historical

The medical team didn't take long to arrive with their scanning tools, and they got to work as soon as the Envoy explained what procedures he thought they would need to do in order to fully verify the assertion that the Vampires were descended from humans.

They had more than enough equipment here, and Max briefly wished that Nico was nearby so that she could steal some of that medical tech for their own use. Not that they had been having any issues lately with the new devices they had provided to every unit and the Alliance doctors that they had hired for the Cruise Ship, but a little more medical knowledge was never a bad thing.

The team scanned all five members of the Vampire team and then plotted their data on a holographic chart in front of the Envoys, over top of the table.

"In my professional medical opinion, to call the Vampires descendants of humanity is both technically correct and misleading. If you look at the data here and here, you can see where clearly human genetics were forcefully altered, but if you look here, you can see naturally occurring sequences from a species completely unrelated to humanity.

Though I can confirm with one hundred percent certainty that there were humans in their ancestry and that the species, as it is now, is a result of genetic engineering, as they asserted. However, it is undeniable that there was a second species in their ancestry." The Doctor informed the group, looking a bit disturbed.

Max and the Vampire Captain shared a meaningful look with each other, and Max hid a short burst of laughter while the Envoys looked confused.

"It's a running joke among the other species of this Galaxy that, given the opportunity, Humans would try to breed with almost any sentient species just to see if it worked. The data declaring that humans and an unknown, possibly extinct species hybridized to produce Vampires is not a huge shock. Nor is the implication that they then genetically altered their offspring for an unknown reason, perhaps because they were unstable or prone to genetic disorders or infertility." The Vampire informed them in the characteristically dry and unemotional tone of his people.

"Perhaps we should ask our Innu Envoy? I hear you had a lengthy conversation about this topic with the Research Team?" Max asked.

"Oh, yes, I did. It was the result of a cultural difference, where the humans viewed it as polite to show their favourite bits of technology off and allow others to try them out." She began, then paused as all the other Envoys began to laugh.

"Exactly. That is a top-tier date, very nearly a marriage proposal to an Innu, letting them use your favourite tech gadgets. They weren't at all dissuaded once they were informed, though, and began to postulate about whether sensory tentacles or hair would be the dominant genetic trait." The Envoy continued after a moment.

"It's the sensory tentacles. I already looked into it after I heard the story from one of the researchers." Her assistant informed her with a smirk.

"You know, many species assimilate others to integrate them into their group, but I think this is the first time I have actually met one who had successfully hybridized. Perhaps the Alliance will have to study the Vampires a bit more closely now that they are officially considered an offshoot of humanity. A stabilized hybrid, whose split ancestry coexists and doesn't try to subsume one side or the other, is an anomaly worthy of study.

By our standards, they are covered by agreements relating to humanity as a species, as they have some human ancestry, and they are willing to acknowledge it. Like the Canis, they will be considered a human-descended species, entitled to coverage by your treaty." The Giant announced after referencing his data tablet.

"That brings us to the important question. What made the Vampire Council decide to take this action? They were quite adamant that they were not humans only a few years ago and were working with the Federation to attempt to gain recognition by the Alliance." Max asked.

"We are a very long-lived species, as you already know. After following our current technological progression path, it was determined that the likely date to develop our own unique warp ten capable vessels would be a minimum of a century away and that it would likely run afoul of copyright laws, as much of it is derived from human technologies.

Based on that, our achievement would likely be disregarded, setting us back over another century while we tried to create an entirely new mode of travel at sufficient speeds.

Also, human technology has already started to spread rapidly throughout our culture, halting many of our own technological development efforts in favour of the much more advanced human technology, but we are currently limited to only producing the items that we have licenses for, as we have to use human devices to make more human devices, so the logical path forward found a link between the two species that could be used to form an alliance.

Now that we have established shared ancestry, we can be considered separate human nations, and while that doesn't bring us automatically into agreements between the Reavers and the Alliance, it does mean that if we can work a deal to join the Reavers' Trade Group, we would be gaining the full benefits that any human nation would."

The Vampires were always unemotional and logical, so this path made sense to Max, and it was clearly well thought through before the Captain had met them here. His vessel had only been passing by, but when their informants told the Vampire Council that Terminus had started recruiting in this system, they had been diverted in order to attempt to make this deal and get ahead of the priority list for Reaver Political matters.

Max tapped his chin as he thought and then turned to the Vampire Captain. "Should I assume that you will be serving as the Envoy between your nation and the Trade Group? I can get you a meeting with the leadership in the next few days since Terminus Trading Company is rather busy at the moment.

It will be much faster than any other approach, and the negotiations to join the group can often be done in only a few days if both parties are on the same page."

"I think that the Council is looking to join the group, but I will not be the Envoy, only a convenient messenger. If your ship has the capability to open a portal, there is an Envoy group prepared to begin negotiations at any time. They are familiar with the standard agreement and have already prepared a set of terms that they would find amenable, so the deal might be made in very short order." The Captain agreed.

"In that case, send the necessary messages, and I will order you a beverage. Your entourage is welcome to enjoy the hospitality of the Terminus Trading Company while we wait." Max offered.

"I have one more directive if you will allow it. The Vampire Council requests that myself and my ship apply for gainful employment aboard Absolution. Once they saw it, they were adamant that this opportunity not be missed to integrate into Reaver culture."

A shipload of Vampires? Well, if nothing else, they were known to be somewhat trustworthy.

"I will prioritize your applications. I am sure your crew has more than sufficient qualifications to find a home aboard Absolution."