[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/p6PPXJq.jpg[/img]
[h2][color=red][b]The Imperium of Hiron[/b][/color][/h2][/center]

[b][u]Grasping Hands[/u][/b]

For millennia, the Imperium had sat behind its great blue oceanic walls, and save for an apparently failed expedition to the Malik Islands some time in the past, it had never intentionally sent its people outwards to claim land for itself that was not part of the Home Islands. That began to change first with the Emperor's Proclamation that the four island chains to the south and southeast of the Home Islands were now Imperium soil, and with the apparent reticence of the people to naturally move there on their own, it was decided that more decisive action needed to be taken. Opting to not bother to wait for the expeditions to the islands to return, assuming that perhaps they never would considering the apparent mishandling of the issue by a lesser bureaucratic body, the Imperium of Hiron and the Dragon Emperor founded the Ministry of Colonial Affairs, headed by [b]Minister Sato Erobi[/b].

The Ministry of Colonial Affairs was created primarily because the Imperium recognized the prestige of having colonies, as well as the  wealth of resources that would be available including spreading the range of the Navy to strike down enemies of the state. Its goal was simple: manage, expand, and oversee the settling of the colonies of the Imperium. The Ministry was thus given the following sums to settle the first four colonies of the Imperium:

[list]
[*]Setu Island: $5,000,000
[*]Kyio Island: $10,000,000
[*]Calipher Island: $10,000,000
[*]Mado Island: $10,000,000[/list]
Setu Island, Kyio Island, and Calipher Island were designed as regular colonies whose primary objective was simply resource acquisition of whatever was available. In contrast, Mado Island was designated as the site of a future Naval Port that would expand the range of the Imperium to encompass much of the lands south of the Maran Islands. Should the Ministry of Colonial Affairs require any more resources, it was welcome to request them from the greater Imperium as necessary. The colonization of such small islands was not expected to be too monetarily intensive, however. The names of the colonies shall match that of the islands they are built on.

The Ministry of Colonial Affairs shortly got to work by finding construction companies to build the necessary buildings on the islands, in particular Mado Island, as well as shipping companies to transport the resources. Troops and naval escorts were not immediately requested due in large part to looming tensions with the Xiang Warlords, but it was extremely unlikely the tribals would reach out so far over the ocean to touch Imperial vessels. There were also undoubtedly few to no natives on the islands in question. Abundant food, medical supplies, and temporary shelters were sent with the construction companies as well.

Surveyors were sent slightly ahead of the construction companies by a few days to mark out land and building sites, whilst back home, ads went up across the Home Islands for people willing to move to the new islands for significant pay. All kinds of people were needed: fishermen, farmers, prospectors, carpenters, etc. The Imperium had every intention of making these "colonies" just as much of a part of the Home Islands as Senryu was a part of the Imperium.

To mark the occasion, the Emperor gave a fairly straightforward speech to the press, "Today marks the day that the Imperium finally steps beyond its borders. You may think I am speaking of Wenshou Island or the coast of Du Nam, but no, I am speaking of the islands of Setu, Kyio, Mado, and Calipher! For too long, no one has laid claim to these islands. Whilst they are de jure Imperial soil, I have decided it is necessary to send true Hironese men and women to them to make them de facto part of our glorious Imperium. From here on out, the Imperium shall march even faster into the future! Colonial possessions, factories, increased modernization! The world will truly come to recognize us as Great Power! Thank you, and for the Imperium!"

[u][b]A Wolf Among Sheep[/b][/u]

"What you're telling me, is that the Hidden Arm has reason to believe foreign actors are actually affecting internal politics within the Imperium? I'm surprised that they can affect such a homogeneous population, although the Arm does essentially manage the same thing in foreign countries," recalled Emperor Ryugo as he sat at a table sipping tea.

Takami Hashi, the director of the Hidden Arm, had joined the Emperor on the other side of the small table, partaking as well of tea, "Yes, my Emperor. That is what the agents on the ground believe to be true. It is surprising to me as well, but I'd like to know how you want us to attempt to deal with the issue."

The Emperor shrugged, placing his cup of tea upon the table as an attendant poured more, "It's up to you. Don't make a big fuss about it though. Just figure out who sent them and make the agents disappear into the bowels of the Imperium somewhere quietly. If you can turn these foreign actors into double agents, even better, I suppose. The Hidden Arm's yearly budget for counter-intelligence operations will be updated in response. Let me know how things go, Takami, I'm always interested to see what the Arm can accomplish. I'd also like a report on Du Nam whenever it arrives."

"Of course, my Emperor. The Hidden Arm shall get right on it immediately, and I don't expect the Du Namese report to take much longer," Takami bowed and quickly made his exit from the room, returning to his quiet office elsewhere in Senryu.

[hider=Summary]The Imperium establishes the Ministry of Colonial Affairs, with the following colonies and budget to colonize them:

[list][*]Setu Island: $5,000,000
[*]Kyio Island: $10,000,000
[*]Calipher Island: $10,000,000
[*]Mado Island: $10,000,000[/list]
Setu, Kyio, and Calipher Islands would be typical resource colonies, whilst Mado Island would be both a resource colony but primarily a Naval Port to expand Naval operations south of the Maran Islands. The colonization of such small islands is not expected to be particularly monetarily or resource intensive. The names of the colonies matches that of the islands they are built on.

The Hidden Arm moves swiftly to root out potential foreign actors within the Imperial borders as per its orders, with the renewed yearly counter-intel budget.
[/hider]