He paused, letting his words settle before continuing. "The Minotaur's are not weak. If they were, we would have swallowed them long ago. To claim whatever lies within the Forbidden Space, we will have to compete with them—whether through strength, strategy, or both."
"But that is for later," the Emperor continued, his voice steady and resolute. "For now, they hold the advantage—both in familiarity with the region and in making the first move. However, we are not without our own strengths. If we all agree that whatever lies within the Forbidden Space is valuable enough for the Minotaur's to move in secret, then it is valuable enough for us as well. We shall act—discreetly."
His gaze shifted toward Archduke Virex, the direct commander of the empire's naval forces.