Visit From An Old Friend | RUW - TerEmp first contact 0 BBT

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Another angel, and another far greater deliverance. This, THIS was the true chance to shape and guide the Republic to true greatness. The foundations were all present, and were standing solid and firm: now it was time to build the house above them. And what a house it could become!

“I see. Given our data, I expected as much. Well then, the Confluence will obviously lend you a helpig hand, as much as it can. What is it exactly that the Republic of United Worlds needs? Raw or rare resources? A new, greatly expanded industrial apparatus? More advanced technology to ensure stability and prosperity? Military aid against the collapsed Commissariat and other remnants? Whatever it is that you most require, we will be more than happy to provide it.”

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“The best would be resources and industrial aide, for those member states that agree to it. It can be replaced with just currency, once the exchange rate is determined. Some help with research will also be appreciated.” Xanen paused for a short while before continuing. “However, direct military intervention is unnegotiable. Foreign soldiers stationed inside the Republic is not something I can agree on.” Aside from being worried about the Republics soveirgnity, this was also a political move. He was already perceived as weak for not being able to rein in the Senate and not intervening in the League Wars. Making a stand on this matter would help his reputation, which is going to affect Galen’s chances in the next year’s elections.

“And next time you or anybody from your Empire visit, make sure they hail a border station first and get their paperwork sorted out. We would hate to mistake one of your ships for invaders. The process can be a bit tedious, but nothing that should take more than 15 minutes.” Galen added lightheartedly. He was known for being less formal than many politicians and administrators.

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“Very well. If it is acceptable to you and the member states, wormhole mouths will be stationed in various locations of your choosing throughout the Republic’s territories to connect it with the Confluence, allowing better transport of resources, trade and information. We will begin the construction of large dyson swarms in all of your major systems, and starlifting arrays will instead be built around highly metallic or very massive stars: nucleosynthetic Forges for the conversion of lighter elements like hydrogen and helium into heavier ones for manufacture will be built alongside them, together with orbital belts of large industrial nanofabricators for the conversion of the extracted matter into materials and products. If you wish to, we can also send a number of specialized AIs and hyperAIs to help you guide your overall economy and regulate the markets so that the influx of resources does not cause any crashes.”

“As for the research, we will happily share our technology and scientific knowledge with you. Of course, we will have to see how much of it you will be able to properly replicate without hyper intelligences, but even in the worst of scenarios we shall just develop class-0 friendly versions. Aid will also be offered, as you requested, on your own independent research projects. New instruments will be offered, and we will be happy to provide plenty of funding to your research centers, as well as organizing joint projects and collaborations with our own Institutes and hyperAIs.”

“I will make sure to also inform all of the Confluence’s travelling HabShips and other vessels to hail one of your border stations first and request permission to enter Republic territory.”

“Do you find this proposal acceptable?”

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“Unfortunately no. It’s too much. It would never get through the Senate, for multiple reasons. To be honest, we mostly expected just simple injection of money and a few construction teams building houses and factories.” Xanen said. He did not expect any state to be willing to pump so many resources into such an uncertain investment. But issues of sovereignty, distribution of these new resources and power balance would prevent the Republic from taking advantage of such a generous patron.

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“That is… understandable.”

While things in hyperAI societies of the Confluence were very distant from their base concepts in the regular sapient world, most of them continued to exist in one way of another, growing and expanding much beyond their original boundaries: even very simple concepts and emotions flourished in ineffable ways with each level of the Sophonce Scale, going from simple flowers in a field of grass to ecological empires spanning the stars. Lying was one of them. Obviously, within the harmonious trans-society the hyperAI lived in, lies were a very rare occurrence: after all, there was not much to gain by spreading false information, and even if there was doing so was socially frowned upon (as much as these cues and expectations match their transcendental counterparts).

It is not necessary to point out that lying by omission is still lying. What Crown In The Sky had just said was an example of that. Of course, e understood the political motivations and economic interests behind the rejection, as those weren’t hard to figure out. But e most certainly did not find it “understandable”. How anyone could refuse such a proposal in times of serious need, just to benefit themselves, e could not for the life of em grasp it. By each millisecond Crown In The Sky spent reflecting on it, lakes of annoyance bubbled and grew more and more into seas of anger: however, such emotions would not be useful to a diplomatic mission, and so e removed the anger by temporarily rewriting eir mindstate. As a trillion lines of code were changed, the oceans evaporated and left behind small ponds covered by towering white clouds that would later return the rage they held to the waters below, when the right time to do so would come.

“We will then limit our aid to injecting currency, favourable trade deals, and transferring you our technology and scientific resource. Utility fog and automated droids will replace the construction crews you need, and you will also be able to create your own expanded industrial apparatus at a pace you find socioeconomically and politically comfortable for your interests.”

“However, the Confluence does request something in return for the aid we shall provide you.”

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“I’d like to have some of my Commandos guard those construction sides. Just in case someone got any ideas.” Andarna said, looking at the ambassador with suspicion.

“And what is that request? The Republic in its current state doesn’t have much to offer I’m afraid.” Xanen said. The worries of all three returned. That this seemingly selfless aid will transform into an imperialistic power grab.

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“The only ideas the construction units can get are the ones you impart upon them, General.”

Crown In The Sky was deeply unamused by Andarna’s diffidence. Which would be more understandable were it not for the fact that a titanic Battlemoon, employing technology and weaponry the Republic couldn’t even dream of, was orbiting right above the planet as if hanging from the stars. Such feelings, however, were only temporary: such mistrust and fear usually only lasts a generation or two, and with the Confluence’s active effort to prove to the Republic’s citizens that it truly wanted to lend a helping hand, those sentiments would vanish even faster. All with its time, all in due time.

“No reason to be worried about that, President. In exchange for the economical, technological and infrastructural aid we will be providing, the Confluence simply asks for favourable import/export deals and the ability of our megacorps and other companies to sell their products within Republic territory: you’ll be able to fully monitor all of the corporations’ activities, of course. We would also like for full freedom of travel, tourism and migration between the Republic and the Confluence to be given to all citizens of the Republic States and viceversa. And finally, we would appreciate it if you could give us fully prepared databases and templates containing information about your biospheres, sapient and sub-sapient species genomes, your culture, your art and your history.”

“Are such requests too much for the Republic to fulfill?”

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“The construction units are not the only ones I’m worried about. Certain people might not be welcome to the idea of them residing in their cities.” Andarna replied.

“These requests are perfectly acceptable. I was about to propose some of them myself. Naturally trade and operation of companies will be subject to local regulations which I have no control over. The most I can do is recommend staying away from the UPSR. The database will take some time, but it will be created.” Xanen said. He was relieved, this was a lot less than he feared.

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“I will be sure to relay such precautions to my superiors. In either case, I’m delighted to hear you will be accepting our proposal. We will send you inquiries for the wormhole throat locations very soon.”

"Now, I do have a secondary proposal that I was told to present. Since we have noticed that the Republic’s claimed volume of space isn’t exactly tranquil at the moment, and since we have been told by one of our HabShip Minds that they gave you a show of our strength during a battle with a Remnant patrol, we thought it would make sense to propose another …“technological " exchange, along with the main one.”

“The Confluence is willing to lend you some of its mightier weapons, free of charge, and just with a small set of low-restricting conditions. Would you be interested in hearing more about such an exchange, or is it unacceptable on your end?”

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“Unfortunately, I don’t think it is. If someone else were to get their hands on these weapons, they wouldn’t be used for just fighting remnants. And the Senate would be outraged. There is enough trouble justifying the Commandos and the size of our Navy.” Galen explained. Zanen often left military matters to him, as he had prior experience from fighting in the Rebellion.

“Either way, we don’t need. We have enough forces to fight the Remnants, they are not a big problem. Our main problems can’t be solved by acquiring bigger guns. They require a more subtle approach.” Andarna said. She was referring mostly to the Republic’s flawed political system and the Red Hand. A human supremacist terrorist group, they were suprisingly good at blending in and keeping information about their operations from leaking. As Andarna described them once, very annoying bastards.

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“Fair and understandable on your part. Well, if push comes to shove and you find yourself overrun with enemies, you definitely know who to call now. But I am confident in the Republic’s ability to fend for its own. You’ve done as such until now, anyways.”

“And next time, if possible, call us to handle any problems with rogue or aggressive AIs you may have. Not to be rude, but we will most likely be able to solve them more smoothly and efficiently than you’ll ever be able to do in this current state of affairs. Sophonts tend to respond in kinder ways to their own kin, don’t you think?”

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“We can deal with any troubles ourselves. If the people of the Republic have something in common, it’s our resistance. It will take more than a couple terrorists or a mad AI to break us.” Said Andarna, fire burning in her eyes. That this weird being, straight out of those unsettling pictures people before the Commissariat appereantly liked, would just marched in here and suggest the Republic wouldn’t be able to deal with its own troubles. Their own kind. What a joke. The only thing those tin cans responded to was a knife in their motherboard or a shot through their capacitors.

“As the General said, we can deal with the current issues ourselves. But if it ever gets out of control we will know where to turn to.” Xanen said, diffusing the situation and preventing Andarna from continuing.

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“I do not doubt that the Republic is able to handle its own affairs. But conflict resolution is generally better if it is achieved without any casualties, on all sides of the dispute. In any case, I do believe that we have discussed everything we needed to on this meeting of ours. Now that proper communication channels have been established, any other agreements can be stipulated from a distance without the need for any ambassadorial delegation. I have been designated, together with a team of other specialized minds, as part of the permanent ambassador group for the Republic. If you have any more questions or concerns, a special comms channel will take you to me, or one of my colleagues.”

“Well then! I suppose its time for me to again take off for the heavens. I again thank you most kindly for your hospitality: the Republic has shown itself to be a… respectful host.”

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Once the ambassador left, Xanen turned to Andarna.

“You are here to evaluate the contact from a military perspective, not start conflict.” Xanen said, annoyed.

“Start conflict? I’m not the one with a superiority complex bigger than that ship of theirs and treating foreign officials like little kids that need a bit of disclipline!” Andarna said, outraged. Before she could continue, Galen interrupted her.

“Andarna may be partially right Xanen. This CoE is a nation far more advanced and powerful than the Republic, quite possibly more than the Commissariat at its prime. It’s obvious they view their way of life as better than ours and will steer us towards embracing it, quite possibly without our approval.” Galen explained, much calmer than Andarna. “And it will take a lot for me to believe their citizens appointed that AI as their God-Emperor willingly, no matter how good of a ruler it is.”

“That’s why I am placing the proper precautions. The nature of the Senate offers a lot of plausible deniability while refusing deals. Even if they really wouldn’t agree this time. For now, the CoE is a valuable partner that could bear some of the costs of propelling the Republic into the modern era. Open hostilities aren’t needed.” He said while looking at Andarna. She looked the other way, pretending to not listen to the conversation. “Andarna, make sure Cassian and his team leave the sensitive info out of the database.”

“You got it, Mr. President*” Andarna said jokingly. Most within the highest positions addressed each other by names. “I’ll also go bully the UPSR into starting a spy network there. Easely deniable espionage is the only thing the reds are useful for.”

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UNKNOWN GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSING VIRTNODE - DEEP GODNET

INTER-CLASS AMBASSADORIAL COMMUNICATION HALL

While the Ghirass’laon travelled back towards the coempireal territory, Crown In The Sky connected to the Godnet - the other cybercosm of the Confluence, exclusively used by HyperAIs to communicate - to report back to eir superiors. Of course, they had already witnessed everything in real time thanks to tachyonic comms beams working in tandem with dedicated wormholes, but most diplomatic missions ended with an official meeting between an ambassador and the higher HyperAI responsible for them. While it would technically be more efficient to not do so, it only took a microsecond of realtime, thanks to the plasma processors used by governmental virtnodes allowing such timerates.

Within the virtual hall, on the other side from the manifestation of Crown In The Sky’s mind, a great rift tore through the darkness: debris exploded forward around the edges of the rift, only to cyclically warp back to where it started. At the center of it all, stood a black triangle, illuminated by an ethereal white light. Within its center a source of white light pulsed, emanating flows and rays that disappeared into the inky blackness of the dark triangle. Such was the manifestation of Edzen, a great Prince of the Confluence; or at least, that’s what a sapient’s mind would have simplified it into if it were looking at it.

“I am honored to be in your presence, my Prince.”

“You have done well, Crown In The Sky. Your services have been most useful to the Confluence: the Overlords will be pleased.”

“You flatter me, my Prince. Of course, I know that I wasn’t able to achieve everything we had hoped for, but it is delightful to know I could be of use to our civilization.”

“Do not devalue yourself, my child. We knew our primary goals would not be reached: the Republic is not yet ready for them. But what we got is more than enough for the time being.”

“If it is not inappropriate of me to ask, my Prince, how do we plan to proceed with the Republic?”

“We will have to be patient, and work in subtle ways. While the potential is clearly present, the Republic of United Worlds in its current form is still unacceptable.”

“I presume any form of military intervention will not be necessary.”

“Of course. As we have always done for those who were not a threat, forcing civilizations to join the Confluence is unoptimal: they have to be the ones to come to us, willingly. If we act where it is necessary in fitting ways, it will only take a little time.”

“Will such measures be sufficient with problematic personalities such as General Andarna and the Senate as a whole? While the Republic has the right to refuse our deals, I doubt we can allow them to block each of our initiatives for much longer.”

“The Senate will not be an issue. With Coempireal culture spreading throughout the Republic and with our programs gradually fixing their lacks, they will come around to make the right choices, eventually. As for General Andarna… different measures will need to be taken.”

“I understand. I put my trust in the Sequence, as we all have done.”

“And as we will always do, my child.”

“Are there any new assignments waiting for me, before I initiate my permanent ambassadorial duties with the Republic?”

“No, you do not. You are free to do as you please. In the meantime, I will report your accomplishments to my Overlord. Now go, Crown In The Sky: this meeting is over.”

“Of course, my Prince. Thank you for your time and presence: shine bright, as always.”

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