The Consortium officer glanced at the woman who stood and spoke against him, sending a mental image via the network to a distant computer terminal, receiving information, and turned to speak to the Taishogun and the crowd.
"Some of your concerns are... valid.
'An organization not born among your people.' True. Does that, in your minds, invalidate us on it's own? The simple fact is, We have been forced to adapt from our original nature to deal with the changing times. And the times are, changing.
Though, this is coming from one with professed... and quite obvious ties to the Outcasts. Close enough that they regularly dispatch military forces to Kusari, far more then needed to escort Cardamine shipments, and tactlessly assault Naval Forces vessels with little effective strategy.
The fact that they have sent a capital warship to the Dragons' most sacred of places unannounced."
The man turned and his tone and expression lightened.
"But... perhaps that point is moot. You would say, 'we are allied with the outcasts as well'. That is true to a degree, the Outcasts sell us military hardware and weaponry we need. Though this is little more then a financial transaction, and should the Outcasts close their armories to us, we will find alternative sources of war materiel.
Understand this. Every action we take is calculated and serves a purpose. Means to an end. We take no pride or glory, we make no ceremony nor ritual...
...and nor have we imposed upon any of yours."
The man stopped pacing and kneeled down, still speaking.
"Know this, we act to protect the integrity of Kusari, in the face of it's self-imposed war and xenophobia, alien invasion, and more arcane threats. We must take a broad and wide reaching approach to ensure Kusari is not overrun by foriegn powers, nor that it is able to strengthen it's alliances abroad.
The Empire, as much as it and it's people stick their heads in the sand to deny it, are as much reliant on foriegn aid and commerce as any other house. Looking and more importantly, acting abroad is the key to bringing a situation where a new government, of any type, can be imposed. Simple minded conventional or gurellia attacks will never destroy Kusari on their own. However, the other houses must not be allowed to invade Kusari directly, lest all we have fought for be in vain.
We do however, have longer term intentions, which require a friendly government in control of Kusari, and our stake in it's industrial and military affairs. What you call 'nomads', as has been made quite obvious, are becoming too much of a nuisance to be ignored. As well, the Corsairs and, yes, the Outcasts, are both eager to overrun Kusari's borders and pillage the nation for all it is worth. We seek a strong Kusari, which is willing and able to take the fight to the Nomads directly, and powerful and unified enough to deter any would-be invaders from any human group that would conspire against it.
Of course, Kusari would never accept a foreign power that would claim sovereign over it. It's citizens would fight to the last man, woman, and child to forestall it. Therefore, we 'cannot' rule over Kusari ourselves.
That, however, is a moot issue at this point. Such issues of 'who will run what' should be left idle for the time being, lest we all squabble amongst ourselves for gains which will be quite moot if we cannot defeat Kusari, or another power comes along and tries to take control of it first."
The man looked around, bearing a somewhat stern expression.
