NationStates Jolt Archive

Ill defined by the presense of feeling, particularly fear, Courage was more determined by the actions on behalf of one despite fear's existance. Supposedly, fear had the power to grip one's soul into a state of paralysis, somehow also irrelivant to todays turn of events. Although such projects like the Ravenspire had taken more of an active lead toward existance, Mercury and its relevance had just recently hit prominance, becoming the nation's largest project in something called ProjectWorks. This, was a file of secrecy, one of which only Indigo had the eyes to view. Fortunatly, for this one, whilst fear would have the power to freeze the Mercury project into inexistance, men and beings such as Indigo were not surcum to it's heavy boots of steel. In fact, Indigo hardly had a soul, it being given to the underworld in exchange for an eternity's existance. Now feeding on the blood of men, Indigo and his followers could quite possibly outlive the Seraphim himself, and yet he didnt wait longer than most would desire. Like it had been written, Indigo was hardly at the boot of fear. Rather, fear was at the boot of Indigo and his band of men.

A large fleet had most certainly been prepared, a combination of both military and construction grade ships. Private contractors had been emloyed in this instance, for being a nation where the market was free, Indigo was at least clever enough to use what resources were beyond him. This way, personal and national resources were kept unused, often available for any emergency which may, and will most certainly one day arrive. And so blackened by the smoke of death and misery, the large fleet contingent left these lands for a new world, where only a few had inhabited. Those who controlled the greater share of this planet had been weakened from the inside; the Seraphim Order was hardly as strong as they were previously, and surely engulfed in a minor state of civil war, and a greater state of inability to act, they were stuck within a world where they could not so much touch the outside. For a length of time unnamed, the Austarians had been blocked from entering this new world to establish something greater. And now especially that the enemy had been weakened, and that the bonds were beginning to loosen, Indigo had decided to take this chariot and drive it to victory.

Indeed, although a few days away, something greater was coming.

Elijah sighed as the new telemetry streamed in. He shook his head sadly, "As if there weren't enough ships here already... Mercury's turning into another Earth..."

And forth did the grey ships go, angry and with the desire for firey gore. Yes, they were coming so much closer to MercurySpace and within this hour alone, they would have infiltrated space previously known to be Seraphim controlled. Properbilities were, that there would be some kind of presense within these realms, and yet considering the very state that alliance was in, perhaps too there would be nothing. And yet rather than fretting over the greater ideas of either or; Idisious, Warlord of the MercuryFleets and hopefully soon, Mercury, considered what were the possibilities of victory. And such an idea and notion such as victory over Mercury was quite the prize. Indeed, he wasnt planning on invading anyone as such, nor was he planning to be hostile toward people such as Elijah from the Caloris Basin, but rather simply snatch some piece of land from that of what used to be the Seraphim.

... Lord Idisious, we are approaching vector five on level six, what do you suggest our course of action may be? asked a lonely voice from the shadows around him.

Continue full speed toward MercurySpace. I dont care how our presense is known, just let it known to the Caloris Basin that we come in peace. Broadcast this message toward them, in however writing you like. As for the Seraphim, let them be. I dont believe they will even react let alone respond. However, if they do, I want to know right away...

ooc: do what you will, just be aware of the facts that 1) the rogue Seraphim military still occupies Mercury, 2) you may not enjoy the political hospitality of getting shot AFTER questioning, 3) the Order may not be watching Mercury, but I am.

And for the last time, the Seraphim is not a man, species, or individualistic in any way, shape or form. It is an alliance of several nations. So stop refering to us as a person or race.

ic:

Sketchian satellites watching Mercury took careful note of the fleet's approach. Information of their movements was relayed back real time to the Sketchian fleet amassed just outside the Sol system (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=7661185&postcount=14), well within a few minutes' striking distance. Tactical databanks analyzed the information, spitting out the results into the hands of onboard analyst; eventually making its way to the taskforce commander.

With the message firmly in one hand, Commander Djaar rubbed his eyes. Why is the universe populated by the densest of the dense? Would it not be common sense to stay out of a potential combat zone? These people will be the end of me. Something had to be done about it. Orders had not come down from top yet to initialize an assualt. And it probably wouldn't come. But if it ever did, it would much less headache to deal with just one foe, than also a bumbling bystander; whose innocence has yet to be determined. For all Comander Djaar knew, the approaching vessels were in league with the rogues, but the cautiousness of the approach suggested otherwise. Calling for his aide, he relayed very simple instructions - get on the horn and have intelligence find out who those ships really belong to. While you're at it, have the comm station send them a polite message to vacate the area.

On second thought, scratch that last. Have comms send them the "butt the hell out of here if you want to keep your hide intact" message. That ought to scare off anyone who doesn't know what they're getting into. Got that?

Yes Sir

At least, thought Djaar, we'll find out if they have balls. If they do, it'll at least narrow down the list of people who are desperate enough to risk losing some ships for a chunk of Mercury rock. The original analysis, already grim beyond belief, didn't change much with the introduction of new ships as hostiles. Already the chances of attaining a victory ofer Mercury well below acceptable loss ratios, a few more percentage points didn't matter. All that did matter was that when the order came down, the guns started firing. That thought didn't exactly comfort Djaar a whole lot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

As they approach the "mystery" fleet receive an open, uncoded transmission originating from an in-system Sketchian satellite.

Sketchian satellite communication #111774

WARNING WARNING WARNING
YOU ARE ENTERING A RESTRICTED AREA
AS OF [TIME/DATE STAMP] SKETCH STANDARD TIME THIS AREA HAS BEEN DECLARED A WARZONE
ANY HOSTILE ACTIONS INITIATED IN THIS AREA WILL BE CONSIDERED AN ACT OF WAR AGAINST SKETCH
FURTHER INTRUSION UPON THIS ZONE WILL BE CONSIDERED A HOSTILE ACTION

WARNING WARNING WARNING
.....

The message loops continuously, playing out for all ships on appraoch to Mercury in the immediate vicinity.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

At almost the same time, another message, delivered in a far more discrete matter, was intercepted by the installation(s) at the Caloris Basin.


To: Elijah
From: DiploCorps, Sketch
Subj: Nearby hostile actions
Msg:

We regret to inform you that as of [time/date stamp], Mercury has been declared a warzone. As you may have noticed, certain internal conflicts have manifested itself within the Order, and we are no longer the quiet neighbors we hoped to be. Rest assured, that so long as the rogue elements do not attempt to take the fight into your territory, and that we do not detect any assistance on your part to them, we will make all attempts to limit the collateral damage to your assests. That being said, it must be noted that there is a certain degree of uncertainty involved with combat, and we cannot ensure that nearby facilites go completely unharmed. We hope you understand, and will appreciate your discretion in this matter.

The enclosed message was about as close as Elijah was to expect to receive as an apology for the firefight that will undobtable erupt in the near furutre over, around, and on Mercury.

The Basin had never gone to what one might term a "red alert". Anyone who had kept an eye on Elijah's territory would be well aware that he was more than able to defend himself, but the amount of fortifications he had managed were largely an unknown quantity.

Until now.

The Lightning Guns that bristled on the mountain range the surrounded him all powered up, ready and waiting for any ground- or air-based threat. Holographic generators along the mountain faces disengaged, revealing further Lightning Gun emplacements as well as specially-designed missile bays, effectively doubling the firepower surrounding the basin itself. Numerous silos dotting the interior of the basin were uncovered, revealing the truly massive ground-to-orbit cannons; while they had been seen before, there were considerably more now.

The domes in the basin were already black for solar absorbtion, but to feed the terrible thirst of the weapons, millions of drones placed titanic black plates, tying them into the capacitors that powered the nation. SecurityDrones, armed with smaller versions of the tactical Lightning Guns were deployed, both in the basin and in Brahms.

In orbit around Mercury the once idle Daedalus satellites sprang to life, their fusion reactors powering up to full capacity. Their unblinking eyes watching and waiting.

In Mercury's shadow, even Nod station was preparing for the potential of war. Specially designed drones were released, and they swarmed, forming a metallic fog around the station, hiding whatever other contingency plans Ruth might have. The LiMEs made no move to engage any ship or satellite, they simply waited. They wanted no part of any war, and the amount of firepower they had secretly prepared made their wishes quite clear.

After all, if this is what they revealed when not directly attacked, what were they holding in reserve?

OOC: Sorry Sketch. Honestly if you read my posts correctly you would realise that I dont really think in persons or nations or whatever, but entities. I treat the Seraphim Order as an entity rather than a nation, and I know that its an alliance so try to read my posts from my point of view. Sorry if im not too clear, I suppose being the writer helps lol

MercurySpace

Standing upon these decks, the great warlord was strong and mighty, well supported and protected by the followers within these ranks. Idisious was a man of many indeed, and although perhaps a move such as this would create a stir amongst the ranks of Indigo, this was a mission from the top, and had been advised by the Lord most high. Perhaps it too, was destined and the underworld was due to hit Mercury. Still, such a time as this didnt call for irrationalism. And he had just recieved the message from Sketch. Quite right, Seraphim nations were still aware of thier surroundings.

Sending a message to the Sketchian Forces, it was guarenteed that the transmission would reach its destination in a matter of milliseconds.

... and whilst I do not doubt some kind of Sketch claim to this area, I cannot fortell what action I may persist with. Trust me on this, I dont really want conflict with your fleets, and I can understand why you would be so concerned, but tell me this. Would it not be better to limit your enemies and create friends who can assist you, rather than to create enemies and encourage them to band together? I will continue my course and speed, until such a time when I reach the official boundaries known as your space. You will be notified of our actions at that point, you can be assured of that.

In the meantime, sensors on board the capital ship were showing quite a piece of activity down on the planet's surface. If they were correct as they should be, it seemed that Elijah had activated quite much of the Caloris Defense Mechanisms. Quite expected, for surely Sketchian forces would have already contacted them. And yet Idisious had also done his own homework. Elijah was not one to be fond of conflict, nor was he due to act against his own forces. Too, it was due a message for this man, this creature from the planet below. To Elijah.

...your forces are more than free to do as they wish in these matters, I will not attempt you to sway into an either, or desision. Nor will I attempt to push a desision at all unto you. Be sure though that the Caloris Basin is hardly a target of our forces. In fact, not one will be a target of our forces except those who wage war upon us. This isnt a warning friend so you may act against us, but rather a simple message of assurance. Please, if any of your assets are damaged at all, even from just a stray missile or force of destruction from us, I will repay you twice as much. And if your forces are damaged at all by some from another force other than your own, I will avenge you, if it is nessasary of course.

And so the messages were sent, encryption being so unneeded that its levels were of the lowest. And still the fleets continued. They had not reached into Seraphim known space yet, but every second meant it drew closer. Truly, a larger force such as this had been noticed by probably everyone in this system.

Austar Union

Nodding quietly to himself, Indigo was left alone to ponder the possibilities and gravity of the situation. If his forces were to advance into MercurySpace, it could effectively open a war greater than ever known to this nation. And yet he was un-afraid. True, he would not rely on friends or allies, but surely he could rely on his own two feet. And whilst this would be the most probably and honorary approach, he did consider one possibility indeed.

----------------------------------------------------
TO: Whom It May Concern; Seraphim Military Forces, Mercury
FROM: Indigo Blue, Lord of the Blood Dynasty
SUBJECT: Fleets off your flank...
----------------------------------------------------

Ah, it has been so long friend since we had contact. Was it not a time when the military forces were in rank and affilliation with the Order itself. Truly, so much time has passed, and so much of the world around us has changed.

Anyhow, I thought to consider telegramming you of a presense just outside MercurySpace. Trust us, we have no intention against you but rather to simply begin an operation which could bring us both together. We do, of course, support your endeavours of seperation and independance from the Order nations completely, surely you must be glad to be rid of those who made the desisions of your behalf. Anyhow, its up to you how you recieve my fleets, we have been contacted by Sketch attempting to warn us off, but so far have not made an active and proper desision.

I await your reply,

Indigo Blue
Lord of the Blood Dynasty

Mercury Orbit

The Seraphim Order had, of course, been weakened.

The military machine it had created, however, survived. In the eyes of it's leaders, it had only just begun to achieve the full potential of it's might. Some elements reverted back to the Sketch dominion, but four full Interplanetary Warfare Battle Squadrons remained under the authority of the CSF high command. And, they remained in orbit at Mercury, defying the Sketch battlefleets with their continued presence but without threatening destruction.

The commander of the nearest CSF units at this this time was Chief Executor Fred Modra. When the Austar ships came into contact range it had not been a surprise to him, his command crew or the fleet.

"D and S?" he calmly inquired.

"Transmitting now," came the reply. A moment later, the Austar Union's fleet signatures gathered from the CSFHC satellite network data and the fleet's own sensors came crashing onto his personal display. He examined them briefly. Still out of range, but closing.

"General Quarters," Modra ordered vocally. Meanwhile he keyed in a quick code and sent a report to CSFHC. The report, auto-generated, advocated a major fleet engagements operation in response to a clear violation of the Mercury Policy.

His ship, the Cutthroat superdreadnaught of the Wastelands class, was one of over three hundred independent vessels of the IWBS. However, only the Cutthroat's escort group and a handful of others were in the immediate path of the approaching fleet.

The rest of the CSF, like the many spiralling arms of an expansive, awakening organism, began to wind patrols and forces up and converge hungrily to meet the new threat.

Somewhere on Mercury...[?]

The High Imperator digested all of this in relative luxury. The fleet was in no evident hurry to ambush or surprise. What they were there to do was another matter. On a personal level, he didn't like it - force he could respect, being forced upon was to be reacted against always. There was no other way.

While he had entertained thoughts of treating with the AU - why else had he spared so many members of the Seraphim Order Embassy - this changed things. It was presumptious. It was a clear statement that whatever the High Imperator's decision, the AU would be here to stay, with a large battlefleet in his 'flanks' as the Blood Emperor had amusingly written. The peace pretext was clearly a false one, as the messages intercepted by the virtual spider's web of tentacular communications networks bound up throughout the system indicated the enemy was happy to play forces against each other and use whatever rhetoric would be convincing.

The High Imperator's response was sent out as-is, with no preprocessing by the memetic machineries of diplomacy.

Do not take us for fools. Nor do we you. You are aware of our policy, just as the Caloris Basin is, and your intrusion with an armed presence is not permitted. We will legitimately see it as an attack against us, and unless you withdraw your fleets there can be no point of discussion for entreatment, and only your own aggression to blame.

Meanwhile, the office of Imperator Venakis (CSFCA) messaged the Caloris Basin diplomatic home-fields.

A peaceful intrusion. Does it begin like this? The Austar Union is antagonizing the stability of Mercury, and will bring nothing but destruction. We cannot fire first. Nor can we permit armed force to violate our space. Such proximities of military machinery cannot be anything but an inherently dangerous and aggressive act. We implore you to discuss with our ambassador our options to preserve the peaceful stability of our mutual home.

Crouching in absolute terror, the simple minded man hid himself into the corner of this room as the large figure approached him, and picked him off his feet. With an almighty blow, the man went flying across the chamber once again, and now laying on the floor he stay still as his lifeblood flowed just slightly from his head. Lit poorly, indeed this was such a dismal place to reside. Still, a warrior such as Idisious could always have fun with just a few of his subjects. He was interrupted.

He was interrupted and a message was passed to his knowledge. Frowning, he nodded just slighty and indicated for the intruder to leave immediatly. And so he did, leaving Idisious to another round with his somewhat, ill-loyal subject. This was hardly a good day for this man. And in the meantime, Idisious was due to come out within a few minutes. New toys always broke easy, and he had greater matters to attend to anyhow. Soon, he would be standing on the bridge of this ship, at the helm of command of the MercuryFleet.

... Damn you Seraphim! he cried, Even in a state of internal conflict you never cease to oppose me...

Of course, considering the very gravity of the situation, it was hardly a place nor a time for full-time conflict, especially with the JIL forces which were now quite evidently alert to the fleets, of course in a negative way. This was hardly any good, he was, whether he liked it or not, uniting the Seraphim Order once again. It seemed that they would be fighting all on the same side. And this was no time to fight such an enormous foe. The ships would slow, and avoid crossing territorial boundaries at all costs, for now.

The response from the mystery fleet was less than reassuring at best. Choosing to remain hidden behind the mask of anonymity, the intruders gave no indication of intentions or origins other than the ambiguous "we mean you no harm"; which invarible always meant the opposite. Further developments on the Mercury surface proved to be no more pleasant, with the Caloris Basin facilities shifting into a wartime stance. Completely understandable of course, given the situation, but still a rather sticky situation. Remote observations showed the rogue CSF elements moving to intercept the intruders. While in of itself was meaningless, analysis indicated that the rogues were being tatically cautious; a good sign that the intruders were at least not further reinforcements for the already superior forces of the rogue CSF. Perhaps the only saving grace of the quickly escalating situation was the fact that rogue CSF forces were now sandwiched between the guns of the Caloris Basin facilities and the intruding fleet, with the Sketchian forces to be positioned more than safely on the outskirts of any possible future engagement. With any luck, the unwelcomed "guest" will be able to double as a shield against both the guns of Elijah and of the rogues.

No reply was ever sent in response to the received message; a silent acknowledgement that no action would be taken, or could be for that matter, due to pesky politics, until the intruding fleet actually breached Mercury space.

Idisious smiled as a realisation came to foot. Perhaps, since at the very least the Seraphim Military was based upon a system of honor and dignity that they would be willing to comprimise, of course with a price, and perhaps something to grip their interest. No conflict of proper condition was really needed of course, pehaps something, a game of which kings had been using since the original dark ages. Yes, a time where war and battle loomed called for something to stimulate an act of peace and justice.

Sending a message ahead to the fleets approaching, Idisious had decided to attempt boarding the ship peacefully, not of boarding as such, but being allowed to meet the commanders of these forces. Of course, it was unusual for a warlord to meet with others himself, yet uncommon occasions called for uncommon ideas. And it was that of which were not to common sort which would successfully implement action of a positive nature. And within just a few moments, sensors abroad would have picked up a small vessel heading toward the Seraphim Military ships. Its weapon signatures would come low, for it was obvious, this was a diplomatic vessel, of all things. And of course, to meet with he who Idisious required an audience with, they would have to cross the boundaries into MercurySpace. Hopefully, the message sent ahead would fix any problems regarding.

... And in an attempt to prevent actual conflict, you will soon regard a small vessel entering MercurySpace. Please dont be alarmed, for I am on board myself, and hope to meet with your commander in person. Perhaps this, will be the crucial steps to peace which this situation warrents. We have no weapons on board, except any hand-held of course, for protection. I hope to meet with you soon.

It was encrypted on the lowest levels, and was broadcasted directly, and only to the Seraphim fleets. Another message to the Sketchian forces indicated that this was an attempt at diplomacy, rather than an act of war. Truly, it would be better for them to bite their teeth of battle.

Fleet commander Djar was faced with a dilemma - the intruder fleet, now tagged as target group 2 (TG2) in the ships' systems, showed no signs of observing the no fly zone. But, despite this, he had orders not to initiate engagement until further instruction. TG2 was of no concern, far more import was the CSF ships, which had to be quarantined at Mercury, lest they escape become unaccounted for. The Mercury command staff, unboubtable aware of the Sketchian fleet's deep strike (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=360412) capabilities have taken steps to compromise all observation capable satellites in Mercury space. That left the fleet targetting systems dependent on satellites based further out, lessening the observation accuracy. This ruled out the use of long range kinetic cannons. The rogue fleet knew this, although TG2 would be none the wiser.

The only reason that the fleet had not stepped in already, was due primarily to the fact that military comanders of Sketch were more than just a little hesitant about sacrificing so much hard earned resources on an unsure outcome. With the CSF faction now separated from the financial support of the Order, it would be difficult for them to maintain the expensive upkeep of so many warships. It would be a long wait, probably longer than anyone wanted, but eventually, the numerical superiority of the faction fleet would disappear as resources became strained. The introduction of an outsider however, was troubling. The possibility of an unknown force subverting the warmaking potential of the CSF faction through promises of resources was too high a risk. This unwelcomed outsider was only making things worse. There was still time yet to wait and see, but that was fast diminishing.

Do we have enough information on TG2 to enter data for profile targettng?

Yes sir. Our observation are still too fuzzy for precision strikes, but those ships are distinctive enough to be profiled in the hunter-killer missiles.

Good, I want their data entered into the ghost rider targetting systems. Have all missile batteries set on standby for launch. Keep refreshing the hyperspace jump calculations. If TG2 turns out to have allied themselves with the rogues, we may be forced to engage them all. Any word from top yet?

Understood sir. No sir, still no decision from command.

Very well.

ooc: since its only fair, this is what you may be facing (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=379843)

His mind stained with the blood of others, was surprisingly quite alert, more than perhaps even the greatest warriors of this nation. And aboard the tiny diplomatic ship, headed for the Seraphim military forces, his mind was hardly clouded by anger, rage, or despair. He had a vision, one perhaps given to him from the gods, or perhaps the souls which were eternally kept within the chambers of afterlife. Sending an message instantly to the Sketchian fleets, he made it quite clear of what he understood, and what he didnt want them to do.

I wouldnt bother, sir. No battle will come from this unless you fire under pressure. Of course, if you do, you can expect some resistance, quite possibly not just from our own forces. I cant fortell everything, but I do know a bit, and I know that firing upon our ships wouldnt be the greatest desisions, in a hotbed of tension and a pre-tension to war within the Mercury systems. Like I said, no battle will occur if you manage to stay silent...

Yes, this was a threat, and yet at the same time it was also quite a rational statement. Indeed, Idisious had no intention to engage any forces, and had made it clear in most messages. If the Sketchians were slightly trigger-happy as the vision had proclaimed, it was sure that a minor battle would occur. True, it really did depend on their actions following, and it really did depend on how blood-thirsty these people were. In the meantime, standard procedure was followed and the activity levels upon the fleet compositions had increased significantly. If a battle was to follow, damn it would be good, and destructional for both sides.

ooc:vision? Keep having those and soon the gods shall punish you with a false one. BTW, would you care to tell me where your super character Lucifer is? Here, in Mercury space, or Zvarinograd (http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8161155&postcount=18)?

OOC: Lol, yes a vision. Dont worry im not using it to actually change the storyline in my favour, it was to just move the plot along, since Military hadnt posted. Anyhow... you will probably note that I changed all the Lucifer references here to his name being Idisious. That was how it was originally, and so I must have gotten confused because I started calling him Lucifer, from Zvarinograd. Anyhow, I tried to change all the references here to how they were meant to be, and Lucifer is actually in Zvarinograd. Yes, you are probably confused, but Lucifer has nothing to do here and was a typo in this RP. The character you are dealing with is named Idisious. Two, different characters.

OOC: Bump. Sketch, dont suppose you want to just go ahead and post instead of waiting for the Seraphim Military?

ooc: you're gonna have to wait for the Seraphim Military, he's the one you want to get something out of. I'm only here to stand in your way. And no, I am not the player behind the Seraphim Military.

The diplomatic ship was guided into dock phase over the course of a few hours. Now attached parasite-like to the hull of an orbital transfer station, it's pilot was informed by the CSF traffic control to power down general systems and await a coded uplink.

ooc: Am also waiting to try and clear up some things re: CSF fleet compositions, rebellions etc in the 'Mercury and Erosion of Order' as well as 'Machinations of an Unknown Darkness,' sorry for delays.

Yes, sometimes things would appear to move slow. And yet time in itself remained constant with the ticks of seconds, miliseconds, and the smallest possible, nanoseconds. Maybe it's perception was indeed affected directly to whom was watching, yet the idea remained the same, ever the same. And of course Idisious who was evidently quite the eager about meeting with a CSF official, he would have perceived time as slow. Anyhow, such notions were unimportant. There were matters to attend to. In the meantime, the crew aboard this ship followed instructions to the tee. If they were ever going to gain the respect they desired, they had to. CSF Commanders were fabled to be harsh, supposedly their ways had changed since the spill of blood.

OOC: Hey thats fine. I actually havent been able to get online for a bit due to computer issues, so its not too big a deal :)

OOC: Come on Seraphim Military, dont let this RP die too! Anyhow, I may be encouraged to take drastic IC action, for the simple fact that I cant ever seem to get a RP going properly and that the only way I will ever get through to Mercury would be to force myself in ;)

Dammit those fools... why must time seem to stop in the presense of the CSF Military Forces. And yet they still lay claim to this space... cried Idisious as it seemed they were still in the process of docking with their ships.

Well sir, you could bypass them completely... What of the Caloris Basin? piped up a helpful voice.

Idisious thought for a moment, really taking the time to consider. Yes, it was a great, and better idea. He had been somewhat suspended in time, never to really ever complete anything when it came to the CSF forces. They seemed to be relatively slow at making actions and desisions, and this mission called for action, even if it was of the slightest. He smiled and paused the docking of the CSF ships, and decided that Elijah of the Caloris Basin could provide some assistance in these matters.

--------------------------------------------------
TO: Elijah, Caloris Basin of Mercury
FROM: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
SUBJECT: A meeting perhaps?
--------------------------------------------------

Ugh, you must understand how frustrating it is to attempt to make some kind of progress, only to find that somehow the people you are talking to seem to simply, forget. Anyhow, this is the reason I am contacting you friend, to maybe make some kind of progress with you. There are other solutions to every problem. Nonetheless, would you be at all interested if I decided to meet with you to discuss this whole mess regarding you, Sketch, the rogue CSF Forces, and us of the Austar Union? Maybe just maybe you could also help us in a way that would not provoke conflict between any sides...

Yours In Excellence,

Idisious
Commander of the MercuryFleet

A reply was quickly sent:

--------------------------------------------------
TO: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
FROM: Elijah, Mind and Soul of the Caloris Basin
SUBJECT: Re: A meeting perhaps?
--------------------------------------------------

Indeed I do.

Unfortunately, Ruth and the Nod Station are currently busy performing routine maintanance contracts with the DLN fleet, so all her docking bays are being used. However, you are more than welcome to send a smaller ship, or even a shuttle, to my land based starport in the Basin itself. There is an express tram which will take you to Brahms where you can meet with Ezekiel. Brahms is completely enclosed and has been designed to emulate a standard temperate Earth climate.

Since Caloris is currently facing away from the Sun, temperature and radiation concerns should be a non-issue. We look forward to your visit, and Ezekiel has been notified of your pending arrival. He has full control over Brahms, and can discuss things such as embassies with needing input from me.

ooc: okay wtf, you give your little ultimatum and then the same day follow through with the 'threat' of IC action based on OOC impatience? I KNOW you want to get on Mercury. ICly, we figured that out too. The fellow who's been RPing the more diplomatic aspects of this nation hasn't been around which is why you haven't seen long diplomatic posts. I've been RPing the main rebellion plotline itself and slowly at that. Nothing is instantaneous, and frankly I'm not sure why you expect to automatically be ICly let onto Mercury in the first place, but.

And Caloris, did you just not read the part where Imperator Venakis sent you a message above? Or should I take it as an IC sign that you're obviously cozying with the A.U and totally ignoring any diplomacy from us? I'll wait for you to respond because I am not gonna just assume.

Now would everyone please be patient, obviously not everyone is teh instantaneous post0rz.

--------------------------------------------------
TO: Elijah, Caloris Basin of Mercury
FROM: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
SUBJECT: Re:
--------------------------------------------------

Beautiful. I trust your judgement. Thankyou for attending to my message as soon as you got to the chance, Im sure the other gentleman, Ezekiel, will be able to assist me like you said, quite effectively in Brahms. Thankyou for your help Elijah, I will be coming to the Basin myself quite soon.

Yours In Excellence,

Idisious
Commander of the MercuryFleet


----------------------------------------------
TO: Ezekiel of the Caloris Basin, Mercury
FROM: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
SUBJECT: Regarding Elijah
----------------------------------------------

Hello sir. I have been notified by Elijah that you have been told of a meeting between myself and you perhaps, in Brahms. As I know of, I have been directed to travel straight toward yourself personally, as I do have a matter of importance to discuss. Obviously, you would realise it would be due to the current standoff between myself and split Seraphim Forces, including Sketch and the CSF. In a bid to resolve the issue, I have been told to meet with you here. Just checking to confirm.

In the meantime, please find enclosed with this message the details and tracking information for the shuttle I will be arriving in. You may find it nessasary to track my movements accordingly. Thankyou.

Yours In Excellence,

Idisious
Commander of the MercuryFleet

Yes, two messages had been sent ahead. But it didnt take long before the course, speed and heading were changed. This time, the destination was not toward the CSF Fleets as first intended.

Those asleep were worth no time... considered Idisious as he flew in enormous time. It wouldnt take long, hopefully.

SM: Hm. I must have missed that. I'll be doing a bunch of Caloris stuff later and will review the thread, etc. etc. However, it should be noted that Elijah feels well within his bounds to offer embassies to whomever he so choses. Embassies, being on his territory, would not be subject to Seraphim's claim on the rest of Mercury.

OOC- Okay, I've looked things over again, and I'm seeing a fair amount of dick fencing going on.

Ezekiel has been waiting for someone from from Seraphim to visit and discuss the current "goings on". I realise Buy's player has been busy and without access, but it's not like Elijah's giving a cold shoulder to the Seraphim. Also, try to look at things from his perspective: he just wants to be left alone.

He didn't make a fuss when the Seraphim came and arbitrarily claimed Mercury.

He didn't make a fuss when Mercury was fired on with Ort from OMG LONG RANGE.

He didn't make a fuss when the military arm of the Seraphim broke off and brought large amounts of DEAT ships into Mercuryspace.

All in all, I'd say he's been exceptionally reasonable, especially with everyone seeming to be desperate for WHAR. He runs a research station, and has more than enough on his plate as is. Mercury current has more freaking ships of doom than Titan does, what with Seraphim Military, Sketch, AU, and DLN (yes, Nathi's here too, remember?).

Now, with all this in mind, on to the IC:

Busy, busy, busy.
Imperator Venakis (CSFCA):

I will thank you not to tell me who I can and cannot meet with on my own territory. I realise that you are having certain... internal difficulties, but do not project those difficulties onto me.

I made contact with the Union before your recent split with the rest of the Seraphim, and I have no interest in your battle with them, especially with Sketch.

Furthermore, you and yours already have an embassy in my Brahms crater. There is my agent there who has had nothing to do save perfect yo-yo tricks. He is perfectly accessable, and has indeed been waiting patiently for you to contact him about current events. I'm sorry if you are too busy to send someone, but I fail to see how that is a fault on my part.

I will conduct my internal business as I see fit. Providing an embassy to the Union, or performing maintainance on Dominion star ships is an internal affair and has little to no affect on you. I would not presume to tell you who can and cannot possess embassies on the 99% of the planet that you control, so please leave me my 1%.

Finally, allow me to ease your fears: I have no intention of giving any non-tCB land to the Union. They will be given a plot in Brahms for an embassy and nothing else. I have no inflated delusions of grandeaur, and would not presume to offer them land on the rest of Mercury, as that is yours. A fact that you have made quite clear, numerous times.

-Elijah

TO: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
FR: Ezekiel, Ambassador General of the Brahms Crater; tCB
RE: Your visit

Commander,

Welcome to Mercury! I already have the appropriate systems giving your shuttle the proper coordinates. Seems the boss was a touch vague on the landing procedures.

Since Brahms has an actual enviroment (unless you count "sun-blasted wasteland" an environment), we don't open and close the dome capping Brahms. You'll be landing in the central StarPort in Caloris itself. From there a DiploDrone will meet you (and anyone with you) and take you to the tram to Brahms. I'll be waiting for you at the Brahms end of the tram and we can go from there.

Unfortunately, Elijah himself won't be able to meet you when you land. Seems he's busy with some other big project. Still, the DiploDrones are quite friendly and know basic etiquette. You'd be amazed that they aren't sentient.

Looking forward to the visit,

Ezekiel

It was rather unclear exactly how many times someone from the Union had set foot onto the incredible surface of Mercury. It could be said that it had never happened, since of course, any time one did, they effectively never came into proper contact with the planet itself, but rather an artificial surface. Still, the fact still remained, it was unclear. And Idisious would most certainly be the next if there ever was one. If there wasnt, then he would be the first.

He had recieved the instructions clear and proper, he would not be landing effectively in Brahms, but rather within the Basin itself. Yes, they were organised well, and it seemed that those who resided and had run the Basin knew secure protocol. It was important though, especially at such a place as Mercury. The scorching sun and its penetrating light was not the only devestating force here. Perhaps, something more dangerous than the environment here was rather the Seraphim forces, both the seperated and the Order itself. Its members posed quite a present danger to all those here, and hopefully their quarrel would not spread and rise toward the Caloris Basin, and furthermore the staff here, and any kind of embassy which could, and would be be established, if negotiated on a fair level of course.

The journey didnt take long now. He had arrived there already.

OOC: Freakin' high speed access should be up soon. Moving back has been quite...stressful and full of headaches. Sorry for delays on my end.

OOC:Bump!

ooc: righto, small shift in nation management here.....trying to pick up where the previous RP'r left off.....be warned, there may seem to be some continuity issues.....
I'll also be doing double duty as the diplomatic mouthpiece until Vrak is up to speed. A temporary arrangement.

The imperator Venakis tapped his fingers contemplatively on the armrest of his luxurious commandchair; being in charge was not without its priveledges. The AU envoy, previously headed towards a designated landing zone, had redirected itself towards the Caloris Basin. Without explanation, not even a message of intent. Doubtlessly this was nothing more than a ploy to show off the fact that they had more options than just the Mercury base to deal with. That by itself was not particularily worrisome however; no matter how accomodating the researcher Elijah feels inclined to be, the AU powers that be will undoubtable come to seek areas less restricted by the relatively small holdings of the basin proper. They will naturally wish to expand further and will have to deal with the other Mercury inhabitants eventually. Regardless, it would not do at all to remain out of the loop.


To: Elijah, Caloris Basin
From: Imperator Venakis
Re: a time to talk

My dear Elijah, it appears to me that our communications have somehow grow more distant and cold during this new ordeal. I suppose the blame could be squarely affixed to our end, given the more recent developments and our apparently undesirable way of dealing with the situation. You must realize that our current status puts us in a uniquely delicate position, that is to say, we are a little more wary of strangers and strange battlefleets than usual. Along with a lack of proper communications, the reasons behind our mutual misunderstandings become quite obvious. If you would allow us, we would like to take this oporunity to mend our relations. We have a diplomatic officer enroute to the Brahms facility. It is our hope that you receive him in the spirit of cooperation.

-Venakis

Idisious, of whom would be well aware of the discontent the High Imperator, waited patiently while the Caloris Basin readied its current status, to welcome visitors. It was rather obvious of course, that they would have the slowly adjust conditions, to a near-perfect state so that neither people's would be killed. And although this man had no business in mind-reading, and of which nor did he have the ability to do so, members in rank of the Combined Seraphim Forces would have been right to say that the Austarian Interests didnt stop at just an ambassy at Brahms. And yet it didnt include conflict either, unless the Seraphim Military Rogues were to initiate.

Yes, Idisious had greater intentions here in the Caloris Basin than just an embassy. He was indeed here to discuss the possibilities of such a novel idea, but in the greater scheme of stars and space, this was but a fraction of what was to come. Rightly so, the High Imperator had to be concerned at that. This embassy was flea on the camel's back, and the camel was a being on its planet, the planet being equal to the idea's and desires of which Indigo held for the planet Mercury. But for now, he had to settle for something a little smaller, for the area which was more militarised that Titan times five was far too unstable, and unready for what Indigo had in store, and for what was yet to come.

In the meantime, Idisious still waited. It shouldnt be long now.

OOC: /me awaits teh Hack!

OOC: Testing...

To: Imperator Venakis
From: Elijah, Caloris Basin
Re: a time to talk


The Brahms vacility has always been open to foreign representatives, including yours. Indeed, it was created for that very purpose. Right now isn't a particularly good time, as I am receiving guests from Austar Union, and I wouldn't want to force Ezekiel to split his time in such a manner. However, he will be more than able to speak with your representative(s) after that meeting.

Elijah
---

As Idisious' ship approached the basin, the starport quickly became visible, its massive dome slowly, majestically opening revealing the landing pad within. Guiding lights glowed brightly, lighting up the pitch black landscape of the basin. As the shuttle landed, the dome reclosed and the automated systems purged the excess radiation, filled the area with breathable air, and normalized the temperature. This process only took a few moments, and Idisious was greeted by a gleaming, smiling, DiploDrone. It bowed slightly, speaking in a slightly electronic voice, "WELCOME TO THE CALORIS BASIN. PLEASE FOLLOW ME."

The tram ride to Brahms was a brief affair, the little car zipping along on the magnetic system. The DiploDrone was amicable enough, answering any questions that might be asked, but not offering any idle chit-chat. When they arrived at Brahms, Ezekiel was waiting for them.

Ezekiel looked markedly different from the other LiMEs of the Basin. For one, he was flesh toned. Secondly, he was wearing a rather sharp, if slightly out of style, suit and a fedora which rested comfortably on his head. He was still obviously metal, but looked far more human than his associates. "Ah, Lord Idisious, so good to finally meet you, please, come with me."

Brahms, like Ezekiel, was a very different thing than the Basin proper. While the Basin was an exercise in the cold efficiency of robotics; Brahms was like a little slice of Earth. The dome wasn't visible, instead it looked more like a normal earthly sky: clouds, blue sky, small sun, everything. There was a soft breeze, trees, and some birds chirping. Ezekiel lead Idisious to Caloris' embassy, a study in classical Greek architecture.

Once inside, Idisious quickly found himself in a small lounge with exceptionally comfortable chairs, a few tables and a little ServBot with a drink tray attached to the top. Ezekiel offered Idisious a seat before taking one himself, letting Idisious start and guide their conversation.

Looking around, Idisious had only realised how beautiful Brahms actually was. Indeed, it was an environment similar to, if not exactly like Earth, and it reminded him of the better parts of the Austar Union, his homeland. He had not been home for some time now, having spent the past few weeks in space, either not in MercurySpace, or on its very outskirts. This, was a pleasant change from what he had been adjusting to, colder sharper edges, artificial light... And although this was something somewhat similar, at least it reminded him of home. His ship, unlike others hadnt yet been refit with the new virtual chambers. Such a shame.

Being led inside, and sitting down with a nice glass of a drink he had never tasted before, Idisious took the time to politely study Ezekiel. Yes, he was much different to Elijah, of whom was the only other man he had met. This one, had been toned a much different skin colour. It was, for the most part still fake, but it all tied in well with his surroundings, this sanctuary apart from the rest of the Basin. He smiled.

Well I have to at least comment, that you definatly have a nice environment here in Brahms. It actually reminds me closely of my homeland, or least the more touching parts of its many gardens. The hacks have set this place up well, I am impressed. Anyhow, I mustnt waste your time. Im sure you have a busy schedule. We are here for one thing arent we, and that is to solve this whole regatta about the whole Austarian involvement in Mercury. We wish to gain some space, just so small on this planet, and the Seraphim forces, both allianced and rogue Military seem to be the only ones who like to cause difficulty. They are arrogent, and stubborn, and like us, they are unwilling to budge. Which is why I came here to you. Perhaps you can offer an alternative solution, rather than war, which seems like one of my only solutions for succession, to me.

He took a large sip of his glass of liquid, and sat it heavily on the small table beside him. In the meantime, he settled nicely in this chair he was seated in.

OOC:Bump!

Ezekiel smiled warmly, "Thank you very much. I've tried to keep Brahms as friendly as possible. Nothing against my associates, but I've never cared for the cold utilitarian scheme in Caloris or on Nod." He grinned, "That's probably why I'm here as opposed to one of them."

He removed his hat and leaned back in his chair as Idisious quickly got to the details of his visit. He steepled his fingers, pressing them against his lips, closing his eyes as he considered the situation. He looked almost human in his pondering. "Obviously, I cannot offer you land directly, as I have none to give. Before I was created, Elijah tried to sway the Order from their land grab, but, as you can see, he failed. I can easily grant you an embassy, indeed I have a building in mind, but I can tell you are interested in actual holdings, as opposed to a simple embassy."

He glanced around the room a little as he thought some more, a holographic map of Mercury springing to life against one of the walls. He stood and looked over the map, red splotches highlighting know Order structures. "I am not aware of the extent of their underground holdings, aside from the fact that I am sure they have them; much as we do." A few of the smaller craters highlighted in a faint green hue as he turned to face Idisious, "As far as I know, these craters have no been developed. You may be able to purchase them from the Order. I don't know how much they'd charge, but even highway robbery would be less expensive than a full scale war."

He features hardened slightly, "And such a war on your side would likely fail, I'm afraid. Seizing a planet is much different than taking a city or a nation. The Order has extensive resources here, and you would need a total victory, simply grabbing a crater wouldn't suffice; they would hound you, trust me on this.

"The situation on this planet is... tense. The Order is raging against itself, and is dead set on holding this claim. They're paranoid, to be blunt, and the Dominion fleet in orbit is not helping their mindset. Elijah took a big risk just claiming this crater, and he was already here.

"While we would welcome most any nation who wishes to come here for peaceful purposes, the Order does not, and we are in no position to challenge their claim; we are a research center, first and foremost. We may have built up a considerable defensive network, but it is just that: defensive."

He sighed, clearly frustrated by the situation, "My advice is to be patient and seek a financial transaction. It will be difficult at this time, but some ego stroking may help."

Venakis gave a small smile to himself as he read the message from Elijah. The researcher declined an immediate meeting, oh so politely of course, citing the desire to keep his representative from being overworked. Of course he would want a chance to meet these folks from the Austar Union first; it was always prudent to deal with the unknown factor before moving foward. As a researcher, surely Elijah understood the value of information, especially if you were the first to possess it. No matter, the diplomatic officer will simply have to familiarize himself with the Brahm's facility while he waited. In the meantime.....the Order, specifically Sketch, was getting to be more of an annoyance. Something would have to be done about that. His musings were given pause as Venakis lapsed into search mode, scouring his databanks for levearage to use on Seraphim leader. It would have to be something subtle, but yet blunt at the same time. Those Sketchians are most receptive to directness, but are quick to take offense to hidden insults. Most bothersome, to want the turth but not handle it. Ah.....this should do it. They'll either start talking, or they'll start shooting. This will be most interesting.


Fleet Commander Djar, it would be greatly appreciated if you would cease and desist with the transmissions declaring the space around Mercury to be a combat zone. I will remind you that we are a soveriegn nation, entitled to certain rights and priveledges - such as to not be harrassed by excitable militants. Should you have an issue of contention with us, we have fine cadre of diplomats who are more than willing to negotiate terms with you; as one soveriegn to another. Please discuss this with your superiors; while I'm quite sure you're not authorized to make such decisions on your own, surely there must be someone capable of thinking freely over there with you.

Imperator Venakis

Deep in thought, commander Djar sat in his office, contemplating his next course of action. Before him lay a datapad readout of a message received several hours ago. A communication from the damnable imperator of the rogue forces on Mercury. It was to be expected actually, the man had to start playing politics eventually. He wanted the rogue forces to be recognized; even having the gall to make demands on Sketch. But no, that by itself was no reason for concern. Even the fact that he knew of the fleet hovering just outside his detection range. No.....all of that was to be expected. What was of the gravest concern was how the messsage was delivered. It had been sent through the supposedly secure Sketchian military communications network, with a blazing trail leading all the way back to Merucury. There was no mistaking it, Venakis wanted the Sketchian hierarchy to know what he did. On top of that, the message itself wasn't even decoded until an hour ago. Turns out, Venakis had encoded it with the same codes as the ship's own secure code set - except they were the ones the ship was scheduled to use an hour after the message was received. Yes, the imperator's message was very clear, and its implications shattering.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

So what do we do about this Lord Ernst? Commander Djar queried his newly arrived guest, emphasizing his lordship title. Djar cared very little aristocratic titles, feeling that most of these people bought their way into positions of power. Regardless, this man was the Order liason for Sketch. And as such, he had the authority to deal with the situation at hand. Seated across the desk, Lord Ernst cast a baleful eye over at Djar, I would appreciate it if you didn't take that tone with me Commander.

Of course my Lord. A reply that was most condescending in manner, if not tone.

Sighing, Lord Ernst decided to simply get straight to the point. There was no use in trying to change the commander's opinion of him. In any case, the man's opinion didn't matter; he was obligated to follow orders regardless of what he felt, which was proabably the reason for his sour disposition.

Well, to start with, we might as well stop broadcasting the signal. Everyone knows better now already, and frankly, its embarassing.

Does this mean that the area will no longer be quarantined? The real question remained unasked - so are we still going to shoot down anyone who comes through?

No, you will still be challenging trespassers, but through private channels and as non-violently as possible. We don't need to cause anymore upset than we already have.

That may prove to be difficult Translation - you're making our job unreasonably harder.

Another sigh, regardless, that is what we will do.

We?

Yes, and we're also going to send some people to talk with them.

So we're recognizing them as a soveriegn nation now? Interesting. I don't see why you would need us here anymore then. Having warships around couldn't possibly be good for diplomacy. Barely concealed contempt lay beneath a veneer of politeness.

No. We're not recognizing them as soveriegns, but we will still talk to them. I would think that you'd be happy to see us taking a route which could potentially preserve the lives of your brethren.[/i]

Stiffening at the remark, we all do our jobs. Of course it pleases me as a soldier that someone intelligent is giving me my orders.

Well, until we find that someone, you'll be stuck with me. For starters, you will take me into Mercury space. I'll leave the tactics side of it to you, but I want no more ships than absolutely necessary over there. No need to get everyone overly excited.

Of course, as my Lord commands. Another disdainful reply, slightly less venomous this time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The latest news regarding Mercury had been a real eye opener. Especially for the military folks, thought Lord Ernst as he lounged in his shipboard quarters. For awhile the upper levels of military command were in disarray, all scrambling around, looking for people to blame.At the security council meeting, accusations flew across the table. Somewhere along the line it was let known that the security breach was not the fault the space forces as previously thought, but internal intelligence. Accusations - "why did internal intelligence have access to our secure codes and networks?", retorts - "how else are we supposed to keep oversight over the military?" Indeed, ever since the fall, the military has always been subject to close scrutiney by a watchdog entity. It was to keep the military from ever becoming as powerful and influential as it had once been. As the shitstorm died out, cooler heads began to prevail. Talk of obliterating Mercury out of hand stopped, and more reasonable, and accomplishable strategies were brought to the table. It was agreed that raw military power was not going to solve this, and as distasteful as it was, negotiations were in order. At the very least, the imperator had to be stalled from carrying out the unsaid threat until the codes were changed and the networked secured. Even then, who knew what other aces the man had.

Venakis wanted something. And it couldn't be this "soveriegnty" that his message implied, of that Ernst was sure of. He was sure that Venakis knew it as well; a nation needed people, and all Venakis had were soldiers. A nation is guided by the will of its people, and so are its soldiers. Being a soldier required that your will was the will of your people. A military existed only for the purpose of its nation, without it, it is nothing. Even if Venakis somehow secured the independence of Mercury, unless he planned shift his only power, the military, into civilian life, a highly unlikely event, the most he could ever accomplish would be a mercenarial force. At worst, he could turn his forces band of pirates and brigands, eventually bringing doom unto himself. No, Venakis had to have another agenda.....

Down Below, On the Surface...

Idisious nodded in quite consideration. And he paused for just a moment to think about his options. Granted, as Ezekiel had pointed, they were rather limited at the moment, especially since relations between everyone had become so tense. There was no way in hell anyone would even allow the Austarian forces to make a break for the surface, much less a crater. And even if they somehow did reach the surface itself, it would be hounded by the constant barrage of the rogue forces. Yes, this was an obvious fact, and not fiction: Austarian forces were of no match right now, even to the rogues alone.

Yes, I can understand your points. I fear however, that even a financial transaction perhaps will be difficult, since they seem to find anyone else, should I say, suspicious? They are a paranoid folk, and I dont believe I could achieve anything without having their constant inspections, and frankly I have my own agenda here without a big brother looking over my shoulder. And yet in the meantime, I do see some opportunity here which could gain me at least access to just one crater, and the rocks below.

Those rogues, whilst having an abundance of power now will be resticted heavily in the future by their lack of ability to resource their forces, and perhaps if a large scale-war were to break between perhaps the entire Seraphim Order and the Rogues, they would be strained to continue it long term before an eventual collapse. I am under the belief that they will be looking for an array of friends in these matters, including even a major trade option, in exhange for the sale of perhaps land to my forces? Im not so sure right now, Im basing most of this on assumption only.

Anyhow, I am definatly open to this embassy option. Obviously lately, we have had some consistant dealings with both the Basin and the rest of Mercury, so I should think it better that I have someone here full-time. And if you remember Amanda at all, I have a feeling that she could be a good candidate for the job. Honestly though, I am unworried about what the building is like, I only wish for something suitable, and you obviously contain such intelligence.

Just Outside of MercurySpace...

Whilst its commander had been away to a personal meeting with Ezekiel of the Caloris Basin, this fleet's systems of advanced computer technology still worked, even longer than the staff on board were able. Whilst the people would take turns in shifts, the computer would never cease to be active and aware of the existing surroundings. And they had already detected something in the motion. Using the latest encryption technology fitments, the computer had detected a message from the Rogue forces, to distant Sketchian forces further away from the planet. And working at the fastest rate possible, it could not even decrypt such codes, and at that also, the computer wasnt even sure a message was sent.

Still, nothing would change, except it was obvious the Rogue commanders were enjoying seperation from their former friends and governors. And with the removal of the former transmission, it was also obvious that the Sketchians were willing to negotiate with the anyone, if at the very least recognise the situation could lessen from the current heightened state. All this was based on what one could guess, at the most.

Anyhow, much could be left to speculation indeed.

ooc: um.....the whole private message made on -secure- military networks and using predetermined coding is exactly that - private. If I can't break my own codes, what makes you think that you can? The last was an ooc arrangement between the Seraphim Military and I, not open season for everyone to suddenly "discover" all my secrets. Please edit.

OOC: Apoligies, didnt realise. You have your edit. :)

OOC: The Naked Bump!

OOC: Well, since I wanted to move things generally forward, I have jumped ahead in time to after the Embassy had been agree'd upon and it was to be established.

On the Bridge of the Command Vessel, MercuryFleet

Idisious had only been returned for a few hours before he took the helm of command once again. With his fleets on the edges of MercurySpace, it seemed that the conflict which was once possible had died down to relatively normal levels. Although there were some tensions in the area, it wasnt anything new anymore. All the same, it wasnt either a time nor place to be careless; anything could spark off a small or perhaps even a destructive battle. Any fighting which could outbreak would end with huge casualties on both sides, however it was calculated that the Austarian fleets would suffer much of the brunt. If they were lucky, they would remain; if they were lucky. Still, Idisious was hardly stupid enough to disrealise the facts surrounding the hostile situation at Mercury, and training for at least fifteen years at the academy was most certainly not disregarded. He understood what the boundaries were and where they had been defined. He was not unfortunate enough cross them. Still, he was rather couragous; he would soon send a message to the Rogue fleets which controlled the most of Mercury.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
TO: Imperator Venakis, Fleets of the former Seraphim Military
FROM: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
SUBJECT: I Have a Proposition to You
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Greetings Imperator. I have been considering for some time forming a proposition to you, but have been withholding due to personal doubts and passing thoughts. I figured though at least why do I not present them to you so that I can make a desision based on how well you recieve them. I am growing weaing of idle fleets and silent communications, so I am extending an invitation to you to join me here on my CommandShip. You can easily trust that I am honerable enough to treat you with dignity, and you will be well recieved here. I will make sure of it. In the meantime, I would like to also hear your own position on the matter, since I have only come and spoken so far. I will await your reply.

Yours In Excellence,

Lord Idisious
Commander of the MercuryFleet

Terribly sorry, AU. I've been insanely busy with work, helping my fiancé's parents move, so on and such forth. I hope to catch up with things tomorrow (including the NDA/Yut thread). Can give you a post here too if you want.

ooc: I'm willing to wait around, but as long as there are ic items to reply to, I'll post.

Imperator Venakis gave a tight smile as he read the message. Apparently things weren't going quite as smoothly as Idisious had wanted. Either that or Elijah was playing the waiting game. Perhaps both.....most likely both, knowing Elijah. Either way, it was clear that Idisious was looking at a poor hand, and knew it. The question was however, whether or not to accept the invitation into potentially hostile territory. While the AU would not likely initiate hostilities against Venakis himself, it was unclear on what would happen if the Sketchians felt a ressurgence of poor judgement; even if they have apparently mellowed out with the latest communication. It was time to ask the high imperator for guidance.

Tapping into the datalink, Venakis sent what could be described as a mental door knock on the high imperator's virtual door. The response was immediate -

We need you to stay here and ensure that our operations run smoothly. Send someone expendable. We will make decisions on our own grounds.

Of course High Imperator.

Obviously the man kept a close eye on everything. Venakis often wondered why the high imperator even bothered to have the other imperators around, the man seemed to know everything anyways. No matter, as long as there were objectives to be completed, Venakis had a job.


Lord Idisious,

It is with great regret that I am unable to join you on your ship. My duties on Mercury require my constant presence, and our concerns with the Sketchians have yet to be completely alleviated. We will however, be sending a representative to discuss your matters in person. Of course, if you would like to once again make a trip to the surface for a visit, we will welcome you as previously planned.

Imperator Venakis

-------------------------------------------------------
TO: Imperator Venakis, Fleets of the former Seraphim Military
FROM: Idisious, Commander of the MercuryFleet
SUBJECT: Organising a meeting between us.
-------------------------------------------------------

Actually, for this one I will need someone of the highest intelligence, and of one of the most authoritive command possible. Perhaps only your High Imperator may suffice. I think I will come down to your surface.

Yours In Excellence,

Idisious
Commander of the MercuryFleet

Idisious sent the communication with disgust. He could sense the smirk behind the one he had recieved, and it only angered him. Maybe the only way into Mercury was by brute force, it seemed. Or maybe a deal they could use. Former Seraphim Ships couldnt last forever without their host. What could it come down to? Still, he prepared his small private vessel before leaving.

Ezekiel nodded slowly as Idisious talked. He didn't like how tense things were getting, but he had little choice but to keep up appearances. Luckily, his fluid form allowed him to appear the paragon of peace and calmness regardless of what he felt.

"I wish I could be of better assistance in your dealings with the Order, but as I've said, we were largely 'grandfathered' in. Hopefully this embassy will be a step in the right direction, and will allow you and the Order to meet in a roughly neutral place."

He closed his eyes momentarily as he accessed a few files, "Ah, yes. I remember her. I think she will make for an excellent ambassador."

Sorry Hack, I dont see too much reason to finish off events of the *past*. I'll just RP as if the settlement has been made, if thats okay with you? If not, lemme know on IRC. SM; you can continue anytime you want.