"A mutual protection agreement."
Vlad's voice carried evenly through the void, neither forceful nor hesitant, yet impossible to ignore. Each word seemed to settle into the fabric of space itself, lingering long enough for every Sovereign present to weigh its meaning.
"We do not yet possess the trust or the infrastructure required for large-scale invasions or prolonged campaigns across foreign worlds," he continued. "Such undertakings demand absolute coordination, refined logistics, and a depth of understanding we have not yet earned as an alliance. To act otherwise would be reckless."
The Sovereigns listened without interruption.
They all knew the truth of it.
