Shadow of Freedom

“While many of my decisions will be subject to review, Mr. Prime Minister, one thing I can tell you with absolute certainty at this time is that my Empress and her government have no intention of adding independent star systems forcibly to the Star Empire. Nor are we interested in controlling nominally independent star systems through puppet governments and protectorate arrangements. In fact, our recent expansion is going to leave us with some significant problems when it comes to integrating our new citizens into our existing political and economic system. We still don’t know how those problems are going to work out, although I’m optimistic that they will work out, but no one in the Star Empire’s government is eager to add still more potential headaches to the list. Holding down forcibly annexed populations would probably rate pretty on anyone’s list of headaches, I’d think, and that doesn’t even consider the fact that we literally cannot afford to fritter away the military resources we need against something the size of the League by tying them down on occupation duty just to keep our boot on the neck of someone who doesn’t want us running their star system.

“Because of the nature of our conflict with the Solarian League, however, it’s inevitable that we’re going to find ourselves doing very much what we did here—taking star systems away from Solarian control. When that happens, we automatically assume a moral responsibility for the future well-being of those star systems. We don’t want our actions to lead to wholesale violence, political instability, or the emergence of warlordism, and that means we can’t simply pull back out as soon as the local Sollies surrender. For that matter, if we did any such thing, it would simply invite the Sollies to return to the vacuum we’d leave behind us.

“As I see it, that means our best course of action is to encourage the formation of stable system governments. Independent stable system governments. In many cases, that’s going to be very difficult, for reasons I’m sure you understand.” Michelle’s Brown eyes turned grim. “Frankly, Mr. Prime Minister, the Meyers System’s been incredibly fortunate compared to the vast majority of protectorate systems. That’s the reason you and I are having this conversation. I believe there’s an excellent chance King Lawrence can form a genuine, popularly accepted government with our support, and I’m prepared to offer that support as long as he’s committed to forming a government prepared to safeguard its citizens’ fundamental civic rights and safety. I am not prepared to support him in the formation of any government which does not safeguard those rights and that safety.”

She paused to let that last sentence sink in, then leaned forward, resting her elbows on her thighs and clasping her hands under her chin.

“Should King Lawrence be interested in forming such a government, and should he be prepared to demonstrate guarantees for his subjects’ rights and safety, I’m prepared, provisionally, speaking for the Star Empire of Manticore, to acknowledge him as the rightful sovereign of the Meyers System, and to offer him a military and economic alliance with the Star Empire. We’re not interested in policing, occupying, or owning your planets, Mr. Prime Minister. We are interested in depriving the Solarian League of a foothold here or elsewhere in the Madras Sector, and our experience has been that offering a potential ally a helping hand instead of an iron fist is the best way to achieve a stable, long-lasting relationship. You might want to study the relationship we’ve achieved with the Yeltsin System and the Protectorship of Grayson.”

Montview sat silent, gazing into her eyes very intently for several seconds. Then he drew a deep breath and squared his shoulders.

“Obviously, I’ll have to discuss this with His Majesty, Milady. I believe, however, that you’ll discover this is no more than what he’s always wished it had been within his power to accomplish. I don’t say there won’t be problems. Among other things, I expect the Damien Moons to argue in favor of independence from the Kingdom. That’s where the most…recalcitrant of our people have relocated since Frontier Security’s arrival. They haven’t thought much of our ‘inner world’ softness and collaboration.” He smiled briefly. “Hard to blame them, really, but I’ve often wondered if they realized how much that ‘collaboration’ of the King’s had to do with Frontier Security’s leaving them alone out there.

“Aside from that, I think the political equation would work itself out much more smoothly than you might have anticipated. I also think our local police forces would be extremely grateful if we could establish a clear-cut source of local authority as quickly as possible. At the moment, everyone’s operating in something of the vacuum, and that means all of them are also looking over their shoulders, wondering what’s going to happen if and when you and your ships pull out.”