One of the Senatorial guard posted at the door briefly pressed a finger to the earhole of his helmet. Half a second later, his posture shifted ever-slightly. His counterpart posted at the other side sensed the shift, and mirrored it.

"All rise for the First Minister of the Alliance of Free Planets."

A shuffle of bodies and seats preceded the airy whooshing of automatic doors as two more guards escorted the First Minister inside. This pair flanked the room, eventually finding respective corners at the back to stand at attention. Taataani took her time on the path to her seat at the head of the table, taking her measure of each person on her cabinet. She herself offered little in her expression, allowing the finery she wore and the last amounts of beauty she retained to help to obfuscate a read on her intentions. She eased into her high-backed chair. A subtle shift in her seat was the only tell of the unseen, as she slipped her shoes off underneath the table and out of eyesight of everyone save the two guards who escorted her in.

Acknowledging with a glance at the array of industry tycoons, academics, scions, professionals, and politicians before her, she dismissed their pomp with a simple word.

"Ssjit."

She laced her hands in her lap as she waited for everyone to take their seats again. There were looks of anticipation, that was to be expected. Taataani noted that Minister Bell's normally calm demeanor seemed a little disturbed, but declined to confront that just now.

"We have fjive jyearss, gentleman and ladjiess. Fjive jyearrss to leave the galaxjy a betterr place than how jit lookss now. Not ourr corrnerr of jit, but the whole thjing. jIf we do a good enough job, majybe we'll get fjive morre. jI know none of jyou took thjiss job forr the monejy. jI'd ljike to thjink that jyou'rre afterr the ssame thjing jI am, but jI won't quesstjion jyourr motjivatjionss unless jI have to. Whateverr rreasson jyou'rre herre, jyou've ssjigned up forr the harrdesst job jin the galaxjy, and that'ss made harrderr bjy the fact that each of jyou ansswerr djirrectljy to me. jI won't tolerrate excussess. jIf jyou plan on telljing me no, then jyou'd damn-well betterr have a betterr jidea to follow jin the next brreath. jI assked jyou herre becausse jyou arre the ssmarrtesst people jin the rroom, sso to sspeak. What jyou have done sso farr has earrned jyou a place at thjiss table. But jI prromjisse jyou jit wjill not be eassjy. jYou majy not ljike me afterr thjiss jiss ssajid and done, but jI can rresst eassjy asss jI have enough frrjiendss. The Electorrate jiss jyourr bosss. jI am thejirr forrewoman. jI won't hessjitate to usse the whjip jif jit comess to that, sso jI want to sset jyourr expectatjionss rrjight now."

She paused, leaning back just enough to find the cushion of her chair.

"Outssjide of thjiss rroom, therre jiss one vojice - the Admjinjisstrratjion'ss. Whateverr passess that thrresshold, therre jiss no djissagrreement, no matterr jyourr mjissgjivjingss. jIf jyou feel compelled to brreak rrankss, jI want jyourr rressjignatjion on mjy dessk the dajy beforre jyou do. But jif jyou sstajy at thjiss table, jyou follow mjy rruless."

The First Minister took another measure of her Cabinet.

"jIss everrjyone clearr on thjiss?"