The decision was almost entirely made. As Chancellor of Gaia, he held tremendous power over how the future of Gaian Civilization would unfold. His de facto power was even greater; if he truly willed for something to be the case, then it would happen.

He knew that there were people who disagreed. For instance, he knew that the elves didn’t like this kind of model at all, for they were a deeply communal species that didn’t even have currency within their species when engaging in sharing resources within their civilization, although they did use currency when selling agricultural produce to the rest of the world.

However, he also knew that most people would love his decision to push for a laissez-faire approach where they would have tremendous amounts of liberty and sovereignty without much governmental intervention. The Gaian Alliance would not intervene, not until they adhered to the bare basics of paying their taxes, not betraying the human species, and committing to the protection of Gaia if and when the time came.

"Even in this model, Your Majesty, the Gaian Alliance, the Panamic Alliance within it, and even the Kandrian Empire will have to work hard to expand collectively," the Shepherd continued to explain. "I don’t have to tell you, but conquerors who have gotten their hands on an entire star system, say, shall not respect the Gaian Alliance if it doesn’t have the power to enforce even the few contributions it demands from them. Thus..."

She illuminated a map of all stars within a hundred light-years of Gaia, before pressing another button that highlighted many of the stars and star systems located in key connector positions that could serve as a transit nexus. "...The Gaian Alliance must control these strategy stars so that it can control the bloodflow of human civilization in outer space. This will be one of the methods with which we will be able to maintain control over human civilization while simultaneously allowing for a laissez-faire model of expansion of non-intervention."

Rui nodded with an invested expression. "The Gaian Alliance must be strong. There’s no question about it. Without strength, nobody will respect its call for help if and when we are attacked by external forces."

Controlling transit nexuses was a good way to ensure that they could keep everybody in check, and they could ensure that the world around them was under control.

"We must also develop a currency with which we offer a number of vital services that only we can offer," the Shepherd shifted to the next measure that the Gaian Alliance needed to take to maintain civilizational cohesion. "For instance, negatron matter, the so-called Gaian seed that you believe you can develop by reverse engineering the gargantian’s seed. And of course..."

She turned towards him. "Things like your immortality. That is something that will be greatly desired by future conquerors once they gain control over a territory and their own sovereign state. However, in order to truly get the currency circulating, it is best to have it connected to everything, including for example, the production of spaceships, the supply of energy, information and intelligence, and even private industrial innovation of all matters relating to interstellar conquest. This will create an anchor for the Gaian Alliance’s currency that will ensure that it proliferates across the stars, entrenching them in interstellar colonies. This will give you the ability to cripple their economies with sanctions if they dare to defect from human civilization or if they dare not to contribute to the defense of human civilization."

In other words, even though the system was laissez-faire, there were still many things that the Gaian Alliance could do to maintain control and leverage over human civilization to ensure that the collective might of human civilization would always be roughly united, even if very fragmented.

She switched to the next slide that featured three columns titled ’rights,’ ’duties,’ and ’leverage.’

Under rights, she listed the fundamental rights that the Gaian Alliance would guarantee from it, which were liberty and sovereignty, but there were also several other rights listed that she hadn’t mentioned before.

"’Right to intellectual property?’" Rui frowned. "You recommend protecting intellectual property but not physical property? Isn’t that strange?"

"It makes sense when you understand the outcome, Your Majesty," she explained patiently. "If we guarantee the right to physical property, then we would have to protect that right if someone tried to wage war to conquer land from colonialists. Which means that people won’t bother developing a military force, since they are confident that we would protect that fundamental right."

Rui’s ethereal eyes lit up with realization. "...And that would make the colonial powers weak and soft, which is the opposite of what I want."

She nodded. "Exactly, since your priority is power. You must not guarantee the right to physical property. Then, colonialists will be extremely careful and build a powerful military force in order to protect the land and planets that they conquer. As for intellectual property, it must be protected; nobody will bother innovating. Why would you invest tremendous capital into innovation and research if everybody can just copy and steal your effort for themselves for free?"

"You can’t expect scientists and entrepreneurs to build a military to protect their intellectual property, I suppose."

"Correct, Your Majesty. Part of what makes a civilization strong is innovation in technology and innovation in the utilization of resources more broadly. If we want to rise to greater heights as a civilization, we need to incentivize innovation. And thus, there needs to be absolute protection for innovation. Patents, trademarks, and copyright need to be enforced strictly."

"Very well then," he turned back to the three columns, studying the ’duties’ section.

It listed the commitment to the protection of human civilization as a Fundamental Duty, a concept that wasn’t used very often. Listed under it was a militarization system that allowed for the smooth integration of private armies into the chain of command of the Gaian Unified Forces during times of need and crisis.