What the Glorbush think, at least most of us, most of the time.<br/><br/><strong>Ultothana</strong>: Some kinship is felt for these non-humanoids, along with a great deal of fear. The Ultothana seem to have little need for trade with other species, but hope springs eternal in the Glorbush breast, and trade overtures continue to be made. The Ultothana's lack of any sort of electronic communication means deals must be done in person. It is the most foolhardy, desperate or canny of the Glorbush who will take their trade freighters into the presence of the great Ultothar. Even if trade negotiations do not prove successful, it is projected that considerable profit could be made simply by following the Ultothar around and scavenging the mineral remains of worlds that it has destroyed.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Investigate.<br/><br/><strong>Imperial Phyrexia</strong>: Another fallen Empire, although their fall was more recent, and not so dire as our own. They have recovered well and seem intent on further expansion. There are factions within the Glorbush that see alliance with the Phyrexia as the surest route to regrow our own Empire, or at least to serve a new one. Anyone that intent on turning out starships will need raw materials, and we can provide them.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Suck up to.<br/><br/><strong>Angauri</strong>: Another in the long line of races that could defeat us militarily. Luckily there is currently no reason to struggle. Their efforts to regrow from their own internal devastation offers the Glorbush substantial trade opportunity. The shifting Clan structure of the Angauri makes it somewhat difficult to enforce contracts, but we're hardly ones to point tentacles on that score. Several lucrative trade contracts are already in place, and these should be expanded.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Continue trade, try not to piss off.<br/><br/><strong>Fel'ryn</strong>: Substantial evidence exists that the Fel'ryn are engaged in an undeclared war against us. Ships have been attacked, Glorbush captured, trade missions destroyed. Nothing has been 100% conclusive, but we're not blind. So far our retaliatory strategy, such as it is, has been to expand more quickly, blanketing the galaxy with our trade missions to the point where we can withdraw when confronted by the Fel'ryn without crippling loss of profit. At least two of our Clusterships have had to resort to the Final Stratagem, activating their self-destruct mechanisms in order to neutralize the attacking Fel'ryn "pirates". Their continued aggression is a matter that we will bring before the Council at first opportunity.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Seek redress, consider hostility [Note to Glorbush self: Seek allies with guns.]<br/><br/><strong>Ilkyan</strong>: Not all trade is in minerals and food. The Ilkyan seek information, and the Glorbush possess a great deal of it. True, much of it is from the Old Empire, and now lies locked in destroyed cities or derelict spacecraft. The Glorbush seek to trade "data mining" rights to the Ilkyan in return for peaceful relations and support on the Council. The Glorbush's possession of Jump Drives make us an ideal partner to host Ilkyan exploration missions to areas without existing hyperspace gates.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Peaceful profitable cooperation.<br/><br/><strong>Crys</strong>: An incredible find. The Trade House that made first contact with the Crys and negotiated the very lucrative trade agreement with that race has remained in power among the Glorbush based almost entirely upon that past achievement. The Crys want carbon, and have a wide variety of valuable minerals to trade for it. True, they are only one system, but that system is like a money spigot. In addition to the trading of minerals, we Glorbush have taken it upon ourselves to be the Crys's goodwill ambassadors to the rest of the sentient races. The holofootage of the Crys warship destroying a major asteroid with a single blast has proven to be a very effective "ice breaker" when pursuing new trade arrangements with minor species.<strong>Verdict</strong>: If we were exploiting them, which we're not, then we should continue to do so.<br/><br/><strong>Ekke</strong>: Good solid trading partners. They don't seem to have anything hidden up their sleeves. This is suspicious; they should be watched closely. Still, they seem to have been successful in persuading the races of the galaxy to resolve disputes peacefully through the Council. This is a noble and laudable goal that we whole-heartedly support as long as everyone else has better weapons than we do.<strong>Verdict</strong>: Continue trade and support<br/><br/><br/>