Scenes from the Intragalactic Conference

…amidst growing calls for militarisation, following the broadcast from the so called 'SNTNL'…
…talks of deals happening behind closed doors, as multiple FTL ships are said to have been seen…
…yet political turmoil continues in our neigbouring nation of the Eternal Sky…
…the protests earlier today broke out into riots, as several explosive charges were shot at law enforcement…
“…unless the Elders and the Assembly can come to an agreement, how can Corico trust them to stand beside us in the face of these galactic threats? It remains…”
…45 injured and 11 confirmed dead in the most recent of the spates of violence gripping Brightest Gift, the capital of the Nation of Eternal Sky, as…

— Headlines and comments broadcast from a range of sources.

As Silver Steam joins the stage, the room is a furor of sound and activity. Such a controversial figure has not yet spoken at the conference so far, a known associate of the suspected terrorist Soaring Glow. the delegation from the Nation of Eternal Sky are particularly hostile, hissing and booing accusations of “Traitor!” and “Murderer!” as Silver Steam approaches the podium. He seems oblivious to this all though, waving at the crowd, even glowing with apparent optimism, and as he reaches the microphone with radiating confidence, the hubbub falls silent.

“Thank you all for coming here today. I have a few words to say on the behalf of the Sailors' Assembly” a pause as there is a scattering of boos and hisses “that’s right, the Sailors' Assembly, the democratic body so unjustly driven out of our home in the Nation of Eternal Sky for a crime we did not commit. Our leader, Soaring Glow, has only just reached safety in Kallimar, bearing with him the hopes for freedom of our people. The remnants of the Assembly left in Eternal Sky are now merely a sham organisation” another collected boo from the Eternal Sky delegates “that’s right, a sham organisation, controlled like a puppet by the will of the Elders.

We will not remain silent. We will not remain silent as our leader Soaring Glow has to flee for her life from false and slanderous allegations of an attack she never called for or endorsed, clearly committed by rogue elements we have no relations with. We will not remain silent as the powers of the democratically-elected Sailors' Assembly, the voice of the people of Eternal Sky, are stripped away ruthlessly and unjustly by a tyrannical oligarchy. We will not remain silent as this said oligarchy continues to brutally oppress our people, to drown them in propaganda, to imprison them if they speak out, to deny them even the most basic of civil liberties! Our people are crying out for our help. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose. We of the Sailors' Assembly will not back down. We intend to liberate our nation.

Luckily, we are not alone. We wanted to take this moment to thank those of you who have stood by us in this struggle, without whom I would not be able to make this speech today. We would like to thank first and foremost the People’s Army of Kallimar, who have been our tireless allies and supporters, and continue to protect us from the aggressive and unwarranted overreach of the Elders. We must also thank our dear friends and supporters in the Grieving Sea, who have also offered us unceasing moral support for our struggle. Thanks must also go to the Cartographers' Guild for staunchly maintaining neutrality and giving us a platform despite the most heinous Elder intimidation, and to all those governments across the galaxy who wisely refused to allow the illegitimate rulers of the Nation of Eternal Sky to join their defensive pact. You were right, they cannot be trusted, and their government is on its last legs.

My friends, you have done much for us already. But nevertheless I have to ask for your continued assistance. A reckoning is inevitably coming, and we will need you all by our side. I know the situation of the galaxy is unstable already, and you may baulk at the notion of further confrontation. But such a confrontation in Eternal Sky will happen sooner rather than later, and it is better for all our sakes that it stabilises quickly. I know I can rely on you all to follow your hearts and support the cause of justice and liberty over oligarchal tyranny. The people of the Nation of Eternal Sky call for your aid. You have not abandoned us so far - please do not abandon us now. Any aid of any kind would be appreciated immensely in the coming struggle.

But my message is not just for those of you who stand by us. It is for those of you who oppose us as well. To the representatives of the Elders and their allies – however few of you there are – my speech may have sounded like a declaration of war. Let me reassure you that it is not. We of the Sailors' Assembly are not terrorists, regardless of whether you accuse us of being such. We are reasonable individuals who want peace as much as the next person. We know that however tight Azure Skies’s clutches are on the government, there are those amongst the Elder families who have sympathy for our cause, and seek to avoid violence as well. We ask you: come to the table! You know your position is untenable. There is no need to fight a war you cannot win. It is not too late – the question of the freedom of our people can still be solved with reason and compromise rather than force of arms. The last thing our  galaxy needs now is more violence.

I hope you will see reason and take heed of what we have suggested. And I hope the rest of the galaxy will continue to stand by us. Once the Sailors' Assembly is granted its rightful position and powers within the nation of Eternal Sky, we will stand by you in turn.

Thank you all.”

Following on immediately after Silver Steam leaves the podium…

A clamour of shouting, and flashed outrage in Parlux flickers across the room, as various Sailor delegates from all nations protest either the previous speaker or their target, respectively. A figure steps forward from the Eternal Sky delegates, first dimming their noise, then stepping towards a podium facing the other assembled nations. The hubbub subsides, and Azure Skies speaks.

“Thank you, Silver Steam. I am sure that everyone here understands the Eternal Skies' grief. As a nation, we were rocked to the core by the vicious terrorist attack committed by Sailors' Assembly extremists, and I assure you that justice is being carried out to it's fullest extent. However, let's not mince our words. It was a vicious terrorist attack, committed by vicious terrorists. The Eternal Skies is willing to negotiate and work with the Sailors' Assembly, however not until those responsible are handed over. You insist on martyring yourselves, declaring peace while committing atrocities. If you truly seek peace, then turn over your warmongers. Four suspects are still at large, including Soaring Glow, Shiny Skies and yourself. Four murderers hiding behind a façade of morality. Or worse, do you still believe the blood you have spilled is just?”

Uproar. Pandemonium ensues, and lights up the Sailor delegations from across the moon. Azure Skies compose themselves, brushing aside the Assembly's protests. They wait, watching, until order is restored.

“I digress. Let us bring ourselves to the matter at hand, the purpose of this conference. Interplanetary relations. At this moment, space is lawless. Where pirates and fugitives can hide from their crimes. No more, we must establish treaties, proper jurisdiction, agreements between nations. A constitutional foundation to uphold and be beholden to. A set of rules to set the common good in place. No longer shall enemies of decent folk, the schoolyard bullies, those who take instead of give, hide behind so-called “neutrality”. This is a first step forward, and one that we must make definitively, for the sake of the galaxy and for the sake of those who live in it.”

…talks of “The Conglomerate”, an alliance between disparate corporate factions…
“…all these damn speeches at this damn conference, and what are they actually doing to help us? What have any of those governments actually achieved? I swear, I'll…”
…despite her outstanding criminal record on Kallimar, the tech creator Omnipotent Light has been allowed to give an address…
…a spokesperson for StarShine announced the company's continued commitment towards producing their virtual world experience 'Neonica', despite criticism from some…

— Headlines and comments broadcast from a range of sources.

An EVA is escorted by a few guards towards the podium. The only evidence of the suit’s bearer is the signature dulcet jingle for StarShine Technologies that trickles from the headpiece’s mounted ear-speakers.

“Death is imminent. To die is to be unshackled. Yet to be unshackled is to be friendless. Mythless. Disgraced by the blind unanimity of the common person.

I ask you, attendees of our impending future: where, exactly, has our presumed ‘commonality’ now brought us? Where have all our most sacred stories led to? Look no further than PHEMI. A site where millions of fates shall be weighed, and judged. Who are we, in the face of the infinite expanse that is this world, to be arbiters of such a destiny? Who are we to cherry-pick only the referents we fitfully deem as ‘acceptable’ under our selective and narrow perspectives? What suitable voice could ever possibly define such criteria?

I do admit that there is truth in the sentiment that no singular voice can. Individuals in finite spaces and limiting frameworks are cramped. Desolate.

Poisoned.

I am poisoned. Afflicted by the very nature of sentiment, as we all are. As SNTNL is. As the Swarm shall soon be.

The ‘box’ of sentiment does not leave witnesses. It defines. It applies. It categorises. It borders the realm of experience with invisible paywalls. Buy into what we say, what we believe, and you may be granted permission to share in our exclusive slice of the universe. Now, the art that lives and breathes all around us has been reduced to nothing more than a quartered pie, with all of its sweet and savoury tastes… alongside its eventual abandon when it’s all consumed. The slow burn of settling for our piecemeal existences.

Some whisper of the miasma of capital that has seeped into this island of sanctity which we now rest our feet upon. And it is abundantly clear to me that this capital is not strictly of a material kind. These ‘compromises’ we make in the face of concrete dimension and fragile meat…they are the approaching death of the happiness we yearn for, the union we seek in rectifying a new age where an undivided galaxy holds true.

Indeed… we dream of melding our hearts and our minds towards common agendas, common outcomes. We long for our children, whoever those brave souls may choose to be, to see a life where they can achieve anything they will ever want in this tapestry of possibility.

Together, I know that we can make that dream a reality. And that reality cannot belong here. It cannot belong in a world confined to physics and inevitably transitory matter. It cannot belong in a place where we, and our beautiful, precious consciousnesses, will amount to nothing more than prisoners in shriveled husks.

The history we have enscribed upon our false infinity has failed us. And no quantity of FTL technology can save us from that. Before long, we’ll reach the borders, the unknown dangers, that our own flesh cannot withstand. What then? Where shall the Inventor turn once he has stolen the Widow away forever and bound her in the cage of his own twisted creation, his own box, the very same oubliette where she shall meet her grisly, agonising end?

When shall lightning finally, finally, meet that gukking sea?

Neonica, ‘neo-reality’, endorses the Conglomerate. It is an organization for those who still dare to dream in the presence of systems, archaic thought-beasts that succumbed to time the moment in which they uttered the word ‘enemy.’”

“…what if they have a point? I mean, think about the Tsing incident that…”
…tensions seem to be rising among officials, as talks enter the…“
”…your governments are entrenched, stuck in your own ways, content to impose your ideals simply because you got there first! We cannot…“
…statehood is becoming a 'hot topic' at the Intragalactic Conference, with…

— Headlines and comments broadcast from a range of sources.

A delegate from Kallimar, waiting in the rows of seats for this assigned slot to make an address rises to their feet. Kankro slowly ambles to the stage, clearly in pain, as they clutch their walking stick firmly, but nevertheless walking with dignity. Their ensemble a neatly tailored balance of military regalia, decorated plentifully with medals and other marks of recognition, and more conventional formal attire. As they take centre-stage, the old Xhuva gazes into the hall of endless faces. They take a deep, slightly laboured breath and begin.

“Seeing so many here at this event on such an important day reminds me why I follow this path and why I am unwavering in who and what I am: the reason I seek true unity and cooperation. I say this is an important day, and of course, it is for those present as it marks a major step forward for our interplanetary partnership. However, this day is particularly special to me, as it marks the 60th anniversary of the Liberation of Dira, the city I grew up in. I am sure many of you are aware, at least passingly, of the history of my people: a people forged in a war of prejudice on a scale few can truly comprehend. I am one of the fortunate few, if fortunate is the right word for it, who can comprehend it. I know this because I was born in the waning years of this conflict and grew up in its aftermath,”

They pause briefly.

“Before the war, Dira, was a poorer city-state that was only of note for its manufacturing. The bombardment left us cold, starving and in a constant struggle of survival against radiation poisoning and the beasts that lurked in the snow. Numerous syndicates emerged to exploit the suffering of my people, charlatans and oligarchs who promised salvation in exchange for servitude. Folks believed their assurances, yet their carefully manicured words did not save the life of my sister or the countless others they beguiled,”

Their voice cracks at the last phase, before they take another deep breath and continue.

“I am sure many of you are wondering why I bring up this history lesson when the focus of this conference is to look to the future. Quite simply, it is because I see the echoes of this story playing out before us on a galaxy-wide scale, and I refuse to let the lessons my people were taught in this baptism of nuclear fire be lost by the overzealous and the afraid. As a galactic community, we are stronger together, and if the drums of war begin to beat once more, it is our collective responsibility to stand as one. We cannot leave any of our people behind simply because we do not see them as profitable. Nor can we allow those with their own gain at the forefront of their motivations be allowed to govern the lives of thousands, if not millions, as, much like the syndicates that parasitised my home, their promises of progress and protection are but melodious innuendos for control and exploitation. I am the living proof of these failed ideals: my home and family were neglected for years on the altar of profit, and my sister died begging and screaming in my arms because we believed the generous words of those unappointed lords. Dira and the rest of Kallimar could only advance to the fortuitous position we now find ourselves in today, able to look at our allies from across the stars with pride and hope and explore this infinite expanse with them because we focused on mutual support networks and cast of the blood-forged manacles of our greed in favour of being a mighty collective.”

A smile beams across Kankro's face as they scan across the audience.

“I know many here tonight do not look upon the Kallimari philosophy too favourably, and I know there are many more of you who are terrified in the wake of recent events. But I implore you to consider, to set aside your biases and immediate impulses to this threat and to listen to someone who was created in the brutal fires of war and indentured servitude. I know the pain all too well; even to this day, it cuts me like wrought iron, and the memories do not abate. No more children should have to have their reality shaped by such carnage, and it is the voices in this very room who have the power to determine if that is the case. Do not look away from this.”

With these words, Kankro presses a button concealed upon their cane's pummel. In an instant, the conference hall is flooded with archived images and film of Dira immediately after the war. Painted across the hall is a tapestry of mangled buildings burning, bloodied bodies buried in bitter snow and children wasting away in the mouldering metropolis.

“Do not look away,” they repeat, “Do not retreat into the numbing comforts of isolation and echo chambers. Do not listen to the opportunistic voices that peddle pleasantries and easy-sounding solutions, those who use ignorance as anaesthesia for these uncomfortable truths. Instead, think,”

They gave another pause. Those looking close enough may have seen emotions in their eyes, but it does not seem to interfere with their speech. They grip their cane tightly. Yet they continue.

“Since becoming a diplomat, I have been exposed to numerous cultures with a bounty of languages and dialects; for some, I have even had the privilege of learning the odd words or phrases. One message I have found that seems to transcend culture or creed is the danger of not learning from our pasts. I may not know all of your stories, believe me, I wish I did, and if any of you care to teach me, I would cherish the chance to see the string of circumstances that led you here. But you now know mine,” they pressed the button again to dismiss the projections, leaving only Kankro on stage beneath the scorching spotlight, “So please learn from it. When it comes time for you to cast your votes on these pressing matters, remember that you are voting not just for yourself but for the children of your worlds and the future they will have. You are voting to set the predicate for how many lives will be lost and families shattered. You are voting for how your names will echo through the halls of history. Break the cycle. Choose unity and hope where those before us have ruled with division and fear. Think and vote to ensure the horrors of Kallimar's past do not become the new way of life. Vote to ensure that I am the last generation that grows up scrounging through the rubble to hopelessly tend to their wounded father while what little we have is stolen from us. Vote for something you can be proud of. Vote for change! I hope my words will at least inspire thought and discussion among you all. If you wish to consult with me on these matters or simply to enlighten me on your culture or past, please come and find me; I will do my best to be present in the coming days. Thank you all for your time and consideration.” 

The venerable xhuva gives a polite, if slightly awkward, bow to the audience before briskly leaving the stage, not stopping to talk to anyone on the way out.

On the policy of the People’s Army of Kallimar towards independent corporate interests, and towards corporate interests subject to the territorial control of the nations of the Thousand Colours Moon or Corico

Sky-Marshal Lathaleeay Veeris, Commander in Chief of the People’s Army of Kallimar has seen its purpose grow ever outward, such that we now call our goal the liberation of all the workers of the galaxy. It is no secret that this ideal is one that may cause tension between Kallimar and her sister worlds, so we shall seek to clarify exactly how we intend to pursue this goal at this time.

Firstly, the workers of the galaxy can never be made free if the workers of the galaxy are slaughtered. As such, collaboration between Kallimar and her sister worlds – enabled by our dearly-held belief that we are more alike than we are different – must come first and must preclude coercive action against our strategic partners.

The same, of course, is not true for those corporations that operate deep in the void of space, bereft of even the oversight that a government might provide. Though these corporations have sought to band together to form a government, it is little more than a cloak of legitimacy draped over the pre-existing corporate oligarchy, casting executives as barons and the un-represented workers as little more than serfs. Should the workers from any of these organizations request the aid of the People’s Army, it shall be freely given.

Note, however, that the policy we intend to pursue, as demonstrated by our efforts at Kargen Forgeworks, is one of rendering assistance to workers who seek to cast off the chains that bind them, rather than one of overt hostility against these organizations. The workers of the galaxy cannot be made free by another’s hand, though they can be supported as they climb to their own freedom. Even then, the support that the People’s Army offers must be to facilitate the construction of democratic institutions in these workplaces, rather than to annex the manufactories directly into the territory of Kallimar.

It is our hope that providing these guarantees and clarifying our policy and process for deciding to support a deep space worker’s movement, we might ease tensions between the People’s Army and the responsible governments of the other homeworlds.

The Sky-Marshal’s Signature is inked below the letter

Sky-Marshal Lathaleeay Veeris, Commander in Chief of the People’s Army of Kallimar

The first discussion of the day has seen back-and-forth between representatives regarding exchange of survey data, but disparate parties have been in extensive debate. But now, a Sailor enters the room, walking up to the podium. Saul-Tii chooses to speak Sailor, with a translator into Carto-speak for those who need it.

“Respectfully, I think everyone in this hall is stupid.

I include myself in this statement, though mine, and several others who will resonate with this speech, our stupidity is different to, and perhaps caused by, the stupidity of the majority. I want to state that I am speaking here not as a member of any state or faction, and not as a representative of the Sailor’s Will. I am here as Saul-Tii, Mineral of the Grieving Tides, a retired shopkeeper, and aspiring painter, a Sailor who loves his wife. 

I love my wife. She loved the stars. She sought to communicate. She believed, with all the strength a Sailor can muster, in the power of connection, in communication that reaches beyond boundaries. She saw the stars not merely as distant points of light but as a profound promise of unity, a mirror for the beauty and potential we might find in one another. It was certainly reflected in her, and it was beautiful. When I came here, I had hoped that the Guild, a guild she loved and trusted, might embody that same spirit.

But I have been disappointed. You say you all seek communication. You claim to bridge divides, to further understanding, to expand the horizons of knowledge. But despite all your words and speeches, I do not see any evidence of this. Instead, I see factions arguing and scheming insularly, words are being weaponized, and actions motivated not by a desire for unity, but by fear, ego, and a need for control. How can you claim to seek understanding when you refuse to listen? How can we claim to inspire connection, not only across the galaxy but across this very room, when we build walls around our ideas, pointing threats against anything that might challenge them? 

I am stupid, because I cannot understand the reason. Perhaps it is biological, physiological, but I think largely it is not. I am stupid because I chose to be here. I am stupid that I cling onto some hope that the people here would reflect the beauty and the wonder of the stars.  And yet, I hold on to that hope. It is the hope that brought me here and it is the hope that compelled me to make a speech.

I do not stand here to insult you. I stand here to remind you. I stand here because I hope, somewhere deep inside each of you, lies the ability to be better. What we do in this guild, in our words and actions, stretches far into the universe. It touches lives we will never meet. It touched mine before I was even a member. It shapes futures we cannot possibly imagine. It reflects who we are and what we aspire to be as individuals, as a Guild, and as inhabitants of a universe that still holds so many mysteries and so much beauty.

I know my words may not change the course of action for many of you, maybe not any of you. But I hope, with all my heart, that the voice of one old Sailor might break through some of this insularity. Love one another. Love the stars. Seek to communicate. The stars will remain long after we are gone, and they will bear silent witness to the legacy we leave behind. 

Let that legacy be one of connection, not division. Of courage, not complacency. Of wisdom, not stupidity.  Do better. Be better. Not for me, but for yourselves, for the stars, and for all those who look up to the sky, up to you, for hope like I do from here.”

…more FTL ships are travelling around the galaxy than ever, as infrastructure continues to be built up by…
…critics continue to question the proliferation of orbital shipyards, as representatives from the Corico Forum propose new diplomatic resolutions at the Intragalactic Conference…
”…our adversaries surround us on all sides! The Sailors of the Nation of the Curved Leaf cannot allow the galaxy to collapse to…“
…Kallimar pledges military support to planetary custodianship, with a spokesperson for the People's Army expressing a commitment to safeguard for future generations, despite criticisms from…
”…we are making great progress towards cooperation through these talks, yet there remains a party here that stands too stubborn in their ideals…“

…reports are coming in of a mass movement of people from Oasis…
”…they weren't aggressive about it, but we had no choice; our farm, they…“
…ships carrying 'Queens' are said to have landed in…
”…I don't know what idiots gave them any chance in the first place. I mean they're taking it all over…“
…reports now that a majority of the population of Oasis have found themselves displaced, as Selethyan expansion continues…

— Headlines and comments broadcast from a range of sources.

Tokht steadily approaches the podium, her skittering gait halting sharply as she turns to face the assembled crowd.

“The swarm has received several requests for comment on the current state of affairs on the world you know as Oasis. We understand your concern for the large number of Balra that remain unaccounted for at this time, and will attempt to explain the current situation as succinctly as we are able.

It is not our intent to do harm to the Balra. We pledged our support to coexistence, and intend still to uphold that arrangement. We have requested the Balra evacuate sKeth for their own safety, as the world will almost certainly be contested in the present animosity between the Swarm and the AI entity identifying itself as SNTNL. Once this present conflict is over, we will endeavour to support full rehabilitation by the Balra and demilitarization of the Swarm on the world.

By harvesting approximately 87% of plant and animal biomass, we have facilitated production surpassing 2 trillion distinct Selethyan forms. We intend to retain a permanent population of 150 billion forms. We estimate that as many as 80% of the currently-extant forms will be destroyed, though we anticipate being able to recover 70% of biomass from each destroyed form on average. Once the conflict on Oasis has passed, we will decommission all non-sapient forms in excess of our 150 billion target, and shall make the resulting proteinaceous slurry available to facilitate Balra rehabitation. With the addition of supplementary enzymes to process Selethyan chitin, we project being able to support the agricultural needs of the pre-conflict Balra population of 1 billion for ten years immediately following rehabitation.

We have not assisted, nor interfered with, the present evacuation efforts organised by Balra civil authorities on sKeth. At this time, one hundred and eighty million Balra remain on the world. We are aware of efforts to evacuate seventy million currently ongoing. We will not force the evacuation of any unwilling Balra, but cannot guarantee their safety, or the sanctity of their bodies, in the conflict that will follow.”

Without waiting for questions, Tokht turns and leaves.