-=+ +=- [COMPLETED] The Second Universe -=+ +=-

Part 7: The Lecelnan Incident, 35794

A rioter approaches her though still maintains some distance. He telepathically transmits to her. "We want justice for Forester! We want war!" She nods, forwarding this message both to upper-rankers in SpecLaw and to the EXTF. A Co-Director of the EXTF, Phantom, responds to the message. "Vannessa, roger that. I'll alert the emperor, over." "Gotcha." She responds, nodding to herself.

She now initiates another megaphone command to the crowd. "Okay, pack it up fellas. We received your demands already." Some leave, though many remain, wanting to see their demands fulfilled themselves. The scene repeats itself across every single world in the New World Union's vast domain, and many are shocked at such a unanimous cry for war occurring at a scale not seen since 29867.

In the royal palace, the Emperor himself receives the message while sitting at his office. He activates an EMERGENCY MEETING (among us 🤯🤯🤯) command after reading all of the info, and as usual, important officials begin logging onto the network, appearing in the room as holograms. The emperor now addresses them in his usual informal tone. "Alright my fellas, if y'all weren't aware, the public is REALLY pissed about what happened to our diplomat Forester, and now, they want war."

"We have not seen this much public unity for war since 29867, and judging how it was a direct attack on one of us, that means it's time for war." The emperor nods to the other officials, a calm look on his face masking his internal joy at knowing his military will now be able to take down a force so disliked by the public that further reputation issues with the New World Union's government will be null and void if the NWU wins. They nod at the emperor's address, and head off to prepare the nation for war.

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"First Universal Contact"

December 5, 542 - 13:50:21

NWU EXTF VTOL Squadron One

Unknown Mantle-based Station

Thuian Mantle, Thuia

A specialized M60 VTOL aircraft now warps to a previously-marked floating station, before being followed by another, then two, then three, then four, until a whole air squadron's worth of VTOLs had arrived and were now themselves also hovering in the orange-red magma. One of them transmitted a signal to the station.  The signal said "This is New World Union EXTF VTOL Squadron One, does anyone copy?" and to the extreme surprise of the New World Union, they received a response.

"This is OFR Research and Monitoring Station T-1, greetings, uhh, VTOL Squadron One. Was that your flight who passed earlier?" The transmission was in a language that shared many characteristics with Helios-III Russian, which was completely decoded and translated soon after and was integrated into the New World Union's language database. "Okay, uhh, yeah. Station T-1, requesting permission to dock?"

"Ehh, yes, permission granted VTOL Squadron One." It was very evident that both parties were trying to hide their extreme surprise at each others' technological prowess immediately discernible from both of their systems' aesthetics alone. The VTOLs docked with the station, and their Marine occupants disembarked onto the station, with a familiar face leading the way.

Sergeant Allen was somewhat skeptical of the neutral-friendly reception they received from these so called 'OFR', and he wasn't even fully sure what 'OFR' meant. He however listened in on the transmission, and he heard 'Research and Monitoring Station', and his fears largely dispersed upon remembering that piece of information. He still proceeded forward with his standard caution now implanted in his head both literally and figuratively due to implants and his experience in the New World Union's Marines. 

They passed through several security checkpoints which allowed them to pass, being unable to scan their tactical personal pocket dimensions for weapons and gear, only being able to scan their heavy armor. They were allowed passage, and were met by an even stranger sight. Working at the station seemed to be a hybrid crew of Homo sapiens and robots, working at workstations and seeming to perform magical experiments. To be more specific, alchemy.