[right][b]The [i]Endurance[/i] // Meeting Place // Sol[/b][/right]
[right][sup]Commander McCrorie[/sup][/right]

Commander McCrorie sat in his quarters with his aide. On the computer screen on the corner of the wall the broadcast from a group known as the [I]Xandalian Republic[/i] was playing:

[quote]
[I]'Our people have been accosted by aggressive foreign propaganda by the Earth Cultural Union, in this seeking to undermine our government and the free will of our people by subterfuge. The Earth Cultural Union and Undefeated have continued to censor the details of this war through their blockade, and the demands made upon a neutral vessel that the Republic sent to Zetan space are continued evidence of this point of seeking to censor the truth. What little information we have, as none of the aggressors in this conflict have given us means to ascertain if they tell the truth or not, indicates that the Earth Cultural Union and the Undefeated seek to not simply recapture a supposedly kidnapped citizen, who frankly alternately might have fled his nation of origin due to discrimination and cruel treatment, but also to persecute the Zetan people in cruel and unusual ways. 

Even the representative of the Earth Cultural Union has admitted in a prior announcement that they do not possess knowledge of the truth about this 'abduction', and yet they and the Undefeated have pursued not a diplomatic route to this matter. No, they did not. They have instead chosen the path of invasion and destruction upon another nation and its people, even to waste the lives of their own troops and people upon a conflict that need not happen in the first place. No, this needless violence cannot stand as it is, and the Xandalian Republic will not tolerate the continuance of this unclear situation as it currently stands from what little we know. 

Being held back from the full truth of this matter primarily but not wholly by the very actions of the Earth Cultural Union and the Undefeated, we are left with only one choice and one demand to make - If the Earth Cultural Union and the Undefeated do not cease hostile actions against the Zetan Consciousness, and all parties cease any censorship of this issue and stop the bloodshed involved so a neutral international delegation can be formed too enter and help solve this matter peacefully, we will be forced to formally Declare War on the Earth Cultural Union and the Undefeated. 

In the sole case that the former two parties comply fully and prove truthful, yet the Zetan Consciousness is hostile or equally as abrasive or censoring or the like towards or in regards to the the Republic or its people, we will be forced to Declare War on them accordingly on the side of the Earth Cultural Union and the Undefeated. 

We in turn, the Senate and people of the Xandalian Republic, petition with and plead to the other nations assembled here to seek the truth of this conflict on your own and decide for yourselves. Whether you agree without our decision or not, you should not be held back from the truth if you wish to learn it.'"[/i][/quote]

McCrorie sat stroking his beard. The nation that Representative Mackenzie had already made contact with was from the [I]Undefeated[/i]. He flicked through her notes of the encounter. They had talked about their militancy and the trials that they faced on their home planet. The fact that they had developed into a Militant society wasn't too much of a surprise. This Earth Cultural Union had already made contact, in fact Representative Baum was currently preparing for a meeting with a representative from that nation in the pilots rec-room. "We're going to have to relay this information back to the board."

McCrorie nodded at his aide. "Exactly. War time might be good for business, but not when we're just entering the field and don't know all the players. Especially if there's some misinformation going around. Get in touch with this-" he checked his notes from the broadcast. "-Xandalian Republic. See if we can schedule some form of meeting for one of our Representatives."

"At once sir." Edwards turned and lef the room, as soon as he had reached the communication terminal the offer would go out to meet with their ambassador. Either wearing a protective suit aboard the meeting place, or alternatively inviting them aboard the [I]Endurance[/i].

[hr]

[b][right]Representative Anders // Meeting Place // Sol System[/right][/b]
[right][sup][@Irredeemable][/sup][/right]

[url=https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/5163daee-2cec-4dda-97eb-018a9d22e9ad/d625ep6-cea5c224-e94b-4133-aaf9-51448de63537.jpg?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcLzUxNjNkYWVlLTJjZWMtNGRkYS05N2ViLTAxOGE5ZDIyZTlhZFwvZDYyNWVwNi1jZWE1YzIyNC1lOTRiLTQxMzMtYWFmOS01MTQ0OGRlNjM1MzcuanBnIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.labG9hpVed3GRKY26HwiqGuP5LmqSbtGLXi4wmPaMF4]Representative Tobius Gibbson[/url] walked through the halls of the station with his helmet under his arm. The air in the station appeared to be clean, however, he could feel the additional weight bearing down on him. What with the gravity being more than what his body had grown accustomed to, he'd have looked like an invalid trying to walk around without his suit. As it was he garnered some strange looks, though he wasn't entirely sure if that this was due to his wearing a suit or if it was just because it was a design aesthetic that the people here were unfamiliar with.

Eventually, he reached the corridor that the station map had advised him would lead to the 'Zetan' Embassy. After the broadcast, having met the Undefeated the Commander was quite interested in meeting the Zetans. Especially since the Xandalians representative had mentioned their use of Cybernetics.

Also, there were real business opportunities with the underdog in a war. Especially if a truce or a period of peace was on the table, rebuilding meant possibilities for the industry. He brushed past the graffiti and the people that drew him ugly looks as he waltzed straight into the embassy, he was slightly taken aback by the mix-match of technology and humanity that stood to greet him behind the counter. Taking a deep breath to bring himself back into check he walked up to the counter, took a business card out of his pocket and placed it on the counter. Sliding it towards, what he assumed was a Zetan. "Greetings, I am Representative Tobius Gibbson from the Lorne Administration, and I was wondering if I could talk to someone to open dialogue between your people and ourselves."

[hr]
[right][b]The [I]Arcadius[/i] // Administration Space[/b][/right]

Captain Anders and Aide stood in the observation room looking in on the artefact, as various Aides ran scanners and various tools around it. Careful not to touch its surface. It had been brought aboard and then transported directly to this room, every section of the ship it had been through had been thoroughly decontaminated afterwards. Anders had spoken to the board and they were already sending a science ship to come to collect the artefact. He was thankful for that, he didn't want to keep it on his ship a moment longer than he had to. The sooner he could resume his normal duties. Instead, he had been told to hold position and cease all operations until the science ship came and took over, afterwhich he would be required to move to a different location to continue operations. 

He sighed in frustration.

"What's the matter Captain?"

"Nothing Aide. I just want to get back to work."

"This is quite an important discovery, previously there have been no signs of intelligent life within this system. This is a massive discovery for the Administration."

Anders looked at it sceptically. "I just find it a little too convenient. The gateway opens, then weeks later at the most, we come across some alien artefact? For all we know it drifted through the gateway and just found its way to rest here."

"That is what the scientists aboard the [I]Prometheus[/i] will endeavour to find out. If not though, it could prove that we are not alone out here."

"That idea doesn't make me too happy either."