08N - Serpent's Lair

Subject: Re: 08N - Serpent's Lair Sun Jul 13, 2014 10:53 pm

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

And thus, upon seeing this bearded individual entering the room and speaking to Marshal Talbot, the Alliance saw their mission complete. The Lady Ambassador and her delegate did not need to fully understand the words spoken; their purpose was clear. The New Terran Navy would engage the enemy on their side, and restore a shaky order to international space. A small, happy smile would cross the Lady Ambassador's hidden face as she watched the military leadership of the New Terrans exit the room; leaving only the Marshal and few others inside with the Kal'Bavakorians.

His words of cultural wisdom would be received by the Lady Ambassador with a nod, followed by a most respectful reply.

"Indeed. My people have their own words to describe a momentous occasion such as this... Best spoken in our language as, 'The clear waters have wrought a path'.

She hoots softly, as if chuckling lightly to herself. She then, with graciousness, extends a three-fingered hand out towards the Marshal, as if trying to grasp something just out of reach..

"Talbot of the New Terran Humans, you have done something not many people, alien or not, would do. We hope that this treaty between our peoples, even before its official signing, will allow a blanket of just peace to settle over human and Kal hearts already weary of conflict. As such..."

The Lady Ambassador moves her extended hand out to her right; casting it out before the Alliance diplomat who had brought the large bag inside, and had placed it upon the floor. Quickly, he bends down and snaps open a pouch on said bag; removing a sterilized, ancient looking hilt that seems to have belonged to a blade long lost. The diplomat extends the hilt to the Ambassador, who takes it graciously. Rising subtly, allowing the cloak that resides around her waist to flutter, she attempts to step around the table, with the intention of presenting it to the Marshal.

Hopefully being allowed to step beside the Marshal, the small creature of great tenacity extends the hilt, steaming somewhat as if it was very, very cold, to the Marshal.

"The Alliance presents this gift as a token of our goodwill. We do not forget our friends."

The act of handing it directly to the Marshal, even though she was the Kal'Bavakorian of highest power in the room, truly showed something about their culture...

The Lady Sergeant merely releases an odd clicking noise from her helmet; clearly taken as a universal sign of hostility. One that was directly intently towards the two tourists after they left. Mere seconds after she does this, her helmeted gaze following the human couple in the distance, she asks quietly.

"..Where were they humans from? Not here, I know."

She doesn't look at all towards the Terran Marine, simply watching the humans as they walked off towards whatever space plane awaited them. Almost as if 'daring' them to return..

Admin Posts : 92 Join date : 2014-01-14

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

"That sounds fine," The ambassador said this knowing very well she probably wouldn't drink but a sip of the beverage, however it would have been rude to turn it down. Alcohol was widely frowned upon within the Imperium's empire, and most citizens would turn it down even without the government watching them. The alcohol would degrade and wear down the augments given to them, so many chose other forms of escapes.

The two marines, and the ambassador would keep close behind the Minister, following him through the dilapidated hangar. However, the architecture would be much more elegant than anything found on Olympus. The Imperium valued art, however the style they favored resembled the old world category of Futurism, with an emphasis on looking forward in time, rather than back.

"I hope we might be able to discuss a partnership in order to further strengthen our negotiating power when dealing with other, more aggressive nations, such as the USC. I also hope that we might be able to come to a point where we could offer protection to each other if this conflict begins to reach either one of us."

((Sorry for taking so long))

Posts : 159 Join date : 2014-01-12

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

The Ambassadors words were received with somber neutrality as Talbot smiled and stared whilst his delegates nodded, as with most universal facts of government the New Terrans delighted in doing right by their allies but they still understood and were driven by their own strategic interests. Their personal interest peaked, though, as the Ambassadors colleague set down his pack and began opening it during a pause in the Ambassadors speech and they stared at the steaming item each wondering what it was.

She would have no trouble approaching the Marshal, common sense dictated that there was a mutual understanding between the two groups wherein treachery would be met with fatal consequences of which no Kal'Bavakorian would escape and as such there was no desire for extreme security or, in other words, the New Terrans trusted the Kal'Bavakorians well enough.

Marshal Talbot stood to meet her advance and he gave a respectful nod as she presented the gift to him. He carefully reached out to grasp the object speaking as he did so,

"If I may ask, what exactly is it?"

Geert raised an eyebrow, the sound was intimidating enough but he pressed on.

"Some place far from here, probably Europa, that's USC territory." he shrugged, showing he never really paid much attention to the documents to begin with.

"What about you? Where are you from, stranger?"

New Terran Imperial Palace
Diplomatic Canton, Landing Zone 2-C

"Well," Hyeon began, nodding and speaking before the Red Sun Ambassador had even finished her sentence. "You've come to the right place!"

Without further delay he swiftly lead the group to one of the awaiting service elevators which lead to an extravagant lobby on the ground floor from which they could see through immense glass windows the huge plaza that decorated the Diplomatic Canton adorned with fountains, columned buildings and elaborate statues. Compared to other areas of the Palace the Diplomatic Canton was relatively uncrowded and few soldiers patrolled or paraded it's grounds, instead foreign delegates and assorted nobility would be seen strolling the plaza with acquaintances and other associates as they went about their routine.

Hyeon motioned to the Red Sun delegates after pausing to take in the sights as he lead the group down a large hallway which echoed with the sounds of their stamping feet even more-so with the heavy-handed nature and armor of the Red Sun Marines. After a decent march they reached a security checkpoint where two waiting Imperial Guardsmen were quick to allow them access as they continued onwards up a brief flight of stairs and then across a large overpass overlooking an relatively empty roadway leading to the aforementioned Plaza.

Reaching other side of the overpass they would be lead down yet another flight of stairs and finally to an elevator which would bring them to the top floor of the Foreign Office Building. Here the military escort departed for their previous posting leaving Hyeon and his delegates as well as the Red Sun Ambassador and her escort alone.

"Come, this way." he said, leading them through heavy double doors to a large well-lit office.

"Please, leave your guards outside I'd rather we kept this information to pertinent individuals and besides, I doubt our pens would be up to the task of murdering you." he said, offering a sly smile.

New Terra Municipal Area
Central District, Foreign Quarter

The 'Foreign Quarter' had been established almost a century ago due to increasing market potential within New Terra and had attracted various Interstellar Conglomerates due to special preferential deals given to purchases made by foreign companies within designated zones. Recently the Foreign Quarter nearly doubled in activity as a result of rapidly increasing economic growth within New Terra after the crackdown of various Guild Conglomerates which had previously monopolized and largely dominated business within the old Empire leading to a massive surge in rising Corporate business and outside interest.

The Foreign Quarter quickly became a hub of communication between business leaders from around the Galaxy and more often than not economic policy within the Imperium was often set as a result of these meetings. Since the coup Marshal Talbot had largely turned a blind eye to corporate business practices within the Foreign Quarter as these often resulted in benefits for New Terra but recently there had been a surge in popular demand for greater transparency with corporate activities which was an issue the Government had suspiciously remained silent on.

The Foreign Quarter also brought together a variety of cultures outside New Terra from food all the way to music and film. Native New Terrans often frequented the Foreign Quarter as well, providing good business to smaller foreign entrepreneurs and making it a well-known tourist hub.

Dyumna Kothari sat alone at an outdoor cafe overlooking a large public park, occasionally sipping at the tea in front of him, he looked around as if waiting for someone. Dyumna had been feeling safer around foreigners than his fellow New Terrans as of late spurred on by mounting accusations of what was deemed his 'Pro-Foreign' policy suggestions, or more specifically his supposed Pro-USC suggestions and it didn't help that certain outside sources labeled his faction the 'Pro-USC delegation' within the Imperial Diet. He received various threats from extremist New Guard elements but irregardless he still retained much support with the Upper Classes which backed up his faction's seats within the Diet.

But either way there he sat, alone.

Perhaps someone really was coming to meet him, perhaps not.

Admin Posts : 92 Join date : 2014-01-14

New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

The Terran ambassador's request would be met with compliance and the two guards escorting the Imperial diplomat would take up a defensive post at the entrance of the building. The Terran palace was something you would never see on Olympus. The closest thing Olympus had to something like this was the Naval Academy. It was probably as big, but the design was much more.. efficient looking. The ambassador had never been to New Terra before, and she had never visited an area so beautiful. She laughed at the ministers joke and continued inside with him.

"I don't think I properly introduced myself, my name is Elizabeth Hastlo, ambassador from the Imperial Office of Foreign Affairs."

Foreign Affairs in the Imperium was a relatively small group of people. In fact, most of Foreign Affairs was handled by the Office of Military Intelligence. It was a rare sight indeed to see an actual delegation to be sent anywhere by the Red Sun, let alone request an alliance.

Posts : 172 Join date : 2014-01-08

New Terra Municipal Area
Central District, Foreign Quarter

"So what did you make of that?"

"That somebody's a mean backstabber, that's what."

Having taken all the pictures and video they needed, the two agents had moved away from the palace and sat down in the same cafe as Dyumna Kothari; the establishment was in a prime position to transmit data to Europa without being paid attention to, since the foreign quarter was where the USC tourists mostly stayed, and it was not uncommon for said tourists to send video and pictures of their vacation to loved ones over the internet. And that was exactly what the man was doing: his phone had already established a connection to Spacebook, one of the most popular social networking services in the Coalition, and had begun uploading the high definition video and pictures from the handset itself and the contact lenses.

The woman was quick to counter the accusation: "Maybe they are just making first contact, lets not jump to conclusions."

"So? They know we are at war, and yet they have aliens roaming in their garden? I call bullshit." he replied, and a moment later the upload finished. It was a little known fact that Spacebook was operated by the National Security Agency, allowing it to track persons of interest and use it as a relay for data between agencies without arousing suspicion. Many foreigners who used the service were doing little more than surrendering their personal information to the Coalition's intelligence community.

"Alright, alright, there's something fishy going on. What do you want to do about it?"

"Wait for instructions."

Several moments passed before a 'like' appeared in the post containing the uploads, prompting a 'family member', in this case the imaginary son of the couple, to comment. "Amazing photos dad, but what the hell are those things? If they are a new attraction, make sure to bring souvenirs!"

Both agents let out a single exclamation upon reading the post: "Shit..."

And then, they sat up in unison: they needed to return to their hotel room.

Just as the two covert agents took off towards the location of the Stardust Hotel, a popular establishment with Coalition tourists that overlooked the palace, another figure entered the area of the cafe. In contrast to the casually dressed humans that had sat there before her, the woman was young, less than thirty by all accounts, and dressed in pristine and very expensive business attire, complete with black sunglasses and an equally as black briefcase. While some uneducated people would assume that she was a foreign intelligence agent, they would be wrong: it was too obvious, really, far too obvious for any of the Coalition's intelligence services.

Homing in towards her target like a heat-seeking missile, the woman sat down on the chair opposite of Dyumna and set her briefcase on the small table. "Bonjour." she exclaimed with a somewhat struggling accent, and she quickly ordered a lemon tea before getting to business. "Good morning mister Kothari. I am so very glad you decided to be here today... My employers were getting nervous that your political obligations would leave you with little time to spare."

Without waiting for a reply, the woman pressed her finger against a slot in the device and unlocked it through some kind of biometric mechanism, perhaps fingerprints or a DNA scanner. "I know you are a very busy man, so I will keep this short. I represent the Capital Investment Group, a multinational corporate alliance that includes companies as diverse as Walmart, General Dynamics Land Systems, Lockheed Martin, Energon and Exxon. Our yearly production accounts for almost fifteen percent of the Coalition's GDP, and we employ more than twenty million people. Our investment in some of the Coalition's poorest cities and colonies, such as New Warsaw and Chicago, have stimulated economic growth and allowed them to become competitive markets. Following so far?"

Subject: Re: 08N - Serpent's Lair Mon Jul 28, 2014 6:41 pm

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

"Here, let me demonstrate. It still may be a bit cold for Human hands.." The Lady Ambassador replies gingerly.

She takes a few steps backwards; extending the device out before her so that it positioned vertically in her hands. Before activating it, she gazes up at the taller Marshall Talbot and begins her small speech; the excitement in her voice easily recognized, even with her being a non-human. This was the first time a Kal'Bavakorian was able to show a key piece of their culture to a non-Kal, and it would be a new doorway to a vibrant future between Kal and Human.

"The Warrior Caste of my people relish personal combat; seeing it as the righteous and most honorable of combat forms. Even today, my people carry the Slot Sword into battle in the hopes of facing their foe face to face, instead of at range..."

She raises the hilt, presenting it to the gathered human envoy.

"This.. Is an elder Slot Sword. While not as technologically advanced or powerful as modern variants, as it is almost three hundred years old, it still carries the ability to destroy any other foreign sword or blade my people know of. This particular variant is known as 'Darksaber'."

With this, she thumbs the activation switch. A blade suddenly 'unlocks' from within' the device; sliding out of the hilt in the blink of an eye before locking into place. It then activates, with an aura of pure black energy suddenly bursting around it. It hums vibrantly, and pulses with the strange, dark energy, as if it was filled with its own life force.

The very fact the Kal'Bavakorians had such an advanced weapon three hundred years ago, not to mention that it still functioned, was astonishing. If they were not lying, then they appeared to be much, much more advanced than the New Terrans would have originally foreseen.

The Lady Ambassador twirls the blade expertly in her hand, the hum pulsing with each twirl; creating a 'song' to the weapons usage. She then thumbs the deactivation control, and the blade quickly shuts off; the black energy gone and the blade sliding back into the hilt within' a second. She then extends the weapon out to the Marshall..

"I present this 'Darksaber' to you, Marshall Talbot, as a token of our people's friendship. I advise you to keep it safe and not to tamper with it. It is, after all, very /old/, and any attempt to investigate the weapon may cause it irreparable damage.."

Her presentation was warm, but her final warning in regards to tampering with the device gave a clear message: Do not attempt to learn from the Darksaber.

The Lady Sergeant would cast a quick glance over at the New Terran Marine. Coalition tourists happening to pass by the Palace and desire entry just as an Alliance diplomacy team attempts negotiations? It was possible then that the Lady Ambassador and her entourage were in more danger than originally thought.

She immediately lifts her left bicep; pressing a few commands on the Holo-Tool that promptly activates around it. The Holo-Tool was a powerful piece of equipment; a communications device, weather system, time keeper, information gathering tool.. It was like having a flashy personal computer resting on your arm. A Holo-Tool could activate on a moments notice, and surround your arm in an aura of semi-hard light that was able to be interacted with, and would display information upon a moments notice; should you have the required modules installed. To a human, it would appear to be a jumble of confusing flashing lights and information, but to a Kal, it was a life saver in almost every account.

It was especially so in this case, as an Alliance Military Holo-Tool was top of the line. With it, she could contact someone who watched in the shadows. Someone who was very, very good at handling soon-to-be-dangerous situations. She quickly input a few commands into the tool, her fingers dancing across the holo-device, but would turn to the Terran Marine after a moment of interaction with it.

"Would you mind if my Legionaries came here? We feel these.. Coalition Humans.. May cause problem."

She leaves his question unanswered for the time being.

Posts : 159 Join date : 2014-01-12

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

All attention was on the Lady Ambassador for her presentation of the 'Darksaber' and it's abilities, it's sudden activation elicited a murmur from the New Terran delegates and her ending flourish brought forth a brief round of applause from Talbot and his men.

"Bravo!" Talbot exclaimed as he reached forward to take the weapon, he examined it quickly before placing it down on the table and glancing back towards the Ambassador.

"Thank you, but I can't possibly accept these gifts without trying at an equal exchange." his words rang true, in New Terran culture the handing over of ones sword was akin to surrender or subjugation and was heralded in many old stories of honorable warriors preferring a fight to the death or surrendering their sword to the humble men who defeated them, some stories even recall battle commanders who would jettison their officers swords out an airlock in a more dramatic showing of both defiance and surrender.

The Marshal swiftly reached down at his side to grab his own ceremonial blade, he unsheathed it smoothly and presented it handle-up to the Ambassador, the blade was decorated blue and engraved in gold near the hilt was the name 'Jameson Talbot'

"Whilst it may not be as impressive or powerful as your gift, this particular blade has been in my family for generations. It bears the name of the Imperial Guard within which one of my Great Grandfather's held status several centuries ago, whilst most officers are entitled to carry a sabre such as this only a select few have earned the right to carry one of these particular Imperial Sabres, it's blade is blue symbolizing Terran unity and it's engraved with the earners name and branch of service, along with specific markings and a unique serial to ensure it's authenticity.

My Great Grandfather earned this sword after being one of only eighteen men out of one hundred to survive an assault by a superior force numbering over four thousand during the Battle of Qishlah on Heraklia, the Emperor recognized their bravery and all eighteen men received the right to carry these swords along with other honors, today these men are dead but these blades live on as priceless heirlooms often handed down generation after generation and now I'm handing mine to you, Ambassador."

Whilst his own party remained speechless all one had to do was look at their expressions to understand just how colossal the motion from Talbot really was from a New Terran perspective.

Geert frowned at his question being ignored but he continued anyway,

"If you insist, although there are at-least one hundred million soldiers on this Planet who wouldn't find a few tourists as something to worry about against those particular odds."

New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

"I'm honored to make your acquaintance, Mrs. Hastlo." he made his way behind the desk after motioning for her to sit, behind him much of the wall as made up of huge windows looking out over the Diplomatic Canton and in the distance a massive and elongated building was visible, the actual Central Palace itself home to the Emperor along with various other residences.

"I feel that in matters of diplomacy one should strive to be as frank as possible, you mentioned that you were searching for 'Allies', what precisely do you mean by this?"

It was clear he wanted to know what exactly the Imperium meant without the threat of a misunderstanding arising in the future and as a way to judge what they expected from the ensuing meeting.

New Terra Municipal Area
Central District, Foreign Quarter

Being rather young himself Dyumna was pleased to receive attentions from such a lovely woman but his hopes were quickly dashed as he found she was simply there for business, he was known as a man who enjoyed earthly pleasures after all much to the chagrin of his conservative Father although his skill in political intrigues more than made up for it in the end.

He listened calmly to her pitch, continuing to sip at his tea whilst nodding whenever she glanced back at him, he was quick to reply after she addressed him having internally rehearsed his response long before she was finished a skill he picked-up during his modest political career.

"In my experience those who open a proposal with such a lengthy string of rhetoric often expect to ask a great deal in the end." he pulled lightly at his sharp mustache which finely accented his Indo-Aryan features no doubt appearing all the more pompous,

"So by all means, mademoiselle, lay it on me." he leaned back in his chair, concealing his growing anxiety.

Admin Posts : 92 Join date : 2014-01-14

New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

The Imperial ambassador leaned back in her chair and gave a slight smile. Frankness was one thing the Imperium did well. Her gaze turned to the beautiful palace that was home to the figurehead leader of the New Terrans. However, when she spoke she would look Taejo, showing no weakness or respite.

"You and I both no that, on our own, could hope to achieve a long, drawn out, bloody, war with the USC. We are both aware that they are building up their arsenal and as soon as the alien forces begin to retreat, they will target one of us. Either you, for the actions you have been taking in both the mining field and armistice, or us because of our political ideals and ties with the Zeleniy. We both stand a better chance with a full militaristic alliance between us. It'll make the USC think twice about targeting either of us if we stand together now. Who knows, it may even cause the Coalition to completely rethink a war entirely. We will have your back, Mr. Taejo, if you will have ours."

She became silent and returned her gaze towards the palace to allow the minister to take all the information in. Her hands were laid in her lap, and her icy blue artificial eyes examined the beauty of the emperors home.

Subject: Re: 08N - Serpent's Lair Thu Aug 14, 2014 10:53 pm

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

The Alliance envoy was immediately awed by the gift given to the Lady Ambassador. Compared to Terran culture on this matter, the Kal'Bavakorians were not all that different. For a Kal to give their sword to another being, alien or not, was either a show of complete respect and friendship towards said being, or a disrespectful surrender to their will. This was because a sword was more than just a simple weapon to a Kal'Bavakorian warrior: It was a sacred item that gave the history of all whom used it in combat. A sword was a warriors weapon and a families crest; sacred to all whom shared the household name emblazoned upon it's hilt. The Darksaber extended to the Marshall, while old and simple in design, had an alien emblem burned into its surface. In the midst of the bubbly, illusive emblem was a set of hieroglyphs; spelling out some sort of phrase in the odd Kal'Bavakorian language.

It was the Lady Ambassadors turn, though, to be graced by the Marshall's gift. Gently grasping the blade, with one hand on the hilt, and the other grasping the blade gingerly, she would gaze over it curiously. She seemed very interested in the story as well; listening keenly as she gazed over the weapon. Upon ending his story, she would gaze up at the Marshall and nod happily.

"It is a beautiful family heirloom, dear Marshall; I am honored to accept it. I shall keep it safe."

She takes the blade and quickly places it at her side; magnetically attaching it to the belt beneath her cloak. Gazing at the Darkblade hilt she had given the Marshall; she releases a soft, thoughtful sigh.

"It is funny how alike our species are, is it not? The Darksaber was passed down from my grandfather, to my father, then to I. My grandfather used it during his last years as a soldier during the March to Land, when my people first stepped out from our ocean homes and unto the continents of our homeworld. Such were turbulent times, yet the Darksaber received most of its use during the hundred or so years my father served the Mel'Va Defense Legions. He used it most when he fought during the Great Unification War. He gave it to me once he retired from Legion life.."

She pauses a moment, as if brought to silence by her thoughts, but she quickly snaps out of it. Once more, in a much more gleeful tone, she happily speaks to the Marshall while bowing her head respectfully.

"A weapon is judged not by its power, but by its craft, and what it represents. These weapons now represent a friendship between our peoples, dear Marshall: a unification of the hearts of Kal and Human. I thank you dearly for inviting us here."

The Lady Sergeant would nod as Geert gives her authorization to do so. Quickly re-adjusting her Holo-Tool's communication systems, she sends a quick message to her nearby squad. Squawking in her native Kal'Bavakorian language, she delivers the quick and sharp command before deactivating the communication channel, as well as the device on her arm. As it dissipates into oblivion, she would finally turn to view the Terran Marine towering over her short form... And finally replies to his older question, although her voice retains its business-like tone, and thick, alien accent.

"...I am from Tak'Vega. What of you?"

UNKNOWN LOCATION

<:: (1) MEESU HAS DECLARED HUNT. BEGINNING PURSUIT. SUBJECTS TWO IN NUMBER. REQUIRE LOCATION. ::>

<:: (3) SUBJECTS REPORTED MOVING TOWARDS HUMAN HOTEL. LOCATION MARKED. HOLO-TOOL HAS ANSWER. ::>

<:: (1) CONFIRMED. CONTINUING PURSUIT. ::>

<:: (3) CONFIRMED. BE WARY. THE TERRAN ARE FRIENDS. DO NOT MAKE THEM FEAR. ::>

<:: (1,3) WE WATCH. WE LISTEN. WE INTERVENE. WE ARE SHADOW. WE ARE PATIENCE. WE ARE INFORMATION ETERNAL. ::

Posts : 172 Join date : 2014-01-08

Stardust Hotel

"Good morning sir, ma'am. How was your day?"

The male agent made a quick sweep of the luxurious chamber, decorated with expensive wooden flooring, marble walls and numerous potted plants from Earth, before he discretely passed his credit card to the young woman manning the hotel's front desk. "Excellent, thank you very much. We almost got a tour of the palace, but there were some creepy aliens there... We've decided to prolong our stay, could you please call the spaceport and have them cancel our flight?"

"Of course sir." replied the well-dressed hotel employee, sweeping the credit card at the reader before passing it back along. "Thank you again for choosing the Stardust Hotel." It was a little known fact, but the Stardust Hotel was more than just a luxurious hotel operated by a corporate supergiant in the Coalition that specialized in entertainment and hospitality services: it was a front for the Central Intelligence Agency's operatives in the area. "Will you be requiring anything else?"

"Yes, we would like to not be disturbed."

"As you wish sir."

The two agents proceeded to the elevator leading to the penthouse suite, and a few moments before the doors closed, two other seemingly inconspicuous tourists entered the lift with them, followed by a porter carrying a large suitcase. It was only a minute after, when the elevator doors opened at the Penthouse floor, that the five people abandoned their cover and got to work: the female agent turned the key that locked down the penthouse elevator, and the male headed towards the entrance to the actual suite.

It was the porter and the two new arrivals that really showcased their true loyalties: the former dropped the suitcase to the floor while the one on his left, a woman dressed in business attire, pressed her finger against the top of the container and prompted it to slid open after a biometric scan. Its contents were then revealed: a small UCAV, complete with two tiny rockets attached to each of its wings. The case also included a 'camouflage' kit for the machine, a pack that contained several cover pieces and devices to mask the UCAV as a standard news recording drone.

The suite door slid open to reveal two men in combat armor, each wielding a battle rifle, and the five agents stepped inside.

The doors closed ominously behind them.

New Terra Municipal Area
Central District, Foreign Quarter

Somewhat surprised by the blunt response, possibly having expected a more diplomatic approach, the woman was quick to correct herself: "Oh, I apologize if all the pomp made this intro seem overly dramatic. That was not my intention. I merely wished to highlight the role that the people I represent have in the interstellar economy." She then paused for some time, browsing through the contents of her briefcase: she was trying to find something, that was for certain, but eventually she managed to retrieve a thin folder from inside.

"As you are aware, the Coalition's primary exports are luxury goods, cars, computers, arms, medical supplies and industrial equipment. But a little known fact is what we import. Our home system is rich in rare earths and construction materials, but our naturally small population is not exactly eager to take up industrial work. Our domestic economy is, sadly, dominated by the services sector. The Nasari are, quite frankly, too dumb to be used for complex labor: it's like asking a cow to build a microchip. While we have automated large sections of our industry, the human element will always be necessary." she concluded, extending the folder to the awaiting politician. Blue in color, the folder had the logo of 'Tesla Motors Incorporated' on it, and the label marked it as '2442 Economic Viability Assessment of Offshoring Industrial Production Facilities to Meet Increasing Labor Demand'.

"You will find a lot of relevant data in this report, but I'll make it simple. We have the tools, but we don't have the men to use it. We wish to expand our industrial facilities on New Terra and its colonies, but we can not do so without your government's help and your peoples' consent."

Posts : 159 Join date : 2014-01-12

New Terran Imperial Palace
Naval Military Canton, Imperial Admiralty Building

Talbot was quick to reply after listening to the Ambassadors brief lesson in Kal'Bavakorian history,

"And we are ever more thankful that you chose to accept our invitation in the first place." he said, smiling.

Looking over her shoulder he noticed the sun was beginning to set over the Palace which prompted him to shoot a glance over to a nearby console to check the time.

"The hour grows late," he said, picking up the Darksaber and holstering it in his belt before continuing,

"We've made excellent progress here today and together we have set the foundation for a prosperous diplomatic and economic future for both our nations. I'm not sure how much longer you wish to remain here and I would hate to keep you if you have more pressing business so we will adjourn these formal discussions for the time being.

As of now your government is authorized to establish a formal embassy within the Diplomatic Canton for the purpose of further accessible and direct communication between our two governments, the coordinates of the particular building we've provided has no doubt been transmitted to your vessel along with various other articles of pertinent information which we discussed earlier, an official ambassadorial home will also be granted to your representatives upon further analysis of what free residences we have available in the South Garden." he allowed the Ambassador a moment to digest the information as he grabbed his cap which he put back onto his head, the other members of his delegation had rose from their seats and were waiting to follow him out.

"Now if you do plan to stay a little while longer, Lady Ambassador, I would be more than happy to invite you to come along with me to a formal ball and dinner being hosted by my family on the Palace Grounds, a chance to experience some of that Terran cuisine we talked about earlier." he leaned over with an arm on the back of his chair as he awaited her response.

Geert smiled, no doubt happy his question was addressed.

"Tak'Vega, huh?" he said, scratching his chin. "Can't say I've heard of it and I doubt you've heard of mine either. I'm from a planet called 'Freeland' it's a bit obscure compared to the bigger ones like New Terra here but hey what more can you expect from a fresh colony? You'd love the place, long sprawling steppes and fine temperate weather, although I can't say the same for the people."

He had a point, the relatively new colony of Freeland located in 08O had historically been a drop-off point for political prisoners and exiled nobility for years and as a result it remained largely forgotten about but continuing rapid population growth leading to potential overpopulation drove the New Terran's to re-invest in the fledgling colony resulting in unrest and contention from the resistant population who were largely unaccustomed to centralized governance. Attempts to crackdown on popular resistance lead to a brief insurgency only a few years prior to the coup and tensions had remained ever since.

"What about your home? This 'Tak'Vega', what's it like?" he continued whilst motioning to one of his men.

New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

Hyeon listened carefully to the words given by the Red Sun Ambassador, appreciating the forthcoming nature of the discussion so far. When she finished her speech Hyeon remained silent for several moments whilst tapping on his desk and nodding to himself as he cautiously formed his next response. After a few moments he lightly tapped on his desk a final time before speaking,

"Well I can say this, we're currently engaged in a series of talks with another nation pertaining to the formation of a defense pact and greater economic cooperation to counter USC aggression and further imperialism by other powers such as the UCFP. If your government is prepared to commit to a series of joint economic and defense cooperation agreements we can certainly fulfill your desires of a military agreement to ensure our mutual defense in the event of a potential conflict with the USC or any other power that may threaten our long-term cosmopolitical interests." he spoke, paying extra attention to her face to try and read any emotional reaction.

New Terra Municipal Area
Central District, Foreign Quarter

Whilst taking the time to briefly read through the contents of the folder Dyumna nodded along as the woman concluded her business pitch, plopping the folder down onto the table with an audible slap.

"It's certainly a commendable initiative by your employers and I understand why you came to me with this rather than that old dinosaur First Minister of ours. He certainly wouldn't have the tenacity to go through with this, there has been interest for years amongst the more economically-minded members of the Diet to promote foreign investment in our country but certain people involved in the political structure have stonewalled us every time we've motioned for a change in policy." he paused for a moment to sip his tea and to cast a glance over at the young representative, the thought crossed his mind as to whether or not he would have a chance with her but he quickly dismissed it and shifted his thoughts back to business.

"And of course some of these people don't even occupy government offices, one in particular being the most obnoxious of all." he didn't have to give a name, anyone with even the most basic of knowledge in New Terran politics would know the man he was talking about.

He was about to continue with his speech when he decided against it, instead preferring to wait and hear what his potential colleague across the table had to say on the matter. 'It is always wise to try and feel out others opinions in regards to your own whenever possible' he recalled his father saying in one of his many impromptu political lessons he had been given throughout his youth.

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New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

The Imperium's ambassador would furrow her brow, not out of anger, but out of genuine curiosity. Her hands would move to her lap and remain neatly folded.

"I appreciate your willingness to negotiate with me, however, could you please be more specific as to what these joint economic and defense agreements would exactly entail? I'm sure you are aware that while we do occasionally trade with other nations, we try to remain mostly self-sufficient. However, I understand that you import a great amount of military goods. I'm sure we can come to an agreement where we provide to you a certain deal where we provide much more efficent weapons and armor for lower costs than you could import them for other countries. I don't mean to be forward about such a deal, but I'm not sure what else we can provide economically for you. If you could outline more clearly what you have planned, I'd be happy to let you know what the Imperium is ready to commit."

The ambassador would seem to be keeping something to herself, maybe a bargaining chip she isn't ready to put on the table until the Terrans explain what they want first.

"And speaking of the UCFP, I believe we should attempt to reach out towards the SRoZ and try to establish a good relationship and prevent the further masacre of their people by the invasive UCFP."

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New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

Taejo folded his hands together as he brought forth an immediate answer to the Ambassadors concerns,

"Defense agreements would entail the general basic attributes pertaining to a defensive alliance all member states will cooperate to ensure mutual security between each member of the bloc in the form of military cooperation and mutual defense. Other potential activities would include joint military drills to hone cooperation between our various command structures as well as combating terrorism, separatism extremism and cyber-warfare." A beep from his computer drew his attention away from the discussion for a moment as he clicked and gave a brief read of what appeared to be a message before he nodded and continued on.

"Sorry, to continue with the economic aspects: economic cooperation would entail the creation of free trade areas to promote economic growth between member states as well as the prioritization of trade between member states through the potential elimination of trade tariffs and import quotas. Potential expansion of these economic programs, if successful, could result in further cooperation along the lines of free movement between citizens of each member state on economic visas not dissimilar to an open border agreement.

We have many ideas on how we could theoretically proceed along these lines including the creation of new investment banks with the capability to compete and potentially even out-compete USC banking institutions when it comes to galactic finances and especially when it comes to interstellar development banking."

Pausing for a moment he allows the Ambassador to process the information before continuing with his personal opinions,

"Combined our three nations make-up almost 30-40% of the known Galactic Population and encompass a massive amount of it's GDP and with the potential economic growth coming from this treaty being estimated, conservatively, at nearly an immediate 5-10% increase in growth it's hard to speak against this proposal. There also remains the potential for cultural exchanges between our nations as some have proposed arts festivals and other cultural events to take place between all member states.

As for the SRoZ, there are certain political concerns which make it increasingly difficult to converse with them formally. They have refused to accept an Embassy on our homeworld and they're often perceived by many in this office as being unfavorable towards us, many claim they look down on us as a result of perceived technological inferiority but we would be more than happy to speak with them at a later date to formally resolve several issues, including those recently developing in Tefeull, provided they come to us first."

He looked back across to the Ambassador, leaning forward silently and eagerly awaiting her response.

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New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

The Imperial Ambassador would track the New Terran Minister's eyes steadily throughout the conversation, showing very little emotion. Throughout the military and defensive cooperation she would seem to agree and nod her head several times as if acknowledging the merit of the idea.

However, when the terms of the economic talks came up, she began to bite her tongue. While her job was to promote unity between the Terrans and the Imperium, the Red Sun Imperium had been mostly economically isolationist. They mostly relied on their own people for goods and services and many thought that is how it should remain. An economic partnership would have to be carefully monitored. After several moments of thinking the ambassador would finally speak up.

"The Imperium would be happy to send a detachment of Marines along with Army soldiers to a designated training ground in which both of our forces could work together. I also believe a join effort aimed at reducing the criminal element could be beneficial to both our nations. A joint effort to establish law among the station known commonly as Navadniy, could be a good starting point for joint military operations. I can also send several Naval officers to New Terran space to work out joint naval tactics to effectively maximize the potential of our combined fleets."

She would pause for only a moment.

"As far as economic partnerships go, we would be willing to open the newly occupied Mojave system as an open trade area to be used by any Terran merchants, along as they abide by certain regulations put forth by the Imperium. While the Imperium has very little to offer in terms of economic scale, I'd like to know what the Commonwealth of New Terra could offer the Red Sun Imperium in terms of goods and services, if it is not rude.

With the SRoZ, I believe it would be best to meet in a neutral area, such as Armistice, as I'm sure Zeleniy resources are spread thin to defend their sovereignty against the UCFP aggressors. I would like to point out that even know the SRoZ may be slightly less prone to negotiate before, I'm sure their views would have changed by now. An ally in the SRoZ might also be able to help procure and reinforce our nuclear deterrent against the USC. If you do not mind me being so forward."

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New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

Upon being asked what his country could offer Hyeon chuckled lightly before nodding for her to finish her point and giving yet another swift reply.

"New Terra is amongst one of the largest economies in the Galaxy and with increasing investment and industrial as well as service development we could easily see ourselves becoming the largest economy in the Galaxy, eclipsing both the UCFP and USC. With the dismantling of the Commercium causing massive revitalization we've already become the fastest growing economy in the Galaxy. New Terran exports count for such a large amount of stately income that it would be tiresome to even begin to contemplate the hard numbers right here in front of you." he smiled knowing that although he embellished his points they were still hard facts, the sun was indeed 'rising on New Terra' as the political slogans went.

"A large portion of our economy is based around manufacturing and the exports that come with it. Industry and construction alone account for 48.6% of New Terra's GDP, our top five primary exports coming from this are: electronic equipment, machinery, clothing, furniture and technical equipment. We understand that the Imperium utilizes large amounts of automation which means you already have an immense market for electronic equipment, programming software, information technology and precious metals among countless others related to similar fields. Not to mention our large reserves of helium-3 which we refine at an especially rapid pace and which could be made available at lower prices to our economic allies.

Now, for the SRoZ, we concur that they would indeed make a valuable member of the proposed bloc and we would be more than happy to accept an invitation to meet on neutral territory if they also hold similar desires in regards to putting an end to Alpha Quadrant imperialism." he leaned back in his chair.

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New Terran Imperial Palace
Foreign Office Building

The Ambassador would smile, as if impressed by the New Terran's economic might. She would return to her former stoic attitude.

"Well, where do we begin minister?"

The simple statement would hopefully start a prosperous and powerful alliance between the two nations, beginning with economic and defensive agreements.