A slender Xanthippe guardswoman did not give the bound and beaten Meister a chance to voice his complaints, spiriting him away with great efficiency. Lazarus did not deign to pay any more heed to his captive's fate, as his mind became fully preoccupied with what was now being unloaded from the same ships. Five Imperial Scepters, snatched away from the greedy, heretical hands of the League. Each one a sign of power, each one a sign of trouble to come.

'What are your thoughts, Lucinda?'
'I think, the next few senate sessions are going to be a pain. I just hope you haven't sealed the fate of our house with this decision.'
'Times are changing, sister. Houses are growing in power and the old powers decline. Somebody would do it sooner or later.'
'I suppose it's better it was us, then.'

The two siblings stood there for a while in silence, contemplating the future.

[Kebooo]

Turn sent

"Lord, our intelligence reports that the Hazat have taken the scepters allocated to the League by the great Vladimir Alecto."

Nikolai snorted with derision. "Did a street urchin tell you that? Everyone across the known worlds have heard of the Hazat claiming sovereignty over Leagueheim. Who is surprised? They're savages."

"My lord, I did not mean to offend. We are doing our best to collect all the information we can. Your generous donations to our program are being spent wisely. The Hazat still have Eye assassins stationed near our voting principals." the officer replied uneasily. Decades of service, but he knew one mishap is all it took for it to be over.

"Continue your work. We need to discover if this Lazarus is as foolish as he appears."

[joulupunikki]

Thanks for putting up with me these past few weeks. There should be no more undue delays on my side, and I can only hope that this break haven't put out the flame of competition in you guys.

To make the game a bit more tantalising, I've decided to wobble this five-legged chair of ours, make one leg somewhat longer.

Turn sent
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efficiency. Lazarus did not deign to pay any more heed to his captive's fate, as his mind became fully preoccupied with what was now being unloaded from the same ships. Five Imperial Scepters, snatched away from the greedy, heretical hands of the League. Each one a sign of power, each one a sign of trouble to come.
<clip>

Asking for a time-out is ok.

And,

alerted by our cousins, we sent scouts to Leagueheim and saw the gathering of forces under the Hazat command in orbit there. I bet the Leaguemeister would make his own "infamy"-speech, if he was in any condition to make statements to the press.

[Margrave]

Turn Sent

Welcome back Il Palazzo, you certainly chose a helluva way to return to the limelight.
=============================================

House Hawkwood announces two new holdings on the planet of Tethys.

"Assembled Electors of the Empire, due to the recent announcement of the Leaguemeister's capture, my Lord Bror Fredrik von Ivald Hawkwood would like to present before the Senate a proposal to end the hostilities against the Merchant League. We understand the difficulties involved in such negotiations but are anticipating a lasting ceasefire in five years or so.

We encourage all other Royal Houses to join us in stopping all offensive operations, Leagueheim is broken, Bannockburn has been liberated, Madoc is but a backwater. Let us return to normalcy, restore Galactic trade and start to mend the unfathomable expenses Humanity has incurred for the Leaguemeister's avarice.

If this plea is met with silence, then we must at least petition that the Guilds remaining trade transports be left untouched. Otherwise every Lord may as well pillage and burn their planetary agoras to the ground for if we cripple the League permanently then it may spell the end of whatever remains of the Empire."

-Elector Faustus Hawkwood

[Gollor]

Turn sent

After the recent malicious actions and abuse use of Imperial Eye we have confiscated all their holdings placed inside our territory!

Whoever takes the control of Imperial Fleet - please free the space above Stigmata, the garrison spaceships cannot transport even the single unit across the orbit!

[joulupunikki]

Playing now, but I think I'm gonna need to sleep it off before the turn is ready

Baron Baldwig Li-Halan was inspecting the latest reports on labor and agriculture in the ministry of labor. Frowning at the figures, he thought to himself: "Whose great idea was it to breed all these serfs ? They eat all the food but produce very little firebirds . We need couple a billion less serfs ...", a volley of musketry was heard from the courtyard of the ministry building, "... and one new minister of labor."

[Il Palazzo]

After the recent malicious actions and abuse use of Imperial Eye we have confiscated all their holdings placed inside our territory!

What 'malicious actions and abuse' you speak of, al-Malik?

Let it be known that your attacking imperial assets will be deemed an act of treason by the Regency and an act of war by the Hazat. If you think we'll stand by idly while you kill the soldiers of the Empire and ravage its holdings, you are gravely mistaken.

[Gollor]

After the recent malicious actions and abuse use of Imperial Eye we have confiscated all their holdings placed inside our territory!

What 'malicious actions and abuse' you speak of, al-Malik?

Let it be known that your attacking imperial assets will be deemed an act of treason by the Regency and an act of war by the Hazat. If you think we'll stand by idly while you kill the soldiers of the Empire and ravage its holdings, you are gravely mistaken.

Not so long time ago the great Emperor Vladimir I has issued 40 scepters of immense power. They were distributed among great houses, Church and League to keep the balance and stability across the Known Worlds. But by your malicious actions you brought the balance to the end, acquiring the scepters of Church and League. You not only insulted the great tradition of Humanity, but also enraged the great powers.
Unless you concede the seized scepters this will end only in war!

[joulupunikki]

After the recent malicious actions and abuse use of Imperial Eye we have confiscated all their holdings placed inside our territory!

What 'malicious actions and abuse' you speak of, al-Malik?

Let it be known that your attacking imperial assets will be deemed an act of treason by the Regency and an act of war by the Hazat. If you think we'll stand by idly while you kill the soldiers of the Empire and ravage its holdings, you are gravely mistaken.

Not so long time ago the great Emperor Vladimir I has issued 40 scepters of immense power. They were distributed among great houses, Church and League to keep the balance and stability across the Known Worlds. But by your malicious actions you brought the balance to the end, acquiring the scepters of Church and League. You not only insulted the great tradition of Humanity, but also enraged the great powers.
Unless you concede the seized scepters this will end only in war!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[joulupunikki]

Turn sent

[Il Palazzo]

Turn sent

Assembled senators, I thank you for your continued support. Rest assured, House Hazat shall carry on strengthening the Empire against those who would seek to feast on its holy body for personal gain.

To empower ourselves in carrying out this task, we shall retain control, and continue expanding Eye operations throughout the sector.

Having witnessed what we saw as outright colonisation of Tethys by Hawkwood settlers, we have decided to transfer the Fleet control to the pious and honourable House Li Halan, who we trust will not misuse the powers so.

As for the Stigmata Garrison - on the eve of elections, House al-Malik forces have, without warning, attacked Imperial Eye assets on and over the planets they hold. The attack was wholly unjustified, sneaky and unbecoming. The loss, capture, or imprisonment of two cities, a dozen of ships, and nearly two dozen of regiments have weakened the Eye, and the Empire, significantly.

For this crime, House al-Malik is stripped from their ministerial command, the Stigmata operations being entrusted to the able hands of House Decados.

Furthermore, for the lost Eye forts, the al-Malik holdings on Byzantium are reduced to their single fort only, where their troops are to remain in house arrest for as long as we deem necessary.

For murdering loyal servants of the Empire, a life of a noble-born is thus forfeited, the execution being carried out with immediate effect by Eye operatives and Regency's own forces.

The fate of the last al-Malik elector in the Capital shall be held as ransom - with life or death depending on their future actions.

(from the inaugurating speech made by Lazarus Hazat, by the will of the People the Imperial Regent)

[Margrave]

As Elector for House Hawkwood here on the Senate floor, I object to these accusations that Duke Bror Fredrik von Ivald Hawkwood misused his tenure as Fleet Commander.

Tethys is a world of untapped potential, it has never been against Imperial Law for Noble Ministers to extend and cultivate Ministry worlds for the good of the Empire. Nor should any Royal House feel threatened by this expansion, any House interested in obtaining more property was welcome to do so.

Descend upon the surface and ask the locals how they feel about the new wealth being generated. Of the public works that House Hawkwood commissioned or the record drop in planetary unemployment. The average Tethyian is now better fed, clothed and has more firebirds in his pocket than at any other point since Emperor Vladimir burst into flame (holy or not).

My lord is a humble, Pancreator-fearing and obedient servant of the Empire. He would have me keep silent, but his record accomplishments as Defender of Known Space will be heard! Under his leadership the Symbiot menace was repelled from the orbit of Stigmata, he is even the first to reclaim territory from the vile beasts upon the surface of Daishan. The putrescent hellspawn that roam and infect Stigmata have never been weaker. Three hives were scoured from the blighted lands they dare inhabit and with not a single capital ship lost. We have even added a considerable number of bombers, fighters and two refurbished Dreadnoughts to the Imperial Fleet.

Let these achievements stand testament to the good that House Hawkwood has left for future Ministers and end this slander against the Duke's proud name.
-Elector Faustus Hawkwood

[Kebooo]

Turn sent. Also purchased a holding on Manitou from the Vau. It's 20 gems, right?

The Decados representatives looked at each other without a word. The boisterous proclamations and arguments of the other houses would not be amended in any way by the Decados. Not while more interesting ventures were under way.

Meanwhile, a large armada entered Criticorum space. Each ship carried the Mantis emblem. Such an important and risky mission was accompanied by none other than Lady Gorakhan herself.

"Signal to the Al Malik that we're just passing through. They are free to rattle their sabres at us too, but we are not here for war. I'm sure they wouldn't want both the Regent and Garrison Commander as enemies. Our business is our own."

The communications officer transmitted the message and Decados communication channels went silent once again. Gorakhan then retired to bed, bringing the briefs telling of Al Malik slayings and Imperial Eye losses with her.