NationStates Jolt Archive

Fighting had wreaked havoc on the universe in recent years, war and chaos replacing peace and order like the moon replaces the sun in the sky. But after a rotation, the sun returns, and so must peace and order. And thus, admist the sounds of battle, came a message of peace, bringing with it the dignity of the Republic.

To the engaged nations of the equally mighty Extra Solar Union of Systems and the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances,

By decree of the Senate and People of the Republic, a solution to the war that thrives between your respective people must be found for the good of all. In light of this, you are invited in peace and immunity to our great city of Taledon. We request that each faction send a representative to uphold the honor of each respective alliance, and to discuss possibilities of a succession of hostilities between both alliances.

Moderation, dignity, strenght and honor,

Seal of the Consul of the Republic

We/I are not the ESUS. We speak for ourselves/noneothers. We come nonetheless. Slaughter grows tiring.

A single, silvery probe prepared to journey through the lattice, delicately threading its way through existence to find Taledon. Some terms would be desirable. A surrender, for instance. At the very least, it would distract prying eyes from the battlefield, and onto the negotiation table.

Bump for more peoples.

New Dornalia sends one man to the meeting, Taniel Gibarian, to send peace feelers to the meeting. He is here to observe, and act in the name of New Dornalia for now.

Yuuzhan'tar

The message was received by the evening communications shift at the Imperial Palace. Sensing it's importance, the duty officer immediately forwarded it to his superior. Upon examination of the message, he sent it up the chain of command. Several officers later and the message was part of Lord Kunra Esh's midnight briefing.

"They wish to mediate? Why? What could they possibly gain from peace?"

Kunra Esh stood at one end of the holotable, currently displaying the emblem of the Yuuzhan Vong Empire. At the opposite end, under the questioning glare of the Emperor, stood his senior officers and advisors. After years of service under the man, these men had learned how to survive the Emperor's rapid changes of temperment and had grown used to his glare. The Foreign Minister spoke up after a few moments of thought.

"Seemingly nothing, M'Lord, however they may see themselves as "protectors of the peace" and are attempting to end the war to that end. Even if this is not the case, I believe we should recommend that the Alliance take this opportunity. It may be the only opportunity we get to engage the ESUS in dialogue." The Emperor turned a hardened gaze on the man, but soon softened his look.

"You may be right. We certainly can't afford to continue this war much longer. The Alliance is holding on for now, but there's no telling how long we can continue to do so.... Yes, we should take this opportunity.... I will speak with the Consuls of the Alliance in the morning. Now, onto the Salmath business. How is the minefield progressing?"

"The minefield is growing at a rate....."

Office of the Praetor of the GFFA, Improvised. Yuuzhan'tar

The image of President Harris of The Solarin League stood on Kunra Esh's desk. The two had been in deep conversation for nearly an hour regarding the Republic's offer. "So we are agreed? Three delegates, one each from Talaax, The Solarin League and New Dornalia in order to represent the Senate and Consular offices?"

The Solari President nodded. "Yes. I will send a deputy in my place. I'm afraid I'm currently swamped by business here. I'm sure the New Dornalians will do the same."

"I shall attend personally. It may be dangerous, but I simply don't trust my underlings with such important business." Esh shook his head as he spoke, thinking of the incompetence shown by all his staff every day in his mind.

"You are sure? What if it's a trap?"

"Mr. President, your worries are appreciated but unnecessary. I can handle myself. The Force is a strong servant. Besides, the Republic has nothing to gain from such a move."

"You're probably right, but be careful. I'm sure all those ESUS privateers would love to take a few shots at your transport..."

"Indeed. I'll be travelling in secrecy, so privateers shouldn't be a problem. I will get there alive."

"As you say. If you'll excuse me, I have a cabinet meeting in a few minutes. I will speak to you once you arrive in Taledonia?"

"Yes, I'll make a point of contacting you the moment I arrive."

"Very good. Take care."

With that the hologram winked out and Kunra flipped an intercom switch. Speaking now with a communications officer, he issued an order. "Inform the Taledonians that I will be arriving within the week. And make sure to encrypt the damned transmission!"

"Yes sir!" The voice on the other end responded then the line went dead. Kunra turned to look out the viewport at the purple-ish sky of Yuuzhan'tar and could almost see the invisible signal beamed to Taledonia. Peace with the ESUS.... Is it truly possible to have peace as equals?

With the utter lack of fanfare characteristic of Mobius dooring, the Avatar vessel Does This Shield Make Me Look Fat? appeared above Taledon, its sleek hull soaring gracefully downwards towards the planet's surface. Landing, the ship's flowmetal hull bulged, and one of its representative Avatars stepped out, smiling at the Taledonians around it.

"Ah, could one of you direct me to the ESUS-GFFA meeting? I'm expected."

Another ship materialised next to the Avatar. It was not coincidence; the larger ship would serve to show that it shared its allegiances. As the Avatar soared downwards, it spoke, messages willed into existence, to the Taledonians.

"We/I have arrived."

The tiny ship, only two metres in height, and only thirty centimetres in breadth and fifty in width, was almost humanoid in size, for all that it was a perfectly ovoid object. Mutable in form, it flowed easily into a form pleasing to that of the human eye - a series of delicate strands waving outwards from a spherical centre. These 'ambassadors' were few and far between, but had capacities that exceeded those of any of the Maker-Mind's forces.

It stopped briefly, and then shot down to the planet, forming into an ovoid shape once more. It would simply follow the Avatar, landing with ease beside it. It was almost sycophantic, the way it acted, as it landed gracefully upon the ground. It spoke once more, patterning its voice almost as if it were a native of the planet it sat upon, the words it spoke out of place besides the accent. "We are the representative of the Maker-Mind. We are expected, no?"

(OOC: Just some backgroung, because everyone seems to get this wrong. The capitol planet is called Taledonia, just like the system and province it's in, whilst the capitol city situated on the planet is Taledon. Might be a little confusing, but hey, flying pigs are quite hilarious....)

IC:

With a half bow, Senator Antoninus Pius greeted the first of the delegates that would arrive for the peace conference. "Avé Otagian emmisary, and welcome to our humble planet. I'm sorry if I lack information about your people's culture, but like most besides us Taledonians, I'm sure you don't like the rain which comes down almost 24/7 here, so if you please, we have a car waiting to take you to the Consular Palace where you will be roomed until the rest of the diplomats arrive. By the way, I am Senator Pius, and you are?"

After a comfortable ride through the pine topped mountain range that seperates the space port from the city, the black luxury vehicle arrived at the former Imperial Palace and entered the Palace compound. Pulling up to the steps, a servant carrying an umbrella came and opened the door for the Otagian ambassador and led him up the stone steps towards the heavy doors. Winding their way through the white marble halls, various eunuchs and court officials, and passing many patio's, libraries, and other rooms of leasure, they arrived on the second floor of the palace. The servant pushed open a heavy double door of fine oak with brass handles to reveal a rather lavish room. Red carpeting, tapestries with the Otagian flag hung on the walls, emaculate furnishings and a canopy bed with silken sheets and a bear fur blanket. On the small table to the right sat a bowl of fresh fruit and an amphora of fine wine.

"Here you are, sir. You are free to roam the palace and city as you wish, and someone shall return to fetch you when the meeting is about to begin."

snip!!!!!

Another senator met the orb....with some trepidation. It was a bit of a mystery how such an object that could talk could be shown hospitality designed for humanoids, but none the less, they would try, for no one would speek ill of Taledonian hospitality.

Following another trip towards the city, and a tour through the palace, the "diplomat" was shown to a quiet garden library in the south wing of the palace.

"I believe this would be a more suitable spot for you to spend your time before the assembly instead of a room...I think...There is a groto not far off in that direction, perhaps you can go....regenerate, or whatever it is you do. Someone will be on to fetch you when the rest of the delegates have arrived."

If one could hear in space, the arrival of the stripped down Solari Gunship carrying the delegation would have made a sound something like a rubber band springing back into place after being stretched too far. As it was, it simply appeared from nowhere, and would have been visible for several light years on any type of scanner as a massive energy front.

This is the Solari LAC Rocket Queen requesting permission to land. We bear the Presidents representative at these talks.

OOC: And here I am...

It formed once again, from the ovoid shape, to the spherical, tentacled one, and, finally, into a new shape, a humanoid one. The first was for convinience, the second was more conducive to the abilities it had, and the third was for ease of mind, for its hosts.

It stood up, silver particles flowing as it did so. An outer layer of skin hardened and formed, and colour rushed into it. There was no hair; nor were there fingernails. The form was sexless, and quickly clothed itself with a few tight-fitting skin particles, taking the form of a toga. All in all, it looked fairly human, eyelashes, eyebrows, and fingernails forming quickly, to make it look almost as if it were human.

Of course, there was one feature which made it undecidedly un-human. Although the entire skin served as a receptor for the various electromagnetic and compression waves various beings used to communicate, the eyes had silver irises, serving as a firm reminder that the being in question was most decidedly not human. Flickers of silver ran across the rest of the eye from time to time, and it spoke.

"I thank you, senator. Nonetheless, we are here to discuss, and to learn, no? If possible, I would inquire to what your people gain from such a settlement. Do you merely represent the rabbit in the old saying - Whether the bear beats the wolf, of the wolf beats the bear, the rabbit always loses? Or do you have some religious or moral motive?".

The question was straightfoward, as the diplomat, as it thought of itself as being, was watching the senator closely. Any change in attitude would be quite easy to register, and so it would easily discover how the Taledonians had changed over the years. They had not bothered to make contact with any other species since the destruction of the Realm, and so were limited to the knowledge the Realm had possessed at the time.

With a half bow, Senator Antoninus Pius greeted the first of the delegates that would arrive for the peace conference. "Avé Otagian emmisary, and welcome to our humble planet. I'm sorry if I lack information about your people's culture, but like most besides us Taledonians, I'm sure you don't like the rain which comes down almost 24/7 here, so if you please, we have a car waiting to take you to the Consular Palace where you will be roomed until the rest of the diplomats arrive. By the way, I am Senator Pius, and you are?"
The Avatar's flowmetal face shifted into a smile. "Oh, I don't mind the rain. It's actually a rather pleasent change from the black. Oh, and I'm Does This Shield Make Me Look Fat? For all intents and purposes, however, I'm QUETZAL. A pleasure to meet you, Senator."

"Here you are, sir. You are free to roam the palace and city as you wish, and someone shall return to fetch you when the meeting is about to begin."
The Avatar's glimmering body flopped down on the bed with a muffled thump, a few hundred kilograms of metal and ceramics collapsing into the comfort of the furs.

"Really, Senator, this was hardly neccessary. I could have done just fine with an alcove in your hallway. I do the most wonderful impression of a suit of armor. While you're here, please, help yourself to some wine. I can hardly enjoy it."

(OOC: Boingygagoing!=My impression of a rubber band.)

IC:

Solari LAC Rocket Queen, this is Taledonian command, you are clear to land at the public space port west of the city. A senatorial delegation will be awaiting your arrival on the surface and will escort you to the palace.

With a sigh, the Senator turned back around to face the now human form, so close to being out of the unpleasant stare of the being. "I do not believe we are the rabbit, Ambassador. I would see us as...the fox. Clever and mild. We could easily let both bear and wolf fight it out, leaving one weakened in the end and then attack, becoming the new king of the forest, but then there are always new contenders arising, and we prefer our own domains and prefer not to spread much more. However, if we can convince the more powerful bear and wolf to make peace, then they in turn can help keep order in the forest, and keep potential threats that threaten us all out, like hunters. I'm sorry, but I was tempted to continue your metaphore, was really quite interesting. Now if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to."

(OOC: Boingygagoing!=My impression of a rubber band.)

IC:

OOC: Apt.

IC:

Thank you Taledonian Command. This is Axl, signing out.

Here I am, Your Rocket Queen... The ship landed, leaving a massive burn on the surface, and a massive Mardukan male stepped out. He was obviously old, since his skin was drying in patches, but he also still towered over even the tallest humans, and he was also one of the Presidents closest advisors...

"Interesting. I was not aware that you considered yourself a power."

It was a somewhat provocative statement, it was true, and, as the senator left, the diplomat smiled inside. The lips remained passionless and still, but it knew what the Maker-Mind wished. Every world, every being, every last filthy piece of life removed from the universe. To be dissuaded from such a goal was not something that would happen easily - peace was merely the non-existence of destruction, a respite, if you will.

It sat, and then decided to find the Otagian. It would not be hard, after all, discussion between diplomats would not be forbidden. But to talk to the being would let it understand what QUETZAL wished to bring about, and, as such.. well, different nations wished for different things. If the QUETZAL wishes coincided with its own, that would be convinient.

A message, not encoded, flurried towards the Avatar-ship. "Greetings. I wish to communicate. Shall I simply *talk*, or do you wish to use other channels to do so?"

The giant elder was met with a similar party as all the rest, and was subject to the same trip and shown to the same type of room as the Otagian, but with tapestries of his nation adorned on the wall in place of those of Otagia.

A message, not encoded, flurried towards the Avatar-ship. "Greetings. I wish to communicate. Shall I simply *talk*, or do you wish to use other channels to do so?"
Cocking its head, the ship's Avatar sent off a burst to the Maker-Mind's avatar.

--Ah, welcome. I was not certain you had arrived yet. If you wish, I can send another Avatar to speak with you. I have loads. Or, if you don't have any problem with it, I can give you an ansible node, for more secure communications. A drone can get one to you in a minute or so, tops. Your choice, comrade.--

The ansible will be satisfactory. Let us use the least of means, so that all do not know the most we can do

It had no doubt that vessel could pinpoint its location, and decided not to insult it by sending off maps, or the few aerial photographs it had taken upon landing. Using a single communication device would no doubt make such communications more secure, and, so, it waited.

A small drone slipped out of the Otagian ship, its tail dragging a small ball through the air behind it, leaving the whipcrack of a miniature sonic boom behind it as it hurried across Taledon. Whipping in through a window, it stopped before the Maker-Mind's representative, flinging the ball into the Avatar's amorphous form.

An electrical pulse emanated from the ball, the microscopic charge easily interpreted by the Avatar.

--Well, the ansible seems to be working. I believe you can figure out how to work it, it's essentially part of you right now. Don't get any funny ideas though, there's one hell of a firewall on this thing and it tends to be a bit... hostile.--

The giant elder was met with a similar party as all the rest, and was subject to the same trip and shown to the same type of room as the Otagian, but with tapestries of his nation adorned on the wall in place of those of Otagia.

"Impressive. They are fond of their finery. Who else awaits us, I wonder..." The massive Mardukan chose to remain standing, leaning on what anyone with an ounce of knowledge would have called a 3 meter quarterstaff.

Yuuzhan'tar

"M'Lord, I must insist once again that you send someone else in your stead. This could be a trap! You could be ambushed!" The head of Palace Security pleaded with his Emperor one last time at the foot of the boarding "ramp" of a small Yorik-strohna. The spy ship was chosen for it's ability to slip through the layers of ESUS privateers and vessels in it's way.

"And I will tell you once again, I am going and that is final. I will see you in a few days when I return." Kunra Esh turned toward the ship and quickly walked up the "ramp", his living cloak billowing behind him. Moments later the ship lifted off silently, it's dovin basals pulling it into orbit.

"Course set. Arriving in the Taledonia system in approximately 34 hours, M'Lord..."

34 Hours Later, Taledonia System

The small asteroid-looking ship emerged from hyperspace a respectful distance from the world Taledonia. Broadcasting on an old modified villip, the crew announced the arrival of Kunra Esh, Praetor of the GFFA and Emperor of the Yuuzhan Vong.

Taniel Gibarian, upon arriving in Taledonian space in his Gagarin II shuttle, said, "I am Commissar of Internal Affairs Taniel Gibarian. I will be here to represent New Dornalia in these proceedings."

OOC: CW, by Consular decision you are not involved in these talks. TSL and ND have decided to send only three delegations. One from TSL, one from ND and one from Talaax. Sorry, but that's the decision. Despite your status as Head of Diplomacy, you still answer to the Consuls and they've decided to supercede you on this one.

OOC: CW, by Consular decision you are not involved in these talks. TSL and ND have decided to send only three delegations. One from TSL, one from ND and one from Talaax. Sorry, but that's the decision. Despite your status as Head of Diplomacy, you still answer to the Consuls and they've decided to supercede you on this one.
OOC: Hmph. Fine, but consult with me next time you want to do something diplomatically...

OOC: Hmph. Fine, but consult with me next time you want to do something diplomatically...

OOC: Actually, considering CW's importance to the Alliance, I'll allow it. Besides, I'm not against him going in.

Having said that, I'll try to limit the OOC...

(OOC: Whoa....wake up the next morning and this. Cool make-over of the forums hey? By the way, I'm a bit out of the loop here so could everyone state which side they're on?)

IC:

Each of the newly arriving delegates were met by a Republican senator and a contigency of praetorians and taken to seperate rooms of the palace, each with flags of their respective nations adorned on the walls to make them feel more at home.

Otagian. Greetings. What are your wishes for this negotiation? Wish to synchronize negotiation-wishes, in order to make more efficient

The Maker-Mind's diplomat sent flashes of information over, like the wish of the Maker-Mind to continue the war, the fleets that had been assembled, the knowledge that the GFFA was a threat.. simple flashes of information to illuminate where it stood on the issue.

Taniel got situated in his room, and began plotting strategy. He felt the opposite of the Maker-Mind, naturally--the GFFA to him, a born Socialist, was the victim of a capitalist conspiracy, meant to deprive its members of land, bread, and liberty. Having said that, he was wary of the offer, and would have liked to continued the war like the Maker-Mind. But, the offer of peace was tempting, especially since JRCCC was bringing nasty reports from Xanthal. Still, he would, along with the other Alliance members, make it clear where they stood soon enough.

Hm. Others have arrived. Maker-Mind, remake me in twain. I/I will speak to them

The Maker-Mind concurred. Diplomats had a mind of their own, and could reason independently, and it obviously needed a second body for a purpose of its own. Energy burst into the diplomat's body, slicing it into two. The humanoid halves fell to the floor, smoking, the hardened skin on fire.

As it lay there, tiny tendrils crept out from the inside of the fake body, reforming it into two. The diplomat stood, now in two different bodies. It decided to send the first off, in search of other diplomats.

The second would stay in the area it was provided with, waiting for the Taledonian senators to arrive. Nonetheless, the diplomat had decided to gather information before the meeting.

The second walked to find someone to talk to - no doubt it would wander into other diplomats, so long as it moved around near the quarters the others had been housed in.

It was time. Eunuchs and advisers were sent out to collect the delegates of the attending nations, and they would be led across the street to the Curia, a most suitable spot considering it was there that the Senate debated almost daily, and was meant for such events. Those from the GFFA were brought over first and seated on first row of hard marble benches on the right side of the semi-circular room. Immeadiately following, the ESUS personel were brought in and seated on the first row of benches on the left side of the room. This ensured that a large open floor was between the two sides, and with the Republican consul taking his place on the low stage at the front of the Senate chamber, it was ideal for a good mediation to the negotiations. To further ensure no harm was done to either side, two Praetorians were stationed at each of the three doors of the room, and another two behind the consul.

Dismissing the Praetorian Prefect, who went and stood behind his leader, the meeting began. "Honorable delegates from the Extra Solar Union of Systems, and the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, I welcome you to Taledon. I trust you have been well treated? I am Cassius Aetius, sole Consul of the Republic. I would like to start this embassy by hearing eaches side on the matter, starting with the GFFA. If you will, please say what caused the war, and what has happened thus far, in your opinions."

Kunra Esh stood to address the question put to the GFFA delegation. To be frank, the GFFA wasn't sure what had caused the war, only that the ESUS and the GFFA were currently locked in a mutual death grip. "To be quite frank, Consul Aetius, the GFFA has no idea why this war started. What we know is that we have not, do not and will not harbour any ill-will towards the Extra-Solar Union of Systems yet somehow we have become embroiled in war with them.

"We know that something, possibly a terrorist attack, happened within ESUS controlled space and the GFFA was given the blame. We are unaware of exactly what happened, but we are sure that this event was used as the ESUS casus belli. We must stress that we never attacked the ESUS nor have we planned to except in our own defense after war was declared."

"After war was declared, indeed only days after the ESUS issued it's declaration, a team of Yuuzhan Vong infiltrators managed to destroy a planet within Metallinauts space using a tactic we refer to as Yo'gand's Core in an attempt to harm ESUS morale. It did not work (OOC: This claim is somewhat ambiguous. Metallinauts agreed to the attack but never responded to it). Shortly after this, ESUS fleets struck various points in GFFA space. Chief among them are Whyatica, Kendari, Xanthal and Yukatania. GFFA fleets are currently holding their positions in each of these nations against sizeable ESUS fleets."

"Most recently, the ESUS attack within the Salmath system in Kendari has been penned in by massive FTLi fields and a developing minefield. Although our ships are still engaged within the system, we have recently moved forward many thousands of New Dornalian singularity torpedos to the edge of the FTLi fields on the edge of the system. Currently, said torpedoes are ready to fire into the system and destroy everything inside at a moment's notice. That is our opinion on the cause and course of the war thus far."

The diplomat rose, the form swirling as it did so. It felt no need to retain the humanoid form. The anger it felt was visible enough, tiny flares of silver rage fluttering off its 'skin'.

We were attacked by them. War was declared. We were prepared to move against them for their folly.

Then a second time. We do not tolerate such things. Peace became impossible.

At the moment, we are slaughtering them as we please. Their pitiful attacks bother the ESUS little, and they will all be erased from reality.

It paused, and gave a tiny smile. And then its lips dissolved, making way for more of the strange, swirling particles. The anger was palpable within the room; the Maker-Mind, despite the fact it obliterated others with ease, was not used to deception and trickery.

Blood has been taken, and blood will be exacted. If you wish to pay for your folly and ignorance, then you will listen. If not, then you will fall beneath the ceaseless rage of the Maker-Mind

The diplomat rose, the form swirling as it did so. It felt no need to retain the humanoid form. The anger it felt was visible enough, tiny flares of silver rage fluttering off its 'skin'.

We were attacked by them. War was declared. We were prepared to move against them for their folly.

Then a second time. We do not tolerate such things. Peace became impossible.

At the moment, we are slaughtering them as we please. Their pitiful attacks bother the ESUS little, and they will all be erased from reality.

It paused, and gave a tiny smile. And then its lips dissolved, making way for more of the strange, swirling particles. The anger was palpable within the room; the Maker-Mind, despite the fact it obliterated others with ease, was not used to deception and trickery.

Blood has been taken, and blood will be exacted. If you wish to pay for your folly and ignorance, then you will listen. If not, then you will fall beneath the ceaseless rage of the Maker-Mind

"And that is called paying the dane-geld. And those that pay the dane-geld, are never rid of the dane. But you see, we never pay dane-geld, which is why you would be better off accepting a return to the status quo, and our apologies for your loss. We had nothing to do with the attack, which was in all likelihood falsefied by yourselves. We have no records of any fleet owned by the Galactic Federation as a whole, nor is there any way to state for certainty that you were not tricked into battle by someone who wished us both ill. And you made no attempt to discern the truth, did you? You just declared war and hoped for the best, and now that the best isn't happening, you come here, and will try to intimidate, bully, and coerce us into giving you what you want. To our knowledge nearly a third of your strength is trapped at Salmath, just waiting for our admirals to give the order, and when that order comes, we will both suffer atrocious losses, except that your fleets will be cut by a third, whereas ours will be reduced by a much smaller percentage. And if we accept your terms, who is not to say you won't just return in a year to demand more? I say that you should be happy with out position, and not seek to take what is beyond your reach." The massive Mardukan remained standing, his four arms conveying slight amusement that the maker-mind would think them so foolish as to accept any offer that required them to give more than they had already lost.

Interesting. You believe that we have committed all of our fleets to this war. I was not aware that you had done so.

The diplomat returned to a humanoid state, the formerly swirling tendrils of anger replaced by the quivering tendrils of amusement, gently swaying off various parts of the body.

We do not wish to dominate you. I will not lie. We wish for you all to be consumed for your folly and worthlessness. Yet we are willing to give you the chance. One chance. Tell me, are you willing to risk the annihilation of your entire species for your pride?

Interesting. You believe that we have committed all of our fleets to this war. I was not aware that you had done so.

The diplomat returned to a humanoid state, the formerly swirling tendrils of anger replaced by the quivering tendrils of amusement, gently swaying off various parts of the body.

We do not wish to dominate you. I will not lie. We wish for you all to be consumed for your folly and worthlessness. Yet we are willing to give you the chance. One chance. Tell me, are you willing to risk the annihilation of your entire species for your pride?


"We have not, nor have you. However, things are always changing, and from our knowledge, you are at greater disadvantage than we. We do not seek to press our percieved advantage, but instead seek peace for the benefit of all. If you are unwilling to return all as it once was, and necessarily must be again, then I would like to know your purpose in coming."

We did not seek simple, rudimentary order. We sought to see what you wished, what you were willing to give to see the slaughter ended. Death and power are intertwined inextricably. We seek both. The first for you, and the second for us

We have not lost, and we do not believe we will lose. If you claim victory over the fleets massed on your borders, perhaps the status quo will return. And if we claim the lives of those you have sent to defend you.. then you will not pay the blood price in money. You will pay it in your annihilation.

We did not seek simple, rudimentary order. We sought to see what you wished, what you were willing to give to see the slaughter ended. Death and power are intertwined inextricably. We seek both. The first for you, and the second for us

We have not lost, and we do not believe we will lose. If you claim victory over the fleets massed on your borders, perhaps the status quo will return. And if we claim the lives of those you have sent to defend you.. then you will not pay the blood price in money. You will pay it in your annihilation.

"Or, you will call an end to this pointless conflict, and we will both walk away satisfied that we did our duty to serve ourrespective nations. You cannot know that we will lose, just as we cannot know we will not, are you willing to risk defeat oversomething that never even happened?"

We risk defeat. You risk annihilation, utter and total, down to the last atom. Tell me, what is the greater of these?

"We know that something, possibly a terrorist attack, happened within ESUS controlled space and the GFFA was given the blame. We are unaware of exactly what happened, but we are sure that this event was used as the ESUS casus belli. We must stress that we never attacked the ESUS nor have we planned to except in our own defense after war was declared."

The Avatar stood, its flowmetal face sliding into an expression of scorn.

"Interesting, isn't it," stated the Otagian sardonically, "That the GFFA refuses to take the blame for this terrorist action, when their own systems begin to burn. You destroy a planet filled with millions of civilians and then claim that it's not your fault. One would think that during negotiations for your own survival you would be more forthcoming. But then, I suppose we should have expected as much from your sort."

We risk defeat. You risk annihilation, utter and total, down to the last atom. Tell me, what is the greater of these?

"And when your fleets are shattered, when you armies are broken, do you think we will let you continue on, or do you think we will pursue our advantage, and wipe you from existence? Consider what losing a third of your fleets will mean for your long term survival. And then remember that you are not the only ones willing to seek the utter annhilation of their foes."

"Enough!" bellowed Aetius as he realised he had let each side say too much for the moment. "From what you have said, an unprovoked attack occured on a member state of the Extra Solar Union of Systems. Until evidence can be shown to conclude that it was indeed ordered by the ruling body of the Galactic Federation, we shall not put the blame on them at this time.
"Now, peace is what this assembly is for, and attaining this goal is what we shall concentrate on. But as long as one side calls for total annihilation and the other for things to simply be forgotten, we cannot create anything more than useless and time consuming bickering. A compromise must be found. As mediator, we are entitled to propose oour own terms for truce, and thus I ask that the genocidal robots, and the oblivious diplomats take it into deep consideration.
"All ESUS forces shall withdraw from GFFA controlled space immediatly. Following that, a tribute shall be paid to the ESUS by the GFFA for reperations of the attack they admit to sanctioning. A full investigation, involving both alliances and headed by the neutral Republic, shall remove the dark viel that keeps us from knowing who was responsible for the original attack which prompted this conflict. Should it be found that it was a third party, then those individuals responsible shall be destroyed; should it be found that it was a member of the GFFA that is responsible, then the GFFA shall agree to disband them from their alliance, taking a quarter of their population into slavery for themselves, and handing the rest over to the ESUS to appease their lust for genocide, the territorial holdings of that nation shall be split between the two alliances equally; should it be found that it was infact the ruling body of the GFFA that commisioned the attack, then the current leaders shall be executed, along with those individuals that carried out the attack, another large tribute shall be paid to the ESUS, and a third of the GFFA's military strength shall be sent to rebuild the attacked nation of the ESUS, and will serve as an auxiliary force for their military for a full fifteen years, afterwards the GFFA shall be required to disband that force, and shall not be able to exceed a military of 3/4 their current strength."

Taniel then said the first words from the New Dornalian representative (himself) in a while. He was used to bickering on a daily basis, negotiating with stingy Congressmen for more money for Macintyre's Programs was normal business. Still, the candor of the Maker Mind was disturbing.

He then said, slowly and with a clear treble in his Armenian accent, "I agree with the Taledonians. We are here for peace, not to, to use a Terran expression, rattle sabers. Having said that, I agree to elements of the Taledonian terms. I agree with the ESUS withdrawal proposal. I agree with the impartial commission idea; we must find the cause of the war. Let me say that I for one did not expect this war, my superior Robert MacIntyre and my fellow diplomats did not either. Indeed, to show this, we are willing to divulge all files from our archives to demonstrate our innocence to any council. As for reparations, I am willing to say the Workers State will pay for damages done in the course of Yogand's Core, though I cannot say how much we are willing to pay."

"Consul, the Republic's proposal is acceptable to us except for one point. Execution of the leaders of the GFFA. The current leaders of the GFFA are different than those that lead the alliance prior to the attack. As some of you may be aware, the GFFA has recently undergone reforms to cut back on corruption and disunity. All former leadership positions have been disposed of and new leaders are currently in power. If, however, an investigation shows that the former leadership was responsible for this attack, we will hand them over to the ESUS for carrying out justice."

"Consul, the Republic's proposal is acceptable to us except for one point. Execution of the leaders of the GFFA. The current leaders of the GFFA are different than those that lead the alliance prior to the attack. As some of you may be aware, the GFFA has recently undergone reforms to cut back on corruption and disunity. All former leadership positions have been disposed of and new leaders are currently in power. If, however, an investigation shows that the former leadership was responsible for this attack, we will hand them over to the ESUS for carrying out justice."

Taniel replied, "I second this as well. That is all I will say."

"We find these terms unacceptable. Even if the Federation did not provoke this conflict, the fact that it fired the first shot, and on a civilian target using weapons of mass destruction no less, confirms that our cause is just. ESUS forces have not engaged a single civilian target during the entirety of this engagement. The same cannot be said of the terrorist forces of the GFFA. We will accept no less than complete capitulation by Federation forces. Our terms are as follows:

Article I: All GFFA governments will be subject to ESUS oversight, with all decisions subject to approval by an ESUS representative before being instituted.

Article II: The GFFA and all its current members will never raise arms towards the ESUS again.

Article III: All GFFA governments will be 'investigated' by the ESUS, and should evidence of wrongdoing be found, the current administration will be immediately removed from office, and replaced by a new administration, the creation of which shall be subject to ESUS approval.

Article IV: The GFFA is allowed no vessels larger then one thousand meters, and no more massive then a one cubic kilometer mass of iron. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to.

Article V: The GFFA is allowed no more than 500 armed vessels per member. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to.

Article VI: The GFFA will destroy any weapons of mass destruction* in their inventory, and will halt research upon them.

Article VII: The ESUS will cease all hostilities with the GFFA, and vice versa.

Article VIII: This treaty shall apply to all current and future members of the GFFA.


*Weapons of mass destruction include anything capable of depopulating planets within one Sol-standard week, as well as biological or chemical weapons of any sort."

Taniel replied, shaking his head, "I will not accept this. We are perfectly willing to offer proof and cooperate with an investigation by a neutral party. We are even willing to offer compensation for Yogand's Core. But this is not what I had in mind. I am sure this is not what our mediator had in mind either. We are here to ensure peace, not deprive nations of soverignity."

He then continued, "It is not hard to notice your anger in this situation, but can you put aside the punitive desires for one moment? I am trying to reach a peace that is best for all involved."

He then turned to the other diplomats, and hoping they would accept the offer, and said, "Would a public apology, compensation in industrial materials and currency, plus adherence to Article VII and the Taledonian proposal help?"

OOC: Minor edit above...

"Need I remind you, Dornalian, that you and your alliance are responsible for the deaths of millions of civilian non-combatants? That you are responsible for the destruction of an entire world? For the annihilation of countless species, and trillions of credits worth of damage? The sheer destruction you have wreaked literally cannot be tabulated. Be thankful that I have not demanded more of you!

"You speak of compensating with industrial materials and simple currency? Why should we not demand the lives of your citizens, specifics to be determined by lottery? It is a small miracle that we do not simply demand your annihilation. Our demands are as follows:


Article I: All GFFA governments will be subject to ESUS oversight, with all decisions subject to approval by an ESUS representative before being instituted. To ensure compliance, ESUS representatives will have access to all government records and documents.

Article II: The GFFA and all its current members will never raise arms towards the ESUS again.

Article III: All GFFA governments will be 'investigated' by the ESUS, and should evidence of wrongdoing be found, the current administration will be immediately removed from office, and replaced by a new administration, the creation of which shall be subject to ESUS approval.

Article IV: The GFFA is allowed no vessels larger then one thousand meters, and no more massive then a one cubic kilometer mass of iron. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to. Furthermore, the GFFA is allowed no more than 500 armed vessels per member. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to. All vessels in excess of this number and/or size shall be granted to the ESUS, to be used for whatever purpose they deem fit.


Article V: The GFFA will destroy any weapons of mass destruction* in their inventory, and will halt research upon them.

Article VI: All ESUS vessels and citizens will be guaranteed safe passage within all GFFA member states and GFFA jointly held territorities.

Article VII: This treaty shall apply to all current and future members of the GFFA.


*Weapons of mass destruction include anything capable of depopulating planets within one Sol-standard week, as well as biological or chemical weapons of any sort."

"You wish vengeance on those that destroyed the Metallinauti world? Is this a correct assumption?"

The Avatar's visage contorted into what could be construed as a scowl, or perhaps laughter.

"Even in the unlikely event that this act of mass murder was not committed with the explicit approval of the GFFA, there was no condemnation of the attack, there was no hunt for the perpetrators, and there was no attempt to prevent the strike before it occured.

While the arrest of the genocidal cowards who carried out the attack would be most gratifying, it is not enough. We want those responsible. We want all those responsible. Those who perpetrated the vile act, and those who stood by, watching when they should have been restraining the bloodthirsty perpetrators. We want those who, by their inaction, condemned millions of innocents to the torch."

"I was the one who ordered the attack. The GFFA leadership was not informed of the attack before or during the attack. It was not until more than a month later that the GFFA leadership was informed. Most, if not all responded with revulsion. The attack was not approved or sanctioned explicitly or implicitly by the GFFA."

"Operation Yo'gand's Legacy was a Yuuzhan Vong operation. It was planned, ordered and carried out by the Yuuzhan Vong. We are responsible for the deaths in Metallinauts. We are an honourable people and have never shirked our responsibility. We, the Yuuzhan Vong Empire, claim sole responsibility for the attack. If you must punish anyone, punish us. If you wish to force your terms on anyone, force them on us. If you wish to exact eye-for-an-eye retribution on anyone, exact it on us. We do not fear death and we do not fear owing up to our actions. If your hate stems from the attack on Metallinauts, direct it not against the GFFA but against us."

The mask rippled, reforming in a paternalistic visage, the stern father to the erstwhile son.

"Your candor is refreshing, Talaaxan, as is your acceptance of these terms. Even if the rest of the GFFA is unforthcoming, we will still accept your capitulation.

"However." Again the face of the Avatar shifted, its expression filled with the loathing that was evident in its voice. "You are still scum, and your alliance is little better. The mere fact that you remain a member speaks volumes of their character. What good are your lofty claims without proof, of which you have none, nor could you. And your claims of honor: Sickening! You, who willfully annihilate an entire biosphere, who murder millions of civilians in their sleep, you would speak of honor? All that remains is your pathetic attempt to become a scape-goat for the GFFA, to, in your hubris, make of yourself a martyr for your cause."

The Avatar's visage contorted into what could be construed as a scowl, or perhaps laughter.

"Even in the unlikely event that this act of mass murder was not committed with the explicit approval of the GFFA, there was no condemnation of the attack, there was no hunt for the perpetrators, and there was no attempt to prevent the strike before it occured.

While the arrest of the genocidal cowards who carried out the attack would be most gratifying, it is not enough. We want those responsible. We want all those responsible. Those who perpetrated the vile act, and those who stood by, watching when they should have been restraining the bloodthirsty perpetrators. We want those who, by their inaction, condemned millions of innocents to the torch."

"And if we do not surrender them to you, will you then destroy the Maker-Mind after it has slaughtered all of our civilians? Because unless you are willing to answer in the affirmative, then you and yours are no different from our leaders, who committed no crime, but were simply uninformed. You have gotten all you will get from this Alliance on the matter of Yo'gands Legacy. Accept or not. Those are your options QUETZAL."

"If you want proof that the GFFA was not involved in the attack, we can hand over all communications logs dating from before the war to the present. If you want proof that the GFFA leadership disapproved of the attack, we can hand over the recordings made during the planning session at which Yo'gand's Legacy was revealed to them."

"As to why they allow us to remain members, because they are desperate. Your alliance is crushing them and our fleets are untouched and 1-on-1 can match nearly any of your own. That is why we remain. They can have no hope of survival in this war without us. In a time of most desperate need, would you turn down the only hope you have of survival just because you don't like the person offering it to you?"

"We propose that the terms you put forth before should apply to us, those most responsible for your anger. Other terms of contrition can be worked out in private. The rest of the GFFA will be given a peace on the terms of a return to status quo ante bellum as well as reparation payments for damages to ESUS fleets inflicted during the war to be worked out in exact amounts at a later date. The GFFA will also agree to a perpetual non-aggression pact with the ESUS to be signed immediately."

"And if we do not surrender them to you, will you then destroy the Maker-Mind after it has slaughtered all of our civilians? Because unless you are willing to answer in the affirmative, then you and yours are no different from our leaders, who committed no crime, but were simply uninformed. You have gotten all you will get from this Alliance on the matter of Yo'gands Legacy. Accept or not. Those are your options QUETZAL."
The Avatar's face flowed again, its shining visage now echoing the laughter rumbling from its voicebox.

"Slaughtered? My dear Solarin, whatever you have heard is incorrect. The citizens of the aptly named Harvest may have experienced some temporary inconvenience, but few if any have suffered permanent harm. Whether they deserve Reincarnation is up for debate, but their souls are intact, and, provided our demands are met, I am sure we can be persuaded to relinquish them.

"Talaaxans, have you not considered that without you, perhaps there would be no war? That, had your allies denounced your nation as the terrorist scum that it is, they might have been spared this war? But now, it is FAR too late to lay the blame on your shoulders alone. Any proof you can offer in the form of easily forged recordings will be entirely insufficient.

"The current terms are as follows:


Article I: All GFFA governments and the governments of member nations will be subject to ESUS oversight, with all decisions subject to approval by an ESUS representative before being instituted. To ensure compliance, ESUS representatives will have access to all government records and documents.

Article II: The GFFA and all its current members will never raise arms towards the ESUS again.

Article III: All GFFA governments and those of member nations will be 'investigated' by the ESUS, and should evidence of wrongdoing be found, the current administration will be immediately removed from office, and replaced by a new administration, the creation of which shall be subject to ESUS approval.

Article IV: The GFFA and its member nations are allowed no vessels larger then one thousand meters, and no more massive then a one cubic kilometer mass of iron. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to. Furthermore, the GFFA and its member nations are allowed no more than 500 armed vessels per member. ESUS weapons inspectors will routinely inspect GFFA shipyards to ensure this is being adhered to. All vessels in excess of this number and/or size shall be granted to the ESUS, to be used for whatever purpose they deem fit.


Article V: The GFFA and member nations will destroy any weapons of mass destruction* in their inventory, and will halt research upon them.

Article VI: All ESUS vessels and citizens will be guaranteed safe passage within all GFFA member states and GFFA jointly held territorities.

Article VII: This treaty shall apply to all current and future members of the GFFA.


*Weapons of mass destruction include anything capable of depopulating planets within one Sol-standard week, as well as biological or chemical weapons of any sort."

They speak the truth. Those who have not killed, and have not resisted, have not been killed in turn. They have merely been.. disincorporated. We cannot ensure that every human who died can be returned; but those who did not take up arms were... saved.

It stopped, and listened to the terms. And then it spoke. Before, the 'speech' it had made had merely been the touch of telepathy it preferred to use, which could be used easily by most species. However, speaking did have a certain.. feeling to it.

The voice it spoke with was dry, and unvaried. "Those articles are not enough. The trickery and lies you have perpetrated show your duplicity; no doubt you would search long and hard for a loophole".

"We suggest another article. Article VIII. All who enter under this treay will be required to keep it, whether or not they remain members of the GFFA."

Taniel, after listening to this, stood up and said, "I think I have heard enough. Gentlemen, you know my comrades and I cannot accept these terms without first seeking guidance from our superiors. I would like to get results here, but I need time to consult with them and draft up a reasonable response to this proposal."

He then turned to the Taledonians, and said, "Therefore, I make a motion for a recess."

Your governments did not even give you the capacity to negotiate without governmental approval? The trust you beings give one another is astounding.

Your governments did not even give you the capacity to negotiate without governmental approval? The trust you beings give one another is astounding.

OOC: I need this recess to keep the thread from advancing too far while I help my Girlfriend move in to college, so, be a bit more accomadating, por favor?

Your governments did not even give you the capacity to negotiate without governmental approval? The trust you beings give one another is astounding.

Taniel replied, shaking his head, "On the contrary. I was empowered by them to negotiate independently and I am perfectly capable of doing so. However, terms of this magnitude cannot be taken lightly, and thus common sense dictates I must consult with my superiors."

OOC: Seriously. Can you agree to the recess? I also have RL work to do besides this, and the Maker Mind's lack of compromise isn't helping me focus.

"Then by all means, Ambassador, I shall grant a recess. However before we go, I would like to point out that the Otagian should not place blame on those who sat idly by without acting to stop the initial attack, for they did as well. The un-informed leaders of the GFFA are no more at fault for not acting as the un-suspecting ESUS."

"We will tolerate this recess, but be aware, Dornalian, that your people will continue to die until we receive your surrender.

"As for you, Taledonian, your input is appreciated, but not neccessary. The ESUS will continue to hold the entirety of the GFFA at fault for this travesty, due to their failure to act, even after learning of the guilt of the Talaaxans. Their inaction has damned them all, a mistake the ESUS shall not make. So, to put it bluntly, your input is no longer required, Taledonian."

Taniel stood up, and then straightened his tie, simply remarking to QUETZAL, "Glad to see you think that way; I could say much about your handling of the incident that started it all--and your handing of our host's genuine goodwill, but I will hold my tongue," before heading off to the toilet, then proceeding to go to his room, and contact Robert MacIntyre about the situation at hand.

SIC:

MacIntyre's response was, "Damn them....they send two genocidal robots, we send honest diplomats. They really didn't intend to negotiate, did they? Go ahead and petition the Republicans about at least making the terms less harsh, and explore all possible options if that is not possible. No matter what QUETZAL and the Maker Mind say, the Taledonians are mediating, thus they have the authority."

Taniel replied, "Roger."

Open IC:

He hung up, and then went back to Pius, and said, "May I speak with you?"

He then motioned for the other GFFA representatives to come along, once they finished making contact with their superiors....or finished other business that needed finishing, etc.

OOC: The Taledonians don't really have all that much authority, y'know. If neither of us comes to agreement, well, nothing happens. Oh, and naturally my communications between Otagia and myself are sIC.


IC: The ansible was convinient. At least it could talk to QUETZAL simply. It formed waves, and began speaking. Do you think they will concede? They are weak, but stubborn, no?

--Indeed. Outgunned and outnumbered, and yet they still cling to the foolish notion that they can return to the exact state that existed before the war. Even a fool would realise that they must make concessions. And now more shall die. Wasteful fools. Probably don't even have backups--

The ESUS is rising once more. They cannot stand against us. They will fall. And yet, they resist. Perhaps they will think differently when they are being ground into extinction.

Antonius led the GFFA Ambassador to a reading nook and sat down in one of the chairs. "What's on your mind, Ambassador?"

Antonius led the GFFA Ambassador to a reading nook and sat down in one of the chairs. "What's on your mind, Ambassador?"

Taniel then spoke, saying, "Senator, I will be frank with you. You know the terms the ESUS are imposing on us are impossible for us in the GFFA to accept. To accept them would be tantamount to signing away our soveriegnity....you are the moderator, perhaps you could draw up a compromise series of terms?"

--I wonder how long this recess will last. Too much longer, and we might have to take... measures.--

Ah. *laughter*. I find you to be most insightful.

OOC: And here I am...

SIC:

"Asi agun, this peace is unreasonable in the extreme. I cannot possibly accept these terms. And you know the generals will rebel."

"You're right Cord, on the other hand, what choice do we have? If we surrender, and our military rebels, and we make every effort to stop them, they cannot reasonably take it out on our civilian population. The fact that I'm counting on the military to rebel is rather immaterial. I intend to follow them as soon as I'm deposed by their puppet. Too bad for them there's no one else of Mayhew blood outside of my immediate family. And we're just an offshoot. No, they can't get a leader who can command the loyalty I can. And if we can get help, there's no way they can stop us. The Presidents Own, both ships and soldiers, can simply cut their way out if necessary, with my entire family in tow. The citizenry will be safe, and we can keep fighting. Accept the offer."

"I'll discuss it with the other delegates. The Talaaxians will not like it, and likely the Dornalians will object more, but I will try."

"Do the best you can. If you can't sign for the Federation, at least sign for the League. They'll have hell just trying to hold the planet, and if they glass it, they're no better than the Vong they purport to hate so much. They can't kill us without giving the rest of the diplomats the advantage they need."

"I'll discuss it."

Pius sighed, a look of consternation on his old face. "Aetius did offer a solution, which seemed fair in the fact that it gave you a way out, and still allowed the ESUS the ability to slaughter a fair amount of people in retribution, we even have the perpetrators of the crime now as they have come forward. But it seems that the thick headed machines won't listen, and want nothing less than complete control or annihilation. As the situation stands, it would appear that they hold all the cards as they have less to lose. You are on the defencive, taken by the balls at the moment, and I don't believe they intend to let go without a fight. Perhaps it will be seen that this attempt at peace was a wasted effort at the time being. However, I'm confident that the Consul will follow through with his promise to use military means if diplomacy was not successful. I would suggest that you send a transmission to your superiors asking them to send relative data on all the battlefronts to the Republican embassy just incase we are required to intervene."

OOC note: The ESUS/GFFA war is a CLOSED war, thank you. Already having issues there, would rather you didn't fan the flames.

-snip-

Taniel replied, "A tempting offer. And one that may tip the balance. But, it may also bring trouble from the ESUS as well....those robots out there aren't dumb. Perhaps this aid could be of a mercenary nature, if it becomes necessary?"

He also said, "It is only a shame you can only say that no compromise seems possible...."

OOC: Edited to reflect the closed nature of things......

(OOC: I know it's closed, but I needed to say I would intervene to add to the character of a few of my senators. Don't worry, we won't really be going in. Althought we may send some mercs...)

OOC note: The ESUS/GFFA war is a CLOSED war, thank you. Already having issues there, would rather you didn't fan the flames.OOC: Here's my piece on this. Your simple act of entering into these three-party talks signals your willingness to allow a third party into the situation. Therefore you have very... questionable grounds to complain about Taledonia taking action. If you wanted it to be completly closed, you could have refused and forced the GFFA to come to you, at a selected ESUS world.

OOC: Here's my piece on this. Your simple act of entering into these three-party talks signals your willingness to allow a third party into the situation. Therefore you have very... questionable grounds to complain about Taledonia taking action. If you wanted it to be completly closed, you could have refused and forced the GFFA to come to you, at a selected ESUS world.

OOC: There's a buttload of difference between allowing someone to mediate talks between two mortal enemies, letting the Republic get involved nominally, if you will, and allowing someone to lead their forces into the war.

Hell, I don't care. If needs be, I'll take on the whole damn Republic by myself, glass a few worlds, exterminate a few fleets.. the usual. Seriously, however. I doubt half the ESUS gives a damn about the Republic getting involved. Assuming that they do, we're still in a position of overwhelming power, the GFFA is still at war with Mationbuds, and we still have enough fleets to comfortably take on the Republic and the GFFA at the same time, without undue stress.