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Alvon Gargarm was standing on the cusp of history.
Just five years ago, had you told him where he would be presently, he would have laughed at you. Alvon had been a middle-management employee of one of the largest Human corporations in the galaxy. He’d been a small cog in a vast machine.
Now he was standing with giants as a requested witness to history on multiple levels nobody had ever expected to see.
They were once again aboard the Nebula Conglomerate Fleet’s Venture. They had chosen a place between sectors, not unlike the historic first meeting with the Xorcerizts.
This time, the number of representatives present had grown exponentially. The number of peoples signing onto the compact with the Xorcerizts was staggering.
By signing onto the compact, not only would they gain access to the Xorcerizts’ weapons, but they were agreeing to end conflicts among themselves. All who signed onto the compact were expected to never use their new weapons against any but the Ditufgne. Employing them against any other would create undesirable consequences.
Negotiations had been with an eye to several matters. The sovereignty of the various nations came first and foremost. Humankind fell under more governments than even the CSA had fully accounted for. Though the Zathru, Yalifira, and Doolari had singular sovereign entities, the Ravusq had several divisions that had constantly conflicted with one another.
None were willing to relinquish their self-determination, nor their ability to disagree. Any conflict that ensued ran the risk of becoming violent. What if, in the heat of the moment, an attack occurred? Would the signees of the compact carry out the Xorcerizts’ expectation that they be subject to reprisals by the Xorcerizts and all others who had signed on to the compact?
That had created the largest debate. What if those who were in conflict did not make use of the Xorcerizts’ weapons? Did employing Xorcerizt defenses count? Would there be oversight shared with those who signed onto the compact? Who would be part of that oversight?
Alvon had attended many of the discussions and offered the insight of the CSA’s position. Though neutral, and though they employed police enforcement agents, they had no military. But they were the single most neutral agency in the galaxy, so they would play a key role.
Finally, there was the matter of independents. Avra and crews such as the Dawnstrider, the Ravusqan Raider, and others like them. Merchants, wanderers, traders, pirates, and those with no nation who were still threatened by the Ditufgne. Avra had not been happy to represent pirates and the like—but understood that it was still necessary. Xez had made contributions too.
Now it was done. Even Human nations that had not taken part in the negotiations would be signing onto the compact.
A couple of new, intergalactic entities akin to the CSA, the HAEN, and the ICE would be born with the signing.
It was reasoned that there were other races with little to no affiliation with Humans, Zathru, Ravusq, Doolari, or Yalifira. While they were known—and, in several cases, traded with—they were still an unknown.
The Torvodach, for example. Alvon had encountered them while enslaved to the Wunatt, but otherwise, Human governments had no direct dealings with them. Avra had informed Alvon that they occupied a sector of space quite probably as large as the Doolari and Ravusq combined. Though they had never shown any aggressive tendencies, the force they represented was an unknown.
There were races across the galaxy none had encountered. It was a big galaxy, and how many different entities occupied it was a number in the tens or hundreds of trillions. It was even possible that the Eftall, legendary occupants of Doolari space, were somewhere out there—with ill intent.
And, of course, the Ditufgne might not be the only extragalactic threat. They were simply the first.
How had he managed to come so far? He’d gone from middle-management office worker to slave to starship crewman to CSA special secretary to deputy director and second-in-command over the course of five years. Hard to believe.
Alvon had learned that it was not just coincidence. The updated nanodroids injected by the slavers had altered his overall cognitive function. On the whole, that didn’t make him smarter, as all the tests showed. He was still a Human man of average-intelligence.
What it did was make him sharper. His ability to comprehend complex systems, like comprehending the complex languages they translated, had been expanded. Hence how a nobody office-chair technician cracked a code that had eluded scientists, scholars, code-crackers, and profiteers for millennia.
Once he came to learn this, how it came together made sense. Seeing a Wunatt keyboard and its unusual characters had opened up a curiosity. Comparing it with spoken language, and the alphabet and symbology of galactic common, the nanodroids had helped him to break down a pattern and develop his incredible algorithm.
In his previous life, Alvon would have been horrified to know how he’d been altered. Now he was simply fascinated. Enslavement had been unwelcome, and while he had been deformed by a unique skin color he would have for the rest of his life—and carried many mental scars—he was, overall, better for the experience.
Alvon turned his attention back to the moment at hand. Admiral Dromm and the Zathru external waziri, Ruk Ruv Ruq, were getting the attention of the huge number of representatives present to sign this compact. They were flanked by a trio of Xorcerizts—Nallatrum, Ariahs, and another named Kolrav, as well as Avra and Tara Kreth on one side, with Alvon on the other.
He looked at Tara. He considered that his SSA would be an excellent candidate for the new deputy director gig when it came into being. It was a discussion he planned to hold with Hectir and the rest of the deputies when he returned to CSA Headquarters after this was complete.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and all xerzsons,” Admiral Dromm called out, “this historic meeting shall come to order!”
The Zathru external waziri banged a gavel upon the podium before them. It rang out with an odd, amplified sound. That got the attention of everyone.
“Thank you,” Admiral Dromm said. “I am humbled to stand before you today, as we all come together to sign this compact to create new and hopefully lasting cooperation between so many diverse peoples, nations, and races across a wide swath of the galaxy.”
Admiral Dromm shook his head and chuckled. “Right. Ruk Ruv Ruq?”
The Zathru external waziri spoke. “What began as a quest for answers to the mystery of an unknown attacker has evolved into a cooperative fleet never before seen between a Human nation, the Zathru, the Ravusq, and the Doolari. When presented with the knowledge of who the Ditufgne are and the assistance for our defense from the Xorcerizts, we began down a new path. After much deliberation and bringing more diverse peoples together, today we make history.”
Ruk Ruv Ruq paused. Alvon admired the difference in how the Admiral—though rakish and not a political speaker—and a seasoned politician like the external waziri—made their statements. The Admiral had a certain aloofness to his speech pattern born of some discomfort playing politician. Ruk Ruv Ruq, however, was authoritative, confident, and calm.
Ruk Ruv Ruq continued. “With the signing of this compact, all who represent their nations and peoples here today agree to resolve conflict without employing the new weapons the Xorcerizts are providing us. We are agreeing to working together for the greater good, to repel the incursion of the Ditufgne, and continue from our sovereign entities to work cooperatively on mutual defense to stand in opposition to any who might threaten our freedoms, independence, and liberties.”
“Well said,” Admiral Dromm commented. More loudly, he took up the address. “With the creation of this compact between the various peoples here today, along with the Xorcerizts, not only do we gain new technologies and weaponry to fight the Ditufgne, but we are creating new agencies for oversight and advancing mutual cooperation.”
Ruk Ruv Ruq took over the narrative again. “These new agencies, like the Cosmic Security Agency, will be neutral, beholden to no single nation or people—but to all nations and peoples who have signed onto this compact. They will work cooperatively and in concert with the CSA to uphold the neutrality as well as the interests of all races in this galaxy - even those who do not sign onto this compact.”
“In other words,” Admiral Dromm began, “we will work with you even if you do not sign up with us, and only against you if you take a stand opposing a people or nation that are part of this compact. To any and all listening across the galaxy today, we welcome you to work with us independently, or join us if and when you feel it best suits you.”
Alvon started a moment. He had set aside the thought that this signing would be broadcast across the entire HAEN. He was visible before the whole galaxy.
His past self would have been utterly terrified. Now, while he wasn’t comfortable with it, he accepted it as part of who he had become. Like it or not, he was not just standing with the giants—he had become one of them.
Ruk Ruv Ruq started to speak again. “The first of these new agencies will provide oversight regarding decision-making on the part of disputes between signatories, and concerns regarding misuse of the Xorcerizts’ weapons; oversight and conflict resolution when disputes arise between the signatories of the compact; review and admission of new signatories to the compact; and a neutral point through which to liaise between the signatories with representation from each to maintain stability. The Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Organization will also fall under the neutral oversight of the Cosmic Security Agency, to provide another layer of surety to those who are not signatories to the IITO.”
Admiral Dromm took a deep breath, then spoke once again. “The second of these new agencies will be military. Created by and for the signatories of this compact, the Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Armada will build a new fleet around the Xorcerizt weapons and defensive systems with Xorcerizt engineers. The IITA will be the first line of defense against this and future incursions, as well as the enforcer of any punishment against a sovereign nation or people that violate the compact. The Armada will report directly to the IITO.”
“The Armada will serve a second role,” took up the External Waziri. “They will serve not just the IITO, but also the CSA for peacekeeping needs as a neutral party beholden to no nation or peoples. As a neutral police, security, and investigative agency, the CSA has no military. That will not change. But with the signing of this compact and the creation of a new, neutral military force, they will have an option with more discipline and oversight than the mercenary organizations they’ve historically employed.”
Neither Hectir, Alvon, nor the other deputy directors had made a request for this aspect of the compact. However, Avra had recommended it to alleviate the fears that some potential signatories might have regarding their sovereignty and taking part in the treaty.
Once the IITO got up and running, the CSA would create a new deputy-level director to act as liaison as well as CSA representative. Until the new agency was functioning, Alvon, as DDCSA, had the honor of being the liaison.
Nallatrum stepped forward now. Since the discussion between Alvon, Avra, and Nallatrum on Avra’s flagship, a Xorcerizt had attended the talks. For some, this intergalactic broadcast would be the first they had seen of the heirs to Project Outbound.
“To all who witness this historic moment across the galaxy, I am Nallatrum, Speaker for the Xorcerizt Amalgamation.” He paused a moment, cognizant, Alvon knew, of the impact his appearance would have.
“While my people have been happy to assist in defending you against the incursion of the Ditufgne, we know that your self-actualization and self-rule is sacred. Sharing with you our defensive capabilities has been and will remain available to all, whether signatory to this compact or not. But the weapons we can provide to help you combat this threat are too great a leap in technology to be shared without safeguards.”
The weapons that the Xorcerizts offered were unlike anything any other race in the galaxy possessed. Alvon had been present to see the demonstration of their power, and fully understood why they were being guarded in the manner that they were.
Though there were variations in the precise creation of each, the races across the galaxy employed beam or laser weapons of varying strengths, as well as missiles and torpedoes with variable degrees of effectiveness. Despite their differences in engineering, all had a similar range in power and effectiveness, which was why armor and energy shielding was also similar between them.
Alvon was amazed at how the weapons varied—yet did not—between Human nations, let alone the alien races and their divisions. They all followed similar principals and basics in design. Even personal weapons across nearly every race were swords and daggers that converted into energy weapons.
It was a huge debate among scholars if that was by design in the same way that the ICE, HAEN, and CSA operated—or if, somehow, all the diverse groups reached similar epitomes of technology in their development. Why and how had all these unique and different groups come to create and possess weapons built on the same general principals?
The Xorcerizt weapons were something quite different from either the general energy weapon types or projectiles of the races of the galaxy. They were akin to a beam or laser weapon—but worked on a wholly different principal.
Rather than impact and push or burn through shields and armor, these weapons worked on a molecular level, deconstructing what they hit.
The Ditufgne weapons worked more with a “push through and burn” model - but using a degree of power unprecedented to any race in the galaxy, even the Gaeitsu-aqin. The Xorcerizt shields could withstand hits from these weapons—not indefinitely, but far longer than the energy shields of the galaxy’s races.
Thus, even with the Xorcerizt Multi-Phasic Universal Source Shield Generator, their weapons would be devasting. Alvon understood why they’d insisted on those who would receive this weapons technology signing a treaty to never make use of them against one another in a dispute.
To enforce that, the new agencies would be created to make sure that the Xorcerizts didn’t impede on the sovereignty of any peoples in the galaxy. They were fighting the Ditufgne to stay free; none would cede that freedom to another extragalactic race in the process.
Nallatrum spoke once again. “By signing this compact today, we create not just a new alliance for defense, but for mutual cooperation and advancement. This compact does not just cover resisting the threat of the Ditufgne, but also working together for the greater good of the peoples of this galaxy, whether they sign this treaty or not.”
Alvon knew that the Xorcerizts had several scientific advancements that could benefit all the peoples of the galaxy. Their faster-than-light method of travel—which Alvon simply could not wrap his head around nor understand—covered a greater distance in less time than hyperspace.
Both hyperspace and the Xorcerizt warp travel were different from the technology employed by the Ditufgne.
Nallatrum spoke again. “Thus, it is my distinct honor, as Speaker for the Xorcerizt Amalgamation, to sign this compact on our behalf.”
The bay erupted into thunderous applause as Nallatrum signed the compact on the podium.
Alvon and Tara stepped forward. Calming his nerves, Alvon took the pen-tool offered by Nallatrum and stood at the podium.
“I am Alvon Gargarm,” he spoke, his voice clearer and calmer than the butterflies in his stomach indicated. “It is my pleasure, as Deputy Director of the Cosmic Security Agency, and its appointed representative to this assembly, to sign the compact.”
Alvon touched the tool to the pad, and his signature was added. More applause followed, and he resumed his place across from Tara Kreth.
The external waziri retook the podium. “As was determined and agreed to in these negotiations, I hereby resign as Zathru external waziri. By the appointment voted upon by those who have attended the discussions leading to the signing of this compact, I take on the role of the first gavana of the Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Organization. After a year, the collective representatives will take up a vote and determine if I am to remain Gavana, or whether another should take my place.”
There was a great deal of applause, and after it died down, he continued, “I am Ruk Ruv Ruq, gavana of the Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Organization. It is my honor and my privilege to sign this treaty.”
Applause thundered again as he signed. After it died down, he spoke once more. “It is my first duty as gavana of the IITO, to appoint the leader of the Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Armada. To that end, I appoint Vin Dromm to become the first navarch of the IITA.”
Admiral Dromm took the podium as applause rang through the bay once more. “Before I can accept this duty, I hereby formally resign my commission as an Admiral of the Nebula Conglomerate StarForce. It is my honor and privilege to accept this role, until such time as the collective representatives choose a gavana and determine if I will retain this position. I am deeply pleased to sign this treaty as the first navarch of the Interplanetary Interspecies Treaty Armada.”
Navarch Dromm signed the treaty to applause. When he was done, he spoke once more. “My first duty as navarch of the IITA is to claim my flagship. With the blessing of the Nebula Conglomerate StarForce, the Venture will again be decommissioned from the force. She will hereby be recommissioned as the first starship of the IITA and renamed the IITA Unity.”
Nallatrum retook the podium. “And now my friends, at this time, please transmit your signature and representation to the compact. Together, let us make it manifest and begin a new era of interplanetary cooperation, defense against the Ditufgne and other potential threats, and the start of a bold new age for the betterment of all.”
Alvon watched history happen before his eyes. His only hope was that it wouldn’t be all for naught. When the Ditufgne and their terrible weapon arrived, he hoped the Xorcerizts, IITA, and allied starfleets would be ready - and strong enough to halt the incursion.