The Lighthouse Peace Conference continues. Gra Valkas discusses issues both current and imminent.
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International Space Elevator, Low Earth orbit — January 5, 2020
The initial stages of the peace talks had gone surprisingly well in hindsight, Ambassador Clarkson mused to himself as he listened to the delegates argue before him.
Following the initial statements by the individual parties involved in the conflict, several key points had been quickly established and agreed upon: Parpaldia’s territorial claims to Altaras were formally withdrawn and an apology was given by the Imperial government to the Kingdom for its actions. Agreements were to be made to gradually return the Parpaldians currently held captive in Altaras and Duro to Eshirant using Osean and Muan transports; with full reassurances that the now-disbanded invasion force were in safe hands and would be left unharmed, both the Parpaldians and Altarans were satisfied with the basic terms of the agreement. Interestingly enough, none of the officers were to be charged for their actions in the naval engagement with the Altaran and Osean fleets, with traditional Elysian military doctrines being cited as justifications—while Ambassador Harling and his peers had been somewhat reticent about the arrangement, both nations had coolly admitted that under different circumstances they would have behaved similarly if they had been the victors of the initial battle. With some prodding from the Muan and Milishial delegations present, the Oseans grudgingly conceded the point and moved on to other matters.
As part of the Parpaldian delegation, Director Kaios agreed in principle to providing economic reparations to Altaras for the destruction of the Kingdom’s navy, but the specific amount itself became a sore topic of discussion—on top of the costs for the original fleet itself, the Princess of Altaras made a surprising additional request: that funds be allocated as well for the establishment of a newer, more modern fleet with Osean or Muan technology. The Parpaldians had understandably objected to the proposal—on top of additional expenditures that would already tax a significantly ravaged economy, paying for assets that could potentially be used to threaten their coastal cities was not something they would willingly agree to, even with their unfavourable position in the talks. The Oseans themselves were similarly reluctant to offer their highly sought-after military technology to the Altarans, expressing concerns about critical information about their weapons being spread elsewhere—in the end, Mu agreed to hand over several decommissioned vessels in place of the equivalent of a decade’s worth of payments to Altaras for hosting their regional airfield, Osea agreeing to train the Altaran navy to operate and maintain the ships and fund the construction of a new port in Le Brias capable of hosting said fleet. To assuage the concerns of the Parpaldians, Altaras agreed to a non-aggression pact set to expire within a decade, which would theoretically provide more than enough time for Eshirant to rebuild its forces and invest in appropriate countermeasures.
What was to happen with all of Parpaldia’s former colonies to the north, however, was a significantly different matter.
“It was our efforts to destroy Parpaldian forces along the border territories that helped trigger the complete capitulation of the Empire’s government to the peacekeeping mission—our claims to the cities now under our occupation must be respected!”
“But those cities are the capitals of our ancestral kingdoms and homelands before the Parpaldians invaded—to allow our neighbours to occupy these strongholds is to deny us our rightful claims and is to disrespect the sacrifices of our ancestors the same way Ludius and his predecessors have done!” The Philadean emissary glared angrily at the diplomat from the Riem Kingdom, who simply smiled back smugly at his counterpart as if daring him to try and stop him. “Ambassador Harling, you speak of the chance for us to have a say in the future of our peoples and our survival—surely you would see the logic when we say that our homelands should be returned to us?”
“And what about the Parpaldian provinces to the east? Their governors still rule over their lands, but the subjects under their rule are essentially just as free as their compatriots elsewhere,” the Riem ambassador replied, leaning back self-assuredly on his seat. “They agreed to make peace with the Oseans, so should they be left to rule those lands, or should they be expelled and sent back to Eshirant despite their newfound loyalties? And what do the peoples of these provinces and Eshirant have to say on the matter?”
“The so-called Governors of the Eastern Provinces acted in violation of the Emperor’s directives and have therefore lost the mandate of the Parpaldian government,” Director Kaios cooly replied. “They are therefore still our territories and are to be treated as such, and we will ask the Osean Federation to arrange for their immediate return to Eshirant for trial—”
“And ignore the factors that led to their act of secession from the Empire? Executing the people your government deem to be traitors will not solve the problems your rogue provinces face, Director,” the Philadean shot back, “and that’s assuming the Oseans would even let you pull off such a ridiculous stunt!“
Independence for the vast majority of Parpaldia’s colonies was all but guaranteed, yet the borders and territories of the new nations seemed to be constantly in motion—for every country brought back into existence, a dozen new issues popped up as ancient claims and promises were brought before the negotiation table. With growing concerns about potentially disenfranchising countless people by following through with the innumerable competing claims, the Osean and Parpaldian delegations both agreed to compile their respective census data in an attempt to accelerate the process, using boundaries between ethnic groups to create rough borders between the nation-states. That, too, caused its own problems: even the most accurate lines would result in countless minorities within the proposed nation-states, and a few delegations made it fairly clear that mass expulsion would not be ruled out as an option if the situation further deteriorated.
For perhaps the first time in a while, Harling seemingly looked his age as the diplomats continued to bicker left and right, his Parpaldian counterpart watching the beleaguered ambassador with a tangible sense of both sympathy and schadenfreude.
It was on the fifth day of negotiations that Clarkson, mindlessly staring at an old map of the Usean continent in his office, suddenly had an epiphany.
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“A federation?”
“Nothing like the Osean Federation itself, mind you,” Clarkson hurriedly replied, rummaging through a drawer of documents for the maps he sought to present to his superior. “I’m thinking of something more along the lines of the Federation of Central Usea or even the UTO before it became ISAF—a loose coalition of nation-states with a shared central government for issues like foreign policy, immigration, and economic ties with the rest of Philades. In principle, they’ll still be independent and have separate votes in the Assembly, but they’ll also be able to collectively negotiate with the likes of Riem and Parpaldia without the risk of getting picked off individually—and with their consolidated economic power and a sufficiently powerful coalition of armed forces, they might actually be able to survive in the long run even without our constant involvement.”
Leaning back on his seat, Harling frowned. “But how exactly does this solve the border issues? I get that having the former colonies unite without Parpaldia’s influence would potentially be a viable solution to avoiding another Ludius, but we still have the outer regions of the former Empire to contend with, especially that damned Holy City—and what about the internal boundaries? Aren’t those borders still going to be an issue, especially with all those ethnic groups vying for their own independent nations?”
“Not if we encourage those borders to be open to all citizens within the Federation itself. Look, we’re not going to be able to single-handedly solve every potential conflict by drawing the most accurate lines possible, Vincent, but if we remove the contributing factors that cause those conflicts then we’ll be looking at a far more stable continent for at least the next decade. We’re talking about introducing freedom of movement and free trade between member states alongside guaranteed equal rights for all citizens regardless of their nation of origin, with equal representation for the entire coalition in whatever form of overarching government they decide to create.”
“But what about the economic and social impacts of implementing free trade and free movement? You do know how those policies within the FCU nearly caused the whole thing to collapse: mass migration causing brain drain in the internal regions and driving up unemployment in Selatapura and Bulguldarest, high-quality products from Comona driving mainland competitors out of business, the Voslage and Shilage annexation crisis, that whole ugly refugee business with Erusea right after Ulysses struck—how exactly do you propose that we prevent those issues from reappearing in Philades?”
Clarkson paused, quickly parsing his thoughts for a possible solution. “We’d need to provide support to the less economically-developed countries—if we can get them to develop their own individual industries and complement each others’ needs, then we’ll be reducing the chances of any individual nation suffering from overcompetition or mass emigration. We’d also be reducing the push and pull factors by bringing jobs and businesses from the coast further inland; hell, we might even be able to see if General Resource might be interested in linking up with the local businesses for making exports to Osea!”
Blinking, Harling sat up. “Clarkson, you might be onto something. That said, we’re first going to have to collect as much data from the individual nations first so we can determine how exactly we’re going to be able to provide assistance—then again, it shouldn’t take too much effort to convince the individual Philadean delegations to help us on that regard or about possibly forming some kind of loose economic union.” The ambassador suddenly frowned, leaning forward to glance at the maps strewn on the meeting table. “But what if the Philadeans still want to contest their own individual borders?”
The younger official smirked. “Well, it’ll be an internal matter by that point—and barring some sort of major calamity like a civil war, entirely none of our business, right?”
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Nivles Castle, Ragna, Gra Valkas Empire — January 4, 2020
Borderline panic reigned throughout the Imperial government in the aftermath of the DarkStar’s flyby over Ragna, deeply-ingrained Gra Valkan discipline only barely keeping the Empire’s citizens and officials alike from descending into utter pandemonium. The Imperial Senate itself, having been hastily reassembled for an emergency meeting, had transformed into a madhouse as Doves and War Hawks alike threw accusations and recriminations back and forth despite the frantic attempts of the Chancellor to maintain order—Emperor Gra Lux himself struggled to reign in his frustration at the inaction of his subordinates as he entered the War Room, his staff and officials within the War Committee immediately standing to attention.
As expected, all of the Three Generals currently within the continent—Mirkenses and Siegs—and their subordinates were all present, as was Director Akkan of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau and Minister Mopole of Foreign Affairs. Senator Guinea Marix and the other War Hawks and Doves stood opposite of the Imperial generals and government officials, their expressions a mixture of barely concealed dismay and anger even as they bowed towards the Emperor. No doubt every single individual present likely had the same questions and clearly understood the circumstances behind the extraordinary meeting: how a singular foreign plane—from the mysterious Ostföderation, no less—had managed to reach the capital for the first time in the Empire’s history.
Reaching his seat and facing his men as they sat down, Gra Lux took a deep breath. Imperial ethos required that the Emperor show no overt sign of weakness before his subjects even if he shared the same concerns—he was the man chosen to guide the Empire to its destined golden era, and to betray anything more than mere concern would all but invite total panic and bring doom upon the nation. Steeling himself with the assurance of past centuries of Gra Valkan glory, the Emperor began to speak.
“Gentlemen, we are no doubt aware of the presence of a superpower to the distant east with technologies that potentially surpass ours. Not only are we actively aware of the scope of their abilities, but they have made their presence actively known throughout the New World within the past year—and now one of their very own fighters has not only breached our airspace but flown above this city and returned to its homeland without even a single one of our ground or aerial defenses being able to stop it.”
The War Hawks bristled, their discontent palpable to all present while the Doves grumbled to themselves. The Three Generals and Gra Lux’s other advisors remained still even as they awaited the command from their Emperor to speak.
“Chief Karlmann, could you summarize the official report given by the Capital Defense Force for us?”
From the side, the Chief of Naval Operations rose with a pile of documents at hand. “At 0713 hours, several civilian vessels along the Imperial Bay reported a singular aircraft of an unknown type travelling directly above the harbor itself, heading directly for Ragna from the south. Subsequent attempts to locate and identify the unknown aircraft via radar failed, but reports in close proximity to the city itself resulted in the immediate deployment of the entire Capital Defense Force’s air contingent at 0715 hours. However, the time to arm and deploy said contingents were delayed by over ten minutes due to the immediate nature of the emergency, and did not take off until 0725—at the same time that the order was given to activate our air defenses, the aircraft itself had already reached Picadelle Square.”
For once, both the War Hawks and Doves shared the same sentiments—hushed groans of dismay and anger could be heard throughout the room. Not even the Divine Kingdom of Kain had ever dared touch the sacred capital of the Empire itself back in Yggdra, and now the Oseans breached their homeland with near-total impunity?
“Gentlemen,” Gra Lux lightly chided, “if you would allow Chief Karlmann to complete the report, we will be able to discuss the full implications of this new development with what each of our departments has to present on the matter.”
Tactfully nodding to the Emperor in gratitude, Karlmann resumed reading from the documents. “The unknown aircraft did not appear to directly target any specific place of interest within the capital, simply performing a series of aerial maneuvers in direct view of the entire city. After over fifteen minutes, two Antares squadrons arrived at the capital to intercept and identify the plane in question—while the pilot did not directly respond to radio communications, the Antares flight leads were able to vaguely communicate using hand signals. At 0735, we received a confirmation from the diplomatic team currently in Selatapura that the aircraft in Ragna was Osean in origin—at 0745, the aircraft accelerated and began heading northeast, exiting the capital and outpacing our fighters; by 0800, we believe that the aircraft had successfully left the mainland and was now on course to return to Osea.”
The Three Generals and the Emperor’s other officials had turned to each other and were now quietly processing the information presented to them, formulating possible paths to further investigate the unanticipated turn of events. The Senators, on the other hand, had seemingly grown louder with their murmurs of discontent—Senator Marix was unusually quiet, leaning back on his chair in careful thought even as his colleagues angrily whispered about the impudence of their eastern counterparts. The Doves, on the other hand, appeared to be deep in discussion; Gra Lux found himself vaguely wondering what the most vocal proponents of caution with the Oseans had to say about the actions of the people they had fought tooth and nail to defend.
Turning to Director Akkan, Gra Lux asked, “Do we have any intel beyond eyewitness accounts regarding the nature of the Osean aircraft in question?”
Akkan nodded. “Several, in fact, Your Excellency. A pilot from the Antares squadrons deployed to Ragna was proactive enough to have brought a camera with him; his wingman was able to grab a series of photographs displaying the aircraft in question with considerable quality—”
A technician quickly activated a slide projector, inserting several newly-developed monochromatic prints onto the device. All eyes turned to the display on the wall, revealing the mysterious plane that had brought the Empire into a state of near-panic: a flat, triangular aircraft rivalling even the prototype Orsen jets in size. From the other side of the room, the Emperor silently wondered at the curvilinear design of the plane’s exterior—someone somewhere had managed to strip all signs of physical, industrial labour prevalent in all Gra Valkan crafts from the fuselage, transforming that object from a mere tool of war into what came across to the martial ruler as an otherworldly creature of the skies. Were mythological fashions a value the Oseans chose to prioritise in their planes, or did the shape itself serve some kind of purpose in its basic functions?
Gra Lux’s eyes briefly turned to the wings and what his researchers would have described as “control surfaces”—three strikes marked the plane’s rear, the grey and white flag making the origin of the vehicle’s origin all but clear. Shaking his head, the Emperor decided to refocus his attention on the empire’s security—let the scientists and engineers in the Divine Wrath Complex ponder the surfaces of these planes and unlock whatever technological secrets the Oseans had to offer. “Send copies of these photographs to our researchers, and see what they have to make of this design. Now, how were our radar sensors unable to pick up the Osean aircraft before it arrived in Ragna?”
The Director seemed rather glum as he turned to face the Emperor. “Based on our preliminary interrogations with the staff within the listening posts throughout the region, we can definitely rule out sabotage or magical interference—all radar equipment showed no signs of tampering, and our magical detectors from Magikareich did not suggest that the Oseans were utilising any kind of magic on their aircraft. Neither did the officers present within our radar stations show any signs of negligence in their duties—based on the recordings of radio communications between them and our air squadrons, we can confirm that our radar consistently failed to detect any kind of object in the sky above Ragna that was not a Gra Valkan military aircraft.”
Now did the military officials display any kind of audible dismay—for an aircraft to somehow display stealth technology was unprecedented, seemingly impossible for contemporary Gra Valkan aircraft to achieve. Yet for the Oseans to casually display such a feat beggared belief—had they done this before? Had Osea sent other aircraft to the mainland itself previously without the Empire knowing?
Gesturing at the technician to prepare the next set of intel, Akkan turned to the officials present. “In addition to the photographs, we also have another source from the Oseans themselves.”
Gra Lux looked up in surprise. “Oh?”
“A few days ago, we intercepted a news broadcast from the Holy Milishial Empire regarding the ongoing peace talks in Selatapura between the IUN and the former Parpaldia Empire. We’ve been attempting to verify the validity of the claims that the report described, especially in light of our original source detailing Osea’s existence, but based on the recent accounts of Director Gesta himself from Selatapura, we have reason to believe that the contents, as…unbelievable as it may seem, were actually, genuinely, true.”
Akkan paused, and for a second even the mask of professionalism the Director had always schooled before the Emperor seemed to have vanished—the third time it had ever happened in his entire career, Gra Lux reckoned: once when the Empire had found itself in Elysia, again when the first reports of the Ostföderation came in from the Milishials, and now again in this very room. What had briefly flashed before on the Director’s face—fear—threatened to send a silent shiver through the Emperor’s frame—no mere insignificant threat would have easily unnerved the famously stoic official, a fact that Gra Lux himself knew all too well.
Slowly, the Emperor nodded. “Play the recording.”
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The final recording of the broadcast ceased, and for the first time in many years Gra Lux found himself slumping back on his seat in discouragement. Around him, generals, directors, and senators alike similarly stared at the now-blank display with a mixture of expressions: shock, despondency, horror, disbelief, and—particularly amongst the Doves, the Emperor silently noted—vindication and awe.
To see with his own eyes that the Oseans had not only mastered the feat of space travel but now openly wielded it as its most powerful instrument of war and peace alike had shaken Gra Lux to his core—to be faced with an enemy that his own people had now all but confirmed to far exceed even the Divine Kingdom of Kain in scope threatened to permanently derail over decades of planning for the seemingly-inevitable conquest of the known world.
And yet, somehow, the words of Osea’s primary envoy to Elysia as a whole posed a far greater challenge to Gra Valkan dominance than the titanic monument he and his colleagues stood upon—peace over war? Coexistence over conquest? A universal Elysian order shared equally amongst the nations of the world over militaristic domination? Such ideals were anathema to the Empire’s ambitions—and yet even Gra Lux could sense that perhaps, just perhaps, that if enough people in Elysia came to believe in that future, such a holistic goal could actually be achieved within a lifetime.
Perhaps that had been why the Doves had been so insistent on having Gra Valkas’s spies in Louria and Parpaldia refocus their efforts on rescuing the man known to Elysia as Harling, the Emperor mused—the Osean ambassador, in spite of his seemingly unassuming appearance, represented a path for the Empire that he himself once thought to have closed with the diplomatic disaster that was the conquest of Paganda. His words and the technology that backed them were a powerful reminder that greater ambitions lay ahead for the nations of the world beyond glory and influence, lessons that Parpaldia and Louria knew nothing of and that the Milishials and Muans in their arrogance had barely even began to understand—Ymir be damned, even he himself barely understood it—Osea’s path to the stars had clearly changed the superpower in its ascent upwards, and it now seemed intent on dragging the rest of Elysia along with it.
And perhaps that was the message that the Oseans sought to convey with their aerial display over Ragna, the Emperor realised—a daring challenge to the mighty Gra Valkas Empire, the decision it chose defining its destiny for centuries to come: would it join Osea in its journey in the heavens, or would it choose to be left in the wayside and consigned to history like Parpaldia?
Feeling a rush of newfound resolve flow through him, Gra Lux sat up and faced his men.
“Gentlemen, the challenge before us is unlike anything we have ever encountered in the history of our nation—but we must not despair and needlessly surrender to fate so early into our arrival in this New World. The words of the Ostföderation are clear: Osea has invited us to a new game, and I believe it would be unsportsmanlike for us not to play!
“We have an advantage over our Elysian counterparts, one that we must wield if we are to match our Eastern neighbors in their race to the stars—unlike the Muans and Milishials or the ill-fated Parpaldians, the technology that the Oseans possess are very much within our capabilities to develop within our own accord. Our end goal remains the same—the dominance of Gra Valkas over all of Elysia—but perhaps there may be more paths to our promised glory than we may have originally planned!”
Gra Lux’s words were met with a mixture of emotions: confusion, comfort, curiosity, doubt, and determination. The Doves looked at him with surprise, perhaps hoping that their calls for cooperation with the Oseans would be finally answered; the War Hawks, on the other hand, stared back in what could probably be described as shell shock—Marix’s colleagues were likely still recovering from what would have no doubt been the biggest blow to their perceptions of Gra Valkan might. Interestingly enough, the Senator himself was as visibly stoic as ever—either Osea’s display had not affected him as it had his counterparts, or perhaps he was doing a better job at masking it.
“Director Akkan and Director Schilde, your respective departments are involved with the procurement and development of technologies to advance the cause of our mighty empire. How soon would the Divine Wrath Complex be capable of developing the means to countering Osean air and space capabilities? Speak freely, so we may be able to plan ahead wisely.”
Schilde, the Director of the Divine Wrath Complex, briefly stammered before finding his words, quickly gathering his thoughts and compiling them into what he could reasonably disclose as actionable information. “Y-your Excellency, stealth technology is something that we have only discussed within the scientific community as a theoretical concept—without learning more about how the Oseans were able to achieve it, it could easily be a decade, if not more, before we could arguably begin developing our own versions. Before then, we would have to develop countermeasures for a future incursion only after the mainland has already been breached.”
Mirkenses, the highest ranking of the Three Generals present, looked up. “Are you saying that we cannot prevent another fighter from reaching Ragna in the near future, Director?”
“Without more intel, that would unfortunately be the case, Admiral,” Schilde glumly admitted. “Director Akkan—”
“Our spies and intelligence agents are already in the process of finding more information about the Oseans’ new experimental aircraft, Director,” Akkan quickly reassured his colleague. “There is no need to worry yourself about the shortcomings your department currently faces—we’ll do our best to cover the gaps.”
“Many thanks, Director.”
“Your men will need to be expedient,” Gra Lux firmly reminded his staff. “To already have one Osean fighter threaten our capital itself is unacceptable—in any other circumstance, we might not have been here at this very moment to discuss what happened. Ensure that this does not happen again, is that clear?”
Akkan gave a perfunctory yet respectful nod, even as the implied threat of Gra Lux’s words sent a chill through him and the rest of the officials in the room. “Understood, Your Excellency.”
It was Siegs’s turn to speak up, facing the Emperor. “Your Excellency, without the ability to detect Osean fighters via radar before reaching the mainland, our defense plans for the immediate future will need to rely on our ability to intercept and eliminate any hostile fighters within the Empire itself—such engagements will need to be fast and expedient in order to minimise the risk to any civilians or military assets within range. Unfortunately, our current range of Antares fighters have clearly shown to be inadequate for the issue at hand—we need better planes, and fast.”
Recognising the implicit request, Gra Lux turned to Director Schilde once more. “Are our Orsen jet fighters ready for mass production?”
Schilde shook his head in frustration. “The OR-262 is still in the process of completing preliminary tests against conventional Gra Valkan aircraft—the results are promising, but Orsen believes that they will still need a year at most before they can reorganise their factories to begin mass production. Even with the current timeline, I must add, it will still take roughly a decade before we can completely decommission our entire fleet of Type 07s with the 262s—and their technological capabilities are still way below what the Oseans’ experimental aircraft can achieve.”
“What about our Angrefier rockets? Could they be redesigned to target specific aircraft?”
The Director appeared even more disgruntled than ever, barely restraining himself from slumping on his seat in front of the Emperor. “Our AA designs are designed to lock onto specific radar targets, Your Excellency—without a radar signature to detect, we may have to consider manual targeting using visual means as a short-term countermeasure. It’s an incredibly inefficient process, and would require us to develop a radio-based control system using cameras and skilled pilots on the ground to guide our rockets to their targets. Such an effort would, again, take time to complete.”
Gra Lux paused. “Exactly how much time would you need?”
“About half a year, at most.”
Not an optimal timeframe, but not enough to outright doom the Empire in the near future. Six months would be more than enough time for the Imperial government to reorganize its assets to avoid excessive losses in another hypothetical Osean incursion while waiting for the Angriefers to be deployed—a challenge that Akkan and the Three Generals would easily be more than capable of surmounting. Seeing no reason to challenge the Director’s claims, Gra Lux nodded in acknowledgement.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
“Very well—accelerate your efforts where possible and begin production as soon as the opportunity presents itself.”
“It will be done, Your Excellency.”
A new voice unexpectedly spoke up from the other side of the table—a Senator (a Dove by the name of Eisenner, Gra Lux vaguely recalled) stood up, facing the Emperor and Schilde. “Your Excellency, if I may be allowed to speak?”
The Emperor nodded. “Proceed.”
“Does the Empire have any policy for the realm of outer space in regards to our internal security and foreign policy? The reports from the Selatapura Incident make mention of some kind of orbital weapon used to help eliminate the sea monsters threatening the Grade Alastar—and surely the very existence of the Lighthouse suggests that the Oseans have some kind of capabilities of using the heavens above our skies to strike at our cities!”
Senator Marix unexpectedly scoffed. “Senator Einsenner, you speak of tall tales and mere conjecture from authors obsessed with science fiction yet possessing no true understanding of military doctrines. Our focus must be on what tangible threats are present right before us, not what hypotheticals lie in the background—”
“Much as it pains me to admit, Marix,” a War Hawk by the name of Hardt who had fervently supported the militaristic leanings of the Empire, “our colleague’s words have merit. The technologies that we consider to be within the realm of fiction are very much within the capability of the Ostföderation, and that unfortunately appears to include the ability to use the realm of the stars against the interests of Gra Valkas. We may not possess the means to reach space, but I believe that I speak for the people in this room when I say that we must make preparations to defend the Empire against whatever threats may lie from beyond our skies!”
Akkan sighed. “Your Excellency, while I agree with the sentiments of the Senators’ words, we have simply far too little information beyond the accounts of the Grade Alastar and its escorts as to what exactly the Oseans are doing in outer space to determine exactly what actions may be required. Either we will need to inquire with the Ostföderation directly, or we will need to create a way of reaching the heavens and finding out for ourselves.”
All eyes once more turned to Director Schilde, who was similarly deep in thought. Surely the Divine Wrath Complex had taken at least some time to consider the possibility of travelling to space?
“There have been some discussions amongst our researchers about the possibility of using our Angriefer rockets to potentially breach the Bohrmann Line in the past,” the Director began, “but most of them were mainly either conjectural or entirely hypothetical in nature. If we were to partially refocus our efforts into using the Angriefers as a basis for creating an orbital vehicle, we would need to establish a new department dedicated solely to space travel.”
“Such an organization would require close coordination with the conventional military and our intelligence networks,” Siegs thoughtfully added. “If there are any threats in space that could put our own assets or even the homeland at risk, then our military experts would need to assist in developing our own countermeasures.”
“Further investment in our own rocket systems would also allow us to expand the scope of our nuclear capabilities, I might also add,” Director Akkan noted. “The very same technology that would allow us to begin to compete with the Oseans could also very much be used to launch a direct strike at the Muans and Milishials if our relations with them deteriorate to the point of outright warfare. The Oseans are very much capable of doing the same to us, so what exactly is stopping us from doing likewise?”
“Then we must put our resources to catching up with our Osean counterparts in space,” Gra Lux concluded. “The presence of the Lighthouse demonstrates that a new front has opened for us to pursue, and we must rise to the challenge as required. Director Schilde, locate these scientists that you have mentioned and assign them with compiling a report on the feasibility of converting our Angriefer rockets into space vessels. Use whatever resources and manpower are necessary to create the appropriate departments for that purpose.”
Now filled with purpose, Schilde firmly nodded. “It will be done, Your Excellency.”
“Director Akkan, continue your efforts to probe into the Oseans’ military activities both here in Elysia and above our skies. If we can acquire any information from the Ostföderation about how their aircraft and spacecraft work, then we may be able to accelerate the production of our own countermeasures by years. Minister Mopole, do we have any other developments from Director Gesta and his staff in Selatapura?”
Mopole, a burly individual in charge of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, looked up in surprise. “Oh? Oh, right—the delegation in the ongoing Lighthouse Conference have confirmed that the Oseans will be arranging the exchange of information between the Ostföderation and ourselves. As a gesture of gratitude for our contributions to the rescue of their ambassador in Eshirant last year, they’ve also agreed to send over some technical experts in fighter and computer technology to Ragna within the year—the details are still being hammered out, but we expect their arrival to be sometime before the World Conference.”
The Doves gave each other particularly smug expressions, while the War Hawks were forced to grudgingly admit the vindication of their opposing faction’s arguments. The debate over whether to intervene in the conflict between Parpaldia and Osea had been long and acrimonious, but Gra Lux had ultimately seen the logic in perhaps letting their then-unknown neighbours view them in a somewhat more positive light—such a maneuver had cost them their entire spy network in Rodenius and Philades due to the sheer distance and lack of available manpower, but clearly it had very much paid off. Director Schilde, for his part, was visibly relieved upon hearing of the news.
“That said, however, the Oseans also gave us a warning about the researchers in question—I believe this would be within Director Akkan’s area of responsibility as well.”
The GVBI Director paused, momentarily surprised to hear his name mentioned. “Oh?”
“The researchers in question are primarily under the employment of a company known as Gründer Industries—while they are the main supplier of military vehicles and equipment to the Ostföderation, their loyalties are widely suspected to be linked to a former superpower from their old world and have previously acted independently of the actual policies of the Oseans themselves. It’s also believed that less than a decade ago, they were partly responsible for secretly instigating a massive military conflict between Osea and another major superpower as revenge for the loss of their original home country, nearly utilising nuclear weaponry to escalate the entire war to the brink of mutually assured destruction.”
Several officers and senators visibly paled in horror. Mopole himself was quite visibly stunned by the report he was reading, taking a moment to gather himself before continuing.
“The list provided by the Osean government regarding their suspected activities goes on: offering highly sensitive prototypes to aggressive, militaristic nations in the international community in return for scientific data to continue their research, intervening in civil wars to field experimental aircraft against key military assets, live testing with heavy-yield nuclear weaponry in violation of international laws, illegal weapons dealing…suffice it to say, both Director Gesta and his Osean counterparts highly recommend holding them at an arm’s length during their stay here in Gra Valkas.”
Siegs’s jaw dropped. “Gods above, how long has this company been doing this? Why haven’t they been disbanded after all this time?! Hell, if Orsen or Antares even tried to pull off such a stunt here in Gra Valkas, I’d have personally shot the entire board of directors within an hour!”
“From what Director Gesta’s heard,” Mopole surmised, “the sheer scope of the technologies that Gründer’s developed over the past twenty-five years has been viewed to more than compensate for their reputations as troublemakers in the international community. However, there are also news reports circulating within Osea that suggest the current government is interested in gradually transitioning away from Gründer and investing in other companies—perhaps they might be no longer willing to tolerate whatever they’ve been up to over the past few decades.”
“Mopole, can’t we ask for researchers from another company? Surely another Osean firm also has the ability to develop fighter technology similar to Gründer that doesn’t share their proclivities in potentially fermenting instabilities in our own homeland!”
The Minister, for his part, was visibly contrite as he turned to reply to Siegs. “Unfortunately, even the Oseans themselves are still in the process of finding such a company—there are some possible candidates, according to Gesta, but it will likely take years according to Osea’s estimates before a complete transition can be made. They are responsible for developing some of the aircraft in the news report, after all, General.”
“Then hosting these scientists in Gra Valkas is simply a risk that we will have to take,” Gra Lux decided. “Director Akkan, take as many precautions as needed, but we urgently require the knowledge that those experts will no doubt possess if we are to catch up with the Oseans.”
“Your Excellency, it would be remiss of my duties if I were not to protest the current arrangements we have made with the Oseans,” Senator Marix unexpectedly spoke up. “In every attempt on our part to offer friendship, Osea has responded with aggression and subterfuge—first they threaten our shores, and now they seek to offload their warmongering scum into our cities? Why are we still treating them with undeserved consideration when they have more than demonstrated themselves to be a potential enemy more than capable of bringing destruction to our lands?”
Gra Lux repressed the urge to sigh in irritation. As the undisputed leader of the War Hawks, Senator Marix had always been known for his stubborn determination to demonstrate the strength of Gra Valkas before the Empire’s foes—however, traditional martial strategies would not work against a rival whose abilities easily trumped those of Ragna’s. And yet even with the most drastic change to Gra Valkas’s fortunes since their arrival in Elysia itself all but spelled out before him, Marix still spoke as if ordering the Grade Alastar to shell Oured would single-handedly force the Oseans to capitulate?
“Senator, it is precisely because of the Ostföderation’s potential to become a foe capable of striking our lands with complete impunity that we are seeking a mutual accord with them. Until we can either counter their technologies or match their destructive power with our own, we are in no position to treat the Oseans with the same consideration as a foe like the Divine Kingdom of Kain—whatever risks or sacrifices are needed, whether through setbacks like yesterday’s events or by the agreements of the following years, we will grin and bear them with the spirit that has guided our Empire throughout our glorious history.” Gra Lux turned to face Marix directly, daring him to argue back. “Or would you be willing to be responsible for risking the destruction of our Empire over a perceived lack of ‘consideration’, Senator?”
Recognizing the tone of the Emperor’s voice, the Senator had no choice but to back down. “Understood, Your Excellency.”
With the sole voice of dissent now dealt with, Gra Lux returned to other matters. “Minister Mopole, is there anything else that we need to discuss regarding Director Gesta and his delegation?”
Mopole paused. “Apart from the arrangement for the information exchange and the ongoing Lighthouse Conference, the Osean government also invited the Director’s team to attend an upcoming security briefing related to the sea monster incident—now that I think of it, if my understanding of Elysian time zones is correct, the Director and his staff should be joining the Oseans’ security briefing…”
Mopole paused, quickly turning to his watch.
“…right about now, actually.”
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Bright Hill, Oured, Osean Federation — January 4, 2020
Prince Gra Lux, Director Gesta, and his staff quickly found their designated seats within the meeting room and set up their positions, shaking hands and sharing pleasantries with the Osean officials present while planning out their approach for the upcoming meeting.
A formal invitation by Ambassador Harling on behalf of President Bartlett had been extended to the Gra Valkan delegation to attend a security briefing in the Osean capital—the details had been particularly scarce, but both Harling and his superiors had made it fairly clear that the information being disclosed could potentially be of interest to Gesta’s superiors. Journeying from the Lighthouse to Bright Hill had been quite the experience—travelling 100,000 kilometers downwards to the surface of Elysia and then using an Osean jet for the leg between Selatapura and Oured would be memories the diplomat and his companions would be remembering for the rest of their lives. A team of Secret Service agents and diplomatic staff welcomed the delegation as they arrived at Bright Hill for the second time since their arrival in Osea, quickly escorting them to the room in question.
The doors heading towards the Presidential Office opened, and President Bartlett and a bearded individual in military outfits entered—the officials present turned to face the two men, and slowly began to find their seats at the table in the center of the room. Behind Gesta, a technician began to shut the blinds covering the windows, ensuring that the sensitive details of the meeting about to take place would not be accidentally leaked to possible spies—the lights similarly began to dim, as a projector began to activate a visual, polychromatic display that seemed to hover and bounce over the surface of the wall behind it.
Prince Cabal’s jaw dropped in surprise. “Holographs?!”
Hearing the Prince’s hushed exclamation from the background, Bartlett smirked to himself even as he sat down and faced the government officials present. Small, subtle ways of demonstrating the technological capabilities of Osea were always most effective whenever it came to introducing Elysians to the world of Oured and its countless sister cities—and perhaps more would be revealed as well, once the meeting had wrapped up.
“Senators, Representatives, Generals, gentlemen,” the President began, “thank you for coming to Oured on such short notice. Your presence here today is part of a standard procedure that all formally nominated presidential candidates must undergo under Osean electoral law—to be briefed on all major security aspects surrounding the safety and security of the Osean Federation and its allies. As someone who also had to undergo this process over eight years ago, congratulations, and best of luck to all of your respective campaigns.”
Gesta and Ciella’s eyes widened in realisation as their eyes panned throughout the room, quickly spotting the four individuals who would likely succeed Bartlett as the highest-ranking leader of the Ostföderation itself—three men of varying ages and statures, and a singular woman of a significantly darker complexion and shoulder-length hair barely covering her sharp formal clothes. Regardless of their thoughts on the merits of republic similar to that exercised by the Oseans, one of these individuals would soon likely be playing a key role in determining the relationship between Osea as a whole and themselves—small wonder Harling and Bartlett had seen fit to have them brought to Oured well ahead of time, Gesta considered.
Ciella, for her part, turned to the woman in barely concealed astonishment—a woman like her, potentially becoming the undisputed ruler of one of the most powerful nations in Elysia? Such ideas would have been laughed at in Gra Valkas, even with the accomplishments that Admiral Mirkenses and herself had managed to achieve—for an Empress to decide the fate of a glorious nation such as the Empire itself would be seen as nothing but outright nonsense. Yet there she sat, staring at Ambassador Harling and President Bartlett with an expression that suggested nothing less than full attention to the topics at hand and with equal bearing as the other men in the room. Was this another one of Osea’s accomplishments in its path to the stars?
Bartlett continued, “As you are no doubt aware, we are joined today by Prince Gra Cabal, Director Gesta and Director Ciela Oudwin of the Gra Valkas Empire under the personal invitation of myself and at the recommendation of our military advisors. While this is a rather unusual development for such a briefing, we have reason to believe that the information we will present to you will be of interest to them as well—being direct recipients of recent events that we will be discussing shortly.”
All eyes turned briefly towards the Gra Valkan delegation, and for a moment the woman’s eyes locked with Gesta’s and Ciela’s—a hint of confusion and curiosity, even as she returned her attention to the outgoing President. The other candidates stared at them for a bit longer, a hint of suspicion in their expressions before Bartlett began to speak again.
“Before anything else, I would like to introduce to you Vice-Chairman Edwards of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; if you are successful in being elected as President, he will be your primary military advisor for the full duration of your elected term. His input, alongside that of the OSDF, will no doubt be invaluable in guiding your decisions regarding the Osean Federation’s foreign and internal policies. Edwards, you have the mic.”
The heavily bearded man—whom the Gra Valkans quickly recognised as the man named Edwards in question—turned to face the people present. “Good evening, everyone. This security briefing will be split into multiple segments, to be presented in consecutive meetings over the following week; our areas of concerns will occupy a wide span of topics from the unknown whereabouts of the remaining Grey Men to the ongoing post-war reconstruction efforts in Parpaldia. We will also be discussing the current situation of peacekeeping efforts in the Philades, Grameus, and Rodenius continents prior to the outbreak of the conflict with Parpaldia, as well as the wider political situation in Elysia from Mu to the Milihsial continents; needless to say, please pay attention to what we will be showing you today, and understand that many if not all of the details within this briefing are classified under a very strict security level. If we hear any details about this mission leaking out to the wider public that does not originate from our Gra Valkan guests, trust us when we say that we will know who exactly said it—and they will be subject to the harshest penalties under Osean law for placing our national security at risk.”
Several staff members present began to murmur amongst themselves. Ignoring the hushed whispers, Edwards began his presentation, gesturing to the screen as several vivid images of mysterious objects and winged individuals began to materialise.
“For today, our primary topic is simple: the Ancient Sorcerous Empire, otherwise known as the Ravernal Empire.”
Gesta, Ciela, and Cabal’s eyes widened in surprise and confusion. Their intelligence agents had dismissed the tales of the Ravernals as old Elysian legends and superstition; why were the Oseans showing this to them?
“For those who are unfamiliar, the Ravernal Empire is believed to be an ancient nation-state active over thousands of years ago—similar to our circumstances, this Empire was transferred from their own world to Elysia; in the millennia that followed, they proceed to dominate and subjugate all local civilizations with their advanced magical technology. At the height of their rule, it is believed that they had successfully conquered the entire planet with technology that our researchers believe to be nearly on par with the pre-War Belkan Federation—aerial carriers and bombers, bioengineered creatures and sea monsters, orbital weaponry with the capability to strike entire cities and nations from space, and core magic—the magical equivalent of nuclear weaponry—utilised with complete impunity on all those who opposed their rule. They disappeared over one thousand and five hundred years ago, but traces of their past are still being uncovered and utilised throughout Elysia to this day.”
Several images flashed on the screen: a circular craft floating above Eshirant, a towering figure before the walls of Topa who dwarfed even the tallest mountains near Ragna, the Grade Alastar desperately firing its guns at a hydra, and an object far above the Branchel continent discharging an unknown magical blast at an Osean DarkStar.
“For the past millennia, the Holy Milishial Empire has taken it upon itself to utilise and reverse-engineer the superweapons of the Ravernals—there is believed to be a credible prophecy amongst the Milishials and their allies that the Ravernals themselves did not collapse, but instead were transported via magical means to a future point in space and time. In other words, it is their belief that the Ravernal Empire itself may return to Elysia sometime within the near future—and that their aims to resume their conquest of the entire planet will remain the same, regardless of what we or any other nation in the New World has to say about the matter.”
Another voice spoke up, from one of the candidates. “Vice Chairman, do we have any actionable intel to suggest that the Milishials’ claims are true? It could easily be a justification for maintaining their powerbase within Elysia, and not necessarily preparations for a hypothetical invasion of their lands.”
Nodding in acknowledgment, Edwards turned to the images once more. “While the details surrounding the means of prophesying the return of the Ravernals remain vague, we do have physical evidence to back up their theories. Of particular note are a series of devices that have been found throughout Elysia that the Milishials have referred to as ‘revival beacons’—we’re still parsing through the information that they’ve provided, but they believe that these beacons are meant to pinpoint the space-time coordinates for the Empire itself—wherever they are—to return to this world.”
“I’m sorry, but this actually sounds suspiciously like hogwash,” another candidate interjected. “How can we trust that these aren’t just holy relics from an ancient civilization that by sheer coincidence happened to be our magical equals? Sure, perhaps their magic allowed their technology to survive far longer than our own equivalents by centuries, but what if it was just that—artefacts from the distant past that our new neighbours just so happened to uncover and utilise?”
“That was, in fact, our original opinion on the matter,” the Vice Chairman admitted, “and it’s still our opinion barring any further evidence to prove otherwise. However, this still leaves the presence of residual Ravernal weaponry in Elysia for us to deal with—as well as the possibility of such weapons being used directly against us.”
The image of the circular aircraft expanded to encompass the entire projection, and began to play—magical gunfire and explosions dotted the skies around the object as Osean fighters scrambled to strike the surface of the ship, before a circular shield unexpectedly enveloped the craft and protected it from naval and aerial gunfire.
Edwards gestured at the screen, and the recording changed.
A vast, humongous three-headed dragon swept at a singular fighter scrambling to escape its path, instantly pulverising the aircraft with a single blow and sending flaming debris crashing down onto the forest below.
Edwards gestured at the screen, and the recording changed again.
The Grade Alastar fired desperately at an approaching sea monster, lasers and cannon fire slicing creatures out of the sky.
Edwards gestured at the screen, and the recording changed once more.
An alien satellite exploded into a cloud of debris, while a singular black fighter narrowly avoided collisions that would have no doubt pulverised the spacecraft in an instant.
Edwards paused the final recording. “As you can no doubt tell, such a possibility is no longer merely within the realm of conjecture—an entity or group of entities within Elysia are actively using Ravernal weaponry to undermine our interests at this very moment, and now pose an direct threat to the continued safety of the Osean Federation itself.”
Murmurs began to spread throughout the room, the officials and candidates now conversing with each other with visible concern. Ancient tales of old empires were one thing, but for an unknown nation or organisation to strike at Osea itself was another problem altogether. The Gra Valkans themselves shared an uneasy glance, clearly recognising the implications of Edwards’s words—the Ravernals might have long disappeared, but the legacy of their reign of terror was still very much echoing throughout the known world. And for a magical superpower arguably on par with the Oseans themselves to quite possibly make a return within their lifetimes…
Leaning forward, the fourth candidate turned to face the Vice Chairman, her expression carefully schooled to reveal nothing about her thoughts on the matter. “Do we know who exactly is responsible for these incidents? Could the Milishials or one of their partners be responsible for the encounter in Eshirant, or is there another nation that we haven’t discussed as of yet?”
The Vice Chairman frowned, turning to change the screen’s display once again. “While the HME is confirmed to be in possession of aircraft identical in appearance to the object that attacked our forces in Eshirant, Senator, it is but one of two nations that have made successful use of Ravernal superweapons—based on evidence found in the aftermath of the Esperanto Incident, we believe that another nation in particular could be responsible.”
The screen changed to reveal a map of the Branchel Continent, directly south of the Holy Milishial Empire itself. Several photographs also appeared on the side, displaying a winged individual with a striking resemblance to the ancient Ravernals of old.
“This is the Annorial Empire—believed to have been founded by remnants of the Ravernal Empire following their disappearance from Elysia. They have developed a strictly isolationist policy throughout their existence, limiting contact with the outside world to a singular port known as Bushpaka Lakan—however, in spite of their seemingly medieval appearance, we’ve managed to intercept radio broadcasts from within the Empire itself as well as satellite imagery of what we believe to be active Ravernal superweapons, ready to be utilised at a moment’s notice.”
A series of images materialised, showing a singular facility along the southern coast—over a dozen objects identical in size and shape to the craft in Eshirant were parked in order along a concrete tarmac, with signs of activity surrounding the ships in question. Along the coast, several sea creatures that easily dwarfed the Grade Alastar rested beside several docks, feeding on what suspiciously appeared to be humanoid creatures on the beaches—the quality of the photograph was too vague to clearly identify their nature, but something within Gesta decided that he would be far better off not knowing.
“Based on our attempts to further investigate the surviving systems of the Pal Chimera in Eshirant, the radio frequencies used within the ship during its ill-fated engagement with our IUN forces match those utilised by the Annorials. Similarly, while uncovering the remains of the Aji Dhaka responsible for the destruction of one of our fighters in Esperanto, we also uncovered skeletal remains in close proximity of the creature with a striking resemblance to the Annorials and their Ravernals ancestors as well—”
A new image popped up, showing the charred remnants of the Annorial operative. Crossreferenced with a Milishial diagram of an ancient Ravernal, the two skeletons were disturbingly striking in similarity, much to the Gra Valkans’ realisation.
“On the body, we also uncovered a replica of what we believe to be a Ravernal magical device, capable of controlling any creature of any size from a human being to a hydra itself—as seen on the remains of the Aji Dhaka, we believe that the agent was directly controlling the creature with the intent of ensuring maximum damage on Esperanto and potentially the rest of Grameus and Philades—”
A black bracelet and a collar the size of a tank appeared, the glowing blue runes matching in text and style.
“Based on these actions, we believe that the Annorials are actively aware of the presence of the Osean Federation and have already begun to move to undermine our position within Elysia. While we have been successful thus far, we also have reason to believe that a direct conflict with the Annorial Empire may be likely within the near future—any administration that succeeds the current government will need to take into consideration for foreign policy, or what actions will need to be taken to ensure our continued national security.”
“Have we attempted to establish communications with the Annorials?” the third male candidate asked. Edwards shook his head.
“Attempts have been made in the past few months, Representative, but we have yet to receive any response. Plans have already been made for a diplomatic mission to be sent to Bushpaka Lakan following the ongoing Conference, but exactly what kind of response we’ll receive has yet to be determined. From what we’ve experienced so far, I wouldn’t necessarily get my hopes up.”
“Vice Chairman,” the female candidate asked, “what about its relations with the rest of Elysia? I understand that its isolationist policy means that contact with the other superpowers of the known world is limited at best, but surely the combined arrival of Osea and Gra Valkas would have caused some kind of response from the Annorials. Do we have any intel about their actions regarding their other new neighbours?”
Edwards and the other officials turned towards the Gra Valkan delegation. “Director Gesta, would you or your colleagues be willing to comment on the matter?”
Clearing his throat, Director Gesta stood up and replied, “I’m afraid it’s not within Gra Valkan policy to freely divulge the nature of its relations with other foreign powers, but I can disclose that we have attempted to establish contact with the Annorials in the past. We’ve yet to hear from them since, and our other means of reaching out to them have similarly yet to bear fruit, I’m afraid.”
President Bartlett sighed. “Would it be appropriate for us to disclose to you that we are aware that an expeditionary fleet was dispatched from Ragna to explore the Branchel Continent prior to the arrival of your delegation to Selatapura?”
Gesta’s eyes widened. “How do you know about—”
“I’d recommend you take a seat for this, Director,” Edwards interjected. “Our satellites were able to record what happened to them shortly after their arrival off the coast of the Annorial Empire.”
As the Director sat back down, Edwards changed the display once more. The screen flickered, and flashed to reveal a sizable Gra Valkan fleet desperately struggling against a horde of sea monsters not unlike those encountered by the Grade Alastar and its escorts. In the background, intercepted radio transmissions broadcasted the ships’ desperate attempts to fend off their aquatic pursuers even as the casualties began to build up. Yet against all odds, the fleet prevailed against the creatures and began to pull back and gather their strength.
“This is Imperator to Ragna, fifteen vessels to our southeast, bearing 150!”
“Copy, visual on the unknown fleet. Three battleships, twelve escorts—all ships, maintain defensive positions while we attempt to hail the fleet—”
“Captain, unknown vessels have opened fire!”
“All vessels, launch countermeasures and evade their—”
In a matter of seconds, the entire Gra Valkan fleet had been annihilated by Annorial fire, pulverised by magical weapons before their crews were even able to respond. An ignominious death, far from the glorious fate that each sailor aboard had deserved—
Prince Cabal rose from his seat and gasped in outrage. “They dare—!”
Ciela turned to Gesta in alarm, her face stricken with horror. “Gesta—”
“We’ll need to notify the Emperor about this, and provide him with what intel the Oseans may be willing to provide,” Gesta hurriedly replied, leaning towards his colleague as he whispered to her ear. “We need to listen to the rest of the briefing first.”
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International Space Elevator, Low Earth orbit — January 30, 2020
“Delegates of the Lighthouse Conference, your attention, please!”
Standing atop a podium within the main atrium of the Lighthouse, a single individual was flanked by dozens of delegates from throughout Philades, all with expressions of hungry anticipation. Before them, reporters and representatives from the major continents stood in preparation for the announcement that was to be made—rumours and unconfirmed reports had been circulating for weeks of a major political realignment in the Third Civilization Area, but nothing substantial had been finally agreed upon until now. From television screens throughout Elysia, thousands of people watched as history unfolded before their very eyes.
“For countless centuries, the Parpaldian Empire has dominated the Third Civilization Area and subjugated its neighbours in an aggressive, brutal implementation of its barbaric vision of civility and advancement—their time has come to an end, but their legacy threatens to overshadow the new world we find ourselves in. From the ashes of the atrocities of Eshirant, fifty nations were reborn and came into existence—we stand before you now as equals in a world where superpowers and singular nation-states coexist in the hopes of creating a perfect world where pain, hunger, and suffering are but echoes of a distant past.
“Today, we stand before you to proclaim the beginning of a new era—one where the nations of Philades, once chained together by the brutality of a barbaric overlord, now stand together as a union of peers and equals! Never again will we let the words of tyrannical madmen decide the fate of our peoples! Never again will our nations be taken from us, our people enslaved and uprooted from our homelands for the petty desires of nobles and arrogant kings and emperors! We are the Independent States of Philades, and we step forward to the future as one!”
Driven to a frenzy by the fiery speech, the assembled diplomats cheered. “Glory to Philades! Glory to Philades! May the Gods bless us all!”