Brendan was actually looking forward to meeting the Dragon Emperor, despite the fact that they would be negotiating from the weaker position. They were going to be asking for what had been taken from them, while offering very little in return, but this would be the first time two Solar System's interacted so directly. The sea of space was no longer an uncrossable divide.
When Sys20si finally received the first reply from the Emperor of the Dragon Empire, they were only a little over a year away from the Solar System that he resided in.
It was a long message in the Empire's English, transmitted by the light net node. The Dragon Emperor's first words to them were simple, yet somewhat shocking.
"Greetings. You will be welcomed when you arrive, and I hope that you will agree to meet with me in person during your stay. According to the estimate you gave, you should arrive more than a year in advance of our own people."