RICHARD: Welcome Loyal Citizens, to another episode of STRAIGHT TALK. We’re your hosts, Richard Narambe – ELLIE: - and Ellie Anderson. Tonight’s Episode will focus on the upcoming Imperator Elections, with potentially grave consequences for the Empire we Citizens hold so dear. RICHARD: That’s right Ellie, finally, after ten long years, the Empire’s true patriots will have the opportunity to let their voices be heard, and change course from the disaster of Costigan’s Universalist administration. ELLIE: It is no secret that HuXa, the Human-Xi’an Trade Initiative, has been much more beneficial to the Xi’an than to the UEE – with one retired Admiral going so far as to label it “the greatest betrayal of Humanity to the Xi’an since the Perry Line treaty of 2793." RICHARD: Let us never forget that shameful episode from our past. Citizens should always remember these four names – Hadur, Indira, Pallas, and Virtus – these are the systems that “Imperator” Troi and her crony “ambassador” Ramon Coen surrendered these systems, their wealth, and their strategic assets to the deceitful Xi’an. ELLIE: A shameful day indeed Rich. How did that old schoolhouse rhyme go? On the fifth of July, Lies multiply, In the year 2793. Sold to the Xi’an, By the Imperator’s treason, She betrayed all of Humanity. RICHARD: My kids still sing it on the playground today Ellie. But HuXa is not the Xeno only controversy from the Costigan government. It has been four years now since the Vanduul attack on Vega under his administration, and had it not been for the heroic actions of Admiral Bishop and the 2nd Fleet, Vega would have fallen like Caliban, Orion, Tiber, or Virgil . . . thank the gods we have men and women like him in the UEE Navy. Would the attack have even happened if the Universalists had not cut our naval funding time and time again? ELLIE: That’s right Rich. I think we all remember the Polo Initiative – a 10% cut to the military’s budget. An who do you think pushed for it? RICHARD: Of course it was the Universalists! The Xi’an are on our doorstep while we cede ground to them left, right, and centre – the Vanduul only barely fended off by our cash-strapped men and women in uniform, and there have even been rumblings of another Tevarin uprising. Coincidence that the Universalists elected the first and only Tevarin Senator in the 2946 elections? I think not! ELLIE: Let’s not be too harsh on Senator Kossi Rich, he is after all a decorated veteran of the Imperial Navy. Running for the Universalists may display a shocking lack of judgement on his part, but most Tevarin are loyal subjects of the Empire. RICHARD: Would they be so loyal if our armed forces left Elysium? If every Tevarin were allowed to vote, would they still back the Empire? How loyal are they really? Look, I’m just asking questions here, but I’m afraid neither of us would like the answers if we’re being honest with ourselves. ELLIE: I sure hope your wrong Rich. What are your thoughts on Senator Ngo and the Transitionalists? RICHARD: Ellie, you and I both know that the only think worse than another Universalist Imperator would be the election of a Transitionalists. She wants to move the Capital of the UEE to Terra from Earth! Can you believe the absolute gall of it? We’re the UEE not the bloody UET! Citizens of the United Empire of Earth – not of Terra! Do you know who else doesn’t care for Earth? The Xi’an, the Vanduul, and the Tevarin that's for sure. Maybe if she likes Xenos so much she should work for them openly like Costigan instead of in the shadows? ELLIE: Deep breaths Rich, deep breaths - remember what your therapist told you. I agree she would likely be an unmitigated disaster, causing divisions when we should be united against the Vanduul threat. RICHARD: Mark my words – if gods forbid - Earth is ever threatened by the Vanduul, you can be sure to blame both the Universalists and the Transitionalists for their follies and their failure to support the navy. Don't get me started on the huge sums of capital wasted on Synthworld - money that could have gone to defending our borders. We haven’t even touched upon their policy on internal affairs. The Transitionalists have yet to detail how they would tackle the rising Piracy Epidemic in Stanton for example. We both read the reports from Port Olissar – it is hard to believe the number of ship hijacks and ship rammings that occurred there during this year’s Intergalactic Aerospace Expo alone. ELLIE: Speaking of, let’s have a word from our sponsors . . . (OOC: Map credit goes to Shelbie, who posted it in the community hub & reddit a few years ago with a Standard Creative Commons license)