Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: The Founding of PATO
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For a while, they'd given up on the idea of a union, but now discussions were reignited.
This time, Varisa Space Company joined the enthusiastic supporters.
They'd finally realized that threats to their nation didn't come solely from other countries.
Suddenly, galactic monsters could zip through a hyperlane and smash everything to pieces.
With that in mind, Varisa threw its support behind the union.
The Galactic Peace Committee and Lushaka Kingdom had been on board from the start, and now the Deneb Federation had secured a firm commitment from its president. Forming the alliance was just a matter of time.
The union kicked off modestly.
Why not start with credit usage agreements, mutual migration treaties, and defense pacts?
These three treaties were tailor-made to benefit Lushaka.
The intent was to dominate the economic, political, and military spheres.
Even if these treaties burdened the Lushaka Kingdom somewhat, it didn't matter.
Lushaka didn't waste budget on welfare or environmental initiatives anyway.
Cutting funds from specific departments never sparked complaints.
The people understood.
Since the one judging budget shifts—what they meant and why they were necessary—was the same as the one executing them, things ran efficiently.
So Lushaka could afford some losses.
It really felt just like playing a game.
No matter how I ruled this nation, no one rebelled or corrected me.
I could steer the country's direction based on the tiniest whims.
For example, slashing tariffs because cats were cute.
Or slapping tariffs on frogs because they were ugly.
Things might change only if Lushaka's population grew enough to foster a true collective consciousness.
Under the Galactic Peace Committee's leadership, a new federation was born.
The Perseus Arm Treaty Organization—or PATO for short—was established.
All member states held equal rights and obligations.
They respected one another's sovereignty, forbade armed conflicts, and resolved international disputes peacefully.
They committed to promoting economic and cultural exchanges.
They pledged to cooperate on common security and protect each other from external threats.
Such phrasing wasn't all that important. "Effort." What a futile word.
It was little more than polite small talk.
What mattered were the real burdens and gains outlined in the treaty.
Member states agreed to establish the Perseus Combined Forces Supreme Command, with each contributing at least 2% of their GDP.
The Combined Forces could defend member territories when needed and conduct military operations to safeguard shared interests.
Decisions on major agendas would follow democratic procedures and consensus through the PATO Military Committee, with all activities and operations requiring the committee's formal approval before launch or command.
The defense treaty.
The Lushaka Kingdom was more than willing to invest resources even more aggressively than the United States ever had.
If other nations wanted, Lushaka could even drop the 2% GDP minimum for defense spending.
Ideally, like Europe, they'd outsource defense entirely.
I had no intention of turning the Lushaka Kingdom into some grand power, so I was fine footing the bill forever like a perpetual sucker.
I could just ignore Treegalaons drifting in the planetary skies.
And if I overlooked the Hiraks stationed everywhere on the surface, I could even handle policing duties for them.
Take it or leave it.
Member states designated the "Calorie Credit" as the official international currency within the federation, mandating its use and circulation. All economic exchanges, contributions, and financial calculations would be based on Calorie Credits.
Credit issuance authority fell under the supervision of the PATO Financial Committee, with the chairmanship rotating among member states by mutual agreement in sequence.
To ensure the credits' stable value and trustworthiness, the Lushaka Kingdom fully guaranteed them.
The economic treaty.
It covered only credit-related matters.
Abolish tariffs? The nations' sizes varied too wildly for blanket free trade.
Besides, how could the Deneb Federation or the committee's corporations compete with state-as-corporation powerhouses like Varisa and the Amphibian Cooperative?
So they settled on a straightforward agreement focused solely on credits.
The final key point: Who would be the first chair?
The inaugural chair would be Nualala from the Bahilila Holy Knight Order, former head of the Galactic Peace Committee. Everyone unanimously agreed.
A committee with no stake in national interests or hegemony taking the first chair? Perfect consensus.
The chair's term was 20 galactic standard cycles, non-renewable.
The chair could not also serve as a head of state, and succession would proceed via fair voting.
You all love voting, don't you?
Having successfully formed the union and taken a step toward galactic peace, we were basking in the good vibes.
Then, mere days after PATO's founding, the Deneb Federation caused an incident.
While expanding into a new star system, they'd smashed a foreign space station.
How does that even happen?
"Ahem. That's... what happened."
Look at that stiff neck.
The Federation's explanation that followed was easy to misunderstand.
A bizarre space rock species had appeared, much like the space Trents from the Bahilila.
To these rocks, the space station was just another rock.
Since a rock was floating where they wanted to build their station, they blew it up.
Was this really how the species that fought asteroid-like monsters just a few years ago handled things?
Naturally, the preemptively attacked rocks didn't sit idle.
Fortunately, their protest came via diplomatic missive, not live ammo or lasers.
And given interstellar distances, their near-instant response suggested this wasn't their first rodeo.
[We express regret over your nation's aggressive actions. We demand immediate clarification. Failure to provide one will lead us to regard you as hostile lifeforms.]
Where had I seen this before?
The message was in the rocks' language, with a psionic wave pattern attached in case translation proved tricky.
The Federation couldn't decode either, so I handled the psionic part.
"What is the Deneb Federation's response?"
They wouldn't drag this to PATO.
It was 100:0 the Federation's fault.
"The current administration will severely punish those responsible and fulfill all obligations."
The original stiff-necked official was replaced; a new one answered, apparently taking responsibility.
Yeah, that's more like it.
President Moretti was clearly a rational, devoted leader.
Not the type to tank her nation for political survival.
Hearing the Federation's firm stance put me at ease.
No splash damage to PATO.
To respond to the message and scout this new civilization, the Federation assembled a delegation.
Escorted by a minimal fleet for defense against surprises like space pirates, they headed into the uncharted system.
Since Treegalaons had replaced most of the Federation's fleet, I sent some along too.
They crossed the Federation's vast territory—now dwarfing Lushaka's—and passed the border.
Beyond lay a massive rock, presumably their ship, waiting to greet the delegation.
"Greetings. I am Luk' Luh' Natlan, Combat Priest of the Talatullan Holy Nation."
The rock, calling itself a Combat Priest, welcomed them via psionic waves.
These rocks used a language too alien for standard script.
Did they lack mouths because they were rocks?
Though the Bahilila rocks had perfectly normal names.
"Space is no place for conversation. Please follow me."
The massive rock emitted those psionic waves, then turned and began leading the way.
The Federation personnel followed without complaint.
Through hyperlanes and star systems.
The Combat Priest seemed aware of how alien his kind appeared, explaining his species and nation en route.
Hyperlane after hyperlane.
"Combat Priest? If it's not too rude, could you tell us how much farther?"
"Almost... there."
No facial expressions on a rock made it impossible to spot lies.
The Federation delegation offered no objections, meekly trailing along.
Even if attitudes flipped and they attacked suddenly, the delegation had to endure it.
That's diplomacy in the space age—you don't get to pick survival.
At least not leading them on a merry chase was gentlemanly.
One thing became clear following the Combat Priest.
This nation was enormous.
Were they deliberately looping to mislead on their power?
Impossible to say.
But the closer they got to the capital, the surer it felt.
Traffic from other ships using hyperlanes, rocks resembling mining rigs attached to moons and asteroids—the signs all pointed inward.
"We're here. Last hyperlane."
Pointing to the hyperlane revealed a staggering number of ships.
Not giant rocks, but unmistakable mechanical vessels drifting in space.
Varied materials, colors, shapes, structures—an eclectic fleet crisscrossing the system.
And a wildly prosperous planet.
The presumed capital planet gleamed like Earth at night from orbit, radiant in the void.
Not just the capital—its moons and other planets in the system shone too.
Barren rocky worlds, untouched by terraforming, yet blazing with unmistakable signs of civilization.
"We've arrived. This is our capital star system, Oztlan. The Talatullan Holy Nation welcomes outsiders."