Back on the de Jardin capitol planet, the Ravens were happily taking a break at their temporary quarters in the diplomatic sanctuary. It was quite similar to the Drogar secure compound, where it was a wide open, verdant space with numerous buildings inside. However, unlike the compound, this one w
She ducked back out and rejoined Eva, who was waiting by the sandstone pathway. The two then continued as they walked in a circle around the courtyard. “How are your people doing, by the way?” asked Eva. “The ones we saved from the Illuminated, I mean. They looked pretty awful when we pulled them o
The Ravens walked into the de Jardin Council Chambers, right in the heart of the palace. They were led to the center by Minister Mathilde and her assistant, where they all took seats at a number of tables. And while they prepped themselves to speak, Eva took a good look at the space all around them
An approving murmur spread out among the councilors. When they quieted down, Mathilde stood up to speak. She bowed her head slightly, then addressed the room. The authority in her voice boomed, though it wasn’t quite as strong as the Matriarch’s. “Greetings fellow dukes and duchesses,” she began. “
The councilors erupted in a great amount of discussion once Mathilde had finished her arguments. Many agreed with her, of course. But some still had too many misgivings. Risking a sponsorship for a nation of a hundred thousand people was easier to make, simply because of their numbers. “As you note
“Most of you trade with currency,” she said. “Ducat or krohn or credit. I understand your apprehension to spend it. As I’d mentioned previously, I deal with something far more intangible, and equally as important. Influence. “The influence between houses, and the influence between galactic nations
The entire council chamber erupted into many discussions with each other the moment Mathilde closed rebuttals. Although most already knew where they had to vote, some kept trying to sway them away. They felt that the Ravens didn’t qualify for nation-state sponsorship, for a variety of reasons. T
“We believe we’ve figured out why the Federation and the Empire are the way they are. And it’s sadly the way some other Houses here in the Hegemony operate, too. We Ravens want to be the antithesis of those governments. “We want to be the kind that builds and grows the people around us, rather than