Year 149 of the 7thAge (2175)
Oslamth

"In times like this also grows the need for caution and wisdom."

That quote kept running through Ingstar's mind as he stared at the training field.

He heard his son Nybray asking: "What are they doing?"

It was his oldest son, Thunrol, who answered. "They're training."

"For what?"

Ingstar turned and answered this time. "They're learning how to protect out world."

Not long after the Tkarites had encountered the Federation, Nlia had had its first encounter with a Federation
member: the Tellerites. As well as being founding members of the Federation, the Tellerites had a long history
of seeking out trade deals with other species. When they had first learned of the various species of the Norayis Sector,
all of which were highly commercial people and heavily promoted trade, they had been eager to make contact.
And so in little more than a year after the Tkarites had encountered the Starfleet vessel USS Spatial, the Tellerite
trade ship Rovka had approached Nlian space.

Many had been shocked by the Tellarites' love of arguing and insulting, but despite this a bond had quickly formed,
not just over trade, but both races' mutual interest and skills in mining and engineering. Tellarites freighters and trade
ships were now constant visitors to the Nlian system, particularly on Icar, where such skills were invaluable to
the mining and refinery installations there. Two other new species had also begun regular commerce with the Nlians:
the Rigelians and the Andorians.

For many this had been an exciting time. Nlia was making new friends and becoming more and more a part
of the larger universe.

Others however had seen darker aspects.

Since the Time Before, Nlia had been a peaceful world and every Nlian was taught to regard every other Nlian
as a brother or sister. Cooperation and sharing were the fundamental cornerstones of society and every effort
was made to settle disputes peacefully. Of course it had not been perfect; throughout their history there had
been occasional conflicts and even infamous Times of Tears, when the blood of Nlians was shed by Nlians.

For thousands of years the city states of Nlia were completely autonomous, but then that had started to change.
Before there had been constant trade between the states, but then they became increasingly unified and
formed permanent alliances, beginning the 5th Age, the Age of Nations.

First the cities of the Northern Land had formed the Northern League. Then the Eastern Land had formed
the Eastern Alliance and finally the Western Land had formed the Western Union. Where once there had
been hundreds of independent city states, there were now three powerful nations.

During this time Nlia had gone through an artistic and cultural renaissance. The Industrial Age had begun and
technology had gone through countless advances. It had been a time of great optimism, confidence and excitement.

There were voices however that constantly urged caution. One of which had been Van Senemo, one of Nlia's
highly esteemed scholars.

"This is a time of both growth and power for our people. In times like this also grows the need for caution and wisdom.
Because when one has power one can do both great good and great harm."

And Nlia was becoming more powerful in many ways. Steam engines, electricity and air travel had been
developed, as well as radio and visual broadcasting. Improvements had been made in explosives and
incendiary devices. The most powerful of which was the large scale explosive Green Fire. It was powerful
enough to blast a hole through an entire mountain range and many saw the potential for it as a source of power.

Senemo however, had feared that it might be used for something else.

An ardent student of history he had done an intense study of the Times of Tears and in his studies he had noticed
a grim fact: more Nlians had died in each successive 'Time of Tears'. The previous conflicts had been between
individuals, then tribes, then towns and then finally city-states.

What if at some point an entire nation fought against another?

Nlia was becoming ever more advanced technologically. The Green Fire, in fact, had been discovered
only two years after the Western Union formed. Other powerful and potentially dangerous things would,
no doubt, be discovered in the future. What if at some point they were used to harm instead of help?
What if they were used not against rocks or mountains but other Nlians?

Another Time of Tears could result in the shedding of more tears then had ever before been shed.

In the year 712 of the 5th Age, Senemo had put together the League of Peace, an organization of ambassadors,
diplomats, thinkers and politicians and for centuries the League had served to foster peace and cooperation
among the three nations.

Their greatest task had been during the Trade Sea Dispute in the year 1148 of the 5th Age, when tensions
had arisen between the Western Union and the Eastern Alliance over commercial passage of the Trade Sea.
At the lowest point there had been an embargo between both nations, causing an economic down turn,
which had greatly increased frictions. The League had been a major force in maintaining peace and keeping
communications open between both sides until an accord was finally reached.

Nlia had rejoiced. They had maintained peace among themselves had learned to use their power wisely.

And then they had discovered that there were others far more powerful and not as peaceful.

In the year 594 of the 6th Age, Nlia's first warp capable vessel, the Silvenyo had been launched to explore
the Norayis System. It had encountered the Tkarite ship Vosita and while the meeting had been peaceful,
all one would have needed to do was look at their ships to know who would have had the advantage
if the encounter had been hostile.

The Silvenyo was only 55 meters in length while was Vosita was 120. The Silvenyo had no weapons of any kind,
save for deflectors as protection against space debris. The Vosita had laser and particle weapons, as well as
photonic torpedos. The Nlians always greeted with open hand and open heart, while the Tkarites followed
the Way of Sharpness and the Way of the Cunning.

The Nlians had learned that not all races were gentle. And hadn't been the only lesson they had learned
as the Age that followed.

Through their contact with the Tkarites they had learned of the C'Tekians and later the Rylarin. And they had
learned that there were species out there with crushing coils, poisonous fangs and deadly talons.

Then the Tkarites had encountered the Federation and suddenly the Nlians had become aware of the broader universe.
They had studied the histories of the member races of the Federation: the Humans, Andorians, Tellarites, Vulcans
and Alpha Centurians. They had studied them and in the process learned of something far more horrifying than
the Times of Tears. Something called war.

Many of the Federation worlds had seen wars that had caused more deaths than all the Times of Tears combined.
Times when nations, even entire worlds had fought each other. Many Nlians who had studied those histories called
them the Times of Blood.

Ingstar had shuddered with horror the first time he had read through a Human history book. Senemo had been far
wiser than he could have imagined of the dangers of conflict among peoples. Nlia's worse Time of Tears had resulted
in forty eight deaths. What would he have thought of a conflict that resulted in the deaths of millions?

Earth's most devastating war, World War III, had resulted in six hundred million deaths. That was more than
the entire population of Nlia. If such a conflict had occurred on Nlia there wouldn't have been anyone left
to shed tears.

Some voices had said that Nlia shouldn't have anything to do with such violent people. But once knowledge
had been gained it couldn't simply be ignored and Nlia couldn't pretend that the outside universe didn't exist.
And despite their horrific pasts, the members of the Federation, for the most part, had risen above them and
now lived in peaceful accord with themselves and each other.

There were others however that didn't.

The Nlians had becomes aware of hostile species: the Orion Syndicate, the Romulans and the Klingons.
Species that exploited and conquered others. Species that would do the same to Nlia if they could.

Nlia's population was small compared to many worlds. Their world had a population of five hundred million,
but many other worlds had populations of billions. And many of those worlds had powerful armies, warships
and deadly weapons. Nlia had a Planetary Security Force responsible for maintaining of law and order,
but they would be no match against an attack from space.

Concern, discussion and debate had filled the Senate. In the end they had heeded the advice of their wily
Tkarite neighbors: "If you don't learn how to use a blade, sooner or later one will be used against you.
To not be prepared is to commit suicide."

The Senate had reluctantly decided that if their people were to remain safe they would have to create
something that their world had never before seen…an armed forces.

Two years before the Nlian Defense Ministry had been formed, charged with the protection of the Nlian System.
They were currently putting together the Defense Force which was comprised of two parts: the Defense Fleet,
a tiny space military and the Ground Defense, a small force of ground troops.

Ingstar had arrived in Oslamth a few days ago, accompanied by his family. He had conducted several interviews
and had visited the Nlian shipyards were he had seen some of the Defense ships being built. He knew that more
were being built in Nlia's orbital shipyards, as well as on Icar.

He was now visiting one of the training camps were members of the Defense Force were being trained.
He knew that altogether there were about thousand recruits. Most of them had come from the Security Force.
Some were from the Rangers, peacekeepers in the isolated rural regions of the Northern Land.
Others were shepherds or herdsmen from nomadic tribes who had spent a lifetime protecting their flocks
and herds from predators and were now learning to defend their people. Still others had come from
the International Space Exploration Center; scientists, engineers and medics were vital.

He noticed the non Nlian instructors moving among them. Nlians had no experience in warfare,
so they had asked both Tkara and Andoria for assistance. Both had agreed and sent instructors.
The Tkarites had sent members of the Karee, the deadly warriors in change of Tkara's military.
They focused on training the recruits in physical conditioning, stealth, hand to hand and bladed combat.

The Andorians had sent members of their Imperial Guard. They focused on training in weapons, tactics
and ship to ship combat. Most of their instruction would take place in flight simulators or in space.

Ingstar focused his attention back on his sons. At five Nybray was a quiet, rather shy child, but extremely
bright and with a deep love for music. At ten Thunrol possessed his mother's iron will and both his parents'
intense focus. In fact, Ingstar felt that he was a little too focused at times; he was virtually humorless
and often intimidating towards his sensitive younger brother. He possessed a brilliant mind however,
and had inherited both his father's love for history and his mother love of mathematics. As well as researching
he also enjoyed speaking and Ingstar could picture him becoming a great lecturer someday.

"Why do they need to protect our world?" Nybray asked.

How to explain something like this to a child?

Ingstar knelt down in front of him. "Because there are some people who might try to hurt it and our people,"
he said gently. "Shepherds often have to protect their flocks from danger. The people training out there
are going to protect all of us."

He took his son's hand and straightened up, his attention once again drawn to the training grounds.

"Life is full of turning points," he said to both his sons. "This is a time of change for our people.
In times like this also grows the need for caution and wisdom."