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Post by Federation of Varium on May 30, 2012 23:18:02 GMT -5
Captain Karshin of the Adamant brought his ship out of FTL a few thousand miles from the world and broadcast the new diplomatic message:
'This is a message of diplomacy from the nation of Varium. We are here to establish peaceful relations with your civilization. The captain of the vessel transmitting is our ambassador. Included in this message is a data packet containing information on our major language and our culture. If you wish to begin negotiations then respond with a packet of your own. It will be our pleasure to meet you and establish trade relations. If for whatever reason you intend to bring violence...it would be a fatal error.'
"Lets hope it works" he said.
"Shall I prep the weapons just in case?" Chief gunnery officer Samrin asked nervously.
"Load them, but leave the targetting system on passive. These guys may be jumpy you know" Karshin ordered.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 2, 2012 7:41:27 GMT -5
Sitting over the world of Eshara, it was quite obvious that the Varium had stumbled across a major trading hub, with ships going to and from the facility. Navy cutters nearby generally on the lookout for smugglers and pirates swung towards the new source broadcasting an unknown IFF signal. Soon the ship found itself surrounded by several Esharan vessels, all of whom had painted the Adamant with targeting solutions but the salvo that would signal it's destruction did not come.
Over a hour would pass, before a smaller vessel belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs arrived on the scene. Following the new ship's arrival, there would be a burst of information downloaded to the Adamant's systems on topics ranging from Esharan language to it's culture.
'' C> Attention unidentified vessel. This is the REN picket ship Ravenna, prepare for a boarding party lead by a member of the Esharan Senate for negotiations. '' The communication ended, twenty minutes later a shuttle detached and headed towards the Adamant. Onboard, deputy Foreign Minister Senator Lepidus stepped out from the shuttle. A squad of the elite Scholae Palatinae, the personal Guard of the capital fanned out weapons at the ready.
'' I am Senator Lepidus, I represent the Esharan people and it's government. Whom may I ask, are you? ''
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jun 2, 2012 8:28:32 GMT -5
The bridge crew was shocked the sight of other humans. "Good to meet you senator." Karshin offered his hand. "I am Captain Karshin of the Varium Defense Force" he said. "We are a small democratic nation looking to establish diplomacy with as much of the galaxy as we can."
"And may I ask, how are you human? History records us as being the last of the species."
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 2, 2012 13:36:18 GMT -5
For the Esharan's, it seemed like the interaction was less so. Records going back several millennia had recorded interactions with other 'species' of humans. Or sub species at the least. They had been absorbed into Esharan society or exterminated, generally the latter.
'' I do not know what you mean. After the Great Cataclysm that forced our ancestors to the Stars and to leave their home system, our ancestors lead by the Founders settled here. Pretoria, our capital was the first ancient settlement. It is from where we grew from cave men to civilized peoples. '' It was for a long time Adapt or Die, the push they needed for greatness. In turn, it had lead the Esharan's to dominate this corner of the galaxy for a long time, or at least fighting anything that tried to take it away from them. '' and thus ascended to the stars. I find the old stories rather fitting. '' Lepidus said with an uncharacteristic smirk.
'' But it is good to see more of our..species..managed to survive and propagate. Such a bond should make it natural that our two people's be friends, yes? So friendly that I believe we should entertain talks of trade. ''
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jun 2, 2012 14:00:02 GMT -5
The trade proposal interested Karshin though he remembered the reports coming from their embassy to the Graal. Before negotiating he decided to tell Varium's story. "We used to live on a paradise world, twenty-five billion strong. A thousand years ago a race of 3-eyed machines razed it to the ground. Five million humans survived. We've been rebuilding on a desert world with an average temperature of a hundred and eighty degrees since then" he said with a bit of pride.
"Now, as to the trade negotiations I am required to relay your request back to space command before we can continue. That will take a few minutes at most" he added.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 2, 2012 14:07:35 GMT -5
Lepidus did his best to hold back a snort. Three eyed machines? Fairy tales! No doubt his people had suffered some kind of natural extinction event that had become shrouded in myth, legend, and distorted fact. '' Ah, in our tales it was a star that about to go super nova that forced our ancestors to leave and hunt for a new place for our species aboard colonization ships. '' Why the Captain wasn't authorized to negotiate on behalf of his people was beyond him if he was the one making contact, but Lepidus supposed that bureacraucy was the same as it was in Eshara. Desk flunkies wanted to micromanage everything.
'' Then by all mean's Captain. '' The Senator said.
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jun 2, 2012 14:21:43 GMT -5
Karshin took offense at the Esharan's attempts to hide his amusement. "It could be a fairytale, but there is the remains of a five-mile long dreadnaught sitting beneath our capitol city. No need for warships unless there's someone to fight, eh?" He nodded and left to contact Space Command.
"You're f***ing kidding me" he said when he heard the response. "Umm, I don't think that is going to go very well at this end."
"I know that" President Alex said. Karshin nearly jumped in surprise. "Tell them that the agreement expires in 2132 and at that point we will begin trade negotiations with them. Make it look like our mistake as much as possible and be completely honest" he added.
"You don't have to remind me about honesty" Karshin said. "But I'll do it." He left, wondering if he was going to make it out of the next day alive.
The Esharan was still waiting. Karshin composed himself and entered. "Varium wishes to offer an apology to you." he saw the look on the man's face. "Between our arrival yesterday and now we made a mistake from inexperience and signed a trade agreement with the Graal hegenomy, which both stretched the merchant corps to its capacity and stipulated we not trade with the Graal's militray opponents." he kept going before the Esharran could make an understandably angry reply. "The trade agreement expires in thirty-one thirty-two, at which point we will begin trade. We hope this war ends soon so we can push the Graal to modify the treaty for it is against our morals to break such an agreement and assure you this is commerce only, no military involved."
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 2, 2012 18:04:08 GMT -5
'' You would betray your own species for the likes of the Graal Hegemony? Those who have twice tried to destroy us? '' Lepidus said incredulously before he shook his head. '' You do realize that this makes your convoys a legitimate military target. Any attempts to furnish the Hegemony with military supplies or support their economy is an act of an aggression against the Esharan State and her allies. I would caution you out of feelings of brotherhood to break this treaty, and join with us against the alien menace whom is determined to destroy human kind. '' It was more complex than that but it was the Senator's own spin on the situation.
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jun 3, 2012 1:03:23 GMT -5
"The diplomatic embassy we sent is sill reporting in. The Graal seem to have similar feelings about you." Karshin replied. "They aren't saints, but they are credits and thus came first." The remark about breaking the trade agreement caused considerable irritation. "Varium don't break signed agreements without provocation, and don't lie. I don't know how it works here but we stick to our morals, senator." He clasped his hands, hiding the finger he put over the small red switch on the side. The one that sent an emergency distress signal. "You want to unite with us, then why start a shooting war?" he asked.
"Now, the diplomacy offer is still standing."
"I shall be returning home then."
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 3, 2012 5:45:23 GMT -5
'' I can see the morals of your country now, that would you forsake the blood of your own kind for profit and greed. Yes, going home would be wise for you sir. '' With that Lepidus turned on his heel and left along with his men to return to his shutte.
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jun 3, 2012 8:58:00 GMT -5
"Well, there are other humans in the galaxy, and we've just pissed them off" Karshin said one he was on the bridge of his ship. "To be fair, they do seem to be a bit vindictive and our morals clash." The ship departed for home.
"So these Esharrans are going to start shooting up our military convoys?" President Alex asked once he returned to Varium.
"Yes it seems" Krashin replied. He was a bit nervous having never faced the President in person before. Alex recognized this.
"At ease soldier, you did what we could in a bad situation" he said. Karshin was slightly reassured. Alex turned to his chief of staff. "Listen, advise Space Command to double the escort on all merchant convoys. Keep our fleet back here though, we'll need it."
Krashin couldn't contain his morbid curiosity. "What happens if they do shoot one up?" he asked.
"Well then, that's for the genereals to decide and the senate to declare war, but I was reviewing the sensory data your ship took. I think the Graal could use some of it."
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jul 2, 2012 13:37:11 GMT -5
A lone agent approached the Esharan embassy.
"You want to limit the RWU's influence?" he asked the diplomat on station.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jul 2, 2012 15:36:56 GMT -5
At first the Varian reprenstative had been treated as a spy, quickly grabbed by Esharan security personnel to be dragged inside and interrogated for six hours while drone's and heavily armed men searched him for bugs or explosive devices. The Esharan's had many experiences over the past year with vengeful Varian's approaching the gates with malicious intent. But over the man's continuing protests, it was thought that the ambassador indeed might be genuine. A burly Centurion with a shock maul and four other troopers probed the Varian along towards the residence of Ambassador Secundus.
Secundus peered over the Varian from behind his desk. Unknown to the interloper, the desk was spring loaded with several high velocity machine gun's built into several drawers. With the flick of a switch, the ambassador could eliminate whoever was inside his doorway with a massive volley of bone tearing gunfire.
'' I trust you have an offer to make Varian. '' The Esharan ambassador said, pouring himself a glass of brandy. '' Make it. ''
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Post by Federation of Varium on Jul 2, 2012 15:55:41 GMT -5
"I am an agent of Varium, therefore whatever I say is the official stance of my government. Varium would like a trade agreement and loose alliance with the Esharans. We apologize for the great war, for then we were new and naive in galactic affairs. Eshara will no longer have to worry about Varian aggression in the future, and gain a new trading partner. We will portray Eshara in a more positive light instead of the currently extremely negative one, in return we would like the lightening of restrictions on us. One more thing. Varium feels the RWU's influence, between the soapbox preachers and the propaganda leaflets we are powerless to stop from being tacked up. From the negotiations on Sorguth Prime it seems you want to limit the RWU's expansion. We can help you achieve that, if nothing else then through opening a new front the RWU will have to contend with.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jul 3, 2012 6:17:18 GMT -5
'' The RWU and the Republic joined together in a time of galactic crissi to confront tyranny. I am afraid however with that threat gone, nothing holds us together anymore and the RWU's ambition to spread it's Revolution beyond it's borders is becoming more dangerous by the day. If you are serious about this offer, the Republic's military vessels would need military access through your territory. We would also be amendable to loosening trade regulations that currently govern our relationship. ''
The diplomat paused before he continued. '' When and if the time comes, we must be prepared to strike from every corner. In the interim, trade, make peace with them. But never forget that the RWU are your enemy and pushed for your destruction at the Peace of Primerus. '' Not really true, that had been the Dronav if anything else but it had been Ayar hardliners that had nearly lead to a continuance of the war through their arrogance.
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