NationStates Jolt Archive

Soren's citizens were placid, the journey to Earth Space s far uneventful. But there were rumours abound. Rumours of war. Of The Scarecrows, for the first time in their recorded history, engaging in an all out war. Panic would soon follow if the nation's Leaders did not make a decision, one that might just warp the structure of everyone aboard the City Ships.

Nina Sawyers awaited the arrival of a delegate, from the People's Republic of Powerful Chi. This discussion would be long, and interesting.
That was why she was in the Delegate's Hanger, a vast space, more than a kilometre wide and long. Back lit with serene cool blue lights and less cluttered than the Fighter and cargo hanger, it was supposed to present the spacious, amazing miniworld that was a City Ship.

Again, she was nervous. This could get nasty, and she'd have other delegates to talk to as well. Neutral ground. They cant attack us, we've done nothing wrong.

A mysterious, tall hooded man slowly strided into the Delegate's Hanger. With a slow yet steady walk he slowly approaced Soren's delegate, Nina Sawyers. He slowly took off his dark hood, and closed his eyes. He sat down, and gestured for Delegate Sawyers to do the same.

"Delegate Sawyers, what a pleasure it is to see you again. . ."

Nina nodded, a gracious smile, and took his hand.
She gestured to the sleek black transport, bearing the sigil of The Scarecrows.
'It is good to hear from you too, Delegate. Might I offer some more mundane transportation? We'd best hurry. I've pulled some information about Apocalypse from sources. We must discuss this in private. My home should be ample enough.'

As if on cue, the transport powered up, the 3 metre craft's engine humming softly and persistently, as if a call for the two to hurry. There was no worry here, Apocalypse would not attack. Not without great need.
Like the Leviathan, it was slow to respond, but powerful and reluctant to stop when it had started.

The transport glided along, humming softly. Representative Stride, glancing out the window, seemed reluctant to address the issue at hand. Talk of war was never easy, and rarely brought up in the Nation of Powerfu Chi. He slowly turned towards Representative Nina, the dim light shadowing the long scar across his face.

"It does my heart ease to see as the new representative for The Scarecrows," he sighed. "Perhaps now we can accomplish something."

'Perhaps.' She looked out at the Upper Quarter, the home of many political leaders, like herself. Her real home was back on A'tuin, but the Capitol House would do just fine.

They pulled up into the Quarter, the lights of the two story houses shining out towards them. She stared back at the city. From this distance it seemed like a massive jewel, glinting with individual lights and washes of colour. A cyan spotlight crawled lazily about the city, bathing certain areas in ethereal light. Above, the dome had switched its scene to night, the lifesupport AI lowering the temperature accordingly, simulating real night on Earth.

'My City Ships aren't made for war. They're too large to competently fight smaller faster ships. They're heavily armoured, and the weapons arrays are more than enough to fend off pirates and such, but the fact is in a given situation, we have no real threat value. We're peaceful. This war could wipe out my race.' She sighed, and looked back at Stride.

He nodded understandingly, and gestured for her step inside. They both quietly walked into the central section of the Capital House, and proceeded into the meeting quarters. Representative Nina bowed, and Stride silently took a seat in one of the plush red arm chairs. He pressed his thumb up to his temple in habit, and thought long and hard before he spoke.

". . . While I have never doubted the effectiveness of your city ships in their, eh, duties, my nation has acknowledge that nether of our noble lands carry any instruments of war at all," he looked sternly into her eyes. "But this doesn't mean . . . well . . . Nina . . . we have to fight. You don't understand . . . what will . . . happen . . ."

Emotion swirled through Strides voice. "The pure and utter horror . . . you know, Nina, that I am not originally from Powerful Chi. I was merely an immigrant running from the war, running from the fear, running from . . . the destruction. I still long for my old land in The Region of Eternal Peace, but I have come to love these people as my own! I witnessed firsthand what the Apocolyptic Region's armies can do to a free and defenseless nation . . . They are not merciful people, Nina, not at all. They will stop at nothhing until ever last man, ever last women, and ever last child is . . . dead. I thought we had destroyed them, at the great cost of my land. Make no mistake, we fought valiantly. But it seems we merely halted their onslaught for the time being . . . and they are back. As long as their is a fighting breath in my body, I will not allow those murderers to repeat their sins!