806 A well Oiled Machine
Following the triumphant conclusion of their first official war against interster civilizations, the imperial government dered a one-week holiday across the empire to mark the historic victory. To further enhance the celebratory atmosphere, the imperial family announced a fifty-percent discount on selected essential products, with the family personally covering the remainder of the cost to ensure essibility for all citizens.
Additionally, the government made all subsidized utilities—electricity, water, and gas—entirely free for an entire month, offering tangible benefits to every household and amplifying the sense of collective celebration.
In a gesture of goodwill, individuals serving minor prison sentences for petty crimes, deemed to have genuinely repented, were pardoned. Simrly, fines for minor offenses were forgiven, encouraging as many citizens as possible to join the festivities without lingering burdens.
The celebratory spirit quickly spread throughout the empire, uniting its people in shared joy. Proxima Centauri, where citizens had anxiously watched the battle unfold, recorded a one-hundred-percent participation rate in the celebrations. Meanwhile, Earth also saw widespread festivities, with celebration rates ranging from the high nies to the low eighties, reflecting the profound impact of the empire''s monumental achievement.
At least when only civilians were considered, the celebrations were in full swing. However, the situation was starkly different for imperial government employees and military personnel. Staff from the Ministry of the Exterior, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of War remained fully engaged, ensuring the stability and security of the empire. For the military, there was no time to join in the revelry. The order to maintain the highest state of readiness was still in effect, and every active-duty soldier was upied with monitoring movements from the opposing side, ensuring strict adherence to the terms of the recent agreement. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om
While the mana oath and runic agreement served as safeguards to bind both sides to theirmitments, the empire’s leadership believed in preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. This cautious approach meant the military remained on high alert, vignt for any potential breaches or unforeseen actions that could threaten the fragile peace.
Meanwhile, officials from the Ministry of the Exterior were deeply engrossed in analyzing the data gathered about the civilizations on the other side of the conflict. Coborating closely with advanced AI systems, they worked to categorize and profile each civilization, striving to develop efficient strategies for future interactions. Their primary objectives included identifying each civilization''s modus operandi, determining what resources or technologies the other side possessed that the empire deemed valuable, and assessing the significance of those assets to their respective owners. Depending on the findings, they aimed to devise approaches to acquire these resources for the empire at the most favorable terms, should the emperor or the empire require them.
Although the avable data was limited, and the task would have been more effective with a more robust exchange of information once stronger connections were established, the ministry adhered to the principle that starting early would ease the workloadter. Adding to their motivation was the double sry bonus they were entitled to for working diligently while the rest of the empire celebrated the holiday. This incentive ensured a highly focused effort to prepare the groundwork for future diplomacy and trade.
Agencies under the Ministry of the Interior were equally preupied withying the groundwork to ensure the empire and its citizens could adapt seamlessly to a future where direct interaction with extraterrestrial civilizations would be routine.
The Imperial Health Agency was spearheading efforts by analyzing data from both the remains of alienbatants killed by the emperor and those who perished during the conflict. Their goal was twofold: first, to identify diseases these aliens might be immune to but could pose a significant threat to human and Proximian physiology, and second, to develop vines to protect both species from such foreign pathogens. In parallel, they were researching vines for aliens entering imperial territory, safeguarding them from human diseases that could potentially mutate upon cross-species infection and spark a Conve-wide pandemic. Such an event would not only pose a medical crisis but also hinder the empire''s broader objectives of interster diplomacy and integration.
Other agencies were simrly engaged, each focusing on their specific domain to anticipate and mitigate potential issues arising from the forting cultural and biological intermingling. These agencies aimed to proactively identify and resolve challenges, ensuring that the empire maintained its preparedness and not be relegated to reactionary measures once things had gone wrong.
While all these efforts were underway, the emperor issued a decree establishing a new entity known as the Imperial Mana Agency (IMA). This agency would function as a coborative endeavor between the three primary ministries: Interior, Exterior, and War. Its primary mandate was to oversee and regte the sale and distribution of mana stones to other civilizations. While Hephaestus Heavy Industries retained responsibility for mana stone production, they would operate strictly under the directives of the IMA.
The agency’s responsibilities were extensive, epassing everything from setting prices and determining purchase limits for each civilization to implementing sanctions and ensuring their enforcement. To maintain impartiality and efficiency, the IMA would bypass standard ministry reporting hierarchies and report directly to the emperor himself.
True to the empire’s reputation for maximizing efficiency and innovation, all operations were conducted within the universal simtion. This allowed officials to utilize time eleration, operating at the highest rates tolerable by even the weakest government personnel. This ensured that tasks were executed thoroughly, with ample time for analysis and refinement, minimizing errors caused by rushed decision-making.
Aron observed the intricate operations of the empire through Nova’s advanced visualization system, which rendered the workings of the imperial government as though it were a single, seamless machine. Every cog, from the newly formed Imperial Mana Agency to the coordinated efforts of the various ministries, moved with precision.
But the moment of satisfaction was fleeting. Aron quickly shifted his focus back to his packed schedule, more demanding than that of any other imperial official. Despite having just emerged from consecutive life-and-death battles, with only a brief respite to recover, he refused to allow himself the luxury of rest. His responsibilities weighed heavily, and the chaotic aftermath of war required his direct involvement to untangle and solidify the empire''s gains.
"I’ll restter," he thought to himself. For now, every moment counted, and postponing rest was a small sacrifice to ensure the empire’s stability and continued growth amidst the unfoldingplexities.