19:00 Rasterous Local Time

Central Administration Complex Capital District

The Committee took their seats as Murith stared out the giant viewport, it cut into the unyielding walls of the great Arcology his subordinates now found themselves in. The room was an industrial grey, the window heavily armoured, the Princeps had ordered it recently replaced. The entire building had been renovated to meet his exacting expectations, say what you want about the Boss, he was cautious and he knew what holes to plug.

The table, again industrial grey, made of functional stainless alloys, possessed a singular holoprojector within its center. The Princeps turned towards the assembled officials and began to speak.

“ Let us forgo with the formalities and delve right into the business of the day. I want a report on the economic and industrial situation as well as our reconstruction progress. “

A bureaucrat shifted uncomfortably in his chair as the Princeps focused his gaze upon him, peering into him. He shuffled his documents and rose to speak. The Minister, his name being a slew of numbers and characters, was a gaunt man with slicked back black hair. One of Murith’s new breed of administrators he had ‘recruited’ from Cartao. They were for reasons that do not need elaborating on, much more loyal and replaceable then most. This was the 3rd of the Loran models, the previous two suffered from psychosis, a by-product of their rushed production cycle. Murith seemed content to have to replace them frequently due to this. It meant his chief ministers never lived long enough to establish a powerbase and the little biochips inserted into them at genesis would ensure they could be easily and safely remotely terminated with the right kill code.

The Minister of the Economy pressed a key on the conference table activating its holoprojector with the customary ethereal electronic audible emissions. A series of graphs, charts and figures were now illuminating the room in a strange blue glow.

“ Your excellency, as you can see, the damage to the Ring’s was more superficial than we originally feared. Our most optimistic expectations on ship building are coming true and full production capacity will be restored on schedule. Other Principate Shipyards report similar figures. Our work on the Vigilant Project and the first experimental models will be complete soon. These will be the basis for a potential replacement to the venerable but aging ISD X series. As for national economic and industrial indicators, mining quotas have been raised and the prison worlders are not responding well. However, the increased ruthlessness of the new Umbaran guards and the new criminal policy of deportation has dramatically increased outputs in the sectors of mining and resource extraction. The creation of a national labour organization has had the expected effect of eliminating independent trade unions, thus degrading workers protections and allowing us to decrease wages and increase hours. This has been done under the National State of Emergency directive put in place during the war. Overall production is up and will exceed prewar outputs at this current rate. “

He straightened his uniform and clicked to the next series of charts with a carefully practiced movement. He spoke again, this time with a slight tinge of concern, rather than his normal cool professionalism.

“ However, there is the matter of agriculture. Our predecessor, the Despot and his forefathers administrations, had pursued a policy of rapid industrialization. Strip mining and clear cutting entire ecosystems was common and little regard was ever given for ecological impacts. This policy overall, has benefited the nation, we boast a high rate of industrial growth and our heavy industry rivals most warlords. This unfortunately does have a mild but important downside. After the conclusion of the current conflict we have been put into a difficult situation in regards to food. The collapse of Carida has put incredible pressure upon our agricultural and consumer goods imports, and the war with the Alliance has cut off a secondary source of commerce. The loss of many worlds and the potential loss of Zeltros will cut off further sources of agricultural surplus. We are left with the agricultural world of Hratth. While it can meet our needs, this has resulted in a rather permanent state of rationing. Our food security is precarious and I understand your unwillingness to ask the Bloc or Mimban for assistance, but perhaps we could ask Corellia or Atrisia or Alsakan? At the very least we could make some cuts to our military spending to import more food, at least temporarily? “

His features grew incredibly anxious as he noticed the Princeps grow increasingly unamused. He had just finished a conference with the Security Coalition and this bad news was not to his liking.

He sat there, the room cloaked in silence, for a few endless moments before speaking.

“ I am surrounded by cowards. You want us to ask for help? I have had our Minister of Communications censor inbound and outbound holo communications, and obfuscate our economic situation for a reason. In the short term the situation will be arduous. But power is born of perception, and we must appear strong and in control. I have authorised state organizations to begin exporting food to help dissuade foreign rumours among our allies that our situation is more dire than reported officially. Our information apparatus will release figures showing a record harvest and we will announce the imminent lifting of rations once our humanitarian obligations are met. I thought you understood, the military comes first. There is no point in keeping our people fed and clothed and entertained if we cannot defend them. This NEW ORDER is about the collective, the WHOLE, this body lives for the WHOLE, not the individual. This short term, decadent thinking is what makes the Alliance weak and soft, it is why they could not call our bluff after Zeltros. If we are to survive we must be able to bear any hardship. Not just shortages, our people will need to in time endure famines and disease. The road to victory requires a will forged of metal. I possess this vision. You clearly do not, you clearly understand nothing. I will not tolerate cowards and defeatists among our leaders. Let this example serve as a lesson to the rest of you, as to what happens when a part of the body grows weak and gangrenous. It is cut out so that the whole may survive and in time thrive. “

Murith raised his hand and the Minister began to choke and sputter, begging and pleading. He was slowly lifted off the ground as Murith felt his anger pour into him, crushing the life out of this pathetic wretch. He then began to grow tired of the futile struggles and whimpering of this animal and with a crunch the display was over.

Murith adjusted his hair and turned to his aide.

“ Notify Cartao we will need a new model. Have the Deputy Minister take over for now. Ask the Gene Farmers to try and come up with something with a little more spine this time. Now gentlemen. Our new priority is income. I have taken steps to have our intelligence organs reach out to various black market contacts. We will mobilise our vast chemical industry to mass produce high grade Synthetic Spice and then utilise these underworld partners to flood the Alliance and other pathetic societies with our produce. This should provide a much needed influx of capital for our aggressive economic recovery scheme. You will find your orders in the morning, I expect them to be carried out perfectly or you too will be replaced. The New Order has no room for failure. Now, good day. “

And with that their great leader strolled out of the room, and onto a shuttle to take to him to meet with some mysterious old contacts from Ossus. The assembled ministers were left awestruck and stunned at the display of violence, even though these sorts of things had become increasingly common since their liberation from the evil Despot. The creation of a free society required eternal vigilance and blood letting it seemed. A pair of cold uniformed Umbarans entered as Murith left with a body bag to collect the slowly cooling corpse. Business as usual on Rasterous.