Central base of the MIC. Council of planetary rulers.
"The Aschen are highly advanced, and their technology can rival that of the Goa'uld in some respects. They even managed to light a second star in the Volian system," the Tollan Chancellor points out. "They could be useful allies."
"We still know very little about them," the ruler of Galaradia expressed caution.
"There's little practical point in lighting a second star," I interject. "It would be more practical to extract useful gases. This certainly expands the possibilities for terraforming, but frankly, I wouldn't take such a step."
"If you think about it, you're right," agreed the representative of Svorvinia, also expressing concern.
"They have high technological potential, so we could step up our diplomatic activities," suggests Orbanz's representative.
At this moment, the commandant of the complex enters the office and reports:
"An Asgardian ship has appeared in orbit around the satellite. Supreme Commander Thor requests that the shield in this sector be temporarily disabled so he can teleport."
"Why did he come?" asked the Tollan chancellor.
"I invited him. And I'm sure you'll all be interested to know the reason. I give my permission."
The others looked at me with interest and also expressed agreement. Thor materialized in a flash of bright light. How can we protect ourselves from Asgardian teleportation? We need to maintain shields, locally activated in many rooms, especially in areas with highly qualified personnel, which, incidentally, also applies to the laboratories here.
"I've invited Supreme Commander Thor to act as arbitrator. The fact is, the Aschen represent an Absolute-level threat."
The "Absolute" level implies the presence of a threat that is hostile to human life or entire civilizations. They looked at me in bewilderment.
"I sent my agent to Vorsini to conduct reconnaissance. He provided extensive data, to which I am granting you full access. An Absolute-level threat must be dealt with decisively. And to avoid any suspicion that a deranged Goa'uld has taken over a developed world for no apparent reason, bombarding certain regions, I have invited the Asgard. After studying the data presented, they will be able to objectively assess the situation and, perhaps, send their own reconnaissance satellites into this sector of space to confirm or refute the findings of my intelligence agents."
I handed them the crystals containing the information. They began to study them. It was essentially a detailed summary, similar to an encyclopedia entry, but with references to data directly obtained by my intelligence officer. The information covered history, culture, life philosophy, the theory of racial exceptionalism, and access to technology, including technologies for planetary biological DNA manipulation. Overall, the range of information presented was extremely broad.
Particularly noteworthy was the freely available information that the Aschen had infected Vorsini with sterility, calling it a preferred tactic for conquest. The Aschen consider their race superior because they have overcome emotion by eliminating distractions. This is likely the result of Goa'uld genetic experiments. Displaying emotion is taboo for them; priority is given only to productivity and results. They despise members of other races who display emotion. In essence, I discovered a very "dark" version of Vulcans.
"If this information is accurate, then they pose a threat greater than that of the Goa'uld," the Tollan Chancellor stated after completing his briefing.
"And this is so shocking that I was confident in your trust, which is why I invited the Asgard. I suspect that if they attempt trade relations, they will use biological weapons. Given our advanced level of development, they may seek to acquire our technology," I noted. "That's precisely why I assigned them threat level 'Absolute.'"
"You claim they have a space fleet," clarified the ruler of Galaradia, who had initially shown extreme suspicion and pragmatism, not trusting either the Aschen or me.
- Right.
— And what are your further intentions?
"Use all our forces to launch a preemptive strike, while keeping the Asgard under surveillance. The objective is to identify all data on the biological weapon, locate the scientists involved in its production and maintenance, and then transmit this information to the Asgard. We also propose the active use of memory-wiping technology against those responsible. Yes, I propose war, but if I act without your understanding, I will harm our nation, after all, we are allies and trading partners."
— To believe that such monstrous creatures exist...
"Yes, it's astonishing," I agreed with Orbanz's representative. "But as someone who most often encounters megalomaniacs, I had to calculate various scenarios, which is why my scouts were sent. Vorsini was an industrialized world 160 years ago; today it's an agrarian planet with a dwindling population."
"The existence of such a civilization is extremely dangerous," Thor declared immediately, drawing everyone's attention. "We will prioritize verifying the information provided by Phaeron Szarekh. But if it is confirmed, I strongly recommend accepting the Phaeron's proposed plan. This race gaining access to the full address list would be extremely dangerous."
- So, we should freeze the negotiations?
"No, on the contrary, we should continue," I countered. "When Thor confirms my findings, the attack should come as a complete surprise to the Aschen. We might even have to combine our forces for such an operation, including the involvement of the Asgard and the Golden Legion."
Many tensed at the mention of my personal guard, capable of high-intensity combat. If we catch the Aschen by surprise, we can, with Thor's help, teleport landing parties to vulnerable points on their planetary stations, ships, and the planet itself. Not enough information has been gathered yet to fully plan a combat operation, but soon we'll receive data from Asgard scouts, capable of operating stealthily when necessary.
"The sector is located near the holdings of the 'Celtic' Goa'uld. How do you explain the fleet's appearance on their scanners when peace currently reigns?" asked the Tollan Chancellor.
"Oh, I can explain that. At worst, I'll declare that I'm eliminating the threat to the Empire, but it's preferable to conduct the operation covertly. The Aschen are a high-tech world, capable of bringing much to the victors. It's worth considering neutralizing their technological potential. Objectively speaking, such races aren't just dangerous; they represent far greater monsters than those I model in virtual simulations."
"We'll await the results of the investigation," the Tollan said, and the others agreed. Tollans are not naturally prone to aggression, so the prospect of mass extermination or sterilization of the population with biological weapons shocks them. They still haven't recovered from the consequences of Unit 731's actions, despite the decades that have passed.
Thor nodded, taking the necessary data, and teleported away. The fleet still had a lot to check. They looked at me with a strange expression.
— Do you really think that I am constantly shooting at everyone with an intar while capturing planets?
They looked down. Damn reputation.