Chapter 561 561 But That's Good, Right?
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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For the next few days Max answered a constant stream of messages from their Alliance observers, who seemed to be curious about all things human.
Their Commander wouldn't give them clearance to come visit Terminus even after a few rooms opened up after the parents of the new students began to head home, but Nico did send them the replicator program for a variety of human foods that they could teach to their own computers so that they could form a proper opinion of human cuisine.
Max thought it was a bit ridiculous that they wouldn't even send over a few members, but it was their security chief's choice to keep themselves quarantined. They weren't exactly hiding from anyone, but they could do their job from either ship, as long as Terminus kept sending them data.
It was hard to hate a person whose cooking you liked, and one thing that the Alliance sorts all had in common was a love for human cooking. So Nico was allowed to keep sending them any sort of data thta they were looking for, and even more irrelevant data, if she thought it would make them happy.
The steady progress of the terraforming continued day after day, until the planet was actually starting to look like what they had assumed its origninal appearance had been. Blue waters, lush green foliage, rich soil, replenished ore deposits and much more had gone into what they had originally planned as a very minor overhaul.
They couldn't very well call it a day as soon as the bare minimum was done when they had so many people watching them, either with high hopes for their future, or looking for the smallest slip up to use against them in the future.
The leader of the Observation vessel was beginning to get smart to their tactics though and had instructed their staff not to take bribes from the humans, even if they were selling them as research materials.
The edict caused no end of confusion among the ranks. The humans provided them with a huge amount of data on many different topics. What would be considered a bribe, and what would be legitimate research material, provided as per the terms of their working agreement?
"This is getting ridiciulous. Half of my staff has developed a mild human fetish, and the rest are too busy sampling new foods to actually do their job and determine how far the humans are along the path to civilization." The Commander bemoaned while his Illithid advisor was in a mental link with Max.
"You're just looking too deeply into it. If you take a step back and look at the big picture, we are vetting more areas of society than we have for any species in the past. Not even the Hunters have been judged on their cuisine before, but the humans have been.
Admittedly, they aren't at a level where they have interplanetary conflict among their species controlled, much less a firm grasp on a Galaxy, as many believe should be a prerequisite for admittance, but they are coming close to the level that the Hunters were at when they signed their first agreement with us." The Illithid informed him, hiding his smile behind the emotionless mask of his environmental suit.
With no clear answer, the Commander turned his attention back on the archaeological digs that the humans and hunters were doing via drones while the planet was terraformed.
They were being careful not to damage the historical ruins, which was a good sign, but there was something unnatural about these ruins that set the Commander's mind on edge. Like the Hunters, he had heard the legends of an ancient advanced species, predating their own by a million years or more, but unlike them , he thought it was a myth, and he hadn't been made privy to the statues made of the strange material that they had found on the surface."
"Commander, I have reason to believe that the humans have been hiding technological advances from the Alliance to make themselves look less dangerous and less evolved than they really are." One of the researchers decleared, barging into his office with a file folder in his hands.
Just the fact that he had made a hard copy in case the digital copy was tampered with was enough to raise eyebrows among the many specialists in the room when he arrived, but the words coming out of his mouth were more like stating the obvious than a reason to party crash a high level meeting.
"Why don't you try telling us something that we don't already know?" One of the advisors suggested.
"Fine, how about this. They can perfectly replicate and detect Alliance cloaking technology, but they have chosen not to obtain licenses to use it, in favor of making their own? Or the fact that their new generation of Materials Modificiation devices are very close to the true subatomic manipulation level, where the only restrictions on their production wil be the number of atomic components available?" The scientist continued.
"Man, they went over that in a podcast like a week ago. You've got to do better than that if you are going to barge into a command meeting."
"How can you all be so calm about a brutal species like the humans being so close to the technological level that could wipe out entire Star systems in a single days?" He asked.
"They can do that as well. We have confirmation from the Illithid and the Hunters that humans have weapons of war that can sterlize or destroy entire planets or destabilize stars. In fact we have some top secret footage of them breaking open a Class A Biohazardous planetoid with an excessive attack." The Commander sighed, wondering if the level of secrets necessary to avoid causing a public panic was actually doing more harm to his work than good.
"If you want to spare yourself the trauma, I have seen it in the mind of the Illithid that travels with and observes them. That individual appears to be a defector, placing his loyalty with the humans and not the Alliance, but he was very forthcoming and helpful when asked about humanity, so the situation might be misunderstood." The Illithid advisor informed him then ushered the gatecrasher out of the room.
Chapter 562 562 Expecting Guests
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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It wasn't long before the first sabotage attempts arrived, but they didn't hit Terminus in the manner that Max had expected they would.
The first attack was in the form of a highly sophisticated computer virus, embedded in a benign message from a returning customer.
Fortunately, they didn't drop the security measures for known clients so the attempt was caught and thwarted, with the broadcaster turned over to the observers.
That way nobody could accuse the humans of going vigilante over a minor slight to their sensibilities or of some sort of unusual punishment. It wasn't possible to prove a negative, and once a rival started running accusations against them, they wouldn't have the network to be able to win a social media war on Alliance networks.
On the other hand, this way they could drop subtle hints about who it was, and force them to defend themselves while the Alliance investigated.
The second group that attempted to attack them wasn't nearly as subtle. They thought that humans were primitive enough that they could easily be tricked and subdued.
Or at least that was the impression Max got when they arrived. He was in a meeting with his Illithid advisor when both of them sensed the gleeful intent to trick them with a one-sided supply contract.
[Commander, a newly arrived guest would like to speak with you about business.] The front desk clerk on the cruise ship reported only minutes after the luxurious yacht had docked with the ship.
[Send them to meeting room B and I will be with them in fifteen minutes.] Max replied, then turned to his advisor.
"I think it's best if you come with me to this one. The level of smugness is already annoying, and we haven't even met them yet." He sighed.
"Thank you for the invitation. My job is almost too easy here, and it would be a nice change of pace to match wits with a hostile negotiator."
Max chuckled and got a great idea. Turning this around on them could be fun.
"When we get there, I'm going to make amendments, but with the parties reversed. The more outlandish their request the more fun we can have."
"I will greatly enjoy testing their patience. If they're not good we might even make a trade deal that will lock them into something silly." The Illithid agreed eagerly.
"My suggestion is to have them become a dealer for our products, with zero markups over the licensing fee and a mandatory discount."
"Bankrupt them selling our goods. I like it. I have searched their company assets and they're very small, possibly less wealthy than the Terminus Trading Company. Even if we accept equal terms, we won't lose, because three are so few buyers for what they are allowed to sell us.
If we can require reciprocal trade we can get them to violate their agreements with the Alliance as well. It will do much more damage to their family and planet's repuatation than a little thing like a corporate bankruptcy.
The sooner that they learn not to mess with us, the better. If we can convince the others that it's not worth it to attack us, we can finally relax. The alliance forces might ban interplanetary combat, but that doesn't mean that they don't have any decent weapons." The Illithid agreed.
Hanging around humans was definitely rubbing off on him, just like the Alliance observers suggested. When they group first arrived, the Illithid would have never thought to do something so underhanded, but now that he had spent time working as an advisor, he was becoming much more morally flexible.
"I think that Nico would be sad if she didn't get a chance to shoot at them at least once before everything was said and done though. Peaceful missions aren't really her thing, and a dead world is about as peaceful as it gets." The advisor reminded him.
"Don't jinx it. The more you call it peaceful, the more likely it is that Nico will get her wish and get to shoot at something before we leave. There are still hostile species not far away, and there is the possiblity that whoever left those ruins isn't extinct. I don't want to tempt fate."
Illithid weren't at all superstitious, so the advisor just laughed the possibility off, but deep down, Max knew that Nico would be overjoyed if she got a chance to shoot at something on the first peaceful mission that they had in a while.
Not even the chance to prove that her new developments were worthy of interstellar acclaim could compete with that in her mind.
Max led his advisor to the meeting room, where Nico and one of the technicians were already waiting for them, both dressed as research team workers to hide the level of their knowledge from the visitors, who clearly didn't know what they were getting into.
Inside when Max arrived were a dozen large humanoids, possibly of the Giant species, but looking much different than the ones that Max was familar with. He was about to search more deeply into their thoughts to find out about them when his advisor filled him in on the major details.
"They call themselves giants, but they are actually half Dryad. One side of their lineage is a plant based species, that used extensive genetic engineering to enable children with a romantic partner of one of their ancestors.
That is the reason for the odd appearance, but they are otherwise as intelligent as their Giant cousins. They won't be the easiest to fool, but I am reasonably certain that we can manage it if we pretend to be horrible negotiators."
"You both got that? Perfect, don't let on that you know we're making a bad deal, because we're going to try to lock them into the worst deal possible, then bankrupt them. Now, let's get to work." Max instructed Nico and the technician, who was doing a terrible job of hiding her amusement.
Chapter 563 563 Would We Do That?
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"Greetings ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Terminus. I am Commander Keres and it is a pleasure to meet you this morning. I have brought my advisor and a pair of technicians with me today in case you had some technical questions but in our culture, I am the only one you need to complete any sort of simple business dealings." Max greeted the assembled aliens.
Their bark rough skin showed very little emotion, but Max could tell in their thoughts that they hadn't realized that their minds could be read, which meant that they didn't know the advisor was an Illithid.
[Would you suspect me if you saw me standing next to the others?] The advisor asked, referring to the Reaver outfit he was in and the cosmetic changes he had made to his environmental suit's appearance.
[Good point. You're much better styled now than you were before.]
Their guests put on the best fake smiles that Max had seen in a while, cheesy enough that even the Innu technician realized staight away that they were faking it.
They clearly didn't know much about the Terminus Trading Company, or they would have known that the ship employed a variety of species these days, each with their own specialty, but they didn't even try to encrypt their devices well enough to keep a curious Innu out.
[Nico, make the first play for me. Come up with the most lopsided deal that you possibly can, I want to force them into 50 percent discounts and zero markup from the price of royalties. Not even for materials. Then add something just plain ridiculous. I want to see if they're dumb enough to turn that over to be signed without reading it over.]
[I am all over it. Oh, my partner has a great idea as well.]
Max watched as Nico and the technician butchered the lopsided trade agreement into something unrecognizable. The visiting party had originally wanted an eighty percent cut of all royalties that Terminus made in the Alliance, preferred access to all patents, free of charge, and full distribution rights.
After the edits, they would be paying eighty percent of gross revenues to Terminus, putting ads for the Terminus Trading Company in all of their social media releases, and providing all products that they are licensed to sell within the Alliance to the Reavers at cost.
The first few are just embarrassing, but the last one would get them in real trouble with the Alliance, since the humans aren't cleared to have most of that technology yet. That was the true test of how well they were reading their own proposal, and their response would tell Max a lot about the level of professionalism that he was working with among the potential rivals that he would have to face in the future.
The ones that attacked directly weren't the only ones upset about the rise of humanity as an interstellar player, just the ones whose corruption had already been called out in front of their customer base because of the actions of the Terminus Trading Company. In a way, it was like starting with the little league games, the way they got to deal with the least competent first.
"It is a pleasure to have met you Commander Keres, we have come a long ways to offer you the chance of a lifetime. Dillon Industries is a respected and well established player in international distribution, with factories in over a thousand different galaxies, able to transport goods to customers all over the Alliance in a single day, often without incurring the exorbitant costs of portal transportation.
We have been informed that humanity has developed their own rudimentary portal techniology, but it is still hugely inefficient, and requires your Colony Ship to remain at a preset point for as long as you want to make the link.
Our services can remove that hassle from you, and have your unique human goods made in our factories for distribution.
I have here in front of me a benefits proposal, if you are familiar with Alliance credits, outlining the amounts you stand to make and save over the course of the first decade of our partnership. Tell me, are humans a long lived species?" The leader of the group asked, standing tall and proud in an attempt to give off the appearance of power and control.
"By Alliance standards, we are moderately long lived. With the aid of rejuvenation technology, we have managed to extend our lifespans well over two hundred years, barring incurable disease or accidental causes." Max agreed, taking the data tablet with the cost outlines and setting it between them on the table so that they both could read it.
"Marvelous, then you will have a long time to enjoy the benefits that a partner in the Alliance can bring you. As a young businessman, in a far flung galaxy only starting its journey to civilization, it can be hard to get ahead, but we here at Dillon industries can make life much easier on you.
As you see here, the number of items that you can purchase from the Alliance are somwhat limited by your species classification, but we can provide you with many luxury goods, even up to industrial transports that use cutting edge gravity control technologies. The benefits of that level of innovation cannot be underestimated, and the vehicles can be purchased through us at a very reasonable price, out of the royalties that you will be earning from our partnership."
[I believe that I have had an epiphany, Commander. This is what it truly feels like to be Nico. The desperate yearning to stab someone and see their viscera spread on the floor in front of me like the most gruesome of paintings.] The Illithid informed Max as the man was speaking.
[He honestly thinks we don't have gravity drives, when we used a gravity beam to bring him into the ship? Are these people only semi sentient?] Max replied.
[No, but they think you are.]
[Then let's get the fun started.]
Chapter 564 564 I Can Do Dad Jokes Too
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"These profit levels are incredible. We could fully refit a planet every year with the sort of income that is coming back to us from a deal like this since industrial equipment for farming, and mining is not on the restricted list.
As I'm sure you know, food crops are vital to the growth of a new colony, like the one we are working on developing here once the work of the Terraforming Array is finished. The Innu Tech Nomads that we met did an amazing job assisting us in the endeavor to produce them." Max gushed, doing his best to look overjoyed at the potential to sign the agreement.
"Alliance Legalese can be a bit tricky, but I can summarize the deal for you if you like? We have a draft copy here, verified by our own legal experts, which the Innu on your crew can verify are fully accredited lawyers of the Alliance, with all of the training and ethical standards expected of the largest group of Galaxies the universe has ever known.
"That would save us weeks with a translator if he would be willing to summarize the document for us." Max agreed, and the negotiator took out the modified data tablet before signing it with a graceful flourish.
"That is a secure and official data tablet. All modifications are fully logged and verifiable by any Alliance computer, including the Observers in orbit nearby. I have signed it here today, so as soon as you add your own, we can make it legally binding and have it verified to begin our agreement and get the finest of Alliance technology flowing your way."
"That would be incredible. The things we could gain from the Alliance would increase the living standards for our people to levels they have never seen." Max replied with a childish smile.
[Oh, you've got them now. They fully believe that you have a childlike intellect. Just watch. I bet he doesn't even read the agreement as he explains it.] The Illithid laughed.
His estimation was spot on. They didn't read a thing from the actual document, only gave a very glowing and very false report of what each clause meant. Over the course of the next ten minutes, the excitement on the faces of Nico and the Innu became impossible to hide, but the guests only thought it was a sign that they truly wanted this deal to go right.
"Humans are not an indecisive species. I will sign this now and have an observer verify the legitimacy of the documents." Max agreed, adding his signature to the document that he had verified still said what Nico and her partner wanted it to.
They had made no attempt to change it back, so Max felt confident in opening a link to the Observers vessel in orbit beside them.
The body of an unknown Valkia appeared in holographic form across from them at the table, and Max slid the document over to them.
"We need your assistance to verify that this document is legitimate, properly signed, and legally binding," Max informed the woman with a confident smile that made the Valkia flinch a little.
"Will humans never learn that baring your teeth at people is not a sign of friendliness among most species? But it isn't a problem for me to verify that tablet. I have already established the link and verified the time of the last edit and signing.
I just need to go through the body to ensure there are no improper clauses, as determined by Alliance law."
The Valkia went silent for a moment, then began to look shocked, then horrified, before she seemed to completely break and begin laughing hysterically.
"Tell me, gentlemen of Dillon Industries, did you verify the document that you provided for signature, or did you just assume that they would not try anything underhanded?" She finally managed to ask.
"We have provided the document. There was no reason to verify its validity." The negotiator stated confidently.
"Even when sitting across the table from a hostile Innu and a species with unknown capabilities?" She continued.
"The document was in a secure pouch. They had no contact with it. I am certain that none but the Commander and our representative have touched the secure tablet since it entered the vessel."
Now the Valkia almost looked confused, but she was already aware of the Innu's ability to hack without contact and wasn't nearly as foolish as these men.
"The last edit of this document was less than five minutes before signature, which is standard for most agreements, but the contents of this one are somewhat disturbing. Not to mention that they break dozens of Alliance laws on providing military support to non-member species, as well as violations of import laws, tax laws, and at least four sentient beings' rights violations in the section where you agreed to have your Dillon Industries workers produce unlimited amounts of product for sale at less than patent cost, with workers paid on a percentage of profit."
Now the man snatched the document back and began reading through it, going through the same gamut that the Valkia did, but with much more horror.
"There is a clause in there about payment of a penalty for early cancellation. Think of it as a welcoming gift from Humanity. Just a small prank on someone who greatly underestimated our ability to negotiate a deal or understand a legal document." Max informed him with a smile.
"As they are not members and can make a case that they didn't include any violations of Alliance law on their part in the document, we would like to have some words with your corporate team after this meeting.
The Alliance Councils hereby declare the agreement legally binding but invalid due to the highlighted clauses. No violations of the law were actually made at this point, but Dillon Industries will face a formal inquiry into why they would sign such a document." The Valkia announced.
"Now, would you like to start over with a proper trade agreement, or are we finished here?" Max asked the man across the table from him.
"How dare you reject our offer and attempt to humiliate us like that? Do you think that we are a joke? Someone you can insult without consequence? I will have you know that our CEO has a cousin on the Leadership Council of the Alliance. One word from me and your species will never become members." The man shouted, ignoring the hologram of the Valkia, that was shaking her head in awe at his idiocy.
"That sounded a lot like an admission of corruption on your Council to me. What do you say, observer?" The Illithid asked politely.
"We will investigate the matter. All accusations of corruption filed by an Illithid are required to be treated as serious matters due to their mind reading capabilities." She agreed.
"Illithid? This is a human vessel. We scanned it and found that there were no Illithid life forms on board." The Dillon Industries lawyer insisted.
"For the sake of security, the shielding of the interior of Terminus is designed to hide the presence of life from outside scanners. This is standard practice for all military vessels and one you would have realized if you had actually scanned the ship." The Illithid replied calmly.
"I will now require the members of Dillon Industries to return to your vessel and report immediately to the observation vessel for questioning. You may continue your negotiations later, and hopefully with a more competent start than this dismal showing. You have fifteen minutes to comply." The Valkia informed them, then cut the link.
"That was fun. We should do it again sometime. I will have Miss Rage and a security detail escort you back to your vessel as required by Alliance protocol."
Chapter 565 565 What Do You Mean Not Funny
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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"When are we going to give up the facade with the fake names? It's not like anyone is hunting us anymore, and they're not fooling anyone." Nico laughed when she returned to Max's office after seeing their guests off to talk with the observers.
"Any time you want, really. It's not much of a secret anyhow, more of an inside joke at this point." Max agreed.
"We should likely do some preventive damage control as well. I will get the Innu on it right away so the guys we pranked can't come at us and try to get revenge back in the Alliance. They might have been basically exiled for their business practices, but if they can convince people that we're worse, it would be a mess for our sales." Nico suggested.
"Good thinking. Get ahead of the problem, and then we can get back to finishing this reformation project. The daily report from Headmistress Medusa says that the kids are eager to see it when it's finished, so I'm assuming that a day-long field trip might be the next thing on the request list once the work is done." Max agreed.
"I think that's safe to assume. Everyone on board wants a chance to set foot on the planet when we finish, so we are going to have to do a particularly good job of it and not waste too much time while we finish, or they'll start getting bored.
Part of the charm of our vacations is that we keep moving around and seeing new things, so spending too much time in one spot is actually a detriment to our popularity. Plus, there's nothing to shoot at here."
Max shook his head at the diminutive cyborg, whose curly black hair was waving in time with her speech.
That didn't seem right. She wasn't moving her head to make it sway like that.
"Nico, what did you do to your hair?" He asked.
"You know that anime with the hapless harem protagonist and the alien assassin? I copied her fully controllable hair with this version. I don't have the grip strength down, but I'm getting better at the control. Soon I will be able to grab stuff with it or use it as a whip."
"You weaponized your hair? Don't you think that's going a bit too far?"
Nico laughed as if Max had asked the dumbest question in existence.
"Of course not. Long hair has always been weaponized. Even if it was mostly to hold weapons or with a heavy ball at the end to flail enemies with, it is a waste not to do something with it, and I found this cool way to make synthetic hair strands morphable. Give me a bit more time, and I will be able to add them to the augmentic armor as extendable ropes for various purposes.
Technically, that's what I was working on, to begin with, then I realized that it would make cool hair, so I tweaked my own."
A utility rope would be a good addition to the suits, so items could be suspended or recovered with ease. The fact that Nico had made it a weaponized part of her own body was just inevitable, really.
"Just don't let the fun side projects interfere with the cloaking technology. We are going to need that one soon enough, sitting here between the Narsians and the Klem.
You know what, I've got a great idea. Get it completely finished, and we can pick a fight so you can test it out. We can call it population control of a hostile species, and the guests will love it."
"Who taught you how to sweet talk a woman? Because it's working. I think we've still got a month or two before we've got it properly functional though. I want it working well enough that we can use it like the Hunters do when they're playing war games with intelligent species and cloak our Mecha, not just our ships in orbit.
Having a unit or three of stealth Mecha, likely Corvette Class for the extra speed and versatility, would be a game changer in a fight."
Max waved goodbye as Nico turned to return to her work, dragging the excited Innu along with her. Something that they had seen or thought of in the last few minutes had the technician's mind going in circles, thinking about how to modify a power relay. He was certain that it was important to finish that part of their work, so he sent them on their way as soon as possible and waited for the inevitable scolding that he was going to get from the observers.
He didn't have to wait long. After only an hour, he had a very official letter waiting in his inbox, informing him that it was neither amusing nor acceptable to attempt to use Alliance law to manipulate others into committing serious military tariff violations. The tone of the letter suggested that they knew exactly what had happened in the room, so he assumed that either the Illithid had informed them or their own staff had obtained the sensor logs from Terminus.
His money was on the likelihood that someone from his staff had sent it, though, since it would make their lives easier not to have to answer questions about how such a strange interaction had taken place, to begin with. [I can read minds, and she can manipulate data with a thought] was a perfectly reasonable answer to the Alliance, but it was still easier not to have to do it at all.
Later that evening, he got a follow-up letter from the Commander of the Observation ship, informing them that they would be having more guests in the near future. The Council would be sending a team to talk with them directly about a proposal they had to prevent future incidents where human innovations that bypassed copyright laws might cause interstellar uproars.
That should be a lot of fun. He had no intentions of slowing down their work or keeping it hidden from the Alliance as a whole. However, if they thought there was some way to prevent conflicts like this, where price-gouging businesses might end up with a score to settle after their senior staff was lynched or run out of the Alliance territory entirely, it would be a small relief.
Chapter 566 566 Alliance Envoys Incoming
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The new group didn't take long to arrive. They scheduled a portal opening for the next morning, Terminus ship time, in consideration of everyone's schedule, and informed Max that they would be twenty persons in total, plus four that they had invited from Non Alliance members to attend the meeting.
That last part was a bit strange, but it seemed like they wanted to make a rather large change to the understanding that they had with the humans, and that meant that they had to involve other species as well.
One of the extra four was a Huntress, but not one from Khan's ship. One was a Dryad, who apparently weren't all Alliance members, and the other two were from species that his database couldn't identify, so he turned to Huntress Khan for advice.
[These species, the Dryads, and the others, what are their cultures like? They are coming to attend the meetings, but I don't know anything at all about them.] Max asked.
[They're not bad. They are from relatively nearby systems but have declined membership. The blue ones with no noses do not believe in outside governance, so they won't accept membership or fully comply with Alliance law when it conflicts with their own. They are vegetarian and generally agreeable, though.
The Dryads also eat only plants and can have a temper, but with your rebuilding of a natural ecosystem, they will like you more. They're what your species calls hippies. You should be able to manage that.
The last is Volga. The douchebags of the Universe. They were early founding members of the Alliance but were later expelled for corruption. They like to force others to do their bidding and engaged in hundreds of proxy wars using outside forces before there was enough evidence to expel them.
Dealing with them can be tricky, don't agree to any sort of arrangement with them if you want to have anything to do with the Alliance. They're only here because they are nearby, and the Alliance couldn't prevent their spies from finding out that your species is growing in power.
Given another decade or two, they would be here, looking for you to help them cause trouble somewhere. Their reflexes are crap, and they're completely cowardly, with mediocre technology, but that doesn't matter when they do everything by proxy using money.]
[Humanity has some like that. I will forward the information on them to the rest of the Reavers so that they don't get involved in a long-running dispute without knowing it. Do you think it would be acceptable to trade with them, or should they be snubbed entirely? I can tell that you, and possibly all Hunters, have a grudge against them.] Mas asked.
[If there are no prior arrangements, we scuttle their ships any time they are found in Hunter territory.] Khan replied, summing up the state of their relationship in a single sentence. You didn't get much more hostile than a kill-on-sight order.
[I understand. I will add it to the information that I am sending to the Trade Group members so they know about the potential for conflict. They will most likely put them on a zero military intervention list, prohibiting them from hiring our mercenaries or buying military equipment from us.]
[That would make the Hunters and the Alliance happy, but do it with tact so that you don't cause additional issues for your people. They could send others to do their work for them until you agree to their terms. It's what they're famous for.]
Max added the detailed notes in the information that he sent to Mary Tarith, who was taking care of disseminating all of the data that they gathered and spreading it to the Trade Group as a whole. The fact that these people were on such bad terms with the Hunters, who had been on excellent terms with the humans already, was certain to become an issue in the future.
The Hunters had been as generous as they could with the data they shared, and they had worked in good faith with the Trade Group when they found new humans hidden on the far side of the Galaxy from the rest of the species, so Max was reluctant to do anything to interfere with that arrangement.
[Thanks. If you want to sit in as an observer, I will make sure there's a seat at the table for you.] Max offered.
[I think that the Huntress they are sending should be enough. She will have a constant link from her sensors open for me so I know what's going on in the meeting. It's not common knowledge, but most of the Innu know that we do it as standard practice, and any of the high-ranking Alliance officials should know already.]
[Understood. Thanks for the help.]
With the link ended, Max began to prepare for the next day's meetings. Preparing a venue and securing it was the easy part. They had a lot of practice for that. The hard part was that they didn't know yet what the team was here to talk about in specific. Without that essential bit of knowledge, it would be hard to avoid talking their way into a trap.
At least he could read minds, so he would find out right away what they were intending and if they were being honest with him. There were some ways around his mind reading, but in a large group, it would be impossible for all of them to hide a major plot twist, so either most wouldn't know, and their surprise would be genuine, or one of them would give away any negative intentions.
The last thing he did before sleeping was to ask the Illithid to keep a mental ear open for anything that he could learn about the situation from his compatriot on the Observation vessel or any other minds he had access to. Every bit helped, and Max was determined to make the best impression possible on these visitors, even if he didn't intend to have a close business relationship with all of them.
Chapter 567 567 Much Fanfare
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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The meetings hadn't even started yet the next day when Max began to get a headache. The emissaries from the incoming group demanded full fanfare, a parade, and a celebratory holiday announcing the honor of having been graced with their presence.
"I will give them a parade. Right back out the airlock." Nico muttered as she read through the list of demands they had presented.
"They are testing you to see how much of a pushover the humans are likely to be. The more amenable you are to demands, the easier it is to fold you into the Alliance's rigid set of internal rules." The Illithid explained.
"In that case, send back this message. Holidays are specific to a ship's crew and require a great victory or an equally devastating loss of life. This day does not yet meet our standards. Parades are not part of our culture, but we are willing to organize a feast in your honor with the finest variety of human cuisine." Max informed Nico, who chuckled as she sent the message back.
"Now they want to know the details of the security escort that will ensure their safety on the way to the meeting area."
"You know what, send the Fourth and Fifth Battalions, plus all infantry. Fully armed, including Light Mecha. The heavy Mecha Pilots can switch to augmentic armor and personally escort the group to the meeting room. Just have them form a double line for the whole fifty meters from the hangar to the secure room. Oh, and have the female Pilots at both doors since it will make the Hunters happy."
"They seem to be under the assumption that we will be holding the event on the planet. Should I clarify for them that Reavers are a ship-based segment of human culture, or should I tell them that our planets are off limits to outsiders until an agreement is made?" Nico asked.
"Are you trying to pick a fight with them?"
"Not all of them. We really should have found some entertainment in advance. This is going to be such a boring day." She sighed.
"Brave of you to assume that this will only take one day."
Both Max and Nico groaned at the Illithid's reminder, but they sent the most diplomatic version of the message that they could and prepared for the arrival of their visitors.
At the very least, the group was punctual. They arrived only an hour after the arrangements were confirmed, giving them just enough time to get the escort in place and ready.
"Everyone outside of a Mecha, move your weapons to the flat space storage. You are an honor guard today, and we will not likely be in any danger. They're just feeling important and wanted a show." Max reminded his unit as they formed a double line down the walls of the twenty-meter-wide corridor.
The envoys landed in a suitably pompous-looking shuttle, not overly large but covered in gold and delicately etched writing that made the whole thing look more like a decoration than a working vessel.
The assorted envoys strolled out, looking incredibly proud of themselves, each accompanied by a pair of bodyguards.
Some looked quite capable and dangerous, like the pair of young Huntresses accompanying their envoy, but most of them seemed to be more in the nature of maids. None of them were carrying visible weapons, but with their level of technology, that didn't mean much, but most of them were in some sort of uniform dress, which was completely unsuited to combat.
Max was no fool, he knew that peace and no interstellar wars were two very different things, but the image that the envoys were trying to put forth was one of unconcerned nobility.
[Prepare for some bloated introductions, and then we can get started.] Max reminded his companions.
[Allow me to do our side, I have experience in these matters.] His Illithid advisor suggested, sending the mental equivalent of a smirk along with it.
"Human supplicants, you have the honor of standing before High Lord Immanuel of the Volga, kneel, and we will offer you privileges beyond your imagination." The small man covered in gold and jewels announced before anyone else could speak.
"I think we prefer the Hunter tradition. Send forth the greatest female warrior of your species, and we shall duel for your vessel and the lives of its crew instead." The Illithid announced.
The Alliance envoys stopped dead in their tracks and stared at the Illithid for a moment, trying to understand what just happened, while the Volga representative glared at them with clear disdain and hatred.
[Please, please, please. . .] Nico was repeating in her head while the envoys gathered their wits.
"I didn't expect to see an Illithid here with such a primitive species. Was the Alliance perhaps trying to get ahead of us and sent a representative in advance?" The Volga envoy asked.
"On the contrary, your presence simply escaped our notice, so when we began expanding our staff to include other species, we found Innu, Illithid, Hunters, Shin, and Valkia, but we didn't learn of the existence of the Volga until the Alliance informed us you would be present today," Max informed him.
"I see. It seems that your species is a rather militant culture." The Volga High Lord stated though he looked more confused than anything else.
"This Galaxy is home to many violent creatures, both sentient and semi-sentient. Violence is an essential part of human existence, but not quite as strong as it is for the Hunters. Humans enjoy a challenge, but the pure joy they had shown when we introduced Huntress Khan to the Klem infestations was beyond anything they were accustomed to.
It was really quite a wholesome experience all around. We do love to see others enjoying themselves, which is why we have opened a cruise ship and multi-species Academy here aboard Terminus." The Illithid explained.
The Huntress and her companions looked overjoyed at the words while the envoys from the Alliance were frantically recalculating how they expected this meeting to go. The Volga envoy was quietly wishing he had ignored the message about the meeting and had come here individually when he might have been able to properly pressure the humans without the Alliance and Hunters present to rebut him.
Chapter 568 568 Down To Business
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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The Valkia representative was the first to recover and, in a proper political fashion, attempted to smooth over the tone of the meeting and get things back on track.
"Thank you, High Lord, for your attempt to gauge the personalities of the human Commanders. On behalf of the governing Councils of the Alliance, we are here to speak to the leaders of the Human Species about their status with the Alliance forces." The Valkia spoke gently, fluttering his black feathered wings slowly.
The effect actually worked, and he did manage to look more regal and kind than he had a few seconds ago, causing both Max and the Illithid to silently commend his skill.
"I am surprised that you aren't the one being vocal and challenging them." The Giant among their group asked the Huntress, who smirked back at him behind her smooth golden mask and crossed her hands demurely in front of her flowing silver robes.
"As they mentioned, the Humans have already met the Hunters, and their champion put up a good enough fight that we deemed them worthy of future interaction for their skills, and not just for the level of technological advancement that attracted our attention in the first place." She replied.
"They have a warrior who can impress even Huntress Khan? They don't look like much." The Volga asked with a disdainful look up at Max.
"Their finest female fought a Huntress to a draw in twenty meters tall Hunter Suits." She confirmed, clearly well aware of the situation, since the Hunters broadcast the battle live to their other ships.
Now even the Volga looked impressed, and his thoughts were more than a little nervous. He had gotten in way over his head with a species that clearly knew way more about the universe than the Alliance had let on.
Max read through his thoughts and realized that the Alliance had told him that this was a primitive species that had skipped the usual development route and had gained the ability to spread destruction beyond their own Galaxy, but that was all that they had told his people about them.
He had tried to make himself look like the leader of the group because he thought the humans wouldn't know better, and none of the Alliance transmissions he had intercepted had given any hint that they knew more than that an Alliance vessel was watching them.
In short, he had been played for a fool, and everyone else present had gleefully walked all over him, even the humans.
The Dryad was the next to speak up. "If we are going to be in meetings all day, perhaps you could bring the Shin crew member that you mentioned into the meeting. It may help explain some of the cultural differences since our species are quite familiar with each other and on good terms.
What role does the Shin have here with the Humans?"
"He is a botanist in charge of the public vegetation aboard Terminus, as well as the maintenance of the World Tree that grows in the front atrium." The Illithid responded on their behalf.
The Dryad looked overjoyed at that news, and their thoughts were a jumble of happy possibilities, most of which involved naps in the branches of a world tree. That species was definitely going to be easier than average to get along with.
The Valkia gestured onward, and Max led the group into the hallways where the Fourth and Fifth Battalions were waiting for them.
The show of power impressed most of the species, except the one wearing a plain white environmental suit, which Max assumed was the blue-skinned species that he had been informed of, who was mostly unconcerned and saw the presentation as normal procedure. The Huntress and her duo were less impressed since they knew that this was just an honor guard and not the main fighting force of the humans.
Once the Shin botanist arrived and they were seated in the sealed and reinforced room with the doors locked from the inside, Nico moved to the replicator and brought out a wide variety of vegan snacks in recognition of the three species that didn't eat any sort of meat.
"Feel free to partake in the light snacks of human cuisine. They aren't really a representative sample since humans are omnivorous, and these are all plant-based so that all the species present might try them." The Illithid informed the group before stepping back to let Max take over the meeting.
"Welcome everyone to the Colony Ship Terminus, home of the Terminus Trading Company, the designated representatives of humanity for today's meetings. It is a pleasure to see so many species gathered here today, and I look forward to the assuredly good news that the Alliance has brought with them for us." Max greeted the assembly.
"You seem quite confident that we have brought you good news. Is that a matter of personal analysis, or have the Alliance species you employ perhaps obtained some information that they shared with you?" The Giant asked.
"We have, of course, heard rumors. We do have access to Alliance social media here aboard Terminus. But random citizens talking about the financial advantages of an official trade deal or membership, as opposed to allowing us to continue to profit from our patents tax-free as an independent outside force, are hardly enough to base an international treaty strategy on.
My confidence is in the fact that coming to some sort of agreement that doesn't exclude our current allies would be in both of our best interests." Max informed him, reminding everyone in the room that they weren't as isolated as might be usual for a newly contacted species.
The Giant nodded happily and placed a data tablet on the table. "That makes this much easier, then. We have drafted a preliminary agreement before our arrival if you would be willing to accept it as a baseline for our ongoing negotiations."
[Non Compliant Species Trade Agreement between the Alliance and the Human Faction known as Reavers] was the headline.
One after another, each of the other representatives except the Hunters placed a similar tablet on the table, leaving all of the envoys staring at the Huntress.
She only smiled behind her mask and shrugged her shoulders at them.
"What? We already have a working agreement with the Humans. I only came to see if you were going to insult them so badly that they killed you all and took your vessels."
Chapter 569 569 Friendly Negotiations
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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To say that the Huntress' insinuation that the humans could defeat their forces and confiscate their ships intact did not go over well was possibly the understatement of the year.
Everyone in the room other than the human delegation was glaring at her. At the same time, the golden mask that all Huntresses wore hid her placid expression from them, making her look even more unconcerned about the repercussions of that action than she actually was.
"I am sure it wouldn't have come to violence. I know how the Alliance feels about interstellar combat. The human species has likewise been working to eliminate the rogue elements and hostile species that perpetuate such foolishness in this Galaxy." Max offered in an attempt to soothe their egos.
"Can a primitive species really say they could end an interstellar war?" The Volga representative asked.
"If it comes down to it, we can just destroy the planets and stars of any system that refuses to stop causing interstellar incidents. We might be behind the curve in many ways, but our weapons technology is more than capable of destroying a planet in a single attack." Max replied with a shrug.
"To be clear, that is the very last case scenario, when all other attempts to curtail the continued attacks have failed, and the destruction has been deemed to have a significantly lower casualty rate than containment of the threat." The Illithid added.
Max noticed at this point that the Dryad representative was totally tuned out to their conversation, communicating silently with the Shin about the world tree and the gardens they were working on in the front of the vessel.
The Dryads had made their choice, and if the humans didn't like the limited terms that they offered, they were willing to walk away from the negotiating table. It was no loss to them, but since the humans had made friends with the Shin and were willing to host many species on board their ships, with accommodations for differing bodies, they would at least entertain some basic alterations to the agreement.
"So it is more of a peace through strength type of society, where the strong keep the weak in line?" The Valkia asked.
"No. It is a peace through unity type of society. We form agreements by localized groups to assist and support each other in the case of hostilities. Once we have enough of us in one group, we will be too great of a threat for any other in the Galaxy to willingly attack us, leading to a state of relative peace, lacking active external threats.
Given their free will, there might still be planets that stage civil wars against unfit leaders, or for a variety of other reasons, and we allow that as their right to representation."
For the first time, the man in the plain white environmental suit spoke. "You value autonomy enough that you forsake a central government and leave matters of governance to local leaders?"
Max nodded. "Within reason. As long as they aren't violating the basic standards we have set for the rights of citizens, they are free to do as they please. Humans have tried having a single leader before, but the sheer scope of such an endeavour proved to be a bureaucratic nightmare. Too many layers of leadership led to embedded corruption. Now we operate with only a single layer of leadership above local, and it has proven much more efficient."
"Fascinating. We also value autonomy above all else. But it is to do with the nature of our culture. Our leaders are divine beings created from pure energy to lead us through the most trying of times. Compared to that, no other form of leadership could compare, so we have opted not to join the Alliance, though we do maintain a close relationship with them." He explained.
"If each of your Divine Leaders commanded a few planets and a fleet of travelling ships, it would be the same type of governance as the Commander of a Reaver Company. When we need to do things on a larger scale, the Commanders appoint someone who they trust and who is available to represent them. Usually, it is another Commander or a respected Elder." Max added while the blue-skinned envoy nodded along and made notes on his data tablet.
"You don't elect your leaders? Or is it a short-term position? I am not understanding the nature of your top level of leadership." The Giant asked.
"I lead the Terminus Trading Company, which primarily consists of this small fleet with assets on a handful of planets. Today, I represent the Reavers as a whole because I am here, and I have the strongest relationship with your Alliance. The other Commanders have agreed to trust my judgement, and I am responsible for looking after their interests and making a deal in their best interests.
Before I sign, the agreements will be sent to a group of respected leaders of other Companies to see if they have any objections that I missed. If there are none, the deal will get signed. If there are objections, the negotiations continue.
It is the respect that our leaders have earned that makes the system function. If they should betray that trust, they will be eliminated or removed from their position."
The Giant's look brightened with understanding. "Like Nagash at Morkai. He betrayed his people and was publicly executed while attempting to sign a deal that would have made them slaves in exchange for his own wealth."
"A long walk out of a short airlock." The envoy in white agreed.
Nico chuckled at that. "Funny enough, that is a preferred answer to corruption among our people as well. Simple, safe and efficient."
"Who would choose an end like that?" The Volga envoy asked.
"The man who knows that the options are much slower and more painful." The Valkia answered, then picked up their data tablet and replaced it with one from their assistant.
"Look this over and tell me what you think of the offer. It is somewhat similar to the deal we have with the Hunters since your people and theirs seem to be on a similar path, and you have already shown a capability for easy intergalactic travel while you poached over a hundred top educators for your Academy."
[Oh, he's the big mad about that. Even Nico can tell.] The Illithid laughed through the mental link.
[Check the records and see if we have one of his relatives or ex-girlfriends on the payroll. It might be relevant very soon.]
Chapter 570 570 The Offer
Name:Humanity's Greatest Mecha Warrior System Author:
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With the introductory haggling out of the way and the basics of human society explained, all the envoys settled in to begin going over the offers they were willing to offer humanity.
Max started with the most obvious choice, the Alliance itself, presented by the Valkia.
The terms were fairly simple. No direct sales of military equipment, but the Reavers would begin being able to purchase all non-military products at standard Alliance rates but would be required to charge the standard ten percent sales tax on completed goods that they sold to Alliance members, to be paid to the governing council. Patented plans and raw materials were exempt, and only finished goods were taxed by the Alliance trade scheme, so it worked out very well for Max and the Reavers.
It meant that they could access large numbers of new products, and they could sell their completed goods into the Alliance without interference. Still, it wouldn't greatly affect their major revenue stream, which was licensing patents for others to produce.
Max showed it to the others in his group and forwarded it to the Innu Tech Nomads for them to go over. They were the local experts on Alliance trade schemes and dealt with most of the group's trading with the Alliance, so their opinion carried more weight than most.
[There's a bit of trick language on the seventeenth page. The text looks like it only requires you to pay on goods sold to the Alliance, but they want a cut of all completed goods sold by the Reavers everywhere.] The Innu informed Max well before he had reached that point in the document.
[Highlight it and send me a modified version of the text that is more favourable to us. Do the same for any other clauses you find that would be a hindrance to our work.] Max texted back.
Once he finished his read-through of the Alliance document, he left the Innu to work on it and picked up the Dryad Document. It was less than a page long, stating that they would let the Reavers buy whatever the Alliance let them buy at market prices, but they required access to public natural spaces on Reaver-controlled worlds under the same terms that were set for Reaver Civilians.
"I don't think I even need to get a second opinion on this one. Well, technically, I already have two other opinions available confirming that it's a plausible deal, so I will gladly sign this one now." Max confirmed.
The Dryad seemed satisfied with the deal and quickly returned to talking to the Shin about plants while the rest of the group was getting ready for a long day of negotiations.
"If you wish, our employee can show you to the World Tree while the rest of the deals are worked out. We will forward you copies as they become available, so you are not out of the loop." Max suggested to the distracted Dryad.
"Ah, yes, that would be excellent. What are your policies on room sharing? I may wish to stay a few days."
"As long as it doesn't exceed the stated capacity of the room, we allow it. But as a foreign dignitary, courtesy demands that we offer you free room and board for the duration of these negotiations, so do feel free to arrange for the staff to get you settled into a room of your own." Max replied.
"We do appreciate good hospitality. Are there more rooms like the Shin are in?"
"Of course. Not many, but there are more soil rooms and also fully holographic rooms if a simulated forest or natural environment is more to your liking."
"That sounds interesting. I believe I will give it a try. My thanks, Commander Keres, and I look forward to our future interactions." The Dryad replied before following the Shin from the meeting room.
"He did better than expected, given that there is a world tree on this ship. We had a wager going on how long it would take him to flee the room and go looking for a branch to sleep on." The Giant chuckled.
"Just getting them to wear clothes and show up in public can be a struggle. Bunch of oddballs they are." The Valkia agreed.
The Innu returned the Alliance offer just after Max started reading the offer from the Volga. Their offer was frankly insulting, and not a single part of it was worth salvaging, so Max set it aside once he had finished reading it and presented the list of proposed changes to the Alliance agreement.
"These are the changes our experts request to be made to the first proposal that you have presented to us. Please read them through and give them your consideration." Max requested, handing over the data tablet with the updated agreement to the Alliance representatives.
That brought him to the offer made by the envoy with powder blue skin. He had taken off his helmet now and displayed a face reminiscent of the Hunters' masks, all smooth but with a mouth and two bloodshot eyes. He equipped a pair of goggles soon after removing the helmet, so his species must have developed to be nocturnal and sensitive to the lights in the room. Unfortunately for them, he couldn't lower the lighting much more, or it would interfere with the reading of the data tablets since the Alliance-made units lacked backlight like the Reaver units used.
This agreement had very little about trade, only a single page like the Dryad document. However, it included a clause on not invading each other's territories, with a detailed list of star systems that were inhabited by the alien species and a blanket agreement for them not to attempt to settle in this Galaxy.
Honestly, nobody in their right mind wanted to settle in this Galaxy's unclaimed territories, given how violent the neighbours were likely to be, so it was probably not going to be an issue, to begin with.
None of the galaxies that were included in the alien's list were immediate neighbours of this one, so the chances that Humans would try to colonize them were very low. It made the call a simple one, but Max sent it off to be vetted by the Innu and Mary Tarith as well.
"Now, we have a little time while the experts vet the documents, so would you all like some refreshments? We have quite a variety, from tea and Juice to more elaborate and even alcoholic concoctions." Max offered.
"Now that's the offer I've been waiting for. I have heard great things about the Reavers' Rum." The Huntress laughed, finally seeing a positive note to her day of politics.