Modest Royalty: Subverted. For a couple of reasons: first, the problem with leading people who aren’t impressed by claims of authority by right, or to put it another way, the problem with leading by virtue of your displayed arête, is that you have to display it. Second, humility is
FILISSIN, ÓDELN – The last ship of identified Republic sympathizers left Ódeln this morning on its way to Márch, under the supervision of local consular authorities from a number of polities, and at the same time, as tensions cool, the internment of the local kalatri has been terminated – although they have
What’s Up, King Dude?: Played straightish. In its straightest form, even the Imperial Couple expect to be able to walk the streets, visit the shops, have lunch or a coffee, etc., outside the Imperial Palace without requiring the closing of streets and the emptying of stores and vast security
Royals Who Actually Do Something: Played straight with the Imperial Couple, who are indeed heads of government as well of heads of state, personally oversee the executive branch, chair the Council of the Star (the senior of the two Cabinet-equivalents; analogous if you will to the board of directors vis-a-vis
“EILAN (CRIMSON EXPANSE) – The Third Border War, or the Core War, is finally over. In amendments to the Republic-Worlds Demarcation Convention, signed today by Minister Plenipotentiary Elyse Phylarius for the Empire and the Worlds, and Admiral Irjen Tarvil for the Voniensa Republic, the belligerents agreed to a cease-fire in place,
One Nation Under Copyright: There are various forms of corporate-style governments found in the Associated Worlds – at least three distinct ones in the Empire alone. The first of these is the governing corporation – a government which organizes itself along corporate lines. (A distinct feature of this type of corporate government
Republic-Worlds Peace Conference Synchel ab Kamisir Negotation Center Eilan (Crimson Expanse) “You’re stalling.” This statement from Elyse Phylarius, the senior Imperial representative at the conference, fell flatly across the conference table. “I’m sure we don’t know what you -” “Of course you do not, gentlesophs,” she continued.
Mix-and-Match Man: Happened a lot more in the early days of genetic engineering – and still sometimes happens when the spouses in a multiple marriage of one schema or another wish to have a child that’s descended from all of them – but these days, if you want your child to
Oh, hey, it’s the last day of the month and I hadn’t even noticed. FAQ questions for February, Patreons all?
Many people have written in to ask, “What is that silvery, liquescent lining inside the pants of spacesuits we occasionally see on your broadcasts?” Well, viewers, that’s the sanitary nanopaste. You see, back in what we might call the pointy-stick era of spaceflight, the problem of the crew having
Mithril: The Empire’s so awash in exotic materials of the future (see: Unobtainium) that there’s almost certain to be one that matches mithril’s hypothetical properties pretty much one for one. I mean, sure, it’s some hideously complicated nanoformed metallic-glass composite, but “does the same, is the
“First, know yourself; and know your enemy, second. This is the first principle of victorious war.” – The Thousand Wise Analects of the Supreme Warlord, Xian Anandonos “It also doesn’t hurt to know what your enemy knows about yourself.” – Adm. Inesmír Muetry-ith-Muetry, in conversation Netharn (Idrine Margin) System CS Unconquerable