Gentlesophonts:
The 'Net gremlins seem to be trying very hard to keep me from posting
this little piece of opinion about the Regency. First, there was my
erroneous posting of Sunday (again, my humble apologies). Then I tried
to complete that posting but the message never seemed to make the TML
nor did my copy to myself appear. So here goes again.
Several folks have wondered why the Regency has not made more progress
beyond the Virus Quarantine and into the Wilds. It has been noted that
public opinion in the Regency is largely against such expansion while
`economic pressures' seem to call for it. It has also been noted that
another obstacle to expansion might be concerns about possible threats
from the Zhodani or Vargr or Aslan *ihaeti* (or whatever they're called
in TNE).
My sense is that public opinion in the Regency will be whatever the
leadership wishes it to be. Norris is (was?) nothing if not an excellent
`molder' of public opinion. Only the `Hero of the Fifth Frontier War'
could overcome centuries of psi-phobia and anti-Zhodani sentiment.
The second issue is the `paper tiger' of the Vargr threat. This has not
been credible to me since the days of the Rebellion despite the efforts of
GDW. It takes a stable government to effectively wage war. The Vargr
are *predisposed* to fragmentation and factionalism. Any good leader
would see that the Vargr threat could be neutralized by fostering instability
in the Extents. Certainly such a task is not beyond the capabilities of
Norris and his heirs. Corsairs may be tiresome but they do not pose a
real threat.
The Zhodani remain a mystery to me. Maybe some of you with TNE rules have
an opinion on this?
And the *ihaeti* seemed to have stopped being a threat even before the
Virus appeared when the Denebians started viewing them as colonists rather
than invaders.
And it seems to have been established that the Virus no longer poses an
insurmountable threat despite the public opinion in the Regency.
So with all these `imaginary' reasons dispelled, what might be the real
reason the Regency has not expanded into the Wilds?
IMHO, the *primary* threat to the Regency is that posed by an opponent that
might question its `legitimacy' as the `heir' to the Third Imperium. As far
as the Regency knows, one or more of the Rebellion Factions might also have
managed to `survive' the onslaught of the Virus and the subsequent Collapse.
Many of these states might challenge the Regency's claim to the mantle of
the Old Imperium. Imagine the response in the Regency (and elsewhere)
should a `just and noble' granddaughter of Lucan (or Margaret) emerge from
behind the Black Curtain at the head of a `Renaissance Fleet' anxious to
bring `all of Strephon's children' back into the Imperial `family'.
Therefore, it is in the interest of the Regency leadership to remain in
Quarantine. The longer the Regency populace is isolated the lesser the
chance that *any* claimant to the Imperial heritage, no matter how legitimate
they may seem, will be able to garner their support for abandonment of the
`regency' and a return to the `Imperial' fold.
Peace,
David Johnson
Houston, Texas, USA