Brahsh bowed, showing her he had no intention of pressing his case.
“Putting that aside, what of disarmament?” Lamagh asked Faramunsh.
“I can’t give Your Majesty an answer right away.”
“Has Military Command Headquarters neglected to look into the possibility?” she asked.
One of Military Command’s roles was to prepare operational plans in advance, projecting various hypotheticals. Ideally, even if a situation considered outside the realm of possibility were to occur, counterstrategies laid out beforehand could be implemented. And while the prospect of a bloodless assimilation of Hania was implausible, it was not impossible. She felt that failing to foresee this scenario was negligence.
“Your Majesty has every right to scold us,” said Faramunsh, offering no excuses.
“No, it’s no matter. This is war. You must all be busy, too.”
“We appreciate your magnanimity.”
“Is refusing the proposal in our best interests?” she murmured, as though to herself.
“But then the Hania Federation will join the fray as our enemy,” said Brahsh. “The Ambassador’s sentiments are not shared by all the factions of his nation.”
Indeed, Teen had acknowledged that his opinions were not always swayed by those of the overwhelming majority. There was a faction vocal about joining the war. They made the case that they should face off against the Empire as quickly as possible in order to sweeten Hania’s postwar position. The reasoning claimed that if they won, they won, and if they lost, then the dissolutionists would get their wish. Of course, that way of thinking didn’t take into account the countless people who would die in the lead-up to the war’s end. If the Empire didn’t take in the Hania Federation, then the pro-war faction would gain steam.
“The Empire is now forced to choose between two different options,” Brahsh underscored. “Moreover, those options weren’t issued by a nation’s unified will, but rather by a single agent of that nation, which is a problem.”
“So even if We choose assimilation, they may be pushed into waging war anyway.”
“It’s a tricky choice to make,” said Brahsh.
“We understand that.”
“However,” said Faramunsh, “if they do join the war, it will make it easier for the Star Forces to fight. It would be a different story if they didn’t hamper us with the condition that we defend their territories to the death, but since they seek to, it would be less deleterious to us if we just let them join the enemy.”
“Did you fail to project that, too?”
“We never thought we would have to defend any territory-nation apart from Lacmhacarh to the death. Of course, with Your Majesty’s permission, I will have my people look into it.”
Lamagh thought it suspicious. “Why do you need Our permission?”
“Simply occupying the Federation would be another matter, but the idea of defending it to the end without occupying it certainly isn’t something the Empire itself would come up with. No one at Headquarters is foolish enough not to realize this is a request from an outside agent. Even if I tried to make it seem like I’d come up with the idea while drunk as a way to torture them, not everyone is so credulous as to swallow that. Though, polite as they are, they would pretend to have been duped. In any case, it would be tantamount to telling them outright that the Federation came to us with the idea. Of course, I’m of the steadfast belief that there are no rogues among my staff who would leak such confidential information, yet all the same, I hesitate to divulge this without imperial sanction.”
“Your subordinates are also Our subordinates. And We also have that faith in them. Have them run the projections.”
“As Your Majesty decrees,” said Faramunsh, bowing.
“Now then, We suppose We shall turn him down and await their entry into the war. Tell Us you have looked into that event, at least.”
“Of course, Your Majesty. I am always contemplating whether I go too easy on my staff, but thankfully, they are hard workers.”
“We have never once heard word of your being an easy-going superior.”
“That’s because I expend all of my strength machinating so that such news never reaches Your Majesty’s ears.”
“Well, We shall leave it at that.” Lamagh believed she had reached a conclusion. Assimilating Hania came with too many uncertainties. And presently, the Empire could hardly afford to take a chance.
“I believe Your Majesty should accept the proposal,” said Brahsh.
Does he intend to rekindle the argument? wondered Lamagh warily. She had started taking a liking to the new Chancellor, but if he proved sufficiently ill-mannered, she would have to remove him from duty.
“Let Us hear your reasons,” said Lamagh.
“If Your Majesty would, please think about the effect it would have on land peoples. If the Federation capitulated without putting up a fight, it would come as a shock to the peoples of the nations we’re battling.”
“And what would that change?” Lamagh cocked her head.
“War-weariness would spread like a virus among them. Some might even surrender at the star system level.”
“So, as We thought, nothing would change.”
Traditionally, the Empire didn’t particularly care if a landworld surrendered or resisted. Their main attack targets were fleets. So long as a nation didn’t possess a structure whereby they could issue orders to fleets at the star system level, then the Empire wasn’t especially relieved even if some provincial star system capitulated. In fact, it was disadvantageous in the short term. While that star system waited to be incorporated into the Empire’s economic zone, they would have to be looked after in one way or another, which was a heavy burden on logistics and could even limit their strategic options.
“But it would simplify governing them once we gain total control over them. Plus... the People’s Sovereign Stellar Union and the Greater Alkont Republic might follow in the Hania Federation’s example.”
“That’s only in the case that faith in Our imperial decrees holds.”
“Yes; I think it would be best to take up the Ambassador’s proposal, even if Your Majesty must uphold its stipulations to the last.”
“We cannot tie the hands of the military for the sake of a vague possibility,” said Lamagh, her emotions stirred. “We want quantitative opinions. Can you gather that data?”
“Yes.” Brahsh bowed. “We will calculate the possibility of the surrender of each of the Three Nations in the event the Hania Federation is absorbed. In addition, let’s also calculate the expected values of shortening the duration of incorporating the occupied landworlds into the imperial economic block. Taking these things together, we can carefully examine our prospects of ending the war.”
Faramunsh gave Brahsh a meaningful stare.
The Chancellor cast a glance the Director’s way. “Needless to say, we will pay utmost attention to keeping this classified.”
“If you please,” nodded Lamagh. “Very well; We shall reserve making a decision for later. Now, compile all of the necessary data, both of you.”
“With all reverence, Your Majesty.”
“As Your Majesty decrees.”
Brahsh and Faramunsh bowed deeply.