Decisions at the top

"And you're sure about this? I don't think travel moratorium to and from the Califato is wise. If they didn't hate us enough to go to war already, this will push them over the edge," the foreign affairs minister said.

"Listen to you: 'if they don't.' Obviously they're likely to attack us in some way already. But the Planetary Armies are well prepared to intervene on any such action. No one has launched a fleet action in over a century, there's no reason to think they'll start one now. Not that the Califato has a significant space navy, anyway," the defense minister replied.

"I don't care what the President says! This is a poor decision. The Califato are chomping at the bit to send a message - any message - that will justify their world view," the foreign affairs minister retorted. "If we give them cause to think we're bigots then they'll hammer that point home with the public. We'll lose public and intergalactic sympathy and therefore, confidence."

"Bah! It's a small conglomeration of a few nation-planets. They can bemoan the 'unfairness' of our decision all they wish, they can take no real action against us."

"And if they send a nuke through one of the Gates? What then? You want that resting on your conscience?"

"If - if, which I doubt - that were to happen we'd be fully justified with launching the fleets in an all-out war and invading their systems."

"The galactic community will hate us."

"I'm not in this for the opinion of the galactic community. Neither is the President."

"So we have been keenly and repeatedly reminded..."