Getting a Technology System in Modern Day

The fleets of the Astral Conclave civilizations, carrying the exchanged mana stones, departed a day after the trade was completed. This time, the process was far smoother than before, as the exchange had taken place inside the Trade Hub itself. Their representatives, along with their close entourages, remained behind, unsure when their negotiations with the Empire would conclude, but aware that the importance of the talks warranted their continued presence.

While discussions around the VR network had stalled, pending approval from their respective governments. During this period, the empire requested individual meetings with each representative to discuss separate matters.

Now that VR access was granted, those who accepted the invitation found themselves summoned to private virtual meeting rooms, far from the watchful eyes of other representatives. This allowed each nation to negotiate without the risk of backlash from the top ten civilizations, who might otherwise view one-on-one meetings with suspicion.

“Forgive me for holding this meeting in VR instead of in person. We wanted to avoid unnecessary scrutiny,” said Youssef, head of the Ministry of the Exterior, extending a hand toward the representative of one of the bottom fifty civilizations.

“This setting suits us as well,” replied the representative, raising his elongated finger toward Youssef as they shook hands, adapting for the obvious difference in hand size.

Despite being from one of the lower-ranked civilizations among those present, his civilization still held considerable sway within the Conclave. They were one of the fifty that had mastered wormhole technology, and their military was large enough to intimidate those below them in rank.

Now, with a reliable supply of mana stones flowing from the Empire, they had become even more formidable. Previously, the cost of operating a wormhole was enough to cripple a nation’s economy, limiting its use to theory more than practice. But with mana stone access secured, several civilizations had already begun activating wormholes, catching their rivals off guard. In fact, some had used them to launch limited operations against neighbors who had long assumed the wormhole tech wouldn’t be used out of financial caution. These early maneuvers served as warnings: the balance of power had shifted.

After a brief small talk, which didn’t last long due to limited cultural familiarity, they got to the heart of the meeting.

“We requested this meeting to bring forth a proposal that would benefit both of us,” Youssef said, his expression calm and sincere. “But before we proceed, and to ensure that neither of us uses this meeting to harm the other, let’s first sign an NDA.” A contract materialized in front of the representative.

After the initial demo period of VR access ended, all representatives were required to complete the formal login process, which included swearing a mana oath that any contracts signed within VR would be bound by that oath. Every representative, including the one before Youssef, had complied.

The representative carefully reviewed the clauses, then signed without hesitation or emotion. The terms were fair, ensuring the meeting’s secrecy and protecting the content even if word of it somehow leaked.

“Our proposal is simple,” Youssef continued. “We want to expand the distribution scope of our current arrangement and turn it into a long-term business model that continues even after the full VR rollout or functions independently, even if the VR agreement doesn’t go through.”

The representative’s face remained neutral. “What part of it specifically?”

“The wormholes,” Youssef said. “We want to propose a joint venture to create semi-permanent wormhole lanes. These would shorten travel times between key star systems, connecting regions that would otherwise remain isolated due to long transit durations. This would allow your civilization to further integrate, simulate, and diversify your economy.”

As he spoke, a star cluster map appeared between them. Circular markers formed near each star system, followed by lines connecting them. Miniature ships moved through these virtual lanes, entering one circle and emerging from another, visually demonstrating the proposed concept.

The representative raised an eyebrow slightly at the display, but said nothing. Youssef remained silent as well, giving him the time and space to consider the offer.

Inside the representative’s mind, a storm of thoughts raged. He fully grasped the implications of what Youssef had just proposed. If such a system could be realized, it would revolutionize their civilization’s development. No longer would each star system need to be self-sufficient or waste resources duplicating industries just to avoid the long and costly transportation delays. Specialization could flourish with each system focusing on what it did best, connected by stable, efficient wormhole lanes.

After a long minute of silence, he finally spoke. “Although your proposal is something I would like to accept without hesitation,” he said, shaking his head with a hint of regret, “unfortunately, it’s not something we can agree to, even if we wanted to.”

He paused before elaborating. “As a condition for being granted access to wormhole technology by the Trianrians, we were bound by strict limitations. We are forbidden from sharing or transferring the technology, under threat of retaliation both from the mana oath we swore and from the Conclave itself.”

Despite giving a negative response, the representative’s eyes remained fixed on the holographic display between them. It was clear he didn’t want to reject the offer, he simply had no choice. What was being proposed could greatly strengthen his civilization, and having to walk away from it weighed heavily on him.

Just as he began to prepare to leave, his posture already carrying the heaviness of disappointment, Youssef spoke up with a calm smile.

“If that’s your only concern, then there may be no problem at all.”

The representative didn’t move, but his expression tightened. “I don’t think there are any loopholes in that agreement to exploit,” he said cautiously. “And even if there were, I wouldn’t be the one to test them. Others have tried before… and the retaliation they received was not something anyone wants to experience.”

There was a flicker of something deeper in his eyes, fear, or perhaps memory. Whether he had seen the consequences firsthand or reviewed the aftermath in official records, it was clear the message had been etched into him: some lines were not to be crossed.