Quoted By:
In the end, you decide to send <span class="mu-s">the Accord</span> your favor in the form of supplies, data capsules, and a few other treats that will hopefully give them a leg up on their rivals without putting the Hegemony at too much risk. Of course, going out to meet them in any capacity reveals you watching the newly independent territories, as well as leading a trail right back to your own vulnerable colonial systems. Your security has been reduced slightly.
However, the gift was not in vain. You receive both a message of gratitude and some great support. Many in The Accord very strongly associate with the Hegemony already, and this only improves your relations. However, you are getting a strong feeling that most in the accord want to remain independent regardless of your ideological similarities- and given the Hegemony's history with alien integration... you suppose you can't blame them too badly.
<span class="mu-s">Year 164 of the Resurrection Era</span>
The Oon Crystal Project turned out <span class="mu-s">much better</span> then even you thought it could. Beyond greatly increasing the number of Oon crystals, you have increased your knowledge about the crystals and what forms they can take. Minor chemical and structural differences can still carry the majority of Oon signals, though some crystals can only vibrate with a specific, less signal compared to Eight-by-Six, who seems much more restricted by what crystals it can inhabit. You also learn that Oon crystals still require some source signal to get started and vibrate with the same frequency, but can be "grown" into the right shape by the same Oon takeover signal, meaning the Oon can indeed expand to planets with similar chemical properties as their homeworld. While the project has run its course for now, you have also gained a huge amount of usable Oon crystals for purposes of upgrading your fleets, or stockpiling them in the event of more future discoveries.
<span class="mu-b">"...I'm hopeful our newfound allies in The Accord don't think we're just trying to manipulate them in the future."</span>
"Making allies is a form of manipulation, after all."
<span class="mu-b">"I disagree Threes. It is one thing to have mutual goals, and another to use deception to be someone's friend before stabbing them in the back."</span>
"Then your goals had simply changed since then."
<span class="mu-b">"No, it's not like that. Like the Esaal... I feel bad about extending the war even if it weakens them as our rival, because of the <span class="mu-i">pretending</span> like we're still their friends."</span>
"In the same way you pretended to be a homosexual?"
