Chapter 82: The Albarna Trade Consortium

The ships of the Saivi civilization emerged slowly from a distorted spatial portal, and surrounding them, dozens more such gateways shimmered in space. Once the Saivi fleet had materialized from the void, they drifted steadily toward a vast starport, where the docking bays slid open with deliberate ceremony.

The first to step from the lead vessel was Saivis, chief advisor to Yesru. Awaiting him at the port was a diminutive creature who approached with effusive enthusiasm, declaring, “Welcome, honored guest from the Saivi civilization. On behalf of the Albanar Trade Conglomerate, I extend our sincerest greetings to the new overlords of the galaxy, and to the newest member state of the Community.”

His warm words were transmitted flawlessly to Saivis through a translator connected to the Albanar Trade Conglomerate's galactic network—a system that catalogued the languages of nearly every known interstellar civilization. From the earliest stirrings of intelligence, their probes gathered vocabulary and syntax, analyzing and decoding each tongue to determine its linguistic lineage.

“Babaiyaka, spare me the unnecessary pleasantries. We intend to proceed through the next stargate without delay,” Saivis replied, his gray-green face utterly impassive, his tone cool and direct.

Babaiyaka’s visual organs rotated slightly before he resumed, his enthusiasm undiminished. “Commander Saivis, if you pass through another stargate, you’ll find yourselves in the Second Supercluster. There, the Dark Energy Marauders have grown especially rampant. Lately, they've received mysterious backing, and now they no longer show even our Albanar Trade Conglomerate due respect.”

“Of course, the strength of the Saivi civilization is beyond question. But even the strongest can be overwhelmed by sheer numbers…” The concern in Babaiyaka’s voice struck Saivis as thoroughly insincere. These calculating civilizations always preferred to speak in veiled terms, a style utterly useless to the Saivi, who valued bluntness and clarity.

“Let’s speak plainly,” Saivis said. “What exactly do you want to sell us this time?”

“Ah, Commander Saivis, your candor is most refreshing!” Babaiyaka offered a quick compliment. “What I wish to offer is security.”

“Security?”

At this, Saivis could not help but laugh, his voice tinged with scorn. “And what security could you possibly provide us? Within this galaxy, we have no more rivals. All that remains is to systematically develop its resources. You don't truly expect us to fear the primitives of other superclusters, do you?”

“Oh, my alien friend! Don’t be so hasty. There’s more at play than you realize.” Babaiyaka suddenly lowered his voice, adopting a tone of secrecy as if divulging a critical truth. “In the Second Supercluster, the Dark Energy Marauders have lately received a new form of support—support that has emboldened them, threatening even the interests of our Albanar Trade Conglomerate.”

“We don’t yet know the precise nature of this backing, but our intelligence suggests it’s tied to an Adapted Individual.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Saivis’s eyes. The existence of Adapted Individuals was no mystery to the Saivi—they were beings capable of manipulating dark matter and dark energy. The Saivi themselves counted one such figure among their ranks: the Sage Talsash.

“If the Marauders have truly gained the power of an Adapted Individual, that could indeed present serious trouble,” Saivis conceded, reconsidering the implications and picking up the thread of Babaiyaka’s argument.

Babaiyaka nodded, flashing a smile unique to his species. “That’s why the Albanar Trade Conglomerate is prepared to offer you a service: we can help the Saivi civilization reach your ultimate destination in the Second Supercluster safely, avoiding all conflict with the Marauders.”

“A service? What exactly do you propose?” Saivis asked.

“We will provide a team of veteran navigators and an escort fleet to guide you around the Marauders’ patrol zones, ensuring your fleet’s safe arrival. As you know, intelligence gathering is our specialty—our clients’ needs always come first!”

Babaiyaka detailed the offer, while Saivis fell silent for several moments. He knew the Albanar Trade Conglomerate’s navigation technology was highly advanced, and their reputation for reliability was well earned.

“I’ll consider your proposal,” Saivis finally replied. As he turned to return to his ship, a thought occurred to him. He stopped and turned back.

“Babaiyaka, how did you learn that the Dark Energy Marauders have received new support?”

Babaiyaka’s tendrils gave a subtle twitch. “The Albanar Trade Conglomerate has its own channels and methods. You may rest assured on that point, Commander.”

Saivis nodded, asking no further questions; he was well aware of the Conglomerate’s intelligence network, whose reach spanned the cosmos and whose reports were rarely mistaken.

“In that case, I wish to purchase some intelligence on a specific set of coordinates within the Second Supercluster. I’ll pay in crystals,” Saivis said.

“Oh, my extraterrestrial friend, we certainly have the latest intel for sale,” Babaiyaka replied, breaking into his peculiar smile once more. Crystals were one of the universal currencies of interstellar commerce; each civilization had its own name for them, but most simply called them crystals. They could be used for weaponry, engines, works of art—an ideal medium of exchange for spacefaring societies.

“Please transmit the coordinates, and I’ll retrieve the data from our intelligence vaults for you,” Babaiyaka said.

Saivis nodded and handed over a sequence of coordinates. Upon receiving them, Babaiyaka began querying the galactic network, busying himself for some time before finally looking up. “We’ve checked our intelligence web. The place you want to go is truly remote—it took me a while to find it.”

“We once sent a probe there, but the data hasn’t been updated in ages. The last report indicated a single planet inhabited by a carbon-based intelligent species, but by our estimation, they’re nowhere near reaching interstellar civilization.”

“By the reckoning of our own chronology, their progress is roughly halfway to the level of a stellar civilization.”

“Congratulations, Commander Saivis. It seems you’re about to acquire a new vassal civilization—and a whole new trove of resources.”

Saivis nodded, satisfied that events were proceeding as planned. All that remained was to travel there, wipe out the civilization of Earth, and return to the galaxy.

“Very well. I’ll report your proposal to Commander Yerus.”