[snip]

“We do understand and experience that issue,” Glen agreed, “which can result in a decrease in the uniqueness of once-isolated communities from trans-cultural diffusion. It cannot be avoided as it has always occurred from very ancient times; even times when people only travelled on foot, so it’s nothing new. Better communication just leads to a faster rate of the diffusion of new ideas and technology. The Federation provides assistance to teach local customs and languages in schools, and to study local traditions, and to prevent their extinction. One of the best things about having a intergalactic cultural exchange is the wide variety of choices on offer. No one rightly would want those different elements to be diminished because they make the galaxy a more colourful place, and every culture and person has different knowledge, perspectives, and points of view. Such diversity is something that is actively promoted within the Federation, as it leads to better informed decisions.”

”..I see, Captain Glen, most interesting. If I can be quite honest, from those other species we have met or encountered, none even who are in a collective union like you describe seem as coherently meshed together, there always seem one or two areas that cause conflict as we later find out. So I suppose my next question to you is has your Federation ever had a sort of internal civil war or civil strife? I mean if you do not mind answering that I mean.” Dol asked.

“No civil war, no!” replied Glen, “I’m not saying that such a thing is impossible, of course. However, the four founding races that formed the Federation each had their own destructive planetary strife before they decided to come together in peace. Earth had their World War Three, which came close to total annihilation, while Vulcan had their Time of Awakening. I guess that they wanted an alternative to an apocalyptic future and tried hard to avoid it ever happening again.”

“Nor can I tell you that there are never any arguments or disagreements. When the Federation was about to sign a historic peace treaty with its’s greatest enemy, the Klingon Empire, there were conspirators of both sides who almost plunged them instead into full scale war. The conspiracy was thwarted and the Khitomer Accords were duly signed, but as you say there are always one or two areas where people cannot agree and where conflict is a possibility.” Glen gave as full an answer as he could.

Glen added, “Of course, another great Federation Captain once put it quite differently, and much more honestly to a new race who were considering joining the Federation, when he said, ‘Why would you want to turn our enemies into your enemies? We’re just a few years clear of the Klingon War. The Romulans are out there biding their time. Who knows what species we’ll piss off next? And it’s not like we’ve coming to you with any great respect for your culture. We barely know anything about it. Now, it’s pretty clear we’re only interested in you for your territory. And what would you get in return? The hypothetical benefit of new trade markets? Scientific advancement? Our promise of support in the event of a crisis which will probably only come about because you’ve thrown your lot in with us?’ He went on to say, “The Federation has lots to offer, sure, but it always exacts a price.” It is entirely up to members to decide if that price is too high for them to pay. Most do decide that the benefits of membership out way the liabilities and obligations imposed. Some, like the Alstaireans, decide it isn’t for them at the present time. No pressure is applied, if that was a concern of yours.”

Dol nodded again seeming to ponder this turn of information, “..I see Captain Glen. Well I feel for now that satisfies my own curiosity about your Federation. Is there anything else you might wish to know about this habitat or my people?” he inquired. “..If not I thought you may like to see how we oversee the habitat’s operation from our main control center?”

“We’d like to see that,” said Glen, however Glen was still puzzled by the Dol’s lack of questions about sharing technology. This was a society seemingly created wholly upon shared technology from more advanced cultures that wasn’t interested in sharing new technology. Their whole area of concern aboard the Merrimack before they left had been that these people would steal their technology, but now they were here the Dol wasn’t bothered at all. “I’m still interested in learning more about your ‘seed pods’ . If you were given them in an exchange of technology, were you also given the technology or understanding to manufacture more of them? I know I said earlier that, if you agreed, then second and third contact teams, and trained diplomats would come to discuss exchanges with you, but to be perfectly honest with you, the ‘seed pods’ are at the limit of our own technology. This is why I’m curious about them. Since our starships became faster, we never needed to develop ‘sleeper ships’ further, and our advances in technology in that area stalled. However, we do know that much older, now extinct races, did use such things, as such artefacts have been found.”

-Glen