Peace is a strange kind of silence. After the chaos, the fire, and the blood—it's almost too quiet. As if the universe is holding its breath. But in that breath, there is a chance to redefine everything.
The Rikapud capital still bore the scars of war. Towering obsidian structures were being reinforced, some rebuilt entirely. Their technology hummed beside ours as engineers from both worlds moved in rhythm. A new future was emerging—one where we might not just survive, but coexist.
I stood in their central council chamber, once a chamber of conquest. Its round walls were scorched with centuries of war etched into the stone—memories of dominance, rebellion, suppression. But now, at the heart of it, a new banner flew: two emblems, side by side—Earth's globe intertwined with the spiraled glyph of Rikapud.
I was joined by Nkhensani and several of our best diplomats. The room was filled with the remaining Rikapud nobility, no longer kings and queens, but advisors—elders who had lived through ten lifetimes of conflict.
"We cannot erase the past," I began, my voice echoing through the chamber. "But we can design the future."
The silence was expectant. Watchful.
"I didn't come here to rule you," I continued. "But I did defeat your king, and that means something in your culture. Power earns respect here. I understand that. So I'm offering power—not through control, but through alliance."
Their eyes shifted, some skeptical, others intrigued.
"You value strength," I said, nodding to their warriors. "So do we. But true strength is creating—not destroying."
I stepped forward, activating the hologram beside me. A galactic map unfolded, lighting the chamber in starlight. "These are habitable systems. We've analyzed their viability. There are planets where we can both thrive. Together."
A Rikapud general stepped forward, armor still dented from battle. "Why help us?" he asked, suspicion still in his tone. "You won. You could rule."
"Because ruling through fear is what broke both our worlds," I said. "This is our chance to be better."
There was a murmur through the room. One elder placed her hand on the table—a Rikapud gesture of commitment. Then another followed. One by one, they joined her.