WARNING: The following contains spoilers for X-Men #17 by Jonathan Hickman, Brett Booth, Adelso Corona, Sunny Gho, Tom Muller and VC's Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
The mutant corner of the Marvel Universe is one of the most politically charged pieces of the broader Marvel tapestry, with nations rising and empires falling with alarming frequency. While X of Swords cemented Krakoa's place on Earth as a home for all mutants, the Shi'ar Empire has made sure that mutantkind always has a home among the stars. When one of those homes is attacked, its regent, Xandra, handles the situation with the ironic grace that her famous father is so well known for.
In X-Men #17, Cyclops, Jean and Storm are discretely called for help by Chandilar, the seat of the Shi'ar Empire's throne. Deathbird is in need of their help, though it would be best to keep things under wraps if possible due to the severity of the situation. Majestrix Xandra Neramani, daughter of Charles Xavier and Lilandra Neramani, has gone missing. The former Avenger Smasher is waiting for the three veteran X-Men when they arrive. After getting them up to speed along with Deathbird, they gather with everyone who was in the palace when the Empress went missing. It doesn't take long for Jean to root out one of the conspirators, a Stygian posing as one of the Shi'ar's own. Taking care of the assassins and rescuing the Empress is just another day on the job for the heroes, but it's an eye-opening experience for Xandra herself, one that she intends to make sure everyone under her purview learns from.
The sufferings of the Stygian people are not lost on Xandra, and she and Deathbird have convinced Roberto Da Costa, aka Sunspot, to donate some of his vast fortune to help them in their time of need. The leader of the conspiracy and would-be assassin Urr is a different matter, though, and cannot be handled with such a gentle touch. Xandra isn't prepared to make him a martyr, as that would only further breed zealotry among those who regard her to be a pompous aristocrat and unqualified leader.
Instead of sentencing Urr to death or prison, she has decided to force him into the role of a diplomat, working with her administration as part of the political process. Turning the former revolutionary into a bureaucrat is, as Xandra puts it, "a fate worse than death." She also indebts herself to Storm for saving her life, something that they both know shouldn't be taken lightly. A favor owed by the Shi'ar Empire could move mountains, not to mention entire worlds, and is about as valuable an asset as anyone could ask for.
Xandra hasn't been on the throne long, but she's very quickly learning how to rule, showing a natural affinity for leadership roles much like both of her parents. Charles Xavier in particular was always at the forefront of the battle for mutantkind's place in the world, though never through an iron fist or tyrannical grip on those around. Manipulation, on the other hand, was something that Charles has always been as fond of as he is capable of, having played multiple angles on nearly every battle he's taken part in.
That isn't to say that Xandra and her gather are cruel or uncaring, but rather that they're willing to take unpopular stances during uncomfortable situations in order to deliver the best possible outcome, not just for themselves, but for everyone affected by their actions. It might just be the best indicator of where the Shi'ar Empire is headed under Xandra's reign, and so far it looks to be magnificent.