[u][b][h3]Jovian space colony OASIS-3 "Tyrande", in orbit around Europa:[/h3][/b][/u]
The colony had come a long way since its original creation more than a century ago, originally a water collection and storage facility for the rest of the Jovian colonization effort. Now a bustling shipping and cultural hub for the Europan colonies and Jupiter as a whole, it had weathered the AI Calamity War and came out the other side, wounded but victorious, and has since recovered from the war. Now, it was celebrating another year of its founding, with Chancellor Jerome Lantheil giving the celebration speech.

"My fellow colonists! My fellow Jovians!" he spoke with pride. "Today, we stand here as friends and family as we celebrate yet another year of prosperity! Through thick and thin we have stood together, and through cooperation and hard work, we will persevere! Here’s to a hundred more years!”

The cheering was loud and festive as drink containers were lifted into the air, some spilling, before the celebrations resumed, people dancing, chattering, and drinking as they were. They were enjoying the drinks, the food, and the entertainment - including a special concert starring several rising popstars, including none other than the Chancellor’s sole daughter and Tyrande’s own unofficial princess! It was a moment to savor and to enjoy, a moment of respite among the madness of the 2nd Solar Century.

Most of those present chose to celebrate their home, but some turned their talk to darker subjects. The ever-present risk of pirates, the increasing volatility of the Venusian cloud-cities, the rising tensions on Earth, the tumbling Martian economy, and more close to home, the threat posed by the looming Jovian Empire, the name given to the growing coalition of colonies and corporations forming on their doorsteps. Ostensibly, the Jovian Empire was all about economic cooperation and mutual self-defense, but if so, why was there so much spending on rearming and acquiring unusual resources like Gundamnium? Why was there so much secrecy about its actions and operations, and why was there an increasing effort to silence the free press and dissenting voices?

Some held the growing tyrant in disdain, others praised them as a way for Jupiter’s children to stand united and march boldly forth into the future, but most people just wanted it to leave them be.

For all his outward cheer and affable presentation, Chancellor Jerome felt just as nervous as his people, and unlike them, lacked the luxury to just let go of his worries, no matter how much his friends and allies told him to relax. He was all for Jovian unity; as brothers and fellow colonists, they must all stand together to make a better world. What worried him were the rumors he was getting about the Empire’s activities, and the scraps of information that his intelligence officers managed to uncover. It seemed to be less about unity and cooperation, and more about building an armed fleet. And the more he heard of the supposed doctrine of the new Empire, this new-fangled “genetic determinism”, the less he liked it.

Nonetheless, he would continue to mix with both commoners and elites alike, providing helpful spiels, jokes, and other words of levity whenever needed. However, as he was exchanging pleasantries with a shipbuilding magnate, he noticed out of the corner of his eye an aide with a hurried gait to their step and a grim look on their face. He excused himself, bracing himself for what came next…

[hr]
An hour later, the Chancellor was on an escorted government hovercraft, his countenance and mood very much soured. With him were a couple of aides and Dr. Erika Hendriksen, Secretary of Defense, who had come to pick him up en route to Sayla Palace, the central administrative complex of the colony.

“And how many people are on board?” he asks.

“About a few dozen,” Dr. Hendriksen replies, pulling out the report on her datapad and sending it for Lantheil to see. “They’re mostly young ones, roughly in the 13-17 age group, though there are older people, with some being armed individuals. Nothing that poses a threat to our militia, if their word is to be trusted.”

“They came in with a mobile suit,” points out one of the aides.

“It’s pretty clearly damaged and needs repairs,” she counters. “They [i]could[/i] use it, but it would severely limit its operational ability, and we’ve deployed a squad of our own suits. Whatever’s left is in that ship, and we’ve got it covered.”

Jerome studies the pictures of the mobile suit and the ship. Both had clearly seen better days; the ship was an old cargo ship refitted to carry passengers, while the Mercurius had some notable battle damage.

“Let me guess, they requested refuge?” he asks.

“First thing they asked for,” Erika replies with a smirk. “Even quoted the Mallet City Human Rights sections.”

Jerome studies the images and the report sent by the refugees themselves. He could debate the possibility of danger, but it was clear that one mobile suit and a rusty hulk full of refugees posed little threat. The [i][b]real[/b][/i] threat was where they came from. Given their vector of arrival and the markings on the Mercurius, it was clear they had just escaped the so-called Jovian Empire - and that was going to be the biggest source of headaches.

“Bring them in,” He says with a sigh. “Can’t leave them languishing out there forever, I guess.”

“You know Rajesh is going to throw a fit, right?” Erika says with a chuckle. Rajesh Huerta was the Secretary of State, one who was trying to manage cordial relations with the Empire simply because they were the biggest local power.

“I can certainly understand why he’d feel that,” Jerome said with a weak smile. “Still, these people require food and medical attention. We’ll worry about the Empire later.”

Erika nods.

“Let’s get ready to face the music, then,” she says. “Bet the council will have some very colorful words for us, but I think we can get them to agree if you can turn on the usual Lantheil charm.”

“Well, here goes nothing…” Jerome sighs as he straightens his suit and tie as he steps out of the hovercar and onto the landing platform.

[hr]
Three hours later, the squadron of Aries mobile suits watching the refugee ship and the Mercurius approach.

“Refugee ship, this is Captain Henri Ducard of Mobile Suit Squad 2, over,” the squad leader says over the comms. “You’ve been cleared to enter. You will follow us to Dock QA113 for standard quarantine procedures, repeat, Dock QA113 for docking and quarantine procedures. The Mercurius will follow Squad 4 to Hangar CA098 for maintenance, where it will be kept under guard. The pilot will be allowed to rejoin the rest after a basic checkup. Is that understood?"

[@Letter Bee]