Planet Repo, in the galactic regions of the Corso Clan. The expansion of the Empire continues. After the successful campaign against Bruse, a meeting is taking place on Planet Repo between three clans – Umerii, Armoni, and Corso – to determine their strategy towards the newly encountered civilization.

A tumult and clamour poured through Greentaque along with every creature walking down its streets. The din was unbearable, seeping into Mirra’s ears. It drilled into her mind with an energetic roar filled with shouts, singing, laughter, the sounds of instruments, quarrels, and the noise of vehicles. Among the countless beings arriving from across the Empire were financial sharks sniffing around for new investments, as well as those who simply wanted to have fun. Some sought opportunities for adventure, while others for exotic romances.
Repo, under the rule of Clan Corso, was no cosy, family-friendly place for picnics, yet the city was developing at an astonishing pace – something the leaders of Clan Corso proudly showcased by organising a grand festival.
Greentaque was modern, yet it nurtured within itself the spirit of folklore – an element embedded in the genetic accelerated evolution project on Planet Repo. More and more people were arriving in the city, drawn by the extraordinary event, and the lively atmosphere around the Zidic Pyramid had led to a doubling of the Imperial Sap Guard. The towering peak of the pyramid loomed above the rest of the buildings, reminding the inhabitants that the ruling clan held everything in an iron grip.
Mirra raised the collar of her coat, woven from interlaced bamboo fibres, and stepped out from the alleyway, merging with the celebrating throng of all races and colours. And there was indeed something to celebrate, for representatives of the Council of Clans – Armonii, Corso, and Umerium – were about to arrive on Repo, marking the beginning of yet another cosmic conquest by the Empire. For some, the expansion of the Empire was considered its ultimate purpose – a fuel strengthening its power, multiplying its wealth, granting access to precious resources, and widening its sphere of influence. For many, it was an opportunity to climb the social ladder, especially through the black market channels that fed countless planets. Some clans were already rubbing their hands together in anticipation of the profits they could reap from subjugating a new civilization. The hosts of Repo too awaited the amplification of their own influence, organising lavish celebrations and showcasing the developmental success of their conquered planet.
But the Emperor himself was far removed from constant speculation about financial gains. The piercing mind and patience of this one of the oldest Homo Deus focused solely on artefacts and the advancement of extraordinary technologies. The clans under his command provided him with everything he required.
For the Emperor, every new world meant newly acquired data and knowledge – knowledge that could be used for further development or left forgotten for eternity.

Mirra moved among the various creatures, recalling the history of the planet. Repo possessed rich deposits of resources utilised in every corner of the Empire. The gravitational forces within the planet allowed the creation of a distribution hub with three large pyramids. Over eighty percent of all trees belonged to the quercus species, which lived in symbiosis with Ips Arachin – a microscopic arachnid dwelling inside the plant. This creature created tiny canals reinforced with fibres formed by the solidified secretion from its spinning glands, composed of fibrin fibres bonded with sericin. Quercus was stronger than steel and far more flexible. This precious material was coveted throughout the Empire. Among its many uses, military applications were indispensable – the resource was used to craft lightweight armour, as well as durable suits for spacewalks or excursions on alien planets with atmospheres hostile to outsiders. Lost in thought over this biogenetic phenomenon, Mirra carefully chose which streets to take. Though at times bright reptilian eyes watched her from the darkness of the alleys, she took the shortest route – she didn’t like being late. At last, she reached a square paved with brown stone. The place roared with the hustle of a market day. Vendors shouted over one another, offering aromatic spices, fresh meat and fruit, and one could even grab a mug of liquor here. Though her stomach twisted into knots, Mirra skirted the square in an arc and turned into a narrow street. Here, the clamour softened, allowing her to calm down and gather her thoughts. She passed a small warehouse filled with dried canos leaves, which the Reptilians rolled and smoked, after which their scaly skin shimmered in various colours. It brought them a pleasant, relaxing sense of ease.
She registered every detail of the alleyway with precision, scanning for potential threats. Years spent spying for Clan Armonia had ingrained in her automatic habits of danger detection. The walls of the houses rising along the narrow street were covered with silvery, shimmering ivy. Moths and fireflies floated in the air. Some strange cross between a cat and a lizard darted past her feet like a shadow, disappearing so quickly that she didn’t have time to identify its species.
At last, she reached the door, upon which a blue-painted image of a żerdacz head was depicted – a species of wild boar abundant in the Quercus forests. The creature was a delicacy for the locals, who eagerly organised hunts for it. Mirra stepped inside. She was greeted by the dense aroma of incense and the acrid smoke of canos pipes biting at her nostrils. Numerous alcoves held tables and sofas where patrons drowned their sorrows or lifted their spirits. At the back of the room sat Hom Sap from the twin planet Hollyv. She recognised them by the implants that gleamed with a cold metallic sheen. They embedded them in various parts of their bodies, and though such modifications were common on their planet, Mirra felt a shiver run down her spine at the thought of such interference with the body. Several tables were occupied by the dominant reptilians of Repo. Many played cards or rattled their chips. In the distance stood an old jukebox boasting the inscription “Top 1000 Greatest Hits of SoloFun’s Chart,” though to Mirra’s relief, it wasn’t screeching out any hits at the moment. In the centre of the room stood the bar. Behind the counter bustled the bartender – a local reptilian. When their eyes met, he nodded towards the back of the establishment. Mirra headed in the indicated direction. Waiting for her was a hooded figure in a long sand-coloured coat. How original, she thought, smiling slightly.