General Assembly
Security Council Governor: 
The Founder Nation of Waites Corner
WA Delegate: None.
Founder: The Founder Nation of Waites Corner
Last WA Update:
Embassies: The Khamen Union, The Embassy, and Siblingd.
Tags: Featured, Human-Only, Medium, Modern Tech, Role Player, and Serious.
AEH contains 18 nations, the 1,085th most in the world.
Today's World Census Report
The Most Developed in AEH
The World Census compiles a "Human Development Index" by measuring citizens' average life expectancy, education, and income.
As a region, AEH is ranked 18,140th in the world for Most Developed.
 | Nation | WA Category | Motto | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  The Empire of Le Hexagone | Inoffensive Centrist Democracy Communists | “Liberté, Ordre Public” | |
| 2. |  The Holy Ethiopian Empire of Abyssiopia | Moralistic Democracy Ordinary Decent Hardworking People | “Ethiopia Stretches Her Hands unto God” | |
| 3. |  The Republic of Lenkjia | Moralistic Democracy Ordinary Decent Hardworking People | “Bóg, Honor, Ojczyzna (God, Honour, Fatherland)” | |
| 4. |  The Republic of TransLeithia | Moralistic Democracy Ordinary Decent Hardworking People | “Strength, Hope, Loyalty” | |
| 5. |  The Christian Republic of Punic-Carthage | Moralistic Democracy Ordinary Decent Hardworking People | “All Hail The New City!” | |
| 6. |  The Ottoman Empire of Persian Gulf Nations | Inoffensive Centrist Democracy Communists | “Devlet-I Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State)” | |
| 7. |  The Roman Empire of The Eastern Latins | New York Times Democracy New York Crimes So-Called Democracy | “Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem” | |
| 8. |  The Republic of Great Srbija | Inoffensive Centrist Democracy Communists | “Only Unity Saves the Serbs” | |
| 9. |  The Holy Empire of Neo Britianna | Father Knows Best State Suspiciously Liberal Dictatorship | “ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!” | |
| 10. |  The Federal German Empire of Neu-Kaiser-Reich | Moralistic Democracy Ordinary Decent Hardworking People | “Gott mit uns” |
12»
Regional Happenings
- : Embassy cancelled between Donnach iv and AEH.
- : The Christian Republic of Punic-Carthage arrived from Balder.
- :
The Arab Socialist Republic of Neo-Egypt arrived from Osiris.
- :
The Republic of Yamnat arrived from Lazarus.
- : The Republic of TransLeithia arrived from Lazarus.
- : The Republic of Yamnat ceased to exist.
- : The Arab Socialist Republic of Neo-Egypt ceased to exist.
- : The Republic of TransLeithia ceased to exist.
- : Dubnia ceased to exist.
- : The Republic of Great Srbija arrived from Osiris.
AEH Regional Message Board
Loading...JOINT SCIENTIFIC ANNOUNCEMENT
BRITANNIAN ORBITAL QUANTUM COMPUTING PROGRAM
A multinational research consortium operating within the Britannian Empire has confirmed the successful operation of a programmable photonic quantum computing system in low Earth orbit, representing the first successful orbital demonstration of its kind undertaken by Britannian scientific institutions.
The program was conducted jointly by research teams from the University of Waterloo, University of Toronto, McGill University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Tecnológico de Monterrey, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and the Technological University of Panama.
The experimental orbital processor was designed to determine whether programmable photonic quantum systems could remain functional following launch and extended exposure to the radiation, vacuum and thermal cycling associated with low Earth orbit.
Unlike conventional electronic computers, the experimental system processes quantum information using individual particles of light.
At the center of the system is an integrated photonic circuit containing six optical modes fabricated within a compact glass substrate. A laser-driven nonlinear optical source produces correlated photon pairs, which are injected into the circuit and manipulated through a programmable network of optical paths. Thermally controlled phase elements alter the propagation and interference of the photons, allowing the same physical processor to implement multiple quantum transformations without modification to the underlying hardware.
Single-photon avalanche detectors positioned at the output of the circuit measure the resulting photon distribution and allow researchers to reconstruct the behavior of the programmed quantum optical network.
Following deployment into low Earth orbit, the spacecraft successfully initialized the processor, generated correlated photon pairs and executed repeated programmable photonic operations under orbital conditions.
The principal experimental objective was the detection of two-photon quantum interference.
This phenomenon occurs when two indistinguishable photons interact within an optical network in a manner that cannot be reproduced by treating them as independent classical particles. Observation of stable interference therefore provided direct evidence that the system was preserving and manipulating quantum optical states while operating in space.
Repeated experimental runs successfully demonstrated this interference behavior.
The result is significant because photonic quantum processors are highly sensitive to environmental instability. Launch vibration, radiation exposure, thermal expansion, vacuum conditions and degradation of optical or electronic components may all alter photon generation, phase stability or detector efficiency sufficiently to destroy useful quantum behavior.
Post-launch testing identified degradation within several detector channels; however, sufficient detector capability remained available to complete the primary experimental program. The photonic source, integrated circuit and programmable phase-control architecture continued operating within expected parameters.
The mission therefore demonstrated that integrated photonic quantum hardware can survive launch, remain programmable in orbit and sustain quantum optical operations for extended periods.
Potential Applications
The immediate objective of the program is not the replacement of conventional spacecraft computers.
Instead, researchers are investigating whether quantum photonic processors can eventually operate as specialized accelerators for computational problems encountered by satellites, particularly where large volumes of sensor information must be analyzed before transmission to ground stations.
Modern Earth-observation spacecraft can produce considerably more raw information than can always be efficiently transmitted through available communications bandwidth. This creates a fundamental bottleneck between increasingly capable orbital sensors and terrestrial processing facilities.
Future generations of the Britannian orbital processor will therefore attempt to directly couple spacecraft sensors to programmable photonic circuits.
Under this architecture, sensor information would be encoded into the configuration of the optical network and partially processed aboard the spacecraft before transmission.
Rather than returning an entire unprocessed dataset to Earth, a satellite could eventually identify relevant features, classify information or reduce the volume of data before transmitting the resulting product.
Possible applications include atmospheric analysis, meteorological observation, wildfire detection, agricultural monitoring, oceanographic surveillance, geological mapping and rapid analysis of extremely large multispectral and hyperspectral datasets.
Researchers caution that the present experiment does not yet demonstrate those operational capabilities.
The current spacecraft represents a proof of principle establishing that programmable quantum photonic computation is physically possible in the orbital environment.
Next Phase
The second phase of the Britannian Orbital Quantum Computing Program will focus on four principal objectives:
1. Direct integration between an orbital sensor package and the quantum photonic processor.
2. Increased detector redundancy and improved radiation tolerance.
3. Long-duration characterization of optical stability, photon coincidence rates and component degradation.
4. Development of experimental quantum communication links between multiple spacecraft and terrestrial quantum networks.
The fourth objective represents the longer-term component of the program.
If independently operating orbital quantum processors can eventually exchange quantum information through optical links, future spacecraft could function as distributed nodes within a much larger quantum information network.
Such a network could theoretically connect research centers separated by continental distances, permit experiments in distributed quantum computing and support secure quantum communication between orbital and terrestrial systems.
Considerable engineering work remains before such systems become practical.
Photon loss, detector efficiency, radiation degradation, thermal drift, optical alignment, error rates and long-duration quantum-state stability remain major research problems.
The consortium has therefore stressed that the current result should be considered an enabling scientific milestone rather than the introduction of an operational quantum computing capability.
Nevertheless, the central experimental question has now been answered.
A programmable photonic quantum processor can be launched into orbit, survive the orbital environment and continue performing controlled quantum operations in space.
The next generation of spacecraft will determine whether that capability can be transformed from an experimental demonstration into a practical scientific and computational tool.
Participating Research Network
The program represents one of the largest joint quantum-technology projects yet undertaken within Britannia, combining photonics, quantum information science, aerospace engineering, radiation physics, materials science and satellite communications research from institutions throughout Canada, the continental United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Hawaiʻi and Panama.
Project researchers emphasized that no single laboratory or university was responsible for the result. Processor development, optical systems, radiation testing, spacecraft integration, control electronics, ground communications and data analysis were distributed across the participating institutions.
Additional orbital experiments and the first sensor-integrated processor are now under development.
The Britannian scientific consortium expects the next phase of testing to begin following completion of the present spacecraft's long-duration reliability program.
Government spokesman Alessandro Ribaldi just the following statement:
"At the request of the Provisional Governing Council of Emilia-Romagna, soldiers from the rightful government of Italy have entered that troubled region to help restore order."
"The soldiers sent will help the existing armed forces to put down the forces of socialism that currently threaten to return this land to chaos. Our forces have been granted full authority to take any measures necessary to restore order to Emilia-Romagna. What happens after that mission is accomplished with be discussed when it is completed."
France 24
The government warned the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to "be very careful" in how it proceeds in regards to the crisis in Italy.
A government spokesman said:
"France supports the legitimate government of King Charles Albert, and will assist it in defending itself and its territory against all threats, foreign or domestic."
When asked for more details on what the support he mentioned would consist of, the spokesman declined to answer, merely saying:
"France will, as always, act in what it perceives to be the best interests of France and of her allies. France urges all nations concerned with the situation in Italy to use all their influence to return the legitimate government to its rightful place "
This adds yet another player into the tangled situation in the peninsula. France had not openly stated it's support for any of the factions there, and the announcement of support of the Royalist government gives it a shot of credibility that it badly needs. Where it will lead remains to be seen.
New London, Britannia
The Imperial aircraft touched down beneath a low ceiling of gray cloud, its wheels meeting the runway with a brief plume of spray before the great machine began to slow.
For Empress Marilyn, the sight beyond the window was almost strangely familiar after weeks abroad.
New London.
Home.
She watched the skyline in the distance as the aircraft taxied toward the waiting motorcade, one hand resting against the folder on her lap. Inside were diplomatic summaries from the Ottoman Empire, preliminary cooperation agreements, notes she had written herself during meetings, and enough follow-up work to occupy the Foreign Office for months.
Her Good Will Tour had been an undeniable success. Old ties had been strengthened; new avenues of cooperation had been opened. Discussions ranging from scientific research and education to trade and defense had gone farther than even some of her advisers had expected.
Her father would have approved.
That thought brought the faintest, fondest smile to her face.
Then her Private Secretary leaned slightly toward her.
Sir Andrew Mercer said, "Your Majesty."
Marilyn looked over.
Sir Andrew Mercer held a tablet in both hands with the carefully neutral expression of a man about to ruin someone's afternoon.
She knew that expression intimately.
Marilyn stated, "No."
Sir Andrew Mercer blinked, completely unperturbed. "Your Majesty?"
Marilyn said, "Whatever you are about to tell me, no."
A second aide sitting across the cabin, Eleanor Shaw, barely managed to hide a sharp snort of amusement behind her hand.
Sir Andrew Mercer sighed softly. "The Prime Minister would like to meet with you immediately once we reach the Palace."
Marilyn stared at him. "I have been back on Britannian soil for approximately four minutes."
Sir Andrew Mercer replied, "Five, Your Majesty."
Marilyn protested, "Andrew."
Sir Andrew Mercer clarified, "Five and a half, if we're being chronologically rigorous."
Eleanor Shaw looked pointedly toward the window. "I believe His Majesty's government has developed a remarkably efficient method of welcoming its monarch home."
Marilyn gave her a dry, skeptical look. "By ambushing her with administrative paperwork before she's even unpacked?"
Eleanor Shaw replied, "Tradition must be respected, after all."
That earned a quiet, defeated laugh from the Empress. Marilyn asked, "How bad is it?"
Sir Andrew Mercer glanced down at his tablet, his thumb swiping across the screen. "The coronation schedule has been revised."
Marilyn closed her eyes. "Again?"
Sir Andrew Mercer answered, "Several times."
Marilyn asked, "How many?"
Neither aide answered.
Marilyn opened one eye. "That bad?"
Eleanor Shaw finally chimed in. "The Earl Marshal has allegedly threatened to set fire to one of the ceremonial planning manuals."
Marilyn asked, "Allegedly?"
Eleanor Shaw answered, "Secretary Marlow witnessed it firsthand."
Marilyn leaned back in her seat, rubbing her temples. "Then I assume it actually happened."
Sir Andrew Mercer agreed, "Almost certainly."
Outside, the aircraft came to a shuddering halt. Marilyn looked through the glass toward the honor guard waiting beyond the stairs and, farther away, the formidable line of official vehicles prepared to whisk her into the heart of New London.
She took a long, centering breath. Marilyn stated, "Very well."
Sir Andrew Mercer relaxed slightly. "The plan is—"
Marilyn interrupted, "We go through the arrival ceremony, I greet everyone who has apparently been standing in the freezing rain on my behalf, and then we go directly to the Palace."
Sir Andrew Mercer acknowledged, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Marilyn added, "And I speak with Rowling."
Sir Andrew Mercer confirmed, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Marilyn fixed both aides with a sharp, warning glare. "And after that, I am going to sleep."
Neither responded.
Her eyes narrowed. Marilyn said, "Eleanor."
Eleanor Shaw warned, "There is technically a dinner briefing scheduled—"
Marilyn interjected, "No."
Eleanor Shaw pressed, "Your Majesty—"
Marilyn cut her off, "No."
Sir Andrew Mercer looked almost impressed. "I shall inform the kitchen to cancel the extra place settings."
Marilyn nodded. "Good man."
The heavy cabin door hissed open. Marilyn stood, straightened her coat, and in a single fluid motion ceased being the tired traveler returning from weeks abroad.
The Empress of Britannia stepped out to face the stairs.
---
Imperial Palace, New London
Three hours later, Marilyn entered the private sitting room attached to her working office and immediately stopped dead in her tracks.
Prime Minister Rowling was already there, seated comfortably.
So was Secretary of State Robin Marlow.
And on the mahogany table directly between them sat a pile of folders thick and menacing enough to constitute an active structural hazard.
Marilyn stared at the paper monolith.
Then she slowly turned her gaze to Rowling.
Marilyn declared, "Absolutely not."
Prime Minister Rowling stood smoothly, offering a polite nod. "Welcome home, Your Majesty."
Marilyn retorted, "That is not an answer to my silent terror."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow smiled brightly. "We considered hiding them under the sofa."
Marilyn muttered, "You genuinely should have."
Prime Minister Rowling gestured toward one of the armchairs. "Most of this has already been aggressively pruned down to only the matters strictly requiring your immediate personal approval."
Marilyn looked back at the intimidating stack. "That is the pruned version?"
Prime Minister Rowling assured, "Considerably."
She dropped into the chair with a heavy sigh. "I am beginning to understand why my father occasionally vanished into the estate gardens for days at a time."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow took the chair opposite her without missing a beat. "We always assumed he was out there deep in philosophical reflection."
Marilyn corrected, "He was hiding from you people."
Prime Minister Rowling chuckled softly as an aide stepped in to place a steaming cup of tea beside the Empress. Marilyn accepted it gratefully, casting a wary eye between her two ministers.
Marilyn prompted, "All right. Let's rip the bandage off. Coronation."
Prime Minister Rowling nodded, clasping his hands behind his back. "Coronation."
Marilyn asked, "What has gone catastrophically wrong while I was away?"
Prime Minister Rowling answered, "Nothing."
Marilyn narrowed her eyes. "Nothing?"
Prime Minister Rowling qualified, "Nothing catastrophic, at least."
Marilyn muttered, "There it is."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow promptly opened the first thick folder. "Foreign attendance continues to expand at an unmanageable rate. The Roman Empire has confirmed its senior delegation. The Russian Federation and Federal German Empire are likewise proceeding with theirs. We expect high-level representation from the Ethiopian Empire and several other friendly states."
Marilyn asked, "And the Ottomans?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow offered a small, knowing smile. "Considering you have literally just returned from their capital, I believe we can safely assume they intend to attend."
Marilyn stated, "They had better. I spent half my trip successfully convincing their government that New London in spring is worth the journey."
Prime Minister Rowling raised an eyebrow. "You were actively recruiting guests on a good-will tour?"
Marilyn defended, "I was conducting high-level state diplomacy, Prime Minister."
Prime Minister Rowling conceded, "Of course you were."
Marilyn took a slow, grounding sip of her tea. "Exactly how many foreign delegations are we currently discussing?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow reeled off a staggering figure.
Marilyn slowly lowered her teacup. "Robin."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow defended, "I warned them all that physical space in the Abbey is finite."
Marilyn asked, "And their response?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow answered, "They responded by formally requesting more space."
Marilyn sighed, "Naturally."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow added, "The Earl Marshal is handling it with remarkably stoic restraint."
Prime Minister Rowling let out a sudden, sharp cough.
Secretary of State Robin Marlow glanced sideways at him. "Relative restraint, anyway."
Prime Minister Rowling murmured, "Much better."
Marilyn shook her head, leaning forward. "I do not want this coronation turned into a glorified international summit. I mean it."
Prime Minister Rowling nodded immediately. "We know, Your Majesty."
Marilyn explained, "I am thrilled to host our allies while they are here—I want to meet with them and strengthen those bonds. But the coronation itself belongs to Britannia."
Prime Minister Rowling assured, "That remains the core plan. The ceremony stays strictly focused on the Crown, the people, and the continuity of the state."
Marilyn leaned back, letting the word settle in the quiet room. "Continuity."
Her expression softened, the exhaustion momentarily catching up to her. "There are going to be comparisons."
Prime Minister Rowling knew instantly what unvoiced thought weighed behind her words. "To your father."
Marilyn admitted, "Yes."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow closed the folder with a soft snap. "There already are, Your Majesty. In the press, in the ministries..."
Marilyn nodded slowly. "I expected nothing less." She turned her gaze toward the tall windows overlooking the darkening lights of New London. "I loved my father dearly. I learned almost everything I know about this office by watching him work. But I cannot spend the rest of my reign constantly looking over my shoulder, asking what he would have done."
Prime Minister Rowling remained entirely silent, giving her space.
Marilyn continued steadily, "I can honor his legacy without desperately trying to carbon-copy the man himself."
Prime Minister Rowling said quietly, "That is precisely the message we have been trying to protect."
She looked back at him, a flicker of appreciation in her eyes. "Good."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow added softly, "Your father preserved his alliances because he understood that dry history alone doesn't keep nations bound together."
Marilyn nodded in agreement. "And neither will pomp or ceremony." She glanced back down at the diplomatic folders. "What we just built out in the Ottoman Empire matters far more to the future of this country than how many kings and presidents manage to squeeze onto a bench for a few hours."
Prime Minister Rowling smiled faintly. "That sounds remarkably like something your father would have said."
Marilyn pointed a warning finger at him. "Careful, Prime Minister."
Prime Minister Rowling smiled, "Merely observing a family resemblance."
She smiled despite herself. "Still."
---
The agenda shifted smoothly to the grand procession.
The planned route cutting through New London remained largely untouched. The Imperial Guard would provide the principal escort, while ceremonial detachments from across the Britannian Armed Forces would participate at designated checkpoints.
Marilyn listened attentively until Prime Minister Rowling casually mentioned the sheer scale of the planned military display.
Marilyn cut in sharply, "It is not a military parade."
Prime Minister Rowling assured her at once, "It explicitly isn't."
Marilyn warned, "I mean it, Rowling."
Prime Minister Rowling defended, "So did you when you wrote it in the margin in red ink three separate times."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow peered down at her notes. "Four times, actually."
Marilyn stared at both of them. "Britannia spans an entire continent. I am reasonably confident that no foreign dignitary attending needs a rolling display of armor to realize we possess an armed forces."
Prime Minister Rowling nodded. "That exact sentiment has already been firmly communicated to the Earl Marshal."
Marilyn acknowledged, "Good."
Prime Minister Rowling continued, "The military presence is purely ceremonial."
Marilyn affirmed, "Good."
Prime Minister Rowling added, "Although he did tentatively ask whether the Royal Navy might—"
Marilyn interrupted, "No battleships."
Prime Minister Rowling snapped his mouth shut.
Marilyn fixed him with a flat stare. "Were you actually going to entertain a naval salute on the Thames?"
Prime Minister Rowling justified, "I was going to suggest a modest—"
Marilyn rejected, "That is entirely different, and the answer is no."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow burst out laughing.
Prime Minister Rowling looked genuinely wounded. "I was working up to a sensible compromise!"
Marilyn dismissed, "No, you weren't."
The next heavy folder tackled public representation across the provinces. That caught Marilyn's immediate attention.
Marilyn asked, "Universities?"
Prime Minister Rowling replied, "Fully represented."
Marilyn asked, "Scientific institutions?"
Prime Minister Rowling answered, "Represented."
Marilyn asked, "Veterans' organizations?"
Prime Minister Rowling confirmed, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Marilyn asked, "Emergency services?"
Prime Minister Rowling stated, "Present and accounted for."
Marilyn asked, "And delegates from Canada, Mexico, Panama, and the overseas territories?"
Prime Minister Rowling nodded. "All included in the primary tiers."
Marilyn let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, relaxing back into her chair. "Good." She flipped rapidly through several pages herself. "I refuse to let this look like an exclusive club for the aristocracy and government ministers."
Prime Minister Rowling countered, "It won't."
Marilyn insisted, "It cannot."
Prime Minister Rowling leaned forward, his tone earnest. "We understand the stakes, Marilyn. Neither does the public."
Marilyn stated, "This Empire is far too vast and diverse for the Crown to ever appear as though it belongs exclusively to New London."
That earned a deeply approving nod from Secretary of State Robin Marlow. "Which is precisely why the invitations have been cast wide across the entire continent."
Marilyn scanned the pages. "Excellent."
Then she turned the page to the master schedule.
Her facial expression dropped instantly.
Prime Minister Rowling caught the shift in micro-seconds. "Ah."
Marilyn challenged dangerously, "Ah?"
Prime Minister Rowling asked, "What specific horror have you discovered this time?"
Marilyn held up the single sheet of paper like a piece of incriminating evidence. "My coronation day appears to span approximately forty-eight operational hours."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow pointedly looked away toward the mantelpiece.
Marilyn slowly turned her eyes toward her Secretary of State. "Robin."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow defended, "It's a heavily revised draft."
Marilyn asked, "This is the revision?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow admitted, "Yes."
Marilyn questioned, "Then what in God's name did the original look like?"
Prime Minister Rowling cleared his throat. "Worse."
Marilyn looked genuinely horrified. "There are six separate bilateral diplomatic meetings crammed in right after the main reception."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow corrected quickly, "Five."
Marilyn argued, "There are six listed right here."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow countered, "One of them is strictly provisional!"
Marilyn pressed, "That still makes it six!"
Prime Minister Rowling folded his hands neatly over his knee. "For the record, I raised this exact objection."
Marilyn turned her glare on him. "And?"
Prime Minister Rowling explained, "Marlow informed me that you would likely approve them anyway out of sheer diplomatic obligation."
Marilyn snapped his gaze back to her Secretary of State. Secretary of State Robin Marlow remained entirely composed, sipping her water.
Secretary of State Robin Marlow challenged smoothly, "Would you?"
Marilyn opened her mouth to argue.
Closed it.
Thought about the crushing geopolitical reality.
Then let out a long, tortured groan. "Probably."
Prime Minister Rowling pointed a finger at her triumphantly. "There. See?"
Marilyn complained, "Do not look that smug, Prime Minister."
Prime Minister Rowling stated, "I have spent the last fortnight arguing that your sovereign head requires actual human sleep."
Marilyn accused, "Traitor."
Prime Minister Rowling replied, "Patriot."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow smothered a grin behind her hand.
Marilyn slapped the schedule down onto the desk. "Four."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow blinked. "Your Majesty?"
Marilyn dictated, "Four meetings. Maximum."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow objected, "But there are several critical delegations that—"
Marilyn cut in, "Four. Not a single one more."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow considered launching a counter-argument.
Marilyn raised a single, commanding eyebrow. "Would you honestly prefer three?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow paused. "Four sounds like a wonderfully pragmatic compromise."
Prime Minister Rowling looked profoundly, deeply satisfied.
Marilyn shot daggers at him. "Stop enjoying my administrative pain."
Prime Minister Rowling smiled, "I have been waiting weeks for someone with actual constitutional authority to put their foot down on this madness."
She rubbed her temples. "Is there anything else lurking in this stack?"
Prime Minister Rowling and Secretary of State Robin Marlow exchanged a brief, telling glance.
Marilyn caught it instantly. "Oh, Lord."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow cautiously reached for yet another folder. "The regalia."
Marilyn stared. "What about the regalia?"
Secretary of State Robin Marlow answered, "Several historical pieces require your official final approval."
Marilyn asked, "Why would they require my approval? They've existed for a century."
Prime Minister Rowling answered dryly. "Because apparently the palace archivists and the ceremonial committee have developed competing, deeply passionate interpretations of what constitutes historically proper coronation dress."
Marilyn remained completely silent.
Secretary of State Robin Marlow continued cautiously, "There are also fierce disagreements regarding which specific mantle pieces were worn during your grandfather's coronation versus which ones were introduced later."
Marilyn asked, "How severe are these disagreements, exactly?"
Prime Minister Rowling smiled faintly. "The senior archivists have officially begun citing primary 19th-century sources at one another in the hallways."
Marilyn stared at him blankly for several seconds. "Cancel the coronation."
Prime Minister Rowling protested, "Your Majesty."
Marilyn stated, "I am entirely serious."
Prime Minister Rowling dismissed, "No, you aren't."
Marilyn muttered, "At this precise microsecond, I very well might be."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow laughed out loud. For the first time since Marilyn had walked into the room, the heavy, suffocating weight of the transition seemed to lift just a fraction from her shoulders.
She looked back down at the sprawling schedule.
There was still an absurd amount to do. Too many ceremonies. Too many meetings. Too many people expecting a miraculous performance from a day that, awkwardly enough, seemed to belong to everyone in the world except the woman actually wearing the crown.
Yet she understood why it mattered.
The piece of paper or the crown didn't make her Empress. She was already Empress. It didn't magically grant her authority; that heavy burden had passed to her the moment her father drew his last breath.
The ceremony was something entirely different. It was Britannia as a collective whole acknowledging a massive transition. An empire stretching from the arctic ice down to Central America pausing to close one monumental chapter and open another.
Marilyn grew quiet, her gaze drifting.
Prime Minister Rowling noticed the shift. "Your Majesty?"
She ran one finger slowly along the embossed leather edge of the folder. "I wish he were here."
Neither minister needed to ask who she meant. For several beats, the private sitting room was entirely silent.
Then Prime Minister Rowling spoke, his voice unusually soft. "So do I."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow nodded in quiet agreement.
Marilyn looked down at her hands. "He spent years preparing me for this exact office." She offered a small, self-deprecating laugh. "And somehow, he completely forgot to mention how much bloody paperwork was involved."
Prime Minister Rowling smiled warmly. "Perhaps he wanted to make certain you were fully committed to the job before you found out."
That drew a genuine, bright laugh from the Empress. "Perhaps."
She looked back up toward the window as the evening shadows deepened across New London. When she spoke again, her voice carried a clear, ringing resolve.
Marilyn declared, "We honor him."
Prime Minister Rowling nodded. "And everyone who built the foundation before him."
Marilyn agreed, "Yes."
Prime Minister Rowling added, "And then we move forward."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow's expression softened into something encouraging. "Old foundations."
Marilyn met her gaze. "New future."
Prime Minister Rowling leaned back, looking satisfied. "Then I believe we finally have our guiding theme."
Marilyn smiled slightly. "Perhaps we do."
She stood up, and both ministers immediately rose with her.
Marilyn commanded, "I want the final, trimmed ceremonial schedule on my desk tomorrow morning."
Prime Minister Rowling acknowledged, "Of course, Your Majesty."
Marilyn added, "The revised diplomatic schedule by tomorrow afternoon."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow nodded briskly. "Handed over by noon."
Marilyn instructed, "And I want actual, unassigned breathing room left open in the middle of the day."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow hesitated for a split second.
Marilyn fixed her with a look. "Actual breathing room, Robin."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow promised, "I will see what miracles can be performed."
Marilyn insisted, "No. You will perform them."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow smiled. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Marilyn turned toward the door.
Prime Minister Rowling gathered his scattered folders into a neat tower. "Oh, and one final administrative matter, Your Majesty."
She paused, slowly turning back. "What?"
Prime Minister Rowling informed, "The Earl Marshal would like your definitive decision regarding the 1890 ceremonial uniform regulations."
Marilyn stared at him. For several long seconds, she didn't say a single word.
Then she stated:
"Burn it."
Secretary of State Robin Marlow burst out laughing. Prime Minister Rowling tried valiantly, and failed completely, to keep a straight face.
Marilyn reached out and pulled the door open. "Tell Riccardo those are my exact, direct instructions."
Prime Minister Rowling warned, "Your Majesty, I am not entirely certain the historical preservation board—"
Marilyn stated over her shoulder, "Exact words, Andrew. Burn it."
The heavy door clicked firmly shut behind her.
Prime Minister Rowling looked across the desk at Marlow. Secretary of State Robin Marlow looked back at him.
Secretary of State Robin Marlow asked, "Do you honestly think she meant it?"
Prime Minister Rowling glanced down at the archaic uniform regulation in his hands, then toward the closed door.
Prime Minister Rowling muttered, sliding the paper into the trash bin, "After the week she's had? I am entirely unwilling to find out."
AEH News Service
Balkan Federation formed:
The nations of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro have formed the Balkan Federation, a mutual assistance agreement today in Sarajevo.
The announcement issued after the signing stated, in part:
"This agreement was signed to help these nations to defend themselves and their neighbors from the territorial ambitions of certain larger, more aggressive nations such as Serbia, Hungary and the Roman Empire."
The full terms of the agreement were not revealed, but the most important clauses are: 1) "all nations come to the assistance of any member nation attacked by an outside force," and 2) "That this agreement may, in the future and with the agreement of all nations, possibly convert into a federal form of government encompassing all the member nations."
The signing of this agreement changes the situation in the Balkans. While neither Hungary or the Romans have made any statements or movements in the region, Serbia has, at least in regards to Kosovo. It could be that the recent Roman invasion of Sicily has raised fears in the Balkans.
For whatever reason, the creation of the Balkan Federation has, as previously stated, changed the situation in a historically volatile region.
After unforseen delays, the first F-135A multi role aircraft has arrived from the Roman Empire.
The aircraft landed early this morning at Büchel Air Force Base in western Germany. On hand to meet the aircraft was the Minister of Defense, the head of the Luftwaffe, the Roman ambassador to Germany, and other government and military officials.
It is anticipated that when all of the F-135's arrive, they will be used to partially replace the Luftwaffe's fleet of aging Tornado strike aircraft. This will leave the task of air defense of the Reich to the Luftwaffe's fleet of Eurofighter Typhoons.
It has been announced that the remainder of the aircraft should be delivered by mid 2027, and will be fully operational by the beginning of 2028.
Moscow
Speaking today at the Combined Arms Academy of the Armed Forces, Prime Minister Vladimir Beglov called Belarus and Ukraine "sham states," "unreal creations of western imperialism," and "renegade provinces out of their proper alignment with Mother Russia."
The Prime Minister's words echo the official position of the government of the Rodina, which is that all states that were members of the Soviet Union are, and always will be part of "Mother Russia."
This policy was first stated by President Grachov in his first speech after becoming President, and he has not changed it in his time in office. In support of these ends, the government has supported separatist movements in both the Donbass and Belarus, as well as Russian ethnic organizations in the Baltics.
In his speech, Prime Minister Beglov also said that German and Roman assistance to the Baltic States is " a violation of Russian national integrity and interference in what has always been recognized as a Russian sphere of influence." He called for then to cease assistance and remove all their forces in the region immediately.
The rhetoric is not new, but the statement of it so plainly by such a senior member if the government seems to inject a new urgency into the discussion.
New London National Cathedral
The heavy bronze doors of the Cathedral swung inward without a sound, and the breath of New London—cool, salt-laced, and heavy with the scent of damp pavement—yielded to the ancient silence of stone.
Inside, the light fell in long, amber ribbons through the high clerestory windows, cutting across centuries of polished granite and suspended dust. For hours, the vast nave had filled like a dark reservoir rising toward its brim: six thousand souls seated in meticulous, stratified silence according to the merciless geometry of state protocol.
To the left of the central nave sat the foreign delegations, a glittering, quiet mosaic of global power. Representatives from the Roman Empire sat stiffly in high-collared velvet beside the diplomatic contingent of the Russian Federation. Farther down, the delegates of the Federal German Empire, the Ethiopian Empire, and the envoys of the Ottoman Sultan watched the high altar with watchful, practiced expressions. Among them, the ambassadors, prime ministers, and crown princes of dozens of sovereign nations adjusted their sashes, their silence a delicate acknowledgment of the empire whose heart they now occupied.
To the right, filling the transepts, was the rest of Britannia. It was not merely the high aristocracy or the decorated admirals of the High Command, though their gold braid and ceremonial swords caught the light with every subtle shift. There were university chancellors in deep crimson gowns, union representatives in plain dark suits, provincial governors from Canada, Mexico, and Panama, territorial delegates from the Pacific, emergency service leaders, and veterans whose chests bore the silent enamel history of forgotten campaigns.
At the threshold of the choir stood Prime Minister Rowling, his dark morning dress impeccably pressed, his hands folded neatly behind his back. To his left, Secretary of State Robin Marlow made a final, microscopic check of her leather-bound briefing folder, her expression calm, precise, and entirely unreadable.
"The atmospheric pressure outside is dropping," Marlow murmured softly, barely moving her lips. "It will rain before the procession reaches the palace."
Rowling didn't turn his head. "Her Majesty explicitly refused the covered carriage, Robin. If it rains, the Empire will simply have to get wet together."
"The Earl Marshal is currently having a quiet stroke behind the altar," she added dryly.
"Let him," Rowling replied with a faint, imperceptible twitch of his cheek. "It builds character in the peerage."
A sudden, deep tremor rolled through the stone beneath their feet.
It was not the sound of artillery, nor the roar of the low-altitude air patrols encircling the capital outside. It was the great bell of the Imperial Abbey—the *Old Sovereign*—striking the top of the hour. Its low, resonant boom vibrated in the chests of six thousand spectators, drowning out the murmurs, the rustle of silk, and the nervous shifting of boots.
*One.*
In the courtyard outside, the preliminary brass fanfares faded. The crowds lining the three-mile route through New London—a sea of umbrellas, flags, and upturned faces extending as far as the river—grew abruptly quiet.
*Two.*
Inside the private vestibule behind the West Gate, Empress Marilyn stood in total stillness before the tall glass.
The ceremonial garments weighed heavy upon her shoulders—layers of dark silk, heavy gold embroidery, and the ermine-lined mantle of state that had once rested upon her father’s back. The collar of the Order of the Imperial Oak sat cold against her collarbone. Beside her, Sir Andrew Mercer held the velvet-lined tray bearing the ancestral state gloves, while Duke Riccardo Ramírez of Puerto Rico, the Earl Marshal, stood stiffly at her flank, clutching his golden baton of office as if it were the only anchor in a storm.
Marilyn looked at her reflection. She did not see a myth. She saw a tired woman who had spent four hours in hair and protocol, whose feet already ached, and whose mind was still cataloging the draft trade agreements left on her desk at Darwin House.
"Your Majesty," Ramírez said quietly, his voice unusually stripped of its usual sarcastic bite. "The procession is formed."
Marilyn turned her head slightly. "Did you burn the 1890 regulations, Riccardo?"
Ramírez didn't blink. "The ashes are currently floating down the Potomac, Ma'am."
A soft, genuine smile broke through Marilyn’s solemnity, softening the severe lines of her crimson lip. "Good."
She smoothed the heavy lace at her wrists and turned to face the great oak doors leading into the nave. The weight of the moment descended not like a crown, but like an atmosphere—dense, silent, and absolute. The memory of her father flickered in her mind, brief and clear: *Power is not a possession, Marilyn. It is a loan with exorbitant interest.*
"Andrew," she murmured.
"Your Majesty?"
"If I trip over this hem, shoot the Earl Marshal."
"Instantly, Ma'am," Mercer replied without a pause.
*Three.*
The final vibration of the great bell faded into the vaulted arches high above.
The master of ceremonies struck his silver staff against the stone floor three times—a sharp, cracking sound that echoed from the transept to the high altar.
*Crack. Crack. Crack.*
The massive choir at the transept crossing took a synchronized breath. Then, the grand organ erupted—a deafening, magnificent wall of sound, deep pipes shaking the ancient glass in their leaded frames as the brass fanfare of the Imperial Guard trumpeters pierced the air, bright and golden.
The heavy doors swung completely open.
The daylight poured into the Abbey, framing the tall, slender figure of Empress Marilyn against the gray skies of New London. She took her first step across the threshold, her chin held high, her posture erect, her gaze fixed straight ahead down the long, carpeted aisle toward the altar where the crown waited.
Behind her lay the past, the grief, and the long shadows of her father’s reign.
Ahead lay the Empire, silent and waiting, to see what she would make of the future.
(Anyone can now reply, the time has come to crwon a new Empress at last)
While touring the city of Ancona, Prime Minister Salvatore Marcano made the following statement about the current state of affairs in Italy:
"Like the Marche and Umbria, the various regions of Italy have begun to return to their roots. Emilia-Romagna is being brought back from socialist anarchy, and even now talks are underway between our government and theirs about our future relationship. We hope and frankly expect that Emilia-Romagna will join the Marche and Umbria in a new and stronger Italy."
When asked why, the Prime Minister explained:
"After the chaos and turmoil of the past few years, the people of Italy are tired. They seek order rather than chaos; they seek security rather than anarchy. They want jobs. They want safety. They want order. And those who can supply those things will have their support."
In response to a question about "foreign influences" in Italy, the Prime Minister had this to say:
"Let me speak bluntly. The Byzantine presence in Italy is an affront to the sovereignty of the nation. Their illegal occupation of Ravenna, and their propping up of an illegitimate regime in Venice show all the world what they intend, just as their immoral and devastating invasion and occupation of Sicily did. They intend to reconquer Italy and bring our nation back to the Middle Ages. But we will not allow that to happen."
Farsiran and Le Hexagone
His Holiness Pope Benedict XIII send his blessing and prayers for a long and successful reign to Her Imperial Majesty and extends an invitation to visit him when conditions in Italy permit.
His Holiness will celebrate a Mass for the success of Her Imperial Majesty's Reign at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Rome on Saturday. St. Patrick's is known as the "Britiannian Church" in Rome, serving as the home church for expatriates.
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