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“Now to recap the program, I‘d like the members of our panel to summarise the most important developments in the first twelve months of the new regime and Emperor Yannic’s reign. Professor Liffen?” the moderator indicated the middle aged woman on the far right of the screen.
“I believe Yannic’s most significant political achievement has been the legitimisation of his tenure in the position.” The sociology professor spoke to the unseen audience, focusing past the moderator’s shoulder. “He attached himself to the previous dynasty by marrying its sole survivor and used the wedding itself to debunk Trode’s personality cult. Making the reason he was chosen for the position public was a masterstroke and given the alternatives before us, I cannot imagine he will face any challenges to his authority until his eldest son reaches maturity – if then.”
“Thank you, Professor.” The moderator moved to the second of the four panel members. “Doctor Gorrec, your thoughts?”
“Economically I have to select his decision to push forward with the Military Development Tree,” pronounced the thick set academic. “Expanding the military and the construction work required for some of the immediate milestones are sopping up most of our unemployed. The underground rail system is not only providing construction work but will alleviate the growing congestion on our long distance roads, and that will provide additional economic benefits.”
“Thank you, Doctor, and now to Doctor Rossac.” The moderator was continuing down the line of panellists.
The thin pundit grunted. “In the administrative arena, I believe the regime’s most important move has been to bring a wide variety of people into the central administrative and decision making roles. The Imperial Family may have been too set in a mindset of “we broke so we have to fix it, alone” for their and our good. Also, they were too wedded to previous policy decisions such as the suppression of the Military Development Tree and the Fosterlings of Suohonn. Fresh ideas were needed, it’s a pity such drastic means were needed to get them.”
“And thank you, Doctor,” the moderator turn to the remaining panellist, “and your views Horren?”
“In hearts and minds, I think his best move has been to share the list of milestones we have to hit with the public. If this was ever public knowledge, then it hasn’t been so for generations and it helps him to have us know too what tasks are imposed upon us. Of course,” the lean, female, grey-haired woman went on, “his greatest triumph in this field has been to get us all to accept what’s been done to the Empress as being right and proper.”
“Could you clarify that please?” The moderator seemed uncertain of her point.
Horren sighed. “We have here a young woman who, the Gods only know how, survived the massacre of her entire family and was then stripped of her customary privacy to be paraded barefoot and at a gruelling pace across the countryside. She returned to her home which was occupied by her family’s murderers, to a choice of death, lifelong imprisonment or marriage to one of the men who pulled the triggers that killed everyone she knew. Empress Rensa looks happy enough in public but she lives immersed in the people who wiped out her family. The Gods only know what mental accommodations she’s made for her situation that she can still function. If this was anyone else, we’d be protesting her treatment and trying to rescue her. Instead, and I’m as guilty as everyone else, we want her to be physically intimate with one of her tormentors on a regular basis and bear him many children.”
“Thank you, Horren, your views do bear thinking about, and that concludes our show for tonight.” The moderator looked straight in the camera and finished, “Join Spotlight next week when our expert panel discusses the pros and cons of rationing reform. Good night.”