The Mech Touch novel Chapter 4670

"What about the Boojay Family?"

"The Boojay Family is an entirely different case from the Adelaide Mercenary Company, sir." Minister Shederin Purnesse calmly responded as he picked up a tea cup and sipped his specially brewed melange. "Did you know that the Boojays used to be Terran?"

The spices of his brew wafted over to the noses of Ves and Calabast, allowing them to enjoy a scent that harkened to a more exotic human culture.

Ves raised his eyebrow at what he heard, but that was the extent of his reaction. "Terran, huh? Well, our clan has a distant relation to the New Rubarth Empire. In fact, if you look deep enough in the past, then practically every human in the Milky Way and the Red Ocean has a relation to the ancient humans who lived on Old Earth. Having a connection to the oldest human state isn't that special these days. Let me guess, the Boojays were exiled from the Terran Confederation, right?"

"Correct. It is not that hard to guess." Minister Shederin acknowledged. "What you need to know is that the Boojay Family isn't a regular group of exiles. The ancestor who founded it was one of the princes of a feudal kingdom in the galactic center. This was during the height of the Age of Conquest where humanity expanded its borders at a rapid pace and where countless looted resources poured into the heart of human civilization. At the time, a succession battle took place where a dozen princes and princesses battled for the throne that had just been vacated."

Calabast leaned back on her chair while crossing her legs, which happened to highlight her tight leather trousers.

"Ah, succession battles. They are always rife with intrigue, betrayal and tragedy. Countless real life palace dramas have taken place throughout human space, and they will continue to unfold each time a hereditary state with an unclean succession line loses its head. Brute force and seniority are not enough to secure one's ascension to the throne. The typical winners of these shadow wars are candidates who are devious enough to outscheme their rivals and charming enough to win over key stakeholders."

Shederin took another sip of his tea. "If you are already familiar with these plots, then there is no need to detail what has happened. All you need to know is that the ancestor in question was one of the many losers of the succession battle. As is typical, the new sovereign did not kill the man, but exiled him. The ancestor was allowed to bring his personal possessions, his loyal followers and a small fleet before he left."

Nothing sounded out of the ordinary to Ves. There were many defeated losers who had been exiled from the galactic center for one reason or another. Some of them managed to rise up again and become the rulers of powerful states, but many others failed to adapt to the changed circumstances and disappeared into history.

"You said this happened during humanity's golden age, right?" Ves asked. "Does the feudal kingdom still exist?"

"No. In the long years since this event took place, the Terran Confederation integrated the kingdom more deeply. The royal family that descended from the victors of every succession battle transformed into the Chabran Ancient Clan in order to blend into the power structure of the Terrans. Today, the Chabrans still retain much of the old territory of their former kingdom, and they are just as wealthy and powerful as the members of other ancient clans."

That sounded impressive, but the Chabran Ancient Clan was way too far away for Ves to care about them. One of the reasons why he became so eager to enter the Red Ocean was to get away from all of those old relics of the past!

"So what happened to the Boojay Family after they left the galactic center?"

"The Boojays degenerated over the generations, as is typical when exiles are no longer able to pay for the upkeep and replacement of demanding first-class tech." Shederin answered. "Their lack of initiative and overly conservative decision-making has prevented them from suffering any instant losses, but it has also failed to stop their gradual downslide. The Boojay Family finally managed to stabilize as a second-class organization, but they struggled to find opportunities to grow."

"What did they do to earn their keep during these times? The Adelaides became mercenaries, but the Boojoys don't share the same impression."

Shederin nodded in agreement. "I agree with you, sir. It has much to do with their origins. The Adelaides used to be soldiers who knew nothing else except to fight and wage war. The Boojays emerged from one of the safest regions of human civilization and its founder was a prince who possessed much more understanding of statecraft than the art of war. The family he led therefore sought to acquire territory, which it did. The Boojays spent many generations administering their own planets under the rule of a state."

"That sounds like a decent outcome all-considered." Ves remarked. "If the Boojays successfully became the rulers of their own province or something, why are they here? Why not stay in their cozy place in the old galaxy?"

"That is because the Boojays have another goal. From the moment the family came into existence, their ancestor had always declared that he or his descendent must do their utmost to return to the kingdom and take it over as its 'rightful' ruler."

Calabast snorted. "Too many losers can't accept the fact that they lost and always aspire for a rematch, not caring that they already had their shot. No one really wants them back. These losers and their descendants mainly want to return in order to satisfy their ego, vanity and perceived honor."

Minister Shederin continued to narrative the Boojay Family's history.

"The Boojays eventually found their footing in the galactic heartland. They came to rule a province in a typical second-rate state. While their new foundation provided them with safety and a steady income, there was little upward mobility. The politics in the region have become too stable and peaceful for them to exploit any opportunities to grow and expand. The Boojay Family became stuck and could never fulfill its ancestor's dream of returning to power in the galactic center."

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