Fiction:Similar Opposites


 * This is all the interactions between the Wentals and the Draconis before the Andromeda War.

The Councilor and the Senate
''As Hinata walks in, her thumps alert the bickering nobles who turn to stare. the room is an enormous ampitheatre, above is a gilded dome decorated with images of many mythical creatures. Arania stands on the central stage''

Arania - Nobles, envoys, councillors, today we are visited by a new power, they call themselves the Wentals and seek good terms

Senator - We have read your reports emmisary, Is that suit of theirs nessesary?

Hinata - Hello, powerful Draconis. I am Hinata, as you know. We Wentals, and all life like us, is non-biological. While I could survive in your enviorment, you could not survive in mine. Mecholife, as it is called, can be very dangerous and is usually completely destructive to non-mecholife.

Hinata - So yes, the suit is needed to protect you and your planet from anything that may be living on and in me.

Military senator - You brought a machine with self-rep nanotech into THESE HALLS emmisary!? what were you thinking? Do you not remember what many on this council fought personally against less than a century ago!

Hinata - We cannot help how our form of existance is. We are non-biological, all mecholife is. If you have a problem with that, we can end interactions now. However, if you can accept us for what we are then we can continue forward with negotiations and whatnot.

Science Senator - The revised nanomachine act chapter 7 paragraph 34 states the law restricts -development- and -dsitribution- of reporductive nanomachines, It says nothing of the consequences of actually having the technology.

Science Senator - if the technology is within their nature there is little we can do.

Hinata - Besides declaring outright war, that is. Even then, you would need to sterlize worlds by dropping them into stars, and even then it's not a 100% garentee or destroying true Mecholife.

Protectorate Senator - The empire has encountered such situations before: silicon-based life in the empire may be uncommon but there have certainly been improvements to coexistence.

Hinata - if there are precedents then this should not be all that big an issue. We are what we are, and nothing you can do will change that.

Science senator - The representetive is is correct. Reconissance has revealed that the entire sector is populated with such lifeforms. To deny cooperation to the Wental is to restrict further development considerably

Military Senator - You seem to forget that just 70 years ago an entire sector was at risk of being overrun with a horde of cybernetic locusts! To even tolerate these machines goes against everything the Talons fought and died for!

Hinata,To herself - Good thing they sent me... *to senate* Mecholife is not out to destroy you, there are many peaceful forms of it in the regions where it exists. It's basically life, but made out of stronger and better materials.

As the senators argue a large figure enters a balcony, his scales were brown and a clawmark extends over his right cheek, his right eye is a milky white and he speaks with a gruff voice "Many had lost loved ones Admiral, but not everyone hates machines with as much passion as you do..."

Hinata - Well, it appears that there ARE some who do not fear my form of life. That's good, I hope.

Arania - *To Hinata* That's Kalos Ultanos, the paragon's younger brother. He served during the war the admiral is talking about.

Hinata - Ah. Hello Kalos Ultanos. Many in the Wentals lost loved ones to the Mechanization, the conversion from biological to mechological, as well. We all know the pain of losing those close to us.

Kalos - I never said I was one of the sympathisers, unlike the admiral I can work out which machines seek destruction and which have other motives.

Hinata - That will have to do, I suppose. Also, we don't need sympathizers, we need rational beings who don't allow emotion to control them.

Arania - *To Hinata* House Ultanos lost the current paragon's older brother in battle, not many of them are very keen on reproductive nanotech or anyone who uses it, willing or not.

Homeland senator - Prince Kalos, what is your reason for being here?

Kalos - I came because my brother needed someone in the house to watch over this event. You know how how touchy he can get with cyborgs, right?

Hinata - When we were turned into mecholife by the Sacis, in their failed attempted at control, we lost 72% of our population. Entire planets were sterilized when the converter nanotech went beserk. We know how dangerous nanotech can be. Regardless, we accept it and continue to use nanotech in our daily lives, for without it we would never rebuilt our former empire. If we, who lost so much to nanotech, can forgive it as the tool it is, then surely you can ass well.

Arania - Senators, princes, please; we are straying from the subject. The diplomat is here because the wental seek a partnership with the empire. Either an alliance or through Draconica.

Hinata - Arania is correct. This is a diplomatice meeting, not one in which to go into the details of how much out two empires have suffered because of machine misuse.

Kolus - You senators can bicker about nanotech all you want later.

Protectorate Senator - Tell us little one, what can your society offer the empire?

Hinata - Consider before calling me little one that I am a legal adult and one of the primary senators of my people. Also that I could probably rip you in half, despite my.... "cute' appearance. Regardless, the Wentals are an advanced empire with tech of the level "Tier 1". Grandted, not all of it is our own creation, but we have access to it and are willing to share, within reason, all of our tech. We have a great deal of resources, from energy we collect and sell, to extra military hands when such is needed. We are willing to supply you when you need it as well. Besides that, we always have a tourist industry. I'm sure there are many who would like to see how non-biological life can exist, and what it looks like. There are many among our newest generation who have never seen biological life, so we would be interested in such tourism.

Science Senator - We are always open to new tecnology.and there is always industrial demand. I'm sure many in the scientific community would be fascinated by your form of life.

Hinata - I also realized something. While nanotech is forbidden in your empire, is equipment created by nanotech forbidden?

Sceince Senator - only nanotech with reproductive algortihms - machines that can make more of themselves - is forbidden. So no, nanotech-made equipment is not forbidden.

Hinata - Good, that would have put a dent in any trade, all non-cultural objects have some form of nanotech in their creation.

Hinata - Much easier that way.

Protectorate senator - We understand you are still recovering from this 'mechanisation' so we can provide support to rebuild. your society. We can also provide military protection in orbit. We can offer further support if you agree to Pax Draconica.

Hinata - I'm sorry, but I was not properly breifed on this "Pax Draconica". With so much work to do, it's a wonder we even got to meet today.

Arania - *To Hinata as mumbles fill the chamber* It's a key policy relating to foreighn powers: A society can agree to become a mamber state of the empire and are permitted to regulate their own laws and culture. In exchange for protection and freedom of travel though imperial space the society is required to pledge the support of it's military and provide support when asked.

Arania - The society must also agree to enforce a higher tier of imperial law within it's space.

Hinata - I see. The Wentals are made up of formerly independent empires, organizations, entities, and even a few weak group minds likes the RSR and Meta. We willingly agreed to forfeit our own political independence because of larger, more advanced, and more skilled in war empires who attacked us. The Iteok are a notable example of a War-Eperianced empire, and they are one of the main reasons for the formation of the Wentals. (continues)

Hinata - At this time there is no way that I, nor any Wental, would agree to your Pax Draconica. We can rebuild our military, and already have a number of ships rebuilt. I'm sorry, but it would take a majority vote from all the Senators, Member Species, and States before we could agree to such a thing. It would not be possible.

Protectorate Senator - A shame. Since relations are going well we can still offer to help rebuilding efforts. I assure you the benefits outweigh the costs. Surely a species that values logic over emotions would undestand that that independance is simply a form of passion and such a feeling can only hinder progress, right?

Homeland Senator - Are you not looking straight or are you just blind senator. Sure they look and function like machines but I think they can still feel, this diplomat's been proving it for the past hour!

Sceince Senator - The senator has a point. These wental were converted to machines, a brain that functions like ours must surely still exist? Therefore they still feel and act like any one of us here.

Hinata - Logically joining would be best, but I am one of the few who looks at the world with logic only in our empire. Clank and Titrit do as well, but the rest are emotional people. Masuri would.... he'd probably start a rebellion at the very thought of it, to be honest. He's not the most stable person in the world. Dylan, our current leader, would be more open to the idea, but even he wouldn't agree. He values independence too much for that.

Arania - Perhaps we could persuade your leaders? Don't take it as a threat but many senators would agree that rebellion can be easily dealt with by the navy. Member states have much more freedom than they used to and many other societies have accepted already.

Hinata - You've obviosly never met a Wental before. We came into the intergalactic play and were attacked. We very nbearly lost. Our greatest world was sterilized. But we refused to give up. Masuri's entire species was wiped out in a war born of the first, but they died protecting the freedom of the Wentals. In total, there have been 4 major species wiped out by others while protecting Wental freedomes. The Yama, the Phreonics Lords, the Worldforest Mind, and the Cylone. We would not make their sacrifices worthless by giving up that hard won freedom. It would destroy us utterly.

Hinata - and no navy would be capable of crushing the rebellion that would follow. We have only just met as two species. An alliance is one thing, becoming a part of you another.

Military Senator - That's quite a sob story, however to me it sounds like even more of a reason you require the empire's protection *As he is talking a hologram of the lord-admiral appears in a balcony above him, the entire military council salutes*

Hinata - Hello. I take it you are the Lord-Admiral? May I respond to this Semators last comment?

Larnas Vontarion - I've been listening for the past hour and have noticed the admiral has done nothing but antagonise the entire debate! I give you permission to respond if it will put him in his place.

Hinata - of course.

Hinata turns to face the Senator.

Hinata - Senator, the Wentals once had control of an entire galaxy. We have member species whose former empires were thousands and millions of years old. We have and had tech that only Tier 1 species can create, and we knew and know how to use them. We are capable or destroying entire stars, entire systems. We have taken on and defeated the Iteok, and empire far greater, more agressive, and more experianced then we were at the time. We even have a former Grox Empire among our number. We don't need your empire, we merely sought out allies among those who we encountered. May I remind you that the first interations between our empire and yours was one where YOU need OUR help? If it ever came down to war, you would lose simply because we cannot afford to fail in our cause, because failing will mean absolute destruction. You may think yourselves greater then us, but remember, we were a Tier 2 race once, and we didn't lose tech just size. We are already rebuilding and have weapons both planet side and space side that you cannot even understand yet. Do not tempt us into war. And NEVER belittle us as an entity.

The protectorate senator is almost speechless - I suppose an alliance is the best course, for now. We don't want to rush things do we? *Larnus seems to grin while folding his arms*

Hinata looks rather satisfied, sort of like a spider with a fly in it's web - That is wise of you. I would not push the subject again until our two entities have come to know each other better.

Hinata - So then, now that we've decided on an alliance, shall we go into the details of the alliance or shall we do that later?

Protectorate Senator - Very well, let us discuss the details.

Hinata - The first bit is simple. Will both empire permit civilian traffic to flow freely between us, or will there be restrictions? Checkpoints are a given, but will there be a max limit to the number of people that can travel from one empire to another?

Bureaucratic Senator - We can offer complete freedom of travel within our part of the sector. Normally any non-imperial ship must give forewarning of it's approach to a gateway and is normally screened at a nearby gateway system. I believe you have been thorugh a few on your way here

Hinata - Yes, though being in a diplomatic craft probably took some of the normalcy out of it. We'll need to upgrade your scanners though. And, thinking on it, we'll need to designate areas for the trade of living creatures. It would end will is an invasive form of mecholife was accidently released onto a biolife planet.

Science senator - We would accept what screening methods you offer. Many planets follow a contaminent check of any entity that passes through a spaceport. Any entity that is considered carrying anything dangerous is biologically decontaminated. we can adapt the decontamination to accomodate mecholife.

Hinata - We can help there, as we know what can kill us. Generally, heat and massive amounts of radiation are enough to break down the M-DNA that makes up our genetic structure, but some things need special care. For those we use nanotech disemblers to break them down safely. I couldn't do that because of a minor incident that needed the nanobots more, so we went with isolation istead.

Science Senator - trade regions can also be designated for major settlemant however it would take time to designate such areas on every world.

Hinata - Now, military wise, I'm hopeful that ships from both empires can travel through the territory of others unhindered. We general have a single checkpoint barrier where each military ship is given a code, ID#, and 3 computer ships which are scanned by automatic defenses to ensure the ships are friendlies. This can work both ways, I'm sure.

Military Advisor: - Indeed. At one time we would be apprehensive about both sides having full military access but since the rise of certain 'insurgent groups' within our space we would now to agree to this, for the mutual protection of both parties. Our ships already carry ID numbers and transponder codes.

Hinata - Well then, you're halfway there! Do non-native military ships carry the same codes and ID# or do they carry different ones to show that they ARE non native?

Military senator - It's standard imperial procedure, all military and civillian craft are required to posess these codes but there are diferences between military and civillian ID and codes. Protectorates carry the same systems as draconis vessels.

Hinata - You're a very organized empire, aren't you? So, we can settle to exact coding later, whats next to handle?

Science senator - What about the sharing of information: Maps, technology, intelligence, that sort of thing.

Hinata - Well, we have two main networks, one that is a subconsiouse collactive of mecholife, one that is called the Sline. The Sline is currently down, since most of the terminals were destroyed or left abandonded due to the mechanization. Currently, information is traveling by ship, but when we get the Sline up again we can have a part of it connect with your network for inforsharing. Tech however will be shared via ship, not the Sline.

Science Senator - We can offer star-charts of both imperial space and our present understanding of a wormhole network, barring restricted connections i'm sure you'll understand. We will also provide tactical and intelligence information on the empire's enemies including insurgents, known criminals and enemy empires.

Arania - Once a tacyon relay has been established within your territory lag-free communication can become much easier.

Hinata - As of right now, all I can do is offer star charts and the few funtioning Transgates we've got left, most have been destroyed. Without even knowing if all our formoer colonies have people living in them anymore we can't help much with possible rebellions. Howeer, we will share such info as it comes up

Hinata - Now.... there may be religious clashes or cultural disputes. Our member species come with all forms, shapes, and cultural values. Depending on the cultural values of your people, interaction could cause.... problems.

Hinata - There are some.... brutal and rather bloody cultural aspects to the Wentals. The Kwaad founded a series of games, gladatorial games created for the sake of *Hinata looks a little queasy* spilling as much blood as possible. There are many who dislike this, myself included, but we can't force them to destroy their culture, just to respect others.

Protectorate senator - we have many cultures within imperial space and that includes religions. These beliefs are not interfered with as long they agree not to promote evangelism and the sacrifice of sapients.

Protectorate Senator - The same goes for religious intolerance and fundamentalism. Any breaches are dealt with by the Cult of Drakon. We do promote blood sports in our space such as combat arenas, we make sure violence is regulated to a certain level.

Hinata snorts - The games are practically a sacrificial thing, and only sapients die in them anyway.... the Kwaad, my species, like pain. It's the only form of emotion that can get into us, an adaptation of ours to survive in a world where emotion would have destroyed us. However, for the most part our culture isn't that violent.

Protectorate Senator - It seems that there isn't much problem with cultural tension. However the cult's inquisition does on occasion favour... execution over a legal trial. But it only happens when the practionioners get violent or their practices are too extreme to justify.

Hinata - I don't like to defend the Kwaad Games, but only the Kwaad and OOI actually participate, and they do so of their own free will. It is not legal in our nation to force religious or cultural ideals upon another, so the Kwaad Games are entirly volentary. Also, Kwaad do not feel like you do. Losing an arm hurts, but not to the point that it could be considered a painful injury. So it's really not as painful as it looks....

Military senator - The inquisition keeps the varying religions in check, making sure they benefit society rather than harm. If a few people of ill-judgement have to die because they believe sacrificing people is right then that is what they deserve for distressing the lives of others.

Hinata - Just remember, we are independent from you. Completely so. Your inquisition has no political power in our empire. Remember that when you explain to it the details of it's own might.

Military senator - Understood, is there anything else?

Hinata - Yes. We have allies in the Shellious Imperium, you should contact them as well, if possible. (They are owned by Twikyberries). The Nobi nations of Drenol are also allies, and they should be contacted too (owned by me). Finally, be warned that not all Mecholife is part of the Wentals. The NNOD and Ventals Empire are both independent of us.

Military senator - We know of the Vental, And we will work to contact these allies of yours

Hinata - Good, good, just making sure you knew of them. There is little else to talk about, so i suppose it's time I left. We still have massive amounts of work to do back home.

Science!
"Hi, I'm Jasmine. I'm a Wental Council Member, like Hinata, except that I'm interested in your biology. Are we allowed to come over with a small team and learn about your biological processes? We'll only use volunteers and will be happy to share information about our mechology as well!"

- Jasmine of the Wentals

Titrits Beef
"Hello, I'm Titrit! I'm a member of the Wental Council, which is the main governing body of the Wentals. I have a beef with you. Now, I have nothing against your kind, Draconis, but I do find the fact that you own slaves to be.... disturbing. Slavery is not legal within our empire, and as such we as a whole dislike the idea. Having personally been a slave before the reformation of government that lead to the Wentals coming to be as a faction, I have a particular hatred for it. So, the problem I see is that you have slaves. While I cannot legally attempt to remove them, I would like to urge you into setting them free, or at least giving them legal rights to their own self-ownership. For example, I noticed when reading an updated bit on your laws that the children of slaves are slaves by birth, nothing more. I find this to be very primitive. They did nothing wrong, why should they pay for it? Also, are the children allowed to stay with their families, or are families torn to shreds simply because of greed, as was the case in my former empire? Besides that, the idea of owning a thinking creature just seems revolting to me. I urge you to change your laws a little, maybe allowing third generation slave children to become full citizens? I won't, and can't, force anything, but I can assure you there will be opposition from many parts of the Wentals government and populous."

- Titrit of the Wentals }}