NationStates Jolt Archive

Continued from http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=8675464&postcount=223

<TRANSMISSION Opens: FSP-DDLN Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: IMPERATRICE Nathicana, The Dominion>
<FROM: MINISTER Arthur Williams, TCD, FSP>
<RE: A MUTUAL ‘Friend’>

Imperatrice,

I am bid to the Dominion to discuss a sensitive matter with you on behalf of the Imperial President. It involves a certain member of your organization who seems to be on the far side of logicians equations in certain recent events. Said events have the President understandably concerned and he hopes that you will be able to help ease some of those concerns if you could but spare me a moment of your time during my visit to your land.

~Arthur Williams, Minister of Transportation and Commerce

<TRANSMISSION Ends>

<TRANSMISSION Opens: FSP-NDA Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: EMPEROR Devon Treznor, ET>
<FROM: MINISTER Johnathan Currey, IRD, FSP>
<RE: A DISTURBING Situation Regarding Your Friend>

Emperor –

While I know we have never formally met, I would request that you meet with me on a matter of some urgency, the most disturbing situation in the nation of your fellow NDA Council Member. While I realize that you would probably prefer this remain an NDA internal matter, I’m afraid that it might very well escalate beyond that, which would be unhealthy for all concerned.

~Johnathan Currey, Minister of International Relations

<TRANSMISSION Ends>

<TRANSMISSION Opens: FSP-NDA Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: LORD Stratton, ET>
<FROM: FIRST LADY Lesley Smith, FSP>
<RE: A KNOWN Diplomatic Associate of the Empire>

My Lord Stratton,

A most disturbing event has recently come to my attention in the nation of one of your allies. It has caused the leadership of this nation some consternation, especially considering the wanton usage of large scale weaponry against civilian populations, and it is hoped that I might be able to meet with you, or some other member of Her Majesty’s Government, to discuss the situation and help alleviate the growing fears here. We would be most happy to learn that something is being done.

~ Lady Lesley Ann Smith, nee Collins

<TRANSMISSION Ends>

<TRANSMISSION Opens: FSP-NDA Diplomatic Encryption>
<TO: EMPRESS Aurora von Sachshausen, TEL>
<FROM: SPECIAL Representative Jessica Smith, IRD, FSP>
<RE: AN UNFORTUNATE Situation>

Empress Aurora,

It has been some time since we last spoke, though I fondly remember the meetings. It has been brought to my attention that someone within the Non-Democratic Alliance your nation calls home is brutally betraying the trust placed in him by the people he rules and by God who has granted him his authority. In the Federation, we are naturally concerned about our own safety and the safety of those who cannot defend themselves against cruelty and brutality, in violation of basic human dignity. I hope that I can meet with you briefly to discuss this issue and perhaps relieve some of the growing fears and tensions that the Federation has in this matter.

~Jessica Smith, Special Representative, IRD

<TRANSMISSION Ends>

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Cortana-SHODAN Personal Encryption>
<TO: QUEEN SHODAN, QZO>
<FROM: ADVISOR Cortana Tywyllgwaed, ID, FSP>
<RE: AN ELF Worshipper>

Shodey,

I’m getting concerned about Carlos, and so is everyone here in the Federation. I know you are very close to Nathi, and I was wondering what you know about the situation. There is a lot of worry and tension in the Federation at the moment, and we would like to relieve some of it. Rather than relying on this relatively slow form of communication, I imagine that a ‘face to face’ meeting would be best, though I have no problem with leaving the actual form of the meeting up to you.

~Cortana

<TRANSMISSION Ends>

Lord Stratton knocked on the door, and waited until the voice behind called him to enter, despite the recipient of his visit already being aware of his presence. As he received his permission, he opened the door and gave the man behind the desk a smile of thanks before disappearing through the door.

Closing the door behind him, Stratton moved deeper into the office, heading towards the huge mahogany desk that stood in one half of the room. Despite its size, nothing could distract from the woman sitting behind it. Rising to her feet as he moved closer, she greeted him with a warm smile, so unlike the greeting she reserved for his brother.

“Val, what a pleasant surprise.” Gehenna stepped up close to him and placed a kiss on both of his cheeks before she indicated the comfortable chairs on the other side of the office. “To what do I owe this visit?”

Walking over to the couch, Stratton waited for the Empress to sit before lowering himself onto the leather seat. “This.” He presented Gehenna with the communiqué he had received from the Federation of Sentient Peoples. “I do not think it is too difficult to work out who she is referring to.”

Gehenna cast her eyes over the document, before fixing her gaze to Val’s. “It most certainly is not.” She frowned slightly, and shook her head. “Still, I do not see how the Empire can alleviate the fears of the First Lady or the people of the Federation.” She sat back in her seat, giving the situation some thought. “Naturally we shall welcome Lady Smith and see what comes out of a personal meeting.”

“I’ll reply.” He looked at her questioningly. “Do you wish to handle this yourself, or would you prefer me to do the honours?” Raising an eyebrow, he smiled slightly, showing his humour. “Or if you are busy, I’m sure Damien…”

Shaking her head, Gehenna almost glared at her cousin. “I shall attend the meeting myself. This is a topic that has emerged before. I would like to at least indicate that although I do not openly condemn what has happened, I am also not willing to stand by and let these monstrosities go unnoticed.”

Val nodded. “I’ll get onto it right away.” He stood up to leave.

“If you are not busy, perhaps you would join me for lunch. We could discuss the finer points of Lady Smith’s dancing abilities.” She smiled at her cousin, recalling how he had reacted when discussing his dance with the First Lady at the Coronation of Imperatrice Nathicana.

“Touche!” He grinned as he bowed his head, and accepted her invitation. A couple of hours later, he sent a reply to Lady Lesley Ann Smith, informing her that she was most welcome to visit the Empire to discuss the matter at hand.

<TRANSMISSION Opens: Cortana-SHODAN Personal Encryption>
<TO: QUEEN SHODAN, QZO>
<FROM: ADVISOR Cortana Tywyllgwaed, ID, FSP>
<RE: AN ELF Worshipper>

Shodey,

I’m getting concerned about Carlos, and so is everyone here in the Federation. I know you are very close to Nathi, and I was wondering what you know about the situation. There is a lot of worry and tension in the Federation at the moment, and we would like to relieve some of it. Rather than relying on this relatively slow form of communication, I imagine that a ‘face to face’ meeting would be best, though I have no problem with leaving the actual form of the meeting up to you.

~Cortana

<TRANSMISSION Ends>S.H.O.D.A.N. ponders this quietly in her own deceptively small cone of c-space, the core of the Gestalt pondering with the fullness of a few hundred nodes and excess runtime from all the others. Oh, she knows quite a bit about the situation. She knows that, at the cost of just a little bit of her own admittedly shaky moral ruleset and a flicker of the mind, she could probably effectively move to defuse this. The remote rig is there and has been there for quite some time, reporting on Carlos' psyche and monitoring his lifesigns. She's stepped in--albeit very lightly--before, administering a gentle touch to this brain chemical or that, calming some centers while exciting others, leaving the Iraqstani dictator's free will very much intact while subtly changing his emotional proclivities.

Even with such quiet, subtle meddling, things are moving steadily towards greater entropy. I do not wish to make him a puppet as I was... She frowns slightly, at least in the way that a creature with no true body can smile; a mind-frown, a distortion in the self-image she created so long ago. Even the Shadows are for all purposes soul-dead; nothing remains of their psyches executed for crimes against my state. If I am to take over Quil'raya, he will know it; there will be the instant he knows that he is no longer in control until even that is washed away.

And that is a very painful experience indeed. Cringing faintly from a distant memory, she toys with Cortana's request in her mind. So much to offer, and so much to hold back...

<Secure Communications to Cortana>
{
<< I can certainly understand your concern over the situation; I have been observing it as well. As you have probably noticed, I've looked into your previous request; thank you for keeping me informed.

<< And now to return the favor: Quil'raya is certainly mad in the way of the archetypical racist powermonger; having been one, I can commisserate to some extent. He blames the Um Lizaans and other 'unclean' ethnicities for all the ills of Iraqstan, which explains his disproportionate hatred for them. The Triumvirate doesn't take kindly to genocide, which is why they got involved, and the Shogunate currently holds the largest number of Um Lizaan refugees, making it the most likely target. But you know all this already.

<< Behind the scenes, the upper echelon of the NDA is essentially a grouping of personal friends. Devon and Carlos apparently have a long history and are very close friends; not as close as Nathi and I but still a very close bond. This is the primary reason why Carlos has not been politely shuffled out of the NDA yet. Nathi and the rest of the NDA have an image crisis; if they retain Carlos, then they risk appearing like the GOD and GDODAD organizations that the NDA was created to counterpoint; if they reject him, then they do not appear true to their word. I have credible evidence to suggest that, because it is the Triumvirate opposing Carlos, portions of the NDA are considering breaking from the alliance rather than risking a conflict. Nathi and Devon most certainly want to avoid this for relatively obvious reasons.

<< Additionally, as your intelligence may have determined, there is very quiet opposition to Carlos' rule from his son, Lidric. Currently our best-case scenario is that Lidric somehow manages a relatively bloodless transition of power and then rules somewhat less psychotically than Carlos. There are other scenarios, of course, but that is the best.

<< As for meeting 'face-to-face,' that is of course what my diplomatic avatars are for. Is there already a particular meeting site in mind? I look forward to it, wherever it is.
}

http://www.womengamers.com/dw/sshock2_rev.jpg
S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01
Cetagandan Duchess of Marilac

Replies to the first responses were quickly sent out, and it was not long before a certainly familiar craft was airborne.

Stratton might have seen the vessel when he attended Nathicana’s coronation, the black hundred and twenty meter vessel carving through the air, with a flight of Longswords in Presidential Blacks escorting it.

The Forbidden Honor was D’ron’s personal ship, the only civilian ship to possess a completely sentient EI. Possess. Lesley thought that was an interesting choice of verb, considering that they had to pay the EI. Admittedly, the pay was relatively cheap, mostly consisting of supplying power, as the living expenses of an EI were fairly small.

Soft footsteps and a slight change in the emotional character of the room caused Lesley to look up. “Are we nearly there, Lois?”

“Yes, milady. We’ll be landing anytime now.”

“Very well. I assume you’ll be accompanying me?”

One of the few female members of the Presidential Guard smiled. “Of course. I’ll leave my weapons on the ship, though, since we’ll be meeting a member of the Royal Family.”

Lesley nodded as a hologram blazed to life, the young, raven haired female form that the ship’s EI chose to represent itself. “Would you like me to accompany you, milady?”

“No, Honor. No need to look like a whole mission. This is just a friendly meeting. You did prepare all my notes though?”

“Yes, I did.”

Nodding again, Lesley smiled. “Then let’s be about it, ladies.”

* * * * *

It was an impressive sight, the hundred twenty meter ship spinning on its vertical axis as it moved to land, hovering over the airport tarmac at the Capital airport in Erebus.

The whine of the anti-gravity engines was impressively loud, drowning out even the roar of nearby jet engines. The air rolled beneath the ship, spinning in huge currents that flattened out with a whoosh as the landing legs met the hard surface.

A ramp extended, and Lesley, draped in a black cloak over a loose fitting blue and white jumpsuit, and two steps behind her and two to her right came her bodyguard, dressed in the black semi-powered armor of the Presidential Guard, her empty waist holster and sheaths made all the more obvious by their floppiness as she walked. Of course, whether it was actually a she or he was next to impossible to tell inside the outfit, which was purposely design to hide the gender of the wearer.

* * * * *

Elsewhere, of course, Cortana waited for one of the many silver avatars to appear at the designated location, which was a conference room in the Intelligence Division headquarters, just within third security layer.

Assuming SHODAN did not try to bring anything inappropriate in, she would pass through that little security easily enough. As it was, Cortana occupied part of her mind playing holographic chess against a fragment of one of the analyst EI’s attention. She actually could ‘interact’ with the holograms, though, despite being in her own physical avatar, the bright purple hair and eyes giving away that she was more than human.

As usual, the avatar wore a skintight black nano-leather jumpsuit, and having completely forgotten about it, so used to its presence she was, Cortana had simply forgotten to remove her grav pulse pistol from the belt slung low across her hips. As the security systems told her that her appointment was approaching, she nodded to the hologram across the table from her and it and the board faded away. They would finish the game later.

She checked her preparations, probably overly paranoid, and glanced through a camera which she accessed through TacNet, and looked at the physically disconnected line into the room. Smiling wryly, she felt the door slide open, and drew all her attention back to the room.

Lord Stratton sat in one of the lounges, as he watched the ship approach. Giving himself time to get onto the tarmac in order to greet the visiting dignitary, he stood and was standing in position by the time the First Lady exited the craft and finally placed her foot on Tartarian soil. He gave her a kindly smile, and shook her hand, while lowering his head respectfully.

“Lady Smith, how very kind of you to grace the Empire with your presence.” He released her hand, and stood before her, giving her companion a brief look before once more turning his full attention to that of his guest. “Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Gehenna is waiting back at the Ewige Verdammnis Palace for our arrival.” He took a step to Lesley’s left and extended his arm, indicating the awaiting car. “We have vehicles for your entourage.”

Leading the way over to the line of cars, Lord Stratton guided Lesley to the first one, which was also the most luxurious of the set. Sitting behind that was the spare, used to convey the occupants of the first should anything happen to the lead vehicle. Behind that was several other cars, these were there to carry addition personnel.

Once settled inside, the car slowly pulled away, leaving the huge craft to disappear into the background as they made the hour long trip to the centre of the capital. During the journey, Lord Stratton made polite conversation, while pointing out some sights of interested that where scattered along their route. For him the hour passed very quickly, and it seemed mere minutes later that they were turning through the main gates leading up to the Palace itself.

The car pulled up outside the main doors, which had already swung open at their arrival. From the front passenger seat, a security personnel jumped out as the car stopped and opened the door for Stratton, as one of the footmen walked swiftly to Lesley’s door and pulled it open, by which time her host was standing waiting for her to exit.

Remaining still for a moment, as the other vehicles emptied of their passengers, Lord Stratton pointed out a few details of interest about the building before them, before escorting the First Lady through the main doors, leaving behind the slightly cool morning that she had arrived in to. Answering any questions she had as they went, his Lordship traced the familiar route to the Empress’ office complex.

As they drew near, instead of guiding the First Lady to Gehenna’s office, Lord Stratton gave Lesley a smile and indicated a door on the other side of the corridor. Pushing open the door, Stratton stepped back and allowed the Empire’s guest to go through before following closely behind.

The conference room was dominated by a huge oval table, surrounded by twenty chairs. The one at the far end was more ornate and bigger than the other nineteen, and bore on the back the crest of the current sovereign, a tradition that lingered from days long forgotten.

Other than those that had entered, the room was empty. Val turned to Lesley and indicated a seat, just as the door located behind the throne-like chair opened, to reveal the dark-haired Empress.

“Lady Smith.” Gehenna approached the other woman, a smile on her lips, her hand out stretched. “I hope that I have not kept you waiting. Unfortunately a meeting took longer to reach its conclusion that I had anticipated.” She looked at the woman in front of her and then indicated a chair. “Please, be seated.” As she spoke she walked over to her own chair, while Lord Stratton moved around to the other side of the table, opposite the First Lady.

Lesley took her seat in the proper sequence, smiling across the table at the two younger people. “Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, and I wish it was not such bad business that brought me here.” She barely noticed the position her guard took up near the door, and firmly pushed the tension her guard was feeling from her mind, letting her concentrate on the two in front of her.

Gehenna returned her visitor’s smile and waited as her own security entered the room and settled down beside the door, slightly off to one side behind the Empress. The door that she had entered through closed behind them, pushed shut by unseen hands, sealing the room into privacy. “I too am sorry that your visit here is under such circumstances. It is my wish to help alleviate any fears that I can, and to impart any information that it is in my ability to do so.” She cast her eyes briefly to her cousin and smiled at him before fixing her gaze once more on Lesley. “Lord Stratton brought your concerns to my attention, and I have to admit that I share similar thoughts on the matter.”

Lesley spread her hands apart on the table, producing from somewhere a small datapad which glowed to life slightly in a ready state. “I don’t know how much exactly you know about the situation, so I hope you don’t mind me outlining what we do know.”

“Firstly,” the glow changed into an image without any visible prompting, “this is Carlos Quil’raya, Führer, or Great Leader, of Iraqstan. He is a member of the NDA Council, and the third of the founding members of that organization. He is xenophobic, racist, and paranoid, as well as an absolutely psychotic dictator. He’s is married with one child, and belongs to the religion of Sirithilism.”

“Iraqstan is a nation with many difficulties, and Carlos blames those difficulties on the minority groups in Iraqstan, in this case, the Um Lizzans.” The screen shifted to a map, highlighting Um Lizza in red. “For the past some time, he has been executing an on again, off again campaign of genocide against them, but this time, it looks as if he means to finish the job.”

“A number of years ago,” the screen shifted to the three pronged yellow star of the Triumvirate of Yut, “the Triumvirate of Yut executed an extraction operation and removed some two hundred million Um Lizzans from their homes rather than allowing Carlos to slaughter them. This seemed to satisfy his quest for the removal until now.”

“Now he’s beginning a military build up near Reploid Productions, where the refugees were relocated to, and he’s restarted his genocidal campaign in Um Lizza itself. The Imperial President wishes to do something to help the Um Lizzans, but a direct attack on Carlos prompts a war we do not want to fight, and it is a war we cannot win, except through by overwhelming and genocidal force of our own.”

The First Lady smiled wryly. “No one involved wants that. Instead, our intelligence indicates that if Carlos will listen to anyone, it will be his allies, and so, we are approaching all of said allies we have any contacts with to see what can be done.”

Eyes moving from Lesley’s face to the information that her gadget displayed, Gehenna watched and listened intently, as the First Lady gave her speech. Once she was finished, the Empress nodded her head sadly. “I would like to assure you that a few words from the NDA would put a stop to the actions of Fuhrer Carlos Quil’raya, but unfortunately I do not dwell in the land of fantasy.”

“I could not sit here and tell you that he will listen to anyone concerning the Um Lizaans. His paranoia surrounding these people is beyond even my understanding, and it is no secret that I have expressed my concerns to the Council.” She frowned slightly. “Mass genocide is not something that I give my blessings too, even if it is done in the name of ‘the greater good’.”

Lesley chuckled harshly. “The greater good has been used to disguise many crimes, but usually there was at least some justification besides unreasoning personal hatred. In this instance, as far as our intelligence services have been able to confirm, there is no reason in Carlos’ twisted mind, except the ones his hatred invents.”

“I did not come here today to seek your assurance that you could stop this with a few words. If it were that simple, I am sure it would have stopped long ago.” She sighed heavily, and the screen changed again, displaying a downward trending graph. “This is our prediction of the Um Lizzan population since Carlos started his campaign. As you can see, it hits zero in less than a year.”

“Frankly, the Federation feels that something must be done as soon as possible. Our people are restless, seeing these horrific acts, to which no one stands up to. They want something done, and the President wants something done as well. But we are in no position to do anything. Frankly, I’m not sure how much longer the President can hold off acting, either.”

Lesley blew out her breath softly. “So I suppose I came here to find out what the NDA can do, and what specifically, the Empire of Tartarus can and is willing to do.”

Gehenna sat, slightly taken aback by Lesley’s rebuke. “Lady Smith, I am not sure what exactly you want me to say.” She tried to keep her voice pleasant, though she sounded a little strained to her own ears. “I do not know what your understanding of the NDA charter is, but despite all his wrongdoings, Fuhrer Quil’raya and Iraqstan are protected under the rules of alliance.”

“I am unable to stand up and declare his rule unworthy, or take one step to doing anything in order to remove him, without breaking several conditions of my agreement.” She frowned, her eyes showing her frustration. “I have approached the Council requesting Iraqstan be removed not only from the Council but also the NDA.”

The sigh she gave though soft was still perceptible. “Unfortunately nothing has been done, as mine was the only audible voice. If any of the other members’ views match my own, they did not declare it.” She sat back in the chair.

Lesley relaxed, sensing the Empress’ growing frustration. The subject was obviously closer to home than the Empress wanted to admit. The customary directness of the Federation International Relations Directorate would have to take a back seat to prudence for a moment. “I cannot say I am surprised to hear that you cannot do anything, though I am disappointed that you know of no others who have spoken out.”

“Without some form of massive pressure, I am afraid that Carlos will continue his plans, but I understand your position. We would find ourselves equally reluctant to stab a friend in the back, even if we knew he was doing something wrong.” Lesley bit her tongue before she allowed herself to continue, as slipping into sarcasm would not be helpful at the moment.

“Your understanding of my position in regards to Iraqstan is highly removed from fact, Lady Smith.” Gehenna was not used to people questioning her actions so openly, what people said about her actions behind closed doors was one thing. “It is true that it would leave the Empire in poor light should we attack an ally, but that is not my only concern in not taking direct action.”

“You are concerned with saving the lives of the Um Lizaans, and my feelings on the loss of lives are equal to that of yours, yet at the same time, I am against attempting something that could cause Fuhrer Quil’raya to extend his paranoia beyond that at which is it now poised.”

Gehenna looked over at Lord Stratton, who had been sitting silently by, just listening to events as they panned out before him. He looked supportively back at his Empress and cousin, smiling at her, trying to lighten her mood. The Empress returned her gaze to Lesley. “I will do whatever I can to stop the mass execution of Um Lizaans, but while he remains a member of the NDA my hands are firmly tied.”

“I think you misunderstand me, Empress. The Federation does not wish you to do anything more than apply whatever diplomatic pressure the Empire can. If direct, decisive action were to come from any quarter, we would not expect it to come from a quiet, traditionally isolationist nation such as yours.” Lesley smiled grimly.

“The only method of stopping Carlos would be through Lady Nathicana and Emperor Treznor, who are, or at least, were, perhaps the only two other national leaders Carlos considered worthy of his respect with the formation of the NDA. All the Federation wants is that you try your best to convince them that they must do something, and soon.”

Lesley spread her hands in a gesture designed to placate. “You said you have spoken up. Do not let the resounding silence which answered you cause you to stop speaking for what we both know to be the right thing.”

Gehenna’s eyebrow rose slightly as she listened to Lesley speak, taken aback once more as the other woman addressed her. Lord Stratton shifted uncomfortably in his chair, as he watched his cousin’s face for signs. Despite her growing displeasure at the First Lady’s words, her smile remained fixed to her lips, though it no longer reached her eyes, and her voice was a little lower than it had been

“I have little to no intention of ceasing my requests to have Iraqstan removed from the NDA, unless the nation undergoes a major reform, which I do not see under the leadership of the Fuhrer.” As she spoke she tried to calm herself. “And I do this not because someone else informs me that it is what I should do, I do it because I know it is what I should do.”

Gehenna paused for a moment. “The Empire of Tartarus may have lost its blood thirsty desire over the centuries, but that does not mean that I will not stand up for what I believe in, unfortunately sometimes the solution is slower than one would desire.” She frowned. “If I could find a quick solution to the problems in Iraqstan I would take them.”

Lesley quickly backpedaled in her mind as she felt the seething anger the Empress so skillfully did not let color her voice. Here she was berating a potential ally, when she ought to be encouraging. Worse, the younger woman reminded her uncomfortably of her husband’s little sister, and she had been unconsciously treating her that way. That would stop, now.

“I apologize, Empress, for my harsh language and intemperate words. I meant no offense, it is just the idea of a leader who voluntarily uses nuclear weapons on innocent people to prove a political point…” She broke off in disgust, slightly, her emotion raw in her words, revealing an intense hatred of Carlos she had not even known was there, couched in the Federation’s fear of a man once called Popil.

“Even so… I should not have let the past play upon now. Now is not the time for memories, however unpleasant, to be influencing my thoughts. I did not come here to tell you what to do, and I am sorry for allowing that to happen. I came to ask for your assistance and advice in what can be done.”

“Lady Smith, I am as adverse to what is happening to the Um Lizaans as you are. How he can turn weapons upon his own people is beyond me, and if I could stop it happening I would.” She smiled, this time the sparkle returned to her eyes. “You have my word that I shall address this issue with the Council as often as I can. Unfortunately, I am unable, at present, to do more than that.”

She turned to Lord Stratton. “I am pleased that this issue was brought to my attention.” Her gaze once more flicked to Lesley. “It is reassuring to know that there are others who share my view, and are not afraid to declare it openly.”

Lesley weighed the options in her mind as she smiled and spoke. “One should never be afraid to voice the truth of a matter as serious as this.” It cannot hurt to ask. “While we’re being frank on the matter, what would be the optimal solution to the matter from your point of view, if anything was possible?”

Gehenna paused for a moment, giving the question some thought. Despite their discussion being open and frank, there was a line that should not be crossed too boldly. “The optimal solution is a very simple one, removal of the cause.” She laced her fingers, as she rested her arms on the table. “The ‘how’ is a totally different matter all together.”

Nodding, Lesley smiled slightly. “I’m glad to know that other rational people share the same views as us, even if they feel honor bound not to act. I, personally, and the Federation as a whole, can respect that your agreements keep you from acting specifically against Carlos, and applaud your loyalty to an ally who does not appear to deserve the time of day, much less the honor of your nation’s alliance.”

She smiled brightly, though not overly brightly. Just enough. “I shall inform D’ron of your position. I’m afraid it’s going to match the situation of too many people, though, and I’m not sure what can be done. As far as I can tell, words alone are not going to end this.”

Gehenna looked at Lesley and nodded. “I understand yours and President Smith’s feelings on all this, and it is hard to sit by and let innocent people die.” A slight frown etched into her features. “Fuhrer Quil’raya has always been a lose cannon, and one of these days he is going to upset the wrong nation, unfortunately or fortunately – depending on your point of view – it might not be soon.”

“I’m terribly afraid that there are not enough nations who can honorably interfere without violating previous agreements to interfere soon enough to do any good. Hopefully, though, something will happen that no one is expecting.” She grinned slightly, feeling more comfortable around the Empress. “Like Carlos growing a brain.”

“I do not put too much hope in that happening.” Gehenna smiled, her voice remaining serious. “I believe that the only way that Fuhrer Quil’raya will be removed from power is by some kind of political assassination. Whether this is from an outside or an inside source, I would not like to speculate.”

Lesley’s grin faded away, her face a very cold mask. “I think avoiding on the record speculation on that matter is probably a good idea.” Her face eased slightly, warming again. “Was there anything you would like to discuss, now that the concerns of the Federation have been reassured?”

Gehenna smiled and nodded. “Speculation is indeed the way of fools.” She paused for a moment and shook her head slightly. “I believe at present there is nothing more for us to cover.” She looked over at Lord Stratton. “Unless there is something you wish to add?”

His Lordship looked between the Empress and the First Lady and shook his head. “I can think of nothing off hand.”

The Empress turned her attention back to Lesley. “I hope, if you have the chance to visit Tartarus again, it is for more pleasant reasons.” She gave Lesley a smiled, as she rose from her chair. “I would be honoured if you are able, for you to join me for refreshments.”

Waving her hand through the holographic display, Lesley deactivated the projector and then palmed it. “I would be honored, Your Majesty. And I do hope I have an opportunity to return to your fair country under more pleasant circumstances.” She rose, following her host.

The Queendom and the Federation may not interact too often other than trade, but they do interact... which of course means that a local S.H.O.D.A.N. avatar is stationed there. Just another cell in the Gestalt, it--and therefore the whole of the mechanoid queen--meets her friend at the previously-arranged coordinates. She looks as she always does--elbow-length short cape, Egyptian-style necklace, and nothing else covering her grey-skinned gynoid avatar. Wonderous what one can get away with when one has no need to be anatomically correct.

"Good day, Cortana," she offers in burst-speech with a mild wave of one hand, the sped up words completely unintelligible to those not fast enough to parse them. "I only wish we could meet under better circumstances. How are things?"

The thought wandered through Cortana's mind that she wondered where it was the silver avatar stayed when not being used, and reasoned that intelligence must know these things, even if she did not.

A tiny portion of her dipped into the data search, beginning with the records of the four diplomatic towers, a only half a kilometer high, that served as embassy 'row'.

Moer of her smiled at S.H.O.D.A.N., easily parsing what the mechanoid offered by way of greeting, and she replied in kind. "Good afternoon. I too wish this was under more pleasant circumstances."

A slight change in her expression indicated a slightly increased amusement at the exchange of pleasantries, despite the horrid purpose which brought them together. "As for things, they travel along as smoothly as they can, amazingly enough. Except for the Iraqstan situation and the war, but I believe the latter is about to be resolved temporarily. As for Iraqstan, your letter was most helpful. We had been aware of some rumblings in Iraqstan against Carlos, but not from his son. I'm not too surprised, though. He seemed a nice boy when I saw him at Imperatrice Nathicana's coronation. If you have contact with him, you can assure him of our support if he does indeed appear to be less insane than his father, or even if he just ends the killing. As your contacts are undoubtedly better than mine, either tangentially or in sitio, let me know if there is anything we can do to help matters along."

She paused briefly. No human would have detected it, but relatively, it was like a pause to collect her thoughts. Though it was actually to give her avatar a break. It was not really designed for this, but thanks to her precautions, the holo avatar was right out. "You said the Triumvirate is anti-genocide, which matches the Federation's view. I know they're staying out of it now because of agreements in the past, and the conflicting NDA and Trium members. What's the current feelings in the Trium, and what do you think would be their likely actions if the treaty conflicts were... removed?"

"Were those agreements to be cancelled... I believe that Iraqstani command and strategic attack elements would be vaporized faster than I could blink." S.H.O.D.A.N. smiles wryly. "Standing by and watching is not something the Triumvirate enjoys doing; however, breaking its word is also something it tries to avoid... and that the Shogunate stands to take the brunt of any offensive is another matter to attend to.

"There are," she continues with a serious look, "counters and insurances in place, but, unfortunately, those too are limited somewhat by political and emotional concerns." Yes, I could make Quil'raya my puppet with a thought. No, that thought does not make me feel any better about myself. "Carlos is certainly not the only irrational element involved, although he certainly is the most irrational."

Cortana smiled slightly, still speaking in the accelerated speech. Chuckling sounded odd, but she hoped it got across to the other EI. “I wonder whose missiles would get there first, ours or the Triumvirate’s. But as to the other counters…” She paused. What are they? No. She obviously wouldn’t tell me if I asked, since she hasn’t told me now. “What type of political concerns stand in the way? And what can the Federation do to help… get them removed?”

"I doubt there is much the Federation can do," Shodey replies wryly. "The political issues involved are primarily personal ones by individuals who are extremely reticent to allow others to affect their opinion. Probably the best thing the Federation can do is support the current NDA audit of Iraqstan's membership as quietly as it can. If Iraqstan is cut off from foreign support, things clear up dramatically."

Nathicana scowled slightly as she read over the message. As if things weren't already complicated enough, now more outsiders were adding to the strain.

"We could--" Calabrese began, only to be cut off by the raven-haired woman. "They're meddling, Cesare. I won't stand for it. Not even with those who have been as good to us as the Feds. This is an internal NDA/Trium matter, and it will stay an internal matter unless that thrice-damned Carlos turns it into something he shouldn't, which as you well know he's on the verge of doing as is. They gave up their rights to be 'in the know' when they left the alliance."

Calabrese nodded, then proceeded carefully, seeming intent on studying his cappuccino. "To be fair, a power like Iraqstan cutting loose is a valid concern for more than just alliance members, Nathicana. I can understand their concern." He glanced up to watch her reaction, taking a slow sip.

"Granted. The point remains, they're meddling. As pleasant a man as Arthur is, and as much as I respect D'ron ... make them wait for a bit. They can be concerned all they like - I won't have them or anyone else thinking they can suggest what we ought to be doing with one of our own. And you know damn well those suggestions can and will come up," she replied, her brow still furrowed with consternation.

"Protocol requires we do something at least, irritated with them or no," he observes casually, met with a nod from the Imperatrice.

"Make sure he has all his needs provided for, at a decidedly comfortable level. One of the finer hotels - a suite. .Send a liason from the PR Ministry to meet with him and send our regards. Delay. Stretch it out. We're in the midst of working on things at the moment I'd rather not have interrupted or sidetracked. I need to be present at the review, and you need to keep on top of things here. Depending on how that meeting goes ..." Nathi trailed off, giving a subtle, elegant shrug and gesturing mildly with one hand while sipping her ice water from the other. As she sat it aside, she offered her Chancellor a wry smile.

"Make it so."

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

And so it was done. Arrangements were forwarded through the proper channels, and accommodations were made at the Luna Hotel Bartaloni (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziaesterno.jpg ), a five star luxury location overlooking the water with a view (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziaterrazzo_01_b.jpg) to the Piazza. The room (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziasuite_b.jpg) itself was likely large enough for a small group of people, yet clearly designed to be enjoyed by one - or two (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziasuite_02.jpg). Fresh cut flowers were present in each room of the suite, including the luxurious bath (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziabagnosuite.jpg), which seemed amlost entirely decorative marble. There was of course, a well-stocked wet bar in the suite, courtesy the Dominion government, which he was encouraged to use as he saw fit, along with a dining account for his use at the hotel (http://www.baglionihotels.com/images/venezia/gallery/veneziaristorante.jpg) or other local ristorantes. A car and driver were provided, as well as a private gondola to have at his disposal - all in an effort to make his stay as pleasant and convenient as possible.

Along with this of course, came the liason - one Alessandra Brunelleschi, a junior diplomat from the Ministry of Public Relations, under Minister Evangelista Ravanelli, to be precise. She stood about 1.75 meters tall, slender build, with cinnamon colored hair cut reasonably short that softly framed her face, sporting a ready smile. She was on hand to greet Arthur when he made his arrival.

"Buon giorno, Minister Williams. My name is Alessandra Brunelleschi, and I have been assigned as liason during your stay with us. Shall we get you settled in?"

Cortana nodded understandingly. “Well, if it’s personal, someone needs to get their thumb out. We will be supporting the NDA audit, of course. Quietly.” She smiles. “Though I imagine some of our diplomatic messages haven’t been so quiet to Carlos. Crazy, yes, stupid, unfortunately no. I don’t look forward to another war, but the Triumvirate will have the Federation’s support if an invasion becomes required, even if our current war is not over yet. Quil’raya is too dangerous to leave in place.”

A slight grin. “Thank you for the information, though. It’s been nice to speak with you again, even if just for a short time. Anything else you think I should know?”

* * * * *

Arthur was too well trained to be surprised to be met by an underling at the airport. Especially since he had been surprised during his last visit to Devras when Nathicana had met them on the tarmac.

He smiled at the young woman. “I wasn’t planning on staying very long, but I suppose if the Imperatrice is busy, getting settled makes a certain amount of sense.” His pronunciation of the title was miserable, making it sound like ‘Empress-trike’. He moved to the transportation, and tossing a duffle in it, grinned. “Do you know when the Dread Lady will be free?”

* * * * *

As far away from the Dominion climatically as one could be when going north in habitable lands, a message arrived through a diplomatic ansible comm. Representative Rosemary Henries frowned, then looked at Jack.

“Can Cortana give me orders?”

The young man smiled. “As a diplomat, you report to D-section of the Intelligence Division. I suppose it could be argued, as Cortana is Director of Intelligence Division, that she can give you orders.” His right eyebrow arched as another message came in. “That may clear it up.”

It was from the Office of the Minister of International Relations. And it did clear things up.

Some time later, the International Mediation Council representatives from both GMC and the Hack would find a message from Special Representative Henries, requesting a joint meeting at their earliest convenience to discuss a matter of mutual concern.

The young woman didn't bat an eye as he stumbled over the native title - to draw attention would of course be considered rude. It was clear the intent was not to offend, after all. If Nathicana wished to take issue, that was something she would have to take up with the man. As she wasn't here to hear in any case ... Junior Ministry Representative Brunelleschi waited for Arthur to get comfortable, then got into the comfortable vehicle as well, directing the driver to make for the hotel, several city blocks away.

"I'm afraid I haven't been briefed as to the details of the Imperatrice's schedule, Minister," Alessandra replied apologetically. "What I have been told is that there are matters which she has unfortunately been required to attend to, and no set time has been arranged. I hope that I can assist with your needs in the meantime."

She opened the small wet bar, allowing Arthur to peruse the contents, which of course contained a couple small bottles of Dominion wine, such as he had had the opportunity to sample before, along with some Iraqstani Scotch, Limoncello and other local liqueurs, and several mini-bottles of various spirits along with proper mixers. "If you would care for a little something before we reach the hotel? I find travel tends to make me thirsty. Regardless, is there anything I can help with, or at least relay on to my superiors?"

Smiling at the polite young woman, Arthur shook his head slowly as he glanced over the offering in the mini-bar. “Just water will be fine.” He smiled to himself. It was, after all, the best cure for thirst, though these… just what the hell were they called anyways… Dominioners? Nathicanans?

He made a note to ask D Section when he got back, or Cortana. Or Bruce. Bruce would probably know. Even his own T Section might know, but you could not count on that. They were remarkably blind to things that did not have to do with trade.

But… a hotel… that was different. It argued a couple of things, none of them particularly good. Either the Federation was not as in as good a light as the last time he had been here, Nathicana needed to distance herself from the Federation, despite no actual cooling of the relationship between the nations, or third, she was going to be gone from her villa for a time, and there was no point in him staying there if she was not.

Anyone of those reasons could be bad, some worse than others, though he was not sure which would be ‘worst’. He was not a trained diplomat, after all.

Just good at it.

Allessandra nodded and smiled, adding a few cubes of ice to the glass, and filling it from the travel decanter, all nicely chilled. "I don't know how familiar you are with Devras, but I am certain we can find pleasant ways for you to spend your time while here." She handed the glass over to Arthur, then chose a mixed juice for herself, settling back into her seat, then passing over a recloseable envelope.

"In this packet you will find a card to present to any ristorante should you choose - we have taken the liberty of setting up a dining account for your convenience. Contact information for myself, and the Public Relations Ministry offices is included, as well as information on some of the local sights, points of interest, and many of the local eating establishments. Don't forget your ident card - it's best to have that on you at all times, for security reasons."

She pauses, takes a sip of her juice, then smiles pleasantly. "Now, if I may ask, what business brings you to Devras, and how can we assist you?"

Arthur set the packet on the seat next to him and ran through his thoughts once more. "Well, as to what brings me to Devras, certain events in Iraqstan have drawn our negative attention. As such, we, the Federation, need to find out as much as possible as we can about the situation, including the reactions of Iraqstani allies to the situation, including their response." He then quietly added. "If any."

He looked at the young woman. "Mostly, I'm here to ask Nathi to do something about it, if she can." His eyes flared. "So far, the response we have seen comes as close to condoning the actions of the Iraqstani government as it can without actually doing so. From the entire NDA, that is."

He smiled weakly. "Tell Nathi when you report to her after dropping me at my hotel that I'll be there for two days. While I'm waiting, though, if you would be so kind to arrange a detailed tour of Devras for me, that would be excellent."

OOC: No, Nathi, I don't really expect any sort of touring posts. But he needed to do something. :)

"I would be pleased to show you Devras, according to your schedule" Alessandra assured him. And so it was done - all under the watchful eye of the soldati, from a careful distance.

Regular reports were made, an assessment of his mood was guessed at and discussed, and on the evening of the second day, a message was delivered to his room, requesting his presence at Giacomo’s - a restaurant Arthur would remember from his previous visit - for dinner, time listed and directions given, though the usual offer of transportation was his to make use of as he wished.

Nathi, of course, was there early. While La Famiglia had things well in hand here, it was understood that for some, like herself, other security would be present - which it was, in abundance, though none visibly. The soldati blended in perfectly with the crowd, dressed outwardly as regulars or staff, and working in quiet harmony with the mob muscle. This was, after all, an established Family business, and ties between the Family and the Government had, for the most part, been traditionally comfortable.

Considered neutral ground, Giacomo's was an old establishment, often frequented by the more mature Mafiosi. The look, the service, and the food were all steeped in Dominion tradition, and by the same token, was considered one of the finer ristorantes in the Old City.

Sitting calmly in her favored table near the back, sheltered for the most part from the more busy 'commons' area by piercework dividers and rich curtains - as were several more private booths here and there - Nathicana sipped her ice water slowly, her eyes scanning the crowd, enhanced ears perked for any tidbits of information that might come in handy.

Well then. Lets see what our friends have to say.

Reporting on Arthur’s behavior for the next two days would be fairly routine. He would wake up at seven-thirty, and precisely at eight, would take his breakfast. Fifteen minutes later, a crew member from the shuttle that brought him would arrive with a stack of paper work, which the Commerce and Transportation Minister would proceed to process by noon.

The efficiency made one almost wonder what he did while at work, until one recalled he had no meetings while he was here, and no access to secure computer networks, so the amount of work that could actually be done was small compared to his normal work load. Not that he seemed to mind. He was universally cheerful and polite to those around him. After walking somewhere nearby for a usually light lunch, he would proceed on to whatever the Dominion officials had scheduled to distract him that day, and he did appear genuinely interested in it, becoming involved in several animated discussions with tour guides and the like.

He left generous, but not absurd, gratuities for the staff which served him, either in the hotel, or restaurants, or in transportation. He seemed particularly fond of gondolas, always taking one given the option.

If he had spotted the soldiers around him, he had given no sign, and it was likely he had not, having no real training in the area, so a report that he was unaware of the surveillance was likely to be accurate. While it would not be entirely true (he did know someone was watching him, or highly suspected it, anyways), it would be true that he did not know who or where or how.

On the evening of the second day, Arthur had, of course, accepted Nathicana’s dinner invitation, that being the reason he was in Devras. He was perfectly ready to leave in the morning, fairly early, for the relatively short sub orbital hop back to the Federation. Unless he had a reason to stay, but there was little need to let his hosts no that at the present time. Always best to keep something in reserve, if one could.

When Arthur entered Giacomo’s, exactly one minute early, he recalled what he remembered of the place, and remembered the table near the back. Sure enough, his enhanced eyes picked out the flash of raven hair through the piecemeal dividers, and he smiled, almost tightly. No need to delay any longer.

He strode towards the area in the back, trailed by whichever flunkies, visible and invisible, the Dominion had assigned him that day in addition to Allessandra as his guide. Once admitted to the closed off area, he bowed slightly over the hand the Dread Lady no doubt intended for him to shake, and smiled. “A pleasure as always, Imperatrice.” He had been practicing, apparently. His smile was warm as he continued. “I’m glad you could work me into your schedule at such short notice.” If he was considering any irony or sarcasm, it was undetectable in his voice, so he probably did consider the two days to be short notice, and was actually pleased.

Either that, or he was an obscenely talented actor. If one knew Arthur Williams, though, it was definitely the former.

Nathicana gave Arthur's hand a gentle squeeze, smiling at the politeness. "Terribly sorry for the wait. With all of the things going on these days, I've been a touch busy. Please, make yourself comfortable."

She engaged in simple small talk while the menu was perused and orders taken, waiting patiently til the dinner was finally served, and both were comfortably through a good portion of the meal before finally getting to the meat of the matter, so to speak. Tradition, of course.

"So, Arthur. I'm sure you didn't come all this way just to sample more of my wine or see the sights. Concerning your initial missive, D'ron is concerned with the goings on in Iraqstan, yes? I can assure you we have things well in hand, whether solutions are being brought about fast enough to keep him satisfied or no. But, perhaps you have some questions I could answer to ease his mind."

Arthur had enjoyed the meal, but it was time for the business at hand. He sighed, putting down his fork, the last bit of his pasta suddenly holding no appeal for him. “Perhaps I should start with an explanation, rather than questions. Some of it may be a bit coarse, but please remember I am not used to thinking in purely diplomatic terms.”

He steepled his fingers together. “The situation in Iraqstan is out of control, and to pretend otherwise is folly. More specifically, Carlos is out of control. I realize it is not our place to insist that the NDA do anything, and I have no desire or plan to do so. The situation in the Federation is, briefly, this. As you know, D’ron has, in the past, refrained from becoming involved in Iraqstan, but soon he may have no choice. The Federation has too broad a base of racial tolerance to understand how such an atrocity could occur, much less be allowed to continue. Those who dislike D’ron’s Presidency seize upon his doing nothing in Iraqstan as means to incite discord, or at least, discontent. How could a man who supposedly represents the Federation’s ideals on the world stage allow such a thing to continue?”

He sighed. “The other side is beginning to resent the NDA as a whole quite strongly, as they realize, correctly, that it is the primary cause of D’ron’s failure to intervene and put a stop to the situation.” His hand came down on the table at the emphasized word. “As far as is evident in the Federation, the NDA can be seen to be doing nothing, and by not at least condemning the actions, you appear, by default, to condone them. Intellectually, most of the population knows that isn’t true, but emotionally, it’s a different story.” He smiled faintly. “People are, after all, people.”

He turned his gaze lightly around the room, taking in the décor for a brief moment, but not letting the Dread Lady speak before he spoke again. “Right now, they’re distracted by a war on Federation soil, but soon enough, especially with these broadcasts that keep leaking from Um Lizza, that will change, as we have in place a plan that will… Nevermind that. I guess my real goal here is to find out, what you are doing, and what you are doing that we can use to reassure our people that something is being done.”

He carefully did not mention D’ron’s reaction to the nuclear weapons that had actually prompted this excursion. The President had authorized him to reveal that if he thought it needed, but he was fairly sure it was not, yet. “D’ron is under a lot of strain, so anything would be helpful, so that he doesn't have to make a big gesture of some sort to prove something is being done.”

"If I can keep my cool and maintain control of my nation during this time of considerable unrest, surely D'ron, who is not directly allied to Iraqstan, can," Nathicana replied in a very cool tone, her chin tilting up slightly in that imperious way she had when gearing up for full Dread Lady mode.

"While I sympathize with D'ron's position so far as dealing with unhappy citizens, I hardly see where this is any of his damned business. Nowhere, to my knowledge, has the Federation signed anything with Iraqstan giving them any say in what is or is not done there. The situation there is regretable, yes. Digustingly so. It is also an internal matter, not an international one. Would D'ron appreciate, do you think, other nations coming in to tell him how to rule his own? I think not." She holds up a hand to forestall any arguments.

"And do not start in with the whole 'we would never resort to such attrocities'. Semantics, levels of escalation, it all comes down to sovereign rights - something I know you know we hold dear and will fervently defend, as we always have. It is not his place to put a stop to anything."

Her tone left no doubt just how serious she was, and carried a message of finality to it. "I regret that our efforts in the past and currently do not look on the outside to be enough of a salve for injured consciences. The fact that people are foolish enough to leap to idiotic conclusions is likewise, not my problem. We have made careful statements because we too are in a precarious position. You think that we have not had our share of problems because of all this? Do you for one moment think that if I had other avenues I would not have taken them? The situation calls for care and precision. We have been doing much that has not been seen publicly, Arthur, as is proper. And again, it is NDA business. Not that of the Federation."

Nathi took a quick sip of wine, then continued, relaxing slightly, though she still did not look pleased. "We have already called for a review of Iraqstan and the current situation, inviting the entirety of the NDA to participate. While that may not seem like much to you, I assure you, it is the only way we can proceed while not sacrificing the ideals of our alliance. If we do otherwise, we prove false, and that is completely unacceptable. There are other actions being taken as well that I am not at liberty to discuss. Needless to say, simply because you do not see a thing, does not mean a thing does not exist. We have our means and methods, and that will have to suffice."

"Now," she said, her voice hardening, blue eyes glittering with a dangerous light. "About this 'plan' and 'big gesture'. I'll be frank with you, Authur. Any such action taken against an allied state will be looked on extremely poorly by the Dominion, and quite likely, others. I want to know what D'ron has planned, and I want to know now."

The fact that she was idly toying with her dinner knife was, of course, completely coincidental.

Arthur blinked at her words as he ignored the flickering light near the table to gaze at Nathicana. “I’m afraid you misunderstand, Dread Lady. The plan has nothing to do with Iraqstan. It has to do with ending the war in the Federation, and is nearly ready to be executed. When it is complete, local events will no longer be distracting the population from the events in Iraqstan, and the pressure to do something will merely grow stronger.”

He sighed, shaking his head slightly as if that would clear the tension in the air. “Yes, the Federation knows your position on sovereign rights, and, for the most part, shares it. But we believe, apparently as you do not, that there are times when a government loses its sovereign rights, for example, when it systematically slaughters people that it should in theory be protecting.” His eyes were just as hard as Nathicana’s, surprising for someone with his fairly calm demeanor. “Iraqstan, or, more specifically, Carlos’ government, has lost its sovereign rights in the eyes of the Federation government and its populous. As you say, we have not signed any agreement allowing us interference in that government, but by the same token, without any agreements, we are under no obligation to support it.”

He concluded that revealing D’ron’s little episode with Joshua would be... a mistake, at the moment. “As for a ‘big gesture’, I know of no specific plans at this time, but I’m sure the Military Directorate has some sort of battle plans concerning Iraqstan drawn up. But I can assure that nothing would be done to execute those plans without some other indications being made. There would be fair warning of any action.”

Smiling gently, he hoped to diffuse Nathicana’s apparently high level of tension. “I will, of course, take your word that you have been doing things that you felt appropriate to deal with the situation. As for this ‘NDA review’, might I presume to inform our media of it, though that might backfire if nothing productive were to come out of it. As for your other initiatives, I have every faith in your abilities there.”

He had known about the review from his daily intelligence briefing from Cortana, and how she had gotten the information he had no idea, and did not care, particularly, especially now that he had it confirmed to be accurate. Not that he had doubted her conversation with ‘Source S’. “But the problems of sentient beings anywhere, on this scale, are the problems of sentient beings everywhere, Nathicana.” His use of her name was no doubt a surprise. “I know that not always something can be done, but when there is ability and power to act, there comes a responsibility to do so. For the sake of all involved, I hope the necessity to act responsibly is gone soon.”

"I would rather you didn't make it public. It isn't anyone's business but the NDA after all. And as you said, it could backfire," she said, her demeanor not changing in the slightest.

"Iraqstan has not lost it's sovereign rights, whether your people feel it has or not. You do not have the right to determine that. It's merely an excuse to act as you please to soothe your own consciences over things that are quite frankly, none of your affair. Something to allow meddling bleeding hearts to sleep easier at night, believing they are in the right following some 'manifest destiny' to police the world and solve all it's ills, whatever the cost."

Of course, he couldn't know about her own personal issues over the whole Iraqstan mess, or how she felt personally responsible for a good deal of it - which contributed more to her anger over anyone poking their noses in than anything. Nor could she reveal how she had been quietly funding the Knights and their efforts to bring down Carlos' regime, in part to ease her own conscience. Such things could never, and would never be spoken. Not to anyone.

"You may be under no obligation to support their government or it's actions, but I do hope the Federation thinks long and hard about the possible consequences of overly-idealistic actions taken on account of your disagreements," she said firmly. "You know the Dominion's stand on this issue. I trust that you will make it patently clear to D'ron. It would pain me greatly to have an incident over this impact our relationship negatively, Arthur."

"We all have plans and contingencies. Every government does. I can accept this. I simply ask that the Federation use prudence and wisdom in choosing it's course of action, or inaction, concerning Iraqstan. With the ability and power to act also comes the responsibility to know when to refrain from doing so. I hope that D'ron has the strength of character to understand this."

Rising from her seat, as do two other 'patrons' at nearby tables, she extends her hand to Arthur with a cool, imperious expression. "I hope that I have been able to clarify our position, and offer D'ron some food for thought. And I regret that our meeting could not have been more pleasant, Arthur, but such is the way of international politics now and then. Perhaps when the current situation has been resolved, you can visit again under more comfortable circumstances."

Arthur stood up, his expression equally cool, almost frigid on his usually expressive and jovial face. “Very well, I’ll give the word of the Federation’s honor that we will not make the review public, though we may announce, should the NDA choose to make it so, that the government was aware of it at the time.”

He smiled tightly. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on the subject of Iraqstan, I believe, though your exact words will be made clear to D’ron so that he can see how much value the Dominion places on its word, despite every reason for breaking it.” His tone of voice conveys that he would much rather be reporting the opposite to his President. “I can assure you, as long as certain countervailing considerations are in place, there will be no action taken against the abomination of humankind that is Carlos.”

As long as the NDA backs the slimy bastard, there’s no way we’ll go after him. D’ron would never commit to an utterly obliterating first strike against the NDA, even if we could do it, and I’m not positive we could. We certainly couldn’t do it to both the NDA and ToY, and we would have to, thanks to the Dominion and Treznor belonging to both.

Arthur let all pretense of false enjoyment of the meeting drop away from his expression and voice as he lightly grasped Nathicana’s hand from underneath and bent low over it, his lips just barely not brushing the back of it. “A pleasure as always, Dread Lady. Thank you for seeing me and answering my questions.”

He did not spend the night in the hotel, but instead returned immediately to the Federation, his business concluded.