Fate of the Trapper System

Roman Silver, the President of the Provisional Government of Trapper, was more liaison-in-chief than an actual leader. He was a bureaucrat put in place to be the intermediary between the Heraklean occupiers and the native residents of Trapper. His cabinet was in a similar position. The Secretary of Defense facilitated Trappers joining the Heraklea's combat auxiliaries. The Secretary of Commerce gathered information on Trappers in need so they could receive Heraklean humanitarian aid. And speaking of the Secretary of Commerce...

“How bad is it?”

“Depends on your definition of 'bad,'” responded the secretary. “If you just mean our standard of living, we've never been better. Unemployment is at its lowest in a century and a half and compared to how most of our people used to live, we're practically a nation of kings. Particularly the folks coming back on leave from Heraklea's auxiliaries. Crime's down, poverty's down. If you ignore the fact that we have no say in our government, which isn't exactly a change anyway, I'd say we're actually doing pretty well.”

“So we're better off as a client of a foreign power than under a domestic despot. That's good to know.”

“Yes, but our economy is almost entirely dependent on Heraklea. Except for a few of us at the top, the highest earners in our country are employed by the Herakleans. A lot of our people are seeing that, and are signing up with the auxiliaries themselves. Because of that, a few of my analysts project roughly a third of our citizens will also hold Heraklean citizenship as well within a decade. Give it another decade, we're looking at seventy-five to eighty percent at least. For all intents and purposes we might as well be a part of Heraklea. Which brings me to my proposal.”

“Your proposal?”

“I think we should petition the Heraklean Chief of State for annexation.” There was a deafening silence around the table.

“You're insane,” said one of the other secretaries.

“No he isn't,” said President Silver. “It actually makes a lot of sense. The question is 'will they go for it?'”

“Why wouldn't they?”

“If they annex us, the Centauri-Veridian tradelane will fall right within their sphere. The majority of Veridian trade will pass through Heraklean territory. Given their recent declaration concerning slave-states, that will put them in direct conflict with the Veridians. That may be trouble they don't want.”

“Well, there's only one way to find out.”

* * * * *

“We know the reasons not to and the reasons to do so anyways,” said Grand Admiral Adelei Kirrin said to the assembled Joint Chiefs. “Time to way in.”

“I don't particularly care about pissing off the Veridians,” said High Admiral Ida. “I say we go for the annexation.”

“Annex,” agreed High Admiral Maria. Going around the table, each member of the Joint Chiefs weighed in. A few supported annexation, more had no reservations or support. Only High Admiral Burke of the Diplomatic Service had any reservations about the annexation, and even then it was more a word of caution than actual argument against.

“Then I think we have our answer.”

* * * * *

Grand Admiral Adelei Kirrin, Chief of the State of Heraklea, has announced today that he is accepting a petition for annexation sent to him by President Roman Silver of the Provisional Government of Trapper. The annexation will go into affect immediately though there will be a year long transitional period while the Trappers are indoctrinated to Heraklean society and system of government. Heraklea will also be annexing a number of uninhabited systems in the area around the Trapper System.

The Heraklean Diplomatic Service has launched a diplomatic blitz to establish relations with all of the minor powers Herakleas newest neighbors, and the ambassadors in nations with already established relations have assured foreign states the annexation will not change Heraklea's foreign policies or cause Heraklea to lessen her commitment to her allies.