GATE X NHS: THUS THE GALACTIC IMPERIUM ENFORCES PEACE

(AN: This is not a fun chapter to write about. Not because of the nature of the contents, but because of how to make this entire thing work in my favor. So, I apologize if this came very late.)

Central Calendar, 14th February 1639 (14th February 3983 AC).

"What the fuck is going on in this planet?!"

The exclamation from Dr. Isabella relates to every heart and thought of every fellow scientist she brought along. Because every day they spend on Falmarra Prime, they are more confused with the planet's nature. Just about a week ago, she and her comrades were reassigned to investigate an anomaly occurring at the Great Forest of Rodenius, according to the reports of Cerberus Airmen Cpt. Darryl Dixon and his squadron had received an Imperium aircraft SOS beacon from the forest's depths. Confused with the nature of said beacon, Cpt. Dixon reported his findings and continued in finishing his mission in Rodenius. With the continent needing time for pacification, the 212th could only then perform a SAR operation after a week. For two weeks they searched for the downed aircraft, yet they were stumped in locating said aircraft. It was only after the fact that there were refugees protected by a psionic cloaking mechanism that the forest naturally provided against outside threats at the edge of the forest, that the efforts made by the 212th came with results: one that suddenly warranted her and her team's attention.

She initially protested with this sudden reassignment, they were making progress with the Avarrian Psyche. They weren't even notified of the purpose of the reassignment; they only said that the reassignment was the highest priority. She didn't believe it until she arrived at the rendezvous point, and she wasn't the only one brought to the place. There were engineers, even Lieutenant General Lucas was there too. They were then brought to the site, with the help of locals, named Meena and Wol, to guide them through the path. It wasn't long until they arrived at a grass-covered, dome-shaped building, and she understood why they were brought.

Because before them, is a damaged Avenger-class fighter. Meena and Wol then explained that these were the Divine Ships that the mythical Emissaries of the Star God rode to battle against the Demon Lords of the Ancient Sorcerous Empire, and everyone, aside from the soldiers and Lieutenant General Lucas was beyond shock. It was then that the Lieutenant General explained their purpose there. To repair the fighter, and access the black box of the fighter to determine how it was shot down. Not only that, they were to carbon date the equipment of the fallen pilot, which the Elves of Qua-Toyne have preserved with magic, determine how long ago the pilot was here, repair any damages, and access the pilot's logs.

It took a few days for the Avenger to be repaired fully, and it needed meticulous hacking into the security system of the fighter's logs. It's the protocol to lock both the fighter's and the pilot's logs in the event of capture. The fighter's AI will take over and automatically lock the systems if they detect forced entry, or if the fighter is shot down, as it locks the main controls of the Avenger, making the equipment unusable. The AI on the Pilot's gear would also effectively take over and automatically lock all the information stored on the Pilot's logs and functions of the suit that are essential to access the fighter's systems. The pilot can open both fighter and pilot lock through either bio-signature or a code shard, a piece of integrated shard containing the pilot's clearance. And to their dismay, the pilot's shard was damaged beyond repair.

But after a long wait of constant hacking for a few days straight, she and the team sent to investigate and finally cracked the system. And the contents were nothing she ever thought would be possible.

"Dr. Isabella, mind to share your thoughts on this?"

Isabella turned from her station, and saw a disheveled man, due to maintaining the Avenger and smoothing out the craft.

"Chief Dexter. What is it?"

"You know, the contents of the logs of both fighter and pilot." He said.

She sighed. She, for a fact, still couldn't believe what she had seen within the logs. Too fantastical, too unbelievable. "Incomprehensible, that's my thoughts on this." She said. "Either the AI is corrupt, or the events the pilot went through are real. Honestly, I prefer the former."

"But at the very least, the people would get some closure about what happened. Even if it seemed too fantastical, they at least know what happened." Chief Dexter said.

"Closure to whom, exactly?" Isabella asked, perplexed by the information they currently had. "This man-"

"I know that. Nonetheless, this is one of ours." Dexter remarked. "He deserves as much as closure as any of ours. By all means, the man is still our brethren."

"I know. I mean nothing to disrespect them, but still, it's perplexing..."

The doors to the chamber hissed open. For all the time they have been there, the dome also was renovated into a facility that suits the technology. The doors hissed and showed a man of significant rank entered. The man in question is none other than Lieutenant General Lucas, for the clearest purpose which is to gain an update of their progress.

"Ladies and Gents. I hope you have made progress on the 'artifact'. People anxiously await the updates you are about to give." Lucas said. "Especially the Militarum. They want to know how a Militarum Avenger ended up here. On this backwater planet."

"We have, Sir," Isabella said. "But, the contents are almost unbelievable. Borderline fantastical. I cannot say in full that it will satisfy anyone, for even we aren't exactly satisfied by this."

"Shoot away, Doctor." Lucas sternly gave the order.

Isabella nodded, and her optics blinked rapidly, downloading the contents from the datapad in her hands. Connecting to the projector, she activated the holo-proj.

"Sir, we are not the only one here on this planet. And no, I'm not talking about the damn Ravernals, sir. No, it appears that we are not exactly the only Imperium."

A recording was then shown to Lucas—footage of the last combat entry.

"I see smoke coming on Lacos 6's five!"

"Roger! Lacos 6 defending!"

"Vultures on my 6!"

"Comin' right at you, Lacos 2. Hang on!"

"These fucking Vultures!!"

All of them watched with intent and in total silence. They watched as the battle unfolded on the planet's thermosphere. A Decimator and a Classis, battling out to determine the victor and the survivor of the battle. The pilot maneuvered desperately, with sharp turns, and crazy spins. All to evade the enemy.

"All units, be advised. Incoming Ravernal reinforcements from the Breach. I repeat, incoming Ravernal reinforcement from the Breach."

"Fuck!!! Is there no end to these fuckers?!?!?" The pilot cursed. He narrowly evades floating debris and shakes off his pursuers. The pilot made a hard turn, and his records showed something that amazed even Lucas. A massive ring structure, enough to fit two Jaldabaoth-class simultaneously. Some portal.

"What the fuck is that?" Lucas muttered, bewildered.

"That is what we have been trying to figure out." Chief Dexter said. "But that's not all, sir. You would need to watch the footage further."

Doing just that, Lucas turned his attention to the holoproj again.

"Lacos unit, be advised. We have ground units requesting Close Air Support. You are to redirect and provide support once you have disengaged from the enemy."

"Sir. There's no clear route to the ground. The space is swarming with these vultures, sir."

"They are in deep shit, Captain Lyle. Our boys down there need help. You're the only air unit that is relatively intact."

"But sir! ALL OF US ARE ALREADY IN DEEP SHIT!! I can't guarantee the unit's survivability if we go through that storm of vultures!" The pilot, now known as Captain Lyle, protested.

"I KNOW THAT CAPTAIN!!! I LOST HALF OF THE MEN AND WOMEN IN MY COMMAND AS OF NOW. I AM WELL AWARE OF WHAT I ASK OF YOU!! I AM AWARE OF THE DANGER I PUT MY MEN THROUGH THE MOMENT WE DECIDE TO PURSUE THE RAVERNALS THROUGH THE BREACH!" The admiral yelled, the audio caught the admiral's breath calming down. "This is an order captain. You are to execute it."

"...Yes, sir," Lyle answered.

"Lacos unit, form up and prepare for atmospheric entry," Captain Lyle commanded, his voice steady despite the storm of thoughts racing through his mind. The blackness of space gradually gave way to the blue hue of Falmarra Prime's atmosphere as they descended.

"Entering troposphere in five, four, three, two...," the AI's calm voice counted down as they breached the atmospheric barrier, immediately greeted by a scene of utter chaos.

"Shit! Look at that!" one of the pilots, Lacos 3, exclaimed. Below them, a planet-scale war raged. The sky was a swarm of fighters, lasers cutting through the air in every direction. The Galactic Imperium's ships, marked by their sleek design and dark colors, battled the insectoid-looking Ravernal fighters, known derogatorily as Vultures.

"Lacos unit, stay tight. Engage any Vulture fighters on sight. We need to make it to the coordinates," Captain Lyle ordered, his eyes darting across the HUD, analyzing the rapidly changing battlefield.

"Roger that, Lacos Leader," came the responses quickly.

"Lacos 4 here, I've got three Bandits on my six!"

"Hold on, Lacos 4, I'm coming around," Lacos 2 replied, banking hard to intercept the pursuing enemies.

"Fuck! They're all over us!" Lacos 5 shouted as he fired off a burst, taking down one of the Vultures.

"Lacos unit, break and engage! Protect the payload at all costs!" Captain Lyle's voice was resolute, despite the odds stacking against them.

The dogfight intensified, with both sides taking heavy losses. The sky was filled with the deadly dance of ships, each maneuvering desperately to gain the upper hand.

"Lacos Leader, this is Lacos 3, I can't shake them!" Lacos 3's voice crackled through the comms, panic evident.

"Keep it together, Lacos 3. We're almost there," Lyle reassured him, even as he narrowly avoided a missile lock.

Finally breaking through the thick of the enemy fighters, the surviving members of Lacos's unit dove towards the surface. The ground battle below was no less chaotic, with explosions and tracer fire marking the brutal conflict.

"Lacos Leader, visual on the coordinates," Lacos 2 reported, his voice grim. "They're gone. All of them."

Captain Lyle's heart sank. The ground unit they were supposed to support had been annihilated. Bodies and wreckage were strewn across the battlefield.

"Damn it," he muttered. "Lacos unit, drop payloads on the enemy positions. Make sure they pay for every life."

"Copy that, Lacos Leader," the remaining pilots responded.

Captain Lyle lined up his approach, his targeting reticle locking onto the densest cluster of enemy troops and armor. "Lacos 1, bombs away," he said, releasing his payload. The bombs fell, striking their targets with devastating precision.

"Direct hit!" Lacos 5 shouted. "Scratch one enemy armor column!"

But as soon as the bombs hit, alarms blared in Captain Lyle's cockpit. "Missile lock! Evasive maneuvers!" he yelled, but it was too late. His fighter shuddered as it took a direct hit.

"Mayday! Mayday! Lacos 1 going down!" he shouted, wrestling with the controls to stabilize the craft. The ground rushed to meet him as he fought to keep the Avenger-class fighter from disintegrating.

"Brace for impact!" were his final words before the screen went black.

The holo-projection ended, and silence filled the room. Lieutenant General Lucas stared at the dark screen, processing the gravity of what he had just witnessed.

"So, this pilot came from another Imperium...from another reality?" Lucas asked, turning to Dr. Isabella and Chief Dexter.

"Yes, sir," Isabella confirmed, her voice steady despite the surreal nature of their findings. "And it seems he was caught in a conflict as vast and devastating as our own. The black box confirms the existence of this portal, a breach between realities."

"This changes everything," Lucas murmured, more to himself than to anyone else. "We need to understand how this breach works. It could be a threat...or an opportunity."

Chief Dexter nodded. "Agreed, sir. But first, we need to ensure this information is secure and analyze it further. There's no telling what else we might find."

"Very well," Lucas said, straightening up. "Good work, everyone. Let's get to the bottom of this. And this is confidential of the highest order, only the Imperator, the Young Master, and a select few knew about this. Dismissed."

As the team began to disperse, Dr. Isabella couldn't shake the feeling of unease. They had uncovered something monumental, something that could alter the course of their understanding of the universe. And with it, the ever-looming question: What other secrets did Falmarra Prime hold?

••••••

'Another tiring day of work.' Piña whined.

Piña had been drowning herself in work once more. This time, her workload had doubled in size. Why, you ask? The first wave of colonists had arrived at the systems. The systems have been researched, and thus far, only 3 planets are habitable for life in the sector, though each isn't exactly perfect for human habitation.

An arid planet, a desert planet, and a savanna planet. 20 million Twax'hildars and 5 million Qeverans to the arid planet now named Heovan Prime on the newly named Heovan System, 40 million Korinthians and 19 million Olvetians to the arctic planet named Irkoran Prime of Irkoran System, and 100 million Zaydrans to the Desert Planet of Szaru Prime of Szaru System. And with that numbers, comes the mountain loads of paperwork. Piña had to take full time without rest to complete the paperwork, for she had much to do. Reviewing budget proposals for the colonies' development, examining the population census and occupations of each species, all the things that need her help. But what made her more busy, was the coming 20 million humans and 20 million mixed alien races to Falmarra Prime.

She had just finished the colonist issue yesterday and then focused on the issue in Falmarra Prime. The Lourians are being re-educated about their wrongdoings, and at the same time, they are being built up back from the aftermath of the 212th incursion. Honoria Louria has been vindicated from all accusations, proven by testimonials from recently freed slaves who vouched for her deeds and her treatment of the former slaves. Thus, Piña had sent over a decree to Lucas of Honoria's appointment as Sectio Director of Louria as well as Aerith as Sectio Director of Qua-Toyne but also put them through the necessary education needed for a Sectio Director, in which she had them relocate for the time being to Sadera Palace for their re-education.

While finishing the last of the documents, her optics showed that her comms rang. She had just attached a neural implant and added some optics and comms. She answered the call, as it was a call she had just needed.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Lucius called. "You're busy?"

"Not exactly. I'm just finishing some of the last documents. And you're calling me, which has just lightened my mood." She answered. "Say, how things go on your end, Luci? Those, Urakans? Was it?"

"Not exactly great, it's decent enough. The Urakans are poised to defend against the Sazahoks, especially with our boost." Lucius said. "Hopefully, the boost would stop the Rothaks from pushing the Sazahoks to war."

"I hope so. We already have one war to end, one starting is not a good look for the galaxy." She commented. "Which reminds me. I hear the Goatheads and the Acid Breathers are going on another attempt to for an offensive. Is that true?"

"Yeah. Those fucks just don't know that their entire war is useless. Father has commanded the Militarum to tighten the blockades to a point where even a probe drone could not pass through without being shot down." Lucius said. "At this point, Father just might've to invade both and force them to peace. As much as he dislikes it."

Piña sighed as she heard the words coming from Lucius. She is well aware of what would happen if the war continued, thanks to Lucius and her research efforts. The Sildorans and the Resufitors are powerhouses of the Galactic Council, and already the council is split between those who support the Sildorans and the Resufitors. Some took the cordial stance of only supporting the Sildorans with resources; some took a more aggressive stance by sending weapons and ships and even openly siding with one side by lending soldiers and declaring war on the other, effectively splitting the Galactic Council apart.

If the war continued, the Galactic North and East would be so destabilized, bringing chaos and disorder. If they were lucky, both of the nations would survive the war. At worst, both nations crumbled apart and dissolved due to how much in debt they were and how destabilized they were, no matter who wins or loses. Should the worse happen, the vacuum of power would be immense and draw more wars and destruction. The destabilized situation will have a domino effect and will affect other regions. For example, the Carinyssus Nebula in the Galactic Northeast and the Farakin Badlands in the Galactic South. The Carinyssus Nebula had hundreds of Stellar Nations vying to revive the legacy of Hayqen. At the same time, the Farakin Badlands had always been filled with the scums of the galaxy, who had established their stellar nations. Yes, nations. Pirate, nations.

The amount of debauchery and hedonism in the Badlands is just horrific! Four words describe the Badlands; Slaves, pirates, sex, and drugs. Lots of drugs. The Militarum had just found out that both the Sildorans and the Resufitors used the pirates' service to smuggle resources or to hijack and steal resources from the other; sometimes, they targeted the neutral nations. From what she heard from Lucius, is that his father had always wanted to stabilize the Badlands and neuter it from piracy and any other degeneracy. Before the war began, the Imperator had plans to commit a military operation and purge all pirates to its roots. If it weren't for the fact that the Galaxy was still reeling from the War, the Imperator would have already committed an all-out military operation in the Badlands. Due to the war, the pirates are making a buck at insane prices.

"Let's not talk about my situation and the rest of the galaxy," Lucius said. "How about you? Is everything alright over at Falmarra Prime? How are you? Have you been getting a good rest? Have you eaten well?"

#(Slight +18, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.)#

Piña chuckled at her boyfriend's fussing about her. "Oh, Luci! I am fine. Everything is still under control in Falmarra Prime. The Lourians are adapting quickly to changes. They realized that it was better to follow along than to resist. Though our actions against Louria did draw some attention." She replied. "Nonetheless, everything is going well. However, filing the paperwork about the newcomers to the sector gives me a headache."

"Really? Well, I know a way of getting rid of your headache. One that you will surely enjoy very much. If you catch my drift~"

Piña laughed while her face burned red. She knows exactly what he meant. She began to rub softly at some of the places Lucius had touched her, some of the memories of the first time she did it came to her in full sensation. The familiar taste returned when she felt her lips, the longing feeling of his tongue with hers. Then the nape of her neck, where she had been gently kissed there by him, slowly and gently moved downwards to her chest area and her tummy, she remembers exactly which spot he had marked her. Then, on her thighs, she could feel Lucius's firm hands on her.

Then the feeling came at her full swing, making her hot and bothered. She can feel the warm flesh inside her, the feeling of his thing coming in and out of her. She felt the blissful sensation she didn't know she had longed for. The warm breaths of their mixing together in their kiss, their hands exploring each other, learning of every crevice of their bodies. The feeling as she clung to him, underneath or above him. Their voices calling out to each other's name, their moans and grunts of pleasure, the only sound they heard. Then their blissful release, as she felt warm inside, ended with a sloppy kiss of hard breathing of joy and exhaustion.

#(+18 SCENE IS OVER. God, I feel very naughty writing that lol.)#

"-aby? Are you there? Piña?"

Piña broke off her wonderous daydream, as she heard her name called by the man who caused it. "Y-yes! What is it?"

"...Did you just reminisce the first time we had sex?"

Piña's face turned red as a tomato, caught off guard by the question delivered by her boyfriend.

"Oh my gosh! You did! Piña co Lada! You pervert!" Lucius exclaimed in a teasing way and laughed to his heart's content.

"O-Only because you made that lewd suggestion! I-if anything, y-you're the pervert!!" Piña tried to defend herself from making an idiot of herself even though she failed at that miserably.

"J-just... Come back to me quick." Piña said truthfully. "I missed you. Very much."

"Of course. I'll be back as soon as I can." Lucius said. "Love you."

"Love you too."

As soon as the call ended, Piña went back straight to work. Yet, she let out a very audible heavy sigh. She misses him. Very much. The warm cuddles, Lucius's encouraging smile, and the vanilla perfume he used to wear. She stopped for a while, and hugged herself gently, trying to replicate that same feeling.

'By the gods, Luci. Please come back soon.'

••••••

The waves hit the ship's bow; the sea is blissfully calm, with the horizon clear for the entire voyage. The vessel is part of a diplomatic team's escort, carrying important people who could determine the fate of a whole nation. The nation in question is none other than the Parpaldian Empire. Aboard the ship is the best of diplomats, military officers, scholars, and, to the dismay of many, bureaucratic nobles. Yet, the purpose given by the Emperor, his Imperial Majesty Ludius, was to befriend the Galactic Imperium or seal a good deal enough for the Parpaldian Empire without jeopardizing the diplomatic effort all the while figuring out what makes them tick.

Elt stood at the bow of the ship, she felt the calm breeze of the sea blowing against her face. Her stature of elegance and beauty have always drawn the attention of many, as was before. She is on a Super-Phisanus-class Ships-of-the-Line, a new warship, the first of its kind. The Dios, it was called, equipped with the latest anti-magic steel armor. It is armed with 120 magic cannons (60 on the right and left sides), 150 magic cannons (75 on the right and left sides), and anti-air ballistae. It uses sails equipped with Tear of the Wind God, it is larger than Phishanus-class 100-gun Ship-of-the-Line. Escorting are 5 Phishanus-class 100-gun Ship-of-the-Line, 3 Martinus-class 80-gun Ships-of-the-Line, 2 Doramus-class 60-gun Ships-of-the-Line and 1 Eshtirant-class Dragon Carrier.

She had felt that the escort fleet was too much. The nobles aboard have proudly boasted that this is but a show of force to the so-called "Galactic Imperium" to show what "true power" is before the "unruly barbarians," which appears that the nobles still think that the Galactic Imperium is but a barbarian nation. Foolish, even to a fool's standard. Elt can only thank the gods that Emperor Ludius is not; she thanks the gods that he is a man of reason, even though his ambitions are rather mad.

"What are you thinking about, Elt?"

Elt sighed. She knew exactly who it was that referred to her as simply her name and not with the honorifics. The Emperor is still at Eshtirant, ruling as usual. Which means there's only one person who called her.

The Foreign Affairs Auditor, Remille.

"Lady Remille. I was thinking about our arrival at the Principality of Qua-Toyne soon. I mean, Qua-Toyne Sectio, at least that's what the Qua-Toynians refer themselves as." Elt said.

"Bah! The Qua-Toynians remain the same barbarians. Unruly, savage, barbarians." Remille remarked. "They just so happens to be saved by a more advanced people. If it weren't for the Galactic Imperium, Lourians would have won."

This piqued Elt's attention. "You do not think the Galactic Imperium as mere barbarians, Lady Remille?" Elt asked.

"I am not like those simple-minded nobles. I am what my Emperor wants me. I follow the Emperor's order to the letter." Remille said. "If His Majesty thinks that these people, the Galactic Imperium, are worth befriending, so be it. Besides, the rumors of them. All of them are similar to one another. It must be the truth if a rumor is said so many times and the contents are the same."

To say Elt is surprised is an understatement. The insufferable woman before her is making an effort to even tolerate others, at the fact that she doesn't tolerate her countrymen due to her status as a noble from the Imperial family.

'Blind Love, guess she's not as heartless or ignorant as everyone thinks.'

The two stood in silence, gaining some collective understanding of the situation.

"SHIPS AHOY! PORT SIDE!!"

All eyes turned to the port side and saw a ship of metal design heading their way. The size of the ship is massive, much more than the Super Phishanus class was. They suddenly saw Arde rushed to the ship's port side, his eyes wide in shock.

"T-That's the La Kasami!!" Arde shouted in shock.

"What's a Muan ship doing here?!"

"More importantly, how did they get past our sea without us knowing?!"

The nobles panicked for no reason; it irked Elt that these no-good bureaucrats could only escalate the fear and panic. Sure, if the Muans did get past the Parpaldian fleet unnoticed, someone in the navy was getting fired or put to court martial. If they had first contacted the Galactic Imperium, it would have been disastrous for the Empire. However, Elt had a nagging feeling that the ship was not what it was supposed to be.

"Admiral Arcaon. Tell the spotters to get a good look at the ship's flag standard!" Elt commanded.

"Y-yes, Madam Elt!"

Elt's orders were carried out. The spotters of the escort ships had their eyes on the "La Kasami", determining the flags they hoist.

"It's Qua-Toynian! The Qua-Toyne flag is hoisted!" The Sparrow shouted.

"Impossible!"

"How can a barbarian people have an iron ship like a La Kasami?!"

The nobles shouted in uproar, disbelieving the words shouted by the sparrow of the Dios. Truthfully, Elt didn't believe it too. Then she remembered an important fact: the Qua-Toynians are now effectively under the protection of the Galactic Imperium, which means they must've got such a ship from them.

"Sparrow! Are you certain that the ship hoisted a Qua-Toynian flag?" Remille asked.

"Indeed, my lady! I swear my life, I see the Qua-Toynian flag hoisted." The sparrow said. "Though, not just the Qua-Toynian flag too. There's another flag, one that I don't recognize. A gold shooting star with trails split in half, on a red field!"

"The Galactic Imperium flag." Remille mused. "It seems they are very generous to give those unruly savages an iron ship like the La Kasami. I bet it took them a while to teach those lowlifes how to operate the ship properly."

"Madam! They're hailing us through the Manacom!" The first officer shouted.

Elt and Remille rushed to the communication cabin, and the crew there stood up and saluted them as they arrived. Elt took over the mic of the Manacom, ready to speak to the hailing ship.

"Unidentified ships, this is Captain Dominic. Liaison Captain of the Galactic Imperium Navy to the Qua-Toynian Coast Guard ship, The Moizi." The iron ship hailed. "You are all trespassing the Galactic Imperium planetary boundaries of Rodenius Region. Identify yourself, or prepare to be destroyed."

"This is Elt Astfield, Director of the First Foreign Affairs of the Parpaldian Empire. We seek to make diplomatic relations with the Galactic Imperium." Elt explained. "We have no intention of harm, we come in peace. We seek only entry to Maihark to open diplomatic relations with the Galactic Imperium."

There was silence. Tension is rising for every second they do not receive an answer. With a ship that big, they would surely done for if they were attacked. And with a Liaison Officer of the Galactic Imperium Navy in control, this will not be some Qua-Toynian rabble.

".... Understood. In the next 25 miles, turn heading 60°. You will arrive at Maihark. We have notified the Governor and the Lieutenant General of your arrival."

"T-thank you. Elt out." She said as she cut the comms. "W-well. That was terrifying."

"A Galactic Imperium Navy officer in the ship. If it were some Qua-Toynian rabble leading the ship, I wouldn't be so anxious." Remille mused, trying to justify her anxiety. "As I said, these savages are useless without their savior."

"Well, I hope you can maintain your disdain to the minimum, lady Remille," Elt said. "Our behavior will no doubt be watched with scrutiny. Depending on how we behave, the Galactic Imperium would outright banish us before we have any conversation."

"Of course, I would do my utmost to keep my disdain for those Qua-Toynian lowlifes," Remille assured Elt. "Though, I don't know about the nobles here. We need to keep a tight leash on them so they won't jeopardize the whole thing."

Elt sighed because Remille had a point in that. The nobles needed to keep their insufferable ways in check, and it was a bit surprising to hear such a suggestion from one of the most unbearable women she had ever known.

"Indeed. I will talk to Arde about this. We need his help and soldiers to enforce this tight leash to keep them from lashing out at our future partner nation." Elt agreed.

Back at the deck, Elt began to converse with Arde about the need to keep the nobles on a tight leash. And without a doubt, Arde agreed that he and Lady Remille would be the leash of the nobles. And it didn't take long for the ships to finally turn their heading, as was directed by the La Kasami copy, the Moizi. A few hours later, they see Maihark in the Horizon. And they were baffled when they finally saw the coastal city up close.

Buildings rose high to the sky, some tall, some short, but it was clear most buildings were taller than any buildings in Eshtirant. To make matters even more baffling, the building seems to be metallic!

*WOOOOOOOOSSHHHH*

Suddenly, the ships were rocked by something flying so fast and so low to the vessels that the gust of wind it caused almost capsized the Dragon Carrier. Elt can hear the roar of the wyverns from the Dragon Carrier; understandably they were distressed by the sudden incident; who wouldn't be?

"LOOK! ABOVE US!"

They all looked at the sky and saw that the rumors were true. They had looked to the sky before they had laid their eyes on Maihark, in search of what the rumors said. It hadn't been there before; now, suddenly, it appeared before them. The colors of their faces fade to a whiter shade, their eyes wide and mouths left agape. They had hoped, with sheer fervor that the rumors weren't true, at least some of them. Especially the very thing they saw, they had hoped wasn't true. Yet, before their eyes, all of its glory.

The Floating Iron Fortress. At least, that is what was said by those before them. But, Parpaldian knew better.

"T-THAT'S A FREAKING FLYING IRON WARSHIP!!" Arde shouted, unable to maintain his composure out of fear and shock.

"N-NO WAY!!"

"T-THERE'S NO WAY A WARSHIP IS THAT SIZE!!!"

"A-Arde. A-are you sure that's a warship?" Remille inquired, with all hopes that Arde's claim is false.

"Lady Remille. That is, without a doubt, a warship! No matter how we look at it, it is a warship!" Arde exclaimed. "If a ship of La Kasami's caliber is enough to crush half of our fleet, imagine that caliber! No one in the world can beat that! I am willing to wager everything that I have to say the Mirishials can't do either!!"

Arde points to the flying warship, trying to explain to Remille that the ship is beyond their capabilities of counter, nor anyone's in the world for that matter. The size of that ship is something only gods can create, it was just massive! It was clear to even the most pompous, ignorant, and prideful of the nobles. Any conflict with the Galactic Imperium spells defeat.

*WOOOOOOOOSSHHHH*

The same gust of wind rocked them once more, only this time, it was much gentler than the first. They looked towards the sky once more, in another direction that is. They saw the infamous Iron Wyvern of the Galactic Imperium, flying at a speed not even their new breed of Wyvern Overlords could achieve! Not even the notorious Marin fighters could do so. The Iron Wyvern circled about the ships, it circled close enough to see that a rider was controlling it inside the Iron Wyvern! And to the shock of them all, at the last circle, the Iron Wyvern stopped! Hovering still to the shock of them all!

"N-NOT EVEN MU'S MARINS CAN DO THAT!!!" 

 "F-FORGET ABOUT MU'S MARINS! OUR WYVERNS CAN'T DO THAT! NOT EVEN THE MIRISHIALS OWN COULDN'T DO THAT! I-ITS A MONSTROSITY!!!"

"HOW?! HOW DO THESE PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE CIVILIZED AREAS CAN ACHIEVE MORE THAN US?!?!"

Remille saw the flying iron wyvern, hovering still in the sky above. Somehow, she can feel that the rider is mocking her. Her, and all of those in the ships. Yet, she can't do anything about it. She felt irritated, to feel so... inferior. By all accounts, the Parpaldian Empire's Wyvern Overlords could barely compete with the Marins, but this. This is something else. It made the Wyverns they brought along seem harmless. As if satisfied with ridiculing her and her entourage, the Iron Wyvern flew away to the horizon.

'Guess this is what others feel when they encounter us.' Remille mused, trying to make peace with the situation.

It didn't take them long to reach the docks. They were all surprised when they were about to dock, as they were assisted by small iron ships of their size. To add to the surprise, they aided by ramming gently! And it works! The iron ships helped cut down the docking process which could take hours at most, to half of that. Again, they were stumped to see how extensive and advanced the port of Maihark had become. The port itself was beyond Eshtirant's, comparable to Cartalpas's! As soon as they stepped out of the ships, they were duly surprised.

"T-the docks are made out of stone!"

"I-Incredible! Not even the Mirishials have docks made out of stone! I wonder how they did it?"

As much as the nobles wanted to ponder how they made stone docks, they weren't left much long to wonder. On their peripherals, they saw flying iron carriages come to them. All black, it appeared iron to them and looked very sleek and pleasing to the eye. The massive flying Iron Carriages are two in number but the size of a small house, and they all stopped just a good distance.

"M-Madam Elt. What should we do?" Asked a noble, clearly nervous.

"Stand ground, and do not provoke them in any way," Elt said. "We do not want any incident with them."

One of the Flying Iron Carriages opened its ramps, and two pairs of officials donning black suits approached them.

"You are the diplomatic entourage from the Parpaldian Empire, correct?" One of them asked.

"Yes. We are." Elt replied as she stepped forward to close the gap. "I am Elt Astfield. Director of the First Foreign Affairs Department. And overall leader of the diplomatic entourage."

The man nodded, acknowledging her status. 

"Greetings, Lady Elt. I am Owen Smith. Aide to the Governor of Falmarra Sector, her Excellency, Madam Governor Piña co Lada." The man said. "I am here to be your liaison for your entire stay at Falmart Sectio. Do you have any luggage that needs to be transported?"

"Y-yes! We have plenty. I-I do apologize, our luggage is many. Due to many of us being used to carrying a lot when we travel." Elt said, explaining their situation. "I-I do hope we aren't troubling you."

"W-Wait! I have a question." One of the nobles interjected. "You say you will be our liaison official for our entire stay at 'Falmart'? Is it? Is that what you call Rodenius?"

"No. Rodenius is Rodenius, but Falmart is another continent to the far east." The man named Owen said. "What I mean, is that we'll be taking all of you to Falmart via the Odessa-class Heavy Commercial Transport ships behind us. And by all, I mean all of you including the soldiers and the sailors. Your ship can be left as it is, our security measures will ensure that nothing within the ship is stolen."

The entourage was beyond surprised. They, riding on the flying Iron Carriages?! Many of them never even feel how it is riding a wyvern, and the Imperium is offering a ride on their Flying Iron Carriages, to another continent?!?! 

"I-I see! If it's not a hassle, we will be in your care." Elt replied, completely caught off guard.

"Good, then we will move your luggage to the ships," Owen said.

With a snap of his finger, out came iron golems heading towards them. They were many, in the many dozens. Elt and the rest freaked out to see such a thing that borderlines magic that not even the Mirishials could create. And to their surprise, these golems could easily carry many of their luggage to the Iron Carriages.

"Now, while we wait for the luggage to be loaded up, please follow me, everyone. We'll get you seated right away."

Owen led the group aboard one of the Odessa-Class and proceeded to give them a rundown of the ship. Its maximum capacity, its cruising speed, and how long does it take to manufacture one. Then, he proceeds to tell them the rundown of their schedule.

"...Pardon? How long did you say it'll take us to the next continent?" Arde asked.

"Hm? It's about an hour and a half or so." Owen replied.

"...And how far it is from Rodenius did you say it was?" Remille asked this time.

"About a few hundred nautical kilometers." Owen again replied. "While it is far by nautical sense, it is not when riding a starship, even transports like Odessa-class."

Baffled was an understatement for the Parpaldians. What made sense to the Imperium is beyond their understanding. But not willing to waste any more time, they boarded the "Odessa" ships as Owen led them. They were led to a section that seemed reserved for those of nobility, due to how it was more luxurious than the last sections, which was baffling since the other sections are also lavish. They were shocked when they were finally seated. The seats give more comfort than anything they can afford, softer than a pile of feathers. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Please fasten your seatbelt and remain seated until we enter the Mesosphere. The journey will last approximately an hour and a half, so please make yourself comfortable for the remainder of the trip." An announcement came from the mana-comms of the ship.

As soon as the announcement ends, more iron golems come out from small compartments; this time, it appears their role being servants of the ships. One approached Elt, who was unnerved by the iron golem.

"Madam, would you like me to help you fasten your seatbelt? If you allow me, of course."

The thing spoke and it surprised Elt. She didn't expect these Iron Golems to be so sentient; then again, this is the Imperium.

"O-of course. Please help me fasten my seatbelt." Accepting the offer of the iron golem.

The Iron Golem got even closer, intruding on her personal space. She tried to remain calm, which proved to be the sound choice as the golem took the belt-like ropes attached to her seat and buckled them around her waist.

"Your seatbelt is fastened, madam. If you like anything else, press the 'Service' button on the handrest of your seat."

Nodding understood, the golem moved away to the next, offering the same thing to the rest of her group. Once they all fastened to the seat, the ship began to shake momentarily. And then, they flew. Many of her colleagues were in shock, including herself.

Exclaims of disbelief and wonder filled the room as the ship gradually climbed higher and higher and higher. The vessels then flew at a speed they had never thought possible, as the sceneries they see were fleeting as the ships flew at an amazing speed.

Moments later, Elt was sitting in the iron carriages that didn't even touch the ground to move, sitting tiredly and exhausted. They hadn't met the Governor yet, but she was already exhausted! Although, one could understand why. When she and her group were flying high above, she expected to witness and experience the greatness she hadn't seen before. She did, but not in the caliber that she had expected. The moment they arrived at the airspace, she and her group were greeted by the sight of possibly, the greatest city she had ever seen. She had been in Runepolis before, yet she felt this outshines any city in the world! 

While the buildings in Maihark were taller than any buildings in Eshtirant, or any in the world, the buildings in Sadera were... breathtaking. A word that fits the bill. Sure, the city had tall buildings, but the aesthetics were beyond anything she had seen! The buildings came in all different shapes and sizes, not the usual rectangular! Some looked like tusks, some were more curvy in shape, and some even looked like antlers or some kind! It was so irregular in shape, yet so pleasing to the eye.

As if her astonishment wasn't enough, the moment they stepped foot on the ground, she was surprised to see the assortment of demihumans! She doesn't even know if they were demihumans or if they came from outer space, but one thing is certain. Look into a corner of a block, you will find hundreds of different creatures, and look into another, you will find a hundred other more! Many facilities facilitate the distinct physical features of hundreds of various beings, all carefully catered to their needs. Elt was astonished! They have difficulties facilitating their slaves to fulfill their basic needs and whatnot. And the Galactic Imperium manages to reduce even the most petty of needs! They say Runepolis is a melting pot of races and cultures. But after seeing the city of Sadera, Elt begged to differ. And she was glad that the man named Owen was giving them a quick tour of the city and the right to explore the "Sadera West Plaza", a large plaza on which their hotels were as well.

Seeing a city of this grandeur is supposed to make everyone happy and excited, including tourists too. She, too, was initially ecstatic. The city's wonders baffled and intrigued her, she was giddy every moment of it, eager to explore, and the feeling made her feel young once more. The feeling of not wanting to go takes root even deeper every minute she spends here. But unfortunately, some people had to spoil her fun. The nobles. Those rambunctious, pompous, self-centered, arrogant sons of bitches. They just had to ruin her fun, a feeling that she rarely experienced, destroyed by them. 

Openly voicing their distaste for demihumans, stating that to their face, insulting and stating that they are inferior to them as well. Demanding certain services was to make a priority for them, outright rude to waiters in plaza's restaurants, some even dared to speak on how to conquer this place! It took the combined effort of her, Arde, and Remille to contain the nobles, even Remille was at her wits end. She took control of the situation, and, being her usual self of intimidation and whatnot, she could reign them over. She was glad that Remille did it, otherwise, she would do so herself, consequences be damned. If it weren't for the Emperor's orders to let some nobles come along, she wouldn't have invited them in the first place. Gathering them all took some time, as long as a month, and that's just a portion.

She also sees the double meaning of the nobles being here. The nobles here are notoriously conservationists and warmongering, but even they can be persuaded to follow an ideal if one has the means to do so. Masking his intentions to their assignment as "representative of His Majesty", he needs to know which nobles can be persuaded, and which ones to get rid of, even though the nobles here are but a portion of the entire Nobility. In reality, the role of Imperial Representative would fall to Remille, she would be the figure in the stead of the Emperor's absence. That also gives probable cause should they misbehave, and that goes to everyone. After all, why else should Remille be here? And since many have misbehaved, the Emperor has probable cause to take action, curb their portion of their political powers, and usurp it into his sphere of influence. She was not explicitly nor directly briefed about the Emperor's intention, but it's easy to see if you're not one of these nobles. 

Their iron carriages stopped at the Palace, which to her surprise, was different than the rest of the city. This Palace complex architecture seemed different from the rest or maintained its originality. Despite that, the palace was much more lavish than their own, which is another fact many nobles had trouble accepting. It is in the palace that they see a glimpse of their military might. Soldiers wearing fully covered armor, like a knight would while wielding their version of muskets, yet somehow they seemed much more advanced than the ones they have. For one, their muskets seemed magical, as they glow with possibly mana contained inside. And she was perplexed as to how they could see movements, even though their faces were covered completely without a single slit or crack to see through the helmet they had. There's also a knight force standing their ground, although their equipment clearly showed that they are not just measle medieval knights.

Owen led them through the Palace complex, and many of them gawked at the scenery for which the Palace provided. Elt's attention turned to the servants there and saw yet again many demihumans and human servants. And different from the servants she had seen in many places, they seemed content and happy serving. Once again, it strengthens her understanding that the Galactic Imperium is a pragmatic state. A fact that is important, which means that the possibility for trade remains open for them, all it takes is comprehensive dialogue and understanding, a job that she will do her best. She just hoped that the nobles' stunt wouldn't be an obstacle that the Empire would be ill-afford to suffer.

••••••

"FINALLY!!! I GOT A FULL WEEKEND FOR MYSELF!!!"

Itami shouted at the top of his lungs, drawing the attention of the passers-by. How could he not? He had all the time for himself today and until the end of the weekend, not watching over the trio of girls he is used to babysit. Until the end of the week, he won't have to wake up with naked Rory in the morning, who always seemed to sneak in. He won't have his arm clung on by Tuka all the time, and he won't have to move Lelei every time she oversleeps in the weirdest places and positions of sleeping!

And it just happened to be his luck, there's an indie manga event in Akihabara. And in no way would he miss this event! He intends to make amends to himself for what happened in the past two manga events. And with no girls to oversee and babysit, he would be free to do whatever he wished!

'Please gods above, let me have this one event!' he prayed within his heart that the day would go as he wished. And with a confident stride, he marched inside the building.

"Eh?! Itami?!"

A feminine voice shocked him at first, and his shoulders tensed up. But within milliseconds, his brain registers the owner of the voice. He looked to the source and saw that it was none other than his wife. Well, ex-wife. But it is still dependent on his salary, which he doesn't mind.

"Oh, Risa!" He greeted, waving at her happily. "You're here for the event? You finished your newest edition?"

"Yeah, I did." She said. "Honestly, I rushed that edition, again." She laughed sheepishly.

"As usual of you, Risa." He laughed. "Say, let's get inside together. At least until we get to what we want."

"S-sure! Yeah, let's do that."

Both Itami and Risa walked together inside the event venue, and boy, was it different from the previous ones. For this event, they released indie mangas from the Imperium themselves! This was significant for indie manga enthusiasts like Itami and creators like Risa.

For Itami, this means a new kind of indie manga to explore. Considering that the Imperium has a massive manga market, a hundred times bigger than that of Earth's. There will be millions, if not billions of works for enthusiasts like Itami can enjoy.

And for Risa, this means much more for her. Especially for this event, as it is special for creators like her. Because this event is the result of cooperation between the Manga publishing companies of Earth and that of the Imperium. Which, Earth will now begin to introduce Imperium-made mangas. While usually, this will result in a market crash for Earth's side, the Imperium companies have leveraged to prioritize the sale and spread of Earth-made Mangas, as well as giving creators like Risa a chance to have her work flourish in the Imperium market, through competitions or scouting. And this event is just that, a scouting event as well. Risa is determined to do her very best, despite the outcome.

And because of that, the event was the largest in record history. People gathered around to purchase Imperium-made mangas, which thanks to the wisdom of the staff, occupied only 8 of the stands. And then, cosplayer communities also gathered around and showed off their best costumes, as there's also cosplayer competition with a hefty reward of ¥1,250,000 for first prize winner, ¥750,000 for runner up, and ¥520,000 for third place, all funded by the Manga Publishing companies of the Imperium.

"Whoa, this place is packed!"

Itami was shocked to see how packed the venue was, the place was filled to the brim by people visiting the event. There are even celebrities too! They kept on going, as Itami accompanied Risa to her booth, the televisions placed there, which were broadcasting adverts, suddenly interrupted.

"BREAKING NEWS." It was said on the TV, a sudden news broadcast.

"Good afternoon, we are sorry to interrupt your program for breaking news." The TV announcer said, which Itami recognized as Shino's sister, Nanami Kuribayashi. Her interview with Young Master Lucius had granted her the means to advance her career. Now, she is one of the newest members of the NHK roster.

"Earlier today, the Diet pushed on for another debate session to discuss the proposal for Mutual Cooperation and Security from the Galactic Imperium. As you all know, this proposal was submitted by the Ministry of Imperial Foreign Relations at the end of the Journey of Enlightenment, and since then, both our nation and the Galactic Imperium have been engaged in talks, legal reviews, and negotiations in record time of five months, a timeframe many consider to be controversial." Nanami began to report the news.

"The debate sessions have been pushed on for the last few weeks, as the Diet remained indecisive in determining the course the state must take. From the Diet, we have Honoka Shigekuni reporting live." Nanami's co-host, Shigeru Ishikawa said. "Good afternoon, Shigekuni-san. What's the situation in the Diet?"

The TV then showed a live broadcast from the Diet, during which Honoka was ready to answer all questions and report on everything happening on the site.

"Good afternoon to you as well, Kuribayashi-san, Ishikawa-san. The Diet is still in debate session; however, there have been confirmations that the session will soon transition into a vote of approval of ratification." Honoka said. "There are people gathered in front of the House, both in support and against the proposal of another Mutual Cooperation and Security. And the crowd is increasing by the hour. It is clear that we are all anxious to hear the decision made by the Diet."

"I can attest to that, Shigekuni-san. We are all anxious to hear about the decision made by the Diet." Nanami replied. "You said that there are people gathered in front of the House. Will there be potential for discord to happen there?"

"I think not, Kuribayashi-san. The people have been orderly, although the number of people gathered here has been surprising." Honoka answers. Metro Police have gathered numerous personnel to maintain order and peace. If it were to come to a discord, the police are already on the case, ready to disperse the crowd."

"I see. Have you interviewed both sides of their view on the proposal?" Shigeru asked.

"Unfortunately, I was not able to do so, Ishikawa-san. The police have been barricading us from the growing crowd, as they feared that if the situation should go south, many of the reporters, including myself could get hurt in the clash." Honoka replied. "However, it appears the general views remained. Those who support it are hoping for the government to accept the treaty, hoping for further development from the Imperium to enhance Japanese lives. As for the ones who are against the treaty, they view this as a move to jeopardize Japanese sovereignty. The sentiment was further strengthened with many viewing the unnatural speed of the process of the treaty to be controversial."

As the news continued covering the current events, Itami and Risa continued to the deeper part of the event. However, both couldn't help but think about the recent news—especially the off-duty JSDF soldier. Itami couldn't help but grimace, his eyes were empty and unfocused, and his experience in the past year was not great. Well, at least to his morality. 

He had seen it all, especially the "Rape of Falmart". Yes, that is what the soldiers in the base called it. And rightfully so. The whole ordeal was sickening to him, and to many of his comrades as well. Even the ever-stoic General Hazama was disgusted, and the event shed a new layer and view of the Imperials, especially to Piña, and the CERBERUS. He remembered it as clear as day, as if it just happened yesterday. He was there with his usual unit, the entire 3rd Recon Unit, assigned for a mission attached to the 1056th Shock Battalion of the 501st Assault Legion, under the command of Captain Damian Parker. In solidarity, the JSDF collaborated with the Militarum to deal with the belligerent nations on Falmart. 

He was there with his unit to assist the 1056th to pacify the Kriseland, east of the Fields of Ancient Wonders. In this land, the "barbarian" tribes have allied into a single confederation and allied themselves with the Great Coalition. His unit, a part of the small JSDF battalion attached to the 10th Division of the 501st, was deployed to pacify the outlying tribes and cut off any means of support from other coalition nations. He remembered that he and the battalion had arrived at the outskirts of a large town, everything that happened there, what those Cerberus soldiers did, and what he had tried to stop but failed to do. He was forced to accept this reality.

"-tami. Itami!"

Risa's voice brought him back from his thoughts, while Risa looked at him with worry. What she saw in her ex-husband now, was something she dreaded to see when she was still her wife, even until now. She was shocked to see Itami with a haunting, vacant expression, where he appeared to be looking through rather than at something, as though his gaze was fixed on a distant, unseen horizon. His eyes were vacant, he seemed detached from everything around him, and only blank on his face.

"Itami! Are you okay?" Risa asked concern hanging clearly in her tone.

"Y-yeah. I'm fine. It's nothing... really!" Itami said, trying to brush it off.

"Don't treat me as a fool, Itami Youji! I know there's something wrong with you." She remarked, calling out Itami's attempt. "I've been your wife for years, Itami. I know if something is wrong with you."

"It's fine! I'm fine!" Itami replied, insisting that he was alright. "It's nothing! I am A-O-K!"

Risa however, pouted and placed her hands on her hip. "Don't give me that bullshit, Itami. You can still confide with me even if we're not together."

Itami looked at her and saw her determined and caring eyes of hers. Although they have been separated, Risa still holds on to the feelings they have that have developed over the years. He felt pathetic, to have her worry for him. Like it was before when they split, she worries for him. 

"It's alright, truly I am fine," Itami said. "Though, I'm flattered that you cared so much for me. Thanks, Risa."

The smile on Itami's face lightened Risa's own, as she reciprocated and smiled as wide as she could. "Well, someone has to look over you. Your laziness knows no bounds, as your ex, I know."

"Look who's talking. I specifically remember the many times you needed my help in finishing your manga." Itami retorted playfully. "Not to mention the many times you forgot to do laundry, cook dinner, wash the dishes-"

"OKAY OKAY!" Risa interjected, red was her face embarrassed. "Geez, I tried to do better, okay! You don't have to call me out like that! Besides, you're no better either!"

"... touché." 

There was a small silence between them. It then escalates to full-out laughter between the two. So much so that it draws the attention of passer-byes and other eventgoers as well. As the laughter died out, Risa smiled at the man beside him.

"Putting aside all that, I am glad that you're alright. Only gods know that someone has to keep an eye on you, as much as someone needed to keep an eye on me." She said. "Just... don't overdo it, okay? If you need someone to talk to, remember I'll always be here for you."

The look on Risa's face caught Itami off guard, completely. The soft gaze of her hazel eyes, the warm, ever-rosing cheeks, the gentle smile that accentuates the softness of her cheek. Itami didn't know that he held his breath, warmness creeping up his face, he could feel his heart beating faster than before.

'Damn this woman...' He cursed internally.

"Y-yeah, don't worry. I'll be fine. And thanks." He said, trying to look away.

While he was busy keeping himself calm, Risa's smile widened. Unbeknownst to Itami, Risa's heart too was racing. That face, that look on his face. For Risa, it was that look she missed seeing on his face. 'I wonder if we can...'

"This just in! The Diet has voted on the matters of the proposal of Mutual Cooperation and Security from the Galactic Imperium. The results are in!" Honoka reported. "Voted for the treaty by the Shūgiin(Lower House); 326 Votes in favor, with 139 against. Voted for the treaty by the Sangiin(Upper House); 146 votes in favor, with 102 against. Here is the demographic!"

The news channel then brought up the chart of the seats, showing the demographics of the votes.

"With the Lower House 326 votes in favor and 139 against, which brings us to the percentage of 70.1% in favor and 29.9% against. The Upper House 146 votes in favor and 102 against, which brings us to 58.9% in favor and 41.1% against." Honoka continues to report. "With total seats of 713 seats, the seats in favor are about 472 seats with a percentage of 66.2%, and the seats against are about 241 seats with a percentage of 33.8%. With that result, the treaty was successfully passed and approved by the Diet. You can hear the people's dynamic reaction behind me, Kuribayashi-san! Ishikawa-san!"

"Yes, we can see the effects of the results clearly behind you. Rather lively, don't you think, Shigekuni-san?"

"Indeed, Ishikawa-san. However, tensions have risen as supporters against the treaty are getting riled up by the celebration made by the supporters of the treaty." Honoka reported once more. "I was just given gestures by the metro police behind my camera operator to move away from the crowd, I think this will be the end of the report, as the situation grows tense. Back to you, studio!"

"Right, thank you again, Shigekuni-san and crew on the spot. We hope that you and the crew there are safe and sound." Nanami took reign of the broadcast. "Hence will be our broadcast of the breaking news report. In conclusion, with the ratification of the treaty, things will change for Japan, and we at NHK Media can only hope for the best outcomes from this treaty. I am Kuribayashi Nanami."

"And I am Ishikawa Shigeru."

"Good afternoon, and we'll see you again soon." 

The broadcast ended as the TV channel resumed the previous program, but the effect of the broadcast remained lingering in the audience. Itami observed the many murmurs and chatter in the crowd, conversing about the newly ratified defense treaty with the Galactic Imperium. But there is one thing that is certain for all, Itami and Risa included. Their lives in Japan will soon change. Maybe not instantly, but they all recognize the weight of the treaty. If one treaty passes, the next could be too. And all wondered about the prospect of the treaty; Will their way of life change drastically, or would they still be able to recognize what values they treasure that made them Japanese? Only time will tell.