Interstellar Age

180  Negotiations With the Svartalfheim Federation Part II

Negotiations between the Alfheim Dominion and their Svartalfheim rivals had started off in Lunaria's favor. She had successfully been able to intimidate her Dark Elf counterpart by playing the single biggest upset to the Alfheim Dominion in recent memory as a win for her vassals.

After all, the Germanic Star-Empire had won one hundred out of one hundred wars, which they had fought since the beginning of their interstellar civilization. And were quite well renowned, as a regional power, that could contend with sub-galactic powers so long as they were supported by the Alfheim Dominion, especially in regards to logistics and reinforcements.

However, what had shocked the galaxy was the fact that the Germanic Star-Empire had fought in the face of annihilation and emerged victorious against one of the largest galactic menaces. This baffled most, if not all, observers. And filled them with both fear and respect.

The tenacity which the Germanic people showed in the face of total annihilation was something that few civilizations were capable. To stand and fight in the face of certain death, rather than to abandon everything and flee, was a resolve that had rarely been displayed throughout the entirety of recorded galactic history.

And just when the galaxy thought that the Germanic military had suffered casualties that would take centuries, if not millennia, to recover from. They participated in the Centennial War Games and displayed an ability in combat that surpassed their masters.

The Germanic military might be eons behind their masters in terms of military technology, and might be a fraction of the size. But their ability to wage war on an individual level was frightening. The fact that ten WRAITHs had taken on over one hundred Banshees and emerged victorious, with little casualties, was a feat that forced the Svartalfheim Federation to come to the negotiating table.

This, combined with Lunaria's own mad negotiating tactics, had compelled the President of the Svartalfheim Federation to cede the disputed territory to his Light Elf rivals. However, even after agreeing to such demands. He did not prepare to go home empty-handed, and made a counteroffer.

"I will cede the disputed territory and recognize your claim over the systems in exchange for certain concessions. First and foremost, I demand compensation for the resources we will be giving up!"

Lunaria looked at Kadron with a conceited smile, before posing a question in an intimidating voice.

"And why would I do that? I have already told you I have the means to conquer and hold the worlds without even needing to deploy my own forces. If it's a proxy war you want, I know that I will emerge victorious. Give me one good reason why I should oblige this demand of yours, and I don't want to hear you say that I should do it as some token gesture!"

 Despite thinking that she had already emerged victorious in these negotiations, Kadron responded with a conceited smile of his own, before pointing something out that Lunaria was not expecting.

"Oh? Has the all knowing, and supremely wise Lunaria Asterion missed something? Humph, perhaps you are not all you are cracked out to be, after all. My poor, foolish, naïve, old hag. Do you not realize the cost of such a war?

Even if you don't have to send your own forces, you still have to maintain the logistic supply lines for your war hounds. After all, their naval technology is woefully outdated. And though they are catching up, my vassals combined strength is more than enough to wipe out their entire armada. At the very least, the war will cost you a pretty sum, just to ensure that your vassals remain in control."

Despite being certain Lunaria would realize her mistake, Kadron was amazed by her response. There was a flash of murderous intent in the Alfheim Empress's pristine golden eyes as she stared at her Dark Elf rival with an intense hatred. Her voice was quiet, and yet her words reverberated across the entirety of the conference room.

"If that is your opinion on the matter, then I suppose these negotiations are over... We will determine who is right with our proxies. Your so-called allies versus my vassals. Whoever wins will be the rightful owner of these worlds.

I would say good luck, but even if you were a bestowed by the heavens with such a virtue, you would still lose. Your defeat is certain, Kadron, and I look forward to gloat about my victory after my hounds have torn your soldiers to shreds."

Kadron could hardly believe his ears. Was Lunaria so insane that she would rather go to war, and waste countless lives and resources, just so she could hold her head high with pride? He could not believe she was being this unreasonable, and was quick to voice this sentiment.

"Are you really so prideful that you would sacrifice billions of your vassals, rather than make one simple concession? My demands are not unreasonable!"

Yet this response only caused Lunaria to scowl as she stood up and prepared to leave. Just when she entered the doorway, she turned around with a hate filled gaze and explained her reasoning.

"Pride is everything to an Empress. Something a snake like you could never understand. You have invaded my lands, murdered my people, and settled those lands with your own mutated freaks. And yet you want me to pay you to leave?

The blood of my people was shed so that you could expand your territory at my expense, and now the blood of your people is demanded for satisfaction. Prepare your vassals well, because it may not be today, and it may not be tomorrow, hell it may not even be for another five years. But sooner or later, I will have my retribution. And when that day comes, those worlds will be fertilized with the blood of the Dark Elves.

Goodbye Kadron, and as for you, Bixle, let's just say that I look forward to directing your daughter's next film."

After saying this, Lunaria departed from the world of Ghimderi, and returned to her own homeworld. As for Bixle and Kadron, they gnashed their teeth in rage. Neither of them expected Lunaria to just walk out of the negotiations like that.

Bixle was particularly enraged, because no matter how hard he tried, he could not get his daughter to come home to him. Obviously, he would have to kill her for the shame she brought to their family. But he could not even manage that. Thus, he could not help but vent his rage at that moment. By tearing up and scattering a bunch of papers.

"That fucking bitch! What the hell is she thinking? A full-blown proxy war? Now? What has gotten her so confident in her chances of victory?"

Kadron was equally as enraged. It turned out his attempt to expand his borders had come at a great expense. Although the Alfheim Dominion appeared weak during the Naraku Invasion, the reality was that they had recovered far too quickly for the Svartalfheim Dominion to keep up with.

But that was the benefit of an absolute monarchy, when the Monarch was actually competent at their job. There was no need to wait for things to be voted upon to be decided, just swift and efficient action.

Lunaria had been able to properly prepare for a potential conflict with her rivals and had even been able to aid her favorite war hounds in the reconstruction of the Empire. In a hundred years, the Germanic Star-Empire would be larger than it ever had been, and that was because they would be able to expand into both the ruins of the Dvrakian Consortium and those of the Rylonian Imperium.

By then, the Germanic Star-Empire would be a true sub-galactic power, one that neither the Svartalfheim Federation, nor the Ghimderi Trade Union would be able to defeat by any means other than an all out declaration of war. And if they did that, they would also have to fight the Alfheim Dominion.

Knowing that war was imminent, the Ghimderi Trade Union and the Svartalfheim Federation had no choice but to fortify their positions.