Fourth Imperial Civil War/Letter to Vodo Bonias

Subject: My Personal Request
To: Vodo Bonias
From: Orphaea Imperium
Year 11 Day 291

Hey,

I'm sorry about what's happening. But it does seem, based on the past, that this is the only way that might convince you. Which might be unfair on you, for which I apologise, but there have been so many delays, half-truths, and so on, that makes things difficult - and you do roleplay a character that is very difficult to approach on even footing.

As I've said repeatedly - I don't blame you for wanting to hold on. But the Empire needs to move on. All that people see when they look at the Empire is you, and then they remember Shock Imperialism and the early days of your reign and the Dark Empire. We can say Shock Imperialism is over, we can accept aliens into every orifice, but few are willing to trust us or side with us because that is all they remember. Which, again, isn't fair, but I've never considered all that many people that play this game as being bestowed with exceptional intelligence.

And... you're never around anymore. People are restless, and I think people have been restless for some time - the Empire needs to evolve, people need to feel the Empire moving along, and when the Emperor is the same for so many years (and thus much of IHC remains the same for many years, because none of them ever move any higher), it does affect people. It also affects people by not being able to see you - the Emperor needs to be visible, recogniseable, feared. Junior enlisted these days may not even bother remembering your name, the number of times you're seen now.

And then there's all the potential for civil war at the moment, which would be destructive and only serve to reduce the ability of both sides to fight the Galactic Alliance and our true enemies. The Empire right now is on a knife edge, staring into the abyss.

Please step down. If you don't, you're condemning you, me, and everyone in the Empire and Imperial Union to oblivion.

-Orph