With the Empire's strong façade, few people talk about the street-level conflicts. Iella likes it that way: keeps the pressure off. While she can't stand the politics and gamesmanship of the imperial court, she's more than equipped to handle her own private hustle on Kintar Prime.

Operating out of the cities of the deep south, Iella spends more of her time dodging police drones than rubbing shoulders with nobles. Also, not having to deal with the desert climate around the capital is a major plus.

That's not to say the streets aren't dangerous in the south. Quite the opposite, the criminal underworld has adapted to deal with the automatic law-enforcement systems by employing some of the deadliest and most sophisticated technology available in Kintari space.