Post by EmperorMyric on Mar 22, 2021 15:23:19 GMT
As the Dectrothian Galactic Network busily prepared a galactic headquarters for larger ships, bigger crews and such needed of a galactic broadcasting agency, the priority at this point was to get out there and begin making a name for themselves. In this, the DGN wanted a nation who had just entered one side of the galactic conflict, and is a relatively small nation, this led them to several options, but alas, they had a taker.
The Annoliddan Inquisition, who had joined the Dectrose in their first foray into Ancerious, would likely be a great start to a budding news network, the Annoliddans where friendly towards the Dectrose, and most importantly, where involved in the galactic war. After the DGN contacted, set up a date, time and location for the interview, a small civilian ship departed from the DGN's new station, and went off to the location.
Not long after, they had arrived. The location had been the planet Arcaeon, in the Hadrian system, and after checking in with the various agencies and orbiting stations, they followed the traffic route into the planet's atmosphere. Guided in to the landing, and soon after departing the ship, a small news crew, with a reporter, an engineer, a single guard and a RAVD Drone, stepped out to await their transportation to the meeting.
The group was directed over to a fast moving waterway a short distance over. Moments later, a modest-sized and exquisitely crafted ferry came to a stop in front of them, its ferryman holding out a mechanical hand to help them aboard.
Buildings zipped by as the ferry picked up speed, the passengers protected by a wind break. Most structures were low and snug against the ground, just high enough for the Annoliddan citizens to walk through comfortably. Other craft and individuals came and went on the waterway, yet next to none floated on the water, instead choosing to swim below the water. The ferryman went on to explain that the Annoliddans had little use for "surface skimmers" such as the one they rode in, but those few that they did were taken extra care of.
The boat began slowing down. Ahead of them, a structure stood in stark contrast to the buildings around it. Like a massive tree trunk, the central spire of the city cut the horizon in two, extending upwards past the cloud cover that hung over the city. As the crew departed the craft, the ferryman lead them over to a seating area that was assembled on the slopes and steps leading into the spire.
A single, aged Annoliddan female was waiting for them, and though her garb was no different from the others nearby, her pose was a dignified one. Four more Annoliddans stood behind her, but they looked more like a military-grade construction crew than a civilian populous. She bowed deeply to the film crew as they entered the area. "I am Inquisitor Omara, overseer of this city, and I welcome you all to Arcaeon. Please, make yourselves at ease." She gestured to chairs arranged in a semicircle, a few tables piled with refreshments, and a movable desk to set up equipment on. Omara then spoke to the passing crowd in the Annoliddans native language. Four of them, two men, a woman, and child came forward and clasped hands with the four heavily equipped individuals behind Omara, who then simply dispersed into the crowd.
Omara bowed once more to the film crew. "Now then,we are ready to begin when you are."
While on the ferry, DGN Reporter Maria Reiter tapped into the RAVD drone to take footage and pictures of the populace and scenery as they went by, while not nearly as exciting as war-time footage, the galaxy might like a scene of peace and quiet in the turmoil of the battlefield. Indeed, Maria knew how important it was for morale to see peace and relaxation. Though soon after, she and her crew stepped off the ferry, having learned some interesting cultural information, and made their way to their contact.
As the guard went to his post nearby Maria, the engineer did a quick once-over to the drone, as Maria stepped forward to bow in greeting "Thank you for having us, Inquisitor Omara, I am Maria Reiter, a reporter for Dectrothain Galactic Network. Our engineer is Arnold Nowakowski, he's here to ensure the RAVD drone, our version of a 'camera drone', works properly, and if there is a malfunction, he can fix it quickly. Our bodyguard is Lucien Bruneau, he's here from a private security agency called Blacktalon."
She paused, and waited for the thumbs up from her engineer and counted down aloud so that Omara could prepare. On the final number, the RAVD drone lit up a bright orange as Maria spoke "Hello everyone, I am Maria Reiter from Dectrothian Galactic Network, and today's interview is with Inquisitor Omara of the Annoliddan Inquisition." She turned to Omara now, and the RAVD drone then focused on the two of them from slightly behind Maria.
"Thank you for having us here today, I have a few questions to ask you on how you came to be here, what brought you to settle here, how your civilians are holding up and their reaction to the galactic war. Firstly, let me ask, Why the Ancerious Galaxy? Your recent arrival has served to help many people, and thus have also lead to several great things, but how did you happen across this galaxy, and why choose it over any other options?" The drone then focused more on Omara in preparation for their answer.
"Ancerious was not our first choice. We fled from our home galaxy after a certain species sought to destroy all sentient life near it. There were a total of three galaxies that were much closer and hence more viable options than Ancerious, but two were too close to our origin point and risked detection, and the third proved to be uninhabitable." Omara turned to look directly at the drone. "When we took notice of the Ancerious galaxy seventeen-hundred years ago, it was already apparent the area was ripe with galactic conflict, and many of my ancestors ultimately decided against coming here. However, Head Inquisitor Inosda Quasilor ordered we move here."
Omara waved an arm over the backdrop behind her, the cityscape bustling with activity below a temperate sky. "Despite the hostilities surrounding us, we found this world and named it home, a stark contrast to the regulated life aboard nomadic warships the Annoliddans lived on for the past six-thousand years. Here, our people can once again thrive and grow. As for the galaxy at large..." She turned back to face the drone. "The Annoliddan people have all been made aware of the strife and war that plagues most of the galaxy. War is not a new concept to us. Each Annoliddan, be they part of the Inquisition or a member of the civilian populace, has memories of the fighting with our ancient enemy, and ultimately expect conflict to one day reach them."
She gave a confident smile to Maria "For now however, the people are happy that our part in the galactic war has been small, and they can go about their lives in peace. Both myself and the other Inquisitors grow anxious at the thought of escalating our role in the war, and have chosen to, how you say, 'hold our cards' for now."
Maria nodded, waiting a few seconds before speaking "You speak of this ancient enemy, and their desire to destroy all the sentient life near them, what else are you able to tell us about them? What was their name? What did they look like? Why did they wish to destroy rather than seek peaceful co-existence? Most importantly, what are you able to tell us about preparations if they do come to this galaxy, and what time frame are your people looking at?"
Maria blinked a few times, her eyes glowing a little less, but her eyes stayed on Omara, an almost concerned look on her face, as she waited a few seconds, patiently awaiting the answer.
Omara's eyes shot around in spastic circles for a moment before continuing. "The 'why' of this enemy had to do with their very nature. Though their name varied from language to language, we took to calling them Krek, in likeness of the god of chaos, Krekonaus. We know not where exactly they came from, only that the Krek were engineered for destruction. I can give a more detailed report on them later, but for now I hope this will suffice: They are a race of living bioweapons with a previously unheard of cellular structure, coupled together with a psionic hivemind and a wealth of knowledge regarding technologies that helped create a perfect army. Our home galaxy was on the brink of achieving galactic peace when they were discovered. Only a select few factions held a standing military, and this ultimately proved to be our downfall. Stretched thin, our forces could not keep up with their continuous growth and expansion, until they ultimately dominated most of the galaxy. However, the Krek seemed to focus on utterly clearing out planets and systems before moving to the next, and so it was ultimately decided to gather what little of our people remained and flee while we could."
As Omara spoke, the male Annoliddan produced a small hexagonal microchip. After holding it for a brief moment whilst it flashed, he held it over to Lucien. "Though I myself know little of the Krek, this chip contains my data of them. Little more than a brief look at their physiology and ship outlines, I'm afraid. Perhaps your military could make some use of it."
Omara nodded in approval before continuing. "However, the one string of good fortune is that we found this galaxy. Yes, it shares a number of troubles unto itself, but the sheer volume of militarized factions and nations means that a Krek invasion will not go as smoothly as their last. Also, what with the distance between us, I believe we will still have a minimum of 600 years before the Krek even have a notion of coming here."
Maria nodded, speaking somberly "I thank you for opening up to us in such a difficult subject, I know it must be hard to think about sometimes, but rest assured, this galaxy is a strong one. I can only offer my hopes that the Krek will not find you here, Inquisitor Omara. But speaking of where you came from, what do you know about the Annoliddan's original homeworld? What was it's name and what sorts of cultural art or artifacts have you saved from your original planet?"
"Our homeworld... Annolid," Omara answered. "It was a planet of oddities from the very start. Its stellar orbit was further out than what most consider a comfortable habitable zone. This led the landscape to be dominated by freezing wetlands and ice-covered mountains. Life itself took off in a strange way, with animal species growing almost as soon as the plants. Ultimately, there was the strange method of which my own race took dominance early in the planet's lifecycle; we would spend most of the day at sea fishing, and retreat to landside past the shoreline at night."
She paused to look down to her side. The Annoliddan child was tugging at her dress. He carried a small box (big for him) tucked underneath an arm. Omara reached down and let the youngling touch her palm. They both looked up and smiled at Maria, Omara explaining, "This is Natsu, one of the first Ancerious-born of my people, and he has chosen the path of a chronicler. As part of his training, Natsu has collected and categorized some items that were brought from Annolid."
Natsu excitedly pulled the table closer, rapidly-yet-orderly depositing his box's contents upon it. He took a deep breath, and began describing the objects one-by-one. Unfortunately, his pace was fast enough to make esteemed human rappers jealous should any watch this. Natsu only stopped when Omara put a hand on his shoulder. He then continued again, only now dragging out each syllable as if explaining to an infant. Omara tapped his shoulder once more, and Natsu resumed at a comprehensible pace. The contents of the box were a collection of Annoliddan artifacts throughout their history: A chisel from the earliest days of carving into caves, a surprisingly well-kept sextant, parchments of ancient scriptures, to-scale blueprints of the first successful flying machine, pieces of early fossil fuel engines, and a handful of other trinkets that gave insight to a world that once was. Omara smiled, feeling pity for the Dectrothian reporter having to wait through all this, but equally happy to see the child excited, and to share his knowledge.
"We do not have much of the 'art' stuff that you speak of," explained Natsu as he finished up his presentation. "My teacher said it has to do with a physiological difference." "To elaborate," continued Omara, "our telepathic ability makes expressing our thoughts physically rather tedious."
Natsu reached into his pocket and held out a nacreous geode rod to Maria. "We like to use these instead, but this one is empty. It stores thoughts and memories when you activate it, but I'm not sure how you would. You can keep it though if you'd like."
She allowed herself to smile as the child went about, depositing the contents of the box quickly, and organizing them rapidly, before vocally categorizing them, just at the same speed, before the child was corrected. Maria leaned forward, listening and paying attention to the various objects, until he ended, and spoke to Maria. Behind her, Lucien softened his stance, visibly relaxed now that the child such enthusiasm for his chosen profession.
Maria nodded at Natsu, flashing a smile and then shifting her neck to listen to Omara, then back to Natsu "That was very impressive Natsu, you're already quite proficient on your path. I'm sure you will be a great Chronicler when you're older." She held out her hand now, and accepted the geode rod, holding it closely to her, as she said "That's a generous offer Natsu, I accept it, thank you." She beamed, working with children was a great profession, though she had chosen the path of a reporter herself, being able to talk to and mingle with children was always a heartwarming experience.
Though, even with her heart warmed, the final question loomed over her dreadfully, and she allowed herself a moment of composure, and thought out the question before asking "I see that your culture and people are thriving, Inquisitor Omara. It's quite pleasant and peaceful here, but I wish to know what the overall opinion is, on the subject of the galactic conflict. What kind of future can children like Natsu expect to be greeted with, if the Inquisition finds itself involved much deeper between the powers of the AGA and APP? Do you wish to hold close to the AGA and trust in the strength of the combined nations to keep you safe, or are you involved with something else to ensure that your civilization stays peaceful and prosperous?"
Omara watched as Natsu began delicately putting away the objects in his carrying case. "I firmly believe my views match that of the other Inquisitors: our future is war. The galactic conflict between the AGA and APP is unavoidable. Though we joined the AGA, the APP does have the upper hand in both logistics and overall action as a war machine. Meanwhile, the AGA claim a higher moral standing, and this will result in more nations turning to them, be it for protection or to bolster their numbers."
She took a more stern tone and composure, her role of Inquisitor starting to show more. "What will ultimately decide the AGA's fate, both in the war and its aftermath, is whether or not it can remain to adhere to its own guidelines and restrictions, or break down to the APP's level and fight them on equal terms. How the nations of the AGA deal with themselves should this pass will be a turning point in the conflict, for better or worse. In preparation for the worst, the Inquisition and Annoliddan people as a whole are seeking to form non-aggression, defensive, and trade pacts with others both within the AGA and beyond, both for the current conflict and for when the war eventually comes to an end."
Omara seemed to ease a little. "In short, the Annoliddan Inquisition does not seek to rely on the AGA, and we are seeking other alliances. Truthfully, we would like to see ourselves return to the status of galactic powerhouse, but we know as well as any other nation that this is a lengthy goal, and in the meantime shall seek to aid others wherever able."
She gave a short nod, following along and compiling the information in her processor, Omara was very detailed in her explanation, and all that was left was the closing question, straightening up a little as Omara finished "I can see the Inquisition has put some great thought into their position in the war and their membership in the AGA. As a closing question, I know you have stated that your future is war, but at what time will peace rule over war? What goals or steps do you have set in place for something as powerful as peace?"
Omara gave a short chuckle before returning her composure. "Oh, I must apologize if you misunderstood my phrasing. While we seek an end to this war, I meant I foresee war in our future beyond it. The prospect of peace... it is not something Annoliddans envision. Quite honestly, we are confused when other sentient beings seek it out, as the pursuit often leads to more conflicts. As long as there is at least one race that seeks both peace and still wishes to expand and acquire more, war will be present in the future. The goal of peace is going to be far too distant to accurately plan for."
The passersby Annoliddans, and even young Natsu in his chair, all gave a silent nod at this. It was a passive gesture, but showed the whole people had the same intent.
Seeing her misunderstanding, she leaned in a little, barely noticeable to listen a little more thoroughly, nodding a little and then noticing those around her agree to Omara's statement. "I see, so for your people, you prepare for war as you forsee within the prospect of peace, conflict that comes with maintaining that peace." She paused for a moment, and leaned towards Omara, her hand extended out for a handshake "Thank you, Inquisitor Omara for having me here and giving me the chance to interview you, I have learned much and I must say that your city is beautiful. I look forward to possibly meeting you again in the future." She smiled, as her crew began getting up and stretching out of view of the camera.
Omara returned the handshake, and upon making contact, telepathically thanked Maria and her crew for their visit today. She then gave instructions for returning to their shuttle, and points of interest along the way if the crew was hungry or would like to rest.
A wide smile appeared on her face, and Maria thanked her for her generosity. There was many more shots she wanted to take around the city, beautiful landscapes and such to accompany the interview. She decided that she would stick around, and see to it that she lend a hand in Natsu's journey, hopefully they could help donate some credits to help the child's teachings.
After several days on Arcaeon, she had gathered enough photographs, as well as combing through the information Omara gave her on the Krek, and published her interview. With appropriate photographs accompanying certain lines in the interview, as well as facts on the Krek on another link that she had pieced together.
The Annoliddan Inquisition, who had joined the Dectrose in their first foray into Ancerious, would likely be a great start to a budding news network, the Annoliddans where friendly towards the Dectrose, and most importantly, where involved in the galactic war. After the DGN contacted, set up a date, time and location for the interview, a small civilian ship departed from the DGN's new station, and went off to the location.
Not long after, they had arrived. The location had been the planet Arcaeon, in the Hadrian system, and after checking in with the various agencies and orbiting stations, they followed the traffic route into the planet's atmosphere. Guided in to the landing, and soon after departing the ship, a small news crew, with a reporter, an engineer, a single guard and a RAVD Drone, stepped out to await their transportation to the meeting.
The group was directed over to a fast moving waterway a short distance over. Moments later, a modest-sized and exquisitely crafted ferry came to a stop in front of them, its ferryman holding out a mechanical hand to help them aboard.
Buildings zipped by as the ferry picked up speed, the passengers protected by a wind break. Most structures were low and snug against the ground, just high enough for the Annoliddan citizens to walk through comfortably. Other craft and individuals came and went on the waterway, yet next to none floated on the water, instead choosing to swim below the water. The ferryman went on to explain that the Annoliddans had little use for "surface skimmers" such as the one they rode in, but those few that they did were taken extra care of.
The boat began slowing down. Ahead of them, a structure stood in stark contrast to the buildings around it. Like a massive tree trunk, the central spire of the city cut the horizon in two, extending upwards past the cloud cover that hung over the city. As the crew departed the craft, the ferryman lead them over to a seating area that was assembled on the slopes and steps leading into the spire.
A single, aged Annoliddan female was waiting for them, and though her garb was no different from the others nearby, her pose was a dignified one. Four more Annoliddans stood behind her, but they looked more like a military-grade construction crew than a civilian populous. She bowed deeply to the film crew as they entered the area. "I am Inquisitor Omara, overseer of this city, and I welcome you all to Arcaeon. Please, make yourselves at ease." She gestured to chairs arranged in a semicircle, a few tables piled with refreshments, and a movable desk to set up equipment on. Omara then spoke to the passing crowd in the Annoliddans native language. Four of them, two men, a woman, and child came forward and clasped hands with the four heavily equipped individuals behind Omara, who then simply dispersed into the crowd.
Omara bowed once more to the film crew. "Now then,we are ready to begin when you are."
While on the ferry, DGN Reporter Maria Reiter tapped into the RAVD drone to take footage and pictures of the populace and scenery as they went by, while not nearly as exciting as war-time footage, the galaxy might like a scene of peace and quiet in the turmoil of the battlefield. Indeed, Maria knew how important it was for morale to see peace and relaxation. Though soon after, she and her crew stepped off the ferry, having learned some interesting cultural information, and made their way to their contact.
As the guard went to his post nearby Maria, the engineer did a quick once-over to the drone, as Maria stepped forward to bow in greeting "Thank you for having us, Inquisitor Omara, I am Maria Reiter, a reporter for Dectrothain Galactic Network. Our engineer is Arnold Nowakowski, he's here to ensure the RAVD drone, our version of a 'camera drone', works properly, and if there is a malfunction, he can fix it quickly. Our bodyguard is Lucien Bruneau, he's here from a private security agency called Blacktalon."
She paused, and waited for the thumbs up from her engineer and counted down aloud so that Omara could prepare. On the final number, the RAVD drone lit up a bright orange as Maria spoke "Hello everyone, I am Maria Reiter from Dectrothian Galactic Network, and today's interview is with Inquisitor Omara of the Annoliddan Inquisition." She turned to Omara now, and the RAVD drone then focused on the two of them from slightly behind Maria.
"Thank you for having us here today, I have a few questions to ask you on how you came to be here, what brought you to settle here, how your civilians are holding up and their reaction to the galactic war. Firstly, let me ask, Why the Ancerious Galaxy? Your recent arrival has served to help many people, and thus have also lead to several great things, but how did you happen across this galaxy, and why choose it over any other options?" The drone then focused more on Omara in preparation for their answer.
"Ancerious was not our first choice. We fled from our home galaxy after a certain species sought to destroy all sentient life near it. There were a total of three galaxies that were much closer and hence more viable options than Ancerious, but two were too close to our origin point and risked detection, and the third proved to be uninhabitable." Omara turned to look directly at the drone. "When we took notice of the Ancerious galaxy seventeen-hundred years ago, it was already apparent the area was ripe with galactic conflict, and many of my ancestors ultimately decided against coming here. However, Head Inquisitor Inosda Quasilor ordered we move here."
Omara waved an arm over the backdrop behind her, the cityscape bustling with activity below a temperate sky. "Despite the hostilities surrounding us, we found this world and named it home, a stark contrast to the regulated life aboard nomadic warships the Annoliddans lived on for the past six-thousand years. Here, our people can once again thrive and grow. As for the galaxy at large..." She turned back to face the drone. "The Annoliddan people have all been made aware of the strife and war that plagues most of the galaxy. War is not a new concept to us. Each Annoliddan, be they part of the Inquisition or a member of the civilian populace, has memories of the fighting with our ancient enemy, and ultimately expect conflict to one day reach them."
She gave a confident smile to Maria "For now however, the people are happy that our part in the galactic war has been small, and they can go about their lives in peace. Both myself and the other Inquisitors grow anxious at the thought of escalating our role in the war, and have chosen to, how you say, 'hold our cards' for now."
Maria nodded, waiting a few seconds before speaking "You speak of this ancient enemy, and their desire to destroy all the sentient life near them, what else are you able to tell us about them? What was their name? What did they look like? Why did they wish to destroy rather than seek peaceful co-existence? Most importantly, what are you able to tell us about preparations if they do come to this galaxy, and what time frame are your people looking at?"
Maria blinked a few times, her eyes glowing a little less, but her eyes stayed on Omara, an almost concerned look on her face, as she waited a few seconds, patiently awaiting the answer.
Omara's eyes shot around in spastic circles for a moment before continuing. "The 'why' of this enemy had to do with their very nature. Though their name varied from language to language, we took to calling them Krek, in likeness of the god of chaos, Krekonaus. We know not where exactly they came from, only that the Krek were engineered for destruction. I can give a more detailed report on them later, but for now I hope this will suffice: They are a race of living bioweapons with a previously unheard of cellular structure, coupled together with a psionic hivemind and a wealth of knowledge regarding technologies that helped create a perfect army. Our home galaxy was on the brink of achieving galactic peace when they were discovered. Only a select few factions held a standing military, and this ultimately proved to be our downfall. Stretched thin, our forces could not keep up with their continuous growth and expansion, until they ultimately dominated most of the galaxy. However, the Krek seemed to focus on utterly clearing out planets and systems before moving to the next, and so it was ultimately decided to gather what little of our people remained and flee while we could."
As Omara spoke, the male Annoliddan produced a small hexagonal microchip. After holding it for a brief moment whilst it flashed, he held it over to Lucien. "Though I myself know little of the Krek, this chip contains my data of them. Little more than a brief look at their physiology and ship outlines, I'm afraid. Perhaps your military could make some use of it."
Omara nodded in approval before continuing. "However, the one string of good fortune is that we found this galaxy. Yes, it shares a number of troubles unto itself, but the sheer volume of militarized factions and nations means that a Krek invasion will not go as smoothly as their last. Also, what with the distance between us, I believe we will still have a minimum of 600 years before the Krek even have a notion of coming here."
Maria nodded, speaking somberly "I thank you for opening up to us in such a difficult subject, I know it must be hard to think about sometimes, but rest assured, this galaxy is a strong one. I can only offer my hopes that the Krek will not find you here, Inquisitor Omara. But speaking of where you came from, what do you know about the Annoliddan's original homeworld? What was it's name and what sorts of cultural art or artifacts have you saved from your original planet?"
"Our homeworld... Annolid," Omara answered. "It was a planet of oddities from the very start. Its stellar orbit was further out than what most consider a comfortable habitable zone. This led the landscape to be dominated by freezing wetlands and ice-covered mountains. Life itself took off in a strange way, with animal species growing almost as soon as the plants. Ultimately, there was the strange method of which my own race took dominance early in the planet's lifecycle; we would spend most of the day at sea fishing, and retreat to landside past the shoreline at night."
She paused to look down to her side. The Annoliddan child was tugging at her dress. He carried a small box (big for him) tucked underneath an arm. Omara reached down and let the youngling touch her palm. They both looked up and smiled at Maria, Omara explaining, "This is Natsu, one of the first Ancerious-born of my people, and he has chosen the path of a chronicler. As part of his training, Natsu has collected and categorized some items that were brought from Annolid."
Natsu excitedly pulled the table closer, rapidly-yet-orderly depositing his box's contents upon it. He took a deep breath, and began describing the objects one-by-one. Unfortunately, his pace was fast enough to make esteemed human rappers jealous should any watch this. Natsu only stopped when Omara put a hand on his shoulder. He then continued again, only now dragging out each syllable as if explaining to an infant. Omara tapped his shoulder once more, and Natsu resumed at a comprehensible pace. The contents of the box were a collection of Annoliddan artifacts throughout their history: A chisel from the earliest days of carving into caves, a surprisingly well-kept sextant, parchments of ancient scriptures, to-scale blueprints of the first successful flying machine, pieces of early fossil fuel engines, and a handful of other trinkets that gave insight to a world that once was. Omara smiled, feeling pity for the Dectrothian reporter having to wait through all this, but equally happy to see the child excited, and to share his knowledge.
"We do not have much of the 'art' stuff that you speak of," explained Natsu as he finished up his presentation. "My teacher said it has to do with a physiological difference." "To elaborate," continued Omara, "our telepathic ability makes expressing our thoughts physically rather tedious."
Natsu reached into his pocket and held out a nacreous geode rod to Maria. "We like to use these instead, but this one is empty. It stores thoughts and memories when you activate it, but I'm not sure how you would. You can keep it though if you'd like."
She allowed herself to smile as the child went about, depositing the contents of the box quickly, and organizing them rapidly, before vocally categorizing them, just at the same speed, before the child was corrected. Maria leaned forward, listening and paying attention to the various objects, until he ended, and spoke to Maria. Behind her, Lucien softened his stance, visibly relaxed now that the child such enthusiasm for his chosen profession.
Maria nodded at Natsu, flashing a smile and then shifting her neck to listen to Omara, then back to Natsu "That was very impressive Natsu, you're already quite proficient on your path. I'm sure you will be a great Chronicler when you're older." She held out her hand now, and accepted the geode rod, holding it closely to her, as she said "That's a generous offer Natsu, I accept it, thank you." She beamed, working with children was a great profession, though she had chosen the path of a reporter herself, being able to talk to and mingle with children was always a heartwarming experience.
Though, even with her heart warmed, the final question loomed over her dreadfully, and she allowed herself a moment of composure, and thought out the question before asking "I see that your culture and people are thriving, Inquisitor Omara. It's quite pleasant and peaceful here, but I wish to know what the overall opinion is, on the subject of the galactic conflict. What kind of future can children like Natsu expect to be greeted with, if the Inquisition finds itself involved much deeper between the powers of the AGA and APP? Do you wish to hold close to the AGA and trust in the strength of the combined nations to keep you safe, or are you involved with something else to ensure that your civilization stays peaceful and prosperous?"
Omara watched as Natsu began delicately putting away the objects in his carrying case. "I firmly believe my views match that of the other Inquisitors: our future is war. The galactic conflict between the AGA and APP is unavoidable. Though we joined the AGA, the APP does have the upper hand in both logistics and overall action as a war machine. Meanwhile, the AGA claim a higher moral standing, and this will result in more nations turning to them, be it for protection or to bolster their numbers."
She took a more stern tone and composure, her role of Inquisitor starting to show more. "What will ultimately decide the AGA's fate, both in the war and its aftermath, is whether or not it can remain to adhere to its own guidelines and restrictions, or break down to the APP's level and fight them on equal terms. How the nations of the AGA deal with themselves should this pass will be a turning point in the conflict, for better or worse. In preparation for the worst, the Inquisition and Annoliddan people as a whole are seeking to form non-aggression, defensive, and trade pacts with others both within the AGA and beyond, both for the current conflict and for when the war eventually comes to an end."
Omara seemed to ease a little. "In short, the Annoliddan Inquisition does not seek to rely on the AGA, and we are seeking other alliances. Truthfully, we would like to see ourselves return to the status of galactic powerhouse, but we know as well as any other nation that this is a lengthy goal, and in the meantime shall seek to aid others wherever able."
She gave a short nod, following along and compiling the information in her processor, Omara was very detailed in her explanation, and all that was left was the closing question, straightening up a little as Omara finished "I can see the Inquisition has put some great thought into their position in the war and their membership in the AGA. As a closing question, I know you have stated that your future is war, but at what time will peace rule over war? What goals or steps do you have set in place for something as powerful as peace?"
Omara gave a short chuckle before returning her composure. "Oh, I must apologize if you misunderstood my phrasing. While we seek an end to this war, I meant I foresee war in our future beyond it. The prospect of peace... it is not something Annoliddans envision. Quite honestly, we are confused when other sentient beings seek it out, as the pursuit often leads to more conflicts. As long as there is at least one race that seeks both peace and still wishes to expand and acquire more, war will be present in the future. The goal of peace is going to be far too distant to accurately plan for."
The passersby Annoliddans, and even young Natsu in his chair, all gave a silent nod at this. It was a passive gesture, but showed the whole people had the same intent.
Seeing her misunderstanding, she leaned in a little, barely noticeable to listen a little more thoroughly, nodding a little and then noticing those around her agree to Omara's statement. "I see, so for your people, you prepare for war as you forsee within the prospect of peace, conflict that comes with maintaining that peace." She paused for a moment, and leaned towards Omara, her hand extended out for a handshake "Thank you, Inquisitor Omara for having me here and giving me the chance to interview you, I have learned much and I must say that your city is beautiful. I look forward to possibly meeting you again in the future." She smiled, as her crew began getting up and stretching out of view of the camera.
Omara returned the handshake, and upon making contact, telepathically thanked Maria and her crew for their visit today. She then gave instructions for returning to their shuttle, and points of interest along the way if the crew was hungry or would like to rest.
A wide smile appeared on her face, and Maria thanked her for her generosity. There was many more shots she wanted to take around the city, beautiful landscapes and such to accompany the interview. She decided that she would stick around, and see to it that she lend a hand in Natsu's journey, hopefully they could help donate some credits to help the child's teachings.
After several days on Arcaeon, she had gathered enough photographs, as well as combing through the information Omara gave her on the Krek, and published her interview. With appropriate photographs accompanying certain lines in the interview, as well as facts on the Krek on another link that she had pieced together.