Milky Way Galaxy, Delta Quadrant
Elysium System, Elysium Prime
Imperial Palace, Aether City
*****
Kaiser William Kennen sat in his private study, holding a cup full of the finest brandy, and gazed steadily into the fireplace. The room was much like any head of states private work room; ornate, well-furnished, with the Telrosian flag held up above his desk. His desks, made out of polished hardwood, was askew with various papers; reports of the nations they had burned, reports of the Dornalian's civil war, and the disturbing reports of Colonial actions against the People's Acolytes that culminated in the formation of the Imperial Colonies of Kobol; much like New Dornalia had once joined together with the United Colonies into one superstate, they were now doing the same with the Abh Empire.
Ordinarily, this would be a day of celebration, of rejoicing for a grand step forward into the future...except that it likely would be over the bodies of many other people. The Colonials had long been a thorn in the Telrosians side ethically and morally; they treated all A.I. as waiting Pandora's Boxes simply due to their issue with the Cylons, a self-inflicted issue to boot. They also seemed to treat all supernaturals as ticking time bombs, save those that fit their view of the universe, like the New Sith Order. Their forceful removal of PA agents into internment camps and intimidation tactics to take the Force Vaccine, and the disappearance of those who refused even that proved to the Telrosians that they were a morally bankrupt society and were fine with stepping over anyone to get what they wanted.
Now, the Abh had united with them and this would give them the power to do incredible things, and if the subtle hints given by their news feed and speeches, they were going on a more imperialistic bent. Telros had no choice but to stand up to them; even if it estranged them from their old allies, even if it locked them out of the Galactic Empire for good. They had dedicated themselves to making the galaxy a better place, and if that meant facing down old friends, so be it.
However, the Kaiser was not so foolish as to believe he could do this on his own. Telros was mighty, but a superstate was tough to take on alone, and they needed allies. They had to start looking at other sources of strength, other peoples to unite with to see their principles survive and perhaps even bring the ICK back from their brink they had placed themselves at.
William took a deep drink from his glass and felt the warm sting of alcohol go down his throat, savoring the bitter taste. He had one such nation in mind, but it had been years since they had decent contact, and that had been during the Pro-IRON and Legion years. They had been ideological enemies then; committed to the downfall of Hermes, which they felt was oppressing the galaxy. However, with Hermes fallen due to disuse and the loss of Bryn Shander, and the rise of the Coalition, he saw a glimmer of hope in their message of freedom and independence. He had to take a gamble, and try to turn an old enemy into a new ally.
He set down his glass and touched the pad on the table next to him; it flickered and a hologram of a young woman, dressed in military fatigues, appeared. "Reporting in, MIlord."
"Inform the Diplomatic Corps that they are to prepare a diplomat to open talks with the Co-Prosperity Sphere of Auman in regards to opening up relations and the furthering of friendly talks between our peoples."
The A.I. paused for a microsecond as it processed shock at the statement and then it acted. "Aye aye, message away sir. Do you need anything else?"
"No, that will be all, Melissa."
The A.I. saluted and vanished, leaving the Kaiser to stare into the fire once more.
"It is one thing to pursue one's principles...it is another to pursue them so far as to abandon your friends."
****
A message was sent to the Co-Prosperity Sphere from Telros, asking to initiate talks between them. To their surprise, it was not only received but a reply sent back, granting them access to Vascilia City and agreed to open diplomatic talks. This shocked Jeremy Small, Diplomat, Third Rank, in the Diplomatic Corps. He had been informed he had been chosen to fulfill the Kaiser's wish and was debriefed with every scrap of data they had on the Aumanii, but he had thought they would deny a people so aligned against them in the past. He was clearly wrong, as his presence aboard a civilian frigate showed.
It was on loan from its owner, paid handsomely by the Empire, and manned with a military crew. They wanted to be ready, but did not want to provoke a fight by arriving in an armed vessel. So it was that the Gillespie shot into realspace and sent a general hail towards the Aumanii system.
"This is the TES Gillespie, we have come to transport an Imperial diplomat to meet with officials of the Co-Prosperity Sphere. Awaiting flight path and clearance to approach the planet. Over."
It drifted a decent distance away from the planet, presenting a harmless target to the Aumanii defense forces and assets. Jeremy hoped this would go off without a hitch; even with the debriefing, he had no idea how they would act. He was young for a diplomat, so he was still working his way through the delicacies of diplomatic life and he was given a rather important assignment. A show of faith from the Corps in his abilities, but a source of worry for him, should he screw up in any major capacity.
All he could do was sit and wait for the Aumanii response...
