Fortunately for me however, I wasn’t given long to dwell on the rhetorical implications of what Kel had said, as Caleb chose that moment to speak up,
“So it was ultimately our people’s capacity for violence forced The Hegemony to retreat” he said to me assertively.
“Well now…not quite.” Kel said, putting a hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Perhaps Krady could better explain this part…”
“I shall try.” Chyrkrady said. “You see Chakky, it’s not that The Hegemony left solely because of the Human’s retaliatory belligerence, rather without the Human opposition being what it was, The Hegemony likely would have deemed the conflict for Earth as worthy of more of their resources. To the extent that they very likely would have chosen to escalate to a full blown war with The Collective to keep it. And as mighty as we may be, the full force of The Hegemony still poses a serious threat. A full scale war with them could’ve proven catastrophic.
But, as it were, once The Collective became involved, The Hegemony’s choices were suddenly quite simple. Either fight The Collective with resources already drained from combat with Humans over a world soon to be scorched by its very children, or leave and save their resources for other conquests in the Far Reaches and still enjoy trade—albeit heavily restricted—and truce with The Collective.”
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“I believe I am starting to understand now.” I said.
“In other words Chakky, it is no exaggeration to say that, although Humans are so much more than those savage beasts of legend, that savagery is very much the reason that they still exist as a people—not to mention the likely reason that you, and everyone else in The Collective, isn’t living through another hundred Cycle war with The Heg like your 9th Great Grandfather did.”
And in that moment, Kel slammed four small drinking vessels down on the table, followed by a large flask of cloudy liquid.
“Alright alright, enough history re-education for the day. We’re barely halfway through our introductions and we’ve sampled nary a drop of all the fine substances that i so painstakingly went through the trouble of acquiring for us.
I am a firm believer that the inebriants of a culture speak volumes about its people, so may I propose a toast, to Chakky and Caleb and all the diplomatic adventures that await you. May you know double the wonders that old Krady and I have, but only half the hangovers!”
Krady and Kel clinked their small vessels together, then tapped them on the table, then clinked them once more before downing the contents. Caleb and I picked up ours, and after a brief second sizing one another up, did the same.
The liquid felt like the very fires of Myrkra’myika in my throat. I wondered if Caleb actually enjoyed the taste of the horrid substance, but his hacking cough afterwards told me otherwise.
Just as the choking burn in my throat subsided to mere throbbing warmth, Kel pulled a tray of similar flasks from under the table and began refilling our vessels with liquids of various colors.
I wondered what Kel had meant by ‘hangover’...
I found out.