Beedee, I have some scouts on their way who are tring to locate you.
Phoenix, the Tyrik system (i think that was the name) is in a cold war state, but I did warn you! when we set up the trade many turns ago I mentioned there would be frigates from the Bakulon and Scron in that system, and that you better be on friendly terms with them.
If your new colonies can survive for one turn it will be better cause you can then have mines launched above them. And you have been trading with the Scron and Bakulov for so long I doubt they'll go to war with you over some colonies, they probably need the resource income to fund their cold war.
That's another reason why I have T&R treaties with most races, by now these are in the 15-16% range, and I produce more resources and research than any other race, to continously impress on everyone how important I am to their economies, which will hopefully dissuade people from turning on me. As you can see from the tech I offer for sale, it is all benign stuff I research, like Mineral Mining II and Cargo II (need those warehouses to store all the profits from trading !)
But I went a bit overboard, with my reduced maintenance (Merchant ability) and 20% extra to my trading skill, the resources are coming in so fast I can hardly keep up with warehouses, even with all planets constructing something. And of course, seeing money going down the drain due to lack of storage is the ultimate sin for my race
I probably overcompensated for my mistake in the Letharg PBW game, where I relied so much on trade that I went nearly bankrupt when three players turned on me at once
(I still won that game though, so don't be getting any ideas :-)