A tall man who surpassed Marix’s heavyset build awaited them as they entered the small conference room. After the Gra Valkans took their seats around the table, the man stood and introduced himself. “Mornin’. I’m Colonel Bradley Thorne, liaison officer for the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. I’ll be facilitating our discussions today.” He then introduced a woman with sharp features, Dr. Serena Fieldstone from the Department of State, alongside a few other personnel including a military strategist and a couple of aides.

Seeing the Gra Valkans give nods of acknowledgment, he continued, “Glad you could join us. To begin, I believe it might be of interest to you to know the current status of your naval assets. Specifically, the Fourth and Fifth Conquest Fleets have, as we had expected, ceased hostilities and surrendered.”

The American’s words were blunt, carrying with it an air of suppressed… superiority. It was a tone that Crown Prince Gra Cabal was all too aware of — a tone that he’d seen practiced many times among the ranks of Gesta’s Foreign Affairs personnel. Yet, the American here seemed to at least be somewhat respectful about it, masking his pride while skillfully maintaining the demeanor that he had seen in Protocol Officer Mercer and the other American officials.

Though, it wasn’t the bluntness of his statement that was most shocking; it was the implication of it. Yes, he had already suspected as such, but hearing it confirmed and seeing the accompanying portraits of the captured Fleet Admirals on screen — it hit him differently. And, judging by the look plastered on the face of his father, it was disheartening news that drew them out of their blissful ignorance.

“Now, I’m sure you’re curious about the reasons behind your presence here today and why we extended our resources to ensure your safety – and your family’s safety – during the recent upheaval. The rationale is straightforward,” Thorne paused, turning to look Cabal directly in the eyes, “we recognize you as the… legitimate authority of the Gra Valkas Empire. Your potential leadership, in our assessment, aligns more closely with the principles we prefer to engage with, especially when juxtaposed with the current regime’s irrationality. This acknowledgment, naturally, leads to an anticipation of well, reciprocal cooperation, moving forward. To lay the groundwork for this collaboration, I propose we start with a candid recounting of the events leading up to, and following, the coup. Your insights here are invaluable. Your Excellency,” Thorne said, beckoning the Emperor to answer.

This man, Thorne, had a way with words Cabal couldn’t ignore. The man basically told them to cooperate not just for the benefit of their nation, but also as thanks for saving their asses – all with the diplomatic finesse of Gesta’s top-ranking personnel. He looked to his father, who recognized the same skill he did. His father seemed hesitant, even reluctant, to answer.

The facade of orders was a shot through his prideful heart, but he knew that there was indeed no better path for the Gra Valkas Empire, so he answered nonetheless. “It was never my intention to drag my great Empire into a war with your nation. I was acutely aware of the tremendous toll it would exact. Unfortunately, the War Hawks, blinded by their belligerence, fail to grasp this wisdom. I’m certain that their leader, Guinea Marix, had long disapproved of my methodologies. The incident with the GVS Revolution, I believe was the last straw for him. You’re familiar with the affair, I presume?”

Thorne nodded. “One of your ships went rogue and tried to attack one of our convoys.”

Gra Lux sighed. “Put bluntly, yes,” he responded, his tone dropping but an octave lower. It was clear he didn’t appreciate the way Thorne said it, but he brushed it aside and continued, “We decided to destroy the rogue ship to prevent war. Following that incident, Marix and his cohort began to openly defy me in strategic meetings. It wasn’t long after the Battle of Hytal that I received word of his plots. I prepared contingencies to deal with him and ensure my own safety, but it seemed that his influence had much more reach than I expected. I loathe to admit this, but I fear for our fates had your people not rescued us.”

Thorne paused and considered Lux’s revelations about Marix’s defiance and the subsequent coup. “It seemed Marix’s ambitions extended far beyond mere military aggression. Could you elaborate on the extent of his influence within the Empire? Specifically, how did his views resonate with the military and civilian sectors?”

“Marix was not a popular figure until recently. It is my belief that his fame was a result of opposition to me, rather than allegiance to him. We identified your assistance to Mu as critical to their defense. I preferred to continue the offensive until Mu surrendered, before suing for peace with the Mirishials. Marix, on the other hand, thought to tackle the issue at its source by, as we’ve seen, attempting to strike at convoys,” Lux answered.

Thorne listened intently while his aides jotted down some notes.

Lux continued, “You see, our people are prideful. Our Empire is one built on conquest, and we have never known defeat. And so, most of us grew complacent – Marix especially.” He laughed, as if grappling with the irony of his situation. “It seems that our own propaganda ended up working against us. Our people could not fathom the concept of defeat, so they clung to Marix’s baseless nonsense, and will soon reap the consequences of this folly.”

He took a break, sighing once more. “To answer your question, his influence is as strong as the prevailing sentiment. Naturally, this is stronger among our warriors. The civilian sector, in contrast, cares more for their livelihoods. They are good Gra Valkans, indeed, but nationalism can only go so far when their families are shattered and the cost of basic goods climb to heights we’ve never seen before. For now, the people agree with him, but it won’t be long before they start turning against him. The losses of tens of thousands of men and entire Conquest Fleets – this is too significant to be suppressed, even with heavy censorship and propaganda.”

This time, Thorne didn’t simply nod. He looked toward Dr. Fieldstone, as if he were now broaching a topic where their disciplines intersected. “Given Marix’s influence, particularly within the military ranks, how stable do you judge the loyalty of your forces to be? And, should the situation evolve favorably, what kind of framework do you envision needing to…” he paused, making eye contact with Gra Cabal briefly as he continued, “reassert control and re-establish governance in line with your principles?”

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“You will find that I am in agreement with what you truly seek, Colonel,” Gra Lux answered without hesitation. “My people – military included – are loyal to the Empire alone. They will do what is best for the Empire. Their current dedication is a complete and utter travesty, built upon Marix’s misguidance. They truly believe that his leadership is better for the Empire than my own, but they don’t realize how ill-prepared we are to face a contemporary force with superior technology to our own. When they do realize, they will seek a leader who understands this,” he explained, turning to Cabal. “If you seek such a leader, I entrust my son to the task.”

“Your Highness?” Thorne asked.

Cabal eyed the man. It was clear the Americans were using him, hoping to turn him into a sympathetic puppet, but what other alternative was there? Sure, there were others in the Empire who understood the technological discrepancy and championed peace, like Cielia, but none were as historically popular as he was among the citizens. Puppet or not, this was still the best possible path for him and the Empire, considering that Marix’s ambition extinguished all other routes.

He collected his resolve, exhaling deeply before responding, “If the Empire needs me, then I shall be there to lead it.”

Thorne looked to Dr. Fieldstone, who took over the discussion. “Are you sure, Your Highness?”

This was an opportunity to back down and pass the mantle – and the responsibilities and concerns that came with it – to another person. It was a daunting task, becoming the next emperor, but it was one that he was quite literally born and raised for. “I am certain,” Cabal affirmed.

Fieldstone seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief, likely glad that they wouldn’t have to arduously search for a new candidate to work with. “That’s good to hear,” she said. “In that case, we’ll be making some modifications to your schedule to focus on your upcoming role. In the meantime, your father earlier mentioned that you were historically popular? Could you elaborate on that?”

He guessed that they wanted to gauge how effective their strategy would be – to what extent the citizens would accept him as a new ruler once Marix was deposed. He answered honestly, “Certainly. As Crown Prince, the spotlight was inevitable, yet my engagement with politics was minimal. My interactions with the media were limited – a wave to the cameras, a smile, a few token words. Reflecting upon it, the reasons behind my popularity elude me. It was something that simply… existed.”

Dr. Fieldstone’s expression softened. “Your humility is refreshing, Your Highness. Anyway, even if the origins of your favorable public image are unclear to you, it’s evident that there exists a positive foundation upon which we can build.”

She paused for a moment, thinking of her next words before continuing. “In the coming days, we would like to work closely with you to enhance your visibility and engagement with both the Gra Valkan public and the international community. Countering Marix’s narrative is a concern, but we also want to make sure that you’re also supported by the various Elysian nations that have been… negatively impacted by the war.”

Cabal pushed down a grimace. It had cropped up earlier when Mercer mentioned their security concerns with Embassy Row. He had almost forgotten about it amidst the Americans’ relative hospitality, but it was still a present and stubborn threat they’d have to consider after Marix’s inevitable surrender.

Fieldstone then outlined a preliminary plan. “To start, we’re considering a series of carefully crafted public appearances and statements, which will be broadcast to both Elysian and Gra Valkan networks.” She turned to his father, “Your Excellency, could you explain your administration’s use of propaganda and your relation with your country’s media?”

Gra Lux began, “Unlike your nation, we don’t need the front of a ‘free’ media. We harnessed the full might of the state media apparatus to orchestrate the Empire’s narrative. Naturally, we used this to rally our people to a singular, noble cause and emphasize the glory of our military campaigns. Such measures were imperative to ignite a fierce sense of national pride, which, as I’ve said, worked against us.”

“How difficult would it be to shake this narrative?” Thorne asked.

Gra Lux shrugged. “Our dominion over the media was absolute, steering the public discourse with a firm hand. Public perception is not a thing you can dismantle so easily. Exempting the passage of time and the lack of letters making it back home, we would need to control the flow of propaganda over radio and television broadcasts, newspapers, and public speeches.”

The Americans’ expressions soured slightly upon hearing this. As powerful as they were, it seemed even they weren’t immune to experiencing the struggles of a difficult situation. Fieldstone looked to Thorne, “Couldn’t we just hack or override their broadcasts? We’ve got a plane for that, don’t we?”

“The EC-130J?” Thorne replied, shaking his head, “It’s not enough. Even if we ran the plane straight through the heart of the Gra Valkan subcontinent we still wouldn’t have enough reach. And that’s not even taking into account security. We don’t have control over Gra Valkan airspace; sending a squadron of fighters for escort, plus a refueling tanker, is an operational risk we can’t take.”

Gra Lux observed the interaction. “You would need to seize control of the Imperial Broadcast Corporation’s headquarters in Ragna,” he added. It was a direct path, but especially daunting given the heightened security following his rescue. “Control the headquarters, and you control the narrative across the Empire.”

It was clear what needed to be done: a covert operation not unlike the one that resulted in their rescue. Thorne covered his mouth, releasing a heavy exhale. “Security’s bound to be even tighter than what we encountered during your rescue…”

Gra Lux simply nodded in response.

Thorne looked down at the table, calculating the possibilities. “How should we start?”

“I have an associate within the IBC who you must contact if you wish to develop a strategy – Chief Technical Officer Marcellon Skaldottir.”