GATE: The United Nations of Earth

Chapter 12: "Priority: Space"

--Diplomatic building, Fort Alnus--

The Diplomatic building is built on almost every central base on occupied worlds. Its purpose is to be used as a temporary resident for deflectors as well as enemy diplomats. UNE soldiers consider it's a "fancy prison" but it is for a reason, the residents are allowed to move freely inside but the outside is heavily guarded by SAT8 and sentries. Every room is bugged and hallways are filled with cameras.

Pina is sitting in her room thinking about the dark future of the Empire then someone knocking slightly on the door.

"Your Highness, are you asleep?" Hamilton asks. She has not been able to sleep because she is also nervous about the trip to the UNE world.

"No, come in" Pina replies "It's not locked, I forgot how to lock it"

Hamilton enters the room and locks the door behind her.

"Press this on this pad, your Highness" She shows Pina how to lock the door and then come and stand next to Pina on the balcony "You're worring about tomorrow too?"

"Hamilton, the fate of the whole Empire is on me. If I fail to negotiate a peaceful solution in this trip...a lot of our people are going to die" Pina pauses for a while and continues "And even if they agree to make peace, how am I going to convince the senate and father to do so?".

"Your Highness, I'm a humble girl from a lowly noble family. I don't know much about politics, but I do know this. I know in my heart that you will succeed in this quest" Hamilton says.

Pina looks up to the majestic Bastion hovering over Fort Alnus like a giant reminder of what the UNE is capable of then replies "Thank you my most trusted friend...for always believing in me while everyone else just sees me as a girl".

Back in Sadera, the nobles laugh at the idea of the Rose Order. To them, it's just a bunch of spoiled noble girls trying to play soldiers and low-class noble boys wanting to obtain a higher status. No one, including her father and her brothers, ever took Pina seriously despite her being an Imperial Princess.

"You two can't sleep too?" Grey says from the next-door balcony.

"Knight Grey, why can't you sleep?" Pina asks.

"My mind is kept awake by the thought of what we will find in their world" Grey replies then look back into his room and continues "besides, this room is big and fancy, the bed is soft and comfortable. This room they keep for their enemy is even better than the rooms of some nobles that I know. I'm not used to this".

"These people are full of things that I can't understand. How can they light up this place like daylight? How are those...beasts that they claim to not be a living creature move?" Hamilton adds.

"We will have a chance to find out tomorrow. This time we will try to learn about these people instead of killing, which should have been my father's first action..." Pina replies.

King Duran is in the next room, he is sitting on the floor at the door of the balcony and has heard the conversation. Before he was the King of Elbe, he was a young prince and was sent to lead Elbean Army as a substitute to the Imperial Army on many of the Empire conquests. For many of these campaigns, he was under the command of Molt. Although he never liked Molt, he knows the Emperor pretty well.

Hearing the conversation makes Duran realize that while Pina is a naïve young Princess, she has the potential to be a great leader. One that is different from her father.

--War Hall, Sadera--

General Tiberius is standing over the map of Falmart reading a report. The production of the magic arrows and ballista bolts is going fast. Millions arrows and hundred thousands of ballista bolts were produced and distributed to the new legions as they are training. A new type of crossbow was invented and is being mass-produced, repeating crossbow. Being a brilliant and experienced General, he has been studying reports of the battle of Alnus Hill and all the battles from the East. Although the Empire is losing, under the order of Tiberius, they are adapting.