Exactly sixty days later, all eight of them were greeted by the emperor himself in one of the more private but still very colossal reception rooms, nested deeply inside the Emperor’s Palace.

The emperor, with his long white beard and thick almost connected eyebrows that seemed to purposely hide half of his eyes as he frowns, seemed older than all of them combined. Yet, his handshake was firm, and his guttural voice strong and overpowering, echoing against the tall walls covered in paintings of beasts he slew, in the age-long gone when beasts roamed freely and could still be slain.

"Gentlemen, I consider all eight of you some of the brightest minds and the most righteous souls thorough out the entire realm..." The emperor started with his cardinal baritone tone. They slowly set around a massive, twenty-foot long, white-washed wooden table. It seemed heavy enough that not even the united force of nine of them would not be enough to move it an inch.

“That is why I asked you to come here, and come up with the plan to revitalize the empire, to help people live better, for the war we fought should never be fought again. So, tell me, have you had enough time, have you done anything concerning this matter?”

“Yes, sure we have… We have outlined about twenty different policies which should revitalize the economy… You can see them here…” The screen popped in the air in the middle of the long table, and graphs of all types emerged from it.

A lot can be written about all the things that were said during the meeting. For the next three hours, the council talked to the emperor, explaining exactly what each of those graphs and diagrams represented and how they will improve the empire.

"We expect that the economy would start growing again, easily surpassing previous records of two percent growth a year. These measures would also help reduce tax dodgers and improve job markets. Unemployment would become almost a matter of the past."

Then the council started to talk about their ideas concerning the creation of a new investigative unit, informing the emperor about all their ideas concerning this matter.

"We believe that the selection process should not include any person who is presently or has been in the past employed by the police or the Tax Authority. We have comprised the list of over ten thousand candidates and believe that from that group, we can form the very first working group of about twenty investigators. They are to go through the toughest screening as well as the training process we can come up with. That will guarantee that only the best and the most suitable will be selected."

"I also believe that we have to change everything.” The emperor suddenly interrupted them, not moving his eyes from his hands which he placed in front of him, at the table. “You spoke in very general terms, which I have to agree with, and not just because of the science behind it. That is exactly what I wanted you to do and why I entrusted you with this task to begin with. But, I do not know yet how exactly the government would look like once you do all the changes you are talking about. And that worries me…I cannot see it…”

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"You have to give me more evidence of that, and more proof that when we change things, they will work for the better. I have to see that clearly, and at present, I really do not. I want a clear plan, clear tasks, clear steps, everything… I need so much more details from you before making my call, understood? In the end, whatever I decide to do, let me assure you that I will hold you responsible for this program. There will be no excuses accepted. So, do it right."

Then he exhaled a long breath, and as if he doubted whether he was too tough on his advisers started to talk in a calmer, sweeter voice. "But still… your idea about creating a new type of police… I find it very interesting indeed. I like to think of cutting out the middle man… It might be the best way, the only way, since your statistics on corruption seem very discouraging.

“I like the idea of giving them authority to do all three duties at the same time, to investigate, to judge, and to execute that judgment. Except, that may be too much power…And we all know what that can do to a person... So, it is not only that you select the best candidate, but that you teach them how to use that power, and guard them of never getting spoiled by that power…So, each one of their actions has to be documented and evidenced.

“Out of eight of you, there should always be a panel of three which should go over each one of their 'investigations'. I plan to periodically go over their files as well as go over your files… Just to make sure they are satisfactory.

"But, the idea here is, since they will have all that great power, almost the power of the emperor himself, I do not want them to investigate just every-day crimes. Do you understand that? For that, there is already local police and internal police who should worry about the corruption within. Sure they can have an authority to prevent any wrongdoing they see happening, but I want these elite groups of investigators to concern themselves with the matters that might upset the core of the balance of the entire empire."

The emperor, stroke his beard, sudden and unexpected enthusiasm gleaming in his eyes. He didn’t want to stop talking. He liked the idea. He saw its benefits clearly, as well as its danger. “They are to investigate cases which are given to them directly by you or by me, the cases which seem to carry overweighting important for the prosperity of the empire as a whole. If we had people like that before, Vazz would never be able to build their war machines, the war could have been prevented and the lives of billions spared."

"And you were right - the selection process has to be done right, and I see what you planned out seems to go in the right direction. A very interesting starting point, that is.

“To the list of those two thousand candidates, you will also add additional ones. I want each great house, all twenty of them, to have a chance to volunteer one of their family members to serve in this unit. It will be up to them if they can complete the course and become investigators, but I want all of them to have a chance. Understood?”

Everybody shook their heads in reverential silence.

"I believe I will have more to say once I take a longer time to think about this matter. So, I will shortly let you know about my final decision. Until then..." The emperor finally got up from his seat, and the councilmen followed, each one of them smiling, not hiding the pleasure to see their restructuring plan being so positively accepted.

If they only knew back then what they have started and what future timeline they helped create if they only knew what that future would bring on themselves personally, bring on to the entire empire, and beyond…