[center][h1][b][color=green]The Xandalian Republic[/color][/b][/h1] [i][h3]Diplomatic Ship, Zetan Space[/h3][/i] [h2]"An Attempt At The Truth"[/h2][/center] [hr] [quote]"Very well. I will order my ships not to fire. However, we obviously cannot allow a foreign ship free travel during this sensitive situation. This cruiser will escort you, along with several of our fighter craft, and we will sit in on any in-person discussions you have with Zetan individuals." "Oh, and I, Oligarch Kayla, will be the one sitting in."[/quote] Diplomat Matthews clicked her tongue, ensuring she wasn't transmitting over the comms as she did so. Indeed, the ECU and Undefeated had Zetan space locked down. The diplomatic vessel was unarmed, naught a weapon in sight, and had come here to speak to the Zetans on behalf of the Senate of the Xandalian Republic. A mission to try to get to the truth of things before the war continued further, to see if things could be investigated and somehow resolved. However, things were getting more suspicious by the second. A neutral diplomatic vessel being treated like a potential threat of all things, with the aggressors in Zetan space wanting to be in on everything. Likewise, these demands were coercive at best. Any meeting would expose Zetan positions or individuals to potential harm, which was not what their neutral mission was here for. Likewise it would put any discussions at risk for anything people didn't want getting out of the warzone. Tactical, admittedly, but all the same frustrating to deal with. However, Matthews was working a plan of sorts out in her head in turn. Maybe it would work, maybe not. Either way. [color=lime]"...Comms Officer, patch me back through. Do it on all channels, and I mean all of them. Maximum broadcasting distance. Even the Zetans will hear this one down on the planet."[/color] The officer raised an eyebrow, but after a moment gave a nod and did as he was told. [color=lime]"We hear your demands, Oligarch Kayla, and in efforts to keep the peace and satisfy all parties we propose a lovely compromise to maintain our neutrality in this matter as we transmit on all channels. As a [i]neutral, diplomatic vessel[/i], we propose to use this craft as a designated neutral space for the talk. We in this vein invite you, Oligarch Kayla, [u]alone and personally[/u] to board our vessel yourself as you have expressed the desire to do. Then if the Zetans would, however discreetly they wish, patch through to us and give us coordinates to pick up a representative then we will be glad to for the sake of netural discourse."[/color] Matthews kept her tone and manner professional, but at the same time the very edges of her mouth perked up a little as she continued. [color=lime]"From there we will hold the talks on our ship, in space, far from the planet's surface and surrounded by ECU and Undefeated craft. As the neutral party, we exert the right to dictate a manner for the meeting that will ensure our neutrality and right to take measures to maintain this neutrality as we hope you understand. Of course, this plan also very much accommodates your prior request most aptly to sit in personally on the talks. We want to ensure your safety at all costs, however, so this is why we have made this plan and adjusted it for your sake. There is nothing to fear for boarding our vessel either, as if we did anything it would violate our directive as a [i]neutral, diplomatic vessel[/i] and we would be surrounded by combat-capable craft on all sides."[/color] Oligarch Kayla wanted on personally? That was [i]perfectly[/i] fine! In fact, to deny their request would likely make them appear more suspicious. So why not drum up the candor about making sure the valuable Oligarch would remain safe? It was no hostile intent at all, really. Then if the Zetans took the hint, it'd be a great chance at keeping things...neutral. Just as Matthews and her crew had been ordered. So would the Oligarch put her mettle where her mouth was, or would she chicken out and bring suspicion on the ECU? Only the response to this would be able to tell. [@Tortoise] [hr] [center][i][h3]The Meeting Place, Sol System Space[/h3][/i] [h2]"A Redundancy"[/h2][/center] [hr] Envoy Christensen, covered in his fanciful diplomatic garb, knocked on the door to the Zetan Represntative's office. He'd traveled to the Zetan Embassy within the Meeting Place to talk with the Zetan Representative himself, mostly in lieu of Tanaka's announcement and other things going on. Through his secure line back to the Republic, he'd also received an order to investigate the matter as best as he could. Wasn't much to do but talk to a few representatives on the station, but at the same time he'd follow through with it...something in his gut told him something was afoot anyways. He didn't have any guards or such with him during this visit, as per keeping neutral, but at the same time he did have a small 'ace' up his sleeve if anyone tried to get ideas. Hopefully he wouldn't have to use it. [color=silver]"Sigma-Devi, are you here? I wish to speak with you, if possible, on behalf of the Xandalian Republic and the Senate. I am here alone."[/color] If the ECU so much as lifted a stun baton or other thing here, violating the neutrality of this space, it'd be the catalyst for a rather disastrous political incident to be sure. Not just with the Xandalians, but also the rest of the nations here. A nice, big can of worms. Still, Christensen hoped to talk to the Zetan Representative sooner rather than later. [@Irredeemable] [hr] [center][i][h3]Space Military Training Grounds, URC Space[/h3][/i] [h2]"Training Part 2[s]: Electric Boogaloo[/s], and An Urgent Matter of State"[/h2][/center] [hr] Xara chuckled for a moment after receiving a response from Admiral Wilson, leaning on her right hand as her right elbow was propped up on the armrest of her chair. [color=violet]"These are just our old Generation 1 Military-Frames in the field, and already they are impressed...heh...that being said, the feeling is mutual about their variety of spacecraft and implementation of them. They'll get the hang of space frames soon enough, but with our differences in energy technology they'll have to build up from here and develop it on their own sadly. However they've made good work getting started indeed."[/color] Military frames were the one area the Xandalian Republic, aside from Thalarite-related things, was most apt in regards to combat technology in a rough general comparison to the other known nations out there. It was curious, but given how much they'd been pouring into that area for over 100 years now it shouldn't have been too much of a surprise either. However, training the URC pilots in this combined-arms approach and implementation of space military frames was also in some sense 'fun' as it made them the teachers of a given topic for once. [color=violet]"Send a message to the CSS Argus once more. Tell them that the appreciation is mutual, and that we hope our two nations can continue to grow closer moving into the future. We will be glad to provide a continued advisory position as they develop their own Spaceborne Military-Frames as well."[/color] That should be diplomatic enough- "Commander Xara, a Xandalian Diplomatic ship has entered through the Gateway! They are hailing us and the URC ship!" The playful air seemed to cut short as Xara sat up in her chair proper and gave a nod to the Comms Officer who spoke to her. [color=violet]"Don't just sit there, patch them through!"[/color] A moment later, the visual and audio of Diplomat Trafalgar would pop up on the display. [color=plum]"XSS Cyclostro, CSS Argus, this is the Xandalian Diplomatic Envoy Ship XSS Tarkin. We come with urgent haste to speak to the leadership of the URC, if we would so be allowed. I repeat, we come with urgent haste to speak to the leadership of the URC."[/color] Xara let out a long, drawn-out sigh. [color=violet]"Politicians couldn't just let us finish with this first, couldn't they? Has to be something about 'that' matter if they've come so urgently in the middle of a damned training exercise."[/color] [@Sigma]