Yan put her feet on the desk as she read the latest intelligence report. Grand Alliance of Sectors, a federation had formed against the defiance While not necessarily against the defiance. But it was a matter of time before they targeted the defiance. Two of four founding species were fanatically spiritual. And deeply opposed to the Nietzchean's materialistic approach to the universe. During peace talks they expressed several troubling opinions that previous Kaiser closed the borders to them. Which didn't make them happy. It effectively cut them off from a trade partner. Yan wasn't afraid. Many alliances have risen and fallen underneath the Nietzchean boots. She picked up her field knife and an aubergine from the fruit on the table. She cut into irregular sized pieces and set them on a plate on the desk. She wiped her knife off with a cloth then put it back in her boot. She took a bite out of the biggest piece. She turned back the intelligence reports. Aside from the Grand Alliance, Yan suppressed a snicker, there were rioting in the Delta Trask sector. Apparently the Cirrulans haven't yet learned that once you join the Nietzschen Defiance, whether it is by choice or by force, you don't leave it.
Yan had served as fleet admiral for the 3rd Strike Force. It was her efforts that broke the stalemate with the Cirrulans. Though to be honest, it was with Vag-Oress Republic's aid. It was she that dictated the terms of the Cirrulans surrender. And when the old Kaiser died mysteriously, her name and two others names that was on the ballot for Kaiser. The first name put forward by the assembly was the eldest Shabtak admirals in the entire fleet. While the since uplifting the Shabtak several generations ago, they found that they were more suited to science then combat. That usually disqualified them from Kaiserdom. But a few Shabtak had worked hard to prove their worth as warriors. The second name was army general that Yan had the pleasure to serve with. He was dedicated and reckless. A relative of the former Kaiser he was the favored candidate.
Yan gave good speeches and engaged in fire debates with the other candidates. For a year, her face was plastered on vid-screens and promotional material through the defiance. The final debate was broadcast through out the defiance. In a rare show of political honest, Yan admitted that she was just a fleet admiral. And was happy serving the defiance instead of leading. The defiance almost unanimously voted her in.
The proximity alarm went off and Yan shallowed a bit of aubergine. "Enter," she said.
A dark skinned man with broad shoulders entered. He had several pads under his arm. He saluted by placing his left hand on his right shoulder. "Hail Kaiserin," he said.
Yan rolled her eye and returned to the report. She motioned with her head to the plate, "Aubergine?" She asked.
"No ma'am," was the answer. He seemed more nervous then normal.
"Relax Wan. I am still your older sister," she said and continuing to motioning to the plate, "I know you like aubergine."
"Well I am your chief diplomat and I am choosing to keep our familial relationship and our professional relationship seperate," Wan countered.
"Wan Huang. As Kaiser I am ordering to get that stick out of our ass and enjoy the fruit." She stated looking at the reports. Wan frowned then sighed defeated.
"What the hell I am didn't have lunch," he said happily as he took the biggest piece he could.
"So you didn't come here just to make me mad. Or there is actually something going on in the universe?"
"Our neighbors are either planning to attack someone and want our assistance or they need something."
She put down the Intellingence Report and waited for the first of these new pads. "Who need something?" Asked Yan as she righted herself. She dusted her uniform off for crumbs. Wan smirked, "Still a mess maker."
Wan place several pads on her desk. He spread them out and handed her the first one.
"Apparently the Hakon wants to trade two thousand tons of minerals for equal credits. I would advise we give it."
She looked over the proposed trade deal. Pretty standard stuff. Recently she had began to respect the nuisance of diplomacy. Coordinating and controlling a battle fleet during a war was easy compared to diplomatic warfare. Wan, however, was unrivaled in his class. Once the old guard Chief Diplomat trained him, skills became legend. "Can we spare it?"
"Yes, as you can see we are experiencing record high harvesting from our deep space mines. The sectors have been donating in record breaking numbers."
"What about fleet upgrades and repairs? As well as the proposed 7th Patrol Fleet?"
"We have more than enough to cover those."
"Approve this deal. Have a diplomat also request access to their star charts." Yan pressed her thumb print to the center of the pad.
"Speaking of star charts. The Union of Rixi Suns would like to see ours. They are willing to trade theirs for ours."
Yan raised an eyebrow before speaking, "Did the foreign diplomat give a reason?"
"Apparently the Rixian have in the reptilian brain that somewhere in our sector is the homeworld of the gods."
Yan started laughing, "I will never understand certain races aherence to a notions of divine beings."
Wan wagged his finger at his sister authoritatively. "From a certain point of view our creators mirrors gods."
"But they weren't gods. They were humans. Infallible and weak. They were deperate scientists looking to find an edge in combat that engulfed their dying Earth," Yan said standing up and walking over to the window. Wan moved beside her with the trade request pad in his hand.
"Does that not sound like some divine epic? Our creators embroiled in a divine war. Needing a warrior to end an age old conflict. The smartest of the gods created us, the first Nietzcheans, from the strongest gods that have fallen. Once we ended their war they attempted to destroy us but we would not die quietly. We turn destroyed our gods and claimed their mantle and their planet as our own. Does that not seem cut from some divine myth?"
"It sounds like the raving delusions of a lying child hoping for their parent not to cut the night light out in the hallway after they leave the room because monster."
"Some species are still children. Some of our own citizens hold deeply religious values. One group comes to mind the Cirrulan
Yan turned angrily at Wan. For some reason she seemed more menacing at this moment than in others. "Then they need to grow up. There are no gods. There is no divine creation or creator. No grand plan. The only life to exist the one here and now."
"Everything has returned. Sirius, and the spider, and thy thoughts at this moment, and this last thought of thine that all things will return."
"Wan," she growled, "Deny them."
"But..."
"Announce to our allies and trade partners anyone found giving them star charts either directly or indirectly will find themselves the subject of our ire." Wan merely nodded.
"Leave me. I wish to be alone."
"Yes Kaiserin," Wan said with a bow and walked out. He left the other pads on her desk but kept the Rixian one with him. Yan knew he would defy her. Least not openly. He wasn't that brave.
Author Note: Just an one-shot retired this game...