The Shield of Empyrea was delighted with his plans for installing the permanent Guardians he needed in the seats occupied by temporary ones.
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Two such seats were the Gaurdians of the Northeast and East-Northeast, which he was to give to Valerie and, as he was spearheading a Coup d’état against Earl Malum, to Rainer aswell.
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Although this plan would not come to fruition and his investment in Viscountess Valerie would not mature and reward him if Earl Malum won. Hence why he had called a meeting of the Aassembly
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“Guardians! Our allies in the Northeast are presently leading a Coup d’état against the sole remaining Anchor of Æonex the Tormentor, the Ætharch and Earl of Narciss, Malum Ego. You all heard the blast and dealt with the artificially high amount of Ætherical energies in the air, so it is not unreasonable to presume that the Narcissian Rebels took down a Dreadnought. I propose to the Assembly of the Sixteen Guardians that we aid mMissValerie in the fight against her brother.”
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The mixed reaction to this showed that the regional views on the Northeast ran deep. The Vorantine and Aquilorians looked uneasily at each other because of the humiliation they had endured for just how badly Narciss had beaten the Southeast and South during the Coalition War and the quiet hostility from them suggests that the regions had not forgiven something over a hundred years ago.
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The North, both Western and Southwestern Guardians reacted positively to the idea among them selves because Cerulea had accepted its defeat in the Coalition War after the Battle of the Great Spire and Umbracrest was a historical ally of the Earldom.
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Unfortunately, this left things divided.
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“Guardians, it is important that any opinions be cast aside, the Northeast has suffered perhaps more than any other region.”
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He gulped and rolled the metaphorical dice.
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“Those in favour?” he asked hopefully
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The Guardians of the North, North-Northeast, Northeast, South, West, Southwest, South-Southwest raised their hands. Unless there were a few that abstained, then it would be seven to nine.
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“Those opposed?” Raven-Valtor said nervously.
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The remaining nine Guardians raised their hands. “If you are sure friends..” Muttered a saddened Shield of Empyrea.
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“The other proposal is to create the Empyrean Aeronautical Defence Fleet or EADF as a successor organisation to the former ÆDF to protect us and the rest of the regions from the skies. Malum will probably send in his remaining Dreadnought if he wins, and we must be able to strike back!” Eirlys Ravyn-Valtor would be shocked if anyone voted against this.
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“Thoughts?”
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“The Northeastern Fleet is still under the control of the Covenant, and it is unmatched in every regard. A fleet for the North is a sensible idea, and we could later expand it to be similar to the ÆDP agreement.” The Guardian of the North, Zoma Taurinè, stated calmly.
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One of the temporary Estrin Guardians voiced their agreement with this, “The Dominion rules the sea, but the Archipelago would be impossible to defend for long against a Narcissian backed Covenant attack from the air. A fleet for the North!”
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No one else had anything to say. In fact, they had all raised their hands.
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Apart from one. The (Temporary) Guardian of North-Northeast.
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“Motion carried! We are privileged to have the genius aerial tactician, Aquilorian Rear Admiral Orang, offering to command the EADF. He will be the new Guardian of the North-Northeast as the temporary one has been generously given the role of Adjunant Admiral and tasked with organising the EADF due to his logistics background. He agreed to vote against this as a joke and is all for our new fleet.”
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The Guardians, the Banes of Æraxis and Æonex, and the gathered CATAE onlookers burst into applause.
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The Shield of Empyrea had one last thing to say on the matter, “As the Æther Defence Pact was undone by the Covenant of the Void, the permanent Guardians will be mostly comprised of leaders and chosen representatives. As we speak, a charter is being drafted by political experts based on what the CATAE refugees want from the government. The North of Empyrea will become a sovereign region called the Glacier Electorate which will allow the small regional population to vote directly on minor issues to allow the Elector of the North, who will be Guardian Zoma Taurinè of the North, to focus on critical issues and pan-regional policy.”
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Eirlys Ravyn-Valtor could not help but smile as he received a standing ovation from the younger CATAE members who planned on staying in the North after the Covenant of the Void was defeated.
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