Subjugation, chapter 18 - Spoilers

[Weresmilodon]

From what I remember, there will be no more then one book. Subjugation, Alpha Project and DragonStar were meant to be one book only, not series.

('Course, that could change as Fel wants...)

[ANTIcarrot]

Jason's biggest problem isn't going to be getting Earth back (that's almost a sure thing now) but keeping control of it. Remember that he has to export an ungodly amount of food to the Imperium, or suffer the wrath of the Empress. Even if she gives him Earth this year, she can still take it away next year if he can't do that.

Look at Iraq now and consider that happening all over Earth if Trillane pulls all of its troops out overnight.

Consider that America and Europe are rather close to Imperial society, and how Faey soldiers might have acted in more alien cultures. Where woman can be beaten to death for showing their faces in public, or young girls have their gentiles cut apart as a part of the local culture. If nothing else try to remember how much two peoples can hate each other simply because their parents did. The Faey are keeping a lid on that the same way the British did in India. Try to imagine what will happen when that lid gets taken off.

What makes you think such people will give a damn what 'some bastard blue-skin/yank half breed' wants them to do?

The Faey aren't a problem at this point. It's humanity he has to deal with, and he has to convince the empress he can. There is a very good chance that, having spent the best part of two years getting the Trillane to leave Earth, he's now going to have to figure out some way to keep them there.

[Hearly]

What makes you think such people will give a damn what 'some bastard blue-skin/yank half breed' wants them to do?

The Faey aren't a problem at this point. It's humanity he has to deal with, and he has to convince the empress he can. There is a very good chance that, having spent the best part of two years getting the Trillane to leave Earth, he's now going to have to figure out some way to keep them there.

While, I see where you are going with this, Most of these things are in Desert regions, Low production areas, to me, the Mideast isn't that important anymore as Oil use probably dropped a Lot, Parts of Africa where those things go on, are poor farmlands anyways, America/Europe/Russia (Ukranie(SP?)) would be the biggest producers, if he can control, Rule those regions, he should be able to make the quotas..

[SYED]

jason would probally use trillane marines for a while while a human army and navy was established. for about a year, all the old armed forces probally got put on farm, they would all want to join space army, old generals and adimals, of course for different areas so cant cause trouble at home, also all the trouble areas, the disident people all go to farms, and the areas made safe and fertile, or made int to nature area. also he could establish new karinne academy, to encourage the farms, he could adjust taxes and cost so it is a gold mine for people

[ANTIcarrot]

just fence them in, let'm kill eachother,

That woudl be my preferred solution too, but it might depend on their legal rights as Imperial citizens, and I'm not so sure you could wall them off so effectively once they get a hold of rail guns and MPACs themselves.

I admit you raise a good point about America, Europe and Russia. Probably large parts of Africa too, assuming no external interference. Though even there there might be problems, especially in the more demographic countries. Jason as God Emperor of Earth he could pull off - as long as he doesn't try and act the part. Many authors portray one world government as something modern humanity would gladly accept. Even with all the technological boons he woudl bring, I'm less certain.

Though it might be a useful subject for book two.

[michaelsuave]

jason would probally use trillane marines for a while while a human army and navy was established. for about a year, all the old armed forces probally got put on farm, they would all want to join space army, old generals and adimals, of course for different areas so cant cause trouble at home, also all the trouble areas, the disident people all go to farms, and the areas made safe and fertile, or made int to nature area. also he could establish new karinne academy, to encourage the farms, he could adjust taxes and cost so it is a gold mine for people

Um, can you say hell no! There is no way that Jason would allow trillane forces to stay on earth after he takes it over. They are not only enslaving the populous, but treating them as chattel, taking anything and everything that they want from the humans. It is the imperial citizen rights being taken away by trillane forces that got jason into this whole mess in the first place, there is no way he is going to win earth only to allow trillane a foothold on the planet. No, unfortunately for Jason, when he gets earth, he better be able to control earth or he is screwed. Maybe he can call in help from the kimdori, perhaps the urami, of perhaps he has some technological tool he can think up with his new technology, but it is going to be house karrine as the only faey house or Jason loses everything.

~Michael

[Danl]

As long as we are tossing theories around here's another one for people to poke huge holes through. An option might be for Jason to get the Imperial Marines involved in using Earth as a training station instead of another house until he can hire or raise house toops and guards. After all Jyslin's Aunt is a General and it was said that she would do anything for a family member.

[J-Man5]

Hire the Moridons to put the fear of Hell in the human population. The look like most peoples version of devils. Be good or ELSE!!!!

J-Man5

[lapland]

Mars can never sustain life in enough quantity to make farming viable. However Venus is quite capable. It's almost exactly the same size and mass as Earth and has all the necessary elements. The main problem with Venus is the sulferic acid in the air. And it's over 900F. Currently scientist are speculating causing a chain reaction in the air to alter it enough we can start teraforming. Venus is within the 'life belt' as is Mars. There is also speculation that some moons of Jupiter and Saturn can sustain a liquid water life because of the hot interiers and their proximity to giant planets. Although they probably would be too small to support sustainable farming operations.

The big problem Jason has is that it's currently slow. However give enough AI units you could speed it up. And Jason is oh so good at chain reactions.....

With Earth currently producing 20% of the food, and his ancestral home probably able to produce close to the same, can you say Moola.... With the advanced robotics and AI available to him now, how much of the farming operation really has to be done by humans. Besides many of the labor jobs can be farmed out to local contractors, or not so local.

[Hearly]

That woudl be my preferred solution too, but it might depend on their legal rights as Imperial citizens, and I'm not so sure you could wall them off so effectively once they get a hold of rail guns and MPACs themselves.

I admit you raise a good point about America, Europe and Russia. Probably large parts of Africa too, assuming no external interference. Though even there there might be problems, especially in the more demographic countries. Jason as God Emperor of Earth he could pull off - as long as he doesn't try and act the part. Many authors portray one world government as something modern humanity would gladly accept. Even with all the technological boons he woudl bring, I'm less certain.

Though it might be a useful subject for book two.

I think the simple fact that with Jason Ruling Terra, the Humans will have some Control over there Destiny, which would probably be agreeable with 90% of the Human Population, Yes there will Troublemakers, but there always is, no matter what government there is.

[Lokis Advisor]

My uneducated totaly unsuported by any facts speculations follow...


I am kind of assuming that Jason will gain a large fortune from somewhere as either the heir to the Karinnes House fortunes. These fortunes, which may or may not be banked somewhere or could even be stored in some form on Karis.
If needed Jason once he is confirmed to the Imperium as the Grand Duke, may also be able to call in the patent rights and also patent new technologies found on Karis.

Using said monies he should be able to raise a sufficient force of Faey and Humans (hopefully telepathic expressed humans) to rule Earth and make it prosper, especially with the help of the Kimdori.

Given the normal conscription rules for the Faey and that for the first bit there would be no nobles putting their offspring in favoured safe positions, a position in the new Karinne House forces may attract some serious talent that has been suppressed in other house forces elsewhere. Jason could raise a very nice elite House force that may be very loyal.
As an effort to keep the populace of Earth happy as well as producing food he could now make the Earth the New University/Technology world of the Imperium with appropriate technology industries keeping everyone employed and hopefully out of trouble.

All of this would happen after Trillane is evicted and after they pay in some form or another for what they have done.
I speculate that Kumi may wind up with a very high rank in Trillane as most of those higher up than her will be executed by the Empress once their misdeeds are exposed by Jason and the Kimdori.

The potential for a downside I see is if Trillane rebels and tries to establish itself as a separate empire in an effort to avoid being executed
It would be very amusing if Trillane became a close ally of the Karinnes because all of the previous rulers were no more and the only one left was Kumi and she and Jason get on so well (or at least they will after she succeeds in tripping Jason)

[Astardis]

Hmm, nice chapter Fel.

On the other hand, I hope you keep the influx of "super" "uber" or "god" technology to a minimum. Up until now, you managed to keep Jason ahead of the other Faey with his quick and cunning mind, his ability to "think outside the norm".

Now, you have introduced several new advanced technology. As I stated in the Sub17 spoiler posting, I don't like "deus ex machina".

I can't really see, how Karinne would have been able to hide such great advancements to the rest of the empire.

First of all, there is the money. If you compare research hundreds of years ago with nowadays it should be clear. Newton sat under a tree and he wrote his theories. Today even for the smallest findings you need huge particle accelerators, hundreds of technicans and so on.
The only logical way to gain enough of the necessary money, in my opinion, are the royalties from their inventions, selling patents or producing products themselves with their advanced technology.

Second, even if they kept alot of findings a secret, they still used them. If you use technology so far above anyone other, it is bound to get noticed. For example, all other Faey knew the Karinnes were stronger in telepathy. Some could have been explained by their breeding program but not all. So I am sure, the only thing that prevented the other Faey to come to the conclusion of telepathy amplifier was the paradigma that telepathy and technology doesn't mix.
But that can't work for all the other advancements like the FTL transmitter.

And third, the "human factor" ... pardon the "faey factor". I can see a faey scientist/professor deep involved in Karinne research telling his students just a bit more than he/she should have. Discussions of technicans in a bar, overheard by other patrons and hundreds of ofter possibilities. And that leaves direct espionage still out of the equotation.

No one can keep something a secret, as long he is using it. After all, the US couldn't keep their B2's a secret after they started to test/use them.

So, all I can hope in the end is, that Fel isn't going to end his phenomenal story by turning on "god mode" and squishing Jasons enemies to pulp. I would like to see them fading away slowly

[Fiferguy]

I really don't see Trillane giving up without a fight. They were making a killing off Earth before Jyslin went bonkers, and I highly doubt they will give up without a huge fight...Even if Jason takes it before the Empress, the attempts on his life won't stop. Especially while there's only two members of his house. There are over 45 Trillane nobles, and other houses are just as well established. So I don't think that even God mode at this point will help much.

I do, however, see Jason making some...modifications...to the ships on the Moon base...stealth technology in those ships would make them a true terror...

[SYED]

jason has the tech to heal the lost irradiated planets in the imperium and else where, he can claim them and bouties. also the gate is one path, draconic to earth, if the ships travell be hyper space jason can just mine the outer system, also the unknown karinne, he calls them to gether and make trety to their houses, who would not want to be tied to karinne house. also karinne could help the imperium as the ummni and kimdori could join the imperium or create allies, if jason does this scores major points. trillane also wont do big fighting at earth, slavery was said to lose house charter, they are facing serious cost and punishment

[Fel]

Hmm, nice chapter Fel.

On the other hand, I hope you keep the influx of "super" "uber" or "god" technology to a minimum. Up until now, you managed to keep Jason ahead of the other Faey with his quick and cunning mind, his ability to "think outside the norm".

Now, you have introduced several new advanced technology. As I stated in the Sub17 spoiler posting, I don't like "deus ex machina".

I can't really see, how Karinne would have been able to hide such great advancements to the rest of the empire.

First of all, there is the money. If you compare research hundreds of years ago with nowadays it should be clear. Newton sat under a tree and he wrote his theories. Today even for the smallest findings you need huge particle accelerators, hundreds of technicans and so on.
The only logical way to gain enough of the necessary money, in my opinion, are the royalties from their inventions, selling patents or producing products themselves with their advanced technology.

Second, even if they kept alot of findings a secret, they still used them. If you use technology so far above anyone other, it is bound to get noticed. For example, all other Faey knew the Karinnes were stronger in telepathy. Some could have been explained by their breeding program but not all. So I am sure, the only thing that prevented the other Faey to come to the conclusion of telepathy amplifier was the paradigma that telepathy and technology doesn't mix.
But that can't work for all the other advancements like the FTL transmitter.

And third, the "human factor" ... pardon the "faey factor". I can see a faey scientist/professor deep involved in Karinne research telling his students just a bit more than he/she should have. Discussions of technicans in a bar, overheard by other patrons and hundreds of ofter possibilities. And that leaves direct espionage still out of the equotation.

No one can keep something a secret, as long he is using it. After all, the US couldn't keep their B2's a secret after they started to test/use them.

So, all I can hope in the end is, that Fel isn't going to end his phenomenal story by turning on "god mode" and squishing Jasons enemies to pulp. I would like to see them fading away slowly

The Karinnes kept what they were doing a secret easily, by following these simple guidelines:

1: Visitors to Karis were restricted to a very small continent where the Academy was located, hiding the rest of the planet from outsiders. All travel to and from Karis was STRICTLY controlled. It was harder to get to Karis than it was to get to Moridon, with multiple security checks, telepathic screenings, and scans. And that was just to get IN. Getting OUT was even harder. Most people attributed this security to the Academy's advanced research and the need to protect it, and the Karinnes' general isolationist views, for they only tolerated outsiders at the Academy. If they only knew.

2: Outsiders could not control ANYTHING, as they had no means of interacting with any of Karis' technology OUTSIDE THE ACADEMY. Interfaces and gestalts were NOT used in the Academy out in the open, only in controlled labs. Everywhere else outside the Academy required an interface or gestalt; one could not even open a door on Karis off Academy Isle without an interface. An outsider on Karis Proper that somehow managed to elude Karinne security was very quickly and very easily singled out and dealt with. Usually a "dealing with" of a permanent nature.

3: The Karinnes were the most powerful telepaths among the Faey. Even if someone DID discover their secrets, they sure as hell weren't getting off the planet with them.

Oh, and remember: in that era, interstellar communications were impossible. Even getting a message out was a daunting proposition, given that one had to broadcast to a ship, and no ship could get within communications range of Karis without being challenged.

4: And if all else failed, there was the Kimdori. They did a lot of work keeping Karis a secret.

Money: Money for the Karinnes was not an issue. This is kinda a minor spoiler, but the Karinnes refined replication technology to allow them to produce complex molecules, but they were still restricted to producing no base atom heavier than Iron (even they couldn't quite get the knack of replicating a heavy element and make it stable). They simple replicated any materials they needed, and since they could replicate precious materials like gold, well, let's say that they could produce a staggering amount of money in a short time if it became needful. Clearly, though, they saved this for true emergencies. The rest of the Imperium thought that they funded their house and their efforts via tuition fees at the Academy, but the truth was, that money just paid the salaries of the outsiders that worked there.

Sure, they kept up the illusion that they were a house that played the economic game like everyone else, but they had a major ace up their sleeves.

The Human factor: Yah, this happened. Quite a bit. But that's what those exit screenings the students/spies had to go through before they left the planet were for. Nobody could hide ANYTHING from a Karinne Mindbender, who were the most powerful telepaths alive. Anyone who had suspect information had that information culled from their memory and then healed over so they never knew they knew it in the first place.

It took a lot of effort and discipline to keep these secrets for so long, and they had lots of help from the Kimdori. Jason's already realized this, and he's come to the conclusion that, like the Karinnes, he's going to have to take some pretty extraordinary steps to protect Karinne technology. The first decision he made is that the Imperium will NEVER know that Karis has been cleaned up and is inhabitable. To them, it will remain a dead planet. He's going to use the scout ship en route back to Karis as the vehicle by which he establishes his position as the new leader of the house of Karinne.

Telepathy: actually, that's exactly what the others believed, that it WAS the breeding program that produced such powerful telepaths. It was absolutely inconceivable to just about everyone that a machine could interact telepathically with a Faey. It had been reserched and studied for thousands of years, and it always ended in failure. Even the Karinnes failed, until they did something that's pretty much unthinkable; wide-scale genetic engineering to produce telepaths that COULD.