Dustin leans back, heavy eyebrows lifting with recognition. "Ahh - it sounds like we're reversed, then," he explains. "On Earth, corporations supersede government. Oligarchy rather than Empire. Individual countries have their own political systems, but they all still answer to the Global Trade Protectorate, which prioritizes their finances in order to make sure that everyone has the capital to take care of themselves."

He pauses to grab what looks like a cookie, sniffing it for a moment before popping it in his mouth. Unsurprisingly, it tastes like peanut butter, though with a not unpleasant hint of cinnamon.

"Consequently, international corporations have the run of the place, so long as they fall in line with the GTP," Dustin continues around his mouthful of cookie. "If the GTP determined that first contact would cause widespread market disruptions - which I imagine it would, regardless of how we received the aliens visiting us - they would have a lot of motivation to cover it up for as long as possible, and they would have the infrastructure to pull it off. It makes total sense to me."