Interstellar Age

Chapter 387 A Convening of Hostiles

The Svartalfheim Dominion's sudden change in allegiance, from being a primary supporter of the Ghimderi Banking Clans and Trade Princes, to wholly pledging itself to Elven Reunification, and its newfound alliance with the Germanic Star-Empire was a shocking and honestly destabilizing declaration.

As if the declaration of the Germanic Star-Empire being a major galactic power, and its newfound alliance with the Alfheim Dominion wasn't groundbreaking enough, the prospect of the eons old conflict between the two Elven sub-races, a conflict which ironically enough had actually been the foundation which the galactic balance had been based upon, suddenly through order itself across the Milky Way into question.

An emergency meeting was declared between the three remaining Galactic Powers, two of which had Empires would take up a quarter of the galaxy, while another was based solely on one world. But their wealth and power were enough to be considered a major galactic player.

Ra and Brahma were silent as Bixle spoke with emphatic rage towards Daelia and her sudden betrayal of everything the galaxy had ever really known.

"That bitch! What the hell happened? How? How did she suddenly switch sides and join with her ancient enemy? Does anyone understand this? Can anyone explain to me how this happened?"

Ra was the first to speak as he revealed some inside knowledge of the affair. Something which he had acquired through more mystic means.

"The council is in agreement. What has transpired is simply not feasible. Not without some kind of outside threat that would force Lunaria and Daelia to settle thier grievances and come together. Though it is highly improbable, the council finds no other alternative explanation.

There is an extra-galactic threat which lies beyond the border of the Milky Way. One that the Germanic Star-Empire somehow discovered. It is our belief... That the reason the previous Supreme Leader stepped down so quickly, and allowed this young and relatively untested military commander to take his place, is because this Erich Jaeger is the one who discovered this threat, and has some kind of inside knowledge about it.

This would explain the deep space probes, which the Asuran cabal has detected being launched by the Dominion on its borders. As well as the ones we have detected being launched near our own by the Empire. They must have invested significant resources into the development of these probes if they have already reached their destination and reported back on what they have found.

Of course, this is a theory, but one that is universally accepted among the Ennead as being the most likely truth behind these sudden and recent developments that have thrown the balance which we have all known into question. It is because of this that the council is sending a diplomatic envoy to Daelia in an attempt to discover why she has suddenly joined her enemies in an attempt to reunify the ancient Elven Empire."

Brahma who represented the interests of the Asuran cabal nodded his head in agreement with Ra's statement, as he made one of his own in return.

"The way the cabal sees it is if there really is a potential extra-galactic threat to the galaxy. Then we will have no choice but to follow the lead of the Dominion and the Federation. Any civilization which is capable of bringing an army across the galactic voice is one that we are not capable of contending with on our own.

For eons, technological development across the galaxy, at least in terms of military and spacefaring advancement has been stifled due to the balance of power we have all agreed upon. If we really wanted to, we could have crossed the void long ago, but for the sake of peace, or what semblence of it we have. All of us have held back.

This may have been a grave mistake. Because of this, we are working together with the Ennead theocracy to reach out to the Dominion, and see if they will answer our questions regarding our concerns.

If these sudden developments are however, the result of some god like level of charisma which somehow convinced Lunaria and Daelia to cease their blood feud and become the puppets of the new Germanic Supreme Leader, then we will have no choice but to join hands with the Ennead and resist this new axis of evil. One that threatens to destroy everything we know and cherish in the pursuit of galactic hegemony as the Germanic Star-Empire is so prone to doing.

Either way, Bixle, you will have to wait until both of our civilizations have received a proper response from the Elves. We should be hearing from them shortly..."

Bixel was deeply agitated by the inactivity of these two galactic leaders. If there really was an extra galactic menace which planned to invade the Milky Way, then it was none of Bixel's concern. He and the Ghimderi Trade Princes would rather the galaxy burn along with their homeworld, then allow the stranglehold which the Ghimderi Trade Union had long since held over the galaxy to fade away.

Thus, there was simply no feasible way he would ever allow these two powers to unify into a common front with the Elves and the Germans. Because of this, he was quick to try to remind these two aliens of the debts which their civilizations owed him and his people.

"Need I remind you about the debts that you two still owe us? Even if there is an extra-galactic civilization planning to invade the galaxy, you should be far more concerned with what you owe me and my people, then vague notions of a threat beyond the galaxy! Don't make me change the interest rates in our agreements!"

Normally, the Ghimderi Trade Union would have the might of the Federation's armed forces to back its threats. But Daelia had quite literally joined with a nation that vowed the complete and total annihialtion of the Ghimderi Race.

In fact, the first thing she did upon marrying Erich was to announce that the Federation was completely defaulting on its debt to the Ghimderi Trade Union, and would simply never pay what remained of it back to them.

A response which Lunaria made at the exact same time. Because of this, these two Galactic Leader knew that Bixel's threats were empty, and thus for the first time in as long as anyone could remember, these two "gods" laughed in a Ghimderi Trade Prince's face, and told him to go fuck himself.

"At this point, Bixel, you have lost any power to enforce your threats. We are more than willing to pay back our debts. As gods, our word is our bond. But if you continue to threaten us with notions of violating the agreements we have in place, we will simply default on our debts like the Elves have.

And if that happens, the mercantile empire which you have so brazenly crafted at the Galaxy's expense over the past million years will come crumbling down over night. In fact, I believe your territory lies within the Federation's quadrant. Isn't that correct?

I bet the next announcement Daelia will make is a revocation of the protection which she so generously afforded you all those years ago when she allowed your people to settle the world you now call home. Let's see how the galaxy responds when you are no longer protected by a galactic power... If memory serves correctly, you have made many enemies over the eons..."

Bixel stiffened upon hearing this response. Perhaps it was sheer arrogance from manipulating thousands of interstellar civilizations, over the years. Going so far as to manipulate the annihilation of countless races who refused their influence. But he had completely forgotten that the only reason he and his people could do such a thing. Was because he was essentially under the Federation's protection as one of its "allies."

Though the Ghimderi forces had never served alongside the federation's in a war, in fact, they had even openly attacked the Federation's navy at one point, and had even planned to bomb federation Embassies to get them involved with a war the Ghimderi had long ago. A plan that was uncovered before it could happen and buried beyond the public's eye.

Yet the Federation continued to champion the Ghimderi Trade Union as their "Greatest Ally" a sentiment that had suddenly vanished. If the Ghimderi were to lose the protection of the Federation, then the fate of their civilization, no, their race, was sealed.

And there was no more powerful enemy that the Ghimderi had made than the Germanic Star-Empire, a newly established Galactic Power whose leader had married that of the Svartalfheim Federation.

Quite literally, the continued existence of the Ghimderi Race could disappear simply by Erich speaking a single word. Something that, for whatever reason, he had yet to do. Knowing this, Bixel changed his tune really quickly, as he suddenly became begrudgingly polite and asked the two "gods" for their favor.

"I did not mean to offend... I was simply trying to remind you that we have agreements in place. And that this newfound alliance between the Elves and the Empire is something that threatens us all. I look forward to hearing from the both of you after you figure out what exactly you want to do about this predicament we all face together..."

After saying that, Bixel's holographic projection faded away, while Ra and Brahma were left alone together. For the first time in as long as either of them could remember, they were able to speak freely about their opinions regarding the Ghimderi, and Bixle, something they expressed exactly at the same time.

"Filthy little goblin..."