Boswell summit, part 3, conclusion...
Nether'noS Empire, 15th of 2409.8
The great day had arrived! Today the official signing ceremony would take place. The Last few days had been very busy, there had been numerous meetings, where details of the treaties, the exact wording of certain passages, details of the various ceremonies and other important matters had been discussed. These have been long days, and short nights.
Emperor Hov'gra sat at his desk and went through his schedule for this day. Several Last minute meetings till noon, then, at 2pm the great ceremony would begin in the Council Hall of the Silver Tower. The ceremony would take at least three hours, after that numerous celebrations should take place, and again meetings, meetings until midnight. A few hours of rest, and in the early morning next day the meetings would continue.
Hov'gra sighed. But time was short, Prometheus and Roanon had to leave on 17th, as the war demanded their return to their empires. A strange thing were these celebrations. The Nether'noS were not used to this kind of things, as well as entertainment or leisure. These were alien concepts, the whole life of a Nether'noS was dedicated to planning, devising strategies to deal with the problems life confronted him with, and hard work. Luxury was also something one would hardly find in Nether'noS society. Solemn ceremonies the Nether'nos were familiar with, but festivals and celebrations?
However, the Nether'noS learned that other species definitely had such things in their culture and their society, and in order to adapt to their habits the Nether'noS had tried to offer them some luxury and celebrations on this occasion, as it should be a remarkable event for all of them. The Kilrah were easier to handle, as they seemed to adhere to a simpler lifestyle, but the Nyxian had quite an interest for luxury and celebrations. Hov'gra remembered with some amusement an encounter with Ambassador Dionysus. Once, after he had arrived with a message from Prometheus, they had asked him to stay until Emperor Hov'gra had his answer ready, to take it to Emperor Prometheus. During his stay, Dionysus organized a strange religious ritual of the Nyxian, called an "orgy". Well, it had been quite an unique experience for the Nether'noS that participated, something they would not forget for the rest of their lifes...
A soft buzz demanded his attention. "Admiral Vaukh'nor is here" a voice announced. "He may enter", Hov'gra replied.
Admiral Vaukh'nor entered. "In an hour the meeting of Grand Admiral Rergh of the Kilrah, the military leaders of the Nyxian who accompanied Emperor Prometheus and myself will take place. Any directives?" Straight to the point, as always, Hov'gra thought. Admiral Vaukh'nor was an extraordinary man - the most brilliant of all the officers of the Imperial Navy. Enough reason to entrust him with the supreme command of the forces that were already beginning the attack on Pi'Ogoyot. "No. Nothing you do not already know. Dismissed".
Several hours later Emperor Hov'gra stood on a balcony in the Council Hall and looked over the scene. In half an hour the ceremony would begin. The Last preparations had been finished, and the representatives of the three empires began to gather in the great hall. Diplomats, high ranking military officers, ministers, security personell, and numerous members of the news networks, who were going to record the historical event, were present. This records would be sent to the many worlds of the three empires and broadcast to the people of Nyxian, Kilrah and Nether'noS, as a testimony that a new era had begun, where relationships between the three empires would be closer than ever before.
Exactly at 2pm Emperor Hov'gra opened the ceremony. Everyone was present: Warlord Roanon, his foreign minister and their retinue, Emperor Prometheus, the leaders of the Nyxian races Chronos, Hera, John and their retinue, the members of the Nether'noS Imperial Council and all the other government officials of the Nether'noS. Hov'gra welcomed the assembly and then proceeded to welcome the guests of honor, quite a list on this historical event. After that each of the three emperors gave his opening speech.
Now the great moment had arrived: The three emperors stood up in front of the whole assembly. Everyone was silent. The treaties that would constitute their new alliance was brought before them, and the three emperors signed them, thereby officially sealing their new bonds. A new era had begun! The "Boswell Treaty", as it should be known later in history, was in effect. Then Warlord Roanon and Emperor Hov'gra stepped forward to officially proclaim that their empires would now enter the war on the Nyxian's side and signed the declarations of war against the ZAX Society and their ally, the Rorg Empire.
The ceremony continued with words of thanks given by various representatives of the three empires, to an almost endless list of persons who had contributed to the efforts, the hard work, the many negotiations that made this day possible.
As a final act the three emperors left the Council Hall and the Silver Tower and showed themselfes to the vast multitude that had gathered on the great place at the feet of the Silver Tower. They presented the treaties they just had signed to the people, and something that really rarely happened in Nether'noS society now happened: The Nether'noS people showed emotions. They rejoiced, they celebrated, because a dark fear has been taken from them. Only three years ago things had been grim, very grim. Anarchy and civil war raged through the empire, enemies had been threatening to destroy the completely unaware and helpless Nether'noS.
It was when he learned from the Kilrah what had been going on during this time of anarchy, after he had been able to take over the government and slowly regaining control of the empire, that Hov'gra realized a profound change was necessary to take place in his mind and the mind of his people. A plotter and schemer society they had been ever since, suspicion their very nature. Never trust anyone, only rely upon yourself. Do not ever get dependend on others, as they will surely betray you, it is only a question of time.
But where had this way finally led them? To the brink of total destruction, of final doom. Had it not been for the Kilrah and Nyxian, who threatended their enemies with war when the Nether'noS had been utterly defenseless, they would not exist anymore.
Hov'gra had always been different, his way of thinking quite unusal for a Nether'noS. Maybe that is why he was open for an even greater change, and he realized that the Nether'noS had come to a point were they simply
had to trust someone. Their little empire was surrounded by the most powerful empires of the galaxy, which were slowly drawn into war. How could they hope to survive, on the long run?
It had been hard work, and it still was. His ministers, his people found it very hard to accept his ideas, and opposition was still strong, but there were others who had realized that something had to change, and with their support, and his success in establishing beneficial relationships with the Kilrah and the Nyxian, and the great support he got from these empires, he was able to strengthen his rule, overcome the opposition and put his ideas into practice. Today no one dared to challenge his rule, and he was the hero of his people.
He looked down on his people. Today he was their beloved ruler. He had led them out of anarchy, reestablished peace and order, and finally found a way to give them what they desired more than everything else: peace and safety. But he knew, as he was standing here with Emperor Prometheus and Warlord Roanon, his mighty allies, that the danger had not passed yet. First a war had to be fought, and it might well be not the Last one. Mighty alliances as the one they had formed today, often awake the fears of other empires. How would they react?
Should war ever reach the Nether'noS worlds, his people might easily turn against him. Plotting and scheming was so much part of their nature, this could not be overcome in just two years. This would take the lifetime of generations. And he still had enough enemies who would use any opportunity to arouse the suspicion of the Nether'noS people against their young leader.
The future held both promises and dangers, he realized once again. But now his people should do something really unusual: celebration. Another strange new thing for them...
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Ok, this was the great Boswell summit. Finally over, but the real action has just started...
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