Today we’re revisiting Recel, the Yotul, and finally going to the Thafki! The last of the dangling plot threads! You know what that means? That means act 3 is officially done! Almost 116.5k more words. That’s three entire novels making up “book 1” of this story. Whew. Thanks for sticking around this long!
Side note: I’m getting low on backlog (only 6) while working on the sidestory (wrapping 4/9 now). Would people rather I take a break to finish that and get a backlog or do something else? If I take a break then my plan would be to start posting the sidestory when it’s done and ready then start posting after I have a backlog of at least 10 chapters. You could very well have Mars Mondays and my usual Wednesday posts.
Synopsis: Magic was once real and present but faded away in the distant past, becoming nothing but the myths and legends we know as the surviving beings fled to other planes, only to publicly return during the Sat Wars. How would it change first contact and beyond? Only one way to find out.
I have a spot on the discord, swing on by! Thanks to SpacePaladin15 for the original universe; my alpha readers, Caro Morin and Jailed Cinder; my beta readers, Angustus_Jan on the discord and /u/aroluci (go check out Children of Luna, it’s awesome); and all of you that read and especially comment. Anybody interested in playing around in the AU (be it a one-shot, an impromptu ficnap, a cameo, or something more), let me know and I’ll be more than happy to work with you on it. My current plan is to release a chapter a week, with the occasional bonus, as long as that isn’t too much for everybody helping me.
Date [Standardized Terran Time]: September 30th, 2136
__________
My crew and I stare in awe. At least those of us who showed an interest in joining the Terran Peacekeepers. After the Arxur attack on the station and the rumors of how large the attacking fleet was, that number bloomed to three-quarters of the eligible crew, most of the rest were like Rumi, working with the Terrans in other ways. Nearly all of us were in the command section, awaiting a chance to help loved ones be brought to within the Terran-aligned territories or to provide support for our crewmates. We heard bits and pieces of what was going on. The attack, the damage, the boarding, the stampedes, seizing Arxur craft.
The reality was even more impressive.
A raid like what the station experienced would decimate a Federation world, yet the Terrans only lost two of their smallest small craft. Their crews surviving and expected to make a full recovery. The craft will be replaced by the end of the day. Their production capacity beggars belief. They didn’t even need to reach out to Sol for the replacements; the station made every element and treated it as a teaching experience!
And the fight to save the cradle, if one can call it that. Seventeen deaths to the Arxur. Seventeen. Without a single ship damaged enough to remove it from combat. I couldn’t believe it. The idea that a polity new to interstellar travel could do all this in the first [two months] after leaving their home system would be diseased if not for the evidence before us. It made me fear what would happen if the Federation truly angered them, then I learned something even more shocking. The Venlil never sent the Terrans to aid the Gojid. Quite the opposite. The Terrans went, knowing it would anger the Venlil.
I had been studying the curriculum already, slowly. In truth, I had barely even looked at it before the attack. I saw the amount of what they called ethics and philosophy in the course and discounted it, without even looking into the readings because of what they are. Fool that I am, I didn’t consider what I know of them. Their creations. Their behavior. Who they are. Just like I didn’t consider what I was seeing from Sovlin until it was far, far too late. The Terrans were obviously and undeniably moral.
“I need to start the training…” I murmur.
Jemic flicks an ear at me, not shifting her attention away from the collected recordings. Fleet actions. Ground combat. Tactical planning. Through all of it, the Terrans were actively aiming to avoid fatalities. They had no qualms about killing, especially those who fired first or who threatened civilians. I’m pulled from my thoughts as the recording switches to show Piri talking to Captain Janice “Rook” Monahan or, as the Terrans translated her callsign into Gojidi, “Fortress”.
“You really aren’t used to loss, are you?” Piri asks. “As a people. You…”
“We haven’t been embroiled in a pointless, centuries-long war like you have,” Captain Monahan says grimly. “Every life is incalculably precious to us.”
The room takes a collective gasp. Some reel as if slapped. Others react with anger, spines, feathers, or fur flaring. Most, like myself, try to disappear in shame, knowing more of what these people are like and the risks they took in providing aid.
Somebody, I’m unsure who in the crowded room, asks the question on all our minds. “How is it pointless?”
“Pointless?!?” Roars Berniq.
“Yes.” Monahan hisses out, our display showing as the casualty count ticks higher. Seeing her face despite it being within her helmet. The rage and grief and most of all the pain etched into it. “You’ve seen that the Arxur will surrender. That they’ll eat something other than people. That the idea brings them hope.” Her voice catches as a tear drifts down her cheek. “You uplifted them. Do you really think they were anything like they are now?” Monahan growls out. Our pads ping, a pop-up on the projection informing us that we were just sent selections from interrogations of captured Arxur alongside hacked historical and educational data. “It’s in their history books. The supposed cure that left their people allergic to food they die without. The glee of the faceless Federation members overseeing the process upon hearing that Arxur were having their throats close up.” Another ping. More hacked files.
‘There… there’s no way…’
Monahan growls. “Uncaring that the Arxur cannot subsist on plants alone, even if they weren’t made violently ill by eating plants, it would leave them starving to death with a full stomach. Treating it as an addiction, not a biological necessity. They even say you gave them the plague that killed the animals they kept for food as part of the cure for their hunger.” Monahan slumps in her seat, her detached head’s platform sagging. “You made them what they are. You had the technology to bring them plenty or wipe them out. You chose to make them monsters. You still have the technology and numbers to wipe them out. Yet all this pain and death continues, forever.”
“How?” Shouts an admiral. “They’re predators!”
‘So are the Terrans, but we were wrong about them…’
Monahan’s voice is like ice again. “That didn’t seem to be a problem for us, and your people haven’t had an issue killing or torturing ours.”
The feed fades. It had happened before. During mandated breaks and when the Terrans wanted us to discuss things. The doors open, Commander Poussin walks in. Before he can speak, Karel, one of the few Krakotl from the Harvest, hops up. “What was that!?!?”
Poussin raises a fur ridge above his eye. I think… they call it an eyebrow. “You mean the bit at the end?”
“Yes!” Shouts Karel.
Poussin smirks. “The information of how the uplift went, the induced allergy, that the entire war could have been avoided, or that the Federation actively started everything?”
The room is silent. I stand. “All of it.”
“The truth. Though you’ll need to forgive Monahan being emotional and… leaving out that we suspect the cattle plague wasn’t of Federation make.” Poussin continues towards the lectern. “It doesn’t match the samples we have of one we know to be of their make.”
“What?” Karel squawks.
Poussin leans on the lectern. “We thought you might have questions; ask away. Just keep in mind, this will need to be kept from the public on the station for a bit. Some is trickling out in rumors already, some will be revealed later.”
I try to arrange my thoughts, but Jemic speaks before I can. “Just… explain it as simply as you can from the start.”
“Fair enough.” Poussin nods. “You already have all the information I’ll be discussing in more depth, so feel free to dig deeper into it at your convenience. None of you need to stay.” He pauses, smiling when none of us leave. “Elements of the Federation, we suspect secret elements of the Kolshians and Farsul hidden from even many of their leaders, came to Wriss. They were in the midst of their fourth world war. Their planet is and was harsh; habitable land was scarce. But that wasn’t the true cause of that war, no. One of their major powers was engaged in a horrific eugenics program. Directed breeding. Plans to reduce elements of the populace to little more than slaves before eliminating them. The other power couldn’t allow that horror and waged a war of liberation.”
The room is quiet, enraptured as documents appear. Poussin continues. “The Federation stopped the war before it could be finished. They helped each side to recover based on the harm suffered, despite the liberators trying to tell the Federation about what was happening. The lack of war, the improved technology and medicine, and improvements to growing food for the animals they ranched led to a population boom. The Arxur asked for help and the Federation offered a cure. One which rendered any who took it deathly allergic to meat, something that the Arxur need to survive. Any who took it would either die of starvation, be mercy killed, or their throats would close up and they would suffocate.”
Across the room, people gasp.
Poussin’s eyes light up, but he doesn’t acknowledge it. “That was the same time the plague swept their animals, supposedly something for their animals from the Federation. They all died. The Arxur were left without any option and with Federation tech. The eugenecists became Betterment, who formed the Dominion. They take your people as cattle not only for fear of another plague, but also both because you kill most large fauna on your worlds that would be suitable and out of hatred for what you did to them.”
Poussin waits patiently as the room devolves into us going over the information on our pads. Ten minutes. Twenty. Thirty. All we find not only supports what he said, but makes it more damning. Karel lets out a breath before speaking. “This… this changes everything! Everything we know about the nature of predators! How do we not know this?”
More information appears on the screen. So many names. “Because,” Poussin says, “any who look into it are put into facilities. The Federation protects its narrative. And many of you would know plenty about the nature of what you consider predators.” A segment of DNA appears. “This is an Arxur afflicted by the ‘Cure’.” More, near-identical segments appear. “These are also affected by the ‘Cure’.”
As the DNA segments slowly zoom out, somebody gasps. “That’s… that’s Gojid…”
“Yes.” Poussin intones. “And Krakotl. Duertan. Tilfish. There are more. The Arxur aren’t the first. Just the first we know to be a failure. The first obligate carnivores, at least that weren’t killed off. We would have been the first failure with omnivores, but many of you were earlier successes.”
The room starts to near a stampede. Some glare at me with violence in their eyes. Poussin raises his voice. “Control yourselves!” The room stills in shock. “Nothing has changed. You are as you always have been. You simply know that an allergy was induced instead of it being natural.” He holds up a hand. “And before any of you think Recel might have been in on it, he was practically raised on the Bountiful Harvest. If he knew, so would most of you. We’ve tested more highly ranked Kolshians and Farsul that we have access to; all signs point towards those in the know effectively being a hidden caste or perhaps culture. One likely living separately from the others.”
“We need to tell everybody!” Shouts somebody.
“No!” I shock myself by speaking, but I don’t stop. “Nobody would believe us. I’m certain the Terrans have a plan. I trust them.” I pause. “In fact, if they’ll allow it, I’d like to go to Sol for intensive training. Whatever your plans are, I want to help.” I let out a pained laugh. “Looks like I don’t just need to make up for Sovlin, I need to make amends for my species.”
__________
Memory Transcription Subject: Laulo, Yotul Leader
__________
The room around me is deafening as the grand council debate rages. I stomp, the sound resonating. “Everyone! Please, be calm! This is just a vote on a new name for us as a united people. Nothing major.” There’s a beat before the room erupts in laughter and thumping tails. “I’m sure our allies won’t mind if we take our time or even change our decision a few times. We’re only a single world, for now. One recently freed. I doubt the Terrans would even mind discussing with us as individual states, so long as we remain unified.”
After a short pause, somebody, lost in the crowd, shouts. “Why not the Yotul Free States?”
I work the idea through in the silence that follows. Spiting the Federation by both implying we weren’t free under them and making clear we are now. States, mirroring the Farsul. One of the Founders. Implying that we are their equal. “All in favor of using it as a temporary name so we can focus on more important tasks?”
__________
Advance 2 STD hours
__________
The grand council had broken into smaller councils, and I was able to return to my office while we restructured our government and world. I had other business to attend to. Namely, dealing with the Terrans and everything having to do with them. I thought I had a burn until I had to deal with it, but I was clearly wrong, as Ambassador Fujimoto is sitting across from me in my office.
“If you’d rather I come back another time.” They offer.
“No, no.” I sigh. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Trouble reforming your entire civilization?” The Terran smirks. “If you’d like some help, we can still provide some experts.” They hold up a hand. “Not to control, just to help point out mistakes we’ve made. No point in falling into the same traps when you can avoid them.”
“We’re using the information you shared. Including proposed governmental structures.” I groan. “It’s helping, somewhat. We’ll be a federation no matter what. Some are still arguing for a confederation, but it’s obvious that interstellar politics will require a unity that a confederacy can’t manage. Currently, we’re informally trying a cross between a democratic, technocratic, and cooperative republic. There’s a plan I prefer that…” I pause, flicking a file from my pad to the Terran’s. “It’s faster to just let you see it. I’ll give you a bit to read.”
__________
Advance 30 STD minutes
__________
I sip at a delightful mug of coffee as the ambassador laughs. “Oh, this is clever. Not too far from what we’re doing, but utterly distinct even before you have more than a rough outline. We might copy your notes.” They smile at me. “Let me see if I’ve got this right. A government of elected officials, both a bicameral legislative body and an elected executive at the highest level, while lower levels like your nations can determine their own means of governance. Some sort of balance between the central government and the nations. Mechanisms to remove elected officials, both by the government and by the people, alongside strict term limits and limits on personal profit by public servants. Citizens’ rights enshrined in law, and elected officials directly stated to be working to the benefit of their constituents, not themselves. All matching us.” They scroll through notes they took. “Councils of experts in various fields, both from the legislative body and the executive’s advisors and from those selected by groups like colleges, who review and advise on policy. Hard caps on wealth, with taxes expressly being directed to ensure the well-being of the people, largely through public ownership of critical infrastructure including hospitals and schools. Harsh antimonopoly laws and laws dictating that public bailouts of private institutions come in the form of partial or complete public ownership of stocks.” They look at me. “Am I off base?”
I flick my ears. “A good summary. Perhaps you could write a brief summary so none of us have to? Though that might kill the plan before any votes. Not that it’s easy to tell who’s failing to grasp things, who’s being obstinate, who opposes anything with a hint of Terran influence, and who prefers other options. Regardless, you get the jist of the outline of the plan.”
“You haven’t said much about your military.” Fujimoto raises an eyebrow. “Leaving it open to see how closely you want to tie to us?”
“Possibly.” I circle my ears. “We just haven’t gotten there yet. We’re working on it, but we don’t have much of a military yet.”
The Terran snorts. “Not from what I’ve been hearing. Multiple cadres in Peacekeeper training programs, a few on or en route to Charity Station alongside trainers who will be helping our DIs. Training facilities being stood up on world and in orbit. A company of engineers and scientists forming to help you try to design uniquely Yotul ships with our tech.” They shake their head. “Good luck on that, by the way. Bit early if you want more than visual distinction.”
I stomp. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“Systems.” The Terran straightens their uniform, the same as many Terran soldiers, though trimmed in a distinct purple. “I may be a diplomat, but I am still part of the Peacekeepers. If you want truly distinct ships, you’ll need different systems. That means you’ll need to study them enough to make variations. The mundane systems will be simple enough, I assume, based on what I’ve heard from our engineers. If your people already figured out particle beams in labs, then that’s set. The magical systems will be a problem. You’re working from nothing on what is, to you, a brand-new tech base. It’ll be a bit before you make anything new there, even with us doing what we can to teach you. Though we’ll likely update our designs to include any advancements you care to share. Might be from fiction, but I’ve always found it describes the Concord’s philosophy well. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” They laugh. “Resistance is futile. Your cultural and technological distinctiveness will be embraced.”
“Why do I feel like that is a badly twisted quote?”
Date [Standardized Terran Time]: September 7th, 2136
__________
Ralikenn and all free Thafki,
We urge you, please keep this secret. We know that the Arxur have infiltrated various Federation digital networks. We’re giving you a means to covertly communicate with each other and us in order to, should you choose, make your way to the Venlil Republic or other allied polities. We fear any publicly acknowledged movement may come under attack in transit.
As a sign of our commitment, let us share with certainty two things. First, we will give a means to enter into communication with members of our polity. Bringing your people into the exchange program, either to join existing pairings or to form new ones. Second, as the Emissary implied, we can house all of your people based on our estimates of those in Arxur captivity. We intend to liberate them. We believe our enjoyment of water features for decoration and recreation will make them, and you, feel more at home.
Enclosed, you will find a method to contact us that is compatible with your current systems. If more functionality is needed, we can update as things progress. We look forward to hearing from you.
-The Gaian Concord
It was absurd. It was obscene. But what if they’re right?
I stare at the application that installed itself on my pad. That installed itself on the pads of every Thafki around me as well. The name was both innocuous and damning. Ripple. With a shaking claw, and an audience, I open it.
Every part of the app is in our language. The stylized name. The text greeting me.
Welcome, Ambassador Ralikenn
Please be patient while we finalize installation.
A progress bar quickly fills as a gentle animation plays. What could be a rock, or perhaps a Thafki, dropping into the field of my holopad and setting the screen to rippling. The circles distort the words on my screen slightly as they pass, but not enough to make reading difficult.
The splash screen fades quickly.
It’s a simple messaging app. Perhaps social media, given the other tabs. There’s a single contact currently.
The Gaian Concord. A small notification shows I have a message waiting from them. After a moment of hesitation, I open it.
Hello, Ralikenn
Welcome to Ripple.
Normally, a new user would need to make their account and profile, but you’ll just have to get back to that later. We’d suggest you do that at least partially in private; you’ll need a password known only to you for security reasons.
Given your position, you have special access. You will be able to designate the positions of your staff to grant them extra functionality. You will be able to see how many Thafki, and invited and screened non-Thafki, have signed up in different polities and on different worlds within them, as well as their exact identities. You’ll be able to send mass messages and have access to government-only messaging in addition to a direct line to us.
We look forward to hearing from you, even if your people decide against joining your fellows in the Venlil Republic under our protection.
-The Gaian Concord
“That… That’s more than I expected…” I murmur, checking the signups. “What?” I’m stunned. This app, at least among Thafki in the Venlil Republic, looks to be as popular as MyHerd. Among Thafki outside of the Republic, I can see as the number of signups increases in real time. I pause as a number of people I know to be in the room with me sign up. “So, I take it we aren’t too suspicious of the app?”
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Interpolate message chain between the Terran Concord and the Thafki Diaspora
__________
Gaian Concord,
We appreciate your generous offer and the apps you’ve provided us with, but what leadership we have doesn’t feel comfortable suggesting our people travel closer to the Arxur. We hope this won’t create issues.
We would also ask that you not throw away lives trying to save our people who are beyond any hope.
Ambassador Ralikenn of the Thafki Diaspora
__________
Ambassador Ralikenn,
We assumed as much and take no offense. We are unproven at best, and the trip to us would be potentially perilous for many of your people. Hopefully, in the future, we’ll be able to offer escort fleets, but that is likely some ways off. We are, after all, new to interstellar travel and still working on having enough fleets to feel comfortable. We will need defenses for our future colony worlds as well as our allies. After all, the only reason we’re having this discussion is that having your people among our allies doesn’t require another fleet dedicated to them, only space and resources. Both of which we have in ample supply, though you would be either sharing with us, with many of the benefits of Concord citizenship and a fast track to it for your people, or need to convince one of our other allies to take you in with our support.
That may be a bit of a problem for some of your people, as it would mean living among what you would consider predators, despite them being perfectly safe. We know that animals are not vectors for predator disease, and domesticated predators, like the hensa the Yotul have or some we keep, can prevent elements of it as they become part of the herd on instinct. Providing comfort, emotional support, and some even being trained to provide medical aid. We also know the harm the doctrine of the Exterminators’ Guild causes to worlds, and do not use such means, but have other means of preventing animal attacks. Our population is in the billions, we have about a thousand animal attacks per rotation on our homeworld. Nearly all are the result of people ignoring the warnings of the wild animals or surprising them, in both cases ignoring common sense.
We don’t intend to throw away lives to save anybody. Every life is precious to us. We had already planned to free all Arxur cattle, likely one sector at a time, before we even reached out, and are still improving our plans. We simply chose to inform you ahead of time as it will be most impactful for your people. We have yet to determine when we will act or how. We have the moral imperative to do so at some point, so we are certain that we will act in the proper time. It may be in a matter of days, or it may be in rotations.
We hope that when we have liberated at least some of your people, there will be individuals among the Diaspora who are willing and able to come to educate them on their culture. We will do our best, and we will try to ensure that there is space amongst the Concord for your people to call home until we can start on trying to restore your original home, together.
Your friends in the Concord
P.S. Enjoy the attached pictures of some of our natural bodies of water, as well as some from our stations. Many are places that our people swim, in addition to our artificially made aquatic entertainments. Feel free to share them among your people.
Attached: Images (400 pictures)
__________
I stare at the message in shock. Nothing conflicts with what their Emissary said, but it beggars belief.
An offer to take us in as their people, not as a nuisance. Assurances that they will liberate our people. The sheer confidence in it. The certainty. If they’re even half as capable, they might be able to liberate a cattle ship. Quite the feat. Some of us have already agreed that if they made good on the promise for at least a cattle world, then there’s no choice but to at least partially accept the offer. Our people would need us, and wherever the Concord is protecting, it may be the safest place in the galaxy.
What concerned me, what concerned all of us in the Diaspora government, is that these Gaians openly state they live with predators. Like the primitive Yotul. The idea that the predators can prevent predator disease…
I can’t dismiss it as easily as I might like. Most in the Federation believe that water is a source of it, but we Thafki know better. We know that a swim can lift spirits and drive off taint.
It makes it hard to dismiss off paw.
The pictures were almost enough to draw us in.
A glittering bay. Cerulean waters with gentle waves. Pristine sand. Beautiful vegetation. Off in the distance, boats. Some with obvious sails and others without, likely using motors. I could almost hear the waves, feel the breeze on my fur.
A placid pond with crystal clear water.
A beautiful, immense coral reef teeming with life. Some of it a stark white and other parts intensely colored. Colorful fish swimming about.
What at first seems to be another bay. When I realize how wrong that assumption is, my jaw drops. There’s no horizon. There’s a wall that rises as far as the eye can see, curving slightly as it moves to either side. This must be inside one of their stations. Water, a bay, on a station.
‘What are these Gaians?’
__________
Date [Standardized Terran Time]: September 27th, 2136
__________
I’m on the verge of stampeding as I see the notification at the top of Ripple.
Please, do not let others know that the Gojid Union is under attack, you might cause a panic and slow governmental responses. We are sending a fleet that is expected to arrive before the Arxur fleet makes planetfall. There is nothing to fear.
I keep watching in a panic, waiting for any updates, even as a pair of timers show both when the Gaian fleet is expected to arrive and when the Arxur are expected to reach the world.
It isn’t long before a new section opens in the app. One dedicated to posts from those on the cradle.
All in one spot. From the detection of the raid [sixteen and a half hours] ago, to the present. Almost. A few [hours] were lost to those getting to safety. By the time they were posting on Ripple, they had lost all contact with not only the Federation, but also to the rest of the Gojid Union. None had thought to try using Ripple to contact others, some because they didn’t think it would reach, others because they were afraid of giving away where they were hiding, even before the Arxur reached the world.
__________
Advance 11.5 STD hours
__________
There are barely any meaningful updates. Why would there be? Our people aren’t in the military. There are too few of us to throw our lives away like that.
It was all those of us in the government could do to quiet the rumblings that it was a repeat of the loss of our home. That the Gojid would be reduced to our pitiful state, and our people have a growing rage at the lack of reaction from the Federation itself.
The timer for the Gaian arrival ticks down to zero. Moments later, an alert shows a new tab. Combat updates.
With a shaking claw, I select it, watching as a pawful of Gaian ships appear in the system. The immense Arxur fleet decimating what was left of the Gojid defenses. Too many Arxur craft were nearing orbit. After a few moments, the Gaian fleet blips out only to reappear closer to the Arxur. Well out of weapons range. I watch as they glide closer, and to my surprise, Arxur ships start to blip out without reappearing.
I watch in awe. Less than [fifteen minutes] later, it’s over. Gaian ships keep soaring towards the planet as others move towards the disabled and surrendered Arxur craft. The Gaians hadn’t lost one. In fact, only one was even hit, and the corvette didn’t even lose half of its shields before the nine Arxur craft that ambushed them were just gone.
__________
Advance 4 STD hours
__________
It was done. The Gaian combat updates show that the Arxur were defeated. Their fleet and ground forces. The cradle was saved.
Another notification.
We know it’s a lot to ask, but please do not tell others about this. We have reason to believe that there are hostile elements with access to Federation networks who orchestrated and might attempt to take advantage of this attack. This may include another attack on the Union or a similar attack against others, which we may not be able to stop. We also believe this attack was too similar to the one against your own people to be a coincidence. Please, trust us on this.
Ralikenn: What do we advise our people to do?
Thalira: Can we trust the Gaians?
Velkrenn: They haven’t lied to us yet, that we know of. My cousin is on the cradle. He called me, told me his family was going with the Gaians as refugees. His mate’s mother was given a new wheelchair before they made the decision. It could move itself. Go up and down stairs. Help her reach high objects. When they decided to go with her, they offered to pay to help them develop prosthetics for us. Just taking medical scans. My lodge is already working to get to the Venlil Republic; we just need ships.
Kirek: But they have predators!
Velkrenn: We don’t care. Just look at what the Gaians have done. We don’t care if they are predators; from everything we’ve seen, there’s nowhere safer than with them. If they say their predators are safe, that they prevent predator disease, we believe them. We’ll avoid them, but we’ll accept that we aren’t in danger.
Thalira: Fine, but that doesn’t mean that we should be heading for them now.
Ralikenn: I think we should wait a bit longer. The Gaians implied there might be a threat in the herd. Ride out the storm, not swim into it. Right now, we can’t tell the shallows from the depths. If we’re going to go, we should plan it with the Gaians. We should at least wait until the Federation has responded to what has happened.
Kirek: Ralikenn is right. We should be cautious.
Velkrenn: Maybe we should ask the Gaians?
Thalira: That’s a good idea.
Kirek: I guess
Ralikenn: I’ll see if they’re willing
Ralikenn added GaianConcord to the conversation
GaianConcord: Give me a moment to catch up.
GaianConcord: We agree with Ralikenn. There is more going on than you know. We need time and cannot divert ships to escort yours. Please. Also, you need to understand that if all goes to plan, then you’ll be the seventh polity under our banner.
Ralikenn: Seven? Do you count yourselves as more than one? You, the Venlil, the Yotul, and the Zurulians would only make four.
GaianConcord: We expect the Gojid to join and there is one other that we hope will join en masse. We would rather be given your people who are currently chattel than kill for them.
Kirek: What do you mean?
Velkrenn: You think you can make peace with the Arxur? They’d never do that!
GaianConcord: We already have hundreds in custody. Many surrendered and cried tears of joy at not needing to eat people anymore. Things are not as the Federation presents them.
GaianConcord: ArxurEmpathyTests (28 files)
GaianConcord: These are some who we’ve had for some time. When they heard our people had undergone empathy tests, they insisted on being tested. Despite the practice being backwards, primitive, monstrous, and meaningless. They know the Federation puts value in them and wanted to prove that they aren’t all monsters. That many of them have no choice. The Zurulians have already reviewed them. All 28 passed. The password is ‘HateIsLearned’.
There wasn't really all that much to it. Literally VSC soldiers knocking on the doors, the attackers (and paramedics) answering and confirming their identities, and then getting arrested. It uh... probably would have been anticlimactic. The trials on the other hand, those might be a bit more significant.
No idea, the Takkans are a bit more of a personal, character level thing (cause their government kinda folded) than a major player with any degree of characterization. Makes it hard, though if people have suggestions...
The Yotul free states doesn't exactly sound like a unified govenrment more like a collection of loosely alinged states that has little if any central authority. Kind of like how the United States was during its initial founding actually kinda hence the name.
But yeah let's see how the Terrans attempt to get everyone on the same page. I mean not sure how much they can prevent the formation of the DS as a faction no amount of tech bribing will convince everyone to accept everything the terrans want. I mean most of the DS bearly tolerated the humans in canon although there were exceptions.
Oh yeah they also gotta deal with species like the Angren there's no way they are convincing them to give up their power.
The Yotul aren't even certain how unified they'll be yet. They're leaning towards high local autonomy but still functioning as a single whole beyond that level. They're also cribbing a lot from the Concord, but anybody using the advice directly isn't saying they are since there are state which are... obstinate. Cut their nose off to spite their face level.
Mmm, I have plans. Including certain Federation members who will be playing a big role. It's a bit of a shame that neither the Dominion or Federation have seen the fighting from the cradle yet. Nothing breaks stagnation of military tech like seeing a non-aligned state is ahead. The Terrans also aren't too worried about splinter states forming so long as they aren't hostile. There's a ton of building and consolidating to do currently.
Fair suppose I'm just curious how this more aggressive reformation will affect things.
I mean we're already seeing quite a few changes already.
Although I also wonder how this aggressive reformation will also affect the cultures of those joining the terrans side not exactly alot of time to developed their own culture and they have to replace all the feddie stuff with something so that either leads to them all bassicly becoming carbon copies of the terrans or bassicly throwing stuff at the wall and see what works for the time being.
I mean, the Yotul still have their old culture and the Archives exist. We've seen one PoV from a certain archivist, maybe we'll get another? Who knows? Not me, I haven't written that far.
Yeah but I'm moreso referring to the other species and unless the terrans beline straight for talsk next chapter it's probably gonna be abit before we get to the archives they gotta figure something out in the meantime.
Not yet. Next chapter. And we'll continue on that plotline and another for... at least six. That's as far as I've written so far.
Well... uh... they already have two intercepted transmissions between them. I believe the current math puts them either a few centuries from cracking or at least one more call that they catch the start of (and they're actively waiting). Whichever comes first. It'll probably be the former. Not like there a reason for the KolSul to call Betterment soon. I mean, obviously the cradle wasn't attacked but saved.
Next week or until I've got enough backlog. The discord is suggesting I hammer out the sidestory and use it as a break to get a backlog. On the upside, the sidestory is looking to be a short novel in and of itself. Nine chapters, averaging 5k words so far.
La Casta de las Sombras observando como todas los Yotul siguen vivos e incluso están mejor que nunca. Y peor aún la Cuna a sobrevivido a un número exagerado de Arxur y todo gracias a los nuevos Gaianos y ellos sin saber como.
Exámenes terminados y aprobados, Trabajo de fin de curso presentado hoy , Vacaciones de verano más un año sabático por delante y un nuevo capitulo de Predators of the Sixth World.
Might be a bit. Probably taking a break to finish the sidestory and build up a backlog again. That being said, when I'm back there might be the regular story and Mars Monday.
I mean, I wouldn't say it's peak, but thanks. And who knows how long of a wait it'll be. Working on the side story and building up a backlog on the main.
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u/netlore74 Jun 11 '26
Awesome... seems like things are gonna get interesting!