"The flowers of rebellion are blooming. Let them bloom so that we can burn them to the roots," Empress Katharin once said during a meeting with her closest associates.

"Perfectly poetic, Empress," Spymaster Klaris replied artlessly. "But we should plan the burning from now."

"Yes. Begin our plan at once," Empress Katharin said.

The plan had been drafted via the combined minds of both Katharin and Klaris, alongside hundreds of bureaucrats and political planners. It was a plan to decisively sort out the treasonous nobles.

Firstly, Katharin announced the promotion of many distinguished commoners to the noble rank of Imperial Knight. A select few were even made barons. These former commoners came from all sorts of backgrounds; one had been an excellent retired fleet commander, another had been a skilled scientist who invented many new chemicals for agricultural use; yet another was a supreme painter.

Many of the nobles immediately became outraged. "The title of nobility had become a tradable commodity," they claimed.

Furthermore, Katharin lifted the ban on criticizing nobles, allowing even herself to be criticized. Limited freedom of press were enacted, and the ban of unions were also lifted.

Many of the indecisive nobles joined the Tollerwald Alliance. On the flip side, the various reformist factions immediately pledged support for the young empress. Popular support among commoners sided completely with her as well.

The issue, as Katharin worried, was the military. Aside from the Royal Fleet, as well as fleets commanded by Admiral Valentina and Vice Admirals Radbruch and Thompson, the other fleets were largely divided. Karl's efforts at reform did not work perfectly; many officers were still nobles. Even though the average common soldier might favor the Empress, they'd have to contend with their superior officers.

The Tollerwald Alliance, born out of self-interest and pursuit of power, had comprised of roughly 20,000 nobles. Their military strength comprised of 400,000 warships, gathered from both private armies and collaborators in the Imperial Fleet. Around 10,000 nobles had secretly contacted or been contacted by the Crown and had agreed to assist the Empress. This faction didn't have–or need–a formal name, but its members and enemies soon came to call it the Loyalists. Roughly 5000 others were still indecisive.

The Loyalists were clearly outnumbered, but the cracks in the Tollerwald Alliance had begun to show.

For one, the location of the main base of the Alliance. Duke Gerlach had wished to make his homeworld of Gerlach to be the main stronghold, but was met with opposition from Marquis Knittlingen. The reasoning of the marquis was thus:

"The Gerlach Starzone is too close to the Loyalist Throneworld. Our forces aren't massed yet, and the Loyalists can plausibly launch an all-out attack. In that scenario Gerlach cannot hold."

Many of the nobles found themselves agreeing with Marquis Knittlingen. Unfortunately, the marquis' suggestion of his own homeworld was opposed as well.

The Tollerwald Alliance had designated Admiral Dortmund, commander of the Eleventh Fleet, supreme commander of the fleets. Duke Gerlach himself had invited him to his manor, plied him with monetary gifts, beautiful, scantily clad women, and promises of a high rank. Admiral Dortmund wasn't hard to tempt.

That much, at least, was known to the Loyalists. It was alleged that Karl, upon hearing this, twisted a smile and said to an associate, "with him at the enemy's helm, the battle's half-won." Like his counterpart in the Republic, he was brimming with confidence bordering on arrogance–though in his case his humility toned things down.

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All three sides were making intensive preparations, but Duke Dahl committed a fatal blunder before the first move of the war was even played. He invited Karl to his manor, trying to recruit him into the cause.

Karl sat there in contemplative silence while Duke Dahl preached about his militaristic ideology. At last, Karl smiled. In the realm of pure politics he was a lost lamb, but this was simple military deception work.

"Duke, I sympathize with your point of view," he said. "Matter is, even if I join your camp, the men under me won't. They're loyal to the Empress."

"Is that so ...." Duke Dahl looked frustrated.

"How about this. You realize your position in Fortress Thalassa is highly advantageous, but it's also a prime target?"

"Of course. It is my plan to spring a trap when Loyalist forces approach."

"It is likely the Tollerwald Alliance would deploy forces there as well."

"Yes, they're the biggest threat. Bunch of madmen ...."

"How about this: I'll select as many men personally loyal to me. You pin the Tollerwald Alliance down in Thalassa. I'll then join you as soon as possible, and repel the Tollerwalds. This way we weaken both the Loyalists and the Tollerwalds."

"Magnificent! Brilliant insight as expected from the great Marshal!" Duke Dahl said earnestly while clapping.

"Farewell Duke. We'll meet again soon."

Things were moving very quickly. Tensions were unbearable, and everyone involved in imperial politics realized that an explosion would happen soon.

The declaration of war happened on 12 February 2603. The Tollerwald Alliance had risen in revolt. Empress Katharin didn’t bother reading the declaration, which completely condemned her.

Neither Duke Gerlach nor Marquis Knittlingen were particularly enthusiastic to wage war this early. Consolidation of their assets wasn’t finished yet. However, the young nobles under their command were bloodthirsty and kept on pushing for war.

Admiral Dortmund was particularly revitalized by the prospect. A young noble by the name of Fogel had persuaded him over drinks to launch an early attack on the thinly defended Imperial Throneworld. The idea was tactically sound. Fogel was sent, with the permission of Duke Gerlach, to attack the Throneworld with 100,000 warships. Of these, of particular notice was 30,000 ships of the Sixth Fleet.

The Loyalists were, indeed, thrown into temporary chaos and confusion. The leadership abilities of Katharin pulled through, however. She immediately summoned the First, Second, Fifth, and Eleventh Fleets under the commands of Admiral Valentina, Vice Admiral Radbruch, Vice Admiral Thompson, and Admiral Viscount Holm, respectively. She felt that she couldn’t trust the other fleets enough. The plan was to concentrate Loyalist forces and deliver a decisive blow quickly against the main force of the Tollerwalds, while allowing other fleets and allied nobles to hold off Tollerwald uprisings elsewhere.

Unwilling to allow Tollerwald forces so near the Throneworld, Katharin and Karl led the 60,000 ships of the Royal Fleet against them. The two armadas were poised to meet on the Westmarch Starzone.

“Admiral” Fogel was the head of a wealthy, hedonistic family. A temperamental man who, even as his massive fleet moved ever closer to the designated battle zone, still bathed himself in wine and women in his room. The noble officers were fully confident in their victory. One officer said thusly:

“She may be titled Empress, but it’s an empty title. She’s just a commoners’ whore!” to the laughter of his fellow officers.

Many of the Tollerwald soldiers, of mostly common birth, were nervous; not that the officers cared. The only one to hold significant unease was the tomboyish Vice Admiral Bianca Scharnhorst, commander of the Sixth Fleet. A rare female commanding officer of the Empire, she hailed from a poor aristocratic family, and had joined the force to earn bread. She had judged the Tollerwalds to hold the advantage and therefore joined them, but now she was having doubts.

She contacted Admiral Fogel to discuss battle plans, but was surprised to see the face of an unclothed woman. “Who are you? Where’s the admiral?”

“Uhm, the admiral told me to, uh, tell you to not contact him. I’m just a lady of the night that the admiral hired.”

“I see,” she said icily, not letting out the “We’re fucked” in her mind, while cutting the transmission.

Meanwhile, Empress Katharin was visiting Marshal Karl’s flagship, the Illustrious. “You’re not resting, Marshal?”

“Your Majesty. I’m still arranging our formation,” came the marshal’s answer. His eyes were focused on the screen.

“What ideas do you have?”

“Not many. The best one is to use our forces defensively, and launch flanking attacks from starboard. We’ve also prepared decoy ships with sensor decoys to attack from port and distract them. But if they have scouts deployed, as they should, it may not work. I need to think of other backup plans.”

“Don’t push yourself too hard, marshal,” the Empress said. “I’m not sure those noble officers even know how to move their ships!”

To this boastful jest the marshal only smiled. The Battle of Westmarch Starzone was about to begin.