Oath of the Survivor

Before Kyle knew it, he was walking in the main door to the Verdant Republic’s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  Goblin guards in immaculate uniforms checked his credentials multiple times as he navigated the labyrinthine building.  Teleporter after teleporter waited behind various gated checkpoints, layers of security only seeming to grow more stringent as he went deeper into the complex.

They really take their security seriously, Kyle thought, feeling 3 upper D Grade auras from the guards at the most recent checkpoint.  If his instincts were correct, he would have a hard time even winning a 1 on 1 fight with any of them, much less all 3.  That notion was cemented when he saw the C Grade troll at the next checkpoint, which happened to be directly outside the conference room. 

She was wearing black robes with gold trim, and stood a head taller than Kyle.  Her skin was mottled green.  A long braid of dark hair pulled tight at the back of her head.  Despite the robes she wore, Kyle got the impression that she was a close-combat fighter more than anything else.  The aura she gave off was a great deal weaker than Ghork’s or the Glaivebeak’s, though still beyond anything a D Grade could muster by a wide margin.

The troll looked at Kyle for a moment as he approached, then offered a wide grin.  “First time coming in this far, huh?  I know it can be a bit intimidating.  Can’t be too careful when it comes to protection, after all.”  Her voice was surprisingly soft, and Kyle nodded appreciatively.

“I can understand that,” Kyle said, returning her smile.  “My name’s Kyle Mayhew, by the way.  Anything I should know before I head inside?”
“I’m Fern’elle, but you can call me Fernie.  And they’re ready for you.  I’ll get you announced.”

Kyle checked the time on his nav bracelet, and his smile faded.  “I thought I was still 15 minutes early?”

“What can I say?  We’re big on punctuality.  Mind your manners as you head in to speak with the Council.”  Fernie looked at Kyle for a moment longer, then added.  “And for what it’s worth, I hope the job goes well.”

Her reaction confused Kyle, though he simply nodded in thanks before stepping into the council chambers.  The room was huge, with the entrance he walked through opening into the bottom of an amphitheater with a lectern in the center.  Over a dozen figures sat on raised desks around the room, faces hidden by the desks and distance.  Still, Kyle could feel their gazes train upon him.  Remembering the protocol Suierrillax provided before the meeting, Kyle stepped up the central podium. 

He took a deep breath, then spoke.  “Courier Kyle Mayhew greets the Verdant Republic’s Bureau of Internal Affairs.  I am here in reference to special task CJ8-21097ZX, as requested.  I am present today at the Bureau’s leisure to hear the specific nature of the task in question, making no commitments at this point in either acceptance or rejection.”

Kyle couldn’t quite make out the faces, though Synaptic Barbs picked up hints of movement from many of them.  Smiles, good.  The Verdant Republic’s focus on protocol and precision was well-known, and the Couriers who built long-lasting relationships with them all demonstrated that they could operate the same way. 

A small figure stood at one of the elevated desks, and then a projection of a wizened goblin appeared at the bottom of the amphitheater near Kyle.  “I am chairman Lethendrin, thank you for your timely response to our request.  You are welcomed as a guest to this meeting.  Due to its sensitive nature, and your current lack of commitment, the Council would ask that you sign a standard non-disclosure agreement.  It will remain in-force until such a time that a formal agreement is reached, or 4 cycles have passed.  Is this acceptable to you, Courier Kyle Mayhew?”

Per Suierrillax, this was one of the most important pieces of the meeting, and also where people tended to end up on the Verdant Republic’s bad side.  Once Kyle agreed, if any details of his job leaked, he would be held accountable to it.  If they even suspected that he would intend to break the terms, he would likely be thrown out and blacklisted from their job postings.  Then and again, he didn’t have much choice if he wanted the opportunity.  “I agree to your terms.”

Lethendrin nodded, and Kyle could feel the goblin looking him over from his perch.  This continued for several uncomfortable seconds before he finally spoke.  “Tell me, Courier Kyle Mayhew, what do you know of the origin of the Verdant Republic?”

The question took Kyle by surprise, and it took him a moment for his mind to switch gears.  “Pardon me, Chairman Lethendrin, but less than I probably should.  I understand that the Verdant Republic started as a union of planets that consisted primarily of goblinoid species, and that your influence has grown to be one of the largest factions in the universe.  That’s about it, I’m afraid.”

“A correct understanding,” Lethendrin said, “If a bit rudimentary.  You’re correct that the Verdant Republic as you know it today was formed by a coalition of these planets.  What you are likely not aware of, Courier, is that this is the second iteration of the Verdant Republic.”

Kyle found himself leaning toward the projection, drawn in by the words.

Lethendrin continued.  “In an era before the Collective, an era largely lost to us, we have records of a unified empire of goblinoids.  In these uncivilized times, we warred against factions that have names largely lost to time.  The empire grew, expanding into most known corners of the universe.

“At some point, the previous empire was defeated; shattered and splintered by our foes.  Our technologies were set back thousands of years, our most powerful heritages pillaged and lost.  Even our history was fragmented, only whispers of our former glory passed down.”

Lethendrin had a faraway look in his eyes, as if he’d forgotten that Kyle was there.

“Many of the planets our people called home had been utterly destroyed, reduced to little more than debris, floating in the void of space.  Those that survived had their civilizations sent tumbling backwards in time, left forgotten as endless wars raged across the cosmos.

“Over the millennia, the largest surviving bastions of our kind rebuilt.  Goblins, trolls, and ogres once again reached the stars.  Some of the founding planets of the Verdant Republic were original members of the previous empire, and we learned from our mistakes.  Laws relating to governance were debated and codified, and homogeneity began to appear across these different planets, ultimately leading to unity.”

Lethendrin stopped, the projection looking at Kyle with a stern expression.  “The lessons learned in our defeats led us to the greatness we now enjoy.  That does not mean, however, that all those scattered fragments have come back under our banner.  Nor would we force them to!

“It is of the utmost importance that any new member planets seeking to join the Verdant Republic do so the right way.  This brings us to the crux of why we’ve asked you to be here, Courier Mayhew.  We have received an application from a planet that recently rediscovered the stars.  The origin of their civilization dates back to the middle of our rebuilding, and we are thrilled at the cultural and historical implications of having them rejoin.”

Kyle was starting to get a suspicion of where this was going, which was confirmed a moment later.

“Unfortunately, it appears that their current form of government is illegitimate – at least in our eyes.  Investigations revealed that a hereditary monarchy had been in place for millennia, and the current regime only took power through a violent coup.”

Kyle nodded, forgetting himself as he spoke.  “And that is not an approved means of power transfer.”

Lethendrin’s look made him regret the decision, and Kyle tried not to flinch.  Fortunately, the goblin continued unperturbed a moment later.  “Were it the sole ruling government, we have provisions to overlook circumstances like these.  However, while the coup attempt succeeded in deposing the old king, his daughter survived, and is currently leading a resistance on-world. 

“For us to get involved in any direct capacity could be seen as taking sides, and our neutrality is important to avoid the appearance of colonial ambitions.  The current leadership structure on-world has asked for assistance in delivering treaty documents to the resistance leader, and helping to facilitate a back-and-forth dialogue that would be mutually beneficial.  Until this is resolved, we will not be able to engage further.

“At the same time, we have a vested cultural interest in the history of their planet.  You’ve proven yourself to be adaptable, thoughtful, and resilient.  We are asking you to deliver and facilitate the execution of treaty documents to ensure a procedurally correct transition of power. 

“This is a middle D Grade world, and we doubt that the threats present in the natural environment would be enough to provide a genuine threat.  Given your level of power, coupled with being human, we expect that you would show the greatest degree of neutrality without posing a threat.  What do you say?”
Kyle wanted to say “yes” right away, but remembering Suierrillax’s lessons, he refrained.  “What conflicts of interest should I be aware of, should I take the job?”

Lethendrin gave an approving nod.  “Naturally, there are parties within the Verdant Republic who would be very interested in both securing passage to the planet, as well as future introductions to planetary leadership for networking purposes.  We would ask that you recuse yourself from any such activities, and naturally we will compensate you appropriately for reporting such requests directly to us.”

“And what are the terms of direct salvage rights?”

“While it is our hope that you will not have to engage in any combat while on planet, you are entitled to direct salvage.  This planet is neither a current member of the Verdant Republic nor the Collective, so that is only appropriate per statute.  However, we have included a clause in subparagraph 18 of your contract asking you to waive all indirect and environmental salvage.”

Now it was Kyle’s turn to nod, the terms seeming more than fair.  Suierrillax had looked over a preliminary contract already, albeit with some redactions, and those were the customary points of clarification for deals like these.  C.H.A.D.D. wouldn’t be thrilled with it, but Kyle would handle that later. “Then Chairman Lethendrin, Counselors, I would be glad to accept.  When can I expect to depart?”

Lentendrin pulled up a screen, causing a notification to appear on Kyle’s nav bracelet.  “Once the appropriate documentation is completed, we would send you out in the next 15 hours, if possible.  We have a teleporter in the facility that will take you to their capital city.  We will also provide you with long-range communication capabilities, should something necessitate our involvement.”

“Then I’d best get prepared.  Thank you for the opportunity.”  With that, Kyle turned to leave the chamber, aware of the eyes still fixed on him as he left.

He bade his farewells to Fernie, working his way back through security as he processed all the information he’d learned.  The assignment promised to be an interesting one, and he looked forward to testing himself against a middle D Grade world’s environments.  With any luck, he’d make his deliveries quickly, and enjoy that sweet per diem while bureaucrats negotiated terms.