Interstellar Age

News quickly spread to Lunaria about the war between the Germanic Star-Empire and the suzerains of its allies. It was not exactly news that Lunaria wanted to hear. And though the fighting had yet to begin, Lunaria immediately sent a message to Erich, requesting that he settle this matter with diplomacy, rather than warfare.

After all, Erich was effectively challenging the status quo of the Alfheim Dominion and the quadrant of the Milky Way, which it controlled. And because of this, she was quick to lecture him.

"Honestly... Why is it every time a new Supreme Leader of your empire is selected that somebody, somewhere, declares war on you all? Mr. Jaeger... I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't try to settle this conflict peacefully. After all, the last thing I need is for two of my vassals to fight one another and weaken our position in the galaxy overall.

In case you haven't forgotten, an entire fleet of the Alfheim Navy was wiped out battling the Naraku, and those bastards in the Federation have begun to take advantage of this while pressing us on disputed systems. I am only going to ask once, so listen carefully. I am hereby ordering you to find a diplomatic resolution to this conflict you now find yourself in with the Yokai Ascendency...."

The Yokai Ascendency was the name of the Suzerains who ruled as the masters of the Great Oni Empire. Obviously, Lunaria didn't care about what the Germanic Star-Emprie did with a mere regional power like the Ennochian Ascendency. But a war between two of her vassals was out of the question.

Unfortunately for her, Erich was not about to keel over and submit to this demand. Instead, he wore a stern expression on his face as he rejected Lunaria's request, which was more like a command.

"I'm sorry, Empress... But I can not do that. The Yokai Ascendency and the Ennochian Theocracy have declared war on my people, along with a variety of other civilizations loosely allied with them. The reason behind this is more than a simple dispute about the militarization of my allies.

Rather, the Ghimderi are making another attempt to subjugate my people. Something that I will never allow. You know as well as I that the Germanic people are like iron. We will break before we bend. And that is something that those disgusting little goblins are about to learn firsthand.

But fear not. After I am done dismantling the Yokai Ascendency, have burned their cities to ash, and have salted their fields. I may be compelled, if you so ask, to take a few million of their citizens as slaves to make a heroic last stand in an arena of mortal combat so that the entire galaxy will know what happens when they insult the pride of our people."

A look of dread appeared on Lunaria's face as she realized that Erich intended to wipe out the Yokai species entirely. She knew that the Germanic Star-Empire had often committed genocide on the few worlds they had conquered from other intelligent species.

After all, they refused to be anything other than a homogeneous society, and it was easier to exterminate life than it was to expel it. But the last time the Germanic Star-Empire had done such a thing was centuries ago. During their initial encounters with alien life.

For Erich to revive such a tradition, he was clearly planning to send a message to the galaxy. One that she could not help but feel was tied to the lingering threat in Andromeda.

It was because of this that Lunaria instantly tried to shut down Erich's plans before they could come to fruition.

"Absolutely not! The Yokai Ascendency is a valuable vassal! If you were to wipe them out, the entirety of Alfheim space would suffer as a result!"

But Erich was stubborn, refusing to bend the knee to a woman he had once conquered in another life. He was technically committing treason when he spoke about his response to this command. But regardless, he said it with conviction.

"Unfortunately, Empress, my people do not tolerate the interference of outsiders when it comes to matters of war or survival. The Ghimderi seek to subjugate us as their slaves, but we will resist these attempts at the last man, woman, and child. Now is the time to send a message to the goblins.

No matter who you send to their deaths, the Empire will stand firmly in defiance! If you wish for this dispute to end peacefully, then perhaps, Empress, you should be contacting the Yokai, and demanding they recant their declaration of war. But they will not, because they do not serve you, or your interests, as I do. Instead, they serve another master, one whose ambitions are antithetical to your own.

But I will tell you what, I will hold back my forces from obliterating the Yokai Navy until after you have attempted to bring them to heel. As my honor demands, I do so...."

Lunaria's brow raised slightly as she heard Erich's proposal. It was true that from the perspective of the Germanic Star-

Empire, this was a war of defense, and the Yokai Ascendency, along with their allies in the Ennochian Theocracy, were the aggressors.

But it was the last part of Erich's words that she found most compelling, and thus she was quick to interrogate Erich on them further.

"I'm sorry. Your honor demands that you hold back your forces from eliminating the enemy. Since when?"

Erich remained completely stoic as he spoke the words that baffled Lunaria.

"My honor is loyalty. This is a phrase that my people have spoken since the days before our exile from Earth. My loyalty to you demands that I wait until after you have attempted to assert your authority over those traitors."

Once more Erich was making his own moves that were counter to Lunaria's interests. Yet asserting he was doing them out of loyalty to her. Because Tia had stripped her of the memories, she shared with Erich from another life, the Alfheim Empress could not understand what Erich's true intentions were.

But she had to admit that no man had ever made her as curious as Erich had. And because of this sense of intrigue, she accepted his proposal.

"Very well... Your words have convinced me. I will contact the Yokai Ascendency and demand that they recant their declaration of war at once. If they refuse to do so, then they will have shown where their true loyalties lie. In that case, you can do with such treason as you, so please.... I will be contacting you shortly with their response, so ensure that you are available for my call!"

After saying this, Lunaria hung up on Erich, while the man sat back in his chair with a conceited smirk on his face. He knew exactly what would happen from here. Everything was going according to his plan.