A black-haired, tan-skinned Nekovalkyrja's image quickly fades into view on the image panel. She is centered in the camera, with a shadowed electric blue background. She wears a matte-blue wool blazer, with a white blouse underneath. Her hair is flawlessly pushed behind her black-tipped ears, framing her face in front of a dark curtain of silk.
"Good evening, Yamatai — this is SANDRA."
Off to the Neko's left, on the panel's border, the word "SANDRA" vertically appeared. Below the Neko, inside a little graphic, was the Neko's name — Ogama Mio. It was written in Yamataian and Nepleslian, though the Neko spoke Nepleslian.
"The Imperial Government has implemented mandatory food rationing on the municipal level, the first step in what promises to be a massive executive restructuring of the Empire's agriculture.
"The rationing order directs all municipalities to open their emergency stores of MREs and militia-related rations in order to feed the public. Citizens are asked to register for aid through their local PANTHEON nodes. Queue schedules will be publicly posted. A representative from each registered family is required to collect the food from municipal distribution sites. Each representative can transport and a helper to take the food. Rations will be allocated on the basis of a family's need."
"The Premier's Office stated through a spokesperson that the opening of municipal stores is meant to stave off the immediate hunger of the people with the loss of Hoshi no Iori, as well as more than 6 million hectares of farmland in the Central Plains."
The feed cut to a red-haired Neko standing at a blue podium against a blood-red curtain. On the front of the podium was the Imperial flower.
"The Premier, after close consultation with the Empress and her advisers, is sure this release of stores will help the currently homeless and hungry people of Yamatai. Other planetary governments are working out their own solutions as best they can, and the Premier has the highest confidence in the chiji of each planet."
The feed cut back to Ogama.
"The situation is most dire on Yamatai, according to government statistics. At least 40 percent of the population is not receiving the recommended number of kilocalories per day, though that number is below 10 percent inside the prefectures of Kôriyama, Melanchol and Kyôto. The percentage is highest in Jhuniata Prefecture — 80 percent."
"Municipal emergency stores, excluding those of Kyôto, are expected to last for about five weeks at rationed levels, the Premier's Office stated. Kyôto Prefecture is expected to empty its stores during those five weeks and ship food to the areas that most desperately need it, extending the rationed food supply to 13 weeks.
"The Premier's Office has not yet stated its next course of action, but several sources inside the Ministry of Agriculture stated off-the-record that Yamatai's agricultural industry will be nationalized.
A graphic appeared to the right of Ogama's head, showing a tin with "NMX" printed on it in Nepleslian. Above the tin, in red Yamataian characters, was the phrase "Senate debate."
"The Imperial Senate continues to debate how to supplement the food supply, after the capture of vast stores of NMX military rations. The rations are considered nutritious enough by experts to feed the hungry across the Empire, but citizens groups have formed to protest the consumption of the rations on the basis that the meals contain captured Star Army soldiers.
"The groups also are targeting certain senators for what they call 'insensitive remarks.'
"The Senate also is discussing an anti-price gouging law to stop private businesses from raising their prices beyond what the market normally would demand. Though some senators have recommended more drastic measures, Ministry of Agriculture sources say the rule could become moot if the Premier's Office, through executive fiat, nationalizes the grocery store industry on Yamatai."
The graphic changed again, this time to a leek. Above the vegetable, again in Yamataian, was the phrase "Doing their part."
"As the Empire regroups after the Battle of Yamatai, schools in dozens of small villages and hundreds of municipal districts are doing their part to alleviate the food shortage by growing vegetable gardens."
The image switched to the outside of a school where, instead of a soccer field, there were young students, none older than 12, planting rows of carrots, tomatoes and cabbage while wearing school uniforms. The graphic stripped below the bottom of the image said the school was "Yumiuki Primary School No. 12."
"The vegetables use seeds donated from planets from across the Empire. Statistics compiled by school officials state the gardens will provide enough food to feed the most hungry children at the schools enough kilocalories for lunch, and enough nutrients to meet daily recommendations set by the Ministry of Health."
The anchor paused. "This is SANDRA."
"Good evening, Yamatai — this is SANDRA."
Off to the Neko's left, on the panel's border, the word "SANDRA" vertically appeared. Below the Neko, inside a little graphic, was the Neko's name — Ogama Mio. It was written in Yamataian and Nepleslian, though the Neko spoke Nepleslian.
"The Imperial Government has implemented mandatory food rationing on the municipal level, the first step in what promises to be a massive executive restructuring of the Empire's agriculture.
"The rationing order directs all municipalities to open their emergency stores of MREs and militia-related rations in order to feed the public. Citizens are asked to register for aid through their local PANTHEON nodes. Queue schedules will be publicly posted. A representative from each registered family is required to collect the food from municipal distribution sites. Each representative can transport and a helper to take the food. Rations will be allocated on the basis of a family's need."
"The Premier's Office stated through a spokesperson that the opening of municipal stores is meant to stave off the immediate hunger of the people with the loss of Hoshi no Iori, as well as more than 6 million hectares of farmland in the Central Plains."
The feed cut to a red-haired Neko standing at a blue podium against a blood-red curtain. On the front of the podium was the Imperial flower.
"The Premier, after close consultation with the Empress and her advisers, is sure this release of stores will help the currently homeless and hungry people of Yamatai. Other planetary governments are working out their own solutions as best they can, and the Premier has the highest confidence in the chiji of each planet."
The feed cut back to Ogama.
"The situation is most dire on Yamatai, according to government statistics. At least 40 percent of the population is not receiving the recommended number of kilocalories per day, though that number is below 10 percent inside the prefectures of Kôriyama, Melanchol and Kyôto. The percentage is highest in Jhuniata Prefecture — 80 percent."
"Municipal emergency stores, excluding those of Kyôto, are expected to last for about five weeks at rationed levels, the Premier's Office stated. Kyôto Prefecture is expected to empty its stores during those five weeks and ship food to the areas that most desperately need it, extending the rationed food supply to 13 weeks.
"The Premier's Office has not yet stated its next course of action, but several sources inside the Ministry of Agriculture stated off-the-record that Yamatai's agricultural industry will be nationalized.
A graphic appeared to the right of Ogama's head, showing a tin with "NMX" printed on it in Nepleslian. Above the tin, in red Yamataian characters, was the phrase "Senate debate."
"The Imperial Senate continues to debate how to supplement the food supply, after the capture of vast stores of NMX military rations. The rations are considered nutritious enough by experts to feed the hungry across the Empire, but citizens groups have formed to protest the consumption of the rations on the basis that the meals contain captured Star Army soldiers.
"The groups also are targeting certain senators for what they call 'insensitive remarks.'
"The Senate also is discussing an anti-price gouging law to stop private businesses from raising their prices beyond what the market normally would demand. Though some senators have recommended more drastic measures, Ministry of Agriculture sources say the rule could become moot if the Premier's Office, through executive fiat, nationalizes the grocery store industry on Yamatai."
The graphic changed again, this time to a leek. Above the vegetable, again in Yamataian, was the phrase "Doing their part."
"As the Empire regroups after the Battle of Yamatai, schools in dozens of small villages and hundreds of municipal districts are doing their part to alleviate the food shortage by growing vegetable gardens."
The image switched to the outside of a school where, instead of a soccer field, there were young students, none older than 12, planting rows of carrots, tomatoes and cabbage while wearing school uniforms. The graphic stripped below the bottom of the image said the school was "Yumiuki Primary School No. 12."
"The vegetables use seeds donated from planets from across the Empire. Statistics compiled by school officials state the gardens will provide enough food to feed the most hungry children at the schools enough kilocalories for lunch, and enough nutrients to meet daily recommendations set by the Ministry of Health."
The anchor paused. "This is SANDRA."