Dominion Summons

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Starcraft, Gate: Thus the JSDF Fought There, or Summon Japan as they are the properties of Blizzard, Takumi Yanai, and Minoro in relation to their intellectual property.

"Talking"

Thoughts

Ch. 4

~ Idunn ~

Ghost agents were still collecting information. But enough was put together to create a comprehensible picture.

After being routed at Gim, Louria was reorganizing their forces while trying to understand what had happened. The fall of Gim was supposedly assured based on the size of their invading force.

But due to the intervention of the recon team, it left Louria confused since the recon team were composed of demi-humans. This in turn led to a misunderstanding that Qua-Toyne was in truth hiding its true strength and were in fact more magically advanced then they were aware of. It was discussed if they should allow this misunderstanding to continue as there were advantages for the Dominion to keep it. But it was best to dispel such things as not to create an issue for their trade partners.

Nonetheless it did not dissuade Louria as they were still adamant in conquering the continent.

Though at the very least it bought the Dominion time to build. Based on estimation of Louria's capabilities and continued observation, it gave them roughly a week before they'd even consider attacking again.

A week for most civilizations would not be much time. But for the Dominion, it was more then adequate in getting their processing plants and metal working factory's up and running.

With nanobot-fabricators working night and day, SCV operators for heavy loading, and construction crews on around the clock shifts, mining was now underway.

Developing Qua-Toyne's infrastructure was operating at minimal capacity for the time being. Right now, weapons and equipment were their top priority. What they needed to focus on was getting as much minerals, ores, and crude oil they can mine within a week as that was currently the limiting factor in building anything. With Idunn's concentrated effort, Quila kingdom was practically transformed overnight into a bustling place.

The beast men who lived there were awestruck at such developments at how much their home had transformed as material, equipment, and people were brought in to work.

Within the same week, the Dominion made job posts with any hands that were available including perks to lure in potential applicants. With the situation in Quila kingdom, the mining work received a massive boost from the natives as they were taught how to operate heavy equipment.

Raw materials were then refined before transport back to Idunn as their recently built factory's could start producing what they needed.

Based on the time frame they were working with, quality was not up to modern Dominion standards. Other facilities were required for further refinement or specific technology was lacking to make certain things work. So for the time being they would have to settle for quantity.

Hence simple munitions unlike their usual anti-matter warheads, gravity shells, and some 'smart' technology just to name a few. Based on the estimated production amount, they'd have enough for short term battles. However it was ill advised for a long term ongoing war depending on how much they use during each engagement.

So if Louria insisted on war then they would need to be brutally efficient in order to conserve on resources as they continued to build.

As this was happening, Bozes was discussing with the general staff in how to approach Louria. For the governess was committed to defending the innocent demi-humans on the continent if push came to shove. However she hoped to deescalate the situation.

Peace with them was improbable if not outright impossible considering their nations policy. So it was probably better to aim for an armistice. It wasn't ideal. But at least it would keep the peace for a time and allow them to build up their strength without other distractions.

Thus the general staff offered their ideas.

"How about a show of sincerity? Some sort of gift to get them to listen?"

"Won't work. It will only embolden them thinking it's a sign of weakness".

"We should strengthen the borders! Dissuade them from attacking!"

"That would be counter intuitive since they are too primitive in understanding our technology which will cause casualties on their side which will only rile them up".

As the discussion continued, they formed the basis of a plan. A show of strength but not a threat to force Louria to stand down. Keep the message as simple as possible to avoid any kind of misunderstandings as it was in their best interest to choose an armistice.

Sending a messenger through Qua-Toyne, Louria agreed to a meeting.

But the question now was, who were they going to send?

Since it involved Qua-Toyne and Quila, it seemed obvious they would need to be present. "That won't be necessary" Diabo interceded. "Leave this matter to me. I'll gather the necessary personnel. Once the date has been settled, we will immediately set off. Besides there is no real reason to involve them in the meeting since who they are really negotiating with is us".

~ Rodenius continent ~ (appointed time)

The meeting was to be along the border as it was the only neutral territory. There was too much distrust on both sides to be hosting the meeting in either country. Though it was tradition and etiquette to 'not kill the messenger', neither side could fully agree on several factors with the setting and who could be brought along.

Hence a large tent was set up on an open plain as both sides would have their representing diplomats with a certain number of soldiers to act as security.

On the way there, Doug has been going over his notes with all the information concerning all parties involved. Also taking priority over what the Dominion is willing and unwillingly to concede to in order to have Louria agree to an armistice.

However the young volraden couldn't understand what Diabo was thinking.

For the former prince was his mentor as he taught him the ropes on diplomacy, strategy, and reading people. Under his tutelage, he had successfully negotiated a few beneficial deals for Falmart.

But with the meeting about to take place, with what was brought with them, he couldn't help but question 'why?'.

Initially they took a ship there. But for the last part they were to make the rest of the journey by carriage that they borrowed from Qua-Toyne.

Diabo also requested Qua-Toyne to lend some of their soldiers to act as their guards which seemed unnecessary. More so they had some ghost agents attend under cloak not only for the sake of guard duty but also as a support to the negotiators to better know what the opposition was thinking.

But the strangest part was that Diabo will not be actively partaking in the talks. Though it wasn't that strange since it was one of his training methods by throwing people into the deep end to see how they do under pressure. If things get bad is when he will take over. However everyone present was highly experienced when it came to negotiation. Yet Doug couldn't quite shake his bad feeling that something was amiss as he learned on the job to trust his canine instincts when something didn't feel right. But there was no turning back now as Diabo specifically requested that he would be the main mediator in the talks.

Usually he'd be up for the challenge. However he couldn't quite shake that nagging feeling in the back of his head.

With all parties present, both sides entered the tent as everyone took their assigned positions.

" Ugh, this is already starting off on a bad foot". Doug didn't need a telepath to know the opposition had a problem with him being a demi-human. Didn't even need his ears and nose to notice the subtle shift in their behavior. Though they tried to mask their feelings, their eyes easily gave away their initial thoughts. Trying to lighten the mood, "greetings to you all. I am Doug Lyall. I hope that we may have a fruitful discussion and come to amicable terms that will be beneficial to us all".

Whispers among the delegates were then made.

" Definitely an uphill battle" Doug internally sighed as they weren't speaking low enough as he heard their derisive comments towards him. Disregarding that, "so allow us to introduce ourselves properly. I am from Idunn which is part of the Terran Dominion. We have recently been brought to this world as we've been adapting to our current situation. Now it is the policy of the Dominion to try and settle all conflicts as peacefully as possible as we do not wish for any further escalation. As of recently, we have signed an alliance with the Qua-Toyne principality and the Quila kingdom as they are considered friends to our nation. Hence we are here at their behest to come to a reasonable solution. Thus it would be in the best interest of all parties to end this as peacefully as possible".

" Hmm, another barbaric nation".

" Why must we waist our time with these filthy beasts?"

" The talk of weakness. It will be easy to take them for everything they have".

Doug resisted the urge to roll his eyes as the ghost agent relayed what the opposition was thinking. " Alright, let's do this" as they dived right in.

Though needless to say, the young volraden was growing increasingly irritated. Louria's diplomats were making absurd and outrageous demands ranging from a complete surrender to giving up land and paying out resources that neither country could ever hope to cover.

As much as Doug tried to get them to see reason, they would then respond with rude comments, grand standing, and whatever other arrogant nonsense decided to leave their mouths.

This was highly unprofessional.

But as the ghost agent continued to relay their thoughts, Doug felt more dishearten. Although they were aware of their loss at Gim they only saw it as a minor set back as these talks were more for stalling for time till Louria's forces were fully prepared for another invasion.

Based on their rough estimates of what they lost, they should've been reconsidering. However their confidence was not necessarily rooted in their own capabilities but that of a stronger nation that was supporting them.

" Parpaldia . . . ."

The Dominion still haven't finished their data collection due to the lack of man power and resources. But from a rough look, they were by Terran standards around late 18th century to early 19th century in terms of their culture and technological ability. They were assisting Louria in conquering the Rodenius continent as they would serve as their proxy in ruling the land.

Thus they been assisting in developing their military power. Just enough for them to be stronger then their contemporary but never to the point that they would be a threat to them to which was why Louria was not supplied with any fire arms technology.

But he wasn't sure if Louria was fully aware of fire arms technology and might have mistaken their recon teams abilities as some kind of 'magic'. Wracking his brain, it's probably why they were still so confident believing they could overwhelm them with numbers.

Wanting to clarify this matter as Doug opened his mouth, "so it's war then" Diabo interrupted. Doug was stunned. He wanted to convey his last thought in order to avoid unnecessary losses. However he couldn't stop his mentor as he continued. "For reference, this entire meeting has been recorded for posterity reasons. So to be clear on this matter, you the kingdom of Louria has clearly and openly chosen to wage war against the Dominion who is acting in defense of the Qua-Toyne principality and Quila kingdom. Also to be clear, we have made all reasonable attempts to dissuade you from this action".

Not seeming the least bit amused, "If you choose to protect those filthy beasts then you shall be swept aside along with them".

Giving a subtle grin, "then I suppose there is nothing left to say. Just remember, we gave you your chance".

Reaching an impasse, the meeting was adjourned as both parties left.

The Dominion's delegation was not happy about the events. But all they could do now was file their reports for the official record as their military and higher officials would take over now.

~ Idunn ~

"You got something to say?" questioned Diabo as Doug was trailing behind him along a hallway. "If you've got something to say then say it".

Unable to contain himself, the young volraden grabbed his mentor before slamming him against the wall as he got right up into his face baring his fangs at how angry he was.

Though the situation seemed dangerous, Diabo was unfazed as he just stood there and took it.

"You sabotaged the talks, didn't you?!"

"Oh? What makes you think that?"

Doug had been thinking non-stop about what he could've done to deescalate the conflict. No matter what he thought he kept hitting a dead end as there was no changing Louria's mind. But that's when he realized that his hand was stacked against him on purpose.

Arriving by wagon instead of ship.

Not showing up with their own soldiers.

The delegation specifically him being chosen even though they knew the opposition couldn't control their distaste for demi-humans.

"You want this war to happen!"

"Good to see I taught you well if you figured things out this far".

"Why?!" Doug then demanded. "Why would you force the Dominion into this war?"

Diabo then shrugged, "war? I'd hardly call it a war as it's more pest control at this point" he answered almost indifferently.

"Do you understand what you're saying?! You're talking about killing hundreds if not thousands of people! People just following orders! They should not have to pay the price for their rotten leaders!"

"Of course I do. Louria would have just kept talking in circles irregardless of what was said or done. War with them was inevitable as the armistice would not have lasted. All I did was just speed things up as the Dominion now has justification for what's about to happen".

"Why would you do this?! Why would you deny them the chance to choose peace?!"

Diabo expression for that brief moment looked solemn as he looked down in contemplation before looking back at Doug. ". . . . Because we used to be just like them".

". . . . What?" Doug responded releasing his mentor as Diabo straightened out his ruffled cloths.

Giving a moment of silence to calm their nerves, "are you aware of Falmart's history?"

" . . . . Yes".

"We were truly foolish back then. Blinded by our greed and lust for power we didn't care who got in our way as we killed, pillaged, and enslaved everyone as Sadera spread throughout the continent like a plague. That's when we encountered the Dominion as they dealt us a painful defeat forcing us to humble ourselves. However you know that the story doesn't end there".

". . . . Zorzal . . . . Your brother".

"Yeah . . . . Even now he still stands as a living rotting scarecrow as a testament to our hubris and arrogance. The Dominion had offered him peace time and time again only to spit in their face. What did he have to show for his defiance? Ended up destroying a good chunk of the continent leading to a lot of pointless death. Louria's rulers are too much like my brother. So to avoid anymore unnecessary losses, it really had to be this way. Of course there were other ways to have handle this matter. Hell, we could've sent our ghost agents to walk right in and take out their entire chain of command over a single night. But ultimately it would've only been a short term solution. It's only through the bitter consequences of war that we can snap them out of their delusions of grandeur. It is only then will they be willing to change for the better".

Doug felt angry about the situation. As much as he wanted to deny it, war was inevitable. However he could not accept it as they were supposed to be better then this. But Diabo then placed his hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

"You're a good at your job as there is no denying it. So take this as a learning experience. Now go take some time off. It's out of our hands now".

~ Idunn ~

Diabo had returned to his home. There waiting for him was his wife Panache and their son Albus.

After having dinner and some family time, the couple tucked their son into bed before settling themselves in for the night.

Panache had just gotten out of the bath to find her husband sitting at the edge of their bed. Taking a seat next to him, she soon found herself embraced by him. Slightly taken aback, she returned his gesture as she was aware of how frisky he liked to be.

But it never came.

Diabo continued to hold her as he seemed deep in thought.

It didn't take long for her to understand he was feeling troubled about something. They spent decades with each other with plenty of ups and downs. During those time she was aware of the kind of man he was as he would sometimes have his head in the clouds while his feet weren't firmly on the ground.

This caused him to overthink and make rash decisions.

Thus she was his anchor allowing him to chase his ambitions but enough to steer him away from destructive consequences.

Finding balance and harmony, they've lived a full filling life for the last forty years. When her husband did this, he wanted to get something off his chest. "So what's on your mind?"

". . . . I think I might have made a mistake" as Diabo confessed everything he did. "But was a I truly wrong? My logic is sound as this is the most efficient outcome that would be the best course of action for everyone. Bozes would have stubbornly chosen to be defensive instead of doing what was necessary in cutting off the head of the snake. But . . . ."

Panache gave a somber look as she pulled back while holding her husband's face. "You're still crass as ever. But you're not becoming like your brother. Yes, you're definitely going to get a tongue lashing by Bozes and others in the general staff for forcing their hand. However in the letter versus the spirit of it, you didn't act against their orders. Furthermore your decision was not based on personal greed or maliciousness. But I can say for certain you've become a better man. Not just for me, but also for our son".

Like all Falmartians of the old generation, with the uplifting of their civilization they had a lot of time to reflect on their lives. In his younger years, all he ever did was make self-fish decisions. However it was to be expected when it came to the Saderan throne as you never knew who you could trust as anything unpleasant could jump out of the shadows of the palace. Thus it was second nature that he prioritized his well being above all others. But when Falmart was annexed by the Dominion, he now needed to rethink his entire life which was difficult considering how he grew up. If left to his own devices he would have most certainly have suffered a tragic end.

But working under his sister Pina and her rose order of knights it gave him structure, focus, and purpose.

Squeezing his wife's hand, he was especially thankful to Panache for enduring him for as long as she had.

Taking Diabo back into her arms, "rest now. There will be much to do tomorrow".

~ Idunn ~

As the leader of the gardenia order expected, Diabo was berated for his decision on how he handled the talks with Louria.

But having tempered his ego long ago, Diabo accepted the consequences of his actions as he accepted whatever penalty they wished to punish him with.

Although upset, he was let off for now as he had a point. They were just delaying the inevitable as they would come to blows with them sooner or later. It was just a matter of when.

With the recordings of the meeting made with the details that accompanied them, it gave them the justification of self-defense. If this was the old Falmart, the higher echelon would not have really cared as they would have ordered everyone to fight for whatever reason they wanted them too. But as they learned, power without ideals is nothing more then violence. Hence they learned the lesson of hearts and minds. With the support of the people, that's where their true strength came from.

Up till now, the citizens of Idunn were only vaguely aware of the situation they were in. For their government didn't want to go into any specifics without fully understanding the situation first. They certainly didn't want to give anyone any reason to panic.

If they were to mobilize their military, there were going to be a lot of questions. Thus they reported on the current situation only leaving out what they were uncertain of for the time being.

Telling the story about the ruthless attack by Louria on Qua-Toyne, it lit a fire in a lot of the old generation of Falmartians. Especially it's demi-human population. Somewhat expected, the war with Louria had high support as quite a number of them were enlisting or reenlisting.

Just as the Dominion did for them all those years ago they too will fight in the name of justice.

To be continued . . . .

Author's notes: This would be the calm before the storm. Now onto some commentary.

Just to reiterate, Idunn was a research world. They didn't have any facilities for building technology or weapons let alone any workers that had the skills for it. Most of the staff and resources were focused on building the gate. Yes there were other research projects being done there, but it was quite a small number. Thus they needed to build up to it. It's one thing to build the equipment and factories for it. But skilled workers was another thing entirely. So they couldn't recklessly partake in a war without a functioning logistics. If they used up their ammunition that would've been a big problem if they encountered something worse on Elysia. As noted above, for the time being they only have access to simple munitions till they can properly build into it. So some of their fancier stuff will have to wait. But against their current opponents they are still plenty powerful.

Doug is one of my original characters from the previous story. He is a volraden or more commonly known as a werewolf. Aside from his appearance, I based his characterization around the character Daniel Jackson from the show Stargate SG-1. Highly cultured, well read, mild mannered, and tries to solve problems through diplomacy rather then violence. But he isn't afraid to throw down when necessary. With his canine senses and instincts, it gives him some advantages in reading his opponent to come up with a better deal. But like the character I based him on, he will always aim to create a fair deal for all parties involved.

Diabo was a bit of a tricky character to write for. Considering his background, he really was a self-serving jerk. But it couldn't be helped considering his situation. I learned through other stories that he actually had a brother named Kati. It's not clear if they were related or not. However he had a real shot at the throne as he was not only smart but ambitious as well. Needless to say he was killed by Molt since he posed a threat to him. So it's not unreasonable to see why Diabo grew to be so messed up. Zorzal only served to be a useful idiot while it was a miracle that Pina was pretty normal. So I figured after all this time with Panache with him he'd change as a character for the better. He'd still have his sharp edge from his childhood. But learned to think for the betterment of all. Especially for the sake of his wife and son.

I didn't address this before so I addressed it here. Citizen morale was still a little sensitive due to the unexpected jump to Elysia. Without the great fleets of the Dominion or the supply chain brought in off world, it would've created a lot of tension for them. Thus why their government just told them only what was necessary to keep them calm and that everything was still under control. But knowing more about their situation and giving them something to focus on was the morale boost they needed. Especially knowing they have the tech advantage as they will be beating the hell out of a bunch of human supremacists.

If there are any questions or concerns feel free to ask as I'll try to answer them.

So thank you for reading as I further extend my gratitude if you can review as well.