All That Glitters Ch. 42

"How many planets have the Harradi been working on?" the Chair asked.

"Including the Union planets that we have recently begun assisting, we have now worked on more than 1,200 planets, and several thousand space stations. Our expertise and knowledge of planetary conditions and the crops that can be supported in them is second to none.

"We can show you how to improve the crops you are using. Provide you with new crops that would be better suited to the conditions you are dealing with. Provide you with new farming and animal husbandry methods that can improve your output fairly quickly.

"If this is something that you desire, then we can make arrangements to support you. We can have a Harla on Adenomere in two of your days, if that is what you desire," Clend finished.

"We have a potential host for your people, ambassador. Will you be coming to Adenomere as well?" the Chair asked.

"If that is permitted. I will require that Ambassador Flynet is present for all our negotiations, as the Greater Community considers your situation to be an internal human dispute.

"Also, the ending of slavery and piracy will be part of the price for our assistance. If those items are not part of the negotiations, then we cannot and will not help you. The Greater Community abhors both of those practices," Clend explained.

"You say we need to negotiate this?" the Chair demanded.

"Chair, no system can be turned off immediately. We are aware that it takes time to change practices that have been going on for near to a century. That is what the negotiations will be about. The timeframe. These negotiations will aid the Alliance in the near and long term as once these practices have been ended, the Alliance can be included in the advancement of new technologies.

"It will be a win-win for the Alliance, the Union, and the Greater Community," Clend told the listeners in a no-nonsense manner.

"Thank-you for your candor, Ambassador Clend. We will sign-off now, as our membership has much to discuss," the Chair gave a bow to the ambassador and Junelliya closed the link.

"I suggest that we take a break until after lunch," the Chair said. "This afternoon's session will be an internal Landstradt debate open only to members of the Landstradt, however, I would like the representatives of the Union to be available if that is possible?" the Chair asked.

"We can remain on our ship outside the Landstradt, sir, which would place us close enough to respond quickly," Junelliya stated.

"That is acceptable. The prisoners will not be needed this afternoon, they can be returned to the Adenomere estate," the Chair suggested.

"I think that would be advisable," Flynet agreed, with a tight smile, thinking of Raymond.

Restaurant of the Whorl, Adenomere City, Planet Adenomere, The Adenomere System

Aurelia and friends were back again in the same restaurant she had used earlier in the week, though the number of people was a little larger as it now included not only the Yunki twins, the Gordons, The Palays, The Pendars, Lady Handren, Lady Marshall, but also the Union representatives, the six prisoners, and the two Toolend.

Sharron Whorl, the owner of 'Restaurant of the Whorl', was shocked when the Toolend first came through the door. She had seen them on the news channels but seeing them in person for the first time left an impression on her, especially their sheer size, as the tall aliens barely fit in the door.

More and more members of the Landstradt had asked to speak with the Union reps forcing Aurelia to request one of the larger conference rooms in the restaurant to make room for all. The owner of The Whorl was happy to see the extra business as this time of year was normally pretty lean for her. She gave Aurelia the entire upper floor, a banquet hall, which had room for over 250+ guests. Not that they were getting close to these numbers, but that allowed the guests that did arrive to spread out and converse in relative privacy with their respective meeting partners, both Union and Alliance, a win-win for Aurelia, her clique, the Union reps, and the additional guests who were showing up unannounced. Lunch, from this point on, would prove to be a lively affair for all at the Whorl.

The Toolend revelled in their notoriety as telepaths and did little party tricks for Aurelia's guests, taking advantage of being allowed into the minds of the guests to find out little things that Ambassador Flynet and company would need to know. After all, even though it was a game, they had been given permission to look into the guest's minds...

Many deals were potentially made between the members and the Union, predicated on the fact that they would eventually be allowed to trade with the Union. The members that made the deals could all afford to wait, unlike many of those who were in dire straights. That group was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Harradi representative.

Landstradt HQ, Adenomere City, Planet Adenomere, The Adenomere System

Aurelia sent Raymond and his group back to her estate with her limo as she entered the Landstradt after dinner, while the remainder of the group disappeared into The Trine. The afternoon session was about to start...

Lindelle stood as soon as the Chair opened the session.

"Chair, do we actually want to have aliens dictating to us how to run our affairs?" Lindelle asked in a rather scathing manner.

"Master Lindelle, I will remind you that while you are much better off than some of your compatriots, not everyone in the Landstradt is on a good footing at the moment. I think more than one third of the Landstradt has been affected by the current loss of our labour force and that will only grow as more and more are lost over the next few months. Your actions appear to be rather selfish," the Chair finished coldly.

"I simply do not wish to be dictated to about how we do things. I am quite content with the status quo!" Lindelle snarled.

"But I am not," Olemn Pendar rose to speak to Lindelle's comment. "We have known for years now that our current practices of slavery has been living on borrowed time. Some of us, who can better judge the future, have made arrangements for the changes that are now being thrust upon us, others have not.

"The only reason you do not care about the immediate future is because you, Kevin Lindelle, having seen the writing on the wall some time ago, had divested yourself of all Union originated slaves. That allows you to be somewhat cynical under the current circumstances.

"What is more important to me is our future development. I have had the opportunity to speak to the Union reps over dinner today. I must admit surprise as to the number of innovations that the Union now enjoys, that cannot be traded with the Alliance. The Union is poised to advance more than one hundred years in certain technologies, more in others. They have already moved forward in ship construction, with Jump-grid technology and advanced Marilon/Aruna generators that are far superior to our existing technology.

"Imagine a Marilon generator that can fully recharge in one hour, that does not require a resting period after five continuous uses, which does not fully deplete itself if you short jump. These are some of the advancements that the Union now enjoys with the new Marilon/Aruna generators.

"Not only that but these Marilon/Aruna generators can provide larger instant power levels than the previous models, meaning that items that require surge power can get more of that surge power. Try putting that thought behind Naval weapons. That means that their weapons are instantly more powerful given a specific model without major changes to the weapon itself.

"Our Orbital Defence Forces noted that some Union Naval vessels boasted unusual weapon's power levels during the recent Great Raid. Now we know why.

"Imaging a force field over the opening to a shuttle bay that does not allow gas to escape into space and allows for ships to pass through the field. That means you don't have to open and close bay doors, to cycle and recycle air each time a ship exits or enters the bay. That is time saved on a massive scale.

"Those are only a few of the advancements that were discussed by the Union representatives at lunch.

"We have known for years that finding new slaves was becoming more and more difficult. Now that the Union Navy enjoys such an advantage in technology, it is changing its procedures for dealing with pirate vessels. The new ICS technology means that Union Naval Commands can now coordinate against pirate vessels as they show themselves.

"The Union President was correct when he said that 'Piracy was literally, a dead-end trade'. I have heard, recently, that one of our pirate fleets has not reported in and is now more than a week past its due date. We have had delays before in fleet due dates, but not by as much as a week.

"And, Master Lindelle, while you have divested yourself of Union slaves, those with whom you deal with, specifically those who sell you products you need for your own productions, have not. They have been seriously affected by their own labour shortages. I am sure that has translated to issues for you as well.

"We were already feeling the pressures of our slave-based economy even before the Great Raid. We were unable to bring in significant new technology, unless we stole it from the Union. Now that we are banned from Union space, how will we continue to do that?

"Ambassador Flynet is correct, ladies and gentlemen, we can, if we wish, remain as we are, a stagnant backwater of humanity, or we can look forward to becoming part of a greater whole. Those are our choices, stark as they are," Olemn Pendal ended and sat down to pandemonium.

The afternoon session of the Landstradt was acrimonious, with fingers pointing in all directions. Near the end of the session, Aurelia rose. The Landstradt went silent.

"Chair, it is obvious to me what is happening here. Many of our members are refusing to read the writing on the wall. They want to remain as they are, safe and happy in their nice warm blankets. Unfortunately, the blizzard raging around us is sapping the warmth of that blanket from us, bringing cold to our hearts and bodies.

"The Alliance is facing a crossroads. The issue today is not that there are forces arranged against us, trying to change our current way of life but rather that we have a choice to make that we do not wish to make.

"Knowing the reputation of the Adenomere's, I did not want to become betrothed to Marius Adenomere. However, I needed to think of my families greater needs.

"Once in that situation, however, I did not become the meek little wife all of them were expecting..." here the members of the Landstradt broke out in a laugh. "I did what was necessary to ensure that I would not only survive but to thrive.

"That is the decision that the Landstradt now faces. Yes, it is a big move, a major step away from how we currently do business. But that is the issue, doing business. We may survive, doing business only within the Alliance, but we will not thrive.

"So we must decide what we shall do going forward, survive, or thrive?" Aurelia sat to utter silence in the Landstradt.

The Chair's wrist comp rumbled. He noted a message from Ambassador Flynet. He blanched when he read it, then rose to speak.

"I have just received a message from Ambassador Flynet. The Sagittarius Pirate Fleet has been captured intact, with a minimal loss of life, all twelve warships and eighteen cargo ships. There is a list of the dead, and of those captured. I shall pass the list of the dead onto their respective Houses.

"We now know for certain that President Holloway was correct in his assertion that the Union would be pressing our pirate fleets. They mean to eradicate piracy in Union space and they have the technology to allow them to do just that.

"I think that we will end this session here. We will reconvene tomorrow at the regular time..."

End of chapter forty-two.

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