Chapter 399: Peculiarities
These Nth-generation descendants of the Ji immigrants probably had no clue where their original civilizations were located. Given their mindset shift, it was perhaps understandable that their perspectives were somewhat warped.
However, what struck Luo Wen as truly peculiar was the attitude of the Troi Civilization representatives.
From the ongoing collection of intelligence, Luo Wen learned that within the Troi delegation, there were indeed individuals advocating for raising the stakes in negotiations.
They believed that the Swarm was not as formidable as it seemed, suspecting that the Swarm’s military presence across several star systems was little more than a facade. According to this faction, the Swarm likely had no hidden reserves and was merely bluffing with the forces it openly displayed.
Their strategy was to pressure the Swarm, testing its limits and revealing its true capabilities, all while negotiating for maximum benefits for their civilization. Many within the Troi delegation shared this view.
This perspective was not unreasonable—it was, after all, their job to secure advantages for their civilization. If successful, they would personally benefit as well.
What made this odd, however, was the apparent lack of coordination in their approach. Negotiations between civilizations should not be so haphazard. When Bular led the initial delegation, he had refrained from any hostile or aggressive language.
His behavior reflected a clear and measured understanding of the Swarm, likely shaped by the Fleet Commander’s directives. Could it be that this new delegation, led by their second-in-command, held conflicting views with the Fleet Commander?
The royal representative Froede, a member of the Troi royal family and an admiral, had been remarkably silent since his arrival. By now, he rarely even appeared at the negotiation table. From casual conversations among the delegation, it was evident that Froede had neither openly supported nor opposed the current strategy. However, his neutrality led many Troi representatives to interpret his stance as tacit approval for those pushing a harder line.