A Statement to Chief of State Gavrisom
From Imperial Minister of State
Walther Thaddeus Fiske
The Galactic Empire has been pleased to see Chief of State Gavrisom move forward with the dismantling of certain vessels of the New Republic Warfleet. We also stand in complete agreement with his statement of this week that its Fifth Battle Fleet is "an obscenity and a shame to us," and "a force designed only for conquest." The Empire has made this same observation for many years, and it is encouraging to see a Chief of State with the fortitude, for once, to stand up to the factious and bellicose of his Senators and admit—and correct—the shames of the New Republic where they are most glaring. The Empire would like to draw the Chief of State's attention to another of these, in the hope that he will correct it as well. The planet Bandomeer sits at the intersection of the Hydian Way and the Braxant Run, the latter of which, as he will know, constitutes much of Imperial Space. For a decade, the New Republic has maintained several garrisons, and a fleet and starfighter base at Bandomeer for the sole purpose of having the ability, if it so chooses, to sever food, clothing, medicine, and other supplies to tens of billions of innocent Imperial subjects. Needless to say, this action would today be considered a violation of the peace treaty to which the Empire most graciously agreed.
Surely, if the Chief of State is as reasonable and as genuinely committed to peace as we are, he will realize that there is no more legitimate purpose for New Republic bases on Bandomeer—the "gateway," if you will, to the Galactic Empire. We believe that these forces are unnecessary and, in the context of peace, a provocation that we have most magnanimously resisted thus far. We would consider it a gesture of good will, and of good faith, if he ordered the dismantling of these garrisons and bases and the withdrawal of New Republic fleets and fighters from such ominous proximity to us.
The same could be said for similar bases at Sullust and Omwat, which were established for the sole purpose of intimidating the planet Eriadu and compelling its 22 billion citizens to live with the discomfort and unending fear of possible assault. Replacing all of these bases with dedicated, diplomatic missions and embassies instead would no doubt be seen by history as an act of compassion to billions of sentients. To leave them in place in the context of peace will no doubt be seen by history (and by the Empire) as a needless act of provocation.
