The Ashtarians have transmitted a request through the agents of The Galactic Community. They ask that I break the deadlock in The High Council and choose their next leader. They feel this will help dispel some of what they call the misunderstandings between us.
I actually had to contemplate THAT one for a few minutes, then I said "Absolutely not." If you can't pick your own damn leaders, too damned bad! Why don't you do something like take them all up in a tower, draw a target in the ground, blindfold them, and let them throw their ceremonial daggers over. The one who comes the closest to the center of the target is your new leader. That would probably be just as practical as me picking one."
The Galactic Agent was in total hysterics after I gave him my answer, and said he will transmit it immediately!
Several hours later I began having the terrible thought that they might actually do it! But no one could be that stupid...could they? I mean, we are dealing with Ashtarians....but they COULDN'T! They WOULDN'T! Would they?

Well, The Ashtarians have a new leader. I can't even begin to pronounce his name, so we will refer to him as Tug. No matter how many times they say the rest of it to me it just comes out a series of blurred syllables. He has sent me a message, thanking me for suggesting the ancient ceremony of Dropping, and wonders how I knew about it. I DIDN'T! Not on a conscious level, anyway. Apparently it hasn't been used for several hundred-thousand years, but was still in the old records of procedures.
The new ruler has promised better cooperation and to strike diligently to find some way of making peace between us.
I have sent him a message stating that I have no grievance with the Ashtarian people other than those still interfering with our own Work. I hope this new leader, who is young and not soiled by having taken part in any of the Ashtarian occupations, can help bring a new era to his people.

Our hopes that the new Ashtarian government would be able to stabilize the situation there did not even last a day! Barely had the messenger left with this news, than a few hours later word came of another tragic incident.
The colony where the Ashtarians are attempting to rebuild the race they destroyed during the uprising came under attack from hundreds of small vessels converted to warships. Fortunately The Galactic Forces had been warned and a substantial force took on the raiders and repelled them, before a great deal of damage could be done. The raiders apparently were attempting to destroy the biological material gathered from across the galaxy to be used for cloning.
Over thirty of the raiders were destroyed and nine were captured. The rest escaped.
The attackers were mainly members of the family that was in charge of the devastated mining operation. The captives made it clear they blamed this race their own people had virtually destroyed, for their defeat. They refer to them as greedy, ungrateful worms, who had rebelled against those who had done them good, and deserved destruction for the evil they committed. And they warn that their family members will not rest until these evil creatures that murdered their beloved ones are exterminated.
It was not believed this family still had that much power and influence, that they could muster such forces.
The Galactic Forces are searching for their bases and the Ashtarian government has declared many members of the family outlaws, to be arrested by any of their people that come upon them. Will this insanity EVER come to an end?

We have had a new report on The Ashtar Command situation. One of the non-allied systems asked The Galactic Community for help. They had located the base of some ships that had been raiding their shipping lanes and outposts but did not have the ships to take on such a great force without leaving other sectors open to attack. So they asked for reinforcements, which were readily sent.
When this base was attacked it was found to contain many of the ships that had taken part in the recent assault on an Ashtarian outpost. Several of these ships were captured or destroyed.
Upon examining the crews The Galactic Forces got a bad surprise. Along with The Ashtarians were members of The Dawn Empire. The Ashtarians and The Dawns have been enemies since they met each other, but now apparently the fringe elements of both societies have joined together. It is now understood where The Ashtarian Families still resisting The New Order are getting their financial and logistical aid.
The Dawn government insists they are not involved in any operations against The Galactic Community, and it is generally believed they are telling the truth, that the current trouble is being caused by radicals unhappy with The Dawn's defeat when THEY tried to interfere with Earth some years ago.
If The Ashtarians are bringing in old adversaries in their battle against The Galactic Forces, it puts a whole new difficulty into the works. It just goes on and on. I am beginning to feel like The Jewish People with the Paletstinians. Will there ever be an end to their madness? Why can't intelligent people see reason?