Interstellar Age
Chapter 372 Setting a Trap for an Unsuspecting Spy

When Daelia landed on the Germanic Capital she was shocked by what she saw. Though everything seemed to run cleanly and efficiently, it was far from a utopia, and was instead rather cold and dystopian in nature.

Everything from the oppressive and domineering architecture to the atmosphere of the hard-nosed and cynical population who walked the streets, many of which were in either a military, law enforcement, or political uniform.

After all, with the need for production now maintained almost entirely by a robotic and automated labor force, the average Germanic male found his purpose serving in the armed forces, first responders, or the large body of politics.

The police were, of course, very a bit as militarized as the Armed Forces, with the officers patrolling the streets in armored fighting vehicles, while wearing sets of power armor and equipped with modern plasma weapons.

In fact, if a planet of the Germanic Star-Empire were to be invaded, the Police could in theory act as a secondary line of defense considered how well equipped and armed they were. That was not the only shocking thing to Daelia as her cab took her to the Citadel.

Young boys patrolled the streets in military uniforms, and with rifles slung to their backs. These young cadets were members of the Germanic Youth Corps, showing off the spartanesque level of training that Germanic Youth were required by law to engage in. At least as far as the male population was concerned.

Whereas women were required to walk the streets with a male present. Whether that be their husbands, their fathers, or their brothers. They were not allowed to wander off on their own, nor even leave the house without the protection of a male.

This left a sour taste in Daelia's mouth who came from a gynocentric society, if not an outright matriarchal one. She considers civilizations like the Germanic Star-Empire, which considered their women to be a protected class, a class in which were not free to engage in the dangers that men were expected to pursue as an eyesore.

But she kept her thoughts to herself, knowing that she was currently masquerading as the role of a female agent who was just now returning to the Empire after years of being missing in action. She found it strange that women could perform the role of an intelligence officer, but not a patrol cop or a soldier.

What she did notice, however, was that crime was virtually eliminated as every building was littered with security cameras, as was every street corner. There was not a blind spot on the Germanic Capital for which the long arm of the law could not detect an infraction.

And with the police force larger than ever, and now equipped with drones which could halt a criminal in the act via stun rounds. There was simply no feasible way for one to get away with the crime that was normally associated with large cities such as this.

From some perspective, one might say that the safety, security, and prosperity which the Germanic Star-Empire had bought itself may have been worth the price of individual liberties and political freedoms. But Daelia was not one of those idealogues. Instead, she found the very essence of the Germanic society to be deeply authoritarian and thus disturbing.

Of course, nobody suspected she was anything other than a Germanic Citizen, and thus Daelia could not express this disgust aloud. Instead, she was eventually led into the citadel after numerous security checks. Which not only scanned her for potential weapons, hostile bionic implants, and even her genetic code itself.

And while Tia was immediately aware of Daelia's presence since the moment the Dark Elf Shadow Queen connected to the Grid, Daelia was permitted to enter the citadel. Where she was greeted by several more security officers. Who were quick to salute her before leading her up to the office of the Supreme Leader.

The head of the security staff was an elite special forces operative, designated with leading a team of WRAITHs to protect the Supreme Leader at all times. He had a hint of disgust on his face, for reasons that Daelia did not understand, as he quite emphatically told the woman to behave herself while in the presence of the new supreme leader.

"It has been three years since you last made contact. And though High Command has deemed it fit for you to return to the Empire without sentencing you for an abandonment of your duties. I would like to remind you that things have changed since you last visited the Capital.

It is a new regime, and our fearless Supreme Leader may be taking a risk while speaking with you, but just know my men will always be present to protect him. If you make the slightest tone of hostility, we will apprehend you, interrogate you, and after we have gained the information we desire, we will eliminate you. The Supreme Leader has bestowed us with such authority, so you would be wise to behave yourself while in his presence..."

There was a hint of reverence in the Security Officer's tone, that Daelia had detected in the voices of the customs agents who she interacted with at the border. Which she now suspected was an odd, but widespread phenomena in the Empire.

Thus, she forced herself to remain stoic, or at least appeared to do so, as she responded in the affirmative to the warning that the officer had given her.

"Duly Noted..."

Finally, after a very intense elevator ride, the doors opened, and revealed the second highest floor of the citadel where Erich's new office was. Which was guarded by several dozen highly armed individuals. At least those were the ones visible to the naked eye.

Once Daelia had submitted to yet another scan, she was permitted entry to the office. Where she found Erich seated at his desk, visibly hard at work as he appeared to be scanning the network on his NeuroLink.

Daelia approached the desk and sat down in front of Erich, remaining entirely silent as she waited for him to finish whatever task he was undertaking. Until finally, after nearly five minutes of awkward silence, Erich closed out of his NeuroLink and gazed upon the woman he knew was a Svartalfheim spy.

Where he quite expertly put on a friendly facade, as he reached out his hand in a gesture of "good faith" before properly introducing himself.

"Agent Ann Ludvigsen... It is good to finally meet you... You may not be aware, as you have been gone from our borders for some time. My name is Erich Jaeger, former Marshal of the Realm. It was only recently, when our former esteemed leader stepped down, that I assumed the position.Can I get you a cup of coffee? Or perhaps something stronger?"

Daelia was surprised at Erich's hospitality. After all, she represented an unknown factor, one that could potentially be dangerous to the man. Little did she know all of her moves were being watched by an all-powerful AI. One which would apprehend Daelia if her heart rate so much as fluttered the wrong way.

After several moments of awkward silence, Daelia finally expressed her first words towards the leader of a hostile power, who she was now face to face with, having the goal to conduct espionage on behalf of her people.

"Supreme Leader... I would be honored to share a drink with you..."

Erich smirked when he heard this, as he pulled out a bottle of locally produced spirits, which were secretly spiked with Tia's enhanced truth serum. One which once administered to Daelia's system would cause her to spill all of her secrets, and when she finally awoke from her drugged state, she would not realize that she had said anything at all. Nor would she believe any time had passed since drinking it.

Daelia, subconsciously drank the alcohol, but only after Erich had done the same. Where she immediately came under the effects of the truth serum. Once she had done so, Erich was quick to ask her a question, the first in a long line of questions which would break down the relations between the Germanic Star-Empire and the Svartalfheim Federation.

"So tell me.... What exactly have you been up to these past three years?"