“We will not. The Treecuu Star Empire has great potential as an ally, and as such we are more than willing to overlook certain matters regarding your civilization’s internal policies.”
“Of course, that doesn’t mean we will not try our best to make you change your ways, while acting as guarantors of order if such transitions do end up taking place. But all is with due time, and there are other things with higher priority that we must discuss first.”
“Speaking of which. When is the system’s governor going to meet us? I do believe it would be best to discuss the proposals I bring here with an official representative of the Treecuu Empire.”
“You are right, of course. The governor is ready to greet you in a short while. I think we should finish up here and have you on your way to his ship. I appreciate our meeting and will relay the discussed topics to my seniors.”
Eethi stood up, quickly followed by Toomoo. She pointed toward the door.
“Let us walk back to the hangar.”
Governor Tumvee frowned as his aide filled him in on the latest developments concerning the “giant space hand” as most of the staff had started calling it, leaving the dull catalogue number or fire-control target ID.
He wasn’t sure where that System Defence Fleet captain’s insolence came from. The audacity to conduct first contact in conflict with direct orders. Such behaviour would have to be stamped out. His predecessor, now Chair of the CEE, would never have tolerated it. But all in good time.
He was pleased to see how his ship cast a large shadow on the much smaller Duulee as it came to a full stop a short distance above, almost menacingly. Though it was of course an issue that the alien ship was much more imposing in size. It was the Treecuu way to still manage to come out on top despite such a disadvantage. Now he only had to wait for the alien to arrive.
After reaching the Duulee’s hangar, Falling Droplets took some moments to thank Eethi. Ey had quite enjoyed their interaction, regardless of the fact that it was technically against Treecuu protocol.
“I would like to personally thank you, Captain. You have been incredibly useful to me and the Confluence as a whole. We will find a way to properly show our appreciation, soon enough.”
With what needed to rightfully be said out of the way, it was now time to notify the actual government representative of the Treecuu. Falling Droplets would have admittedly preferred to carry on in the Dulee, but of course that would not be possible. You wouldn’t carry out diplomacy with the Confluence by talking to a normal sophont instead of a HyperAI, after all. Remotely activating the Yadmiel’s communications networks, the ambassador sent a message to the governor’s ship.
Governor Tumvee of the Treecuu Star Empire, this is the ambassadorial artificial hyper-intelligence Falling Droplets speaking. I will reach your vessel in moments: please, open a hangar or entrypoint of your choosing to allow me passage.
Space around the nebulous avatar began to warp and bend back into a bubble, but before the radiant cloud could fully disappear, it gave its final goodbyes to the Captain.
“Live well and prosper, Captain. May we meet again, on some sunny day.”
The bubble then closed, compressed to near invisibility, and took off into space, darting towards the governor’s ship. The Confluence had made its intentions very clear to Eethi, who was willing to listen: would the Governor act the same way?