“Did you bring any cake for Erinyes Prototype, dear sister?”
"Is that all you can think of right now?"
Feeling the tension building up, Mao would not be so quick to leave off.
'Perhaps I should stay a while? Or would you prefer someone else escort you back when you are done?'Either way, she'd message Maia on the matter when she leaves.
<Please keep me updated if anything significant happens.>Later with Aryk, Mao would instantly communicate with Maia, before the girl is even done with her exposition.
<Maia, I have received a matching statement from Baham not long ago. The stated source of the information is questionable and, in hindsight, probably purposefully kept hidden but the similarity between them is evident. Here is the transcript of the correspondence. Most of Aryk's knowledge supposedly came from the divination of elder Espers. It thus made sense that any other Espers who knew of them would be able to see the link. Perhaps Baham has contacts of his own among the Espers. He is a practitioner of magic, after all, so it wouldn't be all that surprising.While sending the files over, Eden would appear next to Mao while typing keys on a photon pad. A glowing seal quickly loaded and she pressed her hand on the pad to be empowered by the charge of energy. She then loads a program and slides it by proxy to Mao's unit, who reviews what she has just heard.
'If your reading is true, then the investigation on the incident that befell the first colonization has shifted to a lower priority and we must report to Parum immediately. If the ship is obliterated there would be confusion, likely followed by a response of the military.' She takes a short moment to think before elaborating her thoughts on the subject.
'That civilization's hostility could be warranted, in fact, due to our occupation of their territory.
The legal repercussions of their occupation can be contested, however, especially considering their own colonization of Ragol may not precede its annexation to the Government, which allowed us to acquire it in the first place.
If it does precede it, then the Government presented us with a planet it did not yet truly acquire the Rights for, and they owe Parum a different planet of equal value, which would be idea and allow us to carry on without dealing with this mess.
If it does not precede it, then they have occupied a planet to which they no longer have a claim to in this space-time, in which case they are invaders and must relocate. By force, indeed, if necessary.''We may be able to confirm your reading. Eden, conduct a Time-scale analysis of the monolith once we are done.'Looking back at the Esper, she goes on.
'Beyond our own interests in Ragol, however, there is more at stake with the existence of this civilization.
Assuming your presentation of their current situation is well informed, remarkably detailed as it is. The current stability of their activities can also be lost at any time upon the dwindling of the resources they excavate or the victory of a faction of their inner conflict - when that ends, and it is only a matter of time until it does, we do not know what their intentions will be.
They may well attempt their original objectives, from which their war against those who opposed them brought forth the cataclysm you speak of. If their objective must be opposed, then they must be stopped before they reclaim their former strength. But we know too little about them to tell yet.
It remains curious that their attention is focused only on Ragol if they have the technology to expend in space. Either way a diplomatic effort should be considered to learn more about them and their civil war.
Perhaps determine which ones would be acceptable allies that would welcome our aid in ending the inner strife in their favor. If they could restore Ragol to its current state, then their technology could also accelerate the restoration of Parum and other desolated planets, which would allow our population to thrive without needing Ragol anymore. Such terraforming aptitude could serve the universe greatly.' <Maia, perhaps we should seek to establish contact. If her analysis of the situation fits the data, restoring the monolith may serve to give us more time to consider how to approach the situation and prepare Parum for the trials to come. And perhaps soothe that civilization to facilitate diplomacy.
On the other hand, we could also swiftly retrieve every monolith reported as quickly as possible in hope to cripple them before they strike, but that could be unwise until Parum is made aware of their existence.
If they are confirmed, we could rally the people of Parum, our allies and the Government whom could be deemed responsible for giving us a deadly planet. The people's unrest and frustration could also be redirected at those occupiers rather our own incapacity to expediate the colonization.
Something else to consider is that the monoliths seem to have connections with magic, as their nature is apparently easier to study by magical means. This may be an indicator that this possible enemy relies on magic to operate its technology.
Our current squabbles with ARKAS cannot be ignored but this... this is not something we can simply set aside.>'Thank you, Aryk. You said that you were certain of a prediction on the reading of their name. What data do you base this upon?'
