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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 4, 2012 15:19:42 GMT -5
Aboard the Imperator:
The dreadnought Imperator was a massive vessel. Bristling with gun ports, thick slabs of armor, and enough missiles to take out multiple large cities within it's silo's. But today, the warship was holding a conference between the three allied nations against the Graal. The Republic of Eshara, Dronav Holdworlds, and the Revolutionary Workers Union. The meeting was taking place in a small cramped command and control room, it was ironic that something so large as a war should be decided in such a small, compact room. But Senator Drussus and Legate Hadrian of the Republican Guard would make do.
'' Gentleman. '' Hadrian said standing, tapping a control button and bringing up a map of Sorguth Prime. Blue icons scattered around the map indicating Allied Forces, and the Red obviously indicating the Graal. '' As you know, we've been facing severe resistance on the Esharan side at least with making landfall at Sorguth Prime. We've taken up positions and fortified ourselves here and here. '' He said motioning along the coastline. '' With the retreat of the Graal Seventh Army towards Primerus, their is nothing stopping either the Ayar or Esharan armies from linking up and encircling the city. '' Hadrian said, a scowl running across the Esharan General's face.
'' But I will be frank, we can take Primerus. But it may destroy us to do so. Intelligence reports indicate as many as 700,000 to 1,000,000 enemy soldiers have turned the city into a fortress. A direct assault will be costly and there will be no guarantee of success. Likewise, surrounding the city will certainly cause it to starve. But starving a city of that size out will take time, with high probability that the Graal will launch an attack to either breakout or send a relief force from their primary homeworld. '' Hadrian said, falling silent as Senator Drussus spoke up.
'' Which is why the Esharan government believes the most prudent measure to end this conflict is for direct negotiations with the Graal Hegemony. We propose that our two armies link up around Primerus, blockading the city, but holding off on either full scale bombardment or resuming hostilities until negotiations with the Graal are complete whatever their outcome. '' Drussus paused, weighing his options.
'' We have reached out to the Graal and have managed to secure a brief cease fire to allow for talks to go forward with the ultimate goal of gaining an armistice. The Graal are being difficult about recognizing the issue of Dronavi independence, but Ayar and Esharan diplomats will make sure that any peace treaty ends any territorial claims that Graal has over the Holdworld's. Our primary objective has been achieved, the Graal occupation forces of the Dronavi Holdworld's have been destroyed, the Graal on Sorguth Prime are on the defensive and will perish if we press the issue, though at great cost. In short, the Graal threat has been extinguished and will be extinguished for a long time to come. The only thing in doubt now is how long this war shall drag on? Negotiations while we have Primerus encircled have the chance of moving swiftly, while if we attack and throw ourselves on the Graal sword we will only be giving them further motivation to fight for their worlds. Each step will grow bloodier, and the price heavier. I ask the Allies permission, that the RWU and Eshara begin immediate negotiations while our armies are still on the move. to end this war '' Drussus said.
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Post by Dronav Holdworlds on Jun 4, 2012 17:17:37 GMT -5
The Dronavi representative General Hask gave a short guffaw. "By their reckoning the ahead at 1/1/0. One win, one draw and no losses. That and the Varium joining this war on their side means that they won't accept my people's independence for a second."
The general held up a hand to forestall an outburst from the Esharan delegates. "I won't argue with you that my men should have been on the ground already, that's in our hat and we'll carry it. We'll be there for the next push, you have my word on it. If there is one."
Hask leaned forward conspiratorially. "The Hai are on their way here as we speak. Their fleet has been spotted passing through our system and if they were going to fight for the Graal they would have done it already I think. All our troops are here and if the Hai wanted to hurt us they'd have stopped in the holdworlds."
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Post by Revolutionary Workers' Union on Jun 4, 2012 20:18:53 GMT -5
Fleet Commander Adamus Walayad -a short, middle-aged Esharan human wearing the red-starred green of the Revolutionary Workers' Navy, waited patiently for the Dronavi to finish speaking before adding,
"General Hask makes valid points." His spectacled eyes slowly alternated their gaze from one foreign commander to the other. "Comrade Hadrian, you may be overestimating our leverage in this scenario. We've crushed the Hegemony's short-lived colonial dreams, but they haven't lost anything on their home turf. And with their new allies, I doubt they see any incentive to make concessions unless we wrench more from them.
"What's even more important to my people, though, is that our friends on Sorguth Prime won't have fought and died for nothing. The Workers of Sorguth Prime want their rights, comrades, and we won't stand down until they have them." The air of finality let off by the Fleet Commander's deliberate tone and stone visage was unmistakable.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 6, 2012 6:17:29 GMT -5
'' Our friends on Sorguth Prime are expendable, comrade. They always have been. '' Hadrian said with a shrug of indifference. '' I care not for workers rights, ideals, or the revolutionary fervor of these people. They had a purpose, to distract the Graal, now they are an impediment to peace. '' Drussus made a noise of agreement as he sipped some fine Nicopolian wine before placing it on the table, clearing his throat, and resuming his speech where Hadrian had interrupted.
'' Indeed. The Republic has no interest in seeing another bloodthirsty Graal faction take power. At the least, the Grand Council is a devil that we know and can expect to deal with. We cannot expect the same of the GRF whom are an unknown quantity that only the Union has contact with. ''
'' I can say this to you. We either negotiate or we wipe out the species. My Dronavi friends no doubt agree having suffered so harshly under their rule. We either neuter them through negotiations or genocide will be the best way to rid the galaxy. Esharan scientists have been working on a weapon for the latter option.. '' Drussus said conspiratorially.
'' A weapon that in test has shown surprising effects on the Graal. '' Drussus rambled before Hadrian cut him off before he admitted that the Republic had been experimenting on Graal slaves and captured prisoners. He was aware of how touchy the Union could be over the issue of slavery, fools.
'' In short, detonating the weapon over a major metropolitan area we could wipe out an entire city with 90 to 95 percent kill ratio. We call it the Corvos. ''
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Post by Dronav Holdworlds on Jun 6, 2012 8:13:40 GMT -5
Hask shuddered, whether from anticipation or revulsion it was hard to say. "How would it effect our troops? Will they need to be pulled out beforehand, because I won't sacrifice my troops that way. In an honest battle fine such things happen, but I won't lead them to an enemy they can't fight. We can evacuate the GRF and move them to the RWU if this is the plan we go with. I assume you wouldn't mind a few more revolutionaries back home." He turned to face Commander Adamus.
He leaned back stroking his beard. "If we do this we'll still have the Graal fleet traipsing about, heavy warships with no government to control them. We will have to hunt them down for the protection of all our peoples. As for the Varium, we sent a portion of our home fleet to attack their home world after their fleet entered the system. This will either force them to give up their ventures with the Graal or they'll lose everything." Hask had a satisfied air around himself.
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Post by Revolutionary Workers' Union on Jun 6, 2012 17:53:06 GMT -5
Adamus Walayd's shifting gaze halted for a long moment, fixed on Legate Hadrian.
"Unacceptable," he stated with no shortage of disapproval in his tone. "And anachronistic, I'll add. The known entity you speak of was responsible for the very insecurity that led you to this war, so you should have no business propping it up unless you're dying to lose more merchant ships and moon colonies.
"As for genocide, that is out of the question. You have no business condemning Graal workers and farmers for the crimes of their very oppressors."
The Fleet Commander's gaze shifted to Senator Drussus. "Not to mention, comrade Senator, that this goes completely against the spirit of your discussion with Ambassador Clemens. If you recall, democracy and self-determination were recurrent themes. If you don't, we have recordings to jog your memory."
Walayd then turned to General Hask. "Drussus is right that you have suffered greatly. Do you want to inflict the same ten times over to a people who are already living under the boot of oppression? Or will we fight the true enemy, the Gnatar's autocratic-imperialist government, and free not only their Dronavi slaves, but their Graal ones?"
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 6, 2012 18:04:59 GMT -5
Drussus hid a thin smile that was bubbling over his sharp features as he did his best to stomach the Union's idealism. '' Unacceptable to you. Unacceptable to a race and people that have not been fighting the Graal for years like the Dronavi and Esharan's have. My opinions have changed on the matter. You cannot change a society. It's not the Gnatar or his Council that brought about this cycle of violence, but the Graal themselves. '' Drussus said.
'' There is an old Esharan proverb that I would enlighten you with. You reap what you sow and now it is time for the Graal to reap their rotten crop of death and destruction that have killed so many! '' Drussus said, pounding his fist on the table. It was now the Legate who spoke, without an ounce of Drussus passion in his voice. Just a man of facts and numbers.
'' The weapon has been tailored for the Graal anatomy. However, if we were to use it we would insist on detonating at a safe distance to where the wind couldn't blow any free particles in the direction of our troops. Naturally, full chemical warfare gear will be required when the weapon is deployed for precautions but we predict no major loss of Allied life. It was meant to be a failsafe, in the event that the Graal overran Nicopolis and reached Eshara, it's been in development for years. '' Hadrian said. '' The threat from the Graal has never quite died. ''
'' Think of it General Hask. Not another Dronavi soldier needs to die. Who says we even need to wipe out the whole lot of them? '' Drussus pondered. '' If we can kill the Gnatar or break the back of his forces on Sorguth Prime, then we leave it to the Graal to sort it out amongst themselves through self determination. As the UCLC are in the process of ah..doing. '' Meaning killing each other for dominance, which was fine with the Esharan's as long as they killed each other in obscurity. '' The most bloodless way to end this conflict that has cost millions of lives is to deploy this weapon. ''
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Post by Dronav Holdworlds on Jun 6, 2012 19:53:42 GMT -5
Hask was drumming his fingers on the table now, a slow grim tattoo fit to march a funeral procession to. His eye smoldered like forge fire, having listened to both sides and reigned in his emotions. "Gruul He'a" He said finally in set tone.
"After we take Sorguth Prime the hard way we can leave it to GRF and let them determine their fate. If we use this weapon many lives will be lost and the blood will be on our hands. The Dronavi will not shirk our load, so we will root the Hegemony from this world the hard way." Hask stood placing both hands on the table leaning forward. "The breaking of the Graal must not be allowed to cost the Dronavi nothing, else what do I leave to my grandson and his grandsons, the first choice should never be wiping out another race when opposed, even one so loathsome as the Graal. That will not be my legacy. Dronaz'dum Felgulam Hask will not be known as the man who condemned a race to death without a thought. If we do it let it only be Gruul He'a." He slumped back to his seat in deep thought.
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Post by Revolutionary Workers' Union on Jun 6, 2012 20:51:45 GMT -5
Fleet Commander Walayad grew visibly less frustrated as the Dronavi General spoke on. Hask's position still allowed for genocidal action, but at least his lack of empathy or solidarity with the workers of the Graal was understandable.
"I'm inclined to agree with our comrade General Hask," he stated flatly, with an almost imperceptible nod of respect to the Dronavi. "Let us fight the battle for Sorguth Prime honorably.
"Before we finalize any course of action, though, I believe it's the least we can do to hear from the GRF itself. Comrade Kor should be on his way to this vessel at present, being briefed on our discussion so far."
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 7, 2012 12:28:41 GMT -5
' If you want to throw your troops into a meat grinder, for revolutionaries who will turn on us the minute this war ends then this is up to you. But the Esharan Army will not be so quick to throw the lives of it's men away for the sake of honor. '' Hadrian said, with Drussus nodding in agreement.
'' If this is your course of action, the Esharan Army will withdraw from the planet and bypass Primerus to make ready for the invasion of the Graal homeworld. That is where the war will be won, not here, not for some worthless city, and a ridiculous cause. ''
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Post by Dronav Holdworlds on Jun 7, 2012 13:25:53 GMT -5
"I understand your feelings on this, and I can respect your choice. And I don't see there being any more to say." Hask intoned stoically.
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Post by Empire of Ezria on Jun 14, 2012 18:01:34 GMT -5
HIGHLY CLASSIFIED / EYES ONLY/ ENCRYPTION LEVEL BETA Intelligence reports have confirmed that Varian troops are among the enemy on the ground, but they have yet to commit their troops to the attack. Esharan troops are in a deadlock in the south of the city and risk danger if further pressure is placed heavily upon the line. Esharan High Command has authorized the Corvoso weapon if situatian deteroriates further on a small scale. Recommend, I repeat recommend that all Dronavi and Ayar units employ NBC gear. A 30 minute warning will be given prior to detonation and will only be used if a major break in the line occurs. --Lord Admiral Sejanus / Esharan First Fleet
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