The Dauk'rar ambassador's iridescent frill was raised with consternation as she sat across from me, breathing rapidly into her facemask. I could hear her beak grinding slightly as her eyes darted around my office.

I sighed. This wouldn't be easy. Before I could open my mouth, however, she spoke. "I wish to assure you, Mr. President, that the Confederation in no way intended any harm to your people, and that upon hearing news of the disaster our wails to the heavens matched your own."

"I understand, Madam Gaukartak," I sighed. "Our peoples have enjoyed decades of profitable partnership and cultural exchange. It is extremely difficult to imagine how things would have gone if the Dauka hadn't arrived. But you must be aware my constituents have questions. There...isn't a Confederation, is there? Your fleet doesn't really have a homeworld, does it?"

Gaukartak bowed her head and trilled in distress. "There was once. We believed in freedom of enterprise and faith. It is why we chose your America as one of our great friends. We dared to hope that we'd be allowed to our own ways, but we feared the risk that the Concord wouldn't tolerate us. This is why fleets like ours fled into the void."

I rubbed my temples. "So you did lie."

"Yes," came her whispered reply.

"And now we're in the Concord's sights along with you."

"You were always in danger, Mr. President," she objected. "Their actions against the Confederacy proves their ruthlessness."

"People are panicking. The Dauk'rar fleet escaped to the Oort Cloud without even picking up the thousands of Dauka on the surface, and they broadcasted their ultimatum to everyone: surrender you and the other Dauka 'traitors' over, or more cities will be annihilated. I've managed to keep your people safe for now," I said.

"You are honorable, Mr. President. More ultimatums will follow until there is nothing human left. Just another outpost of the Concord."

"I know!" I shouted, throwing back my chair. "You don't think I realize that? They've got us over a barrel and they know it!" I stated out the window, wondering how it could have gone so wrong. Earth had not even seen civil war in years! Poverty had been eliminated! It was supposed to be the beginning of humanity's first, truest golden age! I wanted to cry.

After a few moments, Gaukartak stood beside me. "There is still hope, Mr. President," she said.

"How?" I asked, my voice finally breaking.

"This isn't the first time this cycle occurred."

I stated at her. "What are you saying?"

The ambassador shuddered. "Centuries ago, the Dauk'rar were like you: uplifted by visitors, themselves refugees from the Concord. We kept alive the light of freedom and faith. Now we pass the torch to you humans. You must hand us Dauka over and... we will certainly die. Then our fleet with attack the Concord, and buy you more time. You have the means of destroying the leftovers, if you dare, and you may buy a decade or two of freedom. You must take this chance to escape, like we did. If you don't..."

I stared at her. Seconds dragged into minutes as i contemplated what she said. Finally I nodded and Gaukartak bowed and took her leave. I sat down, feeling ancient. "What are we going to do?" I asked my empty office.