New Stars

[Ryccia]

Kairmios, Celestial Empire of Galactya
Orbit above planet

Unlike contact with the Treecuu, which was improvised in many respects, the Ryccians could communicate more formally and properly with their next diplomatic target this time. The Celestial Empire of Galactya was fairly close to the Treecuu and Zelvar states, and the Drakari were made aware of them as well. Thus, both the Galactyans and the Ryccians had at least some idea of who the other was, even if it was through third parties offering data that made the other seem like a distant fiction of someone’s imagination. But no, now they were here in the flesh.

There would be no room for the mind to wander off. The Ryccians had arrived in reality. An Imperial Star Destroyer, plus accompanying ships, composed an escort fleet for the Imperial diplomatic mission to these Galactyans. The head of the delegation was Risard Altinic, a Vonmisian of the Farlands planet of Cleartile’s Eye. A colony founded by a human nobleman of surname Cleartile some 1300 years ago, he named it in honor of his eye which he had lost in a tragic accident. A weird origin story, perhaps, but that’s why Cleartile’s Eye was named so. It was initially a planet where humans from the New Daonlathas region migrated to, but, 650 years ago, Vonmisian farmers began to arrive in their thousands as part of the local government’s efforts to use the planet’s particular soils to cultivate a crop popular on Vonmisian worlds that would grow to its most elite quality with the chemical composition of said soil. As a result, the world was a mixture of both human and Vonmisian colonists, and they coexisted in relative harmony. Altinic himself had been born in one of the many mixed towns where both species lived side by side, a kind of concordance which was only possible in the enlightened state that was Ryccian Empire, or so nationalists would say.

Altinic’s family had run the tiny town’s grocery story for a few centuries by this point. His origin was unremarkable, but he excelled academically and was able to enter the prestigious University of Anoreta, the best institution of higher education in the Farlands and one of the best in the entire Empire. After completing his studies, he was employed as a diplomat by the Foreign Ministry and had eventually rose to the top. At 61 years of age, his life had been a respectable career, bringing prestige to his family and his little hometown.

The military commander in charge of the escort was Vice Admiral Keita Levrupotar, a human from the Eastern Region. Unlike Altinic, she came from the biggest city in her planet. An urbanite at heart, her parents were middle-class civil servants who had encouraged her to become a bureaucrat like themselves, but she loved her grandmother the most and followed her example, enlisting in the Imperial Navy. Unlike Altinic, she didn’t have the academic lottery he had. Although she did excel in her school, it was not enough for a nationally prestigious university’s military academy, and she considered her best shot was to start from below, impress those around her and eventually be recommended instead of enrolling in some random lower-tier academy. Her efforts paid off, as Levrupotar was eventually referred by her superiors to study at a local military academy to become a commissioned officer. Despite it not being one of the best in the Empire, the fact she had the backing of her commanders meant she would be more respected going on. She eventually rose to her rank at 48 years of age.

“This is Vice Admiral Keita Levrupotar of the Ryccian Imperial Navy, escorting the diplomatic mission of the Ryccian Empire to the Celestial Empire of Galactya. We are not present here to initiate any hostilities and await further instructions from the relevant authorities of your state”

[Galaxiel]

13/01/6001 P.E.
0 BBT

---

Celestial Empire Of Galactya
Quadrant 2
Kairelia Star System
Major Colony Of Kairmios

---

Galactya had always been curious of the eastern states. Plans to ask it’s allies who had diplomatic ties with these mysterious nations to introduce them had always been proposed, but for a long time the Empire was more concerned with carefully cultivating it’s power and influence in the west and maintaining it’s relations and trade routes.

However, after the Wormhole War and the founding of the Coalition Of United Stars, the Galactyan Empire decided that it was finally time to act. Various rumors of expansionistic and racist nations had always came in from it’s allies, but the arrival of the Sereniani confirmed them. Since the Ryccian Empire seemed to be one of the few states that didn’t fit this unflattering description, Galactya decided to finally try and establish relations with it. From what little they had heard from the Drakari and the Emeraldians, this nation seemed to be much more multicultural and multispeciated than the other eastern nations, so perhaps Galactya would finally find someone similar in such terms.

With the Drakari acting as middle men, the two nations agreed to meet in Galactyan space, on the planet of Kairmios.

Kairmios was the first of the seven Main Worlds of the Empire. It, along with the other ones in it’s system, was one of the first planets to be colonized after the Genetic Revolution, around 6200 years ago (3800 in Galactyan Years). Thanks to it’s already habitable biosphere, it was able to fully function as a colony much before it’s sibling worlds, allowing it to grow in influence and power. In another favorable twist of luck, one of the Hyperlanes’ Relay Stations was built in it’s system, further cementing it’s importance. So it was no surprise that the rich, influential and populous planet was nominated as one of the Empire’s Main Worlds.

It was also in the Kairelia Star System that the Drakari, now perhaps one of the greatest allies of the Empire and members of their Coalition, made first contact. This proved to be one of the greatest fortunes of the planet, that was chosen as the main trading hub with the powerful Imperium.

So, to ease any tension that the foreigners may have had upon arrival, and to perhaps signal the importance of this encounter, the Drakari-saturated world was chosen for the diplomatic mission, and perhaps, as the hub of a new flourishing trade route.

---

Hephroll Muskarill, governor of Kairmios, sat in his private communications room in the planet’s Space Port. More than 200 years ago, he had carried out the diplomatic mission during the rather… accidental first contact with the Drakari Imperium. This time however, he was prepared. The main plaza in front of the spaceport had already been cut off from the public and a special capsule had been prepared for the alien diplomats. This time, they were ready.

Suddenly, the colony’s radar systems lit up. Large alien ships appeared above orbit, around 10 kilometers above the orbital space of the various production stations, just as they had been instructed. He calmly opened a direct communication line with the vessels.

"This is Governor Hephroll Muskarill of the Major Colony of Kairmios. I personally welcome you to the Galactyan Empire. Please track your vessels at the colony's Space Port. Flight Path info will now be sent to your ships. Me and my delegation will be waiting for you in front of the hangar."

[Ryccia]

Kairmiros, Celestial Empire of Galactya

No fighting. That’s good news. Despite the fleet seeming threatening, the fact the Galactyans were not firing wildly meant they didn’t have a jingoistic demeanor. The governor of the planet seemed calm and prepared for their arrival as well, meaning they had a developed communications and logistics system. Whatever their intentions, the Galactyan state demonstrated characteristics of it being reasonable and constant. No unpredictable behavior, perhaps.

Kairmiros seemed like an elegant world in its opulence. Intelligence indicated it was a major trade hub for this country, and it showed. Hopefully its people would show the same elegance as well.

An Imperial shuttle, flanked by four TIE Interceptors, flew towards the spaceport. The rest of the fleet remained in place, orbiting the world, watching carefully and attentively as to what happened next. As the shuttle neared the landing zone, the fighters disengaged, returning back to the fleet.

As the ramp opened the craft’s interior, the diplomatic delegation arrived. Altinic, as the chief diplomat of the mission, came out first, flanked by junior diplomats, advisors, scribes and other relevant staff. By his side were two soldiers of the Imperial Guards, infamously known as “Death Troopers” due to their lethality and intimidating black armor. Despite this possibly frightful sight, Altinic greeted the governor warmly.

“Greetings, Governor Muskarill. As the Chief Representative of the Imperial Diplomatic Mission to your country, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and I believe I can speak for our country that we earnestly wish for peace and amity between our two states. If there are any immediate and urgent concerns you’d like to speak of before we proceed, I would be glad to hear them. Otherwise, I hope all is well, and I wish that our encounter is the beginning of a great chapter of harmony and mutual cooperation that will do us both good”.

A routine formality speech, perhaps seen by some as empty and hollow words not yet backed by actions, and therefore an useless, pompous waste of air. Whether the wishes conveyed would turn true was yet to be seen.

[Galaxiel]

Hephroll looked curiously at the various aliens descending from the vessel. It admittedly made him even more excited. To a Galactyan, any form of biological diversity was pure delight.

“The pleasure is all mine Mr. Altinic. I am quite honored to be the one chosen for this Diplomatic Mission. And no, from what I reckon there shouldn’t be any concerns important enough to be voiced immediately. Historically, we have had to warn other species about our… appearances, but from what little I’ve heard, that should not be required with you. The rumors we’ve heard about your nation were quite positive, at least in our eyes.”

“Therefore, let us begin. If you may follow me, I’ll lead you to the Central Administration Building, the heart of every Galactyan Colony, and where my office is located. I believe it to be a sufficiently formal space to establish diplomatic ties.”

“You can bring your guards and the rest of your entourage with you of course, but they will have to stay outside of my office’s doors once we arrive there. In the meantime, all of you, feel free to ask me and my delegation whatever you wish, or deem necessary. We’ll try our best to answer all of your questions.”

[Ryccia]

Of course.

It would be a grotesque lie to say that Ryccians are not disgusted in the slightest by other aliens, but they know how to control and ignore their prejudices carried over by their wild past as animals. Where instinct once guided their prehistoric ancestors, reason would be the new teacher. Ryccians, irrespective of species, have had the values of tolerance drilled in them since their first days. It was a core component of the education system, and racism used to be a crime under the first penal code of the New Empire. Nowadays, to express racist sentiments is akin to character suicide, especially for government officials. Many employers will just fire a racist on the spot, and these bigots were generally ostracized from society. The Ryccians had advanced so much socially that intraspecies discrimination, where, for example, a human discriminated against another human due to their skin color or certain features, was categorized as a mental illness under Ryccian psychological standards. Due to this dilligent and persistent inculcation of this code of ethics, the Ryccian perspective has changed since those dark days of tyrannical rule. The social changes had been so profound that many Ryccian humans felt closer to their fellow alien Ryccian citizens than to other human groups outside the Empire, something which came as a shock for nations such as the Stoinians. The Ryccian pride for this way of thinking has led to a sort of arrogance among some too, as some sectors see nations whose socioeconomic relationships are markedly defined by race in one way or another as backwards and barbaric. To Altinic and the rest of the delegation, to see such enlightenment where other countries had been so arcane and outdated was a welcome surprise.

“Yes”, said Altinic, “of that you are most definitely correct. To us, a person is more than their race. Judge people by who they are, not what they are. We are pleased there is a possibility to reach a mutual understanding on these virtues, so important for the enlightenment and social progress of all civilizations”

As instructed, the rest of the delegation remained outside as the two diplomats entered the office. Altinic took his seat, waiting for the Galactyan official to start the meeting and set the agenda if he so wished.

[Galaxiel]

“We are very pleased too. We know little of the eastern nations, and the rumors that arrive to us from our allies who have diplomatic ties with them are… unflattering, to say the least. When we heard of you, we saw you as a beacon of hope in an otherwise ruthless part of the Sector.”

“I’m sure you’ll also be delighted to hear that the west largely aligns much more with your morals. Even the Star Empire Of Calerost, who isn’t exacty very fond of us, does so not due to species or race, but due to culture. We’d be happy to introduce you to the neighborhood, but it’s best not to get too ahead of ourselves.”

---

Sitting down behind his large decorated desk, Hephroll looked delighted at the alien in front of him. The Ryccian Empire was starting to look wonderfully promising. He still remembered how he felt 134 years ago (212 in standard years), when he directed the first contact with the Drakari Imperium. The most peaceful contact ever made in Galactyan history, at least until now. If things kept going well, the Ryccian one would steal the first place.

After pressing a button on his desk, a tray with various drinks appeared from a sliding compartment.

“Would you like something to drink during our meeting mister Altinic? I have some wine that I purchased from an Emeraldian Market on Nethul, I think it would fit your human tastes. Or, perhaps, would you like to go for something Galactyan? I do have to warn you, our drinks tend to be quite… strong for other species. However, I’d be delighted to hear your opinion on it.”

“That aside, I would like to start this meeting with an exchange of informations. I think that the both of us know very little of each other’s nation. Hearing more about the Ryccian Empire would be wonderful.”

[Ryccia]

Civilization burns bright.

Altinic was surprised to hear the Galactyans were not some anomaly in a sea of darkness and backwardsness. According to many in the Empire, it was rare for multiracial star nations based on civic rather than species relations such as the Ryccians, the Galactyans or the Drakari to exist because the biological tendency towards favoring one’s own species was strong. It had been shown with the Treecuu and - even more notably - with the Stoinians. Species often came first, even if they were equal. Many Ryccians thus believed they were one of the privileged few in the entire galaxy to have attained such enlightenment. Was it really that common? If so, this was welcome news. If more star nations have these civilized virtues, the stars would not seem so scary after all.

“Oh, I would have to politely decline your offer. I am not in the mood for alcohol at this time. I thank you regardless”

This was a half-lie. Altinic did not drink much, but it didn’t matter anyway. Ryccian protocol ordered its diplomats to abstain from any “negatively mind-altering substances” during their official duties as it was crucial to stay focused and alert to negotiate with a clear mind. The wine would have to wait.

“Water would suffice, however”

“Discussing our countries is a good idea. The Ryccian Empire is a democratic state, with its current incarnation having been born more than a thousand years ago. It was not always so, however. Before that, a humanocentric, militaristic and totalitarian regime dominated most of what in our history we call the ‘Old Empire’. The Old Empire began after the humans of our capital world, Daonlathas, revolted around six thousand years ago against a species now long forgotten that had enslaved them for two centuries. The main leader of the rebellion was crowned the first ‘Emperor’. Ryccian human society had been scarred by two centuries of oppression, turning virulently xenophobic, militaristic and imperialistic. To unfairly summarize the six millenniae that followed, the humans expanded their realms as time passed, conquering many other races in their wake under the initially genuine belief and then the cynical justification that humans needed to dominate other species if they did not wish to be slaves again. The current ‘New Empire’ arose from the Democratic Revolution, a civil war that lasted for decades and one which the revolutionaries, ironically led by the Empire’s Crown Princess of that time, Alice, won. The country remained a monarchy, but it was under this legendary Empress that Ryccian society would radically shift towards the pluralistic, democratic and diverse nation we have today”

Altinic then pulled out his holographic device to show some figures. They would prove informational.

“Here are the five main species of our country: the Humans, the Kaminoans, the Velpans, the Vonmisians such as myself, and the Vurbentans. There are a myriad of other sentient races that constitute our Empire, and even if their numbers are smaller, all of them are equal citizens under our state. To us, a Human citizen is exactly the same as any other Ryccian citizen under the law and in terms of fraternity. I presume you are aware of the Stoinians. If so, allow me to relate what I was told: to them, it was a great shock that not only were all races equal under one law, but that even what they consider their Ryccian ‘compatriots’, the Human race which they call ‘Terrans’, felt far closer in terms of identity and solidarity with fellow citizens such as myself compared to the little kinship they felt with Stoinian humans. There are many species, cultures and climates present all over our Empire, but I think I can fairly simplify it all to this: we do not see race. We see people. That is who we are, our fundamental point of view of the universe, and what the Ryccian Empire looks like”.

[Galaxiel]

The Ryccian Empire was turning out to be even more promising than anyone could have ever thought. Finally, after thousands if years, someone else would truly appreciate their efforts.

Sure, there were some things Hephroll still had some doubts about. He didn’t really know how to feel about democracy yet. Pluralism and diversity are and will always be values to strive for and protect of course, but democracy was… different. However, as long as the people were happy and the system was efficient, he didn’t see it as nothing more than an equal replacement to the political system that kept Galactya high and powerful since it’s foundation. After all, he thought to himself, the Ferristians were very democratic too, and their nation seemed to work wonderfully.

”A very interesting history, if I may say so myself. I’m also glad to see that you too have such diversity, almost as much as us! Even if yours wasn’t induced.”

”The Celestial Empire Of Galactya, as it’s name suggests, is a Monarchical Diarchy founded almost 9700 Standard Years ago on Galactya, the homeworld of our species. The Empire was created after the Genesis Comet, a presumably interdimesional object, crashed on our planet, causing a Global War due to its incredibly destructive capabilities and the desire of the various Superpowers of the time to rule over the rest of the Planet. However, due to an accident, both the Comet and one of Galactya’s original three moons was destroyed, causing an even greater destruction on the already charred and battered lands. After that, we came together as one, thus founding the Empire. In the course of around 870 years we colonized and terraformed the rest of our home system, and after some conflicts, secessions and further troubles, we invented our first Faster Than Light Drive.”

”Around 7650 standard years ago we made first contact with another alien nation, the Melanean Federation, who immediately declared a conquest war against us, called the First Interstellar War, in order to obtain our fully terraformed planets. After 140 years of massacres and bloodshed, both nations agreed to sign a peace treaty and clearly define each other’s borders. After the War, we started an enormous campaign of cultural change in order to combat our natural extremely xenophobic tendencies, and to hopefully establish better relations in the future. Soon after, our efforts were put to the test, as most of the Melaneans were forced to flee to our country due to a total collapse of their economy. While initially remaining separate, we gradually started integrating, with our cultures slowly uniting. However, the problem of interspecies procreation soon arose, and thus we started researching in the field of genetics to “cross the bridge”. After that, we came to an important conclusion: our natural impulses would always remain, no matter how much culture we could put against them. Therefore, we took the matter into our own hands. We rewrote our genetic code and modified our brains to be more docile, xenophilic and collaborative. We began hating our old selves, and thus we started artificially diversifying ourselves into many completely different species, in spite of our ancestors. This entire phase of our history is known as the Genetic Revolution, the most defining moment of our current selves, and it lasted for approximately a thousand years, from 7400 to 6400 Standard Years ago.”

”After two millenia of tranquility and expansion we came across another Stellar Empire, known as the U’Lnuibian Hegemony, a slavist and oppressive nation much younger than ours. While we initially entertained rather peaceful relations, the ruling class started to fear that our ideals of equality would cause uprisings in the slave class, and therefore they decided to declare war on us, aptly called the Second Interstellar War. Thanks to our superiority in almost everything, they were completely subdued and conquered in less than a century.”

”Now I’ll admit that what we did next may be a bit… much, but I promise you that we would never do so again. It is one of the things in our history we are much ashamed of.”

”After conquering the Hegemony, we integrated the citizens who opposed the conflict, and they joined us as citizens, getting absorbed in our Biological Domain. However we uh… enslaved the ones who continued to support the bloodshed of their peoples, modifying their bodies to only be fit for the absence of gravity, and making them mine asteroid belts for us, separated from their oceans for the rest of their lives. The ruling class suffered a much worse fate.”

”Regardless, we made the horrendous mistake of prolonging the enslavement to entire generations who had nothing to do with the War. After coming to our senses about four centuries later, we released them from their pains and integrated them in our Empire.”

”After that, four thousand years of peace, prosperity and expansion continued, with our numbers increasing and our living conditions reaching the near-utopic standards you see today.”

”I am so sorry to make you listen to this convoluted mess, but this really is the most simplified version I could tell you about. Now, onto the peoples of our Empire…”

Like Altinic, Hephroll pulled up a series of holograms, who created an entire wall of countless moving and rotating pictures between him and the Ryccian diplomat.

”As of now, we number at hundreds of thousands of sapient species, each with different populations. Some may be in the millions, while other ones in the trillions. Our species are baselines, tweaks, rianths, splices, xenosplices, provolves, neogens, cyborgs, bioborgs, biaiods, virtuals, aioids, neumanns, vecs, sophont structures and exots, such as silicon or magnetohydrodynamic interactions-based life. We are quite the diverse bunch.”

”And that was it! This is basically all there is to Galactya. Do you have any questions? This entire monologue of mine was a bit tiring I’ll admit, so I’d be delighted to fill any gaps or give you more in-depth information.”

[Ryccia]

Altinic felt bombarded by all this information. Back home, there were around 50+ sapient species. However, this country had taken the concept of life to another dimension. Looking at so many pictures of so many beings, he could not help but feel overwhelmed. Never had he seen such sapiodiversity. Had he stepped into a fantasy, or were these “Galactyans” a gargantuan state hiding their true extent and power?

His surprise and shock was remarkably visible. He simply had no words. For a few seconds, his mouth remained opened as he was stunned into silence and awe. There was a possibility this empire was deceiving them, with the territorial extent they shared to the Ryccians being only an infinitesimal fraction of their space. The reason he perceived it as such was because conventional knowledge, and thus common sense, in the Ryccian Empire was that this shouldn’t be possible. Were there as many lies as there were species? What kind of ploy are these people plunging them into…?

“…That is truly quite the diversity your proud nation possesses in terms of its varied forms of life. Impressive, truly”

Something was afoot. Altinic needed to fabricate an excuse to consult his staff just outside the meeting room they were in. He had to verify what information the Galactyans had thus far shared with them.

“Oh, my most sincere of apologies”, said Altinic, feigning shame and forgetfulness, “I seem to have forgotten to bring a gift for you. It might be minor, but the gesture is what counts. Perhaps my staff has it and I have failed to bring it in. May I step outside for a moment to speak with them about this matter?”

Altinic would think of something. He would take something he or they had to present it as a “small gift” to this governor. However, he needed to consult his entourage. He had to ascertain if the Galactyans were lying, or if this region of space was a fountain of life hitherto undiscovered by the Ryccians. Life, or death? The answer remains a mystery.

[Galaxiel]

”Why thank you! The Empire’s incredible diversity is something we take quite a lot of pride in. Many, myself included, believe that being diverse is one of the key characteristics of a truly good nation. It has to be coupled with equality and respect of course, but you already knew that. It’s no surprise then that we saw the Ryccian Empire with such intrigue. Someone who could finally understand us, partially at least.”

”Yes, of course! While you do that, I’ll also ready some of the gifts we prepared for you. Just like you said, it’s nothing much, but it’s the thought that counts!”

[Ryccia]

“Thank you, Governor. I shan’t be long”

Altinic rushed over to his staff and begun to speak in his native Vonmisian to, hopefully, conceal their conversation from any who may be listening needlessly. He began to speak to them, clearly alarmed.

“I want detailed schematics of what the Galactyans sent us describing their territory. Make haste, I haven’t long”

As he explained why briefly, his staff was as alarmed as he was. Was this some sort of treachery…?

“Sir, this is the map the Galactyan authorities provided to us regarding the extent of their territories”

“…Are you certain this is it?”

“Quite, Your Excellency, this is all we know from our part”

“Hmm…what to believe…”

Altinic then chose a nice fountain pen from one of his staff. The delegate was obviously annoyed, but he promised to pay him back for it. He needed an alibi. As he returned to the meeting, Altinic pulled out the fountain pen, high in quality, but not a match for what the uberwealthy bought back home. Still, he hoped it would suffice.

“Your Excellency, I present a small token of our gratitude for your hospitality. It is trivial, but I present you a fountain pen, crafted by a skilled artisan back home”

Altinic then took out his “Suuis” knife, a very versatile tool.

“I also present you with a ‘Suuis’ knife. Although a simple tool compared to what our technology can provide us, it nevertheless can prove useful when all else fails. This item in of itself is not some grand gift, but I believe that, in its common nature, it gives you a tiny glimpse into our Empire and its more pedestrian elements. While the astounding main parts of a stage are important, sometimes the props in the background can aid us in shaping an image just as well as the subject of the play”

Altinic was bullsh*tting his way through, as the more coarse-worded say. This was all an impromptu attempt to appear legitimate, as if giving the Governor some pen and a Suuis knife was something important planned from the start. However, Altinic was creative in finding solutions, and for this he had been recognized in his career. He hoped the old adage proved true for these Galactyans: we can meet with you by the pen, or by the sword.

[Galaxiel]

”Uh, how curious. They really are identical to our swiss knifes. We call them like that since they were first created in Terra’s industrial age as a tool for the Swiss Army, a nation of Old Earth. They might not compare in versatility to Effector Frame tools, but they for sure were quite the crafty tool back then in ancient times.”

”Ah, an old pen! You know, I think I haven’t seen one of these since my vacation at the middletech Bishop Ring in the Xaperchen System. I believe the only ones to still use these in the Empire are members of prim, lotech and middletech colonies and habitats. Apart from collectors and old timey ones that is!”

”Regardless of that, thank you a lot for the gifts. They may be small, but that doesn’t matter, as it’s the thought behind them that counts. In the meantime, I’ve arranged for yours to be brought to your residences that we arranged for your stay.”

[Ryccia]

“It seems we share more than we’d both previously believed. Surely, time has its way to entangle us all in its web of history”

The human race was sure something, Altinic thought. Only a few years ago did the Empire believe humans were autochtonous to Daonlathas, and now they’re everywhere. The Ryccians once believed they were the titans of history, for none other challenged their place in their psyche. The uncertainty and anxiety over a history the Ryccians had lost to the tides of fate was becoming widespread, especially among Ryccia’s political and military elite. The Empire could already be outflanked before it even knew…

Thoughts for later, perhaps. What is important is the here and now. The theorizing comes later.

“I propose we proceed to practice the noble art of diplomacy next. I believe it would be prudent to start with the topic of embassy exchange”

[Galaxiel]

”Yes, of course. The Ryccian Embassy would be located on our capital ecumenopolis, Galactya, specifically in the Ambassadorial Loop, a large circular decorated space located in the Middle Plazas of the Capital’s diplomatic district. All of our foreign embassies used to be there, but that stopped being so after we transferred most of the other embassies to the Coalition Headquarters”

”The Loop is connected to the Imperial Palace Complex and the Hall Of Clades through the Imperial Boulevard, and the ryccian ambassador will have their own private maglev line and shuttle to travel throughout the government buildings, as well as the rest of the planet.”

”The embassy will soon be built following a design of your choosing, and will also house cultural expositions and museums dedicated to the Ryccian Empire.”

[Ryccia]

“We thank you for your hospitality and generosity. The Ryccian Empire is humbled by your trust in us for allowing our ambassador to travel freely across your capital. Most appreciated”

Yes yes, the usual diplomatic fluff. However, Altinic’s words conveyed a message he hoped his counterpart would pick up: the Ryccian Empire’s first look into the Galactyans was positive, and that meant negotiations were off to a good start already.

“Now, onto security for our embassy. It is standard policy for our delegations to be guarded by our personnel. We would like to station a small garrison to provide protection to our embassy and its grounds. How permissible is Galactya on this matter?”

It’s all small, but still, all starts with baby steps. How trusting, and thus how friendly and reliable, would the Galactyans be?

[Galaxiel]

”Well, yes, that can be done, even though I fail to see why that would be necessary. Galactya is mostly angelnetted, so offensive actions are basically impossible there. Besides, Imperial security droids would always be guarding the embassy at all times. However, if the presence of your own personnel in addition to our security measures makes you feel more comfortable, it can certainly be arranged.”

”Now… since it’s quite clear that our nations are alike in many fundamental aspects, I’d say that establishing a non-aggression pact right away would be a wise move. I’d hate to push for things before their right time has come, but I have plenty of reasons to believe that this is not the case. Who knows, one day Ryccia might even join the Coalition! Only time can tell.”

[Ryccia]

“Thank you for your understanding”

“Oh, we feel no offense. On the contrary, requesting a non-aggression pact of you was on our agenda. It is a good sign when bright minds think alike. Regarding this ‘coalition’ you spoke of, would it be proper for you to describe it so we may be well informed of it?”

[Galaxiel]

”The Coalition is a supranational organization, currently made up of six members: the Galactyan Empire, the Star Empire Of Calerost, the Drakari Celestial Imperium, the Commonwealth Of Ferristia, the Union Of Emerald, and the Akropii Republic. The Coalition, recently founded by Galactya following a short-lived yet impactful conflict known as the Wormhole War, is an alliance which ensures mutual-defense, enormous trade facilitations , cultural exchanges and shared international programs and sub-organizations, such as the Combined Coalition Fleet, the Combined Research Program and the Combined Colonization Program. The alliance is organized by the Council Of The Coalition, responsible for proposing, discussing and emanating international laws that will affect all Member States, regulate trade between members and deal with situations on the interstellar political stage that interest the Coalition.”

”At the moment, the Coalition is still establishing itself, so other nations will most likely prefer not to add new members for the time being, to avoid further complications. However, if my predictions are correct, in around one or two years they’ll all be open to new members again.”

[Ryccia]

“Quite interesting. We will watch these developments with great interest”

“Now, regarding restrictions on travel, what do you have in mind?”

[Galaxiel]

”None I suppose. Of course, you won’t be allowed to travel to our star systems dedicated for military production without a proper authorization and accompanying personnel, but other than that, we are very open to both tourism and immigration.”

”What about the Ryccian Empire instead?”