Periphery RP Thread

[disgruntled]

Throne Room, Palace of the Magestrix
Crimson, Canopus IV
Now

In the early hours of the evening, Jiltanith McIntyre was shown into the Canopian throne room by a pair of well-armed royal guards. A few moments later, from another door, Angela Summers was also admitted to the opulent room, again with blue-garbed guards ushering her in with all due diligence to her personal security.  The Marik and Davion ambassadors were led to the end of the turquoise-tiled path that ran from the massive double doors of the entrance to the Canopian throne itself, upon which Magestrix Emma Centrella sat with an expression kept carefully neutral and even.

The two pairs of guards took up station to either side of Emma, and the Magestrix looked down at her guests with steel-grey eyes that gave away nothing. "Ambassador Summers, Ambassador McIntyre. I know why both of you have petitioned me for an audience, so I have taken it upon myself to, as they say, kill two birds with one stone and grant you both a personal audience. So let's talk."

"Magestrix, I'm here to stop a war before it engulfs either of our nations any further.  Your unprovoked attack has us perplexed and concerned.  Usually nations attempt diplomacy before resorting to open warfare.  We have no understanding for why you launched your offensive let alone what goals you hope to accomplish.  We both know any short term gains you have made will be only fleeting.  Both sides have much more to lose then gain in this exchange.  I, and my government, wish to end this before any more lives are lost, but it is not up to us alone. It takes two willing parties for diplomacy to work."

Edit: I just noticed your(TK) post in the INN, so this was originally posted without knowledge of it.

[Arvanna]

  Ambassador Summers waited and listened carefully as her FWL counterpart spoke before bowing her head respectfully "Thank you for seeing us Magestrix, though under such circumstances sadly. I understand you have already stated the forces involved are not what they have claimed to be, that is actually MAF units or acting under  your orders to begin with. If that is the case then the Suns would suggest investigating this before the situation escalates, on either side. A False Flag operation by a third party is not as inconceivable as most would, after all if you recall the attack on NAIS during the waning days of the 4th SW, a unit disguised as perfect clone of the Death Commandos to misdirect blame from the true perpetrators ."

  Nodding to her counter part "I was discussing earlier with my colleague that the League's sudden jumping into the situation between our Lyrans partners and the Federation was being seen as perhaps as the beginning of a aggressive move against the Periphery by her government.  For you to then attack the League would be an act of madness and we do not believe that of you, you've lead your people too well and if Captain-General Marik is true to his wishes for peace we need to work to defuse the situation and find out who the true instigators are?"

[tassa_kay]

Emma inclined her head first to McIntyre, her expression carefully kept neutral and poised. "As you so eloquently stated just now, it would be madness for me to authorize any sort of offensive action against the Free Worlds League, especially given the size of the FWLM forces I know you have posted in the interstellar vicinity. Understandable, given the events in Andurien, but it is precisely because of Andurien that I have gone out of my way to rectify the damage that my mother helped to cause your realm. And for whatever it is worth to you, Lady McIntyre, I give you my word of honor that I would never do something so antagonistic or self-destructive."

Then, Emma turned to Ambassador Summers, and nodded to the other woman. "And your words show your inherent wisdom, Ambassador, and have given me an idea as to how to help defuse this situation in a way that, it is my sincerest hope, will satisfy all parties involved. I propose that you serve as a neutral mediator, and I will provide you with evidence that will demonstrate that not a single one of the units that were allegedly involved in this ill-conceived 'invasion' were and are nowhere near the worlds which have been attacked by these perfidious invaders."

Finally, she turned back to McIntyre, her grey eyes meeting the other woman's with characteristic Centrella intensity. "Would this be acceptable to you as a first step, Lady McIntyre?"

[disgruntled]

That would be acceptable as a first step Magestrix, especially if you have verifiable proof.  You of course would not object if we send forces to liberate our own worlds in the meantime.  Unlike the Lyrans, we do not like leaving our citizen's fates in the hands of others. Even more so when they are unknown forces. 

[Arvanna]

"You really couldn't resist a cheap shot there?" Angela lamented towards the League Rep shaking her head at the reference to the Lyrans "I rather doubt you evicting the invaders will be an issue if as the Magestrix says they're not her people. Now since we all know we all spy on one another and that sort of thing we begin by getting our files on each other's military units supposedly involved in this so we can begin verifying if said units are where they should be and not in League space? " turning back to Emma she "We will need to compare notes with your command to make sure we're working with a correct cast before we can begin to send a joint investigation team to verify the status of the units in question ."

[tassa_kay]

Emma nodded at Angela's words, her expression giving away nothing but her mind deep in thought as she pondered the situation before her. "You're right, Ambassador Summers, and despite my own misgivings about giving the Mariks access to the MAF's deployments, I am forced to acknowledge the fact that the FWLM is far superior to my own nation's military and would enjoy precious little more advantage with such knowledge in hand than they'd have without it. More to the point, I wish to get to the bottom of this mess so that we can get back to what passes for normalcy in this corner of space."

With that, her grey gaze focused on Ambassador McIntyre sharply. "However, as the saying goes, you have to give a little to get a little. If I am going to grant you access to such sensitive information, I will ask for two things in return. First, I would ask that you grant my people access to the same information for all FWLM units posted along the border with my Magistracy. And second, and perhaps most importantly, I would like to reaffirm our peaceful relations with a more formal treaty in place."

Emma stood from her throne, and extended her exquisitely-manicured hand to McIntyre. "Do we have a deal, Ambassador?"

[tassa_kay]

Undisclosed Location
Six Days Ago

The room was lit by the most hellish of lights, crimson illuminating the consoles and chairs where various technicians were hard at work at their stations. But other than the hum of machinery and technology forming an almost-soothing background noise of beeps and whines, it was as silent as death in the room. None of the technicians spoke a word, and neither did the woman who stood amidst it all.

The woman was as beautiful as she was silent, scarlet hair pulled back in a severe bun and clad in a smart, dark pantsuit devoid of any rank or other identifying markers. Not that she needed such, of course; there wasn't a man or woman in this room who didn't know who she was. Contessa Mercer, the head of the Magistracy Intelligence Ministry, and one of the most dangerous women in Canopian space, if not the entire Periphery. And her expression was neutral, almost passive, as her eyes observed what was before her.

Illuminated by light-blue glowlights was a massive tank, within which was suspended a single figure. The figure was naked and very obviously female, with long black hair that undulated around her as she rested in peaceful, dreaming repose. Other than a few miniscule movements, the woman was motionless, lost in unconsciousness.

Mercer's own inscrutable thoughts were interrupted as bright, white light spilled into the room, and she turned to see that a figure stood in the now-open doorway to the hidden chamber. A functionary, she noted, no doubt with news that required her personal attention. She beckoned the man forward, and as he approached, he handed her a datapad without fanfare and stood at military-precision attention.

After reading the contents of the datapad for a few moment, Mercer looked up without really seeing the man before her. "It is time, then." Turning to one of the workstations, she spoke again. "Wake her up."

[Valjean]

Secret Space facility
Unknown Sector

Many jumpships entered the system and gave all the right codes, they were checked and triple checked.

He was the first to step foot into this piece of history. At the airlock was met by an unexpected reception party.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We can't let you do this."

"What do you mean, this has to happen. For the good of our realm and hell even freedom from those tyrants. We all agreed."

"Yes, this has to happen, but YOU can't be the one."

"No, I am the most logical choice. It makes total sense. It surly can't be you?"

"No not me either, we talked more while you were in transit and she has volunteered. We all agreed, here the message from them if you wish to read it. You are needed here to protect us from the threats within. She will fight this fight out there."

"Umm, I was ready for this to go down this way, but I can see the logic. He is crazy and we have to make it through the coming storm."

He turned to the uniformed women, and embraced her, "I will miss you and be jealous of your coming adventure. Come home to us."

"Young one I remember playing with you as a child and watching as you grew into a leader. The path you took to get us here has been hard. Now I will take this small side journey. You build the family; maybe settle down like him. Watch over our homes and the next generation."

With that the two men reentered the shuttle and returned.

After all units were transferred, included unexpected loyalist, only one lone jumpship remained as this new group with another piece of the great game jumped out of the system after being dormant for so long.

[Valjean]

In another part of the galaxy

"My love it is the only way."

"No, I will stay but they can go. My people will protect them."

"They need a parent, yet so does my realm. I have sent my own best men to guard them, but all of you must leave. If we did not still have such loyal friends than we would have never heard of this and all would be lost. There will be allies there wait for you. I never really wanted to play in the great game, but it is my duty. I will continue to communicate with you as long as I am able. Please my love protect our charge and I will see you in the morrow."

With that the connection broke and tears from both these star crossed lovers, separated by space and politics freely flowed.

[Altrak]

1.October 3042

Exactly one year, after JADE-Puplic and FRN going online for the first time, something moved again on the communication market.

[Altrak]

Canopus


The Periphery Pact Members were quite under fire, also they didn't manage to become present in the ISDF, mostly due to their own faults. Yet the representative of the ARAR, Amilcar Florez-Castro was traveling between Martian Hegemony and Lothian Palantine. Being a probatory member didn't help. The Coordinator anouncing the "Realm of the Dragon" also not, asking himself what else President Neil Avellar had agreed on... Yet, the ARAR is seeing much improvements, be it on the civilian, social-economic or military part. He heard rumors about a carrier named "RNS-Alpheratz" that was currently headed home.
Now he entered the Magistracies Palace. To talk to them about the defensive strategy. At least he hadn't to travel towards Taurus, as the Kurita-Calderon family would take care of that. They must find a way to hold of the clans longer, so the ISDF and the PACT could engage more effective counter-meassures.