Jade Mountain
28-03-2004, 11:25
Director Lee looked around the Council Chambers, noting his allies and his opposition. There on the left, the original Nets were opposed to Proposal #483, their representative components glaring sullenly.
You can make a machine out of a man, Lee thought, But you can't take the man out of the machine.
On Lee's right, the newer Nets, founded under fifty years ago, were the main part of his support, and the largest single bloc among the Council members.
Between the two groups the military representatives - Army, Tigers, Air Force, Eagles - were firmly in the opposition; opening the borders would be bad for security, there was no doubt about that.
On the far left and right of the Chambers, the Department Heads and the Tribunes were fairly evenly divided for and against. All told, it was an unpleasantly split Council, which irritated Lee; he much preferred a firm majority ... which neither side possessed here.
"This is the way it is," he said wearily, repeating the same old argument for the umpteenth time. "The powers who fought the Terminus War are gone - including the old Selari Republic. We cannot afford to continue to think as if they're still hanging over our shoulders, and we cannot continue to think like a Selari research base.
"Population statistics - doublechecked by several different Nets, I might add - show us that population growth is increasing faster than hydroponics development, even with the Child Tax. Quite simply, if we do not open our borders to trade soon, we will starve within a decade.
"In addition to that, the population expansion is pushing in other areas too. Within that same decade - ten years, Councillors, not so long a time - we'll be doing so much building that hiding it from spysats will become impossible. The isolationist mindset will become obsolete, and we'll be exposed to foreign power on their terms.
"And I would like to point out that we are quite close to - too close to - several expansionist powers. The Aris-Ngai Mountains may be difficult for most powers to take, but remember, those "look-at-my-territorial-compensation" tinpot Emperors have military budgets larger than our entire economy, and nobody has yet taught them that it's not polite to tread on other people's toes. Keeping them off our feet through political means is to be preferred over having them squash us underfoot without the notice of the world, certainly?
I'm asking you, Councillors, to cast away the shackles of the past. We no longer have Imperial weapons platforms orbiting overhead - but if we don't act now, we may see them again, and all that will have changed is the colours of their flags.
"That, and our powers; anyone who thinks that Jade Mountain is the equal of the old Republic is computing with crossed wires - and even the Republic fell. You can be sure that the Selari Consuls weren't starving when that happened, either!
"So. You've heard the arguments for and the arguments against, and I hope you've all made up your minds, because it's time to vote."
Lee returned to his desk, though as the person who'd put up Proposal #483 he wasn't entitled to vote upon it, and watched the vote bars, projected directly onto his retina, inch upwards.
The vote ended in favour of the proposal - barely; fifty-eight for, fifty-two against, and nine abstainers. That would be Tribune Kei and his fence-sitters, damn the man.
There was very little actual vocal grumbling from the fifty-two who'd voted against, but Lee had no doubt that the original Nets and the Military were talking, fast, over their mindlinks. Just so long as they spoke and didn't act ... there'd been one attempted military coup, back under Dirani's Directorship, in Jade Mountain's recent history. That had ended with the military purged and several key scientists fled.
"Allright," Lee said - time to take control of this Council again - "The vote has been counted in favour of establishing foreign trade and diplomacy. Shall we begin drafting the message?"
-----
Several days later, the radio transmitters situated atop the highest of the Aris-Ngai Mountains blasted out their message, over all known frequencies used in the nearby nations. Even with the powerful new systems in place, that wouldn't get the signal as far as could be wished, but once it was out in the international environment, such a message surely wouldn't take long to percolate through to nations further away.
To the leaders and peoples of all nations, the Directorate of Jade Mountain sends greetings.
We're sure you're all wondering precisely who we are, to be broadcasting from a place with nothing in it besides mountains and trees! Please be assured, explanations follow.
A century ago, Jade Mountain was a secret research facility of the Selari Republic, before that nation was destroyed in the conflict known to us as the Terminus War.
Unknown to all outside, Jade Mountain survived the hardships of the post-War years to establish a functioning government in the Aris-Ngai Mountains, sheltered from outside influence by geography and silence.
But now the time has come for Jade Mountain to emerge into the light of the world, to take off our veil of silence.
To this end, it is our pleasure to invite representatives of all nations to Jade Mountain, to discuss the possibilities of trade between our states.
With faith,
Director Arkinai Lee and the Council of Jade Mountain
You can make a machine out of a man, Lee thought, But you can't take the man out of the machine.
On Lee's right, the newer Nets, founded under fifty years ago, were the main part of his support, and the largest single bloc among the Council members.
Between the two groups the military representatives - Army, Tigers, Air Force, Eagles - were firmly in the opposition; opening the borders would be bad for security, there was no doubt about that.
On the far left and right of the Chambers, the Department Heads and the Tribunes were fairly evenly divided for and against. All told, it was an unpleasantly split Council, which irritated Lee; he much preferred a firm majority ... which neither side possessed here.
"This is the way it is," he said wearily, repeating the same old argument for the umpteenth time. "The powers who fought the Terminus War are gone - including the old Selari Republic. We cannot afford to continue to think as if they're still hanging over our shoulders, and we cannot continue to think like a Selari research base.
"Population statistics - doublechecked by several different Nets, I might add - show us that population growth is increasing faster than hydroponics development, even with the Child Tax. Quite simply, if we do not open our borders to trade soon, we will starve within a decade.
"In addition to that, the population expansion is pushing in other areas too. Within that same decade - ten years, Councillors, not so long a time - we'll be doing so much building that hiding it from spysats will become impossible. The isolationist mindset will become obsolete, and we'll be exposed to foreign power on their terms.
"And I would like to point out that we are quite close to - too close to - several expansionist powers. The Aris-Ngai Mountains may be difficult for most powers to take, but remember, those "look-at-my-territorial-compensation" tinpot Emperors have military budgets larger than our entire economy, and nobody has yet taught them that it's not polite to tread on other people's toes. Keeping them off our feet through political means is to be preferred over having them squash us underfoot without the notice of the world, certainly?
I'm asking you, Councillors, to cast away the shackles of the past. We no longer have Imperial weapons platforms orbiting overhead - but if we don't act now, we may see them again, and all that will have changed is the colours of their flags.
"That, and our powers; anyone who thinks that Jade Mountain is the equal of the old Republic is computing with crossed wires - and even the Republic fell. You can be sure that the Selari Consuls weren't starving when that happened, either!
"So. You've heard the arguments for and the arguments against, and I hope you've all made up your minds, because it's time to vote."
Lee returned to his desk, though as the person who'd put up Proposal #483 he wasn't entitled to vote upon it, and watched the vote bars, projected directly onto his retina, inch upwards.
The vote ended in favour of the proposal - barely; fifty-eight for, fifty-two against, and nine abstainers. That would be Tribune Kei and his fence-sitters, damn the man.
There was very little actual vocal grumbling from the fifty-two who'd voted against, but Lee had no doubt that the original Nets and the Military were talking, fast, over their mindlinks. Just so long as they spoke and didn't act ... there'd been one attempted military coup, back under Dirani's Directorship, in Jade Mountain's recent history. That had ended with the military purged and several key scientists fled.
"Allright," Lee said - time to take control of this Council again - "The vote has been counted in favour of establishing foreign trade and diplomacy. Shall we begin drafting the message?"
-----
Several days later, the radio transmitters situated atop the highest of the Aris-Ngai Mountains blasted out their message, over all known frequencies used in the nearby nations. Even with the powerful new systems in place, that wouldn't get the signal as far as could be wished, but once it was out in the international environment, such a message surely wouldn't take long to percolate through to nations further away.
To the leaders and peoples of all nations, the Directorate of Jade Mountain sends greetings.
We're sure you're all wondering precisely who we are, to be broadcasting from a place with nothing in it besides mountains and trees! Please be assured, explanations follow.
A century ago, Jade Mountain was a secret research facility of the Selari Republic, before that nation was destroyed in the conflict known to us as the Terminus War.
Unknown to all outside, Jade Mountain survived the hardships of the post-War years to establish a functioning government in the Aris-Ngai Mountains, sheltered from outside influence by geography and silence.
But now the time has come for Jade Mountain to emerge into the light of the world, to take off our veil of silence.
To this end, it is our pleasure to invite representatives of all nations to Jade Mountain, to discuss the possibilities of trade between our states.
With faith,
Director Arkinai Lee and the Council of Jade Mountain