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853 - Trade Hub
🕑 Added 2025-02-24 20:24:11 +0000 UTCNear Pluto’s orbit, a massive space station was in the final stages of construction. Only the finishing touches and full-scale testing remained before it could officially open for use and visitation by imperial citizens.
Spanning nearly a thousand kilometers in diameter—about a third of the Moon’s size—the station looked nothing like a natural satellite. Its sleek, glossy exterior was adorned with enormous glass panels, each manufactured in space. These panels stretched for kilometers in length and width, and hundreds of meters in thickness, allowing light to pass through effortlessly. Yet, they weren’t just for aesthetics. Equipped with advanced safety features, the glass could filter heat and radiation while controlling the amount of light passing through in a precise five-centimeter grid, ranging from full transparency to complete blackout. Additionally, they were reinforced to withstand asteroid impacts, a testament to the station’s durability and the prestige of its purpose.
This station was set to become the primary business hub between the empire and the Astral Conclave civilizations, serving as both a marketplace and a goods exchange point. The Conclave’s representatives and citizens were not permitted to venture beyond this point, and their goods had to undergo strict filtering before being approved for use by imperial citizens.
It was also one of the few places where Conclave representatives and their people could reside permanently within the solar system—provided they held imperial visas. The station was designed to support continuous trade, both physically and virtually. During the upcoming mana stone exchange, an official business portal will be launched, allowing both sides to conduct trade seamlessly. Should negotiations require in-person discussions, meetings could be arranged here, with agreements officially notarized by the imperial government. Once documented, these agreements would be legally binding and enforceable, ensuring that neither side could violate the terms without consequence.
As live footage of the final phases of the station’s construction played in the background, a meeting was underway in the universal simulation. The virtual setting made it appear as though the discussion was taking place aboard a transparent spaceship near the construction site itself.
“The proposed business regulations have undergone their final adjustments and have already been approved by the Emperor. They should be ready for public announcement so that everyone can prepare ahead of the Trade Hub’s official opening,” reported one of the attendees responsible for regulatory matters, ensuring that everyone present was up to date on the progress.
This meeting was being held by the Joint Task Force, the body responsible for acting as a liaison between the empire, the Astral Conclave, and any future foreign trade partners. They were also tasked with overseeing the administration of the massive space station, officially named the Trade Hub.
As a joint department composed of members from various imperial agencies and ministries, the Task Force was designed to handle the complexities of trade and diplomacy seamlessly. The presence of representatives from different sectors ensured that potential challenges could be resolved efficiently. Regular meetings were necessary to review each department's progress, and today’s session was no exception. However, most of the critical preparations were either already completed or in their final stages.
“…Using the genetic data on their makeup, we have successfully developed a vaccine that will be mandatory for anyone seeking physical access to the Trade Hub. This measure is to prevent the spread of illnesses between different civilizations,” the representative of the Imperial Health Agency reported, concluding his update.
A brief silence settled over the room as everyone waited for the head of the Joint Task Force to call on the next person to present their report.
“Mr. Cohen, any updates on how the currency implementation is progressing? Or is it still awaiting the Emperor’s approval?” asked Masimbi, the head of the Joint Task Force, as he methodically went through the checklist of pending tasks.
David Cohen, the representative of the Bank of the Universe, lifted his head from the holographic summary of the previous report he had been reviewing. He met Shabani Masimbi’s gaze for a moment before responding.
“Yes, the Emperor has already approved all matters related to the currency implementation for trade,” he confirmed. Pausing briefly, he shared a set of bullet points detailing the approved monetary exchange policies for the Trade Hub before continuing.
“First, all trade conducted within the Trade Hub will be done using Earth New Dollar (END). This also officially designates END as the universal currency for all business transactions between the empire and external entities, barring any special circumstances that require exceptions.
To solidify END’s status as the universal currency, it will be backed by mana stones. The exchange rate has been set at 100 END per low-quality mana stone, 1,000 END for a medium-quality mana stone, and 10,000 END for a high-quality mana stone.
For the time being, and for the five years, the exchange rate will remain fixed at these values. After that period, it will gradually transition to a floating exchange rate, managed at the discretion of the Bank of the Universe and subject to the Emperor’s approval…”
As Cohen continued his explanation, everyone in the room immediately grasped the empire’s true objective. They all understood just how valuable mana stones were to the Astral Conclave civilizations. By backing the imperial currency with mana stones—just as the dollar had once been backed by gold—the empire had effectively created an irresistible incentive.
The Conclave civilizations would now do everything in their power to accumulate as many reserves of END as possible, as it would become their only alternative to the years-long, quota-based mana stone barter system. Not just their governments, but even individual Conclave businessmen stationed at the Trade Hub would eagerly gather END, knowing they could exchange it for mana stones—an asset they could sell back home at an exceptionally high price.
This move would, in turn, solidify the END as an incredibly strong currency. Over time, it was likely to become a universal medium of exchange, much like how the US dollar once dominated global trade. However, this time, its influence would extend far beyond a single planet—reaching across civilizations. As a result, the empire’s economic leverage, both in terms of soft and hard power, would grow significantly, giving it an even greater strategic advantage over these civilizations.
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GripenSupremacy
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Sol_Invictus
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Jade
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