The Speaker makes a gesture… Indicating a polite request for information.
"What has changed, other than your presence?"
This sort of thing is probably why they prefer the 'telepathic bacterial dose' approach.
"I've enforced a peace treaty between Thanagar and Alstair."
That generates a round of muttering.
Yeah, pretty clear implications there, especially for folks already fighting Thanagar.
"I don't know if you're aware-."
"We know that Alstair undid thanagarian collectivisation, and that they hate its queen for her generosity. We considered attempting to make an alliance with her, but she was absorbed with the war in her home system."
Well, good news on that front, sort of.
"That's over too. She won. The other three worlds are her vassals now."
"Then she would be the obvious place to look for friends."
Unfortunately, there's also
bad news.
"Except that the peace treaty I imposed prevents her taking military action against the Thanagarian Empire. She can trade, but that's it, and her technology base isn't compatible with yours."
"That is unfortunate. Does Thanagar consider your treaty to be enforced?"
I suspect supporting proxies would really be skirting the lines of the treaty, too.
I nod. "As far as I can tell."
"Then not only are they free to redeploy the fleet they had ready for action against Alstiar, but they have been dealt a humiliation. They will feel the need to demonstrate their strength."
And with an active conflict in this direction... Yeah, I can see a cause for concern for the Polarans.
"Yes."
He makes a six-arm-drooping gesture of dismay.
Huh, hadn't realised they were multi-limbed. Guess it comes in handy sometimes.
I nod sympathetically. "I know, that's why I'm here."
"Did your enforcement of your peace involved destroying many of their vessels?"
Frustratingly, not as much as he could have.
"No. None, actually. One Command Carrier will need a month in a shipyard and they'll need to appoint a new admiral, but that's about it. My preferred resolution involves no fighting, just a gradual build-up where no one can risk an engagement."
"We will need to build up now anyway."
Ironically, the sort of massive build-up OL seems to prefer likely breeds uncomfortable tensions, even as they stare futilely in a state of MAD...
"Yes. By my estimation…" I generate a construct image of the Sector large enough to be visible by everyone. "There are three military powers capable of actively resisting the Thanagarian Empire. None of them can take on the combined might of the Thanagarian Navy, but by coordinating efforts you should be able to counter them."
As long as Thanagarian agents don't start espionage to disrupt treaties and alliances...
"If we can coordinate, and are willing to coordinate."
Oh dear. "Do you have a standing dispute with either of the others?"
Joy, the side-quest unfolds... It can never be a case of 'sure, we can do that easily!' for OL, can it?
"The margave had sponsored slave uprisings which usually serve to cause the death of the slaves. Such callousness is distasteful to us."
"How distasteful?"
Amongst their own populations or amongst Thanagarians? Either way, it's not cool.
The Speaker looks around at the assembly, waiting while muttered conversations and frantic hand gestures are undertaken. "Not distasteful enough."
"And the other?"
Ah, the joy of being middle-of-the-road politically. Not outraged enough to action, too outraged to sit idly.
"Sthuounoo is profoundly isolationist. Our previous emissaries were fired upon."
"Alright. I'll deal with them, you send new instructions to your ambassador on Margan Prime."
Let's hope both plans go well. The Margave might be trickier, given how persuasive OL can be.
"Acceptable. And necessary."
"Now, the weaker civilisations. Are you prepared to sign defence treaties? Begin an uplift program?"
Protecting such underdeveloped states as the folks OL talked to a few chapters back, of course.
"In principle, yes. We come with selflessness built in. But I'm not certain that they will cooperate with us willingly."
I frown. "Why not? None of them have lifespans that would make the Equalization Plague disproportionately significant."
And curing the infection seems to be a solved issue in most cases.
"In order to ensure that all parties to our treaties are being honest with each other and entering into the agreement in good faith, we-."
I slump slightly. "You dose them with telepathic bacteria."
Ah. Now we see why they're not popular.
"It is a basic part of our diplomacy and psychology. It does not need to be permanent-."
"But all the species around here remember what involuntary exposure looks like and aren't happy about getting dosed again, even if it's temporary."
It kind of helps to ask people's permission beforehand, you know.
"It has been a problem with even basic trade agreements."
"Is that something you need or something you want?"
Because if it's the former, they'll have to learn to deal with disappointment.
His lower hands remain on his lectern, which his other four are raised towards the rest of the conclave. They gesture in the affirmative.
"I realise that it's inconvenient, but it's-."
Well, they're either going to have to be more polite about the requirements, or learn to deal with uncomfortable negotiations.
"No, no, one of my friends is telepathic-. Does it have to be plague, or are other types of mind-to-mind contact acceptable?"
"I couldn't decide that without experiencing it, but they might be acceptable."
That'd be a peculiar experience for the telepath. Wonder if Adam Blake's interested in giving it a try?
"And it's just a one-off, you don't need constant contact?"
"We would need it again if the treaty were to be revised, but not otherwise."
Hmm. A possible case where the Genomorphs can be vitally useful...
"Okay, start the initial negotiations and I'll find a telepath for the latter stages. Is that acceptable?"
"Yes."
Well, good to have that sorted for now.
"Good. What are your current bottlenecks?"
"Raw material availability. Our shared knowledge makes training specialists easy, but the Thanagarians have been careful to prevent our territory from expanding."
A strange thing to hear in space. I assume Thanagar is making things difficult along their front lines, while the other polities sort of box the Polarans in on other sides.
"Iron, tungsten, titanium, carbon?"
"All those things and more."
Presumably due to time and effort rather than available sources. Space being
very big, after all.
Not because they're actually short, but because materials you keep extracting become progressively harder and harder to get, requiring more and more time and energy. And without a bypass, like a matter transmuter, nanotech or a legion of mining robots, that's a significant problem.
Sounds like that could be a useful selection of technologies to trade for, perhaps.
"Alright, I'll bear that in mind. Any opportunities arising, where getting cooperation now would let you capitalise on it?"
"Thanagarian ship construction has slowed recently. We believe that this is due to them having trouble transmuting the required quantities of Nth metal. Anything that could be done to limit-"
Ah, man, and I thought the Renegade was prone to having decisions come back to bite him...
I'm wincing.
"-their access to more would be quite helpful."
...Little late on that front, alas.
"You should plan for that being less of a problem, at least for a few months. They found a better technique, but Hyathis is making them pay a great deal for it."
"That might also be useful. How much more?"
Depends on how fast Vulcan cares to work the forge, I suspect.
Been a while, so my memory isn't the best.
